March 3 – WSOP-C HORSE

After this weekend’s success, I fired the HORSE event.  The usual suspect from the East coast turned up in Baltimore, and the event ultimately pulled over 120 players, which is pretty strong for a HORSE tournament.  Honestly, there were very few hands of note for me.  The most interesting hand I played was against this guy http://pokerdb.thehendonmob.com/player.php?a=r&n=173962.  I’ve seen him around, and had pegged him as a standard NLHE donk, but I knew that he final tabled the 8-game at the WSOP last year, so I gave him the benefit of the doubt.  We played a hand where he opened a razz hand late with (XX)7, and I called w (73)6.  Long story I barrel every street, and the boards run out (XX)7TJ8 vs my (73)6837.  So on 6th st, he tanks for like a minute and a half, and ultimately decides to call (maybe my nose wiggled, or a sighed, or whatever), which is fine, because at least the river action will be fast, since he’ll either miss, and fold when I auto-bet, or snap call if he helps.  But alas, I dark bet (catching a queen of course), and this jackass hits his 87…a smooth 87…and STILL TANKS before calling.  I just kept it cool, and laughed to myself.  But what really made me crazy, was when a guy tank-called him in a stud high hand, then showed him two pair, which caused this douchebag to totally go off. I mean, not only did this guy just do the same thing to me, but he’s also supposed to be a “pro”.  I can tap the glass, because I don’t give a damn about keeping the games good…but the “pros” should try and keep it chill.

Missed some hands in the middle and busted.  Wasn’t very happy and headed home.

March 1 – Day 2, Event 2 at WSOP-C

I was a touch nervous heading into Day 2.  We had 290 players left, and top 252 would get paid.  I know I’m not supposed to worry about cashing, but it seriously sucks to grind a live tournament for two days, suffer through 4 hours of back and forth driving, and still go home empty handed.  But whatever–I know what I’m supposed to do, so if I bust, so be it.

Table was extremely short stacked—nobody had over 100k, and the chip avg was like 88k!  The day was really pretty terrible for me.  I held AK and 55, and picked up pots.  Had an interesting one at 1200/2400 when I had 73k.  I opened ep with AQ to 5500, and a quiet older guy jammed mp to 30k.  I tanked for a bit, but decided this was a good time to gamble.  I called, and he showed AQs.  The guy picked up a flush draw on the turn, and somehow missed, so we chopped.  Shortly thereafter, the bubble broke, and the donks cheered.  Later, A shorty jammed 25k, and I called quickly with AJ.  He had A8, and he snapped off an 8 on the river.  Great!  Later, I played what can actually be described as a sick pot.  With 40k at 1500/3000, a guy who barely covered me opens for 7k, I snap jam 77, another guy who barely covered me snap called, and the original raiser called.  They showed AK and 44!  Sweet.  Until the board ran out…66996!  3-way chop!  The blinds went through me at 2k/4k, and I ultimately jammed Q9s into ATs of the A8 guy from earlier.  No help, and I was busted in 200-something place.

Very disappointing, but that’s how tournaments usually go.  I don’t play many NLHE tourneys, and this really reminded me why…you almost always wind up disappointed.

With that in mind, I’ll be back on Tuesday to fire the HORSE tournament.  I’ve had some super results playing HORSE online, against some pretty tough fields…so I’m hoping for some good breaks then.

February 28 – WSOP-C Event #2, $365 NLHE

Mrs MJOmaha convinced me to play the big $365 NLHE tournament down in Baltimore.  There was a $250k guarantee, but it blew through that with ease.  There were over 1,000 players after the first 2 of four flights.  I chipped up a little bit early, picking up aces twice in the first 3 levels.  But on both occasions, there 4-5 limpers, so I had to put in a big raise, taking it down preflop once, and only garnering one caller the second time (where I flopped top set on a 3 diamond board!).  Played one hand really badly.  Picked up 99 UTG, and decided to just limp (I’d been fairly active recently).  Btn limped and blinds came along.  Flop was 6s6d4s, and the SB led out half pot.  I just called (awful).  Turn was Jd.  He made the same bet and I called again.  River was a 5x, and he half potted again.  It was an older gent, and I tried to convince myself that he wouldn’t have led the flop with trips, and that he somehow bluffs his missed draws on the end.  It worked, and I called, and he showed me a six.  So I was back to around starting stack, and 90 minutes of grinding was down the crapper.

