I'm back!!

Well its been overdue, but a return to the online scene saw me come second in a $5 sit n go.

I've been playing cash games recently, with mixed results admittedly but I needed the break from the formulaic single table.... and the old sit n go's were driving me nuts!!

Not a lot to tell about the game itself, followed my own rules - Patience, position, consider my subsequent actions and above all try to make the right decisions each hand.

Its not rocket science no matter what anyone says, the best are the best because they make few mistakes and make the right decisions consistently, whether they win or not.

I got some good hands KK, QQ, AK. Just made them work as best I could when they came... Simple!!

Choosing the right table! - 9th July 09

After quite an absence I'm officially back on the baize!

Been totally knackered of late and just haven't had it me to play online.

Its funny I'd play live every night if I could but online requires some motivation for some reason.

Anyway logged into a 9 seat 5/10 cent cash game (playing the micro stakes until my bankroll allows otherwise!) but totally forgot to have a browse through the tables to select one i could get some value out of.

I ended up on a tight table - average pot was under a dollar which invariably meant everyone folded when I caught a decent hand and when i made a move I'd get a caller and a re raiser which meant a fold was the best option.

Not a lot to report play wise, just happy to get back on the baize and rekindle the love for poker of the online variety.

At least i ended up - 9 cents after 45 mins - The glory days are coming back

The Cash game was Calling...

I'm not the type of poker player who believes in the conspiracy of online poker. I always put the bad beats down to, bad calls or just luck... poker is a game of skill, but the luck or lack of it should never be underestimated... its how you manage the latter which is crucial to remaining consistent the tables.

Now the reason I start with this paragraph is because I've recently felt the need to return to my original love, cash games.

After playing sit n go's for the past 2 years or so (successfully) I have found myself getting totally frustrated with the formulaic nature of this beast.

Its stopped feeling like poker... if that makes any sense, it feels like an excuse to play, the "I'm going all in with top pair" brigade have really got to me. 

I want to learn and develop, I want to value bet, play marginal hands, play situations, play players, grow as a poker player.

Sit n Go's??? I'm not knocking them, I enjoy them, but for now its a wave goodbye.

Steve

I just had to run this by you

$5 Sit n Go - Full Tilt - 13/04/09

In my last post I told you I was going to stop whining... well i have.

I just had to share this little hand with you, not because it was so bad but I just wanted to reflect on it, and well blogging helps me do that.

I'm on the button with Queens in the hole, big blind is 60, so we're just starting off.

Action folds to the cut off who limps in with 60. I raise to 270 - 4 1/2 times the big blind, I figure its early on, i'd be happy with taking it down here and now, a call will certainly allow me to narrow the villains range down to a few hands, and give me the chance to get away from a scary flop.

Both Blinds fold and the limper calls!

Flop comes down 5 T K rainbow... The king is definitely a concern, he could have AK, KK, he checks, I've got to bet here to find out were I am, 450 goes into a 630 pot (I think my bet could have been a lot smaller)

The villain flat calls... ALARM BELLS GOING OFF!!

The pot is now 1530 and BAM!! the turn brings a miracle queen, The hand swings my way I'm sure, He cant have pocket Kings??

He's got 690 chips behind him and I wonder if I can get him to get them all in.

I raise a ridiculous 375 1 quarter of the pot - begging for a re raise all in, I get it and call.

THE BEST BIT - he turns over KJ off suit????? The Villain called my big raise pre flop with KJ off??

I sit back, wait for the river and to hear the familiar sound of virtual chip coming my way, then it happens, a 9 hits the river and the straight kills me!!

I shrug my shoulders and definitely don't whine!!

Sometimes there's only one way...Down!

Well anyone who plays poker with a basic understanding will know that no matter how sexy you think your play is, or how tricky you were with those aces or trips on the flop, there's always a series of events that will conspire to your downward spiral when your running bad.

I firmly believe that I,  like you, have had my fair share of ridiculously bad beats, when you've been tempted to join another site cause "there's something odd going on here, they must have hacked in" 

I firmly believe that although the beats can be bad, our mental state definitely is the single biggest factor for the continued downswing we may be experiencing, sure the play can still be good but there's always the hand you tried to play from the cut off, you wouldn't touch with a barge pole normally.

What's the point?

There is no point, I've just realised to remind myself of the best thing for me to do when i bust out of game after game... 

NOTHING! JUST PLAY AGAIN AND STOP WHINING!!!

The 25 million Dollar home game

Ok... so its not really 25 million Dollars, its £25.

