It's all about the story you are telling. If everyone is limping in, no one is representing a good hand. You raising big is telling the table you have a monster, though some thinking players will recognize the squeeze play. The c bet on the flop is to continue that story, as mathematically there's a better chance that your opponents missed the flop than made the flop. Most importantly, by risking a bit on the flop you find out where you are, and if you get raised you know you are behind and only lost the pre-flop and flop bet, rather than lose it all on the river. That's my approach.

Not trying to derail but a little rant about HSI. Splash pot Tuesday, been playing for a few hours and was lucky enough to have my table splashed twice. Folded the first one Q2 and lost the $50 high card by suit. The next one I call the $30 button straddle, with K10, when it's folded to me in the hijack. Button shoves for 255 more. I think he's shoving a wide range and call..... 789..brick...brick....A9 holds. Live cards and basically a flip, 14 outs twice, on the flop. Ended up being a good gamble. Oh well. So, I'm basically hooked $300 due to the splash.

On to the rant: I end up missing the next splash due to going to use the restroom. Why can't they splash at a certain time, announce it a couple minutes before splashing, or something. I almost felt cheated. Of course the guy sitting to my left won the high card drawing. Would have been my card.

Sorry to derail. Just wanted to share my experience at HSI. Hope you run better the rest of the month. I've sure ran bad there this trip on top of getting excluded in the splash.

I kinda agree. They splashed my table twice tonight and both times I was just about to go use the restroom and got lucky I was watching. They should announce that they're going to be doing it in 5 minutes at Table X.

I've never played anywhere with splash pot promos but I do understand why they don't give too much warning, however a "next hand at table X" or thereabouts would be fair to those already at the table so as they don't get up for a piss/smoke at a super inopportune time.

When they did it at the old Argosy in,Lawrenceburg, they would x announce it a few minutes before. Seems only, fair to me.

Ray - I just wanted to hop in and say GL. Former live grinder here (2 years of $2/5 and $5/10 in Chicago area). Keep living the dream, I took a real job to appease the wife and for the first time in nearly 3 years went back to the tables 2 weeks ago.

Regarding your AA hand in Event 2, I wanted to share something with you that applies to tourneys, and all stakes of cash games that you play.

Playing AA

That was written for Microstakes online full ring players but many of the same concepts apply in most non $10-20+ live games. Just have to adjust a little more for the looseness of the table and the difference in opening sizes.

Why they don't announce the Splash is beyond me. I always thought they shd do it at the TOP of the hour (that way everyone knows when to expect it), and draw tables numbers out of a box (full transparency). Lastly, announce it on the microphone so we all know. Seems easy to me.

@baeventures I liked the AA link. Thanks for sharing. It was comical, yet informative.


Well, I been extremely busy lately trying to get out of the gutter. Still in the red -$3,415 this month. On the bright side, I still have 2 weeks to go to get as close to even as possible.
A poker player has to take the good w the bad. This too shall pass.

Rayz,

Thank you for the well thought out response to my crazy rant about tilting the other day. I'm feeling better and more clear headed, and feel confident that I will crush today.

Good luck to you. As you know, it's only a matter of time till you get it back. It's really not even like you actually lost any money, just a little time. Good luck and may the next heater be just around the corner.

No probs and Thanks @Mr.muckit. I wish u continued success.

As poker players we know that poker isn't sexy all the time. Sometimes it can be like you're just catching money on fire.

Here's a little video of my fire pit symbolizing my money burning to ashes in the first 2 weeks of October.

Get yo popcorn ready. It's that time for another lame video.

http://youtu.be/KrevT_lthcI

Rayz, I hate to say it, but it might be time for a few week break to catch your breath and regroup. Oct. seems to be kicking your ass, might wait for November when you'll run in to the most amazing run good you've ever had. GLHF!

