Few matches today...

Went 2-1 so far today, then played a 50+2.50 4 man with my buddy Joe. We didn't get paired first round and each played a fish. I had mine down very quickly, then it turned into a grind, the guy was a horrible semi-station and I developed some nice reads on his transparent play. Eventually after having him in between 400-800 chips for 2 blind rounds I finally got him in on top pair to mid pair hands (this was honestly the only time we both had these hands in like 60 hands or whatever, silly cards). Joe finished his guy off about ten minutes earlier in the 50 dollar big blinds.

Joe will put the entire HH for our match up on PXF later tonight and I will link it for anybody that wishes to watch the match. I felt I had pretty solid cards and kept myself in very good situations for most of the match. I definitely messed up a few hands. Below I will outline the 3 hands that really killed me during the match with a little bit of text below each. I'll add a few other bigger hands too. If you want to wait for the entire HH video it will be up tonight. If you have any questions/comments/requests for any hands I welcome them entirely.

Just note: We do a deal when we play these, if you win first round and we do not meet each other in finals, if you win you send back the buyin. If we meet in the finals we evenly split the prize pool (this is well within the rules of Pokerstars, I emailed support awhile ago about it).


PokerStars Game #9732701498: Tournament #49388910, $50.00+$2.50 Hold'em No Limit - Match Round II, Level I (20/40) - 2007/05/03 - 17:27:45 (ET)
Table '49388910 1' 2-max Seat #1 is the button
Seat 1: RyPac13 (2950 in chips)
Seat 2: TheOpenDoor (3050 in chips)
RyPac13: posts small blind 20
TheOpenDoor: posts big blind 40
*** HOLE CARDS ***
Dealt to RyPac13 [Js Qd]
RyPac13: raises 80 to 120
TheOpenDoor: calls 80
*** FLOP *** [6s 7h Jh]
TheOpenDoor: checks
RyPac13: bets 120
TheOpenDoor: calls 120
*** TURN *** [6s 7h Jh] [Td]
TheOpenDoor: checks
RyPac13: checks
*** RIVER *** [6s 7h Jh Td] [4c]
TheOpenDoor: checks
RyPac13: bets 280
TheOpenDoor: calls 280
*** SHOW DOWN ***
RyPac13: shows [Js Qd] (a pair of Jacks)
TheOpenDoor: mucks hand
RyPac13 collected 1040 from pot
*** SUMMARY ***
Total pot 1040 | Rake 0
Board [6s 7h Jh Td 4c]
Seat 1: RyPac13 (button) (small blind) showed [Js Qd] and won (1040) with a pair of Jacks
Seat 2: TheOpenDoor (big blind) mucked [5s 5c]


I think I played this hand very well in position and forced him to call with our past history together.


PokerStars Game #9732737540: Tournament #49388910, $50.00+$2.50 Hold'em No Limit - Match Round II, Level I (20/40) - 2007/05/03 - 17:30:12 (ET)
Table '49388910 1' 2-max Seat #1 is the button
Seat 1: RyPac13 (3350 in chips)
Seat 2: TheOpenDoor (2650 in chips)
RyPac13: posts small blind 20
TheOpenDoor: posts big blind 40
*** HOLE CARDS ***
Dealt to RyPac13 [7h 7d]
RyPac13: raises 80 to 120
TheOpenDoor: calls 80
*** FLOP *** [4h Qh 4s]
TheOpenDoor: checks
RyPac13: bets 120
TheOpenDoor: raises 240 to 360
RyPac13: calls 240
*** TURN *** [4h Qh 4s] [6h]
TheOpenDoor: checks
RyPac13: checks
*** RIVER *** [4h Qh 4s 6h] [6c]
TheOpenDoor: checks
RyPac13: checks
*** SHOW DOWN ***
TheOpenDoor: shows [2s As] (two pair, Sixes and Fours)
RyPac13: shows [7h 7d] (two pair, Sevens and Sixes)
RyPac13 collected 960 from pot
*** SUMMARY ***
Total pot 960 | Rake 0
Board [4h Qh 4s 6h 6c]
Seat 1: RyPac13 (button) (small blind) showed [7h 7d] and won (960) with two pair, Sevens and Sixes
Seat 2: TheOpenDoor (big blind) showed [2s As] and lost with two pair, Sixes and Fours


I knew he'd want to raise this flop bet with a lot of cards. I also knew on the turn/river I wasn't getting any action on a riverbet by anything that I beat.


