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.
Tuesday, February 26, 2008
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.
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