Friday, August 18, 2006
August 18, 2006
had a good night...played 4 sngs, took 2 firsts and a 3rd. ended up 380 in sngs and down 22 in MTTs...played the $40k guaranteed and busted about the midway point after the first break. up a solid amount and played well...hopefully can do it again tomorrow. from here on out, i am cashing out everything over 3500 and right now, i sit at 3588 with over 120 in rakeback and 75 in affiliate payouts...so thats almost 300...hellz yeah!
Thursday, August 17, 2006
August 17, 2006
I have decided to shift gears and concentrate on day trading training, so poker is taking a back seat. Thats great news though because i think trading is a bit more stable, which is funny. anyway, i will get into more details later...after i finish up playing
the speeds are much looser preflop and people start to get jumpy come level 4. its expensive to play hands though...cuz you get raised and reraised quite a bit more, so you have to play only the solid hands and hope to catch a monster. I dont limp much, but when you get opportunities in late position with solid hands, you might want to take them. Opportunities come few and far between.
just won one and then called a push on the bubble with A8 and he had K8 and caught the king on the river...what a joke...i should have cashed and now i will bubble. same guy, i push with 44 and catch a straight, but i catch trips and the board gets a straight and he splits with me...unfuckingreal!
its only fitting that i make a comeback only to run into this AA and bubble anyway. I just dont see the bullshit variance ever shift back my way, thats the reason i get so sick of playing and just might play MTTs, but this poker this is too messed up. I mean, 3:1 doesnt mean 3:1...at least not in my world.
the speeds are much looser preflop and people start to get jumpy come level 4. its expensive to play hands though...cuz you get raised and reraised quite a bit more, so you have to play only the solid hands and hope to catch a monster. I dont limp much, but when you get opportunities in late position with solid hands, you might want to take them. Opportunities come few and far between.
just won one and then called a push on the bubble with A8 and he had K8 and caught the king on the river...what a joke...i should have cashed and now i will bubble. same guy, i push with 44 and catch a straight, but i catch trips and the board gets a straight and he splits with me...unfuckingreal!
its only fitting that i make a comeback only to run into this AA and bubble anyway. I just dont see the bullshit variance ever shift back my way, thats the reason i get so sick of playing and just might play MTTs, but this poker this is too messed up. I mean, 3:1 doesnt mean 3:1...at least not in my world.
Friday, August 11, 2006
August 11, 2006
I have started to dabble in the speeds more. I have also decided to take a different approach to blogging. I will just update a few times a week, not every day. I dont like the fact that this becomes a bitching session, but the bottom line is that bad beats and bad runs of cards and luck are going to happen. They will happen in short intervals, like during one set, and in long intervals, over the couse of weeks. I am finally starting to understand a few things...well, not understand because i have always understood the theory behind poker and statistics, but i didnt understand the emotional side of what those statistics mean. You just got to deal with it and stay focused...dont let it get to you because it will never go away...either embrace it or quit. and i think that those people on the tables that are complaining all teh time...they just havent done it yet.
anyway, back to the speeds...
played in a $44 MTT and took 14th of 504. was all in with 44 and lost my coin flip to AK. played well, made a lot of great steals...never should have gotten as deep as i did, but i stole a ton of blinds and then caught a hand and was able to win a few here and there. very happy with how i played...might play a few more speeds.
anyway, back to the speeds...
played in a $44 MTT and took 14th of 504. was all in with 44 and lost my coin flip to AK. played well, made a lot of great steals...never should have gotten as deep as i did, but i stole a ton of blinds and then caught a hand and was able to win a few here and there. very happy with how i played...might play a few more speeds.