PokerStars Game #9732782420: Tournament #49388910, $50.00+$2.50 Hold'em No Limit - Match Round II, Level II (30/60) - 2007/05/03 - 17:33:13 (ET)
Table '49388910 1' 2-max Seat #1 is the button
Seat 1: RyPac13 (4020 in chips)
Seat 2: TheOpenDoor (1980 in chips)
RyPac13: posts small blind 30
TheOpenDoor: posts big blind 60
*** HOLE CARDS ***
Dealt to RyPac13 [4s Kd]
RyPac13: calls 30
TheOpenDoor: checks
*** FLOP *** [Kc 2c 2h]
TheOpenDoor: checks
RyPac13: checks
*** TURN *** [Kc 2c 2h] [3s]
TheOpenDoor: bets 120
RyPac13: raises 360 to 480
TheOpenDoor: calls 360
*** RIVER *** [Kc 2c 2h 3s] [7h]
TheOpenDoor: checks
RyPac13: checks
*** SHOW DOWN ***
TheOpenDoor: shows [Ks 9c] (two pair, Kings and Deuces)
RyPac13: mucks hand
TheOpenDoor collected 1080 from pot
RyPac13 said, "bad raise"
*** SUMMARY ***
Total pot 1080 | Rake 0
Board [Kc 2c 2h 3s 7h]
Seat 1: RyPac13 (button) (small blind) mucked [4s Kd]
Seat 2: TheOpenDoor (big blind) showed [Ks 9c] and won (1080) with two pair, Kings and Deuces


This was a pretty bad raise, for obvious reasons I think. He may stab at this often, but even so a call is a ton better. This is similar to the last hand in a way and I switched rolls with him.


PokerStars Game #9732833353: Tournament #49388910, $50.00+$2.50 Hold'em No Limit - Match Round II, Level II (30/60) - 2007/05/03 - 17:36:36 (ET)
Table '49388910 1' 2-max Seat #2 is the button
Seat 1: RyPac13 (3330 in chips)
Seat 2: TheOpenDoor (2670 in chips)
TheOpenDoor: posts small blind 30
RyPac13: posts big blind 60
*** HOLE CARDS ***
Dealt to RyPac13 [Kc Ad]
TheOpenDoor: raises 120 to 180
RyPac13: raises 360 to 540
TheOpenDoor: calls 360
*** FLOP *** [9s 7s 8h]
RyPac13: checks
TheOpenDoor: bets 600
RyPac13: folds
TheOpenDoor collected 1080 from pot
TheOpenDoor: doesn't show hand
*** SUMMARY ***
Total pot 1080 | Rake 0
Board [9s 7s 8h]
Seat 1: RyPac13 (big blind) folded on the Flop
Seat 2: TheOpenDoor (button) (small blind) collected (1080)


This is an unfortunate hand to have for me OOP with these stack sizes against Joe. His range on my flop checks is huge but it is slightly skewed towards a fold for me here given that flop and his bet. I often play very well IMO against him OOP in big pots because I do not 3-bet him a ton, so when he calls I'm usually pretty solid going into the hand.


PokerStars Game #9732846201: Tournament #49388910, $50.00+$2.50 Hold'em No Limit - Match Round II, Level II (30/60) - 2007/05/03 - 17:37:27 (ET)
Table '49388910 1' 2-max Seat #2 is the button
Seat 1: RyPac13 (2760 in chips)
Seat 2: TheOpenDoor (3240 in chips)
TheOpenDoor: posts small blind 30
RyPac13: posts big blind 60
*** HOLE CARDS ***
Dealt to RyPac13 [Ks 8s]
TheOpenDoor: raises 120 to 180
RyPac13: calls 120
*** FLOP *** [5h Kd 5c]
RyPac13: checks
TheOpenDoor: bets 220
RyPac13: calls 220
*** TURN *** [5h Kd 5c] [2h]
RyPac13: checks
TheOpenDoor: bets 400
RyPac13: calls 400
*** RIVER *** [5h Kd 5c 2h] [Tc]
RyPac13: checks
TheOpenDoor: bets 900
RyPac13 said, "god damn"
RyPac13: calls 900
*** SHOW DOWN ***
TheOpenDoor: shows [5d 8d] (three of a kind, Fives)
RyPac13: shows [Ks 8s] (two pair, Kings and Fives)
TheOpenDoor collected 3400 from pot
*** SUMMARY ***
Total pot 3400 | Rake 0
Board [5h Kd 5c 2h Tc]
Seat 1: RyPac13 (big blind) showed [Ks 8s] and lost with two pair, Kings and Fives
Seat 2: TheOpenDoor (button) (small blind) showed [5d 8d] and won (3400) with three of a kind, Fives


I'm not sure about this call down, it is kind of weak given the board, but I'm sure he doesn't think I have a hand too often here until I flatcall the turn as well. I think I play this hand fine if I fold the river, but I didn't have the discipline apparantly. He hadn't been raising as much as usual in the SB so I didn't put that many 5s in his range.


PokerStars Game #9732871101: Tournament #49388910, $50.00+$2.50 Hold'em No Limit - Match Round II, Level II (30/60) - 2007/05/03 - 17:39:06 (ET)
Table '49388910 1' 2-max Seat #1 is the button
Seat 1: RyPac13 (1300 in chips)
Seat 2: TheOpenDoor (4700 in chips)
RyPac13: posts small blind 30
TheOpenDoor: posts big blind 60
*** HOLE CARDS ***
Dealt to RyPac13 [Qd Ah]
RyPac13: raises 120 to 180
TheOpenDoor: calls 120
*** FLOP *** [3c Tc Ts]
TheOpenDoor: bets 4520 and is all-in
RyPac13: calls 1120 and is all-in
*** TURN *** [3c Tc Ts] [3s]
*** RIVER *** [3c Tc Ts 3s] [9h]
*** SHOW DOWN ***
TheOpenDoor: shows [7c Kc] (two pair, Tens and Threes)
RyPac13: shows [Qd Ah] (two pair, Tens and Threes - Ace kicker)
TheOpenDoor said, "nh"
RyPac13 collected 2600 from pot
RyPac13 said, "ty"
*** SUMMARY ***
Total pot 2600 | Rake 0
Board [3c Tc Ts 3s 9h]
Seat 1: RyPac13 (button) (small blind) showed [Qd Ah] and won (2600) with two pair, Tens and Threes
Seat 2: TheOpenDoor (big blind) showed [7c Kc] and lost with two pair, Tens and Threes


I think this hand was fairly standard for our matches.


