Hello, BTP...Welcome to my poker journal.

First, a little background. I discovered poker (real poker, that is) after watching the movie Rounders about 8 months ago. I know, it's a cheesy introduction to the game, but it's how I stumbled upon poker. Prior to this, I'm embarrassed to admit, I viewed poker as just another casino trap, but instead of the house-favoring odds of craps, blackjack, roulette, etc. being built into the game, a house rake made sure players contributed to the construction of a new hotel tower.

So, I watched Rounders, got excited, and went out the next day and bought Phil Helmuth's Play Poker Like The Pros (I can almost hear the groans of the BTP pundits). I read and studied all of the sections on Hold-'Em and began playing online at one of the Prima sites. I played a little limit and a little no-limit and slowly lost a few minimum deposits. I think this book, the first poker book I read, turned me into a weak-tight b**ch, something I'm still trying to turn around.

Since my initial introduction to poker, I've begun reading / studying other poker books:

The Theory Of Poker, Sklansky; Hold-Em Poker, Sklansky; Championship Hold-'Em Tournament Hands, McEvoy and Cloutier; The Little Green Book Of Hold-'Em, Fong.

I've managed to become a break-even player; I've been playing the same $50 for the last several months on the micro buy-in NLHE full ring games and low level SNG's, mostly at Paradise.

I am determined to become a winning player, which is why I've joined the BTP and started this journal. Please...Please join in and tell me what an idiot I am when I post hands and situations in which I did something completely ridiculous: I can take the tough love.

Stay tuned, brothers and sisters...I'll do my best to entertain you along the way to becoming "The Man." I know this post was boring, but I just had to get the preliminary introduction stuff out of the way, so, blah, blah, blah...Now let's get to more interesting stuff.

P.S.--Every one of my journal posts will have some ode to, or at least positive mention of, KennyG...No joke, every one of them. Why? For the following reasons:

1) I am a student of poker. I think it's important for students to be humble. Learning is facilitated in this way. Humility is not easy for me. Paying respect to those more knowledgeable than myself helps me remain humble.

2) I respond well to missions...quests. I respond to missions or quests best when I have a "focus figure," someone I want to challenge or defeat, or someone that has something that I want. KennyG is my focus figure on my mission to become a winning NLHE full ring player.

3) The "G" in KennyG must stand for "Gangsta," or more frighteningly, "God," because I believe he has something ethereal going on with his poker chops.

Okay...There you have it.

Name: HitmanXL (currently barely conscious as a poker player)

Mission: Become an ass-kicking online poker phenom.

Focus Figure: KennyG



KennyG, KennyG...

No, not the one playing the saxophoney
But the one raising from UTG...
What are your cards because I can't see?
And with all this action, you're frightening me...
I'm about to fold my aces from the BB.

KennyG, KennyG...
Bring your flashlight and enlighten me.


Stay tuned, y'all, and thanks for visiting this journal!

HitmanXL

great opening for the journal. the ode is EXCELLENT!

Hellmuth's book was also the first one i read... what a bunch of crap. glad you moved on.

fwiw, i like Weighing the Odds in Hold'em Poker by King Yao. the WIPO method is a bit cheesy (but effective), but the rest of the book is excellent, imho. the SH section is GREAT!

i don't know how many hands you've logged, but i recommend something to get a LOT of experience reading boards and reading hands. the suggestion is to play .02/.04 and .05/.10 HU/SH LHE at Stars on the FR tables (the 1-1 tables often have HU specialists). there is no rake, first of all. this is excellent. second, you get to see A LOT of hands and you get to read a lot of boards for low risk. you also get to get a feel for how boards develop (e.g., how bottom two is vulnerable to TP or an overpair if the board pairs without boating you up) and how often these things happen. third, you learn the value of aggression. fourth, it can be profitable -- i make about 25bb/100 when i play these games after being out drinking (no big games when sauced).

the sucky thing about this method is that you have to jump tables a lot due to the fact that tables sometimes fill up quite quickly. regardless, it's an excellent exercise that has improved every aspect of my game.

as for small buy-in nlhe, i built my BR from nothing at PokerChamps. the $2 and $5 games are super soft.

i look forward to the first brag post showing you stacking Kenny.

