I just had my ass handed to me and ended up losing $255 on one table.
Not too down, just realistic about how much luck this game entails.
Am asking myself should I be playing?
I lost every hand I played.
Qs v 87o
Js vs 106s
Qs v Ks
A huge pot with A8s v 99s v Ks, 92636 and flush on river
Three of the hands were against the same player, who was combining amazing luck with a LA style.
He must have taken $200 off me.
I'm now on the cusp of $2,000 again and am wondering am I a winning player?
Have I just got lucky. I'm up $1,600ish since November but $560 of this is bonus, prob another $150 in rakeback.
Just checked Pokertracker and over 5,946 hands on the $100NL tables I've made a paltry $19.45!
I'm now Semi-loose AA, according to pokertracker, and was slowly inching my way up, but it all has come crashing down.
Should I be playing more tourneys again? I seem to do ok on them but I'm just not sure.
I don't really have the time to spend five hours playing on the bigger tourneys.
Im single, with a great job, but don't even have a TV and poker seems to be taking over my life outside work.
I'm out a lot with work but when I do come home in the evening, I either pick up or book, or most often fire up the PC.
I have two of those $24+$2 tokens so I'll probably play those and see how I do.
I have to face it I can't play a good, loose player very well, even when I have position.
OK, I'm got a weekend away with some mates to get ready for, hope your poker play goes better than miine.
Saturday, March 31, 2007
Tuesday, March 27, 2007
Gambling
Dropped $40 last night but felt I played pretty solid.
The very last hand I lost $20 with Qs v my foe's 10s in a blind v blind battle.
I got him all-in on the flop but he glopped a 10.
I decided it was time to call it a night after this hand.
My wins came from a $100NL, where there was a classic calling station sat three to my right.
How did I know he had no clue: he limped A LOT with any 2-suited cards from any position, called pre-flop raises after limping with nothing, he checked when he missed.
He was doing so many things wrong.
He only raised once, against me on the river in this $80 hand.
From the small blind with k10o I hit top two pr, k107 rainbow flop.
I bet $3 into a $4 pot 1st up, two callers.
Turn 5, I bet $10, bb folds, fish calls.
River j, I thought about checking but put another $10 out there, he raises me another $10, I call and he shows 5s.
Terrible play on two counts, IMO, first he called the flop bet and second he didn't stack me ( or at least try to stack me), calling the turn and only raising the river $10.
I then preceded to win a succession of small pots from him, some with legitimate hands and then some bluffs once he had decided I was a straight up player.
Also a couple of $40 pots from two other players.
When the fish left I decided to cash in too.
OK, back to work!
The very last hand I lost $20 with Qs v my foe's 10s in a blind v blind battle.
I got him all-in on the flop but he glopped a 10.
I decided it was time to call it a night after this hand.
My wins came from a $100NL, where there was a classic calling station sat three to my right.
How did I know he had no clue: he limped A LOT with any 2-suited cards from any position, called pre-flop raises after limping with nothing, he checked when he missed.
He was doing so many things wrong.
He only raised once, against me on the river in this $80 hand.
From the small blind with k10o I hit top two pr, k107 rainbow flop.
I bet $3 into a $4 pot 1st up, two callers.
Turn 5, I bet $10, bb folds, fish calls.
River j, I thought about checking but put another $10 out there, he raises me another $10, I call and he shows 5s.
Terrible play on two counts, IMO, first he called the flop bet and second he didn't stack me ( or at least try to stack me), calling the turn and only raising the river $10.
I then preceded to win a succession of small pots from him, some with legitimate hands and then some bluffs once he had decided I was a straight up player.
Also a couple of $40 pots from two other players.
When the fish left I decided to cash in too.
OK, back to work!
Monday, March 26, 2007
Weekend wins
Played almost all day Saturday and a few hours on Sunday in what was my first decent weekend session in a few weeks.
Overall I couldn't do much wrong and slowly chipped up for a net win of around $150.
