An accidental call

KULA, Hi. -- I was reading a Web site when this hand came up and the screen popped up and I accidentally called $1. So I'm glad for the outcome...

Poker Stars $0.50/$1 No Limit Hold'em - 6 players - View hand 503723

The Official DeucesCracked.com Hand History Converter



MP: $24.15

CO: $82.80

Hero (BTN): $101.15

SB: $36.15

BB: $34.85

UTG: $100.00



Pre Flop: ($1.50) Hero is BTN with 6 7

3 folds, Hero calls $1, SB raises to $2, BB calls $1, Hero calls $1



Flop: ($6.00) 6 7 8 (3 players)

SB bets $3, BB calls $3, Hero raises to $12, SB calls $9, BB folds



Turn: ($33.00) 3 (2 players)

SB checks, Hero bets $87.15 all in, SB calls $22.15 all in



River: ($77.30) T (2 players - 2 are all in)



Final Pot: $77.30

Hero shows 6 7 (two pair, Sevens and Sixes)

SB shows A 8 (a pair of Eights)

Hero wins $74.30

(Rake: $3.00)

A Maui vacation and poker (a mid-week report)

KULA, Hi. -- It's been a few days but I'm finally able to get around to some poker, up at 1 a.m. and five-tabling on Full Tilt.

It's nice to get away and play tour guide in a paradise that I really know well, including one of my favorite snorkeling spots. Yesterday I took the gf along the curvy road to Hana, which included returning along the backside of the island -- Hana Highway to Piilani Highway to Kula Highway.

Pretty much my entire life this was never an option for tourists -- part of the highway there was considered too unimproved for rental cars and they would stamp warnings not to attempt the drive on your rental car contract. But now it's "passable" and pretty delightful with excellent views of the island and ocean.

Later this morning we're planning to see the sunrise at Haleakala Crater and take in a snorkeling boat tour to Molokini on Thursday. Friday we'll head out to one of my favorite places in the world, the Big Island and Volcanoes National Park before flying into Honolulu to see Gnome and his fiancee Friday night in one of the great Western cities.

On the plane I nearly finished reading Doyle Brunson's autobiography, The Godfather of Poker. Brunson has always been a great read, with his conversational and folksy style. This is watered down a bit, probably because of a co-writer, but it is well-layered with interesting facts that parallel his well-lived life.

Of course, reading it makes me want to be back in Las Vegas but it's nice to read about it if I can't be there right away.

A little bit of overkill

ABOARD AMERICAN AIRLINES FLIGHT 1475:

Full Tilt Poker $1/$2 No Limit Hold'em - 9 players - View hand 494885

The Official DeucesCracked.com Hand History Converter



SB: $198.50

BB: $383.05

UTG: $94.00

Hero (UTG+1): $253.85

UTG+2: $200.00

MP1: $361.50

MP2: $240.75

CO: $82.00

BTN: $184.00



Pre Flop: ($3.00) Hero is UTG+1 with A A

1 fold, Hero raises to $6, 3 folds, CO raises to $12, 3 folds, Hero calls $6



Flop: ($27.00) A 4 6 (2 players)

Hero checks, CO bets $70 all in, Hero calls $70



Turn: ($167.00) 5 (2 players - 1 is all in)



River: ($167.00) 6 (2 players - 1 is all in)



Final Pot: $167.00

Hero shows A A (a full house, Aces full of Sixes)

CO shows K K (two pair, Kings and Sixes)

Hero wins $164.00

(Rake: $3.00)

HOTD

ABOARD AMERICAN AIRLINES FLIGHT 1475 -- My decision here weighed heavily on not being re-raised pre-flop as you'd expect with KK. The second J on the turn was helpful in hoping I wasn't looking at quads.

