**** TJ’s Sundry Poker Adventures! 2025-26 ****
Hello again!
I’m coming off nearly a month in Las Vegas, and now that there’s some distance, and perspective, from the po
-231 in one hour of 1/3.
I picked off a bluff, which was nice, but then tried to move an old guy off top pair, which was inadvisable.
Now it’s time for the tournament.
I’m the youngest person at my table.
I’m not young.
Let’s focus on observations and processing, and make it a long day!
First break, on 38k and change from the 30k starting stack, but I don’t think I played particularly well the first 4 levels.
One notable hand, an aggro player opens in MP, and I flatted with 9s5s from the cutoff. I think fold > raise > call there, out of my 3 options. The blinds come along, the flop is Q-Q-5, and PFR checks, so I decide to stab. Blinds fold, PFR calls, turn is a 4, and he checks again.
That’s a good card, but I don’t think I can bet for more value here, so I check back. River is a 6, no flushes possible, now he leads out river. I talk myself into bluff catching with a call, and he shows me a weirdly played KQ.
As penance for playing loose and bad early, I tightened up a lot after that, and folded a bunch. Later, down to about 15k, then I won my first flip of the tournament, AQo > 99, to get back to about a starting stack.
Two players busted the first 4 levels, and I habe position on the money. Table’s a mix of loose/passive and tight/passive.
Let’s find good spots.
Second break, played better and ran better those 4 levels, right up until the end. I was on about 90k, then I isolated a tilting, fishy player with KQo, got it in on a Q-8-2 flop, and but he limp-called with Q2, and held.
On about 70k now, 61k is average.
Achievement unlocked: acquire green 25k chips.
Before that, I isolated another fishy player with AKo, he called, and we saw a flop of T-7-7. I decided he didn’t have enough to make me fold, so I cbet, and he shoved. I stuck to the plan and called. He had AT, but I rivered the king.
Then later, I flopped top and bottom two pair in a raised, 4-way flop, got a big checkraise in, but he folded to my shove on a clean turn.
Still feeling good, and focused. Got some reads, and an idea who I want to target.
Let’s make it 4 more good levels!
Busto in level 10, on a pretty gross beat.
I defend my BB with AsJs vs a late position open from the chip leader. It came Ac-7-6c, I checked and he continued. I had too much to check/shove, and I thought he might keep barreling, so I flatted.
Turn was another 6, which went check check. The river was the third club 3. I checked, he thought a moment, and bet 25k. I called, fully expecting to see air a lot, but he had KcQc, for the ace high flush.
That got me short, then later I opened AKo from UTG+1, two callers behind me. It came K-T-7, and I open ripped about 26k at 20k. A large stack calls with KQ and I’m in great shape,
But Q on the turn :(
Ah well. Got it in way ahead. Won a flip for my stack about 4 hours ago, it could have easily ended then.
Don’t feel like jumping into level 2 of flight C, they only have 25 minute levels.
I’ll play some cash PLO for as long as I still feel good, then fire Flight D tomorrow.
There are reasons to flat AJ suited from bb but against a late position open from the table big attack, I think it’s a fairly clear 3 bet.
Good morning from the Great Smoky Mountains!You already know where I’m starting my day. Went with the go-to breakfast. She specifically asked if I wanted onions in the hashbrowns.I told her no, we’re saving that for Day 2 rungood.Heading over to the casino now, in the lucky Day 1 shirt, of course!
Were you able to find grits like that in Vegas?
posting mostly to follow Moby and root for whatever color jam TJE applies to breakfast toast
Accidental onions on the hashbrowns Saturday morning, please.
Accidental, goddammit!!!
There are reasons to flat AJ suited from bb but against a late position open from the table big attack, I think it’s a fairly clear 3 bet
I think you’re probably right. I’m so used to playing PLO, when you want to get stacks in post flop, when the edges are much bigger. Seizing the initiative and the betting lead is much more important in 2-card PLO.
Were you able to find grits like that in Vegas?
Hard to find good grits outside the South!
Rough cash session, -2k. I’m generally happy with my decisions.. just ran pretty bad in some key spots.
It was absolutely a great game, and worth going that deep. There were two or three guys going to 100+ preflop with almost any 4, getting 1k stacks in pre with hands like K776 and winning, etc.
I got it in on one flop with a 13 out wrap on a rainbow board. Was up against a set, so slightly behind, but missed the runout.
Then I call/called with top set on a 3 flush flop, missed that one too.
The finisher was middle set vs just a gutshot and non-nut flush draw, that turned open ended when I shoved. He caught the straight on the end.
Hard to do well running that decisively bad in big spots.
It’s okay, though. We’re still in action. I’ve made big comebacks, and had 6k+ sessions here before. The game I was in absolutely had that much winning potential, if I ran better.
So bed tonight, then coming back fresh and reset for the tournament tomorrow!
I think that’s the key. I’ve got to make the order, then be happily surprised if they accidentally put onions in there too.
This time, I didn’t order onions, and she specifically asked if I wanted onions in there, too.
I said no, so maybe that was my mistake.
I think that’s the key. I’ve got to make the order, then be happily surprised if they accidentally put onions in there too.
