First of the Day or Two Hands

I played for 3 hrs this morning already. I did OK, again. I won a few small hands to keep me around my buyin. They these 2 hands come along.

This first one didn't change my money much because it was a split-pot.

I have AK and there are 2 limpers in already, then the guy to my right goes allin for $15. I would usually fold here but that was all this guy had and I had $110 in front of me. No matter, I drop this hand and wait for a more sure thing normally. A lot of people put too much stake in AK IMO - it is still only a draw. Anyways I call, everyone else drops, and this retard turns over 67 of spades. I don't get these kinds of people. He was going to make $3.50 if everyone folded. To risk 4 times the pot in EP PF is sad IMO. If, we are ever playing and you see me bet like that you better run because I'm not jokin' or maybe someone's pushing my blinds every time, but still it won't be 67s. LOL. Flop comes 3JJ, 2 of which are spades. I get pissed and hold my breath. Next card, another 3 and the last comes a third J. We chop and he gets his money back. He leaves the table right then, likely embarrassed.

This next hand is where most of my profits came.

I have 66 under the gun and I'm on my last circuit , before I have to run around town. I try to limp putting up $1. Guy in LP raises to $4. Everyone folds around to me. I would normally fold here also, but I was the last hand and I was up a little, figured why not see if I hit the flop. Flop comes T52. I check. He bets $5. I figure that he either has an over-pr or more likely over cards, because of the PF raise in LP. I raise it to $10 to see where I'm at and he calls. Turn 6 - BANG. Since I raised him on the flop, checking would be too suspicious, and likely draw a check, so I bet $10 again. He calls. River was another 5. I bet out $30. He thinks until his time is about up and then calls. I show and he mucks so I never even know. I bet he was a guy that just can't let AK go, plus he probably figured that I was trying to buy the pot and his AK was still good. I don't know and it is aggravating. Because if it was an over-pr he should have reraised the flop to protect the high pr. Maybe because he had position he figured he'd see what my next bet was and the smack me with a raise with his AA or KK. OK, I'm done being a dumbass here. Who cares what he had because I have his money.

Paradise and Empire both have a bonus going so now I'm going to do a little whoring.

Online Bankroll
+79.11
Total $2619.97

Still Rockin' or Still Rollin'

I played for about 2 1/2 hrs this morning after work. I played at the Px $100 tables again. I held my own most of the session to play even poker. But other wise I also hit one big hand AA vs KK, and I held up to take that pot down. Nothing much else to report. Now I'm on my days off, so I plan on getting so cards in. I'm going to try to stick with the $100 tables. Hopefully I don't lose my nerve. I have the bankroll for it.

Online Bankroll
+87.34
Total $2540.86

The Call or Left of Mad Aggression

Well, I get home this morning and there are no $50 tables open on Px but there are 2 open at the $100 stakes. I sit down and I blind down for 30 min or so. El bolas, normally a semi-tight player at $50NL was at my table talking junk with another guy at the table. He seemed to be tilting somewhat and was showing mad aggression. I was one seat over to his left, just where I wanted to be. He was stealing my blinds every time I was on the big. He was raising to $6 PF at least 3 times a cycle. I went into super tight mode and was trying to wait for a nice starting hand. But I got sick of it once when I was on the blind. It was folded around to him, he raised, I had 68s, and called. Flop came 225 I checked and he bet 1/2 pot and I called. 6 came on turn. I check and he bets like $35. I insta-call. River is a K. I check and he goes allin. I don't even hesitate. (I know if I would have lost this hand I'd be writing how loose and dumb I played this hand, but I had a good read on him. He actually showed his junk hands a few times before this when he bluffed and everyone folded.) I take down the hand. The very next hand I am dealt QQ. A few limp around to me, el bolas included. I raise it from the SB to $4 he is the only caller. Flop comes nine high and he goes allin. I call and all he has is a backdoor flush draw. I take down the pot. I took a total of $130 off him in back to back hands. I played a total of 1 1/2 hrs.

Online Bankroll
+134.08
Total $2453.52

Weekly Update

I had a very good week this week. I played every day this week also. I had some hardy swings in some of my sessions but usually needed in the black. I only had 1 losing session all week and that was only for $7. I made close to $310 in the 30 hrs that I played this week. That’s slightly over $10/hr. That ain’t bad at all at the $50NL tables. I doubt that I’ll get in 30 hrs again this week, being that I’m on nights. But I’ll try to get in what I can. Hopefully this streak doesn’t end like the last winning streak. I had about a 2 to 3 week losing streak right after a great week. Positive thoughts, positive thoughts.

Sadly I have some issues that I have to take care of personally, so I’m going to have to rob my bankroll of $250. That sucks but there is no way around it. So in this update I will add (or more correctly put, subtract,) my new bankroll total to reflect the changes.

Week Ending 6/24/06 = +$309.68

Online Bankroll
- $250 robbing the bank
Total $2319.44

Just'a Swingin' or rollercoaster Night

I played at FT and Px and then at Px and UB. I lost at both UB and FT. But I won as usual at PX. Boy they need some more players so there's more tables for me to play at. I played from 5 to 6 tables at a time. I don't know what my problem is, but I just get too board at 1 or 2 tables. I don't know if this means that I need to move up stakes or loosen my game up a little and play more hands.

Last night was a rollercoaster ride and I felt like puking. Here the recap. I played 6 hrs. Cards were pretty dead for me the first 2 1/2 hrs. I got blinded down quite a ways. Down as much as $70. I lost one big hand early on and it was totally my fault. Sometimes I am just so passive that I hurt the ones I love. (Sorry Dr. Phil moment.)

