Rapid Fire Thoughts

Point form blog post today with random thoughts about several different topics.

• Stars has really, really screwed the pooch with their buyin changes. The games are awful. I wasn't able to get 24 decent tables open at any point this weekend. You can tell they know they've messed up, but how long is it going to take them to fix it? At least when my SNE status lapses in September I'll be able to justify either playing cross sites or moving entirely.


• A side effect of the buyin changes I've noticed seems to be that a lot of the true maniac megadonk types have moved up from 100NL and 200NL to 400NL and 600NL 50bb tables. It could also just be that the true maniacs tend to gravitate to midstakes to gamble where the wins and losses are more financially significant.


• Last week my girlfriend bought me Mario Galaxy 2. It's a very good game. An entirely predictable conclusion given that they developed a very interesting and somewhat unique engine in the first, and simply needed to not fail big time developing new content with it in the second.


• The Stanley Cup Finals have been entertaining despite me not being fond of either team competing. Before the series started someone suggested it might be the weakest goaltending matchup in SCF history, and they definitely weren't too far off in that regard. The scoring depth on each team makes for very enjoyable hockey however.


• Can't wait until July when I'll be graced with Starcraft 2 and Persona 3 Portable.


• In some ways it really feels like I should be in Vegas for the WSOP right now, though I'm glad I decided to skip it this year. I'm something of a home body, and after the PCA and EPT Monte Carlo + Paris/Britain I'm all traveled out for a bit. Next year I think I'll probably go down for 2 weeks, play three to five events and sell a bunch of action.

Finally, a hand history from tonight that emphasizes how awesome bumhunting at 600NL has been to me this month. This hand actually ends up being my biggest net win in a hand yet, besting the previous record by a beastly $12.05! I've won bigger pots before, but because this one was multiway it showed a larger profit. The opener in the hand is an unknown who has played a very small number of hands at Stars - may or may not be a fish. The caller is the reason I'm at the table, an 80/20 type megadonk. On the flop once the action gets to me I knew I was priced in to try to peel gin, especially given it was rainbow (with a flush draw on board I'd have folded). When the turn peeled I said "thank you Jesus" out loud to my monitor. Fading the river four outer was awesome too. If you're going to run good at one stake, make it the highest you play! Averaging just over $3/hand over 850 hands at 600NL this month so far.

PokerStars No-Limit Hold'em, $6.00 BB (8 handed)
SB ($630.45)
Hero (BB) ($600)
UTG ($652)
UTG+1 ($411)
MP1 ($452.45)
MP2 ($607)
CO ($667)
Button ($612)

Preflop: Hero is BB with J, Q
1 fold, UTG+1 bets $18, MP1 calls $18, 4 folds, Hero calls $12

Flop: ($57) 8, 9, A (3 players)
Hero checks, UTG+1 bets $30, MP1 calls $30, Hero calls $30

Turn: ($147) 10 (3 players)
Hero checks, UTG+1 bets $60, MP1 raises to $120, Hero calls $120, UTG+1 calls $60

River: ($507) K (3 players)
Hero bets $432 (All-In), 1 fold, MP1 calls $284.45 (All-In)

Total pot: $1075.90 | Rake: $3

Results:
Hero had J, Q (straight, Ace high).
MP1 had A, 9 (two pair, Aces and nines).
Outcome: Hero won $1072.90