Wednesday, April 30, 2008

Bring a Friend Night

Hey guys, just a reminder that this Friday is bring a friend night at pablosplace. So, bring a friend.

We're going to start rolling a little earlier because we're going to BBQ. I'll supply the grub, but it'll be BYOD (or Bring your own drink for the acronym challenged).

6PM, we're firing up the BBQ, and hopefully, we'll start poker by 8PM. But we'll give ample time for people to show (you know, what with work and all that junk).

Please RSVP so that I know how much food to buy for. Right now, we're at 11 people, so it looks to be a good night. See you on Friday. Cheers, P

Sunday, April 20, 2008

Poker Tonight

Jordan and I are going to play at the Normandie. 7pm tournament with a $25 buy in. Multiple rebuys for the first hour ($20 per) and an add on at the break.

Let me know if you're interested in joining us. Updates are through twitter.

Saturday, April 19, 2008

This is Tay's Poker World.....

we just sometimes play in it.

Last night was an awesome poker performance by Tay. We went 7 handed, and she outlasted us all, catching cards and making incredible reads to take down the pot.

Traci was the first to go out, as she moved all in for her final 20 chips. I was the last to act, and made the call with J-10, feeling I was beat. She turned over A-10, and I was lucky to catch a J on the river to claim the pot. She re-bought 50 chips after that.

Andrew was the next to go out. On a board with an Ace and a Queen, Drew pushed all in for his final chips, and Jordan called flipping over A-Q. Drew's K-4 was no good. Drew then re-bought as well.

Traci went out for the second and final hand to Tay, moving all in pre-flop and was called by Tay. Traci turned the Kc-Qc, and Tay Ks-10s. The flop came out with 2 spades, and the third spade on the turn was the winning card for Tay as she made her flush.

Robert was the next to go out in a big pot. I raised the big blind from UTG, and made it 12 to go. Tim called, and Robert pushed from the SB for his last 16. Tim and I both made the call. The flop came out with two spades, and we both checked. The turn was another spade, and I checked. Tim 16 and I called. The river was a blank for both of us (3d) and I moved all in. Tim called with A-K, and I turned over the nut flush. This gave me a big chip lead.

Tim went out a few hands later pushing the action and was called by Jordan's pocket Aces. Tim failed to improve and was out in 5th.

Andrew was the next to go out. On a board of J-10-4, Andrew bet out after the flop all in, and I called. He'd made top pair with his J, and I had a straight draw with A-Q. I got lucky when the turn came up K, and Andrew went out in 4th.

3 handed, I had a good sized chip lead, about 460, to Jordan who had under 300, and then Tay who was sitting around 80. That's when Tay dialed it up. First, she doubled through Jordan up to 160. Then she doubled again through Jordan after a few pots had gone by to about 200. tay then made the laydown of the night.

Pre-flop, Tay raised the big blind to 30, I called, and Jordan moved all in. Tay went into the tank for a while and finally laid down pocket Q's. It took me a few seconds to lay down K-5. For grins and giggles, we played out what would've happened, and the the board of A-K-10-5-7 would've given Jordan a pair of Aces, and me two pair. She made a great laydown, which proved to be the best hand that she'd played all night.

Tay then doubled through me, and took over the chip lead. Moments later, Tay eliminated my with a board of 4-7-8. She pushed all in and I made a call putting her on a bluff. I'd flopped bottom pair, and Tay turned over an 8. The turn was no help, and the river was a case 8, giving Tay a set, and me walking papers in third place.

The final hand between Jordan and Tay was a bluff by Jordan, moving all in with a straight draw, and Tay calling after flopping a set of 4's. The river was no help, and Tay came out in first.

It was a very good night of poker, with very solid play. Next week, we're a little iffy. There's a lot of us that are on the fence. Andrew's a definite no-go, and Tim is a possible no-go. I'm thinking that we scrap next Friday, and get a big game together for "Bring a friend day."

So, on Friday, May 2nd, the goal is for every one of the regulars to bring either A) someone new, or B) Bring someone who hasn't attended in at least 1 month. I'd like to see a two table game take place, and we have enough contacts to make that happen. I'll get the BBQ running and we'll eat before we play.

Congrats again to Tay, and I'll see you all again in two weeks. Cheers, P

Sunday, April 13, 2008

Who's Got Game?

