Work on your foundation.
This is my new concept for building my game. Makes sense. If I have a better foundation, I have set myself up for the future. I have thought about what I am doing, my results, and where I want to be 6 months from now. I have experienced disappointing results lately and have seen this displeasure spoken of in other blogs. In my mind, it came back to this: If I cannot consistently beat the lower stakes games, what the hell am I doing in the higher stakes?!? Putting aside my old enemy variance, I should be able to consistently beat the low stakes Limit Hold Em games before I move into 2/4 or 3/6.
Why? I am bankroll “sensitive” right now. Simply put, I am tired of it shrinking!! How do I remedy this? My thought right now is play the lower limits to keep improving my game and rebuild my confidence. The swings will be much softer relative to my bankroll (~$200 right now). Case in point was the other night when I managed to get some hands in. I fired up PP and sat down at the lowest limit available (.50/1 I think) and I played well. I was never down more than a few bucks and ended the session up a little over 2 dollars. More importantly, I felt good about my game, reads, laydowns, lookups, aggressiveness, and positional play. That was more important to me than ending up 2 bucks. We all want to end our sessions up, but that is not always plausible.
Once you have had a taste of the action at a higher level, I think it is tougher to self impose yourself to the lower levels. You feel that the good decisions you make should be worth more (as they are at a higher level) but if you are not capable (yet) of making good decisions consistently, then I feel you are better served working on that at the lower levels. You must harden yourself to the annoying suckouts that seem to occur with greater frequency at limit, especially low limit, and be glad that you are playing with such speculative players. You should be able to get their money.
It is easier to write this than it is to employ this. I may change my mind in a month, but for now I will not play above the .50/1 on PP or .25/,50 if I transfer my bankroll to another site. (Pokerstars is looking promising right now).
Saturday, January 28, 2006
Sunday, January 22, 2006
Lotusphere 2006
No poker (although there was some hold 'em going on at the kick off party... but it was just for fun) but great weather and an interesting conference ahead of me.
I attended my first Lotusphere session, a jumpstart session for the Domino Administrator for Lotus 7. It was pretty informative and it seems like I will get a lot out of my time here. My attitude was also buoyed by the third road win by my Steelers!! I tried to warn Chipper, I suspect he did not heed my prediction. Sorry dude, but the Steelers are going all the way this year. I watched the game in the ESPN sports bar at the Boardwalk in Disney with 100 of my close Steeler fan friends, there was a lot of cheering and high fives. Way to go Cowher and Pittsburgh, the first 6 seed in NFL history to make the Super Bowl, and the second team to win three road games to make it to the big one. Personally, I think they are unstoppable. It was all downhill after the Colts (IMHO).
I have been playing some poker recently and things seem to be the status quo. I have not posted about poker because it has not been a priority or a joy in my life like it has in the past. It has been more vexing than pleasurable and I have had precious little free time in the past month. Add that all up, throw in husband duties and a wife and you have a recipe for little poker and less blogging. Sorry for the lack of new content if anyone checks this piece of the web out with any frequency. I have to admit I was a little surprised when HighOnPoker was so startled to see me railbirding in the DADI Omalympics and told me he was ready to remove my link because he thought I was done posting! Not a big deal, and I can't argue with his logic, but this blog is not dead yet.
It has been interesting to read some of the same feelings I have experienced with poker in GCox's and other blogs. He has been having a rough time and I can totally empathize. I wish I could assure him it will turn around, and I believe it will, but I cannot speak from experience. It seems to be a paradox: I was a winning bad player and a losing better player?!?! But so it is, perhaps it is a stage or plateau that I must breakthrough and learn from. The end result will be a better player and a better understanding of the game (or so I tell myself).
What have I learned? I could easily start with Donkeys Always Draw, but that is not an entirely correct statement and it is probably copyrighted by TripJax and Jordan. The truth is, donkeys don't always draw and budding poker players don't draw enough. How bout dem apples? I have learned that I need to loosen up my game depending on the table conditions. That makes sense right? I probably even read that in one of the many poker books I have consumed in the past year. Easy to say, harder to do correctly and profitably. I think my game has progressed from maniac, to tight passive (with flashes of aggressiveness), to a more well rounded neutral aggressive. It is still a work in progress.
I read these fantastic strategy posts and concepts in other blogs and I don't fell qualified to offer any of that in my blog. Who wants to read about strategies that seem to cost BB/hr? Perhaps that will come, but right now I can offer some company to the struggling players out there and some understanding. If I stick with it (and I will), the insightful strategy posts will come.
Good luck to all of you out there struggling to develop your own game and continued luck to those of you who have found it. Your mission is keep on developing and share some breadcrumbs of wisdom that are still following the path you have traveled.
Hopefully I will get a little free time this week to play, but the schedule is looking packed from 7:00 AM to 9 or 10 each night. Wish you all were here, the weather is fantastic and the scenery at The Swan in Disney is a welcome change of pace from the frozen gray Cleveland landscape. I can see why DNasty moved here!
I attended my first Lotusphere session, a jumpstart session for the Domino Administrator for Lotus 7. It was pretty informative and it seems like I will get a lot out of my time here. My attitude was also buoyed by the third road win by my Steelers!! I tried to warn Chipper, I suspect he did not heed my prediction. Sorry dude, but the Steelers are going all the way this year. I watched the game in the ESPN sports bar at the Boardwalk in Disney with 100 of my close Steeler fan friends, there was a lot of cheering and high fives. Way to go Cowher and Pittsburgh, the first 6 seed in NFL history to make the Super Bowl, and the second team to win three road games to make it to the big one. Personally, I think they are unstoppable. It was all downhill after the Colts (IMHO).
I have been playing some poker recently and things seem to be the status quo. I have not posted about poker because it has not been a priority or a joy in my life like it has in the past. It has been more vexing than pleasurable and I have had precious little free time in the past month. Add that all up, throw in husband duties and a wife and you have a recipe for little poker and less blogging. Sorry for the lack of new content if anyone checks this piece of the web out with any frequency. I have to admit I was a little surprised when HighOnPoker was so startled to see me railbirding in the DADI Omalympics and told me he was ready to remove my link because he thought I was done posting! Not a big deal, and I can't argue with his logic, but this blog is not dead yet.
It has been interesting to read some of the same feelings I have experienced with poker in GCox's and other blogs. He has been having a rough time and I can totally empathize. I wish I could assure him it will turn around, and I believe it will, but I cannot speak from experience. It seems to be a paradox: I was a winning bad player and a losing better player?!?! But so it is, perhaps it is a stage or plateau that I must breakthrough and learn from. The end result will be a better player and a better understanding of the game (or so I tell myself).
What have I learned? I could easily start with Donkeys Always Draw, but that is not an entirely correct statement and it is probably copyrighted by TripJax and Jordan. The truth is, donkeys don't always draw and budding poker players don't draw enough. How bout dem apples? I have learned that I need to loosen up my game depending on the table conditions. That makes sense right? I probably even read that in one of the many poker books I have consumed in the past year. Easy to say, harder to do correctly and profitably. I think my game has progressed from maniac, to tight passive (with flashes of aggressiveness), to a more well rounded neutral aggressive. It is still a work in progress.
I read these fantastic strategy posts and concepts in other blogs and I don't fell qualified to offer any of that in my blog. Who wants to read about strategies that seem to cost BB/hr? Perhaps that will come, but right now I can offer some company to the struggling players out there and some understanding. If I stick with it (and I will), the insightful strategy posts will come.
Good luck to all of you out there struggling to develop your own game and continued luck to those of you who have found it. Your mission is keep on developing and share some breadcrumbs of wisdom that are still following the path you have traveled.
Hopefully I will get a little free time this week to play, but the schedule is looking packed from 7:00 AM to 9 or 10 each night. Wish you all were here, the weather is fantastic and the scenery at The Swan in Disney is a welcome change of pace from the frozen gray Cleveland landscape. I can see why DNasty moved here!
Sunday, January 15, 2006
Here We Go Steelers!
Warning, no poker content.
Rant
What a game.... and what horrible officiating. It has been pretty poor during the entire playoffs, but today took the cake. I have never seen a game officiated so poorly with incorrect and missed calls playing such important roles!! The saddest part? The Steelers or the Colts might get a letter next week apologizing about the incorrect call, but what solace is that?
Why are officials blowing whistles on possible interceptions when that is the exact opposite of what they are supposed to do? If there is even a chance it was intercepted, they are directed to allow the play to complete so they can make the correct ruling, not end any chance of the play being reviewed or correctly called. That interception was close and a tough call in my admittedly biased opinion, but it was stillborn...never given its proper chance.
Riddle me this... A defender touches a offensive lineman in his stance, a whistle blows and another lineman stands up. The officials basically call "do-over". When did the playground accepted call of "do over" become NFL policy? There should have been a flag on that play. Either the Steelers had a false start or the Colts were guilty of encroachment. No such animal as a "do over" in the NFL unless there are offsetting penalties.
