Still looking up, I suppose

1100 hands tonight, winning $78, which could be considered a mildly successful session. I'm still raw as hell, though, considering I finished down $190 in all-in equity. So fuckin' gross.

FullTiltPoker Game #6231318982: Table Waterhen - $0.50/$1 - No Limit Hold'em - 0:57:28 ET - 2008/04/30
Seat 1: FoldNow13 ($242.70)
Seat 2: firepara8 ($104.60)
Seat 3: Stonewall321 ($80)
Seat 4: rollthadice4 ($100)
Seat 5: StevenMoore12 ($45.75)
Seat 6: turoati ($183.50)
Seat 7: JTBAAA ($40)
Seat 8: gdshaffer ($119.40)
Seat 9: K Syrah ($112.95)
K Syrah posts the small blind of $0.50
FoldNow13 posts the big blind of $1
JTBAAA posts $1
The button is in seat #8
*** HOLE CARDS ***
Dealt to gdshaffer [Ad Ah]
firepara8 folds
rollthadice4 raises to $4.50
StevenMoore12 folds
turoati folds
JTBAAA calls $3.50
gdshaffer has 15 seconds left to act
gdshaffer raises to $20
K Syrah folds
FoldNow13 folds
rollthadice4 calls $15.50
JTBAAA folds
*** FLOP *** [6d 3h Kh]
rollthadice4 checks
gdshaffer bets $40
rollthadice4 has 15 seconds left to act
rollthadice4 has requested TIME
rollthadice4 raises to $80, and is all in
gdshaffer calls $40
rollthadice4 shows [As Ks]
gdshaffer shows [Ad Ah]
*** TURN *** [6d 3h Kh] [Kc]
*** RIVER *** [6d 3h Kh Kc] [8s]
rollthadice4 shows three of a kind, Kings
gdshaffer shows two pair, Aces and Kings
rollthadice4 wins the pot ($203) with three of a kind, Kings
gdshaffer adds $80.60
*** SUMMARY ***
Total pot $206 | Rake $3
Board: [6d 3h Kh Kc 8s]
Seat 1: FoldNow13 (big blind) folded before the Flop
Seat 2: firepara8 didn't bet (folded)
Seat 3: Stonewall321 is sitting out
Seat 4: rollthadice4 showed [As Ks] and won ($203) with three of a kind, Kings
Seat 5: StevenMoore12 didn't bet (folded)
Seat 6: turoati didn't bet (folded)
Seat 7: JTBAAA folded before the Flop
Seat 8: gdshaffer (button) showed [Ad Ah] and lost with two pair, Aces and Kings
Seat 9: K Syrah (small blind) folded before the Flop

I suppose I can't blame the guy for getting it in here, seeing as how I stacked off in a very similar situation yesterday. But losing a 2-outer just sucks.

Hey, and speaking of 2-outers...