I have 88 and limp in PF as does a few more. (That's not real passive IMO, just a bit conservative. LOL) Flop comes 642 rainbow. Evilass bets pot, I call, and everyone else folds. (Here is where I should have reraised him. I'm not be results oriented because of how the hand turned out, I'm just being a realist here.) He bet pot on turn which was a Q and I called again. (Bad thing is I wasn't worried about the Q, I was pretty sure that didn't help him. So once again I should have bet here also with that read.) River comes a 7 he bets again and I call. (Now IMO, there is no reason to bet the river because, he'll likely only call if I'm beat.) Asshat shows down 58o. He hit his gutshot on the freakin' river. Big hasty semi-bluff after big nasty semi-bluff. (What I truly did wrong here was not reraise the flop. One way or the other I would have found out where I stood in the hand. Bluff would fold. Monster would reraise so I could then throw it away. And a call would still likely let me get a check at the least on the turn. Then I could reassess my situation on the river once he made his play.) I lost most of that $70 on this hand.

Then the cards started to open up a little. I took down multiple small pots and then the nice one came in. This is PF action at its best. (When you're holding the rocket launcher that is.) QQ raises to $2, AK reraises to $8, so I scream lets roll with my AA and run down the aisle to take away a carpet cutter or two. (Damnit, there's that overdone drama again. No more TV for me.) Anyways, they hold up and I'm back in business.

I keep banging out some loot at Px and make it up about $100, luckily, because FT was dead for me. Then I got set-up by FT. (Yes, RK I think FT did this deliberately. OK, maybe not but it felt that way at the time. I am kinda' over it now,) With one of those hands that are made to take your money. I hit a set of 8's on the flop, but sadly the bad guy flopped an 8 high straight. The betting gets ugly from there. I tell FT where it can go and I open up UB.

I continue to make money at Px but sadly on the 3rd hand a UB I run into this crap. I try to limp with 55 but then after my turn a guy makes it a buck. When it gets back around to me there are like 5 callers, so I call another .50. I flop a set of 5's. I check. The original raiser bets well over the pot. Another guy calls the overbet. Everyone else folds around to me. I've seen all that I need to see and go allin for the remainder of my $50. Both call allin. Original raiser shows AA. (His slow played min-raise is what cost me this hand, besides that bitch lady luck. Ohh, I hate her sometimes.) Last guy flopped a set of J's and they hold-up to make him the envy of the table. (Fag.)

So that last hand knocked me down a few tiers. And I ended up by close to $30.
I'm going to bed. It's back to the night shift when I awaken from the cave. Later.

Online Bankroll
+26.29
Total $2569.44

Min-raiser Tip

The aggravating min-raiser.

It is usually a tactic of an agro or semi-loose player. They usually limp PF on a lot of marginal hands, and bet this style on the flop. They still usually play standard with the big 5 PF.

1 - min-raise flop with nothing.
2 - min-raise flop with big hand. (TPTK or better)

Here's my best guess.

The whole plan is to gather info cheap. They usually step up the betting to normal on the turn. Min-raise again if a scare card (for them) hits.

1 - They limp in PF. If they miss they min bet flop.
A - Everyone folds - they take a small pot.
B - Raised by one or 2 players - they fold, getting the info they needed.
C - If they get only one or 2 callers, they take the call as weakness, and will usually bet nice on turn and take down the pot. Scare card hits turn they min raise again, for info for their river play.

2 - They limp in PF. They hit pretty hard.
A - They min raise to see exactly where everyone else is at. If they get one to 2 callers they usual double the min raise on the turn to see how hard they can push and make on the river.
B - They get raised - it's time to rock because they know that player is willing to go harder and farther with marginal hands due to his table image. They also will often not reraise the other player on the flop but wait for the turn and open the betting with a min raise again. Now they usually get the big action they have been trying to get.

This strategy is a controlled aggression - some people actually run the tempo of the table well and make good money at ring tables. On the tourney front they quite often pull in a lot of small pots due to the overall tight nature of tourneys - especially in mid stages and near the bubble. And accumulating chips only makes there plays stronger and their bluffs run better. Everyone knows the guy is bluffing a lot but are hesitant in risking their chips, because he bets his bluffs the same way he would if he spiked 2 pr.

Slow-playing and calling down this guy till the river, and then putting the smackdown on him works well. He usually over values kickers and 2 pr. He will usually call small raises until the river also with not much of anything.

Another nice play when in position to try it is to check to him on the flop and then min-raise his min-bet. He will likely call. Then give up the aggression on the turn and check to him. He often will throw out a nice raise at you. Come back over top.

Also if he halfway hits the flop he will usually at least call one more nice raise just to see if he improves.

Often raise his min raise on the flop to negate his tactics and/or gain info to how strong he is. Quite often he will call min-raise of his min-bet. You have to at least triple his min-raise. (Ex: $1 min-bet - you raise to $3 - and you will find out where he stands right then and there.)

So don't fear the min-raiser - Know what he is and what he's doing and use it against him to take those chips.

Later.

The Long Climb Back or Long Session

I played for 5 1/2 hrs last night. I played at Px and FT at the $50 tables. I was down from the very start. I lost a huge pot where I went allin PF with KK vs AA and AK. Aces held the line and I dropped a whole buyin. I scratched and clawed my way out of the hole all night long, just barely making it out of the cave of malcontent.

No joke, I only won with K's once all night. Every other time an Ace hit the board on the flop or turn and there was a pot-sized raise. It was really pissing me off.

The weirdest hand of the night was one where I won. You ever get those hands where you have a very hard call to make and when you're done sweating it to the end and the guy shows his cards you wonder what the retard was thinking trying to steal a miniscule pot with all his chips, with suck a totally crap hand.

I have QQ and raise it to $2 PF. The button goes allin for $17. (I normally wouldn't call a large reraise with Q's, because you'll usually find yourself up against A's or K's.) But this was a huge over bet and it didn't feel like he wanted any action. (Some jerkoffs will pull this junk play with AA, KK, or QQ, but is usually done with AK, when it isn't straight-up shit.) Anyways, I make a crying call here and he turns over J9o. I laugh out loud and then a 7 and a T hit the board. (I apologize real quick like to the poker Gods. Bless their souls.) I start thinking that maybe RK's theory about online poker being fixed maybe has some credence. But no 8 came and my view on the subject isn't swayed for another day.

