New and Improved Poker thread

[Merusk]

Sounds like you were the victim of your own ego, while she knew when saving cash was better than 'saving face'.  :-D

*pokepoke*

[Abagadro]

Not sure what you are talking about.  When you have the big stack near the bubble, being hyper-aggressive is the way to build up to a win. I wasn't even doing it with rags. I got people all-in 3 times as the favorite and didn't win any of them which is just bad luck. I also had rockets down the stretch and min raised early only for them to fold around (which was unusual for the BB to not at least call 1 more bet).  I feel like I actually played really well. This is a weird tourney with really short stacks. By the time I went out, just the small and big blinds (no antes) were together 15% of the total chips in play.

[Merusk]

When she made a move against me with that bracelet on her arm, I just couldn't call even though I should have

Your Hubris.

I did have her all-in at one point with me as the favorite, but she sucked out on me. [/quote}

Her lack.

At least that's how it reads to me who only reads these threads for the stories. I know so little of the ins and outs of poker it's like other folks reading Eve threads.

[Abagadro]

I would suggest that your lack of poker knowledge means you are reading things into that post that aren't there. That is all pretty standard tournament poker stuff. When you have a big stack near the bubble (which is cut-off between winning money and walking away with bubkis), you bully the table. People sucked out on me all-in preflop as I was the statistical favorite to win the pot each time, but did not. The only thing that isn't standard poker is me not calling because of the bracelet (WSOP winners get very identifiable gold bracelets if you didn't know, plus I knew who she was even without it) which is more self-deprecating since I was essentially intimidated off of a call I would have been more likely to make had I not been up against a world champion (I was half joking anyways).

[WayAbvPar]

Yeah, it may sound like hubris, but it is standard tournament poker. Everyone is terrified of busting out of the tournament before the money, so they play extra tight. An aggressive player can add a lot of chips to his/her stack without little competition if they have the balls to do it.

Been a couple of months since I played a tourney. Might have to give one a try this week.

[Bunk]

Our most recent poker night had the guy sitting to my right play out a hand with one other guy accross the table. Ended up with a pot for about half of each of thier stacks.

Flop was 6S, 9S, 10S
turn was a rag
River was 3S

Guy across the table turns over his AS KC, beeming at his "nut" flush. Guy to my right flips over his 7S 8S for the stright flush he had flopped.

[Abagadro]

That reminds me that in that same tourney Friday a guy was all in and flopped a royal. Pretty funny.

[WayAbvPar]

Local card barn has a high hand jackpot every 2 hours. Guy at my table flops quad Queens to take the lead in the high hand derby. 45 minutes later he makes a royal on the river. I haven't had quads in at least a couple of months and never had a royal live (2 online). I hate people.

[WayAbvPar]

Sometimes the variance fairy comes and sprinkles luck dust over your cards for an entire session...

Played last night for about 3 hours. Missed a couple of draws early (got called down on failed semi-bluffs that didn't hit). Then the deck started hitting me in the face.

 My favorite hand- 4/8 game, but it is a kill pot so it is playing as 8/16 for this hand. In general, this makes everyone at the table tighten up. It is folded to me in the cutoff. I have Q6o, and raise, trying to steal the blinds (kill blind of $8 was in the small blind spot, and is a very close friend of mine who I know won't call without a hand). To my chagrin, the button calls, as does my buddy in the small blind. Big blind folds.

Flop is 4 5 7 rainbow. SB checks, I bet, button calls, sb folds.

Turn is K. I bet, button calls.

River is a 3. I bet, button sighs and and mumbles something about aces, then calls, saying he wants to see my hand. I turn over my rivered straight, button's head explodes, and my buddy starts laughing his ass off, saying that wasn't exactly the hand he thought I would have there.

Later on I rivered a nut flush to beat button's flopped set (that he played so passively that I had odds to draw). He wasn't very amused by my antics.

Last big hand before I left was with As 5s in the small blind.  5 or 6 limpers to me, I call, big blind checks, and practically the whole table sees the flop.

A 5 5

Hmmm. That looks promising. I check, praying that someone has the case 5. It gets checked around.

Turn is a 6. I check, checked to a guy at the other end of the table. He bets, folded to me. I just smooth call, and everyone else folds.

