I've morphed into a Semi-Pro at the Shelbyville, Indiana Poker Room

[blankoblanco]

Very nice hand, Steve. To me there's no more beautiful sight in poker than a straight flush (including royals obviously). Just a nice feeling overall. If you actually get paid on it, all the better

[stevenash]

Very nice hand, Steve. To me there's no more beautiful sight in poker than a straight flush (including royals obviously). Just a nice feeling overall. If you actually get paid on it, all the better

Thanks man, I've had two Royals in my life, about maybe 10 straight flushes, but I've played a gazillion hands in my file.
Got paid, we were bot all in by the turn card.

[Fred The Hammer]

Here you go Fred.
I'm playing in a hyper turbo earlier this afternoon because sometimes you don't have time to dedicate six hours to a regular twelve minute level tournaments, sometimes you want a game that'd decided in two hours or so.

Mid tourney, blinds are 400/800.
I'm dealt 8 10c, is holding 8 10o

You see the rest, he leads out with a 3BB bet I think, I'm thinking he flopped top pair or something, so I raise him over the top.
Next thing you know we're jamming all in.

I flopped the straight, so did he, difference is I'm drawing to a flush, he's not, and just for good measure. BANG, I spiked the straight flush.
I'm 2jackscz by the way because I have two Jack Russell Terriers, named Cooper and Zippy, thus 2jackscz.





[IMG][/IMG]

Thats pretty! Reminds me of the KJ nuts hand I had with the poor kid last month. KJ with TQA flop, but mine was Q diamonds away from a royal and I made the flush on the turn after we got it all-in

[Fred The Hammer]

Made $825 yesterday. Basically the deck hit me hard for about 1.5 hours plus a couple of people really overplayed their hands. Hit quad Queens, flopped JJ4 with 44 vs Kings I think. Flopped 888 vs Queens, Flopped 9JJ with 99. You get the picture. I got AA about 7 times in 10 hours and limp-raised almost every time. Best one I limp-raise to 50 from 15 and get 2 callers. Pot is probably $185 or something pre-flop with some loose calls folded. One loose cannon had just sat down and he's some big shot thats always yelling at employees on his ear bud thing while he's at the table. Either work or play cards? Anyway flop is TQrag with 2 diamonds. I bet $80 and he makes it $280. I don't believe him and almost snap shove after the other guy folds. Thats just my read on this guy. He says I need help, but I have to call now. He could only sit with $400. I win. He says $80 was so weak that he had to come over the top. Weak? $80 in a 1/3 game is a large amount. I want to gauge what interest they have. I think the other guy had $300-$400, but I'm not sure. If I bet $175 and someone flops a set then its almost impossible to get away imo. Idk? I guess I could've bet $125, but obviously $80 worked here. Trapped him by accident I guess. Or actually he trapped himself

These players beat themselves usually

[Fred The Hammer]

Other big hand was with a nice kid on my left that I was talking to for hours. Tricky player and I'd seen him make a crazy move and hit a 2 outer on a lady earlier. We're the 2 biggest stacks at the table. I just limp with AK spades. I like to mix up Big Slick because almost every time I make a big raise and play it hard it loses or I win a small pot.

Anyway flop is J8rag with 2 spades

Back story: Earlier I flopped 888 on a 358 rag board against this kids raise. He bets $75 and I'm trying to make it look weird or like a steal so I check-raise shove. He shows QQ and thinks for a while, but finally mucks. A kid on the other end says that was a bad fold and that I had TT. Thats what I was trying to represent. I talk about the hand with this kid next to me for 30 minutes atleast. We both decide that I should've mini-check raised on the flop to $150 and he is much more likely to think 99 TT JJ etc and shove. Lesson learned. Or conventional play to just call the flop bet and hope AK doesn't come on the turn to slow him down then check-raise the turn and hope he feels committed by then.

