Beerhog Crushes the Field – That is How He Rolls!

Eight of us made the felt tonight. McGuiness and I playing from the Cleveland hotel lounge again, but this time the internet connection was fine.

32min: A short-stacked Nahanni (8th) went all-in with KQ and ran into Rownder’s KK and the lady had to say good night.

41min: Tigercub (7th) went all-in when he flopped trip aces but ran into McGuiness and his full house!

59min: A short-stacked Matchy caught a nice (QQ) and went all-in only to be called by Rownder and his (KK) AGAIN. But, a [Q] spiked on the river and Matchy went from the basement to 3rd place.

Break:

Aqualung 2800 (sitting out early then hit some hands when he sat down)
McGuiness 2520 (had a monster chip lead but dropped back)
Matchy 1990 (rose from 'one card from dead' to 3rd)
Beerhog 1795 (usual yo-yo chip stack)
Mikeniks (usual card dead situation – 3 pots in 68 hands)
Rownder 1260 (waiting to pounce)

The river hit by Matchy started a frickin Katrina flood on the river. Only Aqualung (get it? – water?) was able to survive until the end.

70min: McGuiness (AA) is all-in against Beerhog’s (AJ). Beerhog is a 13 to 1 dog but the flop of [4JJ] makes McGuiness a 27 to 1 dog instantly. The once monster chip leader is now crippled, and the Beerhog rush began!

76min: Rownder (6th), being the great card player he is, read Beerhog as weak and ran a bluff for all his chips. He takes his read and has the stones to play it. But Rownder’s radar was off this time as Beerhog had the straight.

81min: I (Mikeniks – Faldo – 5th) flopped a straight and got my 2nd short-stack all-in – and Beerhog hit a flush on the river.

86min: McGuiness (4th) got his short-stack in with (66) after a safe flop of [943] but Beerhog had (T9) and no more help came for the Scot.

Beerhog obviously has a monster stack at this point and makes quick work of the rest.

97min: Matchy (3rd) goes all-in when he pairs on the flop, but Beerhog hits another flush.

98min: Aqualung (2nd) gamely tries to come back going all-in with (KK). How can you expect to win with that trash???!!!!!

Beerhog has (A9) and hits an [A] on the turn. When you are hot, you are hot! Congratulations Beerhog!

1st – Beerhog (10 pts)
2nd – Aqualung (17 pts)
3rd – Matchy (20 pts)
4th – McGuiness (8 pts)
5th – Mikeniks (Faldo) (16 pts)
6th – Rownder (7 pts)
7th – Tigercub
8th – Nahanni
Sev4TSev (14 pts)
Boother (7 pts)
Duder (3 pts)
ArticBlast (2 pts)

Nahanni Cashes in the Sunday Millions on Poker Stars

Hey boys...thought I would share with you my semi-decent performance at last week's Sunday Millions on Poker Stars. I've played this grueling long-ass tourney about 4 or 5 times now and finally cashed on Sunday. It wasn't a huge amount ($300), but it is a start...I am hoping that future performances will only get better. In case you know nothing about the weekly PS Sunday Millions game, I'll tell you. It is a $200 + $15 game with usually 6500 - 7500 players (HUGE FIELD!). The game starts at 4:30 pm on Sunday and from start to finish is about 10-12 hours...if you are still playing in the 12th hour, you don't care that you have been playing for 12 hours because all you can think about is the amount of money you are going to win...first place is usually in the $200,000 range (final table is in 5-digit cash).

PS has a bizzilion qualifiers for the Sunday million (SM) that run all week long. The ones that are easier on the bank roll are the $11 double-shootouts...(with a full field of 100 players) you play 10-handed and have to win that table to move on to the next table where all the winners from the first level square off...usually the top 4 will win a seat and 9 - 5 will win about $35. When I have enough money in my bank roll, I REALLY like the $58 4-handed, 8-player max SNG...that one is sweet and takes less than an hour to play (the DS can take over 2 hours to play).

