OK sports fans, for the next few weeks this page is where you can follow the highs and lows of my efforts in the 2014 Wynn Spring Classic.I'm not a fan of blogging, and also don't really post my deeper thoughts on poker hands or my own strategy, but I will throw bits in here as the days go on which will hopefully be informative or raise a smile or two.
Joe, Gary and the rest of the Wynn poker tournament team do a fantastic job running these events.The room is wonderful to play in, and the staff are generally of an excellent standard. If you've never played their poker festivals, I highly advise you to look at trying them the next time you're in town.
My first Wynn event is a $550 with a 1/4 million guarantee, and three day ones. I will most likely skip 1A , and play 1B. Obviously as stated some events factor in an extra bullet, but if I can get through on just the one I will most certainly try.
Without getting mushy, firstly I want to say a big THANK YOU to all the people who have to date either bought action in the Wynn Classic, or in my two WSOP packages, or who have just given me some input and feelings on the new website. I am not trying to re-invent the wheel, or trying to be the noblest poker player in history, I'm just attempting to present myself as a poker player in the best,and most professional way that I can. Literally 99% of what has been said to me about this venture is hugely supportive, and for that I'm both flattered and grateful.
First event for me is the Wynn Classic $550, 27/28/1 Feb. Watch this space.
27 Feb
Today was flight 1a of the first event. I opted not to play today, and have registered will start tomorrow on 1b instead.
Joe, Gary and the rest of the Wynn poker tournament team do a fantastic job running these events.The room is wonderful to play in, and the staff are generally of an excellent standard. If you've never played their poker festivals, I highly advise you to look at trying them the next time you're in town.
My first Wynn event is a $550 with a 1/4 million guarantee, and three day ones. I will most likely skip 1A , and play 1B. Obviously as stated some events factor in an extra bullet, but if I can get through on just the one I will most certainly try.
Without getting mushy, firstly I want to say a big THANK YOU to all the people who have to date either bought action in the Wynn Classic, or in my two WSOP packages, or who have just given me some input and feelings on the new website. I am not trying to re-invent the wheel, or trying to be the noblest poker player in history, I'm just attempting to present myself as a poker player in the best,and most professional way that I can. Literally 99% of what has been said to me about this venture is hugely supportive, and for that I'm both flattered and grateful.
First event for me is the Wynn Classic $550, 27/28/1 Feb. Watch this space.
27 Feb
Today was flight 1a of the first event. I opted not to play today, and have registered will start tomorrow on 1b instead.
28 Feb
Event #1 $550 NLH W $1/4 million guarantee.
Lose with AA,AA and QQ in the first 15 minutes! You couldn't make it up.
Of course you could. I just did.
Sorry, I laughed at it.
Off we go, with approx 100 players in so far, people still coming in the door, and signing up. The good news is my table appears to have a sense of humour. The bad news is the only one who seems to have it is me. A 15k starting stack kicking off at 50/100.
Very often in these things the early levels are just dancing around and hoping to back into a big hand for an early double up if someone decides to go mad. This is always welcome, however the drawback is that sometimes your big hands get cracked by people creeping in with funky holdings just to try to ruin your day. I can't complain about this, since it's been a very profitable part of my game for many years in tournaments, with me being the cracker rather than the crackee. I just got my early aces killed by 65 offsuit to put a dent in my stack. Going into level 2 at 75/150 I'm on just over 11k.
Onto level 3 (100/200) and I've dipped to 10k. Not overly concerned. The table is pretty aggressive with a few people overplaying one pair. I'm still not sure if I'm one of them. 136 players today so far.
Coming up on the end of level 3 and I got a bit frisky on the final hand. This resulted in a sigh-fold from my opponent, and I'm back to 12500 after a wobbly start. 15 minutes break.
Apparently, the updates page is behaving a little skittishly at present. I can only assume the servers are heaving under the weight of the 30 or so marginally interested friends,family,or investors,both actual and potential who are curious. Also I unfortunately can't resize pictures on the iPad, so will have to shrink them down later on. Hopefully it's all good.
As you can see on the right, the poker room is very busy. Current numbers for today are at 165 entries, with around 14 minutes left for the latecomers or the desperate. Of course there's another day one(c) still to come.
I Just rivered a heart flush(but was winning anyway), and managed to induce a bluff to finally get me above starting stack on 16k nearing the end of level 4.
Level 5 is almost done. We had 172 players today and have lost around 60 of them already. I just lost house vs house but we both played it a little cute. I smelt a rat on the river and got away from it for the last bet. She'd made aces full on the end. Down to 11k.
Top 2 vs top 2 with a better kicker!Now on 9k. Midway through level 6. 107 left.
Korean guy with a monster stack on my table with queens catches runner runner to bust the all in guys made flush with a bigger one. He celebrates loudly, with much whooping and Yes!'ing and fist pumping. The busted guy clearly isn't impressed, so the Korean decides to give him an "I'm sorry" to soften the blow. I'm not convinced it did the trick.
My table broke. 99 left. 8k, still plodding but a new bunch of faces so may look for a spot.
Next break. Restarting at level 7 with three more levels to dinner. This stack won't get me there so time to get creative soon possibly.
Well, I found my spot and was 100% right. I Had the guy who had jammed well and truly outkicked,and so I reshoved on him when we both flopped top pair so we were both all in.
Unfortunately the 3rd guy who'd slowplayed his aces decided he couldn't find the decency to fold in what was probably a 30k pot to get me up over average if he goes away. He wasn't a bad judge, and his aces hold in a 3 way pot to bust two of us.That's all she wrote with over half the starting field gone.
Day 1c is tomorrow, and I'll return then to fire the 2nd bullet. I never really got going in today's flight to have any real chips to work with. Defensive poker isn't very nice to play but sometimes you have to survive before you can swash and buckle. Onwards and upwards to tomorrow!
As you can see on the right, the poker room is very busy. Current numbers for today are at 165 entries, with around 14 minutes left for the latecomers or the desperate. Of course there's another day one(c) still to come.
I Just rivered a heart flush(but was winning anyway), and managed to induce a bluff to finally get me above starting stack on 16k nearing the end of level 4.
Level 5 is almost done. We had 172 players today and have lost around 60 of them already. I just lost house vs house but we both played it a little cute. I smelt a rat on the river and got away from it for the last bet. She'd made aces full on the end. Down to 11k.
Top 2 vs top 2 with a better kicker!Now on 9k. Midway through level 6. 107 left.
Korean guy with a monster stack on my table with queens catches runner runner to bust the all in guys made flush with a bigger one. He celebrates loudly, with much whooping and Yes!'ing and fist pumping. The busted guy clearly isn't impressed, so the Korean decides to give him an "I'm sorry" to soften the blow. I'm not convinced it did the trick.
My table broke. 99 left. 8k, still plodding but a new bunch of faces so may look for a spot.
Next break. Restarting at level 7 with three more levels to dinner. This stack won't get me there so time to get creative soon possibly.