Back to this hand so he bets $35. I check-raise to $75 and tell him there is your mini-raise basically. He calls

Turn is non-spade 3

I bet $100. He fumbles around stacking and raises to $250. I really don't believe him unless he has JJJ or 888, but I don't believe it. This kid raises pre-flop a ton

River is the 3 of spades

Bingo on the flush, but he's got alot of $ and could be full, but the biggest thing is I put him on a bluff so check and let him hang himself. I check and he bets like $175-$200. I call and he mucks. He says later he had King high and I believe him. The big one would've been if I miss on the river do I call with Ace high? Or shove? After the $250 on the turn there was so much in there and I really didn't think he had a overpair or set. Thank goodness I didn't have to make that decision. I might've folded to a shove too. He still had like $350 behind after the turn

[Fred The Hammer]

Back to the back story. The kid says 2 hours later that he still doesn't know if QQ was a good laydown vs 888. I said I bluff, but I don't usually lie and that I swear I had 888. I like telling mostly truths at the poker table because it confuses the f out of people

[stevenash]

Lost $360 today. Never got anything going. Probably didn't even play 2 hours. I'm currently 30th on the minutes count for August. Staying in the top 100 for the tourney shouldn't be too hard

I learned the same way we all learned.
In tourneys and in cash play, there's going to be days you're going to get 28o, 49o, all day, all night.
And there's nothing you can do about it, it's going to be one of those days, the type of days when you're playing against super donk, who gets starters like 99 six times an hour, hands that play themselves, and all you can do is muck, muck, muck.

That's poker.

Used to play stud with an old timer who taught me as a teenager, "You're not as good as the pot you just won, and you're not as bad as the pot you just lost"

[Fred The Hammer]

I learned the same way we all learned.
In tourneys and in cash play, there's going to be days you're going to get 28o, 49o, all day, all night.
And there's nothing you can do about it, it's going to be one of those days, the type of days when you're playing against super donk, who gets starters like 99 six times an hour, hands that play themselves, and all you can do is muck, muck, muck.

That's poker.

Used to play stud with an old timer who taught me as a teenager, "You're not as good as the pot you just won, and you're not as bad as the pot you just lost"

Yep. I know the drill. Lost $300 yesterday and just never got anything going. Had like $180 left and got AT playing 6 handed. Folded to me and I raise to $12. Loose ass Asian kid that was catching everything calls with T2 suited. Flop is T26 so that took care of my last $180. He won big pots with the dumbest shit, but thats how he plays.

[blankoblanco]

I got AA about 7 times in 10 hours and limp-raised almost every time. Best one I limp-raise to 50 from 15 and get 2 callers.

Are the players really still so bad that they don't notice? I mean I doubt you're balancing these limp-raises with weak hands. When I played live a lot, folding big hands to limp-raises from players who don't get way out of line was the easiest thing in the world. It was so transparent. You were unlikely to get away with that at 1/2 at the Tampa Hard Rock like 5 years ago. But maybe Shelbyville is a different world poker-wise

If it's consistently working for you at your room then of course no need to fix what ain't broke -- just be aware that over time any reg with half a brain who's played with you is gonna figure it out. If there are decent players at your table that have a clue you should strongly consider playing AA straight-forward and raising to begin with to balance it with your other hands

Enjoying reading your updates, sounds like you're doing really well overall

[stevenash]

Yep. I know the drill. Lost $300 yesterday and just never got anything going. Had like $180 left and got AT playing 6 handed. Folded to me and I raise to $12. Loose ass Asian kid that was catching everything calls with T2 suited. Flop is T26 so that took care of my last $180. He won big pots with the dumbest shit, but thats how he plays.

This is my all time favorite.
"He flopped the Queens dead"


The dialogue is just too funny.

[Fred The Hammer]

This is my all time favorite.
"He flopped the Queens dead"


The dialogue is just too funny.

Thats sick.


Terrible bluff last night. Dropped my $300 buy-in. Not really in a good mood and went to the casino anyway. Almost doubled up first 5 min with turned flush vs his flopped set all-in. For some reason quick success doesn't usually mean a good night for me.

I have a bet on the Dodgers Win Race to 4 and I'm watching that as well. They get 1st/3rd nobody out to start the game and don't score. Should've taken my $250 profit and bailed. Table was loose enough, but decent players and not many good pots. Thing is they're paying top 10 in August minutes $1K apiece and I'm 17th. I'm just feeling too old (56 next month) to play 4-10 hours every fkn day

Major fk up comes about 2 hours in. I'm still at $350 or something. Guy raises to $15 and gets 3 callers including me with 89 clubs. I think I was the big blind.