I am not even going to get started on the pass interference no call early in the game against a deep Randle El. I might be to biased on that one, but it looked like interference to me. I must have been seeing things today, because I also a sack in the endzone that would have been ruled a safety by any other officiating crew in the world. (Pop Warner officials included)
Finally, and perhaps the most outrageous blown call, is the overturned interception by Polamalu that would have for all intents and purposes ended the game. That was pure unadulterated bullshit. If I believed online poker was rigged, I guess I could make the logic leap that perhaps the officials were "gotten to" by someone who wanted to influence the game. However, I don't think online poker is rigged and I really don't think that the game was "fixed". I do think that those officials should be reviewed and their future in the NFL should be seriously considered. I also think that the NFL needs to have a more open policy about their review process for officials and their calls. I know they are only human, and they will make mistakes.... but that many in a game of such importance is simply unacceptable to the players, the league and the fans.
If the Steelers had not managed to hold on and win, I suppose I could be called a sore loser. They did manage to avoid the ass pillaging the officials seemed intent on handing them so that must make me a sore winner. So be it.
I felt that both teams came out and played great football. The Steelers caught the Colts off guard with their aggressive play calling and unusually high percentage of passing plays in the first half. The Steelers D played as good a game as you can ask of them and found ways to pressure Manning. Kudos to the D and the Dick the D Coordinator. Coach Dungy was classy in his loss and I felt bad that he had to lose something else precious to him this year. (stark contrast when compared with his whining primadonna QB that called out his O Line in the post game press conference. Good luck with that next year Manning. Both of you are little primadonna bitches in STeelerJosh's book and you both got your just desserts in the playoffs)
The Steelers dominated the Colts on the field and on the stat sheet....despite being apparently being outnumbered on the field with 11 Colts and several officials playing against the 11 Steelers.
/Rant
I will be in Orlando Florida next weekend for Lotusphere and will be looking for a place to catch the AFC championship game at 3 PM on Sunday. Anyone know any good bars near The Swan in Disney? Here We Go Steelers!!
--------------------------------------------------
Poker news. I won $50 playing with 7 friends last weekend by playing 3 $10 SNGs. I got it all in heads up with a favorite hand of mine, "Bah Fight" (heavy Boston accent required). KJs vs 89s. Both hearts, both all in pre flop. I am excited but the 6 on the flop opened the door and runner runner gives the villain a 10 high straight and I take $20 instead of $60. I won the last game for a nice $50 profit overall. I have another live game this Friday night. Online, I was holding my own, but went on a slight tear tonight by losing three heads up matches and two six person SNGs. Net for the night? -60 and over half of my bankroll. At least the Steelers won.
Rant
What a game.... and what horrible officiating. It has been pretty poor during the entire playoffs, but today took the cake. I have never seen a game officiated so poorly with incorrect and missed calls playing such important roles!! The saddest part? The Steelers or the Colts might get a letter next week apologizing about the incorrect call, but what solace is that?
Why are officials blowing whistles on possible interceptions when that is the exact opposite of what they are supposed to do? If there is even a chance it was intercepted, they are directed to allow the play to complete so they can make the correct ruling, not end any chance of the play being reviewed or correctly called. That interception was close and a tough call in my admittedly biased opinion, but it was stillborn...never given its proper chance.
Riddle me this... A defender touches a offensive lineman in his stance, a whistle blows and another lineman stands up. The officials basically call "do-over". When did the playground accepted call of "do over" become NFL policy? There should have been a flag on that play. Either the Steelers had a false start or the Colts were guilty of encroachment. No such animal as a "do over" in the NFL unless there are offsetting penalties.
I am not even going to get started on the pass interference no call early in the game against a deep Randle El. I might be to biased on that one, but it looked like interference to me. I must have been seeing things today, because I also a sack in the endzone that would have been ruled a safety by any other officiating crew in the world. (Pop Warner officials included)
Finally, and perhaps the most outrageous blown call, is the overturned interception by Polamalu that would have for all intents and purposes ended the game. That was pure unadulterated bullshit. If I believed online poker was rigged, I guess I could make the logic leap that perhaps the officials were "gotten to" by someone who wanted to influence the game. However, I don't think online poker is rigged and I really don't think that the game was "fixed". I do think that those officials should be reviewed and their future in the NFL should be seriously considered. I also think that the NFL needs to have a more open policy about their review process for officials and their calls. I know they are only human, and they will make mistakes.... but that many in a game of such importance is simply unacceptable to the players, the league and the fans.
If the Steelers had not managed to hold on and win, I suppose I could be called a sore loser. They did manage to avoid the ass pillaging the officials seemed intent on handing them so that must make me a sore winner. So be it.
I felt that both teams came out and played great football. The Steelers caught the Colts off guard with their aggressive play calling and unusually high percentage of passing plays in the first half. The Steelers D played as good a game as you can ask of them and found ways to pressure Manning. Kudos to the D and the Dick the D Coordinator. Coach Dungy was classy in his loss and I felt bad that he had to lose something else precious to him this year. (stark contrast when compared with his whining primadonna QB that called out his O Line in the post game press conference. Good luck with that next year Manning. Both of you are little primadonna bitches in STeelerJosh's book and you both got your just desserts in the playoffs)
The Steelers dominated the Colts on the field and on the stat sheet....despite being apparently being outnumbered on the field with 11 Colts and several officials playing against the 11 Steelers.
/Rant
I will be in Orlando Florida next weekend for Lotusphere and will be looking for a place to catch the AFC championship game at 3 PM on Sunday. Anyone know any good bars near The Swan in Disney? Here We Go Steelers!!
--------------------------------------------------
Poker news. I won $50 playing with 7 friends last weekend by playing 3 $10 SNGs. I got it all in heads up with a favorite hand of mine, "Bah Fight" (heavy Boston accent required). KJs vs 89s. Both hearts, both all in pre flop. I am excited but the 6 on the flop opened the door and runner runner gives the villain a 10 high straight and I take $20 instead of $60. I won the last game for a nice $50 profit overall. I have another live game this Friday night. Online, I was holding my own, but went on a slight tear tonight by losing three heads up matches and two six person SNGs. Net for the night? -60 and over half of my bankroll. At least the Steelers won.
Monday, December 12, 2005
Poker Doldrums
Not much to update. I am still struggling. I have found some good play at Poker Stars and I am still figuring out all the types of games they offer. They seem to have some interesting Sit N Go formats… from 180 people mini tournaments to 4 person SNG shootouts. I have tried two SNGs there. The first one was a 45 person SNG that I played well in. I thought I was going to money, maybe even win… but I went out 10th. 7 spots payed. Oops.
I also played in the 4 person shootout and took a bad beat exit in the first stage. 0 for 2 in the tournaments there, but not discouraged.
I only loaded $50 on the site and lost just over half of that in my 2 tournament tries. I am sad to admit that I lost the other half on limit hold ‘em. I would prefer to chalk this up to variance as my stats in PokerTracker are the best they have ever been. My VP$IP was around 15 (just under I think) and the other stats (aggression and showdown) looked great also. At one point, my Showdown win % was above 80. It has since come back down, but is still over 50. I was really trying to nut peddle and play position hard. I think the biggest problem I had was not getting the nuts to peddle (I went 73 hands before I had a pocket pair) and I played AK too aggressively. I had it 5 times and only won with it once. I don’t think I was getting too many cards. Down to my last 10, I fired up a NL table and got rid of it. Not my intention, but definitely the result. Should I embrace my inner fish?
To recap on my previous post about questioning myself and my game, I am a net loser for the year. I am a better player, but a losing player. This bothers and perplexes me as it seems paradoxical. Am I good fish? If I have improved, why am I now losing? If I was a loose aggressive luck box before, why am I not a tight aggressive luck box now? You know those times where there is a ridiculously hot seat in a ring game or single table SNG? The seat is playing just about any 2 and winning every race? You get KK and try to push them out the hand. They call and the flop comes with a straight draw possibility. You groan, know you are ahead, and jam hoping that they will fold or risk most of their stack on a gut shot. They call and river the magic bullet. We (blogger community) see it all the time and sometimes even get that seat. Not me, not lately. I am playing the game to the best of my instincts and knowledge, and still coming up short: battling with players that are playing way too many hands, yet are winning more showdowns than they lose. I guess that is what makes this game great; you can win with pure luck.
I have learned to accept this and tell myself, “In the long run, they will lose all of their money playing that way. Stay tight and keep working on your reads”. I have even seen empirical proof of this. Players I have tagged as fish on UB at the higher levels (2/4, 3/6) are invariably logged in playing at the play money tables within a week or two. I feel a small sense of satisfaction that their evil suckout strategy ways have caught up with them, but I am just a losing session or two away from joining them. Who is laughing now?
