February

"I got a Benz that I ain't even drove yet." -DIDDY

This is how I feel with poker. I got a big score that I ain't even seen yet. Big dreams lead to big things. Progress with work leads to drastic results. That's how everything goes. I don't mind missing big scores because of suckouts and shit. I'm convinced that I will get this cake.

I lost another friend. R.I.P. Ngoc "Jade" Phan. I don't know the complications behind it but it sucks. I was thinking about Ngoc throughout the day. I got pretty close to her during college and I thought about all the phone times we shared. She had a big heart. She wanted to be there for all her friends and show you that she appreciated your presence. I remember joking about how many pills she would have to take on a daily basis. Her love for food was funny as fuck too. I clearly remember how she was 100% dedicated to Niko Niko then jumped to Canton Bistro asap to eat well and go clubbing at night. I remember running past the CSUSB bookstore and having her cheer me on during jogging class. So many memories...it feels weird to know she's gone. I wish her family the best: Lisa, Bea, Brittney, Kim. I know you're in a better place Ngoc.

Top Down

"Anybody seen a scale?" -Young Jeezy

Like Jeezy, I am all about my hustle. I looked at my sharkscope and realized I have played a shitton of SNGS and MTTs. One would think I would grow bored from playing these fuckers. NOPE! I finally cashed to pay for rent/bills. My bankroll definitely isn't where I would like it to be but I am content overall. After busting my ass at the micro/low SNGS, I am very comfortable with all my decisions and confident that I will crush them. I have gotten unlucky here and there but I do not mind. Luck is necessary in this game and I feel there is little to no reason to hold a grudge against a donk holding onto my monkeybread for the time being.

Today is January 22, 2010. It has been 25 months since I have been with Maria. It is bizarre to think about it but I am thankful that we are together. I love Maria Huynh and am happy that we are spending Friday to do whatever we please. I am indebted to her for everything. <3

I have officially been bluffed twice in one final table. In both occurrences, I KNEW I was being bluffed. I could feel it....feel it....down in my PLUMS. I was mentally shaken or mind fucked because I was playing at a $4.40 180man SNG. BLUFFING NEVER HAPPENS AT THESE FINAL TABLES....until now. The player successfully took off 80% of my stack and playfully rubbed in the bluff by showing his crappy ass holdings. Since I am not used to being bluffed [I do the bluffing and refrain from showing my cards], I decided to get into some friendly banter with him. It paid off. He was not a douche and was a thinking player. A thinking player at a $4.40? MADNESS! I had to BBM [blackberry messenger] Bill about this. It was enlightening because I will definitely pay more attention at all regular-speed SNGs from now on.

"Rain, rain, go away. Come again another day." I hate to say it but I really want the rain to go away. The sound of raindrops usually relaxes me to the point where I can lay in bed until noon and not give two shits about playing poker/working out. When the rain stays for longer than 4 days, we have a problem. I haven't gone outside or seen sunshine since Monday. It's weird. Hell, I actually had hail tonight! I can't wait until the sun comes out...I will finally take a walk around my neighborhood and see what El Monte has to offer.

P90x has been a pain in the ass. I am sticking with it until the end.

I'm ready

to win something big. Hell, I'm ready to win every final table I get to instead of getting 5th/6th off bs. My bankroll should be so sick right now. Gonna keep on keepin on...

=]

'EYES RED, YOU GOT THE MUNCH!' -Master P

You ain't ready for the soul crushing, monkey destroying, monkey bread stealing, and 100% bankroll boost that I will make happen during this week.

LET'S GO!

'STRAIGHT DAVE LOVES VAGEENA!' -Bruno

There are a few more days until January comes to a close. I need a good dose of run good imo. The past few sessions have been absolutely atrocious. The amount of luck needed to win a $12 or $7 180 man SNG is high but lately I have been getting really, really unlucky from getting that 1st. I know each and every poker player goes through downswings and periods where opponents just catch every card they need to break you. I am definitely optimistic but I felt like posting this to kick my bad luck to something other than the monkey bread dudes on pokerstars.

Ace King

"I didn't even have to use my AK. Today was a good day." -Ice Cube

I'm using this blog as a personal effort to try and think about folding AK while deep in a big [1k+] MTT. If I'm sitting in a 45 or 180 man SNG, AK is next to AA unless there's some heavy action before it's my turn. Here are three examples as to why I need to slow down and consider my options instead of snap-shoving/calling with AK.

$2.20 NLHE MTT

Blinds: 1k/2k

9 Handed play

180ish people left

Me: 63k stack [UTG+1]

Villian: 90k stack [MP]

I remember this hand well. I was watching Die Hard on Spike while playing this tourny. I usually play 3-4 tables when I get deep in a tourny where I feel I have a decent shot at getting really, really, deep. Play has been relatively wild so I was just sitting in the grass waiting for my hand to double up from one of the donks. I open for 5,499....

Villian snap shoves his stack of 90k. Folded to the SB [super spewy player] that shoves his remaining 12k into the pot. What did I do? Did I consider the range of hands Villian could have? What is his image? Has he opened any pots in the past orbits? Were there any timing tells [I know, I know, this is a fuckin $2.20 MTT. I figure it still applies even in these micro MTTs]? NOPE, I DIDN'T CONSIDER SHIT. I snapped.

To no surprise, The SB has the hot ass J8o. Villian has the awesome KK. Beautiful, I only have 3 outs. I wasn't quite optimistic to be honest.

Board - JQ993. GG Merry Xmas to a major cash of 10 bucks. 1st was $1500 btw.

