I was still hyped up from my huge wins this week that I had to play again last night. Now thats funny.
No, I didn't have anything else to do so I called Kevin to go play some cards. He wanted to go to the Peppermill but I am trying to avoid that place for awhile, so I suggested the Grand Sierra. Told you I liked the place. I left alittle late and Kevin called me to inform me the Pot of Gold tournaments just started. I had forgotten about this so it was a pleasnt supprise to see an extra 600 people playing poker.
The Pot of Gold is your normal 10 days of small tournaments, sit n goes, cash games, and then the "Main Event" at the end. I don't do many tournaments but the cash games are great. People come in from the Bay area, northern CA, Washington State, Oregon and northern Nevada, so there is alot of players, games and of course action.
I started off with 4/8 chatting it up with Kevin. Nothing exciting. I kept getting snapped off by a guy that was just catching cards. No skill all luck. Kevin left after an hour to play 1/2 NL. The line up looked tough with alot of locals so I passed. I battled up and down as we got short handed to end up stuck $10. Kevin came over to tell me that the locals moved to the bigger game and it was now very passive game, so I moved.
I was up a little most of the time but nothing special. My big $100 profit came from three hands. Not much detail but the jist was that I made Aces up on AQ for a nice pot, then lost with a set of fours to a set of Kings, and then beat JJ with AA. So I took my $100 and headed home before I gave it back.
An interesting thing happened on the way out. I stopped to talk to Joe, to see how his new job was going. He was a dealer that quit to play poker. He told me that he has been going up to Tahoe 4 nights a week and sitting in the 2/3 NL game. He has been cashing out everytime for $500 to $1000 a night. He is up $13,000 so far this month. I guess I underestimated him. With what he was telling me he is doing it right. Playing tight and letting them bet into him, leaving when the cards go cold, and general bankroll management.
Thinking back, I didn't do the last two. I would stay to long and spew chips. With this information I will have to go to Tahoe more often, once the tournaments are over.
Friday, September 28, 2007
Thursday, September 27, 2007
Nice Little Win
I went up to Lake Tahoe last night and sat in a 2/3 NL game for three hours. I was going to play 3/6 but the NL table was just starting, the 3/6 had a list, and I knew I could only play 3 hours. Started off very slow, folded a lot or every now and then limping in and then folding. I got a tight table image that helped me all night.
The first of the two notable hands I limped in with 9c7c in MP along with everyone else. A few people came from another table to limp in, that is how passive this game was. Everyone would limp and then hammer the flop.
The flop was K93 with 2 clubs. I am fuzzy on the betting but there was a bet and two calls before it got back to me. I didn’t give much credit to any of these guys because they were calling bets like this all night only to fold later on. The chances were good that someone had a K but with second pair and a flush draw I thought I could out draw them. Then I thought about my tight image. I figured if I checked raised then they would give me a lot of credit for a big hand. I was frustrated as usual so I went for it and went all in for another $70, $150 total. The original better called his remaining chips and after some thought and staring at me the other two players folded. The turn and rivers where no help and I showed my 97 and beat the 95o for a nice pot. Of course one of the folders said he had the K. Yes, he called all his chips with 95o and no draw. Got to love Lake Tahoe poker.
I splashed around some with my new chips and lost $45 semi-bluffing at a pot when the biggest hand of the night for me came up. With $200 in front of me I looked down at AdQd in early position and raised to $25. The button and UTG called. The flop came J 9 5 with 2 diamonds. I bet out $25 as a CB/stopper bet and the button raised to $75. UTG looked at his cards and called. I thought about my table image again and how these guys would bet and call this way with a draw and that my A is probably best right now. I also figured if I pushed the button would give me credit for a pocket pair and fold. He was tight compared to the UTG. It worked out just like I planned. The button folded and the UTG called. He made his K high flush on the turn but I made the A high flush, and just like that I was up over $300. I splashed around some more and walked with $275.
