In recent weeks I have lost a little over $200. A bad run? Perhaps but it’s also poor play.

I always tend to think of my downswings as a product of my bad/poor decisions at the tables.

Sure, I’ve encountered a sprinkle of bad luck but that’s not an excuse because during my good runs, I’ve also experienced some bad luck so that’s not the reason.

The reason is my poor decisions. Lately, I’ve been trying to make some hero calls and bluffs that just hasn’t worked out. I always seem to forget the poker adage of trying to bluff out bad players, they just don’t fold. And because they don’t fold they will catch their crappy 4 outers on me. That’s on me. I’m not controlling the pot or betting the proper amounts to get them to fold. Other times I am the one who isn’t folding when I know I’m beat. I try and make hero calls or try and call a huge bet hoping to catch against the villain who I know has hit their flush, two pair or straight. Sometimes my poker radar is just off, other times the poker gods aren’t taking me off the hook when I make a marginal call against pot odds etc.

Oh well, that’s poker and It’s up to me to exercise better judgement when I play against a certain player, which should improve my long term winnings…hopefully.

The end result is that my BR has suffered a lot.

My $250 loss to my bankroll this month is just brutal so I take it out on Stars by cashing out $300 and leaving $50 in my roll.

$50 ain’t a lot of cheddar but I strongly feel that I can build this up.

And that’s my next challenge. To build my $50 into $500 by the end of the year. Is that doable? Probably not but I’m going to try.

My plan is simple, play a bunch of super micro KO SNGs @ $1.40 to start. I get .25 per knockout and that should help me build my BR bit by bit until I reach $150 in profits, which will allow me to play at the next buy-in level.

The reason why I chose the KO SNGs is that the variance is small compared to cash games and that is the best strategy for my BR. I’ll also sprinkle in some MTTs when I get a chance also depending on my time limits etc.

Well welcome to hold em. Some suckers just can’t fold but then again do we want them to fold when we hit a monster hand and they’re drawing two outs?

This happened to me last night at my live game. We’re still in the first level of blinds (25/50).

I have 109 hearts on the BB. EP raises it to 200. I call just to see what happens on the flop…heck I have suited connectors, why the hell not?

The flop gives me trips. Villain bets out. Now I think I have him because he’s not the type to make a strong c-bet so this means he has something. I re-raise him and he pushes. I call. He’s got AA. Bingo, time to double up….or so I thought.

The turn is nothing. I’m still ahead. Then comes the river. Needless to say I’m the 2nd player out in the tourney. Sucks big time when you catch and the villain is unable to fold a big hand and he catches his miracle 2 outer.

I was a little ticked off at first but then I say to myself, it’s ok. I say to myself it was just bad luck, variance, or bad timing. Whatever it was I’ll take these types of calls anytime….if I can only fade two outs.

I like them better than the regular 9 man SNGs.

The bounties that you collect really add to your bottomline. There was a run of about 10 SNGs where my profit came from the bounties I earned.

The knockout games are fun but crazy. Everyone wants to collect the bounty at the expense of winning the SNG at times. For example, I see a lot of loose calls and shoves just because they want to collect the bounty. Sometimes they hit (like the time I shoved with AA and got called by 108 suited, he hit trip 8s on the river to bust me) but most times they don’t. I don’t go always go after bounties like some of these donkeys do. I try and pick my spots. As a matter of fact there were numerous times where I finished 2nd/3rd and never collected a bounty. Then there are the times where I pick off 4-5 bounties (my record is 6) and I add 10%-15% to my ROI at the end of the day.

They’re pretty much donkaments becuase everyone is trying to knock you out. I counter by playing tight and when I enter a pot, I’m playing it aggressively. Another difference is when I hit a monster I’m betting big, no slowplaying because the donkeys will pay you off when their top pair weak kicker or middle pair hoping to hit trips so they can bust you.

The tricky part is avoiding the donkeys calling you PF with any two suited cards. We are well aware of JokerStars penchant for rewarding donkeys; so it’s always a minefield.

But when your hand holds up and you collect a bounty it’s worth it. You just have to wonder what in the hell were these guys thinking when they call your KK shove with Q10.

These small edges add up if you play them right.

