Two for two playing live

Another 4 hour session, booked another win. This time played at the Hard Rock Tulsa, and was seated at a table with some very lively players. In the first orbit, seven-handed, we had 5 all-ins. All-in from 88 on a J56 board (and it was called by ATo). All in from 76 on a QJ5 board (called by QJ). Too many to remember. I made two semi-bad calls (both times with a pair and a draw) and went busto for my first buy-in. Then tripled my second buy-in for a small win.
Hope your offline endeavors are working out as well.
M

Local and Online reactions to Black Friday

I take a look at poker community reactions to Black Friday, both locally and online.

The online poker community is in turmoil
Two days after the announcement from the US Attorney of the SDNY, the poker community is still reeling. Full Tilt and Pokerstars, the two largest online poker sites in the US, have suspended both real money play and cash withdrawals for US account holders. No official statement has been made yet from Absolute Poker or UB.com (both operating on the Cereus network), the third largest US-facing poker site...

In Tulsa, it's poker business as usual
With the pullout of PokerStars and Full Tilt from the US market, US players are left with few choices--none of them particularly attractive. UB.com (now doing business as UBPoker.eu) is still allowing US players to sit and play at their real money tables, but cashouts are restricted--so what's the point? While I don't have the Absolute Poker (now doing business from AbsolutePoker.eu) software installed to verify personally, I presume AP is conducting its operations in the same manner as UB, since they share both ownership and management. Other online poker choices include Bodog, Doyle's Room, Sportsbook Poker, Players Only, Lock Poker, Everest Poker, and a slew of smaller sites I'd never heard of before...

Live grinding is the nuts (so far)

Off to a good start playing live. Bought in short for $100 at a $1/$2 NLHE table, while waiting for a seat in the $3/$6 LHE game. Played roughly an hour and got up with $235. Took my seat at $3/$6, played for 3 hours and left with a total of $516. Played tight, ran good, and got paid off every time. Easiest poker session of my life. If you are a full time online grinder who's never played live, I highly recommend it.
M

Pokerstars and Full Tilt suspend US real-money play, withdrawals

Naturally, in response to the DOJ's indictment, they're suspending US operations.

PokerStars suspends real money poker for US players
Less than twenty-four hours after the United States Attorney of the Southern District of New York unsealed its indictments for 11 online poker executives, PokerStars has suspended its "real money poker services" to US players. CardPlayer.com reports that Full Tilt will soon follow suit. The press release from the US Attorney's Office of the SDNY regarding the indictments can be read here...

Full Tilt Poker suspends US players from real money games
As reported by CardPlayer and other news media, Full Tilt Poker has suspended US players from access to real money games and tournaments. In anticipation of the FBI's seizure of the FullTiltPoker.com domain, operations have been moved to FullTiltPoker.co.uk...

Full Tilt restricts US players from withdrawing funds
US players with real money accounts at Full Tilt "will temporarily be restricted from withdrawing" funds. Account holders are directed to contact support@fultiltpoker.co.uk with any questions...

Final results for April

I'm going to take the rest of the month off from online grinding. I may give other sites a try, I may not. Either way, I just renewed my CardRunners sub through September.

Since that means my current stats are the final for April, I'll go ahead and post them. Only half a month and still broke all my personal bests in terms of winrates and volume (pro-rated).



I'm going to take advantage of my local card rooms for the remainder of the month, but I'll still be active on CardRunners. I'm fortunate to have other venues nearby where I can play (one table at a time, 30 hands per hour, dammit). I hope all of you survive the storm unscathed and prosper despite the current legal debacle.

To Bill Frist: this is why the UIGEA should have been debated in the first place. A failure to define "illegal gambling" is the reason why we're here. Thousands of people, families, and billions of dollars all in jeopardy for failure to define this simple term. Well done, sir. Well done.

M

Black Friday -- online poker indictments?

It's all over the web. 11 online poker executives indicted. Two arrested so far. Too sad for words.

http://latimesblogs.latimes.com/money_co/2011/04/three-largest-online-poker-sites-indicted-and-shut-down-by-fbi.html

http://money.cnn.com/rssclick/2011/04/15/news/economy/online_poker_indictments/?section=money_latest

http://www.marketwatch.com/story/founders-of-top-poker-web-sites-indicted-2011-04-15?link=MW_latest_news

http://www.google.com/hostednews/afp/article/ALeqM5hxQXSRuLjxYniiKqet38bKwBV18w?docId=CNG.0d9a23b647ebc53de077adf8cd2bb6a0.541

Online poker: the pro's

What's so great about online poker?   Take a look and find out:
Online poker: the pros.

Cheers!
M

Forget about the curve ball Ricky, give him the heater

LHE RUSH. After struggling all March long, I'm finally hitting hands and holding up (most of the time). LHE graphs don't have an EV line, but if they did, I'd bet my profit line would be above it; and all I can say is it's about time.

I tweaked my game a little bit to plug some leaks. I played a little tighter (26/18), played fewer suited connector hands below QJ, C-bet 85%, and folded earlier and more often in marginal spots. The biggest payoff has been how I've played against donk bettors. You really need to know what donks are betting into you with. Take notes. If you know what a player will donk with, basically you own him. You know with relative certainty what you're up against and the optimal way to play the hand.

Results? Glad you asked. 9.83 pt BB/100 over 3400 hands.


I've been playing this new style for 2 days now, and while I know this is a small sample and I am running good, I'm sticking with it until I have a reason to change it.

Mid-month update...My win rate has doubled for the month from 1.15 to 2.37 pt BB/100. I hope this continues. I would like to take some shots at 1/2 next month.

Good luck at the tables!
M

This is too good not to share

Saw him in concert last summer and found this live version of an older song of his.

Getting love (and money) from my opponents

I have been running hot tonight in 25c/50c LHE RUSH so I put in a longer session than usual, much to my opponents' dismay. One in particular has nothing but love for me. Fairly standard, imo. But correct me if I'm wrong.


Full Tilt, $0.25/$0.50 Limit Hold'em Cash, 6 Players

Preflop: Hero is MP with A 7

UTG folds, Hero raises, 2 folds, SB 3-bets, BB folds, Hero calls


Flop: (7 SB) 7 3 6 (2 players)

SB bets, Hero raises, SB 3-bets, Hero calls


Turn: (6.5 BB) A (2 players)

SB bets, Hero raises, SB folds

SB : you fish again
SB : lolidiot
SB : hope you will have a deadly accident

Results: 8.5 BB pot (0.4 BB rake)

Final Board: 7 3 6 A
Hero mucked A 7 and won 8.1 BB (4.1 BB net)

SB mucked and lost (-4 BB net)