Starting Jan 1, 2009 I will be a Pro. Not entirely by choice but do to the economy. I will give myself a month to see if I can do it. If I win then I will go longer. If I loose I will start looking for a job. I have money saved and unemployment to collect so I an not up the creek without a paddle.
I will track everything starting on the first and will post more often.
Good Luck me.
Tuesday, December 30, 2008
Wednesday, October 22, 2008
Online is where it is at
I have been playing online almost exclusively. I signed up at Full Tilt for the $600 bonus plus rake back and have been clearing that. Along the way I realized that it is much more enjoyable to play online. It is more comfortable in your home, you can get your own drink without tipping, and you can play more then one game at a time. The only down side is that you become a hermit.
Playing more then one game at a time has become a big factor for me. You have to play even tighter at NL and can get very bored at the casino waiting for hands. The last time I played live I timed 17 min between playable hands.
I have been winning online and loosing live. The losses live come from the slow boring game but also from a huge leak I zeroed in on last night. I try to win every pot I enter and will call big bets even when I am very sure I am beat. This will be the focus as I continue to play. I added up at least $100 that I gave away last night because of this.
I will probably clear my bonus this week and hopefully increase my win rate.
Playing more then one game at a time has become a big factor for me. You have to play even tighter at NL and can get very bored at the casino waiting for hands. The last time I played live I timed 17 min between playable hands.
I have been winning online and loosing live. The losses live come from the slow boring game but also from a huge leak I zeroed in on last night. I try to win every pot I enter and will call big bets even when I am very sure I am beat. This will be the focus as I continue to play. I added up at least $100 that I gave away last night because of this.
I will probably clear my bonus this week and hopefully increase my win rate.
Friday, September 12, 2008
I Love it When a Plan Comes Together
I know it could have been just a lucky night, but I am going to enjoy it anyway.
I put together all the dribble I have been saying and had a great night. I left work at noon and met some friends for lunch in Reno. Decent streak and salad to protein up before play. I arrived at the Eldorado and after having fun at the 1-5 stud game I was sat at the 1/2 NL table at 3pm. I was excited at first and splashed around to loose 50 bucks. I calmed down and started to play like I do on the Internet.
I waited and got JJ in early position. I raised and got two callers. It was a 9 high, rainbow flop and I slow played with 170 behind. The first caller bet 20 and was called by the third player. I raised it to 80 and the first caller folded. The second caller thought awhile and just called. My read on her was that she had a pair but not a strong one. I bet the 80 knowing I was going to go all in on the turn. The turn was a K but I still pushed right away. The longer she thought the more confident I became. She called and mucked TT to my JJ. More then doubled up.
The next hand of note was a luck hand. I was in MP with Ah5h when everyone started to limp. I limped too and the button raised 10. Again everyone called so I did too. The flop was a paired board with two hearts. The guy on my left bet 20 and only the button called to me. I had the nut flush and an ace so I raised it to 100, representing the set. I expect to pick up the pot but the original raiser went all in for 70 more. I hated to call but I did and got the flush on the river. He said a set was good so he must have been on a flush draw too.
Now that I had the biggest stack at the table a good natured drinker was trying to see if he could get more chips then me. We stayed out of each others way for awhile building our stacks even more. He kept saying that we were going to get all our money in with AA against KK and who would suck out and so forth. It was just for table talk and fun.
Then we started to tangle with each other. Twice I got a good hand UTG when he was on the button and after building a big pot he would raise big on the turn and I would have to fold. He kept showing the bluff so I was putting his betting patterns together. We got into another pot in the same positions and I felt I had the best hand but I only had third pair, 55. I called to the river and he put in a big bet. It was out of his pattern so I folded and again I had him. I just couldn't put in all my chips with such a weak hand.
Now he had a few chips more then me and I was getting tired. It was 7:30 so I decided to leave at 8pm with my winnings, just not as much. I went to the bathroom at 7:40 and on the way back I was debating to leave now. I decided to stay until 8pm as planned and would just stay out of this guys way unless I had the nuts. Not two hand after I got back I was dealt AA UTG. I did a normal raise to 20 and it was folded to the other guy. He was getting drunk by this time and starting to make wild bets. I am sure my folds were giving him confidence so thinking I would fold again he said all in. I called instantly. Even before it was my turn.
He turned over KK asking do you have AA. I said yup and he was stunned. An A fell on the flop and he didn't improve. The table was stunned that his prediction came true with the two big stacks at the table. I took a few steps away from the table as the dealer counted out our stacks. He had $12 left.
It was just so ironic with his predictions, my folds and the timing. A half hour earlier he asked the table if he could give $100 from his stack so his friend could play and I objected. Then his friend told him to rack up but he said he still wanted to play. Everything just fell into place. I gave the dealer a $25 tip I was so happy.
I played a few more hands and at 8:04 I racked up. Big win!! Going back tomorrow so I will see if it was just luck.
I put together all the dribble I have been saying and had a great night. I left work at noon and met some friends for lunch in Reno. Decent streak and salad to protein up before play. I arrived at the Eldorado and after having fun at the 1-5 stud game I was sat at the 1/2 NL table at 3pm. I was excited at first and splashed around to loose 50 bucks. I calmed down and started to play like I do on the Internet.
I waited and got JJ in early position. I raised and got two callers. It was a 9 high, rainbow flop and I slow played with 170 behind. The first caller bet 20 and was called by the third player. I raised it to 80 and the first caller folded. The second caller thought awhile and just called. My read on her was that she had a pair but not a strong one. I bet the 80 knowing I was going to go all in on the turn. The turn was a K but I still pushed right away. The longer she thought the more confident I became. She called and mucked TT to my JJ. More then doubled up.
The next hand of note was a luck hand. I was in MP with Ah5h when everyone started to limp. I limped too and the button raised 10. Again everyone called so I did too. The flop was a paired board with two hearts. The guy on my left bet 20 and only the button called to me. I had the nut flush and an ace so I raised it to 100, representing the set. I expect to pick up the pot but the original raiser went all in for 70 more. I hated to call but I did and got the flush on the river. He said a set was good so he must have been on a flush draw too.
Now that I had the biggest stack at the table a good natured drinker was trying to see if he could get more chips then me. We stayed out of each others way for awhile building our stacks even more. He kept saying that we were going to get all our money in with AA against KK and who would suck out and so forth. It was just for table talk and fun.
Then we started to tangle with each other. Twice I got a good hand UTG when he was on the button and after building a big pot he would raise big on the turn and I would have to fold. He kept showing the bluff so I was putting his betting patterns together. We got into another pot in the same positions and I felt I had the best hand but I only had third pair, 55. I called to the river and he put in a big bet. It was out of his pattern so I folded and again I had him. I just couldn't put in all my chips with such a weak hand.
Now he had a few chips more then me and I was getting tired. It was 7:30 so I decided to leave at 8pm with my winnings, just not as much. I went to the bathroom at 7:40 and on the way back I was debating to leave now. I decided to stay until 8pm as planned and would just stay out of this guys way unless I had the nuts. Not two hand after I got back I was dealt AA UTG. I did a normal raise to 20 and it was folded to the other guy. He was getting drunk by this time and starting to make wild bets. I am sure my folds were giving him confidence so thinking I would fold again he said all in. I called instantly. Even before it was my turn.
He turned over KK asking do you have AA. I said yup and he was stunned. An A fell on the flop and he didn't improve. The table was stunned that his prediction came true with the two big stacks at the table. I took a few steps away from the table as the dealer counted out our stacks. He had $12 left.
It was just so ironic with his predictions, my folds and the timing. A half hour earlier he asked the table if he could give $100 from his stack so his friend could play and I objected. Then his friend told him to rack up but he said he still wanted to play. Everything just fell into place. I gave the dealer a $25 tip I was so happy.
I played a few more hands and at 8:04 I racked up. Big win!! Going back tomorrow so I will see if it was just luck.
Wednesday, September 10, 2008
New Direction
Things have finally calmed down in my life. Work is back on an even keel for now and I took the last couple of weeks to clear my head. I did play alittle while in Colorado and when I got back but ended up loosing overall. I could see the beginnings of my new plan working, but not enough. So I took some time and looked at the big picture.
In Reno and the surrounding areas there is very little middle stakes holdem. Even the 4/8 games have started to dry up and playing any lower is not worth the time. So looking at which games run consistently all I could see was No Limit. Most of the 4/8 players are now playing NL. They have taken their bad play and are now playing a game that they can loose everything in one hand. Granted it is 1/2 NL, but you can still make a few hundred a day. Supplement this with some online play and low expenses and it is a living.
So my plan is to switch to NL. I'm going to approach it the way I should have with holdem, study. I have the materials I need lined up and already started to study the basics. There is alot more thought to this game and since my opponents don't put in the study time, I should have a large edge at 1/2NL. I will also practice my bankroll management skills and stay at the low levels until I have a large bankroll for even the next level. I won't go broke this time.
I am still working so my new play schedule is Friday and Saturday at the casinos and the rest of the time studying or playing online. The casinos host tournaments from time to time so I will put in extra hours at those times.
It's a start.
In Reno and the surrounding areas there is very little middle stakes holdem. Even the 4/8 games have started to dry up and playing any lower is not worth the time. So looking at which games run consistently all I could see was No Limit. Most of the 4/8 players are now playing NL. They have taken their bad play and are now playing a game that they can loose everything in one hand. Granted it is 1/2 NL, but you can still make a few hundred a day. Supplement this with some online play and low expenses and it is a living.
So my plan is to switch to NL. I'm going to approach it the way I should have with holdem, study. I have the materials I need lined up and already started to study the basics. There is alot more thought to this game and since my opponents don't put in the study time, I should have a large edge at 1/2NL. I will also practice my bankroll management skills and stay at the low levels until I have a large bankroll for even the next level. I won't go broke this time.
I am still working so my new play schedule is Friday and Saturday at the casinos and the rest of the time studying or playing online. The casinos host tournaments from time to time so I will put in extra hours at those times.
It's a start.
Thursday, August 28, 2008
Busy at Work
I haven't posted for awhile because I was busy rapping up work. We were shutting down the Nevada operations and reorganizing the Colorado operations. I knew my mind would not be focused so I didn't play much. When I did I lost. Go figure.
Lately I have been looking at my play and realized how much I was playing for entertainment. To truely make money you have to be there for that reason alone. I have tightened up and stopped gambling considerably.
My short term results have shown improvement, no big wins yet, but I have minimized my losses. I will try to track my play again starting in Sept. I should have more time to play and blog about it. I have some trips in mind to keep it interesting.
For those in the Reno area, the Peppermill seems to be getting a 20/40 limit game almost every day. I am refraining from jumping in for now, but my wade in with the right lineup. Currently it is quite tough with big swings.
