I hate .50/1

Well apparently I don't have what it takes to beat .50/1. It really is frustrating especially the way today went. First off I played 2 $30 stt's with my tourney $$ that I was talking about yesterday. I bubbled both of them, which reminded me why I stopped playing stt's in the first place. They are so frustrating emotionally. Then I played 5, $20 heads up matches and won all of them. After that I played a $20 4 person heads up, and won both those matches. I then lost in a $5, 4 way heads up match. I don't know why but I seem to do so well in heads up. Maybe I should do that more often. Even the other night I was drunk and just playing for fun, and obviously not up to my game, and I still went like 8 for 11 in $20 heads up.

Anyway I ended up turning the 215 tourney $$ into $240 which is ok, and would have been a lot more if the stt's went well, and I didn't get fluked on the bubble. So after that I played cash games and the $3 rebuy satellite I was talking about yesterday. I finished 34th when 13 got a seat which was frustrating. I had an all in pot which if I won I could have sat out for the rest of the tourney and got the seat. I did get it all in behind however with JJ to AA, which didn't really make me too upset, as the players are so bad in those it's thought to fold JJ pree flop. The cash games were so frustrating. I hit sooooo many sets and still ended the session -171 after 5 hours of play. I feel like I ran well except for maybe 4 hands that I just got badly set up and all 4 times the pot was 200+. So I guess to loose over 500 on 4 hands and come out down 171 is not that bad, just frustrating more then anything. I think I played well for the most part, except for maybe 3 hands that I made some dumb mistakes. I think I might take a couple days off the cash games, and just play tourney's, I am just so frustrated with .50/1 right now. Not sure if it's my style, maybe playing too passive as my friend Bill Sparks was saying (if you look at the comments from the last entry), but I think I might need to re-evaluate my game. Anyway here are some of the hands from today, I think I only put in 2 of the big pots I lost in:

http://www.liquidpoker.net/h/43609 - Interesting. I raise the flop to see a free river card if needed. That all goes to shit, but I still have good odds to call on my draw. Turn doesn't really change much as I'm not sure if 2 pair or trips are good if I get there. River gives me 2 pair and after he checks again I'm thinking my 2 pair is good for the side pot. Not sure if I'm good for the main but I try and win some on the side. He check raises me and I'm committed to call even though I don't like it at all and I am pretty sure I'm beat. Some how I'm good for the side and the main.

http://www.liquidpoker.net/h/43610 - Whoops

http://www.liquidpoker.net/h/43611 - That's about right

http://www.liquidpoker.net/h/43612 - Trying not to do this as much, but once in a while I still do it. Worked out well here.

http://www.liquidpoker.net/h/43613 - Gayed again. My thinking is that the only hand I'm worried about is 88, and if someone has it whatever, not much I can do. Other then 88 I am ahead of all the other hands, AK, AA, 10J, any flush draw, I think this is just a hand that you can't really avoid going broke

http://www.liquidpoker.net/h/43614 - Sweet. This worked out perfectly except for the runner runer

http://www.liquidpoker.net/h/43615 - I knew exactly what would happen here as you can see in the chat.

http://www.liquidpoker.net/h/43616 - ty for the donation.


Well I'm off to bed, but hopefully I will be back tomorrow with some news about a big tourney win. I'll be back........

Brutal

I had my worst session so far in the cash games today. I played for 3 hours and was down $400. It's funny that this session really hurt me the most more then any session I have even played. And in the past I have had loosing session of $1500, and I had less money then I do now. I think it's kind of a reflection of how my poker game is becoming more "mature".

The session was really sick. I played for 3 hours which is about 1400 hands 8 tabling, and the biggest pot I won was $40. That really is sick. I couldn't win a pot. It was so frustrating. It was truly amazing how many huge hands I had to lay down. I played a second session later tonight and right off the bat was down about $200. Once again just getting smoked over and over again. Set up all day long, and had to fold so many huge hands again. Finally, after a while, I started to hit a few hands, and won a couple of nice pots. I ended this session up $81 after 5 hours, which is a bad rate, but good for the confidence, and a good comeback. I also played in a $3 rebuy satellite for the Sunday tourney. Paying the top 8 out of about 400. I made it, really grinding it out as I was in last place from 135 left all the way to 35 left. Man those players are bad though. I think I'm going to try and play those every night and just use the tournament $$ to play Stt's. So later on today when I get up, I'm going to play some $30 stt's with the tourney $$ that I won. Hopefully I will profit a good amount and I will be back to where I was 3 days ago when I started .50/1, after having just about as bad a run as I hope I will have to face. So anyway although it has been a tough couple of days, I am still motivated to do well which isn't always easy after having a bad run, especially when you just move up stakes.

So anyway here are some hands from today:

http://www.liquidpoker.net/h/43255 - Well played AA. I never really re raise AA pree flop but though I would switch it up this time. Had a feeling that everyone else would call and I just wanted to see the flop heads up. For some reason when you play a short stack and check the flop they never ever think you have a hand. This is a good flop for me as either he has a 2 outer of he is probably drawing dead. I check behind with a little gamble because he's not folding a pair anyway so I might as well get his chips if he has AK.

http://www.liquidpoker.net/h/43256 - Badly played AA. My thinking pree flop is that he either has KK QQ or JJ. By just flat calling I get all his chips if the flop comes low, and I minimize the pot if a K, J or Q comes. As it turns out I played the hand badly because I gave him the chance to catch up, and if I had raise big pree flop there is a good chance that we would have been all in.

http://www.liquidpoker.net/h/43257 - This is basically what has happened all day long. He gives me odds to call for a boat but I'm pretty sure he has the straight.

http://www.liquidpoker.net/h/43258 - Couldn't hit a draw to save my life at this point.

http://www.liquidpoker.net/h/43259 - All day long

http://www.liquidpoker.net/h/43260 - Basically 90% of the hands I played today went like this.

http://www.liquidpoker.net/h/43261 - Nice call

http://www.liquidpoker.net/h/43262 - What can I do

http://www.liquidpoker.net/h/43263 - So frustrating. Every time I make a hand I have to fold. I had a bad feeling about this hand after he called the turn, so I made a blocking bet on the river. I can't see me being good here so I let it go.

http://www.liquidpoker.net/h/43265 - Same old.

http://www.liquidpoker.net/h/43266 - Lost min here again. You really have to careful about betting the river at this level. Even when the turn is checked.

http://www.liquidpoker.net/h/43267 - It's hard to extract max. Value on the river because I am always worried about getting raised.