I went over to the BJ tables to meet my friend and he was still playing. With the $75 in my pocket I sat down with him. We were in the high limit area playing a shoe for $25 min a hand, so I could play 3 hands. I won the next 4 in a row and was up $250 before loosing a couple of double downs. With $120 in profit I was done. This put me up $395 for the night but as I said before I only track $100 dollar bills so I have been using the $95 for gas, valet, lunch, and so forth.
Plus $300 for the night: Bankroll $800. My bankroll is coming along nicely. I won’t be playing as much live during the weeks to come, but I will be getting more time in on the weekends. My goal was originally $500 a month, but I may have to raise it a bit.
On another note, I got some help searching for poker blogs and found some that were talking about what I was going through. No cards, can’t win a pot for 5 hours, etc. Misery loves company and I can see now that what I am going through is normal. The big wins I got use to for 10 months were not sustainable and I am back on the right track.
The first of the two notable hands I limped in with 9c7c in MP along with everyone else. A few people came from another table to limp in, that is how passive this game was. Everyone would limp and then hammer the flop.
The flop was K93 with 2 clubs. I am fuzzy on the betting but there was a bet and two calls before it got back to me. I didn’t give much credit to any of these guys because they were calling bets like this all night only to fold later on. The chances were good that someone had a K but with second pair and a flush draw I thought I could out draw them. Then I thought about my tight image. I figured if I checked raised then they would give me a lot of credit for a big hand. I was frustrated as usual so I went for it and went all in for another $70, $150 total. The original better called his remaining chips and after some thought and staring at me the other two players folded. The turn and rivers where no help and I showed my 97 and beat the 95o for a nice pot. Of course one of the folders said he had the K. Yes, he called all his chips with 95o and no draw. Got to love Lake Tahoe poker.
I splashed around some with my new chips and lost $45 semi-bluffing at a pot when the biggest hand of the night for me came up. With $200 in front of me I looked down at AdQd in early position and raised to $25. The button and UTG called. The flop came J 9 5 with 2 diamonds. I bet out $25 as a CB/stopper bet and the button raised to $75. UTG looked at his cards and called. I thought about my table image again and how these guys would bet and call this way with a draw and that my A is probably best right now. I also figured if I pushed the button would give me credit for a pocket pair and fold. He was tight compared to the UTG. It worked out just like I planned. The button folded and the UTG called. He made his K high flush on the turn but I made the A high flush, and just like that I was up over $300. I splashed around some more and walked with $275.
I went over to the BJ tables to meet my friend and he was still playing. With the $75 in my pocket I sat down with him. We were in the high limit area playing a shoe for $25 min a hand, so I could play 3 hands. I won the next 4 in a row and was up $250 before loosing a couple of double downs. With $120 in profit I was done. This put me up $395 for the night but as I said before I only track $100 dollar bills so I have been using the $95 for gas, valet, lunch, and so forth.
Plus $300 for the night: Bankroll $800. My bankroll is coming along nicely. I won’t be playing as much live during the weeks to come, but I will be getting more time in on the weekends. My goal was originally $500 a month, but I may have to raise it a bit.
On another note, I got some help searching for poker blogs and found some that were talking about what I was going through. No cards, can’t win a pot for 5 hours, etc. Misery loves company and I can see now that what I am going through is normal. The big wins I got use to for 10 months were not sustainable and I am back on the right track.
Wednesday, September 26, 2007
Lost but Won
I felt like I lost last night but I left with more then I started with.
A buddy of mine is in Reno staying at Harrahs. They gave him the presidential suite on the 24th floor. Very nice room with two bedrooms, 2 1/2 baths, tv area, dinning table, cocktail bar, and a balcony. Great views of Reno.
So I was up doing some paper work with him and we pigged out on room service. It was 10pm but I was so full that I knew going to bed would not work, so I headed to the poker room. They had 2 1/2 NL tables going. One was a must move, but still a good game.
The cards have not turned so I was getting crap. If I did get a hand I would miss the flop or no action and win the blinds. We were short handed most of the time and even if I was ahead pre-flop I was last on the flop. I have been learning patients so I was folding left and right. I would pick up a very small pot every 40 hands or so to keep going. I did get stubborn on one hand where I flopped trips and someone turned a flush. I was raised on the turn but called. This was OK but my call on the river unimproved was giving money away.
