Ichoi's Journal

[Ichoi]

A brief background on myself, I live in New Hampshire and am 21. I played poker with my sister growing up and enjoyed it. I always thought it was such a fascinating game, just the concept of poker in general. We mostly played silly games with wild cards and such, but still.

I never realized poker was played "profesionally" growing up, until I was about 19. I had always thought poker was just played in backrooms by drug using, gun carrying, gambling addicts. Yes, the horrible cliche.

But then I heard about a local poker tournament being run at a bingo hall, and and only 18 years old to enter! Of course, I entered and actually did very well having never played texas holdem before. (But not quite in the money!) But more important, while chatting with someone, he mentioned ONLINE POKER. Well, like most people starting out playing poker, it was a very wild ride, with me initially going up and down and up and down, reloading for a total of about $1500 in 2 months, half my savings. I then caught a few breaks (got really lucky), and ended up being able to put back all the money I had deposit'd into my savings account and still had some to work with.

It wasn't until this past may that I began playing seriously. Out of college, my parents didn't press me into getting a job as long as I was making some money with the poker (and withdrawing some too)

I got very serious about poker, registered poker tracker and played 5/10 10/20 LHE almost everyday, playing about 50000 hands that month (Not playing more than 2 tables at a time). Anyway, much to my delight, I was up $10400 that month. I had been playing and studying a lot. At the time I knew I was good enough to beat the 5/10, it wasn't until I took a lesson from a poker mentor that I started playing 10/20. He said that I could easily beat the 10/20 games after watching me play and explaining what I was doing and why. He was right, I did.

I decided to drop back down to strictly 5/10 in june, I decided that I needed less variance as my bankroll wasn't that huge. (My winnings in may had more than doubled my bankroll) In June I didn't play quite as much and stuck to 5/10, but I finished up about $2k, and in July I gave back $3k. I didn't play much in August, maybe 5000 hands, and after a bad run, managed to finish up about $200 for the month. (Almost all of the hands in the last 6 days of the month)

So here I am, September 1, grinding 5/10 trying to build my bankroll, confidence, and ability.

I will be posting my daily results and some stats, along with thoughts and maybe a few hands. I'm past the stage of posting bad beats, it happens. Runner runner, 1 outers on the river after capping the flop and turn, been there, done that. So if I post a hand in this thread it's not to complain but to educate.

I don't know how interesting I am, so just follow along if you like, no one's forcing you to.


To be clear, I'm not attending college this year. I plan to spend the next good chunk of the year figuring out if I'm going to make it as a poker player. My parents have been kind enough to let me stay with them for one year while I try to make it happen, AND help me pay for college should I choose to return next year. What a sweet deal and great parents I have. I intend to be very sure of my skills and have a very large bankroll if I decide to go straight for the poker career. So here I go.

[Ichoi]

First day of the month, I spent going up and down, never really getting very far. I felt I made a few mistakes today, but not many, and played overall pretty well. Good enough to be beating the 5/10 ring games at party, anyway. I think I lost a lot of big pots on the river today, and mostly picked off the blinds and sometimes weak limpers to stay about even throughout the day.

Overall it was a very blah day, and I was happy to finish with what I did considering how the day played out. I feel I mostly got the best of it with the cards that came.. Though there were surely some hands I could have played better, and I have much to learn still.

Hands: 826 (5/10 Ring Games, Empire)
VP$IP: 11.86 / PFR: 6.42
Net: ($13.84) - BB/100 Hands= (.17)

A few hand stats
AA 4 times, net 14.50, BB/hand 0.36
AKs 3 times, net (43.00), BB/hand (1.43)
AKo 7 times, net (38.00), BB/hand (0.54)
KK 0 times
QQ 4 Times, net 1.00, BB/hand .03
JJ 3 times, net (50.00), BB/hand (1.67)

So my net with the big 6 today was (115.50), very blah day indeed.

So my big hands today were all big stinkers

Tommorow is another day!

[piersmajestyk]

What is your user name on Empire?

Wish you continued good fortune and look forward to reading your daily exploits in our communal stomping ground.

[Ichoi]

I play as IchoiBoy on empire. I play almost strictly 5/10 LHE at the moment.

