Find the "Dead Money"

One of the key things to take into consideration in every poker session is table selections.  This I believe is a huge difference between a player who wins an average amount versus a LARGE amount.  Late last year I spent a few months playing poker “full time”.  I played usually 5 days out of the week and the first couple of months I did not pay any attention to table selection.  I still came out a winner over those months, but after evaluating how well I was doing I tried to come up with ways I could improve.  One of the things I changed was my table selection.  The next couple of months I was able to win almost twice as much as I had won in the previous months.  You always want to make sure that there are at a minimum of two players that are “dead money” at the table.  “Dead money” means a player who does not know how to play very well, is there to have fun, and came to the casino with the mindset that they are ok with losing money.  That is the type of player that I want at my table…and I am happy to be the one they give their money toJ.  In order to find the tables with the most dead money at the table…just observe the poker room for 10 minutes and look at the size of the pots and number of people in them at each table.  The tables that have the larger pots and most people active are the better ones you want to sit at.  In the next blog I will discuss seat selection.  How do you pick your seat after you have found that good table with all the dead money.  A very big tip to picking the right seat is as soon as you sit down ask for a seat change button…you may or may not use it depending on what you learn in my next postJ

$193 Bluff...Going Home a Winner! - Gary's Poker Journey

Planning my Session - Gary's Poker Journey

Lucky Babysitter has to Work, Committment, & Cut That One Out

So I have mentioned a couple of times that I would be posting updates.  I had every intention to do that, however this new software that I have to improve the videos I am putting out took a little longer to get the hang of than I expected.  I recorded one long video and split it into 3...hence the triphecta as the title.  I played extremely well the last few sessions winning over $1000.  Check out the videos and enjoy...I  made an attempt to take pictures of my chip stack and the other guys and the sheet I had to sign saying I won...but they are blurry.  I will post them anyway.  It feels good to be back up a significant amount I am up to $2,125 from just $200.  That is $1,925 in profit from $200.  I am pretty sure that will continue to increase and go past my original profit of $3500 or $3700 total.  Enjoy the videos and next week I will get into some poker strategy.

My stack is on the Left his on the Right...The Yellow is $1000 in tournament chips.

This is my blurry pic...I wish I could have gotten another one...but the floor (poker room supervisor) told me stop taking pictures.

Born Again

Last night was my first cash game session after putting the rules of engagement in place.  I left after 5 hours of play with $286 in profit.  That win brings my total up to $942 which equates to $742 in profit.  I played the $50-$200 table of no limit texas hold em.  I played very good poker and was extremely patient.  I decided to step down one level after the massive down swing to get my bearings back a little.  I am going to go back up to the $200-500 game in the next couple of sessions and continue making the right plays.  I wanted to give a status update and didn’t want to make this post long.  I feel like I am a born again semi-professional poker player...So until next time take care and check out the videoJ

Life After Death...

It has been a while since I have done a blog post.  I took a little break from poker after going from $200 up to $3700, and then back down to $656.  Now sometimes a down swing like this happens in any poker player’s journey, but as I look back on how everything happened I understand how I won and how I lost.  So what I would like to do on this post is explain what I was doing to win $3500 in profit, what I did to lose and go down to only $456 in profit, and what I am putting in place to guarantee it doesn’t happen again.  When I started this challenge I went into every session rested, sober, and focusing on making the best play.  I did that consistently and watched my bankroll grow fast.  After several winning sessions I lost sight of what helped me to win those sessions.  After a couple of losing sessions I started to focus on the money, winning every hand, and added alcohol into the mix.  If you read any poker literature or talk to any professional poker player they will tell you not to focus on the money you win or lose, but focus on making the best decisions that will lead to inevitable profit.  Reflecting on the last two months of losing session after losing session I realized in order for me to become the poker player I aspire to be I have to make some drastic changes, put rules in place and follow them. 

Gary’s Rules of Engagement:
1.  Play 5 hours and if I am not catching cards QUIT.
2.  While in a session alcohol is allowed in the last 15 minutes of the session only.  After one beer the session is over.
3.  I have to stop playing if I lose:

a.  Game:   $50-$200-->Stop Loss:  $200 (4 buy-ins)

b.  Game:  $200-$500-->Stop Loss:  $400 (2 buy-ins)

c.  Game:  $300-$2000-->Stop Loss:  $600 (2 buy-ins)

4.  I must be well rested in order to play in a session.
5.  Anytime I am focusing on the money and not making the right play I must take a break or leave. 

Believe it or not this is what I was doing when I initially started…these were unwritten and something I did initially to make sure I could be profitable and make this journey intertaining.  After winning a ton and then losing it all back after some stupid mistakes I realize that playing by these rules is the only way to take my poker to the next level and show everyone following this blog that Gary knows his stuff.  Until next time!!!

Rock Bottom...

Bah Humbug!!!

During the holiday season I got a little lazy and did not post for a couple of sessions.  Above is a video explaining how I played.  I lost $1,010 over the Christmas/New Year break.  I played extremely well and got my money in with the best hand majority of the time.  My opponents however got VERY LUCKY with 2 outers and such.  Sometimes it is like that...I have decided to stay at $200-$500 until I get my bankroll up to $10,000 and then I will go to the $300-$2000 table as I will feel more comfortable playing.  I have not felt comfortable playing at the higher level and it is not good to keep trying to do something when the feeling that you are in a good spot is not there.  So I will go where I know I can crush it for a few months and make my $10k from $200 and move up to the bigger game...where I know I can win, but just don't have enough money to keep taking huge swings like I have.  Better to play it safe some times so you don't go broke then risk it all...Heading to the casino tonight with my wife and we are going to play a bit.  Should be fun, I am excited for her as she used to be shy and wouldn't play well, but she has played very good in a couple of tournaments and now is going to play some cash games.  I think she will do good enough to make money...maybe not as much as me:) but she will do well.  And one day the student may out perform the teacher...just not tonight.  TTYL!!!

