| Just passed the 75 pound mark |
[Jun. 24th, 2008|01:09 pm] |
Still going strong in my quest to lose over 200 pounds. I've actually started doing interval walking as per South Beach Diet Supercharged.
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| Way to do a redraw |
[Jun. 24th, 2008|01:01 pm] |
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We are down to 24 players in the super for the main event (20 spots are getting a seat). My table is full of short-stacks - including myself thanks to AK losing to AQ (Q - on the river of course) at 27 players when I still didn't have a lot of chips, but winning that hand gives me almost an average stack. They do a table redraw since there is "suspected collusion" at the other tables with everyone just folding to the BB waiting for some of us to knock each other out.
So after the redraw, 7 of the 8 players from my table get moved TO THE SAME TABLE!!!
Oh, and I went out 23rd when KsJs couldn't suck out against pocket 9s even after a AsQc6s flop.
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| Hand I was knocked out on in the 1K Borgata Open event |
[Jun. 16th, 2008|09:26 pm] |
Blinds are currently 400/800 with a 100 ante. Announcement has already been made that this is the last hand of this level. I am under the gun. Next hand I will be big blind for 1200 with a 200 ante.
I have TT.
I announce raise, and first put out the call for 800. I have a total of 10400.
4 people fold before I put out the raise. While I should take this into account, I really don't feel that it changes my decision.
I decide to jam.
The person who it is now up to starts yammering about the only reason I jammed was that I saw all the people who had now folded. He takes about two minutes and eventually decides to fold 99. He didn't show the hand, but claimed that's what he had and I believe that's what he had. After he was thinking and talking to himself for a minute, I figured that he had either a medium pair or was deciding on whether to call with a hand which would have been a coin-flip (seemed genuine debate, not hollywooding with a big hand). About the only hand I could see him debating and folding that had me crushed would have been JJ.
It gets down to the two blinds. The big blind, who had a lot of chips, would definitely have called with any two cards which would have been a flip (even QJ).
Unfortunately, the small blind, who was NOT calling with a coin flip (even AKs) calls, and I know I am in bad shape. He confirms it by turning over QQ.
I do not hit a miracle (someone earlier had doubled through him when it was all-in preflop with him having AA and the other person having KK), and IGHN.
The only thought in my mind (and NOT just based on the outcome) was whether or not making it 2500-3500 was a better play. I don't think so, but wouldn't mind some feedback.
To add a few thoughts:
If the person who debates pushes, I would have called.
I KNOW I'm a 4-1 dog if the person who was the small blind pushes and can decide if I want to take the odds to double up.
From Phil Gordon's pair principle, I'm going to run into a bigger pair 18% of the time UTG with TT. Even if you eliminate someone calling with JJ (several people at this table would have folded JJ), that makes it 13.5% of the time I will run into QQ, KK or AA. If you take into account that 4 people have already folded, I will run into QQ, KK, or AA 7.5% of the time. I don't mind a flip, so don't mind running into overcards.
Even under the best circumstance, if I make it 2500, and fold (pot would have been 14700 and I would have had to call another 7900) that would leave me with 7900, 1200 of which goes into the BB next hand.
Oh, and for those who might question how certain I could be that the small blind would not make the play with AK (although if I made it 2500 he likely would have called with AK), I am 99.9999999% certain that he would not have pushed with anything less than QQ. I don't like to say 100% for anything, but I have played with the person a decent amount the last few years and 99.9999999% seems right :) |
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| poker rules fun at the Borgata open Stud event |
[Jun. 16th, 2008|08:33 pm] |
It really shouldn't surprise me that no one knows the rules, especially for stud. But, for some reason, I actually expect dealers and floor people to know their own rules.
Last time I asked, I was told that there were no copies of the tournament rules available, "because there's a LOT of rules, we can't just hand out a copy to anyone who wants one." I am NOT making that up - that's what I was told. So, I don't know what the actual rule is at the Borgata, but I know what I would have done (misdeal).
A player's first downcard (2h) is dealt face-up. As far as I'm concerned, right then it's a misdeal, so nothing more would have happened. However, the hilarity ensued:
His second card was dealt face-down. No problem.
