Grinding through a session. Wanted to push myself a little, since I know I'm not going to be able to play as many hours and days as I want the only way I can up my volume is to play more games at the same time.
The $1.75 18 mans load fast, so I just went at it. Mixing in a few 45/90/180 turbos as they were filling up. Got about 14 games running and kept it going, if I busted I'd just reload. Not even sure how many I went through.
Wasn't paying much attention to what games I was playing, just trying to keep up. As I started to wind down the session and had fewer games running simultaneously I was thinking I'd be pretty down for this session. Happily I ended up just a little under break even. Put myself in good positions though, busted in 6th in a 180man and a 2nd in a 45man. So even though my $ amounts this session weren't impressive, I put myself in a position that they could have been much better had I ran a little better.
Volume is going to make the difference.
I'm also looking at other's (MI_turtle) games and seeing that my late game is weak. I'm fearless in the middle late stage and then when I get close I tend to tighten up and play scared. This has got to be costing me placing higher and winning. Making 11th in a 180 man turbo is shit; I need to play to win.
My late position shoving ranges I'm pretty comfortable with. What I really need to sharpen up is my middle position ranges. I find myself not knowing if I should jam/fold/other, so that's a weakness I'm going to have to fix.
My other observation is my physical setup is not going to cut it. I'm not getting any carpal tunnel symptoms, oddly enough I think its a tunnel of guyon/ulnar nerve issue and possibly an entrapment/pressure issue further up at about my elbow, where I rest my arm on the desk. My pinky and pisiform get cold and oddly painful. Thinking wrist support, and a new mouse. My mouse is crap, it keeps skipping and causing problems. Finally my monitors, a 17'' laptop and a 21'' monitor in portrait. The 21'' is too high up and is making me have crap posture. Gotta fix this up, we'll see what I come up with.
So that's me. More volume, keep railing Nick, sharpen up my ranges and figure out how to improve my physical set up.
"That's what she said."
Wednesday, June 30, 2010
Choices Choices
So I'm trying to work on my pokers. My main goal so far is volume and aggression, correctly applied. I think I'm improving. The idea of ATC (any two cards) being good for a shove was an eye opener for me. Once I got that idea into my system and I kinda got to thinking about it and looking for spots to apply it, I started to see the value of it. Game changer for sure.
I know my level of "volume" is nothing compared to some player's, but I can say I'm being consistent and playing what I can. I'm comfortable with that.
I'm not doing HH's or reviews yet, I'm good enough to know that I'm not good enough to know what I should be looking for. Considering putting some dollars in for a training site, but not sold yet. I'm still working and learning now, and we'll see if I hit a wall with that.
I KNOW that if I were to get training and commit to 10 hour days or more playing poker I could crush the game, but I'm not sure what is more +EV for me, to commit to poker, or maintain levels needed for being a successful human/chiropractor/grad student. Hard choices. Even now for instance I know I'm good for another session, but I'ma make the "smart," responsible choice and go to bed.
Been having fun railing MI_Turtle on Pokerstars. Trying to figure out his game. Seems to be shove. Win, shove again. :) Also shove, lose, shove again. Watching him on PokerStatic.com's Mad Poker also, not a lot of poker strategy or information, but a great insight into the life. Poker nerd reality tv I guess.
Okay, out.
I know my level of "volume" is nothing compared to some player's, but I can say I'm being consistent and playing what I can. I'm comfortable with that.
I'm not doing HH's or reviews yet, I'm good enough to know that I'm not good enough to know what I should be looking for. Considering putting some dollars in for a training site, but not sold yet. I'm still working and learning now, and we'll see if I hit a wall with that.
I KNOW that if I were to get training and commit to 10 hour days or more playing poker I could crush the game, but I'm not sure what is more +EV for me, to commit to poker, or maintain levels needed for being a successful human/chiropractor/grad student. Hard choices. Even now for instance I know I'm good for another session, but I'ma make the "smart," responsible choice and go to bed.
Been having fun railing MI_Turtle on Pokerstars. Trying to figure out his game. Seems to be shove. Win, shove again. :) Also shove, lose, shove again. Watching him on PokerStatic.com's Mad Poker also, not a lot of poker strategy or information, but a great insight into the life. Poker nerd reality tv I guess.
Okay, out.
Tuesday, June 22, 2010
A Real Start?
Maybe this will be the beginning of a long and productive blog, filled with content, whit, and awesomativity.
Almost certainly it will be.
Spent about an hour railing MI_Turtle from http://rainmanpoker.net/ last night. Watched him in a couple of $12 180's and some MTTs.
A few of his plays I had questions about and would love to have him explain his thinking. I want to think a couple were totally -EV moves, I think a couple were. He make a great deal more money playing poker than I do however, and that counts for a lot.
