I was feeling a little tired on Sunday and a tad nervous about my ups and down from Saturday night. I had worked up my account at Full Tilt to play a little higher than normal, so I started out the day playing 8/16 Omaha. About 20 minutes into the session I took 3/4 of a big pot with a nut flush/nut low hand and was up $116. I gave a little back a few hands later with a mediocre call, finished that trip around the table and cashed out ahead $73.
Later in the evening I ventured out to the Wynn again, anticipating getting into the 15/30 Hold Em game again. It was full but 10/20 Omaha was open, so bought in for $500 there. I won the first couple of pots I got involved in and was soon up about $300. A couple of marginal calls later and I had given back nearly $150. I really need to get a grip on when to chase after some of these pots. I think my problem is that I'm chasing without considering the size of the pot, especially when I'm only chasing for half that pot. Realizing this, and feeling nervous about giving my back my quick profit, I picked up and cashed out $149 ahead for the session.
Up about $220 for the day was just fine for me considering the small amount of time I had invested.
Monday, April 30, 2007
Sunday, April 29, 2007
Ups and downs of play
Until I get settled in on some kind of regular schedule I've decided to play a lot of poker whenever I feel like it. I'm hoping this will lead to a regular schedule based on good game locations and times.
Saturday night I played at The Wynn poker room. I've been playing there pretty much every day since moving here. I've had success there in the past and I like the overall feel of the room. They also usually get an Omaha game going -- although this week, the game has been weak and hasn't lasted very long into the evening. While waiting for the Omaha game, I played 15/30 Hold Em for about twenty minutes and finished $143 ahead. My Omaha seat then came open and I proceeded to blow through about $500 in maybe an hour or two. All of my premium hands failed me and none of my draws ever "got there." I was prepared to rebuy and keep playing, but four players left the game at the same time and within a matter a minutes, the game broke up and I was steaming about my loss.
Luckily, the 15/30 Hold Em table still had room, so I took I seat there and bought in again. For the first couple of hours it felt like a low-limit Hold Em game, as again the pots I was involved with went to the other guy's draws that "got there" on the river again and again. Soon I was down about $400. This was not shaping up to be a banner day for the new poker professional.
Finally, sometime between hours 4 and 5 and I went on a big rush, got some great cards and played my position with aggression. The results being, I climbed up from $100 in chips to over $800. During the last hour I held on to my winnings (and got cold cards) and finally got sleepy enough to call it a night. That session I finished up $306. So, for roughly six hours of total play I lost about $50. Not bad, considering that at one point I was going to be down about $900 for the day.
Saturday night I played at The Wynn poker room. I've been playing there pretty much every day since moving here. I've had success there in the past and I like the overall feel of the room. They also usually get an Omaha game going -- although this week, the game has been weak and hasn't lasted very long into the evening. While waiting for the Omaha game, I played 15/30 Hold Em for about twenty minutes and finished $143 ahead. My Omaha seat then came open and I proceeded to blow through about $500 in maybe an hour or two. All of my premium hands failed me and none of my draws ever "got there." I was prepared to rebuy and keep playing, but four players left the game at the same time and within a matter a minutes, the game broke up and I was steaming about my loss.
Luckily, the 15/30 Hold Em table still had room, so I took I seat there and bought in again. For the first couple of hours it felt like a low-limit Hold Em game, as again the pots I was involved with went to the other guy's draws that "got there" on the river again and again. Soon I was down about $400. This was not shaping up to be a banner day for the new poker professional.
Finally, sometime between hours 4 and 5 and I went on a big rush, got some great cards and played my position with aggression. The results being, I climbed up from $100 in chips to over $800. During the last hour I held on to my winnings (and got cold cards) and finally got sleepy enough to call it a night. That session I finished up $306. So, for roughly six hours of total play I lost about $50. Not bad, considering that at one point I was going to be down about $900 for the day.
Friday, April 27, 2007
Launching a Professional Poker Player
Could I become a professional poker player? This is a question that gradually became important enough for me to answer by changing my life and relocating to Las Vegas. The question itself arose from four years of constant poker work and play in the Seattle area. The Seattle game had limitations. The games were capped at low betting limits. The players were mostly locals, pushing the same chips back and forth for years. The casinos were small and often fought each other for the same group of players. After a few trips to Vegas to see the differences in the games there, it seemed that a move there would be prudent if I wanted to succeed as a professional poker player.
Now, just two weeks and couple of days after completing the move to Las Vegas, I'm starting this blog to document the experience, to record useful information and to report results and observations.
Now, just two weeks and couple of days after completing the move to Las Vegas, I'm starting this blog to document the experience, to record useful information and to report results and observations.
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