We All Took A Stab At The Kill Button And Kramp Got InTense - September 28th

On September 28th we had a poker game that included a bit, no make that a lot of everything.

It started with Nat X, Dandy Bloch, Co-Bra, Brain Kramp and I.  4 of us are comfortable playing and winning in a game where the money is flying around like it is hurricane season and Kramp is comfortable losing, so "Game On" it was!

Nat X had a great run of cards to start, although he had nothing to show for it except a small loss.  But then realized he was playing a bunch of fish (and one Co-Bra), so he laid back and collected a canoe full of checks.

Dandy was the best at getting the second best hand, which kind of sucks when only the winner wins.

Co-Bra got down early and, God bless him, resorted to the Co of old - Gamble-a-pot-u-mus reared his ugly head and the re-buy, blind shoves started.

Brain Kamp came out of the gate aggressive.  I guess he thought he would play his very best McPhilips Casino game and luck sack his way to a black mark in his Hee Haw collectable poker book he did!

I preferred to sit back and enjoy the action, ready with my bottle of tartar sauce.

As if this juiced up action game wasn't enough, we threw on the 7-2 game where you'd collect from all the other players if you won with 7 2 off suit.  And just for good measure we also played one of my favourite add ons, the Kill Button.  This is where you get a button that says 1 if you win a pot and if you follow it up with a second consecutive win, the kill is on.  The blinds double and the player with the kill button matches the big blind.  Pre-flop the money in the middle goes from 75 cents to $2.50.

Bob and Ali-G came out after the Jets game and that certainly didn't slow the game down at all.  Ali-G played solid and Big Stack stacked off.  There were lots of big hands and chips getting friction burn.

The jackpot was won again this week.  This marks the 8th time it has been won  and every time it has been by a new winner.  To check out which carrot-breath donkey dingleberry won this week, follow this link;

Proving that you don't have to be good to be lucky....

I have to comment on the hand featured in the last 2 pictures.  Co flops 2 pair, turns the boat - Kramp rivers a miracle two outer to sink the boat.  Not-Co's-Night.

3
2
1
....begin justification now...

(I guess I shouldn't tap the glass too much, Brain Kramp was kind enough to send most of Co's my way by night's end, but did I really need to tell you what you already assumed?)

The Raging V Poker Club - GRAND FINALE TOURNAMENT - Results and Pictures

The Raging V Poker Club had it's GRAND FINALE TOURNAMENT with $100 buy in on September 24th, and let me tell you - there were shenanigans!

T-Mart did a great job selecting a diamond encrusted bracelet for this big buy in event

A new tradition - the last winner gets the dartboard!

The few, the proud, the brave

"VDub, a card carrying banger!"  If I could only find the picture of this as a merkin...

VDub pushes all in with snowmen and Wren-a-gade smashes out a straight flush - how's that grab you for a cold deck?  (Ironically VDub felts Wren-a-gade's 8s in the cash game later..)

Verve Pipe and Wren.  (Strangely "The Freshman" by the Verve Pipe played at some point during the night)

The drink tell.....there were a LOT of drink tells!

Ladies and Gentlemen, your winner, WREN-A-GADE!  Congrats!

Verve squeeked into second as the big stacks butted heads in a monster pot.

3rd, but not degected.  I love this picture!

The cash game

This event was the first buy in this large and the girls really showed some deft poker skills.  I think they would have preferred the blinds to stay at 25 / 50 forever, but I'm sure the game would still be going if it was.  The game was cautious but not without some sweet bluffs and creative plays.

I know there has been a lot of interest in this league and although a buy in of this size is for a select few, the next game should have a buy in that will fill the room!

Thanks for letting me be the guest dealer, sorry for not wearing appropriate attire.  Congratulations Wren-a-gade, you played great and kicked ass!

