Taking A Break (5/12/2012)

The last poker session I played was Wednesday.  I think I'm down about -$200 on the month total, basically in a break even stretch in around 40 hours.

I don't plan to play again until Thursday the 17th.  I've decided to take a full week off from poker.  I'm almost certain I haven't taken this much time off since I went pro over a year and a half ago.

Several factors made me decide on a break.  It was a logical time, I had some family obligations in NY, and my birthday is very soon.  I wasn't going to do anything for my birthday really, but I decided to force myself to take a week from poker.  Also, the games have really sucked the past week and a half and I wasn't having fun trying to pull teeth to find a shitty mid-stakes game.  I'm also getting tired of seeing the same stupid ass regulars, if I didn't get out of there I was going to take a chair to one of them.  I feel like I would benefit from a break.  I've been talking about doing it the past two months, but now seems like a good time to do it.  I'm just going to do whatever I feel like during this time.  I'm also going to attempt to reflect on poker and life.   

I'm out of town in Manhattan right now enjoying this beautiful Saturday.

Hopefully when I return to the tables I'll be thirsty to grind mid-stakes.  If not I'll probably force the volume.  If I really feel like I'm forcing the volume it might be a sign to transition towards some life changes.

-bag

Slow Start to May (5/8/2012)

May has started off break even in 32 hours for me.

Not a big sample size, but I've ran really bad two nights which pretty much ruined any chance of profit so far.  The games have also been incredibly dry the past week.  Incredibly frustrating, like pulling teeth to find an average 2/5 game, even on weekends.  It's like the entire city is DEAD, no idea what's going on.

Not really much to update right now.  Going out of town two days this week.  Whenever I go out of town it's like I try to mass volumes on dead nights before I leave and get smashed.  This is something to keep an eye on.

After the small upswing I'm feeling bored with 2/5 again.  But part of that has been because the games have just been such a joke.  This might be a sign to leave town for a few nights to play elsewhere sometime this month.

Something I've really been trying to work on this month is my ATTITUDE.  My attitude hasn't been great the past few months.  Live poker takes it's toll, but I'm beginning to think having a positive attitude is important.  That doesn't mean: "I'm going to pretty much win every session, smooth sailing from here."

More along the lines of, playing live poker for a living is incredibly difficult.  Most people can't do it.  Therefore, I should have more respect for what I'm doing.  It's a privilege to be able to do it.  Sometimes I think it would be good for me to work my old corporate job a single week to remember what it feels like.  I guarantee I'd be out of there by day three.

Yes grinding 2/5 isn't the most rewarding thing, especially when I feel like I can beat 5/10.  But it is I who decided to be extra conservative right now.  2/5 has it's purpose and I need to respect it for the good and the bad.

-bag

Stop Loss NIght (5/4/2012)

My run good ended in horrific fashion tonight (they always do).  I ended up dropping 1k in 5 hours.  The last $500ish was lost getting AA all-in pre-flop and losing to KQ.  I immediately left the table after losing the hand.  Yeah I wasn’t incredibly happy, but I was going to leave in an hour anyways, so I figured enough for the night.  I was already down 1k playing 2/5 which doesn’t happen often, so yeah it was time to go.  I’ve still decided to keep the 1k stop-loss in effect when playing 2/5.  When I’m down 1k playing 2/5 on the night I’m just not even close to having fun anymore and I’m tilted so yeah I leave.  I think it’s still a fine rule.

I’m actually still up a few buy-ins on the week, but now break-even for May.  Actually up $180 for May because I’m fucking pro.

Just a reminder I’m in for another long month.

My plan this week is to take off Friday, and aim to put in good volume Saturday, Sunday, and Monday.  This schedule seemed to work last week.  I like to keep short-term patterns together until everything turns to shit, then I switch it up again.

-bag

April Results (5/2/2012)

The year 2012 is oddly enough already one-third complete.  That went quick!

Since dropping back to mid-stakes I’ve been fortunate to go on an upswing, up just over 3.5k in 35 hours.  Best to enjoy run-goods while you can.  Despite some serious swings I finished the month up just over 5.5k.  April also marks the sixth consecutive month I’ve logged a net profit live. 

During April I logged 68.5 hours of play at 5/10, and 62.5 hours at 2/5.  I won a lot more at 2/5.  I ended up getting hammered towards the end of my 5/10 sessions, sputtering to only up +1200 total on high stakes for April. 

I’m happy I dropped back to mid-stakes for now.  The game seems even easier after coming from 5/10.  It’s also less stressful playing with a ridiculous 75+ BI bankroll.  I’ve been much more focused since dropping.  Now I have a clear goal to work towards, which is getting back to high stakes asap.  So yes, every 2/5 session still feels very important to me.  I’m playing solid poker and not making mistakes. 

The stretch ahead is important.  I’m definitely planning another 5/10 shot around early June (when the next tournament comes in town).  We will see.

-bag

Confidently Dropping to Mid-Stakes (4/26/2012)

I shipped a full $1200 buy-in within the first 30 minutes of playing 5/10 tonight and lost a $3600 pot.

Bye-bye 5/10 hand:

I isolate $50 on two limpers preflop with 99. Two players flat in with position on me, and both limpers flat. Pot is $250.