Monday, August 07, 2006
August 7, 2006
Like a good boxer, i brush myself off and get up off the canvas. My ass has been handed to me a few times in the past few weeks...pretty much in a break even stretch here...get up a little, lose it back along with my confidence. Just not having a heck of a lot of fun right now, but a pro would sit back down and play. Not that I am a pro, but i would want to emulate that mindset and approach. so, here i go...
i think i located my major weakness...i am rushing things on teh bubble...granted i am ahead, but i need to slow down. sure, most times it will be pushed at me by the turn, but i need to pull back and resist that urge to push. It forces the issue and if you are all in by the flop, you may be ahead, but your hand must withstand 2 more cards, which can obviously shift the nuts several different ways when its all said and done. patience...i think i finally internalized this one and will always look for this weakness in my game because its so natural to me...i realized this by 2 tabling and really concentrating...i am not respecting the game...i am 2 tabling until i get my head on straight.
Al, i wanted to say thanks for the talk today...i enjoy our talks and they help me get in the right frame of mind...slightly more open, but our discussion tonight helped me make a few connections that I had missed...part of it being my thoughts in the previous paragraph. I also think that the depth of the commitment I made today with my training is finally setting in and I am feeling excited and looking forward to getting started...I just feel like things are happening and I am almost a little scared because I am finally setting myself up for success...strange...this moment of clarity has manifested itself as a sense of calm over me....i have never felt like this before...i mean, really i havent. i have also never gone this far towards creating goals and situations to suceed...i wonder if subconsciously i know i am heading in the right path and am preparing for the road ahead...lets see, but right now i couldnt be more at peace with my situation.
Ok, so far today i am down vig in my sngs...lost the first 2 and realized the error of my ways, then played to a 2nd, where i had the chip lead, a small one, heads up. so, not bad...i was feeling focused today, so i thought a cheap MTT would be a fun thing to do since i will be working really hard starting next week and wont have time to play these very much anymore...so i treated myself to an $11 MTT. right now, 2nd break, average stack is 18,100 and i have 41,105. Playing well, taking my time, letting hands develop, not overbetting...its like clarity returns, until i get sucked out on, but i will still be playing the hands well...i have been overbetting baby, once again i see it and i will not forget this one! Updates on the MTT to follow:
$11 MTT:
First break 7200
Second break 41,105 (111 left, 100 money)
i think i located my major weakness...i am rushing things on teh bubble...granted i am ahead, but i need to slow down. sure, most times it will be pushed at me by the turn, but i need to pull back and resist that urge to push. It forces the issue and if you are all in by the flop, you may be ahead, but your hand must withstand 2 more cards, which can obviously shift the nuts several different ways when its all said and done. patience...i think i finally internalized this one and will always look for this weakness in my game because its so natural to me...i realized this by 2 tabling and really concentrating...i am not respecting the game...i am 2 tabling until i get my head on straight.
Al, i wanted to say thanks for the talk today...i enjoy our talks and they help me get in the right frame of mind...slightly more open, but our discussion tonight helped me make a few connections that I had missed...part of it being my thoughts in the previous paragraph. I also think that the depth of the commitment I made today with my training is finally setting in and I am feeling excited and looking forward to getting started...I just feel like things are happening and I am almost a little scared because I am finally setting myself up for success...strange...this moment of clarity has manifested itself as a sense of calm over me....i have never felt like this before...i mean, really i havent. i have also never gone this far towards creating goals and situations to suceed...i wonder if subconsciously i know i am heading in the right path and am preparing for the road ahead...lets see, but right now i couldnt be more at peace with my situation.
Ok, so far today i am down vig in my sngs...lost the first 2 and realized the error of my ways, then played to a 2nd, where i had the chip lead, a small one, heads up. so, not bad...i was feeling focused today, so i thought a cheap MTT would be a fun thing to do since i will be working really hard starting next week and wont have time to play these very much anymore...so i treated myself to an $11 MTT. right now, 2nd break, average stack is 18,100 and i have 41,105. Playing well, taking my time, letting hands develop, not overbetting...its like clarity returns, until i get sucked out on, but i will still be playing the hands well...i have been overbetting baby, once again i see it and i will not forget this one! Updates on the MTT to follow:
$11 MTT:
First break 7200
Second break 41,105 (111 left, 100 money)
Sunday, August 06, 2006
August 6, 2006
OK, it is with a renewed sense of discipline that i have taken on my challenge. I fucked around too much with MTTs last night...and should have cashed one, but made a move with JJ and dude had AA...not much of a move with JJ though, not much more i could have done.