Sorry if this was hard to read. It's now 9:22am and I haven't gone to bed yet so I'm a little out of it. I will be back later on tonight hopefully with some good results from stt's........

Munday

This will be a double post for Sunday and Monday (hence the title), as I didn't feel like posting after a really bad start at .50/1 yesterday. On Saturday Krissy finished 84 in the 1k event which was worth $2400. She ended up going out with AK all in pree to AQ which was disappointing as it would have put her above average, and in good shape to make a lot of money. When ever one of us does well in a tourney, we always give the other some of the profits. Krissy sent me $300 which meant I was moving up stakes. I started off well winning $150 in the first 5 minutes. Had me thinking wow, .50/1 is a breeze. Whoooooops, worst way to think, as I played like crap and ran bad at the same time for the rest of the session, which doesn't work out too well. I ended up down $170 on the session which is horrible. Today I went in with a different attitude and tried to play my more solid style which worked out well. I finished up $77 after 3 hours which isn't a great rate, but I felt I played solid for the most part, and I am starting to get used to .50/1 more. I think I was still playing a little looser then I want, so I am really going to try and tighten up for my next session either tonight or tomorrow.

Anyway here are some hands from the last 2 days:

http://www.liquidpoker.net/h/42844 - Pretty sure he had a flush draw. He waiting a while to check on the turn which felt to me like he wanted to look like he had a hand so that I would check. I wanted to charge him big for the draw so I bet the pot. I want him to call here as I am a big favorite and he's not getting a dime out of me if he hits it.

http://www.liquidpoker.net/h/42845 - Just the turn and river I was looking for

http://www.liquidpoker.net/h/42846 - Should have raised the damn river

http://www.liquidpoker.net/h/42847 - If I knew he was that strong I would have check raised the river

http://www.liquidpoker.net/h/42848 - Interesting hand. The thing about this hand is that I didn't want to get bluffed off. There is a good chance that I have the best hand, but if I raise he might push with a hand that I am beating and there is no way I'm calling him all in if I raise and comes back over the top. My thinking is that I will gamble and check call down. The downside to this is that I am giving him the chance to outdraw me. The upside is that if he does have a hand and I fill up I'm going to win a big pot, and I am also going to get more out of him if he had a hand that he would have folded to a reraise on the flop.

http://www.liquidpoker.net/h/42849 - Not sure how I win this hand but I'll take it. Probably should have bet the turn.

http://www.liquidpoker.net/h/42850 - Interesting. Thought for a while on the river here about betting. I really felt like he called me on the turn with A high as he did it really quickly. I have been getting check raised a lot on the river however at this level, so I am starting to play the river a lot more caustiously.

http://www.liquidpoker.net/h/42851 - Nice of him to donate like this.

http://www.liquidpoker.net/h/42852 - This is what I'm talking about on the river. I really though I had him here. It made no sense at all for him to check raise me after I check the turn. I figured either he had a smaller K, or the 7 on the river helped me against his QJ, so I bet. Still not sure how he expects me to bet the river here, but I think it's pretty clear that I am beat. He probably had 1010, or A10.

http://www.liquidpoker.net/h/42853 - Crazy bluff. Don't usually do this into 3 other players, but there is no way that anyone is strong here after just calling the flop and the turn. Figured that 2 of them had a draw and onceniceace probably had a weak 9. Spacehug probably had a flush draw with a pair. I show it to give me action later.

http://www.liquidpoker.net/h/42854 - Love when they show me. Just gives me confidence. The reason it is hard to lay this down is because of hands like the K10 above where I have the set of Q's. This is a similar situation and he could easily be just like the other guy and have Q10. This is the disadvantage to 8 tabling. It is a lot harder to pay attention to the types of players you are up against.

http://www.liquidpoker.net/h/42856 - By far the toughest call of the night. Basically on the turn his bet seemed like he really didn't want a call and my instincts were telling me I had the best hand. I could have raised here and took the pot down but my thinking is that I basically have to push and I'm not getting called by anything I'm beating so it doesn't really make sense. So basically I'm calling here and gambling that he doesn't hit an over card and if the flush comes I can just lay it down. Now on the river with his bet I really give him either 67 or nothing. I don't think he would bet just an A this hard on the river. My instincts were really telling me that I was good so I went with it. NC fishbones.

Ok, I'm off to have a couple drinks. Hopefully Krissy and I will be playing golf tomorrow, we plan to as long at the weather is nice. Whooohooo. I'll be back......

Good Day

Tonight I played a short 2h session that went well. I ran well for the most part, but also lost a few big hands, that would have made a huge difference in the outcome. I managed to finish up $119, and decided to call it quits, as I was a little tired and didn't feel like I was playing my best. Getting closer to the goal, only $190 away. I also played a $30 double shootout satellite to tomorrow's $1000 touney. I won my first table and finished a disappointing 3rd at my second table. Soooo close, and a profit of $50 for my effort. Whoopdee dooo. I also played a $50 mtt and finished just outside the money loosing a race that would have put me in good shape to do well. I decided that I would tally up my #'s after 30 sessions at .25/.50, so here they are:

70h +$1416 = $20 per hour. Not as good as my last results, but I also feel like I ran sooo bad for a good long time. Don't think I really ran that well for long so hopefully when I reach .50/1 things will go well right off the start. If I average $20/h I should be at .50/1 in about 10h, which is only a couple of days.