I have loaded two minimum transactions onto Party Poker and Poker Stars in the last three weeks. As of Thursday, I have nothing to show for them. The Party $55 buy in I dedicated to $10 SNGs. I placed second in one, lost the rest. The Poker Stars $50 buy in I decided to see what I could do in low limit (.50/1) HE and see what SNG’s they had. I liked the taste I had there and think that I may load some more money on there and dedicate it to low buy in SNGs and tourneys. Overall, I am feeling kind of turned off by poker. When I get free time and I am faced with the choice of poker/SOCOM3/going to the gym, lately, SOCOM 3 has been winning. I just feel like I have “more control” in that silly game and I do not have control on the virtual felt (at least not lately). Not self control, but control over my fate in general. I think a high finish in a MTT would be a great shot for the bankroll and the poker state of mind. I think I will be taking some cracks at these games. Jordan, Dnasty, Chipper, DoubleAs... most of the other blogs I read have all had at least one of these wins. GCox, do you have any big MTT finishes? I don't, but I plan to keep on trying.
On second thought, perhaps I would be best served by choosing the gym! We shall see about that…
I also played in the 4 person shootout and took a bad beat exit in the first stage. 0 for 2 in the tournaments there, but not discouraged.
I only loaded $50 on the site and lost just over half of that in my 2 tournament tries. I am sad to admit that I lost the other half on limit hold ‘em. I would prefer to chalk this up to variance as my stats in PokerTracker are the best they have ever been. My VP$IP was around 15 (just under I think) and the other stats (aggression and showdown) looked great also. At one point, my Showdown win % was above 80. It has since come back down, but is still over 50. I was really trying to nut peddle and play position hard. I think the biggest problem I had was not getting the nuts to peddle (I went 73 hands before I had a pocket pair) and I played AK too aggressively. I had it 5 times and only won with it once. I don’t think I was getting too many cards. Down to my last 10, I fired up a NL table and got rid of it. Not my intention, but definitely the result. Should I embrace my inner fish?
To recap on my previous post about questioning myself and my game, I am a net loser for the year. I am a better player, but a losing player. This bothers and perplexes me as it seems paradoxical. Am I good fish? If I have improved, why am I now losing? If I was a loose aggressive luck box before, why am I not a tight aggressive luck box now? You know those times where there is a ridiculously hot seat in a ring game or single table SNG? The seat is playing just about any 2 and winning every race? You get KK and try to push them out the hand. They call and the flop comes with a straight draw possibility. You groan, know you are ahead, and jam hoping that they will fold or risk most of their stack on a gut shot. They call and river the magic bullet. We (blogger community) see it all the time and sometimes even get that seat. Not me, not lately. I am playing the game to the best of my instincts and knowledge, and still coming up short: battling with players that are playing way too many hands, yet are winning more showdowns than they lose. I guess that is what makes this game great; you can win with pure luck.
I have learned to accept this and tell myself, “In the long run, they will lose all of their money playing that way. Stay tight and keep working on your reads”. I have even seen empirical proof of this. Players I have tagged as fish on UB at the higher levels (2/4, 3/6) are invariably logged in playing at the play money tables within a week or two. I feel a small sense of satisfaction that their evil suckout strategy ways have caught up with them, but I am just a losing session or two away from joining them. Who is laughing now?
I have loaded two minimum transactions onto Party Poker and Poker Stars in the last three weeks. As of Thursday, I have nothing to show for them. The Party $55 buy in I dedicated to $10 SNGs. I placed second in one, lost the rest. The Poker Stars $50 buy in I decided to see what I could do in low limit (.50/1) HE and see what SNG’s they had. I liked the taste I had there and think that I may load some more money on there and dedicate it to low buy in SNGs and tourneys. Overall, I am feeling kind of turned off by poker. When I get free time and I am faced with the choice of poker/SOCOM3/going to the gym, lately, SOCOM 3 has been winning. I just feel like I have “more control” in that silly game and I do not have control on the virtual felt (at least not lately). Not self control, but control over my fate in general. I think a high finish in a MTT would be a great shot for the bankroll and the poker state of mind. I think I will be taking some cracks at these games. Jordan, Dnasty, Chipper, DoubleAs... most of the other blogs I read have all had at least one of these wins. GCox, do you have any big MTT finishes? I don't, but I plan to keep on trying.
On second thought, perhaps I would be best served by choosing the gym! We shall see about that…
Thursday, December 08, 2005
Some Geeky Holiday Gift Ideas
Some Geeky Holiday Gift Ideas
I already got the big Christmas gift from my wife (can’t use it yet, but I know what it is), but that does not keep me from perusing the e-stores. Here are some of the more interesting gifts I have seen.
1. A USB Powered Coffee Warmer
From usbgeek.com, this little guy plugs into a USB port on your laptop and keeps your drinks warm while you are cracking Aces using the WiFi at your local Starbucks. As if… USBgeek.com is a great site for all you other cubicle monkeys out there. Get your USB Dancing Santa or singing Christmas tree on. Get yours here.
2. A Water Powered Clock
This clock seems pretty cool, it generates its own power from water. It needs no batteries, no plugs, just a fluid with electrolytes (coffee, soda, beer) While GCox25 might think this contraption a waste of perfectly good and slightly dented Keystone Lite, I thought it was pretty neat. According to the site, “We've had ours running for weeks so far and the water levels have barely descended and we haven't had to refill it at all”. Cool. Check it out here.
3. A Keychain TV-Off Remote
I can think of some fun to be had with this one: Office meetings using the Videoconference equipment, Sports Bars during a pivotal moment in a Browns game, schools, in-laws during the holidays… the possibilities are limited only by your devious little brain. Let the tomfoolery begin!
4. A Modern Swiss Army Knife
It boggles my mind to think of what McGuyver could have accomplished with this little beauty. A knife, scissors, file… and 1 GB of storage? Don’t get me started. Want one?
5. A Duct Tape Wallet
Not sure why I thought of my brothers when I saw this, but I did. They are big fans and users of duct tape engineering techniques. Imagine the jealousy if only one of them was to pull this out and buy lunch for the other. Jared, get it before Stefan does.
I already got the big Christmas gift from my wife (can’t use it yet, but I know what it is), but that does not keep me from perusing the e-stores. Here are some of the more interesting gifts I have seen.
1. A USB Powered Coffee Warmer
From usbgeek.com, this little guy plugs into a USB port on your laptop and keeps your drinks warm while you are cracking Aces using the WiFi at your local Starbucks. As if… USBgeek.com is a great site for all you other cubicle monkeys out there. Get your USB Dancing Santa or singing Christmas tree on. Get yours here.2. A Water Powered Clock
This clock seems pretty cool, it generates its own power from water. It needs no batteries, no plugs, just a fluid with electrolytes (coffee, soda, beer) While GCox25 might think this contraption a waste of perfectly good and slightly dented Keystone Lite, I thought it was pretty neat. According to the site, “We've had ours running for weeks so far and the water levels have barely descended and we haven't had to refill it at all”. Cool. Check it out here.
3. A Keychain TV-Off Remote
I can think of some fun to be had with this one: Office meetings using the Videoconference equipment, Sports Bars during a pivotal moment in a Browns game, schools, in-laws during the holidays… the possibilities are limited only by your devious little brain. Let the tomfoolery begin!
4. A Modern Swiss Army Knife
It boggles my mind to think of what McGuyver could have accomplished with this little beauty. A knife, scissors, file… and 1 GB of storage? Don’t get me started. Want one?
5. A Duct Tape Wallet
Not sure why I thought of my brothers when I saw this, but I did. They are big fans and users of duct tape engineering techniques. Imagine the jealousy if only one of them was to pull this out and buy lunch for the other. Jared, get it before Stefan does.
Wednesday, December 07, 2005
Step Away from the Computer with your Hands in the Air
I have not played much poker lately and therefore have not been posting much any content at all.
I am in a waiting period.
First of all, I am waiting for my $150 of seed money to load back into Neteller. I refuse to give them my 8% or whatever they charge for “Insta-Cash”. I loaded it on payday last week, so it should be up there now.
Secondly, I need to reassess myself and my poker goals. I don’t really know what has been going on with me lately. I think that I want to play at levels beyond my bankroll and I fear that a certain sense of entitlement is plaguing me at the tables. Perhaps because I read about poker a lot (blogs, books, etc.) and I know how much more I know now compared to how much I knew when I started… I think that it should automatically make me a winning player. There is the rub. I know that I am a better player than I used to be, and I am a more knowledgeable and aware player, but it has not translated into a constantly winning player.
There are many reasons for this and I feel that I need to explore them and understand them better so I can get past them.
Here is a perfect example. I decided to dedicate my last $50 on PP to $10 SNGs two weekends ago. I am down to that measly $50 because of my previously posted self destruct on PP BJ. (On a side note, I wish I could uninstall that little icon because I am not sure I can always resist the temptation) Anyway, I was resisting the temptation successfully because I had a goal. I played very well in the first SNG and came in second. I was happy with my play and almost took first. This set the tone for me (I thought). I bubbled on the second SNG with a play that I would make again. Got it all in PF with QQ against a very loose player in the BB. Unfortunately, he had AA and neither hand improved. Oh well, in the long run a +EV play I think.