Online Bankroll
+2.53
Total $$2543.15

2,500 Again or Banging the Wins Out

I had a few smackdowns last night but luckily they didn't put a damper on earnings.

AK vs KQ and the flop came KQ5. Needless to say, I lost a nice chunk of change on that hand.

KK vs AK and the flop comes AA6. He checked the flop and I checked also. In retrospect I definitly should have bet here. He would likely have given up his hand so I knew exactly what I was up against. But no I pussed out and ended up losing $15 more on the turn and river.

But then get this I give back a nice bad beat of my own. I have QhQd and I raise PF. 1 caller. Flop comes 872, 2 of which were hearts. I bet and he raises. I call. 4h comes on the turn. He goes allin for $35. I think about it for a min and then call. This is Px so he shows 88 - trip 8's, damn. River comes the A of hearts. (I jump up and do the happy dance around the living room. Wife says that she trying to sleep, in a real nice tone. I say ok, sorry, and mimic, yak, yak, yak, with hand and mouth movements. Shhh, this is our little secret, OK.)

Online Bankroll
+81.57
Total $$2540.62

1,000 VISITORS

I never would have thought that almost 2 months after starting this blog that I'd have this many visitors. I also have about 15 regulars, though I don't know half of them. I really appreciate the support and comments. I doubt anyone has learned anything from rambling, ranting and raving, but at least you can watch me learn, as I write about my daily jaunts into poker's enigmas. (Boy that sounded more important than it is, there drama boy.)So 2 months ago you saw me start at $1800 and go up to $2500. Then watched as in the course of just 2 weeks I droped back down to $2100. Well in the last 3 weeks I've ground my way back to where I stand know, just shy of $2500 again. Thanks for watching as I learn the game and hopefully make some money along the way as I continue to grow. (Hopefully.) Thanks and later.

Quikie Before Soccer or Hangin' Tuff

I wish it was that kind of quickie, but no, the kids are home.(I could just see me having to come up with a bullshit excuse for what we were doing. "Kids we were wrestling and daddy was winning! Now leave so we can finish the match please!")

I did a quick 2 hr session before today's soccer game. I did well again. But I did have one bad hand. But I was happy with the way I played it. I usually would have just kept pushing hard. I only lost $9 of my $50 sitting at the table.

I have AA and raise it to $2. 1 caller. Flop comes 467. I bet $3, he raises to $6, and I just call. (I would normally reraise hard here, but I didn't feel right about it. Trips ran through my head.) He checked the turn which was another 7 and I checked also. River came the Q and he checked it to me again. No way was I betting here, which I'm sure bad guy just hated. (I used my telepathy and got a strong CALL, CALL, CALL, vibe coming the Germany area.) I decided win or lose I had enough money in this hand. Evil guy turns over 58o. He called a $3 raise with that. Some people play that junk because they figure if it hits, it's payday. But it didn't pay big this time. I wonder how many junk hands this guy calls the PF raise with in hopes of gold.

...OK, got rushed out the door and didn't hit publish. I'm back. My girl's team lost 2-5. Rented Underworld Evolution. Soon as that's over, I'm going back in the ring. Later.

Online Bankroll
+53.44
Total $$2459.05

Stupid Power or Stupid Power

Damn power went out again at around 3am, so I called it quits for the night. I didn't really have any big hands, just the slow grind. (Air Guitar time, "Grindin' Grindin'." Sorry just had the need.) Again, no real bad beats to report. This is one streak I wouldn't mind keeping going. Later.

Online Bankroll
+17.46
Total $$2423.07

Power Outage or Mad Rush

I started playing cards at 10pm tonight. I was kicking ass until midnight when the power went out at my house. They are usually doing maintenance of somesort when it goes out at exactly midnight. (If you think, "duh," I shall be forced to kill you.) During those 2 hrs I took no bad beats and I had 3 huge hands. I played at Px at the $50 tables.

The first hand he had a fullhouse and I had a bigger one.

The second hand evildoer had a flush but I had the nut flush.

The third hand was a very hard call. I had KK and because there were 4 limpers already PF I raised it up to $3. I got 1 caller. The flop comes J85 rainbow. He bets $3 and I raise it to $8. He calls. The turn comes an 8. He checks and I lose my nerve so I check also. River brings a Q. He goes allin for $33. I go into the think-tank, (or more honestly as far into the think-tank as my feeble intellect will take me.) I figure that he either filled-up on the turn when the second 8 hit. And he was trying for the check-raise and when I didn't bet he decided to push on the river and see if my chump ass would call. Or he was pulling a semi-bluff, wherein I had the best hand. Anyways, I decided that I just couldn't fold my Kings with no Ace on the board and the turn check. So I clinched my ass, closed my eyes, and hit the call button. When I next opened my eyes I saw he had AJ and I pulled in a nice chunk of change.

I just got back on at 1:30am, so I'll call this a different session. Lets hope it goes as well as the first. Later.

Online Bankroll
+132.22
Total $$2405.61

Soccer Today So No Poker Yet or Hey It Is My Blog So You'll Read It And Like It

I'll give you the kids' soccer update from today's games. Today was their 1st games of the season. Daughter's team ages 6 to 8 year olds. Son's team ages from 9 to 11.

My daughter's team was down 2-5 at the half. They made one hell of a comeback and tied the game at 7 apiece. No golden goal over kickoffs at these ages. While my daughter was goalie she made an great save, diving backwards to land on the ball at the goalline. Sadly she did get scored on once also. Very good game. High scoring.

One downside to my daughter's game was that on the opposing team was my friend's daughter. And just standing beside him is embarrassing, because he forgets it's a friendly game at this age, and rants and raves. I understand why he is so intense, but I see the other parents giving his antics surreptitious looks of disdain. You see, he is an immigrant from Slovakia, and he played some in college. He's just a soccer nut and talks about what was expected of him growing up playing the game at this same level. He was really pissed the second half at our comeback. Hehe. I was goading him somewhat.

