SCOOP = POOP

Was cruising right along in Event 37-M (won entry via the PokerStars blogger freeroll) until this crushing river:

Tournament, 400/800 Blinds 100 Ante (9 handed) - Poker-Stars Converter Tool from http://www.flopturnriver.com

SB (t49356)
BB (t28226)
UTG (t39355)
UTG+1 (t49093)
MP1 (t17835)
MP2 (t15889)
Hero (MP3) (t44923)
CO (t100310)
Button (t21383)

Hero's M: 21.39

Preflop: Hero is MP3 with Ks, Kh
1 fold, UTG+1 bets t1780, 2 folds, Hero raises to t4800, 4 folds, UTG+1 calls t3020

Flop: (t11700) 5c, 7d, 4d (2 players)
UTG+1 bets t3880, Hero raises to t8800, UTG+1 raises to t44193 (All-In), Hero calls t31223 (All-In)

Turn: (t91746) 3s (2 players, 2 all-in)

River: (t91746) 10d (2 players, 2 all-in)

Total pot: t91746

Villian shows Kd, Qd (flush)

- Runner runner flush in a 3bet pot, 2nd best vs slowplayed flopped boat
- Flop OESD & flush draw, blank blank
- Turn OESD & flush draw to go with 2nd pair vs BB special 2 pair, blank
- AA vs KK, all in preflop, 89TJQ
- Flop set on A high board, three way pot, no action
- $1100 spent on new hot water heater & deadbolt for front door

I know there's much more, but I've blocked the rest from my memory.

When Will It End???

Step 4 qualifier for NAPT at Mohegan next week, all-in preflop with AK vs A7, 7 on flop.
Step 3, all-in AK vs AT, TTx flop.
NL100 Rush Poker, 88 vs 99 on Q98 flop.
Rush Poker, 98 vs KQ on JT8 flop, x 9.
Rush Poker, 6d5d vs AK & AK on AdQxd flop, blank blank.
Rush Poker, KK vs AA.
Was going to play live qualifiers at Mohegan Tuesday after work, Norwich floods, never make it down there.
Worst sales month at work in 3 years.
+10 pounds in last 6 weeks.

I want off this ride.

The Good Doctor


It's an honor to have been bestowed a link on Dr Pauly's poker blog! Now there's an actual chance others may read this drivel.

Playing a lot of NL100 Rush Poker on FTP...after an initial boost, it's been a slow, rollercoaster of a grind. Win $300, lose $250...lose $200, win $175. It wears on the mind, especially when work is sucking the proverbial fat one and all I can think about is "I wish I could play poker for a living, but how will that ever happen if my online bankroll hardly grows?"

I take beats, I play bad, I think about having to go to work the next day, and I get real mad/depressed. Reading the Elements of Performance section of Tommy Angelo's book has been helpful; I feel so calm & relaxed after reading those pages. Breathing is the best cure for tilt, and for avoiding tilt. I must make it part of my routine to read/breathe before every session.

Time to go play some more Rush, then the For Anna benefit tourney on Full Tilt at 10.

Also, if anyone wants to trade blog links, just leave me yours in the comments...thanks!

My Prediction?

If I was betting on this game, I'd definitely be taking the Saints. I think they're a good play with the points as well as the moneyline. You'd have a hard time finding a better team as an underdog. Indy definitely has the experience advantage, and they have that Manning guy too, but who doesn't like rooting for the underdog?

Saints 31, Colts 27.

WBCOOP = SCOOP!

So I parlayed seven hours of my life on Sunday into a free entry into a $215 SCOOP event on PokerStars by wading my way through 2,000 or so bloggers in the WBCOOP Main Event. Wish I could say it was due to brilliant play, huge bluffs, and hero calls...but it was pretty ABC-ish. My big hands held up, I won a couple of big flips, and that was about it. Never had more than 75,000 chips towards the end, and went out in flames when my 8BB shove with A-Q found both T-T and A-K waiting for me, in the blinds no less...but no complaints here.

And by the way, whenever I hear SCOOOOOP, it reminds me of the announcer at Hartford Jai Alai when someone would make a nice catch of a short-hop. Many nights spent at the old fronton...I miss watching jai alai (and playing it on the amateur courts in Milford), but the CT casinos stole all the gamboolers away.

Coffee Is For Closers

...and freerolls are for bloggers!

I have registered to play in the PokerStars World Blogger Championship of Online Poker! This PokerStars tournament is a No Limit Texas Hold’em event exclusive to Bloggers, you too can take part by registering on WBCOOP

Registration code: 768539