Day of Freedom: 10/22/2010

My corporate employment offically expires 10/22/2010, I got it exactly the way I wanted it.

DAY OF FREEDOM:  10/22/2010

I wanted to really leave on good terms, which I will be doing.  My boss wanted me to stay until the end of the current project, which I agreed to do.  It’s beneficial to her because she doesn’t have to hire a new person and try to train them for a month.  By the time she trains him the project will be over anyways. She has time to plan and wants me until the end because I know exactly what needs to be done to close this project out.  It’s good for me because I leave on mutual good terms.  I can also take the extra two weeks as an extended transition period as I begin moving stuff up to New Jersey (and of course playing live on the weekends).  So in the end it looks as if there will be no big explosion, no grand exiting scene.  I will simply drift off into the unknown and pursue my own passions.  There were no hard feelings and I think that’s important when everything is said and done.  It's good to leave with maturity, class, and respect no matter the situation.

It’s also good to have the specific date set and I can’t help it, I'M SUPER EXCITED right now.

I only played about 7 hours online this weekend, but won just over $500.  I’m on a small winning streak online (6 out of the last 7 sessions) and I like where my game is right now.  Everything is clicking, it’s just one of those weeks.  I’ll leave it at that and won’t run on like I usually do. 

The beginning of the end is here!

CLICK CLICK CLICK

-bag

Amazing AC Trip and +$1290 Win

I got back in town on Tuesday night, but I haven’t been in much of a writing mood for some reason.  I think some of the reason for this is I’ve been really stressed out with such a drastic life change ahead.  You think I would want to write more, but I guess not.  Anyways I officially signed the lease Tuesday and met my roommate who is really awesome and cute.  So once I get a third roommate lined up I will feel a lot better about the situation.  Lease starts October 1^st.  Nothing has really set in yet.  It won’t until I officially quit my day job in Maryland and get settled in up there.

Finished up +$1280 on the tables:

Well man I am happy I went up to AC and sacrificed my labor day.  I left around 10:00 a.m on Monday and got there around 1:00 p.m.  After checking in and crushing a nap I soon hit the tables.  The first 4 hours of Monday I finished around break even.  I then left and had dinner.  After I got back I switched tables.

Then came the best 1-2NL session of my life by far.  I ran a train on the table for +$1350 during the next 6.5 hours.  It was one of those ridiculous sessions where everything falls into place and goes your way for a few hours.  Pretty much all of the profit came within a 5 hour span.  One of my side goals for when I first moved around AC was going to be to win at least +$1,000 on a live 1-2 table session (no matter how long it took) at least once.  This beyond exceeded my expectations.  I was hoping to profit maybe around +$300 in 15 hours or so to at least pay for the hotel and gas.   So yes I’d say it was a “+EV” decision to get a hotel a night and make a trip out of it.

The next day nothing went well.  I played 3.5 hours and finished down -$75.  I played well and got in some great +EV situations, but a few suck outs ended any hopes of profiting during that mini session.  However, I still left AC with +$1280 in net profit and I played 14 hours total.  In one night I took back more profit than I make in two weeks at my current day job.

Despite the win I’m not bouncing off the walls or anything.  Yes it’s a great milestone that further proves what I already know I can accomplish out there.  However, I’ve always expected to win a decent amount playing as long as I stuck with my study and commitment.  This was a great win, but I still have oceans of work to do.  This is just the beginning for me.

I’m still setting the goal to win another +1k in a live 1-2 session during the first month out there at least once.  Repeating would make it a little more impressive.

The trips back and forth have really made me remember how much I love live poker.  I’ve always considered myself a better live player and I still am.  And not because the players are so much worse, or blah, or blah.  It’s also more enjoyable to me.  Alliances are forged, enemies are made, and ridiculous situations run rampant.  The social factor is very important to me.  Even when I’m not involved in the specific hand the dynamics are very interesting to me. 

I have been playing mistake free poker live and it feels great.  I haven’t lost a buy in during the last 40 hours of play.  I feel playing live allows me the squeeze the living hell out of the EV of EVERY SINGLE HAND.  Live poker also gives me the ability to make enormous lay-downs correctly, which I have been nailing during the past month.  Lay-downs that I don’t see some of the best online players ever making.  It’s just a different game.

For example, during the past trip I made a huge lay-down early to save myself a full $150.  I’m very good and keeping myself out of trouble.  It takes an ungodly suck-out to get me “in the hole early”.  There was a hand where I limped in pre-flop from the SB with 6-7 other players involved.  I had 34s clubs.  The flop comes

5c 6s 7s

After I made a moderate sized raise in relation to the pot, the button villain pushed all in.  After piecing the hand together and thinking for about 2-3 minutes I folded my hand and hung my head (in disbelief that I had to fold), only losing about $10.  He said he would show me his hand if I paid a $1.  I happily paid.  As promised he turned over his hand, which happened to be the nuts; 8-9 off-suit.   If I don't make this lay-down I'm down $150 early and it probably changes the entire night.

