Poker Rants

Secomd Week

noreply@blogger.com (Vanman) — Wed, 15 Jul 2009 19:34:00 +0000

Well I have been focusing on cash games this week. I have put in about 2000 hands and am up $120. I have played just a few sngs this week due to running bad in them.

The midnight madness this week was great. I went out in the first hand. AQ vs Q7, yes he called all the way and rivered the 7. Well at least I went out early.

Current bankroll $1398, it was $1430, but I just couldn't beat this one guy. He played every hand and won just about them all, He cracked my KK twice with Ax and went runner runner several other times. He called all the way to the river.

I have a week and a half to get this up to $600 and then do a cash out. Yay! my first earnings check.

First Week Down

noreply@blogger.com (Vanman) — Tue, 07 Jul 2009 17:39:00 +0000

Well I have made my weekly goal I set and cleared $200. I have played 30 $11 and am running 45% ROI in those this month. My ROI through them all is %22 which is about where I want it to be. I cashed in both the 28k and the Midnight madness last week, both min cashes but still they count. I plan on playing the MM again this weekend and try and satellite into the 28K.

Current Bankroll $1220.

Goal to run that up to ~$1600 and finally do my first cash out of 60% of my winnings each month. If will be good to have a poker income again.

End of Month summary

noreply@blogger.com (Vanman) — Thu, 02 Jul 2009 04:46:00 +0000

Just a quick update, still playing cash, sngs and tourneys.
End of month bankroll $1019 so I met my goal.

July is a busy month for me so I hope I an put in some volume soon.

Cash, Tournies, and Tokens

noreply@blogger.com (Vanman) — Sun, 21 Jun 2009 06:38:00 +0000

So as I said I would focus on some Cash, SNGs, Midnight madness and Satellites.

Well this week I have played more cash and with the exception of tonight I have been doing pretty good. I have won $54 playing cash this month so far 5800 hands 4.58 BB/100. I still need to improve but hopefully I can move up a level next month.

I went deep in another Madness, 178/2000, pretty much card dead the entire tourney and still went deep. I finally called off my last 3100 in the BB with A6 and ran into AQ, I knew I was behind, but I was just getting blinded off. I guess I could have kept doing that for another 10 min but the money wouldn't have really changed, I needed to get lucky and quickly.

I won a $26 dollar token from an $8.80 18 man sng. Those are really soft, didn't play many hands and got to the end pretty easily. I will probably use it this week if not it will be around for a couple of weeks because next weekend is my backpacking trip.

Current bankroll $885.00 Plus 1 $26.00 token effectively $911.00
I have one more week to get it up to 1k I hope I can do it.

MTT's

noreply@blogger.com (Vanman) — Wed, 17 Jun 2009 16:23:00 +0000

I have been messing around with some MTTs. I played in 6 MTTS and ran deep in 2. I played the $11 midnight madness on Friday cash 62 out of 2211 runners. I was in the SB and the button raised. He had been raising on the button alot and I had yet to play back. I had AK and pushed he instant called with A2 and hit the wheel, made $35 on that.

Played 4 $3.30 K0's knocked out about 5 people but my best finish was 19th. -$11.20

Played a $2.25 6 handed tourney placed 9th for $13 +$10.75. I just got a little inpatient in this one. My table draw down the stretch was really unlucky. I was stuck between two big stacks, one who raised in position and the other that called every raise out of the BB or SB. Any ways I finally got down to 12K in chips blinds were 1200/2400 in my SB. The button raised as usual, I decided to play back and ship my stack with QT, the BB called with TT, that's how he got me.

I also played some $11 sngs. I am only running about 12% on those and have played 50 for this month.

I have been super busy this month, and will probably be super busy until summer ends so my play is just going to be what it is.

I came to this conclusion last night, I was sitting there going deep in the #2.25 6 Handed tourney thinking man I have played this for 3 hours just to double up. It really means nothing to my bankroll. I really need to play higher limits where doubling up is worth it, however I am restricted by my bankroll. So I have decided to try and play some token tourneys and satellites into larger buy ins and go from there. So that the plan Grind out $11 sngs,10NL FR , $11 midnight madness and play satellites into the larger tournaments with my profits

Current bankroll $850. I would like to get this to $1k before the end of the month. Its doable....

