Fantasy Football

Clever title huh. So fantasy football has nothing to do with poker I know but I've been taking some incredible "bad beats" this league. That said let me give you the scoop. I wasn't able to be there during the live draft so I had a coworker draft for me (dangerous because he's in the draft too and could potentially sabatoge me). About halfway through the draft I go to my computer and set it on autopick so my coworker doesn't have to draft for me anymore. I end up getting about 7-8 quarterbacks, which turned out to be good because I was able to trade people for receivers. Ok, week one, I dominate and win. Week two, I barely lose, this is ok, things happen. Week three, a team that has prior to and since averaged only 51 points scores 116 and beats me? Ok unusual but can happen. Week four, a team that was 0-3 and averaged 64 points a game scores 112 to my 103 and wins. This is starting to get weird. Week 5, same thing, week 6 SAME THING!!!! How is this happening? My team is averaging over 90 points a game. League average is 78 points a game. Teams with bad records and low averages get miraculous victories over me!? Ok, going into week 7, I'm heavily favored, his team averages 67 points to my 90 per game. They're starting Vick who averages 12 points a game. He gets 27. Starting TE for them, averages 3 points a game, gets 25 POINTS!!! What the f? So I'm down 99-91 going into tonight's game where I have T.O. and Witten, he has Toomer and Feely. So odds are I am going to lose yet again despite scoring over 90 points and possibly 100 points for the 2nd time. AHHHH!!! I know it's fantsay football and I really don't give a shit normally but this is such a crazy anomaly that I ust can't believe it or let it go. Oh well, I guess pocket queens and fantasy football have it out for me.... Until next time.

Me and G-Dub

"There's an old saying in Tennessee - I know it's in Texas, probably in Tennessee - that says, fool me once, shame on - shame on you. Fool me - you can't get fooled again." ~ Bush

That about sums up how I felt last night. A work buddy is in town and we went with another co-worker to the Bike last night for a tournament. Surprisingly only 16 people showed and most of those 16 were pretty weak. I was doing well and when they condensed it down to the "final table" of 9, I was third in chips. This new guy at the table had been busting people at the other table with J4 offsuit against Aces and stuff like that so he more or less lucked into his chips. The other big stack was at my original table and he had skill. Deja Vu time, I pick up QQ in the small blind, new guy enters the pot, 2nd in chips raises, I like a dumbass move in with my Qs, new guy folds, 2nd in chips calls, KK vs QQ, I'm out. Just like that. Possibly the weakest field I'll ever see and I'm out. I stayed and watched because of my co-workers and they both did well. Neither finished in the money but one came close and gave the others a run for their money. I never explained my demise in the CSPC but it was extremely similar to this hand, small blind QQ, new guy raises, cutoff reraises, I move in, instant call, AA vs QQ, I lose half my stack and then things went south from there. So the moral of all of this. Don't overplay Queens. Or any hand for that matter. Why risk so many chips for such a relatively small pot AND why risk so much so early. I guess I was over eager to acquire chips but even a rookie knows better. Aside fplayinginng queens wrong, my game is stronger than ever. I feel some great things coming on and can't wait to get back on the felt. One last thing about playing the queens hands, both times I was in Seat #1 at Table #1. Yuck.

~80 of 419

Not sure I'm up to describing all the great and magical hands that got me there or how I could have gone further. Maybe later this week or next. I will give a quick rundown of the pros I saw in the event, bold will indicate still in post my bust. (for the mentally challenged, that means not bolded names busted before me...)
PHIL LAAK
Kenna James
Jennifer Tilly
DAVID "THE DAGRON" PHAM
Amir Vahedi
Jeff Madsen
Marsha Waggoner (Kenna James' wife)
Mimi Tran
Nam Le
TUAN LE
TONY MA
Joe Sebok
There were several others that I either can't remember now or don't know their name but recognize their face from TV. (By the way they would be in lower case...)

On My Way

So I was able to acquire the necessary chips to enter the $2500 California State Poker Championship Main Event. It took three trips to the Commerce to do it, although, two of the trips the satellites stopped early for that nights event. All-in-all I bet that if I would have spent a full day there I could have qualified in one, but it doesn't matter since the end result is the same. There was one satellite that was pretty much the make or break point of my hopes of getting in. I had done a last long earlier in the day for one $100 Tournament chip against two other players, I won and was up to 1600 in tournament chips. The make or break table I entered a last long with the same guy from earlier (actually I've played against him several times before and always beat him in the last long) along with one other guy. Then this third guy wants to play me one-on-one for last long, both last longs for $100T. I end up Rockin' the Casbah on this table and chop with one of the guys for $500T and then I took the last longs. I played one more satellite and went to the cashier to get my entrance, and of all seats I get Seat #1 Table #1. Guess I don't have to worry about getting moved. The tournament starts Saturday the 23rd of September at 1:00pm. If you read this before then please send a little mojo my way and little bit of good luck, it will be a tough field and I will probably need some. Thanks. Updates on Monday!!!

Yeah, Yur Probubly Right.

Thanks Homestarrunner for the intro. Anywho, not to much on the old poker front. But it has been a while and thought it was time for a new post. Haven't really played much recently, had things to do and such. However, I have been gearing up mentally for the California State Poker Championship at the Commerce Casino in September. Should be a big one and I'm ready to take it down. I'm probably going to spend most of September playing SnG satellites at the Commerce unless I qualify quickly (which I plan on doing). Ideally, I would spend an entire day playing satellites and accumulate as many tournament chips as possible, even above and beyond the necessary amount for the main event. That way I could a) use those for smaller tournaments and get back into the MTT mindset and/or b) sell the extra chips and keep the cash. Last year before the LA Poker Classic (any of the events) people would play nonstop satellites and then sell the tourny chips for a "discount". For example, this time they have a $40 table, winner gets 300T and $30 cash. With the side action, there is always side action like who can last the longest (explain in a moment), you can really come out way ahead by selling the chips. So for 300T, which have no "real" value and cannot be cashed in at the Casino (for tournament use only) people sell them any where between $80-100 for each 100T. Usually you can only get $100 day of said tournament (maybe).

