Well, the poker world is turning around a little. After 3 straight quick losing sessions (totalling about 600 down in less than 3 hours), I pulled 2 nice sessions in a row up 700 in 2 nights over about 8 hours. Add in a few sports bets which went well and thinks are looking up. Neither of the sessions were memorable just solid poker with very few all-ins. A good table image plus picking up some unclaimed pots, and milking the few good hands for a nice profit made all the difference.
I proceeded to the Palms on Monday to place my NHL bets for the day (NYR and the over, TOR and the over, and Broncos and the over). The Palms used to spread only 2-5 NL and it was a pretty vicious expensive game. I walked by and they had a 1-3 with 300 max buy-in... sweet. I pulled out 200 and sat down. Right away I pick up Q9 and hit 2nd pair. My read says the guy is full of shit, and I should reraise... however 3 players behind me, one of which was already in the process of calling convince me to just call. The turn gives me 2 pair and I reraise the early position better all-in, turns out he was betting his gutshot and 2 overs, and hit it with MY Queen... down 1 buy-in already.
Buy-in for 200 again and get Q/10 flop is QJ9, checked to me... I bet 25, call from the button, SB raises to 49 and all-in. Freaking 1 dollar means I can't reraise and have to just call. River gives me a straight when the king hits and I dodge a club on the river. However button called a pre-flop raise with 10/6 offsuit and splits the pot with me...
I build back up to 500 and call 15 pre-flop with pocket 4's. Flop a 4 on a 2 heart board and early position maniac leads out for 15, call from UTG and I pop it to 100. Folded back around and "Smoking Sammy" as I later found out he calls himself, calls. Turn is a blank and I make it 200 more. He insta-calls with about 75 left behind. River is of course a heart and he pushes.. .I call and he had 10/8 of hearts for a small flush. I couldn't believe it..... I looked at him and he shrugged and said "They call me smoking sammy because I am running hot. I never fold flush draws". OMG! Then he racked up and left exclaiming how he was up for the day now. I can't imagine how he ever got DOWN! Sheesh.
Back down to 75 or so... top off for 200 more, double up one more time when I hit 2 pair on a J89 flop and get put all-in by J4. Cashed out and went to pick up Estie from work and go to work myself.
Monday, October 29, 2007
Winds of change and progress
When I moved out to vegas, I was single, focused, and had a firm plan in place. My intention was to cut my expenses to the bone, live a frugal lifestyle and poker it up. Unfortunately things didn't line up like I wanted... My house in Atlanta didn't sell, when it did sell it sold for less than I owed on it. My credit cards were not completely paid off. To top it all off, the woman I was in love with was back in Atlanta and I was miserable in Vegas without her.
It happens often, that the best laid plans have to change, and so it is in this case. I started working more and more in the casino as a dealer and supervisor just to keep up with the bills and had less and less time to play. On top of that I was working a lot harder for a lot less money than I had in my previous career. Top it off with the fact that I had almost no time with my wife since I was working nights and she was working days. It was just time for a change.
A week ago I got offered a job as a Configuration Engineer for a local company and accepted. I am a little nervous because I have been out of the business for over a year. If this all works out I will be a lot more settled in and can get back to playing poker. I will have nights and weekends free, be unburdened by major financial constraints, and be able to leave my bankroll to poker and not worry about playing to pay bills.
At some point in the future if I end up with a good bankroll, and a years worth of bills maybe Estie and I can pursue a year of poker and travel together.... for now, lets just focus on eating and playing.
Of course, as soon as I accept this job offer, another one pops out of the closet when the configuration manager at Estie's company up and quits. DANG! I could have had a V-8! Or that job at least... but it is probably better if our eggs aren't in the same basket. I am looking forward to getting paid holidays and paid vacations again.
It happens often, that the best laid plans have to change, and so it is in this case. I started working more and more in the casino as a dealer and supervisor just to keep up with the bills and had less and less time to play. On top of that I was working a lot harder for a lot less money than I had in my previous career. Top it off with the fact that I had almost no time with my wife since I was working nights and she was working days. It was just time for a change.
A week ago I got offered a job as a Configuration Engineer for a local company and accepted. I am a little nervous because I have been out of the business for over a year. If this all works out I will be a lot more settled in and can get back to playing poker. I will have nights and weekends free, be unburdened by major financial constraints, and be able to leave my bankroll to poker and not worry about playing to pay bills.
At some point in the future if I end up with a good bankroll, and a years worth of bills maybe Estie and I can pursue a year of poker and travel together.... for now, lets just focus on eating and playing.
