A Bitter End to My Summer

My Summer I believe ends around Sept 5. I will leave for California and Oregon with the family tomorrow around 5:30 a.m. to BWI airport (2.5 hours away Jesus...) and then be on a lovely 6 hour flight at least after waiting in the airport for like another 1.5 hours. In other words, tomorrow will feel like fucking shit. I'm so fucking pissed that I will be on a three week trip. I will not give my parents shit just because there's no point, tho to be honest, I'm very upset the trip is 3 weeks and that the plane does not come out of Dulles (25 mins from my house), but is at BWI and it will make the trip very excrutiatingly long. I will have to charge all of my entertainment/communication devices (Ipod, cell phone, and PSP) and make sure to bring all of the necessary accessories for them. I just hope I can be entertained, though I am excited about going to see Yosemite and going to the beach; those things should be okay.

While I'm out there, perhaps I'll look for a poker game. The problem is my parents almsot never have much cash and I'm not bringing like $1200 on this damn trip, so it probably won't be a serious game neway :-( I RELE wunna play badly. On a side note, I'll have to renew my CR membership. I'll probably renew it for a few more months and see if I rele wunt it nemore; it mite just be spewing money until I start playing online again. I'm thinking I might get some more money online MAYBE tonite before I leave!? That would make me sick happy. I'd prob stay up all night after I get home from playins ome bball tonite (around 9:30), finish packing until like 10:15, then play online poker like 5 hours straight after that hahah (maybe enough time for an MTT... hmm). Wish me luck on getting $$ tonite. If I play, I unfortunately won't have PT running, however, I will post hh using pokerhand.org and will go through thought processes. If I don't get money online tonight, this will probably be my last post for 3 weeks (and for that matter last time with computer access for a long time!!). Wish me luck on my trip hopefully I'll bring back an interesting story...

Standard Day and Movie Reviews

Today was a pretty norm summer day. Woke up around 11:00, went out to lunch at the Whole Foods Buffet. It is actually delicious and you get amazing value. Tons of food variety and something for everyone- i wuz quite impressed. A bit later played some bball- played well first 3 games and had some bad passes the 4th game, but still had 3 baskets but w/e. Last nite, saw Chuck and Larry. It was very funny, and tho there was a barage of similar gay jokes (which were all funny), they also had some other variety of jokes. I have yet to see a bad Adam Sandler movie... Anyway I remember what the 5th movie i saw in Kansas was- Munich. Very solid movie, and being Jewish, it had a bit more of an impact on me. The acters were solid, especially the main character (whose real name I cannot think of) who played a convincing Israeli. Daniel Craig to mys urprise was in the movie, and played his role very well. The action was good and the story was pretty compelling and somber.

I plan on playing some online soon but I will have to check with my friend. I will set up a staking session soon and see how I do. I think that I will donate 25% of my profits to charity, and I will hopefully build a big enough roll being staked to play on my own (no less than 30 BI or VERY VERY RESPONSIBLE shot taking). I will use this roll to play occasionally through college, hopefully with PAHUD and PT, but will have to arrange for those to be purchased. It is coming time to renew my Cardrunners subscription, which I am more than happy to do. I think I've been a member for 9 months, and I think I've improved a decent amount, probably over the long run to vastly multiply the money I've spent on the subscription. I'm sure there is some more I can learn from CR, and even though I don't particularly like MTT play or watching the vids of them, the pros they have are solid and that's probably the weakest part of my game. I'd say my cash game strategy is pretty solid now. I think my main leaks last time were that I would play too much small ball. I would reraise a lot and ALWAYS cbet the flop, but I would rarely two-barrel bluff and I would end up checking behind a lot on the turn with hands like top pair with some straight draws out there, and then maybe paying off if I hit. After realizing that tho, I think I've been playing great. I will make sure that I'm a bit more aggressive and force my opponents a bit more to a decision. My goal is to build an image where I can get paid off a lot while seeming like a LAGtard, often 3betting, but really I'll be playing very solid. As long as I can foster the reverse image of how im playing, coupled with some good game selection and only 4 tabling or less, I think I should be good. I don't particularly feel like playing HU, even tho it is probably my strongest game. I'm going to rework my 6max a bit, but I'll probably play 2 tables of HU and 2 tables of 6max at the same time, trying to of course avoid the regs. Updates soon to come, hopefully with favorable news and my results. I will probably have to reinstall PT soon- sending them an email asking for my confirmation code again to activate it because I think I lost it.

