Hats

Many famous poker players wear a hat or some headgear particular to them. I cannot say if they think it brings them luck, conceals their features, or what. Have I done better wearing a hat? Not having worn one in a while I would have to say yes. The problem is, which hat? I have a lot of bad, ill-fitting, uncomfortable hats. A good hat, one that will bring you luck, is hard to find. State Fair had lots of hats for sale.

I like hats, especially when I am working outside. I don't have a lot of hats that fit well or that I like. I have a Washington DC hat, not that I am a fan of Washington DC, that is comfortable and of some level of quality. But it is usually dirty since I wear it often. I try to look clean when at the poker table.

I noticed I do better dressed casually but feel better when dressed in good clothes. So this last Sunday night I wore jeans and a t-shirt with some nice socks, my Allen-Edmonds and matching belt and was looking forward to see how I did. They didn't have enough people to play.

I have an extremely nice USS Reagan hat I received for donating to the Reagan Library. I wore it once and a while when I was out of hats, but had to keep telling people who didn't know me that I wasn't in the navy and where I got the hat. Though if anyone would stop to think a moment they should realize people who have served have mission buttons and other accessories pinned to their hats. I don't wear that hat any more.

I have a Civil War Preservation Trust hat. I like it and it is very comfortable. I wore it once to a poker game and it seemed to stir the ire of some there. Not sure how it would fly at the casino if I could ever afford to go again.

The last time I played a bar tournament, one more accomplished than myself pointed out that the slow pace and blind structure of most bar tournaments makes luck a bigger factor than skill. I would like to try a tournament at the casino if I ever have the money. With the quick play at the casino, seeing many more hands at each level, skill gains advantage.

Then I have the Gun Owners Task Force hat that fits nice and comfortable like. I'm just not comfortable with the acronym. I wore it on a job once and we had to go to Home Depot to buy some supplies. It got me looks from the ladies. Can't wear that hat.

Right now I have been extremely consumed with getting my book published and have necessary home repairs looming as Winter approaches. My poker goals are simple. One, stay on track for Tavern Tourney's six month tournament, which shouldn't be a problem even going just a few times a month. The other, just outright win a tournament. That will get me into bigger tournaments in and of itself. No chasing monthly points as I am too busy right now and the money is tight. Even saving on gas and a soda, the minimal cost for a night of poker, can make a difference so I don't plan to be going much. I'll have to get back to free Internet play, but I don't know if that isn't counterproductive as people with play money play differently.

Tight

Summer has been hard on the poker tournament organizations/leagues as people tend to do other things with their evenings, the sun being out well past 8:00 pm. Some are waiting for the autumn to renew their expansionists policies. So, as someone who often plays for free, out of necessity, I find it curious that policies have been changed to put the free players at an even greater disadvantage stack wise. Providing vastly greater chip earning promotions so that even with a minimal buy-in you may find yourself seriously short stacked from the get go. It would seem contrary to promoting growth. I find it hard to understand...or not.

So it has caused me to become more and more tight as a player. And be assured that when I do go in on a hand I will be raised pre-flop and heavily challenged after. So it was the other night. Somewhere in mid position, after folding almost everything but the blinds most of the night, I went in with 7, 8 suited, hoping for a big trap. I was raised, the raiser looking directly to me, and I called. Several called. The flop came A, 4, 5 with two hearts, my suit. I made double the minimal bet, believing everyone would put me on an A. I was reraised to over 2/3rds of my stack by one as the others folded. I thought awhile with my gut shot straight and flush draw, knowing clearly he had the A. I thought he would have a good kicker. As my stack was comparatively small, even before the hand, I went all-in which he didn't like but having a mountain of chips, my reraise being a fraction of his stack and the total pot, he called.

Reraising me, playing tight, on my bet with an A, 8? Most would consider I had an A, 10 or better, or possibly believe I hit two pair, or at least paired the A with a wheel draw. I'm not sure if most others would consider mine a good all-in, but most were surely surprised, if not impressed, when I turned over the 7, 8 of hearts. I didn't hit my straight or flush and was out, but picked up a point for the session tournament which I have qualified for.

And have I been 'punked' by Ultimate Bet? Working for my $1 million play money goal, with near $700,000 I lost it all in a matter of days, never having come out ahead in a single sitting. And this with me playing the smaller stake games as my play money assets dropped. All happening after a software update some time back. Haven't played there since. I had stopped counting the times I hit two pair on the flop and lost to someone who hit their second higher pair on the river. But it is all play money? People play differently.

Actually have lost interest in the online poker after playing real games for prizes and tournament qualification. At first I didn't think I could hold my own but did well sticking to what I had learned from online play and TV. And am learning more and more every time I play; growing in feel and read and betting strategy.

So at my next tournament I will still be at a disadvantage, as the highest point getter's still receive some bonus chips. But should have better odds. And I certainly have plenty of experiences playing tight...

Or maybe I just want my competition to think I'm playing tight.

Blah hahahahaha Blah hahahahaha!

Luck?

As I have said before I take seriously, no matter how trivial, everything I do. And I do well at everything I invest myself in. Yet last night some seemed intent on describing my prowess at the poker table as 'luck.' Well, let me tell you how it went down.

