A new month - back to work!

Well July was kind of an off month for me I suppose. With so many things going on to keep track of (WSOP, Evo2k11, SDCC, etc) I didn't have much time to be playing poker myself! I did start off the month of August with a strong note though, putting together a pretty big win, and setting the tone for the month.



With that, some personal goals for the month!
[]Put together a winning month
[]Win at least 2000USD(10buy-ins) by the end of the month
[]Workout at least 3 times a week
[]Register for some classes
[]Get promoted at work
[]Read something new
[]One epic trip before school resumes

Y'know, poker players as a whole? We're a lazy bunch.

Poker players, as a whole, are one of the laziest bunches of people you'll ever meet. During my time at Comic-Con I thought of maybe a million articles I could write about, celebrities I ran into, amazing people I met, an event I went to, or maybe an article about strategy and abusing that really drunk player at the table with all the money? I thought of all these things and realized, it's not just me! The poker player community as a whole are a very lazy bunch! We work on our games, go through our hand histories, talk about different lines and strategies to take against certain players, on certain tables, on certain games.. but when it comes to almost ANYTHING else? We're most likely going to all give to the same sigh of

"Ehhh..........."

I will get off my ass and write a very good article of my time at Comic-Con, promise! But for now, just have a picture of us and Hurley.

Harry Potter! - World Series of Poker! San Diego Comic-Con!

It's been a really busy last two weeks for me, especially poker-wise. It's been getting harder and harder to fit playing poker into my schedule, and only getting harder with all these summer activities going on.

The latest Harry Potter movie comes out tonight, and although I'm not the biggest fan out there, I'm definitely excited to see it. I've read all the books, and watched the films, and I've felt like, as cheesy as it sounds, that I've grown up with these characters, and I'd love to see(even though I've read and I kinda already know) how it all ends for them.

Well I'm also really excited for San Diego Comic-Con(SDCC), it's happening 7 days from now, and if you seriously have never heard of it, IT IS HUGE. A weekend of nerd-gasming for all shapes and all types of people. There are plenty of panels I want to see, many celebrities I'm hoping to run into, and a lot of new media I'm looking to see for the first time or play. Well if you're going, I'll see you there, and if not, I'll try to update more often!

Last couple of days - Haven't been running bad, that's for sure.

Cheers.

Last couple of sessions have been pretty good, nothing crazy, but definitely not running bad at all. Just been getting by lately, putting in some volume, and gearing up for a couple of WSOP events I plan on playing this coming week.

Maybe I'll stop being lazy, and write more? Maybe when I start running bad and I have stuff to complain about. There's poker to be played! Cheers, 'til my next post!

Patience - Especially crucial in poker

Patience and running good gets you this.

Patience, defined as(according to Wikipedia) "the state of endurance under difficult circumstances, which can mean persevering in the face of delay or provocation without acting on annoyance/anger in a negative way". There are people whom we all know who have very little patience for anything, and will blow up on anyone, and everything, at a whim. There are also those people whom we know who seem to have such a high patience threshold, that nothing what-so-ever seems to faze them in the slightest. In poker, you can have all the technical skill and know the statistics inside-out, but without patience, you might as well be giving money away to everyone else at the table. Poker is a game of skill, but with elements of luck involved(hence why it is associated with gambling), in the long run the better players will win, and the worse players will lose, this is a simple fact, but a huge factor in determining a 'better' or 'worse' player is definitely their patience threshold.

You'll make the right decision, right?

Hours upon hours of play, being card-dead, and getting bad-beats bestowed upon you will gnaw at you to the point where you lose your patience for the game, and seem to abandon a winning game plan for a style more akin to reckless gambling. This is where the better, more patient player will shine. No matter what the circumstance, no matter what the outcome, they are able to play on with a level head, and always make the right decisions.

Life is like poker, in that aspect, you have to have patience for a lot of things that come your way. Not everything will work out the way you plan, and no matter how sure the outcome seems, something might just get in the way of that; will you have the patience to deal with it then? Or will you lose control and let your emotions take over?

If only they spread this everywhere..

A guy could dream, right?

I don't understand poker commercials..