Back From Kansas

Whew, it's great to be back home. I had fun staying with an old friend, but was definitely looking forward to continue breaking in my somewhat new car again and bein on my comp, checkin blogs and CR vids, etc. Saw a lot of movies, none of which were bad. I'll start with my fav movies I saw and work downwards: Harry Potter #5, Thank You for Smoking, Harry Potter #4, The Departed, and I'm probably missing another movie but w/e. Harry Potter #5 was best Potter movie since first one. It got rite to the point and I do like the more mature theme the series has adapted. Thank You for Smoking was a very unique and interesting movie, filmed from a very unique perspective. It was an interesting and unique movie, and I hope more movies are made as sort of documentaries with fictional characters but realistic events. I also purchased the new and last :-( Harry Potter book that will ever be published. I read it in two days, 1/3 of which on my 2.5 hour plane ride. I'd say that tied for the best Harry Potter book to date, with #5, imo. The end (hopefully this doesn't spoil it) had closure, which I thought was crucial since obviously there would be no more Harry Potter books after this one. I'm a big fan of the movies and the books, though by no means do I obsess about it. 98% of the people I saw at borders looked Batshit crazy; 30% pedofiles, 65% of weird pale kids dressed up in costumes, and the other 5% normal people who didn't wear suspenders and other nerd attire. Very good book and entertaining for the plane, cannot wait for the next two movies. I'm pretty sure they will have the most action, and probably the most engaging plot twists to date.

On the brief poker note- played a bit in Kansas, tought my friend the basics (mainly raising ranges and bet sizes), which has helped his game drastically but he still has much to learn. I unfortunately only played a bit live for money that I could give a shit less about. I'm itching for the live game and hoping it comes soon.

Kansas Visit

I am visiting kansas tomorrow... will wake up tomorrow at 4am!!! Flying in to Kansas from Dulles International Airport- Luckily 20 mins from where I live or so. Flight is like at 8 a.m. I personally HATE airline travel and I get mad Jetlag, but will be entertained with my video ipod enough (~3 hour flight or so) I don't need to take the PSP just another thing to worry about TBH and I'm not rele enjoying it so far because I just have two games that are mediocre. When I get back I'll find a source of income then buy some more. Neway, staying with a friend for a week in Kansas- should be very fun. Video games, poker, seeing other old friends, chess, movies, and lots of fine dining are mainly what the trip will consist of. I'm looking forward to actually getting there, but not the travelling since I know it will suck. Probably won't update for another week or so, but we'll c. If I go to a poker game or something I will make sure to update. I know the travelling for this trip definitely won't suck close to as much as the one for my Oregon and California trip- like 3 hour communite to BWI Airport (to fly Southwest and because fares cheaper), as well as like 6 hour flight! Holy shit! Yea...should suck. Pce out guys

Freaking Crap

Yea, I lost my glorious $42 or so. I love it when people call all ins on A K high in TOURNEYS without getting odds or being pot committed (I stop n Goed in $22 SNG with 89dd on JTxdd flop and got called by AKcc, and of course, BRICK OUT)!!! I'm so frustrated with this low limit bullshit I can't wait to play higher- it's fun just to satisfy the desire to play, but at the same time, not winning but making the correct plays is ridiculously frustrating. Poker is a stupid game, and I run like SHTTTT. I'll play bball later and try to talk to my friend about the live game or playing online. TBH, part of the reason to play is to actually have something exciting to talk about in my blog LOL. That's like 7% of it tho- the other 43% of me wants to gamble and the other 50% wants to win some $$ for food and entertainment the rest of the summer.

