After several cashes and no final tables this week I am taking a PokerStars break. Lately variance has not been too kind late in tournaments for me. I am also having a very difficult time getting people out of the pot despite pushing all-in with the best hand. So, it’s time to give poker a rest for a while and let the other guys duke it out.

I will return to the tables in a few days and see if I fare any better at that time.

Curtis III

I have been doing a lot of writing lately. Putting together various articles and also doing research. Playing wise I am still trying to break through that artificial barrier. I went all last year without a large win and that was disappointing.

The game of poker comes and goes in waves. Even in tournaments I have found this to be true so it’s just a matter of time for a big cash. I still plan on making more appearances in the Sunday Warm-Up though. I like that tournament and feel like I have a better than average shot at winning it should the cards break even.

That’s it for now. I will let you guys know how things go this evening at the tables.

Curtis III

I gotta tell you that this was a puzzling play but I am not at all surprised considering the buy-in level. These are the kinds of plays that I have been talking about in these low buy in tournaments that are really frustrating. It was clear after the flop that no one had an Ace in there hand and at best my opponent had a medium pair. It was an easy call after he pushed and as it turns out he flopped big. The thing that gets me is that he calls a re-raise for $1k. Unfortunately logic need not apply to these kinds of players as they will call with any two cards. The previous hand I picked up AA and got re-raised with A7os and the guy called my all-in raise.

Go figure?

Another cash tonight and a coin flip away from making the Final Table. I had a nice run after a really slow start. Entered after the break with barely $800 in chips and ran it up to over 12k. It was me in the big blind with the small blind making a standard raise. I had KQs and figured he was not on a big hand and on a complete steal. I was only half right. He had JJ and the race was on. He won the flip and I got no help on the river despite flopping an gut shot straight draw. I took it in stride. Good play on both sides and off to the rail I went.

I have no problems with a tough tourney when I play well. It’s when I make a mistake and do something I could have easily avoided that really gets under my skin. I am gonna play the $10 Deep Stacks tomorrow. I plan on taking this thing down. I have placed many times and bubbled out twice on bad beats before the final table. I am long over due for this one.

Later,

Curtis III

I cashed two more times tonight but still no luck getting to the final table. I had a nice stack and got bad beat with Aces the first tournament going into the last 18. Then I got bad beat with Kings in the second one. I am bound to get there with a big stack next time around.

LOL

Anyhow, the epidemic of bad play continues in these low buy-ins. One guy, with an obvious straight on the board, calls an all-in bet for 15k midway through the tournament. This essentially sent him to the rail as he only had $125 left after a really bad call. Funny thing is that it was clear he was up against another player that could take him out. It was too easy to get away from the hand and wait for a better spot. Instead he goes into a profanity laced tirade from the rail.

Amazing.

Back at it again tomorrow. Talk to ya then.

Curtis III

Last night was OK. I didn’t make a final table but I was right in there down to the last 14 until I got cold decked. It happens with the blinds be so darn fast. A little frustrating considering I had a sizeable stack. However, the tournament big stack was directly to my left and extremely aggressive so I couldn’t steal nearly as much as I would have liked.

I decided to fire up the “TILT” TV series for old time sake the other night. I really liked the series and the actors. Mike Madsen did a great job as did the rest of the cast. Very well written script. Other than that I am catching up on the Professional Poker Tour tourneys and watching a little poker on the Game Show Network.

I noticed Rain Khan took down the 97k Sunday Warm-Up I was playing in. Good player that seems to have figured out that acting like a complete jerk at the table will not serve you very well. He has toned it down quite a bit. Kudos to him for learning from his mistakes.

Curtis III

I am running exceptionally well lately. Almost made it to the PokerStars $9.90 Final Table but I ran my AK into KK and didn’t quite get there. Not a major deal as I was down as low as $800 chips early on but fought back to over $17k by late in the tournament.

The play in the Frequent Player Point WSOP satellite tournaments has been insane. Guys have been pushing in with any kind of hands early and double and quadrupling up. I still don’t see the logic behind this kind of play but it seems to be very popular. I had tripled up within the first three levels by simply waiting for people to do dumb things when I had big hands. Fairly EZ money. Didn’t make the final table in this one though.

I am hoping that the UIEGA is reversed soon. I have been hearing rumblings that things are starting to move but likely won’t take place until after the election. That’s understandable though. We do have some serious issues going on in this country but it will be nice when online poker is legal again.

That’s all I have for now.

CIII

Brutal Sunday Millions bust out. Another tough beat on a well played hand.  No big deal. I played this tournament extremely well and have no regrets. Still running good as far as I am concerned. I will continue to play the satellites and get back in the mix again for another shot.

CIII

I just busted out of the PokerStars WSOP tournament. I am still VERY happy with my play. I was able to get out to a nice lead early and I maximized my bets on every pot. Just a little dissappointed that I didn’t “get there.” Here is the hand I busted out on:

CIII

Thursday I took down a 307 player Satellite to win an entry into the WSOP Main Event Super Satellite which I am playing this afternoon. The field will be around 400 players with $5000 in starting chips and 20 min levels. Good structure and I am running very well. Perfect timing! The winners will receive the following:

- $10,000 WSOP Main Event Buy-In

- Free Hotel Stay at the Palms for as long as you are in the tourney

- $2500 in expenses

- $50,000 for being on a TV table

-$1,000,000 for making the Final Table

Yesterday I won a Super Satellite into the PokerStars Sunday Million. I have played in the Sunday Warm-up previously but didn’t fair too well so I am extremely excited. First place will pay around $150,000+ which is a heck of a boost to the bankroll.

LOL

I am looking foward to my first major tournament win here too.

Wish me luck!

CIII

Two more cashes tonight. No Final Tables but I am running extremely well considering. I built up another $10k+ stack in the $5.50 2000+ player tournament before the first break. I did the same in the $9.90 360 player as well.

Both times I got cold decked after making the money. Stole enough blinds to stay a threat but eventually had to push with good but not great hands and lost both races. No big deal though. That big win is coming SOON!

Take care,

CIII

I had a fantastic run last night in the $5.50 360 player tournament. It was a very dissappointing finish but boy did I get off to a great start. I tripled up after hitting two pair with 3 people in the pot. I then double up again with AJos vs AK when the flop came down :Ac:00:Jc

He got all his chips in due to a flush draw on the board and presto I am over 10k before the first break. After that I won another all-in versus a short stack and moved up to 12k. After that things kinda slowed down and then I missed a crucial coin flip when my stack was at 11k. I had :8d:8c versus :Ac:9s and lost $4500. After that I was on life support until I stole a few blinds after the break. I got back up to $8k but never could move any further than that. Nice run though.

CIII

I took down the PokerStars WSOP qualifier last night and won my way into the Super Satellite coming up this Saturday. So far there are around 250 players registered. I fought my way through 807 players and pretty much cruised to the Final Table wtih more than enough chips. They were giving away 8 seats and I was fifth in chips so I could pretty much just sit there and not get involved.

The structure for Saturday is 5000 starting chips and 20 min levels. The winners pick up the following from PokerStars:

- $10,000 Buy-In to the Main Event

- Free Hotel Accomodations

- $2500 in expenses

- $50,000 if you make a TV table

- $1,000,000 if you make a Final Table

Sounds good to me considering I used my Frequent Player Points to qualify and it would be absolutely free for me. Everthing else is iceing on the cake. I sure could use an extra million bucks. That’s for sure! LOL

CIII

I would have liked to avoid this bad beat if possible. Back in the groove though.

CIII

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CIII