O-Poker

I haven't posted in a while and when I do there isn't much content.

The content and number of posts both turn a big downturn almost 2 years ago, when I started my own business.  I have trouble finding the motivation to post after spending all day on the computer, phone, in meetings, etc, etc.

I am weighing my options (see below) and haven't made a clear decision yet.

1.  Start some sort of challenge and post weekly or twice a week updates. - This seems like the best idea because I don't want to totally abandon this blog.  Any suggestions?  (I'm leaning towards some sort of cash challenge on FTP and SNG/MTT challenge on PS)

2.  Commit to posting at least once a week.

3.  Commit to posting either once or twice a month.

4.  Stop posting and end the run of O-Poker.  Not much chance of this.

I'll figure it out in the next week or so.  Stay tuned..........

I hiked up Diamond Head solo on Sunday.  I think my legs and brain thought my body was in better shape than it is.  Still hurting a little today.

Here are a few pictures from the trip up and back down. (some better than others - all from my phone)

No detail for now, just random thoughts....

I met a lot of great people that I hadn't met before and ran into some awesome people that I had met before.  There are a lot of people that I wanted to run into but didn't get a chance to for one reason or another.  Sleep, tourneys, alcohol, laziness got in the way - take your pick.

In a $1.5k WSOP event folding to cash is OK, not OK, OK, not OK, OK (I have no idea), especially when you know you are flipping right b4 the cash.

EST is not Eastern Standard Time.  It is "American time" - via RealDawnSummers

If you agree to flip for $200/hand for x (5 I think) hands while really drunk and finish up $800, it is OK to stop flipping no matter how much the other guy keeps asking you too.  That is what I did, until he starting offering me his $350 to my $300 in omaha flips. (more later on this)

It probably isn't a good idea to stay up all night and watch the USA soccer game if you started drinking at 5 pm.  I think I fell asleep for a few at the bar somewhere between 2-0 and 2-1.  Credit Vinnay for waking me up a couple of times in the 2nd half.

It gets light outside really, really early in LV.

I play much better in tourneys while drinking and much worse in cash games while drinking.  Hmmm......

It is probably a good idea to set an alarm to remind yourself to eat dinner.  I think there were a couple of days that I only ate one meal unless 15 beers counts as a meal.

Don't order a burger if the waitress tells you, "Are you sure that you want to order that.  It is extremely spicy and there are no refunds."  Also, always read the read print under the burger that mentions the beef is mixed with the hottest peppers in the world.

It is OK to call someone a "jack ass" if they call the clock on you in a cash game when they aren't in the hand.  (more on this later)

OBFV and over shoving for value on the flop works really live if you just shoved on a short stack with AK on an all rag flop after the short stack called 2/3rds of this stack pf.  They must always think you have AK instead of top set.

Almost forgot - if you are having dinner at the bar, it is prob a good idea to put a few dollars in the vid p0ker machine.

Much more to come.........

(I'm really going to post some WSOP stories soon, but here is my first weekend of real FL trip report while it's fresh.)


Real poker in Florida began last week - July 1, 2010 at 12:01 am.  The maximum buy-in for cash games had been $100.  It all changed last Thursday.  The buy-in restriction was removed and each room was able to set it's own limits.


I wasn't able to play until Friday and was leaning towards heading to the Seminole Hard Rock in Tampa which is a little over 1 hour away.  A few friends talked me into the Daytona Beach Kennel Club and Poker Room - mainly because of the big Nascar race being in town.


I left earlier than my friends in an attempt to beat the holiday/race weekend traffic.  When I arrived at the poker room, I noticed that they had 2 buy-in ranges for each limit (multiple tables).  It was pretty ridiculous.  (2/5 with 100-300 and 200-500 and 5/10 with 300-500 and 500-1000).  I was debating which game to play and I put my name on the list for both bigger buyin range 2/5 and 5/10.  I got called for the 5/10 about 10 minutes later.


About 1 hour later, they decided to make their life easier and collapsed the buyin ranges to one per limit, but kept the small mins.  I liked not having multiple games with different buy-ins at each limit, but didn't like that the new buy-ins allowed for more short stackers (30 bbs vs. 50 bbs)


After 5 hands in at 5/10, I was dealt AA and got aipf against JJ and held.  I 3-bet and 5-bet the guy, before he finally shoved. He had like $725-$750.  As I was raking the pot an older guy (regular - not in the pot) at the table said, "Oooohhh!!  Wow!!! Huge Pot!!  That's a hundra dolla tip right there!!"  I tipped $5 and the guy went on to call me cheap and tell me "Come on, at least give the dealer another $10."  I just ignored him.  WTF?  $5 is cheap?


