WPT Borgata Poker Open

I'll be there!

I'm going to Atlantic City to play in the Borgata Poker Open, in just two short weeks!  I'm soooo excited!  I've never played at the Borgata before and I hear that they have a world class poker room.  The tournament I've chosen is a one day event that starts at noon.  THIS is the tournament.  It's a black chip bounty tournament.  Yummy!

Seriously, this is very important to me.  I need to be very careful and yet....being careful doesn't win poker tournaments, so it's going to be a balancing act.  Well timed aggression and careful consideration with  a smidge of focus should be a winning recipe.  Right now I'm re-reading Super System 2 to see if I can find a nugget or two that might be useful.  Interestingly, Doyle groups all pocket pairs from pocket jacks down into one category called "small pocket pairs".  Really.  In his world there are no middle pairs.  It's quite a concept...an underwhelming one that I have to think on.

And........................

The Borgata tourney is on a Tuesday, but I'm going away on the prior weekend.  It's time for the annual Gathering of the Goddesses!  Remember that?  It's a weekend away with all of my oldest girlfriends.  Chicks that I've been friends with for over twenty-five years.  OMFG.  Last year there were six of us staying in a huge 3 bedroom suite.  This year we are down to 4 maybe 5 of us.  One of my dearest friends said she wasn't going because her husband recently got laid off so she can't afford the extravagance.  Booo!!!  This is NOT an extravagance, this is a necessity!!!  Anyway, we're getting the same place regardless and dividing the cost by 4 or 5 chicks instead of 6.  My point is she should come anyway - whether she does or not we're still diving the cost by 4 - it won't cost us any more, so why can't she just come along for free?!?  So far she's declined my offer, but don't count it out yet as I can be very persuasive. 

I get back hungover on Sunday from the Goddesses weekend and then on Monday I fly to Philly/AC.  Tuesday is the tourney and then I fly home on Wednesday with a suitcase full of cash.  That's the plan!

I think I'm going to LOVE it there!

Oh, and if I come in 1st, 2nd or 3rd, they'll post my name and a picture of me!  I MUST get my picture on the Borgata website!

Back to Super System II for a minute.  The old guy (not YOU, Doyle!) has a list of hands that he calls "Trouble Hands".

Suprisingly....actually not surprisingly, on this list is the hand I lost most of my chips with in my Foxwoods tourney:  A-Q.  He has a little blurb about how you don't really want to call a big raise with A-Q because you're dead if you're up against A-K, which is EXACTLY what happened to me.  I think Doyle knows what he's talking about!  Below is his list of "trouble hands" which are not to be confused with "trash hands".  Those are uber shitty hands.

TROUBLE HANDS (WHEN OFF SUIT)

A-Q

A-J

A-10

K-Q

K-J

K-10

Q-J

Q-10

J-10 (he's obviously wrong about this one)

9-8

He calls these hands borderline hands and nothing to play too strongly.  I must say a few of the hands on the list are hands I like:  J-10 (obv), K-Q & K-J are hands I like to see a flop with.  He's not saying you can't see a flop with them, just that you shouldn't call a decent/big raise with them.  Why?  Because you'll be practically dead against the hands you are most likely up against.  Like A-A, A-K, & K-K.  Even if you hit a flop with the hands above, you have to worry about your kicker.  Not a good place to be in.

Uncle Doyle knows. 

Play smart.

Auntie Josie