So I have been kinda lazy about updating this blog everyday, and I think I am going to stop until next month. I dropped about 10 buy-ins yesterday in SNG's, so that sucked. I almost made the final table of the $55 rebuy yesterday too.

I had a really nice stack and made a reallllllllly stupid play on a weak player. He had just raised the 2 hands previous to this 3x and took them down. This hand he minraised (blinds 1k/2k), I was in the SB with 77, I really wanted to raise, but insted just called with the intention of hitting a set or folding. However, the flop came a harmless looking 9T4, checked to the pre flop raiser, who underbet the pot, I stupidly check-raised allin and was insta called by QTs. That cost me most of my chips and put me in push/fold mode. I was soon out with 2 tables left. Really disapointing.

I however really feel that my MTT game is progressing by leaps and bounds. The #1 thing is confidence, after that win I sure have a lot of it. I am also realizing the important concepts to bring over from my SNG play, and am also realizing the important differences. The main thing in MTT play is patience, and switching gears. You always hear and or read about these people who make elaborate bluffs and "play the people," but I find that if you just play a fairly straightforward game, you will continually get deep. There are so many people who will donate all their chips to you with 2nd pair and nothing else, that it is almost pointless to try and bluff them. There is obviously more too it, but this is one concept that I feel is often overlooked and over thought about. Also I am really supprised by how important it is to be the first one in the pot, and not call raises with marginal hands. While not as important early, when it gets really deep just before bubble time, I think this is a very important concept. I am also supprised by how easy it is to build your stack around the bubble. While the better the players the harder it is, the worse the players, the easier it is. Ok, enough rambling on..

July is almos here, and I will try to keep a daily account of everything I am doing that month. Hopefully I will be able to win my WSOP seat too.

Monday 6/26

So umm... just took down the $20 rebuy on pokerstars for my biggest payday ever. I thought I played rather good, with a few big suckouts to get a monster stack. There were 2 key hands where I got really lucky.
First hand was with 2 tables left, we were on the final table bubble, and MrSmokey1 (a VERY VERY good player) raised my big blind from his small blind. We had about even stacks and I know he is really agressive player, so I decided to re-steal and pushed allin with A6s. He insta called me with AJo. However the flop came down 66x and it was over for him. The next big hand happend at the final table. There were about 6 people left, and I was like the 2nd or 3rd biggest stack, so I raised 88 from first position. The stack in the big blind was about 50K-100K less than me and he pushed for a lot. I probably should have folded the eights, but I decided to call. He fliped over pocket aces and I was 4:1 underdog. The flop brought and 8 and suddenly I had over 1.8 million in chips, by far the biggest stack. I think the next closest stack was like 500K, so I had about a 3:1 chip lead. I soon got really agressive and built up to 3 million in chips. A deal was attempted 3 handed, but the other 2 could not agree on terms. I said I would not take less than 1st place money. After this, it was basically over, a few suckouts for small pots and 1st place was mine!

Resutls
I played 7 SNG's today for -$463

MTT's

55K guaranteed +$134

22r +$11,463

100K guaranteed +$230

Super Monday -$162

Total for Day: +$11,202

Overall Total: +$14418.37

Sunday 6/25

So today ended up sucking a lot. I didn't get to play in almost any of the big tourneys, and the ones I did play in, I bombed out of. I was unable to qualify for the big stars tourney, and I missed the Party, Dise, AND full tilt big tourneys. I also had a HUGE stack in the 55k, and ended up busting just out of the money due to a horrible bluff by me.

I played a bunch of SNG's early in the day though. I was attempting to play 8 continously, so I playd a bunch of $22's and $10's. I played 33 SNG's and won a few cents. Not even worth mentioning.

MTT's
Stars
2 WSOP DS for -$32
2 DSO's for T$1000 -$54
55K Guaranteed -$51
Second Chance -$215

Dise
100K Guaranteed -$90

Pary
40K Guarantee -$109


Total for day: -$551

Overall Total: +$3216.37

Going to try to play most of the big Sunday tournaments tomorrow.

1:00 PM Bodog $100K Guaranteed
2:15 PM Stars $50 rebuy
3:30 PM Stars $1 Million guaranteed ($1000 entry this week, so only if I can satellite in)
3:30 PM Party $1 Million guaranteed
4:00 PM Dise $150K Guaranteed
4:00 PM UB $200K Guaranteed
5:00 PM Full Tilt $200k Guaranteed
8:00 PM Dise $30 rebuy $100K Guaranteed
9:15 PM Stars $10 rebuy $55k Guaranteed

I will obviously not be playing all of these, but I would like to hit as many as I can. I will most likely be playing some WSOP satellites too.