Well, I found my spot and was 100% right. I Had the guy who had jammed well and truly outkicked,and so I reshoved on him when we both flopped top pair so we were both all in.
Unfortunately the 3rd guy who'd slowplayed his aces decided he couldn't find the decency to fold in what was probably a 30k pot to get me up over average if he goes away. He wasn't a bad judge, and his aces hold in a 3 way pot to bust two of us.That's all she wrote with over half the starting field gone.
Day 1c is tomorrow, and I'll return then to fire the 2nd bullet. I never really got going in today's flight to have any real chips to work with. Defensive poker isn't very nice to play but sometimes you have to survive before you can swash and buckle. Onwards and upwards to tomorrow!
1 Mar.
Day 1c of event #1
In 2004 I ran the London marathon. The Kenyans edged me out of a medal by narrowly beating me by approximately 4 and 1/2 hours. Sadly I've been dining out on that "I completed the marathon" story far too many times(dining I think being the operative word), and ordering too many starters to go with the aforementioned main course, so I decided it's about time to stop feeling like an overweight poker blob and get fit again, and what better way to start the campaign than getting outdoors for a brisk run.
The drawback potentially is the stakers lose all their money because I drop dead from a massive coronary in the middle of the Nevada desert. There are no bailiffs in the afterlife, so should the worst actually happen, then I'll see you in court.
Thankfully I lived (though my first proper run in a while felt like it might kill me). Shower, wheat toast and supremely spicy hummus, and Marmite(separate slices!), and then off to the Wynn we go. Kick off soon.
Level 1 50/100.
Off we go, and so far the high spot has been a 3 way pot, with the original raiser open folding the river, and 9 high winning a 1k pot. I was a bemused spectator.
Day 1c of event #1
In 2004 I ran the London marathon. The Kenyans edged me out of a medal by narrowly beating me by approximately 4 and 1/2 hours. Sadly I've been dining out on that "I completed the marathon" story far too many times(dining I think being the operative word), and ordering too many starters to go with the aforementioned main course, so I decided it's about time to stop feeling like an overweight poker blob and get fit again, and what better way to start the campaign than getting outdoors for a brisk run.
The drawback potentially is the stakers lose all their money because I drop dead from a massive coronary in the middle of the Nevada desert. There are no bailiffs in the afterlife, so should the worst actually happen, then I'll see you in court.
Thankfully I lived (though my first proper run in a while felt like it might kill me). Shower, wheat toast and supremely spicy hummus, and Marmite(separate slices!), and then off to the Wynn we go. Kick off soon.
Level 1 50/100.
Off we go, and so far the high spot has been a 3 way pot, with the original raiser open folding the river, and 9 high winning a 1k pot. I was a bemused spectator.
Early giraffe porn.
I just flopped the nut straight with 54 on a 236 rainbow board. 3 on turn, 6 on river. I won but they don't like to make it easy for me.
Yahtzee! Nice table with plenty of good natured conversation and needling. I just got the magic double up with aces vs AQ on the button who got stubborn to my 5 bet and shoved on me! Over 30k now with average about 15,800 and 180 players. Getting people talking which is always a good thing for my game.
Over 200 players now, with all the alternates still to go into the system, so it looks like Joe and the boys have hit the 1/4 million guarantee in the event. Extra value is always nice but I am more interested in just taking some loot out of the building.
28k with 14 min to go in level 3.
Small hiccup on the penultimate hand of level 3 where I fired a shell with a pair and busted draw. The guy called saying "you win", and sheepishly showing a higher pair. I guess I didn't win. 26k at the first break, well above average.
I'm still both amazed and horrified on a daily basis,how many poker players can use the restrooms on the break for normally one of two purposes(possibly discounting discussing and dissecting hand histories that no-one really cares about), and then casually stroll out straight past ten perfectly good washbasins without ever thinking of stopping to actually use them. I guess they all must carry hand sanitiser in their pockets or backpacks. Glamorous job this.
I just flopped the nut straight with 54 on a 236 rainbow board. 3 on turn, 6 on river. I won but they don't like to make it easy for me.
Yahtzee! Nice table with plenty of good natured conversation and needling. I just got the magic double up with aces vs AQ on the button who got stubborn to my 5 bet and shoved on me! Over 30k now with average about 15,800 and 180 players. Getting people talking which is always a good thing for my game.
Over 200 players now, with all the alternates still to go into the system, so it looks like Joe and the boys have hit the 1/4 million guarantee in the event. Extra value is always nice but I am more interested in just taking some loot out of the building.
28k with 14 min to go in level 3.
Small hiccup on the penultimate hand of level 3 where I fired a shell with a pair and busted draw. The guy called saying "you win", and sheepishly showing a higher pair. I guess I didn't win. 26k at the first break, well above average.
I'm still both amazed and horrified on a daily basis,how many poker players can use the restrooms on the break for normally one of two purposes(possibly discounting discussing and dissecting hand histories that no-one really cares about), and then casually stroll out straight past ten perfectly good washbasins without ever thinking of stopping to actually use them. I guess they all must carry hand sanitiser in their pockets or backpacks. Glamorous job this.
First a run in the desert, now low-fat yoghurt. Clearly I came to play today.
Midway through level 6 and currently making good headway. Average is 21k and I'm on 36k. Slightly alarming hand with bottom set with my opponent rivering top two and hammering it all the way.
Unremarkable level without much change. Next 15 min break and I'm 12k over average on 35k.
Going into level 8 at 300/600/75. I'm on 32k. Actually been zero worth mentioning. No hands and no action. Plodding. Dinner break in two levels and 135 left from today's 255 starters.
Seeing (in my mind) some pretty horrible stuff. Two guys just got 35k all in the middle preflop, with JJ and AQ at 300/600. I guess we all see things differently.
Midway through level 6 and currently making good headway. Average is 21k and I'm on 36k. Slightly alarming hand with bottom set with my opponent rivering top two and hammering it all the way.
Unremarkable level without much change. Next 15 min break and I'm 12k over average on 35k.
Going into level 8 at 300/600/75. I'm on 32k. Actually been zero worth mentioning. No hands and no action. Plodding. Dinner break in two levels and 135 left from today's 255 starters.
Seeing (in my mind) some pretty horrible stuff. Two guys just got 35k all in the middle preflop, with JJ and AQ at 300/600. I guess we all see things differently.
it looks worse than it is. Been pretty card-dead but I normally help the dealers do the colour up since I often have a ton of 25 chips. The downside is after the colour up my stack looks like this.
Just had a bad moment. Flopped trip jacks and bet it the whole way getting called down. He decided to bet 2/3 of my stack on an eventual 4-heart no paired up board. I surrendered my unimproved hand but took a hit. Last level before dinner break. Still ok but lower than I'd like to be on 25k.