Lately I have been looking at my play and realized how much I was playing for entertainment. To truely make money you have to be there for that reason alone. I have tightened up and stopped gambling considerably.
My short term results have shown improvement, no big wins yet, but I have minimized my losses. I will try to track my play again starting in Sept. I should have more time to play and blog about it. I have some trips in mind to keep it interesting.
For those in the Reno area, the Peppermill seems to be getting a 20/40 limit game almost every day. I am refraining from jumping in for now, but my wade in with the right lineup. Currently it is quite tough with big swings.
Monday, June 2, 2008
Reaching a Balance
As I get closer to becoming a professional poker player I am putting my ramblings to the test. I listened to myself on Friday, and when I got tired after 3 hrs I left the table. This may not seem like a long time but don't forget I did work all day so it was like the 11th hr of work.
The Peppermill has been able to get a 20/40 table going on Friday nights so I naturally got in the game. I won a big hand early on with a flopped set to be up 400 in 10 min. Then I went card dead. I played a few hands and even force one or two, slowly giving back the 400. When I had 20 of it left, I got up from the table. I knew I was tired and forced the last hand so it was time to go. I moved to a 1/2 NL game for an hour an won 30 more before calling it a night.
This is not a big monetary win but it is a big win. I finally listened to how I felt and acted accordingly. I could sleep in on Sat. and come back refreshed. Also starting at +50 is a lot better then starting at -500.
Sat. started out slow with 10/20 limit with a half kill and overs buttons. I was up 300, down 20 for 3 hrs. We raised the stakes to 15/30 with 30/60 overs just in time for my rush. I got paid off on a few check raises at 30/60 to be up 800. I busted him out on the last hand. Cooled off after that and quit when I still had 600. I wanted to play in a soft NL game in Carson City. I fooled around in this game until it broke 3hrs later. I only could win enough to fool around at the BJ table and they got what little profit I made.
Sunday I fired up the .25/.5 NL on-line. I was doing pretty well 6 tabling with my new monitor. If I continue the trend, I will have to buy another one. I only made one really bad play when I folded to a check raise on the river. I was gun shy from previous sessions and was primed to make the big lay down. It was only 1.35 more to call and I folded. He claims he was bluffing but I will never know. I still managed to win $75 so I will get over it.
Sunday, headed up to Tahoe at noon and sat in a new 3/5 NL game. I played very badly in this game last week so I wanted to redeem myself. I was card dead most of the time or got no action for the 4hrs I played. At my high I was up 400 then got rivered when I was trapping him and missed a few draws after that. I left with an extra 100, but when I found my friend at the BJ table it didn't last long.
So I ended the weekend with +600. Not bad for a part time job. I believe this is around 50 and hr. I am happy, not just because I won but because I finally did what I have known I have to do. I left when I was tired, played pretty well and got some personal things done as well. Still to early to tell buy I like the looks of this road.
The Peppermill has been able to get a 20/40 table going on Friday nights so I naturally got in the game. I won a big hand early on with a flopped set to be up 400 in 10 min. Then I went card dead. I played a few hands and even force one or two, slowly giving back the 400. When I had 20 of it left, I got up from the table. I knew I was tired and forced the last hand so it was time to go. I moved to a 1/2 NL game for an hour an won 30 more before calling it a night.
This is not a big monetary win but it is a big win. I finally listened to how I felt and acted accordingly. I could sleep in on Sat. and come back refreshed. Also starting at +50 is a lot better then starting at -500.
Sat. started out slow with 10/20 limit with a half kill and overs buttons. I was up 300, down 20 for 3 hrs. We raised the stakes to 15/30 with 30/60 overs just in time for my rush. I got paid off on a few check raises at 30/60 to be up 800. I busted him out on the last hand. Cooled off after that and quit when I still had 600. I wanted to play in a soft NL game in Carson City. I fooled around in this game until it broke 3hrs later. I only could win enough to fool around at the BJ table and they got what little profit I made.
Sunday I fired up the .25/.5 NL on-line. I was doing pretty well 6 tabling with my new monitor. If I continue the trend, I will have to buy another one. I only made one really bad play when I folded to a check raise on the river. I was gun shy from previous sessions and was primed to make the big lay down. It was only 1.35 more to call and I folded. He claims he was bluffing but I will never know. I still managed to win $75 so I will get over it.
Sunday, headed up to Tahoe at noon and sat in a new 3/5 NL game. I played very badly in this game last week so I wanted to redeem myself. I was card dead most of the time or got no action for the 4hrs I played. At my high I was up 400 then got rivered when I was trapping him and missed a few draws after that. I left with an extra 100, but when I found my friend at the BJ table it didn't last long.
So I ended the weekend with +600. Not bad for a part time job. I believe this is around 50 and hr. I am happy, not just because I won but because I finally did what I have known I have to do. I left when I was tired, played pretty well and got some personal things done as well. Still to early to tell buy I like the looks of this road.
Friday, May 23, 2008
What Was I Thinking
I still haven't been able to answer this question. I played and lost like a fish last night. Down 3.5 buy-ins in one of the softest 1/2 NL games I know of.
I got a couple of great hands at the start and tried to run over the table like I have been doing on-line all week. This worked for the first 2 hands. Then I would get myself pot committed and call off my chips. I gave 400 alone to a huge fish when she flopped a set. The only hint of redemption is that I had AA both times and paid off 33 and 88.
At first this may not seem to bad but the bets were so obvious that I should have been able to fold. The first time I was still trying to run over the table and the last one I was on simmering tilt. Either way I lost way more then I should have. I even took a break and won 200 back at BJ, just to go back to the Poker room and give it back.
I haven't decided what I am going to do tonight, but if I am even a hint of tired or restless I won't play and risk a repeat performance.
I got a couple of great hands at the start and tried to run over the table like I have been doing on-line all week. This worked for the first 2 hands. Then I would get myself pot committed and call off my chips. I gave 400 alone to a huge fish when she flopped a set. The only hint of redemption is that I had AA both times and paid off 33 and 88.
At first this may not seem to bad but the bets were so obvious that I should have been able to fold. The first time I was still trying to run over the table and the last one I was on simmering tilt. Either way I lost way more then I should have. I even took a break and won 200 back at BJ, just to go back to the Poker room and give it back.
I haven't decided what I am going to do tonight, but if I am even a hint of tired or restless I won't play and risk a repeat performance.
Wednesday, May 21, 2008
Been Awhile
So much has happened since I last blogged. It is to much to go into detail so I will give the short version.
The company I work for took a major step to closing down. I had to fire the salesman and he blabbed to the others before I could tell them so they knew it was comming. It made it alittle easier to fire them but nobody likes to be fired so I got some flak. I will be loosing my job too as soon as I wrap up the paper work so I am so close to becomming a Pro. Can't wait. I have savings to live off of but not nearly the BR. I still have a month or two to build it up but I'm not going to hold my breath.
Which brings me to the exciting part. Went to Las Vegas two weekends in a row. I have two friends that are big gamblers at Harrahs so then both offered free hotels and food if I could get there. So yeah, I got there.
The first weekend we stayed at the Rio. Very small poker room and very strange players. I never caught up on my sleep so I was lucky to break even. We went to the Bellagio Sat. night and I sat in the 5/10 NL game. Biggest NL game I have been in so far. I started with 600 and ran it up and down to 1k. This turned out to be a must move table and when I got moved to the main game I ran my fullhouse into quads to go broke. I was nervous, tired, and out of my league so it would have happened sooner or later. Was smart enough not to rebuy and went back to the Rio.
Of course my Sun. flight was late in the evening so all there was to do was gamble. I managed to run bad at cards and loose at craps and BJ to drop a grand before I could leave. Didn't play during the week when my other friend called. I told him I was almost broke from the previous weekend so he said he would give me a grand to gamble with.
I booked my flight and was back in Vegas. He had a limo waiting for me at the airport. It was my first time having a driver waiting for me with my name on a sign. Very cool. Limo dropped me off at Ceasar's Palace. This is a beautifull casino. I am not picky about rooms but it was very nice. You entered into a hall and could go left into my room or right into my friends room. His was bigger of course.
I liked their poker room. Roomy, clean, but only small stakes. I was playing 2/3 NL most of the time and manage to win 200. I found my friend at the BJ table and was heading up to the room when he stopped at the Texas Hold'em table game. I watched him play every hand and win, so I took my meager profits and joined in. I expect to loose right aways but I won. I kept winning all morning from 1:30am to 10am. I was up so much that I was able to play a grand a hand and win.
I was drinking long island ice teas, being loud and obnoxious, and winning lots of money. It was just like the movies or TV. I couldn't loose. I was betting 600 with 56 and winning with 6 high. Or I would go in with 42o and get two pair. There was no skill only luck. It didn't matter what I was dealt, I got the cards I needed to win. I turned 150 into 9,300. This makes up for all my losses and gives me a decent roll to start over with.
I watched a few more Stox Poker videos and have been winning on-line. At first I took his ideas to far and was up and down, but now I think I understand the concepts. I still have a long way to go but I'm doing well at the .25/.5 NL tables. You can make good money in relation to the stakes so I hope I can grow my BR pretty quickly.
Live, I am up and down. On-line people know how to fold. Live, they will call with anything. Even on the rive, so bluffing is not a good idea. Sun. I couldn't catch a draw to save my life. I was down 2.5 buy-ins when I was going on monkey tilt. To slow down I decided to play the night 115 tournament. I had a rough start but finnaly started to catch some cards. I was in the top 15 when I tried to steal the blinds with QJs. They both went all in so I was getting 3-1 to call. It was getting late so I called. Horrible logic but it worked. I missed the flop but got runner runner Q to take down the pot.
I was chip leader just like that. I coasted to the final table when the blinds and antes made me start to play again. I busted some more players but started to cool off. It degraded to a push fest so when we got 4 handed we chopped it. This got me even for the weekend to I was thrilled. Patients had paid off and the cards turned just in time.
Holiday weekend comming up so I am hoping to put my knew knowledge of NL to good use. I will ease in Thursday night and go full bore all weekend. Until then.
The company I work for took a major step to closing down. I had to fire the salesman and he blabbed to the others before I could tell them so they knew it was comming. It made it alittle easier to fire them but nobody likes to be fired so I got some flak. I will be loosing my job too as soon as I wrap up the paper work so I am so close to becomming a Pro. Can't wait. I have savings to live off of but not nearly the BR. I still have a month or two to build it up but I'm not going to hold my breath.
Which brings me to the exciting part. Went to Las Vegas two weekends in a row. I have two friends that are big gamblers at Harrahs so then both offered free hotels and food if I could get there. So yeah, I got there.
