Well this is my last blog for now. After 14 days and over $4000 in cash its time to call it a day for now.
So what have I learnt from this social experiment in playing poker under the circumstances I have come across here in Florida where gambling is restricted to a $100 buy-in, pot-limit is unheard of and once you go into the $5/$10 game you may as well be playing in a $100 raffle every hand you play?
Well for one thing the standard of play IS poor. Unfortunately for me I couldn't adapt to seeing players play 8-3 offsuit and winning the pot when the trip 3's hit the river after my entire stack had crossed the line with Q-Q on the turn.
The $1/$2 is too passive for me, especially during the day when OAP's from across mid Florida all converge with their $10 slot voucher. They're happy to buy-in for $50 and sit and wait for a hand then call you all the way with it. They never raise and you can't read them! In the evening the game does liven up a bit when the college kids, direct from classes, come in and fill the tables. Perhaps my mistake was not to play them as much as I should have but in the 14 days I played that's not the way it turned out!
The $2/$5 was lively and played what I perceived to be correct. The only problem was that the $100 max buy-in meant that many more players were determined to see the river having paid $20 for the flop then another $50 for the turn. Hell another $30 wasn't going to put them off. Once you had a big stack you could make the turn bet $100 to see them off but not with only $100 to start with. It was in this game I did my brains.
The $300 I spent in the $5/$10 game was more for an education than anything else as the players that had been established there for several hours simply called anything the short stacks threw at them and more often than not ended up winning. Nothing to be done really!
Tournaments played as tournaments play the world over so no problems with them.
The $2/$4 Omaha Hi-Lo was action packed and if you could scoop a couple of 'KILL' pots you could be set for the day but it was a grind and as the house took $5 a pot you know there was only going to be one winner!
Gambling in Florida is a bit of a mess. Thirty feet from the poker tables you could play $5000 a hand in blackjack and bet $45 a spin in a slot machine but when it comes to poker the best you can do is pull a Benjamin out and pray.
There's no doubt I'll be back to Tampa. Next time I'll bring $10,000 and plan to stay for 4 weeks (at least). Stay tuned. I may be beaten up this time but it won't be long before I continue this blog.....!!!
Friday, March 12, 2010
Thursday, March 11, 2010
I think the result of the $240 tournament I played in last night says it all about my luck these past 2 weeks here in Tampa.
There were 60 runners paying 10 and with a first prize of $4000 up for grabs. With 7500 points to start with and blind levels at 25 mins there was plenty of time to get lucky or otherwise. I crept up to 12k without much of a bother but then lost a chuky pot trying to get cute with a straight draw that didn't make it and I was back down to 7k.
At the 300/600 level it was pretty much get lucky or leave and I got lucky when first I hit trip 10's against A-A and then took down a 30k pot with an all-in A-J v A-10.
With 14 left I looked set for the final table but then came the hand that I couldn't get away from and it was
to prove the end of my tournament.
I held A-Q in LP and with blinds at 1k/2k I raised to 6k. The SB flat called and there was two of us for the flop which came a tasty looking Q-6-4. The SB checked and I immediately bet out 10k in order to close down the hand. Instead of that the SB went all-in for 18k. I'm committed to the hand so am forced to call for my chips which left me 4k. He flips K-K!!
I couldn't improve and was out shortly after with A-5 against 7-7. Typical of the week I'd say!
In the cash game prior to the tournament I lost a further $300 bringing my daily loss to $560.
On Thursday I lost $240 playing $2/$4 Omahi Hi-Lo all day.
After some thought I've decided to head home on Saturday with my tail between my legs!
I'll write one more blog entry before I leave but this isn't the way I wanted things to go!
There were 60 runners paying 10 and with a first prize of $4000 up for grabs. With 7500 points to start with and blind levels at 25 mins there was plenty of time to get lucky or otherwise. I crept up to 12k without much of a bother but then lost a chuky pot trying to get cute with a straight draw that didn't make it and I was back down to 7k.
At the 300/600 level it was pretty much get lucky or leave and I got lucky when first I hit trip 10's against A-A and then took down a 30k pot with an all-in A-J v A-10.
With 14 left I looked set for the final table but then came the hand that I couldn't get away from and it was
to prove the end of my tournament.
I held A-Q in LP and with blinds at 1k/2k I raised to 6k. The SB flat called and there was two of us for the flop which came a tasty looking Q-6-4. The SB checked and I immediately bet out 10k in order to close down the hand. Instead of that the SB went all-in for 18k. I'm committed to the hand so am forced to call for my chips which left me 4k. He flips K-K!!
I couldn't improve and was out shortly after with A-5 against 7-7. Typical of the week I'd say!
In the cash game prior to the tournament I lost a further $300 bringing my daily loss to $560.
On Thursday I lost $240 playing $2/$4 Omahi Hi-Lo all day.
After some thought I've decided to head home on Saturday with my tail between my legs!
I'll write one more blog entry before I leave but this isn't the way I wanted things to go!
Start Bank = $2160
Win / Loss Wed/Thurs = -$800
Bank now = $1360
Wednesday, March 10, 2010
I'm close to the end!
