playing a game for a living = +EV

So in order to be start down the road of becoming the best, a lot of work needs to be done. Start small, and work my way up. Being mentally sharp is probably one of the most important things for a poker player. There are tons of ways to improve my mental health, and week by week I’m going to start doing more things to improve it.

Week #1 – De-clutter.
So week 1 started this Sunday. This week I am working on getting in a ton of hours playing poker, watching videos, and posting on forums. But I’m also starting down a path to improved mental health. Here’s my plan. Clutter leads to a cluttered mind. I read this in bluff magazine, and it seems to be true. Living in a disorganized mess will likewise make one mentally disorganized. I have lived my life in a disorganized mess for quite a while, and am going to try to change this day by day. Day one I cleaned the hell out of my room, as this is obviously the most important place that must be organized. Having a clean, warm, peaceful surroundings while at the tables is a must. Now, every time before I sit down to play, or just when I notice things are not in order., I make sure theres not anything on my floor except my zafu and zabuton (meditation cushions), trashcan, guitar, mini fridge, hampers, gaming systems, and 2 tables. anything else goes in my closet, or out of sight somewhere. I also light incense and burn candles whenever I sit down to play, to add to the peaceful environment. I light incense when I meditate, so having incense lit while playing definitely helps me be mindful. Day 2 I cleaned off my kitchen table, which has had random shit on it for the last few months, and no one really eats there. Having a clean surface to eat on is also extremely important. Day 3 cleaned my kitchen, and now I’m just going to work on keeping these areas spotless every day, by combing over them multiple times. Tomorrow I plan on cleaning out my car, which is a disaster and a half, and then I will have de cluttered the areas I spend the most time in, and plan to keep it that way.

Secondly, I started something that I think will greatly improve my poker game this week. No substance abuse at all for a while. Alcohol clouds the mind, and though I have consumed a vast quantity of it during my college life, I know I will be more mentally sharp without clouding my mind at all. This doesn’t mean no going out, or not having a beer or two, but not any more that, and no more getting shit-hammered. Being hungover is awful for my poker game – it’s probably cost me over a grand. Being drunk is even worse, and it has also probably cost me over a grand. For some reason this text is really big and I can’t figure out how to change it :/

So thats it for week 1. Next week, I will either work on starting a regular exercise routine, or modifying my diet. These are 2 other pillars that are very, very important for ones mental health. And for poker playing in general. My diet is already pretty solid since I’m vegan, but still needs a lot of work. I don’t eat many saturated fats or get any cholestorol because I don’t eat animal products, but I don’t eat nearly enough fruits and vegetables. Maybe 1 serving a day if that. Time to listen to those fruity dole people, and start getting my 5 servings of fruits and vegetables a day. Once I can make a routine out of that, it will vastly improve my diet. So probably will start that next week, and maybe the exercise routine too. Or maybe just one, because I’m trying to take this slow.

I just got done playing a phenomonal session of poker. I broke even, but ran into a few sick coolers – Q9 sooted on 1078 2 of my suit 3 bet pot, i cbet villain shoves with 77 I snapcall with my openender + flushdraw, and lost a 250 dollar pot. Also 5 bet shipped AQ sooted from the BB against some 4 bet monkey on the button who 4bet 20% which is very high, so I think shipping AQ sooted is definately a +EV play. But he had AQ. And I lost. So that sucked. I’m gonna post the last hand, where I ran a bluff that didn’t work, the river shove was questionable, after thinking about it I don’t like it. After this, I’m gonna post a hand on here and on the forums, because it is a tough spot and I’m not sure what to do.

Full Tilt Poker $100.00 No Limit Hold’em – 6 players
The Official DeucesCracked.com Hand History Converter

BB: $101.00
UTG: $141.45
MP: $100.00
CO: $398.45
Hero (BTN): $108.00
SB: $129.40

Pre Flop: ($1.50) Hero is BTN with A 8
1 fold, MP raises to $3, 1 fold, Hero raises to $10, SB calls $9.50, 2 folds

Flop: ($24.00) K Q 9 (2 players)
SB checks, Hero bets $8.00, SB calls $8

Turn: ($40.00) 6 (2 players)
SB checks, Hero bets $18.00, SB calls $18

River: ($76.00) J (2 players)
SB checks, Hero bets $72.00, SB calls $72

Final Pot: $220.00
Hero shows A 8
SB shows Q J
SB wins $217.00
(Rake: $3.00)

OK so heres my though process. the opener who I 3bet is a 19/15, folds to 3 bets about 60%. I think A8 sooted is close, but 3 betting in position is generally +EV so I went with it. The SB called, whom I don’t have any reads on. He’s obviously phish, plays 27/0, hasn’t raised once over 183 hands. So my plan was to bet small on the flop to define his range, when he just calls he probably doesn’t have KQ. Turn comes a heart, I bet small again, intending to ship the river if he calls. because his hand range probably does not contain flushes or 2 pair if he check/calls twice, probably some weak one pair hand. the river is the ultimate scare card, but also hits a lot of 2 pairs and flushes for him. I guess I was thinking he would fold 2 pair because of the 4 card flush? But theres no telling what a phish will do. Anyways, his hand was weak on the flop and turn, I figured he’d fold without a heart, but in retrospect I think I like shoving a variety of turns, but not this one, as a phish is calling with any heart and will probably call with 2 pair. and probably a 10. So even though my plan was to shove a variety of rivers, I don’t think this is one of them. Need to work on changing my plan if the board drastically changes, and not just blindly follow through on it when a card come out that makes a phish a bunch of hands. I definitely learned a lot from this hand though. I can still fold out hands that don’t contain a heart and are just one pair, but his range consists of way too few of those compared to 2pair, flushes and str8s.

Next hand:

Full Tilt Poker $100.00 No Limit Hold’em – 6 players
The Official DeucesCracked.com Hand History Converter

Hero (BTN): $190.15
SB: $281.25
BB: $261.85
UTG: $188.70
MP: $139.80
CO: $164.85

Pre Flop: ($1.50) Hero is BTN with Q A
2 folds, CO raises to $3, Hero raises to $10, 1 fold, BB calls $9, CO calls $7

Flop: ($30.50) A 4 7 (3 players)
BB checks, CO checks, Hero checks

Turn: ($30.50) 8 (3 players)
BB bets $21.00, CO folds, Hero calls $21

River: ($72.50) T (2 players)
BB bets $55.00, Hero calls $55

Final Pot: $182.50
Hero mucks Q A
BB shows 4 4
BB wins $179.50
(Rake: $3.00)

Ok so here, I check the flop b/c I dont want to get checkraised by a draw, I’m very deep with both villains, and my hand has showdown value. The villain in the small blind I only have 2 hands on. So he’s a complete unknown, no reads, no stats, haven’t played with him ever. And I play a lot of rush poker, so it means he usually doesn’t play here, but that doesn;t tell us much. When he leads the turn, he can be bluffing, because I didn’t cbet so I may have given up, and the other villain is probably folding if he doesn’t have an A or better. So I call turn. River he bets big into me. This can really only be AK, a set, or a busted draw, or some other random bluff. I really don’t think hes calling OOP with 56 here, or 78. Since there are busted draws, I decide to make the call. I think I played the hand correctly, but I’ll see what ppl in the forums have to say.

http://www.deucescracked.com/forums/34-Small-Stakes-Shorthanded-NL/topics/103701-AQ-3-way-pot-super-deep-