Freeroll #'s 7 and 8

Sorry. Things have been getting really busy lately. On Thursday, I finished 845th. Another middle finish. However, today I came so close to the money I could taste it. I finished after almost 2 hours of play in 50th place. Just 23 more eliminations from making the money.

I'm ready to start playing in some really small cash games. I've been playing 25/50 cent cash games with my friends on Mondays, and I've made over $70 in 4 or 5 sessions. Of course, I play way more poker than they do.

One day, I'll post that book review I promised. One day when I have the time.

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Freeroll #s 5 and 6

Sorry about the long layoff. We had some problems with the internet at my home this past week. A quick update. I entered a freeroll on Sunday and placed 559th. And I entered one today and placed 248th. I'm consistently getting deeper into the tournaments, and hope to make the money in the next 3 weeks.

I'm very proud of my first top 10% finish, as that represents a cash in a real tournament. However, in these freerolls you have to be in the top 1% (top 27) to see any money. It also takes about 4 hours to get there, and I'm getting pretty tired an hour and a half in. I guess I have to learn to stay focused, and not play bad hands, or misread opponents.

I'll have a book review tomorrow, and hopefully another tournament update.

Stay tuned.

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Freeroll #4: 823rd place

Another middle finish. I've been reading the Sklansky book, and I just got past the section on semi-bluffing. I think I'm seeing it where it's not, but I'm sure I'll get the hang of it. It's weird, because that's kind of how I've played all along. I semi-bluff a lot.

Some big hands with a lot of bad beats (by me and against me) after the jump.

First Hand (blinds 15/30)

Position: BB
Stack: 1500
Cards: As9s

eat sleep surf raises 270 chips from middle position and is all in. 52silver calls from the small blind, and I call. 3 to the flop.

Flop: 3h 6d 7h - not a great flop. 52silver checks, and I check for the free card.

Turn: 4d - there's a flush and a straight draw on the board, and 52silver checks again. I try to gauge where I am, and bet 400 into the 825 chip pot. 52silver calls.

River: 9c - Lucky for me, I now have top pair top kicker, but the straight and flush are still there. When 52silver checks I put him on nothing, and go all in for my last 830 chips. 52silver folds. eat sleep surf mucks his cards and I take the whole pot.

Second Hand (blinds 20/40)

Position: Button
Stack: 2605
Cards: Qd9h

There are a couple limpers in front of me, and I decide to limp in and see if anything hits me on the flop. 4 to the flop.

Flop: 3d 7d 5c - Nothing hits, but I have over cards. steve galle bets the pot - 180 chips. I think he's semi-bluffing if not bluffing. I called. 52silver also called.

Turn: Qc - Great for me! However, steve galle bets 720 chips. I have to throw my hand away. He shows 9d 7s.

I didn't think he had a great hand, and he probably would have folded if I had played correctly and raised. Lesson learned.

Third Hand (blinds 40/80)

Position: 2nd after big blind
Stack: 1950
Cards: AhQc

I raise from early position to 200. I get 2 callers with small stacks. I'm determined to push them both all in after the flop.

Flop: 7d Kd 4c - Well, that didn't help me at all. But, it's good to put the pressure on your opponents sometimes. I bet 400 chips, which covers both of them, and I get one caller.

She shows: KhTh - Oh, well.

Turn: As - Wow, that certainly helped!

River: Js - I take the pot, even with my bad play.

Fourth Hand (blinds 40/80)

Position: BB
Stack: 2800
Cards: Qs8c

steve galle limps in, and I check. It's just the two of us to the flop.

Flop: 5c 3d 8h - Top pair with a high kicker. That's good news for me, especially with only one other person in the hand. I check, and steve galle throws 200 chips at the pot. This time I know I should raise him. I raise to 720. He reraises me all in. I figure he probably doesn't have a pocket pair because he limped in late, and I've got a petty high kicker. I call.

He shows: 8d Ks - I'm out for sure!

Turn: Qd - I'm saved!

River: Ad - Another lucky hand.

