Sick WSOP RAZZ Hand

So things were going great for me in the $1500 WSOP RAZZ event. We were down to 40 players, 48 in the money and I had a confortable number of chips. At this point I was probably in the middle of the pack. Which means I had a 1 in 40 chance of winning the braclet! Then the table changed, being Barry Greenstein came to our table, with a boatload of chips. He had everyone covered easily. So this sick hand comes up. Barry raises the bring in with a six showing. He and an eight go to forth street. The eight catches a Jack and Barry catches a six. The Jack bets and Barry insta-calls. Then on fifth Barry catches a third six and the Jack caught bad again, think a ten. The Jack bets and Barry goes into the tank. He finally calls, remember he has 3 sixes showing! The Jack catches a nine and Barry catches a ten. The Jack bets again and Barry calls. They get dealt the river card and the Jack checks. Barry goes into the tank and eventually bets. Remember he has three sixes and a ten showing. The Jack pays him off. Barry made a Ten eight on the river, which beats the Jack's Ten nine. What a sick value bet Barry made here. After this hand I told my wife he was playing so well that the braclet was going to be his. I was proven right the next day. So he calls bets with three sixes showing on 5th street! Not only does he get there but he thin value bets a crappy hand in Razz. He could have been facing a weak nine but somehow knows this isn't the case. I tell you Barry was in the zone big time at this point. Look for some more sick RAZZ hands in the coming days. Thanks for reading and good luck at the tables. Tony

Home Game

I finally got the monkey off my back. I won a Sit-N-Go at my cousin Neil's home game! Actually we chopped it evenly, also got 3 bounties so it was a nice profit. I got heads up with Carlo, had a slight chip lead. Would have played it out but have been sick the whole week so wanted to go home early. I played well but also got some monster starting hands. In 2 hours got Aces, Kings 4 times, and Queens once. Didn't suffer a single bad beat that usually happens to me in home games. My focus has been strong since getting back from Vegas. Even Online something seams to have clicked in my brain. Making a run in the Battle of the Planets Promo. this week on River Stars. If I finish out strong today will be in the money in my division. Will do my much promished WSOP posts sometime this weekend. Thanks for reading and good luck at the tables. Tony

Lack of Posts

Sorry for not doing much posting this week. I have been awfully tired while overcoming the bug I developed over in Vegas. Am starting to feel myself again today. Will do a proper post tomorrow. This week I am running so goot at online Poker. Since taking a break from it in Vegas I seem to be completly re-invigorated to kick some ass online. Look for a Vegas tournament post tomorrow. Thanks for reading and good luck at the tables. Tony

Sick Days

Sorry for the lack of posts about my WSOP cash in the $1500 RAZZ tournament. Since getting back from Vegas I have been home sick in bed for 4 days! I have missed 2 days of work and really haven't gotten any thing done. Haven't played any Poker since saturday. Did go on a sick rush, no pun intended, in a HORSE tournament on River Stars on Saturday. I took 7th place for a $172 payday. Other than that haven't done anything but sleep and watch WPT DVDs. Should do some WSOP posts tomorrow. Thanks for your patience and good luck at the tables. Tony

RAZZ WSOP Score

That's me number 27. More details to follow tomorrow. Thanks for reading and good luck at the tables. Tony

Vegas WSOP RAZZ Trip Report

I'm back home today! Our Vegas trip was a big success. I finally got the monkey off my shoulder, cashed in an WSOP event! I took down 27th in the $1500 RAZZ event last saturday. Barry Greenstein got moved to my table, with a boatload of chips, after an hour I told my wife he was winning this event. I was proven right the next day when he got the braclet. After day one I was 5th in chips and Barry was the leader, but not by much. With 40 left I had 30K chips and had a legitimate shot at the braclet, my dream for years. Then the worst thing that can happen in RAZZ happened to me, got a face card or pair every hand for the next 2 hours. I held on by stealing whenever I could but it wasn't enough. In 2 days of playing I got Aces 20 times and Kings like 15! It was just sick, if the event was Stud the braclet would have been mine easily. Of course when I played Stud on wednesday I got RAZZ hands all day! I played my heart out in the Stud event but could only hold on to like 120th place, with 40 being paid. That's another story for another day. Right now got to unpack and do some things. Later on I will do another post with some WSOP links in it. Thanks for reading and good luck at the tables. Tony