His third card (9h) was dealt face-up. OOPS.
Only now is the floor called.
Issues that were talked about amongst FIVE floor people (one by one they came over to help out as the ones already there didn't know what to do - only to realize that they didn't know what to do, either) over the course of about SEVEN minutes:
1) Is it a misdeal? They ruled NO.
1) Is the hand live? They ruled YES.
2) Is he the bring-in? First up-card would have made him the bring-in, second up-card would not have made him the bring-in. They ruled that he was NOT the bring-in.
3) If we make the hand live, and he plays, does he get his fourth street card face-down? They ruled YES.
It was amusing, sad, and frustrating all at the same time. |
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| Borgata Open |
[Jun. 16th, 2008|01:07 pm] |
I played in 4 events and cashed in one - came in 22nd in the 500. Won some money playing cash, so overall a slight loser for the week.
Sick part was that if Atlantic City casinos issued tax forms based on the actual payouts, we would have made a 24 handed deal with everyone but the chip leader taking around 8500-9000 and the massive chip leader taking twice that much and the bracelet. This worked out to somewhat better than 7th place money for everyone else and slightly above 4th place for the chip leader. I even offered to take the 73K 1st place tax form for a slight consideration from everyone, but that still left 38K, 20K, etc., so no deal.
No major hands - best resuck was when I was all in with QQ vs AQ and A7. A on the flop, Q on the river to stay alive.
Saw someone make a ridiculous move when we were 25 handed. The chip leader was basically calling any single raise below 50K with any 1 broadway card in his hand, and if he had a King, he LOVED it. He was also hitting every freakin flop. But, when he raised, he actually had a hand. Blinds are 4K-8K with a 1K ante. Under the gun, who has approximately 240K (average stack is around 150K at this point), makes it 40K to go. The chip leader (who has around 550K), and the only person at the table who can felt him, makes it 140K, basically committing himself if the original raiser pushes in. The original raiser does push in and turns over the premium hand of A2 SOOTED. Chip leader's pocket 9's hold up and he now has a little over 800K.
Last hand I played was folded to me on the button and I pushed in for about 60K with A9 SOOTED. Chip leader is the small blind and looks at K5 offsuit, says "I LOVE this hand (he wasn't joking)." and calls. Big blind calls as well, but never showed his hand. Flop comes KQ9, no help on turn or river, and IGHN. Note that I'm not saying it was a bad call, just liked the comment about LOVING the hand.
AFAIK, they actually never made a deal, and the chip leader (at the time) wound up coming in 3rd, so actually made a little more than the deal offered, but didn't get the bracelet.
I hate that I'm not in Vegas right now (long story), but hopefully can get there.
Going back on Thursday to try to win my way into the 5K event which starts on Sunday.
Saw ![[info]](http://l-stat.livejournal.com/img/userinfo.gif) spidurman rooling the 2-5 no limit game at the Borgata. |
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| Funny e-mail from the PPA (Poker Players Alliance) |
[May. 21st, 2008|12:11 am] |
Basically a membership drive e-mail.
But the funny part was (my emphasis)
More benefits are coming soon, and this offer will not be sent to you again.
I would mortgage my house if I was able to bet over 0.5 times that this will be sent again.
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| Most ridiculous room offer ever from Harrah's |
[May. 14th, 2008|12:47 pm] |
| [ | mood |
| |  annoyed | ] |
Harrah's AC is having tournaments this coming week. I had an offer on-line, but when I tried to book, it said the offer id wasn't a valid id (this, despite the fact that I'm clicking through from their links to the offer, I'm not entering a number, so no typo).
So, I call, and get told the following:
The reason it won't let me book on-line, and even the phone agent can't book it, is that this can only be booked if I show up and THEN book the room in person after talking with the poker room manager.
They can't even confirm if there are still rooms available.
So, I'm supposed to show up, with NO reservation or guarantee of a room, and then POSSIBLY be able to get a room.
Is it me, or is this ridiculous?
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| Just passed the 50 pound mark |
[May. 8th, 2008|07:25 pm] |
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My high point was 435.
