Sage Advice from The Poker Counselor

I was checking out The Poker News for the first time and caught this article by John 'Poker Counselor' Carlise. I identified with the question because I started out the same way at Tiger Gaming by setting myself the goal of winning $1 million in play chips before I started playing for cash. Now hopefully I get better before losing $1 million in real money. :)

"By using the free play tables to learn and practice the basics of posting blinds, understanding the basic strategies of position and betting, and just knowing the 'flow' of the game will certainly increase your overall experience remarkably. It is my hope that you do know that playing for play money and playing for real money are two distinctly different worlds. Even players at the smallest micro-limits online take the game seriously and are looking to grind out profits."

This next part definitely made me feel better. Either that or it's a clever plot to make me feel it's alright to keep putting in money. Just because you're not paranoid doesn't mean they aren't out to get you! :)

"...winning consistently in the play money realm probably has very little correlation with the rate of success in real money game. As you venture into the real money games, be sure that your goals are set appropriately. I urge you not to gauge yourself and your success on the money won or money lost. Instead, keenly focus on your game and your overall improvement. Use a journal or online tracker to see your play in an analytical light."

Can You Top This?

This may be the baddest beat ever. Expensive and ironic. I should work for the psychic friends network.

PokerStars Game #5170197717: Hold'em No Limit ($0.10/$0.25)
2006/06/06 - 11:35:26 (ET)

Table 'Sigune' 9-max Seat #2 is the button
Seat 1: alexgardiner ($42.65 in chips)
Seat 2: AKSULLY ($11.45 in chips)
Seat 3: Khamai ($48.15 in chips)
Seat 4: Sniper Snake ($24.75 in chips)
Seat 5: xScrewballx ($12.95 in chips)

That's me. I was up to $20 (after starting with $10 and going down to $3.50). I'm waiting for the chance to get back to $20 and get out.

Seat 6: JointnBlunts ($22.95 in chips)
Seat 7: Asswoop ($6.70 in chips)
Seat 8: jefflauzon ($22.60 in chips)
Seat 9: sentenced222 ($14.90 in chips)
Khamai: posts small blind $0.10
Sniper Snake: posts big blind $0.25
*** HOLE CARDS ***
Dealt to xScrewballx [Ac Ah] (PB: Woohoo!!)
xScrewballx: raises $0.75 to $1

Jack the pot up a bit and then wait to see the whites of their eyes.

JointnBlunts: calls $1
Asswoop: folds
jefflauzon: folds
sentenced222: folds
alexgardiner: folds
AKSULLY: calls $1
Khamai: raises $0.75 to $1.75
Sniper Snake: folds
xScrewballx: calls $0.75
JointnBlunts: calls $0.75
AKSULLY: calls $0.75
*** FLOP *** [Ks 5h 8s]
Khamai: bets $5

Excellent!! Time to close the trap before any more spades fall! Muuuahahahahaha!!

xScrewballx: raises $6.20 to $11.20 and is all-in
JointnBlunts: folds
AKSULLY: folds
Khamai: calls $6.20
*** TURN *** [Ks 5h 8s] [7s]

Wow. Glad I got rid of almost everybody. I'd hate to lose to a flush.

Sniper Snake is disconnected
Sniper Snake is connected
*** RIVER *** [Ks 5h 8s 7s] [Js]

Another spade. Not good. I'm in my happy place! I'm in my happy place! I'm in my happy place!

*** SHOW DOWN ***
Khamai: shows [Ad As] (a flush, Ace high)
xScrewballx: shows [Ac Ah] (a pair of Aces)
Khamai collected $28.20 from pot

OW! OW! OW!

--PB--

I bitch about bad beats and then.....

...in the second hand of PokerStars Game #5166025696: Tournament #25984186, $3.00+$0.40 Hold'em No Limit - Level I (10/20) - 2006/06/05 - 22:45:51 (ET)
Table '25984186 1' 10-max Seat #4 is the button
Seat 1: sam76 (1570 in chips)
Seat 2: cmy300c (1220 in chips)
Seat 3: xScrewballx (1470 in chips) (***that's me)
Seat 4: 7digitloser (1470 in chips)
Seat 5: aye fold (1420 in chips)
Seat 6: steve2106 (1560 in chips)
Seat 7: Drones75 (1500 in chips)
Seat 8: gotmebeat (1810 in chips)
Seat 9: Bolt00 (1500 in chips)
Seat 10: jacobisgood (1480 in chips)
aye fold: posts small blind 10 (*** my opponent)
steve2106: posts big blind 20
*** HOLE CARDS ***
Dealt to xScrewballx [Th Qs]
Drones75: folds
gotmebeat: folds
Bolt00: folds
jacobisgood: folds
sam76: folds
cmy300c: folds
xScrewballx: raises 20 to 40 (PB:Just to stop the blinds from limping in)
7digitloser: folds
aye fold: raises 20 to 60
steve2106: folds
xScrewballx: calls 20
*** FLOP *** [Ts 3d 5c]
aye fold: bets 280 (PB:From the small blind?!? Either's he's nuts or he's got something)
xScrewballx: raises 1130 to 1410 and is all-in (PB: I've got high pair and the flop's garbage - I figure him to fold. You know what else? It's a $3 tourney. Probably not great reasoning but there it is.)
aye fold: calls 1080 and is all-in (PB:Wow. Am I in trouble?)
*** TURN *** [Ts 3d 5c] [7d]
*** RIVER *** [Ts 3d 5c 7d] [Qh] (PB: Maybe not)
*** SHOW DOWN ***
aye fold: shows [Ac Ah] (a pair of Aces)
xScrewballx: shows [Th Qs] (two pair, Queens and Tens)
xScrewballx collected 2860 from pot

I actually felt bad and apologised to 'aye fold' because at first I felt it was a bad beat. I'd "cracked" his Aces. After a minute's reflection and discussion with the remaining tablemates I realised that maybe it wasn't true in this case. At least not after I paired on the flop.

Aye fold slow-played his pocket rockets for whatever reason. I've done it. Sometimes it pays - other times it doesn't. A pair's a pair pretty much and the odds have changed. Not necessarily in my favour but they've significantly improved for me.

Unless I'm completely lost we both have an equal shot at the set, quads and FH. But I have something he doesn't - a chance for a second pair and guess what comes floating down the river?

Maybe some of the bad beats I've been complaining about weren't that bad.

I finished this tournament in 5th though. I wonder if it had anything to do with the fact I was playing the tourney, writing this post and playing at a low stakes no-limit table at the same time. Luckily, I won back the tourney entry fee and a little more before I stopped playing to finish this.

Damn muse! Leave me alone! I want to play! :)

--PB--

WPT goes further north

Tuesday, May 30, 2006 - Poker.com Poker Blog - The North American Poker Championship has found a new home at the beautiful Niagara Fallsview Casino Resort.

From October 25-29 the WPT crew and the world best players will take over Canada's luxurious new gaming mecca. A $1 billion dollar resort destination perched on the lip of Horseshoe Falls, overlooking the famous Niagara Falls."

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