If a Blog falls in the woods...

Bad day yesterday, went on tilt and gave away about $100 .

Really stupid how it happened, i got sucked out on twice in some small HU SNG’s and just lost my shit. ended up at a 25HA table, which i think normally i could handle myself at but a few hands in it ended up being short handed and thats when i got pwned.

I did well during the PLO hands but got spanked during the NL hands. The villain was just really aggro and i couldnt really pull much down. I kept seeing him go crazy with like bottom or second pair with no redraws, but everytime i got it in with him he had me outkicked our had the nuts.

Good news is that im mentally back in it and might get some hands in at lunch. Otherwise im heading down to Star City on Friday to see how the action is at the NL and PLO tables. Hopefully there will be a 1/2 PLO game running. The rake is a killer but the play is so bad you can beat it for a decent rate.

Peace out

So I’ve begun my transition into PLO. I know i started this blog to talk about my development as a NL player, but i think I’ve gone too far now.

Too far you saw? Well yes, ive picked up a coach and started making some videos. So far its only 2 at 10NL and they have both sucked ass. Not sure whats going on, but im not getting anything decent, although i did get back into PLO by playing Rush so i think my view might be spoiled.

In other good news, ive been chosen as one of the Sergeants in the first round of Mt Robusto. Im not sure what the criteria was, but im pretty happy with it. I think it will really help my game in both NL and PLO as i will have a bunch of people relying on me watching videos, playing hands and analysisng my play.

Donkament day again today, no final tables for me tonight. I was playing well, TAG and by the 2 level i had doubled up my stack. Busto hand?? Prepare for the bad beat story, although i think i played it right.

In the BB with Q10o, somewhat aggro but competent player raises on the button to 225. Blinds at 100/200. I defend and the flop comes down Q,10,K rainbow. I check knowing he will cbet this flop 100% of the time, and he bets out 225 again. I figured he has hit part of this board and was going for value from worse hands and draws. I decide to raise here, although i think/know im more than likely ahead, i thought he would come along for one more street. I raise to 650 and he calls.

So there is now just under 2K in the pot, and i have about 3 behind me and he has a PSB left. Turn is a brick, i figure any decent size value bet is going to commit him anyway so i shove, he thinks for a second and calls. He turns over AQo and then proceeds to say “Crap i need a jack” and as if God himself heard our friend a Jack appears on the river. Huzzah

I shoved the next hand in the SB for 8BB, with KQo vs another AQ from our friend from the last hand, a bit loose and not really necessary but i didn’t feel like grinding it out and having to wait for the break etc.

I came home and banked 3 BI for PLO10 playing 2 HU PLO SNG’s and a 6 max NL SNG, so that was nice

Anyway time to end this one, peace out

For those of you playing at home, today is Monday and its donkament day. Unfortunatley for us good guys i didnt pull down a win today. I did final table which was good, but just couldnt get a run like i did last week.

A few intersting hands – (well intersting enough)

K8o in the SB, this is after the first break, i was sitting on about 6k and the dude shoves AI utg blind (free poker, plus he was leaving). I look down and see K8o. Everyone folds im say fuck it and call. K high is good.

Ac2s. This was againt this aggro guy who was taking weird lines all night, floating turns oop with gut shots etc. Way too much FPS for a free tourney where you have almost 0 FE against most players. I complete in SB and get into a multiway pot. Flop comes out all Clubs with a 2. So i have bottom pair and the NFD with an over. I check and Bad Lag bets about half pot. I call, turn brings an offsuit A, i know im good here most of the time as he is always raising any PP or Ax from the btn. I check again he shoves i call, SHIIIPPP IT

Pocket 4’s UTG. I limp for like 1K, UTG2 limps, MP1 raises to 2.5K. BTN calls, i call and UTG+1 calls, King high flop i check and MP1 C-bets $2.5K This guy is decent, very aggro but can never fold. I figure he is cbetting here with everything, maybe i can call and check shove any turn. Turn comes and i hit my 2 outer because im a huge luckbox. I check raise all in he calls, and im stacked

After that i won another big pot getting 3-1 to call with TPMK, which i took down when my J10, hit a J vs pocket 10’s and some random all in pre.

After that i pretty much started to lose chips, although previoulsy i would donk them off being overly aggro with my chip lead, this time it was just bad, i lost 8K when i ran my QQ into a pair of Kings that limped and called my shove pre.

