Middle of February Report

Hmm, what to report.

Well, I've slowed the bleeding some as I'm not down near as much at this point as I was in January... I guess that's good! I actually have won a couple small things and I haven't been running badly as often, but nonetheless the big scores keep finding ways to elude me. I'm starting to think I should just stick to games with less than 100 players in it.

I continue to get myself into great spots though. I'll resteal and find I get called by a worse hand... but still lose. I'll be chipleader in a game with four players left, get it in as a favorite in three straight hands, and finish fourth. I know it will happen, but does it have to happen so often? I guess the more times I get into that position, the more times it will happen. I'd just like to get my fair share of firsts out of it also. After an extended stretch of time it really gets old, I don't care how much you understand variance and math and shit.

So I'll keep playing, and hopefully continue to play well. The sad thing is that I've felt very comfortable with my decision making and even seeing how often I've made the good decisions... just to see something go bad once the flop, turn, and river comes. Meh, I don't know what else to say, so I won't.

Last week wasn't so bad as I think I was just about break even for the period. I know, its sad to take break-even stretches as a positive but positive is what I really need right now. Like I said, I did notch a couple of wins in some smaller games so that does at least tell me that winning is something I can still do. In fact, I've pulled a profit for the year to date in these smaller games (90 and under players). Its those large-scale MTTs that I've played that have been eating me alive. I just haven't held on the key hands in any of them.

I've been happy with the progress of my post-flop play also. I'm not falling for the traps as much and I've continued to practice better pot control also. I've been a little more active in finding good spots to speculate in position when stacks are deep enough and that has helped me pick up a few chips also. I still don't play a lot of hands early and I doubt I ever will but at least I'm not SNG/super-tight anymore.

I am continuing to refine my opening raises later in games also. I'm learning to find raise amounts small enough to save a few chips here and there while still trying to make them large enough to do the job properly. Trying to balance which hands to raise, when, from where, and even on who is something I've always been trying to adapt to. Same with ranging people when deciding on calling. I've been surprised just how often I've called and actually been ahead, sometimes far ahead... I just need to actually win these hands occasionally.

I think I'll take tomorrow off since I'll be playing a full Sunday schedule this week. The kid is off from school Monday so I'm taking that day off from work. Hopefully I'll also have one of the skylights on the house replaced as well. I'd rather not burn another day off just to be home for that.

Then again, I'm itching to play again. I might just play tomorrow anyway. That's a good sign, right? Wanting to continue the chase for the big score is a good thing, right? I just figure that if I'm playing solid I should keep playing, right? We'll see, I might take the time to do some extra review of some of my play, just to be on the safe side. In any case, I'll keep fighting.

Goodbye, January

Wow, that was one rough month. I don't even know what to say that hasn't already been said. I can recycle some things but I'd rather not rehash all of that. We'll just move on from here. FTR, I was down $1700 for the month, which is by far the most I've even been down in a single month. I've only had a few down months (thank God) but this one was really a doosy.

One positive I can take from it all is that I did accomplish my basic volume goals. I am currently Bronze Iron Man, SilverStar, and Contender Status on FTP, Stars, and UB respectively. I did hope to get a little more in total buy-ins but considering the losses maybe I'm happy I didn't, LOL. Despite running as bad as I did I also managed to set a nre career-high cash on Stars with that 2nd place finish, so that's a good sign. One day I might run well heads-up.

As for February, same goals. I want to maintain the volume and keep making the best decisions I can. Eventually I have to start winning my share of flips and such... at least the math should say I would. Of course we can argue that each hand is really one unto itself, blah blah blah. I prefer to think that the powers that be owes me as it might just keep me sane.

I've done a few videos for Pokerology though and doing that has helped my mindset by giving me a little break from playing and seeing poker in a different way. Doing this also helps keep things in its proper place, either by working through a problem or just by seeing just how bad other people can play. Sure, they get rewarded at times but as long as I can still identify (correctly) what is right or wrong, well, hopefully I'll be able to continue to learn from it all. Maybe some small thing I pick up on could be the one thing that helps me break out of my downswing... it has to start somewhere.

In any event, I'll keep on keeping on as long as I don't go insane. Might help if I already was.