On Pace For a Pretty Good Month

I've played relatively little poker this month, but am on pace for $3k or so of profit which would be one of my best months to date. So far, I have played only 12 hours or so of live cash games and am up roughly $700, 10 hours of 6max sngs on Titan +$700, 2 hours of online ring on Party +$200, 7 hours or so of Party sngs +$200 and a few hours of live tourney play -$60. So, overall on pace for a $3k or so month with out much play at all.

Over the last few months a losing session of sngs online has been breaking even or just making a small profit, whereas a good session like this AM involved playing for 2 hours/4sngs and finishing 1st 3 times and 2nd once. Not bad at all. Playing just 4 $22 sngs on Party today I am up $200 on the day.

This profit doesn't seem like much work as I have mixed up my game pretty evenly. Live profits from O8/Stud8/LHE and NLH, online from 6max sngs and PLO8 HU matches and a Jackpot. Haven't played much on Titan lately, but will try at that Jackpot again soon.

I Have a Big Hole in My Tournament Game

I decided to play the small $60 tournament at The Unit tonight. More to start working a bit on my live tournament game than anything else. 45 players or so, first $1.1K, second $700, third $400, fourth $200. Usually when I play these, it is just to blow off some steam from playing solid cash-game poker. My cash game has virtually no holes...however. my tournament game has one big one akin to the Matusow Blow-up.

I decide to play solid, positional poker, make no moves, play my cards and see how it goes. I literally pick-up JJ once and that's about it. I manage to get down to 6 handed where if I'm not the short stack, then I'm 5th. Only first would mean much in terms of the payout, second would be ok as well, not at all interested in 3rd-5th. So, blinds are 600 1200 and I have 8-9k infront of me. Folded to me on the button, very weak player in the SB about my stack size, chip leader in the BB. I decide to limp with KTo and try and take it on the flop. SB folds, BB makes it 3k ontop, I think and push. I have never played with the BB before as this was a new table. I think that getting all those chips earlier makes him very capable of making a move on a short limping stack. He turns over AQo, so I don't mind, but I lose to a full house on the turn.

Now, I played solidly all game but then I get down to 6 handed and decide that I need to double-up to try and make a run to first. Do I mind my push, I'm not sure. I guess that I do a bit given that I'm doing it against a player that I have zero read on and that I could have waited 4-5 more hands for a pushable hand. I was card-dead for most the game, so overall 6th is not very bad. However, this was not a great spot. I don't mind the limp if I know the BB can make a play, as KT is a better than average hand. However, odds are he's just another low-limit player playing only his cards, so I should have either raised or folded in that spot, and certainly should have folded rather than pushing all in. Perhaps if the tournament was for more money then I would have played it differently.

A Few B&M 10 20 Hands

Most sessions seem to come down to a few big pots as to whether you have a winning or losing session. Especially when you only play for a couple of hours. So, it's 11:30pm and my sleep pattern is still all fucked-up (the rain really does not help with this), so I head to the monthly 10 20 game at The Office in Mississauga. It has been a couple of months since I have played live 10 20 LHE and after winning $250 the night before in a brief NL session I felt like I could win another $300 or so in this game. I'm not out for a big win, I just want to win $1000 or so in this week off of work.

So, I get there at midnight and sit with 6 or 7 other players, of which I am only familiar with 3 or so. I end up playing for only 2 hours. I'm up $450 at that point and I get "that feeling" of not wanting to lose back my profit and decide that that's enough for the night.

Three key hands to the session, in chronological order.

First hand:

We are 8 handed or so and this is how the hand plays out -- I like my play but am curious as to what others think.

UTG calls (Johnny T no less), I call with KQo, folded to the SB who completes and BB checks.

Players SB -- extremely loose, horrid limit player.
BB -- extremely tight, horrid limit player.
UTG -- Johnny T who I have not played with in a year and a half and he just sat, so no real read.
Me -- UTG + 1

Preflop pot 2bb

Flop K hi all hearts SB bets, BB folds Johnny T calls, I debate a raise knowing I am likely ahead of SB and thinking JohnnyT likely has a big heart -- I call and wait for the turn to pop it if no heart falls (I have no heart). Pot 3.5bb.

Turn offsuit Q giving me top 2 -- SB bets, JT calls, I raise with top 2, SB calls, JT reraises (pot now 10,5bb) -- so he most likely flopped the flush, but again I do not have a good read on JT and he could have top pair with a big heart, I call given that I have roughly 10.5:1 on my money to make a fh with 10.5bb in the pot and will be paid by a bet on the river, and SB folds. Pot 11.5bb.

River blank and I call (12.5bb pot) and am shown T9 suited of hearts -- I always call on the river HU in this spot as I feel it is a winning play in the long run, win 1 in 11 and I'm ahead.

