Full Tilt Poker Game #_: Table Camino Del Santo - $0.10/$0.25 - No Limit Hold'em - 0:29:51 ET - 2007/12/29
Seat 2: ($32.40)
Seat 3: ($24)
Seat 4: ($3.10)
Seat 5: ($23.30)
Seat 6: villain($11.05)
Seat 7: ($9.75)
Seat 8: hero ($25)
Seat 9: ($53.35)
Seat 3 posts the small blind of $0.10
Seat 4 posts the big blind of $0.25
hero posts $0.25
The button has just gone by, so I decided to post rather than wait. So this is the first hand at this table for us.
The button is in seat #2
*** HOLE CARDS ***
Dealt to hero [5h 8h]
Seat 5 folds
villain raises to $0.75
Seat 7 folds
Well, the odds we're being offered here are 2:1. That's actually about right for this hand. You see pros make these kind of calls on TV. They don't make them because "any two cards can win," they make them because a combination of the immediate pot odds and the implied odds are favorable. But you have to play it right - either it flops a monster catch or you check-fold.
hero calls $0.50
Seat 9 folds
Seat 2 folds
Seat 3 calls $0.65
Seat 4 folds
*** FLOP *** [4c 8d 5d]
Nice!
Seat 3 checks
villain bets $1
Not only is this likely to be nothing more than a continuation bet, but even if it wasn't, look at the flop: the best hand he could likely have is a big pair, which we have crushed. We can't give the flush draw a free card, but there's no need to go crazy.
hero raises to $3
Seat 3 folds
villain calls $2
*** TURN *** [4c 8d 5d] [Qh]
villain checks
With that last call, he is now pot committed. Time to make him pay.
hero bets $8
villain calls $7.30, and is all in
hero shows [5h 8h]
villain shows [Qd Ac]
Uncalled bet of $0.70 returned to hero
*** RIVER *** [4c 8d 5d Qh] [Ah]
ARGH!!! I hate it when 5-outers catch on the river.
hero shows two pair, Eights and Fives
villain shows two pair, Aces and Queens
villain wins the pot ($21.95) with two pair, Aces and Queens
*** SUMMARY ***
Total pot $23.10 | Rake $1.15
Board: [4c 8d 5d Qh Ah]
Seat 2: (button) didn't bet (folded)
Seat 3: (small blind) folded on the Flop
Seat 4: (big blind) folded before the Flop
Seat 5: didn't bet (folded)
Seat 6: villain showed [Qd Ac] and won ($21.95) with two pair, Aces and Queens
Seat 7: didn't bet (folded)
Seat 8: hero showed [5h 8h] and lost with two pair, Eights and Fives
Seat 9: didn't bet (folded)
Friday, December 28, 2007
Thursday, December 20, 2007
PokerStars native Mac client!
It's finally here! PokerStars now has a native Mac client. If you're familiar with P* on Windows, you won't find anything out of place here.
Of course, my first two tournaments with it were met with unbelievable cold deck losses, but it's been a bad night all 'round. I'm just happy to be able to get back on P* without the hassle of firing up Windows.
Just go to PokerStars (no, I don't get a kickback for the link) and click download. If you're using a Mac, you'll get sent to the mac download page. Like most Mac software, you just open the disk image and drag the application to wherever you want.
Of course, my first two tournaments with it were met with unbelievable cold deck losses, but it's been a bad night all 'round. I'm just happy to be able to get back on P* without the hassle of firing up Windows.
Just go to PokerStars (no, I don't get a kickback for the link) and click download. If you're using a Mac, you'll get sent to the mac download page. Like most Mac software, you just open the disk image and drag the application to wherever you want.
Sunday, December 16, 2007
Nuisance bets
Full Tilt Poker Game #_: $10 + $1 Sit & Go (_), Table 1 - 15/30 - No Limit Hold'em - 2:36:26 ET - 2007/12/17
Seat 1: villain (1,395)
Seat 2: (1,695)
Seat 3: hero (1,680)
Seat 4: (1,500)
Seat 5: (1,230)
Seat 6: (1,500)
hero posts the small blind of 15
Seat 4 posts the big blind of 30
The button is in seat #2
*** HOLE CARDS ***
Dealt to nsayer [Jd 3s]
Seat 5 folds
Seat 6 folds
villain calls 30
Seat 2 folds
hero calls 15
Seat 4 checks
*** FLOP *** [Js 7d 7h]
hero bets 90
Seat 4 folds
villain calls 90
*** TURN *** [Js 7d 7h] [Ts]
hero checks
villain bets 30
Oh come on! There's 270 chips in the pot. Why would you bet a ninth of the pot? A bet should always have a purpose behind it. What purpose could possibly be served by offering your opponent such ridiculous odds? Normally, I take nuisance bets (as I like to call them - bets that are, say, less than a quarter of the pot) as a sign of weakness and make a pot-sized raise, but here I decided that since he called a pot-sized bet on the flop that he had at least a 7 or a jack, and I'd either be throwing chips away or wouldn't be able to chase him away from the split-pot.
