Okay, this is the plan. My neteller account should be all cleared tomorrow so I will start going around to take advantage of first deposit bonuses like at Full Tilt and such and play low limits for a while until I seem to stable off. This way, at least I know I have bonus money coming in if I lose.

Being down $400 at 2/4 in the last 6 session is really bothering me. I don't know if its my table selection, just a bad run, both or something I'm not thinking of. For the most part, i believe my play has been good, at least at limit HE, maybe not PLO. I'm still working on that. I'm not used to this kind of slide.

Great job man, just remember not to wear yourself out by playing too much. Chasing bonuses can be good but if you play too much in a short-span trying to clear it, you might just get sick and tired of poker like I did.

NOW I am definitely taking a few days off. I start at full tilt in order to try and earn a nice $600 bonus while I play. I did earn about $13 and change playing $1/$2 limit but I lost $117.50 actually playing. For the first 2 hours, I couldn't hit one set and none of my hands hit and if they did, I either got sucked out or won a small pot. and I was down $70 pretty quick.

Often, that's a sign to stop but I felt I was playing well and I held steady for an hour, not winning but not losing either. However, then I lost 3 big hands in a row as 2 of my sets were run down.

I would get QQ in the bb and 3 limpers to me so I raise and all call. Flop comes 9 high, I bet and get 1 late caller. Turn is a J, I bet and get raised. I call. River is another J and I check call his bet, he had KK. No preflop raise or reraise. I can't f-ing believe it.

First hand, I have 33 in the bb and check as there are 3 limpers. Flop comes K3J with 2 diamonds. I bet, get 2 callers. Turn is 4 offsuit, I bet, only utg calls. River is 9 offsuit. I bet, get raised, I 3 bet (some frustration there), he caps. He has QT of diamonds for open ended straight and flush draw that hit.

Hand 2, I get 88 in the bb and its raised and gets 3 other callers so I call. Flop is 865 rainbow. I bet, utg raises, one caller, I 3 bet, he calls and limper calls. Turn is 5, I bet, utg goes all in, limper folds. He shows 77 for the 4 card straight and river is a blank. Another set gone to waste.

Hand 3, I get AT clubs in bb and there are 3 limpers and i check. Flop is K6T, 2 clubs. Not a bad flop. i bet, 1 caller and late position raises. I call. Turn is an A. I check, he bets, I raise, limper folds and raiser calls. River is a blank and I bet and he calls. He has AK for top two pair to beat me.

WTF?!?! That's how my night went. If I finally had a big hand, someone else found or drew to a better one. I thought I could get stable by playing lower limits and earn some money in bonus just in case I don't do well. That plan right down the toilet.

I won't be playing for at least a couple days because this kind or run has never happened to me in my 2 years of playing.

Sorry to hear about that nightmare run. In my honest opinion I would get your first 120.00 bonus cleared from FTP and get the hell out of there. If the games are as bad as they were when I was working on that bonus it just ain't worth it. Are you sign up for all of the party skins (Party, Empire, PokerNow, Multipoker, Intertops, Eurobet). You can get first time deposit bonuses at all of these (around 100 to 150 a pop) as well as IGM PAY bonuses at at least 4 of them (400.00) and they are a hell of a lot easier to clear than FTP and with better games. Have you signed up for all of the available cryptos (Interpoker, PokerPlex, UKBetting, TotalPoker, William Hill, could also add Caribbean Sun but the bonus there now is not worth it in my opinion unless you have nothing else to do: ca. 215.00-275 depending on whether you get the 25 GBP or the 25.US bonus from UK, TBET and WH).

Although I don't really like Pokerroom that much and their bonus is a little hard to clear the games there at 12 and 24 limit are very good and they also have a 200.00 initial deposit bonus I think.

Well whatever you decide hope your luck turns around soon. Maybe you used all of it up in that 0.02-0.04 game against me

No, I'm only signed up on party, not the skins but I thought I would leave them for now and see how I could do working off the full tilt bonus. Why only work off the first $120? They don't seem to be like GC where you have to move up in limits to earn it.

I was looking into all the bonuses so I will look into them in the future but right now I just think I need to stay away for a couple days and really clear my head. I don't think that this losing has affected my play but maybe it has and I need more than a days break. Unfortunately, I could really use the money so its hard for me to sit back and let a few days go by if I could be making money.

