Yet Another Party Poker Reload Bonus

Party Poker has a reload bonus about once a month it seems. It's usually a 20-25% bonus with a maximum of $100 or so. This time I had $100 of bonus to clear, requiring 1000 raked hands.

My original plan for this bonus was to play $5/$10 limit hold'em (6-max), but I abandoned this plan after my first two sessions. My first session was brutal. I was two-tabling and at one point I was stuck more than $600. But after giving myself a stern lecture, I played a little tighter, a little less aggressive, and I grinded all of the way back to a slight profit for the session. I continued to play well during my second session, but I decided that the swings were just to big at this game to be optimum for bonus-chasing.

My third session was a total donkfest... I tried three all-in bluffs playing $100 NL and all three got called. These were ill-timed bluffs that were caused by my boredom with poker. So, I quickly lost more than two buy-ins in this session (luckily, I buy-in short).

After that losing session, I decided to play $50 NL. I figured that I could sit back, play tight, and rapidly clear a bunch of hands. I was usually playing 3 or 4 tables, which is more than my usual, since I at most play two tables these days (especially considering that they were all 6-max). I somewhat surprised myself by how well I played during these sessions (for multi-tabling). I played small pots when I needed to and I played big pots when I was a favorite.

During these sessions, I had two hands that made me particularly happy. The first was when I held AK on a safe flop (something like K 8 4) but two clubs. I bet the flop and turn, but checked the river to my opponent, giving him the opportunity to bluff. He pushed all-in with his draw that had missed and I raked in a huge pot. The other hand was when I flopped a set of sixes against two opponents. The flop was scary, though, as there were draws everywhere (I think: 9 8 6, two spades). Eventually, I lost about the minimum when my opponent back-doored a flush after missing his straight draw (my other opponent had a flush and straight draw also).

Anyway, here are my stats for the reload. My bankroll (Party Poker) has been hovering around $2500 lately, which is starting to annoy me. I need to start grinding again and cash out some profit to sooth my ego. I am considering playing $50 NL since I am pretty sure that I can beat it easily. I might just stick with the $5/$10 limit game as long as I feel like I can play at my best.

Donkey of the Week

For this week's "Donkey of the Week"...

I nominate...

ME!

Let me explain. No, there is no time. Let me sum up.

I finally lost a HORSE heads-up SNG last night. I played hold'em poorly, clawed my way back into the match during Omaha 8/b and I even took the lead when I dominated my opponent at Razz. Unfortunately, I lost a huge pot while playing 7-stud when I had three kings against a flush. After that, I was short-chipped and I went card-dead. 'nuff said.

For whatever reason, losing this HORSE SNG put me on tilt. Super tilt. Ultra-donkey-tilt-o-rama tilt. At one point, I was playing two tables of $5/$10 limit and one table of $10/$20. I lost buy-ins at one of the $5/$10 games and the $10/$20 game. Middle pair? That's good for a raise on the turn, right? Doh!

Before I knew it, I was stuck more than $1000 (please don't tell my wife!), which was enough to sober me up a bit and at least convince me to play at least a little bit better. I started to catch a few cards, which helped, and I eventually quit the limit games stuck about $700. I realized at this point that I was burned out on limit poker and I should considering playing some no limit.

Intelligently, I decided to buy-in to two $600 NL games. Yep, I was still on tilt somewhat... but merely the more typical, garden-variety tilt.

I played reasonably well for a couple of orbits when the following hand came up. In hindsight, I don't think that I played the hand too bad (if I had a huge bankroll). I was aggressive and I forced my opponent to make what should have been a somewhat difficult call (which took him 0.5 seconds to make). That said, I got lucky as hell to back-door a wheel and to take down the pot, which incindentally is by far the largest pot that I have ever won. (note: it's primarily because of this hand that I have nominated myself as donkey of the week).

