courtiebee's live donking

This thread is basically my live poker blog and a way to keep track of my live results from this point on. Sorry in advance for this long post - just some background if you're interested.

I've been playing NL holdem at my local casino every so often for a few years now, ever since I turned 19, but I've never kept track of my results very well. When you just play recreationally and solely for shits and giggles, there really isn't a reason to keep track. If you have a set bankroll and you're out trying to become a better player or make some money, it's probably a good idea to keep a record of results.

I've gone to play live donkaments more often than I've gone to play live cash. The tournaments at the River Rock are actually fairly good in a lot of ways. They have small buy-in tournaments almost every day and usually several times a day. These tournaments have (expectedly) awful structures, but they range anywhere from $25 to $45, which makes them a great and cheap way to get some live tournament experience. Once a week, they host a $60 FO that has a surprisingly good structure considering its buy-in, and once or twice a week they have a $100 FO that has a similar structure but a few more chips. The great thing about the $100 FO is that the rake is only $10 ($90+$10) but the structure is still such that the donkament runs around 8 hours from start to finish. Every couple of weeks, there is a $165, $270, or $330 FO (usually on Saturdays).

A couple years ago I went and played one of the $100 FO's with a friend for the first time and won for $4,500. At the time my bankroll was only around $2,000 (I think), so it was a massive increase for my bankroll. I think I ended up putting half of it into my bankroll and leaving the other half out. These days that particular $100 FO gets less participation so that the first prize is only $3000 or so. I also think that they've since flattened the payouts a bit (so that the rest of the people who cash get more $ than they used to).

When they introduced the $60s, it was awesome because it's a very affordable buy-in for almost everyone. While the $100s almost never sell out (these days), the weekly $60 donkament always sells out (and sometimes they even add an extra 1 or 2 tables due to demand). Usually the field starts out between 100 and 125 players, and it takes 6 or 7 hours to play to completion. I've played around 20 to 25 of these tournaments since they introduced them, and I have run exceptionally good. I've final-tabled maybe 7 or 8 times. These tournaments are (as expected) amazingly soft.

I have a lot of time from now until Christmas, so I'd like to play a lot of live poker. There's only so many tournaments that I can reasonably play with my bankroll (which I've made $5k for the time being), so I know that I should probably play a bunch of cash as well. According to some very loose records that I've kept over the last few years, I'm up maybe 5 or so buyins playing live $200NL. I have no idea how many hours I played to achieve that, but I know that my sample size is tiny.

The typical 1/2 NL game at my local casino is usually pretty good during the right times. The typical table:

1-2 players who seem to know what they are doing (or at least play decent TAGG poker)
2-3 old nits who play a fairly wide range preflop but only put in money with top pair
1 girl who only plays pairs and AQ+
1-2 players who will straddle and raise dumb amounts like $6 to inflate pots
1-2 awful spewy players
3 or so players who play a few too many hands, draw with incorrect odds fairly often, call too much, bet too small, etc ...

It seems that the best times to play cash are weekend nights and nights before holidays, especially when the bad beat jackpot is huge. When the bad beat jackpot is huge, weekday nights become very good too. The cardroom at River Rock has 25 tables. When it's very busy and all the tables are full, I'm not sure what fraction of the tables has 1/2 on them. I'll have to check this out next time I'm there.

I'm going to go play on Friday night, I think. I'll probably post a boring trip report on Saturday, and advice, questions, and comments will always be welcome and appreciated.

Wow, 25 tables in the cardroom. River Rock sounds to me like an awesome place Laughing

I will travel across country from east to west coast (canada) and play live 1-2 NL cash in some major cities early next year. Currently, i'm fed up with my local casino and want to broaden my horizons and start a new adventure. Razz

Is River Rock the best casino in the area? I'm quite possibly moving out west in the new year. It'll be nice to have something local...

As promised, I went to play cash last Friday at the River Rock. It wasn't as busy there as usual because the casino downdown, Edgewater, had a special tournament hosted by Brad Booth. From what I heard, it was a $550 buy-in and there were two Day 1's. If you busted during the first Day 1, you could apparently rebuy and play on Day 2, too. I've never heard of that before.

Anyway my first day of record-keeping when it comes to live cash has started on a losing note. I both ran bad and played bad on Friday, and I ended up down almost 3 buy-ins ($580 to be exact) over 6 hours. It was really frustrating because I just couldn't seem to find a good table to play at. I played at three different tables and I changed seats a few times within those table changes, too.

Does anyone have a strategy for table changes? If the table you get is bad, do you walk around and watch other tables for a while to figure out where you want to go? Hands go by so slowly at cash game tables that you have to stand and watch a table for while to get any idea of how it's playing. I had no strategy and just told the floor manager that I wanted a table change to anything that became available.