The first weekend we stayed at the Rio. Very small poker room and very strange players. I never caught up on my sleep so I was lucky to break even. We went to the Bellagio Sat. night and I sat in the 5/10 NL game. Biggest NL game I have been in so far. I started with 600 and ran it up and down to 1k. This turned out to be a must move table and when I got moved to the main game I ran my fullhouse into quads to go broke. I was nervous, tired, and out of my league so it would have happened sooner or later. Was smart enough not to rebuy and went back to the Rio.
Of course my Sun. flight was late in the evening so all there was to do was gamble. I managed to run bad at cards and loose at craps and BJ to drop a grand before I could leave. Didn't play during the week when my other friend called. I told him I was almost broke from the previous weekend so he said he would give me a grand to gamble with.
I booked my flight and was back in Vegas. He had a limo waiting for me at the airport. It was my first time having a driver waiting for me with my name on a sign. Very cool. Limo dropped me off at Ceasar's Palace. This is a beautifull casino. I am not picky about rooms but it was very nice. You entered into a hall and could go left into my room or right into my friends room. His was bigger of course.
I liked their poker room. Roomy, clean, but only small stakes. I was playing 2/3 NL most of the time and manage to win 200. I found my friend at the BJ table and was heading up to the room when he stopped at the Texas Hold'em table game. I watched him play every hand and win, so I took my meager profits and joined in. I expect to loose right aways but I won. I kept winning all morning from 1:30am to 10am. I was up so much that I was able to play a grand a hand and win.
I was drinking long island ice teas, being loud and obnoxious, and winning lots of money. It was just like the movies or TV. I couldn't loose. I was betting 600 with 56 and winning with 6 high. Or I would go in with 42o and get two pair. There was no skill only luck. It didn't matter what I was dealt, I got the cards I needed to win. I turned 150 into 9,300. This makes up for all my losses and gives me a decent roll to start over with.
I watched a few more Stox Poker videos and have been winning on-line. At first I took his ideas to far and was up and down, but now I think I understand the concepts. I still have a long way to go but I'm doing well at the .25/.5 NL tables. You can make good money in relation to the stakes so I hope I can grow my BR pretty quickly.
Live, I am up and down. On-line people know how to fold. Live, they will call with anything. Even on the rive, so bluffing is not a good idea. Sun. I couldn't catch a draw to save my life. I was down 2.5 buy-ins when I was going on monkey tilt. To slow down I decided to play the night 115 tournament. I had a rough start but finnaly started to catch some cards. I was in the top 15 when I tried to steal the blinds with QJs. They both went all in so I was getting 3-1 to call. It was getting late so I called. Horrible logic but it worked. I missed the flop but got runner runner Q to take down the pot.
I was chip leader just like that. I coasted to the final table when the blinds and antes made me start to play again. I busted some more players but started to cool off. It degraded to a push fest so when we got 4 handed we chopped it. This got me even for the weekend to I was thrilled. Patients had paid off and the cards turned just in time.
Holiday weekend comming up so I am hoping to put my knew knowledge of NL to good use. I will ease in Thursday night and go full bore all weekend. Until then.
Monday, April 28, 2008
Feeling Good
I have been doing pretty well lately. Which is good considering I am going to Vegas on Friday. Last week I was down on NL and going to play Limit, and now this week I am reversed.
Friday I went up to the Peppermill to play in a 20/40 game that took two weeks to schedule. It was suppose to start at 6pm so I could get up there after work. I left early and got there at 5:15pm to find the game going strong and I was 9th on the list. So the game went from waiting for me because they thought it would be short, to a list that kept getting longer.
So I jump into a 10/20 game to wait and can't get a hand or have a hand hold up on the river. Mean while I am looking at the 20/40 game and see Soloman just killing it. He is up $6,000.00. I jokingly asked him for a piece of his action when I couldn't get into the game and he said he would think about it. That was when he was up $500.00 I remind him at $6,000.00 and he says he is still thinking about it. O well.
Back at my game I am leaking chips. We get short handed and I win a few hands to be up 100. Then I drop like a rock in two hands. I go back to leaking chips and then loose to 9 2 off suit on the river to loose it all. I take the walk of shame to the atm but at the last moment only take out $200. I actually think about bankroll mgmt, now that I don't have one, and want to try the same style I use on-line. TAG instead of LAG
I know this sounds like crap but I loosen up live when there are 8 people to the flop. Obviously to much and then some donk raises. Granted the pot odds are huge but if you aren't catching cards then you have some big swings. So I decided to forego pot odds and just play TAG no matter what. So far this is working quite well in NL. I almost made up my losses for Fri. on Sat. and then went over the top Sun. night. So now my BR is back and bigger then before just in time for Vegas baby.
I was thinking about this when on Fri. night the guy next to me told me a tid bit that struck home. "You have to play the same way no matter the stakes or what is going on." I may have gotten the wrong idea about this guy. At first I thought he was an over the top, I am god's gift to poker type, but then he comes out with this.
To seal the deal, in the Sat. night game there was an unknown high stakes pro that sat down in the 2/3 5 to go NL game. (He grew up around here and came back for some family business.) I
watched him play tighter then anyone else at the table. He also watched each hand closer then anyone else at the table. I know 8 of the 10 so I didn't have to watch everything. He was playing as if it was his normal game, which I am sure has alot more money on the line. I figured $300 would be nothing to him and he would LAG it up, but no. He played the same way as he always would. So I stuck to this play Sun. and came out smelling like a rose.
On-line I am up to another $100 already. I have been doing well in the .25/.5 NL games. I had another $100 day and love the results. I laugh at myself thinking about how long (3+ yrs) it has taken me to figure out what some of these kids get from day 3. Better late then never I guess.
Friday I went up to the Peppermill to play in a 20/40 game that took two weeks to schedule. It was suppose to start at 6pm so I could get up there after work. I left early and got there at 5:15pm to find the game going strong and I was 9th on the list. So the game went from waiting for me because they thought it would be short, to a list that kept getting longer.
So I jump into a 10/20 game to wait and can't get a hand or have a hand hold up on the river. Mean while I am looking at the 20/40 game and see Soloman just killing it. He is up $6,000.00. I jokingly asked him for a piece of his action when I couldn't get into the game and he said he would think about it. That was when he was up $500.00 I remind him at $6,000.00 and he says he is still thinking about it. O well.
Back at my game I am leaking chips. We get short handed and I win a few hands to be up 100. Then I drop like a rock in two hands. I go back to leaking chips and then loose to 9 2 off suit on the river to loose it all. I take the walk of shame to the atm but at the last moment only take out $200. I actually think about bankroll mgmt, now that I don't have one, and want to try the same style I use on-line. TAG instead of LAG
I know this sounds like crap but I loosen up live when there are 8 people to the flop. Obviously to much and then some donk raises. Granted the pot odds are huge but if you aren't catching cards then you have some big swings. So I decided to forego pot odds and just play TAG no matter what. So far this is working quite well in NL. I almost made up my losses for Fri. on Sat. and then went over the top Sun. night. So now my BR is back and bigger then before just in time for Vegas baby.
I was thinking about this when on Fri. night the guy next to me told me a tid bit that struck home. "You have to play the same way no matter the stakes or what is going on." I may have gotten the wrong idea about this guy. At first I thought he was an over the top, I am god's gift to poker type, but then he comes out with this.
To seal the deal, in the Sat. night game there was an unknown high stakes pro that sat down in the 2/3 5 to go NL game. (He grew up around here and came back for some family business.) I
watched him play tighter then anyone else at the table. He also watched each hand closer then anyone else at the table. I know 8 of the 10 so I didn't have to watch everything. He was playing as if it was his normal game, which I am sure has alot more money on the line. I figured $300 would be nothing to him and he would LAG it up, but no. He played the same way as he always would. So I stuck to this play Sun. and came out smelling like a rose.
On-line I am up to another $100 already. I have been doing well in the .25/.5 NL games. I had another $100 day and love the results. I laugh at myself thinking about how long (3+ yrs) it has taken me to figure out what some of these kids get from day 3. Better late then never I guess.
Thursday, April 17, 2008
Hodge Podge
Good and bad since my last post. I took some time off to clear my head and get some stuff taken care of. Work and taxes. I do a few friends tax returns for some extra money and still feel the stress from the CPA firm days.
Live, I am down, up, even. I am still learning the nuances of NL and it is causing big swings. I was down at Tahoe NL, up at Peppermill Limit, and then down at the NL tables to break even. I played Wed. night tired but wanting a stress relief from work and tax day and lost 400 at 1/2 NL. Bad luck but also bad play. I caught a 2 outer on the turn to loose to a 1 outer on the river. AK ran into AA and AQ into AK. Bad luck, but I think I could have lost less with almost all of the hands. But as I got tired I started to push to get even. Never works.
On-line has been about the same until today. I won 40+ dollars at .25/.5 NL and then 11 at .25/.5 lhe to break the $200 mark. Looking back at my post that is $100 in just under a month. I am quitting my day job tomorrow, NOT. I did double my bankroll with this feat. It may not sound like alot now but if I keep this pace up it will be more impressive each month.
I booked a flight to Vegas for may 2. A friend plays down at the Rio and gets free rooms, so I am taking him up on the extra bed. He plays 10/20 NL but I think I will be at the limit game while he does that. It is clear that I am stronger at limit, so I will be limiting my NL play and to low stakes until I build up a BR and experience. I will have to hit some of the local low limit games in the area next week to build up my BR faster for the trip.
Live, I am down, up, even. I am still learning the nuances of NL and it is causing big swings. I was down at Tahoe NL, up at Peppermill Limit, and then down at the NL tables to break even. I played Wed. night tired but wanting a stress relief from work and tax day and lost 400 at 1/2 NL. Bad luck but also bad play. I caught a 2 outer on the turn to loose to a 1 outer on the river. AK ran into AA and AQ into AK. Bad luck, but I think I could have lost less with almost all of the hands. But as I got tired I started to push to get even. Never works.
On-line has been about the same until today. I won 40+ dollars at .25/.5 NL and then 11 at .25/.5 lhe to break the $200 mark. Looking back at my post that is $100 in just under a month. I am quitting my day job tomorrow, NOT. I did double my bankroll with this feat. It may not sound like alot now but if I keep this pace up it will be more impressive each month.
I booked a flight to Vegas for may 2. A friend plays down at the Rio and gets free rooms, so I am taking him up on the extra bed. He plays 10/20 NL but I think I will be at the limit game while he does that. It is clear that I am stronger at limit, so I will be limiting my NL play and to low stakes until I build up a BR and experience. I will have to hit some of the local low limit games in the area next week to build up my BR faster for the trip.
Wednesday, April 9, 2008
Another NL Weekend
I was up at Lake Tahoe most of the weekend with some friends. He plays slots and BJ so I headed over to Harvey's.
