I'm reviving this blog, hooray!
Took a four year hiatus from poker. Never playing again was certainly a possibility. The no natural sunlight sitting on my leathery ass 30+ hours a week started to erode my happiness. There were instances were I became so bitter I would chirp innocents players for my perception of them playing bad. My acerbic mood was taking it's toll. But also the magic and skill and success I once had started slowly slipping away. the harsh reality was I was no longer profitable. Like any rational person suffering pain and loss I had to escape. It was time for a change. The mountains were calling and I had to go. Watched the movie Free Solo and that phenom Alex Honnold sold me hard on rock climbing. His nonchalant attitude towards high consequence free solo climbing resonated with me. I knew I had to replace all my time that I spent in a Casino with the great outdoors. and luckily for me living in Calgary, the majestic Rocky mountains are a stones throw away. So spent a lot of time Climbing becoming a strong intermediate, meeting lots of great people, creating countless wicked memories and experiences that I can fall back on during times of sorrow. I'm not very athletic or physically gifted and haven't had strong talents or been good at anything. But with games like Settlers of Catan, Chess, Poker and Crossword Puzzles. There seems to be a natural pull towards them with my introverted personality.
I eradicated my worst habit of all which was lying. Went to therapy did self actualization work and made some good strides toward being who I want to be, but still have so much further to go. Also climbing's expensive because you can't work while doing it and my main source of income I lost so I had to get a job which has greatly diminished my free time to climb. And with climbing you get rewarded by doing it often and frequently so my skills and time have declined so as outlet for my passions poker just reappeared suddenly.
So that's a very brief recap of why I haven't posted anything poker related. Now I don't have a specific plan or idea of what this blog is going to center on. My goal is simply to play the best poker possible and share some insights into my play and everyone is free to correct my flawed thinking or provide input towards to blog of what you want to see.
Now onto the poker played 18 hours in last two days, made 860 day 1 playing 6 hours at Pure Casino, I usually play there now since larger player pool and more tables so the wait times aren't very long and there is decent action. Day 2 played 10 hours 4 at Pure lost 320 then went back to Cowboys and made 160 after a chance encounter with an old reg from there. on my way home from Pure. Because I realized my biggest and almost only leak was rebuying and being stubborn after losing. Every player losses but it's how you deal with those losses in the moment that matters most. For me and my personality I've decided that leaving when you can't win instead of trying to rebuy is best. So I did lose 1 buy in and decided ride my bike home, But on the way I stopped at highly rated restaurant called Tibet Kitchen Calgary. Where I met the owner Tenzing who served up delicious food with perfect chili hot sauce. He was very friendly and generous so I had to shout out his place and encourage anyone in Calgary to eat there. We had a lengthy conversation about and I completely reset my mind from losing the buy in prior. So I biked over to Cowboys to fire another bullet. I started playing poker about once every 2 weeks a year ago, Cowboys was my main spot up until then, but the player pool kept dwindling so there were long wait times and only one table many times combined with not much action meant I had to find a new place. I don't know if it is because its Stampede time fast approaching or what but the Room seems to be improving. There were 3 table at 5 pm on a Tuesday. So I got in without a long wait and found the action to be satisfactory. Mostly very very strong players playing at that time. I will definitely be going back there though as I liked the atmosphere and being Stampede ground adjacent The droves of tourists will likely boost the poker room patronage. So that my plan for next session. Go to Cowboys in about 2 days after resting and regaining my hunger and stamina. Cause 18 hours in 2 days completely drained me. 33 now and my body and mind can't recover or maintain like it used, it's been a slow but steady decline.
I'll briefly recap one hand where I won an 800-900$ pot at Pure on Canada Day.
basically it was me and a mother and son duo playing many hands with everyone else folding pre or scattering of others playing top hands.
anyways this mother button straddles 6$ in a 1/3 effective stacks 425
I raise 20 QJ hearts everyone folds but her and her son who is in small blind right beside her.
Flop 245 Hearts checked to me I lead 10. Basically choose a smaller sizing just from watching poker videos online which all say a rinky dinky sizing is appropriate. mother calls son raises 40 I flat. Turn off suit 8. son bets 80 I re-shove all in and close my eyes. My logic being that we want to get full value for our hand and target lower flushes. mother folds and then son goes into tank. I can hear them talking while my eyes are closed she askes him what he has he says straight she tells him I have a flush and too fold, he thinks for another minute and calls all in. he has a3 off with no heart so I am already good! Even though they blatantly violated the rules of no coaching or discussing hands with another person in the hand I could have given a **** less. I'm never one too call out anyone on anything violations and just try to create as friendly and fun atmosphere as possible. So that was my first post back if you made it this far hope you enjoyed reading it!