RikyRicardo

2010-11-10T06:52:00.001-08:00

so proud of my middle son, his teacher called us last night and told us he is doing amazing and above all his classmates academically and has great behavior.

2010-11-08T08:37:00.001-08:00

Wait at RBC for my father, going to meet branch manager to make sure all his stuff is set up properly. Want make sure he gets a good deal

2010-11-07T19:55:00.001-08:00

Don't know if the last update went theu. I am excited about using ping.fm

2010-11-07T19:51:00.001-08:00

Just updating using ping.fm on my new torche, this could get fun.

Vegas Trip Preparation

2010-05-25T06:44:00.000-07:00

It has been a really long time since my last blog... I have really slowed down on the amount of time I have been playing. It went from 20-30 hours a week... to maybe 2 hours a week.

I have booked my flight to Vegas on June 13th and return home on the 17th... That gives me 19 days to prepare. I intend to read the entire Harrington on Holdem collection(5 books), The Full Tilt Tournament guide, and Bill Boston Omaha 8 book. I need to get back to basics. I need to focus on the little things. I need some practice. I have always played Omaha 8, and love the game. I will be playing it exclusively for Cash games, I am not good at NLH cash games. I have managed to hold my own in NLH tournies though.

I am going to practice my tourny skills every night on Tilt until I leave, one or two a night.

I will try to keep this blog updated for the next couple of weeks.

I know I have the skills, they are just rusty. With practice and refocus for a couple of weeks before I go, I know I will have a successful trip.

I have listed the tournies I really want to play below, and all the tournies that are worth even looking at below that.

Biggest Sandwiches in the World

2008-02-17T09:16:00.000-08:00

I have attached a couple of pics of the sandwiches me and Scotty G ate or at least tried too

Vegas Report Day 1 Feb 5th, 2008

2008-02-09T22:31:00.000-08:00

Wow I love this town.

7AM I meet Scotty G and his buddy John at the Ottawa Airport for our 8AM connection to Montreal.

9AM Arrive in MTL.

10:15AM Leave MTL... Vegas hear we come.

I love the flight, it was really smooth. I also like the chairs and the personal TV's. I watched some Ben Stiller Movie, and then tried to get some sleep watching "Unforgiven". We arrived in Vegas at 1PM Vegas Time. Check into the hotel around 1:30PM.

2PM Let's eat.... we start to wander and end up at neighbourgh property; Excaliber, we eat at the Sherwood Cafe.

3PM: Fed and ready to play... we are at the excaliber, might as well play there. A little trick to finding any Vegas poker room is to find the sports book. Scotty, Me and John, all get on the list. New table gets opened right away for us. I played 3 big hands in this first session.

First hand was a bluff. Mid position raised to 7. I have JT in late, so I call it. I get to other callers, one is BB, and one in mid. The table has just started maybe 10 hands in, and I had to reads, the mid position player was in about 5 pots pre flop so far. The flop comes Q82. I bet the gut shot, knowing if I hit it I get paid, I also think that a J or T was be winner. Only the BB calls. Turn cards is a 6 of Hearts. I fire $25 into a $45 pot. I only have about $75 more behind. I get called one more time. River 2.... I replayed the hand in my head, and figured it was a badly played pair of 8's or a weak Q, but he had not really played a hand yet. I fire $40, 3rd barrel bluff..... he folds. Great first Vegas pot won!

Hand 2: I have AKs, been playing about 45 minutes now, have around $200, and we have 3 big fish... one guy won $12K on the Super Bowl, one is a biker touring... he is sitting in his PJ's, 2 kids look like they are skipping school, and have been really weak tight, a solid old man, and a drunk one, the kid I bluffed, Me, Scotty and John. The Superbowl Man has raised 5 pots in row.. he is leaving today looking to get his gamble on. He raises UTG to $7, folds to me, I pop him to $27... insta calls. Yatzee... flop comes K6T, rainbow. He fires $25, I re pop to $75, again insta calls. He could have k6, as easily as KJ hear so I decided to check-call it down if I don't improve. Turn Ac... 2 clubs on board, and he sits up interested in the hand finally. Bingo!!! he has an Ace, and isn't anywhere near good enough to fold it!!!! I push he snaps calls. River is 6c...he says rivered you... Q3clubs... ouch I get $25-30 back cause he didn't have me covered.

RELOAD TABLE 1

Hand 3: within 2 orbits... J9h, $12K re pops me this time up to $25. I have about $150 infront. I call. Flop comes 2T7, 2 hearts. I decided as soon as a saw this flop we were going to dance. I have 1 over, gut shot and flush draw. he bets $40.... I push he snap calls and says I am on a draw, but a big one... oh oh. Turn Q, River 9.... no heart. Runner Runner Str8. He had the Ace high heart draw, but my J and 9 where live.

We play a few more rounds and then decide to bounce. I finish first session down $60. We decided to try out MGM Poker next.

MGM -- We are all starting to feel the travel lag.... I leave Scotty and John at the poker room and go get my kids 2 build a bears. That was a long ass walk. about an hour and a half later I get back to MGM. I grab a seat next to Scotty who looks like a man in need of sleep. I only play one big pot. I raise the button with A6h. Get 2 callers. I have played super tight, with table is full on donks. Flop comes A78... Great I continue betting $18 into a $24 pot. I get one caller. I am now a little scared about kicker issues. Turn is a A, so I discount his ace posibilties. now we have $60 pot, but with a str8 and flush draw on board time to put some pressure. I bet the pot, $60 he snaps. River is Bingo 6!!! he insta calls, I think I was trapped, nope he had A6 too!!! John goes bust so we decide to head back to Luxor. I end the session down $10....

Luxor -- Great room, they spread $1-2NL, and 2-4Limit, but they offer $150 for the hourly high hand (any full house). We sit down here too. Our room is on the first floor and 2 minutes to the poker room. I played 3 big pots, one with KK Vs 99, 77 Vs 99, a str8. Let's set up the table first. I sit in for $120. 2 Monster stacks, one is a old man, who is hitting left right and centre. The other is a kid to my right, he plays lag. I have 2 short stacks, one guy with no legs, and plays like he is feeding his fix. Lots of Loose passive play. First hand I play, I get dealt pockets 77's limped to me, old man big stack and kid both fold, handicapper and some other average loose passive players in. I raise to $12. Only the handicapper calls. Flop comes AK3, he checks, which means he missed, so I fire $20. He thinks... calls. Turn is a 5, he again checks. I bet $35. He is ready to fold his hand, but then changes his mind and calls. River is an 8, check check... he rolls over 99, says I missed. Missed what!!! rebuy, another $50. I get involved in another hand with this guy, and value town him on my flopped nut str8, no draw. So I now I am sitting with about $200 in front. I am in late, I get dealth KK. Old man stacks raises to $10 4 callers, so I make it $65 to go... he tanks and finally calls. The kid calls too. Flop is Q44, he fires $40, the kid folds. I insta push for $130, and he says I hope you don't have Q's. I watched him play, and he folded PP, but not big A's so I so I put him on AQ. He calls, and doesn't rollover... good sign. Turn 9, river A. I think the Ace kills me, nope he had 99!!! wow... I am so mad, but happy he is a donkey. I reload, but can't let go of the hand so I bounce. I sat at a 2-4 table for 3 hours laughing and drinkin, and having a good time, until the table broke around 4AM Vegas time.... then I went to bed. I woke up around 7AM, 8AM, and 9AM... I didn't sleep well. When I got up at finally at 9AM --- I called Scotty and John, and we went for breakfast, on comp.

Micro NLH STT Bankroll management

2007-08-05T06:33:00.000-07:00

I have been all over the map with this wonderful game. I love holdem, then hate it, them love it. I have now decided to track every time I play, every tourny, including tourny #, buy in, number of players and where I place.

I have also implemented a very strict Bankroll policy. I will abide by it. I have gone back and look historically at when and what I have performed best at and what kind of variance I have had. I noticed that I have had upto 10 STT looses in a row, but I account a portion at least on bad plays. I have made the best ROI on both STT and MTT and am certain I am a loosing online cash game player. Therefore the new rules. I read this article by Jesus a while back on bankroll management, and have decided to take a shot at moving to more meaningful games.

The rules are very straight forward, and will be applied going forward.
1. Bankroll is defined as the amount of money I have online at the time of registrations.
2. 2% of bankroll as the entry fee _ Vig for any MTT
3. 5% of bankroll as the entry fee + Vig for any STT
4. move as soon as BR permits
5. Stop loss of 4 STT or 20% of bankroll for a session
session is defined as any play within a 8 hour period

I have also created some other rules for my self, because I know my strenths and weaknesses.
1. Table permitting raise Button every time you are folded too (permitting being that I am not constantly being played back at and being forced to fold.
2. Table permitting raise the CO and Hijack with anything suited or connect when folded to.
3. Play only No Limit tournies
4. Never limp in as the first player to open
5. You can limp if limpers infront.
6. Don't force action out of position.... don't bluff often out of position.
7. When raised and called by 3 or more players, be weary of continuation betting.

I have also set some goals for myself. I want to acheive a 20% ROI on STT as a long term rate. I beleive this is acheivable upto the 50+5 level. I looked up the high limit STT leader board, and the best ROI I have seen 9%. but at the lower levels, 14-25% is very realalistic.

First update:

I have played 5 stt over 3 days, and 2 mtt's. I have an ROI of 14%.

My first Mtt was a $3.25 45 man SnG.... I played AJs suited hard out of position and missed a bunch of draws, got my self short stacked quick... and busted 29th
My 2nd Mtt was a $3.25 45 SnG... I played really well until we hit the final table. I came in with 7500 and the average was 7556. Again I played and bluffed out of position... out in 9th.

My Stt and goes, I have a 1st, 2nd, and 3rd. In my 3rd place finish I couldn;'t bust the eventual winner, at one point he caught running 2s two hands in a row to double up... he was down to 80 chips. Oh well. I have played very aggressive in position in all 5, and I am happy with the results.

I started with a $200 BR and will move up to $10+1 STT at $220, and hopefully cash in the first one so I don't have to move down.

I also noticed a big difference in the Turbo's Vs. the regular STT. I find the regular ones, you see more people bust faster.

My AC Trip was eye opening

2007-05-22T09:41:00.000-07:00

I went to AC this weekend with 2 friends... and we all came back stuck... and drooling for more...

I will run through just 15 hands and pot sizes.... I play Limit holdem or better known as No Foldem Holdem

it will look like this

Hand #.FLOP.... TURN...RIVER...My Cards..their..Cards..Pot Size
1.......... 7s7h9s........6h...........2h.........99.................77..............$84
2.........AdQh2s........7s...........4s..........AQ..............9s3s...........$82
3..........443..............2.............3............33...............44...............$140
4..........773..............4.............2............43...............A5...............$60 (idoit almost folded on the river after beting and raising the whole way then realize he should call because his A high might be good)
5........99T.............A............9............TT..............A9.................$120
6.......234..............4............4.............33...............84o................$140 (it was raised preflop, and he had to defend his late position)
7......A48.............3.............3..............QQ.............T3s................$80(played for 3BB cold from late position)
8.....AcQh3h......6d..........6s..............AQ.............64c.................$90+
9.....QsTsJs........Ah........2h..............AsA.............Kh7s...............$90 (agained played for 2 bb cold mid position
10....AhQs4d....9d.........3d...............AQ..............Jd8d...............$70+
11.......TJJ..........7...........2.................AJ................22..................$140 (called bets and raises whole way me and 3rd player who had St8 draw, and he was to my right 2 bets cold on twice every street )
12......789.........K.........J....................JT................QT.................$90+
13......KT9.......A..........K...................QJ...............AK..................$64
14......A48.......7...........6...................AA...............A5..................$120
15.....KsTd6s.8d.........Q...............KK..................J9...................$120
16.....KKT.......T..........T..................AK..............AT...................$120
17.....964.........4..........6.................44................66....................$140+
18.....TsTcJs........Ks..As.............. JJ................Qs9..................$140+
LAST ONE
19....6h6d7d........Ah.....8d...........66................T9d..................$180+

so sick.... the last night, I literally thought I was going to through up... and honestly I lost over 150BB on the trip... this list alone represents over 200BB... and is just the icing on the cake.... idiots cathching 1,2, 3 and 4 outers... and runner runner so sick... but you want them at your table... to top it off, I feel like I hit none of my draws... power poker worked well though... some nights... the only way for me to win, was to bet until they missed thier draw on the river, and then they fold... or call with J high (donks). I can't believe I did so well...

at first I was really depressed, but when I put that list together and the approx size of the pots, I think that fact that I lost only $700 is pretty frigging good... and I didn't loose my cool until the very last hand I played... I have never witness less logic or thought at the table then this... if the math would have come in even 10% of what it should of, I would have broke even, I should and normally will make a killing at these games... the worst in the world. I can't wait to go back!

