Friday, April 20, 2007
Poker in a pub
On Wednesday, I played poker in a pub game with 23 other people. We were divided onto 4 tables, with a dealer on each table. I won it, making it my largest live win.
But I feel like noting down some of the hands I remember vividly.
The second hand of the tournament I got dealt KK on the big blind, raised a few limpers, got one caller, spiked a king on the flop, bet hard and took it down. Getting the high pocket pair and flopping the nuts made me feel positive and like I was in the game. I could've slowplayed the hand, trying to get more chips from my hapless opponent, but rather prefered to be aggressive and take the lead.
A few hands later I got dealt 88 under the gun and just called, hoping to flop another set, which miraculously happened. I saw the big blind copping out of a bet and just checking, so I bet, got a caller and got checkraised by the big blind. Unless he had JJ I was way ahead of him, so I raised him all in. The other person in the pot folded and the big blind called, showing 86. He didn't catch 2 running cards and was knocked out.
Now I was chip leader at the table and sitting very comfortably. Our table merged with another table, so we were playing 6-handed again.
Soon after getting to this table I got dealt 99, which I was mistaking for 88 by the time an 8 fell on the river. My phantom full house lost to trip sevens. Oops!
A bit later, on the big blind, I got another big pocket pair. AA. Once again I raised the limpers, a shortstack decided it was time to play and called with 99. He didn't improve and I was cruising along again.
For some reason the other remaining table decided to start their blinds from scratch, so they were still 6-handed by the time our table was down to only 3 players. We waited a bit for them to catch up and joined the 2 tables together with 8 of us still remaining. The first hand after the merge I got A8 and doubled the blinds (a bit loose, perhaps). The shortstacked small blind went all in, as did the even shorter stacked big blind. I had them both covered and called. The small blind had KJ and lost, the big blind had A9 and won the main pot, but I won the side pot and didn't lose too much in the deal.
A bit later I was getting shortstacked, and pushed all in, but got no callers. The very next hand I got AA, pushed all in again, and this time I got a caller. He had A3 and didn't last too much longer.
The shortstacks fell out and we were down to 3. Only the top 2 positions paid out, so there was a lot to play for. My 2 opponents looked quite haggard. I thought I could outlast them both, being a bit older and more used to less sleep. By this time it was heading up to 2 in the morning.
One of the guys that was playing quite tight, and better than most of the people at the tournament, pushed all with 99 and was called by T5s. The ten came on the river and we were heads up.
I lost a hand which left me way behind in chips, but the dealer seemed to not want to let me go and dealt me QQ. I just called the big blind, hoping he would push me all in, which he did. I gleefully called and the queens held up.
This must've demoralised him and a few hands later it was all over. This time I had A9 against A8 and avoided a split pot to take it all down.
I felt really good about my play and made only one or two mistakes. First time's the charm. So lucky!
But I feel like noting down some of the hands I remember vividly.
The second hand of the tournament I got dealt KK on the big blind, raised a few limpers, got one caller, spiked a king on the flop, bet hard and took it down. Getting the high pocket pair and flopping the nuts made me feel positive and like I was in the game. I could've slowplayed the hand, trying to get more chips from my hapless opponent, but rather prefered to be aggressive and take the lead.
A few hands later I got dealt 88 under the gun and just called, hoping to flop another set, which miraculously happened. I saw the big blind copping out of a bet and just checking, so I bet, got a caller and got checkraised by the big blind. Unless he had JJ I was way ahead of him, so I raised him all in. The other person in the pot folded and the big blind called, showing 86. He didn't catch 2 running cards and was knocked out.
Now I was chip leader at the table and sitting very comfortably. Our table merged with another table, so we were playing 6-handed again.
Soon after getting to this table I got dealt 99, which I was mistaking for 88 by the time an 8 fell on the river. My phantom full house lost to trip sevens. Oops!
A bit later, on the big blind, I got another big pocket pair. AA. Once again I raised the limpers, a shortstack decided it was time to play and called with 99. He didn't improve and I was cruising along again.
For some reason the other remaining table decided to start their blinds from scratch, so they were still 6-handed by the time our table was down to only 3 players. We waited a bit for them to catch up and joined the 2 tables together with 8 of us still remaining. The first hand after the merge I got A8 and doubled the blinds (a bit loose, perhaps). The shortstacked small blind went all in, as did the even shorter stacked big blind. I had them both covered and called. The small blind had KJ and lost, the big blind had A9 and won the main pot, but I won the side pot and didn't lose too much in the deal.
