Prose from a Poshboy

[cambridgealex]

So pre Vegas there was a gym prop bet between you and Scott, how did it go?

Well it was too controversial, we couldn't agree on terms in the end.

The bet was I had to find one machine or exercise in the gym that I could do more reps than him on.

I wanted to do pullups on the pull up machine, pick a low assist and bash out more reps than him but he argued that we're not lifting the same weight there as he weighs more. So I suggested other exercises like the plank that I could do longer than him - same problem, I'm holding up less weight.  

It's a kinda tricky one. Basically we agreed that by the wording of the bet it should count and he'd be drawing dead, but he felt kinda hustled by it, saying he would've never agreed to that if he knew, and that wasn't my intention so didn't wanna win that way and have bad feeling between us.

Feel like I could never win the bet though, as my only way I could win was having a niche thing that was to my advantage (weighing less) and he had an obvious advtanage in all other areas (being far bigger and stronger). So for me to win, I would have to find something he hasn't thought of, which in turn leads to him feeling hustled.

Meh, we weren't gonna fall out over it, I'm fine with a wash. Plus I won 88 vs AK vs him 60 off the money in the WSOP main for a 5 figure equity pot so I can't complain

[BorntoBubble]

So pre Vegas there was a gym prop bet between you and Scott, how did it go?

Well it was too controversial, we couldn't agree on terms in the end.

The bet was I had to find one machine or exercise in the gym that I could do more reps than him on.

I wanted to do pullups on the pull up machine, pick a low assist and bash out more reps than him but he argued that we're not lifting the same weight there as he weighs more. So I suggested other exercises like the plank that I could do longer than him - same problem, I'm holding up less weight.  

It's a kinda tricky one. Basically we agreed that by the wording of the bet it should count and he'd be drawing dead, but he felt kinda hustled by it, saying he would've never agreed to that if he knew, and that wasn't my intention so didn't wanna win that way and have bad feeling between us.

Feel like I could never win the bet though, as my only way I could win was having a niche thing that was to my advantage (weighing less) and he had an obvious advtanage in all other areas (being far bigger and stronger). So for me to win, I would have to find something he hasn't thought of, which in turn leads to him feeling hustled.

Meh, we weren't gonna fall out over it, I'm fine with a wash. Plus I won 88 vs AK vs him 60 off the money in the WSOP main for a 5 figure equity pot so I can't complain

Awaiting my refund for our planking bet then last year.

[cambridgealex]

I gave you 30 seconds head start for weight compensation!

[BorntoBubble]

I gave you 30 seconds head start for weight compensation!

I am much fitter than I was then and currently I can only plank for like 2 mins

The wonders of alcohol

[cambridgealex]

I don't know what word people used before "sick" became the standard term, because I can't think of any other word appropriate to describe the cash session I just had. Sickest, in fact.

So I've played in a couple of dry holdem games this week, not done particularly good, also played in a private 6 card plo game that was really fun and I did OK. So tonight, I really fancied playing more PLO. There was a 4/5/6 game in the Empire so I headed down.

The game was full, so I played 1/3 while I waited. Really not what I was in the mood for but the game was actually OK so was fine.

They have a top up to the biggest stack rule, and I lost a few hundred to this guy to give him £1200 and while he was stacking my chips I pulled 1k plaque out of my pocket, and while the cards were being dealt, put it on the table. I looked down at UTG and raised to £15. There was a debate whether my 1k should be in play, and it was ruled that it was clearly my intention to top up so they allowed it. I was only able to top up to £1200 because I'd just given the guy x hundred lol. Now he 3bets me to £40. A guy playing £200, cold calls. I make it £150, now this guy makes it £400. Other guy calls allin for £200.

Now I'm just hating my life so much. I've travelled to play omaha now I'm getting battered in holdem repeatedly by the same guy. This is a guy who flopped nut flush vs my second nut flush last time I played him (was a £4k pot even though I folded the (unpaired!) turn). So I've already been coolered massively by him, and now I'm clearly running KK into his AA. I'm not good enough to fold, even though I should've done. GG £1200. Second day running I've ran KK into AA in a decent cash game.

So I'm steaming, and go for a walk, and reload for 2k.

Then play an absurd pot almost straight away. Firstly it starts off weird because I don't see the btn limp and iso from the straddle vs the sb and bb, in a spot where I would always check my option if I see the btn limp. So the pot is already bloated by mistake.

Long story short, on the turn the board reads and a man is allin for £120, bb calls, I call.

Before the river is dealt, the bb goes allin for £1045 in the dark!

