The QQ dilemma

See the post below for the setup.

I folded.

He flipped over JJ.

So...here's how it went down in my muddled mind.

His initial reraise gave me a range, based on the type of player he was, and based on how i think he views me - someone who might make his life difficult acting behind.

My reraise into his reraise was a probe to tighten up the range. So preflop i took him off KK or AA with a very low mathematical likelihood of QQ. Had him on 88-JJ and AKs, AKo, or any big Ace.

He checked the flop, and I checked behind. Reading Barb's response (nice read, babe), I should have fired at that pot on that flop to protect my winning hand. However, his K check might have been an AK check. But that's no excuse. I played my premium hand weak on the flop, causing a fold and a lost pot on the turn.

When he pushed on the turn, I was convinced he had JJ. He simply drove too far to play that game to bust on a bluff when he might conceivably still have had me on a big King up to Aces.

I played weak on the flop, lost the pot.

But I went on to win the game, so no harm done.

Peace out.

Let's Play Another Hand

These are fun.

Based on actual events.

But the names of the characters may have been altered to protect their privacy.

Level 3 of a NLHE SNG 8 Handed. All players still in.

Blinds at 30/60

You have the Big Stack preflop in the SB with: QQ

UTG has made it 60 to go. min-raise

All fold to button

Button Raises 240 more

You Reraise another 240

You have button well covered

BB folds

UTG folds

Button calls

Flop: King-blank-blank Rainbow

Button checks

You smell a trick with with AK, big king, or a set, so you check. Take that free card

Button is a good player you read as tight-aggressive with a penchant for making the odd move when the time is right. And he's got the button.

Turn: J

Button goes all in. Dude stands up. Starts to pace

WHAT DO YOU DO?

1. Call - you have him covered but you're calling off half your stack
2. Fold

Y'all know the drill

Comment with your answers and, in particular, WHY you would do what you say you'd do, and I shall reveal my play and the result soonish.

Living with the Edge

Man I'm runnin out of "serious" stuff to blog about. I guess nobody really reads 'em anyway, but it makes me feel like a sophomore again, writin' essays and stuff. And believe me, at my age, you do start pining for your second year in college. Heh. See, I made you think i went to college lol.

It's been a busy time chock full of new opportunities, new people, tourney after tourney, game after game. It's a whirlwind. But it's fun. Compare this to six months ago when me and my wife got our jollies playing online, cuz it was the only option we had.

Now I play every day. Live. I'm happy. Just wish my wife was here to roll around with me.

But anyhoo, all the busy-ness has left me little time to write my serious essays. But I just got an idea for a topic.

I wanna write about the Edge.

What is it? It's a gambler's best friend. At least a smart gambler's best friend. And we're all gamblers.

Here's a concrete example.

I've been to two wine and cheese and cocktails and pretty people events in the last month. Both had raffle draws for cool prizes - you know, the kind you drop your bizcard in and hope the president and ceo yanks yours out of like a 100 cards. Well, at the first one, I won a painting. At the second one, I won a trip for two to Pearl Farm in Davao.

How did I get an edge here you ask? Well I won't tell you. Cuz then my edge will disappear. And I DIDN'T spam the fishbowls with a year's supply of cards either. One card was all it took. I have a little manipulation with the card that I learned from my uncle which gave me an edge. I got an edge. Didn't cheat, but gave myself an ever-so-slight advantage over the field.

Another example is the guy who can count semi-accurately into a six deck shoe in blackjack, and adjusts his wager when the sequence of recent cards theoretically gives him an advantage. Not kosher in most casinos, and PAGCOR's pretty well killed the counter's edge locally with 18 million burned cards in a shoe.

Final example: Believe it or not, the biggest gamblers in any city are the casinos themselves. They wager kajillions 24-7 against buhjillions of players. Why? Cuz they have the Edge. The rules stack the math in their favor. Their games of chance aren't games of chance at all for them. They're a sure thing. Over time of course.

When I wager, I wanna put my money down when I perceive an advantage. I don't mean gut feel here, which is the shovel that digs many a grave. I mean I feel the numbers and other variables are on my side.

That's why i don't play lotteries, and i don't play house edge games in casinos.