My son's game was a romp. I actually felt bad for the other team. We won 8-0. My son scored 4 goals. He was unstoppable today. He had no less than 12 shots on goal, which is just crazy. His kicks were wild and high all freaking game long. It was driving me crazy. The crowd was standing or coaxing in anticipation only to sigh loudly in disappointment over and over. Little punk. LOL. He missed like 3 one on ones. I can't complain too much, he did score 4 goals.

I was very proud of both of them today. They played well.

Stayed Up Late or Got Too Sleepy

I knew it was time to call it quits this morning, when the other table popped up and I was too dazed to catch myself and hit the wrong button and called a PF allin raise of $12 on a $25NL table with T9o. Anyone that knows me knows that I wouldn't even limp with that shit. OK, maybe a limp if sooooted and I was feeling lady luck on my side.

I'm going to have to change up my game a little if I plan on playing at Px this often. There just aren't enough tables going for me to do my usual hit and run game. I played at the same tables so long that everyone saw me for the rock that I am and wouldn't give me any action. I raised PF about 7 times in the last 2 hrs that I played and only once did I get the call, and he folded to my flop bet.

The $50 tables all died away so I had to settle for the $25's for the last half of my session. I played for around 5 hrs last night. I made less than $8. Son-of-a, I should have went to bed!!

One other positive besides my baby win was that I played in one of WPEX's $1+$1 tourneys and did well. I didn't make the money but I did make the final table. It started out with 43 players and I went out 8th. Not too shabby for a ring guy. I'm stating to like tourneys. I seem to do OK when I play in them.

Later, my eyes are drooping and I have to get back up and watch the kids.

Online Bankroll
+7.17
Total $$2273.39

Belated Update

I really didn't play much at all last week. I bet I didn't play 10 total hrs all week. I just wasn't feeling it for some reason. I'm going to try to get more in this week. Anyways I'm down for the week. Here's the numbers. I played a tourney and the rest of the time was at the $50NL tables. So at least I stuck to the plan. Down close to $20 for 6 or so hrs at the $50 tabs ain't winning but it coulda' been a lot worse. Less than 1/2 a buyin.

Week Ending 6/17/06 = -$19.41

TPFLII or Bubble Boy Again

I decided to stay up last night and play in the TPFLII game #13. I was bubble boy. I exited in 5th place, which was 1 out of the points and 2 out of the money. That’s not particularly bad with starting out with 12. I lost with the best hand going in. I had KK and he had AK. River brought the rocket. I honestly couldn’t complain because it was against the same guy earlier in the tourney that I sucked out on, in an allin victory with AJ vs KK. I actually sucked out in 2 PF allins in this tournament. The AJ vs KK hand and an AQ vs TT hand. So really I got a lot farther than I should have in his game. I didn’t move up in the standings but I had a good time playing, if that’s any consolation.

TPFLII bankroll
-11.00 (5/12)
Total -31.00

Online Bankroll
-11.00 TPFLII Fee
Total $$2266.22

Aces Cracked Tourney Sighting or Aggressive Ash?

The only poker I played last night after work was the Aces Cracked League Tourney. I played well. I got the chip lead early in the tourney. Once I got it, I used it to buy some pots and overall control the tempo at the table for the remainder. All was going according to plan until I got heads up. I had a huge lead right from the start of the heads-up. I stepped it up and got aggressive, though not reckless. I got plj1 down to 1000 chips and had a massive lead. And that’s where I fell apart. I called an allin with junk, because I figured they were both live, hoping for a quick end to the game. plj1 accumulated a few more chips in the next few hands. Then in like 3 hands in a quick succession I either went allin or called allin with mid or bottom pair and lost every one. The calls were just plain bad because it was fairly obvious that I was behind at that point in the hand. The pushes I would do heads-up anytime I’m heads-up. You have to be aggressive heads-up or the other player will see your passivity and run all over you. You’re cards mean less than your play once the tourney gets down to a pair. When you have the lead you have to use it is my philosophy. Anyways back to the action. I am now totally crippled and within a few more hands my opponent finished me off. This hurt particularly bad because earlier in the tourney I got plj1 allin when I had the best of it twice and he or she came from behind and won the races in both hands. I think both were on the river also. I had fun plus I played well, so I’m happy. Good game everyone. Too bad I’m on nights next Sat.

Man I wish I could incorporate some of my tourney style from this game into my ring play. I think the increasing blinds have a lot to do with my gear changes in tourney play most of the time.

Man I have to miss another TPFLII game tonight. No way I came stay awake for the 9:30 start-time. I nodded-off a few times in last nights tourney. I'd look up and see it was PF and everyone is waiting on my slow-ass just to decide if I even wanted to stay in the hand. I've missed quite a few of these games lately. I was in the money for a while and if I wouldn't of missed so many I feel that I'd still be there. I hope my lax memory and work schedule will allow for me to get in at least 5 more games. I've only played 5 out of 13 games - boy I suck. I go from 1st place to not even making it into the Tourney of Champions. That truely is sad.

Later all.

Online Bankroll
+10.00
Total $2277.22

Suckout or WaaWaa

I played for an hr after work tonight. I had a few people suckout on me and I quit for the night.

I played a suited-connector and hit the straight on the flop. Bet it to the river and the guy raises me so I just call. He filled-up on the river, but only had 2 pr when I was putting him in the pot. Pisses me off bad.

This kinda' stuff seems to come in small bunches. I hope it stops soon. OK, I'm done whinning.

Online Bankroll
-16.66
Total $2267.22

Don't Feel It or Bad Beats Make Ash Crazy

I only played an hr last night. I ended up, but I took 2 bad beats that made me just not want to play. KK vs QQ and a sickass 2 outer on the river. I haven't played online in like 3 days now and soon as I try, this crap happening right off the bat just turns my stomach. I'm really just not in the mood, so I'll catalogue some more junk on Ebay. At least the games not stacked against me there. (Or is it? Ebay bastards. I see you looking at me!)

Just stick with me guys and I'll get my head together. (Hopefully soon!)

