It's been a quite horrid week at the tables, since I've returned from the mini vacation. I had a -40 BB 7CS session, where I lost to a straight flush 4 times in less than 4 hours. Combine that with three -20+ BB LHE sessions and I find myself pining for some split-pot action.
This is where the questions arise. I'm trying to think big picture here, using the best financial scenarios to build bankroll. I'm playing on two sites, one with 100% rakeback and the other with 33% rakeback plus monthly bonuses. Unfortunately, I'm limited to almost exclusively LHE (with some 7CS) on these sites. Whenever I've found an O8 game going (which is rarely) I've cleaned up.
So which situation is most +EV: Playing split-pot & mixed game poker with no rakeback/bonus or playing LHE with no rake? I'm not enough of a math geek to even try and pose this as an equation.
I come to the conclusion that the rakeback is the way to go, which finds me grinding LHE like the tortise at lower limits than I would care to play. Thoughts or advice welcome on this one.
Unfortunately, my downswing combined with other expenses takes the boathouse off my radar. If I can't make it happen, I expect lots of pictures and trip reports.
Football Lock of the Week: UTEP (+1.5) at San Diego St. Mike Price vs. Chuck Long... need I say more?
Wednesday, August 30, 2006
Tuesday, August 22, 2006
I Really Hate Rollercoasters
This was an interesting week for me. Up and down, round and round.
I played about 55 hours of poker, equal amounts on two different sites. On one site, I could to do no wrong. Their traffic is solely HE, but I crushed the LHE tables for about +140 BB. On the other site, I couldn't do right, losing 120 BB. (I never multitable.) I would honestly say I played the same style on both sites and the level of competition was about the same.
Is this normal variance? I have to admit I really struggle coping with consecutive losing sessions. I set loss limits for each session (30 BB), but when you have 4 of those in a row, you question your game, your sanity, even what you ate for lunch that day. This is one of the reasons I like split-pot poker so much.... the swings are always lower for me.
I'm spending the week in Buffalo visiting friends (having a social life for a change). A heads up - the WPT is in Niagara Falls the weekend of October 28th and I would be happy to show some bloggers how we roll in the Nickel City. If anyone is thinking about heading out this way, drop me a line - I can get the hotel hookup.
I played about 55 hours of poker, equal amounts on two different sites. On one site, I could to do no wrong. Their traffic is solely HE, but I crushed the LHE tables for about +140 BB. On the other site, I couldn't do right, losing 120 BB. (I never multitable.) I would honestly say I played the same style on both sites and the level of competition was about the same.
Is this normal variance? I have to admit I really struggle coping with consecutive losing sessions. I set loss limits for each session (30 BB), but when you have 4 of those in a row, you question your game, your sanity, even what you ate for lunch that day. This is one of the reasons I like split-pot poker so much.... the swings are always lower for me.
I'm spending the week in Buffalo visiting friends (having a social life for a change). A heads up - the WPT is in Niagara Falls the weekend of October 28th and I would be happy to show some bloggers how we roll in the Nickel City. If anyone is thinking about heading out this way, drop me a line - I can get the hotel hookup.
Monday, August 14, 2006
100% Rakeback Is The New Crack
All the crazy kids are doing it... Why aren't you?
Seriously, I just finished my first week (and a half) on the World Poker Exchange. I cannot understand why the traffic is so low at this site. I'm not complaining - I've been beating the tables without the rakeback. Let me rephrase that:
My weak-tight-calling-station-ass is beating the tables at WPEX. I'm not a very good LHE player. So if I can win there, you can win there.
But wait - there's O8 too! I have to admit I didn't do as well there as I was dealt mostly very weak hands. But the players seems very loose and ripe for nutpeddling.
Now there's no affiliate program and no bonus codes, so very few people will shill it. Even the most pessimistic board in all of poker - RGP - has almost nothing but positive reviews of the site.
