Not good…

Well on the way to the casino, I aquaplaned on water and crashed the car.  That was the start of the crap!

Went back home via tow truck.

 As I had planned to play poker this weekend, I decided to use up my remaining Neteller balance as Custers Last Stand.

Played well, even the software classed me between a rock,tight neutral and good aggressive solid player.

But still I lost.  $600 on KK.  Then various other hands where people came from behind or I had top pair plus A kicker vs trips.  Or not respecting my raise and getting lucky with Q8 off suit.  It sucked.  No really bad plays, but I have to learn to lay down KK, even when no A on the board.

One hand I was sure I was in front…flop with Q, me with KK.  Moved all in, asshole had AQ and spiked an A on the turn for two pair…..aaaaargh.

 Finished 51st and 56th in the Bodog 10K two nights running.

So did in about $1700 playing cash games.  And no really bad stupid mistakes….anytime I was unsure I’d check/call like with the KK then have to get my money in at the end to be beaten.

Had 88 no less than 4 times in one session…weird, missed flop every time.

 Had to play the 5/10 last night as all the 2/4s were 6 only.  I only had $780 but still got hammered.  I watched the fishy guy lose about $1500…reload with $330 then move up to $2900.  Sick.

 Currently waiting on a $30+3 tourney starting, it’s my last stab really.

+$460

I was sucked back in….a combination of live cash games being non existent, people having bad downswings also (x20 buy ins) and the new Hold Em Indicator giving me novelty value to play.

After losing some to variance and bluffs that didn’t work…also to a total d0nkey who called with a Q6 all the way to the river versus my KK and spiked two pair…I was slightly dismayed but non-chalent.  I figured the hole in my game is bankroll management and it seems everywhere I read, it’s big downswings, live and online.

So yesterday I was -$350 on my $500 deposit (2/4 only, 1/2 just a joke).

 I had resigned myself to playing cautiously and using Hold Em Indicator as a poker steroid lol.  The casino looks out of the question.

Anyway, today I topped up to $500 again and made tidy $460 comeback – I had the str.draw and flush draw and played it beautifully so as he didn’t suspect anything and got his money in.  That I am good at.

I promptly withdrew my cash also.  I now treat it like a casino, where I drop $500 and if I lose, I go.  If you have $5K in your account, it’s too tempting to just keep reloading.

Lets see what exactly happens.  According to my poker tracking software, I am actually +$600 on ring games but I figure I’m actually down -$600?!?!

Never mind.  I hope to put in a decent session at the weekend as I have time off.  Prob.Saturday night where there might be more fish and softer tables….although that won’t stop a donk drawing out on you.

Aaaargh….!

Well, poker sucks man lol.

I got the new Texas Hold Em Indicator software and gave it a whirl – it works really well, working out EV, pot odds, outs etc….stuff you don’t really have time to work out when playing.

So I dropped $300 and went to the 0.5/1 on Full Tilt.

What a mistake.

I played good first few hands and then I got QQ.  I promised myself I would fold if I didn’t hit a Q.  There had been x4.5 raising PF, 3 players.

Flop : 9d/10d/Qc

So I bet the pot.  1 caller.

Turn : 2c

I move all in.

River : blank.  No flush.

 He turns J8 for the straight.  EH?!?

Calling x4.5 the bb PF with J8 off suit is lunacy.

Secondly, with the small str. and possible flush or bigger str. out there, he just ‘calls’ the flop bet.  What?!!?!?!  And if the board paired I would have had a full boat.  Very very bad player.  But got lucky.

Next hand I go all in with AJ suited.  Same guy calls with J10 offsuit….first card on the flop is a 10…aaaaargh!

Anyway, I withdrew my remaining $100 in disgust.

 I will *never* play lower than 2/4 except with free dollars.

Reading on bankroll management – they reckon you must have x20 the buy in according to Chris Ferguson.  Other people figure you need x10 min.  Or x3 for occasional player.

Anyway, more investigation into the LIVE cash game – basically, it’s f*cked.  I posted on some forums – local cash games are non-existent till 11pm (they might/not might happen even at that time).  The casino I’m planning at the end of the month has bad reviews, some guy went and the cash game didn’t start even at 2AM!!!!  So I will go, register and check it out but prob.no big aspirations to play cash games.  They do have a $6 rebuy the night I’m there….whoooo hoooo….

In any case I’m going to see my friend so might just take my laptop and player some MORE online.  It seems I am in nothing less than a corner when it comes to poker – no live cash games, live tournaments low stake rubbish…online rigged big style (or so I think).

WHat next?!?!!?

