I am on the coldest streak of my life. I actually took the time to calculate yesterday how much money I would have won if I had won every pot where my money went in as a huge favorite in this session alone....$3k!!! Instead, I lost $700.
The evening started out well. I lost a few small pots but nothing too damaging. Then I ended up chopping what would have been a $300 pot when someone caught runner runner to make the same straight that I had flopped.
The first big pot that I won was when I had limped along on the button with K/10d. The BB raised to $20. Why he only raised to $20 when there is already $30 in the pot with the limpers, I cannot figure. I call, I have position and getting 5/1 on my money. Flop is K88, 1 diamond. BB bets $25(into a $120 pot!), I have to call. Turn is the 9d. He bets $100 of his $150 that he has left. I ask for time. I figure at this point that I am behind...Im thinking that he has a bigger K. But I also figure that any 8, K, 10 or diamond will make me the winner(or chop with a K or 8) so I put him all in. He calls and shows K/Q. A diamond hits the river so that was a nice little pot.
I then proceed to flop the first of 10 sets of the evening. Only 2 of which hold up. I have pocket 9s in the BB. Flop is AhQh9d. I check, UTG bets, Button goes all in, I call. He shows K/3h and hits it on the turn. He apologizes and says that he thought that he had flopped it.
The next one is so sick....I have had nightmares about it since. I have pocket 66s in the bb. Flop is J64 rainbow. I check, UTG bets a pot sized bet and a very laggy button calls and I call. I dont think that I have anything really to worry about and decide to let the UTG take another stab at it. Turn is a Q. I check, UTG makes another pot sized bet, button calls, I raise all in for another $400 more. There is about $275 in the pot. UTG folds Q/J face up! Button calls. River is a 5. He shows 7/8...he called $400 on the turn with a gutshot. I ask him how he can make such a call with 4 outs and he said...'I was gonna bluff you if I missed' ...wtf??? I was all in...how could he have bluffed me???
Then I flop a set of 7s on an 872, 2 spade board, I bet, someone checkraises me, I put him all in for $250 and he calls with a flush draw and hits and once again, I dont fill up.
I did make some excellent laydowns. I laid down pocket Js on a 6 high board. He showed AA. I only lost the $25 preflop raise. I also lost the minimum($75) with pocket 10s on a 9 high board.
The guy had flopped top set. I flopped top 2 facing a bet and raise and folded. So, money saved is just as good as money won, eh?
So, I am down to $175 after being in for $1200. I pick up a few small pots then I get QQ and I raise to $30, 2 callers. Flop is JJ9. SB checks, I check and the button bets $60. I checked because I was going to get the money in regardless. I thought that the button might take a stab at it with A/K or a smaller pr if checked to but I did not think that he would call a bet. So, he bet, I move all in and he folds. So I picked up an extra $60 by checking.
I manage to win little $50 pots here and there and end up leaving with $500.
So, I am running bad and poker and running bad at life. One month ago, I was on top of both. I loved poker, was doing extremely well at it and my life was a happy one. What I wouldn't give to relive the past 30 days of my life.
Saturday, April 12, 2008
Friday, April 11, 2008
Coward
You gain strength, courage, and confidence by every experience in which you really stop to look fear in the face. You must do the thing which you think you cannot do. - Eleanor Roosevelt
Thursday, April 10, 2008
I Suck
I have got to get out of my head!!! Why can I not do this??? For 6 hours...why can't I just tune out the constant.....shit streaming through my brain?
Anyway, despite the above statement...I actually made money last night. $320...and once again, I had to fight back from a huge deficit to get there. One of my first hands, I pick up KK in the BB. A MP tourist from Orlando(that I had spoken with earlier and I could tell was very inexperienced) had raised to $25. I reraise to $60. He calls. Flop is AAK. I check, he bets, I call. Turn is a 10. I check, he bets, I raise, he goes all in, I call. He shows A/7. River, of course is a 7. Standard:(
Moving on. There was this guy in the 10 seat( I was in the 1 seat) that was just a whale. He owns a bunch of bar-b-que restaurants here. He was also a downright awful poker player. Thank God, for him or I might not have ever made it into the black. He chased(and bet) any draw. He raised with any 2 high cards, any pocket pr. I have a 3 hour run of 9/2, so I ask for a new setup. I know, I know....I hate people that do this too but I thought that psychologically, it might help me out a bit. The first hand after the switch, I get QQ utg in a straddled pot. I raise to $40. Mr Barbque calls(of course, he never folds pre) Flop is 10 high, 2 spades. He donks into me for $50, I raise to $150 and he folds. Then this hand comes up and God, I could have murdered this drunk guy at the table! I raise to $35 in the BB with JJ. Barbque calls. Flop is 9dJd4s. I bet $60 and Mr Bbq(very drunk at this point) says...I have a J...A/K is no good. Turn is 6c. He checks, I say..all in( I have like $600 behind)...he asks me how much??? Im in heaven. I pushed because I know that if he does in fact have a J, he will call. Then this old fucker at the table says..."what are you doing...she can beat a J" so, he folds!!! Why would anyone ever think that it was ok to say something like this???