Cash Session

noreply@blogger.com (Vanman) — Fri, 12 Jun 2009 06:11:00 +0000

Cash games have not been kind to me. One bad bead or suck out after another. Tonight I got in 670 hands at 10NL FR and lost $34. Can you say WOW.

I had AA vs 55 yep he hit it I bet it all the way down.
I had KK vs 88 yep he hit it I bet it all the way down.
AK vs 55 flop was AK5 I bet it all the way down.

Finally out of my frustration I said I would push any AA or KK preflop and well I did just that. After all I am a man of my word.

KK ran into AA, of course the board was low so I probably would have called it off all the way down.

Good thing I got my rake back of $22, so I only took a $12 loss LOL. Its back to SNG for me!

Actually I don't really know why I play cash, its a freaking grind, but I guess tourney poker is the same too really.

Bank roll $777

I am off to bed.

Small Session

noreply@blogger.com (Vanman) — Thu, 11 Jun 2009 16:33:00 +0000

Last night 4 Sngs two cashes two firsts. In one of them it took one hand I had a huge chip lead had 99 we got it all in he had AT flop was AA rag, I spiked a 9 on the river. Game over.

I played two MTTS a 2.25 6 hand, no joy had KK vs A3 he went runner runner for the flush.

The 3.30 KO, four limpers I had AK and shoved. Got called by AQ, AJ and 77, 7 hit a set and we were out.

Last night +$40.

I am running well below expectations so far. I think I am 12% ROI in the $11's. I just can seem to catch a break. I am sure it will turn around.

Bankroll $790

Coaching

noreply@blogger.com (Vanman) — Mon, 08 Jun 2009 15:57:00 +0000

Well, sort of. I was helping a buddy try and fix some leaks. It was pretty fun to look at this hand history and see how he played vs me. Its good to review other peoples sessions too. I watch him play about 8 sngs he cashed in 4, but the rake is killing him at this level so he actually lost some money. If he moved up just one level he would have broken even, and up another he would have made a very small profit.

Anyhoo, tonight I plan to play for myself. Toodles!

Just an update

noreply@blogger.com (Vanman) — Sat, 06 Jun 2009 16:40:00 +0000

I played some more 10NL 6 Max; total hands this month 1100 and I am finally positive at this game. I am up $8.00. I also played 500 hands of 10NL FR and up $4.75. I am running 3.67 and 5.03 BB/100 respectively.

The $11 sngs are not going to bad either. I have played 21 so far this week and have an ROI of 20.78%, for a profit of +$48.00. I will take that. I would like to get my ROI to about 25%. My plan is to play 20 more this weekend and hope I can eeek out a $100 week. It would be my first $100 week in a very long time.

Bankroll $803.

Slow Start

noreply@blogger.com (Vanman) — Wed, 03 Jun 2009 15:16:00 +0000

Off to a slow start this month. I played 5 $11 sngs only cashed in one, it was a first. I pretty much owned the guy heads up. I also finished two 4ths. Moving up in one of those would have been a + $19 night instead of a -$10 night. Oh well, I plan to pick up the pace in these going to try and get 45 more in before Monday that will put me at 50 this week.

I played some FR 10NL for about an hour +$3.50. I had KK vs 68 lose when he hit the gutshot and TT vs 54 lose when he flopped the nuts. Yeah like that happens. I should have been up $20 but a win is a win.

Golfing tonight so I will be a game time decision if I play poker tonight.

Quick Session Tonight

noreply@blogger.com (Vanman) — Sat, 30 May 2009 05:28:00 +0000

I got in a quick session of 6 handed NL. Played 530 hands of break even poker. Break even poker, that's so funny. Session started off real bad having TT cracked by 33 down $8. I fought my way back, even up about $4 when I get it all in preflop against a short stack who was just shoving all in preflop. I had AK he had AT I flop a K he goes runner runner for the straight. Down $4 bucks. I fight back get to even then have KK vs JJ get cracked on a turned Jack. I don't even know how this guy played this hand.

I am in the BB with KK, he raises UTG with JJ one caller. I reraised the pot he smooth calls, other guy folds, flop comes AQ4 rainbow. I bet out the flop figure he comes over me if he has the Ace, he smooth calls turn J I bet out 1/4 the pot, I just want to get a feel for what he does, he jams it, I know I am beat, I fold he shows JJ. I was so pissed but I guess I could have lost more or even less if I had checked the flop and turn.

I fight back and get to even then just quit. I am unsure about 6 handed, I think there is definitely some potential to make some good money, I just need to avoid those suck outs, I should have been up $25 on the night.