Flop is 568 rainbow with 1 club

Raiser overbets flop with $90

Should've folded. Overbet is a telegram that he's holding a big over pair and won't let it go, but I call the flop and then shove on a blank on the turn

I think I would've folded with KK there as I'd been playing fairly tight and could have 78 for the straight, or a set, or 56, or even 68 suited on the big blind. I shoved around $240 I guess? The thing is I don't overbet the pot there on a overpair for that exact reason. Then you feel married to that hand. I want the ability to stay out of a trap. Anyway he calls. I lose. Really bad play. I've had some nice bluffs in the past month, but they're not folding in that situation when they bet $90 on the flop with a $55 pot or whatever. Really dumb

[Fred The Hammer]

Lord! I'm exhausted. Played from about 5pm to 7 am. Won $375, but could've (should've) won over $1500 very easily

Took a insane 2 outer from a aggressive kid and went off. Finally calmed down and got reprimanded by the floor. I should know better, but stupid ass beats get old. Came back and cleaned this kid out for $1500 or so. Flopped nut flush with AQ spades and he flopped flush too. Shoved QQ he called and lost that too.

Up about $950 ($600 invested after the kid busted me the first time). Last 20 minutes flop the nuts with KT. Only opponent that gets involved is a guy that just got pot of the night and now has me covered with close to $2K. Flop is checked and has 2 clubs/1 spade. Turn is a little spade. I check and he bets $30. I check raise to $135 and he calls. River is the 8 of spades. I check and he shoves. No way in hell am I losing $1500 here. I think maybe he just has a 10 on a 89JQ board which wouldn't beat me, but no way am I taking that chance. I ask if he'll show me and he says yes. 7T spades for the flush. He flopped open ended straight draw and turned flush draw. King and we chop.

On the Flop he's 4% to win and 12% to chop. Sick but I didn't lose that much. River is a blank then I check and I'm sure he bluffs off atleast $150. Any other 8 and I might bust him, but it has to be the goddamn 8 of spades

Last hand a straddle and a bunch of $6s out there. I look down at 99 in the small blind and make it $30 to try to take it there or get headsup. 1 old man calls with around $500. Flop is 59T with 2 spades. Bingo! I check and he bets $40. I'm tired as fk and ready to go. I say All-in instead of betting for value. He snap calls with K7 spades or some bs close to that. Of course he rivers it and I drop all the way down to under $400 profit. I cashed out a ton of chips for a $1K chip and had to break it again. That fkn sucked

So last 2 hands on the flop I was 84% to win and 72% to win and lost both. Poker is a fickle bitch

Wild night, but + $538 with baseball included and I have to be right on the cusp of top 10 in miunutes and $1K. Sleeping today and will be back late tonight

[Fred The Hammer]

Here's the crazy hand where I went off and called the kids play "retarded". He called the floor over, but I never called him retarded. Just said his play on the hand was retarded....which it was.

He's very aggressive and loves to raise/3 bet, but I didn't see him as loose. Only played with him once before and he left quickly. We never mixed it up

He 3 bets a raiser to $40. I'm behind him somewhere with AK (and position on him) and call. Its headsup

Flop is A78 rainbow

He checks. I bet $35 to appear like I'm stealing and he check raises to $105. I call. I'm thinking he's got AK or AQ. If he's got AA 77 or 88 then I'm probably busting out. Trying to decide what to do if a blank hits the turn

Turn is an Ace

He checks. I shove my last $225 or so. Now I think I'm ahead obviously. Praying he has AQ. Within 30 seconds he calls with TT

River is a Ten


See what I mean? He says he thought I was making a play and didn't believe I had an Ace. I call $105 on a check raise and I don't have an Ace or 77 88 on a 78A rainbow flop? How stupid do you have to be to get caught trying to steal with a big check raise and still keep trying to steal? If I didn't have an Ace wouldn't I have to put him on one by now?

Play was stupid/retarded as hell, but he got lucky. I went off. I need to calm down. Felt good to crack him after that though. I almost single handedly took down his $2K

[Enkhbat]

Sound like the cash games are quite wild, is it this crazy in just about every casino in Indiana?

[Fred The Hammer]

Sound like the cash games are quite wild, is it this crazy in just about every casino in Indiana?

