I put off my income tax return until the last minute because I knew I owed them money. I made a big payment awhile back but I still owed more. This really stressed me out. I played like crap trying to win money and I just felt like a lump of coal. I ended up taking 5 days off doing nothing.
Knowing I had to get it done I jumped in and cleaned my apartment. Love to procrastinate. With a clean place to work I sat down and did my taxes. I owed more then I thought but I bit the bullet and wrote the check. As always, I felt better once it was done and am now working on getting my money back.
I figured out how to grind on-line. I made up all the losses for the month and all the previous months since I started my new data base. On my way to get all my poker losses back since I started playing. With rakeback I am up 605.91 for the week. Live I dropped the ball and lost -590.00.
I know just reading results is boring for the reader but it keeps me focused. I will make more interesting posts starting in November.
Friday, October 16, 2009
Thursday, October 8, 2009
First Week in October
Nothing new just the same old story. I am in a rut going round in a circle. I have good days and bad, but not enough of either to define a direction.
Even if I just lost, I would know to give it up and go in a new direction and get on with my life. The trouble is, that I win enough to keep the dream alive. If I can only get over a few bad habits I could make this work.
Well, I still have time to figure it out so I keep plugging away at it. Basically a break even week with dreams of winning next week.
Even if I just lost, I would know to give it up and go in a new direction and get on with my life. The trouble is, that I win enough to keep the dream alive. If I can only get over a few bad habits I could make this work.
Well, I still have time to figure it out so I keep plugging away at it. Basically a break even week with dreams of winning next week.
Thursday, October 1, 2009
September Results
The month is over and the totals are in. I didn't reach any of my goals. What a great way to start.
The totals are +1,495 live and 99.14 on-line for a combined total of 1,594.14. I actually lost -210.28 with regular play but the rake back of 309.42 put me over the top.
Not the best month financially but I made huge strides in my game. The last week pulled my numbers up to where they are. I am excited about October and think it will be a huge step forward toward reaching my goals. My situation has been extended for 2 months so I am going to ride this train to the end.
I worked hard on my game in September and I continue to do so. Some key pieces fell into place the last week and that is what I think will make the difference going forward.
The totals are +1,495 live and 99.14 on-line for a combined total of 1,594.14. I actually lost -210.28 with regular play but the rake back of 309.42 put me over the top.
Not the best month financially but I made huge strides in my game. The last week pulled my numbers up to where they are. I am excited about October and think it will be a huge step forward toward reaching my goals. My situation has been extended for 2 months so I am going to ride this train to the end.
I worked hard on my game in September and I continue to do so. Some key pieces fell into place the last week and that is what I think will make the difference going forward.
Tuesday, September 29, 2009
Week 4 Results
On-line I won $138.92 + rakeback of 59.68= 198.60 and live I won $345.
I had downswings in both formats, more so Live. There was a rich business man in town from San Fransisco so I played a couple of days of 3/5 NL. Of course I was card dead for most of those sessions and that created bigger losses. I even played 10 hrs one day to even out the bad luck but it wasn't enough.
The part that I am up beat about is how I turned it around. A few more things clicked in my head and I had 3 days of great results because of it. Its not new information but a new way for me to think about it.
I tried to win every hand that I entered. This could be devastating if the villain got lucky on me. I started to think about the bigger picture. Doyle Brunson has described poker as war, so I started to think of the hands as battles and the session as the war. This allowed me to give up on more hands.
I knew all the poker reasons to give up on a hand but I never truly accepted them as say "morally" correct. Its like leaving a wounded man behind in real war. You know you shouldn't risk the whole platoon to save 1 man, but you really want to. Your training tells you to pull back, re-group, and counter attack. You take on the enemy on your terms, not theirs.
Poker can be the same way. By leaving behind a few chips in a pot, you can wait for a better hand to stack them with. You keep yourself in the game by waiting until you are more confident about your hand.
I have also found that by folding those hands, it lulled my enemy into thinking I was weak tight. This would get me the extra action I needed to not only make up the previous loss but also make a profit.
My results are still preliminary do to the sample size so this next week will be a better test. If my result continue I will be confident I am on my way to poker riches. Just kidding. Any profit will be nice.