Been a while

2007-04-11T08:22:00.000-07:00

I haven't won much lately, but I have started to do somethings right... the big one for me is and always has been tracking. It's easy to neglect if you are a loosing player or even break even. So I rebuilt my spreadsheet and started tracking... 2 days straight.

I played a couple of tournies last night and made the mistake of doubling guys up, when I could easily lay down certian hands.... I didn't need to control the table.. if was a good field.

I then went to play omaha... I have to be able to release the little boats... just not good. I am still making money even with that flaw in my game.. I play pretty tight right now.

Getting ready for a rest

2007-04-02T20:00:00.000-07:00

WOW GG MYST ... check out www.mystpoker.com or www.jackseven.ca . Marc Karam just came in 2nd place at the EPT Championship for a cool $1Million Euro's.

GG GAvin Griffin as well.

Well I mentioned yesterday that I was getting ready to take a break. I really believe I need to this. I am winning, getting an average ROI of 30%. I have inserted 2 images above that show if I don't play on Monday's I am a winning player.. so guess this is the last monday I play. I have figured out why I am not a long term winning player. It comes down to effort, either I loose concentration or I refuse to do my homework. It is really easy to analyze hand histories and find your errors, and look up the players at your table. I think I time's I blow my big chip leads on purpose.... but it is subconscience. I did it again Sunday Night on UB. I just want to get every $ level in positive territory.... the only area is the $3... which is my focus now.

I am going to start another Blog soon as well, do document my personal transformation. I have decided to make major changes in life. I am tired of being tired, feeling broke, and disconnected from the world. Today was my first work out at a GoodLife fitness center, I have a personal trainer, and I really want to feel healthy. I also signed back up to play hockey... that is step 1. Step 2 in my transformation is my relationship with my daughter... I want to get back to laughing with her more then giving her shit. Step 3 is my job, I have found it lacking intensity... I don't know if that is because I am tired, or bored... we will find out. Step 4 is my finances... I shouldn't complain, but I always feel broke... we put a lot on our mortgage every month and have a beatiful 2800 sq www.cardelhomes.com home in Orleans, I almost own both our vehicles outright, and we never do without... but I just want a big cushion... actually I want to have more money then I can spend.

All these 4 areas will be further documented in my new personal blog which will be listed once I create it tomorrow.

Difference a year makes

2007-04-01T21:16:00.000-07:00

Last year a friend of mine made his first final table, about six months after turning pro. He finished 4th.... since then he has had a great run, going to the final table in 4 of 7 majors and cashing in 6. I really hope he wins, I know he has worked very hard and has whole community rooting for him.... good luck Myst! Take it down.

Now as for me...

it has been a long time since my last post... and not much has happened.... I missed my 10K goal, and have actually become less then enthused about poker. I am not loosing , and making a little bit. I have good ROI at 29%, so why quit... well... I want to focus on other areas of my life. I haven't decided officially yet, but I think it is coming. This time though I want to do when I am running good, and feel good about my game. I don't have time to do the analysis, or have the technology... my system is junk. I am definetly going to play this week, on Tuesday and Wednesday night. I am going to play 1 of each of the following on each night.

$4.4 X2

$3.3 6 man X2

$3.3 10 man X2

$3.3 45 man X2

$6.5 45 man X2

I need to make $200 a night for it to be worth continuing next week. If I miss my target, I will take April off and just rest! I am not quit, just taking a break because it is good to clear my mind... I will not cash out... just not play.

With that being said... I mentioned "the secret" about a month ago. March has been my most profitable month since I can remember, both playing limit, omaha and tournies. The secret has help me look inwards to find what is important, and although I love poker, I need to spend more time with my kids, myself, wife and my work... I know if I take time off, I will come back refreshed and roaring to go. I will update more this week

Most Common Error among amateurs

2007-03-16T06:46:00.000-07:00

Check Call Check Call... oh a scare card Bet, raised... now I am comitted! Idiot... so here is the situation.

Villian Stack $40,000
My Stack $29000
I post BB 1200, ante 125
Pot size to start = $3050

Villian UTG min raises to 2400... folds to me

hmmmm 1200 for $5400... 4:1 looks good so I call

Flop 965 JACKPOT!!!
I check... he bets 2400 I call
Turn J check he bets 3400... that's not a too scarry of a card... I really hope it hit him... I will smooth call and fire the river.... I just don't want a ten
River T.... I literally say "Shit!" out loud and then I comitt the biggest possible sin... I bet pot, when I could be beat... $15K..... he thinks for a while.. clock starts to tick... and he pushes FUCK!!! I bet only when I could be beat.... what could he have.... a set... no bet was too weak preflop for JJ or TT maybe 66 or 55 but I doubt it... smells like KQ... so I call DONK!!! then I get mad when he turns over KQ duhhhh

The biggest mistake people make is making a bet only when they are behind... I could have check call this hand and still had chips on the river, or I could have raised the turn and made him pay or the flop. I find a lot of players do this, when the one card they don't want or that can beat them comes, they fire... it's like freezing in the head lights of on coming traffic... I am going to write a longer article on this. I observe it all the time... and then I go a do it myself...

Other then that play I had played really well... I had build a stack of $50K then raced for 30K of it... JJ Vs AQ... he hit a J on the river for the str8... battle back with controlled aggression... get my stack back up to $30K for a low of $13K... I played well, but mis played one pot..

WNP! Jinny == not luckbox

2007-03-15T09:13:00.000-07:00

there was a post on www.jackseven.ca about a friend of mine named Jinny. It basically said he was a luckbox. Now don't get me wrong, on one of the early hands, he did get very very lucky, catching running Queens to beat a flop set of K's. However, once he had the chips he was relentless in pushing the table around. I found myself afraid to push back, and watched the table, and they didn't get involved with him.

One hand came up when we had close to the same amount in chips... he had me by about 400 chips... I was on the C/O, and it folded to me. Jinny was in the sb, and a weak timid player was in the BB... So I raised 4X to 400... I half joked that Jinny should call, then he could push me off the pot... he seems to be my nemisis... so he did. The flop came Q45 2 spades.. he check raised my 400 to 1K.... I knew he was trying to put a move on me... just knew it... but instead of pushing I just called and he put me in on the turn when a 8 showed up... I couldn't call...

Jinny owned me in that hand, and all last night, when we played he controlled the action... I let him to this. It allowed him to run over the table and take a gamble here and there that lead to him doing well. Congrats Jinny! but I will fight back next time.

finding leaks

2007-03-15T09:03:00.000-07:00

So after my blow up I had Stars send me the hand history... and wow I am a donk.. I loose money when I am not the aggressor... calling doesn't work!

When you let some else bet you have only one way to win the pot, and that is with the best hand. and it has to hold. I looked through my hand history and found everytime I let someelse take control, I was either beat, or spewCalling chips hoping to hit. I also found that when I would raise preflop, I always continued to bet, and realized I would sometimes not fire a second bullet... then bet the river, in which case it looked really fishy... and I would get called for bluffing. I need to pay attention to the players around me, and what thier tendancies are.

This post is very basic, use controlled aggression, don't call a lot, you don't have to fire, but if you do, think about the hand they could have, and why they are playing it this way, and if firing the turn and river is going to get them off it, or pay you a value bet... basically think and pay attention when you play!

a quick pick me up

2007-03-14T06:53:00.000-07:00

Blowing Up!

2007-03-14T06:07:00.000-07:00

Blowing Up!

I hit the final table 3rd in chips, and busted 9th! I didn't take a bad beat, or even loose a lot in a any particular pot. I blew up, self implode. It is funny, you bust your ass all night to make the FT with a decent chip stack and then let it slip away. I will post some hands at the bottom and explain.

I know the importance of aggressive play in the 180's because you need a stack. I did a great job near the bubble accumulating chips, and on the bubble to FT aswell. However, controlled aggression and knowing your players are very important. I neglected the latter. I kept pushing into this guy who would call and then shove into me on the flop... I was getting a little frustrated, and wanted to take a pot away from this guy(idiot thought). I kept trying and he kept getting the best of me... I should have let sleeping dogs lie... but instead, I decided it would be smart to check raise his EP pre flop raise on the flop with AK on it... donk and got shortstacked.. which forced me to push with 97s on the button.

This morning I have that errie morning after feeling... a little depressed I let it slip away like that. I have got to control myself, and respect raises from certain positions... I keep running through the hands that led to my demise in my head and keep saying why didn't I stop and think.

My biggest problem playing is that I don't think about the hand as much as I should.
*********** # 175 **************
PokerStars Game #8893702036: Tournament #45217084, $4.00+$0.40 Hold'em No Limit - Level XI (600/1200) - 2007/03/14 - 01:01:37 (ET)Table '45217084 4' 9-max
Seat #8 is the button
Seat 1: RikyRicardo (22886 in chips)
Seat 2: Echbert (59613 in chips)
Seat 3: Jak Sparro (33723 in chips)
Seat 4: brian8269 (34874 in chips)
Seat 5: SUPERPEPSI (42287 in chips)
Seat 6: unlucky808 (9070 in chips)
Seat 7: ML Winston (22639 in chips)
Seat 8: blloyd (15866 in chips)
Seat 9: bobaby7 (29042 in chips)
RikyRicardo: posts the ante 75Echbert: posts the ante 75Jak Sparro: posts the ante 75brian8269: posts the ante 75SUPERPEPSI: posts the ante 75unlucky808: posts the ante 75ML Winston: posts the ante 75blloyd: posts the ante 75bobaby7: posts the ante 75
bobaby7: posts small blind 600
RikyRicardo: posts big blind 1200
*** HOLE CARDS ***Dealt to RikyRicardo [9h Tc]
Echbert: raises 2400 to 3600J
ak Sparro: folds
brian8269: folds
SUPERPEPSI: folds
unlucky808: folds
ML Winston: folds blloyd: folds
bobaby7: folds
RikyRicardo: calls 2400... i DONT MIND THIS CALL.... 6k IN THE POT I AM GETTING 3:1 TO MAKE THE CALL

