blonde poker forum

Hi all,

I am selling a package for 11 of the mixed game events at the World Series this year, starting on 12th June, priced at 1.08

Three years ago, I spent five months getting intensive coaching in all of the mixed games, all with the aim of having the potential to play any game at the World Series. In the previous three years, I have continued this coaching with experts in each game as a "top up" leading up to the World Series.

Although I have not win big at all at the WSOP, and operated at a small loss, I hope the results show promise. I made the razz final table (7th) in the first year, had three mixed game cashes in 2011, and in 2012 ran close with a 10th and a 16th in 2 mixed game events. I was also third the last time I played the European 8-game champs, in 2011.

I feel that all the mixed game events at the WSOP have great value, more so than almost any holdem event, because of the nature of the field. In any event, there are a good number of players not especially strong in that game or mix, and a good number of "bracelet chasers" taking advantage of the shorter fields, but adding a lot of value.

I feel my strength in the mixed games is that I have become roughly equally proficient in all of the 10 games, and this becomes especially useful in multi-game events like the HORSE and the 10-game mix. The schedule I have put together is of a true mix of the games.

I have marked the $10,000 2-7 lowball event as "half action," to denote that it will effectively be a $5k event for the staking package, so that it does not occupy an overly large percentage of the package. So, for example, a staker buying 2% of the package, will recieve 1% of any cash in the $10k 2-7 lowball, and 2% in all other events. Thus, the total price of the package is $37,000. Here is the schedule of events:

12th June, 5pm, $2500 Seven Card Stud
13th June, 5pm, $5000 Omaha Hi-Lo
15th June, 5pm, $5000 HORSE
17th June, 12pm, $1500 Pot Limit Omaha Hi-Lo
18th June, 5pm, $2500 Razz
20th June, 5pm, $5000 Limit Holdem
23rd June, 5pm, $10,000 2-7 Lowball No Limit (half action)
25th June, 5pm, $3000 Pot Limit Omaha Hi-Lo
26th June, 5pm, $2500 Limit Holdem Six-Handed
27th June, 5pm, $2500 10-Game Mix
3rd July, 5pm, $2500 2-7 Triple Draw

So, the total pacakge is $37,000, and I am happy to sell up to 55%. Priced at 1.08, then prices work out as:

0.5%= $199.80
1% = $399.60
2%= $799.20
5%= $1998.00
10%= $3996.00

and so on.

Two things to note:

- I will be playing other events in the WSOP, and possibly other mixed game events. This schedule is just of the events I am certain I will play.

- I had a very similar package last year, and for the sake of transparency, I would like to just note that it didn't go as planned. The stake was just short of break even, but I myself had a rotten time in Vegas (I was robbed twice), and so came home with two events left to play. There were therefore a number of refunds, which took a while to pay because of bank problems. The only reason I wanted to write this is for completeness. I am all the more determined to run a very professional package, have made sure that the timing of events minimises the risk of missing one, and having had my HSBC account closed, have a Natwest account which will be able to pay out any cashes instantly.

Any of the following payment methods is fine.

Bank: 36278432/601251
Moneybookers: sturutter23@yahoo.co.uk
Netteller: sturutter@yahoo.co.uk
PokerStars: sturutter23

Many thanks

5% pls

Btw looks like the best value thread I've ever seen on here

2 pls

2.5% please.

All booked

10% to Jon Spinks via facebook message, 2% to Ben Jenkins, 2% to Andy Teng, 5% to Toby Lewis, 1% to James Morris. (current total 20%)

2% for pizzled via PM

So, a total of 11.5% via Blonde ATM.

2% please Stu

Facebook pieces coming in quicker than expected, so although there is still a chunk left now, will confirm each piece as it comes in, just to be sure.

booked

cambridgealex- 5%
jakally-2.5%
Amatay-2%
pizzled- 2%
redarmi-2%
Facebook- 20%

current total- 33.5%

2 please. Thanks

2 please

booked

booked

cambridgealex- 5%
jakally-2.5%
Amatay-2%
pizzled- 2%
redarmi-2%
scotty77- 2%
Doobs- 2%
Facebook- 20%

current total- 37.5%

You must have very accurate mark up calculations, to not round the $399.60 for 1% to $400 lol. Best of luck, would love to buy a chunk if I was richer!

Stato,

haha true! Thanks v much, hoping this is the year!

Stu

ok i'll take 20%, miffed that I got left out of the FB round tho!

sent on stars

Recieved, thanks so much, and 20% booked.

This actually puts the total to 57.5% (had started off by saying I would sell 55%), but more than happy to put this up to 60%, as long as no one has an objection?

If so, 2.5% remaining.

