tilted behaviour

With the Aussie Millions over, it now leaves me more time to play, and consequently I decided to stay down in Melbourne for a few extra days to hit the felt.

By the time I had fully recovered from the copious amount of alcohol I had drunk the previous night I eventually found my way into the Crown Poker Room and on a $2-3 NLH table.

It was fairly uneventful as I grinded away for over two hours for $39 in profit before being convinced by friend / ex-PokerNews colleague / Crown’s best dealer / (potentially) Crown’s best tournament director Anthony ‘Slippers’ Molinaro to play the $65 Melbourne Championships.

Just like a typical Crown Step One satellite the structure was fairly fast and I just played a solid game to see the starting 17 quickly chomped down to just a final table. From then on I picked up the aggression and slowly accumulated a stack to see me capture one of the $250 Step Two seats.

I jumped back on a $2-3 NLH table, but started to get a little tired and decided to take my $11 profit and head home for the night.

Heading in early to play the $50 plus single $25 rebuy tournament at 10am I was surprised to see a further 54 players also get out of bed early to make the trip down to Crown.

I chipped up to around 4k from my 1,500 starting stack when I virtually doubled without a showdown holding Kings and took a few pots down on the flop in a raised pot. Just before the first break I opened 425 with blinds at 100-200 holding A♦ J♦ and was flatted by someone a few seats along before the big blind moved all in for 725. I decided to ship it all in and was quickly snapped off after being trapped with Aces.

Left with around 1,000 it was folded right round when I was in the big blind before I kept shoving from the small blind thereafter as the blinds kicked up to 200-400. Unfortunately my 10♥ 9♥ from middle position ran into the Ace-Queen and Ace-King of the blinds and I was out in 32nd place.

While waiting for a cash game I got in touch with Heath and we decided that we would have a hit of tennis or play online from his apartment across the road.

Kirsty needed to head into the city, so we decided to join her as we lugged round the CBD in the sweltering hot Melbourne sun.

Returning to their apartment I eventually convinced Heath to play the nightly $60 Turbo tournament at Crown and we made our way down to the poker room to find fellow PokerNetwork / PokerNews blogger Landon Blackhall and his dad also participating in the donkament.

Heath busted in about three hands while I grinded away before the blinds picked up and I shoved 8 bb’s with pocket fives only to run into Aces to bust out in 70th/98 place.

With Heath tying a noose somewhere, I sat down on a $1-2 NLH table but over the course of two hours ran into Aces, set into overset and a few other disgusting hands to finish down $200 and on my way out the door.

My final session for the first half of the week saw me venture into the poker room in the afternoon.

Sitting down at a $2-3 NLH table full of regular mid-week players, I was fairly card dead before getting involved in the wrong side of a pot to force myself to top-up an additional $150.

It would be a very wise decision because I few hands later I called a $15 raise from out of the big blind with A♦ 8♦ to see a flop of 7♦ 5♦ 4♦ flop fall with a pot of $90 in the middle. I checked, the player in middle position bet out $25 and only the original raiser called before I check-raised to $65. The flop aggressor moved all in, the original raiser folded and I called.

He rolled over his Q♦ 9♦ and that was that as I cashed out $467 after another orbit to register just over $115 in profit for the session before heading to Heath and Kirsty’s to play some tennis.

We played a best of three round robin series, and after nearly pulling a hammy when chasing down one of my drop shots, Heath never stood a chance against either Kirsty or me.

Heath didn’t any of his four matches, while Kirsty went 2-2 and me 4-0 before we called it a night as I made my way back to Geelong.

Probably the best thing about the Aussie Millions is without doubt the series ending Farewell Party!

It is a time for dealers, media and players to let their hair down and party hard on Crown’s wallet . . . and year after year that wallet gets pushed to the edge.

Driving up from Crown I met up with Heath as we made our way into Fusion and quickly grabbed a beer from one of the gorgeous waitresses. Surrounded by dealers we eventually found some common friends before the rest of the PokerNews clan rolled in along with some fellow poker buddies.

Basically the night revolved around lots of drinks, heaps of photos and conversations about poker before the bar-tab eventually ran out and people started shuffling elsewhere.

With the night still fairly young – 2am – me and Alex decided that we would pay a visit to the Teak Room to cash in a $25 free play voucher that I had received in the mail. Alex had a smoke, and I couldn’t resist the lure of the Baccarat tables and decided to gamboooool it up for a little.

Maybe thirty minutes later and up $150 we headed down to the poker room to continue our sobering-up by taking a seat on the $0.50-1 PokerPro table. Alex ran hot, I got rivered seventeen times and took by beat-up negative $100 ass to the real felt of a $2-3 NLH table.

