Digging it up

“One can not plant a seed, expect it to grow and keep digging it up to find out”

Found this on the wall at the muffler shop while I waited for my car to be fixed.I have been thinking lately of were my game is and it occurred to me I was digging up my seed. Here is what I came up with:

1) The Novice – We all know this player. Puts money in because he saw it on TV, ran his deposit up and claimed how easy it was only to see it dwindle down to nothing in short order and you never heard from him again. You’ll hear him shout to all who will listen that the internet is rigged. He just threw his seed out on the ground and even though the seed fought valiantly, it never had a chance and died.

2) The Amateur – He has also seen poker on TV but has gone out to buy a book or two. He thinks he is ready for the big time, he has done ok, he is on his 4th reload deposit and the last one made it about 6 months. He keeps getting on good runs and then for some reason, everyone keeps getting lucky and beats his hands that were winning yesterday. He knows that their luck will run out soon, so he keeps plodding away. He prepared a spot for his seed, planted it and then ignored it. It took root enough to live and is struggling to survive. It is about 60/40 to bust out but is not beyond hope if he finds help.

3) The Semi-Pro – He has read most of the books out there. Belongs to a forum or two and is genuinely interested in improving his game. He plays about 20 hours a week and can say he is at least a break even player early in his career. He will analysis his play, seek advice and is on the verge of being profitable. Yet he may be the most dangerous to himself. He prepared a spot for his seed, planted it, watered it, took care of it and it is growing. As soon as there are signs of trouble though, he digs it up to see if it is alright. He doesn’t fully understand that in order for the seed to grow into maturity, it has to stand up to the elements on its own. Take its lumps and stand firm.

4) The Pro – He has it all together. He understands all the many angles of the game. He makes a living from the game and respects it. He expects wins and loses, and has come to understand them. He realizes that there is always another game. He planted his seed a long time ago; it is matured and can stand up to must anything. There are times that it becomes weak, but the Pro will prune to keep the whole strong. He is a master and it shows.

Though I play this game for income I use to live on, I am at level 3. I over analyze and the variance of the game gets too involved in my decision making. I keep digging up my seed to see if it is ok. My game still leans towards weak/tight because it means safe to me. I understand wins and loses’ but maybe not variance fully. I know what it is but don’t fully understand its effect yet. I’m winning and have the PT numbers to prove it, but am I getting the value that I should be getting? Should my 10 bb wins really be 20 bb wins? That is what I am trying to figure out know.

Speaking of variance, I did some research before I came down here. The part I needed for the Toyota is $330 at Auto Zone. Everyone said come to this particular shop to get it fixed because is can do “miracles”. So I sit here expecting about a $600 bill and two days wait. He comes out and says $61.20 and I was out in 45 minutes! Sometimes variance can be good huh.

So Much Money .. So Little Time

Noble Poker – First Deposit Bonus 100% Up To $300. March Only!

Paradise Poker is excited to announce a 50% Deposit Bonus offer! From Tuesday March 1st to Sunday March 20th, you will receive a 50% Bonus the very first time you make a chip purchase using the NETeller deposit method. You are only eligible if you have never used NETeller with Paradise before. To get the bonus, enter bonus code: NETELLER50 Up to $100 max. For the record, I'm exited about it also.

AND time to do Interpoker monthly reload!!

Already at Absolute Poker, Poker Room, Party Poker(Bonus Code 4Flush) and Full Tilt Poker!

Phew! Lots of poker to play.

Lost -49.95 yesterday in the morning session at Party $25 NL. Thats right, NOT $50! It was just good cards getting beat by better cards. I know, Party Poker!, surprised me too.

Last night I played live again at the local Freeroll League. (only way it is legal) Its a 10 person SnG format, the main tourney is coming up for the top 40 players in points and even though I got started half way through, I am sitting about 40-43 in points and have one more opportunity to make it in. Well, two more opportunities. Since this has grown so much over the last month or so, the directors have decided to add a couple play in tournaments to get you in the main. Top 12 scores count so I replaced a couple 6ths and 7ths with a 1st and 3rd last night. Usually I only play two games a week and come home but since I am trying to get into the top 40, I played one more last night. I went out 8th with this hand:

QTo on the SB.

UTG+1 & MP limp, I complete and 4 see the flop of AKJr.

Thats right: I have the nuts. I check, BB bets 1500 into a 800 pot, UTG+1 calls all in, MP raises all in, I am about to pee my pants. I call all in and proceed to see K on turn and J on river.

