Bodog Sunday Major

Just got knocked out of the Bodog 100K and I am steaming. Had a very nice stack of 6200 chips with 275 players left with blinds of 200-400. I raise in late position with pocket Kings and the small blind snap calls me. The flop J-9-3 rainbow and I continue bet for 1/2 the pot. He again snap calls me. A Ten falls on the turn and he snap shoves into me. I go into the tank and decide I have the best hand and call. What do you think the Donk has? Of course K-Q off! He calls for 1/5 of his stack out of position! I hate bad players! I get knocked out a few hands later. Had enough chips to make it to the cash. I hate MTTs, especially on Sundays. No more poker for me today. Beware of the Donks! Tony

Sit-N-Go Madness

Help Sit-N-Go Madness on Full Tilt has me in it's grasp! I six tabled last night for 2 straight hours to try to get onto the leader board. Did very well taking 2nd in 7 of 18 of them, but only won one. Pulled a nice profit but if I could have won a few more flips would have won a lot more! Played this morning for 2 hours and took some sick bad beats but made a huge come back to only loss a little. Give Sit-n-Go Madness a try but I am warning you it's addictive! Thanks for reading and good luck at the tables. Tony

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Neil's Home Game

Good news and bad news from last night at Cousin Neil’s home game. Good news is I won the first Sit-n-Go, also got 2 bounties. Bad news is I took a sick bad beat to loss most of my chips in the 2nd one. An early position player shoved for 2/3 of my stack in the 4th round. The blinds were still pretty low at 150-300 but I had pocket Kings and of course snap re-shoved over him. He had the Blogger favorite hand of Ace-Jackass. Once I heard that my other Cousin folded Ace-Jack also just knew my pocket Kings were toast. First card off the deck was a King so I had high hopes for a bounty and a huge stack. Second card was a Queen so the Ace-Jackss had a gut shot. Of course a ten on the turn and my set of Kings goes down in flames being Live Poker is rigged. Play a few weeks in our Home game and you will never think Online Poker is rigged again. The sick hands and bad beats you see are just as bad as playing Online. Another Shout out to Cousin Nick for going deep in the 750K on Full Sunday night. Good job maybe next time we can both cash in it! Thanks for reading and good luck at the tables. Tony

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More MTT Bubbles

Last night I had a short hit-n-run winning session of Online Poker. Played some short- handed Limit HE and won 11BBs in 30 minutes. Also played a Step 1 ticket on Stars and parlayed it into a Step 2. Haven’t been running too good the last few days so I decided to book a win. It all started on Sunday when I bubbled in 2 MTTs that I was sure was going to cash in. Was playing in a RAZZ MTT on Stars when we were 6 handed with 5 places paid. I had a perfect seven on 5th(For the Non Razz players that is A-2-3-4-7). Got the rest of my money in against an eight draw that needed 2 perfect cards to make a 6 to beat me. Yup an Ace on sixth and a 2 on Seventh and IGH as bubble boy! Sucks being I would be third in chips and close to the leader. At the same time we are down to 42 players in a $2500 guarantee on Ultimate Bet. I get A-K and play it hard only to get called down by pocket 4s on a non-scary board. Was mad at myself for not pulling the trigger on the River.(Who knows the Donk may have called me anyway.) I went from a comfortable stack of 18K to a short stack of 8K in a hand I knew was going to get me in trouble. Problem was my stack was too big to shove pre-flop. Went out a few hands later in 39th when 27 were being paid. Tonight I will start all over by playing some Sit-n-Gos at my Cousin Neil’s house. Look for a home game post tomorrow. Thanks for reading and good luck at the tables. Tony

Full Tilt Sunday Major Score

A big Shout out to my Cousin Nick “NICK KING RAG”! He took 26th in The Full Tilt 750K on Sunday, good for a 3K Bankroll boost! Good job Nick, you run Goot! Happy Monday. Tony

