The updates keep coming

I've played everyday this week at Palomar.. the people are coming back and the pots are good sized. Finally broke the money barrier both yesterday (8th) and today (9th) for a total of $120. I have been all in on the first hand every day this week (very unusual for me) losing on Mon and Tues but doubling up this morning. Then on the 3rd hand today I got another player all in basically tripling me up in the first three hands. I pretty much rode that and one or two other winners to the final tables. Both yersterday and today I was one card away from going deep and making some good money. Today was a perfect example... we just got to the final table and we were all getting paid. We played a couple of hands with blinds of 500-1000. I had 5500 in chips when the player under the gun raised to $3000. I looked down at AJ unsuited and decided he would push with a wide range of hands so I went all in over the top. everyone else folded and he turned over KQ of hearts. I had the lead and asked the dealer to keep the cards low and black which she did right up until the river when she turned the K of diamonds. Instead of having 10-12,000 in chips and the chance to go deep, I collected my $50 and will try again tomorrow. Been playing really well and it looks like the luck is beginning to turn... maybe just in time for the WSOP!!!!

You wanted Updates....

I'll give you updates! Went to palomar again this morning and started off pretty much the way things have been going... actually got all in with 2 pair on the first hand and lost to the guy to my left with a river straight. I rebought and played one or two minor hands before the end of the rebuy period. On the last hand of the rebuy period I have $1425 in my stack. You need $1475 or less to rebuy. I looked down at AJ and the first two guys limped in for $100. I had three options... lay the hand down and rebuy (I had already rebought once and didn't want to again), lay down the hand and play after the break with the chips I had left or push all in an play if I won and go home if I didn't. I pushed all in and got two callers. I hit a river jack to triple up (plus some) and was able to keep playing. I then went on a nice run. I had pocket K's three or four times, won some other hands and by the time we got to two tables I had about 10-12,000 in chips. A few hands later, the guy to my left raised and I called with AQ figuring I would see what came on the flop. Sure enough the flop came AQ4... I checked to slow play figuring someone would bet and I could come over the top. Everyone, including the pre flop raiser to my left checked. The turn came K clubs giving backdoor club and straight draws so i decided not to slow play any more and went all in... the guy to my left called and everyone else folded. I showed my two pair and he turned over a pair of K's for three kings and the win. It cost me over half my stack and although I managed to stick around until 11th place, I was soon out without any money. We are almost there maybe things will be different next time out.

Much needed Update

So I was sitting around the other day thinking....boy I haven't done an update in a while when I heard from 2 out of 5 of my regular readers asking why I hadn't done an update. Well when 40% of your readership makes a request, you honor it...LOL Seriously, I have not given up on poker.... as a matter of fact I have been playing more recently than I have in a while. It has been mostly in the local poker room near my house but I have been playing 2-3 days per week. But of course I have not been winning much the last couple of weeks and all the playing along with my new job just didn't leave me a lot of time to blog. On the bright side lately I have been playing really well... in the last two days I laid down a nut straight and a full house (4's full of aces) both of which would have lost had I called. The problem is I am getting nut straights and full houses and they are still not good enough to win!!!!! When I do get in, like yesterday, I went all in short stacked with KJ... the other guy called with A10... the flop came KQ7... the turn was a blank and I begged the dealer not to give me my J... sure enough I get the J for two pair and it gives him a straight. Will continue to try to play my way through it in preperation for the WSOP in Vegas. I will also try to keep the blog more up to date.

Not so super WSOP

Well Lisa and I went to our first WSOP Circuit event, a seniors tournament. It was fun and all but not great results. We started with 6000 in chips and I lost at least two thirds of them in the first round with pocket 10's on two occasions. I actually thought I would be out of my first WSOP event in the first round. Luckily I had a pocket pair 8's and limped and hit a set and got a lady to my right to call my all in so I was able to double up. Unfortunately it was short lived... when we got back from the first break I had pocket Q's and bet about 1/3 of my stack... one guy called and the lady I had beaten earlier went all in... I hesitated but decided I had to call with my queens... unfortunately she had pocket K's and my first WSOP event had come to an end. Lisa bust out a few minutes later and we were done for the day. Had fun and am looking forward to going to Vegas this summer and do the WSOP for real!

It's almost time for WSOP

I realized its been a week or so since my last update... not all that much to report. No lucky Monday this week... did manage to stick around until final two tables... not bad considering I was only able to play three hands... the first was a medium pair I got raised off of (and would have lost)... the second (my only winning hand) was a big blind special 4/6 that flopped a straight. The last hand was an all in AK suited that lost. played some Omaha at Viejas also with no luck... but this weekend I play in my first WSOP event (well circuit event)... we are going to start on Sunday with the seniors event and see if I can't beat some other old geisers... then depending on how that goes we will make a plan for the rest of the events all next week. Stay tuned for details :)

Monday magic

Just a quick update on another Monday win... or chop at least. Almost went out a couple of times but kept hanging on until we got down to the final table. At one point the blinds were 400-800 and I only had 2000 in chips. I was in the big blind and the blinds were about to go up so I announced I was playing the hand blind and be prepared to call the 2000 all in. Well two players decided they were gonna play so one bet the 2000 and the other called and I called blind. Turns out I tripled up when I hit two pairs with a 3/4 suited...sweet. They were only paying 6 but we decided to chop with 7 left and each took home $150...not bad for a $40 investment (buy in plus rebuy). Getting geared up for the Harrahs Rincon WSOP Ciruit Event in a week or so and have been winning so lets hope it continues.

Almost Monday Magic

Decided to see if i could rekindle the Monday magic at Palomar that let me win twice in the last three weeks. Unfortunately they changed the format again adding an extra 1000 chip option for $5. Although it sounds good but we quickly realized it would severely cut down on the number of rebuys, so i definitely did not want to rebuy unless absolutely necessary. I made it through most of the two rebuy periods losing chips but still had about 1500 with just a couple of minutes left. I looked down to see a QJ suited in spades... the blinds were 50/100 an early player raised to 300 and I just decided to call. A player after me went all in with slightly less than me and the original raiser also went all in... I finally decided I was getting over 3 to 1 on my money and made the call figuring if I lost I would just walk away. The first player turned over KK and the second player turned over A8 of spades to take away my flush draw. I figured I was done but asked the dealer for a couple of queens or a jacks and sure enough, two jacks on the flop and they held up. But because poker is cruel I later got in a hand with A8 suited and it was gonna cost me about 1/3 of my stack to call two all ins and hopefully take out two players. They both turned over 10/8 suited and the flop came JJ8 rainbow and my Ace was looking good. Unfortunately the turn and the river were both 10's giving them full houses and all the 8's and 10's were out. I lasted a while longer going out in 12th place but they were only paying 5 so I was glad I didn't rebuy.