Anyhow, the 4-handed game is great and as people get eliminated they even out the tables until the final 4 are at the "final table"...and then the top 2 finishers get a seat. Oh and the last Sunday of each month the buy-in is $500+30 for the SM...the qualifying tourneys are a bit more and less seats advance to the SM. Usually there are only about 2500 to this bigger buy-in event and because of that first place pays out nearly the same as the $200 event.Anyhow...at last Sunday’s game there were 7520 players and payout started at 1050. you start at 10,000 in chips and the blinds start at 25/50...it sounds like a lot and that you could just sit there for an hour not doing anything...but you really can't...it gets up there pretty quick (even though blinds go up in 15-minute intervals)...the first hour is crucial to gain some chips.

Anyhow, it was amazing how the play commenced just before the bubble...if I had more chips and more balls (or female equivalent) I'd be raising every hand to steal because nobody wanted to go out being so close to money (which took about 4 hours to get to). I was amazed that I was able to survive as long as I did because I didn't have any cards and nothing that I wanted to attempt to steal with.

I had 3 key hands that kept me in it and actually pushed me up to above average chip stack before we hit the money. Once money hit, people were going all-in every hand as though their chips were made of nuclear waste...it was unreal...the first hand into the money there was a 4-way all-in at my table!

Anyhow, I was fairly confident that I could last until at least the second pay level which would have paid out $450 at 810 players...but...things can change sooooooo fast at the poker table, you are kicked out before you even realize what just happened. I get AQ in middle position and raised 4xbb (to 16,000) and a short stack person moved all-in for an additional 24,000....there was already 26,000 in the pot because of the 10,000 in blind+ante money.......and at this point, the short stacks were moving in with just about anything...plus I had this guy covered (started the hand with over 70,000)...so I called and ran into AK. whaaaaa!!!! whaaaaaa!!!

That dropped me to under 40,000 and the very next hand I had 66...with less than 10BBs I decided to move in...And I would guess that under average circumstances, I would be able to pick up the blind money or even double up...but I ran into QQ and boom...just like that I was out! Went out 860...50 away from the next level which I know I could have easily cruised to. Sometimes I wonder if not getting any cards is really a better than getting decent/semi-decent cards. Anyway, I won't complain...$300 is better than a kick in the ass! - Nahanni

747 Wins NPP #3 – with yet Another Big Comeback!

What is going on with this group? In order to win the tournament I guess you almost have to get felted early? Last year the standings at the break were pretty much the way we finished - usually. This year so far, the almost out player has come back to win. Amazing stuff.

We also welcome a new player, McGuiness007. He works at my corporate office in Cleveland. I know he lives in Ohio, but try and like him anyway.

We had nine players , and should have had ten. Tigercub, fresh off his tourney cashing was looking to smack down us mopes, but he seems to have an “I thought it was at 8:30?” obsession - for three weeks in a row. Well, he got in a qualifier instead and won a seat in the Poker Stars Sunday $100,000 tourney. When you are hot, you’re hot!

I told him to tattoo "8:00 PM" on the underside of his right wrist so he would see it everyday – if you know what I mean.

On to the action:

34min: Sev4TSev gets crippled with (AA) by Matchy (QQ) when a [Q] hits the flop AND the river! PS: Thirty four minutes before a serious hand and the early crippled guy wins the tourney??? This group is scaring me.

51min: Nahanni (9th), I think frustrated with the computer problems McGuiness007 and I were having in Ohio got her motor racing. She fires a semi-bluff with (22) at a flop of [864] and ArticBlast calls her with (Q4).

59min: Rownder (8th) got caught in a PS special as his (A9) hit a flop of [49A] against ArticBlast’s (JJ). But a [J] on the turn ended his night.

Break (7 players!!!)

ArticBlast 4215
Duder 1990
McGuiness 1785
Mikeniks(Faldo) 1775
Matchy 1370
Sev4TSev 1290 (up from 495 at one point)
Boother 1075 (work had him sitting out until 2 hands before the break)

65min: ArticBlast raised with (KQ) into a flop of [K93]. Boother (7th) didn’t believe him holding (22) and no help came. Boother was then given the new nickname of LIFO by ArticBlast – “Last In, First Out”. Ouch

71min: Matchy (6th) is getting close to go time with his stack and hits the flop of [7Q4] with his (AQ). When a [Q] comes on the turn, he goes all-in only to run into McGuiness and his (44) and full house. No seven or Queen on the river and the slow play of McGuiness paid off.

