Poker Elmo's World - 2008-05-13

Date: Tue, May 13, 2008

Getting excited for WSOP

Two weeks from Saturday I head to Vegas, and I am excited. I sent in my registration for event 2. I will play day B of event #2 - on Sunday, June 1st. I certainly plan to do well and be playing on Monday, but if I am out Sunday, there are lots of tourneys I could play. Nside posted a schedule of tourneys on ITH, which include some $500 buyin events. I will likely either play $500 events on Monday and Tuesday of my stay. However, I might instead opt to buy into the $1500 PL holdem event which starts on Monday, June 2nd.


Getting tourney game into shape

Although the results aren't there yet to prove it, I think my tourney game is getting into shape. I have made a couple small adjustments that I think are paying off.


Doing well still with cash games and SNGs

After a breakeven stretch for a few days, I have been on a tear again yesterday and today. The main game I am doing well in is Heads up NL holdem cash games. I have been playing the 1/2 NL games at both cake poker and full tilt poker and have done well. I broke my rules and decided to play some multi-tablers, largely because I didn't want to wait, but I also felt good about my game and wanted a challenge. It is fun to see 3- and 4-tablers of HUNL play me for 30 minutes and then leave to find softer spots.


What is Elmo Reading?

I have received a big shipment of books recently. Now that I am back into limit holdem a bit, I have stoxpoker's book. Wow, that is not light. I think I am going to break from limit holdem a bit until I study this book a bit more. When I go back, I first thing I am going to study/memorize that starting hand chart. It is quite different from anything else I have seen. That won't take long, of course, but I think starting with that would be nice. The other concepts in there don't seem so foreign - but I am getting quite a bit out of it, even though I am still in the early stages.

I also received Harrington on Cash I and II, and Gus Hanson's book (Every Hand Revealed). I look forward to reading those a bit in the next couple weeks and on the plane.

Poker Elmo's World - 2008-05-07

Date: Wed, May 7, 2008

Still running-hot

I have been running pretty well still in SNGs, limit holdem, and NL holdem. I have played a fair amount of each, playing the most limit and the least NL. It is nice to run hot now, as I will bring a nice roll so I can comfortably play 5/10 NL tables or 20/40 or higher limit while in Vegas with no fear of bankroll implications.

Tourneys

I have been watching more PXF videos - and feel good about what I am learning. I played a few tourneys tonight but have bombed out so far, except I am still in the fill tilt $32K guaranteed. I did win a $320 sat on FT, however, so at least that has paid for tonight's entries.

I am shaking off the rust of my game, and feel pretty good about my game, but am still making more mistakes than I would like. But, I am starting to get back into my groove, and hopefully my game will be in top form by the WSOP.

Poker Elmo's World - 2008-04-29

Date: Tue, Apr 29, 2008

Made Platinum Star - Bought WSOP Seat

I earned 10K FPPs in the past 2 weeks, getting to platinum star today. Then I purchased my WSOP seat with FPPs. Stars puts most of the money right into your account. Thus, I still need to buyin - but it is basically official. Tomorrow I buy my plane ticket.

On a major heater

I have mostly played limit, but have played 30 or so SNGs - mostly $60 turbos. I have been killing the games. I am up big at 5/10 limit, and doing well in SNGs. Sunday night, I played 18 SNGs - 2 $114 turbos and 16 $60 SNGs (2 sessions - one 10 tabling, one 8 tabling). I cashed in 8 or the 18, earning 4 firsts, 3 seconds, and 1 third. To make it better, one first and one second were in the two bigger buyin SNGs. This is certainly not a sustainable earn rate - but I certainly enjoyed the run on Sunday.

Enjoying PokerXfactor

I debated for a long time whether to go with cardrunners or pokerXfactor. I went with PokerXfactor since I thing now I need more improvement in tourneys, and also they do have some very good cash players that should still improve my cash game skills. I have really enjoyed watching the videos there - both tourneys and some of Rizen's cash game stuff.

Gotta run - will try to update again soon.

