LADIES LIPS CHAMPIONSHIPS: INTERVIEW WITH TONYA BALTAZAR (MY WIFE)

On July 1, 388 Ladies competed in the 2012 LADIES LIPS CHAMPIONSHIP! After nearly 24 straight hours of play, Tonya Baltazar (My wife) went got through a tough final table including professional poker player, Karina Jett, and got heads up with Tamara Cruz of Arizona...After tough heads up battle, Tonya came up short to finish in 2nd place...I took some time to interview my wife about battling through a VERY tough field:

Q: What was your initial strategy going into this tournament??

   

My strategy in an all women poker tournament is very different than when I play an open event with men.  I find women are harder to bluff.  I always maximize the value of my good hands and flops that I hit because women will tend to call you down if they hit any part of the board.    

Q: Was there a hand or hands you played that indicated that you were in for a long run??

I just moved to a table and I had about 35,000 chips, I just played the blinds and then on the button I had J 10os everyone folded to me so I made a standard 3 times raise, the lady in the SB reraises me but only doubles my initial raise so I call.  The flop was  A K Q, I flopped the nut straight, lady in SB bets out so I go ALL-IN and she instant calls me and she turns over pocket 5’s and I double up.  I’m not even done stacking my chips and a lady UTG raises, everyone folds to me and I look down at  pocket Aces so I announce ALL-IN and she instantly calls me with pocket Queens and I double up again.  A few hands later, I get A J hearts and this lady raised and I call, and I think the BB called too, the flop is K 10 Q, BB checks the initial raises makes a continuation bet and I announce ALL-IN BB folds and she instant calls and she has K 10 for two pair and I take her out.  I went from 35,000  chips to over 200,000 at that one table.  

Q: You had a mountain of chips with two tables left, but lost a big pot to eventual winner, Tamara Cruz, how did you overcome when you got to the final table:

Well I am a Short Stack Ninja Specialist, I know how to play a short stack well. 

Q: Talk about your double up against Karina Jett early at the final table.

Well I have played with Karina before and have taken a WSOP boot camp that she taught with Annie Duke, so I know her style of play and what her hand ranges would be.  She was one of the chip leaders going into the final table , but she did double me up twice, which was nice. 

Q: I know there were issues with the tournament playing out the tournament in one day, I heard not just yourself but other players had an issue with it, please explain your stand on this issue?

 Yes, it was complete craziness, they changed a lot of things this year with the Lips Championship than the years before.  It was the Golden Nugget’s decision to make it a 1 day event this year even though in the past years it was a 2 day event, and this year was the biggest turnout that Lips had a record of 388 women.  It definitely should have been a 2 day event. 

Q: Fatigue played a major part in not just you but your opponent, how did you maintain your compusure in the end?

I drank a lot of starbucks coffee! 

Q: Finishing 2nd is a great accomplishment, can you put into perspective how important this tournament was for you??

First of all, I have played the Lips Championship for the last straight 5 years and was always close to the money or bubble girl, so to actually get this far and finish 2^nd was just one of the greatest accomplishments that I had in poker besides my two cashes in the World Series of Poker in 2010 and 2011.  

Q: How was your support able to get through this tough tournaments such as your friends and family??

I truly have the most amazing husband who not only taught me this great game, but always supports me and encourages me to be a better player, he is my ROCK!  I also have the most amazing friends that I have met because of poker, who will be long life friends, and who are always my cheerleaders not only in poker, but in life!  Poker is just not a game to play for money, but it’s a great way to bond and have fun with the people you love.   I am truly blessed to have such a wonderful husband, kids and friends who support my passion for poker. 

Q: What poker goals do you have left to accomplish??

  

My next goal is to play in the Main Event at the World Series of Poker and to make it the final table, but if I cash in the Main Event, I will be just as happy…I will be working on that goal this coming year in my 10K league. 

Thank you for the interview.....

MORNING POKER AT PLANET HOLLYWOOD: A NON FICTION STORY: PART III

I glance at my watch and see it's 6:15 AM....I then look at my stack. I'm still surviving but my stack is dwidling...Frustration starts to set in....I sit on the end of my seat, wondering when my big pot will come...