As an aside, Johnny T played some solid poker in the couple hours I sat with him, much different than my previous experiences with him. For those of you who don't know JT, check out www.pokernightlive.ca

Second hand:

77 UTG. Table is 8 handed or so, I look down and think of mucking, then think of raising. I noticed last month that my positional play had been poor wrt preflop hand selection and after tightening-up slightly I have yet to have a losing session. So, I call. Why do I call? I think the table was playing fairly tight preflop at that point and I figured the flop would be cheap. Soooooo, it comes back to me 3-bet or capped (I don't recall) 3 ways as 2 loose-aggressive players decided to remember that they were loose aggressive. I call 2 or 3 more bets cold, feeling I can win 16bb on my 8:1 shot of flopping a set if I hit given who is in the hand.

The players:

ME -- UTG
UTG + 2 -- bad player who reraises and 2 paint preflop regardless of action to him.
MP -- DQ, laggy preflop player, decent postflop player
BB -- JT again

So, we see the flop with 6-8bb in the pot.

Flop -- doorcard is the 7, sweet. 762 with 2 hearts. Pot is big. I'm going to win a big pot or lose a big pot to a straight or a flush. Pot is big, no way am I slowplaying, I want to take this down ASAP. I bet, bad player raises, DQ reraises, JT folds, I cap and bad player thinks and folds, DQ calls right away -- likely flush draw/straight draw or overpair. Pot 11-13bb.

Turn -- completes the flush but not the straight, I can't recall the card. I bet out as I can't allow a free draw to a 4th heart. DQ raises, ok he has the flush. I call. Pot 15-17bb.

River pairs the 6, I bet and he makes a crying call and I rake in a nice-sized pot.

Third Hand:

Very soon after, I pick-up AA UTG. I raise, bad player reraises, DQ reraises, JT calls, I hesitate and make a what-the-fuck-the-game-is-loose cap. Everyone calls. 4 handed capped pot. Pot 8bb.

The players are the same as the last big hand.

The Flop -- T9x with 2 diamonds. I bet, bad player raises, DQ reraises, JT folds (I think), I cap, bad player folds, DQ calls. Pot 13bb.

The turn -- pairs the ten, never a great sign when you have an overpair. I bet, DQ just calls. Hmmm, still drawing? Pot 15bb.

The River -- ACE! Are you kidding me, I hit 2 sets in 10 mins? Nice. Bet, called. And he shows a ten and mucks. Pot 17bb, nice.

I play a few more rounds, the game is still very good although it has gotten short, which is my specialty. However, I have obtained my monitary goal for the night and don't feel like playing aggressive, short-handed poker with it's inherently increased variance after winning $450 at an almost-full table. I get up and I go home.

Conquering a Demon and the Importance of Game Selection

There is one NL underground club in Toronto where I have almost never, if ever, had a winning session. I haven't played there much, but there it is staring me in the face. Probably the only poker room anywhere where I am in the red overall. I know the primary reason for this -- I hate full-table 1 2 NL and this is what I have always played there. Inevitably, I play almost every hand for $2, call with almost anything for $6 trying to crack someone for their stack, etc., etc. I play horrid poker. Also, I abhor full table NL ring...just exhaustingly boring to me. Well, it was 130am and I was wide awake AND I felt like playing live NL ring. So, over to The Unit I go to play 2 5 NL. Now, I have only played 2 5 NL live once before, and that time after a horrid hand of 2nd nut full-house over nut full-house costing me my initial $400, I managed to break even after 4-5 hours. Tonight (or this morning, depending on the life you live), I was determined to play a solid and fairly tight game of 2 5 NL. I told myself on the way there -- do not make moves in multiway pots, do not play suited connectors for a 5bb raise out of position -- basically, play solid, position poker. Just take home a small win, $200 or so, and get this demon off your back and prove that you can play 2 5 NL half way decently as there MUST be alot of money floating around in all the underground NL games in the GTA. NL is the game of choice these days, so why not try playing a limit that is interesting and see how I do.

The game is min/max $200/$500. Usually I like to buy for the max if any stacks at the table are at or over that amount as I can can with huge implied odds to crack big hands. however, I only know 1 player at the table so I decide to be cautious and buy in for $300. After no cards for some time and maybe winning 1 small pot I'm at $250. I have pigeonholed most of the table, so after I win a pot to get to around $330 or so I add on another $100. Basically only 1 big hand all night, but that's all it takes to win a few hundred at 2 5. 7 handed, a player with a fairly wide range of raising hands raises UTG to $20, I have black aces. I decide to conceal the strength of my hand and smooth call. I'm going to get away from this hand with heavy action on a scary board. The small blind, horrid player, comes along. 3 handed to a K74 flop suited in spades -- brilliant. UTG bets $20 into a $65 pot, I know the SB has $70 or $80 left and that I'm not moving off this hand, aces with the nut flush draw. I know SB calls with a king, so I make it $80 and SB folds. UTG calls fairly fast. I put him on AK or KQ. Turn appears to be a blank, making the board K748 with 3 spades. Now, I'm slightly afraid that he's slowplaying a flush or a set, but I'm almost convinced he has KQ with the Q spades. Pot roughly $$220, I bet $130 and have $200 behind. He thinks for 2-3 minutes and then calls -- ok he does not have a made hand and he muttered that he still has outs. KQ, he has to have KQ with Qspades. River offsuit Q for K748Q...um eeeeek! He thinks a minute then checks. I'm hoping if he has KQ I can represent the flush and win -- I bet $209 all in and he folds. He had QT with the Q spades -- drawing completely dead on the turn. That was the only large pot I had played since I sat, noone there really knew my play and he calls all the way with a naked single card 2nd nut flush draw.

