The swings in poker are huge, but in low limit poker, getting back to the top after a big loss runs at a snails pace.
Now is the time for my May Update. April was a tough month. I stepped back into cash games and got my ash handed to me on a plate. If you have a bad session, you can lose a lot. I also went back to Pechanga and lost a lot of money there too. Stupid river. My bankroll dropped to almost $200 at that point.
This was a few weeks ago. At this point, I was discouraged and I need to just concentrate on the game I play best. No limit, sit and go’s. Thank God. I’ve been on quite a run. I’m playing some of the best games that I’ve played in a long time. In a week, my $200 bankroll grew to $280 and now I’m at $310. I think that’s my fastest rise in the $5 SNG. If I can keep it up, I may graduate to $10.
This Month’s Success
My good run I can attribute to patience and solid play. I’ve had a few games where I had a dominate chip lead near the bubble, but a lot of my wins came when I was short stacked with 5 players left. I chose not to gamble and play correct short stack play. Many times I saw players with more chip then me dump them off only to move into the money.
Speaking of solid play, I noticed I lost in the early stages when I decided to gamble or when I let someone push me into shoving. I have to learn to let those hands go.
When playing solid, I can now handle losses better because when I got high into the money I either lost races or bad beats.
I’m feeling real good right now. Now that I’ve said this, I’m going to lose. Oh well.
FUNNY STORY
Today I was in a $2 turbo. I was finally heads up with my opponent and we had the same chip stack. The blinds were 400/800 I we both had around 6,500 chips each.
My internet goes out. After about 90 seconds of panic I’m back online and instead of being even, I’m down to 940 after an 800 big blind. In just six hands, I won the SNG. It was partial luck but it was also getting the other guy to call my big hands. Here’s a brief look at the last six hands.
Hand 1:
Me (940) – Qh 9h
Him (12,560) – Kd 6s
After posting my 800 big blind, I shove with my list 140. With Q9h, I figure I’m a coin toss, plus I can’t fold a queen. Win with pair of Queens.
Hand 2 (blinds 500/1000):
Me (1,880) – 4s 5s
Him (11,620) – Folds
I would have had to shove here, figuring I had two live cards. Fortunately he made the mistake of folding. But then again, if he folds, I might have had a good chance to win if he puts me all-in.
Hand 3:
Me (2,280) – Tc Qh
Him (11,220) – Ks 6s
I’m first to act and of course I have to shove it all in. With QTo I’m just hoping I have overs or he only has one. He has a King and I’m in a coin toss. That’s the minimum I hoped for. I spike a ten on the river to win the hand.
Hand 4:
Me (4,560) – Qc 5h
Him (8,940) – 7s 4c
My opponent open shoves and I’m sensing this is a frustration shove. I’ve got less than 5 big blinds, so I felt a queen high call was good and I was right. He calls with a 7 high and I hit a queen on the flop.
Hand 5:
Me (9,120) – 10s 2s
Him (4,380) ???
I’m first to act and I fold. I don’t need to double him up on the Doyle Brunson hand. I know a lot of people who will play this because Doyle won both his WSOP championships on this hand. I’ve learned the ten deuce only works for Doyle Brunson. I muck my hand hoping for a better hand.
Hand 6:
Me (8,620) – Qs Qh
Him (4,880) – 7h Jc
If my opponent knows what’s good for him, he’s shoving with less than 5 big blinds. With pocket queens I can’t risk letting this hand got with out trying to induce an all-in. I’m first to act and I need to get him all in. I limp hoping that he’s going to shove. By limping I disguise the strength of my hand and I give my opponent a chance to commit or to bluff. Both optimal situations. The board misses my opponent and I come in first.
Never give up.
