Skipped Vegas. Apparently Have Zero Interest in Playing Poker These Days.

I had my bags packed ready to go to Vegas last Friday to catch some main event atmosphere. I was gonna try one satellite to get in. But on my way I had friends wanting to go and telling me we could stay here n there for free and bla bla bla. So I wait. Then I agree to wait till the next morning. Then they bail. Then I play in a friendly home game and get reminded why I havent played poker in a month. I have been sitting at a coffee shop making other plans for how to not work in a cubicle and still make bank. But I do want to play some tournaments. So anyway I didnt go. And I wanted to buy a piece of the Monkey a while back. Lucky for him I guess. Im a cooler. I guess my next thing will be the AZ state tournament in August. So anyway I am rooting for the Poker Monkey. His blog is in my list and on gcp and its the one of the most entertaining poker blogs out there.

Down Swing. Vegas Soon.

Craptastic. I just got back from Baton Rouge and started off the week with a $700 loss. Dude the $1/$2 pot limit omaha game at the Tiger Den is ridiculous. You better come with $2000 minimum and be ready to sling some chips. I went and said hello and got a massage but I told them if I sat I would run $400 up to $1000 and quit and they really wouldnt like the hit n run. Plus Im just not an omaha player. I dont even think Im much of a no limit player really. Too conservative for the current landscape. Anyway I heard there was $17k on the table last week for the PLO game. Sickness. I only played once in Baton Rouge. I dumped $200 at the Belle inthe 4/8/12 half n half game. What a great game though. All old drunk brothas who love to chase and call light. I heard there's a $1/$2 no limit at Hollywood but I didnt get to check it out. I guess they are trying to lick the jar until Pinnacle opens soon. I hear it going to be really nice and suck up all the players. I have run 3 sessions in a row without catching many hands. But the good news is Im taking my losses like a champ and not tilting into the pit. I have been off the pit for over a month. Even though Im way up for 2011 and well up for 2012 I just hate the feeling of losing at slots. I wanna be a pro grinder and thats just bad business long term. I had good run and wanna quit while I'm ahead. The World Series is coming up in Vegas and I'm definitely going to catch that action. I will try to satelite into something with a bracelete and play some nightlies.

Listen to the Voice

Doh. Longtime no post. My bad. So I went on the worst run. I went to Vegas to hang with a ton of friends there for an event. Not poker players. Have a blast on Friday night the Sat I decide to play the 20/40 at the Bellagio. The game was so good and the rake was $4 less an hour than my regular place. I'm playin a couple hours and up almost a buyin. I get the thought: I should cash out and go have fun. If I listened to that voice all the time I would be rich. Well I dont leave and shortly after get Aces. I get them cracked on the river in a heads up pot. It pisses me off. 15 hours later Im down 2.5 buyins. All my friends had a blast and I fuckin hate life. I get rest at my room and go back. 15 hrs later Im down another buyin. Two days of coolers, riversn and being pissed off and playing overly aggressive. One pot I lost I raised and bet and raised all the way to the river with KK. The river comes a 4 of clubs putting 4 clubs out. Do I lose to a flush? No. This guy hung in with pocket 4s and no club. I went bullistic. I surprised I didnt get a warning for the way I slammed my chair as I stormed off cussing. Another pot I raise with a suited King in middle position. Get like 4 callers. I flop a flush. There is a ton of action and the hand is 2 and 3 bet on all streets except the river when the board puts the 3rd 7 out. Any air has a house now and Im pissed. The funny thing is the guy who flatted my raise with 9,5 of my suit flopped the straight flush when I flopped the freaking 2nd nut flush. So whatever. I go back to AZ and nothing changes. By the end of the week Im down like 7 buyins. So I took a break. I think the whole deal was caused by karma. I decided to go to Vegas instead of helping my friend drive to San Diego to see his daughter like I knew I was suppossed to do. There's that voice I ignore again. So for the last month I have only played maybe 4 times and only when all the stars align and Im in a super great freaking mood. Not pressuring myself to get in hours. Hopefully the stars will start aligning more often so I can get some more wins going. The last time I played was sweet. I won a half kill pot by calling a river bet with Queen high after the bluffer ran out the only guy with a hand. Nothing feels better than dragging a $400 pot calling pretty confidently with Queen high.

