Numbers

So it's late June, nearly halfway through 2008. Hard to believe, but it's a cold hard fact. To go along with that fact, I looked at some cold hard stats about my poker game. I used to fancy myself a very good limit player who used those powers for good, aka buying myself into tourneys and donating in a donkfest here and there. It seems that something has shifted though.

At best, I am a recreational player nowadays....not that I was ever a pro, or even close to it, but I used to play at LOT more than I do now. I play enough to keep my skills pretty sharp, and I still think I have an edge over a good percentage of players. I mean, what poker player doesn't?

So I decided to take a look today at how I am doing in ring games so far this year. Fired up poker tracker, and got out the calculator....just opened the windows calculator actually. I was somewhat surprised at the stats. Before playing today, I was ahead for the year. By $2. Thankfully I posted a small win today and am now ahead $37.10 for 2008.

I've decided to hold off on going pro.

The Breakdown:
65 sessions
2890 minutes
48.17 hrs
1.28 cents per minute
77.02 cents per hour

Only 48 hours in 177 days. Considering I usually play 2-4 games at a time, I've probably only spent about 12-13 at the computer hours playing hold em ring games. I haven't looked at hand histories for SNG play or mixed game tables yet, and I probably won't, but I don't think those stats would boost my win rate by much, if at all.

I've made a concerted effort to play more live poker, play more poker variations, and I still play too many heads-up SNGs....but I think it's sad that I've only gotten about a week's worth of online cash games in this year, and we're halfway through it. I keep looking at the tiny-ass bankroll I have online and it makes me cringe. I don't mind playing the low limit games to work my way up the ladder again, but is seems like I can only get into it here and there anymore.

Cash games have gotten tougher since the UIGEA, but not so much that I am scared to play a $2-$4, $3-$6, or even up to an $8-$16 or $10-$20 game now. I am pretty sure I could still be profitable at these limits with a little game selection and some time on the virtual felt....but why is it that I don't WANT to do this anymore?

I think everyone has their poker breaking point, and playing online will accelerate that exponentially....but I don't think that's the case here. My most enjoyable times with online poker were during the blogger heyday back in 05 and early 06. Reading the blogs, playing the tournaments when my schedule would accommodate, and the peak of that period was no doubt playing in the 05 WPBT Winter Classic in Vegas and final tabling it.

Since then, poker has been more of a hobby than a passion. I just don't get into it as much. Playing, watching, reading about it....about the only increase in poker content for me is the podcasting from PokerRoad, and that's just because it's so much easier to do than actually read a blog or something.

So I still like poker, especially playing live in a casino or someone's basement....I just need to com to grips with the fact that my grinding days have passed me by. I need to want it now for me to actually play, even though it's only a few mouse clicks away.

Apologizing it Forward

I need to let everyone know in advance that I am wrapping myself in a cocoon for the foreseeable future. There are a lot of stress factors in my life right now. Anyone who knows me pretty well knows that I don't really sweat the small stuff in life, but these issues I am dealing with are definitely not small to me.

If I am noticeably absent the next couple weeks, or even months, from things I would surely otherwise attend or if I am present and seem somewhat apathetic or aloof, I apologize. I have a lot on my plate, and need to digest it all before I feel better.

Talking some things out with some of you will undoubtedly help me work through this, but I won't burden you too often, if at all, about most things. That being said, don't be offended or assume I think less of you as a friend if I don't seek out your counsel. There are certain people I find easier to talk to, and even some of them won't hear from me because I don't want to add any stress to their lives. Don't take it personal.

Last but not least, if you know Mark....please give him your utmost respect and condolences. Poor bastard has to live with me as this all goes down.

Peace, Love, and Putt Putt Golf.
~~Max

Super Turbo!

Full Tilt has unveiled a new form of SNG tournament, called a super turbo. 300 chips to start instead of the normal 1500. I'm not always keen on flipping coins, but I figured I would try a few of these to see how they worked.

I wanted to play in today's MSOP event #29, $30+$3 NLHE. I noticed a few of the satellites to this event were super turbos. Two birds, one stone. I register and a few second later get seated, noticing that I only had 100 chips. Talk about flipping coins, that was sick....but I kinda liked it.

I played three of these super duper 100 chip turbos before getting lucky enough to win one, and I am currently playing in the MSOP event....poorly I might add. Currently 1117th out of 1149 remaining. Looks like I won't be missing dinner tonight.