84min: ArticBlast (A5) loses the chip lead to Duder (KQ) with a flop of [K5K]!

96min: Now it is my turn to smack down the former chip leader with a PS SB vs BB special. Duder, ArticBlast and I all see the flop of [TTJ]. I bet and only Artic calls. The turn is an [8] and ArticBlast (J8) moves all-in. I call with (KJ). I have him out-kicked but a lovely (for me) [K] falls on the river to seal it.

98min: The now short-stacked ArticBlast (5th) loses to Duder’s straight.

109min: Duder gets crippled when his (88) trips on the flop runs into Sev4TSev’s (TT) trips on the flop. I’ve been there and done that! And against 747 too!

117min: Duder (4th) and Sev4TSev see the flop of [Q68]. Sev bets and Duder calls. Turn [4], and they both check and wait to drown on the river [5]. Duder goes all-in with (Q5) for 2 pair but Sev4TSev has the straight with (97).

This means the newbie is taking some cash home. That like never happens!

Will we make it to a second break? Uh, no.

118min: A short-stacked (of course compared to 747, we are both short-stacked) McGuiness (3rd) has to go all-in. On the river, I bet Sev4TSev off the pot as my flush ends the rookie’s night. But a great showing none the less against this group of sharks.

119min: I – Faldo (2nd) succumb right after as my (Ac4c) loses to Sev4TSev’s (Qc7c) as a [Q] hits the flop. Great comeback 747 from a hard smack down early!

1st – Sev4TSev (14pts)
2nd – Mikeniks (Faldo) (15 pts)
3rd – McGuiness (5 pts)
4th – Duder (3 pts)
5th – ArticBlast (2 pts)
6th – Matchy (15 pts)
7th – Boother (7 pts)
8th – Rownder (7 pts)
9th – Nahanni
Aqualung (10pts)

This win gives 747 the NPP tournament win lead over everyone – including Faldo!
"He beat me, straight up. Pay that man his money!"

Tigercub Finishes 2nd in Ferndale Charity Tourney

Back to the wars for Faldo after the tough battle at Herbavor's. Doesn't my life suck when I am forced to play poker on back to back nights? But somebody has to do it.

I was skepical before I got there, but guys, this was a pretty nice set-up for the 60$ entry ($50 tourney and $10 fee). Oval holdem tables seating nine, casino quality chips, two decks per table, "Tournament Director" software for auto seating and player moves, tourney clock, players left and blinds projected on the entire front wall, open beer tap, pepperoni pizza and that first class "Garden Fresh Gourmet" salsa and chips. There were 10 different varieties of salsa to choose from, and two types of chips. And cigar smoking allowed!

You got $4500 in tourney chips and for another $10 - which went directly to the charity, you got another $500. Who was going to say no to that? Blinds started at $25 - $50 and changed every 15 minutes. Payoffs were five places - $500, $250, $150, $100 and $50. Plus $50 for biggest hand of the night, $25 back to the first one out, and $100 if you hit a royal flush.

Thirty-seven players entered, but there was a poker league going in the back with two more tables of ten players and other tables already set up for ring play as players got eliminated. And the ring tables filled up too - getting fed by the main tourney and the poker league.

Onto the action. Tigercub (table #1) got off to a great start hitting a couple straights and I (table #3) took a ton of chips off of two players who called all my bets with next to nothing. I also called a guy down who bluffed a flush at me, so my ESP was working early. However, it failed me late.

Thai Food stopped by for a gander at the set up on his way back from getting - what else? - Thai food at Pi's Thai in Hazel Park.

I made the final table also, but I got eliminated at 6th. And yes, of course they were paying 5 spots! Here is where my ESP failed me - and where it usually does. I was the short stack and did not call a raise with (55) when I maybe should have and the 9-8-7-6 hit the board and a pair of 8's won the hand.

I folded an A9 to a good size raise and an [A] came on the flop, and a pair of kings won the pot. But the next hand, I did go all-in with (As 9s) and ran into (Ah Kd). The flop and turn was [Ad Kh 8d 3s] and it was time to hit the salsa.

Heads-up Tigercub got down to $6000 in chips of the $185,000 in play, but fought all the way back to only a 3 to 1 deficit! But the comeback was halted when his (A5) lost to a (Kh 3h) when a [3] hit the turn.