Argh. Card dead isn't where I want to be when the blinds are creeping up! Level ends in 10 mins for 75 min dinner break and I'm 12k below average now. One guy on my table seems likes he's simply had enough and wants to just give his stack away. Hopefully he decides I should be the beneficiary of his generosity.
I Picked up three pocket pairs in the last three hands, bet them all,lost them all against the same guy who doesn't look like he's fond of folding...ever. 18k with average at 39k. Frustrated but them's the breaks.
Dinner break 75 mins.
Back into battle. Double-up would be nice just now. The line up on the table hasn't really changed, and some of the play has been pretty questionable. It might actually just come down to hand values, as about half the players will call and shove pretty light. I'm on 18k with 90/255 left.
Took a gamble on a draw that got there. Back up to 32k coming up to level 11.
Level up. 600/1200/200 ante.
I think they possibly pump something into the a/c after level 11 that causes otherwise rational people to simply spazz out and get as many chips in the centre as possible. The guy I was hoping was going to gift me is now on about 100k, after the flop came K23, the guy with AK shoved, and my potential benefactor decided that his 1010 was worth calling off another 28k or so. He's clearly psychic, because the 10 on the turn destroyed the AK's monster stack and then gave all the chips to the right guy who has now vanished for around 25 minutes.
25k. Level 12, 800/1600/200. 63 players left. I think they play down to 33 players, or 15 levels.
Dwindled to a very less than healthy 16k and decided to shove the cutoff with AQ. The Asian guy on the button snap called for around the same stack, and tables A2 offsuit. Amidst loud and wholly undignified shouts of "Deuce! Deuce! Five! Deuce!" As the board runs out 4394A, I manage to fade the outdraw and advance back to a still below average,but more respectable 33k.
Just coming up on level 13, and another break. 53 players left.
48 players left coming to the end of level 13. I'm on about 27k which isn't where I want to be with the average now at 85k. Big stack poker is always more fun than it's baby brother. Right now I guess we're back to waiting for that spot again.
Level 14. 1200/2400/400. 41 players left. Time to push.
And push I did. A9 with 5 big blinds was no match for the big blind who decided his 10 7 off was a mandatory call. He flopped a ten so clearly he was right. Finished a frustrating 41 from 255 after 11 hours. Welcome to tournaments. Onto event #2 for me, which will be the $300 NLH on 3rd March at noon.
Just had a bad moment. Flopped trip jacks and bet it the whole way getting called down. He decided to bet 2/3 of my stack on an eventual 4-heart no paired up board. I surrendered my unimproved hand but took a hit. Last level before dinner break. Still ok but lower than I'd like to be on 25k.
Argh. Card dead isn't where I want to be when the blinds are creeping up! Level ends in 10 mins for 75 min dinner break and I'm 12k below average now. One guy on my table seems likes he's simply had enough and wants to just give his stack away. Hopefully he decides I should be the beneficiary of his generosity.
I Picked up three pocket pairs in the last three hands, bet them all,lost them all against the same guy who doesn't look like he's fond of folding...ever. 18k with average at 39k. Frustrated but them's the breaks.
Dinner break 75 mins.
Back into battle. Double-up would be nice just now. The line up on the table hasn't really changed, and some of the play has been pretty questionable. It might actually just come down to hand values, as about half the players will call and shove pretty light. I'm on 18k with 90/255 left.
Took a gamble on a draw that got there. Back up to 32k coming up to level 11.
Level up. 600/1200/200 ante.
I think they possibly pump something into the a/c after level 11 that causes otherwise rational people to simply spazz out and get as many chips in the centre as possible. The guy I was hoping was going to gift me is now on about 100k, after the flop came K23, the guy with AK shoved, and my potential benefactor decided that his 1010 was worth calling off another 28k or so. He's clearly psychic, because the 10 on the turn destroyed the AK's monster stack and then gave all the chips to the right guy who has now vanished for around 25 minutes.
25k. Level 12, 800/1600/200. 63 players left. I think they play down to 33 players, or 15 levels.
Dwindled to a very less than healthy 16k and decided to shove the cutoff with AQ. The Asian guy on the button snap called for around the same stack, and tables A2 offsuit. Amidst loud and wholly undignified shouts of "Deuce! Deuce! Five! Deuce!" As the board runs out 4394A, I manage to fade the outdraw and advance back to a still below average,but more respectable 33k.
Just coming up on level 13, and another break. 53 players left.
48 players left coming to the end of level 13. I'm on about 27k which isn't where I want to be with the average now at 85k. Big stack poker is always more fun than it's baby brother. Right now I guess we're back to waiting for that spot again.
Level 14. 1200/2400/400. 41 players left. Time to push.
And push I did. A9 with 5 big blinds was no match for the big blind who decided his 10 7 off was a mandatory call. He flopped a ten so clearly he was right. Finished a frustrating 41 from 255 after 11 hours. Welcome to tournaments. Onto event #2 for me, which will be the $300 NLH on 3rd March at noon.
3 March
Event #2 $300NLH
Finding myself today back on table 9, the source of 11 hours of fun and games and jolly japes two days back. I've heard(and to be fair have also said myself on occasion) after busting 10 or 11 hours into a tournament, that I'd almost have rather busted in the first 15 minutes of the day, since it effectively gained the same net result. Tournament poker doesn't really work in terms of an hourly rate the way cash games do, because so often you can bomb out without making the money hours,or even days into an event without doing much wrong.
Anyway,that's the gospel of tournaments over and done with.
12k start stack, just into level 2, and I'm a smidge over average on a gentle chatty table with 30 minute levels. The structure is still great, albeit with 3k less start chips than the $550. Along we plod.
Ahhh, the joy and pain. Just looked like another early double up with AA vs 1010. The ten that proceeded to flop and reduce my 12500 stack to 200 decided that it wasn't to be. Breathe Kevin.
I hear people in poker rooms whine and bitch all the time about getting their aces cracked, especially when they put in a huge raise. The bottom line I've always taken is that if someone plays badly(or even just gets lucky against you), then the right thing to do is say very little or nothing at all,and just move on. It's sometimes super humanly hard to do yes, but moaning about it won't change anything about what happened so why waste the energy? My temperament is something I consider to be a super strong part of my game and my overall demeanour, even if I am sometimes light-hearted. Not sure my philosophy is shared too much in today's community as a whole.
Bullet no 2 after my last 200 chips and Ad9d ran into Queens. As before I'm now just over average chips. 90 players in so far, which is a lower number than I'd expected for this event.
Different dynamic on the new table. Already seen a 20k pot where both guys just had AJ on a Jack high non-paired board, and another where two players just just got 15k in both with nothing but a flush draw each. Not saying it's wrong, everyone has their own style, it just isn't really mine. Crash helmet on, and wait it out.
This table is bananas! One guy just sat with a full stack and shovelled the lot in first hand with QQ. Luckily another player with 55 felt the need to do the same thing. These guys certainly don't want to utilise a decent structure, just get it in as often as possible by the looks of it with any half decent holding.
