Just been playing on the internet the last couple of weeks. Been up and down nothing exciting to report.
Anyway, I have been moving across town and and cleaning both places and buy new things and just haven't had time to go to Reno or Tahoe. I am not in a hurry either I guess. My bankroll is quite small now and I want to make sure I am prepared to play when I do go.
My parents are going to be in town this weekend so I don't think I will get a chance to play. I may get a short session in up a Tahoe but it depends on the old folks plans.
Wednesday, July 25, 2007
Saturday, July 14, 2007
Still Card Dead
Went to Lake Tahoe for a change last night. Been hearing the action is great and the games are soft for some time now so I thought I would check it out.
Simply put, they are. I got in a 3/5 game and half the table were fish and some of the rest were over aggressive and easy to trap. But as the title says I am still card dead so I was the one being trapped. I got KK 3 times in about 10 hands and lost everyone when 1 or even 2 Aces came on the flop. The rest of the time I got trash or called a small raise to take a stab at making a set on the flop. I started with 500, got up to 650, and left with 200. The 300 loss is not that big compared to the action and the money on the table, but it is a larger part of my now small bankroll.
Saw Don Chittle from Oceans 13 playing 2/3 across the room and heard Micheal Jordan was playing 5k a hand BJ. That was the most exciting part of my night. Down 300 in 5.5 hrs. BLAH
Simply put, they are. I got in a 3/5 game and half the table were fish and some of the rest were over aggressive and easy to trap. But as the title says I am still card dead so I was the one being trapped. I got KK 3 times in about 10 hands and lost everyone when 1 or even 2 Aces came on the flop. The rest of the time I got trash or called a small raise to take a stab at making a set on the flop. I started with 500, got up to 650, and left with 200. The 300 loss is not that big compared to the action and the money on the table, but it is a larger part of my now small bankroll.
Saw Don Chittle from Oceans 13 playing 2/3 across the room and heard Micheal Jordan was playing 5k a hand BJ. That was the most exciting part of my night. Down 300 in 5.5 hrs. BLAH
Monday, July 9, 2007
Getting Critical
Still can't get a hand. Very little of my losses are due to bad play. Sure, I am making a few mistakes but nothing like what I am loosing.
I will give you and example. I was in the 1/2 NL with a gutshot straight draw and a flush draw. The board paired on the turn so I put my opponent on trips but for the price I was getting I called. He got quads on the river. I would have rather lost to a full house. I did manage to be up for like 1/2 hr before this hand.
Online I am doing better. I got back half my loss at 2/4 and made $120 at 3/6. This is why I am blaming my downswing on the cards. I am playing the same way live but winning.
I will give you and example. I was in the 1/2 NL with a gutshot straight draw and a flush draw. The board paired on the turn so I put my opponent on trips but for the price I was getting I called. He got quads on the river. I would have rather lost to a full house. I did manage to be up for like 1/2 hr before this hand.
Online I am doing better. I got back half my loss at 2/4 and made $120 at 3/6. This is why I am blaming my downswing on the cards. I am playing the same way live but winning.
Thursday, July 5, 2007
Stopped the Bleeding
Got some live play in over the weekend and holiday. Lost $200 on Saturday and got it back on July 4.
I started with the normal 15/30 but it broke very quickly. I was break even and decided to play the tournament. I was eating when I flopped top two, AK. I was reraised on a AKJ board and I pushed. I knew he had the straight but with eating and being pissed the 15/30 game went down, I didn't care. First one out. Talked to the 5th place winner 2 hrs later and it turns out I won just as much as him, $0. That is why I don't play many tournaments, long hours and no money.
I finished eating and went to the 1/2 NL game. What a boring game. Everyone limps in and you can tell on the flop who made the big hand so you fold. Of course the players take their time to call $5 or fold when they have nothing. I managed to get even, the tournament buy-in, when this hand came up. I limped UTG with 22 and six peopled called. The flop came Q72 with two clubs. I bet $20 half expecting to with the $12 in the pot when the button raises to $240 to put me all in. He is a good player and doesn't put money into the pot with nothing so I didn't like to call but I couldn't lay down a set. I was ahead to his two pair but he filled up on the river for the higher full house. I only lost $200 but the river suck out always hurts. More bad luck.
