Well, this week kind was filled with unexpected things. On Monday my Compaq laptop, a Presario that was only a year and a half old stopped working. As I use my laptop for my job and I could not tolerate a meltdown on the job I had to go buy yet another laptop. I am still trying to figure out of my old one is salvageable or not. Nothing is more frustrating than having computer problems. I was experiencing the blue screen of death.
I went out and bought an HP Pavilion, which happened to be $300 plus less than my old compaq just a year ago, and yet, of course, it is even better. I guess that is the silver lining in this situation.
I have purchased some utility software and am going to stay up on keeping my Laptop in fit condition, and I recommend to you all that you go out and purchase some type of software complex that will scan for everything under the sun and keep your machine in top working order. I had the Norton stuff and a spyware program on the other laptop, but I can't help but feel that I suffered some sort of an attack, but I won't know until I reformat my old Laptop.
It is well worth the investment to stay on top of things. I had hoped to buy a big wide screen laptop, but I just couldn't bring myself to doing it. I will probably purchase a huge widescreen one down the road, but I won't use it for work, at least not the work I do outside of the home. I saw a 21" screen laptop and it was awesome, HD screen and all, but it also weighed 15 pounds which is a bit much to lug around, but when I get my office redecorated maybe I will think about it, lol, or maybe just buy another 19" widescreen monitor and put it on the other side of my laptop and have 3 screens.
I missed out on the monthly PXF tourney which I forgot was even happening. Of course it happens on the day my other computer goes down, thus distracting me from the other tourney.
Oh, well, next month.
Take care and back up and clean up your machines.
Monday, August 28, 2006
Sunday, August 20, 2006
Things I have noticed
I have had some thoughts that I wanted to put down for a little bit and so here goes. I have had some improved success the last couple of weeks and I have been trying to pinpoint what has changed about my game that has allowed me to go deeper in MTTs than before. I think there are a couple factors that have helped to take my game to the next level.
One of the things that I think I am doing more of is pushing my edge, or perceived edge anyway. In the past I would not commit my chips to a hand that I probably had the best hand and I allowed more aggressive players to take pots from me. I think it is very important to take advantage of those moments where it is most likely that you are ahead. This has meant that I have overbet some pots where it was a draw heavy flop in order to protect my hand. Sometimes you take it down right there, and other times someone calls you with a drawing hand or second best hand and I double through, and then there will of course be those times where they hit and you go out, which sucks, but that is how it goes.
I have also tried to not let any beat bother me, and yes, it is difficult, but what I have tried to do is focus and remember the hellacious bad beats I have put on people instead and really enjoy them. The cards all even out and so as much as it pains me to see my KK cracked by someone with TTs, at least 3 times this week, it is the call we want and that is the fact of the matter. We want the under pairs and drawing hands to call so we can double up.
The other thing that I would suggest people try and do is to slow down. You have X amount of time to act for each hand, and unless you know that you are folding without a doubt, use that time to think about what other people have, not just your hand. If you look down at TT and are in LP with a raise and reraise in front of you, a hand that you would have liked to play now becomes an unplayable hand, and for the most part you should be mucking your hand.
Take the time to think about what hands other people have and are playing, and why they are calling raises and not reraising, re-evaluate your hand on the flop and think, think, think. Just because you have AK does not mean you need to mail it in preflop, especially to a reraise of you raise. You should be asking what type of player this person is, tight, loose, would they reraise with AQ, AJ, or is it more likely AA, KK, maybe QQ and JJ, but you must think.
I have learned a great deal this week playing, and in the coming week I am going to change up a few things, because I believe that I have figured out a couple things about my own game and about how a lot of people are playing.
The third thing that I learned this week was to be more aggressive late, and to play back at aggressive players. I allowed myself to get bubbled due to not being defensive when I could and falling into the trap of thinking I need a hand to play back with, which I don't think is true at all. After all the guy that is raising every other hand is doing it with any two so why not reraise with any two if you have the chips to do it. I am not talking pushing all-in, although that is certainly an option, but instead I am talking a big reraise to find out if they are serious, and then re-evaluate the flop based on what happens. I am going to try several techniques in the future that I have seen in the past and that have given me trouble. Keep the pressure on, keep putting pressure on other people.
The final thought is playing against that loose donkey at your table. I think it is important to try and sucker them into bad situations, i.e. not raising some hands so that when you hit that big hand you can trap them with their non existent kicker, or play back at them with made hands, big pairs, and not just big drawing hands AK, AQ and the like. Keep an eye on the fish that calls down bottom pair and remember their betting patterns when they did so. Were they min betting that bottom pair, do they bet out on a flush draw hoping to build a big pot when they could have taken a card off and kept the pot smaller.