Friday night I didn't play until after a great dinner at Harrahs Chinese restaurant. It is pricey but my friend gets it all comped. They do all the fancy presentations at the table and the decor is very nice. I'm not the best writer, so if you want a detailed review go to their web site.
I have been watching the coaching videos at stox poker to get a better foundation for my NL game. The videos by Ed Miller, Poker Made Simple, is giving me a great foundation. I have been applying the concepts he lays out and they work like a charm. They are by far the smartest thing I have done to improve my game. In fact, I am watching them over and over until I have all the concepts down.
After watching the videos once, I felt better prepared to play in Tahoe. Friday night I sat down and in 1 hour I was up 300. Then I ran into AA with my KK. The hand went down like this.
The previous hand the SB had AA and doubled up to 300. This left the UTG+1 player short stacked with say 125. Now, in the very next hand the UTG+1 player is now first to act and the SB is the button. So the UTG player opens for 20. In MP1 I raise to 40 with KK. The button cold calls the 40. UTG pushes for 105 more. I would rather have this heads up so I go all in for 500 to push out the button but he calls right away. We all show our cards (friendly game) and it is QQ, KK, and AA. The button guy got dealt AA twice in a row. This idea flashed in my head when he insta called but I couldn't believe he would have it twice in a row. So AA held up and I was back to my 200 starting stack.
This hand took the wind out of my sails and after missing a few flops I was short stacked and went all in with suited connectors and got called by JJ. Broke and tired I went to bed.
Sat morning I was catching cards and won back my 300 loss from the night before. Went to lunch and lost 100 back. This did take along time so it was just a case of being card dead. Sunday, I left my friends in Tahoe and headed to Reno and the Peppermill. I had 4 hours and it was home. I sat in a 1/2 NL game for 40mins and lost 100. Great start. Then the 10/20 limit game got going.
I was a little worried about switching between the games but my limit game didn't skip a beat. I was up and down when the players to my right started to straddle. They bugged me to do it and with a win from the previous hand I did. It was 3-bet with 6 callers by the time it came back to me and my KJo. I called to flop a gut shot. I get my gutshot on the turn and win a huge pot. I get lucky a few more times called with 23s and flopping K33. With hands like these I was up to 1300 from my 300 buy-in. I Tried to get lucky a few more time before I left and finally racked up 1k.
All said and done I was up 400 for the weekend. I am watching the videos again and playing NL online to good results at .25/.5. I was up 4 buyins before I made a bad push with AA to loose a buy-in and then switched tables to loose another. Still up, so I am happy. The videos made all the difference to my game.
Friday night I didn't play until after a great dinner at Harrahs Chinese restaurant. It is pricey but my friend gets it all comped. They do all the fancy presentations at the table and the decor is very nice. I'm not the best writer, so if you want a detailed review go to their web site.
I have been watching the coaching videos at stox poker to get a better foundation for my NL game. The videos by Ed Miller, Poker Made Simple, is giving me a great foundation. I have been applying the concepts he lays out and they work like a charm. They are by far the smartest thing I have done to improve my game. In fact, I am watching them over and over until I have all the concepts down.
After watching the videos once, I felt better prepared to play in Tahoe. Friday night I sat down and in 1 hour I was up 300. Then I ran into AA with my KK. The hand went down like this.
The previous hand the SB had AA and doubled up to 300. This left the UTG+1 player short stacked with say 125. Now, in the very next hand the UTG+1 player is now first to act and the SB is the button. So the UTG player opens for 20. In MP1 I raise to 40 with KK. The button cold calls the 40. UTG pushes for 105 more. I would rather have this heads up so I go all in for 500 to push out the button but he calls right away. We all show our cards (friendly game) and it is QQ, KK, and AA. The button guy got dealt AA twice in a row. This idea flashed in my head when he insta called but I couldn't believe he would have it twice in a row. So AA held up and I was back to my 200 starting stack.
This hand took the wind out of my sails and after missing a few flops I was short stacked and went all in with suited connectors and got called by JJ. Broke and tired I went to bed.
Sat morning I was catching cards and won back my 300 loss from the night before. Went to lunch and lost 100 back. This did take along time so it was just a case of being card dead. Sunday, I left my friends in Tahoe and headed to Reno and the Peppermill. I had 4 hours and it was home. I sat in a 1/2 NL game for 40mins and lost 100. Great start. Then the 10/20 limit game got going.
I was a little worried about switching between the games but my limit game didn't skip a beat. I was up and down when the players to my right started to straddle. They bugged me to do it and with a win from the previous hand I did. It was 3-bet with 6 callers by the time it came back to me and my KJo. I called to flop a gut shot. I get my gutshot on the turn and win a huge pot. I get lucky a few more times called with 23s and flopping K33. With hands like these I was up to 1300 from my 300 buy-in. I Tried to get lucky a few more time before I left and finally racked up 1k.
All said and done I was up 400 for the weekend. I am watching the videos again and playing NL online to good results at .25/.5. I was up 4 buyins before I made a bad push with AA to loose a buy-in and then switched tables to loose another. Still up, so I am happy. The videos made all the difference to my game.
Sunday, March 30, 2008
Warming Up to NL
A friend came into town this weekend and wanted to play some cards. We went to the Peppermill and it was hopping. I have never seen the boards so full. The 15/30 Limit was back and they had 3 1/2 NL tables and 1 3/5 NL going. Nothing higher but the stacks where 1K deep so it was running big. My friend is not the best player and always complains about the suckouts at 4/8. I didn’t want to play higher so we went to the ½ NL table.
I was pumped up for some reason and splashed around for a few hours breaking even when I finally started to settle down. I went card dead at the same time so it was easy to do. I managed to get up 100 when we started to talk about going to dinner and decided to play one more round. Of course we both got into a few hands and he was down 15 and I was only up 28 when we racked up.
After dinner I stayed focused from the start. I caught some bluffs and played well and left with +336 for the night. My friend was +250 or so. The game was very soft and I was able to put the few things I learned to practice.
Thinking back I feel that you get more bang for your buck at NL. The blinds are so small that you don’t get blinded off and if you do limp in, it is only 2 to see a flop. Its like playing 2/4 preflop and 20/40 post flop.
I still felt weak when I had JJ on a 9 high board and I was raised on the flop. I gave him way to much credit for 2 pair and lost value. I did call him down and win the pot. Earlier, in another hand, I folded to aggression only to find out I was ahead. I guess this comes with experience so I will just have to play more NL to get over it.
I haven’t lost my love for limit but I think NL may be the way to build a BR fast with minimal risk. I may be playing weak tight but it is still better then 4/8. My live play time is minimal right now but I did manage to more then triple my BR in the last two weeks. I don’t know if next weekend will be much better but after that it should be wide open.
On-line I am up slightly. I started to mix in some .5/1 tables and I think it is a little to soon. So I will stay at the .25/.5 table until I build my BR more.
I was pumped up for some reason and splashed around for a few hours breaking even when I finally started to settle down. I went card dead at the same time so it was easy to do. I managed to get up 100 when we started to talk about going to dinner and decided to play one more round. Of course we both got into a few hands and he was down 15 and I was only up 28 when we racked up.
After dinner I stayed focused from the start. I caught some bluffs and played well and left with +336 for the night. My friend was +250 or so. The game was very soft and I was able to put the few things I learned to practice.
Thinking back I feel that you get more bang for your buck at NL. The blinds are so small that you don’t get blinded off and if you do limp in, it is only 2 to see a flop. Its like playing 2/4 preflop and 20/40 post flop.
I still felt weak when I had JJ on a 9 high board and I was raised on the flop. I gave him way to much credit for 2 pair and lost value. I did call him down and win the pot. Earlier, in another hand, I folded to aggression only to find out I was ahead. I guess this comes with experience so I will just have to play more NL to get over it.
I haven’t lost my love for limit but I think NL may be the way to build a BR fast with minimal risk. I may be playing weak tight but it is still better then 4/8. My live play time is minimal right now but I did manage to more then triple my BR in the last two weeks. I don’t know if next weekend will be much better but after that it should be wide open.
On-line I am up slightly. I started to mix in some .5/1 tables and I think it is a little to soon. So I will stay at the .25/.5 table until I build my BR more.
Friday, March 28, 2008
No Easy Street for Me
Was cruising along last night on-line. Was up 3 buy-ins and would double my BR in record time. (It is micro) Went to bed to lock in the win but couldn't sleep. Turned the computer back on to continue were I left off and it was going great for 10 min. Then I went card dead. No problem just wait for hands. Blinded off then got a hand. 88% to win on the turn then 0% on the river. Repeat 3 times and big win turns into small win. Thank God tonight is Friday and the games should be softer over the weekend. Just so frustrating with so much money out there and I couldn't get any.
Live is still going as planed. I have been sticking to the 4/8 w/ full kill and doubled my BR. Will play this weekend and hope to continue building. Of course what happened on-line could happen live too.
Either way I feel very confident about my play and know it is just a matter of time to rebuild my BR back to what it was and beyond. I have a much clearer frame of mind, outlook, and focus to my game now, more then I have ever before. I have a busy couple of weeks ahead of me and then I plan on playing and studying poker like a mad man.
Live is still going as planed. I have been sticking to the 4/8 w/ full kill and doubled my BR. Will play this weekend and hope to continue building. Of course what happened on-line could happen live too.
Either way I feel very confident about my play and know it is just a matter of time to rebuild my BR back to what it was and beyond. I have a much clearer frame of mind, outlook, and focus to my game now, more then I have ever before. I have a busy couple of weeks ahead of me and then I plan on playing and studying poker like a mad man.
Saturday, March 22, 2008
Made My First Goal
I ran up $1.78 to $100. Less then a month ago I decided not to deposit more money on-line and lay in the bed I made. Practicing BR management and of course dropping down to .02/.04 I started to grind it out. As you know my BR mgmt is very lacking so this was good for me. Now that I see it works on-line maybe I can do it live.
I did hit a bump in the road last week loosing 37% of my BR just as I was reaching the $100 mark. I took some time off which helped but I think most of it came from my studies of NL. I carried over the concepts of position, added some aggression and I went on a streak. Now the questions is, do I go back to studying limit or keep going on NL? I may just do both.
Now that I made my goal I will start adding .5/1 tables to my play. The BR is still short but I will add them slowly. At $500 I will add 1/2 tables and so on. I will move up fast to 1/2 but then slow down until I have the proper BR.
I did hit a bump in the road last week loosing 37% of my BR just as I was reaching the $100 mark. I took some time off which helped but I think most of it came from my studies of NL. I carried over the concepts of position, added some aggression and I went on a streak. Now the questions is, do I go back to studying limit or keep going on NL? I may just do both.
Now that I made my goal I will start adding .5/1 tables to my play. The BR is still short but I will add them slowly. At $500 I will add 1/2 tables and so on. I will move up fast to 1/2 but then slow down until I have the proper BR.
