ugh

so i am playing a little and lost 2 hands with the better ace...lost 1010 to J9o...so just more of the same...i guess it never ends!

full tilt...just seems so rigged...i would never honestly believe it is because it is too big of a site and to care enough about the outcome of low level sngs is so silly, but statistically speaking, i just dont understand how much longer the variance can continue...

i know if you are a poker player, or even an enthusiast, you might be saying, quit complaining...and I agree. however, this is my sounding board for frustration...plus, i understand variance and statistics, but living it out in real life is another thing...one of the many challenges poker players face. As you can see, some deal with it better than others! :)

Thursday, THE END

For the time being, i am going to quit playing poker. Hit a nasty downswing...i know some is bad play, but just a horrible dose of variance. Poker is an impossible game if you cannot win a race and those are typically 50/50 propositions, but I lose 60/40 "races" lately about 75/25...As i type this, i lost a race for 85% of my stack, then got finished off AQs vs KJs...i didnt even look, just saw i was eliminated...so there are two more in a row...

Just to give a quick update on the final set of sngs i am playing...i have called 2 pushes and got in with the better ace, AK v A3 and A8 v A7 and split both times!! just lost A6 v 55, yet another race. I did just have A10 v A8 hold on the bubble to get ITM...but little consolation. I just lost 66 v AK, yet another race...so far, the only hand that has held up while blogging tonight is a 3:1 favorite...not gonna win much with that sort of luck!!

Poker is no fun when this happens...sure, thats an obvious statement. however, to be properly bankrolled, I need about 400-750 ...so I can deposit that in the future and start playing because it isnt a huge amount of money...but until then, i will take what is left of my bankroll and take my beautful fiance out for dinner...I will be out the money, but it will be well worth it! At least I wont feel like I flushed it down the toilet! We are going to have our second child at the end of April...So, Until I play again, which may be quite a while...peace out!

October 18, 2008

So far played 2 hands...got a dude all in on the turn with a 7 high flop and 8 on the turn...he had 79o and I had QQ. He rivered the 9. I also got a dude in when I hit broadway on the turn, but the river Ace counterfeited my broadway and we split. not a great start...lookin to log about 20 tonight!

not doing well...playing well and making nice moves, but just cant get hands to hold up. these games are super beatable and my cards arent cooperating!

just lost AK v AQ...been like that all night!!

this is getting soo sick...keep losing on the river...fucking BS!

every race on the bubble i lose...just sickening. total, complete BS!

Lee Watkinson just was playing a 36 and busted me on the rivered straight...so sick

just lost on the bubble with AK v j3o...hit the gut shot on the turn...

it has been suck a crappy night...i am definitely hanging it up for poker. i havent flushed my bankroll, but i just dont feel like i want to play anymore. when that happens, whats the point.

for the time being...peace out!

October 15, 2008 My Boy's Birthday

I haven't been playing much this week because my parents are in town and it is my son's birthday! Here is a pic of him at his party!

Found some time to play tonight. Just getting screwed. This taste of variance is lasting far longer than I would like. I have been getting really nasty beats nearing and on the bubble. then, when i do get in behind, usually a 40/60 spot, I cant get lucky. I am considering calling it a career unless I go on a heater before the night is over.

running a little better...have some nice streaks of cashing, but my hands arent holding up once ITM, so lots of 2nds and 3rds.

Well...ended the night on the same note i started it...just nastiness all around. Busted on bubble on a race, which i lost and then would have had the chip lead with blinds creeping up when my AJ lost to KQ. I have lost a ton of those 60/40 hands tonight in critical situations...if i dont go on a heater my next session...i am gonna wrap up poker for a while and cash out. It just isnt worth my frustration, but more importantly, I am not mentally ready and it isnt worth my time...

October 12, 2008

Totally card dead tonight...played ok, but just couldnt put anything together. Not sure how its gonna end up, but I did the best I could with the hands I was dealt...I am definitely gonna take a break until my parents leave...wasnt a lot of fun tonight.

October 8, 2008

Well, I have decided to take the day off. i have been spending so much time playing poker that I need to spend a little quality time with the family. My mom and dad are coming to town for my son's 1st birthday, so i wont be playing too much this week.

My plan now is to put my rakeback into my account and step up. I have experienced a nice little correction, so I think the variance is going to be turning back in my favor. So, I will be making the leap to the next buy in when I get started again. I should have just over 30 buy ins...so by most people's standards I will not be underbankrolled...I am excited because I am definitely a bang for the buck kinda guy, so stepping up and hopefully increasing my earn by 50% is attractive to me!

Stay tuned for updates...just not many this week. Taking tonight off and tomorrow I teach...then Friday my parents are in town.

October 7, 2008

I am far too loose playing Omaha H/L. I donked off more thank I want to admit...maybe 75 bucks or so...no more of that for a while, but remember that my tendencies are far too loose!

On to sngs...

October 6, 2008

Just about to get started here...wish me luck :)

Playing well, just card dead..

Playing well, just getting completely hosed on the bubble and ITM. runner runner style...if this continues i will quit...get in ahead and lose...either side of the race...stronger ace in and lose to runner runner...just tough luck tonight.

tough night...trying to stay positive...

getting hosed tonight...but only down a little...less than 200.

its weird...i had tons of big pairs starting after my first set...and cant seem to hold on...ironic...i almost pushed A6 on the button...sb pushed and bb called, i would have had the worst of it and won...just cant get it right tonight...get itm and get AJ only to run into AK...yet another cooler...but grinding away. my last sng is open...and ran into 1010 on the bubble.

So, amazingly crazy night...horrible luck and only down a few buy ins considering I couldnt win one to save my bankroll or get lucky. I won very few races...encouraging! I feel like tonight was horrible, but I had quite a few 2nds and 3rds...

