Happy New Year!

The 50/50 -- donkeys with checks from mommy:

I had a solid read on this guy -- EP was also a donkish raiser so he could have anything. In fact, I had exactly this read on the shove in front of me:

Wait for it...it will be LEG-END-


ARY! I will win this thing soon...

A Brief Elaboration

I'm sure the previous title, "Winning Poker", seems like it's just dripping with bile and bitterness about getting donked out of a tourney.

Really, it's not. If I can sit down, and get the guy to call my shove there 100 times, I win 72. I'm okay with that, it really is winning poker.

One of the hardest adjustments in poker is separation from individual outcomes. This is one of those. I played winning poker, and 72% of the time, I'm in the top 50 in chips there. Gotta set up the TPTK donkeys to get paid. Occasionally, they get lucky and they get paid. If he didn't have something, he wouldn't call my 4000 chip raise. (ha right)

Right now I'm ignoring the roll, playing the best poker I can. Roll should tend itself, right?

Winning Poker

Perfect read, perfect move. I've seen him bet Q8 at a J82 flop twice, pot bets. Call all-in on A54 flop, AQ, chop with AQ. Now he pot bets his trash A8 or 98s or whatever, and I've got him. 8 with an over is a 3:1 dog.



I guess he was pot-committed.

So Awful, It's Confusing

Now that the BBTwo is over, I'm back to playing in regular tournaments, and I'm really finding the skill level laughable. Atrocious. In the blonkaments, there were at least 5-6 good players at a table. In these tourneys, 2 is a lot.

I finally made the adjustment, cashed in the 50/50, and went to the Stud cash tables to give the bankroll a much needed $600 boost. I think it's time to build the bankroll, and use it to move up a level.

Some of my favorites:

Katty bet, Scott minraise, SHE minREraises on the flop. Check/call big chunk on turn. Call all in on river. "Gee I hope my 7 kicker is good."

Again, bet, raised and called. Then called ALL IN on the river with A3.

Here, it was a 400 limp by Fischman, minraise by the 54s, call by AJs, then shove (big stack) by Scott. Instacall for 5K by 54-suited, which of course wins. Also OVERcalled all in by the jackace suited for 3K.

I got exactly one hand in the 50/50, KK, which despite my "blind-stealing" raise on the button, I was only able to win a small pot with. One all-in race double up K7s > AT. And then I cashed. It's just that easy.

*********************

Live blogging update:

I folded with less than 200 chips while playing in HORSE, figuring I was toast, thanks to 235, A45, and other huge Razz disappointments. Now I'm on a huge heater, up over 2500 chips. Time to take it down. Some comeback beauties:

Notice you can still see my Kings and Sevens from last hand in the chat box. This one turns into Aces full.

******************************

Update #2: (like ANYONE is following along)

176 chips. Now this. Never give up and throw all the rest of your chips in. I'm talking to you, Emptyman.



*******************************

Final update:

10th pays 5. Brutality after brutality, until finally a setup hand worth 2 screenshots.

My Fate, And My Reaction in the $750K satellite

It's the Most Wonderful Time of the Year

• 4 days of work out of the next 10.


• Excuses to eat, drink, and eat some more


• And be merry

You may have heard, I didn't win last night. A quick overview of my play reveals:

1. PATIENCE you fool! I didn't pass the first hour, calling a Lucko raise with QJo on the button immediately before the first break. I had 2400 chips, flopped a straight draw, and couldn't get him to fold A8. Wait, he was going to pay me off with top-pair 8 kicker? With straights and flushes on the board too? I changed my mind, I'd like to fold now.


2. Mental weakness. I wasn't focused, determined, dialed-in. Lucky cards and flops in the freeroll only further confused the issue. Felt like I couldn't lose for an hour, and was unable to reset for the TOC.

It would be superfluous to go into any more detail -- I didn't make the first break, hard to say I played much good or bad poker considering how little I played total.

Outstanding work by jeciimd. It would be impossible to pick someone who deserved it more.

***********************************

On a personal note, I shattered a blog record for comments (6!) yesterday, and I really appreciate the pleasant things everyone had to say.

The post contents resembled a late, incomplete TOC assignment (like many of my academic assignments often did), but was simply for fun, and an exercise in living my outcome.

Expect the poker content to continue (I love taking screenshots and posting tourney highlights), and also expect more about life, the universe, and everything. My journey towards enlightenment continues, and I will be sharing more, condensing and interpreting less.

If you ever (EVAR!) feel inclined to discuss anything at all, or would like me to elaborate further, prod me with a comment. Go on, I dare you, get me started.

**********************************************

Married two years today. I think it's safe to say we beat the over/under on time married for the "engaged for 11 days", "24-hour-notice-elope-in-Vegas" wedding group.