Today, doing ok, took a first in my first set of 4. played well, made one loose call with 66 nearing the bubble...huge pot, took a chance and lost. i needed to get a big pot in there anyway at some point, and there was a lot of dead money in the pot and the big stack had pushed, i figured to muscle everyone...i put him on a strong suited ace and i called. he had jacks and i am writing in my blog right now...so it apparently didnt turn out for me. i might make that call again, but i did have a comfortable stack and it might have been a bit too aggressive. nah, i wouldnt do it again...shoulda folded.
I played well in the others. should have made the money in another but took back to back nasty ones from a dude. he was cool, we were chatting while we were playing, so it didnt sting like it normally would have...its funny, i chat with people that i see a lot online if they are willing to talk...its good to get to know the competition because i see them on here all the time. plus, heres the cool thing, if you get to know them, then you will play a better game when they are on your table...helps stay disciplined. OK, time to get some more going...playing well today. Need a little more impulse control this set...i fought it a lot last time and that one call proved it gets the best of me...
I am really starting to question the statistics behind poker...i mean, i realize they are what they are, but they just let you overestimate your hand...in my last set, here is the list of beats I took:
A7 vs A6 on the bubble simulataneously on another table, i have K10 with a K 10 on the flop, some dude pushes with A3 and catches runner runner for the straight.
my QQ lost to 88 when he pulled a 4 flush and busted me on the bubble
lost JJ to A9 on the bubble too
and lost AQ vs A3 heads up to win it, then I took 2nd.
all those beats probably cost me close to 500 bucks...maybe much more if i could have finished off those bubble situations. hard to stay focus, but i need a break...gonna chill, maybe play some more later. these donks are horrible on party poker, but they keep finding ways to suck out.
I dont think i am cut out for poker...i mean, i bubbled again, big stacks just suck and arent calling anything...i lose after getting sucked out on 3 different times...i build, get sucked out on, rebuild, get sucked out on...brutal. i cant do it...time to look into day trading...hopefully more stable...then i will come back adn play limit. do some bonus whoring and gear up for live play.
I did dabble in the speeds...played 2 adn took a 3rd. in typical fashion, we are all pretty evenly stacked, i get KK in BB and he pushes at me with A5o...i call of course and he flops 2 aces. more speeds...im gonna play speeds cuz they just go so much faster.
I like the speeds...time to start concentrating on these.
Today, doing ok, took a first in my first set of 4. played well, made one loose call with 66 nearing the bubble...huge pot, took a chance and lost. i needed to get a big pot in there anyway at some point, and there was a lot of dead money in the pot and the big stack had pushed, i figured to muscle everyone...i put him on a strong suited ace and i called. he had jacks and i am writing in my blog right now...so it apparently didnt turn out for me. i might make that call again, but i did have a comfortable stack and it might have been a bit too aggressive. nah, i wouldnt do it again...shoulda folded.
I played well in the others. should have made the money in another but took back to back nasty ones from a dude. he was cool, we were chatting while we were playing, so it didnt sting like it normally would have...its funny, i chat with people that i see a lot online if they are willing to talk...its good to get to know the competition because i see them on here all the time. plus, heres the cool thing, if you get to know them, then you will play a better game when they are on your table...helps stay disciplined. OK, time to get some more going...playing well today. Need a little more impulse control this set...i fought it a lot last time and that one call proved it gets the best of me...
