I know that when we first started this blog it was mostly to bitch about running bad, mediocre results, and getting crushed in the live games, but hey sometimes things change for the better. Don't get me wrong, I'm still getting crushed in the live games but I'm on some type of sick heater online. After nearly a year and a half without a 2k+ score online, this last week has been unreal...
Starting on black friday, I fired up the $163 75k on FullTilt and decided to just grind one tournament while hanging out with my family in Ohio for thanksgiving. Even though I was more than confident I was simply donating my usual $150 ($13 juice) to the prizepool, this tournament for a change, had a different purpose. As the clock passed into Saturday's AM, I found myself with a top 5 stack in the money. This is a feeling I'm all too familiar with. It's sometime in the next hour where I usually take some type of sick beat and mincash making the whole tournament a frustrating waste of time. Not this time. Every 20 hands was chased with AA or KK doubling everytime. I've never seen a run of cards like I had in this tournament. Before I knew it I had made it. I was at the final table and guaranteed around 1500 in prize money. I rallied the Raleigh crowd to get on and sweat and even got phantom rail appearances from both Jay Smith and Mike Finn. Although I wasn't able to punch it in for the win I scored a cool 7k for 4th place and turned on a fire hotter than the sun.
A few days later I fired up the $216 50k Turbo at 6 PM, a tournament I had always wanted to play but was just a little too high buyin for me. Another stunning final table and another 4th place for 6k. Somehow, I wasn't done there. The week long heater was still in the making. Yesterday I fired up the $117 super turbo, the $50r turbo, and the $109 turbo on stars. I final tabled all 3 events. Although I continue to fail at winning, my scores were 7th for 1.4k, 5th for 2.2k, and 2nd for 5.9k respectfully.
Now I know you're all saying "Not too shabby for 10 days of work" but you have to put this in perspective. I haven't had a big score in almost a year and a half. So although the winnings are sweet, the work that went into these scores was a lot more than the actual time playing these 5 events.
Now in boring life news: Finals are creeping up and this is going to be a true test of my dedication to school. I'm going to have to put poker aside on this sick heater and focus on school (good joke right?). Hopefully I can get through these classes and then enjoy break. Oh, speaking of break. I'm trying to qualify for the PCA so that I can go enjoy 7 days in the Caribbean while playing in a live tournament I can actually play (its 18+ instead of 21). I still need someone to come with me though and all of team estate is either too busto, busy with work/mcats, or just doesn't like me enough to come. Hopefully I can find someone to join me for alcohol induced comas at the beach and live tournament poker...
That's all I got for now but hopefully the run good will continue. For all of those who still read this from time to time, thank you so so much for your support. I really do appreciate it.
Mazin
Saturday, December 5, 2009
Sunday, November 8, 2009
Grinding FTOPS #10
Just posting for some run good. FTOPS #10 ($322 NLHE) Tournament started at 6 and I'm in it to win it. Sattyd in for $75.
One time.
One time.
Friday, October 23, 2009
The Life Grind
It's been a long time since anyone has really blogged about our lives and such but that's mostly because none of us do anything anymore...
I've been sick for the last few weeks as I wrote about earlier. After a hospital visit and some blood work they figured it out. I have mono. As you can imagine getting mono mid-semester is a pretty sick beat but at least you can only get it once...or so they say. Knowing how bad I run who knows. Almost as if it was planned ole Rashoid only 1 day before my hospital visit was rushed to the ER with appendicitis. The good news is we're both better now and back on the life grind.
The poker world is going better than expected as well. Not only have I grinded out my newly formed estate debt (yes Finn, I lose there even when you're gone), but I also somehow got staked online to play $26 tournaments (mostly 45/90 mans with some MTTs mixed in) and I can't even begin to tell you how good that's going. We agreed to do a 50/50 profit split with him putting up a $2600 (standard 100 buyins) roll for me to play. We're going to withdraw profits every 250 games and the stake is to last for 1000 games. It does kinda suck to have to ship out half of my winnings but the comfort of not playing on my own dollar and being actually rolled for the games I'm in is great. Also the guy is an extremely nice guy who gives me a lot of freedom in game selection. I can't really complain. So far after 150 games I'm up almost 2k on the stake so I'm off to a very hot start. Let's hope it lasts.
