A little better.

Today was a real swingy day. I played about an hour and a half this afternoon and booked a $95 win. I made made some draws, over pairs didnt get busted up and I played pretty well.

Tonight however, started off horribly just plain running bad. I swear to god if one more person hits a one card straight on my overpair, im going to kill someone.

*** HOLE CARDS ***
Dealt to jjdylan [As Ac]
drdoctor: dang
AndMor folds
Wreckz folds
RiverBelle888 folds
jjdylan raises to $2
drdoctor calls $1.75
oriV folds
*** FLOP *** [Jc Ts 6c]
drdoctor checks
jjdylan bets $4
drdoctor raises to $8
jjdylan raises to $19
drdoctor calls $10.75, and is all in
jjdylan shows [As Ac]
drdoctor shows [Kh Ks]
Uncalled bet of $0.25 returned to jjdylan
*** TURN *** [Jc Ts 6c] [Qs]
drdoctor: ouch
*** RIVER *** [Jc Ts 6c Qs] [Ad]
jjdylan shows three of a kind, Aces
drdoctor: wow
drdoctor shows a straight, Ace high
drdoctor wins the pot ($39.90) with a straight, Ace high



*** HOLE CARDS ***
Dealt to jjdylan [Ks Kc]
Plum All In has 15 seconds left to act
Plum All In calls $0.50
BadLuck02 folds
iceflush14 folds
ButchCssidy calls $0.50
jjdylan raises to $3
DoubledownA folds
Plum All In folds
ButchCssidy calls $2.50
*** FLOP *** [5c 8c 4d]
jjdylan bets $5
ButchCssidy calls $5
*** TURN *** [5c 8c 4d] [3s]
jjdylan bets $11
ButchCssidy calls $10.85, and is all in
jjdylan shows [Ks Kc]
ButchCssidy shows [6s Qs]
Uncalled bet of $0.15 returned to jjdylan
*** RIVER *** [5c 8c 4d 3s] [7d]
jjdylan shows a pair of Kings
ButchCssidy shows a straight, Eight high
ButchCssidy wins the pot ($36.80) with a straight, Eight high


Thats how my night started...i also had AQ lose to K9o when a short stack overpushed my raise. Thankfully I sat down at a dream table, 2 loose (vpip's of 45+) idiots with big stacks. I had built myself up to $166 when the following hand came up (note stack sizes)....

Seat 1: Mr_Nick_River ($50)
Seat 2: El Subestimado ($52.25)
Seat 3: jjdylan ($166.25)
Seat 4: DoubledownA ($52.95)
Seat 5: Plum All In ($153.45)
Seat 6: BadLuck02 ($72.75)
DoubledownA posts the small blind of $0.25
Plum All In posts the big blind of $0.50
The button is in seat #3
*** HOLE CARDS ***
Dealt to jjdylan [4h 4s]
BadLuck02 raises to $1.50
Mr_Nick_River folds
El Subestimado folds
jjdylan calls $1.50
DoubledownA folds
Plum All In calls $1
*** FLOP *** [4c Ac Qh]
Plum All In bets $4.75
BadLuck02 calls $4.75
jjdylan raises to $16
Plum All In calls $11.25
BadLuck02 calls $11.25
*** TURN *** [4c Ac Qh] [9d]
Plum All In bets $17
BadLuck02 calls $17
jjdylan raises to $148.75, and is all in
Plum All In: wow
Plum All In: this sucks
Plum All In has 15 seconds left to act
BadLuck02: SICK
Plum All In folds
BadLuck02 calls $38.25, and is all in
jjdylan shows [4h 4s]
BadLuck02 shows [Kc Jc]
Uncalled bet of $93.50 returned to jjdylan
*** RIVER *** [4c Ac Qh 9d] [2d]
jjdylan shows three of a kind, Fours
BadLuck02 shows Ace King high
jjdylan wins the pot ($177.25) with three of a kind, Fours

I was hoping the call would come from the other guy who still had $100 behind, but at this point I'm more than happy that I just had a hand hold up in a huge pot like this. And thankfully, after leaving this table with around $270 i managed to book a small win on the evening and come out ahead a little over $100 on the day.