I'm sure it is, but quite often I sit down at a dead ass table and you can't find a pot over $100. You have to move around and its usually later at night when alcohol is involved. I used to play PLO in Cincinnati and I'd sit at NL sometimes before I could get a seat and it was always nitty as hell and boring

[Fred The Hammer]

Lost big last night. AA last hand and get it All-in on the flop vs QT clubs on a 289 board with 89 clubs. I can't dodge flushes on these big hands and I usually can't hit them either. The one thing thats saving me is all the sets I've hit since I've been playing here. THey were reraising like crazy all night and I make it $12 and nobody repops me preflop. Only big pair I had all night and gets cracked. Actually this guy probably calls $60 with QT suited anyway. I was already down to my last $200. Shitty night, but I need the player hours. Lost $700. Took $200 from ATM twice. -$644 on the day

Back down to $5035 profit for the month including baseball. I was at $5565 on 8/15

[Fred The Hammer]

8T suited and flop is 9JQ. Of course a solid player has KT. Running like absolute shit this week, but atleast baseball (and blackjack) have been good to me.

Got it all in 80% yesterday vs a shortie. QQ flop is 9 high and dumbshit checkraises me all-in with K9 and rivers a King.

Dragging towards the finish line for this $1K giveaway. Really hoping I do damage in the $25K grinder freeroll too. 1st place is $5K. I guess its going to be sort of a turbo (shovefest) so alot of luck needed

[Fred The Hammer]

Won $875 last night plus $315 in Mlb. Thats more like it!

Probably luckiest hand of the night was when I flopped a set with 22 and checked flop, maybe $25 on turn, and $45 on the river on a disconnected board. Older Asian guy flips over KKK....set over set. Never raised preflop and just called me. Technically I guess the board was like 246 or something, but he could've felted me. Only lost tiny amount and recovered nicely went some drunks wandered into the poker room around midnight

[Fred The Hammer]

Another big night! Lost count, but think I won $900-$1000

Biggest hand was when I straddled for $6 and I think it was raised with 1 caller. I look down at 45 spades and call. Pot is like $45-50 preflop. We were playing short. Normally its 8 for a full table here, but we had 6 I think

Flop is A39 with 1 spade


I check and raiser checks. Last guy bets $35 and normally I'd fold, but both these two are pretty aggressive and have alot of chips if I get lucky so I call. Problem is the raiser now check-raises to $75 and the other guy calls. I would've folded to a bet of $75 cold, but now its only $40 more and I'm thinking I could really trap the raiser so I call.

Turn is the beautiful 2 of spades!!

Bingo! Nut straight and flush draw as well. I check. Raiser bets $75 and the other guy quickly calls. I shove $700 or whatever I had. I was up decent before this hand. Now should I have played this slower? IDK? The pot was already big and I wanted to take it down. The preflop raiser was aggressive, but he usually didn't hit it this hard. I'm thinking a set or 2 pair.

Anyway raiser folds (said he had Aces up with A3). Other guy thinks for a while and calls. He only had about $125 left. Not sure what he had?

River 6 clubs. I still hold the nuts and win!!!

[Fred The Hammer]

Other big hand guy really misplayed.

I had A8 spades on the button and call a raise.

Flop is TJQ with 2 spades

Checked to me with 2 others in the hand (maybe 3?). I bet $20 which is tricky because I don't want the flush draw to get expensive, but I also want to know where they're at. 2 callers.

Turn is 6 spades BINGO

I check and its checked to the original raiser. Now he bets $60-75 (something like that?). I checkraise to $150-$175 and he calls.

River is K clubs

Now I have the straight as well. I shove and raiser calls donking off his last $150 or so with TTT. How do you call there with a flush and 1 card to a straight staring at you? The river K was a blessing to this guy and should've allowed him to fold.

If this guy just checks the turn with the flush board right in front of him then he doesn't lose anything when the K hits. I got lucky

[Fred The Hammer]

Dropped $700 today. Missed flush, missed flush, missed flush.

Big pot with A5 hearts and Heart Heart 5 flop. Miss Miss Weird how I can flop flushes but rarely hit one on the turn/river. I'm definitely due

Be back tomorrow morning. 11th and top 10 in minutes get $1K each. I'm prepared to play 15 hours Tues and Wed if I can keep from getting felted twice. No point in losing 4 figures to win a grand if I'm running like today though

[dlowilly]

Are the players really still so bad that they don't notice?

