Vegas & The Aftermath - Diary

[tikay]

Reading poker books is beneficial to build up a wide general knowledge of the subject. Even if reading a book re-affirms your decision to play a different way it is a worthwhile exercise.

I think the trick is having your own original thoughts and developing that aspect of your individual game whilst still having a thorough knowledge of a more traditional style. This way the book doesn't lead you. All the information you consume, from whatever source that may be, allows you to understand general poker logic and that is a good thing.

However, and most importantly, a book can't tell you how a single individual is thinking on any particular day. This is where the PHA Board has a massive advantage over books. A book will reveal how the author thinks. PHA is inter-active and gives you a broad cross-section of opinion from different types of players. This allows you to cultivate an over-view of the tendancies of a whole group rather than just one person.

The most interesting thing about poker "theory" though is how it can quickly dissapear when actually playing the game.

This is why being switched on and trying to tap into another players thought process on any given day is where the crux of the game actually lies....and that can't be learnt from a book.

PHA BOARD

Posted by: tikay

    OOP? At this stage, BIN, quick.

Later in the comp, same hand, same pos - BIN.

Early doors, I'm gonna be Sponge Bob, soaking up info, watching tricks, see who's dancing, where we gonna get our chips from, who can be pushed around, who's the Albert who can't Pass. Once we done that, we can get started. Like, 2 hours in.

THEORY: Avoid playing A-J, especially early as you wanna be sitting back and soaking up the info about who's dancin!!

SPORTSMAN CASINO
Posted by: tikay

Willie starts messing about straight away in the comp, Raise, & I think "hmm, I'm gonna put a stop to this". I call with      1st hand

THEORY: Bugger the dancin info let's roll with A-J!!

I do hope you had position Tikay....lol

Nice one Mantis, good spot!

The A-J at The Sportsman WAS positional, & situational. And the Raiser was the serial-at-it merchant (& wonderful player once he has chips) Willie Tann. In fact, I'd have called pre-flop with any 2. And as I said in this Diary, I believe he had set out to Captain the table, so I decided to send him a message early, "oh no you don't". To be fair, it had "limited" impact. I Passed the A-J to his post-flop Raise, passed my Kings after he'd swerved my cunning play the very next hand (& still lost the hand), & I busted out 2 hands later. You can't learn that stuff in books......

[tikay]

Its all about consistency...

That's why he's the world nr 7!

Now # 2, allegedly, in Pro-Rank 2, in fact, having been ousted from # 1 by one Paul Lui. I learned this yesterday from a certain James "Royal Chopper" Dempsey, who rung me, absolutely furious, that after his recent successes, he was only up to World # 3 in Pro-Rank 2. One spot behind me.

He's hurting, & I'm loving it.

The Rankings are of course a complete nonsense, but I'll take any edge I can against Chopper Flush.

Read & weep, James.

[boldie]

Its all about consistency...

That's why he's the world nr 7!

Now # 2, allegedly, in Pro-Rank 2, in fact, having been ousted from # 1 by one Paul Lui. I learned this yesterday from a certain James "Royal Chopper" Dempsey, who rung me, absolutely furious, that after his recent successes, he was only up to World # 3 in Pro-Rank 2. One spot behind me.

He's hurting, & I'm loving it.

The Rankings are of course a complete nonsense, but I'll take any edge I can against Chopper Flush.

Read & weep, James.

Well the rankings would have to be nonsense is Flushyis in the top 3

Is chopper fishy coming to BB5 or what? Surely you can convince him TK?

