The Spektacular Poker Blog

It's been a while...live tournament poker update.

2006-07-03T17:43:00.000-06:00

I've been laying off the poker lately. I have however entered a few local live tournaments, $20 - $60 buy-ins varying from 10 to 45 people. I haven't burst the bubble yet!
In one $60 tourney, 45 players, and the second hand, I had AJ. UTG players flat calls and I raise it up triple the blind to 150. He calls. Flop is rag, rag, Jack. I have top pair with top kicker. He checks and I bet half the pot, he flat calls. Turn is a rag and he checks again. I bet again, about 3/4 of the pot and he again flat calls...strange? River is another jack, and I have trips with an Ace kicker...He quickly moves all-in with his remaining chips. No straight or flush draws...I look at my hand and think out loud..."Did you slow play trips?","Hit the jack?" It was only the second hand played in the tournament and I didn't wanna bust out. But, I had to take the risk and I called. He mucked. Instant double up!
I made it to the final table...5 Payouts and 6 people left! I can't bubble out now...but I'm short stack. An early player limps in, fold fold, I look at my hand and peak at Kojack. ALL-IN, I put in my final 3500 chips. everyone folds to the limper. He looks up and says, "I guess I gotta" and calls the remainder. He flips up QJ and I'm the favorite...Flop comes down:
8-10-Q! DOH!
He hits his queen and I'm getting Desperate! Turn:
8-10-Q-J! Where's my king...River is...
8-10-Q-J-9! Shiii.... Hold up, I hit the nut STRAIGHT!
I double up and back up to 7k.
A few hands go by and I'm on the big blind. Everyone folds to the small blind and he flat calls. I look at my hand and see an Ace! A10..."All-in" I announce...The player thinks for a bit and calls with Q10! Again, I'm the favorite. Flop comes down... 5-8-10......J.......QUEEN on the river! I get rivered. Game over and bubbled out, once again. Oh well, thats poker!

Here's a little clip I found...A bunch of magicians grinding it out on the poker table. Enjoy.

Bet, Raise, Reraise...When's it Gonna Stop?

2006-04-20T12:40:00.000-06:00

Okay, So I've been on a poker hiatus -- I'll be back soon...Till then, check out this crazy video of Phil Ivey, heads up...

Best Poker Player, Period.

Bursting the Poker Bubble

2006-04-12T22:39:00.000-06:00

It's been 15 or so days since I've updated this blog...Sorry Folks!

I've been experiencing some technical difficulties with my DSL Cable the past few weeks and Bell Sympatico is taking one hellofah long time to fix it! So that's one of many reasons why I haven't updated my blog and haven't been playing much online poker on Pokerstars...Right now, I'm using a faded WiFi connection from some unknown source -- Hopefully the signal strength will hold before I finish the blog...

No need for debate -- Bubbling out of a poker tourney or SNG just plain sucks. I'd rather go broke early in the game than getting eliminated just before the payout structure. The reason is obvious -- After hours and hours of concentration and patience you put into a tourney, fate slaps you in the face and you end up getting eliminated just out of the money...makes you wanna throw a chair like Phil.

PS BS Update: I'm playing a Turbo SNG as I type this blog...I'm dealt cowboys on the big blind. Someone makes a bet of $180 (blinds are only 15-30) I smooth call and hit my set on the flop (A-K-4). I check, he raises huge and I'm all In...He calls with AQ. He catches runner runner, Jack, Ten. I'm out...Gross!

I played two 180 player tourney's on PS sometime last week...The first tourney, I had a slow start; didn't see any hands until the 5th level and I had to make moves, fast. So I made some gutsy moves and doubled up a few times...
The 2nd tourney, I was dealt every hand you can imagine -- AA, KK, AK, QQ, KK again! I doubled, tripled, quadroupled up within the first 20 minutes of the tourney and was 2nd out of 180 players. Here's a shot of one of the biggest pots I won early in the game:

Make things short:

$1080 First Place
180 Entries
18 Players Get Paid Out...

Both Tourney's, I finished a frustrating 21st...Yes, 21st place on both tourney's. Argh!
Situations like this make you wanna throw a chair out the window or act like this donkey down here.......

I'm Tired of this PS BS...

Sealey calling me to go all-in...?