I never got anything going but still managed to profit $40 on the table which meant I finished up for the night before eventually feeling sober enough to drive home.

With my lone Team 888Poker member Pierre Aoukar unfortunately busting within the first twenty minutes of the today’s play, I was left with a whole day of nothing to do.

Consequently I strolled downstairs and walked around doing nothing for a while before making my way over to Heath’s place to write an article and chill for a while.

After writing a few 888Poker articles me and Heath suited up to play some tennis. The previous match saw Heath and Kirsty lose 2-6 to me, but this time it would be just the boys. I took a 4-1 lead at one point, only to go down in the first set 7-5 before losing the next one in even quicker fashion when it finished 6-3 in Heath’s favour.

We both had a shower and made our way over to a suite at the Crown Towers where Lynn was throwing GG a ‘leaving PokerNews party’ for all his friends and co-workers. When we arrived only a few guys were there eating dinner, and before too long, I was cutting down chips and dealing a home game!

It would never be a great idea running a sizeable game, so we chose a rotation of NLH and PLO with blinds at 5c-10c . . . big stakes ey!

I bought in for $10, while most people bought in for $20, $30 and even $50, and once Jonno, Mike and some random others strolled in, the game got out of control with pots of $50+ playing out in both the NLH and PLO orbits.

But like most home games / hotel party’s / going away party’s things started to get out of hand with drinks being spilt and ridiculous room service orders being placed.

Eventually security came knocking and we warned to shut-up or ship out! The food eventually came, and I took a step away and began cashing everyone out as I knew things wouldn’t last too much longer . . . and I was right as we were soon on our way home!

Thanks to Lynn for hosting a kick-ass night of fun and degeneracy!

Today marked the end of the third flight from Event 1 of the 2010 Aussie Millions!

Like previous years, the poker extravaganza that is the Aussie Millions kicked off with the $1,100 Opening Event that has seen record increases in attendance over the past few years; and 2010’s case was no exception!

A total of 1,143 entrants created the epic $1,143,000 prizepool thanks to a mixture of 919 unique entrants and 224 who repechaged.

When the dust settled on Day 1c, 193 players had made it through with many big-name local players, amateurs and international guests all having seats for action tomorrow.

As most of you know by now I was working the event on behalf of PokerNetwork and Bet 24/7, and if you want to catch the updates as I saw it, then click the links below.

Event 1 Day 1a
Event 1 Day 1b
Event 1 Day 1c

With work wrapped up around 9pm, I decided to join the PokerPro tables with Garry, Chris and Heath.

The tables were full so I decided to jump on the newly located $15 Squeeze Baccarat table that they had moved to sit nearby the PokerPro tables.

Buying in for $400 I slowly grinded up some profit before Brendon Rubie decided to join me for some degenerate gambling action. After explaining the rules he decided just to bet whatever I bet, but couldn’t really get a handle on the art that is squeezing!

At my high point I was up around $200, but left satisfied with $175 profit as Brendon had easily doubled his $100 buy-in before we both moved to the PokerPro tables.

Since Heath, Chris and Garry all had in excess of $300 – well apart from Heath who had around $200 – I decided to short-stack it to increase the fun factor and bought in for $20 on the $1-2 NLH PokerPro table that they were playing.

Those buy-in’s went fairly quickly – and from what I can remember – Kings vs Ace-King (all in on turn, river Ace) and against Chris as we shoved dark, my K♦ Q♣ went down to his 9♠ 5♣ when the board ran out A♦ Q♦ 6♦ 5♠ 5♥.

Consequently I decided to take it seriously after dropping a quick $100, and bought in for the full $100 amount. I quickly chipped up to $150 when I made two-pair and then just slowly took down pots every orbit to hit a high-point of $320 before making a move on Chris.

He made it $7 under the gun with 3♠ 4♠ and I three-bet to $23 with A♣ 9♠. The button called and so did Chris to see a 3♦ 5♥ 3♣ flop land. I bet out $25, the button moved all in for less, and Chris gave me this big talk before making it $75. Obviously he cashed out after that hand with around $500 as me and Heath were soon joined by Elaine once Garry and Brendon had left.

Elaine nitted it up and only lost pots to me when I would three-bet and then continuation bet with 7-3 off etc.

The night finished around 2am with all of us enjoying some play time outside of work!

From: Heath Chick
To: Tim Duckworth

Hey mate,
Are you interested /available in working for PNW covering Event #1 of the Aussie Millions?

After getting shot this email from Heath the three letters of Y-E-S have never been typed faster as I was on the verge of my first live work since early October.

