Poker Elmo's World - 2008-06-01
Date: Sun, Jun 1, 2008
WSOP updates
Updates will be located on the Right hand side. If those don't provide the most recent updates, the forums at ITH will have them:
http://www.internettexasholdem.com/poker-forum/
Hopefully I will call in early and often!
Poker Elmo's World - 2008-05-28
Date: Wed, May 28, 2008
Awesomeness
I love the quote on this poster: "When I get sad, I stop being sad and be awesome instead". I have had three bad sessions - one Friday afternoon at HU NL, one Monday morning/afternoon and one Tuesday morning/afternoon. I took a short break each time, came back and did great. While the quote here is kind of silly, the parellel to poker is obvious. Don't dwell on a downswing - just play your game well, and if you think you aren't playing well, take a break and come back. If you make correct decisions, the money will find its way into your bankroll.
There is plenty of negative things one could focus on in poker. Last night I made it to 29/1370 in a stars MTT - losing when a guy min-reraised me with J8o, and I pushed all in on the flop with 11 outs vs. him when he flopped top pair, but I missed. That sucked, as I was excited for a chance at a big payday and 29th paid a pittance. However, it is probably much more important that I think I am playing very well in MTTs going into Vegas. Further, I have been on a nice little run again this week as I have been playing quite a bit of 2/4 NL (both full ring and short-handed), making this the 6th straight week for me to book a nice weekly win. (I have been counting weeks Friday-Thursday, so I could still end up negative for the week, but as of today I am having the best week of this stretch).
Speaking of awesomeness, I leave for Vegas Saturday morning. This is probably the last update I give prior to Vegas, but I will try to call in with audio updates from the WSOP. I play events on Sunday and Monday, so be sure to check often if you want the scoop on how I am doing (the tourney starts at 3:00 PM eastern time, so the first update won't be until 5:15 or so Eastern time).
Poker Elmo's World - 2008-05-23
Date: Fri, May 23, 2008
The past few days and week in review
I have had my fifth straight week of really good results (and, I think, pretty decent play). A quick summary ...
HU NL cash
I am doing well with it - although I just lost a couple buyins to one player in mostly variance, but one or two questionable plays. That being said, I am up for the week at 2/4 NLHU play, albeit not too much and not too many hours. Overall, I feel good about how things have gone.
Turbo tourneys
In the past couple days I have played 4 $60 45-man tourneys, cashing in one of them for 3rd, and 3 $12 180 man, winning one.
Tourneys
Nothing to report since the other night, I am feeling good about my game.
Limit Cash
On haitus until I figure it out a bit better - reading stoxpoker right now.
No-Limit Cash full ring
I am playing some and I think the 2/4 NLFR games on stars are quite beatable (at least by me). I look forward to playing those more in the near future.
Poker Elmo's World - 2008-05-22
Date: Thu, May 22, 2008
Tourney game shaping up
Last night I played a couple 8:00 PM tourneys - one on stars and one on tilt. I cash in stars (finished about 60/1400) and, with 145 left (135 paid), I got all in PF w QQ vs. 98s for a 36K chip pot (26K was average) but was outdrawn. I was happy with my play in this full tilt tourney, however. Going into the WSOP - that is probably more important than the results.
On stars, I felt like I played very well also - but lost a critical hand where I lost a big pot with 88 vs. JJ (I have to give the opponent credit here - I saw him raise KK utg before, so when he limped, then raised from utg, I figured his range was most pairs up to 99 or so, along with AK and AQ. I was surprised that he had JJ - and just have to give him credit for mixing up his game well. I am not too unhappy with my play there, and in fact, I might have been ahead of his range. My chance to double back up to an almost-average stack failed when my QJ couldn't beat 88.
I am pretty happy about how well my tourney game is going now. I am very excited for Vegas (I leave in 9 days).
NL cash games
Since my post about my win against the one opponent, I have played a bit more NLHU cash games and am a bit more than a buyin ahead. I have been playing 2/4 and 3/6 NL full ring games along with 1/2 and 2/4 NL heads up games.
Poker Elmo's World - 2008-05-21
Date: Wed, May 21, 2008
WSOP audio blogging - test
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Poker Elmo's World - 2008-05-19
Date: Mon, May 19, 2008
A quick $2/$4 NLHU session this morning - some hands.
I sit down with a guy, and had never played him before. A quick check shows he is only single-tabling.
The first hand - I sit down and find 99 - I raise, and get reraised. I call the reraise. I give up on the turn. I don't know if I am ahead (I never know if someone is just trying to donate a stack on hand 1), but I figure if he is going to push with nothing - I will catch him. But, I don't have enough evidence to know this.
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HAND #1
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Full Tilt, $2/$4 NL Hold'em Cash Game, 2 Players
Hand History Converter by Hero raises to $12, BB raises to $39, Hero calls $27
Flop: ($78) J
3
Q (2 players)
BB bets $47, Hero calls $47
Turn: ($172) 6
(2 players)
BB bets $95, Hero folds
Results (listed below in white, highlight to see): $172 pot ($0.50 rake)
BB mucked and won $171.50 ($85.50 net)
A few hands go by, and this guy is a betting machine. He raises every button, reraises from the sb a lot, and fires constantly. I get a good reraising hand, and flop top pair. I perhaps should have bet the turn, but was hoping he would fire so I could check raise all in.
