Revealing the mucked hand

The guesses really didn't come here at the blog, but they did come from league members at our league site. Upon further review, I didn't make a good laydown at the time. I misplayed the hand horribly, as called out by my buddy Vito. I call it horrible--Vito didn't say that.

The button raise to me that I flat called from the BB was my mistake. I should have come over the top, rather than be cute. The term "Fancy Play Syndrome" is quite appropriate, and I am guilty as charged.

The hand I mucked? JJ

I hate that hand. Hate it, but if I re-raise pre-flop, I likely take it down without seeing a flop, OR I end up winning with the best hand (which would have been the case with an 8-high board, no straight or flush coordination).

It's a lesson we learn in poker--and if you aren't learning something in poker every time you play, you are simply not getting better. Some of the lessons are not new ones, just refresher courses. This refresher was just that.

Now, in my defense, the REASON I mucked there was simple. The player raising from the button made the same raise as he would make (from the amount to the hand/head/arm movements) with AA. He had already taken a pot from me with AA earlier in the night, so that was the read I had him on. Admittedly, I was off. He had a pocket pair, just not the monster I envisioned.

Even if he has AA in that spot, me with JJ in the BB--that's a shove. If I go broke, I go broke, but I just wasn't willing to go the distance with a hand I really don't trust.

Maybe I need to start believing in that hand a bit.

Likely no poker for me this weekend, as Mrs. Chipstack has a birthday! And no, she does not want to play cards.

Also, a quick shout out to Volsfan, as she is on the mend after going under the knife. I know she has some good pain meds, so here's to a speedy recovery. See you back at the tables sooner, rather than later.

~M

Hey there!

Welcome to 2008--a week in, and so far so good.

First home game of 2008 was a biggie--10 players crammed into the Poker parlor, and it was a night of some big hands, and tough beats.

I had 1 rebuy (go figure), and needed it when I had trip 5's lose to a river 10, making the villain a winner with a full house. C'est la vie.

After the rebuy, had a monster pot roll my way. In the BB, I had K5 suited in diamonds, no raises, so I check it. Flop comes with 3 diamonds (one of which being the ace). It gets checked around, the turn card comes off as a brick, I check again, get 1 caller on the all in, then I shove all in, and get called. The original all-in had 3-2 of diamonds for the flopped flush as well, and actually had the straight flush draw--had I not had the 5 of diamonds. The river card missed all who needed help, and I raked a monster.

Had a couple other nice pots come my way. Turned a 7 high straight with 4-7 in the hole from the BB. Called 600 more of a raise (blinds 100-200), and there were 3 limpers ahead of me in the pot. The pot, with the raise was 1700+ (antes as well), so or me 600 more into that to go prospecting wasn't too terrible (considering I had dragged the big pot earlier, and could afford 600 more).

Hand that I was kicking myself over a little came later:

Blinds 300-600/75 ante

Button raises to 1800

Me (BB) call

Limper in mid position re-pops all in for roughly 4K more. Button re-pops all in for about 9K total.

I muck.

First all-in shows AQ

Button flips over 99.

Board comes 8 high (with 8's paired), Mid-limper out, Button becomes big stack.

Any guess as to what I laid down there?

From the BB, I called the button raise, but couldn't call off another 9K to his re-re-raise. I could have, but I felt the right play was folding.

The players that were there know what I mucked, and if you have played with me you probably know what I folded also.

I'll check for comments (I get like 10 a year lol), but if there are no guesses, I'll provide the answer in the next post.

Oh, I did manage a 3rd place finish, with Jason C. finishing 2nd, and John H. taking it down.

~M

Let's try again

I tried to post on New year's Eve, but Blogger was on the fritz. So:

HAPPY NEW YEAR!!!!

Anyway, the first post of 2008 finds me excited. I am excited about what the year has to offer, both at the table, and away from it. Looking forward to another wonderful trip to Las Vegas this summer, a trip to NY for a buddy's wedding, but most of all, a family junket to Disney in Florida. First family vacation (a vacation, not a trip to visit family), we've taken. Gonna be fun.


As for poker, gonna be a bit on the light side for me. Maybe something this Sunday (maybe--I have a road trip on Saturday, but could try to pull something together). The following week, I will likely be seeing my daughter (although no plans are set yet), and then the week after is January League event.


So many friends have asked me if I am watching Poker After Dark (NBC), and honestly I haven't, until recently. During Christmas (when I felt I was near death), my sleep schedule was out of whack, so I was awake when I should have been sleeping, etc. Watched some PAD, and now I know what those folks were talking about. What a fun show! I know, welcome to 2-3 years ago. Apparently, I am watching reruns at the moment, so I will be making a point to check out PAD once some new shows appear.


On the way out of this entry, a big thanks to Mrs. Chipstack. It was December 30th, 2002, when she phoned me and asked if I would fly into Chicago the next morning, and get married on January 1, 2003. I agreed, flew in, got our license on new years eve, married the next afternoon, and every day since has been wonderful.


Happy anniversary, baby. I love you.


Good luck, good cards, and Happy New Year.

~M

So what did you get?

I got sick for Christmas.

Sick. Sick. Sick.

Not stuffy nose, fever sick. I mean SICK!

I hope the worst has passed, but I am feeling very weak, and needing to rejuvenate. Let's just say I am about 15 pounds lighter than I was heading into Christmas....and Mrs. Chipstack wanted me to lose some weight. Mission accomplished!

Ugh.

I am trying to make light of it, but it is difficult. Sparing you readers the details, let's just say that a bad run of cards hurts far less than my body does at this particular moment.

Anyway, poker is on the back burner for a bit--was thinking of maybe doing a 1 table thing this Sunday, but I don't think my strength will be up for it, considering the past 3 days. Next weekend I have a trip to Greenville, NC planned (a work thing), so maybe the Sunday after, who knows. Right now, just seeing the sunrise tomorrow will be a victory for me.

I did manage to eat something tonight (after 2 days), and so far, so good. What caused it? No clue. Seriously, no idea. I just know there are a few people I would wish this upon, and none of them read this blog.

OK, I am rambling with no point. Time to hang it up for now.

Good luck, good cards and GOOD HEALTH!

~M

The work is done...

Santa likely won't have his aces cracked today! Here's hoping that your pocket rockets always hold up (unless you have them against me), in 2008.

Merry Christmas!
~M

More intarweb fun

Enjoy....

Don't send a lame Holiday eCard. Try JibJab Sendables!

Some non-poker YouTubes

Those that know me, know I am a big fan of the Blue Man Group. I have seen them perform 3 times, twice in Vegas, and once in Atlanta. The Atlanta trip was especially fun, as a former co-worker of mine (we worked together when we went to ATL for the show), was good friends with a drummer in the band (not one of the Blue Men). We hung out with the group after the show--fun stuff.

Anyway, surfing the net today, stumbled across some BMG videos. If you have never seen them, this is basically what their show is like. Fun, entertaining, loud, and very rythmic.



Now that you have seen that, you need to click this video--very creative, and fun. Whoever put this together had a lot of time on his/her hands, but it came out pretty well, and is a good representation of BMG.