Another piss-poor day, this time in the $1/$2 game, where once again my 'running' could be said to be less than fantastic.
I mentioned in a previous post that the $1/$2 game was full of old folk who were just there on a day out. These folk don't like to bet their hands and will quite happily just sit and call you all day long while you pile into the betting.
Holding As-Ks in LP I raised to $12 and got 2 callers. The flop came a great looking Kc-10s-4s. Its checked to me and I bet out $25. Two callers again. ??????? The turn is the 6h (not the worst card in the world eh?) Again its checked to me. I bet $50. Again two callers. At this point I'm seriously concerned but wake up a bit when the Ah falls on the river. The first player in line checks but the 2nd guy in line goes all-n for around $85. Of course I call, as does the other guy. The cards are flipped. Player A has 4-4 for 3 4's whilst the bettor after the river card shows 10-10 for 3 10's. Grrrrrrrrrr!!
So that's another $150 peed away all because these old folk wouldn't bet out and at least give me a CHANCE to think about what they had. Whether that's great play or not I don't know but with a flush AND straight draw after the flop quite visible you'd have thought they may have at least the sense to drive out any opposition!
And that's the problem I found in the $1/$2 game. Players with BIG hands just never bet them. The inexperienced players just sat on them and called the aggressor (i.e me) and more often that not were picking up my chips in the process.
So I flushed another $500 down the loo and its almost the end as I have to quit before my sanity goes!
I don't consider myself a bad player. I don't think that I've done MUCH wrong in the way I've played these games over the past 11 days. I just feel as though anything that could go wrong HAS gone wrong. The $2/$5 game plays right, as far as I'm concerned, but the element of running good has been absent from my game these past two weeks. The $1/$2 game is a total minefield and you have to accept that its more a calling game than a raising one whilst you can't make any money at all in the $2/$4 limit games as the rake of upto $5 a pot just gives you no room for error. The $2/$4 Omaha Hi-Lo game at least gives you a chance to make some money as it offers a KILL of a $5 round.
The Hard Rock has a $240 tournament tonight (Wed) with a guaranteed prize pool of $10,000. I'm going to play in that and then make a decision after that as to whether my great adventure in grinding is about to come to a premature end.
Another piss-poor day, this time in the $1/$2 game, where once again my 'running' could be said to be less than fantastic.
I mentioned in a previous post that the $1/$2 game was full of old folk who were just there on a day out. These folk don't like to bet their hands and will quite happily just sit and call you all day long while you pile into the betting.
Holding As-Ks in LP I raised to $12 and got 2 callers. The flop came a great looking Kc-10s-4s. Its checked to me and I bet out $25. Two callers again. ??????? The turn is the 6h (not the worst card in the world eh?) Again its checked to me. I bet $50. Again two callers. At this point I'm seriously concerned but wake up a bit when the Ah falls on the river. The first player in line checks but the 2nd guy in line goes all-n for around $85. Of course I call, as does the other guy. The cards are flipped. Player A has 4-4 for 3 4's whilst the bettor after the river card shows 10-10 for 3 10's. Grrrrrrrrrr!!
So that's another $150 peed away all because these old folk wouldn't bet out and at least give me a CHANCE to think about what they had. Whether that's great play or not I don't know but with a flush AND straight draw after the flop quite visible you'd have thought they may have at least the sense to drive out any opposition!
And that's the problem I found in the $1/$2 game. Players with BIG hands just never bet them. The inexperienced players just sat on them and called the aggressor (i.e me) and more often that not were picking up my chips in the process.
So I flushed another $500 down the loo and its almost the end as I have to quit before my sanity goes!
I don't consider myself a bad player. I don't think that I've done MUCH wrong in the way I've played these games over the past 11 days. I just feel as though anything that could go wrong HAS gone wrong. The $2/$5 game plays right, as far as I'm concerned, but the element of running good has been absent from my game these past two weeks. The $1/$2 game is a total minefield and you have to accept that its more a calling game than a raising one whilst you can't make any money at all in the $2/$4 limit games as the rake of upto $5 a pot just gives you no room for error. The $2/$4 Omaha Hi-Lo game at least gives you a chance to make some money as it offers a KILL of a $5 round.
The Hard Rock has a $240 tournament tonight (Wed) with a guaranteed prize pool of $10,000. I'm going to play in that and then make a decision after that as to whether my great adventure in grinding is about to come to a premature end.
Start Bank = $2660
Win / Loss Tues = -$500
Bank now = $2160
Monday, March 08, 2010
After the debacle that was Friday & Saturday I decided that enough was enough, for the time being, and try and play a game that didn't involve risking my entire stack every hand. The game I sat down to might surprise you but over a 15 hour session on Sunday I actually managed to eek out a $300 win from it.
The game...the $2/$4 Limit Omaha Hi-Lo. (with a Kill)
The 'Kill' comes in when any individual player in the game scoops both high & low in the hand. In that instant the winner of the pot must compulsory post a $5 bet and the subsequent hand is played out as a $5 game with no 'raise' on either the turn or river although you can raise the initial $5 bet.
