Two Steps Forward, One Step Back..

That Paula Abdul is a philosopher if nothing else. After several strong runs at the cash games and tourneys the previous week, this week was marred by mediocrity and bad moves. Over confidence can be a detrimental as confidence can be rewarding. My MTT runs were OK. Nothing to really brag about. I took a stab at a $5 PLO MTT w/ 809 players last night only to finish just out of the money. I had been playing pretty well and amassed a nice little cache of chips when a bad beat followed by a bad call put me in the danger zone. Like most players I am not looking to "just cash". So when my "M" gets dangerously low, I go.

When it gets to "bubble" time I see so many players try to ink into the money only to bust shortly after. While something can be said about cashing, something can also be said wasting 3 hours of your time to only get back your buy-in or double your buy-in. This does not make for a good hourly rate. The thing that doesn't frighten me at these points is that the larger chip stacks will most likely call in an attempt to "elminate another player". With this philosophy you are more likely to get called by a mediocre hand and although sometimes behind you are rarely dominated.

In addition, by not playing scared and continuing to attack; you gain a TON of fold-equity from the smaller-medium stacks.

anyway, long story longer; I didn't cash and wasted about 2 hours of my time. I will play another PLO tourney sometime soon as I felt my play was rather solid, but my cards were rather cold. The play was absolutely terrible, which was good considering this was my first PLO tourney.

I left work a few hours early Friday only to come home and lose money sitting at the tables. Good move. I lost about $20 in a four hour session. One was a poorly timed push that I am still trying to convince myself was a good move. It wasn't. Other than that it felt like I was back to where I was about a month ago. Making guesses instead of decisions, cold cards, no action on my solid hands, missing set after set, ill-timed aggression.

I'm debating playing the CP Tourney tomorrow night. It might be just the thing to get me back on track and my tourney play has been rather strong as of late; hell until Friday so was my cash game play. I'll probably try to play a bit tonite to create a "cushion" in my BR to make my decision easier. Not sure what game to play, but I imagine I'll end up sitting at a $10 NL table on Stars. PLO is an option but I need to regain that confidence, get back on the horse if you will.

On a positive note, we are going to start a weekly home game "league" with several very soft players, mixed in with a few solid players. I have never felt uncomfortable playing live and have never had a problem getting a "feel" for the game like I do online. If I could just establish enought to play weekly at the casino............

Climbing Steady

As I stated in my previous post I wisely stayed out of the CP league last night to focus on rebuilding my BR. Although I did rail the tourney, man there are some idiots at that forum, but I played at a $10 max NL table w/ the tourney window open. When play got down to three players, no comment on their play at this time, I decided I had seen enough and it was time to get serious.

My chip stack was fluctuating like Riki Lake's waistline while I was railing the CP tourney. Not sure if it was because a majority of my focus was bringing the egos of the "lesser-good" players down (sounds better than shitty players) or just table-swings. Either way, I opened another table and sat down to focus.

Going into the night I had right at $38 and some change on PS and was unsure as to how to risk it. Cash or tourney, SNG or MTT, NL or limit, Hold'em or Omaha? Decisions, decisions. As I stated previous I sat at a $10 max NL table. When I went to multi-table I debated switching games or tables. I decided to go ahead and "sit" at another $10 max table and then scout other tables.

Before long I had gotten up to $22 at the first table, where I had been bouncing between $18-$12 for about 2 hours. The table then "broke-up". I noticed that it was two players and me, with about three players "sitting-out". Time to leave. I found a nice table that looked very inviting so I put my name on the list, tables like this cause a line.

Nothing eventfull really, except that at the original table I wasn't getting paid on my good hands; but conversly wasn't getting hands that were difficult to play either, someone would show either great strength or weakness w/ my marginal hands making for easy decisions.

For the night I ended up $24. I'll take it. I really have felt good w/ my play as of late and emotions have not been a factor. I have been shrugging off bad stretches of cards and bad beats like an old T-shirt.

I have saved a few hand histories and may post them later. Tonight I have a softball game, please check the link, and am attempting to coordinate a game afterwards. Drunken poker among friends, good times.