Great job Bro! Once again NPP represents with two final table finishes, and if I knew how to play, it would have been two cashes!

Matchy Corner - 1 (Plus Herbavore recap)

Matchy posts this:

My discussion topic would be: do the crazy ring games we play take away some of the advantage of guys who are more skilled at poker reads and bluffs than myself (if you are reading this, then this means you)?

If we are playing say gridlock, or double bed hi-lo then the possibilities for hands are obviously much greater than plain old hold 'em.

Add to this a $1 or $2 limit in betting and it makes bluffing harder and chasing a hand more realistic. In my opinion this makes many of our ring games closer to lottery or slots than pure poker.

Still alot of fun, but taking some of the edge away from players with more skill. Please discuss!



Now Faldo's report on the Herbavor game:

Another great time was had by all. Anytime I can laugh to the point of having tears in my eyes it's a great night. Plus I had 747 doubled over in laughter too.

Around the table: Herb (thanks for the great sandwiches and the full line up of liquor - just like Boother's game),
Faldo,
747,
Beerhog,
SpartyToJo,
Matchy and
Thai Food

It was a great time after 8 hours of play and we left Herb alone in his house with his dog and a jar of creamy peanut butter he was getting out of the kitchen. The dog seemed to want to leave with us for some reason.

FYI: Faldo may re-open the Palace for the February game and SpartyToJo is contemplating the March game.

Matchy Wins NPP #2 – With a Great Comeback!

Ten players made it to the felt this evening! It was the usual brutally tough NPP game. Broke up into two 5 – player tables, it took quite a while for the first casualty to occur so we would move to one table.

Min 39: A late arriving (blinded down) short-stacked Aqualung (10th) made a stand with (AQ) but ran into Beerhog’s 55 as was gone.

Min 50: A late arriving (blinded down) short-stacked Duder (9th) called a kind of short-stacked Rownder’s raise. The flop is [AJ8]. Rownder goes all in with (AQ) and Duder called with (A7) and got no help.

Min 59: A short-stacked Nahanni (8th) goes all-in with (A8) and runs into Rownder’s (AA).

At the break:

Rownder 5340
Mikeniks 2290
Beerhog 1855
Boother 1770
ArticBlast 1640
Sev4TSev 1510
Matchy 595

Min 67: We had a rare three-way all-in; Boother (7th) all-in pre-flop with (A7), Beerhog (6th) with (QJ) and Rownder with (77) after the flop of [79T]. No {K} for the Hog and Rownder goes from chip leader to monster chip leader!

Min 68: ArticBlast (5th) goes all-in with (77) and runs into Rownder's (QQ).

Min 72: Sev4TSev (4th) goes all-in with (Q6) after a flop of [Q94] and Matchy makes the call with an over card and a inside straight draw with (KJ). A {T} arrived on the turn and the plane is grounded.

Min 83: Matchy continues his comeback with (KJ) against Rownder’s (QT) and then an (AK) with (AQ). Now Matchy has the chip lead.

Min 94: I (Mikeniks-Faldo) went card dead pretty much from the break. I have to take a flyer with an open ended straight draw and it fails (3rd).

Min 100: The hand that ended it had a board of [8d 4h Jd] [4d] [3s]. After bets on the flop, turn and river, both guys hit hands: Rownder (2nd) a flush (Kd Qd) and Matchy a full house (84). Congratulations Matchy!

1st – Matchy (15pts)
2nd – Rownder (7pts)
3rd – Mikeniks (Faldo) (8pts)
4th – Sev4TSev (4pts)
5th – ArticBlast (1pt)
6th – Beerhog
7th – Boother (7pts)
8th – Nahanni
9th – Duder
10th – Aqualung (10pts)

Hlam's game is on Friday, Jan 18. Here are the RSVP's so far:

IN
Herbavor
Faldo
Beerhog
Matchy
SpartyToJo
LarryP
Thai Food

OUT
Cigar4John
DavetheDog

Then on Jan 19th, we have this:

Wayne-Oakland Police Softball, Garden Fresh Salsa, and Line Drive Sports Presents the Calcaterras NL Holdem Tournament

Where: Ferndale FOP Hall, 2233 Burdette - 1/4 mile north of Nine Mile Rd and 3 blks west of Hilton Rd.

