Rush Hour

Enjoyed one of my most satisfactory nights ever at the virtual felt last night.Played a $5 turbo 5 player sng to warm up and came 2nd for a whopping $2.50 profit.Funniest moment was when all four of the other players were all in while I watched smiling.Down to three and soon two but I played poorly heads up and didn't deserve to win.

Moved to a .25-.50nl 6 max table and was simply on fire from my first hand.I decided that as I play a tight game ( usually aprox 25% flop seen compared to 50% table average) that I would bet my draws a bit more.Now I'd done this the other night and got carried away with the idea and maybe if I hadn't made my straight on the river on my first hand the whole session would have been different but it was great to lead out with $3 on the flop,$4 on the turn and get my $12 river bet called when I'd made the nuts.

I turned my $50 buy in into $223 in 2 hours and when I left I had $223 at the table and the other 4 players all had under $20.

I only got AA once and no KK or QQ all night but everything decent I did have connected with the flop.

I'd call a raise with KQ and the flop comes KQ6.I'd raise with AK preflop and hit my A or K.
Raised with AQ,miss the flop,bet out anyway and they all fold.

The sooooted hammer winning and the JJ hand I mentioned in my previous post just went to show how lucky I was getting.

Flops seen 35%. Win % when seen flop 50% .Showdowns won 90%.

I broke my early to bed on a worknight rule and eventually hit the hay at 1.10am.I just couldn't leave the table when I was running so well.

I pondered again though my initial reluctance to start playing poker that I seem to go through most nights.Its a strange affliction but I usually don't start playing until around 10 pm and then when I start I settle into my game and wonder why I never began hours ago.

I think I'm scared! Petrified in fact! Why?

A coupe of reasons.Firstly I'm well aware that nights like last night are not down to me being a decent player but are simply down to good luck and fortune and I think I have a fear that my luck is going to change and I'm going to be stuck on a downward spiral which will eat my bankroll.I don't expect to win every time I have AA or a monster hand but I do dread having the kind of run where my good hands get busted over and over again.

More than bad luck though I think I'm scared of the Tilt Monster within me and how I will cope if luck does desert me completely.Most of my recent success at Interpoker have come after I've had a bad start to my nights play and maybe its a feeling that rather than looking deep within myself to pull it round and avoid tilt I've actually just got lucky.

2 good months prove nothing at all to me about my game.Make it two good years and maybe I'll start to have more faith in myself.

Its not that I think I'm a total lucky donk but just that I'm well aware that a night or run where I put my money in as favourite and get shafted everytime is probably going to hit me soon and I'd better be able to deal with it.

I've got about $2.5k online just now and no intentions of stepping up beyond $1nl unless I can continue my current progress for a long time to come.

If a bad downswing occurs my roll can absorb it but no roll can withstand a full on tilt monster attack.

I do think my play has improved with the confidence my first years profits has given me.I used to always be worried that if I was $600 up I was a "winner" but one bad tilting session or horrible run and hey I'm a "loser".

I know these tags shouldn't be an overriding concern.Afterall I could probably move to .5-.10c nl and even with the worst streaks my roll would be ok and I'd still be a "winner" overall.

Perhaps the fact that knowing that even if I did blow the whole lot I'd still be ahead helps me play a better game.I don't chase very often.In fact Juice asked me if its better to call someone down with 2nd top pair if you think they are bluffing.Depends on the circumstances but in most cases I would urge caution.In cash games theres always another hand.No hurry.

It does depend though.Last night I raised with JJ ( not that hand in my last post) and was put all in for $18 more.Everyone folded to me. I called because I'd taken money from Mr All In just moments before and I thought I was ahead and didn't put him on AA,KK or QQ.
He had AK and my JJ held up.

On another hand I had KJ on the button and was about to raise the blinds when UTG +1 made a big raise so I laid it down.

Ramble,ramble...



Ok I've reactivated my Royal Vegas account and I'm hoping to get this wee sng going for this Sunday.Around 9-10pm UK time if that suits Juice and The Edge and Thomas?
Is late Sunday afternoon ok for you US players?


I read yesterday that ESPN ( the US sports channel) is going big on darts coverage soon.Along with playing pool I love darts.I used to have a board up in my hall in my flat and although I was never great at it I spent many happy hours trying to hit 101 or more with 6 darts or playing "round the clock" with friends. My board complete with wooden cabinet seemed to vanish not long after I moved in with Mrs A.I'm sure Mrs A and my Mum got together and saw to its demise.( would have looked good in our kitchen too).

Have a 9 dart checkout this weekend!