I can't think of too many interesting hands from the night. I flopped two flushes with s00ted cards, both times diamonds. The first time it happened, someone called my push on the turn with a higher flush (we both flopped flushes). The second time it happened, it was with a guy who flopped a straight and somehow folded a blank turn after calling my flop bet. WTF? People can fold flopped straights in that cardroom? Maybe that's a bad sign ...

Here's a hand I had trouble with:

10-handed table and I have ~$240 in my stack.

Raise to $6 in EP and I call behind in MP with suited connectors.

The flop has 8 players and so there is ~$50 in the pot. It checks around and a player to my left bets $15. Someone else in LP calls, and it folds around to me. Both players have position on me and both players have me covered. I called (I call $15 and the pot is $80).

I hit the flush on the turn and bet OOP for $50. In hindsight, I really should have bet much more, $80 perhaps? But anyway, I bet $50, and both players behind me called. So now the pot is ~$250 going into the river.

The river pairs the board, I have around $170 left in my stack and I'm OOP. What is the best play??

Yeah, ask for a table change. If there is no list or a short one, then I often grab some food or whatever then cycle back in.

Winners Tip: Tip the Floor if you frequent a card room. Either a buck or two when seated or when you cash out and certainly when you table change.

They're the final authority on disputes and often control seating. He's the guy you want happy with you. You'll never out-tip the fish when it comes to the dealer. Fish don't tip the floor very often.

As for the hand, what'cha know about your oppoonents? I think your turn bet sizing is at worst a little thin, but it's live poker. Leading out was certainly the way to go. What do your opponents think you have?

I'm inclined to check and call a small bet (depending on reads.) Maybe bet/fold around $60.

It's a difficultish spot, but it's live poker.

Suck less post-flop and stop playing without reads.

gl Courtie!

Focus less on strategy, more on people.

change your avatar to the rear view

imo

i hope you and your boy toy knock em dead!

gl gl

I finally went and played again Monday night, mostly because they had their usual $60 donkament and I like going there and playing push/fold poker. You start with 2500 chips at 25/25 blinds and the blind levels are 20 minutes. I played a few pots in the first couple levels, didn't win any chips, and got short enough that I couldn't really play anymore pots without knowing that I wanted to go all the way. At that point I just waited for a hand to push with once the blinds became 50/100, and then I finally busted after pushing over a MP raise with 77 and not 2-outering his AA. Sounds like fun, I know Wink

There was one hand where I raised AJo in EP and got 6 calls. The flop came Axx - how should I proceed here? I bet/folded. Next time I'll fold it preflop. Title says that I suck post flop but I suck preflop too Sad

During the second level I got down to 1400 chips (blinds 25/50) and some guy in MP opened to 250. He'd been playing pots but I hadn't seen a show down with him yet and this is the first time I'd seen him raise. I looked at my cards and saw pocket eights, sighed, and folded. Easy fold right? I don't see any other way to play it.

Okay no more donkament hands. After I busted, I went and played 1/2 cash. They opened a new table but there were only four of us at it with no waiting list. The table isn't eligible for the bad beat jack pot unless the table is at least 5-handed, so the other 3 people refused to play. I really wanted to play short handed but they wouldn't have any of it and left to go join full tables. Bastards.

So I went and joined a pretty boring 10-handed table myself. It seemed like the typical table you'd find there but without the crazy person trying to raise it every time preflop - this table tried to limp every hand preflop instead. So, in my determination to learn how to not be a bored nit in these games, I started raising these limps in position. One of the first times I did this, I did it on the button with 9To, raising to $15. SB, the only player at the table with over $400 at the table, called. SB had been playing quite a few limped pots, but he seemed okay overall. I have seen him in this cardroom before and I'm pretty sure he's a regular, but I had no real reads. The flop came JJx rainbow, he checked, I c bet, and he called. Turn came a ten and he checked. Is checking behind better than firing again? Before the turn came I wanted to double barrel anyway, but then the ten confused me for some reason. Thoughts?

So I kept raising limps in position and the guy on my right was getting annoyed. The first time I raised his limp to $15, he folded. The second time I raised, he called, and then he folded to a bet on the turn. The third time, I actually heard him make an annoyed sound when I raised. It folded around to the SB who called, and after thinking for a second, the guy on my right called behind. I hadn't played any pots with either of these players yet. I had no reads on the guy to my right (other than he straddled the first hand he played and then he just proceeded to play limped pots), and I knew that the SB was a huge nit who wouldn't put any money in post flop unless she had it.

