live monkey donkeys
June 28, 2009 by Nick Wealthall
I’d forgotten how bad people are at poker.
I hardly ever play live now – three days of doing it has brought back just how bad everyone is. Playing online there are still bad players but there’s also a lot more players ‘trying hard to win’ and not doing obviously dumb things. Playing out here in Vegas when you run into someone playing okay and thinking about what they’re doing it’s a shock.
So far my trip is standard stuff – getting bad beated out of tournaments and winning in cash. If it wasn’t for the main event I’d only be playing cash out here there’s so much money to be made. It’s so hard to get knocked out a tournament to see some monkey donkey have all your chips and have no shot at getting them back. In cash it still sucks but unless they leave they can still give it all back to you
The main thing about live players is how passive they are. They limp and call. They never raise. They never fold. It’s like the last 5 years in poker never happened…..which is frickin great frankly!
Played Omaha live last night for the first time and it didn’t disappoint. It was 2/5 with no cap. At first I wasn’t sure how good the game was but as time went on it became clear it was insanely good. I ended up winning a decent amount and coming close to a big night getting unlucky in a huge pot.
One last thing – there are some excellent British players especially in Omaha but they’re all totally obsessed with the bluff. All they do is make moves to the point of spew. It’s tough to play against but you just gotta call them down
I played a hand against a good aggro uk player last night. He raised the button and I 3 bet with AAQ9. He calls. The flop is KJx. I bet he calls. The turn pairs the Jack. I check he checks. The river is a K. I check – he bets and I call and he shows me 987bollocks.
The thing is there is so little 3 betting he puts me on AA which is unfortunately is what I have so he can play to make me fold this hand. Given this I played to induce him to bluff. Against someone else the river call is thin but in this spot it should be an instant call for me (though I did think about it a bit 
)
I was going to play the 1500 WSOP event tomorrow but looks like it might already be full. Also I’ll likely be up too late tonight trying to win the monies
Right I’m off to the spa. Time to Jaccuzzi my face off and get ready for more monkey magic tonight.
I Hate Poker
June 27, 2009 by admin
PLO is so sick. I dropped 70k tonight playing 25/50 on Stars and Fulltilt. It was one of the most frustrating sessions I have ever had. I felt like I lost every single allin except occasionally when I coolered my opponents.
I just had a very disturbing realization after looking at my 25/50 PLO stats over the past 5 weeks. I had been winning alot at 50/100 and 100/200 so I was still winning money. Also this was spread out over two months so I wasn’t sure exactly how much I was down at 25/50 until I looked.
Losing 60 BI in these 25/50 games is definitely an indication that I am not playing well. My all in equity is at 185k behind equilibrium so I am sure I am running way way below expectation over this time. I said in my last blog post that I would only play 4 tables from now on. I am going to be sticking to that. I also think part of my problem at 25/50 has been due to me playing higher. I naturally don’t play as well at 25/50 as I do when I am really focused at the larger limits..
Here are some hands from today. They are really brutal.
Allin for the majority of the stack with 65% equity. I am also a big favorite preflop over his hand.
Getting it in three way with aces as a favorite.
Again getting it in three ways with aces and being a favorite.
70% equity on the turn…
Poker has really kicked my ass the last five days. I think I may need to take a break for awhile and review hands. I also think I may need to focus on some of the 8 game mix which I am learning to keep my head on straight. PLO is such a brutal game. The funniest part of it all is I used to have the problem reversed. I couldn’t win at 50/100 and higher for the life of me and would crush 25/50. So I guess I can’t complain to much as I would rather win when playing larger.
Check Out Brian’s Online Training Site – CardRunners
Ouch
June 26, 2009 by admin
My month started off with amazing with me up 450k. In the past four days I have gone from that peak to being down am 153k on the month. Worst part is I was playing in great games against weak opposition. Never once did I sit in a game where I didn’t feel I had a 6+ bb/100 winrate. The only possible times where I wouldn’t have were in some HU matches but that was a very small amount of hands played compared to my ring game action.
I took a risk and it didn’t work out. I could easily be up 1M+ over the same stretch of time. If I could do it all over again I would sit in the same games and probably make most of the same decisions (Assuming I didn’t know the outcomes). I am sure I made mistakes in my play over the past few days, but I never tilted and was constantly reviewing my play and always playing with 100% focus.
two pair no good in a 130k pot.
Doesn’t get much more standard than this.
I really wish I had won this one. 73% equity on the turn wasn’t enough though. At least I didn’t lose it…
Value betting into a slightly better hand.
Losing a flip.
Getting it in with an over pair and a flush draw.
I really shouldn’t be complaining about my losses. I knew damn well that losing 600k could happen very easily in these games. I took a calculated risk and it went about as poorly as it could have.
I also totaled up my year and I am up more than I thought. Right now I am sitting roughly at 1M in winnings for the year. I will have to double check those numbers when I get home and finalize my live play in Vegas, but I thought I would only be up like 600 or 700k on the year after this 600k loss. So I really can’t complain to much, though I still feel like shit right now.