Anyway here are some hands from today:

http://www.liquidpoker.net/h/42317 - Well right off the bat this hand happened, and I was thinking here we go again. But it worked out ok.

http://www.liquidpoker.net/h/42318 - Whoops. What a feeling to bust 2 short stacks. Gotta love it.

http://www.liquidpoker.net/h/42319 - Maybe the all in was a bit much but I'm pretty sure it's the best way to play this hand

http://www.liquidpoker.net/h/42320 - Pretty sure he lays it down if I bet so I try and trap him, doesn't work though, good check.

There was a lot more interesting hands that I though I saved but I guess I didn't. Anyway I will be back tomorrow. If I get up in time I might try another satellite, but I probably will sleep in. I might play it with Krissy though, as she has all ready won a seat. Luck Box!!

Deja Vu (not sure if that's how you spell that)

Before dinner I played a 1h session and finished up $84 which is a good rate. Then I went out for dinner and half a movie with Kristen. I though the movie (Davinci Code) was interesting, but after about 10 minutes Kristen was falling asleep bored out of her mind. I felt bad so we left the movie just as it was getting interesting. We came home and decided to have a session before bed. I started off just like last night running disgustingly horrible. It was really brutal how many times I flopped a set and lost. After it happened around 4 times the 66 hand happened that I will post below. This hand combined with all the other hands that happened in a 10 minute period just about sent my monitor out the window . I am probably the worst at handling bad beats. I never really do it live, but when I'm in my own home I really let it out. Anyway I was down about $150 10 minutes into my session which is always a good thing. I spent the next 3h and 50mins grinding it out once again. I played well, hit some draws, and finally won a pot with a set. I ended the session up $80 which was great after starting in such a hole. I didn't play as good as I did the other night, and could have saved some money getting away from a couple hands, but other then that I think I played really well. My bank role is steadily moving up, and I honestly can't wait for the day that I don't run bad because it's going to be a huge win. Anyway enough crying here are some hands:

http://www.liquidpoker.net/h/42036 - Well played donkey. The reason I bet so much was because I figured at least 1 and possibly both of them had an Ace, and they weren't folding. I was wrong but it still worked out.

http://www.liquidpoker.net/h/42037 - This is always fun. The reason I just called the turn is because I was a little worried about the A high flush, and also I'm pretty sure he isn't folding a set so if the board pairs I can minimize the pot, knowing I can still get them all if the board doesn't pair. This way I can wait to see if my hand holds before getting all the money in.

http://www.liquidpoker.net/h/42038 - Not really sure if it is the right play to call all in here. Basically my thinking is that either I'm racing or I have him dominated. If we are racing I win almost half the time, and if I'm dominating him I win 3/4 times. Because he is the short stack it makes it more likely that he could be doing this with weaker hands. I am pretty sure that this is the correct call to put me up money in the long run.

http://www.liquidpoker.net/h/42039 - I push because I know I have 2 overs and a flush draw which is better then 50%, I also have fold equity, and there is the slim chance that I have the best hand. Definitely the best way to play this hand.

http://www.liquidpoker.net/h/42041 - Its not often you win a pot with 6 high. LOL.

http://www.liquidpoker.net/h/42042 - I can't win with a set!!!

http://www.liquidpoker.net/h/42043 - People like doing this to me

http://www.liquidpoker.net/h/42044 - The only time it's good to call on a gut shot is either when you know your opponent is really weak, or you know they are really strong. I call here because I know they are strong and I'm going to get paid off nicely. Spagiari thought for so long and would have called if tdplayer didn't.

http://www.liquidpoker.net/h/42045 - Got to love the donkeys. I have to give credit to tilt on this hand. Thank you tilt for your help, and please, never come back.

http://www.liquidpoker.net/h/42046 - Raising the flop back fires but I'm deff. not folding this hand with 3/1 on my money and 12 outs. The turn is the perfect card and after he checks to me I'm pretty sure he wont give me 85 if I overbet it, worked out perfectly, even though the river scared the crap out of me.

http://www.liquidpoker.net/h/42047 - LOLOLOLOLOLOL, I love busting a short stack!! I'm too lazy to explain the story of why I did this but it worked out so what ever.

http://www.liquidpoker.net/h/42048 - So obv he's calling me all in here. Surprised I won.

So the day was a + but not that much. Hopefully tomorrow will be a bigger win. I am starting to like the longer session better. I think I get in a better groove, hopefully I will get a nice long winning session in tomorrow. I'll be back......

Small Loss...

Tonight I lost $10 after playing for almost 6 hours. I ran horrible so loosing 10 wasn't' bad. I lost 4 monster hands with a set which is always nice. It seemed like every time a flopped a set it was like, ok how much am I going to loose this time. I try not to think like this, but sometimes it's hard not to. Out of the 3 thousand hands I played tonight I think I played 3 really badly. That's a pretty small %, but when it comes to poker you need to minimize that #. I think there was a lot of hands that I played really well however, and once again although it was a loosing session, it was almost like a win to come out only down $10, after being down almost $300 earlier in the night.