Friday, March 21, 2008
Having a Rough Stretch
Was cruising along nicely on-line and then hit a down swing. Mix of bad luck and bad play. I took a couple of days off before trying again and booked a win. The next day down again.
Pretty much the same live. Live, I am also playing above my bankroll. This does and is adding to my woes so I ahve to re-think my plan of attack. I tried to avoid it but I think I will have to grind it out at the 4/8 and 1/2 NL tables. My theory is that 1/2 NL plays as big as 10/20 Limit and 3/5 NL up to 20/40 limit. 3/5 NL killed me last night. I just couldn't hit a flop. By itself it was a normal loss on a bad night, but since my BR is so small it was devastating.
I started to study No Limit. I have been having trouble finding live limit games above 4/8 so I decided to add NL. I am watching and studing Ed Miller's videos on Stoxpoker and then reading the corresponding chapters in his book NL Theory and Practice. I then try it and can see exactly what he means and why.
So back to the grind building a BR. Slow and steady. I guess I will have to warm up to long hours and lots of hands.
Pretty much the same live. Live, I am also playing above my bankroll. This does and is adding to my woes so I ahve to re-think my plan of attack. I tried to avoid it but I think I will have to grind it out at the 4/8 and 1/2 NL tables. My theory is that 1/2 NL plays as big as 10/20 Limit and 3/5 NL up to 20/40 limit. 3/5 NL killed me last night. I just couldn't hit a flop. By itself it was a normal loss on a bad night, but since my BR is so small it was devastating.
I started to study No Limit. I have been having trouble finding live limit games above 4/8 so I decided to add NL. I am watching and studing Ed Miller's videos on Stoxpoker and then reading the corresponding chapters in his book NL Theory and Practice. I then try it and can see exactly what he means and why.
So back to the grind building a BR. Slow and steady. I guess I will have to warm up to long hours and lots of hands.
Thursday, March 13, 2008
Commerce
Made it to the Commerce last Tues. night. Pulled in around midnight and went to bed. The rooms were clean and quite. The room rate was $189 but if you talk to the floor they lower it to $139 without an issue. This is the same rate as the Doubletree which is down the road.
Overall it was a let down. Not because of the card room but because I built it up so much in my mind and it was just like my local card room but bigger. The games were just as loose and the players behaved the same. The jackpots were bigger but I didn't hit it. I did see Barry G playing mixed games and Chinese poker but nothing spectacular. Once I got over the excitement and fear that I wasn't as good as these players I settled down into my game. I found I was able to hold my own and I started to grind out some hands.
I played as much as I could and slept as little as I could, so it took until the last day to appreciate the benefits of the large room. I was playing mostly 9/18 and then 20/40. There were multiple games of the 9/18 with a seemingly endless list and mostly the same for the 20/40. If there wasn't a second game the list moved pretty fast and they kept the game full.
There were calling stations in both games but no maniacs throwing money away. I feel like I need to go back to give it a better review. I was so blinded by my expectations and excitement that I didn't get much out of it. The same can be said for when I go to Bay 101. I guess I need to get out more. Anyway, I have now been there and done that so the next time will be better.
As for LA, I didn't see much. My friend lived there so I thought he would play tour guide. Didn't happen. He kept saying that everything would take a whole day and he thought I wanted to play poker all day. I guess with more sleep I would have but he snores. We did make it out to eat twice. Once to Captain Jacks for crab and Chris n Pitts for bar-b-que. I had steamed crab at Captain Jacks and it was huge. Everything on the menu was huge. So if you go there be hungry. The same can be said for the bar-b-que. And they both had great food and I would go again.
I suck at reviews so I will now end my misery and your pain.
Overall it was a let down. Not because of the card room but because I built it up so much in my mind and it was just like my local card room but bigger. The games were just as loose and the players behaved the same. The jackpots were bigger but I didn't hit it. I did see Barry G playing mixed games and Chinese poker but nothing spectacular. Once I got over the excitement and fear that I wasn't as good as these players I settled down into my game. I found I was able to hold my own and I started to grind out some hands.
I played as much as I could and slept as little as I could, so it took until the last day to appreciate the benefits of the large room. I was playing mostly 9/18 and then 20/40. There were multiple games of the 9/18 with a seemingly endless list and mostly the same for the 20/40. If there wasn't a second game the list moved pretty fast and they kept the game full.
There were calling stations in both games but no maniacs throwing money away. I feel like I need to go back to give it a better review. I was so blinded by my expectations and excitement that I didn't get much out of it. The same can be said for when I go to Bay 101. I guess I need to get out more. Anyway, I have now been there and done that so the next time will be better.
As for LA, I didn't see much. My friend lived there so I thought he would play tour guide. Didn't happen. He kept saying that everything would take a whole day and he thought I wanted to play poker all day. I guess with more sleep I would have but he snores. We did make it out to eat twice. Once to Captain Jacks for crab and Chris n Pitts for bar-b-que. I had steamed crab at Captain Jacks and it was huge. Everything on the menu was huge. So if you go there be hungry. The same can be said for the bar-b-que. And they both had great food and I would go again.
I suck at reviews so I will now end my misery and your pain.
Sunday, March 2, 2008
Long Road Ahead
Didn't make it to the Commerce yet. Still planning to go, my friend just keeps getting delayed. The new plan is Tues. night heading down there. Gives me some extra time to iron out the kinks.
I had a rough weekend at the Peppermill Sping tournaments. I was down in the cash games and then Sat. I played the noon tournament. Brought home how weak my NL game is. Planning on working on that as soon as I get back from the Commerce.
Anyway, I was actually doing good in the tournament at the first break. I was double the average chip stack but I had been getting lucky. I had a terrible nights sleep Fri. so I was chugging coffee. By the end of the break I was dragging. My table broke and I got moved to a new table. A few hands in I flop a straight on a drawing board. The big stack bets the pot, 1k, and I raise to 5k. He calls. I tell myself to move in on a non-flush, non-straight card. The board pairs and when it is checked to me I move in. He insta-calls and I know I am done. He had 2 pair and filled up. This is why I hate NL. One hand and it is over.
Back to cash games. Tired and tilty from the loss and loose 500 in a 15/30 game. Time to go. Sun. I have more sleep and jump into a 15/30 game. Play ABC poker and start to build a stack. From the start my plan is to play until 5pm. That is 5 hours and I will go home. At 4 I am up 1200, at 4:50 I am up 400. Next time I will play 4 hrs and take atleast an hour break.
The signs where there to leave but I wanted to stick to my plan. I didn't tilt, I got sucked out on. Two big pots, one was my last hand, and I was done. Crap. Nothing I could do but leave. Overall I played well. I was very patient, didn't know exactly how much I was up, let hands go, and was alittle more aggressive. I was alittle tired because I missed a few bets and pots that I should have won.
I am still getting my new form down so I am happy with any win. Was pleased that my tight play got me the chips. The game is so loose but I just waited and took my shots when I had the best of it. It payed off and am optimistic that this is the right way to beat these games. Playing like this on-line too and I am on a nice win streak. Just going to grind it out and play within my bankroll.
I had a rough weekend at the Peppermill Sping tournaments. I was down in the cash games and then Sat. I played the noon tournament. Brought home how weak my NL game is. Planning on working on that as soon as I get back from the Commerce.
Anyway, I was actually doing good in the tournament at the first break. I was double the average chip stack but I had been getting lucky. I had a terrible nights sleep Fri. so I was chugging coffee. By the end of the break I was dragging. My table broke and I got moved to a new table. A few hands in I flop a straight on a drawing board. The big stack bets the pot, 1k, and I raise to 5k. He calls. I tell myself to move in on a non-flush, non-straight card. The board pairs and when it is checked to me I move in. He insta-calls and I know I am done. He had 2 pair and filled up. This is why I hate NL. One hand and it is over.
Back to cash games. Tired and tilty from the loss and loose 500 in a 15/30 game. Time to go. Sun. I have more sleep and jump into a 15/30 game. Play ABC poker and start to build a stack. From the start my plan is to play until 5pm. That is 5 hours and I will go home. At 4 I am up 1200, at 4:50 I am up 400. Next time I will play 4 hrs and take atleast an hour break.
The signs where there to leave but I wanted to stick to my plan. I didn't tilt, I got sucked out on. Two big pots, one was my last hand, and I was done. Crap. Nothing I could do but leave. Overall I played well. I was very patient, didn't know exactly how much I was up, let hands go, and was alittle more aggressive. I was alittle tired because I missed a few bets and pots that I should have won.
I am still getting my new form down so I am happy with any win. Was pleased that my tight play got me the chips. The game is so loose but I just waited and took my shots when I had the best of it. It payed off and am optimistic that this is the right way to beat these games. Playing like this on-line too and I am on a nice win streak. Just going to grind it out and play within my bankroll.
Tuesday, February 26, 2008
Mind Control
I have been spending alot of time trying to get my mind under control. I guess it is because of all of the stress in my life right now that I finally realized how important it is. Bordem or frustration can lead to tilt and ruin very fast if you aren't on guard.
I also spent most of my bankroll outside of poker so I am in rebuilding mode. I have been playing lower stakes and 1/2 NL. 1/2 NL can play bigger then 4/8 but I have been playing tight to compensate.
In fact, last Saturday I played 10hrs of 1/2 NL to win 500. It was so boring to fold, call/fold, raise/fold, and raise/bet/fold. Most of my winnings came in 2 hands. I flopped a straight and got paid off and then I got all in pre-flop with QQ against AJ. I won some smaller pots in between but how boring. I kept getting big/little so even if I flopped a pair I couldn't bet it or would have to fold to another bet.
I knew I was running bad so I downloaded a book onto my Ipod to listen to while I folded. It paid for itself. I know this is not the best idea but I think it was the right thing for me this weekend. I wasn't bored so I was able to fold everything I was suppose to and turned it off if I got in a hand.
Suppose to go to the Commerce casino for the first time next week. We almost went this week but it turns out that the LA Poker classic is going on and that would have been too much for my first time. I will let you know how that goes and how my rebuilding goes. I would rather stay local to rebuild my bankroll but I can't turn down a chance to go to the Commerce.
I also spent most of my bankroll outside of poker so I am in rebuilding mode. I have been playing lower stakes and 1/2 NL. 1/2 NL can play bigger then 4/8 but I have been playing tight to compensate.
In fact, last Saturday I played 10hrs of 1/2 NL to win 500. It was so boring to fold, call/fold, raise/fold, and raise/bet/fold. Most of my winnings came in 2 hands. I flopped a straight and got paid off and then I got all in pre-flop with QQ against AJ. I won some smaller pots in between but how boring. I kept getting big/little so even if I flopped a pair I couldn't bet it or would have to fold to another bet.