Online Bankroll
+4.25
Total $2283.88

As an aside, I forgot to post my meager real money earnings from Tuesday's Family game. (Not that we play for big money, mind you.) It took me awhile to scour through the posts to find my last money post, so I just added a 2006 running tally in the sidebar. In the posts it used to say cash money bankroll, but I had to change it to cash earnings 2006, because the only place that bankroll went is to the bank. Damn mine eyes.

I have registered to play in the PokerStars World Blogger Championship of Online Poker!

This Online Poker Tournament is a No Limit Texas Holdem event exclusive to Bloggers.

Registration code: 2275060

No Online Play or Mini-tourneys at Mom's

Nothing much to post. I didn't play at all yesterday. I started an Ebay account and that took a lot more effort that I originally figured. I decided why hang on to all those comics, baseball cards, coins, magic cards, and other assorted packrat shit that I've accumulated throughout my life. I opened up the closet yesterday and the nostalgia just flowed forth from all the boxes. I spent a lot of time just reminiscing and looking at everything again. Each box holding a new surprise! I constantly fought the temptation to repack things and horde them away for another decade. I still have months of stuff to place on Ebay, but I plan on doing it slowly. So I should have time for poker.

On the poker front. I played live tourneys with family on Monday night. We played all night long. We started with 6 players and then after 2 or 3 games dropped down to 4. I think we played like 7 or 8 games. We were drinking a little and the shit talking was a little heavy at times. When I say we play long I'm not joking. I played until I got that, "It's 5:30 in the freakin' morning, and I have to go to work, so get your poker playing ass home and bring me my car, because your stupid-assed truck is empty, and if you think I'm going to fill it up your crazy, and for another ...," call, to which I said, "yes, you're right, yes, umm huh, yes, I am that, yes, you're right, sorry, no really I totally agree, I don't think that would fit in my ass, sorry, have I told you yet today how much I love you, sorry, OK, I'm on my way right now, love ya, bye." I hang up and everyone looks at me laughing and calls me whipped. The game breaks up within mins.

I did well. I got 3 1st/2nd places, 1 3rd, and out of the money 2 or 3 times. All in all, I did really well. I got caught on a sick bluff for all my chips one game. It took my Bro forever to call, even though he had a nice hand, because he knows my game. In the end he calls and I turn over a busted draw and almost double him up. Oh yea, the 1st/2nd places are where we just split the kitty between 1st and 2nd, so we could start another game so that the people sitting out didn't have to be bored too long.

I also get a lot of practice playing against different styles when we play. 1 plays tight, 1 semi-tight-passive, 1 extremely loose-aggressive, 1 semi-tight-aggressive, and 1 tight-loose-aggressive. Anyways, they all have a different style, but I know the hands that each one plays and mostly how they bet with those hands. The 2 hardest to play are my 2 Bros. 1 is the 1 that I play online with all the time. He is very savvy, knows the odds and plays them well, and plays tight but also will play straight-up junk to throw others off or when he gets bored. The other has gambled his whole life and thinks that he can win with any 2 cards. You never know what he has so you really have to pick your spots. He will also call or raise with a draw for all his chips so he can bust you or double you up at any time. My other bro or I usually end up with his chips. With all the cards that we played, I bet that he didn't fold PF more than 10 to 15 times. It is tough to play someone that will call your PF raise with 36o and swear up and down that those are the best types of hands and that he'd rather have that compared to AA any day of the week. You guys just keep playing the math because I can feel my hands, he says over and over as he is sitting out watching us play. LOL.

Hitting TP on the Blind Steal Attempt or The Post Before the Last Post Post

This happened before my last post or I wouldn't have been playing $25NL.

I didn't have much time today before work, so I really never should have gotten on. Holdem is a game of patience. (At least it is for the tight-passives. "I'm not totally passive," the punk reassures himself.) I only played for 30 mins. I had one big hand and lost it to a horrible beat, so I got off right then on all my tables. I didn't even wait for the blinds. Son-of-a. I just got off and checked the forums.

It was one of those hands that you would normally never get too attached to but you're sure this guy doesn't have shit. The insidious blind steal gone wrong play. It starts with you trying to steal the big blind when you're in the small blind. You raise and he reraises you and you're sure he full of it. We've all done it. You know the one. It usually ends with you saying, "Why did I try to steal that." There is also the other version - The you ain't going to steal my blind steal gone wrong play.

As I already stated, I raised and he reraised. I call with my A9s. Flop comes over 962. (Hit TP and gold baby, I'm thinking.) I bet and he raises. (Ah, still won't stop bullshitting aye. I'll teach ya.) He only has a small amount more so I put him allin and he calls with 97, dumby was obviously thinking the same thing about me as I was thinking about him or he wouldn't of ever gotten mixed up in this hand and big betting sequence with that junk. Turn is a blank. River brings the dreaded 7, along with the end of my short session.

And I can't blame the guy for playing that junk like most people would, because he wasn't likely a loose donkey, he was just a poor sap that thought he'd steal a blind steal attempt.


Online Bankroll
-27.00
Total $2279.63

CROSSROADS

This post started out as quick reply to Alex's comment to my previous post. And as I was writing it and it kept getting longer, I decided it was too big for the comments section. Plus, it is one of those fork-in-the-road items, and thus, should be a part of my blog. Decision time, people.

Originally posted by Alex - "Ash, why do you play the $25NL tables with a $2,500 bankroll? You could buy into a $100NL table for less than 5% of your money, and you would stand to make quicker progress if you have the skills."

It's purely a confidence issue Alex. I admit that. I have always been one to not jump up stakes too soon. Yes, I,ve always been one to wait too long. (Baby steps.) But you also have to realize that a month ago I had $2575 and was regularly playing $50NL and just starting to move into the realm of $100, when bang, in a 2 week period I lost $500 of my bankroll. That sent me into a negative spiral of poker depression. I had to get back into my comfort zone mentally. Also I've only just taken that $180 eggroll in FEB and turned it into this bankroll. I was afraid that maybe it was a fluke of good rush luck. (I do realize that's way too many hands to be luck and my game has to be the real reason. But $500. Damn.)

