Made a very last minute decision to fly to Melbourne for the Melbourne Championship Main Event.
I arrived at Crown 10 minutes before the tournament started, quickly registered and settled in for a long day of live poker.
About 30 minutes in the following hand came up:
Effective stacks 20k.
Julius Coleman opened to 250 at 25/50 and was called by another player. I re-raised to 875 from the SB with AKcc and only Julius called.
The flop was 9c7c2h with 2 clubs. I led for 1300 and Julius called after a moment of thought. The turn was the Kh and I bet 2300 and Julius made it 6k with about 11,500 behind. I jammed and he reluctantly called with JThh for a flush draw and double belly-buster straight draw. Unfortunately the river came the 9h and I was left with 1800 chips which I got in a few minutes later with 66 and lost to A9.
Fortunately this event is a repercharge event, so I was able to rebuy on Saturday. Unfortunately I woke up feeling like death, and proceeded to get worse throughout the first 2 levels. By the start of the 2nd level I was having troubles actually reading the cards - so I was constantly running to the bathroom to stick my head under a tap. I finally managed to track down some Panadol and also had a neck and shoulders massage at the table which started to help and soon enough I felt well enough to play.
At 50/100 I 3b KK in LP and got flatted by Chris Chronis. We both checked the AQx flop, then I called a 2/3 pot bet on the turn confident I was ahead, then the worst card in the deck another Q fell on the river which ensured the hand was checked through and MHIG.
Through a mixture of bad flops and no decent starting hands (QQ once) I get all the way down to 9950 before going on a bit of a heater and working my stack to almost
30,000 without showdown - mostly through aggression as I was still yet to pick up a hand better than 88 or AJ.
As it turned out the cards never improved and with an hour left in the day I tried to make a re-steal with J8hh when the button raised 2 limpers and he tank-called with 55. The flop actually made me a favourite when it came KK9 with 2 hearts, but I couldn't get there.
With 2 tables left in play I have several frinds still in the hunt including Steve Topakas and Mark Iskander, aswell as PNW regular Kristian Lunardi. Hopefully one of them can ship it.
Leaving for Vegas in 2 weeks ... but many friends are already over there taking part. Hopefully one of us can do something memorable !!
GL all.
Sunday, May 31, 2009
Sunday, May 24, 2009
FML FML FML
Yesterday I played in a one seat guaranteed WSOP Main Event qualifier.
First got a $12,000 package and 2-10th got $650.
PokerStars Tournament #163611009, No Limit Hold'em
Super Satellite
Buy-In: $30.00/$3.00
189 players
Total Prize Pool: $17820.00
Target Tournament #180000000 Buy-In: $11000.00
1 tickets to the target tournament
Tournament started 2009/05/23 23:30:00 ET
Dear luckyshades,
You finished the tournament in 2nd place. A $650.00 award has been credited to your Real Money account.
Congratulations!
F
M
L
First got a $12,000 package and 2-10th got $650.
PokerStars Tournament #163611009, No Limit Hold'em
Super Satellite
Buy-In: $30.00/$3.00
189 players
Total Prize Pool: $17820.00
Target Tournament #180000000 Buy-In: $11000.00
1 tickets to the target tournament
Tournament started 2009/05/23 23:30:00 ET
Dear luckyshades,
You finished the tournament in 2nd place. A $650.00 award has been credited to your Real Money account.
Congratulations!
F
M
L
Wednesday, May 13, 2009
Lost in translation ? I doubt it.
Not a lot to report (which begs the question why are you blogging I guess), but things have been fairly quiet.
I have been playing a little bit of 1/2 and 2/4 HU PLO which has been going pretty well. On Monday night I saw down at a 1/2 HU PLO table with a French player, who I quickly established was terrible at PLO, and won a few buy-ins. To my delight he was online the next night playing 2/4 HU PLO and I once again took him for about 2 buy-ins. Repeat for Wednesday night, another 3 buy-ins at 2/4 ! This guy was quickly becoming my favourite player and my personal ATM. In an effort to keep things friendly I would even throw in a few pleasantries in French into the chat. Bon Chance, Au Revoir and things like that (IPhone translator is really great for this type of stuff!)
Alas last night I logged in to find my buddy sitting alone at 2/4 HU PLO table. I sat in and before I could even type Bonjour he typed "no" and left the table.
I still managed to have a small winning session when I got it in for a full stack with AK86ds v AxQx5d6d on Ax7d8d board and miraculously faded the 4 9 or diamond.
I'm not going to make a habit out of playing cash games because my focus is tournaments, but they are a good option when you only have a short amount of time (and even better if you can locate a guy like my French friend!)
33 days until Vegas ... can't wait.
I have been playing a little bit of 1/2 and 2/4 HU PLO which has been going pretty well. On Monday night I saw down at a 1/2 HU PLO table with a French player, who I quickly established was terrible at PLO, and won a few buy-ins. To my delight he was online the next night playing 2/4 HU PLO and I once again took him for about 2 buy-ins. Repeat for Wednesday night, another 3 buy-ins at 2/4 ! This guy was quickly becoming my favourite player and my personal ATM. In an effort to keep things friendly I would even throw in a few pleasantries in French into the chat. Bon Chance, Au Revoir and things like that (IPhone translator is really great for this type of stuff!)