River is a 7. I check, he bets, I raise, he calls, and I table my flopped boat. He just stares at the boards for 5 seconds and then mucks his hand.

Bought in for $100, cashed out $540. Not bad for 3 hours of 'work'.

[Murgos]

That reminds me that in that same tourney Friday a guy was all in and flopped a royal. Pretty funny.

I take it you weren't in that hand?

[LK]

I think I've lost at least a couple thousand dollars playing Poker now.  I'm one of those guys that doesn't like to lose a bit of cash.  The problem is I'll go to a table where I want to not have every hand be 15-25 times the small bet, but because the people who frequent there are of a richer caliber and don't give a fuck, will usually play a game with 2-3 blinds but any decent bet is a minimum 10 bucks.

[WayAbvPar]

Play a limit game instead of NL. Much easier to budget that way.

[LK]

I always feel choked when I play limit, but I'll give it another try this weekend if I breakdown and go to the poker room.  It's the only way I get to hang out with other people, if we're all there to game.  Before poker rooms I usually hung at arcades and such.  But due to the competitive nature of these rooms, not really able to make many friends.

[tazelbain]

Play poker in Puzzle Pirates!  No worries about losing!

[LK]

Puzzle Pirates didn't really work out for me.  Sure it was free but I feel like it's completely different from offline poker where money is really involved.

[tazelbain]

Ya, it wasn't a real suggestion.  But real poker boring as shit. Folding 90% of you hands means you have nothing to do most of time.

[LK]

Ok, it's good to know I'm not alone in that.  I think I lose money because I get so fucking bored out of my mind 90% of the time that the 10% of the time I do get in I can be read like a comic book.

So maybe if I solve that problem then I can do better in poker by being more mellow in the hands I'm in.

[WayAbvPar]

Once you play more you will feel far more comfortable at the table. There is also a lot of info to be had even from the hands in which you fold. Find out who likes to bluff, who only plays huge hands, who will call down with any part of the board, etc. This will help you make better decisions in the hands you do end up playing. You can also get up and take a quick walk around to clear your head if you really get bored.

[Abagadro]

  I think I lose money because I get so fucking bored out of my mind 90%

That's because you are playing a NL cash game. Most boring form of poker there is IMO.  Read up on how to play limit poker and then play a low limit game. Much more fun, more strategy and less risk of ruin.

[LK]

I had a huge post written up about my poker experiences but then when I was deleting something with backspace Firefox decided to be dumb and move back and delete all that I had wrote.

Can someone please fucking explain to me why a program would willingly take focus off of a text entry window for any fucking reason?

Anyway, long story short: For about 5 hours I was down anywhere from $5 to $90 (but I was still cool and mellow), but hour 6 I lost the $200 I had taken there.  Massage at the start put me in a good mood but aggravating shit-stupid play by the people on the table I was at towards the end cost me a lot of money even though I had good cards.  I just wasn't lucky compared to some other people there.  Bleh.

[eldaec]

I was deleting something with backspace Firefox decided to be dumb and move back and delete all that I had wrote.

Type...

about:config

...into your address bar.

Scroll down to the value...

browser.backspace action

...then right click on the value (will be a zero if you have backspace = back). Modify, and set value to 2 if you want backspace to not do anything. I think '1' means backspace will scroll up or something.

Back page is the default for backspace for consistency with IE.

[Abagadro]

I'm currently in San Francisco for a CLE conference and went to the Lucky Chances poker room tonight and played some 6-12. Nice to play some straight up limit instead of the bastard frankenstein of a game I usually have to play in BFE Wendover, NV. I guess in Ca. the house can't be a player in any game so the place is half poker and half pai-gow and balckjack where the othe players get to be the "dealer" for a couple of hands and it rotates. There was some monster Pai Gow game going on over on the other side with very large stacks of chips (shrug).

The place is in Colma outside of San Fran which is apparently where they stick all the cemeteries. Took the BART out there and they had a shuttle. The game was really soft and full of regulars who obviously thought I was a fish when I sat down. I took 13BB off of them in 3 hours playing very basic ABC poker. I didn't lose a single show-down which suggests I was playing a bit too tight, but it was working. I got up, treaded water for a while and figured what they hell and headed back to my hotel. Decent room and professionaly run but nothing to exactly write home about. The chips were 2$ chips which I hadn't played before and were those really cheapo ones that have no texture and therefore stick. I'm conviced I threw in 4 chips instead of the required 3 at least twice and the dealer just scooped them into the pot.

