Even Stevie Wonder could see that there has been a flare for the dramatic in the General Forum of MJ's over the past week.
17 polls, countless confessions, and and a differing opinion per every post made has led me to making this post.
This is not the Great American Novel, nor the Great American Poker Story that I wish it was. Instead, I will recount my first 2 casino poker tourney's and ask the questions that I feel can make me a better player.
Before I start, I like many before me, have searched for the Poker Grail in attempt to find the magic wisdom that enables us to make the right decisions. There is no Poker Grail, only decisions. And not always right decisions. If I had to define a poker philosophy today it would be, "Make enough right decisions to survive the times you make the wrong decision" Seems simple until you throw tilt into the mix. Pride, can lead people to perform the greatest of all deeds or make the poorest choices in the game of poker/life. The last few days on the forum it seems that the latter has prevailed. Pride plays a big part in these stories. I have popped my cherry in Live Casino MTT action but there is no Fairytale ending.
To prefice: I have been playing online for close to 2 years on an initial deposit of $50. I've been up as high as $800 but now reside in the $400 range. I play no limit, limit, and Omaha Hi-Lo. I've won 2 Mtt's in no limit, 1 in limit and assed out in Hi-Lo. In Stt's, I play no limit (6 and 9 person) and this seems to be my strong suit. Cash games, I play no limit and Hi-Lo. I play low blind cash games and have had a pretty decent run lately.
I have read one book, Brunson's "Super Systems 2" and what I got from the book is, "Common sense is bountiful, Concentration is not." It's a lot like playing golf. I'm decent but lazy. If I could just once play (golf or poker) where I concentrate on every (shot or play) I could be a helluva player. You might laugh if I told you the cursor has been blinking for 10 minutes right here. So much for concentration. Don't worry, I'm not trying to James Frey you, just needed to gather my thoughts.
On to El Dorado hotel and casino, Shreveport Louisianna. Saturday's Tournament is $100 buy in with 1 hour of rebuys. Tourney registration is day of tourney at 9am for the 11am tourney. 6-5 will understand, I awoke after my 5 hour nap, wide awake, like we were going on a hunt. I met my buddy in the casino and we were, #1 and #2 to sign up.
By 11am, there were 36 players and it's time to shuffle up and deal. This was it, poker virgin no more, I was in a tournament with 34 strangers who all ponied up $100 to sit down. I, as I am sure everyone else, noticed the slight tremor in my hand when I took my first swig of the ice cold Bud heavy sitting in front of me. The only problem, the dealer had not dealt yet. I audibly lol'd which must be taboo at the poker table because I had 15 eyes (1 guy was wearing an eye patch) looking at me. I wasn't thirsty any more. Blinds are 25/25.
The hands dealt and I'm on the button. 1st position raises the standard? 16 times the bb followed immediately with a reraise all in to 2k. Fold, Fold, Call,Fold, my turn. Look down at A 10 suited and quickly fold. sb and bb lay down and the hands are turned over. initial raiser had 22, reraise had A4 and caller had A8. So much for thinking that a little higher stake would lead to decent play. The board brings 2 pair, 3's and 5's I believe and we have a split pot with the 2 aces.
The action slows down a bit but I play tight enough that you would think that Dan Harrington got his nickname of "Action" playing at a table with me. It was unbelievable how invisible I wanted to be. About this time we hear announced "Player Down." I look over my shoulder and it's my buddy who walks directly up to me and says, "Dude, I don't want to lose more than a hundred" I thank him for boosting my table presence and move on.
I had folded out of turn twice and spent the majority of the brunch period thinking I was tied to a 500lb weight in the middle of the Pacific ocean. A pot, a pot, my kingdom for a pot. But it get's worse. I'm in the SB with blinds at 50/100. I have 4 chips left, 1k, 100, 2x25's. There are 3 limpers in the hand and me and the BB to act. I look down at my hand and find a suited K 9. I call, at least, I attempt to call. I drop my 100 dollar chip with my right hand and pick up my 25 with my left hand. Only problem, I've got my 1k chip in my left hand. Dealer announces, raise - all in. Then goes on to explain to me in front of the whole group that once my chips cross the line I've initiated a raise. I drop my three chips in and order another beer. One good combatant of nervousness is anger and alcohol. Fold, fold, fold, pause. The guy says, "I've got queen high but I think I've got you." I take a swig, and the tremors are gone. He calls anyway and turns over Q 9. Please no queen. No Queen. Blanks on the flop. The turn brings that evil lady. I reach into my pocket and grab my wallet. Blank. F-Bomb
The Tourney host announces that we are at the break, no rebuys. I pull out 200 hundred for my rebuy and add-on. Sorry sir, no rebuys. Time for a pow-wow with the tourney director. I explain the situation and express to her that I believe I should have the right to both rebuy and add-on. Dramatic pause... Sir, I am going to leave it up to the rest of the table... Needless to say I had not scared many folks that morning and won an 8-0 yeah vote.
