High On Poker

There really isn’t much going on in Jordan’s poker world.

I had my first “losing” set of 4 $5.50 SNGs recently. Since I started the 4-table experiment, I have usually been able to eke out a $10 profit per $22 set (4 tables x 5.50 buy-in = $22).

I almost had two losing sessions. In the first one, I busted from two of the four SNGs fairly early. That put me in a shitty mood, which frankly is just absurd. It’s amazing how one can know of tilt, prepare for it, and still fail to control it. I suppose that’s not exactly what happened in that go-round, since I noticed that I was feeling all doom-and-gloom and decided to tighten up a bit at my two remaining tables lest I just donk off those stacks. In the end, I took first place in both of my remaining SNG (good for an overall profit of about $20 for the $22 set), even though I was one of the shorter stacks in each tournament when I busted from the two earlier ones. If anything, that scenario just reassured me that my 4-game set routine was working well. But that was the near-loss. The actual loss is obviously a less-jovial tale.

I accepted early that it was only a matter of time before I went 0 for 4 in a set. There are just too many opportunities for bad luck or bad play. Eventually, I was going to lose, so I suppose in a way, the 0-4 loss really didn’t surprise me. Hell, I guess I can kinda enjoy the fact that its out of the way (until next time).

I really can’t recall details. I remember I busted from one relatively early, and the other three when I was down to 5 players or less in each. In fact, I think I went out on one bubble and two games with 5 remaining. I may’ve been opening my play too wide, which is something I’ll have to look at tonight hopefully. But whatever the case, losses happen.

Once I was done with that set, I decided to call it a night. No need to chase the demons.

I finally took a step toward installing Holdem Manager, replacing my now defunct PokerTracker2 with AceHUD. I didn’t want to spend the money on a HUD program, but if I’m going to actually play, I might as well have all of the tools. Thanks to PokerMeister for putting me back on course.  As of now, I have the demo version ready to be installed and if I like it, I may spend the $90 on the program. I can’t help but feel like it takes something away from the purity of the game, but that’s the live poker player in me talking. The online poker player knows that online poker is not live poker, and I would be a fool if I didn’t use the tools available to my competition.

I suppose in a way, I am having a crisis of conscious about this blog. This happens from time to time. Now, it’s basically related to the fact that I am back to playing online at stakes I left behind years ago. I’m doing it for a reason, well, reasons, those being to work on my discipline, build my roll the old fashioned way, and give myself a poker outlet when no live games are available. Then I think about this space and I wonder if anyone cares to hear about my $5.50 SNGs or other gibberish. I mean, I’ve been doing this for 5 years. At some point, does it reach its conclusion?

Well, the conclusion is not here yet. I’ll continue to play poker, so I may as well continue to write about it here. Besides, when I see others quit blogging, I always think that quitting makes little sense unless you are 100% sure that you are done. After all, I can leave this corner of the web here for my prattle whenever I feel the need for some literary masturbation.

How’s that for a pretty mental image?

Until next time, make mine poker!