Doug Lee just sat on my right also firing another bullet and re-entering. Table just got even more aggressive!
10 mins before the end of the the re-entries. Still carnage. On start stack.
Superstitions at the table are quirky, but sometimes irritating. One guy on my table REFUSING to give out any change when he's clearly the only one with enough different denomination chips to easily do it. So far he's turned down two players and the dealer. Hopefully someone can bust him and remove the issue. It's not going to be me as he has 6x my stack.
First break. 12k. 118 players so far.
That was unusual for this tournament. It's kind of playing like a $30 turbo with people shoving left right and centre to get a stack. Obviously if you get a stack it's great! I'm frustrated to use both bullets even though I factored it in at the outset, but at least we've made the cut, and hopefully a degree of skill comes into it from here on in as opposed to random all-in jamming...
My wife Alina just messaged me that she was watching the updates on the site. Always good to have a rail of at least one person! Xx
Ok, just got some messages assuring me that I actually have at least 5 on the online rail. I feel loved.
Doug just had his stack decimated by Mr No-Change, who called him down with nothing and rivered a Queen to win 20k or so. Ugly.
2 hands after KK JJ, & QQ all get it in the middle. River Queen. The fun of tournaments!
Final numbers for today were 125 entrants.already down to 80 players and paying 13 spots. There's only one day 1 in the smaller events so this might explain the shove-fest. I generally never look at the prize money(no, really, I don't) but for the benefit of the stakers in this one, it's $9k up top down to $700 for 13th.
After getting short, Doug jammed probably 5 of the next 8 hands and they all got through.
Apart from the last one. Seat open.
75 left. 10k, average 19k.
Now on level 8 and it's become a standard grind, without anyone doing much. Average is 26k, I'm on 9k, 55 left.
One guy asked me about the giraffe changing colours...I explained that it normally turns blue when I'm about to double-through someone, which elicited laughter from the players.
Spookily it then turned blue, and I turned a straight, to crack Mr No-Change's aces up. Boom. Up to 20k. That's got them talking amongst themselves.
23 mins left on level 7 and 65 players remain. Play has slowed down a little bit at least.
60 left. Plod,plod,plod.
Onto level 8, average is 26k and I'm on 19k. 55 players remain.
Down to 50, little change. War of attrition at present.
20k at next 15 min break. 51 left, and still nothing truly remarkable.
I'm not sure exactly when the undignified celebration at the table when someone sucks out in a hand, or just wins a pot actually became "OK" or acceptable. It isn't OK. It's vulgar and ugly, and when people defend it and say they can't keep their emotions under control, I just bite my lip. Ultimately people who can't keep things in check are the kind of people you want to be playing with long term. Less is certainly more sometimes.
Level 9 and Clint Eastwood (the man with no change), has found a new gear, raising a lot and using his big stack pretty effectively. He might be my double up spot, but don't tell him that.
Onto level 10 and pretty card dead currently and on 13k. I raised with 10 10, and a pretty solid player moved me in for the rest. A lot of people would call here hoping for a flip. Rightly or wrongly I'm not normally one of them so I let it go. 40 left.
Painful repeat of the first event at present. Now totally card dead and looking for a spot. My least favourite way to play tournaments. 31 left.
Got one shove through, but still fairly convinced that No-Change is my double up spot. May have to call all in light if he raises, which I like doing even less.
Despite the less than enviable spot I'm in, I can't say enough good things about the structure and the playing environment here. I have 10 big blinds and am not liking it, but we're on level 11 and it's 600/1200/200 which allows for plenty of play for a $300 tournament. It might come down to a race, but you can't knock the amount of play you get.
I should be a fortune teller, the way my prophecy skills work.
No-Change raises my big blind 1/2 my stack. I call with aces. We get the rest in on a 457K board after I induce his bet, and his A6 rivers a straight to bust me in 29th, 16 off the money. At least I got a victory hand clap and a big fist pump for my trouble.
Stick a fork in me folks.I'm done. Can't do any more than I'm doing right now. Early dinner with a friend. Back for more joy and merriment tomorrow in the next $300 event, for which I've already bought in. Thanks for the virtual rail and assorted messages. Nice that people are looking on the site to keep up.
Event #2 $300NLH
Finding myself today back on table 9, the source of 11 hours of fun and games and jolly japes two days back. I've heard(and to be fair have also said myself on occasion) after busting 10 or 11 hours into a tournament, that I'd almost have rather busted in the first 15 minutes of the day, since it effectively gained the same net result. Tournament poker doesn't really work in terms of an hourly rate the way cash games do, because so often you can bomb out without making the money hours,or even days into an event without doing much wrong.
Anyway,that's the gospel of tournaments over and done with.
12k start stack, just into level 2, and I'm a smidge over average on a gentle chatty table with 30 minute levels. The structure is still great, albeit with 3k less start chips than the $550. Along we plod.
Ahhh, the joy and pain. Just looked like another early double up with AA vs 1010. The ten that proceeded to flop and reduce my 12500 stack to 200 decided that it wasn't to be. Breathe Kevin.
I hear people in poker rooms whine and bitch all the time about getting their aces cracked, especially when they put in a huge raise. The bottom line I've always taken is that if someone plays badly(or even just gets lucky against you), then the right thing to do is say very little or nothing at all,and just move on. It's sometimes super humanly hard to do yes, but moaning about it won't change anything about what happened so why waste the energy? My temperament is something I consider to be a super strong part of my game and my overall demeanour, even if I am sometimes light-hearted. Not sure my philosophy is shared too much in today's community as a whole.
Bullet no 2 after my last 200 chips and Ad9d ran into Queens. As before I'm now just over average chips. 90 players in so far, which is a lower number than I'd expected for this event.
Different dynamic on the new table. Already seen a 20k pot where both guys just had AJ on a Jack high non-paired board, and another where two players just just got 15k in both with nothing but a flush draw each. Not saying it's wrong, everyone has their own style, it just isn't really mine. Crash helmet on, and wait it out.
This table is bananas! One guy just sat with a full stack and shovelled the lot in first hand with QQ. Luckily another player with 55 felt the need to do the same thing. These guys certainly don't want to utilise a decent structure, just get it in as often as possible by the looks of it with any half decent holding.
Doug Lee just sat on my right also firing another bullet and re-entering. Table just got even more aggressive!
10 mins before the end of the the re-entries. Still carnage. On start stack.
Superstitions at the table are quirky, but sometimes irritating. One guy on my table REFUSING to give out any change when he's clearly the only one with enough different denomination chips to easily do it. So far he's turned down two players and the dealer. Hopefully someone can bust him and remove the issue. It's not going to be me as he has 6x my stack.
First break. 12k. 118 players so far.
That was unusual for this tournament. It's kind of playing like a $30 turbo with people shoving left right and centre to get a stack. Obviously if you get a stack it's great! I'm frustrated to use both bullets even though I factored it in at the outset, but at least we've made the cut, and hopefully a degree of skill comes into it from here on in as opposed to random all-in jamming...