Did not play much today durning the day.

Played 3 SNG's going 0/1/0 basically loseing the rake. -$27

MTT's, most are from late last night.

1 DSO for T$1000 -$27
Stars 30r -$153
Party 30r +$2,035.80 (SHOULD BE 7K!!)

Total for the day: +$1,828.80
Overall Total: +$3,767.37

Friday 6/23

Preddy pissed. I was chip leader in the late night Party 30r with 4 people left and ended up going out 4th. Got unlucky when T7 beat down my A7 on a TT7 flop. Then was on semi-tilt and failed to switch gears. I was playing too agressive preflop, which was OK when I was the chip leader, but ultimatly led to me busting out. I made a really big mistake that cost me. Guy who beat me with T7 was new chip leader and raised my BB from his SB (10k/20k blinds), when I looked down at A7o I RE-Raised him, he then pushed, I should have figured to be beat here and folded. I would still have over 400k, good for 3 out of 4 people left, and not really in imediated trouble. Insted I called his push, he fliped ATo and that was game over. It realllly sucks, its a really horrible feeling to get so close and blow it. 1st was like 7K. Since this was technically early saturday morning, I will not calculate my results from it for todays total. I won just a bit over 2k for the 4th place, leaving over 5K on the table. Just horrible.

I playd 35 SNG's today going 4/6/4 for a profit of +$785


Total for day: +$785

Overall total: +$1938.57

The day is not over yet, so I may play a few more, but as of now, way to many second places. I started the day down about 10 buy-ins, but made a nice recovery.

Played 37 SNG's today, went 5/6/1 for +$467.

MTT's
3 DSO's for $T1000. Got heads up in one and made an even chop +485.50
2 DSO's for WSOP +$40

Total for Day: +$992.50
Overall Total: +$1,153.57

So I think I'm going to try to play 0 MTT's for a full week, it will greatly help me turn a profit I think.

I played 20 SNG's today going 2/4/5, for a profit of + $1020.

I still think I am being to agressive Heads up, and also finishing 2nd/3rd way too much. I know today I blew a 3:1 heads up advantge, which sucked.
I am going to cut back on my MTT play, trying to win $1000 a day. This will hopefully net me $10,000 in ten days.

Total for day: +$1020

Oveerall total:+$ 161.07

Tuesday, 6/20

Boring day, played 2 $215's, where I took a 1 3rd place. I left way too much money on the tables today. Gotta get better than 3rd when I get in the mony.

Overall I played 22 SNG's and went 1/4/4 for +$90.

MTT's
1 DS for $T1000 -$25
1 DS for WSOP -$16

55K Guaranteed -$261
25K Guaranteed -$44
100K Guaranteed -$210
Super Tues -$162

Total for day: -$628

Overall total: -$858.93


Monday, 6/19

Was a very bad day. Could not win a single hand. Aces cracked by AK, ect. ect.

Played 22 SNG's, went 1/3/2 for -$598

MTT's
4 DS for T$1000 -$100
1 DS for WSOP -$16

Overall day: -$714

Sunday

Did not play at all today.

Did a lot of bubbling in the MTT's today. Played well, just got unlucky. I think this next week I am going to cut my MTT play down by a lot, except for the big sunday tournies. They are lots of fun, but I just can't seem to do well in them. Damn variance.

Played 4 SNG's (all from last night after 12:00) took 2 firsts for a total of +$564.

Played a bnuch of MTT's at night, did not do well. Overall im still up, but these MTT's are really costing me.

Party
200K Guarantee -$215
Regular -$109
Stars
55K Guarantee -$61
Regular -$109
Dise
100K Guarantee -$90

________________________
Total for day: -$20
Ovearall Total: +$483.07

Ran really bad at the SNG's today. It was getting to be a joke, AK loses to AJ, KK loses to AK, QQ lose to 99, ect.. I was taking some really bad beats. I was up about $600 at one point during my early session, then dropped it all back and more at night when I suffered some horrible beats.

Overall I played 41 SNG's and went 5/2/5 for -$369

I also played a little bit of 1/2 NL on Poker Stars
423 hands for +$271.75

Did not play any MTT's, but tried a few WSOP Satellites, I will win one eventually.