To poker now. Man, this game really gives a smart player an edge. Actually, it's the other way around. The smart player gives herself an edge in poker. Like pressing advantages, raising big preflop in a NL game with QQ. That's pressing an edge.

Making a correct pot odds call when you're drawing that open end to a nut straight. Pressing an edge.

Bluff reraising when in position heads up against a weak player. Pressing an edge.

I ain't advocating cheating, or angle-shooting. Just identify the spots when you likely have an edge. Press it. You'll be surprised at how much you'll earn over time.

Look for the edges. That's the real chi power in gambling.

If you're not living with the edge, you're living on it.

Jennie on her way to second place at 1 Beverly Place...Note Goma enviously eyeing Jennie's chips...I think he was able to snag a coupla greens while their rightful owner wasn't lookin'. 

A Fine Time Had By All

Dammit it was a good one. Great play, new friends, and a final hand nobody could have scripted bettuh.

The 1 Beverly Place Challenge is in the books. First things first. The results:

1st: Jun U.
2nd: Jennie V.
3rd: Mike M.
4th: Chris P.
5th: Ace S.
6th: Mico K.
7th: Christine C.

Damn fine play by all who monied...tried to watch as much as I could, but started getting addled by the Sanmig lights by about level 5.

Also the longest 50-seat tourney I've ever run under my standard structure. With 50K chips in play, we hit Level 15 with blinds of 8,000/16,000, no antes, with three remaining. 6 hours and 41 minutes. woohoo. Thank the lord we bought enough beer.

The last hand went down like this:

Jennie V. (our indomitable always-in-the-money queen) went all-in preflop on the button with second stack. Jun in the SB with the big stack quickly calls. Mike, shortstack in the BB cold calls before I had time to say "ooooh sheeeit". Jennie flips over AKo, Jun turns over 10-10, and Mike flashes AQo. Damn.

The Tens held up. All she wrote. Good ending.

Thanks to all the dealuhs and 1 Beverly Place peeps for hookin it up.

SPECIAL THANKS TO JJ the Duke for lookin' after all the logistics so ably. Thanks again to Ken and Ian of Kustom Kowboys for supplyin the tables.

And no takers on my Level 1 Bet: That 2 women of a total population of 6 (in a field of 50) would make it to the final table.

Well...four women made the final table, and two made it into the money. I shoulda laid odds on that bet.

Stay tuned for the next one.

Positive Reinforcement: "Gonna have a stack at least this size by level 4 of tomorrow's tourney". BTW, text me if you want a seat. We got 3 left. See y'all tomorrow... 

From Marty's game last night - Can anybody say split pot? 

Ok - here's what i did and why

See two posts below for the setup.

The majority of the folks playing this scenario advocated a push on the flop after the Jc 8c 9d was checked to my KsKc.

I checked.

Why? I knew i was only in deep doodoo from Q-T (in which case I was already demolished), or from the two draws i was up against. The club flush and any of the straight draws out there.

Button was the type of guy who would possibly have called my T1200 raise preflop with Q-T, but i had to gamble. I figured BB was on Ax.

So...KK still had lotsa juice in this pot, but was in jeopardy. I wasn't gonna lay it down as my T2800 remaining was pretty much all she wrote. It was most likely that KK was still ahead at this point, so I gambled on a favorable turn card. I gambled to bust one guy out or bust myself out. No prob, in the money already.

Button checked also.

Fourth Street brought a 4d. Blankissimo. SB checked, I checked AGAIN. Sorry Barb. Button now bet T1000. BB folded.

I pushed, gambling that he hadn't made his straight on the flop, and missed it or a flush draw on the turn. He may have been playing middle pair.

I pushed. He thought hard. He Called.

He showed Qh7h. Gutshot.

5th street was 2s

My gamble paid off.

I did this to bust one guy and get heads up with a chip advantage. After the game I went home and did the math with pokerstove. According to the sim, on that flop, with the range i put Button on, My KK still held about 70%+ equity in that pot in the range of hands I put Button on. And the hand he showed down was within that range. A good gambool, and when it came time to set him all in, I was playing the numbers. This was a read-based decision motivated by wanting to get heads-up with a chip advantage. It was also cushioned by the fact that I was at peace with the 3rd place payout if he flipped over QT. If I had led out on the flop I might have folded him and not had the chance to do this now.

