How Long Can a Man Hold On?

Ninja.

I just went out on the bubble of a well formatted satellite to a nice major tourney. It cost 2.5 to play, 18 players, and first place was a 33 dollar seat to a big tourney with a 46k first prize. Second place got 7.5 which would also be nice. I dominated the game early but made a few mistakes and instead of hunkering down butted my head into some volatile players. This meant large pots were built, they put their tournament life on the line and I wasn’t willing to take the risk on sub-nut hands. I went down to a normal stack again.

At the final table I was down to mid and up to first a couple of times- the same problem the whole way. Guy who were willing to go all the way would push back when I made moves with hands like KQs. This went on for a long time until we hit the bubble- three players left. The problem I had was that the most aggressive betting nutjob was to my left. This meant he protected the other player from me. So I had an even dance with the other small stack, big stack got to take money from the other small stack, and I couldn’t get money out of the big stack. Eventually he would double me up- we would be even- and then he would build back up his stack pushing the little, the little would trade jabs with me holding steady, and the blinds would increase. Every so often the little would go all in and get doubled up by the big to be even with me. At one point the big stack pushed all in over my moves 5 hands in a row- I eventually called and he showed down A8off to beat my KQs with A high.

I am fucking crushed. This guy was doubling people up like made for the last 90 minutes- and I never had the cards to take him out- hell- he doubled ME up three times but always when I was at less than a third of his stack. His willingness to LOSE AT ANY POINT made him damn near unstoppable. Three handed I did not believe that I had the time to wait for aces or pairs to challenge him on his reraising.

I see no solution to this and I find it very upsetting.

Help.

Single Table SNG- 5.50 buy in

First hand
A5off in SB
A couple limpers
I limp
Flop is AA8
I bet the pot
UTG limper calls
Everyone else folds
Turn comes a blank
I bet the pot
Limper calls
River comes a blank
I go all in
Limper calls
Limper turns over QQ and is out

Couple hands in
88 in mid
One limper ahead of me
I raise 5x
Everyone folds but limper
Limper reraises half his stack
I rereraise him all in
I’d seen him make a couple wonky moves already and I am carrying in some hate from the last game I think.
He turns over AA
They hold up and my winnings are gone.

I struggle, get no cards, my moves are countered with all-ins. I fold a lot.

Next thing I know my M is 2 and I am in all-in to win mode.

I double up 3 or 4 times. I get a couple hands and double up again.

There is a long period of everyone playing tight. 6 handed.

Three people slowly lose patience and get volatile.

They all go out.

We are in the money.

I grind my opponents together.

I am heads up with 5k to his 7.5k.

We spare a big.

I raise 6x with QK
He calls
flop comes 8TQ
I go all in
He calls
He turns over 8T
It holds up and I am out in second.

What the fuck is with people?

So, I had joined a 3.30 an hour or so earlier- first to register for a 3600 max. It started during the final hands.

I win a few hands- I’ve got 50% more than starting stack.

AJoff on the button.
I make a big raise.
BB calls.
Flop is 8TJ
I bet the pot
He goes all in
I call
He turns over 8T.

WTF man.

I am busted to 1/3 the starting stack. Plenty of chips to continue but its demoralizing and I wasn’t feeling well anyway. Not sure my discipline will hold but mostly because I feel sick and want to go to bed.

With reasonable precautions and a sufficient bankroll- you can play the house and make unlimited money at Blackjack. The odds are in your favor and overtime it will pay off. Period. But, you can’t open a 5 dollar table with a 100 dollar bankroll.

Similarly, there is semi-formulaic poker that will pay over time and with reasonable care and a sufficient bankroll you can make unlimited money. One of the core goals of this play, in the worlds of Dan Harrington, is to “make your opponent make wrong decisions” and that is something I am comfortable with. You still need the bankroll and time for this to pay off- but its something I can deal with. What I have trouble with is the percentage of the time when you don’t have the tools to work towards this.

Not sure where I was going with that there.

I struggled back up to better than mid position in the 3.30. Stacksize is below average but that is typically the case if you aren’t in the top 25% or so of the field. How did I do it? I stole a couple blind/limper rounds and then I managed to get people to call my all-in moves when I had 99 and AKoff. 99 was called by AJ- so that was very dangerous. My AK was called by A4.

Break ends in 1 minute.