Children's Wish Foundation Tournament Info - Tuesday October 13th, 2011

Your support will help grant the wish of five-year-old Stephen from Beulah, Manitoba. This special little boy must cope everyday with the effects of myotubular myopathy, a condition which weakens his muscles and requires him to need support with his breathing, eating and mobility. Money raised from this event to go towards the purchase of a special new computer for Stephen to use.

I encourage anyone that can make it out to get out and support this great cause!

Game tomorrow - Wednesday the 28th.

Cash game tomorrow at 7:30! We'll throw the Jets game on and play all night!

The Raging Vs had a game on Sat. I'll be posting about it in the next couple of days.

Info will also be sent out shortly about the upcoming league game (to be held at Lemon's house.)

It's Usually Fun To Go Quading With Your Friends

This post is for all those players that cry that on-line poker is fixed...

Well I guess it is sponsored by Party Poker!

September Cash Game TBA

OK - I know I have been on a bit of a hiatus over the last week. I am working feverishly on another project and will be back to regular post rate on this blog soon enough.

Come back often as I will be announcing a cash game to be played before the end of the month.

In the meantime, I will leave you with this thought...

Is 2011 the year of the Donkey, because Dandy is having a hell of a year!

Dip on the Road - Week 4 of 10

Week 4 of 10 is now in the books and all it did was create more of a log jam in the standings. The game started with 4 of us showing up on time. That created a lot of quick hands and attempts to pick up small dead pots. As people trickled in the action kind of picked up. People were playing pretty tight and then Lemon showed up. He then proceeded to say (and I'm paraphrasing, but not by much) that he wasn't going to pay $10 to sweat players he thought were terrible...and then he named names. He got out four names before Colin began to defend his honour. Sloppy Slow Pots nodded as he agreed with Lemon that he wasn't a good player, and then he dominated the table.

Chocolate Chips took Gretzky quading and Dandy paid the bill.

Dycker treaded water for an hour in game #2.

X marked the spot, and that spot was in Toronto.

Cheeseburger didn't eat any of the snacks, he had enough chips of his own.

K-Diddy should take up teaching poker. "Those that can do, those that can't...."

Lemon repeatedly Rodney Kinged the table.

Sloppy Slow Pots tried to outlast and succeeded to go out last.

Big Stack sucked out on Jack Bauer who was not playing.

Philly could've used some aids on the streets of Philadelphia.

Dandy Bloch was a chip mule for everyone else.

I tripped up K-Diddy's dreams of a big night.

Winner of game 7 - Sloppy Slow Pots (stock photo)

Game 7

11 points - Sloppy Slow Pots
10 points - Lemon
9 points - Chocolate Chips
8 points - Cheeseburger
7 points - Big Stack Bob
6 points - Dycker
5 points - K-Diddy
4 points - X
3 points - C-Funk
2 points - Philly
1 lowly point - Dandy Bloch

Winner of game 8 - C-Funk (stock photo)

Game 8

11 points - C-Funk
10 points - Philly
9 points - Cheeseburger
8 points - Dycker
7 points - X
6 points - Dandy Bloch
5 points - Chocolate Chips
4 points - Lemon
3 points - K-Diddy
2 points - Big Stack Bob
1 lowly point - Sloppy Slow Pots

Again the tables turned from game 1 to game 2. Shepit went from first to worst. He was the first player to win 2 tournaments and he is still in last (albeit with the gap closing)! 4 players tied for 2nd with 14 points this week. The points are so close from top to bottom - a 10 point swing in one night alone seems to happen every session. This league is going to go down to the wire!

For all the current standings and lots of content check out our league page here; http://worldseriesofdip.blogspot.com/p/look-out-dip-on-road-ahead.html

The start of Game 7 - 4 of 11 when the cards started to fly

Game 8 - Dandy loses the vest and his chips and his smile

54900 chips for me vs 1 black chip for Philly

Next league game is October 4th and will be at Lemon's house.  Directions to follow.

Poker Cartoons #4

Dip on the Road -Game This Week!

ON THE ROAD

Next league game is this Tuesday, September 6th.

There is tonnes of information on the Dip on the Road Poker League tab.

