Happy Christmas

I'm writing this post in the car on our way back from C-bus. Went down to visit the in-laws and nephews. Hooked them with some serious toys.

My apologies for not posting as often as I should. I'll get back to semi-regular posts ASAP. I've been busy at work, sick, and had a death in the family. Now I am on vacation until 1/5.

Poker has been uneventful as if late, no cashes in the tourneys and still can't win at $1 cash games. Still undefeated at $1-2 since Sept, so that and the tourney cashes have kept my bankroll in the black. I'm hoping to get to mountaineer this week. I am also going to read some basic Omaha strategy for the mixed tourney at Dave's tomorrow. I got pretty deep in the last one I played, and in fact did best at Omaha.

Last week at Daves I made 10th place after playing well after being nearly felted by players that cannot fold. Then I push against Chan's raise and he wakes up with KK vs my pocket 10's. Oh well. Chan had a monster lead yet barely made 4th. Mailman defeated Pyxis heads-up for the win.

Poker Update

Despite a dismal evening at Dave's on Saturday, I'm still upbeat this week after yet another win at Hip's game. 5-0 now. It was a crazy night. I made a $75 snap call on the river against Caveman in a $150 pot with A-high that was good. Everyone was aghast. I knew it was a stab. Calling a bluff like that or making a great laydown is so much better than hitting that miracle card on the river...although I did a little of that last night too.

I totally pwned Caveman last night. I pushed on him twice with the nut flush and he paid me off. I called him down twice with 10-2 suited (hit the 10 both times) and was good. I was on a bit of a roller coaster after Hip made a couple good calls against me (next time I WILL have a hand bro...or a least a better kicker lol), Uncle Bob hit his usual 2-pair with A-7 against my AJ, and even Knish got a piece of me. He flopped a set of 7's, bet all the way to the river (I just called, looking to hit the nut flush), and then the river pairs the K but also gives me the nut flush. I had put Knish on 2 pair or even a total bluff. He CHECKS the full house, and I bet out $50 (which was the same as the turn bet), and he just calls. I ask..."no raise?" He said I had him confused. My flat-calls apparently made him think I had a bigger boat? Either way, I saved a ton of $$ on that hand as I thought I was way good.

There was another guy there that came with his brother (seems to love to gamble) that was bleeding chips like crazy, I just couldn't get any of them. Hip had his number.

So the roller coaster went like this: Buy in for $200, down $100, add-on $200, up $400, down $100, up $350, then run for the door. I had been kicking myself for not leaving when up $400 and was lucky Caveman rebought several times and stuck around to keep me ahead. He was the only one I could beat. I'll take a win like that any day. I dont know what it is about the lower stakes game, but I really need to stay away from it and just play the donkaments.

Still undefeated at Hip's

Decided to let the heater roll last night and headed to Hip's to play the $1-2 cash game. My first table was pretty lame and after rebuying early I hovered between down $100 and up $100. I gave Con a nice chunk of change on one hand, but dont remember the specifics at the moment. Something like middle pair on flop then open-ender, then hitting my kicker for 2-pair (or tripping up) only to be hit with a straight....or something to that effect.

Anyway, there wasn't much money at that table so as soon as a seat opened up at the main table I jumped on it. Uncle Bob, Charlie (still playing every pot together), Gross, Hip...there was some action on this table. Ended up calling UB down with bottom pair, getting open-ended on the turn, and finally hitting on the river. I also flopped a flush on him for a big pot. Superior play rules the evening. Hey, a win is a win, right? I am still ahead of Slacks in $$ won this year for sure. Talk all you want about my skill, but the bottom line is what counts. :)

2 straight first place finishes

Pretty good weekend! Played the cash game on Wed night and actually won $20!! Woo hoo!!! I'm going to have to throw a freaking party. There was also a guy with 1 hand visiting from NC, and looked us up on meetup.com. TK was sitting next to him, so I sent TK a text: "when you tell that guy nice hand, it's literal"...TK couldnt stop giggling. He then asked him how he lost his hand, and he admitted that he was trying to make a bomb. WTF??? Of course, TK segues right into "I work for an explosives company". Hilarious. Anyway, we had a great time.

Thanksgiving was great as always. I cook a mean turkey. Mashed potatoes made with Yukon Golds...mmmmm! Killer stuffing and all the other trimmings. Just had the family over. Grandpa will be 95 in 6 days. (12/7) Gonna have to take some chicken paprikas over for him.

I missed the caravan to WV on Friday, after all the hype. I turned off my alarm clock, happy that I didn't have to work. TK even called but I didnt hear the phone. Oh well, next time. Glad I didnt go anyway, everyone lost.

Played Dave's "deeper stack" tourney on Sat, and actually won it all. 26 players I think. I got VERY lucky a couple times. Put a couple great bluffs down on Matt G and Doc Donator. Folded JJ to Hacker before we got into the money. I just wasn't ready to get crippled if I lost, so I laid them down. At the final table I was all-in with A5 suited, got 2 callers, who each had pocket pairs. Spiked an A on the flop and that was all she wrote. Later, I had the pleasure of taking Chan out, calling his push with K-10 vs. his 9-6 suited. Flopped 2 pair. Buh bye. The biggest luck shot came later when I blasted Father Time to get us down to heads-up. I had an A4 off, and the flop was Q4x with 2 diamonds. I call the flop bet and get another diamond on the turn, and FT pushes. I had told him earlier that "next time, I call" after making a fold with middle pair. I pondered a few minutes and made the call. Flushed on the river.

Almost gave it all away to Hacker during heads-up play. I got him to go all-in after just calling with my AQ. He had A3 and nailed the 3. I dont remember what hand actually won it, but I got the winning hand shortly after talking about a chop. I wanted to play it out. I have had pretty good luck after refusing to chop. So much for superstition.

Being a $50 tourney, 1st place paid well...$590. Gave some back at the cash game of course. Misplayed flopping the nuts that turned out NOT to be the nuts on the turn. Shit.

So anyway, the non-existent POY race that Theo is keeping track of has me in the lead. The top 6-7 players are actually interested now that things are heating up. Should be fun to watch going into spring.