Who knows how long it will last... I imagine it will eventually become an episode of The Chris Farley Show: "Remember that time.... when we played rake free poker? That was awesome."
To sum up - in less than 10 days, I doubled my original deposit playing solely tight limit poker and collecting 100% rakeback. I suggest you try it.
Seriously, I just finished my first week (and a half) on the World Poker Exchange. I cannot understand why the traffic is so low at this site. I'm not complaining - I've been beating the tables without the rakeback. Let me rephrase that:
My weak-tight-calling-station-ass is beating the tables at WPEX. I'm not a very good LHE player. So if I can win there, you can win there.
But wait - there's O8 too! I have to admit I didn't do as well there as I was dealt mostly very weak hands. But the players seems very loose and ripe for nutpeddling.
Now there's no affiliate program and no bonus codes, so very few people will shill it. Even the most pessimistic board in all of poker - RGP - has almost nothing but positive reviews of the site.
Who knows how long it will last... I imagine it will eventually become an episode of The Chris Farley Show: "Remember that time.... when we played rake free poker? That was awesome."
To sum up - in less than 10 days, I doubled my original deposit playing solely tight limit poker and collecting 100% rakeback. I suggest you try it.
Monday, August 07, 2006
Please Poker..... Send Me a Sign
And it did. In more ways than one.
I arrived at Turning Stone about 7:30 Friday night and met up with Pog and my sister from Cambridge (plus boyfriend makes four). We checked into our room, ate at the food court (unimpressive), and signed up for diamond cards (the FPP).
I meandered over to the poker room and bought in for $200. I was estatic to see 3/6 LO8 going as a full table. I signed up right away and waited... and waited... and waited. The table was made up of gentlemen all between 60-80, and it appeared they all knew each other. At least two of them had motorized scooters. I finally saw a few get up for eats, but their seats are earmarked for 30 minutes. It appears there is no chance of breaking into the WWII "Fighting Hellfish" reunion table.
(I was surprised how well Buffalo was reperesented in the room. I saw a Bills J.P. "Operaman" Losman #7 throwback and a Buffalo Braves Bob McAdoo #11 home jersey. If you were there, I was the one wearing a Bills mock turtleneck and a Bisons home cap.)
Finally, about 11 pm, I go to the check in and ask for a 1-3 LHE seat. (There are about 60 tables in the room, and 1-3 LHE is on about half of them.) I get seated right away, and finally begin some play. I pick up a few pots early, and for the first two hours I remain above water - perhaps +$12 was my high watermark. Never had any huge hands, but won mostly on continuation bets.
Then I went card dead. Worse than card dead. I have NEVER been cold decked like this in my life. For the next three hours, I just bled to death. I may have picked up one pot in the last two hours. I finally quit at 4 am, cashing out $125 for a $75 loss. I estimate I played just shy of 250 hands total, and here are the results:
Dealt AA, KK, QQ: Zero. Nada. Never.
Dealt AK: Twice (early). Won once.
Dealt AQ: Once (suited). Folded after flop.
Dealt JJ: Three times. Won once hitting a set.
Dealt TT: Never.
Dealt 99: Three times, but never winning a pot.
The Hammer: Twice. Won once hitting a set of 7's and showed to the fold.
There was not much bluffing to be done. A LOT of calling going on. Plus there's no booze at TS, so no drunk tourists. (You can BYO, though).
I'm disappointed that my patience didn't pay off. That's why poker is the fickle mistress your want to break up with sometimes. It's very frustrating to sit there and take lumps, while some frat yahoo sits down with $15 and catches AA and KK in his first orbit. Plus he doesn't toke the dealer or the cocktail.
After quitting at 4, and not being able to sleep, I played some penny and nickel slots while drinking coffee and eating a Krispy Kreme (we bought a dozen on the way out). Not much luck there either, but you can play a LONG time on $20.
