Uneventful Weekend

As far as poker is concerned it was uneventful. Limped into the money in The Bet 365 $5k freeroll. Which means 4 out of 4 in the last 4 weeks.

Still playing NL and was an even weekend. Still trying to clear the Poker Room bonus. I will finish this week I'm sure. Going back to limit Monday at least at Poker Room and knock out this bonus.

Turn the $25 (For finishing 40th in the New Player freeroll) at The Gaming Club into $45 and cleared some more of the little bonus I have left there.

Thats about it. Watched a lot of football. Some good games. I know Mean Gene and Iggy are breathing easier that the Steelers pulled it out.

I would like to also thank Pauly for the link and look forward to your input. Sorry about the Jets!

Was reading some of Chris's posts on his trip into NL at TGC. I must admit it is night and day different than Poker Room. People at TGC will bet bottom pair like the nuts and after being moved off a couple winners, had to adjust to that. Poker Room is so much more passive and you can move people off pretty easy post flop.

Its been a nice diversion this week playing NL. I have to devise a plan to work into my schedule on a more regular basis. Back to the grind on Monday and I'm actually looking forward to it.

The biggest part of my game that has impoved this week is "Patience". I thought I was before but seeing it in action in NL, waiting and folding and waiting some more, then getting paid off, did wonders for me. This was something I knew but was really hammered home this week. I think I took a small step into making my game better and feel like I accomplished something other than the monetary gain.


Till Next Time:

A handful of patience is worth more than a bushel of brains.
Dutch Proverb

All Good Things

It $25 NL streak is over. Lost my buy in Friday AM session.
It was a great run.
I'll miss it.

Numbers:

678 hands without a rebuy
+129.55
38.22 bb/hour

Highlights:

All started with .05 win
Finished 4th in 72os Event 1
Had 3 double-up buy in sessions
Finished 40th in TGC $5k New Player Freeroll
Won 1 Live event SnG
Ended with JJ vs. 55 with a 275(r) flop

Not as sad as finding out about Santa
Not as sad as waking up to find no underwear
Not as sad as "Tilt"

But a sad day still the same.

Before I had time to fully mourn the passing of a great rush....I have started another. PM Session win! Lets see how long I can have this one last.

It's fun to win and beleive it or not it is OK to lose. I now its frustrating and horrid and whatever other words you can think of. I get caught in the emotions when it gets really bad and like to rant myself. If you really sit and think about it though, if you never lost, you would never learn. Sometimes I forget that,in poker, no lessons are free. I also forget that the reason I am still playing is that my gains always out run my losses in the long run.

Here's an Iggy quote from today:

But I'm used to losing. That sounds funny to write, but it's true. I don't get overly excited when I book a big win and I don't get upset when I suffer through extended losses. I obviously wasn't born this way but I taught myself this attitude through experience. Surely, like me, you know some poker players who have the biggest problem in the game are the ones who almost "demand" something from it. It's as if they feel it owes them something or they 'have something coming.'

That's a poor attitude to have in poker, imho. A certain measure of indifference is required to succeed long-term. Impatience in a poker room, especially online, will destroy your bankroll quickly.

Its fun to hype up the winning streaks though, keeping in mind that one day it will end and start again. "A certain measure of indifference is required to succeed long-term. Impatience in a poker room, especially online, will destroy your bankroll quickly." That should be required print in the start of every poker book. Swings are an uncontrolable part of this game; how you handle them emotionally could be the difference in a positive bankroll and negative one.

So tonight I toast another streak....just not sure which way it will go yet!


Till next time ponder this:

Why are there braile instructions on a drive up ATM?

Good Week So Far But ......

nothing like the sites are having. Check this out from Poker Gazzette:

UNITED KINGDOM –In the two years since online poker first tempted punters, the industry has grown from $100,000 in gross rake per day in January 2002 to between a staggering global $2m and $2.5m While online gaming itself continues to grow at a dramatic pace, the online poker industry has more than tripled in the past year according to statistics provided by PokerPulse.com.

"The top operators are earning around $200m per year, while an estimated $16m was wagered at online poker sites in the last year. In that time many gaming companies, web and lifestyle brands have entered the poker space, particularly in the UK. There are now some 300 sites, around 20 networks or stand-alone rooms, and there are still more commercial and gaming brands planning to launch a poker room.

Watched "Tilt" last night. I found a well written, insightful review that about sums it up for me....."It's bad, folks."
I'm afraid I have to jump on the bangwagon on this one.

Now on to poker:

I have been on a great run this week that has continued through yesterday. I played NL at Poker Room and the AM session was up. Since I had the $5K New Player Freeroll at The Gaming Club I slipped in a late afternoon round and finished that up also! After an uneventful start to the $5k freeroll and got on a run and ended up finishing 40 out of 740 for $25! Last hand I was in better than average shape and made a push for the final table. I was 20th out of 40 when I get ATs in EP2. Blinds are 1500/3K. I have a friend sweating me and coaching along the way. He's last comment was "No limping now" so I raised the minimum. I get one caller and see a xTx flop rainbow. I go All In and he calls with AQs...proceeds to hit RR flush and I am gone! I was dissappointed but hey, I won $25 from $0. I guess my luck was used up on this hand!

Blinds were 500/1000 and I get JJ in the SB. Folded to me and I raised the minimum hoping for a call from BB. He does. Flop if X4X. I bet half his stack, I have him about doubled in chips. He calls. Turn is a 4 and I go all in and I am instantly called. DAMN! He flips over KK. I am toast! What a great slowplay. Wait! The chips are coming my way! The river was the improbable 2-outer J! I have been told that to finish well in a MTT you have to win a few coin flips, play well, pick your spots, and get a little lucky. Guess I had all them going last night.

On top of all that I get the "we want you back and here is the free money to prove it" email from Party Poker. COOL! Its only $20 but it is with this money I will break into the blogger NL table! But so far, this table has alluded my grasp. Maybe I need to learn the secret hand shake or something. :) Maybe the sound of a NL Wanna-Be Newbie Fish with $20 will be enough to get me in!!! Only time will tell.

Till next Time:

The one serious conviction that a man should have is that nothing is to be taken too seriously.

Nicholas Butler

NL Run and Live Play

I must first take the time to show my solidarity with my fellow bloggers and let it be known that 72os is a powerful hand! There are still "doubters" though. My God have mercy on your souls.

There has been a lot happening in our community lately and since Maudie captured it all, I’ll be lazy and let her tell it.

Still playing NL and loving it. I know that all will not stay right in my little world for long buy for now I will live in the blissful happiness. (Up 41 BB’s or $11.70 an hour) The only complaint I have so far is that if you play a hand correctly, hit that hand and make some money…..the table breaks up.

I’ve only played 606 hands so obviously the reverse effect will come soon. That’s why I am cramming myself with as much NL info from books and forums as I can. A correction in the numbers above is inevitable I just want to be prepared to keep as much of my winning as possible.

Jsaw found a web site for a Texas Holdem league near our homes. We went there last night and played. The tournaments were run in a SNG type fashion with dealers provided. Was a superb set up and we played over top a bar…what could be better! I played live for only the 3rd time in my life. There were 20+ people there and we played two tournaments. Its $6 to play per tourney and your rewarded points, top point winners get a special tournament at end of season. Start with 3500 chips.

1st tourney had a guy there, had been drinking a “little”, playing every hand to the river and had a horseshoe up his ass. I was card dead and just folding my way around. Was four of us left when the horseshoe fell out and one of the regulars took out the drunken guy. Down to three - Jsaw in third with ~T2000 chips, me in second with T2200 and the leader with a bunch of chips. Jsaw goes all in next hand and is taken down by the leader. They want to set up another tourney so me being behind over 15 - 1 and go all in blind and tell them to deal one more and lets start over. I was more than happy with 2nd and my cards really were crap.