I'm gd @Decy and my head is in the right place. I do appreciate ur advice though.
My last couple sessions have been solid, and I been able to cut into my losses a bit.
I actually won a decent amount while wearing my unlucky argyle socks yesterday. Go figure.
A week ago I was around -$4100 for October and now down -$2,879 as of today. For the most part, i am happy with how I been playing with an exception of a few hands here and there.
Appreciate you looking out for me, but I have no time to waste. Winston Churchill once said, "If you're going through hell, keep going." So I'm gonna grind on and try to get as close to even as possible before this month expires.

I reminded everyday when I look into the mirror and see this tattoo vertically along my ribs...



It means PERSEVERE

like your attitude of continuing to push onward ray. still 2 weeks left in the month, i have faith youll get back in the black for oct, GL

couldnt sleep last night and saw this thread for the first time. i probably went through over 75 pages before passing out. its really really good stuff and I want to commend B.S. for keeping this thread up. Just curious, do you ever come up to the Horseshoe in Hammond? The WSOP circuit is going on now so I'm sure the cash action is juicy.

Appreciate ya @4get2pwnedo. Getting in the black will b tough, but I'm gonna try.
Gd luck to u.

@steve0 welcome to the thread and thanks for posting. Sometimes I write, and not sure if anyone is out there in the webworld. It's always gd to hear that people actually follow my poker journey.
Yes, I have played a few wsop events and cash games at Hammond the last couple of years, but won't b able to make it this year. Best of luck to u during the series!
__________________________________________

Today had more ups and down than my bipolar neighbor. For the first few hours it was mostly down, and super frustrating.

I arrived in the morning and folded the first 5 hands dealt to me, and then our 1/2nl table gets the "splash".
*HSI splashes $100 in the pot before the cards are dealt, and I am utg w the first option to straddle.
I straddle $5, get 5 limpers, and raise to $100 w Q♥️10♥️ and $300 stack. The first limper w a $200 stack calls, and the rest folds.
HU to the flop, pot = $320.
V has half his stack in the middle pre, so I just decide to bet $100 in the dark before the flop of A73 rainbow. Mayb I shd hv waited for the flop, and then bet. I think that shows more strength on my part.
Anyhow, V tanks for awhile, and then calls.
I tell him gd call, and that I need some serious help.
Turn 9.
River J.
Now check this out, he shows Q9!!
Q9>Q10
First off, can't believe he called pre, and then calling on the flop is suspect at best.
But that's neither here nor there, I just thought I was way behind after he called otf, but turns out I was a huge favorite!!!! 84.2% favorite to be exact! Yes, I ran it on the poker calculator in between hands just to add some more misery to the 3 outer.

Of course, I took it like a man, and said nice hand. But inside i felt like a 5 yr old boy who just dropped his single scoop off his sugar come before taking a lick.

*Never let them see you sweat.

Pause: Currently watching the Cubbies. We now tied after a solo hr in the 4th.
Just shouted "LETS GO, C'Mon" and was asked if that was necessary by the gf. My reply, "most definitely".

Ok, I am calm...let's continue...

So my first hand played, and I'm quickly down $200. Therefore, I have to dip into my pockets for the "reach of shame" and pull out a couple black chips.

Now in the game for $500, and slowly build my $300 stack up to $450.
Now I'm at that point where you start counting your stack to see how much more u need to get even. I noticed I'm just $50 shy of the even mark.
Then I get a hand where I flopped the nut broadway w A10. I get it in w another fella who has my $450 covered w the same hand + free rolling his flush draw. Uh oh!
I don't even have to finish telling u, u know what it is...Flushed upon.

Now down -$500.
At this point, I would like to take my sweatshirt off because now I'm experiencing the hot face, sweaty brow phase. You know how it is, you lose a couple big pots and now it's feels like the poker room turned into a sauna.
Like Nelly, it's getting hot in here.

Stubborn me, I kept my sweatshirt on because I don't want them to know about my discomfort. So instead, I am sweating at the table while trying not to sweat, but u know the more u think about it, the more perspiration starts to show up on your face. ...Please make it go away... go away...go away already...stop sweating...
It wasn't going away, so do I get up and take a walk? Nah, I'll just sit there red faced and look like an utter idiot.