It sounds like he's playing on a cruise ship in 2006

[Fred The Hammer]

10th place!!! Won the $1K, but haven't been running good or playing well either. Need a poker break in September

Finished with 168 hours in August. Thats more then a fkn full time job. Too much poker

Lost track but I think I finished August around +4K with poker/sports. Putting this $1K towards September

[dhristov211]

I've made $1500 in bonuses in July! Hit high hand (Top hand per hour wins $250) four times and the bounty board for $500 as the first to hit 4 Aces. I've been playing every day for 3 weeks....sometimes in the morning and again at night. Its 19 miles away.

Weird up-n-down luck which is normal for poker I guess. Made Quads 5 times and a straight flush in a month, but the st flush was in a tournament. Got 3 high hands for $250 each on the Quads and 1 High hand for AAAKK.

Last night though....up like $275 and this young kid got frustrated and just started shoving $150+ in to win the $4 blinds. He did this on 2 straight hands and I look down at AQ off. I just limp early position and hope he shoves again. He does, but the guy to my right has a hand and really thinks it over. He's pretty good and I'll probably fold if he calls. No need to gamble. He finally folds and I call. Kid has QT off and flops JKA. What are you going to do? Should've been $400+ up instead of $100 but thats poker.

Other recent bad beats:

All-in preflop KK vs 88 lost

All-in on the flop with A8 vs A5 on a 58A flop and lost to a river 5. 88% chance of winning

KKK all in on the turn to a guy with a flush draw. Granted he had TJ hearts and AK hearts on the board. Royal flush pays $2K. Think I was 77% favorite or something. Sad thing is I checked my KK on the AXX board because I had 3 callers and figured somebody had an A and might checkraise me. The winner said he would've folded if I bet something, but I didn't and then the K hearts came on the turn and locked both of us in

J8 spades button raise and flop flush with 24 whatever on the board. Turn is a 4 I shove....kid called $15 with 24 off and hits 4 outer

Its been nuts, but I've made like $9K this month between baseball and poker

You are putting away 6-7k of that, right? Not going up the stakes

[Fred The Hammer]

No $1-$3 has enough action

I've been sick, but have to go tomorrow to pick up my $1K for top 10 August minutes. I made it! The other part of the promo is the $25K freeroll tourney which is on the 7th

[Fred The Hammer]

Got my $1K bonus, but couldn't play in the tourney. I've got the worst insomnia ever. This sucks. Too much late night shit I think.

[Brandt Moat]

Too much alert awake thinking. If you are playing top level poker it is exhausting. It caused me to have sleeping problems. Felt like I worked 3rd shift again. I worked the docks on nights for years. Playing cards when younger was a late night lifestyle. It fooks with your sleep when your grinding for hours day in day out. Take a break it's not worth it. Once older I switched to day play. Quit 3 years ago. I'm bored stiff on football off season. Don't miss the azzholes in Cleveland, OH. Miss some of the dealers. Asked the girl who dealt a hand where a player passes away during the hand he was involved in, if he won the hand she said nope. Asked what he was holding. She said, "The Dead Man's Hand" That's C-town in a nut shell.

[Fred The Hammer]

Too much alert awake thinking. If you are playing top level poker it is exhausting. It caused me to have sleeping problems. Felt like I worked 3rd shift again. I worked the docks on nights for years. Playing cards when younger was a late night lifestyle. It fooks with your sleep when your grinding for hours day in day out. Take a break it's not worth it. Once older I switched to day play. Quit 3 years ago. I'm bored stiff on football off season. Don't miss the azzholes in Cleveland, OH. Miss some of the dealers. Asked the girl who dealt a hand where a player passes away during the hand he was involved in, if he won the hand she said nope. Asked what he was holding. She said, "The Dead Man's Hand" That's C-town in a nut shell.

Going tonight if I can sleep today at some point. I do miss it and the weekends are always good. The bounty board is back too

[Fred The Hammer]

Update. Running like shit at the casino so took a break. Had a couple of nights about 3 weeks ago where I won $450 each night, but went right back to bs.

Example....other night first hand I get AQ and call after a raise and 3-4 other callers.

