Fighting through a downswing

I had a pretty bad downswing recently. I actually had a bad 4 days right after the WSOP, so I took a 3-day break. Then I had a great week after that, but proceeded to lose all the profits from my great week within 3 days or so. Most of my loses have come from HU NL holdem, so I am going to take a break from that game until I can figure out and fix my leaks. Some of the downswing is bad luck, but some of it is certainly from bad plays. That being said, I have now posted 3 straight winning days since my disaster of a day Saturday, recouping about 1/2 the losses from that day.


Multitabling stars and thoughts about next year

I have been experimenting with increasing the number of tables I play on stars. I have now 15 tabled NL full ring several times. I have had pretty decent results too. Over about 10K hands, my earn rate is slightly above my long term average earn rate. 10K hands is still very much the "short-run", but I don't feel like I am missing much.

I am going to investigate how to use these "AHK scripts". I would love to work my way up to 24-tabling 1/2 NL. If I can successfully do that - I may make a run at supernova elite on stars next year. If I 24-table 1/2 NL full ring, I estimate that it would take 1200 hours next year. That sounds like a ton of hours, but if I play 20 hours per week during the 30 weeks classes are in session (for 600 hours), and 35 hours per week for 20 other weeks (700 hours), that would get me the necessary hours with some times for when I need breaks. While that sounds like a lot of hours (even for me), I usually play poker every day. So 35 hours a week would mean 3 hours most days, with 3 longer days per week. In addition to 24-tbling 1/2 NL (or perhaps some 2/4 NL in there as well), there are other options. Ten tabling 3/6 limit SH, 5/10 limit full ring, or some combination of the two would also get me about the same number of VPPs as 24-tabling 1/2 NLFR. If I could somehow become a winning player at 5/10 SH and could 8-tbl that, that would get me much more. I think it is important to have this option, as if I get a bit bored of NL, I could take some time to play limit.

During the final 6 months of this year, I will work on figuring out whether I can profitably 24-tbl 1/2 (or 2/4) NLFR, and 10 (or more)-tbl 3/6 SH limit. If I can, I think I will go for it. The rewards are just too awesome, with the value of the enormous number of FPPs, and free buyins to the PCA, WSOP, and WCOOP main events.

WSOP trip report – Part 2.

Note – the beginning and end chip counts are accurate. The rest are probably close, but also probably not exact.


Levels 3 and 4 (100/200 blinds and 100/200 blinds with 25 antes). I start these levels with 3375. Average is probably about 4300.

My M=11 when I start in level 3. This stack size has some features: 1) it isn’t a great size to splash around with, as a reraise means you lose 20% of your stack, and 2) it is a decent stack size for reraise pushes if you find a good spot, since you could pick up the 300 in blinds and the initial PF raiser (often 600) to add 30% or so to your stack.

To start these levels, I am playing patient, and looking for a spot to reraise push, even with a marginal hand. I will play good hands, of course, but I can’t count on them coming for me. I play about an orbit or so – losing the blinds twice, and getting one steal, before picking up the first meaningful hand – KQs in the big blind. A guy in MP raised to 600 and I have about 2900 in my stack. At this point, I think I could have pushed, but I decided instead to call the extra 400. I don’t like having to call off 15% of my stack on a call, but any flush draw, straight draw, or top pair hand and I will be getting all my chips in the middle. I have 2300 in my stack after the call. The flop is a very pretty KK2. I check, and he bets 1300. With only 1000 left, I don’t mess around and just push all in, since there is a flush draw on board. Looking back, this is probably a mistake, although I might be saying that since he folded after I ch-raised pushed. That being said, I don’t know that ch-calling there looks any less like a monster. Either way, a good result, as I added 1900 from villains stack and the 100 small blind to chip up to about 4900.

About 4 hands later, I get 55 (either in CO or hijack) and raise to 550 (bb is 200). The big blind calls. He is an aggressive guy who I think might be a live pro (or at least thinks he is capable of being a live pro). The reason I think this is his fundaments seem a bit shaky, but he is very aggro and seems very, very comfortable. The flop comes T72 with two spades. He checks, and I make a CB of about 625. He calls, I am not happy, and a 4 comes on the turn. He checks again, and I check behind. There is a flush draw on board, along with many straight draws, so I could be ahead, but I can’t play a big pot with 55 here. The river pairs the 2 – which is a good card for me. It is very doubtful he has a two, so if he was winning, he is still winning, and he was on a draw, he didn’t hit. I am mentally thinking about what to do if he bets, but I don’t have to worry – he checks. I check behind, and he shows T3 of spades for a busted flush draw. I add another 1250 to my stack – which is now around 6000.