[dino1980]

Loving this diary Tikay please keep it up. Have just caught up with the last week and the good/bad for you poker book debate intrigued me. I'm very much of the belief that poker books are good. HOHE Vols 1-3 definitely improved my game, but poker is cyclical and now the squeeze play is very overused so good players are flat calling with monsters pre-flop to induce the squeeze. Anyway found this interesting article in the 2+2 magazine titled - Have Poker Books Helped or Hurt Poker? - figured i'd post a linky. http://www.twoplustwo.com/magazine/current/classic0907.html

[tikay]

Loving this diary Tikay please keep it up. Have just caught up with the last week and the good/bad for you poker book debate intrigued me. I'm very much of the belief that poker books are good. HOHE Vols 1-3 definitely improved my game, but poker is cyclical and now the squeeze play is very overused so good players are flat calling with monsters pre-flop to induce the squeeze. Anyway found this interesting article in the 2+2 magazine titled - Have Poker Books Helped or Hurt Poker? - figured i'd post a linky. http://www.twoplustwo.com/magazine/current/classic0907.html

Thanks Nick. HOHE? To many, it's an insight into poker stratgey. To others, it's Andrex.

Oh, & I'll pop that article across tomorrow. Sorry for the delay.

[tikay]

Its all about consistency...

That's why he's the world nr 7!

Now # 2, allegedly, in Pro-Rank 2, in fact, having been ousted from # 1 by one Paul Lui. I learned this yesterday from a certain James "Royal Chopper" Dempsey, who rung me, absolutely furious, that after his recent successes, he was only up to World # 3 in Pro-Rank 2. One spot behind me.

He's hurting, & I'm loving it.

The Rankings are of course a complete nonsense, but I'll take any edge I can against Chopper Flush.

Read & weep, James.

Well the rankings would have to be nonsense is Flushyis in the top 3

Is chopper fishy coming to BB5 or what? Surely you can convince him TK?

No idea. I'd love him to, as would most, but he's a grown up, & he'll do as he wants, & no amount of persuasion from me will change anything. So I've never even discussed the issue with him, or his possible return to blonde.  Which, like most, I also wish muchly.

[hans47]

I am finding the story of you playing  hard to believe! You don't play anything out of the top 5 hands! Tight is your middle name or was it a case of you got the line caught in your gills and the extra water made your brain waterlogged for a 5 minute spell? 
Books can't tell you how to read a table but they do help you figure out the math and give little tips, If you play by the book everybody will know because there aren't many players that aren't students of the game!
You stop learning you stop playing!

[tikay]

I am finding the story of you playing  hard to believe! You don't play anything out of the top 5 hands! Tight is your middle name or was it a case of you got the line caught in your gills and the extra water made your brain waterlogged for a 5 minute spell? 
Books can't tell you how to read a table but they do help you figure out the math and give little tips, If you play by the book everybody will know because there aren't many players that aren't students of the game!
You stop learning you stop playing!

Just because I don't read, or approve, of poker tuition books, does not mean I have stopped trying to learn.

And reading books is no good if you can't read properly. My hand was not  , it was  . Suited connectors see?

[Bainn]

I am finding the story of you playing  hard to believe! You don't play anything out of the top 5 hands! Tight is your middle name or was it a case of you got the line caught in your gills and the extra water made your brain waterlogged for a 5 minute spell? 
Books can't tell you how to read a table but they do help you figure out the math and give little tips, If you play by the book everybody will know because there aren't many players that aren't students of the game!
You stop learning you stop playing!

Just because I don't read, or approve, of poker tuition books, does not mean I have stopped trying to learn.

And reading books is no good if you can't read properly. My hand was not  , it was  . Suited connectors see?

Do they not call them "Gappy" connectors ?

[Rookie (Rodney)]

I am finding the story of you playing  hard to believe! You don't play anything out of the top 5 hands! Tight is your middle name or was it a case of you got the line caught in your gills and the extra water made your brain waterlogged for a 5 minute spell? 
Books can't tell you how to read a table but they do help you figure out the math and give little tips, If you play by the book everybody will know because there aren't many players that aren't students of the game!
You stop learning you stop playing!

Just because I don't read, or approve, of poker tuition books, does not mean I have stopped trying to learn.

And reading books is no good if you can't read properly. My hand was not  , it was  . Suited connectors see?

$250 today old man?

[Rookie (Rodney)]

I am finding the story of you playing  hard to believe! You don't play anything out of the top 5 hands! Tight is your middle name or was it a case of you got the line caught in your gills and the extra water made your brain waterlogged for a 5 minute spell? 
Books can't tell you how to read a table but they do help you figure out the math and give little tips, If you play by the book everybody will know because there aren't many players that aren't students of the game!
You stop learning you stop playing!

