Witchdoctor anyone?

If anyone knows a witchdoctor that can lift a curse please send them my way because if this sh*t happens again in the coming week I may just quit poker altogether...I don't play THAT much...this shouldn't be this common.

All the money went in on a 4-bet of course.  Nothing wrong with his bet and I've been destroying him the whole game...but seriously.This is the money round for the FTP 4K heads up guarantee... pretty standard really.

Other notable hands of the day:  AA got beat all in pre in a heads up match by A8...dry flop then running 8s.  Like I said... I'm a bit tired of this so if anyone knows how to change luck, let me know.  Otherwise the poker world will have one less player for a while.  OK, enough whining but wanted to give you guys a look into my poker life...this sums it up this month and last.  Good night.

My challenge, being away, and getting back

As you may have all noticed, I stepped away from this blog a bit.  It's not because I haven't been playing cards or haven't been blogging for that matter because I've been doing both. I've taken on a new challenge and been blogging about that over the past 5 months.  To sum it up, I've been working on a charity challenge.  I 'found' about $20 in my bodog account.  It must have been from a bonus or something because I thought I took everything out of there.  My goal was to build that $20 to $5K by the end of the year and donate half of that to my favorite charity.  Between to real job and other things that have been going on I haven't had a lot of time to work on the challenge but I'm up over $1K.  I have a feeling that variance is beginning to fall on the good side of things and that I'm going to be able to wrap this challenge up by years end.  If you're interested check out my other blog at http://challengetheneed.blogspot.com/ .  I'm going to begin updating this blog again on a regular basis again and hope to have something good to blog about after thsi weekend of poker.  My focus is going to be on qualifying for a handful of the WCOOP events.  In the next blog I'll talk about my results in the SCOOP and what my best tourney has been this year...it's a surprising one to me.

Until then.. Good luck in everything that you attempt.

Why poker players like winning but hate losing

As I proceed in this little experiment that I call poker something is starting to disturb me.  There isn't any poker player that likes losing as it is counterproductive to the goal of the game.  The problem that I'm starting to find is that I dislike losing (to the point of hatred) so much more than I like winning. This is an issue that's getting worse and worse with me over the past month.  Perhaps it's because I'm talking more and more horrible beats and have been hit w/ decks that have been stored in liquid nitrogen this entire month but the motivation that my wins have don't have nearly the effects of the losses that I take.  I've talked through this issue w/ a  number of players that I play w/ and have come to this conclusion.

When you're a solid player and you win, the world is just right...nothing special happened, you're 70% hands stood up, no 2 outters to knock you out deep...the game worked out the way it should have.  On the other hand, when solid players get knocked out it's generally get sucked out on in other player's bad plays.  Essentially, you get beat by players that are worse than you...and of course that stings. 

No, I'm not being cocky w/ my evaluation and I spoke w/ a number of players to come to this conclusion.  I guess to sum it up... it hurts a lot more to lose when you're a good player...and winning doesn't make up for it because you're SUPPOSED to win.  It's funny when I think about that concept crossing my mind...like good players are owed something.  We all let these stupid ideas get in our head and mess with us.  Now that I see what the issue is, I'll wear my beats w/ pride and stop Helmuthing about them.  If you can't tell, I'm hating variance right now. As always...Good luck in everything that you attempt.

The beatings will continue until morale improves

Although the no one can honestly tell you where this tongue in cheek one-liner comes from it has always been one of my favorites.  If I were to guess where it came from (disregarding where others think it came from) I would guess Pirates.  No, not those Somalian clowns in John boats w/ a couple of RPGs, but real Pirate of old days.  The humor in this statement comes from how backwards it is.  When we think of it in regards to poker is that really the case though.  Oddly enough, I think poker is one of the only things where this is accurate.

Here is how players generally waste their bankrolls.  First they take a couple of bad beat(ing)s.  That's variance...Aces get cracked, your flopped straight gets four-flushed.  It happens, I know it and any other player in the game knows it, from time to time the odds get turned on their head and you take a run of horrible beats.  I have (and still do) from time to time allowed this to kill my morale and put me on tilt.  When this happens you get stuck in the cycle, second guessing yourself, taking less than profitable shots, and ultimately taking more beatings which then adds to the tilt factor. 