I'm sure many will disagree. But this is MY blog.

Peace.

Nino's running a Poker Cup

It's bein' dubbed the One Beverly Place Poker Cup guys and gals...

It happens on July 23 (that's two Saturdays from now)

The Nino man's putting this one togethuh, but the staff's gonna be the regular A55 crew. Yep, that's the dealers for those of you wonderin'

I finally get to play, yeehaw

Maxplayers = 50
Buy-in = same as the Alabang Slam

Structure: The A55 tip, same structure as the Alabang Slam

Side tables

Fun fun fun

Again, Pre-reg via comment here or SMS.

Y'all know the drill...

Let's Play a Hand

Let's have a little fun with a hand. Tell me what you would do in this situation. Comment or text me back. I'll post my play tomorrow. this is a hand i actually played...

The Situation

10-Handed SNG
1000 buy in, 1st pays: 5000, 2nd: 3000, 3rd: 2000
Blinds 200/400
Three Players Remaining
You have the middle stack with about T4000 remaining after posting
Button has the short stack with about T3000
Small Blind has the Big Stack with about T5000 remaining after posting

You are in the Big Blind with KsKc. Button limps, Small Blind limps. You raise to 1200. Button calls immediately, SB thinks, then calls. Your opponents have been playing a tight semi-aggressive game all night, but you've seen them gamble preflop on some marginals.

Flop brings: Jc 8c 9d

Both check to you.

What do you do?

1. Check
2. Min Bet
3. Bet any other amount
4. JAM All-in

Again, lemme know how you would play your cowboys in this scenario. Comment your answers and WHY you would take that action.


Peace

Women playas...take note

If you're female, and have a chance to go to vegas in the middle of august, please consider the following event:

Women's Poker Convention, being held at the MGM Grand from August 12-14.

You might see my wife there.

AND here's a funny bankroll joke from Pokernews:

Buckshot was a compulsive gambler, and would bet on anything and everything; horses, dogs, football, baseball, basketball, snooker and even soccer games. When Buckshot was down to his last dollar, he went to his best friend and said "Roy, I need $1000, we have no food, I owe rent, the kids need jeans for school, and the wife won't leave the house because we have bad checks at all the stores. Can you help me out?"

So his best buddy gave him $2000 to get him ahead, but on one condition, that he does not use the money for gambling. Buckshot's reply was "Oh, I have money put away for that."

The Nickg baseball card - if you care lol

Question asked of me at the poker tourney the other night:

"Bro, do you make money playing poker?"

My answer without hesitation: "Yes"

How could I answer so quickly?

I'm a geek. I keep spreadsheets lol. I had just updated it that morning.

If you care:

Nickg's vital stats for live play in Manila - Since June 10 (because like a moron I accidentally overwrote my May to June file. Before then, no significant regular live play):

Games: NLHE only LoL

Base Bankroll: 25K

Single Table Tourneys

Number of Games: 15
Avg buy-in: 707.00
%ITM (In The Money): 60% or 3/5 times
%ROI Return on Investment: 56%

Ring Games

Number of Games: 10
Avg buy-in: 530.00
Avg Stakes: 5/10 NL
%ROI Return on Investment: 8%

Multi-Table Tourneys

Number of Games: 4
Avg buy-in: 351.25
%ITM (In The Money): 0%
%ROI: -100%

Analysis time:

1. THIS IS NOT A REPRESENTATIVE SAMPLE! We'll need a few thousand more games to get a statistically valid read on uncle nick's performance.

2. Look at my bankroll! It is more than adequate to play the stakes available to me. This roll doesn't get used for anything else in my life except for buying chips.

3. I'm doing better than I should in the single table tourneys. There's wisdom out there that says I should max out at 44.4% ROI if I'm DAMN good. I'm not damn good. I'll find the citation for that info later. 56% is crazy good. I'm on a heater that ought to even out soon.

4. Ring games are lackluster, but I'll attribute that to the relatively few hours I've played ring (23.2). For 10 games, I should have at least 60-70 hours. I got hit by variance and bad play (mine and some opponents') in the some of those games, but I simply played too few hours. Period. But 8% ROI's still bettuh than a savings account.

