I just played a 4.5 hour session, profit $200. The thing is, I am very disappointed with my play. After looking over the hands that I lost, I made some REALLY dumb calls and moves. I lost nearly $200 in crap calls and wrong timing bluffs. That's a giant amount of money. I'm not complaining by any means, I still had a profitable session. It is just really frustrating to me to know that I played a poor game. However, I suppose it is great that even when I play poorly, I can still turn a profit :)

Oh well. Hopefully I learn from my mistakes tonight and remember this night so I do not make the same mistakes again.

My win streak was bound to come to an end some day. My previous five sessions (December 31, 2006 through January 19, 2007) were all profitable. I played in those five sessions 11 and a half hours. Profits were near $1800. Today... two and a quarter hours, down $535. Ouch.

I don't feel that I was playing horrible. I was put in several tough spots and the cards never fell my way, even when I was ahead. Oh well. I only made one real mistake that cost me about $125. I didn't realize I reraised with JJ, and then pushed on an all low board when the initial raiser bet the pot on board of 237 (he had 77, so I guess good bet by him?). So that cost me $125, but the rest was just bad situations. I think the most interesting hand was the following:

Full Tilt Poker Game #1643571398: Table Cimarron Crest - $1/$2 - No Limit Hold'em - 23:08:03 ET - 2007/01/20
Seat 1: 44 AXE 44 ($197)
Seat 2: 1forthethumb ($242.70)
Seat 3: pkrfface ($56.45)
Seat 4: shtcards007 ($161.20)
Seat 5: KennyJay ($311.05)
Seat 6: OvertheTop9 ($200)
Seat 7: LostOn4thSt ($195)
Seat 8: Mark1808 ($166)
Seat 9: Yowsers ($183.15)
LostOn4thSt posts the small blind of $1
Mark1808 posts the big blind of $2
The button is in seat #6
*** HOLE CARDS ***
Dealt to Yowsers [Ts 9s]

Obviously, I do not do this very often :)

Yowsers raises to $7
44 AXE 44 raises to $20
1forthethumb folds
pkrfface folds
shtcards007 folds
KennyJay folds
OvertheTop9 folds
LostOn4thSt folds
Mark1808 folds

Just calling to flop a monster, or a strong draw

Yowsers calls $13
*** FLOP *** [8s 6s Td]

I check here cause I want to reraise all in. If I bet here and I am put all in, I don't have any fold equity (fold equity is what you have when you are the raiser/aggressor in a pot, there is a chance that your opponent could fold his BETTER hand, since you are the person in the pot raising signifying that you have a strong hand, since poker is a game of imperfect information, you should always be putting your opponents to the decision in poker.

Yowsers checks
44 AXE 44 bets $40
Yowsers raises to $163.15, and is all in
44 AXE 44 calls $123.15
Yowsers shows [Ts 9s]
44 AXE 44 shows [Ah Ad]
*** TURN *** [8s 6s Td] [5h]
*** RIVER *** [8s 6s Td 5h] [6d]
Yowsers shows two pair, Tens and Sixes
44 AXE 44 shows two pair, Aces and Sixes
44 AXE 44 wins the pot ($366.30) with two pair, Aces and Sixes
Yowsers: good hand
Yowsers is sitting out
shtcards007: waaawaaawasaa
*** SUMMARY ***
Total pot $369.30 | Rake $3
Board: [8s 6s Td 5h 6d]
Seat 1: 44 AXE 44 showed [Ah Ad] and won ($366.30) with two pair, Aces and Sixes
Seat 9: Yowsers showed [Ts 9s] and lost with two pair, Tens and Sixes

Tear.

Oh well. I ran the numbers after the hand and turns out I was actually a 59% favorite to win the hand. Go me! Oh well, maybe next time.

Surprisingly, even with this loss, I am still feeling confident about my game. I had the control enough to stop after I realized I was not making the best decisions (I stopped soon after I misstepped with the JJ on the above hand in this post.)

