- 2012 Apr 29 - Season 3 Episode 4 - Main Event Final Table Conclusion - Heads Up
- 2012 Apr 22 - Season 3 Episode 3 - WTA Conclusion - Main Event Final Table
- 2012 Apr 15 - Season 3 Episode 2 - Winner Take All
- Windy City Poker Championship Season 3 Episode 2 This Sunday
- Televised Poker Event Coming in June
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| Aaron Massey |
What's up World,
I have been slacking on the blog I know. My POS computer died in Miami and I have been lazy I guess. Anyways, I'm sitting at the restaurant bar in the lobby of Harrah's St. Louis at the moment. I'm watching the Bulls vs Heat on 1 screen and Hawks vs Coyotes (Game 4) on the other. I came down to eat and write this blog. Theres 2 other chicago area poker players I know, Manny and Dylan, sitting at the bar watching the game too so I joined them. Its been quite a nice ride the last few months. After winning the PLO tourney in Chicago for over $40,000 and a seat to the Main Event, I played the Main there and busted on day 2. We went out for Lawton's birthday that night in Chicago but stayed home no longer, as i left for Atlantic City to pick up some WSOPC Points that I needed. I only played 3 tourneys there, and had no cashes. i did go out a lot however, partying with Kurt and Jacob Bazeley. We had a really good time away from the felt. After AC I flew down to Miami to play the tournament series at the Isle in Pompano Beach. I stayed with my good friend Steve Karp. He has a nice house on North Miami beach w a pool and an extra bedroom. He also had an extra car for me to use…. Thanks Steve.
The first tournament was the day after I flew in. the $570 $75k guarantee. The field was made up of 20% great players and 80% bad players, and this was a 1 day event. To make a long story very short I won the tournament in 14hrs for $22,000. This was the 2nd time in 2 weeks that I flew into a city and won the first tournament I played. With my newly found fortunes I felt it was ok to skip the rest of the small tournaments at the Isle and basically just play the Main Event. (another Chicago grinder, Zal, had showed up at the bar to watch the games and joins me on my right. I've always liked Zal) My brother and Kurt came down for 2 weeks and stayed with Steve as well. We went out and did a lot of stuff. We went down to South Beach and partied, went to Space one night until 6am, went to 2 Heat games and was court side, did the beach a bunch of times and some dining,and shopping, etc, etc.. (wow, Hawks just tied it up 2-2 w 2 goals in last few mins!!! 1:26 left in the 3rd) I played the $3500 Main Event and busted. I spent the next 2 weeks playing cash games. i decided to skip going to Council Bluffs for the circuit and just stay in Miami and grind.
Chip Stacks, Televised Events, and You (Part 1)
| Jeff Freeman |
"Why isn't my chip stack near the size of the guys I see on TV? I'm not playing enough hands!"
(Bet, call, bet, call, bet... bust!)
New players often wonder why they're not pulling in the giant pots they see on television. Before you go blazing through your chip stack betting on cards better suited as beer coasters, it's important to consider what kind of program you're watching.
Though there's a wide range of hold 'em poker broadcasts, we'll concentrate on the differences between two: ESPN's coverage of the "World Series of Poker" and NBC's "Poker After Dark." In this article, we'll talk about the former.
While watching ESPN's coverage, keep in mind that they hire a production company to cover the "World Series of Poker." In a nutshell, a small army of production magicians cover the days-long event. They conjure an exciting series of one-hour shows for ESPN.
As such, a vast array of hands could unfold before you: premium versus premium, a big bluff, a huge lay down, you name it.
You're probably watching a hand in which someone is going to win a huge amount of chips with very strange cards. Is the player with a horrible set of hole cards not known for bluffing? Did he hit two great hands in a row? Does he think he's got everyone at the table scared of his unpredictable play?
Truth is, you'll never know. There's an incredible number of variables that help a player decide if he's going to play a hand or fold it.
Coverage of the Main Event is very fast and masterfully edited. Rather than cover hand after hand at one table, the show focuses on highlights of the event. When the final product comes together, viewers are watching the most entertaining hands of the event.
You can still learn a lot from ESPN's coverage: commentary during the games help you understand what's developing. Segments throughout the series give you a peek into the minds of your favorite pros.
Above all, keep in mind how quickly the show moves. Nothing is worse than obliterating your stack quicker than a commercial break!