[Morat20]

I'm heading over to a friend's tonight (assuming the weather doesn't deteriote more -- it's a long drive, and it's pretty shitty out) for my first 'real' poker game. (I've played no-money games face to face, and online games with real money, but never face-to-face with cash). There's not going to be many people -- 10 at most, and probably more like 6 or 7. Really low limit (30 bucks will cover both games, the food, the high hand pot, and something for the host) so it's just friendly stuff.

Any advice? Etiquette rules? It's a very friendly game, they have it once a month or so, and I'm pretty happy to be invited, but god knows I can barely keep up with the terminology at times. :)

[Bunk]

Don't fold out of turn. Don't ask other players what they have. Don't go overboard talking about a hand that you are not in. Compliment the host on his chip dip.

[Morat20]

Don't fold out of turn. Don't ask other players what they have. Don't go overboard talking about a hand that you are not in. Compliment the host on his chip dip.

His chip dip IS quite excellent, and I've heard rumors his chairs are a sheer delight to sit upon. And as I'm bringing my beer, I can also assume there will be excellent beer there. :)

I admit, "not talking" will be difficult. Most of my regular 'face to face' poker games were done playing with change against my various relatives, including my cousins. My brother and I introduced them to effective bragging, sarcasm, insults, and other forms of game distraction. We also mocked them mercilessly about their choices, and called them names. My family is loud, sarcastic, and mouthy -- so that's just showing affection.

[WayAbvPar]

No one is going to sweat etiquette much at a low limit home game, especially if everyone is friendly with each other from before. Get drunk, have fun, and don't bother trying to bluff- people are there to play and have fun, so they want action.


Had a monster (+50.5bb) session last weekend. Been buried at work this week so I haven't had time to go back, but am hoping to cut out a bit early today and get a long session in before I go to Portland tomorrow. Hopefully I can pay for my trip  :-D

[Morat20]

No one is going to sweat etiquette much at a low limit home game, especially if everyone is friendly with each other from before. Get drunk, have fun, and don't bother trying to bluff- people are there to play and have fun, so they want action.

That's what I figured -- but I'm the sort of guy that looks shit up first to make sure I'm not doing something stupid.

At my point, my "mad poker skillz" are at the "Stop trying to chase a pot just because you have cash in it. Cut your freakin' losses and don't bet so heavily on a mediocre hand next time, idiot" stage. :)

[Abagadro]

This is more of a general rant because it happened a bunch last night, but you should stick it in your etiquette memory bank.

My only serious pet-peeve when playing in low limit games that would even bother me in a friendly game is when people who folded their hand talk about the cards they threw away when the hand is still ongoing.  The typical example is when you get three or four handed pre-flop, and the flop comes down 339 and some idiot either says "damn I threw away a 3" or acts like he just had a heart attack making it obvious he threw away a 3. Not only does no one care what you mucked because you mucked it and it is therefore irrelevant, but you just gave away a ton of information to players still in the hand thereby likely helping someone tremendously and screwing the other people. So my 100% bottom line no fooling rule is "don't disclose dead cards while the hand is still in play." I see regulars do this and it drives me absolutely bat-shit and I will actively complain or even call a floor if the dealer doesn't stop it.

[Morat20]

This is more of a general rant because it happened a bunch last night, but you should stick it in your etiquette memory bank.

My only serious pet-peeve when playing in low limit games that would even bother me in a friendly game is when people who folded their hand talk about the cards they threw away when the hand is still ongoing.  The typical example is when you get three or four handed pre-flop, and the flop comes down 339 and some idiot either says "damn I threw away a 3" or acts like he just had a heart attack making it obvious he threw away a 3. Not only does no one care what you mucked because you mucked it and it is therefore irrelevant, but you just gave away a ton of information to players still in the hand thereby likely helping someone tremendously and screwing the other people. So my 100% bottom line no fooling rule is "don't disclose dead cards while the hand is still in play." I see regulars do this and it drives me absolutely bat-shit and I will actively complain or even call a floor if the dealer doesn't stop it.