Kuso...Right on, Brother. Thanks for the recommended reading and the suggestions...I WILL follow them.

Yeah, one day I hope to cut down KennyG's stack like Darth Vader did to Obiwan Kenobi, but right now, I'm just trying to shine his shoes, you know what I mean?

Thanks for showing up, Kuso...I hope you stay tuned.


"I am one of the best $5 / $10 online NLHE players in the world...I am the best $5 / $10 NLHE player on Bodog."--KennyG

"I concur."--HitmanXL

There it is, y'all (see above)...KennyG's first post on my thread! I'm gonna print it out and frame it because his presence here equals money for me. I am humbled and honored. Yeah, the animal types...I liked that, too. In fact, I can't say I didn't enjoy reading the book. Anyway, KennyG...Since you do a lot of playing on Bodog without PT, is this sort of how you categorize your reads (mouse, elephant, lion, jackal, etc.)? Do you use more categories than Hellmuth (more like PT profiles)? Do you find, at the tables you play at, that players shift gears a lot (from mouse to jackal, for instance), or is this more of a tournament thing? Your post suggests how important the topic of position is to you (and I'm sure all successful poker players)...I'd like to hear more from you on position at a later date. Thanks for checking me out, KennyG.

I'm also honored to have the esteemed Kuso and stickdude aboard...Thank you both. Okay, I've seen the name enough while browsing the BTP to make the connection: Xaston is one of the BTP wise men. Let's see if I can summon him to my thread Dr. Bombay-style...Calling Dr. Xaston...Calling Dr. Xaston....Please come in...I need a prescription for my weak-tight ass (if you guys missed the Bewitched reference, you must either be too young to remember it or not have "tv land" ).

So, I'm planning to read 12 poker books in the months of April, May, and June. Here are a few that have been recommended:

1) Weighing The Odds In Hold-'em Poker (King Yao)--recommended by Kuso.

2) The Theory Of Poker (David Sklansky)--recommended by stickdude and vicariously by Xaston.

3) (Championship No Limit Hold-'em)(T.J. Cloutier)--read about this one in KennyG's journal, though I need to go back and make sure I've got the title right.

4) (Title)(Lee Jones)--also read about a good Lee Jones book in KG's journal...need to go back and get the title.

Thanks for the recommendations, guys...And anyone reading this, please let me know what your personal favorite poker books are, so I can put them on my reading list.


Here are my Saturday stats:

2 1/2 hour session at Paradise; $10 max buy-in (.05/.10) NLH (Full Ring--10 Seat).
Result: -3.01
Games Won: 9% Flops seen: 24%
Showdowns Won: 75% Win % of flops seen: 33%
Actions: Fold:
Fold-69% Pre-flop-82%
Check-9% Flop-10%
Call-11% Turn-1%
Bet-5% River-1%
Raise-4% No fold-6%
Re-raise-1%

Here are my Sunday stats:

2 hour session at Paradise; $10 max buy-in (.05/.10) NLH (Full Ring--10 Seat).
Result: -3.35
Games Won: 12% Flops seen: 28%
Showdowns Won: 25% Win % of flops seen: 34%
Actions: Fold:
Fold-66% Pre-flop-80%
Check-13% Flop-8%
Call-4% Turn-2%
Bet-8% River-2%
Raise-8% No fold-9%
Re-raise-0%


I have PT, but I don't run it on Paradise because I don't get their hand history e-mails to my Netzero account; I get them to my AOL account, but I only view them from Netzero on the AOL internet mail site...long story made short: I can't convert to text and import into PT from the AOL internet mail site. So, why don't I just log onto the regular AOL site and convert to text and import? Because it's really my girlfriend's AOL account (I'm a user), which she is always on...Hence, I opened a Netzero account. It's a drag not being able to use PT in real time at Paradise, which is where I've been playing because I've got money deposited there. I should probably open a Net Teller account and begin playing at different locations, both to solve the problem of not being able to run PT and to begin sucking up some bonus money. I did have a concern regarding PT, though...I wonder if my reading ability is helped or hindered by PT. In other words, do I risk not becoming a good reader of hands / players if I'm running PT and Gametime + all the time?