"Patience"....that's what all the books say, but are the books running as badly as me...probably not...

Around me, the tables at Planet Hollywood are breaking. The room is down to two games, many of the monster stacks are leaving the room, most satisfied with their profit...The only ones left are the people who are stuck, losing such as myself..Most are tossing in their chips trying to hit that miracle card to get them unstuck. I, on the other hand, have kept my discipline...it's "one long session" I've heard many poker players have said...don't think of the short term...think long term.

I start to feel anxious....I take a sip of my water and see a raise in my front of me...I look down and see Pocket Queens...The raise was $12...I decide to reraise to $30....Everyone folds to a pleasant looking Asian gentleman who calls...we take the flop heads up...

Before the dealer, the Asian guy and I share an awkward glance....as if we've battled in hands before although this was the first hand (that I recall) that we were involved in...Two titans in card sword fight, pecking at each other, until we get the knockout shot. The dealer puts out the flop, his thumb slowly seperating the three cards until it's lined up ever so neatly on the middle of the felt...

I read the board....J 10 4 rainbow...I gaze at the board as if I'm taking a quiz, surgically piecing the puzzle of this flop..Did it hit my opponent....What range is he calling my re-raise? Does his range fit this board.

The pleasant Asian gentleman gently taps his index finger on the felt....I quickly cut out 10 $5 chips and fire them into pot. Suddenly, the pleasant Asian gentleman roars, "ALL IN"!! The quick change in personally startles me a bit. We exchange another awkward glance...dammit, this is fine mess I gotten myself into.

Sitting in seat 1, I leaned forward to get a look at my opponent, who's seating in seat 10....he is stoic...Sitting still as a statue. I try to get some information from him....I point to the Jack and 10 sitting motionless on the table, asking him, "Did you flop this or that" Of course I'm thinking did he flop a set of 10's or Jacks. I look at his two cards sitting in front of him and wonder if he had a pair matching any of these cards on the board.

But I have an over pair....After what seemed like an eternity, I turn over my pocket Queens for the entire table to see, but I wanted only one person to see...the pleasant Asian gentleman, wanting to get a read of what kind of hand he's holding. Unfortunately, the pleasant Asian gentleman gave me no indication of what he's holding. I could feel the saliva forming like a powerful wave zooming from the Pacific Ocean....the hammer was coming down and I have nothing to stop...Finally I flick my Pocket Queens into the muck, The pleasant Asian Gentleman slowly slips his hand to the dealer and collects the pot..

At this point, I admit defeat...I quickly grab the remaining chips and cash out....As step onto the Las Vegas Strip, I let the warm Vegas air collapsed on my face...I shake my head and walk back to my car....

Dammit, that wasn't very fun. But always....there is another day...I will live to fight another day....

THE END....

MORNING POKER AT PLANET HOLLYWOOD: A NON FICTION STORY: PART II

The stream of guys and gals exiting the HEART bar is as steady as the unplayable cards I'm getting at this table. I wipe the small strand of sweat from my brow as I toss another unplayable hand into the much -- J2 offsuit...

My composition of my table is a typical variety of player you typically see in a wee-hours game on the Las Vegas Strip...Mix of drunk tourists willing to spew their money and sharks who are more than happy to take their money, but on his night...the drunk tourists are winning...

I witness a monster pot in which the drunk tourist bets every street and the "so-called" professional agonizing over every bet...you can see the excruciating drama on his face as he faces one big bet after another...another...another...it's like watching a prized fight between two evenly matched fighters...who's gonna blink first?? At the end of the hand...the so-called professional calls down a 100 dollar bet on the river....The drunk tourist shakes his head, takes a gulp of his 4th or 5th shot of Jager...and says beats this...Ace High....The professional looks suprisingly at the board, peeks at his cards, then at the board again...he begins to shake his head in disbelief, and tosses them into the muck, "Nice hand" the crackling voice utters...The entire tables rambles about the hand they saw...What is going on?

