when did this turn into TW's journal?

Tuesday, August 16, 2005

WHOA
Current mood: happy

Lots of money fell into my lap today.

After starting out down $400 on 1/2 over my first 100 hands, I finished up $1400 and some change. That is my best day at rings games peroid, any limit. For 1/2 that's over 7 buyins...all in 6 hours. Unbelievable stuff, and I lost a lot of big pots to bad beats too.

I actaully played about 1500 hands over the 6 hours..which is no small feat either. In the afternoon I played 5 tables...my night session was mostly 3 or 4 tables.

I could be arrogant about all of this, but I won't be. This is a combination of short-term luck and probabilty evening out.This increased my pokertracker stats termendously for the month...they're right about where I want them to be now.

My VP$IP is almost down one percentage point now to 18.. which I'm very happy with. I think playing over 18s not my game. My preflop raise
as also gone up a point to 4..which I'm happy with. PTBB/100 is 8.84..I'd like to get it up to 10 but that may not be possible playing 5 tables. I guess we'll see

Anyway, today was a great day and I hope the good luck continues. Sometimes this game feels so easy, but I know better. I won today's battle but the war continues tommorow afternoon.

Currently listening:
Put on a Happy Face: Broadway 1959-1967
By Lionel Bart
Release date: By 26 April, 2005

Thursday, August 18, 2005

World Poker Tour of Prima
Current mood: aggravated

The World Poker Tour is the hottest ticket to see pros and amatuers battle it out for hundreds of dollars. Check out a preview of this week's hot action:

Mike Sexton: We welcome you to the World Poker Tour of Prima. Where the winners make mediocre amounts of money on capped-buyins of two hundred dollars. Amazing passive play, crazy suckouts, 5 tables all at once....Vince this has been one incredible World Poker Tour event.

Vince Van Patton: That's right Mike. Unbeleivable action here at the Prima resort and casino here in Kenny's apartment. They really do know how to show you a good time. Now back to the green felt.

Mike Sexton: Ok, here's Kenny with Ace King offsuit. He's just going to call the big blind in Early position. I don't know if I like this play, Vince. It's too passive with an incredibly strong hand. How can you not raise with Ace King there?

Vince Van Patton: Sometimes you just have to cop a feel, Mike. I mean uhhh....sometimes you just have to go with your feelings. Maybe he just thinks someone has a better hand.

Mike Sexton: Get your hand out of my pants, Vince. We've talked about this.

Vince Van patton: Sorry.

Mike Sexton: It's on to Daniel "The Moron" Moroneau now. He raises to $7 with AQ of clubs. A bunch of callers behind him. It's back to Kenny now. What will this Champion of Poker do?

Vince Van Patton: Mike, did you know I used to be a tennis pro?

Mike Sexton: Shutup.

Mike Sexton: Kennyg is reaching for chips Vince. I think he's gonna make the ca......no he's reraising. What a bold move by Kennyg. H'e makes it $37 to go. Daniel calls instantly with his AQ suited. I can't blame him there. AQ is a powerful hand..he probably feels he ahead. Everyone else gets out of the way.

Vince Van Patton: On to the flop we go!

Mike Sexton: Flop is six, seven, Jack with two clubs. Moroneau nows has a flush draw. Kennyg reaches for chips... he bets $60 with no help on the flop!!

Vince Van Patton: You know, I almost married Shuana.

Mike Sexton: I can count on my hand the number of players in the world who would make that flop bet. Just incredible, Vince. Wait...whats this?? Moroneau makes a quick call! He's not going anywhere!!

Mike Sexton: Turn card is the Jack of hearts and is no help for either player. Kenny checks and Moroneau checks.

Vince Van Patton: Here it comes Mike. The river of dreams!!!

Mike Sexton: Vince, will you just shut the hell up already?? Do you actually add anything constructive to this show? God, All those years of experience and now I'm stuck with your stupid ass.

Vince Van Patton: Your wife looked real hot last night, Mike. Too bad you weren't in my bedroom to see her.

Mike Sexton: Okay..here's the river. It's a King of clubs!! Kenny pairs his king but Moroneau makes his ace high flush. What a horrible card for Kenny............... Kenny checks it to The Moron. Moroneau comes out firing on his suckout. He bets $50.

Vince Van Patton: Poker is such bullshit. Does the best hand ever win??

Mike Sexton: Hold on a second...Kenny is going up to the stands...he's telling a spectactor and student "briacheck" that Moron hit his flush. Kenny calls anyway, and is shown the ace high flush!