Then, it started going bad for me. I watch all these players playing so loosely and winning! I don’t know if that caused me to play more speculative hands or if the cards just missed me, but I would put some money in a pot with a good starting hand when I was in position and then have to abandon when the flop missed me completely or I was shown a lot of aggression. The very last SNG I played is a good example of what I think one of my problems consists of. Down to my last $10 SNG buy in, I knew I had to make it count. I folded for three orbits and then saw what I thought was an opportunity to steal. I was in LP (1 seat before the button) and it was folded to me. I had KQs (yes, I know, a temptress of a hand that will fail you in the long run) but I felt I had a few things going for me. I had not played a single pot yet. My image was very tight. I was in position. I decided to raise 4x the BB (25/50 at this point). My $200 bet was called by the BB. Not great because I was looking just to steal the blinds, but not panic yet because he just called. I can eliminate a few hands I think. The flop comes rainbow rags with an 8 high. I bet 2/3 pot quickly. I think that this is a good amount because it is probably what I would bet with AA or KK. It is enough to make a chaser think twice and not so much that it appears to be a bluff or a scared bet trying to protect AK. He calls. I do not like that. Unless I catch runner runner heart or a K and then a Q, I think that I am behind in this pot. Did he make a set? Is he slow playing Aces or a high pocket pair? I guess I will find out. The turn is another blank and not a heart. There is a straight draw out there now, but I don’t think that is what I am up against. I fire another bet and leave myself about $100 in chips. Maybe that is a sign of weakness, but I want to see what he will do. He calls again. I know I am beat, but curious why he did not re-raise me. The river is not a K or a Q and I check, ready to fold to any bet. Strangely, he checks too! He shows AQo and takes down the pot. I don’t respond in the chat, but that really pisses me off!! WTF? This is the guy I want to be playing with that will pay me off with my pocket pair and even my AK. The only outs he had on that board were As and Qs and he called ¾ of his stack. Horrible play by my standards, but he is the one with all my chips…. When I think about this hand critically I know that he could not have had a read on me. I had not played a single hand in the first 30 hands. If anything, my image was super tight. I don’t know how he could not have put me on a monster. In a weird way, I would have been happier if he had flipped AA or KK, or even 78 for a pair on the flop. It is beyond me why he did not fold. I guess I could have pushed all in on the turn or the river, but from my perspective that is –EV since my read is that I have run into a hand that has me beat and the other player was pot committed at that point. $135 more for a 1+K pot… ok.
So, can I avoid this situation? Obvious answer yes. Should I have tried for a steal there? I think yes, I would try it again in the future. I know that KQ is kind of a suckers hand, but in this case I think the conditions warranted playing it as I did. If I flipped positions with this guy, I see myself folding the unimproved AQ on the turn or putting me to the test with it…. But just calling to the river with it, I think that is the worst way to play it.
Looking at that situation, I really expected that other player to fold to my show of strength. Maybe he was too inexperienced? Multi Tabling and did not notice I was playing uber tight? I don’t know but I guess if I can figure it out, I will win more. What is the answer here?
Besides expecting other players to recognize what I am doing/projecting, I think I have an issue of playing games outside of my bankroll. I have never ventured above 5/10, and only dabbled there… but I think now that I need to focus much more on building a bankroll slowly. I know that I can play, and win, at higher levels, but 1 donkey move or crying call can really cripple my bankroll. I need to go back to the limit challenge bankroll and set limits for myself. I need to not worry that I just played poker for 2 hours and all I have to show for it is 5 bucks… I should instead look at it as I played for 2 hours and have +25 BB and I am making 12.5 BB an hour. Maybe that will help.
Lastly, as DoubleAs described it (I think it was him), I need to find my ATM. A game or level, or match up that I can consistently win. I may have found it with the UB HU SNG’s, but there is still too much volatility (and the temptation to play $50 or $100 matches!!) to play many of those at my current bankroll.
This is a rambling post, and I will probably go back to reread this later tonight and maybe reorganize it, but I am very open to all of your thoughts. From reading other blogs, I know that we all go through periods of self doubt, introspection, and bankroll flameouts. I guess it is the ones that try to learn from the cycles that benefit the most. I want to benefit.
I am in a waiting period.
First of all, I am waiting for my $150 of seed money to load back into Neteller. I refuse to give them my 8% or whatever they charge for “Insta-Cash”. I loaded it on payday last week, so it should be up there now.
Secondly, I need to reassess myself and my poker goals. I don’t really know what has been going on with me lately. I think that I want to play at levels beyond my bankroll and I fear that a certain sense of entitlement is plaguing me at the tables. Perhaps because I read about poker a lot (blogs, books, etc.) and I know how much more I know now compared to how much I knew when I started… I think that it should automatically make me a winning player. There is the rub. I know that I am a better player than I used to be, and I am a more knowledgeable and aware player, but it has not translated into a constantly winning player.
There are many reasons for this and I feel that I need to explore them and understand them better so I can get past them.
Here is a perfect example. I decided to dedicate my last $50 on PP to $10 SNGs two weekends ago. I am down to that measly $50 because of my previously posted self destruct on PP BJ. (On a side note, I wish I could uninstall that little icon because I am not sure I can always resist the temptation) Anyway, I was resisting the temptation successfully because I had a goal. I played very well in the first SNG and came in second. I was happy with my play and almost took first. This set the tone for me (I thought). I bubbled on the second SNG with a play that I would make again. Got it all in PF with QQ against a very loose player in the BB. Unfortunately, he had AA and neither hand improved. Oh well, in the long run a +EV play I think.
Then, it started going bad for me. I watch all these players playing so loosely and winning! I don’t know if that caused me to play more speculative hands or if the cards just missed me, but I would put some money in a pot with a good starting hand when I was in position and then have to abandon when the flop missed me completely or I was shown a lot of aggression. The very last SNG I played is a good example of what I think one of my problems consists of. Down to my last $10 SNG buy in, I knew I had to make it count. I folded for three orbits and then saw what I thought was an opportunity to steal. I was in LP (1 seat before the button) and it was folded to me. I had KQs (yes, I know, a temptress of a hand that will fail you in the long run) but I felt I had a few things going for me. I had not played a single pot yet. My image was very tight. I was in position. I decided to raise 4x the BB (25/50 at this point). My $200 bet was called by the BB. Not great because I was looking just to steal the blinds, but not panic yet because he just called. I can eliminate a few hands I think. The flop comes rainbow rags with an 8 high. I bet 2/3 pot quickly. I think that this is a good amount because it is probably what I would bet with AA or KK. It is enough to make a chaser think twice and not so much that it appears to be a bluff or a scared bet trying to protect AK. He calls. I do not like that. Unless I catch runner runner heart or a K and then a Q, I think that I am behind in this pot. Did he make a set? Is he slow playing Aces or a high pocket pair? I guess I will find out. The turn is another blank and not a heart. There is a straight draw out there now, but I don’t think that is what I am up against. I fire another bet and leave myself about $100 in chips. Maybe that is a sign of weakness, but I want to see what he will do. He calls again. I know I am beat, but curious why he did not re-raise me. The river is not a K or a Q and I check, ready to fold to any bet. Strangely, he checks too! He shows AQo and takes down the pot. I don’t respond in the chat, but that really pisses me off!! WTF? This is the guy I want to be playing with that will pay me off with my pocket pair and even my AK. The only outs he had on that board were As and Qs and he called ¾ of his stack. Horrible play by my standards, but he is the one with all my chips…. When I think about this hand critically I know that he could not have had a read on me. I had not played a single hand in the first 30 hands. If anything, my image was super tight. I don’t know how he could not have put me on a monster. In a weird way, I would have been happier if he had flipped AA or KK, or even 78 for a pair on the flop. It is beyond me why he did not fold. I guess I could have pushed all in on the turn or the river, but from my perspective that is –EV since my read is that I have run into a hand that has me beat and the other player was pot committed at that point. $135 more for a 1+K pot… ok.
So, can I avoid this situation? Obvious answer yes. Should I have tried for a steal there? I think yes, I would try it again in the future. I know that KQ is kind of a suckers hand, but in this case I think the conditions warranted playing it as I did. If I flipped positions with this guy, I see myself folding the unimproved AQ on the turn or putting me to the test with it…. But just calling to the river with it, I think that is the worst way to play it.
Looking at that situation, I really expected that other player to fold to my show of strength. Maybe he was too inexperienced? Multi Tabling and did not notice I was playing uber tight? I don’t know but I guess if I can figure it out, I will win more. What is the answer here?
Besides expecting other players to recognize what I am doing/projecting, I think I have an issue of playing games outside of my bankroll. I have never ventured above 5/10, and only dabbled there… but I think now that I need to focus much more on building a bankroll slowly. I know that I can play, and win, at higher levels, but 1 donkey move or crying call can really cripple my bankroll. I need to go back to the limit challenge bankroll and set limits for myself. I need to not worry that I just played poker for 2 hours and all I have to show for it is 5 bucks… I should instead look at it as I played for 2 hours and have +25 BB and I am making 12.5 BB an hour. Maybe that will help.