What began for me as an evening that I thought would be enjoyable, turned into an evening that became more memorable than any poker experience that I can remember. The All In Charity Poker Tournament contained only 36 entries, but the experience gained (and confidence from Traci) was unforgettable.

I'll tell of Traci's amazing run after I tell of my loathing. I played crumby. After a couple of days of catching really good cards and making deep runs into the tournaments that I was playing in, I didn't go too far in this one. Out in 22nd place out of 36 was far worse than I wanted. I didn't make a single hand tonight, and only took down a couple of pots by forcing others to fold. A few all in's went uncalled, until the last one. With the blinds at 200-400, and a chip stack of just over 3000, I raised 1600 from the button with Qs-Js (a top ten hand). I was called by the small blind (who only held 800), and then called by the big blind. The flop came out A-9-6 (two diamonds). The big blind checked, and I checked behind him. The turn was a J, and the big blind bet 1000. I raised all in. The guy looked at his stack and had me covered, and I was toast. He flipped over A-K os, and I was done. I can't remember what the river was, but it didn't help. I watched Traci play for a while as this was the hand that broke the 4 tables to 3. Then, a cash game opened.

Tim and I sat down to play the cash game, a $20 buy in, winner taking half the pot, and the remaining half to the charity. Down to 4 handed action, and in the big blind, I raised all in with A-Q. I was called by the large stack with 8-7. He hit two pair on the river and I was gone in third (as the fourth place person was all in on the same hand with a very short stack). Tim went heads up and it lasted 3 hands. On the third hand, they both saw the flop. Tim flopped middle pair and moved to an immediate call from the other guy who'd flopped two pair. It was over from there.

But to the big story, Traci out lasted me by a long shot. Her table was finally broken up when Tim's and my table finished playing, and she had made the final table, very short stacked.

9 handed, and in the big blind, she was able to survive the first three eliminations from the table. Then, 6 handed made an all in move from under the gun. It was called by both the small and big blinds. The flop of Q-J-10 could not have been better for her big slick, and she tripled up to 7500. Then on the next hand (from the big blind), another all in, this time with J-10, and her second consecutive straight doubled her again.

Two hands later, she called the big blind (4000-2000 blinds) only to be called by three others. 4 handed, the board came out A-K-8. Everyone checked around. After a 6 hit the turn Traci checked, followed by another check, followed by a bet of 10k. The last person to act folded, and Traci called. The last guy folded and the 10k bet turned over A-6, two pair. The Q on the river improved Traci's KQ to two pair as well, but not as good, and she was eliminated in 6th place.

The tournament was over in about 20 more minutes, and the parties began to select their prizes in the order that they'd been eliminated. With the sixth pick, Traci chose the Flying Lessons from Santa Monica Airport as her prize. Way cool. It was an amazing prize for an amazing night, and some amazing play.

Traci played brilliantly and represented herself and pablosplace very well. She was consistent, albeit not overpowering, but consistent in her play all night, and it played right into the final table. Had a couple of hands gone her way, who knows how much better she could've done. But it was a great event.

Looking forward to publishing the pics on my myspace page (myspace.com/paulspage9578 ). Should be up in another day or so. Congrats to Traci. Cheers, P

Friday, April 11, 2008

5 players tonight. We only played round one as this weeks exhaustion was felt. Andrew and I came out strong early amassing good size stacks. I gave a lot away to Tay on one hand. She'd flopped a set of 3's and pushed all in. I called and doubled her stack and dropped to about 60.

I caught a lucky break as Tay didn't call my bluff on a board with 4 clubs, I moved all in. The river gave Tay a set of Q's, but she made the smart move and laid down. I turned over my bluff and she was beside herself.

Robert was the first to go, busted by Andrew. And then Andrew was the next to go. He was hurt by Traci, who'd moved all in on the turn. She'd made the nut flush, and Drew called with two pair and a Q flush draw. The river was a fourth heart, but Traci was holding the king. That moved Drew to around 60. In the end, I took him down hitting a boat on the river with A-8. Andrew bluffed at it and I called.

Tay went out in 3rd as a flop of K-J-10 came up, and she moved all in. I called with A-J, and she turned over J-7. The turn came up Q, and she was done.