Knowing when to quit, when you are not at the top of your game, is one of the keys to poker. You should only play poker when you are in the right mindset to do so. No exceptions. If there is one thing I have learned in the last three years, it is just that.

One of the first hands of the session I am currently playing in... yay for a great night to come! Atleast he or she was short stacked? haha

Full Tilt Poker Game #1643325520: Table Kasmere Falls - $1/$2 - No Limit Hold'em - 22:29:43 ET - 2007/01/20
Seat 1: tylerf13 ($148.60)
Seat 2: vu33vc922 ($206.45)
Seat 3: JORDAN914 ($251.40)
Seat 5: strflush428 ($90.50)
Seat 6: Yowsers ($298.85)
Seat 7: DG816 ($290.65)
Seat 8: melia2622 ($125.35)
Seat 9: weston11 ($60)
JORDAN914 posts the small blind of $1
strflush428 posts the big blind of $2
weston11 posts a dead small blind of $1
The button is in seat #2
*** HOLE CARDS ***
Dealt to Yowsers [Td Th]
tylerf13 stands up
Yowsers raises to $8
DG816 folds
melia2622 calls $8
vu33vc922 stands up
weston11 folds
vu33vc922 folds
JORDAN914 folds
strflush428 folds
*** FLOP *** [Js Ts 9h]
Yowsers bets $11
melia2622 raises to $22
Yowsers raises to $57
melia2622 has 15 seconds left to act
melia2622 calls $35
*** TURN *** [Js Ts 9h] [7h]
Yowsers bets $233.85, and is all in
melia2622 has 15 seconds left to act
melia2622 calls $60.35, and is all in
Yowsers shows [Td Th]
melia2622 shows [Ac Qh]
Uncalled bet of $173.50 returned to Yowsers
*** RIVER *** [Js Ts 9h 7h] [8h]
Yowsers shows a straight, Jack high
melia2622 shows a straight, Queen high
melia2622 wins the pot ($251.70) with a straight, Queen high
Black Griffon sits down
*** SUMMARY ***
Total pot $254.70 | Rake $3
Board: [Js Ts 9h 7h 8h]
Seat 6: Yowsers showed [Td Th] and lost with a straight, Jack high
Seat 8: melia2622 showed [Ac Qh] and won ($251.70) with a straight, Queen high

Wow, what a night. I participated in my biggest $1/$2 hand to date. I took down a $600 pot with 99 on flop of K94. Some guy had AA and the other guy had 44. I raise pre flop with 99 in middle position, two callers. I bet the flop, AA raised to 40, 44 smooth called, I reraise all in, AA calls all in, then 44 guy calls all in, each for our $200 stacks. I think that was a moment where I would have thrown my bottom set away if I was the 44 guy, but oh well. The reason I did not even hesitate was that 1) there was a flush draw on the board, and 2) most people would reraise preflop with KK, so I couldn't really put anyone on KK. Yay for me no one had KK :)

In any case, the rest of the night was rather bleh. I made a few mistakes that cost me about $130 total. One hand cost me $75, the other about $60. Live and learn, live and learn.

