Posts Tagged ‘NAPT’

The day started well enough. My table couldn’t be called “soft”, but given the overall tough field, I imagine it was one of the more desirable tables. We were supposed to be playing 8-handed, but my table consisted of me, three primarily live players of varying skill, and three online players. Of the latter group, Adam “csimmsux” Geyer was the only one I recognized. I also had a player with whom I’d been friendly since my Day One table on my right, which always makes the day more pleasant.

I won and lost some small pots, hovering between 120 and 140K with blinds of 2K/4K/400. I had a fairly active image: even though I’d mostly had solid opening hands like AJ and AQ, I had always either won or lost without showdown.

I opened to 10,000 with JJ UTG+2, leaving somewhere between 110K and 120K behind. One of the internet players 3-bet to 32,000 in the CO, and the action was back on me.  Read the complete post...

I started the day with 30K, quickly ran it up to 80K, dropped back down to 40K, ran it up to 130K, dropped down as low as 36K, then quickly ran back up to 140K and finished the day with 127,200.

Despite the swings, it was actually a really boring day. It was a soft starting table, but a couple of people lost their chips early and soon better players had taken their seats. The field is tough enough that it probably was a softer than average table throughout the day, but that doesn’t mean anyone was giving chips away.

I got my first double up early, opening with 22 in early position and getting called by one of the weaker players. I bet-shoved a 2d 7c Tc flop and held vs. ATs. After that I won a small pot raise-calling 44 in the CO vs. a German online player who turned out to have TT but couldn’t win the flip. It was a shame, because we’d been talking and he was the friendliest guy I’d played with all day.

He was soon replaced by Matt Waxman, who proved to be a good player but a much less pleasant table mate.  Read the complete post...

Didn’t get the table draw until the very last minute, but here it is:

1 Richard Woodall 81,000
2 Andrew Brokos 30,800
3 Mario Nagel 18,600
4 Douglas Johnson 33,000
5 George Kalaitzis 37,000
6 Mike Beasley 34,300
7 Cliff Josephy 32,100 (JohnnyBax)
8 Chris Bonita 24,500
9 Tony Cousineau 9,400

Day got off to a good start: I made some big hands and won some big pots during levels 1 and 2 to go on break with about 50K. I’ll post more details after the event is over but basically I played a couple of pots in position against Carter Gill and Kathy Liebert and got there. Generally happy with how I played those but lost some value against Kathy by giving her way too much credit.

During round 3 a new, tough player joined the table on my left. I can’t put my finger on who he was but he was definitely familiar to me and played well until he tilted (to someone else, unfortuntaley). He rivered (and value bet) me to take one big pot, then I tried to take A-high to showdown when I should have turned it into a bluff and ended up having to fold the river to him. Was down around 40K at second break.

I didn’t do much during rounds 5 and 6. Table got tougher with the addition of Jon “FatalError” Aguiar and Adam Junglen, thankfully on my right. I lost one sizable pot going for a thin value bet with 88 on a KK433 board and folding to a shove that MIGHT have been a bluff (but probably not).  Read the complete post...

Today marks my first public appearance sporting the PokerStars Team Online patch (assuming I successfully meet up with  fellow PSTO’er Kevin “WizardofAhhhs” Thurman, who is supposed to have some for me). I hopefully won’t be able to post a blog update until tonight, so if you want the play-by-play, be sure to follow @thinkingpoker on Twitter.

Had a beautiful and painless drive from Boston down to Uncasville, CT this morning. It’s a beautiful day, and other than getting yelled at by an otherwise-lackadaisical security guard for trying to drive into a restricted area, the day is off to a good start.

Wish me luck!

I was curious who ended up winning the NAPT Venetian which I played last weekend and had to google the name “Tom Marchese”. Not only did I learn that he plays online as kingsofcards, a tough regular whom I avoid at 25/50, but I also found this kind of old but interesting interview with him. It’s not very long, but it’s a nice picture of what it takes to break through the “ceiling” of the mid-stakes games and start winning at high stakes poker:

For me my biggest problem was that I was always playing 9-12 tables. Because of this, I was making a lot of money but never really working on my game and improving. I think this is a problem that many mid stakes players struggle with as to improve and move up they most likely will need to sacrifice a little bit in the short run in order to progress as a player. I also found that playing heads up greatly improved my hand reading skills along with improving my game in blind battles and when playing OOP. Most of my success at the 5/10 – 25/50 level has come when I was playing 1-5 tables and truly concentrating on every hand instead of just going through the motions.  Read the complete post...

My starting table had not a lot of chips but a couple of notable players, including Owen “ocrowe” Crowe, Andrew Chen, Jonathan “driverseati” Tamayo, and Lauren Kling. We broke after less than an hour, but I still managed to play a few interesting pots. Also, a very friendly reader named Mark (hi, Mark) recognized me from the Blog and introduced himself, which was cool. A kid at the PCA recognized my voice from Poker Savvy, but I think this is the first time a blog reader I didn’t already know has recognized me.

500/1000/100, I open complete 73o in the SB, Lauren checks.

Flop Ks Js Jc, I check planning to call a bet and bluff river. She checks behind.

Turn 7c, I check, she bets 3000, I call.

River 9d, we check, I show my hand, and it’s good. Owen comments on my playing 73o and predicts that I won’t be giving a lot of walks.

I open raise to 2400 with Ad 2d on the Button, Owen calls on the BB.

Flop Kd 9d 5c. He checks, I bet 3300, he calls.

Turn 8d, he bets into me 6400. This is close, but in retrospect I think a big raise to 24K or so is best (I have about 50K behind). He’s never getting away from any flush and may stack off with two-pair or worse putting me on a semi-bluff. However, I called.  Read the complete post...

75/150 I limp UTG with Ac Qc. Folds to the SB, who completes, and BB checks.

Flop Js Td 9s. Checks to me, I bet 300, SB calls. I think he can have any pair and even a few draws that I’m beating.

Turn 2d. He checks, I bet 900 expecting him to fold anything worse than a pair of Jacks that doesn’t also have a draw.

River 6h. He checks, I bet 1400 expecting him to fold most of his one pair hands. He calls with J9, which is fine.

75/150, I have been very tight but choose to raise to 450 with Jc9c in MP. Jon calls on my left, bad player calls on the CO, spazzy guy calls on the Button, blinds fold.

Flop Js Td 8s. Checks around to button, who bets 600. I call, the others fold.

Turn 6c, we both check.

River Qc, I check and instantly regret it. He’s probably never value betting worse and doesn’t need to bluff all that often. However, he probably calls a bet with lots of stuff, including any two pair and probably any Jack or better if I don’t bet too big.

75/150, I raise Qc 8d to 400 in MP3, Jon calls in the CO, everyone else folds.  Read the complete post...