001 - poker notes: luck or skill?

went to lucky chances tonight to play some texas hold em' and won $540 profit tonight for 5 hours of play. Not bad at all. I recieved no bad beats, instead I gave bad beats. Haha! Its funny, because I alway felt so bad afterwards and kept apologizing.

I kept most of my pots small, but the other players keep pushing the all-in move.

Big pot when I got a king high flush to someone's set of 7's. Lucky I was so short stack, or else I wouldn't call on the flush draw.

Another big pot came from the same guy, who flop a set of 7's again only a couple hands later. I had pocket queens. He bet small and I push him all-in. I thought I already lost and was about to muck the hand, but instead turned it over because I wanted to show him I didn't push him in with nothing and someone said "you have a flush". I was shocked that I didn't see it and gave the dealer a good tip because of that.

After that player left, another guy doubled me up twice because he kept using the all in move every time I bet. He went all in on the flop with Queens when I had Aces. Sucks for him.

Another hand was when I was in the small blind with 7 3. I rivered a full house and he had a straight. He reraised me by going all in and I thought about it for about 1 minutes because I thought he might have had a better full house. Eventually, I called & won. Picked up a couple more pots after and left.

The games have been pretty good lately.

Bay 101 Tournament pt. 2

Decided to try my luck again at Bay 101's tournament. This time, there was no rebuys, which I thought would work to my advantage.

Last time, my table was pretty mixed with tight and loose players. But this time, I got a table of a mostly aggressive players who like to check-raise a lot. It was very frustrating, but I held my own for awhile, despite being super card dead.

My best play was when I had pocket 5's and called a re-raised.

Flop came out 2 A 7. Both me and the other player check.
Turn came out a King, and player checks to me again. I bet out and he folds, telling me he had pocket queens. I lied to him and told him I had AQ suited, just to make him feel better. Haha!

After the break, I played super-tight which actually worked against me and soon I had no choice but to push all-in with J 10, only to be called by pocket kings...and well, that's the end of the story.

I learn that I need to get involved in a little bit more pots, or else I will get ante and blinded to death. Busted in 69 place out of 130 players.

On a side note, I saw this guy who looked like Ray and when I went over to him, it was Ray. Haha! He said he had a feeling I would be there too. Freaky!

Bay 101 Tournament

Went to visit Bay 101 for the first time today and signed up for the morning poker tournament. About 70 people signed up and I was playing so well. Had good reads on people's hand and bluffing at the right times.

Sadly, I busted out in 27th place holding pocket 7's against the big blind who woke up with pocket kings. I felt weakness from everyone else who just limped in, which is why I pushed with my position. Just bad luck on my part that big blind had a monster.

The tournament was lots of fun, much better structure than Lucky Chances. Overall, I was proud of my playing style, which was small ball tight-aggressive. My biggest weakness I have discovered is not bluffing alittle bit more, when I know the other player is weak. I need to trust my reads!

My most expensive hand-to-date

So I have already been playing for about 6 hours and it was close to 3am. 

I was up $800 dollars and was already thinking what I should buy. hehe..! Soon, I decided I would leave right after the next hand. I look down at POCKET ACES in the big-blind. I re-raised up to $25 dollars after a bunch of players limp in for $4. I had about 5 callers. My aces weren't looking so good I thought to myself.

Flop came out: 8 A K with two spades. I bet out $40 dollars into a pot of $125.

Everyone folded except a big stack player who had more money than I did. (I'm second in chips on the table)

Turn came out 3 of spades. I thought to myself that he probably was on a flush draw. So I checked. He bets out $80 dollars and I call instantly.

River came out 8. Thinking this card saved me with the best full house. So, I bet $200. Player re-raises all-in and I call pretty instant.

Player turns over pocket 8's for quads.

6 hours of play to earn $800 all gone in one hand..... and the bad part was I was going to leave! Urg! What a horrible bad beat.

Lucky Chances Sunday Tournament

Was at Lucky Chances from Saturday night all the way to Sunday afternoon. I was just in that poker zone and I didn't care what time it was.

Later though, I got very sleepy, but decided to try to stay and play the tournament. I alway wanted to play in a tournament with a large buy-in ($225) so I used my cash winnings to buy a seat into the tournament.

I was so very sleepy in between hands, and I guess to other people it looked as if I was very into the game since I kept covering my head. A couple hands, I got lucky and won a few small pots and lost some pots here and there. When I finally moved to another table, that's where I finally started to chip up. The hand that put me into a good chip position was when I had A 4 of clubs. I limp and guy behind me raises. One caller and I call to see the flop.

Flop was 4 9 7 with two diamonds. Guy and I check. Guy in dealer position goes all in. Guy behind him instantly calls. I looked at my chips and saw that there was odds to call. So I called too.

Guy shows KQ of hearts. Guy behind shows flush draw and I'm the only one with a pair of 4's. Turn is a blank and River is a blank card for both of them. I win that major pot that makes me chip leader of the table! Haha!

I soon got moved again to another table, where I became mid-stack to low-stack with the blinds going up and up with me being card dead. My goal was to make it into the money, which I did.

Girl goes all in with AJ and guy behind him calls with AQ. I also call with pocket 8's. The board brings a queen and it was pretty much over after that. Girl ends up being bubble girl because I had more chips.

10th place finish out of 110 players. Wow! $475 dollar payout.

Side note. Now, that I think about it. I could have lost and been the bubble boy. My play really should have been to fold. But, if the girl had won. I still be at risk as I was third in short stacks.

Oh well, overall I was proud of my plays even though I hadn't slept all night.

Royal Flush

Whoo Hoo! Got my second royal straight flush in my life.

The first time was during a home game with the guys. This second time was at Lucky Chances Casino, where a river card gave me the royal straight flush and a pay-out of $500 dollars!

Too bad I have to report it to taxes now. Haha!

getaway weekend at Tachi

Took a bus tour early Saturday morning to Tachi Palace Hotel & Casino.

I gambled a bit with the 3-card poker, slot machines and also tried the Texas Hold em' poker room they had. It was pretty tough competition and I just happen to get lucky on a lot of flops. I think I might have been outplayed on a couple. But, I learned a lot. Cashed out with about $100 dollars in winnings, but lost it all playing 3-card poker. Haha!