With Jen working so much since Thursday evening, I've had plenty of time to scratch my poker itch on UB....I just wish I could say it has been more productive/profitable...here's the stats since Thursday evening after putting the girls to bed. And for any family/friends out there, I only play when the girls are asleep or napping....no neglect going on here...how can I resist not spending time with them....they are a ton of fun at this age.
Anyway....played about 10 hrs since Thursday night....all at $10/20 UB
Yep...positive wins on the tables 80% of the time, but two monstrous losses wiped it all out....but considering those two losses were about $1200 in total, I've done pretty well to cancel them out...had a nice $400+ session and numerous +1-200 sessions. I just have to rememeber to walk away from the tables when the cards are running cold and quit trying to make something happen...you would think I would learn. Spent the better part of a -$400 session last night looking at 27os, 57os, Q2os, etc, etc, etc.....after folding for two cycles and being down about $50 in blinds, I should have just walked or looked up another table...but instead I sat there and started pushing any decent hand, trying to buy a couple of pots and of course, the numbnuts with 3rd pair just called me down and took the money...was crazy to watch, and hard on the bankroll....but I'm ok with it overall....looking at the numbers and knowing I made back almost all of the moeny I lost takes the sting out of the weekend a bit. That and I'm still up about $900 for the month of August, so overall, it's all very good.
And I'm about halfway to having the eye surgery paid for...if I can hang on and make some more money this week, and continue overall positive for September, then hopefully I can schedule the eye surgery for later this year/early next year....I'll probably wait until after the baby is born, just in case we need the cash for any complications from the baby, but then schedule for January maybe after my vacation time resets. That would be a great way to start the new year.
In other news, Burton & Chris didn't fare so well in Salt Lake City for the Magic tourney...Chris went 3-3 and Burton ended up 4-2-1 to just miss making day 2...very bummed for both of them. Tom LePille made day two and is sitting in a very respectable 27th place in the last update from the tourney...way to go Tom.
Anyway, gotta run, Jen will be home soon, and I have no idea on dinner plans.
ttfn.
10pm...update...just played some more $10/20 on UB while hitting a freeroll on BetonUSA....cleared $125, so I'm officially ending the weekend up $47.50.....yeah, me.
Sigh...what a week. Spent Wednesday in NJ audting a micro contract lab, so that was very fun, getting back into a micro lab again. Our washing machine died again while I was on the trip, so I'm on the search for a new drain pump to get the washer working again....seems like the drain pump doesn't like all of the long hair in the house...I guess I'll have to buy a couple of these pumps, as they seem to last about 2 years in our house.
I did get to play some poker on UB last night...started out with a quick early evening session trying to two table the $10/20 tables...ended up about $200 for the short session, nothing of note, just geeking out some hands and making about $50 on one table and $150 on another. Decided to press my luck after the girls went to bed and played some more $10/20...ended up having my second negative session on $10/20 (now 10 of 12 positive sessions) and lost a chunk of change in doing so...about $600 overall as I continued to get called by terrible players that were willing to see third pair to the river when they should have folded...granted there third pair beat my AK when I don't hit anything, but how can you call down a hand that was reraised pre flop with 7-5, miss the flop the comes 2-8-10 and call a bet, hit a 7 on the turn and call the bet and again call when a Q hits the river...3 overcards on the board and they call down and win the pot with third pair....was simply amazing to watch a whole table of players do this. I was down, then worked my way back up to -$150, then lost a chunk when my K-10 bb saw a flop of A-Q-J for a flopped straight see another Q on the turn and loose to the AQ full house....lots about $200 on that hand alone...just couldn't seem to get on track....of course, every KK, QQ, 1010 I saw was beaten my some numbnut playing A6os and catching an A on the flop and calling it down as well....sigh.
I was able to make back about $150 this morning in a quick 6 handed session at $10/20, as it was the only table going at 6am. Watched a guy that was intent on giving away about $1500 in about 30 minutes, as he raised every pot with garbage and someone at the table would pick him off....I had gained about $200 off his maniac play and then bled back $50 trying to catch him a couple of other times....he seemd to have a great time berating the other players on crushing his cards by being lucky (yeah....my KK beat his 10-7 when the flop comes 10-Q-5 and I catch a K on the turn...he bets, I reraise, he reaises me back and I cap on the turn, see a 2 on the river, he bets, I raise, he calls and then calls me lucky.....amazing. He did get paid off handsomely on his one primium hand of the morning (AA) when no one connected on a 3 card heart flop for a flush to take him out...I think one guy chased a 4th heart to the river with the Kh, but missed it...he then proceeded to call everyone fish and talk about how terrible all UB players are and that they were taking his money with their terrible plays....was fun to watch, and I'll be looking for him again when I play over the weekend.
