Embarking On A Journey

The last few days have been intersting. I lost my last BI live with K,K vs A,A. Then I have been grinding online hard. Play NL 100 6 max and Nl 50/ Nl 100 HU when ever I get action. Also I have been playing a few tourneys. I came 16th in a $3 rebuy 180 man yesterday and 88th in the big 5,50. I did ok in cash yesterday. Today I grinded hard again. Playing a $3 rebuy going out before the money. the big $33 went out early too a $5 rebuy which I came 9th in and a $10 rebuy which I came 4th in for 800. Up 1k today total. I played soldid today. I called off my chips once bad yesterday with 9,9 vs Q,Q. I purposely flatted a guys shove for 7BB because I didnt want to put all my money in with 9,9. Then SB min raises. I call to see a flop not liking the situation. Then the flop is 6 high. SB Cbets for half pot. Commiting him self to it. I shuved. I knew I was behind it was terrible. I think I did a bad call today but cant remember the hand right now. still trying to work on that side of my game but i'm getting better slowly.

In the tourneys I made a bad call again yes. I had TP on a paired board. Thought the guy was trying to bluff me. He had trips. Then in the other tourney. We were down to 5 handed I was 2nd in chips. I lost internet connection. I had to run as fast as possible to the nearest mc donalds. It took me 15 minuets. By the time I got there we were 4 handed and I had 20BB. I lasted for a wile untill I 3 bet shoved from Button with K,10 and SB wakes up with Q,Q.

So I'm stil not booking my ticket home. I belive the poker gods are testing me to see how bad I want this. I decided I want it more than anything and will not go down without a fight. So, I'm grinding online for a few days see how we go. I told My friend in Vegas if I make 8 K im on the plane back there.

Things to work on next session. I still need to work on my river calling %. I want to get another final table tomorrow. I am very comfortable at the 6 max Nl100 and want to play more of that tomorrow.

29/04/15
Just off the back of an online session today. I was mainly concentrating on 6 max today. I started off the day running bad but again making some calls which I knew was bad. I then proceeded with playing a few tourneys. Due to connection problems I didn’t play as much poker as I would have liked and it messed up some tourneys that I was in. I managed to finish 7th in one 180 man which is ok but not the result I was looking for. I really home in on my cash game after a mid time break. I went few a few leaks in my game and it gave me something to focus on. I found In pots where it had already been raised before me I was loosing and also down a lot in showdowns. With this info I was working on stop calling peoples bets light and also not over playing 1 pair hands. If I have 1 pair I’m not expecting to get more than 2 streets at best. I need to re infuse this on the next session. Goals for tomorrow. I want to run deep in two tourneys if my connection stays good. Also I want to get in 500 hands in cash and play solid.

So I have been playing like a poker slave the last few days!. I moved hostels and the wifi is so bad I have to go and play in Mc Donalds next o it. Commitment is the key! Ive been doing ok. winning in cash and playing solid. Making some deep runs in tourneys but no cigar. I won a seat into the sunday brawl on FT $250 BI. I could get any traction in that though and busted in 183. I played a good cash session today. Managing to play 3 tables for 2 hours. I was play 4 for a short time also.

I'm going to take tomorrow off I think as I'm in danger of burning out playing like this. I really want to score big in a tourney so I can fly to Vegas ASAP.

Improvements today. I played solid cash for 2 hours managing to up my table count. I also played solid in tounaments busting with J,J vs A,K 7,7 vs Q,Q and K,Q vs K,K.
I need to improve my calling ranges still in cash. I made a bad play when I first sat down to play when I had TPGK a guy re rasied me I shoved he had a set.
Goals for my next session. Play 4 tables of cash for 2 hours. final table a tournament.

The closesed I got today was 39th not bad.

I need to sleep big time now and chilling tomorrow will be welcome!,

In the middle of a session today. I started playing well and was quickly up 300 in 6max cash. I then had a heads up match where the guy was tilting so I played him even though I wanted to have a break. After this I won money from him then he won it back so I sat out. I then proceeded to play tournaments. Without a break all day. I was playing well but called off my chips twice badly. One time with a flush draw. Second time with Q,J BvsB. Now im playing cash 6max. I'm playing very agro and am down 1 BI. Not bad but I can feel I'm on tilt/ playing my B- game. I'm playing very agro and also have 4 tables loaded up. I haven't had a break all day. Also a minuet ago I was 3 bet with 10,10 I 4 bet he shuves. I tanked and folded. This would normally be a standard fold and it took all I have to fold my 10,10.