2006-03-29T00:20:00.000-06:00

Just came home, flipped my laptop open and noticed a comment in one of my blog posts, "Spek, a challenge has been issued to you on our site." Apparently, poker pro Jeff Sealey is challenging me to a heads up match...for pretty much my whole bankroll. Hmmm...interesting. So, I did a little research and googled in, "Jeff Sealey". It seems Jeff Sealey has just placed 5th in the Aussie Millions Poker Championship, cashed in over 150k and is currently sponsered by Paradise Poker...Heck, if I had a bankroll of over $150K, I'd challenge you to a $600, $800, $1k heads up match, no problem. The fact is, I'm not going to lay it all on the line on one heads up game...Obviously, $600 is pocket change to this guy. I play $10 and $20 SNG's...See a difference?

Doesn't mean I'm not up to a heads-up challenge. I'm currently only playing online poker on Pokerstars. So Sealey, if you're down for it, I'll go heads up with you on Pokerstars for $100.

In other news...
This past Sunday, Pokerstars held its biggest online tourney to date-- a $1050 buy-in with over 2000 entries. What's more, there was a very familiar name on the final table. Greg "FossilMan" Raymer worked his way through the field to final table and came in 2nd place, cashing out over $180K! Good job fossilman...

A Poker Short...
Just finished playing a $20 SNG and the drama continues...
Early in the game, I was dealt decent hands and built up my chip stack to 3K...Players on my table were aggressive as hell and were getting knocked out quickly. Anyway, the hand to mention was when I was dealt AQ under the gun and raised it up. Had 2 callers. Flop comes down A-J-K... I check, and a player makes a small bet, another player calls, and I call as well. Turn is a 10 and I hit my straight... I check, a player raises, another reraises, and I'm all in... Both players call. I have AQ vs KQ vs JQ... JQ had a spade draw and hits his flush on the river! I'm crippled and down to 300 chips.

So I'm down to 300 or so chips, I pretty much need a miracle at this point. And it came. Bullets under the gun, so I limp. A player raises to 120, which was perfect by the way and another player calls... I'm pushing of course, the initial raiser just calls, and the 3rd player pushes all in as well! I triple up back to 1500.

Down to 3 players. I'm dealt AJ in the big blind and small blind just calls...I push all-in to steal his blind or hopefully get a call and double up. He calls with 33 and this is what happens:

Runner, runner straight. Pretty sickening, but I survive to make its heads up.

Sums things up, I'm heads up with my opponent and dealt big lick...I call, he checks...Flop is 6-K-9...I hit two pair and he bets the minimum, and I just smooth call. Turn is a Q. He bets huge, around 1200... I wait for a second, then push all in. He call with Q8... and catches an 8 on the river. Sigh...

I'm done...

The Spektacular Poker Tourney...

2006-03-28T13:55:00.000-06:00

The tourney's up and you can see the details at: http://spekpokertourney.blogspot.com/

Looking foward to playing with all of you...

It's Been a Poker Minute...

2006-03-28T03:09:00.000-06:00

It's been a minute since I've updated this blog-- mainly because I haven't played online poker within the last few days...but I made it up tonight and played a few low buy-in SNG's.

I've noticed players are very loose late nights on PS; make a small preflop raise and you'll be getting called down with all kinds, especially in $5.50 buy-in SNG's. I'm dealt AK, raise it and 3 or 4 players call...Flop comes down, rags...check, check, check, I bet, and nearly everyone calls. It's very frustrating playing against players like these.

Anyway, one hand to mention...One SNG, I was extremely short stack and I had to move in with something...or anything-- A3, under the gun, I push...okay, so it wasn't the smartest move, but hey, I was just about done and getting blinded out...in desperation to steal some chips. What made the situation even worse, I got called by 2 other players... gross! So it's my A3 against KK and 1010. Before the flop even hit, I typed in, "I think my ace is good" and here's what happens:

I hit my Ace and triple up...I end up coming 2nd in that one.

Another short SNG story, I'm getting dealt almost every good hand you can imagine...AA, AK, QQ, JJ, 88 (twice)...I become a huge chip leader and finish 1st place...$$$ in my bankroll..

Played 3 more SNG's afterword...didn't do too well. Met some interesting people in the losing process: AceHigh has his own poker forum he owns and runs, check it out PokerOwnage.com. He ran into a lovely hand about halfway in the game: AA...Pleasure to play with you.

The Spektacular Poker Tourney!

I'm planning on having a small buy-in tourney on PS (Pokerstars for those who don't kno), just for the hell of it. Heck, I know some of you out there want a piece of me, so here's your chance! On March 30, 2006 @ 9:30pm EST, I'll be holding a $10+1 buy-in Tourney on Pokerstars called "The Spektacular Poker Tourney". I'll be releasing the password later on today...Look for it!

Goto Tourney > Private > The Spektacular Poker Tourney

I'll Release the password soon...

