There and Back Again: A Punter's Tale by Matthew Harris

[Rexas]

Don't really see the butchery, where would you do something different. Rivers rly annoying but such a good price.

My turn sizing is absolutely horrible, not great at 10nl zoom where you're pushing yourself into a corner where you have to call off with one pair on a four card straight board where you can beat absolutely nothing but a bluff. Not even sure this is ever a bluff :p

[rfgqqabc]

Don't really see the butchery, where would you do something different. Rivers rly annoying but such a good price.

My turn sizing is absolutely horrible, not great at 10nl zoom where you're pushing yourself into a corner where you have to call off with one pair on a four card straight board where you can beat absolutely nothing but a bluff. Not even sure this is ever a bluff :p

Want to shove? 7.35 back and 5.20 in, 3.8 seems fine, not sure if I like 2.7 more. Much more seems silly. Even betting 2.5 gives us too good of a price on the river to fold.

[polerization]

Don't really see the butchery, where would you do something different. Rivers rly annoying but such a good price.

My turn sizing is absolutely horrible, not great at 10nl zoom where you're pushing yourself into a corner where you have to call off with one pair on a four card straight board where you can beat absolutely nothing but a bluff. Not even sure this is ever a bluff :p

Want to shove? 7.35 back and 5.20 in, 3.8 seems fine, not sure if I like 2.7 more. Much more seems silly. Even betting 2.5 gives us too good of a price on the river to fold.

I would probably shove this turn as standard. This can't be that bad right just to get him to put the money in with all the pair+draw combo's that's if were never folding.

[verndog158]

Blog updatez. Has anyone ever believed rexas when he says he runs bad?

http://www.boomplayer.com/en/poker-hands/Boom/7952540_6B8AA3C3C4

Think its all a total lie.

[Steve Swift]

I suck, I fold.

[verndog158]

I suck, I fold.

I respect that Steve. You have to remember Rexas, saying 'ooooooooo thats a pair'! Us fish cant fold pairs!!

[Rexas]

I suck, I fold.

This was actually discussed a little, decided that folding was possibly better. O well, better to be lucky, huh?

Poker

Today, I moved up a stake for the first time ever online. Very exciting. I've hit a heater, which seems strange, but it's definitely nice! The micromillions hasn't gone particularly well so far, but it's not something I'm worried about right now. I'm not sure how many tournaments, online at least, I'll be playing after the series finishes. I'd been pretty exclusively cash before the series, and I think I'll stay at that way afterwards. I haven't been playing any PLO, refocused back to NLHE, based off the advice received here. I have no doubt that once I reach a higher limit, I'll revert back to PLO, because I still think it's generally a lower standard than NLHE, and a less well understood game. I don't have any experience at these limits online however, so if I find I'm comfortable at NLHE then I doubt I'll move over, don't fix it if it ain't broke etc. Still don't think I'll be back in dtd for some time, I'm not even playing any of the satellites for the comps there at the moment. Nothing personal, just focusing on grinding back a cash roll. Once/if I've managed to get back on track with uni, then I may look at trying to pick up a staking deal, but I guess we shall see what happens. Either way, I'm definitely looking forward to the easter break, where I'll be heading back to Essex for a month or so and really focusing on getting more hands in.

I've also been getting involved in more and more reviews, which has done absolute wonders for my game. Definitely something I want to continue doing as much as possible.