Here are some hand from the session:


http://www.liquidpoker.net/h/41722 - Nice

http://www.liquidpoker.net/h/41723 - A funny one

http://www.liquidpoker.net/h/41724 - Been doing this a lot more lately. I think it's a good way to play a flush draw in position. Most people who are reading this all ready understand, but for who don't, basically if I just call the flop he is going to bet more then the raise I make with his bet on the turn, so by raising I get to see the draw cheaper, and it's harder for him to put me on the flush if I hit it. Also if I think he's weak I might be able to steal the pot on the turn if I miss the draw.

http://www.liquidpoker.net/h/41725 - Although I played this river like a complete donkey, I think he played the hand way worse. I had no idea he was capable of playing a hand this bad, so I really didn't think he had a 7. I really put him on an overpair raising under the gun, but I guess you shouldn't assume at this level.

http://www.liquidpoker.net/h/41726 - Don't usually re raise pree flop, but in this situation I kind of just want to see the flop heads up with position. When he raises me on the flop I'm not really sure what he has but I have good odds to call anyways so I decided if I didn't hit the turn I would make the decision of what he had at that point. After the turn he bet pretty hard so I figured it was probably QQ or possibly AJ. It didn't feel like a set to me so knowing that the $15 is going in on the river I have odds to call with 15 outs. Didn't expect him to have that and it would have been sick if I missed the river because he would have bluffed me off for sure.

http://www.liquidpoker.net/h/41727 - Pretty risky the way I played this hand, but I was confident in my read. The reason I checked the turn was because I was pretty sure he would bet after I showed weakness, and this way I can protect my hand better, and I still get more money out of him. Everything goes to play except he snap calls which I didn't expect. The river is an off suit K which is better then a heart but still not great. I was almost positive that he had a flush draw and the way he instantly pushed the river really looked like he missed. He probably would have checked if he had a K thinking it might be good, but still afraid of a Q. A good read though.

http://www.liquidpoker.net/h/41728 - Feels so gooooood to bust a short stack. Especially like this.

http://www.liquidpoker.net/h/41729 - Lately when I flop a set it's on a perfect board like this one. I can really slow play because there is nothing to worry about. LOL.

http://www.liquidpoker.net/h/41730 - That was easy, surprised I won though.

So even though I cam out $10 it was still a good play as far as how I did. I am still a little mad at myself for the way I played those 3 hands but what can you do, everyone makes mistakes. I am really exited for the session that I run good because I think I'm really going to clean out the way I am playing. Anyway more to come tomorrow.....

Session x3

Well after I lost just over $100 yesterday, I played in a $100 mtt and placed 21st for $160, which is a disappointment, but still a profit. While I was playing that someone was talking in the chat box about sit and go's. So I figured I would play a $30 sit and go. I won that for a profit of around $120. I don't know what it is about trying something new but I swear I almost always win, it's really weird. Today I had a session before dinner and did well finishing up $63 in a little over an hour which is good. I played well and also ran well. Then tonight I had a really long session of 5 hours and 3 thousand hands. Although I only had a profit of $73 I feel like it was one of the best sessions that I have had in 25/50 as far as my play. I can't explain how many hands I could have gone tap and didn't. There are a lot of people I know that instead of winning $73 would have lost over $300. There was just soooooo many hands that I was set up, but managed to get away from. I also hit some big hands, and if I didn't get outdrawn by AK to my AA for a $140 pot just before my session ended I would have been up a lot more. But I was still very happy with how I played. I'm not sure if it's because I played for a long period of time and got in the "zone" but something went right. Anyway here are a lot of hands that I saved, and a lot of them are very interesting (in my opinion).
http://www.liquidpoker.net/h/41390 - Nice flop.

http://www.liquidpoker.net/h/41391 - There was no draw on board for 2 people to be flat calling, so it didn't make much sense. Was pretty much done with this hand after they both call the flop, inless I filled up. Well played fishbones.

http://www.liquidpoker.net/h/41392 - Lately this has been happening a lot.

http://www.liquidpoker.net/h/41393 - - Stupid short stacks. Normally I don't even call a raise from the big blind with AQ. But something inside of me just loves busting shortstacks, not sure what it is but I just love crushing them. This time the guy smokes me with his JJ and then pulls a hit and run with his $8 LOL.

http://www.liquidpoker.net/h/41394 - Whoops

http://www.liquidpoker.net/h/41395 - Nice play donkey. I was deff. checking the river behind on this hand.

http://www.liquidpoker.net/h/41397 - This is a very interesting hand to me. Basically I'm not really sure if he has KK or JJ but it's probably one of the 2. Obviously I was worried about AA pree but after the flop it doesn't seem like he wants a call, so that iliminated AA. The only hand I'm scared of is AK, but it's rare for him to do that with AK pree. I was using the same line of thinking from the 99 hyand the other day, that if I hit a Q I'm getting paid big, if he has KK I can push him off and ace, and there is a good chance that I have the best hand. I decided to play the flop out, as I almost never put the third raise in with QQ pree flop. After the flop I was pretty sure that he didn't have an A, so I figured the pot was mine, whether he had KK or not.

http://www.liquidpoker.net/h/41398 - Another interesting hand. Basically I tell Jenna that I have KK so that on the turn I get to find out what they have. I almost folded on the flop but I figured that they could be getting crazy with someting like AJ, 1010, or QQ. But on the turn it becomes very clear that they have me beat, or have have a lot of guts to bluff me off KK, and they still have to worry about beating brandons hand. So basically I figured there was no way I could be good here. Good fold fishbones.

http://www.liquidpoker.net/h/41399 - Seems like the session of sick lay downs. Really took a while over this one but it was pretty clear that I was beat. NH fishbones.

http://www.liquidpoker.net/h/41401 - All day long

http://www.liquidpoker.net/h/41402 - good call

http://www.liquidpoker.net/h/41403 - honestly, who the hell raises 10x the big blinds and then check folds. WTF!!!!

http://www.liquidpoker.net/h/41404 - Got away with one here. My logic is that there is 4 hands that I am behind (1010, 77, 66, 89) and 4 that I am beating (JJ,QQ, A10, K10). It is less likely that he has the 4 that are beating me then the ones that I am beating, and there is also a slim chance that he can fold 66 or 77. 89 and 1010 I"m dead but if he raises I can fold. I decide to raise and see where I'm at. Still crazy that he folds, and I play with this guy a lot and he's telling the truth.

