Republicans are better poker players?

From an article in The New Republic...

"The best player I have run into, whom I shall call X to avoid offending Christian right donors to his think tank, is a Republican. X, who played in a Capitol Hill game where the big winner would often be in the $7,000-plus range, used to make so much money that he could have given up his day job. Why was he so successful? Republicans are much less risk-averse than Democrats, and taking risks is crucial to poker. Howard Baker noted that Ronald Reagan's 1981 tax cut was a "riverboat gamble." The GOP has consistently demonstrated a willingness to risk high deficits, especially to cut taxes that fall on their biggest donors. The party advocating preemptive war is not likely to be cowed by a big bet. Democrats, conversely, are the party of risk-aversion -- supportive of the safety net, opposed to new weapons systems, and sympathetic to protective trade policies. They are less able to tolerate the tension and uncertainty of a game in which a week's salary--or more--can be won or lost in a single hand...

A bachelor until late middle age, X got married a few years ago, and, more recently, he became a father. These joyous events have made him happy. They have also killed his poker game...."

linky

Hassenfeffer's Journey into the land of limit #4

Sat down for a morning game and lost $.54. Players at 7AM on a weekday are TIGHT! My cards were also very bad. I did steal the blinds by raising with QJs from middle position - not something I coudl do at my usual table.

I got in trouble when I limped with A2s and called a raise behind me. Flop came AQ2 rainbow and I capped on the flop. He slowed down on the turn for no reason I could see, just calling my bet. We both checked the river and he turns over QQ for a set. I need some sort of rule for playing 2 pair because it seems to screw me over more often than even tptk. Any suggestions?

Hassenfeffer's Journey into the land of limit #3.1

At a ten person table, Lee Jones says you should do the following in early position:

AKs, AQs, AJs - Raise

A10s, A9s - Limp

A8s and lower - fold

Now, if you're going to fold A8s, shouldn't you fold A9s? If you're going to play A9s, shouldn't you play Axs?

Hassenfeffer's Journey into the land of limit #3

Lost 1.00 tonight. Forgot to write down the correct amount because I saw some suspicious behavior at a table where a guy kept calling another player "sweetheart" and folded to her with no bet.

Hassenfeffer's Journey into the land of limit #2

Swung very low tonight and then back even.

Won $.16 + $1.54 bonus for a total gain of $1.70.

Hassenfeffer's Journey into the land of limit #1.2

Chasing down the inside straight draw with a paired board! To play limit, you must love it when this guy does this, even if you lose.


Hand #34294923-31558 at Bogalusa ($.05/$.10 Hold'em)

Powered by UltimateBetStarted at 06/Sep/06 23:50:12 ohiodean is at seat 1 with $.76. mad_e is at seat 2 with $4.25. Bassman59 is at seat 3 with $3.09. jimmyyjoe is at seat 4 with $5.17. Hassenfeffer is at seat 5 with $6.03. aussiebattler is at seat 6 with $9.06. bighamsternek is at seat 7 with $10.37. Juxtaposa is at seat 8 with $5.60. wopperlady is at seat 9 with $5.22. The button is at seat 9. ohiodean posts the small blind of $.02. mad_e posts the big blind of $.05.

ohiodean: -- -- mad_e: -- -- Bassman59: -- -- jimmyyjoe: -- -- Hassenfeffer: Ah Ks aussiebattler: -- -- bighamsternek: -- -- Juxtaposa: -- -- wopperlady: -- --

Pre-flop: Bassman59 folds. jimmyyjoe folds. Hassenfeffer raises to $.10. aussiebattler folds. bighamsternek folds. Juxtaposa folds. wopperlady folds. ohiodean folds. mad_e calls.

Flop (board: 4h 5c 5s): [I bet because I think I am ahead]

mad_e checks. Hassenfeffer bets $.05. mad_e calls.

Turn (board: 4h 5c 5s 3c):

mad_e checks. Hassenfeffer bets $.10. mad_e calls. [If he has 67, maybe I will find out. but the check-call seems weak.]

River (board: 4h 5c 5s 3c 4d):

mad_e checks. Hassenfeffer checks. [What would you do here?]