Facebook was for young kids with too much money who don't look on Blonde, you only qualified for 2 of those 3 things!

cambridgealex- 5%
jakally-2.5%
Amatay-2%
pizzled- 2%
redarmi-2%
scotty77- 2%
Doobs- 2%
Rupert- 20%
Facebook- 20%

current total- 57.5%

Now selling 60%, now 2.5% remaining

I'll take 1% please...

I'll take the last 1.5% mate

Glgl

What a sicko selling like 20k action in 12hours :D

Great package VBOL in Vegas mate

Surprised it didn't sell out quicker tbh.

Ahhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh... Damn.

Waitlist for any piece that becomes available please Stu.

Sunny After Curfew

Awesome value this.

Gl Stu and team.

Sucks to be busto :D

sigh, glglg

yes great,i cant sell even 1% of my in 24hours lol

booked

booked

Booked for sharky uk and outragous76 (Sunny is buying half of that, 0.75% of Guy)

Which means SOLD OUT

Thanks so much for the support guys, really hope I can produce this time.

May well come up with a staking package for other events soon, and will message those straight away that missed out on a piece.

Just to confirm final list:

cambridgealex- 5%
jakally-2.5%
Amatay-2%
pizzled- 2%
redarmi-2%
scotty77- 2%
Doobs- 2%
Rupert- 20%
sharky uk- 1%
outragous76- 1.5% (of which 0.75% to Sunny Nagi)
Facebook- 20%

Total-60%

Not being funny, but how did you decide that this is the best value you've ever seen on blonde? Just curious because, apart from his good name, there is nothing here to suggest Stu has any edge in these games whatsoever. No stats, no references, nothing.

That's not to say I don't wish everybody the very best of luck :D

erm Keys.

8 WSOP cashes in mixed games in the last 3 years, final tabled a mixed game Scoop H event and 3rd in some chumpy european thing...

1.08...

But how much did u lose??

Btw Stu I'm not saying it's not good value, just that one can't tell it's good value from the information in the OP alone. Not that it matters now, but to be able to say "best value ever" it needed to include a mixed cash games graph that goes like this '/' for 100k hands or so.

Do people usually put their cash game stats up for a tourno stake?

Ah I mis-read your initial post loldrunkaments. PLenty of people sell on here, at higher mark-ups without even actually being able to prove they can beat poker but that wasn't the point of you were making.

id probably buy money off stu at 1.08. gutted i missed out on this

Final %s after some sharing out:


cambridgealex- 5%
jakally-2.5%
Amatay-2%
pizzled- 2%
redarmi-1%
Rich Trigg- 1%
scotty77- 2%
Doobs- 2%
Rupert- 20%
sharky uk- 1%
outragous76- 0.75%
Sunny Nagi- 0.75%
Facebook- 20%

Aren't Facebook rich enough as it is?

6% has become available if anyone wants it?

2% please mate

Bank Transfer or Cash in Vegas?

I'll take the last 4% please Stu. Check PM first though.

booked

booked

Out of the $2,500 stud-hi in the last level of the day.

As I exited, an old American guy said "the kid had buried aces five times all day, and lost all five." And he wasn't wrong.

Exit hand was getting in (AA)54 vs Seiver's (88)34 on 4th, and bricking against his two pair, and had trouble making a winning hand all day.

The biggest hand was against an unknown, I 3bet (AA)6 against his (xx)k 2 bet on 3rd, where the board had both an ace and king dead.

I bet every street til sixth, where I showed (AA)672A, making trip aces on 6th, and he showed (xx)k9xJ. He re-raised 6th, I 3bet, he called. I didn't improve the river, and decided to check raise, which is debatable. He quickly called, so assumed I was 98% turning over the winning hand, and was surprised to be shown (JJ)k9xJ(9) for a full house.

Felt there was little I could do today, hoping for some run good soon.

$5k Omaha-eight-or-better at 5pm tomorrow, should be a good one.

Through to day 2 with just 3,600.

Couldn't make a hand on the river or fade a hand on the river all day. A shame, as I feel there isn't much I could have done so far. Still hope tomorrow, hope to be updating good news

Day two of the $5k Omaha-eight-or better:

Out first hand sadly. I am on the CO with Ak86, big blind not present, I raise to 1,200, the button who has the exact same stack as me 3bets to 1,800. I always hate hands where an absent big blind changes things (Phil Ivey then took his seat half way through the hand!), but it turned out we would be getting it in nevertheless.

I called, the flop was K53 rainbow, which is strong for me, we 3-bet it all in, and he showed AJ43 rainbow. So, we were roughly flipping before the flop, and roughly flipping on it.

The turn peeled off a 2 straight away, to give him the nuts both ways, and that was that.

Next event: $5k HORSE, Saturday 5pm

Out of the HORSE in about 56th place (34 paid). Feels a tough one, had run up to 68k at one point today, and things were feeling good.

