Live Game and PLO Donkery

22 players started the £22 ( 15 min blinds,10k starting stack) live turbo game at the Alea casino in Glasgow yesterday including my Mum and me.After folding a few hands I called a small raise with 88 from the small blind and was delighted to see a ragged Q 8 4 flop.It was checked to me and I checked too hoping to let the initial raiser catch something.

The turn card was a 9 and my wish was granted...The villain had 99 and only his stupidity prevented me from crashing out.I led out on the turn and after making what I thought was a value bet on the river he asked me if I had a 9 for a full house.The board wasn't even paired and he had 99 so who knows what he was thinking as he only called my bet with no raise.That left me with about 5k and thankfully I managed to double with AK v JJ a short time later to keep me in the running.

As we approached the final table bubble I had less than 10 big blinds and began shoving quite frequently at my 5 handed table to stay afloat and not lose my fold equity.After chipping up to 19k I took it easy for a few hands before looking down to AQ.The blinds were 1k/2k and as I'd shoved a few hands already I opted to shove again,hoping to look weak and get called by a worse Ace/KQ type hand.Of course the lady on my left woke up with AK,I didn't improve and bubbled the final table.

I hung around for a bit as Mother Acorn made the FT with a small stack and after an early double up she hit the rail when she ran her soooted A3 into JJ.

Back to the internet pokers and here's my sharky graph for my first 1k games at Party.Considering I was new to single table sng's and the stakes are a small step up from the $16's I suppose I should be reasonably happy.I also have the tourney numbers of 5 wins and 1 no cash which Sharky missed.I've just remembered too that Sharky only started covering Party sng's from last November so the stats are only from then and are more of a guide than a precise record.

Just over 1k games may seem a lot but in reality at least 2k would probably be a better sample size to draw conclusions from.



Stars stats...



I had a late dinner last night and only just remembered in time to register for Dr Pauly's PLO game.I've only ever played 10 PLO sngs ( Dec '08 was my last one) and a few of Dr Pauly's ( I even lucksacked my way to a win onetime) tourneys before and I really am a clueless fish when it comes to Pot Limit Omaha.I was nearly calling Dudley to ask if being double soooted is better than 2 pair preflop ( I assume it is) or if I should be playing hands like 910JQ hard as they must hit a lot of boards.Somehow I managed to make the final table and luckboxed my way to 6th from 48 starters.I really enjoyed the game but wish I knew the hand rankings as I hated feeling like an even bigger donkey than usual due to my lack of knowledge.Good times though!

I played some $22's and a $33 later and even managed to catch up with the Connecticut Cod ( aka Al Eleven,Miami Trout,San Jose Salmon) in the wee small hours.

Tonight I'm taking Step A home,picking up Nacho and will be playing the Stars Turbo Takedown and the RTR league game.The s-man is coming over too for a sesh.I seem to have a repuation as a nit/rock in the league games. ( doesn't stop 'em calling my raises with a4 and flopping straights!)

Here's one of my less nitty hands from a $22 bubble last night.The villains stats over 35 hands were 35% vpip /15% preflop raise and I suppose it was just one of those acting on instinct hands where I could easily have been looked up and made to look silly.( not that I'm bothered by that!)

The background was that we were the two shortish stacks on the bubble and her initial raise just felt like a cheap steal attempt.Her range certainly included weak Aces and her flop bet could have been a trap but it just felt weak and my plan was to bet the turn if she slowed down and checked to me.After she called my turn bet I put her on a pair ( 22-1010)and when she checked to me on the river I shoved all in hoping the added power of it being the bubble would get her to fold even a weak Ace if she had it.I was representing the Ace or even a 6 from the blinds and was happy to see her hand hit the muck.Nitty? Not always!



Just about done for today but had to post this clip from a pokernews interview with Italian pokerstar Dario Minieri .I know it did the rounds a while back ( there's still a thread on Pocket Fives somewhere) however it never fails to make me smile.

Back soon...