Still Hacking Away

Ok, it has been awhile since I last blogged…  Between the deployment , getting ready for the holidays and another deployment looming, it has been busy.

Before I deployed I got to play some live poker in Delaware at a horse track, I forget the name of it but it was a nice place to play.  I played for about 6 hours and had good success; I was up about 4 times my investment and ended up walking away with about 3 times my investment.  Over all, I still have not made up all of my losses in poker and it is still a work in progress.

While deployed, I was able to play in freerolls at the location I was at, both on line and at the recreation center.  I was able to play pretty regularly and ran pretty deep in most of them, but never making the money.

In the live freerolls, I would make it to the final table regularly out of 40-50 people, but only the top 3 were paid and I never seemed to get there.  These tourneys were pretty much like home games, “no fold’em, hold’em” and there were plenty of crazy suckouts.

On line, I did not make the money except for one.  I “won a ticket” to a $40 buy-in and decided to hang onto it till I got back from deployment.  Little did I know that they discontinued that tournament and the website credited my account with $40.

I messed around with that $40 playing single table tourneys, and eventually that disappeared as well.

Just the other night I was able to play some live poker in St. Louis and decided it was time to move up to the 1,2,5 no limit table.  I had determined that I would aim to make a specific “rate” an hour at this table to help me play more consistently, and allow room to shift gears as necessary.  For this specific table, it worked amazingly well.  I won about 7 times my investment, maintained a larger chip stack than anyone at the table, and “felted” (busted) three different players all in about 4 hours.  But, alas, I am still “in the hole” to my losses earlier in the year (although this did take a chunk out of the hole).

I will continue to play online/live freerolls as time allows, but I do not plan to place any money into online accounts.  Live poker just seems more my style, although the freerolls keep you in the game, there is just too many questions for me into what is going on with all the other people playing.  Bottom line, there are too many Donkeys who will play any two cards relying on luck rather than skill.  Although they will never be winning poker players, the sheer numbers of them endanger your ship stack much to often.

I hope that I will have updates that are more frequent on my next deployment in regards to freerolls, but my next live poker session will more than likely be sometime after May.

Dog B**ls and Donkey D**ks, and another winning session

After a great winning session, the loosing streak returned and losses mounted against some ridiculously stupid players who continued to get luck on the river playing the worst cards in history.

Hence the saying, "Dog Bal** and Donkey Dic**" that my inner voice would shout at the top of its lungs.

I continued to suffer these beats and put my faith in the percentages that I have worked hard to learn to calculate in my gray matter.  Last night was a great night for the faithful of percentages.

I got good cards, and great flops to put me in great positions for percentage plays.  Although I have not erased all my losses, the winning sessions have made more than the loosing sessions.  The goal for the rest of my stay in OK will be to win consistently with percentage play (and finish AF training).  Hopefully, that will work out and with any luck, South Carolina will legalize "home" poker games.  If not, I will have to resort to free "online" play to continue to sharpen my skills.

Off to a birthday party!

Winning Session

Finally, a winning session erasing losses from Oklahoma.  The odds finally paid off in my favor and in a large way for 6 hours of play.  A second time back of 4 hours, won a nice pot on the first hand than sat for 3 hours and 59 minutes without playing anything, to have it all taken away on the last hand with JJ vs AA.  Flop 2,J,Q, turn 3, river A.... ug.  As I stated earlier, I hate the river...

The River Card

I now officially hate the river card.  It has ruined to many good (should have been winning hands) to be forgiven!

$20 Dollar Tournament

OK... played on my $20 tournament on Thursday, hung out for a while and did not play a hand for 45 minutes when I got a Pair of 10's in the hole.  I raised the blind and of course, everyone called (as I expected) because I was the short stack at the table (I refuse to "re-buy" in small tourneys). The flop came 3,6,7 rainbow and I went all in, expecting everyone to fold since they were all playing high cards the previous hands.  One luck chuckle-head called me with a pair of 5's, which I do not blame him, because he had plenty of outs against a pair. An 8 fell on 4th street so we both had draw.  Unfortunately, a 5 fell on the river and I lost.  At least it was to a quality hand and not Jack/Shite off-suit.

Sunday Tournament tomorrow that I qualified for free.  Hopefully, I will have some positive results.

The "Key" worked... kinda

I played in a $20 buy-in tourney to day with 20 other people.  I stay consistent and patient and played strong hands, when I was beat, I was beat by a better hand which you can live with.

I won plenty of hands though, and ended up 4th, unfortunately the money places were 1st, 2nd and 3rd.  I will be trying that tourney again to say the least.

I will give myself some more time over the next few months to create a consistent pattern of placing "in the money".  If not, I will have to settle playing free tourneys on-line as a hobby until I do.

the learning continues!

Ug!

OK...  Huge ice storm led to many hours at the poker table last week.  No winning sessions, lots of loosing sessions, but I have re-learned the lesson of being patient at the table and waiting for the right hand.

Since that hard lesson, I have won three on line qualifiers in a row and will play in an one of the tournements this Sunday on line.  We will see what happens...

Patience is the key!

Another Winning Session

Well, Oklahoma seem to be treating me pretty well, and so is No Limit.

Same casino as last time and it seems I can out play or keep up with most of the people there.  They are not as aggressive as those in California, but then again, this is No Limit not 3-6 Limit.  In Limit, most people are going to call that 3 or 6 dollars to the river.  I see "limit" now as limiting in the ability too use all your resources (chips and psychology) to read your opponent.

Before I get to confident...  I have to hit the poker table again, have an idea who the "regulars" are, and play the best I can.  In addition, I will have to hit the (poker) books again and review a bit.

Tune in again soon!

Oklahoma where the winds come sweeping down the plains...

Well I am now in Oklahoma for business for the next 4 months or so.  Another "Poker State" in Native American casinos, opportunity to play with those that do not know my game.  Unfortunately it is a 45 minute drive...

I had a winning session finally after about a month off from live poker play in 1-2 No Limit Hold'em, taking a small bite out of my overall losses.  Hopefully buisness and family obligations will allow a once a week trip to the poker table.

One thing I did in my session was be patient with a player across the table that I had a pretty good read on.  He was betting/representing flush draw on every flop that had two suited cards in it.  After the third time in a row from late position, I knew he was playing position only.  The table was afraid of him when he bet big and killed the pot odds.  I had two pair on the flop the third time, but took the hint when everyone else folded.

Well after one more occurrence in which I folded two pair, I decided that I would look him up the next time it happened (it was time to peek under his skirt).  Well it happened, this time I had won a few small pots in previous hands to have him covered this one.  Better yet, a third player called his big bet on the flop sweetin' the deal.  He went all in on the turn which did not match the other suited cards so I called.

I showed my two pair, and he showed Jack Shite...  I won a 3 digit pot, and on the next hand hit a small jackpot with quad 3's plus the main pot.  It was time to leave after busting two players and hitting a small jackpot.

Tune in next week (or so) to see if it was luck or talent!

Qualifing through a freeroll

Well I finally qualified for a bigger satalite tourney through a freeroll.  All i have to say is, SLOW DOWN YOUR PLAY.  You have to look at what amount of money will get you in the money, then play survival for that minimum amount.  I am not saying only play the absolute best hands, just keep it tight till you have your stack built and can afford to play a bit more loose.

It is a totally different game then a freeroll when people actually buy-in to it.

Lesson learned, still waiting for the first big win through a freeroll.