People actually do that? I only disclose dead cards after the fact, or if we're teaching someone how to play a game. In any game, from freakin' gin to poker.

[Abagadro]

You would be absolutely amazed how much people do that in low limit games. They think they are just talking to the guy next to them who isn't in the hand either, but a poker table ain't that friggin big.

[Bunk]

Wow, I didn't even think to mention that, as its usually one of the first pieces of ettiquete people learn. Other common basics are that the dealer doesn''t look at mucked cards, and should not rabit chase without the tables permission.

I play a regular $10 game with work friends and significant others. Its a great time, fun get together with plenty of booze, snacks, and that other past time BC is famous for (for those in to those things). The actual poker though, is serious. Hell, one guy keeps a running score and likes to email it around the office in an attempt to intimidate people (he's the current leader).

It's really nice to be able to play a $10 game that people play seriously. Its tourny style, no buyins, with a 90/10 payout - so no one wants to get knocked out early. The blinds get raised fairly rapidly to keep things moving, but generally its a well played game. There are a couple guys that think they're Gus Hansen and play 7 4 under the gun, but generally its not your typical chasing that you see at casino low limit games.

[cmlancas]

Anyone here in Florida? Namely the Tampa Bay area or whatnot -- anywhere where you can go to a cardroom. Since the laws just changed allowing NL play, there is unbelievably loose action all over the place. Three times last night I had people calling monster bets (i.e. 2-3.5x pot size) when I knew they were on a draw just so they could take a shot at breaking me. If you have a bankroll to back it, the cardrooms around here (AND ESPECIALLY AT SEMINOLE CASINOS) are so full of fish it is stupid. Granted, I got sucked out on and broken my last time on the table (QQ v J9), but the play is pretty straightforward and if you play straightforward, selective agressive poker, you can make a lot of money. However, if you are the type who likes to limp in on QKo, J10s or the like, you might want to stay home -- those hands get demolished by the lucky Q4s and K8s that are all about split two pair that the limpers want to play. I'd recommend somewhere around $1500 (a little more than Vorhaus's recommended 10:1, but a little less than Duke's 3:100) to get you started and in a month, you could easily see yourself running around $3500.


Unfortunately, I just cashed out most of my bankroll for new furniture and PC stuff for my apartment, so it'll be a little while before I'm back on the tables, but if you have the time and the money, you can do pretty well for yourself down here.

[Margalis]

I'm off to Foxwoods tomorrow.

In general don't talk about cards until after the hand is over, especially if you are no longer in it. Yeah, people do the fake heart attack thing all the time. ZOMG I FOLDED 76 I WOULDA HAD A STRAIGHT!!!

The thing is, at low limit tables only half the people have any idea how to play. You'll see guys who put money out to call the big blind before the cards are dealt, every single time. Guys who have to ask what the bet is, bet too much or too little in a limit game, etc.

[Margalis]

So I played in 2 $120 Sit N Gos. Normally I play cash tables but the wait on them was really long, plus I have a tendency to grind away for hours and hours. With a tournament there is a fixed limit on how long it can last.

I finished 6th and third, meaning I lost $40. Competition was pretty weak, the first tourney I just got some bad breaks. Was a fun time.

[Morat20]

It's really nice to be able to play a $10 game that people play seriously. Its tourny style, no buyins, with a 90/10 payout - so no one wants to get knocked out early. The blinds get raised fairly rapidly to keep things moving, but generally its a well played game. There are a couple guys that think they're Gus Hansen and play 7 4 under the gun, but generally its not your typical chasing that you see at casino low limit games.

That's pretty much what we did -- first game was like that. Second and third games were 5 dollar winner-take-all sort of things. I had an absolute blast, and did fairly well. I placed third in the first game, and second the second and third games (both of which I lost on the river card. I felt somewhat vindicated that they went all-in against my better hand, and lucked out on the last card.).

I found the first game the most fun (people played more seriously, and the booze hadn't loosened up people's attention too much), but sadly my good hands were all early in. The rising blinds ate away my stack while I kept getting dealt absolute crap. Things turned near the end, and I had some good hands, but not soon enough.

I'm looking forward to the next game, which should be in a few weeks.