Live poker is rigged

Have 3 tournaments to report on, but Im so exhausted right now that Im hoping to simply finish this blog before I pass out.

Yesterday johnny and I went back to the IP and played the 70 mtt (20 min levels, 3k chips). I chipped up early by flopping a set of 7s on an A high board, and had 3 bet jammed a big raisor whom I put on an ace. Apparantly it wasnt strong enough as he folded.

A few hands later, I look down at KK, and raise it to 425 after someone limped from 100. I got one caller from the button. The flop came down 10 x x, and I checked to the button who bet 450ish. I decided to push, and he called with JJ. Turn J, and down to 300 chips.

However I scrap and claw and picked my spots well, and chipped up to about 4k. My table was very weak and an exuberant amount of limping was occuring. At the 2/400 level, I had about 3900, when utg, a constant limper, limped for 400. It folds to me on the button and I look at AQ. While I normally will raise for value here, there was so many chips in the middle I forgoed position and jammed it. A crazy old guy in the sb goes all in as well, and flips two eights. Were off to the races, and a double up looks very good on an AKK flop. However an 8 spikes the turn and Q on the river, and gg me.

I chilled in the hotel room for awhile, keep updates on Dolan who was playing the 300 mtt at the beau. At 6pm we headed to the WPT room and watched dolan before we were going to go back to the IP for a 100 mtt. However Dolan said I should play the 175+25 second chance, and after I declined one time, he offered to back me. I instacalled, and we agreed on 60-40 swap in his favor. This was to be both my largest live buyin ever, as well as my largest live field ever (around 330 players.)

I was pretty happy with my table draw, as it was mostly older folks who are definately easier to read. We started at 25-25, 2k chips and 30 minute levels. I chipped up a little after playing a small pot with 66 on a 443 limped board. Then the following hand came up.

With blinds at 25-50, I raised to 125 with Jc10c. I got two callers from the button and a blind. The flop came 10 9 4 rainbow, and I bet out 150. I get a call from the button only, and Im pretty sure I have the best hand at this point. The turn brings a deuce, and I fire 275. The button calls leaving only 575 behind. The river comes another deuce pairing the board, and I check. The button moves in for the 575, and I think a little while while making sure Im not paying off a set or a better 10. While thinking, the button tells me hell show me if I fold, and I respond that I dont think that will be good enough. I make the call, and he shows 74o, GG.

I chipped up to about 4600, and at the 50-100 level, I raised it to 275 utg with KdQd. I got a cold caller from middle position, and the cutoff jammed for about 850 total. I did some quick math in my head, and I was getting roughly 3-1 on my call if the MP caller folded. I took a quick glance and his body language felt like he would muck if I cold called. I made the call, and as the MP caller folded, I told the pusher that I felt like he had 88 or 99. He asked if I played poker much, and showed 88. I spiked a King on the flop, and he bricked bringing me to about 5500 at break.

I played small pot poker and wasn't getting looked up by anyone. Then 2 new players came to the table. I ended up getting involved with both of them in back to back hands. The first hand, there were a few limpers and I completed my SB with a raggier hand. The flop came JcJh6c, and the first limper bet 300 when checked to him. I check raised to 825, and he called. The turn came 4c, and we both checked. The river dropped another 4, and I bet 1225. He called with A6, nh.

The very next hand it folded to the hijack, a lady with alot of chips who raised to 2x to 600. Steaming a tad, I look at A9 and cold call on the button, as does the SB. The flop drops 977, and it checks to the lady who bets 500. I raise to 1000, the sb folds and she calls. The turn comes a 5 a believe. She checks, and I bet 1250, with about 1600 behind. Instantly, she pushes all in. I tank it for awhile and play back everything. I ask her if she thinks I'm steaming from the last hand. She gives me a really weird response, like Im sorry if your steaming. I finally decided that 88 or 66 could be in her range here, and stick my chips in. She tables AK, and after dodging the 3 out king on the river, I had some chips to play with. The very next hand, UTG pushes for about 1350, and I repop to 2500 with AcKc. He has Ad8d, and my hand holds. Not long later, Im moved to another table, but only for one orbit, and Im moved to another table.

I sit down at my new table with about 12k, and immediately look down at KK at the 2/400 level. I pop it up to 1100, and get sick action. Call, All in call(the raise had him covered), call from table chip leader in the small blind, and then a reraise all in from a woman in the BB. She pushed for about 2400, allowing me a legal reraise. I opt to repush all in, and push out the 2 cold callers that had chips behind. The first shortstack shows A9, and the lady shows AK, and Im in good shape to win a 7k pot. The flop however brings the 2 out Ace, and Im steaming and down to about 8kish.
About 5 hands later, the chip leader min raises to 800, the AK lady from before cold calls, and I look at two jacks in the small blind. I squeeze it to 3100 total, the original raisor folds, and the lady again goes all in. She flips AcKc, and were racing. The flop came Jd8c4c, but fortunately she bricks out and I get all those chips back. I sit and wait for awhile, mostly paying attention to the players at the table. Our chip leader is a big black guy, who is limping alot and is just begging to be taken advantage of. Coming back from break, the blinds are at 4/800/100a, when the following hand occurs.

