Deep in Limit Tournament

Had a great finish in a tournamnet I just played to get some limit practice, finished 4th, brining in $45.60 for a $5.50 entry. It however made me totally forget the fact that I was going to playin CCs Bash yesterday. I also tried the HORSE Braclet Race, finished 55th of 77, once the limits start getting high I find that my weakness in Razz shows, and I am not the strongest in 7 Stud High either, by my O/8 game has improved. I turned another one of my $26 tokens in a $75 token, so I have 2 big tokens, but no little ones anymore. Will likely work on that late night tonight.

1 SNG Played, 1 Win

After suffering through another American Idol results show with Mrs. CEM, she deemed it allowable that I had nothing left to do that night, and to go ahead and play a SNG. I decided to take one of my $26 tokens, and try for a $75 token. This took me three attempts last weekend, but this time it was one and done! I sat back at the beginning and watched as three people were eliminated in the first 10 minutes (and remember this was NOT a Turbo), so we had two dominant chip leaders and the rest of us, with me being in 3rd with just over my starting stack of 1500. I systematically took out the three low stacks, making it a pretty even battle, and at worst I would get $66 cash. Played great 3-handed and heads up and took the whole thing down. Looking to win some more tokens, plus the $26 Braclet Race, and possible a low-mid buy-in cash tournament tonight, as well as CC's Thursday Bash (1st time for me for that one). I did also just see Mookie's blog, and am thinking about getting into the Battle of the Blogger Tounaments.

Near final table in Bracelet Race

Worked a good part of Sunday afternoon to turn one of my $26 tokens into a $75 token to play in the 9:30 PM Bracelet Race ($1500 buy-in at WSOP and $500 cash). I ended up losing 3 tokens to do it, but one another one back in a $6.00 + $0.60 SnG, so I am actually only down 2 token to win 1. I got to play in the tournament, and got Pocket Kings early and was able to double up. I however never really got much above that point, playing a very tight game. With 91 players starting, there were 3 seats to be won, plus 3 cash prizes after that. I last through two breaks, finally having to push my last 4000 chips with blinds at 400/800 with a reasonable but not killer hand. Was knocked out in 13th place, fairly good considering I was low chip stack from the time we hit about 25th place on. I have a littel more confidence in my play, and think that with the good tight play and a decent run of cards I may have a chance at this yet. I am taking a few days off to work around the house and study accounting, back to playing probably on Thursday, plus late night on Friday.

Token, I need more tokens

Stayed home to take care of my wife, and decided to play a bunch of sit n gos plus both $26 token frenzy's. I actually went 4 of 5 in the SnGs, just busting out of one of them too early, thus taking my token count up to 5. I did use one to try and work my way into the Midnight Bracelet Race, but just didnt have the game at that point. I also got whooped pretty badly in the Mookie, as I doubled up twice when my pocket Aces held up, then the following hand I had pocket 5s and watched the flop come up A-5-5. Lost most of it less then 10 minutes later to AlCantHang when I went all in with pocket 2s on 8-8-8 flop and Al flipped over pocket Kings. Both of the Token frenzy's ended badly too, played like a donk in both of them. Taking Thursday off, playing some more on Friday, then taking some time off until late next week to do school and reunion work and give myself a break from poker.

Atlantic City

Went up to Atlantic City for Saturday night, but wife was feeling very sick, so we stayed in the hotel. Fortunetly I had my laptop, so I jumped on and played one of my $26 tokens towards a $200 buy-in for the WSOP ME seat later that night. Played great, finished 3rd and got my seat I proceeded to finish in the middle of the pack of that tournament, never really getting any cards, but holding on as the low man in chips for about 30 minutes, watching about 10 more of the 40 left actually fall out of the tournament before I finally succumed myself.

Did finally get to play a live Sit and Go at Ballys Wild West. Wife was feeling better, so we both played, there were two running, so I played one, she played the other. $50 + $15 buy-in. First paid $400, Second $100. Wife actually got to heads up before finally losing, winning herself $100. I played very tight for the first 1/2 hour (blinds went up every 15 minutes), and finally saw Pocket 9s. I went all in, and had two callers (both of who had me covered). Flop came done J-8-4 rainbow. Guy to my left bet out another 500 (blindes were 50/100 at the time), getting a call. Turn was a wonderful 9 and left no flush draw possible. Guy to my left bet out again, the other guy folded. Cards flip and he has KJ, leaving himself with only 2 outs. River is a blank, and I triple up. After that I just took over the table, knocking out 5 of the last 6 players, and winning the tournament with pocket 2's. Nice $400 cash, and the wife and I end up coming home wiht $7 more then we left with, great considering how much we spent for food, entertainment and everything!

Hump Day Poker

Got on Full Tilt and decided to play some Sit N Go's to try and earn some tokens. Went out 9th of 18 on the first one, which was the $8.00 + $.70 turbo. Decided to take my shot at $75 token using one of my $24 tokens, which I turned a early run into a 2nd place finish, giving me a token. I also played in the $26 token frenzy, barely holding on at the bubble with 350 chips left and blinds at 400/800, but got my token none the less. I finally played 6 handed sit and go, totally dominating the table for the first 20 minutes, knocking out 4 players rather easilty. However once I hit heads up I could not hit a card. Had 8350 chips to his 650 at one time, and finally lost it. So instead of a $26 token, I get $10. Still a plus. So after putting up buyins of $8.70, $6.50, $26.00, and $6.60, I came out respectively with $0, $26 Token, $75 Token, and $10 Cash. Not a bad night at all!

