Day 13: Insert that wah-wah noise from the Brady Bunch

I’ll be honest, I don’t know why I’m blogging.  I don’t have a goal.  I don’t think anyone is going to find my stupid stories very interesting.  Really, I had just started collecting screenshots of hands and I felt like this was a good way to organize them.  It also lends some credibility to the stories I tell the guys at work.  “No really, you don’t believe that it happened like that, let me show you!”  I know that sometimes when you tell your bad beat stories, other players are thinking “that’s what bad players tell themselves”.  And certainly there’s some truth to that.  I’m working hard to be honest with myself about where my shortcomings are.  All that said, I’m a little surprised and kind of pleased that a few people have somehow stumbled upon this blog and seen fit to comment.  Thanks, guys.  I have 2 favors to ask:

1) Please be nice.  Please don’t find me online and target me.  I play really low stakes, there’s no good reason to come and take my $5.  If we just end up at the same table, that’s one thing.  Just please don’t go after me.

2) I’d take any advice you are willing to give.  If I don’t say how I played a hand wrong, please tell me.  I have no illusions of being a very good player, but I want to be.  I’d relish some good advice.

Cash Game vs. Tournament Play

I can’t decide how I feel.  Yesterday I had a great day on the cash tables.  Today they have totally eaten me alive.  I can’t seem to make a good play.  I’m playing as tight as I know how, but it doesn’t seem to be working.  Just for an illustration here are some examples of my play:

I’m in late position and get JJ.  I raise the 2 limpers to 5 times the big blind.  The BB and the limpers all call.  The flop has an ace and a queen in it.  One player bets, one fold and another calls ahead of me.  I fold.
I get AK suited in the BB.  There are 2 limpers in the pot.  I raise to 3 times the BB.  Both fold.
I hold JT suited, the flop comes up 9QK rainbow.  First to act checks, I make a value bet of 1/3 of the pot, trying to represent middle pair or a drawing hand.  Everyone folds.
I have AT suited on the button and there was a 3 times raise ahead of me.  I call to see the flop.  There are 2 to my suit on the flop.  The pre-flop raiser bets out half the pot.  Now what should I do?  I raise to the full pot.  “Stay aggressive” says the voice in my head).  He calls.  The turn doesn’t help either of us, he bets half the pot again.  Now what?  Now I hear another voice in my head (how many people are up there?) saying, “Don’t chase.”  I fold.

So, what I can’t decide is whether I like these cash games.  They are so unpredicatable for me.  I know I’m not supposed to be “results oriented” and that the odds are supposed to catch up to me in the end, but it hurts.  It is only $5 here or there and I can certainly afford it.  It isn’t the money as much as the pride.  I really don’t know whether I’m any good at this game.

I’m thinking that maybe I should stick to sit n’ gos.  They are a bit less lucrative for me, but I enjoy them almost every time, whether I’m winning or not.  I enjoy the cash games, when I’m winning.  I play poker for the entertainment factor so shouldn’t I stick to what I enjoy?

AA vs. KK

Not sure how to play this hand.  The player UTG bets .25.  This is his standard raise.  He has made this raise multiple times.  When someone re-raises him, he almost always re-raises back, usually something high for the stakes like $1.50.  I love the way this guy plays.  It is very intimidating.  I haven’t seen him show down a hand yet.  I wish I had the guts to play like that.  I assume he hasn’t been dealt AA, KK, QQ or AK every one of the 4 or 5 times I’ve seen him do this.  So here I am, I have KK and the .25 raise in front of me.  I go ahead and make a raise, expecting his aggressive re-raise.  I want it.  I raise to $1.  Everyone folds out of our way and it comes around to him.  I might mention that I don’t think I have a very good image at this table.  I have unfortunately shown down some bad hands, mostly winning, but hands I shouldn’t have played.  My friend raises to $2.50.  Now I have a decision.  This is bigger than his normal over the top raise.  I’ve only got $4.50 left on the table.  There’s only one hand I fear, but I do fear it.  Does he have them?

I didn’t think long about it.  Not long enough, because I chose to go all-in.  He called and turned over the aces.

Because the game hates me today, the flop comes up Kxx.  I get new hope for the 3 seconds until the turn comes up A.

Is this a forgivable mistake or is this just downright bad play by me?  I can’t decide.

I’ve erased all of the progress I’ve made rebuilding my bankroll from yesterday and then some.  I’m tilting.  Time to take a break.  I’m not sure I should play again today.  Maybe I should even take a day off.  What would I do with my time?  Just watch American Idol without the laptop?  I can’t imagine.