Hands:
UTG+1 K8o!!! AND he wins!
MP AJo AND he wins side pot
ME: Left picking my jaw off the ground
BB: J7o! He lead the betting!

IF they looked anything like the avatars, it would have been like "live" Party Poker! (HEHE)

Alas, it is all good though. This mornings session has been good and got back about $20 that I dropped yesterday. Knocking on the door of half way done on this bonus. Now I have to come up with a plan for the rest of the bonuses. Be a shame to leave any money on the table this month.

Till Next Time!

Greed Almost Got Me Screwed!

Those of you waiting for me to tell you I am going to Vegas to watch the WSOP will have to wait one more month. AP had a "malfunction" and I didn't get entered in this months. Tried to get them to just give me the trip because I would have won but no dice. So new date is March 31st!

Friday I was all set to "Party Down" with the reload and was happy with the fact I got AP's 25%, Poker Rooms 30% and was getting Party Poker's 20% and it wasn't even March 1 yet. The money was in my Neteller account Saturday when I get the email that AP is offering another 20% Sunday only. Knowing it took 48 hours to withdraw from AP and usually it takes 8 hours to get into my account, I took the chance and got 20% more from AP.

Tonight at 11:40pm, an the last night of Party's reload....NO MONEY IN NETELLER! So it has been 14 hours and no money. I can't believe I screwed up the easiest bonus to get just by getting greedy! I was pissed at myself. The key word being WAS! 11:46pm check Neteller one more time....There it was. WOOT! Quickly to Party and I AM IN! With no time to spare.

But wait, today is the 1st still....reload is till 2nd. Sweating over nothing, calming down now, adrenaline levels dropping. Hope this isn't an omen of things to come from this bonus.

See where Party Poker has dropped there blinds in NL games. Most everyone thinks it is good. I think they figured out that is where the smart bonus chasers were going and just playing ultra tight and getting raked hands in quicker. So they fixed it to where you can't do that as easy. Oh well, it will be NL for me any way. Still has to be "less dangerous" than the limit suck outs.

So after sweating the cash out for no reason all day, I am now back on track. Will be playing exclusively at Party the next couple days and I will have to go find the blogger table this time for sure. Been doing a little spying on them lately and taking notes.....not that'll help, they play better than I do.

Till Next Time!

The Big Announcement and Wait and Clear

Looks like the big secret is out! A Poker Tracker Ebook from HDouble and Iggy. Congrats guys, will be getting mine soon.

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Playing a little NL at Absolute Poker this weekend. Have done rather well. I have to wait 48 hours to withdraw so that puts me 9:30am withdrawing from there tomorrow. Usually AP has it in my Neteller within 6-8 hours so that puts me at Party Poker just in time. I know it was going to be close but couldn't turn down another 20%. Of course I will have to clear Party first so I am basicly waiting to withdraw and clearing as much as possible at Absolute Poker. Hoping that most of the bonus chasers are gone by then at Party and can get a little back to normal.(At least normal for Party Poker) Barring a catastrophic 2-3 weeks, I see a phenomenal March coming on.

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Tonight I play in the Absolute WSOP Challenge final to win a trip to watch the WSOP. It's at 9pm, hope the cards run well. This is the first MTT I have played with such a big prize. Not much of a serious tournament player. So I am about 60% excited,40% nervous and 0% experienced. So let's hear it for beginners luck! WOOT!

Thats it, hopefully it will be very late when I get to do the tournament write up!


Till Next Time!

Why Bonuses?

I had to cash out Feb 1st and left me with $500. I chased a Casino Bonus earlier and then:

The reload skies opened up!

Wednesday - 25% at Absolute Poker. $150 Bonus waiting. Cashed out $600 after their 48 hour wait and

Friday - 30% at Poker Room. Cashed in and out in same day. - $180 Bonus waiting

Sunday - Absolute email. Today Only. 20% reload - Redeposited - $120 bonus waiting. After 48 hour wait I will go to:

Tuesday - Party Poker - Last day for 20%. $120 Bonus.

$570 Bonus off of $600 and will take about 2 weeks to clear all. For those of you just starting out or rebuilding a roll. Got to love bonuses!

I'll have to clear Party first because of the 7 days to clear thing. But AP and PR give me 60 days to clear so I have time.

Got to go! Lots of poker to play!