Poetry

Now this is going to be a fun one, I've been waiting to get this in. Now while this isn't technically classed as poetry, just read it and it so clearly is. The best rap music (not the crap where they say "nigga" and "shawty" until they get bored of the music) is definitely modernized poetry. The thought that goes into the lyrics, the rhymes and rhythms that they can pull off, are truly insane. Here is one of many I could have chosen by who, in my opinion, is the pinnacle of this genre of music,

Love The Way You Lie
(feat. Rihanna)

[Intro - Rihanna:]
Just gonna stand there and watch me burn
But that's alright because I like the way it hurts
Just gonna stand there and hear me cry
But that's alright because I love the way you lie
I love the way you lie

[Verse - Eminem:]
I can't tell you what it really is
I can only tell you what it feels like
And right now there's a steel knife in my windpipe
I can't breathe but I still fight while I can fight
As long as the wrong feels right it's like I'm in flight
High off her love, drunk from her hate,
It's like I'm huffing paint and I love her the more I suffer, I suffocate
And right before I'm about to drown, she resuscitates me
She fucking hates me and I love it.
"Wait! Where you going?"
"I'm leaving you!"
"No you ain't. Come back."
We're running right back.
Here we go again
It's so insane cause when it's going good, it's going great
I'm Superman with the wind at his back, she's Lois Lane
But when it's bad it's awful, I feel so ashamed I snapped
Who's that dude?
"I don't even know his name."
I laid hands on her, I'll never stoop so low again
I guess I don't know my own strength

[Chorus - Rihanna:]
Just gonna stand there and watch me burn
But that's alright because I like the way it hurts
Just gonna stand there and hear me cry
But that's alright because I love the way you lie
I love the way you lie
I love the way you lie

[Verse - Eminem:]
You ever love somebody so much you can barely breathe when you're with 'em
You meet and neither one of you even know what hit 'em
Got that warm fuzzy feeling
Yeah, them chills you used to get 'em
Now you're getting fucking sick of looking at 'em
You swore you'd never hit 'em; never do nothing to hurt 'em
Now you're in each other's face spewing venom in your words when you spit them
You push, pull each other's hair, scratch, claw, bit 'em
Throw 'em down, pin 'em
So lost in the moments when you're in them
It's the rage that took over it controls you both
So they say you're best to go your separate ways
Guess that they don't know you 'cause today that was yesterday
Yesterday is over, it's a different day
Sound like broken records playing over but you promised her
Next time you show restraint
You don't get another chance
Life is no Nintendo game
But you lied again
Now you get to watch her leave out the window
Guess that's why they call it window pane

[Chorus - Rihanna:]
Just gonna stand there and watch me burn
But that's alright because I like the way it hurts
Just gonna stand there and hear me cry
But that's alright because I love the way you lie
I love the way you lie
I love the way you lie

[Verse - Eminem:]
Now I know we said things, did things that we didn't mean
And we fall back into the same patterns, same routine
But your temper's just as bad as mine is
You're the same as me
But when it comes to love you're just as blinded
Baby, please come back
It wasn't you, baby it was me
Maybe our relationship isn't as crazy as it seems
Maybe that's what happens when a tornado meets a volcano
All I know is I love you too much to walk away though
Come inside, pick up your bags off the sidewalk
Don't you hear sincerity in my voice when I talk
Told you this is my fault
Look me in the eyeball
Next time I'm pissed, I'll aim my fist at the drywall
Next time? There won't be no next time!
I apologize even though I know its lies
I'm tired of the games I just want her back
I know I'm a liar
If she ever tries to fucking leave again
Im'a tie her to the bed and set this house on fire
I'm just gonna...

[shipitgood]

Hey Rexas,

What stakes do you play online?

I know you have said you play on sky at times, not to sure if i've ever played you before.

Also, i think you said that you play chess when i made a thread on one of the other forum sections, if you are up for a game sometime?

Please ignore this haha if i have got you mistaken wiith someone else.

[Rexas]

Hey Rexas,

What stakes do you play online?

I know you have said you play on sky at times, not to sure if i've ever played you before.

Also, i think you said that you play chess when i made a thread on one of the other forum sections, if you are up for a game sometime?

Please ignore this haha if i have got you mistaken wiith someone else.

Nope, you got the right guy I used to play all the big ones on a sunday on sky, and occasionally dabbled in the cash games and the plo when it was running, but not too often. We may have played before, I don't know, if you've been in dtd in the past year or so then we've almost certainly met in some way.

