Poker Discussion Post

wouldve been nice to have JJ hold vs 99 at LAPT San Jose with 28 left

Aruba Classic 07, my first major live tournament.

Almost 3 years ago, following Hurricane Katrina in New Orleans:

With the last $1,100 to my name, I got stupid and sat in at a 5/10 NL table online. Then, one hand changed my life -

I had QcQd, and someone raised to $60 pre flop. I made it $200 to go, and he called. The flop was Qs 10s 10h. I checked and the guy bets like $120, I just called. The turn was Js.. I check again, he bets $200, I call. The river was 5s.. but this time I bet, $400. He puts me all in for my last couple hundred or so, and obviously I call because I know hes got the ace of spades and caught the flush. The moment he put me in I called and jumped up and down in excitement because I just knew he doubled me up. I didn\’t even have to look at the hand because I had the nuts in my mind. So I go back to the screen and see that I have $0, and immediately I freaked out. I go back and look at the hand history, and see that he actually won the hand because like I said he had the ace of spades - and the king of spades to go with it for the royal flush. It was at that moment that I officially had a negative net worth, and there was no way I was going to be able to pay a $400 cell phone bill that was past due.

My parents decided to help me out a little, and my mom gave me $200 toward the bill for everyone having used the phone during the whole Hurricane Katrina ordeal. I didn’t know what to do about the last $200 as i had absolutely nothing, and then magically one day I wake up and have $2,000 in my bank account. It was from FEMA - they gave everyone $2,000 in relief after the storm. It was literally the best thing that ever happened to me because I wouldn’t be here talking about having made it if not. I decided to take some time off, reform my ways and look into practicing proper bankroll management. After paying off some bills, I still had about $1,500 left to spare, so I decided to look into heads up sit n gos, because I had heard heads up is where you have the biggest skill edge. However, this time I deposited my money ($100) on Ultimatebet instead of PartyPoker because party’s rake was ridiculous for heads up sngs. I started out playing $10 heads up sit n gos, and would deposit again in $100 increments, if needed.

This wouldn't have changed my life, but it certainly would have helped me out alot bankroll wise (i'm a micro donk)...

Final Table of the 3r on FT, I have a top 2 stack with 8 left I believe.  I raise it up in early position with JJ to 68k with 490k total, blinds 10k/20k.  Button flats with 360k total.  Flop is 3 9 2 rainbow, he checks and I lead basically pot, 180k into 186k pot.  He shoves for like 100k more, I call.  He flips KQo for king high, spikes Ks on turn and I'm ss'd and pissed.  I just couldn't get over how retarded of a hand it was, busted in like 6th instead of what should have been an easy top 2 finish and nearly 1k more into my bankroll.  Arg that was frustrating.  

This definately could have changed my life....

Had 109 T$ sitting on bodog that I had won in a P5 special satalite (10 dollar buy in with added seats for Bodogs 100k).  I was nearly broke online and decided to take a shot and actually play in it.  Get all the way down to final 2 tables, already cashing for 1100$, but first is 25k which is nearly enough to payoff all my student loans I incurred for my senior year of college.  With something like 14 left there is an ep small raise from Aaron Kanter, so something like 3x.  I tank for a bit with my AQo before shoving it in (I was about 16 bbs deep and in like 7th at the time or something).  Kanter thinks for a bit then calls, flipping TT, TXX flop, Ace river for spite and I bust out.   Can't help but wonder if I had won that pot and had a top 3 stack how deep I could have gone, especially since I watched the final table and one player didnt play a hand all FT and finished in 3rd with a smaller stack than what I would have had entering FT.  Damn you Aaron Kanter! (he goes on to TID i believe) 

Played for about 6 hours in a 300.00 live tournament, got down to the bubble and caught JJ on the button :( big blind held KK. bubble boy in the Scotty Nguyen Challenge. First payed around 20k

Playing 3-5 spread limit at Casino AZ when I was 19 (snuck in there first time when I was 17).  I had maybe a net worth of <$1k being a college student who worked for $10 an hour. 

To make a long story short I hit a 1 outer with 77 in a huge multi-way pot on a K7h8h flop where I was up against AK, KK and 69hh.  I hit the 7 on the turn and busted all 3 players, except for the guy who was on a straight flush draw, who had me covered, but doubled me up entirely.  

I look up at the end of the hand and see just tons of red and green chips scattered across the table about a $2000 pot and almst pissed my pants.

The game broke a few minutes later and I couldn't wait to get out of there and call my friends.  I eventually took that 2k and ran it into a roll of almost 50k over the next 18 months which of course I've since donated to blackjack tables and sportsbooks across the West Coast, but that pot, got it all started for me.

Did it change my life?  but it didnt...but maybe it did...lol There has been so many but the one that will never leave me is.