Anyway, the SB had maybe $150 in her stack, the guy to my right had ~$250, and I had ~$200. My hand was T9 of spades, and the flop came T9x all hearts. SB checked and the guy to my right bet $25 OOP into a $50 pot - what does this kind of bet mean? I raised him to $75 (pot now $150), SB folded, and he pushed. Pot was $260 and I had $110 behind. Thoughts on this one?

No other interesting hands. I played for cash for 4 hours and ended up down $125. I was definitely card dead for most of the night (my highest pocket pair was TT), but I did flop two sets Smile

Okay so running tally is now -$705 in cash and -$60 in donkaments. I'll probably go play all day on Saturday. I'm tempted to be a fish and try to satellite into the BC Poker Championships which takes place in November. I probably shouldn't.

I've gone to play live only twice since I last wrote. I got the silly idea that I should go get a full time job, so now I don't really have any time to play because I'm working 50+ hours again.

I think I went to play on the 6th and I ended up down $333. I was kind of pissed off after that night because I was sick of losing money in these games and I couldn't figure out whether I was running bad or playing bad.

I don't remember anything interesting from that night. I'm pretty sure everything was really standard, which probably should have made me realize that I'm more running bad than playing bad right now Razz

I went last night but only played for a few hours. I finally left with a profit though: + $43 Very Happy

happy happy times. I finally got a big pocket pair too, it was very exciting. Now that I've finally gotten KK again in a cash game, my next goal is to get dealt aces. I feel like I can attain this goal ...

I have nothing interesting to say, only boring and standard stuff. I watched a lot of hands where people made it excruciatingly obvious what they held but they still got paid off with their monster hands. And really that's all these games are, getting paid off by people who don't bother to even consider what you might have.

Okay new total is -$995 in cash and -$120 in donkaments.

GO GET 'EM COURTIEBEEEEEEE

Long time no post. I've played a bit but I think I'm missing some numbers. Oh well, here's what I know:

Dec 3: -$61 cash, ~3 hrs (Vegas MGM casino!)
Dec 6: -$221 cash ~9 hrs (This night tilted me. I had 4 buyins in front of me at one point but then got tangled up with the other big stack at the table and lost my stack to him over two hands, lol)
Feb/March: -$265 donkaments, +$397 cash ~8 hrs

Totals: -$880 cash, -$385 donkaments Rolling Eyes

Okay here's a hand I wanna ask about. My questions: 1) Should I bet or check this flop? 2) What's the best way to play the turn?

Background: I've been raising a lot in LP and I've only shown down low connectors and one gappers. I had one hand with Seat 8 where I raised in LP 46s over limps ~$20 and Seat 8 was in the blinds. He asked, "Do you have another premium hand like 45?". I ignored him, he thought for a few more seconds and then called. HU to the flop which was low (nothing over a T at least) and gave me a gutshot with a flush draw. He donk bet OOP $25, I raised to $70, and he folded. I showed my 46s and he said, "Better than what I had." He then proceeded to mutter amongst the guys at the other end of the table (I think I was sitting in seat 4).

Limps to me and I get dealt QQ in the SB. I raise to $22 - this is my first raise OOP (over the last 2.5 hours).

Seat 8 and Seat 9 both call.

courtie: ~$300
Seat 8: ~$250
Seat 9: ~$200 (He just came to the table. I've played with him before and I don't remember what I think of him, although I really don't think that he's very good)

Pot: ~$70. Flop is JJ4 with two spades (I have no spade). I check, two more checks.

Turn is 5, not a spade and not the same suit as the other J. I check, Seat 8 checks, Seat 9 bets $30. I call, Seat 7 calls.

Pot: ~$160. River is Q (dammit, I can't remember if it was a spade).

I bet $80, Seat 8 raises to $160, Seat 9 folds. I push, obv.

when you playing next ? lets to a flopturnriver meet up hahaha would be neat playing with another guy from this board. I play at edgewater and river rock, sometimes at boulevard and starlight or cascades (mostly edgewater though)

as far as the hand, I do not like the flop check because it can induce a big bluff and then you dont know where you stand (you would automatically put him on a jack) I would small ball it here and bet out $20 to $25 bucks on the flop to see where I am at.

I like the turn check though (if you lead out on the flop) it looks like you tried to steal it but then gave up.

The queen is a gift on the river, you ship it in and it looks like a big bluff on the end.

SHIP IT!

Do you frequent River Rock? I played there exclusively during the past month or so and had a great time playing the 1/2 game there. I'll be back in 3 weeks for 10 days ish, we should organize some sort of link up and pwn the n00bs together!

