Thursday, February 27, 2014

Bitcoin Blogger Freeroll Results!

Short blog post to congratulate all who placed in the money - and particularly to Tony Big Charles, to took the thing down for [I believe] 180 chips. The results were as follows:
  1. lightning36 - Tony Big Charles
  2. cstationj
  3. wwwin
  4. SugarSugar - Lightning36 (they swapped screen names for whatever reason; don't think lightning had a choice in the matter)
  5. mhe34
  6. itsik78
  7. DonMagicJuan
I think it was a terrific turnout - around 30 runners. I saw bloggers like RobVegasPoker, CarmenSinCity & PetePPeters, as well as old school bloggers like cmitch who runs opoker. It was good to catch up; watching Heffmike get sucked out on within the first few minutes was a reminder of days of old - and of course, he was pissed! (Sorry Mike - wasn't me who did it!)

Anyway, once again - congratulations and thanks to all for playing.

Most importantly, thank you to Bryan Micon and Seals With Clubs for hosting the event & contributing the prize pool.

Monday, February 24, 2014

Bitcoin Blogger Freeroll - 2 days left for signup!!!

Just 2 days until the Bitcoin Blogger Freeroll!  Seals with Clubs has been kind enough to sponsor a 500 chip freeroll (worth .5 Bitcoin) for bloggers to be held on Wednesday, February 26th, 2014 at 5PM PST / 8PM EST.  I've had a decent response, but not nearly all the people who I expected!  If you're seeing this post, are a blogger and are interested, get that post up on your site so you can play along with old friends (and new)!



Entrance to the tournament is simple:
1.    If you don’t already have an account with Seals with Clubs, you can sign up by following this link.
2.    Simply place the banner / picture below onto your site in the form of a post, telling your readers how you will be playing in the Bitcoin Blogger Freeroll at Seals with Clubs.  You can cross-link this site for further, detailed information if you wish.
https://sealswithclubs.eu/aff.php?aff=187
3.    Send me a verification email with a link to your post containing the banner to ThePokerMeisterTPM@gmail.com.
4.    Upon verification, I will send you a password to the freeroll.
5.    Please do not share this password, as it will ruin the idea of a blogger-only  freeroll.  Remember: Bryan Micon & Seals with Clubs have been kind enough to contribute all 500 chips to the freeroll, intending to give back to the blogger community!  Let's show them that the blogger community is still alive and kicking!


Details of the tournament:
1.    Name: Bitcoin Blogger Freeroll
2.  Game Type: No Limit Hold'em
3.    Date: Wednesday, February 26th
4.    Time: 5PM PST / 8PM EST
5.    Starting chips: 3000
6.    Structure: Normal
7.    Prize: 500 chips
8.  Who is invited: Anyone with a blog willing to share the Bitcoin Blogger Freeroll Logo on their site
I’m hoping that you will blog about the tournament during or afterwards, as I think it will be fun to get all of the old and new bloggers together.

Monday, February 17, 2014

Bitcoin Blogger Freeroll - Advertised on SWC

If you are a blogger and would like to get a chance at some free bitcoins, please check out the Seals with Clubs Bitcoin Blogger Freeroll!

https://sealswithclubs.eu/bitcoin-blogger-freeroll-2-26/

or refer to my post:

http://lowstakeshands.blogspot.com/2014/02/an-invite-to-all-bloggers-blogger.html

Thursday, February 13, 2014

Playing poker in Tampa


I finally had a nice session here in Tampa, Florida.  The last time I was in Tampa, towards the end of summer in 2013, the results were mixed but negative.  This session evened me up for the two trips, though.  The session was a mostly decision-free session, albeit on the short side.  I got to the Tampa Hard Rock Hotel & Casino around 8:30 and was seated almost immediately at a shorthanded table for a little 2/5 action.  (I’m still executing my New Year’s resolution to play a lot more 2/5 in 2014.)

The table consisted of (in clockwise fashion:
  1. A “pro” to my immediate left (who was nice enough, wasn’t trying to run me over, who was capable of a few moves and loved to raise limped pots with position)
  2.  An older gentleman in seat 10 (or 9; not sure whether the tables are 10- or 9- handed) who would lead almost every flop regardless of action pre-flop
  3. A few nits in the 1-4 seats
  4. A complete and utter fish in the 5 seat (who was more than happy to dump buy in after buy in, before getting bored and going to play Blackjack for $25-100 / hand)
  5. A newbie / straight forward chick to my right, which rounds out the table
There weren’t too many hands of note, but I have 5 hands to discuss / share.

