Updates 2/11/2010- Session Commentary

Yesterday I played a comibed 7.5 hours.  I decided to keep a log while I was playing to track my emotional swings.  The sessions below are not out of the ordinary for me.  I thought it would be useful to look back and see how crazy I actually am while I'm playing.  I thought it might make for a decent post as well.  I plan to keep logs like this while I'm playing.  After my sessions I can review my hands and my "emotional log".  The 7.5 hours of play included 4 pages on word, so this is not going to be a short post.  It's as much about my personal reflection as your entertainment.  I don't plan to post every log like this.  If this format doesn't seem logical to put in a post I will stop doing this.  Anyways here you go: 

This session was started at 4p.m.

4:30 p.m

In 30 minutes I am down -$80 on two ridiculous hands.  First, 99 destroyed by 33 as the idiot flops his set.

Followed by the typical AA < QKs.  Villain calls $8 pre-flop called, flop 2 hearts.  He calls $10 more on the flop.  Ends up turning his miracle flush… calls my all in.  I had a nut heart draw as the turn gave him his flush, but the river of course pathetically misses for me.  Reminds me of the hand I got slaughtered on last night.  Must be nice to hold QK and suck something out.  I wonder what the fuck that feels like?

Down $80 fast; SWEET thanks stars!  So at this rate I’ll be down $1400 in 8 hours!  YEAH BABY keep it going!  POKER IS SO FUCKING COOL.

I was just dealt KK.  Raise to $6 pre, 1 caller.  FLOP ACE. He leads out a ¾ pot sized bet, I fold.  He claims he had A7 off.  I didn’t need you to tell me clown, I know you had the ace; whatever.

4:55 p.m

I just won at $80 pot.  I raised to $6 pre.  Favorable flop with the over-pair, I bet $14… noted donk calls.  I bet $26 all in on the turn he calls.  He was holding mid pair 7, ace kicker.  Opponent left after he lost.  He seemed to be the last really bad player on the table, decided to hit and run with the $85 stack this time. 

5:10 p.m

Noted loose player raises $6 pre, so I push to 25 all in pre with AK.  The one guy sandwiched between the loose player and I CALLS WITH AA, as the loose player scampers away.  Ok right that made sense. $30 more down pissed away on horseshit.  I’ll just sit on this table with $0 3 times around while I look for another table.  That way these stupid nit tool-sheds can pay blinds at a slightly accelerated rate.

5:30 p.m

Some smack talk has broken out on a recent table its quite funny.  A player took a bad beat and asked another player if that “was his real photo”.  He replied “yes”.   We then asked the “asker” if that was his real photo?  His photo was of a baboon.  Another player then commented it wasn’t his real photo; it was his girl-friend lmao. 

Just picked up AQ and doubled up to $67 on the one table (over $30 won).  Guy decides to play 93 and pay me off with mid pair nine vs my top pair for some reason. 

Just lost $15 (30 pot) to the same guy.  He limped UTG, I opened to $6 pre with AK he then re-raises to $15… I call $10. I surrendered on the missed flop.  I know I have to go all in there probably, but I felt like he was tricky playing an absolute monster with the limp under the gun then 4-bet.  No worries just won another $25 pot from him.  That balances his JJ+ picked up under the gun earlier

6:00 p.m

Currently just two tabling with $60 on both tables.  This is hit and run territory for some short-stackers, but I feel like I really know the bad players well.  So I want to play these tables out, at least until I find other decent tables.

6:05 p.m

Just found a mega-donk I noted from a few nights ago.  He has to be hands down one of the worst players on these stakes.  I’m 2^nd on the waiting list.  Hopefully a few of the short-stackers double up and hit and run.  I’d be willing to put up $100 vs this guy.  There isn’t really a better situation.  Praying he stays around.

Just joined he already called a $30 all in bet pre with J6 suited.  He missed…….  Next hand 23 all in pre with 77… ran against QQ shame damn.  He left mother-fuck me.

6:20 p.m

Just picked up KK under the gun.  Raise to $6 I win $3.  Ok maybe this table completely sucks.  One of the looser players was in the BB also, thanks idiot.  Guess it’s better than the standard ace high flop.

