Read something recently that has really hit home

I had a bit of a downswing last week - and it didn't phase me much. I lost over 8 buyins over the stretch, and with 2 of them being at 2/4 NL (rest split between 1/2 NL and $1 bb NL), it was a sizeable downswing in $ terms, although not much relative to my bankroll nor relative to the stakes.

I used to get really upset with downswings. One of them affected me so bad that I was never able to play winning limit poker again (was at 4bb/100 over 30K hands at 5/10 limit). This was in December 1995, but even more recently I have had issues where I get really angry, when I know it is just the variance of the game. Despite having to report a sizeable amount of winnings to the IRS each of the past 3 years and complete understanding that I know that the variance is good, since the fish have to win sometime if they are to play, I still got upset.

I read something recently that really opened my eyes Angel Largay (sp?) from Bluff mag wrote an article where he said he experienced many of the same things. He was finally able to admit to himself something that got him over the emotional hump. He was afraid. When he had a downswing, he was afraid that maybe he wasn't a winning player after all. That all those winnings for all those months/years were a fluke. That really hit home and helped during my recent downswing.

When I have had downswings, I think I have become afraid that perhaps something is changing that won't allow me to keep winning. While my wife and I have made a conscious effort not to spend the money I have earned through poker as income, it has helped in many ways. We bought a new van recently, and it helped with a down payment on a house. Now it is helping fund my wife's IRA and both my and her Roth IRAs (for those not in U.S. - these are retirement accounts that offer tax advantages).

Could I still get a tad afraid in the future? Sure, but I think knowing and admitting the fear is half the battle. I recovered from the downswing quickly and recovered a good chunk of the losses back in the past couple days. I hope to keep this mindset during future downswings.

Controlling the pot size and a few hands

In the beginning stages of reading Professional NL holdem – the new Ed Miller book. A lot of that book is about controlling pot size, something I considered in the past, but probably not at the technical level that is optimal. I am starting to try to work on this.

Here is one hand where it backfires

Full Tilt No-Limit Hold'em, $2 BB (2 handed) Hand History Converter Tool from FlopTurnRiver.com (Format: HTML)



Hero ($247.30)

BB ($123)



Preflop: Hero is Button with Ac, 7h.

Button raises to $7, BB calls $4.



Flop: ($13) 8d, 7s, 5s (2 players)

BB checks, Hero checks.



Turn: ($13) 3s (2 players)

BB bets $12, Hero calls $12.



River: ($37) 3c (2 players)

BB bets $36, Hero calls $36.



Final Pot: $109



Results in white below:

BB has Ad 3h (three of a kind, threes).

Hero has Ac 7h (two pair, sevens and threes).

Outcome: BB wins $109.


While it backfires, I think I played this correct, at least on the turn and river. There are lots of hands he can have that beat me on the flop and turn. This player is such that if he bluffs the turn (either as semi-bluff or conventional), he will also fire the river. If he has value, he usually ch-calls a moderate bet on the river. So on the turn bet, I see several reasons to only call a) keeps pot smaller with a marginal hand, b) win more if he is bluffing, c) extract value from small river bet if he checks.

The only point where I think I could (should?) have played different is by betting the flop. I let him catch up, but if I know he has A3, I love the check on the flop.


Here is an example where everything worked out a lot better

Full Tilt No-Limit Hold'em, $2 BB (2 handed) [url=http://poker-tools.flopturnriver.com/Hand-Converter.php]Hand History Converter Tool[/url] from [url=http://www.flopturnriver.com]FlopTurnRiver.com[/url] (Format: FlopTurnRiver Cards)

Full Tilt No-Limit Hold'em, $2 BB (2 handed) [url=http://poker-tools.flopturnriver.com/Hand-Converter.php]Hand History Converter Tool[/url] from [url=http://www.flopturnriver.com]FlopTurnRiver.com[/url] (Format: FlopTurnRiver Cards)

Hero ($317.20)
BB ($243.10)

[b]Preflop:[/b] Hero is Button with [img]http://www.flopturnriver.com/phpBB2/images/smiles/qd.gif[/img], [img]http://www.flopturnriver.com/phpBB2/images/smiles/qc.gif[/img].
[color=#CC3333]Hero raises to $7[/color], BB calls $4.

[b]Flop:[/b] ($13) [img]http://www.flopturnriver.com/phpBB2/images/smiles/2c.gif[/img], [img]http://www.flopturnriver.com/phpBB2/images/smiles/kh.gif[/img], [img]http://www.flopturnriver.com/phpBB2/images/smiles/kc.gif[/img] [color=#0000FF](2 players)[/color]
BB checks, Hero checks.