I was playing pretty solid poker most of the time during this downward swing. But I also donked off a lot too by Tilting - trying to buy my profits back with junk bluffs when the cards weren't going my way, and making bad calls thinking the game owed me a win.

I will start playing some $50NL this week and see how it goes. OK, I will play mostly $50 this week. We will see how everything goes. Because, I feel that your right, I am losing profits being a Sally. Time to step-up to the plate, dig-in, and find my sweet-spot.

So, thanks Alex for the kick in the ass. All future kicks welcome, just steer clear of the "Boys".

UPDATE

I’m going to take Penn’s suggestion and throw in a weekly summation update. It will follow the calendar, thus going from Sun to Sat. This will give my blog a quick reference function, so I can easily look back and get an overall feel for my week’s work, (progress, or not, stakes, and the like,) in the “not so distant future.” (I’ve always wanted to say that, ever since I watched my first episode of Mystery Science Theater 3000. Damn I only just now realized that I’m a nerd. Sad really. Ahh, who cares?)

I played 6 days this week. A few days, short sessions and some long. 3 days I only played for an hr. 4 days I won. 2 days I lost. 1 big win day and 1 big loss day, back to back. I played only at Px and UB this week and I only played at the $25NL tables.

Not a bad week. I will start keeping track of the hrs also, from now on, the best I can anyways.

Week Ending 6/10/06 = +$153.46

Another Mini Session or My Before Work Fix

I played for about an hr this afternoon before having to eat and prepare for work. I did the UB/Px thing like normal. I cashed on both sites. I was actually down on both a little until my last circuits on both. I needed to get off, so I clicked off the auto post blinds buttons on all the tables. As I was waiting for the blinds I get pocket 7's on Px. I end-up hitting trips on the flop and winning a $10 pot to put me up. On UB 2 tables reach the blinds so I close them out, and as I'm waiting for the last table to die, I get Aces. (It sounds so dramatic. I think I should send NBC a manuscript or something. Maybe I could write for CSI or some other gay show that I don't watch. OK, pipedream moment there guys. Sorry about that. It's the meds. OK, now back to your interrupted program, which is already in progress...) It was probably a loose call, but the way he played the hand didn't sale me on the big river raise. Flop comes AT6 one-suited. He bets, I raise and he calls. (If I had the flush, I'm not opening the betting on the flop, I go into slow play/raise calling mode. Unless maybe I have 2 small suited, which if another of that suit comes my power hand just left the building. Anyhoo, I put him on Ax, probably nice kicker, and he's afraid of the flush so he's trying to take it down now.) Low card of another suit comes next and he checks, (No surprise there,) I raise and he calls. River brings J of another suit. He throws out a pot-sized raise. I go into the think tank. (I don't believe the flush for a minute. I probably would have check raised the turn, unless it was the nut flush. He hit his straight? I know I wouldn't have bet on that flop board and then called the raise with a KQ. I just don't know what this guy has and it has my heart palpitating. I can't really decide if I'm beat or not but I decide one thing - I can't lay it down.) Call time? No, I decide it's allin time. I honestly would like to say it is because I put him on the bluff, but I think it was really a scared bet. It was only 5 bucks more into a $20 plus pot. When he calls I'm sure he's beat me, but he turns over A6 (2 pr) and I end the session up again today. I have to say I would have played his hand much like he did, other than the river bet. I would have check/called the river.

Work time. Woooooo.

Online Bankroll
+28.70
Total $2306.63

Quicky or Shorty the Pimp

I played this morn for 1 1/2 hrs after getting off of work. I did alright for the time I played. I can handle this up and down that I've got going on lately. That up every day for a week and then down every day the next was killing me. The poker high was great but that poker depression was a bitch. Later.

Online Bankroll
+16.40
Total $2277.93

A Piece Of My Poker History or It's Long

I have posted this before on a forum, but I figured since I still remember it like it was yesterday, I should add this tell to my blog. Read if you dare. It's long.

My most memorable hand was a bad beat, which was one that I inflicted on one of the casino’s regulars, during my first visit to a casino to play poker.

It was the first time that I had ever played live at a casino. Boy was I nervous! I had played a bit online, but still my game wasn’t where it’s at now. (Not that now it’s real great, Lol) Well anyways, there were about four regulars at this full 10 seat $1/$2 NL game. I was playing super tight, afraid like a little bitch.

Four regulars - #1 lets call him The Gimp, #2 The Old Guy (This dude looked 100, smelled like he was incontinent, and was actually sitting at the table with an oxygen bottle on a cart,)(of course I was sitting to the left of this stinky old fart – no pun intended,) #3 lets give him the appellation “The Asshole,” and The Asshole’s sidekick The Kid. The rest of the table were the fish – me along with a couple of decent players and the rest of the ESPN WSOP watchers.

The asshole was bullying the table for hours with PFR after PFR, CB’s, and big nasty bluffs. Yet it seemed like every time he was called down he had the goods. I’m not going to lie here, I was envious of this dude’s game and still wish I had some of his flare for aggression. He would also every cycle, do what this casino called a “live straddle,” wherein the player UTG could pay $4 and essentially become the BB and the last to act before the flop.

The Asshole and The Gimp were butting heads for well over 2 hrs. The Gimp, buying in four times, was definitely getting the worst of this confrontation. The Asshole was multitasking like a true champ - getting drunk, bullying the table, scaring the piss out of the WSOP guys, and dogging the shit out of The Gimp, (to tables’ delight, LMAO,) all while he was talking to this hot chick leaning on the rail. (This is what I think Miss Johnson used to call a run-on sentence, Lol.) This is when The Asshole totally crushed The Gimp and sent him limpin’ his ass on home.