Things were fairly slow until this game up.  I had about 12k at 200/400, and a newer, young player opened for 900.  I had a decision to make with 99, and decided to just call.  Another woman called as well.  Flop was 3x3h2h, so I knew how this was going to wind up.  The raiser fired 2200, and I shipped the rest of my chips.  The woman folded, and the raiser somehow found a call with KTo?!  He somehow bricked, and I had my one and only showdown win of the tournament where someone was all-in…

The rest of the evening was basically a grind.  No showdowns, and just picking up chips.  I’d ground up to 45,000, when I got all-in vs a shorty with 20k, my TT vs his AQ, ace in the window.  With the blinds at 800/1600, I had to push.  I had to make some aggressive moves, and chipped all the way up to 55k without a showdown.  On the last hand of the night, an active player opened the 2k bb for 4500, I 3-bet to 12,500 with 88, and I think I was going to fold to a ship…but after 5 minutes in the tank, the guy (who had 120k), found a fold with KQs, so I would head into day 2 with 65k in chips, and a shot at what I estimated would be a $100k+ top prize.

February 27 – Back in the Saddle

Took the afternoon from work off to head up to Horseshoe Baltimore.  The WSOP Circuit is in town, so I figured the pink chip ($7.5/$15) mixed game would be rocking.  It got going shortly after my arrival, but it was the usual suspects in the game.  The mix we settled on was Razz, O8, Stud and Stud/8.  I got off to a rotten start, getting rivered out of two razz hands.  One hand was check/check, and the other I had a rough 8, and may have been able to get away, but I had no read on my opponent and had to pay off.  I picked up a nice stud pot, then snatched rolled up kings in stud/8 and managed to scoop. Things went downhill from there, I made the nut flush twice, and but ran into rivered boats.  I had a couple other weird pots, including a odd stud hand where I took split queens vs a guy who made aces on the river with now apparent straight or flush draws.  -$200.  During the razz, I had (A6)4647 vs (xx)T79Q, who just kept calling me.  I decided to barrel the river no matter what, so I did the fake-look, then fired.  Somehow I caught a deuce, but he announced jack high straight?!  As I stacked the pot, I thought how fantastic it would have been to miss, and lose to a guy who was playing stud high.  Missed a few draws in O8 and was back down.  It was getting late, and I knew I had to drive back home, only to turn back around and play the tournament the next morning, so I wasn’t going to try and dig out.  I decided to finish up the stud and stud/8 and then hit the road.  Miraculously, I was +$53 winner at the end of those two games.

Session +$53

February 14 – Valentine’s Day Session

Mrs O8 and I spent a fun afternoon playing tourists in the city and had a nice late afternoon sushi lunch.  We were going to spend the evening staring into each other’s eyes… but we decided to go head to Live instead!

Snow started to fall about 10 minutes out from the casino, but I didn’t sweat it.  Mistake #1!

I was immediately seated in the $4/$8 o8 must move, and things got off to a bad start.  I played AcQc2x3x for a raise, and the flop came off JcTc4x.  Two bets went in 3 ways.  Turn card was the Ax, and there was a bet and a raise before it got to me.  I just call, and watch the Jx jump out on the river.  Niiice start.  I missed a few kill pots, and before long, I was calling for more chips.  Helluva first hour…

The snow continued to fall, and we started to hear that people couldn’t get out of the parking garage.  Nobody was leaving the poker room, and that was fine with me, since the must move was pretty good, and the main game appeared to have an average player age of about 85.  I slowly chipped away, playing solid a scooping an occasional pot, including a nice one with Ac3c4x4x, after the board ran out T648Jr, and my hand was called down in two spots.

By about 9pm, we were hearing reports of it taking 3+ hours to get out of the garage.  Crazy!  I was tired, but the grind had to go on!  Another sweet pot came off when I had KhTh9x8x in the BB, and played for a raise with 7 way action.  Flop came out Jd 8d7h.  This is one of the tough spots to play, where you have the nuts, but you know it is only going to get more difficult to play out the hand.  I decided to just lead her, but not to jam.  I bet, a few calls, a raise in the back, I called, and 6 guys saw th3 turn.  The turn was great for me–Ah.  I fired again, in case the A2s had been counterfeited, and it was again raised in the back, I put on a 3-bet, driving out the guy on my immediate left (who later revealed he had AJ), it was 4-bet, and I capped.  4 ways to the river, which was Jx!  Gross.  I just bet out again, because the last thing I want is for the low to put a raise in, and leave me with a non-nut hi, facing 2 bets cold, and not knowing if I’m going to get jammed.  This line allows to me to get to showdown for 2-bets (since the low is already afraid of getting quartered in this spot after it goes bet/raise.  Luckily, all called, and I took half with the straight.

