Rollercoasting.

Yesterday I had 3 hours to spare late at night, so I wanted to build on my succesfull session Sunday. Things went well early, I made about $1200 after the first hour, largely thanks to a genuine one outer, where I hit quads on the river to save me from a set over set situation.

That was the end of luck for me though, as the doomswitch turned on for yours truly. I proceeded to lose $5000 in about one and a half hour, quite a feat on 600NL, even playing 7 tables, and certainly an unpleasant record for me. Every large pot went the wrong way, and nothing held up. It was a pretty depressing experience, and I went home down $4k. I guess it sort of felt like the mental equivalent of getting hit by a sledge hammer in the belly, and then dragging it out for a couple of hours. There are a lot of perks to this being an online poker pro thing, but sometimes there is a price to be paid.

I was not quite sure I wanted to play today, but I had it scheduled, and I am not normally likely to tilt, so I went ahead and started another session. Now I sit here $6500 up again, so I can record a nice net win of $1500 for the last couple of days. I am wondering how unusual/unlikely large fast swings such as these are, somehow it doesn't feel normal. The net result is completely normal, I guess the wins and losses just got bunched together oddly. I hope with every experience like this I get a little bit tougher, mentally.

I had a few hands where I felt really clever, and I've picked a few interesting thin river value bets for you. Here is a post I wrote some time ago about merging your range, and I think I managed to do just that successfully here. The key to these plays is that the other guy thinks you are full of shit.

Party Poker No-Limit Hold'em, $6 BB (5 handed) Hand History Converter Tool from FlopTurnRiver.com (Format: HTML)

SB ($511.85)
BB ($628)
UTG ($518.24)
MP ($597)
Hero ($783.35)

Preflop: Hero is Button with Ad, Th.
2 folds, Button raises to $21, SB calls $18, 1 fold.

Flop: ($48) 4s, 4h, Tc (2 players)
SB checks, Button bets $30, SB calls $30.

Turn: ($108) 8h (2 players)
SB checks, Hero checks.

River: ($108) Js (2 players)
SB checks, Button bets $80, SB calls $80.

Final Pot: $268
SB has 5s 5c (two pair, fives and fours).
Hero has Ad Th (two pair, tens and fours).
Outcome: Hero wins $268.


Party Poker No-Limit Hold'em, $6 BB (6 handed) Hand History Converter Tool from FlopTurnRiver.com (Format: HTML)

SB ($612)
BB ($619.80)
Hero ($957.65)
MP ($808)
CO ($1)
Button ($878)

Preflop: Hero is UTG with Th, Tc.
Hero raises to $24, MP calls $24, 4 folds.

Flop: ($57) Js, 4s, 3c (2 players)
Hero bets $45, MP calls $45.

Turn: ($147) 2c (2 players)
Hero checks, MP checks.

River: ($147) 7h (2 players)
Hero bets $90, MP calls $90.

Final Pot: $327
Hero has Th Tc (one pair, tens).
MP has 9s 7s (one pair, sevens).
Outcome: Hero wins $327.


This is another feel good hand, but with no strategic content. This hand is posted to celebrate the existence of happy donks who love to donate $836 with a straight on a paired board, almost all of it on the river.

Party Poker No-Limit Hold'em, $6 BB (5 handed) Hand History Converter Tool from FlopTurnRiver.com (Format: HTML)

UTG ($883)
Hero ($1,583.06)
Button ($621.90)
SB ($836.50)
BB ($807.50)

Preflop: Hero is MP with 4s, 4h.
UTG raises to $24, Hero calls $24, 1 fold, SB calls $21, 1 fold.

Flop: ($78) 4d, 4c, Jh (3 players)
SB checks, UTG checks, Hero checks.

Turn: ($78) 9s (3 players)
SB checks, UTG checks, Hero bets $50, SB folds, UTG calls $50.

River: ($178) Td (2 players)
UTG checks, Hero bets $120, UTG raises to $282, Hero shoves, UTG calls $490 (All-In).

UTG has Qc Kd (straight, king high).
Hero has 4s 4h (four of a kind, fours).
Outcome: Hero cleans house.

Am I getting schooled here?

This hand is pretty sick. Please tell me if you think I am dealing with a huge tool here, or if he is just reading my soul. We have both been actively 3-betting preflop.

Party Poker No-Limit Hold'em, $6 BB (6 handed) Hand History Converter Tool from FlopTurnRiver.com (Format: HTML)

Hero ($1460.90)
BB ($653.50)
UTG ($601.60)
MP ($660.95)
CO ($1089)
Button ($736.53)

Preflop: Hero is SB with 9h, Ah.
4 folds, Hero raises to $24, BB raises to $72, Hero calls $51.

Flop: ($150) 7s, 4h, Jd (2 players)
Hero checks, BB checks.

Turn: ($150) 5s (2 players)
Hero bets $100, BB calls $100.

River: ($350) 8s (2 players)
Hero bets $250, BB calls $250.

Final Pot: $850

Hero has 9h Ah (high card, ace).
BB has 5c 3c (one pair, fives).
Outcome: BB wins $850.


But don't you worry about me, I am fine for the day, booking $2700 for 3 hours of 'work'. I even got 2 outered for $1700 more. Looks like Baldie is back in business.

Professional poker player!

I return to you envigourated by several vacations, the World Series of Poker, conclusion of my education as an actuary and love, no less, as I am now a married man.

In other words: I am pumped ladies and gentlemen, and ready to play some poker. Since I am no longer a student and I certainly don't plan to do any real work anytime soon, the only think left to call myself is...

Professional Poker Player!

I am already a few days into my career as a pro, but so far it's pretty much the same as before. I don't have that nagging feeling that I should be doing some home work or thesis work instead of doing whatever else it is that I do, but otherwise life as a pro is exactly the same as life as a semi pro/student.

But that will not do. It is not enough for me to make a comfortable living on a 20 hour work week, and then just hang around the rest of the time. I need to do more. I am not quite decided yet on what that should be, but I promise myself, you, God and my parents that I will produce at least a 40 hour week of either playing or learning.

The beautiful thing is that I get to choose from a wide range of possibilities. I could learn some new poker variants. Stud or Omaha comes to mind. I could sharpen my tournament game. I could take more shots at higher levels of NL Hold'em cash games and spend some time properly analyzing my game. I could try to commercialize this blog in one way or another. Or I could learn a proper programming language and try to produce a poker application or two that I have in mind.

For now, I am just enjoying my freedom and grinding a bit of poker. Vacations, WSOP and the wedding have taken it's toll on all the bankrolls, those for poker as well as those for spending, so grinding and rebuilding is on the schedule for now. Hopefully I will soon get it back to a level I am more comfortable with, and then I will consider that list above.

One day, I shall return!

...probably Monday if I had to hazard a guess.

I have been home from Canada for about a week, and still haven't gotten around to blogging yet on account of some marriage business. That will blow over soon, and I'll be back where I left off. Don't worry, I still love you, have patience!