3.19.2010 (Preparing for War)

Another weekend of poker is approaching.  Again I’m aiming to suffer through 20 hours.  I always seem to fall short of the 20 hour mark on the weekends.  I’ll get in around 15-16 hours Friday/Saturday, but then something always comes up on Sunday.  That being said, still going to aim for 20.  It’s supposed to be beautiful and sunny outside the entire weekend, which is going to make it even more difficult.  But I will still be aiming to get in some tennis and basketball during the afternoons.  Today is also a half day at work, so I will be getting in my share of natural sunlight this weekend.

I went out last night and got completely hammered.  I really didn’t even drink that much, I just have no tolerance now that I have been going out a maximum of only once per week.  Ok let me rephrase: if I drank that much a month ago it wouldn’t have affected me.  This is good and bad.  Good because I’m poisoning my body less obviously.  Bad because my tolerance is very low, a 24 year old should be able to handle drinking a large amount of booze every once in a while.  Also I think drinking is now that much worse because my body isn’t used to handling it.  With my previous lifestyle it’s like “ok I’m used to this abuse”, but now when I go out my body is saying “WTF IS HE DOING OMG OMG”. 

I believe the human body has an incredible ability to adapt to certain circumstances, and we really haven’t begun to understand this.  An example would be Don Gorske eating over 20,000 Big Mac’s in his life time.  The Big Mac constitutes 90% of the guy’s solid food intake and he is QUITE healthy for his age.  He’s actually in better health than 90% of the people his age.  I’ve made a lot of good changes based on intense research with regards to what I put into my body (especially during the past half year), but examples like Gorske can make one challenge everything they think they know.  I could go on a few pages here and I don’t want to start rambling about health and nutrition, so I’ll just move on.

I have decided to purchase the $650 bonus on Stars for 50,000 FPPs.  I know I’m getting ripped off a little by spending the FPPs at Platinum Star level, but I made this decision because:

A)  This could take some pressure off me.

I’m getting hammered right now.  When you run this bad it stresses you out and you begin to question whether you will EVER win again.  The pressure gets worse as you have to dump more money in to ride the down-swing out.

B)  PokerStars could up the min buy-in mid April.

I originally didn’t consider this.  If Stars ups the buy-in mid April it will screw short-stacking sure.  But also I won’t be able to earn nearly enough VPPs.  Therefore, I might as well clear the bonus while I’m still clearing at a certain rate.  Who knows what will happen if they make massive changes.  This type of bonuse might be a hell of a lot tougher to clear when April rolls around.

C)  Its always better to be playing with bonus on your side.

 If things aren’t going right, there’s always that bonus in the back of your mind comforting you.  You can justify bad swings easier: “well technically that’s cutting into my bonus money; not the real money I invested in”.  You’re less likely to throw your chair across the room if you take a bad swing that cuts into bonus money, as opposed to cutting into money you directly deposited in.

Well I have a lot of work to do this weekend.  I’m going to keep these goals in mind each session:

1)  Don’t lose your temper.

2)  10-12 table Steady the entire session.

3)  Try to make sure at least half of the tables are NORMAL SPEED.

If I post future commentaries I will probably have these goals posted at the top of the page in an attempt to keep myself focused.  If I run as badly as I have been this upcoming weekend I’m going to pack up and move here:

http://bit.ly/9lSJcp

Chapingo, NL, Mexico

BAHAHAHAAHHAHAAH

=(                = (   = (   = (   = (

Could it be the most unhappy place on Earth???????

4 hours (Down -$200) There Goes the Chair

Tuesday Commentary 3/16/2010

I’m going to repeat myself like a broken record before I begin here:

Three goals tonight:

1)  Don’t lose your temper.

2)  10-12 table Steady the entire session.

3)  Try to make sure at least half of the tables are NORMAL SPEED.

AND READ YOUR EXPLANATION AGAIN YOU BLOWOUT:

“Sounds easy right?  Yeah sure……..

Since I’ve pretty much hit rock bottom with online poker these goals are essential.  I can’t get mad it’s minus EV.  I have to accept that I’m never going to win again.  I’ll lose to every two outer, and if I happen to win it’s a bonus.  I can’t keep getting mad over what I can’t control.

Instead of:

OK I’m in with the best hand….. please no ace please no ace please no ace………. FUCK RIVER ACE I’M GOING TO THROW A CHAIR ACROSS THE ROOM

TRY:

Ok I’m in with the best hand, I did my job; the outcome is irrelevant.  Take some notes and move on, REMAIN IN CONTROL OR LOG.

And the thing is I’m losing some money when I freak out, it’s a leak.  I can’t control the cards, but I can control how I react.  I need to stay focused, keep taking notes, organize my tables logically, and constantly scan for profitable tables to join (and unprofitable tables to phase out).

12 tabling steady is going to be essential.  I haven’t been organized.  Tables have been flying all over the place anywhere from 6 to 14.  Tonight I’m going to keep in alphabetically and 12.  TWO IN EACH SLOT, double-stacked on top of each other.  When a table becomes unprofitable I will pull the table, put that slot on notice and REPLACE IT. 

So if I completely lose again tonight and stick to these goals I need to be happy with myself.  EDIT: I DO have the maturity to accomplish these goals.

Number 3 is also important.  Too many fast tables are flying around.  Try to search for tables that are normal speed as a priority.  They are harder to find, but when you do find them they are worth the search.  Less stress is always better.”

9:00 P.M

Dealt AA, raise big pre.  Clown without a clue calls pre with J9 off.  He goes all in on the flop with top pair jack.  RIVER NINE.  THANKS STARS.  It doesn’t take long does it?  Long day at work trying not to fucking lose it already on shit like.  Do it again you bull-shit site.  See how fast I log and deposit on another site.