[b]Turn:[/b] ($13) [img]http://www.flopturnriver.com/phpBB2/images/smiles/tc.gif[/img] [color=#0000FF](2 players)[/color]
[color=#CC3333]BB bets $12[/color], Hero calls $12.

[b]River:[/b] ($37) [img]http://www.flopturnriver.com/phpBB2/images/smiles/6h.gif[/img] [color=#0000FF](2 players)[/color]
[color=#CC3333]BB bets $36[/color], Hero calls $36.

[b]Final Pot:[/b] $109

Results in white below: [color=#FFFFFF]
BB has Ts 3s (two pair, kings and tens).
Hero has Qd Qc (two pair, kings and queens).
Outcome: Hero wins $109. [/color]

Heads up – when you check, opponents often take that as a sign to charge with turn and river bets. With QQ on an ace high flop, this is an ideal spot to keep the pot small. Sure, I will sometimes call turn and river bets and lose to Ax. But there are enough cases like this hand to make calling profitable.


I flopped a flush here, and tried to play a big pot. Unfortunately, the guy had a set and filled on the turn with too little behind to consider getting away.

Full Tilt No-Limit Hold'em, $2 BB (2 handed) [url=http://poker-tools.flopturnriver.com/Hand-Converter.php]Hand History Converter Tool[/url] from [url=http://www.flopturnriver.com]FlopTurnRiver.com[/url] (Format: FlopTurnRiver Cards)

Full Tilt No-Limit Hold'em, $2 BB (2 handed) Hand History Converter Tool from FlopTurnRiver.com (Format: HTML)



Hero ($204.40)

Button ($173)



Preflop: Hero is BB with Js, 6s.

Button raises to $7, Hero calls $4.



Flop: ($13) Qs, Ts, 2s (2 players)

Hero checks, Button bets $8, BB raises to $24, Button calls $16.



Turn: ($61) 2d (2 players)

BB bets $50, Button calls $50.



River: ($161) 3d (2 players)

BB bets $94, Button calls $93 (All-In).



Final Pot: $347



Results in white below:

Hero has Js 6s (flush, queen high).

Button has Qd Qh (full house, queens full of twos).

Outcome: Button wins $347. Hero wins $1.

Sometimes, players hang themselves (also – having position is nice)

Full Tilt No-Limit Hold'em, $2 BB (2 handed) Hand History Converter Tool from FlopTurnRiver.com (Format: HTML)



Hero ($209.50)

BB ($346.90)



Preflop: Hero is Button with 7d, Td.

Button raises to $7, BB raises to $12, Hero calls $4.



Flop: ($23) 9h, 8s, Jc (2 players)

BB bets $20, Hero calls $20.



Turn: ($63) 5d (2 players)

BB bets $60, Button raises to $179.5 (All-In), BB calls $119.50.



River: ($0) 5c (2 players, 1 all-in)



Final Pot: $422



Results in white below:

BB has 8c Jh (two pair, jacks and eights).

Hero has 7d Td (straight, jack high).

Outcome: Hero wins $422.


When stacks are 140 bb deep, position becomes much more important. Here I called a reraise PF with a very marginal hand. With flopped bottom 2, I am willing to get all in, and I don’t want to keep the pot small. Further, I am betting big to protect my hand from many different cards that could hurt me (and many that hurt me, I can’t detect).

Full Tilt No-Limit Hold'em, $2 BB (2 handed) Hand History Converter Tool from FlopTurnRiver.com (Format: HTML)

Hero ($277.20)
BB ($274.40)

Preflop: Hero is Button with 8c, 5c.
Button raises to $7, BB raises to $20, Hero calls $12.

Flop: ($39) 5s, Qh, 8d (2 players)
BB bets $36, Button raises to $144, BB raises to $288, Button raises to $403.2 (All-In), BB calls $4.39 (All-In).

Turn: ($623.80) 3h (2 players, 2 all-in)

River: ($623.80) 8h (2 players, 2 all-in)

Final Pot: $623.80

Results in white below:
BB has Kh Ks (two pair, kings and eights).
Hero has 8c 5c (full house, eights full of fives).
Outcome: Hero wins $734.60.

I have a lot of work to do on controlling pot size, especially with working on PF actions influence post-flop decisions. The problem I see is that varying raise sizes does give information away about your hand. Perhaps I need to randomly vary raise sizes, but then also for hands where one size is better I make sure I use that size more often.

A guy threatens to report me

This is hilarious. I made a tough call after determining the guy had an Ace or nothing – figuring his range is such that the call is correct. I was right …

Full Tilt No-Limit Hold'em, $2 BB (2 handed) Hand History Converter Tool from FlopTurnRiver.com (Format: HTML)



Hero ($131.30)

Button ($145.10)



Preflop: Hero is BB with 7s, 8s.

