Day 5 - downswing or just suck?by NewbSaibot, September 09
Nothing special today. Ran into another table with light raisers. I want to say they seem like they've probably learned some stuff from online forums but it just seems terribly misapplied. I mean there can virtually never be a good reason for raising 25s or K7o utg can there? I decided not to let it get the best of me and stopped with all the iso-raising, however I was still having difficulty playing 5 way pots every time I did open. My standard preflop sizing is 4xBB+1. So 3 limpers = $35. This means nothing to them, and I guess thats ok but you know what comes next. Dry flop that somehow connects with everyone but you. Am I raising too small? Or is my range too wide?
For instance 3 limpers and I have KTs in the CO at 2/5NL. What do I want to make it assuming they are all your typical 90vpip fish?
Damn, I thought I was better than this, but I still let tilt get the best of me today. Finally had an encounter with the kind of penny stakes fish that used to drive me insane online. One guy raised 74s utg, called my 3bet preflop, then 3bet the flop after I tried to steal it from him and showed a pair of 7's on an Ace high flop after I folded. I didnt feel outplayed, but more like he's just insane since I hadnt had any run in's with him to date. I start 3betting him every time he raises with limited success. A few folds here and there but mostly calls that I kept having to lay down on the most random of fucking boards that he just wouldnt go away on. I chip him up at least $300 before the inevitable happens.
Reg: $2700
Hero: $1100 (As8s)
Reg: BTN raises to $20
Hero: BB raises to $75
Reg: snap calls
Flop: 624ss
Hero: bets $110
Reg: snap calls
Turn: 624Tsss
Hero: bets $315
Reg: snap calls
River: 624TTsss
Hero: tank jams for effect
Reg: snap calls
Reg shows T6hh for a runner runner boat. This is what used to drive me to punching monitors back in the day. You just attack and attack and attack some insane fish and when you finally hit that pivotal moment where you're both deepstacked, they fucking hit a miracle one last time. I even commented on it earlier after he kept beating me with his dog shit hands that "we're gonna get into it eventually I know it buddy!" He eventually left and I got moved to a table full of black guys. That didnt go well. Got shoved on twice preflop by rags and lost, and got a guy to call $50 pre with 52o and $150cbet on a gutshot and get there.
Was doing decent, up 2 buyins playing aggressively raising over limpers etc preflop, could tell I was irritating a couple of players who just werent used to not being able to limp for $5 every single hand, when finally I 3bet AK to $60 and get snap called by one of the tilty players on my left. Flop comes down 649r and in about 5 seconds he suddenly says "265!" indicating an allin. Now we were heads up and I was leaned all the way back in my chair with my arms crossed, so there's no way he thought I checked. I immediately was like "huh?" and everyone at the table erupts to inform me that the action is still on me and his bet is binding if I check. I understand this but everyone including the dealer kept reinforcing this as if I was about to make some grave mistake "sir, sir, sir, the action is on you. His action is binding, just know that ok? He has to put in 265 if you check" blah fuckity blah to the point I was thinking "OK EVERYONE SHUT THE FUCK UP FOR A SECOND!". I knew something was off. This out of turn bet just made no sense whatsoever because there is absolutely no way he thought I checked. I even apologized for a second and said "hey man I wasnt trying to make you think I checked to you somehow". And I'm looking at this board and I'm like why the fuck does someone 2x pot a rainbow dry as fuck board like this? Especially one that I was 100% going to cbet with AK.
The pressure got to me with the dealer still staring at me intensely trying to make sure I understood the rules so I folded. Obviously faggot on my left shows the bluff and taunts me with it. As the deep stack of the table I promptly racked up and left sort of as a statement that you just chased off $1500 with your $60 win dipshit, hope you're happy. I think leaving was the right move anyway because I was pretty damn tilted and knew if this guy is an angler he's probably just getting started and I dont have time to deal with cheaters.
I only travel to play in card rooms 2-3 times per year and yet I still recognize many faces and all of their playstyles. Who knows if they remember me, but they are clearly regs. They hug the cute dealers and bump fists with the floor manager. They possess all the cliche superstitions a poker player has. They make repeated requests for the deck to be washed and celebrate the arrival of a new dealer. What blows me away though is that they'll then make some tactical well-thought out decision to change tables because the current one is too nitty or something. They play like total fish and yet have been keeping proper notes and analyzed the current table to recognize it's just no good, meanwhile I'm just sitting there like "are you nuts!? This table is GREAT! What the hell are you judging your decision to move from?!"
I even got the chance to play with a famous reg who's supposedly loaded and good. He shoved his first hand in the dark and then lamented about waiting until the rebuy was over for the tourney he was sitting out in. He said he doesnt play until the rebuy is over because it's just a bunch of fish shoving on each other and he needs to wait until they tighten up and take the game seriously. He had plenty of bling and did seem wealthy, but this is a guy I'm supposed to fear because he's like a 5/10 pro or something.