Five minutes later, the drunk tourist, at the urging of his impatient friends who's been waving two empty chip racks in his face for the better part of an hour, finally gets him to rack his nearly $1,300!! Good night everyone, the drunk tourist says as he stumbles to the cashier to reap the fruits of his "well done" poker player leaving the rest of us to wonder...I can't believe we didn't get any of that..

Despite that, the game moves on. Like a gripping novel we are willing to put down, the dealers deals the next hand...It's raised once again, this time by the same professional who dropped about 500 dollars to the now-departed drunken tourist....I peek at the cards ready to conceive it'll be another junk hand I can give back the dealer...I peek at one card...King of Clubs...I slowly peek at the another card and see two adjacent lines and I separate the cards the two adjacent lines form the letter "K"...Oh shit...it's another King..King of Spades...I have pocket Kings... 

I peek over at my raise..it's $12....My opponent just rebought for another $300...looking at my stack I see I have two stacks of hundred...I decided I'm gonna trap my opponent and let him give me his money..Yeah..that's it...I'll do my Mike McDermontt impersonation when he flopped a straight and got Teddy KGB to give him all his chips...I gather $12 from my stack and with a twitch of my wrist, I happily toss $12 in the game...The image of doubling up danced in my head, ready to rake in a monster pot...It's coming...its coming...everyone at the Planet Hollywood...watch and see....

The other players at the table quickly muck their hands in a synchronized manner...one hand at a time..They become the audience of what's about the happened...The triumph victory of Pocket Kings vs. a tilting professional....

Before the dealer, puts out a flop, he makes a comment about two hookers standing at the blackjack table across the poker room, "What an ass on her"...The dealer, an older gentleman, who seems to preoccupied with the "Ladies of the Night" than putting out the flop..."C"mon Dealer, " I think to myself, "My audience is waiting, put that flop out, so they can see me work these Pocket Kings like a maestro!"

Flop comes J 8 2...rainbow....The tilting professional fires $12. The chips flies through the air like a cannon. I quickly gaze at my stack and pull out 12 bucks to equal his bet...I call...My audience needs to see me milk this guy for every penny I can. I gaze at my opponent, a rye grin creeps across my face, "I got him!! I got him" I whisper in head...

The dealer peels the turn card, but not before making another comment about the hookers near the blackjack tables, "How much do you think she's worth" he says as he puts out a 3 of diamonds...

The tilting professional $30...I instantly call his bet...My plan was to look like I was weak, but at the same time, making him feel he's ahead...The Maestro of the Hold em at work..my audience sits in silence watching our every move...The dealer puts out a Jack....The tilting professional bets out $50!

For the first time in the hand, a twinge of doubt creep in my head...what if I was behind the entire time. I could a feel a bead of cold sweat falling down my forehead...I decided to be cautious and just call... The tilting professional turns over pocket 8's for a flopped set!!!

Dammit, as I tap the felt and watching a pool of beautiful red chips get shipping away from me and onto the stack of the tilting professional's stack!!

Oh well, I thought...but my audience doesn't respond. They go back to their routing: Shuffling their chips, checking their phones, just another hand in the long session of poker....

Coming soon....Part 3!!!

MORNING POKER AT PLANET HOLLYWOOD: A NON FICTION STORY: PART I

In the wee-hours of the morning 4:50 AM to be exact, I aimlessly walk through the Las Vegas Strip and enter the Planet Hollywood casino. Walking through the surprisingly tranquil casino floor....

"Wow, not too many drunks stumbling around.." I thought as I slowly walk through the maze of party girls finishing their last guzzle of fruity spirits, and guys walking around in groups of two and threes obviously striking out in their pursuit of their "One Night Stand" or "Vegas Memory". I ended up at the Planet Hollywood Poker room and approach the cashier desk..