5. Multi-tables: what can I say, it's to be expected. I personally don't expect to money more than 10% of the time. I'll worry if I'm still at 0 after 1000 tourneys. But then again, I've never considered myself a MTT player. Multi-Table Tourneys are a fun diversion and a great way to meet new people and play for bigger cash, but not part of my personal focus in poker.

So in aggregate in 29 games over a month (did i tell ya'll i play lots?) I'm up 20.5%.

Nuthin' to write home about, but i'm ever so slightly beating the games. My roll is earning enough of a premium over a bank account that warrants the effort I go through to make that return. Plus i actually like playing poker, so it's all good. Gonna need to ramp up some more hours in the ring game to pad against the inevitable decline of my Single Table ITM and ROI numbers.

I urge the 4 of you who read this blog to start keeping the same general stats to get a grip on your game, and provide info for analysis.

Peace out.

Umm, what do degenerate gambluhs do after spending 6 hours playin' pokuh?

Play more pokuh of course.

This was the scene inside the A55 suite at the aftuhparty. 

Alabang Slam Tourney in the Books

We had a helluva time. At least I did after I finally finagled a couple free tequilas off Jackie V and our eventual Champ, Jericho. See, it's good luck to buy uncle nick a tequila. A little like rubbing the buddha's belly.

Remember that.

We held it on a rooftop in the southern end of the metro, with 41 ultimately playing - this despite the fact that preregistration had us full, with a 19 person waitlist.

hmmm...

No matter, I wound up sitting this one out and chillin with the microphone, callin' the plays and hustlin' tequilas.

Great game.

Special thanks to all the hombres and ladies who came out to play some cards.

Thanks to Ken and Ian of Kustom Kowboys for supplying the playing surfaces.

Thanks to all you guys who lent us your chipsets so we could give erryone a stack.

Thanks to JJ (the Duke) for making so much happen, including hookin' up the venue.

Thanks to Skip for handlin' the cash and dealin' side table #2. Pitboss, as always, you were a maestro at the side table and the final table.

Thank Oyi and Mon for doin some relief work.

Thanks for the dealers (new crew) who took up the challenge and dealt a mean game.

Shit this is starting to sound like an oscar acceptance speech.

Anyhoo, results:

1. Jericho I.
2. Alex T.
3. Jennie V. (see, another woman deep in the money - 4 women in a field of 41. Two at the final table - I rest my case: and if ya don't know what i'm talkin bout, read back about 80000 posts)
4. Bryan M.
5. Denis L.
6. Ariel R.
7. Jardine G.

GG all, not easy to money in a field like that.

The next one's gonna be pimp.

Man, I hate administrative stuff...

So I'll start with the fun stuff.

The Ace Man won't be joining us tomorrow, cuz he's on his way to the trophy at the Poker King Challenge. GL Ace, we'll be rootin' for ya.

Now for the boring stuff.

We are full. We have a waiting list.

Please arrive well before 5pm to secure your reservation with mooola.

If you arrive after 4:45, we will start selling unclaimed seats.

We also wanna do the Fantasy Pokuh Pool at 4, so come by that time to make sure you're in on the action.

Yeeha...a poker tourney I can't play

Wanna Be Pro Tip #2 . It is forgivable to be shortstacked for chips. BUT IF YOU EVER get shortstacked for beer, I shall cease to be your friend. Oliver here knows how it's done.

This boy has a future. 

Sold Out

The response to this Sat's tourney has exceeded all my expectations.

We are oversold.

I had over 100 requests for info.

Almost 60 confirmations...

They continue to roll in...

I've prolly spent 1000 bucks in replies to SMSs about the event

We may have to open anothuh table.

I may have to recruit and train anothuh dealer in 24 hours

Brings tears to my bloodshot eyes.

You guys are great...

There's prolly an aftermarket for scalping seats lol.

Reg is now closed.

Come down anyway, people may flake out

Shippin' it on Saturday...