*** FLOP *** [Ks As 7d]
RikyRicardo: checks ... PROBABLY SHOULD HAVE COME OUT FIRING OR
Echbert: bets 3600
RikyRicardo: raises 6000 to 9600 MADE A BIGGER RERAISE, ALL IN MAYBE OR THE SMARTEST PLAY WAS TO FOLD WHEN I MISSED... I WOULD STILL HAVE 19K WHICH IS OK, AND NOT IN A MUST MOVE SITUATION
Echbert: calls 6000 ONCE HE CALLED THE HAND WAS OVER FOR ME... CHECK FOLD AND FEEL STUPID
*** TURN *** [Ks As 7d] [7h]
Jak Sparro said, "its not really a double up"
unlucky808 said, "felt like it"
unlucky808 said, ":)"
RikyRicardo: checks
Echbert: bets 7200
RikyRicardo: folds
Jak Sparro said, "just another round of the table"
unlucky808 said, "anything is a boost when youre ss"
Echbert collected 27675 from potEchbert: doesn't show hand *** SUMMARY ***Total pot 27675 Rake 0 Board [Ks As 7d 7h]Seat 1: RikyRicardo (big blind) folded on the TurnSeat 2: Echbert collected (27675)Seat 3: Jak Sparro folded before Flop (didn't bet)Seat 4: brian8269 folded before Flop (didn't bet)Seat 5: SUPERPEPSI folded before Flop (didn't bet)Seat 6: unlucky808 folded before Flop (didn't bet)Seat 7: ML Winston folded before Flop (didn't bet)Seat 8: blloyd (button) folded before Flop (didn't bet)Seat 9: bobaby7 (small blind) folded before Flop

NEXT HAND

*********** # 172 **************
PokerStars Game #8893678886: Tournament #45217084, $4.00+$0.40 Hold'em No Limit - Level XI (600/1200) - 2007/03/14 - 00:59:41 (ET)Table '45217084 4' 9-max
Seat #5 is the button
Seat 1: RikyRicardo (32711 in chips)
Seat 2: Echbert (47763 in chips)
Seat 3: Jak Sparro (31473 in chips)
Seat 4: brian8269 (35099 in chips)
Seat 5: SUPERPEPSI (42512 in chips)
Seat 6: unlucky808 (7420 in chips)
Seat 7: ML Winston (24664 in chips) S
eat 8: blloyd (17891 in chips)
Seat 9: bobaby7 (30467 in chips)
RikyRicardo: posts the ante 75Echbert: posts the ante 75Jak Sparro: posts the ante 75brian8269: posts the ante 75SUPERPEPSI: posts the ante 75unlucky808: posts the ante 75ML Winston: posts the ante 75blloyd: posts the ante 75bobaby7: posts the ante 75
unlucky808: posts small blind 600
ML Winston: posts big blind 1200
*** HOLE CARDS ***
Dealt to RikyRicardo [4c Kh]
blloyd: folds bobaby7: folds
RikyRicardo: raises 2400 to 3600 DON'T MIND THE RAISE BUT OUT OF POSITION BIGGER MIGHT BE BETTER
Echbert: calls 3600 DIDN'T LIKE THE CALL OUT OF POSITION FROM HIM
Jak Sparro: folds
brian8269: folds
SUPERPEPSI: folds
unlucky808: folds
ML Winston: folds
*** FLOP *** [7c 7d 6h]
RikyRicardo: bets 6000 I SHOULD HAVE CHECKED TO SEE WHAT HE DID, OR BET 9K
Echbert: raises 6000 to 12000 I WAS DEEP ENOUGH I COULD HAVE PUSHED OR NOT BET AT ALL
Jak Sparro said, "lol"
RikyRicardo: folds
Echbert collected 21675 from potEchbert: doesn't show hand Jak Sparro said, "u got nothing"
*** SUMMARY ***
Total pot 21675 Rake 0 Board [7c 7d 6h]Seat 1: RikyRicardo folded on the FlopSeat 2: Echbert collected (21675)

the key in both these hands, is not taking enough time to think about why I am betting, and what he could have... thus the blow up... I have more to write, and will try to do so later

some more good results

2007-03-02T17:15:00.000-08:00

I placed 3 times today, winning one 180 4.4, Big shout out to OTT CANADA for railing me. It was a lot of fun... I saved these hand history's I thought the first one, which got me a big cheap lead is key... and quads are always nice The second image shows how many pots I am playing , and playing them aggressively. I left this tourny to go get my kids @ 4PM, just after entering the money, I was in second place... when I came back I was in 6th out of 6, and short stacked. I defenitely got lucky a few times, but I was never calling off all my chips, and I was never worse then 43%/57%

PokerStars Game #8705396451: Tournament #44303079, $4.00+$0.40 Hold'em No Limit - Level XIV (1500/3000) - 2007/03/02 - 17:11:51 (ET)

Table '44303079 3' 9-max Seat #9 is the button

Seat 2: RikyRicardo (156780 in chips)

Seat 9: Fesche (113220 in chips)

RikyRicardo: posts the ante 150

Fesche: posts the ante 150Fesche: posts small blind 1500

RikyRicardo: posts big blind 3000*** HOLE CARDS ***

Dealt to RikyRicardo [3h Jc]RikyRicardo said, "yehaa"

Fesche: raises 6000 to 9000RikyRicardo: calls 6000*** FLOP ***

[5c As 4s]RikyRicardo: checks Fesche: bets 15000RikyRicardo: calls 15000*** TURN ***

[5c As 4s] [3d]RikyRicardo: checks Fesche: checks *** RIVER ***

[5c As 4s 3d] [7s]RikyRicardo: bets 39000Fesche: folds RikyRicardo collected 48300 from potRikyRicardo: doesn't show hand *** SUMMARY ***Total pot 48300 Rake 0 Board [5c As 4s 3d 7s]Seat 2: RikyRicardo (big blind) collected (48300)Seat 9: Fesche (button) (small blind) folded on the River

QUADS!!!

RikyRicardo: posts the ante 150Fesche: posts the ante 150RikyRicardo: posts small blind 1500Fesche: posts big blind 3000*** HOLE CARDS ***Dealt to RikyRicardo [2c 2d]RikyRicardo: raises 9000 to 12000Fesche: raises 76920 to 88920 and is all-inRikyRicardo: calls 76920*** FLOP *** [Ts 2s 2h]RikyRicardo said, "quack quack"*** TURN *** [Ts 2s 2h] [Kc]RikyRicardo said, "ohhhhh"RikyRicardo said, "sick"*** RIVER *** [Ts 2s 2h Kc] [Th]RikyRicardo said, "gg"*** SHOW DOWN ***Fesche: shows [Ah Jc] (two pair, Tens and Deuces)RikyRicardo: shows [2c 2d] (four of a kind, Deuces)RikyRicardo collected 178140 from pot

keep on Truckin'

2007-02-26T07:53:00.000-08:00

Another Victory and a lot learned. I keep building leads, and being above average, but then blowing them off... so I looked inwards. I am a very aggressive player, especially early. I stab at a lot of pots, and raise in position with a lot of hands, and even raise out of position depending on the table.... this allows me to build my stack, with some gambling chips. I do this pretty well for about a hour into the tourny. I also go through a lot of swings, being in the lead, down, then average, then down, then lead... which is ok, because I know people want to pay me off, because I raise so much. So why am I not winning... well in the later stages of the tourny I need to adjust a little bit, and observe the table a little more. I need to slow down on the aggressive just a bit, and play a little more tricky poker. Not always continuation bet, and not raise out of position. I need to slow the gears down, and then pick it up when we get near the bubble. I also need to not play more the 3 or 4 tournies at a time. I think 3 is ideal for me. I find, I make bad decisions when I have to many screens open.

As for my goal of reaching $1,000 for then end of the this week, I hit $293(Stars) and $424(UB), so a total of $717. I blew a couple of good chances on the weekend, either playing to tired or making bad decision. I also blew $30 in buy-ins in tournies I didn't want to play, or new I shouldn't play.

I had 3 good finishes this weekend, taking down a $4.4 180 man SnG on Stars, it was great, I had a bunch of www.jackseven.ca people railling me. Thanks to all of you. I also finished 20th in a $3500 rebuy on UB (I should have finished higher, but I decided I was comitted to a hand when I should have let it go (trips)). I finished 12th in another $4.4 180 on stars yesterday, I took a gamble with this hand... this guy had been pushing back at me a lot

I($15,000) have Q6s in BB, and the CO(8000) raises min(1600), so I call... flop comes 1 heart, 98 2 , I check call a 1/3 pot(2000) size bet, I called because I put him on weak continuation bet... turn was Kh, I insta pushed hoping he was on an A... he tanked and called with AK, and I didn't hit... so I got short stacked...

I think I will take tonight off, I am tired... and I know all the $5.5 27, 45 and J7 Sng I blew off some steam with last night because I was exhausted.

On a sad note... I have to go put my cat(mom's cat) down today at 3PM.... he has been the cat for the last 14 years, and now it is time...

New goal for the week, is to have a BR of $1500.
and I will make $10K in March online.

first bump in the road

2007-02-23T08:06:00.000-08:00

Last night I continued to do well... but I did made a few key mistakes.

In all the tournies 7 in all I was short stacked and big stacked. In each of them... I made a play and got caught.

in the 4.4 I bubbled in both, 21st, and 19th...

1) I over played a small PP and I knew I was behind... I did not need to play the hand overly aggressive.

2) the other one, I kept getting caught stealling, and ran into a the wrong end of a race..

I didn't give up and both times, I could have coasted into the money but I don't want to just place... I want to win... I need to win.. I got all my money in ahead in both tournies, but I wouldn't have had a caller if it were not for the 2 errors above.

I played a triple shoot out, and coasted through the first table. ON the second table, I ran into one guy who wouldn't let me run the table, and gave inspiration to others at the table to not let me bully... ok change gears.. slow down and wait for hands, I bring my short stack (350) into the chip lead into heads up. I had 70% of chips in play. Then I got back handed by the deck... I had my AA cracked, however, I should have raised pre flop, but I gambled. the board came TJ3, I bet and got called, turn was a 9... so ugly... check check... he leads a blank on the river and I just call, he rolled over J9(ugh). His name was Phileatspoo, and the next hand I raised button with 87s, he calls, flop comes 9TX I bet, he calls, turn is a 7... I bet he moves in... I feel really committed to this pot, and I am get 5:1... so I call, and he shows j8...

In the Monkey tourny, I busted early, because I tried to push against the current against VA players, then I over played top pair and ran into a str8

I know on UB I lost the 3 tournies I played thier too... didn't let go when I should have, and knew it.

At the end of the night I went over the games, and realized, I should keep raising, but learn to slow down, and not over invest in small PP. I want to win, I want a chip lead, I want to win. I will continue on my goal of $1000 by Monday Morning, and $100,000 by Dec 31.

I am a great player, and play great when I focus and am well rested. I will play great tonight, pay attention and win my tourny.

what a rush

2007-02-22T08:33:00.000-08:00

Ok,

After my little blow up, I needed break, and flew from site to site, looking for something. I just was really bored, and frustrated. Anyhow... I landed at www.PKR.com, which is pretty cool looking site with a decent amount of players, but really good graphics. The problem, was the graphics where too much for my graphic card. I cashed out, and went to FullTilt, I don't think I ever played much there in the past, and other then some of high limit games, I wasn't over impressed. The had some really affordable satelites. of which I won one, and played in a Omaha tourny, which I missed, a bunch of draws late, and finish OTM.

I moved back to Stars and bought in for $50. I decided to play PLO not H/L which I normally do. I have done well, playing 005-0.10 and 0.10-0.25 I have managed to consistently win. I play with focus and try my best to exploit the new raw meat that exisists in the game of 2007-2008. People are getting bored with holdem, and love the idea that they can play with 4 cards, instead of 2... they just don't get it.. and I love it... so I built my BR upto $90.