Vince Van Patton: An incredible turn of events, Mike.

Mike Sexton: Which reminds me... send your wife my love.

******************************************************************************************
My whole day was like the above hand. Somehow I only finished down about $200 , thank goodness.

Haha....love the commentary Kenny.....I hate the suckout though.

Kenny, that was hysterical.

very fn funny! -well the commentary part.

my frustrating hand of the night was vs. Mr. K9o...the details are too painfult to repeat!

Wednesday, September 07, 2005


Atlantic City and more.
Current mood: in pain

Well I'm finally writing about my trip to Atlantic City. I have a lot of time on my hands since I just got my last wisdom teeth taken out. I'm in a lot of pain too, so I need something else to focus on.

Anyway, I left for AC on thursday with high hopes and high dreams. I got there in about 11 hours... 1 or 2am. Met up with Briacheck (from BTP) and we talked for a while and finally got some sleep.

We hit the Taj Mahal in the morning. Much to my chagrin, I wasn't doing very well in the begining. I decided to try $1/$2 NL with a $300 max buyin. It took me a while to get used to some of the intricies of casino poker. But my talents did eventually overcome my shortcomings and I won big.

Dealt AQ in MP. Folded to me, I raise to $10. The button, a player who thinks he's really good, calls the raise. We both have $300.

FLOP $20
TsKsJh

I flopped the nut straight. I bet $20. My opponent raises big, something like $75. I decide to just move it all in right there, since I was out of position and didn't wanna get scared if the flush or FH hit. He instantly calls and flips over KQo with no spade. He doesn't improve so I take down the $600 pot.

____________

2/5 NL $500 max

I'm dealt KK in EP. I raise to $25. Rich opponent who hasn't done anyhting too crazy that I've seen, reraises me to $100. Folds back to me... I'm pretty much gonna move in here in most situations. Then I look at the guy. He completely turned around and looked at the tvs and just ignored the game. First instinct said he was trying to look very strong. So I moved all-in, he called quicked with JJ.

FLOP was 9TQ and he was openended. My hand held though and I won the $1000 pot. I was glad I decided to move allin preflop there. If I hadn't I probably would have folded, since so many hands were beating me or drawing great on that flop.

________
1/2 NL
Opponent thinks he's really good again... He was also a big calling station. Had I known this before the hand..I never would have made this play. He has $300, I have him covered.

Dealt 76o on the button. maybe 1 or 2 limpers. I raise to $15. The BB calls and everyone else folds, beleive it or not.

FLOP $30
744 rainbow

BB bets $25. I raise to $75. He calls, but he looks weak to me.

TURN $180
7446

I now have two pair, but I think I'm losing to something like pocket 9's or pocket's 8s. He checks. I think about it for a bit.. and decide to pt in my last $200. I've represented AA or KK so far, and I decided to stick with the plan.

My opponent took a very long time, at least 5 minutes. Briacheck's mom came over and watched (seriously.) Then my opponent flips his cards and he has A7 suited. All of a sudden I need to draw a call, as I have him completely dominated and here I thought I was bluffing!! Another player calls the clock on him and he finally folds to my dismay.

___________

I didn't really have many other huge hands other then that. I had my KK run into AA which sucked.

Briachek and I decided to check out the Borgata on our last day. Big mistake. I staked him for 2/5 NL and he lost about $400. I wasn't angry about that...he lost most of it with KK vs AA and I know I would have lost my stack their too. I lost another $250 on top of that, so the Borgtata really hurt me.

Strippers were also very -EV. The good thing is by the time I left AC, I had payed for the trip, strippers, and had some left over.

Briacheck and I both had good times I think.

******************

We played for 40 hours over in AC in those 5 days. That's a ton of poker for me and frankly, it really drained me. I had orginally planned to go up to NYC after leaving AC, but I was too damn tired. I just went back home and relaxed for a few days.

I decided to play a tournament on Bodog on saturday. The $25,000 gaurennteed. I placed 6th for about $1100 in profit. I thought I played very well. Had I won my coinflip of JJ vs KQ on the final table, I would certainly have made it to 2nd place. But what can you do..?? I only had two coinflips the entire tourney...I was 1 for 2

The day before my wisdom tooth operation, I decided to play 4 hours of poker on Prima. I great decison as I finished up nearly $950. My win rate for 1/2 NL, since Prima's hand histories started working, is now 10.81PTBB/100, with a multi table ratio at about 3.5

I'm very proud of that number. I just hope I can keep it at 10/100.


Poker is treating me well right now, and I've very confident about my game. Lets hope my good fortune continues.