Of course, as soon as I accept this job offer, another one pops out of the closet when the configuration manager at Estie's company up and quits. DANG! I could have had a V-8! Or that job at least... but it is probably better if our eggs aren't in the same basket. I am looking forward to getting paid holidays and paid vacations again.
Tuesday, October 16, 2007
Lawson's Losers
Well... Football started again and Georgia sucks again. We barely beat vandy, we got crushed by UT who are also awful... but apparently not as awful as we are. The offensive juggernaut and the great defense we had are gone. BAH! I barely want to watch it. Of course I still do :(
2 weeks ago I ran across a new parlay card at the Imperial Palace where you could pick 12 teams and if you got 10 right you got paid 6 to 1, 11 right 60 to 1, and all 12 right 1400 to 1. So I of course tossed down 5 dollars to win 7,000 dollars and prompty went 3 for 12. I then went and did it again next week and got 3 for 12 AGAIN and tacked on a 5 team parlay that went 0 for 5. So a combined 6 for 29 in 2 weeks... My new plan is i will write down what teams I think will win, and then everyone else can break the sports book by betting against them.
NFL games:
ARI @ WAS (-8) - Arizona has no QB, Washington has been on a roll. Should be an easy cover for the Redskins.
ATL @ NO (-9) - Atlanta is due to win eventually and I think this is the week. New Orleans finally busted out last week for a real game and I don't think they can do it again. Atlanta covers and probably wins.
MIN @ DAL (-9.5) - Dallas at home against a rolling Viking team. Dallas is coming off their crushing against the Patriots. I expect Dallas to win but keep it close. Minnesota loses but covers the 9.5
NE @ MIA (+16.5) - I refuse to bet against the Patriots until they show me why I should. This line could easily be 25 and not be too much. New England rolls Miami and covers easily.
CHI @ PHI (-5) - I don't think Chicago's DEF can stop anyone now. Too many injuries and too many issues. Take PHI and the over.
STL @ SEA (-9) - Bad team vs bad team, but STL is the worse team. SEA has been good at times this year and this will be one of them. SEA big.
IND @ JAX (+3) - Indy is coming off the bye week and is ready to face up the Patriots undefeated. 3 pts is a piddling, take Indy and the over.
NCAA Football
South Florida @ Rutgers (+2.5) - Rutgers is at home, but USF is my parents alma mater and are rolling. I bet against them once, I won't make that mistake again. They cover easily.
Vandy @ South Carolina (-13) - South Carolina manages to keep almost every game close, and Vandy is better than people thing. SC wins, but it is close. Take Vandy to cover.
USC @ Notre Dame (+18) - USC is vastly over rated, and injury plagued. ND sucks, but not 18 pt bad sucks. Take ND to cover.
Florida (-7) @ Kentucky - Kentucky is the pretty pick... beat LSU, ranked in the top 10, etc. Florida is off 2 tough losses and is not in a good mood. Florida wins handily.
Auburn @ LSU (-10.5) - LSU is pissed off, Auburn is playing well but not that well. LSU wins by probably 30.
I just want to state for the record GOOOO South Florida. National Championship is coming your way!
2 weeks ago I ran across a new parlay card at the Imperial Palace where you could pick 12 teams and if you got 10 right you got paid 6 to 1, 11 right 60 to 1, and all 12 right 1400 to 1. So I of course tossed down 5 dollars to win 7,000 dollars and prompty went 3 for 12. I then went and did it again next week and got 3 for 12 AGAIN and tacked on a 5 team parlay that went 0 for 5. So a combined 6 for 29 in 2 weeks... My new plan is i will write down what teams I think will win, and then everyone else can break the sports book by betting against them.
NFL games:
ARI @ WAS (-8) - Arizona has no QB, Washington has been on a roll. Should be an easy cover for the Redskins.
ATL @ NO (-9) - Atlanta is due to win eventually and I think this is the week. New Orleans finally busted out last week for a real game and I don't think they can do it again. Atlanta covers and probably wins.
MIN @ DAL (-9.5) - Dallas at home against a rolling Viking team. Dallas is coming off their crushing against the Patriots. I expect Dallas to win but keep it close. Minnesota loses but covers the 9.5
NE @ MIA (+16.5) - I refuse to bet against the Patriots until they show me why I should. This line could easily be 25 and not be too much. New England rolls Miami and covers easily.
CHI @ PHI (-5) - I don't think Chicago's DEF can stop anyone now. Too many injuries and too many issues. Take PHI and the over.
STL @ SEA (-9) - Bad team vs bad team, but STL is the worse team. SEA has been good at times this year and this will be one of them. SEA big.
IND @ JAX (+3) - Indy is coming off the bye week and is ready to face up the Patriots undefeated. 3 pts is a piddling, take Indy and the over.
