Through the Muck

I would like to post some hands, but it's not worth your time or my own.

I've won a couple of 5.50 9-players the last few days.

I finished 22nd in a 180 person when I couldn't get my KJ to hold up against JT all-in preflop for 7 BBs.

I played decent in a 90-person HORSE SNG but got coolered twice immediately after the first break, and I couldn't make my money back despite getting it all-in good in hold'em.

Last night I finished 2nd in a SNG where I thought I played about as close to perfect as ever, then got my money in facing three outs with two pulls against A4. Turn 4, river A. Heartbreak.

In the last week I'm up a small amount online, but I think I'm playing tremendously. When I'm in the zone, the decisions make themselves- abstract concepts become crystal clear and it feels like play slows down to the point that I become attached to no hand. I think a lot of this has been because of some extra aggression I've instituted in my play since my last bad run of cards. If you asked Paul the poker player a year ago whether he would bet out with two pair in the SB on a ragged flop, he would give a resounding "no." Today... ABSOLUTELY.

But despite what I consider solid play, I've been taking some rough beats lately. Not unexpected beats, but tough ones that cost me my tournament life in many cases. I can't race or win a 60/40 to save my life, and it seems like every time I get my money in facing three outs the dude turns or rivers his miracle. Since I started playing five years ago, I've never cared all that much if I was beaten as the result of being outplayed. In fact, that's the way I want to bust, knowing I can improve and fix something in my game. But over the last year it feels like most of my beats and bankroll drainers have not been the fault of getting outplayed, but rather getting outdrawn. Like I said, usually those outdraws fall under the category of "expected variance," but it still sucks when you're making a solid push with your bankroll and you hit a series of speed bumps when AK can't hold against AQ and JJ can't best AJ.

Either way, I'm happy with my play. In hold'em, anyway. I took too long of a break in Omaha and my game has suffered noticeably. It sounds funny, but I am really fond of my razz game. Stud... er, not as much.

I'm gonna end the blog here because I'm in a big Omaha pot that I should actually win!

-The Gerk-

P.S. I did win that pot, but didn't get the action I anticipated. I apparently don't have the reads I thought I did.

Whatever.

Played some Omaha .10/.25 PL the other day and made a couple buy-ins.

Bombed in a HORSE S&G yesterday because I was distracted and lost a huge pot in Stud when I thought we were still in Razz.

Played really well in a $10+1 NL Hold'em S&G today. This hand put us in the money:

http://www.pokerhandreplays.com/view.php/id/764


Then just when I had total control of the table...

http://www.pokerhandreplays.com/view.php/id/765

I definitely put this guy on a ragged 3 when he just called my flop bet. He had ten outs, but fuck that hurts when it's for my tournament life. Brutal shit.

-The Gerk-