Hardships With Moving Up

Ever since I've moved up on Bodog to .25NL, I've suffered some huge coolers. What would happen is that I would lose 30, make 1o back, and then lose 20 again. My trips would lose to a fullhouse maybe 3 times for some huge hands and I've suffered some bad coolers as well ever since I tried to move up levels. My play has been very good, but unfortunately bad luck is over-riding my play (conversely, my play at the same level on PokerStars has been huge).

It's been a very frustrating experience, but I remain untilted. If I lose the $$$, I've allocated for this level I will move back down and rebuild. By the end of this weekend I should know where I stand.

Busted Flush Draw & Ass Ended Straight

Lately, bets are flying all over the tables. Yesterday's session, got me out of a slump I've been having for the past few days.

PokerStars No-Limit Hold'em, $0.25 BB (3 handed) - Poker-Stars Converter Tool from FlopTurnRiver.com

Button ($15.50)
SB ($33.75)
Hero (BB) ($22.60)




Preflop: Hero is BB with J, 10
Button raises to $0.50, SB calls $0.40, Hero calls $0.25
Flop: ($1.50) 9, 8, 7 (3 players)
SB checks, Hero checks, Button bets $1.25, SB calls $1.25, Hero calls $1.25
Turn: ($5.25) 6 (3 players)
SB checks, Hero checks, Button bets $2.50, SB raises to $6, Hero raises to $20.85 (All-In), Button calls $11.25 (All-In), SB calls $14.85
River: ($60.70) 2 (3 players, 2 all-in)
Total pot: $60.70 | Rake: $1

Results:
Button mucked 9, A (one pair, nines).
SB had 10, K (straight, ten high).
Hero had J, 10 (straight, Jack high).

Outcome: Hero won $59.70

I made the HUGE overbet for a couple of reasons: to protect against the flush draw/at the same time making it expensive if they want to try to draw out on me; I was hoping the SB had a 10 and would have to call.

What's In An Icon?

I'm not too much into poker player icons where a site may let you choose from a predetermined list, or allows you to upload one yourself. But given the opportunity, I will select something.

Some will tell you that you can gain a lot of information from a players icon, stating that you can get some kind of indication of who's behind the remote mouse: an aggressive player may choose to show something violent or intimidating; or a softer player may chose to have their kid or dog (my dog happens to be my PokerStars icon). Some choose not to show anything for various reasons, but even when not choosing one may say something like you don't want to give away information.

I wouldn't read too much into any of this as some players intentionally try to mislead others, proving you can't rely on any reads you may think you have from a picture, and simply becuase sometimes a pic is just a pic. The best thing to do in getting a read on another player is betting patterns, and what have when they show down.

The below is my player icon; read into it if you may...

UB Gives Pot To Hellmuth Who Mucked!

Go read how UB gave Phil Hellmuth a pot who mucked his hand to a player who had 3 of a kind, with Phil acting casually. Epic.

Stage #XXXXXXX: Holdem (1 on 1) Normal $200/$400 - 2008-12-20 04:15:23 (ET)
Table: FIR AVE (Real Money) Seat #4 is the dealer
Seat 4 - PHILHELLMUTH ($4495 in chips)
Seat 6 - DOUBLEBALLER ($7494 in chips)
PHILHELLMUTH - Posts small blind $100
DOUBLEBALLER - Posts big blind $200
*** POCKET CARDS ***
PHILHELLMUTH - Raises $300 to $400
DOUBLEBALLER - Raises $400 to $600
PHILHELLMUTH - Raises $400 to $800
DOUBLEBALLER - Calls $200
*** FLOP *** [Js Kc Kh]
DOUBLEBALLER - Checks
PHILHELLMUTH - Bets $200
DOUBLEBALLER - Raises $400 to $400
PHILHELLMUTH - Calls $200
*** TURN *** [Js Kc Kh] [2h]
DOUBLEBALLER - Bets $400
PHILHELLMUTH - Raises $800 to $800
DOUBLEBALLER - Raises $800 to $1200
PHILHELLMUTH - Calls $400
*** RIVER *** [Js Kc Kh 2h] [9c]
DOUBLEBALLER - Bets $400
PHILHELLMUTH - Calls $400
*** SHOW DOWN ***
DOUBLEBALLER - Shows [Kd Qh] (Three of a kind, kings)
PHILHELLMUTH - Mucks
PHILHELLMUTH Collects $5599 from main pot
*** SUMMARY ***
Total Pot($5600) | Rake ($1)
Board [Js Kc Kh 2h 9c]
Seat 4: PHILHELLMUTH (dealer) (small blind) won Total ($5599) HI: ($5599) [Mucked] [2s 10s]
Seat 6: DOUBLEBALLER (big blind) HI:lost with Three of a kind, kings [Kd Qh - B:Kh,P:Kd,B:Kc,P:Qh,B:Js]

