The Terrier 24th July 2010

Well played at the terrier today 20 runners 10 strong players and 10 fish. We start with 5,000 chips and 15 minute blinds so you would think plenty of play in the game. Note the words you would think, 1st hand the shout goes up man down I sit there thinking why why why would you want to put your tournament on the line in the first 5 mins. Hand goes something like this player one early position raises 10xbb folds to button who re-raises 30xbb early position thinks for 2 minutes and calls flop comes down 974 early player raises 10xbb again late player pushes all in now at this point I would have thought early player has to think hang on what is he calling with. My thought process in these positions is ok if I have the best hand I will have to lay it down as I do not want to be all in first hand unless its pre-flop with AA. You have to think ok he got lucky and hit his set or he has huge cahonas and is really suicidal in his calls or his betting. But no insta-call from late player player 1 turns 99 player 2 KK now I know KK is a pretty hand but sometimes you have to say goodbye to pretty cards 1 of my rules is never get married to a hand. On my own table AA was played twice once well once very badly.
AA 1.
Player 1 calls bb ( player has called virtually every hand)
Player 2 folds
Player 3 calls bb (another loose player)
Player 4 folds (myself)
Player 5 raises 3xbb
Player 6 raises 20xbb
Player 7 folds
Player 8 folds

Action moves round to Player 1 (fold)
Player 3 folds
Player 5 calls

Flop 358 Rainbow
Player 5 checks
Player 6 bets 30xbb

Player 5 folds showing 22
Player 6 shows AA and asks why player 5 even called preflop with such a weak hand player 5 replys he had value to call.

Now I'm not an expert at poker maths but where he got the idea he had value or even what he thought he was beating if on a 358 rainbow flop he folds I have no idea.

AA 2.
Action folds to player 5 who limps in
player 6 calls the bb
sb calls the bb
bb checks

Flop 7810 2 Hearts
Player 5 bets 2xBB
Player 6 folds
Player 7 re-raises 5xBB
player 8 folds
player 5 calls

* now at this point the aces has played this had really badly limping in lets any 2 cards in with you although its a pretty hand with 1 other maybe 2 other in the pot but not a 5 way pot. Players tend to believe that they are invicible with aces think again bub.

Turn 3 clubs
Player 5 checks
Player 7 raises 5xbb
Player 5 calls

River A hearts
Player 5 now bets 5xbb
Player 7 raises to 10xbb
Player 5 calls

Player 5 AA
Player 7 J9 Hearts

Player 5 with the Aces did all the wrong things at the wrong time.

As for my game i went 3 orbits of the table or 2 1/2 blind levels before I moved 1 chip in anger I raised 4xbb from an early position with KK and it folded all the way round. but I'm still up by about 200 chips.

With players falling thick and fast we break to 2 tables I raise mid position with AK suited and get 1 caller in the BB
flop comes 456 2 clubs
I have no clubs and when the caller raises 1000 on the flop I fold raiser shows KJ saying I knew you was just bluffing. I muck saying OK you got me knowing my chips will be returning soon.

2 hands later
I raise 7xbb with AA player next to me pushes all in
I insta call and she shows A10 os
when she leaves the table after loosing the last of her chips she was talking about how all her good hands get beat.
2 simple truths A10 off suit is not a good hand
2 never call a big raise with hands like that when you are short stacked.


Play moves back and forth for the next hour with me winning a few small pots but nothing of significance when the tables are balanced and the tourny big stack moves to our table I watch him for several hands and this guy is fishing big style twice he has hit 3 outers to take big pots. I end up as bb with A4 big stack calls everyone else folds I raise 4xbb big stack calls
Flop A3Q Rainbow
I hit top pair and check big stack raises 4xbb I look over to him studying what he is doing he keeps looking at the right hand side of the flop the side where the queen is I figure he has hit the Queen but need to know how hard he hit it did he hit with a 3 kicker. I re-raise 8xbb big stack starts um'ing and ar'ing then finally calls I now know I have the best hand of this I am 100% certain.
Turn 4
Big stack now looks at me and announces all in.
I had to have a long think about it but based on my intial read and the hands and style he has played I know I have to commit the remainder of my chips to the pot.
He turns over Q7
with A4 I figure I'm in pretty good shape I have top pair with the inside straight draw as well big stack looks sick and declares he didn't think I was that strong.
River 7
Boom all my chances disappear in a moment as he hits his kicker.
I stand and walk away thinking ah well thats poker.
We all love to play with donkeys but just occaionally when you don't expect it your stood the wrong end and they kick you right where it hurts.
11th place is no good for my points so today has been a wasted game but I have enjoyed playing and learn't a little bit more.
Maybe tomorrow will bring a better slice of the poker gods luck.

First steps in blogging

Hi this is my first steps at blogging. I intend to blog my exploits in live pub poker league the highs and the lows. I will include photos and video where I can but will update live on twitter and after each foray on here. Live Pub League Poker is a UK based live poker league where the country is split into regions and each region has a bi-monthly final. The best points scorers from each region get entry to the national championships each year. With prizes for Regional and National Championships if you enjoy poker its an enjoyable evening out. I play in the South Yorkshire area which covers Doncaster, Sheffield, Rotherham and Barnsley areas. I usually play around Doncaster and Rotherham so meet a fair number of the players time and time again.
At the moment we are nearly at end end of the June/July area final period and I sit fourth in the league so should qualify for the area finals these are to be held in Rotherham on the 29th August. The nationals Held around March each year is on course as at the moment I am in a qualiyfing position lets see how its goes.
If you have any questions or comments please feel free to. You can also follow me on twitter @lppldonnydave.
Cheers for now lets strat the journey