So, our table breaks and I move to this table that has this awful lady from the night before...seriously, she never folded! She went through $2k in about 2 hours the previous night, so I made sure that I sat right to her left. I pick up about $100 by limping with 5/7c. The flop is Kc5sJc. Checked around...turn is 5d. SB bets $30, I raise to $75. He calls. River is a 6d. He checks, I check. He shows a busted 6 high flush draw.
Then the miracle of all hands..how this won, I will never know.
I limp with K/9c on the button. Flop is 9/8/5, 2 diamonds. The bbq guy bets $30, crazy lady calls, I have no clue where I am right now and I know that I have a look of befuddlement on my face because the super tight SB says, (with $30 in his hand, ready to make the call) "I know...what do they have??" So I call, SB calls and then a MP guy calls! The really hard thing about playing with really bad players is that you can NEVER put them on a hand. I am so completely lost at this point. Turn, thankfully, is the Ks. I think that is a good card for me but with the way these guys are playing...who knows, right? BBq bets $100, crazy lady calls, I announce very loudly, RAISE. I throw 3 $100 bills in. SB folds, as does MP calling station. BBq says, "uh oh, I know what that means". He folds. Then crazy lady calls(she is now all in). I dodge a diamond on the river and rake in a nice pot.
I then leave. It is now 3:30am and I am whooped.
Poker is beginning to feel like a bad, argumentative relationship for me. It just seems like so much work lately. Is it worth all of the fighting and arguing for the occasional night of good sex?
I already have one of those relationships in my life(minus the sex part)....do I really want another?
Anyway, despite the above statement...I actually made money last night. $320...and once again, I had to fight back from a huge deficit to get there. One of my first hands, I pick up KK in the BB. A MP tourist from Orlando(that I had spoken with earlier and I could tell was very inexperienced) had raised to $25. I reraise to $60. He calls. Flop is AAK. I check, he bets, I call. Turn is a 10. I check, he bets, I raise, he goes all in, I call. He shows A/7. River, of course is a 7. Standard:(
Moving on. There was this guy in the 10 seat( I was in the 1 seat) that was just a whale. He owns a bunch of bar-b-que restaurants here. He was also a downright awful poker player. Thank God, for him or I might not have ever made it into the black. He chased(and bet) any draw. He raised with any 2 high cards, any pocket pr. I have a 3 hour run of 9/2, so I ask for a new setup. I know, I know....I hate people that do this too but I thought that psychologically, it might help me out a bit. The first hand after the switch, I get QQ utg in a straddled pot. I raise to $40. Mr Barbque calls(of course, he never folds pre) Flop is 10 high, 2 spades. He donks into me for $50, I raise to $150 and he folds. Then this hand comes up and God, I could have murdered this drunk guy at the table! I raise to $35 in the BB with JJ. Barbque calls. Flop is 9dJd4s. I bet $60 and Mr Bbq(very drunk at this point) says...I have a J...A/K is no good. Turn is 6c. He checks, I say..all in( I have like $600 behind)...he asks me how much??? Im in heaven. I pushed because I know that if he does in fact have a J, he will call. Then this old fucker at the table says..."what are you doing...she can beat a J" so, he folds!!! Why would anyone ever think that it was ok to say something like this???
So, our table breaks and I move to this table that has this awful lady from the night before...seriously, she never folded! She went through $2k in about 2 hours the previous night, so I made sure that I sat right to her left. I pick up about $100 by limping with 5/7c. The flop is Kc5sJc. Checked around...turn is 5d. SB bets $30, I raise to $75. He calls. River is a 6d. He checks, I check. He shows a busted 6 high flush draw.