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HAND #2
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Full Tilt, $2/$4 NL Hold' >Hand'>http://www.stoxpoker.com/hand_history_converter/">Hand History Converter by BTN raises to $12, Hero raises to $40, BTN calls $28
Flop: ($80) 8 Q
9 (2 players)
Hero bets $72, BTN calls $72
Turn: ($224) 4 (2 players)
Hero checks, BTN checks
River: ($224) 4 (2 players)
Hero bets $128, BTN calls $128
Results (listed below in white, highlight to see): $480 pot ($0.50 rake)
Hero showed As Qh (two pairs, Queens and Fours) and won $479.50 ($239.50 net)
BTN mucked and lost (-$240 net)
In hand 3 - I made a move with 65, and got pushed off my marginal hand.
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HAND #3
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Full Tilt, $2/$4 NL Hold' >Hand'>http://www.stoxpoker.com/hand_history_converter/">Hand History Converter by BTN raises to $12, Hero calls $8
Flop: ($24) 4 6 A (2 players)
Hero checks, BTN bets $16, Hero raises to $42, BTN calls $26
Turn: ($108) 2 (2 players)
Hero bets $64, BTN raises to $145, Hero folds
Results (listed below in white, highlight to see): $236 pot ($0.50 rake)
BTN mucked and won $235.50 ($117.50 net)
Hand 4 - In position, I just was not going to necessarily give him credit for an ace. Big pot for Elmo.
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HAND #4
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Full Tilt, $2/$4 NL Hold' >Hand'>http://www.stoxpoker.com/hand_history_converter/">Hand History Converter by Hero raises to $12, BB calls $8
Flop: ($24) A 6 4 (2 players)
BB checks, Hero bets $16, BB raises to $48, Hero calls $32
Turn: ($120) 8 (2 players)
BB bets $65, Hero calls $65
River: ($250) 2 (2 players)
BB checks, Hero checks
Results (listed below in white, highlight to see): $250 pot ($0.50 rake)
BB showed Kh 7h (high card Ace) and lost (-$125 net)
Hero showed 7c 6c (a pair of Sixes) and won $249.50 ($124.50 net)
This was questionnable - but given how aggressive he was, and how often he reraised me on the flop, I was going to 3-bet. At that point, I was committed and thankfully ahead (and won).
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HAND #5
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Full Tilt, $2/$4 NL Hold' >Hand'>http://www.stoxpoker.com/hand_history_converter/">Hand History Converter by Hero raises to $12, BB calls $8
Flop: ($24) 5 2 3 (2 players)
BB checks, Hero bets $18, BB raises to $56, Hero raises to $192, BB raises to $503 and is all-in, Hero calls $311
Turn: ($1,030) 9 (2 players, 1 is all-in)
River: ($1,030) 8 (2 players, 1 is all-in)
Results (listed below in white, highlight to see): $1,030 pot ($0.50 rake)
BB showed 5c 4c (a pair of Fives) and lost (-$515 net)
Hero showed 7d 7s (a pair of Sevens) and won $1,029.50 ($514.50 net)
He started calling me names after this, and I remember telling myself that perhaps he will make a mistake or two. About 5 hands went by, and we let him hang himself.
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HAND #6
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Full Tilt, $2/$4 NL Hold'em Cash Game, 2 Players
Hand History Converter by Stoxpoker
Hero (BTN): $1,044 (261 bb)
BB: $406 (101.5 bb)
Pre-Flop: Hero is BTN with 2 2
Hero raises to $12, BB raises to $39, Hero calls $27
Flop: ($78) 4 2 9 (2 players)
BB bets $47, Hero calls $47
Turn: ($172) 4 (2 players)
BB bets $90, Hero calls $90
River: ($352) 6 (2 players)
BB bets $230 and is all-in, Hero calls $230
Results (listed below in white, highlight to see): $812 pot ($0.50 rake)
BB showed 8s 3s (a pair of Fours) and lost (-$406 net)
Hero showed 2h 2d (a full house, Twos full of Fours) and won $811.50 ($405.50 net)
He left after this hand. I am happy with how I played. The big problem - I think I was too excited/happy about this win. Winning 2.5 buyins from a player can happen easily, and that 77 vs. 54 hand could have easily gone the other way. Over time, I hope that the wins and loses become a bit more "routine" for me at $2/$4 NL. But today, I am really happy about the $1,000 pick up. That concerns me.
Poker Elmo's World - 2008-05-18
Date: Sun, May 18, 2008
WSOP plans
As you know, I am playing in event 2 of the WSOP. I pre-registered, and received the confirmation via email that I received the day I wanted - day 1B (Sunday, June 1st). Because of my chop in the People's championship, I am also going to play event #3, the PL holdem $1500 event. In this event, ITHers will have approx 30% of my action. I like this for a couple reasons. First, I think there are some strategic mistakes made at PL holdem that are not made in NL holdem. Second, there is a 5K WSOP event that will draw in a lot of the top pros. So, while the field will certainly be tough - most of the top pros will probably play the $5K.
If I make it out of day 1 of event 2, I will not be able to play event 3 and will give the stake to another ITHer to play for the backers.
Life Decision
I realize that I have not updated you on what we decided. I mentioned a while ago how we were deciding whether to take a job somewhere else. We decided to stay - we are happy here and I like my job and my co-workers here.
Movin' On Up
I have been so happy with my Heads Up NL Cash game that I am moving up in stakes. Yesterday was my first day playing 2/4 NL HU cash games. I made a couple mistakes that were costly and had two huge outdraws that cost me big pots (T6 vs. QT all in on T62 flop - he hits running jacks, and 33 on T43 board - all in vs. shorter stack with T9 and board hits a running T and 4), but overall I netted a slight win yesterday. The winning or losing isn't as important as making good decisions, however. If I do that - I will win in the long run.