The Planet Hollywood poker room is a smorgasbord of hustling guys and gals playing the great game of poker. The Loud cracking of shuffling chips, the occasional scream of "Good hand" and "You called me with that?" and screams of "Seats Open" from the poker dealers resonate throughout the room. Stacks of $5 Chips and $1 Chips  fill this poker room in front of wanna be professionals, drunks party kids who stumbled from the nearby "Heart" bar, middle aged men, and insomniacs trying to squeeze and absorb every minute of their Las Vegas vacation. "My plane leaves in two hours" one young party animal says..typical Vegas visitor

Two familiar faces are standing next to each at the makeshift podium which acts as a cashier cage. The Dealer is a familiar...we'll call her "A" and the floormen, we'll call him "J" are chatting with each other as I approach him.

"A" recognizes me instantly, "Ron, what are you doing here so late?" The puzzled look on her face was priceless. Yeah, I'm probably the last person she'd probably see there at this hour. 

I smirk, "Took my parents to the airport, decided to play some poker."

"A" smiles, "I'll see if there's a seat for you."

"A" searches the busy poker room and as she does, I have a short conversation with the floorman, "J", "J" is a young guy with a Cajun accent with a lot of enthusiasm. I really like "J" personality. The kind of guy who seems like he always has his dealers back and would probably be a fun person to have a beer with.

"A" Points out an empty seat. I walk towards my new seat simultaneously gazing the stacks at the table. Couple of stacks of $500, some $200, and one guy with over $1000....I decided to buy in for $300. I hand "A" my cash and within minutes she brings me a rack containing 300 red. I pull out 2 bucks to tip "A". "A" wouldn't take it, she smiles, "Just get me in the box." I insisted on tipping her but again she relented...

I finally sit down and open my "POKER INCOME" Application on my iPhone and record all the details of his session:

PLANET HOLLYWOOD $1-2 NO LIMIT, BUY IN: $300

I toss my players card to the dealer who swipes me in, already thinking about using my comp points for the delicious Earl of Sandwich. The dealer pitches the cards, as I lined my red chips in a row and peek at my cards....5 4 Offsuit...when its my turn...I toss them into the muck, tossing him high like a helicopter but being careful that I don't expose my cards...

A pretty middle-aged cocktail waitress ask me if I wanted something to drink. I politely declined....

And with that.....My Planet Hollywood sessions begins....

PART 2......SOON  

Kudos to Victoria Coren!!

Found this interesting blog written by well-known English professional poker player, Victoria Coren about a young chap (England's term) who played in the $1000 Ladies No Limit tournament, and totally made an ass out of himself. One of the better blogs I've read in a long time. Point is....if your going to crash a party no one wants you to be in, don't spike the punch too...

http://www.victoriacoren.com/main/blog/archive/pick_on_someone_your_own_size

As if this writing, this asshole is still in the ladies tournament. He's gonna face a lot of hate and scrutiny once this blog gets out....

DOMINO MOTHA F-----!!!

Let's start this blog with a short clip from one of the best movies I've ever seen....BOYZ IN THE HOOD! ICE CUBE was surprising very good in this movie. I think it was his first movie role:

Today, I'm at work, eating lunch, and at the table next to me a group about 10 people were sitting and standing around playing dominoes! Actually 4 were playing and 6 are watching. I think they work in the Linen/uniform department. This domino game goes on every day between 12:30 PM - 1:30 PM, and I've always noticed this game, but today was the first time I really took note of it. The one thing I noticed about this game is how happy everyone is. This group, as I said before, it usually 10 people, who rotate after every game so that everyone gets to play. The game is raucous and loud, and good-natured needling going on. There are times when this game gather's 20 people who just want to see what's going on...The happiness these people show is definately palpable -- you just can't help but smile when you see these guys truly enjoy themselves away from the hustle and bustle of a workday.

DOMINOES: Also known as Bones, Cards, Tiles, Tickets, Stones, or Spinners

I LOVE PLAYING DOMINOES!!! When I was in the Air Force, I played it wherever I was stationed. The first time was with a group of airman when first joined in our dorm rooms. We would play throughout the night, time would fly, beers were flowing, it was an awesome time! I remember when I was working for the Security Forces Squadron in Nellis AFB, NV, I used to fix computers and each time I was on a call....I would always see a group of airmen playing dominoes, wishing i could stay to play a game....damn I miss times like that.

