Too Tired To Title

Ninja.

Because I am still a losing player over time I track my ROI on a per buy-in level. This is fallacious logic, but it lets me get some sense of victory out of my poker education. And, if I am ever up for long enough for it to matter I will start looking at any progress I make on my lifetime deficit.

That said, I am up for this buy-in and playing a large field 2.25 tourney. Last time I think I set myself up for failure by buying into games way outside of any reasonable bankroll management scheme. I justified this because I was winning a fair bit at the time and had more money in my bank than I was used to. I really like the large fields and think they are important to my growth as a player, but I need to play the lower buy-ins. There is simply no excuse. “Truth is doing it” doesn’t cut the mustard.

Okay, late reg is over.

2.25 tourney 610, 532 left after late reg, I am in 325 with playing no hands and paying one blind. Chip leaders are up 5x.

I’ve also got the lobby up for the daily dollar, but it doesn’t start for two hours almost.

Everybody is trying to play every hand. I haven’t seen a pot that wasn’t raised yet. So I folded 44 in early rather than trying to limp or min raise. Although, they let it limp- first hand I’ve seen it. Its okay, I totally missed the board and it paired- yeah, K5off in the BB would have taken it.

A9suited in the BB, could be the first hand I put voluntary money into the pot. Field is down to 377. Chip leads at almost 15x. I called a min raise and was given a wrong color board with two broadway cards. Turn completed a flush. I was 4 to a straight if I hit a T. But he bet and I gave it up. Easy choices.

AJsuited on the button
6x raise from early
All in from mid (this guy had KK cracked last hand- probably tilting but still)
Folding

290 of 360 with an M of 20. (a bit over really but slightly less if I try the wannabe method of using the next level)

So, some comments on that actually! I shy away from volatility. I want to win, cash, do well, feel good about my choices. I am not here to gamble. But, we know that “all things being equal” aggression is a lot more powerful. Furthermore, I am a MONSTER when my M gets low and/or the blinds get huge at the final stages of an SNG. At those times I need to let it out and really try to exploit position/opportunity- cards become secondary. I am hoping this modified M thinking will let me tap into more of that sooner… Even though I am strategically against the voluntary acceptance of volatility.

I hope to counter-act this hesitancy with some data tracking and analysis. I’ve been talking to Truth about what info we can get and how we can frame it. He has been a pain- but is also trying to get me what I want. I am hoping that I can take the results of when I make these moves to create some sort of EV that will “sell me” on it as the right choice in a larger context.

After the first break the field is less than 50% of the start with 304 left. I’ve put voluntary money into one hand- calling a min raise from the BB. I am in position 253 and my M is now 15.

I want to say that the volatility is lessening and I can now look for cards to make some moves- but it’s the SAME HAND and we are down 15 more players. 5% of the field. In less than a hand.

3x with K9 off from the cutoff- scoop

KK in mid the next hand
One limper
I 3x
Caller
Caller
Caller
Flop is under cards and two flush cards- I’ve got the K of that suit
I pot raise,
One caller
Turn is a blank
I go all in
He calls
With AA and its over

282 of 610. KK to AA. Note: he had the same suits as me too so a four flush would not have helped.

I put money into three hands. A9 suited in the BB, called a min raise from the button then gave it up when I missed. K9off from late mid, scooped the blinds. KK from the hijack, lost all my chips to AA.

What a disappointment! I am totally accepting of my play- but sad that karma couldn’t give me a little more support.

5.5 SNG 9seat

These games take from 50 minutes to an hour and fifteen tops. The daily dollar starts in 57 minutes so I am going to do one first.

I lose money on two small pairs from early mid then early. Raises get called, missed boards, c-bets get called, missed turns… bleh.

ATsuited in the SB, one limper, pot raise, BB and limper call, missed board- done.

1/3 my stack now gone.

And, I’ve not put money into 7 hands today. 3 with pairs- including kings. I’ve stolen the blinds once and either lost or folded the rest.

Blah blah blah- I go out to my top pair against top pair with a shittier kicker that happened to also be a pair.

