Game? Where did I put that?

I don't quite know where my game is. That is, if I have any kind of game.

My interest in playing poker is not like it was 2 years ago. I enjoy the game and the challenges presented, but my heart isn't fully in it at the moment. It seems I get kind of bored and unfocused about an hour in. I then employ a go for broke mentality. I usually end up broke. Then I reign it in and try to make something happen. That something is usually going to bed.

A couple years ago it wasn't the case. I could slog my way through the field and make some money. Sometimes I would go deep enough to make a good score. Now, I feel my best is a bubble. The best I have done of late has been a couple 3rds. Not bad but they are far and few between.

That was the tale last night. I made a very bad play in the Bodog to go out midway. Technically two bad plays as I didn't re-raise enough (though I am sure it wouldn't have made this donkey fold) and then making a call knowing I was beat instead of fighting back with a short stack.

Did better in the Skillz game. Final table and out in 9th when 5 5 got beat by J 10s. What hurt was trying to steal with J 10s the hand just prior and not catching a thing on the flop. It was good to see the Spaceman again though. Wish he would write more often.

The night wasn't a total loss as I didn't scoop up a token in the free for all. That took about 10 minutes longer than it should have as some dipshits didn't understand the concept of hand-for-hand and kept delaying the tournament.

If I ignore the $40 lost playing PLO8, I break even. I think I will ignore it.

I see the Rooster is begging for attention again. Because he is a good guy, I say everyone should go see that cock lover. Yep, he loves the cock. He has pictures of cock right there on his blog. Some say he is an expert on the cock. Been playing with cock all his life. Even at the table, his little cock ends up on the felt. So click on through to the Rooster and tell him I say hi!

Now here is a good idea

Via Karol at I Had Outs:

Charles Nesson Calls for Presidential Candidates to Play Poker in Colbert Report Appearance

"Quintessential American Game" Reveals Strategic Thinking Ability and other
Life Skills Says Harvard Professor

NEW YORK, Jan. 25 /PRNewswire/ -- Harvard Law School Professor Charles
Nesson made a special appearance as a guest on COMEDY CENTRAL's The Colbert
Report last night to talk about the virtues of poker as a teaching tool,
call for legalizing poker games online, and to propose hosting a poker game
for presidential candidates to test their skill and strategic acumen.
Professor Nesson's appearance can be seen in rebroadcast on COMEDY CENTRAL
today at 8:30 PM EST.

During the interview with Stephen Colbert, Charles Nesson, founder and
President of the Global Poker Strategic Thinking Society (GPSTS) said, "I
want to make poker a legitimate thing for teaching strategy ... Poker is a
marvelous game for seeing what a situation looks like from the other side."

"But why not play with your buddies around the table?" Colbert asked.

"Online is like a school and it is right there for you and it is an
easier way to master the mathematics of it," Nesson said, as to why
Americans should have the right to play online poker.

"I have made it my mission to make poker legitimate as a teaching tool
and a learning tool," Nesson continued.

The interview concluded with Nesson proposing that Colbert team-up with
Nesson by inviting the presidential candidates to play poker to show their
strategic skills in front of a camera. Colbert endorsed Nesson's proposal
saying, "That would be nice ... I can just see Hillary with the sunglasses
with the little snake eyes on them."

Elaborating on the idea, Professor Charles Nesson said, "Poker is a
quintessentially American game that draws on the best traditions in our
culture, mixing individualism and sociability, and placing a premium on
smarts," Nesson said. "Poker is more than just a fun game; it has real
educational possibilities. It is one of the best tools we have to teach
negotiation, risk assessment, strategic thinking and other essential life
skills," Nesson continued.

"This is an exciting opportunity for the public to see how poker
provides important insights into a candidates' personality more effectively
than any debate."

More information on the tournament series can be found at
http://www.gpsts.org.

About GPSTS

Founded by Harvard Law Professor Charles Nesson, the Global Poker
Strategic Thinking Society views pokers as a game of skill that can be used
as a teaching tool at all levels of academia and in secondary education.
The concept is to use poker to teach basic life skills, strategic thinking,
geopolitical analysis, risk assessment, and money management. The goal is
to create an open online curriculum centered on poker that will draw the
brightest minds together, both within and outside of the conventional
university setting, to promote open education and Internet democracy.