$600 NL Texas Hold'em - Wednesday, August 23, 23:59:38 ET 2006
Total number of players : 6
Seat 1: xxYogi0008xx ( $600 )
Seat 2: DrMuffin ( $984.90 )
Seat 3: NoMeansYes_ ( $600 )
Seat 5: mowine ( $258.40 )
Seat 6: S4tolly ( $880 )
Seat 4: frazwood ( $366 )
S4tolly posts small blind [$3].
xxYogi0008xx posts big blind [$6].
** Dealing down cards **
Dealt to frazwood [ Ac 9c ]
DrMuffin folds.
NoMeansYes_ folds.
frazwood raises [$21].
mowine folds.
S4tolly raises [$38].
xxYogi0008xx folds.
frazwood calls [$20].
** Dealing Flop ** [ 3c, Tc, 2d ]
S4tolly bets [$70].
frazwood raises [$210].
S4tolly raises [$280].
frazwood is all-In [$115]
** Dealing Turn ** [ 5h ]
** Dealing River ** [ 4d ]
S4tolly shows [ Qc, Qs ] a pair of queens.
frazwood shows [ Ac, 9c ] a straight, ace to five.
S4tolly wins $25 from side pot #1 with a pair of queens.
frazwood wins $735 from the main pot with a straight, ace to five.

I quickly quit playing poker after this hand, because I was clearly playing like an idiot. I'm sure that S4tolly was quite happy with my hit-and-run.

In the end, I finished the session stuck about $400; and while that's not great, it's manageable. I am serious about taking a break from limit poker though. It's such a grind and I have lost my patience. I played a little $200 NL this morning and I booked a nice win against some over-aggressive donks trying to bluff on the river. We'll see how it goes from here... I might even take a short break from serious poker (i.e., higher stakes) until my mind clears itself a bit.

Enormously Large Heads

Good poker players have tremendous egos: they're good and they know it. Some of them are all too ready to let you know that they are good also.

In the first part of this blog entry, I am going to discuss my ego. In the second part, I am going to discuss someone else's ego.

I must confess: My ego is HUGE! I have a PhD in engineering and I think that I am more intelligent than virtually everyone that I meet in my everyday life. Now, I don't tell people this (else I would be a pariah), but it's what I think (note: my wife will accurately tell you that she is "right" more often than me). At the poker table, my ego means that I think I am the best player at the table.

I am not describing my ego as a narcissistic, insecure means of trying to convince you of how smart I am. In fact, I am trying to explain why my ego is a hindrance at the table. I know how to play more hands in more ways that should clearly show my skill. Unfortunately, most of my "inferior" opponents don't recognize my skill; they're merely happy to collect my money after they call with their better hand after my superior move. Jennifer Harman termed this "Fancy Play Syndrome" (FPS) in Super/System 2.

Earlier today, I had a session where I was so guilty of ego-driven FPS that I should have been sentenced to four consecutive life terms in poker prison. I kept making well-timed bluff-raises on the turn, which should have caused my opponent holding middle pair to fold (nope). I'd limp from early position with AA so that I could win a huge pot, which I'd lose to something like J3o after a flop of J 7 3. Doh!

In the end, I realized my ego was getting in the way of playing poker. I decided to be more "stupid" and to merely play solid. I grinded my way back to the point where I only lost about $80 for the day (about 10 big bets... so not so bad). But, I'd definitely be a better poker player if I didn't think that I was so damn smart. Yep, I might be smart, but I'm pretty damn stupid too.

Ego also played a prominent role in today's heads-up HORSE sit-n-go that I played at Full Tilt Poker. I bought into a $20 tournament this evening and I immediately found myself behind my opponent. He played hold'em very well, while I was pretty much card-dead. I was genuinely concerned that I was going to lose my first-ever HORSE SNG (my ego had decided to hide for a bit, I guess).

