I won, but have no money in my wallett!

About 2 weeks ago I said I won't be swimming at Crown for a month, but today is special occasion. (My birthday). I went there in the afternoon around 4:00pm and joined Superman over there. I walked pass the poker room but it was a bit quiet. So I went upstairs and play some pokies, chuck $20 here and there and I broke even. Superman pop up at 5:15pm. He told me he has some feelings in poker. So I joined him at the same $2/$3 NLH table.

It will only be a short session, because we've booked a table for dinner at 7:30 at Richmond. So the most we can play would be like one and a half hours. Before we sat down at the table, we've make a deal. We split all the winnings 50/50 with him. I have no problem with that. Due to the fact he has been running good at PS recently, plus I am not too fuzz about it. I accepted the deal.

We sat down at the same table, next to each other. As usual the table was loose. No one willing to fold after they put $3 in. I was going to play tight, as Superman behind me would be my designated LT hitter! As usual I bought in for $200 (so as him). I didn't play a hand in the first 2 rounds. Then called $3 in a few pot, but fold to a raise like $18 to $20 preflop. My stack was down to like $180 without playing a hand. At the meantime Superman already bust his first buy-in. He called a $20 raise preflop with Ac9c, board came 9 high rainbow. Initial raiser shoved all-in and he called (his whole stack). Initial raiser had JJ and held up. He told me he had A9 and thought the guy was bluffing with AK (It happens a lot on PokerStars he said). So I lend him another $200 (I lend him the first buy-in as well). Now in the BB, this hand came out.

Limp pot, I had K 10 off in BB. I checked. Flop went QdJd6c. Not too excited with my open ended straight, with many players in the pot already, plus out of position. I guess I need to play it aggressively. So I check! (ATC) Everyone checked behind me. Turn 9s. Now I have the nuts. Still valurable to flush draw, no way I am giving any free cards. Only $20 inside the pot, I tossed in $15. Only a gimp in MP called me. All other folded. River 3h. I still have the nuts. As no one showed any strength thru out, I value bet $25 on the river and got called.

On the very next hand in SB, I got Qh 9h. Also limp pot, 4 callers, I called for $1, Superman want to raise but elected to check(He had AQ, he told me after th hand's over). Flop 8h 5s 2h. With my flush draw + 2 over, I bet $10 and see whats going on. Superman folded, the same Gimp paid me off in the last hand called, and also an Asian Phil Lark. Phil Lark was on the button and was thinking about raising. From the previous few rounds, I saw him making a lot of bets and small raises, bullying the table around. From the last hand, I only bet when I have the nuts, I think its what in his mind as well. So my table image is nothing but a Rock! ABC type! So he just called as well. Turn was a 7d. I sort of making a $25 continuation semi-bluff block bet. Gimp folded. Phil Lark called. River 10c. I totally missed and stucked with Q high. As Phil Lark didn't raise me on 2 previous street, I decided to bluff at it, so I bet $55 on the river, and he folded. I didn't show my cards, but Superman had a sneak peak about it. He said to me, " YOU BASTARD!"

Then I called $3 in the next hand when I was on the button, folded on the flop. Still in the same round, I got AK off UTG. I limp $3, I knew Gimp in MP will raise coz he is on tilt, hopefully get a few callers and I could shove. (I learned this play from Master Gee). As I expected, Gimp pop to $13, all folded to Phil Lark, he re-pop to $25. All folded to me, why raised so small? So I took the aggressive route by calling (ATC again). Gimp called, others folded. 3 way action! Flop Kh 8h 2d. I checked, so did Gimp. Phil Lark bet $25. The first thing popped up on my mind was the hand against Lucktard Fat Mama. Please don't tell me AA vs AK on K rag rag flop again! Also AA with Ah, AhQh, AhJh were all within his range. No way I am folding right now, so i just call. Gimp folded. Turn Ah. Very interesting card. I checked and see what he will do. Now he bet only $50. Now I believed I almost had the best hand. Only losing to 88. Very rare losing to AA or KK when I had AK and 2 pair on the turn. If he had one of those, nothing I can do, same as 888. I was 99% certain he had no flush at all. With Ah and Kh on the board, what can he re-raise with pre-flop? QhJh? No way!