I doubled up. Ok I said, do it again. I doubled. Blinds went up to 800/1500 and I had some chips. Won the next two hands and game on! Next couple hands were folded by me. Then I call BB with QTs and see a flop of QJx. He goes all in, I call and he shows AJ. No help and now I am the chip leader! Next hand he goes all in again with KQo, I call with 55 and he spikes a Q and we are about even again.

We swap hands a few times and the final hand has me go all in with AKs and getting called by his KQo. I have him covered and we share a K on the flop. No more help and I complete the miraculous comeback. What a time to get a rush of cards and also for lady luck to wake up and shine her light on me.

In the 2nd game. Jsaw doubles up on first hand by hitting his OESD on the river against the now really drunk guy. That was all she wrote. He plays great anyway but with a big stack he is murder. I found that I had used up all my power for the evening and bowed out unceremoniously 6th. Jsaw went on to win and hopefully will write about it soon.

Going to be a busy evening because I am still trying to clear Poker Room bonus, have a Gaming Club New Player freeroll and “Tilt” is on ESPN. I know all about the reviews but want to see for myself.

Till next time I leave you with a point to ponder:

How much deeper would the ocean be without sponges?

NL = Patience

I am happy to report that I am up over $100 in less than 10 hours of my NL playing. That would be 3 sessions in two days. I bring this up because:

1) I am proud of it

2) I am not on a good run of cards


Now, my cards have been OK and I have had some good pay off hands but not anything I would consider abnormal. Every PP hasn’t been a set; every draw has not come through, ECT.

Patience does pay off though, maybe better than limit. Now before everyone thinks I have jumped off the limit bandwagon, I have not. I still strongly believe that limit is where you can make your best money per hour. NL is a profitable diversion though. I have begun wondering if the $25 “Minor League” NL tables are more worthwhile to play than the lower limit tables. I have a ways to go in hands and experience to decide that.

Before I hammer home the patience theme with my experience from last night’s table, I must admit that my search for the NL “Holy Grail” table of bloggers failed last night. I will never give up the search though!

Now last night’s table. There was a player there ironically with “nut” as part of his name. Now Nut was playing 100% of the hands and 100% of the time would raise the minimum pre flop. If it was raised before him he would reraise .25 and kept reraising .25 till you gave up. Of course he was getting lucky as his $2 pre flop call with T5o hit two pair and his 36o UTG turned a straight. He busted a couple people and the ranting began! He was up about $40 at this point.

“I can not believe you played that!”, “What an Idiot!”, “Moron” and all the rest we have heard. Now, I’m sitting there wondering why these people want to run this guy off and the strangest thing happened. Nut replied “HeHeHe” and “You’ll never know what I am playing”. Instead of leaving, he was giving it back in the chat and kept playing his game. Now the people he beat left! I couldn’t believe it. The table was down to 6 and I feared it would break up but in a few seconds it was full again and all was well. I was folding a lot waiting for the right time. See ….Patience!

While I was waiting to pounce, with the chat now buzzing with the new player’s comments, a fellow player chimed in “If you want to bust this moron you have to play more hands!” Now, normally I would guess that this was a shark trying to set the whole table up and keep one eye on him but, he was down half his buy in and not playing the most stellar poker I have ever seen so I just figure that was tilt talking and forgot about him. At .35 a round in blinds why not just wait for the big payoff! Patience again!

As you can see I am not getting an over abundance of great hands here but then I look down to see TT in MP1. I limp knowing that Nut will raise and also I needed a set to win because at this point, if you were in, you were end to the end because Nut was playing everything to the river. My first break came preflop when only 4 people saw flop after Nut’s minimum raise. The flop came A6T two suited. WOOT! An EP checks, I check, ready to unload the fury of my whole stack. Nut makes a pot size bet, which was no surprise had done that the last few hands, 1 fold and the EP goes all in for around $18. Now EP was a decent enough player so far and I now he either had AT, A with good kicker or maybe flush draw. I also know he wanted to be heads up with Nut, I almost felt sorry for him as I went all in over top of him. Nut wasn’t going to call, he folded 9-10 times if you raised over top of him on the flop, and the new guys just didn’t know that. Sure enough, EP was on flush draw and my set holds out. So 1 hand in an about 30 minutes and I double up.

I notice now that there must be blood in the water, a few more people leave and a few more sit down and everyone now wants Nut one on one. The sharks have arrived. I see Nuts stack go from a high of $65 down to $25 in a few hands. He gets on another run to build it to $40 but in less than 1 more orbit he is busted. A chant of “Reload” “Reload” reverberates in the chat box. He obliges and the race continues. I get a few more unspectacular hands and leave up $36. Our hero? At last look he was down to $8. Let the chants begin.


Till Next Time,

Some people are angry at the thorns among the roses...others are happy that there are roses among the thorns.

More NL Observations

Generally in limit play I believe the top three things to keep in mind are:


1) Position – Most important in any HE game


2) Your starting hand – Tight is right


3) Type of player you are playing – Helps with those marginal calls



Example: AA in the BB in limit with 4 limpers and SB completes. Your raise here will generally not run anyone out and sometimes give the odds for the draws to chase you.

You’re out of position and any board could be scary.


In NL I have found the top three things to keep in mind are:

1) Position – Still most important to me


2) Type of Player – Will he buy a pot, does he over bet a bluff, under bet a monster, ECT.


3) Starting Hand – Tight is still right but with 5+ people seeing the flop you can take more chances late




Same Example: AA in the BB in NL with 4 limpers and SB completes. Your 3-5x BB raise here will generally run out some. Now with a read on the type of players left, make bets and take down the pot or even fold on later streets if necessary with a little more confidence.

I’m hoping this is a solid foundation to build on.

The biggest difference (obviously) that I have to deal with is that there could be any amount bet at any time. I was run out of 2 QQ hands today when an A fell on one flop and an AK fell on other. Both times I raised pre-flop and both times I was bet into (about ½ pot) on the flop. Maybe showing too much respect I folded both. The bettors showed down 88 and JJ respectively. The first hand for sure I would have at least checked/called to the river if it was limit. So I still have a lot to learn about betting strategy and reading bets.

Trying to spend as much time as possible between sessions reading as many of the 2+2 threads on NL as I can and going to railbird the blogger table at Party Poker also. At least take notes on successfully playing “The Hammer”.

This leads me to pulling off a bluff. At the $1/$2-$2/$4 limit tables I have played at mostly these last couple months, a pure bluff by me was rare. I would raise from LP to Button like most but if I missed the flop or turn, would give it up to any resistance. You rarely could get heads up with anyone and it just wasn’t a profitable play. Now I see were I can get away with it from just about anywhere on the table with a properly placed raise. I now have to figure out with what frequency I use this technique; once a session, once an hour or more frequently. I have heard and read about some people picking a card and a suit and every time they get that combination they raise it “x” times the BB. I guess the key will be to keep not only my game from being predictable but also my betting.

So this is a little of my learning curve so far. As you see I have a long way to go but so far it has been successful and have gotten back almost all of my limit losses from last week.

Till next time:

Never argue with and idiot, they will drag you down to their level and beat you with experience

Finally!!

Nice to get away from limit for a while and the $25 NL was good today. Surprised to see how passive the tables were. Sat at three tables today that seemed like it was limit. Minimum bets, minimum raises, checking down, no one tried to buy anything. It was crazy. I raised QQ $2 twice and everyone folded, limp in, 6-7 would see the flop.

Did run into one guy today that liked to see flops. Played anything face, but would bet big when he hit. Caught on to that real quick and I guess the others did too, he ran it up a little then re-bought twice and left.