Blinds go up and I start out on the button when we return. 35 players left and I'm neck and neck for 35th place. And then it happened. With rebuys over, people started playing real poker. 1st hand folds around to me on the button. I peek at K-7 off, bump standard 3x and the bb calls. Flop brings Ace blank blank. BB bets minimum bet, I raise the pot, he lays down. An hour and 22 minutes later I had raked my first pot. I played some positional poker and even caught some playable hands and found myself steadily climbing.
I catch QQ's in early position, standard raise, call, call, and flop the top set. Check to me, I bet half the pot, call, reraise all in. The call puts me all in, and the guy behind me calls. Both turn over Ace high. AKvAJvQQQ. I win.
I put one more player out while in the BB based on pot odds call and a lucky hit and I find myself as the chip leader at our table. We go around one time and I'm in the BB, blinds are 400/800 with a 50 or 100 ante. An early 1x bump to 1600 folds to me in the BB, I see Slick off and call. Flop brings K 7 2. I check and he bets 2500. I wait and look a few times his way then announce re-raise. He's got ~8k in chips left. I'm stalling, fully aware that I'm going to push all my chips in. This is the point that both of us screw up. He becomes impatient and announces to the dealer, Can I change my bet to all in. Bells and Whistles, Bells and Whistles. I've announced a raise and have to put at least 5k into the pot. F-Bomb... I announce all in, I've got him covered but will be severely crippled if he turns over 77 or 22. He doesn't, Instead he turns over the Grand daddy of them all, A A. Blank Blank. and I'm in trouble. A few hands later I go out in 10th place, 1 seat away from the final table.
That evening I was not much of a conversationalist at the Carribean Stud table. I replayed the whole damn tourney in my head. It's amazing how easy it is to read the skill of a player but not his cards or his play. I kicked myself for folding out of turn and the accidental all in debacle. I did notice that players that peeked early let you know what there intentions were by what they did with their cards. Some held them by the sides just waiting for their turn to fold and others went ahead and protected their cards with a chip. I know that there are more tells to look for but please remember I was a bit green in a live game when I sat down.
I will post the Sunday Tournament, which had a few more players, and I finished better than 10th later.
I hope you enjoyed my first time story. It was a blast and I thought I'd share it with the members here at MJ's.
To become a better player there are 2 question/philosophies I'd like to hear about.
1. What is your mind set when in a loose rebuy tourney?
2. I play a little better aggressive poker in a 6 handed game but a little too tight in a 9/10 handed game. I wanted thoughts on how to improve in 9.10 handed game.
'til then :mj14: :mj14:
17 polls, countless confessions, and and a differing opinion per every post made has led me to making this post.
This is not the Great American Novel, nor the Great American Poker Story that I wish it was. Instead, I will recount my first 2 casino poker tourney's and ask the questions that I feel can make me a better player.
Before I start, I like many before me, have searched for the Poker Grail in attempt to find the magic wisdom that enables us to make the right decisions. There is no Poker Grail, only decisions. And not always right decisions. If I had to define a poker philosophy today it would be, "Make enough right decisions to survive the times you make the wrong decision" Seems simple until you throw tilt into the mix. Pride, can lead people to perform the greatest of all deeds or make the poorest choices in the game of poker/life. The last few days on the forum it seems that the latter has prevailed. Pride plays a big part in these stories. I have popped my cherry in Live Casino MTT action but there is no Fairytale ending.
To prefice: I have been playing online for close to 2 years on an initial deposit of $50. I've been up as high as $800 but now reside in the $400 range. I play no limit, limit, and Omaha Hi-Lo. I've won 2 Mtt's in no limit, 1 in limit and assed out in Hi-Lo. In Stt's, I play no limit (6 and 9 person) and this seems to be my strong suit. Cash games, I play no limit and Hi-Lo. I play low blind cash games and have had a pretty decent run lately.
I have read one book, Brunson's "Super Systems 2" and what I got from the book is, "Common sense is bountiful, Concentration is not." It's a lot like playing golf. I'm decent but lazy. If I could just once play (golf or poker) where I concentrate on every (shot or play) I could be a helluva player. You might laugh if I told you the cursor has been blinking for 10 minutes right here. So much for concentration. Don't worry, I'm not trying to James Frey you, just needed to gather my thoughts.
On to El Dorado hotel and casino, Shreveport Louisianna. Saturday's Tournament is $100 buy in with 1 hour of rebuys. Tourney registration is day of tourney at 9am for the 11am tourney. 6-5 will understand, I awoke after my 5 hour nap, wide awake, like we were going on a hunt. I met my buddy in the casino and we were, #1 and #2 to sign up.
By 11am, there were 36 players and it's time to shuffle up and deal. This was it, poker virgin no more, I was in a tournament with 34 strangers who all ponied up $100 to sit down. I, as I am sure everyone else, noticed the slight tremor in my hand when I took my first swig of the ice cold Bud heavy sitting in front of me. The only problem, the dealer had not dealt yet. I audibly lol'd which must be taboo at the poker table because I had 15 eyes (1 guy was wearing an eye patch) looking at me. I wasn't thirsty any more. Blinds are 25/25.