Check Out Brian’s Online Training Site – CardRunners
Vegas…
Hi guys,
I’ve been really bad about keeping my blog updated but Vegas seems to have that effect on me. It’s like a black hole where productive work just disappears. I’ve been playing a fair amount of poker but have been keeping it mostly to the cash tables since my first event at the WSOP. I’ve been traveling back and forth to California and so have missed out on the other NLHE events but I’ll be playing the Main Event in a week and a half.
Nick has just arrived in Vegas and its so good to have him here. We just hit the Rio for a quick walk around and then dinner at a nice restaurant overlooking the fountains. Ahhh, just like old times. I’m looking forward to railing him in the Main Event so I’m hoping we don’t end up playing the same day 1. I’m thinking Day 1a for me looks best so far….
As a complete opposite to last year I’ve taken zero photos in Vegas so I’ll have to remedy that and get some posted up here.
Leaving…on a jet plane
June 25, 2009 by Mark Stuart
Well, it’s been a torrid few months online and I can’t say I’m not glad to give it a break. It’s my annual sojourn to Vegas and I can’t wait. I probably won’t be playing that much given that I’ve got a ton of interviews to do for PokerPlayer, but I’ll look to get involved in a couple of deep-stack events (Caesars, Venetian probably) and some cash action in the Rio.
I’m hoping that my old adage of ‘run bad online, run good live’ comes true and that I’m swimming in a bed of cash by the fifth night of my stay. If so, I’ll probably blow it all on drinks and strippers but F it, it’s Vegas right?
I’ll report back on the ups and downs when I get back and commit to a new online cash challenge…
Adventures in live and online poker
June 24, 2009 by Nick Wright
Apologies for the lack of updates, here’s what i’ve been up to in May and June…
Online:
- I completed the BlackBeltPoker Grading and 45,000 hands, 1100 sit and gos and 120 hours of online poker later i attained Blue Belt status, which i was delighted with.
- With the BBP profit and a bit of online play on my usual sites, i cleared a little over $2k for the month of May so the $50k challenge at the end of May was $19,000
Live:
I’ve had a lot of live success recently literally doubling the number of lines on my Hendon Mob database profile in the last month. First i min-cashed in the monthly Dusk Till Dawn deepstack for £450 (buy-in = £330), i’d satellited in online for about £80 though.
The next weekend i went to Bristol for their festival, the £550 freezeout had 95 runners had 15k starting stack and one hour levels with loads of play. I got a good stack early and pretty much cruised to the last two tables, upon which esccalating blinds meant most players were short stacked. Still i payed well and eventually busted 4th for £4500.
The week after saw me make my BlackBelt debut. I went to Aberdeen to play the GUKPT summer series. Three events a £200, £300 and a £500. I made two finals finishing 7th in the £200 for £630 and 3rd in the £500 for £3280 (it only got 39 runners). I was gutted not to win the £500 as i had a third of the chips in play when nine handed (mbn) and half of them when three handed, i misplayed a hand and then lost a race though and that was that.
As for July i’ll be back to the online grind and hopefully play a live comp or two as i always get the bug to play live during WSOP time, there are a couple of festivals in London so i’ll probably put in an appearence at a £200 or £300 pound freezeout somewhere.
Nick & Matt & Jesse & Winkle – LIVE
June 24, 2009 by Nick Wealthall
Hello, just a quick one, the guys from The Poker Show Live interviewed me last night about my trip to the World Series. Check it out below, it’s like a little mini-guide to all things World Series-y and Vegas-y. I’m literally sat on the tarmac at Gatwick ready for lift off to Vegas as I type this!
Myself, Kara and others will all be blogging/twittering /plus On The Rail podcasting from the World Series so keep checking back here.
I’m playing in the main event – so wish me luck!
Podcast: Play in new window | Download (22.7MB)
living the dream….
June 24, 2009 by Nick Wealthall
As I write this my plane to Vegas for the World Series leaves in 11 hours.
I have to write a poker article I haven’t started yet, I have about 4 money moves to sort out online and not only have I not packed a single thing my suitcase isn’t even out the airing cupboard.
It looks like I’ll be getting a completely pointless 2 hour sleep….which is roughly average for my night before rest on any Vegas trip.
It’s not as bad as it sounds – you sleep on the plane (and in the cab on the way to the airport and going through security) and arrive in that slightly spaced out state you’ll spend most of your time in during your stay.
I’ve been lucky enough to visit Vegas many times and spend a lot of time there. Ever since I first visited 15 years ago it’s been a unique place for me. It’s always felt incredibly comfortable and almost peaceful for me. It’s something that’s tough to describe as it’s a feeling more than anything else – while everyone else was saying how much they enjoyed visiting Vegas but it was a bit much after a while I was busy making my retirement plans there.
Not much has changed – I don’t get the same excitement about going as I used to but once I’m there it’s like slipping into a pair of comfortable slippers….that have neon on them.
This year I’m playing the World Series Main Event for the first time. I’ve tried many times to satellite in but have burned my way through a tonne of money and never made it. This year – with the help of Virgin Poker – I’m buying in so no chance of not playing.