That extra value bet you get paid off on is the small edge I’m talking about.

Too many times we’re happy to check it down rather than taking advantage of that small edge we get from betting out.

Taking advantage of these small edges are tantamount to becoming a real solid player and that is what we’re striving for.

The only problem though is when I’m playing an extremely weak player. You know the ones I’m talking about…..they call out of position with a weak Ace and refuse to bet when they hit. They’re content to check it down BUT they’re not folding to your bluff…so that’s not really an edge and we should recognize these players and tag them accordingly. The small edge we get is to bet when we have them out kicked and hope they don’t hit two pair. It’s really a hard job to press these small edges but if you can do it consistently then I’m pretty sure the BR will go up.

I can’t seem to win on FullTilt for the life of me. I don’t know why. I do much better on PokerStars and that’s my main site. Too bad also because I get rakeback on Fulltilt but I still can’t seem to beat their games.

Are the players that much better on Tilt than Stars?

Are the structures (both MTT and SNGs) that different?

Am I just going crazy?

I don’t know.

Poker and food all day…not to shabby.

The games start at 12 noon and the host wants to get in 3 or more games today.

I was running hot. Real hot.

I managed to finish 1st and 2nd in my league and bubbled another game.

I would’ve won all 3 if it weren’t for some untimely luck.

The first game was a $30 buy-in 12 player freezeout. Top 3 get paid. I was hot early on and caught several flushes and straights. My style is aggressive but it’s a controlled aggression. I bet when I have something and I bet when I think I can buy the pot, like when I stole a huge pot when I represented a flush (I totally missed my straight), other times I just make a continuation bet when I feel that my opponent has missed the flop. I’m setting them up for when I really have a big hand. Like when I get AA and stacked AK. I also got very lucky when I turned a set of Jacks vs QQ. We were both all in and that’s when I took the chip lead for good and coasted to the win. $180 in my pocket for the effort.

The 2nd game I bubbled but it was due to bad luck more than anything else. $30 buy-in and we have enough players for 3 tables. I could have coasted into the money when a key hand occurs on the bubble. I have KK and I’m second in chips. The chip leader has open the pot standard 3x BB, I 3 bet him back and he shoves. I insta call with KK. The villain shows AQ suited. He hits an Ace on the turn. Game over for me. Should I have laid down KK in a bubble situation? I didn’t have to risk my stack when I could’ve let the short stack bust out first (he barely had 3x the BB left). Is that the right play? Perhaps but my thinking is that I’m looking to get a huge chip stack and go for win # 2. It didn’t happen. Oh well…I’m +$150 on the day so I’ll live with the decision.

The third game started at about 10:30 pm. We’re down to 14 players. We decide on a turbo since it’s getting late. 4,000 in chips and 10 min blinds (instead of 7k in chips and 15 minute blinds.

It’s getting late and most of the players have played all day long. This is perfect for me. I’m used to playing SNGs online where the games are faster. I feel that I have a huge edge. While the other players are stuffed and lethargic, I’m on point and ready to kick ass. The game turns very soft because every has food coma so I’m stealing pots and playing my game and building my chip stack up. I’m practically the chip leader all game long. I stay out of trouble and I bet my good hands aggressively. I make a tough lay down with JJ when a super tight player shoves on a 10 high board. I might be ahead but then I get the strange feeling that this player had QQ or a set. He’s not the type to make that kind of move on a bluff or 99 something like that. Now he could’ve done the same with A10 I guess but I’m not going to risk my stack on a situation that I’m completely sold on. I cruise into the money and it’s heads up. I have 4x the chips of the other player. Then he starts to catch. He rivered me a few hands and we’re basically even. I’ve been playing aggressive and he’s been folding a lot. I have J7 suited on the button. The villain min raises. I call. I catch two pair on the flop no flush or straight draws to worry about. Villain checks and I check behind, I want him to catch up so I can stack him. The turn is a 3 with two diamonds on board. He makes a 3/4 pot sized bet. I shove. He goes into the tank.