My wife Alina just messaged me that she was watching the updates on the site. Always good to have a rail of at least one person! Xx
Ok, just got some messages assuring me that I actually have at least 5 on the online rail. I feel loved.
Doug just had his stack decimated by Mr No-Change, who called him down with nothing and rivered a Queen to win 20k or so. Ugly.
2 hands after KK JJ, & QQ all get it in the middle. River Queen. The fun of tournaments!
Final numbers for today were 125 entrants.already down to 80 players and paying 13 spots. There's only one day 1 in the smaller events so this might explain the shove-fest. I generally never look at the prize money(no, really, I don't) but for the benefit of the stakers in this one, it's $9k up top down to $700 for 13th.
After getting short, Doug jammed probably 5 of the next 8 hands and they all got through.
Apart from the last one. Seat open.
75 left. 10k, average 19k.
Now on level 8 and it's become a standard grind, without anyone doing much. Average is 26k, I'm on 9k, 55 left.
One guy asked me about the giraffe changing colours...I explained that it normally turns blue when I'm about to double-through someone, which elicited laughter from the players.
Spookily it then turned blue, and I turned a straight, to crack Mr No-Change's aces up. Boom. Up to 20k. That's got them talking amongst themselves.
23 mins left on level 7 and 65 players remain. Play has slowed down a little bit at least.
60 left. Plod,plod,plod.
Onto level 8, average is 26k and I'm on 19k. 55 players remain.
Down to 50, little change. War of attrition at present.
20k at next 15 min break. 51 left, and still nothing truly remarkable.
I'm not sure exactly when the undignified celebration at the table when someone sucks out in a hand, or just wins a pot actually became "OK" or acceptable. It isn't OK. It's vulgar and ugly, and when people defend it and say they can't keep their emotions under control, I just bite my lip. Ultimately people who can't keep things in check are the kind of people you want to be playing with long term. Less is certainly more sometimes.
Level 9 and Clint Eastwood (the man with no change), has found a new gear, raising a lot and using his big stack pretty effectively. He might be my double up spot, but don't tell him that.
Onto level 10 and pretty card dead currently and on 13k. I raised with 10 10, and a pretty solid player moved me in for the rest. A lot of people would call here hoping for a flip. Rightly or wrongly I'm not normally one of them so I let it go. 40 left.
Painful repeat of the first event at present. Now totally card dead and looking for a spot. My least favourite way to play tournaments. 31 left.
Got one shove through, but still fairly convinced that No-Change is my double up spot. May have to call all in light if he raises, which I like doing even less.
Despite the less than enviable spot I'm in, I can't say enough good things about the structure and the playing environment here. I have 10 big blinds and am not liking it, but we're on level 11 and it's 600/1200/200 which allows for plenty of play for a $300 tournament. It might come down to a race, but you can't knock the amount of play you get.
I should be a fortune teller, the way my prophecy skills work.
No-Change raises my big blind 1/2 my stack. I call with aces. We get the rest in on a 457K board after I induce his bet, and his A6 rivers a straight to bust me in 29th, 16 off the money. At least I got a victory hand clap and a big fist pump for my trouble.
Stick a fork in me folks.I'm done. Can't do any more than I'm doing right now. Early dinner with a friend. Back for more joy and merriment tomorrow in the next $300 event, for which I've already bought in. Thanks for the virtual rail and assorted messages. Nice that people are looking on the site to keep up.
4 March
Event #3 $300 NLH
It must be said,at present, this idea of updating on the site has currently taken on a bit of a life of it's own. Maybe that's why I'm writing the night before the next event.
My original plan, was simply to give reasonably regular rough chip counts, level, number of players, and maybe the odd line here and there. The idea of actually writing real stuff, or god forbid "blogging" (shudder) generally made me baulk at the very suggestion. It's just not something I'd feel comfortable doing, or think I'd be particularly good at.
Having said that, I'm throwing in thoughts and snippets here and there. Not really breaking my rules about actually posting strategy (was highly amusing a few years ago to see a well respected player tweeting about how frustrated he was with one player on his table, and about how he was going to shove on him at the first opportunity, with me knowing the aforementioned player was logged in and reading all of the first guys tweets).
The consensus I'm getting from people who've been in touch, is that they seem to like the tone of the writing so far. My friends who know me well will testify I can happily use 85 words when 10 will do just as well, so hopefully it's mildly informative and entertaining. I'm not being glib, I really don't know, so please get in touch with any comments, good or bad (unless the comments are along the lines of "stop burning my money you f*&:"?>g charlatan and try winning something instead of posting about losing with aces").
On that subject, generally at this point in the life of the website I know 95% of any investors personally, so they pretty much know poker and they know me and my mindset. A series of 8 or so tournaments is kind of a test before something like the WSOP, to see if the format of the website is a solid one. Obviously I want to win, but also am realistic about the pitfalls of playing tournament poker. I can be very critical of myself, but also I play a great deal of my poker by instinct. The way Nigel Slater cooks his food, or Alex Higgins used to play snooker. Some of the things I can do will look odd (sometimes very odd) to some people, especially those who are far more maths and book based in their approach to poker, but without being arrogant, most of the people who raise an eyebrow haven't won a million dollars playing live poker tournaments, so I'm going to stick with what has worked pretty well for me to this point. Sometimes it blows up, but my feel for live situations is what's got me through the last ten years. 8 or 9 events is a small sample size of course, but I want the trip to be a success and for people to see some return, even if it's not a huge one. I'll keep plugging away. Watch this space later today.
Event #3 $300 NLH
It must be said,at present, this idea of updating on the site has currently taken on a bit of a life of it's own. Maybe that's why I'm writing the night before the next event.
My original plan, was simply to give reasonably regular rough chip counts, level, number of players, and maybe the odd line here and there. The idea of actually writing real stuff, or god forbid "blogging" (shudder) generally made me baulk at the very suggestion. It's just not something I'd feel comfortable doing, or think I'd be particularly good at.
Having said that, I'm throwing in thoughts and snippets here and there. Not really breaking my rules about actually posting strategy (was highly amusing a few years ago to see a well respected player tweeting about how frustrated he was with one player on his table, and about how he was going to shove on him at the first opportunity, with me knowing the aforementioned player was logged in and reading all of the first guys tweets).
The consensus I'm getting from people who've been in touch, is that they seem to like the tone of the writing so far. My friends who know me well will testify I can happily use 85 words when 10 will do just as well, so hopefully it's mildly informative and entertaining. I'm not being glib, I really don't know, so please get in touch with any comments, good or bad (unless the comments are along the lines of "stop burning my money you f*&:"?>g charlatan and try winning something instead of posting about losing with aces").