Sorry for the lack of update yesterday, fell straight to sleep when I got back. I took 24,600 through to day two (15k starting), and then got off to a real flier today, I ran really good on a table including Negreanu, Seidel, Juanda, Flack and ran up to 68k. The eventual exit was tough, as from 23k, I actually got anted (and bring-in) to death, made possible by the strange parlay of a table breaking at the end of a stud round, and getting moved to a new one in the razz round, and so having nearly six rounds of 500 antes in the stud games. Strange way to go, as I literally didn't have a decision to make for the final 23k. The crucial pot before that was a stud pot, where a ten completed, I 3-bet (A2)A, and bet 4th and 5th as the boards ran (A2)A4A and (xx)T88. He caught (xx)T88T on 6th, which was horrible to see, but I had to call 6th obviously with outs to fill, and just about had to sigh call 7th with trip aces. He showed the likely tens full of eights for a 48k pot.

Next event: $1,500 pot limit 0-8 on Monday

Quick update, rushing off to day two:

Through to day two of the $1,500 PLO hi-lo with 29,600. 129 left, 116 itm, average is 32k. Feels like a great spot, fingers crossed.

Gl Stu.

Good luck m8!

Good luck Stu

Really quick one, as it's been thick and fast.

Finished 52nd in the $1500 PL08 for just over $4k, will confirm exact figure.

Day two of razz now with 21,500 (7.5k start), going well.

According to Pokernews Stu is 2nd in chips in day 2 of the razz. gogogogogoooooooo!

ooooooh, really hoping the chip stacks are right for once and we have a sweat.  Feels a bit dirty celebrating success in Razz, much like celebrating the success of one of those promotion price horses at Ascot. 

Don't knock Razz. There's an old chess saying that finding the worst hand on the board is just as impressive as finding the best.

Well done, Stu.

Looks like we have cashed.  Woohoo

Good Luck Stuart....

Whats wrong with Razz?

Rutter Crippled, But Surviving
Posted 5 minutes ago mnuwwarah • Level 18: 5,000-10,000, 1,000 ante SHARE
Stuart Rutter fired fourth, fifth and sixth against Randy Ohel, who called him down after he initially had the lead to begin the pot.

Ohel:
Rutter:

Rutter checked seventh, and Ohel bet. Rutter seemed resigned as he called. Ohel showed  for a six-low, and Rutter mucked.

He went all in a short time later with his last ante but made a wheel. Another all in shortly thereafter yielded another wheel, and Rutter is still alive, though he's certainly still in critical condition.

Randy Ohel         255,000   
Stuart Rutter         13,000   -37,000

 >:(

spinnnnn

Just gone in 16th.  :'( Unlucky but well played going so deep...

Played it for a short while, before concluding it was the most tilting game in Poker.  Just reading those two hands against Ohel is enough to send me on tilt and I am not even there.  Always dread that round when I play HORSE too.

Unlucky Stuart.  Will try and say hello next week.

Hey guys, really sorry for the lack of updates, literally have either been playing poker or sleeping every minute of the last few days, it seems.

So, today was day 1 of the $5k limit holdem, and we finished with 12,600 (15k starting). It was a shame, I had 27,000 about 30 minutes from time, and lost QQ to KK in a 3bet pre pot, and AK to AJ in a 4bet 3-way pot.

So, we have two cashes so far- 54th in the $1,500 for $4,030 and 16th in the razz for $6,950. So, total value of package at the moment is $10,980.

The razz was looking great for a while, we had 136,000 with about 18 left (average 107k), but then lost every pot in a horrible hour. I was actually down to 1k (one ante) and comically made a wheel two all-in hands in a row, but the recovery stopped there.

There was one pot that I will never forget, and have mulled over long and hard since. I've talked about it with Matt Ashton a lot, and we're still not sure, but it was horrible anyway.

On 6th, the boards are j743, AA22, and mine is (a2)6tqq. The J743 bets and we both call. I brick 7th, and have just a queen, the J743 checks and the AA22 bets. Obviously I sense now that I have a small chance of winning the pot with the second best hand, by calling and hoping the J743 has previously paired, missed the river, and decides to fold. This along with the AA22 pulling a daring bluff seemed a tough parlay, but I just had a sense, a bit of a physical tell, that he was bluffing. It was 6k to win 56k, and I thought hard, but decided it was too unlikely to get through the third player too. Had I not been board locked to a ten, I would have bluff raised. I passed, the J743 thought for ages and also passed, and the AA22 player triumphantly showed aces full. I don't know whether my fold was a mistake or not, but it's a tough one to take in hindsight.

In the PLO8, I had what felt like a real shot too, as I had 92k with 60 left when the average was 56k, but we ran out of luck and lost three all-ins.

Current value of package: $10,980

Really interesting TRs Stu, thanks.

Good work so far and hope you can get that bit of extra luck near the end and FT one of these things.

