A
ALSALEFTY
Rising Star
Bronze Level
Well it is early morning here at the casino.
I just went down to the coffee and confection shoppe.
A Starbucks Caff'e Mocha with an extra shot of espresso and a little raspberry, no whipped cream. And the confection shoppe has cherry turnovers. There goes the diet. LOL
I just went down to the coffee and confection shoppe.
A Starbucks Caff'e Mocha with an extra shot of espresso and a little raspberry, no whipped cream. And the confection shoppe has cherry turnovers. There goes the diet. LOL
If you read my last blog, you know I am here to pick up
three months worth of household expenses, pay for my food and lodging. I am fortunate that I get a reasonable rate on the room, frequent player discount. Whats funny to me about that is, my lovely bride set up our rooming account in her maiden name. When I asked her why, she said, "I don't want anyone to know you gamble for a living." And you all thought I was conservative. Then of course we had the discussion about how Poker is a game of skill, this blog would be pages long if I went into details on that little exchange of ideas. Anyway, I have only had one really expensive meal. This is more of a work than pleasure trip.
three months worth of household expenses, pay for my food and lodging. I am fortunate that I get a reasonable rate on the room, frequent player discount. Whats funny to me about that is, my lovely bride set up our rooming account in her maiden name. When I asked her why, she said, "I don't want anyone to know you gamble for a living." And you all thought I was conservative. Then of course we had the discussion about how Poker is a game of skill, this blog would be pages long if I went into details on that little exchange of ideas. Anyway, I have only had one really expensive meal. This is more of a work than pleasure trip.
I see that starting tomorrow the poker room is having a very cool tournament Set up running through to a 20k event. Here is the game.
$30,000 Bailout Weekend
$20,000 Poker Tournament with $30 entry fee
$30 Qualifiers held four times daily, Wednesday, September 22 - Saturday, September 25 at 11am, 2pm, 5pm, & 8pm.
Modified Shootout Format - 15 minute levels, 2,000 chips, top 2 from each table advance to Sunday's main event.
Main event on Sunday September 26, 2010 at 10am, no direct buys, must place in top 2 in a $30 qualifier between September 22 - September 25 to play. Deep Stack Turbo format, 15 minute levels, 20,000 chips.
$20,000 Prize Pool Payout1st - $5,0007th - $60013th - $33019th - $28025th - $2502nd - $2,7508th - $50014th - $33020th - $28026th - $2103rd - $1,8009th - $45015th - $33021st - $25027th - $2104th - $1,25010th - $40016th - $31022nd - $25028th - $2105th - $1,00011th - $35017th - $31023rd - $25029th - $2106th - $80012th - $35018th - $28024th - $25030th - $210
*Tournament seats are non-transferrable and non-refundable. No exceptions. Players will be required to show picture ID at their Tournament Table prior to receiving their chips. Anybody winning more than once will be paid $1000 in chips for subsequent wins.
I really like this format (except for the turbo part) but 20k in chips should help me out. I have played it before, and finished ITM so this game will be a must play. I really love the no direct buyins.
So have I reached my goal of three months worth of household expenses. The answer is no.
I have covered my food and lodging expenses and made a little over 1k and have a long way to go.
When you play PLO, it is important to remember there can be hugh swings in your bankroll. I started out with 1k and at one point was down to $200. It is also most important to remember "Do not panic" if this happens. You have to play through this, and at one point I won four hands in a row and was then ahead of the game. At this table it is important to play loose early as well or you wont get any action. If you play tight from the get go, it is fold city everytime you are in a hand. Loose aggresive and you get tons of action, maybe four players in the hand with you. Then switch to Selective aggresive and it is cash time.
Guess what I have a Laptop Problem. The battery is old and won't hold a charge and the charger won't work because the battery is bad. Time to run into Syracuse and get a new Battery.
See you all soon, Thank You for reading.
#2
I've been here at Turning Stone for about a week now.
Here is the update on my progress.
So far it has been a serious grind. I am way behind my goal,
and that is one reason why I am still here. Over all I am up 1,767.00, that is after expenses. It looks like I will need to keep the grind going for a bit longer.
I did take a break last night to play an online game, I promised to play. but my real attention was in the poker room.
So I probably should have skipped the game, but I needed a break from the green felt.
I have only played one qualifier in the Bailout Weekend and I finished 4th. It is a shootout format and the top 2 at each table get in the 20k game on sunday.
We have four $30.00 qualifiers today starting at 11:00 am so that will be my focus. No direct butins so I need a solid top 2 to get in.
I played very loose aggresive in the 4th place finish and got tons of action, and was the chip leader much of the time. But suckouts happen. I will continue this style of play today and hopefully I can get qualified with one shot. I will then go to the cash tables and switch my game from PLO to NL Holdem. The simple reason being the weekend and there will be players building a stack and then coming to the 500min/1000max table with short stacks and I seem to do well against them.
#3
I am so happy to be going home finally.