Blogging is a Cooler

GDammit. I should never post happy. I go play today and totally suck. I constantly went against my better judgement. Of course I did flop a boat in a capped pot and got 2 outtered and flopped top two with AK with a diamomd flush draw out there and lose to hearts. I was steamed but really it was just a bad decision day. My last hand I raised and got one call from a total assclown who I have played plenty with. This dude is a beauty. About 50 years old, half a head of longish hair, slicked straight back (a poor man's Pat Riley look), sporting the last members only jacket, always raising and going all the way with no pair.  Classic picture of a degenerate loser. Of course Im raising with J10 but thats not usual for me. He called with Q6 which is very normal for him. The flop is Q82. I bet, he raises, I call. The turn is another 8. I check raise him. He calls. I miss the gutshot and bet anyway. He calls. Im actually not upset for two reasons: I got up and left instead of continueing to play bad, and I played it so bad that I doubt this dude will ever lay down against me again. If wouldve had anything other than a pure bluff there, I wouldve had him crushed with a better Q or over pair or an 8. What else can chkrz the turn there? So I think it was very good but expensive advertising. I shoulda known not to go play after I got a suicidal/drunk/save me/fuck you for not saving me call from someone I care about but cant do anything for last night. Plus me n my gf broke up 2 days ago. Hey at least my kid didnt cooler me today!

2012 is Lookin Swell

F'n Tigers. Way to not show up for a game that if you win you could be considered one of the greatest teams of all time. I guess I should exclude the defense from my dissapointment but the offense and the coaching staff should all be flogged. I hope Lee told Les to go f himself after the game. I honestly wonder if the fix was in. I remember one play where Jefferson was sacked where the two offensive line men were staring at one defender and they both turned inside as he b-lined for Jefferson. Same guy who already had 2 false starts. Just sayin.

Poker is going well. It's limit so it never goes overly well but Im happy. Most hands go to show down and the trick is not putting yourself in a call down situation where you are likely dominated. Im definitely happy with my play in the no showdown hands. Thats really a big advantage when you can steal some. I think my advantage is patience preflop and knowing when and who to barrell bluff. There are enough tards limping in with weak aces that you can probably beat the time rake just by only playing good aces and pairs. There are also enough players who are too fucking creative for their own good. Like raising on the turn with middle pair to "see where they are at". Do it on the half priced flop if you must. I think you lose more over time popping the turn and getting repopped or called by a normal strength hand than the times you run out people who are over playing big over cards or are totally bluffing. The flop is where to figure out the hand or to 3 and 4 bet to keep the lead and represent big over pairs n such. Most of these players over use the flop raises though. Some of then do this and basically turn their big hands face up and lose value on the big bet streaks. Others over use it to see if they are up against a missed AK. I just see a lot of obvious tendencies in this game that are very exploitable. Funny thing is a lot of the worst offenders play in the higher stakes games. Maybe its like trying to apply middle stakes moves in the low limit games. I just hope this game doesnt turn to shit when the snowbirds go back north. Ooooo spring training is starting soon a I bet its gonna be nice action. People come here in droves to watch their teams practice and scrimege other teams. As if baseball isnt boring enough. I hope its like the year long bowling thing that fueled the best games at the Belle of Baton Rouge.

The monthly bounty tournament is Saturday. $235 entry and $100 per knockout. I like it. I can break even or make a couple hundo way before the money bubble. People call some seriously thin draws if they have a bounty shot too. It will probably work against me Saturday just because Im talking about it. Whatever. I havent played a tournament since November and I miss it. I miss no limit. Hell I enjoy the spread limit games when I sit in them waiting for my table assuming I get some hands. One thing about limit is you get to see a lot more flops. People can never put 6 times the big blind in to run you out. Of course thats why many people hate it too. Ok goodnight. Im gonna watch Anchorman for the 1027th time.