10/24/07posted by Poker Star @ 11:21 AM

I get up Monday morning after a terrible Sunday (didn't do very well in the tournaments) to head to Aruba. It's my first time in the Caribbean, so I'm quite excited. I met a lot of guys on the way there (I had to transfer flights in Miami).

Aruba is really nice; the warm, MOIST air is something I've never felt before. Since I played day 1B, I went swimming with Timex, Choppy, and ActionJeff on the first day and the water was really warm. I've never been to a beach where the water is so warm, even at 6pm. It's as if the entire ocean is a hot tub. After that, we went to an actual hot tub, had a nice meal and just hung out. The people in Aruba are all around so nice; it was a very good experience.

Onto poker...

I don't recognize anyone at my table, which is nice. But the guy to my left says he's a solid mid-stakes cash grinder and we get talking; he seems to be good. Very early on I pick up some nice hands, steal a lot of blinds, and pick up a lot of small pots. Then, I raise 54s from HJ-2 and the big blind calls with AQ. On a Q54 rainbow flop, he check raises, I call. On a 7 turn that puts a 2 flush on the board, he calls my bet. The river is a 2 and I check it down since I don't think people are calling my river bet with one pair after all the action. I'm still happy with all the money that went into this pot and quickly chip up to 13000 chips.

There is a crazy guy at the table who loves to put lots of chips into the pot with nothing, so when he limps UTG and I limp in position with 86hh. On a 986dd multi way flop, he check raises me, and I call for sure since he's so wild. On an offsuit J turn, he bets small and I call. On an offsuit Q river, he bets small and I call again, with such good odds and his aggressive image. He has QJss. Nice foresight, sir.

Then I win some more small pots through active blind steals, my opponents missing their hands etc. and get back up to 13000 chips. Now at 75-150, this active hijack (he HAS been cardracking for sure, but I'm still certain he opens a wide range) raises to 450 (15k deep), button (6k deep) calls, I pick up AJdd in the BB and re-pop it to 1800; I think this is profitable since HJ opens so wide. He instantly calls, button folds. On a As82s board, I decide to do the unorthodox bet-fold since I don't think I'm inducing a bluff by checking, yet I don't think he's going to shove a weaker hand if I bet (maybe KQss but I doubt it). He instantly shoves, I muck, he claims to have 88, and I believe him; I'm pretty sure I made a good fold. Down to 8500. Hope he didn't bluff me out.

The next orbit UTG+2 opens, cardrack calls in HJ-1, and I look down at KsKh on the SB. What a great time to pick up a hand, after the last time I squeezed I showed such weakness! I quickly re-pop 450 to 1800 again. UTG+2 folds, cardrack calls. The flop is 852sss, a very safe flop for me. I decide to check, since often my range includes hands like AK no spade and I check fold those hands, so occasionally I will check a good hand to balance my play. I check, and he instantly (again) goes all in for 2.5x the pot. I have no idea what he could have here; a flush draw? I call, and he shows JsJh. He certainly gets the money in here, but I don't understand why he chose to get it in in a way that allows me to get away from some stuff like say KsJd, or whatever. Anyways the turn is non spade and the river is a Jack so good game me.

My friends also got owned, so the people I traded action with are also out. Oh well, we're all in this together.

Saturday, October 13th, 2007

I came third in the absolute 150k guaranteed today for almost 20k. I won a few key races, but mostly just stole my way up (people fold WAY too much considering how big the blinds are). Then I lost a key race AJ to 55 in the final 3, and there went all my chips. Still I'm happy with the way I played the tournament and the result.

Labels: Online Poker, Poker Tourneys

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