I need to relax and stop playing so hyper.

I'm going to take a break now. I droped down to two tables of cash and was playing allot better. I also changed my music to relaxing classical music lol. I think it helped. Plus I ran good and had some supper fish trying to play back at me. I got 3 bet and then my 4 bet called when I had k,k he shuved flop with 2,3 on a A,Q,X flop. He then 4 bet when I 3 bet in SB with 2,2 him in BB. I called flopped a set and we got it all in. He had A,6 bottom pair.

Goals for next session, play a solid cash session of 500 hands. Not calling off my chips to 3 bets.

Last night I had a good tournament. I went out with the best hand which I was happy to have played my best. I also made a disciplined fold with aces when I belive they were beat. That made me feel good too.

I wanted to carry on playing cash last night but felt too tired to play. I think the HU match really took it out of me.

Today I played a session of 4 tables 6 max. I played ok. I made one bluff which I didnt mind doing. He happened to have flopped a set when I thought he didnt have much. So So. I think I definitely gave up some edge playing 4 tables but still felt I played well. I do bellive its more profitable fo me to just play too tables rather than 4. I lost 1.5BI mainly due to variance just not really being on my side. But also I wasnt able to take advantage of the fish on the table when playing 4 tables.

Today I had a good solid session. Played 10 hours. I improved by getting all in in the tournaments good. once a 50/50 once with a full house under a bigger full house and twice a squees play gone wrong. I played a sold cash game session too and some good heads up matches. I have I’m proved my calling ranges when pot has been raised and I’m in good profit for these situations.

I need to improve my shuving ranges under 20BB. I tried twice to squees with 15BB- and got called twice. Under 15BB you need to have hands because they will call.

Goals for tomorrow. I want to play a solid cash session again. Playing 1000 hands. I want to improve my hand ranges as I’m loosing with A rag and K, rags.

Today was a good day. I played 2 hour session of cash then went to have dinner with friends. I then played again. I entered in one tournament which I min cashed. Went out with duces that got countered on the river :(. I was playing 6 max cash and HU when ever I got action. I was up 2.5 BI in HU then the last match which I just had lost it to one guy. Twice I had a flush VS his bigger flush :(. Quite gay but all in all I'm happy I was playing well today and played a sold amount of time. I'm feeling tired now.

The last few days I have gone off my schedule a bit playing more of League of Legends. This was not a good idea. I was getting tilted from LOL and there for playing bad at poker because of it. So today I decided no LOL before poker. It worked out good. I also decided to only play one tournament and cash on the side. I felt like when I was playing more tournyes I was playing worse because I didnt value the tournament as much. I always had in my head. Ahh theres always the other one. If I busted.

I improved my 3 bet callings today. Also felt I handled my short stack very well in the tournament.

I need to improve my calling ranges on the river. Even though I had the flushes I really felt they wernt good and I could have gotten away from them.

Targets tomorrow. I want to cash In at least one tourney. Get up earlyer and grind cash more in morning.

Just finished grinding. I had a good few days today and yesterday. A friend I know from New Zealand is here in Sydney for 2 days so we met up. We played some cash in the casino which we bother were up then went and had a supper nice dinner. A 1.75KG of Rump steak. And tapas starters. It was the best meal I have ever had. For three of us the bill came to $250. And that was with a few things knocked off the bill because one of our mate used to to work there. Then today we had lunch and a ramdom restaurant on the Circular Quey. Then I decided to start playing online tonight because of all the good tourneys. I sataligted into the SCOOP $100 first time. Then I had 2 trys at the satalight into the 1k and bubbled the second time so I was so close. I bought into the SCOOP L and didnt do that well. I busted in the M 200 from money wih A,K vs 8,8. standard.

I had a good day at HU cash. I won $700 off of one LAG at 100NL. I then lost 150 to another guy and 200 to a guy a 200NL. I one 100 off a fish at 5)NL. al in all i was up $400 for the day total. I really could have done with a deep run in a tourney. Next time maybe. I might even venture to the casino turbo tournament tomorrow and try my luck there.

I have 4 days tto decide England or Vegas!

Well today is going badly. I played some cash in the morning and was HU with one Vilan. I beat him for a small amount but was running bad vs him. One hand I got it all in on flop with an over pair VS his OESD and we ran it twice and he hit both times. Then I have just been playing HU again and I was missing every flop completly never getting a draw or anything. I stayed calm and was trying my best to loose the least then I get it all in with Q,Q VS J,J and he hits a flush. and we didnt run it twice. So annoying!!!! Any way I think today is Character Building and I'm getting my comeuppance because yesterday I won 2 times with the worst hand and I ran well in the SCOOP Satellites. I am playing well so what more can I do. I'm learning and I am happy that I didnt tilt VS the guy HU because he was completly running me over.