In the life world things are a bit tough right now. Since I missed a week or so of school I'm pretty far behind in all my classes and it's starting to catch up with me. Also being actually rolled online, I can't lie, is affecting my effort in school a wee bit. Hopefully I can get my shit together and finish up the semester on a good note.
Other than that not much has really changed. Nick still gets his day started around 3PM, Zack is still crazy in love, and Ebe is grinding out his 6PM-6AM work shift 4 days a week (sick life). If no one else is going to keep the blog alive, I'll write again soon. I feel like I've dominated the blog for the last few months, but who doesn't want to hear from the best AMIRITE?!
MDaddy
I've been sick for the last few weeks as I wrote about earlier. After a hospital visit and some blood work they figured it out. I have mono. As you can imagine getting mono mid-semester is a pretty sick beat but at least you can only get it once...or so they say. Knowing how bad I run who knows. Almost as if it was planned ole Rashoid only 1 day before my hospital visit was rushed to the ER with appendicitis. The good news is we're both better now and back on the life grind.
The poker world is going better than expected as well. Not only have I grinded out my newly formed estate debt (yes Finn, I lose there even when you're gone), but I also somehow got staked online to play $26 tournaments (mostly 45/90 mans with some MTTs mixed in) and I can't even begin to tell you how good that's going. We agreed to do a 50/50 profit split with him putting up a $2600 (standard 100 buyins) roll for me to play. We're going to withdraw profits every 250 games and the stake is to last for 1000 games. It does kinda suck to have to ship out half of my winnings but the comfort of not playing on my own dollar and being actually rolled for the games I'm in is great. Also the guy is an extremely nice guy who gives me a lot of freedom in game selection. I can't really complain. So far after 150 games I'm up almost 2k on the stake so I'm off to a very hot start. Let's hope it lasts.
In the life world things are a bit tough right now. Since I missed a week or so of school I'm pretty far behind in all my classes and it's starting to catch up with me. Also being actually rolled online, I can't lie, is affecting my effort in school a wee bit. Hopefully I can get my shit together and finish up the semester on a good note.
Other than that not much has really changed. Nick still gets his day started around 3PM, Zack is still crazy in love, and Ebe is grinding out his 6PM-6AM work shift 4 days a week (sick life). If no one else is going to keep the blog alive, I'll write again soon. I feel like I've dominated the blog for the last few months, but who doesn't want to hear from the best AMIRITE?!
MDaddy
Thursday, October 15, 2009
Day 1: Success
The first day of my 60% 45 man staking arrangement worked out pretty well.
Although off to an extremely rocky start with some punishing late run bad, I was able to bounce back and win a couple at night to bring the day to a profit.
Final report of day 1.
--------------------
Games: 42
Net: +$384.41
ROI%: 35.2%
ITM: 16.7%
--------------------
Quickpost this image to Myspace, Digg, Facebook, and others!
Always great to start your first day off with a win. We're also almost nearly half way through the staking arrangement already (played 9+ hours yesterday, lol school).
Hopefully today we can get a little fire burning and go on a sick run.
M.
Although off to an extremely rocky start with some punishing late run bad, I was able to bounce back and win a couple at night to bring the day to a profit.
Final report of day 1.
--------------------
Games: 42
Net: +$384.41
ROI%: 35.2%
ITM: 16.7%
--------------------
Quickpost this image to Myspace, Digg, Facebook, and others!Always great to start your first day off with a win. We're also almost nearly half way through the staking arrangement already (played 9+ hours yesterday, lol school).
Hopefully today we can get a little fire burning and go on a sick run.
M.
Wednesday, October 14, 2009
$24/45 Mans on FullTilt
The 60% staking arrangement begins today for everyone involved (http://forumserver.twoplustwo.com/135/staking/closed-shares-100-45-mans-weird-607096/).
I'll be getting back from class grabbing some lunch and settling in for a nice winning session. As my session start to add up I'll post some results here as long as some fun hands.
Wish me luck bitches,
M
I'll be getting back from class grabbing some lunch and settling in for a nice winning session. As my session start to add up I'll post some results here as long as some fun hands.
Wish me luck bitches,
M
Friday, October 9, 2009
A Week of Sickness and Bull
As every school year typical goes for me, I'm selected at random to get sick at unarguably the worst times of the year. This semester, it's struck again. With only three days till fall break and two big tests on Tuesday and Wednesday, some type of weird viral infection was on.
