Who said you can't play for money online anymore?

In the United States, there's just not as many sites with solid traffic, so I'll take the occasional action where I can get it. Screw around on the low-limit SnGs and MTTs over at 5Dimes.com (I can't even tell you what network that site is on, sorry) on occasion when I'm not betting on gridiron action, and after cashing in 4 SnGs in a row, decided to enter the $5 buy-in, $150 guaranteed (LOL) tourney.

Surprising, 63 people entered, so made for a nice little pot for 12 of us to split up. 20% payouts? What is this, a PokerStars micro tourney? Anyways, played some very good poker, got fortunate when I needed to, and then this happened:



Always feels great to get a win, no matter how big the stakes are. Even better when you can say that you earned it!

I love bar poker...

...because of the different types of players that you play with on a weekly basis. You also get some interesting hands to discuss with people, like the one I'm about to relay here. After this hand was over, 3 people really thought I did a stupid play, but at least 2 others (besides me) thought it was a great play. How would you play this?

Very early in the 500/1000 level in 2nd game at World Tavern this past Tuesday, and we have a MP player all in for his last 600 chips (just got crippled the hand before). Have a friendly, family pot of 7,600 going, because every player limped into this hand...and then it reaches me in the big blind. I look down and see A-J, and after taking a few seconds to think about my move, I shove my remaining 9,600 chips into the middle.

Everyone folds, I find out I am up against 9-7, and after my Jack hits on the flop, I get both a knockout and a decent pot. It was right after this that Mike, a player immediately on my right, told me that it was a pretty stupid shove on my part...and that I was lucky to not only have nobody call me, but that I also got the knockout. "Classic isolation play - kinda ballsy, but well played" was what Timmy, one of the better players in the game, said in response. After I explained my thinking in the hand, one of original players who thought it was a dumb raised his eyebrows, then nodded as if they understood the logic of it...but not everyone bought my logic. Oh well.

Here is was: No one had shown any particular strength in the hand, and with a pot of $7,600, a standard 3-4x BB raise was not gonna be enough here. On top of that, any raise almost surely pot-commits me here, since we're already at 10.6 BBs, or an M of 7 (if you prefer Harrington), and I really don't want to have any callers in this spot. Of course, if I'm called and stil have the best hand or am in a coin-flip, I won't be upset about that, either.

Also, with $2,800 of chips out there unavailable to the all-in, I would be freerolling against the all-in. Speaking of him, this guy's range is very wide, and I'm ahead of him most of the time. So not only do I gain 2,800 chips automatically, I'm also a favorite to take down the other $5,600 - this is definitely a +EV play here on my part! And if the shorty wins, so what - we're still at 15 players, he's still short-stacked, and I've increased my stack from 10.7K to 13.5K - 25% increase. This, in turn, increases fold equity here for any pushes I may do in this or the next level.

Good players understand the theory involved in this...bad or mediocre players do not understand it.

Running hot lately...it doesn't suck.

Not going to get too much into tournament details, but over the last ten days in World Tavern, we have a solid set of results:

1 1st, 3 2nds, 2 3rds out of 8 events - all in 17-30 man fields.

A tale of 2 seconds last night at Overtyme. First game, survived as a short-stack for entire final table (including flopping a boat with 1.5 BBs left, heh), and watched the big stacks take each other out. Actually got a small chip-lead heads-up, lost a huge pot in a flush over flush hand, and lost to a deserving winner.

Second game, a set of 9s was good enough to give me a commanding chip lead with 4-5 players to go, but 3 separate river beats doubled up short stacks, and then one hand I believe I played correctly, yet still kicked myself over, happened:

3-handed, on button I raise (5K/10K blinds) with A-6. Andy (from Dino's league) shoves out of the small blind, and BB shoved over Andy. I have both covered, but a big decision for over 2/3 of my remaining stack...and one I really wish I could have made with only one player involved in the hand, because that would be an easier decision for me to make.

I figure out my scenarios here, because I really wanted to call here, but I still had to talk myself into it:

1) Up against 2 pocket pairs - but my ace is good for 3 outs
2) Up against 1 pocket pair higher than my 6, but dominated by other hand with an A-10 through A-K holding - This is the worst scenario.
3) Up against 2 face cards (K-J, K-Q, Q-J, etc), and a small pair...now my 6 may be live, as well.

Stewed for a minute, then ultimately folded face-up - both players flipped over pocket 10s. Of course, an ace hits on the door card, which would have ended things right there...but oh well, I still think I made the proper play in that situation, but results-oriented thinking sometimes takes over the mind. Congrats, Andy on winning in your return to Overtyme!

4 TOC finishes in 2 weeks at Overtyme, and 2 in 2 weeks at Buckshots...enjoying the run while I can!

Unfamiliar territory - nothing to be uncomfortable about!