The flop comes 28K. It’s called around to The Gimp and he throws in a $15 bet. It’s then folded around to The Asshole, who stands up and broadcasts to the whole table, “OK, I said that I was only going to play one more and then I was going to take this lovely lady for a drink at the bar,(he turns and winks at her then turns back to us,) and this one’s it. He grabs $50 worth of chips and throws them in the middle, puts both hands down leaning on the table, and stared down The Gimp. The Gimp looks at his cards a second or two, says, “you got me,” and folds his K7 down face-up. The Asshole laughs “This is one hell of a’ Three and a six” and throws the 3 and the 6 in the middle of the table face-up, walks over and puts his arm around the girl, and swaggers off towards the bar.

Soon after this I leave the table for dinner with my wife. When I get back an hour later he’s back along with The Kid, who is at the table for the first time. He tells The Kid, with a smartass smirk on his face, while pointing at me, “watch out for this kid, he’s an internet player.” I win a few hands pretty soon after getting back and have my stack at about $100, when The Hand happens.

It came around the table to me with the call at $5. I reraised it to $15 with AK. The Kid folds and The Asshole reaches down, grabs about $45 worth of chips, and throws them in all cocky and says, “I bet whatever that is!” (This is back when I thought AK was the Cat’s Ass and couldn’t be beat.) Plus he was full of shit, right, you ain’t buying my pot fag – these are the sad little thoughts running through my head, by the way. I push all my chips towards the middle, tipping over a few of the baby stacks. The dealer pissed, sticks his hand out at my chips and tells I am out of turn, ( Damn I felt like a tard at this juncture,) and that I would have to wait for it to be my action. Anyway, everybody folds around to me now that I announced that I was putting in another $85. Damn it. I put in my chips, and he says without a pause, “I call.” Yes I’m still naive to my plight. I throw over my bad-ass AK and then he throws his AA right on top of my cards with a smug-ass grin on his face. (Now that is just cocky, to throw your cards like that, basically throwing it in my face. What a dick.) One guy says it ain’t looking good for you, but I hope you get it. (Obviously a guy that likes the underdog or was just sick of The Asshole’s bullying.)

Anyways - Flop Q9K – Turn K (BAM) – River 6

No joke I literally shouted BAAAM on the turn and started pounding the cushioned leather around the felt. People at the other tables turned and stood up to watch and even the folks at the slots were staring over.

The Kid said to The Asshole as he took his seat again, “That’s harsh man, sorry. More than 9 out of 10 you win that. Sorry.”
The Asshole said, “Good hand kid. Where you from, kid?”
“Why, you looking to come and get it back?” I say.
“No, I just like to know where my money’s being spent at, that’s all,” he said.
I stand up, cradle my chips in one arm, say, “Newberry, where all the fish live,” put my other arm around my wife, and walk off to the cashier’s desk. (Or, off into the sunset, whichever sounds better.)

True story. No really. It’s true damn it. Really.

What Goes Up Must Come Down or Justa' Swingin'

I played around 4 hrs yesterday before work and basically took an ass-whippin’. I made some bad calls. Like calling a big raise on a paired board with only TPTK. (Top pair top kicker for those that don’t know the acronym.) Also made a few bad raises or calls when I was on tilt after losing a few big hands in a row. It was weird today, not really the slow grind that I’ve been having as of late, but lots of big hands.

I also think the Px players are of a different caliber, at least at my stakes, though I know Alex won’t agree. Yes you do get a lot of loose callers PF once you raise, but you also get people that slow play top pairs or just min-raise with them. This is something that I very rarely witnessed at these stakes on Party, Full Tilt, or UB.

Guy min-raised PF and I called with my TT. Flop comes AT6. He bet .25 like a dumbass. (Or maybe not. Lol.) So I raised to $1.50. He reraised me to $4, so I went allin, while I figured I was well ahead, because of the gay raise PF,but no, he had slow-played AA.

I also had a hand that put me on tilt, which happened shortly after the slow-played AA incident. I now have the AA in EP, and because you get so many callers raising to $2 PF, at .1/.25. I raised it to $3. I got what I was going for in only getting one caller. Flop puts the flush and the straight draw on the board, so I push hard with a pot sized bet. He raises allin, and has me covered. Yes, I know maybe making this call was pretty loose, but man it is hard to drop those rockets. Anyways I make the right call and he turns over a 86s and hits his flush on the river. (Tilt city.) At this point I donked off a few hands. This guy called 12xBB with junk-suited. Do any of you call a big raise with junk just because you know what I’m likely holding and you can easily throw it away post flop if it doesn’t hit hard? (Huh? Huh? Do ya? Do ya?)

I lost $90 today, but I’m still up $140 for the week. All in all, I’m pretty happy with where I’m at this week so far. That ain’t bad at these stakes.


Online Bankroll
-88.70
Total $2261.53

Rollin' Rollin' or Double-dippin'

I already wrote today's post but the blog site was down and lost it the first time, so here is the Cliff Note version. I played for around 3 hrs today before the kids' soccer practices. I played on Px and UB, on anywhere from 3 to 5 tables. It was a slow grind. No real big hands, but plenty of small one to make up for no big rush action. I did well and made $50.

1 thing that I'm not quite used to on Px is that they leave your cards for you to see throughout the whole hand even after you've folded. They shade it a dark gray so you realize it is folded, (though my dumbass has looked for the raise button a few times.) I don't know if I really like this feature, because I get to watch as I make my hand off and on during the session, (usually on turn and river.) It makes me feel like playing some of those semi-junk starting hands. But my tight-passive ass won't do that. (Which is a good thing.) I keep telling myself that I would loose money in the long run playing that junk, as my flush or boat fills up and everyone is betting big time. "You made the right call at the time," I encourage myself. It still sucks, I say. I'm a greedy little monkey like that.

I got back on tonight and picked up where I left off. I played for around 3 hrs again for the 2nd half of today's session. Right off the bat my K's went to the races with J's and the J hit the flop. I thought, oh here we go. But after that I didn't lose to many, and none where I was a big favorite. I made a killing today compared to my resent sessions. Looks like my lucks turning around. (No whammies, no whammies, stop.) Sorry about that I just had to head the gremlins off. (Little vindictive bastards that they are.)