About Charles Nesson

Charles Nesson is the William F. Weld Professor of Law, Harvard Law
School and Founder and Co-Director of the Berkman Center for Internet &
Society. He is joined on the GPSTS board by Stanford Law School Professor
Lawrence Lessig, who is the author of Code and Other Laws of Cyberspace and
a previous Berkman Professor of Law.

SOURCE The Global Poker Strategic Thinking Society

Win lose and draw

I had some fun playing poker last night. Some success, some failure, some razzing.

The evening started with two mistakes. I thought I had signed up for a 2 table turbo token game. Instead it was regular levels. Not something I couldn't handle, or so I thought as I bubbled the tokens and got a small payout. I had been doing well all game but went totally card dead at the end. Literally got nothing or could not battle the large stacks. They were content to play every hand.

Just before the token game started, I tried to sign up for a regular one table NL SnG. Found one and got in. Then sat slack jawed when I was dealt 4 cards. I look up and see PLO8. Great! Just tossed this buy-in away. Instead of donking my way through, I tightened up and played very conservatively. Until I noticed how timid everyone was. I kicked it up a gear and started taking down uncontested pots. I chipped up nicely and cruised into the money. Soon it would be heads up,with me just behind by about 1000. I made a terrible read on a river bet and lost a chunk. I then proceeded to get overly aggressive with bottom two pair, potting it to get me all in on the flop. My opponent called showing top two pair. I cursed the screen and was ready to raise the white flap until I hit my two outer on the river. I was suddenly back in the game.

It got uglier for my opponent. On the next hand, I flopped a full house. The board ended up giving me exactly what I needed to ensure my opponent would get felted by making both flush and straight possibilities available with no low. Cha-ching and the PLO8 1st prize is mine.

I tried to continue the luck into Razz- a game of luck- but that didn't go as well. I played loose at first and then tightened up. Got a number of good starting hands that continually bricked me up on 5 and 6. I then slid into awfukkit mode and gave the rest of my stack to Zeem.

I did have some fun with resident Razz expect Waffles. He criticized my play of the very first hand. I brought in with a K. Behind it I had A 2. It folded around to Zeem on my right who completed. Being on the first level and two good cards, I was going to play. I made my hand on 6, with an 8 or 9 (not something I was too keen on but it was early). With the way Zeem kept betting and with what he was showing, I put him on a bully bluff. I wasn't that far off as he claims he made it on 7.

But Waffles went off. He said playing a K doorcard was stupid, that I would have to wait until 6 to possibly make a hand. A couple hands later, he would do something similar. With a 6 showing, he got a K on 4th and bet out against a stronger Zeem, who had a 9 showing. He claimed it was a good move because he had the better draw. K vs 9 is better? It seemed to be the same principle. He would have to make his hand on 6. Is there that much of a difference between the K in the door or on 4th? I don't think so.

I would argue that I have more shots to catch up. I can either catch cards or have my opponent brick. If neither happens, I can fold. If my opponent is fixed on the K, they may try to bully me with any 7 or 8 that hits me. It also may give the table a soft image. That I will play any hand with just two good cards to start. Hey, it may not be the optimal play, but I don't think it is such a bad play especially with it being the start of the tournament.

So I found it amusing that Waffles would rip on me for playing the K, but would play it on 4 and claim he made a better play. They are both equally donktastic or not bad. At the very least, there is an element of hypocrisy on Waffles part. And by the way, on his hand he had A 6 behind. Not as good as I did.

I don't claim to be a great Razz player. I like the game and think I can hang with most people. You just won't hear me criticizing other people's play. You have no idea what someone may be trying to accomplish, especially early in a tournament.

Fitting song

It has been a hellacious day at work. I need to relax, drink, and sling some chips.

As I sit here listening to my MP3 player, I read over at Hoy's that the RiverChasers game is Razz. Then Megadeth's In My Darkest Hour came on. Seems fitting for the day I have had and the night that will be. I wonder how sober I will be.