Found a quote today that sums up my last few days of poker:

Just remember... if the world didn't suck, we'd all fall off

It was fun playing again today. I realize that I missed that the last few days. Iggy brought that up somewhere in his uber-post. Got to keep it fun. My wife even noticed that I was cussing at the computer a lot more lately, so I will work on some poker diversions and keeping the game fun. Some NL will become a staple to keep the diversity in. I have read everywhere lately it seems about people getting beat up. Even some of our fellow bloggers are having it ruff.

I remember reading a lot last year at this time about bad runs also. I guess it could be expected. All the Christmas money pouring into the sites, dreams of there minimum deposit becoming retirement, quitting their jobs and going pro, ect. Its interesting thinking of this now because I know that eventually with good play and solid decisions they money will come my way.

In reading some of the blogs and posts on forums, there is a quite confidence in the "good" players that you can see in there posts and writing. Even when they are complaining about this beat or that beat, you get the feeling that they are a moving closer and closer to the kill. Just a matter of time and the luck will run out and all will be right with the world again. I know, I'm rambling again. It is just even during the downward struggles of my limit game lately, I remember telling my wife, just need more hours. I guess there is a quite confidence in my game also.

Time for a change

Limit is still in the downward spiral mode so I an going to switched to a little $25 NL action for a while starting today. I need a change of pace and the NL is not new to me, I have played it before. Going to play a couple MTT's and then go back and maybe limit will seem better. May even try some .05/.10 NL on Bet 365 with my new found freeroll gain.

Well the 72os Freeroll Tour started last night and I finished 4th out of about 140. I was third and went all in with 99, really didn't want a caller but BB called with QTs, spiked a T on flop and I was done.

Since the 72os was the only game I played yesterday, not much to report. Up $8 so far at the NL table! Better than last week already...maybe I should take my winnings and run!!!!

See Ya At The Tables!

I Can't Win

This has been the second worst losing streak I have had in by short 1 year poker career. Horrendous doesn't even come close to describing it. I have dropped 100 bb's in two days with no end in site. The only reason it hasn't been worst is that I have ended my sessions early.

Some examples:

AQ has lost to AK with A on board 11 times

28 PP's = 3 sets that have all lost

Can not remember last flush or straight I have hit


Some detail:


KTo in sb - 4 people see flop of KT8..I bet-BB calls as does 1 other. Turn=8 I bet BB raises and I check down to see his 82o. Not a bad beat just the fact that his 2 outer hit. Then I watched as he gave all his money away in the next 2 orbits. None back to me.

QQ in mp-I raise. 4 see rag board and I lose to slowplayed KK

NEXT HAND: QQ-Capped Preflop. Qxx board and 2 hearts. Capped Flopped Turn is heart checked around. River is heart and I lose to J8o!!! and the J of hearts.

Rivered 12 times in a SB/BB showdown and lost.


I know it will turn and the cards will start hitting but it doesn't help with the frustration and anger I feel when someone flips over crap to beat you over and over and over.

I think even worst is the guy at the table playing 85% of the hands, over betting every face card and getting bailed out on the river time and time again and you see him up over $100.

Then everything comes full circle when you start misplaying hands and folding winners to over betting fish with any ace and the frustration level blows through the top.

As half my brain is focusing on venting as I write this, the other half is telling me all the things I would say to someone if it was written by them. Even knowing the answers is frustratiing.

So before tonights session I am going to review my play and make sure I am making the right decisions and then continue on hoping the poker gods will take pity.

Right now, at this moment, I hate this game.

3 for 3

Well, my limit game is in a little slump. Poker Room went ok last night, down 10 bb's for session. Was never up but was down almost 25 bb's at one point. So maybe the turn around is near. Let’s hope so.


Did play a freeroll at a new site last night. Poker Host is a nice site with fast software and some neat extras. About 100 people registered so far and a very enticing 110% first deposit bonus.


Now for the best news of the week. Bet365 $5000 freeroll. 3 weeks ago I backed into 300 for $4.75, last week I finished 253 for $6.00 and this Saturday I finished 158 for $7.50. So that’s $18.25 with a starting bankroll of $0. So I decided I will try the .01/.02 NL tables and see how far I can go. Of course I will keep playing the Saturday Freeroll , since I am 3 for 3 in last 3 weeks. Now I suck at NL so if I can money, anyone can, so check it out next Saturday. Everyone else is: 1800 3 weeks ago, 2200 last week and 2505 this week.

Not playing tonight. Will play my normal schedule on Sunday. I am being patient and waiting for right cards and then playing half of them all wrong. So I am watching football today and relaxing. My aggressiveness is all messed up....to be honest is missing entirely, so I will take this time to straighten up and get back in gear. I know a lot of people think freerolls are a waste of time and a crap shoot, but they are good for getting your game right for no risk. Once you get past the break, they usually end of playing pretty good. So I feel better about my game a little and look forward to a Sunday turn around.

Till then:

Play Well!

Another Day...New Attitude

There are far more greater things in life than poker and far more important things than a good run or bad. If you will, support the events at you favorite site for the Tsunami Relief effort. If you would like to help the American Red Cross directly... here is the link.

Tsunami Aid

The worst sin toward our fellow creatures is not to hate them, but to be indifferent to them: that's the essense of inhumanity.
George Bernard Shaw (1856 -

Now for poker:

What a bad couple days for me. Empire was what I expected except none of my cards were holding up. Day two was more of the same and add I wasn't getting cards on top of that and it was frustrating.

So out with the old and in with the new. So on to Poker Room with a new attitude and we will get this ship turned around.

I noticed some interesting trends at the Evil Empire. (Part of the horrid play)

1) Call no matter what with any A. They limp in and call any raise with any A. I saw many of showdowns were it was called down with one person holding A high and losing.


2) Any two suited will due. That is a trend I see everywhere.


3) Slow play preflop. I must say that this was more prevalent here than I have seen anywhere else. Many of time I saw people "wake up" on the turn, or must likely river, and flip over AA, KK or something.


4) Check the flop/turn and river and then bet 1 bb into a 1.5bb pot. Either with top pair/a piece of some kind or the nuts. The risk/reward here is a little askew.


5) No draw is too remote to see if you hit. Just keep calling no matter how much it cost for your gut shot, or 2 outer, or miracle card.


These are all trends as a good poker player you want to see, recognize and take advantage of. Now I was on a bad run and was only their two days so I got creamed but in the long run I could have made out for sure. One of the big negatives of bonus chasing is that it is a form of hit and run. If you get hot it can be very profitable and if not, go to the next bonus.

Hopefully a good report after tonights play!

I SURRENDER!Empire 2 4flush 0

I SURRENDER!

First time I ever cashed out with no bonus. Lost it all. The play at Empire was at best horrid and at worst mind dumbing.

I have had every possible combination of cards cracked my the most horrendous play I have ever seen. No need for details.

I know as a poker player I want people 3 betting their gut shot and rivering their 2 outers but in the last two days THEY ALL DID! No long shot I played against missed. I will of course take some time off as my funds are transfered and lets hope Poker Room is better.

I really have nothing else to add. Glad there are no sharp objects close by.

Round 1: Empire1 4Flush 0

Ok round one goes to Empire last night...down 25 bb's. It was crazy! QQ goes down 6 times, KK goes down twice, sets go down to straights and the list goes on. People playing any two cards all night and hitting like crazy. I don't mind the any two cards part but damn, all were hitting. Just one of those nights. Played with first maniac in a loing time. 100 hands before he left: 95% VPIP, 35% PFR and 5+ aggression on all streets. He went from $50-$80-broke. Got two hands against him and he folded on flop both times.

Not much in the way of good news but did play 3 tables all night and did get 1/2 the bonus cleared. I just have to adjust to the loose play and move on. Currently in the middle of round 2 and I am in the lead! So hopefully it will continue to grow.