P.S. - It's almost 3am while I'm writing this and I'm dead tired...excuse the grammar in this post =)

Texas Holdem: Playing Well or Getting Lucky?

2006-03-25T13:58:00.000-06:00

I decided to play a few small SNG (Sit n' Goes) on PS the other day and I guess I was "In the right place, at the right time." I literally, killed one $20 sng in 30 minutes...Not to sound like I'm bragging or anything, but it felt like my online opponents were handing their chips to me. What set off my hot streak was hitting trips early in the game. I smoothed called on the flop and raised on the turn. My opponent thought his two-pair was good, so he pushed and I called...quick double up. A few hands later, I had Anna Kournikova (AK) on the big blind and a player in early position raised it to 100. I reraised another 200 on top and he pushed all-in. AA? KK? I call anyway cause I have a huge stack. He has AQ versus my AK...He's elminated. So, here I am with almost 5k in chips and the blinds are still 15-30. Of course I'm going to bully the small stacks. So whenever I'm small or big blind, I'm raising with nothing and the players instantly fold or are afraid to call on the flop.
Anyway, it's down to 4 players and I'm on the small blind with A10 clubs and just flat call. My opponent raises and makes it 3 bets to go, and I call. Flop is rags, 2-3-4 and 2 clubs on board. I bet at the pot and he goes all in. I put some thought into it and call, he has JJ. I hit my flush on the river. He starts whinning, "I guess ignorance always gets lucky..." Ignorance? Lucky? Let's take a look at this situation...

He raises preflop, and pushes all in on the flop. I thought, he could either be a loose player trying to steal the pot with AK or protecting a pair. I have A10 of clubs, with 2 clubs on board a gutshot straight draw and MAYBE one over pair, which was my Ace; I have a gazillion outs, well 15 to be precise, nearly a 60% chance of hitting, a chance to eliminate this guy, and if I miss, i'll still have chips to play with. Luck was no factor, buddy. If you'd like to know how to calculate your odds instantly, check out: http://www.texasholdem-academy.com/texas-holdem-odds.html

Anyway, I made around $50 last night...I feel like reaching a casino, who's wit me. =)

Blog ya Later!

Poker Poker Everywhere...Do You Really Care?

2006-03-23T22:58:00.000-06:00

You've probably seen the endless amount of poker shows on television almost on a daily basis...the WSOP, EPT, WPT, UPC, CPT, BPO, Celeb Poker, and the list goes on...Funny thing is, last week, a friend of mine randomly said, "Wouldn't it be funny if they started broadcasting online poker games on television??" I thought, who'd waste their time plugging up a computer and broadcasting online games on T.V... Little did I know, their actually IS a television show where they view an ONLINE POKER GAME in action...and have professional commentary! I forget what the show is called, but it's lame as hell!

By the way, if your looking for a quick poker fix, TexasHoldem-Academy.com launched its 24/7 online poker television broadcast for you to watch anywhere and anytime of the day.

Some poker rumours:
I was listening to an online radio show sometime early this week and some dude was being interviewed about the world of poker... Anyway, he mentioned an upcoming poker event that's in the works for later this year. Apparently, the FOX station is putting together the biggest buy-in freezeout tourney in history - $10,000,000 buy-in!!! 6 players will buy-n for $10 mil and only one player will win it all, 60 huge ones...insane? Yes. Crazy? Yes.
A few of the names mentioned to play are Phil Ivey, Phil Helmuth and Doyle Brunson...I'm routing for Gus Hansen to fall into the mix! =) I wonder if there's a satellite into this $10 mil buy-in tourney? =S

Looking for a Heads Up Challenge?
So you've been reading my blog and think you can take me?? lol. Look for me (Spektacular) on Pokerstars and Let's Talk! I'm open to playing $5 - $20 heads-up NL holdem matches, so holla!

This is my PS Avatar:

Don't Have an Account on PokerStars? You can open one right now for FREE:

[OPEN A PS ACCOUNT NOW & CHALLENGE ME]

A Spektacular Press Release:
There's a press release circulating around the internet about this blog, if you haven't seen it yet, here it is:

"Toronto, On - March 18, 2006 -- Ever since Chris Moneymaker won over 2.5 million dollars at the 2003 WSOP (World Series of Poker) from a $39 online poker satellite, every average Joe jumped on the poker-band wagon to try to do the same; as did Ivan Correces also known as Spektacular(Spek for short) on various online poker sites.
“I deposited $50 into an online poker site and went broke within a week…I had a friend who had a healthy bankroll on one site, so I told him to transfer $10 to my account. I promised him that not only would I pay him back, I’m going to double, triple, quadrouple that ten dollars into my lifetime poker bankroll…And I’m glad to say, I haven’t gone broke yet…”
Spek spent his December holidays building up his bankroll playing no limit Texas Holdem and kept a journal of short stories of victories and terrible bad beats he’s experienced over the course of time.
In five short days he turned $10 into $200. Then poker reality hit,
“The first week or so, I was on a crazy winning streak. I mean, I was on fire! After a while, the reality of gambling hit me…I started losing to horrible suck outs and bad beats. I lost about a third of my bankroll in two days. I was a bit worried I’d lose it all and start all over again…”
Did it work out? Did Spek lose his bankroll after experiencing some tough losses? “I went from ten bucks to over $700 in a few weeks, and I’m steadily winning more and more,” Spek says confidently.
Spek’s been playing online Texas Holdem and winning consistently over the last few months. His favourite games are the no limit Texas Holdem $20 and $30 sit & goes (SNG’s) and small buy-in Tourney’s on PokerStars.com. You can read Spektacular’s poker progess at http://spektacular.blogspot.com."

Thanks JC for the review.

Anyway, It's almost 1am, I'm tired, and Conan O'Brian is on...Blog ya later!

Two Weeks of Sick Online Poker

2006-03-21T16:39:00.000-06:00

I've been playing a few sit & goes and tourney's on Pokerstars the last two weeks and I've made some money to show for it...

Earlier this month, I entered a $20+2 buy-in 180 Player Tourney on Pokerstars, and made it to the final table! I was the shortest stack at the table with 9 players fighting for $1080 1st place prize. Blinds were quite big, so my strategy was to shove it all-in with a good hand, and luckily enough I found a great hand to double up with; KK in early position. So I limped in hoping somebody would raise; the button player raised it 3 bets to go and of course I pushed all-in and naturally, he called. KK vs AQ. My cowboys hold up and I'm a huge chip leader for a while sitting pretty with over 40k chips.
To make things short, I got crippled with KJ (One of the hands I dread the most) against AJ...You know what happens next - here are my results:

I made $234 and I cashed out $200 into my Neteller Account. Not bad for a 3 hr tourney.

Online Bankroll: $480 ($240+)
Cash Out $200-
Online Bankroll: $280
Overall: $1040

So I made some money early this month, but lately I've been experiencing some slimey plays... For example, in one $20+2 sng, the very first hand I was dealt was AA on the Big Blind. 4 people limped in, so I raised it to $100 (blinds are a measley 10-20). The Player on the Small Blind Flat calls my bet and the flop is pure rags 4-2-8. He checks it to me. I want this hand to be over, so I go ALL-IN and he CALLS! He shows, K4...K4?!? A King Hits the Turn! Maybe He thought I was bluffing? We'll never know.

Yesterday, I played 4 $20+2 SNG's and never made it into the money ONCE! Check this out:

SNG #1: It was down to 5 Players and I was the shortest stack on the table with 900 chips. I finally see a decent hand on the button, JJ. Blinds are 75-150 at this point, so I push to try to steal or get a caller to double me up. S.B. player calls me with A10 of hearts and catches his flush on the river. Ouch!

SNG #2: I had an average stack and was dealt AA in mid position. The player under the gun raises and I reraise about the size of the pot. Surprisingly the Big blind player goes all in and of course I call... He shows 88 vs my AA. Flop is 4-5-6...Turn is, you guessed it, 7! Runner, runner straight. PS BS, I'd like to say.

SNG #3: Another AA story: I had aces he caught trips, nuff said.

SNG #4: AK on the dealer button, so I raised it up. Big blind calls. Flop is A-9-J...He checks and naturally I raise and he flat calls. Turn is a 5. He bets, I reraise, he goes all-in! I'm thinking, Twops? Trips? Straight Draw? I had to see, so I call. He had A5. Fugg! I'm eliminated on the bubble!

I lost some money today, so what?? I'll make it up some other time.

Online Bankroll: $190 ($90-)

Looking Back at the Past Poker Drama

2006-03-19T22:39:00.000-06:00

As I've mentioned earlier, I actually started this online poker mission back in December 2005. A friend of mine transferred $10 into my PokerStars.com 'Spektacular' account and I told him, not only will I pay him back, I'll turn that ten bucks into my lifetime bankroll! Okay, so here are some of my poker highlights...