I had downswings in both formats, more so Live. There was a rich business man in town from San Fransisco so I played a couple of days of 3/5 NL. Of course I was card dead for most of those sessions and that created bigger losses. I even played 10 hrs one day to even out the bad luck but it wasn't enough.
The part that I am up beat about is how I turned it around. A few more things clicked in my head and I had 3 days of great results because of it. Its not new information but a new way for me to think about it.
I tried to win every hand that I entered. This could be devastating if the villain got lucky on me. I started to think about the bigger picture. Doyle Brunson has described poker as war, so I started to think of the hands as battles and the session as the war. This allowed me to give up on more hands.
I knew all the poker reasons to give up on a hand but I never truly accepted them as say "morally" correct. Its like leaving a wounded man behind in real war. You know you shouldn't risk the whole platoon to save 1 man, but you really want to. Your training tells you to pull back, re-group, and counter attack. You take on the enemy on your terms, not theirs.
Poker can be the same way. By leaving behind a few chips in a pot, you can wait for a better hand to stack them with. You keep yourself in the game by waiting until you are more confident about your hand.
I have also found that by folding those hands, it lulled my enemy into thinking I was weak tight. This would get me the extra action I needed to not only make up the previous loss but also make a profit.
My results are still preliminary do to the sample size so this next week will be a better test. If my result continue I will be confident I am on my way to poker riches. Just kidding. Any profit will be nice.
Monday, September 28, 2009
Tilt
This is not a story of me going on tilt but another player.
I was running good on Saturday and no matter what I played I seemed to win. They were small pots but people started to stay away from me. Then this hand happened.
It was folded to me in late position so I raised it to $6. This is a tiny raise in a live game but I only had A5o. The big blind was the only caller. The flop was 678 rainbow. Checked to me I bet $10, he called. The turn was a 10. I bet $15, he called. The river was the 9.
Both of us were talking during the whole hand and I didn't even realize there was a straight on the board. Thinking there was just four to the straight I didn't bet the river. I just disappointingly flipped over my hand and announce "I got the bottom end of the straight".
The other player winced and threw his hand on the table. Only one card turned face up and he reached out and turned it face down and mucked it. Just at that moment the guy to my left yells out "what are you doing" "Sorry" and turns away. As the dealer was pushing me the pot, I asked him what was going on. He points out that there was a straight on the board and the rest of the table and dealer confirm this.
I start laughing and assuring the other guy that I didn't realize and was just declaring my hand. He turned beat red and laughed a little too, but was very embarrassed.
The very next round we are heads up again, the same way as before, but this time I have 97o. The board is 59T rainbow. The betting is the same, check, bet, call. The turn is a J. He checks I bet and he acts real disgusted and fold his hand face up as he stands up, takes his chips, and mumbles something about being on tilt.
The table is stunned and we all look at him while he walks away. As the dealer is pushing me the pot, everyone is asking me if I could beat the two pair he flipped up. I said "no", laughing, "I guess he thought I made the straight".
Apparently the whole hand was DA Shae vie to him, and when the third straight card came out he just snapped. This is a new one for me. I had never seen tilt this bad before.
I was running good on Saturday and no matter what I played I seemed to win. They were small pots but people started to stay away from me. Then this hand happened.
It was folded to me in late position so I raised it to $6. This is a tiny raise in a live game but I only had A5o. The big blind was the only caller. The flop was 678 rainbow. Checked to me I bet $10, he called. The turn was a 10. I bet $15, he called. The river was the 9.
Both of us were talking during the whole hand and I didn't even realize there was a straight on the board. Thinking there was just four to the straight I didn't bet the river. I just disappointingly flipped over my hand and announce "I got the bottom end of the straight".
The other player winced and threw his hand on the table. Only one card turned face up and he reached out and turned it face down and mucked it. Just at that moment the guy to my left yells out "what are you doing" "Sorry" and turns away. As the dealer was pushing me the pot, I asked him what was going on. He points out that there was a straight on the board and the rest of the table and dealer confirm this.