Just wanted to share, that after a year, I've finally added 10kg (22 pounds) to my Squat and broken the 500 pound barrier with (230kg back squat). On the same day I did 225 and 230 and had to put all my soul on that lift.
I've been squatting everyday no matter what for the past 2 month (except sundays), letting how "I feel" dictate the intensity (weight), mostly doing singles. Self-regulated intensity is the most advanced training method but it's def worth it, if you can totally be honest with yourself and have at least a few years under the bar.
My only limitation is a nagging small glute tear, which healed but I re injured it. (it only bothers me on Back Squats with 200kg or more)
Now I'm dialing the intensity down to let it heal, and will start adding very light 2x squat sessions and focusing on other core skills. Basically targeting to put in even more volume to build an ever more solid base to reach 240kg by the end of the year.
Both of my business (My Crossfit Gym and my Sports supplier) are doing great and should allow me to make a comfortable living within a year, I think.
U.S.A. bout to get stacked, we got about half of our country supporting this guy for presidential election.
All he does is yell out the word "jobs", blames everything on China, and then when it comes to immigration his plan is to build a wall along the border and deport all current illegal immigrants. He over simplifies every problem the U.S. has which helps create his appeal to the general U.S. population who don't like to apply critical thinking to any parts of their lives.
Bill O'Reilly asks him "Do you support gay marriage?"
Trump replies "No, I'm against it"
Bill: "Why"
Trump: "I don't know, I just don't feel good about it."
The fk?
Note: The show is on a right-wing conservative network, and the host is usually ignorant on many topics. When Trump is on, Bill seems like the voice of reason.
I took the next week off from work to go grind it out in the live card rooms of Florida. With the weekend I'll have a total of 10 days of playtime which should be a good experiment. The goal is to experience the lifestyle of a professional poker player. It's easy to go on a holiday weekend and just have a good time, it's another to play every single day to the point that you wish you were doing something else instead. I need to know what that feels like and how I'll handle it in case after day 5 I'm like "holy fuck I hate this, I want my normal job back". So my days will generally consist of playing from around 7pm-2am, going to bed around 3am, and sleeping till 1pm. Eat breakfast, maybe early dinner, study a little, then go back to cardroom. I may try some daytime shifts since I've been told the card rooms are bumping almost all day long and a night life might not be necessary, even though I'm a night owl anyway which suits me best.
To help create this "normal every day life" during my time here I actually booked a room through AirBnB. I hate staying in hotels and figured maybe some schmuck's house would feel more like home. I snagged a room in a nice house in a country club. Indoor pool, lakeside, paddle boats, secured entry, full kitchen, the works. The guy himself is really chill, just some older businessman in his 50's with a family all grown up doing their own thing. I brought my computer and everything since he has a desk in my room so I'm pretty well set up here. This is SO much better than a hotel already. Even though it's not my home it still feels like my home. Plus the shit is way cheaper than a hotel. My fav hotel here would have cost me $1500 to stay. This guy's house is $500.
Beyond that, my life could get pretty boring. Eat/sleep/poker. But thats the point, because I already know I like doing two of those things. Last thing I want to do is quit my job, move to a foreign city, and just hope I like my new career path. I'll be playing 2/5 NLHE exclusively as that is the lowest limit one can make a living at and I dont know PLO.
This was my first night playing in about 3 months. My table was a little nitty but since I play full ring live like 6max online I can usually open it up a bit. The key element here was just the atmosphere. So many people say they hate live play mostly because they can play so many more hands online. From the moment I sat down until the 5 hour mark I loved every bit of it. Just the socializing, talking about Narcos, making racist jokes at each other, talking about poker and the 10/20 game going on above us, it all just felt right. Online players get bored from lack of hands. I get bored from lack of conversation. It's such a huge life commitment to dedicate yourself to the live format since it requires so many personal changes in your lifestyle. However I think those changes can actually keep you healthy. They create balance, something many live grinders are sorely missing. I actually enjoy waking up, taking a shower, eating breakfast, getting dressed, driving 10 minutes to card room, grinding, leaving for dinner, coming back, going home, settling in for the night and watching some TV. It's as close to a normal lifestyle as you can get coming from the American work force.
Didn't play for 2 weeks due to a very nice holiday with my gf and son.
Downside is I forgot how to play. Shot at 5nl pretty much went to shit (first winnings were pre holiday).
Just going to play 2NL again and hope for the best.