So, regarding the stats above, that's why I've noted the Paradise site stats and not PT stats. Do the stats above mean anything to anybody? Is it clear from the stats what some of my problems are? I was happy, at least, with the fact that I raised more than I called on Sunday. Anyway, thoughts, comments, criticisms, and cruel jokes are welcomed!

Here are a few key hands from my Sunday session:

Game #1375497866 - (blinds $0.05/$0.10) No Limit Texas Hold'em -
2006/03/26-15:55:12.5 (CST)
Table "Santa Isabel" (real money) -- Seat 3 is the button
Seat 1: ITSNTHECARDS ($5.75 in chips)
Seat 2: El chavo ($3.35 in chips)
Seat 3: ANGELCAITLIN ($6.85 in chips)
Seat 4: jon b ($4.25 in chips)
Seat 5: aj_law ($2.85 in chips)
Seat 6: RazorPete ($11.75 in chips)
Seat 7: banjopete ($4.00 in chips)
Seat 8: Bowrider ($1.85 in chips)
Seat 9: TLW17 ($8.77 in chips)
Seat 10: HitmanXL ($11.15 in chips)
jon b : Post Small Blind ($0.05)
aj_law : Post Big Blind ($0.10)
banjopete: Post ($0.10)
Dealing...
Dealt to HitmanXL [ Ad ]
Dealt to HitmanXL [ Kc ]
RazorPete: Call ($0.10)
banjopete: Check
Bowrider: Call ($0.10)
TLW17 : Fold
HitmanXL: Raise ($0.30)
ITSNTHECARDS: Call ($0.30)
El chavo: Fold
ANGELCAITLIN: Fold
jon b : Fold
aj_law : Fold
RazorPete: Call ($0.20)
banjopete: Fold
Bowrider: Call ($0.20)
*** FLOP *** : [ 6s Ac 8d ]
RazorPete: Check
Bowrider: Check
HitmanXL: Bet ($0.50)
ITSNTHECARDS: Call ($0.50)
RazorPete: Fold
Bowrider: Fold
*** TURN *** : [ 6s Ac 8d ] [ 5s ]
HitmanXL: Bet ($1)
ITSNTHECARDS: Call ($1)
*** RIVER *** : [ 6s Ac 8d 5s ] [ Qd ]
HitmanXL: Bet ($1)
ITSNTHECARDS: Raise ($2)
HitmanXL: Call ($1)
*** SUMMARY ***
Pot: $8.05 | Rake: $0.40
Board: [ 6s Ac 8d 5s Qd ]
ITSNTHECARDS bet $3.80, collected $8.05, net +$4.25 (showed hand) [ As Qs ]
(two pair, aces and queens)
El chavo didn't bet (folded)
ANGELCAITLIN didn't bet (folded)
jon b lost $0.05 (folded)
aj_law lost $0.10 (folded)
RazorPete lost $0.30 (folded)
banjopete lost $0.10 (folded)
Bowrider lost $0.30 (folded)
TLW17 didn't bet (folded)
HitmanXL lost $3.80 (showed hand) [ Ad Kc ] (a pair of aces)
-----------------------------------------------------

Not nearly aggressive enough from the flop on...Do y'all agree? I lost this pot; opponent didn't win it. Though I don't know if he would have folded his AQ even if I was throwing a pot-sizer out there...the bummer is I suspected he had an AQ, didn't try to raise him out of the pot, and then got rivered by the Queen.

