Game selection. I hear it over and over again - choose your games (read: your opponents) wisely.
Last night we had a super secret after hours at work game - though the boss actually knows about it and has given permission for us to play. As the lineup of players started to take shape, I couldn't help but think to myself "I stand to win tonight, all but one of these players I consider inferior to me." It was true, looking at the five other guys - they were all (save for one) dead money.
If we'd had our usual gang, Sven, Cali, etc. I'd be about even money. But with TG, DG, FK and HS in the lineup, I knew I would not be going home in the negative. The only one of the bunch I give respect to is MP, and I'm still actually better at hold-em than he is, though he rules me at stud. Running into good cards helped, but I knew very early on in the hands when they had something and I could get away. Conversely, when I had strong hands, I knew I was bound to get paid.
It all sounds so mean spirited, but it's actually at the heart of what makes for a "profitable" poker player. When I sit down with pre-schoolers, even though I'm only barely in the first grade, I make money. When I associate with my fellow classmates, or even some of the bigger kids, it's much more of a gamble, and even potentially a negative value situation. True, sometimes I hold my own, or even win (Saturday nights tournament win against Cali, wytrabbit, and pitboss respectively); but even then I didn't feel nearly as invincible as I did last night.
I feel good about my abilities against most of the people who attend my home game, but honestly I feel not so hot about many players in the online group these days. If I was playing strictly for financial profit, I'd have to reassess my status in that group. Deep down, I still feel I'm one of the best there, but I have to fight my inner doubt every step of the way. Last night, it was easy to be Superman, because there was not a shred of doubt where I stood. I was table captain. Good times.
The money that I dumped over the weekend in the cash games, was quickly taken back (and then some) last night. Nice.
Thursday, July 24, 2008
Wednesday, July 23, 2008
Live Takedown
Our annual Sutter's End Paintball/Poker trip was highlighted for me by my first ever live tournament win. Most players couldn't believe that I had never done it before, but this was the very first time I've ever taken home a first place trophy. Good times.
My cash game play wasn't as successful, we played two nights of it, and I was in the negative on both. Down 12 on Friday and out of 30 on Sunday. Still, with over 110 in the positive on the Saturday night tournament, it was a profitable weekend.
I must say I was most proud of my end game play. I got lucky early on, running into kings twice to double up twice (including kings versus kings where my pair had a heart and made a flush on a four heart board). After that with a lot of chips, I tightened up substantially and won only a small handful of pots. But when it was time to play four, three and finally two way - I was able to shift gears and use SELECTIVE aggression to not only maintain my stack, but actually accumulate as well.
I was especially effective heads up - I started with a three to one chip lead, and I knew going in that it was still very much anyone's game to win or lose. My opponent, the vaunted Cali Al, refused a chop even though the hour was late and so we did battle.
Probably the best advice I ever read about heads up play, which is still a weak point in my game, is that it's a dance. You act and react based on what your partner (in poker, your opponent) does. He's aggressive, you tighten up. He's tight, you push. Cali Al is tight. My objective in my head as we started - keep the pots small, keep stealing as long as he'll put up with it, if he fights back go away (unless of course I hopefully have the nuts).
As the cards fell, when he hit something, he would get me to fold. When he drew blanks I would pounce. I had mostly junk cards, but it didn't matter. By acting based on what HE did, I was able to build my stack whenever he didn't have very good cards or a monster draw - which is, as we all know in poker, most of the time. He caught on pretty early, but he still wasn't willing to pull the trigger with nothing. Advantage, and ultimately victory - me.
He who fires with the best timing, barring a couple of monster coolers, will win in heads up play. In Hold-Em, you miss the flop well over two thirds of the time. In heads up play, you can use this to your advantage if you have an opponent who doesn't stand up to persistent aggression.
That's not to say I was a complete bully. When Cali called my pre-flop raise, I would only sometimes make a continuation bet; unless I hit. When Cali did call my flop continuation bet, I was done with the hand (unless I had hit something). That said, when I caught a piece Cali would fold nearly every bet I made on the turn, and I used that to my advantage to keep firing, even when I was only on a draw or had hit middle or bottom pair.
In the end, I got in with the worst of it K-10 versus his A-6, and I got lucky with a king on the flop. I wasn't thrilled with my play, especially since he had been so tight - I could have gotten away from it. But at that point, I was almost priced into calling simply because the blinds were so big and his remaining chips so few. A good dilemma to have.
The following Monday night I donked out of flat-line, completely sleep deprived. This week I will make my first deposit into the league since it began. I'm still ahead, because I cashed out over $300 at the end of last season, but I was hoping to never have to send money in again. Hopefully this will give me more incentive to start winning.
My cash game play wasn't as successful, we played two nights of it, and I was in the negative on both. Down 12 on Friday and out of 30 on Sunday. Still, with over 110 in the positive on the Saturday night tournament, it was a profitable weekend.
