Sunday, June 1, 2008
So where did I leave off?
Hey it's time to Cake it up a bit. Last I left things I was $100.45. Throw in some pocket change from a partial month's worth of rake back and I'm now at $101.32.
Wednesday, January 16, 2008
Break on through to the other side
A bill, one hundy, triple digits, century mark, double up...call it what you will but my current bankroll is $100.45.
It has taken 5,845 hands to do so but the monkey is off my back finally. After some initial success and a big tourney win, I have been engaged in a long battle with the East-West gremlins throwing horrendous suckouts my way as well as donking off chips by my own doing. I twice peaked above $97 before losing ground but I have passed the first major milestone and even if I dip below it again I will always have doubled up my original $50 stake.
The session started like so many others, hopping on a table and getting in line for three others. But this time I was very focused. I knew I was within two buy-ins of the $100 goal and I kept my cashier window open so I could keep real time tabs on my progress. Previously I had been very wary of concentrating too much on hitting a specific number for fear of pressing too much to make it happen and making poor decisions. I think back to what Jason said about Martin telling him to not worry about dollar amounts, concentrate only on making good decisions and let everything else fall how it may. My thinking then changed to "I'm going to make enough good decisions to pass the $100 mark" which I quickly recognize as goal oriented thinking disguised as solid fundamentals. But this session was different. I was in a zone. I wasn't really driven to pass the century mark this session but at the same time I was fully ready for it to happen and didn't really consider that it wouldn't happen.
What was the final leg of this portion of the journey like? Well as you may recall from last the last episode, I was sitting at $95.27, perched at the edge of doubling my roll but on the outside looking in. Cards were with me. I don't think I lost a single showdown this session.
O-ver-bet-ted (clap clap clap-clap-clap). It was early and didn't have a good feel for the table. If I had known that the table was as reasonable as it was then I would have just potted pre-flop and let someone make a good second best hand. At these stakes though I'm fine with the play, it pays off often enough and it is soooo hard to isolate after you have multiple people already in the pot.
O-ver-bet-ted (clap clap clap-clap-clap). OK, this time it works like it's supposed to. I shove from late position and get a call from short stack KJos who doesn't catch up and I take him out and pick up some blinds and limps.
Flop top set with 77 and play it HORRIBLY. A fairly dry board that I probably could have milked for more.
Limp in with 8h9h UTG and catch AK slow playing his hand into oblivion. That will be a $4.28 please. Thank you.
Worst hand of the session. I pay extra to see a flop with As5s. Flop nothing but a Jason nut flush. Someone please pot this thing so I can fold. No such luck, it checks through. Turn gets me half way to my flush and the bet is a quarter and unfortunately by the time it gets to me I'm priced in. River blanks and I paid .40 with a junker hand. That decision weighs heavier on me later in the session when I take down a pot which lands my about .20 shy of $100.
Pot it with AQ and get a pretty decent flop. A bit more crowded in the paint area than I'd like but I had no hard decisions after a pot sized bet on the flop takes it down.
Pot it with fish hooks and reel in a desperation all in from short stack .14 and a call from speculative Td6d. Flop is less than ideal 7c6s5s. I pot it and call a shove from Mr. second pair/Jason straight. Turn gives me a set to lock up the side pot. Short stack doesn't improve on their open ender and I take down a healthy $4.44 pot.
And here's the one that put me over the top. I see a flop with with a marginal KsJd. Flop is a 4sAdTs and I basically have three safe Qs in the deck to get any action whatsoever out of me. Turn is a blank but one of my three desired ladies pays me a visit on the river to give me the immortal nutters. I'm in late position with no action in front of me and I make it a modest pot sized bet of .20 hoping I can get at least a little something from someone with a random Q. Instead I get a shove from behind me. Folds around to me and I can't click the call button fast enough. The thought of a chop occurred to me but I like my chances for scooping. Indeed the sucker straight pays me in full and I bust through the C-note barrier.
I immediately extricate myself out of the other tables and call it a session so I can rest on my laurels for at least a little while. And that, folks, is how it happened.