I am really starting to question the statistics behind poker...i mean, i realize they are what they are, but they just let you overestimate your hand...in my last set, here is the list of beats I took:
A7 vs A6 on the bubble simulataneously on another table, i have K10 with a K 10 on the flop, some dude pushes with A3 and catches runner runner for the straight.
my QQ lost to 88 when he pulled a 4 flush and busted me on the bubble
lost JJ to A9 on the bubble too
and lost AQ vs A3 heads up to win it, then I took 2nd.
all those beats probably cost me close to 500 bucks...maybe much more if i could have finished off those bubble situations. hard to stay focus, but i need a break...gonna chill, maybe play some more later. these donks are horrible on party poker, but they keep finding ways to suck out.
I dont think i am cut out for poker...i mean, i bubbled again, big stacks just suck and arent calling anything...i lose after getting sucked out on 3 different times...i build, get sucked out on, rebuild, get sucked out on...brutal. i cant do it...time to look into day trading...hopefully more stable...then i will come back adn play limit. do some bonus whoring and gear up for live play.
I did dabble in the speeds...played 2 adn took a 3rd. in typical fashion, we are all pretty evenly stacked, i get KK in BB and he pushes at me with A5o...i call of course and he flops 2 aces. more speeds...im gonna play speeds cuz they just go so much faster.
I like the speeds...time to start concentrating on these.
Saturday, August 05, 2006
August 5, 2006
Took a few days off, time to get down to business. Just getting started, might play a few MTTs today too...i know i can play them, but i feel i can be disciplined today!
doing ok...hands not holding up too well today, but managed a 2nd and i bubbled...real shitty. i might take breaks from blogging...it just becomes too much.
Ah, i was venting earlier...i know keeping a blog keeps me focused and documents my progress...i understand its value as a tool, but it just becomes part of the grind. I have been going through a slow spell here...good hands, getting in with the best, and losing. i am playing a MTT right now..made a move and got to even..then won a little one before the break and went up to about 3900 chips. i have just over 8000 right now..trying to be good. next break is 40 mins away...lets see what happens. i might start up a few $44 MTTs.
Just entered the $44 MTTs and fired up a $55 sng. i busted out of the 20k MTT when my AJ lost to KJ. I smoked this guy a few hands ago, and he spite called me and found out he had 3 outs. only to hit his king on the river...i woulda had over 10k in chips, but i was left with 3000, then lost AQ vs 99.
Played 2 sngs, took 2nd in both...busted out of one of my MTTs, but doing ok in the other...just lost a few chips before break, but still sitting ok.
This is priceless....so i get pretty deep in the MTT im in...28 people left, i have a decent stack, i get AA...i raise, get reraised and we are all in, we both have AA and split...8 hands later or so, i get AA on the button...i call the preflop raise and both blinds come along...3 fuckin hearts on the flop, and i get all in with the nut flush draw and 2 people called with flushes...i miss my flush, but damn, the fuckin flush on the flop cracked my aces pretty quick...damn, its hard to take sometimes...so AA twice and nothing to show for it.
Unreal...i need to quit poker lol these beats are too much...i have 10s preflop, raise 2 callers, KQ 10 flop...i raise, one caller...we get all in on the turn, he has KQ for 2 pair and gets a king on the river...all night lost JJ to 44 when he got the wheel on the turn...AJs to A2 to bubble...AA to J8..fuckin unreal.
I was in a huge pot multiway and i flop the nut flush...only to lose to the str8 flush...just crazy.
I was pretty undisciplined this weekend...i need to refocus and start playing sngs with a new sense of urgency...play smart!
Bubbled in the $10k guaranteed...so made it pretty deep. I could have blinded it out into the money, but i was looking to make a move. the play on MTTs is just so terrible its amazing. people call and bet with anything. that will be the last MTT for me for some time...i need to concentrate on grinding. poker truly is a grind, i am not having too much fun with it right now.
doing ok...hands not holding up too well today, but managed a 2nd and i bubbled...real shitty. i might take breaks from blogging...it just becomes too much.
