The next 6 days will be busy. We have a wedding In Washington DC then Margarite is running in the Boston marathon then we stay in Boston for a few days before heading back to Botswana.
First the wedding my youngest brother finally at 40, decided to tie the knot. He has met a wonderful woman about half his age JZ. JZ is a 10th grade English / Litterateur Professor and I am sure if she is reading this, she will realize English is my second language.
I had been visiting friends and family in the Eastern Pennsylvania area for the last few weeks so I was getting a ride to DC with my adopted sister. She recently turned 48 just 2 weeks before I turned 50. I told her 48 sucked but turning 50 was like being born again. Life had a whole new meaning. There were new pleasures, like making it through the night without having to go to the bathroom.
We picked up Margarite at BWI Airport on our drive to Washington D.C. Somehow this poor girl working at the Botswana orphanage was able to use her father’s private jet to fly over to the United States.
We checked in to our hotel in D.C., the Morison and Clark, a quant historic hotel on 11th and L North West.
We got a nice surprise Margarite’s parents were in from Holland (that is why Margarite was able to use the jet). Margarite’s mother is a descendant of some Dutch Royalty and for some reason was invited to some grand ball at the U.S. Dutch Embassy in Washington D.C. So we all met up for lunch at the Brasserie Beck. They are well known for their unique Belgian Beer.
After lunch we took a nap the beer knocked me out and Margarite was beat from the long flight. We have a family dinner at 6 to meet JZ's family for the first time. My parents and my other brother’s family would be in shortly, "Z’s" family.
Dinner was great, food was great, service was great, and it was clear neither JZ nor Lee wanted the two families to meet. I guess with fewer then 24 hours before the wedding they wanted to make sure nothing went wrong. Each family was seated at their own table Lee's family at one table about 12 people. JZ's at the other table about 14 people. The two tables were about 40 feet apart and it was clear we were not to mingle. I guess Lee knew one of us might open our mouths and kill the deal. Everything ended find and off to after party party we all went.
It was good to catch up with some of Lee's buddies I had not seen for a while. Lee is one of those few people that has a ton of close friends all the way back from high school and whom reside all over the world.
Saturday, got up and went for an 8 mile run, Washington D.C. is a great town to run in with great parks and sights to see so the run goes by real fast.
My brother had rented a bus to get all the guest from the hotel to the church. Phil a friend of my brother's and I were in charge of the wedding programs. JZ had hand made each program and we had to instruct each guest that they must save the program forever and if JZ was ever to visit it was important they put the program out on their coffee table for JZ to see.
The ceremony was very nice and well done. There was 3 hours between the ceremony and the reception so JZ and Lee had reserved 60 tickets for a Capital Building tour. I was put in charge of making sure the tour went off without a hitch. It was like herding cats. The Capital was 3 blocks from the church.
The tour starts out with a movie of the Capital and then there is a guided tour of the building. Since it was Saturday the Capital was not that active. It was a feat to gather everybody to get them back to the bus so we would be back at the hotel in time for the reception. What Stress!
My brother used unique pictures of each guest as seating place cards so you had to identify your picture and on the back was your table number. At our table was KAT. KAT is running for New Jersey State Senate, Congress, or maybe even President.
The reception was well done and just the right size so you had a chance to talk to everybody.
Margarite and I are heading to Boston early Sunday morning for the Boston Marathon, more on that later.
Watch the Video (below) for the condensed version.
First Travel, I have been in the United States for the last few weeks, I did not feel like flying home to Botswana after my Vegas Trip only to fly back for my brothers wedding and the Boston Marathon. Yes, Margarite is flying over next week to compete in the Boston Marathon more on that later.
So far my trip to Greenland has not progressed very far. I have found someone to help me plan the trip. I normally do all the research and planning on my own, with Greenland I have not been able to find a lot of information on what to see and where to go. Lars one of my on-line Poker buddies that lives in Greenland said he would help, but recently he has stopped answering my emails. My plan was to go to Greenland sometime between May 15th and June 30th. So the window is getting close on locking the trip in. I will keep you all posted on the status as time goes on.
I do have some other trips planned. July I will be heading to the Snake River for some class 5 white water rafting. August I will be in Virginia Beach, Virginia and then December I will be heading to Egypt for two weeks. So look forward to some good post with great pictures.
This is a fun video of a guy that is dancing around the world.
