Tao of Poker

Another Hour of Power

"It's like deja-vu all over again!" - Yogi Berra

I was not expecting to play poker today... I stopped by my Mom's to get my mail and she wasn't home. Apparently, my Mom and my aunt, my uncle and my grandma all went to Atlantic City this morning... and never told me!! They hate me.

So, I hopped on Mom's computer and fired up Party Poker... sat down at a $25 NL Ring game... and kicked some ass. In one hour, I netted $56. Didn't I do that Wednesday?? My power hands: J-J, A-A (twice), K-7 on the button, and 6-6.

My 6-6 was a sick hand. I limped in and almost folded a $4 pre-flop raise. I had position on the guy so I called... with 4 others. Flop was: J-8-6... I checked and he bet $4, everyone folded and I called. When an 8 hit the turn he bet and I went all in. He called with his Q-Q and I took down a huge pot over $80 when a K fell on the river. Whew!! He should have raised $1 more... and I would have folded. I realized I played for just under an hour, so I got up and left... up $56.

I then went to deposit money with Choice Poker... and ran into some problems that I mentioned in a previous post.

Ups and Downs...

After the nightmare with Choice and NetTeller.com, I jumped back on Party Poker to vent my frustration... and it was a rollercoaster playing the $25 NL Ring games!! I won a quick hand with A-Q suited and K-J on the button. I lost when my K-5 hit a decent flop of K-5-7. I made a huge bet and a K-Q went all-in and I had him covered... alas, he caught a Q on the river.

I won most of my stack back when I caught 2-2 on the button and limped in. Nothing fell ont he flop and I went all-in when a 2 fell on the turn. On the very next hand, my 10-10 lost to K-Q when he caught a Q on the turn. I was down to $15, when I caught a nut flush flush on the river and some nimrod bet into me. I got most of my buy-in back and walked away when the table got 6 handed. I was down thirty-cents for the thirty minute session.

I jumped on another table. I lost $2 in twenty minutes and moved when I noticed that two of the players were from the same city... so I moved to yet another table... and took down a nice pot with A-Q... when A-K-J fell, I bet strongly and two called. It was over when an A fell on the river. In three hands, I was up $13. I left that table when it was four-handed and with two huge stacks remaining... I was up $24.

One more table, I told myself... I was up $75+ playing the ring games... If I doubled-up I would walk away up $100 for the day.

Alas, I won a nice pot when I nailed a nut flush with A-10 suited from the big blind. I lost most of my stack when my K-K lost to A-10 suited. An ace fell on the flop and I knew I was doomed. I should have ditched my cowboys after the flop, but I foolishly bet into the eventual winner. Two hands later 10-10 in the little blind saves the day and I got back to even. I fold 4-4 on the button when two re-raises come at me. Two hands later... K-K, and this time I bet more forcefully and add to my stack. Next hand, pocket Aces... wow... what a run of cards. I slowplay and get a little spooked when a A-K-Q falls on the flop. I bet out and beat a K-Q suited. I'm up $18 and I've played for two more hours, so I decide to call it quits.

For the day, I won $96 playing 3 hours of NL ring games. Include my $57 win on Wednesday... I've been on a nice healthy run, averaging $38 per hour. Man, maybe I should play online more often?? Add the home game win at Ferrari's and I hit my first and only winning week in 2004. I am finally in positive territory for the year!!

OK, now it's time to work and write the next few days. No more poker until Monday... the earliest.