There is no one to blame but myself here. It was a break in discipline. I was influenced by somebody watching saying “I don’t think he has it!” but that is no excuse. I had no player data to indicate he was bluffing or lying. My kicker was shitty- even if he didn’t have more than top pair he probably still had me beat. I was not pot committed and he INVITED me to go all in with his raise. Why would I all that? Answer: For no good reason. Folding is never a big mistake- making a bad call for my tournament life is a big mistake. I should be flogged.

Daily Dollar

I missed the first hand- 55 in hijack. It’s a good thing too because I flopped a set and AK went all in with just his overs- to get cracked by quad Queens.

Man, I am still just fuming about my day so far. My tourney was brutal- I did nothing wrong and had a “that’s poker” ending. But when you get no options and then a monster hand that gets smashed by THE ONLY POSSIBLE better hand… It is demoralizing. Then *I* gave up the other game. Period- I fucked it up. I think that when I make mistakes AFTER getting fucked by karma it’s the hardest to take. Because the only protection my soul has after I get hid with misfortune is to say “well at least I am playing correctly” but I lost that when discipline cracks.

I was just reading some more of Gus’s book and I grow more aggravated with it by the moment. He tried to make a big point out of how he “dramatically changed” his playstyle from day one to day two. Based on the hands shown in the book I would not only DISAGREE that it was a dramatic change, but would suggest it was a mild change in the opposite direction of what he meant. He is trying to say he upped his aggression and broadened his hand selection. What the hands revealed indicate is he got a lot more big hands. I don’t know man. Some of the strategy he talks about is fine and makes sense. But when he is moving into hands from early position with 53 of and then pushing to win the pot… I just don’t feel good about it. I spend what feels like a TON of time with shitty hands… That said, it seems to me that somebody ought to have decent hands most of the time. Out of 9 people it is statistically improbably that everyone has shit. Gus’ strategy seems to demand that everyone else have nothing.

I am out of the daily dollar before late reg finished. I put a guy all in with the better hand after the flop and he rivered his one outer.

Let me repeat:

He rivered his one outer.

Fuck Gus Hansen.

5.5 SNG 9 seat

Hey guess what? A third of my stack is gone on the first hand! How? A guy called a MONSTER FUCKING RAISE when I had him beat and then sucked out with a one outer on the river. NOTE: IT WAS THE SAME FUCKING CARD AS LAST TIME.

Okay, I am officially on tilt. I called in poor position with AT then missed the flop and called a bet there too. 1/3 starting stack.

Man, suffering from real, bad “why do I do anything” syndrome. I fucked up that hand and it cost me 500 chips. I fucked up my first SNG. But both times it was right after getting fucking sucked out on.

Oh, and I am out now BTW. With my pittance of a chip stack I pushed late with AQ. Only to get called by KK. Here is the awesome part. I turned the straight and he rivered the full house.

I took a nap to manage my hate.

The Big Dumb Loud One woke me. The Cute Helpful One was cooking so I smelled food. I got up but am still ready to stab motherfuckers. Probably not the best mental state but I haven’t cashed yet today so… off to the races.

5.5 SNG 9seat

I double up early because the other player was an idiot and did not get lucky. When I get to this place emotionally I, sadly, take no joy from these moments.

I hit the T on a T77 board and one of the other three guys in the pot bets it. I don’t think he has a 7, I’ve certainly got the best T. So I call. Other guy calls too. We repeat on ever street. Guy 3 turns over nothing- no clue what he was doing. Original better turns over 99. He had a pair under mine. Until the river. Again. The river.

Folded A5suited UTG… It was hard.

Hey guess what??? Another hand (next one I play!) lost to a guy who made shitty calls, stuck till the river, and hit the card he needed.

IT’S A FUCKING EPIDEMIC!

Bubble time.

Me: 2900
2500
4900
2500

Blinds are 80/160

First.

5.5 SNG 27 seat

I need to start playing/winning more MTT SNGs.

I am up 20% for this buy-in and this game is within my bankroll range… so here goes.

First hand I lose money. This happens two ways for me… One is the suckout, the other is the “paired flop”. This was not the suckout. I let the SB limp into my BB- board came 33A. He checked, I bet, he called, we check it down, he bet the river, I called… he turns over 73. I should have just timed out and got a snack.