Well, a break is good.

Maybe you've been playing a lot lately and can come back to the game with a fresh outlook. I always find I lose my appetite for it a bit after a big loss, so I think it's only natural, and a smart idea to get back into a comfortable psychological state to play. I'm a big believer in "comfort zones" in poker, and when you get back into one, psychologically (or in some cases financially, or in terms of your play with regard to the quality of the table) that's when you really feel in control (which is another of my buzz-words lol...).

I can highly recommend the Crypto sites for bonuses, though alas the NL and PLO games are a bit above your BR at present. You will need to deposit and withdraw via neteller in each case (the cashier can be a bit of an arse if you deposit by card) but you can pick up $200-300-odd every month at these sites without doing a great deal of play. The software is crap but I don't think the limit games are too bad and the bonuses, as I said, are great if you can cope with the fannying around to get your money between the sites.

Good luck anyways!

Monk
xxxxx

Well, I'm back at it and its all the same. I lose trips to a 4 card 6 high flush. I lose KK to 93s. I lose a set of 22 to a 5 card flush board. Lose AKs to someone that raised preflop with A5 to hit 2 pair to my tptk. Tightwad saw it on one table so he know exactly what has been happening to me the past 2 weeks.

I would like to show a hand where I just outplayed someone, which was one of my highlights of a shitty day of cards.

Party Poker 2/4 Hold'em (10 handed)

Preflop: Hero is BB with , .
1 fold, UTG+1 calls, 2 folds, MP2 calls, MP3 calls, 2 folds, SB completes, Hero checks.

Flop: (5 SB) , , (5 players)
SB checks, Hero bets, UTG+1 raises, MP2 folds, MP3 folds, SB folds, Hero calls.

Turn: (4.50 BB) (2 players)
Hero checks, UTG+1 bets, Hero raises, UTG+1 folds.

Final Pot: 7.50 BB

Results in white below:
No showdown. Hero wins 7.50 BB.

Well, if you didn't figure it out, UTG+1 was Tightwad so it was a risk since he would call me down with any piece of crap (he did call me down with 33 when I had a set of Kings ) Unfortunately, that was one of the very few bright spots. Overall, I'm down $45 for the day. So, as you can see, if my big hands actually held, I would have had a nice night.

However, my luck just sucks right now. Maybe I'll try some 25 or 50 NL later. We'll see. I found out I'm getting almost $1000 in tax refund so that helps but I'm gonna need the money soon so i have to start winning.....NOW. Maybe 3/6. I've always had the bankroll, just was taking small steps. Maybe this is frustration and I shouldn't move up but I KNOW I can beat the games.

Bri,

Grrrrrr! Good move, though. I had KT, no spade.

IN MY DEFENSE, I only called down with 33 because of two key points: (1) you had raised me damned blinds three straight times, you dirty blind-raiser. Okay, maybe it wasn't three STRAIGHT times...maybe it wasn't even three times, actually...and (2) the bragging rights in case you were bluffing would've been priceless.

Anyway, you did have some truly shitty stuff happen to you, as I saw. As trivial and useless as this advice is, you really just need to keep your chin up, keep playing solid, and avoid tilting/losing confidence. You know you can beat these games, so just remember that no downswing lasts forever, and eventually, positive results will come from solid play.

-TW

I decided to change my pace and kill some time so I played some 25 PLO on Party and finished up $30.88 which brings my loss for the day to about $14. I feel I'm good enough for $50 but decided to keep is simple tonight. No real tough situations except a couple (one of which I would have won a $60 pot but trusted my read and folded my second set) which I detailed in an Omaha post. It was a steady climb so I was pretty happy.

Playing PLO 25 on party.

Started pretty uneventful until i flopped quad 7's in the bb and got paid off decently.

Then I go on a series of mistakes and missed opportunites.

I fold KKxx preflop to a max raise but would have flopped top set and taken a full stack from the person that raised preflop (QTT6ds) when he flopped second set. If I knew he was raising that kind of crap, I would of called.

Then I bet in LP with AAxx on a AQT flop to get checkraised max another $4.5. I call only to fold on the blank turn to his max bet.