It has taken 5,845 hands to do so but the monkey is off my back finally. After some initial success and a big tourney win, I have been engaged in a long battle with the East-West gremlins throwing horrendous suckouts my way as well as donking off chips by my own doing. I twice peaked above $97 before losing ground but I have passed the first major milestone and even if I dip below it again I will always have doubled up my original $50 stake.
The session started like so many others, hopping on a table and getting in line for three others. But this time I was very focused. I knew I was within two buy-ins of the $100 goal and I kept my cashier window open so I could keep real time tabs on my progress. Previously I had been very wary of concentrating too much on hitting a specific number for fear of pressing too much to make it happen and making poor decisions. I think back to what Jason said about Martin telling him to not worry about dollar amounts, concentrate only on making good decisions and let everything else fall how it may. My thinking then changed to "I'm going to make enough good decisions to pass the $100 mark" which I quickly recognize as goal oriented thinking disguised as solid fundamentals. But this session was different. I was in a zone. I wasn't really driven to pass the century mark this session but at the same time I was fully ready for it to happen and didn't really consider that it wouldn't happen.
What was the final leg of this portion of the journey like? Well as you may recall from last the last episode, I was sitting at $95.27, perched at the edge of doubling my roll but on the outside looking in. Cards were with me. I don't think I lost a single showdown this session.
O-ver-bet-ted (clap clap clap-clap-clap). It was early and didn't have a good feel for the table. If I had known that the table was as reasonable as it was then I would have just potted pre-flop and let someone make a good second best hand. At these stakes though I'm fine with the play, it pays off often enough and it is soooo hard to isolate after you have multiple people already in the pot.
O-ver-bet-ted (clap clap clap-clap-clap). OK, this time it works like it's supposed to. I shove from late position and get a call from short stack KJos who doesn't catch up and I take him out and pick up some blinds and limps.
Flop top set with 77 and play it HORRIBLY. A fairly dry board that I probably could have milked for more.
Limp in with 8h9h UTG and catch AK slow playing his hand into oblivion. That will be a $4.28 please. Thank you.
Worst hand of the session. I pay extra to see a flop with As5s. Flop nothing but a Jason nut flush. Someone please pot this thing so I can fold. No such luck, it checks through. Turn gets me half way to my flush and the bet is a quarter and unfortunately by the time it gets to me I'm priced in. River blanks and I paid .40 with a junker hand. That decision weighs heavier on me later in the session when I take down a pot which lands my about .20 shy of $100.
Pot it with AQ and get a pretty decent flop. A bit more crowded in the paint area than I'd like but I had no hard decisions after a pot sized bet on the flop takes it down.
Pot it with fish hooks and reel in a desperation all in from short stack .14 and a call from speculative Td6d. Flop is less than ideal 7c6s5s. I pot it and call a shove from Mr. second pair/Jason straight. Turn gives me a set to lock up the side pot. Short stack doesn't improve on their open ender and I take down a healthy $4.44 pot.
And here's the one that put me over the top. I see a flop with with a marginal KsJd. Flop is a 4sAdTs and I basically have three safe Qs in the deck to get any action whatsoever out of me. Turn is a blank but one of my three desired ladies pays me a visit on the river to give me the immortal nutters. I'm in late position with no action in front of me and I make it a modest pot sized bet of .20 hoping I can get at least a little something from someone with a random Q. Instead I get a shove from behind me. Folds around to me and I can't click the call button fast enough. The thought of a chop occurred to me but I like my chances for scooping. Indeed the sucker straight pays me in full and I bust through the C-note barrier.
I immediately extricate myself out of the other tables and call it a session so I can rest on my laurels for at least a little while. And that, folks, is how it happened.
Monday, January 14, 2008
Mid-Nineties
Sat down for a little session. Played pretty straightforward with a little bit of extra spice thrown in.
See a flop with 9hTh. Flop top pair and pot the flop. Get min raised. Feels like a massage raise so I jump out of the pool. He shows that he flopped top two. Good read, nice fold.
Played this AKos poorly. I turn top/top and let bad guy set his price to draw to his flush. I was simultaneously slow playing and playing weak. Clearly should have bumped the turn to see if I was being crushed already or to extract more out of the drawer.