Early position min raise with 33
Caller
Missed board (overcards- two broadway)
c-bet (half pot)
caller
more missed board (now the ace)
check the turn
and fold to his bet

I am made of lose.

3x raise with K9off
Two callers
Paired board that I missed
Everyone checks
I hit my kicker
I check
One guy makes a min bet, other guy folds
I call the min bet
We check through the river- his pure bluff is revealed

16 of 19 but we are only in like level 2. My M is still about 20, or 15 by Wannabe. Not enough to change my play much… but we are six handed. So that is a factor.

15 of 18 and a fresh table

15 of 17- lucky rivering fuck took out risk taking all-in guy.

One guy with AKoff just four flushed on another guy with AKoff to put me 14 of 16

Limped into a party pot with 89suited but missed completely

13 of 14 and 7 handed… M is 11 or like 9…

14 of 14. Same M minus 1

I haven’t seen a pair or two cards that add up to more than 10 in a blind round.

13 of 13

3x with A5off
Call
Call
Call
I hit my ace
All in
Call (uh oh)
All in over him

Everyone folds to the other all in- he had AK.

5+5 MTT 27

Nice, but undeserved chip-up, in the second hand.

AKsuited mid early- one limper
I pot raise (3.5x ish)
Guy two behind me goes all in
I call
He turns over AQoff
I hit a K.

The 1 of 25 looks nice though.

I limp in the BB with KQ and flop broadway
I check
He bets small
I think and call
Turn puts some flush danger
He bets small again
I decide I don’t want to risk that flush completing for free so I reraise small
He folds – bummer

1 of 21 after cracking a guy who was praying for a four flush

I pay off a small stack who pushed all in with top pair decent kicker when I had top pair shitty kicker. Truth and I debate this. I had a 5x chiplead- for when you, the reader, decide to weigh in.

AToff UTG, folded- it was hard

I’m out, huge pot, top pair top kicker- ran into the guy that quietly called along and hit a set with his JJ.

5+5 MTT 45

Will give one more MTT a shot then rock some more SNG. If I lose this I am still up 5%. Maybe I should increase my threshold with each round? That way I am building my bank with the single tables while still getting in some MTT action?

A little distracted going into it because The Big Loud Dumb One has on a movie… The problem is it’s a movie that *I* rented on demand so I am interested. Dang it!

I probably misplayed that hand…

AJ off in the SB
Several limpers
Pot sized raise
One guy comes along
Flop comes down Kblank blank
I make a half pot c-bet
He calls
Turn is another blank
I check
He bets half his stack
I fold

I guess I could have kept pushing- but only the ace would help me. His play was pretty suspicious with the limp, big call, push… But a small pair, a shitty ace that hit… whatever…

AQ early, pot raise
SB calls
I miss, we check to the river
He makes a tiny bet, I call
He hit bottom pair on the turn

I should have pushed- he called with fucking 49.

31 of 34 now. M is less than 10.

KK in the SB, remember last time
Limper
6x raise
I go all in
He calls with AJ
Guess what card comes in the flop?

NEXT!

5.5 SNG 9seat

Second place. I finally had a KK hold up- but got my AA cracked. Then, when it was heads up, the bastard just had insane cards and I ran mediocre. He dropped AA like 3 times.

5+5 MTT 27

You know, the 27 seat games fill a lot faster (and therefore happen a lot more often) than the 45 seat… but the pay structure is whack. It pays 2 places more than a 9 seat, but is 3x as big… and first only pays 2x. Sort of an argument for playing to cash instead of winning.

KK held up again- thank god I was up against QQ instead of anything with a J.

3 of 25

And 20 of 24… cracked pocket pair… not my best play but one of those things where somebody does something fucking retarded preflop so you just can’t be scared of it post flop…

I begin to furiously taunt the offending player.

My AT gets smashed by AQ in a battle of small stacks.

I am not even going to look- but I am sure I am in last now.

Just need a couple of double ups… sigh.

I get them.

I put a small stack all in with TT but he flips over AA.

Final table- I double up TT vs. KT from the big stack.

Down to 8 and healthy chips.