After two deep runs a couple of weekends ago at Four Aces, decided to play again last Friday in the same tournament. 71 players this time - usual cast of misfits and donkeys, as well.

First table starts out pretty slow for me, as in "see lots of flops cheaply, hit nothing, get out" for a couple of levels. 3-bet a player with A-K at start of 3rd level, but am forced to fold after being check-raised on the turn when a Queen hit...the bells and whistles were going off in my head on this bet, and player obliged me by showing me A-Q (with the nut flush draw, to boot). Down to 14.5K in chips.

First hand of 200/400 level, am fortunate to pick up A-A in the big blind, and with 5 other players limped into the pot, a raise to 2,600 seems appropriate. 2 players oblige, then fold like bubkus after a post-flop bet on a 10-high flop. Nice to increase the stack by more than 50% without showing down.

Get moved shortly after to another table, and chip my way up to about 38K before the break. Figured out that I'd be able to pound hands against 3 calling stations, including one lady on my immediate right who will call any PFR with suited cards...even shit such as 8-4. Love it!

Win a couple solid pots to start the first level after the break to get to 45K in chips, then get a huge double-up with K-K against lady on my right after my turned full house gives her a flush draw...whoops! Nice to get these hands against idiots and get paid off...but let's review the action here:

MP player open-raises (1000/2000 blinds) to 8K - 4x BB is this player's standard raise...and knowing this guy, raising with small/middle pair or an A-10 type hand. 2 players (including lady on right in SB) call. I 3-bet my Kings out of BB to 24K - a bit more than I wanted to, but want this hand heads-up. This bet also has the effect of pot-committing me here. Lady calls 3-bet out of position (OOP). Flop of K-6-2 rainbow brings a check, then a smallish bet of 12K (half my remaining stack)...SB calls. Turn is a 2, putting 2 spades on board. Lady puts in 50K, more than enough to have me covered, and I insta-call with the boat. Lady reveals 9-8 of spades. Blank on the river, and a monster pot for me at this point, bringing me to over 100K early in the tourney.

Knock out another player (player who spiked 3-outer on me earlier) soon after to get to 150K in chips, when my A-Q on a A-A-6 board against opponents A-9 see all the chips in the middle post-flop. With 30 players left, I have at least 3x the chip average in the room, and am in unfamiliar territory here. I'm used to being over chip average, maybe double, but more often a shorter stack, in these things. I know I can be more liberal in my opening raises here, but as the blinds quickly escalate, I can be crippled in short order, as well. I tell myself to play patiently and solid like I've been doing all night, and I'll be fine.

Move to new table, and we start the 2K/4K level. Go about an orbit without seeing much and/or being forced to fold hands I'd open-raise with, based on action at the table. Finally pick-up pocket jacks in middle position, and 3-bet an EP raiser from his bet of 12K to 26K...which is followed by a four-bet of 80K total all-in. What to do, what to do...time to think this out here.

I count out the chips I need to call (dealer tells me 54K or so), and after thinking about it for a minute and figuring out I was against an A-Q/A-K type hand, put the chips in the middle, turn over my jacks...and see that I am against A-K. Biggest pot of the night, I'm guessing. 7-high flop helps no one, but hit a set of Jacks on the turn to end the hand, and we're back on the wagon here.

Very next hand, almost throw my hand in thinking I had 6-5, then double-check and see 6-6, so it was good enough in EP to limp in. Hit another set on the flop, and after SB check-raises all-in after my initial bet, we have another elimination when his pair of queens doesn't improve on the turn. Up to 290K in chips, and we break down to 2 tables. At this time, 4x the chip average...but with the blinds going up to 5K/10K soon, a lot of chances to quickly lose this stack before we get to a final table.

Take a couple of pots pre-flop, then lose 40K at end of level, when BB 3-bets me with Q-3...soooooted. My A-K is ahead, but a queen flops, I don't catch up, and we go to break with about 270K in chips. Early on after break, lose 100K in chips holding Q-Q against J-J and A-K (last 2 all-in) - Jack on the flop dooms me, and now the dynamic of my tournament changes. Tread water at around 200K mark, then knock out short-stack player to force us to final 10.

Once at final 10, cruise my way pretty easily to the final 4, but by this time the blinds have gone up to 30K/60K, and with about 1.4 million chips in play, much less skill involved here. Open-shove A-J UTG, but am met by A-K in the BB, and after losing this hand I am crippled at 65K, but in the BB the next hand...lose 390K on this hand (6.5 BBs).

Last hand, button limps, but is put all-in by SB...at least I get a shot to win a 190K pot here in the dark with 9-8. Flop a 9, but SB's K-Q hits a jack on the river to get a straight, and I'm in out in 4th for about $220 or so.

Another solid run - 3 consecutive top-5 finishes in a tournament this size is pretty cool, indeed!