Shippp it!

I love Rakeback :) I just got my free $44 from last month yay :) I'm ready to grind the $.05/.$10 and will move up to take a shot at the $.10/$.25 tables when I have a roll of ~$250 by 4-6 tabling with 50BB. Should be fun. Looking forward to grinding it actually should be fun b/c I haven't played in forever! Wish me luck in my GAMBOOOLS I'm too lazy to reinstall PT now.

Late Night Chillin

Got bak from a friend's live home game for the $10 buyin $.10/$.20. After a bit of play, a friend in the game wants to raise the stakes to $.25/.50, yet nobody buys in for more except for me. I get quite frustrated but go along, as everyone has like 20BB effective except for me with like 90BB. It's fun to have more play in even somewhat late stages in MTTs than a shorthanded cash game lol. Neway, was $40 winner on the night. Played very solid and was on my game, going with my reads. Did not actually have a legit hand really all night!! Best hand 99, then 88, then AK. Played from 9-11:30, so yea, 3.5 hours, 3 good raising hands is pretty sick. Neway, played well. Bluffed TONS but in great spots. At this game, I know for sure I'm getting looked up on the flop by a wide range (gutshot+ c/c a flop bet), so I have to be willing to fire two or 3 barrels for the most part. I did maximize on when my opponents were bluffing. One hand was vs the guy that hit the OESD vs my top set the other home game for $100 pot was I opened AK, he flats from blinds. He donks A93 rainbow flop for $4 into a $2? , I think and call. Turn is T. No FDs. He quickly bets $5 into the $10. River is 7, he shoves for the rest (probably like $4 at most) and I snapcall obv. He instamucks his hand- I don't see what hand I call with on the flop and turn that I fold on the river getting like 5:1 odds? Obviously this game is good and people have yet to understand the fine nuances of bluffing, such as actually having a decent stacksize with a story that adds up and betting a completely blank river for no reason when I've flatcalled two streets lol. So yea, definitely in this game READS ARE EVERYTHING. It's not so much putting people on ranges, so much as knowing how much they bet, how quickly, how deliberately they put chips into the pot, timing, cbetting %, and pretty much AF. I tend to play TONS of hands because I have good knowledge of these things of all my opponents at this game, and can exploit them when they miss the flop either by floating or raising the flop with air. Either way, I pick my situations amazingly and quickly TBH, and if I could honestly get these detailed reads on all players I played with online and live I would be honestly unstoppable. It's so sick how I get few good hands whatsoever, yet can play perfectly knowing my opponents' cards, not my own. As long as I can avoid showdown I'm okay since I don't hit shit! To be completely honest, I would like to get PLO in this game since there r some gamblers and people wouldn't understand the game at all, plus PLO is so fun and is THE game for sick degens :) Looking forward to having an opportunity to playin a live game, and I will probably soon be playing online, either 4tabling $1/$2 nl being staked 50/50 or covering losses 4tabling $2/$4 nl, both for sessions of 1.5 hours probably, and definitely hopefully with PAHUD running, at LEAST pt. If I'm playing $1/$2, it might be on stars just for fun and change of venue, but $2/$4 game is softer on FTP and I'd probably rather play there. I'd like to play $3/$6 nl or $5/$10 nl, but I can't afford it, especially since I haven't played online poker in forever and am probably rusty.

