The last few days have been interesting, indeed. Friday I quietly celebrated an occasion that's been in the works for what seems forever, but, in reality has only occupied the last couple of years. I didn't expect it to happen for another 6 months or so, but due to an early 'windfall' (no, not poker money) I was able to remove a monkey from my back and send the little bugger back to the jungle. Last Friday, a little before 5pm CST I became debt free. Thoroughly, utterly, most completely, debt free. I celebrated, ironically, by leaving work and heading to Ultimate Electronics and purchased - with cash - a mini iPod - something I've wanted, and waited for, for a long time.
I now have over 24 hours of music on that little electronic miracle and I didn't realize how much I missed my music until I loaded it up and started listening again - really listening again. I've got a wide range of taste - eclectic, some would call it. It ranges all over the place from the Springsteen to Bob Wills; Benny Goodman to Loreena McKennitt. And if Leonard Cohen showed up on my doorstep, well I've got a place under my bed for his shoes. Bruce would be welcome, too, come to think of it.
Er.. Ennyway.. I've also managed to do very well in a string of $10 S&Gs - a couple on Poker Stars and a few more on Paradise. I hate to be a "results slut", but hey, it's my blog and I'm gonna brag. Out of 11 S&Gs: 5 firsts; 2 seconds; one third; and the rest busts. The $10 S&Gs are very soft. The downside of that was the lag in adjustment in my play when I hit The Grublog Classic II on Sunday. I'd raise a pot, and then get re-raised - what, no cold call? No instant fold? I'd call, and be facing a real hand, jeez, what do these people think they're playing? Poker or something? I got it together, but the cards weren't kind. Malice51 and Double As did a pretty good job of shredding my stack to bits. There was some really good poker playing going on there.
Playing the S&Gs, soft as they are, has been good training. I've played them pretty much back to back which allowed me to attempt to correct mistakes or try moves. I've keyed into a particular betting pattern - the weak bet at the flop - at that level both on Paradise and Stars which has given me a fairly accurate read on my opponents - especially heads up. Consistently, when the bet is a minimum bet or significantly an under-bet of the pot on the flop, the player either hit second or third pair, or is on a draw. The texture of the flop reveals which it is. It has been profitable for me to then raise it up and steal the pot from under them.
Rarely have I seen this as a trap or slow-play. Consequently, if I saw this from a fellow blogger, say, or a player who I've judged to be solid, I would proceed with caution. Sidenote, I got caught in a stone-cold bluff this evening when I raised up my blind in defense. I didn't notice there was a third person still in the hand (this was the third S&G in a row and I was weary) - I got called on all fronts. The flop, though, came and we checked it round. the turn paired my 9 (I had 9-3). I made a move at the pot and was called again. The river was an Ace and everyone checked - my cards were shown and I got laughed at. How dare they. I almost had the last laugh, but ended up bubbling out.
In another S&G I had fun messing with a guy on my right when he was in the small blind. This was when were down to four players. He was an easy read, so if it was down to the two of us, if he completed his blind, I raised it up (didn't matter what I was holding), he'd fold. This happened several times in a row to the point his pause before betting became longer and longer. I know that "pause" well. It's the pause that says, "I can't raise, but I want to see a flop - I don't want to fold. Please, let me see a flop." So then, after this went on for a while, I just called, so he could see a flop. If he checked, I'd put in a healthy bet and he'd fold. Again, it didn't matter what I had. One time, he got bold and raised pre-flop - but just the minimum, I paused, and then re-raised (I had the chips to spare). Again the pause, and he folded.
Am I wicked? Maybe. Was I able to be that bold in the blogger tourney? No. I was the one in the blind going "I can't raise, but I want to see a flop, please let me see a flop." I know I was bluffed off several hands - but I couldn't step up to the plate and gain control. It was impossible to fight back knowing your opponent could risk it due to the rebuys. And I screwed that up - I waited until I was busted before rebuying and, therefore, ended up doing a double rebuy just to catch up in chips. Most people clued into rebuying immediately. So, if anyone's counting, I rebought twice and added on. So, I didn't get the brass ones strapped on soon enough and that, plus the structure plus a long string of mediocre cards equaled a bustout in the middle of the pack.
But it was fun, as always. A BIG thanks to Grubby for organizing it!