Lost another buy in with top pair.  Out—kicked by one rank higher, have to play that there no regrets fine.

Enormous 28 all in pre with AK on table 5  HE WINS WITH AA OF COURSE, one of the loosest fundamentally bad players on the table.  I didn’t think in a million years Id win that on this rigged site.  Why don’t you just come over and hit my monitor with a bat?    But I’m not unlucky right?  That’s not -EV, just total horseshit to not even have 4 outs there.

9:50 p.m

Opponent on table 4 just hung himself going to war with Q2 off.   Doubled at least one table tonight.  I have no idea where that guy gets his money, but it’s certainly not from poker.

Meanwhile All in pre table 7 QQ, DUDE CALLS WITH A10 AND FLOPS THE ACE AND TEN.  Anything else stars?  Want to come over with the bat now?

Good to know someone’s ace is getting paid off tonight, its’certainly not mine.  Sometimes is difficult to accept my AK all in pre loses every time, but someone can make that call and hit with A10 of all hands wtf.  Shutting down this commentary a bit, trying to focus.

20 all in pre table 4 with QQ… I win a race vs AK, that’s a first

5 Seconds later 99 destroyed my K8 on another table.

10:50 p.m

All in 4-bet pre with JJ $24.  Some clown calls with QK and hits the queen on the river.  That sums up the night.  What a horrible call wow.  Did he ever consider I don't know I'm more likely to have AK or AQ there?  But fish like this are so used to being rewarded playing garbage they just can’t lay it , they wont.  AND VS ME THEY WIN WHEN THEY PLAY IT.

11:10 p.m

Another full buy-in lost all in on the flop, nails one of his 8 outs on the river.  Another horrible play rewarded.

11:40 p.m

$18 all in pre with AA table 12  Holds on against QQ that’s a refreshing change of pace.

12:00 a.m

AK beaten my SIX-NINE all in pre lol I actually flopped a pair and he still gets awarded with the river straight.

12:20

Logging in 20 minutes down about -$200 I have no fucking idea how.  I made one mistake the entire night.  Again complete doom-switch.  Thanks for the 10 buy in screw stars.  Not even sure how that’s possible in 4 hours.  THERE GOES THE CHAIR.  I’m so pissed off I’m literally shaking.  Funny I really didn’t lose it until I saw the final net loss.

What can I say some people shouldn’t play poker.  Might be dropping to full buy in faster then I thought.  I’m really having trouble dealing with this.  HEM says -$135 EV for the 4 hours whatever the fuck that means I don’t really care anymore.  I’m sure if I ran normal the session would have been fine.  Back to 85 buy ins; count down to busto.

You know what I’m not even going to beat myself up over this bull-shit.  How about I go here on HEM, and let’s see SORT BY TOP 15 HANDS where I lost the most money as a sample size.  These hands account for -$263.  If I won half of these hands I would have been even for the session, because half of these hands would account for $263.  Since by -$130 sure I lost the 130, but I also add on the money I would have won if I took down the pot so that’s $263 for winning HALF these hands.  Here we go, let’s see if a normal person would lose all ten of these hands.  I’m just going to bold 5 hands I could have won, and I’ll bold one out of 3 races lost in a row.  Since someone should theoretically at least be able to hold ONE OUT OF THREE fucking races.  Also let’s bold 1 out of three coolers, because a normal person would certainly be on the lucky side on ONE of those THREE fucking coolers:

Hand 1:  AK < AA  (-$30).  Even more unlucky was the fact I happened to have a bigger stack here to lose.  Cooler hand 1.

Hand 2:  1010< AA (-$20).  This was all in with an over-pair on the flop.  I was the aggressor and he flat called pre with AA.  Also one of the looser players on the table, no way I get away from that.  Cooler hand 2.

Hand 3:  JJ<QK (-$20).  Push all in 4-bet pre.  He had no right calling this with QK shit, but river queen, thanks stars.  Let’s call it race #1, even know it’s an awful preflop call.

Hand 4:  AK<JJ (-$20).  I limped pre here trying to mix it up and trap.  Someone also limped behind with JJ.  I flopped top pair, he flopped the set.  Even if he isn’t retarded and there is raise pre same result.  Let’s call in race #2 lost.

Hand 5: 99<K9 (-$20).  I raised here pre he calls.  Flop 67 K, He checks, I bet, he calls.  TURN KING.  So now I’m thinking he must be full of shit, and end up getting all in.  Of course he hit the top pair, and I can't get away thanks to the second king on the turn.  I'd have the ability to pretty much shut it down if the turn was anything but a king.  Then again what is he check calling wtih on the flop?  He's loose and I was thinking more of a draw hand.  The king doesn't scare me all that much on the flop, figured he raises with AK, didn't know his range was K9 calling a raise pre.  Ok maybe I could get away but not really, after the second turn bet I’m already pot committed.

Hand 6: QQ<A10 (-$20).  This was all in pre as I four bet.  He of course drills his ace on the flop.  The normal person should win this what 70%+?

Hand 7:  AA<J9o (-$20).  This was all in on the flop and he calls with top pair.  River NINE. Complete b.s.  This is bolded as well.

Hand 8:  AK< JJ (-$17).  The third race lost in a row.  LET’S BOLD IT.

Hand 9:  AK < QJ (-$17).  This guy was very loose, I tried to bluff him out on the turn here betting all in $10 with ace high reading him as weak.  Of course he closed his eyes and called with top pair, weak kicker.  Fine I fucked up here, even know I’m fine with the play I made.

Hand 10:  AK < QQ (-$16.50).  All in pre 4th race lost in a row.

