Sunday Sombrero

I decided to play the $3500 main event here at Borgata on day 1b, Monday, instead of Sunday so I could play the super-size online tournaments. That decision backfired as I struck out in the seven I played without coming anywhere near a cash.

Here's an interesting hand from Wednesday's $100 6-max rebuy on Full Tilt where I put myself in an awkward spot:

Full Tilt Poker Game #17970344972: $200,000 Guarantee (Rebuy) (132836229), Table 106 - 60/120 - No Limit Hold'em - 22:38:43 ET - 2010/01/27
Seat 1: sprstoner (4,653)
Seat 2: benba (8,261)
Seat 3: casperPAPL (2,887)
Seat 4: GnightMoon (9,448)
Seat 5: Martin Klaeser (11,459)
Seat 6: PreshaDroppa (9,437)
GnightMoon posts the small blind of 60
Martin Klaeser posts the big blind of 120
The button is in seat #3
*** HOLE CARDS ***
Dealt to GnightMoon [Jc Js]
PreshaDroppa folds
sprstoner folds
benba has 15 seconds left to act
benba folds
casperPAPL calls 120
GnightMoon raises to 420
Martin Klaeser has 15 seconds left to act
Martin Klaeser raises to 1,125
casperPAPL folds
GnightMoon has 15 seconds left to act
GnightMoon calls 705
*** FLOP *** [6h 7s 4c]
GnightMoon has 15 seconds left to act
GnightMoon checks
Martin Klaeser bets 895
GnightMoon has 15 seconds left to act
GnightMoon calls 895
*** TURN *** [6h 7s 4c] [8d]
GnightMoon checks
Martin Klaeser has 15 seconds left to act
Martin Klaeser bets 1,995
GnightMoon has 15 seconds left to act
GnightMoon has requested TIME

Thoughts?

Borgata Heads Up Day Two

When I walked into the poker area for my semifinal match, the other three guys still in were discussing a deal. I listened to what they had to say and eventually caved and agreed to a deal where I walked away with a little more than $27k, a little more than my expected value assuming we were all even in skill.

I immediately regretted it. I came here to gamble, to play poker, to win tournaments. I don't know what I was thinking.

Borgata Heads Up

I won five consecutive matches in the Borgata 2k Heads Up event before losing a comically epic battle to Farzad Rouhani in the final round of the winner's bracket. It's not over though. I will play someone Friday night for the right to play Rouhani in the finals.


If I lose the first match tomorrow, I will be paid something like $18k. If I win the first match then lose to Rouhani, I will be paid something like $26k. If I win the first match then beat Rouhani twice, I will win the tournament and receive $49k.

I started at 11 on short rest after an online final table the night before and played till 5 AM (with lots of breaks). I will probably fall asleep for about twelve hours now so the $1625 NLHE tomorrow is likely out.

Congrats

The kid who busted me in Biloxi, Jerry Vandystrock, went on to take third place in the tournament. If his kings had held up in a big pot against Hoyt Corkins, he likely would have won the tournament. Ironic from my point of view.

I know that hand against me might have been Jerry's worst of the tournament, I know I had him misled, and I know I could have won that tournament.

My 100 Favorite Songs: #22

Steely Dan - Do It Again


Now you swear and kick and beg us
That you're not a gamblin' man
Then you find you're back in Vegas
With a handle in your hand
Your black cards can make you money
So you hide them when you're able
In the land of milk and honey
You must put them on the table

Biloxi Day Two

I am rather disappointed, having busted out of the Biloxi WPT with kings against ace-queen in a large pot where all the money went in before the flop. I was reminded of this moment from the Borgata, which is where I am heading tomorrow to lick the wounds from another crushing tournament exit.

Biloxi Day One

Today was pretty delightful. I had the best seat at the easiest $10k tournament table I have ever had. I cruised up to 90k without incident before finishing the day with a pedestrian 77k.

I was touched by this story of a player at my table, and spent a lot of time thinking about how fortunate I was today to play poker and watch some exciting football. From worldpokertour.com:

Six months ago, Connie Voss of Lufkin, Texas was diagnosed with terminal cancer and given four months to live. The math is not in her favor. The #1 item on Connie's "bucket list" was to play in a World Poker Tour event. So her friends banded together and raised enough money to pay her $10,000 buyin, and here she sits, taking her shot at a major poker tournament.