Hey I flopped two pair with my presto and I stab to find out where I am. Guess no one had a deuce or a six they wanted to fight with.
Same thing here. I have TT and again find that nobody hit the pair on board or the third card.
Ac4c is second pair. Nobody wants it on the flop? OK, I'll lay claim to the pot.
Flopped two pair again with 67os and once more dodge someone holding trips out on the table.
Ts8s and a pretty good flop, third nuts plus a GSSFD. I check call the flop, pot the turn, then shove the river. The amount of time that it took him to fold leads me to believe that the 9h might have killed the action since it made a one card straight possible. I think he might have paid if the river blanked.
AsQh is good on A high flop.
Oh dear, it's the old "folds around through the button and shove with the nuts from the SB because it so obviously looks like a steal" move that works like a charm. Even if I WERE stealing...defending four cents with 5cTc? Really? OK, go ahead, just don't suck out on me please, thanks!
And on that note, I can tell that I'm mentally fading so I pack up my tables and wrap it up for the session. $2.79 to the good and now at $95.27, two buy-ins striking distance from the century milestone.
See a flop with 9hTh. Flop top pair and pot the flop. Get min raised. Feels like a massage raise so I jump out of the pool. He shows that he flopped top two. Good read, nice fold.
Played this AKos poorly. I turn top/top and let bad guy set his price to draw to his flush. I was simultaneously slow playing and playing weak. Clearly should have bumped the turn to see if I was being crushed already or to extract more out of the drawer.
Hey I flopped two pair with my presto and I stab to find out where I am. Guess no one had a deuce or a six they wanted to fight with.
Same thing here. I have TT and again find that nobody hit the pair on board or the third card.
Ac4c is second pair. Nobody wants it on the flop? OK, I'll lay claim to the pot.
Flopped two pair again with 67os and once more dodge someone holding trips out on the table.
Ts8s and a pretty good flop, third nuts plus a GSSFD. I check call the flop, pot the turn, then shove the river. The amount of time that it took him to fold leads me to believe that the 9h might have killed the action since it made a one card straight possible. I think he might have paid if the river blanked.
AsQh is good on A high flop.
Oh dear, it's the old "folds around through the button and shove with the nuts from the SB because it so obviously looks like a steal" move that works like a charm. Even if I WERE stealing...defending four cents with 5cTc? Really? OK, go ahead, just don't suck out on me please, thanks!
And on that note, I can tell that I'm mentally fading so I pack up my tables and wrap it up for the session. $2.79 to the good and now at $95.27, two buy-ins striking distance from the century milestone.
Thursday, January 10, 2008
No no no no no
Oy. Donkville. Ended up on the wrong side of a coin flip and then I flushed a bunch of money down the drain. I got some of it back with some aggressive play with some marginal hands. I'm after the $100 mark and pressed too much.
First hand I pick up and I have AK with an overbet ahead of me. I feel like gambling so I shove and I'm against QQ which holds up.
Now I'm stuck even more and here's where the wheels fall off.
And how did I end up paying off two pair here with my Ac6c?
QdJd here. What am I doing in this hand?
Why am I even playing 45os here? At least I bet while I was ahead then I dumped in more chips when I was behind.
Hey I was BB so get off my back. At least Js6c paid off from a presumed Q.
The flip side was that I got kinda aggro to get some folds out of people.
Had the Sola here and bet the ugly flop.
7s6s makes top pair and I'm pot the flop and turn until he goes away.
Complete the other half of the SB and see a flop with 9dJs. Pot the flop then shove on the turn. Go away, I have an open ender here!
Look out, I have another open ender! 8sTs and I'll pot it until you go away.
Stuck to my guns here with QsJc because this guy was showing down semi's.
OK, that was enough to get me less stuck so I call it a session before I dig myself in deeper. 87 hands down $3.12 to $92.52. Blech.
First hand I pick up and I have AK with an overbet ahead of me. I feel like gambling so I shove and I'm against QQ which holds up.
Now I'm stuck even more and here's where the wheels fall off.
