BC Poker Championship -- My day one (pt I)
BC Poker Championship Nov 23-26, River Rock Casino
I got to Richmond on Thursday Nov 23. Had supper with Team Canuck’s Bob “turniptruck” Jarrett. Then headed off to the poker room for some side action. Interestingly, I don’t think I have played live ring game poker in two years. I got slaughtered in the $50-100 limit game for $2300. But, did bounce back some by chopping a $290 single table satellite for $1350.
In an odd incident when the satellite got heads up my opponent moved the button (after the dealer has already been moved). The dealer dealt. I hadn’t looked at my cards but I realized the button/blinds were reversed. I pointed it out. The dealer said, “Sorry, misdeal.” But my opponent got really agitated and accused me of looking at my cards and then calling for a misdeal because I had a bad hand. I got quite blunt in my defense and tempers raised. Things did calm down quickly and we had a very pleasant conversation after we chopped so there were no hard feelings. Funny, though, he moved the button and thereby got the K-K that should have been mine and then got upset about it.
Later in the evening, Bob has busted out, we gather for a cocktail. I buy ½ of Teri Jarrett’s action for the next day.
On Friday morning I get up at 8. Play a couple of single table satellites – cash one and bubble the other. It seems a good start for the day.
Head down stairs to the Craps table. I make a $45 profit. I take my $345 to the cashier. She carefully stacks it up, looks at me, and says “ninety-five.” I say, “I think it’s $345.” Another banker steps over counts it for me (while rolling her eyes) and pays me my $345. As I head for breakfast the second banker walks by and says, “Thanks for your patience.” It made me wonder how much over/under this banker is most days.
Nice breakfast… I am heading for the tournament when I meet “Yukon” Brad Booth in the elevator who remembers playing with my in Regina. I would not know him at all except that he was part of a Johnny Chan, Phil Hellmuth poker seminar here.
Level 1 Blinds 25-50 My Stack 10,000
I fold the first hand and then win the next three – AK, KK, and 9-3o. The 9-3 was in the big blind and I got a free look and flopped a set. I didn’t win many chips but it was a good feeling to start by moving above the starting stack.
Hand 1
I am the button with A-4s and limp. The flop is J-9-6 with two of my suit. It checks around. The turn is a 4 and it checks around again. The river is the 5 of spades giving me the nuts. One of the limpers goes 500. I had seen him make a big (and bad) call a few hands earlier so I thought I would get a little greedier than I might otherwise. I made is 3000 and he paid me off.
I also got A-A in level one and picked up a small pot.
Level 2 Blinds 50-100 My Stack 13,400
Hand 2
There was a small raise pre-flop. I called on the button with 5-3o. The flop was A-2-9. It is checked to me. I check. I hit the 4 on the turn, woohoo. There is an early position bet and I raise, he folds. Darn. I was really hopeful that this was going to be a BIG hand… not.
Welcome to the adrenaline bowl… Saw a VERY powerful adrenaline tell in a hand I was not in. Mr. A bets the turn. Mr. X goes into the tank. After a minute Mr. X announces, “Call.” As soon as he said it, bam, Mr. A reached for his coffee. He was sitting and waiting and hoping and the release was tangible. I assumed he was holding the nuts. Bet and call on the river and Mr. A turns over a flopped set (not the nuts but close enough). This left me feeling in control. When I am seeing the game clearly a lot of this stuff is evident.
Level 3 Blinds 75-150 My stack 14,900
I note that with 10 minutes left in this level I have become disengaged. I have been working hard on knowing where I am. And, I drifted off here for a while. Fortunately, I was aware of it and simply slid into ABC mode.
Level 4 Blinds 100-200 My stack 14,400
Hand 2
Two limpers. A late position player who earlier had shown a bluff raises. Folds to me in the big blind. I held 8-8 and was suspicious that this player was simply trying to pick off a string of limpers with a bluff. I re-raised and took it down.
Hand 3
In the very next hand I am the small blind with A-Js. The button raises. I come over the top and he puts it down.
These two hands, however, contributed to the demise of the button player. I think he was considering that I was often out of line. In other words, I suspect, that he figured me for frequently bluffing.
Hand 4
The button player from the previous hand limps in. I make is 600 in the middle position with 7-7. Folded to the limper and he called. The flop is a dream Q-Q-7. He checks, I bet, and he check-raises. I move him in and he calls. He rolls A-A and my hand folds up. In a moment of sportsmanship, he gives me the finger behind my back as he exits.
Bob Jarrett has a VERY good piece of advice: “If you are going to limp in with A-A then you MUST be willing to muck them post-flop.”
Supper Break
Nice supper, pre-ordered for Teri and I by Bob. Having someone take care of supper is always very helpful. It maximizes the break.