All Good Things Must Come to an End

My sick run at double or nothing Sit-N-Gos ended on Stars yesterday. I went 1 for 3 which isn't too bad, actually glad the streak has ended being now I can play any Sit-n-Gos and not feel the self pressure to continue it. Also was one bad beat away from winning a Step 4 ticket, good for the Sunday Warm-up today. Right now I am trying to get back up to Step 3 but the Donks are killing me. Sometimes I think it's a waste to play on Sundays being it's such a luckfest. Of well just have to adjust to the bad play. Beware of the Donks and have a happy Donkday. Tony

Friday Rantings

Still running sick hot in Double or Nothing Sit-N-Gos on River Stars. Even after doing a post about it this week I went 2 for 2 last night. I checked my records and I am 14-1 in the last 15, haven’t lost one since Feb. 27! The fact that you get rewarded for surviving or squeaking into the money plays right into my style of Sit-N-Go play. I seem to have a knack to know when to shove and when to fold when on the bubble in these. The same thing happens to me in the Super Satellite MTTs on Full Tilt also. In the $15 ones I win a $55 seat around 80% of the time. This month I should have only played in Double or Nothings and Satellites, my earn would have been much higher. Don’t get me wrong am still having a very winning month Online, after last month’s doldrums. Even after this week’s losses at Hi/Lo Stud Still am way up at ring game play this month. Also I didn’t win a WSOP Seat on Ultimate Bet but only invested around $3 in Step 1 and 2s to clear around $200 in bonus.(Not included the fact I can cash in my points for another $50 or use them to purchase merchandise in the store.) Think this weekend I will 4 table double or nothings to see how high I can get the roll up. Also have a few Step 2s that I will try to get up to Step 4 with. That way I can play in the Sunday Warm up and maybe the $215 Hi/Lo Stud on Saturday night. BTW I heard an awesome Podcast about Hi/Lo Stud with Andy Bloch on their “Cash Plays Podcast” today. There is a ton of great information about Hi/Lo packed into this 52 minute Podcast. Not only is Andy Bloch super smart but he can teach concepts really well! Probably shouldn’t even tell you all about the Podcast because it will make my completion even better. Last night we booked our trip for this year’s WSOP. We are both totally stoked about getting to play some really good tournaments this year. Looks like we will both be playing the $1500 Stud on June 6th and I hope to play in the $3000 HORSE event 3 days later. There are also two $550 HORSE events I will probably play in the same week, one at Binions and one at the Venetian. Will this be my year for a big score in Vegas, sure hope so. Last year’s 27th in RAZZ at the WSOP was a big time tease. At least I got beat up by the eventual Bracelet winner, Barry Greenstein, so it hurt slightly less. Thanks for reading and good luck at the tables. TGIF. Tony

Double or Nothing

I am running so good at Double or Nothing Sit-N-Gos on Stars! Should play them only and nothing else these days. Just went 12-1 in my last thirteen of them. Tonight I think I will Multi-table 4 of them at once and see if my win rate drops off or not. Can’t expect to go 12-1 again but if I can just go 7-3 in my next 10 it will be a nice profit. Probably am turning on the bad beat/cooler switch for myself by just writing about them. Last night I turned things around in my ring Hi/Lo Stud game, booking a small profit. Will play some more tonight being I need a few more points to maintain my VIP Status on Stars. Hopefully will get to play in their VIP Free roll on Saturday. (Especially being it’s now a 30K Free roll instead of 20K!) Also need to earn points on Full Tilt so I can purchase a new monitor for my PC with points. Thanks for reading and good luck at the tables. Tony

More Online Play

Haven’t been posting as much as I like too lately. Not much new going on for me with Online Poker. Been grinding at the Hi/Lo Stud tables. Running very bad in these games at Poker Stars, ok at Ultimate Bet. It seems most of the fish have swam upstream away from the Hi/Lo Stud tables on Stars. It’s a bad sign when four players at a low limit Hi/Lo Stud table are SuperNovas! Also when you move to different tables or multi-table and almost all the same players are at each table! Need to play some more Double or Nothing Sit-N-Gos being I have gone 9-1 in the last ten of them. I should stick to what works, instead always deviate to what I am running bad at. I guess I do it for the challenge but it’s not the best way to make money. Tonight I am moving up to a higher level of Hi/Lo Stud. One bright spot this week is I took a few shots at the higher level and won every time. May be that I am playing better/tighter at the higher level being my normal level feels like such a luck fest. Also itching to play some live casino Poker, hopefully will soon. Thanks for reading and good luck at the tables. Tony

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A Small Score

PokerStars Tournament #147643163, 8-Game
Buy-In: $10.00/$1.00
42 players
Total Prize Pool: $420.00
Tournament started 2009/03/16 13:45:00 ET


Dear AVIGANOLA,

You finished the tournament in 3rd place. A $63.00 award has been credited to your Real Money account.