Hopefully I can keep it going tomorrow, because its probably the last I'll play before the holiday, and ive got a busy work week coming up after Thanksgiving, so im not sure how much poker will be in there. We'll see, if i dont play i'll keep reading NLTAP.

Downswing time!

ugh, Why does it seem like i run either extremely hot or extremely cold?? Theres no inbetween with me. The past 2 days have been horrible, im dropping buy ins like its my job. Probably around 6 over the past 2 days. You name it and its happening, one card straights, backdoor flushes, sets, two pair on the river...im running into it all.

Hands like this have become the norm...

[Nov 18 05:29:37] : Seat 4 : jjdylan has Kc Kh
[Nov 18 05:29:39] : Who_Farted? called $0.50
[Nov 18 05:29:42] : lucky799 raised $1
[Nov 18 05:29:47] : jjdylan called $1.50 and raised $6
[Nov 18 05:29:48] : cookiesman folded.
[Nov 18 05:29:54] : daisy453 folded.
[Nov 18 05:29:55] : Who_Farted? folded.
[Nov 18 05:30:01] : lucky799 called $6
[Nov 18 05:30:02] : Dealing flop.
[Nov 18 05:30:02] : Board cards [As 2h 5c]
[Nov 18 05:30:06] : lucky799 bet $2
[Nov 18 05:30:12] : jjdylan called $2 and raised $8
[Nov 18 05:30:17] : lucky799 called $8
[Nov 18 05:30:17] : Dealing turn.
[Nov 18 05:30:17] : Board cards [As 2h 5c 3s]
[Nov 18 05:30:22] : lucky799 bet $8
[Nov 18 05:30:24] : jjdylan folded.


Anyways, ive fallen way behind the goal for 3k by years end, but thats ok....one nice heater can turn it all around.
I also got the new Sklansky book, No Limit Hold 'em: Theory and Practice in the mail today from the pokerstars fpp store, i haven't really heard much as to what people think of the book ,but i'll probably spend more time reading that than playing this weekend. Regardless of how good it turns out to be, im sure i'll learn something from it, and its always nice to have something around to re-affirm that things i've been doing are actually "right".

Once I finish it I'll write something up here, till then....

what the fuck.

*** HOLE CARDS ***
Dealt to jjdylan [As Ac]
LooseSlot raises to $2.25
whaahhahahah folds
Leperkahn folds
ELZAPO folds
tnight folds
jjdylan raises to $7.25
LooseSlot raises to $33.85, and is all in
jjdylan calls $26.60
LooseSlot shows [Ad Js]
jjdylan shows [As Ac]
*** FLOP *** [9h 7d 8h]
*** TURN *** [9h 7d 8h] [Th]
*** RIVER *** [9h 7d 8h Th] [7h]
LooseSlot shows a straight, Jack high
jjdylan shows two pair, Aces and Sevens
LooseSlot wins the pot ($65.45) with a straight, Jack high



*** HOLE CARDS ***
Dealt to jjdylan [Ac As]
pjb109 folds
bigfish5000 calls $0.50
stayls24 folds
jjdylan raises to $2
Bl44tSch44p folds
RiverRat1969 folds
bigfish5000 calls $1.50
*** FLOP *** [6d 4c 8c]
bigfish5000 checks
jjdylan bets $4
bigfish5000 raises to $8
jjdylan raises to $45.50, and is all in
bigfish5000 calls $18.30, and is all in
jjdylan shows [Ac As]
bigfish5000 shows [4s 5d]
Uncalled bet of $19.20 returned to jjdylan
*** TURN *** [6d 4c 8c] [4h]
*** RIVER *** [6d 4c 8c 4h] [6s]
jjdylan shows two pair, Aces and Sixes
bigfish5000 shows a full house, Fours full of Sixes
bigfish5000 wins the pot ($54.50) with a full house, Fours full of Sixes



Shit like this is really starting to make winning a little bit harder. How big of a favorite do i need to be over these people when all their money goes in to have my hand hold??