Fifth Hand (blinds 100/200)

Position: Button
Stack: 2330 (after some really bad aggressive play)
Cards: 8h8s

cruisens goes all in for his last 455 chips, and I make the call. The big blind makes the call with an almost 50% discount. 3 to the flop.

Flop: 10s 2s 10c - Well, not the prettiest flop, but I can bluff at it. It's checked to me, and I bet 825. Big Blind folds.

cruisens shows: Kh Jc - I'm in the lead with about 2/3 to 3/4 chance of winning. I'm happy.

Turn: 6d.
River: Jh - Killer. Lady luck has clearly left me.

Sixth Hand (blinds 100/200)

Position: 3 off the button
Stack: 1875
Cards: AdJs

My good friend cruisens raises from early position to 400, I call. The big blind also calls. 3 to the flop.

Flop: 6c Jc Kh - Big blind checks, cruisens bets 600, I put him on a semi-bluff and I raise all in. Big blind folds. cruisens calls.

He shows: KsTd - and I don't have luck on my side anymore!

Turn: 6d
River: 6h - I kind of feel bad for anyone who folded a 6.

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Freeroll #3: 1011th place

I played pretty poorly today. I played a lot of marginal hands, and had to fold after the flop or the turn. All of my good hands never got called. My AK, KK, AQs, would just fold around to the blinds, who would always fold. Which is okay, but I would have much rather played them. I went out on K9s. It lost to TT. I had a flush draw, and my opponent had already made a set on the flop. He pushed me all in, and I was pot committed, so I made the call. Pretty lame. No hand break down tonight, none of them were really that great.

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Going Out Early 1926th

Day two of my quest to magically make something from nothing did not go nearly as well. I was knocked out in just fifteen minutes, placing 1926th out of the 2700 entrants. I played a couple early hands, and didn't have very much luck with them. And I was knocked out with a better Ace. Read about the hands after the jump.

First Hand (blinds 15/30) The opening hand

Position: 1 off the button
Stack: 1500
Cards: Ac5c

There are a couple limpers in front of me, and I decide to limp in as well to avoid getting the all in reraise that's so common early in these tournaments. The button and small blind call, and the big blind checks his option.

Flop: 3s 9d 7d - Low cards, but the blinds are in, so they might have something. Big blind puts in a small 30 chip bet, which actually pushes one of the early callers out. I raise to 120 to see if he's serious. The button folds, but everyone else calls. 4 to the turn.

Turn: 4s - Now I have a gutshot straight draw, but there are two flush draws on the board. I figure someone might have diamonds, calling my earlier bet, but doubt anyone would have spades, and take their odds. Once again, the big blind puts out a meager 30 chip bet, which everyone readily calls. I didn't raise, because I'm on a draw, and there were at least 2 other players against me. One of them probably paired something by this point.

River: 2s - Good news is I made my straight. Bad news is there's a flush draw on the board; however, I figured no one had spades after the first round. Big blind bets 450 now, in which case I figure he was stringing us along with an over pair, and is now trying to cash on it. I'm the only one that calls and he shows Qs9s.

Second Hand (blinds 15/30) Second hand of the tournament

Position: 2 off the button.
Stack: 870
Cards: QcAh

There are a couple limpers in front of me, and this time I decide to raise. I put in 120. The button calls, and the two limpers call. 4 to the flop.

Flop: 7d Jd 2s - It completely missed me, but I've still got two over cards. Action is checked to me, and I bet 300 chips trying to take the pot right here. BeckyTD is my only caller, and will act before me.

Turn: 7s - Two 7's and two flush draws to my Ace high. BeckyTD pushes all in, and has me covered. I fold.

Third Hand (blinds 20/40) I'm pushed all in

Position: Big Blind
Stack: 450
Cards: AdTs

There are 3 limpers before the small blind acts. She decides to go all in. I figure I need to make a move sooner rather than later if I'm going to last, so I call. Everyone else folds.

She flips over AhQs. Tough break for me. My only hope is to hit a 10 or a straight.

Flop: 8d 9s Jh - Alright! I've flopped an up and down straight draw. I just might come out of this alive!

Turn: 3c - No help.

River: Jd

Well, it looks like that's all for day 2. I wish I could have had better luck today, but sometimes it's just not your day.

