Omaha reloaded…has got talent
May 31, 2009 by Nick Wealthall
Just a quick blog about moving down.
I’ve done it this week and played about 8k hands winning a ludicrous 16 buyins
Obviously I’ve run well but i’ve also played well and really fixed the problems with my game. Even more important than that i’ve got a lot of confidence back generally.
The main problem was I’d let my aggression slip and stopped thinking during hands. I was giving up too easily, not winning uncontested pots then foccusing on the big pots I was losing rather than the small/medium pots I wasn’t taking down I should have
i’m actually proud of myself for choosing to move down. as i said in my last blog this was a playing decision not a bankroll one. its tough to do in terms of your ego but i really really cant recommend it enough – playing in a game you know you can beat is great for your confidence but more than that it allows you more freedom to experiment and check what things work and what don’t.
anyway i’ll finish my self enforced 10k hands tonight then move back up this week.
in other news britain’s got talent has happened. i have to confess being totally sucked in having never watched it in previous years. its been terrific in every way – of course its manipulative, the people (including judges) not necessarily that talented and its all pointelss but seriously – what a great show
the susan boyle story is a strange one which may be looked back on as a watershed in terms of reality shows and fame generally, i just hope her story doesn’t end sadly as its become perfectly obvious she isnt equipped to deal with whats happened to her.
diversity were awesome of course – their coreographer is borderline genius (and this comes from someone who thinks most modern dance coreography is a bit silly – seriously look closely next time a music video is on, without the other people and lighting effects they’d all look pretty retarded)
that said the highlight of this or any other show this year was the dad from stavros flately running onto stage with a look of messianic determination…. i almost cried with giggles
On the air
May 30, 2009 by Matt
It’s the 30th of September 2008 and Jesse May – the voice of poker – has just asked me a question. It takes my brain about 20 seconds longer than normal to formulate an answer, but then again we are 22 hours into a marathon 36 hour commentary stint. I only entered the fray at about hour eight, but Jesse has been here from minute one of hour one, and will still be belting it out when we wrap things up in the 59th minute of hour 35.
‘The Kids’ might think Red Bull is the only way to go, but Jesse reminds me why coffee remains the number one stimulant in the world as he asks/shouts his question at me with trademark enthusiasm: “Matt, what’s Feldman’s thinking!? Is it a complete steal or does he think he’s ahead!?”
I haven’t got the heart to tell Jesse I have absolutely no idea. The last time the camera was on Andrew Feldman was about ten minutes ago and the poor kid was face-down unconscious in a pile of chips with drool hanging out the side of his mouth. For all I know Andrew might think he’s at home asleep and is just dreaming about re-raising Juha Hellpi with 10-6 offsuit. I offer up a mostly-useless “Who knows Jesse, who knows…” and reach for another handful of Beechams capsules. Thanks to an untimely bout of man-flu I’m struggling to stay focused, and have to admit I’ve exceeded the recommended dose. What am I doing here…
It’s the 1st of October 2008 and Jesse May – the voice of poker – has just asked me a question. We’re on a short break while some fresh players buy-in and some knackered players cash out. Outside the door I can hear Roland De Wolfe snoring, and can honestly say I’ve never been so jealous of a man lying on a concrete floor outside a toilet. “Matt,” Jesse asks, “what do you think to an old-school, American sports-style poker call-in Radio show?” I stare at him blankly while my brain attempts to have an opinion about anything. Jesse takes this as a sign of encouragement. “You know; talk to the biggest names in the world, take a bunch of calls from players grinding it out online, chew over the latest news, gossip, tourney results… it’d be amazing don’t ya think!?” Actually, it does sound pretty good…
It’s the 14th April 2009 and Jesse May – the voice of poker – has just asked me a question. “Do you think the mics are plugged in properly?” Yes Jesse, I think the mics are plugged in properly. Sadly, the mics are the least of my worries. I’m slightly more concerned that I somehow seem to have become the ‘Exec Producer’ of “The Poker Show with Jesse May”, have a room full of Matchroom and Boyle Poker management staring at me expecting a fully-functioning radio station, and I have absolutely no idea why none of it’s working. “Maybe the mics aren’t plugged in properly?” suggest Jesse. Again. What am I doing here…
It’s the 5th of May 2009 and Jesse May – the voice of poker – has just asked me a question. “Matt, I think this is gonna work out pretty great. What d’ya say?” We’ve just completed our second week of broadcast; have had Phil Hellmuth, Tom ‘Durrrr’ Dwan, Mike Sexton, Luke ‘FullFlush’ Schwartz, Phil Laak, John Duthie, Barney Boatman, Roland De Wolfe, Vicky Coren and master of the bedtime story, Mad Marty Wilson on the show – to name but a few. Jesse is beaming at me as we prepare to turn the studio lights out for another week. I give him a big smile in return. “I think you might be right Jesse.”
