Weekend update

I wasn't planning on playing any live poker this weekend as we weren't able to find a babysitter for our five runts (imagine that). However, MM was kind enough to stay behind and watch the kiddos while I went and played at the 2006 Winter Series of Poker Event 1 at Jim and Stacey's.

In retrospect, she should have made the trip and left me behind as she has been running better than me lately.

The tournament had 16 players and had the options of a single rebuy and add-on. Most players started with 17K in chips (you get 1k for registering online and another 1k for showing up on time). Blinds started at 100/200 and went up every 20 minutes. One of the nice things about playing there is that there are players who don't play at the Big O Poker Room. It's always refreshing to play against different players.

Right out of the gate, I lost 9k within the first level in two different hands. The first one, I flopped two pair against a flopped straight and the second one I flopped an open ended straight flush draw that didn't get there.

Since there was only one rebuy, I tightened up and didn't play too many pots over the next level. In the last minute of the last level (300/600 blinds) before rebuys ended, I called off the rest of my chips (3k) with J6c and was up against AKo and AQd. I flopped two pairs and tripled up giving me around 10K going into the first break.

I rebought and did the add-on to give me about 25k chips to start the next level (blinds 400/800).

I could never get above average for the rest of the tournament. Anytime I would gain a little momentum, I would lose a key pot. I lost a big chunk of my stack when I limped in with QJs and flopped and turned a J, only to be outkicked by the SB with AJ.

I never got a pair higher than 5's for the night and my biggest pots were won with the J6 hand I mentioned earlier, 73o (bluff), and QJs (semi-bluff). With blinds at 1,500/3,000, UTG+1 raised to 9k. It folds to me in the BB, and with a total of 24k (including my 3k BB) I jam with AKh. UTG+1 calls with 77. 665 on the flop and a 7 on the turn and IGHN in 12th place (I think).

Jim and Bern ended up chopping heads up and Stacey finished 3rd. A very nice finish for the hosts.

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After busting out of the tournament I went home and played some online at Pokerstars. I started out playing micro (.10/.25) NL cash and quickly lost $15 when I ran QQ into KK on a T high flop. I then played a 3-table SNG. My starting table was pretty wild, nearly each hand had a pre-flop raise and then a re-raise. I layed pretty low and then ran AA into quad tens to end my tournament in 21st place.

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Congratulations to Absinthe for taking down the $300 NL Event #1 at the LA Poker Classic (Commerce) for $113,000 and change.

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Toby "Moneymaker" and Justin made a trip up to the Winstar Casino in Oklahoma (Texas/Oklahoma border). There trip was very profitable as Toby won 2nd in a 54 person tournament for around $1,200 plus another $200 or so playing in the cash games. Justin won around $600 in the cash games plus another $250 hitting a bonus hand in blackjack.

Toby said they have around 30 poker tables and spread NL and limit hold 'em. They have tournaments Monday-Thursday. They played the tournament and $1/$2 NL cash. Toby said the competition seemed pretty soft (must be if these two donkeys finished up....just kidding)

Also, since the legal gambling age in this casino is 18, the players there are ready to gamboool.

The Winstar is only about 4 hours away Austin, so I am sure we will be making a trip(s) up there soon.

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It looks like the Big O Poker Room will be having the 3rd tournament of the season this Saturday. It will be a rebuy/bounty tournament. More details will be posted on the Big O website.