I started reading David Sklansky's The Theory of Poker today. I'll post a review for it sometime next week.

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Bad Beat to Go Out 324th out of 2700

I entered my first free roll tonight, and finished a respectable 324th. It could have been much better, but it also could have been much worse. Here are 9 important hands from today.


First Hand (blinds 10/20)

I was pushed all in early. I was big blind, and dealt AJo. michael8482 sat in the small blind and pushed all in and had me covered. He had pushed all in on the first two hands as well, and showed garbage. So I easily called with my AJo. Everyone else folds and he shows A5 spades. I'm a little worried that my tournament will end so quickly, but I figure I'm up before the flop.

The flop comes Qd 2h 9d. The chance for the flush is gone, and I'm very relieved.
Turn: 8h.
River: 10s. I hit a straight (not that I needed it) and took the big pot.

Second Hand (blinds 10/20) Huge pot!

I was on the button, and I'm dealt KK. There's an early raise, and a call, before michael8482 pushes all in with his last 135 chips. I call, the small blind calls, and the raiser and caller all call. 5 hands going into the flop.

Flop: 9s 2c 6d. No flush draw, and my Kings are way over. I'm pretty confident in my cards. However, softydog goes all in for 1305 and pipo1985 calls. doralyn folds, and action is on me. I consider my options. I figure if I'm going to play, I should raise all in, otherwise I should fold. I decide to go all in, because I have pipo1985 covered, and we'll see what happens. pipo1985 calls me, and we show our hands.

softydog: 4c6h - I don't know what she was thinking!
pipo1985: 10c10h - An unfortunate over pair for him.
michael8482: QdJc - A pretty good hand to go all in with his stack.

So I'm the clear favorite and feeling pretty good.

Turn: 2s
River: Jh

I win the hand and take down the pot of 7,650 chips!

Third Hand (blinds 15/30)

I'm in the fourth seat, and dealt AJo. rocker45 limps in early, and I decide to raise to 150 to chase some people out. Action goes around to whtrshd who raises me to 450. Everyone folds around back to me, and I call.

Flop: 5d 4s Kc - A dangerous flop for me with the King up there, but I stab at the pot anyway. I bet 550, and whtrshd quickly raises me to 1100. After a few seconds thought, I call to see the turn.

Turn: Ks - Now I'm pretty worried, and decide to check and see what my opponent does. He bets the pot, and I fold.

I feel like I played this hand really poorly, and I should have gotten out when I saw the King, and he raised.

Fourth Hand (blinds 20/40)

I'm big blind, and I'm dealt KcQc. These are very deceptive big blind cards and I'm very happy about it. Unfortunately, everyone folded around to the small blind, who just called. I checked my option.

Flop: 10s Js Qs - A scary flop for me, but I did hit top pair with a high kicker, and I act second which are both good. Small blind checks to me, and I quickly bet the pot - 80 chips. He calls and we go into the turn.

Turn: 3c - It's pretty unlikely he's got the flush. He might have one spade, but probably not two. He puts in a measly bet of 40 chips, and I raise to the pot - 360. He calls me again, probably hoping for the flush.

River: Qd - This is great for me, but it doesn't really change anything. Small blind bets another 40 chips, and I raise again this time to 570. He calls, and I take down the pot. I'm now back to 7,100 chips. Maybe he had a 10 or a Jack, but I don't know why he would bet so weakly.

Fifth Hand (blinds 40/80)

I'm one off the button, and dealt Kc9c. RubyRedLips limps in, and I decide to raise to 270. The blinds fold to RubyRedLips and she calls.

Flop: 8s 2s Jd - She checks to me, and I bet 400. She calls.

Turn: Ad - This is not a good card for me. She checks, and I check.

River: 3d - This is terrible, there's a flush out there, and I have absolutely nothing. She bets 800, and I fold.

I feel like I should have bet the turn. At least a value bet.

Sixth Hand (blinds 40/80)

I'm in middle position and dealt QQ. RubyRedLips raised to 160 in front of me, and I decide to reraise to 300. I get a call from the button, the big blind, and RubyRedLips.

