Good week

So the pot betting style worked well last week and I managed to clear $4k all at the 2/4 level. This week I have played about 3 hrs total and am up $750 so no complaints here. Am too busy playing tiger woods 06 to want to play poker so instead I am putting in 1-2 hrs only. If I didnt win I guess I would play more but as long as I make $200+ a day I am fine with it.

Like I have said. I am doing this as my career not for the riches but for the lifestyle and I fooking love it.

Quicky

Loving the poker life!

My first 2 weeks were pretty pathetic profit wise, but as I say a small win is better than a loss any day of the week. Towards then end of the 2nd week I decided to try a new technique of pot size betting. As this is an expensive style of play I have dropped back down to 2/4 NL to test it out and have been down there since. Its a pretty good system and if you get hit with some good cards in the day you can get paid big as people expect you to bet pot anyway so if they have a piece its hard for them to not pay you off when you have something big. I also get to take down a lot more pots on the flop with out a fight, which is bloody nice. Anytime someone calls or raises me its a pretty easy decision for me as I either have it or I dont. On the rare occassion when I have a feeling or feel ballsy I may double barrel pot bet the turn. Fortunately for me it has worked all bar once or twice. I have also used the double barrel pot bet when a scare card has come and I think my opponent might fold to it. It feels so sweet when that works. As you can imagine I think this type of play will have a lot of variance, but so far I am loving it and the money feels relatively insignificant to me so I am able to make some of these ballsy big bet plays and not be worried about the money. I am sticking at 2/4 for now as I am enjoying this style so much. Not sure when I will go back to 5/10. Guess I'll just play it by air.

This week is shaping up a lot better than the last two combined. but considering I didnt make jack shit the last two that aint saying a ton.

Comeback

My morning session was going really well and I was about $2400 up until a couple of hands took it all away.

1. I had KK mp and raised, SB called and BB pot raised, I smooth called as did SB. Flop was Jxx and SB checked and BB overbet and pushed in $900. If he had AA I am paying him off and I insta called...then SB thought for a bit and called too. SB= AJo, BB=AKo. Turn was an Ace...UGH! If I had won this hand as a 4 to 1 fav. I would've been $4.4k up for the morning!

2. MP min raised to $20 and I popped it to $100 from the SB. Flop was T72 rainbow and I bet $150 which he min raised - I decided to push and he called w/22. So my morning profit evaporated and I walked away $200 up.

So after cooling off upset over losing the $3k pot w/KK I came back and over the next two sessions won $3k so believe it or not I am actually $1850 up for the week! After my terrible yesterday and upsetting morning I am very pleased with this comeback. I figured my 10 week winning stretch was at an end but before I speak to soon (knock wood) I will be playing over the weekend so there is still a lot of poker to go. SHUFFLE UP AND DEAL!!

Variance

I just had one of those horrendous days where EVERYTHING is designed to bust you. If you have the nuts at the moment it will only be till the next card. if you have a very strong hand it will be the 2nd strongest. If you have AA all-in PF you will lose. Etc. etc. etc.

Speaking of the AA hand I was at this point down somewhere around 4 buyins when I was lucky enough to get some one all-in PF my AA vs their QQ. And you just know based on all the hands you have lost in usual fashion through the day that you just HAVE to lose this also. When our cards were flipped I said to myself "the way the day is going there is no way I will win this hand"...LOL. WHATEVER!

So today was terrible and I lost in the end 4 buyins total as I did manage to win some hands at the end of the day. Thus I am now down for the week, my first week as a "pro".

Meh, I knew a day like this was coming. Doesnt bother me too much I just hope the variance has had its way and I can get back to normal.

Let you know at the end of the week...

Impeccable timing

Monday was my official first day as a full time poker "pro" and its also the same day the govt votes through a bill on banning internet poker in the US! I dont know if ultimately it will hold any real teeth but party poker and pokerstars and stating they will close US accounts if President Bush signs it through - which he is expected to do by the end of next week. The other poker sites seem to be committed to contiuing business as usual with all their clients. I am not worried at this point and will just wait and see how this plays out.

Now as far as poker this week. Its been mostly a good week but no big winfall. I started well on Monday but towards the end of the night I lost a big pot w/AA that flopped a set to a guy the flopped the nut flush w/KQs. He lead pot into on the flop, and bet close to pot on turn and river. I called down based on the strength of my hand...oh well. Won like $180 for the day - hey at least I didnt lose. Day to went better and I won $1800. Today I have not played well at all. pretty disgusted with how I have played and at my weakness in certain hands. Apart from one maniac I would be down quite a bit. As it turns out though I am $350 up right now. If I play later who knows what may happen but I certainly cant play like I did today and dodge my way out of it. Anyway about $2300 up for my first 3 days as a "pro" and in all truth I cant and wont be unhappy about that :-)

10 weeks

Well my comeback didnt slow down and I continued to make steady wins this week. It was like I every time I sat down for a session I would most assuredly win a buyin. Needless to say its Sunday and I probably wont be playing anymore today and I rest $5500 up for the week. There are still donkeys at the 5/10 level and I will give you an example.

CO limps and I in SB raise to $60 w/AKo, he calls. Flop comes AA2 and I bet 1/2 pot which he min raises. The turn is a Q and I check to him and he bets $150 which I push in on. He thinks and calls me w/QTs, drawing dead. This hand was actually today and I quit straight after having played about 20 mins and finishing $1200 up.

One thing I have trouble is playing long sessions, which is me anything over an hour. I also have trouble staying at the table when I win a buyin. I am happy winning $1k and just want to keep it. But I realize now that this is my job I literally have to stay at the table for at least 2 hrs a session. I need to play about 6 hrs a day, 5 days a week. So whether I get 1 or 2 buyins up in a session I need to know I am a winning play and keep on playin. I cant be scared of losing it all. i should instead be thinking how much more can I win.

My first day as a pro poker player starts tomorrow, lets see if I can do what I just said and maybe, just maybe book a big profit. Though of course obviously, as always, I will be happy with any profit.