Full Tilt Poker $0.50/$1 No Limit Hold'em $0.20 Ante - 9 players - View hand 494869

The Official DeucesCracked.com Hand History Converter



UTG+2: $214.45

Hero (MP1): $198.20

MP2: $100.00

CO: $51.75

BTN: $179.05

SB: $200.25

BB: $158.30

UTG: $209.10

UTG+1: $163.85



Pre Flop: ($3.30) Hero is MP1 with A A

1 fold, UTG+1 raises to $4, 1 fold, Hero raises to $15.30, 5 folds, UTG+1 calls $11.30



Flop: ($33.90) K J 2 (2 players)

UTG+1 bets $34.50, Hero calls $34.50



Turn: ($102.90) J (2 players)

UTG+1 bets $51, Hero raises to $148.20 all in, UTG+1 calls $62.85 all in



River: ($330.60) 2 (2 players - 2 are all in)



Final Pot: $330.60

Hero shows A A (two pair, Aces and Jacks)

UTG+1 shows K A (two pair, Kings and Jacks)

Hero wins $327.60

(Rake: $3.00)

In search of a bracelet, part II

A little more than four years ago when I was in Las Vegas, I spent a portion of my trip looking for a 2005 World Series of Poker bracelet, one of 13 that went out to winners that year.

But today, ten years into the 21st century, I don't even have to leave my house. I saw on Bodog's blog today that a pawn shop is selling what it claims to be a 2005 World Series of Poker bracelet from poker pro T.J. Cloutier.

It also claims in the item description that "we acquired this piece along with another championship bracelet (see other auction) from Mr. Cloutier directly."

Bid starts at $2,999.00 and the auction ends Sunday.

PokerStars loot

This morning before I went running, my second-generation iPod shuffle died. I've had it since March 2007.

Because of my trip this Sunday I wanted to have some music on the plane immediately so I went out and bought a third-generation shuffle, even though I knew that the remote control on the earphones isn't the greatest thing for running.

While I lamented my purchase, my gf offered up some practical advice -- why don't you just use your poker points for an iPod Nano?

And so I did. I'm not sure what I've been accumulating points on the site for -- I haven't purchased anything through that store since 2005.

But it's done. Hopefully before the ING Georgia Marathon in March a nice and shiny iPod will be waiting at my door.

And now here's something I'll really like

Full Tilt Poker $2/$4 No Limit Hold'em - 8 players - View hand 486142

The Official DeucesCracked.com Hand History Converter



BTN: $335.30

SB: $321.90

BB: $400.00

UTG: $400.00

UTG+1: $409.00

MP1: $412.10

Hero (MP2): $433.00

CO: $404.00



Pre Flop: ($6.00) Hero is MP2 with Q Q

3 folds, Hero raises to $14, 3 folds, BB raises to $48, Hero calls $34



Flop: ($98.00) K 7 Q (2 players)

BB bets $68, Hero calls $68



Turn: ($234.00) T (2 players)

BB bets $156, Hero raises to $317 all in, BB calls $128 all in



River: ($802.00) K (2 players - 2 are all in)



Final Pot: $802.00

BB shows A A (two pair, Aces and Kings)

Hero shows Q Q (a full house, Queens full of Kings)

Hero wins $799.00

(Rake: $3.00)

Rushing through some poker hands

This morning when I loaded up Full Tilt, their new form of poker greeted me -- rush poker, which they claim is the World's Fastest Poker Game.

Basically it's online poker combined with a teleporter, as you are immediately whisked away to another table -- and a fresh poker hand -- as soon as you fold your current hand. (You can even hit the "Quick Fold" button and not even wait your turn -- you'll be whisked away although I don't think it passes that extra information on to other players, who will see you still seated until the end of the hand).

One of the tables I was at played at an average of 278 hands per hour! Incredible!

Drawbacks I think are obvious include never really being able to set up hands or analyze opponents. It's more like a tournament when the tables get busted and you're placed against a new handful of opponents.

It's also very dizzying -- you do more hands but it can be harder to keep up with them. Apparently you can "multitable" your rush poker session by re-joining the rush poker lobby.

I wonder if it's mainly for action junkies who can't sit still for very long.

Poker and aid for Haiti

Today and tomorrow Full Tilt is sponsoring Aid for Haiti tournaments, in which the tourney fee will be donated to the Red Cross, Doctors Without Borders and UNICEF. The Web site says all funds generated by players will be matched by the site.

You don't even have to play in a tourney to donate. You can join a "No Play" tourney on Sunday, in which you buy-in to a tourney that you don't play. The money goes toward the donation fund.

