Impression of an Idiot (and a good impression at that)...aka Through the looking glass for 26 bucks...aka Who says losing isn't entertaining?
Another poker first for me last night.
Anyone who stopped by my table at the FT 20k (yeah she’s that girlfriend I just can’t get ovah, I know) however briefly really got see me put on a clinic. In donkitude.
But deliberate donkitude.
I had just busted out of the Aussie 75er sat to the 20 seat guarantee when QQ went down to A4 (naturally). I brushed it off and started to focus on the 20k for the first time in about 40 minutes. Dnasty was at my table, extending the already lengthy list of bloggers I’ve started the 20k with. I played a couple of decent hands and chipped up a little then pulled off a successful overbet with just T6 on a T high board to double early. Why the fuck the guy with A2 and bottom pair called this I have no idea. This got me moved a different table, and with it came a change in my thoughts on the 20k.
Frankly…I was bored; which as we all know is cancer to a deep MTT run, no? But then I got dealt KK with about 2k in the first level. I push the low flop and get called by a short stack with AA. Cooler. No biggie, but in conjunction with a series of QQ, KK abuses of late I was feeling extra ready to get the fuck out of dodge.
So I tilt-pushed the next hand with QJo. AK and KK look me up. Done right? Nope. Donkaris finds the low straight and triples up to a point that he is better off than before the KK/AA hand.
And then it is on.
I decide – and I mean consciously decide – that I am going to find out how the other half lives. I decide I will play like those LAGtards we all fear as we try to make solid moves through these things. Felicia has written great posts on trying to understand your opponents' mindset, and this was my chance to live their life. I’d be damned if I was going to pass it up.
My first mastermind move? I 3x the BB from MP with K8o. He pushes 4k at me. Easy fold no?
Well…I know he doesn’t have a hand – he’s just telling me to fuck off. But can you call him with K8o? If that’s gonna be your policy, it’s going to be high variance to say the least.
Then I check myself and remember that none of these considerations apply. K8 is almost K9 which sounds a lot like canine – and who doesn’t love dogs?
Bingo! I call and he turns over KTd. LOL. busted!
EIGHT! I yell at the screen. EIGHT! EIGHT! EIGHT!
Now it takes to the river to find that fucking eight, but when I do I am laughing my head off in a way I never do when I make successful moves during deep runs. Sick as it is, taking that guy out so horridly made me happy. Very, very happy.
And it provides all the encouragement I need. I find a paired board SIX of us limped to. When I turn the straight, I automatically rule out the possibility of flushes and boats, and proceed to donate half my new stack to the guy to my right who has to stop from laughing in my face. Others I have wronged come screaming down on me, and I really start to have fun. I tilted half that table before I find a hand I think Waffles and cc should find vaguely familiar.
AJc on button. I call a 3x and find 2 more clubs on the all low flop. The solid EP player (acesonwrists) checks, so I raise, and he reraises 3x to my 3x. My turn. I shove, happy that he’s likely holding TPTK and I have two overs with the nutflush draw.
Until he turns over the bottom set.
CLUB! I scream – and sure enough the turn busts him good. I am cheering and laughing at the thing and having a blast. Now I don’t know about you guys, but I rarely laugh or cheer when I am playing my usual game. Usually I am making tough decisions and then when it turns out my money is in way ahead, I have to force myself to watch to see if it can just hold out for five more flips. Not exactly a hobby I turn to for joyous exuberance.
Until tonight. I am at 10 fucking K. I am 31st with 200 left. Playing the worst MTT poker I have EVAH played – and believe me that’s saying something.
You know what I learned? I learned it’s fucking fun to hope for the unlikely. FUN. And it’s very tough to hope that nothing sexier than the expected will arrive. If it does, what joy is there in that? It’s leftovers for dinner – no surprises. But waiting on your unlikely salvation and having it arrive? Well, entire religions have been founded on less.
I have never been a gambler, and I really don’t consider poker gambling. At least no more so than I think stocks are a gamble. They are and they aren’t. It depends on who you are, what you know and who you know. Over the long haul, I accept that skill negates luck – even if I am not the one benefiting in any given example.
But now I get it. I really, truly get what the fuck these guys are up to. I have long wondered how I could outlast 1000 people and then meet someone close to the final table or at it who plays like a moron. I know now. It’s because they probably are a moron, and have been relying on just such moronism to get where they are.
If I had just reverted back to me at the 10k point, man could I have done some damage. But if there’s one thing people should know about me, it’s that I stick to my game plan. And so I did. When I got my money in very, very bad with Q8c, I still managed to hit a flop that gave me a fighting chance. Because I still had 11 outs by the river I was chanting away, and laughing like a nut.
In all honesty, it was happily reassuring a retard like me was put down once and for all. And in this vein of revelation I’ve also realized it’s not going to be anywhere near as fun to play MTTs in my old mode.
Sucks to be us, no doubt.