OUT of the $5k limit holdem tourney in about 70th. Definitely the least exciting tourney of the package, but gutted, can't get any luck going in the bigger buy-ins.

Went back with 12.6k, won QJ vs A9 on q93tt, bets on every street, then won a couple of smaller pots to reach a height of 22.5k. At 800/1600, Squeaky raised UTG+1, Froelich 3bet UTG+3, I had queens and cold 4bet the HJ, Squeaky folded, EFro 5-bet capped. That wasn't good news, felt like his range was JJ or QQ + and AK. I could get away on the turn on AK completing boards, but was committed as it ran out t4323. He bet every street, I called, and he had aces.

Raised A2ss HJ at 800-1600, player on the button 3bet, I called. Flop was ts9s6x to give me NFD, I check raised, he called. Turn was ts9s6xkx. King was the nut low card as it filled the only hands I had been ahead of on the flop (2 picture cards). I bet, he raised all-in. He had KQ and I bricked.

Down to 6.2k, lady raises HJ, I 3bet button to 2k with tens, she calls. That feels like good news. Flop K96, I bet she calls. Should be better news. I check turn behind to trap for last bet, board runs out K9643. She leads river for 2k,I move in for 2.2k, she calls with jacks.

Shame. Going to EDC tonight and day off tomorrow, and the next is possibly the most exciting of the lot, it's the $10k deuce to seven no limit on Sunday. (on half action)

Who's on at EDC tonight?

Unbelievable lineup over the weekend. They're doing a smaller version at the Olympic Village in July I think, BTW.

$10k deuce to seven at 5pm today (on half action), really pumped, let's gooo

Oi oi - this is where the golden 2% comes into play. Glgl. How was EDC?

Through to day two with 65,600, going to sleep. Went really well, full report coming soon, pumped for day two

OUT of the $10k deuce to seven lowball in the 11th level. Really gutted about this one, it felt like a big shot. The only consolation is that I don't think there is much I would have done differently over the two days.

I went back with 65,600 today, which was feeling really good, but luck just turned against me completely, only won one positive pot. These were the main spots that went against me, and my thoughts:

1) Second hand of the day, I open the button with pat 107642 with Bakes and Nick Schulman in the blinds, to 3k at 500/1k (300). Nick Schulman, who is playing circa 52k, 3bets to 8.5k. I feel my hand is really strong against his range, and think about 3betting or moving in, but it's so ugly in deuce to get that deep with a hand like 107 pat, as you are effectively turning it into a bluff, and will get action from a range of hands which has you mainly dead if you pat. So, I decided I had to call, and allow him to see his probable draw. He did indeed draw one, and fairly quickly bet 15k into 19.6k. Obviously it was bad news that he bet. However, there are two issues arising from the fact that I have had to underrep my hand before the draw, and that he is good enough to know that he is going to be betting into a pat jack 75% + of the time. Firstly, given I should have a weak range, he will be more likely to bluff as he will feel he can put some pressure on it. Secondly, I feel he is good enough that there is a reasonable slice of his value betting range that I can beat. If he might well bet any ten he has made, then I beat at least 20% of his value betting range. So, I called, and he spread 87652 across the table. It was a bad start, but I felt a pot that played itself given the underrepping spot.

2) I Raise David Baker's big blind at 600/1200 (300), to 3600 and he defends. I have 932kq (so drawing two). He draws one, so is probably drawing rough, and I make K9432. He bets 6500 into 9,900. My hand is a bluff catcher, but I'm sure he's good enough to know the maths of the game, and know that I am a favourite to make a pair. Therefore, he is definitely going to bluff with all his pairs above . The big question is how his value range is compared to his range with which he decides to check and bluff catch. I feel that the former is thin because he is drawing rough, and the latter is wide because he is drawing rough, and because he may think that I don't fully realise how thin I rep when I bet a 2draw into a 1draw, and that therefore he may be happy to bluff catch wide. So, with a reasonably thin value range and reasonably wide bluff range, I felt I had to call. He shows t9832.

3) I am down to 13k at 600-1200 (300), and it folds round to me in the small, where I have (pat) qj432. I move in, Jesse Martin is in the big having recently accrued a big stack. He calls after a while, and draws to 742. I feel this is a really bad call, and he has given himself way too much leeway from the fact his stack means he can "afford to gamble." I am still a 73% ish favourite against his 2 card draw even with my nut low pat hand. We sweat two, and he flips over an 8 and then a 6 for a nasty semi-beat.

Real shame about this one guys, it would have been sweet to go deep.

Next event is Tuesday's $3000 PLO hi-lo, which should be a great event, based on the field for the $1500 PLO8.