I should have won at least 3 of the above hands running normal putting me around normal.  Let’s do a few more just for fun, I can't leave out two of my favorite:

Hand 11:  K9 < J7 (-$15).  This was all in post, I was on the BB.  Board (5,8,9)  with flush draw out he didn’t,  I get all in on the flop with top pair and another short-stacker calls with J7 OFF (double-barrel straight draw 8 outs.  The 8 outs weren’t even fucking clean outs because of the flush draw out). Anyways Turn 3, river TEN.  Bolding this, would normally win around 70% and he had  NO BUSINESS even limping in this pre from an early position.

Hand 12:  AK<J7 (-$12.50).  All in pre.  Flop is K,8,7.  Turn 3, river TEN.  Last time I checked AK is a decent favorite to beat J7 all in pre so let’s bold this as well.

I’m about done here, just had to vent some.  I’m not sure how many sessions I can run like shit and hang on.  I need a session where I run good (God FORBID).  One god-damn session.  This has gone on long enough.

Fuck PokerStars, maybe I should seriously consider a change of sites, though I guess I'm kinda screwed over because of the FPP situation.  Then again I could always just use the FPPs to buy into 5 Sunday Millions in a row and say screw it all.  Yeah it's stupid to blame the site, but I need scape-goat.

It's also 1:30 a.m and i'll be miserable because of the loss and tired all day tomorrow.  Can't wait to see my fucking bitch of a boss in the morning.

-bag



Marathon Saturday Commentary (3/13/2010)

Three goals tonight:

1)  Don’t lose your temper.

2)  10-12 table Steady the entire session.

3)  Try to make sure at least half of the tables are NORMAL SPEED.

Sounds easy right?  Yeah sure……..

Since I’ve pretty much hit rock bottom with online poker these goals are essential.  I can’t get mad it’s minus EV.  I have to accept that I’m never going to win again.  I’ll lose to every two outer, and if I happen to win it’s a bonus.  I can’t keep getting mad over what I can’t control.

Instead of:

OK I’m in with the best hand….. please no ace please no ace please no ace………. FUCK RIVER ACE I’M GOING TO THROW A CHAIR ACROSS THE ROOM

TRY:

Ok I’m in with the best hand, I did my job; the outcome is irrelevant.  Take some notes and move on, REMAIN IN CONTROL OR LOG.

And the thing is I’m losing some money when I freak out, it’s a leak.  I can’t control the cards, but I can control how I react.  I need to stay focused, keep taking notes, organize my tables logically, and constantly scan for profitable tables to join (and unprofitable tables to phase out).

12 tabling steady is going to be essential.  I haven’t been organized.  Tables have been flying all over the place anywhere from 6 to 14.  Tonight I’m going to keep in alphabetically and 12.  TWO IN EACH SLOT, double-stacked on top of each other.  When a table becomes unprofitable I will pull the table, put that slot on notice and REPLACE IT. 

So if I completely lose again tonight and stick to these goals I need to be happy with myself.  I don’t know if I actually have the maturity to accomplish these goals; but here it goes.

Number 3 is also important.  Too many fast tables are flying around.  Try to search for tables that are normal speed as a priority.  They are harder to find, but when you do find them they are worth the search.  Less stress is always better.

9:00 p.m

LOG-TOWN here we goes again.

9:40 p.m

Table 1 AK < AK all in pre.  Flushes the river somehow.  That made sense.  I wish I had a horseshoe up my ass as well.

10:00 p.m

JJ < QK all in pre. THANKS.  IF I played QK off all ill in pre a gun would come out of the monitor and start shooting at me.  Must nice to play SHIT and win every time.

10:20 p.m

14-tabling.   5-hour energy + techno .  I think I need to slow down my steals sometimes.  Seems like a leak; it’s ok to sometimes check the flop on a steal if the guy is REALLY tight and you missed whatever.

10:30 p.m

QQ < AA all in pre; nothing I could do there, what should I lay it because this site is rigged?

10:40 p.m

LOSE top set on table 12… runner runner idiot wins unbelievable.  Doom-switch never ends.   That was fucking sick.  Teach me how to beat someone’s top set, when I flop a top pair.  PLEASE TEACH ME.

Table 1 20 pot lost AQ < KQ all iln pre.  Ok that’s like 4-5 bad beats in a row.  Doom switch officially over 30 hours now

Table 5.  KK < A10 all in pre.  40 dollar fucking pot gone with the river ace.  Thanks again

Can’t update much with this many tables but I think I’m pretty controlled for already getting fucked over about 5 times in a row as mentioned above, feeling ok

11:10 p.m

ALL IN PRE AA no matter what happens you did the right thing here.  It held for once in my life, tripled up there.  Still down from earlier obviously.   Going to take more than one hold

Another table AQ < J4 all in pre.  -$30 wow “running normal” lasted an entire 20 seconds

Another enormous all in with two pair lost on the river.  The river counterfeited my two-pair making it worthless.  Another river in paradise.

11:20 p.m

Down over a $125 screwed beyond belief again.   The strand of beats I typed above is a joke.  Anyone else would have never played poker again 40 hours ago.

Looks like I’m on page 3, another page of bad beats coming I’m guessing

11:30 p.m

Doubled up to around $50 on table 5.  Flopped trips and it held up; I feel lucky.  You know you’re fucked up in the head when you flop trips with a short-stack, your hand holds, and you feel LUCKY NOT TO LOSE.

12:00 a.m

Another full buy in gone on a complete suckout; $15 all in on the flop and he rivers the flush with 36 suited.  Can we at least pretend the site isn’t rigged?  When you doom-switch an account you can at least make it so they aren’t sucked out I dunno like ONE IN SIX TIMES ?  Something like that?  Rather than every disgusting time. What a shit night.

Just doubled on table 1.  Dodged a suck-out str8 draw; no clue how.

Doubled on table 6 as well flopping a top pair. 

12:20 a.m

Devastation screams across a war-torn landscape.  Meanwhile, on table 6 I JUST PULLED OFF MY SIGNATURE MOVE

ALL IN WITH AK CALLED PRE BY A5.   Turn five, river FIVE.  I LOVE IT THAT’S SO MEEEE BABY.