About 45 minutes later, I won about $550 ($1100 pot) of a guy that couldn't fold his weak Ace against my AQ on a AxxxQ board.  The same older guy (not in the pot) again commented on my $5 tip.  "You just won two $2,000 pots (not correct) and you are only tipping $5.  That is crazy.  I'm going to bust your ass for being so cheap.  Dealer, if I win a big pot (I didn't see him win any pots) then I'm going show you how people are supposed to tip."


LOL.  The guy left the table about 2 minutes later.




Random thing I noticed - occasionally one guy (not the guy ripping on me) would tip like $40-$50 when he won a big pot (like $700 - $1k).  I didn't believe it the first time I saw it.


A little later I lost a big pot with QQ to a guy that couldn't get away from A6o when he flopped bottom pair.  Ace on the river killed me.


On another hand, I lost about $400 when I live straddled and was dealt 84 in a 8 way limped pot.  The flop came 88T and there was action from a shorter stack (guy with about $350ish) that made me think he clearly had an 8.  A horrible player in between us was forcing the action (with what I was guessin was something like AT).  He had about $1,200.  On a blank turn the short stack put his last $125 in.  Mid pos called.  I decided to shove since there was a flush draw (might have been bad in hind sight).  Mid pos folded.  River was an Ace.  I told the short stack that I had an 8.  He didn't say anything and I flipped up my hand.  About 15 seconds later he dramatically flipped over his flopped full house (T8).  Slow roll FTW!!  Another WTF moment.


Several hours later with some up and down hands I was down about $550 and the table had gotten pretty tight without any spewey players, so I moved over to a 2/5 game that 2 of my friends were playing in.  I think only 1 guy had $500 in front of him.  I lost another $250 there without any hands of note other than losing a big pot against an extremely loose guy with QT vs. 22 on a QT2xx board.


I would rate the action as much much worse than I expected, but there are still good spots.  It just seemed like there were way too many nits around.  I guess that is probably because a lot of them are used to playing with the $100 max, where the only profitable way would have been nitty.


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Other random things:

This was the first night that they were open all night.  Prior regulations only allowed them to be open until 1 am on weekends and midnight during the week.  Because of this, they were clueless.  I went to grab something at the concession stand at 10:50.  The stand closes at 11 PM, but apparently the lady running the stands watch was 15 minutes fast.  She said that they were closed.  I just wanted a candy bar. They had no food service at all after midnight, because no on thought about it in advance.  Paul asked about getting anything to eat around 1 am and one of the waitresses brought him their "brand new" late night menu.  She said, "I don't even know what's on it.  They just decided to offer it - just came off the printer and I haven't looked at it yet." The menu had 5 items that were all pretty much microwave items.  Paul and Matt both ordered a Ham,egg, and cheese croissant.  It was some microwave Costco type thing.  Neither of them finished it and both of theirs were frozen in the middle. ----- I guess they didn't expect the crowd overnight because around 11:30 they made an announcement that dealers weren't allowed to leave when their shifts end unless they got specific permission.  There were several floor people dealing also. ------ I ran into a ton of people that I hadn't seen in years from Orland home games - which was very cool.  I haven't played in any home games around town in the last 2-3 years, since the game where I felt most comfortable stopped. ------- The dealers did a great job, especially considering all the pressure that they were under with it being the first weekend. Anyway, I won't get a chance to play again for 3 weeks, but will probably try out the Hard Rock Tampa next.

I haven't forgotten about this blog.  I have a ton to post from WSOP trip, but I have been ridiculously busy between work and life since I got back from LV.

I'll be posting probably a series of posts about my WSOP trip in the very near future.

In the meantime, Uncapped Poker in FL starts in 3 hours!!! (July 1, 2010).  I won't be able to play until Friday night.  I'll be heading over to Daytona to take advantage on the new limits in the NL games (normal NL poker) and hopefully take advantage of all the donks race fans in town.  (Daytona Poker Room is less than 1 mile from the Daytona Speedway)

More to come on WSOP and NL Poker in FL.....