So Truth purchased himself a 1500$ seat in a Heartland Poker Tour event in Denver that is in a week or so. This was a gift to himself for his big win at Bay 101. I realized today that since he was already getting a room all I needed was a plane ticket and I could tag along. There are bound to be a lot of SNGs and cash games going. However, even a cheap flight and fast food for 4 days is a big expense for me right now. Add potential poker loses… I could blow all my spare funds for the next… ever?

So I’ve been wrestling with my feelings about going. I had wanted to do a Reno trip later that month and if I didn’t come home even or better (even including paying for my expenses) I probably couldn’t do the Reno trip.

UPDATE: Because of my lack of investment in the 3.30 I am playing more of a gambling game than I prefer. Sadly, I am being rewarded for it. I mentioned I was midfield but below the average stack. I woke up with AKoff in mid- everyone had limped. So I went all in. I didn’t want to navigate a flop, I’d be happy to steal all those limps, and if I had to showdown… fuck it- bed calls.

Well, bed wasn’t the only thing to call. QQ did. And it did not hold up.

Holy shit- I am now in 23 of 147. Not sure how to best exploit this. I think I will experiment a bit. I am very happy with my current ability to avoid conflict and maintain. I’d like to add a stronger selective aggression component- but I’m not sure how without more gambling. Maybe I just haven’t seen the right card circumstances to let me do it- I dunno.

Anyway, Heartland. I was looking at the site to see what inside info I could gleen. What I found was that I could buy an 85 dollar single table satellite seat where 2 of 9 people advance to a 360 qualifier event where 2 of 9 make the main event. First or second in back to back single tables? Shit, I can do that… So now I am super tempted.

Meanwhile, I remember that there has been talk about the next midnight poker series at Garden City. Truth and I were going to do the Bay 101 series together and I wasn’t able to continue after the first month. This was rough because I had horrible suckouts in almost half of the tourneys. KK cracked preflop twice and AA once. The AA and one of the KK happened in back to back nights. I was off the poker for a while after that. Anyway, now there is talk of us doing this with Sheriff at Garden City and it sounds FUCKING AWESOME. It is 4 nights a week- which would be awesome consistent practice too. But then, even if I don’t do Heartland OR Reno I only have enough bankroll to handle a week or two without cashing. I do not have the live play track record to make me feel like that is a worthwhile use of my money.

So there you have it. What to do?

Broke my own rules (well, experimental plans). Used the min raise with a small pair from early move and got a call from a big stack. I had 99 and board came under AK. I didn’t feel good betting into this (of course he had an A or K if he called?) and so we check a street or two- then he makes a small bet. Maybe he has nothing and wants to try to buy the pot? I call- we check down… He had played A4off. Crapnuggets. I should have pushed back and risked donating or raised first to act post flop or stayed out. I don’t know that that is RIGHT but it’s what I planned on doing.

Bigstack has shown down on a couple of really flakey calls now. I will take his chips. Just give me a moment. Wait here.

Truth would be happy that I semibluffed at a pot, had a caller, and kept firing, and he went away. I am uncomfortable with it. I was building a big pot and could easily have been beaten. I do not know the right answer here. I feel like there is one though.

35 of 116

So Wannabe talks a fair bit about the pro’s, how they play, how they think, whatever. I do not know the ratio of “I read it in his book” to “I saw it on WSOP” to ????? But, based on what I’ve read so far I feel like the data is solid. With some of his insights into players I’ve developed a bit more respect for Hellmuth than I had previously. All I’d seen him do is act like an ass and lose.

Update:
UTG guy goes all in with 25% of my stack
Folds to me in the BB
I have AKoff
I call
He turns over 88
I hit my A
He does not hit his 8
We both 4 flush
I take him out

Anyway, so it is with a greater degree of respect for Mr. Hellmuth when I witnessed the following emotional exchange between him and another player on TV (I think it was Poker After Dark)
Other guy says some shit
Phil “You don’t understand, this is just poker to you, but to me- this is my life”

I could really relate. Poker isn’t my whole life, but the thoughts I was having earlier about how hard it is to deal with the guy who just doesn’t care if he loses really made me relate. At his level and commitment it must be devastating to have people do stupid shit and get paid off.

Update:

Wasted a chance to earn some money out of anger. Bigstack guy has called almost every move I’ve made. I made a move with AJoff and he calls- this is like the 5th time. I comment on it in the chat window- hoping to shame him. I make a move at the pot, he calls, I make a move at the turn, he stays, the river four flushes to my ace and I go all in (20x the pot or so) and he folds. I say “that’s what I thought” like a schoolyard bully.

