Don't Wanna Work in a Building Downtown...

Blog Apathy

2009-05-25T16:13:00.003-05:00

For those that use this blog to keep track of my poker career: No, I'm not dead. Or broke.

April was a nice turnaround month, featuring finishing second in the Bodog 100k. And May has been not too bad either, despite low volume and some internet difficulties.

I guess my enthusiasm for this blog as waned, as I feel like I'm not doing much in the way of substantive entries any more. And if I'm doing entries that don't have any analysis of my play that are causing me to think about my game, I'm sure it's serving any purpose.

So for now this blog is on hiatus. If I rediscover blogging fever, this space will be here for me.

March Wrap

2009-04-01T17:05:00.004-05:00

Ho hum.

This Month: $4572

Year to Date: $17,420

Not a good month, but not really a bad month either.

Final tables since I last wrote: 4th in the Stars $33 2r1a, 3rd in Cake 30r, 6th in AP 30r, 4th in AP 15r (I was bored, also some guy kept going on and on about what a donkey I was, which I thought was hilarious), and 3rd in Cake $109 to close out the month.

The Stars table was particularly interesting, very aggressive table where I didn't find much in the way of cards and really struggled to find my footing.

Of particular concern over the past week was the times when I just played awful/totally collapsed. I made one bad play in a tournament on Sunday, and then all of a sudden there was about a full hour where I just played terrible and struggled to do anything right, to the extent that I just stopped adding tournaments. The only tournament I was left in was the Sunday Million. Then I actually picked up some hands and momentum, this was for a top five stack overall (warning, personal bad beat forum ahead):

PokerStars Game #26515394499: Tournament #149767941, $200+$15 Hold'em No Limit - Level XII (750/1500) - 2009/03/29 19:32:45 CT [2009/03/29 20:32:45 ET]
Table '149767941 244' 9-max Seat #4 is the button
Seat 1: ZingoBKO (53967 in chips)
Seat 2: ToadSuck (29065 in chips)
Seat 3: boul_quake (5667 in chips)
Seat 4: bzimzim (79898 in chips)
Seat 5: gomgomez64 (38848 in chips)
Seat 6: SpotSB (39565 in chips)
Seat 7: lophted (10740 in chips)
Seat 8: The_Nutifier (16995 in chips)
Seat 9: Sawc111 (126426 in chips)
ZingoBKO: posts the ante 150
ToadSuck: posts the ante 150
boul_quake: posts the ante 150
bzimzim: posts the ante 150
gomgomez64: posts the ante 150
SpotSB: posts the ante 150
lophted: posts the ante 150
The_Nutifier: posts the ante 150
Sawc111: posts the ante 150
gomgomez64: posts small blind 750
SpotSB: posts big blind 1500
*** HOLE CARDS ***
Dealt to bzimzim [Qc Qd]
lophted: folds
The_Nutifier: folds
Sawc111: raises 3000 to 4500
ZingoBKO: folds
ToadSuck: folds
boul_quake: folds
bzimzim: raises 8100 to 12600
gomgomez64: folds
SpotSB: folds
Sawc111: calls 8100
*** FLOP *** [9h 8h Qh]
Sawc111: bets 113676 and is all-in
bzimzim: calls 67148 and is all-in
Uncalled bet (46528) returned to Sawc111
*** TURN *** [9h 8h Qh] [5d]
*** RIVER *** [9h 8h Qh 5d] [9s]
*** SHOW DOWN ***
Sawc111: shows [9c 9d] (four of a kind, Nines)
bzimzim: shows [Qc Qd] (a full house, Queens full of Nines)
Sawc111 collected 163096 from pot

OK, that one hurt. Also on my preposterous list, my total meltdown to finish 13th in the 30k sniper when I 3 bet with air and refused to give up, thus gifting away all my chips for no reason.

Goal for this month: don't suck.

Back From Vacation/My Man Crush on Tom Dwan

2009-03-23T10:51:00.002-05:00

I'm back! Of course technically I didn't go anywhere, but that's neither here nor there. Technically I was in Lansing for awhile, and then I was in Lansing for awhile longer when my car stopped working. Again. Seriously, if one more thing happens to that car, I'm taking it to the middle of a field and Office Spacing the thing, Blue Book value be damned.

So I was looking at my spreadsheet just now, and I haven't played a tournament since the 11th. Today is the 23rd. Hmmm. That's not great. I realize that I'd taken some time off but even I didn't quite realize that it had been that much. Frankly I need to get to work, in order to a) post a good number for March b) just generally get my volume up c) stop being such a damn slacker d) earn some money so that I can give the IRS my entire life savings on April 15th. I might be exaggarating on d, but it sort of doesn't feel that way.

So I should be playing a lot this week. And then I won't be taking 12 days off again any time soon.

Tom Dwan is on HSP this season. Obviously he's a great player. No shock there. But wow, watching that guy play is like poetry. When you start four betting K9o and cause you think your opponents are weak, and you're right, that's pretty good. But this hand pretty much says it all: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RxlWhS96jiI.

Wow. Just wow, that is so fearless I can't even describe it. I want to be Tom Dwan, I don't care how funny-looking he is.

Tortoising Along

2009-03-10T13:15:00.002-05:00

Ignoring for the moment that who knows if "tortoising" if a word, I feel like it's an accurate description of the month so far. Not much going on, but making incremental progress. Three final tables, one 8th in the Cake 30R, and two 4th places in the AP 20k. Up about 1900 for the month, which I suppose isn't that bad for this point in the month.

The AP 20k tournaments were both sort of disappointing, because in both cases I thought I played really well. And I'm not easily impressed with my play. Made the final table last night and lost two big flips. When we got to four handed only one of the other players was really playing with the requisite aggression, though unfortunately that was the big stack behind me. But I thought I picked my spots pretty well. I was also 3 betting very aggressively when there was an aggressive player behind me earlier in the final table. Clearly I'm awesome, as I reread this ego stroke of a paragraph.

Am I still in a downswing? I dunno, last month still sucked, don't feel like I've quite had the breakthrough because of the lack of a big cash since the beginning of last month. Honestly sometimes my play has just felt a little bit off. Part of it is just a lack of focus that I've seen to have lately. Don't think there's an answer to that other than force myself into better mental habits while I'm playing.

Watching Liverpool beat Real Madrid today, then I'll be playing tonight.

February Wrap

2009-03-01T13:47:00.002-06:00

Whatever.

Month: +$981

Year: $12,848

Next.

Due for an Entry

2009-02-26T17:24:00.002-06:00

I tend to stay away from writing for the blog when I'm in downswings, though I'm really not sure that I should. This can be a useful place to vent frustrations.

So yeah, in the two weeks since I last posted, poker is going not well, mostly. I did finish 143th in the FTOPS Main Event. The hand I went out on I've dissected to death (along with some help from the forum), and I definitely played it badly and got unlucky all at the same time. That hand still annoys me, but I don't feel like thinking about it anymore. Moving on.

This past Sunday, I finished 36th in the weekly $200K on AP(UB). Along with a couple of other cashes, that helped to ensure that I actually didn't lose money on either of the last Sundays that I played. Which can be an accomplishment sometimes on big field days. Hey I'm looking for silver linings here.

Otherwise, frankly there's not much good to say. Have I played bad? Some. Have I ran bad? God, yes. I really feel like my success is sort of inevitable though, because mostly I've played consistently and just haven't run well in key sports. Just a natural sort of correction from the week that I took over Cake Poker I guess.

I am annoyingly now +$1670 or so for the month, which would be worst month since November 2007, when I was still playing SNGs. Which I'm thankfully not anymore, since I find the idea of 10 tabling SNGs sort of soul crushing. I have been thinking about diversifying though, partially on the advice of forum members. Cash games and omaha may be on my list. I'm not particularly good at either of those things right now, but I think that could change with a little work. And also I could probably just use a break from NLHE tournaments. A casino trip may be called for.

This is hilarious, I especially like the "you don't understand, this is always happens to me" part of the rant: http://www.xtranormal.com/xtranormal/episode.php?aid=103870&mid=20090222182227485

Tonight will probably be my last poker day of the month, so maybe I'll win a tournament and actually post a respectable number for the month. Never know.

The Poker Gods Punish Arrogance

2009-02-12T15:38:00.003-06:00

Just when I was thinking this poker thing was getting a little too easy, I got taught a little lesson on variance. Got smacked in full days last week and this week. This Monday was especially savage, because I basically couldn't crack the top half of the field in most of the tournaments that I played. Which is hard to do, since my game is basically tight at low blind levels. I made a couple just terrible plays, and then ran into a string of horrific beats as well. Was also playing quite a few FTOPS qualifiers, for the $1k second chance event, as well as the $5k 2 day event this Saturday that I really want to play in. Those turbos are good way to burn through money in a hurry, especially if getting it in with aces preflop means the other player will make quads.

The worst was the 20k sniper on the "some days you can't beat the donkeys" front:

Stage #1458381828 Tourney ID 4064296 Holdem Multi Normal Tournament No Limit $30 - 2009-02-09 20:43:51 (ET)
Table: 11 (Real Money) Seat #6 is the dealer
Seat 1 - IQUEEN ($1592.50 in chips)
Seat 2 - MENDIETA19 ($5595 in chips)
Seat 3 - GUYBIRD8 ($5387.50 in chips)
Seat 4 - FEAR_ITSELF ($5822.50 in chips)
Seat 5 - PAULTORICO ($3430 in chips)
Seat 6 - SOUTHCJAY7 ($9130 in chips)
Seat 7 - BZIMZIM ($6612.50 in chips)
Seat 8 - MECITEK ($6545 in chips)
Seat 9 - STAKTURNER ($4545 in chips)
BZIMZIM - Posts small blind $15
MECITEK - Posts big blind $30
*** POCKET CARDS ***
Dealt to BZIMZIM [Kd Kc]
STAKTURNER - Calls $30
IQUEEN - Folds
MENDIETA19 - Folds
GUYBIRD8 - Calls $30
FEAR_ITSELF - Calls $30
PAULTORICO - Folds
SOUTHCJAY7 - Folds
BZIMZIM - Raises $200 to $215
MECITEK - Folds
STAKTURNER - Calls $185
GUYBIRD8 - Calls $185
FEAR_ITSELF - Calls $185
*** FLOP *** [Js 5d 10s]
BZIMZIM - Bets $600
STAKTURNER - Folds
GUYBIRD8 - All-In(Raise) $5172.50 to $5172.50
FEAR_ITSELF - Folds
BZIMZIM - Calls $4572.50
*** TURN *** [Js 5d 10s] [7s]
*** RIVER *** [Js 5d 10s 7s] [Qd]
*** SHOW DOWN ***
GUYBIRD8 - Shows [7d 10d] (Two Pair, tens and sevens)
BZIMZIM - Shows [Kd Kc] (One pair, kings)
GUYBIRD8 Collects $11235 from main pot

So got down to 600 chips, but built it back up, then this against the same player:

Stage #1458575623 Tourney ID 4064296 Holdem Multi Normal Tournament No Limit $200 - 2009-02-09 21:59:48 (ET)
Table: 11 (Real Money) Seat #3 is the dealer
Seat 1 - MIDDLEMISS08 ($6531.50 in chips)
Seat 2 - MAINIEDELANEY ($27292.50 in chips)
Seat 3 - GUYBIRD8 ($7007.50 in chips)
Seat 4 - SUNNYDYLN ($5030 in chips)
Seat 5 - SEANP100 ($5409 in chips)
Seat 6 - SOUTHCJAY7 ($13700 in chips)
Seat 7 - BZIMZIM ($6450 in chips)
Seat 8 - MECITEK ($13525 in chips)
Seat 9 - STAKTURNER ($14874 in chips)
SUNNYDYLN - Posts small blind $100
SEANP100 - Posts big blind $200
*** POCKET CARDS ***
Dealt to BZIMZIM [Ah Ad]
SOUTHCJAY7 - Folds
BZIMZIM - Raises $550 to $550
MECITEK - Folds
STAKTURNER - Folds
MIDDLEMISS08 - Folds
MAINIEDELANEY - Folds
GUYBIRD8 - Calls $550
SUNNYDYLN - Folds
SEANP100 - Folds
*** FLOP *** [3d Qh 7c]
BZIMZIM - Bets $800
GUYBIRD8 - All-In(Raise) $6457.50 to $6457.50
BZIMZIM - All-In $5100
GUYBIRD8 - returned ($557.50) : not called
*** TURN *** [3d Qh 7c] [4h]
*** RIVER *** [3d Qh 7c 4h] [8s]
*** SHOW DOWN ***
GUYBIRD8 - Shows [3c 4d] (Two Pair, fours and threes)
BZIMZIM - Shows [Ah Ad] (One pair, aces)
GUYBIRD8 Collects $13200 from main pot

Well, alright. Whatever. Believe it or not, that wasn't even the worst player I saw that day, as there was a play in the AP 30r that night that would min raise atc every hand, then get lucky more than anyone I've ever seen. He had a huge CL was 18 left. He finished 9th. I finished an unproductive 8th. Probably back to work tonight.

Other People Should Just Stop Playing the Cake 30r

2009-02-03T11:39:00.002-06:00

Shipped Cake 30r again last night. Last four results in that tournament:

1/26: 3/292, $2500
1/27: 1/310, $5638
1/29: 71/225, $0
2/2: 1/354, $6057

What was I doing on January 29th? Terrible.

So apparently my Cake 30r heater is continuing. Last night was one of the most spectacularly inept final tables I've ever been at, with only one or two players seemingly having the faintest idea what they were doing. This last hand is fairly representative:

Hand #176540B744003922: DAILY $25K GUARANTEED!! - R&A
Seat 9: Mill*** (655966.00 in chips)
Seat 10: bzimzim (995534.00 in chips)
MilllerThyme posts ante of 3,000
bzimzim posts ante of 3,000
bzimzim: posts small blind 15,000
Mill***: posts big blind 30,000
Dealt to bzimzim [ Kc Tc ]
bzimzim: raises to 75,000
Mill***: calls
@@@ F_L_O_P @@@ [ 5d Ts 7d ]
Mill***: is all in 577966.0000
bzimzim: calls
Mill***: shows 7s Ks
bzimzim: shows Kc Tc
# # # TURN # # # [ Jc ]
&&& RIVER &&& [ 9h ]
*** SHOW DOWN ***
bzimzim wins 1,311,932 with Pair of Tens

Why not just shove 4 times the size of the pot with second pair. Not that I don't appreciate it.

That continues the excellent start for the year. I'm sure destroying the Cake 30r wouldn't impress anyone at pocketfives (which doesn't even link to Cake results) or make me a big name online pro or anything, but I'm pretty sure I'll take the money anyway. You know, once it clears the 45 day waiting period, because Cake still can't figure out how to send checks.

Probably a full work day today, can't really stop when I'm running this good. With a little Ohio State-Purdue mixed in.

January Wrap

2009-02-01T13:19:00.002-06:00

January in the books.

Month: +$11,867

Year: +$11,867 (obviously)

I'll take 11 more just like that.

Coming up on the year anniversary of starting this blog. I'm thinking about buying myself some flowers.

Goal for this month: 25k score like last February. Or just more of the same will do just fine.

Ship Cake 30r

2009-01-28T17:37:00.002-06:00

Went on a heater the last two days consisting almost entirely of the Cake 30r. Third on Monday, first yesterday. Nothing to feel bad about on the third on Monday, bustosoon was a big CL and was being very aggro and just catching ridiculous cards and was just running over the table. He then promptly finished second after catching some really bad breaks.

Yesterday got heads up with a player who was willing to be aggressive and make plays. He had, for instance, reraised on the flop and then showed Q high (I was so close to shoving that hand too). I like it. Started out outchipped a little more than 2:1, but got to use his aggressiveness against him here:

Hand #17593FCD57003207: DAILY $25K GUARANTEED!! - R&A
Seat 1: GILF*** (1043296.00 in chips)
Seat 9: bzimzim (475204.00 in chips)
GILFHUNTER posts ante of 2,000
bzimzim posts ante of 2,000
bzimzim: posts small blind 10,000
GILF***: posts big blind 20,000
Dealt to bzimzim [ Ks Kd ]
bzimzim: calls
GILF***: checks
@@@ F_L_O_P @@@ [ 4h 6c 6h ]
GILF***: checks
bzimzim: bets 25,000
GILF***: calls
# # # TURN # # # [ Ac ]
GILF***: checks
bzimzim: bets 40,000
GILF***: raises to 120,000
bzimzim: is all in 388204.0000
GILF***: folds
bzimzim: returns uncalled bet 308,204

Cards help too. Clearly he just thought I was making a play here. If he has an A or 6 I go broke obviously, but I figured this was going to be a play a pretty good percentage of the time.

Won a couple other hands to build up 3:1 CL, then lost a flip. Back to work, aggro here:

Hand #17593FCD57003228: DAILY $25K GUARANTEED!! - R&A
Seat 1: GILF*** (760592.00 in chips)
Seat 9: bzimzim (757908.00 in chips)
GILFHUNTER posts ante of 2,000
bzimzim posts ante of 2,000
GILF***: posts small blind 10,000
bzimzim: posts big blind 20,000
Dealt to bzimzim [ Ad Jd ]
ILF***: calls
bzimzim: raises to 60,000
GILF***: calls
@@@ F_L_O_P @@@ [ 6c 7h Qs ]
bzimzim: bets 70,000
GILF***: calls
# # # TURN # # # [ 9c ]
bzimzim: bets 150,000
GILF***: folds
bzimzim: returns uncalled bet 150,000

A couple things: I felt like I'd bet the flop and shut it down on the turn a couple times. I also had very rarely raised OOP pre, content not to build big pots out of position with marginal hands. So I think by representing the turn I'm really representing big and have a good chance to take it away. Always nice when it works.

Hitting flops helps, hard to smack it much harder than this:

Hand #17593FCD57003230: DAILY $25K GUARANTEED!! - R&A
Seat 1: GILF*** (671592.00 in chips)
Seat 9: bzimzim (846908.00 in chips)
GILFHUNTER posts ante of 2,000
bzimzim posts ante of 2,000
GILF***: posts small blind 10,000
bzimzim: posts big blind 20,000
Dealt to bzimzim [ Ks 9s ]
GILF***: raises to 55,000
bzimzim: calls
@@@ F_L_O_P @@@ [ 9c 2s Ts ]
bzimzim: checks
GILF***: bets 75,000
bzimzim: raises to 200,000
GILF***: folds
bzimzim: returns uncalled bet 125,000
*** SHOW DOWN ***
bzimzim: mucks
bzimzim wins 264,000

As always, I run good. Eventually he open shoved 500k with K high, I made the call with A high, and it held.

So it took about half the month to get going, but thanks to a ten day heater of about 14k over ten days I'm at about 12k for the month. Very solid. I'll take 12 every month no questions asked. Probably not too much play in me left this month, I feel like I've played a lot lately.

Cake Poker Disclaimer

2009-01-26T18:36:00.002-06:00

So got a check from Cake Poker. I really don't think it's the first one they've sent me, but maybe in the past I've just done trades and cashed out from other sites. But I really thought I'd cashed out from them before. Anyway, I got a check from them today, after paying their ridiculous $35 charge so they can send it by courier (just drop it in the mail folks). Anyway, it came with this disclaimer:

"If this is your first affiliate payment, please note the following.

Some branches of some US banks seem to have difficulty with the format of the line of numbers at the bottom of the cheque/check. The cheque. check you received is drawn off a Canadian bank, but is in US funds (clearly marked on the cheque/check). The row of numbers will not be the same as a cheque/check drawn on a bank in the USA. We cannot change that information to match what a US bank would use (Ed: why not?)

The cheque/check is valid and your bank can process it. You may experience a delay between the time you deposit your cheque/check, and the time the funds appear in your account. It takes between 10 days and three weeks from the date a cheque/check is issued, for the funds to clear our bank.

We have in the past heard from clients who have had problems with their bank. You can request that they send the cheque/check via collections. This is a separate system than a usual deposit and it will take longer for your cheque/check to clear.

A few banks also appear to have issues with the dollar amount of the cheque/check, most do not. The cheques/checks are sent in complaince with FinTrac guidelines as set out by the Canadian Government. This is why you were asked to submit ID prior to the cheque/check being sent.

We are contract to send cheques/checks only. I do not have the option of sending money orders or wire transfers at this time.

If you have any further questions please send an email to xxxxx."

Well. That inspired a lot of confidence. What the hell is this, 2004? Online poker has been around awhile now. How is it that Cake Poker still hasn't figured out how to send checks?

Second of all, where did the first person come in? I? Who the fuck is I?

So yeah, could be fun times when I go to the bank tomorrow.

Add this to my life of complaints about Cake, this may not be a good omen for the night:

Hand #17583FA7CC000248: DAILY $20K GUARANTEED!!
Seat 1: nets*** (4730.00 in chips)
Seat 2: ILik*** (4865.00 in chips)
Seat 3: true*** (5330.00 in chips)
Seat 4: txkf*** (1765.00 in chips)
Seat 5: lulu*** (6225.00 in chips)
Seat 6: sqls*** (6532.00 in chips)
Seat 7: wall*** (5135.00 in chips)
Seat 8: bzimzim (5690.00 in chips)
Seat 9: Hot*** (4818.00 in chips)
Seat 10: yeve*** (4910.00 in chips)
nets***: posts small blind 15
ILik***: posts big blind 30
Dealt to bzimzim [ Qd Th ]
true***: calls
txkf***: calls
lulu***: calls
sqls***: folds
wall***: calls
bzimzim: calls
Hot***: calls
yeve***: folds
nets***: calls
ILik***: checks
@@@ F_L_O_P @@@ [ Jc Ac 9d ]
nets***: checks
ILik***: checks
true***: checks
txkf***: checks
lulu***: checks
wall***: checks
bzimzim: checks
Hot***: bets 240
nets***: folds
ILik***: folds
true***: calls
txkf***: folds
lulu***: calls
wall***: folds
bzimzim: calls
# # # TURN # # # [ 8s ]t
rue***: checks
lulu***: bets 1,000
bzimzim: is all in 5420.0000
Hot***: folds
true***: folds
lulu***: calls
bzimzim: shows Qd Th
lulu***: shows 9c 8c
&&& RIVER &&& [ 8h ]
*** SHOW DOWN ***
lulu*** wins 12,040 with Full House, Eights full of Nines

Should know not to get it in with the nuts like that. Whatever. Time to get to work.

30k Sniper Roller Coaster

2009-01-21T16:57:00.001-06:00

Tournaments are always going to up and down affairs, but the 30k sniper I just played had more twists and turns then just about any tournament I can remember.

First a couple fun hands:
Stage #1418426636 Tourney ID 4039422 Holdem Multi Normal Tournament No Limit $150 - 2009-01-19 22:37:17 (ET)
Table: 35 (Real Money) Seat #1 is the dealer
Seat 1 - GOLDEN28 ($3047.50 in chips)
Seat 2 - JMAN0971 ($4430 in chips)
Seat 3 - BZIMZIM ($4290 in chips)
Seat 4 - T LAING ($5640 in chips)
Seat 5 - KIDPVP ($6190 in chips)
Seat 6 - JAMESOB51 ($1027.50 in chips)
Seat 7 - JOHNNY2912 ($1537.50 in chips)
Seat 8 - SPIN31 ($3710 in chips)
Seat 9 - MANSTHEMAN ($1315 in chips)
JMAN0971 - Posts small blind $75
BZIMZIM - Posts big blind $150
*** POCKET CARDS ***
Dealt to BZIMZIM [4s Ac]
T LAING - Folds
KIDPVP - Folds
JAMESOB51 - Folds
JOHNNY2912 - Folds
SPIN31 - Folds
MANSTHEMAN - Folds
GOLDEN28 - Folds
JMAN0971 - Raises $225 to $300
BZIMZIM - Calls $150
*** FLOP *** [6s 2c Qc]
JMAN0971 - Checks
BZIMZIM - Checks
*** TURN *** [6s 2c Qc] [7c]
JMAN0971 - Bets $300
BZIMZIM - Raises $900 to $900
JMAN0971 - Calls $600
*** RIVER *** [6s 2c Qc 7c] [Ks]
JMAN0971 - Bets $730
BZIMZIM - All-In(Raise) $3090 to $3090
JMAN0971 - Folds (Fold & Show [Jh Qs])
BZIMZIM - returned ($2360) : not called
*** SHOW DOWN ***
BZIMZIM - Does not show
BZIMZIM Collects $3860 from main pot

Here after I get called on the turn I'm pretty sure he has a hand just like he ended up showing, and decide to represent big and blow up his pot control bet on the river. Risky but in this case profitable play.

This goes in "your read isn't as good as you think it is" category:

Stage #1418482838 Tourney ID 4039422 Holdem Multi Normal Tournament No Limit $200 - 2009-01-19 23:05:20 (ET)
Table: 35 (Real Money) Seat #2 is the dealer
Seat 1 - GOLDEN28 ($5185 in chips)
Seat 2 - ENDER555 ($6240 in chips)
Seat 3 - BZIMZIM ($5545 in chips)
Seat 4 - T LAING ($3365 in chips)
Seat 5 - KIDPVP ($5265 in chips)
Seat 6 - 47MABRY ($3567.50 in chips)
Seat 7 - JOHNNY2912 ($8250 in chips)
Seat 8 - MYLOJAMES ($9625 in chips)
Seat 9 - MANSTHEMAN ($4342.50 in chips)
BZIMZIM - Posts small blind $100
T LAING - Posts big blind $200
*** POCKET CARDS ***
Dealt to BZIMZIM [Ks Js]
KIDPVP - Folds
47MABRY - Folds
JOHNNY2912 - Folds
MYLOJAMES - Folds
MANSTHEMAN - Folds
GOLDEN28 - Folds
ENDER555 - Raises $400 to $400
BZIMZIM - Calls $300
T LAING - Folds
*** FLOP *** [8c Jh 6h]
BZIMZIM - Checks
ENDER555 - Checks
*** TURN *** [8c Jh 6h] [Jd]
BZIMZIM - Bets $600
ENDER555 - Calls $600
*** RIVER *** [8c Jh 6h Jd] [Jc]
BZIMZIM - Bets $1800
ENDER555 - Calls $1800
*** SHOW DOWN ***
BZIMZIM - Shows [Ks Js] (Four of a kind, jacks)
ENDER555 - Mucks
BZIMZIM Collects $5800 from main pot
*** SUMMARY ***
Total Pot($5800)Board [8c Jh 6h Jd Jc]
Seat 1: GOLDEN28 Folded on the POCKET CARDS
Seat 2: ENDER555 (dealer) HI: [Mucked] [7h Ad]

My flat is a little unusual here, but I'd 3 bet Ender a couple times, and didn't want to get my chips in with K high if he just decided that he'd had enough. On the other hand I necessarily think he was that strong, though was a little wary of the min raise. If that all seems like contradictory logic, well, it probably is. Anyway, it just kept getting better, and ender tries to make an all-world call with the A high, putting me on some sort of busted draw. That didn't really work out.

Roller coaster time. First, good flop, ugly river:

Stage #1418502689 Tourney ID 4039422 Holdem Multi Normal Tournament No Limit $300 - 2009-01-19 23:15:53 (ET)
Table: 35 (Real Money) Seat #8 is the dealer
Seat 1 - GOLDEN28 ($5185 in chips)
Seat 2 - ENDER555 ($3440 in chips)
Seat 3 - BZIMZIM ($7745 in chips)
Seat 4 - T LAING ($3465 in chips)
Seat 5 - KIDPVP ($9282.50 in chips)
Seat 7 - JOHNNY2912 ($7800 in chips)
Seat 8 - MYLOJAMES ($10425 in chips)
Seat 9 - MANSTHEMAN ($4042.50 in chips)
MANSTHEMAN - Posts small blind $150
GOLDEN28 - Posts big blind $300
*** POCKET CARDS ***
Dealt to BZIMZIM [Ah 10s]
ENDER555 - Folds
BZIMZIM - Raises $800 to $800
T LAING - Calls $800
KIDPVP - Folds
JOHNNY2912 - Folds
MYLOJAMES - Folds
MANSTHEMAN - Folds
GOLDEN28 - Folds
*** FLOP *** [4s 6c Ad]
BZIMZIM - Bets $1200
T LAING - All-In(Raise) $2665 to $2665
BZIMZIM - Calls $1465
*** TURN *** [4s 6c Ad] [6h]
*** RIVER *** [4s 6c Ad 6h] [Kh]
*** SHOW DOWN ***
BZIMZIM - Shows [Ah 10s] (Two Pair, aces and sixes)
T LAING - Shows [Ks Kd] (Full house, kings full of sixes)
T LAING Collects $7380 from main pot

Better river:

Stage #1418599316 Tourney ID 4039422 Holdem Multi Normal Tournament No Limit $600 - 2009-01-20 00:11:54 (ET)
Table: 31 (Real Money) Seat #3 is the dealer
Seat 1 - BEATTRICE ($8573 in chips)
Seat 2 - DBLUPM0J ($8493 in chips)
Seat 3 - BPV ($26061 in chips)
Seat 4 - THE431TWOGO ($25496.50 in chips)
Seat 5 - WAWA711 ($7225 in chips)
Seat 7 - DNS1983 ($12372 in chips)
Seat 8 - PARTDEUX ($15532 in chips)
Seat 9 - BZIMZIM ($10210 in chips)
BEATTRICE - Ante $75
DBLUPM0J - Ante $75
BPV - Ante $75
THE431TWOGO - Ante $75
WAWA711 - Ante $75
DNS1983 - Ante $75
PARTDEUX - Ante $75
BZIMZIM - Ante $75
THE431TWOGO - Posts small blind $300
WAWA711 - Posts big blind $600
*** POCKET CARDS ***
Dealt to BZIMZIM [Ad 8s]
DNS1983 - Folds
PARTDEUX - Folds
BZIMZIM - All-In(Raise) $10135 to $10135
BEATTRICE - All-In $8498
DBLUPM0J - Folds
BPV - Folds
THE431TWOGO - Folds
WAWA711 - Folds
BZIMZIM - returned ($1637) : not called
*** FLOP *** [3c Qs 10h]
*** TURN *** [3c Qs 10h] [Jc]
*** RIVER *** [3c Qs 10h Jc] [Ah]
*** SHOW DOWN ***
BEATTRICE - Shows [9s 9d] (One pair, nines)
BZIMZIM - Shows [Ad 8s] (One pair, aces)
BZIMZIM Collects $18496 from main pot

Maybe a little light for that shove from that position 8 handed? I'm not sure about that one. Anyway, good catch.

Just posting this to taunt Deal:
Stage #1418643217 Tourney ID 4039422 Holdem Multi Normal Tournament No Limit $1000 - 2009-01-20 00:38:58 (ET)
Table: 38 (Real Money) Seat #6 is the dealer
Seat 1 - DRAGONDRAKE ($44410 in chips)
Seat 2 - BZIMZIM ($19639 in chips)
Seat 3 - UTTSNUTTS19 ($4556.50 in chips)
Seat 4 - SSBEATZ ($34724.50 in chips)
Seat 5 - BLIZAIR ($20762 in chips)
Seat 6 - DOC_HENRY ($35233.50 in chips)
Seat 8 - DEALACE1 ($27111 in chips)
Seat 9 - PARLIGOD ($38357 in chips)
DRAGONDRAKE - Ante $100
BZIMZIM - Ante $100
UTTSNUTTS19 - Ante $100
SSBEATZ - Ante $100
BLIZAIR - Ante $100
DOC_HENRY - Ante $100
DEALACE1 - Ante $100
PARLIGOD - Ante $100
DEALACE1 - Posts small blind $500
PARLIGOD - Posts big blind $1000
*** POCKET CARDS ***
Dealt to BZIMZIM [Ac Qd]
DRAGONDRAKE - Folds
BZIMZIM - Raises $2550 to $2550
UTTSNUTTS19 - Folds
SSBEATZ - Calls $2550
BLIZAIR - Folds
DOC_HENRY - Folds
DEALACE1 - Raises $10000 to $10500
PARLIGOD - Folds
BZIMZIM - All-In(Raise) $16989 to $19539
SSBEATZ - Folds
DEALACE1 - Calls $9039
*** FLOP *** [Qs Kh 9s]
*** TURN *** [Qs Kh 9s] [9c]
*** RIVER *** [Qs Kh 9s 9c] [Kd]
*** SHOW DOWN ***
BZIMZIM - Shows [Ac Qd] (Two Pair, kings and queens)
DEALACE1 - Shows [10d As] (Two Pair, kings and nines)
BZIMZIM Collects $43428 from main pot

Deal picks an aggressive spot to 3 bet against my ep raise with the flatter in there for some extra change. I decide AQ is too good to fold and shove. I was a little surprised to see the AT. I'll remember that one Deal, haha.

