So hopefully keeping this journal will help me keep track of my progress as I try to reach some goals that i have made for myself. I will be posting many things here such as hands that i win, hands that i think are interesting, hands that i lose, frustrations, and pretty much anything that i think about poker.

So the other night I started grinding NL50 in hopes of building my bankroll. And I played a lot of hands, so here are a few of them that i want to put in here.

Poker Stars
No Limit Holdem Ring game
Blinds: $0.25/$0.50
6 players


Pre-flop: (6 players) Hero is SB with :kc :kd
UTG calls, UTG+1 folds, CO raises to $2, Button folds, Hero raises to $7.5, 2 folds, CO calls.

Flop: :qd :kh :js ($16, 2 players)
Hero bets $10, CO calls.

Turn: :ac ($36, 2 players)
Hero checks, CO is all-in $45.15, Hero calls.

River: :3s ($126.3, 1 player + 1 all-in - Main pot: $126.3)


Results:
Final pot: $126.3

I was pretty pissed about this hand when it happened, Turns out this should have been a pretty obvious fold. At the time i just didn't know what hands with a T would call on this flop. But i guess he knows that i have some part of this board and that if he shoves a T, it would be hard for me to fold most of my range.

Poker Stars
No Limit Holdem Ring game
Blinds: $0.25/$0.50
6 players


Pre-flop: (6 players) Hero is UTG+1 with :ac :kc
UTG calls, Hero raises to $2.5, CO raises to $7, 4 folds, Hero calls.

Flop: :jc :3c :th ($15.25, 2 players)
Hero checks, CO bets $8, Hero raises all-in $147.15, CO calls all-in $37.45.
Uncalled bets: $101.7 returned to Hero.

Turn: :7d ($106.15, 0 player + 2 all-in - Main pot: $106.15)


River: :4c ($106.15, 0 player + 2 all-in - Main pot: $106.15)


Results:
Final pot: $106.15

I just wanted to post this hand because it was my biggest pot of the night.

So this is all i am going to say right now, but maybe i'll add more later today after my session.....

So i just finished a pretty good session. It feels good to finally win money, seeing as how i just ended a 25k breakeven streak. So here are the big hands from this session, some of them are pretty ridiculous:

PokerStars No-Limit Hold'em, $0.50 BB (6 handed) Courtesy of

UTG ($68.05)
MP ($58.65)
CO ($20.50)
Button ($132.65)
SB ($64.10)
Hero ($50.65)



Preflop: Hero is BB with , .
2 folds, CO calls $0.50, 1 fold, SB completes, Hero checks.

Flop: ($1.50) , , (3 players)
SB checks, Hero bets $1, CO calls $1, SB folds.

Turn: ($3.50) (2 players)
Hero bets $2, CO calls $2.

River: ($7.50) (2 players)
Hero bets $7, CO raises to $17, Hero calls $10.

Final Pot: $41.50

I have no idea wtf this guy was doing limping AA, but whatever.

PokerStars No-Limit Hold'em, $0.50 BB (4 handed) Courtesy of

UTG ($37.10)
Hero ($80.15)
SB ($50.75)
BB ($63.15)

Preflop: Hero is Button with , .
1 fold, Hero raises to $2, 1 fold, BB raises to $7.5, Hero calls $5.50.

Flop: ($15.25) , , (2 players)
BB bets $11, Hero raises to $33, BB raises to $55.65, Hero calls $22.65.

Turn: ($126.55) (2 players)

River: ($126.55) (2 players)

Final Pot: $126.55

the best for last....
PokerStars No-Limit Hold'em, $0.50 BB (6 handed) Courtesy of

Button ($59.10)
SB ($105.30)
Hero ($50)
UTG ($47.50)
MP ($56)
CO ($40.05)

Preflop: Hero is BB with , .
3 folds, Button raises to $1.75, 1 fold, Hero calls $1.25.

Flop: ($3.75) , , (2 players)
Hero bets $1, Button raises to $3, Hero raises to $5, Button calls $2.

Turn: ($13.75) (2 players)
Hero bets $7, Button calls $7.

River: ($27.75) (2 players)
Hero bets $18, Button raises to $45.35, Hero calls $18.25 (All-In).

Final Pot: $109.35

Results in white below:
Hero has 6s 6h (four of a kind, sixes).
Button has 9d 9h (full house, nines full of sixes).
Outcome: Hero wins $100.25. Button wins $9.09.

so i have been on the other end of these results and it really sucks to lose this hand, but as they say "that's poker".

it s definetely rigged.