Both Barrells Loaded!

Best quote so far this year: Poker Penquin...

"idiots have to be lucky, or natural selection would have got rid of them by now"

Sorry about the 1 out beat!

OK, lock and loaded for Empire Poker. Will start this evening clearing this bonus. Now, low and behold...Poker Room has stepped up to the plate with a re-load. 15% up to $150 through Neteller.

So this is the plan. Empire for two days, Poker Room for 3 days and then..Full Tilt. Yep, I'm going. Jsaw, a friend of mind from ITH, who deposited last week, says that the bonus could be clearable in a months time playing at the rate I am playing. So, that being possible, can't pass up a free $600.

I will be using my new found "talent" for 3 tables. My goal is to clear 1/2 of Empire bonus tonight and 1/2 tomorrow during the day. Been a while since I have been to Poker Room but I think the bonus is a little slower there so I will go with 3 days to clear it. Then I will allow 6 weeks to clear Full Tilt just in case. Unless something amazing happens in the next week, I will be breaking a rule I made a few months back and playing at a non-pokertracker site. Guess rules were made to be broken.

I hope that this doesn't happen. Sorry Iggy!

Hopefully, next post will contain a positive experience with the "Evil" Empire.


Till Then,

I wish people who have trouble communicating would just shut up.
Tom Lehrer (1928 - )

Off to evil Empire

What the world needs is more geniuses with humility, there are so few of us left.
Oscar Levant (1906 - 1972)

Sometimes I can't believe what I read. Check this out from F Train. Some interesting 15/30 hands.

Also Otis is reporting from the Caribbean. Keep up with all the action.

Well the schedule is working well, so I am taking my first break. Not on purpose though. Cleared InterPoker today and cashed out. Going to Empire Poker for their reload now. If you haven't heard, the Empire reload is in the newletter. You have to play 7x's the bonus in hands and have 14 days to complete it.

A side note here for all you conspiracy theorists: I called InterPoker to see how many more hands I needed to clear. (My morning session was over) They said 39. I cranked up two more tables and NEVER won another hand. Dropped 18 bb's getting those 39 hands. All quality hands, all went down in flames. Including QQ at both tables at the same time! Hmmmmmmm.

I added muti tabling to my arsenal towards the end of last year. Two tabling mostly and found it not only profitable but also as fun as everyone told me. It took me a while to get use to but during the InterPoker bonus I opened three tables and it wasn't that much more to do. With Poker Tracker and Game Time + running, it isn't as ABC poker as some have said. Now, don't misunderstand, it isn't critical analysis but it does allow for a quick peek of the type of players in the hand before you decide to play. I'm looking forward to Empire and auto importing hands and auto updating Game Time +.

With money transferring around, I won't play tonight; InterPoker is usually fast so hopefully will be at Empire tomorrow.


See you at the tables!

All Clear!

Well, all bonuses are cleared so time to start a new. Going to knock out Interpoker today and tomorrow. Crypto's are great monthly bonuses.

On the freeroll calendar you will notice we are up to over 70 a day and 125+ on Saturday. Thanks to every one who has helped this grow above and beyond my expectations.

Since I mentioned freerolls, Saturday I won $6 in the Bet365 $5k freeroll finishing 205 out of 2000. Had an ok stack this time and my all in with flopped two pair got called by 4 flush and he rivered. I've seen a lot of this calling all ins with only a draw, quess in the long run I will not be complaining.

I have set my schedule for Day: 10am to 1pm and then 9pm-1am at night. Now lets see if I can keep it up! That lets me play when the kids are at school and after they go to bed. Also gives me the bulk of the day and evening to spend with them. Its harder than I thought to keep a strict shcedule. Mainly because I know I can play anytime so it's hard not to get distracted. I am really going to concentrate on keeping this one and tracking the results.

Until then:

Go console Iggy on a terrible Pitts sports weekend (Except Steelers)and check out Scurvydog's for a great bonus chase article

See You at the Tables!

Nice Ending

HAPPY NEW YEAR!

2004 ended with a 13 bb gain. The whole year was profitable for me and look forward to 2005.

Must be a lot of Christmas money on deposit, at least at Absolute Poker. 45% flop rate was as low as I could find and that was with 3 full tables. Playing tight waiting for a hand because we had 2 people calling all raises and going to the river with any piece. I got AA in SB and was salivating when it was folded around to me. LOL, maybe they all knew! Had KQo in BB and hit TP on flop and got called down by AKo and he hit RR straight, KK went down to TT when he flopped set (Folded on turn though which was hard to do with J high board but he was pounding hard, good fold for me)and I was down $30, so much for tight!

Was thinking about early New Years celebrating when I get 33 in BB. I get free play and 5 see the flop of T73(r). I bet out figuring nobody will fold, I get raised, I 3 bet and 5 see the turn. A ten. Yahoo! I bet again, 1 fold and rest call. River is a J and all 4 left cap! I win $59 pot ($1/$2) against:

EP T8 sooooted
MP1 AJ ???
MP2 89 soooted and rivered straight
LP 89o rivered straight
ME Full House!

Next hand I get KK in SB...Slow Play and pick up a small pot when I check/raise the turn against 2 players. Down 15 bb's to up 17 bb's in 2 hands! I left soon after and called it a day.


Added Check N Raise to the calendar which puts us at 20 sites. 124 freerolls on Saturday alone! We are averaging about 60 freerolls a day. I also added a whats new section that scrolls at the top of the home page. There you can find links to good bonuses and an article on Poker Trackers Game Time window and at the end of article, downloads to auto rate numbers and a excel spreadsheet to track sessions if you do not have PT.

After 4 days "off", I have to get back to my schedule. It was a poker free break, I didn't even take a poker book with me. (I did watch celebrity black jack on my grandfathers satellite...worst than celebrity poker) My 2 hour session yesterday felt odd and refreshing at the same time. I have learned one thing from the last few months that I will implement this year, I am going to stick to a set schedule for my poker playing. Spend the down time on non-related poker stuff. My play towards the end of the year was unmotivated at best and I feel it was mostly due to a lack luster schedule and overplaying. I'm looking forward to a great 2005!

Off Topic: Best Christmas gift....Rounders DVD!

Until then!

Whatever you do will be insignificant, but it is very important that you do it.
Mahatma Gandhi (1869 - 1948)

I'm Back!

This is going to be a short post just to say Happy New Year and I'm back from my annual "Tour of the Family" holiday advenuture.

Did get the new Rounders DVD, so it wasn't a bad christmas!

It's time to go to work on the new 2005 goals. So let the grinding begin! I hope all had a wonderfull holiday and look forward to a great year of poker.

Got to finish up $70 at AP so I will be there till it is done.

See you at the tables!!

What a Year!

I started playing poker in February and I still consider myself a newbie. I have worked my bankroll up from the .25/.50 limit to currently $2/$4. (Hopefully $3/$6 soon). I owe a lot of what I have learned from the book Internet Texas Holdem and ITH site. A lot of people there have allowed me the luxury of avoiding mistakes made by most new poker players and I owe them a lot.

I have learned much since February but I narrowed it down to the top 8:

1) Each limit is its own entity. When moving up, your game has to adjust and change with each level. There is an adjustment period and you must have a bankroll and mindset to withstand the new learning period.

2) You will not win all the time or lose all the time. Don’t get to over confident with your good runs or to far down during the bad runs. The long run is all that matters and just keep making the right decisions

3) Your goals should not be short termed monetarily based. You shouldn’t set yourself up to make X amount a day or hour. Stretch it out and concentrate more on the proper way to play and not how much you make.

4) Don’t take the game too serious. Keep an even keel during play and what happens at the tables stays at the tables. Don’t let a bad session bleed over to your every day life.