Back from the casino. I took yesterday day off after running bad in the morning. Today I went at the 6 max cash and it went well mainly due to one hand where I took down a 600BB pot with two pair vs over pair. I then went to the casino and was up and down. I had A,K about 4 times and missed every flop. I then lost my 75BB stack with a big bluff. The guy flopped top set. I was repping K,K. I dont mind the play so much but I just hate the fact that I cant just play a very tight starting range. I was up to that point and I loosened up. I knew what was going to go down in this hand I was setting it up pre. I think its not clever to set up the bluff with two LAGs on my right. I'm going to try a new strategy with live play. Im going to buy in with 50BB and then I wont be able to play speculative hands and I know when I enter the pot im going to be all in so I better have a good hand. see if this changes my mind set in the game.

Play stopped on account of tilt. I'm tilting right now. I didnt loose any money due to it but i am. I think its because i lost money at the casino. Money which I cant really afford to loose. Also it is coming very close to the day I will have to decide on going home or not and going home seems like the only option right now even though I have done well online in the last month. Not well enough. I noticed I was on tilt when I started looking though the sit N go section on stars. I was going to load up a few because I thought i might be able to go on a run a churn a good profit. Which is perfectly probable but I'm going ok on cash so why would I bother. I am just looking for a quick win. I stopped as soon as I noticed this feeling. Because I feel more gambly right now and if I kept playing cash no I would make a wrong move.

Date: 14/05/15

Emotions: My emotions are getting a bit high with the stress of June coming up and me wanting to go to Vegas or maybe home.

Atributes: Having a major down swing in live poker in April has made doing what I was planning a difficult problem. I am still making decent money to be able to live but not enough to go to Vegas. Living in Australia is expensive too which is stress full for me.

Lifestyle: My life style has been some what weighted towards poker the last month and I have been playing allot. Not I deal for what I would like to be doing. I have had a good few days lately though. As my friend from NZ came to visit so we had a few nights out. Today also I had an hour off and a pint with a friend from the hostel.

Tilt. I went on tilt a little bit over the last few days playing heads up. I was running really bad and then was getting my chips in a bit light after getting frustrated.

Finished a 3 hour session today. It went well. I feel I played very well with a mix of bluffs and good hands. I was running good today. I hit a runner runner two times when I double barrel bluffed.

I improved today with my calling when put under pressure with good hands. I called with two pair and TPTK the two pair hand I was against a flush draw and TPTK was vs second pair.

I need to improve my turn bet range. Two times today I got lucky when I was bluffing and both times villain had 3 of a kind.

Goals for next session. I still need to work on my concentration when playing and to have full focus on the game. 2 hours seems to be the limit for me until I need a break.

This was a very intersting session with loads of highs and lots of lows too. I was involved in so many pots. I was running good on paper but once the flop, turn and rivers were out not as well as at first glance. Still a good session and came from it a winner.

A big turn around this week. So last weekend I did a woopsy and got fined $1500. I also have had major trouble withdrawing my money off line. I needed this money to go to Vegas. So today I had to book my ticket and because of the lack of money and the unsure fact that I might not get my money off of poker stars of a week or two I have had to go home. I play to play online there and If there is the odd day of work I will take that. Its a real shame because poker was going so well for me the last two weeks and now has been decimated. Also because of this I have not played poker all week because I have been totally tilted and was in no mind set to play.

So im disappointed I missed out on going to Vegas for June. I could have done it but it would have been a very dodgy deal with a very limited bank role and I dont think I could take the pressure mentally. I think it would consume me. At least at home I can play online within my BR and be sure if all goes wrong I will have a place to stay and be able to find a job.

So I am in Vegas again now. I flew in yesterday and played a tournament before even going to my room. It was a $80 tourney. I managed to come second with a good 45 minuet HU battle. I am well chuffed about that.

My flat in staying in is with a poker friend here. It's a bit shabby. I'm ment to be paying him 150 a week. I can get rooms at the flamingo hotel for 170 a week so I think I'll do that. This will save me walking 30 minuets to the strip. Plus it's more comfortable.

I played two tournaments here today. Busted early in one with a flush vs full house. It was a bit of a miss play by me trying to get max value from my flush. The. The other I lost with pair vs two people with AK all in pre.