Anyway this game proved to be very theraputic indeed and the sight of my stack being under no pressure whatsoever at ANY stage of the game was a great feeling and provided me with some rest bite from the slog that had been the previous few days of rape and pillage of my money!
Today I played the same game for a nine hour session and ended up losing $100 for the day.
I have until Thursday AM to decide whether or not to continue onto the next phase of this attempt at a 90 day grind and I have three days till then to find some sort of pointer as to whether or not this is achievable.
Maybe the way forward is to drop into the $1/$2 NL game and see how we get on there. It'll be some time before I step back into the $2/$5 game...thats for sure!!
The game...the $2/$4 Limit Omaha Hi-Lo. (with a Kill)
The 'Kill' comes in when any individual player in the game scoops both high & low in the hand. In that instant the winner of the pot must compulsory post a $5 bet and the subsequent hand is played out as a $5 game with no 'raise' on either the turn or river although you can raise the initial $5 bet.
Anyway this game proved to be very theraputic indeed and the sight of my stack being under no pressure whatsoever at ANY stage of the game was a great feeling and provided me with some rest bite from the slog that had been the previous few days of rape and pillage of my money!
Today I played the same game for a nine hour session and ended up losing $100 for the day.
I have until Thursday AM to decide whether or not to continue onto the next phase of this attempt at a 90 day grind and I have three days till then to find some sort of pointer as to whether or not this is achievable.
Maybe the way forward is to drop into the $1/$2 NL game and see how we get on there. It'll be some time before I step back into the $2/$5 game...thats for sure!!
Start Bank = $2460
Win / Loss Sun/Mon = +200
Bank now = $2660
Sunday, March 07, 2010
Its so frustrating!
Friday I sat for almost 16 hours playing poker and after all of that I finish the day $300 down.
I won't try and navigate you through the day only to say I just cannot get a handle on how things are played here to the point that I'm realising that it may be an impossible dream of mine to play poker, and make it pay, in the kind of environment I'm in.
Players have absolutely no respect for the $100 buy-in. If they have a semi sort of hand that hits bottom pair on the flop then they'll stay with it in the hope that it may improve. After all they called the first $30 raise and there's now all that money in the pot and its only gonna cost them another $70 to win a $400 pot!
I'm happy to see that my A-Ks gets 5 callers for $30 each but I'm not happy to see a flop of 8-9-10. I'm happy to get 3 callers for $50 each with me holding K-K but I'm not happy to see that dam Ace on the flop where there's an instant bet from across the table AND a call before it gets back to me. The winner of THAT particular pot showed A-5!! Dum dum!
But if I thought Friday was bad then Saturday was a nightmare!
I always look forward to heading in through the front doors and taking my seat at the table.
I've abandoned the $1/$2 tables as they're full of old grannies who see a $6 raise-it-up bet as a serious dent on they're pension in front of them so won't even bother to call so your good cards go to waste in that game. At least in the $2/$5 game they'll call...in numbers!
Anyway what I experienced today could only be described as the WORST poker playing day of my life so far. Never have I been involved in so many outdraws, suck-outs, bad-luck and piss poor cards as I experienced today.
If I had Q-Q the guy to my left had A-A. If I had K-K the guy across the table hit a set on the flop. If I had a straight on the flop the guy across the table would make a flush on the river. If I had a set then the guy across the table would make the straight on the river. If I had A-K and make a $75 bet I'd get 2 callers and one of my opponents would make bottom pair and win. And so it went.
I lost 2 $500 'lots', one by 1pm and the other by 8pm. My starting stack NEVER went above $200 and I may have well stood there with a sign asking people to belt me round the chops with a beat-up banjo for all the pain I took during the day. Indeed after losing my A-K to 6-4 o/s, after a $75 opening raise, I asked the guy if I stood on the table would he like to kick my goolies as I was losing the will to live. The table laughed...I didn't!
And so I retired for the day. I'm battered and bruised and my big dreams of success are now in tatters. I'm gonna take it easy tomorrow and play in the $2/$4 Omaha Hi-Lo game. At least there a hundred bucks should keep me amused for hours!
Friday I sat for almost 16 hours playing poker and after all of that I finish the day $300 down.
I won't try and navigate you through the day only to say I just cannot get a handle on how things are played here to the point that I'm realising that it may be an impossible dream of mine to play poker, and make it pay, in the kind of environment I'm in.
Players have absolutely no respect for the $100 buy-in. If they have a semi sort of hand that hits bottom pair on the flop then they'll stay with it in the hope that it may improve. After all they called the first $30 raise and there's now all that money in the pot and its only gonna cost them another $70 to win a $400 pot!
I'm happy to see that my A-Ks gets 5 callers for $30 each but I'm not happy to see a flop of 8-9-10. I'm happy to get 3 callers for $50 each with me holding K-K but I'm not happy to see that dam Ace on the flop where there's an instant bet from across the table AND a call before it gets back to me. The winner of THAT particular pot showed A-5!! Dum dum!
But if I thought Friday was bad then Saturday was a nightmare!