Poker:
I had set a goal for the year of $3,000 and an hourly rate of $10.00 or more. Before we look at the first quarter of 2009 let us look at the first quarter of 2008.
First Quarter 2008 results
Hands Played = 11,554
Hours Played = 145.42
Dollars Won = -$272.00
Hourly Rate = -$1.87 an hour
Bonus = ZERO
First Quarter 2009 results
Hands Played = 12,528
Hours Played = 124.38
Dollars Won = 1,036.00
Hourly Rate = $8.33
Bonus = $300
As you can see my winnings and hourly rate are far ahead of last year, though I still need to get my hourly even higher. I played more hands but fewer hours, as I have improved my skill I have gotten better at playing more then one table at a time. I will keep you posted as I progress.
Below is a fun hand from this week.
POKERSTARS GAME #26820744885: HOLD'EM NO LIMIT ($1/$2) - 2009/04/07 8:14:27 ET
Table 'Shaula IV' 9-max Seat #2 is the button
Seat 2: noworkteam1 ($186.30 in chips)
Seat 3: DUG ($247.60 in chips)
Seat 4: daniela249 ($243.10 in chips)
Seat 6: sw27 ($230.40 in chips)
Seat 7: SlimboKarvel ($211 in chips)
Seat 8: BlGGIESMALLS ($252.30 in chips)
Seat 9: Ser1 ($125.35 in chips)
DUG: posts small blind $1
daniela249: posts big blind $2
*** HOLE CARDS ***
Dealt to DUG [4s 4h]
sw27: folds
SlimboKarvel: folds
BlGGIESMALLS: folds
Ser1: folds
noworkteam1: raises $6 to $8
DUG: raises $14 to $22 Nowwork had been a little pushy for me so time to push back.
daniela249: folds
noworkteam1: raises $32 to $54 Pure bluff
DUG: calls $32 Suck him in a little more.
*** FLOP *** [8c 6s 6c]
DUG: bets $22 Weak bet keep sucking him in.
noworkteam1: raises $42 to $64 another pure bluff.
DUG: calls $42 Just call with 2 cards to come he might call and all in.
*** TURN *** [8c 6s 6c] [Qh]
DUG: bets $129.60 and is all-in Now to end it.
noworkteam1: folds what a fool I beat him with pockets 4’s
Uncalled bet ($129.60) returned to DUG
DUG collected $235 from pot
DUG: shows [4s 4h] (two pair, Sixes and Fours)
*** SUMMARY ***
Total pot $238 | Rake $3
Board [8c 6s 6c Qh]
Seat 2: noworkteam1 (button) folded on the Turn
Seat 3: DUG (small blind) collected ($235)
Seat 4: daniela249 (big blind) folded before Flop
Seat 6: sw27 folded before Flop (didn't bet)
Seat 7: SlimboKarvel folded before Flop (didn't bet)
Seat 8: BlGGIESMALLS folded before Flop (didn't bet)
Seat 9: Ser1 folded before Flop (didn't bet)
Before I talk about bluffing I want to update you on a big poker event. “Z” my nephew that I took to Puerto Rico for his 18th birthday so he could play live poker, just won the Delaware Valley Science Council Scholarship. His picture is off to the right accepting the award. I am not sure which he was more excited about this award or playing poker in Puerto Rico. At the bottom of this post I have listed the money I won or lost to / from other players this quarter.
THE BLUFF
Why would you “BLUFF” when you could just wait until you have the nuts (best possible hand) since you will win the hand? Bluffing is a major part of no-limit Texas Holdem. Sure you could play the game and never bluff, but you would not have the same success, let me try to explain why.
First let me give you two definitions. The first is my definition of a Bluff. This is where you have a poor hand and there are no cards that will make your hand better. For example you have 2 5 off suite and the flop is KQJ. If you try to take this pot it is a bluff in that you have no chance of you hand getting better unless the turn and river were both 5’s. The second definition is Semi-Bluff, this is where you have a poor hand but you have a lot of cards that might give you the best possible hand. For example you have 78 suited (spades) and the flop is 5 6 (spades) 10 of hearts. You believe your opponent has AA, KK, QQ or JJ. Here if you make a stab at the pot you still have a lot of outs. Any spade (9 cards) any 4 (3 cards) any 9 (3 cards) you do not want to count the 4 of spades and 9 of spades twice. So you have 15 outs a 30% chance of hitting by the turn and a 60% chance of hitting by the river. So now your bluff could turn into the best hand. That is why I call it a semi bluff, as you have a lot of outs you are half bluffing and half going for the nuts.