Hand 1: I take advantage of seat 10.  It’s limped around to me in the SB with 89hh and I complete.  We see a flop of 3 5 6 – not sure whether there’s a heart on board.  On queue, seat 10 leads $15 (as he always does) into the $25 pot and it folds to me.  I flat my gutter + 2 overs.

Turn is bingo – I hit an 8.  Of course, I’m checking to him yet again and he leads for $25 this time.  I just call.

River is a 5, pairing the board.  I’m not happy with that card, but I’m happier than the river being an overcard.  I check a 3rd time and he contemplates his bet – and leads for $30.  I beat him to the pot and say “call.”  I wait a while for him to flip and he shows KJcc for a complete bluff.  I scoop with my 8’s and a few eyebrows are raised with my snap / “weak” call.  Really?  Why are they surprised?  Have they been paying any attention?

Hand 2: I raise on the BTN with AQo to $25 after one limper.  Seat 10, in the BB is the only one to call and we see a HU flop of 5 7 T, two hearts.  He leads (on queue once again) for $20.  I raise to $55.  He thinks for a bit and flats.

We check the non-heart 2 turn and check the blank river.  I wait for him to flip once again (not sure whether the rules are last action flips first or clockwise flips first).  He shows after a bit, he shows A6ss for a missed backdoor (????) and I show AQ for the scoop.  I should have bet the turn!  Oh well.

Hand 3 (questionable hand): I’m dealt KK (with Kd) in the BTN.  I raise to $35 after 2 limpers and seat 4 (tight gentleman) calls.

Flop comes 7 8 T (2 diamonds).  He checks and I lead $40 into $~70.  He check raises to $90.  We’re sitting on about $275 effective to start the hand, so I’m looking down at around $200.  There’s $200 in the pot - $250 if I make the call with $150 behind.  It’s very possible this guy limped 77’s and 88’s (I think he raises TT, but I haven’t seen him make an aggressive move all day), but I doubt he’s showing up with J9, after calling a sizable PF raise.  I just don’t see waiting for the turn to get it all in when there’s not a lot of turn cards that I will like: a 9 sucks, a diamond sucks, a face card sucks, a T sucks.  I put him on a cross between a diamond draw and A T (both with about 25-35% equity), so after careful deliberation, I opt to shove.  He thinks for a few and finally folds.  Is it wrong to shove there?  Should I be flatting and letting him shove the turn, calling off all cards?  It just felt so wrong to let him have a card here.

Hand 4 (questionable hand): I get mixed up with Seat 4, the fish where I limp Ad8d along with ~3 others.  I’m sitting on $225 effective.

Flop comes 8 9 4 (two diamonds).  Fish leads $20 into $30 and I raise to $65.  He calls.

The turn is a diamond (which also completes the straight – though don’t remember which particular card – may have been the Td if that makes a difference).  He leads for $75 into the growing pot and with less than $175 behind, I shove the remainder.  Is this a mistake?  He deliberates for a good long time and finally folds.  Before he folds, I show my 8d to rile him up a bit that he’s folding to mid pair because he thinks I have a diamond flush.  I told him I didn’t want to see the river diamond because I wasn’t sure my 8d would be good enough.  This hand bothered him quite a bit because he went on to dump about $1.3k to the table over the course of about an hour and a half.  Unfortunately, none of his dumping was to me – but this guy took his losses in stride; I think he had a good time doing it.

Hand 5 (I think I played it okay, but open to opinions): I raise to $35 with AKo from SB after a few limpers.  "Pro" to my left flats and everyone else folds.  Flop comes K Q X and I check.  I think if I bet here, I blow pro off all his bluff hands, and this seems like a "scary" flop for a PF raise / flop check that pro can lead.  As expected, pro leads for $40; I consider check / raising but opt to call hoping for further continuation bets.