http://www.liquidpoker.net/h/41405 - All day long. Should have just folded on the flop but I think this is a good way to play it. He told me later he had KK.

http://www.liquidpoker.net/h/41406 Lost min here.

http://www.liquidpoker.net/h/41407 - I usually don't make calls like this one, but I really felt like this guy was messing around. This is a pure instict call.

http://www.liquidpoker.net/h/41408 - Usually I just flat call pree flop with AA. In this case I know he either has KK or QQ and I don't think he's folding so I push.

http://www.liquidpoker.net/h/41409 - Easy bluff

http://www.liquidpoker.net/h/41410 - Another min loss. Pretty sick actually, a lot of people probably go tap here.

http://www.liquidpoker.net/h/41411 - Not sure how many times it has to happen in 1 day

Once again I have to say that I am really proud of myself for making this a winning session. It is times like this that I really love poker. I'll be back at the tables tomorrow, ready to play,,, more then ever.........

Blah

A horrible 2 hour session today. Probably the most frustrating session that I have had so far at .25/50. Every time I had a hand, there draw got there. If I raised pree flop with AK, I would flop top pair bet the whole way down and get rivered by K5. Played in a 180 person sit and go, lost 2 times all in pree flop with an overpair to an underpair. And eventually went out pushing with Q9 into 99. The one thing that I can take from this session is that I didn't go on tilt at all. I think I minimized my losses even though they were still pretty big. And I didn't play and hands too badly that I can think of. I only saved a few hands:

http://www.liquidpoker.net/h/40953 - figured my session would go well after this was one of my first hands. It's not often that you get someone to call you all in on the flop when they are drawing dead to a runner runner straight, but it happens on this hand. $6 might be a little too much to call here pree flop, but I am almost positive that I am going to double up if I flop an 8. I actually underestimated his hand value, but I think it's pretty hard not to give him an overpair in this situation. He pays me off anyway though, so it worked out. This was basically the only big hand I won today.

http://www.liquidpoker.net/h/40954 - I'm pissed that I didn't fold on the flop. I was 95% sure that jjok had the flush draw, and I wasn't really sure if onegood had a set or maybe AQ or AJ. I raise and he just flat calls which doesn't make as much sense because you would think he would want to charge jjok for the flush draw. After he just flat called I was pretty sure he had AQ, AJ or possibly the same hand. I bet enough to put jjok all in letting onegood that I'm not messing around. He raises and it's an insta fold knowing the best I can do is chop. I was just pissed that I didn't fold on the flop because I almost did, and my instincts were telling me to let it go.

http://www.liquidpoker.net/h/40955 - This is basically how the night went for me. They pretty much hit their draw every time, but I didn't pay them off once.

There is a $100 and $20 mtt coming up that I'm going to play in. Hopefully I can run better in those then I did in the cash games. More to come.....

Bad Hockey, Good Poker

Well Edmonton lost, which makes me sick. The game was really good to watch. I would say it was one of the best games I have seen in a long time other then the outcome. Both teams played well, but the wrong team won, and it makes me sick.

Anyway on to poker. This time a 2 hour session with a profit of $96. Another good hourly rate. I could have made a lot more if I had got paid off on some more of my hands, but I can't complain. Played well, didn't really make any mistakes. Pretty simple poker. Just a few hands:

http://www.liquidpoker.net/h/40665 - Decided to play this hand a little differently. Usually if I raise pree flop and we see the flat 2 handed I bet the flop not matter what comes. That means I bet whether I flat top set, or have ace high. This time I decided to check. Just felt like playing it differently. Don't think it would have made much difference, but if I came out betting he raised then I re raised it, it makes it a lot easier for him to fold. I think this is still a clear fold for him on the turn, but what can I say some people can't fold top pair.

http://www.liquidpoker.net/h/40666 - Easy bluff. The only hand I'm worried about it AK, other then that he's folding. This is an example of raising a different amount pree flop that gives away your hand value. Every hand I raise I make it 2.50 pree flop. No matter what I have therefore you have no read on my hand. 2.50 is a big raise for this level but I like to see the flop 2 or 3 handed at most. There were 4 limpers in this hand and this guy basically said I have the best hand and I don't want to have this 5 handed to the flop and see an A come out because then I'm dead. This is a great situation for me. I have position, he is going to bet the flop no matter what, and I pretty much know exactly what he has. If the flop comes A high and he doesn't hit a set I'm going to take it down with a raise, and if the flop comes 9 high I'm going to win a big pot. Flop came A high he made a big bet I raised and he insta folded.

http://www.liquidpoker.net/h/40668 - Pretty much knew what he had. Figured I would just call the flop and not give him a chance to get away from it. Pretty basic.

I will be back tomorrow, getting closer to moving up stakes, only $400 more until .50/1

Good Start to the Week

I took 2 days off as my parents and sister came to visit me in Ottawa. It was good to see them, and we had fun seeing the Oilers smoke the the Hurricanes. Got I hate the Canes. Hopefully Edmonton can win the series tonight, it should be a good game. On Sunday Kristen and I took my Dad out of play at Eagle Creek for fathers day, which is a really nice Golf course in Ottawa. I really enjoyed the round and we all played well. My dad shot an 80 I shot 77 and Kristen shot 105. It's a pretty tough course so we were happy with out scores. Kristen is a natural for sure, as she has only played about 4 full rounds of golf, and when she gets in the groove she can really hit the ball, and she is one hell of a chipper.

Today I started my week with a 3 hour session at 25c/50c. It went well as I finished up $153, with Kristen playing for a while and winning me $80. At the same time I played a heads up for Kristen and lost. I didn't really save many hands from the session, but I think I played well, except for a phew hands. I hit some draws, got paid off on some big hands also. I also got rivered on a couple of big pots, but all in all it was a solid session.

