Can you say K high?

  Sorry I have been remiss in posting my blogs. No matter, it appears I have no followers anyway so I am just amusing myself. I was recently playing at Hollywood Casino. I was doing poorly, getting no hands, or hands that were second best and I was not playing all that well either. I had lost most of my first buy in and decided to add another half buy in. "If  I lose this I'm going home." I told myself. I generally only like to lose 1 and 1/2 buy ins. I figure either my luck is bad or it's me and I should go home before I lose more. This is a $1-2 game
  Ok, so I am one off the button with K7 of spades. Three people have limped in, including a guy I know from home games called E.P. The button makes it $10 to go. Everyone calls so I, of course, call as well. The flop is 6,8,9 rainbow. Everyone checks to me. I figure the button probably has high cards and a bet of $30 should get me the pot unless someone is slowplaying. If they are I have outs. The button folds and Frank and E.P. call me. The turn is the 9 of spades. So, I now have a flush draw to go with my open-ended straight draw. Both players check to me so I shove all in for about $76. Frank immediately folds. E.P. says "I think I'm good here, I think you are on a draw." He decides to call. I'm thinking "Oh shit, come on dealer give me something!" The river is the Q of hearts. My heart sinks as E.P. waits for me to turn my cards over. "I just have K high." I say as I turn over my cards. E.P. says "I have a six... Oh wait, no I don't." and he turns over J4! I win a $250 pot with K high! Woo Hoo! I went on from there winning more pots and cashing out for triple my 1 and a half buy in! Wow, what a game!

How would you like to play your hand face up?

  I was recently in a cash game at Hollywood Casino and watched a guy play his hand face up twice! I am not kidding. This gentleman had a habit of turning his cards face up after a hand even if no one called. (Yes, it was rather nice) So he raises pre-flop in this one hand and gets three callers. The flop is A,Q,5 all spades. Everyone checks to him and he bets. I can't remember the exact bets because this took place two weeks ago. He gets one caller. The caller puts his chips in just as sir shows a lot turns over his AJ thinking that no one had called. The cards did not hit the muck and the dealer was smart enough not to touch them. He called the floor man. The floor man declares the hand is not dead but the man must now play it face up. The turn is dealt. It is a small card. I look at the caller and say "So what are you going to do now?" With a big grin on my face. He immediately makes a pot sized bet and sir shows a lot calls! The river is dealt and it goes check check and sir shows wins with a pair of Aces!
  The second hand involves yours truly. I limp with K10 in late position. There are five people in the hand. The flop is 9,J,Q all different suits. Woo! Hoo! Yes, Mr. Van Patton show tunes were going off in my head. Sir shows bets $10. One man calls and I, of course, smooth call. The turn is a small card. Sir shows bets $25, other guy folds, sigh, I go to smooth call just as He once again turns over his hand! He had J,9. The dealer shakes his head and says he must once again play it face up. (you just can't make this stuff up) The river is dealt it is another small card. He checks to me and I think to myself "I think he'll pay another $25." Sure enough he does and gets the bad news. The rest of the evening the dealer continued to remind everyone not to turn their hand over.

Rebuy!

  My second game of the year took place on January 8th at Bill and Amy's. I had decided, after my meltdown from the previous night, that I really needed to watch my attitude. I decided that I was going to stop pressuring myself to make money and just enjoy my hobby. Well, I certainly did do that.
  This night I was going to a tournament at Bill and Amy's house. This tournament has re buys. Now, I pride myself on the fact that I usually don't have to re buy in these kinds of tournaments but pride comes before a fall. Well, I started off playing ok but quickly began donking up the place. I was playing too loose and bleeding chips. I was in the bb with suited crap and called a raise with it. There are five people in the hand. I flopped my flush draw and in my donkified state decided it was a good idea to bet into 4 people in first position. Well, of course, I got raised by my poker buddy Shannon and my other buddy, Herb, called. The raise was half my stack, so I decided it was fold or shove. I shoved. Shannon really agonized over this wondering if I had a real hand and also wondering what Herb was going to do. In the end they both called. Shannon showed 2 pair and I forget what Herb had. My draw missed and Herb and I were out. We both yelled "Re buy!"
  Round two lasted for one hand. Herb and I both take seats directly across from where we were. I immediately look down at AKs and make a raise. Herb re-raises me and Matt pushes for about half my stack. Knowing the range of the two very loose people who just raised me, I think "You guys are full of bs" and again I shove. Herb calls and turns over 99 and Matt turns over 78s. Well, the 99 holds. "Re buy!" I yell again. I was laughing at this point. I was determined to have a good time in spite of having to re buy again. (although I didn't relish the idea of telling my husband I bought in three times "but I had a good time, honey")
  Round three starts and I tell myself to get my head in the game. Ok, Angie, you just have to make 4th place to get your money back. I finally played tight, solid and really started making some progress. I got some really beautiful hands and they all held up. It also helps when the guy on pain meds keeps betting into your set and your nut flush. (I'll take 'em any way I can get 'em) I made it to the final table and was raking in huge pots. I commented on how cumbersome all these chips were. "Some people have to get lucky to obtain chips." said my friend, Bill. To which I replied, "I'd rather be lucky then good."
  I went on to chop with Gary for first place. I recovered all my money from the previous night plus some. The best part was I had a really good time. I like this new attitude, it pays well.