Lastly, as DoubleAs described it (I think it was him), I need to find my ATM. A game or level, or match up that I can consistently win. I may have found it with the UB HU SNG’s, but there is still too much volatility (and the temptation to play $50 or $100 matches!!) to play many of those at my current bankroll.
This is a rambling post, and I will probably go back to reread this later tonight and maybe reorganize it, but I am very open to all of your thoughts. From reading other blogs, I know that we all go through periods of self doubt, introspection, and bankroll flameouts. I guess it is the ones that try to learn from the cycles that benefit the most. I want to benefit.
Tuesday, November 22, 2005
10 Reasons Thanksgiving > Christmas
10 Reasons Thanksgiving is the Best Holiday
10. Grandma’s Stuffing
9. No gifts to wrap
8. Eat and then fall asleep watching football
7. Wake up and eat again
6. Catching up with family
5. Sleeping in on Friday while the women get up early to shop
4. Calvert Hall plays Loyola in the “Turkey Bowl”
3. I can eat a “slice” of Cranberry Sauce faster than you can
2. Leftovers
And the number one reason I love Thanksgiving
1. I don’t have to enter the hellhole that they call a mall during the holidays
While I certainly don’t condone terrorism or the slaughter of innocents, I can almost rationalize it when I have to go into a mall or toy store around Christmas. You can’t park. You get stuck behind the slowest people. They bump into you. You can’t get a salesperson’s attention. Those bell ringing Salvation Army people at the exit of every store. Christmas tunes that are stuck in your head from store Muzak. (Fa-la-la-la-la, la-la-la-laaaaa) Old People. Young People. Adolescent People. Rude People. Nice People. Humanity in general. Checkout lines. The litany of offenses that I think should be punishable by execution on the spot is almost endless.
Whew, I feel a little bit better after venting about that. I am sure this feeling of inner peace will last .05 seconds into my first Christmas shopping trip. See why I love Thanksgiving?
Best Wishes to all of you and your families this week. I hope your team wins, your turkey is cooked to perfection, and your family is together and healthy.
10. Grandma’s Stuffing
9. No gifts to wrap
8. Eat and then fall asleep watching football
7. Wake up and eat again
6. Catching up with family
5. Sleeping in on Friday while the women get up early to shop
4. Calvert Hall plays Loyola in the “Turkey Bowl”
3. I can eat a “slice” of Cranberry Sauce faster than you can
2. Leftovers
And the number one reason I love Thanksgiving
1. I don’t have to enter the hellhole that they call a mall during the holidays
While I certainly don’t condone terrorism or the slaughter of innocents, I can almost rationalize it when I have to go into a mall or toy store around Christmas. You can’t park. You get stuck behind the slowest people. They bump into you. You can’t get a salesperson’s attention. Those bell ringing Salvation Army people at the exit of every store. Christmas tunes that are stuck in your head from store Muzak. (Fa-la-la-la-la, la-la-la-laaaaa) Old People. Young People. Adolescent People. Rude People. Nice People. Humanity in general. Checkout lines. The litany of offenses that I think should be punishable by execution on the spot is almost endless.
Whew, I feel a little bit better after venting about that. I am sure this feeling of inner peace will last .05 seconds into my first Christmas shopping trip. See why I love Thanksgiving?
Best Wishes to all of you and your families this week. I hope your team wins, your turkey is cooked to perfection, and your family is together and healthy.
Monday, November 21, 2005
Horrible Football Weekend
Wow. With the glaring exception of the Buckeyes beating the Wolverines, my football life stunk this weekend. Allow me to recap.
1. The Steelers lost to the Ravens. I think Tommy Maddox should be cut. He played very poorly and appears to have lost whatever it was that he had. Poor and slow decisions along with inaccurate passes doomed the Steelers. It did not help that Ward made an acrobatic punt of an incomplete pass that allowed the defense to intercept in OT. The ideal situation yesterday would have been a win for the Steelers, and a win for the Bengals. This would have put the race for home field in the Steeler's own hands. If they beat Cincy and Indy, they would more than likely have secured home field for the playoffs. It did not turn out that way despite a great Cincy/Indy game.
2. One of my fantasy teams was playing the matchup I was looking forward to the whole season. In my office league, I was facing the Tax Chicks. This team is co-managed by two friends in the tax department and I really, really, really did not want to lose to them. They are also rabid Browns fans. This was a very good football weekend for them. Damn.
3. Gary is probably in agreeance with this one, but for different reasons. Texas Tech beat Oklahoma. I am not a Sooners fan, but I hate the Red Raiders. I dated a girl that went to Tech when I was in the Army and I used to drive 13 hours on my monthly 4 day weekends from California to Lubbock Texas. In addition to the fact that the town is "dry" and if the wind blows in a certain direction the whole place smells like a porta potty, the girl was sleeping with some other guy. I found this out the hard way. Although the failed relationship is ancient history, (and I was pleasantly surprised to find out several months later that the guy was married and was just leading her on), I still hang onto the anti-Red Raider sentiment. It seems that the program there has enjoyed a modicum of success in recent years, but I was surprised to see them take out the Sooners. Sorry GCox25.
So, in summation -
The Browns won - Booooo.
The Steelers lost - BOOOOOOO.
My fantasy teams went 1-2 (and lost the pivotal game to the Tax Chics)
The Red Raiders won. - Booooo.
If there was any positive notes for the weekend it was all the house stuff I got done and a Christmas gift project I am working on for my parents. I made some good progress on it this weekend and I am excited by it. Mom or Dad might stop by here so I can't spill the beans yet but will try to get a picture of the finished product.
1. The Steelers lost to the Ravens. I think Tommy Maddox should be cut. He played very poorly and appears to have lost whatever it was that he had. Poor and slow decisions along with inaccurate passes doomed the Steelers. It did not help that Ward made an acrobatic punt of an incomplete pass that allowed the defense to intercept in OT. The ideal situation yesterday would have been a win for the Steelers, and a win for the Bengals. This would have put the race for home field in the Steeler's own hands. If they beat Cincy and Indy, they would more than likely have secured home field for the playoffs. It did not turn out that way despite a great Cincy/Indy game.
2. One of my fantasy teams was playing the matchup I was looking forward to the whole season. In my office league, I was facing the Tax Chicks. This team is co-managed by two friends in the tax department and I really, really, really did not want to lose to them. They are also rabid Browns fans. This was a very good football weekend for them. Damn.
3. Gary is probably in agreeance with this one, but for different reasons. Texas Tech beat Oklahoma. I am not a Sooners fan, but I hate the Red Raiders. I dated a girl that went to Tech when I was in the Army and I used to drive 13 hours on my monthly 4 day weekends from California to Lubbock Texas. In addition to the fact that the town is "dry" and if the wind blows in a certain direction the whole place smells like a porta potty, the girl was sleeping with some other guy. I found this out the hard way. Although the failed relationship is ancient history, (and I was pleasantly surprised to find out several months later that the guy was married and was just leading her on), I still hang onto the anti-Red Raider sentiment. It seems that the program there has enjoyed a modicum of success in recent years, but I was surprised to see them take out the Sooners. Sorry GCox25.
So, in summation -
The Browns won - Booooo.
The Steelers lost - BOOOOOOO.
My fantasy teams went 1-2 (and lost the pivotal game to the Tax Chics)
The Red Raiders won. - Booooo.
If there was any positive notes for the weekend it was all the house stuff I got done and a Christmas gift project I am working on for my parents. I made some good progress on it this weekend and I am excited by it. Mom or Dad might stop by here so I can't spill the beans yet but will try to get a picture of the finished product.
Friday, November 18, 2005
Shout out to Spoof Dawg
I know my little brother stops by this blog from time to time to check on his older brother. We live in different states, so we only get to see each other a handful of times each year and like typical guys, I am not too big on talking on the phone. He is a great guy and a great brother to me so it really struck a chord in me when he recently had to be hospitalized.
It was tough to see him in the hospital bed with only a fraction of his usual energy and personality... and very telling about Stefan as a person that his hospital room was standing room only. I came in from Ohio on a Saturday and went straight to the hospital with SteelerSteph. When we found his room, there were already three people in there, Steph and I made two more and within 30 minutes 4 more people! I am sure there were some hospital rules being broken, but maybe they turned a blind eye because they liked Stefan so much too.
Fast forward a few weeks and I talked to Stefan on the phone this week about my upcoming visit back home for Thanksgiving. I was very relieved to hear the old Stefan on the phone with me. He is still recovering, and slowly putting some weight back on, but his spirit is back. I know it was a pretty dark time for him and I respect him even more for battling through it. We talked about maybe setting up a blog of his own while I will be in town. He is a very well spoken and literate man, it would be something that I would be interested in reading. I hope that he takes up my offer.