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| Aaron Massey |
Hello Everyone,
The last time you heard from me I was in the midst of the 2nd worst downswing of my career. I had just busted the Borgota $3500 Main Event Flight 1A and was contemplating whether or not to play flight 1B the next day. I was mentally and emotionally exhausted and I had to consider the bankroll management aspect of being in a single tourney for $7000. I changed my mind at the last minute and got out of bed 2 hrs late to play flight 1B. On my 3rd hand I got sucked out for 85% of my stack. This was demoralizing with all things considered but I didn’t give up. I played perfect and almost made it to day 3 of the tournament. I didn’t cash… BUT I DIDN’T QUIT. I fought so hard against the odds, did the best I could, and put myself in a position to go deep. I had lost a lot of money but I didn’t care. I was so proud of the way I composed myself, acting and feeling like a true professional. I was down on my luck but still moving forward with a supreme confidence. I had tunnel vision and I was still so hungry for glory. So off to Tunica I went.
I met up w one of my best friends, the great Kurt Jewell, when I got down to Tunica. Kurt won the Hammond Main Event in 2010 for $242k (my home stage—foreshadowing), won another ring in St. Louis in an Omaha8 tourney, the first time he had ever played an Omaha8 tourney (foreshadowing again), then made the Main Event final table here in Tunica last year. He didn’t win this one though, he held the chip lead w over half the chips in play 8 handed and got 8th. He blew a big opportunity here, but would soon get a shot at redemption.
I played very well this trip with 3 cashes; a 23rd place finish in the $355 where I overplayed AK and punted my stack off to some idiot late in the tourney, a 12th place finish in the $565, and an all important cash in the Main Event. In the Main Event I got off to a horrendous start. I got sucked out over and over again and was so miserable. I made my friend Cory Gunz rail me the whole first day so I didn’t just give up and punt my stack away. He encouraged me and I hung in there. I showed a lot of heart and I put myself in a spot to go deep, but I fell just short after losing a big coin flip AK to QQ late to eliminate me. But it wasn’t my tourney to win. Remember that Kurt Jewell guy I mentioned? The guy who gave away the Main Event in Tunica last year? Yeah that’s him…. We stayed and rooted him on. To make a long story short, I spent the next 2 days watching Kurt play the most unbelievable game of poker he had ever put together on his way to winning his 2nd WSOPC Main Event Championship. What is even sicker is the REDEMPTION he achieved; a story that gives other poker players hope and inspiration. There are a lot of other reasons that made this achievement so outstanding but I will not get into them bc this is MY BLOG and should be about ME, not Kurt…
Just Kidding. Riding high from his victory he led us down to West Palm Beach for more WSOPC tourneys.
Chip Stacks, Televised Events, and You (Part 2)
| Jeff Freeman |
There’s no doubt that ESPN’s coverage of “World Series of Poker” is fast-paced and exciting. The series punctuates big pots, big hands, and big money. Some of the best players in the world sit flanked by monster stacks of hard-earned chips.
Players looking to up their skills may not realize that a highlights-based show set to the soundtrack of thousands of chips is a dangerous place to look for poker advice.
A more in-depth show is usually the better bet (and certainly easier on the wallet).
NBC’s “Poker After Dark” focuses on a single table tournament. The tournament is broken down into a week-long series of one-hour episodes. Most importantly, the show rolls on every single hand in the tournament. It doesn’t matter if a big pot rests on the river card or if everyone folds around to the big blind.
To a reckless, action-hungry player with unrealistic expectations, it sounds pretty boring – but those are the kinds of players that don’t stick around very long!
To a player that understands patience and discipline are two of the most important attributes of a good poker player, watching a table surrounded by pros mixing it up in big brother style coverage is a great learning tool.
The single table tournament allows you to watch every hand develop throughout the tournament. You’re offered the opportunity to analyze the tournament as a whole, not just the hand.
Why did Daniel Negreanu fold pocket kings? How did Chris “Jesus” Ferguson take down a huge pot with garbage hole cards? What sent “Poker Brat” Phil Helmuth Jr. into another of his infamous tirades?
Poker strategy is a lot easier to figure out when you’ve been watching the tournament hand after hand after hand.
As in “World Series of Poker” coverage, viewers have the advantage of seeing each player’s hole cards. However, they’ve also got the added ability to use previous hand outcomes to help them decipher what happens in hands that follow.
Take enough mental notes (or use the rewind button often on your DVR) and it becomes easier to see why a player decided on one course of action over another.
Massey - Variance and Run Bad - 30 Days in the Hole
| Aaron Massey |
1st blog of the new year…. Unfortunately I have nothing good to report. I wrapped up 2011 with a blog that featured my highlights from the year and my passion for the game. I talked about the things I wanted to accomplish this year, listed specific goals, and even made promises to work hard and win. Fueled with optimism, I was eager to get back to the table and start the year right. I was ready to play a tourney everyday and crush it just like I did in 2011. I knew I was gonna get off to a fast start.