This is one of those massive spots where my EV is absolutely going through the roof when playing live.  I can think back to a hand like this at least once every 15 hours of play where I save myself a buy-in and seem to make a lay-down that 99% of my opponents would not be able to correctly make on these stakes.

Anyways I will keep updated on my move and transition into playing full time.  Right now is a stressful time.  Still need to find another roommate.  I also need to stick with the job a few more weeks until I can move.  There are some other factors that might make me want to stay at the job until mid-October.  I’m looking forward to not driving 8 hours for once this weekend and staying in town.  Looking to go out Friday for a friend's bday and maybe grind some stupid online Saturday.

-bag

Really Soon.... (9/6/2010)

Another AC TRIP!

I have to be in AC area Tuesday around 4 p.m.  So instead of driving 8 hours in one day I decided to just make a trip out of it.  I booked a hotel for Monday night (off for the holiday).  I also took off work Tuesday.  Nothing like a road trip on the AC EXPRESSWAY BABY!!!

I’m going to officially sign the lease Tuesday, so things are pretty close to a done deal.  I still need a third roommate because the card player dropped out, but I have until October 1^st to find one.  Two guys messaged me this weekend, but I didn’t like the sound of either of them.  I honestly would rather the third roommate be another girl.  I’m not sure exactly why, maybe I just don’t like the thought of living with another random guy.  At first it seemed like only girls were messaging me, but now it’s all guys which is really lame.

So what this trip should accomplish:

1)  Signing the lease officially.

2)  Meeting my other roommate in person.  She’s really cool and I’m looking forward to it.  We have been in touch a lot, but not actually met yet.

3)  Choosing the furniture that needs to be removed by October 1^st.

4)  Taking a good video of the third room for the future third roommate.  This way I don’t actually have to meet with them and show them the place.  This is a must.

5)  Some serious grind on the live poker tables.  I debated if this was necessary.  Who knows what the action will be like on labor day?  It might not even be worth it.  But I wanted to get into AC early tomorrow and hopefully find some decent action.  I want to at least put in 12-14 hours.  Should be able to at least pay for the hotel/gas + a little extra.  I will be starting off live, so establishing as much of a win-rate and confidence level as possible is important.  I’m looking to build on some decent live results.

And for Online Poker…

The month break came to an end.  I actually logged in some hands online this weekend.  I put in 13 hours, and ended with about +$220 in profit.  My approach has really shifted.  I’ve been starting sessions with only 4 tables and gradually adding more tables on as I feel comfortable.  I really want to do everything in my power to establish a win-rate and not focus on the volume so much.  A lesser amount of tables allows me to squeeze the EV out of every situation.  I also understand I’m not the best player in the world and I have plenty of room for improvement.  I’ve started to post some hands on forums to get feedback.  There’s at least a hand or two per session where I question the way I played it.

So yes I’ve really scaled online back and taken a new approach here.  There are no short-cuts in poker and I expect to build up the hard way.  I really don’t want to deposit any more online during the upcoming month so I expect to build off the $3370 that I have.  I also have 97,000 FPPs.  When I hit 100,000 I can begin clearing a $1,500 Supernova bonus.  But screw the bonus, it’s all about improvement for me right now.  The bonus will come when it comes.  I also need to make sure I don’t go for this bonus until I have the right time set aside.  I’m going to be very busy with setting up the new place during this next month so we will see.  As soon as I feel I have some decent hours set aside to grind online I will go for it.

And thoughts…

So yeah I’m about to go to bed to prepare for a two more exhausting days of travel and grinding live.  Well I don’t mind the live poker I enjoy that, but the traveling is starting to take its toll.  I’m looking forward to just moving and getting settled in.  I feel like a month is just so far away.  I feel like I need a weekend where I just do NOTHING.  As in no driving ANYWHERE; that would be just fantastic.

Such a drastic change looming ahead of me, yet it’s hard for me to describe my emotions at this particular time.  I feel my emotions are just consumed by the mundane.  My life has just been driving back and forth every weekend to set this up, finding roommates, negotiating the lease, grinding live, and then back to the 9-5 during the week.  None of it has really set in yet.  An unthinkable battle is just around the corner, yet it isn’t completely real until I quit and I’m physically moved into the new place.

In a way it’s a beautiful thing that I’m actually doing this and there isn’t anything that will change my course.  I spent the last year at a job I despise to set the money aside for rent to put myself in this position.  I even lived at my parents the last 8 months at 25 years old to live rent free and help save money.  I made that the decision to sacrifice some social life and I don’t regret it.  I am secure in a sense, but I have things planned out to the tee.  I will still be stressed as hell if things go really stupidly especially at first.  Then again I’m excited.  I know that this is the most legitimate shot I will have in a long time to change my path for the better.  To earn a level and freedom and happiness that is acceptable to me.

And if I fuck up I’ll be back in a shitty office with the other corporate drones REALLY soon.  And back in my parent’s house at 26 years old trying to save money REAALLLY fucking soon.  I have a lot to fight for and I truly understand that.

Talk to you all REAAAAALLLLY FUCKING SOON.

-BAG