Game #1375507493 - (blinds $0.05/$0.10) No Limit Texas Hold'em -
2006/03/26-15:59:51.5 (CST)
Table "Santa Isabel" (real money) -- Seat 10 is the button
Seat 1: ITSNTHECARDS ($10.35 in chips)
Seat 2: El chavo ($2.75 in chips)
Seat 3: ANGELCAITLIN ($6.65 in chips)
Seat 4: jon b ($3.90 in chips)
Seat 7: banjopete ($3.80 in chips)
Seat 9: TLW17 ($9.77 in chips)
Seat 10: HitmanXL ($7.30 in chips)
ITSNTHECARDS: Post Small Blind ($0.05)
El chavo: Post Big Blind ($0.10)
Dealing...
Dealt to HitmanXL [ Ah ]
Dealt to HitmanXL [ Tc ]
ANGELCAITLIN: Fold
jon b : Call ($0.10)
banjopete: Call ($0.10)
TLW17 : Call ($0.10)
HitmanXL: Raise ($0.30)
ITSNTHECARDS: Fold
El chavo: Fold
jon b : Call ($0.20)
banjopete: Call ($0.20)
TLW17 : Call ($0.20)
*** FLOP *** : [ As 3c 8d ]
jon b : Check
banjopete: Check
TLW17 : Bet ($0.10)
HitmanXL: Raise ($1)
jon b : Fold
banjopete: Fold
TLW17 : Call ($0.90)
*** TURN *** : [ As 3c 8d ] [ Ks ]
TLW17 : Check
HitmanXL: Bet ($2)
TLW17 : Call ($2)
*** RIVER *** : [ As 3c 8d Ks ] [ 7c ]
TLW17 : Check
HitmanXL: Check
*** SUMMARY ***
Pot: $7 | Rake: $0.35
Board: [ As 3c 8d Ks 7c ]
ITSNTHECARDS lost $0.05 (folded)
El chavo lost $0.10 (folded)
ANGELCAITLIN didn't bet (folded)
jon b lost $0.30 (folded)
aj_law didn't bet
RazorPete didn't bet
banjopete lost $0.30 (folded)
Bowrider didn't bet
TLW17 bet $3.30, collected $7, net +$3.70 (showed hand) [ Ad Qh ] (a pair of
aces)
HitmanXL lost $3.30 (showed hand) [ Ah Tc ] (a pair of aces)
-----------------------------------------------------

Here, I'm doing a semi-bluff pre-flop raise, but I probably should have waited for an early position to do it. Agreed? Anyway, I flop TPTK...I tried to play this one more agressively because I lost a previous pot by letting a guy hang in the hand. I get called and boned out by opponent slow-playing AQ...Fu**ing AQ again!


Game #1375526313 - (blinds $0.05/$0.10) No Limit Texas Hold'em -
2006/03/26-16:09:06.8 (CST)
Table "Santa Isabel" (real money) -- Seat 9 is the button
Seat 1: ITSNTHECARDS ($9.70 in chips)
Seat 2: El chavo ($4.05 in chips)
Seat 3: ANGELCAITLIN ($5.95 in chips)
Seat 4: jon b ($1.55 in chips)
Seat 7: banjopete ($4.95 in chips)
Seat 8: Bowrider ($2.00 in chips)
Seat 9: TLW17 ($13.27 in chips)
Seat 10: HitmanXL ($5.00 in chips)
HitmanXL: Post Small Blind ($0.05)
ITSNTHECARDS: Post Big Blind ($0.10)
Dealt to HitmanXL [ Kd ]
Dealt to HitmanXL [ Qs ]
El chavo: Fold
ANGELCAITLIN: Fold
Bowrider said, "no not yet but you can come over anyways"
jon b : Call ($0.10)
banjopete: Fold
Bowrider: Call ($0.10)
TLW17 : Fold
HitmanXL: Raise ($0.30)
ITSNTHECARDS: Fold
jon b : Call ($0.25)
ITSNTHECARDS said, "hmmm but whatever will we do?"
Bowrider: Call ($0.25)
*** FLOP *** : [ 7d 7s 2h ]
HitmanXL: Bet ($1)
jon b : Raise All-in ($1.20)
Bowrider said, "You can peel the potatoes"
Bowrider: Fold
jon b said, "lol"
HitmanXL: Call ($0.20)
*** TURN *** : [ 7d 7s 2h ] [ 6h ]
*** RIVER *** : [ 7d 7s 2h 6h ] [ Ks ]
Bowrider said, "NOT!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!"
ITSNTHECARDS said, "gee thx"
*** SUMMARY ***
Pot: $3.40 | Rake: $0.15
Board: [ 7d 7s 2h 6h Ks ]
ITSNTHECARDS lost $0.10 (folded)
El chavo didn't bet (folded)
ANGELCAITLIN didn't bet (folded)
jon b bet $1.55, collected $3.40, net +$1.85 (showed hand) [ Tc 7c ] (three of
a kind, sevens)
aj_law didn't bet
RazorPete didn't bet
banjopete didn't bet (folded)
Bowrider lost $0.35 (folded)
TLW17 didn't bet (folded)
HitmanXL lost $1.55 (showed hand) [ Kd Qs ] (two pair, kings and sevens)
-----------------------------------------------------