Alabang Slam Tourney Details

Ayt, homies, here are the details. Lotsa value added action

You guys who got the text know where. You know how much. First Deal 5pm. Just came back from the place. Niiiice. Heavily stocked with Cuervo. Ya can't beat that with a bat.

Basic Tourney Info:

NLHE No-Rebuy
Places Paid: Number of Tables +2
Starting Chips: 1000
Level Length: 30 Minutes
Break: 5 minutes at the end of Level 6

Payout Structure:

To be determined by number of players. Assuming 50 player, 7 places will be paid in the following order:

1st: 55%
2nd: 18%
3rd: 10%
4th: 7%
5th: 5%
6th: 3%
7th: 2%

But wait, theres MORE!

There'll be a cash table (raked) available from 5pm to 11pm.

We are also proud to host a Alabang Slam Fantasy Pokuh Pool. Pick any 5 players out of the field to create your team (must pick yourself + 4 others). If you're not playing, pick any 5. We will aggregate total winnings per team at the end of the event and the team that made the most mooola will win you the jackpot - (less 10% for the pitboss)!

We still have a few seats available. Tell yer friends, tell yer mom. Just don't tell the cops.

Ship it...

Shall we Dance?

For those of you with longish memories, you may remember that we announced a tourney this Saturday, July 9 in the Alabang area.

Gonna be a good one.

Gonna be a nice little soiree.

Gonna be a big pot.

Please comment here, text or email in the next two days with confirmed participants, along with your email addy, so I can send details, tourney structure, etc.

The key piece of info here is that it will be starting earlier - First Deal at 5. Registration will be on a 1st come, 1st served basis.

It would be truly great to see all the new gangstas I've met under the same roof.

Can you dig it?

Uhh...hahahaha....

Didn't make it.

Outies.

Bustola.

Made a buncha mistakes, I'll admit, but got owned by a calling station. Watcha gonna do?

Can i give you a hand history? the one that hurt the most?

Well, I will anyway.

7Stud High

Me: Split Kings (Doorcard was a K - we were not allowed to raise on 3rd St)
Villain: Doorcard is a 7.

I call into the hand, as do all.

4th St gets dealt. Blanks

Me: As I have the biggest doorcard out, Bet the pot
All fold but Villain, who calls

5th st.

Me: Blank
Villain: 4

LOL

I bet the pot again
Villain smooth calls

6th St. is a blank for me
Villain catches another 4.

She then says, "oh, two pair"

(she had made her quad 4s by now).

I check, villain bets the pot

I fold.

LOL. Tough to win when they call your pot sized bet with a K doorcard and with a pair o' fours.

Sheez

But like i said, i made a buncha mistakes too.

I shipped it.

The Pom Poms worked...

Lunchtime, Casino Filipino Paranaque. The Ace Man played the 1st elimination round of the Poker Club of the Philippines Poker King Challenge. Guess wut.

That boy pulled it off in style. He's through to the semis. Nice work, Ace.

Me and the Duke were there, waving pretend pom poms and chanting "ship it" every time he took a big one down.

Rotating Pot Limit 7Stud Hi and Holdem in a dealer's choice format, the tourney gave players 100 antes as a starting stack (50,000 units). 6 handed tables; top 3 advance.

Can anybody say easy structure?

Easy structure.

But I best beware...I tee off tomorrow at 1pm. Hope I don't eat my words. If you can, come on out and give uncle nick a cheerin' section.

Ace played a nice tight thinkin' game to outwait and outwit a table of Stud players (he was prolly the only one calling Holdem in the rotation lol). Read his opponents well, made some inspired tough calls on el bluffo maniacs and fired in nicely picked spots into weakish calling stations. Ah the advantages of thoughtful pokuh.

He finished the big stack out of the 3 advancers.

I only hope i can live up to his performance tomorrow.

GG...

So I'm playin the Poker King Challenge Tourney on Sunday...Me and the crazy Ace. He Tees off Saturday. Come support 1:00pm both days. Been training harder and smarter. My last pre-tourney regimen (for the Belair Classic aka IPod Invitational) didn't work, so I've trolled around for stronger kung fu.

Some of you may know I've become a diao gung novice to help the old poker game. This is me training for the Big One on Sunday.

Gettin' mah Chi on, baby, yeah.