It has been a while since I have done a blog about some of the hands I played.  The last two sessions have been winning sessions the first I won $320 and the second I won $412.  In each of this session I won over $600 only to dwindle down over time to what I just stated.  I have learned the last couple of sessions I have some very good opportunities to take the pot down and haven’t done it.  I will go through three of the hands that I played out of the last two sessions.  Hand #1 we will call…Get it in Good…SO WHAT you lose money.  Hand #2 we will call…LUCK BOX that is my name.  Hand #3 we will call…NOW THAT IS HOW YOU PLAY POKER!!!

Hand  #1($200-$500):  I got T9…I was in the blind and there were 6 callers to see the flop.  The flop came:

 AT9

 I flopped two pair and went for a check raise because I KNEW out of all the people there was someone with an Ace.  So I checked expecting someone to bet…and that they did.  A fish (bad poker player) bet $20 and another fish called, The SHARK (that’s Gary a GOOD poker player) then raised to $70 so it was $50 more for them to call.  I put the fish that bet on an Ace, and the fish that called on a flush draw.  They both called my raise.  The turn came:

3

This card changed absolutely nothing.  And the SHARK shoved the rest of his chips into the middle…about $120.  Both fish called.  I was happy about this because I knew I had them crushed, and they are going to lose…and then came the river:

A

I started saying fowl language inside my head…Gary at this point was not happy.  The fish sucked out and although I put ALL of my money in with the best hand I still lost.  That is what poker players call running below expectation.

Hand #2 ($200-$500):  I catch AJ and raised preflop to $35.  I got two callers and the flop came:

 973

One of the players lead into me for $50.  Now this was not the first time that he did this…and I was not happy about it.  Now the last couple of times he did it I raised him and he called and I gave up on the turn.  Now this time I was on tilt (i.e. MAD AS HELL) after being run over…so when he did this ANGRY GARY said “F this S#!+”  I AM ALL IN (with NOTHING BTW).  He instantly calls and turns over his KK…I was like Gary you are an IDIOT…the turn and river came:

6 A

I was like Gary you are LUCK BOX and I love YOU!!!

Hand #3 ($300 - $2000):  I caught AT in late position. I was at the big table for this one.  I limped in in late position.  One of the players in the blinds raised to only $35 after 7 players already called.  EVERYONE called his raise including me.  The flop came:

A23

The player who raised bet $85 which was a sucker bet, everyone folded to me and I shoved for $250ish.  The player on the button called with Kh5h with a gutshot with a flush draw.  Needless to say he missed both of his draws and my AT held up.  I won just over $600 on that one hand and the rest is history.  Hope you have enjoyed the posts!!!

Redemption

It has been a while since I have done a blog about some of the hands I played.  The last two sessions have been winning sessions the first I won $320 and the second I won $412.  In each of this session I won over $600 only to dwindle down over time to what I just stated.  I have learned the last couple of sessions I have some very good opportunities to take the pot down and haven’t done it.  I will go through three of the hands that I played out of the last two sessions.  Hand #1 we will call…Get it in Good…SO WHAT you lose money.  Hand #2 we will call…LUCK BOX that is my name.  Hand #3 we will call…NOW THAT IS HOW YOU PLAY POKER!!!

Hand  #1($200-$500):  I got T9…I was in the blind and there were 6 callers to see the flop.  The flop came:

 AT9

 I flopped two pair and went for a check raise because I KNEW out of all the people there was someone with an Ace.  So I checked expecting someone to bet…and that they did.  A fish (bad poker player) bet $20 and another fish called, The SHARK (that’s Gary a GOOD poker player) then raised to $70 so it was $50 more for them to call.  I put the fish that bet on an Ace, and the fish that called on a flush draw.  They both called my raise.  The turn came:

3

This card changed absolutely nothing.  And the SHARK shoved the rest of his chips into the middle…about $120.  Both fish called.  I was happy about this because I knew I had them crushed, and they are going to lose…and then came the river:

A

I started saying fowl language inside my head…Gary at this point was not happy.  The fish sucked out and although I put ALL of my money in with the best hand I still lost.  That is what poker players call running below expectation.

Hand #2 ($200-$500):  I catch AJ and raised preflop to $35.  I got two callers and the flop came:

 973

One of the players lead into me for $50.  Now this was not the first time that he did this…and I was not happy about it.  Now the last couple of times he did it I raised him and he called and I gave up on the turn.  Now this time I was on tilt (i.e. MAD AS HELL) after being run over…so when he did this ANGRY GARY said “F this S#!+”  I AM ALL IN (with NOTHING BTW).  He instantly calls and turns over his KK…I was like Gary you are an IDIOT…the turn and river came:

6 A

I was like Gary you are LUCK BOX and I love YOU!!!

Hand #3 ($300 - $2000):  I caught AT in late position. I was at the big table for this one.  I limped in in late position.  One of the players in the blinds raised to only $35 after 7 players already called.  EVERYONE called his raise including me.  The flop came:

A23

The player who raised bet $85 which was a sucker bet, everyone folded to me and I shoved for $250ish.  The player on the button called with Kh5h with a gutshot with a flush draw.  Needless to say he missed both of his draws and my AT held up.  I won just over $600 on that one hand and the rest is history.  Hope you have enjoyed the posts!!!