Vegas Baby

T-1 day until we go to Vegas! We are flying out tomorrow night, will be at the Rio by 10:00pm Vegas Time. Of course work is killing me this week, need to finish up a lot before I leave! I am sure I will get slammed when I get back also, such is the nature of IT work. For now I can't wait to play in the WSOP! Wish me luck and thanks for reading. Tony

P.S. - I will try to update this BLOG while at the WSOP.(Can't promise I will, but if I have a good result in a tournament I am sure will find a way!)

On Life Tilt

I am at home today, with neck pain. Some idiot driver yesterday crashed into my car while I was driving home from work. My car is basically totaled and I am uncomfortable. Such a stupid accident she decided to cut accross two lanes, during rush hour traffic, because she didn't want to miss her exit ramp. It was on Route 80 in NJ, a 4 lane highway, tries to get off from the center-left lane. I was in the right, getting off the next exit. She pushed me off the road onto the exit median and I almost hit a light post. It really sucks was driving home minding my own business, now I need a new car! Onto to Poker, I watched the best WPT on GSN last night. The World Poker Finals from Foxwoods. This was as exciting and interesting to watch as the older eposoides used to be. Catch the re-run on Sunday if you missed it! Just 2 more days until Vegas for us! I can't wait for the WSOP. Thanks for reading and please drive safely! Tony

WSOP and RAZZ

I'm just a RAZZ machine, yea yea - LOL. Chopped up a RAZZ MTT this morning on River Stars. I was playing so well that my opponant, with a 2 to 1 chip lead, asked me for an even chop. I would have played it out but had something else to do. So he emailed RiverStars support and they took care of it. Am also running good in the RAZZ live games. I need this boost to my RAZZ playing confindence before the WSOP. Wife and I are playing in the $1500 RAZZ on friday. Can't wait to go to Vegas! Wish me luck in tonight's Mini WSOP Stud tournament on FullTilt. Thanks for reading and good luck at the tables. Tony

Good Short Online Session

Played for less than 2 hours last night. Did very well in Sit-N-Gos, played in two bubbled one and took down first in the other. The bubble hurt, in the big blind got a free look at the flop with A-8. Flopped A-8-2 rainbow and we got it all in. Was in great shape against pocket tens who 2 outered me on the river. Than I decided to play in a Stud satellite for Full Tilt's Mini WSOP. Only 11 people played so it was winner take all. Of course being I am telling you this I won and tonight will be playing in the $109 Stud tournament on Full Tilt. Only five more days until Vegas for us. I can't wait to go to the WSOP. Thanks for reading and good luck at the tables. Tony

Good Winning Night

Had a really great night playing online yesterday. In Sit-N-Gos went 3 for 3, a first, second, and a third. The one I finished in second didn’t make me happy at all. When we got heads up had a 6 to 1 chip lead on him. I lost 3 races straight to lose the chip lead and eventually the match. I was counting my battle of the planet points before it was over. Still it’s all good being after 10 SNGs I have 200 points. Right now in my division 350 is enough to be in the top 30, in the money. I want to finish the block out strong and get over 400 points, that way it stands up and I definitely make the top 30. Live play went well also, had a winning night playing Low Limit Razz on Full Tilt. Also won a few Big bets playing short-handed HE on Full. I will concentrate all my live play on Full Tilt this month. They are giving mid-year bonuses to all players who achieve an Ironman status this month. We will be in Vegas for 8 days but I should still be able to qualify for silver, bronze at the least. Also played some low limit Stud on UltimateScam(UltimateBet), just spun my wheels losing like 2 BBs. Did I tell you all how I can’t wait to go the the WSOP this year! It looks like they fixed the structures this year. More skill and less luck involved in winning a braclet. At least there must be unless the pros are just the luckiest people alive! Thanks for reading and good luck at the tables. Tony