October 5, 2008

Just finished up my first session of the weekend. I have quite a bit of work to do for the two classes I am teaching. I played for a solid 2 hours. Not quite sure how I did yet, but I had some nasty beats to bubble on 3 of the last 6 sngs I played...so it could have been a great session...but I am sure I am still up for it...I will upload my HHs and get the stats up shortly.

This is the kind of session I like...a few bad beats...a few suck outs...nothing too streaky, just steady progress. If poker was always like this, I would never quit playing!!

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Today's stats for far:

20 sngs
15.5% ROI
35% ITM (4 1sts, 2 2nds, 1 3rd. Another great distribution)

Getting late tonight and played some more. Kept about even...had some nasty beats on the bubble and ITM. If one hand would have held up that was sucked out on the session would have been a winning one for sure. I do not mind the break even sessions...they help bring the ROI back down to a more realistic range without the big downswing. I am thinking about firing up some more, the play is just so bad right now. I am noticing the other people multitabling the same buy ins are quite a bit looser than me. I get in good against them 75% of the time. I should fear no sng player at the buy ins I am playing. I think I should run over the next level as well.

I played 13 more sngs...so 33 on the day. I am optimistic about the number of sngs I am playing. Volume has always been my biggest challenge and I seem to have overcome that for the time being. I even took a nasty downswing when I started and kept powering through. Very encouraging.

My parents come to town on Friday afternoon, so I do not think I will be playing much for the week they are here. Maybe an hour or two here and there, but it would be rude to play while they are in town. So, I am shooting for Gold on Full Tilt and will go for Ironman next month.

As an aside...I have a dual monitor set up I need to get hooked up. I am very profitably 6-tabling, so I think I deserve a raise. I am going to start 8-tabling as soon as I can get a decent workstation set up. That means 33% more tables in the same amount of time...it's all about volume!!

October 3, 2008

So far playing great...the only 2 i busted out of was pair over pair and lost to runner runner straight. I was ahead on the flop on the other and lost again to runner runner straight. playing well...i feel good tonight.

just took down 2 straight and have 6 open.

Playing well...up about 4 buy ins and still going strong.

Very happy with my play thus far...lost 2 heads up matches where i was in ahead, but didnt hold on...looking good tonight!!

The key for me tonight is that i am not forcing things...i am not getting too antsy nearing the bubble...i am not pushing unless i am very, very short. Seems to be working and my patience is being paid of.

Let me clarify what very, very short is. Typically, I get antsy around 10 BB...but I am waiting if the blinds are 120/240. I am holding off until they reach 150/300 and waiting until i have about 4 BBs..

I hold off, tempted to push...get AA the next hand as a reward and get it cracked...playing very well...need to remember the patience...i think i often push too quickly...need to stay patient.

just lost a big one on the bubble with AQ v KJ to the rivered king...still alive though...

I am making big calls on the bubble with middle pairs, 77 & 88. Gone both ways...I guess its a better idea because when i win it, i am in a great position to win the sng...but if i lose and try limpin into the money you are pretty much playing for 3rd.

great night...up about 7 buy ins...

I currently sit at 37 buy ins for the next level. I prefer to have at least 50...so I am inching my way towards moving up!!

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Session stats

20 sngs (5 1sts, 2 2nds, 1 3rd - AWESOME distribution)
36.1% ROI
40% ITM

My ITM %age wasnt super high. I didnt feel like I was winning more than usual, but I knew I was taking 1st a good portion of the time. Very happy with the results!

SEPTEMBER IN REVIEW

I decided to make a conscious effort to play more in the mid part of september. I started to 6-table more and try to log more hours. I am teaching 1 night a week and trying to spend more time with my family, so its tough to make playing a priority unless it starts to pay the bills. So, while I build my roll I need to stay disciplined and really grind away to move up.

September broke down as follows:

239 sngs
8.1%ROI
36.8% ITM

I finished the month on a down note, but still finished respectable. I built a great base for my bankroll and have grown it substantially. As of today, I have more than doubled it since the early part of september.

OCTOBER GOALS

Goals for October:

400 sngs
10% ROI
39% ITM

If I can attain the # of sngs and the ROI, I should be very generously bankrolled to move up in buy ins next month. I should have about 70 buy ins for the next level, which is more than double what many people recommend.

October 1, 2008

So far I have gone to showdown twice. Once with QQ and lost to the rivered flush. the 2nd hand i lost to the rivered straight. time for some hands to hold up!

Now, when i get hands i am getting coolered, but 3 3rds in a row...running into big hands itm. It is all going to come together for a nice run tonight...i can feel it!

Ive played about 10 sngs and havent sucked out once...maybe i am wrong about being a good night :)

Or i could be wrong...2 wins in a row...even with my AA getting cracked...Ive been breaking about even tonight...cashin and donkin off some...im gonna finish this set and call it a night.

Got QQ and ran into KK itm...once again coolered, but at least waited utnil i was itm.

lol, ran 99 into 1010 to take 3rd again. Playing great and getting to the bubble on all of my sngs in my last set...need to finish up in 1st in at least one!!

finished the set 2 and 3...strong finish. Wow, did better than i thought and won about 200...

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Great start to October. Here are the session stats:

23 sngs
8 - 3rdx (horrible finish distribution, but ran into some strong hands with my own PPs ITM!)
4 - 2nds
2 - 1sts

14 cashes in 23 sngs, pretty darn good. I just wish my finish distribution had more 1sts.

Overall, my October stats are:

36sngs
26% ROI
52.8% ITM

Obviously not sustainable, but I like to start on the positive and trend down to where I belong.