So why should you bluff. If you never bluffed, you would never get any action. If you only played great hands at some point your competitors will figure this out and will stop playing against you expect when they have you beat. This is not a good place to be. A good reason to semi-bluff is for deception. Let me explain. Let us use the example above. You have 7 8 of spades. You raise preflop from middle position. The button calls you he has AA. The flop comes 5 6 of spades 10 of hearts. As I mentioned above you have 15 outs. You are first to act. If you check, they button will bet depending on the size of the bet you may call, which will tell the button you are on a draw, so if a spade hits all the action will stop as the button will believe you hit your draw. Instead let us say you bet and the size of your bet is a little more then half the pot. The button will now put you on a high pair, or maybe AK, AQ, but not 7 8 suited. Since the button will not think you are on a draw he may just call to let you keep betting, figuring he has you beat. You have now deceived the button with your semi-bluff. If the button had nothing he would have folded and you would have won with your semi-bluff. The button calls and the turn is a 9 or hearts. You bet again this time a weak bet say half the pot. Now there are 2 flush draws on the board spades and hearts. The button will not like this and your weak bet says I give up. So the button is ready to bust you, there is no way he thinks you just hit a straight. So your semi-bluff just turned into a monster. The button goes all in you call and crack his aces.
I bluff about 10% of the time I only do it in satiations I know I have a high chance of getting the other player to fold. Things I look for. Players I have seen before that will fold to a check raise. I am the small blind or the big blind and the button made a big preflop raise with no better behind him. An early better made a big preflop raise (telling me he has a high pair or AK, AQ, maybe AJ, I call with a small pair. The flop is all low cards with 2 of a suite, but I did not hit a set. If the original raiser bets, I will come over the top with a big bet, representing I hit a set. If they fold I will be happy, if they call, depending on what the turn is I will push them on the turn, if the turn is a scare card I will check the hand down. If the original raise checks on the turn I will bet big unless the turn filled the flush. If I am the button and I have a hand like suited connectors and there were a bunch of limpers. I will bluff preflop to steal all the small bets, if I get called and high cards come on the flop I can represent hitting one of those cards with a nice bet. If I hit my flush of straight, I can deceive the other player and win a bunch of money, so I put this in my semi-bluff category.
Position has a lot to do with bluffing. If you are last to act you have a lot more information available to you to decide if the situation is a good one for bluffing. Below are some bluffing hands two worked out for me and one did not. On the one that did not the key was I was not consistent with my betting. What I mean by that was my betting patterned did not follow what I was trying to say I had. See notes within the hand. The key to winning at bluffing, do not do it to often at the same table, know the players tendencies to fold, understand your position at the table, and the image that you currently have among the other players. I hoped this helped and good luck, I mean good skill.
SEMI-BLUFF THAT WORKED
PokerStars Game #26126186177: Hold'em No Limit ($1/$2) - 2009/03/19 10:02:17 ET
Table 'Iphigenia' 9-max Seat #3 is the button
Seat 1: lovlu007 ($120 in chips)
Seat 2: Brahmadev ($30 in chips)
Seat 3: DUG ($260.15 in chips)
Seat 4: Platon79 ($40 in chips)
Seat 6: spider263 ($121.70 in chips)
Seat 7: elorap ($238 in chips)
Seat 8: Scarer ($200 in chips)
Seat 9: BRA_chrizz ($40 in chips)
Platon79: posts small blind $1
heilikPS: is sitting out
spider263: posts big blind $2
*** HOLE CARDS ***
Dealt to DUG [Qc Kc]
heilikPS has returned
elorap: folds
Scarer: folds
BRA_chrizz: folds
lovlu007: folds
Brahmadev: folds
DUG: raises $4 to $6
Platon79: folds
spider263: raises $8 to $14
DUG: calls $8 Spider will raise like this with QQ of JJ
*** FLOP *** [2d 5c 7c]
spider263: bets $14
DUG: calls $14 I am on a flush draw, I am getting the right odds to call if you calculate in implied odds.
*** TURN *** [2d 5c 7c] [Ah]
spider263: checks The Ace scared him, I know he is a little timid I have been playing tight.