Here are 2 hands:

http://www.liquidpoker.net/h/40595 - This was a funny hand. Before the flop, I said to Kristen I'm going to win a big pot on this hand with a set I feel it. Then without seeing my hand she asked if I had 66, because she just won a huge hand with a set of 6's. So at this point I was like wtf, this must be a sign. I was about to fold on the flop and Krissy says you know it's coming on the turn right? So I said all right and called, and what do you know the 6 comes on the turn. It's too bad the guy pushed the other guy off the flush draw because I would have won a huge pot if he didn't. Still pretty sweet, and really weird at the same time.

http://www.liquidpoker.net/h/40596 - What can I say about this hand. It was really weird for him to get all his chips in with his hand. I made it pretty clear that I had his hand beat, but there is a lot of these types of player at this level, that would never think about folding top pair. When he came out betting on the flop I didn't really think much of it, kind of standard for me to raise, then when he came back over the top it seemed like he might have AA, as some people like to limp when folded to them in the small blind with AA. It didn't feel like Q9 or AQ to me, and I was pretty sure he would raise 1010 and JJ. KK is possible but very unlikely. Anyway I though for a while and I really though I was ahead of a lot of hands; K10, J10, draw, AK, AA, Kx, so I decided that pushing was the smartest play, as I was pretty sure he was calling. He did, the turn was nice, didn't like the river at all. If he had AA or AK he caught up, but he didn't, ship it, nice call donkey.

Anyway I will be back later today after the Oilers win the cup.

Much Better

I played much better in this session, as well as finally hitting some draws. I got away from a couple of big hands, I had them saved but my computer restarted and I lost them. I ended up $88 on the session in 2.5 hours which is good. I could have been up more if I got paid on some other hands but I can't complain especially with one of the hands I saved, lol it still makes me laugh.

http://www.liquidpoker.net/h/39892 - This hand made me feel sooooooo good. After he raised out of the small blind and checks the flop, I just knew that he either had kk or AA. I was praying for a Q after the flop cause I knew I would win a huge pot. I didn't even bet the turn with so many outs because I knew he was going to raise. I hit the spade on the river and I'm like ooooooo baby here it comes. He finally decides to through out a bet, of $2.50, so now there is $3.50 in the pot and I shove for $75. He insta calls off $72 into the 3.50 pot. Man this hand makes me laugh.

http://www.liquidpoker.net/h/39890 - These are the players that take me out of tourney's all the time. As you can see in the chat I saw it coming.

http://www.liquidpoker.net/h/39900 - What can I say about this hand, I'm sick of not knowing where I'm at after the flop with 10's, so I decide to raise pree. He calls and after the flat over bets the flop, so once again I'm not sure where I'm at. I'm not worried about 94, not really JJ because I think he would have raised me back pree, the only hand I'm really worried about is 89, but I'm pretty sure he would check raise me. Same goes for 88 and 99, I don't think he's smart enough to bet out with a set here. I thought about raising, but I don't get action from any hand that I'm beating so I decide to gamble a little bit and just call, and I was also thinking that I could get a little better feel for the hand after the turn card. The 4 is a good card for me as I don't have to worry about 89 anymore. He bets out strong again my instincts tell me I'm good, and at this point I'm pretty sure he's calling anyway so I shove. He snap calls like the donk that he is. Ship it.

http://www.liquidpoker.net/h/39901 - This is why it's hard to fold over pairs in this limit. Like I said earlier they play their top pair just as strong as 2 pair. Whether I make a strong raise out of the BB or not.

http://www.liquidpoker.net/h/39902 - Had about 5 draws similar to this one today that I didn't hit, i finally hit one here.

So I guess although I didn't profit much from the day I feel good that I kept the session short when I was not at the top of my game, and played a longer one when I was playing good. Another day done I'll be back tomorrow.

heeeeeeeeee haaaaawwwwwww

That's right I continue to be a donkey. Not sure if it's cause I haven't eaten anything all day, or because I'm kind of tired but I donked it up. I got ten's 12 times and 5 times the flop came 8 high or lower, and all 5 times I lost. I think I need to re think the way I play 10 10, but do they have to have AA or KK every time. I did flop a set twice though and won a decent pot. I played a couple of hands badly, a couple well but lost, and I couldn't hit a draw for the entire session. I don't think I actually played that badly, a few pots that were supposed to come my way that would have made a big difference in the numbers. But hey that's poker.

Anyway I was down $72 for the session in 1 hour which is horrible, but I guess it has to happen sometimes.


http://www.liquidpoker.net/h/39831 - So much for my feeling about the $11 rebuy. I really suck at winning in these situations. This was about 20 hands after the rebuy, and would have put me in really good shape.

http://www.liquidpoker.net/h/39833 - I should have folded on the flop but as you can see he is a donkey, and he would have played it the same way with just a 9, tough to fold to donks like this one with an over pair.

http://www.liquidpoker.net/h/39834 - I thought he probably had AQ or AJ and if I came over the top he would have folded. Turns out he never would have folded a hand like this, so I should have just pushed the flop. However as it turns out I was able to protect my hand more this way, which didn't work out, but I got the money in as a favorite, and that's all you can do.

http://www.liquidpoker.net/h/39835 - I guess I should show horrible hands that I play also. Now it is rare that I play a hand so badly as this one but here it is.

http://www.liquidpoker.net/h/39836 - Not sure how many outs it takes. It's funny to me that over and over again I get 3 and 2 outered, but I can't seem to hit when I have 17 outs.

http://www.liquidpoker.net/h/39837 - This is is one of the only times I call on a gut shot without the intention of bluffing later. I am 100% certain he has kk or AA, and if I hit my gut shot I'm getting paid off huge. He played this hand really badly.

Gone to eat Krissy's delicious dinner, more to come later as I am definitely not satisfied with how today has gone so far. Oh and I also finished 16th in the $50 heads up mtt for a profit of $50, maybe I should just stick to heads up.

