Great way to start the day

AA < KT

QQ < 99

A5 flop 55 < 66 on turn

TT < KK

AK < AJ

QQ < 77

some tourney hands above of how I got knocked out.

A5 < 66 set (32 of 408) sign no FT again.

Love & Hate Poker

I love poker.

I hate poker.

I love poker.

I hate poker. 

I love poker (when I win).

I hate poker (bad beats, cooler etc).

Been like this for a very long time. I started this game because I love the psychological challenge of the game. I am not naturally good at it, I know people who are - my friend. Besides being psychologically competitive, he is also good at maths. He challenged me on chess every time we met when I taught him the game. He went on to represent our high school and won countless medals.

He played magic cards, I don't know the game. And went on the bridge, and then to poker. He doesn't read a single book. I asked his starting days of poker. Deposit ten dollar. Busted. Bought another ten from friend, and never made another deposit ever since. 

I am not sure where I am going, probably viewing poker in a different perspective. Of someone like me, with a pipe-dream, looking across to winning players on the other side of the coast. I read about poker blogs, tweets and news every day and there are regulars who just win every single month, basically always an uptrend. Though there are swings but they don't last, and continue going up.

As for me, after two long years, I have seen vast improvements and reading the game with much much more perspective than the past. Work on my game, view hand history, bought (tons of) books to focus on certain games, no external coaching.

I am seeing myself beginning to change from a consistent loser into a break-even player. I see myself having gradual improvements when I take things one at a time. A table at a time, a hand for a hand. Disaster struck whenever I tries to multi-table or trying to grind the shit-ass vpp points, because stars really got wonder vip store.

Every single day when I grind, there is not a day when there is no bad beat. For example, past two days I finish two 9SNG turbo 1st, but today I busted two 9SNG turbo 4th (on the friggin' bubble), both going in with AQ < QJ and AK < A7 respectively. 

I admit injustice tilt affects me a lot. No cards going in preflop has 100% winning rate. But its just me. How do you unsuffocate yourself from these unavoidable encounters. Probably work on my mind, my thinking, my thoughts. Some times it is just killing me.

While playing ZOOM today, I went down, followed by doubling-up. Tilt after 9SNG turbo busto on the bubble and back to where I started. Just as I kept telling myself hateful things about poker as well as checking the "Sit out next big blind" box, I doubled-up that last hand ending the day positive, as if poker heard my whines and tells me to come back next time. Freaky.

I am still unemployed. I am still not making consistent money, and I am worried. I am doing something everyday (job search/grinds) and all I can do is wait. 

"Destiny has arranged your way ahead."

The Fish Rises

I have extremely bad luck records for my 18-SNG (comparing to my 45 SNG and 9 SNG).. always getting busted the first 5.. or bubble (5th). Below is a hand which reinforced my superstitions after stubbornly registering for a 18SNG turbo. First hand of the tourney:

Min-Cash Big $3.30

2 tourneys and one SNG today.

Joined the Big $3.30 minutes before registration closes. Maintained throughout and was following average chip closely. In fact, I was busted when I had around the average chip, but what a waste. I was UTG with AK, raised, MP 3-bet me almost all my stack in such a speed I think he is ready to get it in anytime. All folded back to me, I pondered as I was thinking whether if I got busted I would cashed because it was around 5 more entrants to be in the bubble, or I should coast.

I shoved and he snap-called with JJ... and held.

Another $4.40 tourney. Raised with KhQh, called by AsTs. Flopped King high with two spades, he raised and shoved and he called and hit a spade on the river.

9-men SNG Turbo, was down to 4 men chiplead, when suddenly I found myself heads-up with opponent twice my chip, hmm. Called his raise with Q4, hit bottom pair but two spade on board. Check-raised him all-in he called turning over Kx for a flush draw, but hit his K on the river.

That is all todayyyyy.

Sit & Gossss Knockout!

Grinded 5 SNG today and barely had luck, only won 1 9-SNG Turbo Knockout, happy to be knocking out 6 out of 8 opponents, basically the only game where luck was on my side. I had the other game 6-SNG turbo where we were left to 3. Guy was shortest stack but won a river against chip lead, and then when I was SB against his BB I tried my luck to steal but ran 69 into A2 and he's held, sucks.

Sticking my rules to SNG, for now. Hoping to grind more and consistent this month (reducing Diablo time) although will not be aiming for SilverStar.