I also remember in high school. Lunch time was always domino day! A group of students, one of which, played in the NFL for short time, would always get as many games in the 30 minutes as possible. It got to the point where everyone was bringing their own domino sets to school. I remember one guy had an elaborate set...I think he said it was made from ivory tusks of elephants worth 200 bucks, not sure if I believed him (Teenagers always exaggerate). Funny cause soon it became a race to see who had the best domino set...lol

Now, I rarely play dominoes. I have a set sitting in my game closet, and occasionally, my wife and I will pull out the "bones" and get a game in...but today has really got me thinking, maybe there's an Apple App where I can people from all over the world. Heck, maybe Zynga (Makers of Words and Scramble For Friends) has developed a domino game...

Guess it's time to look for one :)

SNAP CALL...WHAT????!!!!!

I really hate playing poker awfully!!
I really hate playing poker like a donk!!
I really hate playing poker when I self-destruct!

And that's exactly what happened one hot summer downtown Las Vegas at the Golden Nugget Grand Series Poker tournament this past Saturday..

Played the $125 No Limit tournament at the Golden Nugget with 151 players, and despite the high juice/rake and less than average dealers, this is the one of the best structured tournaments during the summer.  I've played this tournament ever since they started running a few years back. Unfortunately, I'm drawn  the goose-egg, haven't cashed once in 3 years, but I continue to go back because I like banging my head against a brick wall over and over!

So I came roaring out of the gate, dropping 3K from a starting stack of 12, during the first level. I ran what I call the "No Peek Bluff". Basically, when I'm the BB blind, I'll call a small raise from the button or cutoff, then play the hand blindly...I check raised a 9 5 2 board and bet the turn and river when a 2 and 4 fell. On the river I was raised....I finally had to look my cards and saw I only had 8 7 off...and played "Hollywood" before mucking my 8 high...lol...The No Peek bluff usually works out for me...but not this time..I guess this should have been a sign of what was to come...

Fortunately, my table was full of weak-passive fish where I was able to rebuild my stack to a little above starting stack using positional raises and bets. By the first break, I was back up to 11K. After the break, I won a small pots, then doubled up a short stack when my KK was no match for my opponent's Q10 hearts, when he nailed a flush on the turn...oh well...

My table broke and got moved to a table full of big stacks, and had a run of bad cards and bad flops and by the second break I was down to 7500....

My wife, who had busted from the Binions Classic $160 tourney, came to sweat me and gave me some words of encouragement. Few hands after the break, I peeked and saw one ace and shoved my 7K stack in the middle...The guy next to me calls....He turns over AJ Clubs...I squeeze my other card as I turn it over and see the beautiful ACE OF SPADES...WOOHOO Pocket aces....I had to fade a flush draw but managed to double up.

His brought my stack size to about 17K or about 20 BB, so I wasn't out of the woods yet, but at least I acquired a little fold equity so at least I had a 3-bet all in my arsenal just in case I wanted to come over the top of an aggressive player.

Few orbits went by with dead cards...I did call a raise from the BB with 6-4 hearts after four callers hoping to flop a big draw, two pair, or something where I could shove my stack in....Unfortunately, I didn't flop anything so it was check/fold with that....

Then this hand comes up..with the blinds 400-800 100 ante...Four people limp into the pot. I'm in the small blind with 10-8 offsuit, and complete the bet out a 15K stack..BB checks and we see the flop 6 handed...flop comes 10 4 2 rainbow. I lead 2000...Everyone folds to the button, who has me way covered, calls...So we're heads up....turn is a 5...I lead for 4500....Button peers at my stack, then have an awkward eye-contact...and says ALL IN!!! I knew I was beaten at that point...With just 9600 left...the pot was near 10K, and mathematically, it was correct to call, but I had a gut feeling I was beaten.  At this point, I think tournament survival and putting my money in at a another spot was the optimal decision, and reluctantly folded my top pair...

