Foxwoods...the return
Bottom line: I'm short $200.
That's all that matters for now, but it was a really good time, and im very glad i went. the first 100 was on a No limit tourney that i just played a little scared and didnt get many cards for. i prolly placed like 70 out of 250, but i was never really in it, just hung around as long as i could. Patty mcd played, to everyone's surprise, and did pretty well for himself, placing in the top 50. one of justin's friends got 18th, netting $240. It was a good time, but tourneys are so dependent on catching some cards.
The next 100 was at a $1-$2 blind NL table. this means that the minimum bet is $2, but it can be raised any amount. the maximum to put at the table was 100. the guy 2 seats to my right had about $700 when i sat down, which i thought was impressive, until i saw him play. He just went all in all the time, even though he had twice what anyone else had on the table, probably more. he just tried to take huge pots, and he raised/called 15-20 bets before the flop at least 1/3 of the time, if not more. so i sat out the first 10 hands to get a feel for the table, and im glad i did. Right away i made a loose call w/a pair of 7s and a straight draw, and caught a lucky river to make about $40 and take some guys money. but then i tightened up and just played my game. i took at least a 100 from the big stacked guy when i had pocket queens, and i continued to bluff effectively and maximize my wins. after about 2 and a half hours, i was up to $350. i was feeling good, was prolly gonna play a little longer then take my extra money and maybe try some blackjack or somethin.
but then i got pocket queens again. somebody raised it to $10, i thought that was a good raise, and the big stack and another guy called, so there was already 45 in the pot. the flop comes j-9-5 rainbow (all different suits), and my hand is lookin pretty good again. im in last position, so i get to see what everyone does. one guy bets 10, the big stack naturally raises to 100, a bit of an overbet. why would he overbet it i wonder? i figure he's prolly got either ace-jack and wants to prevent overcards from falling, or a straight draw and he wants to win it right there. so i do what i shouldnt have done, i move my whole $350 all in and he calls in a heartbeat. after the river comes w/no queen, he shows me jack nine and all of a sudden im broke. i went from 2nd most chips and comfortable image at the table to nothing and down 200 for the day in about 2 minutes.
could i have played the hand differently? i didnt think he had trips, so i think a raise was definately in order after his bet. now, for everyone else at the table, a $100 bet would put them close to all in, except for me, unfortunately. if he had had pocket jacks, he would have reraised preflop, and i suppoer maybe with ace jack too. but not kj or qj. and i really thought he had the jack. they wernt suited, so playing the hand for $10 is a little loose, but i did know that he was loose. and over betting top 2 pair just to prevent a straight from drawing out isnt how i play. i suppose my best move would have been to reraise him to $200, leaving another $150 in front of me, in order to see his real strength. i dont know if i would have folded had he gone all in, which he would have, so i dont know if theres any way i could have saved my hard earned money.
in the end, i realized i can hold my own and probably do ok at the no limit table the in future. it is very loose, as everyone at my table said "$15 was the sweetener bet", meaning people would call just to see if they could win a big pot. and i did win lots of big pots. most of my reads were spot on, and i made a lot of good bluffs to pick up some decent sized pots. no one put me on a hand accurately, and whenever i showed a bluff everyone was genuinely confused and surprised. so im happy with my play, and i dont think i need to adjust much. the fathead, i mean big stack, prolly got a little into me because he went all in at least 40 times in the 2.5 hours i was with him, which doesnt happen with most people. i was thinking, if he has a jack, im going to have over $700 in front of me, which definately hurried my bet. but it was a good time, and im glad i went, i just wish i had something to show for aside from an empty wallet.
That's all that matters for now, but it was a really good time, and im very glad i went. the first 100 was on a No limit tourney that i just played a little scared and didnt get many cards for. i prolly placed like 70 out of 250, but i was never really in it, just hung around as long as i could. Patty mcd played, to everyone's surprise, and did pretty well for himself, placing in the top 50. one of justin's friends got 18th, netting $240. It was a good time, but tourneys are so dependent on catching some cards.
The next 100 was at a $1-$2 blind NL table. this means that the minimum bet is $2, but it can be raised any amount. the maximum to put at the table was 100. the guy 2 seats to my right had about $700 when i sat down, which i thought was impressive, until i saw him play. He just went all in all the time, even though he had twice what anyone else had on the table, probably more. he just tried to take huge pots, and he raised/called 15-20 bets before the flop at least 1/3 of the time, if not more. so i sat out the first 10 hands to get a feel for the table, and im glad i did. Right away i made a loose call w/a pair of 7s and a straight draw, and caught a lucky river to make about $40 and take some guys money. but then i tightened up and just played my game. i took at least a 100 from the big stacked guy when i had pocket queens, and i continued to bluff effectively and maximize my wins. after about 2 and a half hours, i was up to $350. i was feeling good, was prolly gonna play a little longer then take my extra money and maybe try some blackjack or somethin.
but then i got pocket queens again. somebody raised it to $10, i thought that was a good raise, and the big stack and another guy called, so there was already 45 in the pot. the flop comes j-9-5 rainbow (all different suits), and my hand is lookin pretty good again. im in last position, so i get to see what everyone does. one guy bets 10, the big stack naturally raises to 100, a bit of an overbet. why would he overbet it i wonder? i figure he's prolly got either ace-jack and wants to prevent overcards from falling, or a straight draw and he wants to win it right there. so i do what i shouldnt have done, i move my whole $350 all in and he calls in a heartbeat. after the river comes w/no queen, he shows me jack nine and all of a sudden im broke. i went from 2nd most chips and comfortable image at the table to nothing and down 200 for the day in about 2 minutes.
could i have played the hand differently? i didnt think he had trips, so i think a raise was definately in order after his bet. now, for everyone else at the table, a $100 bet would put them close to all in, except for me, unfortunately. if he had had pocket jacks, he would have reraised preflop, and i suppoer maybe with ace jack too. but not kj or qj. and i really thought he had the jack. they wernt suited, so playing the hand for $10 is a little loose, but i did know that he was loose. and over betting top 2 pair just to prevent a straight from drawing out isnt how i play. i suppose my best move would have been to reraise him to $200, leaving another $150 in front of me, in order to see his real strength. i dont know if i would have folded had he gone all in, which he would have, so i dont know if theres any way i could have saved my hard earned money.
in the end, i realized i can hold my own and probably do ok at the no limit table the in future. it is very loose, as everyone at my table said "$15 was the sweetener bet", meaning people would call just to see if they could win a big pot. and i did win lots of big pots. most of my reads were spot on, and i made a lot of good bluffs to pick up some decent sized pots. no one put me on a hand accurately, and whenever i showed a bluff everyone was genuinely confused and surprised. so im happy with my play, and i dont think i need to adjust much. the fathead, i mean big stack, prolly got a little into me because he went all in at least 40 times in the 2.5 hours i was with him, which doesnt happen with most people. i was thinking, if he has a jack, im going to have over $700 in front of me, which definately hurried my bet. but it was a good time, and im glad i went, i just wish i had something to show for aside from an empty wallet.