For those not in the poker league, check back in the days following for the results, current standings and of course, the recap.

The October game will be at Lemon's house.

Good luck fellas!

Negreanu Goes All In Then Calls Twice

Daniel Negreanu is well known for reading players and calling out their hand.  This video is way more impressive than any of those reads.  Watch the video below from the 2005 NBC National Heads Up Championship to see what I am talking about...

Are you serious?  And to do it on National TV?  How sick is that?

Duke vs. Obrestad - Favourite Poker Pro

Here is the final Round 1 matchup in our Favourite Female Poker Pro tournament bracket.

The second round will feature Jennifer Harman who won the "Married to a Pro" bracket going up against Kara Scott who won the "Canadian" bracket.

On the other side of the tournament, Liv Boeree KO'd Lacey Jones in the "Model Behaviour" bracket and will face up against the winner of the next poll, the "Fighting Annies" bracket.

Before I get into the current match up, here is the results from the last poll.

WHICH OF THE BELOW IS YOUR FAVOURITE FEMALE POKER PLAYER? THIS POLL IS ONE OF THE ROUND 1 MATCH UPS IN THE "FAVOURITE FEMALE PROFESSIONAL TOURNAMENT BRACKET".

(I think her photo spread just might have tilted the poll in her favour.)

Here is the who's who of the "Fighting Annies" bracket that matches up Annie Duke and Annette Obrestad.

Annie Duke

Annie Duke is an accomplished pro who got her start in the early 1990's with the coaching and finance of her brother, poker pro Howard Lederer.  As of 2010 her live tournament winnings were over $4 270 000.  She has cashed in 38 WSOP events.  2004 was the year that she won a WSOP bracelet in Omaha High-Lo 8 or Better.  That year she also won $2 000 000 in the very first WSOP Tournament of Champions that was a 10 player winner take all event, stacked with great poker pros.  The 2004 WSOP was also memorable for her as she knocked out Howard Lederer from 4 different events.  She has also won the 2010 NBC National Heads Up Poker Tournament.  [Annie is more than a poker player though, she has been involved in all areas of the game.  She is a coach (on The Best Damn Poker Show and for Ben Affleck when he won the 2004 California State Poker Championship.)  She is an author (She has an autobiography called How I Raised, Folded, Bluffed, Flirted, Cursed and Won Millions at The World Series of Poker and she has a new book out called Decide to Play Great Poker.)  She is a teacher (WSOP Poker Academy).  She is a reality TV star (Deal or No Deal, Celebrity Apprentice where she placed 2nd to the hideous Joan Rivers and 1 vs 100 where she answered a record 35 consecutive questions right until she was eliminated in a last man standing match where she was eliminated at the same time as Ken Jennings in the final 5.)  She is a spokesperson for poker players and is active in fighting for players rights.  She has been a spokesperson and a consultant for Ultimate Bet although these days her time is spent as the commissioner of the new Epic Poker League.  Quite the resume.

Annette Obrestad

Annette was 15 when she started playing poker on-line.  She is 22 now and somewhat of a phenom within the poker community.  She has numerous online tournaments including an impressive win in a $4, 180 person sit and go online without looking at her cards, just to prove that position and paying attention to players is so important to be successful.  Another impressive feat was when she took down a 20 000 player field in an $11 tournament on Poker Stars.  In live poker, 1 day before she turned 19, she won the inaugural World Series of Poker Europe Main Event with a top prize of $2.01 million USD, to top Annie Duke's record win by a female poker player by .01 million.  Right now her lifetime winnings stand at $4 374 464.  The world was shocked when a 15 year old Norwegian came out of nowhere to humble the male dominated game, but now the world can't get enough of what Annette_15 will do next.


Now that you know the contestants, please go to the poll on the right and vote for your favourite!

2011 WSOD - Event #4 Heads Up Results and Pictures

I had 8 people signed up for the 2011 WSOD - Event #4 Heads Up (double knockout) tournament within a day of the announcement - and almost an equal number of unhappy regrets.  As advertised, if we couldn't hit 16 players commited to the event, I was going to cap it at 8.  And as it was written, so shall it be.