Alas last night I logged in to find my buddy sitting alone at 2/4 HU PLO table. I sat in and before I could even type Bonjour he typed "no" and left the table.
I still managed to have a small winning session when I got it in for a full stack with AK86ds v AxQx5d6d on Ax7d8d board and miraculously faded the 4 9 or diamond.
I'm not going to make a habit out of playing cash games because my focus is tournaments, but they are a good option when you only have a short amount of time (and even better if you can locate a guy like my French friend!)
33 days until Vegas ... can't wait.
Tuesday, May 5, 2009
Preliminary Vegas schedule
Some of these events overlap, meaning in the event of making it to Day 2 I won't be able to play the event starting the next day. Hopefull that happens a lot !!
Arrive Vegas June 16th and check in at Ceasers.
17th June $550 NLHE @ Venetian
18th June $2,000 WSOP Event 36 NLHE
20th June $1,500 WSOP Event 39 NLHE
21st June $1,590 NLHE @ Venetian
23rd June $540 NLHE @ Ceasers
25th June $550 NLHE @ Venetian
27th June $1,500 WSOP Event 51 NLHE
28th June $3,000 WSOP Event 52 Triple Chance NLHE
30th June $5,000 WSOP Event 56 6 Max NLHE
2nd July $550 NLHE @ Venetian
5th July $10,000 WSOP Main Event
Hopefully the $10,000 Main Event will be the final event I play in Vegas, but if I were to bust there are plenty of other tournaments around town I can entertain myself with. Also, once I bust the Main I'll probably go visit friends scattered around the Country.
So all told it's close to $30,000 worth of tournament entries. When you see it on paper, it really makes you realise how expensive this is going to be - and I will need to be playing my absolute best every single day.
Won't be playing any live tournament series until Vegas, but will try and get a few online tournaments in. I have also been busy watching a lot of videos at LeggoPoker and PokerXFactor so I can be as prepared as possible for the gruelling few weeks ahead!!
Arrive Vegas June 16th and check in at Ceasers.
17th June $550 NLHE @ Venetian
18th June $2,000 WSOP Event 36 NLHE
20th June $1,500 WSOP Event 39 NLHE
21st June $1,590 NLHE @ Venetian
23rd June $540 NLHE @ Ceasers
25th June $550 NLHE @ Venetian
27th June $1,500 WSOP Event 51 NLHE
28th June $3,000 WSOP Event 52 Triple Chance NLHE
30th June $5,000 WSOP Event 56 6 Max NLHE
2nd July $550 NLHE @ Venetian
5th July $10,000 WSOP Main Event
Hopefully the $10,000 Main Event will be the final event I play in Vegas, but if I were to bust there are plenty of other tournaments around town I can entertain myself with. Also, once I bust the Main I'll probably go visit friends scattered around the Country.
So all told it's close to $30,000 worth of tournament entries. When you see it on paper, it really makes you realise how expensive this is going to be - and I will need to be playing my absolute best every single day.
Won't be playing any live tournament series until Vegas, but will try and get a few online tournaments in. I have also been busy watching a lot of videos at LeggoPoker and PokerXFactor so I can be as prepared as possible for the gruelling few weeks ahead!!
Monday, May 4, 2009
ANZPT Main Event Recap
We started Day 1 with 20,000 in chips at 50/100.
I had a fairly soft table, with the only player of note Emad Tahtouh opposite me. Emad lost most of his chips really early, but managed to grind his stack for quite a few hours.
Anyway, nothing happened in the early going, I won and lost a few small pots and was sitting around 24k when the first really meaninful hand happened.
My first meaningful hand came at 100/200 where I opened to 600 with 67ss from the cutoff and was flatted by a solid Canadian player in the BB.
The flop came 9s9c2s
The BB checked and I bet 1100. BB called.
The turn was a red 10.
BB checked, I bet 1900 (I wouldn't hate checking back here with a good draw, but I bet because if I miss I know I have to fire a 3rd bullet on the river to win). BB calls the 1900.
River is a really good card without being THAT good for me - Kd.
Once again the BB checks, and I'm pretty certain he has JJ - and figure that I absolutely have to bet again here so I make it 3100. The BB tanks forever and seems to want to call, so I start talking to him and figure he is curious and might just call, so I offer to show him my hand either way and he snap folds.
I showed my hand and after exclaiming "GOD WHO FIRES 3 BULLETS THESE DAYS??" told me he had Jacks.
The next hand comes up at 200/400 - 25. A new player limps UTG and I overlimp AJcc. I guess I could raise here, but I'm happy to play smallish pots. Anyway, Emad jams about 6500 total, and after a bit of thought I call and hold against his A5. This takes me up to about 30,000.
Very next hand I play a somewhat interesting pot.
At 200/400 - 25a I open AQhh to 1150 utg and the button flats. My read on the button is that he is very tight, but in the last 30 minutes or so he seems to have lost his patience / focus and is seeming a bit down on his current situation.