Then I got dealt JJ in the BB. I raised and only got one caller. Flopped a set and got four of a kind on the river. I checked the turn but got paid off on the river. So I won $50 in that pot and then got $240 as a bonus for the four of a kind. This put me up to $375 after a tip to the dealer. I wanted to get to $400, double my buy in, so I stayed.
The two tables merged at 11:30 so I was at a full table for the first time all night. I played two hands in the next 45min and lost $60. Most in one pot when I raised AT in MP3 to $15 and got 5 callers. Flop was KQ5 and it was checked around. The turn was a 2 and was check around. I almost bet the turn but everyone was slow playing all night that I got gun shy. I bet $30 on the river and everyone folded until the button called. I lost to 66.
So even after loosing $122 in regular play, with the $240 bonus I was up $115 when I left. As far as I am concerned I lost $122.
Dumb luck a side, I added $100 to my bankroll to get to a whooping $500 with my win this weekend. I won more but I only track $100 bills. The rest is petty cash and gets spent. Breaking it down I made $28.57 per hr since Sat. playing poker. I keeping telling myself this is a great part-time job but its almost painfull. You sit there and watch these donks rake in huge pots with junk and there is nothing you can do. I am learing the meaning of the saying, "Poker is a hard way to make an easy living."
A buddy of mine is in Reno staying at Harrahs. They gave him the presidential suite on the 24th floor. Very nice room with two bedrooms, 2 1/2 baths, tv area, dinning table, cocktail bar, and a balcony. Great views of Reno.
So I was up doing some paper work with him and we pigged out on room service. It was 10pm but I was so full that I knew going to bed would not work, so I headed to the poker room. They had 2 1/2 NL tables going. One was a must move, but still a good game.
The cards have not turned so I was getting crap. If I did get a hand I would miss the flop or no action and win the blinds. We were short handed most of the time and even if I was ahead pre-flop I was last on the flop. I have been learning patients so I was folding left and right. I would pick up a very small pot every 40 hands or so to keep going. I did get stubborn on one hand where I flopped trips and someone turned a flush. I was raised on the turn but called. This was OK but my call on the river unimproved was giving money away.
Then I got dealt JJ in the BB. I raised and only got one caller. Flopped a set and got four of a kind on the river. I checked the turn but got paid off on the river. So I won $50 in that pot and then got $240 as a bonus for the four of a kind. This put me up to $375 after a tip to the dealer. I wanted to get to $400, double my buy in, so I stayed.
The two tables merged at 11:30 so I was at a full table for the first time all night. I played two hands in the next 45min and lost $60. Most in one pot when I raised AT in MP3 to $15 and got 5 callers. Flop was KQ5 and it was checked around. The turn was a 2 and was check around. I almost bet the turn but everyone was slow playing all night that I got gun shy. I bet $30 on the river and everyone folded until the button called. I lost to 66.
So even after loosing $122 in regular play, with the $240 bonus I was up $115 when I left. As far as I am concerned I lost $122.
Dumb luck a side, I added $100 to my bankroll to get to a whooping $500 with my win this weekend. I won more but I only track $100 bills. The rest is petty cash and gets spent. Breaking it down I made $28.57 per hr since Sat. playing poker. I keeping telling myself this is a great part-time job but its almost painfull. You sit there and watch these donks rake in huge pots with junk and there is nothing you can do. I am learing the meaning of the saying, "Poker is a hard way to make an easy living."
Monday, September 24, 2007
Need Help
How do you search for Blogs on this site?
A few people have found my blog, but HOW? I can't find a search function and when I click on "next blog" I can only scroll through 5 before the options disappears.
Can someone please help me out?
A few people have found my blog, but HOW? I can't find a search function and when I click on "next blog" I can only scroll through 5 before the options disappears.
Can someone please help me out?
Went Nowhere
Was going to play poker at the Grand Sierra on Sunday but changed things around. Stayed home and cleaned my pad, organized my itunes, and played .05/.1 poker. I was going to do other things but didn't get out of the house.