Then, I lose my top set when someone calls a max bet on flop with nut flush draw. He turns the gutshot straight draw too and calls another max raise and then hits his runner runner straight on the river to take a buy in from me.

Next, I was forced to drop my AQQx suited Ace to a flop raise then reraise. Of course, the flop came Q33 and I would have taken a huge pot that would have been about 80-90 profit for me in the main pot

After all this happening to me in about 30 min along with cold cards, I decide to call it a session and quit until later. Final talley...-$35.

Ok, well I took monk's advice and opened a GC account. I played 1 PLO $20 and 1 NLO $20 table for about 90 min and lost 2 buy ins. One was me being stupid and deciding to gamble. I limped with AAxxss and there was a short stack raise and min reraiser back to me so I push. and get called. The short stack had AAxx and the normal stack had KKxx. The flop comes with a king but the short stack gets a straight and wins. I'm down to $1.50 right away and don't get time to reload before the next hand where i have KKQxds so I push, flop a king, turn the boat and win an $8 side pot that should have been more if they gave me time to reload.

I start doing well on the PL table but there is a bully on the NL table with 300+ but he isn't good. However, he raises and calls my all in on the turn when I had the second to nut straight, top set with 2nd and 3rd pair and T high flush draw. Of course the river is a heart and i lose that. 2 hands later, I get KQQ9ds. Flop comes QT8 2 spades which I have to the queen. He bets big, I push, he calls with his J9 off and nothing else. Turn and river are blanks so my gutshot, flush draw and top set lose and I leave.

I do a couple SNG's and I'm bubble boy both times on suck outs. Some maniac calls my all in when I have 77 with Q9s when he didn't have to and turns the 9.

Ok, time for some limit HE on party. I try 2 2/4's and 1 3/6. I was just staying steady on the 2/4 but the 3/6 was not good to start. Here's an example of how it started for me.

Party Poker 3/6 Hold'em (10 handed)

Preflop: Hero is CO with , .
UTG calls, 5 folds, Hero raises, 2 folds, BB calls, UTG calls.

Flop: (6.33 SB) , , (3 players)
BB checks, UTG checks, Hero bets, BB raises, UTG folds, Hero 3-bets, BB calls.

Turn: (6.16 BB) (2 players)
BB checks, Hero bets, BB calls.

River: (8.16 BB) (2 players)
BB checks, Hero bets, BB raises, Hero 3-bets, BB calls $2.50 (All-In).

Final Pot: 13.58 BB

Results in white below:
BB has Ks Ts (flush, ace high).
Hero has 9d 9h (three of a kind, nines).
Outcome: BB wins 13 BB. Hero wins 0.58 BB.

I had seen him do this play many times with nothing better than 2 pair and since he was short stacked, I pushed him. Of course he had top pair, but did he have to hit the backdoor flush on me? I'm used to this by now.

Next big hand for me was against the blind stealer. He had stolen my blind each of the last 3 rounds and had enough.


Party Poker 3/6 Hold'em (10 handed)

Preflop: Hero is BB with , .
8 folds, SB raises, Hero 3-bets, SB caps, Hero calls.

Flop: (8 SB) , , (2 players)
SB bets, Hero raises, SB calls.

Turn: (6 BB) (2 players)
SB checks, Hero bets, SB folds.

Final Pot: 7 BB

Results in white below:
No showdown. Hero wins 7 BB.

A little reckless, maybe, but I'm sure he had shit. I type "don't f with my blinds" in the chat box and he leaves me alone.

This hand is against a loose aggressive player that has been raising any ace and any broadway cards. I've seen him bully so many people with a checkraise and I know he doesn't have it because he often doesn't show down so I decide to push back. I guess I got lucky I didn't lose more.

Party Poker 3/6 Hold'em (9 handed)

Preflop: Hero is MP1 with , .
UTG raises, 1 fold, Hero 3-bets, 6 folds, UTG calls.

Flop: (7.33 SB) , , (2 players)
UTG checks, Hero bets, UTG calls.

Turn: (4.66 BB) (2 players)
UTG checks, Hero bets, UTG raises, Hero 3-bets, UTG calls.

River: (10.66 BB) (2 players)
UTG checks, Hero bets, UTG calls.

Final Pot: 12.66 BB

Results in white below:
UTG has Jd Js (three of a kind, jacks).
Hero has Ks Ac (one pair, kings).
Outcome: UTG wins 12.66 BB.