River

I'm in bits. He was the spot in the game (hate to say it but I need to to explain) and I felt he could have worse straight, or A7, K7 etc. I didn't really know but decided to call. He had 87 for the flopped boat. FML. I might be the worst. Very sick line from him, he absolutely got me.

I reload for what I have left on me, and am now in for £4.4k in a 1/3 holdem game I didn't even wanna be in. I have about £1300 in front of me, and am close to having my biggest ever losing day.

And the session has barely begun.

Get a seat in the PLO, boom, let's go.

It's a huge game, only £1/2 blinds, but everyone has chunks and straddles to 10 or 20 every hand, some hands 40 or 80. I could actually get out of it here!

I actually grind it for ages, not really getting involved much, then lose a big one and am down to £600. Losing £3.8k.

Then I double, and double again. Then two house over houses in my favour. Then I play a £5k pot allin on the flop basically absolutely crushing, freerolling in fact. We run it twice and I win the first run, and have the unbreakable nuts on the turn in the second one. The river brings us a chop, so I win 3/4, which is fine, I'm nearly out!

And one pot later, at 5am I have £4430 in front of me! £30 profit, and it's the best feeling ever. I have a flight tomorrow so I was getting out of there by 6am absolute latest.

Then this hand happens.

My hand is and we are 4 ways to the flop of . Sam is a crazy lunatic and has £3.5k, bets £200. Player 2 goes allin for £397. £3 short of a min-raise. This £3 differences lets me call, knowing Sam can't raise. I would fold if it wasn't an under-raise. Player 3, also calls £397, and Sam obviously calls.

Pot ~£1900. Turn is , so the board reads , so I have the nuts, with the all the extensions, and the second nut flush draw.

Sam and player 3 both have around £2500. I have £4k. Sam bets the pot. I go allin. Player 3 says, I gotta gamble, calls off £2500, Sam calls £2500. So there's a £7500 side pot. This is by far the biggest PLO pot I've ever played and might be 3rd or 4th biggest pot I've ever played full stop.

Player 2 is allin for the main pot with flopped top set. Player 3 has called off on the turn for £2500 with Q4 for two pair, plus he has the nut flush draw. Sam has the same straight as me, with no redraws.

Basically I'm in pretty fkn great shape to at least chop heads up this almost £10k pot, and have any non spade A, K or 9 to scoop. Everyone has spade blockers and there's not many pairups left either.

River .

Sick. So Sick.

[SuuPRlim]

Fucking hell that is a bruising one, ul.

[BorntoBubble]

ive just been sick for you.

Horrible.

[cambridgealex]

I've actually woken up in a really good mood. And I know why.

Because last night was fkn exciting. And I don't get excited by poker much these days. I was excited in the main event, and get excited when deep in any tournament. But it's a rare pleasure these days, certainly in cash games.

But playing these big pots really gets the blood pumping, and win or lose, that feeling sticks more than anything else.

Unless it's life changing money, which it should never be in a cash game, what you cash out for at the end of each session has very little importance. Those moments after the hand, they hurt, believe me. When we were all all-in, with my hand as good as it was, I kind of didn't really think I could lose. I assumed I was chopping it and freerolling everyone with my super dooper extensions and flush draw. I did have flashes in my sleep of that river card lol. But this morning, I'm actually buzzing.

I assume this is the buzz that people with gambling addictions feel after a big spin of the wheel or big hand on blackjack. They keep going back because that feeling sticks, and the money is very much second to that. I can relate.

But this isn't mindless -EV gambling. I was getting it in with the best of it in every spot. I hand select carefully preflop so that when it all goes in, I'm getting the best of it. Freerolling people, having the extensions, pinging nut gutshots rather than bottom end, having the better flush draw, the bigger set etc. The edges are big, but so is the variance. 

I'm officially converted to the dark side.

[BorntoBubble]

Ha I love Omaha at the minute, I definitely went through a CBA stage post Vegas.

I love my job at the minute so getting motivated to play poker felt like a chore rather than fun. Infact the last few cash session's I have loved and I have been playing Omaha online.

I think your right about the swings and swongs in Omaha which gives you the buzz of gambling, for me now it does not matter as much if its +EV or -EV its the fun thats more important and obviously winning is a bonus. When i was playing Holdem, going into a casino on a Saturday night losing £1000 in a 1/2 game nobody talking I was like wtf is this?! So instead starting just getting smashed, so now trying to find a balance again!

Vegas should be a goer again next year, by then I should have a house and money again! In London at the end of August so might punt you some money playing Omaha then.