PokerStars Game #9732877899: Tournament #49388910, $50.00+$2.50 Hold'em No Limit - Match Round II, Level II (30/60) - 2007/05/03 - 17:39:33 (ET)
Table '49388910 1' 2-max Seat #2 is the button
Seat 1: RyPac13 (2600 in chips)
Seat 2: TheOpenDoor (3400 in chips)
TheOpenDoor: posts small blind 30
RyPac13: posts big blind 60
*** HOLE CARDS ***
Dealt to RyPac13 [Kh 7d]
TheOpenDoor: raises 120 to 180
RyPac13: calls 120
*** FLOP *** [4h 7h 8c]
RyPac13: checks
TheOpenDoor: bets 220
RyPac13: raises 440 to 660
TheOpenDoor: raises 2560 to 3220 and is all-in
RyPac13: folds
TheOpenDoor collected 1680 from pot
RyPac13 said, "i think i'm a tad too behind there"
TheOpenDoor: shows [Jh Qd] (high card Queen)
*** SUMMARY ***
Total pot 1680 | Rake 0
Board [4h 7h 8c]
Seat 1: RyPac13 (big blind) folded on the Flop
Seat 2: TheOpenDoor (button) (small blind) collected (1680)


This hand was very tough. I haven't played Joe in awhile (we used to play a ton) and he seemed to be tightening a bit. A month or two ago I would instacall this and be happy with whatever he had, regardless if I were behind or not. I actually timed down to like 5 seconds on my timer here. I ended up thinking I was about 5% too short in equity to call here. I likely did not include enough overcards or him doing this with overcards enough times. Considering what I've raised with throughout the match, I do not think this was a very wise move on his part, but he's always been fairly "over the top" happy in our matches, for better or worse. I will end up doing the math tomorrow on this hand and figuring out in that spot should I have called at the current time in the match.


PokerStars Game #9732987415: Tournament #49388910, $50.00+$2.50 Hold'em No Limit - Match Round II, Level III (50/100) - 2007/05/03 - 17:46:55 (ET)
Table '49388910 1' 2-max Seat #2 is the button
Seat 1: RyPac13 (1870 in chips)
Seat 2: TheOpenDoor (4130 in chips)
TheOpenDoor: posts small blind 50
RyPac13: posts big blind 100
*** HOLE CARDS ***
Dealt to RyPac13 [As Kc]
TheOpenDoor: raises 200 to 300
RyPac13: raises 1570 to 1870 and is all-in
TheOpenDoor: calls 1570
*** FLOP *** [8c 2d 9d]
RyPac13 said, "gg"
*** TURN *** [8c 2d 9d] [Ad]
*** RIVER *** [8c 2d 9d Ad] [5s]
*** SHOW DOWN ***
RyPac13: shows [As Kc] (a pair of Aces)
TheOpenDoor: shows [9h Ah] (two pair, Aces and Nines)
TheOpenDoor said, "gg"
TheOpenDoor collected 3740 from pot
*** SUMMARY ***
Total pot 3740 | Rake 0
Board [8c 2d 9d Ad 5s]
Seat 1: RyPac13 (big blind) showed [As Kc] and lost with a pair of Aces
Seat 2: TheOpenDoor (button) (small blind) showed [9h Ah] and won (3740) with two pair, Aces and Nines

I'd been raising a little more often overall. I had just went through a fairly card dead spot and raised a few drawy type hands because I felt he'd fold a ton more because of that "tight" raise image. Then I got a few hands so it probably shifted into "he might be really opening up," and felt I would get a shove sooner or later. I'd also been coming over the top with a few small pairs and KJ once, so I was happy to get a call here. Not much to say about this hand, but I'd of had a little lead and the game would go on if I had held.

Overall, it was a fun match, I made a few bad plays, but I feel I played fairly well overall. As I said before I will be playing better quality players (mostly in $5.50 private matches, this is an exception) in the next few days, so hopefully I can solidify my game against "real" players to prepare me for the higher limit games.



I'm going to see my friend's band play again tonight. They're playing a much better venue than the last one, this time they will be a block south of Wrigleyville at a Mexican restaurant. A friend of mine who lives 5-10 minutes away from the place knows the owners and said it's a good place. There's a bar in the basement which is where they are playing, so this should be a good show. I also used to live about 5-10 minutes away from here as well (a few blocks from the same friend) and am inviting a few people to come watch the show.

Bankroll $1,786.08