Saturday morning my sister put me on slot tilt. I convinced them it would be fun to play slots and they obliged. We found some machines using my tried and true method of picking the lowest traffic area. On my sister's third spin she says, "What's max bet?" and hits the button. Of course for her 100 credit play she hits for 2558 credits (which was a $125+ payout on a nickel slot). I now realize I will cease any serious gambling as any karma I might have earned has been sucked out of me.
Sister's boyfriend plays some blackjack and wins just shy of $50. We have a nice buffet lunch (bought by the slots winner, thank you!) and decide to spend the rest of our Saturday in Sylvan Beach.
Sylvan Beach is a boardwalk style beach and amusement park on Onieda Lake, about 12 miles from TS. It is old school and white trash as an amusement park can get. However, my sister is a skee-ball addict and she must get her fix. So off we go.
I have to say at this point I am dead tired. I didn't sleep at all Friday, so I kind of wander in and out of the action for the day, enjoying a slushie here and there. The breeze off the water makes the heat bearable.
When we walk into the gaming room, both sisters look at the prizes (for tickets) they offer. Skateboard 2,000. Coffee maker 10,000. DVD player, 25,000. Neon poker sign, 3500. At some point in the day, the sisters decided they must acquire the poker sign for me as a birthday gift.
And so they played. everything. The game that was played most was the "push the quarters off the ledge" game. I played some too, with extended breaks. I guess the sisters are very goal oriented - either that or hardcore arcade addicts.
Finally, about 6:30 pm the goal was reached and the sign found its way into my hands. With an extra 125 tickets left over, I also procured a poker chip keychain.
Very tired, I made it home about 9 pm - now with a poker shrine in my bedroom:
(The flash takes away from the glow of the neon.)
Thanks again to my family for a great weekend.
I arrived at Turning Stone about 7:30 Friday night and met up with Pog and my sister from Cambridge (plus boyfriend makes four). We checked into our room, ate at the food court (unimpressive), and signed up for diamond cards (the FPP).
I meandered over to the poker room and bought in for $200. I was estatic to see 3/6 LO8 going as a full table. I signed up right away and waited... and waited... and waited. The table was made up of gentlemen all between 60-80, and it appeared they all knew each other. At least two of them had motorized scooters. I finally saw a few get up for eats, but their seats are earmarked for 30 minutes. It appears there is no chance of breaking into the WWII "Fighting Hellfish" reunion table.
(I was surprised how well Buffalo was reperesented in the room. I saw a Bills J.P. "Operaman" Losman #7 throwback and a Buffalo Braves Bob McAdoo #11 home jersey. If you were there, I was the one wearing a Bills mock turtleneck and a Bisons home cap.)
Finally, about 11 pm, I go to the check in and ask for a 1-3 LHE seat. (There are about 60 tables in the room, and 1-3 LHE is on about half of them.) I get seated right away, and finally begin some play. I pick up a few pots early, and for the first two hours I remain above water - perhaps +$12 was my high watermark. Never had any huge hands, but won mostly on continuation bets.
Then I went card dead. Worse than card dead. I have NEVER been cold decked like this in my life. For the next three hours, I just bled to death. I may have picked up one pot in the last two hours. I finally quit at 4 am, cashing out $125 for a $75 loss. I estimate I played just shy of 250 hands total, and here are the results:
Dealt AA, KK, QQ: Zero. Nada. Never.
Dealt AK: Twice (early). Won once.
Dealt AQ: Once (suited). Folded after flop.
Dealt JJ: Three times. Won once hitting a set.
Dealt TT: Never.
Dealt 99: Three times, but never winning a pot.
The Hammer: Twice. Won once hitting a set of 7's and showed to the fold.
There was not much bluffing to be done. A LOT of calling going on. Plus there's no booze at TS, so no drunk tourists. (You can BYO, though).
I'm disappointed that my patience didn't pay off. That's why poker is the fickle mistress your want to break up with sometimes. It's very frustrating to sit there and take lumps, while some frat yahoo sits down with $15 and catches AA and KK in his first orbit. Plus he doesn't toke the dealer or the cocktail.