FullTiltPoker Game #6231936273: Table Anasazi - $0.50/$1 - No Limit Hold'em - 2:06:56 ET - 2008/04/30
Seat 1: Tsutsui ($112.10)
Seat 2: Party Ross ($79.80)
Seat 3: Sukky ($91.85)
Seat 4: Walter Jimenez ($121.50)
Seat 5: BadPacket ($56.55)
Seat 6: gdshaffer ($125.15)
Seat 7: daxmv22 ($64.50)
Seat 8: Green Diamonds ($126.85)
Seat 9: danstar ($116.75)
Sukky posts the small blind of $0.50
Walter Jimenez: lol
Walter Jimenez has 5 seconds left to act
Walter Jimenez is sitting out
BadPacket posts the big blind of $1
The button is in seat #2
*** HOLE CARDS ***
Dealt to gdshaffer [4c 4s]
gdshaffer calls $1
daxmv22 folds
Green Diamonds folds
Walter Jimenez: yea me too?
danstar calls $1
Tsutsui folds
Party Ross calls $1
Sukky calls $0.50
BadPacket raises to $4
gdshaffer calls $3
danstar calls $3
Sukky: not in 87
Party Ross calls $3
Sukky calls $3
*** FLOP *** [4h Jd Td]
Sukky checks
BadPacket bets $10
gdshaffer has 15 seconds left to act
gdshaffer raises to $30
danstar folds
Party Ross folds
Sukky: wow
Sukky has 15 seconds left to act
Sukky folds
Walter Jimenez: so much for that psychic power
Sukky: my pot
BadPacket raises to $52.55, and is all in
gdshaffer calls $22.55
BadPacket shows [Qh Qs]
gdshaffer shows [4c 4s]
*** TURN *** [4h Jd Td] [6s]
*** RIVER *** [4h Jd Td 6s] [Qd]
BadPacket shows three of a kind, Queens
gdshaffer shows three of a kind, Fours
BadPacket wins the pot ($122.10) with three of a kind, Queens
*** SUMMARY ***
Total pot $125.10 | Rake $3
Board: [4h Jd Td 6s Qd]
Seat 1: Tsutsui didn't bet (folded)
Seat 2: Party Ross (button) folded on the Flop
Seat 3: Sukky (small blind) folded on the Flop
Seat 4: Walter Jimenez is sitting out
Seat 5: BadPacket (big blind) showed [Qh Qs] and won ($122.10) with three of a kind, Queens
Seat 6: gdshaffer showed [4c 4s] and lost with three of a kind, Fours
Seat 7: daxmv22 didn't bet (folded)
Seat 8: Green Diamonds didn't bet (folded)
Seat 9: danstar folded on the Flop

Another fun one...

FullTiltPoker Game #6231479848: Table Leafwood - $0.50/$1 - No Limit Hold'em - 1:14:18 ET - 2008/04/30
Seat 1: Pokits ($35)
Seat 2: davo_T ($46.70)
Seat 3: Looch333 ($109.25)
Seat 4: caraiser20 ($54.40)
Seat 5: gdshaffer ($124.05)
Seat 6: actionjim43 ($37)
Seat 7: HiarCard ($40.90)
Seat 8: john1226 ($60)
Seat 9: golf13hh ($10.75)
caraiser20 posts the small blind of $0.50
gdshaffer posts the big blind of $1
The button is in seat #3
*** HOLE CARDS ***
Dealt to gdshaffer [Qc Qh]
actionjim43 folds
HiarCard calls $1
john1226 folds
golf13hh raises to $3
Pokits folds
davo_T folds
Looch333 folds
caraiser20 folds
gdshaffer raises to $11
HiarCard calls $10
golf13hh calls $7.75, and is all in
*** FLOP *** [2c Ts 6d]
gdshaffer bets $30
HiarCard has 15 seconds left to act
HiarCard has requested TIME
HiarCard folds
gdshaffer shows [Qc Qh]
golf13hh shows [Th Tc]
Uncalled bet of $30 returned to gdshaffer
*** TURN *** [2c Ts 6d] [6h]
*** RIVER *** [2c Ts 6d 6h] [9c]
gdshaffer wins the side pot ($0.45)
gdshaffer shows two pair, Queens and Sixes
golf13hh shows a full house, Tens full of Sixes
golf13hh wins the main pot ($31.15) with a full house, Tens full of Sixes
*** SUMMARY ***
Total pot $33.25 Main pot $32.75. Side pot $0.50. | Rake $1.65
Board: [2c Ts 6d 6h 9c]
Seat 1: Pokits didn't bet (folded)
Seat 2: davo_T didn't bet (folded)
Seat 3: Looch333 (button) didn't bet (folded)
Seat 4: caraiser20 (small blind) folded before the Flop
Seat 5: gdshaffer (big blind) showed [Qc Qh] and won ($0.45) with two pair, Queens and Sixes
Seat 6: actionjim43 didn't bet (folded)
Seat 7: HiarCard folded on the Flop
Seat 8: john1226 didn't bet (folded)
Seat 9: golf13hh showed [Th Tc] and won ($31.15) with a full house, Tens full of Sixes

Luckily there were idiots aplenty:

FullTiltPoker Game #6231558802: Table McKnight - $0.50/$1 - No Limit Hold'em - 1:23:01 ET - 2008/04/30
Seat 1: Ital-06 ($163.95)
Seat 2: wendyzee ($43.25)
Seat 3: OkTemptMe ($44.25)
Seat 4: TILTASAURUSREX ($129.25)
Seat 5: gdshaffer ($105)
Seat 6: porcherie ($182.20)
Seat 7: KingSnypeR ($41.95)
Seat 8: Green Diamonds ($143.80)
Seat 9: aogpf ($98)
KingSnypeR: soo gross
aogpf posts the small blind of $0.50
Ital-06 posts the big blind of $1
The button is in seat #8
*** HOLE CARDS ***
Dealt to gdshaffer [Ad As]
wendyzee calls $1
OkTemptMe folds
TILTASAURUSREX raises to $4.50
gdshaffer raises to $16
porcherie: sorry angel
porcherie folds
KingSnypeR adds $24
KingSnypeR folds
Green Diamonds folds
aogpf calls $15.50
Ital-06 folds
wendyzee folds
TILTASAURUSREX has 15 seconds left to act
TILTASAURUSREX folds
*** FLOP *** [6c Tc 6h]
aogpf checks
gdshaffer bets $30
aogpf calls $30
*** TURN *** [6c Tc 6h] [7c]
porcherie stands up
aogpf checks
gdshaffer bets $59, and is all in
aogpf calls $52, and is all in
gdshaffer shows [Ad As]
aogpf shows [Ac Qd]
Uncalled bet of $7 returned to gdshaffer
*** RIVER *** [6c Tc 6h 7c] [7d]
gdshaffer shows two pair, Aces and Sevens
aogpf shows two pair, Sevens and Sixes
gdshaffer wins the pot ($199.50) with two pair, Aces and Sevens
aogpf adds $20
*** SUMMARY ***
Total pot $202.50 | Rake $3
Board: [6c Tc 6h 7c 7d]
Seat 1: Ital-06 (big blind) folded before the Flop
Seat 2: wendyzee folded before the Flop
Seat 3: OkTemptMe didn't bet (folded)
Seat 4: TILTASAURUSREX folded before the Flop
Seat 5: gdshaffer showed [Ad As] and won ($199.50) with two pair, Aces and Sevens
Seat 6: porcherie didn't bet (folded)
Seat 7: KingSnypeR didn't bet (folded)
Seat 8: Green Diamonds (button) didn't bet (folded)
Seat 9: aogpf (small blind) showed [Ac Qd] and lost with two pair, Sevens and Sixes

FullTiltPoker Game #6231537712: Table Painted Peak - $0.50/$1 - No Limit Hold'em - 1:20:40 ET - 2008/04/30
Seat 1: gdshaffer ($113.35)
Seat 2: Walter Jimenez ($49.50)
Seat 3: Stonewall321 ($77.40)
Seat 4: turoati ($192.20)
Seat 5: ernmando ($18.50)
Seat 6: rdy4theFIESTA ($128.70)
Seat 7: Green Diamonds ($122.25)
Seat 8: bbqboy ($157.65)
Seat 9: iluvlindsay ($163.50)
bbqboy posts the small blind of $0.50
iluvlindsay posts the big blind of $1
The button is in seat #7
*** HOLE CARDS ***
Dealt to gdshaffer [Ah As]
gdshaffer raises to $3.50
Walter Jimenez folds
Stonewall321 folds
turoati folds
ernmando folds
rdy4theFIESTA folds
Green Diamonds folds
bbqboy calls $3
iluvlindsay folds
*** FLOP *** [8s 2d 2c]
bbqboy bets $8
gdshaffer calls $8
*** TURN *** [8s 2d 2c] [3s]
bbqboy bets $4
gdshaffer raises to $12
bbqboy calls $8
*** RIVER *** [8s 2d 2c 3s] [6c]
bbqboy has 15 seconds left to act
bbqboy bets $11
gdshaffer raises to $22
bbqboy calls $11
*** SHOW DOWN ***
gdshaffer shows [Ah As] two pair, Aces and Twos
bbqboy mucks
gdshaffer wins the pot ($89) with two pair, Aces and Twos
*** SUMMARY ***
Total pot $92 | Rake $3
Board: [8s 2d 2c 3s 6c]
Seat 1: gdshaffer showed [Ah As] and won ($89) with two pair, Aces and Twos
Seat 2: Walter Jimenez didn't bet (folded)
Seat 3: Stonewall321 didn't bet (folded)
Seat 4: turoati didn't bet (folded)
Seat 5: ernmando didn't bet (folded)
Seat 6: rdy4theFIESTA didn't bet (folded)
Seat 7: Green Diamonds (button) didn't bet (folded)
Seat 8: bbqboy (small blind) mucked [8c Qc] - two pair, Eights and Twos
Seat 9: iluvlindsay (big blind) folded before the Flop