Ah, i was venting earlier...i know keeping a blog keeps me focused and documents my progress...i understand its value as a tool, but it just becomes part of the grind. I have been going through a slow spell here...good hands, getting in with the best, and losing. i am playing a MTT right now..made a move and got to even..then won a little one before the break and went up to about 3900 chips. i have just over 8000 right now..trying to be good. next break is 40 mins away...lets see what happens. i might start up a few $44 MTTs.
Just entered the $44 MTTs and fired up a $55 sng. i busted out of the 20k MTT when my AJ lost to KJ. I smoked this guy a few hands ago, and he spite called me and found out he had 3 outs. only to hit his king on the river...i woulda had over 10k in chips, but i was left with 3000, then lost AQ vs 99.
Played 2 sngs, took 2nd in both...busted out of one of my MTTs, but doing ok in the other...just lost a few chips before break, but still sitting ok.
This is priceless....so i get pretty deep in the MTT im in...28 people left, i have a decent stack, i get AA...i raise, get reraised and we are all in, we both have AA and split...8 hands later or so, i get AA on the button...i call the preflop raise and both blinds come along...3 fuckin hearts on the flop, and i get all in with the nut flush draw and 2 people called with flushes...i miss my flush, but damn, the fuckin flush on the flop cracked my aces pretty quick...damn, its hard to take sometimes...so AA twice and nothing to show for it.
Unreal...i need to quit poker lol these beats are too much...i have 10s preflop, raise 2 callers, KQ 10 flop...i raise, one caller...we get all in on the turn, he has KQ for 2 pair and gets a king on the river...all night lost JJ to 44 when he got the wheel on the turn...AJs to A2 to bubble...AA to J8..fuckin unreal.
I was in a huge pot multiway and i flop the nut flush...only to lose to the str8 flush...just crazy.
I was pretty undisciplined this weekend...i need to refocus and start playing sngs with a new sense of urgency...play smart!
Bubbled in the $10k guaranteed...so made it pretty deep. I could have blinded it out into the money, but i was looking to make a move. the play on MTTs is just so terrible its amazing. people call and bet with anything. that will be the last MTT for me for some time...i need to concentrate on grinding. poker truly is a grind, i am not having too much fun with it right now.
Friday, August 04, 2006
August 4th, 2006
I took last night off...I made the decision because there will be 2 little kids staying with us for a week and i am sure that i will be missing a day during august here and there...so i didnt want to put too much pressure on myself. I did forego poker for a good reason, however. I met up with my new friends and we talked about day trading. I am intrigued by it and am going to learn more...gonna buy some books and start training. Man, i had a liquid dinner last night...pretty much crown and coke and budweisers...paying for it today!
I knew I would be able to make up some hours on the tables this weekend and also tonight. I am excited to get back...the day off was nice and i think important for a fresh mindset.
I ended up going to the diamondbacks game. Jilliann got some good tickets and we had to go...we left and the game was tied, but they gave up two runs in the top of the 9th, so im glad we left early and beat the rush...its nice to be 10 mins from the stadium.
I knew I would be able to make up some hours on the tables this weekend and also tonight. I am excited to get back...the day off was nice and i think important for a fresh mindset.
I ended up going to the diamondbacks game. Jilliann got some good tickets and we had to go...we left and the game was tied, but they gave up two runs in the top of the 9th, so im glad we left early and beat the rush...its nice to be 10 mins from the stadium.
Wednesday, August 02, 2006
August 2, 2006
Well, worked late today...got home around 7:15. Its cool though...I came home, had a snack and fired up some tables. I had a solid set and lost a quick one, so fired up another...ended up with 2 2nds and a 3rd. up 125 and going to fire up another set pretty soon.