One last thing: Big Game 2 is up for early enrollment. CracknAces is on board, as am I. Let's hit 50 this time. Also, about the last game, one thing I regret is not suggesting to the final 6 that we each chip in 14 bucks to ensure the bubble got their buyin back. Don't know why this occurred late to me, but it would've definitely been in my midstack interest to pop that bubble sooner than later (if you have to ask why - welcome to your first visit here at Flights...can I recommend the post just prior?).
Laytah.
Anyone who stopped by my table at the FT 20k (yeah she’s that girlfriend I just can’t get ovah, I know) however briefly really got see me put on a clinic. In donkitude.
But deliberate donkitude.
I had just busted out of the Aussie 75er sat to the 20 seat guarantee when QQ went down to A4 (naturally). I brushed it off and started to focus on the 20k for the first time in about 40 minutes. Dnasty was at my table, extending the already lengthy list of bloggers I’ve started the 20k with. I played a couple of decent hands and chipped up a little then pulled off a successful overbet with just T6 on a T high board to double early. Why the fuck the guy with A2 and bottom pair called this I have no idea. This got me moved a different table, and with it came a change in my thoughts on the 20k.
Frankly…I was bored; which as we all know is cancer to a deep MTT run, no? But then I got dealt KK with about 2k in the first level. I push the low flop and get called by a short stack with AA. Cooler. No biggie, but in conjunction with a series of QQ, KK abuses of late I was feeling extra ready to get the fuck out of dodge.
So I tilt-pushed the next hand with QJo. AK and KK look me up. Done right? Nope. Donkaris finds the low straight and triples up to a point that he is better off than before the KK/AA hand.
And then it is on.
I decide – and I mean consciously decide – that I am going to find out how the other half lives. I decide I will play like those LAGtards we all fear as we try to make solid moves through these things. Felicia has written great posts on trying to understand your opponents' mindset, and this was my chance to live their life. I’d be damned if I was going to pass it up.
My first mastermind move? I 3x the BB from MP with K8o. He pushes 4k at me. Easy fold no?
Well…I know he doesn’t have a hand – he’s just telling me to fuck off. But can you call him with K8o? If that’s gonna be your policy, it’s going to be high variance to say the least.
Then I check myself and remember that none of these considerations apply. K8 is almost K9 which sounds a lot like canine – and who doesn’t love dogs?
Bingo! I call and he turns over KTd. LOL. busted!
EIGHT! I yell at the screen. EIGHT! EIGHT! EIGHT!
Now it takes to the river to find that fucking eight, but when I do I am laughing my head off in a way I never do when I make successful moves during deep runs. Sick as it is, taking that guy out so horridly made me happy. Very, very happy.
And it provides all the encouragement I need. I find a paired board SIX of us limped to. When I turn the straight, I automatically rule out the possibility of flushes and boats, and proceed to donate half my new stack to the guy to my right who has to stop from laughing in my face. Others I have wronged come screaming down on me, and I really start to have fun. I tilted half that table before I find a hand I think Waffles and cc should find vaguely familiar.
AJc on button. I call a 3x and find 2 more clubs on the all low flop. The solid EP player (acesonwrists) checks, so I raise, and he reraises 3x to my 3x. My turn. I shove, happy that he’s likely holding TPTK and I have two overs with the nutflush draw.
Until he turns over the bottom set.
CLUB! I scream – and sure enough the turn busts him good. I am cheering and laughing at the thing and having a blast. Now I don’t know about you guys, but I rarely laugh or cheer when I am playing my usual game. Usually I am making tough decisions and then when it turns out my money is in way ahead, I have to force myself to watch to see if it can just hold out for five more flips. Not exactly a hobby I turn to for joyous exuberance.
Until tonight. I am at 10 fucking K. I am 31st with 200 left. Playing the worst MTT poker I have EVAH played – and believe me that’s saying something.
You know what I learned? I learned it’s fucking fun to hope for the unlikely. FUN. And it’s very tough to hope that nothing sexier than the expected will arrive. If it does, what joy is there in that? It’s leftovers for dinner – no surprises. But waiting on your unlikely salvation and having it arrive? Well, entire religions have been founded on less.
I have never been a gambler, and I really don’t consider poker gambling. At least no more so than I think stocks are a gamble. They are and they aren’t. It depends on who you are, what you know and who you know. Over the long haul, I accept that skill negates luck – even if I am not the one benefiting in any given example.
But now I get it. I really, truly get what the fuck these guys are up to. I have long wondered how I could outlast 1000 people and then meet someone close to the final table or at it who plays like a moron. I know now. It’s because they probably are a moron, and have been relying on just such moronism to get where they are.
If I had just reverted back to me at the 10k point, man could I have done some damage. But if there’s one thing people should know about me, it’s that I stick to my game plan. And so I did. When I got my money in very, very bad with Q8c, I still managed to hit a flop that gave me a fighting chance. Because I still had 11 outs by the river I was chanting away, and laughing like a nut.
