Continued Success
Friday, September 29, 2006
I've been grinding away my bonus at Dream Poker, but taking my damn sweet time. The bonus, through PokerSourceOnline, does not appear to be difficult to complete. However, I've been favorng short 2/4 Limit sessions, often shorthanded, because practically every hand has a sufficient rake. All that said, there are definitely easier bonuses out there at VegasPokerPro.com and PSO, but I've already completed them. A while ago, I offered up my Bonus Whoring guide to any readers or bloggers who may be interested in running through the PSO and VPP bonuses. The benefit is that you can run up your bankroll a bit faster (PSO), earn free stuff so that your poker has tangible benefits for you or your loved ones without withdrawing money from your bankroll (VPP), or just plain find some new sites with either great software (Poker.com), great fish (Sun Poker), or great varieties of games (NinePoker). One reader wanted to get an iPod. With my advice, he was able to complete over 5 promos in less than 2 months. I've got the easy rooms staked out, and other strategies about clearing faster. I'd post them here, but my original intention was to save the info for another project. That's up in the air, so you may be seeing my bonus whoring guide at some point, but until then, if you are interested, email me at HighOnPokr AT yahoo DOT commoner (don't forget to leave off the last E for +EV!).
So, I was playing 2/4 last night at Dream Poker, and the players were practically giving me their money. It was another one of those situations where winning begets winning (or perhaps my opponents' losing begat more losing). My bullshit detector was on high alert, and I was making some beautiful reads. In one hand, I'm in the BB with J8s and the SB raises preflop when it folds to him. I call. The flop has an Ace and a whole lotta nothing, and my opponent bets. I call. The turn was another Ace, and when my opponent bets, I think, "Okay, I've been calling so far. What could he be thinking? He took the lead, and theres a very good chance that he was continuation betting after the flop. Meanwhile, I'm calling him, so he's got to be somewhat concerned that I have a baby ace or I'm slowplaying him. In limit, there isn't much variety in play since bets are standard amounts. So, if I bet here, its going to look like I had an ace and waited until the big bet on the turn to re-raise. If he has KK he's going to be hard pressed to call. The only thing I fear is an Ace." I then bet, and he folds. It seems simple enough, but it takes cajones to bluff re-raise in Limit.
A while later, another player tries the same trick on me. I'm continuation betting with KJ after a useless flop, and an Ace comes on the turn. When the turn comes and I bet, my opponent re-raises. I think, I've seen this before. I re-raise him back. It's my way of saying, "Listen, fuckface, I have this hand, and you are making a play." He sheepishly folded.
Now, before I get the comments about these donkey plays, put down your Winning Low Limit Poker book and listen to me. I had reads on these players. Sure, in both instances I was putting an unnecessary $4 at risk when I didn't have a hand, but I was willing to take that calculated risk. That's all poker is: calculated risk. It definitely helped that I was playing one table alone in my apartment with no TV playing in the background. I watched my players, took copious notes, and made calculated plays. It felt good, to the tune of $90+.
Of course, later in the night, I went back to play some tournaments. I played in a $20+2 18 person SNG on Stars, working off their most recent reload bonus. I went out 13th after some bad luck and bad play. It was one of the softest tables I'd ever seen, with players playing any 2 and betting out with bottom pair before calling the reraise and every other bet to the river. Consequently, I entered every hand as well. Some would tighten up, and they wouldn't be wrong. But I saw that if I could even hit middle pair, I was good against three or so players. That style of play means a higher variance, and it eventually caught up to me. But in the meanwhile, I had fun.
I also entered a $20+2 PLO8 MTT on Stars. When I signed up 5 minutes before the start, there were 70-90 players in it. By the time it started, there were over 180. This is the one shortcoming about Stars. You can't get into a smaller-sized MTT...unless you go for thier multi-table SNGs. So, I guess they have that going for them. For some reason, though, I'd rather play a $20+2 scheduled MTT with only 17 people on some small site than sit down for a $20+2 multitable SNG with 18 people (or hell, 45) at Stars. Kooky, I know.
This weekend will hopefully afford me an opportunity to excel in one of these large tournaments. Wifey Kim will be out with the gals Saturday afternoon, so that's my prime time. I have a bachelor party Saturday night and brunch with family on Sunday, so really, Saturday is it. Of course, Monday is my 1st Anniversary with wifey Kim, so I'm ecstatic for that. In the game of life, wifey Kim are those magical pocket Aces that always hold up.
Until then, make mine poker.
posted by Jordan @ 9:55 AM,
4 Comments:
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At 10:48 AM,
Pokerwolf said...
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If a player does not go out and establish their own style, and simply "plays by the book", they'll never fully become a well-rounded player and excel at poker.
Besides, "make the wrong play at the right time" is true, at times. Our KQo hand last Saturday proves that point. -
At 10:53 AM,
WillWonka said...
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J,
Welcome to level 3 poker thinking. I knew you had it in you.
Keep it up!!!! -
At 10:58 AM,
slb159 said...
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Happy Anniv. I'll look for ya' on Sat and rail ya' for a while.
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At 10:39 PM,
said...
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best site