Going to Miss the CP League Tonight

Cardplayer was the poker forum where I began posting about 9 months ago. I learned a lot there from some of the more respected members but around February I was invited into a "secret forum". It's essentially a break-off from CP that is cleaner, less spam and no "trolling" or "flaming". Most of the "veteran" players that were on CP's forum from it's inception created this forum. It has been very beneficial to me, as I've met some new friends and learned a LOT about poker.

Anyways, I tend to stray off the point could be why I'm such a fan of Hemmingway, tonight is the regular CP Forum League on Stars. I really, really would like to play in this but feel it is wise to step-aside for a week or two until I am more comfortable with my current bankroll situations.

It was nice to get "staked" for a couple of weeks by a friend and forum member, but now that I am making some headway w/ my BR I feel it is time to "leave the nest". I had planned on being ready to play tonight but unfortunately my good friend "bud" persuaded me into a few too many post last night in a $.25/$.50 O8 game. D'OH! Actually I ended the night up about $5 but was up almost $20 at one point. Got a little silly and chased a hand or two I should not have. So it goes.

Even though the game will most likely still be beyond my current BR situation I feel that if I am running good I should at least take a chance. The players are SOOOO poor that it really should just be a matter of time. I've played five of these and bubbled in 6th the first two; played the other three during my "dark period". (and if these comments sound a little one-sided, watch the play sometime if you get a chance. very little true understanding of the game.)

So off I go to try to find a soft game for tonight to work on the BR. I may play another 45 man $1 SNG on Stars as I've been running good in those lately, but if there is a soft NL cash game I will definitely sit.

Working The Micros Trying to Rebuild.

So I'm sitting here at home, having a beer, working the micros. Trying to get back to where I was before. I ran into some bank roll problems not so long ago and am trying to build back. I originally deposited $20 on Pacific and swore that would be the only deposit I would make. To date, it is. However, about a month ago that $20 (that was in the $200 range after a withdrawal) was in serious jeopardy of extinction.

I was playing in games slightly over my head when I was running bad, trying to "get it all back at once." Add to that pushing and trying to force marginal hands into good hands and second guessing my play. My execution was lacking and I found myself not "pulling the trigger" on several occasions. Lack of confidence can be a bitch. Because of my lack of execution I would then talk myself into making bad calls as I would assume a player "couldn't have that hand" when it was rather obvious he did.

SOOOOO, after taking some time off and venting to a few friends (plus a little confidence boost from two posters on my "home" forum) I have found myself playing some VERY solid poker as of late.

It's amazing how easy it is to take a bad beat or to clearly analyze a bad play when you are thinking clearly and running well. I played in a $1 +$.20 45 man SNG on Stars tonight and finished 3rd. I made one mistake and I can't even recall what that was now. I saved the HH so I guess I'll have to go back over it again. Anyway, third paid $7 and my BR could use that now.

I was VERY close to "throwing in the towel" on online poker. My strength has always been my reading opponents and their tendencies. While you can still do this online, it doesn't carry near the power as it does live. With a casino almost with-in walking distance I am now focusing on the goal of building the roll large enough to sit and play live on a regular basis. That is my new goal and one that I am shooting for the first of the year. Short term I just want to be back to where I was about 2 months ago. Playing $5 sng and $25 max NL, w/ a little $.25/$.50 O8 and $25 PLO thrown in for good measure.

We'll see how this persists. I am heading to Bloomington, IN tomorrow to spend time w/ my relatives. Much beer to be consumed and I have a smoked pork shoulder ready to go, mmmmm....PORK!

I'm tired and my buzz is gone.

Links

I am going to attempt to add links to some friends of mine, please stop by them. Some of them are preparing for the WSOP so wish them "luck".

So here I am

here I is; butchering the english language, running over common grammar and doing other stuff that makes the women and chitlen (I can't spell either) scatter.

I will post on poker mostly but will provide some junk for your trunk here and there. After all, it's my party and I'll cry if I want to.