No Pokah Here

[swiggidy]

Going to Vegas tomorrow for 4 days. Hoping to play a lot of cash, check back Sunday for a hopefully epic TR.

[daven]

eat the rich

[swiggidy]

Bad overall. I made some mistakes along the way missing 2-3 river value bets. Probably played about 12 hours total (was hoping for 20ish).

2 sets got beat by flushes (one turned, the other rivered)
AA got cracked twice
twice ran top bottom two into top two, where the turn paired the top card

Finished down 2 1/2 buy-ins (small upswing at end). Probably pretty standard for such a short sample. Didn't help that I dropped a bunch of cash on table games, but was having fun.

Some pics to come...

[swiggidy]

Oh shit, I forgot the 2 fun hands.

Dude straddles for first time, not common at table. I tell him I'm calling the button blind if no one raises and I do. Flop is 6 way 2c7c3c. BB bets, so I look down and see KcKh and throw up a bit in my mouth. Fortunately everyone else folds as she's only 60bb deep. We stack on turn, KK good.

Then I go to MGM, and call blind from the BTN after a straddle, but I didn't tell anyone (5 way) so it totally defeated the purpose. Decent player leads AKT flop, one caller to me. I look down, KK. Hand holds for good pot

[swiggidy]

Here's my year so far, the downswing is basically all in March.



I deal with tilt by not playing. I can handle 3-4BI downswings without tilting, but when it gets past 5 or 6 then I start to freak out. 200 hands, down 1 BI, looks like I'm done for the day. So it tanks my already low volume.

Right now I'm so far away from the money being even noticeable, and I am not enjoying playing at all. I've been pretending I'm serious for 2 years and have not progressed by any quantifiable measure.

More definitive post to come later this week.

[swiggidy]

Wow, long time no update. I had a goal, but a couple things came to mind so I'll split this up

Online poker:
Basically haven't played since March. Maybe 2k hands over a 4-5 days. My roll got a boost because people paid me for the June Vegas hotel room through stars, so technically I'm rolled for 50NL again. Probably won't have much time until the end of September, but will definitely give it another go this fall.

Hanging with all the FTR ballas, and even the ones just pro enough to live makes me sad that I've thus far failed. Should be easy, right? ...

Live Poker:
This is the reason I was going to update. Going to a live $100 tourney tomorrow with a decent structure, and about 30 players. They also run a non-raked self-dealt 1/2 NL cash game. This tourney is only once a month, but if I'm going to play live I need to track. As of right now I have no live roll, it's out of paycheck. I can afford the loses, and count is as entertainment for now.

I've played in 3x $50 dollar (terrible format) and one $100. So, down $250 in tourneys overall. In my last 3 trips to Vegas I'm down $200 in cash (I believe, so where I'm starting), and $100 locally.

Life:
You probably don't care, but anyways...

I've hand ankle issues since a bad accident in 2001. Last year it was getting worse so I started physical therapy in March. 10 weeks later, with an ankle brace and custom orthotics it feels much better. Now I need to get in shape since I basically haven't run for 6 months.

Hoping to play with a local Ultimate Frisbee co-ed team at a couple tournaments in September (hence not having time to play online till then).

[Galapogos]

I care.

[bjsaust]

Is competitive frisbee the best plan with your ankle? Is there a lot of twisting and turning involved?

[swiggidy]

I care.

<3

Is competitive frisbee the best plan with your ankle? Is there a lot of twisting and turning involved?

That was part of the problem. I want to play frisbee, my ankle was preventing me from doing so. I'm not using Ultimate to specifically improve my ankle strength. I have Sept -> April to work on that.

Tourney:
Dude on my left talked a fair amount of shit about how much he's played. 2nd or 3rd level I open QQ, he flats, maybe one of the blinds call. Flop is KKx. Blind checks, I check, he fires 1k into 1200 or so. I'm not excited, but call. I check rainbow turn, and he snap tosses 5k into a ~3k pot with ~7k behind. By snap, as soon as I checked he grabbed a handful of chips and tossed them into the pot without looking or counting, so now I happily call. He checks behind river and spends the next 1/2 hour bitching about how no one can fold their hand and how I would have insta folded in a cash game. Awhile later he calls 53o from the SB after 3 limpers, slow plays a straight on A24 flop, wins a bunch from some AT or something, and says "when you play cash about 7 days a week you learn how to play trash hands for big pots". What a douche.