Min raised from mid with JTsuited, got a caller from the bigstack guy- flop was blank ten, queen, I bet half the pot and he puts me all in- I fold… dang it!

Did my patented raise post break move… scoop

Blinds are really big compared to average stack and people are all-in crazy

Knowing this- when I push with AJ and get an all-in back… I call. QQ, I did not win.

And I go out. I managed to have the chance to 5x up but sadly the board did not cooperate.

Okay, so part of me is pissed that once again I do not crack a big pair when mine are fucking cracked non fucking stop.

That said- there is no excuse for me making that call. Even with a short handed monster like AJ- we were basically bubbled and I was not in danger. If the scoop failed- I should have just waited. Bad meta Ninja, bad.

Okay, so here is my new bankroll plan.

I will play the 9seat SNGs as my bread and butter. I can only play MTTs when I am buying in with money 20+ beyond my threshold. I will increase my threshold every time I am down to it. So, right now my threshold is 110. I’ve got 108. I need to play 9seats until I get to 130. Then I can play whatever until I get down to 110. Then I add 5 to my threshold- and need to play 9seats until I get to 135.

5.5 SNG 9

Boring awful fucking game. EVERY set of good cards that hit the flop turned into a chop. All my middle pairs got reraised or called and then flopped boards of over pairs. I managed to double up twice with medium holdings against people with big stacks- but mostly I just wasted away helpless and unable to create any opportunit.es

Went out 5th.

This puts me technically down too.

WTF.

I felt I was too tired to play that round- and like a retard I immedietly signed up for another.

Fuck me.

Folded an entire blind round with at least one card 4 or less.

I am a fucking idiot.

I hit top pair, bet it, got called, turn put two flush cards, but also gave me a set, I bet it, he called, river completed the flush, I bet it- he called with the flush.

1/3 of my stack gone.

Don’t play angry Ninja.

You know what? I was letting myself wind down so I could try to crash. Fuck it, I am going to hit some caffeine and stay up. I slept little over the weekend and I can catch up tomorrow.

This game is not going well- but I am chalking it up to the being wound down. If I can’t pull it off I won’t beat myself- too badly.

Lost my connection- looks like I paid about 3 blinds before I got back.

And its off again.

Dude, seriously, this fucking happens 2 minutes after I decide to open a fucking soda?

With an M of about 5 and an uncertain connection I push all in with A9 and get two callers to triple up.

Man, I am totally agitated now. How do you make strategic decisions if you can lose your connection at any second???

I put a small stack all in with AT vs his QJ. Flop has an ace and a jack- he rivers another jack.

FUCK YOU.

Blinds are high- it’s been a tight table. This is a serious blow.

Man.

Goddamn rivering cocksucker fucks. I *put* him all in with his shitty hand. I was HAPPY he called with his shitty hand. FUCK THAT.

On the bubble bubble but my M is like 4.5

Oh shit, in the money

I crushed two guys in a row and BANG

I didn’t even notice!!!

Crushed- in third- down but not out

Fucking all in thruster guy reraises me over and over- then raises my BB when I’ve got 55 and have him covered- I shove and he flips over KK.

And out third. Goddamn it.

5.5 SNG 9

Left arm asleep again.

99 in the BB
One limper
I pot raise
He calls
Board is Kunder under
I pot raise
He folds

Okay, official record time- I cracked aces- I flopped top pair and put small stack all in- he turned over AA, I runner runnered a full house

Again the fucking sting, I hit two pair, let him lead the betting, turn paired the board and counterfitted my kicker pair- he lead to the river- and had hit the that card for a set

FUCK

Now on the fucking ropes on the bubble.

AGAIN MOTHERFUCKER

I let a guy stay and he hits a shitty two pair on the river… FFFUUUCCCKK

I got it all back from him. Fucker. Undeserving bastard.

Insane. Second. I went into heads-up with a pretty good lead. But it seemed everytime I made a moderate raise with a non-nut hand he went all in. He fucking reraised me all in and I felt I needed to fold from 8k to 5k until it was 2k to 11k. I never felt calling made sense. Finally I pushed all in with the nut flush draw- but he had the made flush and mine didn’t connect.

Grrr… Major let down.