I have been debating as to---IF I want to mess around with a journal, but I think Briachek has the right idea...I think these things could be helpful to my game, and let's face it---Poker can be a lonely existence...When you have online friends like we have here at BTP, it kinda takes the edge off...

What follows is my "intro" from (amazingly enough) the intro page...

After being a long time lurker at UPF, I of course always enjoyed reading the Iceman's comments, and am now enjoying this forum immensely...We really are lucky to have Ice, TUP and others for NL (and now palman is showing up as well), Piers for the limit game and Monk for Omaha; it really doesn't get any better than that! And of course we have Adam too...

I have been playing poker for over 30 years...I started in the Calif cardrooms when all you could play was 5 card draw (high, and lo-ball). I always took the game very seriously, and since I needed to learn more, I decided to become a dealer. What an education that was!! The little things you pick up when not being active in a pot are amazing. If you are paying attention, you can find yourself almost pushing the pot to the winner before you see the cards. After the dealing bit, I played on a semi-pro basis...The home games were alot of fun...I remember some dealer's choice game when guys would choose 7 card stud, and still have the lo card bring it in, hence giving away the dealer advantage!! I got to be a pretty good lo-ball player, and was making a mediocre living; I played in the lo ball WSOP back in 1983? and finished 12th...Course in those days, you only got paid at the final table...I think we had around 50 entries...A sad day indeed when I read no more lo-ball in the WSOP next year...

Anyway, I was married, and there was some pressure to go "legit", so I ended up being a commodity brokerfor a number of years, losing a wife, getting another, and losing that one too...Talk about negative EV (thanks for that line Monk)...

I didn't play for years until I was single again, and the advent of online poker was amazing! I had my first money account at Planet Poker back in 1999...Playing in your underwear and cheap beer...Doesnt get any better than that...

I am a serious student of the game, and plan to post more often in the future...I am NOT a HE pro by any stretch, but usually have decent results in the micros and smaller tourneys. The pro stuff may come later. It has been great to see the progress of the likes of KennyG et al, who seem to have a great grasp of the game (you young guys piss me off--- only cuz you play better than I do!!)

That's enough rambling---Good luck at the tables

Look forward to reading your progress reports. Nothing wrong with being a whore either as there is nothing quite like still getting paid when you are taking it up the ass on some days like happened to me today

Good luck.

I agree with Piers. There's lotsa people out there who get payed to take it up the ass.

Wait, that's not what he said, is it....

-TW

My Neteller account hadn't kicked in yet, so my dear friend tranferred me some cash on Friday to get me started...Well kids, my foray into LIMIT lasted about 30 minutes (Micro at Stars)...Geez it was boring!! (Another obvious leak). Anyway, I found myself at the 5 buck NL SNG's shortly thereafter...

Game 1---Nothing...No cards, No draws hit, just card dead as can be...Oh well...

Game 2---Same as above...We were down to 5, but I was getting pretty short stacked and had about 600T left...I was UTG and finally found AA. I made the conscious decision to slow play (VERY rare for me), and maybe get a pot built to double or triple thru...I limped, got one caller, SB completes and BB raps. Flop is lovely---Q 8 2 rainbow. It goes check check, I BTP, LP calls both blinds fold. Turn is another off rag, I go all in, and LP position calls...River is a 2.....And what did my enemy call my all in with?? The mighty K-2 off........Next case...

Game 3---This one started off much better...I actually held some cards and was playing quite well. I was chip leader before too long and we were down to 4 handed...This next hand pretty much took care of me (in a good way)...I raise with A6 suited (MP)(pretty tight passive table), get called in one spot behind me by the short stack. Flop is an A, so I bet enough to put him all-in, and course he has A 8 off. In a move of poker mastery, I manage a giant suck out and catch a 6 on the turn, and pretty much cruise to victory after that. Fun to win...