I lose all those chips with A2s vs slowplayed AA when I spike 2 pair, FML.

Down to 20BB, 3 limpers, I check KTo from BB. Flop T74r I bet close to pot, get one caller. Have just over pot left behind, push 9 turn, he shruggs and flips over 99, FML.

Cash:
I buy-in for $120 (60BB) because I'm scared money, and there was only one other guy higher than that anyway. Lose a couple pots by double bricking 12+ out draws. Finally get AA, and get paid by 2 people on a Qxx flop, by QT and QJ.

Overall, finished up $160 in cash (sad given my one huge cash so otherwise I was down overall)

$$
Tourney: -110, -360 total
Cash: +165, -135 total

Might not make it back for awhile, so don't hold your breath on the updates. Thanks for checking in.

[HarleyGuy13]

Swiggidy it official. Your are the most missed man on IRC. Damn buddy we were all talking tonight and we sure miss ya. Hope all is well. If you have a chance stop in. Poor Stax is like totally going through withdrawls he misses you so much.

[swiggidy]

Long time no update

poker:
I took the bulk of the summer off, not sure I even made another tournament (or maybe none were hosted) since then. I went today and chopped 3way in a 48 person $100 tourney for $1100. Won 2 flippish things early and rolled with the big stack.

As for online, I've played some omaha this fall. Going with that, so most updates will be in my other OP thread. I should be able to play at least 10 hrs a week through the winter.

Not sure where/what I'm doing live now. Will probably put this winning towards my cc/school loans, but will keep $500 mentally set aside as a "BR".

Life
I played with an Ultiamte Frisbee co-ed traveling club team this summer. We had some success at tournaments, but played poorly at sectionals so didn't make regionals. The 3 teams from our section all finished in the top half at regionals, and several teams from other sections we had beaten at open tournaments. So overall a successful summer.

Live
Tourney: +1000, +640 total
Cash: +165, -135 total

[swiggidy]

Guess who's back
Back again
Swiggy's back
Tell a friend
Guess who's back, guess who's back, guess who's back, guess who's back
guess who's back, guess who's back, guess who's back...

Just read through most of my thread. It would appear my poker career has simply been a train wreck; that's not quite accurate, it has been much more a roller coaster. I'm usually afraid to talk about run good and jinxing it. Where as the epic downswings are helped with a good rant.

I just got gold star, for what I believe is the first time ever. This will definitely be the first time I will play meaningful minutes the month after I achieve gold (so yes it's usually worthless whenver I get there). I will never be a vpp semi-pro, but it will help.

Stars changed their bonus dollars to cash dollars, this was pretty huge for me. I had 30k FPP saved up (effectively lifetime earnings) because I never had enough time to unlock the bonus, then clear the bonus. I cashed these out for $350 at the silver star level. I gave up about $25 by clearing early, but this gave me the BR to start playing 50PLO. EZ

Life:
Over the last year I paid off most of my school debt. The only debt I currently have is a small amount in a 2% loan, which I actually make money by not paying off. Good feeling not having multilpe monthly payments to worry about.

I played ultimate frisbee with a club team, so logged ~1k hands July-Sept. Disappointing end to the season, but I am in the best shape of my life, except possibly when I ran cross country in HS 12 years ago.

[swiggidy]

I'll have to give bbickes credit for me reposting (or you can feel free to blame him).

One thing I've realized recently is the value to playing tight (assuming you are not naturally a nit). It can feel robotic, but makes the game much easier. In Vegas this summer I lost 2 stacks at 200NL with semi-marginal, but not terrible plays postflop. Both of these situations could have been avoided by folding shitty hands on the BTN in multi-way limped pots. While the good players COULD probably never look at their hand and show a profit there, why go into the gun fight without even a knife?

The other reason this helps, is I am leaning towards a thought "most of our money in the micros is won through value betting". If we're playing crappy hands we can only rarely bet them for value. Further more, embrace the b/f, especially in Omaha. Very few 25PLO villains will raise you without the nuts, but will call with crazy wide ranges.

EZ song pic, I really like this video:
YouTube - Eminem - Without Me

[bigspenda73]

WAT IS THE MEANING OF THIS

[swiggidy]

o hi der

Time for the 4th annual swiggidy vs online poker, LDO. Current odds 2.5:1.

[bikes]

swiggggggy played guitarrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr

[donkbee]

omg swigg I've missed you so much

[UG]

Good luck, Swigadam, sir, I will be watching

[HarleyGuy13]

DUDE WELCOME BACK!