Saturday was great fun, I had the cards and got paid off.
Image is hugely important. I raised pre-flop with more hands, sometimes feigned weakness to extricate more chips or just bet big, and folded when I thought I was beat.
I only lost one buy-in with As to 63o! But apart from that it was all up.
Ended the weekend on around $2,325, from a high of $2,370 and cleared $45 of the bonus.
My aim now is get back to $2,500 by the time the bonus time runs out, which for me is April 2.
The raketherake freeroll on Sunday however ended very quickly, about 2 mins this time!
I sat down 15 minutes late with 1,350 chips.
Had my bb raised on the very 1st hand by the big stack on the table.
Saw 4s, pushed and found I was facing QKo. Q88 flop, Q on turn and IGHN.
Poor play but heh, there's always next month!
Will play some more tonight but then have two nights out planned on Tuesday and Wednesday.
Overall I couldn't do much wrong and slowly chipped up for a net win of around $150.
Saturday was great fun, I had the cards and got paid off.
Image is hugely important. I raised pre-flop with more hands, sometimes feigned weakness to extricate more chips or just bet big, and folded when I thought I was beat.
I only lost one buy-in with As to 63o! But apart from that it was all up.
Ended the weekend on around $2,325, from a high of $2,370 and cleared $45 of the bonus.
My aim now is get back to $2,500 by the time the bonus time runs out, which for me is April 2.
The raketherake freeroll on Sunday however ended very quickly, about 2 mins this time!
I sat down 15 minutes late with 1,350 chips.
Had my bb raised on the very 1st hand by the big stack on the table.
Saw 4s, pushed and found I was facing QKo. Q88 flop, Q on turn and IGHN.
Poor play but heh, there's always next month!
Will play some more tonight but then have two nights out planned on Tuesday and Wednesday.
Thursday, March 22, 2007
Nailing a fish
Lost money again yesterday, about $15, but I managed to grind back up after being down $70.
It was all down to one $50 table where one fishy player was changing the dynamic of the table.
He was in every pot, seeing flops and calling raises with almost any two cards.
But somehow keeping his head above water and in the money by getting very lucky.
He was a classic calling station, with a very low Pre-flop raise % but would check call the nuts as well as third pr all the way down.
It made it easy to play him. Check if you're drawing and bet if you hit, and he will pay u off.
Unfortunately, he kept hitting against me and then redistrbuting my winnings around the table.
I couldn't hit a thing and it was getting frustrating and as I said I was down $70.
As with poker, I then went on a rush which saw me win back all back $15 of my losses.
Hitting trips 2x, one of these winning $25 of my foe who had nothing.
And chipping back up as people started to respect my raises and folding. Previously they would call with 2nd pr or 3rd pr and hit.
I made a slight profit on the two $100 tables I was playing, and still feel more relaxed about my game again. I think part of this is pychological. I forgot how much I like seeing the bonus amount slowly rising on FT.
Also won a $24+$2 token on a SNG and plan to try one of the $3,000 or $5,000 guaranteed tourneys which start up around 6.30pm GMT on FT.
Desposited $50 on Party Poker again for some 10-man action.
Industry do tonight at the Grosvenor which has Jimmy Carr compering so no play until the weekend. But looking forward to it. I'm determined to book a win!!
It was all down to one $50 table where one fishy player was changing the dynamic of the table.
He was in every pot, seeing flops and calling raises with almost any two cards.
But somehow keeping his head above water and in the money by getting very lucky.
He was a classic calling station, with a very low Pre-flop raise % but would check call the nuts as well as third pr all the way down.
It made it easy to play him. Check if you're drawing and bet if you hit, and he will pay u off.
Unfortunately, he kept hitting against me and then redistrbuting my winnings around the table.
I couldn't hit a thing and it was getting frustrating and as I said I was down $70.
As with poker, I then went on a rush which saw me win back all back $15 of my losses.
Hitting trips 2x, one of these winning $25 of my foe who had nothing.