I made Day 2 of the $1,500NL, but am very short - 11,400 with blinds at 600/1200/200.  We are somewhere between 20 and 30 from the money.  Hopefully, I get a quick double up and have some chips to play more than push/fold with.

I've got a few busy hours before the tourney, so I'll post more about Day 1 and Day 2 tomorrow..

This is going to be a very short post because I've got to start packing soon.

Hawaii - Worked a ton, but was able to still have a little fun.

This week - Crazy week at work, so I hopefully won't have to work to much while in LV!!

Tomorrow - Off to LV!!

I'll try to put up a few posts while I'm out there and will be updating fairly regularly on Twitter at http://twitter.com/seemitch

I'm going to be very busy during the month of June.  Here is what it looks like as of now:

May 31 - Fly to Hawaii

May 31-June 6 - in Hawaii - Work 12-14 hr days/try to have fun in Hawaii (prob will able to on Sat and Sun)

June 6 - Fly back to Orlando from Hawaii

June 11-13 - Birthday Weekend!

June 14 - Viva Las Vegas!!!

June 14-21 - Las Vegas - Cash games, cash games, cash games (maybe 1 or 2 mtts)

June 21-June 30 - Countdown to the first day of real cash game poker in FL!!!!

July 1st - Cash games in FL - REAL CASH GAMES IN FL!!!!  I don't expect it to be like 2004-2006, but if it is somewhere between 2004-2006 live cash games and today's live games, then I will be a very happy man.

It's looking like I'll probably only play 1 tourney while out there.  The $1.5k WSOP NL donkament on Wed.  I was thinking about playing the Venetian $2.1k on Thurs, but can't justify playing in a 2k tourney right now, since I don't seem to know how to play tourneys anymore and my last live tourney experience really sucked the excitement of live tourneys out of me.

I'm thinking of playing a bunch of tourneys on FTP tonight - taking a break from rush poker.  If I can figure out how to play them again, I may play more than one live mtt while in LV.

By the way, if anyone figures out how to do a live rush tourney I'll be the first in line to register.

2 days until Mai Tais on the beach.  16 days until beer at the Hooker Bar.

Life is hectic, but life is good!!

I'm heading to Game 5 of the Orlando Magic/Boston Celtics Eastern Conference Finals tonight.  The Magic actually have a very good shot at getting back into this series after being down 3-0.  If they win tonight (they are favored), the series will be 3-2 and you can start to throw out the "No team has ever come back to win a series after being down 3-0."

Hopefully, they go out and not only win tonight, but win big.

GO MAGIC!!!!

Good luck to everyone playing in the final MookieDank BBT5 tourney tonight!!!

I'll get back to posting about poker next time.

The Poker from the Rail Tourney tonight on Full Tilt Poker may be my last shot at making it into the BBT5.  I don't think I'll be able to make it to the Mookie on Wed night, unless the Orland Magic somehow lose Game 4 of the Boston Series.  I don't see that see that happening because they have been playing so great this series.  ;)

Good Luck to me tonight!!!  

Last night during the Orlando/Boston ECF Game 2, a fan starting giving one of the refs a hard time during a time out.  The ref threw the ball at him.  The fan threw it back.  The ref immediately had him ejected from what was probably at least a $1k seat (prob a lot higher) since he had access to floor level.

It makes you wonder if a referee with such a short fuse should be one of the few refs selected to officiate a conference finals game.  Do you think we should be suspended from reffing for the rest of the playoffs?  Is this really the guy that you make to be making calls in Game 7 of a series?  Does he have more potential to call a foul in a close situation against a player that has complained to him when a "good no call" is in order?

Time....is running out on the BBT5

Time keeps on ticking away. The BBT5 is getting close to completion. It looks like there are four tourneys left - 2 Mookies, 1 Invitational, and 1 PFTR. I'll only be able to play three of them since I'll be at Game 5 of the Orlando/Boston series on the final day of BBT5 tourneys.

I'm going to make my best effort to bring my "A" game to each of my three remaining tourneys. I need to pick my spots better and focus only on the BBT tourney instead of firing up a couple of Rush cash games at the same time. Rush cash and the BBT tourneys are completely different animals and the most profitable plays in each are at the opposite ends of the spectrum.