Then the miracle of all hands..how this won, I will never know.
I limp with K/9c on the button. Flop is 9/8/5, 2 diamonds. The bbq guy bets $30, crazy lady calls, I have no clue where I am right now and I know that I have a look of befuddlement on my face because the super tight SB says, (with $30 in his hand, ready to make the call) "I know...what do they have??" So I call, SB calls and then a MP guy calls! The really hard thing about playing with really bad players is that you can NEVER put them on a hand. I am so completely lost at this point. Turn, thankfully, is the Ks. I think that is a good card for me but with the way these guys are playing...who knows, right? BBq bets $100, crazy lady calls, I announce very loudly, RAISE. I throw 3 $100 bills in. SB folds, as does MP calling station. BBq says, "uh oh, I know what that means". He folds. Then crazy lady calls(she is now all in). I dodge a diamond on the river and rake in a nice pot.
I then leave. It is now 3:30am and I am whooped.
Poker is beginning to feel like a bad, argumentative relationship for me. It just seems like so much work lately. Is it worth all of the fighting and arguing for the occasional night of good sex?
I already have one of those relationships in my life(minus the sex part)....do I really want another?
Wednesday, April 9, 2008
Losing Faith In The Human Race
I feel so discouraged today. I have said for years that there is nothing that a human being could do that would surprise me. Until recently, that statement held true. I have seen both ends of the human spectrum over the past week. I have experienced great kindness and support from a complete stranger and massive cruelness from someone that I believed cared about me.
I am bringing this up because I believe it has affected my game. I have had the worst run at poker over the past week. I am unsure as to whether it is variance or my inabilty to completely focus on my game. We shall see.
So, last night was another all nighter. I tried so hard to start off on the right foot. There was really no one at my table at first to flirt with so, I flirted with the only man that I could. Things started off on a downswing. I could not pick up a decent hand! I finally pick up 2 red Qs, raise, get 4 callers and the flop is K high all clubs! So I am in at this point for $600 when I pick up pocket As in the bb. There is a local on the button and he is seriously tilting off his money. He just tried to run a $450 bluff on a calling station. I have too much compassion for these types of people, I really do. I need to just let their crazy asses give away all of their money. But, NOOOOO, I have to try and be their savior. Well, never again! So, asshole raises his button to $25, sb folds, I pop it to $100 and say, Michael...I have As. What the fuck does he do?....he calls! Anyway, long story short, he wipes me out. The funniest thing about the whole story is right after, he says....hey Jess, we're still friends right? I politely say, Fuck No! we're not friends anymore and then I change tables.
So, I am in for 1k...and THANK GOD for miracles. One of my favorite dealers, Jake, sits down at my table. First off, he is hella sexy....blond hair, baby blue eyes, this super long soft eyelashes, very flirty.....*sigh* I ask him to please turn the cards around...I dont have to wait long. This table is a total limpfest...if anyone ever raises ..it is to $15. I am dealt Q/10d utg and limp. Normally, I dont like playing this hand UTG but if I have to call a raise of $10, Im fine with that.
Flop is 9d/Jd/7c! Nice flop for me, I would say! The flop gets checked around. The turn is 8s. The Sb bets $25, I raise to $60(dont want to lose anyone here). He calls. River is 4d. Sb checks..I bet $100 and he calls...shows the lone 10 and I rake in a nice pot. I wish that I had put out a small, pot building bet on the flop. I have been trying to work on bet sizing and pot building lately. This hand, I will rate as a C+.
So, I dont play another hand until my button. I pick up Ad/Kh and raise to $25. A MP limper calls. Flop is K46 all diamonds....Jake is on fire! The caller donks into me...$45! I decide to just call. I dont want to lose K/Q, K/J here. Turn is 7c. He donks again for $45. I pop it to $120 and he calls! River is a 10d! He checks, I bet $150 and he calls without a diamond in his hand!
Our table breaks and we disperse. I choose this table that is full of internet donkeys. I could hear them from my table talking about how bad live players are, spouting SPR, and using words like fold equity and value, and talking about how bad Phil Ivey plays. *eyeroll*
I dont get involved in too many hands. I folded pre 2 hands where I would have flopped the nuts and won massive pots. 20/20.
There is a straddle on almost every pot....not me of course...I prefer a different type of live straddle....if you know what I mean. Geez...I sound horrible...can you tell that it has been awhile??!!??