The thing is i was running like shit today as per standard, and the hit top two and for some weird reason i timed out vs. the biggest donk on the table. Then i was plying another pot in another table and one of the waiting lists i was on was calling me and i accepted, the table overlapped on another and i misclicked calling a $40 bet into a $4 pot with mid pair.

POker is rigged. No doubt about it, but life can be even more rigged sometimes.

GL.

So I just finished another session, and got dominated in the worst way. However, my friend who pretty much coaches me, was sweating the session and everything was standard. I lost 1 buy in to set over set, which is the second time it's happened today, but this time i didn't suck out and hit quads. It just kind of pisses me off because it seems that it happens more than it should. Then i lost a few other hands that were just shitty.

Also, i am still trying to work on not tilting and staying pissed off after i have a bad session. This is one of the main reason's i started this journal to be able to vent and get everything off my mind. The thing is though, i shouldn't really be mad because i played well and there is nothing i could do about the results. I guess i just like money too much to not be angry after i have a lose some. But, i am going to bed now and tomorrow is another day....

Holy crap, i am on one of those natural highs that only poker can give you. I just ended a session with an extremely hot run of cards which resulted in winning my biggest pot so far. I also won about 5 buy ins in only a few hands. The BR is at an all time high and i feel wonderful.

Now, if i can just remember what this feels like I can use it for motivation to work harder than i ever have at my game. After i finish writing here, i am going to have an in depth session review with one of my friends.

I finally got a renewal of my Card Runners subscription today and i have been catching up with all of sbrugy's newest videos. He really stresses the importance of reviewing, posting, and analyzing hands. I have always tried to take any advice i can get from people who know what they are doing so that i can work on improving every facet of my game. After the session tonight, i can see that it is starting to pay off. But with success comes more hard work, so now for the session review. But first, i feel the need to post my biggest pot so far.

PokerStars No-Limit Hold'em, $0.50 BB (5 handed) Courtesy of

UTG ($12.95)
MP ($47)
Hero ($65.55)
SB ($65.45)
BB ($118.80)

Preflop: Hero is Button with , .
UTG raises to $2.5, 1 fold, Hero calls $2.50, 1 fold, BB raises to $8, UTG calls $5.50, Hero calls $5.50.

Flop: ($24.25) , , (3 players)
BB bets $14, UTG folds, Hero raises to $40, BB raises to $66, Hero calls $17.55 (All-In).

Turn: ($147.80) (2 players, 1 all-in)

River: ($147.80) (2 players, 1 all-in)

Final Pot: $147.80

Results in white below:
BB has Kh As (two pair, aces and kings).
Hero has Tc Th (three of a kind, tens).
Outcome: Hero wins $139.35. BB wins $8.45.

Well i didn't have time yesterday to update the journal. So i will briefly talk about it.

Overall it turned out to be a good day because i won a satellite tourney to the sunday millions which i immediately sold. However, I wasn't too happy with my poker playing. I think i was just really tired and had too many distractions. I just felt like i couldn't really concentrate on what was going on and ended up making some bad mistakes because of it.

I have been trying to grind NL50 so i can get my br up so i can start moving up in limits, which, i'm proud to say i will be 3 tabling Nl100 tonight because i have reached $1500. I know this is a litle low to play at this level but my plan is to 3 table until i make enough money to start making it my regular game or get back down to 1200 in which case i will rinse, wash, and repeat.

here are some hands that i butchered yesterday...

PokerStars No-Limit Hold'em, $0.50 BB (4 handed) Courtesy of

UTG ($50.15)
Hero ($79.45)
SB ($49.05)
BB ($39.75)

Preflop: Hero is Button with , .
UTG raises to $2, Hero calls $2, 1 fold, BB calls $1.50.

Flop: ($6.25) , , (3 players)
BB checks, UTG bets $4.5, Hero raises to $18, BB calls $18, UTG folds.

Turn: ($46.75) (2 players)
BB checks, Hero checks.

River: ($46.75) (2 players)
BB bets $19.75 (All-In), Hero folds.

Final Pot: $66.50

Results in white below:
BB doesn't show.
Outcome: BB wins $66.50.

I don't even know why i called this pf...

PokerStars No-Limit Hold'em, $0.50 BB (5 handed) Courtesy of

MP ($47.75)
Hero ($52.40)
SB ($51.20)
BB ($86.65)
UTG ($46.20)

Preflop: Hero is Button with , .
2 folds, Hero raises to $2, 1 fold, BB raises to $6, Hero calls $4.