As if the annoying pain and inability to get out of bed for more than a few minutes at a time wasn't bad enough, I had to deal with the ever frequent visits of Rash coming in to call me a bitch or share his fun plans for the day. Supportive friends I have right?
I saw an ENT Specialist on Monday and she had the quality insight of "Eh, It's probably just a virus, should get better soon." I had a pretty raging ear ache so I expressed concern that maybe I had an ear infection or some type of throat infection in need of antibiotics. She somehow tried to convince me I simply had a sore jaw and it was referring pain to my ear. Good Joke. Modern medicine truly works wonders.
After 3 days with minimal improvement, I went back to the same wonderful doctor to hear the always comforting "Well, it could still be a virus but it looks like you have some tonsillitis too." Although annoying news, at least she finally prescribed me some antibiotics and I think I'm starting to get better but I've only had 3 doses so who really knows.
Aside from missing two tests that I'm gonna have to make up, getting crushed in poker, and spending my fall break in bed, all is well on the Mazin front. Yeah, I'm sick and I realize this is an annoying rant but my life is pretty great after all so hopefully I'll get my white blood cells together and get out of this bull.
Till next time,
M
As if the annoying pain and inability to get out of bed for more than a few minutes at a time wasn't bad enough, I had to deal with the ever frequent visits of Rash coming in to call me a bitch or share his fun plans for the day. Supportive friends I have right?
I saw an ENT Specialist on Monday and she had the quality insight of "Eh, It's probably just a virus, should get better soon." I had a pretty raging ear ache so I expressed concern that maybe I had an ear infection or some type of throat infection in need of antibiotics. She somehow tried to convince me I simply had a sore jaw and it was referring pain to my ear. Good Joke. Modern medicine truly works wonders.
After 3 days with minimal improvement, I went back to the same wonderful doctor to hear the always comforting "Well, it could still be a virus but it looks like you have some tonsillitis too." Although annoying news, at least she finally prescribed me some antibiotics and I think I'm starting to get better but I've only had 3 doses so who really knows.
Aside from missing two tests that I'm gonna have to make up, getting crushed in poker, and spending my fall break in bed, all is well on the Mazin front. Yeah, I'm sick and I realize this is an annoying rant but my life is pretty great after all so hopefully I'll get my white blood cells together and get out of this bull.
Till next time,
M
Monday, September 14, 2009
WCOOP Event #26 - A True Rollercoaster
Adrenaline was pumping in our veins as we had finally cruised inside the top 200 of a field that started 10 hours ago with 9795 players. The prize pool stood pretty at 1.96 million with 1st a cool 274k in change. For the Standard Bull crew, this was destiny.
We've been nearing the glory of a huge score for some time now. Zack came up with a 27th place finish in the massive MiniFtops field with 1st close to 40k, I had lost a stack to a sick cooler in the 750k nearing the money with a top 30 stack, and Nick and Josh had come in the top 200 of the Sunday Million just a week before. Everything had built up to this moment. We had an above average stack, we were playing great, and we had one goal on our minds, a huge earned score.
It's easy to talk about where you are in a tournament once you're deep, but getting there in a major tournament is much easier said than done. Not only do you have to play pure for over 10 hours, but you have to run like Dustin Givens aka hotfire... So how'd we get there?
With Jonathan Rash run good at the wheel, we doubled in the 2nd hour with AA on QQ. Almost immediately after we lost a small pot KK < ATs but it didn't phase our grind. Once we had run up a decent stack by flopping a set and getting paid, it was time for our first pure bink of the tournament.
We raised up the A4s in mid position and gboro moved in for 15 bigs right behind us. Although personally I'm not a huge fan of the play, Rashoid decided he's moving in with worse a good percentage of the time and given our odds to call, we decided to pay. He had KK but everyone knows that 1 over is all you need. We found an Ace on the flop and rivered the nut flush for good measure. Our stack was building rapidly.
