Can I Actually Win 2 Days In A Row?

Played for a fair bit over the last 4 days, and did well on wednesday, before losing half of it on thursday, doing well again on friday, got caned on saturday morning and made most of that loss back tonight!

The main problem is that I have been utterly cold decked for the past 4 days, not ideal but I have managed to scrape a profit of about $200 over about a 4-5000 hand sample. Beats working at McDonalds...!

At least i am playing well enough to avoid losing during these periods of negative variance, and there has been a lot I have learnt over these past 4 days - things I have picked up which should stand me in good stead in the future. In some elements, I have totally transformed my game... I got totally owned by this fish on friday morning, but went out for an hour walk afterwards and had a good think about my game and what I need to do to improve it (recommend doing this by the way, really helped) and came back much more refreshed. I made a few general preflop hand/position adjustments and tried to implement some new ideas postflop and between me and this other guy we broke the same fish in the afternoon so happy days - basically he thought he could read me well and he could in the morning, but I just changed the way I played and he started making frustrated, thin calls on me.

This morning, I got stacked twice and lost just over 2 buyins overall. I really think I should have got away from the first one, but I didn't rate him as a player but a check raise into 2 opponents who have indicated a liking to the flop should indicate a massive hand and I really should have folded. It all goes to experience I guess. Here's the hand...

http://www.pokerhand.org/?411913

The next hand should have put me on life tilt... But luckily I don't! This is sick.

I flopped the openended straight draw and queen high flush draw, hit the straight on the turn and lose to runner runner flush who also had the straight. We were both freerolling with the flush draw and sure enough he hits. He was a massive fish too, as you can see from his open limp with 95c.

http://www.pokerhand.org/?411915

The first half an hour of my 2 hour session this morning I played awful, probably the worst for a couple of weeks, but after this I talked to myself and sorted myself out and played good after that, but couldn't hit any cards to get the money back.

I had another good think about a few strategic things whilst I was at cricket this afternoon which we lost btw:-( and put them into play this evening in a quick one hour session. Result, up 2 buyins almost in that time.

So things are looking excellent for the future I hope, it's machines for me from Sunday-Tuesday and back in the grind from Wednesday-Saturday.

Good luck at the tables everyone.

Tres Busy!

Sorry for the lack of updates over the last couple of weeks, it's been a pretty busy time for me! Got back from Vegas last sunday (about 10 days ago), it was absolutely amazing out there.

We landed on the Monday afternoon in Vegas and the first thing that hits you isn't the heat, it's the customs controls! We had to queue for ages whilst they get your fingerprints for a database and take photos etc. Whilst I think this is a good thing, they could have a few more people doing it...

We got settled into the Stratosphere where we were staying, and a few of us headed down to the Rio to register for the $1500NLHE WSOP event the next day. The room where they play is absolutely gigantic, but even so we saw some celebs, Greg Raymer who was posing for loads of photos with randoms, Devilfish who was in the queue with us and Jesus Ferguson. Unfortunately the tournament was already full and we didn't want to be alternates so didn't bother. I played a $125 satellite there, the standard was appalling but I exited in 4th where my 77 was no match for K4 (wtf!)!

We got back to our hotel and played the $90 MTT there at midnight. The standard again was diabolical, but the juice they took from this comp was beyond belief ($2600 pot, they took $900 leaving it with $1700 to pay out). Lost a couple of races after getting chipped up and that was that.

The next day, me and my mate Phill decided to play a couple of decent structured comps to try to make up for the disappointment of not playing in the World Series. We got down to the Wynn early doors, and this is one seriously nice hotel. If I can afford it, I'll definitely stay here next time. Had a great breakfast there and played in their midday $300 tournament. The standard was far higher here, without a doubt better than a UK Festival event, where I have yet to be impressed by many of the bigger names. I got down to the last 2 tables, before losing another race in about 17th. Played $1/$3 cash there for a while, no major pots, to be honest it was a bit of a rock garden.

In the evening we went to the Venetian to play their 8pm tournament. A lot of people rave about this cardroom but IMO it was nothing on the Wynn. The tournament was also terribly organised and started 40 minutes late. I was basically shot to pieces by this point in the evening but played it anyway. Despite falling asleep every time I folded a hand, I somehow got chipped up before losing it with 2 squeeze plays, one which went wrong with QT which was the right play v the wrong opponents, and finally with 88 where I looked all set to be doubled up and the chip leader with about 15 left when he called with 77 but he flopped a set and it was gg me.

Managed to sleep ok on the tuesday night and we decided to devote the rest of the holiday to playing cash. I made about $700 on the wednesday at the MGM. This was just getting paid off with solid hands. The standard after 11pm is totally abysmal. In the afternoon it was better, a few more grinders on the tables that's for sure.

For the thursday and friday I split my playing time between the MGM and the Stratosphere. If anyone reading this is going to Vegas and wants to play $1/2 NL, go to the Stratosphere. The standard is a joke. Clueless american/mexican tourists who do not have an idea. A total gold mine if you can hit some cards. I saw two guys fight it out on a 9 8 2 flop. They both had over $500 in front of them. One guy goes all in on the flop with A9. The other guy calls about $400 allin with AK, saying I don't think the flop helped you! He would be losing to 3 2 offsuit lol. Virtually impossible to bluff people there though.

On the saturday we had to leave at lunchtime, and after watching England bomb out of the World Cup on pens it was time to go...

Overall for the trip I covered my expenses playing cards and we ate in some really nice places which weren't cheap at all. The service was great, much better than the UK, and these guys fully deserve tipping unlike the surly people we get over here. The Americans were really friendly as well. I'll definitely be going back next year, only problem is the flight which I totally hate.

Back in England, I've only played cards for 3 days since I got back. Been out working far too much, for far too much stress and for far too little money. It's getting tough to win on the fruits near me and basically I've stopped playing locally. I have found a route about 100 miles away though which is massive so what I may do is do that from Sunday - Tuesday or similar, I should be able to make 500 pounds after expenses doing that, and devote the rest of the week to playing poker. Once I get to the 1/2 level, I'm probably going to give poker a crack as my primary source of income.

I'm halfway to reaching 1/2 now, so hopefully a couple more weeks and I can hit that level!