I'll give anyone odds on the next 20 years. (Don't take it, sucker bet).

I love you, sweetie.

The Melbourne Ultimatum

Today. I'm excited as fawk. 26 awesome, deserving players, plus me.

Pre-flight checklist:

• Moxy
• Passport
• Ruckbox
• Cojones
• AA
• Samadhi

So, what to do with this early-xmas-morning feeling that's dominating my stomach and my thoughts? Emptyman, listen up:

I have my peace.
I trust my intuition.
I win blogger tournaments.
I have my courage.
I love my humanity.

*********************************************

27 paths, each nestled among millions of others, converge tonight. It is a celebration, a culmination of weeks of anticipation. One by one, even two-at-once, they leave the party, content to rejoin their realities. Afraid to succeed, unable to focus, unwilling to risk. And now there are 9.

Bathed in the virtual blue glow, some take a deep breath, others take a stiff drink. If only for a brief moment, a community of 9 is joined in enthusiasm. That moment, both infinite and empty, is now gone. One by one, exiting with grace and class, they succumb to their fate. Afraid of failure, confused by conflict, blinded by dualities. And now there are 3.

On the journey here, all 3 have demonstrated courage, patience, and intuition. If time could stop, it would pause here for dramatic effect. Instead, surprisingly soon, the rail beckons once more. Presence in the moment is the difference here, as previous tournament experiences corrupt a correct choice into a terminal one. Ironically, by not being present in the moment during the hand, it creates a new memory that will frequently prevent moment-to-moment presence in the future. A self-fulfilling prophecy based on a self-reinforcing habit. Ah, humans.

Heads-up now, the chips aren't equal but that's irrelevant. Both players are bubbling with a multitude of emotions and possibilities. Like a fine wine, these flavors are drunk with enthusiasm. Yet neither is fooled, both are congizant that the only two cards in the world are the two being dealt right now. The universe must necessarily draw one more line.

It's a classic battle. Intuition vs. Knowlege. Strength vs. Finesse. Power vs. Creativity. Every choice made now can influence the outcome, any jam could be the last. In the past, these tournaments have been decided by skill, luck, freak occurrences, stamina, and 1-outers. This time, one player, ready to move into his new future, moves beyond experience, knowledge, intuition, and courage, into the truth. Each starting hand, each choice, and each result is suddenly obvious, all angles are suddenly and permanently illuminated.

The balance ultimately tipped, a champion is crowned. The seemingly random choices that led him there were visible, but only visible to anyone willing to see them.

As the 27 paths diverged, blending back into the flowing river, many were looking back, debating mathematics, courage, and randomness. Others were looking forward, imagining their chance to go to Russia, France, Las Vegas.

Asked how he did it, asked for his magic secret, Emptyman paused from buying his LA plane tickets to offer,

Know your truth.

The Ace-rag Theory of Competence

Postulate:

A player's skill level directly correlates to the crappiest Ace he/she thinks is the nuts. Total flonkey, A4. DonkeyBlogger AJ, although it's been devolving to AT lately.

Don't worry, I know the real answer. It's AK.


9:07 See!

9:12 More proof that AK is the nuts:

10:25

My training for the TOC has ended for the evening:

• Busted in the 50/50 when I raised and fired 3 barrels at a board of K639J. My AQ was no match for his 22.


• Token Frenzy - bubble. Nice finish.

Back to hitting my head with a hammer, 1000 reps. Is it Thursday yet?

What Happens When Someone Tries to "Out-Astin" Astin

I had a good night, although not a cent to show for it. I finished on the literal bubble in The Big Game. I folded too much. I let the bubble and its moneys affect my play. Bad Empty.

I thought I had comandeered the Astin-train when I won the Mookie last week, but I should have known better than to try to outdo the original. WD, Astin.

Then in the "Skill" game, I flopped a set, turned a boat, and IGH when the board reads 2J8JJ and my 88 is reamed by AA and AA who split the pot.

AA is so crappy 4-way in Omaha 8. You can try to bet the flop once, but reraising and calling to the river (you know who you are) is feebleminded. Okay, simpleminded. I have some nice pamphlets on Intelligent Design for you to read.

In lieu of actually writing something productive, I will just include a link to someone else's work:

The Myth of Any Two Cards by Andrew Brokos
This one skill can be the difference, over and over again, between final 6 tables and final table.

For example:

It's MTT time, and it's down to 20% of the field. A majority of the action is Jam/Fold. I can confidently lump the remaining players into:

19% Harringtonites. Can and will shove with any M less than 5. Emboldened by folding and will continue shoving. Can get lucky, but is this the best we can do?

80% - M? What is that? Raise/Shove/Call 22-AA, Ax, Kx. Fold the rest. Position? What's that?

Which one are you?