And chipping back up as people started to respect my raises and folding. Previously they would call with 2nd pr or 3rd pr and hit.
I made a slight profit on the two $100 tables I was playing, and still feel more relaxed about my game again. I think part of this is pychological. I forgot how much I like seeing the bonus amount slowly rising on FT.
Also won a $24+$2 token on a SNG and plan to try one of the $3,000 or $5,000 guaranteed tourneys which start up around 6.30pm GMT on FT.
Desposited $50 on Party Poker again for some 10-man action.
Industry do tonight at the Grosvenor which has Jimmy Carr compering so no play until the weekend. But looking forward to it. I'm determined to book a win!!
Monday, March 19, 2007
Back on it
After a long weekend at a wedding back up north, I've returned to the Full Tilt tables again today.
Had to take advantage of the juicy reload bonus on offer.
Steady play but still managed to drop $60.
The two big losing hands were both set over set, one losing me $30, the other $55. On both hands I and my foe flopped them and there was no getting away from them, unfortunately.
Other than one hand on Pokerstars where I say set over set over set once, they were my 1st and 2nd experiences of them in cash games.
I actually quite enjoyed playing, it felt good, but I struggled to make any progress.
My bankroll is still around $2,000 and I'm gonna try to release as much of the $300 bonus that they've offered.
If I play the $50 and $100 tables, I may clear $100 of it in the next fortnight.
Had to take advantage of the juicy reload bonus on offer.
Steady play but still managed to drop $60.
The two big losing hands were both set over set, one losing me $30, the other $55. On both hands I and my foe flopped them and there was no getting away from them, unfortunately.
Other than one hand on Pokerstars where I say set over set over set once, they were my 1st and 2nd experiences of them in cash games.
I actually quite enjoyed playing, it felt good, but I struggled to make any progress.
My bankroll is still around $2,000 and I'm gonna try to release as much of the $300 bonus that they've offered.
If I play the $50 and $100 tables, I may clear $100 of it in the next fortnight.
Rant
No play last night as I was out and about, but thought I'd post this little rant from a foe from Monday.
I was paying very little attention to the particular hand, I had 49o in the big blind, and was not watching all the action.
Three other players, SB folded, so I was 1st to act on both flop and turn.
I checked both and my foe bet 50c or 1BB into a $2 pot on the turn.
There was a three flush in diamonds on board, including the jack and ace.
I called as I had the 9 of diamonds, and won the pot when another diamond hit.
I then received such a torrent of abuse that I have never experienced before.
Tralis: omg
Tralis: 49 hahahahahaha
Tralis: what the fuuck r u doin in that pot? lmao
QuanticFive: i was in bb
Tralis: how u sucl
QuanticFive: f u
Tralis: i bet 50 cent on turn
QuanticFive: big deal
Tralis: its an auto fold u clown lolol
QuanticFive: wityh a flush draw?
Tralis: suit yourself clown
QuanticFive: u ve no idea
Dealer: SpasticPoker wins the pot ($1.75)
Dealer: Hand #2022471845
QuanticFive: why the abuse on such a small p[ot
QuanticFive: u bi-tch
Tralis: its not the pot u clown
Tralis: u dont get any of it lolol
I then lost it a little...
QuanticFive: f of.f wi-tch
QuanticFive: mark me down as a fish
QuanticFive: keep playing me tralis
QuanticFive: i've never had such abuse after a 2
dolar
Tralis: i sure will u are pathetic
QuanticFive: pot
QuanticFive: i'm sitting on a 2 grand stack
QuanticFive: which i've won playing retards like u
QuanticFive: let me guess
Tralis: poor u u still dont get it do u? lololol
QuanticFive: u were bullied as a child
I then made some reference to him being ignored as a teenager before I calmed down.
It riled me so much, over a tiny pot, and a dubious (at worst) call on the turn to a very weak bet.
I sat with him for another hour. He was 5-tabling and actually found a space to his left on one table and he lost about $40.