Every poker player should learn this saying and keep it in mind when they find themselves going on tilt because the only way to stop the beatings is to stop and improve your morale.  If this means time off from the game, so be it.  If you can get out using positive affirmations, good for you.  Whatever it takes just remember, things don't change themselves...The beatings will continue until morale improves.

Next blog will likely be about what Florida and California are trying to do to get a piece of the rake and destroy the free enterprise of poker...to make some coin.  Until then.. Good luck in everything that you attempt.

Another HUGE Sunday Schedule

I'm not sure how they keep doing it but Pokerstars and Full Tilt have created another HUGE sunday for all of their players.  Full Tilt is running FTOPS and bringing back their Big Little tourney series ($2 buy-in for $200K guaranteed prize pool) while Stars is running some sick promos for dealing their 40 BILLIONTH hand.  So, this all leads to the following Sunday schedule for me this week.

12:30    Tilt- $200K Big-Little tourney

• 4:00 update:  Out of this...destroyed went out w/ a coinflip QK vs JJ deep stacked...odd.

1:40      Stars- $40K points buy-in tourney

•   4:00 update:  Freeroll style ko for me... guy donk-shoves JQ after my AK raise for full starting stacks...I'm out.

2:00      Tilt- $800K FTOPS Knock-out event

• 4:00 update:  Hit one flop all day, doubled up on it.   Got knocked out w/ a coinflip 77 vs AK shortstacked.  that's 2 coinflips and a dominating hand that I go out on.

2:00    Tilt- $42K Guarantee

• 4:00 update:  Battling on this one.  5600 w/ average at 10K...Need to make a move.
• 5:00 update:  Still battling.  Stack at a hair under 10K w/ average at just under 20K  Nothing huge to speak of.

2:30      Stars- $1 mil $40 buy-in event

• 4:00 update:   16.5K w/ 15K average.  Owned every hand that I've played but man, they still wanna shove   preflop so much...odd.
• 5:00 update:  12.5K w/  25K average.  Half the average seems to be the theme this hour.  Guy donked it in w/ a straight draw after calling 1/3 of his chips preflop w/ JKo out of position.  I have top pair top kicker and nut flush draw...called him down easy and he caught.  Been grindin since then.  Will make a move this hour.
• 7:00 update:  Sitting on 86K w/ average at 80K.  5K players left.
• 8:00 update:  Nothing showing up for me.  Stack at 80K w/ average  202K.  Was above average for most of level then got crushed on a flip.
• 9:00 update:  Went out early this hour.  Pushed in short stacked w/ AK and ran into KK...recurring theme today.  Finished in the 1600s... another small small cash.  Here's hoping the final table today will be in the FTOPS event.  I'll take that trade.

3:30      Stars- $250K guaranteed

•  4:00 update: 3900 stack w/ average at 3900.  Got called down all in preflop by a guy holding AT.  I don't need to say what I had but for full stacks you can be sure he was destroyed.
• 5:00 update: 10,230 stack w/  7760 average.  Guys shoving w/ no hand no draw over my traps.  I try to get fancy and cover the hole w/ sticks and branches and they just jump in before I have a chance to disguise.
• 7:00 update:   133K w/ 83K average.  1100 players left.
• 8:00 update:  Bumped out this hour.  Got short stacked and had to put em in w/ 44, ran into KK and didn't improve.

4:22      Tilt- $200K double deuce

• 5:00 update: about 4K chips w/ average at  3750.  Nothing great happened just been chipping up slowly.
• 7:00 update:  Couldn't get anything going here and busted out.