On that subject, generally at this point in the life of the website I know 95% of any investors personally, so they pretty much know poker and they know me and my mindset. A series of 8 or so tournaments is kind of a test before something like the WSOP, to see if the format of the website is a solid one. Obviously I want to win, but also am realistic about the pitfalls of playing tournament poker. I can be very critical of myself, but also I play a great deal of my poker by instinct. The way Nigel Slater cooks his food, or Alex Higgins used to play snooker. Some of the things I can do will look odd (sometimes very odd) to some people, especially those who are far more maths and book based in their approach to poker, but without being arrogant, most of the people who raise an eyebrow haven't won a million dollars playing live poker tournaments, so I'm going to stick with what has worked pretty well for me to this point. Sometimes it blows up, but my feel for live situations is what's got me through the last ten years. 8 or 9 events is a small sample size of course, but I want the trip to be a success and for people to see some return, even if it's not a huge one. I'll keep plugging away. Watch this space later today.
We'll kick off proceedings with the douche-bag car-parker of the day award. It's clearly a complicated system to follow, so it's pretty easy to park the wrong way round and across two bays by accident. Nice car though, so I guess you should show it off.
70 players at the noon start and I'm currently chip leader. I won the first hand for a stack increase of 150 chips.
10 mins into level 2 and I'm 2k over average thanks to some fancy small ball footwork. I've only been slowrolled on the river once so far.
Up to about 120 players currently, and I'm on around 14k. Generally the table is playing along with the routine, a few Jedi mind tricks and colour changes of the giraffe have people wondering what's going on. Just had what appears to be an internet kid sit down. You know I love these guys. He might just be doing his own thing, and minding his own business, but given the vibe of the rest of the table, my money's currently on a dual sense of humour and personality bypass from the signs so far.
Up to now, big hands and success for me in the Wynn Classic haven't exactly gone hand in hand. Since the festival kicked off a few days back I've had aces 4 times and lost with them 3 times. Just the way it goes and I'm sure it reverts eventually.
Clearly not quite yet though. KK just got shredded by KQ. Luckily I played a little cautious and my 14k is now 10k. The bull-in-a-china-shop approach would have resulted in a re-entry, which I'd really not rather be doing on event #3.
The gods of poker clearly have a sense of humour. Now 5k after AA just lost to J10 who turned a gutshot after a hefty flop bet. Maybe I should start throwing these hands away, I seem to be doing far better with the crappy ones.10 min til the first break and I'm in a weird tournament spot. Soldier on to the break and save an extra bullet and likely be low stacked, or push it as much as I can,and either get a decent stack or bust and restart with 12k? Time ticks on..
Rightly or wrongly, I chose the red pill. Which means I'm on 4500 but haven't spewed off another bullet at least. Restart in 15 mins at 150/300/25 so we'll see what happens. Michael Mizrachi just joined the table, so it just became even less of a breeze.
Restarted after the break, and jammed with 77. Talked the guy into showing and folding 88. On 3900.
Blind vs blind at 150/300/25, the small blind completes and I jam my bb with 22. He sighs and calls another 3600 with......
K6.
He knew he was flopping two pair I guess. That was like ripping off a band-aid. Tomorrow it is. Sorry folks.
70 players at the noon start and I'm currently chip leader. I won the first hand for a stack increase of 150 chips.
10 mins into level 2 and I'm 2k over average thanks to some fancy small ball footwork. I've only been slowrolled on the river once so far.
Up to about 120 players currently, and I'm on around 14k. Generally the table is playing along with the routine, a few Jedi mind tricks and colour changes of the giraffe have people wondering what's going on. Just had what appears to be an internet kid sit down. You know I love these guys. He might just be doing his own thing, and minding his own business, but given the vibe of the rest of the table, my money's currently on a dual sense of humour and personality bypass from the signs so far.
Up to now, big hands and success for me in the Wynn Classic haven't exactly gone hand in hand. Since the festival kicked off a few days back I've had aces 4 times and lost with them 3 times. Just the way it goes and I'm sure it reverts eventually.
Clearly not quite yet though. KK just got shredded by KQ. Luckily I played a little cautious and my 14k is now 10k. The bull-in-a-china-shop approach would have resulted in a re-entry, which I'd really not rather be doing on event #3.
The gods of poker clearly have a sense of humour. Now 5k after AA just lost to J10 who turned a gutshot after a hefty flop bet. Maybe I should start throwing these hands away, I seem to be doing far better with the crappy ones.10 min til the first break and I'm in a weird tournament spot. Soldier on to the break and save an extra bullet and likely be low stacked, or push it as much as I can,and either get a decent stack or bust and restart with 12k? Time ticks on..
Rightly or wrongly, I chose the red pill. Which means I'm on 4500 but haven't spewed off another bullet at least. Restart in 15 mins at 150/300/25 so we'll see what happens. Michael Mizrachi just joined the table, so it just became even less of a breeze.
Restarted after the break, and jammed with 77. Talked the guy into showing and folding 88. On 3900.
Blind vs blind at 150/300/25, the small blind completes and I jam my bb with 22. He sighs and calls another 3600 with......
K6.
He knew he was flopping two pair I guess. That was like ripping off a band-aid. Tomorrow it is. Sorry folks.
5th March
Event #4 $550 PLO
Omaha. Hours of boredom, interrupted by moments of terror.
PLO is my preferred game of choice in London when playing cash. I've played only a few PLO tournaments compared to the two-card variant, since the world is saturated with hold-em, but the ones in which I have played I've generally done pretty well. The dynamic is a world away from hold-'em, but there can be a fair amount of value to be had from guys who just turn up and buy in blindly to play whatever event is on today without caring, or people who just don't grasp the fundamentals.
So far, the turnout is low with around 30 players. You get three 5k bullets out of a 15k start stack, which you can take at any time. There are various theories on how this kind of format can be played, but mine is pretty much always to take all the bullets immediately, and start with the full 15k. The more aggressive players(and some of the weaker ones) like to play with one 5k bullet and take a shot, and know that their big hands getting cracked isn't terminal as they have some reserve chips, but I pretty much feel if you have the hand and the corresponding board, then get as much loot the middle in as you can, and if you get your world ruined then so be it. This almost runs contrary sometimes to the principles of PLO, where the best hand on the flop is almost supposed to get slaughtered,if you overplay it. The key is to not overplay it.
It certainly feels like at least 2 guys on this table are new to PLO. One pair seems like the nuts right now. Still on start stack.
Took a hit when I just flopped a wrap which got shredded by a Jack high flush draw. 4.5 k of my stack just went in the wrong direction.
To win, you can't always play only the absolute best hands. Good players soon pick up on what's happening, and exploit it, especially in a 6-max format. However my table currently seems to be playing any pair, any draw at all, and generally getting there with it.
Just into level 2 and my 15k is now 8k. Frustrating stuff.
This is spiralling in the direction I don't want to see it going. Technically I'm playing solid enough, and for PLO in the early stages, technical play is often all that's needed to keep things going. A few guys on my table didn't get the memo so they're playing everything and running golden.