See you next Sunday…
13th in the 40K
May 30, 2009 by Brian Townsend
I am really happy with how I played today. I was very short most of the day and completly card dead. There were many aggressive players who were opening tons of pots, but I never had a any type of hand to resteal from them. Even things like QJs would have been enough for me but it was 73o and 62o all day long. I tried not to get frustrated at being blinded down and finally picked up AQs, but unfortunatly for me Greg Raymer had AA. I was lucky enough to make a flush and double up. After that it was back to shoving and I did that a few times picking up some nice pots.
On my final hand it was folded to me on the button and I shipped 76o on the button and got called in two places by Alec Torelli’s TT and the big blind overcalled with QQ. I think my play is slightly positive chip wise, but really increases my variance. I would have prefered raise folding as Alex would resteal lightly but I doubted the big blind would. Anyways I am not going to worry about the hand to much.
I just stopped by the bellagio and there is a nice 200/400 PLO game running so I am going to go play in it.
Check Out Brian’s Online Training Site – CardRunners
Day Two of 40K
May 30, 2009 by Brian Townsend
I woke up this morning after sleeping for only 3 or 4 hours and all I wanted to do was play poker. I fired up stars and fulltilt and put in about a two hour session winning 20k. This month has really picked up and I have recovered nicely from my little downswing mid month. I was about even last week but now I am up 100k in cash games and 75k in tourneys/crossbooking, plus whatever else I win tomorrow if I can go deeper.
Here I flop the nut flush draw in a three bet pot and suckout.
Now this is a draw, how do I miss, so sick.
Aces in a big pot.
After playing some poker, I hit the gym for an hour and went to the tourney. I ended the day at about the chips I started with. I won a few big pots early with AK on a A87 flop in a four bet pot against Mark Seif. I think won a flip against Whitelime with TT vs his AKs. I was up to about 1.5 million in chips when I went completely card dead. I didn’t pick up a hand for about 3 levels. Every time I raised I got reraised or my c-bets were check raised allin when I held nothing. Not much you can do and the blinds were so big the swings are huge. So I was widdled down to 700k where I ended the day. I am looking forward to tomorrow when we play down from 24 players to the final 9.
Check Out Brian’s Online Training Site – CardRunners
Day One of 40K
May 29, 2009 by Brian Townsend
I ended day one of the 40k WSOP event with 609k in chips. I wasn’t getting much credit all day and getting called down lightly. Early in the day I reraised a French player with 42s and checked a A84 all club flop. The turn was great as it was a 4 and I got two streets of value from his ace.
Beyond this I won and lost two flips against short stacks, once when I held KQ against FBT’s 99 and losing with AK to the french players TT. So I hung around 200k for most of the day. Then in the last round as the blinds began increasing I grew my stack to about 300k when I coolered Whitelime with my aces when he held kings.
One thing that really shocked me was the poor play in the tournament. Some players who are well respected in the poker communities played very poorly today. It really surprised me how people who would never consider losing 40k in a cash game ponyed up the money for the tournament. I think tournaments are better for that gamblers mentality as people love the idea of buying in for 40k and winning 2million while cash games don’t have that upside potential. I would have expected the play to be much higher in a tournament with this type of buy in.
Sorry for the short entry, but I am beat and gonna crash.
Check Out Brian’s Online Training Site – CardRunners
Itch to play
May 28, 2009 by Brian Townsend
I arrived in Vegas yesterday and I really want play poker. The 40k event starts in 30 min and all I want to do is play some poker. Its funny how much I love playing poker even though I play so much. I woke up today all excited because I knew I was going to play poker all day today.
I also just finished up my high stakes Friday video and I am a bit disappointed in it. I had plans for it to be amazing and it just turned out okay. The concepts are great and really important but I ran out of time on some of the calculations and some of my poker stove ranges are a bit off. It doesn’t change the outcome of the hand or really effect the concepts I was teaching, it just pisses me off a bit not doing things the best I can. If I get busted from the tourney I am going to redo the video.
Last night I played a long 100/200 session. I ended up winning about 70k. Here are some of the big pots I played.
Getting it in bad.
I am not to happy with this one, got to think about it a bit.
Sucking out on aces.
Anyways I am off to the 40k and can’t wait to play.
Check Out Brian’s Online Training Site – CardRunners
Poker Brutality
May 25, 2009 by Nick Wealthall
If you’ve been playing for a while you’ll know how brutal poker can be
It’s brutal in a very particular way – it let’s you think you’ve got it tamed and that you’re it’s daddy then just when you’re winning big and everything’s easy it’ll knock you on your ass and stamp on your throat…it’s a lot like women; as I’ve always said poker is a fickle mistress
After things going really well for the first few months of this year with my PLO journey I’ve had a super rough two or three weeks. I was beating 1/2 and felt I had a good edge in the games but that’s all changed lately.