So I knew he was making a continuation bet on the flop, and now he hit something. So I put him in like AK (same hand as me, but I think he would bet more on the flop), JJ, QQ, AQ or AJ with 1 heart. I knew I am in front and he might be on a draw with an Ace. Still, only losing to 888. Can't just flat call right now, and no more free crads. Out of position also a problem, so I re-raise all-in for $235 total! Phil Lark was steaming, he said," Why would you shove right now with the nuts?". So I knew he didn't have QQ or AQ. Only JJ, 88 or AJh. He was staring at me the whole way, so did I. My hands were shaking vigorously, worse than what I usually gave to my little brother down there. He thought I was bluffing, so he called. River Jd. One of the card I absolutely hate to see, coz it is within his range. Showdown, I turned over my AK, and he had AsJh. Spot on!

Then the very next hand in BB got pocket 10s. Stack close to $600. Gimp raised to $15 as usual. Next guy flat call (he is quite solid), as well as Phil Lark. I called as well. Flop 2h 3h 8s. I bet $20 on the flop and see whats going on. Gimp flat called, next guy pop to $60, Phil Lark folded, I called, to my surprise, Gimp also called. Turn Ac, now I check, ready to fold, but all check as well. River another heart. Not going to bluff this time against 2 players, and went check down. Last player had JJ, Gimp mucked, and I showed my 10s. Stack down to $510+. After that they asked for time charge, and 4 players leaving. Almost 6:30pm, so me and Superman left the table as well.

I had to give him $150 as part of the deal. Then we hanged around at Crown upstairs. Superman donk away all his money(All of them were from me!). Then we went to dinner. Supposedly he was going to shout me for dinner, but I ended up paying it. Then we went back to Crown, coz still a bit early (only 9:45pm). We picked up Carl on the way, and headed back to Crown. Superman reckons his mojo is back, and asked me for another $100 (plus something from Carl). He sat down in another $2/$3 table,with 1 bullet. I had a side bet with Carl that he wouldn't last till 11pm. He survived, and I had another side bet with him that he wouldn't last till 12:00am. Superman ended up busting at 12:20am.

Both me and Carl reckons it will be quick and looking forward for some jiggle-jiggly actions later on. But we ended up standing on the rail watching Superman play for 2 hours. Both of us felt tired and my back was hurting me. So we went home. Most importantly, I got no money left in my wallet. Why?

Celebrity fill in

I don't usually play snooker pennant on Monday night. Kevin Stone called me up last week and ask me to fill in for him. As you know Lance Pennall Classic is on this weekend, it never hurt to have a match or so in pennant. I was playing at #1 in the A reserve grade tonight. Normally the standard in the A reserve aren't that high, even at #1, I don't expect to have a tough match or so. When I saw the team sheet, the opposing captain told me they also have a fill-in for them as well. After I saw his name, I start shitting on my own pants! Fortunately I was wearing dark pants, and the room was dark as well, so no one can see the skid mark on my back. "WTF is he doing in here?"

There are only 4 guys in Australia I will fear in snooker. Steve Mifsud, Shawn Budd, Master Gee and this guy. Neil Robinson, he can go back to England and lick his own sausage. MVP is scary coz he can breast feed his 2 daughters. Princess of Princes, well I just need to worry about my back side when ever I am on a shot and he is standing behind me! Slowvari and Aaron, I don't fear slow defensive players. Why I fear those players? Neil is a professional, he will kill you off with just 1 bullet and so can R.I.P. These 4 guys are all good long potters but second grade assassins. They are so fetish in nature, they love slapping you around before finishing you off. When you think you played a good safety shot, all of the sudden, BOOM! Pots a long one, making 50 to 60. Giving you a sniff, before making another clearance.

This guy I played tonight was one of the best break builder in Australia snooker scene. His name Andrew Hicks! First frame I had 12 points (but 11 points were from fouls), next frame I scored 14 points. Final frame I won on the black, when Andrew felt guilty, rolled the black towards the middle pocket. So I lost 2-1.

Will go Crownish tomorrow with Superman. Hopefully will have some positive news to come!

Snookering!