Lacking Updates

Been a full month, ever since Diablo took our soulstones. I have the lowest volume during June since the start of 2012 and had even lost my silver star vip. I had some awful bleeding in cash games mid month and decided to really stick to my plan to play SNG/tourneys with what is left for me after I withdrew majority of my bankroll out.

I want to take the left over amount seriously and play about 2-3 tables at a time and learn to know what I am doing instead of multi-tabling for volumes and going auto-pilot. Not that it is not good, but I am not that good at it yet. Seems that I still have to take things slowly, and seriously.

Had a good few SNGs, today won a turbo knockout first, knocking out 4 others. Lost two other MTTs and that was it for the day.

There's a Micro Million 2 on PokerStars coming up next week and I'm looking forward to it. Keep my results posted.

Aces Cracked & Deep Ran Tourney

Quite happy with my recent results in SNGs. There is finally some uptrend in my equity for tournaments. As for cash games, it is still break even. Reason I been cash gaming side by side tourneys is because of the VPP I need to meet. I am still 300vpp away from SilverStar status for the month.

I been pretty lucky with 45-men and 18-men SNG turbo currently having a very decent ROI. In the 45 SNG my closest though was only 3rd, for twice. But good enough to give me good ROI for 7 games. As for 18-men, 7 games, I had once first, twice in the runner-up and once in the 3rd.

Will be going for an interview on Thursday, I hope that I will land on the job and when I do, I can continue to slowly build my bankroll here playing tourneys probably.. if time permits.

Below is one of the hands extracted from my cash games. I think I over-did it, but if he had it, I would've been doomed. But based on my preflop play, I assumed he thought that I had aces or ace-king. I couldn't put myself to check on the turn I don't noe why, but instead to represent it (wasn't on tilt). I think he probably had kings or queens. A relief he folded.



Below is one of my super weak play. I think I was too overwhelmed multi-tabling till I only min-raised preflop with aces. Bring a cock handed guy into the flop and letting him hit doubs. I wouldn't have fold it till the river, but it would probably have cost less. Didn't tilt after that hand because it was absolutely mistake play. I am more prone to injustice tilt, or entitlement tilt.



I seemed to have aces cracked almost every session sigh. But above was a very bad play which should have been avoided. Things like AA getting cracked by kings or 4 pairs would've tilted me hard (injustice tilt).

Anyway I play two 1.5k and 1k guaranteed tourneys in stars this afternoon and cashing both. Min-cashed one of them and the other one I made it to 14th out of 770 entrants.. my deepest run.

I was so hoping to get into my first ever regular tourney final table but I flung it. My chips was about 10th or 11th placing, all folded to me on the button, I shove-steal with JQo, big blind snap called me with aces.

An ass move I supposed. But I see myself with a little gradual improvements.

Morale fell as I closed my cash games and back to Diablo 3. 

On to the next one. 

River Day

Started the day with a beat, 3 betting BB at the SB, and I knew he had kings the way he tried to set me up with 4 bet. I pushed with aces and he snap called. I had an ace of diamond, the flop came Kxx ddd. I can't seem to avoid the fate of getting sucked out by 2-3 outer every single session. Unfortunately, no diamond came any more. He shipped my whole stack when I was barely 5 hands fresh at the table.

Oh no I didn't smashed my mouse, I'd been telling myself its part of poker since I experience it EVERY session. Anyway, at that particular table I continued to get sucked out in between the next 50 hands and I just found myself down about 2 full buy-ins.

God always reward patience as I did not tilt and spew my stack, my vengeance are always rewarded when I keep my patience and play my usual after a beat. Against the same opponent who cracked my aces with cowboys, I later rivered him AJhh against his JJ with a flush, which I think it tilted him because he'd 3-bet me for the next few hands.

I net my cash game positive later when I won a super cooler on a river. Gotta love the river today.



Thats the one thing I scared about slow playing your nuts, I meant your nut holdings.. not your below.

I four-tabled with two other sit & gos. Got knocked out easily in the big $3.30 and 9-sng. Later cashed out runner-up followed by winning the 6-max sng. I held onto the 45-sng and cashed out 3rd, one of my best. I felt like I was playing in the zone these few days. But 4 table is currently the max for me. Not intending to add anymore tables though, am very comfortable with my recent play.