Or you could do a direct player-to-player transfer, donating to "Aid for Haiti."

Poker Stars also has "No Play" Haiti Earthquake Relief tournaments through the end of the month.

You can also do a direct player-to-player transfer to "Haiti Fund."

Churning through the poker bonuses

Just reached Silver Star level on Poker Stars yesterday, for the first time in a long while (previously I didn't play too much on the site).

This month has been a good one for poker bonuses. Right now I'm trying to complete my semi-yearly bonus on Poker Stars (based on months you reach bronze, silver, gold or Iron Man) and the current 25 percent to $150 reload bonus on Poker Stars.

By reaching the 750 VIP points needed for Silver Star this month, I've reached the first level of the Poker Stars Stellar Rewards program, a $10 bonus given for playing 750 VPPs for the entire year. The next $10 bonus unlocks in 750 more VPPs.

Amir Vahedi RIP

Wow, so young. This is what I get for not reading Wicked Chops Poker very often...

Here's the Cardplayer.com article on Amir Vahedi's too short poker career...

Punk Hand of the Day

I had nearly a third of my stack committed with the 3-bet so I decided to call the shove.

PokerStars Game #37980538170: Hold'em No Limit (€1/€2 EUR) - 2010/01/10 23:31:41 ET
Table 'Dziban III' 6-max Seat #4 is the button
Seat 1: U.A.R (€120 in chips)
Seat 3: MrDunns (€207.30 in chips)
Seat 4: spartiate75b (€235.20 in chips)
Seat 5: MkMadTILT (€181.30 in chips)
Seat 6: kurokitty (€98.60 in chips)
MkMadTILT: posts small blind €1
kurokitty: posts big blind €2
*** HOLE CARDS ***
Dealt to kurokitty [Qd Ac]
U.A.R: raises €4 to €6
MrDunns: folds
spartiate75b: calls €6
MkMadTILT: folds
kurokitty: raises €21 to €27
U.A.R: raises €93 to €120 and is all-in
spartiate75b: folds
kurokitty: calls €71.60 and is all-in
Uncalled bet (€21.40) returned to U.A.R
*** FLOP *** [Td 4d 4h]
*** TURN *** [Td 4d 4h] [Qs]
*** RIVER *** [Td 4d 4h Qs] [9d]
*** SHOW DOWN ***
kurokitty: shows [Qd Ac] (two pair, Queens and Fours)
U.A.R: shows [Ah Kc] (a pair of Fours)
kurokitty collected €202.20 from pot
*** SUMMARY ***
Total pot €204.20 | Rake €2
Board [Td 4d 4h Qs 9d]
Seat 1: U.A.R showed [Ah Kc] and lost with a pair of Fours
Seat 3: MrDunns folded before Flop (didn't bet)
Seat 4: spartiate75b (button) folded before Flop
Seat 5: MkMadTILT (small blind) folded before Flop
Seat 6: kurokitty (big blind) showed [Qd Ac] and won (€202.20) with two pair, Queens and Fours

Your poker story has to be consistent

This seems like a good hand. His raise utg makes it less likely in my mind he has small cards. Sometimes he might. His shorter stack makes it more likely for me to call.

Full Tilt Poker $0.50/$1 Pot Limit Hold'em - 8 players - View hand 466945

The Official DeucesCracked.com Hand History Converter



CO: $127.75

BTN: $126.70

SB: $186.25

BB: $100.00

UTG: $59.25

UTG+1: $392.95

Hero (MP1): $179.90

MP2: $162.60



Pre Flop: ($1.50) Hero is MP1 with K K

UTG raises to $3.50, 1 fold, Hero raises to $12, 5 folds, UTG calls $8.50



Flop: ($25.50) 4 3 2 (2 players)

UTG bets $25.50, Hero raises to $102, UTG calls $21.75 all in



Turn: ($120.00) 6 (2 players - 1 is all in)



River: ($120.00) 2 (2 players - 1 is all in)



Final Pot: $120.00

UTG shows 7 7 (two pair, Sevens and Twos)

Hero shows K K (two pair, Kings and Twos)

Hero wins $117.00

(Rake: $3.00)