Back in the ugly river category:

Stage #1418698237 Tourney ID 4039422 Holdem Multi Normal Tournament No Limit $1600 - 2009-01-20 01:16:33 (ET)
Table: 38 (Real Money) Seat #3 is the dealer
Seat 1 - DRAGONDRAKE ($27138 in chips)
Seat 2 - BZIMZIM ($95218 in chips)
Seat 3 - BPV ($35372 in chips)
Seat 4 - SSBEATZ ($31924.50 in chips)
Seat 5 - BLIZAIR ($34111 in chips)
Seat 6 - DOC_HENRY ($22133.50 in chips)
Seat 7 - TUMMO ($23619 in chips)
DRAGONDRAKE - Ante $150
BZIMZIM - Ante $150
BPV - Ante $150
SSBEATZ - Ante $150
BLIZAIR - Ante $150
DOC_HENRY - Ante $150
TUMMO - Ante $150
SSBEATZ - Posts small blind $800
BLIZAIR - Posts big blind $1600
*** POCKET CARDS ***
Dealt to BZIMZIM [Ah Ad]
DOC_HENRY - Folds
TUMMO - Folds
DRAGONDRAKE - All-In(Raise) $26988 to $26988
BZIMZIM - Calls $26988
BPV - Folds
SSBEATZ - Folds
BLIZAIR - Folds
*** FLOP *** [10c Qh 2d]
*** TURN *** [10c Qh 2d] [Qc]
*** RIVER *** [10c Qh 2d Qc] [Js]
*** SHOW DOWN ***
DRAGONDRAKE - Shows [9d 8d] (Straight, eight to queen)
BZIMZIM - Shows [Ah Ad] (Two Pair, aces and queens)
DRAGONDRAKE Collects $57426 from main pot

From CL to short stack after I got spewy with 4s and spewy in general. Here 5 high is the nuts.

Stage #1418720901 Tourney ID 4039422 Holdem Multi Normal Tournament No Limit $2000 - 2009-01-20 01:34:13 (ET)
Table: 38 (Real Money) Seat #1 is the dealer
Seat 1 - DRAGONDRAKE ($56351 in chips)
Seat 2 - BZIMZIM ($23805.50 in chips)
Seat 3 - PARTDEUX ($93903 in chips)
Seat 4 - SSBEATZ ($58570.50 in chips)
Seat 5 - BLIZAIR ($68872 in chips)
Seat 6 - DOC_HENRY ($56467 in chips)
Seat 7 - TUMMO ($10547 in chips)
DRAGONDRAKE - Ante $200
BZIMZIM - Ante $200
PARTDEUX - Ante $200
SSBEATZ - Ante $200
BLIZAIR - Ante $200
DOC_HENRY - Ante $200
TUMMO - Ante $200
BZIMZIM - Posts small blind $1000
PARTDEUX - Posts big blind $2000
*** POCKET CARDS ***
Dealt to BZIMZIM [5h 4h]
SSBEATZ - Folds
BLIZAIR - Folds
DOC_HENRY - Folds
TUMMO - Folds
DRAGONDRAKE - Folds
BZIMZIM - All-In(Raise) $22605.50 to $23605.50
PARTDEUX - Calls $21605.50
*** FLOP *** [Qd 7c 4d]
*** TURN *** [Qd 7c 4d] [7h]
*** RIVER *** [Qd 7c 4d 7h] [4c]
*** SHOW DOWN ***
BZIMZIM - Shows [5h 4h] (Full house, fours full of sevens)
PARTDEUX - Shows [9c 10c] (Two Pair, sevens and fours)
BZIMZIM Collects $48611 from main pot

Hard to get it in pre much deader than this:

Stage #1418750578 Tourney ID 4039422 Holdem Multi Normal Tournament No Limit $3000 - 2009-01-20 01:58:08 (ET)
Table: 38 (Real Money) Seat #4 is the dealer
Seat 1 - DRAGONDRAKE ($68151 in chips)
Seat 2 - BZIMZIM ($48461 in chips)
Seat 4 - SSBEATZ ($35978.50 in chips)
Seat 5 - BLIZAIR ($56922 in chips)
Seat 6 - DOC_HENRY ($163278 in chips)
Seat 7 - TUMMO ($24605.50 in chips)
Seat 8 - BELADONNA777 ($62703.50 in chips)
Seat 9 - FEEDMEMUNE ($100490 in chips)
DRAGONDRAKE - Ante $300
BZIMZIM - Ante $300
SSBEATZ - Ante $300
BLIZAIR - Ante $300
DOC_HENRY - Ante $300
TUMMO - Ante $300
BELADONNA777 - Ante $300
FEEDMEMUNE - Ante $300
BLIZAIR - Posts small blind $1500
DOC_HENRY - Posts big blind $3000
*** POCKET CARDS ***
Dealt to BZIMZIM [10d 7h]
TUMMO - Folds
BELADONNA777 - Folds
FEEDMEMUNE - Folds
DRAGONDRAKE - Folds
BZIMZIM - All-In(Raise) $48161 to $48161
SSBEATZ - Folds
BLIZAIR - Folds
DOC_HENRY - Calls $45161
*** FLOP *** [9s 3c 7c]
*** TURN *** [9s 3c 7c] [9c]
*** RIVER *** [9s 3c 7c 9c] [7d]
*** SHOW DOWN ***
BZIMZIM - Shows [10d 7h] (Full house, sevens full of nines)
DOC_HENRY - Shows [10c 10h] (Two Pair, tens and nines)
BZIMZIM Collects $100222 from main pot

Hehe. That's a good one. This was more annoying, but hey, I didn't lose I suppose.

Stage #1418796675 Tourney ID 4039422 Holdem Multi Normal Tournament No Limit $6000 - 2009-01-20 02:48:18 (ET)
Table: 40 (Real Money) Seat #9 is the dealer
Seat 2 - FEEDMEMUNE ($215958.50 in chips)
Seat 3 - ONLINEPRONGP ($107805 in chips)
Seat 5 - DOC_HENRY ($139787.50 in chips)
Seat 6 - JOHNNY2912 ($128665.50 in chips)
Seat 7 - DRAGONDRAKE ($182557.50 in chips)
Seat 8 - BELADONNA777 ($32364 in chips)
Seat 9 - BZIMZIM ($149862 in chips)
FEEDMEMUNE - Ante $600
ONLINEPRONGP - Ante $600
DOC_HENRY - Ante $600
JOHNNY2912 - Ante $600
DRAGONDRAKE - Ante $600
BELADONNA777 - Ante $600
BZIMZIM - Ante $600
FEEDMEMUNE - Posts small blind $3000
ONLINEPRONGP - Posts big blind $6000
*** POCKET CARDS ***
Dealt to BZIMZIM [Ks Kh]
DOC_HENRY - Folds
JOHNNY2912 - Folds
DRAGONDRAKE - Folds
BELADONNA777 - Folds
BZIMZIM - Raises $15100 to $15100
FEEDMEMUNE - Folds
ONLINEPRONGP - All-In(Raise) $101205 to $107205
BZIMZIM - Calls $92105
*** FLOP *** [As 2h 3c]
*** TURN *** [As 2h 3c] [5s]
*** RIVER *** [As 2h 3c 5s] [4h]
*** SHOW DOWN ***
ONLINEPRONGP - Shows [10d 9d] (Straight, ace to five)
BZIMZIM - Shows [Ks Kh] (Straight, ace to five)
ONLINEPRONGP Collects $110805 from main pot
BZIMZIM Collects $110805 from main pot

Anyway, played fairly well at the final table. Then got to heads up, which ended up being a 113 hand battle. Played aggressively, made some good plays but made a few mistakes. And then this atrocity:

Stage #1418833827 Tourney ID 4039422 Holdem Multi Normal Tournament No Limit $12000 - 2009-01-20 03:47:43 (ET)
Table: 40 (Real Money) Seat #9 is the dealer
Seat 7 - DRAGONDRAKE ($461781.50 in chips)
Seat 9 - BZIMZIM ($495218.50 in chips)
DRAGONDRAKE - Ante $1200
BZIMZIM - Ante $1200
BZIMZIM - Posts small blind $6000
DRAGONDRAKE - Posts big blind $12000
*** POCKET CARDS ***
Dealt to BZIMZIM [Kc Ah]
BZIMZIM - Raises $24000 to $30000
DRAGONDRAKE - Calls $18000
*** FLOP *** [2d 4c 10d]
DRAGONDRAKE - Checks
BZIMZIM - Checks
*** TURN *** [2d 4c 10d] [Ad]
DRAGONDRAKE - Checks
BZIMZIM - Bets $36000
DRAGONDRAKE - Raises $110000 to $110000
BZIMZIM - Calls $74000
*** RIVER *** [2d 4c 10d Ad] [5c]
DRAGONDRAKE - Bets $180000
BZIMZIM - Calls $180000
*** SHOW DOWN ***
DRAGONDRAKE - Shows [7d Qd] (Flush, ace high)
BZIMZIM - Mucks
DRAGONDRAKE Collects $642400 from main pot

Now against a certain kind of player, this is actually a perfectly defensible call, depending on the read. The problem is that dragon had played a fairly straight ahead game, and this line just screams giant hand. Particularly that river bet. My god, I hate that call so much. Hate it. Hate. I'm just so aghast with myself for my play here. I absolutely deserved to lose.

Soon after that, shoved 4s into 8s, nh, gg.

There was a quote from some entertainer (Janeane Garofalo) sometime that they stayed in the entertainment business because it provided the required "sheer depression and self-loathing" they needed. Sometimes I feel that way about poker.

At least the second place finish means I've actually made some money this month.

Inauguration Day

2009-01-20T11:04:00.004-06:00

Barack Obama is now the President of the United States.

On a more bitter note, the absolute disastrous administration of George W. Bush has come to an end. In recent days, conservatives and Republican hacks have taken to writing columns about how history will look back and judge this President, and that his present popularity doesn't matter. Well, they're certainly right that history will judge this President. A President brought to power by a stolen election thanks to Katherine "if you have a similar name to a felon that's good enough to remove you from the rolls" Harris and an atrocious Supreme Court decision. A President who launched a war based on false pretenses. A President who had contempt for the law and liberty, while claiming to be acting in their defense. A President who brought ineptness in the federal government to an unprecedented level. A President that only looked out for his friends ("his base", he once "joked"). A President that authorized torture and rightfully earned the United States contempt around the world. Yes, conservative pundits and other hacks, history will look back and judge the Bush presidency. Be careful what you wish for.

I also reached the last page of my Bush quote-a-day calendar. The last quote was: "I hope you leave here and walk out and say, 'What did he say?'" Well played, Bush calendar. Well played.

On a more optimistic note, it's nice to know that our President is now a measured, intelligent, thoughtful human being. That's no guarantee of success, but it's certainly a nice start. I have higher hopes for this President then any in my lifetime. On the other hand, the other Presidents in my lifetime: Reagan, Bush I, Clinton, Bush II. Yikes. No wonder our country is in big trouble. But Obama was elected to bring change. His instinct, on the other hand, seems to be somewhat cautious. I just hope he isn't. Health care, Iraq, climate change, economic stimulus: go for it. Work with the Republicans, but don't be bipartisan just for the sake of being bipartisan. There are Democratic majorities for a reason. I hope he uses them. And follows my advice, because I'm sure the new President reads my poker blog, looking for potential political advice.

Also if the government was capable of performing basic tasks again, that would be nice too.

UBOC Main Event

2009-01-19T11:21:00.003-06:00

I was trying a new thing yesterday called running good. It was a nice change of pace. Mostly it's been a pretty ugly month so far.

But if there was a time to start running good, the UBOC Main Event was as good a time as any. Just as it was starting to get interesting, top 20 chip stack with 75 left, it all came apart in four hands.

First, a three bet fold:

Stage #1416797850 Tourney ID 2118848 Holdem Multi Normal Tournament No Limit $3000 - 2009-01-19 00:13:41 (ET)
Table: 62 (Real Money) Seat #4 is the dealer
Seat 1 - DRAWGANGSTA ($43290 in chips)
Seat 2 - CHICAGOCARDS1 ($41540 in chips)
Seat 3 - M3MENTOMORI ($87418.62 in chips)
Seat 4 - RETIREDAT30 ($54442.78 in chips)
Seat 5 - BRAINWASHER ($78427.72 in chips)
Seat 6 - BZIMZIM ($99162 in chips)
Seat 7 - BOOTSWILD ($142432.18 in chips)
Seat 8 - PAPASMIRK ($33273.72 in chips)
Seat 9 - IMMAREALOG ($141182.85 in chips)
DRAWGANGSTA - Ante $300
CHICAGOCARDS1 - Ante $300
M3MENTOMORI - Ante $300
RETIREDAT30 - Ante $300
BRAINWASHER - Ante $300
BZIMZIM - Ante $300
BOOTSWILD - Ante $300
PAPASMIRK - Ante $300
IMMAREALOG - Ante $300
BRAINWASHER - Posts small blind $1500
BZIMZIM - Posts big blind $3000
*** POCKET CARDS ***
Dealt to BZIMZIM [9s Ac]
BOOTSWILD - Folds
PAPASMIRK - Folds
IMMAREALOG - Folds
DRAWGANGSTA - Folds
CHICAGOCARDS1 - Folds
M3MENTOMORI - Raises $7255 to $7255
RETIREDAT30 - Folds
BRAINWASHER - Folds
BZIMZIM - Raises $16500 to $19500
M3MENTOMORI - Raises $79745 to $87000
BZIMZIM - Folds
M3MENTOMORI - returned ($67500) : not called
*** SHOW DOWN ***
M3MENTOMORI - Does not show
M3MENTOMORI Collects $43200 from main pot

Meh. I'd three bet some, but hadn't been that active, this seemed like a good spot. After the shove, way behind any decent range, don't see how I can call unless I just think it's a play. Which it may have been I suppose. Whatever.

Very next hand, flip time:
Stage #1416800002 Tourney ID 2118848 Holdem Multi Normal Tournament No Limit $3000 - 2009-01-19 00:15:05 (ET)
Table: 62 (Real Money) Seat #5 is the dealer
Seat 1 - DRAWGANGSTA ($42990 in chips)
Seat 2 - CHICAGOCARDS1 ($41240 in chips)
Seat 3 - M3MENTOMORI ($110818.62 in chips)
Seat 4 - RETIREDAT30 ($54142.78 in chips)
Seat 5 - BRAINWASHER ($76627.72 in chips)
Seat 6 - BZIMZIM ($79362 in chips)
Seat 7 - BOOTSWILD ($142132.18 in chips)
Seat 8 - PAPASMIRK ($32973.72 in chips)
Seat 9 - IMMAREALOG ($140882.85 in chips)
DRAWGANGSTA - Ante $300
CHICAGOCARDS1 - Ante $300
M3MENTOMORI - Ante $300
RETIREDAT30 - Ante $300
BRAINWASHER - Ante $300
BZIMZIM - Ante $300
BOOTSWILD - Ante $300
PAPASMIRK - Ante $300
IMMAREALOG - Ante $300
BZIMZIM - Posts small blind $1500
BOOTSWILD - Posts big blind $3000
*** POCKET CARDS ***
Dealt to BZIMZIM [Jc Js]
PAPASMIRK - Folds
IMMAREALOG - Folds
DRAWGANGSTA - Folds
CHICAGOCARDS1 - All-In(Raise) $40940 to $40940
M3MENTOMORI - Folds
RETIREDAT30 - Folds
BRAINWASHER - Folds
BZIMZIM - All-In(Raise) $77562 to $79062
BOOTSWILD - Folds
BZIMZIM - returned ($38122) : not called
*** FLOP *** [5s 2c Qh]
*** TURN *** [5s 2c Qh] [Ks]
*** RIVER *** [5s 2c Qh Ks] [4h]
*** SHOW DOWN ***
CHICAGOCARDS1 - Shows [Kh Ac] (One pair, kings)
BZIMZIM - Shows [Jc Js] (One pair, jacks)
CHICAGOCARDS1 Collects $87580 from main pot

Since Chicagocards FT'd both this and the FT Sunday Brawl, I'd say he was running good that day.

Very next hand again, easy shove:
Stage #1416801263 Tourney ID 2118848 Holdem Multi Normal Tournament No Limit $3000 - 2009-01-19 00:15:54 (ET)
Table: 62 (Real Money) Seat #6 is the dealer
Seat 1 - DRAWGANGSTA ($42690 in chips)
Seat 2 - CHICAGOCARDS1 ($87580 in chips)
Seat 3 - M3MENTOMORI ($110518.62 in chips)
Seat 4 - RETIREDAT30 ($53842.78 in chips)
Seat 5 - BRAINWASHER ($76327.72 in chips)
Seat 6 - BZIMZIM ($38122 in chips)
Seat 7 - BOOTSWILD ($138832.18 in chips)
Seat 8 - PAPASMIRK ($32673.72 in chips)
Seat 9 - IMMAREALOG ($140582.85 in chips)
DRAWGANGSTA - Ante $300
CHICAGOCARDS1 - Ante $300
M3MENTOMORI - Ante $300
RETIREDAT30 - Ante $300
BRAINWASHER - Ante $300
BZIMZIM - Ante $300
BOOTSWILD - Ante $300
PAPASMIRK - Ante $300
IMMAREALOG - Ante $300
BOOTSWILD - Posts small blind $1500
PAPASMIRK - Posts big blind $3000
*** POCKET CARDS ***
Dealt to BZIMZIM [9s As]
IMMAREALOG - Folds
DRAWGANGSTA - Folds
CHICAGOCARDS1 - Folds
M3MENTOMORI - Folds
RETIREDAT30 - Folds
BRAINWASHER - Folds
BZIMZIM - All-In(Raise) $37822 to $37822
BOOTSWILD - Folds
PAPASMIRK - Folds
BZIMZIM - returned ($34822) : not called
*** SHOW DOWN ***
BZIMZIM - Does not show
BZIMZIM Collects $10200 from main pot

And very next, and last, hand:
Stage #1416802274 Tourney ID 2118848 Holdem Multi Normal Tournament No Limit $3000 - 2009-01-19 00:16:34 (ET)
Table: 62 (Real Money) Seat #7 is the dealer
Seat 1 - DRAWGANGSTA ($42390 in chips)
Seat 2 - CHICAGOCARDS1 ($87280 in chips)
Seat 3 - M3MENTOMORI ($110218.62 in chips)
Seat 4 - RETIREDAT30 ($53542.78 in chips)
Seat 5 - BRAINWASHER ($76027.72 in chips)
Seat 6 - BZIMZIM ($45022 in chips)
Seat 7 - BOOTSWILD ($137032.18 in chips)
Seat 8 - PAPASMIRK ($29373.72 in chips)
Seat 9 - IMMAREALOG ($140282.85 in chips)
DRAWGANGSTA - Ante $300
CHICAGOCARDS1 - Ante $300
M3MENTOMORI - Ante $300
RETIREDAT30 - Ante $300
BRAINWASHER - Ante $300
BZIMZIM - Ante $300
BOOTSWILD - Ante $300
PAPASMIRK - Ante $300
IMMAREALOG - Ante $300
PAPASMIRK - Posts small blind $1500
IMMAREALOG - Posts big blind $3000
*** POCKET CARDS ***
Dealt to BZIMZIM [Qc Kc]
DRAWGANGSTA - Folds
CHICAGOCARDS1 - Folds
M3MENTOMORI - Folds
RETIREDAT30 - Folds
BRAINWASHER - Raises $7300 to $7300
BZIMZIM - All-In(Raise) $44722 to $44722
BOOTSWILD - Folds
PAPASMIRK - Folds
IMMAREALOG - Folds
BRAINWASHER - Calls $37422
*** FLOP *** [4h 3h 2s]
*** TURN *** [4h 3h 2s] [9s]
*** RIVER *** [4h 3h 2s 9s] [5s]
*** SHOW DOWN ***
BRAINWASHER - Shows [As Ks] (Flush, ace high)
BZIMZIM - Shows [Qc Kc] (king high)
BRAINWASHER Collects $96644 from main pot

Brain had been playing pretty aggressively, I don't see how this isn't a shove really. Ran into a big one instead. What can you do.

Back to work tonight.

Goals for 2009

2009-01-09T16:38:00.003-06:00

Well with one full year as a poker player in the books, and a fairly successful one at that, time to focus on what I want to accomplish here in the new year.

1) Make 100k

First goal is monetary. I'm somewhat hesitant to make monetary goals, since some of that is out of my hands, in terms of how I run in spots where I can hit big cashes. On the other hand, a year is really a long enough time span that some of those breaks are going to even out. Plus after making 86k last year, 100k seems doable. Especially if I meet the other goals on this list. I'm a long way from my thinking at the beginning of last year, when I was sure I could make 50k but wasn't sure what would really happen beyond that.

2) Focus on improving as a player

Well, there's a lot to cover here. I've gotten exceeding lazy in terms of my own development as a player. In some ways that's not that surprising, since, well, I don't like to work that hard. Unfortunately that's bad for my aspirations as a poker player. So let's list the things I should be doing more:
a) Go over more hand histories, analyze where I think I'm making mistakes
I can't remember the last time I looked at one of my own hand histories. That's sad.
b) Get PT running again
My PT2 stopped working on Stars, I'm getting some sort of error message. Never got it fixed. Also got PT3, haven't even got it set up. Good work Brian. You are lazy. It doesn't help that I don't know anything about computers, so I tend to just throw up my hands (figuratively) and give up.
c) Training sites?
Have never had a subscription to any of the training sites, would probably be worth my time to figure out how other good players are thinking.
d) Better fundamental understand of the math involved
Involves putting opponents on ranges and being able to more precisely figure shove/fold situations when high blinds. Also need to improve at playing unexploitably.
e) Maintain better focus while playing
Less TV, more background music, since that's less distracting. Also the nights I'm having, say, glass of wine number four/five/six, maybe I shouldn't be doing that. Just a thought.
Wow I look at this list and it's a wonder I win at all. Anyway.

3) Volume, volume, volume

Improved on this toward the end of the year. Obviously need work/life balance, and I don't play much on the weekends (although I'd like to play some more Sundays actually in order to play majors). So the time I'm taking off is fine. Just want to be running at full speed if I am planning. Been much better recently that if I'm playing, I'm getting 4 or 5 tables going. Still not prepared to be one of those people that plays 13 at a time, I can't think that fast.

4) Play more live

Every time I got play live, I enjoy myself, and think I need to be doing that more. Yet I rarely go. It makes no sense.

Also my live game sucks. I mean, I usually just donk around at 1/2 NL, so I'm obviously fine there. But I'm terrible at reading people. And for some reason I still get nervous playing around people I don't know. Which is ridiculous. But whatever. I've got room for life growth.

Also on the live front, I'd really like to play some more live tournaments, as opposed to when I just go donk around for fun. Need to check out see if Gary/Hammond have any good size tournaments, or if there are some other casinos in driving distance doing the same. Speaking of live tourneys...

5) Play more qualifiers for big live events

I have a couple weddings to go to this summer, so depending on when the WSOP Main Event is, I may be out regardless. But whether it's circuit events, WPT events or just other big buyin events, I'd like to play some more qualifiers and play one. It's about time.

So there we go. Let's see how many of those things I actually accomplish.

Played all yesterday. Won qualifier for UBOC main event on the 18th. Otherwise nothing much good, two outed for 9th in FT $55 1r1a. That was about it. Not a useful day.

Year Wrap

2009-01-07T23:40:00.002-06:00

Let's wrap this up.

Month: $11,000 (11 grand even, seriously)

Year: $85,832

There it is. Come get me IRS. Also, fuck you guys.

I'll have more on goals coming up for this year. First day of work tomorrow.

Christmas Bonus

2008-12-26T13:24:00.003-06:00

Merry Christmas to all blog readers. One day late anyway. I know that some of the people from the poker forum actually read this thing, and I've talked to enough other random people to know that there is a group of people that actually read this thing. For whatever reason. So Merry Christmas.

I was in Lansing yesterday, but left to get back to Chicago since I had a wedding to go to tomorrow. So with nothing else to do on Christmas night, fired up a few poker tournaments, finished 2nd in the AP 30r. Truthfully I wasn't really even paying that close of attention to it until there were about 30 people left, but clearly I run good. The level of play in the AP 30r was pretty atrocious last night. My favorite was the guy who being determined to take a stand in the bb against the big stack, called off half his stack with 52o. And then flopped three deuces. WP sir.

But otherwise I continue to run good for the month of December, up about 11 grand or so at the moment. I'm not sure if I'm done for the year or if I'll try to sneak in one more day on Sunday. On Monday I'm flying down to Florida, and hanging out for the week with my parents and grandfather. In an RV. That's going to be an adventure.

Something that occurred to me last night after I made a particularly horrific river bluff after betting the turn: I need to learn when to slow down when I've taken a shot at the pot that hasn't worked. Particuarly when the range of hands that are calling on the turn and folding on the river is particularly low, which was the case last night. Felt I was better than the player I played against last night, but that one bluff really cost me. Still, even with high blinds, tried to play small ball, gradually chip up, and as a result had chip lead when we got it in for a tournament defining flip for most of the chips. Which I lost. 2nd it is.

That's it for now. Year wrap up to come, as well as goals for next year. There will be many.

Last Full Day?

2008-12-18T15:16:00.002-06:00

With my travel/holiday/wedding schedule upcoming, today is probably my last full day of poker of the year.

It certainly won't be my last day, I'm sure I'll sneak in some tourneys here and there, especially when I'm at home. But I'm playing from now until I get busted out of the nightly tournies today. Snuck into always donktastic Cake 30r just now, many more to come.

It'd be nice to go out on a good note, not a "I played all day and I'm down a grand" note.

Ah So Close

2008-12-16T16:29:00.002-06:00

Finished 12th in the Stars Nightly Hundred Grand a few nights ago. Finished 4th in the Cake 109 last night when I was the CL four handed. Ah being a multi player is a life of prepetual disappoinment. Except for those times when you feel really good.

The Cake end result was annoying. I was just rolling along, there was another fairly aggro player with the second big stack, but he was on my right, and I was occasionally three betting him with air essentially. Then there were two short stacks. Then ran QQ into KK into the other big stack. Now he's got about 500K chips, I've got 100K chips, and the two short stacks have about 50k. At this point, it takes on a little bit of a SNG dynamic, and I'm looking to raise the short stacks with anything decent and stay out of the big stacks way. It was another 1600 I think if I could move up to second, and only 1000 more for first. That may not be exactly right, but it's close. But I pick up 77 utg and 3k/6k, decide that's too good to just fold outright because I'm really only afraid of the big stack picking up a hand. Who of course had JJ. Sigh.

I think that tilted me a bit, because I played a little loose the rest of the night. Ah well. Still having a pretty good month overall.

Snow has totally taken over Chicago. I'm enjoying it really. I don't even mind that it's cold.

Ship 20K, Other Thoughts

2008-12-11T14:08:00.003-06:00

Shipped 20K DS on Monday to get the month going. Some hands.

Stage #1349647478 Tourney ID 2111543 Holdem Multi Normal Tournament No Limit $4000 - 2008-12-09 01:16:43 (ET)
Table: 7 (Real Money) Seat #3 is the dealer
Seat 1 - MRQUIETSTRM ($81830.50 in chips)
Seat 3 - WAWA711 ($152343.50 in chips)
Seat 4 - CMB8757 ($243535.25 in chips)
Seat 5 - IMPROVED ($127797.75 in chips)
Seat 6 - BZIMZIM ($80146 in chips)
Seat 7 - DZ00NUTS ($219343 in chips)
Seat 8 - SPUNKMONKEYB ($60004 in chips)
MRQUIETSTRM - Ante $400
WAWA711 - Ante $400
CMB8757 - Ante $400
IMPROVED - Ante $400
BZIMZIM - Ante $400
DZ00NUTS - Ante $400
SPUNKMONKEYB - Ante $400
CMB8757 - Posts small blind $2000
IMPROVED - Posts big blind $4000
*** POCKET CARDS ***
Dealt to BZIMZIM [Qc Qh]
BZIMZIM - Raises $10100 to $10100
DZ00NUTS - Calls $10100
SPUNKMONKEYB - Folds
MRQUIETSTRM - Folds
WAWA711 - Folds
CMB8757 - Folds
IMPROVED - Folds
*** FLOP *** [Qd 8d 8s]
BZIMZIM - Bets $16000
DZ00NUTS - Calls $16000
*** TURN *** [Qd 8d 8s] [4s]
BZIMZIM - Checks
DZ00NUTS - Bets $8000
BZIMZIM - All-In(Raise) $53646 to $53646
DZ00NUTS - Calls $45646
*** RIVER *** [Qd 8d 8s 4s] [4c]
*** SHOW DOWN ***
BZIMZIM - Shows [Qc Qh] (Full house, queens full of eights)
DZ00NUTS - Shows [Qs 8c] (Full house, eights full of queens)
BZIMZIM Collects $168292 from main pot

DZ is a AP tourney regular, but he was doing this a lot where he was calling preflop with a lot of marginal hands in this tourney, flatting from the button from 76o and the like. I remember him calling a little more playing against him before, but nothing like this. I'm not sure what he was doing frankly. And then of course the flop was absolutely filthy. But these are the moments you need in tournaments to win them.

Stage #1349656817 Tourney ID 2111543 Holdem Multi Normal Tournament No Limit $4000 - 2008-12-09 01:25:40 (ET)
Table: 7 (Real Money) Seat #3 is the dealer
Seat 1 - MRQUIETSTRM ($65030.50 in chips)
Seat 3 - WAWA711 ($287262 in chips)
Seat 4 - CMB8757 ($241535.25 in chips)
Seat 6 - BZIMZIM ($261322 in chips)
Seat 7 - DZ00NUTS ($109850.25 in chips)
MRQUIETSTRM - Ante $400
WAWA711 - Ante $400
CMB8757 - Ante $400
BZIMZIM - Ante $400
DZ00NUTS - Ante $400
CMB8757 - Posts small blind $2000
BZIMZIM - Posts big blind $4000
*** POCKET CARDS ***
Dealt to BZIMZIM [As 8h]
DZ00NUTS - Folds
MRQUIETSTRM - Folds
WAWA711 - Raises $12000 to $12000
CMB8757 - Folds
BZIMZIM - Calls $8000
*** FLOP *** [2c 6c 4h]
BZIMZIM - Checks
WAWA711 - Bets $16000
BZIMZIM - Calls $16000
*** TURN *** [2c 6c 4h] [Ad]
BZIMZIM - Checks
WAWA711 - Bets $36000
BZIMZIM - Calls $36000
*** RIVER *** [2c 6c 4h Ad] [Kh]
BZIMZIM - Checks
WAWA711 - Bets $52000
BZIMZIM - Calls $52000
*** SHOW DOWN ***
WAWA711 - Shows [Qd 5d] (ace high)
BZIMZIM - Shows [As 8h] (One pair, aces)
BZIMZIM Collects $236000 from main pot

Speaking of the moments you need in tournaments, you have to have the one hand where the other guy calls you a donkey. Haha. Wawa had been raising a lot from the button, so I feel like I'm ahead of his range, so decide to flat here, which I like to do some with a variety of hands (suited connectors, medium strength hands like this one, monsters) once we get shorthanded. The call on the flop was what I took crap for. I felt like there was a good chance I was good, given how I perceived his range preflop, but didn't want to unleash a c/r, cause what am I representing on that board? So I call, wanting to see what he'll do on the air, and willing to c/r with air if I feel like I can take it away. Instead the A pops off the turn. Now I feel like I'm good, obviously, easy check and call for value, plus I want to control the pot in case I have run into a better ace. The river may be a value bet, bet there's certainly no folding as soft as I've played the hand. Ship.

Stage #1349675522 Tourney ID 2111543 Holdem Multi Normal Tournament No Limit $5000 - 2008-12-09 01:44:16 (ET)
Table: 7 (Real Money) Seat #6 is the dealer
Seat 3 - WAWA711 ($107331.50 in chips)
Seat 4 - CMB8757 ($361396.25 in chips)
Seat 6 - BZIMZIM ($496272.25 in chips)
WAWA711 - Ante $500
CMB8757 - Ante $500
BZIMZIM - Ante $500
WAWA711 - Posts small blind $2500
CMB8757 - Posts big blind $5000
*** POCKET CARDS ***
Dealt to BZIMZIM [Qc Kd]
BZIMZIM - Raises $12600 to $12600
WAWA711 - Folds
CMB8757 - Raises $37200 to $42200
BZIMZIM - Calls $29600
*** FLOP *** [Jh 8s 6h]
CMB8757 - Bets $55000
BZIMZIM - Raises $135000 to $135000
CMB8757 - Folds
BZIMZIM - returned ($80000) : not called
*** SHOW DOWN ***
BZIMZIM - Does not show
BZIMZIM Collects $198400 from main pot

I've been raising from the button wide. I expect to get 3 bet decently wide. I find a hand I can call with here with KQ and take a flop in position. I raise here with air, er, two overs, and obviously I've gotten myself in big trouble if he shoved. But he knows I'm priced in with a draw and can't make me fold. Basically if he reshoves, the only thing I can think about folding is total air. So in a sort of reverse thinking, that actually makes him more likely to fold I think. And to shove here, he really needs an overpair a J, or maybe second pair or a mid pp if he just doesn't believe me at all and puts me on a draw. Basically I think he has to fold a lot of his wide three bet range here. And I just didn't read strength. And there's a good difference between second and third and he's still got a good deal of chips on the short stack if he folds. So overall it's a good play. I think. That was my reasoning behind the move anyway. Worked that time.