6:30 p.m

Now 4-tabling.  Just picked up KK on the button.  3-bet preflop and got 2 callers.  No ace for once.  Took down a $112 pot with overpair KK.  Villian missed his suckout flush draw.  Terrifying flop I had him on str8 or flush draw at least.   I guess this is where I should hit and run with $111 on that table.  But the worst player is to my immediate right so I think not.  Time to play an abc strategy against him mixed with set mining.  He’s very passive when he misses his hand frequently.  DO NOT BE OVER-AGGRESSIVE.   He’s passive fish, but still a g-damn fish.  The guy left shortly after so that problem is solved; gone.

7:10 p.m

Just picked up a nice $80 pot against some idiot calling my 3-bet pre with JK off… an ace flopped as well.  My KK held.  Have four tables going.  Going to break at 8:00 p.m for dinner.  I’m really hungry.  My metabolism is on crack!  Going to try to be patient this last 50 minutes and strive to not do anything stupid.

7:40 p.m

Breaking 20 minutes short to eat dinner and check the destruction outside.  I can make up the time later if necessary.  The tables are completely pathetic right now and I’m not chasing anyone notable good time to stop. 

BREAK

Start $1800  End $1793.  Down -$7 total after a miserable start.  Maybe one day I can actually have a good START and finish.

Session Grade:  B+

I pretty much played everything the way I wanted here.  If I don’t take the two beats within the first 30 minutes I would have been up over +150 for the session.

Part 2:

9:15 p.m

I noticed the mega-donk discussed early has returned to action and has an ENORMOUS $170 chip stack.  Problem is I’m 3^rd on the fucking waiting list.  FUCK.  He’s on a table with 7 idiot short-stackers.  Hopefully some of them will chip up and leave.  I know I myself am a short-stacker, but I feel I have been forced into this lifestyle due to my bankroll.  I in fact despise my own kind. 

At 9:25 p.m

I actually get on the table.  It’s unfortunate that he is the only poor player at the table.  Everyone else is a short-stacker and/or nit.  Actually posted out of position to get 6 extra hands in with him, which is definitely worth it.

Son of a bitch just took a $28 pot from me playing A9 vs my AQ; rivered the flush fucking insane.  How is it that this idiot can only win pots against me?  He seems a little tighter tonight, but it might be because of the rest of the table is so pathetic.  It’s only a matter of time with him though.

I Just doubled up to $90 through the donk.  He paid off my overpair with top pair 10, king kicker. Amazing.

10:00 p.m

On a table breaking up with 5 people I raise to $6 preflop with AQs… Some short-stack raises to $44 all in pre-flop.  I call my remaining $29.  AND HE HAS AA, WHAT THE FUCK DO YOU KNOW?  WOW I’M REALLY SHOCKED.  Down -30 there.  Oh eat shit, how the hell do you pick that hand up there?

10:30 p.m

Picked up some hands and ran a train on the table with the donk for the last 30 minutes.  Most of my money came from other players.  Started that table with $45 and left with $165.  Continuing to research tables and try to pick out weak ones.  The second table I’ve been at a while I have up to $77.  I’ve decided to leave that table when the blind hits me.  There are weak players, but they’ve been suspiciously tight of late.  I’m feeling confident and disciplined at the moment (that’s a new one). 

11:30 p.m

Not much to report.  I’m still 2-4 tabling.  It’s getting hard to find profitable tables, but I’m still looking constantly.  Haven’t lost anything huge should still be up a decent amount.

12:00 a.m

The dry spell is broken.  I just pulled in a $100 pot.  My overpair AA held against top pair jack; queen kicker.  I can hardly believe I dodged a suck-out in a big pot.  It feels quite good.  I decided to leave the table with $120.  I’m currently 4 tabling.

1:00 a.m

I just scooped up a nice $80 pot playing JJ.  I smooth called pre.  Flop came Q88.  I led out $14 and was called.  Turn JACK.  I check.  The guy puts me all in twenty-some more and I call.  He turns over Q10.  I don’t feel bad, if he played it correctly on the flop I would have been raised out.  Who plays Q10 off raising from early position anyway?  This regular seems on tilt and/or brain-dead from playing a thousand tables at once.

Was thinking about a “things I hate list”.  A brief passing idea I would probably never make into a post, so I might as well put the thoughts here.  One of the things I hate would be players that have REALLY STUPID NAMES, but are actually GOOD AT POKER.  That makes no fucking sense to me. 