Feelin pretty well

I'm completely recovered from the theft debacle (btw I had to look up how to spell that correctly on dictionary.com so be happy I take this blog seriously)! Anyway, this summer as far as fun goes, seems to be very promising. Unfortunately, I will be spending ~$70 or $80 this summer just on movies- this is seriously one of the sickest summers of movies I've ever seen it's unreal to see the upcoming great selection. Hopefully I'll be patient enough to have a friend that has Netflix just order all the movies and we watch them somewhere with friends, though not getting the complete movie experience. Seeing all those movies for almost no cost at all seems pretty good rite now since I haven't been playing poker. Becoming a bit more nitty in real life, but soon will end that. Why you say? Oh, because I'm about to have my first online session in over a month now Wednesday! It's not for sure, but I think. I will either be staked at $1/$2nl and have a friend sorta sit behind me and help me a bit. I don't know if it will be on Stars or FTP. If I play $2/4$ nl, I will have to cover my own losses (which will be at the end of every month or 6 sessions, whichever comes first). I will be 4tabling either way, and I will want PAHUD and PT running for sure. I will be able to focus really well. I will now not be so focused on getting outplayed and I won't play so ballsy. I will be a bit more aggressive and not quite so in the mood for calling down and playing pot control, but more going for solid value. My Ideal stats will be around 26/22/4. I think that will get me the best winrate and I'll be playing ubersolid and avoiding the regs, so I expect to win maybe $800/session (the sessions will be 1.5 or 2 hours long each). If I'm playing $1/$2 nl, I expect half that or maybe a bit more with about the same stats, maybe a bit more aggro. It's pretty crazy tho how the fish are bigger at 2/4 nl, but the regs are twice as tough as the 1/2 game. As long as I practice good game selection and target the right players and really set up scenarios, etc, I think I should do VERY well since I'm motivated, short sessions, and have a friend behind me somewhat coaching me but mainly keeping my head clear and tilt control. Wish me luck and I'll inform u how that session goes, as well as my success of finding a live game to play in or deal (I'm on the verge through a friend I've recently met playing bball). Back to the subject of movies- last nite I saw Live Free or Die Hard. Very solid movie with very good action, suspense, and some humorous moments. I'm not quite sure- I think it's exactly 50/50 tie between that and Transformers to which one I prefer. I have yet to see a bad summer movie, and I don't think I will see one entirely this year TBH :)

Random thoughts: Stinger/LucLongley's recent video on CR of PLO and Townsend's series at $5/$10 nl have been great-quality videos. CardRunners is increasingly becoming better, and I actually will probably fork over ~$200 for another year's subscription or w/e. Over the past 6 months, my game has definitely been improving, and plus, it's great entertainment to see the best players in the world playing online poker and succeeding heavinly, and I can see right into their minds and playing styles. I think I will be playing online poker off and on with these sessions with my friend and paying him with my rakeback (probably about $40/session) and maybe a little more $ on the side if he's helping a lot, and hopefully can get a somewhat decent roll together to grind $1/$2 nl when I start college (in a few months). I will make sure to not let it take over my life and to conserve my time and keep up heavily on my social life. If I can keep poker in check with the rest of life with short sessions of concentrations (and maybe with a little assistance from prescription meds), I should end up bein quite successful and get an income back FINALLY. I think my skill is there to beat the $1/$2 and $2/$4 nl games for a winrate of maybe 3.5bb/100 over like 50k hands if not better if I just target the non-regs and don't play too fancy, all I need is the responsibility and mentality to do it.

Whew...

I did not completely go into details, but the last post was written on a friend's comp because mine was fucked up. After maybe 5 hours and plenty of frustration, I finally Reloaded Windows and all necessary programs, updates, and drivers, and my computer's running good. I'm so happy I finally set everything up back to normal and have my computer contain only the completely necessary programs. Everything from the other day is settling back to normal which is noice. Life variance is a bitch! O BTW, last night I saw Transformers, and it was really good. I expected sort of a corny movie with Shila Lebouf, which though his name is retardedly bizarre, is a very good up-and-coming actor. The effects in the movie were second to none for sure, and the movie was geared towards all ages, somewhat similar to Spiderman, turning a kid's comic into a great action hit for anyone. MILLIONS of more movies to see: Superbad, Die Hard with a Vengeance, Sicko, Hostel 2, Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix, Chuck and Larry, Rush Hour 3, and surely more... Jeez the movie theater is going to GG my savings.