Big fantasy football draft and poker game tonight...can't wait. Then a weekend of house projects, van maintenance and Jen working to get through.
Wow...longest delay between posts for me...shame on me.
The last 11 days have been pretty hectic. Spent the day on 8/12 with Jen and the girls at the Ohio State Fair...was very hot, but we stuck it out for about 5 hours, mostly letting the girls see the animals and ride some of the rides. The heat took it out of everyone pretty quick, and we headed home about 5...of course, a quick stop at Graeter's for some ice cream for everyone (except me...gotta stay on the diet) was a nice refresher.
Spent Saturday and Sunday morning at the annual RatPack poker party/picnic. Had a blast playing some live poker and seeing everyone in person. Didn't place in either event, although I can say that when I went outin both tourneys, I was the favorite when the money went into the pot, so that is all I can ask for...If the poker gods want my chips someplace else, then so be it.
The weekend ended on a bit of a sour note, as I took my first major hot at the $10/20 tables on UB...had one of those nights when all my good hands missed the flop, and all of my made hands were beaten. At this point, the only pot I truly remember is loosing a 3-way pot of about $500 total when I see a cheap flop from the SB with A4 spades, catching 2 spades on a Q-4-Q flop. I chesk, next guy bets, and we both call (3 way action). No spade on the turn and I check, guy bets, then a reraise back to me...I call the $40 on my flush draw and the original bettor raises, which we both call. I spike a spade on the river for my nut flush, and I know at least one of the guys has a set of Qs, not sure on the other guy....maybe both have sets....but regardles, I think my nut flush is good here. I bet, get raise and reraised, I cap at $80 and both call....I show my nut flush, but the next guy has Q-4 for a flopped full house...last guy had the 4th Q for his set with AQ. So the full house takes down a huge pot....sucks that we let him see the flop for cheap with Q-4os.....oh well. I proceeded to loose about $900 on that session for my first loss of any kind at the $10/20 tables.
But, the CA air was good to me and I made it all back and then some playing in CA...was able to get an hour or so in each night after we had finished for the day and had dinner. Ended up winning back my $900 plus an extra $250 over the 4 nights in CA, so that erased the sting of the loss very quickly. Add in an extra $400 on Friday night back here in Columbus and I was up about $600 on the week. At this pace, I'll have the money for my eye surgery in a couple of weeks and be able to keep a sizable chunk in the poker account as well.
Spent Saturday hiding in the house due to the heat & humidity, not to mention the lack of sleep from the time change...was up until 2am Friday night and the girls were up way to early. My lovely wife allowed me to sleep until 9, so that helped a bit. Dad surprised us with a vist for dinner that evening, so that was fun for everyone. He headed back home after the girls headed for bed, but it was great to see him for a few hours.
Yesterday I finally got some work done around the house by powerwashing the fence in the backyard. Was amazed at the difference it made, as it looks like we have a new fence now. Hoping to get it waterproofed tonight if the wind stays calm. Definately have to get a powerwasher one of these days, what a great tool to have around the house.
I finished off the day by taking 5th out of 140 in an online freeroll for the WAPT. Was chip leader early, went card dead for the second hour and just played tight through it, then made it to the chip lead again as we got down to the final table. Pushed with a pocket pair (66 I believe) and ended up doubling up JJ and was down to the felt (7000 with blinds at 500-1000)...I proceed to double up twice to get back to around 30k and make it into the top 5. My luck runs out when I push 77 from the BB and get called by AK, only to watch a flop of AKQ...I have outs after the turn as I have a spade and there are three more on the board, but I miss the 4th spade or a 7 and get knocked out in 5th. Collected a grand total of $13.25 for the effort...course, first only paid $75, so no huge money for stake in the freeroll. I do get some points in the player rankings after missing the last few tourneys and falling to 6th overall.
Not much going on the last couple of days. Jen's been working a bit more due to some more people leaving B&N....anyone in the Reynoldsburg/Pickerington area that is looking for a part-time job should look at Barnes&Noble...looks like they're loosing some staff this month (school and such) and could use some new help. You get a nice discount and then Jen wouldn't have to work so much, therefore I could play more poker....a win/win situation....
Otherwise just getting ready for the trip to LA next week. Planning on hitting Hollywood Park or The Bicycle on Thursday evening...with any luck, I'll be sitting at the Bike on their internet table, so everyone can clue me in on the bad beats I take.