From there mostly cruised to first place. Needed that to get going after I didn't play much the first week of the month. I didn't even have anything going on except I was sick. I remember playing on the first Monday of the month and at one point thinking, wow, I'm playing terrible. So it was a light week. I played big days Monday and Tuesday this week, and I'll get in a full night session tonight. Second half of the month will be much busier, so trying to get hours in now. For the moment up 5500 for the month. Let's see if I can get it going tonight.

I'm on the Northwestern football mailing list, because I bought tickets to the Ohio State game through them once. They're going to the Valero Alamo Bowl to play Missouri, and the email I got says the Alamo Bowl: "For all the glory." I can promise Northwestern that there's no glory in the Alamo Bowl. Also they're probably going to lose.

An ESPN columnist wrote another "this is a big bowl season for the Big 10" column. It's true to a degree, because every bowl season becomes a measuring stick of the conferences. But why just us? It isn't a big bowl season for the horrid Pac-10, awful Big East or the consistently medicore at best ACC? Why don't those conferences have to prove anything? For that matter, if Ole Miss is the third best team in the SEC, they weren't really that great either. Whatever. Meanwhile, the top two teams in the Big Ten play the two best teams in the country that aren't in the title game. Yeah I'm not optimistic.

Time to go to work.

November Wrap

2008-12-01T10:02:00.002-06:00

Not bad at all for a light volume month.

Month: +$5438

Year: $74,832

Now just have to close the year out strong, and I feel like I've succeeded for the year. Look Ma, I can make it as a poker player and all that. I was still somewhat disappointed in the showings I had at final tables this month, I was one breakthrough away from having a significantly better month. I still feel like I'm due for a big cash here at some point.

I was playing the Cake 30r, as I often do, and RespectMGame, who's a tourney regular there, said hi and actually knew my name. I can't remember if I told him (that I can recall) or if he got it from some other source. Or if I know him from another site. Hmm. Interesting.

It appears I was jumping the gun a little bit on the death of some of those AP tourneys. The nooner 20r returned after only one day, apparently by popular demand. The $109 at 10:30 is gone though, I always ran well in that tournament. Also gone are the $55s that I couldn't turn down just because they were free money cause the play was so horrific.

Obama just introducted Hilary as Secretary of State. It looks like reaching out, when in reality he now totally controls her destiny. It's brilliant. He's proven his politically savvy; now I just hope he has the will to pursue a liberal agenda aggressively.

Ohio State basketball starts for real this week with Miami (FL) and Notre Dame. Football team should get a BCS bid. Lakers are rolling. The Bengals are an embarassment to the sport of football.

Back to Chicago today, sometime, hopefully when it stops snowing.

The Death of AP

2008-11-25T10:57:00.002-06:00

Four years ago I put 30 bucks on a little site called Absolute Poker. Somehow that took me down a path to where I now play poker for a living. AP died today, and will be missed.

Of course that's not really quite right, it's combining with Ultimate Bet to form Cereus. Annoying note number 1: instead of just combining our accounts, we have to pick a new sn for our UB account. I picked bzimzimm. I'm clever. But then, since I only had about 2 grand in there anyway, I promptly withdrew all the money from it save about two dollars, and I'll just use my AP account as my Cereus account. I just don't think I could part with the Ohio State logo I've had up for about three years, and the random hecklers it brings out.

One way AP does seem to be dying is that Cereus seems to be adopting what is primarily the UB tournament schedule. Today I woke up and there was no 20r at noon (11 ct). It was kind of sad. This was the defining hand from the last AP 20r ever:

Stage #1328615593 Tourney ID 2112826 Holdem Multi Normal Tournament No Limit $1000 - 2008-11-24 14:30:35 (ET)
Table: 15 (Real Money) Seat #7 is the dealer
Seat 1 - TCB21 ($11785 in chips)
Seat 2 - MIKECHR23 ($16155 in chips)
Seat 3 - EMPHORROR ($18673.50 in chips)
Seat 4 - CARWA78 ($8515 in chips)
Seat 5 - JP106623 ($17275 in chips)
Seat 6 - SHUNYOK ($45697.50 in chips)
Seat 7 - DOUBLET8 ($45585 in chips)
Seat 8 - BZIMZIM ($11565 in chips)
Seat 9 - BILLCARD15 ($9947.50 in chips)
TCB21 - Ante $100
MIKECHR23 - Ante $100
EMPHORROR - Ante $100
CARWA78 - Ante $100
JP106623 - Ante $100
SHUNYOK - Ante $100
DOUBLET8 - Ante $100
BZIMZIM - Ante $100
BILLCARD15 - Ante $100
BZIMZIM - Posts small blind $500
BILLCARD15 - Posts big blind $1000
*** POCKET CARDS ***
Dealt to BZIMZIM [Ac Qh]
TCB21 - Folds
MIKECHR23 - Folds
EMPHORROR - Folds
CARWA78 - All-In(Raise) $8415 to $8415
JP106623 - Folds
SHUNYOK - Folds
DOUBLET8 - Folds
BZIMZIM - All-In(Raise) $10965 to $11465
BILLCARD15 - Folds
BZIMZIM - returned ($3050) : not called
*** FLOP *** [8s 2d 9s]
*** TURN *** [8s 2d 9s] [Js]
*** RIVER *** [8s 2d 9s Js] [3s]
*** SHOW DOWN ***
CARWA78 - Shows [Ad 8d] (One pair, eights)
BZIMZIM - Shows [Ac Qh] (ace high)
CARWA78 Collects $18730 from main pot

So it goes.

Otherwise having an ok month, I've been playing a lot when I have time so it hasn't been quite as low a volume as I feared I might be. I was CL at FT of Stars 20 1r1a yesterday and finished sixth. I continue to run bad (play bad?) at final tables. Played a big pot with AQs on A64 flop with flush draw as well, other guy had set. Still wondering if I should have slowed down a bet, we were sort of deep, and I felt like I was up against a set. Meh, I don't know. Here's a good read I made to get the CL in the first place.

PokerStars Game #22335974289: Tournament #122500787, $20+$2 Hold'em No Limit - Level XIX (3000/6000) - 2008/11/24 19:19:11 ET
Table '122500787 38' 9-max Seat #4 is the button
Seat 1: DibicDave (173256 in chips)
Seat 2: achillezzzzz (143861 in chips)
Seat 4: JJ_69UK (329612 in chips)
Seat 5: Ice B (301513 in chips)
Seat 6: Snabel_Tann (67486 in chips)
Seat 7: GrandPrixGT (85025 in chips)
Seat 8: bzimzim (507924 in chips)
Seat 9: larryc123 (119928 in chips)
DibicDave: posts the ante 600
achillezzzzz: posts the ante 600
JJ_69UK: posts the ante 600
Ice B: posts the ante 600
Snabel_Tann: posts the ante 600
GrandPrixGT: posts the ante 600
bzimzim: posts the ante 600
larryc123: posts the ante 600
Ice B: posts small blind 3000
Snabel_Tann: posts big blind 6000
*** HOLE CARDS ***
Dealt to bzimzim [As Ts]
GrandPrixGT: folds
bzimzim: raises 9100 to 15100
larryc123: folds
DibicDave: folds
achillezzzzz: folds
JJ_69UK: calls 15100
Ice B: folds
Snabel_Tann: folds
*** FLOP *** [Jd Qh Ad]
bzimzim: bets 24000
JJ_69UK: calls 24000
*** TURN *** [Jd Qh Ad] [6h]
bzimzim: checks
JJ_69UK: checks
*** RIVER *** [Jd Qh Ad 6h] [4h]
bzimzim: bets 36000
JJ_69UK: raises 253912 to 289912 and is all-in
bzimzim: calls 253912
*** SHOW DOWN ***
JJ_69UK: shows [Jh Ks] (a pair of Jacks)
bzimzim: shows [As Ts] (a pair of Aces)
bzimzim collected 671824 from pot

I'd be playing with that guy for awhile, had a read on him pretty good and thought the odds he was making a move were very high. Just couldn't put him on a hand unless he backdoored that flush.

I've been running good just donking around four tabling 1/2 NL cash, been an easy way to make a couple quick hundred. Think I may start throwing in an hour or two of cash before I start playing tournaments for the day, both for some easy money and to improve cash game skills.

So I set up an account on Doyle's Room but apparently they won't let me access it because I'm in Illinois. I don't know if Illinois has some specific law that makes them more cautious, but I haven't heard anything about it or had any problems on any other sites. That's an interesting red flag with the regulations coming out for the anti-online gaming law, I don't know if those two are related.

42-7 is a beautiful score. My God Michigan is a horrible football team though. Just awful.

Another work day today before I head to Pittsburgh for Thanksgiving via Lansing. RIP AP rebuys.

I Run Like a God on AP

2008-11-14T12:43:00.002-06:00

FT of both 30r and 8k last night. The 8k only had 66 people, so a little overlay, which is nice. Unfortunately that tourney keeps shrinking field-wise. I worry that AP will keep making the guarantee smaller or just do away with it altogether at some point. There used to be a $109 4.5K on AP 1 ct, the field was so small it almost wasn't worth playing, since it was mostly AP regulars without your usual AP mix of total donkeys.

Ended up heads up with foolishgolf in 8k, had 2:1 CL, aipf two hands in a row, 77>99 and TT>AK. Ah well, foolish is a nice guy. Also I'm a lot less annoyed if I got two outed then when I play badly, as I did at a couple FTs earlier this month.

Ran like crap everywhere else yesterday, couldn't win a flip on any other site to save my life.

Up 2100 for the month, now I have to try to find time to play for the rest of the month.

Very Annoying Bubbles/Some Terrible Play

2008-11-13T16:26:00.004-06:00

So this is an entry I was going to write before I went to Middletown, but never got to it. Before I left, I was in the Stars Super Tuesday, right before the bubble when this happened:

PokerStars Game #21206295502: Tournament #113525268, $1000+$50 Hold'em No Limit - Level XII (500/1000) - 2008/10/14 23:55:40 ET
Table '113525268 6' 9-max Seat #6 is the button
Seat 1: gregior (9783 in chips)
Seat 2: BabyGrand (13111 in chips)
Seat 3: g0lfa (77699 in chips)
Seat 5: HopeUfold (7675 in chips)
Seat 6: poker_lord76 (18432 in chips)
Seat 7: ael1979 (7444 in chips)
Seat 8: bzimzim (36961 in chips)
gregior: posts the ante 100
BabyGrand: posts the ante 100
g0lfa: posts the ante 100
HopeUfold: posts the ante 100
poker_lord76: posts the ante 100
ael1979: posts the ante 100
bzimzim: posts the ante 100
ael1979: posts small blind 500
bzimzim: posts big blind 1000
*** HOLE CARDS ***
Dealt to bzimzim [Ac Ks]
gregior: folds
BabyGrand: folds
g0lfa: raises 1355 to 2355
HopeUfold: folds
poker_lord76: folds
ael1979: folds
bzimzim: raises 5255 to 7610
g0lfa: raises 69989 to 77599 and is all-in
bzimzim: calls 29251 and is all-in
Uncalled bet (40738) returned to g0lfa
*** FLOP *** [6c Js 7h]
*** TURN *** [6c Js 7h] [3h]
*** RIVER *** [6c Js 7h 3h] [8c]
*** SHOW DOWN ***
bzimzim: shows [Ac Ks] (high card Ace)
g0lfa: shows [Qs Qc] (a pair of Queens)
g0lfa collected 74922 from pot

And out for 46th and the bubble.

Obviously, this is extremely annoying on several levels. First, I'd qualified in, so the $1200 for 45th meant something to me, as opposed to normally where I don't care at all if I bubble out playing to win. I had a top ten stack at the time of this pot, so it was unexpected for sure. Would have had a top three stack if I'd won the flip though. With 70K for first, that woulda been a good flip to win.

The hand itself was interesting, because the chip leader opened, and I expected to be able to take it away fairly easily with the 3 bet. Instead he just shoved. Well that caught me be surprise. But I wondered if it was because he thought I was 3 betting weak because he'd been opening so much. In the end he showed down a real hand, nh, gg.

I can't seem to find the HH, but I flipped for another top 3 stack with AK in the UB 80k the next day, K on flop, T on river against TT. Out in 42nd and another bubble (well practically). That was just annoying. Only 20k for first in that one, but still, I win too many flips in small tourneys. I'd trade them for a few in a row in a big tourney. Been awhile for me and a big score.

Since being back from the Obama victory, I've been at a couple final tables and played horrifically. Played terrible at AP 30r a few nights ago, 4 betting 8s into QQ pre. Then I was big CL three handed in Cake 25r the other day, and managed to finish third, with some plays I'm too embarassed to even type. Not exactly taking advantange of my opportunities this month. Pretty annoyed at myself.

Back to work tonight.

October Wrap

2008-11-10T08:14:00.002-06:00

This month pretty much redefined a "low volume" month, compared to all the other months that were low volume months. I didn't play at all after October 16. For that matter I've only played one day so far this month. That'll change today. But at least for October, I wasn't being lazy, I was helping to save my country. So that's a pretty good reason.

Month: +$2239

Year: +$69,394

Trying to crank it up the rest of this month, but I'll be out of town this weekend to Champaign, then probably to Columbus the week after for the last two Ohio State games. No excuse not to finish 10-2, with a BCS bowl being extremely likely if that happens. Also go Sparty. Anyway, then I'll be travelling to Pittsburgh for Thanksgiving, so I'm going to have to take it while I can get it on poker this month. Maybe I'll just ship the Super Tuesday or something and call it a month. But barring a big score (which is always possible), it looks like the 100 grand goal I once proclaimed is looking more like a long shot. Ah well. I do need to spend more effort on improving my game though.

Work day today and tomorrow. MSNBC is on in the background, and told me that when Bush and Obama meet today, there will be some "joshing around". I remember why I don't watch news networks now.

Back

2008-11-06T09:49:00.002-06:00

And I'm back! Went to Middletown, Ohio for two weeks to help out before election day. So it's been awhile since I've played poker. Night session tonight. How about that.

Also I'm about four entries behind, which I'll make up in the next couple of days. One about the week before I left, Oct Wrap, Middletown, and goals for the rest of the year.

Just Because You're A Professional Poker Player, Doesn't Mean You Can Beat 1/2 NL

2008-10-13T16:40:00.003-05:00

Seriously. Apparently it doesn't.

So I went to the Horseshoe Casino, intending to play poker for ten-twelve hours and donk around at 1/2 NL. By the way, the Horseshoe itself is actually really nice. The poker room is much nicer than at Majestic Star or Ameristar. Anyway, so early on, wasn't hitting flops, then finally picked up 8s with only like 100 behind at that point. Raise, got like 5 callers. Gotta love cash games. Flop was 664, 2 hearts, bet like 25, everyone except bb folds. BB was a very good player. I put him on a draw, shoved, he beat me into the pot, oops. Reload time one. The shove was probably pretty bad.

Reload time two, pick up JJ in bb, bunch of limpers, button raises to 5 (whatever), I repop to 20, everyone else mucks, button calls. Flop is QQ3. I bet 30, button calls. Turn is a brick. I check, button immediately fires 100. Then he immediately starts staring at me intently in that "I'm looking strong but really want you to fold" kind of way. I put him on a mid pair and shove, he beats me into the pot. That needs to stop happening. He shows QJ and I'm drawing stone dead to the river. Jeesh. Also apparently I need to work on reading people.

So some of that was understandable and some of that was bad play. But I really wasn't too phased at this point. I was planning on being here for awhile, and the players around me weren't very good (or were typical for 1/2 NL). But what happened after that (you know, to lose the next 500) was one of the those "the poker gods are conspiring against you" days. I flopped top pair twice all day, and didn't win either pot. I had KK, QQ, JJ, and didn't win any of those pots. I was gambling some on preflop calls because there were a lot of decent pots built pre and just never hit anything. And then the final curse disguised as a gift was the psycho guy at my table who sat down. He raised to 20 dollars 90% of hands. The other 5-10% he raised bigger, $30, $50. He was just out of his mind. So I started calling with decent hands, because he'll inevitably stack off if I could hit a flop. But I couldn't. And I couldn't bluff, because he was never folding and therefore unbluffable. I kept making sure I had $200 behind for when I did hit. But I never did. Finally I picked up KK. I limped, with the intent to let psycho make a big raise. Except someone else raised to $12, and psycho just flatted. I put in $40 more, and psycho folded, the only time he ever folded pre.

The next hand I picked up AJ, and was just like screw it, I'm doing the same play, I'm guaranteed to be ahead of him. So I limped, he raised to 30, I put it another 100, which was pretty much what he had left. He called. The board came J75, 8, 6. And I thought, oh God. AJ, I called out. He showed down...J4o for a straight.

So at that point I only had 80 left, decided I was done reloading, I'd double it or go home. Bunch of limpers, button raises, I pick up AQ. He had KK. NH sir. I burned through $900 in four hours.

Anyway, I'm going back to the Horseshoe soon to change the karma of that place.

I am 27 today. Also 99 days until Bush leaves office. Party all around.

I'll be back to work for a full day tomorrow.

Pwning FT Nooner Like It's The AP 30r

2008-10-09T14:25:00.003-05:00

A funny thing has been happening lately. I've been winning on Full Tilt! I don't know if this is evidence of the apocalypse, or just that God likes me a little more than I thought he did. Been playing day sessions all week (until today anyway), so I've been playing the FT $109 that starts at 11 central, and I've finished third and second for a very solid week. Throw in a third in the Stars $22 1r1a, and I'm on about six grand heater over the past three days. Can't complain about that.

The one thing I can complain about is my play at the end of the Stars tournament. When it got to be three handed, I was catching absolutely nothing in the way of cards. Picked up 5s in the sb, raised, donkish bb called. Flop came T97, all hearts, I have 5h. I bet about 3/5 pot, bb calls. Turn is a 9. I have basically one pot sized bet left. Put it in here, or c/f? The call on the turn didn't tell me much, could be pair or draw, and the guys a donkey anyway. I decide to shove, and get looked up by K7 with Kh. So I'm dead to two outs, and then gone. Shoving bad here? That hand got me muttering to myself, but I think I've convinced myself my play was actually ok (or at least not awful) given the wide range he was calling with on the flop. Frankly, I'd expect him to raise that flop, and then I would have been gone. Oh well, whatever. I'm done thinking about that hand.

The FT $109 I finished third in was unfortunate, was CL in the tournament and couldn't fade a straight draw with no overs against second chip leader three handed. Then next hand got it in JJ against TT against same player, T on the flop. Had a won either of those pots no doubt I win that tournament for an extra 2.5K or so. On the other hand, I kind of ran like a God in that tournament while behind, so I can't really complain. The poker gods giveth, and taketh away.

So it's the 9th now, and I'm up 5300 or so. Very solid start to the month. Can't complain about that.

JohnnyBax was playing on Cake the other day in an afternoon 25R I was in. Or at the very least someone using his screen name. But I'm assuming it was him. He had like 50K in chips. Does this mean real players are going to start playing on Cake? That would be terrible! Leave my donkeys alone! I found 'em first! Plus some of the AP regulars seem to be making their way over there too. I guess you can't have that big a fishbowl without people finding out.

Terrelle Pryor is the truth.

Casino Day! Gonna go hit the new Horseshoe over in Indiana. I still haven't been there since it opened, which is completely unacceptable. So today is the day. I will, as usual while playing cash games, probably just donk around at 1/2 NL, be social and have a good time. Also I live a pretty good life.

After that it'll probably be a light weekend for playing. My birthday is Monday, so I'm having a get together on Saturday of, well, whoever exactly it is that shows up. Cooper's at 9, at Belmont and Racine, if you're interested coming, random blog reader. Whoever it is exactly that reads this thing (hi Mom?).

But yeah, may play Sunday, may not, depends on my mood. Once I clear my birthday I'll be back in full working mode.

September Wrap

2008-10-01T15:33:00.001-05:00

Back on track.

Month: +$7730

Year: $67,155

Didn't play really at all in the last week. Once again I'm content to coast when I get ahead for the month. That's a terrible long term thing to be doing, and I need to stop.

I'll try and get it back ramped up this week, but going to Madison this weekend so that might make it difficult. Need to get some day sessions going in order to get enough hours in.

Don't Think Twice, It's All Right

2008-09-26T17:08:00.002-05:00

Can't get that Dylan song out of my head.

Figured I'd write an update since I hadn't written in a bit. Though really there's not much to update. Won a small $55 tourney on AP (clearly running like a God on AP right now). Otherwise have spent the rest of the month giving some back. Haven't been playing all that much though relatively. Been too consumed by pennant race and such. I think I'm down to up 7800 or so for the month at this point.

Three days to go in the Mets season. Or at least regular season. Maybe. Or the whole series might get rained out. Gonna be an interesting weekend.

Ship AP 30r Redux (Almost)

2008-09-17T13:17:00.003-05:00

Wow two in a row! That doesn't happen very often. Got to three handed, here was the key pot against DZ00NUTS:

Stage #1278132961 Tourney ID 2070670 Holdem Multi Normal Tournament No Limit $20000 - 2008-09-17 02:45:51 (ET)
Table: 19 (Real Money) Seat #8 is the dealer
Seat 6 - DZ00NUTS ($294100.79 in chips)
Seat 7 - BZIMZIM ($426193.86 in chips)
Seat 8 - CHANCECHACE ($150205.35 in chips)
DZ00NUTS - Ante $2000
BZIMZIM - Ante $2000
CHANCECHACE - Ante $2000
DZ00NUTS - Posts small blind $10000
BZIMZIM - Posts big blind $20000
*** POCKET CARDS ***
ealt to BZIMZIM [Jd Jh]
CHANCECHACE - Folds
DZ00NUTS - Raises $50000 to $60000
BZIMZIM - All-In(Raise) $404193.86 to $424193.86
DZ00NUTS - All-In $232100.79
BZIMZIM - returned ($132093.07) : not called
*** FLOP *** [Qd Ad 9c]***
TURN *** [Qd Ad 9c] [10c]
*** RIVER *** [Qd Ad 9c 10c] [6c]
*** SHOW DOWN ***
DZ00NUTS - Shows [Ac 7c] (Flush, ace high)
BZIMZIM - Shows [Jd Jh] (One pair, jacks)
DZ00NUTS Collects $590201.58 from main pot

Er, wait. Never mind.

But did hang on to finish second. And it's hard to complain about how I've been running, haha. I've pretty much taken over the AP 30r. I've played it four times in the last week, and I've finished first, second, and fourth. I love the AP 30r. Also thanks to the AP 30r, on like a 7k heater over the last two days. It's a relief to be in such a good position midway through the month. Currently up 9200. Also, my 100k yearly goal, which went in the tank with the last two months, might be back in the realm of possibility if I can get some more done this month. But hell, I play multis for a living anyway. I could theoretically make nothing for two months and make thirty grand in a day (hey I made 25). So who knows.

Also qualified for Super Tuesday on Stars yesterday, but three outed for most of my stack. Ah well.

Odds are I'm taking today off, watching some Champions League, playing some soccer tonight. Probably wander around outside some, it's gorgeous out. Gonna be a good day.

Ship AP 30r

2008-09-16T14:25:00.003-05:00

Hey, that's better! I like that title for an entry. Just when I get annoyed at 2 outers, etc, there comes that tournament where I run like a God, and then I love poker again. I was actually down to 2000 chips at 500/1000. Shove KTo, up to 7200. Then three hands in a row:

Stage #1277352078 Tourney ID 2070669 Holdem Multi Normal Tournament No Limit $1000 - 2008-09-16 00:31:58 (ET)
Table: 10 (Real Money) Seat #4 is the dealer
Seat 1 - Z06FANATIC ($11653.50 in chips)
Seat 2 - TRACKER2TR ($34967.50 in chips)
Seat 3 - GETINITIN ($12303 in chips)
Seat 4 - YACHRED ($8071 in chips)
Seat 5 - BZIMZIM ($8019.50 in chips)
Seat 6 - ACESJAMMI111 ($15457 in chips)
Seat 7 - BRUCECMC ($4368.50 in chips)
Seat 8 - ZOOTEDJAY ($10005 in chips)
Z06FANATIC - Ante $100
TRACKER2TR - Ante $100
GETINITIN - Ante $100
YACHRED - Ante $100
BZIMZIM - Ante $100
ACESJAMMI111 - Ante $100
BRUCECMC - Ante $100
ZOOTEDJAY - Ante $100
BZIMZIM - Posts small blind $500
ACESJAMMI111 - Posts big blind $1000
*** POCKET CARDS ***
Dealt to BZIMZIM [Qd Qs]
BRUCECMC - Folds
ZOOTEDJAY - Folds
Z06FANATIC - Folds
TRACKER2TR - Folds
GETINITIN - Folds
YACHRED - All-In(Raise) $7971 to $7971
BZIMZIM - All-In $7419.50
ACESJAMMI111 - Folds
YACHRED - returned ($51.50) : not called
*** FLOP *** [10c Js 10h]
*** TURN *** [10c Js 10h] [2s]
*** RIVER *** [10c Js 10h 2s] [9h]
*** SHOW DOWN ***
YACHRED - Shows [Jd 7d] (Two Pair, jacks and tens)
BZIMZIM - Shows [Qd Qs] (Two Pair, queens and tens)
BZIMZIM Collects $17639 from main pot

Stage #1277352771 Tourney ID 2070669 Holdem Multi Normal Tournament No Limit $1000 - 2008-09-16 00:32:58 (ET)
Table: 10 (Real Money) Seat #5 is the dealer
Seat 1 - Z06FANATIC ($11553.50 in chips)
Seat 2 - TRACKER2TR ($34867.50 in chips)
Seat 3 - GETINITIN ($12203 in chips)
Seat 4 - YACHRED ($51.50 in chips)
Seat 5 - BZIMZIM ($17639 in chips)
Seat 6 - ACESJAMMI111 ($14357 in chips)
Seat 7 - BRUCECMC ($4268.50 in chips)
Seat 8 - ZOOTEDJAY ($9905 in chips)
Z06FANATIC - Ante $100
TRACKER2TR - Ante $100
GETINITIN - Ante $100
YACHRED - Ante $51.50
BZIMZIM - Ante $100
ACESJAMMI111 - Ante $100
BRUCECMC - Ante $100
ZOOTEDJAY - Ante $100
ACESJAMMI111 - Posts small blind $500
BRUCECMC - Posts big blind $1000
*** POCKET CARDS ***
Dealt to BZIMZIM [Jd Qs]
ZOOTEDJAY - Folds
Z06FANATIC - Folds
TRACKER2TR - Folds
GETINITIN - Folds
BZIMZIM - Raises $10000 to $10000
ACESJAMMI111 - All-In(Raise) $13757 to $14257
BRUCECMC - Folds
BZIMZIM - Calls $4257
*** FLOP *** [Jh 10c Js]
*** TURN *** [Jh 10c Js] [3d]
*** RIVER *** [Jh 10c Js 3d] [9h]
*** SHOW DOWN ***
YACHRED - Shows [7c 9d] (Two Pair, jacks and nines)
BZIMZIM - Shows [Jd Qs] (Three of a kind, jacks)
ACESJAMMI111 - Shows [Ad Ah] (Two Pair, aces and jacks)
BZIMZIM Collects $29853.50 from side pot-1
BZIMZIM Collects $412 from main pot

Stage #1277353300 Tourney ID 2070669 Holdem Multi Normal Tournament No Limit $1200 - 2008-09-16 00:33:44 (ET)
Table: 10 (Real Money) Seat #5 is the dealer
Seat 1 - Z06FANATIC ($11453.50 in chips)
Seat 2 - TRACKER2TR ($34767.50 in chips)
Seat 3 - GETINITIN ($12103 in chips)
Seat 5 - BZIMZIM ($33547.50 in chips)
Seat 7 - BRUCECMC ($3168.50 in chips)
Seat 8 - ZOOTEDJAY ($9805 in chips)
Z06FANATIC - Ante $125
TRACKER2TR - Ante $125
GETINITIN - Ante $125
BZIMZIM - Ante $125
BRUCECMC - Ante $125
ZOOTEDJAY - Ante $125
BRUCECMC - Posts small blind $600
ZOOTEDJAY - Posts big blind $1200
*** POCKET CARDS ***
Dealt to BZIMZIM [3s Ah]
Z06FANATIC - Folds
TRACKER2TR - Folds
GETINITIN - Folds
BZIMZIM - Raises $10800 to $10800
BRUCECMC - Folds
ZOOTEDJAY - All-In $8480
BZIMZIM - returned ($1120) : not called
*** FLOP *** [9h Jc 5h]
*** TURN *** [9h Jc 5h] [2h]
*** RIVER *** [9h Jc 5h 2h] [5d]
*** SHOW DOWN ***
BZIMZIM - Shows [3s Ah] (One pair, fives)
ZOOTEDJAY - Shows [Kd Qs] (One pair, fives)
BZIMZIM Collects $20710 from main pot

Two hands later, won a 28k pot against Z06 after three outing him, AQ v. AK aipf (sorry Z). Clearly I run like a god. From here I went into aggro mode, and stole a lot of blinds and antes without getting in too much trouble. Got down to 6 handed and it was me, norcalsurf and 4 of the worst players I've ever seen. Norcal got three outed out of the tourney. I caught a three outer all in to double up. And that was pretty much the tournament. Once I became chip leader I just raised like crazy, and for the most part no one else wanted to play. I've never seen an entire table go into playing for second place money mode so early. It was kind of embarassing. By the time it was four handed I raised essentially every unopened pot. And had a damn lot of fun doing it. By the time it got HU I had like a 9:1 CL, and it was over in one hand. Good times.

So now up 6500 midway through the month. Hey this month doesn't suck. It is excellent not to be digging out of massive hole this month. Now I'll see if I can really get it going and post a big number.

Buckeye Therapy Session

2008-09-15T13:29:00.002-05:00

Three things that need to change before we can get back to being an elite program:

1. Talent

I think this game clarified the talent difference between us and USC. USC is more talented than us at virtually every position. Of course USC is the most talented team in the country as well. But if we want to win championships, national championships and not Big Ten ones, the talent level has to improve. Nowhere is this more obvious than on the offensive and defensive lines. One scout referred to our O line after the game as having "four Ohio projects." Only Boone was a highly rated recruit. Well obviously that's not getting it done. Our offensive line came out OK, but in the second half they may as well have not even been there. It's not like this is new. The questions about our offensive line have been building and building. Right now, they just aren't very talented. That's solved through recruiting, and to be fair, with bringing in the national recruits last year, the makeover of the offensive line is underway. It also means if there's a player like Marcus Hall in Ohio, a national O line recruit in our own backyard (not just that, he goes to fucking Glenville, our main feeder school where Ginn is the coach!), we absolutely can't afford to miss on a player like that. Long considered an OSU lock, everyone feels less confident recently. USC still hasn't offered, and I pray to God they don't. But there's just no short term answer there on the O line. Not talented enough.

The same could probably be said about our WRs right now, though we didn't provide enough protection to really find out. Hartline actually said he thought he and Robiskie were running open after the game, so maybe that wasn't the problem. USC blitzed a lot (read: basically anytime Boeckman was in), so it's not surprising there was space out there. Still, the criticism of them is that they aren't game breakers, which I think is correct. The wide receiver who looked like he belonged out there was Ray Small, who was recruited by USC and was a national recruit. He's long been an enigma, but no one doubts his talent. He actually played well too. That's something I can add to my good list. But again, more game breakers needed. True freshman DeVier Posey is going to be a star, and I think he'll play more and more as the season goes on. I love Dane as the possession WR. I'm less concerned about the future of the WR position, we've got guys with the ability, especially if Small is finally going to get his shit together.

The RBs were OK. I thought Boom ran hard for what the O line gave him. That said, it's obvious there's only one star player on this offense right now. And he didn't play. Would he have made the difference between winning and losing? Of course not. But the effect on this offense when he's not out there is hard to miss. And Beanie will be gone next year. We'll be awful young at RB next year, with Boom probably starting, Saine hasn't figured it out. He's a track champion, but he plays tenative and slow. National recruit Jamaal Berry is coming in from Florida, and given the lack of depth he'll probably get touches right away.

I'm not going to pile on Boeckman, everyone's favorite punching bag. He is what he is. Frankly, I kinda feel bad for him. He has one million people in Columbus saying Todd Boeckman sucks. I think if he could stand back there in the pocket and take a nap like Sanchez, he'd be pretty good too. There aren't a million people in Columbus saying Bryant Browning sucks or Ben Person sucks, even though frankly that's the bigger problem. That said, obviously he hasn't progressed like we're hoping. He's just not very good, and he's clearly lost his confidence. This is another position where obviously I'm not worried about the future of the talent level. Pryor is going to play more and more throughout this year. I love Pryor so much already. He has the ability to be a legend. I don't use that word lightly. Legends don't need last names. Archie is a legend. Eddie is a legend. Florida not withstanding, Troy is a legend. People will forget (or at least forgive) about the one game. Hell, Eddie's teams played in the Citrus Bowl every year, but he couldn't be more beloved.