We continued our patient grind and always maintained 100 bigs or more. The structure was very slow and quite deep so it allowed for a lot of play. Our edge was glorious and it was paying off as we continued to make hands. In our biggest hand of the early stages, we called a UTG raise with TT and took the flop 3 handed. K 4 K was the flop and the raiser fired around 3/5ths of the pot. We were content to call one and re-eval on the turn when we turned the godsent miracle. T. "Did you say you had tens?" I asked from across the room unable to comprehend the fact that someone can run good enough to turn a set... Our villian checked to us and we checked back to ensure maximum value on the river. His stack was small enough that if he bet river we could still easily get it all. The river completed a flush draw and put a seemingly meaningless 2 of spades on the board. To our excitement, he led into us for 3/4ths pot with barely more than a minraise behind. We moved in and he tanked for a few seconds before calling with 22, a rivered boat.
What a rush and what a payoff card. We were running like hot fire and loving it. We had almost 300k in chips and were entering the money with a top 20 stack. "They aren't even going to make us work for it" We said. "They're just gonna let us cruise on in."
As if the doomswitcher on stars heard what we said (and yes, there is one of those), PokerStars was content to make us grind again as we lost KK to A9 for half our stack in a preflop bvb leveling war. We were back on the grind, and hard too. Not content with a laughable $500 cash, we were in it for the long haul. With only 140k in chips (still above average), we couldn't coast any longer. We raised up the button with AJ and the BB moved in for 22 blinds. After making sure that he was a winning player, Rash snapped off the all in and he showed K9 for the resteal. Although flopping a king, the doomswitch man let us ejaculate all over a warming Ace on the river.
The very next hand we looked down at AK of clubs, the rush was on. A raise ahead of us we put in a 3 bet and called off the shove. He showed QQ and held and we were back down to 200k just like that.
By now we were into the top 180 of the field with still a slightly above average stack. We decided with only 35 or so blinds, that we couldn't be as aggressive as we had been in the earlier stages. We let ourselves blind off a little waiting for a hand to double and finally make a deep deep run for a 6 figure score. We chipped down to about 177k when the most dramatic hand of the tournament took place.
The cutoff raised it up and we 3 bet the button with Kings (the dream spot). The small blind folded and the big blind who happened to be a whale, moved in for 400k. The cutoff folded and Rash instantly hit the call button and took off sprinting out of the room slamming the door behind him. "I can't watch" He said, "I won't do it." The big blind showed AQ and I was left alone in the room to sweat on my laptop. 2 6 8 flop. Bingo, we had finally dodged an Ace in the door. Two more pure streets of bricks and we're going to win this thing. Before I could even begin to relax about the satisfactory flop that left us all in as a huge favorite with 150 players to go, the Ace of clubs hit the turn and we were all but out. With only two outs to go the wind was emptied from my sails and a 4 hit the river securing our elimination.
I don't know how many of you have had shots at 6 figure prize pools this deep in a major tournament but I can tell you personally its the worst feeling in the world to lose that chance. It reminds me of Mike Matusow crying after his elimination in last years WSOP Main Event. With a field that large, you only get so many shots in a lifetime to take it down. Getting so close and not punching through is one of the most disheartening things in the world. Sure there were still 150 people left and so much can happen in that time, but if we win our hand, we have an above average stack and a chance. In general, we usually play much lower than $215 buyins, so this made it hurt that much more. I don't know how long it'll be till we're that deep in another major tournament because of our lack of volume.
It's only 1 day later so I'm still in a little bit of depression about the beat. Rash somehow didn't throw anything but he's hurting inside. Zack, although having the biggest piece of the buyin, doesn't seem to care that much but he hates money anyway so it's not that big of a surprise.
Someday we're gonna fade that ace harder than anyone has ever faded a card in their life... Until then...FML.
Mazin
We've been nearing the glory of a huge score for some time now. Zack came up with a 27th place finish in the massive MiniFtops field with 1st close to 40k, I had lost a stack to a sick cooler in the 750k nearing the money with a top 30 stack, and Nick and Josh had come in the top 200 of the Sunday Million just a week before. Everything had built up to this moment. We had an above average stack, we were playing great, and we had one goal on our minds, a huge earned score.
It's easy to talk about where you are in a tournament once you're deep, but getting there in a major tournament is much easier said than done. Not only do you have to play pure for over 10 hours, but you have to run like Dustin Givens aka hotfire... So how'd we get there?
With Jonathan Rash run good at the wheel, we doubled in the 2nd hour with AA on QQ. Almost immediately after we lost a small pot KK < ATs but it didn't phase our grind. Once we had run up a decent stack by flopping a set and getting paid, it was time for our first pure bink of the tournament.
