Hammer1010 Wins in His Debut

Two new players tonight and they both earned points.

How is that for being able to draft players, Matt Millen? Eat your heart out.

That gave us eleven starters – one shy of the record.

Hammer1010 knows Aqualung and Bighousea2 knows Faldo. Let's try and like them anyway.

The newbies showed up and showed us NPP regulars up! BigLou returns from a golf induced layoff and got points too.

Let’s hope we can get some of the other regulars back into the mix. On to the action.

28 min: Aqualung wins a hand to short-stack BigLou. But Lou hangs tough.

34 min: To the Final Table we go. We started on two tables as usual, so I did not see the exits of Duder (11th) or Rennzzo (10th). Maybe someone can fill us in.

36 min: Tigercub (9th) has his (TT) run into 7Joker’s (AA).

41 min: BigLou is able to get back into the match as he outkicks ArcticBlast in a close hand.

42 min: The bad luck continued for ArcticBlast (8th) as his short-stack all-in with (44) looks good as a two-pair win, but the board double-pairs on the river and Bighouse out-kicks (Kh 2h) Blast out the door.

51 min: BigLou really gets back into the tourney as he gets 7Jokers to fold on the river to snag a big pot.

57 min: A short-stacked Aqualung (7th) moves all-in with (AJ) and does not improve against Hammer’s (TT).

58 min: 7Jokers (6th) goes all-in with (66) on the flop of low paper, but Bighouse top - paired (J8) and 2-paired on the river.

Break:
Bighouse 4945
Mikeniks-Faldo 3690
Hlam14 3430
BigLou 2300
Hammer 2135

The chip leader goes ICE COLD from this point on. It’s ugly.

70 min: Hammer turns/rivers a straight on Bighouse.

73 min: BigLou straights up on Bighouse’s (JJ).

87 min: The Poker Stars torture of Bighouse (5th) finally ends when his Ace-high kicker with the board two pair loses to Hammer’s larger two pair. Nice showing for a 1st outing, House!

96 min: Mikeniks gets the chip lead by turn/rivering quad eights on Hammer!

102 min: A short-stacked BigLou (4th) has to try to hit his open-ended straight draw against Mikeniks (AA), but doesn’t get there.

106 min: Hammer stone cold bluffs Mikeniks out of a huge pot to take the chip lead.

118 min: Hlam (3rd) makes his move when he flops a middle pair of fours, but Hammer is holding (JJ).

Heads up: Mikeniks 9000 - Hammer 7500

Two minutes later and the second break arrives. Hammer 10700 – Mikeniks 5800

125 min: After a little jousting, Mikeniks (2nd) goes all-in with (22) and a flop of [T99], but Hammer is holding (J9).

Nice win Hammer1010 and welcome to NPP.

1st – Hammer 10 pts
2nd – Mikeniks-Faldo 14 pts
3rd – Hlam 15 pts
4th – BigLou 3 pts
5th – BigHouse 1 pt
6th – 7Jokers 5 pts
7th – Aqualung
8th - ArcticBlast
9th – Tigercub 3 pts
10th – Rennzzo
11th – Duder
Doneill 1 pt

Total point standings are on the right side of this blog.

Hlam14 Return to the Winner’s Circle

Ok, your host screwed up and had a limit tourney this evening. I set up the tourney this morning – pre coffee and breakfast. I got a lot going on right now and I forgot to set the thing to NL.

I blame Poker Stars as the setup should default to NL, as it is the most popular tourney format.

Anyway, on to the 8-player action (no new players – and that is a shame!).

34 min: Poor Duder (8th) never won a hand the entire time. He finally flops a pair of sixes, only to run into a flopped two pair by Rennzzo.

48 min: Rennzzo (7th) is out when his flopped pair is no match for 7Joker’s (QQ) in his hand.

56 min: Arctic Blast (6th) makes his move and comes up short.

57 min: I missed writing down Arctic’s demise as Mikeniks-Faldo had to play his (AA) to outlast Doneill’s (5th ) (AK).

I got the sneaky suspicion that Doneill was tired of the 'limit' grind and bailed. I just happened to be the lucky recipient of his chips. But I could be wrong.

Break:

7Jokers 4864
Mikeniks-Faldo 2503
Hlam14 2368
Tigercub 2265

95 min: A 35 minute battle ensues and it would take a smack down to break the gridlock. Tigercub (4th) is the victim as his turned two pair is crushed by Hlam’s trips on the river.

99 min: 7Jokers (3rd) was completely card dead since the break and has to make a move with (A8) and runs into Hlam’s (AQ).

105 min: The absolute worst heads up player in the country, Mikeniks-Faldo (2nd) is made short work of. I hit two pair on the turn, but Hlam gets his straight on the river.

Welcome back Hlam14.

