Online poker at higher stakes is not rigged?

Sadly, no place for me to graft hard at cash games and build a bankroll. Tournaments are too much of a crap shoot, particularly towards the end.

I was talking to a good (poker) friend...he says the 2/4 ante tables are not so rigged. I've been watching the 5/10 tables - the standard of play is akin to a higher stake cash game mostly, just the odd donkey. Buy in seems to be $1K min.

On the 5/10 tables, possible flushes reared their heads most of the time on the flop - distinct lack of rainbows. However, these flushes didn't hit that often from when I was watching which would be fairer.

To conclude - maybe the flops are juiced for action more, but the hole cards were folded a lot suggestioning the hole cards not so hot. 4th st and the river didn't seem as juiced either. I will continue to study....

My first quads live

It took some time, but I hit quad 9s earlier this week in a live game. True I've hit them before playing heads up years ago but not in a bigger cash game.

I had to call a fairly big raise with 99.

The flop came with Q49. Two hearts. I figured I'd play it risky and checked.

James raised, I re-raised all in and he was then pot committed.

I don't even remember what he had as the case 9 appeared.

Overall I finished 2nd from 9 places. Not bad result but no match in heads up against the chip leader.

WSOP fever

The WSOP Main Event looms closer....my satellite is scheduled for beginning of June...50 runners, 1 prize of $18000 for the winner, part of which is the 10K entry ticket to WSOP.

Needless to say I fancy my chances at 25 to 1 as I'm going to employ the strategy of survival for the first half....but we'll see what happens.