Pay attention always, and if you don't have Poker Ace HUD or something like it, I would recommend getting it to help you evaluate your table. What a great tool.
One of the things that I think I am doing more of is pushing my edge, or perceived edge anyway. In the past I would not commit my chips to a hand that I probably had the best hand and I allowed more aggressive players to take pots from me. I think it is very important to take advantage of those moments where it is most likely that you are ahead. This has meant that I have overbet some pots where it was a draw heavy flop in order to protect my hand. Sometimes you take it down right there, and other times someone calls you with a drawing hand or second best hand and I double through, and then there will of course be those times where they hit and you go out, which sucks, but that is how it goes.
I have also tried to not let any beat bother me, and yes, it is difficult, but what I have tried to do is focus and remember the hellacious bad beats I have put on people instead and really enjoy them. The cards all even out and so as much as it pains me to see my KK cracked by someone with TTs, at least 3 times this week, it is the call we want and that is the fact of the matter. We want the under pairs and drawing hands to call so we can double up.
The other thing that I would suggest people try and do is to slow down. You have X amount of time to act for each hand, and unless you know that you are folding without a doubt, use that time to think about what other people have, not just your hand. If you look down at TT and are in LP with a raise and reraise in front of you, a hand that you would have liked to play now becomes an unplayable hand, and for the most part you should be mucking your hand.
Take the time to think about what hands other people have and are playing, and why they are calling raises and not reraising, re-evaluate your hand on the flop and think, think, think. Just because you have AK does not mean you need to mail it in preflop, especially to a reraise of you raise. You should be asking what type of player this person is, tight, loose, would they reraise with AQ, AJ, or is it more likely AA, KK, maybe QQ and JJ, but you must think.
I have learned a great deal this week playing, and in the coming week I am going to change up a few things, because I believe that I have figured out a couple things about my own game and about how a lot of people are playing.
The third thing that I learned this week was to be more aggressive late, and to play back at aggressive players. I allowed myself to get bubbled due to not being defensive when I could and falling into the trap of thinking I need a hand to play back with, which I don't think is true at all. After all the guy that is raising every other hand is doing it with any two so why not reraise with any two if you have the chips to do it. I am not talking pushing all-in, although that is certainly an option, but instead I am talking a big reraise to find out if they are serious, and then re-evaluate the flop based on what happens. I am going to try several techniques in the future that I have seen in the past and that have given me trouble. Keep the pressure on, keep putting pressure on other people.
The final thought is playing against that loose donkey at your table. I think it is important to try and sucker them into bad situations, i.e. not raising some hands so that when you hit that big hand you can trap them with their non existent kicker, or play back at them with made hands, big pairs, and not just big drawing hands AK, AQ and the like. Keep an eye on the fish that calls down bottom pair and remember their betting patterns when they did so. Were they min betting that bottom pair, do they bet out on a flush draw hoping to build a big pot when they could have taken a card off and kept the pot smaller.
Pay attention always, and if you don't have Poker Ace HUD or something like it, I would recommend getting it to help you evaluate your table. What a great tool.
Tuesday, August 08, 2006
Back to Back Final Tables
Well, I have not had a lot of success in MTTs. I have had some, but it has not been a major part of my game. I generally have played SNGs and had success with those. Until this week I would say it has been very limited as far as cashes go with one here and there.
My best cash finish was the $109 MTT that I finished 9th when my JJ got cracked by a guy with A5o who hit runner-runner. I have had great success on Ultimate Bet this week and even the Poker Stars $3 rebuys which I have monied the last two times I played them. I went for a big stack and got busted with AK or who knows how far I could have gone.
I bubbled the 6-max on UB and then came back and monied it the next day after busting when my KKs got cracked, but it was a nice tourney nonetheless. I have really enjoyed the 6-max and plan on playing it everyday that I am able. It has a nice overlay and not a big field at all. After having a couple deep runs on UB I decided to play the $30 MTT with the $6000 guaranteed prize pool. It has had about 200 people yesterday and today.
Yesterday I played what I consider a solid game making moves here and there and folding some hands that really hurt. I went into the final table short stacked and ended up at one point 3 handed with a decent stack. I had a great suckout with 33s when I doubled but two hands later I raised all in to the two limpers and one called with 66s and it held up. It was a really nice cash in third, which to date was my single biggest payday in a single event.