1st – Hlam14 10 pts
2nd – Mikeniks-Faldo 7 pts
3rd – 7Jokers 5 pts
4th – Tigercub 3 pts
5th - Doneill 1 pt
6th - ArcticBlast
7th - Rennzzo
8th - Duder

Total points race is on the side of the blog

7Jokers Wins Two in a Row!

7Jokers is the NPP man right now. He padded his victory lead. Meanwhile, Faldo got to pad his 2nd place tourney finish lead at the same time. But I am getting ahead of the story.

Boother was not available to attempt to tie Nahanni for the 3rd quarter point total. Some lame excuse of elk hunting in British Columbia, Canada.

Seven of us ventured to the game this night. With this battle hardened group, it took a while for the casualties to start.

53 min: A short-stacked Tigercub (7th) went all-in with (QJ) and did not catch to beat Nahanni’s (22).

55 min: A short-stacked Matchy (6th) had to go with (8d 4d), but Nahanni had (AK).

Break:

Nahanni 3348
Rennzzo 2089
Mikeniks-Faldo 1935
Hlam14 1650
7Jokers 1478

66 min: At around the 60 minute mark, Nahanni (5th) gets a Faldo run of cards.

Her flopped two pair get run down by 7Joker’s straight.

Her attempt to take out Rennzzo hit his (AA).

Then her desperate all-in with (KJ) ran into 7Joker’s (AQ). But congratulations Nahanni. You have a seat in the NPP Finals!

85 min: Even though Hlam (4th) predicted 7Jokers would take him out, it was me, Mikeniks-Faldo that seemed to have it in for him. I raised his BB four consecutive times and when he finally made a stand with (99), I had (AK) and hit my [K] on the river. Ouch!

100 min: The battle raged on for quite a few hands, when finally Rennzzo (3rd) makes his stand with (KT) and runs into Mikeniks' (A9).

Heads up: 7Jokers 6000 – Mikeniks-Faldo 4500

105 min: 7Jokers 7500 – Mikeniks-Faldo 3000

108 min: Mikeniks (2nd) makes a stand with (A7) but 7Joker’s (A5) hits a [5] on the river.
7Jokers is pulling away from the pack in NPP wins. Nice job Tim!

1st – 7Jokers (41 pts)
2nd – Mikeniks-Faldo (22 pts)
3rd – Rennzzo (22 pts)
4th – Hlam14 (8 pts)
5th – Nahanni (45 pts) Wins 3rd Qtr. Seat!
6th – Matchy (5 pts)
7th – Tigercub (33 pts)
Boother 34 pts
Beerhog 30 pts
Doneill 28 pts
ArcticBlast 13 pts
Duder 13 pts
Aqualung 10 pts
BigLou 5 pts
DavetheDog 3 pts

The total points race is on the right side of the blog!

You Have to be Insane to be a World Class Poker Player

I have proof - even greater than the Whale saga.

Watching High Stakes Poker and a hand came up between Daniel Negreanu and Eli Elezra.

Negreanu limps in with (Ad 7D) from middle postion. Eli checks from the big blind with (QJ).

The flop is [Js Jd 5d] and Negreanu bets $4000 into a $5000 pot. Eli raises it $14000 to make the pot $23,000. Daniel calls the extra $10000 to see the turn.

[9s]

Eli goes all-in for $80,000 and Daniel rightfully folds. Now here is where the evidence is that these guys are CRAZY!

Daniel asks to rabbit hunt and the dealer turns over an [As] on the river.

As Eli rakes in the pot, Daniel states, "I had to fold anyway. He had a Jack." Eli states he did not and that it was a stone bluff.

Daniel laughs and says, "I'll bet you $50,000 you had the Jack," and slams the cash on the table.

Eli says, "Ok, here is my $50,000. Let's give it to Barry and after the game we can run the tape!"

Negreanu says nevermind and pulls his stack back.

First, Negreanu risks $50K on his read and Eli calls a bet he could not possibly win!

Insane.

Tigercub8189 on Fire on Poker Stars

Tigercub has taken advantage of the rainy weather by hitting the tourney circuit on PS.

He comes in 6th in a 360 player tilt (winning 17 times the entry) and follows it up with a 3rd in a similar tourney (winning 40 times the entry).

Well, the natural progression of numbers hopefully means a title soon.

Nice job Catbear.

Beerhog Wins at Boothers!

Been there - have not done that!

Good players and a great time, and to win there is quite a feat!

This happened a couple of weeks ago. I would have posted this sooner but Beerhog never got me any info on it. I got tired of waiting. Maybe Boother can give us a little low-down as to the action.

Great job Hog!

Faldo Drops "Doyles Room" From His Rotation

I liked the look of the game at the table, but the negatives were just too numerous.

1) The lobby is ugly, slow to load and hard to read
2) The time clock on the site was off by +4 hours (Alaska time?) and you could not adjust it to EST.
3) Very few tournaments available in my prime tournament playing time.