I haven't changed a damn thing about my game since my downswing, but I'm almost halfway out of it. I do think I'm tilting less, which makes a difference, and I'm not playing with distractions.

In any case, more GTA4 awaits, but I think it's bedtime tonight.

Semi-epic comeback

Today started out pretty horrifically, with a nonstop downward spiral to -$312. I hit one cooler hand that set up a little history:

FullTiltPoker Game #6217325848: Table Sun Reef - $0.50/$1 - No Limit Hold'em - 22:54:49 ET - 2008/04/28
Seat 1: uhwtf ($98)
Seat 2: booger369 ($224.65)
Seat 3: gdshaffer ($106.95)
Seat 4: SA_Matador ($97.55)
Seat 5: Untouchable4u2 ($29.55)
Seat 6: pgriv ($275.25)
Seat 7: MGilly200 ($80.45)
Seat 8: Azuos ($149.80)
Seat 9: widowmaker0 ($39.80)
Azuos posts the small blind of $0.50
widowmaker0 posts the big blind of $1
The button is in seat #7
*** HOLE CARDS ***
Dealt to gdshaffer [9d 9c]
uhwtf folds
pgriv: LOL
booger369 folds
gdshaffer raises to $3.50
pgriv: on that bet
SA_Matador folds
Untouchable4u2 folds
pgriv: I folded to laugh
pgriv has 15 seconds left to act
pgriv calls $3.50
MGilly200 folds
Azuos folds
widowmaker0 folds
*** FLOP *** [7c 9s 8h]
gdshaffer bets $8
pgriv has 15 seconds left to act
pgriv: re raise
pgriv raises to $32.50
gdshaffer: all in
gdshaffer has 15 seconds left to act
gdshaffer raises to $103.45, and is all in
pgriv calls $70.95
gdshaffer shows [9d 9c]
pgriv shows [Th Jc]
*** TURN *** [7c 9s 8h] [5d]
*** RIVER *** [7c 9s 8h 5d] [6d]
gdshaffer shows a straight, Nine high
pgriv shows a straight, Jack high
pgriv wins the pot ($212.40) with a straight, Jack high
gdshaffer adds $100
*** SUMMARY ***
Total pot $215.40 | Rake $3
Board: [7c 9s 8h 5d 6d]
Seat 1: uhwtf didn't bet (folded)
Seat 2: booger369 didn't bet (folded)
Seat 3: gdshaffer showed [9d 9c] and lost with a straight, Nine high
Seat 4: SA_Matador didn't bet (folded)
Seat 5: Untouchable4u2 didn't bet (folded)
Seat 6: pgriv showed [Th Jc] and won ($212.40) with a straight, Jack high
Seat 7: MGilly200 (button) didn't bet (folded)
Seat 8: Azuos (small blind) folded before the Flop
Seat 9: widowmaker0 (big blind) folded before the Flop

I didn't have much of a read on this player at this point, but as time went on, it became clear that he was an absolute maniac. His stats were something along the lines of 74/25/8.0, and he was capable of putting any amount of chips into the middle with any two cards. To counter, I played with my normal anti-maniac strategy: set traps and play with utter passivity until the river.