I have been doing articles and re-writes for PokerNetwork, but nothing beats getting back into the swing of things and working on the tournament floor as a blogger.

I haven’t been explained all the details regarding the event, but I will be working for PokerNetwork doing live coverage of Event 1 of the Aussie Millions (beginning in a week’s time) on behalf of the website Bet 24/7.

Hopefully my coverage will KICK SOME ASS . . . but only you can be the judge!

As I drove down the highway this morning, I felt refreshed and prepared to take to the felt for Event 12: $550 Main Event of the Joe Hachem Deep Stack Series.

Stationed right near the bar and toilets I knew my table would break early – and thankfully it would – as I had a few aggressive cash game players along with Sam Higgs, Chris Barrett and Ivan Sop. With a deep structure to the tournament due to its 20,000-chip starting bank and 45-minute levels, I normally accumulate some easy chips early on, but in this case it was very difficult.

During the first level with blinds at 25-50 I played seven hands; winning two and fluffing the remainder with A♦ 6♦, 4♥ 4♦, 9♠ 8♠, 6♦ 4♦ and A♥ K♠ to see me finish the level with a tad over 19,300.

A few hands into the next level our table broke and I was moved about four metres across the room to join a table of what seemed like no-names apart from Karsten Kobbing and Joseph Humunicki. Unfortunately for me, Karsten would pick off a bluff from by raising me on the river. In a limped pot I checked my option holding Q♣ 5♥ to see a 5♥ J♣ 10♠ flop fall and a bet of 300 follow from Karsten as both the blinds and another player checked to him. I decided to represent two-pair and made 1,000 to go; Karsten mulled over a decision for about thirty seconds before making the call. I fired 1,700 when the K♦ fell on the turn and when the river landed a 6♣ I fired for 2,400. Karsten asked for a count and made it 5,500 to go. I toyed with moving all in, but it would have only been an additional 10,000 or so, and he probably would have made the call – later on I talked to Karsten about what he had, and he told me he floated with a pair and a backdoor straight and spade draw and got lucky on the turn; so something like K♠ 10♠ is the most likely holding.

I headed to break with a measly 13,000, but was luckily enough to chip up straight away once play resumed. A player that I had played with many times on a cash game level entered the pot with 750-chip raise, and I defended my 100-chip small blind with 8♦ 8♠. The flop fell Q♦ 10♠ 8♣ and I check-called 1,100 before both of us checked the 2♣ on the turn. The river blanked, and I was pretty sure that he had nothing more than Ace-King or something of that nature where he didn’t hit the board. Consequently I toyed with checking to see if he would bluff, but instead fired out a small bet of 1,700. About a minute later he made the call, I tabled my set, and he mucked as I raked in the pot to move to over 17,000.

Seven hands later I was moved once again – this time fifteen metres and two tables away – to join Jim Mastorakos, Stewart Allen, Eugene Poudel, Jesse Smith and Mat Hawker. Early on I raised A♠ Q♣ to 1,100 after four players limped ahead of me with only one limper – an aggressive cash game player – making the call. I flopped top two-pair and led out for 2,100 hoping to get shoved on as he only had 10k-ish in his stack. Unfortunately he quickly folded and I was back to nearly 19,000.

However I would soon hit two road blocks after Stewart made it 525 to go from early position with only Mat making the call. I bumped it to 2,100 from the cutoff with A♥ K♥, and once Stewart was out of the way, Mat made the call to see a 10♥ 2♣ 6♠ flop fall. Mat led out for 1,500 and I felt that Mat had a pocket pair like Queens or Jacks and I decided to float him with two overs and backdoor hearts. I decided not to raise, as I’m fairly certain he would come along with me. The turn landed the 7♥ and once he checked, I quickly checked behind to see a free river. Unfortunately if landed the J♦ and when Mat fired out 3,000 I quickly mucked and he flashed me a set of rivered Jacks.

The following hand Mat opened to 550 and I made the call holding J♥ J♣, and Stewart joined us also to see a 9♥ 7♥ 5♦ flop land. Stewart checked, Mat bet out 1,100, I raised to 2,600 and Stewart pushed a stack of about 30,000 into the middle. Mat quickly folded to put me with a decision for my last 11,000. I think I only beat a hand like 8♥[5h or something like that, but most likely he had two-pair or could even be doing that with something stronger like a set or a straight. It took me about three minutes, but I eventually folded as we jumped into the 100-200 with a 25 ante level. I finished the level with 11,000 and during the break Stewart told us both that he had flopped two-pair in the Jacks hand.