Button raises to $7, Hero calls $4.



Flop: ($13) 3c, Ah, 8c (2 players)

Hero checks, Button bets $6, Hero calls $6.



Turn: ($25) 5d (2 players)

Hero checks, Button checks.



River: ($25) Qc (2 players)

Hero checks, Button bets $20, Hero calls $20.



Final Pot: $65



Results in white below:

Hero has 7s 8s (one pair, eights).

Button has Ts 9c (high card, ace).

Outcome: Hero wins $65.


Then the following chat comes up (villains name is “GilbertTheGator”). This chat was during the beginning of the next hand (where I won a small pot with 55).


GilbertTheGator: horrilbe call
GilbertTheGator: i played the flush draw u idiot

GilbertTheGator: ur so bad

GilbertTheGator: value bet the river
GilbertTheGator checks
GilbertTheGator: lololol

GilbertTheGator: im gonna bust you so fast


Well, this guy is a tool, obviously. But how to respond. Well, I had to leave soon anyway, so I thought I could put him on tilt a bit for others to enjoy by making the following comments:


PokerElmo: fine, I will leave after this hand, if I am so bad
PokerElmo: thx for letting me know I am outclassed


He did not like this:



GilbertTheGator: if you hit and run you will be reported and blacklisted

I sat out once the big blind hit me, then said:

PokerElmo: blacklisted, for leaving with my money?
PokerElmo: please report me

After I sat out, he said he was writing the email. I know the rules well enough to know anyone can leave at anytime. I thought about reporting him, actually, as these kinds of threats might fool others who don’t know the rules. I guess you meet all kinds of tools online.

What a way to wake up (Elmo's adventures with tilting guy)

A guy started tilting on my $100 buyin 6-max table this morning. Big time! He lost a couple modest pots, then I see him push 53s for $140 to steal the blinds (he showed). He started pushing every hand. I had never seen anything like this in NL. I was stunned. I have seen people tilt by pushing trash, but usually they leave. He would lose, but kept reloading, and kept talking trash!

He slowed down a bit, and was only pushing the first 2/3 of hands first in. So it is folded to me on the button and I get 99. I figure limping looks more suspicious than raising, so I raised and he pushed. Naturally, I called. When his T3o did not hit …

PokerStars No-Limit Hold'em, $1.00 BB (4 handed) Hand History Converter Tool from FlopTurnRiver.com (Format: HTML)



UTG ($99)

Hero ($100)

SB ($107.60)

BB ($169)



Preflop: Hero is Button with 9d, 9c.

1 fold, Button raises to $3, SB raises to $107.6, 1 fold, Hero calls $97 (All-In).



Flop: ($201) 5d, 7s, 7c (2 players, 1 all-in)



Turn: ($201) Jd (2 players, 1 all-in)



River: ($201) 2c (2 players, 1 all-in)



Final Pot: $201.01

In another couple hands, I get AJ

PokerStars No-Limit Hold'em, $1.00 BB (4 handed) [url=http://poker-tools.flopturnriver.com/Hand-Converter.php]Hand History Converter Tool[/url] from [url=http://www.flopturnriver.com]FlopTurnRiver.com[/url] (Format: FlopTurnRiver Cards)

SB ($106.35)
Hero ($199)
UTG ($92.40)
Button ($167.50)

[b]Preflop:[/b] Hero is BB with [img]http://www.flopturnriver.com/phpBB2/images/smiles/ad.gif[/img], [img]http://www.flopturnriver.com/phpBB2/images/smiles/jc.gif[/img].
[color=#CC3333]UTG raises to $92.4[/color], [color=#666666][i]2 folds[/i][/color], Hero calls $91.40.

[b]Flop:[/b] ($185.30) [img]http://www.flopturnriver.com/phpBB2/images/smiles/qs.gif[/img], [img]http://www.flopturnriver.com/phpBB2/images/smiles/js.gif[/img], [img]http://www.flopturnriver.com/phpBB2/images/smiles/2h.gif[/img] [color=#0000FF](2 players)[/color]

[b]Turn:[/b] ($185.30) [img]http://www.flopturnriver.com/phpBB2/images/smiles/2c.gif[/img] [color=#0000FF](2 players)[/color]

[b]River:[/b] ($185.30) [img]http://www.flopturnriver.com/phpBB2/images/smiles/td.gif[/img] [color=#0000FF](2 players)[/color]

[b]Final Pot:[/b] $185.30

Results in white below: [color=#FFFFFF]
Hero has Ad Jc (two pair, jacks and twos).
UTG has Kh Jd (two pair, jacks and twos).
Outcome: Hero wins $185.30. [/color]



Now with triple the buyin stack, I find AQ a few hands later.