After the game switched to Omaha 8/b, I started to catch a few cards and I started to grind my way back into the game. I won a big pot when I had three-pair on the turn and called a raise from my opponent who had a made flush. He was quite upset at my call when I caught a full-house on the river. He started lecturing me on the dangers of chasing and how my luck wouldn't last. I didn't remind him that my call was justified by the fact that I could have had the best hand (two pair wins many pots in heads-up Omaha 8/b); and if not, I had six outs to a full house -- these outs were mathematically sufficient to justify my call because of the pot odds.

I really started to dominate the match when the game switched to Razz. I was again lectured when I capped the betting on fourth street with (A 2) T 4... when he showed Q5. He was even more upset when he caught another Q on fifth street and he had to fold when I caught a six. He literally complained that I had no idea of what I was doing because his hand was clearly better on fourth street. (I'm still trying to figure that out)

I continued to dominate my opponent when the game switched to 7stud. He again started to complain when I called a raise on sixth street when he had a pair of sixes showing. I figure that he had two pair, but that I would win the hand with kings up if I caught two pair on the end (which I did). My opponent apparently had no concept of pot odds. He complained again that I called him to seventh street on the last hand of the match when he clearly had a pair of jacks... unfortunately for him, I had two kings... and caught third one on the end.

Anyway, I'm still undefeated at HORSE SNGs. I am sure that it won't last for long, especially considering that I am willing to play way above my bankroll. In fact, I was tempted to play in a $200 heads-up SNG, even though I only had $210 in my account.

Anyway, I hope that you laughed while reading this (i.e., laughed AT me, not WITH me).

Magic Carpet Ride

Perhaps this blog is mistitled... it should probably read "Roller Coaster Ride" but I like "Magic Carpet Ride" better -- but as I am fond of saying, it's my blog and I'll write whatever I want.

I had a really good day at the tables on Friday. I started out by winning the biggest pot I've ever won in poker. I logged onto Party Poker in the early morning, but couldn't find an open spot in a $5/$10 limit hold'em game (non-MONSTER). So, I looked for a game at $10/$20, where I've been splashing around a bit. No luck there, either. Continuing my search, I found a nice table at $15/$30 with a cozy seat just waiting for me.

I posted my blind of $15 (gulp!) and folded to a raise and a re-raise. I also folded my $10 small blind to a raise and a re-raise. So, I am now stuck $25 and I haven't even seen a flop. Suddenly, I realize that I am playing way above my bankroll, especially considering the sharks that are seemingly lurking everywhere.

The next hand, I am dealt 88 on the button. I promise myself to play the hand aggressively, but to quit the game after this orbit. It's folded to the cutoff who raises, so I re-raise. The blinds fold and the cutoff calls. The flop is "OK": T 9 7 (rainbow). The cutoff checks; I bet; he calls. The turn is another T. The cutoff checks; I bet; he calls. I think that I am ahead here, but I plan to check the river unless.... the river is an eight... The river: 8. GIN! Curiously, the cutoff comes out firing but merely calls my raise. He turns over JQo and I rake in a $322 pot. I fold the next two hands and I go home.

Following that nice win at $15/$30, I won a few more bucks at $5/$10, so that my bankroll was doing quite nicely entering the weekend. Unfortunately, I decided to start playing like a donkey and I lost abot $300 on Saturday night. I kept calling raises with weak hands and trying to run over call stations. I also lost a $160 pot (this was no limit) when I pushed all-in with AQ on a flop of A 5 5. My opponent was all too happy to call with AK. Doh!

Last night, I decided to play better. I decided to play tight-aggressive, limiting the number of hands that I played and being VERY careful about calling raises. Unfortunately, this is a very boring way to play, even short-handed. So, I started playing a few hands that I shouldn't... and I decided that a solution to my boredom problem would be to open a second table. I've had bad luck playing two tables at $5/$10, but I rationalized that I could do it successfully if I was playing tight. Strangely, my reasoning seemed to work. I played very few hands and I played them well. I won a decent amount on one table and a very good amount at the other. I might have to try this strategy again sometime (soon).

