Coaching Kristy

BREATHE.... out with the bad air, in with the good :) <--- name that movie :)

SO!!! The latest episode of Coaching Kristy is a real doozy huh? Haha, I'm trying to bring myself to watch it again to learn from my mistakes, but it's torture. ICK!!! Now those of you who read my last blog can probably understand a bit better why I spazzed, right? 

Anyway! Like I said though, after I wrote that blog, I was really motivated, especially after all the supportive comments from you guys. So I finished my trip to Paris, went to Brussels for one day, got silly on some Belgium beer, then traveled for 24 hours home to Vegas, slept for 6 hours, went to work at the World Team Poker event which went for 20 frickin hours, got mad sick with a fever and shizer, slept for 24 hours (occasionally lifting my head to watch DC videos and obv check Facebook/Twitter)... and then when I could move again, I was like OK--- POKER TIME.

I got back into 25-50 cent and started slow. I don't have endurance yet, and can only focus for short 1 to 2 hour time periods. I played with confidence and focused on the processes. I need a WWBWD bracelet :) (for those of you who didn't get that, that would stand for What Would Baluga Whale Do) I did really well, and felt really good. I got in some good spots and also got unlucky a few times, so I know it wasn't just running good... but anyway, here's how it's been in the last few days... (I know it's a SUPER small sample, but hey, I can brag once in awhile)

 

Sweet. I have enough to start playing .50-1.00 now too! PROGRESS!

I also played a couple sessions live, and I played an interesting hand that I wanted some feedback on...

I was playing $2-$5 at Bellagio, and I'd been playing for about an hour. There was a decent player two to my left. We'd been chatting a bit, and he asked me my opinion on some hand he played where he made a tough laydown, so I was thinking he had a bit of respect for me. Just before this hand came up, he was on a pretty big heater having flopped two sets and also winning two big pots with overpairs. So, after all that, he raised utg + 1 to $20 and got two callers. I called out of the BB with J9 of spades. The flop was As 8s 7h. I check, he bets $55, the two limpers fold and I call with my flush draw and gutter ball with about $530 behind. He had me well covered. The turn is an offsuit 9. I check and he bets $105. 

So at this point, I'm thinking, can I check raise him and get him to fold better? I think he has AK, AQ, AJ a ton of the time. I don't think he does this with big pairs like KK, QQ, JJ, 10 very often, but he could have that. It's hard for him to have A-8, A-9, A-7 with his early position raise. Of course he could have 88 or 77, but in Andrew's words, "It's really hard to flop sets" :) So I was thinking that a check call, check raise on the turn by me would look super strong. I think he would fold A TON of his range since I can rep a set or two-pair, or even a straight with 45s J10s, really easily. Plus, if I'm wrong and he doesn't fold, I have a lot of pot-equity obv. I made my decision to make the play, but do I just reraise? Or do I just shove?

I decided to make it $290, obviously planning on calling off the rest of it. He stood up, asked me if I had straight, and then shoved. I called, he showed 88's, I bricked and mucked. I still feel good about the play, but thought I'd check with you guys. Was the play ok? and If so, do you like shoving or just reraising? I think reraising "looks" stronger, but against a player who might think I want it to "look" stronger should I shove? Or should I just not even think about leveling in a $2-$5 live game? Hahha. 

Oh, and for all of you that have been waiting to see Baluga on a bull... don't be mad, but I can't find the video! Jay asked me to send it to him, but I'm so scared I accidentally deleted it, or Baluga sent some crazy ninjas over here to swipe it from me so it wouldn't see the light of day... There is one more place I can check for it. Hopefully it will make it into the last video or something. 

The WSOP is coming up, and I'm pretty excited. I'm going to be working a ton, but I know I want to play at least two events... the Ladies and a $1k. I think I'm going to sell some pieces too. Maybe I can make a sick cash and play in the Main Event. OMG, overheard a couple guys playing the $2-$5 talking about playing the main event, one of which who open raised to $80 and showed Aces when everyone folded and said he "hates" playing that hand. HAHA siiiiiiiick! These freaks are going to play the main event and I can't yet? BREATHE, Patience Kristy, I'll get there soon... and from this experience with DC, I can honestly say that with confidence.

ALSO, I got to interview Ivey this week at The Ivey Room opening at Aria! It was super nervous cuz pshhh it's Ivey!!! But I thought I'd share since, ummm well it's frickin IVEY I hope you all are well! :)

 Frickin LOVE YOU GUYS