The hands dealt and I'm on the button. 1st position raises the standard? 16 times the bb followed immediately with a reraise all in to 2k. Fold, Fold, Call,Fold, my turn. Look down at A 10 suited and quickly fold. sb and bb lay down and the hands are turned over. initial raiser had 22, reraise had A4 and caller had A8. So much for thinking that a little higher stake would lead to decent play. The board brings 2 pair, 3's and 5's I believe and we have a split pot with the 2 aces.
The action slows down a bit but I play tight enough that you would think that Dan Harrington got his nickname of "Action" playing at a table with me. It was unbelievable how invisible I wanted to be. About this time we hear announced "Player Down." I look over my shoulder and it's my buddy who walks directly up to me and says, "Dude, I don't want to lose more than a hundred" I thank him for boosting my table presence and move on.
I had folded out of turn twice and spent the majority of the brunch period thinking I was tied to a 500lb weight in the middle of the Pacific ocean. A pot, a pot, my kingdom for a pot. But it get's worse. I'm in the SB with blinds at 50/100. I have 4 chips left, 1k, 100, 2x25's. There are 3 limpers in the hand and me and the BB to act. I look down at my hand and find a suited K 9. I call, at least, I attempt to call. I drop my 100 dollar chip with my right hand and pick up my 25 with my left hand. Only problem, I've got my 1k chip in my left hand. Dealer announces, raise - all in. Then goes on to explain to me in front of the whole group that once my chips cross the line I've initiated a raise. I drop my three chips in and order another beer. One good combatant of nervousness is anger and alcohol. Fold, fold, fold, pause. The guy says, "I've got queen high but I think I've got you." I take a swig, and the tremors are gone. He calls anyway and turns over Q 9. Please no queen. No Queen. Blanks on the flop. The turn brings that evil lady. I reach into my pocket and grab my wallet. Blank. F-Bomb
The Tourney host announces that we are at the break, no rebuys. I pull out 200 hundred for my rebuy and add-on. Sorry sir, no rebuys. Time for a pow-wow with the tourney director. I explain the situation and express to her that I believe I should have the right to both rebuy and add-on. Dramatic pause... Sir, I am going to leave it up to the rest of the table... Needless to say I had not scared many folks that morning and won an 8-0 yeah vote.
Blinds go up and I start out on the button when we return. 35 players left and I'm neck and neck for 35th place. And then it happened. With rebuys over, people started playing real poker. 1st hand folds around to me on the button. I peek at K-7 off, bump standard 3x and the bb calls. Flop brings Ace blank blank. BB bets minimum bet, I raise the pot, he lays down. An hour and 22 minutes later I had raked my first pot. I played some positional poker and even caught some playable hands and found myself steadily climbing.
I catch QQ's in early position, standard raise, call, call, and flop the top set. Check to me, I bet half the pot, call, reraise all in. The call puts me all in, and the guy behind me calls. Both turn over Ace high. AKvAJvQQQ. I win.
I put one more player out while in the BB based on pot odds call and a lucky hit and I find myself as the chip leader at our table. We go around one time and I'm in the BB, blinds are 400/800 with a 50 or 100 ante. An early 1x bump to 1600 folds to me in the BB, I see Slick off and call. Flop brings K 7 2. I check and he bets 2500. I wait and look a few times his way then announce re-raise. He's got ~8k in chips left. I'm stalling, fully aware that I'm going to push all my chips in. This is the point that both of us screw up. He becomes impatient and announces to the dealer, Can I change my bet to all in. Bells and Whistles, Bells and Whistles. I've announced a raise and have to put at least 5k into the pot. F-Bomb... I announce all in, I've got him covered but will be severely crippled if he turns over 77 or 22. He doesn't, Instead he turns over the Grand daddy of them all, A A. Blank Blank. and I'm in trouble. A few hands later I go out in 10th place, 1 seat away from the final table.
That evening I was not much of a conversationalist at the Carribean Stud table. I replayed the whole damn tourney in my head. It's amazing how easy it is to read the skill of a player but not his cards or his play. I kicked myself for folding out of turn and the accidental all in debacle. I did notice that players that peeked early let you know what there intentions were by what they did with their cards. Some held them by the sides just waiting for their turn to fold and others went ahead and protected their cards with a chip. I know that there are more tells to look for but please remember I was a bit green in a live game when I sat down.
I will post the Sunday Tournament, which had a few more players, and I finished better than 10th later.
I hope you enjoyed my first time story. It was a blast and I thought I'd share it with the members here at MJ's.
To become a better player there are 2 question/philosophies I'd like to hear about.
1. What is your mind set when in a loose rebuy tourney?
2. I play a little better aggressive poker in a 6 handed game but a little too tight in a 9/10 handed game. I wanted thoughts on how to improve in 9.10 handed game.
'til then :mj14: :mj14:
...and you can tell it was written by a poker player. 