So being back down to 9600, I go two orbits without picking up a hand..Finally picked up AK when my stack dwindled to 7100...and shoved over a Early position raise...He had AQ...AK hold up and a I double again. Then I lose a couple of small pots. Then our table breaks..My stack shunk to around 9K...

I had no such luck in my next table...Again the cards are horrific and with my stack down to 7 K, I double up twice against the same player with A6 vs. JJ, and AQ vs. 1010...At the dinner break, I have 41k and feeling confident I could go deep. At the dinner break, there were 44 players left and 18 gets paid.

My wife and I have dinner at the Aloha Specialties at the California Hotel/Casino never tasted so awesome. My wife and I discuss a few poker strategy and I knew if I just played my game I could get to the money (Unless I hit a bad beat or a melt down...Foreshadow alert!!!) When we get back I count my chip stack again and see I have 26 BB left...Plenty of time to work my stack and try to put myself in a position to win this tournament...

My CONFIDENCE WAS SKY HIGH!!!! YOU HEAR ME..MY CONFIDENCE WAS SKY HIGH!!!!

THEN DISASTER STRIKES in the most vicious way. I, Ron Baltazar, known at balt999 in the blogosphere world...SELF DESTRUCTED ON THE FIRST HAND AFTER THE BREAK..DETAILS ARE HERE....

I post my SB and Ante....It's folded to the cutoff and tosses a 5000 chip without saying raise, so the dealer rightly says it's only a call...I clarify to the dealer  it's a just a call, and the dealer confirms it was. I, now peek down and see QJ offsuit..I complete my SB...The BB (A loose player) with a monster stack check his option...Let's take his SELF DESTRUCTION STEP MY STEP Shall we???

STEP 1) Flop comes Q 9 9 rainbow...I check...(First mistake, I should have led this flop) Big blind bets 6K...Cutoff player folds...I call

STEP 2) Turn is a 8...I check again...(Again I should have led the turn)...BB annouces ALL IN.

STEP 3) Before the Big blind finishes saying ALL IN...I SNAP CALL!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! WHAT????

STEP 4) Big blind turns over KQ and the river bricks out and just like that I'm out of the tournament!!!

STEP 5) I gather my stuff and make a quick exit out of the Golden Nugget feeling as if I was just punched in the stomach!!!

I walk towards the California Hotel/Casino to get my car from valet, I think about how quickly I was out of the tournament totally ignoring the smell of dried piss from the alley swimming with the hot Vegas Air....

The 20 minute drive home was the longest drive I ever had..I turned off the radio and drove silently as I went over my bust-out hand. I can't believe I inexplicably snap called without thinking about the hand through. I take pride in taking my time when I have to make a tough poker decision. If I would have thought about the hand for 5 seconds, I guarantee you I would have mucked my hand. When the BB goes all in, he wasn't doing that on a bluff. I had 40K and it would have dented his stack significantly. In addition, I played with his guy for a hour and didn't see him bluff once...let alone make a ALL IN BLUFF!!!! All this factors pointed to mucking my QJ...

I beat myself about this hand all night....I was pretty quiet the rest of the night...laying on my bed staring blankly at ESPN not comprehending what I was watching...I kept going over the QJ hand until I fell asleep that night...

Patience has never been my best trait unless I'm playing poker....so it's ironic I wasn't patience when I was about to make a tough poker decision....

This Brain-Fart, as I told everyone, had me re-examining my poker game, and I came to this conclusion....it's not the poker that holding me back from having success. I know the math, understand the metagame aspect, know the game theory behind no limit. It's the mental aspect I need to work on. How to take my time to make decisions, how to keep my ego in check in tournaments, and to think things through.

I'm going to do my best to consciously be aware of my mental state of mind when I'm playing poker and make the proper adjustments to improve my poker game. I have to stop thinking poker tournaments are a sprint instead of a marathon...if I do that I think the results will come.

Will I learn...I hope so...

Patience is a virtue!!