hero calls 30
*** RIVER *** [Js 7d 7h Ts] [8h]
hero checks
villain bets 30
This bet represents less than a tenth of the pot. That bet gives ace-high proper odds to call. A better play is to just check. That, at least, can look like step 1 of a check-raise. But a wimpy little 30 chip bet just looks like stupidity.
hero calls 30
*** SHOW DOWN ***
villain shows [Jh 5s] two pair, Jacks and Sevens
hero shows [Jd 3s] two pair, Jacks and Sevens
Figures.
hero ties for the pot (195) with two pair, Jacks and Sevens
villain ties for the pot (195) with two pair, Jacks and Sevens
*** SUMMARY ***
Total pot 390 | Rake 0
Board: [Js 7d 7h Ts 8h]
Seat 1: villain showed [Jh 5s] and won (195) with two pair, Jacks and Sevens
Seat 2: (button) didn't bet (folded)
Seat 3: hero (small blind) showed [Jd 3s] and won (195) with two pair, Jacks and Sevens
Seat 4: (big blind) folded on the Flop
Seat 5: didn't bet (folded)
Seat 6: didn't bet (folded)
Seat 1: villain (1,395)
Seat 2: (1,695)
Seat 3: hero (1,680)
Seat 4: (1,500)
Seat 5: (1,230)
Seat 6: (1,500)
hero posts the small blind of 15
Seat 4 posts the big blind of 30
The button is in seat #2
*** HOLE CARDS ***
Dealt to nsayer [Jd 3s]
Seat 5 folds
Seat 6 folds
villain calls 30
Seat 2 folds
hero calls 15
Seat 4 checks
*** FLOP *** [Js 7d 7h]
hero bets 90
Seat 4 folds
villain calls 90
*** TURN *** [Js 7d 7h] [Ts]
hero checks
villain bets 30
Oh come on! There's 270 chips in the pot. Why would you bet a ninth of the pot? A bet should always have a purpose behind it. What purpose could possibly be served by offering your opponent such ridiculous odds? Normally, I take nuisance bets (as I like to call them - bets that are, say, less than a quarter of the pot) as a sign of weakness and make a pot-sized raise, but here I decided that since he called a pot-sized bet on the flop that he had at least a 7 or a jack, and I'd either be throwing chips away or wouldn't be able to chase him away from the split-pot.
hero calls 30
*** RIVER *** [Js 7d 7h Ts] [8h]
hero checks
villain bets 30
This bet represents less than a tenth of the pot. That bet gives ace-high proper odds to call. A better play is to just check. That, at least, can look like step 1 of a check-raise. But a wimpy little 30 chip bet just looks like stupidity.
hero calls 30
*** SHOW DOWN ***
villain shows [Jh 5s] two pair, Jacks and Sevens
hero shows [Jd 3s] two pair, Jacks and Sevens
Figures.
hero ties for the pot (195) with two pair, Jacks and Sevens
villain ties for the pot (195) with two pair, Jacks and Sevens
*** SUMMARY ***
Total pot 390 | Rake 0
Board: [Js 7d 7h Ts 8h]
Seat 1: villain showed [Jh 5s] and won (195) with two pair, Jacks and Sevens
Seat 2: (button) didn't bet (folded)
Seat 3: hero (small blind) showed [Jd 3s] and won (195) with two pair, Jacks and Sevens
Seat 4: (big blind) folded on the Flop
Seat 5: didn't bet (folded)
Seat 6: didn't bet (folded)
Checking the river
Full Tilt Poker Game #_: $10 + $1 Sit & Go (_), Table 1 - 15/30 - No Limit Hold'em - 1:58:52 ET - 2007/12/17
Seat 1: (3,435)
Seat 2: (975)
Seat 3: hero (1,620)
Seat 4: villain (1,470)
Seat 5: (1,500)
Seat 4 posts the small blind of 15
Seat 5 posts the big blind of 30
The button is in seat #3
*** HOLE CARDS ***
Dealt to hero [5d Kd]
Seat 1 folds
Seat 2 folds
hero calls 30
In position with a suited king and no limpers or raisers. I suppose I could have raised here, but it's early yet.