UB then dropped me $25 as part of my rake back agreement, so I went back, and continued playing omaha, and built it to just over $60, then I heard about the "Secret", which is mental exercise I know about and used to practice a lot, however I fell out of the rythm... in short it is telling yourselve that things work out, and you don't have to worry. It is putting yourself mentally where you want to be. So here is my BIG Announcement:

I will have a $100,000 BR by year end. I have never been more confident in my abilities, I feel I am reading people better then ever, I am able to focus at the table, I haven't tilted to a bad beat once, I am winning coin flips... this will come true, and the reason is confidence. I know this will happen.

I made some other decisions in my life, but I will announce those later.

So after deciding I was going to have a $100,000 BR, I then had to figure out how I was going to do that. I did by sitting in some MTT's. So Sunday night I took $15 (BR management), and entered all the $3, $5 and $1 Mtt's on UB... I busted in 2, and won the $5 $1000 guar(ended up being $1400, for $365. This was my first and biggest win online in real Mtt since 2005. That's a long time. I followed that up with a 4th and 18th place finish the next day, netting me another $50 profit. I tired the same thing on stars on Tuesday night with no sucess. Then yesterday morning, I played in a 18 man (6 max) tourny on stars for $6.5 and took it down for $20something. Last night I sat down at UB and played some Omaha, and Mtt's and broke even in the Omaha, and lost the Mtt's but not without putting up a good fight, and clawing back from being short stack 2 or 3 times in each or the 3 I played. Stars was next up, and I entered a $5.5 45 man and the 4.4 180's. I finished 42nd in the 180, again battling back from short stacks. I won the 45 man for another $70 profit, and gave me a total uptick for the night of about $40.

I am become short stacked because I am playing aggressive, I a firing left and right at pots, and stealling a lot, and then I loose a race, or eventually get pushed out a pot. I get lucky as well, but I put myself in a position to gamble, I accumulate chips, and then call weak bets or push weak players, and end up racing a lot but only for a portion of my chips, and never for all on my chips. If I loose these scenario's I go back to being a little more conservative, and aggressive in position... It builds a great table image as a lucky maniac. I watched myst for a long time in Mtt's and that is how he wins, he build's his stack, keeps constant pressure, and gives himself some gambling chips.

At the end of the week I want to be $1000 online. Right now I am at $148(Stars) and $445(UB). Not bad... I am very happy with my play, and my good fortune... if you seriously want to know the "secret" and how it applies to life, leave me a comment or PM on Jackseven.ca

BIG IDIOT

2007-01-23T14:53:00.000-08:00

Ok, I can and often do critize myself for loosing control, and last monday was a doosie.... I blew over 65 BB in 2 session, 30 and then 35. I knew both times, and said out loud that I should quit after I was down 20-25, and crawled back up to 10 BB down.... anyways it was a bad night. I don't know how bad I played, I'd raise ATs on button or CO, and get re raised, call and flop tptk can call down and loose. I raise bluff, and re raise bluff, and they kept coming over the top, I had 2 pair run into 2 bigger pair, AA run into set, JJ, TT AK miss everytime, and get called down... I called/checked turns and rivers, missed a bunch of draws.... I looked at my stats after, and out of 300+hands, I got 1 walk on my blinds, I won 3 hands, and played 25%.... I lost my last 25BB playing short handed, I raised everyhand, and got called down or reraised by a donkey with a monster amount of chips (100BB), he hit the river 5 hands in row in which I was leading up until that point... it got so frustrating... I was so mad... I had the best hand everytime, and even though I am pretty sure I am beat, we capped pre flop, and flop and sometimes the turn, then I check call the river, and he shows runner runner or tp on the river or catches a second pair...

I took the rest of the week off online to cool down...

I played/donked WNP as I was still steaming 2 days later... and lost

I re loaded Saturday Night for $100 and decided to play a couple of sit and goes

I played a 20+2, 10+1 and then 2 MTT and won, came in 2nd, and cashed in all... not bad

Sunday I played with a buddy in a cash game, and could get away from a hand, I had str8, and it was clear the other guy hit a boat.... but I called off all my chips...

then I played my buddy heads 8 matches and won 3 lost 5, again, I'd call his hands and be right on, then they'd hit the river, and I'd fold and he would show... I played great, just couldn't get any traction

i also played a 10+1 BJ tourny and won!!!

The Weekend

2007-01-15T08:39:00.000-08:00

I love to play poker, it is always on my mind. I was pissed on Friday when I had 3 guys cancel and I was forced to Cancel the "RikyRoom Event". I went to CassJJ and quickly blew off a couple hundred play 0.25-0.5 giving my chips to the tight guys at the table... so I go into grind mode... playing lots of small pots and coming back slowly up up up... then I'd play a bigger pot and get cracked, loose a race or chop at the river... I had finally fun my stack back up to $130 when the following hand came up... I limped in mid w ducks... 4 callers... flop is 256 2 diamonds, I check to the 3 overly aggressive players behind me... the first one bets on cue... $4 into a $2 pot, the button goes all in for $18.5, and the BB calls, I tank... how do I play this... I think the BB is drawing... and give the Button top pair... the BB has about $40 more... I think he is committed, and what card am I going to be scared of... I push, and he tanks.. he says the only hand he doesn't want to see is a set, then he is really thin... he says "I think I call" "what do you have?", so I tell him he was right that I had a set, but he hadn't put his money in yet... FCK (I don't say anything)... he says he sorry he mislead me, and calls... the Button has 94d, and the BB has 8s7d, which puts me in great shape... his opened str8 lost 2 outs, I have the don't have the 2 of diamonds, so the flush lost 2 more diamonds, I am a 66% favorite to scoop. Turn is a Tc, river is a 4... ouch I loose it all... it was over a $150 pot, which would have put me up for the night... Oh well... I played pretty poorly, calling against some rocks, and folding to the aggressive players, and on another big hand I folded preflop to a raise from CassJJ and re raise by a super aggressive Johny... I would have flop a set, and bust 2 guys. I folded becasue I didn't like CassJJ raising, as he had been quite all night... he mucked right after. HAd I know this, I would have easily called. The guy that won the pot, was on his last life.. and went on a mad rush, taking a -$200 deficit and turning into $555 profit... sick...

I didn't play again until last night... and again pissed money away bluffing away at low limit limit holdem... I know better then this... I also find myself bluffing without position too much... I have the lead, but what do you do when you get raised. At the end of the night I was ahead $60 or 15 BB for about 2 hours worht of work... had I not bluffed 2 major pots when I was cleary beat, I would have won 25 BB.

I am almost done reading "Aces and Kings" and will give a full break down when I complete it.. within a few days...

I have my log book in the car... which I need to bring in...

The only part I don't have logged is my live play...but here is a summary

Dec WNP win $300 Profit
Dec Gan $4-$8 Limit + $250 (after travel expenses)
Jan WNP -$40
Jan WNP 3rd $50 profit
Jan CassJJ 0.25-0.5 NL - $140

Net Profit Live +$420

not much updating, but I have logged and tracked every day

2007-01-14T20:39:00.000-08:00

today I won $62 playing FL 2-4 and lost $4.4 playing 2 boutny tournies
I started the day with $235 BR, I need this because I lost my Thursday night results, I won, I think $49. I will updated more sometime this week... I can' bluff at this level, and shouldn't because that is how I loose money... I blew off 10 big bets tonight bluffing/

were do I stand

2006-12-20T16:31:00.000-08:00

Seperate post every day
Overall
$38.78/400 = 9.7%
$3.9/$400 = 0.975%
$3,18/400 = +0.80% Omaha
$1.40/400 = -0.35% Holdem
Today$0/400 = +0.00%
Omaha$3.90/400 = -0.975% Holdem

Operation Continues Day 2

2006-12-20T16:24:00.000-08:00

So I didn't play last night.. I was just too tired... I went to bed at 10PM... which is super early, I woke up at 5:30AM this morning, wide awake, and didn't need to be up for an hour. I played. I played 0.01-0.02 NLH, the same game I'd lost the last time I played. I bought in to the first table for $1, and cashed out $2.79, and a 0.20 bonus. I played aggressive, and never needed to push on the first table, I think I still need to work on my river game... I can't bet for value as well as I'd like to. I played this table until 6AM

6AM-6:30 I played another table, with a bunch of super loose maniacs... calling all in raises with A8o or Q8o.... I lost 1 buying, and then I realized, this idiot will call if I insta push. I need to play the odds, I had my KK cracked, but double through on Trips, and pushing preflop with 99 and they both held... I cashed out up $1.6 and clearing a 0.30 bonus. then I got ready for work.... I have more notes at home.. I will try to add them later.

were do I stand

2006-12-18T21:45:00.000-08:00

Seperate post every day
Overall
$34.88/400 = 8.7%
$1/$400 = 0.25%
$3,18/400 = +0.80% Omaha
$2.50/400 = -0.625% Holdem

Today
$3,18/400 = +0.80% Omaha
$2.50/400 = -0.625% Holdem

Operation Bankroll improvement

2006-12-18T21:29:00.000-08:00

Day 1. I played a great game of Omaha... First hand I got it all in preflop with KKAJ double suited and won, next hand I double again hitting the boat on the river, but pushing with a set, and nut flush draw into a possible straight. I ended up $3.18 and played from 11:20ish until midnight

I then sat down at a holdem table, and proceeded to to get bad beat/play badly and lost $2.50. I would raise with by far the best of it, and get run down, and not get away from my hand, or continue to push into the jackal, until he'd run me down.

End $34.88 +$1

I decided that I must appreciate the way I am playing before I will allow myself to play higher limits. I must want to win regardless of stakes, and learn to control tilt, even subtle tilt. I have to learn to suck up my ego, and regain self control. I want to win so badly it often effects my decision making process, to the point I hear myself saying "one Time for RIKY" WTF is that! I want to get lucky.... I should not want to be unlucky. Big difference. I feel a lot of inner rage, when I play, and need to learn how to redirect it to be positive force in my game, not a detrement.

Tonight, I pushed to hard against the guy who kept running me down... I should have bounced and saved my money for a time I was running better or not so frustrated with getting run down... I pushed harder then I should have. Lessoned learned.

I will play again tommorrow and try the same thing... play both holdem and omaha.

trying to find some consistency

2006-12-18T20:24:00.000-08:00

I have had a horrible year playing poker... I believe this is my first loosing year since 1999, the first year I ever played. I used to be able to play live and win consistently and online I would keep good control over my bankroll... but this year I haven't put together any type of consistent rush or winning record for more then a week... I have to refocus.. if you read my blog, this has been a consistent theme... hey I did have consistentency.

I set a challenge for myself: Turn my $33.88 into $400... simple no time line, simply play 0.01-0.02 until I hit $100, with a $1 buy in, either PL Omaha or NL Holdem... then move to 0.02-0.05 until $200 with a $5 bring, then 0.10-0.25 until $400... real simple always have 20 buy in minimum... also I will be only adding $25USD to my bankroll every 2 weeks. I am going to focus on this... try to read more books, blogs, and online articles.... I know I am good enough, I just need to pay attention and think. I also want to keep much better records... regardless of winning or loosing.

Other Rules

Keep online session to less then 3 hours
Iwill try to update my thoughts before and after every session
I will update tonight... $33.88 starting roll

New Strategy

2006-11-29T14:29:00.000-08:00

So I haven't written in a while, and I have had much happen... I think I am down $50-75USD since the last time I wrote. That being said... I have a new strategy that I am test out on Stars... it is really simple... insta push with 4 hands... AA KK QQ AK... the only time loose money is when I am in the blinds and break from my strategy with marginal hands... with monsters... no problem. I am getting called about 1/3 of the time, and winning over 50% of those... which is really low.... it should gravitate to 70% ish over time... if I get AK as often as I get AA-QQ combined... I win 50% of show downs with AK (which is still low cause they call with KQs or AJo)
and I win 80% with my big pockets that would be = to 65%... now I believe those a low guessimates on the winning % but I will have to do the simulations

I broke from strategy the other night and here are the 2 examples....