I predict at least a FT at the minimum in one of the tourneys and hopefully a win or top 2 in the Invitational. I'm not going so far as calling my shot, but leaving myself the opening for saying that I called my shot. :)

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Time...for the Magic to step it up a notch

The title says it all. They didn't look like they showed up for Game 1 until the fourth quarter. Stan Van Gundy is a good motivator and he has plenty of ammunition to get everyone to step it up tonight. I guess the positive they can take from Game 1 is that when they finally started playing, they turned a 20 point deficit into a game they could have won.

Go Magic!!!!

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Time....is almost here for uncapped poker in FL!!!

I may have to put a countdown clock for July 1, 2010. FL will finally enter the real poker world. The current $100 max buy-in will change to real poker - no more caps on buy-ins!!!

Weeeeeeeee!!!!!!

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Time....is getting closer for the WSOP

My Sunday tourney experience has me re-thinking how many tourneys I will play in LV. I was planning to play a $1.5k WSOP mtt and a $2.1k Venetian DS mtt. I may just play one or the other and stick to cash for the rest of the time. I guess I'll play it by ear on how I'm feeling that week.

I'll be taking enough to LV for to play 2/5 comfortably and both tourneys. Maybe I'll stick to the cash games and take some shots at 5/10 if I'm running well.

Time....to kick some blogger ass.

Time....for me to get back to work.

"Why would I ever play a live tourney again?" - I started to type this on twitter last night and then erased it.

I had just spent an entire day playing my "A" game in a tourney only to have it turn into a turbo super turbo at the tail end with nothing to show for my efforts.  I don't see how the tourney regulars do it every day.  I know the payoff is huge when you hit, but there is mostly frustration.

A more appropriate tweet might have been, "Why would I ever play a live tourney with a horrible structure when my time would be better spent at the cash tables?"  I left my house around 10:30 am and got home around 11 pm.  I had nothing to show for it other than a belly full of "free" Outback food and a few "not-free" beers.

The tourney info:
Daytona Beach Kennel Club Poker Room Venetian Deep Stack Charity Classic
Total number of players including alternates - 536
$150 buyin + $40 initial add-on + $40 add-on after 3 levels.
$80 rebuy if you bust in 1st 3 level
Starting chips - 10k (including the initial addon)
Add-on after 3 levels - 4k
Blinds - 25 minute levels
1st place - $5k Venetian tourney buy-in + $1k meal credit at Venetian + Hotel + Biz Class air
2nd-5th - $2,100 Venetian tourney + above
Cash payouts through 40th place

I was playing great most of the tourney.  I didn't even feel bad about a mistimed bluff that I made against a 70 year old guy during the rebuy period.  After all, it took him a very very long time to call me with KJ on a KKAxx board.  I got a guy to put all his chips in with 77 when I had KK.  I made a big laydown when I couldn't put the other player on anything other than the nuts based on how he played the hand.  After I folded, he proceeded to show me the nuts.  Thanks!!  And on and on....

Everything was going great, until all of the sudden it turned into a super turbo.  We were down to 55 players and I looked around my table and all the other tables.  Everyone's stack, other than maybe 2-4 ppl, was less than 10 BBs.  The blinds were 8k/16k with a 2k ante and going up to 10k/20k in 25 mins.  Assuming that the average chips/player that bought in was 15k based on 536 players, when we were down to 55 players the average stack was $140k.  I had 150k chips and was 2nd at our table.  The chip leader at our table had around 240k.

Nearly everyone was at push/fold level, but not everyone realized that they only had one move.

It didn't take long for me to bust once the 8k/16k 2k ante level hit.

This post isn't meant to complain about bad beats with hands.  I legitimately lost two 50/50s.  The first one was my AK<44 aipf against a guy with around 85k chips.  It knocked me down to around 50k.  Two hands later, my 55 lost to AQ aipf.


I was pissed after I busted.  The 50 minute drive home helped with my sanity.  I knew my state of mind, so I decided not to play any online poker when I got home.  I'll take that as a positive, since in the past I might have fired up the laptop and tilted off a few buy-ins.

A day later, I can definitely say that I had a great time playing and enjoyed playing live again for the 1st time in a while.  In the future, I'll check and analyze the tourney structure of any live tourney that I play and try to stay away from the super turbos.