Then i squeezed with AK, in a pot vs an UTG raiser who was raising wide all night, and the CO who shoved for 2K more than the first raise. I dont like folding here and calling is crap too if i whiff the flop and UTG shoves. So i raised, UTG tanks and folds. CO has 88 and hits his set on an A8x flop.

Got nothing higher than a 7 until final table and i shoved for like 3BB UTG with A7o, only to run into AA and QQ.

Im sure i have massive leaks in my tourney game, although i think i have found a style that seems to work, pretty much small ball, highly exploitable play. Although its not like im playing against MTT grinders so i think its good.

Had a good Valentines Day, went and saw a comedian. Pretty funny, check him out here

Comedians are romantic

Keep it real

Ill come and update this a bit more later, but just need to rant about these hands

I think this is standard given stack sizes, maybe i could have raised a little less, but i wanted to get HU vs the SB figuring he is most likley raising with some other AAXX hand or a run down, although im holding a bunch of his outs. Anyway stacks all in pre and the flop hits him harder than Tyson, funny thing about PLO i was only slight favourite vs the UTG +1 limper

Full Tilt Poker $0.10/$0.25 Pot Limit Omaha Hi – 6 players
The Official DeucesCracked.com Hand History Converter

BTN: $32.83
SB: $25.00
BB: $14.30
UTG: $20.59
Hero (MP): $31.20
CO: $28.96

Pre Flop: ($0.35) Hero is MP with Q A K A
UTG calls $0.25, Hero raises to $1.10, 2 folds, SB raises to $3.80, 1 fold, UTG calls $3.55, Hero raises to $15.45, SB raises to $25 all in, UTG calls $16.79 all in, Hero calls $9.55

Flop: ($70.84) 4 J 3

Turn: ($70.84) 5

River: ($70.84) T

Final Pot: $70.84
SB shows J 6 A 2 (a flush, Ace high)
UTG shows Q J 8 9 (a pair of Jacks)
Hero shows Q A K A (a flush, King high)
SB wins $8.82
SB wins $59.02
(Rake: $3.00)

I pulled off a nice bluff but i cant find the hand, just take my word for it

Well well well, this stufying thing may have started to pay off. I shipped my first tournament win tonight. Not too shabby 1 from 1 since i have gotten back into it. Ok before i get too ahead of myself, it was only an APL Freeroll, but hey it was good for $100 and i did beat out 100 other people.

I was down to 3BB on the final table (ridiculous structure/plus a silly shove with K high on an A high flop) but then picked up AA the next hand and cracked another guys AA with Q9 when i got all in on a Q9X flop and proceeded to suck out when a 9 hit the turn. I maintain that it was a good call considering i was getting 3-1 when he shoved the flop and i only have like 4 BB left. Also he cebrated early by excitedly slamming down his AA on the table like he had pulled off the greatest heist since a Guy Ritchie movie

If your not from Australia you probably dont know what the APL is. Its basically a free poker league with freeroll tourneys playing everynight in a pub/club near you. Sure the standard of play is fairly bad (think loose passive or bad LAG) and the structure has a lot to be desired. A win is a win. So not only did i bank $100 but i get an invite to the next regional final which is good for $1000 and a ticket to another tourney. If you win the right ones you get a freeroll to the WSOP ME. Some guy last year turned $11 into a top 40 cash.

Not much else has been happening, almost through the video list. Only 2 eps of EFPTE left to go and i can deposit a proper amount online and start to see where it goes.

Although i have to admit, im starting to think about changing from FR to either 6 max NL or PLO. After watching these videos and reading around a bit, i see a lot of advice on picking a game that suits your personality. I think i might be a little too loose for FR and 6 max plays up to the ADHD in me. Ive been donking around at Rush PLO for a little bit and im running good, having fun and getting into a lot of intersting spots which is what im looking for. Plus all the cool kids are playing PLO and NLH FR. Meh who knows maybe ill play both

I was originally going to post a blog entitled If Poker Was a Hooker. But since i won a tourney ill leave it for next time.

Peace out

Yep i cheated, there ive said it, now get of my back already. No i didnt collude or dump chips, i broke my rules. I played after 11pm and before id finished watching all the videos i wanted to watch before playing again.

Although in order to justify it to myself, i told myself it was just some rakeback money and its only 10nl and they both dont count.

I played about 150 hands on 1 table and came away with $4, i didnt get into to many interesting spots, but on the plus side i did use the position and hand reading skills id picked up in the few videos i had watched since i started this whole thing.