Flop: ($12.25) , , (2 players)
BB bets $7.5, Hero calls $7.50.

Turn: ($27.25) (2 players)
BB bets $13.5, Hero raises to $38.9, BB calls $25.40.

River: ($105.05) (2 players)

Final Pot: $105.05

Results in white below:
BB has Qd Ad (one pair, queens).
Hero has Kc Qs (one pair, queens).
Outcome: BB wins $105.05.

And here are some funny hands from today

PokerStars No-Limit Hold'em, $0.50 BB (5 handed) Courtesy of

UTG ($54.95)
MP ($69.55)
Button ($58.50)
SB ($17.50)
Hero ($50)

Preflop: Hero is BB with , .
1 fold, MP calls $0.50, Button calls $0.50, SB completes, Hero checks.

Flop: ($2) , , (4 players)
SB checks, Hero bets $1.5, MP calls $1.50, Button calls $1.50, SB calls $1.50.

Turn: ($8) (4 players)
SB checks, Hero checks, MP bets $1.5, Button raises to $7, SB folds, Hero raises to $29, MP folds, Button calls $22.

River: ($67.50) (2 players)
Hero bets $19 (All-In), Button calls $19.

Final Pot: $105.50

Results in white below:
Hero has 5s As (straight flush, nine high).
Button has 6c Td (straight, ten high).
Outcome: Hero wins $105.50.

PokerStars No-Limit Hold'em, $0.50 BB (6 handed) Courtesy of

SB ($46.90)
BB ($49.25)
UTG ($68.10)
MP ($57.95)
CO ($39)
Hero ($76.05)

Preflop: Hero is Button with , .
UTG calls $0.50, MP calls $0.50, CO calls $0.50, Hero raises to $4, 2 folds, UTG folds, MP folds, CO calls $3.50.

Flop: ($9.75) , , (2 players)
CO checks, Hero bets $9, CO calls $9.

Turn: ($27.75) (2 players)
CO bets $26 (All-In), Hero calls $26.

River: ($79.75) (2 players, 1 all-in)

Final Pot: $79.75

Results in white below:
CO has 2h 8h (two pair, threes and twos).
Hero has As Ah (two pair, aces and threes).
Outcome: Hero wins $79.75.

So i took yesterday off just because i've been playing soooo much lately. I am going to talk about results from the other night when i took a shot at NL100 and tonight's session.

The other night was rough, to say the least. It seems that everytime i try to make progress something goes wrong and trys to stop me. An example would be the rediculous hands i had the other night when i was playing NL100(i will post them at the bottom of this). It was very disheartening because i had been doing so well and doing everything right, and then i get a string of bad luck. The bankroll went down to ~1220 so i moved back down to my normal limit.

Tonight i had a session and ended up making a little over a buy in. I felt i was playing fairly well and staying calm whenever i got sucked out on. I had a good conversation with one of my friends about our plan of improvement. We are going to start having lectures sessions where we will get a few hands and talk about them in depth and the reasoning behind all the decisions that are made. I think this will be more beneficial than him just sweating my sessions. Also, we are going to try to arrange a 3 way coaching session with a sick pro which will be very very helpful. Overall, I think my improvement is increasing and hopefully i will be able to take another shot at NL100 tomorrow.

PokerStars No-Limit Hold'em, $1.00 BB (6 handed) Courtesy of

UTG ($152.05)
MP ($102.10)
CO ($99.50)
Button ($182.40)
Hero ($144.65)
BB ($158.10)

Preflop: Hero is SB with , .
UTG raises to $4, MP raises to $8, CO calls $8, 1 fold, Hero calls $7.50, 1 fold, UTG calls $4.

Flop: ($33) , , (4 players)
Hero checks, UTG bets $25, MP folds, CO calls $25, Hero raises to $136.65, UTG raises to $144.05, CO folds.

Turn: ($338.70) (2 players)

River: ($338.70) (2 players)

Final Pot: $338.70

Results in white below:
Hero has Kh Ad (one pair, aces).
UTG has 5c 5s (three of a kind, fives).
Outcome: UTG wins $338.70.

PokerStars No-Limit Hold'em, $1.00 BB (5 handed) Courtesy of

MP ($111.05)
Button ($168.30)
SB ($103.05)
BB ($208.80)
Hero ($101)

Preflop: Hero is UTG with , .
Hero raises to $4, MP raises to $14, 3 folds, Hero calls $10.

Flop: ($29.50) , , (2 players)
Hero checks, MP bets $22, Hero raises to $87, MP calls $65.