I must say I was most proud of my end game play. I got lucky early on, running into kings twice to double up twice (including kings versus kings where my pair had a heart and made a flush on a four heart board). After that with a lot of chips, I tightened up substantially and won only a small handful of pots. But when it was time to play four, three and finally two way - I was able to shift gears and use SELECTIVE aggression to not only maintain my stack, but actually accumulate as well.
I was especially effective heads up - I started with a three to one chip lead, and I knew going in that it was still very much anyone's game to win or lose. My opponent, the vaunted Cali Al, refused a chop even though the hour was late and so we did battle.
Probably the best advice I ever read about heads up play, which is still a weak point in my game, is that it's a dance. You act and react based on what your partner (in poker, your opponent) does. He's aggressive, you tighten up. He's tight, you push. Cali Al is tight. My objective in my head as we started - keep the pots small, keep stealing as long as he'll put up with it, if he fights back go away (unless of course I hopefully have the nuts).
As the cards fell, when he hit something, he would get me to fold. When he drew blanks I would pounce. I had mostly junk cards, but it didn't matter. By acting based on what HE did, I was able to build my stack whenever he didn't have very good cards or a monster draw - which is, as we all know in poker, most of the time. He caught on pretty early, but he still wasn't willing to pull the trigger with nothing. Advantage, and ultimately victory - me.
He who fires with the best timing, barring a couple of monster coolers, will win in heads up play. In Hold-Em, you miss the flop well over two thirds of the time. In heads up play, you can use this to your advantage if you have an opponent who doesn't stand up to persistent aggression.
That's not to say I was a complete bully. When Cali called my pre-flop raise, I would only sometimes make a continuation bet; unless I hit. When Cali did call my flop continuation bet, I was done with the hand (unless I had hit something). That said, when I caught a piece Cali would fold nearly every bet I made on the turn, and I used that to my advantage to keep firing, even when I was only on a draw or had hit middle or bottom pair.
In the end, I got in with the worst of it K-10 versus his A-6, and I got lucky with a king on the flop. I wasn't thrilled with my play, especially since he had been so tight - I could have gotten away from it. But at that point, I was almost priced into calling simply because the blinds were so big and his remaining chips so few. A good dilemma to have.
The following Monday night I donked out of flat-line, completely sleep deprived. This week I will make my first deposit into the league since it began. I'm still ahead, because I cashed out over $300 at the end of last season, but I was hoping to never have to send money in again. Hopefully this will give me more incentive to start winning.
Tuesday, July 15, 2008
First out!
My king flush ran into the nut flush. Oh well.
As I've been neglecting this, and my other blog, of late - I won't wallow too much. But I think my game, and my life, has changed a bit recently. I still am in love with poker, but my focus has definitely softened a bit. When I started playing in this online league, I would literally watch the entire tournament the day after it took place on my software game simulator. I took notes on opponents. I would blog meticulously.
Today, I just don't have time, and frankly the passion has cooled. I know my dry run (I haven't cashed since May) is partly variance - but probably mostly me. My failure to adjust to players who have adjusted to me. My failure to really stop, sit down, and look closely at how I play my hands. This is okay. I'm still having fun, though admittedly it would be more fun if I was crushing the league like I was before; but winning consistently at poker, I'm realizing, takes consistent work.
Who knows, if I happen to cash again, or take down a tournament, I may be invigorated enough to get back to my old "professor poker" ways - but if I don't, it's perfectly fine. I play for the love of the game and of competition, I recognize I'm not Phil Ivey. It doesn't mean I won't try my hardest, as my focus and concentration permits, but there is absolutely no point in beating myself up over something that's supposed to be a fun hobby.
Looking forward to this weekend, our annual paintball/poker orgy up in the woods of Northern California. The weather is supposed to be amazing, in the 80's! I'm counting the hours to the fun, can't wait to shoot some people and get my live game on.
As I've been neglecting this, and my other blog, of late - I won't wallow too much. But I think my game, and my life, has changed a bit recently. I still am in love with poker, but my focus has definitely softened a bit. When I started playing in this online league, I would literally watch the entire tournament the day after it took place on my software game simulator. I took notes on opponents. I would blog meticulously.
Today, I just don't have time, and frankly the passion has cooled. I know my dry run (I haven't cashed since May) is partly variance - but probably mostly me. My failure to adjust to players who have adjusted to me. My failure to really stop, sit down, and look closely at how I play my hands. This is okay. I'm still having fun, though admittedly it would be more fun if I was crushing the league like I was before; but winning consistently at poker, I'm realizing, takes consistent work.
Who knows, if I happen to cash again, or take down a tournament, I may be invigorated enough to get back to my old "professor poker" ways - but if I don't, it's perfectly fine. I play for the love of the game and of competition, I recognize I'm not Phil Ivey. It doesn't mean I won't try my hardest, as my focus and concentration permits, but there is absolutely no point in beating myself up over something that's supposed to be a fun hobby.
Looking forward to this weekend, our annual paintball/poker orgy up in the woods of Northern California. The weather is supposed to be amazing, in the 80's! I'm counting the hours to the fun, can't wait to shoot some people and get my live game on.
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