When I play it’ll be weird as it’s been a dream to play it for so many years of poker playing. I’m sure a few hands in it’ll be just another poker tournament. I’m guessing there’ll be about 7000 runners so anything in the top 20 is acceptable
The great news is in the last two weeks I’ve been playing badly and running badly….so I’m heading out there with no form whatsoever!!
Oh well everyone knows the great ones have a bad dress rehearsal before the main event…. Please baby Jesus
I’ll talk to you again from the promised land
Play well – run better.
Rough session
June 23, 2009 by Brian Townsend
Last night I had a rough session playing in a short handed live 500/1000 PLO game. In total I lost 363k. In terms of BI’s this wasn’t a big loss for me but losing about 25% of what I was up for the year in one night wasn’t too fun. I thought I played really well and even quit after 10 hours when I felt myself getting tired instead of tilting away the remaining 200k that I have at the bellagio.
The game was really great, probably one of the best I have played all year, with people who sat after they had been out partying. Can’t really ask for more than playing 500/1000 with drunk people. I didn’t really lose any massive pots just 50k-100k here and there.
In one hand against a drunk player I opened from the button with AK45ss in a four handed game while there was a straddle so I opened to 6k. The drunk big blind called and the two other players folded. The flop was K82r giving me top pair top kicker and a backdoor flush draw. I bet 10k into a 15k pot. He check raised me to about 35 or 40k and I called. Turn was a 2 bringing a flush draw. He checked I bet like 20k into an 90k pot and he called. River was a brick he checked and I checked back to get shown A642. Not a horrible beat or anything, just kinda sucks since I haven’t played this large in a few years.
Its funny how losing 363k bothered me. I used to not get to bothered about losing but for some reason losing 25% of my profit on the year really got to me. There was a great game supposed to be running tonight but the thought of the possibility of losing 500k or so just sounds so unappealing to me. My brother is getting married this weekend so I am going to take the weekend off and see how I feel about playing next week when I get back into town.
All that said I really don’t regret my decision to play. I was very focused and played well, and the game was amazing. Not much else you can do but put yourself in those good situations.
So today I played some 50/100 HU PLO on fulltilt against a very good aggressive player, I won 50k off of him and 40k overal today. We played for a few hours and I ran very hot. I think I was out played, but ran well above expectation.
Flopping top two vs two pair in a RR pot.
A big suckout by me.
A great flop for both of us in a four bet pot.
Sucking out with aces.
Running into top two pair.
Check Out Brian’s Online Training Site – CardRunners
Deuces Cracked Review
June 22, 2009 by Nick Wealthall
When I started playing poker and learning I would occasionally summon up some courage, put my dignity to one side and ask a pro player about a hand I’d play. This would be a temporary respite from the ‘hitting your head against a wall’ trial and error that learning poker used to be. Well now there are no secrets and you can learn from some of the best in the world at online video training sites. Several have sprung up in recent years and they transformed plenty of players games including mine. Deuces Cracked is such a site – but is it for you and will it help your game?
What’s it all about?
The main stay of Deuces Cracked are the training videos. These are videos of some top class players playing online and talking you through their thought processes and decisions. They also have a decent amount of videos which are structured like lessons – with power point presentations – as well as just straight forward playing sessions. There is also an active member forum, a podcast and the coach’s blogs. I know there are other elements to these sites but Deuces Cracked stands or falls on the quality of it’s training videos.
How will it make me a better player?
I don’t know about you but I don’t play poker as substitute for going to school. I used to read poker pokers because I had to but by page 264 of implied pot odds I used to be fighting off nap time. Online training is by far the best, most accessible way to learn poker. Deuces Cracked does a great job of presenting the information on the site and giving really structured individual videos as well as series of videos on a specific game or type of play. There are some really good players on the site and some good teachers too and if you take in the content and apply it to your own game it can’t help but improve you.
What are the downsides?
Deuces cracked isn’t really for tournament players. There are sit and go and multi table tournament videos however they’re few and far between compared to the cash game videos on the site and there might be better options for you. But then again cash poker is proper poker so it shouldn’t be a problem! Of course there’s also a cost to joining the site and this is a commitment for you. However the site does have a really good free trial period offer so you can see if its for you and if you do join – like any investment in your game- it should pay for itself pretty quickly; I’m a member of more than one site and have never regretted joining or thought about cancelling any of them.
What do I get?
As well as access to all the training videos Deuces Cracked also has an active community and forum where you can post hands. It has a well establish podcast, blogs from its instructors and probably the easiest to use, best presented site in the poker training universe. In addition to this the videos can be downloaded and some are ipod compatible so you can improve you’re game when you’re on the move or doing something less interesting like a work meeting or anniversary dinner
To sum up?
Dueces Cracked is a really good training site with a look and feel all of its own and a growing and active community. There are other training sites to choose from which are also good – in fact if you’re serious about you’re game and moving upstakes you should contemplate being a member of more than one, as I am, and getting all the content you can. If you decide to join and immerse yourself in the site it can’t fail but to improve your game.
Click Now To Check Out Deuces Cracked
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