6 handed 10NL 797 hands -$16.20
FR 10NL 6376 hands + $15.81

Total cash game hands 16616 + $62.18 at least I am a winner at the 5NL tables LOL.

I will be back next week I plan on playing 50 to 75 sngs per week before I play cash games.

Cash, Cash Cash

noreply@blogger.com (Vanman) — Fri, 29 May 2009 19:47:00 +0000

I have played about 1k hands of Full Ring. I am up $40 in those hands but only up $20 over 6k hands at 10NL.

I fired up some 6 handed 10NL, boy this is very very aggressive. I have about 250 hands and down $17, due to several well timed 3 card suck outs and a rivered flush which we got it all in on the turn.

Bankroll $750. I will try the 6 handed again as I think I can exploit some of the aggressive behaviors there. I doubt I will play tonight I am off for a backpacking trip this weekend and need to get the rest of my gear packed.

End of the Month

noreply@blogger.com (Vanman) — Wed, 27 May 2009 21:25:00 +0000

Last night was my first losing night all month. I played 10 sngs and only cashed in one, although it was a first. I really thought I was going to get skunked. I had AA cracked by 44 all in preflop, I flopped top set twice but the guy flopped the nut straight both times. I flopped top two against a flop straight, lost every race. I had 5 4th place finishes, this really hurt, two 5th and two 6ths. Pretty standard stuff, well not really lots of coolers in one night.

My current bankroll is at $740ish. I have not put in near the volume I wanted to. I only played just over 100 sngs for the month. The good news is I am still crushing them even with last nights losses. I am running 30% ROI this month was over 40% before last night.

I am getting a little board with SNGS so I am planing on playing some 10NL both FR and 6 handed max over the next month as well as some $11 sngs.

This month was crazy busy in terms of work, family, mini vacation, back packing trip and the honey dos; I just fenced my back yard, it was brutal, but it looks good.

I hope to blog more next month I will try and put together a schedule for my sessions, but I think it will go something like 3 days SNGs 1 day FR and 1 day 6 handed, and the other 2 optional for what ever I want to do.

So my goal is around 100 sngs and 3k-5k hands 10NL FR and 6H for the month of June.

Week 2 and running hot

noreply@blogger.com (Vanman) — Wed, 13 May 2009 04:52:00 +0000

I have not put in the volume I would have liked, I have played 67 SNGs this month. I should be at 100 by now but this month is extremely busy for me. I have hit a mile stone today. My bankroll on FT has reached $707 today. I now feel comfortably rolled for the $11 sngs. I will most likely play a few in the next two weeks while still playing at my current level to get acclimated to the next step.

I am running pretty good right now. Stats through 67 sngs:

ITM 50.75%
ROI 37.99%
Avg finish 4.
Total winnings $140.00

I am working on some leaks which I need to plug before I move up. One leak has to do with Heads-Up play. I am being to aggressive with weak Aces, Kings, and face cards when I have a deep stack and even in chips with my opponent. I am pushing all in preflop and the only hands that can call are ones that dominate me. I need to slow this down a bit and look for better spots to push.

I plan on working on that for the next two weeks and see if my heads up average comes up.

Stay tuned for updates.

Just another update

noreply@blogger.com (Vanman) — Tue, 05 May 2009 05:41:00 +0000

Got into 11 sngs tonight. Cashed in 4, two 1sts, one 2nd (should have been first) and a 3rd (should have been higher too). Plus $7 overall. I will take it.

Ironically I had QQ 5 times tonight and lost everyone of them...LOL.

Overall a strange night, if I can keep making a profit while running this bad, I cant wait until I get hot.

I think I am going to drop down to the $2.25 sngs and try out 6 handed. I here these are pretty soft so I want to give them a try and feel them out. That is the plan for tomorrow, try and get 8 or so in maybe more.

Bad Weekend

noreply@blogger.com (Vanman) — Mon, 04 May 2009 16:10:00 +0000

It was a bad weekend, had too much honey do's to do and a family emergency illness that is still not resolved. I only played 15 sngs total for the weekend. Way to small a volume. It seems everytime I try and get serious about putting in some volume life reaches up and says no.

I did however make around $30 so thats good. I hope to get in about 15 tonight to make up for it.