Nice.

Only stayed an hour or so after. Roughly 3 hours total, +$250. Mission accomplished.

My First Hit at TITAN

$23 6max sngs played =33
Top 2 finishes 19/33 = 58%
Just finished a streak of 1st, 1st, and 4 seconds = JACKPOT!

Total profit in 33 sngs = $360, jackpot profit = $300.

More importantly, it feels good hitting this small bonus as I knew I could do it. I'll try again at this level as this is a fun diversion, if I hit again I'll move up to the $57s (my normal Party level). I think the best shot at the large jackpot is at the $23 level as the players are terrible.

Best first string is 3 in a row.

Fun.

Titan Jackpot Update

The best streak I've managed so far is 3 straight top 2 finishes and 2 straight firsts. Currently sitting at exactly that situation now for the third time. The good news is that I'm up a couple hundred dollars while playing these $23 sngs. I think I'll stick to these for online play while this promo is on.

What I figure is that is any 6max sng if the field were completely even then, obviously, the change of obtaining top 2 would be 2/6 or 33%. Now, I have a large edge on the field in 6max sngs as they are a specialty of mine. I make top 2 in these over 60%, so far on Titan the percentage being 11/18, or roughly 61%. So, the odds placing top 2 for 6 games in a row would be 0.61 to the 6th power, or roughly a 5% chance. If I can place in top 2 in 70%, which I feel is very realistic on this site at the $23 level, then I have an almost 12% chance or top 2 for 6 games in a row.

Taking the 5% number which translates to 1 in 20, I would on average have to play a series of 6 straight sngs 20 times to win the $300 bonus for placing top 2 for 6 games in a row.

Taking the 12% number, or roughly 1 in 9, I would have to play the series of 6 9 times to win.

Apparently, this would be between 9 and 20 series of 6 sngs, or between 54 and 120 sngs per $300 bonus. In reality, it is likely less sngs as an entire series of 6 is not required for each assessment as one loss will result in a new string of 6 games.

Lets see how it goes. So far 19sngs and no jackpots.

Check This Out, I'm GIDDY...6max sng jackpots on Titan Poker

I was fortunate to be advised about this jackpot.

Goes like this, play $23 6max sngs, place top 2 (3 pay on this site) 6 in a row and $300 bonus. Win 6 in a row and $25k bonus.

Play the $57s and ou get $750 or $100k respectively.

6max sngs are a specialty of mine, so I'm pretty psyched. Winning 6 in a row is not too likely, but placing 6 in a row, well, there's a decent chance.

Starting with the $23s and seeing how I do.

So far played 2, 2nd and 1st.

Obviously, without the jackpot I'm losing money compared to Party on my top 2 places as there is a 3rd place paid, but it'll be fun to try for a while.

Realization That I'm a Very Good Player

So, I was talking to a dealer/friend at an underground club that I frequent 5-10 times a month and we were discussing how much certain players owe on their respective sheets. I for one always play with cash -- I cash in, I cash out. I can't imagine playing with money that I don't have. Anyhow, the amounts that certain players owed in relation to the limits played at this club was, in a word, shocking. I'm still shocked. One player is on the sheet for mid 5 figures over 2 years. Other players appraoching 5 figures for the same period. Shocking.

Anyhow, I also learned that only 4 or 5 players out of the regular pool of 40-50 players are actually winning players. This fits with the 1 in 10 figure normally tossed about, and I know that almost all the players I sit with their are losers, but to hear only a handful of names picked out of the pool really reinforces things. I know I'm a winning player. I know I'm the best player at that club. I only respect the play or 3 other players I have ever played with there. But hearing the cold facts really made me think deeper about the situation.

I had another good month last month, both online and live. For live play, I love the Wed night hi/lo games. I averaged $300 or so a session over the month, but mostly it's a fun game with good people. As for holdem, I had 9/10 winning sessions this past month. The only losing session being a small loss. Online, I've been absolutely crushing the 6max sngs on Party. Last night alone I made $400 in a few hours 2 tabling the $55s. I've come to the point with my live play that for holdem I need to move up limits. Anything under 10 20 is just boring at this point, unless the game is 5 or 6 handed. Hopefully, I will be moving up to 20 40 at Brantford by mid summer. My bankroll is a bit short for an aggressive 20 40 game, so I'll likely wait until I build a bit more before jumping in.

I now solidly believe that I'm one of the few consistant winners out there. I have the confidence to move to 20 40. My weakness continues to be taking losing sessions in stride. My play is never affected while at the table, but I can be upset about a losing session for a day. Obviously, this is not a healthy way to handle something that is inevitable as a poker player, and I'm working on it.