Full Tilt Poker Game #1631909748: Table Verbena Creek - $1/$2 - No Limit Hold'em - 3:19:57 ET - 2007/01/19
Seat 1: treenom ($218.20)
Seat 2: Yowsers ($357.35)
Seat 3: OhioState95 ($200.40)
Seat 4: mr deuces allin ($100)
Seat 5: Hypnotic X ($198)
Seat 6: meate8or ($203.50)
Seat 7: Two80Lady ($249.85)
Seat 8: ATLSADIST ($10.45)
Seat 9: SeXyEvELyN ($35.60)
treenom posts the small blind of $1
Yowsers posts the big blind of $2
The button is in seat #9
*** HOLE CARDS ***
Dealt to Yowsers [9h Ks]
OhioState95 folds
mr deuces allin calls $2
Hypnotic X folds
meate8or folds
Two80Lady folds
ATLSADIST folds
SeXyEvELyN calls $2
treenom calls $1
Yowsers checks
*** FLOP *** [9d 5d 3s]
treenom bets $6
Yowsers calls $6
mr deuces allin folds
SeXyEvELyN folds
*** TURN *** [9d 5d 3s] [8c]
treenom checks
Yowsers bets $10
treenom calls $10
*** RIVER *** [9d 5d 3s 8c] [Qh]
treenom bets $18
Yowsers calls $18
*** SHOW DOWN ***
treenom shows [9s Tc] (a pair of Nines)
Yowsers shows [9h Ks] (a pair of Nines)
Yowsers wins the pot ($73) with a pair of Nines
*** SUMMARY ***
Total pot $76 | Rake $3
Board: [9d 5d 3s 8c Qh]
Seat 1: treenom (small blind) showed [9s Tc] and lost with a pair of Nines
Seat 2: Yowsers (big blind) showed [9h Ks] and won ($73) with a pair of Nines

It's official.

Neteller has stopped US customers from transferring money to gambling websites.

GRRRRRREAT. Now how am I supposed to transfer money to online poker? There are still several alternatives (sites similar to Neteller). It's just really frustrating since I just recently signed up with Netller, and now I have to join another site just so I can deposit money onto poker sites. Absolutely absurd. I can't wait until all this shit blows over and we Americans can FREELY choose where to spend our OWN FUCKING MONEY.

Wow. So continues my hatred for the US of A government.

FBI Arrests Former Neteller Executives
http://www.cardplayer.com/poker_law/article/1771

Seriously. Doesn't the FBI have better things to do, like find terrorists planning attacks on our great nation, than to continue this battle of banning online gambling and any persons that MAY facilitate online gambling?

It's complete horseshit. Go find something better to do. Let us be.

Vegas was... awesome. I am still in shock at just how big the hotels on the strip are. So much money in the casino and in real estate there, it is ridiculous.

I played poker mostly at Caesars but also tried my luck at the MGM poker room. I played four sessions, three cash game sessions and one tournament.

First session was $1/$2 with $200 buyin at Caesars. I played for about 6 and a half hours and was down $50. Next day I played $1/$2 at the MGM for about four hours. Was down $20 before I played my last hand (literally, Matt and I were about to go get some food but I wanted to play my button, I had just posted before Matt came over). Some guy mid position raised it to $12 (normal raise) two callers, I called on button with 22. Flop comes 972. Checks to me, I fire out $25 into $48. Initial raiser makes it $50 total (min raise). Folds to me. Since he was the initial raiser, it's tough for me to put him on 97, 77, or 99. I put him on a monster, AA or KK, and I reraise all in. He thinks for about five seconds and then calls. I figured I had him at that point. I told him I had a set and he said he did too. Great. He nearly flipped out when the turn was a 7, for 9727, but I flipped over my 22 and the miracle 2 never came on the river. So about four hours of work at MGM and I was down $200.

Total so far: 10.5 hours down $250. Crap.

Third session was a tournament at Caesars. 160 people entered, buyin was $80 with a $50 rebuy that gives you an additional 3000 chips (we started with 1500). Awesome. I grinded my way all the way to 20th place before I busted. Top 18 paid. SHIT! Just call me bubble boy from now on.

The turning point of the tournament was when I had QQ in early position. I raised it to 5000 with blinds at 1k/2k (I have about 40k stack). Some guy goes all in for 25k total. He hadn't played too many hands, but when he did play he wasn't showing down monster hands. I saw him raise preflop, and cbet the flop and then he showed AJ for ace high. Anyway, it folds to me and I think for about a minute. I ask him if he has AA or KK. He simply says, "you have to call first to see it", I ask him to see what, AA or KK? He just smiles and shrugs. At that point I didn't think he had AA or KK so I called. He flips over AQo. Sweet. 70% chance to be in real chip position for final table. Naturally, an Ace hits on the flop and I'm down to just 15k.