I pick up A/Qh in MP and raise. 2 callers. Flop is Q high 2 hearts! Yay me...I bet a 3/4 sized bet A wee high, I know but I know that this guy would call if he had a Q or any drawing hand and I wanted him to think that I was protecting my hand against the flush draw. Turn is an A. This is where I might have misstepped. I bet about 2/3 of the pot. He folded. After thinking about this later...I think that I should have checked the A...let him think that it was a scare card and maybe he could bluff the little live girl player off of the pot. Hmmm.
SO...sitting doing nothing, trying not to fall asleep at the table....I seriously have no stamina anymore. I am dealt Q/9s on the button. I raise. The SB reraises me...weel, so much for stealing the blinds! The BB calls, so I decide to call as well...didnt want them to think that I was stealing!
Flop is Ks/Qd/8s. The SB bets 1/3 of the pot!!???!!! The BB folds. I calls. Turn is the 10s. Sb checks. At this point, I am confused. I am thinking A/K maybe a set of Ks...I bet 3/4 of the pot. Then he starts talking....asking "why so much"..."how much do you have behind"? He then calls. River is a 3c. He checks...and this is where I totally lose it...wtf am I thinking???? I look at him...think about the talking and sitting with the 2nd fucking nuts, I CHECK! He shows a set of Ks!!!! I could have easily gotten another hundred or so out of him!!!
So, at this point, I decide that I have played way past my expiration date and call it a night(or morning if you wanna get technical).
So, I leave dead even....I suppose that I should be happy that I fought my way back from a $1000 deficit but I'm not. I am not happy about alot of things right now and I think that it has seriously impacted poker.
I have never felt so disillusioned.
I am bringing this up because I believe it has affected my game. I have had the worst run at poker over the past week. I am unsure as to whether it is variance or my inabilty to completely focus on my game. We shall see.
So, last night was another all nighter. I tried so hard to start off on the right foot. There was really no one at my table at first to flirt with so, I flirted with the only man that I could. Things started off on a downswing. I could not pick up a decent hand! I finally pick up 2 red Qs, raise, get 4 callers and the flop is K high all clubs! So I am in at this point for $600 when I pick up pocket As in the bb. There is a local on the button and he is seriously tilting off his money. He just tried to run a $450 bluff on a calling station. I have too much compassion for these types of people, I really do. I need to just let their crazy asses give away all of their money. But, NOOOOO, I have to try and be their savior. Well, never again! So, asshole raises his button to $25, sb folds, I pop it to $100 and say, Michael...I have As. What the fuck does he do?....he calls! Anyway, long story short, he wipes me out. The funniest thing about the whole story is right after, he says....hey Jess, we're still friends right? I politely say, Fuck No! we're not friends anymore and then I change tables.
So, I am in for 1k...and THANK GOD for miracles. One of my favorite dealers, Jake, sits down at my table. First off, he is hella sexy....blond hair, baby blue eyes, this super long soft eyelashes, very flirty.....*sigh* I ask him to please turn the cards around...I dont have to wait long. This table is a total limpfest...if anyone ever raises ..it is to $15. I am dealt Q/10d utg and limp. Normally, I dont like playing this hand UTG but if I have to call a raise of $10, Im fine with that.
Flop is 9d/Jd/7c! Nice flop for me, I would say! The flop gets checked around. The turn is 8s. The Sb bets $25, I raise to $60(dont want to lose anyone here). He calls. River is 4d. Sb checks..I bet $100 and he calls...shows the lone 10 and I rake in a nice pot. I wish that I had put out a small, pot building bet on the flop. I have been trying to work on bet sizing and pot building lately. This hand, I will rate as a C+.
So, I dont play another hand until my button. I pick up Ad/Kh and raise to $25. A MP limper calls. Flop is K46 all diamonds....Jake is on fire! The caller donks into me...$45! I decide to just call. I dont want to lose K/Q, K/J here. Turn is 7c. He donks again for $45. I pop it to $120 and he calls! River is a 10d! He checks, I bet $150 and he calls without a diamond in his hand!
Our table breaks and we disperse. I choose this table that is full of internet donkeys. I could hear them from my table talking about how bad live players are, spouting SPR, and using words like fold equity and value, and talking about how bad Phil Ivey plays. *eyeroll*
I dont get involved in too many hands. I folded pre 2 hands where I would have flopped the nuts and won massive pots. 20/20.