I might wander into a 5/10 stud high game as well. But mostly the holdem.

[piersmajestyk]

Found you. We played a few hands together a couple of days ago at a 36 6 max table. I'll stay out of your way that is until you try and steal my Big Blind

[Ichoi]

Ya, I sometimes play 3/6 short handed early in the day. I went and found that session you mentioned, I have a whopping 15 hands on you! You left before I played a single hand!

I actually won $141.50 that session and the table then cleared out on me, a total of 63 hands over 34 minutes.

Edit: For whatever reason, I just don't like playing 5/10 before lunch. =p

[Ichoi]

[Kuso]

[Ichoi]

[Ichoi]

Time for a fun hand, this one is for piers!

(I love gutshots with correct odds)

***** Hand History for Game 2642494029 *****
$5/$10 Texas Hold'em - Friday, September 02, 20:19:00 EDT 2005
Table On the Horizon (Real Money)
Seat 3 is the button
Total number of players : 10
Seat 1: daboys8588 ( $188.25 )
Seat 2: MLM001 ( $122 )
Seat 4: partybidder ( $73.69 )
Seat 5: hedanhedan84 ( $353.50 )
Seat 6: IchoiBoy ( $375.50 )
Seat 9: Deltoid79 ( $360.50 )
Seat 7: gnarle ( $191 )
Seat 10: da17hi ( $336 )
Seat 3: Kelly19hoty ( $334 )
Seat 8: KEVINN1993 ( $78 )
partybidder posts small blind [$2].
hedanhedan84 is sitting out.
IchoiBoy posts big blind [$5].
** Dealing down cards **
Dealt to IchoiBoy [ 7d 5d ]
hedanhedan84 has left the table.
gnarle folds.
Deltoid79 raises [$10].
da17hi folds.
daboys8588 folds.
MLM001 folds.
Kelly19hoty folds.
>You have options at Enigma Table!.
partybidder calls [$8].
IchoiBoy calls [$5].
** Dealing Flop ** [ 6c, Qd, 3s ]
partybidder checks.
IchoiBoy checks.
Deltoid79 bets [$5].
partybidder calls [$5].
IchoiBoy calls [$5].
** Dealing Turn ** [ 4h ]
>You have options at Table 36010 Table!.
partybidder checks.
IchoiBoy checks.
Deltoid79 bets [$10].
partybidder calls [$10].
IchoiBoy raises [$20].
Deltoid79 raises [$20].
partybidder folds.
Hakka_Man has joined the table.
IchoiBoy raises [$20].
Deltoid79 calls [$10].
** Dealing River ** [ Jh ]
IchoiBoy checks.
Deltoid79 bets [$10].
IchoiBoy raises [$20].
Deltoid79 calls [$10].
IchoiBoy shows [ 7d, 5d ] a straight, three to seven.
Deltoid79 doesn't show [ Kc, Kh ] a pair of kings.
IchoiBoy wins $172 from the main pot with a straight, three to seven.

[Kuso]

[Ichoi]

Hehe, that pot was an exception

[Ichoi]

Ok, so I'm a little crazy this afternoon. Someone let me know if I'm losing my mind.

Dealt 88 in BB

Everyone folds to button (VP$IP 24 PFR 13, Postflop AF 4.5, 152 hands)
Button Raises, SB Folds, I call.


Flop: 944 rainbow
I check, he bets, I call.

I suspect I have the best hand now. I decide instead of pulling the trigger to check raise the turn regardless of what lands. I know, very reckless.

944K 2 clubs
I check, he checks.


So much for that plan. I now know something, that is, I'm ahead of him.
My biggest fear on the river is a T, J, or Q I think he may have bet A high on the turn. But I wouldn't be crazy about the river being an ace, either.. I hope for a K, 9, 8, or 4.

River, 944K9. Perfect. I now am fairly certain that he can't beat the board, and I suspect he'll take one shot at it.

I check, he bets, I call. 88 wins over Q8 suited. He infact could not beat the board.


Neat, I got the extra bet out of him that I wanted by freecarding him in a small pot.


My reasoning to make this kind of slow play?