I just weighed in at 382.2
While I didn't get on The Biggest Loser, I did enter Will Fallia's weight loss contest for 2500 a person (weighed in at 396.6). AFAIK, there's 12 or 13 of us in it, and I really think that only 2 or 3 of us are going to take it seriously.
So, going on the South Beach diet (which I've talked to my nutrionist about and she's in favor). Also, while on the same diet a couple of years ago, I lost 80 pounds over 4 months doing virtually no exercise whatsoever.
Final weigh-in is July 13.
So far, just eating healthy and walking 1-2 miles almost every day.
Regarding poker - the beats keep coming - enough said.
Will keep everyone updated.
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| TBL - just the poker video |
[Apr. 18th, 2008|12:24 pm] |
| [ | mood |
| |  amused | ] |
| [ | music |
| | East Bound and Down | ] |
This a part of the application for applying to be on The Biggest Loser. This just shows a clip of a poker game where we are betting with food.
Here's a link to the file:
The file is 11 MB in size and about a minute and a half (1:29) long.
http://www.megaupload.com/?d=GFQWDIY3
Clicking on the link will bring up a screen where you have to enter a 3 character code (near the upper right).
Then a second screen will appear and you will have to wait 45 seconds for the free download link to appear (you will see a timer counting down). Despite the verbiage on the screen saying how much better the premium download is, it then downloads fine.
You will need quicktime to view the video. If you don't have quicktime, you can get it here:
http://www.apple.com/quicktime/download Look on the left, where it says Download the free player.
If you don't want, or already have, itunes, click the second button that is just for quicktime. Uncheck the two boxes asking if you want e-mails, and note that you don't have to enter an e-mail address before you hit the Free Download Now button.
Also, the video downloads as .m4v which is a mac extention (the person who did this did it on a mac). If you tell Windows to use quicktime to open the file, it works fine. Or, you can rename the file to .mp4 and quicktime should recognize it.
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| Poker reporting is less than good |
[Apr. 10th, 2008|12:43 pm] |
Anytime you read the online live reporting, or even the after-the-fact reporting, take it with a large grain of salt.
A lot of people I know laugh when they see the reports which were made based on hands in which they were involved.
For my part, my best one was when it was reported that I raised in middle position, when in fact, it was folded to me on the button, and I raised from the button. The amounts were also incorrect. About the only thing which was reported correctly was the outcome.
From the write-up regarding the recently ended 2008 Foxwoods Poker Classic:
__________
After another 30 or so hands had passed, Katz found himself battling with the short stack. Katz raised from the cutoff to 110,000 and Richardson called from the big blind.
The flop came Qh 6s 5h
and Richardson led out for 140,000. Katz took some time thinking about his situation before announcing that he was all in.
Richardson instantly called showing
Kh 5h
for a flush draw. Katz showed the Qc Js and was a favorite to double up in the hand. The turn paired the board with the 6 taking away a few outs from Richardson, but the river was the K giving him the higher pair and sending Katz to the rail in fifth place. Katz took home $151,811 for his efforts, by far the largest cash of his young career.
__________
So apparently the 5h was both on the board and in someone's hand.
It will be interesting to see what the actual hand was during the broadcast. |
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| Short update on the venting I had done the last few posts |
[Apr. 7th, 2008|06:24 pm] |
It was just pointed out to me (and I whole-heartedly agree) that the posts I did where I just vented about the beats I took would be taken as me not realizing how much luck there is in poker tournaments and me just whining.
Some people who know me, and realize that I do know these things, and take the beats very well, found the posts somewhat amusing, but on a public journal, it definitely was the wrong place to put things like this.
I do realize it, and realize the situations which happened to me are not anything unusual. They are something which happen every day. I was just emotional and was venting at the time. I probably shouldn't do that publicly, but rather should provide a more realistic description of the whole event.
Not sure if the person who pointed it out to me wants to be noted, so I'll just say thanks for now.
I will follow-up with a more complete description of what I felt I did correct, and wrongly, within the next couple of days.
[Edit] And I forgot to include that I was trying (and failing) to be humourous in a ranting / insane kind of way while I was venting, but apparently I suck at humor writing. |
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| Thoughts on backing / specific and general |
[Apr. 7th, 2008|04:52 pm] |
I had asked on the ARG lists if anyone would be interested in taking a part of me for trying to get into the main event.