The chip leader limps UTG for 800. I believe this is his 3rd limped pot in a row. I look down at 10c8s, and raise to 2800 with about 14k behind starting the hand. It folds to him and he calls. The flop comes 722 with 2 spades. He very forcefully leads out for 3 1k chips. I take a minute and announce all in. He takes maybe 5 seconds and calls. My heart sinks and I table my 108, saying good call. He flips A1o high, no draw. I couldnt fucking believe it. The turn brings a spade, and the river brings a fourth spade to complete the flush! I was in shock, as well as good shape, as it was about a 32k pot.

At this point we were about 25 people from the money, and the abuse began. I chipped up to about 50k as I really turned on the jets and started pressuring the players. At the 8/1600 level, I opened up with Q4o attacking a weak Big blind. The table rock pushed in for 4200, and I called 300 more, knowing id need a suckout. He had AA, and my gutty going into the river failed to materialize. This was probably my only spew at the table, and it wasnt even a bad one.

I began to run rather card dead. I had a very friendly and talkative player in the 1 seat to my right, whose mannerisms and looks would remind you exactly of Freddy Deeb. We had already tangled in one pot, when it folded to him in the small blind and he raised. I looked at AQo and 3 bet jammed. He folded A10.

I believe it was the very next round, and it folds to him again (BB respeck!). He goes all in, and is unusually very quiet. I look at my first card, an 8, and tell him its a good card for him. The second card is an Ace, and it looked like I needed to call off 20-25% of my stack here. I made the call and he said good call. He flips 22 unfortunately though, and we race. He spikes a set on the flop, but it was no matter as my hand failed to materialize. After this hand I really lost alot of my moxy and started playing my hands for value, which was unfortunate as I wasnt picking up anything.

We hit break at about 2am, with 30 left and 27 getting paid. I had about 24k coming back with the blinds at 1k/2k/300a. My very first hand I look down at 55 and raise it to 5500. It folds to a nitty big blind with a shorstack, and he debates for awhile before pushing an additional 1k into the middle. I obv call and he flips AK. He flops and ace and doubles up.

After this I got moved to another table, which lasted for about 3 hands in hand for hand, until an older lady was all in in her big blind with q10 vs kj, and failed to materialized, making her the proverbial bubble boy.

I get moved to a new table with about 15k and the blinds still the same. Unfortunately, I sit in the big blind. Im down to 10k when its folding around and I look at 7c8c in the small blind. It folds to me and I shove. The big blind states that "Hes gotta gamble sometime" and calls flipping over kc7c...wait a minute....two seven of clubs???

Guess I was a little tired, and am utterly surprised when I see my hand: 8c2c. Its actually better as im only 60-40, and Im truely pushing any 2 in that spot.

The flop blanks, the turn blanks, and the river is a 2! I double up with a second miracle river. I order a beer and a shot of jack to both loosen my nerves and inhibitions, as well as celebrate the survival. I play tight for a round, and jam my next small blind again, only looking at one card, the Ace of clubs. The BB learned his lesson and instamucks, and I see my other card, the K of clubs. Oh well.

I steal the blinds 2 more times, and were down to 19, when the following hand occurs. Freddy Deeb our friend from before jams about 11.5k UTG with the blinds at 1500-3k. I look at 88. I do some math, take my time because this is a big decision, and repush all in. Isolation success, and Freddy turns over AQ, which is wayyyyy ahead of his range here. Were off to the races, and he spikes a Q and holds up. Im back down to about 17k.

Someone busts on another table, and we redraw. I of course draw the big blind once again, posting like 20% of my stack. A MP raises my BB, and I give it a goooood long think before mucking q8. She had A8, but I still wasnt happy. I had to find a hand for value, and ante off 3 hands before I look at my first card a King. I throw the rest of my chips in and get isod by a10. The bb wakes up with QQ. However the flop brought an ace, and while I turned 4 gutty outs on the turn, I failed to hit. I placed 15th for 560 roughly, a very disappointing finish.

I passed out exhausted last night right away, and hardly woke up at 1115 to play in the same daily IP tourney that Ive played the last 3 days. The first level someone raises it to 200, and I flat with 66 along with 2 other players. We see a flop of Ac6c3c. I check, original raisor makes it 300. I contemplate and check raise to 975. He jams all in, and I call. He flips AxKc, and he nut draw is gone with a 3 on the turn. The river bricked and I have 6k

I lose about 1500 when a weak overlimper limps for 200. I look at AQ and raise it to 625 out of position in the small blind. He calls and we see a flop of J99, two clubs. I check call 500. Turn is a blank, and once again I check call 500. The river is an offsuit 8, and I check and he bets 1000. I really felt I was good on both streets but probably misplayed the hand by never putting him to the test. I end up folding and he shows q10.

So Im at about 4k, grinding along. Im in the small blind and the big blind just put in 300 of his 1400 for the blind. It folds to this guy. Just one of those guys who thinks he knows what hes doing but is so obvious he had no clue. Now our table was opening very heavy, like 4x was prob the table minimum to open. It folds to douchebag in the hijack and he raises it to 1700. Im 100% positive hes just raising the BB cuz hes short. I look at A10 in the small blind. I have about 3800 before posting my small, and opt to stop and go since 2100 is alot of fold equity since most of these people have no clue about odds and such. The flop comes a lovely 966, and I shove my remaining chips in. He calls and tables j9o, gg me. At least I cant take solace in that my read was on, and I feel I made the optimal decision.

So thats it for now, Im looking to sleep for a little, and then hopefully play a few 60 dollar single table SNGs to satty into a 300 event tomorrow.