The defensive line: not even close to good enough. Our defensive tackles, on the national scale, just aren't very good. On our 2002 championship team, that was the unit that won us the game. More talent, better recruiting needed. That's hard position to recruit, especially because Ohio produces so few quality DTs. That's a position we need to go national on. Sometimes there were holes in our line that we may as well have been Virginia, or like that USC-Nebraska game a couple years ago. It obviously wasn't like that on every play, but there were plays where it did look like that. I still think we have talent at DE, but didn't play very well. Waiting for the light to go on to go to the next level for Heyward, Gibson.

The LB performance is obviously tied to the DTs, who were getting absolutely worked. That said, anyone still taking JL over Rey? I wouldn't. And I've been a Cushing doubter, but I was very impressed. On our side, not so much. Our LBs are not great at getting off blockers. Technically precise, good in space, but not mean and/or playing with an edge.

The corners were fine. We'll miss Jenkins when he's gone. Chekwa's a good one. I hope Washington gets his shit together. We need him. I thought the safety play was horrid. Anderson Russell, yikes. I forgot Kurt Coleman was on the field. On the other hand, they controlled the point of attack so much they didn't really need to throw that much. And we didn't get much pressure. It's possible I'm being way too hard on the safeties.

Overall, sort of like the Florida game, the defense wasn't good, but it also was screwed all day. Our offense accounted for -4 points and the USC offense almost always had good field position. It's hard for any defense to function in those circumstances.

2. Coaching

After the Florida game, the Florida players made comments about knowing exactly what was coming. I mostly dismissed it. Then LSU said the same thing. And then Sanchez basically said the same thing yesterday. I was slow to come around, but clearly something is wrong on the coaching front, and the schemes that we're running are way, way too predictable. Our passing game in particular is not inventive and has a total lack of sophistication.

What's particularly frustrating about this is that Tressel doesn't seem to acknowledge that anything is wrong. Is this going to be the plan? Every time we get thumped we just say, well, we have no earthly idea what happened. But gosh, we'll go out and try hard next time. What does it take for something to have to change?

3. Mental Toughness

This is the most discouraging thing of all. What has made Tressel's teams so formidable under his tenure is that they were always so mentally strong. 2002, national title, overtime, 4th and 14, Krenzel throws a strike to Michael Jenkins, first down. In fact, for the entire first six years of Tressel's tenure, those teams were always mentally tough. And then Florida. We scored first, they punched back, we folded. Same against LSU. Same against USC. What happened? Where is the leadership on this team? When did we become the team that folds, that's psychologically fragile? When did we turn into Michigan State?

At this moment this is just not a very mentally strong team. I'm not optimistic about going at Wisconsin right now. What happens when Wisconsin hits back? Cause they will. That's a good football team. I don't think we're done losing games this year. But worse than that is that the program has assumed the identity of everyone that hates us. We really do just fold in big circumstances. That's maybe the hardest thing. How do you change that identity back? Until we do, we are what everyone thinks we are.

2nd Cake 30r; Some (Ineffective) Bluffs

2008-09-10T14:39:00.002-05:00

Played full day Monday. Day of frustration ended on a good note with a 2nd place finish in the Cake 30r. Still haven't won that tournament like a swore I would, but I'm sure I will. Otherwise had finished 13th with 12 qualifiers in a satty for the 1K WCOOP event on Sunday, and was annoyed, and took some beats in some big pots the rest of the day. But hey things happen. At least the day ended on a good note. Now up about 2.5K to start the month, so at least I won't spend the entire month feeling like I'm digging out of a giant hole.

Here are three hands that had a big impact on deciding the outcome of the Cake 30r. RespectMGame is a Cake regular that plays fairly TAG (for a multi player anyway, which is a sliding scale). As a result I tried to control the action, as I had done for the rest of the tournament, but got burned a couple times. Here's hand 1, still three handed:

Hand #16182CA330002761: $25,000 GUARANTEED!! - R&A
Seat 3: Resp*** (656465.00 in chips)
Seat 4: bzimzim (416814.00 in chips)
Seat 8: VoxM*** (351221.00 in chips)
RespectMGame posts ante of $1,000
bzimzim posts ante of $1,000
VoxMan posts ante of $1,000
VoxM***: posts small blind $5,000
Resp***: posts big blind $10,000
Dealt to bzimzim [ Kc Jd ]
bzimzim: raises to $26,000
VoxM***: folds
Resp***: calls
@@@ F_L_O_P @@@ [ 3c 6c 5h ]
Resp***: checks
bzimzim: checks
# # # TURN # # # [ Qc ]
Resp***: bets $20,000
bzimzim: raises to $60,000
Resp***: calls
&&& RIVER &&& [ Qs ]
Resp***: checks
bzimzim: bets $70,000
Resp***: calls***
SHOW DOWN ***
bzimzim: shows [ Kc Jd ] (Pair of Queens )
Resp***: shows [ 3h Ad ] (Two Pairs, Queens and Threes )
Resp*** wins $320,000 with Two Pairs, Queens and Threes

I'd been cont. betting a lot, but hard to represent that flop, so happy to take a card off. Pick up the flush draw on the turn and raised, he called. I didn't put him on much. Queens paired on the river, and I bluff in a way that attempts to look like a value bet. He tanks and eventually calls. NC. I still like the way I played it. He had to put a lot of chips in with bottom pair.

Now heads up:

Hand #16182CA330002775: $25,000 GUARANTEED!! - R&A
Seat 3: Resp*** (925065.00 in chips)
Seat 4: bzimzim (499435.00 in chips)
RespectMGame posts ante of $1,200
bzimzim posts ante of $1,200
Resp***: posts small blind $6,000
bzimzim: posts big blind $12,000
Dealt to bzimzim [ Ts Kc ]
Resp***: raises to $29,000
bzimzim: calls
@@@ F_L_O_P @@@ [ Js 4c 3d ]
bzimzim: checks
Resp***: bets $30,200
bzimzim: raises to $85,000
Resp***: calls
# # # TURN # # # [ 9c ]
bzimzim: bets $120,000
Resp***: raises to $300,000
bzimzim: folds
Resp***: returns uncalled bet $180,000
*** SHOW DOWN ***
Resp***: mucks
Resp*** wins $470,400

I interpreted his bet as a standard c-bet and c/r with air. He calls. Here I get stubborn and fire again, which I hate in retrospect. If he's calling the c/r, he's probably going with it. Plus he'd try to pick up pots with smallish bets in relation to the pot a lot of the time, I might have been able to see a cheap river. I don't like my play here.

Final hand:

Hand #16182CA330002793: $25,000 GUARANTEED!! - R&A
Seat 3: Resp*** (861730.00 in chips)
Seat 4: bzimzim (562770.00 in chips)
RespectMGame posts ante of $1,200
bzimzim posts ante of $1,200
Resp***: posts small blind $6,000
bzimzim: posts big blind $12,000
Dealt to bzimzim [ Th Kd ]
Resp***: calls
bzimzim: raises to $35,000
Resp***: calls
@@@ F_L_O_P @@@ [ 9h 9d 8d ]
bzimzim: bets $42,000
Resp***: calls
# # # TURN # # # [ 5c ]
bzimzim: checks
Resp***: bets $42,000
bzimzim: raises to $134,000
Resp***: calls
&&& RIVER &&& [ 2h ]
bzimzim: is all in 350570.0000
Resp***: calls
*** SHOW DOWN ***
bzimzim: shows [ Th Kd ] (Pair of Nines )
Resp***: shows [ 8c 6s ] (Two Pairs, Nines and Eights )
Resp*** wins $1,125,540 with Two Pairs, Nines and Eights

Again, I'm not sure I actually mind my play in this spot. I'm representing big here. My c/r on the turn is something I'll also do with a big hand. Again, I put him on a marginal holding, and I actually thought he might have had a draw, in which case my shove wins it for sure. Instead he calls with a weak 8. Another good call. Sometimes the other guy just plays better.

The only thing I wonder about in retrospect is whether I played too aggro against this guy in general. clearly he was willing to call me light, and had the impression I could put chips in without much of a hand. Which I could obviously. But maybe it would have paid to be a little more solid and attempt to get paid. On the other hand, if the key to no limit is to force the other guy to a decision, I did plenty of that. Just didn't work out this time.

3 days until Ohio State-USC.

Full Day Today

2008-09-08T13:04:00.002-05:00

Last week was a relatively light week, and nothing much to report from it. More or less even for the month to this point. Going to ramp it up this week, play at least some every day with some full days in there. Today is full day number 1, let's go. Feeling good about my play and ready to pwn some donkeys.

Five days until OSU-USC. Yesterday I was absolutely terrifed. Today I'm a little more excited. But still a lot terrified. I actually feel comforted though that everyone in the country, in the words of Peter King, thinks it'll be over by halftime. The "nobody believes in us" card is cliche, but it's a great motivator.

August Wrap

2008-09-02T12:52:00.002-05:00

August: $1894

Year to date: $59,425

Despite posting an even lower number than I did last month (slightly), I feel a lot better about it. Probably because my major emotion about the month could best be described as "relief".

I'm going to be traveling a decent amount in the next month and a half, so I'm really going to have to work to keep my hours up. Which I'm determined to do, since I'm particularly determined to have a good month this month, after two disappoinments in a row.

I do feel like I was playing significantly better by the end of the month. That's the level of play I'm hoping to maintain.

Month Saver

2008-08-29T18:50:00.002-05:00

So finished third in Stars $109 $50k for $5600 to save the month. Hey I'm actually in the positive! It's a miracle. Definitely took a couple of breaks to get there, but fought I played well in the tourney. I wonder if I was a touch too aggressive three handed actually, since there was an overwhelming chip leader and the dynamics became slightly SNG-like with another two grand for whoever lasted to finished second, and only an additional three for finding a way to overcome the big chip deficit and finishing first. Shoved K8 into 99. I'd post some hands from it but I have a headache right now and that's making me lazy.

But anyway, I'm just glad the month isn't a disaster anymore. Might just be done for the month. It hasn't been a high volume month, partically because of some traveling, and partially just because I was in such a poker funk there for awhile. I'll be happy to turn the page to September.

16 hours 'til the Buckeye opener. Go Bucks.

Decisions, Not Results

2008-08-19T16:25:00.002-05:00

12 tournaments played yesterday, 3 cashes, none of significance=further in the hole. But I have to say, I played a lot better. I felt in rhythm and got my money in while ahead, or in spot where I was destined to be behind. $55 on stars, 1040 in the field, finished 40th when I ran kings into aces. AK into KK in AP 30r. Stuff like that. Ugliest finish of the day was when I got my stack in with a set of 9s on a 9 8 6 board. I bet out, villain shoves and shows...AJ. 7, 10. OK, that one hurt.

But I'm trying to keep a positive mindset. If I continue to play like that I'm going to be profitable. I know I will.

Finding hours to play is going to be a struggle for the rest of the month though, between people visiting and the various times I'm leaving town.

Back To Work

2008-08-18T15:28:00.002-05:00

Took my scheduled three days off, back to work today. Sat down in the $75 3 pm on FT (I'm playing on Tilt because I like losing clearly), flopped a set of 7s, shoved the turn on a K 7 5 4 board into...a mp limper with J6s for a straight draw, flush draw. You can guess the rest lol.

Ah it's good to be back, haha. It's early in the day; I'm keeping my sense of humor.

Anyway, should be a full day. Who knows how much I'll be down for the month by the end of today. See there's that dark humor again. I'm hilarious. I've got 30 Rock running in the background to improve my mood.

I finally bought my new TV! I'm getting it tomorrow. 46" Samsung for $1120ish with the discount my friend got me. Pimp. Nothing feels good while losing money like spending money.

Alright, let's see how this goes.

Break Time

2008-08-15T13:03:00.002-05:00

“I want to get a job as someone who names kitchen appliances. Toaster, refrigerator, blender.... all you do is say what the shit does, and add 'er'. I wanna work for the Kitchen Appliance Naming Institute. Hey, what does that do? It keeps shit fresh. Well, that's a fresher. I'm goin' on break.”

So yeah, I'm goin' on break. I have six cashes this month. Six cashes. That's almost not even possible, given the number of tournaments I've played, which is...well I refuse to count. But it's more than six. Of course if they were really good cashes it wouldn't matter. But they weren't. I had one fourth for a grand, that's it. I also refuse to calculate how much I'm down for the month. So I'm taking the weekend off. I think I'm going to the beach this afternoon to read a book and be outside.

In news that doesn't make me want to vomit in my mouth a little, Comcast finally has Big Ten Network! 15 days 'til the opener. We'll obviously cruise against Youngstown State, but USC-Virginia, Michigan-Utah, Mich. St.-Cal and Illinois-Mizzou will all be interesting for various reasons. Also I looked at the Big Ten Network schedule, and for the next week they'll be showing Ohio State-Illinois from last year, OSU-Wisky from 2003, and OSU-PSU from 2001. So thanks a lot assholes.

But they are replaying App. St.-Michigan. My DVR is set.

Tilting, Acceptance of Medicority

2008-08-12T13:40:00.002-05:00

Clearly I've been neglecting this blog; I haven't posted anything since my wrap that comes at the first of the every month.

Partially this has been due to neglect of my poker game in general, since I went out four nights last week in my attempt to be a mini-alcoholic. Also it's just a lot easier to write this entries when things are going well compared to when things are going poorly. When I can title an entry "Ship *****", writing the entry is a lot more fun.

But it occurs to me that writing entries like this one is part of why I started this thing in the first place: so that I could write through the bad times rather than the good. So here goes.

At the moment I'm down about 2 grand for the month. That's becoming a familiar position. Last month, after shipping the UB 3or, I recovered quite well, and then gave a good deal of it back before the close of the month. That slide has continued into August.

Of course, all of these things are cyclical, and I'm trying to be less concerned with results and more concerned with making good decisions. The problem is that I haven't been particularly good at that lately. I've made some 3 bets lately based on some reads that were absolutely terrible, and if I was listening to the voice in the back of my head when I made them, I sort of knew they were terrible. I've just been pressing and let that get to me.

I've actually felt my game tighten up recently, and think that has worked pretty well when I've implemented that strategy. There was a time where you could just run over tables by being the most aggressive. Now it feels like everyone plays aggressive, though to varying degrees according to the sites. I remember donking around with my friend Randy and watching him play a big field 10r, and he was just playing practically every hand and steamrolling. I remember just sitting there and thinking "Oh my god, I need to be playing much more aggressively." And for awhile I did that, but players adjusted to me, and players adjusted in general. Finding the correct degree of aggressiveness is difficult, but I think my current game is working better when I play a bit more solidly. The other benefit is that if you play tight you can play off that image, giving yourself resteal opportunities that are situation-based rather than card-based that you could never pull off playing like a LAGGY maniac.

My real problem, as I said, is when I've stepped out from that solid play and pressed. I've been pressing a decent amount. It's hardly ever worked. Combine some life tilt with some poker tilt in a wonderfully mutual recipricating relationship (sarcasm on), and it hasn't gone well.

I'm sure I've written about this before, but part of this is just a battle in my mind for how good a poker player I want to be. This isn't a silly question, though obviously on the surface I want to be the "best poker player I can be." But that doesn't really answer the question. Becoming great at something requires sacrifice, and sacrifice isn't really my strength.

I was always very gifted at math. Through elementary school and middle school, I cruised through my math classes with virtually no effort. In high school, my classes took a little more effort, but I was still able to get by, until I reached calculus. I took calculus my junior year, and I didn't get it. I fundamentally didn't understand the concepts being taught, so whenever I had to prove anything, I was totally lost. The real problem wasn't I couldn't "change gears" so to speak and get myself to try a lot harder. I was used to it coming easy, so I just got frustrated and angry. The end result was not good for my grade in calculus.

I almost feel like my poker "life" has taken a similar path. When I first started playing, everything came pretty easy. I deposited $30 and built it up into a bankroll relatively quickly. Not to be arrogant, but I'm fairly bright, so I understood and was fairly good at the mental skills that came with analyzing hands. I also had a good math sense when that was required. And to this point, I've coasted on my natural abilities really. Not that I haven't worked to improve my game. I have. It's just that haven't had to dig in and improve or face total failure. I could succeed without committing to my self absolutely.

But just like at math, I may have reached the limit of how far I can go. I am a naturally good poker player. I am not a naturally great poker player. If I want to take my game to the next level, to play with the truly best players at a consistent level, I'm going to have to work harder. A lot harder. At this moment, I'm not sure if that's a sacrifice I'm willing to make. I don't have to, to be fair. I've proven I can at least survive on my abilities as they are. But if I'm going to do this for a prolonged period of time, will that be enough? Or will I want to move on and do something else? I truly don't know the answers to those questions.

In other news, the Horseshoe has opened up in Indiana. I'll try and get over there in this week or the next.

July Wrap

2008-08-01T18:18:00.002-05:00

Ugh.

July: +$1998

Year to date: $57,531

Worst month of the year. Nothing good to say. Didn't run well, and at times just didn't play well.

It's alright though. I'm feeling a big month in August, I'm well overdue for a deep run in a big tourney.

Struggle/New Forum Ad

2008-07-31T16:28:00.003-05:00

Well, gave back a good portion of my month after the UB 30k win. The trend has been to have one big cash per month, and then sort of end up even for the rest of the month. This month I didn't end up even for the rest of the month. This will be my worst month since January, unless something changes tonight, and I'm not even sure if I'll play tonight.

Here's a hand from the Stars 20r:
PokerStars Game #19184898704: Tournament #98176371, $20+$2 Hold'em No Limit - Level X (300/600) - 2008/07/28 - 23:33:44 (ET)
Table '98176371 5' 9-max Seat #9 is the button
Seat 1: ziggy47 (22410 in chips)
Seat 2: up4breakfast (8690 in chips)
Seat 3: Betudontbet (131788 in chips)
Seat 4: pkb6786 (17006 in chips)
Seat 5: USCphildo (14080 in chips)
Seat 6: jlewis10748 (29535 in chips)
Seat 7: bzimzim (44700 in chips)
Seat 8: imthelizard (17085 in chips)
Seat 9: mlagoo (14370 in chips)
ziggy47: posts the ante 50
up4breakfast: posts the ante 50
Betudontbet: posts the ante 50
pkb6786: posts the ante 50
USCphildo: posts the ante 50
jlewis10748: posts the ante 50
bzimzim: posts the ante 50
imthelizard: posts the ante 50
mlagoo: posts the ante 50
ziggy47: posts small blind 300
up4breakfast: posts big blind 600
*** HOLE CARDS ***
Dealt to bzimzim [4h 2h]
Betudontbet: folds
pkb6786: folds
mlagoo is disconnected
USCphildo: folds
jlewis10748: folds
bzimzim: raises 1000 to 1600
imthelizard: calls 1600
mlagoo has timed out while disconnected
mlagoo: folds
mlagoo is sitting out
mlagoo is connected
mlagoo has returned
ziggy47: folds
up4breakfast: folds
** FLOP *** [3d 7h Qd]
bzimzim: bets 2500
imthelizard: calls 2500
*** TURN *** [3d 7h Qd] [6d]
bzimzim: bets 5000
mlagoo is disconnected
imthelizard: calls 5000
*** RIVER *** [3d 7h Qd 6d] [7d]
bzimzim: checks
imthelizard: bets 7935 and is all-in
bzimzim: folds
Uncalled bet (7935) returned to imthelizard
imthelizard collected 19550 from pot
mlagoo is connected
imthelizard: shows [Ks Jh] (a pair of Sevens)

Well. It's hard to get pwned much harder than that. I almost fired that last bullet too, but I just couldn't imagine he wasn't calling. I just generally played like shit in that tourney all around, didn't 3 bet when I should, missed what I think should have been a call when CO opened and button shoved and I woke up with 9s, since both were aggro players. And I even failed at my Gus Hansen moment. It was discouraging. Otherwise just a totally unproductive two days, ran AK into 98o in AP 30r with three tables, obv that didn't go well. Apparently I need to get vikes to teach me how to play multis, he's killin' everything right now.

Haven't played much this week. Tonight is probably less than 50/50, going out to dinner with my parents but possible later. Won't play at all probably this weekend, Lollapalooza in town, I'll be there Saturday and Sunday, should be sweet. Monday=back to work, and try to get August going and leave July behind.

Also, though I'm sure many (or perhaps most) of my readers are well aware anyway, the AP Forum is dead, but those of us left have started a new poker forum, currently located at http://thecrew.darkbb.com/index.htm. Come and hang out with Rags (Go Bucks), Deal (Michigan still sucks), Monti, Buchs, Kim, Glo, FJ, Jakz, Vikes and too many other internet legends to mention (my cop out since I know I'm forgetting people but I'm lazy). Always lively poker talk (like, how can we get Ohiocity to stop limping late in multis, and can we bitchslap him if he doesn't?) and lots of OT as well. Fun place. Stop by.

Ship UB 30r, 100k thoughts

2008-07-25T16:07:00.002-05:00

Officially got the month turned around after shipping the UB 30r last night. I'd post some hands, except the UB HH is extremely broken up and I seem to have only about half the hands from the tournament. Annoying imo. Still, first for $5400, so certainly no complaints. Got Bertrand13 HU, had about a 2:1 chip lead, but ran AT into AQ, then aipf again 6s v. AQ, boom Q on the river. Excellent card. $2200 card. Then got it in A high against K high and it held. Obv the blinds were pretty high, wasn't a lot of play left at that point. We were five handed for what felt like forever, trading blinds and antes back and forth. Excellent FT to play, all the more so since I won :)

I was glad I won that one, cause wow did I implode on a tourney on stars last night, I was third in chips with about 40 people and finished 37th. Yikes, hehe. Played a big pot where we both had trip 9s in the blinds and I was outkicked, and went a bit into meltdown mode from there. Also finished 15th in AP 30r last night. And someone managed not to cash in Cake 30r. Which is almost impossible, unless you lose a big flip somewhere there. Which I may have. I honestly don't even remember that tournament.

Qualified for the 100k through a $55 qualifier, which was pretty sweet. The tournament itself was not that sweet. Very aggro table as to be expected, and didn't pick up a lot of cards when the blinds got up. Was cruising along fine with about 16k, had resteals with 86o and K5o off playing off what surely looked like a tight image since I had no cards, when I ran 7s into 10s for half my stack, made a shove with like 7 high and donked out against AK, tried to pick a couple more spots to get aggro, none of which worked, then finally shoved 10 2o into AT in the BB. Whoops. So that didn't really work out.

Poker swingaments: thru July 14, -$3600. July 15-present: +$8100. Ah the life of a poker player. Good times. I'm very pleased today, in good shape to still make my 5k this month as per my monthly expectation.

So life is good, Mets are winning again, and poker is no longer terrible. On the other hand, my mechanic is holding me up for ransom. I'm pretty sure I owe him eleventy billion dollars. He may have just made those parts up that needed to be replaced, like the Seinfeld about needing a new Johnson rod. It's just like that, except I'm the one that's paying for it, so it's not actually funny. I suppose I could learn something about cars, and that would solve this problem, but that's not likely to happen. On the list of things I'd like to learn more about cars is way down that list.

Won't play today, not sure how much I'll play this weekend.

Hey, Unstuck!

2008-07-18T11:26:00.003-05:00

Thanks to AP 20r win earlier this week, shipping AP $55 afternoon tourney yesterday (plus $150 bounty on Liv, which is what counts for a bounty on AP these days), and fourth in Cake 30r, actually unstuck for the month! In fact, +$1250. I'm a superstar. I'm pretty sure I offended the poker gods when I wrote that I should expect to make 5k a month, and the poker gods said "oh yeah? Take a $5.5k downswing you arrogant prick."

But yeah, I run like a god on donk sites. If I ran that way on Stars or Tilt, I'd be rich. Seriously why do I even play Tilt? Why bother to get it in with top set? Jeesh. My lifetime ROI on Tilt is probably atrocious.

What's really funny is that during my 3 day hot streak, I can think of three hands that I just played terribly, two in the Cake 3or and one in the AP 30r. Apparently the donk sites bring the donk out in me. In the Cake 30r last night I decided to take a read four handed that was just horrible. Decided to bluff a calling station for my whole stack the night before. That went about as well as you expect. I also took a read in the AP 30r the night before and stacked off with top pair bad kicker into a set of jacks. Whoops.

So to some up, I'm running good right now, but I still suck. But still, gonna get to +$5k this month. I've decided. Suck it poker gods.

Won't be playing at all this weekend, two cities, two Mets games, two softball games and one music festival. Gonna be a busy weekend. Back to work Monday.

Best AP 20r Win Ever

2008-07-15T15:29:00.003-05:00

I'm not joking. I'm perfectly serious. Big chip leader three handed when the fun started:

Stage #1228206108 Tourney ID 2037901 Holdem Multi Normal Tournament No Limit $5000 - 2008-07-15 15:46:47 (ET)
Table: 7 (Real Money) Seat #2 is the dealer
Seat 2 - JAG101555 ($152166 in chips)
Seat 4 - JDAWG217 ($123500 in chips)
Seat 7 - BZIMZIM ($291834 in chips)
JAG101555 - Ante $500
JDAWG217 - Ante $500
BZIMZIM - Ante $500
JDAWG217 - Posts small blind $2500
BZIMZIM - Posts big blind $5000
*** POCKET CARDS ***
Dealt to BZIMZIM [4d Ac]
JAG101555 - Calls $5000
JDAWG217 - Folds
BZIMZIM - Checks
*** FLOP *** [7c Ad 4h]
BZIMZIM - Checks
JAG101555 - Bets $14000
BZIMZIM - Raises $43000 to $43000
JAG101555 - Calls $29000
*** TURN *** [7c Ad 4h] [Js]
BZIMZIM - Bets $50000
JAG101555 - All-In(Raise) $103666 to $103666
BZIMZIM - Calls $53666
*** RIVER *** [7c Ad 4h Js] [Kc]
*** SHOW DOWN ***
JAG101555 - Shows [Kd Kh] (Three of a kind, kings)
BZIMZIM - Shows [4d Ac] (Two Pair, aces and fours)
JAG101555 Collects $307332 from main pot

Stage #1228208287 Tourney ID 2037901 Holdem Multi Normal Tournament No Limit $6000 - 2008-07-15 15:50:39 (ET)
Table: 7 (Real Money) Seat #2 is the dealer
Seat 2 - JAG101555 ($273132 in chips)
Seat 4 - JDAWG217 ($134900 in chips)
Seat 7 - BZIMZIM ($159468 in chips)
JAG101555 - Ante $600
JDAWG217 - Ante $600
BZIMZIM - Ante $600
JDAWG217 - Posts small blind $3000
BZIMZIM - Posts big blind $6000
*** POCKET CARDS ***
Dealt to BZIMZIM [Ks As]
JAG101555 - Folds
JDAWG217 - Raises $15000 to $18000
BZIMZIM - All-In(Raise) $152868 to $158868
JDAWG217 - All-In $116300
BZIMZIM - returned ($24568) : not called
*** FLOP *** [6d 3d 10d]
*** TURN *** [6d 3d 10d] [5s]
*** RIVER *** [6d 3d 10d 5s] [Qc]
*** SHOW DOWN ***
JDAWG217 - Shows [Ac 5c] (One pair, fives)
BZIMZIM - Shows [Ks As] (ace high)
JDAWG217 Collects $270400 from main pot

That was the about the point I broke my computer, given how I've been running lately. Also didn't cash in two other tourneys today and got 4 outed for a $500 pot in a cash game on the river. So yeah, bitter. Then rally time...

Stage #1228208582 Tourney ID 2037901 Holdem Multi Normal Tournament No Limit $6000 - 2008-07-15 15:51:09 (ET)
Table: 7 (Real Money) Seat #4 is the dealer
Seat 2 - JAG101555 ($272532 in chips)
Seat 4 - JDAWG217 ($270400 in chips)
Seat 7 - BZIMZIM ($24568 in chips)
JAG101555 - Ante $600
JDAWG217 - Ante $600
BZIMZIM - Ante $600
BZIMZIM - Posts small blind $3000
JAG101555 - Posts big blind $6000
*** POCKET CARDS ***
Dealt to BZIMZIM [Ad 10d]
JDAWG217 - Folds
BZIMZIM - All-In(Raise) $20968 to $23968
JAG101555 - Calls $17968
*** FLOP *** [10s 6d 2s]
*** TURN *** [10s 6d 2s] [Jh]
*** RIVER *** [10s 6d 2s Jh] [8c]
*** SHOW DOWN ***
JAG101555 - Shows [9c 4h] (jack high)
BZIMZIM - Shows [Ad 10d] (One pair, tens)
BZIMZIM Collects $49736 from main pot

Stage #1228209352 Tourney ID 2037901 Holdem Multi Normal Tournament No Limit $6000 - 2008-07-15 15:52:31 (ET)
Table: 7 (Real Money) Seat #4 is the dealer
Seat 2 - JAG101555 ($243764 in chips)
Seat 4 - JDAWG217 ($259600 in chips)
Seat 7 - BZIMZIM ($64136 in chips)
JAG101555 - Ante $600
JDAWG217 - Ante $600
BZIMZIM - Ante $600
BZIMZIM - Posts small blind $3000
JAG101555 - Posts big blind $6000
*** POCKET CARDS ***
Dealt to BZIMZIM [Qd Qs]
JDAWG217 - Raises $16999 to $16999
BZIMZIM - All-In(Raise) $60536 to $63536
JAG101555 - Folds
JDAWG217 - Calls $46537
*** FLOP *** [Ah 6s 2h]
*** TURN *** [Ah 6s 2h] [3h]
*** RIVER *** [Ah 6s 2h 3h] [7s]
*** SHOW DOWN ***
JDAWG217 - Shows [Jh 10d] (ace high)
BZIMZIM - Shows [Qd Qs] (One pair, queens)
BZIMZIM Collects $134872 from main pot

Was sure a heart was coming there...

Stage #1228211840 Tourney ID 2037901 Holdem Multi Normal Tournament No Limit $6000 - 2008-07-15 15:57:05 (ET)
Table: 7 (Real Money) Seat #2 is the dealer
Seat 2 - JAG101555 ($283364 in chips)
Seat 4 - JDAWG217 ($175700 in chips)
Seat 7 - BZIMZIM ($108436 in chips)
JAG101555 - Ante $600
JDAWG217 - Ante $600
BZIMZIM - Ante $600
JDAWG217 - Posts small blind $3000
BZIMZIM - Posts big blind $6000
*** POCKET CARDS ***
Dealt to BZIMZIM [Jh 9s]
JAG101555 - Folds
JDAWG217 - Raises $15000 to $18000
BZIMZIM - Calls $12000
*** FLOP *** [9d 7d Jd]
JDAWG217 - Bets $18900
BZIMZIM - All-In(Raise) $89836 to $89836
JDAWG217 - Calls $70936
*** TURN *** [9d 7d Jd] [6d]
*** RIVER *** [9d 7d Jd 6d] [Ac]
*** SHOW DOWN ***
JDAWG217 - Shows [Js 7h] (Two Pair, jacks and sevens)
BZIMZIM - Shows [Jh 9s] (Two Pair, jacks and nines)
BZIMZIM Collects $217472 from main pot

Stage #1228214923 Tourney ID 2037901 Holdem Multi Normal Tournament No Limit $8000 - 2008-07-15 16:02:55 (ET)
Table: 7 (Real Money) Seat #2 is the dealer
Seat 2 - JAG101555 ($197644 in chips)
Seat 4 - JDAWG217 ($87740 in chips)
Seat 7 - BZIMZIM ($282116 in chips)
JAG101555 - Ante $800
JDAWG217 - Ante $800
BZIMZIM - Ante $800
JDAWG217 - Posts small blind $4000
BZIMZIM - Posts big blind $8000
*** POCKET CARDS ***
Dealt to BZIMZIM [Ac 6s]
JAG101555 - Raises $16000 to $16000
JDAWG217 - Folds
BZIMZIM - Calls $8000
*** FLOP *** [4s As 6d]
BZIMZIM - Checks
JAG101555 - Bets $38400
BZIMZIM - Raises $92800 to $92800
JAG101555 - All-In(Raise) $142444 to $180844
BZIMZIM - Calls $88044
*** TURN *** [4s As 6d] [8d]
*** RIVER *** [4s As 6d 8d] [7c]
*** SHOW DOWN ***
JAG101555 - Shows [Ah 10s] (One pair, aces)
BZIMZIM - Shows [Ac 6s] (Two Pair, aces and sixes)
BZIMZIM Collects $400088 from main pot

Stage #1228218384 Tourney ID 2037901 Holdem Multi Normal Tournament No Limit $10000 - 2008-07-15 16:08:39 (ET)
Table: 7 (Real Money) Seat #4 is the dealer
Seat 4 - JDAWG217 ($185280 in chips)
Seat 7 - BZIMZIM ($382220 in chips)
JDAWG217 - Ante $1000
BZIMZIM - Ante $1000
JDAWG217 - Posts small blind $5000
BZIMZIM - Posts big blind $10000
*** POCKET CARDS ***
Dealt to BZIMZIM [Ah 7d]
JDAWG217 - Raises $25000 to $30000
BZIMZIM - All-In(Raise) $371220 to $381220
JDAWG217 - All-In $154280
BZIMZIM - returned ($196940) : not called
*** FLOP *** [8c 3h Ac]
*** TURN *** [8c 3h Ac] [10h]
*** RIVER *** [8c 3h Ac 10h] [4d]
*** SHOW DOWN ***
JDAWG217 - Shows [Kd Qd] (ace high)
BZIMZIM - Shows [Ah 7d] (One pair, aces)
BZIMZIM Collects $370560 from main pot

Ship.