Thanks to Telstra, I have been offline for several days. Since Tuesday, I had called them several times everyday and all I experiencing was an ongoing process about trouble shooting, (done it at least twice a day) as well as practicing for "Spelling Bee". Everytime I told them my login name, some how we just can't understand to each other. Why do those operator had to make things so complicated? Instead of referring "A for apple, B for boy, C for Chapel", why make life so hard for me? " A for astronomical, B for brucellosis, C for cretaceous." OK! You win! You are too academic for me! With such a high level of intelligence, wtf you are doing as an operator?

Up until Sat, Telstra still haven't resolved the problem. I went to Telstra shop that afternoon. Somehow the salesman had serious attitude problem. I was so piss off. OK, I just went next door and became an Optus customer.

Lance Pannell Classic is next week. I will play Alex Alibaba in my opening match. So its time to start practicing. Cueing ok right now, although not making many big breaks, only 40s and 50s. The positive sign was that I manage to pot a long one, got into position and pot most of the loose ones. I won my math 3-0 vs David Pitt in pennant on Wed night. All 3 frames was very scrappy, but I made 2 good clearance to pinch 2 frames.

Had a hit with Binh Fri night, but somehow he ditch me. We played 2 frames, I gave him 20 starts and I won both frames. After that, the Princess of Princes arrived. F**k! I hate that guy. He is one of those guys always smiling at you, pretend friendly, but on the other hand he will talk a bunch of BS behind your back. A guy like him will make MVP looks like a great guy. Master Chan always talk BS, but he hardly creates and spreads gossips around (he just BS how good he is). POP, Marco and L.E.H. forms a perfect company. Somehow they have the same personality, common interest and to a certain extent, they might have a love affair towards each other. "The Princes Love Triangle!" Maybe one day MVP should make a movie out of it. He will be the script writer, director and the cameraman. He might join in the fun as well. What a fantastic foursome it will be. By the way, me and POP played 3 frames. I beat him 3-0. It was hot and muddy at Princes and the #3 table was very slow. I also saw the Professor of Snooker (Bacon + Eggs) giving "Snooker History 101" lessons. Telling his student (on the next table) how Jimmy White used to play and practice. Talking about Steve Davis's 6 and 3/4 inches bridge. It was just too much to handle, and I left soon afterwards.

Finally back online

Finally back! I hate Telstra. Been offline for about a week, so fed up.

No Internet

No internet at the moment. Can't do anything right now, as I am at an internet cafe. Hopefully can back online soon.

Bow to Squizzy again (but it hurts)!

Played in Stars tonight. Just want to get my winning feelings back. So I played in one of those $1.10 turbo 2X SNG. I were running good. My pocket 10s held up against pocket 7. And My pocket 7 won a race against AK (short stack). I also bust my third opponents with my AQ vs his A6. Built my stack to 5k+, so I decided to fold my way to the cash. Short stack start busting each other out and I took down my 90 cents profit! Oh what a feeling! I won! High 5 anyone?

Grand Master took down a $2.20, 180 players SNG. I heard he was short stack entering the final table. Somehow within 6 hands, he became the chip leader. Bullying his way and took it down! Well done Grand Master!

Squizzy was playing 3 tournys. ($4.40 ,180 SNG and 2 freerolls) As he is running so good right now (btw he is also good, no doubt about it!), I decided to stalk him a bit, hopefully I can pick up a trick or two. I also chat with him on MSN, so hopefully I could get some idea how to think like a PRO. In the $4.40 SNG, I finally learn something. Squizzy was in the BB with pocket 9. Blinds 50/100, multiway limp pot, Squizzy decide to check his option. Flop 9 9 8. SB check, obviously Squizzy going to slow play his quads(very common play, all the books I have read said you must slowplay it). Check to MP bet 200, button folded, SB folded. In this situation, I know I lot of people will stall a bit, using up there time bank, pretending they have a tough decision to made. It is a pretty common trick, especially online. Squizzy did something totally different. Instead of stalling and pretending, he just disconnected himself from his Internet. Log back in again, and his time bank hit to like 4 sec remaining. He click the Call button. Turn was 6. Squizzy check again, and so did MP. River Q, I wonder if Squizzy would do the trick again, but this time Squizzy lead out for a big bet and MP folded. Why not fired the second barrels? I guess with 15 sec to act, plus only 4 sec left in his time bank, he couldn't log it back in time.

