Break Through Day
Finally had the breakthrough day. If there is anyone actually following(reading this crappy blog) of what has been going on for over a month now knows, I have been running like shit, and not playing particularly well to boot, which is a lethal combination. It has lead to a very frustrating month or so of poker and I was getting really tired of saying the same thing every week. "Ran like crap and played like crap". Well I can say today that last night I actually played very well, and finally ran ok. Funny how those things seem to go together.
When you lose you always think the world is conspiring against you and the cards always seem to miss whatever you decide to play. Sometimes you need to take a step back and realize that yes the cards are not coming your way, but that does not mean you need to play them anyway. I truly was playing too many hands, which was costing me money because I tend not to draw after the flop so I was doing a lot of calling and missing, then mucking. Not a recipe for success as those $100 bets add up fast. The other aspect of lose play is that you get no credit for a hand, and people tend to draw at you more often or call with weaker cards on the flop. So when you finally do pick up a premium hand no one thinks you have it and you get drawn out on more often(at least it seems that is the case). You also lose almost all of your bluffing equity. You can never bluff because you are going to get called and must turn over a winner. That said I was determined to play tight last night.
I got down to the Muck and the $50/100 game was full with a list. I was third up and no one seemed poised to go anywhere. I jumped into a short handed $30/60 and proceed to play pretty well and tight for a short game, which frankly is not very tight, while I waited for the $50/100 seat. I went nowhere shorthanded and then the game filled up so I had to bide my time and try to execute on what I came down to do today. So as the cards continued to mock me I just sat there and watched. I did not play a hand for over an hour, I was not going to gamble today. Endless strings of (10,4) (8,6) (7,2) (K,5) etc. Not even raising in late position to try and steal. I was going to play good cards today. I sat there for two hours and got stuck $400 in blinds. Then I was moved to the $50 game. The game was super rocky. No one was gambling, and I mean no one. This was the tightest $50/100 game I have seen in months. All the usual suspects with only one face I had not played with before. I posted and actually won my first hand with what I don't remember, it was not memorable. What was memorable was that I got even on that hand and never looked back. I actually got some cards today. Not great cards mind you. I only had AA's twice all night, and KK's twice as well, winning all but one of them with KK's and it was easy to get off the flop of 5,6,7 two diamonds with a pile of action on the flop not coming from me. I had three bet an early position raiser and got called by both blinds and the original raiser. I was second to act and it was checked to me, I bet out on the flop and was raised by the SB, the BB called and the original raiser three bet. I mucked and watched as the original raiser had flopped a straight with 8,9 (don't ask why he raised with that I don't know myself and he was not there when the game was considered rocky) and proceed to lose to a flush that came on the turn. The Muck also runs a full house ticket drawing every tues for the last weeks full houses of 10's full or better. I have not had a ticket in the box for the last two weeks and did not have one yesterday either, so it is not like I am running that well yet. Barry, who asked if I ever mentioned him in this Blog, there you go Barry won $1400 in the drawing. I have yet to win any money and have been playing down there over a year and a half. I did manage to hit when I needed to and was able to bluff yesterday as I had some bluff equity from playing tight and reading ok.
So final tally I have made up the money I had lost the previous two sessions this year and got solidly in the black for 2006. I posted the second biggest win in that game from all of 2005 so you could say I had a good day. Hope this ends the streak of bad play and we can now get back to our regularly scheduled programming. I am not going to get to play much in the next week as next Tuesday I have to work so I will not be at the Muck, but maybe I can find a day to squeeze in somewhere. I am also hoping to get to LA for two days in February as the LA Poker Classic is my favorite tournament of the year and I would hate to miss it. I like it even better than the WSOP. Good luck and I hope you all had a winning week. SJ
When you lose you always think the world is conspiring against you and the cards always seem to miss whatever you decide to play. Sometimes you need to take a step back and realize that yes the cards are not coming your way, but that does not mean you need to play them anyway. I truly was playing too many hands, which was costing me money because I tend not to draw after the flop so I was doing a lot of calling and missing, then mucking. Not a recipe for success as those $100 bets add up fast. The other aspect of lose play is that you get no credit for a hand, and people tend to draw at you more often or call with weaker cards on the flop. So when you finally do pick up a premium hand no one thinks you have it and you get drawn out on more often(at least it seems that is the case). You also lose almost all of your bluffing equity. You can never bluff because you are going to get called and must turn over a winner. That said I was determined to play tight last night.
I got down to the Muck and the $50/100 game was full with a list. I was third up and no one seemed poised to go anywhere. I jumped into a short handed $30/60 and proceed to play pretty well and tight for a short game, which frankly is not very tight, while I waited for the $50/100 seat. I went nowhere shorthanded and then the game filled up so I had to bide my time and try to execute on what I came down to do today. So as the cards continued to mock me I just sat there and watched. I did not play a hand for over an hour, I was not going to gamble today. Endless strings of (10,4) (8,6) (7,2) (K,5) etc. Not even raising in late position to try and steal. I was going to play good cards today. I sat there for two hours and got stuck $400 in blinds. Then I was moved to the $50 game. The game was super rocky. No one was gambling, and I mean no one. This was the tightest $50/100 game I have seen in months. All the usual suspects with only one face I had not played with before. I posted and actually won my first hand with what I don't remember, it was not memorable. What was memorable was that I got even on that hand and never looked back. I actually got some cards today. Not great cards mind you. I only had AA's twice all night, and KK's twice as well, winning all but one of them with KK's and it was easy to get off the flop of 5,6,7 two diamonds with a pile of action on the flop not coming from me. I had three bet an early position raiser and got called by both blinds and the original raiser. I was second to act and it was checked to me, I bet out on the flop and was raised by the SB, the BB called and the original raiser three bet. I mucked and watched as the original raiser had flopped a straight with 8,9 (don't ask why he raised with that I don't know myself and he was not there when the game was considered rocky) and proceed to lose to a flush that came on the turn. The Muck also runs a full house ticket drawing every tues for the last weeks full houses of 10's full or better. I have not had a ticket in the box for the last two weeks and did not have one yesterday either, so it is not like I am running that well yet. Barry, who asked if I ever mentioned him in this Blog, there you go Barry won $1400 in the drawing. I have yet to win any money and have been playing down there over a year and a half. I did manage to hit when I needed to and was able to bluff yesterday as I had some bluff equity from playing tight and reading ok.
So final tally I have made up the money I had lost the previous two sessions this year and got solidly in the black for 2006. I posted the second biggest win in that game from all of 2005 so you could say I had a good day. Hope this ends the streak of bad play and we can now get back to our regularly scheduled programming. I am not going to get to play much in the next week as next Tuesday I have to work so I will not be at the Muck, but maybe I can find a day to squeeze in somewhere. I am also hoping to get to LA for two days in February as the LA Poker Classic is my favorite tournament of the year and I would hate to miss it. I like it even better than the WSOP. Good luck and I hope you all had a winning week. SJ
posted by Seattlejohn at 9:59 AM
5 Comments:
If it makes you fell any better, it took me over 1.5 years of playing at the Muck to win a drawing and now I've won 2 in 3 weeks. There is still hope for you.
Glad to hear that you had a good night!
Welcome back to the black.
-DrC
i'm still reading
I very much enjoy reading your blog. I'm a low limit player so I find it interesting reading about higher limit play.
Hey SJ,
You were wondering if anyone reads this blog. Just wanted to let you know I have been following this blog for about 6 months or so. I find it especially interesting since I live in Tacoma and have played at the Muck, albeit low limits. Keep up the great writing, love to hear about your play.
PL
Post a Comment
<< Home