Why I'm A Winning Cash Game Player

I've been playing alot of live cash games lately at underground clubs in the GTA. Playing with the same players night in and out really makes it easy to realize why I am a winning player and others are consistant losers. Lets see how we can categorize the losing players.

1. The Clueless Player. First you have the 50% of players that just don't understand the game -- the math, position, starting hand values, who is in the hand with them, etc. -- they just see K9o at a 10 handed limit holdem table and limp with it UTG, capped back to them and stay in with a non-nut gutshot to the river on a paired flush board.

2. The Tight Preflop Grouch. This player has rigid, inflexible, starting hand requirements. He cannot adjust to a loose table, cannot play 54s for 2 bets with 7 players in the pot, etc. Invariably he raises KK UTG and loses to a flush or a straight when 6 people see the flop on a 568 2 flush board and then bitches for a while about the game being bingo. He then actually tightens up his hand selection even more. He cannot understand why he is a losing player.

3. The Maniacal Gambler. This player always loves to create action, and may actually know how to play well, but cannot ever control himself for an entire session. He may play solid for a few hours here and there, but he always cracks and splashes chips onto everyone's stacks before the night is over.

4. The Player That Continues to Amaze Me (and thank god for him) -- The Tilter, The Steamer. This player actually understands how to play fairly well but cannot ever fathom how a bad player can win a pot against him. He plays AdKd in EP and gets 2 callers, one being a clueless player with 25o. Flop is KsQd5d with a final board of KQ5A5 rainbow and off he goes for a while, completely losing his focus and tilting off chips. I'll often try and nail another bad beat on this player to set him off further or casually mention to 25o how he called all the way within earshot of Mr. AK.

It amazes me. There are usually 2 players at the table who could be winning players if they took their emotions out of the game, but they can't. At some level they must understand that a losing player having a big session is a good thing. You don't win monster pots by rivering a 2 outer without giving it all back in the future. I am never upset seeing a crazy clueless player hitting a huge session, especially in an underground game where he will give it all back the very next session. Sure, it's frustrating at times being down 10-15bb in a given session and seeing a K8o UTG up 50bb, but you have to remember who gave you your bankroll in the first place and that noone wins every session. These players even see me winning a majority of my sessions, see me taking bad beats, see me not being affected by it whatsoever -- but they refuse to apply that same discipline to their game, just as K8o refuses to see the winning players around him and adjust his game at all.

Always thank the poker gods for the emotional tilter, without him you'd have much stiffer competition at the tables.

Finding an Online Niche

Finding the right hole...


Since I've started multitabling it's hard to justify playing much live poker in these parts. I have to drive an hour to play 10 20 LHE or higher with a decent rake. Otherwise I'm playing at some 10 20 club game where they are raking $10+ a pot and I just won't support people fleecing players. Combine that with drive time, wait lists, tipping, etc, etc...you know all the arguments for playing online these days.

So, I've started playing more online. I've played a bit of 10 20 full ring Omaha8 on Party and Pacific and these games are very soft. Mostly I've been playing 6max sngs since the Party upgrade and I am now averaging $40/h playing the $22s through to $55s depending on my mood. The $22s have to be the softest games I've ever seen, with my ITM hovering over 70%. That means every 7 out of 10 games I play at that level I'm finishing first or second. Now, I'm a good player, but the opposition is terrible at that limit to have that great an edge.

The last week or so I've also been playing some HU PLO/PLO8/Stud8 on Absolute Poker. The structure is just perfect for HU play, allowing alot of play but not dragging things on ridiculously long like the same games on Stars or forcing the issue like Paradise. For a fairly small site they really get some frequent Omaha and Stud HU games going at the $20 and $50 levels on there. I have been destroying these games, winning 80% in the past week. There are simply some terrible players playing these variations of poker heads-up on Absolute.

So, with the Party upgrade I am fortunate to have a wide selection of 6 handed sngs to play. I haven't played a single hand of holdem ring online in over a month, it really bores me...although there is obviously money sitting out there to be had.

Online MTTs just aren't something I can focus on. I play one once in a while, but only as a third or fourth table. I understand that these aren't something to gain a steady profit from. Same with the Party Steps tournies...I've yet to money in one, but I haven't invested very much due to the easy recycling structure.

The importance of finding games that interest me and that are profitable has been important in maintaining a focused online game. For now I play whatever I'm in the mood for..HU or 6max sngs. Both have been very profitable so far. I still mix in some live poker, although I've missed a couple of weeks of the Wednesday night hi/lo at The Office -- one of the softest games around. I've been more in the mood for NL tournaments, but have just been playing low limit $50-$75 games lately, mostly just for fun here and there.

Every Wednesday, EVERY WEDNESDAY...yummy fishies

Hi/lo night at the office. Somehow they just manage to keep drawing in worse and worse players. I've not played much live poker as of late, but every Wednesday is a must. I took a couple of months off from this game due to it getting tougher, ending earlier, etc. Then I stop by amonth ago and post a nice win, and the player pool keeps getting better. Amazing.