And how did I end up paying off two pair here with my Ac6c?
QdJd here. What am I doing in this hand?
Why am I even playing 45os here? At least I bet while I was ahead then I dumped in more chips when I was behind.
Hey I was BB so get off my back. At least Js6c paid off from a presumed Q.
The flip side was that I got kinda aggro to get some folds out of people.
Had the Sola here and bet the ugly flop.
7s6s makes top pair and I'm pot the flop and turn until he goes away.
Complete the other half of the SB and see a flop with 9dJs. Pot the flop then shove on the turn. Go away, I have an open ender here!
Look out, I have another open ender! 8sTs and I'll pot it until you go away.
Stuck to my guns here with QsJc because this guy was showing down semi's.
OK, that was enough to get me less stuck so I call it a session before I dig myself in deeper. 87 hands down $3.12 to $92.52. Blech.
Slipped back a buy in
Frustrating session. So close to $100. Got pretty good cards. Raised with strong A's but didn't hit very often.
First hand at the table and I'm given the hammer after I post. Bad cards, decent board, good start.
AKos and a failed cbet in position. I think I was still ahead and this guy was just dickin' with me but I fold anyway.
Great flop for 99...as long as no one has a J, or a spade draw, or pocket 5s, or an overpair...etc.
QcJc had this guy in a vice. I'm freerolling and he's a chop at best. Can't scoop though, Cake wins.
JsTs OESD+FD=zilch. Hmmm...one cards straight possible? My third pair HAS to be good.
Short stack desperation button shove with AhQs. Get called with AsKs who limped in middle position(?). Ha ha ha. Way to get your money in bad sucka! Well, SOON to be bad at least!
Pot it pre with AKos and I flop two overs, a gutter, and a Jason flush draw. Good enough for a cbet in LP.
Raise with AsQd, cbet, then hit, twice. Meant to make my turn bet larger but for the UI.
And the award for suckiest beat of the session goes toooooo...KcJc. I half pot pre-flop and get a true min so I call off an extra .04. Flop PERFECT on the min-raiser and get action. I shove, he calls with top set that boats up. Wah wahhhh.
121 hands and down $2.38, a couple pennies shy of a full buy. Puts me at $95.64.
First hand at the table and I'm given the hammer after I post. Bad cards, decent board, good start.
AKos and a failed cbet in position. I think I was still ahead and this guy was just dickin' with me but I fold anyway.
Great flop for 99...as long as no one has a J, or a spade draw, or pocket 5s, or an overpair...etc.
QcJc had this guy in a vice. I'm freerolling and he's a chop at best. Can't scoop though, Cake wins.
JsTs OESD+FD=zilch. Hmmm...one cards straight possible? My third pair HAS to be good.
Short stack desperation button shove with AhQs. Get called with AsKs who limped in middle position(?). Ha ha ha. Way to get your money in bad sucka! Well, SOON to be bad at least!
Pot it pre with AKos and I flop two overs, a gutter, and a Jason flush draw. Good enough for a cbet in LP.
Raise with AsQd, cbet, then hit, twice. Meant to make my turn bet larger but for the UI.
And the award for suckiest beat of the session goes toooooo...KcJc. I half pot pre-flop and get a true min so I call off an extra .04. Flop PERFECT on the min-raiser and get action. I shove, he calls with top set that boats up. Wah wahhhh.
121 hands and down $2.38, a couple pennies shy of a full buy. Puts me at $95.64.
Mini-hit and run
Quick session this morning.
Took down one hand with snowmans. Pretty sure I had it locked up at the end there but just flat called.
Barometer says 98.02 for a new peak and tantalizingly close to triple digits.
Took down one hand with snowmans. Pretty sure I had it locked up at the end there but just flat called.
Barometer says 98.02 for a new peak and tantalizingly close to triple digits.
Wednesday, January 9, 2008
Rakeback
Wow. Got my rakeback from December. $9.11 which increases my roll over 10%. That brings a new high water mark of $97.90 and puts the century mark it less than one double up of a standard buy in away. I'll give it a whirl soon and see how it goes. Stay tuned.
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