Leveling off

The past few days have been kinda rough. I've been just a little above break even this week, and Tuesday (the 14th) I dropped 4 buy ins on the day. I did come and get 2 back the next day though. But thats how things are goin. KK has lost the last 3 times ive had it. and AA has gone down 3 of the last 4 times ive had it (Including a preflop all in against AJo tonight.) Despite the trouble with big pairs I am still coming out ahead for the most part and haven't had any REAL big bumps in the road.

Today i played the $8 + .80 $1500 guarantee on Doyles Room. I started off real hot winning a nice pot in the first hand i played with a set of deuces and then busting out 2 people in one hand a short time later with AA. At the start of the 2nd level i was sitting with 10k in chips (from the 2000 starting stack). I did lose one big hand where I limped in to the pot with A8 of diamonds after a limper before me. The flop comes A6T with 2 diamonds, he checks to me, i bet the pot of 200. He calls and we see the turn....an offsuit 8. He checks, i bet about 600 and he goes all in for about another 1200. I obviously call, expecting to be miles ahead but he turns over 79of diamonds and im drawing to an A, 8 or one of 7 remaining diamonds. The river is obviously is a blank and im knocked back down to about 8800 in chips. From there on I didnt get much by the way of cards...I maintained my stack by stealing some blinds and around bubble time I had an M of 6.8. I fought my way into the money by pushing all in stealing blinds when I could (had the agressive chip leader on my right which hurt badly.) When finally, i caught a hand.

I caught QQ on the button and pushed all in for about 8k chips...the short stack in the SB called me with J9s and I won the hand, along with his 1500 or so chips.
The very next hand, i wake up with KK! YES!! I'm getting hot at exactly the right time! UTG limps, the chip leader puts in a raise to about 4k. I push all in for my approx 10k chips and get called by both UTG and the chip leader. KK holds and im up to 18k in chips. Now im in a spot where I can play some poker and head into the final table strong!
Except, the very next hand I pick up AKs. Chip leader raises again to 6k....i push for my 18k...and get called by the SB (who i have barely covered) who woke up with KK. I dont improve and now im super short stacked with 5500 in chips. I pick up the blinds with one push and the next time i push (LP with K9s) i get called by ATo and I'm gone. 37th place out of 367 players and i take home a whopping $13 and change.

I thought I played well in this tournament but I really have to find a way to "play more poker" in these things instead of relying on catching good hands. I feel lost in the middle stages of a tournament where I have a moderate stack. Its in these spots that i really dont know how to play against a raise. I have too few chips to be calling and seeing flops, but re-raising/pushing with hands like KQ or AJ just feels dumb. And folding these hands really feels weak. Any ideas??? Maybe i'll go back and re-read the 2nd volume of Harrington on Hold'em to see if I can pick anything up.

Well, for now, the BR is holding right around $1100. To stay on pace for $3000 by years end I should be at $1300 by the end of today (Nov. 16). I'm close, but need to step it up. Hopefully the rest of my sessions later today go well. Till then...

Up and Down...

The past 2 days I've been running kinda bad on Full Tilt, nothing too horrible but ive had a few big suckouts and the like recently. Thankfully, Doyles Room is full of idiots!! Just tonight i dropped about $100 on Full Tilt, so I changed scenery and had people just handing me money over at doyles room. Eventually pulling in about $130 there and ending the day slightly ahead. The scenario was similar the night before, with a late night comeback to end ahead about $20 or $30.

I dont know an exact number, but the BR is up around $1200 right now and hopefully growing some more tomorrow.

Rollin along

Nothin much to write about right now, but poker has been going really well lately. I've been playing really well and the winning has been steady, just how i like it to be!! The bankroll is up to a little over $900 right now and I'm well ahead of pace to meet my goal before the end of the year as long as the downswings stay well away.

easy money

Need i say more? Today was a great day at the tables. I dominated at every table I sat down at, this even includes dropping a buy in each with KK and JJ to some tough beats. If only poker was this easy every day!

Booyah! (days 8&9)

After the bad session i talked about in my last entry, i came back on Thursday and made a little over $60 in a few short sessions.

Today (friday), I didnt play at all except for a $10+1 90Man SnG on Full Tilt which started at 1130pm. I've been coming close in tournaments latley so I wanted to put together a solid effort.