Unfortunately he couldn't cash in the $4.40 SNG, busted out in 34th place. But he qualified to Phase 2 Poker Star Cast TV freeroll, the winner will go on to a reality TV series, host by Joe "The Sook" Hachem himself. Gook luck Squizzy! Maybe you are the next Sook in the making!

Now it is the BIG ONE! Phase 2 of ANZPT-Melbourne. 120 players in it, the winner receive a package + USD$500. Squizzy was top 5 in chips along the way, and chip leader entering the final table about 45k in chips. There was a Lucktard, sat directly yo Squizzy's right. He busted 4 players along the way with nothing but junks. Cracked AK with 72 sthooted, river straight with 6 8 off. All of them flat called opened shoved pre-flop. Squizzy simple let the LT did all the hard work and now down to final 3 players, he was short stack with 18k chips. Open shove by Squizzy (3 times in 7 hands) and each time got no callers. Now stack around 33k.

Now the LT mini-raised, Squizzy open shoved with A6 off in BB. LT called with KJ. Board 9 high and Squizzy double up. Now he is almost chip lead (66k), only trailing the LT by 4k and the short stack had 44k. In the very next hand this came up.

Blinds 1500/3000 with 300 ante. Squizzy in SB with Js 6s. LT flat called on the button. Squizzy called in SB, BB check. Flop 6d 6c 8c. Squizzy checked, BB also checked. LT bet 23k on the flop (only about 10k inside). Squizzy check raised to 46k. BB shoved all-in for 40k+. LT flat call. Turn 9s. LT check/call Squizzy's all-in. LT showed KK (nice play sir), BB had 88 for flop full-boat (nh). Squizzy took the side pot with trips. A bit of a cooler, 3 handed, 3 way all-in on the flop with trips. Still ok, as he didn't lose much in that hand thanks to the side pot.

Two hands later Squizzy busted the LT and his mushroom stack out with 3 5 off vs his Kh 4h. Now HU. Squizzy had about 50k in chips vs 126k+. He managed to win a couple of pots, and built his stack to 60k. Only 2-1 defecit. Unfortunately for him, he dealt KJ on the button, SB flat call his raise with AA. Flop K 10 3. All the money went on the flop and Squizzy picked up a GS on the turn but the helpless 3 on the river seal the deal.

Squizzy bust out in 2nd place and received nothing out of those BS. It is a bad feeling! Just like Megan Fox or Jessica Alba ask you to eat their Pie, but unfortunately both are on period. Ouch! It hurts! It really hurts!

ChowHi

As you know my mission from now is to be a lucktard. The best way to learn to be one is to learn from them. If you want to learn from them, you better learn from the best. So where can you find the biggest lucktard in this world? Here is the answer: Pub/Free Poker!

Last night at Potters (an local pool hall in Dandenong) had poker night. $20 entry, you receive a free T-shirt plus a drink voucher. $1000 total prize pool, capped at 100 players. Not bad value if you just want to have a night out. Master Gee works over there behind the bar, so obviously he was playing there last night. So did Lady Master, Slam Dunk Master and great Grand Master. Even Mini-Master (Tim, Sean's brother) joined the action as well.

If you haven't played in one of those tourney before, here is the structure. We started with 3000 in chips, blinds started at 25/50, and blinds half double up every 15 minute. Self dealing (no dealer on the table), 15 min you might play max of 10 hands. There weren't enough plays in each level. Sitting back and playing tight won't be ideal. So you will see a lot of all-in fest along the way. No way you can keep up with the blinds without doubling up in the first few levels. Bluffing is waste of time, coz people will call you with bottom pair. The best way to accumulate chips is to call an all-in bet with anything. I saw a LT called her whole stack in SB with J9 off when there was already 2 shoves in front of her. J9 vs AA vs A3 sthooted. And she triple up her stack. I played good in the first hour and my read was spot on. After the first hour I built up my stack to 6700. Somehow I was a bit worry coz Wishing Thinking is a must in this game. If you fold when you are behind, you don't give yourself any chance to get lucky. You will never get the feeling when you spike the 2 outer on the river. So I need to change gear!