So for the month I'm, well, still stuck. But less stuck. And I feel better about it.

Going out tonight, but should be a full day tomorrow.

Mission Accomplished

2008-07-11T16:34:00.002-05:00

Got to Gary, Ind., about 5:30 last night, and played poker til 3:45 am, with the exception of a dinner break. Just what I needed. Passed on a tournament to just sit there and donk around at 1/2 NL, talked with everyone at my tables, had fun, drank a couple beers. Finished up $440 for the night. 1/2 NL players are terrible. Alright, that's not exactly news. Plus it makes for some really entertaining beats, as long they're not happening to you. Also, you can get a poker rate of $49 Monday-Thursday at Resorts (apparently now renamed Ameristar), which is pretty cool if I don't feel like driving back to Chicago. I couldn't actually do that last night since they were full, but still, good to know.

I did glance over at the 5/10 game and wondered how I'd do at the game. One step at a time probably though. I'm not a cash game player, at least not yet. Maybe I'll play 2/5 next time and see how much difference there is in skill level between the players.

But anyway, feel great about poker again. I feel recharged. I'll get it going again on Sunday.

This Should Be Fun, Right?

2008-07-10T14:47:00.002-05:00

Playing poker for a living should be fun, shouldn't it? Most of the time it is, even while it's intensely aggravating at the same time. Haven't been having as much fun lately in the now $5k+ plus downswing (I took out the auto sum from my spreadsheet, just to stop looking at it). So today, once the Mets wrap up this win (hopefully), going to the casino to go play 1/2 NL, donk around for low stakes, raise suited connectors, probably drink a beer or two, and just generally have fun. It's gonna be a good day.

Personal Bad Beat Forum

2008-07-09T13:01:00.003-05:00

I don't like to do this very often, but I'm stuck and annoyed so here we go. This was in the UB 30k:

Hand #55049001-215 at S30Kguar9pm-006 (No Limit tournament Hold'em)Started at 09/Jul/08 00:45:40
davedopeman is at seat 1 with 9660.
Jagz7 is at seat 2 with 112125.
vanGoghDali is at seat 3 with 22065.
surefirenutz is at seat 4 with 22395.
TlMEX is at seat 5 with 27405.
fustus is at seat 6 with 46435.
bzimzim is at seat 8 with 25455.
LongIslander is at seat 9 with 13830.
The button is at seat 8.
davedopeman posts ante (100).
Jagz7 posts ante (100).
vanGoghDali posts ante (100).
surefirenutz posts ante (100).
TlMEX posts ante (100).
fustus posts ante (100).
bzimzim posts ante (100).
LongIslander posts ante (100).
davedopeman posts the small blind of 500.
Jagz7 posts the big blind of 1000.
davedopeman: -- --
Jagz7: -- --
vanGoghDali: -- --
surefirenutz: -- --
TlMEX: -- --
fustus: -- --
bzimzim: Qc Qh
LongIslander: -- --
Pre-flop:
vanGoghDali folds.
surefirenutz folds.
TlMEX folds.
fustus folds.
bzimzim raises to 2600.
LongIslander folds.
davedopeman folds.
Jagz7 re-raises to 9500.
bzimzim goes all-in for 25355.
Jagz7 calls.
Tournament all-in showdown -- players show:
Jagz7 shows 5h 6s.
bzimzim shows Qc Qh.
Flop (board: Tc 4h 8c): (no action in this round)
Turn (board: Tc 4h 8c 7s): (no action in this round)
River (board: Tc 4h 8c 7s 8d): (no action in this round)
Showdown:
Jagz7 has 5h 6s 4h 8c 7s: straight, eight high.
bzimzim has Qc Qh Tc 8c 8d: two pair, queens and eights.
Hand #55049001-215 Summary:
No rake is taken for this hand.
Jagz7 wins 52010 with straight, eight high.

That guy was a huge chipleader, and just decided he could run over the table. But of course I knew that, and wouldn't have raised in that spot without a hand. So that was out for 25th. Then 5 minutes later in AP 30r:

Stage #1222816004 Tourney ID 2034582 Holdem Multi Normal Tournament No Limit $1000 - 2008-07-09 00:32:17 (ET)
Table: 1 (Real Money) Seat #1 is the dealer
Seat 1 - FUTUREPROQQ ($27642.50 in chips)
Seat 2 - STIND ($20667.50 in chips)
Seat 3 - BZIMZIM ($69650.36 in chips)
Seat 4 - GOLDSPIKE ($34461.25 in chips)
Seat 5 - KISSER11 ($40796.78 in chips)
Seat 6 - SGTMAYNE ($12604 in chips)
Seat 8 - FLASH47 ($15144.44 in chips)
Seat 9 - MIKEDADUTCH ($28532.50 in chips)
FUTUREPROQQ - Ante $100
STIND - Ante $100
BZIMZIM - Ante $100
GOLDSPIKE - Ante $100
KISSER11 - Ante $100
SGTMAYNE - Ante $100
FLASH47 - Ante $100
MIKEDADUTCH - Ante $100
STIND - Posts small blind $500
BZIMZIM - Posts big blind $1000
*** POCKET CARDS ***
Dealt to BZIMZIM [Jd Kd]
GOLDSPIKE - Folds
KISSER11 - Calls $1000
SGTMAYNE - Folds
FLASH47 - Folds
MIKEDADUTCH - Folds
FUTUREPROQQ - Folds
STIND - Calls $500
BZIMZIM - Checks
*** FLOP *** [4d Js 6d]
STIND - Checks
BZIMZIM - Checks
KISSER11 - Bets $4000
STIND - Folds
BZIMZIM - Raises $13000 to $13000
KISSER11 - Calls $9000
*** TURN *** [4d Js 6d] [4h]
BZIMZIM - All-In $55550.36
KISSER11 - All-In $26696.78
BZIMZIM - returned ($28853.58) : not called
*** RIVER *** [4d Js 6d 4h] [6s]
*** SHOW DOWN ***
BZIMZIM - Shows [Jd Kd] (Two Pair, jacks and sixes)
KISSER11 - Shows [6c Ad] (Full house, sixes full of fours)
KISSER11 Collects $83193.56 from main pot

Yeah, nc, wp. Jeesh. That was for a big chip lead in that tournament. Ended up making ft anyway (kisser, shockingly, was not there), and actually put a brutal beat on dominant there shoving K2 into KK and getting a chop with a straight, but didn't matter anyway, called an aipf with AQ and ran into AK, finished 7th. Think I played ok yesterday really, one horrific call of an all in on Stars earlier in the day aside. So having got this post out of my system, I'll be back at it today, aspiring to get back to even for the month.

Stuck So Far For July

2008-07-07T14:37:00.001-05:00

Qualified for the Tuesday $1050 on Stars to start the month. I've been trying to qualify for more $1000 entry tournaments, can play for big money without the monstrousity of a field. Finished a disappointing 47th. Man did I get hit with the deck in that tournament. But thanks to one resteal gone horribly, horribly wrong, ended up fairly short at the end when I made this call:

PokerStars Game #18521709827: Tournament #93862934, $1000+$50 Hold'em No Limit - Level IX (200/400) - 2008/07/01 - 23:06:01 (ET)
Table '93862934 19' 9-max Seat #7 is the button
Seat 1: RooBunny<3 (15997 in chips)
Seat 2: Sir_DonaldRM (22802 in chips)
Seat 3: tdw9750 (12405 in chips)
Seat 4: Domce (23873 in chips)
Seat 6: slammedfire (10689 in chips)
Seat 7: jle90 (15320 in chips)
Seat 8: agriffrod (3664 in chips)
Seat 9: bzimzim (8006 in chips)
RooBunny<3: posts the ante 40
Sir_DonaldRM: posts the ante 40
tdw9750: posts the ante 40
Domce: posts the ante 40
slammedfire: posts the ante 40
jle90: posts the ante 40
agriffrod: posts the ante 40
bzimzim: posts the ante 40
agriffrod: posts small blind 200
bzimzim: posts big blind 400
*** HOLE CARDS ***
Dealt to bzimzim [Ac Jd]
RooBunny<3: folds
Sir_DonaldRM: folds
tdw9750: folds
Domce: folds
slammedfire: raises 10249 to 10649 and is all-in
jle90: folds
agriffrod: folds
bzimzim: calls 7566 and is all-in
Uncalled bet (2683) returned to slammedfire
*** FLOP *** [Jc 2h Ad]
*** TURN *** [Jc 2h Ad] [Qh]
*** RIVER *** [Jc 2h Ad Qh] [4h]
*** SHOW DOWN ***
bzimzim: shows [Ac Jd] (two pair, Aces and Jacks)
slammedfire: shows [4s 4d] (three of a kind, Fours)
slammedfire collected 16452 from pot

Standard? Too loose? That guy had been shoving a lot, and I really wouldn't have been surprised to see A9 or something there, and was willing to gamble in a coin flip situation due to a relatively short stack at that stage. Brutal river IMO. Just felt like I missed an opportunity in general, don't catch cards like that in every tournament. Very frustrating.

On a sort of funny note, Hevad Khan was at my opening table, and one or two people were typing "BULLDOZEERRR!" That made me laugh.

Things have not gone well since then. Overplayed KQ into KK on Q high flop against some donk in the 150k, much to my annoyance. Shit I can't even beat a 1/2 NL cash game right now. So taking today off, soccer game anyway. I'll get back to work tomorrow. Down about 2100 for July at the moment, and about 4k down swing overall. Annoying.

Think I'll hit the casino one day this week and go donk around. Also the Heartland Poker Tour is coming back to Majestic Star. Maybe that'll go better this time.

June Wrap

2008-07-01T14:26:00.004-05:00

June=lowest volume month yet? I feel like I write that almost every month. That can't be good. I did crank it up the last week, and still a respectable month money-wise.

June: +$5448

Year to date: $55,533

I've kind of established $5k as the baseline for what I expect in a month at this point. Only in January was I under that total, back when I was stumbling in the dark as a poker player. My poker career is pretty much divided into before the 100k and after the 100k. Since that tournament I've played with much more confidence.

Actually I was taking the El down to the South Side for Cubs-White Sox, and I started talking to someone who had been a professional poker player as well (I was wearing a "I knocked out a pro on FT shirt" was how the conversation got started). It was only about a two minute conversation, but he did say, "You know, if you think you're gonna run well, you'll run well." Few statements are more true than that.

$48.56 in rakeback this month. Hey free money.

I was reading articles on pocketfives the other day, and there was this one about how to have fun in Vegas: http://www.pocketfives.com/poker-articles/enjoying-las-vegas-during-wsop-3021552. Of particular interest to me was this part about bottle service at nightclubs: "Tip the bouncer $50 when you first get there and learn his name. He is your best friend for the next 4 hours. He will also remove girls from your booth if things are not going your way. Just tap him on the shoulder, tell him you are going to the rest room and you want your booth cleared of the lame girls before you get back. Don't watch the removal happen, the girls are shocked and it is ugly."

Yikes. I pretty much don't do nightclubs anyway, but there's a glimpse into a world I've never been a part of and don't have any interest in. Guess I'll never really be a baller. Oh well. I do find it funny that p5s has apparently strayed from poker advice to "advice on how to be the biggest douchebag possible." At least present it in poker terms. Like, the cuter the girl + the drunker she is + the chances she's put out=+EV (and the higher the expected value, the less likely you'll have some bouncer tell her to get the fuck away from your table and stop drinking your booze for free). See, that was classier.

If Obama runs to the middle in faster, he's going to have a wind-aided world record. He's running there just as fast as my enthusiasm for his campaign is dwindling.

Going to do Mets-Cardinals Wednesday and Thursday in St. Louis, so full day today! Let's get the month going right. Should get going here soon.

One More FT, End of Month Regression

2008-06-29T11:49:00.002-05:00

Made one more final table in a row, made it basically 4 in 4 days with UB 20k. Finished fourth, not sure I really played well. Then proceeded to give back about two grand over the last couple days, after being up about 7.5k for the month after the UB tourney. Now up about 5.5K. That might be it for the month, playing softball today and soccer doubleheader tomorrow, along with going to the South Side for the Cubs-White Sox game tonight. I'm at least pleased I got in some volume at the end of the month, though the end wasn't what I hoped.

Played the FT $322 six handed yesterday, lasted for say, six minutes. Here's the hand:

Full Tilt Poker Game #7006291974: $90,000 Guarantee (51450846), Table 8 - 15/30 - No Limit Hold'em - 15:15:58 ET - 2008/06/28
Seat 1: Sudco (2,745)
Seat 2: bakitako (2,735)
Seat 3: Chat Off (2,690)
Seat 4: bzimzim (3,260)
Seat 5: The Universe112 (3,495)
Seat 6: TheKoalabear (3,075)
bakitako posts the small blind of 15
Chat Off posts the big blind of 30
The button is in seat #1
*** HOLE CARDS ***
Dealt to bzimzim [6d 6s]
bzimzim raises to 90
The Universe112 calls 90
TheKoalabear folds
Sudco folds
bakitako calls 75
Chat Off folds
*** FLOP *** [8s 3c 6h]
bakitako checks
bzimzim bets 210
The Universe112 calls 210
bakitako folds
*** TURN *** [8s 3c 6h] [5h]
bzimzim has 15 seconds left to act
bzimzim bets 450
The Universe112 calls 450
*** RIVER *** [8s 3c 6h 5h] [Qc]
bzimzim has 15 seconds left to act
bzimzim bets 1,000
The Universe112 raises to 2,745, and is all in
bzimzim has 15 seconds left to act
bzimzim has requested TIME
bzimzim calls 1,510, and is all in
Uncalled bet of 235 returned to The Universe112
*** SHOW DOWN ***
The Universe112 shows [7h 9h] a straight, Nine high
bzimzim mucks
The Universe112 wins the pot (6,640) with a straight, Nine high

You know those calls you talk yourself into? This was a call I talked myself into. Part of the calculus was that he badly overplayed top pair with a nothing kicker before, making a big bet on the river that was clearly a value bet (except he was behind). And I was getting better than 3:1, and I thought well, he could have etc. But really, what else could he have here? Another set maybe. I just don't think I'm going to see hands I can beat enough to make this call here. I saw exactly the hand I expected to see; and if that's true, why am I calling in the first place?

The 150k was a shove fest by the beginning of hour three yesterday thanks to the new awful blind structure. Supposedly they've changed back. God I hope so, that was atrocious. I wrote an angry email to AP support, they say my suggestions are "well received" and my email has been forwarded to the Programmers Team. But if I had some part in them doing something about it, I'm happy. The worst part was that it was intentionally deceptive, starting at 5/10 and then still providing less play than before.

World Series is going on. Eric "jakz" Crain finished 13th in an event, good showing. Wasn't really one of my goals to make it out there this year, more concerned with getting myself established playing online poker and paying rent then trying to qualify for big tournaments. But next year, making it out to Vegas for the WSOP will definitely be on the list of goals I think.

Ohio State recruiting class is basically already wrapped up, 23 recruits committed, which is sick. Euro Final today. The Mets still suck. College football season, and in particular September 13, is still too far away.

Ship 8k; Poker Week

2008-06-26T12:15:00.002-05:00

Well I was getting annoyed after blowing a bunch of chips at final tables at Stars 20r and Cake 30r, being in the top two in chips at final table and finishing seventh both times. Did I play too aggressively? Still need to review those. But got the monkey off my back by shipping AP 8k last night for essentially 2.5k. Actually my first shippage of the month, though the big cash was finishing second before. It was weird because when we were down to two tables my table went ballistically aggro, and I wasn't picking up much, but managed to pick spots and hang around well I think. But I had a sort of "Am I on AP? What's happening right now?" moment as the table went nuts around me. Then the final table was much more standard, just lots of shoving by me, with the added bonus that I was able to go into run over people mode with the CL with 3 people left since they were clearly interested in trying to make an extra $700 by finishing second.

Hey it's poker week! After being totally derelict in my poker duties for most of this month, ramped it up this week. I did not play any tournaments from the 4th to the 18th. Wow. I work hard at my job. Anyway, got it going now, with the result being 3 final tables in four days (and really 3 in 3 days, only played one tourney Monday after I got back from soccer). Tonight? Why I think I'll play some poker. Feeling a big shippage coming.

Pokerstars now has rakeback. Sweet. I still have not heard about Cake. It was supposed to take 3-5 days. That was a month ago. Maybe I'll just attempt to sign up again.

Alright back to laundry, then what should be an awesome Euro semi between Russia and Spain. And then poker.

This Post Couldn't Have Less To Do With Poker

2008-06-22T09:58:00.002-05:00

Although I will say, finished 4th in the 1r1a $55 Stars tournament this week, had big chip lead with four left than lost it all, at some point I'll go back and decide if that goes in the category of "didn't catch cards, unlucky" or "totally epic fucking collapse, I suck". Probably somewhere in between.

Anyway, I don't normally watch Sunday morning political shows because they (politicians, hack commentators like George Stephanopoulos) feed us such drivel, but I happened to catch the "Commentary" by Bob Schieffer at the end of Face the Nation. What followed was, I thought, hilarious, but then again I have a weird sense of humor. In case you don't know, Schieffer is 100 years old. I might be rounding.

"Finally, today, I'm just back from two weeks in France. I hadn't been there in awhile and I'd forgotten just how beautiful Paris can be. But there was a little culture shock and it took me a day or two to figure it out. Then it hit me; I was seeing something on the boulevards of Paris that I hadn't seen lately in America, at least not in the Northeast: couples. Boys and girls paired off, men and women holding hands, strolling, talking, sitting in sidewalk cafes, immersed in each other as the world passed by. Stroll down an American street in the early evening and what you see are not couples but groups of young women going off to see Sex and the City or some such, and then gangs of guys heading for sports bars. Late in the evening, or so I'm told, they eventually meet up at clubs or other gathering places where everyone, for wont of a better word, gets plastered. Long ago, I moved from participant to consultant observer status in such matters, and it is none of my business of course, but based on my boulevard observations, here is my thought on all this. American guys would do well to start talking to the ladies much earlier in the evening before the drinking starts. Those French guys seemed fascinated with what their dates were saying, and from what I could tell, things were moving along just fine."

Top three moments in that speech:
3. All French guys are "fascinated" by their dates.
2. Referring to any group of guys as a "gang", and he had a little bite in his voice when he said it.
1. Eventually everyone meets up and gets plastered. I suppose I can't argue with this, but hearing Schieffer say it in his advanced age was awesome.

Also, unlike the other morning shows, Face the Nation is only a half hour. Are we really setting aside two minutes so Schieffer can lecture us young whipper snappers? Of course, this is the same network that still allows Andy Rooney to talk, despite the fact that he makes less sense than your average person in a mental asylum. So maybe I shouldn't be surprised.

Back From California!

2008-06-18T10:40:00.002-05:00

And refreshed, and ready to get to work!

Went to my friend's wedding. It was in a winery in Calistoga, or outside of Calistoga, and it was great. Wineries are definitely an excellent place to get married, especially if you can incorporate wine into the ceremony. Also, funny story. Al Jazeera was at the wedding. Well, kind of. The minister who did the ceremony is also doing gay marriages, so the reporter was covering him with gay marriage going legal that week. Turns out he was more of an independent contractor really, but still thought that was funny.

Alright, haven't done shit so far this month, but I'm ready, time for some afternoon poker.

Lethargy

2008-06-13T14:39:00.003-05:00

I can't remember a week that I've played less. There are some legitimate reasons for that: I usually play big on Sunday but went to the Chicago Blues Festival instead, plus I'm not playing during the Finals games so I can watch the Lakers lose (that's turned out to be a lot less fun than I was hoping). I've also been sucked in by the Euro. Still way too much coasting lately. I go to California tomorrow, back Tuesday night. I will rededicate myself to putting in the hours in the second half of this month.

Some Hands; Almost Ship

2008-06-06T15:21:00.002-05:00

In AP 20r, played three hands in a row, opponents had aces three times. Never had that happen before. Cracked 'em twice. Even I want to run like me:

Stage #1195322451 Tourney ID 2019047 Holdem Multi Normal Tournament No Limit $300 - 2008-06-04 13:48:29 (ET)
Table: 13 (Real Money) Seat #2 is the dealer
Seat 1 - VLAD5873 ($18797.50 in chips)
Seat 2 - ILLFUUP ($17717.50 in chips)
Seat 3 - BZIMZIM ($10000 in chips)
Seat 4 - JD38 ($13690 in chips)
Seat 6 - KUDOS72OFF ($8910 in chips)
Seat 7 - MPITTSBURGH ($11865 in chips)
Seat 8 - ICECRUSHER ($10380 in chips)
Seat 9 - SPOTUPJ ($16720 in chips)
VLAD5873 - Ante $25
ILLFUUP - Ante $25
BZIMZIM - Ante $25
JD38 - Ante $25
KUDOS72OFF - Ante $25
MPITTSBURGH - Ante $25
ICECRUSHER - Ante $25
SPOTUPJ - Ante $25
BZIMZIM - Posts small blind $150
JD38 - Posts big blind $300
*** POCKET CARDS ***
Dealt to BZIMZIM [Jc Jh]
KUDOS72OFF - Raises $800 to $800
MPITTSBURGH - Folds
ICECRUSHER - Folds
SPOTUPJ - Folds
VLAD5873 - Folds
ILLFUUP - Folds
BZIMZIM - Raises $2350 to $2500
JD38 - Folds
KUDOS72OFF - Calls $1700
*** FLOP *** [6c Qd Jd]
BZIMZIM - Bets $3000
KUDOS72OFF - All-In(Raise) $6385 to $6385
BZIMZIM - Calls $3385
*** TURN *** [6c Qd Jd] [6d]
*** RIVER *** [6c Qd Jd 6d] [Qh]
*** SHOW DOWN ***
BZIMZIM - Shows [Jc Jh] (Full house, jacks full of queens)
KUDOS72OFF - Shows [As Ah] (Two Pair, aces and queens)
BZIMZIM Collects $18270 from main pot

Stage #1195323027 Tourney ID 2019047 Holdem Multi Normal Tournament No Limit $300 - 2008-06-04 13:49:47 (ET)
Table: 13 (Real Money) Seat #3 is the dealer
Seat 1 - VLAD5873 ($18772.50 in chips)
Seat 2 - ILLFUUP ($17692.50 in chips)
Seat 3 - BZIMZIM ($19360 in chips)
Seat 4 - JD38 ($13365 in chips)
Seat 7 - MPITTSBURGH ($11840 in chips)
Seat 8 - ICECRUSHER ($10355 in chips)
Seat 9 - SPOTUPJ ($16695 in chips)
VLAD5873 - Ante $25
ILLFUUP - Ante $25
BZIMZIM - Ante $25
JD38 - Ante $25
MPITTSBURGH - Ante $25
ICECRUSHER - Ante $25
SPOTUPJ - Ante $25
JD38 - Posts small blind $150
MPITTSBURGH - Posts big blind $300
*** POCKET CARDS ***
Dealt to BZIMZIM [Ac Jc]
ICECRUSHER - Folds
SPOTUPJ - Folds
VLAD5873 - Folds
ILLFUUP - Folds
BZIMZIM - Raises $800 to $800
JD38 - Calls $650
MPITTSBURGH - Calls $500
*** FLOP *** [4h 2h 6h]
JD38 - Checks
MPITTSBURGH - Bets $2575
BZIMZIM - Folds
JD38 - Calls $2575
*** TURN *** [4h 2h 6h] [Kc]
JD38 - Checks
MPITTSBURGH - All-In $8440
JD38 - Calls $8440
*** RIVER *** [4h 2h 6h Kc] [Kh]
*** SHOW DOWN ***
JD38 - Shows [Ah As] (Flush, ace high)
MPITTSBURGH - Shows [8c 6c] (Two Pair, kings and sixes)
JD38 Collects $24605 from main pot

Stage #1195323565 Tourney ID 2019047 Holdem Multi Normal Tournament No Limit $300 - 2008-06-04 13:51:04 (ET)
Table: 13 (Real Money) Seat #4 is the dealer
Seat 1 - VLAD5873 ($18747.50 in chips)
Seat 2 - ILLFUUP ($17667.50 in chips)
Seat 3 - BZIMZIM ($18535 in chips)
Seat 4 - JD38 ($26130 in chips)
Seat 8 - ICECRUSHER ($10330 in chips)
Seat 9 - SPOTUPJ ($16670 in chips)
VLAD5873 - Ante $25
ILLFUUP - Ante $25
BZIMZIM - Ante $25
JD38 - Ante $25
ICECRUSHER - Ante $25
SPOTUPJ - Ante $25
ICECRUSHER - Posts small blind $150
SPOTUPJ - Posts big blind $300
*** POCKET CARDS ***Dealt to BZIMZIM [Ah Kd]
VLAD5873 - Folds
ILLFUUP - Calls $300
BZIMZIM - Raises $1200 to $1200
JD38 - Folds
ICECRUSHER - Raises $3450 to $3600
SPOTUPJ - Folds
ILLFUUP - Folds
BZIMZIM - Raises $10350 to $11550
ICECRUSHER - All-In $6705
BZIMZIM - returned ($1245) : not called
*** FLOP *** [2h Js 8h]
*** TURN *** [2h Js 8h] [7h]
*** RIVER *** [2h Js 8h 7h] [9h]
*** SHOW DOWN ***
BZIMZIM - Shows [Ah Kd] (Flush, ace high)
ICECRUSHER - Shows [Ad Ac] (One pair, aces)
BZIMZIM Collects $21360 from main pot

But what goes around...

Stage #1195342549 Tourney ID 2019047 Holdem Multi Normal Tournament No Limit $600 - 2008-06-04 14:26:55 (ET)
Table: 4 (Real Money) Seat #3 is the dealer
Seat 2 - CLUBMASTER48 ($15203.50 in chips)
Seat 3 - GLOWGREEN ($35744.50 in chips)
Seat 4 - NEWDADDY30 ($13857 in chips)
Seat 5 - ALID ($33262 in chips)
Seat 6 - BZIMZIM ($28590 in chips)
Seat 7 - HAIRYAREOLA ($11140 in chips)
Seat 8 - SIDNEYFALCO ($11650 in chips)
Seat 9 - BBIRD300 ($4492.50 in chips)
CLUBMASTER48 - Ante $50
GLOWGREEN - Ante $50
NEWDADDY30 - Ante $50
ALID - Ante $50
ZIMZIM - Ante $50
HAIRYAREOLA - Ante $50
SIDNEYFALCO - Ante $50
BBIRD300 - Ante $50
NEWDADDY30 - Posts small blind $300
ALID - Posts big blind $600
*** POCKET CARDS ***Dealt to BZIMZIM [Ad Ah]
BZIMZIM - Raises $1600 to $1600
HAIRYAREOLA - Folds
SIDNEYFALCO - Folds
BBIRD300 - Folds
CLUBMASTER48 - Folds
GLOWGREEN - Raises $5000 to $5000
NEWDADDY30 - Folds
ALID - Folds
BZIMZIM - Calls $3400
*** FLOP *** [6d 10s 8s]
BZIMZIM - Checks
GLOWGREEN - Bets $9000
BZIMZIM - All-In(Raise) $23540 to $23540
GLOWGREEN - Calls $14540
*** TURN *** [6d 10s 8s] [7s]
*** RIVER *** [6d 10s 8s 7s] [6h]
*** SHOW DOWN ***
GLOWGREEN - Shows [Qs 9d] (Straight, six to ten)
BZIMZIM - Shows [Ad Ah] (Two Pair, aces and sixes)
GLOWGREEN Collects $58380 from main pot

I'm not normally one to knock people's game, because I like when people play badly cause it makes me money and I just generally don't care that much. Plus it annoys me when people berate people to make their own ego feel better. And hell, it's not like immune from playing badly, God knows it's happened. But I did notice that Glowgreen actually won a WSOP main event seat. And honestly, I have no idea how that happened. I'm putting the over/under at how long he'll be in the tournament at, say, six minutes.

Or he'll win the tournament. Nothing in between.

Got headsup in 15k $109 on Stars, turned down a chop for $7k and play for the rest to play it out cause I was better than the other player imo. But couldn't getting anything going, then ended on this:
PokerStars Game #17918941742: Tournament #90369539, $100+$9 Hold'em No Limit - Level XXIV (8000/16000) - 2008/06/04 - 19:27:48 (ET)
Table '90369539 35' 9-max Seat #8 is the button
Seat 5: bzimzim (322340 in chips)
Seat 8: Chris-nana (865660 in chips)
bzimzim: posts the ante 1600
Chris-nana: posts the ante 1600
Chris-nana: posts small blind 8000
bzimzim: posts big blind 16000
*** HOLE CARDS ***Dealt to bzimzim [Qd Qh]
Chris-nana: raises 22880 to 38880
bzimzim: calls 22880
*** FLOP *** [2h 5h Js]
bzimzim: checks
Chris-nana: bets 32880
bzimzim: raises 47120 to 80000
Chris-nana: calls 47120
*** TURN *** [2h 5h Js] [Ah]
bzimzim: bets 201860 and is all-in
Chris-nana: calls 201860
*** RIVER *** [2h 5h Js Ah] [7d]
*** SHOW DOWN ***
bzimzim: shows [Qd Qh] (a pair of Queens)
Chris-nana: shows [Jd Jc] (three of a kind, Jacks)
Chris-nana collected 644680 from pot

Tried to get tricky, may as well have reraised it was all getting in there anyway. Oh well, what can you do. Still, almost $6k cash, good way to start the month. Especially since I only have three cashes so far this month for the rest of the tournaments. And they were both rebuys, and in both of them I still lost money for the tourney lol. But only need one cash if it's the right one.

Also lost a flip for big chip lead at FT of AP 9k, that was annoying. Had great potential, there were only 45 people in the tourney that day because there was some sort of problem with registering, I wasn't able to register til the minute before. Overall, was hoping for a really big day but suppose I can't complain. I run good when I play 13 hour days, which is what I did Wednesday.

Won't play much this weekend I don't think, Chicago Blues Festival going on and friend's birthday, plus I think I'm buying a new TV because my current one is cracked and annoying the hell out of me. And because what the hell, should spend my money on something.

Speaking of money, it takes Bodog for fucking ever to send checks. I ordered two over a month ago and I still haven't got the first one yet. I did get one from AP already that I ordered three weeks later.

I've made $33.75 from rakeback so far. I'm rich.

Still mad about the Lakers losing Game 1 last night. If you can go from "I need carried off because I can't walk" to "I'm fine" that quickly, you should be in Euro 2008, not the NBA Finals. Just sayin'.

May Wrap

2008-06-02T16:24:00.002-05:00

Well I had the goal of volume for May, and I'd say I mostly succeeded until the last week. The last week I definitely did not, I think I got in a life funk. But whatever, life funk over, full speed ahead.

May: +$6842

Year to date: $50,085

Was pretty tired yesterday after waking up at 6:45 am for absolutely no reason (at least I went to bed at 1, which was the earliest I'd gone to bed in a long time), and then I had softball, so only played a few tournaments yesterday, which mostly consisted of me consistently rebuying and getting bitch-slapped around. Did almost FT AP 30r, but whatever.

So finally signed up for rakeback. I have never actually had rakeback. I am a moron. So far been approved on AP and UB. Hey if they're going to have massive cheating scandals, the least they could do if give me rakeback, lol. Hopefully get approved for Cake as well. At the moment that seems like it, didn't get approved on FT, and it seems no rakeback on BD or Stars. But hey, free money.

Hopefully lots of play this week, be good to get some play going during the day on nights when I'm doing stuff. Also on nights when the Lakers have Finals games I won't be playing.

For tonight though, off to see Indiana Jones.

Chasing the Big One; Locked In

2008-05-26T12:42:00.002-05:00

Ended up not going to the casino on Thursday, as I drank all day (and I do mean all day) on Wednesday. So mostly not productive there. Then it was a weekend of chasing big scores. Finished 24th in AP 150k, shoved 9s with a shortish stack into JJ, what can you do.

Sunday was a huge day. I played for 15 hours yesterday, and I don't usually do that, because at a certain point I get bored or frustrated or whatever. But the momentum just kind of built upon itself. Hopped in the AP 20r when I woke up, and finished third. The day didn't end until I got knocked out of the AP 30r. In third. So that had a nice synchronicity to it anyway. Also, the ending of the AP 30r was extremely annoying, as I got it in AQ against AJ for three quarters of the chips in play, J on the flop obv. That was for the tournament too, because the other guy was basically all in as well, and the third player was an absolute donkey, who I had run over but couldn't take him out because he hit a three outer and won a race. So instead of $4125, I'll take $1740. Damn three outers. Would have been second AP 30r ship this month. Also in a related story I pwn AP, and they're now sending me yet another check, as anytime I go over $20k in bankroll I withdraw a bit, since that seems like plenty for the stakes I'm playing. The only tourney over $216 I generally straight buyin to is the $150k.