Now that I have now doubled up what feels like everyone at the table, I guess we can play a little deeper on my behalf.

Pause: for a stupid wild pitch that put the Mets up 3-2.
Being a Cubs fan is like wrestling w my 2 kids. It's starts out happy and fun, and ends w crying.

Back to today...
So after I get flushed out, I "reach of shame" once more into my pocket, but i notice I only have one black chip left. Shucks, now I have to "walk of shame" to the cage for more chips.

I buy in for $600, and now I'm in the 1/2nl game for $1,100! #theJoys
To make matters worse, a few of the big stacks leave the game, and now I'm playing w players that have $200 and less. Ugh!

I play at the table for a bit, then move to a table that has more money in play.

Pause: the Cubs getting ass raped like me getting 3 outed for a $720 pot today!
5-2 final. Gg

Continue...
I lose a couple more hundred in the cash games, and super frustrated because I'm playing really well.
Sitting w $400 and a frown, I then hear a familiar voice over my shoulder from a lady reg. It sounds like she's upset because she is $5 short of an add-on for the daily tournament. Mr. Nice Guy Rayz, tosses her a Redbird, and says "Go get em Sammie".
I say this only because from that moment on it all turned around for me. I was scooping pots left and right, and in a Jordan-esq zone. Gd karma, maybe. I just think it's because I trusted in my abilities, stayed the course, didn't tilt, and kept playing solid. My hands were holding up, and my moves were working.

My stack grew from $400, to $600, to $800, to $1k, to $1200, and finally cashed out at $1311, for a +$211 profit.



#noquit

sweet comeback today, as long as you stay level headed youre gonna smash a good hourly especially@1/2-5/10, and i still have faith you can get in the black for the month if youre gonna put in the hrs. cant say i feel sorry for you or any other cubs fan tho, (was born and raised a white sox fan). i hope the f#*#in cubs lose another 100+ more years lol. realistically it wasnt looking good for them going into the series considering the mets rotation is deeper and better and the cubs really struggle with pitchers who hurl@95+(they were ranked near the very bottom maybe even dead last) and pretty much all of em throw smoke. we'll see how bad the new ownership really wants to win, grienke is gonna be available isnt he? but i doubt theyll pay after already paying lester. surprised they paid him what they did after how cheap they were the first few years after they bought the team.

Man that was a heartwarming story on that comeback. Nice to hear those once in a while.

^ Thanks @Soncy

Fighting hard to get as close to even as possible for this month.

Today's session put another dent in the deficit.



+$853 playing in a big 1/2 game on 7hrs 13mins (2p-9p). At one time, I counted $8500 on the table w the largest stack $1800. That tells u the chips were spread out w many players playing deep.

Current status, -$1,606 for October

Today:

First sesh : 1/2nl dropped -$33 on 2hrs 12mins.

Next Sesh: 1/2/winner straddle game. Straddles were $5-$15. The game only lasted 1hr 27mins because all the players wanted to switch the game to 2/5/ws PLO.
I was cool w the switch because I was already up +$758 and had to leave for a wedding in an hour time anyhow.
$500 of the $758 winnings came on the 4th hand dealt.
here it is...
$10 straddle and I make it $35 in mp w A♠️K♠️, get 2 callers (All 3 players involved, $500 stacks).

The flop is 9♠️10♠️3♥️. P1 checks, I check, Lady (high stakes reg) bets $80. P1 ch/folds, and I ponder my options. I thought if I raise small (and she calls) otf, it may gv her some fold equity ott when I jam it in.
So I went with this plan and ch/raised to $180 otf, w the intentions jamming all turns if she calls.
She called my flop raise, and the turn is 7♦️. I jam the rest, $285. She calls.
The river is a sexy 6♠️.
Flush > ? (No show)