5) Don’t keep extending a bad session “to get even”. Some nights are not your night, except it and leave. This was a hard lesson that cost me much before I realized that tomorrow was another chance to play.

6) Play within your bankroll. I use 300 bb as a standard. This goes hand in hand with #1. No matter how good a run your on, the odds will catch up and you need to be prepared.

7) You can never stop learning. There are many nuances to the game and once you get the basics down, more of the game will be uncovered.

8) Maximize your wins and minimize your loses. I know this sounds simple buy 1 bb won or lost over the long run can add up to thousands. If you play 300 hands of $1/$2 a night and miss 1 bb in half those hands that’s $300 a night lost. In the same vain, 1 bb saved is like a bb won.



What I want to work on:

1) Studying my own game and working on finding my leaks and plugging them. I will devote 1 hour a day to studying my play in poker tracker.

2) Make the most of my table experience by studying others when I am not in a hand. Try to read hands and understand betting patterns of other players.

3) Being more aggressive and fully understand that winning a small pot is better than winning NO pot.

4) Put together a bonus chasing plan together that is feasible and the bankroll to chase separate from my day to day bankroll. I will put this in place by March 2005 with $500 bonus chasing bankroll and a day to day bankroll to play $3/$6.

5) Keep the fun in the game.

6) Start the process of playing and understanding NL.


There is so much more that I learned but hard to quantify them all. There is so much more I need to work on but that will be another time.

Thanks to all that have helped me along the way by posting, answering questions and just being there. Thanks in advance to all that will be there in the future.

Here's to 2005 and another great year!!

The Chase is Still On

Thanks mostly to the excellent posting at Chris Halverson's Blog I will be chasing my $3/$6 goal and another bonus after all.

Going to The Gaming Club in the am and work on it. If my math is right I need 1500 hands to clear and if I two table and average 70 hands an hour, looking at about 4 1/2 hours a day and clearing in three days. I've got the time, and if I split it up some I think it is attainable.

I'll be leaving for my parents house Monday after Christmas for 4 days so I have to get this clear by then. Even with taking Christmas day off totally, I still should be able to get it done.

Still trying to get Absolute Poker bonus cleared but since it doesn't expire, I will put it on the back burner again the get TGC.

It's been a good "almost" year playing poker(I started in Feb). I will be writting a post in the next day or two on what I have learned and what I still have to work on along with 2005 goals. Been interesting looking at old forum posts of mine and seeing the progression in thought patterns as well as progression in bankroll. I realized that there are a lot of people that answered questions that I have to thank for removing some of the pitfalls I may have gotten into.

Hopefully, it will be an entertaining read.


Till then,

Since we cannot know all that there is to be known about anything, we ought to know a little about everything.
Blaise Pascal

2 down 1 to go!

Knocked out Ultimate Bet and Interpoker bonuses. I will work on clearing AP tonight. Cleared bonus +++ at both sites so it was very profitable.

Found this at ITH Forum about Full Tilt:

This bonus sounds good, but is nearly impossible to clear at low limits. I cleared $120 of the bonus and withdrew most of my money. Why? It took nearly 6100 hands to clear that $120. I played $1/$2 limit and four tabled most of the time. I had no problem finding a game, as there were normally 4-8 $1/$2 games going on at the same time. If you are going there for the bonus only, it is not worth it, unless you play higher limits

So I'm backing up again LOL!. Have a friend that said he will be depositing on Wednesday so I will wait and see how it goes.

My bankroll is a healthy $1300 and need just $500 more to be $3/$6 at end of year. Multi tabling $1/$2 has had its advantages and I don't feel like I have been on a good run, just good cards at the right time. Been up at one table and up or even at the other or even between the two. (Not counting the great IP run Friday night). I don't think I can reach $500 doing what I'm doing without a bonus. Not in a position to get Party's because it would take a few days to get it all in Neteller. So it looks like a have a choice: Risk a bad run and multi at $2/$4 or do what I am doing and get as close as I can. Leaning towards $2/$4. Being on a decent win streak, its hard to make that jump up. If it aint broke......., but it seems like the right move so I will decide for sure tonight.

Confidence is a funny thing. I'm not sure if it is another level of understanding I am at or just over-confidence or ego. Guess it remains to be seen but I have been down, sometimes big, lately and "feel" that it if I keep playing solid poker that this table will pay me off. I have been right most of the time. Last night is a perfect example. Was playing 2 tables and around even at both when both the tables changed with some new players coming in and I started getting "sucked out" on, sets beat by river straights, set over set, ect. River was KILLING me. Was down $50 at one table and $20 at other and it was getting late. With bonus I was only down $50 which I could live with but something kept telling me to stay. So i decided to extend my evening and hands started to hold up, draws started to come in and ended up even for the night after another 1 1/2 hours. I beleive I have started to recognize table dynamics a little better. I wasn't tired so I didn't play past my level of concentration and I wasn't tilting because I had resigned to the fact that I would have to make that money up in next session. (I rarely "table" tilt. Now I cuss,scream and hollow at computer and IM buddies :) but never capped 72os UTG because "everyone else is getting lucky") I have also just left after session knowing that a come back just didn't seem possible.

It seems I have gotten to the next level in the trusting of my own game. I realize some nights are just "not my night" and sometimes solid poker will come through for you in the end. It's a interesting feeling sitting at a table, down, and knowing its just a matter of time before you get your run. I'm not talking about cards evening out eventually, I'm talking about getting goods cards and getting beat and knowing, sometimes to the player(s) who I am going to get payed off from!

Oh well, enough rambling.

See you at the tables!

What a Feeling

Had a great weekend. For those of you who have followed me from the start, you should realize I am not a great NL player. I'm learning and using the freerolls as a practice grounds and I am starting to play some $5 MTT's. My goal next year is to become a good NL player.

With that being said, I had a MINOR (Real Minor) break through Saturday as I monied in the Bet 365 $5K freeroll.

Went like this: I am short stacked in 301st place(300 pay). I am forced all-in in the SB with A3o. I loose to A4o when he spikes a 4 on the river and I am out....in 300th! I win a womping $4.50. I figure I beat 1545 people and that is pretty good. At least something to build on for '05!

Limit: Cashed $200 out of Ultimate Bet and put into Interpoker. As you read I had a great day at IP and also added another $70 at UB (What cash out curse??). Played a little at Absolute Poker and added $25. All this and really didn't get to play a lot. That was really the only downer of the weekend.

Now a HAVE to clear these bonuses. IP and UB will not take long but looking at at least 2 solid days at AP. Really want to be at Full Tilt by Friday because I will be traveling back home week after Christmas so my playing time will be limited till New Year. So my goal is to wrap up all these loose ends this week.

Will write a year in review of my first year in poker along with '05 goals this week. It has been a wild ride but I have learned a lot.

Till Then:

Everyone is entitled to be stupid, but some abuse the privilege.

Sequal..Better than 1st!

Congrats to Otis for getting what seems to be a fantastic gig.

After reading Chris's blog about the crypto bonuses I decided to go get the $100 from Interpoker.

Original Production:

First time at IP was a little culture shock for me. First, all the buttons were backwards! Got over that one rather quickly. Second, the play was a little more "loose" than I was used to and in my first session I lost KK to AA(he never bet out or raised), turned nut flush and lost to runner runner full house (K6o) and lost flopped full house to runner runner quads(and learned about unlimited raises when heads up). Down about 30 bb's in first session and wanted out bad! Went to 6 max tables the next night and just played out the bonus. Ended up 20 bb's + the bonus which eleviated some of the bad taste I had but hadn't been back.