Flop Td 8d 4s

I lead $150, meh-AZN reg to my left calls, meh-nit middle aged white reg calls, both limpers fold. Pot is now $550.

Turn 9d

Clearly the bingo card, hard for me not to like. The open ended flop straight draws have both missed (J9 and 79). I do have two nines in my hand so these hands are a little less likely. Gut-shots JQ and 76 might have got there. I'm really discounting the gut-shots because both players are regulars. I don't think they are bad enough to call with a gut-shot on the flop when I'm leading and around 100 BB effective. These are 5/10 pros right? Ok maybe the Asian might call with a gut-shot here, but the middle aged white guy pro, no way in hell.....

I lead turn $375. Meh-azn who hasn't been laid in at least 5 years shoves. Middle aged white guy does a little acting like a retard and over-shove. As soon as this nit over-shoved I knew he probably hit the gut-shot. He's a complete nit post-flop and never puts in with less than a set here. I now have only $600 left and obviously have to call $600 to win $3600. Even if he showed me QJ face up I'm low 20% to boat up on the river.

River 7

Assclown middle aged reg who hasn't showered in over a year turns over QJ and holds.

HE HASN'T SHOWER IN A YEAR BUT HOLY SHIT DOES THIS IDIOT RUN LIKE GOD EACH AND EVERY WEEK.

SICK CALL ON THE FLOP TO BINK A GUT-SHOT.... wait I had two nines in my hand so you called $150 on the flop against a now less than 100BB stack with two outs, AND YOU STILL HIT.

CONGRATULATIONS SIR!

And after that I went back down to 2/5 and grinded $255 in 5 shitty hours. That's really about all I can take for now. The last two days I've been stacked getting in with horrific set-up hands. Both times against regulars making a really bad call on at least one street to luck-box. Both times I would have had to get the money in even if the cards were face up because of my equity. Both times I obviously brick. I hate to bitch, but in my live poker career, I feel like I'm about 0 for 15 when I need to fill up to a full house in ridiculous huge-pot situations.

So on the month I'm now only up just over 2k. I played 5/10 65 hours, only up about 1,200 (a buy-in weeee). If I'm going to run like this I might as well drop to mid-stakes and run like total shit there for the remainder of the month (which I intend to do). I wanted to finish the month at least up 2k so I could pay off a big credit card bill and rent. In 6 hours of 5/10 this week I've lost a 6k in pots combined. That's almost a years rent in two pots (LOL).

Right now I need a break from the swings. My original plan was to aggressively take shots in 5/10 games until my bankroll dropped just below 30k. But with my bankroll at now 35k I just don't even feel comfortable losing a few more pots like that. It has already started to affect my play at high stakes, you miss a barrel here, or a delayed cbet multi-way here. Then you aren't playing your A game, then you're absolutely fucked because you need to be playing your A game when you're "taking a shot" in the biggest games you've ever played in.

I think my plan now is to grind 2/5 until I can get my roll just over 40k. This is a bankroll level I feel more comfortable stepping into 5/10 with. I know it's only 5 more k or so, but it makes a big difference in my mind. It just disgusts me to think about dropping my roll below 30k because I can't run normal playing 5/10. I'm not going to let it happen, and I've officially pulled the plug tonight. I REFUSE to endanger my roll to a point where it drops below 30k. If I play 2/5 and lose TEN buy-ins playing which drops the roll below 30k then fine so be it. But losing 5 buy-ins at 5/10 seems a LOT more feasible right now, so I'm just ending the shot right now.

So was the stress worth it?

Yes absolutely.

I stepped up to 5/10 and held my own. I actually won over a buy-in during 65 hours of play. I know I have the skill to beat 5/10 at the moment. It's all about building my roll to a level where I'm 100% comfortable facing the beast that is 5/10. I can't lose two enormous pots in 6 hours and be messed up over it.

And this has actually provided great motivation to put in the hours and grind 2/5 with a new found purpose. The purpose of 2/5 is to build my roll, and eventually return to 5/10 even stronger. No longer am I grinding away with the only motivation of reaching an arbitrary number (aka 100 BIs or 80 BIs). And with the taste of 5/10 bagliife is hungry for more. But why the fuck is he still awake at 5:30 a.m typing this? And why hasn't he worked out in over a week? And how did he make out with a girl an hour at the club Tuesday night, only to have her NOT TEXT HIM BACK? That is an absolute first. I must say I have never made out with a girl for over an hour that I just met and have her not RESPOND. I feel this is only possible in New Jersey. You can meet a hot girl, basically fuck her in a club, but next day no response. I wanted to watch a movie or something GOOD LORD im not a terrible person I swear!

Anyways, the 5/10 regulars better hope I run like shit at 2/5 for a long time. When I come back it's war. And you may all know each-other, but I have friends as well. And the next time I take a shot they sure as hell will be in town and I'll have notes on all of you mother fuckers. So keep buddy-buddying and I'll buddy-buddy with my own crew. Not that I need to form alliances to take on shit poker players that play like shit and win thousands daily doing nothing. Just the small increase in bankroll, it's the only thing separating a player like me who is knocking at the door, ready to jump in, fuck up your party, and carve up your fish. Peace the fuck out.

-bag