I think his style is well within my grasp. I could pretty accurately predict his moves without even seeing his hole cards. Just based on position, raise from the button, cbet, play position and play it like the nuts. Shoving nearly ATC if it folds to you on the button. Shoving light when the blinds count. I think I have a fair handle on when to shove and what ranges to shove (and even why).
I did find myself surprised at his calling ranges though. He's call a shove from the button w/ A6 off. Often he'd be behind, and we're talking a 11BB stack jamming into his 14BB stack. I'm more of a nit than that. I CAN see calling a 8BB shove when you're sitting on 30BB's and you're the big blind.
He does seem to think harder about defending his blinds, especially his big blind. His reraise range would be something to learn.
Spent some time in Vegas this past weekend. Drove up with Megan and Addison Thursday night and crashed as soon as we got in. I didn't even remember later that we valet parked.
Friday was great. I spent a few hours in the A.M. playing poker. Bought in for $200 in a $1/2 NL cash game at the Imperial Palace. There was a really drunk Finnish guy, and it was just too soft to not play. That was my first time playing in a cash game and I could only afford one buy in. The game was too soft not to take a shot though. I saw guys calling down with T9o, no pair, no draw. Who wouldn't want to play in a game where people are thinking, "Hey, I've got ten high, it might be good!"
Given that I probably could have opened up a little, but I didn't trust them not to blow up pots and I wanted to avoid variance. I knew a TAG game here would work, so I played it pretty straight.
I might have played a hand every half hour. Played 4 hands. Folded TT on the flop to a check raise. Folded my BB on the flop to a raise. Re-reaised in w/ AKo and villain folded JJ on the K high flop. Possible flush draw on the flop though so I didn't slow play at all.
The hand I'd been waiting for came: The Drunk Finnish guy makes it $15 with $600 behind. I see 55. I know that if I hit a set here it should be easy to get it in, so I call. Drunk guy checks in the dark. I hit my set! Flop is 5sQc7s. I don't know his holdings here, I'm hoping he has some piece of it. I check behind. Turn is a Ac. He raises $25. I raise $50. He goes all in, and I call. He turns over 4c6c, so he's drawing.
I'm about a 70% favorite here, so good call.
Obviously I lost to a rivered flush, or we wouldn't be reading this.
Would have been nice to win that one, but even a losing hand is a good learning experience.
Almost certainly it will be.
Spent about an hour railing MI_Turtle from http://rainmanpoker.net/ last night. Watched him in a couple of $12 180's and some MTTs.
A few of his plays I had questions about and would love to have him explain his thinking. I want to think a couple were totally -EV moves, I think a couple were. He make a great deal more money playing poker than I do however, and that counts for a lot.
I think his style is well within my grasp. I could pretty accurately predict his moves without even seeing his hole cards. Just based on position, raise from the button, cbet, play position and play it like the nuts. Shoving nearly ATC if it folds to you on the button. Shoving light when the blinds count. I think I have a fair handle on when to shove and what ranges to shove (and even why).
I did find myself surprised at his calling ranges though. He's call a shove from the button w/ A6 off. Often he'd be behind, and we're talking a 11BB stack jamming into his 14BB stack. I'm more of a nit than that. I CAN see calling a 8BB shove when you're sitting on 30BB's and you're the big blind.
He does seem to think harder about defending his blinds, especially his big blind. His reraise range would be something to learn.
Spent some time in Vegas this past weekend. Drove up with Megan and Addison Thursday night and crashed as soon as we got in. I didn't even remember later that we valet parked.
Friday was great. I spent a few hours in the A.M. playing poker. Bought in for $200 in a $1/2 NL cash game at the Imperial Palace. There was a really drunk Finnish guy, and it was just too soft to not play. That was my first time playing in a cash game and I could only afford one buy in. The game was too soft not to take a shot though. I saw guys calling down with T9o, no pair, no draw. Who wouldn't want to play in a game where people are thinking, "Hey, I've got ten high, it might be good!"
Given that I probably could have opened up a little, but I didn't trust them not to blow up pots and I wanted to avoid variance. I knew a TAG game here would work, so I played it pretty straight.
I might have played a hand every half hour. Played 4 hands. Folded TT on the flop to a check raise. Folded my BB on the flop to a raise. Re-reaised in w/ AKo and villain folded JJ on the K high flop. Possible flush draw on the flop though so I didn't slow play at all.
The hand I'd been waiting for came: The Drunk Finnish guy makes it $15 with $600 behind. I see 55. I know that if I hit a set here it should be easy to get it in, so I call. Drunk guy checks in the dark. I hit my set! Flop is 5sQc7s. I don't know his holdings here, I'm hoping he has some piece of it. I check behind. Turn is a Ac. He raises $25. I raise $50. He goes all in, and I call. He turns over 4c6c, so he's drawing.
I'm about a 70% favorite here, so good call.
Obviously I lost to a rivered flush, or we wouldn't be reading this.
Would have been nice to win that one, but even a losing hand is a good learning experience.
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