Saturday, July 26, 2008

Ch - Ch - Ch - Changes

While the new job means more scratch and more title, it's also quickly come to mean:
a) less free time
b) less blogging
c) less poker
oh, and d) much more evening/weekend work. 

Net/Net, it's all for the good.  I'm very much digging being back in the financial saddle.  The old job had a lot of near and mid-term stagnation, with a glimmer of massive upside.  I think the role I'm in now has a much more stable, predictable future associated with it. 

But I do miss the freedom.  I missed AIPS today, although it was for family reasons and not work.  And I wish I could play lots more because I've been cleaning up in the past couple weeks. 

* 6th in an 18 person token race, which misses the token but gets me some cash
* Got the token next time around
* A few good SNG performances
* A CHIMPScyber-bracelet in Stud (of all games) on Tuesday. 

The hilarious thing is that while Stud is a game that demands memory and concentration, I somehow won this while working AND going on tilt because the Metsbullpen blew a huge lead right in the middle of the final table.  Chalk it up to being a lucktard, I guess.  I don't have the hand history near me, but some key hands included making a crying call of someone's short-stacked naked bluff, getting dealt rolled up aces against the aggressive guy to my right, and then being a card rack late. 

* Also I've done well in the few cash games I dabbled in.  Last night was a great example.  I played about 30 hands, never saw an Ace better than AQo, never saw a pair higher than 99.  And I walked away with slightly more than 2x my initial buy-in.  Flopping a set of 4s in a semi-dangerous board against a loose passive guy (mid 80s VP$IP !!) and a calling station helped.  While there were straights out there by the river, and four board cards higher than the 4, neither of them had anything more than a pair.  I had a VP$IP in this session <20% which is small for 6-max, but I won most of the pots I dabbled in, never was down more than like $5 and thought I was playing sharp.  When you're playing against a table that plays tons and tons of hands, just wait for a hand and you'll get paid off.

Tonight is the home game.  It's been a while.  The thought process is to mix it up for the first three levels, then pick my spots thereafter.   I'm expecting some LAG play early on as we haven't played in about 6 weeks. 

I will bluff, at least early, but I will walk away if someone plays back, and I will value bet the hell out of made hands, because this group WILL pay you off.  Fingers crossed. 

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