I always look forward to heading in through the front doors and taking my seat at the table.
I've abandoned the $1/$2 tables as they're full of old grannies who see a $6 raise-it-up bet as a serious dent on they're pension in front of them so won't even bother to call so your good cards go to waste in that game. At least in the $2/$5 game they'll call...in numbers!
Anyway what I experienced today could only be described as the WORST poker playing day of my life so far. Never have I been involved in so many outdraws, suck-outs, bad-luck and piss poor cards as I experienced today.
If I had Q-Q the guy to my left had A-A. If I had K-K the guy across the table hit a set on the flop. If I had a straight on the flop the guy across the table would make a flush on the river. If I had a set then the guy across the table would make the straight on the river. If I had A-K and make a $75 bet I'd get 2 callers and one of my opponents would make bottom pair and win. And so it went.
I lost 2 $500 'lots', one by 1pm and the other by 8pm. My starting stack NEVER went above $200 and I may have well stood there with a sign asking people to belt me round the chops with a beat-up banjo for all the pain I took during the day. Indeed after losing my A-K to 6-4 o/s, after a $75 opening raise, I asked the guy if I stood on the table would he like to kick my goolies as I was losing the will to live. The table laughed...I didn't!
And so I retired for the day. I'm battered and bruised and my big dreams of success are now in tatters. I'm gonna take it easy tomorrow and play in the $2/$4 Omaha Hi-Lo game. At least there a hundred bucks should keep me amused for hours!
Start Bank = $3760
Win / Loss Fri/Sat = -$1300
Bank now = $2460
Thursday, March 04, 2010
On Wed I sampled the delights of all the games on offer. In the space of a 16 hour session from 8am through to midnight I played for 5 hours in the $1 / $2 game for a nett loss of $150. I played for 6 hours in the $2/$5 game for a nett loss of $50 and I tried the $5/$10 game for a couple of hours where I lost my 3 buy-ins in ways which showed that it was not a good idea to join an established game where the remainder of the players were all sat with $500-$800 in front of them to start with. You live & learn!
There is a vastness in difference in how each of the 3 games plays.
In the $1/$2 the betting will go...$1...$2....raise to $6.....call....call...call....call...pass...(SB)call...(BB) call.
Flop. (SB)Check...(BB)check...bet $15...call...call...call...pass...(SB)pass...(BB)pass.
Turn. Bet $30...call..call..pass.
River. Bet $50...Raise $60...pass...call. Turn them over!
In the $2/$5 the betting will go...$2...$5...straddle $10...pass...call....raise to $25...pass....call..(SB)call...(BB) call.
Flop. (SB)Check...(BB)check...check...bet $50...call...pass...pass...pass...(SB)pass...(BB)pass.
Turn. Bet $100. Raise to $200. Call.
River. Check. Bet $100. Call. Turn them over!
In the $5/$10 the betting will go...$5...$10...straddle $20...pass...pass....raise to $50...pass....pass..(SB)pass...(BB) pass. (Straddle) Call.
Flop. Straddle(check). Bet $200. Fold.
I've been asked to comment on the $100 rule. Here now follows the actual STATE law showing the rule.
The cardroom operator may limit the amount wagered in any game or series of games, but the maximum bet may not exceed $5 in value. There may not be more than three raises in any round of betting. The fee charged by the cardroom for participation in the game shall not be included in the calculation of the limitation on the bet amount provided in this paragraph. However, a cardroom operator may conduct games of Texas Hold-em without a betting limit if the required player buy-in is no more than $100.
Tournaments are exempt from the above rule.
So I'm three days into my 'quest' to grind it out for 90 days. At the moment this isn't going to happen!
I have a day off today but will be playing full time from Friday through Monday. If I can't get my bankroll back to $5000 by Monday its going to be a tough choice as to whether to continue!
Start Bank = $4260
Win / Loss today = -$500
Bank now = $3760
There is a vastness in difference in how each of the 3 games plays.
In the $1/$2 the betting will go...$1...$2....raise to $6.....call....call...call....call...pass...(SB)call...(BB) call.
Flop. (SB)Check...(BB)check...bet $15...call...call...call...pass...(SB)pass...(BB)pass.
Turn. Bet $30...call..call..pass.
River. Bet $50...Raise $60...pass...call. Turn them over!
In the $2/$5 the betting will go...$2...$5...straddle $10...pass...call....raise to $25...pass....call..(SB)call...(BB) call.
Flop. (SB)Check...(BB)check...check...bet $50...call...pass...pass...pass...(SB)pass...(BB)pass.
Turn. Bet $100. Raise to $200. Call.
River. Check. Bet $100. Call. Turn them over!
In the $5/$10 the betting will go...$5...$10...straddle $20...pass...pass....raise to $50...pass....pass..(SB)pass...(BB) pass. (Straddle) Call.
Flop. Straddle(check). Bet $200. Fold.
I've been asked to comment on the $100 rule. Here now follows the actual STATE law showing the rule.
