Hi, in my opinion, poker is an addiction. An addiction which is no problem at all when everything is going well, and is actually a pleasant and profitable form of occupation. For the last couple of months, I have subscribed to this addiction and enjoyed riding the highs and attempted to avoid the lows.
However, for me, this addiction provides too many unpleasant side effects and as such I need a long break. With my personality, with money in my account, I can't have this break, as I am too tempted to keep playing. I know I am good enough to win a higher percentage of the time than I lose, but at the minute this isn't enough. If I lose, I find it hard to go to bed...now that's not right. I am tired, but I know there is money out there that I have lost and should win back, I stay up and waste the next day...that's when poker turns from a skill game to a gamble. I always say to people when defending poker that it isn't greatly different from the stocks and shares, and involves calculated risks and for the top % of people profits will be made. Yet if a stockbroker always felt compelled to stay after work hours, this would also be counter-productive, and would involve many stretches where the worker is working less than operatively.
Not sure where the analogy is going, but basically I need to take my money out to stop me from playing when I don't want to. The huge selection of bad beats (AS IF I'M THE ONLY ONE ANYWAY!) hasn't really upset me too much...it upsets me more that I stay up all night trying to get back to where I was, as if the game of poker owes me something. Staying up til 5AM is inexcusable, bad for me, and something I want to avoid.
I guess this post and my actions in withdrawing have proven everyone right...grinding poker all summer isn't a realistic thing to do...and you will get sick of downswings or need money or whatever and have to stop. For me, I can't not play if I have money in my account, and , It's not the financial nature of a downswing which bothers me, but the impact this has on my day/night/etc. I have run so so bad over the last few days, but tonight I played bad, for the first time in such a long time. This was the product of overplaying and losing the element of fun from poker. Turning it into a grind has meant this project has to end, but the profits made will be re-invested when I feel ready.
I am going to spend the next couple of weeks seeing friends in the evenings more, waking up earlier in the days and working on my dissertation. Law really interests me when I get into it, so that's what I'm going to do.
The $2310 I've taken off from Pokerstars tonight, on top of the $900 I've already withdrawn and another $300 or so from live/Fulltilt means I have made around £1650 profit in around two and a half months, an amount that has kept me tied over for the summer, and when I get back to poker I am happy to put a lot of this back in to build on the progress I've made this summer.
However, for now I need to have a long break, and have to do what I have to to get back in control of my life, as poker has a canny knack of dominating your lifestyle!!
Apologies to those who wanted me to crush the top games...I will do, just on my terms and not poker's terms!!
Much love to all,
Paul!
Ps...I'm feeling good about this, actually looking forward to sacking it off for a long while!
Saturday 16 August 2008
Saturday 9 August 2008
18/3977 in the 20k freeroll - for $60 ffs!!
Hi, 2 posts in one day...woop!
Yeah, title says it all, scrapped it out in the 20k freeroll to get to the last two tables. How did I go out I here u ask...well I post some hands up and you can see...
Table had started fairly tight...bad fold here?
http://www.pokerhand.org/?3022402
After getting sucked out playing heads up on my other table, nearly got tilted!
http://www.pokerhand.org/?3022408
Third time he's raised from the SB...enough is enough!
http://www.pokerhand.org/?3022420
Nice double up from the table fish.
http://www.pokerhand.org/?3022431
Annoying split but not a travesty!
http://www.pokerhand.org/?3022438
Limp me up son!
http://www.pokerhand.org/?3022447
Erm how did I get called?
http://www.pokerhand.org/?3022453
Yuk I'm rank!!
http://www.pokerhand.org/?3022465
Finish him off after the last manky hand!
http://www.pokerhand.org/?3022482
A hold against a light raise from the cut-off
http://www.pokerhand.org/?3022491
A nice BB hand
http://www.pokerhand.org/?3022498
Another nice hand limped to my BB
http://www.pokerhand.org/?3022510
A stubborn call got very lucky!
http://www.pokerhand.org/?3022527
AND THE GASH WAY I WENT OUT!!!
http://www.pokerhand.org/?3022545
Overall, it was a good tournament for me, with an awful structure where the average stack always had around 10BB's, but I felt comfortable and was so annoyed to lose in the way I did. Stupid payout structure again means I get 2900 or so less than 1st place, but $60 isn't too shabby. 100FPPs is a fair price to pay anyway!!
Night off now and a football friendly tomorrow, before perhaps a day of tournaments and I might try to sat in to the Sunday Mill.
147_i've had bigger breaks in my sleep
Yeah, title says it all, scrapped it out in the 20k freeroll to get to the last two tables. How did I go out I here u ask...well I post some hands up and you can see...