Took some rough ones late in my last set...bubbled on one and busted 5th on another after getting in ahead. Luck has evened out a bit...about what is to be expected. I am still in one sng...its a crap shoot right now, i am right up there with the leaders, but we all have like 3500-4000 in chips with blinds at 200/400, i have made a lot of pushes to chip up...never having to show down.
Took a bad run of cards and i lost my last set...the streaks of wins and losses is crazy, i wish it would smooth out a little...hold up a few times, then maybe a bad beat. the ups and downs are really hard to handle, but again, i need to focus on it being just part of the long term goal...the individual game doesnt matter, if you play it to the best of your ability...you will lose more than you win, but in the long run, your wins will return you a certain %age...as long as its over 10%, im cool...shit, over 8%. If i move up to the 109s, 8% would be just fine. Logged my tables for the night...14 of em...off to the sack.
Took some rough ones late in my last set...bubbled on one and busted 5th on another after getting in ahead. Luck has evened out a bit...about what is to be expected. I am still in one sng...its a crap shoot right now, i am right up there with the leaders, but we all have like 3500-4000 in chips with blinds at 200/400, i have made a lot of pushes to chip up...never having to show down.
Took a bad run of cards and i lost my last set...the streaks of wins and losses is crazy, i wish it would smooth out a little...hold up a few times, then maybe a bad beat. the ups and downs are really hard to handle, but again, i need to focus on it being just part of the long term goal...the individual game doesnt matter, if you play it to the best of your ability...you will lose more than you win, but in the long run, your wins will return you a certain %age...as long as its over 10%, im cool...shit, over 8%. If i move up to the 109s, 8% would be just fine. Logged my tables for the night...14 of em...off to the sack.
Tuesday, August 01, 2006
August 1, 2006
Ok, despite only winning 85 bucks during my last 163 sngs...I feel fortunate. I won about a grand over July...sucks cuz i was up 1900 at one point...then just watched my bankroll dwindle...but I am encouraged because my play has come around, but the results just arent there. But, that is part of my challenge...its to overcome the results oriented thinking and focus on playing a solid game and logging tables. So, I have a lot of things riding on August...first off, Party has a promo that if you earn 100 party points every day in august, you win 300. Missing a day happens, but i am going to try to get that bonus, which means 9 sngs a night...which is significant, but that will ensure that i make my goal for sngs played...i am going to 2 table my first set and start to scale back a bit so i can concentrate a bit more, rediscover my game, and then add more tables...lets see how tonight goes!
Firing up set 1.
Set 1 went well, finished with a first and a second. Played very well...very happy with the way things went...my bubble play and itm play on the one i won left something to be desired...i was far too passive. the irony is that before i was playing well and losing, now we spent 20 mins with 3 people and no one can eliminate someone...blinds were 600/1200 lol
i did lay a nasty bad beat on the shortstack...we went at it preflop, he had KK i had QQ both of us had a club...the board ended up with X89 10 J of clubs, so i pulled the straight flush lol
Finished up my last set of 6 with 2 firsts...so I'm up tonight...woohoo...so, here is the problem...should i keep playing? i think i will take a short break and play some more. Playing stone sober tonight...a clear mind make a difference? Just a snifter of cognac while i played and i feel mellow!
Firing up set 1.
Set 1 went well, finished with a first and a second. Played very well...very happy with the way things went...my bubble play and itm play on the one i won left something to be desired...i was far too passive. the irony is that before i was playing well and losing, now we spent 20 mins with 3 people and no one can eliminate someone...blinds were 600/1200 lol
i did lay a nasty bad beat on the shortstack...we went at it preflop, he had KK i had QQ both of us had a club...the board ended up with X89 10 J of clubs, so i pulled the straight flush lol
Finished up my last set of 6 with 2 firsts...so I'm up tonight...woohoo...so, here is the problem...should i keep playing? i think i will take a short break and play some more. Playing stone sober tonight...a clear mind make a difference? Just a snifter of cognac while i played and i feel mellow!
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