So back to the last long thing. Not everyone participates, which is actually good. What happens is someone says "Last long?" and of the 10 people maybe 6 will say yes. Those 6 people put in $20 and the guy that said last long keeps track of the money and the people in the contest. Then the person that lasts the longest out of those 6 people gets the side money or $120. So if you don't "win" the table you still can come out ahead. If you do win the table you really come out ahead. Well that's about it. Thanks for your support in advance, it felt good during the "Mini Series" to know people had my back. Hopefully I can grace the pages of Cardplayer again. Until next time.....

Chip Management

Ok, so before I mentioned that I would try to incorporate a lesson in each post instead of griping about bad beats or talking up a big payday. Well, instead of only talking about those things... The main thought today is chip management. I've heard about this and read about it and thought I knew what it meant until the other day. Like I said I played in the Super Satellite for the $1000 main event at the Bike. There were 174 people with 17 getting into the main event. So 2000 in chips times 174 is 348K meaning the average stack at the end would be roughly 20K. So for the first time I actually thought about this and realized that if I could get to or around 20k I could ease up a little. See in a satellite like this you only need one chip when the bubble guy busts and you're in, so trying to win ALL the chips is not necessary. My goal was to acquire chips and avoid large pot situations unless I had the nuts. This worked very well for me and I always got my money in with the best hand and I made it through.

So, lets get on to the Main Event. 225 people showed up for a price pool of $225k, not to shabby. Only the top 27 get paid. I decided to take a steady approach, much like the one from the night before. By the way, we all started with $10k in chips, so the math shows the average stack of the "in the money" people would be roughly $83k. I decided $100k would be my goal and then eventually get them all. I worked hard and by the time we got down to 5 tables I had roughly $160k in chips. I decided to slow way down and avoid big confrontations. I tried to pick my spots where I could steal without too much resistance and pick up the blinds, which blinds and antes by this time totaled $20k. Once in the money I went back into get more chips mode. I was card dead and my stack went down down down. I was down to $59k when I moved all-in with A-2 offsuit. I got two callers and won the hand when an Ace came on the flop. Blinds and antes included I was up around $189ish. Needless to say, I made the final table, which became a stand still. Antes were $5k with $15k and $30k for the blinds. Everyone took turns stealing the pot when I finally went all-in with A-8 offsuit and $105k. The guy that was in the pot with me had KJo and spiked a J on the flop. I was very happy with my play, minus a couple of hands that really cost me some chips but I recovered both times. I was very patient, focused and paid attention to my chips and what the average stacks were like. I never panicked or thought I was out of it. I think I finally have an idea of how to make it in the money now and I hope that this is the beginning of a long line of cashes. Just like with anything you do in life, if you stay true to your goals and work hard everything will come together and work out. It wasn't the first time and I know this won't be the last time but it certainly was pretty sweet. Try the how many chips will the average stack be approach next time you're in a tournament and see how that works for you. For me, it sets a tangible target instead of all of them. If you have an "average" stack once you're in the money you are bound to be in the middle and can easily move up the ranks. Stay out of pots with the big stacks (unless you have aces, kings or queens) and make the smaller stacks pay to see a flop. They usually are waiting for the other short stacks to bust so they can move up knowing that they are all but out of it. These are great places to keep your stack growing and your place in the tourny moving up. Good luck.

Liquor Up Front, Poker in the Rear

Yeah, I had that Big Johnson T-Shirt. If you don't know about Big Johnson T-Shirts, that is probably a good thing. Anywho, since we last talked I went on a nice little run at the tables, 4th in a $69+6 FullTilt tourny of 122 entrants and 6th in a $10+1 FullTilt tourny of 432. And I had some decent results in a few cash games. Few things I've learned while playing away are patience and focus. Two things I really am not good at in regular life oddly enough. Unfortunately, I was unable to accomplish my goal of entering a WSOP event (any would be fine with me), mainly due to time. I've been travelling a lot and not really had the time to play as much as I would like or opportunity. Such is life and there is always next year.

That said, I went ghetto style and played in the "Mini Series" at the Bicycle Casino here in LA. It is basically the WSOP but at 1/10th the cost. I didn't fair well in one of the events. I was not patient and lost focus and was gone. Tonight is their "World Championship Main Event". I find it funny when places add World or International to their title to make it sound "better". Like Will Rogers International Airport in OKC. I lived there for 26 years and never once heard of an international flight in or out of that airport. Anyway, tonight's buy-in is $1,000 as opposed to the WSOP's $10,000. My bankroll would be seriously dented if I paid for that entry fee outright and my wife would seriously dent me if I took that money out of the bank. So, I entered last nights Mega Super Satellite, $110. 174 entrants 17 get in, 18th gets $440 cash. I started out with a fury and was up between 7 and 8 thousand (we started with 2) within the first hour. After the first four 20 minute rounds, we went on break. Thats when my cards went cold, ice cold. Over the course of the next hour and a half I played exactly one hand. I folded every big and small blind due to large raises and had to let go of marginal hands due to large raises (from solid players, if they were chumps I would have called). Anyway, I fought hard and stayed focused and patient. Needless to say, I made it into the top 17 and will be playing in tonight's Main Event. So look for an update tomorrow. So tonight's theme will be focus and patience. Good luck in your endeavors and talk to you tomorrow.

http://www.cardplayer.com/tournaments/results/2074