I'll be heading to the Daytona Beach Kennel Club on Sunday to play a charity satellite to the Venetian Deep Stack tourneys.  1st is entry into the $5k DS ME + airfare for 2 + Hotel + $1k in Venetian restaurant credit.  2nd - 5th is the same package but entry into the $2,100 tourney that I plan to play while out there.  They are also paying cash.

The bad news....I tried to buy my entry today and they are SOLD OUT.  I was told to come early Sunday to get on the DREADED alternate list.

I guess I'll go.  Surely the bustouts will be fast and furious and I can get seated before the blinds start getting out of control.

Hopefully, I get seated before all the dead money is gone.

No reason to bet a Royal Flush - Talk about nitty.

Full Tilt Poker $1/$2 No Limit Hold'em - 9 players - Rush
The Official DeucesCracked.com Hand History Converter

UTG+2: $162.00
MP1: $140.25
MP2: $308.95
CO: $301.35
BTN: $639.80
SB: $145.00
Hero (BB): $273.00
UTG: $167.60
UTG+1: $339.95

Pre Flop: ($3.00) Hero is BB with 2h 2c
3 folds, MP1 raises to $6, 4 folds, Hero calls $4

Flop: ($13.00) Jd Qd Td (2 players)
Hero checks, MP1 checks

Turn: ($13.00) 7s (2 players)
Hero checks, MP1 checks


River: ($13.00) Ad (2 players)
Hero checks, MP1 checks with the nuts of all nuts

Final Pot: $13.00
MP1 shows Ah Kd (a Royal Flush)
Hero mucks 2h 2c
MP1 wins $12.35
(Rake: $0.65)

Way to maximize value!!!  Maybe he thought there was a Royal Flush jackpot, but only if you went to showdown!!!


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It feels good to actually dodge all the cards for once.  Straight over set over set over set

Full Tilt Poker $1/$2 No Limit Hold'em - 9 players - Rush
The Official DeucesCracked.com Hand History Converter

UTG+1: $109.70
UTG+2: $122.70
MP1: $331.85
MP2: $135.95
CO: $287.60
BTN: $89.20
Hero (SB): $385.85
BB: $209.65
UTG: $283.75

Pre Flop: ($3.00) Hero is SB with Kh As
1 fold, UTG+1 raises to $4, UTG+2 raises to $12, 3 folds, BTN calls $12, Hero calls $11, 1 fold, UTG+1 calls $8

Flop: ($50.00) Jh Qh Tc (4 players) - Jackpot
Hero checks, UTG+1 checks, UTG+2 bets $50, BTN raises to $77.20 all in, Hero calls $77.20, UTG+1 raises to $97.70 all in, UTG+2 calls $47.70, Hero calls $20.50

Turn: ($420.30) 6s (4 players - 2 are all in)
Hero bets $276.15 all in, UTG+2 calls $13 all in

River: ($446.30) 9c (4 players - 4 are all in)

Final Pot: $446.30
UTG+1 shows 9h 9d (three of a kind, Nines)
UTG+2 shows Js Jd (three of a kind, Jacks)
BTN shows Qc Qs (three of a kind, Queens)
Hero shows Kh As (a straight, Ace high)
Hero wins $26.00
Hero wins $61.50
Hero wins $355.80
(Rake: $3.00)

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I don't think this guy will ever fold an overpair.  Just a feeling.  :)

Full Tilt Poker $1/$2 No Limit Hold'em - 9 players
The Official DeucesCracked.com Hand History Converter

UTG+2: $286.80
MP1: $435.10
Hero (MP2): $232.90
CO: $94.85
BTN: $136.45
SB: $388.80
BB: $200.00
UTG: $276.80
UTG+1: $208.95

Pre Flop: ($3.00) Hero is MP2 with 5s 5h
4 folds, Hero raises to $6, 2 folds, SB raises to $20, 1 fold, Hero calls $14

Flop: ($42.00) Js 5d 7c (2 players)
SB bets $368.80 all in - Well, the pot is $42.  I might as well just shove.  I mean, he might call me with something weaker than the 2nd nuts.  Oh wait....Was there just a flop?
Hero calls $212.90 all in

Turn: ($467.80) Tc (2 players - 2 are all in)

River: ($467.80) 3c (2 players - 2 are all in)

Final Pot: $467.80
Hero shows 5s 5h (three of a kind, Fives)
SB shows Ks Kh (a pair of Kings)
Hero wins $464.80
(Rake: $3.00)