Short Post for Today

Had a winning night yesterday. Played in 2 Sit-N-Gos and took a first in one of them. Won around 10BBs playing short-handed Limit HE on Full Tilt. Didn't do too great playing RAZZ on Full Tilt. It's a very frustrating game, to say the least! Wife and I can't wait to go to the WSOP, just 8 more days until our vacation. Vegas look out here we come! Thanks for reading and good luck at the tables. Tony

Bad Night of Online Play

I had another bad night of playing online yesterday. Did fine playing in Sit-N-Gos, had a small profit. Short-handed Limit HE was not good for me at all. I played bad and ran bad. Kept bringing it in for a raise in way too many hands. At the table I was at should have just played tight, could have won a lot of money. Instead I decide to raise with hands like K-7 off and A-9 off. Then miss the flop and bet all the way to the river. Only to get called down by hands like 5-8 off who flopped a 5 and calls me down with bottom pair! Than one hand I raised with A-K and flop comes K-Q-Q, we cap on the flop. I bet to the river only to get raised when a Jack comes. I make a crying call and am showed A-10 off? So he withstands a cap on the flop with a gut shot with one over, which wasn’t good anyway. Should have just sat back and waited, instead I played with donks like a donk. The disease, of bad play, spread from the rest of the table to me. This leak cost me 35BBs over the 2 hours I played. Need to learn to have patience, when playing with a table of lagtards. Back to a subject that makes me happy. Just 8 more days until we go to Vegas, baby! I am dying to play in my first event, next Friday, the $1500 RAZZ at the WSOP. Wife and I both need this vacation big time. Thanks for reading and good luck at the tables. Tony

New Month of Online Play

On Sunday had an OK day playing online. It’s a new month so I wanted to start it off on a winning note. In Sit-N-Gos I was slightly positive. Played in four and took a first in one of them. In live play I did well playing short-handed Limit HE on Full Tilt, won 10 BBs after 2 hours of play. Didn’t fare too well playing low limit Stud on Ultimate Bet, lost 30BBs after a few hours of play. The loss on Ultimate Bet was less than the win on Full Tilt, so again slightly positive. MTTs where bad for me yesterday. They seem to be the major leak in my roll. I looked back at last month’s play and they wiped out all my profits and more for May. I keep getting right on the door step of cashing and not getting there. I played in Full Tilt’s new Heads up tournament again yesterday. I won my first 2 matches and then played a total luckbox in my match to get into the money. Keep getting him down with a 5 to 1 chip lead when he would get lucky to come back. I played a small ball type of style, very long and slow match. Actually everyone else’s match was done, in this round, and we keep playing. He sucked out on me a few times to take a small lead. I could tell he wanted to finish the match, keep getting more and more aggressive. Then the last hand came up. On the button he raised 4X and I pushed over the top with K-Q suited. He insta-called and I thought I was in big trouble. Nope he called me with Q-J off. Jack on the turn and I get knocked out once again on the bubble! His play was just terrible; if he folds there the match is even. Instead he gambles with a hand that can’t be ahead of any I am pushing with right there. At best I have a small pair and we are flipping. Hate when bad play is rewarded time and time again. Thing is on Saturday I bubbled in this same tournament also, against a total push monkey. I called one of his pushes with pocket nines, he had 6-3 off and made two pairs on the river! I can’t fade the BS in these MTTs. Should just stick to live games, the variance is so much less. Enough online play, the WSOP looks to be so huge this year. The $1500 NO Limit tournament on Saturday was the largest non main event in WSOP history. Over 3500 players showed up for this 3 day event. Damn I can’t wait to get to Vegas to play in the WSOP. Just 12 more days until my much needed vacation! Thanks for reading and good luck at the tables. Tony
P.S. – Again thanks to my readers for clicking through on my Google Banner, above this post, please keep up the good work!

2008 WSOP

If the first event of the WSOP is any indication this year will be huge! 352 players turned out for the 10K Pot Limit Holdem event. The list of players was a who's who of the most famous pros in the world. Not only can I not wait to play this year but I can't wait to watch ESPN's coverage. Will do a post later about my day playing online yesterday. Thanks for rading and good luck at the tables. Tony