Poker blogs

Here is a link to a site with lots of poker blogs if you are interested: http://www.pokerweblogs.com/

"It is better to light a single candle than to curse the darkness"

  January 7th was my first game of this year. I was on my way to the casino with high hopes. It's a new year, this one is bound to be better, I told myself. I kept my mind busy on the way running the percentages of pre-flop card match ups in my head as well as Mr. Skalansky's table of hand ranges for calling all-ins in the bb. Yes, I really do this. My latest book is "No Limit Hold 'Em Theory and Practice" by David Skalansky and Ed Miller. This book made me think about things in the game I had never before considered, opening my mind to some new strategies. No, I do not get paid to say this. Although, it would be nice if I did. (hint)
  I arrive at the casino and head for the tables. I had fun, at first. Nothing seemed to be happening for me and I watched my chips slowly go away. I finally get pocket JJ and make a raise. Two people call and I quietly say to the girl beside me "I'm thinking of a flop" (A,J,something little) and there it is! I am not kidding! I check, one guy bets, another guy raises, my dream has come true! I shove because I don't like the two hearts on board and I want to maximize my expectation. The first guy goes all in for less and the second guy calls. It was just as I suspected, guy #1 has a flush draw and guy #2 has a big A. Hold up please. No such luck, a heart comes on the river. Well, at least I got the side pot which puts me right back where I was. I tell myself to be grateful I got that and move on. Oh but it just gets worse. Nothing was working, no cards, no successful bluffs, didn't get paid for my good hands you get the picture. Running out of time, I go on tilt and gamble away the rest of my chips trying to make something happen.
  I left the casino mad as hell. On my drive home I was cursing more than just the darkness. "God, how can you let this happen to me? I had a really poor end of 2010 and now 2011 is starting off like this!" I ranted and raved while a little voice in the back of my head reminded me that some of the loss was my own fault. A penny saved is a penny earned or a dollar not donked off in stupidity is a dollar I get to keep. I went home and drank, a lot, and watched Craig Ferguson's Late Late Show. He makes me laugh and that is some good medicine.
  I did eventually apologize to God. I found the above quote and it gave me new life. My dream is to be the first woman to win the WSOP main event and I keep this ever before me. This is but one of the candles I light. Sometimes I think of my family, my friends or I make fun of myself, trying not to be so serious. I'm grateful for the fact that at least my poker hobby pays for itself. So, when the bad beats come, and the cards don't, and when nothing seems to work, light your candle and maybe you will leave the casino with at least some of your money left.

Cash Games

  After my big win in the ladies tourney, I felt I had a big enough bankroll to take on the local cash games. Up to this point I had played mostly tournaments. I had some experience playing but most of it was the 25/50 cent games at Chris and Mary's. It's easy to feel comfortable when you are only risking $50. I use Phil Gordon's guideline of 100x the bb as my buy in. I would like to say it was a smooth transition but that is not so. I found myself with $200-$300 of my hard earned tourney money at risk in front of me. It was a little unnerving. I was so nervous at times that I made some really stupid blunders. Thank God for the trend of mucking your hand if you lose because I would have been embarrassed to showdown some of those hands!( I know you can relate even if you don't admit it)  I made the adjustment and went on to make some decent money at times. I also lost some decent money as well.
  2009 ended with my bankroll in the black in spite of hitting some very long losing streaks toward the end of the year. 2010 was not a big improvement. I played a variety of cash games and tournaments but my losing streaks were longer than my winning streaks. I actually won enough to put me in the black, but between expenses for poker trips and using my bankroll to pay for car repairs my bankroll was pretty beat up by the end of the year. I know that it wasn't only bad luck. The losing streaks were affecting my play. I had to face the ugly truth of being responsible for my results. Alan Schoonmaker made me face the truth in his book "Your Worst Poker Enemy." Through his wisdom I realized I was probably extending my streaks with my poor attitude. I've been working on it but have not totally conquered it as you will see. (your welcome, Alan)
   Well, that's it for the past. I have high hopes for 2011. So let's come into the present and see what's happening in my current poker life.

A WSOP Event

   The year was 2009. I decided to go to A.C. with some lady friends and play in the WSOP Ladies event in March at Caesar's. The friends included Rita, Janice and Janice's friend Janelle. We were meeting my other friend, Robin, who was going with her husband. I arrived with butterflies in my stomach and my hopes high. As soon as I sat down and saw the screen with the blind levels my heart sank. I had been reading "Poker Tournament Formula" by Arnold Snyder. (A good book for those aspiring to play tourneys, your welcome Arnold) I had 3000 in chips with 30 min. blinds and well over 200 women to beat! For those of you unaware this is a horrible structure.
  Well, too late now, shuffle up and deal! I did well at first until the field thinned and I had to play women who knew what they were doing. Then card deadedness set in. I was down to three bb and saw K8s. All in! Trip 8's tripled me up and I went on to get through the rest of the tourney by the skin of my teeth. Meanwhile, one by one my comrad's fell leaving me as last woman standing. I made it to the money, 27, then to two tables, then the final table baby! When my friends Robin and Scott found out I made the final table, they were there in a shot supporting me. I called my husband and my friend Amy on the breaks to let them know how I was doing. I had a great time playing with those ladies. I made it to 3 then I made a deal with the two left and then went out in 3rd place!
   Have you ever walked around a casino with thousands of dollars in your bag? It was new to me. I treated my friends to a couple of drinks. Then, tired and happy, I made the long trip back home. I paid off a debt and padded my bankroll. Then, I went on to try out the cash games. But that's a story for the next blog.
Link to my win: http://www.pokerpages.com/tournament/result24158.html