Been just focusing on the turbos for my recent sngs. Reason being time constraint, as well as getting into more flips. I know generally people say that regular speed are the ones for the skillful? Becuz of the slow blinds rendering people to play more post-flops. As for turbo, before you're in for another orbit, you've found yourself short stacked and ready to gamble. Thats why I consider myself lucky in current month's sngs - firstime positive for tourneys.

Great to end my birthday on the green side.

Good luck at the tables!

Short Updates

Been a while from updates. Just gonna do a short one becuz im currently sitting down at starbucks using iPad safari to do the updates, kinda pain.

Anyway after last week I took a break from poker n trading until wednesday. I came back n grinded some cash games n was doin okay. Didnt play that much though, booked a win.Yesterday was not so ok after someone floated the flop n hit his trips on turn. Then revenge tilt kicks in as I 4bet all in him with AK only to find him turning over aces, yikes.

Today was smooth. I would say today is the day I was playing almost in the zone. I sat to full ring table nw instead for slower actions. I also multi tabled along with some sit n gos n tourneys. I was up in cash games, went over to play zoom ar 10nl, was up almost one buy in, only to have dealt aces thrice on my last ten hands, two cracked n one no one called. I admit the second aces that was cracked was die to my itchy ass slow play. Oh well.

Play total 7 tourneys and none cashed, except my last tourney where I got first. Headsup was about 3k+ vs 9k+.

Almost there to be maintain my silverstar, 150 vpps more to go!

Taking A Different Route

Barely remember the winnings day in February. Seems like I spend every single day in frustration. I've forgotten all about the mental game either and still experiencing massive injustice tilt. Having a winning hand and getting called down by fishes and get outdrawn with 3 outer etc. I still get frustrated with these, I think I need to re-read the mental game of poker.

It is different trading the market, market is unpredictable, you control your risk by risk management and discipline. Poker is similar in the sense that you need discipline (not like tilt and spew stacks in cash games), you need to calculate risk, pot odds, and your position and then your opponents. But there are donks (including myself?) who call you down with anything and win you, but there is no such thing in the market.

Trading the forex market for two years and slowly learning my personality. No one winning trader's strategy works for some one else with a completely different personality. No scalping in the market for me I know myself. Now I realize I am also living in the edge playing cash games.

In trading, when I lost I go tilt and I enter tons of trades trying to win it back. In cash games, I gamble pre-flop/flop on tilt. Very very dangerous.

And the next moment, I shall find my bankroll torn down like hell. And I realize my highest net winning days never exceed highest loss days. Anyway, I think cash games are not for me. So I am at the same time working my SNG from micro-stakes, one to two tabling as when there are beats, I would not lose more than the SNG buy-in and I can't simply re-register another tourney out of anger. But Heads-up SNG I can, the registration and waiting is fast, so HU-SNG another NO NO for me.

SNG does not mean it is easier, there are many difference way to play, strategies to adopt which are different from cash games. Not that it is easier for cash game, but it is a safer alternative for my personality. So I work start working from the bottom and then move up using the default bankroll management (50 buy-ins). 

Which means, I may have to give up my SilverStar status from next month. This month is halfway there. And I think I can do it. It would be a pity though, unless I am able to multi-table like the sharks in these STT SNGs. But bankroll is always more important than the VIP status, not as if I'm a supernova. Anyway, if I am able to grind lovely profits some day, VIP status wouldn't have been a problem by then. 

Enough of rantings and we'll see how it goes. Good luck guys! (Stop looking for me at the tables and win my money~)

Y U NO FOLD?

I have finally port my hand histories (for past 2weeks) from the PokerTracker in my gf's laptop into my main iMac database. During March I was actually about how much I lost in the last two weeks, meaning break-even before I went to grind using her laptop. The thing I noticed was this, most major drawdown days were trying to move up stakes. My bankroll is still healthy now, but could have look more cool if I had stick to my usual stakes.

Anyway, I been doing well with my STT Sit N' Go. Only cashed out 3rd once in the normal speed $7, out of 3 games. Then I tried $7 Turbo two-tabling and cashed out first for both back to back, so happy. What are the chance of me doing that ! Then I had a game last night $3.50 taking first place too. Earlier I 3-tabling my usual 6-max cash game stakes at the same time two-tabling $3.50 STT SNG, lol. I felt I could use some screen space moving from her 13" MacBook to my 21.5" iMac. Both cashed out 3rd which I thought I could do better if I wasn't occupied with the cash game tables. I am still weak multi-tabler.

