Digging Live Play

First off, a big shout out to Dugglebogey for the nifty banner. Thank you my man. I plan on that being the first step in redoing the look of the site.

I havent been blogging much, one the reasons for that is that I am terrible at remembering details of hands that I play. I need to start taking notes, because I would like to start getting into some strategy in this blog. There are only so many "Live Blogging SnG's" you can do.

I have been running cold in the SnG's for the last month, I cash once in a while, but it has been a slow but steady decline in the bankroll. I am going to change my focus to NL cash games online for a while. The only problem is, lately, I have been really enjoying live play at the casino.

I have been to the casino 4 of the last 5 nights. I really dont have a live bankroll. Everytime I have played live in the past, I have meant to put the money aside, but it just doesnt happen. The money is either in my wallet, or stored somewhere, then something comes up and instead of going to the ATM, I just use the poker money instead. I need to stop that.

I have only been playing 3/6 limit live. The play at these tables is terrible, and I have averaged 3BB an hour the last 4 sessions. I am getting really tempted to give 5/10 a shot. I just need to get the bankroll up a bit more through a couple more positvie sessions, then I will make the jump.

Having been playing exclusively online for the past 6 months, I have forgotten how enjoyable live play is. The joking around at the table, shooting the shit with the dealers, the overall atmosphere. I have also noticed that I am terrible at noticing peoples physical tells. I am great at picking up betting patterns from playing online, but when it comes to observing the physical, I suck.

The best part to me of playing live is the focus. When playing online, even though I try not get distracted, I do. Check my email, check the lastest sports stories, read the blogs, get distracted by the ex, so on and so forth.

From this point forward, you will not be seeing Vegaas online as much, as I will have my ass parked in seat at the casino a minimum of 3 nights a week.

Now, if I can just stay away from the Black Jack tables while waiting for my seat.

Live bloggin, while drunk, and playing a SnG, that just screams +EV

2:35 A.M. Ok, just got back from a bar where I met my two singers. One of them is the host for Kareoke(sp?). Was downing the Southerns and coke pretty well tonight. Along with that, I let my singers pick out some fruity ass shots, so I am well prepared for this damn SnG.

2:37 Folded my first couple of hands and now I am in the big blind and just tossed away about 200 in chips with KJh.

2:38 Just played weak ass poker by throwing away wired threes to a huge overbet of 200 with the blinds at 10/20. Weak ass move on my part. I was in the small blind. Dont know if I should have played it or not. Damn I am drunk. Thank god I work second shift!

2:42 Folded around to me, I raise three times the big blind with K 10 off suit and am reraised by the small blind, I fold.

2:43 For those of you not in the Milwaukee area, I am eating some George Webbs double cheeseburgers right now. Fuck, I have typeover set right now, and I dont know how to turn it off, this sucks. Anyway, George Webbs is only a place you eat at if you are drunk. If I am sober, I cant stomach the place.

2:47 I just finished the my last double cheeseburger and wish I would have ordered about 5 more. There is jack to eat here right now.

2:48 I tried to get my singer to play Break Stuff by Limp Bizkit tonight. I told her it is the only way I would sing. She wouldnt, and I ended singing a duet with her tonight instead. It was Picture by Kid Rock and Sheryl Crow, how the hell did that happen?

2:50 I am folding every damn hand in sight right now, and then I am dealt wired 5's. I am in horrible position. The board is all over cards, I check and fold.


2:52 I really wish I would have order more double cheeseburgers. A soda would go really well right now as well. And that is right all you damn known Wisconsinites. Its not Soda Pop, or Pop, its a damn soda.

2:54 How the hell do I turn off this overwrite? It is really fucking me up.

2:55 I really want a cigerette right now. I dont smoke in the house, only outside. I agreed to it when we first moved in, that is really coming back to bite me in the ass right now.

2:56 BTW, I found a replacement for the July 8th gig. Yes! Vegas here I come. I dont know if the poker world is ready for a drunk Vegaas yet.

2:57 I am down to T1060. Why the hell did I fire up Stars? I should have just ate and went to bed.

2:58 I REALY want a cigerette, I may have the select the dreaded sit out next hand option to go have one.

3:01 Just back from having a cigerette. Is it just me, or do you always envision having pocket aces while you were gone.

3:03 Just busted out with pocket 8's that I way overplayed. Oh well, lets register for another, shall we?

3:04 I think the U.S goverment is shutting down Stars, there are only 2 mid level SnG's available. Might as well play it while I still can.