How not to win a tournament

I was playing both the Bodog blogger game and the Skillz game last night. Nothing much to report on either. Instant Tragedy played his J J well against me and I was eliminated somewhere in the low 20s or high teens. I played an ok game with what cards I received. I was able to ratchet up the aggression at the right times. Except for the end. Sure I probably shouldn't have been raising up with Q 10s and then pushing on a 10 high board with no draws, but I don't think anyone could put him on a higher pair from the BB like that. I like how IT played it. When he bet out, I thought he had a mid pair or strong A behind. I didn't expect a higher pocket pair.

I was disappointed with the O8 game. I was playing well for the first 2 sessions. At least well for a Omatard. Yeah, I had my share of suckouts, but I also calmed down my aggression in the right spots. I have learned the pain of being quartered and didn't need to be a masochist.

The problem I had with my play was simple. I got impatient. I was sitting in the top 5 for most of the second session. It seemed like anytime I was dealt a pair of Kings, I would flop a set and it would not just hold up, it would hold for a monster pot. It really helped that people would keep chasing their lows, even if it wasn't the nut low. I am so glad many people did not read BWOP basics of Omaha 8 post. They rather fling those chips like monkeys fling poo.

But as I said, I got impatient. I went card dead and then tried to make things happen. The table was seeming tight so I got aggressive with marginal hands. Not bad, but not that strong. Problem was I was running into one particular donkey that was not going to fold and must have sat on a horseshoe. He was playing some crappy cards but hitting flops. When I dropped a nice pot to him because of that, I went on semi tilt with a small stack and then was out in 12th. Had I stayed patient, I could have made the money.

Because it is true

Worst poker player.

Maybe there should be an award for stupidest person in a casino. That would got to the clown Brandon who started that rant on Brandi, but that was ever stupider to go on tape and do an interview. You probably have already seen this over on Iggy's post, but the wee one likes to receive any and all linkage. So not only did you admit to being a dumbass in a forum, you now decide that video showing your face. Is that so people can walk by you in the casino and say "Hey, that is the dumbass who dumped his girl and then left her alone in his house for 3 days. And he was shocked that she stole everything." They should have your face show up on the Simpsons just so Nelson can laugh at you.

Knowing she was a skank, you deserve to be taken to the cleaners. Furthermore, you know where she is and you don't have the sack to go get your money back.

Beer > Poker

I didn't end up playing any HORSE yesterday. I decided to join my friends and watch the Packers game instead. Maybe I should have stayed home. But give me an excuse to go drink for 8 hours and watch football and I will be there.

I played some on Saturday with the intention of getting into the game yesterday. I got two bad beats in hold em tournaments having my K K beat by A Q with the nice four flush. In a different tourney, some assclown reraised my reraised A A with 9 9. He went on to runner runner the straight.

But I did place 11th in a HORSE tournament to recoup most of the day's losses. I had figured I could use that momentum to do well in last night's event. But beer called.

I am looking forward to the Bodonkey tournament on Tuesday. Right now I am glad I didn't throw all that cash on the Packers yesterday.

Just missed it

I ran into some issue with the computer yesterday that prevented me from play the RiverChasers games last night. I believe I need to do something to clean up the pc but have no clue what. It is getting slower and bogging down if I have a couple programs going. And it isn't all porn viewing. Any suggestions would be appreciated.

So after missing the RC game by a minute, I decided to play some triple draw. For some reason, I figured I would go to Ultimate Bet and donk around the fifty some bucks I have there. One thing I should have realized right away. The TD table was A-5, not 2-7. That really changed everything. I folded a couple good hands because I was use to 2-7. Then I missed a bet when I just checked with the nut wheel. It was tiny stakes so I didn't miss much. The .25-.50 game was the only one going.

I quickly got off of UB and went back to Stars where I played the game I am more accustomed to. A couple 2/4 games were going and I jumped in. Things were rather rocky. I would go on short runs and do well and then get knocked around when my 1 card draws would not hit on any street. It was kinda compounded by the fact there were two players willing to call down with 9s and even bluff when holding face cards. The table was juicy until it became heads up and I didn't want a piece of that so I went to the other table.