Table had started fairly tight...bad fold here?
http://www.pokerhand.org/?3022402
After getting sucked out playing heads up on my other table, nearly got tilted!
http://www.pokerhand.org/?3022408
Third time he's raised from the SB...enough is enough!
http://www.pokerhand.org/?3022420
Nice double up from the table fish.
http://www.pokerhand.org/?3022431
Annoying split but not a travesty!
http://www.pokerhand.org/?3022438
Limp me up son!
http://www.pokerhand.org/?3022447
Erm how did I get called?
http://www.pokerhand.org/?3022453
Yuk I'm rank!!
http://www.pokerhand.org/?3022465
Finish him off after the last manky hand!
http://www.pokerhand.org/?3022482
A hold against a light raise from the cut-off
http://www.pokerhand.org/?3022491
A nice BB hand
http://www.pokerhand.org/?3022498
Another nice hand limped to my BB
http://www.pokerhand.org/?3022510
A stubborn call got very lucky!
http://www.pokerhand.org/?3022527
AND THE GASH WAY I WENT OUT!!!
http://www.pokerhand.org/?3022545
Overall, it was a good tournament for me, with an awful structure where the average stack always had around 10BB's, but I felt comfortable and was so annoyed to lose in the way I did. Stupid payout structure again means I get 2900 or so less than 1st place, but $60 isn't too shabby. 100FPPs is a fair price to pay anyway!!
Night off now and a football friendly tomorrow, before perhaps a day of tournaments and I might try to sat in to the Sunday Mill.
147_i've had bigger breaks in my sleep
I'm back...and ready to show some hands!
I have been back a few days, and finally I think my lag and laziness to play poker has subsided. After waking up today (around 1pm as standard!) I must have had a heads up game loaded within a minute. I had some interesting and nice hands (and one shocker, so I will post them here!)
Hmm, slow play anyone?
Seat 1:
dl184 (1520 in chips)
Seat 2: 147_star (1480 in chips)
147_star: posts small blind 10dl184: posts big blind 20
*** HOLE CARDS ***Dealt to 147_star [9c 6c]
147_star: raises 40 to 60dl184: calls 40
*** FLOP *** [7c Tc 8c]
dl184: checks
147_star: checks
*** TURN *** [7c Tc 8c] [8h]
dl184: checks
147_star: bets 80
dl184: folds
I run good, no I don't, yes I do...
Seat 1: dl184 (2000 in chips)
Seat 2: 147_star (1000 in chips)
147_star: posts small blind 25 dl184: posts big blind 50
HOLE CARDS ***Dealt to 147_star [Td Ah]147_star: raises 100 to 150
dl184: raises 1850 to 2000 and is all-in
147_star: calls 850 and is all-in
Uncalled bet (1000) returned to dl184
*** FLOP *** [8d 9h Ac]
*** TURN *** [8d 9h Ac] [Jh]
*** RIVER *** [8d 9h Ac Jh] [Qs]
*** SHOW DOWN ***dl184: shows [Js Jc] (three of a kind, Jacks)
147_star: shows [Td Ah] (a straight, Eight to Queen)
A hand I'm proud of...
Seat 1: Mrfuzztop (1260 in chips) Seat 2: 147_star (1740 in chips)
Mrfuzztop: posts small blind 50 147_star: posts big blind 100
*** HOLE CARDS ***Dealt to 147_star [7c 4h]
Mrfuzztop: calls 50
147_star: raises 233 to 333
Mrfuzztop: calls 233
*** FLOP *** [As 8h Jd]
147_star: checks
Mrfuzztop: bets 400
147_star: raises 527 to 927
Mrfuzztop: folds
Uncalled bet (527) returned to 147_star
147_star collected 1466 from pot
147_star: doesn't show hand
A hand I'm ashamed of... (was vs a superfish who I trying to make a play against :-(
Dealt to 147_star [6s 5s]
wolle666: raises 100 to 200
147_star: calls 100
*** FLOP *** [4c 2s Jh]
147_star: bets 100
wolle666: raises 100 to 200
147_star: calls 100
*** TURN *** [4c 2s Jh] [8s]
147_star: checks
wolle666: bets 925 and is all-in
147_star: calls 925
*** RIVER *** [4c 2s Jh 8s] [Td]*** SHOW DOWN ***
147_star: shows [6s 5s] (high card Jack)
wolle666: shows [4h Ah] (a pair of Fours)wolle666 collected 2650 from pot
I also relaxed last night playing a bit of 5c/10c, making a few $$$ profit, hitting some flops and being stacked by a cooler with my top two vs bottom set on the flop.
I had a hand vs Keys where I flopped a set vs his overpair on the flop but couldn't get him to get it in, but another set was paid off vs Isaac when my 66 tripped up vs his JJ. Another sick hand was my 107 suited flopping a boat on a board 0f 7710, and I eventually got ptevey to call his stack on a board of 7 7 10 2 x...no surprise really, as he had 72 for a sick cooler!! Was a good laugh, maybe not the most profitable way to play but got to keep poker enjoyable.
