CARDRUNNERS

I mean, this is just getting sickening. I'm running like absolute crap live. I guess it's part of the game but what can you do. I'm just going to post the hands. A few are tough spots, a few are just beats. Post any thoughts/comments, I'd be curious to hear what you guys think.

1. QQ, not really sure what to do here. 10/25 I start the hand with 8500.
UTG raises to 200, LAG player 3-bets to 700, I cold call QdQx. The lag is ceczar from 2p2/ftp and he is capable of 3-betting a wide range altough he DID reraise an utg player. UTG also calls. Flop is 873 two diamonds. Chk, LAG bets 1500, I decide to go with the hand and raise to 4500 (maybe this was a mistake but I wanted to make my hand look like a draw and hopefully get paid off). UTG folds 1010 guy shoves me in I call for my last 3k or so he has black AA. We run it three times, EACH time a diamond peels on turn, giving me flush outs, I whiff all 3.

2. 25/50. I lose the biggest pot of the night. Limps around, I raise it up to 500 with 1010 from the blinds. Only one caller who has around 17k to start the hand. From what I have seen he is a weaker player who strongly overvalues hands. Flop is Q107 two diamonds. I flop a set. I go to bet, but he bets out of turn 1500. I decide to check. He follows through on his bet. I chk raise to 4k (should have made it more maybe?). He thinks for a while, says: "do you have a set?" and calls. Turn is a K. J9 gets there, but I think he could also have a hand like KQ, or a flush draw+straight draw so I decide to commit to the hand and bet 6k. He thinks for not very long and pushes me in for his last 10k (4k more to me). Easy call, I call, river Jo, he has AQo, for runner runner perfect.

3. 25/50 now. A few limpers including villian who limps UTG, I make it 500 from the blinds with KK. He is the only caller. He is a very passive player and I really try to maximize value against him by betting my made hands strongly. Flop is 1085r. I bet 700, he very quickly calls. Turn K, putting two diamonds on board. I have the stone nuts at this point. I bet 2k. He quickly calls. River is an absolutely awful card, the Jd, putting runner flush ou there and also 97 got there. I think about check/calling, but decide betting is better. I probably bet too much I bet 5k he quickly calls with Q5dd.


Amazingly, somehow I was only down around 6k on the night which was an absolute miracle given the way I ran, but I made some excellent plays and value bets.

After this hand, everyone at the table told me great call, and one of the players jokingly asked for my autograph (he is a guy whose play I respect a lot so it was a nice compliment).

4. The same villian as hand 2. CO raises to 400 I call with 1010 from the blinds villian limp-calls. Flop is A33. I check, villian leads out 1k. CO folds, I think to myself, why would he bet an ace on this flop, wouldn't he check it to the PFR and check raise or check call? However, I did see him pound out a bet when he had TPTK so I don't konw. I decide to call. Turn 5, brining a flush draw. I check, bets 2k. I think for a long while and call again. River A, completing the flush. I check once more, he fires 6k. I go into the tank. I stare him down. I pick up a few body language tells, and I decide to go with my original read that he wouldn't donk lead an ace. I call, he says nice call everyone at the table is impressed.

Anyways, I'm just looking forward to finally having a few sets hold up, if so I think I'm playing really well and should be able to book a few big wins,

David

I'm bored at LAX, with a 1hr layover before I leave for Santa Barbara so I thought I'd write up tips, tricks, suggestions, advice, nonsense, useless info pertaining to traveling by air. I go this idea when trevrob informed me about his nervousness in regards to traveling for the first time. Hit your browser print button, thank me later with feedback at www.frommersrunners.com

Pregame preparation. Purchase an airplane power adapter for your laptop to keep it charged during the flight. Crucial.

First things first, check in online. Usually 24hrs before your flight you'll receive and email from the airlines or the third party site you probably used to book the trip at a discount. Checking in online is great because you can print the boarding pass(es) and by pass long lines during busy travel times.

When you check in online, change your seat(s) to the emergency row. Typically if you check in early online these seats will be available. The only airline that I've experienced that charges more is United. F them. The emergency row provides much more leg room than coach. Side note, if the plane has back to back emergency rows, go with the second row. The first row doesn't recline. Do it.

Side note: I prefer windows to aisles. Unless you frequently make trips to the pisser for whatever reason and need to get up a lot, I'd go with the window. It provides both a better aerial view and head rest. Furthermore, that guy next to you that has gotten up 4x to urinate no longer has to climb over you or wake you up. Go window.

If you're carrying on your bags, pack liquids and gels separately, and make them easily accessible. This will save you time at the security check point.

Arrive on time. Seems simple, but prevents a lot of stress, chaos, missed flights, etc.

If you must check in your bags, avoid the regular line. This means either utilize the curb side check in that usually has a smaller line, using the self serve electronic kiosks that people still avoid for whatever reason, or even trying the first class/elite member line. *tip* Wave at the massive line of panicking travelers as you head to the first class line without a first class ticket. Simply ask the attendant if you can receive a complimentary upgrade. If/when he/she politely denies your request, proceed to check your bag in. Wait free of course.

Side note: if you're taking a regional flight on a really small plane, you don't have to check in your bag even if it doesn't fit on the 4 passenger plane. Rather valet it at the gate prior to boarding and pick it up when you deplane.

Security check point. No liquids or gels more than 3oz or 1quart. Have the pre-packed liquids or gels out in a plastic bag, along with your laptop, shoes, hats, guns, belts, keys, phone, wallet, jacket, fireworks, etc. Some places also make you show your boarding pass after walking through the metal detector, so it's good to keep that on you and not in a bag.

While in the terminal, eat, drink (sadly airport bars are way expensive), play poker online, people watch, read, do whatever. I like to board near last. I don't care for sitting on a stationary, air lacking, claustrophobic, plane more than I need to.

A few random tips:

If there are other flights on the same airline that depart earlier than yours and you have time, ask if you there is room on that flight and request that you be moved up. I did something similar a few days ago. I was supposed to fly from SBA, to LAX, to Oakland and arrive at 8pm. I noticed that the SBA to SF flight looked empty so I asked to switch. They did this, I saved 3hrs and $300.

Along similar lines, if your airplane has it at the terminal, ask if you could move up to first class. The worst case scenario is rejection. The best case is you get drunk off of free alcohol in spacious seats.

Sign up for frequent flier programs. Free flights are good.

Hang on to documentation like boarding passes and baggage claim stubs. You never know when something goes wrong and you'll need them.

Drop deuces in the airport terminal (they keep them surprisingly clean). I've yet to deuce on a plane.

Stupid shit: A friend of mine recently informed me he joined the half mile high club and wacked it on a plane. Same said friend and his brother have thrown out a mile high bets that could get you in trouble so be warned. $500 to leave a 'frosted log' for a future airplane restroom user. Frosted log equals a deuce topped with umm....ya, that.

I'm sure there are some things I'm forgetting so I'll add them as they pop in my head. You never want your vacation to start off shitty, so take some of this advice and enjoy your next traveling experience.