I did play some UB last night after the girls went to bed....started out at the $5/10 table and was positive for the evening...then decided to get bold and sat down at a $10/20 table at the same time (I know, I was playing two tables at the same time....can't chew bubble gum and walk at the same time, but I'm playing two poker tables...). Anyway, I naturally tightened up on both tables, as I didn't have as much time to mess with weaker hands bouncing between the two tables. As such, the small profits I had made at the $5/10 table were whittled away, with me getting up from the table after 100 hands with a positive $1.....plus $6 in bonus cash.....wheee. However, I had a much better run on the $10/20 table...getting as high as +470 on the table before bleeding off a bit and walking away with +$390 and about $7 in bonus cash. So I'm ecstatic with the evening....I think I could have made more at the $10/20 table if I had fully concentrated on it, so I may spend the balance of the month playing $10/20 and try to exploit the loose play on UB...if I take some losses, I can always go back to grinding at $5/10, which I'm pretty comfortable at playing and beating consistently.
I was pretty amazed by some of the poker I saw again last night....people calling and chasing with Ax, betting into 4 flush boards without the 5th card in the suit and then bitching about it...simply amazing. I had cultivated a pretty tight image while I was two tabeling, so when I left the $5/10 table I loosened up a bit and pulled in a couple of hundred extra on some semi-bluffs and full bluffs on good boards. Then UB hit me like a ton of bricks....AA, KK, AK, 10-10 in successive hands....won with the AA and AK, lost to an Ax chaser that caught their A on the turn and hit a set then full house with the 10-10 and cracked AA for a really nice pot from a aggressive player. All in all a very good session, and definately gives me the cash I need to head to CA for a night of poker.
Hoping to take the girls to the Fair tomorrow, so keeping fingers crossed for decent weather for the middle of the day...hoping to get there by 1 and then leave around 4-5 and try and miss as much traffic as possible.
Played a bit of poker last night on UB...$5/10 limit and cleared about $100 over an hour or so. Was able to win a couple of hands right off the bat, playing A-10 in the BB on my first hand against a raise from the button...called him until the turn and then re-raised him and he folded...I had him on a steal and it was a ragged flop, so I took the shot...he thought for a second and then folded, so I'm up about $40 after one hand. Pick up a couple of more hands that orbit and ended the first trip around the table up about $100. Played tight for the next orbit as the deck started handing me 72os every other hand and nothing better in between. Had QQ beaten twice (KK one hand and Ax on another when an A hit the turn)...was able to minimize the losses to some extent, ended the session after about 100 hands with $100 to the good and about $7 extra in bonus bucks.
I watched some more $10/20 limit afterwards and am still amazed about how loose that game seems to be on UB....now, I'm basing it on playing one session and watching 2 others, but when 50% of the table is calling pre-flop raises and seeing flops, I would consider it a loose table....I might give it another try later this week and see if I can pop my bankroll real quick to finance the trip to CA next week....btw, any bloggers out there that frequent the LA casinos (Bike, Commerce, etc) drop me a line and I can try and meet up with you while in CA next week. I've played one session at Commerce ($1/2 limit) and was impressed with the casino, but not the game...I hate playing no fold-em hold em at the low limits. Planning on taking a bit more cash with me this time so I can take a stab at either a no limit table ($1/2) or a higher limit table ($5/10 even). I'll probably only be able to swing one night down to the casinos during the trip, so I'll try and make the most of it.
On the flip side, I'm hoping for a good showing at the RatPack annual picnic/poker game this weekend...would like to use any winnings from that tourney to roll-over into the CA trip and maybe get a chance to play some serious stakes poker for 'free'...that would be cool. Any suggestions from any CA readers on which place to hit? I'm planning on the Bike this trip, just to see a different casino and possibly sit in on the live internet game.
So...why would $10/20 be a looser game than $5/10...any theories out there?
Had a busy weekend, no poker to speak of since the game from last Thursday...watched some high stakes play (300-600 limit) on UB...crazy heads-up action, watching guys with excess of 100k throwing pots back and forth.
Spent Saturday in Toledo,OH at the annual family reunion for my grandmother's family. Was nice seeing some of the aunts and uncles again, as I pretty much only get to see them at the reunion and at Christmas anymore. The girls had some fun looking at turtles and frogs in the pond in the park, but otherwise was not much for them to do at the reunion. Dropped the girls off at Mary's for an afternoon of swimming and such while Jen and I joined Dad at the Toledo Rib-Off. Was a little toasty, but the ribs were good and the beer was cold....not to mention some of the young ladies walking around in next to nothing. I really hope fashions change between now and when I have to worry about Danielle & Ashley wearing clothes like that....I know that won't happen, but a father has to hope. The best ribs were from a group called "Texas Outlaws"...huge tender ribs with a nice, tangy sauce with just a bit of bite to it. Could have eaten a huge slab of them, but we had to finish them off, get Jen her funnel cake and then head across town to get the girls and head home. Was nice to spend some time with Dad though.
