CARDRUNNERS

What's Your Edge

PEACHY KEEN!!

December 30, 2008

As some of you know and as most of you have experienced yourself, when one goes on a huge downswing one does not want to do ANYTHING. ANYTHING! For the longest time I was grinding and grinding, losing and losing, and being depressed and doing more grinding and losing. In addition to all the traveling, this took a noticeable toll on my health and, after talking to a few friends, I took the longest break I've taken in 2 years. I feel a lot better now, but a lot (I MEAN A LOT) has happened since my last update.

When I last left you guys, I was in NYC, and had a fantastic time there watching 2 Duke Basketball games where we convincingly won the tournament held at Madison Square Garden that we play in every year before Thanksgiving (the name escapes me at the moment...). I thought our team was going to be pretty crappy once again as a transitional force, but those games led me to believe otherwise! I hope Coach K takes us far this year as we've sorta been on a slump recently. After this I went down to Maryland to have a delicious Thanksgiving meal with my family and flew back to San Francisco.

A day later, Cardrunners had a get-together in Ft. Lauderdale which I certainly could not miss, so I flew across the country yet again to Florida. There, the guys had some fun times hanging out in bars and playing beach volleyball, which I had none of because I was busy in my little hole grinding and grinding, losing and losing :(. On the last day, we rented a stretch hummer limo (so much for gas efficiency) and went to a sick restaraunt and club in Miami. That city always amazes me as it seems EVERY chick there is super hot, a feat I thought was only achievable at Vegas stripclubs during peak hours. Anyways, after dinner (which was a pretty good asian fusion place) the guys went out to a club and Ryan Daut and I decided to head back and grind (ON THE GRIND, ALWAYS!). A few hours later, Brian Townsend, who decided to stay behind as well, was having a pretty cool Stacraft discussion with Ryan and I. In comes Taylor Caby and Ezra, both presumably very drunk. Taylor proceeds to start yelling and screeching about a mouse in the kitchen jumping around, which is the first time I've ever heard of a jumping mouse. Ezra is cracking up every 2 minutes for no reason except for the fact that jumping mice are scary for some and hilarious to others. Then Stinger comes in and sits right down at the table, looking kinda blue in the face....well, I'm a little concerned so I ask him if he wants water. With a slight wave of the hand, he dismisses me, and then proceeds to get up and puke THREE different times, covering the bathroom, kitchen, and the hallway connecting the two rooms. It's nice to see that the best PLO player in the world is human too...a human that can't control his alcohol LOL.

The next day I fly across the country yet again, and spend another day at home (sigh) before I fly off to Vegas for the Bellagio Five Diamond Tournament. I made it in time for the last 5k tournament, which I decided to enter. A hand came up where gobboboy was short and shoved, some guy called, and I isolated from the SB with A4o. Well, the 3rd guy folded and I chopped vs gobbo's A3. This guy then proceeded to call me a monkey, and I few hands later I shoved on his UTG raise w/ QQ with about 13 blinds. Adam Junglen sighs and calls behind me and I immediately know he has JJ at best. Then it folds around to this guy, who goes into the tank. He says "what do you have over there?" which I immediately replied "I dunno, maybe A4o". He says, "I'm not talking to you, I call you instantly. I'm talking to the other guy". LOL. Anyways, he eventually folds and I cooler Adam QQ vs 1010. Fast forward to my bustout hand: same guy who thinks I'm a monkey raises 4.5x utg, and I immediately put him on AK because he is a fool like that! I flat in mid position w/ A9cc looking purely to outplay, everyone else folds. Flop is J46r, he check/calls. Turn is a 2 bringing two diamonds, he check/calls. River is 10 and a 3rd diamond, and I'm thinking to myself how funny its going to be when he check/folds and I show him a worse A high. Unfortunately he check/calls within 10 seconds and tables AK with a curious look on his face. I give him a wide grin, proudly table A9, and walk away...and as I'm walking away I hear something like "I put him on AQ..." LOL, whatever.

So after grinding some cash, I decide to start by break at this time and skip the 15k. Which is ok, because after day one my horse Evan McNiff is 2nd in chips w/ 190k. He then proceeds to rape EVERY SINGLE DAY ending top 5 in chips every day! He obviously heros the FT as well, and busts in a sick sick hand 3 handed. A tight solid player raises the button, Evan 3bets from the SB, and Chino Rheem in the BB COLD 4BET SHOVES. After pondering it over for less than a minute, Evan confidently makes the call w/ AJo vs Chino's A9. Unfortunately, it was not to be as the flop of A77 and 9 on the turn GGed Evan for 3rd, but I was really impressed by his call and his performance this tournament. GJ buddy :)

Afterwards, I flew directly to Florida for yet another cross country trip (sigh) to go on a family cruise and check out the Orlando theme parks. This blog entry is long enough though, so I'll leave that for the next update. Happy Holidays all :).

Entry Tags:

Dec 31, 08 03:43:04

Its amazing

I see it all the time..Over playing AK...

Granted I play 1\$/2\$ ...But its sick how some people think after they missed with ak....Its like there hypnotized!!!

Anyway..I came accross a great book that deals with tilt/downswing and was recomemded by johnathan little...It has nothing to do with hand ranges or how to play post flop etc...

He says its the best book he ever red when it come to tilt and playing poker...His quote is "if you read this book, you will never tilt again"

So far, its changed my outlook on poker and some things in the book I already did , but some other things are good to be reminded of when things go south..

You recomended me "zeitgest" that deff made me think...

Anyway the book is called "Zen and the art of poker"... by andrew phillips

Its about always playing ur best focusing on "the long road"... Cause the poker road is "never ending" whether u win or lose big

peace