After that, I logged onto Full Tilt Poker, hoping to play a $5 or $10 heads-up HORSE SNG. I love these, especially since I am undefeated so far. I was quite happy to notice a guy waiting in one of the games... but it was a $50 SNG (Gulp!). Considering that I only have $105 in my account, this was a bit much for me. Plus, I figured that this guy might actually be a bit better than my previous HORSE opponents. Rationalizing that I had money elsewhere in the online world, I bought into the game, announcing to my wife that she was married to a stupid idiot (she sublimely nodded in agreement).

I started out the game playing loose-aggressive, which was a good strategy against my VERY TIGHT opponent. Unfortunately, the guy started catching cards galore and quickly got himself a large lead (around 2200 vs 800). I slowed down a bit, but he still kept catching cards. We finished hold'em with me in dire straits (2500 vs. 500). My opponent loosened up a bit and started playing a few more hands in Omaha 8/b, but he still kept catching cards. One hand that I remember is when I had him scooped on the turn with the nut-flush plus the nut-low. This was a huge pot, having been capped on the flop and 3-bet on the turn. Unfortunately, the board paired on the river, giving him a full house (he had flopped top set) and we split the pot. I kept thinking that the cards would have to even out, but that I might not last long enough for it to happen.

When the game moved to Razz, I simply ran him over. Anytime that his up card was worse than mine, I raised; and 90% of the time, he folded. I eventually won a huge pot when I made a 7-low on fifth street while he was drawing to an 8-low. He hit his hand on the river and I bet until I was all-in. Raking in this pot gave me enough chips to play "my game". Next, I totally dominated him playing 7-stud. He started complaining about me catching good cards, but I honestly think that I outplayed him. I had a simple strategy: bet when I thought that I had the best hand; fold when I thought he had the best hand. So, I was winning bit pots, losing small pots. We finished 7-stud with me ahead about 2000 vs. 1000.

When the game moved to Stud 8/b, I slowed down a lot considering that this is my worst game. We played it essentially even, except for a big pot that I scooped when I had a 6-high straight on fifth street and he called me to the river with two-pair (no low).

So, we came back to hold'em with me up big: 2700 vs. 300. The first hand, we essentially pushed all-in preflop with ATs (me) vs. Q7s (him), but he caught a seven on the river to stay alive. I won a few small pots after that when the final hand happened. I called a raise preflop with K7. The flop gave me middle pair and I raised him all-in (he was short-stacked). He turned over QQ, but a king came on the turn, giving me the win.

In conclusion, I am sure that I will soon go on a losing streak with these HORSE SNGs... variance is sure to catch up to me.

Bonus Whoring -- The Wrong Way

I am a big fan of bonus whoring. It's essentially free money, as long as you can at least break even. So, let this be a cautionary tale.

A couple of days ago, I deposited $600 into Hollywood Poker (a Poker Room skin) to take advantage of a $200 sign-up bonus.

Here's the problem, I immediately started playing $5/$10 limit, which is what I have been playing at Full Contact Poker, another Poker Room skin. I started out great, but then started donking money away left and right. Before I knew it, I had lost the $600.

Intelligently, I deposited another $200 and started grinding. I did rather well at the $50 NL game, but then I went back to the $5/$10 game, and I eventually lost most of my bankroll again. At one point, I had less than $10 in a $50 NL room. I luckily grinded my way up to $45. It's grim, but I'm still trying to clear that $200 bonus. Crap!

Getting Comfortable

I have been almost exclusively been playing $5/$10 limit hold'em lately. I've also played a little $100 NL and a few heads up SNGs at Full Tilt (more later).

The really cool thing about playing $5/$10 limit is that I am getting very comfortable with the game. When I first started playing a few weeks ago, I was a little tense and this caused me to be a little too aggressive, especially at first. So, most sessions I would immediately find myself stuck $50-$100 before I settled in, played my game, and started to grind my way back to the black.

But now, I am feel comfortable playing. I am finding that my sessions don't involve the initial loss, so I am winning more often. And if I can catch a big hand or two, then I can usually net a nice win for the session (most of my sessions are short: I don't have hours of time to play... more like 30 minutes at most).