Actually I was thinking about this the other day, if I had picked another poker room to initially deposit, and I basically picked AP at random, would I be a lawyer right now instead of a poker player? I mean, I'd never played for money basically before Fall 2004, when I deposited $30 on AP. In 2005, I finished second in the big Saturday weekly tournament (I think it was the 80k), and would have won if I wasn't sucked out on repeatedly. Would that transition have gone quite so easily if I had deposited on Stars instead? Don't get me wrong, I'm sure I could crack the $11 SNGs anywhere lol. But I wonder if, since the play is so poor on AP, I wouldn't have gone up in stakes as quickly. Because I figured more or less I would give this a run by 2L summer, and I really had to decide by then, because otherwise I needed to find a job.

Also, I'm going to win the Saturday weekly on AP, now $150k, if it's the last thing I do. I swear to God, that's my tournament. I've finished second, I've finished fourth, and I'm gonna win that thing, damn it. 29th last week, 24th this week, moving in the right direction anyway. Though I think I'll miss it this week cause I'll be traveling.

Back on topic, the big almost excitement of the day was my almost deep finish in the $750k on Tilt. 3580 entrants, was just starting to get excited in the top 100, pick up AK, aipf against JJ for a 300k pot, couldn't hit. Out in 69th. Grrrr. That would have put me about 6th in chips, then off and running from there. Anyway, definitely going to review that HH at some point. The table was very aggressive and as a result I was more conservative about picking my spots, and I actually thought that worked out rather well. But I'll look at it again before I decide. It was the exact opposite of the AP 30r, where at times it felt like I was raising almost every other hand, and I don't think I got 3 bet for like an hour.

So that was disappointing, and then with the end of the 30r, I felt generally disappointed at the end of the day, despite being up 2 grand or so. Otherwise the other big Sunday tournaments were a wash. Still, I do feel really good about my game right now, and very locked in. My table reading skills I think are strong at the moment, when to step on the gas, when to pull back. I never thought my ability to read people was my strongest attribute, particularly during the course of hands. I feel like I end up making folds (or donk calls) where I think to myself "I just don't know where I am." But I feel like my ability to read tables in general is very strong, and that's a somewhat different skill I think. Not only does each player have their own identity, each table has an identity as well, and it's important to be able to read how much a table can be pushed, particular with pf raising when the blinds get high.

Schedule for this week: not sure how much I'll play exactly to close out May. Logged a lot of hours yesterday, but don't really feel worn out. Soccer tomorrow, Lansing Wednesday for dogsitting, I'll certainly have plenty of free time there. So I expect I'll have a good deal of play this week.

An Unprofitable Weekend

2008-05-20T13:25:00.002-05:00

Finished 29th in 150k on Saturday, didn't catch a lot of cards late. Sunday was a total wash, only itm in Stars Million, straight bubbled UB 200k, 1300th or so in FTOPS Main Event (another tourney where I didn't find a lot to play), and nothing else good to say about much of anything. Also stuck my last bit of money in a 1/2 cash game on Tilt, top set of kings against a straight and KK against QT on Q high flop, 10 river for total busto on Tilt. Not often I go totally bust on a site, since I usually keep 2-3k in each. But given it is Tilt that seems about right. At least it's a site I can actually redeposit on conveniently. Though maybe I shouldn't.

But I will.

Can't do it until Thursday though, because that will be 7 days from my first echecks deposit.

Also Thursday might go donk around at cash games at the casino. Soccer tonight, UEFA Champions League final during afternoon tomorrow and then doing happy hour with friends tomorrow night so probably not much poker in the next two days. Maybe I'll donk around some internet cash games in the free spots.

There's a new Errol Morris movie out about Abu Ghraib. If you didn't see Morris' previous movie, The Fog of War, about Robert McNamara, it's definitely worth seeing. I remember seeing it at the Athens Film Festival. Yes, Athens, Ohio, actually has a film festival, and a pretty good one too. Anyway, this was at the NYT website today and serves as a pretty good preview of the subject matter: http://morris.blogs.nytimes.com/2008/05/19/the-most-curious-thing/?hp

FTOPS annoyance

2008-05-16T15:02:00.003-05:00

So been trying to qualify for a couple FTOPS events, specifially Event #11 and #21, which is a $2500 2 day event. Running absolutely terrible in the qualifiers. Went out 37th in a #11 qualifier when the top 33 qualified, shoved a short stack with AA (wasn't going to make it once around the table), looked up by J10, flop 987. So, that was annoying. Made one donkey call in one of them, otherwise it just seems not running good in them. Also played some $75s for the FTOPS main event just to not have to put up the $500, and I suck at those too. At this point I'll just buyin. Or maybe I'll try one more. Whatever. Certainly won't be buying in to $2500, since I'm cheap (or have smart bankroll management, whatever). Also made FT of Tilt $109 starting at like 11 am, KQ into JJ on QJx flop, then lost a flip for ninth. So has always I run like crap on FT.

I do like that Tilt, and also Stars, have deposit methods where it can go directly from your bank account to the Tilt or Stars account, with e-checks. I feel like this is new, or at least I haven't noticed before. Then again, I don't really deposit that often. But still it's quite handy. Now if they'd increase the limits.

Otherwise, finished 2nd in AP 9k a couple of nights ago, was temporarily over $50k for the year. Gave that back, but still, that was kind of my goal for the year, like if I make $50k I'll survive in Chicago and be able to pay rent. New goal: 100K? That might be ambitious, given that I'm not fully dedicated to poker the way other people seem to be. But what the hell, I'll give it a run. New goal is $100k. Let's see how it goes.

Lance Briggs is singing Take Me Out to the Ballgame at Wrigley right now. God he is an awful singer.

Some Hands; Ship AP 30r

2008-05-10T15:58:00.004-05:00

Fun times in a Stars $109 from 2 nights ago. This guy random shoved here and I had no idea what to make of that. Last time I saw a random overshove like that, someone shoved aces for 2500 at 5/10 on UB and got looked up by kings. Decided I had to call though.

PokerStars Game #17300317971: Tournament #87045231, $100+$9 Hold'em No Limit - Level IV (50/100) - 2008/05/08 - 23:51:24 (ET)
Table '87045231 4' 9-max Seat #7 is the button
Seat 1: Jackster6125 (4635 in chips)
Seat 2: SHIPP ITT (3477 in chips)
Seat 3: Slapnasty (905 in chips)
Seat 4: usourcek (11490 in chips)
Seat 5: bomb888 (1583 in chips)
Seat 6: lilholdem954 (9520 in chips)
Seat 7: bzimzim (6510 in chips)
Seat 8: cashier20 (1315 in chips)
Seat 9: Kameron (4725 in chips)
cashier20: posts small blind 50
Kameron: posts big blind 100
*** HOLE CARDS ***
Dealt to bzimzim [Qs Qd]
Jackster6125: folds
SHIPP ITT: folds
Slapnasty: folds
usourcek: folds
bomb888: folds
lilholdem954: raises 9420 to 9520 and is all-in
bzimzim: calls 6510 and is all-in
cashier20: folds
Kameron: folds
*** FLOP *** [Kh 8h Ts]
*** TURN *** [Kh 8h Ts] [4d]
*** RIVER *** [Kh 8h Ts 4d] [3d]
*** SHOW DOWN ***
lilholdem954: shows [Ad Jh] (high card Ace)
bzimzim: shows [Qs Qd] (a pair of Queens)
bzimzim collected 13170 from pot

Only got better from there, as he shoved the next five hands in a row, and won twice, taking it down pf three times. And then, like an oasis in the desert...

PokerStars Game #17300401991: Tournament #87045231, $100+$9 Hold'em No Limit - Level IV (50/100) - 2008/05/08 - 23:56:27 (ET)
Table '87045231 4' 9-max Seat #4 is the button
Seat 1: Jackster6125 (4485 in chips)
Seat 2: SHIPP ITT (3327 in chips)
Seat 3: Slapnasty (755 in chips)
Seat 4: usourcek (6515 in chips)
Seat 5: bomb888 (1483 in chips)
Seat 6: lilholdem954 (9850 in chips)
Seat 7: bzimzim (13170 in chips)
Seat 9: Kameron (4575 in chips)
bomb888: posts small blind 50
lilholdem954: posts big blind 100
*** HOLE CARDS ***
Dealt to bzimzim [As Ac]
bzimzim: calls 100
Kameron: folds
Jackster6125: folds
SHIPP ITT: folds
Slapnasty: folds
usourcek: folds
MrteddyKGB is connected
bomb888: calls 50
lilholdem954: raises 9750 to 9850 and is all-in
bzimzim: calls 9750
bomb888: folds
*** FLOP *** [Ah 6h 3c]
Kameron said, "lol"
*** TURN *** [Ah 6h 3c] [Tc]
*** RIVER *** [Ah 6h 3c Tc] [9h]
*** SHOW DOWN ***
lilholdem954: shows [8d 6d] (a pair of Sixes)
bzimzim: shows [As Ac] (three of a kind, Aces)
lilholdem954 is sitting out
bzimzim collected 19800 from pot

God bless America.

Of course nothing good came of that in the end, sat around for awhile, was like 4/36 when I 3 bet CO+1 raiser with AQ and sb woke up with KK. Then two outed for 60k pot tens against sixes aipf, out for 25th. Guess you never really can win a tournament in the first hour, even if that first hour is Christmas.

Horrible read for UB $40k sniper turns into a donkout for me:

Hand #53238047-46 at S40Kguar9pm-007 (No Limit tournament Hold'em)
Started at 08/May/08 21:45:09
C91186 is at seat 0 with 4235.
MarcB244 is at seat 1 with 2130.
JayPez is at seat 2 with 3435.
bb77 is at seat 3 with 2420.
J FREE is at seat 4 with 2380.
betternuts is at seat 5 with 2730.
bzimzim is at seat 6 with 3010.
TheWacpKidd is at seat 7 with 4865.
kczoo is at seat 8 with 4775.
CBuHTyc is at seat 9 with 2475.
The button is at seat 4.
betternuts posts the small blind of 15.
bzimzim posts the big blind of 30.
C91186: -- --
MarcB244: -- --
JayPez: -- --
bb77: -- --
J FREE: -- --
betternuts: -- --
bzimzim: 7h 8d
TheWacpKidd: -- --
kczoo: -- --
CBuHTyc: -- --
Pre-flop:
TheWacpKidd folds.
kczoo folds.
CBuHTyc folds.
C91186 calls.
MarcB244 folds.
JayPez folds. bb77 folds.
J FREE folds.
betternuts folds.
bzimzim checks.
Flop (board: 8s As 7d):
bzimzim checks.
C91186 bets 75.
bzimzim raises to 250.
C91186 goes all-in for 4205.
bzimzim goes all-in for 2980.
C91186 is returned 1225 (uncalled).
Tournament all-in showdown -- players show:
C91186 shows 7c 7s.
bzimzim shows 7h 8d.
Turn (board: 8s As 7d 8c): (no action in this round)
River (board: 8s As 7d 8c 3h): (no action in this round)

Showdown: C91186 has 7c 7s 8s 7d 8c: full house, sevens full of eights. bzimzim has 7h 8d 8s 7d 8c: full house, eights full of sevens.

Really took a read here, and wow was it wrong. This guy doubled up early, but had really been splashing around since, whining the chat box about being pushed around, etc. I think it was the shove that got me. I really thought just an ace or a draw. The hands I were worried about were A7/A8. I was shocked he just shoved a set of 7s there. I'll take a donkout though, always.

Here I pwn sbrounder (lol sort of):

Hand #53238047-175 at S40Kguar9pm-007 (No Limit tournament Hold'em)
Started at 08/May/08 23:48:59
FLIMSIN is at seat 0 with 9520.
SbRounder is at seat 1 with 10585.
digitaldoc is at seat 2 with 11690.
bb77 is at seat 3 with 5170.
ALCARMO is at seat 4 with 6520.
betternuts is at seat 5 with 20785.
bzimzim is at seat 6 with 7200.
WiredNun is at seat 7 with 17665.
samos is at seat 8 with 17140.
The button is at seat 7.
FLIMSIN posts ante (50).
SbRounder posts ante (50).
digitaldoc posts ante (50).
bb77 posts ante (50).
ALCARMO posts ante (50).
betternuts posts ante (50).
bzimzim posts ante (50).
WiredNun posts ante (50).
samos posts ante (50).
FLIMSIN posts the small blind of 200.
SbRounder posts the big blind of 400.
FLIMSIN: -- --
SbRounder: -- --
digitaldoc: -- --
bb77: -- --
ALCARMO: -- --
betternuts: -- --
bzimzim: Ac Kc
WiredNun: -- --
samos: -- --
Pre-flop:
digitaldoc folds.
bb77 folds.
ALCARMO folds.
betternuts folds.
bzimzim raises to 1100.
WiredNun folds.
samos folds.
FLIMSIN folds.
SbRounder calls.
Flop (board: Ks Qc 4c):
SbRounder checks.
bzimzim bets 1500.
SbRounder raises to 7350.
bzimzim goes all-in for 6050.
SbRounder is returned 1300 (uncalled).
Tournament all-in showdown -- players show:
SbRounder shows Ad Ah.
bzimzim shows Ac Kc.
Turn (board: Ks Qc 4c 6s): (no action in this round)
River (board: Ks Qc 4c 6s Kh): (no action in this round)

Showdown:
SbRounder has Ad Ah Ks Qc Kh: two pair, aces and kings.
bzimzim has Ac Kc Ks Qc Kh: three kings.

Hand played itself after the flop obv, it was all going in. Ended up building up good stack, getting KK in against 98 on 955 flop, 9 on turn for huge hit (the guy who called with 98, even with all those chips, was gone like 5 hands later, which I suppose isn't that surprising), but built it back up to FT. Here's the exit against foolishgolf:

Hand #53238038-43 at S40Kguar9pm-Final (No Limit tournament Hold'em)
Started at 09/May/08 01:58:34
dipthr0ng is at seat 0 with 121860.
aguy2no is at seat 3 with 97360.
WiredNun is at seat 4 with 92220.
bzimzim is at seat 5 with 112280.
ostrichman is at seat 7 with 44920.
zmen is at seat 8 with 20805.
foolishgolf is at seat 9 with 283055.
The button is at seat 7.
dipthr0ng posts ante (300).
aguy2no posts ante (300).
WiredNun posts ante (300).
bzimzim posts ante (300).
ostrichman posts ante (300).
zmen posts ante (300).
foolishgolf posts ante (300).
foolishgolf posts the small blind of 1500.
dipthr0ng posts the big blind of 3000.
dipthr0ng: -- --
aguy2no: -- --
WiredNun: -- --
bzimzim: Kd Ad
ostrichman: -- --
zmen: -- --
foolishgolf: -- --
Pre-flop:
aguy2no calls.
WiredNun folds.
bzimzim raises to 11000.
ostrichman folds. zmen folds.
foolishgolf re-raises to 29500.
dipthr0ng folds.
aguy2no folds.
bzimzim goes all-in for 111980.
foolishgolf calls.
Tournament all-in showdown -- players show:
bzimzim shows Kd Ad.
foolishgolf shows 9c 9s.
Flop (board: 3c Js 8s): (no action in this round)
Turn (board: 3c Js 8s 8c): (no action in this round)
River (board: 3c Js 8s 8c 2d): (no action in this round)

Showdown:
bzimzim has Kd Ad Js 8s 8c: a pair of eights.
foolishgolf has 9c 9s Js 8s 8c: two pair, nines and eights.

Man, UB HH are annoying. Foolish, who is a very good player, makes a nice call here. With the utg limp and my raise, I was actually surprised he only had 9s, but I might be making too much of the utg limp. Without it certainly his raise was standard. Out in 7th I went for $1700 I think.

AP 30r: Got to pick up chips sometime, here's a spot:
Stage #1173737119 Tourney ID 2005390 Holdem Multi Normal Tournament No Limit $1200 - 2008-05-10 00:54:59 (ET)
Table: 8 (Real Money) Seat #8 is the dealer
Seat 2 - PROFISHIONAL ($17480 in chips)
Seat 3 - PLANOMAN ($42908 in chips)
Seat 4 - MATRIX05 ($48074 in chips)
Seat 5 - AZTEC111 ($7275 in chips)
Seat 6 - OTMAN ($27386.50 in chips)
Seat 7 - BZIMZIM ($28265 in chips)
Seat 8 - SKILLZ6195 ($24030 in chips)
Seat 9 - GLMELTON ($46445 in chips)
PROFISHIONAL - Ante $100
PLANOMAN - Ante $100
MATRIX05 - Ante $100
AZTEC111 - Ante $100
OTMAN - Ante $100
BZIMZIM - Ante $100
SKILLZ6195 - Ante $100
GLMELTON - Ante $100
GLMELTON - Posts small blind $600
PROFISHIONAL - Posts big blind $1200
*** POCKET CARDS ***
Dealt to BZIMZIM [6d Ac]
PLANOMAN - Folds
MATRIX05 - Folds
AZTEC111 - Folds
OTMAN - Folds
BZIMZIM - Raises $3100 to $3100
SKILLZ6195 - Folds
GLMELTON - Calls $2500
PROFISHIONAL - Folds
*** FLOP *** [9h Qh 8s]
GLMELTON - Bets $4100
BZIMZIM - Raises $10000 to $10000
GLMELTON - Calls $5900
*** TURN *** [9h Qh 8s] [Qc]
GLMELTON - Checks
BZIMZIM - Checks
*** RIVER *** [9h Qh 8s Qc] [5c]
GLMELTON - Checks
BZIMZIM - Bets $9600
GLMELTON - Folds
BZIMZIM - returned ($9600) : not called
*** SHOW DOWN ***
BZIMZIM - Does not show
BZIMZIM Collects $28200 from main pot

Weeeee. Picked a bad (lucky) spot to get aggro back against Plano here:

Stage #1173750571 Tourney ID 2005390 Holdem Multi Normal Tournament No Limit $1600 - 2008-05-10 01:11:44 (ET)
Table: 8 (Real Money) Seat #5 is the dealer
Seat 3 - PLANOMAN ($51008 in chips)
Seat 4 - MATRIX05 ($20799 in chips)
Seat 5 - AZTEC111 ($7550 in chips)
Seat 6 - OTMAN ($35486.50 in chips)
Seat 7 - BZIMZIM ($49365 in chips)
Seat 8 - SKILLZ6195 ($30830 in chips)
Seat 9 - GLMELTON ($20045 in chips)
PLANOMAN - Ante $100
MATRIX05 - Ante $100
AZTEC111 - Ante $100
OTMAN - Ante $100
BZIMZIM - Ante $100
SKILLZ6195 - Ante $100
GLMELTON - Ante $100
OTMAN - Posts small blind $800
BZIMZIM - Posts big blind $1600
*** POCKET CARDS ***
Dealt to BZIMZIM [4h 4d]
SKILLZ6195 - Folds
GLMELTON - Folds
PLANOMAN - Raises $4800 to $4800
MATRIX05 - Folds
AZTEC111 - Folds
OTMAN - Folds
BZIMZIM - Raises $11200 to $12800
PLANOMAN - Calls $8000
*** FLOP *** [6c 5h 7s]
BZIMZIM - Bets $22400
PLANOMAN - All-In(Raise) $38108 to $38108
BZIMZIM - All-In $14065
PLANOMAN - returned ($1643) : not called
*** TURN *** [6c 5h 7s] [4c]
*** RIVER *** [6c 5h 7s 4c] [Kd]
*** SHOW DOWN ***
PLANOMAN - Shows [As Ad] (One pair, aces)
BZIMZIM - Shows [4h 4d] (Three of a kind, fours)
BZIMZIM Collects $100030 from main pot

I'll take it where I can get it. And off and running. From there lots of tight players, and lots of running over the table, one or two more key hands, and shippage for $4500.

You know, there's nothing like winning. And it's amazing how little it actually happens. I play poker for a living, almost exclusively multis. Though I haven't played in the volume I would like, I've still played quite a few tournaments this year. And yet, here's a list of all the tournaments I've actually won (excluding qualifiers obviously):
UB $55 entry-93 entrants (Jan 17)
Bodog $100K-810 entrants (Feb 10)
UB $65 bounty-61 entrants (Feb 26)
PS $109-541 entrants (HU chop, I got slightly more for CL) (Mar 17)
AP $44 sng (lol, alright that doesn't count, but it is a "1" on my spreadsheet, and also the only sng I've played this year)
AP Forum Tourney (certainly not knocking the forum, but not counting this either)
AP 4.5K guar-42 entrants (Apr 5)
AP Sunday Warmup-224 entrants (Apr 5)
AP 30r-166 entrants (May 9)

So basically that's 7 tournaments I've won, after playing all year (though given not as much as I should). And perhaps that should be 6.5, since I might not have won the one I chopped. Now obviously winning isn't the only profitable result, especially in bigger tournaments. But I just found that interesting, especially since any tournament that isn't a win is a disappointment on one level or another. So I'll enjoy the ones I actually win.

Also, FT makes no appearance on that list. I swear, I run terrible on that site. Haven't played a single FTOPS event yet, but probably will at some point.

Wow this is a long entry. I'll wrap it OT: here's Bob Herbert's ruthless (and factual) destruction of the Clintons and who they are: http://www.nytimes.com/2008/05/10/opinion/10herbert.html?_r=1&hp&oref=slogin

Edit: As van pointed out, lilholdem954 is actually m8kingmoves, thus making me sound like a total dumbass for not realizing that. But as I sound like a dumbass frequently, I'm okay with that. Anyway, clearly he was tired of this tourney, and I'll take it. Some of us care if we win the $109s lol.

Well, Unstuck Anyway

2008-05-08T11:58:00.003-05:00

Massive CL with 7 to play in Cake 30r, so finished fourth of course. Repopped AJ, ran into KK in bb, oops (and the original raiser took a long time to fold, he probably had me beat too). Made a straight against a flush and called a pot sized river bet. Then this hand just absolutely through me for a loop.

Hand #14941FFBF2002667: $20,000 GUARANTEED!! - R&A
Seat 3: mjh8*** (496600.00 in chips)
Seat 4: leeh*** (388268.00 in chips)
Seat 5: bkba*** (42226.00 in chips)
Seat 7: bzimzim (180130.00 in chips)
Seat 9: Larr*** (170776.00 in chips)
mjh8146 posts ante of $1,000
leehrat posts ante of $1,000
bkballer posts ante of $1,000
bzimzim posts ante of $1,000
Larry12371 posts ante of $1,000
bzimzim: posts small blind $5,000
Larr***: posts big blind $10,000
Dealt to bzimzim [ Kc Kh ]
mjh8***: folds
leeh***: folds
bkba***: calls
bzimzim: raises to $42,000
Larr***: calls
bkba***: folds
@@@ F_L_O_P @@@ [ 5c Qd 4s ]
bzimzim: bets $50,000
Larr***: folds
bzimzim: returns uncalled bet $50,000
*** SHOW DOWN ***
bzimzim: mucks
bzimzim wins $99,000

What the HH doesn't show is that Larr (I like how the cake HHs can't bother with people's full SNs) showed JJ as he was folding it! And I'd been super aggro! He was just that weak tight. It was surreal. I just sat there with my mouth open. How did I not get paid here? That was unbelievable. And since he was so weak tight, I just thought fuck it, I'm raising him every time. Popped it up from sb next time it was folded, he moved in on me. What did he have, aces? In the end I was undone by some unlucky spots and the bizarre play of my incompetent FTers. When you're aggressive it's easy come easy go on those chips. With 14 left I was like 12th in chips. Then I was just steamrolling, but the momentum sadly turned one last time. Eventually shoved J9 into AQ, nh, gg.

Grr. Anyway, $1887 for 4th, so at least I'm unstuck for the month. Up $199 for May, hurray. Maybe I'll go buy myself a boat or something. My deepest finish yet in that tournament, winning it is inevitable with the quality of the play. Thought last night would be the night for that. Or not. Oh well, try again tonight I guess.

The Democratic nomination process is over. Or at least it should be. There's essentially no way Hilary can win, yet she continues on, either to intentionally hurt Obama to run again in 2012, or out of sheer vanity. Neither option reflects well on her. Bag it, Hilary. It's over.

No Cigar

2008-05-06T19:30:00.002-05:00

Close to some big cashes so far this month, but haven't hit any of them. Was deep on the first of the month in the AP 30r, FT $25k and new UB 40K $109 bounty (or sniper, or whatever the hell it is now), but 16th, 11th and 14th got me basically nothing. Played a $55 donkathon on Stars on Saturday where I was the CL with 25 left in a field of 1600+, then got repopped every time I raised, didn't pick up cards and eventually finished 15th. Yesterday I was tired and felt a little bit sick and played like shit, it almost can't be understated. I hadn't had a real good full night of sleep in awhile, and I think I may still need one more. Also my contacts might be giving me headaches when I'm staring at my monitor, I'm not sure. I feel like my contacts almost feel more normal looking at things at more distance, but feel more awkward looking at things right in front of me. Or this could all be in my head. Still getting the hang of this contacts thing.

So yeah, stuck about a grand for the month for now. Have soccer, and I don't think I'll play tonight, instead going to bed early (relatively; also, God willing) and being really ready for a full day tomorrow.

April Wrap/Goal for May

2008-05-01T19:01:00.002-05:00

Took the last two days of the month off. Took a little bit of a dip over the last part of the month.

April: +$7356

Year to date: $43,243

I suppose I should note that with the dip at the end of the month, I no longer have surpassed my best poker year ever. But hey, only the third of the year is over.

Goal for this month: Volume. For the last two months I have really failed to sustain volume in the later stages of the month. In May I will continue to play regularly through out the month. It starts this next week, when I don't have too much going on. Lots of poker this week, starting tonight. Time to get to work.

Heartland Poker Tour/Sunday Majors Wrap

2008-04-28T22:21:00.003-05:00

Well, nothing good to say about the Heartland Poker Tour. 15K starting chips, down to about 13.8K when looked down at AJh, still 100/100. Couple limpers, CO raises to 300, but he's been raising frequently to take control of pots, I call from sb. Flop 4 3 2, two hearts. Checks around to CO who bets 1100, button calls, I call, ep limpers makes it 4000. Both other players fold, I call with the flush and straight draws for 2900, figuring he's got a set. Board pairs on the turn and I'm done. He's shows his set of 4s turned boat. Continued to get chipped down til about 7500, 100/200, couple of limpers, same player as before raises to 1500. I shove AK, he folds, showing 32s lol.

Finally chipped down to 7000 when it was apparently time for my absolute ridiculous/amateurish mistake. 200/400, raise to 1100 from the CO with J10o, button calls. Flop is QJ8 rainbow. I'm dwelling on how much to bet, but apparently while I did so I unconsciously hit the table. The dealer and my opponent thought I had checked. Meanwhile I bet 2000, essentially intending to get myself potstuck, so that my opponent knows he can't get me to fold and fold anything that's not a Q or a set. Confusion reigns for a moment, and the dealer tells me I checked. Awesome. Check behind, turn is an A. With the pair and double gutted straight draw, decide to bet the 2000 anyway, get moved in on instantly. I'm pot stuck, I call, he shows AK. River Q, see ya. Basically this story is about how I'm a fucking moron and I suck. I'm still sick about it.

I'd definitely make up for it by winning a Sunday Major. Or cashing. Well didn't do either. Lost a decent sized flip with 800 left in Sunday Million, made a donk ass call in UB 200k, 2 outed for most of my stack on FT, lost a flip on BD, repoped with KJ on cake into aces right before bubble. Here was 75k on AP:
Stage #1163272706 Tourney ID 1997495 Holdem Multi Normal Tournament No Limit $150 - 2008-04-27 21:17:42 (ET)
Table: 19 (Real Money) Seat #8 is the dealer
Seat 1 - _TREVOR_ ($8335 in chips)
Seat 2 - TN0911 ($10870 in chips)
Seat 3 - ESTAMI22 ($8592.50 in chips)
Seat 4 - BZIMZIM ($6175 in chips)
Seat 5 - OHSHIETITKEN ($4115 in chips)
Seat 6 - KALANGIS612 ($3930 in chips)
Seat 7 - RACEJUNKIE ($4005 in chips)
Seat 8 - BILLYBOBX ($18660 in chips)
Seat 9 - ATMWITHICM ($5752.50 in chips)
ATMWITHICM - Posts small blind $75
_TREVOR_ - Posts big blind $150
*** POCKET CARDS ***
Dealt to BZIMZIM [Kd Kc]
TN0911 - Calls $150
ESTAMI22 - Folds
BZIMZIM - Raises $600 to $600
OHSHIETITKEN - Folds
KALANGIS612 - Folds
RACEJUNKIE - Folds
BILLYBOBX - Folds
ATMWITHICM - Folds
_TREVOR_ - Folds
TN0911 - Calls $450
*** FLOP *** [4s Ks 7c]
TN0911 - Checks
BZIMZIM - Checks
*** TURN *** [4s Ks 7c] [3s]
TN0911 - Bets $2400
BZIMZIM - All-In(Raise) $5575 to $5575
TN0911 - Calls $3175
*** RIVER *** [4s Ks 7c 3s] [As]
*** SHOW DOWN ***
TN0911 - Shows [Js Ac] (Flush, ace high)
BZIMZIM - Shows [Kd Kc] (Three of a kind, kings)
TN0911 Collects $12575 from main pot

Egads. I'm taking this moment to make this my own personal bad beat forum.

So yeah, horrible end to the month. I have continuing legal education (CLE) tomorrow and Wednesday, so that'll probably be it for April. I'll wrap it in my next post. Still good month overall, though it doesn't feel that way right now.

Have to be down in the loop by 8 am tomorrow. God that's going to be early.

Clemens is going down in flames: http://sports.yahoo.com/mlb/blog/big_league_stew/post/Report-Clemens-had-affair-with-underage-Mindy-M?urn=mlb,79344. 15, huh? Nice job asshole. I'm enjoying this way too much. And no, I haven't remotely forgiven him for throwing a bat at Piazza in the World Series eight years ago (and then somehow not getting ejected).

I find this remarkable: http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20080424/ap_on_sc/close_call.

May: It will be higher volume month. I swear.

Afternoon Session

2008-04-24T00:19:00.002-05:00

Played this afternoon, and the results look like a had a decent day:
FT $109-7th, $502
AP $20r ($140)-6th, $325
UB $65 (bounty)-3rd, $520
PS $109-14th, $353
AP $100K qual-8th, $0

Cashed in just about everything, but really tilted myself so bad that I didn't even want to play tonight. CL in FT tourney with 7 to go, then repopped button raise with 7s and called the guys all in when I really wasn't that priced in to doing so, he had JJ. Ugh. Then promptly three outed my way out of the tourney the next hand. Whatever, I deserved it for overplaying the 7s so badly. I don't really get that pissed about bad beats any more. But playing badly, THAT pisses me off. I promptly steamed my way out of two other tournaments and really had to calm myself down. Didn't happen. So didn't play tonight, even though I was planning to.

You know what I like about my blog? This is my place to be honest about my game. Ego is just everywhere in poker. So many poker players want to brag about how much money they've made, how great they are, and most annoyingly, berate other people for being inferior to the great poker players that they are. There was some guy had one of my tables recently that said that what it takes to be a poker pro is to make 5k a week. Really? 5k a week? Just doing this in my head, but that's about 160k a year. For sure, plenty of people do that. But anyone doing worse than that isn't really a pro? Please. Even more annoying is that he was probably lying his ass off. You'd think that half of being a poker player is trying to impress others with your supposed greatness, like you get extra rakeback for that or something.

Well guess what. I'm not a great poker player. I'm a good poker player. There are lots of players that are better. And at some point, I may have to decide if I have enough ambition to be a great player, if that's truly important to me, or if I'm ok just earning enough to live on and then doing other things. But it's important to me that this space is a truthful evaluation of my game. If I play well, I'll say so. If I play badly, like I did today, I'll say so. If I run good like I have recently, I'll say so. If I run bad, I'll say so. If I run so bad I go broke and have to get a real job (like a lawyer, God forbid), I'll say that too.

Anyway, not sure what prompted that little rant, but there it was.

I survived my audit! The government has accepted my proof that I was online gambling in law school, and not running my own business. Now they'll probably try and arrest me or something.

Keep adding blogs to the side as I find them. Special mention of Paul's blog, the still under construction ineverbust.com, which is both a poker blog and a blog about his (surely successful) battle with cancer, so no doubt it will be interesting. Many other good ones too.

Another two days off probably with plans tomorrow and Friday night and misc. crap to do during the day. Yeah I know. May will be a better volume month, I swear. Heartland Poker on Saturday. Ship.

Got Check From AP

2008-04-21T14:05:00.003-05:00

Just had to post this. Got a check from AP just now for $2000.35, cause they felt like giving me a 35 cent bonus. This is time the check came from Wiesbaden, Germany, which is fun. It came with a letter that was a nice reminder of the quasi-legal world that is online poker. The letter said:

Dear Customer,

The amount of your check may be a few cents more than the amount you requested. This is due to daily fluctuations in international currency exchange rates. Your balance will always reflect the amount you requested, even though the check you received was for a slightly higher amount.

