Small Stakes, Start Saying Goodbye to Emptyman

My focus is narrow and pure. Get the EFF out of this swamp, where people can play 80% of the hands in a tourney and still make the final table. Where any 8 makes a good low Stud hand, where any A makes a raising Omaha 8 hand.

Yesterday:


More please! It's my first Matrix, and boy was it fun. And, I must add, completely biased towards players like me. I can and do play 4 tables at once anyways, but in that context I'm marginalizing myself, because they are free to play only one table. When we all have to 4-table, I have such a huge advantage. If only I could play these more often.

Today:


First thing to mention: I actually cut a deal. I had him all-in in Stud 8 a couple of times, but he hit the river both times, and all of a sudden we're looking at HE and he has a slight chip lead. So, I took the deal he offered, and took the win at -$10, since he was now actually ahead by 10K.


Highlights:


Cooler. I actually had checkraised him 2 hands ago when I hit the gutshot nut-straight, so I bet this really steamed him. I would have been throwing things :) We need a word in the poker lexicon for being the beneficiary of a cooler. Heater is taken, so what is this? Tommy A, any suggestions?


Better and better and better.


Big big big hand. arubart was a new player, as evidenced by his full bring-in with (xx)K 2 hands previous. So, on 5, I bet my "8", and he raises his "T". I've seen him raise guaranteed-behind earlier in tourney, so I made the required 3-bet. Then when we both pair 6th, I bet again, and he thought for a long long time, and called. 7th brings the dreaded 3-pair, and I just fire anyways. He thinks while I pray, and then says he folded 222. Which beats 3-pair, unless he filled up.

I think the 3-bet on 5th is the only way I win this hand. If I back down for a second, he calls any 6 and 7. I have to CONVINCE him I have an 8 (check the chatbox), so he'll fold a T or J or Q on the river. He does, and I survive.

Now rolling. 55K to 20K to 6K. So I can play them against each other. Then, I get down to heads up, and this hand to scoop a big pot and give me the huge lead.


As pretty as Stud 8 hands come. 8 on the river for bonus.


Some leaning by me, and 3 fortunate rivers by him, and we're finally all-in again.


Standard. Then, after I brick 3457 while he hits AA, I find myself trailing slightly. And completely deflated. So when he offered the deal I took it.

**********

To Review:

I upgraded notes on a couple of players today. Players who I previously had as purple/pink. (Some) people get better, and if you don't adjust your notes to allow for this you could be playing with bad information. In regards to that, though, don't let short-term results change much. And if you notice them making consistently better decisions, upgrade immediately.

You cannot hurry poker. These tourneys take EXACTLY as long as they take. You have one way to make it shorter, and that is to take yourself out of it. Someone once said there are 5 P's of Poker. I remember them as Patience, Patience, Patience, Pot Odds, and Patience. I doubt that's right...but still. If you happen to catch yourself BEFORE you make that "aw, fawk it" raise, and fold instead, you might be AMAZED at the results. It's a skill, don't kid yourself.

My bankroll is growing. I commit to redoubling my efforts to stay committed, focused, responsible, calm, and patient. And,

I win.