Traci and I split the pot as it all went to the house. Next week looks to be a go. If anyone wants to sponsor me in the All-In tournament, we're donating all the proceeds to charity (see previous blog). Cheers, P

Tuesday, April 8, 2008

ALL IN POKER TOURNEY!!

I'm All-In '08 for the Bridge Program Poker Tournament!

Join me Sunday, April 13th, 2-6 pm, at the ECHOPLEX and play for some great prizes, and an exciting party. Or sponsor me by contributing to my buy-in goal and watching me play. Or join the party afterwards.

From 6 pm on there will be music, dancing, food and drinks. Register now by going to http://bridge.kintera.org/poker. All funds raised will help support the Bridge Program, one of the most innovative education programs in Los Angeles. Your donation will help purchase textbooks and class materials, provide quality instruction and tutoring, and cover meal and transportation costs for Bridge Program students. If you'd like to learn more about Bridge, please visit www.thebridgeprogram.org.

Please join me by becoming an All-In player yourself or by sponsoring me as I play on April 13th. Follow This Link to visit my personal web page and help me in my efforts to support The Bridge Program.

Cheers from team Seven-Deuce, P

Saturday, April 5, 2008

Don't Speak

Just take all your chips and run.

5 players in each of the first two rounds last night. It was culminated with Andrew taking the first round after a miracle recovery. Tim went into heads up after busting both Robert and I on the same hand, 4 handed. Blinds were at 3-6, and Tim called, followed by a call by Jordan. Robert then raised to 12, and I made my move all-in for my last 90. Tim went into the tank and finally called with A-Q os, Robert called almost immediately. I turned over Jh-10h, and Robert had pocket 4's. The flop came out A-Q-9 (no hearts), the turn was another 9, and the river blanked everyone. Tim's two pair gave him a massive lead heads up as Andrew was the short stack at around 40 chips.

The first pot went to Drew, doubling him, and slowly he whittled away all of Tim's chips before beating him with two pair on the final hand.

I took round two after a marathon heads up with Jordan. I took a large pot in the beginning flopping a set of Q's, when Tim hit top pair. Tay had raised the action, and I re-raised, Tim called, and Tay laid down. After the flop I pushed all in, and Tim made a smooth call to find himself drawing almost dead. Head ups with Jordan was about 40 hands. Finally I took down the pot hitting a flush on the river. Jordan hit his straight and re-raised me all in. I called and that ended it.

In round three, Tim, Drew, and I went three handed with a 125 start. I was first to go, after hitting a monster hand, I got stuck in reverse and never recovered. Drew eventually busted me flopping a straight. Heads up with Tim, Drew dominated action until the end.

Next week looks good to go for right now. I'll let you know if anything changes through twitter. I'm thinking that we should all BBQ beforehand. BYOM. Pass it along, and get more people over to pablosplace.

Cheers, P

Thursday, April 3, 2008

The show must go on.....

with, or without regulars. With Jordan being in Fresno, Andrew holding up pablosplace pride in Las Vegas, and Tim hanging with relatives, I thought that Pablosplace would be a no-go last week. But, thanks to Robert and Tay bringing some added people (Sherman, who took the pot and brought tequilla), we had ourselves a game.

5 handed for both round 1 and round 2, Sherman put the beatdown on me during round 1. Heads up, I got worked over four straight hands and Sherman came out on top.

Traci didn't join us for round two, but Tim did make it in time, and ended up taking the pot down. I was eliminated on a really interesting hand. From the big blind, I checked my option, and we went 3 handed to the flop. I was holding J-5 offsuit. The flop came 4-5-6, 1 spade. I made a bet of 12, and Tay raised to 24. Robert folded and I called. The As came on the turn, and from UTG, I immediately went all in for my last 72. Tay went into the tank for a while and finally made the call, having me covered by 20. I commented "You've got me," only to have her turn over Qs-7s. She had a lot of outs (any 3, 7, 8, Q, or spade would've done the trick), and alas, the 7 of diamonds hit the river and I was eliminated. Tim controled action from there on out as the story goes, as I moped to the chair in the living room and proceeded to pass out.

Tomorrow looks to be a go for the moment, although I may have to fly into Fresno (more on that later probably through twitter). I'll let you know. Cheers, P