There is a straddle on almost every pot....not me of course...I prefer a different type of live straddle....if you know what I mean. Geez...I sound horrible...can you tell that it has been awhile??!!??
I pick up A/Qh in MP and raise. 2 callers. Flop is Q high 2 hearts! Yay me...I bet a 3/4 sized bet A wee high, I know but I know that this guy would call if he had a Q or any drawing hand and I wanted him to think that I was protecting my hand against the flush draw. Turn is an A. This is where I might have misstepped. I bet about 2/3 of the pot. He folded. After thinking about this later...I think that I should have checked the A...let him think that it was a scare card and maybe he could bluff the little live girl player off of the pot. Hmmm.
SO...sitting doing nothing, trying not to fall asleep at the table....I seriously have no stamina anymore. I am dealt Q/9s on the button. I raise. The SB reraises me...weel, so much for stealing the blinds! The BB calls, so I decide to call as well...didnt want them to think that I was stealing!
Flop is Ks/Qd/8s. The SB bets 1/3 of the pot!!???!!! The BB folds. I calls. Turn is the 10s. Sb checks. At this point, I am confused. I am thinking A/K maybe a set of Ks...I bet 3/4 of the pot. Then he starts talking....asking "why so much"..."how much do you have behind"? He then calls. River is a 3c. He checks...and this is where I totally lose it...wtf am I thinking???? I look at him...think about the talking and sitting with the 2nd fucking nuts, I CHECK! He shows a set of Ks!!!! I could have easily gotten another hundred or so out of him!!!
So, at this point, I decide that I have played way past my expiration date and call it a night(or morning if you wanna get technical).
So, I leave dead even....I suppose that I should be happy that I fought my way back from a $1000 deficit but I'm not. I am not happy about alot of things right now and I think that it has seriously impacted poker.
I have never felt so disillusioned.
Tuesday, April 8, 2008
Stagnant
Do you ever have one of those sessions where you seem to win and lose the same $200 over and over? And how is it that when I have these sessions, the number is always $200?
So, $2/$5 at The V...slightly distracted but overall focused. The first pot that I rake in is a bluff....folded to me on the button, I have 10/6s, raise and take it.
I then make a stupid call...I have J/10 in the C/O in a limped/family pot. It gets checked to the river on a board of 6/4/3/Q/10. This aggressive asian female to my right makes a pot sized bet on the river and of course, I have to play sheriff and call. She shows K/10. Bye Bye, $25.
I then move to the main game and sit and fold and sit and fold. I pick up enough small pots on the flop to stay even.
I did manage to pull of a nice bluff. This guy would always raise in LP when folded to him(which usually ended up being my BB) and I would always end up folding the garbage that I had but this time, I played back at him. He raised to $25 and I reraise to $60. He calls. Flop is nine high, I bet $75 and he folds. I never even looked at my cards.
I then pick up a set of 6s on a suited heart flop and check call the flop and turn, hoping to fill up. I knew that the guy had flopped a flush. The funny thing is that I checked the river to him and he checks back...and shows A/10h....the NUTS! He checked the nuts, in position, on the river!!!
So, I am down to like $275. I dont want to rebuy...I should have but I dont. I am dealt KK in the BB in a limped pot. I raise to $40 and the 2 seat calls me. He says that it is a tilt call....he had just lost $300 with the K high flush against an A high flush to the worst player at the table.
Flop is 10/7/3 rainbow. I throw in a bill. HE CALLS! Turn is an 8...I push my remaining $125 in...thinking that I am beat and HE CALLS! River is a 4, I flip my KK up and he says, nice hand. I asked him if he had 8/9 and he was tilting, so he wouldnt tell me. He changed tables and about an hour later, I went over and batted my eyelashes and said...8/9??? and he said yes.
So, tonight, I need to play well and have the deck hit me in the face....not too much to ask for, right?
So, $2/$5 at The V...slightly distracted but overall focused. The first pot that I rake in is a bluff....folded to me on the button, I have 10/6s, raise and take it.
I then make a stupid call...I have J/10 in the C/O in a limped/family pot. It gets checked to the river on a board of 6/4/3/Q/10. This aggressive asian female to my right makes a pot sized bet on the river and of course, I have to play sheriff and call. She shows K/10. Bye Bye, $25.
I then move to the main game and sit and fold and sit and fold. I pick up enough small pots on the flop to stay even.