@Tal@Claypole EDC was amazing. Took it easy, but felt I couldn't miss it given all my favourite DJs were all in the same place. Scale of it is just insane, great to see Avicii, BingoPlayers, Afrojack, etc all in the same place

Would be interested in expansion of 2) when you have time Stu. That is of course if you are happy sharing some of your secrets!

Unlucky and again, great TR.

Yes definitely will, coming ASAP.

Going over for the start of the $3k pot limit omaha hi-lo, this is a really exciting one, should be a great tournie.

Out of the $3000 pot limit Omaha hi-lo towards the end of the fifth level. A gutting one, as I was really excited about this tournament, and thought it would be a great value field. It indeed proved to be, but it couldn't have been any more of a nothing day before this exit hand:

Chufty limps UTg at 150/300, I'm playing 6800 from 9k starting stack, aggressive young Russian pots to 1350 from utg+2, Kyle Bowker calls, I have Aj92 with nut spades. I think for a while about potting, and effectively being all in, but there will still be some play from a 5,500 stack if I call and whiff the flop, so I decide to call. We go three way with 4525 in the pot, and I have 5450 back. The flop is 965 rainbow, which is strong for my Aj92. I pot, which is effectively an all-in, and the Russian guys iso shoves all in for more. He has AA65 for bottom two pair, so we have 55.5% equity, but brick as it runs out 96552. Almost definitely same result if I do move all-in pre.

Shame to lose 70% of a starting stack in a standard spot, and I wish I could say there were interesting decisions that had arisen before that, but unfortunately there were not.

Next up is $2500 limit six-handed tomorrow, and after that the $2500 10-game event, which should be a fantastic event.

So yes, 2) is all about the draw 1 vs draw 2 spot, especially when the player drawing two is in position, giving the player drawing one the chance to create his own value range, bluffing range, and bluff catching range. There are fairly big things to realise, and how the spots play out will depend on the extent to which a player realises them, and his perception of how much his opponent does. So, the easy part for me was being 100% sure that David Baker would know all the numbers and complications of the different draws. What was more interesting was my guess on how he would perceive my understanding.

The biggest thing to realise is that the player drawing 2 is in worse shape that it may seem on the face of it. Further, this disadvantage is not diminished too much at all if the player drawing one has a poor draw, even as poor a, for example, 10983. Further, it is hardly diminished at all if the player drawing 2 has a quality draw (the best being 732), as this counts for a whole lot less than it does in triple draw, where drawing smooth is incredibly important. Typically, even matched draw 1 vs draw 2 spots (e.g. 9632 vs 842) match up at 72% to 28%.

In terms of the kind of hand the player drawing 2 will make, the median is a pair of 2 s, and so there is better than a 50% shot that the player will finish with a pair, and therefore a hand with which it is almost impossible to call. If the player drawing 1 can be assumed to value bet any hand up to a jack, then the chance of the player drawing two having a hand which is any more than just a bluff catcher (i.e. a jack or better) is only about 22%. These things combine to mean that the player drawing 1 should always bluff if he needs to, as half the time his drawing two opponent has a hand with which he cannot even consider calling, and for over half of the remaining spots, he will have a hand that can only beat a bluff.

So, I assumed David Baker would have a fairly wide bluffing range as he would be familiar with these kind of numbers. The other important question centres on a chunk of hands (probably all tens through queens) that he could put either into his value betting range or his bluff catching range, which of course will significantly affect the ratio of times he is value betting to the times he is bluffing when he does make a bet. One important factor in this is how the player drawing 1 perceives his opponent's understanding of the bad shape he is in when he draws two. Many players drawing one will recognise how unlikely their pat jack is to be beaten, and be keen to check it, and take advantage of any naivety in the player drawing two. (For that reason, it is important to have just a very thin bluff range as the player drawing 2- not least because the player drawing 1 may decide to always bluff when he hits the bottom of his range, and therefore will always be bluff catching when he checks)

So, I knew that a reasonably important part of the hand was for me to judge how Baker would judge me- and where that would be on the scale from thinking that a young(ish!) player flicking it in for the 10k must know the game, to thinking I might be a no limit player giving the game a go. It's a strange part of live poker how your own self image affects the analysis so much, and can crucially shift ranges. I decided on something in between, that he might treat me as default, and be fairly keen to check and give himself a wide bluff catching range, and therefore a narrow value betting range, which played into my decision to call.

Any more questions about 2 to 7 single draw? I feel it is such an underrated game.

How less effective is snowing in single draw?

Yeah, it's a big question, and my only regret from the 10k event was just maybe that I should have snowed a bit more. The short answer is that it is significantly less important than in triple draw, or at least should be in a game which is of any quality at all.