He starts to talk to himself about what my range of hands could be. He thinks I’m on a flush draw (I’ve been known to shove on flush draws). I’m glad he’s thinking that because I have 2 pair and I hope calls. He’s still in the tank. I’m guessing he’s not strong at all. He definitely doesn’t have my two pair beat, hech he probably doesn’t even have top pair or he would’ve bet the flop for sure. After another 30 seconds to a minute, he says that it’s getting late and screw it he calls. He has A3. The river gives him trips and I’m crippled. I lose the next hand and finish in second. Damn that river. Still finishing second isn’t so bad….I get 40% of the prize pool for a cool $144.

Most of the players have left except for 6 players who want to play cash. I’m up money so I’m open for it. We play .25/.50 blinds. Again right up my alley as that’s the game I play online also. I grab a cup of coffee and buy-in for $50. We play dealers choice and the games are mostly Omaha, Holdem, stud (both hi and hi/low), some razz, badugi and crazy pineapple. I was doing very well and up about $75 before the games start to get crazy and the dealers start to choose some wild games like double flop omaha and some crazy wild card games just like when I was a kid…it’s getting real late. I give some money back and we finally stop around 4am give or take (probably closer to 5am). I count my chips and I’m up $33 for my cash session.

All in all, a pretty good day. I’m up over $320 playing poker. That’ll pay some bills and we’re always thankful to the poker gods for that.

So I play those pesky suited connectors hoping to hit big so I can stack these guys because I really can’t respect their play.

Most times I miss but every so often I get a flop that I can absolutely crush them on since they’re incapable of laying down AA hands and they’re gonna pay you off…..if you can complete your hand by the river. That’s a big IF.

Then you get a flop that gives you a open ender and flush draw. Bingo, I’m pretty much a favorite against AA and basically even money (give or take) against a set. I’m looking for these spots to push and play aggressively.

If I’m OOP then I’m betting a pot sized bet and if I get re-raised I’m shoving. I don’t even think about it. If I’m in position and weak/tight player bets out I’m re-raising and shoving to a 3 bet…easy..won’t even think twice.

The problem is I haven’t been hitting these draws. I’m oh for three (0-3) and I’m down 3-4 buy-ins because of that. One of these times I had $45 in my stack and went up against another big stack and missed. Oh well.

So this play begs the question…..is it profitable to shove in these situations? I think so but am I better off not shoving and perhaps check calling some more? That doesn’t seem like a great idea because I want these weak/tight players to call off when I’m a favorite with 2 cards to come right?

I asked a few other players what they would do and I get different answers based on their style of play…the conservative players opt to check call and hope to hit before they put in their money. The more aggressive players tend to play these hands aggressively and shove.

In the end I’m happy with shoving in these situations because I’m gonna be winning my share of huge pots when they happen…happen to hit that is.

I guess since I’ve missed my draws the last 3 times I feel that shoving wasn’t the right move…but then again if I’m in that situation again I’ll probably shove hoping the odds catch up.

Is this the right move? I don’t know but it sure seems like it to me.

Of course we all have. Then we get AK or AQ suited something like that, and it looks like gold.

We’ve been patient and we’re bleeding some chips from being card dead or from not hitting flops. Now we have a big hand….or do we?

The one leak of mine is when I actually get a good hand after rounds of being card dead.

Then I get over excited and I go deep with these hands not realizing I’m beat.

Happens all the time. Case in point, I catch AK on the BB and I get min raised. I re-raise and the villain flat calls. I catch my K and I think I’m golden and I’m determined to get healthy again.

Wrong move. I should have realized that this weak/tight fish on the button min raised. This usually means a big hand and I totally forgot about that because I was so excited to see me finally hit a flop with the best kicker to boot.

I bet out and the villain again min raises me. I overplay my hand and get busted by his AA. I should have seen that coming but I don’t because after seeing dozens of missed flops and brutal starting hands, I overplay my AK. And it hurts.

Just goes to show that while playing poker, one should be really be sharp at all times and not fall in love with a hand especially when you have been card dead. I learned my lesson and hopefully the next time I run cold, I have the ability to fold good hands when I’m in trouble.

So I get the itch to play some live poker. The nearest casinos are too far, there’s no league game so my last option is an underground card room. That’s not a problem as there’s literally dozens of underground rooms in and around New York City.