$2.20 6-max MTT

90 players left

Blinds: 1250k/2500k

Me: 80k stack [UTG]

Villian: 82k stack [BUTTON]

This is one of those crackhead sessions I had. I think it was Monday and it was around 2:30am. Yeah, pretty damn late. I play for first and I stayed awake trying to scoop that $800-$900 first prize. I don't really remember. Anyway, this is how the action went down. I do my standard open to 6299k. Fold, fold, Villian SNAPS. When I say snap, i mean SNAP! Dude basically telegraphed PAIR PAIR PAIR PAIR PAIR with that type of action. Did I think about anything? To be honest, I didn't give a shit. I was tired. It was win-win for me. I win the flip and get a fighting chance to the final table. If I lose, I can go to sleep. I call. He flips over JJ.

Board: Q3329 GGPO Another ass cash. I don't even remember what it was.

Last example.

$2.20 6-max MTT

Me: 84k [Button]

Villian: 70kish [BB]

Blinds: 1k/2k

100ish players left

This situation is pretty interesting. First off, Villian was a very, very active player. He was basically doing exactly what I was doing. The only problem he had is that his plays were -EV imo. If you call raise after raise in the SB/BB and have no plans unless you flop a pair/monster draw, you will not win in 6-max. You have to be aggressive and have the balls to bet out on uncoordinated flops to win chips. That's how I feel. Pretty standard play overall. I open to 5139k and get the monster 70kish shove. I snap. JJ! Are you fuckin serious? Bleh! Board bricks and I am out.

Here are my thoughts in hindsight of my calls. First off, I know that I need to learn a lot more before I begin to destroy all tournys. I believe in myself and I figure everybody has to start from somewhere before greatness ensues. These micro tournys with big returns are the best IMO. As long as I admit to my mistakes and continue learning, I'll be that dude soon enough.

In the AK vs KK hand, I was 100% gambling. As I stated earlier, I didn't think of the range of hands he would be snap shoving with. I mean, honestly, that was a pretty big shove. He wasn't playing any hands and snap shoved after I opened. That's pretty strong. I could have easily folded and picked another spot to accumulate chips. The fields in these micro tournys are super soft so I ALWAYS have a chance in my mind. This was definitely a spot where I should have mucked. The SB shoving is no surprise but it's another 2 cards I have to fight against to win the pot. AK is a drawing hand. I agree with this statement. In hindsight, Villian is shoving with JJ+, AQ[maybe], AK suited, and that's about it. I am flipping more often than not but I am usually dominated.

The 6-max AK vs JJ hands are unique situations for me. I am still learning how to play 6-max when there are <100>BUT, this is still a tournament. Tournaments are also about survival. In tournaments, I need to actually use my time bank and consider folding. I NEVER think about folding when I have AK. The effective stack sizes are damn near close in each situation. I dunno...I personally think I will get better if I fold during these situations and pick another spot to double.

I have to remind myself that I can always come back and win tournaments with short ass stacks. That's all I have to say. I am confident that I will take a 6-max tournament down soon.

Update

"Play the best you can and the mannies will come." -Bill the Great

January 2k10 is a month where I cannot lose. If you guys don't know by now, I haven't been officially "employed" since September 2k9. It was a personal decision and I felt that I don't have what it takes to deal with the bs dished out from major corporations. I chose to go on an online poker mission and see if I could make enough cake to not worry about rent/bills/school loan/etc. So far, the monetary returns have been pretty sweet. I have had an up and down rollercoaster ride with my bankroll but I've learned enough to not lose it all. I took the biggest hit to my bankroll around early November to the end of December 2k9. I decided to play seriously throughout the month of January 2k10 to see if I can recoup my losses and get back to playing gdlk and making consistent money.

Bill helped me out mentally with this downswing. He lent me books, articles, friendly advice, and support when I thought I would continue losing. To be honest, the only reason I'm playing online is because he's pretty successful at it. Monkey see, monkey do I guess. The biggest thing he helped me realize is how negative my personality was becoming. It was directly linked at me losing money online. He made me get back to being positive and not letting petty stuff get to me. Mike Matusow preaches the "power of positive thinking" and I believe it. Nobody great/successful remained the best without thinking they were great or put in work to become great.

I mainly enter SNGs of $2.20, $3.25, $6.50, an occasional $12, every other $7 for my bankroll. They are my bread and butter. After my bankroll took a dip, I jumped down in stakes to fix all my leaks and basically put in volume to see every situation until i was 100% sure or comfortable enough to make a play and not care of the outcome. As long as I did the correct play, I shouldn't be phased if somebody gets lucky on me. I also opened up to the big MTTs with a relatively low buy-in. I focus on $2-$5. When my bankroll jumps higher, I'll go back to playing the $6-$12 MTTs. In future blogs, I'll post up hands which I think are interesting.

I've started doing the P90x workout. This shit is intense. I still need to buy some equipment to optimize each workout but the things I can do now definitely burn to the core. The ab burner, yoga, and upper body/back workouts are crazy. I don't remember getting this sore when I used to wrestle. I plan to stay consistent with this stuff. I'll update with this as well.

A good friend recently passed. His gamer name was Dasrik. His real name was Rick Lafaurie. Me, Jesse, and Bill went to his funeral on January 2, 2010. Dasrik and his brother Jose exposed me to the gaming scene when I was super competitive back in 2002/2003. They hosted sessions in their garage for us to get better and basically hang out. I don't want to keep talking about the past but he will be missed. You never realize how precious life is until a friend/family member passes. Dasrik was the best asshole I knew and that's how I will remember him. After the funeral, I told myself that I'll be more positive about everything and no longer hold grudges against people.

2010

The new year is here and many things have already happened. I will post more in a few days. This will be the first of many blogs to come.