The game is 4 8 with a 6 12 kill.
The game is a rotation of Stud 8 with a spit and Omaha 8.
The game has forced betting in each round.
The game is the definition of fish in a barrel.
The game, I wish it were 15 30.

This doesn't mean that every session is a winning one, but most are.

Last 4 weeks ; +$475, -$370, +$300, +$300. All sessions roughly 6-7 hours except for a marathon trying-to-get-even--when-down-$400-3-handed-against-two-donks session that didn't get me anywhere but stuck the same amount. I would play this game 5 nights a week if it ran. I'd make a grand a week playing this game, it's so sweet. Although, the players would die out faster so I should be happy with it for what it is.

There's no question that stud8/O8 and limit holdem are my best games. There is reportedly a 15 30 stud8/O8 that runs every Tuesday at another club a few more winning sessions and I might take a shot.

As for online, just playing a bit here and there. My Party account is still on hold and that's my main plan for a cash game site, so things are on delay. I found some some 5 10 and 10 20 games on Pacific that I've been playing here and there. I played a few MTTs for fun on Stars a week or 2 ago and monied a few times, often just a beat away from a top 5 chance, but nothing big of which to speak.

A friend of mine has qualified for both the PPM and the European World Series on Party, pretty sweet.

So, my goal now is basically to keep it fun, play every Wednesday for some profit, play a few small <$100 buy-in tournies here and there for a decent overlay and find some decent 10 20 LHE games around my area (which isn't easy). Also, get my Party account up and running for some multitabling 5 10 and 10 20 cash games.

An interesting team event is coming up on Saturday, the Royal Cup. Basically, a small buy-in team points event over the course of an entire 12h day. Should be fun if not very profitable (if team Toronto wins I'll get something like $200 or so). I'll be playing a PLO tourny, a LHE tourny, a NLHE tourny and a HU elimination tourny all in a day...wow.

A New Day, Online Poker Revelations and A Simple Statement That Has Changed My Outlook

I've had an epiphany.

I've found what I've been looking for online after several months of experimenting.

Multitabling has made things clear for my success in online play. I can now play games that individually were boring or not worth the time investment for the likely return. I can play $20 MTT tournaments without cracking from boredom and donking out 3 hours into the game. I can play full table ring games without lowering my starting hand requirements out of sheer boredom. How? Multitabling.

Multitabling -- playing one MTT and one or two full table ring games. Disasterous individually, but they taste great together.

MTTs are about volume. Being a very good player and investing in enough games that your edge breaks through the high variance. Multitabling allows for the investment of time.

I've been getting deep in many MTTs lately, mostly Omaha games and smaller field rebuy events on Stars. A few bad beats late in the game here and there have kept me out of the top 9 a few times. I'll be taking a shot at these on a regular basis now with a soft 5 10 or 10 20 O8 game on Pacific or Party going on the side.

Last night Stars Limit Holdem $11+R, 216 players. I finish 7th, not great but certainly not bad. I'm only a bad beat away from an average stack and shooting for the top 3. Out on QQ vs chip leader's 87o...meh.

At the same time I made $150-$200 in a few hours of a soft 5 10 O8 game.

I won't be posting results on here anymore, it's too tedious. I'll be investing a higher %age of my bankroll into MTTs while grinding away at 5 10 or 10 20 full ring games.
Stars will be strictly for MTTs (mostly rebuys and possibly deepstacks to start out) and the odd SNG. I am Ruberman, watch for me at some Final Tables.

Paradise strictly for small field Omaha events, especially the rebuys. I am Rubermann.

Party and Pacific will be almost exclusively for full ring games, no screenames provided :)

This Blog will be more strategies and observations from now on. Postings will be less frequent but more interesting and in depth.

All along I've been looking for the answer as to what is more profitable live or online poker. I was talking to one of my affiliates and asking him what he plays and what he likes and he simply stated,"I like both B&M and Online games".

A simple statement, but it made me realize that I should just play what I feel like playing on a given day/night.
I like both.

My Return To Brick and Mortar Play

I wrote a long post that got deleted.

In summary, Wed night I played at the best table in my poker life. I need to make the effort to play live games and to waste less time playing anything but 1 table sngs and Party cash games online.

B&M O8/Stud8 MTD +$465, YTD
B&M LHE Cash MTD , YTD

Online HU MTT (all games) MTD -$33, YTD
Online HU Matches (all games) MTD -$56, YTD

Online MTT MTD -$120, YTD
Online MTT SATs MTD -$39, YTD

Online Stud8 SNGs, MTD -$8, YTD
Online PLOmaha8 SNGs MTD +$78, YTD

Online 5&6 handed NLHE SNGS MTD +$26, YTD
Online 9 handed NLHE SNGS MTD +$223, YTD

Online shO8 MTD +$17, YTD
Online LHEsh MTD -$435, YTD


Rakeback $21US
Bonus $90US

Online MTD -$219US ~~~~ YTD
Live MTD +$465CDN ~~~~ YTD

The Weakest Part of My Online Game

I'd have to say that the weakest part of my game involves playing when I don't really feel like it. This is especially true for MTTs. Sometimes I will register to play a game I really like, say PLO8 + Rebuys. I forget that these games take hours to play and by the time I'm an hour in I feel like I want to be doing something else.

