Hendon Mob League Update

SO... it's been a while since I've posted, because it's been a while since I've played regularly. Working from home was getting me quite a bit of table time, to start off with; but unfortunately that couldn't last forever, and now I'm busier than I've ever been.

The only regular poker I've been playing recently is the Hendon Mob Forum League matches, and I'm glad to say that I've finally managed to perform with [a little bit of] consistency.

Since my second place finish in the H.O.R.S.E. tournament in the middle of March, I managed to place in 13th during last week's 6-Max Hold-em event, and went even one step better than that this week, and made the final table. Made the FT with a decent stack, as well and felt that I should have finished better than I did (7th place). I played very well throughout the tournament... using position effectively, and making the most of my decent hands (only showed down three hands in the first hour and a half and that was Aces (twice) and Queens-full. However, after a terribly weak Raise-Fold which lost me about 60% of my stack at the final table, I made what I still consider to be a decent all-in move with 96o that I'll show below.


Full Tilt Poker Game #29655317961: Hendon Mob Forum League (230456276), Table 9 - 300/600 Ante 75 - No Limit Hold'em - 22:28:12 WET - 2011/04/05 [17:28:12 ET - 2011/04/05]
Seat 1: SeanFoley (15,759)
Seat 2: Chris J Stewart (9,688)
Seat 3: hebburnlad (26,771)
Seat 4: Ullysses1975 (6,593)
Seat 5: Al Force (10,550)
Seat 8: Lazarus88 (13,204)
Seat 9: voodoolovecat (34,435)
SeanFoley antes 75
Chris J Stewart antes 75
hebburnlad antes 75
Ullysses1975 antes 75
Al Force antes 75
Lazarus88 antes 75
voodoolovecat antes 75
hebburnlad posts the small blind of 300
Ullysses1975 posts the big blind of 600
The button is in seat #2
*** HOLE CARDS ***
Dealt to Ullysses1975 [9d 6c]
Al Force folds
Lazarus88 folds
voodoolovecat folds
SeanFoley folds
Chris J Stewart raises to 1,800
hebburnlad folds
Ullysses1975 raises to 6,518, and is all in
Chris J Stewart calls 4,718
Ullysses1975 shows [9d 6c]
Chris J Stewart shows [Ad Kc]
*** FLOP *** [Tc Jc Ks]
*** TURN *** [Tc Jc Ks] [4d]
*** RIVER *** [Tc Jc Ks 4d] [8s]
Ullysses1975 shows King Jack high
Chris J Stewart shows a pair of Kings
Chris J Stewart wins the pot (13,861) with a pair of Kings
*** SUMMARY ***
Total pot 13,861 | Rake 0
Board: [Tc Jc Ks 4d 8s]
Seat 1: SeanFoley folded before the Flop
Seat 2: Chris J Stewart (button) showed [Ad Kc] and won (13,861) with a pair of Kings
Seat 3: hebburnlad (small blind) folded before the Flop
Seat 4: Ullysses1975 (big blind) showed [9d 6c] and lost with King Jack high
Seat 5: Al Force folded before the Flop
Seat 8: Lazarus88 folded before the Flop
Seat 9: voodoolovecat folded before the Flop

Couldn't be helped really, but felt that shoving was the only way to go with this hand here, and actually had a half-decent chance once the money went in.

My run of results in March / April has just about dragged me into contention (at the minute) for a second play-off place for the World Series of Poker Europe this year. Looking at the table, I'm going to definitely need at least one more result (out of the final three games) to secure a position and will need things to go right around me.

BUT you've got to be in these things to win them. I'd have jumped out of my seat at the start of the year to be in this position, so I'm not complaining now I am... and who know - maybe, JUST MAYBE:-

"It could be me!!"

Well that's enough of the dreams folks, it back to reality for me.

:-)

Flat Line Time

I think I've now recovered from the lows and highs of the past fortnight!

However, they do leave me with a bit of a problem. My bust-out wasn't recorded on Hold'em Manager as [cheapskate that I am] I only have the small stakes version - probably a hint that I ought to stick at small stakes for now! My tournament result from this week isn't recorded either, as it was a H.O.R.S.E. game rather than Hold'em.

I've been umm'ing and ahh'ing about whether I should just continue my progress from before or begin anew; and I've decided it's probably less misleading to start from scratch.