Pretty Good Weekend

Live on Saturday. Finished 20th of 34 in the final regular tournament of the Top Dog Series of Poker, but points werent needed to qualify for the final, so no big deal. Was totally card dead. Played cash game while waiting for the final to start. Near the end and down $30, with only $31 left on the table, I get dealt Js4s. I limp in with 6 others. Flop comes out 2s6c10s. Bet is $5, I call with 3 others, so pot is now $32. Jc comes on the turn, and it gets bet for $10. Again three callers. Final card is the 10h. Checked around to me, I bet my last $11, and take down a pot over $100 with my 3 Jacks! Final tournament started soon after, got Pocket Aces twice in the first 12 hands, managed to put myself near the chip lead, but go card dead the rest of the night. Finally go out when I go all in for 2500 chips (starting chip amount) with blinds as 400/800 with AhQh against KhJh when a Jack hits on the river.

Sunday was all online. Sunday Million didnt go as well as hoped. Doubled up within the first 10 minutes with 3h8h in the big blind on a flop of 3/4/8 as my opponent had pocket 4s, but I hit an 8 on the turn and he goes all in on the river, easy call! Outlasted 6,500 people, but not near enough to get to the money. Made an attempt on Full Tilt to win a seat with $75 token in the Braclet Race for $2,000 WSOP package. 90 players, finished 22nd. Again played good, but couldnt get much to play with, and final got it all in with AK vs AJ, and again the Jack hits on the river to take me out. However my last 3 SnGs on Full Tilt I have won $26 Tokens, actually winning all three SnGs, so at least there I am on a run!

Got my butt handed to me.

Last night sucked. Was card dead, and when I wasnt I was getting sucked out on. Ended up blowing off over $25 cash and a $26 token on Full Tile, but watched on off my fellow 67ers take down the $100 MTT on PokerStars for a $7000+ score. Oh well. Live games for me on Saturday (last of 8 in the Big Dog series, which baring EVERYONE behind me ending up on the final table, I should qualify for the Championship match), and then the PokerStars Sunday Million on Sunday afternoon. Updates hopefully on Sunday and Monday, but if I suck on Saturday then likely nothing until Monday.

Great Poker Night

I decide to give Monday at the Hoy a try tonight, but dont want to go in cold, so I start playing early, about 4 PM. First was a $14 + $1 SnG to try and get a $75 Token on Full Tilt. End up busting out near the bubble, but felt really good about my play. The strange thing was I thought I was going to go down quick, so I had signed up for the $3 + $0.30 Triple Shootout to the Sunday Million on Poker Stars, and totally forgot about it until the table pops up on my screen. First table, watch as someone doubles up in the first couple of hands, and I grind it out for over an hour, but win the table. Second table, another double up, but I play really good and take down that table too, this time in less then 40 minutes. Final table, 3 of 6 get a ticket for the Sunday Million. I never go below 1000 chips, but never above 2000. The fateful hand I wasnt even in, as the short stack gets knocked out and I get my seat. Loving life. So I still have an hour before the Hoy, so I use one of my $26 Tokens to try and win a $75 token. Sure enough, with about 2 minutes before the Hoy is to start, I get that token too! I actually final tabled the Hoy, getting knocked out in 8th of 18, but I am happy with that for my first shot at a $20 buy-in Blogger event. Totals for the day: Buy-ins: $66.30 Payouts: $291.00

Saturday Night

Saturday night was pretty good to me. Wanted to just hope on and play a SnG for another token on Full Tilt, got off to a quick early lead, knocking out 2 of the first 3 and having twice the chips of the 2nd place player. Took a hard beat that took me back down to just over what I started with, but held on to 5th place (of 18) to get my token. That brings me up to 3 $26 tokens, which I am working on getting 5 of so and then playing a bunch of satellites towards either $75 tokens or straight into the big $200 qualifiers for the $2,000 Bracelet Race touranments. I figure by working up in steps I am not blowing too much bankroll, and I am working on improving my game.

Played a late night 67 cash game, which I doubled my $25 buy-in. I did get called out by RyansPhoto when I lamely raised my Hammer before the flop, but checked it through the rest and no one else bet, so it ended up showing to the table. So lame, but damn Ryan called it out on the 67 board. Oh well, I will throw one the right way one of these days.

Full Tilt Sit N Go's

Last night was my attempt to find which of the Full Tilt SNGs was best for me to work on winning $26 Tokens toward the WSOP Braclet Race satellites. I found that I have had my best play in the 6-Max tables, which acutally I won a $26 token in. The two table SNGs with 4/5 token winners was also good, that a tremendous bad beat of my QQ against JJ cost me another token when I had it in my grasp (only 8 people left, I was second in chips, and I would have been able to sit out had I won that hand instead of being hit by a Jack on the flop.). Probably work on getting some tokens for a week or two, and then play a few $26 sats to the $200+$16 Bracelet Race. I figure moving up with 1 in 10 shot each time is better then trying to win one seat against 50-100 others.