3:05 My ex, who happens to still be fucking living with me is going to be pissed. I was supposed to go grocery shopping tonight after work, instead, I went out and party with some very attractive ladies. Tough choice, huh? Of course I am now home without any of the after mentoined pretty ladies, so who is the loser now? Please dont answer that. How the hell do I turn off overwrite? I had to rewrite that last sentence because of it.

3:13 Just won my first pot of the night with KJ offsuit, I am in last position, every checks to me after the flop, I bet and take down a T120 pot. Exciting, is it not?

3:15 Here is bad idea, I think I am going to go get my bag of smoke.

3:17 Just dealt pocket kings. Raised to me, I reraise he calls. Flop has king, he bets, I call. Turn is a KING! Thems quads beetches. Wow, he goes all in, nice double up for me. All skill!

3:20 Got the smoke, already can tell that this can not end up good.

3:21 Yes ladies, to answer your obvious question,I am available now. After reading this masterpiece, who wouldnt want to hook up with me?

3:22 I seem to have this problem of having maniacs directly to my damn left. This guy has called or reraised my raises a couple of times. Same pattern. I bet preflop, he calls. I bet half to all of the pot post flop, he reraises all in. That mother f'ing son of a bitch. I am taking him out. And yes, I do realize other bloggers may be reading this and take advantage of the leak in my game. I say, bring it on beetches.

3:27 Revelation, I am an ass when drunk.

3:31 Wow, I almost hit call instead of fold to someones all in prefop raise, that would have sucked, seeing as I had 5 3 offsuit.

3:32 I limp with 76c and flop comes AQ8 no clubs, we all check. Turn is a 9 checked
to me, I bet 3/4 the pot and taking a whopping 150 pot down.

3:34 That son of a bitch to my left just beat me out of a pot, I am down to T1850. That bastard just keeps calling my raises, the few show downs, he has had the goods, I am taking that sob out! Mark it down. BTW, even though I am inebriated, I realize that I have blogged about my weakness of this. I really should know better, but screw, that fucker is going down! Plus his picture sucks. Its some dumbass with a mustache and beard that looks like he is straight out of the damn 3 musketeers.

3:38 Damn, he just busted someone and is now the chip leader

3:39 We are down to 5 and I am 4th with T1575. Both chips leaders are directly to my left. There the pain in my ass who is first to my left, he is chip leader, directly to his left is the the second place player. This sucks.

3:41 Yes, just doubled through pain in the ass to my left. folded to me in the SB where I have KcQs. I raised four times the big blind, he calls. Flop Q93 rainbow. I bet half the pot, he raises me all in, I call. He has Q2. I have him dominated and win the pot.

3:44 I just busted him and another out with wird 5's! We are in the money! I was SB again. Short stack goes all in with 5 players left in the game. I call, pain in the ass reraises, I call. What a dumb ass. Short stack has A 6, has 10 8d.

3:48 Damn! Dealt pocket rockets on the button 3 handed, should have raised, but limped. Sb completes, BB checks. Flop is 8 5 q, he bets, I reraise all in, he calls, 8 5. Stupid. I am now crippled with T550 left.

3:50 I am out, K 6 offsuit, raise all in, called by BB with Aces. Oh well, with the two games I only lost $12 dollars, but should have done much better.

WSOP Blogger Satellite #1

I sucked last night. I played terrible. I let a player at the table get to me, and that is one of my biggest leaks right now. I overplay hands at times when a player starts to get in my head.

I have player immediately to my left whos url I do not know, lets just call him Joe. He reraised just about every raise I made last night. I could not steal, and knew that any marginal hand was going to cost me to play.

After the first break I decided I was just going to wait it out and trap him. Good plan, horrible execution. I am in the SB with AJd. Its folded around to the player one off the cutoff. He raises 3 times the big blind. Now I know Joe is going to reraise, because he always reraises any threat to his BB, so I call the cutoffs raise, sure enough, Joe reraises, the initial raiser calls, and I reraise to put the original raiser all-in. Joe calls the reraise which is ok, I expected him to, but so does the original raiser. Oops. I dont remember what each player had, but the original raiser had the best hand, I had second best and Joe had the third. The board didnt change any of that, both Joe and I had the original raiser covered, so we were still in it.

That was stupid, I was so focused on trying to get rid of the pain in the ass on my left that I completely ignored the original raiser. Stupid, stupid, stupid!