On the Button with AKs I only raise to 4Xbb, when I should have pushed, the bb called and flop 2 pair, and I floped 1.... no improvement

In the bb A2s... I flop trips and should have either insta pushed or folded to the re raise instead of calling down..

with out those 2 missteps, I would have an earning rate of $7 an hour @ 0.10-0.25$ over 2000 hands... I can play upwards of 1500 hands per night 10-12 tabling. It is very fun, because you are only pushing monsters, and you don't loose much....

Here the basics of the strategy
Buy in Minimum and insta push with the above hands, you must stay at full tables
If you Triple up, you bounce

Adjustments I want to make
On the button and Cut Off to expand the hands to included AJs, AQ, 99, TT, JJ, maybe even PP down to 66
In CO-1 and -2 included AQ and JJ
Everywhere else AA KK QQ AKs

Grinding away with no sleep

2006-11-02T06:43:00.000-08:00

Last night was a short 1.5 hour session. I played NL 5 draw again, along with some sitn Go and some ring games.

Good news I got 2 tourney sponsorship from www.PokerPayDay.com. They gave me $33 to play any $10+1 Guarenteed tourny then they will give me more to play another tourny. I think I will play the Noble(has to be on www.NoblePoker.com) the $1000 guar tonight and go out and buy a red bull before I sit down. I know how to play a short stack, but opt not play properly and give up when I am tired.

I lost money playing NL 5 Card, seems they kept drawing trips or str8s or full houses. I lost a huge $4 playing this. I am still learning... yesterday I'd put it all in with naked AAs pre draw, but not today.

I played a couple of 10 minutes 0.10-0.20 NLH last night I bought in for $14 and cash out $21. I made a great move on a flop, it was raised to $1 from the button, so I called with 86s. Knowing he could have a wide range, but decided if a A or K hit the flop I could check raise him off his hand. I did just that, as the check raise represents more strength then a Bullet fired at the pot. He bet $2, I raised to $8(pot) and he folded. I made a full house, and fired the whole and made another few $$.

I played a bunch of Sit and Gos. On Stars I got a "only on Stars" rush and entered heads up play with 10:1 chip lead. I pushed and pushed until I won. I lost the other 3 I played, but it wasn't bad beats or bad luck, it was tired and stupid play. I ended the night on stars down $3 and $5 on Poker123.

End of the night I lost $3 on Poker 123, and $3 on Stars. I lost because I couldn't make good decisions.

Another new promise to myself

2006-11-01T07:55:00.000-08:00

if I ever want to improve my results I need to start tracking them, find out where I am making money, and where I am loosing money. 2006 is looking like it will be my first loosing year since I started. I have been very frustrated, and anixious with regards to poker. I don't feel the comfort at the table, either online or live that I used to. At one point I knew (or atleast I thought) I knew what I was doing, and now I can't stop thinking "what the fuck I am supposed to do here". It used to be so simple, but as the players get better, I seem to be having a drought. So here we go again. I will post in my blog everyday I play. I will track my overall results on my blog every day. I will post one hand I played properly, and one I think I could have changed.

Let's start last night. I started at a new site last night, with 50% rake back YAY... never actually recieved rake back before. I have a limited bankroll... so I bought in for $100CDN or $88 USD.

I played 3 different types of games.

1. 0.10-0.20 NL 6 handed. I ended down $35. The first interesting hand came up after I had built my stack to $32 from $18.88 (made my bankroll even). I got dealt KK in mid UTG +1. I raised to $1.20. We had a very loose passive table, except one player who limped UTG, and we also had 2 new posts(Dead BB) behind me. I thought this is great, nobody is going to believe I have a real hand. I get 2 callers, the aggressive player UTG and the button. The flop comes 387, rainbow. UTG Fires all in $8.7.... I know if he is touching he will bet this way... I give him something touching, like T7s, or AX or 98s. If he had hit 2 pair, he most likely would have checked, knowing I am going to fire at least a continuation bet. So I decide I am going to raise and isolate... I don't want any draws coming in... and I push to $30, the button insta calls, which scares me a little. Now the pot is $50 and we are all in. I get a perfect turn the K. Trips yay, and a harmless 4 hits the river. UTG shows T8s, I show trips and the button shows 56o... WOW I almost fall out of my chair... he called all that money to hit a str8... wow... I reload as fast as can be. I reload another $20 really quick...

The last hand I get a little gun shy... I raise the button with 98s to $1. I get 1 caller. The board comes 9A7, 1 spade, the BB fires $1. I call (I should have raised). Turn is GIN, 8spades. He fires $4, and I call fearing he has AX and might be ahead. River is another spade... now he fires another $4.... and has about $3 behind, so I push him in. He calls and shows k7s... now had I raised more on the flop or the turn I think I could take it down there, rather then letting him catch up

2.I played some $5 sit n go, 1 I busted 6th(6 man winner take all), I won 1 6 man (19.5$ for 1st), then played some $2 and won both the 3 man and 6 man ($6 and $7).

3. I played 0.03-0.06 NL single draw. I lost $4 playing that, as I wasn't quite sure what was good enough to call with and to raise with... I will continue to pratice at the cheap levels... it is fun and a nice break.

Conclusion: I lost focus a lot last night, I was a little tired, and because of that I ended up loosing $21.88 dollars.

total invested: $100
Total Loss MTD: $21.88
Total Rake Back: ??
total BR: 67.00

Finally Getting it

2006-09-21T06:52:00.001-07:00

This week has been a good one. I have mentioned I needed to go back to basics. So I did. I have changed my style from god knows what to a much tighter one. I still call suited connectors but only in good position, and I set hunt a lot. here is a summary of the week.

Monday -- Pstars -- $11 $55K guar. I placed 125th out of 1500. I made an error raising and then calling utg with KQs to get busted. I was short and should have either pushed or folded. I had a few other errors, but never risking to much. I had my AA cracked once and became short stacked with 400 players left. I grinded and waited for opportunities and got to the money with 1/2 of the average stack. I played really tight only seeing 10% of flops, but it was such a donkey fest, I could get away with this, by getting paid on all my big hands.
I played a $6.5 sitngo and finished 3rd.

Total uptick $80

Tuesday... I only made $20 but played a lot of tournies, got JJ cracked, Raced my AK and AQ and lost. I played heads up sitngo and won 5 matches, which is what made the night profitable.

Wednesday I played @ the UpperCutClub and made $90 in a 1-2 ring. I played uber tight, I had this guy that every time I limped, would raise in the dark, and never look at his cards, until he was raised a lot. It kept me in line all night. I went set hunting and called some suited connectors. I only got cracked once, I made a put $70 into a $80 pot, and board of 7892 2 hearts on board... I had the nut str8, and he had a 9 high flush draw... he caught but that was ok. I reloaded and didn't get cracked again. No luck, just good acting, betting sometimes, slow playing hyper aggressive players.

Finally Getting it

2006-09-21T06:52:00.000-07:00

I quit again... but this time for real

2006-09-07T20:40:00.000-07:00

I am ending on a up note... no more poker for 1 month... except my home game... for 1 month, until I finish the 2 courses I am doing... I need to do this, and, even though I won 3 of the last 5 sessions, and am positive for the week, but not year, I feel it is a good idea to end on a high note.

Cheers see you in a month

A little lost

2006-08-25T10:26:00.000-07:00

I don't think I tilted, I don't think I played bad, I don't think I over played anything. I think I got caught in a few bluffs, and lost when I was way ahead....

Hand 1: Omaha High: I called in SB with 8876 single suite.... flop was 863 2 diamonds, we had 4 callers, with only 9 players left in tourny... top 5 got paid... top 9 won a seat to something... I don't know what though... so I bet pot wanting to end it here... I was 2nd in chips.... the only callers is the Chip leader. Turn is 9s giving 2 spades, and 2 diamonds. I bet pot again, hoping he has an over or a diamond draw and he re raises me.... oops... I insta call knowing I am pot committed... and for my tourny life.... he had T7J3, and turned the gut shot str8 with the flush draw and pair... that sucks...

Hand 2: NL holdem, with the remaining $20 bankroll at AP I buy in and bully and push the table around pretty easily... so I find myself heads up with someone... he starts to raise a lot, then finally I get AKs and he raises as per usual... I re riase all in... and he insta calls, he has QT... TT on flop and my night is done

Down tick $64

Off to UB

2-7 low ball draw... I kept getting caught bluffing or getting drawn out on... 3 times I run into the nut low when I have a 7 low on the 2 draw... and we capped it... he rivers the nuts I battled though and only lost $25 at a 1-2$ draw game where 5 times I lost $40 pots with monster hands they hit on the river... or made stupid calls... I stand pat on turn, and call with 22 or Ace high... WTF

$5 heads up.... I get my aces cracked 2nd hand in lol... thats all she wrote so I went to bed.

Down tick -$34

don't know what happened

2006-08-25T09:57:00.000-07:00

I don't think I tilted, I don't think I played bad, I don't think I over played anything. I think I got caught in a few bluffs, and lost when I was way ahead....

Hand 1: Omaha High: I called in SB with 8876 single suite.... flop was 863 2 diamonds, we had 4 callers, with only 9 players left in tourny... top 5 got paid... top 9 won a seat to something... I don't know what though... so I bet pot wanting to end it here... I was 2nd in chips.... the only callers is the Chip leader. Turn is 9s giving 2 spades, and 2 diamonds. I bet pot again, hoping he has an over or a diamond draw and he re raises me.... oops... I insta call knowing I am pot committed... and for my tourny life.... he had T7J3, and turned the gut shot str8 with the flush draw and pair... that sucks...

Hand 2: NL holdem, with the remaining $20 bankroll at AP I buy in and bully and push the table around pretty easily... so I find myself heads up with someone... he starts to raise a lot, then finally I get AKs and he raises as per usual... I re riase all in... and he insta calls, he has QT... TT on flop and my night is done

Down tick $64

Off to UB

2-7 low ball draw... I kept getting caught bluffing or getting drawn out on... 3 times I run into the nut low when I have a 7 low on the 2 draw... and we capped it... he rivers the nuts

$5 heads up.... I get my aces cracked 2nd hand in lol... thats all she wrote so I went to bed.

Down tick

Online highs and Lows

2006-08-23T11:30:00.000-07:00

Sunday Night... I build my bankroll on Absolutepoker (courtesy of www.instantbankroll.com) from $50 up to $110 in 5 hours of play at 1/2 limit (playing within my means)... playing solid poker... but then I run into a number of Small PP and end up taking them to far on raises and loose enough to bring me down to $85

On UB I buy into my favorite tournies $5 $4K guar, $5 mini (100 player max) and the $1 rebuy 2.5K guar. I end up at the first break at the top of the leader board... but manage to over play 88 in all three... and bust in 2.

Hand 1: $4k guar... I am dealt T7s in BB it is raised pot, so I call and we take the flop 3 handed... I flop GIN 689 2 hearts... I fire pot, and get raised... well I am not busting on the first hand so I call... as does the 3rd player... Turn is K... great card from me, I bet weak, and raised and re raised... I cap all in... both calll..... Player 1(raiser pre flop and flop) has AQs hearts, player 2 has A7clubs???? river is a blank, and I triple up... I flop 888 later and gave away most of my stack... so I grinded and grinded and built back up to the average with 100 players left out of 450 starting....