Today I played in the same tournament and had another great run. I was down early when I had JJ and ran into AA, but luckily he couldn't help min-reraising me and I ended up folding, and of course he showed his Aces. Later I had AQ, which I had an incredible number of times today, and he min raised again preflop. An ace flopped and he minraised me again. On the turn another minraise and I shut it down and folded and he showed AA for a set, again. he saved me a lot of chips with his ridiculous min-raising, and I was thankful.
I made some huge laydowns and suffered several donkey moves, like min-raising preflop which I called with QQ, the bigstack bets pot and I repop him back 2x and he calls. The turn is a K and he checks. I think of betting out, but decide to check behind and then an Ace hits on the river. he checks and I check behind and he shows his suited Ace that he hit on the river. This guy was a big stack for a lot of the tourney and he busted before me.
I entered the FT with a very small stack and ended up finishing 5th for another great payday. In two days I have really had some fun in this tourney. I don't know what to attribute my many cashes this week, but I think it is a combination of a greater understanding of the game.
I also cashed but just missed a 100$ sat seat to the Aruba Tournament, which would have been nice. As long as I keep winning money and increasing my bankroll I am happy. I get great final table experience and I have been getting great MTT experience as well as Rebuy MTT experience and my SNGs have gone well for me too. All and all it has been a tremendous week for me and I hope that it will continue, which I have confidence that it will. I feel that I have turned the corner and I am ready to take the next step up.
My best cash finish was the $109 MTT that I finished 9th when my JJ got cracked by a guy with A5o who hit runner-runner. I have had great success on Ultimate Bet this week and even the Poker Stars $3 rebuys which I have monied the last two times I played them. I went for a big stack and got busted with AK or who knows how far I could have gone.
I bubbled the 6-max on UB and then came back and monied it the next day after busting when my KKs got cracked, but it was a nice tourney nonetheless. I have really enjoyed the 6-max and plan on playing it everyday that I am able. It has a nice overlay and not a big field at all. After having a couple deep runs on UB I decided to play the $30 MTT with the $6000 guaranteed prize pool. It has had about 200 people yesterday and today.
Yesterday I played what I consider a solid game making moves here and there and folding some hands that really hurt. I went into the final table short stacked and ended up at one point 3 handed with a decent stack. I had a great suckout with 33s when I doubled but two hands later I raised all in to the two limpers and one called with 66s and it held up. It was a really nice cash in third, which to date was my single biggest payday in a single event.
Today I played in the same tournament and had another great run. I was down early when I had JJ and ran into AA, but luckily he couldn't help min-reraising me and I ended up folding, and of course he showed his Aces. Later I had AQ, which I had an incredible number of times today, and he min raised again preflop. An ace flopped and he minraised me again. On the turn another minraise and I shut it down and folded and he showed AA for a set, again. he saved me a lot of chips with his ridiculous min-raising, and I was thankful.
I made some huge laydowns and suffered several donkey moves, like min-raising preflop which I called with QQ, the bigstack bets pot and I repop him back 2x and he calls. The turn is a K and he checks. I think of betting out, but decide to check behind and then an Ace hits on the river. he checks and I check behind and he shows his suited Ace that he hit on the river. This guy was a big stack for a lot of the tourney and he busted before me.
I entered the FT with a very small stack and ended up finishing 5th for another great payday. In two days I have really had some fun in this tourney. I don't know what to attribute my many cashes this week, but I think it is a combination of a greater understanding of the game.
I also cashed but just missed a 100$ sat seat to the Aruba Tournament, which would have been nice. As long as I keep winning money and increasing my bankroll I am happy. I get great final table experience and I have been getting great MTT experience as well as Rebuy MTT experience and my SNGs have gone well for me too. All and all it has been a tremendous week for me and I hope that it will continue, which I have confidence that it will. I feel that I have turned the corner and I am ready to take the next step up.
Monday, August 07, 2006
Eric "Rizen" Lynch and the WSOP
You might not have heard of this man, but in the next few months I am sure you will, especially if you watch the WSOP on TV as he will undoubtedly garner some air time.
He is currently 5th in the main event with about 32 people left. Yeah, that's right, he is kickin butt and taken names.
Good luck to Eric in his quest to take down yet another big tournament. You can see videos done by Eric at www.Pokerxfactor.com if you are a member that is.
He is currently 5th in the main event with about 32 people left. Yeah, that's right, he is kickin butt and taken names.
Good luck to Eric in his quest to take down yet another big tournament. You can see videos done by Eric at www.Pokerxfactor.com if you are a member that is.
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