Unbelievable. I would like to play there b/c the play is so bad, but in light of tihs and the whole superuser scandal, I'll play elsewhere (looks like I don't have to look so far as there are much more worse play at PokerStars lately - former UB'ers?).

Stability

The way I see it there are no guarantees in the stock market, but I will push all-in with the nuts. And they call poker gambling.

$500 Freeroll

Being that I was amped for the Blogger's Tournament, but was unable to make the bodonkament becuase of registration issues, my fingers were pretty itchy for a challenge. Luckily, I found the $500 freeroll on Bodog starting at (unfortunately), 9pm EST.

After some grinding and luck I ran deep somewhere between 70 to 90 people around 12:55 with 78,000 in chips.

Knowing my stack, knowing the time, knowing the amount of players left, and knowing what time I had to be up left me at odds end if I really wanted to continue, but I couldn't quit now.

Then it happened.

About 1:30 am, I lost about 1/3 of my stack on a play I know I should of made AQ suited (the second one in a row), against a all-in reraise...KK. Another, was my preflop raise with JJ and a call, with a K on the board...he had it - I wasn't listening to the little voice. That was about another 20,000 and left me SS.

With my mind going toward the side of mush, and my enthusiasm wailing, and knowing what I would have to do to rebuild I knew it could easily run past 3am...I decided to have fun and push.

I busted out at 66th...63rd was in the money. It was a good experience and fun. No regrets.

The Little Engine That Could - NOT!

NY-Atlantic City Pony Engine

Just in time for the economic slowdown: a new luxury train direct from New York
to Atlantic City.

I've been waiting for this, because the drive for me out there is about 3 hours (a little more now that I moved up to Yonkers). But your telling me that this choo-choo will make it in 2 1/2 hours!?! What kinda express train is this? (((Grumble)))

So, before taking this trip I'll be asking myself if I-think-I-can.

Soft Is Hard; Hard Is Soft

Poker is not a static game. It is always evolving and changing; the cards can't be relied on, nor the players...all you can do is look at what is being offered and play your best game.

Lately, the play over at PokerStars is a donkey-hunter's dream. The texture of the games is soft, soft, soft. And the players just really play horrible lately by playing almost any two suited cards, chasing straights, and getting married to any Ace. I am not doing any necessary table selection, but just targeting the players via their stack sizes. I may be playing a little earlier than usual, so maybe that has a little to do with it, but my evening games fair just about the same.

Not having to think much, not worry about being played back, and seeing right through some moves is why I am logging into PokerStars more lately. Ironically, Bodog got a little harder. I'm playing some really soft cash games at PS right now.

Later...

See you at the felt tonight at the Blogger's Tournament.

Blogger Tournament

I've been reading up on a few blogger poker tournaments and signed up for both PokerStars and Bodog Blogger Tournamnetns. Looks like I have one chance on both sites to qualify for the final Blogger tournamnet.

...





On Bodog, it looks like two players to be aware of is $mokkee, and TonySoprano (plus anyone else who is on the leader board). If I have time, I'll research their game.

...

I don't know if I'll have time to play in the PokerStars blogger tournament as their freerolls run up until the 20th, which is the only day I may have a chance to play. But I signed up anyway.

(The below is a requirement for the event.)

I have registered to play in the PokerStars World Blogger Championship of Online Poker!