A few hands later I am still a bit upset with how I played that hand, and do something just as dumb to completely cripple myself to less than 3 BB worth of chips. I am dealt wired 8's. I raise 4 times the big blind. Its folded to the BB(I dont remember who this was) who reraises me. I know he hasnt played alot of hands lately, but somehow convince myself that he is making a play on me. I reraise him all-in. Of course he calls and shows KK, and I knew the reraise was dumb before I even did it, but my frustration of Joe constantly reraising came out here. I think that my thought process wast that they have seen Joe reraise me off hands and I didnt want everyone starting to do it to me. Two horrible plays because I couldnt control my emotions and bam, knocked out in 36th.

I really need to work on controling myself at the table. I know I am making a bad play, but just make it anyhow out of sheer frustration. I need to remember that the best players can remove themselves emotionally from the game, if I can ever get to that point, I may become a competent player.

A conundrum

Ok, I really want to play in the WPBT Summer tourney in Vegas. Unfortunately, I forgot the date and agreed to play show on July 8th here in Milwaukee. I finally realized this a couple of days ago and have been trying to get the show rescheduled. No such luck. Apparently this place is hard to get into, our guitarist signed the contract with the agent who then signed the contract with the club. Some conversations have taken place, but it comes down to the fact that we can not reschedule the show. Damn!

My options now are to:

A) Forget about the Summer Classic and play the show here in Milwaukee. (Sounds resonable, but; I have planned to go to Vegas in July anyhow, and I think it would be a lot more fun with a bunch of bloggers around)

B) Tell the band that I cant make the show, and hope they can find a replacement for me for that day. (I think this might piss them off just slightly, but, we are pretty tight, so I think they wont have a huge problem with it)

C) Screw it all and just sleep through that day, because no matter what I choose, I will be thinking about the other on that day.

If anyone knows any bass players in Milwaukee that might be able to fill in for me on July 8th, let me know.

WPBT Event #1

Congrats to fellow Milwaukeen STB for winning it. Nice job my man.

As for myself, I came in sixth. While I really wanted to win it once I got ITM, I was overall happy with my performance. I have never played PLO before. If fact, the only Omaha I have played is O8 for .02/.04 on Stars just to learn the game. I did read through Mr. Baldwins section of SS2 on Omaha. That was a couple of months back, the only thing I remember is dont bet too heavy on straights or flushes unless you have the nut. I am sure he also mentioned something about sets as well, but I dont remember. That is unforntunate, because thats how I went out, set over set.

My strategy going in was to be tight as hell, because I didn't want to embarrass myself in front of the other bloggers. Well, there is one problem with that strategy, in order to play only good starting hands, you need to know what a good starting hand is. I was pretty lost at first, but I payed very close attention to the hands the other bloggers were showing down, to get an idea of what and how I should be playing my hands.

I finally started to get comfortable with the game and was able to start picking out what makes up a good starting hand. I played a tight, aggressive game. I had a few bad beats in the end, but hell, I gave one to get to that point, so it evens out.

I have decided us Milwaukee bloggers need a name, just like over in the Carolinas they are known as G-Vegas, over on the West Coast they are known as Murderer's Row and the Austin bloggers are known as, well, Austin bloggers, but that's besides the point. I told STB last night we should have an original name, like the Milwaukee Mafia, you know, because I am sure no one in poker uses the Mafia monicker. (Please tell me you know that I am being sarcastic). So I decided, from now on we are the Milwaukee Mafia. Next time you see STB, congratulate him on the PLO victory, but more importantly, congratulate him on being part of the Milwaukee Mafia. I am sure he will ask you what the hell you talking about. He may even run away screaming, but that's ok, I am sure that he will be just putting on an act.

On other news. This was my first blogger tourney, and I realized I will be a complete idiot if I ever end up a table with well known pros. How do I know this? Well, because I was an idiot last night when I noticed some well known bloggers pop up at my table. It was really a form of being star struck, as sad as that sounds. It started with Bill Rini. He was the first well known blogger that I have played against. I beat him out a pot when I was on the button and he was the big blind. I limped, SB folded, Rini checked. I bet the flop, he folded, and I said I had to blog about beating Mr. Rini out of a pot in that very exciting hand, so there it is.

Later on in the tourney Dr. Pauly and Iggy both show up at my table at the same time. I am thinking holy crap, two of the most well written and well known bloggers both show up at my table simultaneously. Very cool. I made a comment about Poker Blogger royalty showing up. Then Dr. Pauly immediately stole my BB from the button. I made a comment about how I going to blog about the good Dr. muscling me out of my blind. I think Dr. Pauly thinks I am an ass. He is probably right, but, I really was just kind of like, wow, cool. And yes, I am a 37 year old man.