Still we've got 8 runners, were paying the top 3

1st - £100

2nd - £60

3rd - £40

So plenty of money for a small home game.

Players:
Seat 1: Paul
Seat 2: Stevo (Me)
Seat 3: Jenny
Seat 4: Mark
Seat 5: Pat
Seat 6: Al
Seat 7: Brad
Seat 8: Andy 

I've stole this seating arrangement of Andy!! Thanks man!

Its difficult to remember too much about this game for me, there were no glaring errors and not much in the way of sparkling plays... It played out as it should i suppose.

I did hook up a well disguised full house early on... 

Blinds at 20/40 there's a standard raise from Pat of 120 and I call in the big blind with 8 5 suited, i guess the blinds were small enough for me to call here, 80 chips isn't gonna kill a starting stack of 5000 and I just like to play some random hands out to get a feel for the players at the table and what their raising with.

Dream flop of 8 5 and a rag i forget - 2 pair, well disguised. I put 200 into the 260 pot and get re raised to 600... Perfect I instantly put Pat on an over-pair to the board and call.

The turn comes down an 8 giving me a full house. Its tricky here, Pat has got to be putting me on a pocket pair or maybe A8 thinking I connected with the flop (top pair top kicker).

The 8 on the turn spells trouble for me I could well be put on trip 8's now, and assuming Pat has the overpair I think his 2 pair are dead.

I stick a 1000 in and hope Pat believes in his 2 pair... He doesn't and folds showing aces.

Good fold Pat! Not sure if a check on the turn would've induced a bet from Pat?

I think he had me on 8's either way!

I finished one of the bubble in the end... too many coin flips and I'm gone

next time!!

 

The Real Deal!

Leos Casino Double Chance Freezeout - 24th March - £30 Buy in

I’ve been meaning to play in this for some time but its on a Tuesday night... That means a cash would be a late one!!

Starting stack of 4000 chips with a 4000 chip add on (for no extra cost) and a fairly forgiving blind structure makes this a must for some much needed live casino action.

Quite busy with 113 runners and we’re off by 8.30pm.

An early double up when my raise with kings in the hole got a couple of callers, ended up all in against queens and they held.

made two mistakes... Should have  pushed with Jacks, although didn't cost me too much, but the real mistake was calling an all in after i raised to 6000 (blinds 1000/2000) with AJ suited... I know its not a calling all in hand but my opponent was playing lots of small - medium pairs aggressively . He turns over AQ suited and that was that!!

I finished about 12.15am in approx 30th place.

A big pat on the back to Alex, came 6th after making a dynamite call mid tourney!

Not bad i thought for my 1st live casino tourney!!

I’ll be back!!

Donkey, Donkey Donkey!!

Full Tilt $5 Sit & Go - 23th March

Its true to say I’m no expert, sometimes i make dubious calls and re raises, after all poker is a game of many strategies and tactics, usually though I have just got tired or tried to be clever against another player who either sees straight through me, or doesn't get what the play is meant to be.

However there is no excuse for this...

I look down at Aces in the hole, its middle of the game I’m in Middle position, my stack is around 2500 (fine at this point).

I raise just over 3 times the BB, I get a re raise from the cut off to about 900. Everyone else mucks.

I push all in, he/she calls and turns over K 7 suited. 

All in with K 7 suited?? Serves he/she right... thats a ridiculous situation... You know what happens next right?

Of course... he/she makes a straight to the 7!!!

Aaargh!! I read the chat, the other players comment on the bad beat... the he/she types lol! (laughing out loud) Its good to find someone so caring!!!!

I have stopped crying now and need time to reflect!

High Stakes!!

Home game 9 Seater - £10 Buy - 7th March

My usual style is pretty much ABC poker, with a few well observed moments to push a small bluff.

Of course its a good starting point but its not going to enable a move through to the more demanding games.

At least thats my theory.

I chose this game as an opportunity to mix things up, not go wild but try a few marginal hands in different positions.

It worked!! I took 1st place for a tidy little £50 - Its not much I know, but its as I said.... the beginning.

Shuffle up and Deal!!

Full Tilt - $5 Sit & Go - 7th March

Played tight and good and got my chips in with 5’s in the hole against a short stack after he limps into my big blind.

I reckoned maybe a face card with some rag.

He shows A5 off suit, I wasn’t concerned until the Ace popped on the river!!

Sometimes i swear the whole deck was full of aces!!!

But thats the rub of the green!