The blinds go through me, and then I pick up 66 in 3rd position. I get called by the button (who was same player as 55 hand) and the small blind (who was villain in the AT suited hand in level 1. The flop comes 852 with 3 spades (I have no spades). Given I had been very active and the board isn’t too pretty for me, I decide not to CB this flop when the small blind checks to me. The button also checks, and we see an offsuit ace hit the turn. When the small blind checks to me, this seems like the perfect card to make a bet with. I can very easily represent an AK, AQ, AJ, etc. with this bet after raising PF and checking the turn, and so I fire about 900 chips or so into the pot, and both players fold. This gets my stack to just over 7,000 chips.

This is about where level 3 ended and level 4 began. Level 4, like level 3, was 100/200 blinds. However, level 4 also had a 25 chip ante – making the pots much more worth stealing! In the first orbit of the new level, I stole two times. Once was sb vs. bb, once in MP. Both I must have had something, but I didn’t write down the hands (probably suited connectors or broadway cards). One thing I notice now is a guy comes to our table, and I swear he is Mike Matasow, just 20 years younger. It is just uncanny how similar he looks to him. He does seem like a much nicer guy than Matasow, however, and much quieter.

I took an orbit off due to lack of cards/opportunities. When the blinds hit me again, I fold the bb, but limp A8o first in from the small blind. The flop comes A82. Hmm … how to play this monster. The opponent was an older guy who was very nice, but, bless him, was horrible. He was way, way, way too tight. He wouldn’t bet for me, so I made a small bet hoping he had something and would call. He folded, and I pick up the equivalent of a steal. This guy was great, and I will call him Old Fish from now on. I abused Old Fish throughout the tourney, but he saw enough good hands from me to always think I had it. Plus, once of twice when he contemplated and I got called elsewhere, he saw the goods from me. Old Fish would say things like: that guy pushes light – I was ready to call him with AK, maybe even AQ.

I fold for an orbit, and find AKs utg. This is now near the end of level 4, where we are about to go on a break. I raise utg to 625. The button, who is our 20-year younger version of Mike Matasow, reraises to about 1900. He only has 2000 behind. I have about 7300 or so, and figure that there is too much in the pot, and there are too many hands he would play here that makes me think I have good equity vs. his range. He was moderately aggro at times, and I had been aggro, so perhaps he was reraising me light. Although, maybe subconsciously I am just thinking this since he looks like Matasow. So, it gets back to me. I ask how much he has left to confirm he only has about 2K or so. I then put in enough chips to push him all in. When our Matsow-look-alike goes into the tank, I am happy. He obviously does not have aces or kings. I figure he will certainly call with either AQ or a lower pair, since he wouldn’t fold for half his chips, but I am not in too bad of a spot here.

After a few minutes, he starts asking me questions. I don’t really say much, figuring my utg raise and push look strong enough without me talking. Plus, I am not a good enough live player to make sure I don’t give away information. After about 5 minutes he folds! I was stunned, but happy. At the end of the next break, he was commenting on how dumb he was to reraise there with QJ. He asked what I had and I told him I would tell him after one of us busted. (Which wasn’t much longer for him.) I folded my blinds, then a few more hands before the 2nd break. At the 2nd break, I had 9,775. I was very happy with being able to chip up to 9775. Plus, I in levels 3 and 4 I increased my stack without ever seeing a showdown, which is certainly a much lower-variance way to increase a chip-stack.

To be continued …

Poker Elmo's 2008 WSOP event 2 trip report – Part 1

Note – the beginning and end of chip counts are accurate. The rest are probably close, but also probably not exact.

Prior to day 1 starting. I felt really good. I was talking to ChrisJP before the event started about this – but I felt quite different. This year, walking into the WSOP, I felt like a poker professional. I have now earned pretty significant sums of money for a few straight years playing poker – and feel like I have a great feel for the game. I didn’t want to put too much pressure on myself either, since this is only one tourney and absolutely anything can happen in a tourney. I had 3 other WSOP tourneys, with poor results (main event 2005 – busted with KK to AA near end of day 1 when I had a well-above-average stack, prelim event 2006 – busted in first two hours with a bad non-push early and a bad push late, and busted in level 4 of another 2006 prelim with average stack when my AK ran into AA). I have replayed those events and bustouts in my mind many times. However, I was determined not to let the ghosts of my WSOP past affect me today.

I stayed at ChrisJP’s place the night before the event – wow, what a great advantage. It was so nice to wake up and just go outside on a beautiful 70 degree morning and relax and chat with Chris. As I was driving to the Rio, I felt so much better than I normally do waking up in the morning when in a hotel – I felt like I had a “home-court advantage”.



Levels 1 and 2 (25/50 and 50/100 blinds). I start these levels with 3000. Average is 3000.

I got TT within the first couple of hands, on the button, and elected to call a 3x raise (to 150). The flop came 972, and I called a 250 bet from a lady who I don’t think would double barrel without an overpair or better, so when she also bets the turn, I fold.

About an orbit later, I get AT diamonds and raise to 150 from the hijack. I am called by the sb, who checks a KK8 flop w two hearts. I make a CB of 225, and it is called. The turn brings a 2, and I check behind when villain checks. The river brings is offsuit ten, and villain fires 500. Given the possibility of a busted flush draw or lower pair, I call and get shown 88 for a flopped boat.