I knew I was running bad so I downloaded a book onto my Ipod to listen to while I folded. It paid for itself. I know this is not the best idea but I think it was the right thing for me this weekend. I wasn't bored so I was able to fold everything I was suppose to and turned it off if I got in a hand.
Suppose to go to the Commerce casino for the first time next week. We almost went this week but it turns out that the LA Poker classic is going on and that would have been too much for my first time. I will let you know how that goes and how my rebuilding goes. I would rather stay local to rebuild my bankroll but I can't turn down a chance to go to the Commerce.
Monday, February 11, 2008
BJ Took All My Money
First poker. Dialed up the aggression this weekend with mixed results. It worked and I was up 2 racks Friday night. Called a friend to go get some beers and lock in the win but he didn't answer so I played more. Didn't dial it back and with some suckouts I gave most of it back.
A friend that likes to play BJ came in late friday night so I was up early Sat. We got some breakfast and I talked him into some poker. Again I was up quickly with my new aggression, but soon gave it back. This time I did dial it back, but I was getting suckout on or missing the flop and having to fold. Still was up for the weekend so not the end of the world. I can see I need to tweek the new style of play but it has great promise.
Then we went to the Grand Sierra for dinner. They were booked so we at at the bar and got a expensive bottle of wine for the two of us. The food was ok but the bar setting wasn't right for the meal. So after downing the bottle of wine we headed to the BJ tables. I took my entire weekend winnings and lost it playing 100 plus a hand.
So I headed to the poker room to win it back in a 1/2 NL game. It was working out like I had planned until I hit a brick wall. I was up 100 when I flopped top two pair. So I bet, got raised, and then I went all in. I turned a fullhouse and at show down I am shown a bigger fullhouse. Rebuy, and on the very next hand I flop a straight. I go all in and the same guy calls to show me a bigger straight. WTF! I had to settle down after this and grind it out. Couldn't get much going and left after only getting 100 back.
I did feel a little better when my buddy came over and told me that he lost everything he had won when we were playing togeather and then hit his credit card for another 1k. Ouch. Why do we feel better when someone is hurting more then us? lol.
Anyway, I know what I was doing was a set back but I have a plan in place to make up for it. I am going to grind out the 4/8 tables 2 times during the week and hit the 10/20 all next weekend. 30 hours of live poker plus work and internet poker should be enough to compensate.
A friend that likes to play BJ came in late friday night so I was up early Sat. We got some breakfast and I talked him into some poker. Again I was up quickly with my new aggression, but soon gave it back. This time I did dial it back, but I was getting suckout on or missing the flop and having to fold. Still was up for the weekend so not the end of the world. I can see I need to tweek the new style of play but it has great promise.
Then we went to the Grand Sierra for dinner. They were booked so we at at the bar and got a expensive bottle of wine for the two of us. The food was ok but the bar setting wasn't right for the meal. So after downing the bottle of wine we headed to the BJ tables. I took my entire weekend winnings and lost it playing 100 plus a hand.
So I headed to the poker room to win it back in a 1/2 NL game. It was working out like I had planned until I hit a brick wall. I was up 100 when I flopped top two pair. So I bet, got raised, and then I went all in. I turned a fullhouse and at show down I am shown a bigger fullhouse. Rebuy, and on the very next hand I flop a straight. I go all in and the same guy calls to show me a bigger straight. WTF! I had to settle down after this and grind it out. Couldn't get much going and left after only getting 100 back.
I did feel a little better when my buddy came over and told me that he lost everything he had won when we were playing togeather and then hit his credit card for another 1k. Ouch. Why do we feel better when someone is hurting more then us? lol.
Anyway, I know what I was doing was a set back but I have a plan in place to make up for it. I am going to grind out the 4/8 tables 2 times during the week and hit the 10/20 all next weekend. 30 hours of live poker plus work and internet poker should be enough to compensate.
Monday, February 4, 2008
Why Do You Play Poker?
At first glance this is an easy question with an easy answer. To make money. That is the answer when you are fully rested, excited to got play, and ready for battle. The problem is that you are not always ready to play or what about after you have been playing for awhile.
I am not being honest with myself when I think about this question. Friday night I stayed home and played on the internet so I could go to bed early and be ready to play Saturday for a marathon session. I ended up staying up till midnight and then at 2 am my upstairs neighbor came home and woke me up. So after a lousy nights sleep I woke up at my normal time tired. I drank coffee and played on the internet to kill the morning and then headed up to play.
Before I got there I was tired. Then I noticed I played a hand badly early in the session just before I went card dead. I battled back to within 100 of even before slipping back down. Then I did it again before slipping into the abyss of being card dead, taking bad beats, and playing badly before I left 12+ hours later and 3 buyins lighter.
If I had been honest with myself before I left I would have said that I am going to play poker because this is what I was planning to do on one of the few days a week that I can play. Then after playing for a while I would have said that I am stuck and I have to get it back because this is one of the only days of the week I can play. Then when I bought my third rack I would have said that I haven't hit bottom yet and if I loose one my rack I can feel truly defeated and go home completly and underly depressed.
And that is what happened. I only asked myself this question once when I was ready to play instead of before I left and through out the night. And on top of it I was not honest with myself. I should have told myself that I can take a nap and go later. I don't need to play 12+ hour a day anyway. Then when I was card dead and almost even I should have said that the cards aren't with me tonight so I quit. And the third time, well, it was to late by then.
I say I play to make money but my actions say that I play because I have nothing else to do. If I want to make serious money at poker I have to start being honest with myself. I can take steps to be rested before I leave but what about during the session? I have to ask myself this question many times during the night and be honest with each answer.
I figure that if I was honest I would have lost 300 dollars over the last two weekends instead of many times that amount. I will correct this NOW.
I am not being honest with myself when I think about this question. Friday night I stayed home and played on the internet so I could go to bed early and be ready to play Saturday for a marathon session. I ended up staying up till midnight and then at 2 am my upstairs neighbor came home and woke me up. So after a lousy nights sleep I woke up at my normal time tired. I drank coffee and played on the internet to kill the morning and then headed up to play.
Before I got there I was tired. Then I noticed I played a hand badly early in the session just before I went card dead. I battled back to within 100 of even before slipping back down. Then I did it again before slipping into the abyss of being card dead, taking bad beats, and playing badly before I left 12+ hours later and 3 buyins lighter.
If I had been honest with myself before I left I would have said that I am going to play poker because this is what I was planning to do on one of the few days a week that I can play. Then after playing for a while I would have said that I am stuck and I have to get it back because this is one of the only days of the week I can play. Then when I bought my third rack I would have said that I haven't hit bottom yet and if I loose one my rack I can feel truly defeated and go home completly and underly depressed.
And that is what happened. I only asked myself this question once when I was ready to play instead of before I left and through out the night. And on top of it I was not honest with myself. I should have told myself that I can take a nap and go later. I don't need to play 12+ hour a day anyway. Then when I was card dead and almost even I should have said that the cards aren't with me tonight so I quit. And the third time, well, it was to late by then.
I say I play to make money but my actions say that I play because I have nothing else to do. If I want to make serious money at poker I have to start being honest with myself. I can take steps to be rested before I leave but what about during the session? I have to ask myself this question many times during the night and be honest with each answer.
I figure that if I was honest I would have lost 300 dollars over the last two weekends instead of many times that amount. I will correct this NOW.
Monday, January 28, 2008
Crappy Weekend
I never got back on track after being sick last week and it showed at the poker table. Friday night I was tired from lack of sleep and extra work on the job. Never got going at the table and lost 277. Not the worst I have done but not helping my win rate either.
Then there was Saturday. I got to the Peppermill at 2pm and the 15/30 was already full. I was put on the list and jumped into a 2/4 game to pass the time. I played almost every hand and wasn't catching cards so I lost 70. Then I went to a 1/2 NL game. Here I was catching cards and was back to even when I got moved to the 3/5 NL game in 20mins. There was alot of money on the table and many soft spots but I couldn't hit a flop to save my life. I missed my call to the 15/30 so I decided to suck it up.
I played aggressively trying to pick up some small pots but I ended up getting killed. I flopped top pair with a flush draw and a gutshot but I didn't get there. Down 500. I played tighter after this and went on a small rush to get back to even. This didn't last long as I missed more draws and then I started hitting brink walls. My flush ran into quad aces, my set ran into a flush and my big suited aces could beat 77. I gave back the 500 and another 400 before I called it quits.
Looking back I was very tired and lost my aggression after the beats. I should have gone to the 15/30 but I wanted to break into NL. Until I build up my bankroll I an going to stay away from anything above 1/2 NL.
Sunday I played on the internet. I was 4 tabling .5/1 and was up 50. Then I took at shot at 1/2 and lost 20. Took a break for a few hours and went back to 6 tabling .5/1. Then I switched a table to 1/2. Ended up loosing back the 50 and another 50 on top of it. The 1/2 games were playing differently from the .5/1 and I was a little off for awhile, but I just couldn't get cards and when I did I ran into bad luck. Of course 1/2 is over my bankroll so it hurt.
Determined to regroup and go back to the .5/1 grind. Will do the same at the casinos and just sit and wait for my limit seat to open up. Got to get a bankroll behind me first.
Then there was Saturday. I got to the Peppermill at 2pm and the 15/30 was already full. I was put on the list and jumped into a 2/4 game to pass the time. I played almost every hand and wasn't catching cards so I lost 70. Then I went to a 1/2 NL game. Here I was catching cards and was back to even when I got moved to the 3/5 NL game in 20mins. There was alot of money on the table and many soft spots but I couldn't hit a flop to save my life. I missed my call to the 15/30 so I decided to suck it up.
I played aggressively trying to pick up some small pots but I ended up getting killed. I flopped top pair with a flush draw and a gutshot but I didn't get there. Down 500. I played tighter after this and went on a small rush to get back to even. This didn't last long as I missed more draws and then I started hitting brink walls. My flush ran into quad aces, my set ran into a flush and my big suited aces could beat 77. I gave back the 500 and another 400 before I called it quits.
Looking back I was very tired and lost my aggression after the beats. I should have gone to the 15/30 but I wanted to break into NL. Until I build up my bankroll I an going to stay away from anything above 1/2 NL.
Sunday I played on the internet. I was 4 tabling .5/1 and was up 50. Then I took at shot at 1/2 and lost 20. Took a break for a few hours and went back to 6 tabling .5/1. Then I switched a table to 1/2. Ended up loosing back the 50 and another 50 on top of it. The 1/2 games were playing differently from the .5/1 and I was a little off for awhile, but I just couldn't get cards and when I did I ran into bad luck. Of course 1/2 is over my bankroll so it hurt.