After the break, I moved to a new table. 2 seats to my right was, who else? Slam Dunk Master. With all the bragging rights on the line, you never know how desperate I were trying to bust him. With blinds 100/200, I limp UTG+1 with 22. Everyone folded to the CO, mini raised to 400. Everyone then folded to SDM in the BB called extra 200. Flop 7h7c8c, SDM checked, and I checked as well. CO bet 400, absolutely weak bet, probably had 2 overs. Slam Dunk master smelled weakness and shoved all-in. Before I acted, CO tossed his card into the muck (once again my read was spot on). Now I only have to worry about Slam Dunk Master. Did he had an 8 (maybe), 7 (unlikely), a pair in hole (maybe), Flush Draw (very likely), Straight draw (unlikely, don't think he would call with 9 10 pre-flop), bluffing (maybe). So I did a bit of table talk, mentioning how much I want to bust him ( I had him cover). He gave me a corky look and smiling at me along the way. Now I know he was either bluffing or on flush draw. Playing with him so many times in home games, I know he would freeze like a statue if he has a big hand. So I called with my pocket 2. He flipped over AQ off. 7 on the turn, 6 on the river. Bingo! I don't read him like a book. Never! Instead I read him like a porn. All it takes is a few sec, and my mojo will automatically kicks in. Easy as that!



Then I changed table again. The table had a bunch of fat chicks. Won a mid size pot with 88. Blinds 200/400, MP pop to 800, I re-pop to 1400 on the button. Flop A 10 5. MP check, I bet 1800 and took it down. Now I have close to 10k in chips. Then in SB, blinds now 300/600. I got Qd10d. Multiway limp pot, I called for extra 300. all of the sudden BB shoved all-in for 1300 in total, everyone called, so did I. Flop Ad Jh 3d. All check to the Fat chick on the button, bet 2000, I called with my FD+GS. Turn 6h, I check-call 3000 bet. With such a big pot, and a bit of WISHFUL THINKING, calling the bet was easy. River another 6, and I check/fold. Fat chick had AJ and raked the pot.

Now she really got into my head. Not because I think she is hot (No way! I am not a Gramma Cunucker), nor I am interested in her cow size tits ( Sorry, I am not a farmer and I don't need any milk for my coffee yet!). I really gave her credit that she put me on a flush draw. What impressed me the most was that she managed to use the F* word and occasionally the S* word at least once in every 5 words that came out from her mouth. That's IMPRESSIVE!

Blinds 400/800, UTG limp, that cow wannabe limp, I open shoved with my AJ for 2800. Evryone folded to the button also shoved. All folded, showdown. AJ vs QQ. Flop A 10 4 turn 8 river 4. Now my stack about 8200. Now the conversation started heating up. UTG said she also have AJ (OK!), but the cow wannabe said she had A8, and started whinging how lucky I were and she should have won that pot. I simply lost count how many F* words that had come out from her filthy mouth. " Call me!", as I said, but she would never have my mobile number.

Now she has gone a step further. Not only she has got into my head, she really got into my skin. I try to stay cool along the way. In fact if she really want to get into my skin, I will rip her skin off. I am not going to use it to make any sort of leather belt, whip or shoes. But I think her skin has the perfect roughness, a bit finer than the sandpaper which I normally use, which would be good for shaping my snooker cue tip.

Her F* words exhibition went on for the next 5 min. At the same time, she also showed the whole table about her self proclaimed $100k crystal (diamond) ring. Now I know she doesn't only want to be a dairy cow, but she want to be one with BALLS! She impressed me so much, now I know what kind of person she really is. If Paris Hilton is perfect example to the definition "Bimbo", she would fit perfectly to the Chinese version of "CHOWHI". It makes sense as she is a cow wannabe, I simple throw in a "H" in the middle as a bonus.

I didn't play a hand in the next round. Now stack down to 7k and we off to another break. After the break, blinds 500/1000, I dealt AQ UTG. I played a bit sneaky with this hand coz ChowHi in the BB. I pop to 2500, leaving 4500 behind. The guy next to me re-pop to 6000, everyone fold I shoved for extra 1k. He called. My AQ vs his Ah6h. Flop 568 with 2 hearts. No help in the next 2 cards and I busted at 24th place. Only Lady Master survived the onslaught and was still in. Everyone else within our mop had busted out already. Perhapes Lady Master is the biggest LT within our mop. So from now I will try my best to get her to be my poker mentor!