Some overall comments on the SNG's at Stars--I realize it was only 3 games, but the play seems MUCH more tight passive than I remember from about 6 months ago...VERY few "all-in" style players...Obviously most players are trying to go in with better starting hands than I recall...There was this one situation that still has me scratching my head...It was game #3...3 of us left (I was chip leader)...I had raised with 10/10 UTG and got one caller. Flop was K J rag...I take a stab at it (2/3rds the pot) and get a caller. Well hell, I'm done here right? Turn is a rag, I check, and the guy bets 30 bucks into a ??500 or 600?? dollar pot...Ok, I call (nice price!! LOL)...River is another blank and I check again...He bets 30 AGAIN!! WTF??????? I call, I win, he mucks....Go figger that...He had 3 shots at the pot---He could have CR the flop, bet half the pot on the turn or river and I was GONE!!


Anyway, it feels good to be playing again, I think I was "on my game" pretty well overall...and I will be starting my new "limit whore" job very soon...

Thanks for reading Briachek---

It has been a nice stressless Sunday afternoon...I have been on the phone with my buddy who is bound and determined to beat the ponies with his new computer program, hence I was only playing one game while we were yakkin...I quit about 20 or 30 BB's up (micros) ...I couldn't go home till I played at least one SNG...5 buck buy in at stars..I win...fun stuff sometimes...

You play online poker at work? Can I get your job please...My job blocks anything having to do wtih gambling and porn. Weird thing is BTP is the only website I"m allowed to go to.

LOL idog---Yes I get to play at work, but not exactly whenever I want !! We can get VERY busy, so it can be hit and miss...I only play one game at a time, and if I get timed out---Oh well...I have a great job with great associates in a very small office (just 3 of us), so it works out well...They actually enjoy hearing about my poker exploits from time to time...I make very little money (right now anyway) but my expenses are low, so it all works well...

I am playin a little Omaha 08 limit (micro) with my friend for a little change of pace...I really like O8 HL...Poker can be sociable from time to time, but only at the smaller limits...Damn Neteller hasn't kicked in yet---I think I need a SNG in a while...<<<edit>>>SNG's are being pretty good to me...I played the first one and got whacked, only outlasting 2 people...I won the next one and called it a night...Easy game when you win...

It is official...I am now a whore...Neteller kicked in, I paid my friend back from last week and I am on my way...I am starting at Interpoker for the 90 buck bonus...

I had my ass handed to me in the first hour...AA and KK (twice) shot to hell, and cost me a bit...I was in full grind mode just getting used to a different site, and got to within 20 or 30 bucks of even and called it a night. Overall, I played pretty well...No huge mistakes, just trying to grind it out...

My friend (who is ROCK solid) IM' d me in the first hour...Of course I was whining about getting AA and KK cracked...She says "How you like your new job, Bobby ?" LOL she has a VERY twisted sense of humor...

flksdagldhg;ldh

If you have PT, go to the "game notes" tab and click "get all". At the bottom of the first table you should see "TRH -->" and the number of your raked hands. If you don't have PT, www.cryptocounter.com has an app that will count them. I've never used it, though, so I can't vouch for it.

Their promotions web page says 5 times the dollar amount to clear it, so 450 hands for the full $90 bonus.

Table selection is important for clearing the bonus quicker -- try to get on the tables with the higher average pots. 'Cause there's nothing more aggravating than seeing a bunch of hands go by without a rake.

Thanks guys...I just ordered PT, so that thing should be taken care of...

I have been REALLY busy at work (a good thing) so I haven't been playing as much as anticipated...I was just chatting with Monk, and was telling him that I was enjoying a little bit of Omaha Hi...I was playing limit, just trying to get my bonus cleared...I got spanked, but overall I feel I played fairly well (this was a first time for me)...So I may venture into the deep dark world of Omaha Hi a bit more...I am a fairly solid O8 player, but this a whole new world...The limit (hold em) games at Interpoker are a rock garden so far, really a pain in the ass, as it feels like I am playing with most the people at BTP !! It could be I am running a little cold, but so far this is the tightest site I have ever played...As soon as my bonus clears, I am "outta here"...

My SNG results at Stars are making me a very happy camper...I will have the results here on my next update...

GL all...