I understand the five on the turn, but the river as well?  I GET IT POKERSTARS.  I understand your point: A5 is better than AK I fucking get it ok!!!

WOULD CERTEAINLY RECOMMEND GETTING SCREWED OVER ON POKERSTARS AGAIN.   THE FIVE ON THE RIVER RUINED MY LIFE BUT TURNED OUT TO BE VERY SOCIABLE.  WAS ALSO VERY PORTABLE; GREAT FOR SHIPPING. A++++++++

EXCELLENT!!!

TABLE 1 all in pre with AA HOLDS.  Seriously?  I’m going to go call a moderator; that is bull-shit.  You can’t fool me, I know I’m still doom-switched.   One right doesn’t make up for 50 atrocities troll-stars.

12:35 a.m

Down to 6 tables.  I doubled on a few, and phased out a bunch that were 100% useless.  Taking a second to breathe before I add a bunch up to 12 again.  ALSO I CAN TYPE HERE!!!  Looking around I’m hovering around $4 on 4 of these tables.   Mostly the result of hours of abuse.  I feel like the Roman Empire decaying or something; but I refuse to stack them up.   Why?  They are minimized risk in a way.  I’m still getting the rake with shit on the table.  Also my range and push equity increases.   Should be interesting to see how they work out… Uh-oh AA dealt on table 1, I only have $9 behind me lol.  All in pre!!  $10!!!  Doubled up to $20 SWEET!!!  That’s uh why you stack up.  Then again my 4-bet probably isn’t called there without the super-short stack; so who knows.  Especially since he was holding J9 off.  Not a clue why he was even opening with that.  The majority of the players here seem to play with their eyes closed anyway, they still happen to run a thousand times better than me; so it’s all good for them.

Doubled to $35 on table 1 and left.  That was a quick $10 to 35.  All in pre on table 6 with KK… DAMNIT!   HE CALLS MY $10 ALL IN PRE WITH 44 vs KK and hits 4 on the river to win WOW.   See only $10 gone.  What the hell is the point of even stacking to full on this site?  My KK loses to a 2-outer anyway so what the fuck, might as well only have $10 on and keep the rake.  Absolute clownage.   3 of my tables have about $8; I’m stacking them in one group.  They bring me great pleasure.  I kind-of enjoy the challenge of getting them “out of the red”.  Turning them into respectable tables; meanwhile everyone on the table hates me so lol.  Just stacked one up to $16 with some idiot playing K5, I think I found some very interesting things out there. 

1:00 a.m

Doubled on table 4 to $35 (leaving it).  It was one of the tables I had $8 on, never bought up.  Pretty cool stuff.  I’m a little lazy getting more tables right now; but I’m actually having fun bringing back these few doomed tables.  It’s quite lol.  Maybe stars awards dwindling stacks or something to make it more fun for the donks.

Lost a buy in on table 6 vs the same fool that sucked me out with 44.  Unreal.  I have to 4-bet him with 99 there; no choice but to embrace doom-switch, his AJ hit.

Just doubled to $35 on table 1 and leaving when the blind hits.  Just made a sick read pushing $12 all in on the turn with ace high.  He turned over the missed flush draw.  Wow he missed it.

1:25 a.m

JJ < 88 all in pre.  Dude somehow has four of a kind by the river.  I get it stars 88 IS A BETTER HAND THAN JJ ALL IN PRE.   I didn’t need the 4^th fucking 8 on the river; it’s a bit of an over-kill.   Next hand JJ dealt all in again.  This time it gets 2 callers and somehow holds.  Leaving with $50, whatever.   2 idiots calling with Ace rags.

Pulled one of the doomed tables to $16, close to respectability again haha.  I now have a permanent quarter of my monitor reserved for “doomed table space”.  All of the tables here are fighting for their lives with under $15 in chips lol.  No stacking up fuck that.   I’M BRINGING THEM BACK FROM NOTHING!!

1:35 a.m

Joining a table called “Smiley”.  I have a feeling nothing but bad thing will happen there.   It will probably end up being the worst mistake I made all night.   Just brought one of my doom tables to $26 and back to respectability.  I am having a blast here.  No clue what my BR is but this is so fun lol.  It’s so me, I like to fix HORRIBLE SITUAITONS.  JUST LIKE THE CHICKS I DATE.   Just lost $10 on one of the doomed tables AK < KK pre, great cooler my $10 you piece of shit site.  Table returns to normal status.   You can’t doom-switch an asshole as fast!

1:45 a.m

Just brought a doomed table back to respectability tripling up pushing 77 like a donk all in pre.  I flopped quads hahahaha.  Thanks to the super-user bumping the action for me with KK lols.   Back to 12 tables again including the doomed slot; things are picking up again.  I just typed out “DOOOOOOM “ on one of the doomed table.

Just tripled to $60 on table 6 pushing a nut flush draw on the flop.  I turned a fucking flush; miracles.  Simultaneously  AA clobbered by 910 offsuit of all hands.  -$20 there.   Amazing play clown-box.

Just doubled to $45 on a table AK > A10 all in pre.  Where is the ten?  There must be a mistake?  I know the guy was quite shocked he is used to hitting that.  Very strange pot there.  I was first to open on the button with AK ; meant to raise to “2.50”  instead raised to $25… so the dude cold calls $20 with A10, I have no clue why he called that.

3:12 a.m

Should have tripled from $10 to $30 on one of the doomed tables; but idiot calls all in pre $10 push with Q10 and hits a queen.  It’d be nice to I don’t know, be serious for one time?  Like a normal poker table AK holding against trash every once in a while?