The pot was small, 3.1BB after the rake on the flop. The likely hand I was against was two or maybe just one overs. It was also possible that he had a lower pair and was drawing to only 2 outs, instead of 3 or 6. I felt if I played back at him, he'd fold, and I wanted him to take another shot at the pot. The risk (3/45 with one over or 6/44 with two), seemed worth it considering how small the pot was.

If his aggression numbers weren't so high, I wouldn't have bothered because I couldn't be sure (or fairly sure) they'd try to bluff the river.

[Ichoi]

What a day! I'm going to include my stats from last night as well as my stuff from today.

Yet again, up and down, can't make much happen and finished with another small loss. I really don't mind quitting a loser, I really took that "one long session" thing to heart. I simply play my best every hand, and stop playing when I feel I've played enough, or I stop playing my best.

Empire Poker

3/6 Ring - 260 Hands - Net ($66.00) BB/100 (0.47)
5/10 Ring - 1282 Hands - Net ($2.00) BB/100 (0.02)
10/20 Ring - 992 Hands - Net ($12.50) BB/100 (0.06)
Total - 2538 Hands - Net ($80.50) BB/100 (0.47)

VP$IP 12.98, PFR 8.64

[Ichoi]

Lack of updates, I know, I know. It's was just my birthday and I've been kinda busy. (Playing poker and celebrating)

Anyway, I've played A LOT lately. I've been real excited because I just started on rakeback. 35% at a prima skin, 27% at full tilt along with $900 in bonuses to clear.

Sept4-6
Went on a real shitty run, dropped $913.75 over 1,859 hands, spreadout pretty evenly over the 3 days. Nothing major to complain about, just a cold deck. I'm sure I got drawn out more than usual, but no runner runner perfect or anything.

Sept7-8
Started my play at the new sites, been playing a lot and at short handed tables.
Played 4,904 hands (!) in 2 days netting $532.87 in poker winnings, along with ~$225 in rakeback and $120 in bonuses unlocked. Two very satisfying days.


The one HH i want to post was from not long ago, where I managed to score a huge pot off a real LAG. This person had just busted me up when I flopped top set, and they turned out a fairly well hidden straight with 64, not that I didn't see it... It just seemed that no one would have played 64 for 3 bets preflop so I was fairly sure they had a lower set.

Anyway, here's the hand.

FullTiltPoker Game #212243526: Table Alto (6 max) - $5/$10 - Limit Hold'em - 3:53:10 ET - 2005/09/09
Seat 1: rjruler ($39)
Seat 2: theyam187 ($397.50)
Seat 3: nonmiker ($81)
Seat 4: X Carpe Diem X ($82)
Seat 5: JollyFish ($2,882.50)
Seat 6: Ukomick ($176)
JollyFish posts the small blind of $2.50
Ukomick posts the big blind of $5
The button is in seat #4
*** HOLE CARDS ***
Dealt to Ukomick [Ks 6s]
rjruler folds
theyam187 calls $5
nonmiker folds
X Carpe Diem X folds
JollyFish folds
Ukomick checks
*** FLOP *** [8s 9s 5s]
Ukomick checks
theyam187 bets $5
Ukomick calls $5
*** TURN *** [8s 9s 5s]
Ukomick checks
theyam187 bets $10
Ukomick raises to $20
theyam187 raises to $30
Ukomick raises to $40
theyam187 calls $10
*** RIVER *** [8s 9s 5s 7s]
Ukomick bets $10
theyam187 raises to $20
Ukomick raises to $30
theyam187 raises to $40
Ukomick calls $10
*** SHOW DOWN ***
theyam187 shows [9h 9c] (a full house, Nines full of Fives)
Ukomick shows [Ks 6s] (a straight flush, Nine high)
Ukomick wins the pot ($179.50) with a straight flush, Nine high
*** SUMMARY ***
Total pot $182.50 | Rake $3
Board: [8s 9s 5s 7s 5d]
Seat 1: rjruler didn't bet (folded)
Seat 2: theyam187 showed [9h 9c] and lost with a full house, Nines full of Fives
Seat 3: nonmiker didn't bet (folded)
Seat 4: X Carpe Diem X (button) didn't bet (folded)
Seat 5: JollyFish (small blind) folded before the Flop
Seat 6: Ukomick (big blind) showed [Ks 6s] and won ($179.50) with a straight flush, Nine high