Dr. Pauly ran into some bad luck at the table when he ran into Quads(with the obligatory "Thems Quads .......) line that really made me laugh. Then he ran into a full house to knock him out.

Iggy finished 5th and I really enjoyed playing at the same table as him. He was short stacked for a while and did a nice job of coming back.

Speaking of Iggy, don't forget about the WSOP Satellite he set up for us this Saturday at Paradise Poker. Make sure you go to his site and get the details. And again, if you are reading this site, and not the others I mentioned, well then, you're an idiot.

Finally many thanks to Biggestron for setting this up, and he already has details up about event #2. I cant wait.

I am a whiney little b****

I have been really tempted to remove my last post. I wasn't comfortable after I posted it, and then SirWalgman drove it home. What the hell am I whining about? Its fine that NCG pissed me off, its also fine that I wasn't happy with the last hand I played. Great, I could have posted about those two hands without adding some of the other nonsense.

As I reread my post, I put myself in the position of the reader. If I am running bad and then run across that post, I would be annoyed that this bastard has the audacity to whine about 2nd place.

There was really no need to mention the money, to me it reads as if I am bragging, while yet still complaining. Not good.

I am going to leave the post up as a reminder to myself of what not to post again. I've never claimed to even be a competent blogger, so this is a learning process for me.

Thanks for the comments and hope to see you in the tournaments that other bloggers are setting up.

First we Iggy who has set up a satellite tourney for a WSOP seat for a $1500 event of your choosing. Of course you should already know this, because if you are reading this blog and not his, then what the hell are you doing?
I have already sent an email to "The Blogfather" to let him know that I want in.

The second tourney kicks of the WPBT POY season. Biggestron has set this up. The first tourney is PLO. I am a complete fish in that game, but I still am signing up for it. The chance to compete against fellow bloggers in a series of tourneys sounds like a lot of fun.

On a completely different note, the duplicity of a blogger out there is just amazing to me. He preaches about his strong belief in the lord, (which is great if that's your thing) yet also preaches his belief that women should be smacked if you feel they are out of line. WTF is that? People have also mentioned racism in his posts, but I can not confirm that first hand because I have only read a few of his posts and really don't care to read anymore. The question is how can you preach about a close relationship with the Lord and still condone violence against women? Actually it doesn't surprise me that much. I have a serious issue with religious zealots. Please note that I do not mean ordinary people who practice religion and think for themselves. I am talking about zealots, and from my experience, they are the most hypocritical people on earth. As an example, I did an AIDS walk a couple of years ago. Who are lined up along the route? A bunch of these zealots who are yelling at us that we are going to hell for supporting homosexuality. Oh really? I thought I was helping raise money to fight a horrible disease. And by the way, doesnt the bible preach forgiveness and acceptance? Guess these guys missed that day in Sunday School. BTW, have you ever noticed most zealots you talk to are recovering from some type of addiction? It seems to me that they just swapped one addiction for another.

Anyway, I digress. Sign up for those tourneys and look for me at the tables. My name on all sites is Vegaas.

Can you be happy with 2nd place?

So I took 2nd in a 180 SnG at Poker Stars last night. That's $780 that the old bankroll definitely needed. So I should be happy, right?

There were several things that pissed me off about this tournament last night.

Lets start with no clue guy or NCG for short. We are down to the final table, 5 left. The blinds are around 1000/2000. I have a mid sized stack of about 50,000. Its folded to the short stack (lets call him "lucky there was an idiot at the table who allowed you stay in the game", or LI for short)who goes all in for his final 11,000. The big stack who happens to be NCG calls from the SB. I am in the BB and look down to find AQo. I debate my move for a minute or two. I run through my options. I could play weak here and fold, conserving my chips. I decide that is way too weak a play. I could reraise and hope to get NCG to fold, leaving only me and LI. I decided no, I am not going to reraise. I want to get some implicit collusion going here and try and knock LI out so we move up in the money. I call. The flop comes 669 with 2 diamonds. NCG decides to come out firing for about the size of the pot. I think for a minute and then fold. I am thinking that he better damn well have the nuts. Well, of course he doesn't. He's NCG for a reason. He shows K10o, while the small stack shows A7o. The turn and river do not improve either, small stack triples up, and I am fuming at NCG. We would have knocked this guy out if he would have used his head. Of course the LI went on beat me out and win the tourney, thanks to NCG who appropriately enough was the next player eliminated.