 Getting pretty hungry; still playing around 12 tables.  I feel really comfortable; I’m not going to look at my bankroll because I don’t want to be discouraged or distracted; I have no clue if I’m up or down.  I would guess around even so probably down -$200 or whatever.      

3:30 a.m OR 2:30 a.m WTF?

Wow this totally just screwed with my head.  My computer says “3:30 a.m”, I then look down at my phone which reads “2:30 a.m”.  Day-light savings, played right through it!   So I’VE GAINED AN HOUR OF MY LIFE BACK SWEET!!! THIS IS SO COOL. 

2:30 a.m (yes I’ve gone back in time)

For the first time in the history of my shitty commentary on my blog you will notice it went from “3:12 a.m to 2:30 a.m”.  Now this is some pretty cool stuff.   

All in preflop table 2 with QQ, nailed the set beating down the treacherous AK.  Was that a race won?  Maybe I had to go back in time to unlock the doom-switch; IT WAS THE ONLY WAY???? 

All in with AK $20 preflop on table 4.  I lose to QQ god damnit.  So much for the going back in time theory to set things right.  But I’m not willing to give up my hope yet.  Since I’ve gone back in time I have haven’t run BAD.   I’ve won a race and lost a race; I can live with that. 

Meanwhile techno-base FM (House and Trance) internet radio station is the ABSOLUTE BOMB.  These beats are awesome.  Ok I’m a dork, but mind-blown here.  It has really made this session that much more enjoyable no matter the outcome.   I have a feeling this station is going to be an integral part of my online poker sessions going forward whenever I play. 

Table 4 all in QQ with over pair on the flop.  Tripled up there.  All in table 6 with AK; doubled up against 99, WOW.  Can I stay back in time forever?  This is fucking amazing.   So keeping my fingers crossed, but since going back in time I can suddenly win 2 out of 3 races; and win with a cooler in my favor.  This is unheard of for me.  Some crazy shit is going down right now.

Meanwhile, my 3 doomed tables have pathetically dropped to $7, $7, and $12 hahaha.

$15 all in pre on table 5 with QQ.  Dude MISSES WITH AK WOW.  3 OUT OF 4 ON races since going back in time.  1 out of 50 previously.   Meanwhile all in on the flop on table 1 with over-pair AA, The idiot hits a suck-out straight draw on the turn, such BS; apparently not immune to suck-out str8 draws in the past.   I know calling with 56 there pre was really necessary; typical stars would reward that.

And in the midst of all the anger; Windows 7 is so advanced that it DOESN’T EVEN AUTOMATICALLY SET THE CLOCK BACK.  MY SHIT 2-YEAR OLD PHONE AUTOMATICALLY DID IT FIRST.  WELL DONE MICROSOFT!  Way to stay ahead of the curve!

3:00 a.m?

Just sprinted upstair to grab a cliff bar and drink.  No need for an official break; will just relax with 8 tables for a 10-15 minutes.  Meanwhile I just got kicked around on few tables.  Have to remember the value of bluffs basically hits the floor at this hour.   Steals should be used more selectively and primarily to get paid later.  You’re getting called no matter what; everyone wants to be a fucking hero at 4:17 a.m, or 3:17 a.m, whatever the hell time it is.  Unless you have KK+ then everyone folds of course.

Speaking of KK, dealt one on table 8….. picked up a measly pot.   See what did I tell you?

3:30 a.m

The tables are pathetic right now; not sure why the traffic is such shit.  Profitable tables are beyond rare; and new tables just aren’t forming.   Meanwhile looking at my doomed tables; they all happen to be the most unprofitable tables as well.   I’ll just let them go extinct themselves ($8, $8, $7, $10).  Some of them are so bad I might just pull them before they die out.

Back to 14 tables, this should end with a war.  Will update later, very busy.

Double up AK > JJ all in pre.  Another race won. 

4:00 a.m

12 tabling comfortably.  This is the 8 hour straight mark.  A wave of exhaustion just hit me for the first time.  I think I have another hour in me, but if I do anything really stupid I will pull myself.   I’ve been playing controlled so I should be fine.  This trance station is still pumping out solid beats though; no commercials as well.

5:00 a.m

Well I really feel comfortable.  I could probably grind out another hour or so; but I’m going to leave comfortable and on a good note.  Actually profited overall despite the rocky start way earlier, hopefully the awful losing streak stays ended.   Leaving when the blinds hit on all 10 tables.

All in $10 pre on one of the doomed tables.  Of course the donk has AA, thanks for the kick in the face for the road, amazing.   It’s always the guy with the 50% vpip so funny.  Actually it usually isn’t, but when it is it’s 10 times more disgusting.   Knowing they’re playing half the deck, but get dealt AA when you push with JJ, so sick.

5:13 a.m

LOGGED.  Sort of happy the clocks were set back an hour; I feel like a scumbag going to sleep at 6:15 a.m, but 5:15 a.m seems acceptable for some reason.

After thoughts

I feel things have stabilized somewhat with the 12 hours played combined Saturday.  +$31 the first 3 hours earlier; and +$50 from 9:00p.m- 6:15 a.m.  I felt like I played much better than the results show from 9:00 p.m- 6:00 a.m, but I was running atrocious earlier.  I’m happy with it considering I was down more than -$125 at one point.

HEM claims the last 2k hands played tonight I ran -$173 EV.  So I’m assuming you have to play pretty damn good to still make +$28 in 2k hands when running -$173 EV.  I’m not sure what it completely means, but I think it’s very unlucky.  Going to have to google EV tomorrow.  I’m guessing EV represents what I should have earned on average if I ran like a normal person.  It also claims I have -$667 EV in the last 20,000 hands (this includes the last of the 200NL nightmare sessions). 

Anyways, I’m very happy with my session late night because:

1)  I feel like this is the best I’ve played in the last month.  I’m really starting to see a lot.