Exactly one orbit into the fifth level the player under the gun opened to 1,100 with blinds at 150-300(25) and after Eugene called, I shipped my additional 9,000 into the pot from the small blind holding A♠ A♥. The original raiser folded and as Eugene deliberated, he said, “I think I’m ahead Tim . . . I call” and flipped over pocket Tens. However, in continuation of the way I’ve been running recently, a ten-ball landed on the flop. I turned a gutshot to the wheel, but alas I was out the door and back on the highway home!

Joe Hachem Deep Stack Series – Main Event Chip Stack Graph

Apart from the bluff I ran against Karsten, I don’t think I did too much wrong, but it just caps off a terrible weak of bad luck and close calls.

Consequently I’ve decided to take some time off playing poker until 2010 – that includes cash games, tournaments, live, online, home games, play money, everything!

Hopefully you guys will stay loyal to Tilted Behaviour as I continue to take a few minutes of your life every time I make a normally useless post!

After three days in the on the pine Heath returned to see a full strength team hit the track for Day 2 action!

We were always moving; grabbing hands, chip counts, asking players names, blogging – just basically non-stop for every minute of every level.

With Heath’s pent up energy due to his Swine Flu we had a little bit of a competition of who could blog the most hands, but after a few levels we totally forgot about it. Instead we came up with a challenge to be incorporated during a preliminary event in the future.

Basically it will be a Blogger’s Scavenger Hunt with a supplied task list that has to be completely ticked off before a winner can be crowned. The list will be fairly be fairly complicated with a range of different levels of tasks from the basics of all in preflop, flop, turn and river double ups, colour pieces, promotional posts, bluffs etc, and also some really random ones like (insert random notable) double up, colour piece etc.

Most likely we’ll both chuck $50 on it, as it should continue our great competitive spirit.

Now back to the actual tournament I’m covering, and I’ve decided to include one of the sickest hands I’ve ever witnessed . . . and yes I may have coloured it up a little, but it needed the extra bit of drama!

care of PokerNews
David Paananen Is Our Bubble Boy!
With the action folding round to Preetinder Bhayana in the small blind, he made it 17,500 to go and David Paananen defended his big blind.

The flop fell down 3♣ 10♦ 8♣ and Bhayana slid out a bet amounting to 25,500. Paananen sat there for a little before re-raising to 77,000 total as the rail begin to close in on the table.

Bhayana sat there riffling ten yellow 5,000-denomination chips as Tournament Director Danny McDonagh came over to announce the action to the remaining players and onlookers.

Another two minutes went by before Bhayana announced all in.

“You go all in? I call” announced Paananen as he flipped his 3♥ 3♦ for a flopped bottom set of treys.

Bhayana shook his head, stood up, and sheepishly rolled over his A♥ 5♣ for just Ace-high but also a backdoor straight and flush-draw.

“Two of clubs would be a great sweat card” commented one of the twenty or so players that had totally surrounded the table.

The dealer burned and turned a black two on the turn, but it would be the 2♠ to see Paananen needing to fade one of the four remaining fours in the deck to stay alive.

As the rail pressed even harder against the backs of the table eight chairs, the 4♥ would land on the river to the screams and sighs of the remaining 48 players.

Paananen stood there in shock before making his way to the exit, but not before launching a half-drunk water bottle at an unsuspecting camera girl.

Bhayana on the other hand could barely keep a smile off his face as he raked in a huge place to soar to 498,000 in chips.

(thanks to Kirsty for capturing the moment of me asking him his name . . . and sorry about the water bottle)

Heath was still in bed and now GG began to develop something . . . going to be a fun Day 1c!
While the Main Event players were slogging it out, the ladies had their chance to be in the spotlight with a Ladies HK$1,500 No Limit Holdem tournament kicking off as the day began to wind down.

Kirsty Brew and Lynn Gilmartin in action

Playing her first tournament, Lynn managed to make it all the way to just two places from the final table – and she detailed it all on her PokerNews blog.

Kirsty however made the final table with a medium stack to make it two from three at making final tables in ladies events. Unfortunately she would be first to go when her over aggressive approach holding J♦ 9♦ was no match against Queens.

Unlike some other places around the world, the shops in Macau close around 10pm, and with tonight being the last night that we would finish early, Kirsty and I decided to make our way to Xin Ma Lou to shop away!

We had been there the night before, but neither of us purchased anything.

With eyes only searching for shoes, I found this pair of Gola’s for HK$400 or AU$70ish, and am so happy I bought them – with their bright red and ballaness gold . . . easily the best pair of shoes I’ve bought in years! Oh, they’re comfy too!