So if you know a person suffering with celiac disease keep them in your thoughts and prayers and give a shout out to my little bro.
Love ya bro.
It was tough to see him in the hospital bed with only a fraction of his usual energy and personality... and very telling about Stefan as a person that his hospital room was standing room only. I came in from Ohio on a Saturday and went straight to the hospital with SteelerSteph. When we found his room, there were already three people in there, Steph and I made two more and within 30 minutes 4 more people! I am sure there were some hospital rules being broken, but maybe they turned a blind eye because they liked Stefan so much too.
Fast forward a few weeks and I talked to Stefan on the phone this week about my upcoming visit back home for Thanksgiving. I was very relieved to hear the old Stefan on the phone with me. He is still recovering, and slowly putting some weight back on, but his spirit is back. I know it was a pretty dark time for him and I respect him even more for battling through it. We talked about maybe setting up a blog of his own while I will be in town. He is a very well spoken and literate man, it would be something that I would be interested in reading. I hope that he takes up my offer.
So if you know a person suffering with celiac disease keep them in your thoughts and prayers and give a shout out to my little bro.
Love ya bro.
Thanks for the Support
I was surprised at the amount and type of comments I got on my recent donkeyness on Party's BlackJack. Thanks for all your support.
$300 is not going to make or break me, and the amount of money is not really what troubles me. It is the lack of discipline and the desire to gamboool. I'd like to think of myself as a better than average player. I read about poker, practice poker, think about poker, and try to adjust my game to table conditions. I think that should put me a step or two ahead of the competition.
The rub is that I want to be a winning player. Who doesn't? The reality is that I could sink $100 a month into this "hobby" and be fine financially, but I want this to be a moneymaker, not moneytaker. I am a competitive person and the bankroll is the scorekeeper for this sport. I do not like to have my butt kicked.
So is there a takeaway from this? I guess. Stay way from -EV games (even if there is a chance of a large and instant payoff). Stick to the levels that my bankroll dictate. This is my second trip down bankroll demolition drive. This trip was a different route, but with the same result.
I fell that I am left with a decision point.
1. I can play at the higher levels and risk loading money on each month. I enjoy the higher stakes and the opportunity to win more. I also think that the higher levels offer more learning opportunities.
2. I can play at the lower levels and build my bankroll and gain some more experience. The trade off here is that the time/money quotient is much lower. My time is valuable. If I spent 2 hours at .05/.10 HE and have +$5.00 to show for it, is that really worth it? I more than likely will not have learned much, ABC poker seems to be the way to go at the lower limit tables.
I could argue the benefits of either decision. My plan for right now is to load some more money onto Neteller and really focus on the levels I should be playing according to my bankroll. I feel comfortable in a 2/4 through 5/10 game, but I think I need to prove to myself that I have the discipline to earn my way to those games. If I am consistently making money (right decisions) at the 1/2 game, then eventually my bankroll will allow me to move up. This path is proven. I read DoubleAs old posts. His results are somewhat atypical, but not unachievable.
So, thanks for the comments of support, and yes Veneno, I want another crack at you. I will be online, learning, reading, playing with the rest of you and fighting my "Hey Josh, let's GAMBOOOOOOL!!" demons like the rest of you. It looks like it will be a constant battle.
$300 is not going to make or break me, and the amount of money is not really what troubles me. It is the lack of discipline and the desire to gamboool. I'd like to think of myself as a better than average player. I read about poker, practice poker, think about poker, and try to adjust my game to table conditions. I think that should put me a step or two ahead of the competition.
The rub is that I want to be a winning player. Who doesn't? The reality is that I could sink $100 a month into this "hobby" and be fine financially, but I want this to be a moneymaker, not moneytaker. I am a competitive person and the bankroll is the scorekeeper for this sport. I do not like to have my butt kicked.
So is there a takeaway from this? I guess. Stay way from -EV games (even if there is a chance of a large and instant payoff). Stick to the levels that my bankroll dictate. This is my second trip down bankroll demolition drive. This trip was a different route, but with the same result.
I fell that I am left with a decision point.
1. I can play at the higher levels and risk loading money on each month. I enjoy the higher stakes and the opportunity to win more. I also think that the higher levels offer more learning opportunities.
2. I can play at the lower levels and build my bankroll and gain some more experience. The trade off here is that the time/money quotient is much lower. My time is valuable. If I spent 2 hours at .05/.10 HE and have +$5.00 to show for it, is that really worth it? I more than likely will not have learned much, ABC poker seems to be the way to go at the lower limit tables.
I could argue the benefits of either decision. My plan for right now is to load some more money onto Neteller and really focus on the levels I should be playing according to my bankroll. I feel comfortable in a 2/4 through 5/10 game, but I think I need to prove to myself that I have the discipline to earn my way to those games. If I am consistently making money (right decisions) at the 1/2 game, then eventually my bankroll will allow me to move up. This path is proven. I read DoubleAs old posts. His results are somewhat atypical, but not unachievable.
So, thanks for the comments of support, and yes Veneno, I want another crack at you. I will be online, learning, reading, playing with the rest of you and fighting my "Hey Josh, let's GAMBOOOOOOL!!" demons like the rest of you. It looks like it will be a constant battle.
Thursday, November 17, 2005
HEE-HAW
I am a bankroll donkey.
I am a bankroll donkey.
I am a bankroll donkey.
I uninstalled Party Poker from my computer last night after I proved to myself that I am unable to resist the temptation to donk around on the BlackJack they offer. The +$350 I gained on that site this past weekend. Gone with the Donk. I tried to chase a $100 SNG bust out. Bet $100, 12 vs a dealer's showing 8. Hit. Bust. Oops.
Bet $100 again, dealer blackjacks (with the A as the down card, not that I would have bought insurance anyway)
Last $100.... can't lose three in a row, can I? You bet I can!!
Embarassed and pissed at myself for urinating away many hours of building the bankroll on PP, I uninstalled the software. That will teach me!!
Back to the UB.
I am a bankroll donkey.
I am a bankroll donkey.
I uninstalled Party Poker from my computer last night after I proved to myself that I am unable to resist the temptation to donk around on the BlackJack they offer. The +$350 I gained on that site this past weekend. Gone with the Donk. I tried to chase a $100 SNG bust out. Bet $100, 12 vs a dealer's showing 8. Hit. Bust. Oops.
Bet $100 again, dealer blackjacks (with the A as the down card, not that I would have bought insurance anyway)
Last $100.... can't lose three in a row, can I? You bet I can!!
Embarassed and pissed at myself for urinating away many hours of building the bankroll on PP, I uninstalled the software. That will teach me!!
Back to the UB.
Friday, November 11, 2005
Jarred memories from Jarhead
I saw Jarhead this weekend and it brought back a lot of memories from my own basic training. Those memories are a real mixed bag, amazing highs and lows all concentrated into a 3+ month surreal experience. The live fire exercise where one Marine freaks out, stands up and catches one in the skull really took me back to our day on that range.
1st Platoon, Echo Company of the 2/13 Armor Battalion was headed to the range on a rainy Kentucky day in October. Rucksacks and rifles, canteens and camaraderie, marching or running…. that is how we rolled. We marched or “double timed” all over Ft. Knox except for the occasional ride crammed in the back of a deuce and half. “Nut to Butt, get to know your neighbor!!” I think we marched to the live fire range that day on a cold wet gray day. I was kind of excited; this would be the first time that we were going to do anything with live rounds whizzing over our heads. I was not worried about getting shot; they told us that as long as we stayed down we had nothing to worry about. The rounds may seem like they were right over head but were actually being fired about 6 feet above the ground. I took their word for it.
The range had a sand/dirt/rock surface that really, really sucked to low crawl on…. and low crawl we did. For those not familiar with this exercise, you have to low crawl on your stomach and back underneath an obstacle that is strung with very low concertina wire (barbed wire) and around demo pits. Crawling under the wire is interesting; it grabs and snatches at everything on you - uniform, canteen, rifle, helmet cover. The trick is to just go slow and make your way through. I don’t recall anyone freaking out about the bullets and tracers zipping by overhead, but it made for an interesting night. The part I do remember is someone pissing off a drill instructor and the whole platoon having to do it again. And again. By the time we finished that “training” it was very dark and I had worn the skin off the insides of my knees and elbows. The damn wet sand got into my BDU’s and the constant scraping of low crawling through the course was like sandpaper for skin. The other really neat part of the night was when I paused too close to a demo pit and it went off. The concussion of the blast picked me up and flipped me over. I was stunned and disoriented for a little, but eventually got my head out of my ass and finished.