In all honesty, it was happily reassuring a retard like me was put down once and for all. And in this vein of revelation I’ve also realized it’s not going to be anywhere near as fun to play MTTs in my old mode.
Sucks to be us, no doubt.
One last thing: Big Game 2 is up for early enrollment. CracknAces is on board, as am I. Let's hit 50 this time. Also, about the last game, one thing I regret is not suggesting to the final 6 that we each chip in 14 bucks to ensure the bubble got their buyin back. Don't know why this occurred late to me, but it would've definitely been in my midstack interest to pop that bubble sooner than later (if you have to ask why - welcome to your first visit here at Flights...can I recommend the post just prior?).
Laytah.
posted by Iakaris aka I.A.K. at 2:06 AM
17 Comments:
lol...very nice. Highly amusing post.
Also, I agree 100% that it is good to know where your competition's head is at. I've done similar things, and always learned something valuable.
If you want to feed your inner donkey, go play some $1 or $5 MTTs and play like a total idiot. If you REALLY want to make it fun, go play a rebuy.
Good stuff. I will play a tourney like this every now and again. Playing in super agro mode is a great stress reliever and if you can double up a few times your on your way.
I also like pokerwolf's idea of playing a rebuy now and then. PS has a great $3+.30 that saw one gut at my table rebuy 20+ times.
yea whats funny is some of my deepest run's in multi have come from getting bored basically trying to lose and getting lucky and then realizing holy shit i have chance to do damange then getting to playing my A game. The way I look at is if u get lucky and u survive by playing stupid its meant to be, otherwise its just another early exit which means back to the cash games.........
Can't believe I missed you in this last night man. I busted in 182nd myself and would have loved some company as hour #3 began. Nice job, love the donkey play. Sucking out multiple times in the same mtt can be invigorating no doubt, although I often find it next to impossible to "revert" as you put in once I know how I've gotten to that point -- it's almost like the chips are tainted, and they can only be bet in true donkorific fashion, much as the way they originally came to you in the first place.
Loved the post as always. It really does a great job of describing something that all of us mtt'ers have experienced ourselves more often than we care to admit, I'm sure.
Hey Iak. It reminds me of the Blogger Freeroll when I placed 2nd by trying to bust to go to a dinner party. I pushed with everything and anything and sucked out about 6 times in the first 8 hands, making me a huge stack. Then I played big-stack poker until 2nd, all the while with a couple of players following me around to announce my donkitude. It feels great...but it's a rare thing.
your comment about getting your money in with the best hand..and then having a tough time watching the next 5 cards come out...rang true.
only now i am pulling cards like i used to in the old days (back in the day)of the home game...stretching out the fun looking for the 3 pip on the side to fill in the straight...
i put my hand in front of the screen and slowly...slowly move it over to see the flop...big fun..
try it. even when youre playing nondonkeroneyish.
Great Post. Glad to hear you had a blast donkin' it up.
I actually have been working on the theorum of improbable probability AKA Donkey Style. I played this way a little bit the other day and it was fun. I will break my Anti-CC rules and post about this.
Ya know looking back...Hoy has nailed it - I think I would've pulled back if I could've, but playing like a lunatic is oddly addictive. I just couldn't bring myself to take those chips and play properly with them. Tainted indeed!
Who else is not in the least surprised Waffles is coming out of retirement?
don't try that K8 crap with me. i'll have to one up you with my K-7 sOOOOOted.
I didn't see how this was any different then the way I percieve that you always play.
Just kidding, had nothing else to say since I dissapeared in the bermuda triangle and missed 3 weeks of poker fun.
Back from the grave, almost, though still too sick to play late night poker, I just lose my coin during the day now. Hope to be back soon.
I love when people use the word "moron" in a post.
I think I will play a $1 45-person tourney tonight using this very stragety while I'm on life support at The Mookie.
I was laughing my ass off.
Now, my question. I've been token hunting lately, and as it turns out I have a coupla of the shiny things in my possession. Can we play these 24K guarentee thingys together at some point?
hey peak, you're gonna find me, hoyazo, iak and lifesagrind in the 20k on most nights. pick one.
The hands where I am an 80% favorite seem to get beat about half the time. Thus I will make some extremely questionable moves when it just "feels" like the right time. When this happens in a blogger event it leads to a lot of people questioning my possible 4-legged ancestors, but in standard mtt's it is sure a kick to make the moves and get paid for them. like it somehow makes up for a dozen bad beats when I can crack Aces with a J-7 s00ted that just "felt" right.
It might also just seem more fun because it is hard to get angry when you play a hand that is supposed to lose and you actually do lose, whereas when you get in WAY ahead and get beat your eyeballs start to throb (that may just be me).
Hit me up on IM anytime Peak and we can coordinate. Donnie the throbbing thing is happening to me too...something in the watah?
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