I did manage to pull of a nice bluff. This guy would always raise in LP when folded to him(which usually ended up being my BB) and I would always end up folding the garbage that I had but this time, I played back at him. He raised to $25 and I reraise to $60. He calls. Flop is nine high, I bet $75 and he folds. I never even looked at my cards.
I then pick up a set of 6s on a suited heart flop and check call the flop and turn, hoping to fill up. I knew that the guy had flopped a flush. The funny thing is that I checked the river to him and he checks back...and shows A/10h....the NUTS! He checked the nuts, in position, on the river!!!
So, I am down to like $275. I dont want to rebuy...I should have but I dont. I am dealt KK in the BB in a limped pot. I raise to $40 and the 2 seat calls me. He says that it is a tilt call....he had just lost $300 with the K high flush against an A high flush to the worst player at the table.
Flop is 10/7/3 rainbow. I throw in a bill. HE CALLS! Turn is an 8...I push my remaining $125 in...thinking that I am beat and HE CALLS! River is a 4, I flip my KK up and he says, nice hand. I asked him if he had 8/9 and he was tilting, so he wouldnt tell me. He changed tables and about an hour later, I went over and batted my eyelashes and said...8/9??? and he said yes.
So, tonight, I need to play well and have the deck hit me in the face....not too much to ask for, right?
Baby Steps
Well, I have logged 3 sessions since the absolute worst poker night of my life....the first one being pretty much break even, the second, decent and the third...ok.
So...the first one is kind of a blur...played overnight and just could never get anything going. I only had 2 big pairs and only one held up. The 2 hands that turned the session from a winning one to a losing one are as follows.
I have pocket Js in the BB. The button is this really sexy asian guy from San Diego that did his absolute best in keeping my mind on him rather than the game. He was kinda laggy in the way that most asian poker players are. He raised his button to $10($1/$2, btw), I reraised to $25. Then a MP limper who only has $85 calls. Anyway...flop is 6/5/3, 2 hearts. I bet $40...he goes all in...I call..he has QJh...turn is the Ah and its over. How can you call off 1/4 of your stack preflop...especially with QJ when you are facing a 3 bet???
The other hand is just brutal. The button raises(I could tell that he wanted to fold and then threw in $10 at the last minute). This is my mistake...I saw this and didn't take advantage of it. I should have reraised him and I would have taken the pot down right then. I have pocket 7s. This old guy calls the raise as well and it is 3 to the flop. Flop is 5/7/9 rainbow. Checked to the button. He bets $20, I call as does the old guy. Turn is a 9. Checked to the button. He bets $40, I raise to $100. Old guy CALLS! Button pushes, I call. Old guy folds. He shows 9/10, I show my boat. I just have to dodge a 9, 10 or 5. Of course, the river is a 5! The funniest thing about all of this(and I should not be surprised anymore, really) is that when I said, "nice catch sir"..he actually says..."You mean that you could beat a set?" I wish that I could have held my tongue before I (tried) to educate the fish. Of course, I had to explain to him that he did, in fact, not have a set, but trips and that I had a full house and was a 90% favorite to win the hand.
The following night, I head down to the Venetian and decide to play $1/$2 until I double my money and then move to the $2/$5. I am unsure if this is a sound strategy or not....just giving it a try. So, I am card dead for the first hour or so. Then I get up $180 by picking up pocket Js twice in a row....first time flopping a boat and the 2nd time, turning quads! The I lose $80 with pocket Qs to a flush. I should be content that I didnt pay him off on the river with my straight.
I then say fuck it, I'm just going to move, $100 shy of my goal. I sit down at a must move $2/$5 game(7 handed) I come in behind the button and never play a hand until my SB. The whole table limped in and I have 9/8h in the SB. I complete and then the BB pops it to $25...the whole table calls! SO, I say, what the hell....Flop is 6/7/10 rainbow! BINGO! I check, BB bets $100, everyone folds(DAMN!) and I just move all in. I only have $175 behind and if he has an overpair, I dont think that he can fold for that....he calls. I quietly say, I have the nuts sir. Then I leave. Up $500 for the session. I was happy.
I love the drive home when I win...I crank the radio...sing at the top of my lungs and for 30 minutes....all is right with the world.
So...the first one is kind of a blur...played overnight and just could never get anything going. I only had 2 big pairs and only one held up. The 2 hands that turned the session from a winning one to a losing one are as follows.