Shhhhhhhhhhh!

Looks like I spoke too soon. Radio silence across the blogging community since the Riverchasers got cancelled. No big Sunday tourney for me it appears.


So, all you lucky bums, I'll be playing MiamiDon's Big Game ('donkey'), and Chad's Blogger Skill Game.

I finally got my $75 token last night. Playing with barely competent players all the time (aka bloggers) really messes up my Token Frenzys, because I assume people can fold, consider a raise might be a show of strength, etc. Call with the nuts, trap with the nuts, fold the rest and tokens are easy. Even the $75 ones.

Here's an example:

600 in the pot, all in on the flop for 900, INSTACALL. I would tell you which is which, but why? (And yes, I actually folded AQ preflop)

GL tonight for the last BBT2-TOC-seat. I'm just there for the moneys.

*******************************

Whee just finished the Sunday 1415 $20 HORSE -- look at these GEMS!

TKO

Unofficial results from week 8:

After 2 tourneys, Emptyman is in 1st place. I may have just backed into the weekly-prize, a Sunday tourney-entry, by virtue of a Mookie win and a Thursday night FT outage. Of course, I made the points so only KOD or jamyhawk could have caught me, and then only by winning outright.

Speaking of KOD:

Looks like my Sunday will have the FT $$$$ tourney, and this ghey blogger gathering. Ah well, I was tired of playing HORSE with pros -- this will be waaaaaaay better. And by better, I mean "not better".

I'm off for a free Friday afternoon (my job rocks). The wife and I already had a nice nosh and flick, "Lars and the Real Girl." We both loved it.

Friday!!!!!!!!!!

Lucky Me

Bartender, a dirty martini please.



Not too much excitement early, although I did manage to get clear from the field early on.



The big move was just really well set up. I was raising and continuation betting frequently, and took several hands with no showdown in a short time. Then, I finally hit a flop, just in time for someone to look me up.




Fast-forward a couple of hours, one double up when KTs > AQ (flop KKT) and we're down to 2 tables. Then the usual devastating blow that derails my voyage to the final table.



But instead of going to the rail, I get my chips back by actually winning a race late. And soon, here we are at the final table.




Who takes it down from here? Why, the aggressive luckbox of course! So, I thought for a change it could be me. First, the aggression:



He was pushing me every chance he got after he doubled-up off me with his 33. I may have "alluded" to 33 being a bad hand...so now he raises me 3300 on most of my blinds. I had been yielding, now it was time to take one back, and look a bit reckless in the process. He can't call...and now I look sufficiently aggro-donk. Now if only I could get some cards...









So, now with my 11:1 chip lead, I'm a shoo-in.

I have Qx. JAM. Oops, dominated by a bigger Q.
I have AT. JAM! Oops, dominated by AQ.
I have AQ. Raise...JAM! Oops AK. (Are you fucking kidding me?) SCORE! Treetop on the river...sick as they come.



I was determined not to beat myself, not to get too cute with such a big chip lead. 3-handed, and 10:1:1, I walked the fence between complete harassment and patience for one of them to drop out. Heads-up, I was determined not to get outplayed after the flop, so I was jamming everything preflop. If I lose 4 consecutive races, so be it. But even a 30-70 dog becomes a 66-34 favorite if I get 3 tries at it.

So...call me a luckbox. A donk. I can't hear you over the sound of rocks bouncing into my martini glass.

*************************************

It was a blast, a lot of fun. Buddy Dank Radio and Instant Tragedy were dropping their usual knowledge all night. It was my 4th blonkament win, leaving only Don's Big Game. Now, it's TOC time.

The rest of you, 2 tourneys to go. 2 seats left. To condense my win into a single piece of advice, it is this:

Go get it. Give yourself every chance by playing to win, not playing to survive. The luck will do what it's going to do no matter what. Put yourself in a place where you are in position to benefit when it comes your way.

To rephrase, don't donk out early trying to be clever/cute. If you go deep in tourneys frequently, eventually you will be hit by the card truck. I'm living proof. And it's the tasty way to do it.

A Little Bankroll Redemption

It started out like any other tourney:

But then it changed, as if by a magical faerie:

I guess I used all of my Bad Beat Coupons® in one night. I was all-in like 9 times. Once when I could only beat a bluff. Wow. Now I'm jonesin' for the 4K tonight. Man it's like crack. Good thing they lowered the penalties:

U.S. Panel Cuts Jail Time for Crimes Tied to Low-Limit HORSE Tournaments.

Yay for the Bush Administration and their tough stance. Drug users are the bane of society.

I lost to quad 6s twice in the tourney last night. 1-outer 6 on the turn or river.

Then, I went out on quad 6s, spread over two consecutive hands.

Anyone who points out that I had two 6 spades will be bear-maced.