Final Sesh: Once they switched the 1/2/winner straddle game to PLO I decided to grind some more 1/2nl until I had to leave to meet the fam at the wedding.
Played for 1hr 15mins and won +$352
$200ish came off one hand where I had 67, and raised to $7 in co. Button, bb, and HJ called.
4 players to the flop of 10 3 4. It gets checked to me where I fire out a feeler $12 while holding a gut draw to the nuts.
Button folds, and I now I just picked up best position. Bb folds, HJ calls. Shucks, almost just took it down w 7 high.
Heads up to the turn, pot $50.
Turn: is 8, and now I picked up another gutter (double gutted). HJ checks, and this time I go for a pot size bet in hopes to take it down right here.
HJ calls.
River: another sexy river for me... 5. HJ bets $75 w $100 behind. I shove, he calls.
Straight>2pair (10/9)

Yep, I had a couple lucky rivers today.

-$33 +$758 +$352 = +$1,077 on 4hrs 54mins

Getting closer to an October even.
Now -$529 this month. Taking weekend off, and b back at it Monday.

#karatekid

Not a big fan of the line that you took with AKs. At least you had a plan and wasn't just "clicking buttons". $80 seems like a pretty strong lead and I wouldn't feel like I had a lot fold equity if she bet/calls.
Her being a higher stakes player, would definitely put more bluffs in her range than a "standard" 1/2 player.
Nice couple days. Glad to see you are running better. One more good session and you'll be in the black. Good luck.

You don't have any fold equity with a smallish raise. But with a 465$ stack behind the preflop raise, $185 pot, I think you can very comftorbly c/r BIG with intention of getting it in. C/shove is a option aswell

What about the lady? Can she possibly a ever fold jam bets ($265) ott?
Mayb hands like 8J, JQ, inferior flush draws, or pair of 10s.??? If u think so, this is why I took the line I did. If not, mayb it's not the best line.

I did actually think about just shoving otf, but sometimes this play looks drawy. High stakes regs recognize that too. On the flip, I wd make that shove otf play w sets, so it is polarizing. That's why I like betting big made hands on wet boards against thinking players. By doing this, sometimes u will get called light and having the player drawing nearly dead because they think u r on a draw.
This time, I just decided to make my hand look like a strong made hand by raising small and jamming turns. Thinking sh cd possibly sometimes fold on turns.

U all got me thinking and I appreciate it.

Hmmm

AKs was played fine, don't worry about it

Hey Rayz or anyone can answer,
If you won the bad beat jackpot how much would you tip?
I played last week trying my luck once again at the 3-6 limit table, hunting the jackpot. I am anticipating on winning and wondering what is fair to tip.

3-6 limit player here, but after I hit that jackpot i will see you pros in the bigger games.

I am admiring your comeback for this month! You are now down just 4 new tires on that used car.

[QUOTE=ButterflySymmetry;48466048]What about the lady? Can she possibly a ever fold jam bets ($265) ott?
Mayb hands like 8J, JQ, inferior flush draws, or pair of 10s.??? If u think so, this is why I took the line I did. If not, mayb it's not the best line.

I think this higher stakes opponent can have hands that she might bet/call and fold the turn. I'm sure that's why you took this line.
I just think if you are looking for fold equity that you might want to consider bet/get it in if raised, when you have the most equity in the pot or trying to get a fold with a second barrel, when called.

In most cases, with a typical 1/2 villain, you will not get folds on the turn after they have bet $80 and called $100 raise. If they call the $100 raise they are not going to fold hands like JQ or inferior flush draws and these are really the only hands that you are ahead of on the turn, if you don't improve.

Again, not trying to derail your thread. Keep running good. Nice comeback so far!

Ray, I've always wondered about something since I joined this thread...
Hope you don't mind me asking...

What % of your opponents @ HSI (for instance, the female high stakes reg in the AsKs hand) know you have a poker blog?...or they at least know about your $1/$2 challenge a couple yrs ago?

For those players that know (i'm assuming there's at least 1 ...do you think their knowledge of you blogging/vlogging impacts their play against you? Would you consider it an advantage?

I've always pondered your perspective & your thoughts about that...

Keep crushing bro - nice comeback this month.