[Longines]

Great write up Alex, encapsulates why Omaha is a great game to play.

I know us recs are all supposed to envy the pros who get to play poker for a living but I can't think of anything worse than having to continually grind NLHE to pay the bills, it would bore me to tears whereas - if I was actually good enough - I'd happily play live PLO and PLO8 all day every day.

[buzzharvey22]

That's rank. Canny size pot for a £1£2 game.

[SuuPRlim]

I've actually woken up in a really good mood. And I know why.

Because last night was fkn exciting. And I don't get excited by poker much these days. I was excited in the main event, and get excited when deep in any tournament. But it's a rare pleasure these days, certainly in cash games.

But playing these big pots really gets the blood pumping, and win or lose, that feeling sticks more than anything else.

Unless it's life changing money, which it should never be in a cash game, what you cash out for at the end of each session has very little importance. Those moments after the hand, they hurt, believe me. When we were all all-in, with my hand as good as it was, I kind of didn't really think I could lose. I assumed I was chopping it and freerolling everyone with my super dooper extensions and flush draw. I did have flashes in my sleep of that river card lol. But this morning, I'm actually buzzing.

I assume this is the buzz that people with gambling addictions feel after a big spin of the wheel or big hand on blackjack. They keep going back because that feeling sticks, and the money is very much second to that. I can relate.

But this isn't mindless -EV gambling. I was getting it in with the best of it in every spot. I hand select carefully preflop so that when it all goes in, I'm getting the best of it. Freerolling people, having the extensions, pinging nut gutshots rather than bottom end, having the better flush draw, the bigger set etc. The edges are big, but so is the variance. 

I'm officially converted to the dark side.

God that feeling when you've done all you can and you just have to watch your fate roll out. It's electric isn't it

[RED-DOG]

God that feeling when you've done all you can and you just have to watch your fate roll out. It's electric isn't it

[SuuPRlim]

sense of freedom you just dont get with regular holidays

[cambridgealex]

So I've been absent from this blog for a couple of weeks, mainly because I've been doing rather poorly on the tables, but also just felt I couldn't compete with lil Dave's blog so thought I'd wait until he quietened down over there...

But mainly it's been the losing thing! I have a rule that if you can't post anything cheerful, it's best not to say anything. That doesn't mean I shy away from downswings and don't write about them (You'll say later in this post! Bet you can't wait...) I just like to at least have some good stuff to accompany them! And I've just had a good day today so I thought it was about time I shared...

NL Tournaments

DTD Deepstack main and hiroller bricks, UKIPT Bristol main, turbo and hiroller (x2) bricks. The high (low) light of these tournaments was the following hand.

Deepstack, 74 left, 71 paid. I had had a great time spinning a short stack up to heaps on day two, and even though I'd lost it all back, I went on another spin and had about 250k at 4/8k and now looked like a lock to cash. In fact, I've never busted a live tournament this close to the money before.

My good friend and semi-backer Keith Johnson raised my big blind and I defended it with 98o. Then I flopped a bloody straight! Fantastic stuff. Not even a puny straight, the NUT straight as well, and no flush draw out there. This was the stuff dreams are made of. The flop went check check, and I bet out big on the blank (Queen) turn. To my surprise, Keith made a large raise, allin to me in fact. I double took, looked back at my cards to check I wasn't dreaming and said call, turning my hand over very quickly.

He looked uncomfortable, as of course you would, up against the stone cold nuts mwhahaha. "I've got outs" he said, rolling over QQ for top set.

Sure enough the board paired and I was gone. I still can't say I've bubbled a live tournament, but that was painfully close!

PLO

My PLO adventure has really taken off, and I've moved into the online arena to see how my newly found skills match up on the websites. I put $1000 on FTP, where they have 6 card games, and started playing 1/2 and 2/5 (BRM ftw). I ran that up for $4000 in a couple of days, and just when I thought I'd found the path to untold riches, I lost it all back.

It's a silly game - I played a $4k pot where 2 people went allin before me on a flop and I was debating folding top set! I had a rubbish hand really, JJJ5xx so my own blockers and absolutely no redraws. I ran the numbers afterwards, and vs their wraps and fds i was a puny 26% to win. With the nuts?!?! The turn bricked but not the river, and I was back to square one. Should I have folded?

Licking my wounds, I've dropped 2/5 out of the mix and added in some 50/1 and more 1/2. My balance stands at $1800 today so we're in the green again and enjoying the challenge and learning lots every day.

Coming up is mainly cash games until 19th August for the UKPC Hiroller. I'll do a non-poker post next with some photos.