Doyle should push to Americanize his site. He should allow adjustment of the time clock / dates and add tourneys for US prime time.

The software is the old Gambling Club software, improved, but with a dumber lobby.

I am out of that site for now. - Faldo

I Got a Bum Steer in Traverse City - One Bad, One Good

Up in Traverse City, MI on business. I checked into the hotel at about 2pm since I got done with my meeting in Cadillac early.

I found a tourney on Bodog and signed up. I figured I could write my trip report and play in the tourney at the same time.

Anyway, I made it to the final two tables, with the tourney paying only the final table of nine.

With 12 players left, and me 8th in chips, I get (Ah Kh) in the small blind. Here we go.

The cutoff (10th in chips) makes the standard raise as the first one in. I got the 12th place guy in the big blind and I would love for him to come along - or make the forced all-in with hopefully a hand like (AQ).

I juice it to force the BB all-in, if he calls. But he folds and it is the cutoff who goes all-in. Well, I guess I can play a lap from 11th place with a fold or ....

All-in and lose to (QQ).

Next hand, I go all-in with (AQ) and lose to an unimproved (AK). I finish 12th, instead of those two mopes!

Time for dinner and some beer to drown my sorrows.

If and when you get to Traverse City, a must stop is Mode's Bum Steer. It is a small bar south of main street (129 e. State St.) - and it serves Black Angus steaks!

A sign posted right after you enter says quite plainly, "NO YOUNGSTEERS". I like that in a steak place.

Unfortunately, it is now smoke free - which meant the cigar had to be enjoyed outside after dinner. In Traverse City, in late summer, this is not exactly a step down.

The steaks are served with a huge Iceberg lettuce wedge, smothered in the dressing of your choice. I always get the blue cheese dressing because the chunks of cheese are the size of Milk Duds!

It also comes with a baked potato (fries or rice can be substituted) the thickness of your balled up fist and as long as from the tip of your middle finger to past your watchband! A spud on steriods!

I got the grilled mushrooms on top of my 8 oz Filet Mignon. I owed it to myself for my tough loss.

Had a Sam Adams Octoberfest prior to ordering and another to wash the dinner down.

Next was a walk on the beach, smoking a Licenciado Toro, after purchasing a tall Foster's at the beach side bar.

I sat on the bench to finish my great cigar and beer - and watch the sun set on the bay. Then came in here to tell you about the rotten luck I had in that tourney, while watching football in the room. Pity me. - Faldo

7Jokers Expands His Tourney Victory Lead!

This win puts 7Jokers three ahead of his closest rivals for most NPP tourney wins! Impressive! This is not a bunch of ribbon clerks he is besting.

Seven made it to the game tonight. I suspect the Comcast internet being down contributed to the lower than average turn out. I didn’t make it as my internet did not return until around 8:30 pm. I was just about to head to Buffalo Wild Wings to make sure I caught the tail end of the tourney, when Comcast got it running.

Yes, I would have been to BWW or a Holiday Inn Express if I needed NPP points. Instead I waited it out at home.

?? min: Duder (7th) is the first one out. Maybe someone can tell us what happened.

45 min: ArcticBlast (6th), who’s luck is the only one close to being as bad as mine, flops trip 9’s – calls all-in on the turn – but Doneill had hit a straight.

58 min: Tigercub (5th) is short stacked and makes a move with (AT). Doneill is holding (KK). An [A] on the flop teases the Cat, but a [K] on the turn dashes any comeback.

Break:

Doneill 4665
Hlam 2830
7Jokers 2085
Rennzzo 920

64 min: Rennzzo (4th) (Ks Jc) goes all-in over a Doneill (Kc Th) bet. Doneill hits the heart flush, taking the heart out of Rennzzo.

66 min: Hlam14 (3rd) takes a beat from 7Joker’s flush and loses shortly afterwards to Doneill.

Heads up: Doneill 7300 and 7Jokers 3200

70 min: 7Jokers hits a big hand and takes a 9000 to 1500 lead!

71 min: Doneill (2nd) goes all-in with (76) and 7Jokers takes it down with (A6). Another win for 7Jokers!

1st – 7Jokers 31 pts
2nd – Doneill 28 pts
3rd – Hlam14 5 pts
4th – Rennzzo 17 pts
5th – Tigercub 33 pts
6th – ArcticBlast 13 pts
7th – Duder 13 pts
Nahanni 44 pts
Boother 34 pts
Beerhog 30 pts
Faldo 15 pts
Aqualung 10 pts
Matchy 5 pts
BigLou 5 pts
DavetheDog 3 pts

Boother needs a win to tie Nahanni, as long as Nahanni doesn’t get any points on the last week. Should be an exciting night of poker!

Total point race is on the right side of the blog.