Ended up getting killed at the .05/.1 and had to move back down. I was playing with my itunes at the same time and wasn't paying attention. Still have more itunes cleaning to do. I just loaded all my cds and now I am going back and deleting the songs I don't like.
I am trying to make a playing area so I can minimize distractions and work on my game. I moved my laptop to a desk instead of in front of the TV. I may need a more comfortable chair but now I will be able to take notes and do this right.
I am putting just under $100 onto my stars account. I have to wire it here and there and it takes 10 days to post. I don't want to deposit much, I want to win it. I still have to finish reading before I jump back into it with both feet. this will be enough to play .1/.2 and I will build up from there.
I am coming to realize that I was really running hot for the last 10 months and grinding it out is what it is all about. I am still learning to grind at these micro levels but when I run good again I will be a better player. Patients is a virtue, right?
Ended up getting killed at the .05/.1 and had to move back down. I was playing with my itunes at the same time and wasn't paying attention. Still have more itunes cleaning to do. I just loaded all my cds and now I am going back and deleting the songs I don't like.
I am trying to make a playing area so I can minimize distractions and work on my game. I moved my laptop to a desk instead of in front of the TV. I may need a more comfortable chair but now I will be able to take notes and do this right.
I am putting just under $100 onto my stars account. I have to wire it here and there and it takes 10 days to post. I don't want to deposit much, I want to win it. I still have to finish reading before I jump back into it with both feet. this will be enough to play .1/.2 and I will build up from there.
I am coming to realize that I was really running hot for the last 10 months and grinding it out is what it is all about. I am still learning to grind at these micro levels but when I run good again I will be a better player. Patients is a virtue, right?
Sunday, September 23, 2007
Back on the Horse
I have been playing more poker but trying to limit the duration of each session. I started out Sat. on the internet with a little .02/.04 and won about .80 or so. Brought my bankroll over $2. Then in the afternoon I took my live bankroll of $260 to the el dorado in reno.
I ran into a poker buddy that I played 20/40 with and when he saw me sign up for the 3/6 he knew something was up. I could have lied and said I wanted something different but I don't need to. So I went broke, if you haven't then you will. I did buy things with my bankroll so I will always be up but you know what I mean. Anyway, he use to play for a living and now he is a dealer. I know I will get back to the 20/40 game in time and I will be a better player when I do.
So I sat in the 3/6 and won a few small pot when I got QQ. It ended up getting capped 5 ways, raised on the flop and turn, and I got a raise in on the river when I filled up. Very nice pot. I was up $180 in an hour. I gave back $20 before I got a call from a friend to go out to eat.
We went for sushi at Sushi 7 on Keikski and Moanna. Not the best. I still love the eldorado for sushi. After dinner we went to the Grand Sierra for a $3 movie, Transformers. Not the best movie but worth the $3 for the entertainment and hanging out with good friends.
Afterwords we went up stairs to the casino that I havent seen in awhile. They are almost done remodeling so I wanted to see it. My friends left so I checked out the up graded poker room. They had a 4/8 going with a 2/2 blind structure. Very soft. 7 to 8 limpers every hand. You could limp in with almost anything and not get raised. I was up and down on some bad play. I tried to bully a few pots and got called down. I calmed down and came back until my KK ran into AA for a big pot. A third guy came along so that softened the blow but it still hurt. I went card dead and managed to battle back to within $3 of even so I called it a night.
Overall I was pleased with the Grand Sierra. It is a very clean room, well lit, with some of the most comfortable chairs in the area. I have seen better but no bad. They are slow during the week but may be the best place to rebuild my bankroll on the weekends. I plan on going back today so I will see if I am correct.
I ran into a poker buddy that I played 20/40 with and when he saw me sign up for the 3/6 he knew something was up. I could have lied and said I wanted something different but I don't need to. So I went broke, if you haven't then you will. I did buy things with my bankroll so I will always be up but you know what I mean. Anyway, he use to play for a living and now he is a dealer. I know I will get back to the 20/40 game in time and I will be a better player when I do.