12/12/05 - From $10 to $200
I started out by playing $5.50 SNG's (Sit and Gos)...won a few, then used half of my bankroll to play a $10+1 SNG... I won 1st place, $45!... Played another and another. Right now, my bankroll is a little over $220! Isn't online poker great?

Bankroll: $220 ($210+)

12/13/05 - Aces, Deuces, and Kings, OH MY!
I took my bankroll to the $20+2 sng's (Sit n' Goes) and won a few...My first time to bump heads with poker pro, Jennifer Harman. I'm cashing in 3 out of 4 sng's and my bankroll continues to grow. I'm on fire!

Bankroll: $305 ($85+)

12/16/05 - I Lost My Mojo / Bubble, Bubble, Barely Made It
Poker reality finally hits! I'm losing... And I'm losing a lot. I made it into the money only once out of like five or six sng's, and my online poker bankroll is damaged! I lost around $120 in two days and I start contemplating whether or not I should cash my winnings out and abort mission. I decide to stay and stick to the mission.

Bankroll: $185 ($120-)

12/18/05 - River, Be Good!
I'm starting to win again and make it into the money. I play a few $10+1 sng's and win a few, and that really builds my confidence; I play my first $30+3 sng and win it! My bankroll is starting to look pretty good.

Bankroll: $270 ($85+)

12/19/05 - Cold Card Christmas Tourney
TexasHoldem-Academy.com held a $30 Buy-In Tournament... 40 Seats available and 22 people expected to play. Surprisingly, 35 players showed up.
Everyone was excited; their were knock-out prizes [for knocking out me( the host) Mark and Ern], bubble giveaways, and a cool 1st, 2nd, 3rd, 4th and 5th cash prize!
I make it to the final table: I had QQ and pushed it all in, everyone folds to the big blind who's stack is smaller than mine and calls my raise. He has AQ and catches his Ace on the turn. I'm crippled again and the next hand I stare at AJ of hearts. I'm all in. Small blind player calls with AQ. I'm eliminated on the bubble.. DOH! Lost $30.

That's me at the final table of the TexasHoldem-Academy.com Cold Card Christmas Tourney (Wearing my lucky hood sweats):

Bankroll: $240 ($30-)

12/23/05 - Cashing Out!
I decided to play a 0.50 - 1.00 online cash table and I got extremely lucky! Called a raise when I shouldn't have and caught two pair on the flop. Disugusting!
I also played a 180 player tourney and made it into the money...$190! Made $300 that day and decided to cash it out.

Bankroll: $540 ($300+)
Cash out $300-
Bankroll: $240 ($300-)
Overall: $540

12/29/06 - Live Side Games (Deleted Post)
F.Y.I, I don't only play online, I enjoy playing live tourney/sit n' goes as well. I'm not a big fan of cash games. I prefer players getting knocked out rather than seeing them buy back in and start gunning for you. I've made a few hundred dollars playing mini tourney's and decided I could add that to my "progess report" as well.

Overall: $820 (280+)

So, that's pretty much how I'm doing. As easy as it sounds, it took a lot of work. If you play NL holdem in general, you know what I'm talking about. I've actually started playing again earlier this month of March, so I'll keep you all posted of how much I've made. Till then, blog ya later!

-Spek

P.S. - You can read my old blog posts at spektacular.blog.com

Hi, My Poker Name Is...

2006-03-19T21:57:00.000-06:00

Poker Players and Playets!

In this corner, weighing at...well, that's not really important. Hi, my name is Spek. Well, my real name is Ivan, but my online poker nickname is Spektacular (Spek for short). I work behind the scenes with a few internet marketing websites, poker and non-poker related http ://www.TexasHoldem-Academy.com, just to name one of them.

I've Made it My Mission to Double, Triple, Quadrouple Ten Measley Dollars into Thousands of Dollars! Impossible? Read On...

I actually started this challenge in December of 2005. My old blog site is, spektacular.blog.com. I decided to take my posts to blogger.com to get more blog exposure. If you want to see my past up and down poker drama check out spektacular.blog.com. But remember, this site will be my main HQ, the main Spektacular site. So, come back to see updates on my progress.

This is my story, my poker blog. During the last couple of months, I've experienced many highs and lows; victories and defeats; amazing hands and bad beats; the good, the bad, and the disgustingly ugly. With $10.00 I've seen it all, and yet, I'm actually up, way up! But we'll get to that later. Till then, I'll keep you posted!

What Do I Play? No Limit Texas Holdem. And Only Holdem.
On What Poker Site? PokerStars.com

Starting Bankroll: $10.00
Present Bankroll: $600.00+ (I'll do the math later)