Someone pointed out that I was asking for quite an overlay by saying I wanted to play for 40% of myself, so was looking for opinions, both general for the future, and specific to this one event.
For this event, I said that I was looking to get together a bank of either 3300 to play in 3 satellites, or 10000 to buy directly in. I expected to get a lot of responses (I had been told there was some interest in the past) for small amounts (50 or 100) and for everyone to have a piece of 3300. What I got was a few responses for people looking to buy 10% or more.
My thought process was that if people bought a piece of me for the satellites, when I won a seat, their overall percentage would be much greater.
I offered to play for 40% of myself, with 60% going to the backers.
If I got together a 3300 bank, the investment would then triple in value.
So, for example, someone contributing 330 would have 10% of the backers share of 60%, or 6%.
Once I won the seat (which I know is not guaranteed, but I have historically won a seat in about 1 of every 3 satellites which I have played), that's 330 for 6% of me in a 10000 event.
I thought that seemed fair, but since someone questioned it, I was looking for feedback on this specific situation.
I also would be interested in thoughts on backing in general. How much of myself should I be willing to play for if I am looking to play in a number of events in the WSOP?
Thanks.
Oh, and in case anyone is interested - I won a seat, but never had a lot of chips, and went out early on day 2. |
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| Weight Loss bad beat |
[Apr. 7th, 2008|04:05 pm] |
Will Failla ( http://www.cardplayer.com/players/results/Will-Failla/52260 ) was organizing a weight loss contest at the Foxwoods WPT event.
2500 per person, from the time of the weigh-in to the day before the main event starts, going by percentage of body weight.
I felt that I would have a huge advantage in this event due to already being in the "lose-weight / get healthy" mode, and that at LEAST half the people entering wouldn't actually do anything about losing weight. I really felt that maybe 5 of the people entering would have a real shot, with me being one of them.
It looked like he would get 15-20 people, so it was for a decent chunk of change. Not quite biggest loser, but also no crap that goes along with a reality series.
He also talked about calling Lon McEachern and possibly having this on one of the episodes of nuts during the WSOP. If that happened, I could finally tell my family when I'd be on TV :)
One of the people who was going to be involved, who weighed over 500 pounds, said that he had a scale at home which could weigh up to 1000 pounds, and he would get it there the next day.
I don't know what happened, all I know is that the scale never showed up, so now it looks like the weight loss contest won't happen.
Getting everyone together for the weigh-in will be a problem, and the more time that goes by, the more weight I will already have lost, and the less time that will be left.
So, another bad beat at Foxwoods :) |
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| Weight update |
[Apr. 1st, 2008|02:56 am] |
I am involved in the BARGE weight-loss contest. Not quite as big a payout as biggest loser :)
I was at Foxwoods, which normally means poor eating.
I planned ahead and brought a lot of canned tuna fish and some Kashi cereal for breakfast. Even though other food has gotten at least marginally better, breakfast here still sucks unless you have an 8th floor pass on the weekends for the made to order omelets – and I don’t. I really like CPK’s Grilled Vegetable salad and normally add shrimp or salmon to it.
So, after going from my starting weight up to 435 and staying there for awhile, I am now below 400 pounds for the first time in recent history.
Now if I actually start exercising, should be able to lose 100 pounds by BARGE (which may not be enough based on some of the updates).
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| Had to laugh at Jack's comment on the WPT broadcast |
[Apr. 1st, 2008|12:46 am] |
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I hardly ever watch the WPT broadcasts anymore, but happened to catch tonight’s since I know Shane.
"The Bellagio values its poker customers.”
Not unless something has changed since the last time I was there. They don’t even track play unless you’re staying there and they want to make sure you are putting in enough hours to get the poker rate. Tipping is king, and will move you to close to the top of the waiting list.
He must be using a different definition than the ones of which I am aware. |
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| Foxwoods Act 3 |
[Mar. 31st, 2008|10:31 am] |
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I have played 1 act 3 so far, and came in 23rd when they were giving out 14 seats.
I was crippled by a 2 outer on the river on a hand I really got someone to put their money in bad (I knew - as much as anyone can know that if I checked the flop they would push on the turn). But, they hit their 2 outer.