Brahmadev leaves the table
DUG: bets $35 Half pot bet. This is a semi bluff, I could still hit a Club for a flush, and this bet might take the pot since the Ace slowed his betting down.
tim270488 joins the table at seat #2
spider263: folds What I expected but if he called and a Club hit I would have gotten all his money.
Uncalled bet ($35) returned to DUG
DUG collected $54.25 from pot
DUG: shows [Qc Kc] (high card Ace)
*** SUMMARY ***
Total pot $57 | Rake $2.75
Board [2d 5c 7c Ah]
Seat 1: lovlu007 folded before Flop (didn't bet)
Seat 2: Brahmadev folded before Flop (didn't bet)
Seat 3: DUG (button) collected ($54.25)
Seat 4: Platon79 (small blind) folded before Flop
Seat 6: spider263 (big blind) folded on the Turn
Seat 7: elorap folded before Flop (didn't bet)
Seat 8: Scarer folded before Flop (didn't bet)
Seat 9: BRA_chrizz folded before Flop (didn't bet)
SEMI-BLUFF that turned into a PURE-BLUFF
PokerStars Game #26194389941: Hold'em No Limit ($1/$2) - 2009/03/21 7:52:51 ET
Table 'Juliet' 9-max Seat #4 is the button
Seat 1: Scarer ($206 in chips)
Seat 2: 4nilmn ($45.35 in chips)
Seat 3: DUG ($203.50 in chips)
Seat 4: denitz21 ($264 in chips)
Seat 5: Benny Binion ($36.25 in chips)
Seat 6: popsicle17 ($40 in chips)
Seat 7: Larivor ($113.95 in chips)
Seat 8: thenutspt ($203 in chips)
Seat 9: pete royal ($269.15 in chips)
Benny Binion: posts small blind $1
popsicle17: posts big blind $2
*** HOLE CARDS ***
Dealt to DUG [8c 9c]
Larivor: folds
thenutspt: folds
pete royal: folds
Scarer: raises $4 to $6
4nilmn: folds
DUG: calls $6 Worth a call if I hit he will never see it.
denitz21: folds
Benny Binion: folds
popsicle17: folds
*** FLOP *** [3c 5s Kc]
Scarer: bets $8 Some what of a weak bet.
DUG: calls $8 Worth a call.
*** TURN *** [3c 5s Kc] [Qd]
Scarer: bets $14 Still a week bet. Maybe he has AJ
DUG: calls $14 worth a call.
*** RIVER *** [3c 5s Kc Qd] [Kd]
Scarer: checks The second King scared him.
DUG: bets $22 Make it look like a value bet, if I have K I would not bet much more then that. This was a Pure bluff.
Scarer: folds
Uncalled bet ($22) returned to DUG
DUG collected $56.15 from pot
DUG: doesn't show hand
*** SUMMARY ***
Total pot $59 | Rake $2.85
Board [3c 5s Kc Qd Kd]
Seat 1: Scarer folded on the River
Seat 2: 4nilmn folded before Flop (didn't bet)
Seat 3: DUG collected ($56.15)
Seat 4: denitz21 (button) folded before Flop (didn't bet)
Seat 5: Benny Binion (small blind) folded before Flop
Seat 6: popsicle17 (big blind) folded before Flop
Seat 7: Larivor folded before Flop (didn't bet)
Seat 8: thenutspt folded before Flop (didn't bet)
Seat 9: pete royal folded before Flop (didn't bet)
Bluff that did not work for the other guy and I will explain
PokerStars Game #26230602113: Hold'em No Limit ($0.50/$1.00) - 2009/03/22 8:20:13 ET
Table 'Anchises V' 9-max Seat #7 is the button
Seat 1: heelman247 ($150.80 in chips)
Seat 2: Saul2008 ($59.90 in chips)
Seat 3: markpokernut ($63.60 in chips)
Seat 4: DUG ($105.15 in chips)
Seat 6: lordvali ($120.45 in chips)
Seat 7: MEFO1964 ($100 in chips)
Seat 9: freepokerand ($102.70 in chips)
freepokerand: posts small blind $0.50
heelman247: posts big blind $1
*** HOLE CARDS ***
Dealt to DUG [Tc Ts]
Saul2008: folds
markpokernut: raises $3 to $4
DUG: calls $4
lordvali: folds
MEFO1964: calls $4
freepokerand: folds
heelman247: folds
*** FLOP *** [5d 6c 9s]
markpokernut: bets $59.60 and is all-in There is no reason he would go all in at this point. Bet $59.60 to win 12 bucks. This is not consistent with someone that has a good hand.