Determined to regroup and go back to the .5/1 grind. Will do the same at the casinos and just sit and wait for my limit seat to open up. Got to get a bankroll behind me first.
Thursday, January 24, 2008
No More Left Overs part 2
Now where was I. So I got into the room and crawled into bed and past out. Woke up about 9 am, not the most sleep but enough. Needless to say I was hung over and felt like shit. I was haveing dry heaves and hung out in the bathroom for a minute. Didn't get sick just relaxed and drank some water.
Tried to sleep some more but not much luck. I just watched tv and tried to drink more water. At about 11am I start to get hungry so I called up room service. The eggs were listed at 11.00 but when I signed the ticket it was up to 28 with tip, coffee, etc. As I was eating I realized that I didn't have my car keys or cell phone with my buddies number in it. I am getting worried that I could be stuck in Reno until my buddy realizes he has my stuff and comes to get me. I make it to my car and with the door code I get in to see that my buddy was there and left my stuff in the counsel for me. I call to thank him and chat about the night. He agrees it was a good time and I go to play more cards until I have to be home to meet another friend at 5pm.
I get into a 10/20 game at 1pm and can only play for 3 hrs so I can drive home by 5pm. I start to win right away. I was playing loose and hitting hands. I would push my draws and get there. And my favorite, flop my hand and get paid off. I remember one hand where I had T3o in the BB, with a raise and 7 callers in front of me. I make a speech that my hand sucks but how can I fold with so much money in the pot. Of course the flop comes A33 rainbow. I check call the flop and everyone notices and asks me if I like my hand now. I c/r the turn and get only one caller that pays me off on the river. With this luck I am up 591 in my 3 hrs. Almost got back all of my drinking money.
Sunday my buddy and I head back to Reno to play cards and get into the 10/20 game. Don't remember any hands but I did grind it up 200 before we went to eat dinner. This is where I got the shrimp. After dinner there is only one seat at the 10/20 game so I jump into a 4/8 game. I notice there are a ton of chips at this game. The guy to my right has 700 in front of him and other players have a few hundred. I am starting to think that they have been here all day as I watch the action. It is raised and re-raised with 4 callers on almost every street. Now it makes sense. I proceed to catch cards and am just as aggressive. I get AA, QQ, and AK almost in a row and win big pots with them all. Then I get lucky with Q5s in the BB to make a fullhouse and pick off a very aggressive bluff when I catch the river card. In 20 min I am up 300 in a 4/8 game.
Then I am called to the 10/20 game and drop 500 in the first few hands. Monster draws that don't come in. Then I go card dead and fold for the next couple of hours. I leave +77 at the end of the night.
Monday we stay local and go to Fandangos. I start playing BJ and win my entry fee into a small re-buy tornament. It was 30 with two 20 re-buys. I don't re-buy at all and get to the final table. I was playing aggressive but I also got lucky when I go all in with 75s and get called. I made trip 5 to double up. After that I settle down and try to win. I am 2nd in chips when we chop 3 ways for 200 each.
Tried to sleep some more but not much luck. I just watched tv and tried to drink more water. At about 11am I start to get hungry so I called up room service. The eggs were listed at 11.00 but when I signed the ticket it was up to 28 with tip, coffee, etc. As I was eating I realized that I didn't have my car keys or cell phone with my buddies number in it. I am getting worried that I could be stuck in Reno until my buddy realizes he has my stuff and comes to get me. I make it to my car and with the door code I get in to see that my buddy was there and left my stuff in the counsel for me. I call to thank him and chat about the night. He agrees it was a good time and I go to play more cards until I have to be home to meet another friend at 5pm.
I get into a 10/20 game at 1pm and can only play for 3 hrs so I can drive home by 5pm. I start to win right away. I was playing loose and hitting hands. I would push my draws and get there. And my favorite, flop my hand and get paid off. I remember one hand where I had T3o in the BB, with a raise and 7 callers in front of me. I make a speech that my hand sucks but how can I fold with so much money in the pot. Of course the flop comes A33 rainbow. I check call the flop and everyone notices and asks me if I like my hand now. I c/r the turn and get only one caller that pays me off on the river. With this luck I am up 591 in my 3 hrs. Almost got back all of my drinking money.
Sunday my buddy and I head back to Reno to play cards and get into the 10/20 game. Don't remember any hands but I did grind it up 200 before we went to eat dinner. This is where I got the shrimp. After dinner there is only one seat at the 10/20 game so I jump into a 4/8 game. I notice there are a ton of chips at this game. The guy to my right has 700 in front of him and other players have a few hundred. I am starting to think that they have been here all day as I watch the action. It is raised and re-raised with 4 callers on almost every street. Now it makes sense. I proceed to catch cards and am just as aggressive. I get AA, QQ, and AK almost in a row and win big pots with them all. Then I get lucky with Q5s in the BB to make a fullhouse and pick off a very aggressive bluff when I catch the river card. In 20 min I am up 300 in a 4/8 game.
Then I am called to the 10/20 game and drop 500 in the first few hands. Monster draws that don't come in. Then I go card dead and fold for the next couple of hours. I leave +77 at the end of the night.
Monday we stay local and go to Fandangos. I start playing BJ and win my entry fee into a small re-buy tornament. It was 30 with two 20 re-buys. I don't re-buy at all and get to the final table. I was playing aggressive but I also got lucky when I go all in with 75s and get called. I made trip 5 to double up. After that I settle down and try to win. I am 2nd in chips when we chop 3 ways for 200 each.
Monday, January 21, 2008
No More Left Overs
A buddy came in 2 weekends ago and we went out to eat every night until he left. Each night I got a to go box and put it in the fridge. So on the fifth night when he left, I mixed up the left overs and sat in front of the TV to relax. 5am the next morning I wake up running to the bath room. Yup the shrimp had gone bad.
I had the heat cranked and the covers on all day Thursday and was still cold. I started to feel a little better that night but not much. I had stuff to do at work on Friday so I took a bottle of tylenol and sucked it up. I wanted to play friday night, but my body said no way. Saturday I felt even better but not quite right, so I scrapped the idea of making it out and concentrated on getting better. So after this, NO MORE LEFT OVERS. I felt like dirt and who knows what it cost me in lost poker winnings. From now on if I don't eat it the next day I am throwing it out. Now back to poker.
The second weekend of January I got to the Peppermill pretty early for me and got into the 10/20. I lost a hand or two but was only down $10 at 6pm. The game was stuck in the mud and a few players were leaving to play the tournament. I was in the mood for a change of pace so I went too. $125 buy in with no re-buys. 41 players
I decided I would play super aggressive like Dario Minieri to see what would happen. The table was so tight and I was able to steal many pots. Then I would make a hand and get paid off. I had a bump or two in the road but I was getting chips. I cooled off for awhile with a nice stack and decided to let the others knock each other out. I cruised to the final two tables but had to start playing again with the blinds going up.
Playing alittle tighter I got to the final table 4th in chips. The final table was tight so I had to wait for hands and watch the others. I took a few hits as the table thined out and was the small stack with 4 left. 2 guys were good and would play but the other guy was pushing or folding. It was working for him so I started to do the same. Of course it doesn't work the last time. I crippled him with AK against AQ and he was out shortly after that. Down to 3.
His chips helped but I was card dead and the blinds where eating me up. I had just over the BB when I started to push with anything decent. This is when my second rush came. I doubled up twice and stole some blinds to be chip leader. I got heads up with a 3rd more in chips when we decided to chop. He gave me alittle more since I was ahead and I walked with a 1000 profit even with the buy in. Not bad.
I was feeling good with my first Tournament win at the Peppermill so I called a buddy and we hit the strip clubs with my money. We were talking about doing this for awhile and I had cash to burn. I don't remember club names but we went to 3. The first was ok, the 2nd bad, but the 3rd on Virginia street was a hit. I had the cutest thing in my lap the whole time I was there and we ended up getting drunk. I dropped 500 between the 3 bars and was back at the Peppermill by 3am. Played some drunk 4/8 before I got a room and then dropped $100 in a slot machine waiting for the front desk. Ended up dropping 800 but what a night.
This is getting long so I will bring it up to date in the next post.
I had the heat cranked and the covers on all day Thursday and was still cold. I started to feel a little better that night but not much. I had stuff to do at work on Friday so I took a bottle of tylenol and sucked it up. I wanted to play friday night, but my body said no way. Saturday I felt even better but not quite right, so I scrapped the idea of making it out and concentrated on getting better. So after this, NO MORE LEFT OVERS. I felt like dirt and who knows what it cost me in lost poker winnings. From now on if I don't eat it the next day I am throwing it out. Now back to poker.
The second weekend of January I got to the Peppermill pretty early for me and got into the 10/20. I lost a hand or two but was only down $10 at 6pm. The game was stuck in the mud and a few players were leaving to play the tournament. I was in the mood for a change of pace so I went too. $125 buy in with no re-buys. 41 players
I decided I would play super aggressive like Dario Minieri to see what would happen. The table was so tight and I was able to steal many pots. Then I would make a hand and get paid off. I had a bump or two in the road but I was getting chips. I cooled off for awhile with a nice stack and decided to let the others knock each other out. I cruised to the final two tables but had to start playing again with the blinds going up.
Playing alittle tighter I got to the final table 4th in chips. The final table was tight so I had to wait for hands and watch the others. I took a few hits as the table thined out and was the small stack with 4 left. 2 guys were good and would play but the other guy was pushing or folding. It was working for him so I started to do the same. Of course it doesn't work the last time. I crippled him with AK against AQ and he was out shortly after that. Down to 3.
His chips helped but I was card dead and the blinds where eating me up. I had just over the BB when I started to push with anything decent. This is when my second rush came. I doubled up twice and stole some blinds to be chip leader. I got heads up with a 3rd more in chips when we decided to chop. He gave me alittle more since I was ahead and I walked with a 1000 profit even with the buy in. Not bad.
I was feeling good with my first Tournament win at the Peppermill so I called a buddy and we hit the strip clubs with my money. We were talking about doing this for awhile and I had cash to burn. I don't remember club names but we went to 3. The first was ok, the 2nd bad, but the 3rd on Virginia street was a hit. I had the cutest thing in my lap the whole time I was there and we ended up getting drunk. I dropped 500 between the 3 bars and was back at the Peppermill by 3am. Played some drunk 4/8 before I got a room and then dropped $100 in a slot machine waiting for the front desk. Ended up dropping 800 but what a night.
This is getting long so I will bring it up to date in the next post.
Monday, January 7, 2008
Just Thinking
Still thinking of my not leaving Saturday with all of my hard earned money. Then I thought about why I didn't leave and then about my playing online Sunday night. I am not crying about it, just trying to figure out why I chose not to do what I know I should have done.
