Friday, September 12, 2008

My first 25-50 NL session

Yes, I'm not kidding, I barely play cash or tourneys, when I play cash it's usually 3-6 or 5-10 6Max NL, I don't have a bankroll, I don't have the passion for poker I used to have, never study anymore and today I just decided to play a little 25-50 NL, ha, I'm such a strange gambler.

My session went pretty smooth, I lost about $1500 playing 5-10 earlier, so I just wanted to win some $2000, easy right?, just sit down with better players than you, more experienced than you and the money will come.

Well, for once I was pretty concentrated, these high stakes made me take things seriously and to be honest, I really enjoyed the session, at one point I was down some $3000 (total), but I ended winning $2100 in the 25-50 table, so, I won some $700 for the day and I was pretty happy my gambling didn't cost me a leg.

Probably my most interesting hand played today was the following:

PokerStars Game #20342650078: Hold'em No Limit ($25/$50) - 2008/09/12 7:34:53 ET
Table 'Sculptor' 9-max Seat #3 is the button
Seat 1: IamTazz ($850 in chips)
Seat 3: Krazyball ($1025 in chips)
Seat 4: fumbo420 ($7907 in chips)
Seat 5: sirio11 ($5424.50 in chips)
Seat 7: FUTURE102 ($3322 in chips)
Seat 8: firas71 ($5337 in chips)
Seat 9: good2cu ($5075 in chips)
fumbo420: posts small blind $25
sirio11: posts big blind $50
Bullitos: sits out
*** HOLE CARDS ***
Dealt to sirio11 [Qd Td]
FUTURE102: folds
firas71: raises $100 to $150
good2cu: calls $150
IamTazz: folds
Krazyball: folds
fumbo420: calls $125
sirio11: calls $100

*** FLOP *** [8s Jd Ts]
fumbo420: checks
sirio11: checks
firas71: bets $450
good2cu: calls $450
fumbo420: folds
sirio11: calls $450

*** TURN *** [8s Jd Ts] [Th]
sirio11: bets $650
firas71: calls $650
good2cu: raises $1750 to $2400 !!!!
sirio11: folds
firas71: raises $2337 to $4737 and is all-in
good2cu: calls $2075 and is all-in
Uncalled bet ($262) returned to firas71
*** RIVER *** [8s Jd Ts Th] [8d]
*** SHOW DOWN ***
firas71: shows [Kd Js] (two pair, Jacks and Tens)
good2cu: shows [Tc Ad] (a full house, Tens full of Eights)
good2cu collected $11547 from pot
*** SUMMARY ***
Total pot $11550 | Rake $3
Board [8s Jd Ts Th 8d]
Seat 1: IamTazz folded before Flop (didn't bet)
Seat 3: Krazyball (button) folded before Flop (didn't bet)
Seat 4: fumbo420 (small blind) folded on the Flop
Seat 5: sirio11 (big blind) folded on the Turn
Seat 7: FUTURE102 folded before Flop (didn't bet)
Seat 8: firas71 showed [Kd Js] and lost with two pair, Jacks and Tens
Seat 9: good2cu showed [Tc Ad] and won ($11547) with a full house, Tens full of Eights

KJ guy was a litle on tilt, and that made me think about calling the turn raise with my set and straight draw, but I thought good2cu had 88 or ATs and decided to fold. I think it was a good fold, but of course I'm not used to this stakes, but I felt good about it, even before I knew the showdown. Good thing firas decided to call, so I could see their cards. Don't know if I'll play more 25-50 in the near future, for sure I don't have the bankroll, but I liked my overall play in the table and to be honest it's pretty nice to be able to concentrate and enjoy a poker game played at a pretty good level.

This weekend I'll be training my students for the next Mathematical National Olympiad, if I have the time, I'll probably play the WCOOP tourneys on Sunday.