villain calls 15
Seat 5 checks
*** FLOP *** [9d 2d 4d]
villain bets 90
Seat 5 folds
Nice. The 2nd-to-nut flush and the opposition is betting into me. Let's trap.
hero calls 90
*** TURN *** [9d 2d 4d] [Tc]
villain bets 270
hero calls 270
*** RIVER *** [9d 2d 4d Tc] [Jd]
villain checks
There are two possibilities. Either he has the ace of diamonds and is getting ready to check-raise, or we have him beat. But look at it from his perspective: There are four diamonds on the board and no pairs. If he has either a small diamond or no diamond at all, is he going to call a bet here? What's the upside if I make a bet here? Nobody is likely to just call. Either they're going to raise with the ace of diamonds or fold. If the ace of diamonds is trying to check-raise, then I save chips by not falling into the trap, and if nobody else is going to call, I gain nothing by betting. What do I do if he raises? Fold, having probably lost another 600 chips or so? At the very least, checking it down let's me show that I was trapping with a good hand when I called on the flop and turn and will hopefully improve my table image.
hero checks
*** SHOW DOWN ***
villain shows [9c Ah] a pair of Nines
hero shows [5d Kd] a flush, King high
hero wins the pot (810) with a flush, King high
*** SUMMARY ***
Total pot 810 | Rake 0
Board: [9d 2d 4d Tc Jd]
Seat 1: didn't bet (folded)
Seat 2: didn't bet (folded)
Seat 3: hero (button) showed [5d Kd] and won (810) with a flush, King high
Seat 4: villain (small blind) showed [9c Ah] and lost with a pair of Nines
Seat 5: (big blind) folded on the Flop
Seat 1: (3,435)
Seat 2: (975)
Seat 3: hero (1,620)
Seat 4: villain (1,470)
Seat 5: (1,500)
Seat 4 posts the small blind of 15
Seat 5 posts the big blind of 30
The button is in seat #3
*** HOLE CARDS ***
Dealt to hero [5d Kd]
Seat 1 folds
Seat 2 folds
hero calls 30
In position with a suited king and no limpers or raisers. I suppose I could have raised here, but it's early yet.
villain calls 15
Seat 5 checks
*** FLOP *** [9d 2d 4d]
villain bets 90
Seat 5 folds
Nice. The 2nd-to-nut flush and the opposition is betting into me. Let's trap.
hero calls 90
*** TURN *** [9d 2d 4d] [Tc]
villain bets 270
hero calls 270
*** RIVER *** [9d 2d 4d Tc] [Jd]
villain checks
There are two possibilities. Either he has the ace of diamonds and is getting ready to check-raise, or we have him beat. But look at it from his perspective: There are four diamonds on the board and no pairs. If he has either a small diamond or no diamond at all, is he going to call a bet here? What's the upside if I make a bet here? Nobody is likely to just call. Either they're going to raise with the ace of diamonds or fold. If the ace of diamonds is trying to check-raise, then I save chips by not falling into the trap, and if nobody else is going to call, I gain nothing by betting. What do I do if he raises? Fold, having probably lost another 600 chips or so? At the very least, checking it down let's me show that I was trapping with a good hand when I called on the flop and turn and will hopefully improve my table image.
hero checks
*** SHOW DOWN ***
villain shows [9c Ah] a pair of Nines
hero shows [5d Kd] a flush, King high
hero wins the pot (810) with a flush, King high
*** SUMMARY ***
Total pot 810 | Rake 0
Board: [9d 2d 4d Tc Jd]
Seat 1: didn't bet (folded)
Seat 2: didn't bet (folded)
Seat 3: hero (button) showed [5d Kd] and won (810) with a flush, King high
Seat 4: villain (small blind) showed [9c Ah] and lost with a pair of Nines
Seat 5: (big blind) folded on the Flop
Friday, December 14, 2007
CSI:Miami's DX4 "vaporizer" isn't entirely vaporware
The latest episode of CSI: Miami featured a plot that revolved around a weapon they called the DX4 or the "vaporizer." In the opening scene, three gun smugglers are blown into tiny pieces my a mystery weapon later revealed to be an electronically fired multi-barrel gun. Though lots of folks may have thought it a flight of Hollywood writer fancy, there is a grain of truth to be found.
The technology behind the DX4 is, in fact, been in development by an Australian company called Metal Storm for some time now. The animated technology demo given on the show to illustrate how the gun worked was wrong. They had a single shot per barrel, making the DX4 the biggest single-shot blunderbuss I've ever seen. The real Metal Storm system uses stacks of ammunition in each barrel.