Hand 2: I push on button with AQs, 2 limpers blinds and antes are in place... I get called by QJo from BB (about average stack)..... I bust 99th

In the rebuy I busted shortly after the break, not being able to connect my AK Vs 77 and KQs Vs QJs... oh well

In the mini, I end up getting short stacked, and push with K7s and almost triple up, then I flop a set and then I slow play AA heads up, only to get it all in on the flop against AK and double up to make the top 5... top 10 get paid... then I courtesy double him up the next hand with QT Vs A3... I ended up getting caught because I played my KQs poorly, not re raising when 4 handed, and his weak bets kept me in... I ended up loosing 2.3rd of my stack... and ended the next hand when he raised, I went all in with ATs, he rolled AJ and held... $50 up tick

Last night... I won $20 playing 0.25-0.5 2-7 draw, lost in my tournies... over played weak hands, and didn't know how close to the money we were.. however for the most part I played the short stack very well, and didn't really get any luck on my side

At AP I lost $30 playing 1.2 limit mostly by overplaying and going to far with my PP

Continuation....

2006-08-23T09:06:00.000-07:00

Saturday I go back to this same club and the good news ends... I loose control... I don't follow my instincs... and blow $270 ouch.... but I got lucky in that I got away from a running a red light ticket on my way home....

Hand 1: 5 players limp pre flop and jackal raises from late... in the BB I see 55. I call as does 3 others, we see it 5 ways. I get a really good flop 643 2 clubs... and super tighty to my left bets pot about $25... everyone fold to me... I know I should pop him back... I just feel it... but say if a safe card falls on the turn I will fire away, I know safe cards are red five, 2,3,4,6,7, even an 8... well the worst card falls 5 of clubs... it completes so many possible draws.... I check, and say if he bets smallish I will re raise all in, but he instantly goes all in... now I think, I have seen him play ace suited upfront and make stupid raises pre flop, which he didn't do... but try to put him on a hand... think maybe kX(paint) with a club... maybe the str8 and flush draw... fuck! I say out loud and think I have $120, if I fold I am still ahead of my buy in, but if I call and am ahead I am way ahead now with $400 infront of me... and even if I am behind I still have outs... I want to fold so bad, but just can't do it... he had QJc and I didn't hit... I should have folded.

Hand 2 I re load for $70 more and the very next hand I look down and T9o... I limp call in the SB... the board comes KJ7 I have a double belly buster str8... I fire $8 at a $10 pot... and the maniac to raises way to much re raises to $30.... again I should fold and know I am behind... but instead my semi pissed off at myself decides to re raise all in... he insta calls K2o.... what an idiot...

Hand 3: I get dealt 99 in BB and have built another $90 buy back to $280... a tight player raises to $12... 3 callers so I call, know I can get paid off if I hit. Board is Shitty to hit a set J9T 2 clubs... I check, and orginall raiser bets $15... so now their is over $50 in the pot... it is folded back to me... so I re raise to $75... and he calls the turn is 3 of clubs and I bet $80 into $200 dollar pot, he goes all in... I still have roughly $100+ in front... I tank... I don't think he has KQ unless it is suited in clubs which is killer... he may have a big pair AA KK even JJ which would really suck... but he also might have AKs... which is what I am afraid of... I fold and he shows me Ace of Clubs... maybe a good fold maybe not... but he had lots of outs, 9 clubs, 3 Queens or maybe he had AA which would give him 2 As.... and based on the cold deck I mucked... he later told me he had AA

Hand 4: I raise in mid with AQo and get 3 callers... flop comes Qhigh... and this little old lady bets... and I put her on a weak Q.... I call as does the jackal maniac... Turn is a T this time I decide to raise her all in... the maniac calls which scares me, and she does as well... at show down the maniac show 87s for an inside str8... she show TT for a set ouch

Hand 5: I have like $40 left, and raise all in with 99 pre flop and get 4 callers... great if I can hold up... I flop and set, and they check around, runner flush for someone and that spells the end...

More about online to come

No Self Control

2006-08-21T08:36:00.000-07:00

Ups and downs this weekend...

Friday night: I leave the house at 2AM to go play 0.5-1 at a local club... I had 2 naps since 5PM and was very well rested.... I sit in, to the right of the most aggressive player... and loose the first pot, however I did get away from AK in this hand and in only cost me 10%.... so I request a seat change to be on his left... great move... I proceed to be the aggressor against all except him, unless I had position. I had 2 big hands and no major errors...

Hand 1: I raise out of the cut off to $6 with K9s... and get re raised by a fairly tight player, but who can't let go a hand... so I call the $15 total bet... flop comes 954 rainbow and he fires $25... I call, turn is Q, now he checks... I think... if he had a queen would he try and trap or fire... this player I think would fire away at this pot... but I think he might have a slightly higher PP then my 9s so I check... River is a great card.. another Q... he fires $50 into the $80 pot... smells wierd... I re think the hand... he re raised, bet the flop... check the turn... smells like AK or small PP... I start talking to him... and say if he had a TT or JJ he would have fired a bullet at the Q on the turn.... so see where he is at... he definetly doesn't have AA or Q or KK... and he stop breathing for 30 seconds... that is when I knew for sure... I called, but should have re raised... he shows AJs

Hand 2: I raised out of UTG +1 to $8 with AKs... and get 3 callers, I flop top pair and flush draw... doesn't get much better, so I check... free card isn't going to hurt me... someone fires $25 at the pot... a weak aggressive player.... something just doesn't seem right.. he never fires pot.. he normally bet 2/3rd.... and he seems really confident... I smell set.... so I just call.... turn is an A so now I have top 2 and nut flush draw... I want to know where I stand... and know he will re raise with set, but if I bet it right he will let me stick around with minimal raise... I bet $25 1/3rd... and he raises to $50.... I call. River is the best card for me... K... no way he is getting away.... I fires $50... he instantly goes all in... I call and was right he had 666...

Saturday: Disaster strikes... I played horrible... and hit a cold deck.... more to come

Same Ol Same Ol

2006-08-09T20:29:00.000-07:00

Ok not really, but I went to the Loft tonight and proceeded to drop $200+ Here are the hands:

Tournie $60 -- AKs in BB, Cutoff raises, he is really aggressive, however he mentioned that he gives up on the turn. he raises big to 200, blinds are 20-40, I don't know how to play this... I think I should have re raised, then if comes over the top, I can fold. But instead I smooth call and we get 5 way action. The flop come T43 2 spades... I idiot check... he fires 500 at the pot... kinda weak... were am I bet... but again I smooth call my flush draw, with full intention of pushing on the turn... but I check the turn and he pushes... long at short I am getting 2-1 with 2 overs, and the odds are correct... so I call, and miss and his flopped top pair holds

Ring $100 limped around 5 way, so I raise to 12 and get called in 2 spots... I have shit... but wanted to steal it. The flop comes 245 someone bets 10 so I raise to 32... I sense weakness... he calls... I know he doesn't like his hand... so when the K comes on the turn I push... he goes into the tank for like 3 minutes... and finally calls with 77... how he called with that... the only thing he can beat is a total bluff... so down tick 100

Ring $100
call off standard raises of 10-12 with pocket pairs 66, 99, 77, KQs, ATs until I have $40 left... I tilt raise with KTs and get called in 5 spots... I flop the nut str8 with a rainbow... and insta push... and get called by a set of JJ and the board pairs the river... I go home.

Finally Scored A Win

2006-08-09T11:19:00.000-07:00

After my post last night... I told myself to stop playing like an idiot and take my time. I set out a few rules for myself and posted them on the wall infront of PC.
1. DO NOT USE AUTO ANYTHING
2. HIGHER STANDARDS UP FRONT... NO SUITED CONNECTORS
3. BACK TO WHERE I STARTED (LIMIT)
4. BREATH AND DON'T STRESS... IT IS SUPOSED TO BE ENJOYABLE
5. TIGHT AGGRESSION

So I listen to "the Grinder" on the circuit... and he made a great point "Amateurs fires at pots to be aggressive, not for a good reason, like the guy will lay it down", and it sunk home. A repeating problem for me, is forcing action, betting instead of taking free cards with inside str8 draws, or over cards... SO I STOPED... I waited patiently for good hands or good position against weak tighties. I can't go back to basics, but I can bring my game back to a level I am comfortable. I also agreed not use internet casinos anymore... I know you can't win, so why bother. I am breathing easier today, and am more relaxed. When I lost pots since my last post, I didn't try to win them back, I waited to play the next playable hand.

I also went back to Limit... I am a better limit player then no-limit. I will still play NL, but I will try to focus on my limit and tourny skills until I can always beat those games.

No interesting hands, just played str8 forward, mixed in a few check raises, and small traps, but mostly I bet when I had it, and checked when I didn't. Made a few first card raises too....

I found the problem

2006-08-08T20:58:00.000-07:00

At this point I am not playing very well, and going through a rough patch... The problem is I need to go back to basics, but I know to much to do that... I need to clear my head, and stop hoping to hit, or steal pots or gambling... simple ABC poker is more then enough to win online. I keep trying to make moves, and get frustrated. I want to win so bad, I forget about playing properly, and patiently. Poker is a talent... which I believe I have at times... but other times I can't focus, yet still play and I know this is wrong. Right now, the frustration of playing incorrectly and continuously making mistakes is depressing me. I believe my financial situation is also holding me back... that my bankroll can't afford the swings my play has been giving it. When I was playing well, almost a year ago, I had the money to loose, and right now I don't have it. So I gamble more, hoping to get lucky... I don't know what I am going to do... because I want to play so bad, yet I know I can't afford much more. I need to do some research, so I think tomorrow, it is back to Tony Robbins to get some focus back in my life and my game.

Running Good

2006-08-01T20:29:00.000-07:00

I started playing at another site www.CrazyPoker.com. I deposited $50 on Saturday Night after I lost $150 on Party... which I was a 70% in my last 6 hands... lol what can you do. I did win a seat the Monster Tourney... but I couldn't win anything else. So anyways I did buy into this site. I played 5 and 10 man sit and go's and built my BR upto $99, so I thought I would take my orginal buy in off the table, but was told I couldn't until I cleared my bonus. I needed to play 200 raked hands at 0.25-0.50 or higher... shit I only have $99 dollars. I do what I think is neccessary and buy in for $5 on 5 tables, and win $40, by not getting sucked out on. On Monday I play another 5 table session while I listen to the www.cardplayer.com/thecircuit and log another 75 raked hands and win another $30.

Today was monsterous, I won just under $100 and played enough hands to get my bonus. I know have a BR of over $250 plus my bonus still coming.

I sucked out only once to my knowledge, and that was an all in pre flop with KK Vs AA and I hit my Kowboy. I will update more often with a little more strategy and thought... but I needed to give a quick update. I am off on Vacation next week, so I should be logging a tone of hours.

Been a long time

2006-08-01T11:13:00.000-07:00

So I lost hope for a while, then got lazy... but needless to say I am back blogging... will continue either tonight or tomorrow morning...

Cheers

so I said I would still post

2006-07-05T14:00:00.000-07:00

I finished Erik Lindgren's book "Making the final Table"... what a book, it really gives you insight into top pros like Daniel, Erik, Chan, Gus and a guys like that.