I told myself that I was going to play all night tonight because I going back to work on nights tomorrow and need to get my sleep schedule turned around. But I'm beat and playing tired is mad medicine. Maybe I'll get up early and give it another shot . Later.

Online Bankroll
+142.90
Total $2350.23

Aces Cracked or Crazy Aces

OK, I have to stop playing for awhile, have to take the kids to soccer practice. 3 more days of school and they will be home fulltime.

I did good today. I was playing 1 or 2 tables at Px. (However many had at least 7 players.) I also had 3 tables going at UB. I made $50 all in all.

I lost a big hand. $70 in the pot and $25 of it was mine. That's a lot on $25NL table. 4 allins PF and me with the Aces. Guy to my left reraised my PF raise and 2 called, so I went allin for the $45 I had sitting at the table. They went allin and I got my $20 overflow back at the end. Dude that won had KK and hit a straight on the river. The other 2 shouldn't have been anywhere near the hand.

3 hands later I pick-up AA again and I get 2 PF callers. I end up slightly more than doubling-up. And the $20 came from the KK dude from the other hand. He hit TP and must of thought I was tilting.

Online Bankroll
+54.16
Total $2207.33

2 Malodorous Hands or Runner Runners = Son-of-a

Px $25 NL

Stinky Hand #1

I didn't lose any money here but it almost put me on tilt anyways for some reason.

I have pocket J's. I'm on the button with 1 limper before me. I make it $2 to stay and play. Big and OG (original gimper) both see me. Flop comes 468. Checks to me. I'm ready to end this hand while the getting's good, so I throw out $5. Big blind goes allin for about $7 more. Gimper limps away. I call. Dude shows 22 and I barely hold back my laugh. (I couldn't restrain myself the dumbass comment though.) Runner 5 - runner 7. And dipshit takes my cash back. The guys moniker was smartplayer. I told him that he should possibly look into a name change and he told me what he thought of my sense of humor. (Apparently he doesn't like it, just to let you know.)

Sticky Hand #2

I'm the Big and I just check to the 1 limper. I flop the flush. He checks. I throw in .25. He makes it $1. I make it $2. He makes it $3. I realize that he is staying in no matter what, so I can stop finessing the dude. I go allin and he calls. He turns over a set. Runner-runner 7's and bye-bye chip stack. This is only 2 hands after the first shit hand.

3 things I like about WPEX - rakeback, ratholing, and they showdown cards as soon as it's an allin situation.

I've really been disinterested lately. I only played for about an hr yesterday. I think it's my negativity towards the game right now, due to my losing streak. But I can't get out of this rut if I don't play, so I've decided to put in a nice session today. Lets see how it turns out.

One positive was that I actually played good poker yesterday even though I dropped $15. The two hands that I lost, that went to showdown, were both hands where I was well ahead until they drew-out on me on the river without the proper odds to try.

Online Bankroll
-14.98
Total $2153.17

Back in the Saddle or Hanging With the Aces Cracked Boys

I finally got a chance to play this week. I got my times mixed-up and missed the Aces Cracked Forum Sat League Game. (Damn I made that out to sound quite offical.) But I showed up and talked the guys into some poker at UB. We played some $25NL. I played fairly well for a bit. I was up $15 or so for a while, then I chased a few hands deep and dropped $10 of it playing like a dumby. Then this tard started going allin every hand for like $12. He did it like 5 hands in a row, when I saw AQ in the hole in MP. I made a comment in the chat window about me calling him with my own junk, and then went allin with my $30. (Extremely loose move from me, so take notes fella's.) I got another caller in LP, who showed JJ. My AQ hit an I took down the pot putting me over $60. I honestly don't remember what the tard had. I don't even think he showed. It felt good to play again and at stakes where I'm not scared money. I did alright. It also felt weird playing one tab at a time.

Online Bankroll
+48.83
Total $2168.15

Life's lessons or Donkey boy

I guess in poker, just like life, you can have a breakdown. Well Tues the 30th, I had a breakdown. I was getting ready to go camping and just had to play a few hands. I got on Px at a $200 table with only $80. This is not like me, I follow bankroll protocol almost to the point of being anal about it. (Stop with the anus thoughts fags. lol.)I don't know what my issue was. Plus I didn't buy in for the max, which is another of my rules. I just don't know. I'm thinking that poker is a life-long career and in a year I can look back and laugh. Hopefully I've grown a lot in a year. I think my goal is going to be to double my previous year's earnings every year. Does this sound like a good goal? Makes sense to me. I made $200 last year. So I'm crushing that record so far this year. Hopefully, this continues.

OK, back to my donk hand at the $200NL table. (Oh, I forgot to mention it.) I am totally embarrassed about it. I almost didn't even write about it, because it is so bad. But I told myself that I would be honest in my blog and that is what I've been as of yet. Plus, like I already alluded to, next year at this time I should be able to look back and laugh. (Right? LOL.) I haven't honestly done this donk move this year (UNTIL know), that is. I'll stop with the embarrassed pondering and stalling and just get it. (If you have any respect for my game, look away, wait for it, wait for it, ... now.)

I have AQ. (OK so far.) Flop comes As9s6d. (I have no spades. The plot thickens.) I bet pot and I get one fold and one call. (Not too bad, I think. My kicker's decent.) Turn (I don't remember exact card, we'll say - 2h.) He checks and I fire out a pot-size bet. He calls. (I'm a little more concerned now, but I still feel pretty good about my hand. I decide that if he checks the river I'll just check also.) River comes Qs. (Booya, is what goes through my mind as he bets 1/2 pot.) I raise allin for an additional $25 or so. (You figure it out yet?) He turns over A3s. You see,I don't feel bad that I lost this hand to the flush chaser.(Who, by the way had shit odds to call on every street.) I feel bad because all I saw was that Q - I didn't even look at the suit. Rookie mistake. I normally would have called that 1/2 pot bet, just not raised allin behind the flush. Really it's just that I spazzed out when I saw the Q. OK, I have bared my soul. (Come on next year's reminisce - I need a good laugh.)

Online Bankroll
-80.00
Total $2119.32