Update: I actually made it to the second break in the MSOP event, and will be in the small blind with an impressive M of about 3.3 when the break is over.

I also had a lot of fun watching a short stack at another table win hand after hand to go from 4 chips to about 100 before finally busting out.

It Was Only a Matter of Time....

I'm breaking down and posting some poker content. Razz is terrible. When I am on, I can play the game very very well....when I'm not, I play like a fool. And it just so happens that Razz is the one poker variation that I can go on hard-core tilt while playing. Throw in a bunch of three of a kinds and three pair hands in one tourney, and I become unhappy. Such was the case tonight. I was already slightly on life tilt when I got home, had a splitting headache, and missed registering for the MSOP Heads-Up tourney on FT that I was looking forward to playing all week. So being the smart guy that I am, I decide the MSOP Razz event was more my calling for the day and decide to satellite my way in.

I play in a single table satellite where two seats are awarded. I play pretty well, get decent cards most of the tourney and find myself in 2nd chip position with only three players left. Of course I get a ton of bricks while the short stack makes good hands, and I finish third with nothing to show for an hour of Razz madness.

So I just buy in directly, feeling pretty good about my chances in the 643 person field. My patience and attention to detail when it comes to watching my opponents betting patterns should help me go deep into this tourney. Long story short, I finish 561st out of 643. A good hour into the tournament, but probably about two hours short of the money bubble. Way to go jackass.

Here is a microcosm of my Razz night. This wasn't the only time I saw this exact hand either.

UPDATE:
The good doctor is in Vegas covering the World Series as usual, here's what he had to say about today's Razz event that the MSOP event I played in was modeled after at 1% of the buy-in.

Event #26 Razz: The 5pm event just kicked off. I think FTrain is playing. I saw Jen Creason lurking around. She went deep in the Razz event in 2005. Yeah this is one of those existentialist days when I look out onto the Amazon floor and I think... what a bunch of fuckin' sadists. Only those twisted souls who thrive on pain are into this event. How do you prep for a Razz event at the WSOP? Wear a cup and invite all the neighborhood kids to come over and take turns kicking you in the junk. If you survive, you have balls of steel and can withstand the brutal insanity of Razz tournaments.

If you haven't already read Pauly's WSOP updates, go do it now. Hands down the cream of the blogger crop this time of the year. Show him some love.

In Case of Emergency....

I used to turn my phone ringer off whenever I went to bed, but decided a few years ago to leave it on every night just in case someone really needed to get a hold of me. I've let all of my friends know that if they needed someone in the middle of the night, and weren't sure who to call because it's late, that I would be available.

Sunday night/Monday morning I awoke just after midnight to my phone ringing. Looked at the phone to see if it was a wrong number I could just ignore. Nope, it was one of my friends. I answer, and after a few seconds of coming out of my groggy sleep fog assured my friend that I was fully awake and ready to listen to what was going on....even though I may have been stretching the truth a bit.

She gets straight to the point. She is driving home, which I can clearly hear is the case, and she got really scared. Scared to the point of being freaked out and needed to call me. She's scared that she's possibly being followed, or that someone is going to jump up from her back seat and get her. On my end, silence as I try and figure out what she is telling me. Finally the reason she is so scared comes out....

She was driving home from the movie theater, where she had just seen The Strangers. For some reason this girl, who is crazy afraid of scary movies, decided to go see one of the few movies that could freak her out, and at 10pm no less. When she knew she had to drive home alone. Now when I say crazy afraid, I mean it. I've taunted her about it before, pretty recently too when she was supposed to come over for a movie night with me and Mark.

I am well aware of how scary movies make her feel because SHE is well aware of it. Maybe not the best decision to go see that movie....I'm just sayin.

Bikenstein

The weather over the weekend was good for riding. Saturday was a little windy, but still nice and yesterday was just about perfect. Unfortunately I am still waiting on my front tire for my bike to be shipped, so the Hawk was out of commission all weekend. With my favorite two-wheeled companion down to one wheel and sitting helplessly on my bike jack, I decided some more work could be done to the old girl. I've always been top notch when it comes to taking things apart....and this is where we stand right now.

Hopefully it'll look something like normal in a week or so after I get all the parts I need to get her back on the road. And even more hopefully, everything will stay on the bike after I put it back together. I always wonder why there are extra screws/nuts/bolts when I put things together.