Talking about cash game, I was down a little. But it could have been a green day if not for the pot I encountered very start of the session. After that pot, I grind my way back but still down a bit. Here is the hand:


PokerStars - $0.16 NL (6 max) - Holdem - 6 players
Hand converted by PokerTracker 3: http://www.pokertracker.com

BB: $10.40
UTG: $16.00
Hero (MP): $18.68
CO: $17.77
BTN: $3.60
SB: $10.70

SB posts SB $0.08, BB posts BB $0.16

Pre Flop: ($0.24) Hero has Ac Ah

fold, Hero raises to $0.48, CO calls $0.48, fold, SB calls $0.40, fold

Flop: ($1.60, 3 players) 2d 3s 7c
SB checks, Hero bets $0.80, CO raises to $2.36, fold, Hero calls $1.56

Turn: ($6.32, 2 players) Qc
Hero checks, CO bets $4.83, Hero calls $4.83

River: ($15.98, 2 players) 6c
Hero checks, CO bets $10.10 and is all-in, Hero calls $10.10

CO shows 7h 7d (Three of a Kind, Sevens) (Pre 20%, Flop 90%, Turn 95%)
Hero shows Ac Ah (One Pair, Aces) (Pre 80%, Flop 10%, Turn 5%)
CO wins $34.68

I think any of you would have folded on the turn at least? I have already put him on a set since flop on the dry board. If an high card came on turn and he doesn't slow down he must have had it. Indeed, a Q drop on the turn and he snap raised, as if no threat at all. The only possible hand I could have beat was KK.

But Black....

March Review & PokerStars April 1st Special

I logged in stars today and saw there was a new section in the store April 1st Special. I went in to look and there were four items, quite unique, and admittedly, I thought they were real! Then I saw the last part of the description, that if you purchase you will receive a certain amount of cash.... plus the item? I thought. Too good to be true.

So I went on to google the forum and found a thread in 2+2 forum where it was something that was going on since 2 years back? The items were actually fake and you could just en-cash your FPP (only for SilverStar and above). The rates are good, 1fpp to 0.016cents, which means it is equal to Supernova's cash reward rate, the best. I went on to purchase all of them, took up a huge portion of my FPP, but it was a good boost to my bankroll. Nice move by stars I would say.

I had a good session on the last day of March, where I hit 3 nuts and my all-in were called by my opponents. One was hitting a full-house on the river, opponent hit flush on turn but was giving me free cards by betting only 1 bb. Board was super wet, I think we both put one another one a straight.

2nd was hitting a straight at turn, top pair guy also gave me a free card by not betting the flop.

3rd was another full house where opponent hit his trips in the river (my full house was made in the river too).

Above were all 0.08/0.16 6-max stakes.

This month is my 1st red month of the year. I could not get the exact amount of my loss because past two weeks I have using gf's laptop (where I use a fresh new PokerTracker installed), and I haven't got the chance to manually import my hands in this machine to my main one at home. But I would say I am down about slightly more than 100usd in cash games. Things wouldn't be that awful if I hadn't tried moving up to the 0.10/0.25 6-max stakes, where there are more floating on the flop and then 3-betting on turn, 3-bet c-bet etc.

I move up and got beaten badly there. I think my running good in February made me overconfidence and thought I could go up, but I think I need more time and experience to be ascertain that I could maintain there. I went up stake, crushed, moved down and build my roll, went up, crushed, came down and build my roll - basically what I have been doing this month.

I guess I will stick to my current stake, at the same time also learning the 9 Sit & Go, which I have been doing moderately well. Earlier had two games, one cashing out third, the other first, which I am happy.

Before that, I was playing SilverStar satellite match (130fpp) for VIP monthly $100k free roll, where I got knocked out with KK vs AQ vs 99.

If you played more than 5 MicroMillion events you get a free roll ticket earlier today for a $50k guaranteed tourney. Omg, got knocked out with AQ vs A4. We both slow play on a AAx flop but he hit the 4 on the damn river.

Both tourney played less than 20 minutes.

Ok my plan for April..

..look for a job.

For cash game I would stay at the stakes, maintain my SilverStar and then hit my first $50 stellar.

I will focus too, on my 9 Sit & Go, and then hope it helps in some of my MTTs.

Hope to bring my bankroll to the next level.