I did the same thing last night multitabling $20 hu sngs. I won a PLO8 in 10mins, then pulled up another along with the original stud8 I was playing. Ended up losing the 2ng PLO8, which was fine, but then the Stud 8 was up to 1.5h and I had other things to do so I pushed and lost.

This doesn't tend to happen too often live. In general if you drive to a game you mostly feel like playing. Although there are exceptions, like the Westside TOC.

Next month I'll be making a playing schedule, mostly 3 6 or 5 10 multitabling on Party with a few sessions for sngs, etc. This will likely help with the above.

Anyhow, $11 PLO8+R on Stars this AM. I wemt in with the intention of gambling early to amass some chips. Well, that didn't work and before I know it I'm in for 4 rebuys and an add-on. Hand't played an Omaha rebuy for a while. The best strategy for these isn't actually to gamble early, but to pick-off the gamblers and play tight. Well, NOW I remember. So, I'm in for $61 with an average stack at the break. I'm playing tight and aggressive after the break, not getting much to play at all.

I make it to 23/113 and bust to a 2 outer for a scoop on the river...not going well in these lately, first was 1.2k, 18 places paid, but I wanted top 3 and was wayyyyyy down. Lose to a 20:1 shot to double through, great.

I was bored during this game because I didn't feel like playing 45mins in, so I opened up a $52 HU PLO8 that I also didn't have the patience for, -$52.

So, like I said, I really have to work on this situation for next month. I think it will be better playing a regular schedule of cash games and mixing in some live play.

B&M O8/Stud8 MTD , YTD
B&M LHE Cash MTD , YTD

Online HU MTT (all games) MTD -$33, YTD
Online HU Matches (all games) MTD -$56, YTD

Online MTT MTD -$137, YTD
Online MTT SATs MTD -$39, YTD

Online Stud8 SNGs, MTD +$8, YTD
Online Omaha8 SNGs MTD +$102, YTD

Online 5&6 handed NLHE SNGS MTD +$49, YTD
Online 9 handed NLHE SNGS MTD +$215, YTD

Online shO8 MTD +$11, YTD
Online LHEsh MTD -$435, YTD


Rakeback $21US
Bonus $90US

Online MTD -$187US ~~~~ YTD

Multitabling HU, First Try

Played some HU $50s on Stars last night. PLO8, win. NLH, lose (2200 to 800 I call all-in with AJ and lose to Q2 on QQ4 flop and it gets worse from there).

This morning decided to drop to the $20s and try 3 tabling. Played 2 stud8 and a PLO8. WOn the PLO8 in 20-30mins, won the first stud 8 in 50mins, won the 3rd in 1h20mins (opponent left when I was ahead). I don't think there is any way I can play more than 3 tables HU, 3 was nerve wracking. Since the action is always on you, you are constantly being prompted and have to click the buttons multiple times for it to register. 2 isn't bad at all. Having a PL game in there makes it a bit more complicated. Going 3 for 3 isn't a bad feeling though. +$57.

Right now, just trying new things until I get my Party account. I also find that mixing up my games makes me play better than grinding at one game. Haven't put in too many hours this month, but am happy with my new findings, mostly multitabling. Trying all these new things I'm even for the month, which isn't bad for experimenting.

Played a limit O8 MTT on Stars. I really don't like limit much, the rebuys are OK because you get 5k in chips with the rebuy and addon, but really these are kinda card-catching contests with only 1500 chips to move around.

Had maybe 4 playable hands all game, finished 34/216...no money.

B&M O8/Stud8 MTD , YTD
B&M LHE Cash MTD , YTD

Online HU MTT (all games) MTD -$33, YTD
Online HU Matches (all games) MTD -$4, YTD

Online MTTs MTD -$49, YTD
Online MTT SATs MTD -$39, YTD

Online Stud8 SNGs, MTD +$8, YTD
Online Omaha8 SNGs MTD +$98, YTD

Online 6 handed NLHE SNGS MTD +$10, YTD
Online 9 handed NLHE SNGS MTD +$215, YTD

Online shO8 MTD +$11, YTD
Online LHEsh MTD -$435, YTD


Rakeback $21US
Bonus $90US

Online MTD -$90US ~~~~ YTD
Live MTD ~~~~ YTD

HiLo Games Online

Since I can't open another Party account until Feb, I've just been playing hi/lo games here and there. Last night got 10th/234 in the $5.50+R Omaha8 on Stars. Suffered a horrible beat that decimated me, otherwise could have gotten top 3, first was $850, I won $37...yay. Frustrating playing 4 hours and losing HU with an ace in your hand all-in on AAJ flop and JT beats you.