[swiggidy]

Thanks guys!

omg swigg I've missed you so much

Hows IRL poker? There are 2 casinos 2 hours from my house which is clearly to far to make any effort

[swiggidy]

Mostly a note to myself, but some things I want to share thoughts about. I feel like this will become a Saturday only update, boo life

Variance/Luck
- related is BR and TAG/LAG

Red Line - somewhat a follow up to above


I will leave you with a song/video. I'm not a big Kayne fan, but I really like what he adds to this track
YouTube - Dilated Peoples ft Kanye West - This Way

I'm pullin girls off the bench like a 6th man

I wasn't really spittin game I was scrimmagin

[donkbee]

Thanks guys!



Hows IRL poker? There are 2 casinos 2 hours from my house which is clearly to far to make any effort

Unless they're really awesome casinos, 2 hours is too far for me too I moved and now I'm 45 min from my favorite casino, and I think THAT is too far :P I played an awesome 1/2/5 cash game a couple months ago and won $1.2k+, but I haven't played cash since.

Have you played much live PLO? I played it once and had no idea how to look at my hole cards properly. I tried clumsily looking at all 4 at once, a couple at a time, one at a time... 4 at once is probably best for me because I can't remember what I have if I only look a couple at a time, but it feels so awkward.

[swiggidy]

I've only played in home games, I don't remember using the corner peak being hard. Maybe I just have bigger hands

I wouldn't play 2/5 live with out like $2k to "blow" so that won't be happening anytime soon.

[swiggidy]

I've opened this thread like 5 times then starred blankly at the message box. I always think I have thoughts away from the computer, then totally blank when I sit down and try to turn them into words...


Seems like all micro players seem to fret about the red line and I had a couple thoughts on that. One is if you folded the blinds everytime (and never stole) your redline would plummet. I would guess if your redline is going down slower than 25bb/100 for 6 max you are doing something right (I'm at -18bb/100 at 50PLO, and -16bb/100 at 25PLO).

Another big factor is the rake. The micros get hammered by rake, I'm paying 14bb/100 at 50PLO, and 18.5bb/100 at 25PLO!! Presumably your non-showdown hands are going to be in smaller pots, so the rake will be a higher percentage and will be affected more by rake.

People say as long as you're winning (presumably because your blue line is skyrocketing) don't worry specifically about lines. Clearly there are leaks to fix, but focusing on the red line isn't the best way.

That being said, one thing that def helped my winrate and redline is tightening up pre-flop. It's too tempting to flat the BTN behind a bunch of limpers. At a cash game there are 3 things that immediately come to mind about your hand, your cards, your position, and reads. My 2nd thought: just fold if you don't have 2 of the 3 and the flop will be multiway. Thus, I stopped calling behind bad players with shitty cards but position. Clearly there is more than that, but hopefully it is something.

Life:
I think I mentioned it somewhere, but it's worth repeating. I paid off my student loans!! I am debt free which is a great feeling.


Here's another track I made a custom ringtone from:
YouTube - Danger Doom (MF DOOM & Danger Mouse)- Cross Hairs
Danger Mouse does amazingly chill backgrounds (e.g. gnarls barkley, crazy)

[donkbee]

congrats on being debt free!! that's a major accomplishment!

[swiggidy]

Life:
I went to the bank and they were all "have you considered refinancing your mortgage" I actually had thought about it so sat down.

Going from 30yr to 20yr with rate dropping from 6.75 to 4.50. Monthly payment remains the same, but my principal amount is going from 13% of the payment to 37% and I reach the BE point in 7 months.

At least I run good IRL

[donkbee]

wow that sounds a million times better, that's awesome!

[givememyleg]

Wow that's rad... why does a bank offer to refinance? They just gave up a shit ton of money. Is the idea that you will take out more loans or something?

Also, high five in being debt free. I'm still paying student loans and dropped out after my 2nd year.

[swiggidy]

I honestly don't know. It does cost money upfront which banks are probably always down with. Also I could refinance somewhere else so they'd lose a ton of business.

Did the calc at work today and my total interest, if I stayed here long enough to pay it off drops from 250k (more than the loan) to 95k.

BTW, I wouldn't ever recommend a 30 yr mortgage. Suck it up and do 15 or 20, or get a smaller house. Or just keep renting, it is often better financially unless you'll be somewhere 10 yrs or so.