A hand that set up some things to come:

FullTiltPoker Game #6218209898: Table Sun Reef - $0.50/$1 - No Limit Hold'em - 0:06:54 ET - 2008/04/29
Seat 1: uhwtf ($158.25)
Seat 2: booger369 ($105.35)
Seat 3: gdshaffer ($100.65)
Seat 4: SA_Matador ($273.70)
Seat 5: Thaddypants ($99)
Seat 6: pgriv ($428.60)
Seat 7: MGilly200 ($250.25)
Seat 8: El Nino 1 ($100)
Seat 9: mce86 ($48.65)
Thaddypants posts the small blind of $0.50
pgriv posts the big blind of $1
The button is in seat #4
*** HOLE CARDS ***
Dealt to gdshaffer [7s 7d]
MGilly200 folds
El Nino 1 folds
mce86 has 15 seconds left to act
mce86 folds
uhwtf folds
booger369 folds
gdshaffer raises to $3.50
SA_Matador folds
Thaddypants folds
pgriv calls $2.50
*** FLOP *** [9d 5c 7h]
pgriv checks
gdshaffer checks
*** TURN *** [9d 5c 7h] [Qd]
pgriv bets $7.50
gdshaffer calls $7.50
*** RIVER *** [9d 5c 7h Qd] [8h]
pgriv bets $1
gdshaffer calls $1
*** SHOW DOWN ***
pgriv shows [Js 6h] a straight, Nine high
gdshaffer mucks
pgriv wins the pot ($23.30) with a straight, Nine high
gdshaffer adds $11.35
*** SUMMARY ***
Total pot $24.50 | Rake $1.20
Board: [9d 5c 7h Qd 8h]
Seat 1: uhwtf didn't bet (folded)
Seat 2: booger369 didn't bet (folded)
Seat 3: gdshaffer mucked [7s 7d] - three of a kind, Sevens
Seat 4: SA_Matador (button) didn't bet (folded)
Seat 5: Thaddypants (small blind) folded before the Flop
Seat 6: pgriv (big blind) showed [Js 6h] and won ($23.30) with a straight, Nine high
Seat 7: MGilly200 didn't bet (folded)
Seat 8: El Nino 1 didn't bet (folded)
Seat 9: mce86 didn't bet (folded)

Now, this is a VERY strange way to play a set of 7's but against this player it was 100% correct. This player was capable of folding, but had a betting reflex so severe you could melt steel with it. I groaned a little inside when I saw the four-straight hit and the $1 bet, knowing with about 95% certainty that that meant he hit it.

In the meantime, at another table, I got a boost with the following hand:

FullTiltPoker Game #6218840644: Table Sierra - $0.50/$1 - No Limit Hold'em - 1:05:48 ET - 2008/04/29
Seat 1: cedrik44 ($38.50)
Seat 2: joepoker77 ($100)
Seat 3: FrankenHooker66 ($78.50)
Seat 4: pauly007 ($105.05)
Seat 5: NavY749 ($100)
Seat 6: pavelzzz ($100.50)
Seat 7: gdshaffer ($235.10)
Seat 8: ORLYFOOL ($176.50)
Seat 9: pdxkayaker ($225.30)
joepoker77 posts the small blind of $0.50
FrankenHooker66 posts the big blind of $1
The button is in seat #1
*** HOLE CARDS ***
Dealt to gdshaffer [5d 5s]
pauly007 folds
NavY749 has 15 seconds left to act
NavY749 folds
pavelzzz calls $1
gdshaffer calls $1
ORLYFOOL calls $1
pdxkayaker raises to $6.50
cedrik44 has 15 seconds left to act
cedrik44 folds
joepoker77 has 15 seconds left to act
joepoker77 calls $6
FrankenHooker66 folds
pavelzzz calls $5.50
gdshaffer calls $5.50
ORLYFOOL calls $5.50
*** FLOP *** [5h Qc Jh]
joepoker77 checks
pavelzzz checks
gdshaffer bets $22
ORLYFOOL folds
pdxkayaker calls $22
joepoker77 adds $6.50
joepoker77 folds
pavelzzz has 15 seconds left to act
pavelzzz raises to $94, and is all in
gdshaffer calls $72
pdxkayaker folds
pavelzzz shows [9h 8h]
gdshaffer shows [5d 5s]
*** TURN *** [5h Qc Jh] [Qh]
*** RIVER *** [5h Qc Jh Qh] [Kh]
pavelzzz shows a flush, King high
gdshaffer shows a full house, Fives full of Queens
gdshaffer wins the pot ($240.50) with a full house, Fives full of Queens
pavelzzz is sitting out
*** SUMMARY ***
Total pot $243.50 | Rake $3
Board: [5h Qc Jh Qh Kh]
Seat 1: cedrik44 (button) didn't bet (folded)
Seat 2: joepoker77 (small blind) folded on the Flop
Seat 3: FrankenHooker66 (big blind) folded before the Flop
Seat 4: pauly007 didn't bet (folded)
Seat 5: NavY749 didn't bet (folded)
Seat 6: pavelzzz showed [9h 8h] and lost with a flush, King high
Seat 7: gdshaffer showed [5d 5s] and won ($240.50) with a full house, Fives full of Queens
Seat 8: ORLYFOOL folded on the Flop
Seat 9: pdxkayaker folded on the Flop