So I sat in the 3/6 and won a few small pot when I got QQ. It ended up getting capped 5 ways, raised on the flop and turn, and I got a raise in on the river when I filled up. Very nice pot. I was up $180 in an hour. I gave back $20 before I got a call from a friend to go out to eat.
We went for sushi at Sushi 7 on Keikski and Moanna. Not the best. I still love the eldorado for sushi. After dinner we went to the Grand Sierra for a $3 movie, Transformers. Not the best movie but worth the $3 for the entertainment and hanging out with good friends.
Afterwords we went up stairs to the casino that I havent seen in awhile. They are almost done remodeling so I wanted to see it. My friends left so I checked out the up graded poker room. They had a 4/8 going with a 2/2 blind structure. Very soft. 7 to 8 limpers every hand. You could limp in with almost anything and not get raised. I was up and down on some bad play. I tried to bully a few pots and got called down. I calmed down and came back until my KK ran into AA for a big pot. A third guy came along so that softened the blow but it still hurt. I went card dead and managed to battle back to within $3 of even so I called it a night.
Overall I was pleased with the Grand Sierra. It is a very clean room, well lit, with some of the most comfortable chairs in the area. I have seen better but no bad. They are slow during the week but may be the best place to rebuild my bankroll on the weekends. I plan on going back today so I will see if I am correct.
Saturday, September 22, 2007
Learning to Grind
Slowing down and limiting my poker time has been helping. I am getting things organized in my life and it is helping at the tables. Having your life organized helps you to think more clearly or think about less at one time. I hate thinking about what I should be doing or should have gotten done before or instead of playing poker. The guilt factor.
I am reading Matt Matros book "The making of a poker player" not for strategy as much as entertainment but you can't help but get some pointers. The main point I am getting is to slow down and think about what I am doing. I have been in super sonic speed for so long in poker and my life that I'm not paying attention to the things around me. I am trying to get balance back in my life. I would play poker every minute that I was not at work and would have to put off other things and then worry about them. Doing a little of everything gives me the satisfation of geting everything down even if it takes a little longer.
This slowing down is the main thing I need to finally learn how to truely grind it out. I would want to win every pot I entered and would spew chips. I would then get pissed that I was down and go on tilt. I keep reminding myself of the one big bet an hour benchmark. It just seems like so little and take so long to get that I start to force it. I am trying to train myself to wait for the cards and the bets will come.
Right now I have $1.76 in my stars account and am playing .02/.04 and loving it. It is a little looser then the higher limits but not by much. It is a great place for me to work things out with no care about the money. I am not trying to do a Chris Furgeson but it would be great for my confidence to come back this way. I am doing what I think I need to do. Start over with poker and from the bottom.
I am reading Matt Matros book "The making of a poker player" not for strategy as much as entertainment but you can't help but get some pointers. The main point I am getting is to slow down and think about what I am doing. I have been in super sonic speed for so long in poker and my life that I'm not paying attention to the things around me. I am trying to get balance back in my life. I would play poker every minute that I was not at work and would have to put off other things and then worry about them. Doing a little of everything gives me the satisfation of geting everything down even if it takes a little longer.
This slowing down is the main thing I need to finally learn how to truely grind it out. I would want to win every pot I entered and would spew chips. I would then get pissed that I was down and go on tilt. I keep reminding myself of the one big bet an hour benchmark. It just seems like so little and take so long to get that I start to force it. I am trying to train myself to wait for the cards and the bets will come.
Right now I have $1.76 in my stars account and am playing .02/.04 and loving it. It is a little looser then the higher limits but not by much. It is a great place for me to work things out with no care about the money. I am not trying to do a Chris Furgeson but it would be great for my confidence to come back this way. I am doing what I think I need to do. Start over with poker and from the bottom.
Tuesday, September 18, 2007
BUSTO!!!
I have hit rock bottom. I am beyond busto. I had to hit up the atm and when that was maxed I went to the cash advance place at the casino. Even my stars account is busto.