Since I have been back I have been running well heads up, mainly one tabling but had 3 sessions of 3 tabling
where I have been 3/3 each time.
My heads up stats since my return are...
42
$6.63
$21
32%
$279
so are pretty sick and not sustainable, but I hope it could set me up for a 20% ROI month...we shall see.
A short post this one, take care all,
Paulinho,x
Hmm, slow play anyone?
Seat 1:
dl184 (1520 in chips)
Seat 2: 147_star (1480 in chips)
147_star: posts small blind 10dl184: posts big blind 20
*** HOLE CARDS ***Dealt to 147_star [9c 6c]
147_star: raises 40 to 60dl184: calls 40
*** FLOP *** [7c Tc 8c]
dl184: checks
147_star: checks
*** TURN *** [7c Tc 8c] [8h]
dl184: checks
147_star: bets 80
dl184: folds
I run good, no I don't, yes I do...
Seat 1: dl184 (2000 in chips)
Seat 2: 147_star (1000 in chips)
147_star: posts small blind 25 dl184: posts big blind 50
HOLE CARDS ***Dealt to 147_star [Td Ah]147_star: raises 100 to 150
dl184: raises 1850 to 2000 and is all-in
147_star: calls 850 and is all-in
Uncalled bet (1000) returned to dl184
*** FLOP *** [8d 9h Ac]
*** TURN *** [8d 9h Ac] [Jh]
*** RIVER *** [8d 9h Ac Jh] [Qs]
*** SHOW DOWN ***dl184: shows [Js Jc] (three of a kind, Jacks)
147_star: shows [Td Ah] (a straight, Eight to Queen)
A hand I'm proud of...
Seat 1: Mrfuzztop (1260 in chips) Seat 2: 147_star (1740 in chips)
Mrfuzztop: posts small blind 50 147_star: posts big blind 100
*** HOLE CARDS ***Dealt to 147_star [7c 4h]
Mrfuzztop: calls 50
147_star: raises 233 to 333
Mrfuzztop: calls 233
*** FLOP *** [As 8h Jd]
147_star: checks
Mrfuzztop: bets 400
147_star: raises 527 to 927
Mrfuzztop: folds
Uncalled bet (527) returned to 147_star
147_star collected 1466 from pot
147_star: doesn't show hand
A hand I'm ashamed of... (was vs a superfish who I trying to make a play against :-(
Dealt to 147_star [6s 5s]
wolle666: raises 100 to 200
147_star: calls 100
*** FLOP *** [4c 2s Jh]
147_star: bets 100
wolle666: raises 100 to 200
147_star: calls 100
*** TURN *** [4c 2s Jh] [8s]
147_star: checks
wolle666: bets 925 and is all-in
147_star: calls 925
*** RIVER *** [4c 2s Jh 8s] [Td]*** SHOW DOWN ***
147_star: shows [6s 5s] (high card Jack)
wolle666: shows [4h Ah] (a pair of Fours)wolle666 collected 2650 from pot
I also relaxed last night playing a bit of 5c/10c, making a few $$$ profit, hitting some flops and being stacked by a cooler with my top two vs bottom set on the flop.
I had a hand vs Keys where I flopped a set vs his overpair on the flop but couldn't get him to get it in, but another set was paid off vs Isaac when my 66 tripped up vs his JJ. Another sick hand was my 107 suited flopping a boat on a board 0f 7710, and I eventually got ptevey to call his stack on a board of 7 7 10 2 x...no surprise really, as he had 72 for a sick cooler!! Was a good laugh, maybe not the most profitable way to play but got to keep poker enjoyable.
Since I have been back I have been running well heads up, mainly one tabling but had 3 sessions of 3 tabling
where I have been 3/3 each time.
My heads up stats since my return are...
42
$6.63
$21
32%
$279
so are pretty sick and not sustainable, but I hope it could set me up for a 20% ROI month...we shall see.
A short post this one, take care all,
Paulinho,x
Wednesday 6 August 2008
Golf.
I love golf. It's superb, challenging and so rewarding. One of the only sports where you go home thinking about the positives, remembering the great shots and not really beating yourself up over the 4-putt. You can always think of shots you could take off your round, and rather than thinking "damn I should be better" you think "I can and will get better."
On holiday, I missed golf so much more than poker, and sports I'm probably more talented at like tennis, football and snooker just can't compare with the enjoyment golf brings. It's nearly been a year since I first bought myself a set of clubs and started playing and just before I went away I hit a personal best of 88. I think I have played around 20 rounds so I'm happy with my progress, and with hopefully ten more rounds to squeeze in before returning to uni I'm hoping to make an improvement on that, though I know it will be tough. I've been warned about hitting the wall, and I can definitely see the bridge in class between the ok players and the "good" players. I may consider getting lessons once I'm earning but until then I'm going to develop my own dodgy style which can hopefully work, a bit similar to my poker!