On the 4th I also ended up playing the 1/2 NL after the 10/20 went down early. I was stuck 60 and so I sat with 240. I was break even for the most part when I called a $199 flop bet with AK. I had the nut flush draw and figured all my over cards were good. He showed a pair but I got a K on the river for the win. I was up $300+ when I put a guy all in for 100. I had top pair and was representing the flush and he called a $75 bet for most of his chips. The 4th flush card didn't get there so I put him all in on the river. He called and out kicked me. So I took my $200 profit and went home. Even for the week.
Online I was doing good at 3/6 but I can't stand the loss in 2/4 so I went back down to fix it. I have never been sucked out on so many time in a row. Instead of wiping out the loss I doubled it. I go way down before coming back most of the time. My big pairs run into bigger pairs or runner runner suck out. And of course none of my draws come in. I had AA 5 times and I was still stuck $30. They call all the way to the river and spike that miracle A.
I am managing to stay even but can't make any head way. All these suck outs have taught me to be more "selectively" aggressive. Check calling is better then bet fold. I have stopped being overly aggressive which I see now was a leak. Loosing always has a way to make you fix your play or go broke. I am grinding away until the cards come back my way. It is just hard to watch horrid play and not being able to get cards to capitalize on it.
I started with the normal 15/30 but it broke very quickly. I was break even and decided to play the tournament. I was eating when I flopped top two, AK. I was reraised on a AKJ board and I pushed. I knew he had the straight but with eating and being pissed the 15/30 game went down, I didn't care. First one out. Talked to the 5th place winner 2 hrs later and it turns out I won just as much as him, $0. That is why I don't play many tournaments, long hours and no money.
I finished eating and went to the 1/2 NL game. What a boring game. Everyone limps in and you can tell on the flop who made the big hand so you fold. Of course the players take their time to call $5 or fold when they have nothing. I managed to get even, the tournament buy-in, when this hand came up. I limped UTG with 22 and six peopled called. The flop came Q72 with two clubs. I bet $20 half expecting to with the $12 in the pot when the button raises to $240 to put me all in. He is a good player and doesn't put money into the pot with nothing so I didn't like to call but I couldn't lay down a set. I was ahead to his two pair but he filled up on the river for the higher full house. I only lost $200 but the river suck out always hurts. More bad luck.
On the 4th I also ended up playing the 1/2 NL after the 10/20 went down early. I was stuck 60 and so I sat with 240. I was break even for the most part when I called a $199 flop bet with AK. I had the nut flush draw and figured all my over cards were good. He showed a pair but I got a K on the river for the win. I was up $300+ when I put a guy all in for 100. I had top pair and was representing the flush and he called a $75 bet for most of his chips. The 4th flush card didn't get there so I put him all in on the river. He called and out kicked me. So I took my $200 profit and went home. Even for the week.
Online I was doing good at 3/6 but I can't stand the loss in 2/4 so I went back down to fix it. I have never been sucked out on so many time in a row. Instead of wiping out the loss I doubled it. I go way down before coming back most of the time. My big pairs run into bigger pairs or runner runner suck out. And of course none of my draws come in. I had AA 5 times and I was still stuck $30. They call all the way to the river and spike that miracle A.
I am managing to stay even but can't make any head way. All these suck outs have taught me to be more "selectively" aggressive. Check calling is better then bet fold. I have stopped being overly aggressive which I see now was a leak. Loosing always has a way to make you fix your play or go broke. I am grinding away until the cards come back my way. It is just hard to watch horrid play and not being able to get cards to capitalize on it.
Monday, July 2, 2007
Getting My focus Back
Been playing on-line quite a bit and I believe it is helping. I am playing low limits and have been up and down. I have taken some bad beats but am up.