When it was folded to me on the button I then pushed with KQ and ran into QQ in the small blind.
That left me with 3100 in chips. I then won several races (I happened to be ahead each time, but that didn't have to be the case) and had 40K in chips.
The push-fest had begun (1K ante 4K 8K blinds, so 22K a round) and someone who had me covered push in, I really didn't think they had me, and I called. They turned over 6 9 and proceeded to make 3 sixes and IGHN.
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| Foxwoods $1000 - unF**KING believable |
[Mar. 29th, 2008|03:30 am] |
| [ | mood |
| | disgusted | ] |
| [ | music |
| | Re Your Brains | ] |
This is unfu***king believable. If I were to write a novel, and included this, no one would think it would actually happen in real life. I played the 1000 tournament today, and came in 22nd out of 590 or so (not sure of the exact count). I get crippled by almost the exact same hands as the other day. Slightly different action, but same outcome. Blinds 2000/4000 500 ante. Under the gun pushes in for around 45000. It winds up that he has 77. I look at KK. I push in for around 70000. The button looks down at A J offsuit and decides that this is a great spot to put all his chips in. He has about 52000. Of course, both a 7 AND an Ace show up. I swear I must be a masochist to do this. So I actually double up to around 40000 and then get it all in on a queen high flop with 2 hearts against someone with a flush draw. Of course he makes the flush and I'm out in 22nd. 2825 payday from a 1000 buy-in, so I made some money, but FU*****K. I win the KK hand and once again, I have around 170K in chips.
I must have done something bad in another life. Or maybe this one and I just forgot what it was which I did.
So, TWO tournaments in a row I get crippled with KK when I am up against A little (once a jack and once an 8).
Both times I come in third, although the first time the sevens didn't call, so I guess technically I came in second in that one. <sigh> |
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| Cashed in the Foxwoods $600, but pretty disappointed |
[Mar. 27th, 2008|10:41 am] |
| [ | mood |
| | pissed off | ] |
Made the money in the tournament, but pretty f'in disgusted right now. Came in 39th out of 938, which nets me 1446 from a 600 buy-in. Wow. Pissed because the hand I went out on doesn't play out the way it did if not for a weak-ass player, who probably still doesn't realize how bad he is, despite hearing it several times (not after I busted out, but as he showed the hands he was laying down). He also probably doesn't realize how he cost me the pot. blinds are 3000 / 6000 with a 500 ante The weak-ass player raises under the gun to 20k. He's shown NUMEROUS times that he's willing to lay down reasonable (and sometimes way better than reasonable) hands to a large re-raise (for example, he laid down jacks to an opportunistic all-in and he laid down pocket threes from a blind all-in on the button for around 1/6th his stack - this person had taken a beat and was just moving in every hand). So, the next person to act decides this is a good time to pick up the dead money and goes all in for around 60K. If the weak-ass player had shown that he was willing to call any sort of raise, the second player never makes this move (at least, I don't believe he makes this move - obviously I can't know for certain, but it's pretty likely). I look at my cards and see KK. So, I go all-in as well (I have 78K). The weak-ass player hems and haws, and then folds 7s. He likely would have folded to the all-in from the other player, but once I moved all-in, he knew that 7s couldn't be good. So, we turn over our hands and I'm up against A 8 off-suit. Of course he flops an ace, and rivers an ace just as an added F***K YOU!!! If I win that pot, I have around 170K and am in serious contention to make a decent payday. But, I just f***ing suck. A couple of hands later, it's folded to me, and I see A 4 (I'm going to be putting more than 1/2 my stack in when the blinds get to me). So I go all-in, and of course the weak-ass player has pocket queens. I don't make trip aces, or any aces, or any fours even for that matter, and IGHN. FUUU*******KKKKK!!!!!!!!!!!!
I'm a little ticked off right now (in case you couldn't tell). I'll be fine in a while.
The only (small) consolation is that the weak-ass player would have made a full house on the hand where the player with A 8 made trip aces. But, I sincerely doubt that he would have called the all-in with pocket 7s to begin with, even if I wasn't in the hand.
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