Even though we had our lineup a week in advance, the seat draws happened only 5 minutes before the cards were in the air.

ROUND 1

Game 1  - The Co-Bra v Dandy Bloch - This was a battle that needed to be fought.  They have had some great tilts at the home game with Co confounding Dandy time and time again.  This game was no different.

Winner - Co (1-0)
Loser - Dandy Bloch (0-1)

Game 2 - Big Stack Bob v Schneider - A great tournament rivalry has developed between BSB and I.  We have build quite a history of playing one another or often getting into game within a game situations.  Big Stack texted me earlier in the week wanting to draw me in the first game, and he got his wish.  Neither of us gave up much room and not surprisingly this was the longest match in the first round.  In the end the blinds were up there and Bobby pushed with 44 and I was lucky enough to turn up fishhooks.

Winner - Schneider (1-0)
Loser - Big Stack Bob (0-1)


Game 3 - Geppedo Harvey v V Dub - The recap I got was mid-big hand in my tournament but I think Kailey might've had Queens and Harvey cracked them.  Harvey raved about how well Kailey played and how it could have ended differently if a couple of hands had flopped differently.  Being a fierce tournament player, Geppedo might've rolled with it though - he always seems to be around in the end.


Winner - Harvey (1-0)
Loser - V Dub (0-1)


Game 4 - The Crantini Kid v Dycker - The Crantini Kid is the defending champion in this event, and even though he hasn't played much poker since he moved, he was definitely in the mix to win this thing.  Dycker on the other hand I thought provided him with probably the most interesting matchup as their styles could provide for some interesting hands.  I didn't get to watch any of this game, but when I looked down the table, I saw The Kid with all of the chips.  I would've liked to rail this one!


Winner - The Crantini Kid (1-0)
Loser - Dycker (0-1)

ROUND #2

Winner's Bracket

Game 5 - The Cobra v Schneider - The Co-Bra can play an aggressive style that is relentless, but he can be crafty and make some plays that are impossible to figure out.  I played a trapping game against Co which I felt got me in some great spots to win massive pots, unfortuately for me, Co has a magic coin and it wins hands for him.  In the end, I had to take my bad beat stories with me to the loser's bracket.

Winner - Co (2-0)

Loser - Schneider (1-1)

Game 6 - Gepeddo Harvey v The Crantini Kid - This is a matchup that begged to be played.  These guys have been clashing at our home game as long for as long as we've been playing cards.  They know one another's style and my guess is there was going to be a lot of putting one another to tough decisions. It was over in one hand.  Crantini was unlucky enough to get AA and Harvey (turned) the nut ball straight.

Winner - Harvey (2-0)

Loser - The Crantini Kid (1-1)

ROUND #2

Loser's Bracket

Game 7 - Dandy Bloch v Big Stack Bob - Dandy didn't wear a vest and Bob didn't bring out the gym teacher pose, so neither were relying on their secret weapons.  In the end Bobby got Lindros and Dandy got Gretzky.  Dandy was gushing when his 99 held up over the eights as Bobby was retired from the tournament.  I think that everyone was happy they wouldn't have to face him in the later rounds.

Winner - Dandy Bloch (1-1)

Loser - Big Stack Bob (0-2) - Eliminated in 7th

Game 8 - V-Dub v Dycker - Kailey and Dycker, now this was a match I've wanted to see for some time now.  This is probably not the best matchup for V-Dub, because Dycker knows her style to a T.  Dycker was firing at all times and played "Lemon aggressive".  He whittled Kailey's stack down to nothing and Dycker lives to play again.

Winner - Dycker (1-1)

Loser - V Dub (0-2) - Eliminated in 7th

ROUND #3

Winner's Bracket

Game 9 - The Co-Bra v Gepeddo Harvey - I wasn't able to watch much of this game, but it seemed that Mike had control of the chips from the beginning and Co's stack gradually got smaller until he was sent to the loser's bracket with the rest of us.