As I type this, I am thinking some might say " AL is an ungrateful Bastard, He gets to play poker all day every day in beautiful surroundings." And I'm complaining, lol !
The truth is, playing for income is very serious business.
It's a grind for long hours and sometime's zero gain or a loss. It really is work, some days I may play for 16 hours with only taking 2 short meal breaks. If you read my last blog, you know I was behind on my goal and had 2 sessions of losses this week. I set a strategy for play on Saturday.
Here is how saturday went. Friday was a late night so I slept in, which is very uncommon for me.
I had my first qualifier at 11:00am for the Sunday 20k.
So it's free coffee and donuts at the table and here we go.
There were 5 tables of 10 with 2 at each table getting in. So It's a shootout format. The play was very loose, I mean it was looser than Lindsey Lohan. LOL sorry that wasn't nice. I apologize Lindsey.
I finished forth again after being the chip leader. I'm sorry but I'm not a very good turbo player. I guess all those turbos I've been avoiding online would serve me well in these Live Qualifiers.
Never thought I would need a solid Turbo strategy and I was wrong.
We get 2000 chips and 15min. blinds with antes at level 4. I will need to change my strategy and go to the cash tables they are Bread & Butter for an income player.
I sign up for 200min/500max NL Holdem with blinds of 2 & 5.
I have to wait for a few minutes for a new table to start. I see a dealer sit down at table 29 in the corner and know that there will soon be a call to join the table. I rush right over and sit at seat 5. (the best seat) I will be flanked by 4 to my right and 4 to my left, perfect view.
One of the best changes Turning Stone has made is to go to 9 player tables instead of 10.
I would prefer 6 myself, I like to play short, probably because I play so much 6 handed cash online. They also did away with 100max tables, which were sick to play on. Now the lowest NL tables are 50min/200max.
The cast of players are 5 regulars including myself. 3 college students and a Irish woman
there for a conference. She says the conference is boring and decided to play some poker. Now she has gold on every finger and about 15 bracelets, is about 45 I'm guessing. My antenna go up immediately. Will she be my ATM and pay my mortgage for the next six months, or will it be the young kid in seat 9 that looks so young he could smear milk on his face and have his cat lick it off to get a good shave of the peach fuzz? LOL ! I apologize.
I first get a feel for the table and only dabble in a few hands for info.
I soon realize this will be an action table. 3 of the regs are action all day and the kid is playing every hand with any 2 cards and winning like crazy. He is eating the more experienced action players alive and soon we have a ton of money in play with all the busting and rebuying. Most every hand now will cost $35 to see a flop and I am excited to see this.
Now that the action players are completely frustrated with this kid, it is time for me to go to work.
The action players are now seeing flops and folding on the turn if they don't have the nuts. So huge pots.
My first pot is against the Irish woman. Her K K 10 10 to my flush, and yes I played 3c/5c and caught on the turn. She busts and leaves the table.
My next pot is against one of the regulars who I don't play to often. He is primarily a tourney player who likes to tell everyone how to play after the hand is over. I bust him with trips to his 2 pairs and he of course complains about my play. I check called the flop. And he felt I should have raised. I politely told him I wanted him in the hand and really needed his chips to pay my new car payment. And I got some good chuckles from the rest of the table. This was a gratifying win, he is an arrogant ***** to most everyone. He thinks way more of himself than necessary. I might be arrogant, but I'm not a *****. LOL
It is time to turn my attention to the Peach Fuzz Kid. (his new nickname)
He has almost $3,000.00 and I have about $2,500.00
We mix it up for 5 hands in a row with him winning 1 hand with 99 to my AK. Everyone cleared the way for this salvo and sat back in amazement at the hands he was playing and at the finish of each hand they would ask me to have the dealer show his cards when he would muck on the river after making the call.
The final hand in this battle was his 3/4 off straight to my 6h/7h flush. He was left with $500.00 and left the table, only to cashout $300.00 and sit in with the min. And of course you can't sit at a table with $200.00 when everyone else has at least $500.00 and some of us $4,000.00 and $5,000.00
So I ate his $200.00 for a snack and his comment is, "it's a good thing I cashed out $300.00 before I lost it all." I told him that was a very mature thing to do, and someday with more experience that strategy will serve him well. He leaves the table and the action players complain about his play, and to me for encouraging him. I told them, "he took your money and gave it to me." Why wouldn't I encourage him. LOL And besides "I think he will be a great player someday and crush all of us."
He has a passion and determination to learn the game, and at some point the Torch will and must pass to these young men and women.
Ok, My work is done, I cashout, and what a relief my task is completed. In 6 hours of play I did what I have been trying to do all week and could not. No, I am not going to try to qualify for the Sunday 20k. I am spent. I have enough energy for the Prime Rib on the Buffet and that is it, "Screw You Guys I'm Going Home." - Cartman. LOL !
There were times this week I questioned my sanity.
I asked myself do you really want to do this? I had to go outside a few times and take very deep breaths of fresh country air to Clear the evil building in my head !
Thank You all for sharing this journey with me.