After taking out $400 for my 2 new 19 inch LCD's I got 3 months ago, leaving myself with only $200-ish left online, I finally built it back up to what I was. I did this just by playing the small ($5+.50) SnG's following some bankroll management while learning in ways to improve my game as well. I have finally decided to move up to the $10+1 SnG's, which in my opinion are fairly similar to the $5+.50 ones, except there usually aren't as many loose cannons, but generally if you play tight in the beginning you can easily make it until half the field has been eliminated. From there you just have to base your play upon how your remaining opponents play.

If you're against someone who is overly aggressive, wait until you have a monster, and punish them. For people who are a bit too passive, play aggressive to them, but definitely be wary if they push over you that they probably have you beat. Anyways, I'm sitting at around $650 right now and have definitely learned a lot more about my game and keep trying to improve it each day. I may spend some FPP's some day soon on a book, since I have yet to read anything yet.

Following the jump, you can see a couple hand histories from today's tourneys. And if you are interested, here's a cool link that I got from a friend. I think the beats are catchy and that chick is a crazy cat.

Continue Reading ...

The last 6 tournaments I have entered I have placed in the top 3. Half have been first places, 2 seconds, and 1 third. Overall my bankroll is now at $423. In the past 8 days I have won about $150, all of which is going towards my move to go back to Ohio. The plan is that I will be gone by February 5. I am going up to Ohio for New Years this weekend and will be going back sometime in the beginning of January to find the right apartment.

Poker is becoming exciting for me again and I am playing solid once again. I realized that after my bad slide that I was becoming a bit too loose and needed to tighten my game up some. It sucks though, because once this move happens I won't have any money in Pokerstars anymore because I'll have to withdrawl everything. Hopefully by that time I can have around $800 which will definitely be of great help.

Poker is now not something to take my mind off of her but a means to help me accomplish my goal and not owe people as much.

So I spent the better portion of my free time the past week creating a spreadsheet to track my sit 'n go results. I had one previously, but this one helps keep stats a bit better. I only played 3 SnG's today and won two and busted out in 8th on the other, you can see the hand if you continue reading. I only have 30 SnG's recorded so far, so my stats so far can be a bit misleading. Once I get some more under my belt I will post so more information. But basically I am up $75.00 since I decided to stop playing ring games and strictly focus on SnG's. I think once I double up to $300 I will move up to the $10+1 ones and see how it goes.

This morning I also had an interview for some contract work at a company that would basically include me setting up computers and such. Nothing too difficult but it would hopefully get my foot in the door so I could get a "real" job. It's been so long since I've worked I forget what it's like. Hopefully all works out and in less that a couple weeks time I am working. Then I'll use whatever poker winnings I can to help out my girlfriend with her bills.
Continue Reading ...

I have only placed 3rd once out of the last about 10 Sit 'n Go's, but have been able to make most all of my money back playing 6 handed .10/.25 NLHE. At first I was losing my SnG's because of some really poor play, but the last hand that did it to me was my KK all-in preflop to JJ. Flop was rags, turn was a J and just to rub it in more, river was another J.

But even after all those bad beats I was able to play a decent game and make my money back. I just need to play tight and good poker because I still believe I can beat the SnG's on a normal basis if I just get back to my regular game. I bet it was all my dumb playing in the play money games that has thrown me off. I'll try some more SnG's tomorrow.

So I decided today since I have been playing so much poker with play money (currently have 416,000 in play chips) that I might as well play with some real cash and see if I could place after playing like a donk with a bunch of idiots for chips that are almost worthless.

I entered two 9 man $5.50 sit and go's and they went fairly well. On one table I wasn't getting dealt anything and soon was at around $900 and the other I did decent and was up to about $2000. And to not bore you with the details I ended up winning the tournament in which I got short stacked and came in third on the one I had more chips. So I'm up today $20.50 and I have $107 in my Pokerstars account to screw around with. And of course, if you continue reading I'll show a couple hand histories from todays tourneys.
Continue Reading ...