A bit later I was getting shortstacked, and pushed all in, but got no callers. The very next hand I got AA, pushed all in again, and this time I got a caller. He had A3 and didn't last too much longer.
The shortstacks fell out and we were down to 3. Only the top 2 positions paid out, so there was a lot to play for. My 2 opponents looked quite haggard. I thought I could outlast them both, being a bit older and more used to less sleep. By this time it was heading up to 2 in the morning.
One of the guys that was playing quite tight, and better than most of the people at the tournament, pushed all with 99 and was called by T5s. The ten came on the river and we were heads up.
I lost a hand which left me way behind in chips, but the dealer seemed to not want to let me go and dealt me QQ. I just called the big blind, hoping he would push me all in, which he did. I gleefully called and the queens held up.
This must've demoralised him and a few hands later it was all over. This time I had A9 against A8 and avoided a split pot to take it all down.
I felt really good about my play and made only one or two mistakes. First time's the charm. So lucky!
Wednesday, December 13, 2006
Facing up
I did a face recognition test available on MyHeritage that matches uploaded photos with celebrities. It came up with 60% matches for Alan Alda, Fredrik Ljungberg and Ernest Hemingway.
Then I retried it with a different photo, which matched me 68% with Bono and 60% with Jayne Mansfield.
So if you ever come across someone looking like a military doctor that plays football, sings political rock, writes exceptional literature, and has occasional wardrobe malfunctions - it could be me.
Then I retried it with a different photo, which matched me 68% with Bono and 60% with Jayne Mansfield.
So if you ever come across someone looking like a military doctor that plays football, sings political rock, writes exceptional literature, and has occasional wardrobe malfunctions - it could be me.
Sunday, August 27, 2006
Sloth of the underworld
It must be a movement then, an actuality of the possible as possible. Aristotle's phrase formed itself within the gabbled verses and floated out into the studious silence of the library of Saint Genevieve where he had read, sheltered from the sin of Paris, night by night. By his elbow a delicate Siamese conned a handbook of strategy. Fed and feeding brains about me: under glowlamps, impaled, with faintly beating feelers: and in my mind's darkness a sloth of the underworld, reluctant, shy of brightness, shifting her dragon scaly folds. Thought is the thought of thought. Tranquil brightness. The soul is in a manner all that is: the soul is the form of forms. Tranquility sudden, vast, candescent: form of forms.Ulysses - James Joyce
Monday, July 17, 2006
6-card poker hands
I've often wondered about playing poker where 6-card hands are also valid. This might be a natural step forward in the evolution of poker.
I don't really have the time at the moment to work this out precisely, but here is what I expect the rankings for 6-card poker hands to look like:
Of course this could be extended to 7-card poker hands, or more, but I reckon one jump at a time should be enough to make the game even more interesting.
I don't really have the time at the moment to work this out precisely, but here is what I expect the rankings for 6-card poker hands to look like:
- 1 pair
- 2 pairs
- 1 trip
- 3 pairs
- 5-card straight
- 5-card flush
- full house
- 6-card straight
- 6-card flush
- 2 trips
- 4 of a kind
- 5-card straight flush
- quads + 1 pair
- 6-card straight flush
Of course this could be extended to 7-card poker hands, or more, but I reckon one jump at a time should be enough to make the game even more interesting.
Tuesday, July 11, 2006
Strengths
I've been made to do the Strengthsfinder test, which proved to be relatively interesting. I always enjoy psychological profiling, and although I have some issues with some of the concepts (the mathematical world is not the real world?), I would recommend it as a useful management tool in any business.
Here are my top 5 themes in order of strength:
Here are my top 5 themes in order of strength:
- Strategic
People strong in the Strategic theme create alternative ways to proceed. Faced with any given scenario, they can quickly spot the relevant patterns and issues. - Input
People strong in the Input theme have a craving to know more. Often they like to collect and archive all kinds of information. - Ideation
People strong in the Ideation theme are fascinated by ideas. They are able to find connections between seemingly disparate phenomena. - Command
People strong in the Command theme have presence. They can take control of a situation and make decisions. - Competition
People strong in the Competition theme measure their progress against the performance of others. They strive to win first place and revel in contests.
