Friday 31 October 2008

October...

4.30am GMT Friday October 31st.

As good as the end of the month so I'll make an end of October post (i want to get this month out of the way and move on!)

So the aim this month was to concentrate on cash games and see how quickly i could move up. I've actually enjoyed learning and playing them more than i expected (i was expecting to be bored stiff but doing it because of them supposedly be a better way to make $). I've been using the cash game videos on Card runners to learn them and cant see how I'm not beaten them better. I think I'm a level 3 thinker, or at least level 2 and listening to what to card runner pro's say i should be crushing these games. I don't feel like i am though.

I've played mostly on Full Tilt as its the best site to data mine and nice software and at low stakes, the games aren't too tough. Ive tried out ipoker, Party and Stars too though. Over the month I've logged 5306 hands. 4292 of which were on Full Tilt. I actually ended in profit on Full Tilt, albeit just $28.90 4.5BB/100 (a win rate that isn't actually that bad - should be getting about 6BB/100 or maybe a bit more at $25NL. Overall i ended in the red though!

-$185.49 - OK, it's nothing drastic but my first EVER losing month since i started tracking my results properly a year ago! I think that tell me something about cash games.

I genuinely believe that i can easily beat these games if i put in enough hands. 5000 hands is hardly enough to get a good idea of variance but i don't think i want to keep concentrating on something that is obviously not that profitable for me! I'll continue learning and playing cash games now and again however for November am going to move back to tournament and sng play! Back to what i know and we'll compare the results.

Onto the specifics... After my losing session last time i took a couple days off from playing then returned to the tables on Wednesday. Ended Wednesdays 25minute 4 table session +$33.25
My only big pot was $52.50 ($27.50 profit) holding AQ v AJ on a A24 rainbow flop - Got all the chips in on the flop and the best hand stood up.
Biggest losing pot that session only cost me $3.50 with K's which i raised pre with 1 caller, i was in SB so out of position. Flop A44 which i cont. bet, got flatted so didn't put any more in. Folded on the turn.

Earlier today things weren't quite as straight forward - played for just over an hour 6 tabling ending the session -$19.05. No huge pots for + or - really... biggest losing pot was with A7 against a fishy player who was quite passive. Board read AQ2TT and he had KJ. Should've realised he had KJ though as i kinda knew it once he got more aggressive after the turn so should've saved myself a few $ there! Another interesting pot was an unraised one, SB v BB v Button. I had KQ in SB so completed. Board 56Q43. I bet every street and just got called down. Don't think there was too much i could do really on that hand as felt i was good and bet river as a kinda blocker bet.
Biggest pot i won was $22.60 with J's v AT which i was quite pleased with how i played it. as the flop was K high yet i still got value out of him and read his holding well (flush draw).

The session I've just finished though was the icing on the cake i think! lol ended the session -$33.55 but there were a few big pots, some of which were quite frustrating! For the first time all month, i found a table with a player i just couldn't help sticking around to play with. playing about 50% of pots and about 25% of them he just open shoved or re shoved. We'll start with the plus points of the session. Two nice pots, the first was $44.20 profit - a $91.15 pot at .10/.25! lol
I button raise with A9 and the loon (who actually had position on me which wasn't ideal) open shoved again. He'd already showed down so much rubbish so i called and he actually had A8! (the best i actually saw him have all session! lol) - this time the best hand held up. The hand before that i won a $55.40 pot on a board of 7QJK4 (3 hearts on the board.) - I actually reshoved him all in on the river - my holding... K9! he called with J8! lol Gives you an idea of how he was playing! They were the plus points of the session. I had a lot more frustrating pots though! lost a $65 pot against the same guy (if you want to know his ID just ask! it was on Full Tilt - I'll def be looking out for him in future) where i button raise with 9's, he reshoves all in, i call and he shows J8os! board runs out 5Q64J grrrrrr
I lost a $60 pot 'racing' with Q's v AK, all in pre (against a different player on another table)
Another pot of $50, all in preflop with AK against the loon who had K7! on a rainbow flop of AK5 you'd think i was fairly safe to win - Not against this guy though who catches running clubs to scoop the pot!
Another frustrating pot where i made a poor read but that said, struggled to put him on much, i had AQ and 3bet someone preflop, he called so we saw a flop HU. Flop 7JT (2 diamonds) he checks, i cont. bet and he calls. Turn pairs the board and he checks again, i fire again - this is my mistake as my bet of $6 makes the pot $15 and i fail to notice he only has $10 back. He moves in and i call as it's only $4 to call with 2 overs and a gut shot. He's got 98 and has flopped the straight... nice for some.

Anyway, enough bad beat stories from me :) One thing that has struck me about the cash games online is the amount they rake them! Especially at lower stakes. Q's v AK is usually about 66% v 44% which should mean its fairly profitable to move in with Q's against AK - apparently at low stakes though the rake actually makes it a -EV play in the long run! On Full Tilt alone, playing $25NL over 4292 hands Ive paid $126.05 in rake!

So... anything you'd like to see my concentrate on playing in November, i really should set up my Poker Tracker Omaha software seeing as Ive bought it. Perhaps I'll try learning that. Play a bit of Razz maybe and just revert back to a few mtt's and sngs. I may try to improve my HU game when i get around to it. I hear it can actually be a pretty profitable form of poker. I'm not sure, Let's just have fun and hope it results in some profit as it'd be nice to win something for a change after having a few crap months!

How the hell have i spent an hour typing this! I really should go to bed! busy weekend coming up so i doubt I'll get much chance to play after today... Saturday i have ice hockey in the evening, then off right down to West Wales (Talbenny) early Sunday morning rallying then back and pretty much straight to Newport to the Feeder gig. Monday evening is then 'Franny's Fright Night' - Basically the Devils Halloween party so I'll be out chatting up Peter Aubry again. lol

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