Around 130am, we heard that things were straightened out in the garage, but I had to investigate for myself.  Everything looked okay, so the Mrs and I headed to the car which……decided it didn’t want to start.  I’ve had some issues with the battery when it is cold, and I hoped that a jump would get me back in business.  I went to the valet and asked for security.  They showed up pretty quickly with the charger, but alas… no dice!  The second security guy made some adjustments to the connection, and thankfully the car started!  I handed the guy a $20, and he seemed shocked—but that guy seriously saved the day.  It was cold as hell, and I was so happy to escape.

+105 Session/Challenge +$1903

February 8 – Sunday Session

I’ve been feeling sick all week, so I didn’t play at all on Friday or Saturday.  Headed over to Live around noon on Sunday, and was quickly seated in the $4/$8 O8 must move game.  Many of the usual suspects were there, and the game was pretty good.  No really notable hands to speak of in the must move.  I was up about $50 when I played a hand in the SB with 9432, flopped the nut low on a A86 flop, got 3 bets in 5 ways on the flop, 4 bets 4 ways on the 2x turn, then was double-counterfeited with a 3x on the end to get nothing. Gross.  Off do the main game, where I had the good fortune of playing a capped pot with AsAx2s4x, and getting scooped by AxQx9x3x, when the guy hit trips on the river.  I kept my cool, and after some fortunate splits in jammed up pots, I finally wound up ahead, and left at my pre-determined time.  I wanted to get back with plenty of time to see my favorite AMC shows–especially Better Call Saul.  I still have the itch to play, and I can’t wait to get back at it next week.

Also, the WSOP schedule came out this week, and the $1.5k O8 takes place early in the Series, still in May in fact.  So, it looks like I’ll be out there during the front half.  So, I’ll probably be playing the gigantic $565 $10M tourney.  That should be fun.  The series is a real blast, so I can’t wait for this year’s event.  Also, the WSOP-C in Baltimore is starting at the end of this month.  I’m definitely playing the $365 HORSE, and I’ll probably play the opening weekend $365 as well.

Session +$88/Challenge +$1818

January 30 – Put the $6/$12 in Action

Had not planned on playing tonight, because I was beaten down from the work week, and the thought of going outside in the cold made me want to curl up in a blanked and play online in my bed.  But, when I saw the $6/$12 game going and Live, I decided to tough it out and head on over.  As a backup, I planned on going up to Horseshoe to play the pink chip mix, which actually had two tables going.  But, since O8 is my favorite, I wound up at Live.

Game had several regulars, as well as some new faces.  I was owned by one of the noobs who smashed my JT65 BB special after a JJ6 flop, when I found an ace on the river to complete his AJXX hand.  I was off to a crummy start, didn’t win a pot for over an hour, and was quickly stuck about $275.

The hand that turned things around for me was an EP limp with As3s4x6x , that hit its bingo flop of 7s5x2x.  I ended up hitting running spades to scoop, and I was off to the raises.  A few other scoops, and a couple splits in large pots, and I was ahead.

I was also called out for pulling the “Phil Hellmuth Insta-Shove” move (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=C_JuOu-D4Z4).  I had raised out of the blind with AdKdTx2x, picked up like 5 callers, and flopped KxTx4h.  I bet, and of course 4 guys call.  Turn was the scary Qh, but I fired anyway, only to get raised by the nit on my immediate left.  I mutter something nasty under my breath, and make an easy call (I know I’m better than 10-1 even if half my scoop outs are dead).  Amazingly, a Tx jumps out on the river, and I Hellmuth bet.  Good times!

So, the first month of the challenge is over, and I feel like I played pretty well.  I have to go through my app on my phone to get an hourly for the challenge, but I’m sure it is pretty high.  I’m still motivated to play, and I hope to keep my run-good going.

Session +$227/Challenge +1740

January 24th – $4/$8 O8

I was back at Live on Saturday, playing the game that was the impetus for this blog, $4/$8 LO8.  The game was good, with a couple of certifiable maniacs in the game.  My results were not good, but that will happen in jammed up pots when you don’t make a hand.  I felt like I ran pretty poorly overall, missing a few big two-way hands, not connected on hands with nut hands and draws in the other direction that couldn’t connect, and misses on my high hands that were set to scoop, but were chased down.