Turn: ($203.50) (2 players)

River: ($203.50) (2 players)

Final Pot: $203.50

Results in white below:
Hero has Kd Kh (three of a kind, kings).
MP has Qs Qc (straight, king high).
Outcome: MP wins $203.50.

I think both of these hands were played optimally, but things just didnt go my way...

mental exercise figure out a range in your head WITHOUT using pokerstove, your opponent is 31/17 and very laggy. After you find a range you think he can have go over it again with the aid of pokerstove and see what you missed. Was the hand played correctly? Can you call on the river?


UTG: $412.40
MP: $407.50
Hero (CO): $581
BTN: $419.20
SB: $470.40
BB: $532.20

Pre-Flop: dealt to Hero (CO)
2 folds, Hero raises to $14, BTN folds, SB calls $12, BB folds

Flop: ($32) (2 Players)
SB checks, Hero bets $26, SB calls $26

Turn: ($84) (2 Players)
SB bets $80, Hero calls $80

River: ($244) (2 Players)
SB bets $350.40 and is All-In, Hero folds

So i must have done something to please the poker gods because my 2nd shot at NL100 tonight was pretty much sweet(except for 1 more ridiculous hand). I ended up 4 buy ins and won my biggest pot ever. After i won it, i pretty much went crazy because i am still not used to playing with this kind of money. But as i get more hands in, i will eventually get comfortable.

Here are a few hands from the session including, the biggest pot:)

POKERSTARS GAME #12631537353: HOLD'EM NO LIMIT ($0.50/$1.00) - 2007/10/14 - 20:56:01 (ET)
Table 'Fidelio II' 6-max Seat #3 is the button
Seat 1: pablostar ($98.45 in chips)
Seat 2: Haplo ($38.30 in chips)
Seat 3: MEDUZ@ ($148.70 in chips)
Seat 4: Milwaukee2 ($104 in chips)
Seat 5: wombat80 ($97.50 in chips)
Seat 6: vicklovesdog ($265.05 in chips)
Milwaukee2: posts small blind $0.50
wombat80: posts big blind $1
*** HOLE CARDS ***
Dealt to vicklovesdog [8c 8d]
vicklovesdog: raises $3 to $4
pablostar: folds
Haplo: folds
MEDUZ@: calls $4
Milwaukee2: folds
wombat80: folds
*** FLOP *** [8s 7c Ac]
vicklovesdog: bets $7.50
MEDUZ@: raises $12.50 to $20
vicklovesdog: raises $23 to $43
MEDUZ@: raises $101.70 to $144.70 and is all-in
vicklovesdog: calls $101.70
*** TURN *** [8s 7c Ac]
*** RIVER *** [8s 7c Ac Td]
*** SHOW DOWN ***
vicklovesdog: shows [8c 8d] (three of a kind, Eights)
MEDUZ@: mucks hand
vicklovesdog collected $295.90 from pot
*** SUMMARY ***
Total pot $298.90 | Rake $3
Board [8s 7c Ac Td Qd]
Seat 1: pablostar folded before Flop (didn't bet)
Seat 2: Haplo folded before Flop (didn't bet)
Seat 3: MEDUZ@ (button) mucked [Qh Ad]
Seat 4: Milwaukee2 (small blind) folded before Flop
Seat 5: wombat80 (big blind) folded before Flop
Seat 6: vicklovesdog showed [8c 8d] and won ($295.90) with three of a kind, Eights

POKERSTARS GAME #12628208425: HOLD'EM NO LIMIT ($0.50/$1.00) - 2007/10/14 - 17:50:59 (ET)
Table 'Galilea III' 6-max Seat #4 is the button
Seat 1: Xaitra ($98.50 in chips)
Seat 2: JimmyDodger ($111.45 in chips)
Seat 3: gtp9998 ($98.40 in chips)
Seat 4: vicklovesdog ($159.30 in chips)
Seat 6: yaozhong ($163.35 in chips)
jonny4u will be allowed to play after the button
yaozhong: posts small blind $0.50
Xaitra: posts big blind $1
*** HOLE CARDS ***
Dealt to vicklovesdog [9h 9s]
JimmyDodger: raises $3 to $4
gtp9998: folds
vicklovesdog: calls $4
yaozhong: folds
Xaitra: calls $3
*** FLOP *** [9c 7d Ks]
Xaitra: checks
JimmyDodger: bets $7
vicklovesdog: calls $7
Xaitra: raises $17 to $24
JimmyDodger: folds
vicklovesdog: calls $17
*** TURN *** [9c 7d Ks]
Xaitra: bets $32
vicklovesdog: raises $99.30 to $131.30 and is all-in
Xaitra: calls $38.50 and is all-in
*** RIVER *** [9c 7d Ks Kh]
*** SHOW DOWN ***
Xaitra: shows [Qc Kc] (a full house, Kings full of Queens)
vicklovesdog: mucks hand
Xaitra collected $206.50 from pot
*** SUMMARY ***
Total pot $208.50 | Rake $2
Board [9c 7d Ks Kh Qh]
Seat 1: Xaitra (big blind) showed [Qc Kc] and won ($206.50) with a full house, Kings full of Queens
Seat 2: JimmyDodger folded on the Flop
Seat 3: gtp9998 folded before Flop (didn't bet)
Seat 4: vicklovesdog (button) mucked [9h 9s]
Seat 6: yaozhong (small blind) folded before Flop