7k after seeing flops coming up to level 3. The nature of PLO means the pots can get bloated quickly, and it often seems like it can all go in pretty fast when the situation comes up. My key is normally to avoid this until you are in a really good spot, but nothing much is connecting right now, and there are no cheap flops when I have a playable holding.
We've ended up with 44 players on level 3. Still trying to see inexpensive flops but not feeling it at all right now.
You can bluff in pot-limit Omaha, despite what some might think. Having QQ33 on the button on a 10 J K A with the queen flush draw and the blockers heads up seems like a good spot to jam and get back on 15k right? Unless he's of course he's made the straight. My read is that he most certainly hasn't.
I was right. He didn't have the straight. Or a set. Or even two pair. He did however have a suited Jack for no straight and a flush draw with the Jack 6 of spades and one pair. Worth 6k of anyone's money, especially when the river is a spade.
That's me gone before level 4. No re-entry, I decided early that this would be a freeze for me, and that was that. Out the door.
I'll write some stuff later about today. I can't pretend I'm happy about how things are going, but I do have some thoughts on it which I'll get out there. The next event for me is the $550 $1/4 million guaranteed with 3x day ones. The way I feel right now I'm inclined to scrap the first two days, rest up and play 1c fresh. Watch this space
Event #4 $550 PLO
Omaha. Hours of boredom, interrupted by moments of terror.
PLO is my preferred game of choice in London when playing cash. I've played only a few PLO tournaments compared to the two-card variant, since the world is saturated with hold-em, but the ones in which I have played I've generally done pretty well. The dynamic is a world away from hold-'em, but there can be a fair amount of value to be had from guys who just turn up and buy in blindly to play whatever event is on today without caring, or people who just don't grasp the fundamentals.
So far, the turnout is low with around 30 players. You get three 5k bullets out of a 15k start stack, which you can take at any time. There are various theories on how this kind of format can be played, but mine is pretty much always to take all the bullets immediately, and start with the full 15k. The more aggressive players(and some of the weaker ones) like to play with one 5k bullet and take a shot, and know that their big hands getting cracked isn't terminal as they have some reserve chips, but I pretty much feel if you have the hand and the corresponding board, then get as much loot the middle in as you can, and if you get your world ruined then so be it. This almost runs contrary sometimes to the principles of PLO, where the best hand on the flop is almost supposed to get slaughtered,if you overplay it. The key is to not overplay it.
It certainly feels like at least 2 guys on this table are new to PLO. One pair seems like the nuts right now. Still on start stack.
Took a hit when I just flopped a wrap which got shredded by a Jack high flush draw. 4.5 k of my stack just went in the wrong direction.
To win, you can't always play only the absolute best hands. Good players soon pick up on what's happening, and exploit it, especially in a 6-max format. However my table currently seems to be playing any pair, any draw at all, and generally getting there with it.
Just into level 2 and my 15k is now 8k. Frustrating stuff.
This is spiralling in the direction I don't want to see it going. Technically I'm playing solid enough, and for PLO in the early stages, technical play is often all that's needed to keep things going. A few guys on my table didn't get the memo so they're playing everything and running golden.
7k after seeing flops coming up to level 3. The nature of PLO means the pots can get bloated quickly, and it often seems like it can all go in pretty fast when the situation comes up. My key is normally to avoid this until you are in a really good spot, but nothing much is connecting right now, and there are no cheap flops when I have a playable holding.
We've ended up with 44 players on level 3. Still trying to see inexpensive flops but not feeling it at all right now.
You can bluff in pot-limit Omaha, despite what some might think. Having QQ33 on the button on a 10 J K A with the queen flush draw and the blockers heads up seems like a good spot to jam and get back on 15k right? Unless he's of course he's made the straight. My read is that he most certainly hasn't.
I was right. He didn't have the straight. Or a set. Or even two pair. He did however have a suited Jack for no straight and a flush draw with the Jack 6 of spades and one pair. Worth 6k of anyone's money, especially when the river is a spade.
That's me gone before level 4. No re-entry, I decided early that this would be a freeze for me, and that was that. Out the door.
I'll write some stuff later about today. I can't pretend I'm happy about how things are going, but I do have some thoughts on it which I'll get out there. The next event for me is the $550 $1/4 million guaranteed with 3x day ones. The way I feel right now I'm inclined to scrap the first two days, rest up and play 1c fresh. Watch this space
The pain and the suffering
More years ago than I can accurately remember, I dated a particular girl, and whenever I met some of her friends, I was greeted with coos of "oh, so YOU'RE the poker player!" Or "what's the most you've ever won/what's the most you ever lost?"...etc.
The truth of it is, poker's a job. Like any other job. Well OK, not quite like any other job at all, but if you don't learn to desensitise yourself against the horrors and pitfalls, then sooner or later it's going to all come crashing down and you're going to put a service revolver in your mouth. Poker people normally get this, and non poker people just don't. I've seen people take nasty beats, get unlucky, and generally find themselves well and truly worked over at the tables time and time again. It's simply a part of poker, but how you react to it as a person when you get brutally beaten down and violated, not when you are winning everything in sight, determines precisely what kind of a human being you actually are, and ultimately what kind of player you are going to become in the long term. This is one of the pure truths of poker laid bare, and you can't hide from it.
Some people can be the nicest guys in the world when they're winning. Bullshitting along with the table, laughing, telling stories, and basically just enjoying the ride, and yet, as soon as they lose a pot, or god forbid have the best hand and get outdrawn...boom, the switch flips and they can be nasty, rude, arrogant, abusive...insert another 25 horribly appropriate words here.
But here's the thing. If you're not going to take your losses and beats with a degree of grace and humility when playing poker, then you almost certainly shouldn't be playing, and most certainly not playing seriously or for a living. Of course, you will carry on playing, why listen to me? And indeed, why should you? And that's why long term the people who don't listen, or at least get the idea by themselves are paying my mortgage, or buying my next meal, or getting me closer to a final table. Because you really don't get it. It's just a game with money, and little bits of plastic, and sure you have to try to win the game, but also along the way try not to lose sight of some basic human values, like ethics, and manners, integrity, and dignity...or no amount of money will really ever save you if you really want to be a dick to the people you encounter however many trophies you amass.
More years ago than I can accurately remember, I dated a particular girl, and whenever I met some of her friends, I was greeted with coos of "oh, so YOU'RE the poker player!" Or "what's the most you've ever won/what's the most you ever lost?"...etc.
The truth of it is, poker's a job. Like any other job. Well OK, not quite like any other job at all, but if you don't learn to desensitise yourself against the horrors and pitfalls, then sooner or later it's going to all come crashing down and you're going to put a service revolver in your mouth. Poker people normally get this, and non poker people just don't. I've seen people take nasty beats, get unlucky, and generally find themselves well and truly worked over at the tables time and time again. It's simply a part of poker, but how you react to it as a person when you get brutally beaten down and violated, not when you are winning everything in sight, determines precisely what kind of a human being you actually are, and ultimately what kind of player you are going to become in the long term. This is one of the pure truths of poker laid bare, and you can't hide from it.