Sit & Gos

I am currently about 780 vpp towards GoldStar, I am surprised at the rate I have grind this month, must be due to the 0.10/0.25 6-max cash games I have mixed in between the month. But I decided not to pursue the GoldStar because although this is faster for my vpp, my bankroll hurt a lot in this stake this month. And I have currently moved back down to 0.08/0.16 6-max, where I am recouping my losses slowly.

I am aiming for the silver money clip in stars' vip store but it never seem to be in stock. It must be the cheap price and very beautiful design and everyone grab it.

I am waiting for it. I have now enough fpp to exchange for cash rewards (silverstar level) but I think I will wait, unless I busto. Hoping if there are any promotions like last year August (10x faster vpp) and I can reach higher level, and by then have enough fpp to exchange for GoldStar cash rewards, which is at a little better rate. My cousin who's a supernova just claimed the 4000usd cash reward two months back and I'm drooling.

As for my tourneys, same old thing, no results. I decided to focus now starting with STT (Single Table Tourney) Sit & Go, and work on it. Tourneys and cash games are different. A lot of poker players have dreams about winning big events (eg. WSOP Main Event).

Something like that.

Of course not so big for me, but thats one of the dream I wish to achieve in my poker career, winning a tourney. The feeling is different from cash games where you grind n grind n grind. The furthest I can picture myself if I am a cash game grinder would be like Joey Knish in the poker film Rounders. Real good, I like his character both in Rounders & Transformers. But in Rounders, he is a conservative grinder who grind his money to feed his family, pay his rent, and (I assume) bankroll management that would not allow him to go broke. What more can you ask for?

So I started my Sit & Go practice at the $3.50 micro stakes. Yesterday I cashed out 3rd, which I thought I had a shot. This morning I busto another one at 6th, the table was super tight. Except one guy who played every single hand and was busto first, expectedly. Then I was short stacked and all-in my remainingg 8bb UTG with KJ, SB reraised all-in with AK, BB called with KQ. How the hell to win against such dominated hands? Lol.

I took a break and fired up another session and try again. I only single table because I want to focus on it, I need to start from the fundamentals. This table has a more different dynamics. More aggression and actions. So I was almost knocked out until I went chiplead in last 5. Maintained my position until last two, where I had about 6k+ vs 7k+. The guy saw a lot of flop and I thought he would have been one of the first to get knocked out but we heads-up. Ups and downs until he called one of the key flop of the match.

I had 99 3-bet him who has 54. Flop came A A 4 and he lead the bet and I insta-shoved. He tanked and called and I scooped the pot. I think his situation is kinda tough because flopping two aces reduce the chance of opponent hitting it. The only hands that could beat him is an overpair. I may have called in his position.

And so.. I took down first! Can't remember the lastime I did and I am going to continue work on it.

MicroMillions Updates & Tourneys

Been focusing on tournaments and sit & gos past few days. Cash game grinding has been little, but still running +ev. Micro Millions in stars have started and I am playing 'em around the clock. My first tourney was registered $0.11, but not played and was out as there were some personal issues going on in my life right now. Basically I have moved out of the house and staying with my gf and using her Macbook for my daily grinds. Thankfully everything works perfect, my poker tracker has been imported (can't live without it), my HUD display profile and lastly, my steam account gaming lol!

My first four micro millions tourneys were bust out, until this morning I woke up at 5am to play the $5.50 knockout turbo pro special, where you get $50 for knocking out a stars pro. I didn't even sat with any throughout my entire tournament, registered with my free fix (by depositing $30 in stars), knocked out 4 guys and cash out minimum, well about $6.50. My greatest tourney always is cashing out minimum. I never ever got into final tables in tourneys.

Alongside micro millions, I also registered other tourneys, micro 6-max, 90 knockout SNG, $5.50 turbo etc. I did better than my micro millions. I got to 5th place in the micro 90 SNG knockout, which I was pretty happy. When we were down to 5 I had like 3 big blinds, guy from Brazil called me out and say "seriously? with 3 bb? for goodness sake". I went up to double up to about 7 bb, and then dealt AA vs KJ, thought I could verbally screw back the guy because my chips would hv more than him if I won this hand. Board open QT9 giving him a nut straight on the flop and gg.

Earlier I tried some of the Timed tourneys ($1.10 survive for 30 minutes, tourney ends there and you collect prize based on chip count), $3.30 for 15 minutes and not bad. Some quick buck if you survive but you won't go to those final tables and cash big like regular tournaments. I only played two pocket aces in the $3.30 timed tourney and cashed out $11.