Doors open at 6:30 - Registration til 7:20 - Deal at 7:30 sharp!

$60 buy-in and rebuys for the 1st half-hourEntry includes beer, food and pop.

Proceeds to benefit The Calcaterras FamilyTheir daughter Alissa, 16 yrs old, has undergone several brain surgeries for a re-occurring tumor with another procedure in sight.Pre-register at wayneoakland1@aol.com

Dave the Dog Found Innocent of Cardroom Assault

DavetheDog was playing poker at the poker room in Flint when a disturbance broke out. Someone had lost a hand and had thrown their drink at a dealer.

Since there are no cameras in Flint, they had to round up all the players that had ordered Shirley Temple drinks and give them lie detector tests. When the truth is told – the machine [dings]. When a lie is told – the machine [buzzes]. Here is the just released transcript of Dave’s interrogation:

Flint Officer #1: “Is it true you held a grudge against the dealer for not hitting your two-outers?

Dave: “Yes!”
Machine: [Ding!]

Flint Officer #1: “Did you throw your umbrella drink at him?”
Dave: “No.”
Machine: [Ding!]

Flint Officer #2: “He checks out.”

Flint Officer #1: “Ok, sir. You are free to go.”

Dave: “Good! Because I got a big live cash game to play in tonight.”
Machine: [Buzz!]

Dave: “A big live tournament to play in tonight.”
Machine: [Buzzzzz!]

Dave: “A big on-line tournament.”
Machine: [Buzzzzzzzzzzzz!]

Dave: “A freeroll tournament.”
Machine: [Buzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz!]

Dave: “All right!! When I get home and after I do the dishes and vacuum, I’m going to ogle the girls in my wife’s Victoria Secrets catalog.”
Machine: [Buzzz!]

Dave: “Target Stores newspaper insert flyer.”
Machine: [Ding!]

Dave: “Now, will you unhook this thing already? I don’t deserve this kind of shabby treatment.”
Machine: [BZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZ!]

NPP#1 for 2008 – Aqualung Wins

The kickoff to the 2008 season was a success (nine players) and a failure (not one new face). But with the new format – there is always hope.

10 minutes: (I didn’t get the hand - sorry) Beerhog put a hurt on Farrell early to take the chip lead.

21 min: I (Faldo) got a short-stacked Nahanni (9th) all-in with her (AJ) against my (T9) with a [9] on the flop. No help came – and the lady responsible for our great statistics sheet to keep the standings update easily – was the first victim of 2008.

33 minutes: The short-stacked Farrell (8th) makes a stand with (KJ) and runs right into Aqua’s (AQ), with a [Q] on the flop and the river no less.

43 min: A short stacked Rownder (7th) goes all in with (A8) and an [A] on the flop. But I am holding (AT) and one of our 2007 co-champs is out.

52 min: Beerhog (6th) decides to chip up or go out right before the break and comes at the current chip leader, me, with (AJ). I have (AQs) and decide to gamble with him and I win.

55 min: What can go wrong before the break? I have a nice chip lead and I my better hands are holding up. Isn’t everything just peachy? Uh, no – not for long.

Boother and I hook up in a BB vs Button special. It folds around to me and I raise to steal the blinds. Boother decides to call. The flop is [KQ5]. Boother checks and I throw a small raise in, hoping for a fold, but he calls. Darn, he must have some of that flop.

The turn is another [5]. Let me check my hole cards again. Yep, the (6h 5h) is smiling back at me (or thinking back - laughing at me?). Anyway, I got to value bet here and do, and Boother calls again! Hmmm. Did he hit two pair on the flop or is he pressing a straight draw?

No matter. The river is a beautiful [6]. I runner-runner a full house. Only three hands can beat me and I have a chance to get a dangerous player out before the break. I go all-in and Boother calls with (KK).

Ok, I over-bet at the end and my read was wrong as usual, but that is just cruel to runner-runner a big loser. But that’s poker (and poor play) and my original read of things being peachy was wrong too!

The break:
Boother 4330
Matchy 4050
Aqualung 2330
Mikeniks (Faldo) 1850
Sev4TSev 1040

68 min: Sev4TSev (5th) goes all-in with (KQ) and runs into Matchy’s (77) and no help arrives.