I enjoy playing hi/lo MTTs online much more than playing NLHE MTTs.

Played a Stud8 sng, 2 tabled O8PL sngs and got 1st and 3rd. I think O8 is the easiest game to multitable because in general it's just a game of cards and math, not much reading involved at least in the early stages of games.

The weekends seem great for the $35 PLO8 sngs on Stars, other times it would be tough to find enough games to 2 table them.

Tonight I may play the $39 qualifier to the Stud 8 $215 late tonight. Well, didn't catch one hand and was out pretty early.


B&M O8/Stud8 MTD , YTD
B&M LHE Cash MTD , YTD

Online HU MTT (all games) MTD -$33, YTD
Online HU Matches (all games) MTD -$17, YTD

Online MTTs MTD -$27, YTD
Online MTT SATs MTD -$39, YTD

Online Stud8 SNGs, MTD +$8, YTD
Online Omaha8 SNGs MTD +$98, YTD

Online 6 handed NLHE SNGS MTD +$10, YTD
Online 9 handed NLHE SNGS MTD +$215, YTD

Online shO8 MTD +$11, YTD
Online LHEsh MTD -$435, YTD


Rakeback $21US
Bonus $90US

Online MTD -$81US ~~~~ YTD
Live MTD ~~~~ YTD

Will Be Taking A Break Until Feb....Getting Things All Set

It turns out that multitabling elsewhere just isn't the same as multitabling at Party...game selection, poor players, you can't ask for more in a cash game. I had to shut down my Party account to get things set up for a new affiliate deal. So, I have to wait until Feb to play again on Party. Just going to play some low limit HU MTTs and maybe some LHE/O8 here and there until things start up again in Feb.

Multitabling on Party will be very profitable starting in Feb, can't wait. My goal will be 3-tabling 3 6 to 5 10 6max tables 20-30h/month.

Not a great day, lost a $33 O8 MTT with middle set and nut flush draw vs top set. Got 2 thirds in $38 6handed sngs when all in with the best hands.

Getting tired of killing time, losing $20 here, $30 there...just waiting to try out multitabling at Party. So, I decided to just play with my FPPs on Stars. Played a 9-handed satellite to the Sunday $215 and won...maybe I'll try another.

B&M O8/Stud8 MTD , YTD
B&M LHE Cash MTD , YTD

Online HU MTT MTD -$33, YTD
Online HU Matches (all games), MTD -$12, YTD

Online MTTs MTD +$17, YTD

Online Stud8 SNGs, MTD +$8, YTD

Online shO8 MTD -$19, YTD
Online LHEsh MTD -$435, YTD
Online 9 handed NLHE SNGS MTD +$215, YTD
Online 6 handed NLHE SNGS MTD -$42US, YTD
2Tabling 6 handed NLHE SNGS MTD +$52US, YTD

Rakeback $21US
Bonus $90US

Online MTD -$137US ~~~~ YTD
Live MTD ~~~~ YTD

My First Attempt At Ring Multitabling -- 3 6 6max Party

I dropped down to 3 6 6 max on Party for a couple of hours tonight to try multitabling cash games. This is actually quite easy in comparison to 2tabling 6max sngs. I don't feel like I lose much of anything at this level playing 3 tables at once, although I can't identify a tough table quite as readily. So, a rule of thumb will be if I am down more than 10bb at a given table after an hour then I move to another one -- unless the table is especially soft. I think that playing a few tables actually decreases any slight tilt I may experience at times and allows me to dump more marginal hands preflop.

Overall, I was up 17bb after 2 hours, or roughly 3bb/table/hour. I am going to try this out for 100 hours or so and go from there, the goal being to multi at 5 10 then sometime in the future up at 10 20.

Another 1.5h, 3 table session, +12bb or + 2.5bb/table/h, not bad.

I've already produced almost $700 in rake in 40h of play, that's $140-$210 I would get back with a rakeback, maybe I'll try out Eurobet on the pokerroom network. If I play ring online fulltime I'll be missing out on $700-$1k a month without rakeback.

Obviously my online game is in some flux right now, I know I can beat up to 5 10 on a regular basis, but I think multitabling may be the answer to finding a higher win rate and decreasing variance at shorthanded tables. Have to see how it goes.

Ideally, I'd be playing 10 20 or 15 30 live 30 hours a week, but right now geography is quite an impedment. So, I'm spending some time spinning my wheels online to find my niche.

I did play about 2 rounds of a full 5 10 as one of my 3 tables. God, you'd have to shoot me and prop me up in the chair for me to withstand the boredom of online 10 handed play.