Turn is J and we check through.  River is another J and here's where I think I should consider leading about $50-60 but I'm hoping he can't let it drop the fact that I checked 3 times.  I opt to check and he insta-checks.  I don't know whether he'd call a small value bet - perhaps $40-50 instead of $50-60.  I begrudge the fact that he respects my play and isn't trying to push me off hands.  As soon as he checks, I know I'm good and flip up AK without waiting for him to move.  He sighs and folds; I think he had a pair of Q's.  I just felt like it was so standard for him to at least fire off one more barrel, but I guess I judged him wrong.

 Oh yeah!  I almost forgot to detail that I had the opportunity to play with a former bracelet winner and 2004 6th place WSOP main event finisher, Al Krux.  It was pretty cool sitting down with a guy who has likely seen it all.  I categorized him as a tight nit – he never really made any moves in the time that I spent at the table.  He was more having fun, enjoying a cocktail.  Cool experience, nevertheless.



Are you a blogger?  Do you like free money?  Be sure to sign up & play in the Bitcoin Blogger Freeroll poker tournament coming up over the next few weeks!

Wednesday, February 12, 2014

An invite to all bloggers - A Blogger Bitcoin Freeroll on Seals with Clubs

I would like to formally invite all bloggers to the Bitcoin Blogger Freeroll, hosted by Seals with Clubs, the world’s largest bitcoin poker website.  Seals with Clubs has been kind enough to sponsor a 500 chip freeroll (worth .5 Bitcoin) for bloggers to be held on Wednesday, February 26th, 2014 at 5PM PST / 8PM EST.



Entrance to the tournament is simple:
1.    If you don’t already have an account with Seals with Clubs, you can sign up by following this link.
2.    Simply place the banner / picture below onto your site in the form of a post, telling your readers how you will be playing in the Bitcoin Blogger Freeroll at Seals with Clubs.  You can cross-link this site for further, detailed information if you wish.
https://sealswithclubs.eu/aff.php?aff=187
3.    Send me a verification email with a link to your post containing the banner to ThePokerMeisterTPM@gmail.com.
4.    Upon verification, I will send you a password to the freeroll.
5.    Please do not share this password, as it will ruin the idea of a blogger-only  freeroll.  Remember: Bryan Micon & Seals with Clubs have been kind enough to contribute all 500 chips to the freeroll, intending to give back to the blogger community!  Let's show them that the blogger community is still alive and kicking!


Details of the tournament:
1.    Name: Bitcoin Blogger Freeroll
2.  Game Type: No Limit Hold'em
3.    Date: Wednesday, February 26th
4.    Time: 5PM PST / 8PM EST
5.    Starting chips: 3000
6.    Structure: Normal
7.    Prize: 500 chips
8.  Who is invited: Anyone with a blog willing to share the Bitcoin Blogger Freeroll Logo on their site
I’m hoping that you will blog about the tournament during or afterwards, as I think it will be fun to get all of the old and new bloggers together.

What spawned this?

I read a post the other day that mentioned the Mookie / Dank.  For those who are new to the blogosphere, the Mookie (renamed the Dank) was a weekly poker tournament held on Full Tilt before the DOJ shutdown / seizure.  The intent of the tournament was to have a place where all the bloggers and their readers could meet weekly, put up their [nominal, $10] buy in and take bragging rights for the week.  Most players would blog about the play on their respective blogs, but most importantly, it was a great way to hang out and play with friends.
I’m hoping that this tournament can turn into a weekly buy-in tournament.  Perhaps we can rekindle the fire of the Mookie / Dank once again, allowing for the rivalries that we had among each other.  Depending on how the Bitcoin Blogger Freeroll turns out, Seals with Clubs has kindly offered to set up a recurring blogger tournament (buy-in to be determined).
Hope to see you there!

P.S.  Not to be modest or anything (‘cause I’ve never been known to be modest
J ), but I do have prior bragging rights of my own, as I won a Mookie / Dank twice in the past...  I was able to turn the $10 buy in into a nice little run of around $2k.  Check it out here & here (which enabled me to freeroll in the Tournament of Champions (TOC) tournament, detailed briefly here).

P.P.S.  If you'd like to find out more about Bitcoins and Bitcoin poker - transactions, how it works, etc., I put a short post together awhile ago summarizing operations.  See here & here.  Seals with Clubs has an FAQ on the site and how it operates, as well as a brief Bitcoin overview as well.