With these two hands, I lost half my stack within 20 minutes and I am thinking that I could be out quickly. There were probably two minutes there where the following things went through my mind:
- I wanted to be anywhere but Vegas
- I couldn’t believe that I seemed destined for another early WSOP exit.
- The thoughts of my other WSOP bustouts went through my mind.
- I can’t believe that I could be out without ever being above the starting stack.


After a minute or so, I slapped myself (figuratively) and reassessed the situation. The facts as I saw them:
- This is only one tourney, I can’t put too much stock in any one tourney.
- I still have 30 big blinds, I am not dead
- Every tourney I have made a big score in there has been a moment where things looked really bad.
- I am better than these people – so lets just play poker and see what happens.
- I might bust early – but I won’t go out without a fight (this cues the Rocky music in my head).

Game on.

An orbit later, I get 88 in the sb with an OAD in the bb who thinks he is hot stuff. I limped 88, thinking this guy would raise, and he did not disappoint. He raised to 175 (bb is still 50), and I raised to 850. He thinks for a while and pushes me all in (for about 1500) and shows KJ. This is a pretty bad play by him, IMO, as he has to be at best flipping, and he could have folded with only investing 175. The board came AQ5-Q-9, and I double up back to about the original starting stack.

I felt good about things at this point – like I had a new lease on my tournament. After defending my big blind to a 3x raise with AJ, I ch-raised a J92 rainbow flop and took down the pot. The next hand, I limped K2s in the sb, and the flop came KK2 in a 3-handed pot. I checked the flop, hoping there would be a bet, but there wasn’t one. On the turn, I checked again, and the big blind bet 125 into the 150 pot, and the MP limper called. I decided to ch-raising here, hoping someone had enough to play along (there were two flush draws on the turn. I ch-raised to 400, hoping a flush draw might find the odds appealing to call, or perhaps someone else has a monster they will stack off with. Both fold, however, and I pick add another 400 chips to my stack.

My stack is now up to about 4000 or so (I think), and we are now moving to the next level, with 50/100 blinds. I find 88 in my big blind and defend a 3x raise from the hijack. My early read on him is that he is pretty straightforward, a bit agro, but won’t get too out of line when his stack is at risk. When the flop comes 974 with two diamonds, I decide to ch-raise is 350 chip CB to 900. I think I am probably best here, and if he reraises I will safely dump my hand. He folds, and I am up to 4600 or so. The next orbit in the small blind, I find AQ suited, and I reraise a button raiser from 300 to 900, and he folds. This gets me over 5K.

I feel like I have been pretty active, and I guess I have. I haven’t been too out-of-line, but the table has not known that. Right now, I am feeling super about things. I was a card from being out within 30 minutes, and now I am above average at about 5K.

Unfortunately for me, it was time for my luck to even out after winning a flip earlier. I raised to 300 with 99 from 3rd position, and 5th position pushes for about 1600. I have an easy call with getting 300+300+150+1300=2150 and I have to call 1300 given this is a laggy guy who’s range seems pretty wide. He had AJ and I was a slight favorite until the door card was a jack. This pushed me down to 3500 or so. Fortunately my mindset was still good, and I was thankful that, of the two all in races, I won the race when I was all in and lost when I had 3500 left. I still was above the starting stack, and ready to go back to work.

I played two hands of note in the last fifteen minutes or so of level two. I cold-called a pre-flop raise to 275 with 22 in the cutoff seat. The effective stacks were about 3500, and I felt I was (barely) getting the implied odds to try to spike a set. Further, with position, sometimes other situations arise to pick up a pot. It didn’t hit, however, and when I was bet into, I folded. With about 13-1 odds, this was a pretty marginal call pre-flop, and might have been a mistake.
One blind steal with 76s, a few hands that I fold, and the first two hours are over. My chip stack at the end of the first two levels is 3375. It could have been a lot worse, so I am happy to be here with this stack. However, blinds are going up to 100/200, so I don’t have time to be patient. I don’t have to go crazy, but need to do some work to accumulate chips.

To be continued …

Heading home

I am about to get on a flight home from Vegas. For those who didn't listen to the podcast, I finished 181st in Event 2, for a payout of almost $4,300. I wrote down almost all my hands of note during tournament. I hope to provide a hand-for-hand account of my tournament in the next few days.

Outside of the WSOP - it was mostly a breakeven trip. I played 3 SNGs and chopped one, for a slight net win. However, I lost about a half buyin at 5/10 NL. I was pretty happy with my play in 5/10 NL - especially since it was the highest stakes cash games I had ever played live. I think the play in the 5/10 NL game I played was comparable to a $100 or $200 buyin NL full ring table at stars.

WSOP updates

Updates will be located on the Right hand side. If those don't provide the most recent updates, the forums at ITH will have them:

http://www.internettexasholdem.com/poker-forum/

Hopefully I will call in early and often!