NCAA Football
South Florida @ Rutgers (+2.5) - Rutgers is at home, but USF is my parents alma mater and are rolling. I bet against them once, I won't make that mistake again. They cover easily.
Vandy @ South Carolina (-13) - South Carolina manages to keep almost every game close, and Vandy is better than people thing. SC wins, but it is close. Take Vandy to cover.
USC @ Notre Dame (+18) - USC is vastly over rated, and injury plagued. ND sucks, but not 18 pt bad sucks. Take ND to cover.
Florida (-7) @ Kentucky - Kentucky is the pretty pick... beat LSU, ranked in the top 10, etc. Florida is off 2 tough losses and is not in a good mood. Florida wins handily.
Auburn @ LSU (-10.5) - LSU is pissed off, Auburn is playing well but not that well. LSU wins by probably 30.
I just want to state for the record GOOOO South Florida. National Championship is coming your way!
Friday, October 05, 2007
Oops... I guess you are in charge now
Well, the move to swing shift at work was a nice change. The money was a lot better and I was really enjoying working 3-4 hours and making the same money I was making in 8 hours on day shift. That lasted all of a week before I came in last friday and got the information that the swing shift supervisor had been fired. He was already on probation and apparently had overstepped the line the last time. I came in friday night expecting to work, and bingo bongo I am in charge. I covered his shift for a week and then on Tuesday was pulled aside by the poker room manager and offered the "interim" shift manager. Basically, it is mine if I don't screw it up... I have 90 days to prove him right. This should make for an interesting ride... Swing shift manager at a poker room on the strip in vegas. Oh boy.
The good news is that the money is pretty decent... the bad news is there is a 3 week delay till I see any of it. 2 week pay cycle and then 1 week delay in paychecks getting cut. So money will be a little tight which has cut down the poker playing until then, but once we get on the cycle it will be much better.
I did get out to play once this week and it was a short lived visit. I got there and not much happened until about an hour in. I limp with Pocket 7's and the flop is A73 of spades. My standard play with a big draw board is wait for a non-scare card on the turn and try to get them off the draw. 1-2 NL players just don't fold with 2 cards to come. They will sometimes fold with 1 card to come... SOMETIMES. Early position leads out, myself and 2 others call making the pot 50 dollars to the turn with 4 players. Turn is a red queen and early position checks. I bet 35 into the 50 dollar pot (my fairly standard 2/3 pot size bet on the turn) and the guy to my left raises to 135. The original flop better calls the 135 bet and I put him on a big spade probably the K or Q or spades. I figure AK or AQ with the K or Q of spades. I push all-in for my last 35 and both players call. At this point I figure made flush to my left, big flush draw to my right, and I need the board to pair. River doesn't pair the board and the cards go over. The reraiser to my left shows pocket 3's for a flopped set, I show my flopped set of 7's, and the original bettor shows pocket Q's for the turned set of Q's. I am stacked and headed home for the night.... I don't feel bad about how I played it. If it had been A73 rainbow I would have slow played it... Flopped set on non-scary board is instant slow-play. I was getting the right odds to draw to a full house with 3 players in the hand.
The good news is that the money is pretty decent... the bad news is there is a 3 week delay till I see any of it. 2 week pay cycle and then 1 week delay in paychecks getting cut. So money will be a little tight which has cut down the poker playing until then, but once we get on the cycle it will be much better.
I did get out to play once this week and it was a short lived visit. I got there and not much happened until about an hour in. I limp with Pocket 7's and the flop is A73 of spades. My standard play with a big draw board is wait for a non-scare card on the turn and try to get them off the draw. 1-2 NL players just don't fold with 2 cards to come. They will sometimes fold with 1 card to come... SOMETIMES. Early position leads out, myself and 2 others call making the pot 50 dollars to the turn with 4 players. Turn is a red queen and early position checks. I bet 35 into the 50 dollar pot (my fairly standard 2/3 pot size bet on the turn) and the guy to my left raises to 135. The original flop better calls the 135 bet and I put him on a big spade probably the K or Q or spades. I figure AK or AQ with the K or Q of spades. I push all-in for my last 35 and both players call. At this point I figure made flush to my left, big flush draw to my right, and I need the board to pair. River doesn't pair the board and the cards go over. The reraiser to my left shows pocket 3's for a flopped set, I show my flopped set of 7's, and the original bettor shows pocket Q's for the turned set of Q's. I am stacked and headed home for the night.... I don't feel bad about how I played it. If it had been A73 rainbow I would have slow played it... Flopped set on non-scary board is instant slow-play. I was getting the right odds to draw to a full house with 3 players in the hand.
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