Guess i better post some of the more interesting hands.

I think i played this one badly, i dont mind the check on the flop, but i knew i should have gone in for a check raise on the turn to try and win the hand. I figure any decent overpairs or draws would probably bet the flop when i check.

I hate my call on the river, def a bad idea a the microstakes.

Full Tilt Poker $0.05/$0.10 No Limit Hold’em – 8 players
The Official DeucesCracked.com Hand History Converter

UTG: $8.44
UTG+1: $10.23
MP1: $10.05
MP2: $6.00
Hero (CO): $9.65
BTN: $13.16
SB: $10.00
BB: $24.17

Pre Flop: ($0.15) Hero is CO with A K
4 folds, Hero raises to $0.35, 2 folds, BB calls $0.25

Flop: ($0.75) 7 5 5 (2 players)
BB checks, Hero checks

Turn: ($0.75) 6 (2 players)
BB bets $0.50, Hero calls $0.50

River: ($1.75) 4 (2 players)
BB bets $0.90, Hero calls $0.90

Final Pot: $3.55
Hero mucks A K
BB shows 3 3 (a straight, Seven high)
BB wins $3.32
(Rake: $0.23)

Here is one where i think i misplayed AK pretty badly. I definetly should have either shoved over the to try and get heads up with the guy who 4 bet shoved or folden given i’m OOP to the inital 3 bettor .

Full Tilt Poker $0.05/$0.10 No Limit Hold’em – 9 players
The Official DeucesCracked.com Hand History Converter

UTG: $11.86
UTG+1: $11.37
UTG+2: $9.98
MP1: $7.07
Hero (MP2): $9.48
CO: $3.14
BTN: $3.25
SB: $4.31
BB: $1.05

Pre Flop: ($0.15) Hero is MP2 with A K
4 folds, Hero raises to $0.35, CO calls $0.35, 1 fold, SB raises to $0.80, BB raises to $1.05 all in, Hero calls $0.70, 1 fold, SB calls $0.25

Flop: ($3.50) 7 J 8 (3 players – 1 is all in)
SB bets $0.70, Hero folds

Turn: ($3.50) 2 (2 players – 1 is all in)

River: ($3.50) 3 (2 players – 1 is all in)

Final Pot: $3.50
SB shows A K (Ace King high)
BB shows 8 8 (three of a kind, Eights)
BB wins $3.27
(Rake: $0.23)

Here is another one i misplayed. This is the reason why i shouldnt be playing when im meant to be sleeping and when im not staked properly.

I was a little concerned that his limp call could be bottom set, but given the bet size on the turn i should have definely looked to raise/fold the turn. My river call is fishy given any worse is probably not going to bet when the board pairs.

Full Tilt Poker $0.05/$0.10 No Limit Hold’em – 9 players
The Official DeucesCracked.com Hand History Converter

MP2: $9.60
CO: $10.48
BTN: $10.09
SB: $5.98
Hero (BB): $11.60
UTG: $3.07
UTG+1: $2.20
UTG+2: $5.27
MP1: $3.25

Pre Flop: ($0.15) Hero is BB with Q A
2 folds, UTG+2 calls $0.10, 5 folds, Hero raises to $0.50, UTG+2 calls $0.40

Flop: ($1.05) T Q 3 (2 players)
Hero bets $0.75, UTG+2 raises to $1.50, Hero calls $0.75

Turn: ($4.05) 8 (2 players)
Hero checks, UTG+2 bets $0.80, Hero calls $0.80

River: ($5.65) T (2 players)
Hero checks, UTG+2 bets $1.20, Hero calls $1.20

Final Pot: $8.05
Hero mucks Q A
UTG+2 shows T K (three of a kind, Tens)
UTG+2 wins $7.52
(Rake: $0.53)

Full

I need to upload my stats to see what my VPIP/PFR looked like but i dont suspect they will be tooo out of line

Given i broke my own rules and let myself down it reminds me of a really bad joke

Once there was a Balloon Boy who lived in Balloon Land. One day Balloon Boy decides to take a pin to school. After running around all day he gets called into the prinicpals office and the principal looks at him and says “Listen here Balloon Boy, not only have you let yourself down, you have let me down and you have let the whole school down”…

Im here all week try the veal

I think this has been the longest ive gone without playing poker and im starting to get the itch back. Im not walking around with the shakes like some crack head looking for a fix, its a differnt feeling. When i was tilting i would get the urge to log on or go to the casino and play thinking “i could crush anyone” or “that im gonna run good coz im due”. Im actually feeling the urge to sit down and enjoy the game again, enjoy figuring out what the villain is up to, how can i win hands. It’s a good feeling

My study has slipped away from what i prescribed myself. I have still watched a few more epsodes of Twee Bets (such a good series IMO) but i havent been able to watch any Haj School or EFPTE. I think once i get EFPTE on my iPhone i should be able to get it out of the way soon enough.