Woah just picked up another $80 pot.  I standard raised pre with AQ and was called.  Some guy decided to battle all in with top pair ace; 10-kicker.  My queen kicker held.  You have to wonder what he was thinking.  Love how he check raised the flop like he had this amazing unbeatable hand; thought there was a 30-40% chance that he flopped two pair or AK for a second.  Though I’m amazed I dodged the 10 there.  He left after the loss.  I’m leaving that particular table with $110; the table has been kind-of stupid for a while anyways.   Getting hungry again; stupid metabolism is demanding fuel to consume.  Keep in mind I’m 6 foot tall and weigh under 150 pounds.

I’m down to 2 tables.  Probably going to break around 1:45 or 2:00a.m.

1:30 a.m

Just lost a nice $70 pot QQ all in vs AA preflop.  It’s about time something completely stupid happened I guess.   Better log off before it’s back to screwing me over unmercifully.  I don’t remember one time in the past week I had someone’s AK, QQ, or KK dominated all in pre-flop (again must be nice).  I do however remember my AA getting smashed my QK dog-shit suited earlier in the session though.  Actually I’m pissed and have decided to STOP for the session.  That’s 4 hours.  Going to break and maybe play an hour or two later.

I desperately needed that winning session.  That’s about the rate I’m looking for when paying 4 hours.  Would have been nice to not have a shit hand like the last one, but there wasn’t anything I could do there.  I really think I played solid that session.  For a few hours I was even avoiding coolers/suck-outs and running well.

Session Summarized:

Elapsed Time:  7.5 Hours

Starting Bankroll:  $1793

Ending Bankroll:  $2013

Profit:  +$213

Comments

[Lucypher]

Bags, congrats on turning a bad session around. Keep working on controlling your emotions and remaining as calm as possible while playing. It is usually unhelpful to denigrate one's opponents by thinking of them as donks, idiots, etc.
Just consider them a weak opponent that has x tendencies - perhaps calls too much preflop with small pairs or suited cards,etc. Sound strategy is rational and stoic. You got unlucky on the 9-9 and A-A hand described - in both cases a worse hand called pre flop. Stay focused on making the right decision and the results will follow more often than not. FYI -When I am short stacking and I have the sort of hand you described (9-9, A-A, etc.) my goal is usually to get it all in on the flop and not let them see the turn without committing. Good luck.

[baglife]

Lucy,

Just had another terrible session last night. I recorded the log, but I may not post it this time. However, looking at the log on this post and the last log I have been finding a lot of leaks in my short-stack game. Short-stack is so ABC and I'm messing it up. I need to regroup this weekend. I still have around 40 buy-ins; if I go below 30 I will have to deposit which sucks.

Even in this post some leaks::

5:30 p.m

-Against the limp 3-bet I need to be all-in or fold pre. It's actually an automatic all-in with a short-stack now that I look at it. Unless I have notes that indicate he only plays KK or AA like this. It did look like a trap hand however. Still it's an all in. Even giving him 50% KK-AA 30% QQ 10% AK-AQ 10% BS

10:00 p.m

I shouldn't be on a table with 5 people and breaking up EVER. Also I could have folded to a re-raise all in with AQ. I don't like my play now that I look at it. I'm sure I had notes indicating a looser range, but still. Tough hand either way.

1:00 a.m

-I need to be all in pre-flop with JJ here; it's automatic. The result would have been the same, but in the long-run this is another leak.

I ran miserable last session, but found some leaks. I'm eager to move on and plug them up. I've also been playing way to loose, and getting strangely passive on some hands pre. This will change immediately.

You're right about being rude to players. At least I don't actually say anything on the table (95% of the time). Though I'm not sure if I will get the emotion part down anytime soon......

-bag

[FkCoolers]

At anything lower than 2/4 NL I tend to think everyone is weakish until proven otherwise.

That's not to say I will assume I can outplay the table - just the opposite. You can never outplay anyone who will fail to realize they are being outplayed.

What it means is that I won't make a single hero fold until I can peg someone as being quite good.

[baglife]

FK,

That's smart thinking. I still thought he had a monster. I mean who limps UTG and waits for an all in 4-bet pre-flop out of nowhere? It's not like the guy was tricky or loose. Standard donk move trying to get paid.

-bag