I got to Richmond on Thursday Nov 23. Had supper with Team Canuck’s Bob “turniptruck” Jarrett. Then headed off to the poker room for some side action. Interestingly, I don’t think I have played live ring game poker in two years. I got slaughtered in the $50-100 limit game for $2300. But, did bounce back some by chopping a $290 single table satellite for $1350.
In an odd incident when the satellite got heads up my opponent moved the button (after the dealer has already been moved). The dealer dealt. I hadn’t looked at my cards but I realized the button/blinds were reversed. I pointed it out. The dealer said, “Sorry, misdeal.” But my opponent got really agitated and accused me of looking at my cards and then calling for a misdeal because I had a bad hand. I got quite blunt in my defense and tempers raised. Things did calm down quickly and we had a very pleasant conversation after we chopped so there were no hard feelings. Funny, though, he moved the button and thereby got the K-K that should have been mine and then got upset about it.
Later in the evening, Bob has busted out, we gather for a cocktail. I buy ½ of Teri Jarrett’s action for the next day.
On Friday morning I get up at 8. Play a couple of single table satellites – cash one and bubble the other. It seems a good start for the day.
Head down stairs to the Craps table. I make a $45 profit. I take my $345 to the cashier. She carefully stacks it up, looks at me, and says “ninety-five.” I say, “I think it’s $345.” Another banker steps over counts it for me (while rolling her eyes) and pays me my $345. As I head for breakfast the second banker walks by and says, “Thanks for your patience.” It made me wonder how much over/under this banker is most days.
Nice breakfast… I am heading for the tournament when I meet “Yukon” Brad Booth in the elevator who remembers playing with my in Regina. I would not know him at all except that he was part of a Johnny Chan, Phil Hellmuth poker seminar here.
Level 1 Blinds 25-50 My Stack 10,000
I fold the first hand and then win the next three – AK, KK, and 9-3o. The 9-3 was in the big blind and I got a free look and flopped a set. I didn’t win many chips but it was a good feeling to start by moving above the starting stack.
Hand 1
I am the button with A-4s and limp. The flop is J-9-6 with two of my suit. It checks around. The turn is a 4 and it checks around again. The river is the 5 of spades giving me the nuts. One of the limpers goes 500. I had seen him make a big (and bad) call a few hands earlier so I thought I would get a little greedier than I might otherwise. I made is 3000 and he paid me off.
I also got A-A in level one and picked up a small pot.
Level 2 Blinds 50-100 My Stack 13,400
Hand 2
There was a small raise pre-flop. I called on the button with 5-3o. The flop was A-2-9. It is checked to me. I check. I hit the 4 on the turn, woohoo. There is an early position bet and I raise, he folds. Darn. I was really hopeful that this was going to be a BIG hand… not.
Welcome to the adrenaline bowl… Saw a VERY powerful adrenaline tell in a hand I was not in. Mr. A bets the turn. Mr. X goes into the tank. After a minute Mr. X announces, “Call.” As soon as he said it, bam, Mr. A reached for his coffee. He was sitting and waiting and hoping and the release was tangible. I assumed he was holding the nuts. Bet and call on the river and Mr. A turns over a flopped set (not the nuts but close enough). This left me feeling in control. When I am seeing the game clearly a lot of this stuff is evident.
Level 3 Blinds 75-150 My stack 14,900
I note that with 10 minutes left in this level I have become disengaged. I have been working hard on knowing where I am. And, I drifted off here for a while. Fortunately, I was aware of it and simply slid into ABC mode.
Level 4 Blinds 100-200 My stack 14,400
Hand 2
Two limpers. A late position player who earlier had shown a bluff raises. Folds to me in the big blind. I held 8-8 and was suspicious that this player was simply trying to pick off a string of limpers with a bluff. I re-raised and took it down.
Hand 3
In the very next hand I am the small blind with A-Js. The button raises. I come over the top and he puts it down.
These two hands, however, contributed to the demise of the button player. I think he was considering that I was often out of line. In other words, I suspect, that he figured me for frequently bluffing.
Hand 4
The button player from the previous hand limps in. I make is 600 in the middle position with 7-7. Folded to the limper and he called. The flop is a dream Q-Q-7. He checks, I bet, and he check-raises. I move him in and he calls. He rolls A-A and my hand folds up. In a moment of sportsmanship, he gives me the finger behind my back as he exits.
Bob Jarrett has a VERY good piece of advice: “If you are going to limp in with A-A then you MUST be willing to muck them post-flop.”
Supper Break
Nice supper, pre-ordered for Teri and I by Bob. Having someone take care of supper is always very helpful. It maximizes the break.
Comments
I especially liked the part about the guy giving you the finger on his way out...the visual I got from your description cracked me up :biggrin: gotta love a sore loser. Can't wait to hear more, good luck...take it down.
James
"fear the beaver baby, fear the beaver"