Winner - Harvey (3-0)

Loser - Co (2-1)

ROUND #3

Loser's Bracket

Game 10 - The Crantini Kid v Dandy Bloch - 2 amicable guys mixing it up with no history of play between them.  Because I was playing as this game was running I was only able to hear Dandy giggling as he claimed another victim.  The lowlight for all involved was Dandy singing J-Lo "Don't be fooled by the rocks that I've got (I'm still Dandy from the Bloch)"

Winner - Dandy Bloch (2-1)

Loser - The Crantini Kid (1-2) - Eliminated in 5th

Game 11 - Schneider v Dycker - This match was a marathon with both of us having 1/2 of the other guys chips at some point.  We were well into the late rounds when he raised, I shoved and he called and we flipped over a classic confrontation - AK of hearts for me and QQ for Dycker.  The window card was an Ace and the next card was a K and it was over.  A count of the chips revealed that I only had a couple chip lead when we both started with 10 000 chips.  A very very tight match indeed.

Winner - Schneider (2-1)

Loser - Dycker (1-2) - Eliminated in 5th

ROUND #4

Winner's Bracket

Bye  - Gepeddo Harvey

ROUND #4

Loser's Bracket

Bye - The Co-Bra


Game 12 - Dandy Bloch v Schneider - Well Dandy started with a couple of good hands and got me down a few 1 000 early.  I battled back and played aggressive to the point where Dandy's head was spinning and he didn't know where he was in any of the hands.  At least that's what he said.  I also avoided some pitfalls when I had garbage and folded preflop not knowing that Dandy had monsters.

Winner - Schneider (3-1)

Loser - Dandy Bloch (2-2) - Eliminated in 4th

ROUND #5

Winner's Bracket

Bye  - Gepeddo Harvey

ROUND #5

Loser's Bracket

Game 13 - The Co-Bra v Schneider - Round 2!  This was the more important of our matchups because the loser would be eliminated.  Co had a grin on his face and he hoped he still had my number.  I on the other hand was nervous because Co's style is such that he will force you to lose big pots even when you are trying to keep the pots small.  He made a few crafty moves that had me folding some big hands.  A couple of times he bet way more than what was in the pot (2 000 into 1 200) and I asked him why he overbet.  You know what the he said?  "I didn't overbet!"  Very very crafty!  In the end, I was able to hold off his aggression and took it down to exact my revenge.

Winner - Schneider (4-1)

Loser - Co (2-2) - Eliminated in 3rd

ROUND #6

Championship Match

Game 14 - Gepeddo Harvey v Schneider - Our history goes back to the days of 10 cent / 20 cent fixed limit poker in 2003.  In the last home game I outdrew Mike in a hand that he was all in on and he called my cards dead to rights, while others said, there was no way that is what I held.  I on the other hand was on a bit of a roll, having won 3 straight and we both wish we had an easier opponent in the end.  The game really went back and forth and was well played on both sides.  We played until the blinds got very high and we were both willing to move more chips around to steal the blinds.  In the final hand Harvey pushed all in with K9 of diamonds and I called with A5 off which held up.  The game took forever and was a mental strain, but it was finally over.

Winner - Schneider (5-1)

Loser - Harvey (3-1) 

Unfortunately Harvey rolled the dice a little bit mid-tournament and made a commitment for later in the evening.  When I won the first match, he congratulated me and stood to leave.  In all the excitement he had forgotten it was a double knockout!  I reminded him that we had to play again and he couldn't.  He took the championship picture, congratulated me for the win and was out the door.

Winner of the 2001 WSOD Heads Up tournament

Other photos from the tournament...

The Crantini Kid drawing the seat selections

The set up for round #2

The infamous 1 hand match

Crantini's Aces fall to Harvey's turned straight

Game #8 - A matchup we all wanted to see happen

The Co-Bra about to strike

My very best Hollywood

The vestless Dandy bloch dealing for himself for once

On tilt?