Then, even when I get perfect flops for my hands, I can't get rid of these people

Party Poker 3/6 Hold'em (10 handed)

Preflop: Hero is SB with , . MP2 posts a blind of $3.
1 fold, UTG+1 calls, UTG+2 raises, 5 folds, Hero 3-bets, 1 fold, UTG+1 calls, UTG+2 calls.

Flop: (11 SB) , , (3 players)
Hero bets, UTG+1 calls, UTG+2 calls.

Turn: (7 BB) (3 players)
Hero checks, UTG+1 bets, UTG+2 raises, Hero folds, UTG+1 calls.

River: (11 BB) (2 players)
UTG+1 checks, UTG+2 bets, UTG+1 calls.

Final Pot: 13 BB

Results in white below:
UTG+1 has Ah 4h (one pair, aces).
UTG+2 has Qc As (one pair, aces).
Outcome: UTG+2 wins 13 BB.

I knew the ace killed me. Can't these hands just hold up?

Well, I was able to claw my way back to up a few bucks on the 3/6 table when I sucked out on a hand with 77 on a T high suited flop and thought the guy was pushing overcards with the flush draw. No, he had QTs that he cold called a raise with but I got runner runner 4 card straight to beat him so I can happen both way. It was a $60 pot.

I'm gonna try a little more 3/6 tonight and hope and maybe more PLO on GC. Overall I was down $100 for yesterday, but that pretty much feels normal now. That's probably not a good sign.

Welcome to the last issue of "Fuck Brian Over"

I lost a few bets that I should have by overplaying but I was up a nice 25 playing 2 2/4 and 1 3/6 to finish down over 100. Here we go:

Party Poker 3/6 Hold'em (9 handed)

Preflop: Hero is MP2 with , .
UTG calls, 2 folds, Hero raises, 5 folds, UTG calls.

Flop: (5.33 SB) , , (2 players)
UTG bets, Hero raises, UTG 3-bets, Hero caps, UTG calls.

Turn: (6.66 BB) (2 players)
UTG bets, Hero calls.

River: (8.66 BB) (2 players)
UTG bets, Hero calls.

Final Pot: 10.66 BB

Results in white below:
UTG has Qs Ts (two pair, queens and tens).
Hero has Js Jc (one pair, jacks).
Outcome: UTG wins 10.66 BB.

Party Poker 2/4 Hold'em (10 handed)

Preflop: Hero is CO with , .
4 folds, MP2 calls, 1 fold, Hero raises, 2 folds, BB calls, MP2 calls.

Flop: (6.50 SB) , , (3 players)
BB checks, MP2 checks, Hero bets, BB calls, MP2 raises, Hero 3-bets, BB folds, MP2 calls.

Turn: (6.75 BB) (2 players)
MP2 checks, Hero bets, MP2 calls.

River: (8.75 BB) (2 players)
MP2 bets, Hero raises, MP2 3-bets, Hero calls.

Final Pot: 14.75 BB

Results in white below:
MP2 has 9h 9s (full house, nines full of eights).
Hero has Td Ts (two pair, tens and eights).
Outcome: MP2 wins 14.75 BB.

Party Poker 2/4 Hold'em (9 handed)

Preflop: Hero is UTG+1 with , .
1 fold, Hero raises, 1 fold, MP2 calls, 2 folds, Button calls, 2 folds.

Flop: (7.50 SB) , , (3 players)
Hero bets, MP2 calls, Button calls.

Turn: (5.25 BB) (3 players)
Hero bets, MP2 calls, Button raises, Hero calls, MP2 calls.

River: (11.25 BB) (3 players)
Hero checks, MP2 checks, Button bets, Hero calls, MP2 folds.

Final Pot: 13.25 BB

Results in white below:
Hero has Ad Qc (two pair, queens and eights).
Button has 9d 9h (full house, nines full of eights).
Outcome: Button wins 13.25 BB.

This also doesn't include another AQ hand where the flop was A7X and I went up against someone with AQ and A7 so I was splitting at best and we both lost out to that guy who DIDN'T RAISE ONCE.

I am truly taking a REAL break from online poker because it would seem to be more profitable that way to not play for a week. My new credo "WTF?!"