6:00    Tilt- $1.5mil FTOPS deep stack event

• 5:00 update:  I think I just got knocked out of this before it started.  The  way things have run out today I wouldn't be surprised :-)
• 7:00:  First hour was a bit slow for me, everyone hyper aggressive though.  This should be fun. 4800 chip stack...down slightly. 
• 8:00:  Let the hyper-aggs bet into me for 3 streets w/ Top pair top kicker to catch back up to average then doubled through player overplaying overpair... was an FTOPS champ, perhaps I can have his avatar after this...here's to hoping.
• 9:00:  Since it's the last game of the day I can be a bit more live w/ updates so here goes the hour:
• Moved to what appears to be a super-active table on the verge of being donkish.  The first hand that I got into I flopped a set on the 9-Q-K flop.  With a flush draw out there when it was bet into my I had to raise it up.  I got not one but 2 callers.  I assume 1 is on the flush draw and I put the early better on KJ.  When the T hit the turn he obliged to verify that by shoving 3/4 the pot which I couldn't call w/ 4 to a straight out there.  He then proceeded to talk trash, saying "Welcome to OUR table" and goes on and on about how could you put me on AJ there.  To be honest, I'm starting to think there's more of a possibility of that now.  so, first hand at the new table, guy hits a gutter on me...uh oh.
•  The same guy in the hand got in w/ an overpair for WAY too much vs my 2 pair.  After fading the 4flush then getting called down w/ K9 vs my AQ and someone playing a middle pair way too fast I'm up to 27K which equates to top 50 right now.  Here's to hoping I continue to climb.
• Ended hour w/ 27.5K w/ average at a little under 12K.  1977 Runners left.
• 10:00:  Locals and village idiots are getting restless.
• The locals are getting restless this hour.  I've seen Full Tilt pro after full tilt pro get bumped out.  
• I take down a large pot w/ JJ when a player tried to rep a big hand on the river w/ TT.
• Very next hand w/ player above, I'm dealt KK and limp in w/ it.  Another player limps and that player raises 4X and I limp-raise to 4X that and he shoves for 12K chips w/ ATs.  no flush draw on the board on the flop so I'm stoked.  A on the turn and I'm crushed.  That's right.  The guy got in for a full stack w/ AT knowing there was no fold equity for me.  At least I'm owning.  It'll come around soon.  Here's to hoping it will anyway.
• Raised it up w/ AQ and allowed active bluffer to bluff every street for value.
• At then end of the hour up to 25K w/ the average at about 21K.  Currently 308th out of 1111.  Here's to hoping I can get some traction during the next hour.
• 11:00:  Staging the biggest comeback ever and playing at the 'special' table
• Well, I've got to be proud of myself for getting another idiot to ship 2/3 of his stack w/ AJ.  Holding QQ it gets raised 3X from early/mid by really active player.  I raise 5X of that w/ QQ and he calls it down for most of his stack.  Ace and 2 rags come out and we get the rest out for him to turn over AJ.  Twice this tourney they have gotten in w/ 3 outs vs my big pps and come out ahead.  Deep stack plays late in the game and they are praying for a flip at the best.  Is this really an FTOPS field?
• After being down to 272 chips after that hand I'm battling back.  Up to about 10X BBs.  One more double up and I'm back in this.  It sucks to watch the idiots who sucked out on me spread my chips out across the table...pitiful.
• Doubled up through the guy who shoved in 4 hands in a row.  Picked up QK and made an easy stand from the bb.  He showed Q6o.  Up to 16K now.
• I got KK and got em in but no action.  Was hoping for it to be my double up to really put me back into the running.
• Although this isn't surprising at all it's worth a note.  The guy that 4-bet shoved me w/ ATs preflop for a full deep stack above was knocked out before making the money...surprise surprise.
• Ok, I guess this is by far my biggest comeback.  I just cashed after 2 redic beats and being down to 272 chips.  Gotta get them in there pretty quick once we get back to play.
• 12:00: Name of the game is double up
• Nothing happening.  My 1 all-in was not called...down to 8800.  Guess I'm getting in there this round...Here's to hoping I stand up.
• Got KK on the button and the UTG player got them in there w/ ATs and I held up against the 3 outter.  Took the blinds next hand and am up to 20K.  Need one more double up and I'm back in this.
• Nothing happening at all and I'm down to 11K again after a couple of hands seen but no hits. 
• No one wants to play w/ me.  I'm pushing w/ 5X bb and not getting called....grrrrrr.  Need some action.
• Got someone to play w/ me on the hand before the break.  I doubled up w/ 77 vs TQs...scary board and scarier river but the 7s stood up.  Stack up to 36K w/ averages at 71K.  329 remaining.  Here's hoping to double up one more time and getting back in this thing.
• 1:00:  Game hasn't changed...still double or nothing
• Looking for a solid hand to double up on as the players at my table are going psycho.  Perfect situation for me.
• Took the blinds on a hand I wanted some action w/ and am back to the same stack I had before the 2 suckouts....long road back and long one ahead.
• Stack down to 20K after some weak plays.  Payouts up to $750.  Time to do work to get to a 5-6 digit score.  Less than 270 left and a long road ahead.  Here's to hoping I can stay on course.
•  Got all in w/ AK and got no action.
• Game down to 180 runners and I'm dead last...again.  I've been in the bottom 4 -10 for the last 2 hours.  Perhaps I can stay in the bottom 4 until there's 4 left.  Then I'll make my move and take it down.  Need to double up ASAP when we get back.  11K stack when the average is 130K.  Need 3 double ups and I'm in contention....perhaps AA back to back to back here?
• Roll call for the Full Tilt pros that were in this match...*cricket* *cricket*.    Oh wait, Isaac Baron is killin it and he's the only one left.  At least I outlasted Chris this time...in the tourney he hosted.   Here's hoping for the 3 in a row double up move after the break.
• 2:00
• Second hand...first double up down.  AK vs TT and I won the flip w/ an A on the river.  Here's to two more.
• Doubled up when I was allowed to see a cheap hand w/ 78s 8T5 w/ 2 spades come out and I get em in there and catch the flush on the river...Up to 40.  Here's to hoping I can keep it going.
• Shoved em in w/ AQ and got no callers... down to 130 now which means pay jumped up to 4 digits.  $1200 so far, here's to hoping I can add some 0's to that.
• Odd, I got moved to a new table and people still don't want to play w/ me.  Got in and no callers.  Need to double up 2 more times then I'm in contention.  Here's hoping that happens and I can start making some moves.
• Had to get em in w/ TJ vs AK. After catching the T I couldn't hold.  K on the river.  Out in 116 out of 4682.  Had to do something.  I couldn't stand running in the bottom 4 much longer.  Next time we'll hold up on those 3 outters and take this down.  Here's to hoping for that.GN all.