The cardroom operator may limit the amount wagered in any game or series of games, but the maximum bet may not exceed $5 in value. There may not be more than three raises in any round of betting. The fee charged by the cardroom for participation in the game shall not be included in the calculation of the limitation on the bet amount provided in this paragraph. However, a cardroom operator may conduct games of Texas Hold-em without a betting limit if the required player buy-in is no more than $100.
Tournaments are exempt from the above rule.
So I'm three days into my 'quest' to grind it out for 90 days. At the moment this isn't going to happen!
I have a day off today but will be playing full time from Friday through Monday. If I can't get my bankroll back to $5000 by Monday its going to be a tough choice as to whether to continue!
Start Bank = $4260
Win / Loss today = -$500
Bank now = $3760
Tuesday, March 02, 2010
Its tough out in the land of sunshine! Firstly there ain't no sunshine at the mo and secondly there seems to be a distinct lack of hands going my way.
In at 7.30am this morning. Five tables were in operation but again I was forced to play the $2/$5 game as the $1/$2 had a long list for the one table running.
The 2-5 game is lively...there's no doubt about that and if you can string a few winning hands together then you can get up to $500, from a $100 start stack quite quickly. Of course if you're in these $200-$300 pots and not winning any then the opposite is true and you have to rebuy quite a lot as your chips don't last too long in this kind of environment!
I can always find excuses for losing and today I lost the $500 budget.
From tomorrow I'm trying a different strategy and that'll involve going in later, when more tables are running, and starting out in the $1/$2 games where the action will be a little less frenetic I feel.
Anyway two days down and not so successful so far!
Start Bank = $4760
Win / Loss today = -$500
Bank now = $4260
In at 7.30am this morning. Five tables were in operation but again I was forced to play the $2/$5 game as the $1/$2 had a long list for the one table running.
The 2-5 game is lively...there's no doubt about that and if you can string a few winning hands together then you can get up to $500, from a $100 start stack quite quickly. Of course if you're in these $200-$300 pots and not winning any then the opposite is true and you have to rebuy quite a lot as your chips don't last too long in this kind of environment!
I can always find excuses for losing and today I lost the $500 budget.
From tomorrow I'm trying a different strategy and that'll involve going in later, when more tables are running, and starting out in the $1/$2 games where the action will be a little less frenetic I feel.
Anyway two days down and not so successful so far!
Start Bank = $4760
Win / Loss today = -$500
Bank now = $4260
Monday, March 01, 2010
Down to the Hard Rock at 6.30am this morning (jet lag still evident) and took a seat at the $2/$5 game as no $1/ $2 games were running. Tough table and I'll probably not be down again so early as it was full of Joe Regulars who had either just come off the night shift or had been there all night already!
Somebody pointed out that it doesn't matter how easy the game is you still need to hit cards in order to make any money and this AM despite the fact I got a few nice hands I just couldn't make any money off them.
Had A-A twice and made $75 but I was hoping that they'd end up making more. Had J-J once and 10-10 once but apart from that it was a tough morning. Took lunch at midday down $180.
After lunch things seemed to go much better for a while. Made a big score with Ace flush and for a while was motoring along up almost $300 but then I took a chance calling an all-in bet with 9-9 for $120, pre-flop. He flipped A-A and that was that. Another $100 went when I lost with A-Q v 10-10 and I finally called it a day at 5pm down another $60 on the afternoon for my first day total of -$240.
Maybe tomorrow will be better??
Start Bank = $5000
Day Win / Loss = -$240
Bank = $4760
Somebody pointed out that it doesn't matter how easy the game is you still need to hit cards in order to make any money and this AM despite the fact I got a few nice hands I just couldn't make any money off them.
Had A-A twice and made $75 but I was hoping that they'd end up making more. Had J-J once and 10-10 once but apart from that it was a tough morning. Took lunch at midday down $180.
After lunch things seemed to go much better for a while. Made a big score with Ace flush and for a while was motoring along up almost $300 but then I took a chance calling an all-in bet with 9-9 for $120, pre-flop. He flipped A-A and that was that. Another $100 went when I lost with A-Q v 10-10 and I finally called it a day at 5pm down another $60 on the afternoon for my first day total of -$240.
Maybe tomorrow will be better??
Start Bank = $5000
Day Win / Loss = -$240
Bank = $4760
Sunday, February 28, 2010
It took almost as much time to get out of Orlando airport as it did to fly across the Atlantic ocean yesterday!
You get your bags back once then you have to give them back again and off they go again on another conveyor belt whilst you get a tram to the terminal building where you finally get them back for a 2nd time. Not before they've made you take your shoes off again mind!
Anyway I'm here to play some poker not worry about the immigration process!
Today was my 'fun' day. No grinding till tomorrow so today was just a sit down and see how the game was. A $2/$5 had a seat available at 8.30am so I sat down with my $100 and, over the next 4 hours, proceeded to win $220.
I was grateful to the local guy to my immediate right who found himself on tilt for $500 and was happy to call my $100 ott bets with A-9 & K-K with K-5 and J-4. On these ocassions he got what he deserved which was a good slap and $200 lighter!
There are 3500 slot machines in the Seminole. After leaving the table at 12.30pm and playing in the $100 lunchtime tournament with no luck I played the slots till 4pm and won $100.