My friend and I settle on a club in Williamsburgh. The club is located in the back room of a sports bar. As expected, the bar is virtually empty except for 2 patrons watching the Boston/Orlando game on the big screen. The back room contains 2 full tables. There’s one seat open and I take the seat, my friend complains that since he drove he should sit down first. I see his point.

The backroom is bare bones except for two full tables. There’s barely enough room to walk around. It smells like testosterone and sweat. I love it. I notice something while I’m waiting. The tables seem like they’re split up depending if you’re a member of the AARP. One table has grizzled old timers who seem to take their poker very very seriously. White haired guys chewing their burnt out cigars from one side of their mouths while telling stories about “back in the day” out of the other. The other table is full of young guns complete with baseball caps, hoodies, sunglasses, and I-pods blaring rap. Both tables have their good and bad. The old timers are less likely to gamble it up for the most part and the young guns are shoving their stacks while trying to look very cool doing it. Me? I’m generation X, I don’t exactly know where I fit in.

It’s another 1/2 hour before a seat opens up at both tables and the host takes me to the young guns table where the action was pretty sick. The dealer explains the rake (10% up to $10 I think he said). That’s pretty steep but hey it’s the price you pay for not having to smell Jersey while driving to the Taj Mahal. I buy-in for $150. I have $300 to gamble with and I think that with the loose action and the young guns trying to steal pots that I can double up rather quickly…if I can catch a good hand.

I quickly lose about $60 on a on a variety of busted draws and poor bluffs (why can’t people fold their middle pairs?). So I decide to slow up a bit and play good cards in position. That doesn’t work either as I’m rather card dead and I slowly bleed another $40-$50 away when my small pairs fail to catch a set. The action was brutal. Guys calling $150 all-ins with 98 suited and busting pocket rockets. Other times players catch trips on the turn or river. The action was sick and I was watching all this from the sidelines. Between being card dead and making poorly timed moves, I just couldn’t get rolling but I knew it was a matter of time before I started to run hot. I’m down to about $65-$75 so I reload for $150 more. That’ s it. Thats my bankroll for this evening so if I’m gonna get lucky or my hand holds up, I want to win as much as possible or go broke doing so.

I tighten up. I’m mindful of position. When I enter a pot, I’m raising. I just need a little help from the poker gods. I get some small pockets that don’t work out and my AK, AQ hands are bricking the flop. Down another $60. This is getting frustrating.

I’m scuffling to win pots. Heck I would be happy winning some blinds just to get the feeling of scooping a pot back into my veins. I’m antsy to win but at the same time I can’t fall into that trap where once I finally catch a big hand that I don’t see what’s coming and losing everything. Happens all the time and this is where the big mistakes cost you.

I’m in in the BB with 86 of hearts. There’s a raise to $12 from UTG + 1 and 4 players come along for the ride. I got odds so I call. The flop is a beautiful 88J rainbow.

I’m in business.

Player in seat # 1 has been playing wild and his stack is a literally a roller coaster. This guy is playing a lot of hands and calling raises OOP and unwilling to fold. This guy is a live one and in my opinion, the most dangerous player at the table. You just never know what he’s holding. He’s cracked Aces and KK with 89 suited type hands. While everybody at the table is lamenting how lucky he is, I’m studying his patterns. He overbets the flop when he’s on a draw and then checks call the turn if he misses. He’ll bet hard on when he hits two pair. He’ll call off bets with middle pair hoping to hit trips or two pair. That kind of information is good to store in the old noggin.

So I’m dealt 86 on a 88J board and I’m looking to win a big pot. I check with 4 players to act. MP eases out a $20 bet and player in seat one flats. Ok, this is good. There’s finally money in the pot and I have a big hand. I’ll slowplay this time around.

The turn is a Q. This puts two clubs on the board (as well as a straight draw) and my slowplaying days are over. I lead out with $70. Player in seat 1 calls. Something triggers my subconsciousness. The way he called the bet. They way he’s sitting. Something was different. My instinct kicks in, something doesn’t add up and I realize I could be beat. He has better than me.