On a poker front, my last couple of posts were pretty much my monthly update, but just to provide some stats for July, in heads up games my stats were...
619
$1.84
$18
10%
$1,138
And overall...
675
$1.83
$17
13%
$1,232
It was an important month for me because I moved up, stayed there, kept my roll on when I was running bad and found a game which Gamble would describe as my "bread and butter". I took off $400 for spending money on my holiday, but still have a roll online of $2805 so I hope to do well for a few weeks and reach $4600, thus making my $5k target. $1795 to go, with a month in which I can put in a lot of hours, is a tough task but hopefully achieveable.
Whilst on holiday, the $$$ in my account was turning more and more in to £££ in my head, but I played a few today and didn't start too badly which confirmed to me I should keep my money on there. I said to myself, unless the dollar hits a Zimbabwean hyperinflation crisis I have to keep it on there. The fact that I earnt 70cents more per game in July whilst riding out a couple of downswings and moving up in levels has reinforced the fact that I should keep moving up as and when my bankroll permits and only withdraw small amounts if entirely necessary (or to fund golf!!)
August was my most profitable month by far last year earning around $2k due to sng, mtt and satellite wins and I hope this year I can get close to that. I'm going to look out for the sats to the WCOOP and play a few of them as sngs and I have decided if I can sat into the WCOOP heads up event I will play it. So basically, I'm going to try to pummel out the hours this month and try to make some $$$. Standard really.
Golf, tennis, squash and pre-season football should burn off the Devon ice-creams and maybe I can get down from the ELEVEN STONES the scales indicated I weighed yesterday. They say muscle weighs more than fat(?!?) but still it can't be great when I fall in to the overweight category according to my BMI. Bowling tonight for my sisters birthday which should be good and then hopefully a few evenings this month we can have some DUPS 180man tournies and maybe some SNG's for a laugh. And perhaps the sun will shine a little!!
Much love,
Glad to be back,
Paulo,xx
On holiday, I missed golf so much more than poker, and sports I'm probably more talented at like tennis, football and snooker just can't compare with the enjoyment golf brings. It's nearly been a year since I first bought myself a set of clubs and started playing and just before I went away I hit a personal best of 88. I think I have played around 20 rounds so I'm happy with my progress, and with hopefully ten more rounds to squeeze in before returning to uni I'm hoping to make an improvement on that, though I know it will be tough. I've been warned about hitting the wall, and I can definitely see the bridge in class between the ok players and the "good" players. I may consider getting lessons once I'm earning but until then I'm going to develop my own dodgy style which can hopefully work, a bit similar to my poker!
On a poker front, my last couple of posts were pretty much my monthly update, but just to provide some stats for July, in heads up games my stats were...
619
$1.84
$18
10%
$1,138
And overall...
675
$1.83
$17
13%
$1,232
It was an important month for me because I moved up, stayed there, kept my roll on when I was running bad and found a game which Gamble would describe as my "bread and butter". I took off $400 for spending money on my holiday, but still have a roll online of $2805 so I hope to do well for a few weeks and reach $4600, thus making my $5k target. $1795 to go, with a month in which I can put in a lot of hours, is a tough task but hopefully achieveable.
Whilst on holiday, the $$$ in my account was turning more and more in to £££ in my head, but I played a few today and didn't start too badly which confirmed to me I should keep my money on there. I said to myself, unless the dollar hits a Zimbabwean hyperinflation crisis I have to keep it on there. The fact that I earnt 70cents more per game in July whilst riding out a couple of downswings and moving up in levels has reinforced the fact that I should keep moving up as and when my bankroll permits and only withdraw small amounts if entirely necessary (or to fund golf!!)
August was my most profitable month by far last year earning around $2k due to sng, mtt and satellite wins and I hope this year I can get close to that. I'm going to look out for the sats to the WCOOP and play a few of them as sngs and I have decided if I can sat into the WCOOP heads up event I will play it. So basically, I'm going to try to pummel out the hours this month and try to make some $$$. Standard really.
Golf, tennis, squash and pre-season football should burn off the Devon ice-creams and maybe I can get down from the ELEVEN STONES the scales indicated I weighed yesterday. They say muscle weighs more than fat(?!?) but still it can't be great when I fall in to the overweight category according to my BMI. Bowling tonight for my sisters birthday which should be good and then hopefully a few evenings this month we can have some DUPS 180man tournies and maybe some SNG's for a laugh. And perhaps the sun will shine a little!!
Much love,
Glad to be back,
Paulo,xx
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