I'll post any awesome cashes when I'm done.  Until then Good luck in everything that you attempt.
 

FTOPS Event #1

 Tonight is the kickoff to Full Tilts FTOPS 2089 (or whatever they are up to now).  I've decided to do a semi-live update during the event because it's pretty difficult to do a true live update.

At break 1 I've chipped up to 6715 from the starting 5000 chips.That's slightly above average and there were no huge hands to speak of.    I've been coasting somewhat and made some chips calling down a big bluff on a not-slightly-scary board w/ top pair. A good first hour to the event.  So far everyone is surprisingly soft.  Lets hope it stays that way for a while.  During the second hour of play, we get this.  I've seen this before, disconnection issues when big tourneys spin up.  No good Full Tilt.  

During the second hour of play I made a somewhat stupid move getting in w/ 56 on a 578 board and continued betting when the 9 came out...the mistake came when I called his somewhat small raise.  I should have pretty easily put him on that inside straight draw...worst card ever for me but hey, I didn't get felted, and that's more than I can say for many... it still hurt though.

Second break and I got picked apart pretty bad due to that horrible move described above.  I'm back down to 3545 and the average is twice that.  Need to start making some moves to get back into this thing.  I just figured out that I must have the appearance of an absolute fish at the tables tonight.  At the other game I was playing at I reraised all-in w/ AK vs an early raise, only to get called then reraised (two different people from the original raiser).  I figured I'm dead here...no, there was a 4-bet and a 5-bet w/ guys holding 44 and 55.  Seriously, I'm getting no respect whatsoever tonight but that was a perfect situation to triple up but alas, no coin-flip win for me.  So, now I'm only focusing on the FTOPS event.  I'm sure I'll post fireworks during the next break update.  Here's to hoping at least.