You earned 75.23 tournament leader points in this tournament. For information about our tournament leader board, see our web site at http://www.pokerstars.com/poker/tournaments/leader-board/


Congratulations!

Thank you for participating.

Step Frustration

Feels like I will never get back up to Step 10 to have a shot at winning a WSOP Main event package on Ultimate Bet. All week I slowly worked my way up to Step 6. Yesterday I played my Step 6 and kept getting sucked out on. Finally on the pay out bubble I shove pocket Queens for 7x and A-2 of Hearts calls me. The flop comes with three hearts and IGH without even a repeat Step Ticket. At least I have some tickets in reserve, A Step 3 and A Step 4. It just feels like a long road to get back to Step 10. Especially being I am challenging myself by only paying for Step 1 .11 cent tickets! I want to win my way all the way up the ladder. On the good news front I have only spent $2 on Step 1 tickets. Have cleared almost $100 in bonus from these! Beware of the Donks today, do I have to remind you it's "Revenge of the Donkday today!" Thanks for reading and good luck at the tables. Tony

One Sick Hand!

Played in a Home Game at my Cousin Ant’s house last night. I played fine but hardly got any hands to play all night. Finished in 5th in both Sit-N-gos with top 3 getting paid so nothing much to report on my play. Did make a good lay down with top pair on a dry flop of 2-6-10. I had 9-10 suited and my cousin shoved for half my stack right into me, in a limped pot. Almost called being he has a tendency to overplay top pair. Just felt he had me out kicked or had 2 pairs. Call doesn’t make much sense to me being I only beat a complete bluff or maybe 10-8 or 10-7. I folded and he showed me 2-6, a big blind special. There was one crazy sick hand that my brother John was on the winning end of. You will rarely see a hand like this in a live No Limit Sit-n-Go. There were four people in the pot and the turn brought a 9 of diamonds, board of 10-8-2-9 with 3 diamonds. My brother leads out for one quarter the pot for 500T. Next player shoves, than the middle player shoves also, so my cousin goes into the tank. He has everyone covered so after a minute he calls also. My brother insta-calls very happily with the absolute nuts. Yes 3 players shoved into my brother after he turned a straight flush with the J-7 of diamonds from the Big Blind! First player had a King high flush, 2nd player had a Jack high straight and my cousin had a slow-played flopped set. He needed the board to pair to win the side pot but the river brought the six of diamonds. What a sick hand, live poker is so rigged! For all the players that think crazy things only happen online come play in our home games and you will see it all. Bad beats are the norm in these games. Thanks for reading and good luck at the tables. TGIF. Tony

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Another Night Another Step

I moved up to Step 5 tonight on Ultimate Bet. As long as I am making progress I am happy. Last time around steps 5 and 6 were easy peasy, so hopfully the tread continues. Did very well playing Hi/Lo Stud on Joker Stars tonight also. Going to make it an early night so no more playing for me. Possible will be in a home game, with my cousins tomorrow night. If we play expect a good post about it on friday. Thanks for reading and good luck at the tables. Tony

Step Restart

I hate the fact that I am playing at Step 3 on Ultimate right now! I restarted at Step one after I lost my Step 10 this weekend. Decided to punish myself by having to go up the Steps all the way from the bottom. I am having trouble getting past Step 3, keep winning a repeat ticket. Hope to be back to Step 10 by this weekend. Thanks for reading and good luck at the tables. Tony

Step 10/Sunday Warm-up

I am really disappointed! I got knocked out of the Sunday Warm-up and my Step 10 within 5 minutes of one another. Got a really bad table draw with the Step 10, don't get much choice being only like 2 go a day, even on the weekends. It was a combination of a few Weak Donks and a few agressive crazy Shove Donks. I held on as long as possible but had to make a stand in the Big Blind with A-7, shove monkey who was shoving every other hand has A-Q and IGH in 7th! Five minutes before that I call a shove with pocket Tens only to run into pocket Aces, in the warm-up. Finished around 1450 out of 4200 in the warm-up. Both results are really frustrating but I will keep looking for a score, one of these days. Beware of the Donks today! Happy Donkday. Tony

Step 10 Update.

