Last Night Good - Tonight Potentially Bad
Wednesday, February 02, 2005
Let me start with tonight. I've been a Party player for over 2 years now, but this morning I downloaded PokerStars at home and began the arduous task of trying to add money quickly...all in hopes of being ready for my first WPBT. I know it's last minute, but I didn't think I was going to be able to play until recently. Seeing that Stars offerred NetTeller, I was happy as I thought I was good to go with them. Well, I have all my info screwed up. Over at Party, where I thought I was set up with NetTeller, I'm actually set up with IGM eCheck. It's a great service because it is instant and there is no charge...plus they verified my info quickly. As for NetTeller, way back when I first opened my Party account, I set up NetTeller, but was never able to use it. Regardless, they still have me on record with old info. Trying to update my info with them has been horrible today...and even if I get it done I think I'm still 2 days away from being able to deposit. So today, in a last ditch effort, I've been trying to call all my poker buddies to see if I can transfer $50 to them from my Party account to their Party account. In return, if they have $50 in their Stars account they could then transfer it to me. This would be instant and thus, I would be on my way. So far, none of my buddies has a Stars account funded...uuuggghhh...damnit they need to start winning.
Moving on to last night...Played in a PL Omaha Hi/Lo tourney last night at $20 a pop with unlimited rebuys until round 4. Managed to make it to round 4 with an above average stack without needing to ever rebuy. Meanwhile, more than half the field did rebuy...some more than once. One unfortunate buddy of mine bought in 4 times and was still the first one out after round 4. I, on the other hand, made it to the final table of 10 with the final four placing in the money. Almost immediately my cards went ice cold. It's hard to believe you can get 4 cards in the hole and still have to fold-fold-fold constantly for an hour straight. Luckily for me, almost everyone else at the table acted like they were up past their bedtime, so I got down to the final 5. Uh Oh...at this point it's either work your butt off and get paid nothing...or sneak into the money with the potential to take home 1st place. Segue for a moment.
In the past year I went through a string of 5 straight tournaments where I finished on the bubble. It was the same situation every time...a hefty stack until the final table where I go cold carded and watch as a desperate all in bet to stay alive is doused with lighter fluid and set ablaze. I was really starting to question my game at that point. Was I playing too safe just hoping to at least place in the last money spot? Was I being too picky with my starting hands? Or were the cold cold cards just happening too much for me to do anything about my situation. I finally decided it was a mix of all...but I also threw in the addition of an extremely aggressive blind structure in the later rounds that didn't help. Hard to call a big blind of 1200 when you've got 3000 in front of you and a K 9 unsuited. Right around the time I hit the wall of playing well, but seeing no results, I decided to take it easy for a while. Well, to be exact, my bank account decided for me. Over the next 4 months, as you know if you've read my posts, I played virtually no poker. Until now...segue back to last night.
Down to the final 5 and again I'm lowest in chips. However, I still had over 10,000 in chips with the big blind not even at 1000 yet. So, it was time to get rolling, but if I could pick up a few pots I would be alright. Which is exactly what I did, but usually to split with someone else when I had the low. This was o.k. with me though because most of the time 1 or 2 other players were calling down the the bets. Finally, after about 30 minutes of chip exchanging, the low stack went all in for his last 5000 and had 2 callers. Crazily enough, the other 2 players began a battle for the side pot with one of them eventually all in. This was real good for me since low stacks hand couldn't be that great against these guys who are pushing the action. As I had hoped, the chip leader had the best Hi and Lo hand and took the entire pot, thus knocking out 2 players at once. Just like that I was getting 3rd prize money no matter what. I played well for quite a while when we were down to 3, but I got into an aggressive hand with another guy when I had A A 4 4...by the time I blinked my eyes I was all in and he was calling. He ended up with a straight on the river to take the high and he had A 3 in his hand to take the low. Just like that I was out in 3rd....more than tripled my buy in which was nice. Wouldn't you know it, immediately after I went out the other 2 guys split the remainder. Wish I had tried to split it 3 ways, but I can't complain.
In the past year I went through a string of 5 straight tournaments where I finished on the bubble. It was the same situation every time...a hefty stack until the final table where I go cold carded and watch as a desperate all in bet to stay alive is doused with lighter fluid and set ablaze. I was really starting to question my game at that point. Was I playing too safe just hoping to at least place in the last money spot? Was I being too picky with my starting hands? Or were the cold cold cards just happening too much for me to do anything about my situation. I finally decided it was a mix of all...but I also threw in the addition of an extremely aggressive blind structure in the later rounds that didn't help. Hard to call a big blind of 1200 when you've got 3000 in front of you and a K 9 unsuited. Right around the time I hit the wall of playing well, but seeing no results, I decided to take it easy for a while. Well, to be exact, my bank account decided for me. Over the next 4 months, as you know if you've read my posts, I played virtually no poker. Until now...segue back to last night.
Down to the final 5 and again I'm lowest in chips. However, I still had over 10,000 in chips with the big blind not even at 1000 yet. So, it was time to get rolling, but if I could pick up a few pots I would be alright. Which is exactly what I did, but usually to split with someone else when I had the low. This was o.k. with me though because most of the time 1 or 2 other players were calling down the the bets. Finally, after about 30 minutes of chip exchanging, the low stack went all in for his last 5000 and had 2 callers. Crazily enough, the other 2 players began a battle for the side pot with one of them eventually all in. This was real good for me since low stacks hand couldn't be that great against these guys who are pushing the action. As I had hoped, the chip leader had the best Hi and Lo hand and took the entire pot, thus knocking out 2 players at once. Just like that I was getting 3rd prize money no matter what. I played well for quite a while when we were down to 3, but I got into an aggressive hand with another guy when I had A A 4 4...by the time I blinked my eyes I was all in and he was calling. He ended up with a straight on the river to take the high and he had A 3 in his hand to take the low. Just like that I was out in 3rd....more than tripled my buy in which was nice. Wouldn't you know it, immediately after I went out the other 2 guys split the remainder. Wish I had tried to split it 3 ways, but I can't complain.
posted by TripJax @ 4:28 PM,
2 Comments:
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At 11:45 AM,
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