Back in the day, when paradise was rampant and the 30 rebuy was the "IT" tournament.  Everyone and their mother would play it and i was doing well with two tables left.  I was the big stack on my table and this other guy was the big stack on his table.  This will sum it all up..So, i go to the final table with a pinochio of a stack and this other guy gets moved two to my left.  Im in 2nd and he has like 1/3rd bigger stack.  Everyone else had like 10-25 bb range.  It really was a dream.  I had everyone else tripled...  Its my first time at the final table.  I get AA first hand of the final table utg.  I raise.  1st place guy calls with KcQc and i have the Ac.  This was many many eons ago.  Flop came QsXcXc.  I just shoved...He calls.  This is where i have hope cuz the turn is Xc.  I hate life but  COME ON RIVER GIMME GIMME!!!! WIFF!!!!!!!!! 10th place!!!!! i think it was 10 handed back then....i was first out thoe...

Look for my discussion hand in the future to get some irony....(shaking head)

Played in the Saturday $300 6 handed during the FTOPS in February.  Down to 12 players and playing really well.  Guy raises in late position, I pump it up on the button with JJ for about 1/4 my stack.  We are both equal chips and sitting 3rd & 4th.
I am prepared to go all in as this guy was so loose in the last hr & sucked out in a huge pot when he called an all in with 45 suited to KK and won with a river straight.  He is up & down like a yo yo.  Flop comes low rainbow 2 6 7.  I bet the pot, he naturally reraises me allin & I tank it for a little but call.  He flips QJ and I am delighted.  However 88 or 99 would have been easier on the nerves.  Turn is a blank but a Q on the river sending me to the rail.

At this point it starts to sink in that I will not be playing for the $32k first prize & I am gutted.  I am speechless and I watch as others berate him for his moves and commiserate me.  I have picked up $1800 but I am sick.  I got my money in good but I am super pissed. 

The poker gods were not with me that day.  If I went on to win & I was playing the best poker ever online it would have changed my life as I would have reached the bankroll I was looking to move into full time play.

I was on super tilt after that and donked off that cash on the rest of the FTOPS series playing really bad.  It will come but that beat was a hard one to take but a good lesson learned in the ups & downs of higher stakes.
 

Two hands stick out from last year.

Both were in the Full Tilt $75 $28k GTD at the Final Table on consecutive nights.

Hand 1 - KK, raised 3x pre shoved behind and I call in a pot that gives me a huge stack - 88 hits his trips on river.

Out in 5th


So the next night and I am once again on the FT. Pick up AA and raise 2.5x - threeven in big blind calls - 10 high flop, he checks I bet half pot and he puts me all in with his J,10 - J on river obviously.

Out in 5th again.

A few months back I was playing a Razz cash game online and a guy showing a Q brought it in and everyone else folded to me showing a (84)2. I completed the bet and he autofolded. I won the antes and bring in. That was special... 

$60r - live mtt at hollywoodpark.

I picked up KK in my BB. I get in a raise war PF with the SB and we eventually got it all in. She had me covered by 10k or so. She tabled AA and I bubble what could've been my biggest cash.

Live tourney a couple years back.  $60 buy-in charity event.  Had about 45K in chips and was chipleader at the table, I have AA on the button.  Blinds at 1000/2000. 

3 limpers and 1 raiser behind me.

WPT mirage..Down to 3 people and the other two are all in vs each other. Demetriou has T2 and Weiss has J5 on a k522 board... Now if Demetriou's hand holds up then we are down to heads up play w/ the payouts being 1=1.3 million 2nd 667k, instead he hits a 5 on the river to double up. Instead of pwning Demetriou heads up I go out 3rd for 333k...

WSOP Circuit back in Feb at the Horseshoe, CB.  Final table of a $300 buy in where first paid $35Kish, first FT with a payout of this magnitude so I was pretty nervous and demanded to myself that I played tighter than I had throughout the tourney.  First hand, I have the button, folds around to me and I have 56ss, blinds were 3k-6k with a 500 ante and I had 154k.  SB had 185K, BB had 90ishK.  I thought for about 15 seconds and decided to fold...not even take a flop with my hand.  SB completed, BB checked flop came 4,7,8, rainbow...shit.  SB bet out, BB raised, SB pushed, BB called (somewhere I nearly vomited during this).  SB flipped over JJ, BB had K8, K hit turn, blank hit river.  Now I don't think I would've gotten that much action...but if the SB had limped I def would've won a monster pot.  Over 100K easy (would've busted BB for sure).  I still wonder about the hand every 4 or so days, sometimes I wonder once a day, other times once a week.  I just tell myself I wasn't ready to win a big score like that yet, I feel I'm ready now, hopefully this summer in Vegas will cooperate.