PokerStars No-Limit Hold'em, $1.00 BB (4 handed) [url=http://poker-tools.flopturnriver.com/Hand-Converter.php]Hand History Converter Tool[/url] from [url=http://www.flopturnriver.com]FlopTurnRiver.com[/url] (Format: FlopTurnRiver Cards)

SB ($106.35)
Hero ($288.90)
UTG ($100)
Button ($167.90)

[b]Preflop:[/b] Hero is BB with [img]http://www.flopturnriver.com/phpBB2/images/smiles/ad.gif[/img], [img]http://www.flopturnriver.com/phpBB2/images/smiles/qh.gif[/img]. UTG posts a blind of $1.50.
[color=#CC3333]UTG (poster) raises to $99.5[/color], [color=#666666][i]2 folds[/i][/color], Hero calls $98.50.

[b]Flop:[/b] ($200) [img]http://www.flopturnriver.com/phpBB2/images/smiles/2s.gif[/img], [img]http://www.flopturnriver.com/phpBB2/images/smiles/7c.gif[/img], [img]http://www.flopturnriver.com/phpBB2/images/smiles/jd.gif[/img] [color=#0000FF](2 players)[/color]

[b]Turn:[/b] ($200) [img]http://www.flopturnriver.com/phpBB2/images/smiles/4s.gif[/img] [color=#0000FF](2 players)[/color]

[b]River:[/b] ($200) [img]http://www.flopturnriver.com/phpBB2/images/smiles/8h.gif[/img] [color=#0000FF](2 players)[/color]

[b]Final Pot:[/b] $200

Results in white below: [color=#FFFFFF]
Hero has Ad Qh (high card, ace).
UTG has Qs 6d (high card, queen).
Outcome: Hero wins $200. [/color]





Alas, you can’t win them all …

PokerStars No-Limit Hold'em, $1.00 BB (6 handed) [url=http://poker-tools.flopturnriver.com/Hand-Converter.php]Hand History Converter Tool[/url] from [url=http://www.flopturnriver.com]FlopTurnRiver.com[/url] (Format: FlopTurnRiver Cards)

SB ($509.70)
BB ($100)
Hero ($476.75)
MP ($101.50)
CO ($108.50)
Button ($96.65)

[b]Preflop:[/b] Hero is UTG with [img]http://www.flopturnriver.com/phpBB2/images/smiles/as.gif[/img], [img]http://www.flopturnriver.com/phpBB2/images/smiles/8s.gif[/img].
Hero calls $1, [color=#CC3333]MP raises to $101.5[/color], [color=#666666][i]4 folds[/i][/color], Hero calls $100.50.

[b]Flop:[/b] ($204.50) [img]http://www.flopturnriver.com/phpBB2/images/smiles/9d.gif[/img], [img]http://www.flopturnriver.com/phpBB2/images/smiles/qs.gif[/img], [img]http://www.flopturnriver.com/phpBB2/images/smiles/7d.gif[/img] [color=#0000FF](2 players)[/color]

[b]Turn:[/b] ($204.50) [img]http://www.flopturnriver.com/phpBB2/images/smiles/td.gif[/img] [color=#0000FF](2 players)[/color]

[b]River:[/b] ($204.50) [img]http://www.flopturnriver.com/phpBB2/images/smiles/tc.gif[/img] [color=#0000FF](2 players)[/color]

[b]Final Pot:[/b] $204.50

Results in white below: [color=#FFFFFF]
Hero has As 8s (one pair, tens).
MP has Ah Ks (one pair, tens).
Outcome: MP wins $204.50. [/color]

Overall, I won almost 3 buyins from this guy! What a way to start a day, as for our friend? Well, a picture is worth a thousand dollars, um, I mean words.

Yes, I am still alive

I am still unable to find a block of time to play a tourney, however – I really am getting the itch. However, by 8:30 PM the idea playing for 3 straight hours and the idea seems lousy, so I never sign up.

I have played a ton of heads up in the past month. Some heads up cash ($1 and $2 bb), and then transitioned into SNGs. It has been a nice venue – I am now thinking I should set the date on the calendar for the WCOOP HU event.

My wife and I are trying to figure out what to do with the modest amount of money I earn at poker. My wife and I don’t want to “spend” it like it is income, since we don’t know if this source of income will always be available (games might get tougher, more regulations to make it tougher to play, etc.). We are now saving some the cashout money in order to finish our basement. We are also contributing to a retirement plan. (I know, we live a crazy life!)

I start school in 10 days – so life gets busier again. Not sure how much less poker I will play – but certainly playing time will go down.

Will post some interesting events in the next day or two.
E