Do you guys believe this? A preflop limper calls my 4 x BB raise with a 10 / 7 suited. I don't hit the flop, but I didn't figure my opponents did either, so I take a stab at the pot on the flop and get raised the rest of an opponents stack (.20). I call, hit my king on the river, but to no avail...I'd been greased by the 10 / 7 of clubs.


Game #1375576305 - (blinds $0.05/$0.10) No Limit Texas Hold'em -
2006/03/26-16:32:41.4 (CST)
Table "Santa Isabel" (real money) -- Seat 8 is the button
Seat 2: Intaspeed ($9.90 in chips)
Seat 3: ANGELCAITLIN ($9.85 in chips)
Seat 4: jon b ($10.80 in chips)
Seat 6: chefzex ($2.01 in chips)
Seat 7: nour41 ($4.95 in chips)
Seat 8: Bowrider ($5.30 in chips)
Seat 9: TLW17 ($6.07 in chips)
Seat 10: HitmanXL ($2.85 in chips)
TLW17 : Post Small Blind ($0.05)
HitmanXL: Post Big Blind ($0.10)
Dealing...
Dealt to HitmanXL [ Jh ]
Dealt to HitmanXL [ Ks ]
Intaspeed: Fold
ANGELCAITLIN: Fold
jon b : Call ($0.10)
chefzex : Fold
nour41 : Call ($0.10)
Bowrider: Call ($0.10)
TLW17 : Call ($0.05)
HitmanXL: Raise ($0.30)
jon b : Call ($0.30)
nour41 : Call ($0.30)
Bowrider: Fold
TLW17 : Fold
*** FLOP *** : [ Th 2s Qs ]
HitmanXL: Bet ($1)
jon b : Call ($1)
nour41 : Fold
*** TURN *** : [ Th 2s Qs ] [ Ac ]
HitmanXL: Bet ($1.45)
jon b said, "n1"
jon b : Call ($1.45)
*** RIVER *** : [ Th 2s Qs Ac ] [ 3c ]
*** SUMMARY ***
Pot: $6 | Rake: $0.30
Board: [ Th 2s Qs Ac 3c ]
Intaspeed didn't bet (folded)
ANGELCAITLIN didn't bet (folded)
jon b lost $2.85 [ 2c 2h ] (three of a kind, twos)
aj_law didn't bet
chefzex didn't bet (folded)
nour41 lost $0.40 (folded)
Bowrider lost $0.10 (folded)
TLW17 lost $0.10 (folded)
HitmanXL bet $2.85, collected $6, net +$3.15 (showed hand) [ Jh Ks ] (a
straight, ten to ace)
-----------------------------------------------------

A semi-bluff that worked. Raised pre-flop representing more strength than I had, potted the bet on the flop with an open-ender (Is this what you would do, KennyG?), and hit it to suck a few ducketts out of the guy who beat me with the 10 / 7 earlier.


