Giddyup

Day Two of 10NL and I must say that I am enjoying myself, and learning a few things along the way. Well, maybe not learning, but developing some impressions that might stand the test of time: Table selection, while still necessary, is not as critical due to the marked difference in skill levels between 10NL and 25NL; and, play at this level is remarkably like playing the 50NL at PA. Players often play absolute shit hands, like to chase, and as I pointed out yesterday, often have no clue when they are beat. I would imagine a large portion of the shoddy play is attributable to the low buy-in, meaning that the skill level is deficient, or the play is purely recreational gambling. With that said, one still has to pay attention.

I played two tables, getting comfortable in one room and adding a second shortly thereafter. As pathetic as it may seem, I have yet to fully adjust to this “multi-tabling.” Yet, it suits my style to keep the number of tables low, as I spend quite a bit of time watching the play as it progresses.

The first table I sat at had a fairly high percentage of players in a hand, and I soon discovered why. One player, davidupe, seemed to be running all over the table, had a $40+ stack and was playing almost every hand. Initially, I was a bit intimidated to see such a large stack at the table, yet he was three to my right, so at least I had some position on him.

Almost immediately I was involved in a hand with him. I don’t remember exactly the hand, and it was beyond the 100 hand history limit I could request from PS this morning, yet I believe I was in the BB with J 10 off. Dupe had limped, the flop came with a Jack and I bet. He called. The board was coordinated and flushy, so I kept the pot small. The river made straights and a flush possible so I checked. The pot was probably about $1.25 and he bet $4.50. I laughed to myself and folded. Let the games begin.

PokerStars Game #20912605536: Hold'em No Limit ($0.05/$0.10) - 2008/10/04 2:31:15 ET
Table 'Minkar V' 9-max Seat #7 is the button
Seat 2: davidupe ($41.55 in chips)
Seat 3: pokerlkdh ($9.85 in chips)
Seat 4: tahoeboyd ($4.60 in chips)
Seat 5: bastinptc ($9.30 in chips)
Seat 6: ffpmdon ($7.40 in chips)
Seat 7: Balu282 ($10.95 in chips)
Seat 8: organico ($16.50 in chips)
Seat 9: Congobob ($11.50 in chips)
organico: posts small blind $0.05
Congobob: posts big blind $0.10
NYCbuddha: sits out
*** HOLE CARDS ***
Dealt to bastinptc [Ac Qh]
davidupe: calls $0.10
pokerlkdh: folds
tahoeboyd: folds
bastinptc: raises $0.40 to $0.50
ffpmdon: folds
Balu282: folds
organico: folds
Congobob: folds
davidupe: calls $0.40
*** FLOP *** [4c Qc Ts]
davidupe: checks
bastinptc: bets $1.30
davidupe: calls $1.30
*** TURN *** [4c Qc Ts] [8s]
davidupe: checks
bastinptc: bets $2.30
davidupe: calls $2.30
*** RIVER *** [4c Qc Ts 8s] [8d]
davidupe: checks
bastinptc: checks
*** SHOW DOWN ***
davidupe: shows [4s 7h] (two pair, Eights and Fours)
bastinptc: shows [Ac Qh] (two pair, Queens and Eights)
bastinptc collected $7.95 from pot
*** SUMMARY ***
Total pot $8.35 | Rake $0.40
Board [4c Qc Ts 8s 8d]
Seat 2: davidupe showed [4s 7h] and lost with two pair, Eights and Fours
Seat 3: pokerlkdh folded before Flop (didn't bet)
Seat 4: tahoeboyd folded before Flop (didn't bet)
Seat 5: bastinptc showed [Ac Qh] and won ($7.95) with two pair, Queens and Eights
Seat 6: ffpmdon folded before Flop (didn't bet)
Seat 7: Balu282 (button) folded before Flop (didn't bet)
Seat 8: organico (small blind) folded before Flop
Seat 9: Congobob (big blind) folded before Flop

I laughed again when I saw what he was holding. His big stack had him mesmerized and he was looking to cooler.