A nice start but the proper stuff starts tomorrow!
You get your bags back once then you have to give them back again and off they go again on another conveyor belt whilst you get a tram to the terminal building where you finally get them back for a 2nd time. Not before they've made you take your shoes off again mind!
Anyway I'm here to play some poker not worry about the immigration process!
Today was my 'fun' day. No grinding till tomorrow so today was just a sit down and see how the game was. A $2/$5 had a seat available at 8.30am so I sat down with my $100 and, over the next 4 hours, proceeded to win $220.
I was grateful to the local guy to my immediate right who found himself on tilt for $500 and was happy to call my $100 ott bets with A-9 & K-K with K-5 and J-4. On these ocassions he got what he deserved which was a good slap and $200 lighter!
There are 3500 slot machines in the Seminole. After leaving the table at 12.30pm and playing in the $100 lunchtime tournament with no luck I played the slots till 4pm and won $100.
A nice start but the proper stuff starts tomorrow!
Tuesday, February 23, 2010
With a little over 3 days to go to my mini adverture I'm reminded of the time when I FIRST attempted to become a 'professional poker player'.
Ah yes...I've tried this before you know!
Back in 1997 I decided that I'd had enough of the rat race (sounds familiar) and wanted to do something different with my life. I'd been playing poker for around 5 years already and decided that I knew enough about the game to try and make a living at it.
Not for me the boring clubs of London & Reading that I'd been happily ensconed in during the 90's but I fancied a bit of sun to go with it. With this in mind and a bankroll of $10,000 I set off for the bright lights of Los Angeles and the Hollywood Park Casino Racetrack.
I won't bore you with the details as to how I knew the place but on the several ocassions I'd been there previously, for a day here and a day there, I'd always 'appeared' to do well including the time in May 1996 when, on my way to Vegas, I spent one night there winning almost $7000 playing $15/$30 Limit Hold'Em against the worst players I'd ever had the pleasure of playing upto that point in my life!
Anyway, with these thoughts in mind, I arrived in early Dec 1997 to attempt to play for 40 days until I was due back at work in early Jan of 98.
I must admit that limit poker was / is not really my forte. No-Limit games were non-existent, as were Pot-Limit games, so it was a case of trying to make do.
The trouble with limit poker though is that there's no creativeness. If you catch cards you win and if you don't you lose. In the $8/$16 I played for days and nights on end I came across several players who would NOT fold under ANY circumstances. They'd always say that there was too much in the pot to fold and would chase distant draws and two-pair hopes like they were going out of fashion.
Pots over $300 were not uncommon and with 8 flop callers, 5 turn callers and 4 river card callers you could get quite rich if you won your share. Trouble was I never did!
After 20 days of losses I called it a day and went travelling with a friend of mine upto San Fransisco where we had a great Crimbo and New Year and then I headed back home $15k lighter!
Theres no doubt the intervening 12 years have taught me a lot and I'm ready for another go. If I fail this time it'll be when I retire, in 12 years time, before I get ANOTHER go.
Quite symetrical don't you think!
Ah yes...I've tried this before you know!
Back in 1997 I decided that I'd had enough of the rat race (sounds familiar) and wanted to do something different with my life. I'd been playing poker for around 5 years already and decided that I knew enough about the game to try and make a living at it.
Not for me the boring clubs of London & Reading that I'd been happily ensconed in during the 90's but I fancied a bit of sun to go with it. With this in mind and a bankroll of $10,000 I set off for the bright lights of Los Angeles and the Hollywood Park Casino Racetrack.
I won't bore you with the details as to how I knew the place but on the several ocassions I'd been there previously, for a day here and a day there, I'd always 'appeared' to do well including the time in May 1996 when, on my way to Vegas, I spent one night there winning almost $7000 playing $15/$30 Limit Hold'Em against the worst players I'd ever had the pleasure of playing upto that point in my life!
Anyway, with these thoughts in mind, I arrived in early Dec 1997 to attempt to play for 40 days until I was due back at work in early Jan of 98.
I must admit that limit poker was / is not really my forte. No-Limit games were non-existent, as were Pot-Limit games, so it was a case of trying to make do.
The trouble with limit poker though is that there's no creativeness. If you catch cards you win and if you don't you lose. In the $8/$16 I played for days and nights on end I came across several players who would NOT fold under ANY circumstances. They'd always say that there was too much in the pot to fold and would chase distant draws and two-pair hopes like they were going out of fashion.
Pots over $300 were not uncommon and with 8 flop callers, 5 turn callers and 4 river card callers you could get quite rich if you won your share. Trouble was I never did!
After 20 days of losses I called it a day and went travelling with a friend of mine upto San Fransisco where we had a great Crimbo and New Year and then I headed back home $15k lighter!
Theres no doubt the intervening 12 years have taught me a lot and I'm ready for another go. If I fail this time it'll be when I retire, in 12 years time, before I get ANOTHER go.
Quite symetrical don't you think!
Wednesday, February 17, 2010
My girlfriend Karen is coming over with me for the first two weeks of my attempt at a 90 day grind playing cards at the Seminole.