Last night I only played 6 because the first two I had AQ vs 22 and flopped two pair and 22 hit the set, I also had AQ vs J5 hit two pair and he river flushed me. So I figured it was going to be a bad night, I was wrong. I cash the last 4, 1st, 2nd and two 3rds.

Tonight I hope to get in 16 more. I should still be able to hit 80 sngs this week.

May 1st

noreply@blogger.com (Vanman) — Sat, 02 May 2009 05:37:00 +0000

So this is my month. I plan to move up and start to make some serious money. Well not that serious but somewhere between $400 and $800 and continue that trend for awhile. So I fired up 8 $5.50 sngs just to test the waters. Well the I took 4 three card outers in the first 4 sngs. Not good. I then lost one race I was short pushed 33 vs K5 he hit a boat.

So there I am sitting zero for six and 3 left to play, yeah I started up another one after the first suck out. Well I ended up 1st, 1st and 2nd for a plus $9.00. Wow what a turn around. The sick part is if I hadn't took those suck outs it would have been a better night. I got a later start due to being on call and getting called so I hope to play about 20 tomorrow and again on sunday to to 50 sngs in this weekend. That should be a good start to the months goal of 300+.

End of April

noreply@blogger.com (Vanman) — Thu, 30 Apr 2009 20:42:00 +0000

Well I had my roll up to $610 which was way more than my goal. However I played 5k hands of 10NL and lost 6 buyings to cooler and such. Oh well, my current bankroll is $550 which is where I wanted to be. I plan to play about 20 sngs tonight and hope to get this up to $600 if I get lucky.

I didnt do anywhere need the volumne I needed. The last two weeks have been brutal at work putting in 80+ hour weeks to meet some dead lines. I got in about 150 sngs for the month.

I plan to move to $10 sngs, 80 SNG a week and try for 300 in may. I want my roll at about $700 before I jump so I need proabably a week or two to get there. I hope to blog more as my work schedule winds down.

I am also going to try and play the midnight maddness once a week on the weekends and hope I can get a good score there.

I just need to vent.

noreply@blogger.com (Vanman) — Fri, 17 Apr 2009 05:20:00 +0000

So I am running bad in SNGS, so I decided to change things up and play some cash. Its about time I move up to the next level so I fire up four 5nl and four 10nl tables just to get my feet wet, look at the games etc. Well my first observation is they are terrible at this level too, maybe even worse to some extent.

So things are progressing nicely I am up 3 bucks early, mostly due to the 5nl tables. I picked up KK on the 10nl there is a raise and I repopped and he smooth calls, we get it all in on the flop, he has AA and I miss. I should have quit there, I knew this was going to be a bad night.

So I am down $7 when in the BB with 92 the flop comes A92 I get it all in against the SB, he has AT, yep hits the T. Ouch down $4 more.

Next hand I have Ks7s on the button I smooth call a min raise after I limped from the BB. flop two rag spades and a 7. He bets out I shove all in he instant calls with KQ, he has two outs and hit one. Down some more.

I have 55 flop is QQ5 you know it we get it all in, turn x river Ten, he had QT. down some more.

There were several more bull shit two to five outers hit on me, I lost pretty much every big pot. Total Damage tonight down $20.

This puts me down $55 int he last 3 days, this bullshit can stop now. Why do all the bad beats come at once? OH well I am over it.

Current bankroll $555.00 I hope to go on a sick run this weekend and get that up over $600. I am off tomorrow night, eating sushi then bowling with the wife and friends.

Half way through April

noreply@blogger.com (Vanman) — Thu, 16 Apr 2009 06:16:00 +0000

Halfway through April and its still snowing. I have been on a serious heater lately. Well until the last two nights. I have dropped 7 buyins at the $5.50 level, but I digress, on to the good stuff.

Through 103 SNGs I have won $149.00 with an ROI of 26.30% not to shabby. A few days ago that was about 39% but oh well.

I have been placing second almost twice as much as firsts. I need to get this 50/50, I have taken some terrible beats heads up, but still the last few days I have been getting it in bad. I will work on that.

Cash this month so far 1600 hands up $43.00 really killing it. I will probably play cash the next few days and try to get back some loses since I am running bad in the SNGS.

This months total $192.00 I hope I can win as much in the next half. Until next time.