Just lucky there. I was almost exactly a 2:1 favorite after the flop, but of course you can't blame the other guy for getting it in with the monster draw.

I also received a late birthday gift:

FullTiltPoker Game #6217400331: Table Sierra - $0.50/$1 - No Limit Hold'em - 23:00:37 ET - 2008/04/28
Seat 1: booger369 ($173.50)
Seat 2: MaxVenator ($142)
Seat 3: wainwold ($10)
Seat 4: Matty_Mat ($123.80)
Seat 5: PQPvenci ($110.10)
Seat 6: CountyBoy222 ($42.50)
Seat 7: gdshaffer ($100)
Seat 8: GMoney2001 ($120.10)
Seat 9: genocha ($89.75)
CountyBoy222 posts the small blind of $0.50
gdshaffer posts the big blind of $1
The button is in seat #5
*** HOLE CARDS ***
Dealt to gdshaffer [6c 8c]
GMoney2001 folds
genocha folds
booger369 folds
MaxVenator raises to $3
wainwold folds
Matty_Mat folds
PQPvenci calls $3
CountyBoy222 folds
gdshaffer calls $2
*** FLOP *** [6h Qc 8s]
gdshaffer checks
MaxVenator bets $4
PQPvenci calls $4
gdshaffer raises to $12
MaxVenator has 15 seconds left to act
MaxVenator folds
PQPvenci calls $8
*** TURN *** [6h Qc 8s] [Js]
gdshaffer has 15 seconds left to act
gdshaffer bets $35
PQPvenci calls $35
*** RIVER *** [6h Qc 8s Js] [3c]
gdshaffer bets $50, and is all in
PQPvenci has 15 seconds left to act
PQPvenci calls $50
*** SHOW DOWN ***
gdshaffer shows [6c 8c] two pair, Eights and Sixes
PQPvenci mucks
gdshaffer wins the pot ($204.50) with two pair, Eights and Sixes
*** SUMMARY ***
Total pot $207.50 | Rake $3
Board: [6h Qc 8s Js 3c]
Seat 1: booger369 didn't bet (folded)
Seat 2: MaxVenator folded on the Flop
Seat 3: wainwold didn't bet (folded)
Seat 4: Matty_Mat didn't bet (folded)
Seat 5: PQPvenci (button) mucked [9d 9h] - a pair of Nines
Seat 6: CountyBoy222 (small blind) folded before the Flop
Seat 7: gdshaffer (big blind) showed [6c 8c] and won ($204.50) with two pair, Eights and Sixes
Seat 8: GMoney2001 didn't bet (folded)
Seat 9: genocha didn't bet (folded)

Honestly a pretty sick value bet on the river. Obv I didn't really believe he had the straight but can't believe how lightly he stacked off to me.