Things started out really well, I doubled up on the 5th hand of the tournament when i caught a set of 2's which turned into a full house and luckily my opponent made the trips on the board and was more than happy to play for stacks. That was pretty much all there was to talk about for most of the tournament. I played pretty tight, picked up a few small pots and tried to stay out of trouble.

The top 18 places paid and with around 25 people remaining i was pretty shortstacked. I still had a fair number of chips compared to the blinds at that point, but against the field i was near the bottom. Then i picked up QJ in late position, i put in a smallish raise to try and take down the blinds. I got one caller from the SB and we took the flop which came out 972. He checked and I followed suit behind. The turn brought a J...he checked I bet a little more than half the pot and he called. The river brought an Ace and he insta-pushed. At this point i was committed, so i closed my eyes and called. He turned over K10 and i doubled up. 2 hands later, i raise with 89s...get one caller who folds to my cbet on the flop and what do ya know. with 20 players left I'm the chip leader with 44k in chips.

I didn't get crazy with the chip lead and did just enough blind stealing to keep the chip lead heading into the final table. The final table turned out to be the tightest final table I've ever played. 25 minutes into the final table and we still had 6 players remaining. It was even more absurd because the average "m" at the table was around 8 or 9. As the chip leader mine was only 11. Finally the pace started to pick up as I busted out the next player and 2 more followed shortly after. Down to 3 handed all our stacks were pretty even. We traded chips between the 3 of us for a few levels when finally I raised from the button with T5 of spades. The small blind called and we took the flop which came out 743 with one spade. He checked and I pushed all in for what was about a pot sized bet. To my surprise he called and turned over his monster...K10 offsuit. The turn brought the 8 of spades giving me a little more hope, but the river bricked and I was out in 3rd place. I may have been able to play the hand differently, but I knew for sure that he didnt hit that flop so i figured i had plenty of chips to get him to lay down most over card and Ace high type hands. I think his call was pretty bad, but I guess if he thought i was stealing with rags then he made a good call. Either way, I cashed for $99 (much needed as i had to cash out 50 today) and walked away happy with how I played.

I dont know how much playing i'll get in tomorrow, but i'm sure i'll spend plenty of time at the tables on sunday if nothing else.

Ouch

Well, today went horribly. I started off the night playing like complete shit while on FTP. I got stacked on 3 different hands that i never should have called off all that money with. Luckily i also caught a couple big hands myself to somewhat cushion the losses. I left FTP down about 2 buy ins ($100) and moved over to doyles room. Things didnt go much better there, as i never caught much by the way of cards. The times i did catch strong hands the boards didnt allow me to really push them hard. So i ended my night there down another buy in. I definitley didnt play my best, and at times played like a complete donkey tonight. Making a decent laydown was apparently out of the question. Oh well, I'll regroup and make sure I play a good game tomorrow.

Days 5 &6

The last 2 days have been very good for me, playing on doyles room has been a great time. It seems like people have just been throwing their money at me, combine that with running well and it's been a lot of fun. Full tilt hasn't been as good to me although ive been winning there too. Its really amazing how different 2 sites can play. While sitting at a 6max $50nl table on full tilt the loosest person at my table had a vpip of 35. with all the other players coming in at 24 or lower. At the same time, my table on doyles room (same stakes, 6max) had 3 players of vpip's over 50...with one moron coming in at a whopping 92. While both tables can be profitable, its much easier to be sitting at the one where the guy will call off 1/2 his stack with middle pair. (as long as he doesnt turn that into 2 pair or trips....please poker gods, dont throw the switch on me!!).

Anyways, Monday, Day 5 ended up $+94.84
and Tuesday, day 6 ended up $+126.07

i also tried another $8.80 $2000 guaranteed at doyles room which is technically on Wednesday, day 7 which i ran card dead the whole time and busted out in 79th well short of cashing. But I'll probably forget to add that in when i update tomorrow, so I'll throw it in now.

With the end of the month, that means I'll have rakeback money coming my way soon in the weeks to follow. I don't think I'll be getting all too much from either site because A) I'm clearing a bonus at Full Tilt and B) I didn't play on either FTP or Doyle's Room for half the month either. So yeah, rakeback coming...i cleared another $20 in bonus on FTP today and hopefully I'll keep winning! Check back in tomorrow.