I had a fun session yesterday at Full Contact Poker. Apparently, I had been playing a few hands slightly crazy. Things like raising from the button with K9s, nothing totally out of line, but nothing to indicate that I am a rock (which, to be honest, I am a total rock. Think granite!!). I bet the hands aggressively, especially if I caught a piece of the flop or at least a draw. Anyway, a guy at the table kept calling me an idiot, which I merely encouraged with my chat in return.

Then came the "big hand" when I was dealt AA on the button. There was a limper in front of me, so I raised. The table-captain re-raised from the big blind (probably trying to isolate me, thinking I held trash) and the limper called also; I capped and the three of saw the flop. It was a good flop for me: 9 9 6. I figured that the big blind likely did not hold a nine (more likely TT, JJ, QQ, KK, AK, or AQ)... I was a little worried about the limper. After some betting on the flop... the turn was a blank and the limper folded (I was happy to see this). The turn got capped, which was nice for my wallet. The river was another ace, giving me aces-full. The big blind bet out and called my raised, typing "you chased and caught that ace didn't you?". I merely stated "something like that" and raked in a nice pot.

I have noticed that my playing style has changed quite a bit these days. First, I am not nearly so aggressive. Most of my opponents these days are somewhere between aggressive and too aggressive, so I don't need to be as aggressive to build nice pots. Second, I am defending my blinds far more often than I ever have before. Again, many of my opponents are very aggressive, so I am very likely to call from the big blind with a reasonable hand, and if it's a heads-up hand... I am likely to call through the river if I catch a piece of the flop (again, many of my opponents are too aggressive). Third, I am trying to see as many flops as possible with drawing hands. For example, if UTG raises and gets two or three callers, then I am also going to call from the big blind with almost any hand, especially if it's suited. There is nothing better than flopping trips with 85o against someone who holds KK.

Anyway, my experiment at playing higher stakes is going really really well. I've done well playing $100 NL too, although I am probably going to give that up because the $5/$10 limit is going so well. Since starting to play higher stakes, I think I am +$2000 or so, which is a huge win rate for me.

Finally, I have been playing a few HORSE heads-up SNGs at Full Tilt Poker. So far, I am undefeated! In fact, I have dominated EVERY match so far. My goal is to finish the hold'em about even and then to dominate once the game switches. I have had only one match last as long as the 7stud.

Poker in the North Woods

I am spending this week in northern Minnesota, mostly working but also playing a little. It's strange being in such a rustic area with wireless internet.

My poker has mostly been playing a minimum number of hands so that I can earn extra Party Points. This afternoon, however, I have a little extra free time, so I decided to play $5/$10 limit hold (6-max) at Party Poker. I must admit to being a little gun-shy, especially after losing $250 in my last session at this game.

The session started off great; I won about $60 against a guy that I had pegged as a total call station. But then things went south: I lost a big hand to the call station when he caught a runner runner straight. I then lost another hand to one of the better players at the table. Suddenly, I was stuck $70 and my confidence was gone and I was seriously considering the possibility of losing another buy-in. Luckily, though, I then got hit by the deck.

I was dealt J4s in the big blind. When the guy to my left raised, I had planned on folding, but then 3 people called, giving me too good of a price to fold. The flop was 4 4 5 and I won a big hand against the initial raiser who held QQ.

The next time I was in the big blind, I was dealt J8o; here again, the guy to my left raised. Although I was planning to fold, three peopple called so I called also. The flop came T 9 7 (rainbow) and I won another big pot.

The next time I was in the big blind, I was dealt AA and the preflop betting had already been capped by the time it came around to me. Yep, I won another big pot. The very next hand, I was dealt AA and again I won another big pot.

Poker is so easy when the cards are this good. In this short session (~60 hands), I won more than 36 big bets. That certainly compensates me nicely for losing my buy-in last time.