TheGfactor's Blog

Well I haven't updated my blog in forever and have shown a lack of ability to find time to update it even when i'm around.  I enjoy the concept of it but like an assignment note pad in school, I never seem to be able to track my daily thoughts or projects.  Hopefully one day I will be able to get it done on a weekly basis at least but for now it will continue to be sparatic at best i'm sure.

Two weeks ago I finally was able to break through online and hit the sunday score i've been striving for online since i started with this game.  I chopped the Sunday Million for 170k three handed, in the end losing HU for the win.   http://www.pokerstars.tv/poker-video-8688-online-action-2.html?channel_id=93 It was a crazy ride but went down about how I thought it would if I ever was to make a run in the tournament.  I was on the shorter side of chips till we reached 100 or so left when I was able to win some key hands and then had the CL from prob 70-30 range, where I hit a road block with KK to AA late putting me in the 20bb range with 3 tables to go.  I wasn't upset at the time because like in any mtt things are going to go how they go, if they go positively or negatively, you have to take it in stride and know it will come again if it doesn't work out in the present.  I slipped to 15 bb or so and found my way to the final 18 where I dont think I broke 25bb and fell to 7 or 8 bb at times. Once again I managed to get though and things worked out and I came into the FT in 9th position and 9 bb.  I had gone most of the distance finally, but clearly the glory is not in 9th at the FT.  The first hand I was very lucky to double through Flush entity with A2cc vs his 1010.  I still have the image of the 6 of clubs hitting the flop in my head and just thinking if this is how its going to happen its not going to be that AAAAA.  The board couldn't have rolled out any smoother, 8c, 10c.  A big smile, fist pump, and on to the next hand.

Table draw was decent, but still a mix of good regs as well making it a challenge to close the tournament out.  Dfish, ZBThornton, flush entity, and Arbella all were names I had played with before.  Everyone was about even in chips except for the CL who I would have to rewatch ft to remember at the time.  I never was able to get rolling at the FT to where I could apply pressure or be a force that a big stack can give, but managed to find my way to the end after it was all said and done. Play dictated itself and situations arose that led to payjumps and before I knew it we were 3 handed talking about a chop in the Sunday Flagship.  The chop discussion was something I probably lost money on long term, with ZBThornon getting a great deal for the most money based on his stack, Arbella and I on even 18bb stacks and blinds going up in the next two hands made it a very tough and close decision on what I wanted to do.  I asked close friends who I greatly respect and hand been in the situation before on what they thought was the best plan of action money wise.  In the end it came down to how big of an edge I thought I had between the 3 of us, which I thought was pretty close and settled on the starts proposed deal. Locking up the extra 35k as proposed to falling in 3rd place or moving onto second or winning outright was very important for me financially and my future.  There was still 30k to play for first and winning it would give me a 200k score,  I felt most comftorable with the decision at the time, and winning would satisfy any mental regrets of not chopping.  Also having a 100% of my action factored in as well and would have probably leaned me in the other direction of playing it out.

As it goes, ZBT and arbella instantly went at it 3handed based on hands dealt and left Arbella and I HU for the Sunday million.  Pretty exciting stuff looking back at it but I've always known my time would come if I continued to put in the effort and work of improving for a moment like this.  I doubled early in the HU match but after that never could mount anything due to hand selection HU.  It was very frustrating knowing that i've played enough HU to close these situations but after watching the replay I feel it even if I had played a hand or two differently it would have been incredibly hard to win out based on Arbella's hands.  I credit Arbella for playing very well HU and the whole FT, and hopefully I will get another shot in the future to redeem myself in closing out an event like the Sunday Million.  This was big though, no other way to put it.  I have played unbacked as long as i've been playing online having to pass on many events I felt I had a good edge in due to bankroll management and grinding out cash games weekely to balance to MTT variance that can be brutal as we all know sometimes.  It has been incredibly frustrating at times but if you continue to push at the top levels, good things will happen in the long run I feel.  I'm lucky enough to be friends with some incredibly talented MTT players, Dave, tyson, tyler and many others, which no doubt have pushed me to where I am today.  The biggest influence on my game has to be my good friend JBT449 who has basically made me into the tournament player I am today, incredibly bright and is the perfect example of how there are so many different levels that most players aren't close to being at and what it takes to try to get there.  Thanks for everything man.

I haven't played much online since the score.  I traveled out to LA where the LAPC that thursday to stay with some friends who were at the series.  I played a satty to the main and two days of cash out there, along with a Sunday online.  Overall the trip was a slight loser with flight included, but very enjoyable to be with friends i haven't seen in a year and enjoy the flexibility poker has always given me.  I'm back home in MA now, and have been pretty busy the last few days so prepping myself for a good few days of poker is a much coming up.  It is my GF's 25th Bday tomorrow, who I also want to thank for help turning me into what i'm becoming as a player as well.  She has always believed in me and that goes a long way confidence wise when someone is always there when things aren't going well.  She's the best. We are going on a Party bus this weekend in Boston with about 30 friends so that should be a blast as everyone usually lets go for that hahha.  Other than that, poker will be back in focus very soon and trying to build on the recent success to make 2011 a very sucessfull year.

I am going to continue playing cash games and testing out new levels such as 3/6 and 5/10 which i have played very limited online.  These levels are extremely tough now a days and probably will invest in a coach to become a sucessful winner in these games and progress toward the goal of 25/50 one day.  It is going to take even more work to be successful at these leveles now because the players are that much better and all trying to progress forward as well so it should be very interesting ride ahead.  If anyone has recommendations of very successful 3/6 or 5/10nl/plo + coaches it would be much appreciated as i've been looking at 2+2 along with here and other sites for one that would best fit me and my style already.  Best of luck all, thanks for reading.

Glenn