mental exercise 2 figure out a range in your head WITHOUT using pokerstove, your opponent is 31/27 and very laggy. After you find a range you think he can have go over it again with the aid of pokerstove and see what you missed. Was the hand played correctly? Do you like check call or shove on the river?

I have my own opinions, but I wanna hear yours first.

CO: $600
BTN: $661
SB: $1,046.40
BB: $646
Hero (UTG): $600

Pre-Flop: dealt to Hero (UTG)
Hero raises to $18, CO calls $18, BTN folds, SB calls $15, BB folds

Flop: ($60) (3 Players)
SB checks, Hero bets $42, CO calls $42, SB folds

Turn: ($144) (2 Players)
Hero bets $125, CO calls $125

River: ($394) (2 Players)
Hero bets $415 and is All-In,

mental exercise 3 figure out a range in your head WITHOUT using pokerstove, your opponent is 19/2/.6 and passive . After you find a range you think he can have go over it again with the aid of pokerstove and see what you missed. Was the hand played correctly? What river play do you like?


BB: $404
UTG: $519
Hero (MP): $664.60
CO: $407.20
BTN: $731.35
SB: $67.55

Pre-Flop: dealt to Hero (MP)
UTG folds, Hero raises to $14, CO folds, BTN calls $14, 2 folds

Flop: ($34) (2 Players)
Hero bets $26, BTN calls $26

Turn: ($86) (2 Players)
Hero bets $62, BTN calls $62

River: ($210) (2 Players)
Hero bets $172, BTN raises to $629.35 and is All-In

Well, looks like my poker playing is deterred for a while. My damn poker tracker isn't working so i had to send an e-mail to support, and who knows how long it will take them to respond. I started playing Nl100, and started making money and get about 500 hands in, take a break to get some food and then come back to find that it's freaking broken. What a wonderful day...

well, well, well. It's been a few days since my last post and I have quite a bit of updating to do. So first I will start off with the weekend (non poker related).

As i mentioned earlier, i attend WVU and we had a game this weekend. Soo, I didn't really play a lot of poker. But, I did get really drunk and had a good time with all of my friends. A dude from back home came up to visit this weekend and i am pretty sure he enjoyed himself so i am happy about that.

So on to poker. "Wow" is all i have to say about today's poker playing. I had my biggest day ever (i will post the graph at the bottom, if i can). Even better than that though, is that now i have a sufficient BR to be playing Nl100 as my normal game. It is such a relief, because I have reached one of my initial goals which was to be playing NL100 by Nov. Today I was just on my "A" game and made some pretty good plays that worked out for me. Also, to top everything off, I had a dank 3 way coaching session with a really good professional poker player. We pretty much talked about interesting hands, the thought process behind every play on every street, and general exercises to do to improve our game. Overall, it was very helpful.

However, one of the most important thing I did today was have a good conversation with my friend. We basically got in to talking about how much there is to the game of poker. I have learned the hard way that to play poker on a consistent basis, it takes a lot more than just poker knowledge. It takes, determination, emotional balance, persistence, and a constant desire to improve. All of these things, in my opinion can make a complete poker player. For me, the hard part has been emotional balance. There have been a few times when this factor has almost caused me to quit. With the help of my friend though, and some ver good advice, I have learned to control this aspect of my game. In my opinion this is the reason I have experienced my recent success. I am finally starting "to get it." For those of you who have been playing for a while and have not accomplished the goals that you have set, I highly recommend reading, talking with someone, or just thinking it through to yourself about the attributes I mentioned. I really think that by doing this, and getting them under control, it will have a tremendous effect on your game.

Anyway, that is all i have to say right now, so until the next time...

PS. I cant figure out how to pst a graph but it was about 8 buy ins.