(Clears Throat)
Not so much. I went to LA and played the WSOPC at the Bike. I think I played 11 events; I came within 10 places of the money 6 of those times and did not cash once. I got 20th place in the $1080 event that paid 18, after losing AK to A8 on what was basically the stone bubble, and having the guy fist pump in my face after binking a lucky 8. I also bricked the Main Event twice. It was really hard to deal with bc I knew I was playing well and doing everything in my power (which isn’t much in poker in the short term) to win. I put myself in a position to go deep several times but the deck never cooperated with me. It was arguably the worst I have ever run in a 2 week span. Me and my friend Eli rented a car (Mustang convertible- Omar if you are reading this…) and stayed at White Brian’s condo in Venice Beach for a few days. Then we flew to Atlantic City for the Borgota Winter Open, so I could get back to winning. I knew my days of running bad were over.
Not so much. Another 11 tournaments, another 5 finishes within 10 places of the money, which included a stone bubble in the $1090 event (sound familiar?). I went out in 28th place when my KK lost to AA on the bubble while play was hand for hand, in a hand that took 7 minutes bc the third guy in the hand eventually folded QQ, with the entire tournament surrounding our table to see if they will make the money or not, add another 30-40 spectators and the fact we all had stacks, it equals one of the most tilting bustouts I have ever gone thru. I shook his hand and said good game then walked away to let the other 27 players enjoy their money in peace. The one positive thing was that none of the players celebrated when I busted and none of the spectators on the rail made any noise either, out of respect for me as a player. Usually all these mops cheer, hoot and holler when the money bubble bursts. Not this time though, so I appreciated that, but it still really stung. I kept fighting and playing well the subsequent days but was rudely met by a couple of 3 outers, a rivered straight, and half a dozen lost coin flips in a row. Oh wait, I did miss a nut flush draw in the 2k bounty tourney so that one is on me. I played day 1A of the Main Event today. A $3500 which is over 4x my average buyin, I really needed to do well…but, I got it in KK vs AA, 15 minutes into the tournament to bust. I have been beating myself up all day bc I know I should have folded. I am really hard on myself though, it is kings to aces after all so whatever. Still, it’s just demoralizing.
Laundry, Part 1: Hindsight Is 20/20
| Jeff Freeman |
I've been struggling with a label for you. I settled on "Laundry." That is to say: "Laundry doesn't fold itself." If I sound a little bitter in these next few installments, it's because I've lost a few hefty loads of chips to Laundry players in my casual poker playing career.
One point needs to be made clear: Laundry is not a Call Station. Laundry continues to call bets even if the hole cards they're holding are dead in the water. Call Stations at least have the common sense to fold a hand that isn't getting them anywhere.
Laundry players develop in a number of different ways. The simplest, of course, is the Laundry that just doesn't know that much about the game of poker.
Some beginner players, however, turn into Laundry by fixating on a few unimportant developments in the game.
It's impossible to consider an infinite number of possibilities and characters playing out in a hand of poker, so we'll keep it simple. Let's say you find yourself with 
hole cards. Someone else throws out a bet you're not comfortable with. You fold your hand. You sit back, joke with a friend, and pick up your beer.
The flop comes down: 
. Two pair! The knife of what-could-have-been stabs at your gut.
The turn card hits: 
! Damn it -- a full house! The knife turns, and the cold beer you just swallowed suddenly has a sickly warm feel to it.
The only scenario you play out in your head is what may have transpired had you called a potentially lethal bet from a player somewhere higher up on the rail: "I should've stayed in! I would've had that gigantic pot, and I'd be chip leader. I probably would've even ended up winning the tournament!"
In other words, your fixation on your garbage folded cards blinds you to the action that developed at the table and caused you to fold in the first place.
What you're failing to realize is the disaster that could've befallen you. Dedicating a portion of your chips to a set of hole cards that are better off balancing out a rickety restaurant table is a slippery slope. You really, really want a hand to develop, but other players are forcing you to contribute more chips to the pot for the minuscule chance that your hope is actually realized.
So, you end up playing crap cards for a slim chance of striking it rich. You remain completely oblivious to the bets coming your way. You remain entirely ignorant to hands other players may be betting on. You fail to draw even the simplest correlations between the big bets and a developing table. All you want is a 6 to at least pair your hand on the river (while ignoring the size of the bets and the flush draw already on the table)!
As developing your playing style goes, it's very dangerous to ignore what you did right in order to fixate on what could have been. You may pull down a monster pot or two (and it will likely be at my expense), but the reality is that you're eventually going to make a very charitable contribution to your opponents' stacks.
Instead, consider the big picture. Was your fold really a bad decision? What hand could you have hoped for in holding ? There was a very slim chance your hole cards were going to develop into the monster that eventually played out. The correct decision shouldn't be second-guessed when you're faced with another two unimportant hole cards.
Don't dig yourself into a hole. You don't have to know poker odds to understand the sinking feeling in your gut every time you make a call means you should've folded a long time ago!