All of them, every single one.. they all go something like: "Do anything, do whatever you want. It doesn't matter, you know why? Because I'm the greatest poker player in the world. I make people cringe just glancing their way, I make people shit themselves by speaking their names, I STOLE MY OWN GODDAMN GRANDMOTHER'S MONEY RIGHT FROM UNDER HER NOSE AND GOT AWAY WITH IT.. Join me and other pros at 'INSERT POKER SITE HERE' "

Why would I want to donate all my money to the best? I don't like cringing and shitting myself, and I definitely don't like losing money. I hate the idea of playing someone that can read my soul, and predicting correctly what I'm going to have for lunch. You know what? I like winning hands. I like feeling like the best player in the world with minimal effort. I like getting to showdowns, seeing my opponents hands and going "aww yee" when they showdown a vastly inferior hand.

Poker ads also needs more of this.

You know, poker ads should play out more like this: "This is my first time playing poker, it's my 18th birthday and it's my first time setting foot into a casino. A could barely tell the difference from a two-pair and a set. Whats a flush again? Whats the buy-in? I have to WHAT? ..play with me at 'INSERT POKER SITE HERE' "

Much, MUCH better.

How to tell when someone's lying - By Stuart Wolpert via UCLA Newsroom

Sup guys.

"  UCLA professor of psychology R. Edward Geiselman (pictured) and his colleagues have identified several indicators that a person is being deceptive. The more reliable red flags that indicate deceit, Geiselman said, include:

• When questioned, deceptive people generally want to say as little as possible. Geiselman initially thought they would tell an elaborate story, but the vast majority give only the bare-bones. Studies with college students, as well as prisoners, show this. Geiselman’s investigative interviewing techniques are designed to get people to talk.
• Although deceptive people do not say much, they tend to spontaneously give a justification for what little they are saying, without being prompted.
• They tend to repeat questions before answering them, perhaps to give themselves time to concoct an answer.
• They often monitor the listener’s reaction to what they are saying. “They try to read you to see if you are buying their story,” Geiselman said.
• They often initially slow down their speech because they have to create their story and monitor your reaction, and when they have it straight “will spew it out faster,” Geiselman said. Truthful people are not bothered if they speak slowly, but deceptive people often think slowing their speech down may look suspicious. “Truthful people will not dramatically alter their speech rate within a single sentence,” he said.
• They tend to use sentence fragments more frequently than truthful people; often, they will start an answer, back up and not complete the sentence.
• They are more likely to press their lips when asked a sensitive question and are more likely to play with their hair or engage in other “grooming” behaviors. Gesturing toward one’s self with the hands tends to be a sign of deception; gesturing outwardly is not.
• Truthful people, if challenged about details, will often deny that they are lying and explain even more, while deceptive people generally will not provide more specifics.
• When asked a difficult question, truthful people will often look away because the question requires concentration, while dishonest people will look away only briefly, if at all, unless it is a question that should require intense concentration."

Read he full article here.

Reading through this article actually made me think about the things I do when I lie and run bluffs, and what I can do to be a better liar, and a better detective of lies. Extremely interesting read.

Playing live poker - You need an Ipod! You need a playlist!

GOD ITS SO SLOOOOOW.

Playing online( no longer an option for us USA folk D: ) is something great. You get to run through several hundred hands an hour, see many different situations, and get put into all sorts of strange spots.. all in the span of just hours. Even while you're card dead online, you can browse through your Facebook, run through YouTube, and basically fill the void very easily, and very comfortably. With that being said, I HATE PLAYING POKER LIVE.



Live poker feels like such a chore sometimes. First the long drive, then the measly 40 or so hands an hour, crazy rake, and having to sit through babble of self-proclaimed 'geniuses of the game'. Wouldn't be a problem at all, if there was some sort of escape.. but there isn't! You can't open window after window of things to keep you entertained(well you can with a smart phone, but its not the same), and you certainly don't have the same comfort level as being at home in your underwear(lolwut).

The best thing you do have though is an MP3 player! The easiest way to escape during the dry runs of cards, the mindless babbling of annoying know-it-alls, and just something to keep you entertained without wanting to rip the hair out of your head!