Showdown: mad_e shows 7s 9s. [oh, he needed a 6] mad_e has 9s 4h 5c 5s 4d: two pair, fives and fours. Hassenfeffer shows Ah Ks. Hassenfeffer has Ah 4h 5c 5s 4d: two pair, fives and fours, ace kicker.
Hand #34294923-31558 Summary: $.02 is raked from a pot of $.52. Hassenfeffer wins $.50 with two pair, fives and fours.

[Thanks for playing "buddy"]

Hassenfeffer's Journey into the land of limit #1.1

Do you think sweetening the pot like this is a good idea?

Hand #34294923-31532 at Bogalusa ($.05/$.10 Hold'em)
Powered by UltimateBetStarted at 06/Sep/06 23:28:16
pfb8888 is at seat 0 with $4.59.
ohiodean is at seat 1 with $1.20.
mad_e is at seat 2 with $3.95.
Bassman59 is at seat 3 with $5.16.
jimmyyjoe is at seat 4 with $5.09.
Hassenfeffer is at seat 5 with $4.88.
aussiebattler is at seat 6 with $8.08.
bighamsternek is at seat 7 with $12.26.
Juxtaposa is at seat 8 with $5.92.
wopperlady is at seat 9 with $3.42.

The button is at seat 3.
jimmyyjoe posts the small blind of $.02.
Hassenfeffer posts the big blind of $.05.
pfb8888: -- -- ohiodean: -- -- mad_e: -- -- Bassman59: -- -- jimmyyjoe: -- -- Hassenfeffer: Qd As aussiebattler: -- -- bighamsternek: -- -- Juxtaposa: -- -- wopperlady: -- --

Pre-flop: aussiebattler folds. bighamsternek calls. Juxtaposa folds. wopperlady folds. pfb8888 folds. ohiodean calls. mad_e calls. Bassman59 folds. jimmyyjoe folds. Hassenfeffer raises to $.10. bighamsternek calls. ohiodean calls. mad_e calls.
[No one is going to fold to my bet here. they will have the odss to call. Bbut I have big cards and can assume I have the best hand at this point. That alone seems reason enough to get more money into the pot. So, would you do this?]

Flop (board: 7h 6c 8s):

Hassenfeffer bets $.05. [Did that hit anyone?] bighamsternek calls. ohiodean folds. mad_e calls.

Turn (board: 7h 6c 8s Qh): [This hand is mine.]

Hassenfeffer bets $.10. bighamsternek calls. mad_e calls.

River (board: 7h 6c 8s Qh Ks):

Hassenfeffer checks. [Maybe one of these yahoos called me down with K8 or some crap like that?] bighamsternek checks. mad_e checks.

Showdown: Hassenfeffer shows Qd As. Hassenfeffer has Qd As 8s Qh Ks: a pair of queens. bighamsternek mucks cards. (bighamsternek has 4c 3c.) mad_e mucks cards. (mad_e has 9s Ac.)

Hand #34294923-31532 Summary: $.04 is raked from a pot of $.87. Hassenfeffer wins $.83 with a pair of queens.

[Goody, I win. Comments?]

Hassenfeffer's Journey into the land of limit #1

Ok, sat down at a empty .05/.10 table on UB with $5 . Some guy played 8 hands with me and I took $.82 right away from him. He got up and left. I went to find a full table. Cleared .03 of bonus!

Over the next 1.5 hrs I took my $5 to $6.55 and cleared $.94 of bonus.

Dealt 104 hands
Saw 22 flops
Won 9 hands

Of the hands I won, I won 86% of them on the river. I pretty mush had to show down the best cards. People were paying me off with some awful hands on their part. I have 3 new "buddies" to follow.

I did note that I did not check raise the entire time. Lee Jones says it is an important way to get more money into the pot if you have ahuge hand. I'm not sure I missed any check raising opportunites. It seems like I was mostly up against calling stations. I'll post a few hands later.

Total winnings + bonus for night = $3.34

Hassenfeffer's Journey into the land of limit #0

I pledge to start playing low limit holdem on a regualr basis and report in.

Also, I am reading the Lee Jones book on limit holdem and I may comment from time to time.

Take that vile cards!

So I guess we all know who won the 1st annual "I am better than you are" poker tournament! That's right: ME! Hmmm. I think that will be the name of every tournament I win. Only the ones I win get that title though. I think that is fair.

Seriously, I hope everyone had a good time Sunday night. We'll do it again next time I win a big score. I estimate that to be between three and seven years from now. Be prepared!