It started well there as I hit the nuts on my first hand, first draw. But then the roller coaster ride began again and I went up and down. It looked good when a player from the previous table joined in. He was terrible and was going to keep drawing no matter what. But then he went on a tear and soon when from 50 to over 200. It seemed he was going to keep catching cards no matter what. That had me change my tactics a bit and slow down when I got involved. In then end, I was up a couple bucks for the night but had a good time.

Seeing how it is suppose to be damn cold this weekend, I may try to get some tokens for Don's big game on Sunday. I may be skipping the bar and football this weekend.

I found out today the real story of the Cowboys loss last Sunday. Why Tony, why?

Hindsight is 20/20

Hindsight is 20/20. So was my finish in the Bodonkey and the Blogger Skillz. I managed to finish 20th in both. That also meant I went away with nothing. No cash. No tourney dollars. Just a bunch of GG StB. And that don't buy the entry into the next tournament.

It was a case of chasing in Razz when I knew I shouldn't have been chasing. But after having won pots with a J, 10 and 9, I couldn't help but feel a lot of my 8s were good. And they were. I still have yet to figure out why jjok called me down with a Q. I bluffed the river with my J because his up cards where total crap and it was blatant that I was trying to suck out. To bet with the J is much different than calling with a Q.

Over at the hold em game, I wasn't familiar with a lot of the players at my table. I made some loose plays and tried to tighten up later. Jordan took me out easily when I tried to make a play from the SB. I hoped he had a small pair and might fold after he limped from EP. Instead his A J held up.

Best thing though was I had a good time in both tournies. Can't wait to do it again.

Two fer

I am hoping to get into both blogger events tonight. A little Razz on Full Tilt is the easy part. If I can get some cash into Bodog, I will be playing the Bodonkey event as well. I noticed Bodog has a new "e check" option. Will give that a go and see if I am a winner!

Ok, I am done with PLO

Enough PLO for me for now. In other words, I ran poorly in the Riverchasers game last night. However, I did realize some weaknesses in my game that I can correct. And I learned that if the only reason you are playing poker is because it is something to do while you finish your cocktail, you may have a gambling problem.

I was talking with some friends at the bar last night about Vegas. I could feel the fire light up and the urge to go again burn inside. I then became disappointed. I had received an offer from the IP for some free nights, drinks, food, etc. But the deal also came with a free Imperial Palace jacket. If I recall, it wasn't some cheap satin jacket like they giveaway downtown. I believe it was like the old high school letterman's jacket.

I got home and tried to find the flyer I had received but had no luck. The more I think about it, the more I want that jacket. Only for one reason. That thing screams BOUNTY at the next WPBT gathering in summer.

No skillz

I don't know exactly what to say about my play in the Pot Limit Omaha round of the Blogger Skillz challenge. I didn't play poorly but I also didn't play well. In the end, I finished 29 of 82. Problem was, I really didn't have a chance to win.

The level of play itself was interesting. My guess is most of these people have never learned to play Omaha. I have put some time in it and by no means think I am good at it, even though i did win a blogger Omaha tourney. I mean, there was a lot of bets that left me scratching my head. Bets made with second pair, no draw and numerous players left to act. People calling down with pocket aces and no draw. Stuff that I found strange for an Omaha game. And I again, I am by no means a good Omaha player so maybe people think that is the way to play, but I find that bluffing in Omaha usually leads to you watching Omaha.

Bayne was my nemesis last night. He took two good pots off of me. One time he flopped a straight and slow played it. The other time he had a massive draw. I had Kings with a flush draw, but something told me I was behind. Yep, he had an opened ended straight draw and the nut flush draw. It wasn't the spot I want to put all my chips in. Thankfully I let my gut rule my mind on those hands and survived a bit longer.

I was able to double up at the expense of EasyCure. Flopped two pair and decided to take a gamble with it. Thankfully he didn't catch his flush and his aces weren't good enough.

