Dreams Are Junk

I was on my way home in the dark, although it wasn’t so dark I couldn’t see the gun. There was a car parked near my house, and sitting in it were four young black dudes: two in the front, two in the back. One in the back was holding the gun, it was silver or silvery. I feared for a moment he was going to shoot the other guy, but he was simply showing it to him.

I can’t remember if I spoke to them, but I do remember taking out a pen and writing down the car registration number: B77 3701.

The next thing I remember, I was in the hall and four men were walking up the short path. They were all white, one was my neighbour of 26 years, the other three were drinking buddies, they were carrying bottles of beer. Nothing unusual about that, I thought. I went upstairs, and the door to my apartment was ajar, the living room light on. I pushed the door open and confronted the low table, it was bare; someone had broken in and stolen my computer. It was then I realised my apartment doesn’t look like this, for one thing I don’t enter it by the living room door. Then I woke up.

I’ve had vivid or fairly vivid dreams like this before. The last one I had was of a plane crashing into a building 9/11 fashion. And?

I ran B77 3701 through Google. I realised it wasn’t a real vehicle registration number; I found out it was something for sale on eBay, something to do with fishing rods.

Dreams are junk. We have them all the time. Some we remember, most we forget. Let them go, the only dreams that mean anything are those you can chase in the real world.

August 13, 2021

Almost A Royal Flush, Almost A Royal Flush

Take a gander at the two hands below; they are both from the daily $2.20 pot limit knockout tournament on PokerStars yesterday, Bank Holiday Monday.

In the first, I would have made a royal flush; I called the initial raise but folded to a re-reraise. As soon as I saw the flop, I knew what would happen, but had I stayed in, it would have been poor value to call the turn when even if a heart that doesn’t pair the board comes, I still win only half the pot.

The second hand, from later, is almost a royal flush, but at least I got paid, although I should have bet a lot less on the river; nobody called. I cashed, taking a few bounties on the way, but should have finished a lot higher than I did.

What do you think are the chances of a repeat performance tonight?

Whatever, don’t give up the day job!

How Royal Can You Get?

The two screengrabs below are from micro-stakes pot limit Omaha played this evening on PokerStars.

Where else!?

In the first, Yours Truly folds a semi-garbage hand pre-flop. And look what he misses.

The second hand is from slightly later in the same tournament, but only slightly later, note the blinds.

As far as I can remember, this is the first time I have seen two royal flushes in the same tournament, granted that the first was only a potential royal flush.

I play very little Omaha because it’s a lunatics game, Generally, hi-lo isn’t so bad as long as you keep you wits about you, and are prepared to fold top set on the flop on occasion.

How often do you flop a royal flush, even at Omaha? I kept the betting modest to ensure I got paid.

I also cashed, for what it was worth. A tiny fraction of minimum wage.

Don’t give up the day job, Al!

Psychic Poker Returns

Actually, it had never left. The screengrab below is from the two dollar PLO KO. I cashed again tonight, but was quite short stacked both before cashing and after.

After the turn, I called for the 3, and it came. No big thing, but it got me through to the next level.

I’ve actually lost count of the number of times I’ve done this. Okay, it doesn’t always work or I’d win the tournament every night, but it works a lot more often than it should.

Now if only it would work on the National Lottery!

Pot Limit Hi’s And Lo’s

This tournament may be cheap, but no one could ever claim it wasn’t entertaining. Due to the low buy-in, guaranteed prize pool, and extended late registration, it attracts hundreds of players. The format is fun too.

I have a stellar record in this particular tournament. Okay, it doesn’t pay the rent, but you get my drift.

Below are six screengrabs: the first three from March 27 and the next three from March 31, 2021.

I finished runner-up in the first after having serious doubts about cashing.

Look at this hand, granted there isn’t much in the pot, but how can anyone scoop a three-handed pot with a pair of 9s, and on a paired board? This hand was actually played after midnight, ie in the small hours of March 28. The guy with 10-6-6-3 has no business being in the pot, but you see a lot worse than that all the time.

Below is the aftermath of the final hand, and below that is the top of the finishing table, but note especially the times – seven and a half hours. Jee-zus. Where else can you get cheap entertainment like that, and even get paid for it?

The second tournament saw me in second and third place much of the time early on, but it was the bounties that were really wild. True, I had some luck, but I can’t believe some of the hands people play at this game, something I’ve been saying for longer than I care to remember.

The two graphs show my position, and the final grab shows me being busted out twenty-fourth. I might have finished a tad higher had I not been disconnected at one point, but I really can’t complain. Same thing tomorrow night?

Never Play Rolled Up Kings At Stud Hi-Lo

Having played this tournament Thursday night and made the final table, I kinda felt obligated to reprise it, which I did in style. Already in the money, I was dealt rolled up 4s and got into a raising war. A third player stayed the course, but as you will see from this hand, he had no business even flat calling.

canam999 was all-in before me, and I stared in horror at his hand, a prial of kings. Remarkably, my hand paired while his didn’t.

Having survived that horror, it was only fitting I should be busted out the same way, the guy with the massive stack starting with a low draw only sucking out with spades to scoop.

But...as will be seen from the screengrab below, I had no cause to complain. Can Our Hero do even better tonight? Watch this space! Gotta luv electronic cards.

That Elusive Straight Flush

A straight flush is a rarity in poker, but is obviously more of a rarity at 5 card stud than at Omaha.

All the same, you don’t really expect to see two straight flushes in the same tournament, much less be dealt two yourself. This is what happened to me this evening.

This one happened deep into the tournament.

And this one a bit later.

We were already well in the money, and very short stacked, I took a chance with two small pairs. When the flop came 5-8-9, I called for the 7 of spades, and it came. It took me to the next level.

I should have been happy, but I couldn’t help thinking that only at hi lo, you can make a straight flush and still win only half the pot, something I did here twice.