This time, I didn’t order onions, and she specifically asked if I wanted onions in there, too.
I said no, so maybe that was my mistake.
Onions is tricky. Them sumbitches can even make you cry!
I believe. You and Moby will prevail! Go get 'em and have fun!
Not to discuss too much strat but:
I don’t mind a flat in the bb with AJss vs a late open at some decent frequency.
You can value own lesser aces, AT and under, on most Ax runouts.
3! Has merit in ending the hand right there potentially and also taking the imitative postflop, but when you get called you have RIO vs AQ/AK and could get murdered on Jxx runouts vs JJ.
GL tomorrow TJ !
Not to discuss too much strat but:I don’t mind a flat in the bb with AJss vs a late open at some decent frequency. You can value own lesser aces, AT and under, on most Ax runouts. 3! Has merit in ending the hand right there potentially and also taking the imitative postflop, but when you get called you have RIO vs AQ/AK and could get murdered on Jxx runouts vs JJ. GL tomorrow T
I’d rather flat AK and maybe AQ
Slept great last night, feeling good this morning.
Went back to Waffle House, got the same breakfast.
It was $20. No onions :/
Not going to try to hit n run a half hour session of 1/3 to start. I’m taking my time before the tournament to meditate, on the spots I was in yesterday, and re-center myself to find good spots for today.
This will likely be the biggest flight of the whole tournament. There will be lots of punters and weak players, at all stages of today.
Let’s make good decisions, run up a stack, and find a bag.
First break, starting stack 30k, my stack: 30.7k. Which is annoying, because I don’t feel my status at this point of the tournament adequately reflects how well I feel I’ve played, and ran.
I scored the first knockout at our table in level 2, when I check/shoved top pair of aces with the nut flush draw in a 3bet pot. I was up against a better ace, but binked the nuts on the turn. That got me to about 55k, but it would be the high water mark of the first four levels.
I played a couple hands bad, it was K2s both times. A weak player opens, I flat K2s in late position, and a blind comes along. The flop was A-Ts-5s, the weak player continues for less than half the pot. I take this opportunity to raise to 3.5k, but then the BB check/3bets to 8.5k, with another 11k behind. Original bettor folds, for the price I decide to see a turn.
It improved me, with a king, then BB shoves. I didn’t have the nut flush draw, and my kings or deuces might not be clean outs, so I folded.
A couple orbits later, I open K2s first in from the HJ, and get three calls. Flop is Q-7-2, with two diamonds and one of my suit. I continue, the button calls, and an offsuit Ace turns. I figure that’s a better card for my range than his, so I barrel again with initiative, but he calls again.
River is an offsuit 9. Maybe I should have emptied the clip, but I checked, and he checks back and wins, with Kd9d.
So if I get K2s again, I’m folding it.
Got some reads, and action players late regging. Let’s keep playing good.
Went in the wrong direction, then busted the very last hand of level 8, just before the second break.
I open AJo from MP, one call behind me and both blinds call. It comes 8-6-2, checked to me, I check, and it checks through. Turn is an ace, then the chip leader bets out 75% of pot. I’m the only caller.
River is an offsuit 7, then he makes the same bet. I call, and he has 86s, that missed his flop checkraise.
A little later, I defend my BB from an open by another chip leader with J9s, it comes Q-J-3, and I check/call his cbet. Turn is another queen, which checks through. I lead the 7 river, but value-towned myself against AJ.
My bust out hand was opening AKo from the HJ, as people are standing up and leaving for break. Button and a blind call me, and it comes A-J-9 two clubs, I have none. I continue for about a third of my stack, then get raised by the button.
He’d been playing tight all day. I really think I’m behind here, because I don’t think I’m beating anything in his value range. I tell myself if it’s ever a draw, I’ve gotta go with it. Even though I don’t think he’s the type to play draws aggressively, even strong draws.
I was just so short, and I didn’t want to fold and come back from break to a life support stack, so I got it in. He had A9s, and held.
Thought I played pretty well today. Wish I would have trusted my read and bet/folded that AK, though.
Just in time to fire one last bullet into Flight E that’s about to start!
Then cash all day tomorrow, if I don’t bag.
in at the start of the third rail
moby you should start playing more flight e
then you will have something to bag about
We’ve got different black and purple chips for this flight.
Still feeling good… fully engaged at the table and playing well.
Lucky 3rd buy in, let’s gooooo!!
obviously i am only able to know what can be gleaned from your post mortem content
and also not a card guy
but i am starting to get the scents you smell like more of a bully than what really is in your wheelhouse
sure seems possible sometimes after pressing the accelerator too hard you end up wearing out the breaks
you are so good at cards TJ there is no reason to oversharpen your edges
constant gentle squeezing pressure instead of vigorously trying to stomp every grape most often yields the sweetest juice
you are so good at cards TJ there is no reason to oversharpen your edges
constant gentle squeezing pressure instead of vigorously trying to stomp every grape most often yields the sweetest juice
I see comments like this a lot - you simply cant win tournaments without being on the gas and pressing every edge. The “better spot” often doesnt come along and blinds in these things really increase. You are better off firing big and rebuying if necessary than treating these things like the Main Event, and its not close.