The WBCOOP is an online Poker tournament open to all Bloggers.

Registration code: 337028

UPDATE: Looks like my little blog got me into the PokerStars tournament as well.

UPDATEII: I will not be playing at the Bodonkament (I didn't realize there was a registration process, which wasn't as clear cut as PokerStars' instructions).

Thank you for contacting Bodog Poker Customer Service.

We have forwarded
this information to our Tournaments Department who will confirm that pokergambit.com is being run by
you and is, in fact, an active Poker blog. If this is the case, they will then
register you to play in the next available tournament in the Blogger Series.
Please note that this process does need to be completed by our Tournaments
Department and, as such, we cannot guarantee any exact time-frames regarding
registration for the tournament.

Thank you very much for writing. Should
you have any questions, or require any further assistance, please don't hesitate
to contact us.
Regards,
Poker Customer Service

Getting It All In

I do this a lot on PokerStars and it works a lot: I'm dealt pocket 10's and bump it up to 4x the blind...board comes 9,7,3...pretty dry...I go all in, and get called...blank-blank...guy has J, 9...Wow!

Keeping On

It's been about a week since I've last updated this blog...still alive, still rebuilding bankroll and grinding it out. Almost have enough to step back up on level on a consistent basis...maybe another week or two at the rate things are going. I have a couple of interesting (read: deplorable bad beats), hands to post but the format of them all really stinks and I'll have to totally hack them - I'll either update this post or create a new one.

Table Selection & Building Your Bank Roll Tips

(I don't share too many secrets here - not that I'm the greatest or most successful plare. But I think I may start documenting some of them for the purpose of this blog, so that I may look back on it and see how I have developed as a player.)

I played last night.

I find it much easier to play at a 10 seat table lately than a 6 seat table especially when there are maybe 1-3 people there initially. I'll sit in when the player have 60% or less in chips than the max buy-in, and if someone is there w/ more I'll sit to his immediate left and make him a target. Usually, all these players are extremely weak and chase every draw no matter the odds. I'll buy in for maybe the same masking my aggression or confidence level (I feel that the max buy in crowd feel more comfortable in the game and have a smidget more skill than the super fish, or tend to bully the shorter stacks) - chip stacks at these levels are an illusion.

Once the are more than 5-6 people at a 10 seat table, or once the 6 seat table fills up, I re-evaluate how the players are playing. The texture of the table is a constant factor w/ this strategy: Did they adjust to me and tighten up? Are there tougher customers at the table now? Are my profits still flying in or is it harder to make the cash now?

If I feel the answer is yes, to any of these questions I either leave immediately or start to hunt for a new table and leave when the BB comes to me, and start the process all over again. Staying away from tougher competition, tough decisions, and hunting for the fish is a win-win situation.

I think I've noticed too, other players do this. You will almost always know who they are by their initially bankroll. They'll either have a max or close to max buy-in, or more than the buy-in. Be careful of these players, for they are either lucky or have some amount of skill, so know your game when (if) you play them.

I've done this many time over and have built a bankroll to lock in profits quickly and w/out big risk. This has worked for me time and time again and profits have been in the 100's of percent.

Spanish Poker Terms

Here are some poker terms in Spanish, if you happen to play in the Latin America tour (or are playing at an underground club in Spanish Harlem or something):

Check - Pasar, Paso
Bet - Apostar, Apuesto
Raise - Aumentar, Aumento
Pair - Par
2 Pair - dos par
3 of a kind - Trika (sp?)
Straight - Escalera
Flush - Color
Full house - Full or Fullhouse
Four of a kind - Poker
Straight flush - Escalera Color
Royal flush - escalera real

Pulled from 2+2.

Life Changes

I haven't played much poker lately, now that I've moved out of my hometown - Da Bronx! - to the county of Yonkers. My internet connection should go up sometime tomorrow evening, but even then I doubt I will play. Unpacking and moving things around, not to mention my mind being a big jumble of things-to-do keeps me preoccupied. So, until the dust settles I may not be playing until this weekend, or even longer...gasp!