B&M O8/Stud8 MTD = , YTD =
B&M LHE Cash MTD =, YTD =

Online shO8 MTD = -$5
Online LHEsh MTD =-$435, YTD =
Online 9 handed NLHE SNGS MTD =, YTD =
Online 6 handed NLHE SNGS MTD = -$44US, YTD =
2Tabling 6 handed NLHE SNGS MTD =+$52US, YTD =

Rakeback = $21US
Bonus = $80US

Online MTD = -$331US ~~~~ YTD =
Live MTD = ~~~~ YTD =

3 6 / 5 10/ 10 20 6max

Not much of a day, basically didn't hit a hand in 2 hours playing 3 6 and lost $140 or so. Same thing at Party 5 10. Then I decided to check out the 10 20 6max, just curious if the players are any better as you move up on Party. The table was extremely passive and there was one player who was the worst literally the worst player I've ever seen anywhere, at any limit, anytime. He played EVERY hand, never raised preflop and called to the river with any piece or any piece of a draw, or ten high:). Unfortunately I only caught one hand against him, but he went through $1000 in an hour on autocall. The table quickly broke after he left. I hit 2 hands early and was up $200 in 10 mins. Then a series of unsuited hands not exceeding 6hi and the blinds ground me down to +$40, won a pot against the worst player on earth, got up $150 in an hour and then it broke. As far as I can tell from that table, the play isn't any better than at 5 10. Been running cold for 2 days, down $100 or so today, but happy with trying the 10 20 game. I am considering some full table 10 20 or 15 30 at Party. If they are populated with these same players the decreased variance could make them more of a consistant profit.

An experiment in maniacal play. I wanted to see how players would adjust to me raising every hand at 5 10, well it turns out that they just play the same as always, noone has the guts to reraise, etc...but they just call down with anything. I lost 50bb trying this out, but it was something I needed to do to tweak my sh game. Up to 10 20 from now on and see how it goes.

Played an hour on 10 20 sh on sunpoker, won my biggest pot online ever $467 -- maniac to my R raises, I reraise JJ, tight SB player caps -- ok he has AK AA or KK, BB calls the cap cold. Flop J45 with 2 clubs, fireworks ensue and my hand holds. Button had AA, BB had 99 and called bets and raises all the way on a J45T7 board. OK, so there are fish at every limit online, sweet.

+$222 for the hour, I think I'm ready for this now. Can have some huge swings in these games, but have to see how it goes. So far this month I'm up $375 playing 10 20 and now back to even overall. If it turns out that I can't beat the 10 20 game I'm going to switch back to live poker. If I'm not beating 10 20 online then I need to find something else because lower limits have become too much of a grind. My goal is to be making $40-50/h or so playing online by the summer, so have to see how it goes. I think these 1020s are beatable for 2-4bb/h if I play focused. I'm going to stick to SunPoker for now and see if I can play with the same players on a smaller site to gain a further edge. Rakeback is nice as well.

Surprisingly I find that sitting back and waiting for a hand against the ever present maniac in shorthanded mid-limit games works quite well. There's a fine line between good aggressive play and raising 95o UTG and betting through regardless of the players in the hand. Some players, it seems, just can't shut off the run-over-the-table attitude on any given hand. Sometimes it's best to counter aggression with tight play.

B&M O8/Stud8 MTD = , YTD =
B&M LHE Cash MTD =, YTD =

Online LHEsh MTD =-$468, YTD =
Online 9 handed NLHE SNGS MTD =, YTD =
Online 6 handed NLHE SNGS MTD = +$32US, YTD =
2Tabling 6 handed NLHE SNGS MTD =+$52US, YTD =

Rakeback = $13US
Bonus = $80US

Online MTD = -$291US ~~~~ YTD =
Live MTD = ~~~~ YTD =

Table Selection Online

Often overlooked online, but you have so many tables of a given limit to play online that you should do your best to find a table that fits your game. Short-handed I generally prefer a passive table with maybe 1 aggressive maniac to bet my made hands for me. I think it's best not just to look at the numbers for a table before sitting, but to sit out the first 2 rounds and see what you think of the dynamics of the table. Of course, I didn't do any of this today and sat down at a surprisingly tough 5 10 6max table at Party where preflop there was alot of raising and 3 betting. This type of table can be very tough with unknown players when you first sit. I quickly lost $44 and sat elsewhere. I actually didn't feel much like playing 5 10 so I went over to SunPoker for some 3 6 and there were no games, so I sat at a great 2 4 table (I don't think there are any bad 2 4 tables anywhere, ever) and was quickly down $50 again -- after 1.5h I was up $74, then took some awful beats with AA and KK and quit even for the morning. Was really just killing some time before the gym.

Hmmm, I seem to have more terrible sessions at 2 4 than anywhere else, -$70, Also lost $35 after an hour and a half on Party tonight, they can't all be winning sessions. No tilt, no poor play, just didn't hit anything and it adds up.

B&M O8/Stud8 MTD = , YTD =
B&M LHE Cash MTD =, YTD =

Online LHEsh MTD =+$187, YTD =
Online 9 handed NLHE SNGS MTD =, YTD =
Online 6 handed NLHE SNGS MTD = +$32US, YTD =
2Tabling 6 handed NLHE SNGS MTD =+$52US, YTD =

Rakeback = $13US
Bonus = $80US

Online MTD = +$364US ~~~~ YTD =
Live MTD = ~~~~ YTD =