2)  This is the best emotional control I’ve had ever (last 4 hours of tonight).  You will notice a lot of sarcasm above, but I didn’t scream once, I didn’t throw anything across the room, and I did well recovering from bad beats.

3)  I showed the ability to handle 12+ tables comfortably.  Not once did I struggle with information overload (except when I clicked $25; instead of $2.50, which somehow worked out as he called all in pre with A10.)

4)  I adjusted to 100NL.  I picked many differences from 200NL and made adjustments.

5)  THE LOSING STREAK IS OVER.  I’ve never been so happy profiting +$80 in 12 hours!  Just as important though I gained a nice amount of VPPS, which are as important as profit.  4 Hours tomorrow should give me 20 for the weekend.  I’m so happy I didn’t go out and drink tonight; really feel like I figured things out!

-bag

The Illogical War on Shortstackers

PokerStars considering eliminating short-stacking from the cash tables and upping the buy-in is terrible news.  I have trouble believing such a course of action is even being considered.  Most of the fish prefer buying in short and playing with people that have a lesser buy-in.  They feel less threatened.  The regular pros know this so they are forced to drop to the 20BB buy-in tables and battle the short-stackers (who often have a profitable counter-balance strategy against them) to catch their fish.  Despite the greedy regulars already having their 50BB+ tables, they still complain that all tables should be 35BB+.  So if it was only an issue of “refusing to play against short-stackers” then they would be happy staying on their 50BB+ tables.  I really don’t see the issue for complaint here.  When I search for tables the 50BB+ tables often seem to be more profitable and loose.  But they want it all; it’s never enough.

So my advice to the complainers is to stay on your 50BB tables, shut up, and fold around to each-other with the 7 other nit’s on your table only playing AK+ (except when the occasional 2 fish per hour swim through, then adjust your range slightly).  You already have your 50BB+ tables!  Forcing casual players to buy-in 40BB+ is illogical, but I have a feeling the changes will still end up going through with PokerStars.  It would seem to make sense for PokerStars to bend over for their super-users; they are generating much of the rake.

Once Stars gives in to super-users they should logically add a few table buy-in types to make the move at least look like a "compromise".  This will ruin short-stackers because at least half of the fish will choose the 35BB+ tables.  Therefore, short-stackers lose half their fish, while the typical super-user gains that half to feast on.  The 50BB tables will remain 7 nit pros per tables, and the 20BB+ tables (if any) will typically be composed 7 short-stackers who can’t adapt from their strategy.  However, all of the super nova elites won’t be fighting those 35BB+ tables for the fish alone.  Their strategy is not hard to play, it is rather ABC.  The push equilibriums really good short-stackers use to determine 4-bets pre-flop are as advanced as any strategy full buy-in players use daily.  Many competent shortstacking players will adapt and move to the 35BB+ tables.  Hopefully fish will still choose the 20+ BB tables even if an option is given, then players like Steel will have nothing left to complain about.  Only time will tell. 

I hope PokerStars doesn’t even try to play the "looking out for the casual player" card when debating these changes.  This would truly be laughable.  In actuality they would only be looking out for their whiney super-users that would rather not adapt to changing environment. 

If you really wanted to improve the experience for the casual user you would BAN multi-tabling over 12 tables.  While you send out your little surveys try asking the "casual user" if he would rather:

A)  Have table buy-ins adjusted to 35BB+ to avoid playing against short-stackers.

Or

B)  Limit super-users to 12 tables (so you have to play with them less) and BAN the use of an HUD.

I guarantee the causal player would 100% choose option B ANY DAY OF THE WEEK.

If PokerStars truly cared about the experience of the casual they would limit the number of table's super-users can play at once, and would work towards BANNING not only data-mining, but the use of an HUD while playing.  An HUD is now so advanced that it has become SUPERIOR data-mining.  When you data-mine you are normally talking about lifetime statistics that you wouldn't previously know about.  Well player's adapt over time, so not all of those statistics remain vaild.  But an HUD is MUCH WORSE.  With an HUD you can simply buy hand histories from the last few months, (or borrow from a super-user friend) and plug them into your software, which the HUD is based off of.  Therefore, you have a filtered data-mine, which is the only way the super-users on Pokerstars can possible play 24-tables at once and still destroy the fish on EVERY one of those tables.

If you want to help the casual player you would push to limit the super-user's range (aka hunting grounds) and BAN the HUD.  The super-users and the software will eventually ruin online poker, NOT short-stackers. 

That being said it really doesn’t surprise me at all that Full Tilt went through with their changes with regards to the min buy-in.  They do not support the casual player, they support their players like Steel whose lives revolve around 24-tabling and trying to smash the fish 24-7.  This was proven in the past as no disciplinary action was taken against a top pro who was caught data-mining (aka-cheating) red-handed high stakes.

Actions I will Take if The Buy-in is Raised

If the out-come is unfavorable I will personally fund and create a website devoted to this cause.  I will form a coalition of short-stackers to fight back.  So go ahead, bend-down to players like "Steel" because he will be leaving if you don't ruin all short-stackers", even know he admittedly "still has a huge bankroll and is waiting for the decision".  If that's the clientele you’re trying to keep, this is a serious mistake.  First off, Steel's 20k bankroll doesn't mean anything in the long-run.  Every player like Steel takes away a few hundred players casual players from your site EVERY MONTH, by data-mining and chasing them until they are extinct.  The casual player then becomes discouraged and leaves, instead of depositing into your site multiple times.  And can we really blame them for leaving?  They do have a completely unfair advantage.

Anyways, Steel said he would leave PokerStars if short-stackers aren’t banned.  Well I’m going to do him “one better” if shortstacking IS banned.  I will fund my own website that will stand as a monument to this injustice, which will be funded by Squarespace. Imagine new players Googling "PokerStars for new players?" and the search result "Beginners beware, click here to see what players PokerStars really cares about".  So Stars will end up losing thousands of customers in the long run.