But after getting the technology wrong, which is de rigueur for Hollywood, you have to look at more basic plausibility issues. And if you do, you won't like what you see. For one, it's unclear why the perpetrators of the three opening scene murders resorted to such ridiculous over-kill when a double-tap would have been just as effective (and given the victims' line of work would have raised far fewer eyebrows). Then there's the problem with assassins moving swiftly and silently through the shadows lugging a giant sedan-chair sized weapon around - never mind aiming it properly at 3 armed stooges who presumably are trying not to be shot. Lastly, if you were to set off all the barrels in such a gun at once, with the purpose being to vaporize a human target, the recoil would be, well, memorable. Do we even need to mention the ever present exploding gas tank myth?
But despite all that, the episode was rescued at the last minute by Horatio Caine shooting the perp in the forehead in mid sentence. In that one instant, I was transported back to "The Good, The Bad and The Ugly," and Tuco's memorable advice to all would-be villains who find themselves with the upper hand on their nemesis: "When you have to shoot, shoot. Don't talk."
The technology behind the DX4 is, in fact, been in development by an Australian company called Metal Storm for some time now. The animated technology demo given on the show to illustrate how the gun worked was wrong. They had a single shot per barrel, making the DX4 the biggest single-shot blunderbuss I've ever seen. The real Metal Storm system uses stacks of ammunition in each barrel.
But after getting the technology wrong, which is de rigueur for Hollywood, you have to look at more basic plausibility issues. And if you do, you won't like what you see. For one, it's unclear why the perpetrators of the three opening scene murders resorted to such ridiculous over-kill when a double-tap would have been just as effective (and given the victims' line of work would have raised far fewer eyebrows). Then there's the problem with assassins moving swiftly and silently through the shadows lugging a giant sedan-chair sized weapon around - never mind aiming it properly at 3 armed stooges who presumably are trying not to be shot. Lastly, if you were to set off all the barrels in such a gun at once, with the purpose being to vaporize a human target, the recoil would be, well, memorable. Do we even need to mention the ever present exploding gas tank myth?
But despite all that, the episode was rescued at the last minute by Horatio Caine shooting the perp in the forehead in mid sentence. In that one instant, I was transported back to "The Good, The Bad and The Ugly," and Tuco's memorable advice to all would-be villains who find themselves with the upper hand on their nemesis: "When you have to shoot, shoot. Don't talk."
Thursday, December 13, 2007
So close, and yet so far.
More cash game action.
Full Tilt Poker Game #_: Table Ann - $0.10/$0.25 - No Limit Hold'em - 21:24:39 ET - 2007/12/13
Seat 1: villain ($25.10)
Seat 2: ($25)
Seat 3: ($11.45)
Seat 4: ($15.15)
Seat 5: ($29.75)
Seat 6: ($5.15)
Seat 7: ($9)
Seat 8: hero ($25.35)
Seat 9: ($78.65)
Seat 9 posts the small blind of $0.10
Seat 1 posts the big blind of $0.25
The button is in seat #8
*** HOLE CARDS ***
Dealt to hero [Td Ad]
Seat 2 folds
Seat 3 raises to $1
Seat 4 folds
Seat 5 folds
Seat 6 folds
Early position raise. We have a medium-to-big suited ace. Let's see as cheap a flop as possible, especially being on the button, and see how we fare.
hero calls $1
Seat 9 calls $0.90
Seat 1 calls $0.75
The blinds came along. That's a bit unfortunate, since it raises the possibility we'll flop an ace and be out-kicked. But the ten wasn't a big enough kicker to re-raise with before the flop.
*** FLOP *** [Jd Kc Qd]
Lawdamighty!!!
The nut straight and the royal flush draw!
Seat 9 checks
villain bets $2.50
Seat 3 calls $2.50
We've got this one. The goal here is to try and get as much money into the center as possible. My thinking here is that at least one of these two limped with a bigger ace and thus hastwo pair [Stupid Nick, there was no ace on the flop]. If I raise, I'm sure to get at least one caller.
hero raises to $10
It's a slight over-raise because it's designed to put one of the two of them all-in.
Seat 9 folds
villain calls $7.50
Seat 3 folds
Seat 3 later claimed in the chat window to have AQ.I'm rather surprised he got away from it, but perhaps that's a consequence of my over-raise [Of course he got away from it, dummy, he had 2nd pair with an ace kicker].
*** TURN *** [Jd Kc Qd] [8h]
villain checks
We're both committed now. No point waiting.
hero bets $14.35, and is all in
villain calls $14.10, and is all in
hero shows [Td Ad]
villain shows [Kd Qh]
Aaaaaaw!!!! He had my Kd for the royal flush! Too bad.
