Return to the Ring...

As I mentioned in yesterday's post, I will be playing in the upcoming WPBT event that is happening at PokerStars this upcoming Wednesday night. I have been looking forward to this now for a couple of weeks because it will be the first time that I have actually played with any of the bloggers that I enjoy reading.

Well, in order to buyin to the WPBT event I had to buyin to PokerStars for $50 since that is their minimum amount you can upload to your account. I got bought into the WPBT tourney on Wednesday and thought that I would get reacquainted with online poker seeing as I have been sworn off of online poker for a while now. I am used to the PokerStars format because I played there once upon a time but I still felt like I needed a refresher/warm-up before the event just to shake the dust off my mouse and click finger.

So when the wife and kiddies hit the bed I decided to play in a couple of $5 SNGs. I eventually went with a Pot-Limit Omaha SNG (Omaha has become my new favorite game so I did this for fun) and then a No-Limit Hold'em SNG. Guess what... I won them both!

It was such a good feeling too. I truly believe that I played the best poker I have ever played during these two events. All of my reads were correct. I owned the table and I don't believe it was because the players were that much worse than me. I simply outplayed both tables I was at. Please realize that I am not tooting my own horn just to try to tell you how great I think I am. I actually consider myself an average poker player. It was because I shocked myself with my play. I didn't get bored. I remained focused and disciplined and didn't play bad cards in bad spots. It simply just felt good and I think I got a small taste of what Daniel Negreanu has been experiencing as of late.

Anyways... enough blathering. I do want to take the time to document two particular hands (one in each SNG) that were my highlight hands of the night IMHO. Tell me what you think about the way I played them. I will provide some commentary about what I was thinking as the hands were being played. Names will be withheld to protect the innocent. I am myradiohead FYI.

Hand #1 - Pot-Limit Omaha SNG, Level V (75/150), Hand #60
Seat 5: (5635 in chips)
Seat 8: (2360 in chips)
Seat 9: myradiohead (5505 in chips)
Seat 8: posts small blind 75
myradiohead: posts big blind 150

*** HOLE CARDS ***
Dealt to myradiohead J 7 Q Q
Seat 5: raises 375 to 525
Seat 8: folds
myradiohead: calls 375

*** FLOP ***
Q Q 6
myradiohead: checks
Seat 5: bets 1125
myradiohead: calls 1125
Did you say WOW! like I did... Right here all I am thinking is that I have to let him catch up and lucky for me he comes out swinging with that big bet.

*** TURN ***
Q Q 6 A
myradiohead: checks
Seat 5: checks
I check here hoping for another bet from him which I intended on merely calling but he decides to check behind me.

*** RIVER ***
Q Q 6 A 10
myradiohead: bets 3375
Seat 5: calls 3375
I pushed all-in here wanting a call obviously. The reason I pushed is because I figure by overbetting the pot at this point he will think I am trying to steal since I never showed strength until the river. He called and you know the rest.

*** SHOW DOWN ***
myradiohead: shows Dealt to myradiohead J 7 Q Q
(four of a kind, Queens)
Seat 5: mucks hand
myradiohead collected 10125 from pot

*** SUMMARY ***
Total pot 10125 | Rake 0
Board Q Q 6 A 10
Seat 5: (button) mucked 4 8 A K
Seat 8: (small blind) folded before Flop
Seat 9: myradiohead (big blind) showed J 7 Q Q and won (10125)
From here I simply leaned on the Seat 8 since I had him outchipped 5 to 1 and won easily in short order.


Hand #2 - No-Limit Hold'em SNG, Level VII (100/200), Hand #88
Seat 4: myradiohead (5085 in chips)
Seat 6: (2520 in chips)
Seat 8: (1655 in chips)
Seat 9: (4240 in chips)
myradiohead: posts small blind 100
Seat 6: posts big blind 200

*** HOLE CARDS ***
Dealt to myradiohead 5 4
Seat 8: folds
Seat 9: calls 200
myradiohead: calls 100
Seat 6: checks
The thinking here is that Seat 6 has been allowing limps and I have the chip lead. Call the rest of the blind and hope the flop hits me like...

*** FLOP ***
3 A 2
myradiohead: checks
Seat 6: checks
Seat 9: bets 200
myradiohead: calls 200
Seat 6: folds
This... Whoa.... Kinda like Hand #1 but not quite as good. I definitely have to let people catch up though. Simple call and keep my fingers crossed for no pair on the board and a spade...

*** TURN ***
3 A 2 K
myradiohead: checks
Seat 9: bets 200
myradiohead: raises 800 to 1000
Seat 9: calls 800
Well, no pair of the board came but sure enough here comes that club. Well I have teensy, weensy clubs so I am going to raise him at this point. Yippeee!!! He calls... Puhhhleeeze.... No CLUBS!!!!

*** RIVER ***
3 A 2 K 8
myradiohead: bets 3660 and is all-in
Seat 9: calls 2815 and is all-in
The most beautiful 8 I have ever seen. I push here because as in Hand #1 I feel he is going to believe I am trying to buy the large pot with an all-in move. My read was correct and he calls only to go down in flames.

*** SHOW DOWN ***
myradiohead: shows 5 4 (a straight, Ace to Five)
Seat 9: shows 8 A (two pair, Aces and Eights)
myradiohead collected 8730 from pot

*** SUMMARY ***
Total pot 8730 | Rake 0
Board 3 A 2 K 8
Seat 4: myradiohead (small blind) showed 5 4 and won (8730)
Seat 6: (big blind) folded on the Flop
Seat 8: folded before Flop (didn't bet)
Seat 9: (button) showed 8 A and lost with two pair, Aces and Eights

What do you think of the above plays. I mean they worked out for me but you know do you think I made any major mistakes. Come on fella... I like criticism... No really I do...

Anyways... Hope to see you across the "felt" this Wednesday at the WPBT. Be there or... you know...

www.huntsvegaspoker.com

huntsvegas@gmail.com