The main explanation comes from considering the range of hands that a player will have when he raises and pats. If we assume he is patting anything up to the worst jack (a very reasonable assumption), then he indeed have the jack a surprisingly large amount of the time. This is about 74%, and he will have towards the bottom of his range almost all of the time. Tens make up (from memory) for about 16%, nines 6%, eights 3% and sevens just 1%. What this means is that a player who is patting only honestly will have a value bet a very small amount of the time, even if we are favourable and assume he will value bet all tens.

So, any player who is seen to pat and make the value bet on more than one occasion should immediately arouse suspicion in a good 2-7 single draw game, and particularly so if he is betting out of position (where he does not have the comfort implied by his opponent's check, and also where he may decide to check raise the top of his pat range). There is no way he can adjust his value betting range to allow himself to include some snows and still be balanced against a perceptive opponent.

Of course, it is a big leap in any poker game to assume that all opponents are well aware of hand ranges, and I spent the whole first day in the 10k trying to work out to extent to which certain people might be a bit naïve. In a poor deuce to seven game (which this was not), it can become a lot more attractive to make a lot of snows. The best circumstances are having blockers (really any paired cards up to an 8, deuces and sevens don't take on much superior importance like they do in single draw), having position, and actually if possible, having raised from an earlier position, where you can be assumed to have a stronger pat range, and are therefore given credit for having a value bet a larger fraction of the time.

Great answer. Makes a lot of sense. Thanks.

$2500 limit holdem six-handed.

OUT, unfortunately at the start of level eight yesterday. We started with 7,500 chips, and I quickly ran up to 13,500, and then straight back down with a AK<AQ on AQ562 and QQ<KK on tt882 (bizarrely he checked back the river). So, I had exactly 7,500 going into the 5th level, and then ran well to make it up to 14,200. From that point it started going wrong, and I lost my stack in about 4 or 5 small chunks. I don't think there is too much I would have changed, these were the most interesting spots:

1) I raise 99 UTG at 300/600, Miami John defends the big blind. Flop comes 755 rainbow, I bet he calls. Turn is 755K, completing the rainbow. I bet, he raises. This is not good news. Two things are true. Firstly, that his value range is really thin; I can only realistically see him raising the unlikely trip 5s (or better), and any king (the possibilities are probably k10,kj and kq). On the other hand, I can only beat a bluff, and pocket nines has just turned into nothing but a bluff catcher. So, I now had the only remaining decision for the hand- whether to fold now, or to call down turn and river. It is obviously a possiblity to call here to keep a player honest and fold the river, but it just doesn't seem realistic, given the massive direct odds of a river call, and the fact that this can turn into a very exploitable strategy. I did not like it at all, as it did not feel like a good bluff spot given the thinness of his repping, but obviously odds to call in limit holdem are always attractive, even over two streets. I called turn, and again on a 755k8 river, and was showed 54 offsuit. Frustrating, as he shouldn't have too many 5s in his range for defending the BB against an UTG open, and especially not that one!

2) Young guy raises the CO at 300/600, and I have A10 off in the BB. It is an easy three bet, but I like to flat call those aces against an agressive player in limit. They are great bluff catchers on ace high boards, where opponents may multi-barrel with little or no equity, and play easily as bluff catchers on low boards as well, where A10 high can well be good. I may also be able to turn it into a bluff, on the kind of board which should hit my supposed pre-flop defending range harder. This kind of board did come, as the board ran out 3869. He bet the flop and turn, and I decided the turn was just about a good enough spot to turn my hand into a bluff and check-raise. Obviously A10 would still be good alot of the time, and so the check raise includes some protection as well, and it felt like I had a good shot to bluff off the three hands I wanted to target most- AJ, AQ and AK. He tank called, and I fired again on a queen river. He snapped, and showed AQ. That was a shame, as it felt that I had been six outered, and probably do get the river bet through on any non-ace or queen rivers. Not fully convinced about this bluff, but I think given the fact my hand is nearly a call down anyway, that I might as well use the extra small price of a turn check raise to give myself a good chance to fold out a range of hands that beats me.

3) I raise 44 from the HJ at 150/300, CO 3bets and button 4bets. This is close whether to call, where the CO can still cap and cost me an extra bet, and where I will probably have to check-fold flop even where my hand may be good. I decided to call with just about implied odds to set mine, and some chance of being able to call a flop bet on certain boards, and hope for a check down. Cut-off called as well, and I missed the board of KQ9. Surprisngly, it then got checked round, and the turn KQQ9. It was checked to the button, the original 4-better, and he now bet. This was potentially very interesting, but also potentially not at all, if he was using a normal pot control like with specifically jacks or tens. It depended on my perception of how he was, as a good player would never play AJ or AT in this way, as they would be their equity on the flop. To be honest, it felt like it was jacks or tens, but I would have an easy river fold against a bet, and could call just one here in a big pot. I was actually wrong with my decision, but right to make the call. He had A10, but a ten hit the river, and we both checked. I actually thought about betting the river to try to get him off AT, and regret not doing so, as you get such a great price on the bluff. If his turn range was likely to be one of (TT,JJ,AT,AJ), then TT just became half as likely given the river. Even thought the chance of AT had just dropped by 25%, and it was the only hand in the range of four I would have any chance of bluffing, I think my bluffing odds of 9 to 1 probably just about justify it. It needs the parlay of him not calling obviously, which is far from certain, but it would be a tough call for him to make.

