The Play’s the Thing
It is why I play poker, anyway. Not sure how useful it solving the murder of kings. And who needs more loose cannon Danes at the table. I played Linda’s little HORSE extravaganza this evening. Sadly, in retrospect, I got some good cards, made some good read and played fairly well.
The reason it is in retrospect is that it got my juices flowing. Now, it is 1:30 and I can’t get to sleep. Got lousy cards and situations the last couple of her tournaments and slept like a baby. There were only 6 of us and we finally chopped when three-way. It was offered earlier by the big stack on a proportional basis. I was short stack at the time so it seemed less than magnanimous. When we chopped it even, I was the big stack and also very magnanimous. Or dumb, but winning wouldn’t have helped the bankroll that much. It was within fifty-cents of second and there wasn’t a payout for third. Seemed sensible to me. Everybody got a ten-spot. Not enough profit to supersize.
It is a fun tournament. There are enough decent players to allow an attempt at higher level play. It gets tiresome to have to play closer to a rock because of the collection of calling stations. And RAZZ plays completely different from the typical table with ones down cards less a factor. Tonight, I got fair cards. Had a reason when I played all but one hand. I played with a lot more aggression than cheap tables normally allow. FUN!
In other places people will bluff when the darnedest collection of cards are up with it unlikely they hit based on their betting. Bluffing needs a base to work from. People in this game understand the game and so you can bet good draws with grounds that your little post oak bluff could win at multiple levels. You can sell a story.
Full Tilt is not my favorite HORSE tournament site. They play a full level at each game. By the time you’ve made one circuit, the blinds are noticeable. It forces more aggression than one might think a limit game entailed. It isn’t an impossible situation; just a minor annoyance in not playing enough of the later games which I see as my stronger parts.
We did have one tilt happen where the guy push a collection of bricks at razz against Linda's not as bad showing. There was another hand that I river bet with a weak 9 that I was pretty sure was a winner and unexpectedly got a call. At that point I figured my aggressive stance had been noticed. LOL A bit latter I got the same guy to fold — again at razz — on 5th street with me holding a set of 6's. [insert s___ eating grin here]
STUD 8
I mentioned I’ve been playing some cheap tournaments to try to get a better game going. It seems to be working. I monied in the last one. But, more important, I knew why I was playing hands in given situations. That is a big improvement.
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Congrats on the cash. The Poker Works game is a fun tournament with a nice group of players.
I find it interesting(?) that you find more success in the split game at the lower level. Knowing why you play a hand is one thing for certain. But I find discovering the hands I'm up against in a low level split game, almost always seems to leave a bad taste in my mouth.
I’ve always thought that the 8′s games were ‘girly’ and not suited toward my aggressive nature. But, I’m also tight and maybe too tight playing at the levels I enjoy.
I’m really looking hard for two-way hands. Of course there isn’t really position but, because of the looseness encountered, it is possible to loosen up late in the bringin with the more speculative hands.
An old friend that played a lot of stud in his day told me, “It usually isn’t about what you win but what you don’t lose.” and that sorta stuck as good advice.
People accept early bricks with “big hands” and I haven’t been as willing for the reason just stated. Too often, where there is a lot of low potential, I see people willing to play their high hands regularly.
I really don’t think I’ve developed a good S8 game and still flounder with starting hands. I just think I’m doing wrong things less than my competition.
P.S. I hadn’t mentioned it but I managed to money yesterday in the S8 tournament. No real profit but they are fun.
I was fully aware that you were calling every single time I raised you in Razz when you had the bring-in. And pretty much every single time, my hand was marginal, and you out caught me on fourth street. I managed a bluff or two against you as well, btw. It was a lot of fun playing with you, and thanks for the gesture of the evenly chopped prize pool. Look forward to doing it again soon.