You join me on a 16 buy in down swing…which is not pretty. Luckily I’m handily rolled for the games and still well up for the year so that side of things is fine but the losing side is not fine – actually it’s really depressing. Playing in games where you think you should be crushing and its not happening is no fun.
The good thing is I know the problems and can fix them. I’ve become too passive and I’m not thinking enough when I play. I call auto piloting ‘zombie tilt’ TM and it’s something that can affect all online players. Just playing your hands, clicking and not thinking. The fact is I’m just not good enough at PLO to get away with that and it has to end….NOW god dam it!!!
Anyway I’ve decided to do something I’ve done a couple of times before in poker and drop down a limit. Im going to play 10k hands at .5/1 and focus on playing them really well and aggressively. This is more of a confidence rebuilding exercise than anything – I’ll let you know how I get on
Also if I can get my act together I’m going to head up to DTD this week and play the big 1k WSOP style event so I’ll keep you all in touch with that
Run better than me!!
Rollar Coaster of a Month
May 25, 2009 by Brian Townsend
First I have been working on part two of a video that will be out this Friday. I think it will be very good as I have put alot of time into it. It is a powerpoint presentation again detailing a 100/200 NLH hand I played a few months ago. I am going to do my best to keep the analysis short and concise as I know how boring videos can be. I am hoping it will be well received.
I am getting ready for Vegas. I head out tomorrow to play the 40k event. I moved back my arrival date so I won’t have much time before the event. I get into Vegas at 2pm and have to get all my money sorted out before the event starts the next morning. Hopefully I will have time, but if I am feeling jet lagged or stressed I may skip it.
The past few days have been a complete roller coaster. I feel like I have been winning and losing huge amounts everyday. I am basically break even on the month and have had 4 or 5 +/-100k days this month and I think much of it is due to these PLO games with an ante. There was awhile where I wasn’t playing great, but the past few days I have played my best.
Yesterday I had a great day winning 120k. I played some 100/200 and 25/50, but most of my hands came at 50/100.
Here I win a big pot at 25/50 which I suckout.
Not much to say here.
I played DIN_FRU heads up again and did well against him. He is a very tricky aggressive opponent. Here are a few of the larger pots we played.
I also played some 6 max 50/100 with an ante. Here I get a great flop for my kings.
Here is a fun one. Ziig really read my soul here. I still had 30% equity though. He left quickly after this hand.
Unfortunately today things didn’t go my way and I ended up losing 45k. All my play was pretty standard. That’s poker and definitely omaha. I didn’t play all that many large pots, I just wasn’t making hands in small ones and was getting raised alot.
This is the sort of hand that was happening to me today…
I don’t know how I like my line in that hand against OMGClay. I am going to give it some thought tonight.
A bluff that didn’t work.
There were a few more hands at 25/50 I lost, but overall it was just a day where I couldn’t get anything going and lost the really big pots and didn’t win any large pots. It happens and hard to have good short term results when it does.
Check Out Brian’s Online Training Site – CardRunners
Meh…
May 23, 2009 by Brian Townsend
Meh…
First sorry I haven’t posted in a while, I have been a bit disinterested in poker the past week. Its shown in my play as I think I have played my C game this month. Its also shown in my results with a break even month. I have just lacked focus and not really wanted to play, so I have put in less hands this month than any of the prior six months.
I want to talk about a few HU sessions I played in the past week. One was against DIN_FRU. He was a very aggressive opponent who like to reraise preflop. In our first battle he crushed me, winning about 80k in a hundred hands.
Here I really hate my flop bet sizing. Hastings pointed this out to me and I agree completely.
Check Out Brian’s Online Training Site – CardRunners
bootcamps, tourneys, laughs n that
May 17, 2009 by Nick Wealthall
hello team
hope you’re all sucking the nectar out of life and that
i worked the ‘black belt’ poker bootcamp this weekend. it was a good couple of days – its always share ideas about poker and see people learn. the star guest was phil laak – whose one of those people that, aprat from being a really nice guy, (over used phrase that is actually a big compliment) is also a really interesting different person with his own unique ideas. listening to him was extremely interesting – it rammed home to me that playing online over live you do lose the human side of the game a bit and those small subtle things that can make the difference in a hand
poker is strange for me at the moment – still playing a tonne of PLO. enduring a down swing in the cash games which is frustrating as i feel i have a good edge but i obviously have to look at things and work harder. im still having a good year though thanks to a couple of great plo tourney results – a win in a small tournament then 10th in a big $500 event for 6.5k which was pretty nice. People can play PLO so badly its scary…and really cool 
I’m planning on playing the 1k at dusk til dawn in a couple of weeks as a warm up to the WSOP but that depends on me staying free of work so we’ll see
finally me and rich orford have been putting together a comedy podcast and its now up on the site (www.ontherail.co.uk if you’re reading this elsewhere) – check it out and let me know what you think
right this is a semi tedious i did this…then i did this blog as im tired and not feeling entertaining …. perhaps you could fill in some jokes of your own??
have a magnificent week
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