To avoid any unnecessary inconvenience when depositing or cashing this check, if asked, simply explain that this is a payment from a large online service provider and that the funds were sent to you at your request.

Sincerely,

Customer Financial Services

I thought that second paragraph in particular was hilarious.

Ship Heartland Poker Tour Seat

2008-04-21T13:01:00.003-05:00

Might be getting the hang of this live poker thing pretty quickly. After another weekend of basically not playing (besides 150k, in which I got absolutely nothing going), went back to Majestic last night and played a $450 qualifier for the Heartland Poker Tour. 65 people, 13 qualifiers. 10k starting chips, didn't get anything going for awhile, then found kings, then starting picking off pots at a tight table. Everything was going well, up to about 26k, limpers to me with AK in the bb at 500/1000. I raise to 7k, figuring I'll pick it up right there, donkey calls. Flop A 8 2, he's got 12k left, turns over set of 8s. Ugh. Got down to about 5k, couple of shoves to get to 11k, but next blind level was 1000/2000. Shoved 11k utg with 10 8o, got called by 5s (clearly this guy is not grasping the concept of the satellite), 8 on flop, I flip so good right now I should teach flipping lessons. Then ran KK into QQ when I was up to 32.5K, easy from there for the $2200 seat.

So there are 3 day 1 sessions: Friday night, Saturday 9 am (egads) and Saturday night (5 pm), I've got Saturday night. They're taking 210 max for each day one, and we play 10 levels (40 min levels). If we're not down to 70 at that point, play down to 70. Day 2 is Sunday down to 6 people for the final table, which is Monday. 15k in starting chips, so we'll definitely get to play some, much more than I'm used to online obviously. If the quality of players in the qualifier is any sign, that has to be a good thing. This will be my first live tournament with a real prize pool since the $1k WSOP event I played since 2006. I sat down and Dutch Boyd was on my right, and Eric Froehlich was on my left. And I thought, hmm, this really isn't the draw I wanted. Then I overplayed my aces and went broke in twenty minutes. And then got so drunk I don't remember anything after dinner. It was a hell of a day. Whatever happens in this tournament, I'm guessing my day won't go exactly like that.

I Hate the U.S. Government

2008-04-18T10:42:00.004-05:00

So you know what happens once I write an entry on volume? I promptly take lots of time off. Last night was my first full night of online play in ten days. Of course I did have two full live days in there, and there was one night when I played a few tournaments. But good lord. This seems to run a general trend where I hit a good cash, and then coast on my laurels for awhile. Of course, in poker a downswing is just around the corner, so I really shouldn't do this. But I'm lazy. So there's that.

Anyway, at one point last night, was chip leader in ap 30r, ft 30r, and fifth in chips in cake 30r with about 60 to go in each. Somehow didn't even cash in cake, lost a flip for 10th on ft, lost a flip for 8th on ap. Grrrr.

In other news, looks like epassporte is no longer going to serve US customers. There's another online bank account down the drain. Not sure what I'm going to do about that now. Checks will be fine for big cashes, but for funneling money back and forth not sure what I'm going to do. Maybe just trade with people. So fuck the US government.

Fuck the US Government, part II: I owed the IRS 10k in federal taxes on the 15th, and another 2200 to the state of Illinois. Apparently I'll be taxed at 35.5% from here on out, and that was at making 40k a year. Meanwhile, capital gains in this country are taxed at 15%. Nice progressive tax structure there. Anyway, I like my old tax rate when I was in law school much better. Of course, I dislike getting audited, which still isn't resolved for 2006.

Unrelated things that are awesome: ABC focusing on absolute non-issues/political nonsense during the Obama/Clinton debate, and people actually calling them on it! They are getting hammered. It's great.

Live Poker Wrap

2008-04-14T09:21:00.002-05:00

Change of pace: actually played lots of live poker this week! It's almost like I'm a poker player or something.

Resorts East, Gary, Ind:
You know how some people like going to casinos? Unless they play poker I really don't understand it. There's almost nothing more depressing than wandering through the Penny Slots on a Thursday afternoon. Anyway, sat down at the table and played some 1/2 NL for awhile. Caught a couple cooler flops and dumped about $150 to start, but finally doubled through and ended up about $100 for the session. Play at the 1/2 NL tables was typical I think, by which I mean pretty bad. One or two good players, a couple just generally tight players, and some people just begging to give their money away. Even a donkey cash game player like me can run over that game pretty easy.

Majestic Star, Gary, Ind:
The Majestic is only about a mile away from Resorts, so I wandered there after dinner. This time up to 2/5 NL. Third hand, pair of 3s in ep, limp, call raise. Flop A 2 3, and stacked a set of deuces. Up about $400 in that hand.

Nothing much good to say after that. The key hand was when I picked up QQ utg, popped to 20, two callers. Flop 9s 8s 2c. I bet 45, mp calls, other player moves in for 300 total. I went into the tank and finally called putting him on a draw. He had 98. Good read me. After that, I lost about another 200, couldn't hit flops, didn't play very aggressively, felt tired, and just generally played bad after that all around. I'm sure the table was sad to see me go.

A couple of thoughts in general. First, in a weird way, live poker doesn't feel like real poker, and I realize how ridiculous that sounds (I believe Chip Reese, Stu Ungar, etc. all just rolled over in their graves). But almost all of my real poker success has been online. Poker is my job, and when I'm playing multi-tabling 3-4 tournaments at night, that feels like I'm working. Not that I'm not enjoying it; if I ever stop enjoying playing poker, I need to find a new job. But playing live just feels like I'm having fun. And I play better when I'm having fun. I was having fun at the first table, talking to other people, making fun of the donkeys with the actual solid player next to me. The 2/5 game was much more serious. And frankly, it was a hell of a 2/5 game. There were a lot of good players, not much chatter. Some of those people played for a living I'm pretty certain.

Second, I'm not a good cash game player. Period. That's not news.

Third, I should stick to tournaments.

Greektown Casino, Detroit, Mi:
Went to Detroit on Saturday to meet a friend of mine, we had fun screwing around in the casinos for awhile. Mostly we were at the MGM, and I gave away $50 playing slots. Exactly what is the fun part of casinos again? Meanwhile despite the MGM being fairly new, they didn't have much poker. They had about 4 tables going. That's it. Eventually we wandered back to Greektown, and I sat down at a 1/2 NL game. Wow that table was absolutely terrible. TERRIBLE. Even on the scale of 1/2 NL tables, this has to be one of the worst tables I've ever seen. Only played for about an hour, and only up about $20, but that table was just begging to be cleaned out. But I stopped because they announced they were having a a $275 tournament. Hmm, tournaments. I believe I play those.

There ended up being 15 players. I'd say about a third of the players were remotely competent. Then there were lots of players that liked to limp oop with terrible hands, call raises, and then call with gutshot straight draws (that was the guy who finished third). And then there was the guy who finished four giant blue drinks. He finished fourth. But mostly they were just begging to be run over, weak tight players that couldn't raise without a hand and would never repop. It was easy to just sit there and pick off pots. By the break I'd doubled my stack, from 5k to 10k. Unfortunately, it was 200/400 right before break, and jumped right to 400/800 50 ante after break. They also combined the tables with 10 of us left. So that considerably reduced my ability to play small ball and pick off pots. But I won a race with 9s against AJ, and I was off and running. Found AK in the sb, ran into AJ in the bb, and had the big stack. Got down to three handed, won a race with 5s against AJ, I run like a god. Got heads up, button min raised, called Q9s, flop KJ3, two spades, he had K10, turn was a 10, river a spade just in case. Ship $2250. And I made it out of Detroit with that much cash without getting shot. So, bonus.

What have I learned from this week? If I'm gonna play live cash games, play 1/2 or soft 2/5 games and donk around and have fun. I'm not a cash game player. But there was definitely a 2/5 game at Greektown that was awful, where both players got it all in on the turn with aces with a bad kicker. Seriously, that happened. What is it about Greektown? Seriously, if you live near the Detroit area and play poker, GO TO GREEKTOWN. Every game in that place is soft.

But I do need to find some more tournaments to play live on a regular basis. I know Majestic runs some. Also, the Heartland Poker Tour, known to me mostly for its terrible announcing and production value, is coming to Majestic in a couple of weekends. Buyin is $2200, sattys running for $450. So I'll definitely try and get in on that. But otherwise maybe I'll start going to Indiana once a week if I find a regular tournament that I like. I'll check it out the next time I'm there.

Other fun note, on April 12 I passed 44K, the most money I've ever made in a year. Weeee.

Casino Trip

2008-04-09T13:20:00.003-05:00

Monday was lose a flip day for me. ITM in Stars $109, lose a flip. FT of Bodog 9k, lose a big flip with AK against QQ with a pretty big stack for 8th. Otherwise nothing of interest.

Didn't play yesterday, won't play today, take care of some other things. Tomorrow finally making my long planned trip to Indiana casinos, probably leave around noon, come back around...who knows? Depends how I'm running.

Soccer news: Got pounded in our indoor semifinal 7-3. So much for that. Liverpool went through in a truly stunning 4-2 win over Arsenal that went back and forth, and benefited from a controversial penalty. Pair that with the non-call in the first leg, I bet Arsenal fans are pretty pissed. Oh well.

My friend pointed me to this website: http://stuffwhitepeoplelike.wordpress.com/. It's not so much stuff white people like as making fun of snobby, elitist, upper middle class white liberals who think they're better than other people. So you know, me basically. And I can't lie, I do like San Francisco, hating corporations, threatening to move to Canada, Co-ed sports, Juno, Sarah Silverman, Irony, Living by the Water, Sushi, Indie Music, Arrested Development, the Daily Show/Colbert Report, Wrigley Field, Wine, Film Festivals and Barack Obama. Especially Barack Obama. I am, despite knowing so many of them, ambivalent about lawyers though. And I probably like sports way too much to fully fit the stereotype. Some of the entries are pretty hilarious though.

Weekend Wrap

2008-04-07T16:05:00.003-05:00

Well of the tournaments I listed yesterday, the only one I cashed in was the Cake 150k. But wow, that was close. 33k for first, was third in chips with 40 to go. Then lost a race with 8s against AQ, then reraised all in with JJ from sb and bb woke up with KK, then shoved random A and couldn't suck out on 8s for 25th. Disappointing. I was feeling it too. Also built up nice early stack in Sunday Million, then played pretty atrociously from that point on. I'll review that hand history at some point.

Despite those disappointments, along with my bubble in 250k, hard to complain about the weekend as a whole. Looking back over Warmup win, was hit was the deck with the deck pretty good at the final table, with aces, kings, jacks and tens. And better yet, managed to play decently big pots with basically all those hands, which is just as important as picking up the hands in the first place. And had a decent amount of other raising hands, pairs and AJ and stuff like that.

This is the race I never had to win:
Stage #1143028182 Tourney ID 1974593 Holdem Multi Normal Tournament No Limit $5000 - 2008-04-05 18:01:46 (ET)
Table: 11 (Real Money) Seat #3 is the dealer
Seat 1 - GOROYALBLUE ($44258 in chips)
Seat 2 - BBOUJA ($73215.50 in chips)
Seat 3 - BZIMZIM ($149626.50 in chips)
Seat 4 - KINGOFTROY8 ($140610.50 in chips)
Seat 5 - MRPUMPKIN107 ($53228 in chips)
Seat 6 - ELHOLANDES ($95282 in chips)
Seat 7 - JOHNNY2912 ($111324 in chips)
GOROYALBLUE - Ante $250
BBOUJA - Ante $250
BZIMZIM - Ante $250
KINGOFTROY8 - Ante $250
MRPUMPKIN107 - Ante $250
ELHOLANDES - Ante $250
JOHNNY2912 - Ante $250
KINGOFTROY8 - Posts small blind $2500
MRPUMPKIN107 - Posts big blind $5000
*** POCKET CARDS ***
Dealt to BZIMZIM [10d 10s]
ELHOLANDES - Folds
JOHNNY2912 - Folds
GOROYALBLUE - Folds
BBOUJA - Folds
BZIMZIM - Raises $13000 to $13000
KINGOFTROY8 - Raises $43500 to $46000
MRPUMPKIN107 - Folds
BZIMZIM - All-In(Raise) $136376.50 to $149376.50
KINGOFTROY8 - Folds
BZIMZIM - returned ($103376.50) : not called
*** SHOW DOWN ***
BZIMZIM - Does not show
BZIMZIM Collects $98750 from main pot

He then told me he didn't believe I had a big hand, but that he folded AQ, which I thought was a hilarious statement. He said he didn't want to get his whole stack in there with AQ. The rigidity of people's thinking amazes me sometimes. He reraised, he's getting 2:1, he's got a third of his stack in there, and he folds while saying he doesn't think I have a big hand. So instead of having to win a gigantic, tournament-defining flip, I'll take a third of his stack without a flop. Awesome. Feel free to make that fold anytime.

Aces in the bb:
Stage #1143037480 Tourney ID 1974593 Holdem Multi Normal Tournament No Limit $6000 - 2008-04-05 18:11:52 (ET)
Table: 3 (Real Money) Seat #2 is the dealer
Seat 2 - WSTELLIAN ($151597.50 in chips)
Seat 3 - MONCUR ($127464.50 in chips)
Seat 4 - BZIMZIM ($208076.50 in chips)
Seat 5 - ELHOLANDES ($233017.50 in chips)
Seat 8 - JOHNNY2912 ($227296.50 in chips)
Seat 9 - COIN GUY ($172547.50 in chips)
WSTELLIAN - Ante $300
MONCUR - Ante $300
BZIMZIM - Ante $300
ELHOLANDES - Ante $300
JOHNNY2912 - Ante $300
COIN GUY - Ante $300
MONCUR - Posts small blind $3000
BZIMZIM - Posts big blind $6000
*** POCKET CARDS ***
Dealt to BZIMZIM [Ah Ad]
ELHOLANDES - Folds
JOHNNY2912 - Folds
COIN GUY - Folds
WSTELLIAN - Folds
MONCUR - Raises $15000 to $18000
BZIMZIM - Calls $12000
*** FLOP *** [Qh Qs 10s]
MONCUR - Bets $12000
BZIMZIM - Calls $12000
*** TURN *** [Qh Qs 10s] [9s]
MONCUR - Bets $12000
BZIMZIM - Raises $30000 to $30000
MONCUR - Folds
BZIMZIM - returned ($18000) : not called
*** SHOW DOWN ***
BZIMZIM - Does not show
BZIMZIM Collects $85800 from main pot

Obviously wasn't crazy about that board at that point. That raise on the turn should give me a very good idea where I'm at. Could have raised the flop, in retrospect, if he doesn't give me credit for a Q, I wonder if I could have gotten him to shove a more marginal hand there, like a 10 or draw. But actually, I didn't really give him credit for that much. I kind of like it as played, picked off an extra 12k on the turn.

Hey another hand on the button!
Stage #1143050527 Tourney ID 1974593 Holdem Multi Normal Tournament No Limit $8000 - 2008-04-05 18:24:02 (ET)
Table: 3 (Real Money) Seat #4 is the dealer
Seat 2 - WSTELLIAN ($198595 in chips)
Seat 3 - MONCUR ($51467 in chips)
Seat 4 - BZIMZIM ($268026.50 in chips)
Seat 5 - ELHOLANDES ($215817.50 in chips)
Seat 8 - JOHNNY2912 ($255146.50 in chips)
Seat 9 - COIN GUY ($130947.50 in chips)
WSTELLIAN - Ante $400
MONCUR - Ante $400
BZIMZIM - Ante $400
ELHOLANDES - Ante $400
JOHNNY2912 - Ante $400
COIN GUY - Ante $400
ELHOLANDES - Posts small blind $4000
JOHNNY2912 - Posts big blind $8000
*** POCKET CARDS ***
Dealt to BZIMZIM [Js Jc]
COIN GUY - Folds
WSTELLIAN - Folds
MONCUR - Folds
BZIMZIM - Raises $20100 to $20100
ELHOLANDES - Raises $60200 to $64200
JOHNNY2912 - Folds
BZIMZIM - All-In(Raise) $247526.50 to $267626.50
ELHOLANDES - All-In $151217.50
BZIMZIM - returned ($52209) : not called
*** FLOP *** [Jd 2s 4s]
*** TURN *** [Jd 2s 4s] [5c]
*** RIVER *** [Jd 2s 4s 5c] [Ad]
*** SHOW DOWN ***
BZIMZIM - Shows [Js Jc] (Three of a kind, jacks)
ELHOLANDES - Shows [Jh Ah] (Two Pair, aces and jacks)
BZIMZIM Collects $441235 from main pot

I wonder if my earlier shove where I got Troy to fold helped my here, and made it look like i was overplaying hands. Troy's call should have been clearcut I think, this one is less clearcut. A little deeper stack, so not quite as good a price, and the AJ instead of the AQ. Is he ever going to see a worse A here? I wouldn't really think so. Best case scenario is a race, but I would think he would be dominated here a lot, and not sure he's getting quite the right price. Not a bad call, but debatable perhaps. Whatever, ship.

An A+ laydown that makes me think about my play:
Stage #1143060706 Tourney ID 1974593 Holdem Multi Normal Tournament No Limit $10000 - 2008-04-05 18:33:44 (ET)
Table: 3 (Real Money) Seat #9 is the dealer
Seat 2 - WSTELLIAN ($189395 in chips)
Seat 3 - MONCUR ($24917 in chips)
Seat 4 - BZIMZIM ($610744 in chips)
Seat 8 - JOHNNY2912 ($160496.50 in chips)
Seat 9 - COIN GUY ($134447.50 in chips)
WSTELLIAN - Ante $500
MONCUR - Ante $500
BZIMZIM - Ante $500
JOHNNY2912 - Ante $500
COIN GUY - Ante $500
WSTELLIAN - Posts small blind $5000
MONCUR - Posts big blind $10000
*** POCKET CARDS ***
Dealt to BZIMZIM [Kd Kc]
BZIMZIM - Raises $25100 to $25100
JOHNNY2912 - Folds
COIN GUY - Calls $25100
WSTELLIAN - Folds
MONCUR - Folds
*** FLOP *** [8c Jd 8d]
BZIMZIM - Bets $30000
COIN GUY - Folds
BZIMZIM - returned ($30000) : not called
*** SHOW DOWN ***
BZIMZIM - Does not show
BZIMZIM Collects $67700 from main pot

What was interesting about this hand was that coin guy, who is a good player, told me he mucked 99 here, and I'll choose to believe him. For one thing, I don't know how it didn't get it pre, I'd certainly been raising enough. But I also wonder if my lead out bet, a little less then half the pot, gave away my hand a bit. Sometimes my lead out bet is a little smaller with a big hand, trying to invite a raise. This works great against bad players. But I wonder if players I see more frequently are beginning to pick up on that. Definitely time for a little more variety in my play against people I play against frequently.

Saw foolishgolf took down the dream package on AP last night, quite a ship. Never bothered to play that thing, with first being the only real prize just didn't seem worth my time, even though it would be awesome.

Back to work tonight.

Majors Day!

2008-04-06T15:49:00.002-05:00

Hey I've got some bankroll to burn! So I'll play some Sunday Majors today and not cash in any of them. Or it seems to usually work out that way anyway. On tap: Stars Sunday Million, UB 200K, FT 750K, Cake 150K, AP 75k. Let's have some fun.

Tomorrow I'll see if I can find some hands for the weekend to recap my ship of the 25K Warmup and the Sunday Million (at least one of those anyway).

Ship? No. Double Ship? Hell yeah!

2008-04-05T19:50:00.002-05:00

Just played a few tournaments today, but they were excellent tournaments. Results:
AP 20r: 5th
AP $88 $250K qualifier: nope
AP $4.5K Guar: SHIP
AP $25K Warmup: DOUBLE SHIP
AP $250K: all kinds of bubble

Really wanted the triple ship, would have been the best day ever. Instead JJ into KK for 55th and the bubble. Ah well. Whatever. Up about $7.5K for the day. I run good.

Multi-tabling/Volume

2008-04-03T13:53:00.003-05:00

Didn't play Tuesday, had soccer instead. We actually won our playoff game! 0-0, 4-3 on penalties. All the goalkeeping obv :) Then we went to some bar with some people that were way too drunk for 9:30 on a Tuesday. Also found cool soccer bar called the Globe to watch the Liverpool Champions League match yesterday, only a ten minute walk away on Irving Park.

So yesterday was the first day of the month for poker. Nothing of interest really, fell short of third straight AP 30r FT when lost a flip and finished 15th. I did win the AP Forum Tourney, which throws in the 75K entry for Sunday, so that's $162 I won't have to buyin for. Today was the day I was thinking about heading to the casinos across the border in Indiana, but instead I realized that I'm out of clothes, so I'm going to do laundry instead. Most likely early next week on the casino trip, maybe Monday.

Played eight tournaments yesterday, counting the AP Forum Tourney and a $250K qualifier that only had 7 people. Looking back over March, eight tournaments is sort of typical for a poker night, though of course it depends on how long I'm lasting in those tournaments. I usually try to keep three tables going at a time, sometimes four. But four is really my maximum, because I don't feel like I can keep concentration on my all my tables above that. I feel like this is unusual compared to a lot of other people who play online, for whom 7/8/12 tables is no big deal. I can sort of understand that philosophy while playing at lower levels and it's all ABC poker anyway. But the joy of playing multis is that I don't feel like I am playing ABC poker, and that I'm actually making some attempt to read my opponents. But even if I was doing that, I feel like I would have trouble. Even with three tables going, if I have a couple decisions at the same time, I sometimes feel rushed, and feel like it affects my play. I tend to be a more deliberate player than most, and like to give myself a couple seconds to make a decision unless it's really obvious. But that's all fine I think, I'm absolutely sure I can make a living playing only three (with sometimes four) tables at a time.

The real trick is to keep that many tables going. I have to keep in mind that volume=my friend. No such thing as guaranteed income in poker, but volume I can control. There are two reasons that I don't play the volume that I should. The first is days when I decide to not play. For whatever reason, some days when I'm really planning on playing I just don't have the motivation. Frankly this was a lot more of a problem in February when I was just getting depressed about poker, and it was cold outside and I wasn't leaving my apartment enough. Lately I've just been in a better mood about everything, so not really an issue. The other that I've been trying to focus on is just staying in three tournaments at a time. If I get knocked out of a tournament, there's usually a tournament at the stakes that I'm playing at within the half hour, combining the six sites I have accounts on. This is also something I've been doing better at lately. But still, need to keep it up. Space away from poker is healthy as well, but that's not usually my problem. Usually the other way around.

Should be playing a lot this week, trying to get the month started right.

Ship Good Month

2008-04-01T12:31:00.003-05:00

So wanted to go out with a bang for the month, and almost did it. Second straight day at the FT for AP 30r, but ended up finishing third. Here's the hand:

STAGE #1138816836 TOURNEY ID 1987777 HOLDEM MULTI NORMAL TOURNAMENT NO LIMIT $16000 - 2008-04-01 01:57:52 (ET)
Table: 19 (Real Money) Seat #6 is the dealer
Seat 1 - GRAMPWNAGE ($370550.34 in chips)
Seat 5 - NORCALSURF83 ($113581 in chips)
Seat 6 - WUIFAL ($464089.66 in chips)
Seat 9 - BZIMZIM ($158279 in chips)
GRAMPWNAGE - Ante $800
NORCALSURF83 - Ante $800
WUIFAL - Ante $800
BZIMZIM - Ante $800
BZIMZIM - Posts small blind $8000
GRAMPWNAGE - Posts big blind $16000
*** POCKET CARDS ***
Dealt to BZIMZIM [10d 10c]
NORCALSURF83 - All-In(Raise) $112781 to $112781
WUIFAL - Calls $112781
BZIMZIM - All-In(Raise) $149479 to $157479
GRAMPWNAGE - Folds
WUIFAL - Calls $44698
*** FLOP *** [2h 3s Js]
*** TURN *** [2h 3s Js] [Qs]
*** RIVER *** [2h 3s Js Qs] [4c]
*** SHOW DOWN ***
NORCALSURF83 - Shows [Ah Jc] (One pair, jacks)
WUIFAL - Shows [Jh Jd] (Three of a kind, jacks)
BZIMZIM - Shows [10d 10c] (One pair, tens)
WUIFAL Collects $89396 from side pot-1
WUIFAL Collects $357543 from main pot

Anybody folding in that spot four handed? I don't see how I can fold there. Norcal's solid and all, but still that initial shove is extremely unlikely to have my tens beat, so I can pretty much ignore that. And wuifal has to be calling with 88+, AQ+, and probably wider than that. Oh well, what can you do. Still a decent cash to close out the month.

March: +$10,530

Year to date: +$35,887

I like this winning thing. Makes poker a lot more fun. In my first year as a "pro" and at my current stakes, don't really expect to maintain my current pace. Hell I've never made more than 44 grand in a year. Of course all other years I have been doing law school at the same time and not had playing poker as my job, so I certainly expected to make more this year than I had any other year. But I didn't have the faintest idea how much that would be. And I have no idea how the year will turn out. Last year I had an extremely good first quarter of the year as well, and the rest of the year didn't go near as well. So who knows.

Very low volume month. From March 3-March 16 didn't play any tournaments, just donked around at some cash games when I had some free time when I was in San Francisco. The low volume thing doesn't seem like too much of a problem as long as I find one big cash a month though. Still, I know I need to maintain my volume. I can't guarantee that I'll run well. I can give myself the opportunity to account for variance (somewhat) by playing a high volume of tournaments. Sometimes I have trouble doing that though. This is made more difficult by the fact that I don't really multitable the way some people do. But I'm tired of typing right now, so I'll save that for another entry.

Soccer playoffs tonight, ship a win. Probably not.

End of March/Opening Day

2008-03-31T13:13:00.002-05:00

I'll be playing today to close out March, so we'll see how that goes. What a low volume month, which I'll write about tomorrow. Not a great week for poker. Finally busted a streak where I didn't cash for 21 tournaments in a row. Fun! There's that variance I was talking about. Broke it by making AP 30r FT, but lost a flip, finished 6th. Hopefully I can get something done today to end on an up note.

Today is opening day for the Mets. And Johan Santana is pitching. Doesn't get any better than that. It's still something just short of a miracle that Minaya was able to get Santana, since it's possible both the Red Sox and Yankees offered better deals for him. We have to be the team to beat in the NL East, but the Phillies and Braves will be there all year.

In other sports news I care about, the Bucks get Ole Miss tomorrow in the NIT semis. Watching this team play loose has really been fun, even if it was too late. The Lakers' injuries appear to have finally caught up with them as they lost to Charlotte and Memphis before pulling out a win in OT over Washington. Need Gasol and Bynum back in a bad way, especially Gasol. Chad Johnson is ruining the Bengals. Like we didn't have enough problems. I hate him right now. And Liverpool get Arsenal at Anfield Wednesday for leg 1 of the Champions League quarters.

Opening Day!

Playing multis and the Abandonment of SNGs

2008-03-29T12:45:00.002-05:00

"If you're too careful, your whole life can become a fuckin' grind."

On December 12, I played a $109 SNG on AP, and finished last. That was basically the last SNG I played. It feels a little strange to have abandoned them entirely, since they were the primary way I played poker for a lot of the previous 3 years. I started out online with 30 bucks and playing $11 SNGs on AP. Not surprisingly I made money, because the other players were terrible. And somehow that escalated to the point where I thought I'd try to play poker for a living, despite some very nice pieces of paper that say I can practice law if I want to.

The only SNG I've played since then was a $44 on AP that I played late one night because I didn't feel like going to bed and didn't feel like concentrating. So ship $180 obv lol. And let me say that the play in the $44s has not improved.

At some point, I just came to hate how SNGs are played. I hate caring about the bubble. Hate it. I hate making the money being the first goal, and intentionally folding the best hand. I finished 154th in the 50-50 on FT yesterday, exactly on the bubble (153 paid lol), and I couldn't have given a fuck less. I was making a play to try to win the tournament. I like winning, not trying to finish third.

I also don't think I'm a particularly good SNG player to be honest, $44 donkathons aside. If I was going to continue to play SNGs, I was going to have to work to improve at them in a way that I haven't done to this point. And I didn't really want to do that. So I'm done with them.

So that's left me with multis and cash games. Multis are my primary means of making a living at this point. And that's definitely preferable to me. I like playing to win. I like the variety of play that multis allow, the creativity. Much preferable to sitting there like a nit until 50/100. It feels like I'm actually playing poker.

But the variance, oh the variance. Things were looking kind of glum in February there for awhile. I was getting low on many of my accounts at the same time. Playing multis definitely requires a bankroll to sustain yourself when not running well, which is a lot of the time when you're only really making money off big cashes. Also have to put in enough volume, which I'm actually doing poorly at, but that's the subject of another entry. I have played some cash games in order to curb the variance a little bit. So that helps. That's really another full entry too.

If poker is a hard way to make an easy living, I'm not sure if multis almost exclusively as a way to make a living is a relatively harder or easier living. With the variance, sometimes I think it's an even harder living, because my salary is so erratic. But it feels like a lot less of a fuckin' grind.

Maybe I Should Go Back To Not Playing

2008-03-27T01:38:00.003-05:00

Total for the day: 14 tournaments, 2 meaningless cashes. Down about $1150 or so.

What went wrong today? Well despite thinking I wasn't going to play WSOP qualifiers, played two WSOP qualifiers. That's not what went wrong but thought that was interesting. The first one finished ninth with three spots, the second one I went broke on the third hand when the guy called a reraise with 8s and flopped a set on my aces.

Meant to write a future entry about volume and multi-tabling too, that didn't make my list from yesterday. Harder to get tables going if you can't stay in tournaments though.

I'm not sure I've ever been as card dead for a full day as I was today. There were several tournaments that I just had long stretches of totally unplayable hands. And tables with people that liked to call. So I sat there a lot. In the AP 9k flop the nut straight against two pair, hit the four outer on the river. And then there were the required AJ>JJ, J7>QQ (apparently people are calling raises with J7 now), etc. Overall, whatever. Just one of those poker days.

So actually, I don't really think I played badly today.

Back to work tomorrow.

Morning Session

2008-03-26T15:35:00.002-05:00

Five tournaments this morning, two cashes, none of any significance. After thinking I wasn't going to play WSOP qualifiers, I played an $80 satellite on Stars into the $650 satellite. The play in it was terrible. Actually the play was terrible in most tournaments I was playing in today, the FT $109 was pathetic. So of course I didn't get anything done in those.

US soccer: 2-0 at the half over Poland in Poland. Just a friendly, but could be a very good result. Bocanegra and Onyewu with the goals, both coming off set piece crosses from Donovan. Eddie Johnson still sucks though.

Gonna go out for a bit I think, get some fresh air, come back and have a steak for dinner, then time for a long poker session tonight.

Taxes

2008-03-25T15:51:00.003-05:00

Filled out all my tax forms today. Joy.

Was made more complicated by the fact that I'm currently being audited, which is a shitload of fun, in case you were wondering. Actually the IRS doesn't call it audited. They just sent me a "proposed readjustment" for the 2006 tax year, where I owed them another $3700. The basic premise was that they didn't believe that the money I won gambling was really money I won gambling. Instead they decided that while I was in law school, I was running my own business. Which is ridiculous. But they're the IRS, so they can do whatever the fuck they want. But they assumed that because they didn't have anything from casinos stating that I'd won money there. But of course it was (almost) all online. So I had to prove to the government that I'd been online gambling. Which is a little strange. Also, it's somewhat difficult to do, since the online poker industry is like quasi-legitimate, and therefore it's not like they sent in W-2s. I did keep a bunch of old emails from AP when I cashed out, so those helped. Now I will hear back next month if they accept that I really was online gambling. If they don't, I don't know what happens next.

So in order to get my taxes in line with what my accountant said, and hopefully not get audited again, everything got divided into gambling wins and gambling losses, and was also separated by when I was in law school and when I wasn't. Annoying. Also, I have to pay social security and all that shit now that I'm self-employed. It was cheaper to be in law school. Of course law school was costing me $20k a year between tuition and books and everything, so that's not really true.

Still basically on break I guess, got soccer tonight so won't really be playing tournaments. My volume has been really low lately. Tomorrow will be definitely be a full day of poker, time to get it back going again.

Things I've been meaning to write about: live poker, the WSOP, my choice of MTTs and virtual abandonment of SNGs, cash game play, moving up levels in MTTs. Probably some other things too, but just listing those so I remember to get back to them.

Break?

2008-03-23T23:50:00.002-05:00

Played a lot less lately, not necessarily on purpose, just doing other misc. stuff. Did play a couple tournaments tonight, FTed UB $129 bounty but finished 9th, wow did I go card dead in that thing. Tired, didn't feel like I played well, made a donk shove in AP 75k. Need to get some rest.