At this historic moment, as climate-change-induced resource wars appear imminent and spontaneous revolutionary fervor is erupting around the world, it would be good for the people of America, and those who want to be America, to do a bit of soul searching. It would be wise to take this opportunity to ask some fundamental questions about US foreign policy which are continually ignored. Why do we maintain an all-but-irreversible worldwide system of over 1,000 military bases, stations and outposts? Why do our troops serve on the soil of 175 of 192 member states of the United Nations? And why, at a time when our national debt is spiraling ominously out of control, are we spending more on our military than all the rest of the nations of the world combined?
Of course, the deeper psychological question at the heart of all this is: What are we so afraid of? Why are we trying so hard to control everything? Why can't we relax and be less fearful of the other?
And then, finally, there is this inspiring and uplifting question to ponder: Can we rediscover our ideals as a nation and learn once again how to cast that magical soft-power spell which so enthralled most of humanity in the decades after World War II?
Why not?
Kalle Lasn
Adbusters May/June 2011 – #95 – Volume 19 Number 3
Hey guys. I want to start playing poker again. So can a credited player transfer me 500 PS for 500 paypal? 250 x 2 transfers and I will send first both times. Thank you!
I'm listening to The Wisdom of Psychopaths audiobook and recently I've kept a journal where I think on paper about poker and then try to look at the stuff.
Basically I like the thought of W34z3l where he said something like
you woulnd't submit a database of 50 hands to someone for analysis would you. Yet people analyze their mental game based on isolated thoughts and incidents of which they hardly keep any records
And through looking back at my history in various endeavors I one day realized that
I achieve flow states best when pressed against the wall, when all is at stake, when I'm staring into the face of impending doom. That's when I tap into my awesome survivalist power and become capable of incredible feats
Basically I'm strongly motivated by seeing the bottom and avoiding it not by reaching to the top (of which psychopaths are an extreme example as the ones with tuned dials to the maximum ignore risk and punishment altogether. They are incapable of feeling anxiety.) and always have be it in top level sports, academia, sales or poker. It's just the way I was brought up. Question is whether I just accept that and keep putting pressure on myself in smart ways, manipulating anxiety levels to my advantage as needed, or if I try to slowly change my nature over time and attempt at becoming more gain oriented. The answer probably is a combination of both. This is one of the reasons why I keep checking cashier, and learn the most and put in the most volume when in a downswing or when my BR/making a living is under a threat generally, not when I have the opportunity to gain when I run well and can move up. I have managed to bring my anxiety levels way down this year, and am radically more comfortable with just being myself but the glance into the world of psychopaths showed me that I still have a long way to go.
So what do you guys think - do any of you recognize themselves in this?
I'm assuming the final chapters of the book will shed some light on how one can acquire the positive skills of psychopaths (he got himself made into one temporarily by EMP) , but if you were to bring a long term change to your core not just in poker, but in all aspects of life, how'd you go about it.
Got to work a lil late this month, was swinging around a lot for a while after Vegas, finally got settled at the tables and started booking some wins recently though.
Going to be playing nl25-nl50 rolling into 9/1 and look to be at nl100-nl200 by the EOM. Wish me luck.
This month life was pretty busy, moving back from LV, finding a new apartment, living situations between then and time spent with family and friends, really happy to be home and set up after LV.
Aiming for 200+ Hours this month and a fun filled life, that's all I can really ask out of myself.
Goal has changed a little bit, but mostly just fixation on becoming a confident nl100-nl600 player everyday.
I love playing (1) MTT at a time on Bovada, and just getting tons of CG Hands in. Feels good to rebuild back up to nl25-nl50 BR before 9/1.
Question btw : whos the best cashgame player to watch on Streaming Twitch? can you guys put some links up please !
I did not follow the PLO scene (still don't know much about it really), so I am hoping you LP PLO players can help me figure out a mystery. Who were considered the best online headsup PLO players in the world a few years ago? like say 2009-2013.
Although I'd still be curious about the full list, the person I'm looking for isn't famous outside of online play (so nobody like Ivey, Antonius, etc.)
Thanks for your assistance
~N
*EDIT
Current best guess: Xblink (but there are some things that don't add up). Have any of you guys met him in person or played against him?
Stars/Skrill/Neteller for Paypalby Dinewbie, August 27
Hey guys, I need $100 on paypal for my $100 stars (or skrill or Neteller). I can send first. I have posted here a ton under the sn Fujikura and forgot my pw lol. Pretty sure a decent handful of people can vouch for me, but like I said, I'll send first anyway :D
Cheers and thanks LP!
I've never really had a blog here, or at least for a while. Little background, I've been playing NL200-NL400 for 7-8 years, give and take, always did fairly good but have been completely poker-sick for the past 2-3 years (still grinding as only/main income). Barely average over 30k hands of 6max nowadays per month, etc etc.
Was looking for something different, I've stopped learning NL a few years back, never really watched videos, never really worked on my game more than a few hours per week, etc. And a few weeks back, I really wanted to get that pleasure and feeling back, the one where you want to be the best, you work hard, you try to learn, etc.
