Online Poker

Hi, and, as always, my favorite subject, (next to my girl of course) poker. This time it is online poker. About a month ago, I received an email from Pokerstars saying they have deposited $5 into my real money account. I had been thinking of playing with real money but, up until now only used play money. They said they were giving it to me for free to try my hand at real money, online poker. I was so excited, free money, woo hoo. I immediately signed in and began playing. What is cool about Pokerstars is that they have penny games, like a 1 cent/2 cent no limit hold 'em. So that is where I started. Within 2 hours I had doubled that $5. I even tried my hand at Omaha. Not too bad. I have played a few small buy in tournaments and won a couple for $4.50. This past Friday, I played in a Satellite tournament. It was a $2.20 buy in with a max of 45 players (9 tables.) The top 6 players won the buy in for the Sunday Hundred Grand tournament. In that tournament you can win upwards of $20,000. Woo, hoo, I made it. I actually was the chip leader when I busted #7.
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Now fast forward to Sunday. I am waiting for the big tourney to start and the number of people entered is growing. By the time registration closes, 25,000 players have signed up. I check the payouts and in order to be in the money I will have to place at least 3750, to win $22.50. So the tournament starts. To make a long story short, heehee, I made it to 3510 and won $22.51. I could have done better except that when it came close to the 3750, I chose not to play some hands I could have, so I could last and win some money. It was so cool. I realized that I had outlasted over 20,000 other players. Not too shabby. Next time, I will go all out. So, now I have $36.00 in my account. Not bad for starting out with $5. Of course, Leah was saying, "cash out, cash out." No baby, not until I win that $20,000, heehee.
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High Heels Poker Tournament

I am finally at my very first "real" poker tourney. There are 40 ladies entered and I am one of them, woo, hoo! Seated at my table is the suck out, all-in queen I played last night. No, she did not win her seat. The other woman left last night, sucked out on her. My girl was there cheering me on. I had made myself a few notes before starting; the formula for calculating odds, "have fun, " use position and most of all, play the player, not the cards. Wish I had remembered that one. So, we all got a neat card cover for entering and the tournament began. I remember getting my chips (10,000 starting) and immediately shuffling them. I wanted to feel like a real poker player :) The woman next to me said, "I wish I could do that." I told her that it took a lot of practice and suggested she search You Tube for an instructional video. That's where I learned, heehee.
I don't remember all of my hands, but I did have a lot of fun. I remember raising with nothing and everyone folding (nothing like winning a bluff) and getting dealt the worst poker hand (7 2 offsuit) in the big blind. Got lucky with that one when a 7 2 fell on the flop. I was doing well, holding my own. I made it into the first break (2 hours) with a pretty good chip count. I even went all-in once. Man was I sweating, hahahaha. I was dealt pocket A's so it was a good all in.
Then, back from the break and now the antes in addition to the blinds.
The first hand is dealt and I peek at my cards, pocket A's again, in the big blind. Trying to hide my excitement, poker face, poker face. Everyone folded except for the chip leader, in the small blind. She called, I raised 3x's the big blind ($600), she called. Now, this lady has been in practically every hand and raised and won them. She was bullying. I had pocket A's, no it was my turn. The flop came, J J J. Wow, three jacks, I now have a full house. She checks. I think, she can't have that other J. I raise $1000, she thinks a good long time, staring at me. I just look at the table and keep a straight face. She calls. The turn is a 9. She checks again. I think, think, think. Now, like I said before, it is hard to throw away those A's. I just kept thinking, out of all the cards dealt, the chances are very slim that she has that one last J. I go all in. She calls, quickly. She had the J. She had a Q J offsuit. Now, I am not a sore loser, like Mr. Phil Helmuth, but, really, what is she calling a big raise pre-flop with a Q J offsuit. I really should have read that one, but, I saw a big hand and played the cards not the player. Lesson learned. So, I went out at #30 out of 40. Not too bad for my first real live tournament. A great experience. I found out the next day that it was a such a good turnout that they will be doing another in August. I will redeem myself!
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