Full Poker Day/Pryor/Obama

2008-03-20T13:07:00.002-05:00

Pretty full tournament day yesterday, but only one cash, which was 2nd in the AP 20r nooner. Had CL HU and lost a big race, then called with AQ on 6 5 4 flop on what looked like a stop and go (I was pretty short, but not so short that I had to shove, and was trying to get reraised with a worse holding), got shown A7, 3 on turn, nh, gg. Also, in the bad beats are just part of the game department, got in all in with JJ against AA at FT, J on turn obv. I run good. At some point you play enough volume that bad beats don't (or at least shouldn't) effect you any more. Got knocked out of FT $55 (1r, 1a) by QQ against KK? Part of the game. Next tournament. This is just a natural evolution over time I think. When you start out and are playing one tournament at a time, every tournament feels like life and death, and the outcome of losing after being a substantial favorite is somehow unjust, instead of part of the natural variance of the game.

Some beats are more entertaining than others of course. Have I mentioned Cake players are bad?

Hand #14451B913C001288: $20,000 GUARANTEED!! - R&A
Seat 1: **Na** (3029.00 in chips)
Seat 2: 202020 (8775.00 in chips)
Seat 3: CAKE4PREZ08 (9746.00 in chips)
Seat 4: WheresMyCake (14802.00 in chips)
Seat 5: bzimzim (10663.00 in chips)
Seat 6: ROYAL PITA (2572.00 in chips)
Seat 7: KOBE4MVP1 (28967.00 in chips)
Seat 8: Rumble (12958.00 in chips)
Seat 9: chatica (3340.00 in chips)
chatica: posts small blind $100
**Na**: posts big blind $200
Dealt to bzimzim [ As Ah ]
202020: folds
CAKE4PREZ08: folds
WheresMyCake: calls
bzimzim: raises to $700
ROYAL PITA: folds
KOBE4MVP1: folds
Rumble: folds
chatica: folds
**Na**: folds
WheresMyCake: calls
@@@ F_L_O_P @@@ [ 6s 5d Ts ]
WheresMyCake: checks
bzimzim: bets $1,100
WheresMyCake: calls
*** TURN *** [ 2d ]
WheresMyCake: bets $1,999
bzimzim: is all in 8863.00
WheresMyCake: calls
*** RIVER *** [ 3c ]
*** SHOW DOWN ***
WheresMyCake wins $21,626 with Two Pairs, Sixes and Deuces

Ah, the old limp 62s ep. I may have lost the tournament, but I can't imagine greater confirmation that I should be playing the Cake 30r every night than this hand.

Now, in what I'm sure will become a tradition, it's the "why the fuck did I play it like that?" hand:

FullTiltPoker Game #5706679834: $18,500 Guarantee (1r+1a) (42716524), Table 21 - 170/340 Ante 25 - No Limit Hold'em - 1:16:37 ET - 2008/03/20
Seat 1: aabeware (16,991)
Seat 2: CapTinBisKuiT (9,698)
Seat 3: JustARoper (7,116)
Seat 4: STJEAN81 (13,119)
Seat 5: xxxTATxxx (34,422)
Seat 6: shooter1666 (4,911)
Seat 7: dsindy (15,838)
Seat 8: MASTRODAMUS (16,631)
Seat 9: bzimzim (10,690)
aabeware antes 25
CapTinBisKuiT antes 25
JustARoper antes 25
STJEAN81 antes 25
xxxTATxxx antes 25
shooter1666 antes 25
dsindy antes 25
MASTRODAMUS antes 25
bzimzim antes 25
JustARoper posts the small blind of 170
STJEAN81 posts the big blind of 340
The button is in seat #2
*** HOLE CARDS ***Dealt to bzimzim [Ad 9d]
xxxTATxxx folds
shooter1666 folds
dsindy folds
MASTRODAMUS folds
bzimzim raises to 850
aabeware has 15 seconds left to act
aabeware calls 850
CapTinBisKuiT folds
JustARoper folds
STJEAN81 folds
*** FLOP *** [7d 4c 6d]
bzimzim has 15 seconds left to act
bzimzim bets 1,000
aabeware calls 1,000
*** TURN *** [7d 4c 6d] [8s]
bzimzim checks
aabeware bets 3,500
bzimzim raises to 8,815, and is all in
aabeware calls 5,315
bzimzim shows [Ad 9d]
aabeware shows [As Kd]
*** RIVER *** [7d 4c 6d 8s] [6c]
bzimzim shows a pair of Sixes
aabeware shows a pair of Sixes
aabeware wins the pot (22,065) with a pair of Sixes

I checked with intention of c/r all in on the turn. He also snap called me which I thought was a little odd since he had no pair, no draw, but I guess he read me well or something. The real question is, why am I not the one leading with the pot sized bet on the turn? Then if he shoves (which I imagine he wouldn't in this spot), so be it, and I have outs. This hand definitely had me muttering to myself. I suck.

Non-poker thoughts: No. 1 player in the country Terrelle Pryor signed with Ohio State yesterday. It always seemed like a matter of time, but it's great to finally have him in the fold. It'll be interesting to see if/how much he gets integrated into the offense this year, and what this means for the future of Antonio Henton. We really need to sign another QB this upcoming recruiting class since Boeckman is a senior and Henton transfer rumors will flying, but it's going to be tough to get a good one with Pryor in the previous class.

So I have a page-a-day calendar called the "George W. Bush Out of Office Countdown". Sometimes there's some pretty good stuff. A couple good quotes, here's one on education:

"If we're going to spend federal money, we expect the states to show us whether or not we're achieving simple objectives-like literacy, literacy in math, the ability to read and write."

Good examples Wubya. I really like "literacy in math".This one is about elections in the Middle East:

"I like the idea of people running for office. There's a positive effect when you run for office. Maybe some will run for office and say, vote for me, I look forward to blowing up America. I don't know, I don't know if that's their platform or not. But it's-I don't think so. I think people who generally run for office say, vote for me, I'm looking forward to fixing your potholes, or making sure you got bread on the table."

Sigh. What a moron. As the calendar tells me, 306 days left.

On the opposite note, if you haven't seen Obama's speech on race from Tuesday, it was absolutely incredible. I was inspired. I was in awe. I almost can't overstate it. And I don't normally care that much about political speeches themselves even though I'm interested in politics.

37 minutes in total, but it's worth it:
Part 1: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=o1uJztFbOk8
Part 2: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qxZACaelHr4
Part 3: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=F-EPJeTaaio
Part 4: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TGyELYLfuRI

That man needs to be President.

Breakdown of a Win (or chop, close enough)

2008-03-18T18:31:00.002-05:00

Went over the hand history, really felt I played well. Obviously. Lots of key moments, someone trying to resteal with K5o when I had aces was a key moment when I chipped up later in the tournament. I think I've really improved my aggression on picking times to re-steal, that's something I noticed going back over the tournament. Wanted to post these consecutive hands from earlier where I chipped up, from there I was off and running.

POKERSTARS GAME #16056508050: TOURNAMENT #80995650, $100+$9 HOLD'EM NO LIMIT - LEVEL IX (300/600) - 2008/03/17 - 21:14:44 (ET)Table '80995650 25' 9-max Seat #3 is the button
Seat 1: LolS (18325 in chips)
Seat 2: Katte-M (22800 in chips)
Seat 3: Papa Bull XL (18981 in chips)
Seat 4: okhcad777 (16172 in chips)
Seat 5: kickboyswoop (15048 in chips)
Seat 7: bzimzim (7624 in chips)
Seat 8: IG0tDibs (8108 in chips)
Seat 9: kongobongo85 (4920 in chips)
LolS: posts the ante 50
Katte-M: posts the ante 50
Papa Bull XL: posts the ante 50
okhcad777: posts the ante 50
kickboyswoop: posts the ante 50
bzimzim: posts the ante 50
IG0tDibs: posts the ante 50
kongobongo85: posts the ante 50
okhcad777: posts small blind 300
kickboyswoop: posts big blind 600
*** HOLE CARDS ***
Dealt to bzimzim [Kh Qh]
bzimzim: raises 1000 to 1600
IG0tDibs: folds
kongobongo85: folds
LolS: folds
Katte-M: calls 1600
Papa Bull XL: folds
okhcad777: folds
kickboyswoop: folds
*** FLOP *** [5h 3h 5s]
bzimzim: bets 2400
Katte-M: raises 2400 to 4800
bzimzim: raises 1174 to 5974 and is all-in
Katte-M: calls 1174
*** TURN *** [5h 3h 5s] [6h]***
RIVER *** [5h 3h 5s 6h] [2d]
SHOW DOWN ***bzimzim: shows [Kh Qh] (a flush, King high)
Katte-M: shows [4d 4c] (a straight, Deuce to Six)
bzimzim collected 16448 from pot

POKERSTARS GAME #16056525533: TOURNAMENT #80995650, $100+$9 HOLD'EM NO LIMIT - LEVEL IX (300/600) - 2008/03/17 - 21:15:30 (ET)Table '80995650 25' 9-max Seat #4 is the button
Seat 1: LolS (18275 in chips)
Seat 2: Katte-M (15176 in chips)
Seat 3: Papa Bull XL (18931 in chips)
Seat 4: okhcad777 (15822 in chips)
Seat 5: kickboyswoop (14398 in chips)
Seat 7: bzimzim (16448 in chips)
Seat 8: IG0tDibs (8058 in chips)
Seat 9: kongobongo85 (4870 in chips)
LolS: posts the ante 50
Katte-M: posts the ante 50
Papa Bull XL: posts the ante 50
okhcad777: posts the ante 50
kickboyswoop: posts the ante 50
bzimzim: posts the ante 50
IG0tDibs: posts the ante 50
kongobongo85: posts the ante 50
kickboyswoop: posts small blind 300
bzimzim: posts big blind 600
*** HOLE CARDS ***Dealt to bzimzim [5s 3s]
IG0tDibs: folds
kongobongo85: folds
LolS: folds
Katte-M: folds
Papa Bull XL: raises 925 to 1525
okhcad777: calls 1525
kickboyswoop: folds
bzimzim: calls 925
*** FLOP *** [3c Js Qs]
bzimzim: checks
Papa Bull XL: bets 3175
okhcad777: folds
bzimzim: raises 5325 to 8500
oleko111 is connected
Papa Bull XL: raises 8856 to 17356 and is all-in
bzimzim: calls 6373 and is all-in
*** TURN *** [3c Js Qs] [9s]
*** RIVER *** [3c Js Qs 9s] [2h]
*** SHOW DOWN ***
bzimzim: shows [5s 3s] (a flush, Queen high)
Papa Bull XL: shows [Ts Qd] (a pair of Queens)
bzimzim collected 35021 from pot

Weeeeeeeeeee.

Some thoughts on the second hand. Reasons I called in the first place: Papa had been opening frequently from late position, better price when ok came in, we're all deep enough that I can stack someone if I really hit. Then just the kind of flop I can get aggro with, pair and a flush draw. I actually thought Papa had hit the flop, but thought there was a pretty good chance he wouldn't be able to stand the heat. Instead he put his whole stack in with top pair 10 kicker. So good read, I guess. Then, of course, I run good :)

Boy he was pissed though. Haha. I think I put the whole table on tilt with that one, had Katte get his whole stack in with 5s on an 8 7 3 flop when I smooth called pf with QQ. So that was another 18000 chips or so.

Now obviously, I'm not calling raises with 53s very often, but I actually liked my play here, both the initial call and the play after. Got to chip up sometime, and I think this was a good spot to get aggressive. Maybe this is really a leak though. I am calling with a marginal hand. There's a hand on the AP forum right now where someone min raises from lp, and two others call. The bb has J9o, is deep enough to make a speculative call, and is getting nearly 8:1. Most people there say they would fold. In my mind, with connecting cards and such a great price, that seems like a chance to see a flop and try and chip up. At some point you have to rely on post-flop play/reading to try and avoid trouble if you flop a medicore holding.

Of course, it's possible I'm just playing badly and don't know it. But as long as I keep hitting five figure cashes, my ignorance is ok by me :)

In Buckeye news, Ohio State leads UNC-Ashville right now 55-47 in the second half in the NIT. They've got a 7'7" center Kenny George that's getting away with murder. He's a monster though. My God. Also Pryor announcing for Ohio State tomorrow! Sweet.

Off to my soccer game after I missed last week's game, ship a win.

SHIP IT!!!!!

2008-03-18T01:06:00.002-05:00

Got heads-up in 25k ($109) on Stars, then made a deal where I get a little bit more because I had a few more chips. I'm calling it a win since I made more, $10,023 total.

Um, SHIP IT!

Probably more thoughts on the tournament tomorrow after I look over hand history.

Not Finishing the Job

2008-03-17T11:44:00.003-05:00

Had the potential to be a pretty big night last night. Couldn't get anything going in AP 75k, but final tabled UB $129 bounty and Cake 30r. Sort of nitted up at the beginning of the UB FT (though a lack of cards were certainly partly why) when I had some chips, then tried to get more aggressive as blinds rose. Maybe missed some resteal opportunities against a really aggro player at the table? Disappointingly finished sixth. Here's a hand from that when I finally found a big one:

Hand #51730474-64 at Sun801pm20KBounty-Final (No Limit tournament Hold'em)
Started at 17/Mar/08 00:54:55
Shark__Bait is at seat 0 with 72890.
spiderweb98 is at seat 2 with 98185.
foolishgolf is at seat 3 with 22480.
phill757 is at seat 4 with 116940.
Twanbon is at seat 5 with 26970.
bzimzim is at seat 7 with 79435.
BHShrubbery is at seat 9 with 75600.
The button is at seat 4.
Shark__Bait posts ante (300).
spiderweb98 posts ante (300).
foolishgolf posts ante (300).
phill757 posts ante (300).
Twanbon posts ante (300).
bzimzim posts ante (300).
BHShrubbery posts ante (300).
bzimzim posts the small blind of 1500.
BHShrubbery posts the big blind of 3000.

Shark__Bait: -- --
spiderweb98: -- --
foolishgolf: -- --
phill757: -- --
Twanbon: -- --
bzimzim: Kc Kh
BHShrubbery: -- --

Pre-flop:
Shark__Bait folds. spiderweb98 folds. foolishgolf folds. phill757 folds. Twanbon folds. bzimzim raises to 7600. BHShrubbery calls.

Flop (board: Ac Ks Qd): bzimzim bets 9000. BHShrubbery raises to 20000. bzimzim goes all-in for 71535. BHShrubbery folds, showing As 9h. bzimzim is returned 51535 (uncalled).

Hand #51730474-64 Summary: No rake is taken for this hand. bzimzim wins 57300.

A solid fold by shrub, who seems liked a good player. Still, my image was maybe too solid for this play? Didn't want to give a free card to a straight draw, but in retrospect that reasoning seems fucking stupid. Call and hope he leads the turn. Someone even commented when he showed that they couldn't imagine that was good. Don't think I got maximum value here given my image, mistake by me.

Also finished sixth in Cake 30r (note for the 74th time, cake players suck), seen here:
Hand #14421AD99E002765: $20,000 GUARANTEED!! - R&A
Seat 2: bzimzim (116763.00 in chips)
Seat 3: HalfFrenzy (3410.00 in chips)
Seat 5: 222555 (173704.00 in chips)
Seat 7: cooger (441215.00 in chips)
Seat 8: b0untyhunter (290784.00 in chips)
Seat 10: cukiemonster (238624.00 in chips)
bzimzim posts ante of $800
HalfFrenzy posts ante of $800
222555 posts ante of $800
cooger posts ante of $800
b0untyhunter posts ante of $800
cukiemonster posts ante of $800
cooger: posts small blind $4,000
b0untyhunter: posts big blind $8,000
Dealt to bzimzim [ Kd Kh ]
cukiemonster: folds
bzimzim: raises to $21,000
HalfFrenzy: is all in 2610.00
222555: folds
cooger: folds
b0untyhunter: calls
@@@ F_L_O_P @@@ [ 2c 8d Jh ]
b0untyhunter: bets $53,410
bzimzim: is all in 94963.00
b0untyhunter: calls
*** TURN *** [ Ah ]
*** RIVER *** [ Qs ]
*** SHOW DOWN ***
b0untyhunter wins $228,096 with Two Pairs, Queens and Jacks
*** SHOW DOWN ***
HalfFrenzy wins $15,240 with Three of a Kind, Eights

Ah, QJ is the nuts. That one hurt. Also finished 15th in UB 30r, so 4 tournaments, 3 cashes, 2 final tables, no wins. Ah the life of a tournament player, disappointment most of the time. Still, feeling good, back to work tonight.

Poker? What's poker?

2008-03-16T14:25:00.003-05:00

Finally back playing today, though not sure how much. Played cash games for an hour just now. Probably play tonight. For now basketball break, with the Lakers playing the Rockets for tops in the West, along with two games that could affect if Ohio State gets in the tournament, including Illinois playing. Weird spot for my fandom. Illinois fan because I went there for law school, and they get a tournament spot with a win. But that might take OSU's spot. Personally I think OSU is out anyway, but maybe not. Who knows. So Go Illini. Kind of.

Definitely will be playing for real tomorrow.

Just your average party at a warehouse in Oakland

2008-03-09T14:44:00.002-05:00

Good party night last night, with DJ Uberzone the headliner at my friend's warehouse party. Apparently he's well-known to people who pay attention to DJs. My friend William played a set too, and it was pretty sweet. Also they hired girls to dance with/eat fire. Just your average Saturday night. I have three hours of couch sleep and a wonderful hangover.

Haven't played too much out here, but up about 500 or so in cash games I've played sporadically. I'm only like 90k behind what Carson has apparently made this week on AP. Sick run that.

Hey my last entry had three comments. It's a groundswell. To quote Mitch Hedberg: "I did an interview for XM radio, anybody have XM radio? (very scattered applause) I'll be damned, it's growing in popularity. They said, you can swear on XM radio. No shit, cause nobody can hear it. You can swear in the woods, too."

So basically, my blog is growing in popularity.

Hillary, Big Soccer/Buckeye Win, California

2008-03-05T00:41:00.004-06:00

Hillary won both Texas and Ohio tonight. Shit. This thing will keep going for a long time. How could either one land a KO in Pennsylvannia? Doesn't seem possible. To the convention?

Great article on the constant power struggle with Iran in Iraq: http://www.thenation.com/doc/20080310/dreyfuss

Ship a win for my soccer team 4-3. Goalkeeper was the difference, obv. Ship a win for the Bucks in OT over Purdue. Ohio State's season isn't quite over yet.

Off to Berkeley tomorrow to chill for a week, back next Thursday. Blog will probably not be updated much. Even if no one is actually reading this thing, pleased that I've been writing regularly so far. Probably not much poker out there, though bringing the laptop and may try to get some in. To be young and self-employed. And lazy.

6:30 wake up call tomorrow.

Bodog Poker Open

2008-03-04T13:02:00.002-06:00

Went deep in the BPO last night, but finished 16th when shoved 97o from the CO and ran into AK. 9 on the flop, K on the river. Sigh. NH, GG. It felt a little bit like a 2004 WSOP reunion, with David Williams and Josh Arieh both at my table at various points. Evelyn Ng was on my left down to two tables as well. Felt like I played pretty well in the tournaments, tried to be aggro but kept getting reraised, so nitted up a bit and tried to pick my spots, was folding a lot in late position and getting aggressive from mp. Was able to attack a couple short stacks near the bubble that had clearly nitted up and that allowed me to chip up a bit. Not enough in the end though.

That was definitely the news of the night, somehow didn't even make the money in the cake 30r. Have I mentioned that the players are bad there? Maybe once or twice? My god, they are awful.

Not sure if I'll play today. Potential epic match between Arsenal and AC Milan coming up in a minute, then have my own soccer game coming up at 6:30. Ship a win obv; lost the opener 4-1. Also Ohio State plays Purdue tonight. Ugh. Apparently Jamar Butler quit the team for a couple of days earlier this year. Awesome senior leadership. Somehow just take this season out back and put it out of its misery already. At least the Lakers are good again.

Running Bad, Playing Bad

2008-03-03T12:57:00.002-06:00

Played a few tournaments Saturday, ran bad. Lost a race, set over set, card dead, etc., then sat around for the first hour and a half in the AP 150K before picking up QQ in the sb at 100/200 with 5k chips. Donk player on button min raises, I bump to 1400, he calls of course. Flop 5 5 2, A5 obv, gg.

Yesterday played a few big tournaments, Sunday Million on Stars, Sunday Mulligan on Tilt, Bodog 100K, AP 75k. Didn't do anything in any of them. Don't think I played well. Here's a hand I hated.

FullTiltPoker Game #5477549864: The Sunday Mulligan (40615989), Table 107 - 150/300 Ante 25 - No Limit Hold'em - 21:40:25 ET - 2008/03/02
Seat 1: DBmeplz (15,384)
Seat 2: str8outtacmpton (10,165)
Seat 3: brehmer (7,451)
Seat 4: BOBCATSTATE (7,690)
Seat 5: GamBaLLer21 (4,630)
Seat 6: bzimzim (5,725)
Seat 7: saint-luc (17,434)
Seat 8: tjbozz (11,752)
Seat 9: pretty work 007 (6,575)
DBmeplz antes 25
str8outtacmpton antes 25
brehmer antes 25
BOBCATSTATE antes 25
GamBaLLer21 antes 25
bzimzim antes 25
saint-luc antes 25
tjbozz antes 25
pretty work 007 antes 25
saint-luc posts the small blind of 150
tjbozz posts the big blind of 300
The button is in seat #6
*** HOLE CARDS ***Dealt to bzimzim [9d 9c]
pretty work 007 folds
DBmeplz raises to 810
str8outtacmpton folds
brehmer folds
BOBCATSTATE folds
GamBaLLer21 folds
bzimzim calls 810
saint-luc folds
tjbozz folds
*** FLOP *** [6s Qc 4d]
DBmeplz checks
bzimzim checks
*** TURN *** [6s Qc 4d] [3s]
DBmeplz checks
bzimzim bets 1,200
DBmeplz raises to 3,600
bzimzim has 15 seconds left to act
bzimzim folds
Uncalled bet of 2,400 returned to DBmeplz
DBmeplz mucks
DBmeplz wins the pot (4,695)

I think calling on the flop is fine, he raised in ep but I've seen him raise with a decent starting range before. Pushing would have been too aggro I think. He checks flop, I check behind. Partially I'm worried about getting trapped, also just willing to take a free card. Given my bet on the turn, betting on the flop probably would have been better and represented more strength. Another check on the I turn, I bet and get c/r. In retrospect, I hate this play. Hate it. And if I'm willing to bet here, maybe I should be more willing to call off here. My theory in making the bet was that I wouldn't give any more free over cards and find out where I was at, but I also wonder if I didn't just give an aggro player a chance to make a play where it looked like I was weak. Also, my 9s have showdown value, why not just try to get there as cheap as possible? If he fires a big bet on the river I can evaluate then. I think given my hand strength here, I either had to bet the flop and define the hand or check behind on the turn and control the pot size. Instead I put myself in a position where I had to either fold away a good portion of my stack or really take a read and call off my whole stack with a marginal hand. Not where I want to be.

Went broke two hands later when my JJ got ran down by 77 when guy made a straight on the river. Didn't even bubble FT on cake rebuy last night per usual when guy got all in with a straight draw on the turn and hit on the river. At that point I just gave up for the day. This is probably why I don't play the volume I need to.

There's a headline on Yahoo right now that reads: "Kid Rock pleads not guilty to battery in Waffle House fight." Not even clicking the article. It's not going to get any better than that.

Hilary remains in full spin control by saying today she has the momentum in the campaign. She has now lost 11 straight primaries. Momentum is relative I guess. At the moment I would guess she'll win two of four tomorrow, although that's very much up in the air. So she has momentum like Notre Dame football has momentum after beating Stanford and Duke the last two games of the year. Anyway, my guess is that my home state of Ohio goes for Hilary, because why not? It went for Bush in 2004, why not screw our country a little bit more. Somewhat disconcerting in the usual drabble of political stories is this: http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20080303/ap_on_el_pr/democrats_nafta;_ylt=AsdbuwgVGk1KfhVFKjWTqZSyFz4D

I'm still for Obama, obviously, but I have gotten more concerned recently about his influences and potential political posturing. He's certainly got the big money people and interests lined up behind him, which both makes him electable and is disconcerting. I've never been that concerned about specific plans (i.e. health care) that get debated during the campaign, I'm looking for a candidate that is intelligent, has character and shares values. Obama has done a lot of good in his life, even before politics, such as the work he did here in Chicago as a community organizer. I just hope he's not losing his way in order to get elected. That's a slippery slope toward being Bill Clinton and not standing for anything at all. On the issue of NAFTA itself, I'm generally for trade with environmental standards and labor protections, which NAFTA did not do a good job at. I'm not for protectionism just for protectionism. If that's what Obama is essentially telling the Canadians, all well and good. But it's hard to know what that all means.

I'll play tonight I'm sure, need to get some poker in before heading to California Wednesday.

Ship Biggest Month Ever

2008-03-01T13:50:00.002-06:00

Thanks to Bodog 100K biggest month ever in my very young poker career.

February: +$23,216

Year to date: +$25,357

Very good start to the year. Playing a few tournaments today, not too many, play $250K probably, see if I can get anything going in that. Got TV on in background on GolTV, got the Athletico Madrid-Barcelona and Real Madrid-Recreativo matches on at the same time, sort of like the tournament where they keep going back and forth. My friend is a big Real Madrid fan so I've sort of inherited that. Right now Athletico 2-1 and 1-1 for Real Madrid. Good news so far, Real Madrid would pick up a point with those scores and be 3 up in La Liga, ahead of their Champions League showdown with Roma and Wednesday.

Ohio State plays at 3 at Minnesota. Maybe they'll actually win a game that matters. Been a frustrating year. Still, Go Bucks!

Alright, time for some afternoon poker, hopefully get March started right.

Links added

2008-02-29T15:18:00.002-06:00

Added links to the other AP forum bloggers on the side. Also those blogs are now combined at the http://apforumblogs.com/blogs.html. Thanks to Brad/Blubboz for putting that together.

Off to Apple Store on Michigan Ave because my iPod has stopped working. Annoying.

Closing out February?

2008-02-29T00:36:00.002-06:00

Haven't decided if I'm going to play tomorrow, so tonight may have been the last night of my poker month. Went out mostly with a wimper. Played seven tournaments, only cash was bubbling the FT of the cake 30r. That sounds familiar. Perhaps because it's exactly what happened yesterday. I was never high on chips on the cake 30r, but mostly survived by shoving when I could. Was tenth in chips out of 11 when found A9s in bb, button pushed and I couldn't hold against K6o. Lame. Just a matter of time on Cake though it seems.

Otherwise, lasted about five minutes on BD $109fo tonight when I raised with AKs and flopped a flush. Donkey actually raises me on flop with AJ on J 9 3 board, in a play that is either bold or donktastic (I have an opinion, guess which one). Got it in on the turn after board paired 9s and he made a boat on the river. Maybe that should have been some sort of sign for the night.

Walked into an obvious utg AA limper in the final hand of the night in the 9k like a moron. I suck.

In other news, jond is a sicko, shipping the 100K last night for like 38K or something. Carson finished third, and donkey 5 handed CL finished 5th. Wasn't hard to see that one coming.

Also, played the AP 6k in the afternoon today along with a couple cash games to kill an afternoon, and it featured new AP "pro" Liv Boeree, seen here: http://www.absolutepoker.com/livboeree/. Ah to be a pretty face, though you wouldn't think that would be that useful for online poker. Apparently it is. I like her poker accomplishments: she won one tournament of undetermined stakes, won a satellite, and finished 7th in a poker tournament specifically for amateurs. For a poker pro, that resume is um, sparse. I have a lot more on my resume, and I'm an absolute nothing (or unknown as Bodog would rightly put it). She must actually be smart as hell if she has "a first class degree in physics with astrophysics", though that seems to get the same emphasis on her webpage as the fact that she likes Metallica and has a lizard called Mr. Osterlind. Vital information, that. Still, I'm sure she'll do fine with a basic poker knowledge, because the 6k is the biggest tournament she's playing and the players in that tournament are mostly terrible.

Hey, had this blog for two days and haven't veered wildly off the topic of poker yet. It's coming I'm sure.

Not Much Good To Say About Tonight...

2008-02-28T00:36:00.004-06:00

6 tournaments (not counting AP forum tournament, which doesn't really count as a money making venture), 1 cash. Don't think I played well early. Made one terrible call on Stars (KJ v. KK, made a straight, wow) that worked out, then didn't even cash anyway (AA cracked by 88, guess I deserved that). Bubbled the final table on Cake 30r on this hand:

Hand #1424199B29002760:
Tournament Table 5
Seat 4: pooob (125341.00 in chips)
Seat 5: Innocuous (93174.00 in chips)
Seat 7: bransara (128647.00 in chips)
Seat 8: cityassassin (185170.00 in chips)
Seat 9: bzimzim (101399.00 in chips)
pooob posts ante of $500
Innocuous posts ante of $500
bransara posts ante of $500
cityassassin posts ante of $500
bzimzim posts ante of $500
Innocuous: posts small blind $2,500
bransara: posts big blind $5,000
Dealt to bzimzim [ 5s 6s ]
cityassassin: folds
bzimzim: raises to $13,000
pooob: folds
Innocuous: folds
bransara: calls
@@@ F_L_O_P @@@ [ Kd 6d 5d ]
bransara: bets $31,000
bzimzim: is all in 87899.0000
bransara: calls
*** TURN *** [ 9s ]
*** RIVER *** [ 9h ]
*** SHOW DOWN ***bransara wins $206,798 with Two Pairs, Kings and Nines

Had been playing pretty solid throughout the tourney, clearly opened up here five handed. Obv knew I was good, but knew I'd have to fade him catching two pair or hitting on his flush draw. Or both, in this case (he had 10d). Didn't happen on counterfeit, nh, gg. First place $6k or so, would have been in a great position (second in chips) if I'd won this pot. Instead, back to work tomorrow. Still love cake though. Fields are so soft it's unreal. The quality of opponents I almost feel like I'm back playing $11 sngs on AP like when I first started playing online.

AP forumers jond and carson still in $100K on AP, 5 left, hopefully one of them ships it. Haven't been watching close, but CL seems like a donk.

The State of Brian's Poker Union

2008-02-27T16:27:00.002-06:00

As I write, the state of my poker universe is strong, just like Bush has said the country is for the last seven State of the Unions. Only one of us is full of shit.

It certainly wasn't like that to start the year. January was totally unproductive until I made a little money in the last week, finishing +$2100. Not great. Then I opened the month by not cashing in 26 straight tournaments. Not once. Horrific. On Saturday the 9th, since I was in the negative for the year and all, I told a friend of mine I was "going back to school", and pulled every poker book I owned off my shelves with the intention of going back to basics. A Harrington here, a Sklansky there.

Sunday was much better:
http://beat.bodoglife.com/poker/bzimzim-wins-bodog-sunday-100k-guaranteed-online-poker-tourney-34589.html

1. bzimzim - $25,000.00
2. ezmoney31 - $14,000.00
3. DeCodeD - $9,000.00
4. cvanm - $6,500.00
5. Remih - $5,400.00
6. lowdog - $4,400.00
7. will19 - $3,400.00
8. matt1269 - $2,400.00
9. Ned Reyerson - $1,550.00

Score one for the "unknowns" :)

It was twice my biggest previous largest cash, which was $12.5K in the old AP 80K (or maybe 70K, whatever the big Saturday tournament was back in the good ole days of AP). And in a particular bit of fitting justice, in that previous tournament I got repeatedly sucked out on heads up: KK v 44, AK v A4, and a couple of other times I got my money in good. First was $22.5K in that tournament. Well this time I got my money in with A8 against 88, and spiked an A on flop obv. I run good. There is some justice in the world after all.

Been backsliding for most of the rest of this month until hit a bit of run the past two days. Second in the 20r AP nooner for $1300, 2nd in an afternoon UB $109fo for $1600, 3rd in the nightly AP 30r for $2266, shipped a $65KO on UB for $985 (with the bounties). Was deep in a $109fo on stars yesterday until couldn't find any good spots when down to two tables. Still not a bad two days work, though mostly it just cancelled out the backsliding. Now back up to 24K for the month and a little change.

As I write this, in a RP qualifier for the 100k tonight, and my table is awful. Gonna need to find some cards to exploit it though, these guys aren't folding, and really overplay their hands. If I qualify, hopefully I play better than the last time I was in the 100K, when my play would best be described as "horrific".

Speaking of that, up to 50/100 in that qualifier, couple limpers, just shoved with 10s for 1300, called by A6s, A on river. I run good. Nh, wp donkey.

So that's where my poker game stands at the moment. I've been focusing on multis (a decision I'll probably post about at some point), so I'll hit those up tonight and see what happens. 45 minutes until the the 6 pm Bodog $109, FT $75 and Stars $109, 3 tournies I play pretty regularly.

Introduction

2008-02-27T15:10:00.000-06:00

Needing a creative outlet, and in absolute follower/copycat fashion of other APers who've started a blog, I've done the same.

This blog will talk about poker for sure, but I make no promises that it won't veer wildly in other directions, such as politics, sports, movies and random things about my life.

I do intend to keep updating frankly to keep my sure-to-be many readers happy (er, yeah). Or just because I think it would be good for me to write my thoughts down frequently.

Title from Arcade Fire's "Antichrist Television Blues".

More to come.