Sequal:

So went back tonight to get $100 and see if I could hit the $10 KK bonus they were running. Was holding my own when I got KQo in BB. 3 limp and I see a free flop of KJQ(r). I bet all 3 call. Turn was a blank and I bet, all 3 call river was a 9 and I knew it was bad. I check 1 bet - 2 call and I fold. (YES FOLD! I knew it) ALL THREE HAD A TEN!. QTo (I understand)JTs(I understand)T6o(WTF!) and I think, 6 max and out again!

I was 2 tabling it and that put me about even for the night. Then...SMACK! What was that you ask? The deck...hitting me square in the face! AA at one table held up for a 5 bb pot, 2 hands later AA on other table held up for 10 bb's. KQs turned the nut straight and rivered the flush for 22 bb pot! And then KK! Yahoo...$10 bonus and won a 12 bb pot! Both tables hitting like crazy for about 25-30 hands. It cooled off which was expected and I quit after 3 hours with 1 bonus KK and 35 bb gain!

I knew one of these nights were coming. I could feel it. I know that may sound funnny but I have been playing good poker for about a week and making little gains here and there, so I knew the night was coming. So for one night, I am invincible. Tomorrow I will be Clark Kent again and start over.

Another thing Chris and I have in common is I have $48 more bonus to clear at Ultimate Bet , $100 more to clear at Absolute Poker and probably half done with Interpoker. One thing I don't like is that you have to either play till you get it or ask support how many hands you have. Think I may wait till $10 AA night to finish up there.

Then it is Full Tilt and I'm done bonus chasing for a while. Leaning towards Ultimate Bet as my home base and the factor that is swaying me is that I can use UB points to enter real money tourneys. 1300 UB points gets me in the $5 MTT they have every night, so thats about a weeks worth of points and allows me to play a MTT once a week for free.

Don't forget tomorrows Bet365 $5000 freeroll! I'll be there.

Thats about it for tonight:

I don't really trust a sane person.

Lyle Alzado

Steady Progress

First: Vegas reports from the Blogger tournament. My favorite has been Maudie's. A three part story that was terrific. All the others were great too but you have to have a favorite. You can go to Iggy's to find links to all the reports.

Second: For those who visit my site, please take the time to go to the new and improved Poker Store for good deals on books, chips and more!


Been slow going with Ultimate Bets bonus but been going well. Up $100 with $50 to go on $100 bonus. Tonight was a test of my will and patience. Won $24 this afternoon and needed $7.25 to top the $100 win mark. So I sat down ready for a short session and early bed. NOPE! First big loss was K4s in BB. All fold and SB completes. Flop comes 4A4(r). Turn is T and river is 9. He caps river and turns over 94o for boat! Don't fault the play but that was just the beginning. Most of my good cards got smacked around and I will save you the gory details until I look down and find myself down 26 bb's. I decide enough is enough and I will fight again tomorrow. So I click off auto post and play out the remaining 7 hands. By the time the BB comes around I had won 5 of the seven "last" hands and found myself down only 15 bb's.

So I did the prudent thing. I stayed. Couple small wins in the next couple rounds see's me about 12 bb's back when I get TT back to back. One gets folded to me on turn with rag board, the other gets a raise from the BB and 4 see flop of 8TA(r). BB bets out and I just call to keep as many on board as possible. 2 fold and the turn is a 2 completing the rainbow. BB caps the turn and I begin to feel an AA ruining my comeback.(Just been one of those nights!) River is a 2 and he 3 bets, I wimp out and just call and he flips over 88! After one more round I leave dead even but felt good about it!

Everything has been a grind lately but at least I am finishing each night with small wins. It's time for a "deck in the face" night! Hadn't had one in a month. One of those that make you feel invincible. That would be a great way to end the week.

Until the next update:

He has achieved success who has lived well, laughed often, and loved much.

Bessie A. Stanley

New Experiences

First off: Welcome Back Vegas Tourney Bloggers. Sounds like most had a good time.

Second: For all those from 4Flush reading the site I have added one more Monday. JetSet is now on the calendar and they are offering a great 30% sign up bonus up to $225! Limited Time so hurry!

Well I have a couple new experiences for early this week. One is snow! Now for some you may laugh but this is out first for the year. Just a little dusting, perfect snow if you ask me, enough to know it did snow and gone in hours.

The other was multi tabling. As I posted last, I was going to do this at the $1/$2 tables instead of moving up. I have a wireless network setup at home and play off my laptop. So if I'm needed to vacate a room for family reasons I just get up and move. I have a spot I play in 99% of the time so I hooked up a 15" monitor I had in garage to see if it would do the job. Everything works seamlessly so with no more excuses, two tabling it was.

I first tried it at Absolute Poker and I love the site, love the bonuses but damn the programming is bad. Lagged so much with two tables it was more frustrating than anything else. Was profitable $30 for the hour I hung in there. Since I am working off two bonuses, decided to go to UltimateBet and work on it. It worked great but the cards were crap. Lost -$23. So all in all was a great experience and finished up for the day.

At UB I had Ultimate History running. Its a auto HH program for UB you can get at Poker Tracker Site (About half way down under UB) and Game Time Plus 1.3. Made life great. Auto HH's, auto PT updates and auto game time updates! I can see the need even more multi tabling. If you play UB the Auto HH is a must. Makes getting HH's cake!

I have bonus chased and played myself from $150 to $1200 in 6 weeks at $1/$2. So I am now at the BR to play $2/$4 again which was my attended goal. But atlas, all things change. $3/$6 is my new target by end of year. Then after that, bonus chasing will be over except for really good ones. I am hoping the Full Tilt will be the last one and put me over the top. OK, I'm iffy on the end of the year thing with Full Tilt, but will try and play enough.

By January I have to pick a home site.

Now Party Poker I know is the popular choice as well as its skins so that is obviously top two choice, the other is Ultimate Bet. If you haven't played UB there are about 12,000 a nite their and have great software. Game and tourney selections are also good. I guess you can compare Party like fishing in an ocean and UB fishing in a big lake! I'm not sure I can afford deep sea fishing yet.

Till next time:

"Whether he likes it or not, a man's character is stripped bare at the poker table; if the other players read him better than he does, he has only himself to blame. Unless he is both able and prepared to see himself as others do, flaws and all, he will be a loser in cards, as in life." -- Anthony Holden (from "Big Deal")

So Far - So Good

First off would like to wish all the bloggers in Vegas a good time, good cards and most importantly, a safe trip home. Enjoy ALL and I look forward to the trip reports.

I have added WPoker to the calendar and their $55-$400 daily freerolls. That gives us 16 sites on the calendar, a virtual freerollers dream! I have plans to add JetSet soon. (Hopefully first of week)

Also Tour 3 is getting ready to start at 72os.com. Tour 2 was bigger and better than Tour 1 with over 250 people a week! No reason to expect Tour 3 to be any different.

So far this weekend has been good. Up over $20 today in about 2 hours of $1/$2 so that puts me $69 over my UB deposit with $90 worth of bonus to go! Nice being that far ahead.

Instead of moving back to $2/$4 next week I am going to multi table $1/$2. This will be a new venture for me and hopefully the adjustment will not be too painful. I have set up another monitor on the lap top which will make it workable now I just have to get use to the set up. I hope I can work the lower variance of multi tabling in my favor.

Been seeing a lot of posts at the forums I am apart of about "Should I move up limits", "When have I beat a level", ECT. I posted a link in one to Learning to Smell and Playing the Player Types. In most, if not all, sports you have to have a fundamental understanding of the game before you can progress. Soon the basics you need to succeed become an instinct that you know and trust. The great ones understand the need to never stop practicing the basics and for that dedication, go far beyond what anyone could have ever expected.

I think HDouble hit on that in his post. The betting patterns that he is starting to recognize after years at the tables are his reward for studying and being dedicated. Now the basics are becoming instinct and a new part of his game is emerging.