I'm a donkey

Well basically I am pissed at myself for playing really good poker for 1.5 hours, and they playing like a donkey for half an hour. I was up like $150 after playing really well, making hands, playing solid, and I even played a heads up for krissy and won. Then for some reason I decided that I wanted to give it all back. I didn't manage to loose it all, but a good chunk of it. I finished off the session up $40, which I guess is ok for playing like a moron. I forgot the key rule of .50/1, never try and bluff a donkey. I didn't save the hands I played bad, just because I was really pissed off and didn't feel like doing it. Basically I knew a guy had an over pair, and I tried to push him off it when the top card paired on the turn, he obv. Called like a donk that he is, and even though I still had some outs I missed. I am just really mad that I went and tossed my good work out the window. Anyway it's over now and I will get it back later tonight. I am also currently waiting my second match of a $50 heads up mtt, and I'm in the $11 rebuy, 124 out of 677. I had a good feeling about the $11 rebuy today, and thought I was going to do well even before it started. Let's see if it happens. Anyway here are some hands from today so far:

http://www.liquidpoker.net/h/39770 - pretty sure this was a good fold, I only called the turn to cry and fill up hoping the board paired or a Q came. He probably had 22 or 88.

http://www.liquidpoker.net/h/39771 - Probably should have re raised pree, at the same time I don't ever re raise pree flop so it basically screams that I have aces and that's the last thing I want to do. Can't ask for a better flop, I bet out being pretty sure that someone will have a J. When he calls I'm thinking ship it because I'm pretty sure they are going to get all in. Not sure if I should have shoved the turn after he re raises but I didn't want to give him a chance to fold a J, or get him off the flush draw. If he does have the flush draw and misses he is probably going to push the river anyway so I think this is the best way to get all his chips.

http://www.liquidpoker.net/h/39772 - I think I played this hand well, I knew what he had and I checked the river to let him push, snap called, ship it.

http://www.liquidpoker.net/h/39773 - playing on krissy's account, floating heads up

http://www.liquidpoker.net/h/39774 - As soon as he called the flop I was praying for an 8 because I was pretty sure he had a 5. Sure enough the river brings an 8 and once again I over bet the pot knowing he couldn't fold. He actually had better then I thought, and he was definitely not folding that. Pretty sure he would have called with just the 5 though.

wish me luck in the $11 rebuy, more to come......

A little confused

It's kind of hard to remember exactly what went on tonight. First of all I was really tired, and second of all half way through my cash game session, my girlfriend took over, and I played a $100 4 person heads up match, while she played my cash games for me. I guess it was the perfect time, because as she covered her losses, she flopped top 2 against a set twice. This was bad for her but I won the 4 person heads up, so she came up on the session after giving me $100 from the profit. I am running really well heads up right now which I'm not sure if it's cause I'm getting lucky, or because I have a good talent for heads up. Even the other day I won 4 other matches for krissy heads up, and also finished 2nd in a $100 heads up tourney. Not too bad.

I was actually really happy with the way I played the heads up today. Against the first guy I had him all in 5 times, finally winning the last one to knock him out. Against the second guy, I was between 900-1100 chips for ever, and finally fought back to even, just to go back down to 1500 again. Eventually I fought back and when the blinds were high I pressed a lot, eventually getting him to push with QJ, and my AK held to take it down. The reason I was so happy was because I got no cards for the longest time but I stayed patient and fought back which is something that haven't done in the past.

As for the cash games I was up about $40 in the 2 hours that I played which was not bad. I was actually starting to run really well buy the end, but I was soooo tired that I figured it was best to quit while I was ahead, also something I never used to do. I think I played well, not really making any major mistakes. Oh yeah and I also played a $20 tourney and a $20 180 person. Both busting out long before the money.

Here are some hands from the night:

http://www.liquidpoker.net/h/39607 - I was pretty sure that he missed the clubs, and after thinking for a while I was almost positive. Definitely right more then half the time

http://www.liquidpoker.net/h/39609 - As you can see it's really hard to get chips in these $20 tourney's. God why can't the players be like this in the $100 and $150 tourney's.

http://www.liquidpoker.net/h/39611 - Was pretty sure that we had the same hand, so I tried to push him off when the board paired. It worked as he later told me that he flopped a straight.

http://www.liquidpoker.net/h/39612 - Well if I were him I would have folded on the flop, turn, and river. Well played donkey.

http://www.liquidpoker.net/h/39614 - Not sure how I knew but I did. There is really no explanation of how I knew, I just had that instinct. Lately my instincts have been a lot better, and I'm not sure if it's because I have been playing a lot more cash games, which requires a lot of play after the flop, but something is improving them, and it's been saving me a lot of money.

So I ended up +140 on the 3h session which is good. Hopefully soon I will be playing .50/1. Anyway off to bed, more to come tomorrow.......

Meh kinda session

Not really unhappy with the way I played today, lost a couple hands, didn't really get paid off on a lot of hands that usually I would. Made a couple bad calls, not really much to talk about. I thought I would have been up on the session but I ended up down $13, which is always annoying. Just a few hands:

http://www.liquidpoker.net/h/39538 - thought it was going to be a sick session after this was the first flop I saw. Monster pot too.

http://www.liquidpoker.net/h/39537 - Although this seems like a nothing hand it shows that you can keep the pot small if you keep the lead. He has me smoked but I get him to just flat call, and even check the river. I didn't really like my hand on the turn but by making a small bet at the pot, this makes him show down as he was worried that I might have flopped a flush because I didn't bet big to protect. I would have called a bet on the turn if I had checked, and I'm sure it would have been more then what I bet, so I was able to get to a show down a lot cheaper this way.

