Thank GOD, for BODOG!

I dunno...was at Full Tilt yesterday and was doing well. I was up like $20, and then lost it to suck-out flushes and folded to some all-in bets (I don't like to gamble like that too much, especially when rebuilding). Then, I lost the 20 and another 15.

I wasn't playing bad or anything, just my regular game. So, frustrated...I go over to Bodog, and play my game and went up just over $100 for the night. I guess, I can't complain but, I do wish the reverse was true, because of Bodog's withdraw challenges (I almost feel like the money that I have there is not real because of that).

UPDATE: I think I figured it out. I just have to play more nittily (is that a word?) at FT and PS. End of story.

On Full Tilt

I am back on FullTilt poker now.

I don't know what it is about Poker Stars, but I seem to go on mega-tilt there and wind up donking off my $$$. Maybe it's the constant bad plays getting rewarded (read: suckouts); the insatiable amount of time players take to make a move b/c they are playing god-knows-how-many-tables; for some reason I like their software the least; the days, weeks (and weeks) of being card dead. I have to give them one thing though, that is their tech-support is great! But that doesn't do anything for my bankroll.

Maybe, it's all in my head.

But that's after the fact now. I still have an account over at Bodog that is maintained at just over $500. It seems I am treating it like some kind of relic or display piece; too scared to lose it, not sure if I want to take it out yet. It's not like $500 is breaking the bank or going to change my life, so for now I'll still mull over the idea of withdrawing it. In the meantime, I'll play at FT and try to finish up my bonus up to $50 due on Nov 2nd.

Poker, Nostalgic

I was searching for some local poker games and came up w/ this (check the date):

5 MASKED BANDITS ROB POKER PLAYERS; Break Into Bronx Gambling House and Hold Up 25 Patrons at Pistol Point. VICTIMS DISGORGE $1,500 Each Forced to Turn Over All His Jewelry, and Robbers Get Away Safely.


November 24, 1915, Wednesday

Page 8, 588 words

Although it all happened early Sunday morning the police of the Morrisania station, in the Bronx, only learned last night how a gambling resort temporarily established in an isolated section of their precinct had been entered by five masked bandits, who lined twenty-five poker players against a wall, covered them with revolvers, and robbed them of a total of $1,500.

Crouching Downswings, Embracing Tiger

Winning is welcomed with open arms, but a winning player must embrace loss with the same eagerness. Somewhere on 2+2, I've read that 20 BI losses are pretty much standard (I've even seen some argue against that). I myself have recently been a victim of such a threatening swing. Yet, I took it in stride. I'll make it back and it's not a concern.

Oft times I've thought about a player's immunity or callousness to the value of money - I see money as a tool, not as something to horde as a possession. As much as poker is touted by its proponents for being a game of skill, the truly successful poker player has a lot of gamble in him and does not play with scared money.

So do I care about losing? Well...of course I do! But it doesn't put me on tilt and does not make me question myself as a player or does not threaten my self worth. It's just the nature of the game, and if you are in this game then you have to accept the nature of the game totally and unconditionally.

Lost Databases

...lost rants. I basically started my bankroll from $5 given to me from Bodog (okay, I padded it a little with about a hundred). I had all the hands and games that enabled me to put a couple of zeros behind that 5. But, I just realized that I had deep sixed the whole Poker Tracker database when I reformatted my computer this weekend. All that is left is a snapshot of an older graph.

Crap. What can you do? Although, I do have to say that there is something refreshing starting anew. Can't really explain what that is right now; feels like a rebirth or something.

Day's Quote

"A real gambler just isn’t programmed to take care of business matters."

- Doyle Brunson

No wonder I have never balanced a check book!

Suck Out Saturday

The title says it all. I lost a little over a fifth of my bankroll. Fortunately, on Friday I won about a fifth, so I guess I gave that back with interest. But, I know what went on. You see, I can't blame them: those mysterious people you don't see, don't know, but know are there influencing every move, every situation to your demise. Them!!!

I decided long ago that what happens to me is in part (maybe, all) due to my actions, and my thoughts. My decisions is what gets me where I am and where I am not. Nothing else. You see, by adopting this philosophy I give up my destiny to no one, no control over to know one - it's all me baby!

So, forget the fish, the coolers, the cards...it's you and how you play.

I found a hole in my game. A huge disgusting gapping gap, at least for these micro-levels. It's the hand selection, but more so the failure of releasing a hand when trouble starts to brew. Most time I get involved in a large pot or put most of my chips at risk is when I compromise my bankroll. They say that you can unravel what you did for 9 hours of perfect play in a half and hour of bad play. True.

Last night, I started making the same mistake of chasing flush draws and straights and committing more chips when my status in the hand was questionable. Next time just fold, and chose better spots.

So finally, my senses kicked in and I started to make back most of my loses by small balling and steering from trouble.