He calls it "Chip accumulation Vs. Doyle's old mantra of survival" The book is really good. I know most people know this stuff but this is my blog

Raise all sorts of amounts and from all over the table... with anything with a chance i.e. 76s QQ from early, it really throughs your opponents off, especially when you hit... they never see it coming and then pay off the rest of the night. I put this to use on Friday in my home game. I had 64spades, and raised from the cut off after we had 4 limpers. The SB calls and the BB raise to 300 ( I had raised to 120) everyone calls, so I do to. The flop comes 5s7dQh, I am open ended, SB, BB UTG all check, then someone bets 600, 1 caller, I call, SB Fold, BB calls, UTG Re raises to 1800... it is folded to me... I am getting almost 4:1 on my money, but this call really commits me. If I hit, I am huge, I think the BB is calling to, so I call. BB Folds. Turn is JIN!!! 3s, completes my str8, and give me open ended... UTG pushes and I call, river is a 2s, str8FlushNUTS... UTG is really pissed, and ends up calling off all his chips(he rebuys) later with middle pair angainst my over pair.

It also goes into playing a monster stack, and taking advantage of weaker players at the table... pick and pick and pick...eventually they get mad and push with sub par hands... or slow play monsters that you can catch up on. He mentions varying your bet size depending you your hand and the board... ie is it draw heavy, then bet more, it's not, bet less. Instead of always bet the same... the theory is why loss more... or why not let people think you are weak... and try to bluff.

I think the biggest part of book, is talking about playing the player, let the aggressive players bet into you... and let the aggressive players know to stay out of your way... gamble a little. Raise alot, even if it min raises from UTG... take control of the table.... run over he weaker players, and stay away from better ones... this seems simple enough, but how often to you see it happen. I remember playing against JohnnyBax and try to play against him, instead of staying out of his way... short story, he took me out, with a better hand.

I would give this book 4/5 stars... easy read, and a different view on how to play tourneys. The only downfall is that it is designed for big stack events.

Ok that's it... I QUIT

2006-06-26T12:10:00.000-07:00

that's right, I quit online poker! I will quit until the last weekend of August... no reloads, no bonuses, no freerolls, no funny money... that's it! I need to do this, I am chasing losses, and everytime I get ahead, I gamble too much... I can't control it. I am also no longer willing to put in 3 or 4 hours to try to win $20.... I have been playing poorly, forcing action (betting to much), gambling hoping to get lucky too much... and I am mentally and phsycally exhausted. I need a rest. I find I am always tired, and lazy everywhere, from the table to work to home... so that's it I am done for now....

I still intend to play live once every 2 weeks at my home game, and every 4th week @ the loft, but no side action anymore... I will also play special events live... but those are rare and far and few between.

My blog will still be updated often, I will spend the extra time learning, reading and analysing scenario's and will be posting whatever I have read that day or couple days. I also want to do somethings around the new house, so that will keep me busy. and I have 2 courses I need to complete for work as well. I will give boring updates on those as well.

I want to focus and think of others things besides poker... it has been too much for too long... I will quit smoking this summer and give updates on that too... what I am doing to achieve my goal, and want to get back in the top 1% of planners at my work...

Good Riddens Online poker... for now.... but I will be back, and will be better prepared then I have been in a long time... I also think my return will be staggered... meaning I don't want to put nearly as many hours in anymore....

friday night fun... and taking a break

2006-06-24T22:44:00.000-07:00

Friday was good news bad news...

Start with the good. I finished 3rd in the loft tourny... I lost when I put my money in a huge favorite KT Vs T3... but I was short stacked and had been pushing everytime on his BB... I played well, waited patiently, stole a few... but no major hands, except the following... I was getting short with 11 players left, and looked down at AQ... I made a standard 3X raise and the BB Re Raised all in... I felt committed... so I called, I was monster leader.. Vs QT... so I win... and wait and steal, and wait and steal... nothing exciting.

Bad New #1
Played the ring game... and lost 2 big pots... with hands I shouldn't of even considered playing
the first 32o in the SB...caught a str8 456 ... I bet, and got called... the turn was Ts with completed the flush... I still fired heads up... and got re raised by all IN -- a huge re raise... I tanked... no way he has a 2 spades, does he have a set, or 87... I folded... and he showed the 87... what a read...

Then I played 57s on raise... caught a str8 draw on turn... bet it aggressively, went with my read, and never hit

I will post on my last online escaped online... and to leave you hanging... it's over at least for a while

one step forward then side to side

2006-06-23T06:27:00.000-07:00

Yesterday I had the day off from work, so I played Omaha 8. I had a good session another $20+ up tick so the re build continues.... I actually bet the crap out of a nut low draw, and str8 draw, and caught the lowest str8 on the river, with the nut low, so I bet all in, and got called in 2 spots, and SCOOPED! WTF??

That was the step forward... side to side is simple I was playing NLH and PLO8. No Limit I doubled through after going back and forth, up a few, down a few...

here is the hand in Omaha 8 that busted me... now I know bet your wraps, and easy on low but when you have both... well here it is
PokerStars Game #5337241124: Omaha Hi/Lo Pot Limit ($0.10/$0.25) - 2006/06/23 - 00:32:56 (ET) Table 'Nongoma' 9-max
Seat #2 is the button
Seat 1: eviltinkerer ($19.45 in chips)
Seat 2: NU Starnes ($23.20 in chips)
Seat 3: spacey42 ($4.60 in chips)
Seat 5: Sam I Am II ($26.65 in chips)
Seat 6: BadgerBrett ($2.90 in chips)
Seat 7: RikyRicardo ($11.60 in chips)
Seat 8: CANNlBAL ($4.75 in chips)
Seat 9: TD Kennels ($44.95 in chips)
spacey42: posts small blind $0.10 Sam I Am II: posts big blind $0.25
*** HOLE CARDS ***
Dealt to RikyRicardo [2c 5h 6s 4d]
BadgerBrett: calls $0.25
RikyRicardo: calls $0.25
CANNlBAL: calls $0.25
eviltinkerer: calls $0.25
spacey42: calls $0.15
*** FLOP *** [As 3h Jd]
BadgerBrett: bets $0.75
RikyRicardo: raises $0.75 to $1.50
Sam I Am II: raises $5.20 to $6.70
BadgerBrett: calls $1.90 and is all-in
RikyRicardo: raises $4.65 to $11.35 and is all-in
Sam I Am II: calls $4.65
*** TURN *** [As 3h Jd] [9h]
*** RIVER *** [As 3h Jd 9h] [Ah]
*** SHOW DOWN ***
Sam I Am II: shows [Jh 2s 5c Js] (HI: a full house, Jacks full of Aces)
RikyRicardo: mucks hand
Sam I Am II collected $16.55 from side pot
BadgerBrett: shows [3s 3d Ac Kd] (HI: a full house, Aces full of Threes)
BadgerBrett collected $9 from main pot
No low hand qualified
Sam I Am II said, "lol"
*** SUMMARY ***
Total pot $26.85 Main pot $9. Side pot $16.55. Rake $1.30 Board [As 3h Jd 9h Ah]
Seat 1: eviltinkerer folded on the Flop
Seat 2: NU Starnes (button) folded before Flop (didn't bet)
Seat 3: spacey42 (small blind) folded on the Flop
Seat 5: Sam I Am II (big blind) showed [Jh 2s 5c Js] and won ($16.55) with HI: a full house, Jacks full of Aces
Seat 6: BadgerBrett showed [3s 3d Ac Kd] and won ($9) with HI: a full house, Aces full of Threes
Seat 7: RikyRicardo mucked [2c 5h 6s 4d]
Seat 8: CANNlBAL folded on the Flop
Seat 9: TD Kennels folded before Flop (didn't bet)

REbuilding Beginins

2006-06-21T15:17:00.000-07:00

After pissing away 3/4 of my bankroll on Sunday I took a day off. I came back last night, and rather then try to make all back in one day... like I lost it, I knew that I needed to play within my means, so that I could play right... I sat down at a 0.1-0.25 PL O/8 and 2 tabled... I quickly won $10... and got off. I played a heads up match for $5 and lost a major race KQ Vs A8o. I then went to limit, and won the first hand with the 6d for a flush in a 4 way pot... then won the next one with AKs on a 4 flush board... the only caller folded to the 4th flush card... up $20... played one more round and nothing major... so I quit ahead... needed a winning session... total bankroll is $90. I am off the next 2 days, so I will be playing a tone of sitngo's... see what happens. I decided and noticed I play best at a table for about 1 hour, then I need to book it, that is when my attention span starts to slip...

Distaster Strikes

2006-06-19T07:11:00.000-07:00

Last night was a total disaster... I blew off 3/4 of my bankroll, 15X after telling myself to get off the PC... I played a cheapy tourny and blew out of that... then I sat down at 2/4 fixed limit, played too aggressive, had my good hands run into better ones, bluffed to much in the wrong spots, and then to compound things, I went and played 3/6 and lost again... I lost because I forced action... I know not to due this... it was stupid, I chased my losses, called to many bets without position or odds... I didn't wait for opportunities, but rather created them for others... Bad night $200 down tick!

Home Game... So much Fun!

2006-06-18T18:32:00.000-07:00

I love home games. I used to host a dealers choice years ago, some high Chi town, Omagaga, Guts...etc.... but now that it is all Texas Holdem I have come back to hosting again. I quit once I had my son, and didn't want to keep him up....

On Friday I hosted 20 guys, for a $40, plus $20 rebuy, plus $20 Add on. I took $20 out of the prize pool for costs.... It went really smoothly, I doadloaded poker clock software to run the tourny... adn we started on 9:30PM and ended at 3AM... We all started with 2500 chips, and things went nowhere for me. I tried to make a few plays and got cut off... so I tightened up... and targetted a few people that wanted to bust me... I re bought after my AQs ran into to aces... then Marcel Tried to Bluff me. I was in the BB with A2o, the came A44, I checked, it was a 3 way pot. Utg checked behind... Marcel bet pot. I went into the tank... I don't want to blow off all my only rebuy chips . But why would he bet, when we both showed weakness... let us catch up right.... so I called, so did the UTG... Turn was GIN an A.... I checked again... he fired again, this time I insta called and so did UTG... river was a 2, great only one hand beats me... now only one other of us can have the A... so how do I get the most value... check, utg checks and marcel fires 500.... do I raise... I don't want the weaker player folding... so I call and UTG folds... Marcel shows K high... he said he would fold to any raise... so I think my slow play and call was the best play, UTG felt my trap though,and let his small PP go.... that basically doubled me up...at the break I had regained the chip lead at my table...and by midnigth made the final... no short stacked, but far from the leader...

I forced to make some bad calls becasue I was priced in... I lost both times... now I was short stacked... then I caught AA and QQ and slow played to the aggressive idiots behind me, who when they raise, and feel the need to call my all in raise... double through 2X...now it's cruise control until the following with 6 left... in the small blind, a tight player who thinks he has a read on me is in the BB... it's folded to me,I have 54o... so I push... hegoes into the tank and calls... JTo... well at least I have 2 live ones... and I hit a 4 on the flop and hold the bad beat.... he has 900 chips left, and soon busts out in the SB... One more player goes out... then with 4 players left, I look down to see QQ... great standard 4X raise... button goes all in.... what,this is the same guys I saw call me with JT when I re raised earlier... but now he is re raising, I have him covered... he is pretty daring especially if he thinks I am bluffing so I call and he has JTo... YES!!! I am up to 56K.... ooops to soon... JT on the flop and I am down to 8K... well with the blinds 1500-3000 three all ins later I have 23 K.. but am still the short stack...

Then my demise... I have J6o in the BB... Flop Q62 Turn Qh with puts 2 flush on board... I push, no free rides... we all saw the flop... and no one has the Q I am sure... well Zach calls he loves his draws... and hit his heart...out in 4th, but got my money when I was way ahead... aside from my monster suck out with 6 left... I won $120 which is +$40, 3 heads up matches later, I am up 140 for the night... not bad... I made sure I made moves against the right players... set the right traps when needed...