We raised up the A4s in mid position and gboro moved in for 15 bigs right behind us. Although personally I'm not a huge fan of the play, Rashoid decided he's moving in with worse a good percentage of the time and given our odds to call, we decided to pay. He had KK but everyone knows that 1 over is all you need. We found an Ace on the flop and rivered the nut flush for good measure. Our stack was building rapidly.
We continued our patient grind and always maintained 100 bigs or more. The structure was very slow and quite deep so it allowed for a lot of play. Our edge was glorious and it was paying off as we continued to make hands. In our biggest hand of the early stages, we called a UTG raise with TT and took the flop 3 handed. K 4 K was the flop and the raiser fired around 3/5ths of the pot. We were content to call one and re-eval on the turn when we turned the godsent miracle. T. "Did you say you had tens?" I asked from across the room unable to comprehend the fact that someone can run good enough to turn a set... Our villian checked to us and we checked back to ensure maximum value on the river. His stack was small enough that if he bet river we could still easily get it all. The river completed a flush draw and put a seemingly meaningless 2 of spades on the board. To our excitement, he led into us for 3/4ths pot with barely more than a minraise behind. We moved in and he tanked for a few seconds before calling with 22, a rivered boat.
What a rush and what a payoff card. We were running like hot fire and loving it. We had almost 300k in chips and were entering the money with a top 20 stack. "They aren't even going to make us work for it" We said. "They're just gonna let us cruise on in."
As if the doomswitcher on stars heard what we said (and yes, there is one of those), PokerStars was content to make us grind again as we lost KK to A9 for half our stack in a preflop bvb leveling war. We were back on the grind, and hard too. Not content with a laughable $500 cash, we were in it for the long haul. With only 140k in chips (still above average), we couldn't coast any longer. We raised up the button with AJ and the BB moved in for 22 blinds. After making sure that he was a winning player, Rash snapped off the all in and he showed K9 for the resteal. Although flopping a king, the doomswitch man let us ejaculate all over a warming Ace on the river.
The very next hand we looked down at AK of clubs, the rush was on. A raise ahead of us we put in a 3 bet and called off the shove. He showed QQ and held and we were back down to 200k just like that.
By now we were into the top 180 of the field with still a slightly above average stack. We decided with only 35 or so blinds, that we couldn't be as aggressive as we had been in the earlier stages. We let ourselves blind off a little waiting for a hand to double and finally make a deep deep run for a 6 figure score. We chipped down to about 177k when the most dramatic hand of the tournament took place.
The cutoff raised it up and we 3 bet the button with Kings (the dream spot). The small blind folded and the big blind who happened to be a whale, moved in for 400k. The cutoff folded and Rash instantly hit the call button and took off sprinting out of the room slamming the door behind him. "I can't watch" He said, "I won't do it." The big blind showed AQ and I was left alone in the room to sweat on my laptop. 2 6 8 flop. Bingo, we had finally dodged an Ace in the door. Two more pure streets of bricks and we're going to win this thing. Before I could even begin to relax about the satisfactory flop that left us all in as a huge favorite with 150 players to go, the Ace of clubs hit the turn and we were all but out. With only two outs to go the wind was emptied from my sails and a 4 hit the river securing our elimination.
I don't know how many of you have had shots at 6 figure prize pools this deep in a major tournament but I can tell you personally its the worst feeling in the world to lose that chance. It reminds me of Mike Matusow crying after his elimination in last years WSOP Main Event. With a field that large, you only get so many shots in a lifetime to take it down. Getting so close and not punching through is one of the most disheartening things in the world. Sure there were still 150 people left and so much can happen in that time, but if we win our hand, we have an above average stack and a chance. In general, we usually play much lower than $215 buyins, so this made it hurt that much more. I don't know how long it'll be till we're that deep in another major tournament because of our lack of volume.
It's only 1 day later so I'm still in a little bit of depression about the beat. Rash somehow didn't throw anything but he's hurting inside. Zack, although having the biggest piece of the buyin, doesn't seem to care that much but he hates money anyway so it's not that big of a surprise.
Someday we're gonna fade that ace harder than anyone has ever faded a card in their life... Until then...FML.
Mazin
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