 Anyway, came 2nd in the home game…but I rebought like crazy as I only really wanted 1st place.  Ended up $100 in but cashed $60 for 2nd.  Ach well, 2nd x3 weeks in a row.  11 cashes out of 17 visits.  Could be worse lol.

I am currently playing with $25 at Pacific Poker.  I got it free when I deposited, but quickly withdrew my original stake lol.

I steam…..

Started with $40 today…..then proceeded up to $56 and back down to $25.

 The hand I lost the big chunk on was when I had str + flush draw.  I raised it, he called.

Missed my flush and str…so bluffed with my 10s.  I could have had a str.with KQ but at the lower limits, they’re more likely to call you.  And he did.  Good call.

Then down to $25 I was trying to work + play poker….I just steamed it off with K7 and an Ace flop moved all in.  He called with A8.

Disgusting behaviour, I should have used it for a sit and go if I wanted fast quick bucks.  I was just pissed off by that point, I was seeing it taking me 1-2 weeks to get back to $200, the original deposit.

So, I figure I just drop $200 on online once a month at most.  Then play a proper session.  I don’t really do well at the lower limit tables as your bluffs don’t get any credit.  I’ve never really liked the lower limits as it relies more on luck than skill - even playing in the background is infuriating.    So I need a proper game.  2/4 ideally.  But I think 0.5/1 with a $200 deposit is ideal.

For the time being, online poker is over.  It’s interfering a  with work (about 1 hour a day or so) and when I lose I get pissed off for the rest of the week.  It was refreshing to read of a semi-pro from my state who went to vegas and got all his money in with 2-pair to get beaten with bigger two pair, all his money in again with AA and the other person hit runner-runner Ks to win and also a lot of money in with str/flush draw and missed it all. 

 Sometimes poker can be rough.

In the meantime I’m going back to reading poker books and playing the Monday nite game.  I still have the casino trip at the end of the month.  I will definitely be playing like a rock at 1/2 or 2/4.

Custers last stand

My $200 deposit has quickly depleted to $80.  I’ve kept it level so far today, up a bit, down a bit.

 I am finding that poker is becoming a bit of a disappointment – in the respect no matter what I do, I can still get papped with an outdraw. 

Even more disappointing was the WSOP main event prize money – only $8.5M for 1st and not much for 5th-10th.  That in itself dismays me as the whole point of this poker thing is to win/place at the final table in WSOP (or other major tournament).

I’m playing really solid and only lose a few chips when I suspect a bluff, play it back and get called/raised.  So all in all I’m playing solid.

Once this $80 is gone, I will deposit maybe $30 only at the weekends and see how far I can grind it.

$30 poker experiment at Party Poker

Well, after nailing my free $15 after playing pretty much perfectly, I decided to deposit $30 for sparring practice and in the hope I could grind it up to $200+.

Initially things were OK, I played tight, controlled my stack and worked it up to $72.

Then the rot started, hands I had to pay to see but went nowhere.

#Game No : 6159443971 ***** Hand History for Game 6159443971 *****$50 USD NL Texas Hold’em – Tuesday, July 17, 12:01:56 ET 2007Table Table  125535 (Real Money)Seat 3 is the buttonTotal number of players : 10 Seat 3: chris1171011 ( $10.39 USD )Seat 7: PabloAbs ( $61.36 USD )Seat 9: MeisterKajo1 ( $20.80 USD )Seat 10: Cam_On ( $40.14 USD )Seat 6: POKERSTORY ( $46.43 USD )Seat 5: Odeymaniac ( $25.37 USD )Seat 8: ruffy_ef ( $7.75 USD )Seat 2: darthsmegma ( $46.45 USD )Seat 4: F1shBait ( $48.50 USD )Seat 1: GAIS1894 ( $50 USD )Odeymaniac posts small blind [$0.25 USD].POKERSTORY posts big blind [$0.50 USD].** Dealing down cards **Dealt to POKERSTORY [  2s 2d ]PabloAbs foldsruffy_ef foldsMeisterKajo1 foldsCam_On calls [$0.50 USD]darthsmegma calls [$0.50 USD]chris1171011 foldsOdeymaniac calls [$0.25 USD]POKERSTORY checks** Dealing Flop ** [ Td, 7d, 2h ]Odeymaniac checksPOKERSTORY checksCam_On bets [$2 USD]darthsmegma foldsOdeymaniac foldsPOKERSTORY calls [$2 USD]** Dealing Turn ** [ 9s ]POKERSTORY checksCam_On bets [$3.50 USD]

POKERSTORY raises [$7 USD]

<I don’t want him drawing to any cheap flush>Cam_On calls [$3.50 USD]** Dealing River ** [ Jc ]

POKERSTORY checks

<there’s a possible straight out there, I have to slam the brakes on>

Cam_On bets [$7 USD]

<he could have a busted straight draw, top pair or two pair – I can beat all those hands so I call>

POKERSTORY calls [$7 USD]Cam_On shows [ 8d, 9d ]a straight Seven to Jack.POKERSTORY doesn’t show [ 2s, 2d ]three of a kind, Twos.Cam_On wins $32.30 USD from  the main pot  with a straight, Seven to Jack.