Oh and I'm close friends with the Squarespace team, they have my full support.  I'll make sure the site is put on the front display page of Squarespace examples which gets over 2 million hits per month:

(http://www.squarespace.com/examples/)

So please decide if a handful of players like Steel using their 20k bankroll on your site is more important than the pending negative publicity storm. But it won't be me personally who gives PokerStars the negative publicity.  Stars will be giving themselves the negative publicity.  I will simply be organizing and directing the freshly created outrage.  So good luck upping the blinds to please player's like Steel.  The good thing is there is still time to make the right decision here.

Closing Thoughts. 

If you take away one thing from my post please remember NOT to let the majority of the users on the 2+2 forums influence your decision in ANY WAY.  The "majority" of the 2+2 forums members care nothing about the poker community in general.  They are the typical "super-users" playing 24-tables at once, data-mining, using PTR, and using an HUD while playing.  They ONLY care about their own personal gains.  Asking them what changes PokerStars should make to improve the "casual player's experience" would be like the U.S government deciding to ask Osama Bin Laden advice on what policies they should enact to improve the life quality of the average U.S citizen.  It would be like asking the Lion where he thinks the gazelle should drink water!  I sincerely hope the policy change decisions are kept in house and based on the interests of your real customers, and the customers you are trying to attract in the future.  Not the customers who give you "advice" that will help them further exploit the casual player for their own gain.

Out of most people posting on here, I am a player speaking for the general poker community.  I have a net loss record on PokerStars in only 50,000 hands (about to make my second $600 deposit in the last month).  I have short-stacked and played full ring on various sites.  I currently short-stack 8-12 tables on Stars, but could easily switch to full-ring if necessary.  I have less invested then most serious short-stackers.  You would only be messing up 3-months that I put towards my online poker goals.  But messing up the goals of other super-nova elite short-stacker's like 1bunn, IMSAKIDD, yugor, Sodom, call honey, and dymarko is another story.

Enacting these changes would just be siding with one super-user over another.  The short-stackers just haven't been around as long, so they have less of a voice.

Please don't let the majority of the users on 2+2 forums influence your decision in anyway.  Remember, don't take the Lion's advice if you are REALLY trying to protect the gazelle.

3/11/2010 (Regrouping and SSing Coalition Idea)

I started drawing up a “damage control” plan as soon as Stars decided to put the doom-switch on my account about a week ago.  I refer to doom-switch as a type of code a poker-site puts on a certain account.  The code makes it so the player loses more than 80% of his races, gets coolered to hell at a 5 to 1 ratio every session, and takes consecutive unthinkable suck-outs over a 20 hour+ span (mostly on the river).  During this time an opponent all in with 2 outs seems to be 80% like to hit against the doom-switched player (in this case Baglife).  That being said, some of what I have gone through has been my own fault.  I’m willing to step back and take a share of responsibility despite running terribly.  Doing some research it seems a major problem was bankroll management (embarrassing).  Apparently I was severely under-rolled to be playing 8-12 tables at once at 200NL (even short-stacking).  When I started about a month ago I read a bullshit article or two that claimed having a “40 short-stack buy-in bankroll is sufficient to short-stack no matter the limit.  REGARDLESS OF HOW MANY TABLES YOU PLAY”.  This couldn’t be more bull-shit and incorrect. 

Asking around it seems a 100 buy-in bankroll is more feasible, maybe even more.  So my down fall was pretty much inevitable, unless I somehow defied all odds and ran like a God to build my short-stack bankroll from 40 to 100 buy-ins.  I ignored the red flags (which I’m great at doing).  Just like a horrible girl the red flags were all over the place, but I blatantly ignored them.  The weekend before “doom-switch” I had a $+300 session, a -$300 session, and a +$400 session.  This should have TIPPED ME OFF.  Something like “wait I’m swinging a shit-load of money here based on my bankroll”.  What if I ran bad and lost two out of those 3 sessions for $-400?  (My life would suck).  And what if the unthinkable doom-switch was turned on and I lost all three of them?  (My life would really suck).  And that’s exactly what happened the next weekend when it all came crashing down, my life REALLY sucked.

Going forward the first adjustment was deciding to immediately drop to 100NL.  Last night I played my first 4 hour session 8-12 tabling.  I played good, but the doom-switch is still on my account.  Down another unthinkable 10 buy-ins.  If I stayed on 200NL and ran like that it would have ruined me.  I won’t go into the session much, just read my last two posts.  It’s the same thing.  All in with dominating hands, but can’t dodge 2-6 outs to save my life.  That being said I enjoy 100NL and think I can do well there.  Though it’s tougher at first because I don’t have the stats built up on many of the regulars, but general tendencies can be seen very quickly.  Table selection is never a problem which is awesome.  There are many more tables running.  I can easily fill up 8-12 tables.  You never really have to be pressured to stay on a bad table (like some of the peak times on 200 NL).  The second 8 nit-bags fold around on a pot you can get up and leave with no pressure.

No adjustments can really save me if I continue to run like I have.  Trust me they wouldn’t save the best player in the world.  He probably would have quit by now.  He would have quit before the success he would have eventually obtained.  It would have made him think: “You know this isn’t really working out.  MAYBE SOME PEOPLE AREN’T LUCKY ENOUGH TO PLAY POKER.  If I can’t avoid 2-outs one out of four times WHAT THE FUCK can I really do?”  I’m being sarcastic (sort-of), but crazy down-swings like can spawn illogical thoughts.  This is the worst swing I’ve ever experienced, I feel like I’m driving through a tornado.  It’s actually worse, with the tornado at least it would rip me out of the car and slam me somewhere where I’m unconscious (temporarily ending the misery).  But this misery has no end, I can only SIT AND ENDURE.  It is maddening.  If I can get through it I can probably get through anything. 