The river is a blank and I have roughly $150 left behind. This is where it gets tricky. I’m first to act with trip 6s but I’m not completely sold that I have the best hand. So do I check or do I fold? If I think I’m ahead I have to bet don’t I? If I think I’m behind I should check. But with trip 6s can I check? I know that many people will tell me that checking is a bad move and I tend to agree but what if you know you’re beat? I can’t rely solely on math to make my decisions? I mean poker is a people game. Sure mathematics come into play but sometimes you just have to go with gut instinct. I check. Villain shoves and he has me covered. This sucks. Sucks big time. My last $150 on 3 of a kind. I mean I should be insta calling should’nt I? But there was something weird in the way he played this hand. I haven’t seen him bluff on the river in any of the pots he’s played in (and he’s played a lot). I don’t figure him for a overly sophisticated player and this move is definitely not in his game.

Back a few months ago, I made a promise to myself that I would trust my instincts more and fold big hands when I think I’m beat. This is one of those times. I sigh and to no one in particular I blurt out “I fold but I should really call” in my frustration. The villain must have only heard “call” because he flips over Q8 in an instant. There is some confusion because the villain thinks he’s stacked me but I disagree because I clearly said fold even though I also said I should call…besides I’m pretty sure the dealer and my neighbors heard me as well. So this hero fold saved me my last $150 or so. I’m clearly frustrated but I still have a chance to make a run.

Later on I’m on the button and there’s a raise to $10 from a player in EP. Two more callers and I play my 44. I’m not raising but I’m definitely calling. My stack is around $185. I’ve settled in since that big laydown and I really think I’m due.

I get the flop I needed – A46 two clubs. Damn those flush draws always show don’t they?

Original raiser bets out $30. Middle position calls and I flat the bet. I want them to think I’m on a draw.

The turn is a blank and again the EP bets out $50. MP flats again. Now is the time to take the pot down. I need this pot. I re-raise all-in. EP folds and MP calls off his last $50 or so.

I dodge the his draw.

Up $100 now.

My friend busts out and he wants to leave. Since he’s driving I’m gonna have to leave. I convince him to allow me to play another round before we leave. He agrees.

As luck would have it my last hand is AK suited. It always happens that way isn’t it? You’re ready to leave and you get a big hand. It’s almost like the poker gods are punishing me for trying leave.

Oh well I’m UTG, it’s my last hand and it just happened to be a big hand. I have to play this. I raise to $15 just so no stragglers come in cheap. I get two callers. The flop has two diamonds and I’m on the nut flush draw. I raise on the come. I get one caller. The turn is a blank. Damn why can’t I fade a flush when I need it?

I raise it one more time hoping to take down this pot right here right now. I bet out $65 and again I get called. Damn it. Can I just win this last hand please?

The river is a total brick and I check. The villain also checks and he shows 6/2 diamonds. He hit his two on the river. What the hell? Now I know it’s time to leave.

I cash out for $263 and I’m down $37 for the session. Oh well it could’ve been worse I tell myself and I’ll take a small loss anyday over getting felted.

In the end I’m happy though because I got to finally fold a big hand which at times has been a leak of mine. I have that to hang my hat on and build from there.

Then again perhaps an 8% return is a very solid rate. I don’t know. All I know is that I didn’t lose money so that’s always a step in the right direction.

But something has been nagging me….my rate of return. I read somewhere that I should be in the 10% mark when it comes to ROI at these levels. But then who knows.

It took me awhile to amass 500 games so I’m kind of glad this SNG challenge is over.

500 games at $5.50 pop cost me $2,750 in buy ins to make $220. That comes out to 8%. Seems low, or perhaps it’s just me because I was looking to get about 10% at least.

I asked a finance friend of mine and said to him if you gave me $3000 and I made you 8% would you be happy? He said he’d be extremely happy with an 8% bump on his money.

He told me that if I could get him 8% on his money he’d be giddy.

“How bout 4%? Would you like that kind of return?”

He said that if anybody on Wall Street could return 4% consistently, that wouldn’t be too bad.

Then he asked me who did I know that could make that kind of return?

You’re looking at him.

“Well I just made 8% playing poker so if you would stake me $5k then I’d split the profits with you 50/50″ I glibly replied.

He declined….oh well that’s poker.