Flop is AQJ rainbow

I bet and then I bet $75 with 2 callers after a blank on the turn and the guy after me shoves. Older guy and very good player. Shows KT since we're sort of friends.

Thats how I've been running so I'm taking a big break. Running good with SNGs on Bovada. Like $18/hour for mostly $27.50 buyins


Sold my house. Closes on Nov 17 and I'll have another $40K so stay tuned. I'll be back at the casino then)))

[Fred The Hammer]

Hand that busted me last time at the casino. Another ridiculous one

I had 78 diamonds and call small raise

Flop is 7 & 9 diamonds 10 diamonds

Straight flush was paying $1K on the bounty board by the way. Guy has 999 and we get it all in after I bet the turn. Miss everything as usual

[Fred The Hammer]

Played like 10 hours yesterday and won $350. I was actually disappointed because 2 different drunks were throwing $ away. They were both there like 4-5 hours but not at the same time. They probably gave away atleast $2K-$2500 combined and I barely got any of it. They were literally just giving it away.

I've been going back for about a week now and running fairly good, but not great. I'm probably up $1200 in the last week. I did have one the other night with KK. Guy raises and I 3 bet it to $60 or something. Flop is Q high with 2 diamonds and we get it all in for $200 or whatever he had. He has AQ diamonds and missed. He was the slight fav I think

[Fred The Hammer]

Going back shortly. They have this Hot Seat promo from 8-4pm. They pick out a seat on the hour and you can win up to $400. Probably have 2-3 tables at most so decent chance to get lucky


Back in July they had a $250 High hand hourly promo and one day I hit it back to back with 4 tables going (32 players total). I was on fire in July w/poker and MLB

[Ian]

For low limit $1200 is a good week. Nice hit. From what you post it sounds like the games are pretty soft.

[Fred The Hammer]

For low limit $1200 is a good week. Nice hit. From what you post it sounds like the games are pretty soft.

They're def pretty soft, but there's also about 7-8 regulars that are better then me that I try to avoid. There's a couple of young guys that have atleast $2K in front of them at all times. Idk how they do it? I won't sit down at a table with more then 1 of them unless everyone else is a new face or a donator that I've seen before.

Last night hit for about $500. I'm just running good....nothing special to report. I called 2 All-ins with short stacks on flips and won both ($100 and $150). The one was my 88 vs his AJ. Flop was an Ace and I'm stacking to pay him off and river was an 8.

Another lucky one was an old guy raises with red KK, but he only made it like $12 and there was 2 limpers before him and 1 after. I'm on the button with 36 spades so why not? Of course I usually fold that shit.

Flop was Q36 with Q spades

Old guy bets $30. 1 call and then I make it $75. Old guy calls and other guys folds

Turn is 10 spades

Gives me a flush draw, but really doesn't help here except to block the K spades. I shove and he calls with like $150 and river is a blank. He had 7 outs


Only thing that slowed me down was whiffing on AK like 3 times with decent amounts in there pre-flop.

[Ian]

They're def pretty soft, but there's also about 7-8 regulars that are better then me that I try to avoid. There's a couple of young guys that have atleast $2K in front of them at all times. Idk how they do it? I won't sit down at a table with more then 1 of them unless everyone else is a new face or a donator that I've seen before.

Last night hit for about $500. I'm just running good....nothing special to report. I called 2 All-ins with short stacks on flips and won both ($100 and $150). The one was my 88 vs his AJ. Flop was an Ace and I'm stacking to pay him off and river was an 8.

Another lucky one was an old guy raises with red KK, but he only made it like $12 and there was 2 limpers before him and 1 after. I'm on the button with 36 spades so why not? Of course I usually fold that shit.

Flop was Q36 with Q spades

Old guy bets $30. 1 call and then I make it $75. Old guy calls and other guys folds

Turn is 10 spades

Gives me a flush draw, but really doesn't help here except to block the K spades. I shove and he calls with like $150 and river is a blank. He had 7 outs


Only thing that slowed me down was whiffing on AK like 3 times with decent amounts in there pre-flop.

It sounds like you've got good game selection skills. Nice hit with 63. IMO in a soft game it's not that big of a mistake since you know you'll get paid off if you hit your lottery ticket. GL.