Here's some tracks I have on my 'OMG I HATE LIVE POKER" playlist:

Standard Fare - Philadelphia - Pretty indie-pop, could kind of envision myself on a road-trip, escaping this horrible casino already..

Young the Giant - My Body - Just really like the bass on this track. Pretty lively, without being waaaaaay too  much.

Drybes - Bing Blang Blaow - Wouldn't be a poker playlist without this song! I'm already rubbing these live donkey's cash on my titties!

Response: Tiltware vs Ivey's statement

 Tiltware's response to Phil Ivey's statement:

 “Contrary to his sanctimonious public statements, Phil Ivey’s meritless lawsuit is about helping just one player – himself. In an effort to further enrich himself at the expense of others, Mr. Ivey appears to have timed his lawsuit to thwart pending deals with several parties that would put money back in players’ pockets. In fact, Mr. Ivey has been invited -- and has declined -- to take actions that could assist the company in these efforts, including paying back a large sum of money he owes the site. Tiltware doubts Mr. Ivey’s frivolous and self-serving lawsuit will ever get to court. But if it does, the company looks forward to presenting facts demonstrating that Mr. Ivey is putting his own narrow financial interests ahead of the players he professes to help.” 


Wow. That's all I have to say. Tiltware takes it's sweet time on disclosing information about players getting their funds back, and other important matters that took place on Black Friday, but they insta-fire back on Phil Ivey's statement. Ivey's intentions are obviously not ALL noble, as he has many millions of dollars locked online as well, but this could be a huge step for many FullTilt players to be getting their money back in their pockets.

Press Release: Phil Ivey on Black Friday

/BEASTMODE

"For many years, I have been proud to call myself a poker player. This great sport has taken me to places I only imagined going and I have been blessed with much success. It is therefore with deep regret that I believe I am compelled to release the following statement."

Read the rest@Phil Ivey.com

The least outspoken 'big-player' finally making a statement about FullTilt not releasing the funds of the U.S. players. Taking a stand for all the U.S. players. Phil Ivey, we salute you.

First post in a month - FINALLY FREE. SUMMERTME. STILL NO ONLINE POKER.

My stack after 5 hours. WTF.

First post in almost a month. Feels like forever no? But finally free from school, work is slowing down, no summer classes, and I'm finally free to work on poker. Sadly, online poker still isn't up, and it looks like I'm going to play no events at this year's WSOP..

Speaking of which, I played my first session of poker(online or live) yesterday, which was my first time in almost a whole month surprisingly(Wow, me not being a degen?). A pretty boring session, lost 3USD in a 5 hour session, better than losing many buy-ins, no?

Well, with many Vegas(oh god) trips coming up, San Diego Comic-Con(yay), and many random vacation spots over the summer(wasting gas), I'm going to need a lot of money to go out, to play, and for other dumb stuff. So start checking back up on me, and my exploits(or lack of), and hopefully I'll start running good at poker, and at life.

CHEERS!

Post 'Black Friday' - The aftermath?

What to do now..

Black Friday. Usually associated with a big after-Thanksgiving sale that happens once a year, with everything going for dirt cheap. Ask any serious online poker player what they think about 'Black Friday' now, and I guarantee you, you'll be met with sad/angry looks and remarks.

Personally, I wasn't affected too badly by Black Friday, seeing as I only possessed several hundred dollars collectively on my online poker accounts, but there are many poker playing friends I have which were hurt badly by this turn of events. One friend of mine just recently signed a lease for a home which he was planning on owning, but because of what happened he no longer has means to pay for it, or even the apartment he currently resides in. I have also read many personal accounts of how this has affected the poker community as a whole, and I must say, that many people will be out jobs and means to make money.

Many people are considering moving out of the US to be able to play online poker, I on the other hand am just going to move back to the live arena. I'll be able to see much less hands an hour, but seeing as it's just a side-income for me, this disaster hasn't struck me as badly as others.

Now some links:
Online players - before and after! - A thread on 2p2 that makes light of the entire situation
US poker sites charged with illegal gambling - Thread from Black Friday to now about the situation

Update: Im seriously ridiculously busy

Not impressed.