DUG: calls $59.60 Figured he was bluffing. His betting was not consistent. I might have folded to a ¾ to a pot size bet, but not an all in.
MEFO1964: folds
*** TURN *** [5d 6c 9s] [6d]
*** RIVER *** [5d 6c 9s 6d] [6h]
*** SHOW DOWN ***
markpokernut: shows [5c Ad] (a full house, Sixes full of Fives)
DUG: shows [Tc Ts] (a full house, Sixes full of Tens)
DUG collected $129.70 from pot
*** SUMMARY ***
Total pot $132.70 | Rake $3
Board [5d 6c 9s 6d 6h]
Seat 1: heelman247 (big blind) folded before Flop
Seat 2: Saul2008 folded before Flop (didn't bet)
Seat 3: markpokernut showed [5c Ad] and lost with a full house, Sixes full of Fives
Seat 4: DUG showed [Tc Ts] and won ($129.70) with a full house, Sixes full of Tens
Seat 6: lordvali folded before Flop (didn't bet)
Seat 7: MEFO1964 (button) folded on the Flop
Seat 9: freepokerand (small blind) folded before Flop
Bluff I should not have made
POKERSTARS GAME #26192989288: HOLD'EM NO LIMIT ($1/$2) - 2009/03/21 6:28:53 ET
Table 'Deneb' 9-max Seat #1 is the button
Seat 1: elorap ($345.15 in chips)
Seat 2: xlr8s13 ($428.85 in chips)
Seat 3: Marcin7878 ($200 in chips)
Seat 4: VSch3 ($142.75 in chips)
Seat 5: bluefringe ($229.70 in chips)
Seat 6: Timke00 ($273.40 in chips)
Seat 7: CI58 ($228.25 in chips)
Seat 8: DUG ($253.05 in chips)
Seat 9: RAlvarado06 ($200 in chips)
xlr8s13: posts small blind $1
Marcin7878: posts big blind $2
*** HOLE CARDS ***
Dealt to DUG [7h 7d]
VSch3: folds
bluefringe: folds
Timke00: raises $4 to $6
CI58: folds
DUG: calls $6 Looking for a set.
RAlvarado06: folds
elorap: folds
xlr8s13: folds
Marcin7878: folds
*** FLOP *** [6d 4h 2d]
Timke00: bets $8
DUG: calls $8 Should have folded right here.
*** TURN *** [6d 4h 2d] [5h]
Timke00: bets $20 Now I have a straight draw if a 3 or 8 hits.
DUG: raises $45 to $65 I am betting like I hit a straight and blocking a flush.
Timke00: calls $45 He still called this tells me he will not fold and has a high pair.
*** RIVER *** [6d 4h 2d 5h] [5s]
Timke00: checks This showed some weakness.
DUG: bets $75 So I went for a pure bluff, but if I had a set I would have bet less since I would now have a full house of quads, so my big bet said I am bluffing and he called. Or he is just a stubborn player and would never have folded his QQ. Bad play on my part,
Timke00: calls $75
*** SHOW DOWN ***
DUG: shows [7h 7d] (two pair, Sevens and Fives)
Timke00: shows [Qh Qs] (two pair, Queens and Fives)
Timke00 collected $308 from pot
*** SUMMARY ***
Total pot $311 | Rake $3
Board [6d 4h 2d 5h 5s]
Seat 1: elorap (button) folded before Flop (didn't bet)
Seat 2: xlr8s13 (small blind) folded before Flop
Seat 3: Marcin7878 (big blind) folded before Flop
Seat 4: VSch3 folded before Flop (didn't bet)
Seat 5: bluefringe folded before Flop (didn't bet)
Seat 6: Timke00 showed [Qh Qs] and won ($308) with two pair, Queens and Fives
Seat 7: CI58 folded before Flop (didn't bet)
Seat 8: DUG showed [7h 7d] and lost with two pair, Sevens and Fives
Seat 9: RAlvarado06 folded before Flop (didn't bet)
The next 6 days will be busy. We have a wedding In Washington DC then Margarite is running in the Boston marathon then we stay in Boston for a few days before heading back to Botswana.