He played a weak-tight game, and was no danger to anyone. If I don't get it, he's still lost in the jungle somewhere trying to work out what he's supposed to do.
I was paying very little attention to the particular hand, I had 49o in the big blind, and was not watching all the action.
Three other players, SB folded, so I was 1st to act on both flop and turn.
I checked both and my foe bet 50c or 1BB into a $2 pot on the turn.
There was a three flush in diamonds on board, including the jack and ace.
I called as I had the 9 of diamonds, and won the pot when another diamond hit.
I then received such a torrent of abuse that I have never experienced before.
Tralis: omg
Tralis: 49 hahahahahaha
Tralis: what the fuuck r u doin in that pot? lmao
QuanticFive: i was in bb
Tralis: how u sucl
QuanticFive: f u
Tralis: i bet 50 cent on turn
QuanticFive: big deal
Tralis: its an auto fold u clown lolol
QuanticFive: wityh a flush draw?
Tralis: suit yourself clown
QuanticFive: u ve no idea
Dealer: SpasticPoker wins the pot ($1.75)
Dealer: Hand #2022471845
QuanticFive: why the abuse on such a small p[ot
QuanticFive: u bi-tch
Tralis: its not the pot u clown
Tralis: u dont get any of it lolol
I then lost it a little...
QuanticFive: f of.f wi-tch
QuanticFive: mark me down as a fish
QuanticFive: keep playing me tralis
QuanticFive: i've never had such abuse after a 2
dolar
Tralis: i sure will u are pathetic
QuanticFive: pot
QuanticFive: i'm sitting on a 2 grand stack
QuanticFive: which i've won playing retards like u
QuanticFive: let me guess
Tralis: poor u u still dont get it do u? lololol
QuanticFive: u were bullied as a child
I then made some reference to him being ignored as a teenager before I calmed down.
It riled me so much, over a tiny pot, and a dubious (at worst) call on the turn to a very weak bet.
I sat with him for another hour. He was 5-tabling and actually found a space to his left on one table and he lost about $40.
He played a weak-tight game, and was no danger to anyone. If I don't get it, he's still lost in the jungle somewhere trying to work out what he's supposed to do.
Monday, March 12, 2007
SNG action
Played a little over the weekend and it was a case of grinding out steady gains and then giving it all back again in one hand!
I'm writing this at work but the only hands I can remember are the ones I lost...some very bad play combined with some strong poker.
I ended Sat up around $50 and the highlight was going deep in a 90 player, deepstack $5 SNG on FT.
I was very, very, very lucky on one hand put me in the top 10 with 50 players remaining.
I raised under-the-gun with 9s, got raised by mid-position player who had TT.
Flop Qs, I checked, he bets, I push and IGHN.
But no...I hit 9 on turn and then another 9 on river!!!!! Quad 9s baby!!!!
I can't really remember many other hands in the lead-up to the final two tables except a big triple with about 16 players left.
I'm dealt Ks, I raise a limper, BB and biggest stack calls, as does limper.
Flop q hi, limper pushes, I raise all-in and BB calls, both have qj and hand stands up.
The final table was slow and I have no idea what happened on a hand view but I spent a long time battling with three other players as the short stack.
Both the big stacks were too my left which was tough and the player immediately to my left was constantly raising me.
I pushed lots and got lucky a couple of times.
My A3o to his QJo, for example.
Finally the long-time big stack lost it all to the serial raiser and we were three. He had 8x both myself and the 3rd player and it was really only a matter of time.
It finally came when I re-raised all-in another pre-flop raise of my blind with 4s, he had j10s, J on flop, 10 on river and I came 3rd.
Profit was around $50.
I'm writing this at work but the only hands I can remember are the ones I lost...some very bad play combined with some strong poker.
I ended Sat up around $50 and the highlight was going deep in a 90 player, deepstack $5 SNG on FT.
I was very, very, very lucky on one hand put me in the top 10 with 50 players remaining.
I raised under-the-gun with 9s, got raised by mid-position player who had TT.