So I tried some PLO for fun, I've played maybe 100k hands lifetime of PLO but never really got into it, and never really studied it.
I've been working very hard on it for the past 2-3 weeks, logged in about 50k hands of low stakes, tried to find leaks, exploitative stuff to do vs regs, instead of just grinding it out. Tried to be good/great instead of just beating the games, etc.
Played the first 3/4th of my hands without any hud nor tracker, and that swinged a lot, that was pretty random. I'd take a lot of notes but still, that was pretty damn random and still did okayish.
I've came up with about 8-9 questions, interrogations, I have about the game, about hands, about spots, about the thinking behind a play, the thinking the average reg has, etc.
I was wondering if anybody would like to talk about these, looking for someone who is trying hard to improve in the game and has a at least low stakes background and some success in poker in general (meaning not PLO only, if you had some success in NL and you are starting in PLO, you probably have a good thought process and it could be interesting).
Anyway, some of my interrogations I have written down can look a little bit like this,
- What is the true value of 3betting AA, in so many spots people/regs do it as the most standard play in the book, but how good is it in 3-4 different spots (ip, oop, stack sizes, multiway possibily, fish vs reg, etc)
- What stats and what hand sample to look for before knowing what exactly to do in most spots vs a particular regular. Combo of hud stats that are important in PLO vs NL?
- Bet sizings and inducing in PLO vs NL, what is there to change, should we think differently?, etc.
Anyway this wasn't really a blog, I'm pretty much only looking for someone to talk to to clear my mind, I've got many questions and many thoughts on my mind after playing a huge marathon of Omaha (for me), in the past few weeks.
Haven't really talked about my life before as I've never seen a purpose to doing so, but I guess that's changing a bit. Over the past 2 years I've obtained a masters degree, and am about to start working on a Ph.D in finance. I've always had been fascinated (and sometimes obsessed) with games of every type, and poker's mathematical side was an additional draw. There are a few casinos nearby where I live so I've been playing live to pay for MBA program tuition, and also for making myself get out of the house and be more social. The closest friends I have since moving to this city are the other poker pros who frequent the casinos that I've battled with time and time again. It was clear that I could make a living (albeit not a glamorous one) playing, and the game had not yet reached the point of being tiresome to me. I still love studying toy games and breaking down abstract concepts to apply to real situations, although none of that is necessary in live games.
I am 100% certain in saying that success at the live $1/2 through $5/10 games I've played depends much more on discipline than skill at the game. Most of the time you would still be by far the best player at a table even if you were significantly worse, but folding for 3 hours at a time while you are forced to sit in a seat waiting for playable hands can be trying to one's patience. The real fun of games comes from learning and improving anyway, so mindless noob-bashing doesn't seem very gratifying for someone who actually likes games and poker.
A couple professors in my masters program were pushing me to apply to Ph.D programs, but it also sounded like a good point in my life to take off 1 year and travel around playing live poker. The flexibility poker can provide is fantastic, and though I don't particularly enjoy traveling, travel is certainly something that would help me grow as a person. I've never been one to readily go outside of my comfort zone. I had tentatively planned on doing poker for a year, so had gotten permission to delay my application for a few weeks to decide if I wanted to take time off to play poker before seriously applying to Ph.D programs. I decided to apply anyway, and against the odds (60 applicants, 1 acceptance; speaking of running good) I was accepted into the program. Since I essentially gave my word my application was serious, I felt obligated to follow through and accept.
I love poker, but after running what is probably 3 standard deviations above EV the last two weeks, I observed something else that is difficult about the game to me: the taking of other peoples money. I don't think it is wrong to do so per se; after all, it is a consensual relationship, and I do not take pains to hide the fact that I am there to make money from it. But if I were to play poker for a living for a longer period of time, I think it would eat into my happiness. Good poker players are usually intelligent and quantitatively gifted people, people that could really be adding a lot of value to society. Instead they end up just redistributing wealth (and occasionally from people who can't afford it) to themselves.
My program starts in about 10 days, so my study of poker will have to come to a pause for the moment. I'll still be at the casino a lot; that's where I do much of my reading/studying anyways (gotta have something to pass the time just folding for hours, right?). Poker has certainly treated me nicely the last couple of years; if I had run a bit worse maybe I wouldn't mind cutting it out of my life quite so much. As usual, I am very grateful to this community and the insightful (though sometimes vituperative) comments about concepts and hands. I think most people here are pretty smart, so on an individual level, whether you are continuing in poker or branching out into different things, I feel confident in your success and would encourage you to step into other activities if you feel poker is not the most soul-nourishing way to spend your life long-term.
In the meantime, I'll try to keep a bit of time carved out for anyone that wants to do practice heads-up matches. ^^
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