It's been awhile

... since my last post on here. I've been busy updating my WSOP blog and other blog, so I haven't had much time for this one.

Last month was a slow grind for a small loss, I hate those months but they're inevitable for a player of my rank, so I can deal with it. This month I've hardly played online at all due to time constraints, so I'll get back on that this week so I can maintain GoldStar on Stars.

I've also decided to start playing live at least once a week at Canterbury, as I believe it's an untapped gold mine and I just need to make myself go there. Of course it's only a gold mine if I continually remember who I've played with and go there with a clear mind, which hasn't always been the case and the results have shown.

So yesterday after coming back from Madison, I decided to play a few hours. I put my name on the 6-12 and 8-16 and would play whichever opened up first. 6-12 opened up after about 20 minutes and I sat down and posted immediately 2 off the button. I picked up 7c 6d and it was raised and coldcalled before me. I threw in the other 6, the button big blind called. Flop came Ac Kc 9c and the initial raiser bet out. With the size of the pot and my chances that another club would give me a winner, I called with the intention of folding to a raise or if I had other callers behind me likely to have a higher club if the flush came. Only the button called. The turn was the 5c, the initial raiser checked, I checked, and the button checked. At this point I was pretty sure I had a winner and would be called on the river. The river was a good card for me, the 2c, so if I bet someone might call me to play the board, hoping I was bluffing. The initial raiser checked, I bet, the button folded, and the initial raiser called and declared he played the board, and my hand was good.

I ran good until I was up about 270, and then it went bad, basically two hands I had an overpair and was turned twice by having the low card on the flop pair making someone trips. It sucks at the time, but it's good to know that they'll do that. I ended up $22 after two hours and quit as I was extremely tired and had work today, but it's a good start to hopefully a strong finish to the end of the year.

Someday I'll keep my bankroll

I can't even remember what percentage of my bankroll I wanted to have in tact by the end of the year, but I'm not going to come close at all. I've got about 8% still in play, which really pisses me off... I'm going to work on that. Too much leisure spending leaves me fluctuating to points where I have to turn in my loose change some days. One day these days will have passed.

A blogger tournament eh?

I have registered to play in the PokerStars World Blogger Championship of Online Poker!

This Online Poker Tournament is a No Limit Texas Holdem event exclusive to Bloggers.

Registration code: 9283627

Peaking

It's always nice after that win that puts you at your peak for the year.

So I somehow placed in the top 5 of a 1237 player freeroll on Stars to go to the WSOP. I don't think it will fully hit me until I'm playing 7999 others in Las Vegas for 80 million. I'm gonna enjoy the ride, regardless of the outcome.

So tonight I was in a PLO rebuy tournament and decided to go balls out to try to win it or bust. I went from chip leader to short stack a few times, including at the final table. It was interesting to read the chat that others put in because I was doing the most raising by far and pushing my small edges to put uncomfortable pressure on everyone else. I finally ended up 7th, and I'm satisfied because I stuck to my "go for it all" mentality through all the ups and downs. I'm convinced that you'll win more tournaments like this than sitting back and hoping to get those best hands at the final table with no aggression without the nuts. If I wanted to slide up and get 3rd or 4th I could have, but tonight I decided to take a shot, and I missed (winning it all).

YTD: +$9844.61

A Rocky May

A lot of ups and down this month, with an overall booking of a little more than $600. I must admit that I didn't play nearly as much as I should have, which hurts me in keeping sharp and more hours equal more money in the long run. I can't complain about it though as it keeps me above the yearly pace. I plan to achieve GoldStar again on Stars, which I didn't make this month; I barely made it to half the required hands. Hmm, how about a goal for next month, $50 a day = $1500 month. I don't usually do this but I'd like to keep pace. We'll see what happens.

YTD: +$7555.01

After another downswing, another upswing

This upswing has been fueled by consistent tournament results. Sunday I took 3rd/1735 players in NLHE, Tuesday I took 2nd/389 players in PLO, and tonight I took 4th/941 in NLHE shootout. They were low buy-ins, but to finish that well so consistently helps the poker morale. Let's keep this upswing on the up.

YTD: +$7448.16

Played well, pissed off, but untilted

I had a great session. My percentages just didn't come in. I can only think of one mistake that cost about $16. Other than that, a lot of all-ins on the flop where I had about an 80/20 advantage but lost to runner runners in big pots. Damn it I hate days like this! But at least I quit when I realized today wasn't my day and tomorrow can change things. Good job, but damn it I'm pissed off right now. Time to kill some anger with a workout...

YTD: +$7191.58