That being said I have still made adjustments.  One of the big ones was to my HUD display, and I’m happy with the stats I have up.  Another was completely dropping limits.  Going forward I now have around 70-75 buy-ins online for this limit.  If I drop to 60 buy-ins (which should take about 2 more sessions at this rate), I will deposit $600 more online and boast my roll to 90 buy-ins.  Another adjustment has been about 10-15 more hours of study Monday-Wednesday to confirm I’m on the right track here. 

Another piece of horrible news.  Stars is considering completely eliminating short-stacking from the cash games, and upping the buy-in.  This would pretty much make two months of my poker life wasted.  I can’t even believe they are considering such bull-shit.  The ONLY reason this debate is going on is because the regulars are losing profit to short-stackers.  And they want the fish all to themselves.  Most of the fish prefer buying in short and playing with people that have a less buy-in.  They feel less threatened.  The regular pros know this so they are forced to drop to 20BB buy-in tables and battle the short-stackers (with a profitable counter-balance strategy) to catch their fish.  Here’s the thing: the greedy asshole regulars already have their 50BB tables.  So if it was only an issue of “refusing to play against short-stackers” then they would be happy staying on their shitty 50BB tables.  I really don’t even see the issue here.  When I search for tables the 50BB+ tables often seem to be more profitable and loose.  But they want it all and it’s never enough.

So my advice is to sit on your fucking bullshit 50BB tables, shut the fuck up, and fold around to each-other with the 7 other nit’s on your table only playing AK+ (except when the occasionally 2 fish per hour swim through, then adjust your range slightly).  You already have your 50BB+ tables!  I don’t understand; are you honestly going to force fish to buy-in to 40BB+?  I have a feeling changes this illogical and stupid will end up going through with PokerStars.   Of course PokerStars would bend over backwards for their super-users.  I’m not even so sure the games are fair to be honest.  If I’m in a pot with a super-user, it’s actually getting to a point where I should play a hand differently because of their status.  They just seem to catch all of the breaks.  Which makes sense; they are generating the rake for Pokerstars.

Logically what should happen if they make changes and bend down for their super-users (which they will) would be to add different table buy in types.  This way the fish can choose their type.  This will still absolutely screw short-stacking because most of the fish will probably choose 35BB+ buy-in tables.  So short-stacking will die right there.  The 50BB tables will remain 8 stupid nit pros per table, and the 20BB bilnd+ will be 8 short-stackers who can’t adapt from their strategy.  So the new most profitable tables wil be the 35BB+ tables.  And to all of you super-user SN elite assholes out there you won’t be fighting those 35BB+ tables for the fish alone.  I will be switching to a full stack strategy and going after them with you, many others will do the same.  Your strategy is not hard to play, it is very ABC.  The push equilibriums really good short-stackers use to 4-bet pre are as advanced as any strategy you use daily.  Many competent short-stacking players will adapt and do the same.  Hopefully fish will still choose the 20+BB tables, then the super-users will have nothing left to bitch about.  But only time will tell.  Another option for some skilled short-stackers is to stay on the 20BB tables, but go up to 35BB+ when necessary to chase fish (Just like super-users drop from 50BB to 20BB to chase fish).  It’s annoying, but possible to adapt.  I still think there is a niche-market out their for a hybrid-shortstacker type.  Which is what I sort of want to work towards.  And by the way this path would be a lot harder then just putting a full buy-in on every table.  I'd like to see these regulards play a short-stacking strategy on different tables at the same time.

So if these changes go through for the worse I will probably have to either:

A)  Drop limits and go to a full-stack strategy.  This would screw me on FPPs, but I would be able to bum-hunt for profit so much easier.

B)  Use a hybrid strategy where I keep playing 20BB+ tables, but also move up to 35BB+ tables to bum-hunt the previous fish.

C)  Consider switching sites to continue short-stacking.

Hopefully Stars will lose a flood of short-stackers and business if they go through with this move.  I read on some forums that short-stackers "don’t have anywhere else to go", but there is always somewhere else to go.  And if it comes down to switching to a full-stack, hopefully most of the short-stackers will switch sites out of spite. 

PokerStars will play the "looking out for the casual player" card when debating these changes.  But in actuality they are only looking out for their whiney super-users that suck at adapting.  If you really wanted to improve the experience for the casual user you would BAN multi-tabling over 12 tables.  While you send out your little surveys try asking the "casual user" if he would rather:

A)  Have table buy-ins adjusted to 35BB to avoid playing short-stackers.

or

B)  Limit super-users to 12 tables (so you have to play with them less) and BAN the use of an HUD.

I guarantee the causal player would 100% choose option B ANY FUCKING DAY.

If you want to help the casual player you limit the super-user's range (aka hunting grounds) and BAN the HUD.  The super-users and the software will eventually ruin online poker, NOT short-stackers.

I have some strong thoughts on these issues, so I should probably post on 2+2, I've never posted before but I do keep up on some of the threads (dominated by the same assholes I'm talking about in the paragraphs above).  If someone follows this issue or 2+2 and wants to link this post as an argument please do.  I could also put up a seperate post that just covers THIS argument (without the personal progress above).  I think I need to get some short-stackers together and really fight here before it's to late.  The full-stack regulars are in control of the debate and have all of the influence right now.  Seriously, I'm going to post on 2+2 and have my thoughts known.  I'm also going to put a link to my site and encourage SSers to contact me for a coalition effort.  I'm sick of this super-user bull-shit seriously.  I should do everything I can to set things right here.  This effort will be more important then grinding up a few hundred, or losing a few hundred more by way of doom-switch.  Time to make a difference.  I would glady create a seperate web-site for the cause.  I wish I thought of this earlier.