I start laughing and assuring the other guy that I didn't realize and was just declaring my hand. He turned beat red and laughed a little too, but was very embarrassed.
The very next round we are heads up again, the same way as before, but this time I have 97o. The board is 59T rainbow. The betting is the same, check, bet, call. The turn is a J. He checks I bet and he acts real disgusted and fold his hand face up as he stands up, takes his chips, and mumbles something about being on tilt.
The table is stunned and we all look at him while he walks away. As the dealer is pushing me the pot, everyone is asking me if I could beat the two pair he flipped up. I said "no", laughing, "I guess he thought I made the straight".
Apparently the whole hand was DA Shae vie to him, and when the third straight card came out he just snapped. This is a new one for me. I had never seen tilt this bad before.
Tuesday, September 22, 2009
Week 3 Results
Week 3 was a heart breaker. I was humming along feeling confident so I jumped into a 3/5 game. I was card dead at the start so I just folded and picked up small pots to weather the blinds.
I finally got KK and raised to $25 in middle position. This wasn't enough because 4 people called. I c-bet on a 852 board and got called by one player. The turn was a 2 so I pushed with two pair. The river was an A and I was shown 55 for a boat. I should have known this player wouldn't have called the flop with less then a set but I fell in love with my KK. Two hands later I get top pair and am shown another boat. I pick up my last $26 and go home. This effectively wiped out my profit for the week. I played some more on Monday, and after loosing another $100 I went to Black Jack and lost another $60. So the week ended -107.00.
On line was much the same. -$25.60 Both were small losses. I have been working with my poker buddy plugging up my leaks so week 4 will be good. My latest leak is what killed me. Folding big pocket pairs.
Just like the live game, I get excited to see big pocket pairs and even though the board is uncoordinated, I push all in. I am shown a set most of the time. On line the villain usually gives me a clue by raising but I still do it. So this week I vow to fold. I figure if I can master this I will save $800 a week.
So back to the grind.
I finally got KK and raised to $25 in middle position. This wasn't enough because 4 people called. I c-bet on a 852 board and got called by one player. The turn was a 2 so I pushed with two pair. The river was an A and I was shown 55 for a boat. I should have known this player wouldn't have called the flop with less then a set but I fell in love with my KK. Two hands later I get top pair and am shown another boat. I pick up my last $26 and go home. This effectively wiped out my profit for the week. I played some more on Monday, and after loosing another $100 I went to Black Jack and lost another $60. So the week ended -107.00.
On line was much the same. -$25.60 Both were small losses. I have been working with my poker buddy plugging up my leaks so week 4 will be good. My latest leak is what killed me. Folding big pocket pairs.
Just like the live game, I get excited to see big pocket pairs and even though the board is uncoordinated, I push all in. I am shown a set most of the time. On line the villain usually gives me a clue by raising but I still do it. So this week I vow to fold. I figure if I can master this I will save $800 a week.
So back to the grind.
Tuesday, September 15, 2009
2nd Week Results
Results are 70% favorable.
I had a few good live sessions and was able to win $950, just short of my goal. I was at my goal but being tired late in a session proved costly.
On-line I fell apart. I was trying to apply some new concepts I learned and I didn't quite get them right. I lost a few large pots and was down -$339.25 before I knew it. This was softened by my rake back of $110.35 so the actual damage was only -$228.90.
The new concepts did help my live game and I have since re-read, thought, and listened to the concepts again. I believe I filled in some key gaps so I am optimistic about this week.
Overall my live game is the most important thing for obvious reasons so I am not devastated by my on-line results. In fact, I am that much more determined to figure it out.
I had a few good live sessions and was able to win $950, just short of my goal. I was at my goal but being tired late in a session proved costly.
On-line I fell apart. I was trying to apply some new concepts I learned and I didn't quite get them right. I lost a few large pots and was down -$339.25 before I knew it. This was softened by my rake back of $110.35 so the actual damage was only -$228.90.
The new concepts did help my live game and I have since re-read, thought, and listened to the concepts again. I believe I filled in some key gaps so I am optimistic about this week.
Overall my live game is the most important thing for obvious reasons so I am not devastated by my on-line results. In fact, I am that much more determined to figure it out.
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