Just Another Day in Pokerland
While searching for a rare copy of "Applications aux Jeux des Hazard" by Emile Borel, I ran across this recently completed thesis titled "Pseudo-Optimal Strategies in No-Limit Poker" by some guy named Rickard Andersson. If you're at all interested in game theory, poker, and/or computer science, it's definitely worth a read.
If by some weird twist of fate you're reading this and you aren't interested in any of those things, I'm worried about you.
...
I think I was the first person to bust out of the American Poker Player Championship No-Limit Hold'em w/ Bounties $500 + $50 Tournament on Friday morning. I didn't bother to ask, as I was in no condition to talk to anyone after what happened. There won't be anything else of real interest to read in this post, so don't continue if you don't want to hear yet another bad beat story. I won't be offended.
After about 30 minutes of play, I had a small dent in my starting stack from the only hand I'd gotten involed in when I ran my AJ into a QQ on a Jack high flop. It was fortunately a small dent because I was playing rather tight, and didn't have plans on busting out with top pair, and fortunately, neither did my opponent. I wasn't really catching cards, but I wasn't letting it bother me either.
I was UTG on the 3rd orbit when I got 6h 7h, and decided that since the rest of the table was playing fairly tight as well, I'd limp in hoping to see a flop. There were 4 other limpers behind me, checks from both of the blinds (still at 25/25), and the flop was dealt 5s 6s 7d.
Both blinds checked, and so I bet about 2/3 the size of the pot hoping to run off anyone chasing either a flush or straight draw. The player acting immediately after me called without hesitation, and everyone else folded. I was somewhat concerned, until the 7s came on the turn, giving me the full house.
I realized even then that it was possible that my heads up opponent had the straight flush, but I assumed that if he had just made it, then he would have already flopped a straight, and with 3 guys acting after him, raised my initial bet instead of just calling. I had him on a flush draw, a shaky call, but not necessarily if he had the Ace and thought his call would sweeten the odds for those behind him. After a second of thinking about it, I checked and he pushed all-in. I called since it was exactly what I'd wanted in the first place.
When he turned up the king high flush I was very happy with myself, though somewhat confused about the lack of an ace.
"Well, at least you have an out." said the chatty middle eastern guy wearing the gaudy Evlis glasses.
... Huh?
I didn't understand what he was talking about or who he was talking to until the dealer illustrated it for me with the 8s on the river. My opponent's kicker was the nine.
I was seated at the furthest table back, and had to make the longest "walk of shame" possible. I didn't pay attention to the size of Spaceman's stack as I passed him on my way out, but I hope he played well. I regret not hanging out to watch for a bit, but my head just wasn't in it at the time.
-Tommy
P.S. Later that night I placed in the money in both tournaments out at Sam's Town, so I recouped my $550 and a little extra, but regardless, my memory for the day is overwhelmingly of a huge loss.
If by some weird twist of fate you're reading this and you aren't interested in any of those things, I'm worried about you.
...
I think I was the first person to bust out of the American Poker Player Championship No-Limit Hold'em w/ Bounties $500 + $50 Tournament on Friday morning. I didn't bother to ask, as I was in no condition to talk to anyone after what happened. There won't be anything else of real interest to read in this post, so don't continue if you don't want to hear yet another bad beat story. I won't be offended.
After about 30 minutes of play, I had a small dent in my starting stack from the only hand I'd gotten involed in when I ran my AJ into a QQ on a Jack high flop. It was fortunately a small dent because I was playing rather tight, and didn't have plans on busting out with top pair, and fortunately, neither did my opponent. I wasn't really catching cards, but I wasn't letting it bother me either.
I was UTG on the 3rd orbit when I got 6h 7h, and decided that since the rest of the table was playing fairly tight as well, I'd limp in hoping to see a flop. There were 4 other limpers behind me, checks from both of the blinds (still at 25/25), and the flop was dealt 5s 6s 7d.
Both blinds checked, and so I bet about 2/3 the size of the pot hoping to run off anyone chasing either a flush or straight draw. The player acting immediately after me called without hesitation, and everyone else folded. I was somewhat concerned, until the 7s came on the turn, giving me the full house.
I realized even then that it was possible that my heads up opponent had the straight flush, but I assumed that if he had just made it, then he would have already flopped a straight, and with 3 guys acting after him, raised my initial bet instead of just calling. I had him on a flush draw, a shaky call, but not necessarily if he had the Ace and thought his call would sweeten the odds for those behind him. After a second of thinking about it, I checked and he pushed all-in. I called since it was exactly what I'd wanted in the first place.
When he turned up the king high flush I was very happy with myself, though somewhat confused about the lack of an ace.
"Well, at least you have an out." said the chatty middle eastern guy wearing the gaudy Evlis glasses.
... Huh?
I didn't understand what he was talking about or who he was talking to until the dealer illustrated it for me with the 8s on the river. My opponent's kicker was the nine.
I was seated at the furthest table back, and had to make the longest "walk of shame" possible. I didn't pay attention to the size of Spaceman's stack as I passed him on my way out, but I hope he played well. I regret not hanging out to watch for a bit, but my head just wasn't in it at the time.
-Tommy
P.S. Later that night I placed in the money in both tournaments out at Sam's Town, so I recouped my $550 and a little extra, but regardless, my memory for the day is overwhelmingly of a huge loss.
posted by Tommy at 4:49 PM
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