Spent the day yesterday working around the house....painted our bathroom, installed a new garbage disposal, finished Danielle's toy chest and took down Ashley's crib....all sanwiched around trying to keep the girls happy while Jen worked at organizing the garage....and I have to say she did a hell of a job. Now that I can get to some things, I'm going to work on getting rid of the old computer, microwave, etc and clear out some more space, as well as organize the tool chest and such again so I can find what I need when I need it. This weekend will be more of the same, as I hope to power wash the fense and restain/waterproof it, as it's starting to turn green in a couple of places....hopefully the weather will hang for nest weekend.
Back to poker...I'm thinking of playing in the RGP challenge events starting tonight on FullTilt (www.rgpchallenge.com). Series of $10 buy-in events across numerous formats (HLHE, Omaha, Razz, etc) over then next few weeks....kind of a online WSOP. Start at 10pm, so that's a bit late for me...will see how tonight goes and then decide from there....may work out well next week while I'm in CA though to hit a couple of events.
Well...I have to vent since I said I would last night....
Sir suckout won the first game, as he built a huge chip lead earlyand thwarted my efforts to double up on AK against his A7 when hesucked out a 7 on the river to knock me out. Went on to pretty muchrun over the table and collect the pot for the first game.
Second game was pretty crazy....lots of huge raises early andaggressive play by all. I know I put Jay on a bit of a tilt when myA-10 took down his A-9 when we both missed the board and I out kickedhim for a good pot. I can't remember the hand i took him out on, butI know when all was said and done, we were both all in with the exact same chip count and I took the hand....he seemed pretty upset when hecounted out his stack and I took exactly every chip.
Ended upRookie, Ice and i as the final three...I think Rookie took out Ice(can't remember for sure) and left Rookie and i heads up....initially he has the chip lead and we pass blinds back and forth...I catch up by taking some blinds and smaller pots to get pretty even...I catch a fairly nice pot to get a small chip lead on him when I pick up 10-10 and he comes over my $5000 raise (blinds 1200-2400) for his stack, I call and he shows me Ice's favorite hand (85os)...He flops a 5 and then catches an 8 on the river to double up and put me on tilt....next hand he goes all in preflop with AJos and I call with24os (i know, I know....we were even stacked at ths point, but I was steaming from the last hand) and I fail to catch anything while he catches a J on the river to take the second game.
All in all not some of my best poker playing for the night...but Ihad a great time as usual and hope to get back to the game in acouple of weeks after some travel for work....85os.....sheesh.....Thanks Ice for convincing everyone to play your favorite hand.
In other news, looking forward to a trip to Toledo this weekend to see my Dad's side of the family for the annual reunion. Then Dad, jena nd I are headed to the Toledo rib-off for some ribs in the afternoon before heading back to Columbus tomorrow night. I think Sunday has been designated as a Work Day around the house...hopefully cleaning up the garage a bit and maybe some more painting in the bathrooms...I should be able to kick out our bathroom Sunday afternoon with no trouble.
The family reunion in PA went well this last weekend. Really enjoyed seeing all of my cousins, aunt, uncles and everyone in PA for the day. Was a long day for us, as we spent 10 hrs in the car travelling to PA and back for about 4 hrs of a reunion....what a day. Unfortunately, mom decided to spend about 2 hrs taking my brothers dog back to her house during the middle of the reunion, so there was no opportunity to talk about the pending divorce between her and dad. At this point, I don't think we'll ever sit down and discuss the issues that have been building over the past 8 months, she seems content with alienating herself from the family, and I guess I'm coming to terms with that.
Travelled to VA fr the day on Monday for business...was a busy day, but uneventful for the most part.
I did get some online poker in last night after the girls went to bed...played about 170 hands on UB, stepping up to $10/20 limit to see what would happen....Surprisingly, there were players that played much looser than I expected, calling down Axx flops with third pair, flops with 4 flushes and them missing the right suit, etc. As such, I was unable to steal a couple of pots that most players would have folded out on and struggled to stay positive...at the end of the night, I was up $30, plus another $16 from bonus money from UB. not what I had hoped for after 170 hands, but at one point I was down $400, so I guess building back up to positive was a pretty good thing. I'll probably try the tables again sometime this week and see what the $10/20 feels like again....I was just surprised that it was generally looser than the $5/10.
Otherwise, nothing major going on...planning a trip to CA in a couple of weeks for business. Hoping to find the time to hit the Commerce or Bike again this trip and get some live poker playing under my belt. Will probably pull some bankroll from UB and play a higher limit than 1/2 while I am there, but we'll see how the online game goes between now and then, as I hate to pull money from the account and then have to pay to put it back through Netteller.