Your name isn't Annie, is it?

courtiebee, are you going to Vegas with us?

oh yeah, I forgot about that. One of the floor managers that I talk to quite a bit has been dealing a lot lately and he said that he wishes he got laid off too because he hates his job Razz

They usually have a series of donkaments in May and in November. PokerStars actually even ran satellites to the one last November, which was pretty cool. A dealer mentioned that he doesn't think either series will run this year, though, because there aren't enough dealers after the layoff. Obviously the May series won't happen because we haven't heard anything about it yet. Maybe there's still hope for the November one Sad

I never play anymore so I always forget that I have this to keep track of my wins/losses (mostly losses apparently).

I think it's something like
April 11: +$61 cash, ~7 hours
April 24: -$285 cash, ? hours and -$100 donkament
April 25: +$24 cash, ? hours
Today: -$100 donkament

Totals: -$1080 cash, -$585 donkaments. Go me!

*Last edited by courtiebee on Sat, 20 Jun 2009, 5:25am; edited 2 times in total*

1/2 NL ~$250 effective. I have AK (black cards) in EP and raise to $15. One guy calls in MP and we're HU to the flop. K high flop with two diamonds and I bet $20; he calls. Turn is a diamond and I bet $40; he calls. River is a blank. What's my best play? Bet/fold? Check/call? Check/fold?

Background on villain: He's been playing lots of pots, mostly limping and calling. He's been active but not crazy post flop. Most of the hands he's won have been without showdown. When he bets it's usually close to the size of the pot and I've seen him raise a fair amount of flop bets. I recall one HU pot where he called the flop, checked the turn, and then called the river on a Kxxxx board and mucked when his opponent showed KQ.

We'd played two HU pots before this hand. Hand one: I raised in MP with QJ and he called on BU with 99. I check/called AAx flop, I checked A turn, and he called my bet on Q river. Hand two: I raised on BU and he limp/called. I checked 884 flop behind and he check/folded an A turn.

I'd been raising a lot in LP but I'd rarely raised EP so far (3.5 hours in).

Also, does anyone have any tips for remembering cards so that you can actually post the hand properly after you get home? I barely remember action, nevermind cards ...

I was -$2 today over 4 hours. -$1082 cash, -$585 donkaments.

B/F IMO.

You can keep notes on a blackberry or IPhone/IPod Touch. It'll be sweet if the IPhone gets poker hand history apps! (maybe it does?)

Check/fold or Bet/fold depending how how loose he'll call 3 barrels.

1/2 NL at River Rock.

When this hand happened, I'd been playing for around 2.5 hours and I'd been paid off every time I hit. I'd been playing straight forward, betting and raising when I had a hand.

UTG was pretty aggressive and he won his chips by betting his decent hands. He also won quite a few pots without show down. LP seemed tight-ish, the type to not go in without at least TP and huge draws.

UTG ~$550
LP ~$150
I am UTG+1. I cover UTG and get dealt 77 (red cards).

UTG raises to $15 and when I call, he says out loud "oh no". I smile at him and say, "yeah you're dead" and he says, "You win every pot you play." 2 others (including the guy in LP) call and the pot is ~$65.

Flop comes T7x with two spades. UTG bets $60 and it's pretty obvious he has either KK or AA because that's a bet screaming, "please don't draw out on me!" Given this, is it better for me to raise or call?

Last night my gut said that it was better to call because I'd raised with my monsters all night so far and this gives him a chance to go crazy on a non-spade turn. But thinking about it again, would it be better to just raise and give him the chance to get it in on the flop since it's obvious he just wants to price us out?

I hit like a champ and got paid off for everything last night. People were just handing me their chips and I always had it.

~3 hours, +$1711 playing cash. Totals: +$629 cash, -$585 donkaments.

As sick as you might feel, probably just call. Hope for a blank and watch AA/KK ship it in on the turn to protect his hand.

I'd rather raise the flop.. I think he's more likely to spaz the flop to protect his hand + commits earlier. We hate life if he decides to b/f a turn spade or something.

If he's on scared money he gets away from his hand with a flop raise this deep. With less money behind I'd stick it in because he committed.

k, I'm glad my gut is right sometimes Wink

Here's another I'm not positive about:

$200 effective stacks. The SB is an old guy who just got to the table a few orbits ago. He's not overly tight preflop (I've seen him limp in various situations including UTG) but I haven't seen him in any post flop pots yet.

I raise QT on the button $16 after two limps and SB instacalls me. Both limps call too. I check behind a 995 flop. The turn is a Q and SB bets $45. The other players fold. Do I call or fold?

snap fold most of the time

congrats on the big win recently

fold QT hand. I felt so bored and cards dead tonight at my local casino here and left there with $40 winning Crying or Very sad

Riverrock is the way to go,dude.

Thanks guys. And yeah, River Rock is awesome but it's been pretty swingy for me (although my sample size is definitely small). This is the first time I've been up any money at all since I started this thread!

T3, nice!

how many tables does your room have? From your posts, I've gathered that the games aren't that great there.

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