After that debacle, LI went on a rush, he eliminated the next two players and we are now heads up. LI has a little over a 3 to 1 chip lead on me now. I would like to say that I battled back and lost on a bad beat. I would like to say that, but it would be a lie. I was steaming just a bit, thinking this guy should be gone if it wasn't for NCG.

Very first hand of HU. I have the button and am dealt Kh3h. I raise 4 times the big blind. LI calls. Flop comes 8 2 4 rainbow. I bet about 3/4ths of the pot, LI goes over the top to put me all in. Who in there right mind would call here? Can anyone give me a legit reason why I hit the call button? It was about 4 a.m. at this point, so I guess I can blame it on being tired, or that fact that I thought he was trying to bully me with his chips, but still, neither justifies that completely amateur play I made. I called off my entire stack in the first hand of HU and had to settle for 2nd. I have not been able to forgive myself for that play and we are closing in on 24 hours later.

All that being said, I was fairly happy with my play up to that point. I had been on a downswing, and noticed myself coming out of it 2 nights ago. It felt really good to be making correct reads most the night, and having them pay off. I have noticed a huge improvement in me putting people on hands, playing the pot odds correctly, and playing a slightly tighter game where I can fold big hands if I feel I am beat.

Of course, all that improvement went out the window on the last hand. I didn't read LI right, I didn't fold when I felt I was beat on that hand, and the pot odds may have been there, but if they were it was just barely. Stupid, stupid play.

I left $300 on the table, and I am not sure I can forgive myself for that.

Live Blogging, cause its all the rage

1:11 Live at a Poker Stars 30+3 SnG. Coming at ya just after the start. I have been dealt AQo on the first hand, limped from ealry, completely missed the flop and folded. Then dealt AA in the blind, raise it to 100, get one caller. Bet half the pot on the flop K J rag, and he folds.

1:16 Just dealt "The Treetop" and fold to raise and reraise.


1:18 Dealt wired 3's on the button. 1 off the cutoff raises 5times the BB, I call, the flop comes down with an A and K, he raises, I fold.

1:25 Dealt 6c4c in the SB. Three limpers, I call, BB checks. flop 2c 4d 5c. I bet half the pot, all fold but one. Turn is 7s. Having lots of outsI bet half the pot, he calls. River Qc, I make my flush, bet a third of the pot, he folds and I take it down. I am at T2380 aftet starting with T1500.

1:36 Just sitting here eating Sun Chips as I have not had a ............ breaking news, dealt wired Jacks on the button, a 4 limpers and I limp as well, should probably raise, but if I hit a set, I could be sitting real nice here. BB just raised all in. He has 930, so I have him covered. Folds to me, I'm thinking small pair here, if it was a big pair, would he raise less to keep someone aroudn? I call. Yes! He has pocket 3's. He doesnt improve and I am now chip leader at T3395 with 7 left.

1:42 Blinds are now at 50/100

1:43 Back to the Sun Chips, I wonder if they are really any healthier for you than other chip snacks. I like to think so because I like them, , but I dont really know. Same for Wheat Thins with Whole Grain, all the Whole Grain cereals, and V8. These are the things I eat and drink to try and convince myself that my diet isnt "that bad" when I am eating some greasy cheeseburger everyday for lunch.

1:48 I am now second, and we are down to five. Dont know how that happened, to damn busy blogging about Sun Chips.

1:50 I have A9o UTG, raise it up three times the BB and take down the blinds.

1:54 Why is the short stack always immediatley to my left? Really hinders stealing opportunities. Just tried it and he picked me off with an all in. Bastard!

1:56 Just tilted myself for not playing A2o to a standard raise from the button, and then see two more dueces come down on the flop.

1:59 I am in trouble, just lost two consective hands were I raised preflop, only to be reraised allin. Down to T1045 and we are on the bubble. Who the hell says people play tight on the bubble, I tell you what, I really dont sit that at these SnG's.

2:01 Just sucked out a gut shot to survive. I have A6o, down to 960 in chips and its folded around to me, I go all in, just hoping for the blinds. I am called by A7. Well, I rivered a straight.

2:05 Bubble just burst and I am still in. I busted him when I had 10d9d and flopped top pair on a board of 9 5 3.

2:07 Too much to type right now, will give recap.

2:14 Well, I took 2nd. Much better than third, but I am still not happy with my play. Time to post mortem, and see if I can figure out why I am making some of the plays that I do.