About an orbit later I get KJ utg (I have about 14k with blinds at 1k/2k) and I open push after thinking a little bit too long. That thinking was my ultimate pitfall. It folds to the BB and he says, "I'm supposed to call with this hand, so I call." He flips over 99 v my KJ, flop comes 966 and I am done. GREAT.

I definitely think after I thought to long over that all in that I should have mucked my KJo. I think if I had pushed immediately in it would have been a much better play. Maybe even folding would have been better, it definitely would have kept me in the tournament for that much longer. Oh well.

My fourth session was just a fun session. I played $3/$6 LIMIT Hold 'em with Matt and Drew. I was just having a good time at the table and enjoying it. I ended up losing $100 in about four hours play, but I did not even care. I was enjoying the game and for the first time in a long time I was playing poker for the fun and not for the money. I should try that more often because I had a great time.

Brief list of places I saw (in order of appearance):

Imperial Palace
Caesar's Palace
MGM Grand
Mandalay Bay
Bellagio
Saphire
Venetian
Wynn
Mirage

Shout outs:

TJ - thanks for treating us right at Caesar's poker room, best place we played while we were
Evan - crazy New Yorker, hope the tables treat you right, you were taking some tough beats
Nick - nice slow role on Matt, I enjoyed it thoroughly
Michelle - you're good at what you do, stick with it

To all the numerous dealers, floor guys, and everyone that made fun of Drew while on the trip, you were awesome.

I leave for my first trip to Vegas this afternoon. I can't wait. I'm trying not to hype the trip too much. I absolutely hate it when I get excited about something and it turns out not to be quite as exciting as I would have liked it to be. "But Mike, Vegas is the shit." Ok, so maybe it will be. I guess I'll find out in just 24 short hours :)

Just wanted to thank Robert for his Vegas tips and tricks that he sent me. If anyone else has any advice for me while I'm in Vegas shoot me an email by click on the link in the upper right of the page. I'll try and check my email at least a few times while in Vegas, but no promises :)

I knew the new year was going to be good to me. After having two horrible sessions at the casino up north, I was determined to play well (and hopefully get some cards.) Well, not only did I play well, but I had the best session of my life (and I got some cards too.)

I played for two and a half hours at the $200 buyin, and at the end of that time frame, I was up nearly $770. WOW. I knew I was running well, but did not really believe I was doing THAT well. I ended the night after this hand:

FullTiltPoker Game #1516207953: Table Shore Haven - $1/$2 - No Limit Hold'em - 0:29:24 ET - 2007/01/02
Seat 1: Aces8s ($236.45)
Seat 2: Yowsers ($163.50)
Seat 3: wsoppipedream ($114)
Seat 4: Odog_AA ($131)
Seat 5: Xcessive ($115)
Seat 7: jesse_wise ($54.30)
jesse_wise posts the small blind of $1
Aces8s posts the big blind of $2
The button is in seat #5
*** HOLE CARDS ***
Dealt to Yowsers [8c 8h]
Yowsers calls $2
wsoppipedream folds
Odog_AA calls $2
Xcessive folds
jesse_wise folds
Aces8s checks
*** FLOP *** [Th 2c 8s]
Aces8s checks
Yowsers bets $4
Odog_AA calls $4
Aces8s folds
*** TURN *** [Th 2c 8s] [2s]
Zombo sits down
Yowsers checks
Zombo adds $200
Odog_AA bets $6
Yowsers raises to $16
Odog_AA raises to $50
Yowsers raises to $157.50, and is all in
Odog_AA calls $75, and is all in
Yowsers shows [8c 8h]
Odog_AA shows [Tc Td]
Uncalled bet of $32.50 returned to Yowsers
*** RIVER *** [Th 2c 8s 2s] [8d]
Yowsers shows four of a kind, Eights
Odog_AA shows a full house, Tens full of Eights
Yowsers wins the pot ($262) with four of a kind, Eights

That is my first one outter against someone. I have had one person put a one outter about six months ago. I guess tonight was my night :)