So I say to her the other night..."Listen if I win enough money I'll buy you a ticket to come over to Florida and see me for the last two weeks of my stay there". She says "But darling I'll ALREADY be there for the last two weeks of your stay!".
She thinks shes a comedian!
With 10 days to go before my adventure in poker playing begins I'm grinding my way through my last few days at work and counting the days. My funding ($5000) is in place as is the hotel, car hire & flights (scheduled to return on March 13th but I can change that for €50) so all thats left between me and my date with Florida is time!
I'm glad to see that the weather there is gradually warming and its projected to be in the 70's once we get there. Here, in Dublin, its freezing EVERY DAY! Day AFTER bloody day its the same miserable 3 - 5c. Although I'm not planning on seeing that much sun whilst in Florida at least I know that when I step out of my hotel of a weekday morning and head the short distance to where I'll be plying my trade the sun will be shining, it'll be warm and I'll be hoping that the day will never end!
Such dreams indeed! Roll on next weekend!!!
So I say to her the other night..."Listen if I win enough money I'll buy you a ticket to come over to Florida and see me for the last two weeks of my stay there". She says "But darling I'll ALREADY be there for the last two weeks of your stay!".
She thinks shes a comedian!
With 10 days to go before my adventure in poker playing begins I'm grinding my way through my last few days at work and counting the days. My funding ($5000) is in place as is the hotel, car hire & flights (scheduled to return on March 13th but I can change that for €50) so all thats left between me and my date with Florida is time!
I'm glad to see that the weather there is gradually warming and its projected to be in the 70's once we get there. Here, in Dublin, its freezing EVERY DAY! Day AFTER bloody day its the same miserable 3 - 5c. Although I'm not planning on seeing that much sun whilst in Florida at least I know that when I step out of my hotel of a weekday morning and head the short distance to where I'll be plying my trade the sun will be shining, it'll be warm and I'll be hoping that the day will never end!
Such dreams indeed! Roll on next weekend!!!
Thursday, January 28, 2010
I've decided to remove the limitations on Phase III of my daily quest to grind out a living in the Florida sunshine.
My initial thought was that I'd probably have had enough of playing cards for the day if I were to reach the $5-$10 game having won both $600 at the $1-$2 and $2-$5 games and so putting a limit of winning a further $300 more at the $5-$10 game seemed a reasonable thought at the time.
Having had more time to think I'm going to do Phase III with the following goals in mind...
a) Lose $200 (thereby banking a $1000 win for the day)
b) Play until I get fed up
Of course if I'm on a winning streak at the $5-10 game then the rewards there will be that much higher than in the $1-$2 / $2-$5 games and I can't really think of a good reason to quit the game if I've pushed all-in for $100, got called in 3 spots, and emerged the winner (in my dreams of course!).
The $5-$10 game will play very different to the lower limit games but with a bit of luck and a stop-loss limit of 2 throws of the max buy-in = $100 dice I really do think this is a no-brainer!
My initial thought was that I'd probably have had enough of playing cards for the day if I were to reach the $5-$10 game having won both $600 at the $1-$2 and $2-$5 games and so putting a limit of winning a further $300 more at the $5-$10 game seemed a reasonable thought at the time.
Having had more time to think I'm going to do Phase III with the following goals in mind...
a) Lose $200 (thereby banking a $1000 win for the day)
b) Play until I get fed up
Of course if I'm on a winning streak at the $5-10 game then the rewards there will be that much higher than in the $1-$2 / $2-$5 games and I can't really think of a good reason to quit the game if I've pushed all-in for $100, got called in 3 spots, and emerged the winner (in my dreams of course!).
The $5-$10 game will play very different to the lower limit games but with a bit of luck and a stop-loss limit of 2 throws of the max buy-in = $100 dice I really do think this is a no-brainer!
Saturday, January 23, 2010
Sometimes in life things come your way that you have to ABSOLUTELY just do.
For those of us on the treadmill of tedium called a job we'll always find ourselves dreaming of a better one and for those of you, like me, that love the game of poker then we'll always be wishing that we could do that day in and day out without any worries about losing all our bankroll.
Over the Xmas period just gone I visited Florida. For those of you who read my blog back in the days when I was keeping track of my poker playing exploits on a tournament by tournament basis you may recall a little place I played there called the 'Seminole Hard Rock Casino' based just outside Tampa.
Back then, in Dec 2007, no-limit hold'em was pretty much restricted to a $1-$2 game where the most you could buy in for was $100. I was quite successful at this game in cash games there, not tournaments mind, so since then I've been back there twice more and on all occasions managed to do quite nicely. Some things HAVE changed but mostly things haven't.
For me the most important rule still in force there is that the maximum buy-in for ANY game there is STILL $100. Despite the fact that since those days in 2007 they've now added table games where the maximum bet on a hand of Blackjack is $5000!
Games have expanded as well. There are now lively $2-$5 and $5-$10 games, still mind you with a max buy-in of $100, but the skill factor in the majority of these games is still considerably less than you'd find down the local club.