Although i haven’t been watching the exact videos i wanted i did watch some others. I found my old download of To Nit or Not to Nit which was a good reminder of some of the ABC stuff id just forgotten or figured i didnt need. Also watched the 2 eps of New Kid on the Block 2. Nolans videos are awesome, and i think the interaction he has with QuadDeuces is great. QD was actually one of the first members here on DC to send me a PM with some advice on hands, so i wish him well and im extremly jealous of the oppourtunity he has with his own series.

Thats all for now, but as promised click below to see chicks with moustaches

http://www.womenwithmustaches.com/

Peace Out

I can hear it, that little voice coming from my notebook and my desktop. Come play, come play. Im not sure how long i can resist the sirens song of UB and FTP but im determined to stick to my goals and not play until i have finished “studying”.

Its funny actually the more i watch and listen the more i realise i had forgotten the basics. Have you ever gotten in your car and for some reason continued to stall it at the lights? It feels like that. All the things i need to consider, like bet sizing and how to get the whole stack in by the turn/river. All this has gone out the window as i sat and waited for a big hand and big pay off. Ugh even saying it now its just so bad. Id become a loose passive fish.

I feel my best game comes when i play semi-loose aggressive, stabbing at pots, not getting to fancy, remembering position. Ill get there again i just need to re-focus.

So where am i at?

Ive watched 2 eps of Haj School, 6 of Twee Bets, and halfway through EFPTE. I figure i can start playing again at the start of Feb.

Its amazing, since i have started this i have had a read of a few other blogs, i cant beleive how many people are out there grinding away at 5NL and 10NL to build up a roll. Ive tried it before, i just dont have the patience to play for anything less than 25nl. Sure its not a big jump but at 10nl i just cant fold for 30c. I have the upmost respect for the guys that are grinding away but its not something i could do at those limits.

Im going to add some more rules/goals to my play -

1. No playing after 11pm during the week
2. Take a break every hour/100 hands whatever comes first

OK i think thats it for now

Peace out

So here it is, i have finally created a blog. After months and months of procrastinating i have sat down and started typing.

I just had a thought, what is the difference between starting a blog that no one will read and sitting on a bus and talking to yourself??

Anyway i digress, I’ve decided to start this blog in a effort to relieve myself from this horrible tilt I’ve been on for the last few months. As i sit right now I’m pretty much busto on all my online accounts (FTP – bad play and Rush Poker, UB – UB Blackjack, PKR – blackjack, Stars – just don’t play there)and my live roll is a 1/4 of what it was (not knowing when to leave, running bad at PLO)

6 months ago i was running good, playing good and i managed to build up my live roll from $50 to almost $5K. I remember how i felt when i was playing then, thinking about the villains hands, playing aggressively, finding ways to win pots then somewhere along the lines i went on reverse tilt. Getting too cocky then after a few bad beats I’ve gotten impatient. I feel like the game owes me, that my bad shoves with slim draws should come in like they did for all the other monkeys that 1 outered me.

So this is the first step in my new poker journey for 2010. And as with all first steps and resolutions i should make a list of goals and objectives.

No more poker until

• I finish listening to EFPTE
• Finish watching TWEE Bets
• Finish watching Haj School
• Finish watching Hold em Maths

Goals

• Win an APL tourney – yes the structure is bad and the players are worse but if i cant win at least 1 tourney or get to the final table regularly then im just not playing well
• Play $1/2 live until i have 15 – 20 buy ins for the $5/5 $200 game
• Set a live stop loss of 3 buy ins and stick to it
• Redeposit on FTP with 20 buy ins for $25nl FR and build this to $5K by the end of June 31st
• Make a post here on my blog at least once a week
• Post at least 3 hands from each session
• Play 1000 hands a week online (4 tabling this should be easy)

Thats pretty much it. Hopefully along the way i pick up at least 1 other reader besides myself and have some fun

Peace Out