Flop Qs, I checked, he bets, I push and IGHN.
But no...I hit 9 on turn and then another 9 on river!!!!! Quad 9s baby!!!!
I can't really remember many other hands in the lead-up to the final two tables except a big triple with about 16 players left.
I'm dealt Ks, I raise a limper, BB and biggest stack calls, as does limper.
Flop q hi, limper pushes, I raise all-in and BB calls, both have qj and hand stands up.
The final table was slow and I have no idea what happened on a hand view but I spent a long time battling with three other players as the short stack.
Both the big stacks were too my left which was tough and the player immediately to my left was constantly raising me.
I pushed lots and got lucky a couple of times.
My A3o to his QJo, for example.
Finally the long-time big stack lost it all to the serial raiser and we were three. He had 8x both myself and the 3rd player and it was really only a matter of time.
It finally came when I re-raised all-in another pre-flop raise of my blind with 4s, he had j10s, J on flop, 10 on river and I came 3rd.
Profit was around $50.
Wednesday, March 07, 2007
Last post
Just re-read my last post.
My rant about bluffing is not entirely accurate...
Bluffing happens at all levels, by me included.
My problem at the moment is not been able to lay down hands when I know I'm beat and I think the last post was me trying to tell myself that this is a major flaw in my play.
According to Pokertracker there is now a little bomb next to my name and the words Loose/passive/aggressive. Ooops!
Come find me on Full Tilt and I'll be sure to donate you some of my bankroll! :0
My rant about bluffing is not entirely accurate...
Bluffing happens at all levels, by me included.
My problem at the moment is not been able to lay down hands when I know I'm beat and I think the last post was me trying to tell myself that this is a major flaw in my play.
According to Pokertracker there is now a little bomb next to my name and the words Loose/passive/aggressive. Ooops!
Come find me on Full Tilt and I'll be sure to donate you some of my bankroll! :0
Tuesday, March 06, 2007
Work on time
Truly amazing but I'm here 10 mins early. Just me and the editor, he gave me a nod and a smile when I worked in.
So I thought, instead of cracking on with some top financial journalism, I'd write a quick blog update.
On the way home I bought three books from Oxford Street Waterstones, and read and hung out with my flatmates for a couple of hours.
The PC remained off...until around 11pm, when I checked my mail and...wait for it...played some poker! surprise, surprise.
Not long, maybe 45 mins, on Interpoker. Two tabling, 10c/25c and a 25c/50c NL.
Too high for my measly $150 deposit, but I don't think I could face playing lower.
Anyway, I think I'm remembering how I used to win, I've said it before, it is play TIGHT.
Unless you have a read on someone, after playing a couple of hundred hands with them or they play very loose, if someone re-raises you IT IS NOT A BLUFF.
Up high $200+ NL there are bluffs galore, but down in the doldrums there are very few bluffs.
I laid a biggish hand down when I didn't call a $14 bet on a $19 pot on the river, with js with a 9,10,10,K,3 board (three clubs).
But then won it back in three hands later.
The stack is now $180, $30 up on my desposit, although I'm a long way away from releases the $150 match bonus, 7% through it I think.
Anyway, I feel MUCH BETTER at work today cos I haven't been staring at a PC screen for 15 hours or something stupid the day before.
I will keep playing and posting, tho, so keep on reading!
GL at the tables
So I thought, instead of cracking on with some top financial journalism, I'd write a quick blog update.
On the way home I bought three books from Oxford Street Waterstones, and read and hung out with my flatmates for a couple of hours.
The PC remained off...until around 11pm, when I checked my mail and...wait for it...played some poker! surprise, surprise.
Not long, maybe 45 mins, on Interpoker. Two tabling, 10c/25c and a 25c/50c NL.
Too high for my measly $150 deposit, but I don't think I could face playing lower.
Anyway, I think I'm remembering how I used to win, I've said it before, it is play TIGHT.
Unless you have a read on someone, after playing a couple of hundred hands with them or they play very loose, if someone re-raises you IT IS NOT A BLUFF.