But, the fact is, I am sure I could have extracted another 5% of my stack out of him at least. So I am the donkey.

25 of 93

Pays 36

26 of 86 and the antes start. Field will drop 20% in minutes.

KK UTG 5x raise
Sigh- scoop

23 of 86

27 of 81. Limped, strong draw with too many opponents- put some money in- got rid of most of them- checked down- lost

32 of 78

Lost a couple chips when I accidently called with J4off (the hand I make fun of) and then had to fold A9suited to a raise on the last hand before break. I hadn’t put money in but really wanted to see a flop.

At break I am 34 of 74

Unrelated- I feel like hell. I’ve vacillated from “semi normal maybe hungry” to nauseous and ready to throw up all night. It’s terrible. At least my headache got a bit better.

Break ended and I dropped my lightening raise from mid position with 99. Everyone folded not sure if it was the raise or the timing. I’m okay with blinds and antes from mid with 99 though.

31 of 74

AKoff in BB
3x raise from button guy who is table captain
I reraise all in
He folds

24 of 74

26 of 72- half the field gets paid

25 of 71 after scooping blinds with AQoff

Be strong Ninja. Discipline, don’t pay people off, Right Thinking, Right Feeling, and Selective Aggression. Lets see if we can get deeper than just cashing. Lets cash strong.

23 of 70

Blinds just went up- I am still at M of 15+

28 of 69 and stack is barely above average.

5 of 66

AK in mid- raised a bit smaller- I can’t scoop into a big finish- I want some action.
I get a caller
Flop is Ace Blah Blah
I bet the pot
He calls
Turn is another blank
I literally type in the chat window “okay, lets do this”
And I go all in
And he calls
With AQ
And I double.

And he melts in the next 4 hands. (he was left with ¾ of what I had when it happened)

Hey Ninja- this is ALL THAT IS GOOD AND HOLY calling with a message. DON’T PAY ANYONE OFF!!!

FUUUUUCK

17 of 57

77 on the button
One limper
I limp
SB folds
BB checks
Flo comes TJA
BB checks
Limper checks
I bet the pot
BB folds
Limper calls
Turn is a 2
Limper checks
I check
River is a 7
Limper makes a small raise
I reraise him half his stack
He goes all in
I call
He turns over 89off

To be clear- calling a pot sized bet with the fucking dummy end of an open ended straight draw is INCORRECT. I am fucking pissed- but I know I made him make a mistake. He got paid- but he is a lucky and stupid motherfucker.

Conversely, a couple hands later, I see a free flop in the BB and flop an open ender. The SB checked and I bet the pot- limper and SB fold. My move is correct. They are all my bitches.

16 of 53

AKsuited in early- it’s the suckout from a minute ago’s big blind. I raise 5x (wanted to do 4 but remember Truth urging me to raise bigger post antes) and scooped.

16 of 51

I’ve gone from fine to vomitous 4 times since I last mentioned it.

Blinds and antes up again. A round is now 1650. Holy shit. My M is 15.

Limped with 55 but BB went all in- somebody else called him- I would have lost

AKoff in early
5x raise
Scoop

20 of 47

21 of 44 and stack below average- cheap leader about triple my stack

Blinds just went up- again- short tabled so 2100 to play now. M is 10

Scoop with KJsuited from mid

17 of 44

AKoff in SB
No action
4x raise
BBfolds

16 of 43

I have to say I’ve had PLENTY of cards. I feel that I’ve HORRIBLY under exploited them. I am so used to running scared that I am betting such that I scoop too much. I know Truth says “its never a bad outcome” but you can’t place strong scooping. All those AK hands (well not all) could have been big payers.

QJsuited in mid
I limp
SB and BB stay
53Q flop (53 suited)
SB min bets
BB calls
I reraise 4x (scared as shit)
SB folds (I am cheering)
BB goes all in
Shit
Uh
Shit
Well, we talked aggression- I talked ready for bed- I talked needing opportunities…
I call
He turns Q9
I hold up.

4 of 40

I am not sure I can defend the call. Uh, my hand was really strong- he didn’t reraise so he could have been on that draw for the cheap… His stack was small- he was close to make a move or die time… Dunno. That is all I have.

I know have the chips to be scared.

Shit- there is why

OMFG

I got lucky. Mark it down.