Already on the small stack, not buying in for the 'last man standing' prize for 5000 in extra chips, I played the first hand with a K, 10 suited, hearts. J, Q came on the flop, two diamonds. The betting was high. Another diamond came on the turn and I bet big, representing a flush I didn't hold, and was called by the two others in the hand. I made my straight on the river and checked. Check, check and I lost big to the nuts flush.

So now I am seriously small stacked right from the get go. And I hadn't eaten, had a headache and the music at this Badger Poker tournament was deafening. The guy next to me was obnoxious, but I didn't let it bother me and learned to enjoy it.

I don't remember all the hands exactly but won many all-ins. Three to get to the final table and took out more than one in their all-ins there, even collecting a bounty for taking out Al. My all-ins were well chosen after long waits, paying out many blinds that cut deep. Snowmen held early on the opening table.

On the final table I was again seriously small stacked with a J, Q off and I raised pre-flop, if I remember correctly, to make others think twice before making large bets that would push me off the hand. J on the flop with something like a 7, 5 rainbow. I went all-in. The pot was big. I had one caller. Pocket A's shown with a glee. Another J on the turn and a 5 on the river and it was I who was celebrating. Luck? Yes. A bad push or poor poker playing? No way.

Three left and again my stack growing small I had a Q, 7 on the BB. Three spades, including and A, on the flop and me with a 7 of spades. Heads up I went all-in. Called since my opponent had the large stack and could easily afford it. He had the 8 of spades with a 9 so I owned the hand with high card. J of spades on the turn ended it, his 8 beating my 7 for the flush, and I finished third out of 21.

Now I should be on the cusp if not already in Badger Poker's quarterly tournament by points. Coming in in the middle of the session I quickly got to the top 120. I have only missed one final table so far at Badger Poker.

Muck the Straight

Another night of free poker at Fanatics.

Again only one winning hand the first hour. First hour played high pair, Q's, and was beat by pocket K's. Then I called an all-in with Q, 10 with high pair, Q's, after the flop, against a Q, 8. Again, ...we call this domination. He hit the 8 on the turn and to make things worse a fourth diamond came on the river to give him a flush. Just before the break so I didn't have to wait long for more free chips to start the second hour.

My one win for the first hour? I went all-in with A's. One caller and I was still in the game. After the break one person had triple my stack and the others about double. Still far from out of the game. I went all-in with high pair. Showed my cards after the hand was over and the other gentleman mucked.

He mucked. Then he thought again and turned his cards over. He had a straight. But it was too late. He mucked.

Then I had an open ended straight draw after the flop and the betting was high. The small stack was all-in before the flop. I hit the straight on the river but not the nuts straight. Had to go all-in and another was nearly all-in. We both had the 10 making a straight, but another gentleman had the K, 10, making the nuts/higher straight. I thought that was going to happen. (I should have just mucked) So two more out and they were three away from final table after two hours.

I don't think anyone bought a round to get back in the game. The bonus chip promotion for continuous night play (if you play Sunday) is still on in Milwaukee. I may take my bike to Victor's tomorrow. Have to take any advantage, as I have a chance to get into the monthly if I can get to one more final table this month.

Comedy Cafe

Last night I was at the Comedy Cafe for the Wednesday night tavern tourney. Yes, it was pouring rain so there was no local mountain bike race.

The Comedy Cafe truly caters to their poker patrons. And for those who don't drink they have some really great bottled water to enjoy. And on my fourth outing at the Milwaukee tavern tourneys I made the final table for a second time.

The first hand I folded a Q, 2 off and would have won with two pair. The second hand of the night I folded a 7, 4 off and would have beat pocket A's with a straight. But what can you do? The betting was so strong I most likely wouldn't have chased the straight to the river anyway. I had gone in with a 3, 4 suited and folded what would have been another straight on the river, thinking someone must have the higher straight. The first hour I won only one hand. The last hand before the break.

I called an after the flop raise and took a pot with low pair as my opponent failed to raise again. Then I had a hot streak after the break making two flushes, both clubs, only having to show one.

I had only a few blinds left in my stack when our whole table hit a break. A couple had to leave. The gentleman, unable to shuffle or deal, sitting together with his girlfriend (also in the game) to shuffle and deal for him, were piling up the chips. Unfortunately she had to work early in the morning and they had to leave. Their chips were divided among our table as our table had considerably less chips as a whole than the other remaining table.

Still as the blinds rose and I was still one of the small stacks I had to start going all-in. My 5's held against an A, 9 against the gentleman who took me out the last time I played. Also had one caller when I went all-in (only ten players remaining) with A, 10 clubs and took that hand. So I made it to the final table.

I outlasted many others and there were only three of us remaining. I posted the BB and had only a SB left in my stack. A small fraction of my opponents stacks. Called a raise from the gentleman who took me out the last time (Mr. WSOP) with a 7, 8 off. Just no sense in throwing away 2/3rds of my chips with a hand that wasn't good but not bad. He had K's, but with an A, 2, 3, 4 on the board, a 5 on the river would have produced an wheel and a split pot. But it didn't happen and I finished third.