I think you can apply that to when you should move up. There are standard answers, which I do not disagree with. 10,000 hands at a level and 300bb bankroll for the next. I believe though, that it is more than that and only a player being honest with himself can answer it. Do you fully understand the level you are playing? Do you understand what a check/bet/raise from a certain type of player means at your current level? Do you know the basics?

Making the right plays, knowing the right odds, knowing the outs, ECT., are exponentially more important as you progress up in levels. Then it starts all over again at the new level. Just like going from junior varsity to varsity or college to pros. The game is the same but the players are different, an adjustment time is needed and if your basics are off - then your whole game could crumble, as well as bankroll.

So should you move up? Only you can answer that and to be brutally honest, if you are asking.....I'd say your not ready.

Great Ending to Week

After that horrible $96 plunge at AP first of week, I am back and ahead going into weekend. Got to post this hand. It epitomizes the turn around from 1st of the week. Lucky? Seems like it at the end but at the time I thought I was getting the best of it.

A little set up. According to Game Time +, table as a whole was 17% and only 31% going to showdown. It was TIGHT! Pre flop raises were folded to or called and folded to on flop. After about 12 hands or so I decide to start to take some chances and see if I could hit and this happens:

Ultimate Bet 1/2 Hold'em (9 handed)

Preflop: 4Flush is MP2 with 7s, 7c. MP3 posts a blind of $1. UTG folds, UTG+1 raises, MP1 folds, 4Flush calls, MP3 (poster) folds, CO calls, Button folds, SB folds, BB calls. Decide to take a shot here

Flop: (9.50 SB) 7h, 6s, Qh (4 players) Alright I hit!

BB checks, UTG+1 bets, 4Flush calls, CO calls, BB folds. Lets see if I can make it pay

Turn: (6.25 BB) 6h (3 players)UTG+1 bets, 4Flush calls, CO raises, UTG+1 calls, 4Flush 3-bets, CO calls, UTG+1 caps, 4Flush calls, CO calls. YES! Now I have flush on hook and AA/KK!

River: (18.25 BB) 7d (3 players)UTG+1 bets, 4Flush raises, CO calls, UTG+1 3-bets, 4Flush caps, CO calls, UTG+1 calls. Icing on the cake

Final Pot: 30.25
Results below: UTG+1 has Qs Qd (full house, queens full of sevens). HOLY CRAP! I was behind the whole time!!!!! 4Flush has 7s 7c (four of a kind, sevens). CO has Th 9h (flush, queen high).

Outcome: 4Flush wins 30.25 BB. Breathing harder but Cha Ching!

OK, QQ should have at least came in my head but it didn't. I had him on AA/KK and other of flush. Well, I got one right and looks like I got lucky with 1 outer on the other.

I am now REAL close to $2/$4 bankroll again. I think that I am going to multi table $1/$2 next though. I have an old monitor I hooked up to lap top and working on getting used to having both. I like it. Not just for poker but for web updates and blog updates, nice to have links on one monitor and working on other. Any how....'nuff rambling.


With all that excitement and the cards going good and almost back to were I was before the lap top buy, I still find myself in a bluh mood. I enjoy playing and I'm passionate about playing still, but find myself having to will myself to sit down. Once I do, game on and I'm OK. So going to sit this Friday out. I'll be back for the Bet365 $5000 freeroll Saturday (2pm EST). Signed up already, hopefully this time I will remember to play!!!!

Looks like all is a go for Full Tilt. I got no comments or emails saying it was a terrible move so that what's in the horizon. I'm not taking the whole roll there, just the $600 to max $600 so it will be $1/$2 while I'm there. Will keep all of you posted how fast the bonus is coming. So stay tuned!

Saturday will be the $5000 tourney then going to play the UB $5 MTT that night. A friend says it is easy so I will give it a try. Hopefully I will have at least 1 monied MTT to post about.

Till then:

Have you hugged a fish today?

Next move?

Well I had a better day to day. Didn't get it all back but got $40 of it. Cashed out $500 to go to UB with for there 50% to $100 reload. When I clear it....I'm thinking of taking the Full Tilt plunge.

Been watching the site and had 2000+ on tonight and 5 $1/$2 tables - 1 $2/$4 table (3 $2/$4 NL) and 1 .50/$1 table. Almost 800 more people than when they started this promo. It will help tremendously if I could pull this off! I have heard all the good and bad about clearing this but the way I figure it you need to play 3333 hands based on their $18 bonus per 100 hands figure.

So it will be UB and hopefully clearing that this week without getting killed and taking that $600 to Full Tilt. If all works out I will be at the $3/$6 tables by first of year!

I am taking the night off after playing some today. The race to meet this goal has me down a little bit, so I think it better to do something else tonight. Pulled up the tables and just wasn't "in the mood" to sit down. Hopefully it will pass soon.

Small victory today, I had $6 left in UB after last cash so I played a $5 SnG. First one I have played in months.....finished Third! After being down to T450 after first 10 hands with AQ and AK getting killed, came back and monied. Made me feel good.

I am going to leave this post up for a while and see if anyone comments about Full Tilt. So next post will be around Friday.

Hope you flop'em good till then.

I will leave you with this sage advice to ponder:

"Never play cards with a man called Doc. Never eat at a place called Mom's. Never sleep with a woman whose troubles are worse than your own."

Nelson Algren

A gun would be easier

What a freakin night! Got mutilated. Couldn't hit anything. I'll give you some examples:

1)AhTh-raised late.

Board Ac 5h 7h Jc Ks

Lost to AQo. Who never raised.

For the record 9 4 flushes on flop and none hit

2) AA BB

Board flops 2 suited...Turn brings third

A fold to tight player raise...he shows flush. Everyone else can hit one!

3) KK 3 bet

Board 72T62 (r)

Lost to TT. Same guy who hit flush earlier.

4) AJo Late

CC EP raise

Board 7JJ 2 suited

Lost when board brough 4 suited. Of Course.

AJs and o 4 times out of 7 hands at one point. Lost 3 - won blinds once.

They whole time there is the "play every hand guy" hitting everything:

a) Raises QTo UTG+1.

Flop K7J(r)

He bets. 3 call.

T is T

BB bets he raises.

R is 9

He wins with straight.

b) Calls in UTG with 95s.

Flop 59K(r)

He wins.

c) Calls in UTG with 64o

Board J6TJ2

He wins. with J's and 6's!


SO not a stellar beginning to by goal this month. -$96.50. Reading Fools post, seems like he is in same boat this week also. Not worried, it will come around. I don't tilt easy. No need to:
1) I know it will turn
2) I have friends online who play and I can vent to
3) I can vent here, not sure anyones reading anyway.

Its when I start laughing at the computer that I am in trouble. I left last night when I started laughing. I typed "HAHAHA" in chat when I had TPTK against a 2 suited flop and straight draw on turn. Straight draw hit on river. One guy types in "What?". I say "I beat one because his flush draw missed, I just hope the other didn't call me down with crap cards because he just hit his straight" We check the R and sure enough...one busted flush with crap suited cards and one made straight with questionable staying hand. I just typed in "Thats how my ***ghts been" Just like that too...AP censors the "nig" LOL.

I left after that.


Well, tonights another night. Hopefully it will turn around.

So Close Yet So Far

Played in first home game tourney last night. 14 played the $10 by in and top 2 paid. Made it to final table and went out 5th. I was shortstacked and went all in with my ATo vs. AQs...he flopped straight. What sucked worst is I was the dealer! Not bad I guess. Haven't played a lot of no-limit lately so I beleive I did well.