So... it's off to [micro] cash tables for me. Next time I'll provide an update on my progress and look more closely at the positional aspects of my play.

Karma Chameleon?!

Last week I pissed my entire $140 [Pokerstars] bankroll up the wall.

THIS week, I came second in The Hendon Mob Forum League H.O.R.S.E. game for $142.60 

H.O.R.S.E. is a mixed-game poker format that rotates between Hold'em; Omaha High / Low split; Razz; Stud; and Stud Eight or Better - all the games are played fixed limit.

To be honest, I really like mixed-game poker formats, but that doesn't really mean I'm any good at them! This result was really important for me, not only because it saved my bankroll, but also because it will have put me into around 30th place in the league; and most importantly because it is a massive confidence boost after last week and proves that I am able to concentrate and play consistently enough to score in a mixed-game format against better poker players than myself.

I've not really got much more to add here... after last week's set-back, I got some very encouraging support, from the forum, to pick myself up and come back stronger - I just wasn't expecting things to work out quite as neatly as this.

Anyway, shameless brag over and out.

de-Generation Game

I believe I have now found the answer to the guestion:-

Q. Is it a good idea to get drunk and put your entire bankroll onto one cash table?


/drumroll


A. No!



...more later, when I've got the energy to start grinding from scratch all over again...

7th March 2011 "Be Kind, Rewind"

I haven't felt up to updating my blog over the last few days, because I've mostly been playing bad, and running bad - not a good combination!

I assume you're feeling suitably sympathetic now?!

As a [very small] plus, I do feel I am consistently playing from better positions now, and current stats after just over 10,000 hands are:-

However, overall progress has completely stuttered, and stands at:-

Current BR is dead-on $150, so at least I haven't slid behind my [original] objective for last week. Money objective for this week is $175 (i.e. +$101 on my progress chart).

May the force be with me!  

3rd March 2011 : No Calling Session

There was an interesting discussion today on The Hendon Mob Forum about the best advice that's improved your game. Sticking my neck out, I hazarded the advice that:

'If you're going to limp, be prepared to limp and let go.'


Sound advice from a serial-limper! However, one of the forum moderators (Grumbledook) made a small amendment to this:

'If you're going to limp, DON'T!'

Grumbledook went on to suggest that I play an entire session without ever calling. Now I'm always prepared to listen to advice from more experienced players so I decided to give this a go, and see how it worked for me.


So, I fired-up four tables of NL5, in my lunch-break; and primed my raise and fold buttons.

It wasn't as straightforward as I had expected it might be, as there are lots of spots (at NL5, at least) that are crying out for a 'call' viz. a 3xraise with 2 callers and a small pocket pair. I think I probably lost some value at times, but I think I gained a lot of value in other spots.

Stats for the session were:-

I finished almost 3 buy-ins up, which is damn nice for my lunch-break! Session results were:-

BR. currently stands at $165, and overall progress is:-

This was a very educational session of poker overall. It really made me think through each spot, fully... initially I thought I would just 'nit-up' (which I did, to a certain degree) but it also encouraged me to make aggressive plays, in position.

I'd definitely recommend any recreational micro-players like me, to give this challenge a go.

1st March 2011

It's all the same old story at the moment... still getting to grips with four-tabling, still on the transition from NL2 to NL5, and STILL suffering from soul destroying swings.

You've got to hand it to anyone who makes a living from poker... all I have riding on my [pitiful] bankroll is my pride, if I had a weeks wages riding on four tables, as well, I think I'd have already suffered a breakdown!

If you wondering what I have to put up with, this is what four-tabling looks like on my laptop!

Bankroll currently stands at $131, which may seem like I'm making good early strides towards my weekly objective, but I wouldn't like to bet on it... wait a minute! I think that's exactly what I AM doing!!

I'm playing my poker league this evening (http://www.thehendonmob.com/pokerleague7/). Objectives for the evening:-

1. Make the first break
2. Make the points (Top 20)
3. Make the money
4. Make the final table
5. TAKE IT DOWN!!

:)

OK... fired up four tables of NL5 whilst having my lunch, and made significant progress. I played position very well and felt, for the first time, that I wasn't out of my depth four-tabling at this level.

Bankroll @ $141... happy days :)