Other Blogs

Well before I ever started my own blog I was reading other poker blogs. Almost all of them have inspired me in some way. I am able to get some insight that would not be as accessible on a forum. It has also been nice to read the progression of some of the bloggers. Some of the blogs I read often and enjoy the most are:

Regularly Updated (At least more than mine):

AlCan'tHang
Blinders
Cracknaces
Fuel55
Hoyazo's blog
Loretta8
Pauly's Poker Blog
Rizen Poker
Smokkee
Tripjax

Others:

LUCKOWNAGE - Lucko21's blog.

sprstoner's blog

CBal's blog


This is what I have for now. I plan on updated this post from time to time and linking to it from the right side of this page.

Edited 1.10.08

Why First Place Is So Imprtant

I have been continuing to have success at the $5 SNG. I have now played 45. I started off only really playing 1 table at a time. I am now playing 2 table pretty comfortably. I plan to move up to 3 tables soon. I have been in the money in nearly half of the 45 so far. My ROI is 25.5%, but it still moves around an awful lot with each one I add. I realize that I have to play many more before that number is very accurate.

I noticed a couple days ago after I had played 5 SNGs that I had a losing session. It was disappointing because I cashed in 2 and bubble another. So I had finished in the money 40%, but my ROI was negative. I had finished 2nd and 3rd. I had already known the importance of finishing in 1st, but it really hit me there.

I also realized that overall I was not getting 1st enough. I feel like I have been very aggressive on the bubble and been finishing in 4th alot also. I have mostly been losing the heads up match at the end and coming in 2nd. I think I may be too aggressive at this point sometimes. I have been caught stealing and not wanted to play for all the chips too often.

My updated graphs:

A (dead) Link to My Blog

I often check to see how people have found my blog. Using my Bravehost Counter I can see what the referring websites are. I was surprised to see one that I was unfamiliar with.

http://omahahands.blogspot.com/

So thank you Brian for possibly giving me some more traffic. One of these days I'll start making some extra $ from my affiliate links.

Edit: The blog with the link was gone just as fast as it appeared.

Quick exit in FTOPS IV Event #3 Sat

Well, I'm not very happy with my quick exit. I picked up A-J of hearts in the BB on the very first hand. Flop was J high and bet all three streets. Someone had called with a flush draw and second pair even on the river. So great start right? Well yeah, but I blew that really fast. A few hands later our table was split up and I was off to a new table.

My first hand at the new table was the following:

Full Tilt Poker

Blinds: t20/t40

9 players

Converter

Stack sizes:

UTG: t1500

UTG+1: t1500

MP1: t1500

MP2: t720

MP3: t1455

Hero: t1945

Button: t1710

SB: t2940

BB: t2175

Pre-flop: (9 players) Hero is CO with jd jh 3 folds, MP2 calls, MP3 folds, Hero raises to t160, Button calls, 2 folds, MP2 calls.

Flop: 8s qh 3c (t540, 3 players)MP2 checks, Hero bets t300 (I was hoping the C-bet would just take this down now), Button calls (He took half of his allotted time and I was thinking A-K or pp, maybe 10-10 or 9-9) MP2 folds.

Turn: 5h (t1140, 2 players)Hero is all-in t1485 (well in hindsight this was obviously a total donk move, but I thought there was a good chance I was ahead and expected a call. I think a check would have been just fine, and again in hindsight, the right move.), Button calls all-in t1250.Uncalled bets: t235 returned to Hero.

River: 7c (t3640, 0 player + 2 all-in - Main pot: t3640)

Results:Final pot: t3640

Hero showed Jd Jh

Button showed Ah Qs

I was really surprised to see A-Q. I really would have expected a raise from A-Q here. In the end I really blame myself for being such a donk, but I need to get over it.

At this point I was still in the tourny with a short stack. I needed to start pushing and hope to get lucky. Unfortunately this is what happened.

O well. Better luck (and decisions) next time.

Super Sat to FTOPS IV Event #3 Win

I won another of these 45 person $1 rebuy tournaments. I got off to a pretty poor start though. I was willing to rebuy a few times trying to double up with less than premium hands. I lost 3 all-ins pretty fast, 2 of which I was about a coin flip. The other one got 3 callers all with better hands than my K-10. I had decided not rebuy if I was busted again. I picked up J-J and get some more chips, but not quite a double up. Rebuy period ended and I did the add-on. I was amazed to see my ~4500 stack as high on the leader board.

Seems like few who play these tournaments have much of a clue of good rebuy or satellite strategy. Check out this screenshot from another rebuy:




It is about the end of the rebuy period and there are only 24 of 45 people left. Most of the people who left didn't even rebuy once. What I find most interesting is that they would be all-in with weak hands like they could rebuy, but then just leave.

I won a decent pot with A-A that I tried limping UTG. I only ended up winning a side pot and doubled someone up. I ended up winning a huge pot on BB with 7-8. I caught trips on the flop and slow played the flop. I played it fast on the turn and on the river I pushed and thought I was done when both players I was in the hand with called. Both of them had me covered. I had almost half the chips with 9 players left and never looked back.

Also the shorthanded shortstack play was just awful by most of the players.

Now hopefully I can win my way to the big event. I at least hope I don't get real unlucky like the last big satellite I was in.

SNGs Going Well

I haven't posted in a while. I wish I'd keep up with my blog better, but it's just not high on the list when I get busy.

I've mostly been playing just 1 table $5 SNGs lately. I feel like I'm doing well, but the money just seems slow. I've played 19 of them and have made about $30. I created a spreadsheet for them. Here are 2 graphs I made for them.

As you can see I got off to a slow start. Hopefully I can keep up my recent performance and continue to build my bankroll.

May 2007 - Goals

Quick review of April 2007 goals.

1. I did not increase my bankroll to $500. I in fact did not even profit in April 2007. My bankroll was reduced to a little over $100.
2. I think I was successful at playing only when I wanted and not just because I was bored. I still have some improving to do as far as doing more to always play my 'A' game.
3. I did purchase PokerTracker.
4. I did not satellite into the $400k, but did make the $50+5 satellite twice. The first time I learned for the future. The second time I played well and got sucked out on to loose half my chip stack. I am confident I will make the $400k in May.
   

Now my list of May 2007 goals.

1. Increase my bankroll to $500.
2. Play only when I am willing to put the effort forth to play my 'A' game.
3. Satellite into the $400k.
4. Play 50 SNGs.

I no longer think that #1 is conservative. I think it is easily attainable, but it is not the most important goal. If I play well the bankroll will come. I want to keep it as a goal, but not as much as forethought. I think that #2 is the most important goal and the hardest to achieve. I am very hopeful and confident to achieve #3. #4 is just something I have come up with for a change of pace. I'm not sure how achievable it is for me. If my ROI% is high it will be much easier.