Flop: 5h 5s 3d - A great flop! The big blind goes all in for his last 375 chips, RubyRedLips calls, and I call. The button folds.

Turn: Ah - Not so good for me. RubyRedLips bets 800, but I don't think she has an Ace so I raise to 1600. She calls.

River: 7c - If I read my opponent right on the turn, then I should have won the hand. RubyRedLips checks and I bet 1000. She calls, and I win the side pot, but the big blind had AJo and took the main pot.

Seventh Hand (blinds 80/160)

I'm one off the button, and dealt AA. Action folds around to me, and I bet 380. I get a call from the big blind.

Flop: 2h Jh 4d - my opponent pushes all in, and I wonder what he could possibly have. I easily call figuring he's at best on a draw.

He shows: 7h 5h - a draw, just as I guessed.

Turn: 2d
River: 8c - good for me, and I take down a pot of 4,770 chips.

Eighth Hand (blinds 80/160)

Middle position, and dealt Kd2d. hydrofame, a big stack who's on the button calls me, and the big blind, RubyRedLips, calls.

Flop: 5h Ks 6h - A pretty good flop for me. RubyRedLips checks to me, and I bet 700 chips. RubyRedLips raises to 1400, but I don't think she's got a King, so I call.

Turn: 10d - This is great as it avoids the flush draw. RubyRedLips bets 1600 again, and I reraise her all in. She calls and flips over Kc7c. I'm screwed.

River: 2h - AMAZINGLY LUCKY! I take the pot of 9,635 chips.

Ninth Hand (blinds 120/240 25 chip ante) A terrible beat!

I'm big blind and dealt AA. BangBangBlue raises from middle position to 1160. Action folds to me, and I raise to the pot - 3920. He calls.

Flop: 9d 5c 8s - A pretty good flop. He wouldn't bet so much with 67, would he? I'm confident I'm holding the best hand still. I bet 5930 and he re-raises me all in. I have him covered (not by much) and I don't put him on a low pair, so I call.

He flips over 6hJd - what! Who plays like this? He went all in on a gut-shot straight draw?

Turn: 5s - That doesn't help him.

River: 7s - Killer! This is one of the worst beats I've gotten.

This hand effectively knocked me out of the tournament. I went all in on my next hand and lost.

It's okay. Tomorrow is another day, and I learned a bit about myself today.

Do you have any tips for me? Please leave them in the comments.

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Mission Statement

I got this idea while I was in the shower today. It was inspired by a story I read earlier about professional poker player Chris "Jesus" Ferguson. He took $0 and turned it into $10,000 playing online poker.

This is quite an amazing feat. One that took one of the greatest poker players in the world over a year to accomplish. And I, a stupid kid with a dream, intend to match the feat.

I haven't been playing poker very long. Maybe 4 months, and I'm not very good. However, I want to learn the game, and get better. I opened up a Full Tilt account recently, and have entered some free rolls. I actually finished 10th in a 2000 person tournament. Unfortunately, you had to place first to win the prize - Phil Gordon's Final Table DVD. I probably could have placed better had I not played so aggressively toward the end. (But I was in it to win it, so I figured it was my best shot.)

This 10th place finish has given me the confidence that I can take down one of the 2700 person $100 free rolls and get a few bucks to get started on my mission.

The mission is to build my bankroll up to enough money to buy into the WSOP. That's $10,000. And why would I foolishly go and buy-in to a tournament that I would have very little chance of cashing in and blow my hard earned $10,000? Because it's a dream. And life is all about realizing your dreams, making things you never thought possible come true.

This blog will keep all those that are interested up to date on my progress. I plan to enter at least 5 $100 free rolls a week, and provide details about each one, including memorable hands, what place I finish in, my strategy, and whatever else seems interesting about the tournaments. After I cash, I'll try and play a couple hours every day (hey, I got other stuff to do too!), and keep you updated on big hands. I'll also be charting my bankroll, just as Chris Ferguson did.

I'll also post reviews of poker books that I'm reading, and let you know how those books influence my play.

Wish me luck, and maybe I'll see you at the World Series in a couple years!

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