I hope everyone enjoys this journal. I think it has great entertainment value and some awesome pointers about being a poker professional. It's been fun for me to write. Poker has taken me on a wild ride so far.

First Entry: Poker, Poker, Poker.

Ok...lets get this straight everyone. I'm posting my poker journal here on hi5... my personal journal is already at " www.xanga.com/kennyg9 " Check that out if you want to learn more about me.

So here goes. I decided I needed a poker journal to watch myself go up limits, make more money, and have somewhere to turn when I need to talk about a hand. I've been planing on doing this for a long time. I will write about my ups and downs and let you in on my crazy poker life. I better keep up with it or I'll smack myself or something. At least one post a week.

About me: I've been a poker "professional" since the start of the year 2005. Earlier, I was using poker as a supplemental income..but now it's a full grown job.



So the Month of March has not been overly kind to me. After having two losing weeks of about $150 each...I just posted a winning week of $1251...which makes me happy According to Betty, the moon was in Libra or something, which made me have a spectuclar two hour session at Ultimate bet on Friday. Posted a winning session of $579 in two hours. I believe that's my personal best in any ring game.

I'm really looking foward to this week. I just played for two hours today on UB, and other then one bad call, I was very happy with my play. I only pulled in $38 profit but I can't complain with the way cards were falling. Every single turn and river card was a detriement to my cause. That put me down $300 right at the start. Thankfully, things started to change when Iceman came online on IM. Coincidence?? hmm.

I really need to put in 25 hours this week. It doesn't sound like a lot but it sucks. 25 hours sitting in front of a computer is not my idea of entertainment. Especially when nude women aren't on my screen. But I really can't complain. Poker has made my life much more enjoyable. I mean who gets to actually sit at Barnes and Noble sipping hot cholcate and call it "work." Not many people...but I'm one of them




Interesting hand of the day:
86o in the SB. I complete and flop a double gutshot straight draw...me and Doyle's favorite. I bet out..get raised the minimum. I've loving this if I hit. These guys have been giving me way too much action. I ended up hitting the straight on the river and taking down a $300 pot. I posted the hand on the BTP forum: forum/viewtopic.php?t=2238
It was a very difficult river decision. I was stupid to bet that river in front of my opponent. But this time it worked out in my favor.

Anyway...I hope you guys enjoy this journal and can get something out of it. Poker can seem like both a friend and foe at times...

second entry:

Played my second 2 hour session of the day for 4 total hours. Not bad for a Sunday.

What a bunch of rocks on UB! My god...I was playing 3 tables with flop percentages of 28, 33, and 31! They wouldn't raise, they wouldn't limp, they would just fold and fold and fold. Eventually I just started raising garbage everyother hand. Theres only so much you can take. I lost a big hand..I raised 65s from UTG. One caller...flopped an openender and backdoor flush draw. Guy bet, I raised..figuring there are so many rocks he will fold. Nope! He reraises me all in like the bastard he was with TPTK....after my raise I was commited and didn't hit shit. Go figure.

I finshed up today $125 in 4 hours. I was happy with my play. It was a very up and down day. Its great to leave up and unscathed, even if the cards aren't quite falling your way..

Good luck with this week.

haha thanks MG.

About how fast are you unlocking the bonus in NL? I have nearly 1000.00 in bonus money sitting there but I don't like their software either and I haven't been over impressed with the games when I do play there in limit.

playing 2-3 tables of 1/2 NL...i probably knock anywhere from 25-35 of bonus money in 2 hour sessions.

4th Entry:

What a waste. ugh.

I played 6 hours of poker today for a wonderful, amazing, $9 profit. $9 for 6 hours of work. That puts me at $134 profit for the week with 10 hours play.

The morning session was stupid. I actually had $700 on a $200 NL table and only left up $140. 2 seperate river 5 outers cost me $800 whopping dollars...$800!!! That means if my hands had held I would have been up $940. Lovely. That would have been my best 3 hour session ever. It just wasn't meant to be I suppose.

The night session...which I started because I was bored and had a good feeling....well it was a diaster. I lost to every bad beat imaginable. I was pissed. I don't get that way often anymore...but I was real pissed. Amazingly I was still playing great. I only managed to lose $131. But I certainly took the worst of it. I remember a $200 pot I had to split because I called AK against AQ and our kickers tied. I vivdly remember making a great call with AQ against J8 on the turn. Only to see his 5 outer hit on the river. ugh. Hand after hand, beat after beat. I really wanted to punch these people in the face. QQ losing to a set of 9's . (though i played it perfect and only lost about $40 when we had even stacks of $250.)

I better reach my goal. I have 2 days to make about $490.I think postive but this isn't gonna be easy. I'm gonna put in 8 hours between Wendesday and Thursday. We'll see what happens.

Kenny,

Sounds like we're in the same boat as far as struggling to put in the hours...now if only I could be anywhere near your boat when it comes to winrate!

Ah well, anyway...get those hours in, and here's hopin for good Aprils all around!

-TW

Is it the fact that youre playing for a living and NEED the money that makes putting the hours in so tough?

I hear it all the time so there must be something to it, but i just dont get it. I play about 30 hours per week AND work full time. And I still look foward to playing every day. I thrive on breaking new records for monthly winnings and things like that I guess.

i do have the feeling though, that if i was playing full time, I could burn out.

Shieeeyit! If i didnt have school and other crap to deal with, id be puttin in 40 easy! Geez-- all you guys having problems puttin hours in make me feel like im the only one on this site that, while perhaps being an above average player, am hopelessly addicted! Heloooooooooo helloooooo is there anyone out there?

haha hell no i'm not addicted. Poker is work, a job to me. since i've never liked work...well...you know how ti goes I must say though...the 2 hour sessions i've started have helped me out a lot. It seems i kinda hit the wall at two hours now..I used to play 3 hour sessions.

Kenny,

Did you enjoy playing before it became a job? I think I remember saying that you used to like it a lot more.