I made a bit of a donkish play at the end. With QQ single suited, I tried to steal the blinds. Big Pirate or Pirate Lawyer, I can't keep up with those scurvy folks, caught KK. Flop of 8 high had me betting out. When he raised I had only two choices. Push or fold. I thought it over and decided to push. My read was he was on a draw. If he had A A or K K behind, well, I was screwed. Uh huh. I was screwed and found myself walking the plank.

Even Steven

A funny thing happened playing poker this weekend. In 3 different sessions, playing 2 different games, I ended up basically even. It may have been about a buck profit, but for practical purposes, I played about 6 hours and didn't really win or lose. Just spent some time having a good time playing poker.

The scary thing was all 3 sessions followed the same pattern. I played terribly and was down quickly. The first session should have been profitable. Playing .5/1 NLHE on Full Tilt, I was down $50 right away when I bet into a turned straight and thought I could bully the pot my way. No such luck. But I bought back in and played better. Soon I was up $45. But I gave it all back on the last hand I played. With a limper UTG, I raised it in the cutoff with 9 9 to5. The BB called as did the limper. Flop gave me my set, 9 2 3, rainbow. I bet again (just under pot) and they both called. Turn was a 6. Suddenly UTG bet out, all in for just over $30. That surprised me. Would he have limped and called a raise with 4 5? I didn't think it made any sense to do that. I raised him back, forgetting about the other guy in the pot. As soon as I did, I realized I probably had screwed up. I should have just called to try and keep the other guy in. The BB folded and sure enough, this guy showed 4 5. I was back to even.

Yesterday, I sat down and played the same level while watching football. Big mistake. I was soon down and again, playing like crap. I did find a way to get back to even again. I got lucky when I hit a straight on the river. I had raised in MP with K Q. Only the button called me. The flop was J 10 x. I made a half pot continuation bet and was called. I checked the river and called his paltry $5 bet. I knew I was behind but felt his bet was way too small and didn't show too much strength; that a K or Q would be just as good as the 9 or A. An A hit the river. Sweet. I decided to check it back to him and make it look like I didn't hit anything. For once, this worked for me. He bet out $10 allowing me to pop him right back. He insta-called with A 10. Just like that, I was just about even again.

The last spot was in Triple Draw. Playing 2/4 on Stars. Started out by dropping half my buy in in the first 10 hands. I was playing way too loose. So I tightened up and watched for a bit. I was able to get a good read on the other 4 players. Of course making the nuts and second nuts with 2 people betting into your helps to cover the loss. That got me above even but I donked that profit away. I stopped in time to eat and catch American Gladiators.

The end result was that I enjoyed playing the game again. Next time I just need to not put myself into a hole. It might be even more enjoyable to win some money next time.

Spiral

Mike Matusow has his meltdowns. I have my spirals into destruction.

I blew a comfortable lead in the RiverChasers tournament last night. Was sitting in 1st with 15 people left. I could have sat back, got into the money and then done my best to win. Instead, I went from first to worst in a couple of hands.

The sad part is I have done this many times. It is only now that I have begun to realize it. Maybe it is a false sense of invincibility. Last night it was a case of thinking someone was simply trying to bluff me off a pot that led me to think my second pair was good. Or that even my third pair with a straight draw was good. Stupid things like thinking I was playing so well that the cards were going to hit. Odds be damned, but I think I can hit my 4 outer!

I had played pretty well last night. I played some very loose poker early before tightening up and getting serious. I read some players well and pounced on those when I sense weakness. I was having a good time jockeying with Waffles for the top spot, taunting him when I would pass him and vowing to move by him again when I would drop back down. But it would all come spriraling down to a point of mass destruction and a 14th place finish.

It was the first time in a while that I was mad at my end play. It was the last thing I thought about before falling asleep and the first thing crossing my mind in the morning. I know I am better than what I played last night. That is what bothers me. It was two hands that I played like a total donkey that have me a bit upset.

Maybe now I have realized what the problem is and can move on. I won't know until the next time.

Razz frustration

Is there anything worse than sitting at a Razz table catching bricks as your opponents play the game like Stud? Watching pot after pot get pushed to the other guy who has a clue about the game as you keep getting face cards? Then when you get a nice low going, you brick out to that other guy. Man do I hate that game.