Friday, January 07, 2005

Little bit 'o Limit

Pretty boring today…we were supposed to see the sun, but that didn’t happen. I wonder why it always seems like weathermen are only dead on accurate when bad weather is involved? I guess just because we take it for granted when the weather is OK…there’s that damn perception thing again.

In continuing the effort to focus on the good, I got some nifty news. My deductible on my homeowners policy is only $500 vs. the $1000 that I had thought. Good thing, because it’s going to cost about $500 to get all of the limbs cleared away, and even though it’s not visible at the moment, I imagine that there is going to at least be some minor shingle damage. I’m REALLY realizing just how lucky we were, as there are approximately 70,000 folks who still have no power.

Last night I logged onto Party again, even though I didn’t really feel like it, because all work and no play makes Jack a shitty poker player. The cards were running bad from the start, but I hung in with some patience, even through all of the flashbacks from my initial nightmare that was Party Poker. Starting the night with $74, I blinded away nearly $4 before I got anything playable. I can’t believe I held on with that kind of patience, I certainly wouldn’t have before, that’s for sure. I couldn’t leave though, as I had a SUPER fishy table. Nearly every pot was at least 10 BB’s, and you wouldn’t believe the crap that was winning said pots. Well, you probably would, as most of you out there are Party vets, but I’m still in shock. Finally, I get QJs in the BB, and no one raised. Lo and behold, I flop a straight, with a rainbow board of K 10 9. There is a bet, I raise, everyone calls. Turn comes a J, so I figure I’ll be splitting this pot. Nope, I was beat by AQ. The one hand I actually play, someone has a good hand, go figure. At this point I’m down 7.5 BB’s and an hours worth of play. Getting discouraged here, folks….

I decide here to give it two more orbits, and if I can’t get anything, I’ll just call it a night. My next BB I have 35o, great. UTG raises right out of the gate and EVERYONE calls two bets cold, unbelievable. I was going to fold, but I call since I can see a flop for one SB (pot=10 BB’s). 9 8 3 rainbow. UTG fires another bet and half the table stays in, so I decide to call with bottom pair because the pot now is 15 BB’s with my call. Turn comes a 6, and now I have a straight draw. Checks all around, woohoo, I get a free card (should I have bet here? I think no, because I knew no one would lay down anyway and I would be costing myself extra money if/when I missed). River comes a 6 and now I have the low end of a straight. Good, but not so good, know what I mean? UTG fires out of course, three people drop, another call and it’s to me. I started kicking myself for getting trapped on a low-end straight, but then SSHE popped up in my head like the most natural thing in the world. When a pot reaches a certain size, call the river if you think there is ANY chance at all that you will win. The odds justified my calling the whole way, and with a 17 BB pot staring my in the face, I felt the size of the pot justified the call. I won an 18 BB pot with freaking 35o! UTG had 92s and the other caller had K8o. Good Lord. Any input on this hand from the more experienced Limit folks out there is certainly always appreciated. I think I played the hand correctly, but if I misapplied those SSHE principles, I hope someone out there tells me. Anyway, I blinded off some more money with the cold cards, and decided to quit +8 BB’s for the evening, as I believe it’s good practice to try and end the evening on a high note. Duh, as if anyone out there tries to end on a bad one....

I got home a bit early today since I have to go into work for a half day tomorrow, so I played in the Stars afternoon $3 Limit tourney and busted out 71st out of nearly 650. Not bad, as I haven’t played a Limit MTT in quite some time, but certainly not great either. I was a bit annoyed, but I’m sure I would have been just as annoyed had I made the money and then busted out with a net profit of $1.83. I feel I played well, and I have to keep in mind that that is what a good player focuses on, not the money. Damn, the road to improving as a player is hard…

BTW, thanks to all for their responses, humoring my inane questions. The insight of others is always beneficial, unless of course it is a 14 year old l33t h@x0r.

Still Thinking Big folks, head Much Bigger.