It was a complete disaster that kept getting worse. I almost got kicked out of the casino but they didn't want to pay for the cab ride. I guess the six glasses of wine on an empty stomach wasn't such a good idea after all. I still say I didn't do anything wrong. Just because I am 6'5" and towered over the floor didn't mean I was getting in his face. I was pissed that they gave away my seat in the ten minutes it took me to get a cash advance.
I have not given up on poker yet, but I do realize I need to re-group. Running bad can't account for everything, so I need to start over. I have a few things outside of poker to get organized and then I am going to go back to square one. I have already dug out my most basic books and I plan on studying them again. Not just a refresher course but a indepth read to fill in holes that I obviously have.
This will take a week or two but I don't know what else to do. A break from and a different approach to poker can't be any worse then what I have now.
Suggestions welcomed.
It was a complete disaster that kept getting worse. I almost got kicked out of the casino but they didn't want to pay for the cab ride. I guess the six glasses of wine on an empty stomach wasn't such a good idea after all. I still say I didn't do anything wrong. Just because I am 6'5" and towered over the floor didn't mean I was getting in his face. I was pissed that they gave away my seat in the ten minutes it took me to get a cash advance.
I have not given up on poker yet, but I do realize I need to re-group. Running bad can't account for everything, so I need to start over. I have a few things outside of poker to get organized and then I am going to go back to square one. I have already dug out my most basic books and I plan on studying them again. Not just a refresher course but a indepth read to fill in holes that I obviously have.
This will take a week or two but I don't know what else to do. A break from and a different approach to poker can't be any worse then what I have now.
Suggestions welcomed.
Saturday, September 8, 2007
Grinding it Out
I am slowly rebuilding my bankroll at the low levels. I did have one good night where I won 250 in a 2-8 spread limit game. I will brag a little and say that I was playing well. I was right on with my reads and got in my value bets. It was a nice change of pace to have my draws come in and to have the flop be the same suit as my cards. I also have been winning on the net. Not that I am way up but I am not bust either.
Last night I went to Reno and played some 4/8 at the Peppermill. I left with an extra 100 but it was because I got a 200 bonus for a straight flush. I tried and played well when I could. I was getting dealt trash and then when I got a playable hand I had to fold because of the action. Later I was getting pocket pairs only to go up against bigger pocket pairs. I will spare the wining but it is safe to say I was card dead, flop dead, and just about bankroll dead.
I still feel that I am in my downswing, but with better play I am making my few wins count and limiting my loses. I also am practicing better control. I am folding good hands when I know I am beat, staying off tilt. and walking from the table when I know it is time to leave. This can be when I start getting tired or see the cards have turned without regard to wether I am up or down. I hope this not what grinding it out is because it sucks donkey balls.
Last night I went to Reno and played some 4/8 at the Peppermill. I left with an extra 100 but it was because I got a 200 bonus for a straight flush. I tried and played well when I could. I was getting dealt trash and then when I got a playable hand I had to fold because of the action. Later I was getting pocket pairs only to go up against bigger pocket pairs. I will spare the wining but it is safe to say I was card dead, flop dead, and just about bankroll dead.
I still feel that I am in my downswing, but with better play I am making my few wins count and limiting my loses. I also am practicing better control. I am folding good hands when I know I am beat, staying off tilt. and walking from the table when I know it is time to leave. This can be when I start getting tired or see the cards have turned without regard to wether I am up or down. I hope this not what grinding it out is because it sucks donkey balls.
Monday, September 3, 2007
Got My Game Back
I think I got my game back. I put in some time studying the books and videos and I think I found what I lost.
I was playing way to passively and was not protecting my hands. I must have been bluffed out of so many pots it is sickening just thinking about it. I have only played online so far, so I still have to test it out live. The double edge sword of playing live is that they call you down with anything. This is great for the action but blows when they keep getting the miracle river card.
Time will tell.
I was playing way to passively and was not protecting my hands. I must have been bluffed out of so many pots it is sickening just thinking about it. I have only played online so far, so I still have to test it out live. The double edge sword of playing live is that they call you down with anything. This is great for the action but blows when they keep getting the miracle river card.
Time will tell.
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