After quitting at 4, and not being able to sleep, I played some penny and nickel slots while drinking coffee and eating a Krispy Kreme (we bought a dozen on the way out). Not much luck there either, but you can play a LONG time on $20.
Saturday morning my sister put me on slot tilt. I convinced them it would be fun to play slots and they obliged. We found some machines using my tried and true method of picking the lowest traffic area. On my sister's third spin she says, "What's max bet?" and hits the button. Of course for her 100 credit play she hits for 2558 credits (which was a $125+ payout on a nickel slot). I now realize I will cease any serious gambling as any karma I might have earned has been sucked out of me.
Sister's boyfriend plays some blackjack and wins just shy of $50. We have a nice buffet lunch (bought by the slots winner, thank you!) and decide to spend the rest of our Saturday in Sylvan Beach.
Sylvan Beach is a boardwalk style beach and amusement park on Onieda Lake, about 12 miles from TS. It is old school and white trash as an amusement park can get. However, my sister is a skee-ball addict and she must get her fix. So off we go.
I have to say at this point I am dead tired. I didn't sleep at all Friday, so I kind of wander in and out of the action for the day, enjoying a slushie here and there. The breeze off the water makes the heat bearable.
When we walk into the gaming room, both sisters look at the prizes (for tickets) they offer. Skateboard 2,000. Coffee maker 10,000. DVD player, 25,000. Neon poker sign, 3500. At some point in the day, the sisters decided they must acquire the poker sign for me as a birthday gift.
And so they played. everything. The game that was played most was the "push the quarters off the ledge" game. I played some too, with extended breaks. I guess the sisters are very goal oriented - either that or hardcore arcade addicts.
Finally, about 6:30 pm the goal was reached and the sign found its way into my hands. With an extra 125 tickets left over, I also procured a poker chip keychain.
Very tired, I made it home about 9 pm - now with a poker shrine in my bedroom:
(The flash takes away from the glow of the neon.)
Thanks again to my family for a great weekend.
Tuesday, August 01, 2006
40 Party
Back in the day when I used to work in restaurants, I often hosted a weekly "40 Party" for my co-workers. Admission to the party was a 40 ouncer, and many drinks, smokes, and card games ensued. Basically, it was a chance for everyone to hang out in a non-work environment. Looking back on it all, I'm amazed how well we all got along and I think it strengthened our working relationships.
You do an awful lot of reflection when you wake up and realize that tomorrow you actually turn 40 years old. It's definitely not a panic situation - but I find myself thinking much more about the past than the future. It's a moment when you cross a few of those unmet lofty goals off your list, but also realize you accomplished some wonderful things you never set out to do in the first place.
(By the way, 40 is NOT the new 20. My knees tell me so.)
Here's a look back to a happy time - when I was younger and my parents got me my first set of wheels.
Bonus points if you can guess which birthday that was.
To celebrate this year, my awesome sisters are taking me to Turning Stone for a little (err, a lot of) poker action. So if you happen to head out there this weekend, I'll be the guy with the Buffalo shirt on patiently waiting for a split-pot game to get going.
Keep cool, everyone.
You do an awful lot of reflection when you wake up and realize that tomorrow you actually turn 40 years old. It's definitely not a panic situation - but I find myself thinking much more about the past than the future. It's a moment when you cross a few of those unmet lofty goals off your list, but also realize you accomplished some wonderful things you never set out to do in the first place.
(By the way, 40 is NOT the new 20. My knees tell me so.)
Here's a look back to a happy time - when I was younger and my parents got me my first set of wheels.
Bonus points if you can guess which birthday that was.
To celebrate this year, my awesome sisters are taking me to Turning Stone for a little (err, a lot of) poker action. So if you happen to head out there this weekend, I'll be the guy with the Buffalo shirt on patiently waiting for a split-pot game to get going.
Keep cool, everyone.
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