So basically, I got stuck while the game was aggro, and then tried to dig out once it was passive, which can be a challenge.  I am convinced that it is basically impossible for me to lose in these loose-passive type O8 games, because at the end of the day, I am getting multiple bets in multi-way when I have good hands, but I’m getting off cheaply when my opponents have good hands, because they are all afraid to put raises preflop, or even on the flop.  No really interesting hands, mainly straightforward decisions.

I almost forgot—I played about 20 minutes of 1-2 NLHE before the O8 session.  Several notable hands there.

Hand 1:  Bought in for $200.  MP raises $12.  1 call.  I call As4s.  BB calls.  Flop: Js 7x 5s.  BB check.  Raiser bets $35.  Next guy calls.  I pop it to $95.  BB fold, raiser folds, caller sets me all-in.  I call.  He has AxJx.  Turn 3x.  River 6x.  I win.

Hand 2:  LP limps.  I make it $10 from cut-off.  Btn call.  BB call.  Limper calls.  Flop: Kd Jd Tc.  Check to me.  I bet $20.  Btn folds, limper folds our of turn while the BB is getting a beer.  BB calls.  Turn Kc.  BB moves-in for $85.  I call. He was Tx8x.

Hand 3:  EP limps. I limp 5s4s in MP.  Another 2 limps.  Guy from last hand makes it $10 from BB. All call.  Flop Qs 6x 2x.  BB bets $10.  One call.  I like the price and call.  Turn 4x.  Checked around.  River 6x.  BB bets $40!  Limper folds.  I shrug-call. He has KJo.   So I was winner like $465 in about 20 minutes.  Got called for O8 and left.  Fun game.

Session -$140/Challenge +$1513

January 23 – Back to the Grinding Board

Headed off to Live for Friday night fun night.  There was a big list for the $6/$12 O8 most of the afternoon, but by the time I arrived, it had been called, and the game didn’t get off.  I settled for the $6/$12 HORSE, which actually had a better lineup than normal.  Most of the Regs in that game were apparently at the Horseshoe in Baltimore, playing the pink chip game, which was also running as a HORSE.  I’m just too lazy to head the extra ten minutes up the road to the ‘Shoe, plus Mrs. MJOMAHA would be subjected to 1/3 NLHE, and the ridiculous $6+1 rake, so I settled for Live.

The session was actually pretty fun.  A couple cool players in the game.  Of course, this reg http://pokerdb.thehendonmob.com/player.php?a=r&n=48063 was there to cause his usual problems.  He scored well last week at Borgat, final tabling and OE and a HORSE tournament, but that didn’t seem to positively impact is disposition.  We played a gross Stud/8 had where I opened with (Ah 6h) 4h and he defended his (XX)2c bring-in.

4th st:  (Ah 6h) 4h 7h vs (XX) 2c As.  He check calls.

5th st:  (Ah 6h)4h 7h Kh vs (XX) 2c As Ac.  He bets, I get tricky and just call.

6th st: (Ah 6h)4h 7h Kh  Jx vs (XX) 2c As Ac 9x.  He leads.  I raise, he 3-bets.  I sense trouble and call.

7th st:  He dark bets.  I miss my low and just call with the flush.  He has made Aces-up, and I scoop.  Then he goes crazy, stating that I’m awful, and he started 234ccc, and had the best hand the whole way.  I tell him that if that was all he had, he was a huge dog the whole way.  He tells me he was best on 3rd.  I suggest we run a million times and see who wins.  He tells me I’m a fool….on and on and on.  I shouldn’t have engaged him, but I couldn’t help myself.

The razz was totally out of hand, for whatever reason.  I won a $200 pot that went bet/fold/fold on 6th st!  It was capped out 3-ways on 3rd and 4th!

Session = +$50

January 19 – Delaware Park or Bust

Decided to make a stop at DP on the way back home, as they were running a $100 tourney with a $12.5k guarantee.  Okay structure, plus I actually like the room.  The floor people are great, dealers….ehhh.  Tourney was pretty lame for me.  Made through half the field before busting out.  Played a cool hand.  At 200/400, a tightish guy limped, I opened OTB with Ts7s (19k stack)…I had a tight image, and felt like I could outplay the limper….but….both blinds call.  Great!  But it got great, once the flop came out 7x7x3x!  And now the SB leads for 2200.  Folds to me.  I flat.  Turn Jx.  SB jams 12k.  I snap.  She has QQ.  I win.  Just a perplexing line.  Of course, winning was not to be, and I left with $100 less than I arrived with, and headed home.