I am convinced it is still my mind set. I am looking at poker as a time killer that I can also make money at and an escape from going home alone. After all I have a job to pay the bills. I didn't leave Sat. because I had nothing else to do. Sunday I was playing online while watching TV and surfing the Internet.
I am just coasting and I have to stop. I looked up my rake after playing Sunday and it was almost half of my win. Granted I am playing very low stakes to build a bankroll instead of depositing money, but I know I could have made more if I was only playing poker. I then looked back at all my play and saw that I payed over 1800 in rake. That is a huge number considering the stakes I play online.
I am wasting so much money it makes me sick. I need to wake up and concentrate on one thing at a time. If I am so bored that I am watching TV then I should stop playing and watch TV. As for live play, if home is some place I don't want to be then I need to change that.
One more thing. Saturday over buttons where put into play late in the evening. I now regret taking one. IMO it changes the game more then I thought. First, I'm playing based on the smaller stakes so I have to adjust my game quickly to not wipe out my stack. 2nd, with the other players in the game preflop all the odds change mid stream. A call with the bigger bets may now be wrong. Finally, I don't want to or can't change late in a session quickly enough to compensate for the new odds. From now on I won't take an over button. If they want to raise the stakes that may be fine, (10/20 to 15/30) but not in the middle of a hand.
I am convinced it is still my mind set. I am looking at poker as a time killer that I can also make money at and an escape from going home alone. After all I have a job to pay the bills. I didn't leave Sat. because I had nothing else to do. Sunday I was playing online while watching TV and surfing the Internet.
I am just coasting and I have to stop. I looked up my rake after playing Sunday and it was almost half of my win. Granted I am playing very low stakes to build a bankroll instead of depositing money, but I know I could have made more if I was only playing poker. I then looked back at all my play and saw that I payed over 1800 in rake. That is a huge number considering the stakes I play online.
I am wasting so much money it makes me sick. I need to wake up and concentrate on one thing at a time. If I am so bored that I am watching TV then I should stop playing and watch TV. As for live play, if home is some place I don't want to be then I need to change that.
One more thing. Saturday over buttons where put into play late in the evening. I now regret taking one. IMO it changes the game more then I thought. First, I'm playing based on the smaller stakes so I have to adjust my game quickly to not wipe out my stack. 2nd, with the other players in the game preflop all the odds change mid stream. A call with the bigger bets may now be wrong. Finally, I don't want to or can't change late in a session quickly enough to compensate for the new odds. From now on I won't take an over button. If they want to raise the stakes that may be fine, (10/20 to 15/30) but not in the middle of a hand.
Sunday, January 6, 2008
Still Not a Quitter
Went back to the Peppermill and sat in the 15/30 game. There were some tough players in the game but I was determined not to let that intimidate me this time. I started out slow folding many hands and then caught 3 in a row to be up a rack. This was followed by a draught of cards and a few suckouts to take back the rack and some of my starting chips.
This is when I went on my run. I got into a couple of big pots with an aggressive player and I kept raising. I was playing aggressively but also making my hands to build my stack. My best hand was a set over set and then we filled up on the river. With another player helping to pump the pot I feel that I got the maximum amount I could. Then with a few more small pots I ran 400 up to 2000.
After all of that I still didn't quit. I took a break to eat a rest but I didn't leave. I talked about it, thought about it, but my greed got the best of me. I won another 300 when I went back but this was my plateau.
The main reason I didn't leave was a huge fish at the table. He kept rebuying between beer and would call anything down. He took pride in bluffing and was aggressive to boot. I thought this would continue until he was broke, then I would leave.
After he took down a big pot with a bluff, another player asked for over buttons. This doubles the stakes to 30/60 if the only players left in the hand have a button. All but 2 player got one. This is when the fish got runner runner to beat me. My KK ran into AA and someone got a gutshot on the river to beat me. With the stakes doubled and me taking several beats in a row I dropped 1300 before I knew it.
So after 8.5 hrs of play I dropped half in the last half hr. I know this was just a swing but I was to tired to stay and play through it so I left. This turned an awesome win of 1900 into a very good win of 985. Still over 100 an hour but crap. I can and will be a quitter soon. I obviously need to keep working at it though.
This is when I went on my run. I got into a couple of big pots with an aggressive player and I kept raising. I was playing aggressively but also making my hands to build my stack. My best hand was a set over set and then we filled up on the river. With another player helping to pump the pot I feel that I got the maximum amount I could. Then with a few more small pots I ran 400 up to 2000.
After all of that I still didn't quit. I took a break to eat a rest but I didn't leave. I talked about it, thought about it, but my greed got the best of me. I won another 300 when I went back but this was my plateau.
The main reason I didn't leave was a huge fish at the table. He kept rebuying between beer and would call anything down. He took pride in bluffing and was aggressive to boot. I thought this would continue until he was broke, then I would leave.
After he took down a big pot with a bluff, another player asked for over buttons. This doubles the stakes to 30/60 if the only players left in the hand have a button. All but 2 player got one. This is when the fish got runner runner to beat me. My KK ran into AA and someone got a gutshot on the river to beat me. With the stakes doubled and me taking several beats in a row I dropped 1300 before I knew it.
So after 8.5 hrs of play I dropped half in the last half hr. I know this was just a swing but I was to tired to stay and play through it so I left. This turned an awesome win of 1900 into a very good win of 985. Still over 100 an hour but crap. I can and will be a quitter soon. I obviously need to keep working at it though.
Saturday, January 5, 2008
Got Lucky
There was a tough lineup at the game when I got there but I was confident in my new play. Then I got my first hand and I was like a deer in headlights. I knew what they had but I called anyway. Then I got sucked out on half a dozen times and I started to play passive. I didn't win a pot for 4 hours and I got stuck 1,060. I did the walk of shame to the ATM and re bought for 200.
By now the toughest players left and some fish sat down. I started to win a few pots when we got 6 handed and the table turned hyper aggressive. I picked up a few hands and was able to build huge post to mount a comeback. After a few of these pots I was only down 60. I tried to keep it going to book a win but my cards dried up and I was very tired at this point. The pots were huge and were being won by 2nd pair but I saw big swings coming so I took my now small loss and left.
I didn't think I would have to practice table selection live but I guess I do. My bankroll is still small and the swing did affect my play. In the future I will pay more attention to the line up and play lower if I have to.
By now the toughest players left and some fish sat down. I started to win a few pots when we got 6 handed and the table turned hyper aggressive. I picked up a few hands and was able to build huge post to mount a comeback. After a few of these pots I was only down 60. I tried to keep it going to book a win but my cards dried up and I was very tired at this point. The pots were huge and were being won by 2nd pair but I saw big swings coming so I took my now small loss and left.
I didn't think I would have to practice table selection live but I guess I do. My bankroll is still small and the swing did affect my play. In the future I will pay more attention to the line up and play lower if I have to.
Thursday, January 3, 2008
Tid Bits
Been doing some poker reading but not about strategy. I have been reading articles, cardplayer, and the poker news. I found a few tid bits in these items that got me thinking and now I am reading The Poker Mind Set and ordered Elements of Poker.
It started with an article by Tommy Angelo called folding. It was an easy read but rammed home the point that you don't have to win every pot you play. Then when reading stories about Chip Reese and his points for playing poker made me think. They were to accumulate wealth, improve your life style, and provide for your family.
I wasn't doing any of these things. I would win and give it back a day later. The only thing I was doing was killing time. Looking back at my posts I was touching on all the concepts but just can't seem to put them together. Hopefully the new books and ideas I have will fix this.
I finnally caught up on my sleep last night just in time for friday night. This will be the next test in my new qwest. I have to leave at 11pm to stick to the plan. This is still late when you figure I have been up since 6am, work all day, and then drive 40min home. I will be lucky to be asleep by midnight and I know I will be up by 7am even without an alarm clock. If I get tired before 11pm I need to go.
My point with all this blabbering is that there is more to poker then how to play a hand. If your schedule or life is a mess it will bring you down just as fast. If you haven't thought about these things then you should. They are half of the game and won't let you ignore them if you want to be a winning player.
It started with an article by Tommy Angelo called folding. It was an easy read but rammed home the point that you don't have to win every pot you play. Then when reading stories about Chip Reese and his points for playing poker made me think. They were to accumulate wealth, improve your life style, and provide for your family.
I wasn't doing any of these things. I would win and give it back a day later. The only thing I was doing was killing time. Looking back at my posts I was touching on all the concepts but just can't seem to put them together. Hopefully the new books and ideas I have will fix this.
I finnally caught up on my sleep last night just in time for friday night. This will be the next test in my new qwest. I have to leave at 11pm to stick to the plan. This is still late when you figure I have been up since 6am, work all day, and then drive 40min home. I will be lucky to be asleep by midnight and I know I will be up by 7am even without an alarm clock. If I get tired before 11pm I need to go.
My point with all this blabbering is that there is more to poker then how to play a hand. If your schedule or life is a mess it will bring you down just as fast. If you haven't thought about these things then you should. They are half of the game and won't let you ignore them if you want to be a winning player.
Wednesday, January 2, 2008
Taking It Seriously
I decided to take poker seriously for 2008. Not just say it but do it. There were days that I would blow off steam and money on a bad day to feel better. Play higher limits and games that I wasn't ready for and so on. All of this cost me alot of money.
For 2008 I am putting all the things I know about poker together, including bankroll management, emotions, and non poker related events. Currently I am under bankrolled for the 10/20 game I was playing last night but I can and did beat it for $600. I won't play anything higher until I have my bankroll back. This includes NL games. I am a limit player so the best and fastest way for me to rebuild is to stick to my game. If that means playing 4/8 or lower so be it.
I have poker tracker for my online play and set up an excel spread sheet for my live game results. I will also track poker related expenses and offset them against my winnings to treat this as if I was playing for a living. My job will cover my living expenses but gas to the casino, food at the casino, and poker related items will come out of my play.
On day one I lost -8.45 online and won 600 live. I don't want to deposit more money online if I don't have to, so I will be starting at micro stakes and working up as my bankroll allows.
For 2008 I am putting all the things I know about poker together, including bankroll management, emotions, and non poker related events. Currently I am under bankrolled for the 10/20 game I was playing last night but I can and did beat it for $600. I won't play anything higher until I have my bankroll back. This includes NL games. I am a limit player so the best and fastest way for me to rebuild is to stick to my game. If that means playing 4/8 or lower so be it.
I have poker tracker for my online play and set up an excel spread sheet for my live game results. I will also track poker related expenses and offset them against my winnings to treat this as if I was playing for a living. My job will cover my living expenses but gas to the casino, food at the casino, and poker related items will come out of my play.
On day one I lost -8.45 online and won 600 live. I don't want to deposit more money online if I don't have to, so I will be starting at micro stakes and working up as my bankroll allows.
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