Think its time to read up more on tournament plays to improve my game, if there are books anyone could recommend on tourneys would appreciate :) becuz..

45 SNG Micros - 1st

Did some changes on my blog's Label, doesn't make sense with 'Black' and 'Poker' as labels anymore.

Today's cash games session went a little short, just close to 500 hands. First reason, want to bag some profit after so many days of beats to regain confidence. Secondly, I wanted to focus on some micro SNG I was in, wanted to give myself a little practice before the PokerStars Micro Millions mid this month. I am also reading up on Daniel Negreanu's Power Hold'em Strategy on Small Ball, hoping I could catch a bit.

So I bag about $45usd going back down to 0.08/0.16 6-max. Peak of my account was 600usd, after the beats the lowers I got was about $360, I would aim for $500 before trying back up to 0.10/0.25 in respect of bankroll management rule. 20 buy-ins right? ($25 x 20 = 500) And I read up, some says it doesn't mean you multi-table you have to multiply your bankroll (eg. 25 x 20 x 4) 4 tabling in my case. Some forum posters simply mentioned that multi-tabling means instead of 1 hour 100 hands for eg, it means 1 hour for 400 hands.

I sat for about 3 SNG this afternoon. Got first for a 6-max $1.50 SNG, first for a 45-man $1 SNG, and out earlier in $1.50 90-man knockout SNG..

Haven't have such a result for ages. It is micro though, but thats what I do when I can't beat higher games. I come back down and try boost some confidence and if I lose I will just stick around this stake as why move up when I can't beat it here?

For the 45-men SNG, I didn't expect that result though. I did not enter a single hand in my first table at all as the table was 3-betting etc. preflop, and I didn't had any decent cards. So I just waited patiently for something.

Up till heads-up, my chip was about 1:3 of the other guy. I am comfortable with heads-up because I been grinding it last year for a while, due to tilt (out of) control I stopped. I think the key hand would have been my raise with K4 and he called. Flop came K Q 4 and I checked it to him. He moves in with A 9 and I insta-called.

That's about it today. Good luck and will post more updates for the week!

SNG: 2nd Place, Upcoming Week

Didn't trade for the past two days. Busy and waking up early due to some event function for my company. Managed to find a little bit of time for a SNG match on stars earlier.

The match started well, people get knocked out quite fast. Until when there were 5 people left the match was quite a drag. I could have knocked out one guy after drawing the nut flush on the river, but I didnt bet his whole stack. I bet two times pot size on river so to leave him 400 chips so that someone else could knock him out for the bounty, stupid.

Until when there were 3 of us left, there was a lady (i'm not sure if its really one but her nick sounded like it) who "kicked me in the nuts". Consecutively two hands went like this against her:

I held JJ.

Raised pre-lop 2 bb.

Flop - 9TJ

I didnt bet a lot becuz it seems dangerous.

Turn - K

I bet one big blind again and she called.

River - 7

She called my two bb bet again.

Naturally, she turned over a QK for a straight, on flop.

=============================

Next hand,

I held TT

I raised another pre-flop with 2 bb (been raising wide range of hands for 2 bb)

Flop - T39

I flopped the nuts again, and bet on it. Two of them called.

Turn - 8

She checked, despite hitting her straight draw, I bet and they called.

River - 6

She bets, we called, and she turn over QJ and groped us by below.

===================

During heads-up, I think both of us can't wait to tear one another apart after such a draggy session, when three players left (me, the lady and another opponent). The "another opponent" is the one left who heads-up with me. Lost my last pot on 77 vs 99 all-in pre-flop.

And after the session, as always, I find myself running to the toilet. I managed to only knock out one guy for a bounty though.

======================

School will be resuming next week, my last week end for enjoyment. I am probably putting trading and poker aside even more for this four months ahead to complete my last semester of school smoothly.

I considered leaving my current job so that I can focus on my last semester of school and then have a "trial" of doing trading/poker full-time for the next four months. But how many of us dare to leave a "stable" job so that they can have "unstable" income? Hardly anyone I know does, let alone the fact that I haven't had record of consistent profits in either field.

If I plan to move on from my current workplace, then its time to plan which step to go before landing my foot blindly. Its time to find a field or industry for a career soon. I need to know what I wanttttttttttt........... Passion vs Money?????

Black.