Just because I don't read, or approve, of poker tuition books, does not mean I have stopped trying to learn.

And reading books is no good if you can't read properly. My hand was not  , it was  . Suited connectors see?

Do they not call them "Gappy" connectors ?

Suited gappers, - the future.

[tikay]

I am finding the story of you playing  hard to believe! You don't play anything out of the top 5 hands! Tight is your middle name or was it a case of you got the line caught in your gills and the extra water made your brain waterlogged for a 5 minute spell? 
Books can't tell you how to read a table but they do help you figure out the math and give little tips, If you play by the book everybody will know because there aren't many players that aren't students of the game!
You stop learning you stop playing!

Just because I don't read, or approve, of poker tuition books, does not mean I have stopped trying to learn.

And reading books is no good if you can't read properly. My hand was not  , it was  . Suited connectors see?

$250 today old man?

No, I'm at Feltham, working. It'll give you & the Fish Compo a chance, at least.

Any idea who won it on Tuesday?

[Bainn]

I am finding the story of you playing  hard to believe! You don't play anything out of the top 5 hands! Tight is your middle name or was it a case of you got the line caught in your gills and the extra water made your brain waterlogged for a 5 minute spell? 
Books can't tell you how to read a table but they do help you figure out the math and give little tips, If you play by the book everybody will know because there aren't many players that aren't students of the game!
You stop learning you stop playing!

Just because I don't read, or approve, of poker tuition books, does not mean I have stopped trying to learn.

And reading books is no good if you can't read properly. My hand was not  , it was  . Suited connectors see?

$250 today old man?

No, I'm at Feltham, working. It'll give you & the Fish Compo a chance, at least.

Any idea who won it on Tuesday?

All I heard that it was some unheard of Septugenarian....

[Bainn]

I am finding the story of you playing  hard to believe! You don't play anything out of the top 5 hands! Tight is your middle name or was it a case of you got the line caught in your gills and the extra water made your brain waterlogged for a 5 minute spell? 
Books can't tell you how to read a table but they do help you figure out the math and give little tips, If you play by the book everybody will know because there aren't many players that aren't students of the game!
You stop learning you stop playing!

Just because I don't read, or approve, of poker tuition books, does not mean I have stopped trying to learn.

And reading books is no good if you can't read properly. My hand was not  , it was  . Suited connectors see?

Do they not call them "Gappy" connectors ?

Suited gappers, - the future.

The trend setter formerly known as Tikay..

[tikay]

Wednesday night I had a lovely evening in London with Claw, Tantrum, & one Bolty.

I arrived late, having got lost after leaving London bridge Station, but after a brisk 11 mile saunter along the rather wonderful Thames Walk, I found the boozer, near Bankside.

Most of the evening has to stay under wraps, but yes, as you've read elsewhere, Bolty turned out to be an absoute legend. He claimed to be sufering from  bird 'flu, after eating KFC, but that apart, he was on top form.

Younger than I expected - he's 9 - he's a real street legend. Hoodie, shades. trackie, street lingo, he's uber-cool in every way. A white rapper, I'd describe him as.

We tried to talk him into bB5, but his curfew order prevents him travelling outside of South East London. I even offered to drive him to Cardiff, but apparently he has a loathing for all things & people Welsh.

Top bloke, huge fun, really. As are Claw & Tantrum.

Youi'd never BELIEVE the subject range we covered. Cocoa Futures, the Panama Canal - good or bad? - is Gordon Brown good for Britain, that sort of stuff. And some other stuff.

I need to get out more. These three guys showed me a whole new world, & way of thinking. I've missed so much, it seems. I could have stayed there chatting all night, we discussed the most extraordinary things, openly.

Suddenly it was time to go, Bolty & Tantrum via Southern Region, Claw & I on the Underground. I got to St Pancras with seconds to spare to catch the last train to Luton, where my car & Hotel were, & that was that. Some evening, I tell 'ya.

PS - What is S&M?