http://www.liquidpoker.net/h/39539 - Tough hand for him, was sure one of them had the flush so I through out what looks like a blocking bet. Then I push for like 44 more into the $10 pot. If he knew me better he never would have called cause I never do this without the nuts, he actually thought for a long time and I'm surprised. The reason I push is because I'm pretty sure that 95% of people at this level can't fold a flush.

http://www.liquidpoker.net/h/39540 - Lost min here. 9/10 times I pump it on the flop, but for some reason I had the instinct to just call. I really didn't feel good about my hand at all for some reason, and although I lost the hand I am proud for loosing what I think is the minimum.

http://www.liquidpoker.net/h/39542 - Tough call for me. He made really quick calls when I bet the flop and turn, which made me think he has a weak hand, or a draw. When I checked the river he immediately went all in, which also looked weak. Thought for a while and the instincts said call, and they are usually right.

http://www.liquidpoker.net/h/39544 - This was the very next hand. Tough spot. I probably should have made a bigger re re raise to let him know I had a big hand. He insta pushes, and I think I'm way behind most of the time here. Very little that I can beat so I let it go, no biggie.

I'm off to watch the first 48, then I'm back for another session as I am very unsatisfied.

More to come......

Disappointing Results

Well I ended up finishing 16th in the $30 tourney that I was doing well in. It started with 350 people, but with the way I was running early on I should have done better. Messed up a hand really bad trying to bluff someone with aces. Nice read fishbones. Fought back well, and just never got any action on big pairs late. I stole a lot of blinds to keep me in, and I think I picked my spots really well. It can get really frustrating when you pick up kk 3 times get no action, then after folding your bb every time to someone in late position you finally get AA in the bb, and you get a walk. This entire time I really needed a double up. Anyway, I think I played well except for the one stupid hand. Won about $220 for 16th which is ok.

I also played in 2 180 person's. Finished 28th and 55th. In the one I finished 28th in I had AQ in the big blind with a little below avg. and 2nd to act pushes with a good stack. I usually never call this, but he was a donk so I snap call, and he has 7s8s, flops 782 and I'm out. It was nice of him to try and give me a good chunk of his chips though, and I thanked him in a polite way. It is frustrating at the time, but after I feel much better then going out when I make a bad play. I can't remember how I went out of the other 180 person, but I'm sure it was gay.

I also played in a $100 mtt busting out early when my JJ lost to AQ all in pree.

I only saved one hand from the tourney's and it just shows not to raise my bb with that crap, and if you are, don't min raise or I'll bust you. This put me in 5th with 100 people left:

http://www.liquidpoker.net/h/39438

I will have a cash game session later, so more to come.....

Totals and some hands

So after 16 sessions of 25c/50c here are my totals:

Hours: 26
Profit: $655

Hourly Rate: $25

I think I ran really well for the first bit, but I also ran horribly for a while, so I think the numbers should be reasonable. I talked to a friend and he said he played 1/2 for a year and averaged $100/h which is about the same rate as what I have done so far. I am happy with these numbers at this level.

Anyway my session today went well being up $130. Here are a couple of hands (not sure if the links work, they weren't working earlier):

http://www.liquidpoker.net/h/39280 - this is an example of how bad the players are at this level. There is so many hand that beat him here, and I almost folded.

http://www.liquidpoker.net/h/39282- pretty basic hand, probably should have bet the turn a little harder, I was a little worried about 89 but it really felt like a flush draw. Tried to get him to bluff the river but he wouldn't fire.

http://www.liquidpoker.net/h/39283- not sure why they show me but it makes me feel good

Here are a couple other good lay downs I have made over the last couple days:

http://www.liquidpoker.net/h/38471
http://www.liquidpoker.net/h/37120

http://www.liquidpoker.net/h/39285- not a huge hand, trying to do this more, floating as my friend pooruser would say

http://www.liquidpoker.net/h/39288- guess I played this bad seeing as what he had

http://www.liquidpoker.net/h/39289- this hand shows how stupid the players are in the $20 180 person's on stars


More to come......

Intro

Ok, after be influenced by my girlfriend Kristen (krissyb24), I have decided to start a blog. I have to say that I feel like a looser since I'm the last person in the world to have one, but I'm going to do it anyway. I think it will help me focus more then anything which is good.

So I guess I should give a basic background of my poker "career" up until now. Basically I have been playing for a year, slowly building, loosing, building, loosing, a bankroll. I think I am starting to get a lot more mature with the way I handle my bankroll (not playing above me head), and with the way I play. Since this adjustment, it has been a steady increase in profits. I started playing poker in cash games, mostly 1/2 which is crazy seeing as I had no money at all. I was in way over my head and went broke Multiple times. Then I got into tournament poker on line, and I have done well there, that is so far where I have made most of my money in poker. On poker stars I have made around 24k in tournaments, most of which is in the last 6 months, where I think my game has really developed due playing a lot. Also about a year ago my girlfriend and me placed 8th in the Sunday stars tourney for 13k on another account. We just looked at the hand history from this tourney the other day and had a good laugh at our play. It was clear that we really had no idea what we were doing, and make multiple mistakes throughout the tournament. The funny thing is we never would have made it to the final table if we hadn't played so badly.

Anyway after playing tournaments exclusively for the last 6 months I am now trying to get into cash games more, after getting to know a lot of people who built a good roll from doing this. It's funny to me that I think I am 10x the player then months ago, however the stakes that I'm playing are way way lower then I have ever played. Right now I am 8 tabling 25c/50c on stars (which isn't as bad as it seems, I can make more money doing this then playing a live 1/2 game)until I get the bankroll that I think is good enough to move up to 50c/1. I will hopefully continually move up. I am also still playing tourneys on the side. I finally won one of those god damn 180 persons on stars 2 days ago, which I have final tabled 7 times in the last 2 weeks. I am also currently in a $30 tourney 14th out of 231.

So anyway I will be posting after every session that I have hopefully with some good info on hands, that will not be as boring as this post.