I'm currently grinding back a bankroll currently at 25nl, hoping to be at 100nl by September. I don't like wearing my busto face!

Also, I do play chess, but honestly I'm absolutely terrible :p I'm almost certainly the worst of all the people who play on this forum, I'm just getting back into it at the moment so hopefully once I've done a fuckton of work on my openings then I'll be able to play competitively again!

[Rexas]

Well, the early move up run good has come to a halt. Had a ridiculously trying day today, a whole bunch of absolutely horrible spots, but this has gotta be one of the days I'm most proud of in my poker career. Looking back, I think there were a fair few spots where I could have done loads more, and despite how draining the whole thing was I've finished about breakeven, which feels like a massive win. Just one of those days where you get 3bet all over the place, raised in the most disgusting spots, and simple things like cbetting and winning the pot just don't happen in between to keep morale up. Feels like a mental victory that despite a rocky period in the middle, I was able to maintain composed and keep playing good poker. I reviewed the first session of the day with some friends and it prompted some interesting discussion, maybe prompting a PHA post a bit later, and this definitely helped to put each situation in a proper perspective and make it through the next game. Anyway, that definitely spells progress on the mental side of the game, which is encouraging.

I had a bowling lesson with a guy by the name of Jon Zadel the other week. I'm still really enjoying taking my bowling a little more seriously again, and a lesson with someone who is widely considered to be "the best in the business" seemed like a logical step forward. This was my first formal lesson in several years, and I was more than a little apprehensive, especially since I'd never met the guy beforehand. He was fantastic though, really explained himself well and justified everything he said very thoroughly. He's made some pretty significant changes, which will make me absolutely terrible for a month or so until they've entered my muscle memory, but I'm definitely looking forward to the challenge. More than anything, I think, it'll be good to show the people that I'm currently coaching how to practice the work ethic I'm encouraging, and show how not being able to score doesn't necessarily mean you aren't making improvements. From the precious few shots I've got right since that lesson, I can see what it is that I'm aiming for, and I'm pretty excited to see the results. Certainly everything seems a lot smoother, and the power seems to be greater yet requiring less effort, which can only be a good thing. Hopefully tomorrow/today I'll be able to get it right a little more often than last time, and over easter (while I'm back in Essex), put in the hours to come back on form.

[Steve Swift]

Some one with an interest out side of poker, who ever heard of such a thing   WP sir keep up the good work, any youtube clips of you knocking them down ?

Steve

[DrDreh]

there aint no party like a chess club party

[Rexas]

Some one with an interest out side of poker, who ever heard of such a thing  WP sir keep up the good work, any youtube clips of you knocking them down ?

Steve

Well, I'm sure there are some on youtube somewhere, but they probably won't have my name attached. What I will do is post a couple of clips here of how my technique has developed over the last five years or so,

This first one is one of the earliest videos I have, showing how it was when I started. Note please the ridiculous fringe, and the distinct lack of beer belly. Technique wise, there are some pretty horrible things here, but at least the beginnings of something playable.

https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?v=425345418230&l=6095422628070568217

This is from a year or so on, where somenoticeable changes have taken place. I'm quite a bit more solid at the foul line, but I'm still wandering all over the place, putting the ball down a fair way from my foot, and my shoulders are pretty shit. The bent arm at during the backswing is pretty horrible too, but again, there's some workable stuff here.

https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?v=10150205751083231&l=5979684080291094527

This video was taken today during practice. Again, this is far from the finished article, but a lot of improvements have been made. I walk much straighter, I'm reasonably solid at the line, the shoulders are better, the arm swing is much better, and generally I feel like this is really getting somewhere. Still gonna be a while before I can compete at the sort of level I want to be, but it's not un-achievable from this point.

https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?v=10151995333448231&l=113778201705340990

[Steve Swift]

coolie, wang the ball all pinny things go down every time, no better can be done, get onto the poker 

[BorntoBubble]

You dont play with the barriers up?

Well thats no fun