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.

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.