All right, BTP...Here I am...Bent over with one hand on the table for stability and one hand on the vaseline for a comfortable ride...Come on over, and let the gang bang commence! Any and all comments will be welcomed...I realize that I do stupid stuff on the tables; otherwise, I'd be winning like KennyG. But I also know that I'm not aware of all the stupid things I do at the table. So, give it to me straight...I need the education.


Hey there, all you people
From wall to wall...
I got KennyG responding
To the casting call.

So, listen up, y'all!
Yeah, listen up, y'all...
KennyG's about to tell me
What is up, y'all!


All right, until next time,

HitmanXL (Humble KennyG Paduan)

In other words, do I risk not becoming a good reader of hands / players if I'm running PT and Gametime + all the time?

I would say that having GT+ up wit autorates running is very helpful when you are first learning the game.

Stick to no more than 2 tables at once so you can observe individual players.

Use the latest autorates
http://www.andymcnish.btinternet.co.uk/newauto.htm
Read up on the player types and their relative success.

Then just sit back and pay attention to the money flowing around the table - at higher levels the money often flows with position (ie clockwise), but at low stakes the money more obviously flows from the bad players to the good.

There is nothing matter with playing tight when you first start out. I came via $5 SnG's to NL ring and don't think that I added any hand that wasn't a pair or JTs or better to my game for several months.
Learn to play the core hands well before worrying about how to play the more marginal ones.


As you develop more specfic reads on players and the strategies they adopt the autorates become less relevant, but understanding the theory behind the categorisations can only make you learn faster..

Yes! Excession in the hizzy.

Thanks for the advice, Counselor (or Barrister? I'm not sure what they call you guys there)...You are the one who turned me on to PT and GT+, through your articles posted here, so thanks for that, too. I'm also checking out your 6-max starting hand chart...Is that still current? I printed it out from your journal, I think. Anyway, I was a bit surprised...It was tighter than I expected. With your goal of Vp$iP of 25%, do you find yourself sometimes playing a lot of semi-bluff or pure bluff hands situationally in order to get up to 25%? When I'm just playing pairs, AK, AQ, KQ, AJ, and some high suited connectors on a full ring, I often have a very low, rock-like, Vp$iP. Anyway, I haven't studied your PT stuff enough yet, but I will, so I can get the most out of it...Both in real time and as a self-analysis tool.


KennyG, KennyG...
When I'm at the table with you,
I feel like you're trying to bugger me;
if not for real, at least figuratively.

KennyG, KennyG...
I've raised pre-flop,
And now you're betting into me;
I suspect you're holding 10 / 3,
KennyG...Don't you like me?
You've stolen my lunch,
And now you're eating it in front of me.

KennyG, KennyG...
Please don't take my money;
Have mercy, KennyG.

HitmanXL (KennyG's man servant)

Dood-

What's with the avatar? Kinda stalker creepy. I am glad I suck, you might freak me out but I am in no danger of being the subject of idol worship.

I like reading your journal though. I suspect that you will go far with this game, and have stalkers of your own in no time.

Welcome.

Dood... if you search BTP for "donkey raping", "midget molesting", or "dead grandmother skull f***ing", I would assume you would get near 10000000000 posts (most by me or MK... But fuggit)... I don't think anyone's gonna get that offended by your little mancrush on Kenny... Keep on truckin dood...

no no! i don't mind the odes!!!

i just hate looking at my mug....kinda freaky. anyway..off to rehearsal! hopefully i won't suck as bad this time.

Hell, I thought kennyG was paying you to do it!!!

Probably a good idea to go at it on just your own merits instead of an homage to a live person in the same forum.

Still want to write your little poems? Write them about yourself and how you're doing recently. Probably be better anyway.

Good Luck, and don't worry about losing readers, a few of them read mine and yours is potentially more entertaining so I doubt you're going to be the only one reading your own journal.