With all this in mind I have decided to give something a go.
My current contract ends on Feb 26th. On Feb 28th I'm flying back to Orlando, booking into a hotel close to the Hard Rock Casino, attempt to stay there for the 90 days my visa will last, and grind out a life as a poker player for those 90 days. I'll have a starting bankroll of $5000 and subject to the following rules will try my damdest...
Rules: (can be amended at any time)
1. Day will start with a $1-$2 table.
I quit if:
a) I get to $600 PROFIT.
b) I lose 5 buy-ins
c) I get fed up (winning or losing)
2. If the outcome of rule 1 is a) (get $600 PROFIT) then...
Day continues with a move to a $2-$5 table.
I then quit if:
a) I get to $600 PROFIT
b) I lose 3 buy-ins
c) I get fed up (winning or losing)
3. If the outcome of rule 2 is a) (get $600 PROFIT) then...
Day continues with a move to a $2-$5 table.
I then quit if:
a) I get to $300 PROFIT
b) I lose 2 buy-ins
c) I get fed up (winning or losing)
Time is not an issue. The getting fed up will be!
So...best case scenario is I WIN $1500 on the day. Worst case scenario is that I LOSE $500 on the day.
On the majority, if not all, of the days I play the +/- will somewhat fall in between the two extremes.
So without the worries of not having to get up for work, not having to worry about getting home for a certain time to do certain things and without the worries of much else just how do you think I'll get on?
My daily expenses, once in Tampa, are hotel - $50 a night and car hire - $25 a day incl. Food and other minor expenses I expect to be circa $25 a day. So I need to make $700 a week PROFIT in order to continue to stay on.
My first two weeks, till March 13th, are fully funded and paid for so for me to return on March 13th I'd have to have to have lost my entire $5000 bankroll.
So how am I going to fair? Bear in mind that the standard of play at the Hard Rock, especially in the $1-$2 & $2-$5 games, are VERY SOFT.
My goal is to come back at the end of May with money in pocket!
More soon.
For those of us on the treadmill of tedium called a job we'll always find ourselves dreaming of a better one and for those of you, like me, that love the game of poker then we'll always be wishing that we could do that day in and day out without any worries about losing all our bankroll.
Over the Xmas period just gone I visited Florida. For those of you who read my blog back in the days when I was keeping track of my poker playing exploits on a tournament by tournament basis you may recall a little place I played there called the 'Seminole Hard Rock Casino' based just outside Tampa.
Back then, in Dec 2007, no-limit hold'em was pretty much restricted to a $1-$2 game where the most you could buy in for was $100. I was quite successful at this game in cash games there, not tournaments mind, so since then I've been back there twice more and on all occasions managed to do quite nicely. Some things HAVE changed but mostly things haven't.
For me the most important rule still in force there is that the maximum buy-in for ANY game there is STILL $100. Despite the fact that since those days in 2007 they've now added table games where the maximum bet on a hand of Blackjack is $5000!
Games have expanded as well. There are now lively $2-$5 and $5-$10 games, still mind you with a max buy-in of $100, but the skill factor in the majority of these games is still considerably less than you'd find down the local club.
With all this in mind I have decided to give something a go.
My current contract ends on Feb 26th. On Feb 28th I'm flying back to Orlando, booking into a hotel close to the Hard Rock Casino, attempt to stay there for the 90 days my visa will last, and grind out a life as a poker player for those 90 days. I'll have a starting bankroll of $5000 and subject to the following rules will try my damdest...
Rules: (can be amended at any time)
1. Day will start with a $1-$2 table.
I quit if:
a) I get to $600 PROFIT.
b) I lose 5 buy-ins
c) I get fed up (winning or losing)
2. If the outcome of rule 1 is a) (get $600 PROFIT) then...
Day continues with a move to a $2-$5 table.
I then quit if:
a) I get to $600 PROFIT
b) I lose 3 buy-ins
c) I get fed up (winning or losing)
3. If the outcome of rule 2 is a) (get $600 PROFIT) then...
Day continues with a move to a $2-$5 table.
I then quit if:
a) I get to $300 PROFIT
b) I lose 2 buy-ins
c) I get fed up (winning or losing)
Time is not an issue. The getting fed up will be!
So...best case scenario is I WIN $1500 on the day. Worst case scenario is that I LOSE $500 on the day.
On the majority, if not all, of the days I play the +/- will somewhat fall in between the two extremes.
So without the worries of not having to get up for work, not having to worry about getting home for a certain time to do certain things and without the worries of much else just how do you think I'll get on?
My daily expenses, once in Tampa, are hotel - $50 a night and car hire - $25 a day incl. Food and other minor expenses I expect to be circa $25 a day. So I need to make $700 a week PROFIT in order to continue to stay on.
My first two weeks, till March 13th, are fully funded and paid for so for me to return on March 13th I'd have to have to have lost my entire $5000 bankroll.
So how am I going to fair? Bear in mind that the standard of play at the Hard Rock, especially in the $1-$2 & $2-$5 games, are VERY SOFT.
My goal is to come back at the end of May with money in pocket!
More soon.
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