Another nagging memory I have of basic training is the feeling of a complete lack of control. I was completely at the mercy of the drill instructors. I ran until they were tired. I polished and pressed until they were satisfied. I ate what, when, and as fast as they desired. It was a weird feeling, many times I felt a sense of detachment as my mind left my tired body. How much brain power do you need to just keep running? This one night, we did something to make the drill sergeant unhappy and he decided we needed some running and exercise to remedy the situation. I think it was the closest to hysteria I have ever been. I was just running and crying. Guys around me were doing the same with many just flipping out. I was completely at the mercy of the DI and his whistle. It seems funny to write about here and kind of hard to explain, but that night I was not sure when, if ever it would end. He just kept thrashing us and there was no alternative. If someone dropped back, it seemed to piss him off more and made it worse. What can you do?
Basic was not all bad though. There were many bad times and tough days, but the often talked about sense of camaraderie is real and helps. It may suck, but it sucks for all of you and you are all in it together. They really teach you to live and die as a team. The sense of accomplishment when you complete it is also one of the greatest feelings I have experienced to date. It is up there with the day I got married.
There were a few other very memorable days in Basic that included the first time I fired the main gun on my M1A1, the graduation day when my father came in uniform (he was a Major at the time) and my Drill Instructors had to come to attention for him and salute him... ha! I will also not forget turning 18 in the middle of basic and the week plus that I spent in reception and processing - what an odd time that was. Perhaps I will be motivated to post about some of those experiences soon. Hooahh. Go Army.... just not while Bush is still in office.
1st Platoon, Echo Company of the 2/13 Armor Battalion was headed to the range on a rainy Kentucky day in October. Rucksacks and rifles, canteens and camaraderie, marching or running…. that is how we rolled. We marched or “double timed” all over Ft. Knox except for the occasional ride crammed in the back of a deuce and half. “Nut to Butt, get to know your neighbor!!” I think we marched to the live fire range that day on a cold wet gray day. I was kind of excited; this would be the first time that we were going to do anything with live rounds whizzing over our heads. I was not worried about getting shot; they told us that as long as we stayed down we had nothing to worry about. The rounds may seem like they were right over head but were actually being fired about 6 feet above the ground. I took their word for it.
The range had a sand/dirt/rock surface that really, really sucked to low crawl on…. and low crawl we did. For those not familiar with this exercise, you have to low crawl on your stomach and back underneath an obstacle that is strung with very low concertina wire (barbed wire) and around demo pits. Crawling under the wire is interesting; it grabs and snatches at everything on you - uniform, canteen, rifle, helmet cover. The trick is to just go slow and make your way through. I don’t recall anyone freaking out about the bullets and tracers zipping by overhead, but it made for an interesting night. The part I do remember is someone pissing off a drill instructor and the whole platoon having to do it again. And again. By the time we finished that “training” it was very dark and I had worn the skin off the insides of my knees and elbows. The damn wet sand got into my BDU’s and the constant scraping of low crawling through the course was like sandpaper for skin. The other really neat part of the night was when I paused too close to a demo pit and it went off. The concussion of the blast picked me up and flipped me over. I was stunned and disoriented for a little, but eventually got my head out of my ass and finished.
Another nagging memory I have of basic training is the feeling of a complete lack of control. I was completely at the mercy of the drill instructors. I ran until they were tired. I polished and pressed until they were satisfied. I ate what, when, and as fast as they desired. It was a weird feeling, many times I felt a sense of detachment as my mind left my tired body. How much brain power do you need to just keep running? This one night, we did something to make the drill sergeant unhappy and he decided we needed some running and exercise to remedy the situation. I think it was the closest to hysteria I have ever been. I was just running and crying. Guys around me were doing the same with many just flipping out. I was completely at the mercy of the DI and his whistle. It seems funny to write about here and kind of hard to explain, but that night I was not sure when, if ever it would end. He just kept thrashing us and there was no alternative. If someone dropped back, it seemed to piss him off more and made it worse. What can you do?
Basic was not all bad though. There were many bad times and tough days, but the often talked about sense of camaraderie is real and helps. It may suck, but it sucks for all of you and you are all in it together. They really teach you to live and die as a team. The sense of accomplishment when you complete it is also one of the greatest feelings I have experienced to date. It is up there with the day I got married.
There were a few other very memorable days in Basic that included the first time I fired the main gun on my M1A1, the graduation day when my father came in uniform (he was a Major at the time) and my Drill Instructors had to come to attention for him and salute him... ha! I will also not forget turning 18 in the middle of basic and the week plus that I spent in reception and processing - what an odd time that was. Perhaps I will be motivated to post about some of those experiences soon. Hooahh. Go Army.... just not while Bush is still in office.
Thursday, November 10, 2005
No poker this week, but a lot of good posts about it
Stupidly busy week at work with 12+ hour days being the norm leave little time for Poker and SOCOM. Over four years of marriage under the belt have produced a wiser, more mature (p-whipped?) me that instead chose to spend my hour or two awake at home each night with the wife. She is never happy when I am not home until 8:30 or 9, I figure that ignoring her for a hobby would only exacerbate the situation...
Despite the busy work week, I found some time to read blocs through my bloglines while waiting for the phone to ring while taking support calls. There was a good post by Chipper about blind stealing that made me think about my actions when in those positions. He backs it up with some data. Thanks Chipper. I also enjoyed thinking about Will-Wonka's Drawing Dead post. He has had some great self game examination posts lately which might jog something in your own head about your game.
I also enjoyed reading my usual suspects: Jordan, Gary, Derek, Mourn (cool word association post that I happen to agree with), and all the other blogs on the right of this one.
Lastly, a blog I added to my blogroll recently is ScurvyDog's Sound of a Suckout. For some reason I picture him as the pirate guy in DodgeBall. Aaarrgh.
I also saw Jarhead last weekend and it inspired me to write up the memories it stirred from my Army Basic Training, it is sitting in draft mode on Blogger right now. I kind of ran out of steam, and it does not fit anywhere in this blog.... but it was cool to reminisce and be amazed at what I endured in the fall of 1993.
Poker Forecast - Intermittent throughout the weekend with almost a 0% chance on Sunday. I am headed into the Burgh late Friday or early Saturday to visit the inlaws and get ready for the big game Sunday night. I took Monday off from work as a day of recovery. I am a little concerned about the outcome of the Sunday night game. The Browns always play the Steelers tough and the Steelers have some key injuries. Roethlisberger - Out, Batch starting in his place. Jerome Bettis and "Fast" Willie Parker - out, Duce Staley and Verron Haynes starting in their places. LB Joey Porter, may be out and I have not heard about Farrior. This is such a great rivalry, I really hope the Steelers win. Cleveland stinks.
Despite the busy work week, I found some time to read blocs through my bloglines while waiting for the phone to ring while taking support calls. There was a good post by Chipper about blind stealing that made me think about my actions when in those positions. He backs it up with some data. Thanks Chipper. I also enjoyed thinking about Will-Wonka's Drawing Dead post. He has had some great self game examination posts lately which might jog something in your own head about your game.
I also enjoyed reading my usual suspects: Jordan, Gary, Derek, Mourn (cool word association post that I happen to agree with), and all the other blogs on the right of this one.
Lastly, a blog I added to my blogroll recently is ScurvyDog's Sound of a Suckout. For some reason I picture him as the pirate guy in DodgeBall. Aaarrgh.
I also saw Jarhead last weekend and it inspired me to write up the memories it stirred from my Army Basic Training, it is sitting in draft mode on Blogger right now. I kind of ran out of steam, and it does not fit anywhere in this blog.... but it was cool to reminisce and be amazed at what I endured in the fall of 1993.
Poker Forecast - Intermittent throughout the weekend with almost a 0% chance on Sunday. I am headed into the Burgh late Friday or early Saturday to visit the inlaws and get ready for the big game Sunday night. I took Monday off from work as a day of recovery. I am a little concerned about the outcome of the Sunday night game. The Browns always play the Steelers tough and the Steelers have some key injuries. Roethlisberger - Out, Batch starting in his place. Jerome Bettis and "Fast" Willie Parker - out, Duce Staley and Verron Haynes starting in their places. LB Joey Porter, may be out and I have not heard about Farrior. This is such a great rivalry, I really hope the Steelers win. Cleveland stinks.
Wednesday, November 02, 2005
thirtysomething
Remember that show?
I do.
I think my parents may have watched it, it was kind of a hit during its run. If I recall, it was a bunch of thirtysomething yuppies and the drama that was their world.
They seemed old to me then. Now? Not so much.
I turned thirtysomething yesterday. It rained and I was sick. Harbinger of things to come? I hope not.
I know some of the fellow bloggers I play poker with have already passed this milestone, and some others (despite what a judge might guess) are still approaching. Some people let it pass without much thought or fanfare, others get a tattoo. Overall, I can't complain too much. I am healthy, have a great loving wife, and a great supportive family. Enough said.