I've been so swamped with work and school that I'm finding it harder and harder to keep up with my self-imposed challenge. I'm still pushing for it, but from the rate I'm going, I'm not coming anywhere close. Next time I attempt a challenge such as this, I should set better/realistic limitations, but don't take this post as me throwing in the towel, I'm going to get as close to the 1000USD as possible. Believe me.

Other news: A friend of mine put out three songs, which I highly recommend if you're into the indie-rock kind of thing. Check it out here: HERE!

Well I have work in the morning, but I'll try to squeeze out a big session of poker before/after, and I'll let you all know how it goes. Maybe I'll pick out a couple hands that you can my train of thoughts, etc, etc.

Intermission - Very helpful guide for micro and low stakes

Moving through uNL by Verneer

Extremely useful info for playing and crushing the micros.

Days 4-6 - Busy with work

I've been playing, just busy with work. UPDATE LATER!

Update: I don't have my graphs or screens, being that I'm on my work computer, but it's more of the same. Nothing spectacular going on, but I AM making progress, even if just very little. There are so many spots where I am getting the money in as much as a 90% favorite, but still getting sucked out on. It feels good knowing I'm doing the right thing and making the right moves, but it's pretty demoralizing knowing I'm losing anyways.

Day 2&3 - I run like SHIIIIIIIIIIIIIT.

I hate this game.

The last two days haven't been too good, I'm down about 34USD, and it's not from playing bad. I'm running way under EV, losing every big pot I'm getting into, and it's really cutting into my time constraint. Definitely need to put in way more hands.

I HATE THIS GAAAAAAAAAAAME.

Day 1 - Off to an okay start!

6 Tables, yay

 So to start day one of this challenge which I imposed upon myself, I decide to run a session of 6 tabling 5NL(.02-.05 blinds). Of all the disciplines of poker, I would consider shorthanded NLHE my speciality, so running this session wouldn't be anything difficult, barring severe streaks of bad luck.

Yay graphs!

The session turns out to be pretty alright, I win what I'm supposed to win, I lose what I'm supposed to lose, pretty standard. But to reach my  goal I'm going to have to pick it up, so next session I'm going to add at LEAST 4 more tables to try and reach that goal faster. Remember, volume, volume, volume. As long as I can keep the trend of good play, and not tilting off money, I should be able to pick up steam, and come close to this challenge around the second week of this month.

Found a HUGE fish

EDIT: Ran another session today, and since its a part of today Ill just post the graph for it here:

A new month, a new challenge.

The start of the month

Since it is the beginning of the month, I decided it would be an appropriate time to start a challenge I've seen floating around for quite some time. The challenge is to run up a modest amount of money(In my case 100USD) into a respectable size(1000USD for this challenge), and the challenge is to prove that a plenty of volume and proper bankroll management is more than enough to make money at the game of poker, provided you have the skill to play at the stakes you're in.

I'm probably going to do a mix of full ring and 6-max tables, depending how I feel for the day, maybe throw in the occasional value tournament, and we shall see how this bad boy goes!

So some check boxes!
[]1000USD by the end of the month
[]At least 1000 hands a day
[]Stay within bankroll(at least 20 Buy-ins for the limit im playing)
[]Don't tilt off all the money!
[]Play well!

Bad run in Sunday tournys - But I flop quads!

I had a terrible weekend, in terms of tournament poker. Not terrible 'Oh I run bad, Oh I was card dead, Oh I had to shove there, etc, etc'. Or terrible in the sense that, you're playing a live tournament in Vegas, and it feels like you're sitting in a walk-on freezer. Terrible in the sense that.. you don't even get to play in any of them. I COMPLETELY missed the set of tournaments I was supposed to play, and that has made me a sad panda for the day.

Are those quads? Those look like quads.

On the small upside, I felt the urge to play some poker, but not just regular NLHE. I got bored and decided to play some Omaha Hi(micros, yay!), put in a decent session playing that. I was even so lucky to flop quads on the very first hand of my Omaha session, and even got paid off for it.



All in all, just another day trying to get my game together.