5 $16 DSO WSOP Satellites for -$80
1 $11 DSO Satellite to the Sunday million -$11


Daily Total: -188.25
Overall Total: +503.07

Played a bunch of MTT's today, with not so good results.
Played 15 SNG's today, with really good results.

I played 15 SNG's (really need to get this number up there) and ran REALLY good. I went (firsts/seconds/thirds) 3/1/5.
For a profit of +$1,165.

MTT's:
3 Turbo DS WSOP Satellites, won +$13
Dise 30r -$150
40K G -$109
Super Thursday -$162
Nightly $100 on Stars -$109
Full tilt 17K Guaranteed +$43.32

Total for the day: +$691.32

Going to try to start posting daily results here. Starting tomorrow, I will be reporting my complete results MTT's, SNG's and anything else I play poker related. I will report either when I am done playing for the day, or when it is 12:00 AM (the next official day). Hopefully it will work out.

I have registered to play in the PokerStars World Blogger Championship of Online Poker!

This Online Poker Tournament is a No Limit Texas Holdem event exclusive to Bloggers.

Registration code: 9262772

So I really have not been playing many SNG's. So since June 5th I have only played 19 SNG's. I went 2/3/2 in them for a profit of +$229. Meh, not much, but better than nothing.

I have been playing a lot more 6 max 1/2 NL recently. I find that it is really easy, and a lot more fun. Its not as mechanical as the SNG's are. I can play more loose, raising 78s from first position, and I love stacking people when they can't fold top pair. I have mostly been playing on pokerstars, im trying to get to silverstar VIP status there. However I recently deposited $500 at UB, and within about 3 hours play im already around $700 there. The compition there is MUCH better than pokerstars players. I don't think I have stacked a single player there yet. It seems that lots of players there go on TILT more often though. The games there are MUCH more agressive. I have 33% rakeback there too as well as about $600 of bonus money waiting to be released.


Well enough rambling, my plan is to get back to the SNG grind and start cranking out some really good numbers. The NL games on UB and PokerStars were a nice change of pace, but I can't nearly make as much money as I can cranking on the SNG's.

Optical Illusion

(click picture for larger view)

Close one eye. Fix your gaze on either the top or bottom "X". View from a distance of about 80cm. Gradually move toward the screen while keeping your gaze fixed on the X. The eye pictured on the same side as the eye that you are using is the one that will disappear as you move toward the screen. The disappearance will occur when you are gazing from about 45 cm. and the projection falls on your blindspot. Hold your viewing distance constant and glance at the object that disappeared. You will see it when you look at it, but will not see it when the projection from it falls on your blindspot. The top figure works well on high resolution monitors and the bottom figure works best for low resolution monitors.

So getting a little board of the SNG's. Have switched to more MTT's. Since the last post I have played 59 - 9/2/6 for a profit of -$131.

Party Poker was down for most of today, so I played some MTT's on Stars.

I have also been dabbling in some 6 max NL cash game play at Poker Stars. I have been playing mostly 1/2 NL, where I am up probably about $500 or so.

Here is a fun little hit and run I played at 2/4 NL.

PokerStars Game #5159533012: Hold'em No Limit ($2/$4)
6-max Seat #6 is the button
Seat 1: @CEK1NG ($99 in chips)
Seat 2: saphirepalms ($286.90 in chips)
Seat 3: madi123 ($135.20 in chips)
Seat 4: maryhadalamb ($411.40 in chips)
Seat 5: Dolwi ($375.05 in chips)
Seat 6: StructureK ($380.65 in chips) @CEK1NG: posts small blind $2saphirepalms: posts big blind $4
*** HOLE CARDS ***
Dealt to StructureK [3d 3h]
madi123: folds
maryhadalamb: raises $12 to $16
Dolwi: folds
StructureK: calls $16
@CEK1NG: folds
saphirepalms: folds
*** FLOP *** [5d 2h 4h]
maryhadalamb: bets $28
StructureK: raises $36 to $64
maryhadalamb: raises $116 to $180
StructureK: raises $184.65 to $364.65 and is all-in
maryhadalamb: calls $184.65*
** TURN *** [5d 2h 4h] [6c]
*** RIVER *** [5d 2h 4h 6c] [9s]
*** SHOW DOWN ***
maryhadalamb: shows [Qs Qc] (a pair of Queens)
StructureK: shows [3d 3h] (a straight, Deuce to Six)
StructureK collected $764.30 from pot

I got lucky here, and left the game with a nice ~$400 profit after about 10 hands.