Up high $200+ NL there are bluffs galore, but down in the doldrums there are very few bluffs.
I laid a biggish hand down when I didn't call a $14 bet on a $19 pot on the river, with js with a 9,10,10,K,3 board (three clubs).
But then won it back in three hands later.
The stack is now $180, $30 up on my desposit, although I'm a long way away from releases the $150 match bonus, 7% through it I think.
Anyway, I feel MUCH BETTER at work today cos I haven't been staring at a PC screen for 15 hours or something stupid the day before.
I will keep playing and posting, tho, so keep on reading!
GL at the tables
Monday, March 05, 2007
Need a break
Just a quickie at work.
I've decided I need a break from FullTilt and poker in general, or at least cut the playing down.
Yes, I'm losing, not massively, but the roll is still on the slide.
I withdrew $200 from FT and put $150 into Interpoker, which is offering a 100% deposit bonus and 40% rakeback through RTR in March.
Nothing seems to tighten me up and play solid poker than playing with a small bankroll.
On FT, for example, I took $25 from a player on my left, got dealt qs and had $6 from him on a low flop.
A king hit on turn, I check, he bets $13.50 into a $12 pot, with $6 remaining in his stack.
This could be a bluff, but based on the way he was playing I knew had a king, or a flush draw. Instead of folding my thought process was : "I only need to put another $20 to see what he had. I have a huge stack now $20 is nothing."
I should have folded, my discipline has gone. Low and behold he turns over k10s for a king and flush draw, and I lose when another king hits on river. I had ONE out!Stupid really.
Anyway, another reason for the break is my work is suffering. I've been late for work now 6 days in a row.
I play too late, can't sleep and then can't get up.
Go to work late, have a manic day, come back, fire up the PC. Repeat ad infinitum.
The only breaks I have in the evenings is going out on the piss for work dos.
Not the ideal life and work balance.
So I'm gonna play a little on Interpoker to clear my bonus, piss about with the Stars SNGs and then reassess in a month.
On the work front, apart from my tardiness, I've been nominated for an award and made £650 in freelance work for three articles all on finance.
So poker is paying, I'm up $1600 since I bought in for $500 on FT in November, which itself was profit from previous play.
BUT I am, first and foremost, a journalist and need to remember this.
GL on the tables...
I've decided I need a break from FullTilt and poker in general, or at least cut the playing down.
Yes, I'm losing, not massively, but the roll is still on the slide.
I withdrew $200 from FT and put $150 into Interpoker, which is offering a 100% deposit bonus and 40% rakeback through RTR in March.
Nothing seems to tighten me up and play solid poker than playing with a small bankroll.
On FT, for example, I took $25 from a player on my left, got dealt qs and had $6 from him on a low flop.
A king hit on turn, I check, he bets $13.50 into a $12 pot, with $6 remaining in his stack.
This could be a bluff, but based on the way he was playing I knew had a king, or a flush draw. Instead of folding my thought process was : "I only need to put another $20 to see what he had. I have a huge stack now $20 is nothing."
I should have folded, my discipline has gone. Low and behold he turns over k10s for a king and flush draw, and I lose when another king hits on river. I had ONE out!Stupid really.
Anyway, another reason for the break is my work is suffering. I've been late for work now 6 days in a row.
I play too late, can't sleep and then can't get up.
Go to work late, have a manic day, come back, fire up the PC. Repeat ad infinitum.
The only breaks I have in the evenings is going out on the piss for work dos.
Not the ideal life and work balance.
So I'm gonna play a little on Interpoker to clear my bonus, piss about with the Stars SNGs and then reassess in a month.
On the work front, apart from my tardiness, I've been nominated for an award and made £650 in freelance work for three articles all on finance.
So poker is paying, I'm up $1600 since I bought in for $500 on FT in November, which itself was profit from previous play.
BUT I am, first and foremost, a journalist and need to remember this.
GL on the tables...
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