Just played my Step 10. I could have been a contender, LOL. At least I didn't loss my ticket, came in 4th and won a repeat Step 10. Got my money in so Good Kings against Tens all in pre-flop. River comes a Ten and instead of being tied for the lead 3 handed IGH in 4th. Of well tomorrow I will try it again. Thanks for reading and good luck at the tables. Tony

WSOP Step 10

I am about to play my Step 10 on Ultimate Bet right now. It's 2:27pm eastern and it should start soon. Come out and sweat me, "AVIGANOLA" is my screen name. Expect a post about my win later on today, I hope! Wish me luck. Tony

Ultimate Step Update

Played some more lower Steps last night. Just to have some backup so I won't be devastated if I lose my Step 10. Did very well getting 3 repeat Steps and 2 advance a step wins. My wife is playing the Steps also, she has like 8 tickets but none higher than 5. On Stars it's only 6 steps to a seat on Ultimate it's 10! On Stars you start for $7.50 on Ultimate .11 cents so it's all relative. Won't be playing much tonight being my sister-in-law is in a play and we are going to see it in a few minutes. Thanks for reading and good luck at the tables. Tony

Stars Steps

Locked up a Step 4 on Stars. Means I will probably be using it for the Sunday Warmup this weekend. Could this be the week I make my big score? Also have a chance to win a 12K WSOP package being I will play my Step 10 on Ultimate. Two chance for a big score in one weekend nice, I like it. Wish me luck! Thanks for reading and good luck at the tables. Tony

Step Quest Update

I still haven’t played my Step 10 yet. Looks like they don’t go very often during the week. Had a chance to play in on Sunday, right after I won my Step 9. Kind of regretting I didn’t play it than. It’s just that the Step 9 took over 2 hours and 45 minutes with 15 minute blinds. A Step 10 had 20 minute blinds and I am sure the bubble will be brutal in it. On Sunday night I was too tired from a day of grinding on my computer to play the Step 10 well. It’s just that now I have that feeling of not having closure on my Step quest. I guess it’s that growing up in the video game age coming out for me. You know the need for instant gratification. Not only that I just want to lock up a seat for the WSOP main event, being I have never been able to play in it. May not even play but at the least I will use the money to play in some smaller events. Last night I grinded out some lower steps, just so I have backup in case I get coolered out of my Step 10 or god forbid I screw it up. Also even if I win will still play in the Step program being can win 10K as many times as I can get back to Step 10 and win it! Am sure you are all getting bored reading about my Step quest. Try it yourself and you may get hooked also! Thanks for reading and good luck at the tables. Tony

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Ultimate Step 10

Ship it! I won a Step 10 ticket tonight! Took over 2 hours and 45 minutes but well worth it. So let's review, I invest 34 cents on Friday in a Step 2 ticket, by the end of the weekend I have a Step 10 worth $2350! Not a bad parley, thanks you very much. Maybe tomorrow night I will make an attempt at winning a WSOP main event package, we will see. Let it snow, let it snow! Be careful shoveling tomorrow. Happy Donkday and good night. Tony

Ultimate Step Update

I won my Step 8 and am playing my Step 9 right now! Feel free to come sweat me, screen name "AVIGANOLA". Happy Donkday! Tony

Ultimate Step Madness

Starting playing the Steps on Ultimate Bet on friday. Ran sick good all day yesterday. I turned a .34 cents Step 2 into a Step 8 worth $270 yesterday. That's right invested .34 now have $270, how about that for a parlay! Two more steps and I win the 12K package! Poker is so much fun when running good! Beware of the Donks and get the snow shovels ready. Happy Donkday. Tony