My Chip & My Chair

Last Friday was a "Black Friday" for American friends regarding the online poker world. It was such a sudden move that online poker was banned in the US. Very weird. We play US poker sites and the most we could think of is our own country got banned instead of them. I'm not too sure what happened though but business as usual for foreigners. It also affected our games because it takes quite long to start a game without the US players. It will also shock the people who are professional online poker players who grind for a living, its sad.

Increased my stake to $5 recently on my SNG HUs. I still need to get used to it because this stake is definitely over my margin based on my capital. I had a game earlier, it was close.. I was down to 295 and managed to win back the game (brag). It was easily a loss. I was lucky on shoves.

The guy was tight and aggressive. But so far the first opponent I faced without a single limping. He either raised 3bb or fold pre-flop. But he only 3-bet me once in the session, so I did not worry about bluffing the blinds. In HUs, I think one of the challenging opponents are those who fold immediately upon your show of strength (a raise, re-raise). He fold 70% of the time on my pre-flop raises. He wants to control the game, meaning he only allow hands to go on on his lead (last to bet). I like to play this way too because it makes opponent pretty hard to win your money, the only way you can do is to trap him, which I did but not 100% successful, explain later. But I prefer varying my play throughout the game. But my weakness I supposed is I get too predictable on bigger blinds.. due to risk.

I took the hand replays of key hands in the session.. just for record sake.. was happy with the win. :) Like Jack "Treetop" Straus incident on winning the 1982 WSOP main event after he shoved and left a chip which leads to the saying "Chip and a Chair".

Hand #7 - Huge pot lost early in the game. I was in this state most of the game.. struggling hard.



Hand #25 - not sure he was bluffing but I almost shoved in here.. lowest chip count after this pot.



Hand #26 - this was ugly play by me, but I thought of trapping by failed.



Hand #28 - first shove.



Hand #50 - this was another lucky shove.



Hand #53 - I tried to trap here, but he didn't raise on river. maybe because this was the firstime I called him to the river. we all wish every flop is like this.



Hand #55 - another huge drawdown.



Hand #68 - last key pot for me on the match. won him with a kicker.



Hand #72 - last hand.



About 22 minutes for 72 hands. This was one of my best. Of course I almost gave up mid-way.

It is Good Friday, have a happy long weekend everyone! For fellow Singaporeans, election is coming.. vote wisely!!

Black.