I have pocket Js in the BB. The button is this really sexy asian guy from San Diego that did his absolute best in keeping my mind on him rather than the game. He was kinda laggy in the way that most asian poker players are. He raised his button to $10($1/$2, btw), I reraised to $25. Then a MP limper who only has $85 calls. Anyway...flop is 6/5/3, 2 hearts. I bet $40...he goes all in...I call..he has QJh...turn is the Ah and its over. How can you call off 1/4 of your stack preflop...especially with QJ when you are facing a 3 bet???
The other hand is just brutal. The button raises(I could tell that he wanted to fold and then threw in $10 at the last minute). This is my mistake...I saw this and didn't take advantage of it. I should have reraised him and I would have taken the pot down right then. I have pocket 7s. This old guy calls the raise as well and it is 3 to the flop. Flop is 5/7/9 rainbow. Checked to the button. He bets $20, I call as does the old guy. Turn is a 9. Checked to the button. He bets $40, I raise to $100. Old guy CALLS! Button pushes, I call. Old guy folds. He shows 9/10, I show my boat. I just have to dodge a 9, 10 or 5. Of course, the river is a 5! The funniest thing about all of this(and I should not be surprised anymore, really) is that when I said, "nice catch sir"..he actually says..."You mean that you could beat a set?" I wish that I could have held my tongue before I (tried) to educate the fish. Of course, I had to explain to him that he did, in fact, not have a set, but trips and that I had a full house and was a 90% favorite to win the hand.
The following night, I head down to the Venetian and decide to play $1/$2 until I double my money and then move to the $2/$5. I am unsure if this is a sound strategy or not....just giving it a try. So, I am card dead for the first hour or so. Then I get up $180 by picking up pocket Js twice in a row....first time flopping a boat and the 2nd time, turning quads! The I lose $80 with pocket Qs to a flush. I should be content that I didnt pay him off on the river with my straight.
I then say fuck it, I'm just going to move, $100 shy of my goal. I sit down at a must move $2/$5 game(7 handed) I come in behind the button and never play a hand until my SB. The whole table limped in and I have 9/8h in the SB. I complete and then the BB pops it to $25...the whole table calls! SO, I say, what the hell....Flop is 6/7/10 rainbow! BINGO! I check, BB bets $100, everyone folds(DAMN!) and I just move all in. I only have $175 behind and if he has an overpair, I dont think that he can fold for that....he calls. I quietly say, I have the nuts sir. Then I leave. Up $500 for the session. I was happy.
I love the drive home when I win...I crank the radio...sing at the top of my lungs and for 30 minutes....all is right with the world.
Saturday, April 5, 2008
Cruel, Cold Deck
There is nothing more fustrating than getting your money in good and having someone suck out on you. Especially when it happens 5 or 6 times in one night for large sums of money.
Sorry that I haven't posted but things have been pretty tumultuous the last few days, on and off of the tables.
I just had my worst session ever. I know intellectually that you shouldn't judge a session based on how much money you lose but when the number is substantial, it is very hard to see past that aspect of it.
I think there was a bit of foreshadowing when 3 hands into the session, I pick up KK in the bb...folded to the very laggy button who raised(really, he would raise with ATC in this spot), the SB knows this of course and calls, and I raise....the Button reraises and I shove. Of course, he has AA!
So I buy in again and actually get back to even($1000) thanks to a sweet, sweet gift. One that only comes around once in a blue moon. I raise($25) from the C/O with A/Kc, the small blind calls and does a MP limper. Flop is AAQ, rainbow!!!...checks to me, I bet $30. I wanted that bet to come across as a feeler bet...kind of like, I have a Q and I am betting to see if anyone had an A. I was hoping for someone to view that as weakness and come over the top of me. Well, it worked. The SB minraises to $60. MP folds. I then push. I tried very hard to play this hand as confusing as possible past the preflop raise of course. Alot of inexperienced players would check trip As on that flop and certainly would not push the flop(ok...maybe REALLY inexperienced players would). The SB deliberates forever, so I start trying to appear weak...talking, acting nervous, saying .." well this is a good sign for me" I even offer to show him one card(which why in god's name, he didn't take, I will never know). I said, do you have an A and he said, no but the chances of you having one either is very slim and then ....HE CALLS! WITH KK!!! So drawing dead. YAY me! I won't even go into how horribly he played kings!