Fixing my Leaks

2006-06-16T06:33:00.000-07:00

I grew up playing Fixed Limit Holdem, before the days of mass NL games. I believe that this is by far my strongest game. The reasoning is simple... I have no fear in FL. I can get the extra value out of my hands, by making that last bet on the river. There is not as much hoping to hit for me in FL as their is in NL. During my years playing FL has been profitable for me... I already know what hands I can play and were, I know how to play a rush (table Image). And I don't loose my hole bankroll on one hand. The last point is the one I want to explore.

Not Loosing My Hole Bankroll on One Hand....
In my first post I wanted to explore my strengths and weaknesses. I started tracking with PokerTracker again, so hopefully I dig a little deeper later. One of my biggest weaknesses is holding on to long... If I have pocket Q'S or even J'S I will call if nothing higher hits the board. I am trying to trust my read, but sometimes Q'S or J'S looks like Rockets... Even though my gut says fold, my brain says call. In No Limit this cause me to loose large pots, and win smaller ones. I have changed my style lately, to become very aggressive with position, strong holdings, or great drawing hands... I will raise early with 89s. So my aggressive style has lead to me to get into situations were I don't know where I stand in the hand... and call bets to see if I might be ahead... Fixed limit though, if I win a lot of small pots because I am leading the betting, and get trapped every now and then, it will only cost me one or two more BB, as oppose to my entire stack. This increase my confidence, which increases my concentration and my table image. I can use pot odds more effectively as well.

Improvement Required.

I will continue to use Omaha, Omaha/8, and FL as my bread and butter... but work on those weaker areas in my no limit game.

I will continue to practice my NL tournies as well, I like this opportunity to get big pay days with little risk. However, I still find myself blowing up a lot, and need to learn to control my aggression, and when to cease fire.

The objective in the next couple of months is to become a winning player at all 5 forms of poker.
NLH, FLH, TournyHoldem, Omaha, Omaha/8 and Rebuy satellites.

In the end, last night, I won a whopping $13... Total Bankroll is now $283. I played 2 rebuy tournies satellites, the WSOP 11:30PM Qualifier and the $1Million Qualifiers, and the $20K Guar ... I reloaded atleast 3 times in each, however, I had my money in with the best hand 7/9 times... and if people get lucky, what can you. I play pre flop poker for these, especially with strong hands... all in, and am amazed at what I get called with. This is a great way to cost yourself a fortune, but also to make a big stack early... I played NL 0.1-0.25 and lost $7, made a bad call with 2nd pair, with flush on board... lost $8 playing PL Omaha... one bad suck out... and made it all back + playing very aggressive FL 2/4... until next time

Omaha

2006-06-14T20:15:00.000-07:00

Omaha is one of those games you hope you don't get sucked out on and that you do the sucking. I have taken an approach to limp alot. It allows me to see a lot of flops cheaply, and you are never more then a 66% favorite pre flop. At micro limits, you are gonna get called either pre flop or post flop. Since I think I understand the game better then my weak oppenents at the micro level, limping is the smart play. I was watching my oppenents early in the game, and noticed how a couple would go all in with 2 pair and a 2nd best draw. I took advantage of this when I flop the 2nd nut straight, with a draw to the nut str8 and flush. I pounded back and got paid off, when he only had the 2nd nut flush draw. I managed to pull off a nice win during the omaha game at 2.5X my buyin woohoo $25 win.

My NO Limit holdem game though... I could let go of some hands. I posted them below. I think the AKs was a tough one, and was just a beat that has to be absorbed. In the end I put him on the same hand, or KQ... but never KK. My Queens should have been thrown away though. I felt in my gut he had an over pair. anyways here they are...

But first, in the end I ended the evening up $8. 00. It is a slow climb to the top. No limit is a game of patients, reading, and aggression. My winning at show down was an absilmal 25% UCK!. However my aggression was on tonight... I raised alot in position, thorugh a lot of hands away, and never really had a monster. I ended the night down NL of just 17.8... which I am ok with, I learned that I have to be able to slow down on my big pairs. I also got lucky 2X with A2s, it held against Kxo, and 87 cracked AA.
PokerStars Game #5256122542:
Hold'em No Limit ($0.10/$0.25) - 2006/06/14 - 22:06:32 (ET)Table 'Palisana' 9-max
Seat #8 is the buttonSeat 1: may50 ($9.75 in chips) Seat 2: loverboy73 ($14.35 in chips) Seat 3: xstar2 ($10.65 in chips) Seat 5: RikyRicardo ($14.30 in chips) Seat 6: wu shox ($24.65 in chips) Seat 7: jmcgriff73 ($18.80 in chips) Seat 8: sandraj5000 ($10 in chips) Seat 9: OK_Bandit ($22.25 in chips) OK_Bandit: posts small blind $0.10may50: posts big blind $0.25
*** HOLE CARDS ***Dealt to RikyRicardo [Qh Qd]
loverboy73: raises $0.50 to $0.75
xstar2: folds RikyRicardo: raises $0.75 to $1.50
luckeeduckee joins the table at seat #4
wu shox: folds
jmcgriff73: folds
sandraj5000: folds
jmcgriff73 is sitting out
OK_Bandit: folds may50: folds
loverboy73: raises $2 to $3.50... this is what told me what he had
RikyRicardo: calls $2
*** FLOP *** [7d 4s 4h]
loverboy73: bets $4
RikyRicardo: raises $6.80 to $10.80 and is all-in
loverboy73: calls $6.80
*** TURN *** [7d 4s 4h] [8h]*** RIVER *** [7d 4s 4h 8h] [3c]***
SHOW DOWN ***loverboy73: shows [Kd Ks] (two pair, Kings and Fours)RikyRicardo: mucks hand loverboy73 collected $27.55 from pot*** SUMMARY ***Total pot $28.95 Rake $1.40

PokerStars Game #5256207905: Hold'em No Limit ($0.10/$0.25) - 2006/06/14 - 22:13:07 (ET)
Table 'Palisana' 9-max Seat #6 is the button
Seat 1: may50 ($9.25 in chips)
Seat 2: loverboy73 ($28.50 in chips)
Seat 3: Papster17 ($24.75 in chips)
Seat 4: luckeeduckee ($16.25 in chips)
Seat 5: RikyRicardo ($8.80 in chips)
Seat 6: wu shox ($24.30 in chips)
Seat 7: jmcgriff73 ($16.90 in chips)
Seat 8: sandraj5000 ($9 in chips)
Seat 9: OK_Bandit ($21.15 in chips)
jmcgriff73: posts small blind $0.10
sandraj5000: posts big blind $0.25
*** HOLE CARDS ***
Dealt to RikyRicardo [Kh Ah]
OK_Bandit: folds
may50: raises $0.25 to $0.50
loverboy73: folds
Papster17: folds
luckeeduckee: folds
RikyRicardo: raises $0.50 to $1
wu shox: folds
jmcgriff73: folds
sandraj5000: folds
may50: calls $0.50
*** FLOP *** [7d Kc 6s]
may50: checks
RikyRicardo: bets $1.25
may50: calls $1.25
*** TURN *** [7d Kc 6s] [7h]
may50: checks
RikyRicardo: checks
*** RIVER *** [7d Kc 6s 7h] [8h]
may50: bets $1.25
RikyRicardo: raises $2.75 to $4
may50: raises $3 to $7 and is all-in
RikyRicardo: calls $2.55 and is all-in
*** SHOW DOWN ***
may50: shows [Ks Kd] (a full house, Kings full of Sevens)
RikyRicardo: mucks hand
may50 collected $17.10 from pot
*** SUMMARY ***
Total pot $17.95 Rake $0.85
Board [7d Kc 6s 7h 8h]
Seat 1: may50 showed [Ks Kd] and won ($17.10) with a full house, Kings full of Sevens
Seat 2: loverboy73 folded before Flop (didn't bet)
Seat 3: Papster17 folded before Flop (didn't bet)
Seat 4: luckeeduckee folded before Flop (didn't bet)
Seat 5: RikyRicardo mucked [Kh Ah]
Seat 6: wu shox (button) folded before Flop (didn't bet)
Seat 7: jmcgriff73 (small blind) folded before Flop
Seat 8: sandraj5000 (big blind) folded before Flop
Seat 9: OK_Bandit folded before Flop (didn't bet)

PokerStars Game #5256207905: Hold'em No Limit ($0.10/$0.25) - 2006/06/14 - 22:13:07 (ET)
Table 'Palisana' 9-max Seat #6 is the button
Seat 1: may50 ($9.25 in chips)
Seat 2: loverboy73 ($28.50 in chips)
Seat 3: Papster17 ($24.75 in chips)
Seat 4: luckeeduckee ($16.25 in chips)
Seat 5: RikyRicardo ($8.80 in chips)
Seat 6: wu shox ($24.30 in chips)
Seat 7: jmcgriff73 ($16.90 in chips)
Seat 8: sandraj5000 ($9 in chips)
Seat 9: OK_Bandit ($21.15 in chips)
jmcgriff73: posts small blind $0.10
sandraj5000: posts big blind $0.25
*** HOLE CARDS ***
Dealt to RikyRicardo [Kh Ah]
OK_Bandit: folds
may50: raises $0.25 to $0.50
loverboy73: folds
Papster17: folds
luckeeduckee: folds
RikyRicardo: raises $0.50 to $1
wu shox: folds
jmcgriff73: folds
sandraj5000: folds
may50: calls $0.50
*** FLOP *** [7d Kc 6s]
may50: checks
RikyRicardo: bets $1.25
may50: calls $1.25
*** TURN *** [7d Kc 6s] [7h]
may50: checks
RikyRicardo: checks
*** RIVER *** [7d Kc 6s 7h] [8h]
may50: bets $1.25
RikyRicardo: raises $2.75 to $4
may50: raises $3 to $7 and is all-in
RikyRicardo: calls $2.55 and is all-in
*** SHOW DOWN ***
may50: shows [Ks Kd] (a full house, Kings full of Sevens)
RikyRicardo: mucks hand
may50 collected $17.10 from pot
*** SUMMARY ***
Total pot $17.95 Rake $0.85
Board [7d Kc 6s 7h 8h]
Seat 1: may50 showed [Ks Kd] and won ($17.10) with a full house, Kings full of Sevens
Seat 2: loverboy73 folded before Flop (didn't bet)
Seat 3: Papster17 folded before Flop (didn't bet)
Seat 4: luckeeduckee folded before Flop (didn't bet)
Seat 5: RikyRicardo mucked [Kh Ah]
Seat 6: wu shox (button) folded before Flop (didn't bet)
Seat 7: jmcgriff73 (small blind) folded before Flop
Seat 8: sandraj5000 (big blind) folded before Flop
Seat 9: OK_Bandit folded before Flop (didn't bet)

First Blog

2006-06-14T07:08:00.000-07:00

To start my first blog I want to introduce myself and state my mission for my blog.

I am a 28 year old Father of 2, husband of 1, financial planner, Poker minor. I love my kids, I have a beautiful little girl.. And my biggest fear is her teenage years; I have a crazy little man, he is non-stop fun and excitement. My lovely wife is my foundation, my rock and my shoulder to lean on. I love my job, I help people become Financially independent, and have there money for for them, not have them for work it.

I have been playing poker for over 8 years, and as of late have been a break even player. The mission of my blog is to explore my strength and weaknesses. To educate myself with the experience I have had either online or on the felt. It is good practice to review your session after you play, you will find holes in your game. By writing them down, and exposing them to others you force yourself to improve. Finding lost bets, or bad calls is what is stopping me right now from being profitable. I hope to share my trials and tribulations with you for the next while...