Unfortunately, while writing this post feeling a sense of accomplishment, I realized I still have to reload MS Office and Norton! Jeez, it keeps coming with this shit, and with the updates to install it will take forever!

Happy Fucking 4th of July

The most unbelievable thing happened to me today. It was a normal day, I was in a good mood, and decided to play some bball round 2:00. I went there, placed my car keys and cell phone in the usual spot, and started playing. I was about to leave, and a guy called me over to play more. I said "sure, what the hell, one or two more games." I placed my keys and phone in a new spot, and before I knew it when I looked over, they were gone!! I probably should've reported it to the police- maybe they coulda done something about it and maybe searched the premises and the others...? Who knows. Later, someone found it my keys, and I mean my car was intact with the GPS and iPod. However, my $35 was gone and my drivers license!?!? Driver's license pisses me off the most, I could give a fuck less about $35. I have to wait in line at the DMV what a fucking pain in the ass for a new fucking license. The big thing is that the security to my car was compromised. To think, people would go so low as to punk me out of fucking car keys. Unfucking believable what people will do in this world. Thieves are the lowest people on this earth next to murderers. Yes, they may need the money more than me...? Okay, I'll look at it that way- but nobody there was dirt poor by any means. I can't wait till karma slaps them in the face and they get captured and torchered? Only in a perfect world would something happen to those pussy bitch thieves like that. To top it all off, my computer is also not fucking starting because it's acting completely retarded because of a brief power outtage, so I'm on a friends comp. Happy fucking 4th of July I'm running like shit- tomorrow I might have to reload my operating system and software (fun!) and go to the DMV for a new license. Tomorrow might be a long day, but that night I'll be seeing Transformers which some friends of mine RAVED about, so that should get my mind off of the injustice of this ridiculous world we live in, no matter how wealthy the community around us is. I'll wind down tonite with some Fresh Prince and the hope of the laws of nature being failsafe. On a side note, I have not been playing poker, but enjoying the recent CR cash game videos that have been coming out. It is rele making me want to go back into the game, though I promised myself I rele wouldn't. I will 4table 2/4 once in a while, but I'm rele trying to get a dealing gig at least one night or maybe get to a home game, though not being 21 for another 3 years discourages many from letting me play. Updates to come on how bad I run...

Quick Update with Good News

Nothing really new or exciting lately. This summer, been playing a lot of basketball at the local park; games are good and people r nice. Things been going pretty well lately, though money's been going fast with movies, food, etc. Hopefully I can get my parents to fork over some $ for some new clothes and crap. Good news is that my parents just got me a car- 2002 White Honda Civic. I'm very happy and satisfied with this car, being tired of mooching off others and not having full independence. Yea so, should be sick, and I have a GPS so I can find my way around because my navigational skills are definitely undeveloped.

As far as poker goes, have not had the opportunity to play much. Played the one homegame where I played a 500BB pot on the flop with top set vs OESD, and he hits it on turn and it holds. At least I've been a good winner at that game- $40 and $50 wins last time in a $10 buyin game is very good. LAG style is very effective there with mostly weak-tight nits who do predictable things like donkbet medium strength hands and whatnot, and when I do end up playing a big pot, I'll have the goods, but I foster my maniac image by raising tons preflop and cbetting any flop. My friend who started me in poker just got back in town and hopefully he'll finish paying me back my cashout and stake me some online with some minor coaching. Even if I break even, I'll have rakeback to play with occasionally. I rele do miss the $2/$4 nl game on FTP, and if I don't get so fancy, I think I can be a big winner there (especially with PT auto hh importing and with PAHUD running)- shooting for 5BB/100 over a 1 month sample of maybe 13k hands (I know, a bit small, but we're both pretty active and poker will be tough to coordinate between our schedules). Looking forward to have a chance at a legit live game with a decent buyin like $300+ or somethin, or at least dealing for like $400 or $500/nite. With this car, I'll have tons of mobility to navigate through them :)