Some people can be the nicest guys in the world when they're winning. Bullshitting along with the table, laughing, telling stories, and basically just enjoying the ride, and yet, as soon as they lose a pot, or god forbid have the best hand and get outdrawn...boom, the switch flips and they can be nasty, rude, arrogant, abusive...insert another 25 horribly appropriate words here.
But here's the thing. If you're not going to take your losses and beats with a degree of grace and humility when playing poker, then you almost certainly shouldn't be playing, and most certainly not playing seriously or for a living. Of course, you will carry on playing, why listen to me? And indeed, why should you? And that's why long term the people who don't listen, or at least get the idea by themselves are paying my mortgage, or buying my next meal, or getting me closer to a final table. Because you really don't get it. It's just a game with money, and little bits of plastic, and sure you have to try to win the game, but also along the way try not to lose sight of some basic human values, like ethics, and manners, integrity, and dignity...or no amount of money will really ever save you if you really want to be a dick to the people you encounter however many trophies you amass.
My Wynn trip isn't going the way I'd like it to date.There's only so many times you can post about getting your aces smashed, or how you had the best hand when all the money went in, before you start wondering to yourself what's going on, or if there's a conspiracy of some sort afoot to stop you winning anything. Of course there isn't. But it's easy and convenient to find an excuse for losing. My all time favourite film is The Hustler(1961), for reasons I could fill another 3 paragraphs with. However there's a great scene involving the young cocky Paul Newman talking to the worldly-wise and savvy Bert Gordon after getting soundly beaten by Minnesota Fats. A ton of parallels to losing at poker can be drawn.
Bert Gordon: Eddie, is it alright if I get personal?
Fast Eddie: Whaddaya been so far?
Bert Gordon: Eddie, you're a born loser.
Fast Eddie: What's that supposed to mean?
Bert Gordon: First time in ten years I ever saw Minnesota Fats hooked... really hooked. But you let him off.
Fast Eddie: I told you I got drunk.
Bert Gordon: Sure you got drunk. You have the best excuse in the world for losing; no trouble losing when you got a good excuse. Winning... that can be heavy on your back, too, like a monkey. You'll drop that load too when you got an excuse. All you gotta do is learn to feel sorry for yourself. One of the best indoor sports, feeling sorry for yourself. A sport enjoyed by all, especially the born losers.
Fast Eddie: Thanks for the drink.
In poker more than many games, being good and making the right decisions often will amount to squat. I've played for 10 hours just to run aces into ace-five and bust.We all have at some point. But blaming everything from the wallpaper to the dealer (a personal favourite with some of the less than nice people out there) simply doesn't accomplish anything and wastes energy. Sometimes, it's just the way it goes.
I've had trips where I've won the first event that I've played in, and trust me finding yourself 20 or 30 grand ahead in the first few days of course puts a completely different spin on being financially behind after 4 or 5 tournaments. Your confidence increases, you're happier, and you feel stronger at the table and ready to take on whatever comes next. Conversely, if you're busting in event after event it can sap your confidence, and make you question your borderline decisions, which can spill over into your play if you're not careful. I think generally I've got a pretty good handle on this, and that I keep my negative emotions in check even when it's all going badly day after day (as it seems to be at present). Having said that, feeling burnt-out after day in, day out losses starts to weigh heavy, and my preferred therapy for this is to take a few days, recharge, clear my thoughts and start over afresh. This isn't always possible depending on poker schedules of course, and a good poker friend of mine has often pointed out that I'm really not so good at taking days off even when I know I should do so. It's a part of my poker that I certainly do need to work on.
The next Wynn event is a three-day one $1/4 million guarantee. In view of how things seem to be going (badly), matched up with the obvious value to be had in playing in this tournament, I'm playing, but will play day 1c and use the time between now and then to exercise, rest, recharge and come back fighting.
Thanks for reading. Drop me a line with any thoughts.
Bert Gordon: Eddie, is it alright if I get personal?
Fast Eddie: Whaddaya been so far?
Bert Gordon: Eddie, you're a born loser.
Fast Eddie: What's that supposed to mean?
Bert Gordon: First time in ten years I ever saw Minnesota Fats hooked... really hooked. But you let him off.
Fast Eddie: I told you I got drunk.
Bert Gordon: Sure you got drunk. You have the best excuse in the world for losing; no trouble losing when you got a good excuse. Winning... that can be heavy on your back, too, like a monkey. You'll drop that load too when you got an excuse. All you gotta do is learn to feel sorry for yourself. One of the best indoor sports, feeling sorry for yourself. A sport enjoyed by all, especially the born losers.
Fast Eddie: Thanks for the drink.
In poker more than many games, being good and making the right decisions often will amount to squat. I've played for 10 hours just to run aces into ace-five and bust.We all have at some point. But blaming everything from the wallpaper to the dealer (a personal favourite with some of the less than nice people out there) simply doesn't accomplish anything and wastes energy. Sometimes, it's just the way it goes.
I've had trips where I've won the first event that I've played in, and trust me finding yourself 20 or 30 grand ahead in the first few days of course puts a completely different spin on being financially behind after 4 or 5 tournaments. Your confidence increases, you're happier, and you feel stronger at the table and ready to take on whatever comes next. Conversely, if you're busting in event after event it can sap your confidence, and make you question your borderline decisions, which can spill over into your play if you're not careful. I think generally I've got a pretty good handle on this, and that I keep my negative emotions in check even when it's all going badly day after day (as it seems to be at present). Having said that, feeling burnt-out after day in, day out losses starts to weigh heavy, and my preferred therapy for this is to take a few days, recharge, clear my thoughts and start over afresh. This isn't always possible depending on poker schedules of course, and a good poker friend of mine has often pointed out that I'm really not so good at taking days off even when I know I should do so. It's a part of my poker that I certainly do need to work on.
The next Wynn event is a three-day one $1/4 million guarantee. In view of how things seem to be going (badly), matched up with the obvious value to be had in playing in this tournament, I'm playing, but will play day 1c and use the time between now and then to exercise, rest, recharge and come back fighting.
Thanks for reading. Drop me a line with any thoughts.
At the request of my beloved wife, and a ton of other people (OK, actually about 6 people, and a mangy cat) I'm going to try moving this malarky over to a new page entitled simply "Wynn Classic Updates" on the top menu bar, with this page becoming "Archive Wynn Updates". This should negate people scrolling through acres of mindless drivel, simply in order to reach the most recent mindless drivel. I hate the term "blog" with a passion (not sure why), though my writing could hardly be described as a one line update currently, so if the cap fits... People seem to like bits of it so for the moment I'll keep it going. The good news is you can now call me names via the comments feature on the new page, the bad news is I might lose everything written to date during the migration. Or is that two bits of good news. You decide.