Well, I entered two $5.50 tournaments and placed 3rd and 4th. The 4th I flopped a set of 2s on the flop, too bad my opponent flopped a set of Ks. So I'm down $2.00 for the day, but I had a good time and feel more confident in my game. Anyways, that's all I really have to say about poker today. Continue reading to see how stupid some people are.
Continue Reading ...

So I decided to play a couple $5.50 tournaments on Pokerstars, or Riverstars as some like to call it, and I did fairly well. The first tournament I didn't really get any cards to gain chips so I found myself short stacked rather quickly, and was forced to basically push all-in with hands that I shouldn't be playing. (ie A rag) I was lucky enough twice to be far behind when an ace fell but somehow managed to get split pots twice. Then when I went all-in with A6o and was called by Q10o, when I was in a good position pre-flop although they had live cards, and of course Q10 came on the flop. I was happy though because I just didn't get any cards and was ready to be put out of my misery.

The second tournament resulted better.
Continue Reading ...

So I decided to play some NL poker today, because I got back from being a hair model for my girlfriend at the salon early and had nothing else really to do. I ended up being down a few dollars but it was definitely a different experience then playing limit.

At first I sat at the $25 table and my JJ lost to a 66 flopped set after putting the other guy all in after an 8 high flop. Should have realized I was beat, but I am not a NL expert. So I basically ran down my $25 to $5. Then at the same time I took $15 to a Limit table and ran it down to around $5. So now I had around $20 of my original $50.

I decided to just put it all on the $25 table and whatever happens happens. The best pot I won was a $25 one when I got a full house. But anyways, it was a great learning experience and I still have $50 in my account just to play with. Perhaps one day I can build it up, or lose it.

So, awhile ago I withdrew $200 and now have around $50 left on Pokerstars. Really haven't have a desire to play in awhile, but just in case I do I have $50 there. I have kind of pondered just taking $25 of that to a .10/.25 NL game and seeing what I can do, since I just played Limit there, but that's just a thought for now.

Saturday night's home game started off a bit slow for me. I didn't get much of any hands and when I tried to play, it only resulted in my eventual fold. We started each with $20 in chips and soon enough I was down to my final $3 looking at a Q7o in the BB. 3 others limped in, including the SB, and I just checked. Flop was K Q rag, and everyone checked to me, I pushed my final $2.50 in see as how no one bet, so hopefully I could just take the pot there. I was called by one loose player with A5o and their hand didn't improve. I was on a comeback. Next hand in the SB, I look down to see Q10o, I simply limp in with everyone else and see another flop of K Q rag, and it gets checked around. Turn is a Q, and I decide to try and slow play hoping someone fires at the pot, because I need more chips. River is a J and guy before me bets .50 and I raise to $2. BB calls me and other guy folds, my 3 Qs take down the pot. All the sudden I was back in, and eventually was up my initial $20 to $30 total.

As the night progressed though, I went back down to around $10 as the cards just didn't come for me. Then the hand that made my night was a K8s (diamonds) where I just limped in. 5 players to the flop of Ad 3 6d. I decided I needed this pot so I was staying in, and the loose player bet out .50, so I called. Another player raised another .50 trying to protect their A, but that was a weak bet, so again I called as did 4 others. Turn was a 4, unfortunately not a diamond. Loose player checked and the guy next to me bet out .75, again I called and so did everyone else. River was a 9d. Yes! I hit my top flush and no one can beat me. Loose player bet out $1. Guy next to her raised another $2 to make it $3 to me. This was great, they were betting into the nuts. I raised to $6. Girl with the A folded. Loose player and guy both called and we see loose player had 75d (they had the flush draw and a straight after the turn but slow played it, bad idea). Guy flips over 42d for yet another flush. Then I show them the bad news. I couldn't believe all 3 of us had flushes and yet they just all called my bet. Wish I could have made more on that.

Overall, I ended up the night with $35 -- made $15 that we immediately used the next day to buy some new fish for my girlfriend for Valentine's Day. I was glad to break the loose players, the continually bluffed at pots and got hit bad as the night was coming to an end. After being up a lot for most of the evening they ended up down $32. Guess the guy shouldn't be teaching his girlfriend how to play loose and bluff at pots.