Then it all goes to shit. There was this guy at the table who would raise in any position with any K, any Q, any A...but then he was hitting monsters!...flopping flushes, 2pr, straights. So I set out to trap him(brilliant, I know). I have AA and limp in...He raises to $25...4 callers. Everyone is calling him because they know how wide his opening range is. I reraise to $200. He calls. Flop is AK9...all spades. I bet $400. He pushes all in. Now he should know(if he is even good enough to think at this level, which come on, who am I kidding, he isn't) that he has 0 fold equity. I have just put $600 into this pot with only $350 behind. If he thought about this hand at all, it should be pretty obvious with the UTG limp, reraise that I have either a set of Ks or a set of As. So, I call. He shows 3/5 with the 5 of spades. So, he just risked all of that with a 5 high flush draw and....HITS IT!!!
So, I buy in again....short this time. ...for $300. I get it all in good against the nutcase with A/Kh on a K59, 2 heart board against his KJ and what do you know, he spikes his 2 outter.
Why I didn't leave at this point is pure insanity on my part. I have 2 big downfalls in life, men and my stubborn nature.
I buy in again...actually grind it out and win back about half of my money to lose it all in nearly identical situations with top 2 on the turn, potting it and having someone call off the rest of their chips with flush draws and hitting.
So, today I need to pick myself up, dust myself off, put on my lowest cut blouse and get back into the game.
Wish me luck.......I think that I am going to need it.
Sorry that I haven't posted but things have been pretty tumultuous the last few days, on and off of the tables.
I just had my worst session ever. I know intellectually that you shouldn't judge a session based on how much money you lose but when the number is substantial, it is very hard to see past that aspect of it.
I think there was a bit of foreshadowing when 3 hands into the session, I pick up KK in the bb...folded to the very laggy button who raised(really, he would raise with ATC in this spot), the SB knows this of course and calls, and I raise....the Button reraises and I shove. Of course, he has AA!
So I buy in again and actually get back to even($1000) thanks to a sweet, sweet gift. One that only comes around once in a blue moon. I raise($25) from the C/O with A/Kc, the small blind calls and does a MP limper. Flop is AAQ, rainbow!!!...checks to me, I bet $30. I wanted that bet to come across as a feeler bet...kind of like, I have a Q and I am betting to see if anyone had an A. I was hoping for someone to view that as weakness and come over the top of me. Well, it worked. The SB minraises to $60. MP folds. I then push. I tried very hard to play this hand as confusing as possible past the preflop raise of course. Alot of inexperienced players would check trip As on that flop and certainly would not push the flop(ok...maybe REALLY inexperienced players would). The SB deliberates forever, so I start trying to appear weak...talking, acting nervous, saying .." well this is a good sign for me" I even offer to show him one card(which why in god's name, he didn't take, I will never know). I said, do you have an A and he said, no but the chances of you having one either is very slim and then ....HE CALLS! WITH KK!!! So drawing dead. YAY me! I won't even go into how horribly he played kings!
Then it all goes to shit. There was this guy at the table who would raise in any position with any K, any Q, any A...but then he was hitting monsters!...flopping flushes, 2pr, straights. So I set out to trap him(brilliant, I know). I have AA and limp in...He raises to $25...4 callers. Everyone is calling him because they know how wide his opening range is. I reraise to $200. He calls. Flop is AK9...all spades. I bet $400. He pushes all in. Now he should know(if he is even good enough to think at this level, which come on, who am I kidding, he isn't) that he has 0 fold equity. I have just put $600 into this pot with only $350 behind. If he thought about this hand at all, it should be pretty obvious with the UTG limp, reraise that I have either a set of Ks or a set of As. So, I call. He shows 3/5 with the 5 of spades. So, he just risked all of that with a 5 high flush draw and....HITS IT!!!
So, I buy in again....short this time. ...for $300. I get it all in good against the nutcase with A/Kh on a K59, 2 heart board against his KJ and what do you know, he spikes his 2 outter.
Why I didn't leave at this point is pure insanity on my part. I have 2 big downfalls in life, men and my stubborn nature.
I buy in again...actually grind it out and win back about half of my money to lose it all in nearly identical situations with top 2 on the turn, potting it and having someone call off the rest of their chips with flush draws and hitting.
So, today I need to pick myself up, dust myself off, put on my lowest cut blouse and get back into the game.
Wish me luck.......I think that I am going to need it.
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