Third hour of play:  Some really odd play this hour that has led to a quick double up to 7800 chips.  Once I had an average amount of chips I chipped up little by little until I flopped a set of 4's and am up against a guy playing a flush draw lie it's the nuts and doubles me up to a bit over 18K.  After chipping up to 25K against a guy shoving the inside straight draw w/ me holding top pair top kicker I was moved to a table w/ Steve Brecher just in time to spot him 5 betting w/ 96o for a serious amount of chips.  After the hand he said he misread his cards and he must have been telling the truth because it was embarrassing.  He then said he was getting eye surgery soon...good thing sir (sadly I think he thought he had 999 on the flop and eye surgery won't help dyslexia...I don't think).  At the third break I have 25K and the average is a bit under 12K.  Other than Steve, there are 23 other red pros left of the 40 that started.

Fourth hour of play: No spectacular hands showing up in the first half hour but there is an interesting situation brewing.  The guy directly to my right has been beating on me every round, stealing my blinds, this will end badly I'm sure.  Then it happens, I raise it up w/ AQ from mid and ol shove-em steve from above jams in over my raise.  After seeing him jam in the last three hands that he played w/ 69, KJ, and AJ I have to take the shot w/ half of my stack to get my buy-in back for knocking him out and he turns up KK...no miracle for me and I'm down to 11K again.  He then goes on to overbet QK and call someones all-in and catch out and just up the aggression to stupid levels w/ borderline at best hands.  Time for me to chip up so I can take another shot at him later.  Right now, time to get back into this though. Last hand before the break I'm dealt 88 w/ a bit more than 3 big blinds.  The hand was raised UTG by the player who raises every hand, then reraised by a mid player and shoved on by ol Steve again.  The second raiser calls him w/ AQ and he shows up AA.  W/ me holding 88, I got one back on him when the 8 hit the flop.  I sweat the 4 flush and triple up.  Stack at 13K w/ the average at 25K.  1117 runners left and I'm somewhere at the bottom of that pack.  Seems to be the theme of this one...time to make a move during the next hour.

Fifth hour:  and the surprises just keep coming...at the start of the fifth hour I have the 'pleasure' of having Chris Ferguson sat beside me.  Now I'm pinned between Chris and Steve.  This should make this thing fun. I put the chips in over a mid raiser w/ A9s and he tanked before calling w/ TJ.  I faded the 6 outs and doubled up to 25K.  Some up and downs throughout the hour and my big hand was a bit too obvious. On the bubble I had AQ and I rased a moderate amount and got called only to see AQ flop.  All I could hope for is AJ or AK but he had JJ (so he says).  The turn then killed any chance of action w/ another Q hitting.  I think he bets there if that doesn't happen but it did, then to top it off the A hit the river.  I couldn't even get a tiny bet out of him then.  Chris was super-tight and Steve was shoving about every 5 hands.  Odd for a guy w/ a $200 target on his back to do but perhaps it's reverse-reverse psychology and he has me snowed.  The money bubble burst this hour and runners once again started dropping like flies.  I'm gonna need to take advantage and double up there soon.  Then I'll be in the running (kinda).  Break update: I have 15K and the average is 51K (eek), 547 remain.  7 red pros remaining and 2 are at my table.  Figures I don't have any chips to play w/ them.  Here's to hoping that changes in the next hour.

Sixth hour: No cards really came and Chris Ferguson took me out w/ a coin flip in 402 place.  He had AK vs my 44...A on the flop and I couldn't improve.  I guess I can't hope to be beat by a better player.  Bitter sweet for sure.

Saints are marching

As everyone knows, today is Superbowl Sunday and to be honest it's got to be one of the biggest games in history.  Who can't help but pull for these Saints with all of the stories of giving and hope that have come from this team.  Here's to hoping that the Saints show up tonight, but honestly how could they not, they are the life of New Orleans and those fans give back to their team more than any other team I have ever seen.  They'll show up and make their Who dat nation proud.  I don't think I can sum it up any better than Dave from Action Sports Investment did here in one of his first blogs.

Who dat say those Saints can't win?  Not me and not anyone in New Orleans...not one person.