PokerStars Game #20912782580: Hold'em No Limit ($0.05/$0.10) - 2008/10/04 2:46:47 ET
Table 'Minkar V' 9-max Seat #1 is the button
Seat 1: NYCbuddha ($20.70 in chips)
Seat 2: davidupe ($22.90 in chips)
Seat 3: pokerlkdh ($9.80 in chips)
Seat 4: tahoeboyd ($2.45 in chips)
Seat 5: bastinptc ($19.65 in chips)
Seat 7: Balu282 ($10.65 in chips)
Seat 8: organico ($21.15 in chips)
Seat 9: Congobob ($14.05 in chips)
davidupe: posts small blind $0.05
pokerlkdh: posts big blind $0.10
*** HOLE CARDS ***
Dealt to bastinptc [Kc Ac]
tahoeboyd: folds
ffpmdon leaves the table
bastinptc: raises $0.40 to $0.50
WTA50100 joins the table at seat #6
Balu282: folds
organico: calls $0.50
Congobob: folds
NYCbuddha: folds
tahoeboyd leaves the table
lbndev joins the table at seat #4
davidupe: calls $0.45
pokerlkdh: folds
*** FLOP *** [Kd 3s Th]
davidupe: checks
bastinptc: bets $1.30
organico: folds
davidupe: calls $1.30
*** TURN *** [Kd 3s Th] [9d]
davidupe: checks
bastinptc: bets $3.20
davidupe: folds
Uncalled bet ($3.20) returned to bastinptc
bastinptc collected $4 from pot
*** SUMMARY ***
Total pot $4.20 | Rake $0.20
Board [Kd 3s Th 9d]
Seat 1: NYCbuddha (button) folded before Flop (didn't bet)
Seat 2: davidupe (small blind) folded on the Turn
Seat 3: pokerlkdh (big blind) folded before Flop
Seat 4: tahoeboyd folded before Flop (didn't bet)
Seat 5: bastinptc collected ($4)
Seat 7: Balu282 folded before Flop (didn't bet)
Seat 8: organico folded on the Flop
Seat 9: Congobob folded before Flop (didn't bet)

You will note that his stack size has been depleted between the first hand and this one. His luck had turned but he hadn’t given up yet. Still, I knew that it was unlikely I would be getting any big money from this guy. This type of player will call any flop bet to see the turn, and then fold if nothing comes to help his hand. Yet, this guy apparently was not clueless, for a bit later when I had another big hand and put out a sizable bet preflop after he had limped, he folded immediately. I owned him.

And how did he lose a good portion of his stack? Below is the sad, sad tale:

PokerStars Game #20912708611: Hold'em No Limit ($0.05/$0.10) - 2008/10/04 2:40:12 ET
Table 'Minkar V' 9-max Seat #6 is the button
Seat 1: NYCbuddha ($10 in chips)
Seat 2: davidupe ($39.30 in chips)
Seat 3: pokerlkdh ($9.90 in chips)
Seat 4: tahoeboyd ($3.90 in chips)
Seat 5: bastinptc ($12.50 in chips)
Seat 6: ffpmdon ($4.45 in chips)
Seat 7: Balu282 ($10.75 in chips)
Seat 8: organico ($21.30 in chips)
Seat 9: Congobob ($11.25 in chips)
Balu282: posts small blind $0.05
organico: posts big blind $0.10
*** HOLE CARDS ***
Dealt to bastinptc [Th 9h]
Congobob: folds
NYCbuddha: calls $0.10
davidupe: calls $0.10
pokerlkdh: folds
tahoeboyd: calls $0.10
bastinptc is disconnected
bastinptc has timed out while disconnected
bastinptc: folds
bastinptc is sitting out
ffpmdon: calls $0.10
Balu282: calls $0.05
organico: checks
*** FLOP *** [Jh 3h Kd]
bastinptc is connected
Balu282: checks
organico: checks
bastinptc has returned
NYCbuddha: checks
davidupe: checks
tahoeboyd: checks
ffpmdon: bets $0.30
Balu282: folds
organico: folds
NYCbuddha: calls $0.30
davidupe: calls $0.30
tahoeboyd: folds
*** TURN *** [Jh 3h Kd] [Ah]
NYCbuddha: checks
davidupe: bets $0.70
ffpmdon: raises $0.70 to $1.40
NYCbuddha: raises $2.60 to $4
davidupe: calls $3.30
ffpmdon: folds
*** RIVER *** [Jh 3h Kd Ah] [9d]
NYCbuddha: bets $5.60 and is all-in
davidupe: calls $5.60
*** SHOW DOWN ***
NYCbuddha: shows [7h 6h] (a flush, Ace high)
davidupe: mucks hand
NYCbuddha collected $21.05 from pot
*** SUMMARY ***
Total pot $22.10 | Rake $1.05
Board [Jh 3h Kd Ah 9d]
Seat 1: NYCbuddha showed [7h 6h] and won ($21.05) with a flush, Ace high
Seat 2: davidupe mucked [Kc Kh]
Seat 3: pokerlkdh folded before Flop (didn't bet)
Seat 4: tahoeboyd folded on the Flop
Seat 5: bastinptc folded before Flop (didn't bet)
Seat 6: ffpmdon (button) folded on the Turn
Seat 7: Balu282 (small blind) folded on the Flop
Seat 8: organico (big blind) folded on the Flop
Seat 9: Congobob folded before Flop (didn't bet)

I was not laughing.