Finally, FWIW, you have an option of playing within a Windows (or Mac) software downloadable client (which is non-invasive; i.e. it does not install onto your machine - you download it, unzip it & run the executable), you can play on the website's Flash client (play within your browser), or you can play on your Android phone or tablet with their downloadable app.

Tuesday, February 11, 2014

Booking a trip to Vegas, baby!!!

My wife and I have finally booked a vacation to Vegas!  I'll be visiting Vegas mid-March for the first time in 7 years!  I can't wait!  We'll be staying on the strip - so if anyone has any ideas for the best places to go play, I'll probably have a few hours to avail myself to play cards...

I have no idea how Vegas works as far as best comps, best action, busiest rooms, etc.  I can't imagine that I'd want to venture off-strip to play poker, though - so places like Green Valley Ranch and the like are probably out of the question.  We still haven't decided whether we'll rent a car - we'll probably take a car for a day or two ultimately, so that we can go see the Grand Canyon, the Hoover Damn or any of the other sites.  I'd also like to get down to Binions Horseshoe and the old strip just to check it out.

So before I end this post, I'm sure all of my readers have opinions of things to do while in Vegas.  I'm taking all suggestions!  Please let me know!  Any advice on getting cheap tickets to the Vegas shows is also much appreciated!

Tuesday, February 4, 2014

Took 4th in the 25k krill freeroll!

Seals has a points system similar to Stars or Tilt, but the usage of the points is a bit different from the other sites.  When you hit certain milestones, you gain entry into 100 hour freerolls, or rakeback percentages, etc.  Moreover, the points you gain, or "krill," (since the theme is "Seals" with Clubs) is cumulative - therefore, you never lose the points.  It's not like Stars or Tilt where you have to play a certain amount in a month or year to get to a status; you retain the your current status in perpetuity.

Anyway, I made 25k krill a week or two ago, and was eligible for my first 25k krill freeroll.  Those who read this blog know that I'm a total fish in tournaments, and, more importantly, absolutely despise tournaments.  I decided, though, since SWC is good enough to put together the freerolls, I'll give it a try - after all, the tourney is a perk of my play on the site.  The 25k freeroll is a 2000 chip event that runs every 400 hours, scheduled to run last night at 11.  I gave it a shot, ran pretty good, held up where I needed to and got the appropriate cards at the appropriate moments, and wound up taking 4th for 200 chips - not bad for free!

"System: XXXX finishes tournament in place #4 and wins 200 chips"

Booyah!  Now it's time for bed!

Monday, February 3, 2014

Overbet for value

Thanks, Zeebo!

Poker Stars $0.05/$0.10 No Limit Hold'em - 7 players
The DeucesCracked.com Hand History Converter

MP: $10.00
CO: $10.00
BTN: $3.85
Hero: $12.69
BB: $11.78
UTG: $7.82
UTG+1: $10.77

UTG+1 posts a big blind ($0.10)

MP posts a big blind ($0.10)

CO posts a big blind ($0.10)

Pre Flop: ($0.45)

Hero is dealt [4c, 5c]

UTG calls $0.10, UTG+1 checks, MP checks, CO checks, 1 fold, Hero calls $0.05, BB checks

Flop: ($0.60) Jd 4h 6d (6 players)
Hero checks, BB checks, UTG checks, UTG+1 checks, MP checks, CO checks

Turn: ($0.60) 4s (6 players)
Hero bets $0.50, BB folds, UTG folds, UTG+1 folds, MP calls $0.50, CO folds - Sweet turn!  Time to go for value from the diamond draws that didn't bet the flop, or the weak Jacks.

River: ($1.60) 4d (2 players)
Hero bets $9.40, MP calls $9.40 all in - Best river card in the deck (outside of the 5d, perhaps).  If he was drawing to the flush, he's folding whatever I bet.  But if he's holding a Jx hand, he has to think that he just split the pot with me.  In his mind, there's only one hand that beats him, and it's so unlikely that I runner runnered quads here...  Therefore, $9.4 into $1.6!

Final Pot: $20.40
Hero shows [5c, 4c], 4 4's
MP shows [Jc, 8h], 4's full of Jacks
Hero wins $19.90
(Rake: $0.50)

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