Poker: Weekend Grind

Yesterday I played another Sit & Go [Knockout], and came in fourth. :( that was sad. I played my best but i still think the problem with me is not being aggressive enough.

Later I switch to cash games and met a couple of hands like this:

Post-flop all-in when board: 844

I was holding 88 (the goddamn nuts, less double 4), and opponent was TT.

T came on the river :o

Next hand, opponent shoved all-in pre-flop, I was holding KK. He turned out 88.

The board came 479 T J, giving him a straight. I accepted it, but would have felt better if I lost to triple 8s instead.

Today I juz played cash games. 6-hand 20-50bb $0.10, I usually choose the lowest average pot table, until I am more comfortable enough to move up. Had a nice profit after 200-hands, I am not multi-tabling until I can play my single table with consistent profit. I did played well today I felt, on top of that, I think the table is generally weak and cards were lucky.

A local team pokerstars pro is online right now, Bryan Huang - the only Singaporean in team pokerstars pro. I wonder how is life being a Singaporean team pokerstars pro.

Have been staying at home throughout the weekend, its time to go out and take a break.

See ya!

Black.

2010 Last Sit & Go [Knockout]

Played my last sit & go [knockout] yesterday. not that i want to brag my winning, juz that im very happy. I won first this time, although i did lost my buy-in on cash game before this short tourney. I can say they were not the most aggressive opponents (last 2) I have encountered, I played with a lot of focus. Below are the last 7 hands of the tournament which changed the tide for me.

Enjoy and happy new year 2011!!

Black.

Won My First Sit & Go!

I have been playing Double or Nothing. But tonight halfway mugging my books I felt like playing one tourney so I went into micro-stakes of Sit & Go - my very first try. I wasn't expecting I would win, I mean I hoped I did but my target was just top 3. Wasn't leading at all. TruckerAA was leading all the way. I had folded most of my cards only managed to grab 1 or 2 pots once in a while until a major turn of tide came below:

Was KK vs JJ all-in. You can imagine how I felt when the flop came. I was just numbed, didnt react. So the turn K came and saved my night. You can imagine how screw he felt but that's poker. Was at top 3 later and I eliminated number 3 with 99 vs JQ. TruckerAA still in the lead.

I was heads-up with him for quite awhile. We were on par until he was leading 10K chips vs 2K chips. Managed to play tight, I think it was because of my tight table image so he folded most of my raises and thats how I grew my stacks for a comeback. I was too happy so didn't managed to print my last hand but I requested so here you go:

*********** # 1 **************
PokerStars Game #52370081862: Tournament #329411649, $1.00+$0.20 USD Hold'em No Limit - Level VIII (200/400) - 2010/11/08 10:33:45 ET
Table '329411649 1' 9-max Seat #9 is the button
Seat 2: hxh147 (7445 in chips)
Seat 9: TruckerAA (6055 in chips)
hxh147: posts the ante 25
TruckerAA: posts the ante 25
TruckerAA: posts small blind 200
hxh147: posts big blind 400
*** HOLE CARDS ***
Dealt to hxh147 [8c As]
TruckerAA: raises 800 to 1200
hxh147: raises 800 to 2000
TruckerAA: raises 4030 to 6030 and is all-in
hxh147: calls 4030
*** FLOP *** [4h 2d Th] <<--- I felt pretty fucked here from his three of a kind Deuces..
*** TURN *** [4h 2d Th] [5h]
*** RIVER *** [4h 2d Th 5h] [3d]
*** SHOW DOWN ***
hxh147: shows [8c As] (a straight, Ace to Five)
TruckerAA: shows [2c 2s] (three of a kind, Deuces)
hxh147 collected 12110 from pot
*** SUMMARY ***
Total pot 12110 | Rake 0
Board [4h 2d Th 5h 3d]
Seat 2: hxh147 (big blind) showed [8c As] and won (12110) with a straight, Ace to Five
Seat 9: TruckerAA (button) (small blind) showed [2c 2s] and lost with three of a kind, Deuces

Very lucky night. I was happy.

Poker: 14 July

Same tourneys today. I wanted to play ring games but I think I need more seat-down time if I want to play them, but I don't. Quite consistent for both rounds. At the edge of losing but good card gave me the chance to fight back.

I feel that in tourney, when ur stakes are running low, you have to push forward as long as you have great cards eg. AA, AK, KK, KQ, or suites pictures - at least for me. Otherwise, the blinds will eat you up alive.

Result: +$1.80