6 days and 60 bucks

noreply@blogger.com (Vanman) — Tue, 07 Apr 2009 15:30:00 +0000

Its been 6 days into April and I am up about 60 bucks. I have won $24 in cash games. The irony here is I have won $24 in about 1500 hands which is the same amount I won over 7000 hands in March. I am closing in on the 10k hands I am running about 6BB/100 which is where I wanted to be. I am figuring on playing another 10k hands at this level before I move up. It will probably take me 2 months to log those since I am concentrating on SNGs and MTTs.

I have played 41 SNGs, my ROI is only 14% I have gotten heads up 13 times and only won 4. I have taken some terrible beats heads up but at least I am getting there more often then finishing 3rd. I plan to pick up the pace this week and get a full 100 SNGS in.

I played two 5/45 finished 23 and 5th my ROI is 22%, but that doesn't mean much in only two attempts. I plan to play a few more of these probably like 5 a week.

I will post another update in a few days.

Cash Games are so unkind

noreply@blogger.com (Vanman) — Tue, 31 Mar 2009 18:57:00 +0000

Well I grinded out 1300 hands last night, yes a pretty long session. At the end I was down $4. I had KK vs 85 lose to trip 5s I got my money in bad here. I did raise huge preflop. I also had QQ busted by 64 when the board flopped a 6 we got it all in and he turned a 4.

I managed some comebacks by pushing AA preflop and getting called by JJ and 99 on two different hands. I am still not sure if I am doing well or not in ring games yet. I am about 4BB/100 which is no where near where I think I should be, I just cant beat luck.

I had tons of AK, AQ last night and I missed them all, I raised 3BB in each of those hands or called a raise. No one folds at this level preflop and I missed every one. I think I should just flat call with these hands and decided after the flop. I am going to try that this time.

7100 ish cash game hands this month. Way to many as my edge in these ring games is not as great as SNGs or MTTs but I want to get better at ring games.

Current Bankroll is $355. I play to move to $5.50 sngs in April. I think what I shall do is play SNGS and MTTS first and then dabble once or twice a week in cash depending on where I am at profit wise.

Goal for April 80ish SNGs a week. Monthly goal $200.

Just an update

noreply@blogger.com (Vanman) — Sat, 28 Mar 2009 05:03:00 +0000

Sorry fans, I have just been really busy and working on my game. Well the cash games are not going as good as I had hoped. I just can seem to avoid the bad beats. The other night I had AA 7 times and KK 10 times and only won a dollar. I lost all in preflop AA vs KK, he flopped a K. All in KK vs KQ on the flop and he went run run for the straight. 99 vs AQ vs AK flop AQ9, we get it all in goes JT for the win.

Enough about that here are my totals for cash: 5642 hands played +22.43, 3.98 BB/100. I really need this to move to about 7 or 8 before I move up in levels. I have been trying for 2500 hands per week in cash so my SNGS have been lacking. I think I am going to play a few more of those and probably cut back to cash to 1500 hands or so a week.

My SNGS results are awesome 38% ROI + 77.85 over 91 sngs. Not to shabby.

Current bankroll at $345.00. I play to move to the $5.50 sngs in April. Thas all for now.

I have switched to Cash

noreply@blogger.com (Vanman) — Tue, 17 Mar 2009 18:34:00 +0000

I plan on taking my $270 roll on FT and start grinding out some cash games with some MTTs moved in. Partly because I am board with SNGS and Partly because my cash game skills are lacking.

I am going to start at the bottom 5NL and move up after I win $100. Through 767 hands I am up $10 and some change after two nights. I will continue this and will also play the $2.25 45 mans and the Midnight Maddness on the weekends and hope for a big score.

Still Running Bad

noreply@blogger.com (Vanman) — Fri, 06 Mar 2009 06:40:00 +0000

I am still running bad, really don't know what I can do different. Guys are hitting those 3 outers and such. I am losing every 50/50 and I cant beat luck.

This month so far:

36 sngs 36.11% in the money, down $10.80 ROI -13.33% Less than 5 buyins
7 27 man 14.29% in the money, down $9.27 best finish 4th. Less than 4 buyins
1 18 man no cashes down $2.25 One buyin

Monthly Totals

44 tournaments 31.82% in the money, -$22.23, ROI -22.55% Down 10 buyins

I am only 5 days into the month, so much for that $400 goal, the way I am running I just hope to stay positive. Current Bankroll is $225, I got 100 buyins. Thanks to my over zealousness, OK so I took a shot and it didn't pay off. The plan to get to $300 buy mid march, $400 by the end of march I hope things turn around.