Something I found interesting. Played QJo in MP and 4 of 7 people saw flop of AdJdQc...SB bet out about 3x and it was folded to me. I took a few seconds, and no matter what I said to myself or tried to think about, I could not keep my hands from shaking as I said the words "All-In". I would have guessed if I was seating in the WSOP I would have to be on drugs to stay calm but not at a home tourney! Guess I have a little work to do in that area. What a tell! I don't think he noticed but folded anyway.

For those who don't know I cashed and bought a laptop the first week of October which left me $150. I now can report with deposit and bonus in Absolute Poker today I have topped the $1,000 mark. I have pledged not to play over my bankroll so hopefully I will be able to get to $2/$4 by end of this week or next.

Goals for the month are going to be: $1750. Since I am still mostly playing $1/$2, that equates to 2 bb's an hour/6 hours a day. Moving up to $2/$4 about half way through should help me on the up side. That with $100 reload bonus at UB and the AP 15% again, should be OK.

I have a 17" monitor I am currently not using so I am going to hook it up to laptop, that has 1600x1200 resolution (Goes a little higher) and start multi tabling again. I purposely waited to do this till I thought my bankroll could handle a bad swing.

One last thing.

Thanks to Party Poker Blog for the recent link and also the first blog I ever read, just about a month ago. It lead me to another a now you see the list on the left. Now I have by no means seen them all and will continue to upgrade my list but the information, advice and the fact you can say, "Damn, that happened to me too!" (Fool and His Money) is priceless. By the way, some are just plain funny! (Bills Blog)

The best laid plans....

Had a lot I wanted to post about on Sunday BUT:

First I wanted to tell everyone how well I did in the Bet365 $5000 freeroll. Basicly the only freeroll I still play with any consistantly. With 3000 max entrants, top 300 pay and $950 first prize makes it nice . Add in that only about 1800 show up and makes it really worthwhile. About an hour in and you are down to 300-325.

Registration starts Friday for the Saturday event and I always manage to get registered when I update my site. Thats the easy part. I was playing with my son on the Playstation 2 when I realized it was a hour past start time and when I checked I was out. Whats funny is that this is the second time this has happened! Oh well, so much for that post.

So that still leaves UB. I do have good news about that. I won over $50 Saturday and have all but $10 of my bonus worked off. I am well ahead of the $100 reload bonus. Planned on knocking the $10 out Sunday and posting the results. Well, Absolute Poker emailed about the weekly 15% reload was till Midnight Monday. So I cashed UB out Saturday night to make sure I got AP. I was going to reload UB anyway for the December 50% reload bonus so I will get the $10 later. AP offering 15% reload every week had been a fantastic bankroll builder. I bet I have had over $750 in bonuses there since I got the 35% first time bonus about 3 months ago.

For those of you coming over from my site, you will not only notice a better look but the hand histories are gone. I will post the most interesting hands from time to time but they are most likely gone for good as a regular thing. You will also notice a list of blogs on the right. They are full of great reads and information. Visit them often and enjoy, I know I do.

I said I was going to write about the auto ratings for PT and how they help me with my decision making at the table, I read a far better explanation than I could ever do on the types of players and how to play them. You can see that great read by HDouble at The Cards Speaks

I started using the Game Time Plus for first time this weekend. For anyone using the Game Time Window in Poker Tracker this is a most. Works with Poker Tracker and overlays the stats right there on the table under the players name. Make sure you get version 1.3 and you can pick and choose what stats you want to display. I really enjoyed the extra space on my monitor. I play on a laptop mostly and the extra screen space was great. Especially since I use the IM a lot when I play.

I've got my first "Live" tourney tomorrow. A home game here in town. Expecting about 15 with $10 buy in. Got to go get my hat and sunglasses!! Let you know how that went tomorrow.

What I'm Pondering?

Maybe this world is another planet's hell.
-Aldous Huxley

The Madness of "Same"ness

The up and down continues. The only thing keeping me from going insane is that the ups have been a few dollars more than the downs.

More oddities: I saw 11 (after I started counting) RR str8's hit at Ultimate Bet Thursday night. I folded 7 that would have hit for me. Best one (Partly cause I was watching and not getting sucked out): KQs call 2 cold preflop (Understandable). Flop comes A4T(r)and he calls 3 cold.(??). Turn is a "x" and he calls 2 cold(??) River is the J and he beats a set of T's.
I sat at the table with my mouth wide open on that one.Usually you salivate with those players but they were sucking out on the river like crazy Thursday Night. I eeked out a small lose after one of those bad river beats and called it a night.

This brings me to something that has happened to me now for about three weeks. So I get on Friday afternoon and play for about 1 1/2 to 2 hours and get back what I lost and some.
I have done this a few times...The day games as a whole should be tougher but I get them better than I do at night. Might just be a fluke, and not enough actual experience to say for sure yet or might be that the new aggressive me works better against people who know where the fold button is. Not sure but appreciate the afternoon come backs.

I will finish a successful bonus hunt at UB this weekend, less I get smashed over the head or something I will get bonus ++!

Im sure there will be some interesting bonuses coming out for Christmas. Right now Ultimate Bet is doing 50% reload up to $100 (May cash and go back) and Interpoker is 100% up to $100. I like the Crypto sites bonuses, the are great for a true bonus whore, like clock work every month. Of course the old stand by 15% at Absolute Poker. I haven't gotten an email from AP this week so hopefully they are planning something good for next week. I'd like to wait for that since I have money there, I can deposit and get bonus and cash to go get the others.

I really enjoyed this today, the whole post is excellent as always but the part about poker full time was superb...check it out:Party Poker Blog

Well, got to take my shot at the Bet365 $5000 freeroll today. Will try to post on weekend exploits Sunday night.

Up and Down

Been an uneventful up and down 2 days. Rereading SSH and trying to be more agressive. And do see the advantages of aggressiveness far out way the short comings, but breaking old habits are hard.
After jaming a 4 flush a couple times and missing, all the while being called down by bottom pair, makes me slow down sometimes. I am finally starting to get it through my thick head that if you jam and miss then passively play and hit, your losing money!
I know, some of you are saying..."DUH!". Hey, old dogs, new tricks, you know! Having the same problem with AKo and AQo...me and SSH are working on it though.
Oddity: Had KK 7 times last night and it was cracked 4!!Prove a point: Played it the same way pre-flop each time and won more in the three than I lost in the four! Folded it twice on turn when I knew I was beat (I was).
Oddity: Lost to set over set to get down big. Played for an hour and got back to even when I won set over set. Played another hour and got down big when I lost to full house over full house At end of night, got back to respectable when I won full house over full house. EXTRA ODD: Both winning full houses were RR!!
Finished down $25 (Only $5 with bonus). Started hot and got cold for about two hours. Was getting hot again when table broke up. It was 3am so I went to bed.
Found this at the Pokerworks.com blog: Why Poker?. A dealers perspective.

Good Weekend

Played Ultimate Bet exclusively this weekend and was up real good till Sunday Night when I gave some back. So I am up above and beyond the bonus and though I will not get to take advantage of Absolute Poker's 15% this week, It should be there next week.
Due to playing $1/$2, it seems like it is taking forever to clear this UB bonus. The play has been predictable up till tonight when I ran into three "any two cards will due" and "if suited raise it" players. Even when I got good hands they were cracking them, I left but not after dropping a few.
Went to Poker World a few months back to get a free chip set. Left and still had $60 in bonus sitting there, so I emailed them and asked if there was an expiration date or would it stay there until I cleared it. I got an email back saying after they reviewed my account they found that I had met all the requirements and my bonus had been cleared. I checked the account and sure enough, there it was. I cashed out Saturday night and it was in Neteller Sunday afternoon. That was great. I like everything about Poker World except I couldn't win there for whatever reason.
Well, here's to hopefully my last week at $1/$2.