anomaly16

July has been a pretty bad month online. At the beginning of the month I tried to make too many changes to my game, played far too many different types of games and played too much. Consequently I managed to lose everything I had won in June over the first two weeks of the month. I also played like a donkey in the Iron man freerolls and picked up nothing. I tried a new site simply because I could get rakeback there and didn't allow myself a chance to adjust to the software at low levels. Choosing a site that also doesn't have PT3 support when I'm trying to analyze my play more wasn't a good plan.

The remainder of the month has been a bit up and down and I seem to have lost confidence in my online play. I'm reassured by my live play that I've not lost it completely but I definitely need to focus more next month and try to stabilise online, play less and analyze more. I really need to translate my live game into the different formats and qualities of play online. Perhaps 45-seaters and picturing myself in a real casino will do the trick?!

On the plus side I've learnt some valuable lessons and I'm starting to do the things I should be (data mining, multi-tabling, analyzing etc..). I've also qualified for Iron Man at Silver level again so can have another shot at the freerolls.

I'd post some graphs and stats but its too depressing :( Back to the casino tonight to try for 5/5 final tables!

Went back to the Circus tonight for my 4th attempt at the £10 rebuy.

The rebuy period was pretty uneventful and I was at 7.7k at the break after 1 rebuy and an addon. With 2 tables left I was pretty short but a double up (my AJ vs AT) saw me through to the final table again as shortstack with 9k chips.

Fortunately there was talk of a saver and everyone agreed so 1st, 2nd and 3rd prize donated £200 to give £50 for 7th-10th. With guaranteed profit, a short stack and blinds of 2000/4000 I played some hands I might not have and doubled up twice (my A9 vs 99 and my 55 vs A6). I split the pot in another all-in as we both had AK. I then lost most of it with my A8 (sb) against KQ (bb) when I tried to get the blinds but recovered with another double with a small pair to 17k before my final hand...

We were down to 7 and another 17k stack raises to 10k. I pushed all-in with AKo and a large stack in the middle of us thought for some time and called. The original raiser was committed and called to show KTd and the big stack showed 99 - a pretty iffy call after a raise and re-raise. With AK and a pot of 51k+ chips I felt pretty good when the first card on the flop was an A. However the 3rd flop card was another 9 and it was all over :( As KT and I both had exactly the same chipcount we split the 6th prize of £100 and 7th of £50 to win £75.

So, 4 final tables in 4 attempts :) The times that I've cashed have been when I've entered the final table with the least chips ironically. And AK has been my losing hand on the last 2 occasions after being ahead at some point in the hand - it isn't called Big Slick for nothing!

Net win : +£44 (£75 - initial buyin - 1 rebuy - addon)

£10 rebuy placed:
1st=(with 3 others)/5? (£330)
8th/53 (£0)
8th/60 (£0)
6th=(with 1 other)/54 (£75)

£10 rebuy profit/loss :
+£289
-£41
-£31
+£44
------
+£261

I didn't intend to visit the casino tonight, but the usual friday home game was cancelled due to some no-shows and I didn't want to waste the trip into Edinburgh.

It was the £10 rebuy again and I made the break with around the same chipcount as last time but with 1 less rebuy. I dealt for the next couple of hours and barely had a hand but managed to hold onto my stack of around 7k.

When our table was broken up to fill the final two tables I landed in the big blind with AJ. 1st position limped and I took the pot with an all-in bet. Next hand he raised and I looked down to find myself with AK in the small blind. I re-raised all-in and he called in frustration I think and my AK triumphed over his KQ.

So, I reached the final table for the 3rd time in 3 attempts :) This time I had my biggest stack yet to get there (16.8k) and it had taken one less rebuy so was pretty pleased.

A few hands in and I'm on the BB with AK again. The pot had been raised by the button who had just lost a large pot to a shortstack (his A6 lost to KQ) so I was pretty sure I was ahead and went all-in. He thought for a while and called to show AQ. The flop brought a A but was otherwise uneventful. Still ahead at the turn, the dealer flips over a ****ing Q on the river :( Out 8th again and no money :( ARRRRRGGGGGHHHH!

Anyway, I played the best I've done there and was well ahead with the prospect of gathering around 30k chips and probably a good chance of getting to the money so I should be happy even I don't feel it right now!

Net loss : -£31 (-initial buyin - 1 rebuy - addon)

Just back from the casino finishing 8th just out of the money :( Its my 2nd attempt at this event and 2nd final table so pretty pleased with how I played even if there was no payout this time.

As usual the play was pretty terrible early on. I ended up dealing and gave myself QQ, KK (hitting another K on flop) and AT (2 pairs on the flop) each winning a decent pot. I made a good fold of AK to AA without losing too much and reached the break with 9.7k chips. After the break I made another 2k then our table was broken up as the original 53 players went down to 30. A few hands into the new table (blinds 300-600) I'm dealt AA in late position. A shortstack ahead of me goes all-in for 1300. I managed to mess up my raise to 2000 and its taken as a call - button and SB join the pot. The flop comes AK8 all clubs... SB goes all-in for another 3000. I raise all-in and the button calls (obviously with flush!). Turn is a blank but I'm saved with a 2nd K on the river for the nut full house :) I can't even remember what the other 2 had. My stack dwindles down from 22k to 16.1k before we reach the final table.

Starting the final table I'm in 8th chip position... money for 6th and above. In the first couple of rounds I won 2 sets of blinds uncontested. I then get TT and made a decent raise and a stack shorter than me goes all-in. I'm committed and have to call to see his AA which holds up leaving me with 3 blinds (6.1k). I waited patiently but had to make a stand with Q9d in 1st position which is met by AQ on the BB and despite the Q on the flop its all over.

So, I didn't make any bad mistakes. In retrospect I probably should have played more aggressively after my AA win and tried to build a more comfortable position for the final table. I'll have to shed some of my instinct for plain survival at that stage of a tournament and make the most of any tight table image I've built.

Net loss : -£41 (-initial buyin - 2 rebuys - addon)