So, it was quite a fun tournament (the six handed made it so), and a shame to bust out. Today is the $2500 10-game mix (the HORSE mix, PLO, triple draw, single draw NL and badugi), which I am massively looking forward to. It is possibly the event of the series, and can have so many opponents who are not good at all at a couple of the games, or in some cases, don't even know the rules to one of them.

Going to be a fun one, going across now, excited for this one.

Just read that post about the 2-7. Have very little understanding of the game so went over my head a little! Thanks very much for taking the time to share your thoughts though.

OUT of today's $2500 ten game mix in level eight. Really gutted about this one, and about the run in general. Today was much the same, of just not getting enough luck, and of having a feeling that I would have changed only small things, if anything at all.

Starting table was tough (Bill Chen, young German guy, John Pham, very competent young players), and it continued that way for the day, which felt like it was typical of the whole field. Interesting pots in 2-7 NL, stud hi-lo and stud coming tomorrow.

So, these were the two most interesting hands from the $2500 10-game yesterday. This was an exciting one, gutted today not to be in day two!

1) stud hi-lo, 150-300 (25). Six handed. The board (with me in 3 seat) is AK539x, and I have (47)5 on the right of the bring in. The ace raises, the king (surprisingly) two bets, and I cold call with a strong hand, hoping for a three way pot. We go three way, and I catch (47)53, which is nice. The ace catches a king, and the kind catches an ace, so I almost definitely have the best equity three way. AK checks, KA bets, I just call, for disguise and to encourage the AK to come along. He calls. Fifth is gin for me, I catch (47)536. Not only the almost lock low and near lock high, but not such a threatening board, given I have a straight on 5th. AK catches AK2 (good news), KA catches KAQ. He bets, and I have a big decision whether to flat call to encourage three way action and get in a later raise, or to raise, partly to protect my low, but mainly for value, hoping AK2 will call two cold with an inferior hand. I think this is my big mistake from yesterday, as I decided to raise, and lost AK2 after a tank. KAQ called all the way down, and I was good for the scoop, but I think cost myself 900 chips, on a close but wrong decision. I think the big thing is that I am probably able to get a raise in on one and only one street, and so might as well delay to get 300 more on 5th, and mainly to see if there is a more favourable street on which to get the raise in. This will particularly happen if AK2 takes the lead, and therefore the betting lead, which would create a very nice spot for a raise, and possibly to trap KAQ for 3 cold, in a spot where I am still very likely to be good for the scoop.

2) No limit holdem, 25-50. No limit holdem takes on an interesting role in any multi-game mix. The overall atmosphere is a bit more relaxed, and there are a number of good mixed game players not wanting to take on big variance in one of only two games that could disturb a more steady, profitable flow in the mix. So, I often try to get out of line a lot in no limit, but at the same time, I will be one of the players who when on the defensive, does not want to take on variance unnecessarily.

I raise AsJs from UTG+1 six handed to 125, and the big blind 3bets to 350. Whereas this is a standard peel in position in NHLE six max, I don't feel it necessarily has to be the case here. He looks like his three betting range could well be wider, although one frustration of getting decisions in early levels is that a guess from limited information may later prove to be wrong. This was ultimately the case here, as he was very snug for the rest of the day. I peeled, and the board came A75 rainbow. He bet 425 into 775, and obviously this is a standard peel once. The turn was A759 rainbow, and good news came as he checked. I think a lot of my decision here comes from how much he can have the mid range of A8 and AT, and also 88/98/76 etc, which is obviously a range against which I can now simultaneously protect and value.

If his 3bet range is super tight, however, there is almost no point betting here, as I am in a way ahead-way behind situation. However, with surely a chance that AK and AQ had just become less likely with his check, I decided to bet here. I bet 525 into 1625. He called, we checked down a A759T river, and he showed AK, to make me think I had possibly put in too much action across the streets. There is of course the big option of turning my hand into a bluff on the river, possibly with slight merge value, and piling by betting the pot. It looks very believable, as it creates a situation where the two most important hands in his range, AK and AQ, can surely only be winning if I have turned an inferior hand into a bluff. The ten on the river becomes quite significant here, as on one hand it gives me a stronger spot to bluff off AK and AQ, but of course him having AT fits best with the turn action. I think it's really close whether to pile 2500 into 2675 on the river, but it felt sensible not to risk halving my stack at the start of the tournament.