Live I am way down. I have been card dead for two weeks now and with some bad play thrown in, I am a big looser. I have gone through almost 2/3 of my bank roll so I have to turn it around or stay away for a bit. July 4 I will play my normal level but if I loose right away I will have to drop down in stake to rebuild.
I believe most of my troubles are in my head. My ex-friend bothered me more then I thought and the loosing didn't help. The longer I play seriously the more I see that you have to be ready to play, mentally, emotionally, and physically. If you aren't ready you will have big down swings.
I am also working on taking my time. I am still chasing the big hand, day, week, and so forth but I am coming around. I lost with a few big pairs to small sets and even set over set and can see folding one hand, even if it is wrong, is the way to go. I lost all my profit in one hand and then more in the others.
I have a job to cover my living expenses so as little as $100 a day is good money to me. Of course I will take more but it adds up quickly. I will keep working at putting it all together and will keep you up to date.
Happy 4th of July
Live I am way down. I have been card dead for two weeks now and with some bad play thrown in, I am a big looser. I have gone through almost 2/3 of my bank roll so I have to turn it around or stay away for a bit. July 4 I will play my normal level but if I loose right away I will have to drop down in stake to rebuild.
I believe most of my troubles are in my head. My ex-friend bothered me more then I thought and the loosing didn't help. The longer I play seriously the more I see that you have to be ready to play, mentally, emotionally, and physically. If you aren't ready you will have big down swings.
I am also working on taking my time. I am still chasing the big hand, day, week, and so forth but I am coming around. I lost with a few big pairs to small sets and even set over set and can see folding one hand, even if it is wrong, is the way to go. I lost all my profit in one hand and then more in the others.
I have a job to cover my living expenses so as little as $100 a day is good money to me. Of course I will take more but it adds up quickly. I will keep working at putting it all together and will keep you up to date.
Happy 4th of July
Monday, June 25, 2007
You Can't Rush It
and I have tried so many times that it is a big part of why I am not a huge winner. Playing on the Internet over the week end brought this out.
I took my winnings and moved up in stakes and of course lost pretty much all of it. As I am starting over I realize that my biggest mistake and leak, is that I am rushing it. I have a goal in mind and looking back, my rush to obtain my goal is making me gamble more and loose.
I have been fighting myself over when to leave a game. I stay to long and loose it back, but why? I play tired. I over play hands or chase. I play hands in bad position or for a raise when I know I shouldn't. I call when I know I am beat. All of this can be traced back to being in a hurry. A hurry to win or play what I think I should, not except what it is. Trying hard and not giving up are good traits to have, but you also have to know when you are beat.
I am putting all the pieces together in my head. Separately I knew them but it just dawned on me how they fit together. Playing for a set time is key. You can be flexible with this but don't totaly ignore it. Poker can be extremly frustrating and tiring, so knowing when it will be over will keep you focused. For me, it is easier to take all the bad beats, bad hands, and missed flops if I know when it will end.
Staying focused and controling your emotions will keep you from loosing those extra bets and turn loosing sessions into break even or small winning sessions. I beat myself up all the time after I waste a few bets and then the very next hand I win. If only I waited alittle longer I would have more chips instead of just making up for the previous hand.
All of my mistakes boil down to being in a hurry. A hurry to get un-bored, win a certain amount of money, play so many hands, or even beat that guy I don't like. Doing what you know you should will make all of your goals happen, just not necessarily as quickly as you want.
I took my winnings and moved up in stakes and of course lost pretty much all of it. As I am starting over I realize that my biggest mistake and leak, is that I am rushing it. I have a goal in mind and looking back, my rush to obtain my goal is making me gamble more and loose.
I have been fighting myself over when to leave a game. I stay to long and loose it back, but why? I play tired. I over play hands or chase. I play hands in bad position or for a raise when I know I shouldn't. I call when I know I am beat. All of this can be traced back to being in a hurry. A hurry to win or play what I think I should, not except what it is. Trying hard and not giving up are good traits to have, but you also have to know when you are beat.