I commented on being scared when I hit AJ off in SB

AJoff in BB
Button makes 3x raise
I call
BB goes all in
Button folds
I call. This is where I go “oh shit”
My call was based largely in that I had him double stacked- he is hungry and I can pay him off and still cash.
And AJ is strong.
He turns over AK
Oh fuck.
Board comes
98(suited)T
J
4

Whoa.

4 of 37

3 of 37 and we are hand for hand

So, a comment. I have bitched a lot about donkey suckouts. I will sometimes waffle and say it doesn’t bother me- or some aspects don’t. I feel like it NEVER happens to me- or so seldom as to not offset the number of times it does. I recognize that it happens LESS to tight players because they are not in a position to suckout so often.

Now, the distinction I’d like to make here is- I didn’t make a mathematically incorrect call- I didn’t chase when I was behind dumping money into a pot that could kill me- I called a small stack with a strong hand- his was stronger- but not by a large margin. Did I get lucky? Yes- totally and I totally appreciate it. Is it the same as the asshole who called those bets with his open ended dummy end draw? I don’t think so.

First has me doublestacked- and he has been in first ALL ALONG. Interesting- you don’t see that much.

I am a folding machine.

Or I will be- its only been a couple hands.

WTF? Break after this hand? I feel like we just broke. Weird.

The bubble did not break. See you in 4 minutes.

Quick math… At the final table the average chip stack will be slightly less than double what I have right now- so lets shoot for that. Of course ONLY by making right decisions.

I just noticed the small stack has less than two antes.

2750 a round now. Everyone 30th and lower has an M of less than 4.

Folding AJ off from UTG- too weak too early

Small stack 9x’d up

AJ hand saw a big raise and then assclown to my right went all in.

He raised my BB all in several times.

Either he is a donkey OR he is scared to play post flop. I know that game.

He hasn’t done it too often. It could be an ever pair thing, an any big ace thing… whatever. At the moment I don’t know what I can call with. AA KK I guess for right now- but once we are through the bubble I will need a plan. Other than just hoping he gets reseated.

Small stack is back to less than 2 antes- meanwhile the bottom 10 have pulled a LOT of chips out of the midfield. Like, on averge they are 50% bigger than they were. This is interesting. Either a lot of bad calls or shady moves that got called or a lot of stealing with middle stacks scared to defend. I can relate to ALL of those.

Ha! Small stack 9x’d again.

I’ve lost 3k chips in folded blinds. That is 5% of my stack. That is not a rate of attrition I am okay with. I did fold the AJ- but that would have gone badly unless my involvement shut that guy down… grr. I try to limp with KJsuited and get reraised. Insta reraised too.

I called it- and I hit the K- and I decided to let it go- did not bet- folded to his less than pot sized bet. Sigh.

Dropped my to 5th- but the bubble burst too. Not sure what was right there.

4 of 330 folding T3suited in the SB

That hand is gnawing at me. I felt it would go to all-in and TP4thK isn’t a hand I want to do that with at this stage. So I should have folded to his raise or not limped… except in both cases I had monster potential and I didn’t hit it. I mean, I hit that flop SOLID- but not tournament risking hard. Grrr….

All in guy called a moderate raise with KQsuited and flopped the A high straight. The other guy bet, got called, and pushed all in the next street- with 45suited.

Limp from late with A3suited
SB raises 3x
I call
There was some sweetness from another limper and BB
Flop is 9AJ with the J of my suit- the 9A of another
I bet the pot
He folded- but after a LOOONG think and a disconnect.

5 of 28

4400 to play Everyone after 9th has an M of less than 10 Same chip leader- 3x my stack

AA on the button.
Action in front of me
Action gets caller
I go all in
They both fold.

Hhmmm… mixed emotions

5 of 26 after Slower playing?

7 of 24- 4th stack at my table

K9suited on the button
Contemplating a move
Mid makes 4x raise
I rethink
Somebody goes all in
I hit fold
Mid raiser calls and shows QToff
All in shows K9off
Queen hits.

QJ in mid- wanted to limp but UTG goes all in for less than BB and I *just know* somebody will raise for isolation… he had 22 and would have beat me

7 of 22

I really want final table. Right decisions. Right thinking. Just need to not be card dead.

All kinds of volatile loose shit going on.

5500 to play now but short handed so a snippet less

7 of 20- I have 10k on the next guy

But folding shit after shit after shit now.

And with the short table… spending blind money fast.