The flop comes K93r with 1 heart. I bet 1800 and villain flats.
The turn is the As completing the rainbow. I check and the button bets 3k which I elect to flat.
The river is the Kc and I'm pretty sure my hand is good, but I'm happy to just show it down or call a small bet. Well the button decides to jam for about 1.25x pot.
I really think his range is pretty much 9s full or air so I call and my hand is good.
After this I get moved tables to what looks like a fantastic table with 2 big stacks on my right. Unfortunately I don't pick up any hands and soon have Andrew Jeffreys (Adgee) moved to my right who opens a ton of hands.
After the dinner break I spew off 20k of my 45k with 57cc on a Kc8c5d board to some old guy's AK and although I manage to open a few pots and win a few with 3 bets my stack hovers in the 20ks until we bag up at the end of Day 1 - me with $26,200 chips.
Day 2:
I know with my short stack I need to mix it up early and hope to run good. Sadly I don't and within the first 20 minutes with my stack already down to under 20k I jam 77 on Jai Kemp's BB but unfortunately Khac Trung Tran wakes up with JJ in the SB and flops a set to bust me.
In happier news though, I want to congratulate some friends of mine!
Firstly and most importantly to Paren "Puzz" Arzoomanian who won the ANZPT Main Event for $200,000 !! Well done mate.
Secondly to Daniel Neillson for shipping the $10,000 Hi Rollers event for over $100k
Importantly both Puzz and Daniel are staked by the same guy who stakes me - so great result !!
Lastly to Majed Haddad who just last month won $50,000 for his 2nd place at the APL Poker Classic following it up with 5th at the ANZPT Main Event for another $55,000 !!!
Can't wait to hang out with Majed in Vegas in a few weeks as he takes the USA by storm.
I had a fairly soft table, with the only player of note Emad Tahtouh opposite me. Emad lost most of his chips really early, but managed to grind his stack for quite a few hours.
Anyway, nothing happened in the early going, I won and lost a few small pots and was sitting around 24k when the first really meaninful hand happened.
My first meaningful hand came at 100/200 where I opened to 600 with 67ss from the cutoff and was flatted by a solid Canadian player in the BB.
The flop came 9s9c2s
The BB checked and I bet 1100. BB called.
The turn was a red 10.
BB checked, I bet 1900 (I wouldn't hate checking back here with a good draw, but I bet because if I miss I know I have to fire a 3rd bullet on the river to win). BB calls the 1900.
River is a really good card without being THAT good for me - Kd.
Once again the BB checks, and I'm pretty certain he has JJ - and figure that I absolutely have to bet again here so I make it 3100. The BB tanks forever and seems to want to call, so I start talking to him and figure he is curious and might just call, so I offer to show him my hand either way and he snap folds.
I showed my hand and after exclaiming "GOD WHO FIRES 3 BULLETS THESE DAYS??" told me he had Jacks.
The next hand comes up at 200/400 - 25. A new player limps UTG and I overlimp AJcc. I guess I could raise here, but I'm happy to play smallish pots. Anyway, Emad jams about 6500 total, and after a bit of thought I call and hold against his A5. This takes me up to about 30,000.
Very next hand I play a somewhat interesting pot.
At 200/400 - 25a I open AQhh to 1150 utg and the button flats. My read on the button is that he is very tight, but in the last 30 minutes or so he seems to have lost his patience / focus and is seeming a bit down on his current situation.
The flop comes K93r with 1 heart. I bet 1800 and villain flats.
The turn is the As completing the rainbow. I check and the button bets 3k which I elect to flat.
The river is the Kc and I'm pretty sure my hand is good, but I'm happy to just show it down or call a small bet. Well the button decides to jam for about 1.25x pot.
I really think his range is pretty much 9s full or air so I call and my hand is good.
After this I get moved tables to what looks like a fantastic table with 2 big stacks on my right. Unfortunately I don't pick up any hands and soon have Andrew Jeffreys (Adgee) moved to my right who opens a ton of hands.
After the dinner break I spew off 20k of my 45k with 57cc on a Kc8c5d board to some old guy's AK and although I manage to open a few pots and win a few with 3 bets my stack hovers in the 20ks until we bag up at the end of Day 1 - me with $26,200 chips.
Day 2:
I know with my short stack I need to mix it up early and hope to run good. Sadly I don't and within the first 20 minutes with my stack already down to under 20k I jam 77 on Jai Kemp's BB but unfortunately Khac Trung Tran wakes up with JJ in the SB and flops a set to bust me.
In happier news though, I want to congratulate some friends of mine!
Firstly and most importantly to Paren "Puzz" Arzoomanian who won the ANZPT Main Event for $200,000 !! Well done mate.
Secondly to Daniel Neillson for shipping the $10,000 Hi Rollers event for over $100k
Importantly both Puzz and Daniel are staked by the same guy who stakes me - so great result !!
Lastly to Majed Haddad who just last month won $50,000 for his 2nd place at the APL Poker Classic following it up with 5th at the ANZPT Main Event for another $55,000 !!!
Can't wait to hang out with Majed in Vegas in a few weeks as he takes the USA by storm.
Subscribe to:
Comments (Atom)