I'm just about to sit down on cash at ceasers palace. The games here are really good now it's wsop time. Every poker room is full.

I'm really happy I made the choose to come here again. I literal booked my ticket home. I was so depressed that day until I found out the flight was unconfirmed. Then I booked it to Vegas. I have been supper excited since that and know it is the right desicion to come here not home.

Been a wile since i updated this. I have been doing ok here. I have been playing mainly tournaments. after my first tournament success I didn't back it up with much. I was playing allot of tournaments and made a few deep runs but no cashes. Then I played a 6 max tourney an managed to chop it 4 ways for 4.8k. That was well needed and I was supper happy to have another cash under my belt. I was also crushing cash with a 1.9k winning session in1,2 cash. I decided to play the 1500 6 max WSOP to see if I could win a bracelet. I was out before the first brake after runing two pair in flushes twice and one wrong bluff. I was happy I gave it a shot.

After that my results have been bad all week. I probably should have taken a day off because I feel I was a little burnt out. I played $300 tourneys everyday and was busting early in all of them. Getting a bit unlucky but also playing agro. I also was spewing in cash most nights. If I ever made a profit in cash I was then sitting at the omaha table and spewing it there. So all in all a bad week. I was actually crushing cash untill I decided to bluff people off A<A or K,K which ended up me being 100BB down. On monday I decided to take a day off. I went and played golf with my friend which was good. Then yesterday morning I played and got second in another tournament. I then proceeded to the next tournament which I ran Q,Q into K,K and lost most of my chips. I won 3 all ins to get back to 10BB which I shipped Q,3 on CO and BU wakes up with 9,9 and a guy had limped with A,A so I was out. Then I went to cash and blasted $450 by trying to bluff a guy off A,A again. Then i played another tournament and was doing ok untill i tryed to bluff again and busted shuving K,2 on button.

I really need to work on my hand selection. I need to find something to kep me from playing the hands i shouldn't. I going to try and listen to music the next few days to see if it keeps me entertained. I have a 6 max tournament tomorrow which I'm looking forward to today. Im going to play cash most of today and might play a tournament tonight if i'm feeling ok. then towards the en of the month there are a few HU tournament which I want to enter.

Yo, so the latest update. I managed to run down to the minuses on my bank role which was tilting after the good cash. Then the lower my BR got the better my results in tournaments got. I then bubbled one tournament which really was UL getting it in 3 times ahead and loosing all. then the next day I min cashed on $350 and had 15% in another guy who chopped it 4 ways for 15K so i got 2.5k from him. Needed it. back up to even for the trip. The next day I entered a $160 and blasted 3 BI into that. I felt tilted after winning the 2.5k so I took the rest of the day and the next day off. I went to see a movie with friends. the next day I chilled and then played volleyball and BBQ at night. That was cool.

Today I went to play cash after a lye in. I sat down and played supper LAG and was down $700. I went for lunch and a reevaluation. I was a little unlucky with top set into a straight. Second pair into a runer straight. and a few miss bluffs. When I sat down after I just played ABC tight ish poker. I was watching films on my phone and playing games to keep me busy. I managed to leave hat game up $900 so was $200 up for the day. NICE!! happy with that.

I was playing well in the second session. Agressive with lots of 3 bets but also a guy on my right was 3 betting me allot. I folded twice to his doubble barrels and he showed me bluff the tird time he messed up a hand massively. He was so drunk that when I called his turn bet he turned over his hand to show complete air. I had 3rd pair and wouldnt of liked to have called a 3rd barrel. Now what I lernt from playing him was I still need to be more agro OOP. I cant just check call all the time. He was putting me under too much pressure.

I improved with my hand selection pre flop and my aggression IP.

I need to improve on my aggression OOP. I cannot check call with hands Im unsure about. I need to raise to see where I'm at. Only check call with nutts.

Here's an interesting hand for you. I have $255 and am in EP. I hold QQ and open to $15.
Button is tight aggressive player. He asks how much I have and calls. Fist hand I've been in with him. HU now. Flop comes 9,J,K.
I CBet $25. He thinks and raises to $60. What do you do?

The last week has been ok. I have been playing more cash games and winning most times I play.

I have also been busy with my festival organisation which is in August.

I am living in an apartment with two other poker players. We had an interesting conversation yesterday which made me think allot. One guy has had a few businesses and also invests in businesses. He was basically saying that poker is not beatable, and when you compare the top three poker players in the world to the top three businessmens net worth it's a joke. Which is true. This made me realise that I need to change my gold and try to grow my music business