I think this decision on the river is a really tough one, albeit a rare one, created purely by the question of what attitude you want to take to NLHE as part of a ten game mix. Just maybe, if it is good to pile the river here, I was a victim of being a bit too excited for this tournament, which I think is an underrated danger to any poker tournament, as it can make people avoid high variance spots early on.

There is one event left on the package, which is the $2500 triple draw, and the timing has become a bit difficult my girlfriend now leaves the next day, making that day a tricky one to start playing, and my friends get into town on July 3rd.

So, I am going instead to play the $2,500 no limit holdem on July 1st, and give people the option whether to transfer over to that (a simple swap given the same buy-in), or to refund the triple draw. Of course, either is completely fine, easy with both, so if you'd like to let me know on here or by PM, that would be great.

transfer gl

Love your writing style Stu, seems like your playing good hope you can bink something soon!

Re: NLH hand looks like you played it fine to me, if you check back turn anyway its likely they bet for value on the river and you have to make hero fold or you lose more chips. Betting gave you a chance for a cheaper showdown IMO so i dont think you made a mistake.

Cant really comment much on stud hi/lo as i havent played it, or if i have like odd horse tourney?? but missing possible value of 900 when bb 300 doesn't seem to bad, feel free to explain more anyone?

Good luck sir

Yeah swap it over.

Refund cheers.

Transfer please.

OUT of today's $2500 no limit holdem at the end of level five. Unfortunately, there wasn't too much of interest to write about, apart from the exit hand, which accounted for most of the starting stack.

The table was pretty tough- had Pez on my left, a young British guy three to my right who played very well. Not quite sure who he was, but he was very competent. The rest of the table was fairly solid, no chips were being given out for free at all.

Exit hand: I had 5,800 at 100/200 (25), and had two red jacks UTG+2. I raised to 450, and it folded round to the young British guy in the big blind, who had played aggressively so far. He flatted, and the flop came a nice  Th 6h 2d. The pot had 1225 in it, and the effective stack was 5,350. I bet 600 and he check raised to 1,500 after about 20 seconds thought.

Whilst on one hand it seemed standard to get it in on a flop where I was very likely only beaten by a set, it was slightly confusing to work out what his get-it-in range would be. It didn't feel like it was going to include too many tens, and possibly not even ace-ten, but at the same time, his value range that had me beat seemed very thin too (two pair an impossibility, sets are hard to make, and an overpair seemed fairly unlikely).

The main thought was therefore that his non-bluffing range was stuffed with a lot of hearts- and these would often be either two overcards with the flush draw, or a gutshot with the flush draw (9h8h, 8h7h, etc). There was of course some possibility of a stone cold bluff, and little possibility that was check raising some equity like pocket eights or T9; he was obviously not the kind of player who would raise to find out where he was.

So, there was obviously serious consideration to flatting the flop, looking to get it in on favourable turn. However, this could possibly give away a pot to non-nut flush draws if I were to pass on a black ace turn, and could give a free card to the times he was check-raise bluffing with just two overs. I could obviously never be a dog to a flush draw, and so I decided to get it in. This is probably a very standard decision, but I just thought it was worthy of interest and some thought, because it seemed unlikely that this opponent would get in too many hands that I had smashed (e.g. QT).

He had pocket queens, and the board, and the turn and river ran out without a black jack. This is probably a standard cooler, given the perfect flop for my opponent's situation, but I would be interested to know people's thoughts about a spot where we are 4.5 PSBs deep, and there might only be one hand (AT) against which our opponent will allow us to get in stacks favourably.

So, this concludes the package, gutted to have not done better, sorry guys.

Value of package is the $4030 cash in the $1500 PLO8 event, plus the $6,950 cash in the $2500 razz event, so is $10980. (So, 1% is $109.80, 2% is $219.60, 5% is $549, etc)

Could you let me know bank deets so that I can send payments whenever you like. I will be back home on July 11th, but can send any time from now, that would you like.

U still in the rio stu? Come find me pavilion green 246, if $ cash is ok.

I'm not unfortunately. Are you staying at Palms Place by any chance? If not, can come find you at any point after today. glglgl

No I'm not, but will probs be in the rio most days from now so lmk when you next are

Bank xfer is np btw was just saying if you happened to be around

Ah cool soz, actually not playing til day 1C of the Main Event now, so would you prefer it then or by bank transfer now?

Bank pls thanks mate

sweet, PM coming

I'll just ship you the difference for my main even piece if that works for you.

That's perfect, yes. Do you want me to work it out, or are you OK doing so?

Its $30.20 I think.  I'll sort it today hopefully.....although knowing me by the end of the week.....

That's cool, no rush at all on it, cheers mate

Anyone who has not yet sent bank/Stars/Moneybookers/Netteller details yet, would you like to send them across whenever you like, and I can send monies straight away.