 Game #6159447694 starts.

 I slow played this hand, and pretend I was on a flush draw – I hoped for the flush not to come so I had the best hand and could be bet into (he would presume I had a busted draw).  Sadly, the river card gave him a straight – I saw it, but had to call in case he was only on a flush draw.  I was destined to lose this one – he had a straight draw, flush draw and straight flush draw on the flop.  I was also aware he may have trip 10s or 7s.  I had to pay it off for $7 at the end in case he had two pair or top pair (I checked the river so he might have bet at me with nothing).After that I was left with a measly $15 which after seeing some flops didn’t go far.  Down at $10 I got infuriated with my rotten luck and steamed off $5.  I was left with $4.60.

Sat down and played a few hands but I find it hard to focus with $4.60.  So I ended up going all in on KK…I was up against QQ.  Again, a good play when I had only 4 bucks or so.

Yes, the flop came with a Q.  Feck.

So I basically played good and saw about 550 hands for $30.  At least I got my game style sorted.  Feck, a poker computer couldn’t have played any better.

So anyway, I am making one last attempt at building a bankroll.  I’m gonna deposit $200 into the original site I won $8K on because if I build up my player points, I get to enter a tournament where there’s a $20K poker tournament ticket + you will be on TV playing poker (my dream lol).  So I’m gonna plug another $200 and if that goes tits up, will insert $25 at a time to try until I have enough player points for the competition.

I also found a leak in my game.  That is I call A-blah suited to any raise.  Wrong!  I should call in any position but fold to a raise unless A10 or above.

Yet ANOTHER bad beat

Party poker gave me $15 free (since I pissed away $1200 just a few days ago).

I got 56 in the hole (offsuit).  I made a mistake and clicked call.  Normally I wouldn’t call 56 except on the button or if it was suited.  Anyway I flopped 2 pair and that’s where all the trouble begain :

#Game No : 6158688099
***** Hand History for Game 6158688099 *****
$25 USD NL Texas Hold’em – Tuesday, July 17, 05:34:09 ET 2007
Table Table  127090 (Real Money)
Seat 8 is the button
Total number of players : 10
Seat 1: Pokerstory ( $33.55 USD )
Seat 2: sh00g ( $66.48 USD )
Seat 4: Sanntos111 ( $28.57 USD )
Seat 8: Seppel123111 ( $18.19 USD )
Seat 10: Jeramiah88 ( $11.46 USD )
Seat 7: Ullenboom ( $7.17 USD )
Seat 3: wimsi ( $35.94 USD )
Seat 9: Gargoyle_85 ( $5.30 USD )
Seat 6: XINM8 ( $3.79 USD )
Seat 5: autoexec11 ( $4.40 USD )
Gargoyle_85 posts small blind [$0.10 USD].
Pokerstory posts big blind [$0.25 USD].
** Dealing down cards **
Dealt to Pokerstory [  6d 5h ]
sh00g folds
wimsi folds
Sanntos111 raises [$1.25 USD]
autoexec11 folds
XINM8 calls [$1.25 USD]
Ullenboom folds
Seppel123111 folds
Gargoyle_85 folds
pokerstory calls [$1 USD]
** Dealing Flop ** [ 5d, 6c, Ts ]
pokerstory checks
Sanntos111 bets [$3 USD]
XINM8 is all-In  [$2.54 USD]
pokerstory is all-In  [$32.30 USD]
Sanntos111 is all-In  [$24.32 USD]
** Dealing Turn ** [ Th ]
** Dealing River ** [ Jc ]
Sanntos111 shows [ Kc, Ks ]two pairs, Kings and Tens.
XINM8 shows [ Tc, Kh ]three of a kind, Tens.
pokerstory shows [ 6d, 5h ]two pairs, Tens and Sixes.
pokerstory wins $4.98 USD from  side pot #2  with two pairs, Tens and Sixes.
Sanntos111 wins $47.13 USD from  side pot #1  with two pairs, Kings and Tens.
XINM8 wins $10.90 USD from  the main pot  with three of a kind, Tens.
 Game #6158689565 starts.I ran the stats through a calculator – I was 80% in front when the money went in AGAIN.