(please don't bet, please don't bet, please don't bet...oh crap he's betting)

Shulman Drops a Duece, Ivey Flushes

The moment in poker captured in the video below has by itself allowed millions of players to justify their terrible lack of attention at the table and has kept at least some percentage of the fish out there playing.  If they think Ivey makes plays like this and is the greatest player in the world, then just maybe they aren't so bad after all.

You can't make a mistake like that at the table and not have to answer for it.  Here is Ivey explaining the hand...

The Birth of an Aneurysm

I am currently reading a Phil Hellmuth book (again) that I will be reviewing in a later post.  In honour of the upcoming review, I give you a random Poker Brat video...

I seriously would love to see Hellmuth and Lemon at a table.  You know they would end up mixing it up and after the hand was over, (and it would be really gross) between Hellmuth's offensive and Lemon's relentless defence the hand yammering would never end.

ESPN coverage would be extended a couple of extra hours, even with the edits.

Line Up Announced for the 2011 WSOD - Event #4

HEADS UP!

There is something primal about playing heads up poker.  You can't just sit and pick off the fish.  You have one target and at the same time, your opponent has only one person in their sights.  It can truly be an intimidating game.

When I put out the call for the Heads Up Event, I had 8 people immediately e-mail their RSVPs.  Those of you who did not, can make all the excuses in the book, but fear just might have been a factor.

Here are the questions surrounding those brave enough to step in the ring;

Clayton - How many hours will he have to wait while the tournament drags on before he can go to bed?
The Crantini Kid  - Can the defending champ reclaim what is rightfully his?  Will A-Ten be his kingdom -maker or his downfall?
Co-Bra - He has been crushing the cash game of late, can it translate to the 2 person game?  Will people be able to comprehend the play of the Co-Bra of the here and now?
Dandy Bloch - Can he untaint his good name after Brain Kramp sullied it for him at the last home game?  Will he be able to continue to make 2011 the year of the Bloch-head?
Dycker - Will he be able to translate his league success to the WSOD?  Without Lemon as an antagonist, will he have the will to fight for the bracelet?
V-Dub - Can she finally break through from being a regular money winner to a bracelet winner?  Will she show up with bruised knuckles from punching T-Mart in the merkin?
Big Stack Bobby - Can the master strategist come up with the proper playbook to win?  Has the fire for a bracelet flickered now that he finally has one after years of trying?
Geppedo Harvey - Will he be a danger to himself or will he be a danger to others?  Can he turn his recent misfortunes and capture the title?

HEADS UP!

2011 WSOD Event #4 Heads Up Double Knockout Announced

In March I ran a poll to see which event you would like to see run this year as part of the World Series of Dip.  With 44% of the votes, Heads Up was voted into this year's line up.

The last Heads Up tournament we ran was held in a van driving to Vegas and it was eventually won by The Crantini Kid, winning the 2nd of his WSOD bracelets.  It just so happens that The Crantini Kid is back in town this week and everything worked out perfectly for The Kid to defend his title.  Here are the details;

WSOD - EVENT #4 Heads Up Double Knockout

The game will be held on Sunday, August 28th at my house (AKA The fishbowl).  Show up at 3:45 for your first match up draws.  The cost will be $40 and there will not be a cash game after, although you are welcome to stay and play other small tournaments or a small cash game while the Heads Up tournament plays out.

You must RSVP and if you RSVP, you must attend.  The perfect # is either 8 or 16 for this tournament and I reserve the right to limit it to the first 8 that RSVP to my home e-mail if we are not close to 16.  Feel free to invite your friends to this one - I would definitely prefer a 16 player field!

This is the limited edition commemorative plaque that hangs in The Fishbowl

This is the limited edition commemorative reprint that hangs on my dartboard

To see The Crantini Kid's player profile in what is one of the funniest posts this year, check out the below link;

Pass The Dip Profile: The Crantini Kid