I am putting all the pieces together in my head. Separately I knew them but it just dawned on me how they fit together. Playing for a set time is key. You can be flexible with this but don't totaly ignore it. Poker can be extremly frustrating and tiring, so knowing when it will be over will keep you focused. For me, it is easier to take all the bad beats, bad hands, and missed flops if I know when it will end.
Staying focused and controling your emotions will keep you from loosing those extra bets and turn loosing sessions into break even or small winning sessions. I beat myself up all the time after I waste a few bets and then the very next hand I win. If only I waited alittle longer I would have more chips instead of just making up for the previous hand.
All of my mistakes boil down to being in a hurry. A hurry to get un-bored, win a certain amount of money, play so many hands, or even beat that guy I don't like. Doing what you know you should will make all of your goals happen, just not necessarily as quickly as you want.
Saturday, June 23, 2007
Back on Line and More
Finally got my deposit to show up on PS. It took two weeks to set it up, verify it, and then have the account funded. All for $200. So I have been grinding it for a few days at .5/1. I am up $42 so I moved up to 1/2 already. I am way under bankrolled at 242 so I am playing tight. I just couldn't stand making $1 per hour. I am playing now and the 1/2 is softer then the .5/1, although it is Sat. night.
As part of my new drive to work on my game and take my winnings home I got set up better this time around. I went out and bought my own laptop and bought Poker Tracker so I don't skew my results. I guess I should get some kind of HUD but I haven't taken the time to learn what all the numbers mean. The only one I know now is the VPIP and what range I should be in.
Used properly the Internet can be a huge help, because not only do you see more hands, can track your play better, and so forth, but the players are more aggressive and to a large extent, just all around better players then at the Peppermill. They are 10x better then the people at the Bay 101. As I type this I am up $19.75 in 30 min. That would be great if I can keep it up, but not likely.
I plan on playing on line during the week. I tried to leave work at 5 ish and go to the Peppermill, but it takes 40 mins from door to door plus gas. So even if I get seated right away it is after 6pm. Then I eat at the table and in at most, 4 hours, I am driving back to Carson City. Wind down, get to bed, and it is late for work in the morning. Loosing that 1/2 of sleep a night adds up so by Friday I am almost to tired to go again. By playing on line I can get in a solid 2 hours which is like 4 hrs live and get home in time to read a few pages of a poker book or watch a video before getting to sleep at a reasonable time.
Speaking of live, I did make it to the Peppermill last night, Fri. Got into the 15/30 game right away with pretty much the normal line up. There were a couple of new faces to keep it interest though. How did I do, it was a massacre. I couldn't get cards to save my life and if I got a playable hand I missed the flop by a country mile. It was just opposite from what I had all night.
I can remember 3 hands that pretty much sum it up. I had Qs7s in the big blind and with no raises. Two spades fall, all under cards. I bet and 4 call. The turn is a Q so I bet again, 3 call. The river is the Ad. It is checked around and I think I might have a chance, until Greg turns over KK. The best hand I got all night was TT. I raised UTG and everyone folded to the button who 3 bet. I just knew I was up against a bigger pair since that is the only thing people 3 bet pre-flop with. It is almost a given. The flop was low so I lead out and he raised, so now there was no doubt. I did call to see if I could get lucky but it was a J. Check, bet, fold. He told me later he had JJ. At this point I am down a rack so I bought 200 more to see if the cards would turn. I get KJ in the BB and check to see the flop with 6 others. It is a Ten high rainbow and it is check around to the CO who bets. I have the odds so I call and everyone else folds. The turn is a K and I get in a CR. I have $10 left at this point when another Ten hits the river. I check he bets and I have to call. He tables AT. Obviously not my night so I pack up and leave at 10pm.