The fish get rewarded.  At least I’m playing good poker – I grinded my free $15 up to $33 in 2 hours.  That’s not bad. 

Ach well…….I think in future I’m just going to drop $25 and play some low stakes.  The bad beats I’d had the last few days are ridiculous and I would puke if it was for $1Ks.

The Monday night homegame….

Forget the WSOP main event, the excitement of Monday night poker is 2nd to none lol.

We just had 8 players as Shugster + James were in Disneyland FL. 

I struggled, and saw pots all the way down the line….it’s like Pot limit with all the limping and checking.  Suffered big chip erosion because of it but I figured it was worth it because they all limp and you can see the next card cheaply.

After much grinding, I won some big pots on rubbish like Q5 (because 2 people had gone all in, 2 random cards works OK).  I entered the freezeout with 5300 chips inc.top up (1500).

I immediately lost a chunk as two players went all in first hand.  I had pair of 9s with a J kicker…..I knew I had at least one of them beat.  As luck would have it it was the sidepot I won beating Gary’s pair of 9s with 8 kicker but Dees AA stood up…then he proceeded to run away with it.

Had to really grind for 2nd place.  Survived a couple of all ins.  I knew 1st was out of reach with the blinds huge and Dees chip stack about x10 what I had.

Anyway, I bought in for $60 and took home $60.  Another 2nd in-the-money result lol.  Cheers me up after all this online shit!

Playing with my bonus $15 on Party Poker right now, was down to $10 but as I type this called a big raise with 66 and spiked trips.  Had to take a risk – A on board meant if AA I was dead.  Now at $23.41.

Go f*ck yourself Bodog

Bo-dog poker just sucks man.

I had some remaining dollars from tournament (they run the best tournies for sure) so decided to grind my cash games.

Started in at $7 on Sunday – went up to $25.  Got all my money in with the best hand and lost.

Reloaded to $30.

Did OK, got up to $80.

Then got all my money in on 3 seperate occasions being 80-84% at that point – only to lose!

Then I was pissed.

I went to a table and it was all a bit loose.  This was the table I got all my money in with AA only to lose to J6 suited….he had a J on the flop (then the money went in), turn a J…WTF?  Anyway, 2 short stacks went crazy and I called a PF for x20 the blinds.  Then I saw I had a flush draw, so thought I’d move all in.  Yes, I hit my flush but one of the other short stacks had A-high flush…urgh.

Then I was steaming a little, got QQ.  Got raised x20 the blinds, I just decided to shuve.  After all, I had just lost 4 all ins, 3 of which I was clear favourite.  Well, I was up against AA as I suspected and was busted.

I’ve deposited x3 previous to this (only $50) and been toasted every time on Bodog…with good plays.  And then when I get beat and tighten up, it feeds me great hole cards that miss.

So f*ck u Bodog! 

Otherwise I’m playing pretty solid poker and not making mistakes….let’s see if I can grind it from the $25 up to the $200.

Back to the drawing board….

Totally dismayed with my performance of late, I’ve analysed all my loose and bad plays, losing hands etc. from the past 6 weeks.

Turns out I lost $11,270 on bluffs gone wrong, calling with the worst hand and going too far with 2nd pair or gutshots etc. etc.  If I was more conservative and tight, I’d have lost none of that.

I estimate my loose play (which I would not do if I was playing correctly as to not lose the above $11.2K) would be worth between 7-8K. 

So it seems I’d still have a stack of about 3-4K minimum if I was a tighter player.

The hyper-aggressive style I have is great when you hit but expensive in the long run.

I have now discliplined myself and go back to the drawing board.

I started with $7 on Sunday morning at a new site.  I worked it up to $25 and then got it all in with a full house on the turn – AA666.  The other guy got all in with AAA.  Anyway, the board paired at the end and he won.  I figured that was fine, I got all my money in with the best hand.

So I reloaded to $30 and grinded it up through the $25 tables  to the $50.  I’ve been played virtually perfect poker since and folding lots.  In fact I’m having to call a few loose hands out of position so I don’t seem uber tight.  Running at <30% flops typically.

So far I’ve grinded the $37 up to $80.  I’m just playing in the background while I work because it’s a low stake table.

I hope to move to the $100 table when I have about $200.  I’m learning that you really need x3 the buy in or x10 the buyin for pros.  I’m OK at playing at x2 the buy in but I have to be uber tight.

 If I can grind it up successfully, then I will be worth of the 1/2 then the 2/4…and maybe back to the 5/10 in the future.

Right now I need to tighten up and sort my ‘chip leaks’ and bad calls out.