72 thru 78 min: A nice battle ensues between Boother and Aqualung. They trade the chip lead as first Aqua wins it with (66) and then Boother wins it back with…you guessed it (66).

But Aqualung finally holds to the chip lead as his (A9) defeats Boother’s (Q9) when a flop comes [239].

80 min: Matchy gets crippled as his (99) got hit with a [J] on the flop when Boother went all-in holding (AJ).

82 min: I (Faldo) have re-built my stack and try unsuccessfully to eliminate the short-stacked Matchy a couple of times - for much needed ammo. For example, his (97) survived my (AJ) by hitting a [9] on the river.

85 min: It just was not going to be my night as I (4th) am eliminated as I get all-in – hitting two pair on the turn, but Boother already had hit trips on the flop.

90 min: Aqualung has a huge chip lead at this point, but things get a little closer to as his two pair on the flop get run down by Boother’s all-in with (AT), hit the straight on the river. We could have a ball-game now.

But instead it ends quickly with a rare three-way all-in!
Matchy (AA)
Boother (KQ)
Aqualung (A6)

The shortest stack has the best hand, the middle guy has the most outs and the chip leader is dominated. But folks, this is Poker Stars.

Flop [66J] and blanks of [8] [4] follow. Congratulations Aqualung!

1st – Aqualung
2nd – Boother
3rd – Matchy
4th – Mikeniks (Faldo)
5th – Sev4TSev
6th – Beerhog
7th – Rownder
8th – Farrell
9th - Nahanni

Boother in Tunica!

Boother sent me this write-up. Thanks Boother!

And a reminder - the Tuesday tourney starts at 8pm and the password is the same as the end of last year.

Boother Report:
Elroy and I went to Tunica Mississippi for a World Series of Poker Circuit event. We played the first few, lower limit tourneys. The structure was better than in previous years with $10,000 in starting chips, $50-$100 starting blinds and 40 minute levels. The play format was start at noon and play till 2:00 am or until the final table was set. Then, play would resume the next day at 2:00 pm.

The first tourney we played in was on Thursday the 3rd, was a $300 buy-in and had 780 (give or take) players. I only lasted till about 4:00 because I never got any cards and I couldn’t get my chip stack above $15,000. Elroy lasted a few more hours than I did, until he took a big hit when his QQ got beat by 68 off suit. Then he got knocked out when his short stacked 66 got beat by Q10. Neither of us got an official finishing position, because they don’t do that for people that get knocked out that early!!!

The second tourney was on Friday, was a $500 buy-in and only had 380 or so players. My streak of bad luck continued as I got bounced before 3:00. Elroy only last an hour or so longer than me…again!!! Neither of us got any cards or an official finishing place.

I also played in a few sit-n-goes but got no luck there either, in fact, in 1 of them I got bounced on the first hand!!! With this less than desirable luck, we cut out trip short and came home a day early (I had planned to play in the $700 game on Saturday, but decided to same my cash for when I am running better!!).

The one thing that Elroy and I took from our adventure is that tourneys are marathons, not sprints and you have to be lucky all the time. You have to win the races and suck out a few times too. All the skill in the world can’t over come pure luck. If any one person is running hot, they have a chance to win!!!

Even though we didn’t fair well this year, we do plan on going again next year. The trip will be in January, February or March of 2009. We welcome anyone that would like to join us. More details will follow as the trip gets closer.

p.s. Sorry Jim for not getting you more text message updates. My phone took a crap on Friday right after the tourney started and I lost all my numbers. - end of report

6th - the Double Bubble Boys of 2007

This one really hurts! Out of the money and just missed the points! This finish is the worst!

1st - Articblast 17
2nd - Rownder, Sev4TSev, Matchy 9
5th - Mikeniks 8

Ok - who is missing from this list????
It is obvious now how Boother got his co-POTY finish and why Rownder missed first alone.

Point Scammers in 2007

Ah, 5th place! The last spot that earns anything. Who got there the most?

1st - Matchy 6
2nd - Sev4TSev 5
3rd - Boother, ArticBlast, Beerhog, Duder 4

Grabbing something is better than nothing
My thoughts exactly in a crowded subway train in Tokyo!