The Itinerary is Set

Back in my room after a rather short session of play. I only logged about 6 hours today. The games weren't great and my neck is killing me. If its not one thing its the next, I sure hope this is not what getting old is all about. I must have slept funny and developed a kink just as my foot and wrist were starting to feel a little better.


I did alright today for a tough field profiting about $3,400. I had a couple good hands and had a couple bad rivers. Overall though I think I played solid.


Hand Summary:


Hand #1:


About 5 hands in I looked down at 33 and limped from early position. The only fish at the table raised to $100 with about $1300 behind. There was one other caller so I called knowing if we both flopped big he would never laydown. Flop K83 rainbow. I check he bets $100 and I raise to $3oo, either he has a K or he doesn't. He flat calls and turn is 2. I bet $400 he shoves I call and he shows me AK, drawing dead. Unfortunately he didn't rebuy.


Hand #2:


On the button with AA with two limpers to me. I make it $120 and both call. Flop is Q53 rainbow. They both check and I bet $280. The first limper reraises to $800. At this point I have $5,000 and he has me covered. I have played with him before and he is rather crafty and could have a set, straight draw, or just a Q. Anyway, I decide to flat call as I have position to the hand and can see what he does on the turn. The turn pairs the 3 and he checks. I decide to check behind for a couple reasons. He is capable of checking a fullhouse to raise again, whether on the turn or river, and I want to control the pot. If he doesn't have me beat then he likely has a Q which makes it near impossible to lose with the 3s paired (note: if the 3s weren't paired and he checked I would likely bet). And, if I check the turn I may get value on the river from a Q. Anway, river is 8 and he checks again. This time I bet $1000 and he calls and mucks. Probably a KQ, QJ type of hand.


Hand #3:


I have K10 of hearts. Someone straddles to $40 and action is folded to me in the cutoff, I make it $140 and get two callers from the blinds. The flop is 1053 rainbow. The first guy checks and the second guy donks into me for $300 with only another $700 behind. I sense the other guy will fold so I put the guy allin. The turn is an 8 and river Q I show my hand and he mucks.


Hand #4:


I have 72 off in the big blind. All fold to the button who limps with the small blind. Flop is K72 two spades. Small blind checks I bet $50, button folds and small blind makes it $160. I just call as he could have two pair and with position I will value bet at any point that he checks. Also, I am never a fan of pouring in huge cash on flops with bottom two, they get negated so often against donks who can't lay down top pair. The turn is a Q and he bets $250. I call. The river is a 9, with no flush coming in, the guy bets $350. Well, I'm not happy about the river bet as he seems like a guy who would check the river with one pair, but he is making it so cheap I have to call as he may be pounding a flush draw. Anway, I call and he shows KQ. I think I lose minimum this hand, but too bad the six outer comes otherwise I'd win about $1000 instead of losing $750.


Hand #5:


Same scenerio one rotation later. Everyone folds to the button he limps and we see a flop. This situation is almost unheard of at this level but the guy on the button is a real donk. Anyway, I have 98 off and the flop is 1076 two spades. We both check to the button and he makes it $50. The small blind calls and I decide I'm gonna mix it up by calling then betting into him on the turn. I had just won a different pot off him a couple hands previous by betting to come and it came so maybe I could induce a raise and build a big one. The turn is the 5 of clubs and so I bet $200 into him. He looked puzzled and clearly was suprised by the bet. Unfortunately, he did not take the bait and flat called, the small blind folded. The river brought the J of spades. I didn't really feel that he was on spades so I continued betting this time $325. He hollywooded for awhile then declared raise and made it $1000 to go. I thought about it for a bit thinking to call because this same guy river bluff raised somebody else when a flush came in, showing it proudly when the guy folded. In the end I folded and I am pretty sure he had a flush because I saw the 4 of spades when he tossed in his cards.


Hand #6:


I had 98 of clubs in mid position and opened the pot for $70. Two people called including the button. The flop came down 652 with 52 of clubs. I bet out $180 and was immediately raised by the rock on the button. He made it $425 to go. I know this guy is super tight and I am 95% sure he has a set, if not a set then AA. He is close to 10k deep and so I obviously call begging for the offsuit 7 so I can lead into him on the turn representing a big pair. An offsuit 7 would likely lead to a double up if the river did not pair the board. And certainly a flush results in a big pot as well. Unfortunately, the turn was a red Q. I check and this time he bets $1250. At this point, its a little out of my price range with only $6,500 in front of me and obviously if I flat call the turn and the club comes, I won't be getting paid. So I fold. Sure would be nice to hit one of those sneaky ones when it counts, very similar to the 84 of spades hand I posted a couple weeks back.

So I'm going to just hang out in my room for the balance of the evening, likely to play a little online and yup you guessed it watch another movie. I better start booking bigger wins so I can offord the room charges. Actually, its been alright the last couple days. I made a couple thousand online in each of my last two sessions. If I can string a good week and a half together I think I might jump into the 20-40 game. It looks juicy and there is no shortage of action, but it plays really big. Most of the serious players buyin for 30k or more. If I play I will be short-buying for 5k.

Going to play the tag team event tomorrow with Todd. He is scheduled to arrive an hour before it starts. He has been stuck in transit for two days now in Toronto thanks to a snow storm. Way to save $100 on your flight by doing the milkrun. Now your paying double on hotels and are missing out on some key play time....loser:)

Also, I'm going to be leaving for Vegas early Sunday morning. The action is growing tougher everyday here as more and more of North America's finest players are arriving as we near the main event. Maybe Vegas will be good with all the pros absent. Also, I hope to try out the Venetician deep stack extravaganza. Kathy is meeting me down there late Sunday night and is staying for a week. We'll hang out, have some fun, and likely, play a bit of cards. Thursday night we will be returning to LA so I can play the Supersatellite on Friday. And, with a little luck, I'll qualify for the main event, which starts Saturday.

Till next time....