7 of 19 after KK setted and took out 22 (to land 400 chips behind me)

KK guy wins a big pot with AK high (after showdown) and passes me.

8 of 18- final two tables. 14k over 9th Cards please!

Omfg KK guy goes out- he went all in with second pair

7 of 16 now- still no cards- blinds are up- 6600 to play

Saving up my cards for a final run to the final few.

Honest.

Leader is 5x my stack… same guy... very rare

K9 UTG is the BEST I’ve seen in 50 hands at least.

Managed to steal the BB with a 3x (K4off)

7 of 15

Lots of volatility but I can’t exploit it without some cards- in fact it shuts me down. You can’t fuck off when people are looking for excuses to push all in. My K4 scoop was probably a poor choice even if it worked.

Small stacks are in fold to death mode. Big stacks are in do battle but don’t go all in mode. I am in PLEASE GIVE ME SOME GODDAMN CARDS mode.

K5off does not count- thanks anyway fucker.

I drop to eight. More folding of NOTHING.

But hey, at least I am folding my shit cards to action. That takes some sting off I guess.

76suited in the BB- I see a flop Q39 none my suit

I see my first ace in I don’t know how long.
I am in SB
3x from UTG- all in guy does his thing-
I fold
He gets a caller
They show TT vs. KK and all-in guy has KK hold up
Just a transfer of giant stack wealth sadly.

Still 8 of 15

Okay, somebody dropped- 8 of 14 and I can see the whole list on one screen.

God how many people have dropped since I was able to play a hand?

Folding KJ off from mid even with no action.

Hands behind me go all in preflop. AJ beats A9. They both beat me if I stayed.

9 of 14.

Another all in match
A8 to AT – they chop

I can’t wait to scroll up and see how many people knocked out since I had a playable hand. I can’t do it now though- too much to watch.

Stomach fucked again.

Folding K2suited in the BB to a raise and a call- flop had a 2 and raiser went all in.

Folding 8Tsuited in SB- guy to my left is in last and will push all in any second.
Sadly, flop was 899 and I prolly could have scooped.

T7suited folded on button- and he made the move- this was THE NEXT HAND- so there you go.

47off, folded… come on.

40k even chips in 8th. 1/3 of what I should be entering final table. 13 people left.

Folding more shit- jesus.

I also now have a bucket incase I puke.

Pocket 5s in BB… hhmmm

3x raise in front of me- I can’t do it- fold.

More folds of things like 62off

9 of 13. It won’t take much to make final 9. But will take something. The playing field is rough for what I need to do… I need a hand I am ready to take on small guy to my left all-in with…. But he has 2/3 of my stack so losing will cripple me. What I really need is something I can call a big move from in front of me with.

Small stack guy is all in for like the 5th time with a hand better than I’ve seen in an hour. But he gets busted.

9 of 12

He was small stack at my table- micro at the other table. Nevermind- he just doubled.

I am ready to make a move honest- but not a pure bluff. Folded T6off.

And another break?

All in showdown (not me) on the last hand before break and a small guy doubled up. I am in 10 of 12 and it hurt the all-in guy. Probably he will calm down and it will reduce my chances when I get a good hand.

From the bottom up we have:

12th – 20580
11th – 20666
10th – 31800 me
9th – 41164
8th – 41537
7th – 43430 all in guy
6th – 68700
5th – 75490 guy who made his early move with QToff and pushed all in preflop but got beat by K9off when I wanted to make a button move with K9suited.
4th – 79800
Then they jump to 157k, 217k, and 272k (still the same fucking guy)

Honestly, I am ready for some cards please.

Next money jump is final table- then it smoothes out but grows fast.

11k to play now My M is less than 3.

Truth Ninja. Fuck yeah.

Folding 29off in BB to 3x

And I am out 12th.

Lets discuss.

KQoff in the little blind. Best hand I’ve seen in probably 2 hours. One limper. I want to move at it- I decide my best bet is all in. It is NOT my best bet. This is a terrible mistake. I raise, BB folds, limper calls with A6off. He hits an A. Not that he needed it.

How can I make this mistake 5 seconds after calling for Truth Ninja? How? The answer- 100 fucking hands of shit and seeing two connected broadway cards. I will now count the folds. Wait here.

The K9suited that went all in before me was 50 hands ago
My AA was about 50 hands before that. So, 100 hands. Shame on me.

It is final table- I could have folded to it- no problem. God damn my eyes.