I still have him crushed. He has 4 outs for a boat. If he had any other king but the king of diamonds, he'd have only 3 outs, since the Kd would give me my royal.
Uncalled bet of $0.25 returned to hero
*** RIVER *** [Jd Kc Qd 8h] [9s]
hero shows a straight, Ace high
villain shows two pair, Kings and Queens
hero wins the pot ($52) with a straight, Ace high
villain is sitting out
*** SUMMARY ***
Total pot $54.70 | Rake $2.70
Board: [Jd Kc Qd 8h 9s]
Seat 1: villain (big blind) showed [Kd Qh] and lost with two pair, Kings and Queens
Seat 2: didn't bet (folded)
Seat 3: folded on the Flop
Seat 4: didn't bet (folded)
Seat 5: didn't bet (folded)
Seat 6: didn't bet (folded)
Seat 7: is sitting out
Seat 8: hero (button) showed [Td Ad] and won ($52) with a straight, Ace high
Seat 9: (small blind) folded on the Flop
Full Tilt Poker Game #_: Table Ann - $0.10/$0.25 - No Limit Hold'em - 21:24:39 ET - 2007/12/13
Seat 1: villain ($25.10)
Seat 2: ($25)
Seat 3: ($11.45)
Seat 4: ($15.15)
Seat 5: ($29.75)
Seat 6: ($5.15)
Seat 7: ($9)
Seat 8: hero ($25.35)
Seat 9: ($78.65)
Seat 9 posts the small blind of $0.10
Seat 1 posts the big blind of $0.25
The button is in seat #8
*** HOLE CARDS ***
Dealt to hero [Td Ad]
Seat 2 folds
Seat 3 raises to $1
Seat 4 folds
Seat 5 folds
Seat 6 folds
Early position raise. We have a medium-to-big suited ace. Let's see as cheap a flop as possible, especially being on the button, and see how we fare.
hero calls $1
Seat 9 calls $0.90
Seat 1 calls $0.75
The blinds came along. That's a bit unfortunate, since it raises the possibility we'll flop an ace and be out-kicked. But the ten wasn't a big enough kicker to re-raise with before the flop.
*** FLOP *** [Jd Kc Qd]
Lawdamighty!!!
The nut straight and the royal flush draw!
Seat 9 checks
villain bets $2.50
Seat 3 calls $2.50
We've got this one. The goal here is to try and get as much money into the center as possible. My thinking here is that at least one of these two limped with a bigger ace and thus has
hero raises to $10
It's a slight over-raise because it's designed to put one of the two of them all-in.
Seat 9 folds
villain calls $7.50
Seat 3 folds
Seat 3 later claimed in the chat window to have AQ.
*** TURN *** [Jd Kc Qd] [8h]
villain checks
We're both committed now. No point waiting.
hero bets $14.35, and is all in
villain calls $14.10, and is all in
hero shows [Td Ad]
villain shows [Kd Qh]
Aaaaaaw!!!! He had my Kd for the royal flush! Too bad.
I still have him crushed. He has 4 outs for a boat. If he had any other king but the king of diamonds, he'd have only 3 outs, since the Kd would give me my royal.
Uncalled bet of $0.25 returned to hero
*** RIVER *** [Jd Kc Qd 8h] [9s]
hero shows a straight, Ace high
villain shows two pair, Kings and Queens
hero wins the pot ($52) with a straight, Ace high
villain is sitting out
*** SUMMARY ***
Total pot $54.70 | Rake $2.70
Board: [Jd Kc Qd 8h 9s]
Seat 1: villain (big blind) showed [Kd Qh] and lost with two pair, Kings and Queens
Seat 2: didn't bet (folded)
Seat 3: folded on the Flop
Seat 4: didn't bet (folded)
Seat 5: didn't bet (folded)
Seat 6: didn't bet (folded)
Seat 7: is sitting out
Seat 8: hero (button) showed [Td Ad] and won ($52) with a straight, Ace high
Seat 9: (small blind) folded on the Flop
Sunday, December 9, 2007
Oh, the irony
So one of the latest Get a Mac TV ad has the the PC saying, "If your printer doesn't work with Vista, buy a new printer!" As if Vista is guiltier than most OS upgrades at breaking older hardware.
Uh huh.
When we upgraded to Leopard, one of the things that didn't survive the upgrade was our HP PSC-1610 printer/scanner. So what did we do? We bought a new printer. Because our printer didn't work with Leopard. Pot, kettle, black.
Uh huh.
When we upgraded to Leopard, one of the things that didn't survive the upgrade was our HP PSC-1610 printer/scanner. So what did we do? We bought a new printer. Because our printer didn't work with Leopard. Pot, kettle, black.
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