Kennyg,

I am really impressed with your goals and many other players from this site. I hope you hit all of them and find great success. I always enjoy your posts and try to learn from them. Sometimes, I feel like a sponge dropped into an ocean lol. I look forward to your post in the future.

Very good post Kenny.
I'm sure you can do everything on that list and more.

Best wishes for the new year!

RE: The harder I work, the luckier I get.

Ever notice how that works out? While some may be luckier, and some like MVP more handsome, but the one thing you can control is the effort you put into it. Hard work is one thing you can count on being rewarded. (Unlike MVP's obvious charm and good looks.)

Remind yourself that this is a game and games are supposed to be fun. Next time you're in McDonald's, look at the people working there. They have JOBS. Take a look at the bank tellers. They have JOBS. You play a game for a living. Enjoy the fact that your job isn't as much of a JOB.

I was impressed with you when you came out, as a player and a man. I have no doubts whatsoever that you can do anything at all that you put your mind to doing. Keep it fun, and enjoy the process, and you'll never have to worry about anything in your life, for you will have a life.

Best wishes, for the new year and beyond.

CJ

(Sorry if I sound like a cross between Yoda and your old man)

kenny, it stopped being faith long time ago! You have proven what you are made of!

I have plans to be around to watch you kill 10/20!

My first two sessions have been ugly. After the first session last night I was pretty pissed off. I lost to a 3 outer and an awful awful beat when I held a set. My play was excellent throughout. I lost close to a thousand.

I went down the gym afterwards, felt a little better, then I lost my keycard (which costs $40.) It just set me off. I was screaming on my way back so there was no way I was going to play another session that night. Good fun.

Tonight I played about a 4 hour session for a buy-in loss. I was down a ton but made a nice comeback which I'm proud of. I could have easily tilted off a ton of money with the beats I was taking.

Beyond the beats it was a very challenging session. A lag was getting cards like a crazy mofo. He put me in a lot of very tough decisons. I made a few bad ones but ended up making great ones too. This session actually lifted my confidence quite a bit. My reads were on when it got down to the nitty gritty. I have hope for the future.

Let me give you some examples of the tough decisons I had:
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4-handed
Lag raises from the SB to $21. I call in the BB w/ [4c]

FLOP $42
[Jh][3c]

He checks and I check.

TURN $42
[Jh][3c]

He bets $35. I raise him $60 to $95. He REraises me another $100 to $195. I call the extra hundred.

RIVER $390
[Jh][3c]

He bets $200. I call. He has QTo no draw.

Had I realized the pot size was that big at the time... I would have called this river instantly. As it was I almost folded. I'm glad I have balls. That would have been an awful fold.
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Same guy raises to $26. I call in the BB again with [3h]. We're Heads up.

FLOP$ 52
[Kh][7h]

We both check. (This is amazing considering the hands we have.)

TURN $52
[Kh][7h]

He bets $48. I call. At this point I'm thinking the 4's may be good. I don't think he'll put me on a flush draw after checking the flop either. I'm liking the implied odds. (though now that I know his hand reverse implied odds would have annihilated me had I hit.)

River $150ish
[Kh][7h]

He bets $130. I call after a while. He shows [9h] and I dodged a bullet.
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I'm dealt [As]

He raises to $21. I reraise $50 to $71. He calls. Effective stacks $1k. (UGH. I need to make my reraise a little bit more in hindsight.)

FLOP$150
[5c][6h]

He checks. I bet $120. He calls.

TURN $390
[5c][6h]

He checks. I check. Now let me explain this check before people go crazy. At this point I put him on a pocket pair or a jack. Both of those hands are drawing to 2 outs. I don't suspect he will continue with those hands if I fire a second bullet. However, I expect them to call a river bet if I check the turn. (Or better yet he will fire a bullet on the river.) While it's true he could have been drawing, I would expect him to be much more aggressive with it. I felt either I was way ahead or way behind. Most likely ahead.

RIVER$390
[5c][6h]

**** HOLY ***** YOU STUPID F*** RIVER CARD.

He bets $200. I sheepishly call and lose to JTo. Go me.

----------------------------------------------------------------------
My revenge hand:

Dealt [Tc] in the BB. Button makes a raise to $18. Lag calls in the SB. I repop for $45 more making it. Only the Lag calls.

FLOP$ 144
[2c][Qd]

He checks. I bet $120. He calls. He has floated on this like me a billion times now.

TURN
[2c][Qd]

I have $244 left and push after he checks. He calls with AQ.

River
T !!!!!!!!!!!

any comments on that hand? perhaps I should check the turn.. but then don't i have to call any bet on the river?

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Should have check-raised this puppy:

Dealt [7h]. Lag raises to $26. I call from the sb and the BB calls as well. (I have 700 effective)

FLOP$80ish
[Ts][7h]
I check. BB pushes in for $95. He calls. Now it's back to me with bottom set. I figure lag probably has an ace and I don't want to announce my presence. I'll let him "bet me off a draw" on the turn and get him commited. My thinking at the time anyway.

TURN$360
[Ts][7h]

After I say something to the effect of "Why me God?" I lead for $200. (At this point I wasn't sure what to do.) He of course comes over the top for another $500. I opt to fold after long consideration and he shows down the nut flush with [5s]. Board didn't pair and I'm very happy I got away.

------------------------------------------------------------------------
Dealt [9s] in the SB. Lag raises to $26 I call.

FLOP$
[Jd][7s]

I check. He checks.

TURN$58
[Jd][7s]

I lead for $40 with the straight draw and flush draw. As I make the bet I expect to be raised. He min raises. yay. I call.

RIVER $220ish
[Jd][7s]

I check. He bets overbets $300. This bet scared the shit out of me. To understand why, earlier he had over bet $200 into a $100 with quads (3 jacks on the board) against my full house. I called and lost. I give him credit for making a simliar bet, obv representing the boat.

My hand was too hidden and too strong though and I made the call. He held AKo for nada.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Alright last one. My big bluff of the night:

This is earlier in the session. Lag was sitting behind me constantly floating and it was pissing me off. I decided to get him back.

I raise to $20 from the SB w/ [7h] . He calls in the BB.

FLOP$40
[Kh][Qd]

I bet $30 and he calls.

TURN$100
[Kh][Qd]

I check. He bets $45. I raise to $145. He calls.

RIVER$ 390
[Kh][Qd]

I push for $408. (yes i was shitting the pants.) He folds after taking forever.

-------------------------------------------------------------------



ANYWAY, there were a ton more hands where that came from. It was a challenging night for sure. I feel great about my comeback and my hand reading abilites. This is a good boost to my confidence. I can see a few leaks up there (not reraising a big enough amount, not reraising often enough, calling hands OOP and etc.) Shobute and I were going over them. It's good to see I made some mistakes. Lately all I've been able to blame it on is luck... and I hate that. I've been wanting to plug some leaks for a while.

Hopefully things will be a little easier tommorow!