I was happy with my play for the most part. There was only one bad call down I did and the rest was just bad luck. The second best hands are just expensive. I also left before my predetermined time. Loosing is a great motivation to leave but I was also tired and just feeling off. In fact, I feel like crap right now which is the main reason I am not at the Peppermill tonight winning my money back.
On the lighter side, I don't think anyone knows who I am yet. I did find out that I don't know Zak or the new one, Freeze, or something. I did hear a rumor about Zak. I hear he is a good player and was looking for a coach to get better at tournaments. A guy named Tuna was brought up but you didn't think he would be a good fit. Might even be another Zak. Anyway, other then trying to find out who I am I don't have any comment to respond to.
BTW How did you find my blog? I tried to google for it but nothing. Is there some kind of search function within blogger? If so, where is it?
As part of my new drive to work on my game and take my winnings home I got set up better this time around. I went out and bought my own laptop and bought Poker Tracker so I don't skew my results. I guess I should get some kind of HUD but I haven't taken the time to learn what all the numbers mean. The only one I know now is the VPIP and what range I should be in.
Used properly the Internet can be a huge help, because not only do you see more hands, can track your play better, and so forth, but the players are more aggressive and to a large extent, just all around better players then at the Peppermill. They are 10x better then the people at the Bay 101. As I type this I am up $19.75 in 30 min. That would be great if I can keep it up, but not likely.
I plan on playing on line during the week. I tried to leave work at 5 ish and go to the Peppermill, but it takes 40 mins from door to door plus gas. So even if I get seated right away it is after 6pm. Then I eat at the table and in at most, 4 hours, I am driving back to Carson City. Wind down, get to bed, and it is late for work in the morning. Loosing that 1/2 of sleep a night adds up so by Friday I am almost to tired to go again. By playing on line I can get in a solid 2 hours which is like 4 hrs live and get home in time to read a few pages of a poker book or watch a video before getting to sleep at a reasonable time.
Speaking of live, I did make it to the Peppermill last night, Fri. Got into the 15/30 game right away with pretty much the normal line up. There were a couple of new faces to keep it interest though. How did I do, it was a massacre. I couldn't get cards to save my life and if I got a playable hand I missed the flop by a country mile. It was just opposite from what I had all night.
I can remember 3 hands that pretty much sum it up. I had Qs7s in the big blind and with no raises. Two spades fall, all under cards. I bet and 4 call. The turn is a Q so I bet again, 3 call. The river is the Ad. It is checked around and I think I might have a chance, until Greg turns over KK. The best hand I got all night was TT. I raised UTG and everyone folded to the button who 3 bet. I just knew I was up against a bigger pair since that is the only thing people 3 bet pre-flop with. It is almost a given. The flop was low so I lead out and he raised, so now there was no doubt. I did call to see if I could get lucky but it was a J. Check, bet, fold. He told me later he had JJ. At this point I am down a rack so I bought 200 more to see if the cards would turn. I get KJ in the BB and check to see the flop with 6 others. It is a Ten high rainbow and it is check around to the CO who bets. I have the odds so I call and everyone else folds. The turn is a K and I get in a CR. I have $10 left at this point when another Ten hits the river. I check he bets and I have to call. He tables AT. Obviously not my night so I pack up and leave at 10pm.
I was happy with my play for the most part. There was only one bad call down I did and the rest was just bad luck. The second best hands are just expensive. I also left before my predetermined time. Loosing is a great motivation to leave but I was also tired and just feeling off. In fact, I feel like crap right now which is the main reason I am not at the Peppermill tonight winning my money back.
On the lighter side, I don't think anyone knows who I am yet. I did find out that I don't know Zak or the new one, Freeze, or something. I did hear a rumor about Zak. I hear he is a good player and was looking for a coach to get better at tournaments. A guy named Tuna was brought up but you didn't think he would be a good fit. Might even be another Zak. Anyway, other then trying to find out who I am I don't have any comment to respond to.
BTW How did you find my blog? I tried to google for it but nothing. Is there some kind of search function within blogger? If so, where is it?
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