For my birthday, my wife and her brother and his fiance took me out to dinner at a nice restaurant called House of Hunan in Medina, OH this past Saturday. We ate in the Tatami Room and had to take off our shoes. It was the kind of room and table where you sit on the floor...kind of authentic. The service and food was great and the best part of the evening was when I got two tickets to the Steelers v. Browns Sunday night game this November 13th. There will be 5 of us going down to tailgate and then cheer the Stillers past those stinky Browns. I can't wait. I LOVE tailgating in Pittsburgh and especially against their rivals... the Cleveland Browns. I have made the Pittsburgh v. Cleveland game the past 4 or 5 years and they are always good games. We hate the Browns and they hate us. Does it get any better than that?!!? I will get my face painted as usual and will be yelling belligerently while wearing my latest piece of Steelers paraphenilia... I have dubbed it the Hurtin' Helmet. When I put it on, even without any drinking, I immediately feel like drinking and yelling and tackling things. It is an instant and amazing transformation. So far, its use has been confined to home, the 13th will be its first real game use. "Who Rides? We Ride!!" Oh yeah Joey, you know it.
This is turning into a rambling post. My head is still a little fuzzy from being sick. I feel a weird sense of detachment from reality, and odd lightheadedness. I will conclude with some poker news.
I have been focusing on HU SNGs again and doing well. I felt lucky yesterday and took a shot at a Single Table $30 SNG. I won! The defining hand was when I called an all in with QQ and a big chip stack trying to knock out a short stack that came over top of me on the button. I was hoping to see AK or a smaller than KK pair. Doh! However, the poker gods smiled upon me and smote his wired Aces by giving my quad Queens. Talk about overkill.... I went on to win and credit all the HU play for getting me first. I was outchipped when we got to the final 2 by almost 2 to 1 and through steady and controlled pressure, I got all of his chips. I cashed out $100 to Neteller as some profit taking and kept the other $50 in UB. Nice.
Hope everyone else is having a good week and cracking with quads.
I do.
I think my parents may have watched it, it was kind of a hit during its run. If I recall, it was a bunch of thirtysomething yuppies and the drama that was their world.
They seemed old to me then. Now? Not so much.
I turned thirtysomething yesterday. It rained and I was sick. Harbinger of things to come? I hope not.
I know some of the fellow bloggers I play poker with have already passed this milestone, and some others (despite what a judge might guess) are still approaching. Some people let it pass without much thought or fanfare, others get a tattoo. Overall, I can't complain too much. I am healthy, have a great loving wife, and a great supportive family. Enough said.
For my birthday, my wife and her brother and his fiance took me out to dinner at a nice restaurant called House of Hunan in Medina, OH this past Saturday. We ate in the Tatami Room and had to take off our shoes. It was the kind of room and table where you sit on the floor...kind of authentic. The service and food was great and the best part of the evening was when I got two tickets to the Steelers v. Browns Sunday night game this November 13th. There will be 5 of us going down to tailgate and then cheer the Stillers past those stinky Browns. I can't wait. I LOVE tailgating in Pittsburgh and especially against their rivals... the Cleveland Browns. I have made the Pittsburgh v. Cleveland game the past 4 or 5 years and they are always good games. We hate the Browns and they hate us. Does it get any better than that?!!? I will get my face painted as usual and will be yelling belligerently while wearing my latest piece of Steelers paraphenilia... I have dubbed it the Hurtin' Helmet. When I put it on, even without any drinking, I immediately feel like drinking and yelling and tackling things. It is an instant and amazing transformation. So far, its use has been confined to home, the 13th will be its first real game use. "Who Rides? We Ride!!" Oh yeah Joey, you know it.
This is turning into a rambling post. My head is still a little fuzzy from being sick. I feel a weird sense of detachment from reality, and odd lightheadedness. I will conclude with some poker news.
I have been focusing on HU SNGs again and doing well. I felt lucky yesterday and took a shot at a Single Table $30 SNG. I won! The defining hand was when I called an all in with QQ and a big chip stack trying to knock out a short stack that came over top of me on the button. I was hoping to see AK or a smaller than KK pair. Doh! However, the poker gods smiled upon me and smote his wired Aces by giving my quad Queens. Talk about overkill.... I went on to win and credit all the HU play for getting me first. I was outchipped when we got to the final 2 by almost 2 to 1 and through steady and controlled pressure, I got all of his chips. I cashed out $100 to Neteller as some profit taking and kept the other $50 in UB. Nice.
Hope everyone else is having a good week and cracking with quads.
Friday, October 28, 2005
I Think I Get It
Something snapped into place recently and I am experiencing some cool things at the poker tables. For whatever reason (probably has something to do with several poker books, thousand and thousands of hands, daily poker blog reading, and general experience) I am starting to be able to put my opponent on a hand and trust my instincts that have developed.
I have been playing mostly low limit ($10) HU matches lately so this is where it has manifested itself. My hunch is that this is the easiest time to get a read on an opponent because you only have one to concentrate on and you get the opportunity to see some hands shown down. Hopefully, this will continue to the ring and tournament games.
Here is the example that semi-clarified this for me. Two nights ago I was playing a $10 HU against Jersey Cutie on UB. I had Ax in the SB and raised 1 BB. JC called and I made a continuation bet on the Q high flop. The board was diverse. JC called. River was no help and I checked curious to see what JC would do. I had employed a check raise on her previously so this was not an obvious sign of weakness. She checked. She was not the check raising type. The river was another blank and I checked it to her. She made a big bet, probably less than half of the pot. For some reason, I knew she had missed her hand or draw and that A high might take this pot. I was confident that she did not even have a low pair. I decided to trust my instinct (and my chip lead that would cushion a bad decision) and I flat called. I was right!! I did not win the pot because I was outkicked, but I was right! I had an instinct, trusted it, and it was on target. I was more excited about "knowing" than losing the couple hundred chips. I went on to win in a good match. JC was better than the average opponent at the $10 level, but still not that good.
It happened again a few times last night. I got to play one quick HU SNG and I made some good value bets and confident river bet calls. This was pretty cool and boosted my HU game confidence even more. DNasty just wrote about his expectation to cash in ~150 player tournaments. I expect to cash in HU matches. HUC2 notwithstanding, I sit down expecting to win in the HU SNGs. It is harder work at the higher levels, but I am working my bankroll back up so I can take a crack at the $50 and $100 matches consistently. I want to have the roll to sustain 10 losses in a row (possible, but not likely) before I play those again.
Not much else to post about. I am growing the bankroll again, almost to the half way mark of my previous high (and spectacular crash and burn) and I finished reading Phil Gordon's Little Green Book. It was a pretty good little read, I plan to read it again before I do anymore serious NL tournament play.
I am very happy that I had that little "Eureka" moment and confirmed it by having it a second night in a row. I think I will try and work on my hand guessing/recognition skills next. This will be a little tougher in HU play because there are many more common starting hands, (almost any 2 cards will seem to do!) but I think hand recognition and prediction will be an important part of building my game.
My favorite new HighOnPoker end quote can be found here. You keep me laughing Jordan.
I have been playing mostly low limit ($10) HU matches lately so this is where it has manifested itself. My hunch is that this is the easiest time to get a read on an opponent because you only have one to concentrate on and you get the opportunity to see some hands shown down. Hopefully, this will continue to the ring and tournament games.
Here is the example that semi-clarified this for me. Two nights ago I was playing a $10 HU against Jersey Cutie on UB. I had Ax in the SB and raised 1 BB. JC called and I made a continuation bet on the Q high flop. The board was diverse. JC called. River was no help and I checked curious to see what JC would do. I had employed a check raise on her previously so this was not an obvious sign of weakness. She checked. She was not the check raising type. The river was another blank and I checked it to her. She made a big bet, probably less than half of the pot. For some reason, I knew she had missed her hand or draw and that A high might take this pot. I was confident that she did not even have a low pair. I decided to trust my instinct (and my chip lead that would cushion a bad decision) and I flat called. I was right!! I did not win the pot because I was outkicked, but I was right! I had an instinct, trusted it, and it was on target. I was more excited about "knowing" than losing the couple hundred chips. I went on to win in a good match. JC was better than the average opponent at the $10 level, but still not that good.
It happened again a few times last night. I got to play one quick HU SNG and I made some good value bets and confident river bet calls. This was pretty cool and boosted my HU game confidence even more. DNasty just wrote about his expectation to cash in ~150 player tournaments. I expect to cash in HU matches. HUC2 notwithstanding, I sit down expecting to win in the HU SNGs. It is harder work at the higher levels, but I am working my bankroll back up so I can take a crack at the $50 and $100 matches consistently. I want to have the roll to sustain 10 losses in a row (possible, but not likely) before I play those again.
Not much else to post about. I am growing the bankroll again, almost to the half way mark of my previous high (and spectacular crash and burn) and I finished reading Phil Gordon's Little Green Book. It was a pretty good little read, I plan to read it again before I do anymore serious NL tournament play.
I am very happy that I had that little "Eureka" moment and confirmed it by having it a second night in a row. I think I will try and work on my hand guessing/recognition skills next. This will be a little tougher in HU play because there are many more common starting hands, (almost any 2 cards will seem to do!) but I think hand recognition and prediction will be an important part of building my game.
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