The topic of poker etiquette came up. I found several sites on the topic and will link to one in the sidebar under 'The Basics' after I find the best site.

Sunday

After working most of the weekend without sleeping I took a short nap and went to 'Fanatics' for a tavern tourney. (earlier in the week we dropped off a gift for my mother) No initial buy-in for bonus chips. I failed to win a single hand before the first break. It wasn't that I didn't go in with any hands. I went in quite a bit. I never saw so many Aces. I had more hands with an Ace than not in the first hour. Some like A, 6 or A, 2 I folded before the flop in the face of large raises. In the end I had to fold all of them at some point and they were all good folds. They would have produced nothing.

The betting was small with two 9's on the table and I went all the way to the river looking for a 6 to match my pocket pair but it didn't happen. I folded on a raise on the river. Trip 9's took the pot.

My stack was 800, a fraction of most stacks on the table, with the blinds at 100-200. From early position I made a raise pre-flop to 500, 'all day' as they say. I held a K, 10 of spades. I had two callers and there was an addition 1000 in the pot because someone had just gone busted and bought a round. He received more chips, I picked up 500 more for a $1 tip for the waitress (so I was actually down to 300) and the tournament manager threw 1000 into the pot for that hand. 2700 or so in the pot with the big blind folding.

Two spades came on the flop including the ace which gave me the nuts flush draw. There was also a 4 on the board. I went all-in with 300 more and the two others called. No spade on the turn or river and no raises as another Ace came on the turn. I couldn't raise. The man to my left took the pot with a pair of 4's. He had a 3, 4 suited and stayed in the hand because he wasn't challenged, and my 300 didn't scare him. If I had limped in and bet heavy after the flop he would have folded with an Ace on the table. If the other man in the pot had raised at all, he said he would have folded. The other gentleman had the Q, 9 of spades and I would have beat him with my K high.

So I was out before the first break and received my free chips and went for some bonus chips for the next session. I still didn't win any hands. I folded a 9, 3 off suit and would have hit trip 3's on the river. But that was a good fold. You only play that hand from the big blind (maybe small blind) or if Phil Hellmuth is at the table just to send him into a fit. Then when I was sitting in early position and before dealing the dealer called that I would win this hand and should raise pre-flop. I did, about half my stack, with pocket 4's. Hit a four on the flop and made a minimal bet and took the pot as an Ace was also on the table. I didn't think I would scare anyone with a minimum bet. The dealer dealt out the hand and I would have made quads.

Then I went all-in with 8's and was called by 10's. Hit an 8 on the flop and more than doubled up, collecting the blinds also which were quite high at the time.

Several people went bust and bought back in by buying rounds. You get a lot of chips for buying a round. And me still in the game having only won two hands. One such individual had just gone bust and bought back in with a round the previous hand. I was 'under the gun' and posted the 1600 to get in the hand. The guy to my left, Mr. Just bought a round, came over the top with 5000. Everyone folded and I had only 6400 in my stack. I went all-in with an A, Q suited; hearts. He called. He had an A, J off suit. At this point you would say I dominated.

Isn't that what you call dominating?

He got a J on the flop and another on the turn. An Ace came on the river. We went wild with excitement at our table, as we all did with the 8's against 10's hand. Lots of fun.

No, I can't afford to buy a round. That was it. The field would have been down to half if not for the buying a round buy back. Of course that is how you support the establishment which is essential to enjoy a night of poker in a tournament venue for little cost. Literally you could get away with just buying a drink, I drink soda, when you arrive if you really wanted to. And it is nice to have a few dollars in the pocket to catch some free chips for tipping the waitress when someone buys a round.

All my folds were good. In one hand with mid pair, 9's, I folded to a re-raise, and the winner showed me his high pair, Q's. I couldn't have played any better, yet I could only take two pots. Still I would have finished around the top half of the tournament had it not been for the buy a round buy back. So having played so well why am I so upset. I am working on a book of short stories and was planning to work on it today but couldn't clear my mind until I wrote about the events of last night.

It makes me consider tournament play at the casino rather than looking for a loose Omaha Hi/Lo game. That is if I can ever build up a poker fund for such play, which I have no money to invest in right now. The casino has dropped its buy-ins. They were Monday, Thursday, Sunday for $50, $100, $200 plus a 10% fee, but have gone down to $50, $70, $100. We get their monthly publication.

I don't drink and am not someone who would spend any length of time at bars, so I pay attention to the atmosphere of a place as I feel it can influence my life. 'Fanatics' was fairly bright and open with a large view of the outdoors. Also it is completely sports related which makes it more attractive to me and plays less to people's base natures. Lots of sports and poker on many screens. Smoking will be banned in July but, outside of your clothes smelling, it isn't a big issue as most bars have ventilation systems that suck up most smoke quickly. So it tops my list as to where I am most likely to play.

Still have not visited Tavern Tourney's Wednesday night venue.

So when I get the chance to play again the venue will be the largest determinant, as they have stopped the bonus free chip promotion for playing consecutive days. They are all great establishments. It is just my personal criteria I will be applying.