Poker Elmo's World - 2008-04-25

Date: Fri, Apr 25, 2008

Limit poker, and progress towards platinum star

I got clearance from my wife on Friday, April 18th to play the opening event of the WSOP. I decided to use my pokerstars FPPs to buyin. The problem: I was not platinum star and needed to become it. Bigger problem: I had 40 FPPs in my account last Friday, and I needed 10,000.

Since then, I have been playing quite a bit. Probably 2-3 hours a day, ranging from 3 (when kids are around) to 10 tables. I have played some NL and SNGs, but most of the time has been at 5/10 limit. Today I have about 6,000. It will be a busy weekend.

Limit poker used to be my bread and butter game. Then, after a downswing in late 2005, I never enjoyed it again. However, I was in the mood to "gamble" more, and sat down a limit table a few weeks ago and loved it. Further, many players were making big mistakes. I probably still have quite a few leaks, but I think my game is quite a bit better than the competition. I don't know if there is any better feeling in poker than value betting a very marginal hand and getting paid off. (E.g., you raise 88, bb calls, flop is K63. He checks, you bet, he calls. Turn is a J. He checks, you bet, he calls. River is a 9 - and you fire again when he checks and get paid off by AQ or 76.)

I am going to study hands by nside (http://www.nsidestrate.com/blog/) and others at ITH. I would love to move up to 10/20 or higher in the next month or so.

Tourney news

I finally bought PokerXfactor recently, and started watching some of the videos. There is nothing super-surprising in there for me yet, but I think watching the top pros go through their thought process is still really helpful for me. I have watched one JohnnyBax tourney and some Rizen cash games and have really enjoyed watching them and I think I am benefiting by seeing how they think about hands. The price isn't cheap, but $200 for 3 months is pretty small if I can gain any extra equity in my $1500 buyin WSOP tourney this summer.

Poker Elmo's World - 2008-04-19

Date: Sat, Apr 19, 2008

Several updates - and going to the WSOP!

A life update

Life has been crazy. I am currently a teacher at a small liberal arts University. I never knew I wanted this type of job, but once I got here, I liked it. I recently interviewed, however, at a major University. I got an offer, and our family is in the process of deciding what to do.

Poker update

I have played a lot more limit holdem recently - the players are just bad. I am doing well, although I am not sure how much of that is running well.

WSOP 2008 Update

I am going! I got clearence to play event #2, the $1500 opening weekend donk-a-thon. I might play event 3, if I bust out early of event 2. I certainly am not planning to bust, however. I plan on using my stars FPPs to buyin, but have to hit platinum star this month to make it - time to grind!

The school year ends in two weeks, so I will be posting more soon.

Poker Elmo's World - 2008-03-25

Date: Tue, Mar 25, 2008

Wow, has it been a month?

I have been super-busy with work and travel, so have not played too much. When I have enjoyed moderate success this month, both in short-stacking NL full-ring, and in satellite turbo-rebuys. I have worked on 7-10 tabling, and have done OK with it when I have had the opportunity to play. It isn't as fun, but the hourly rate when playing 10 tables can be pretty nice.

Gotta run - will post again when I have something interesting to report.

Poker Elmo's World - 2008-02-21

Date: Thu, Feb 21, 2008

Update

Sorry for the lack of updates, I have been swamped with work recently.

A few updates:

1. I am in a minor downswing. I am down maybe 6 or so buyins over the past 10 days. Nothing major, and I was on such a major upswing between the two downswings that it seems really minor. There have been some truly nasty beats, but also, as usual, a couple hands I probably should have played differently.

2. I have played a few SNGs on Cake Poker and have really enjoyed them. I used to play $55 turbos on stars and FT poker often and did pretty well. I might get back into them for a while - at least while I am enjoying them. I still think I understand the endgame quite well, although I should probably play around with my Sit N' Go power tools to refresh a bit.

3. I played some tourneys Sunday afternoon. I don't think I played bad overall, but I think I am pushing a tad too lightly when I get short-stacked. I will focus on being (slightly) more patient when down to an M of 3 to 5.

Life will be crazy for the next couple weeks, so I don't know how often I will be able to play or post - but I will try to provide updates on anything exciting.