The week that was ... (warning, please grab a coffee)

I can't believe that it has been a week since I last blogged. Mainly, because there is so much to report and I have been active commenting on the few blogs that I do follow. Ironically, I held off blogging because I wanted to share with you in detail my most recent dabble in the PLO world. A week later, I can't recall what was so compelling. That's probably the value of a blog as a diary for myself.

I do know that I am really impressed with River's Hand Replayer, that is pretty cool and so enjoyable to consider how I might have played in the same situation. Unfortunately, I couldn't get it to work with the XML output from my iPoker site, Hansa Poker. A friend that I met in NZ has shared with me a Replayer that works with Hansa, so I will get around to posting a few important hands if I can find them.

Omaha Experience

As regulars will know, I really enjoy the game but have so much to learn. I've gone just beyond the basics. I've been trying to focus on NLH though for a while so I neglect it for now. Eventhough I think that PLO is the future of high stakes poker and I have a chance to be in on the wave earlier. Amazing how I'm regretting (in advance) not having shifted focus earlier.

Anyway, I digress as always ... Omaha - Hold'em on steroids for gamblers.... my 4 big hands in 24 hours included:

- an AAxx $800+ (read, a lot of money for me) pot that held up;

- 88 on 98x flop for a couple of hundred, followed a few hands later by 88 on another 98x flop for another couple of hundred. Both times I lost to 999. I stood up having won just over $20 for my rollercoaster.

- next morning, a hand that I will try to find and post where my opponent was so far behind throughout, almost a 1-outer on the flop as I had all of his out covered (nearly). Needless to say, my A high flush lost on the river to his gut shot str8 flush.

NLH Experience

I've been running over the NLH50 tables a bit lately, not much $$$s but has helped my aggression factor post-flop. Anyway, after my Omaha roller-coaster, I decided to restore confidence with a bit of grinding. Trouble is that I sat down expecting to run over the table and got cold decked a bit early. This translated into getting called down light and re-raised a lot. All in all, not a pleasant experience losing a couple of BIs quite quickly with the rare humiliation of lol comments (deserved, I must say).

NLH Live

Given my experiences, I went down the local RSL for my first tourney there ever. I work in the City so I always get home too late for a Monday night. Fundamentally, I'm confident that my theory is relatively sound as long as I get my fair share of hands (not lucky, just an average mix). I had the chance to stress test this alcohol induced as you get 2K extra in chips if you buy 3 drinks before the break.

Anyway, I was sat to the left of a player I had played against months previous at another venue. He was a young "CardRunners" type character. I'd remembered him because he'd abused another player for calling his AI shove in an Omaha round when it was actually a "wrap" coin flip against his trips - but he didn't know it. I don't like dealer or player abuse.

What a great seat ... He'd raise and I'd 3-bet. He'd call, the flop would come, he'd Hollywood, check, I'd c-bet and he'd fold. Then I'd let him raise a few while I folded. Then we'd do the 3-bet routine again. Basically, he stole a lot and gave it all to me.

I played with the big stack for our table all night. When we merged to a 10-seat final table, the blinds were so high that it was a bit of a crapshoot. I can't recall if I got lucky or not, I don't think so. Lucky not to be called in spots maybe :-). Last hand I got AK and we we're ready to get into an AI anyway. I raised, opponent shoved, I insta-called and was disappointed to see 22. Basically, my AK was reduced to 34, but that's HU, I guess. Flop came K (I think) and I took it down with ease. Ultimately, I got cards at the right time all night.

So I won ... 1 out of 1 at my local. That gets me into a bigger tourney on Dec 6th, not sure if I can make that one as it is an all day affair and isn't really fair on my family. I'll try to be good between now and then.

Online Tourney experience

Buoyed by my RSL win, I thought I'd give a tourney a go last night. There was a $5 PLO rebuy happening. 1 Rebuy and an Add-on later I departed 9 out of 43 (I think) with 5 places paid. Not bad. Again it can be a crapshoot near the end as the money goes in liberally preflop and your rarely more than 60/40 ahead, even with AAKKss.

On the side, I needed some fold action to pass the time, so I played a couple of $20 Double Up S&Gs. I won 2 x $20 on 6-max and came 6th in the $10 10-max. Very small sample size, but they look very beatable for grinders.

Real Life Experience

On the weekend, we had a great Brazilian BBQ sampler meal in the City followed by Hunger the movie about the Hunger Strikes in the Maze prison (formerly and more accurately Long Kesh), near Belfast. I'd love to hear what people think about the movie when you see it, I won't spoil it here.

Let me say though, it is so real for anyone that lived through that era as I did. It isn't necessarily accurate as some of it is artistic licence. If anything it was worse in reality for those with first hand experience which luckily, I didn't. I found the portrayal balanced (but I'm biased). My wife had a good point, if you didn't live through it you would miss a lot as they don't spell out the why. As such, try to find a Belfastie to go with.

A few bits of trivia for my new found blogging friends that have made it this far:

- a bit of name dropping, I went to school with one of the screen-writers;

- Tiocfaidh Ar La means "Our day will come", pronounced Chucky Our La, the true meaning is only experienced by those that grew up in Belfast and if you've found this spot in my blog I am happy to share with you as it is probably politically incorrect for many;

- for the statisticians, when Bobby Sands got elected the turnout was statistically more than 100% (when allowing for dead and absent voters etc). And that is with non-compulsory voting.

The End

As this is non-compulsory reading, thank you for taking the time to get this far. I'll try to post more regularly in future so you don't need to endure the likes of this post again. Time for dinner.

PS I wonder if the River won his first Live PLO Tournament ... he's been very quiet about it.