And then things really turned around with this crazy hand:

FullTiltPoker Game #6218662478: Table Sun Reef - $0.50/$1 - No Limit Hold'em - 0:47:59 ET - 2008/04/29
Seat 1: uhwtf ($139.15)
Seat 2: Oaklandish ($191.85)
Seat 3: gdshaffer ($131)
Seat 4: boognish_deuces ($118.50)
Seat 5: tt50603 ($85.35)
Seat 6: pgriv ($556.05)
Seat 7: MGilly200 ($83.50)
Seat 8: El Nino 1 ($146.05)
Seat 9: mce86 ($93.65)
Oaklandish posts the small blind of $0.50
gdshaffer posts the big blind of $1
The button is in seat #1
*** HOLE CARDS ***
Dealt to gdshaffer [6c Ac]
boognish_deuces folds
tt50603 folds
pgriv raises to $3
MGilly200 calls $3
El Nino 1 folds
mce86 has 15 seconds left to act
mce86 calls $3
uhwtf folds
Oaklandish folds
gdshaffer calls $2
*** FLOP *** [6s 5c Th]
gdshaffer checks
pgriv bets $7
MGilly200 folds
mce86 folds
gdshaffer calls $7
*** TURN *** [6s 5c Th] [Qd]
gdshaffer checks
pgriv bets $22.50
gdshaffer calls $22.50
*** RIVER *** [6s 5c Th Qd] [9d]
gdshaffer checks
pgriv has 15 seconds left to act
pgriv bets $50
gdshaffer has 15 seconds left to act
gdshaffer has requested TIME
gdshaffer calls $50
*** SHOW DOWN ***
pgriv shows [8s 2h] Queen Ten high
gdshaffer shows [6c Ac] a pair of Sixes
gdshaffer wins the pot ($168.50) with a pair of Sixes
*** SUMMARY ***
Total pot $171.50 | Rake $3
Board: [6s 5c Th Qd 9d]
Seat 1: uhwtf (button) didn't bet (folded)
Seat 2: Oaklandish (small blind) folded before the Flop
Seat 3: gdshaffer (big blind) showed [6c Ac] and won ($168.50) with a pair of Sixes
Seat 4: boognish_deuces didn't bet (folded)
Seat 5: tt50603 didn't bet (folded)
Seat 6: pgriv showed [8s 2h] and lost with Queen Ten high
Seat 7: MGilly200 folded on the Flop
Seat 8: El Nino 1 didn't bet (folded)
Seat 9: mce86 folded on the Flop

It was the maniac again, and a few hands ago I'd folded KK to him after the flop came 9TJ and the turn came an A. There was a good chance he was bluffing then, and the action was almost identical to this one: PSB's in a multiway on the flop and turn, but the two hands felt nevertheless totally different.

So why did I show up with the epic hero call here? It was totally an issue of timing. The bets were IMMEDIATE, and every time this guy had had a hand he'd hollywooded before his bets. I knew that he had me pegged as a big pussy and the entire hand just felt bluffy from start to finish. And so I made my stand, and it paid off.

From there everything just seemed to turn around. After dropping down over $300 I told myself I'd be happy if I could make even half of it back, but kept hitting hands. Here was another fun Christmas gift.

FullTiltPoker Game #6219149552: Table Grand Hills - $0.50/$1 - No Limit Hold'em - 1:39:47 ET - 2008/04/29
liftedxchevy stands up
Seat 1: CATZEL36 ($121.20)
Seat 2: gdshaffer ($159.65)
Seat 3: profisee ($84.45)
Seat 4: giveusakiss ($83.55)
Seat 5: CarolynS ($130.65)
Seat 6: PhD_Chemist ($49.55)
Seat 7: liftedxchevy ($0), is sitting out
Seat 8: booger369 ($100)
Seat 9: Hardspoon ($23.75)
giveusakiss posts the small blind of $0.50
CarolynS posts the big blind of $1
The button is in seat #3
*** HOLE CARDS ***
Dealt to gdshaffer [5c 4c]
PhD_Chemist raises to $3.50
TommyRoberts adds $20
booger369 calls $3.50
Hardspoon folds
CATZEL36 folds
gdshaffer calls $3.50
profisee folds
giveusakiss folds
CarolynS folds
*** FLOP *** [Kc 4s 5s]
PhD_Chemist bets $7
booger369 raises to $21
gdshaffer has 15 seconds left to act
gdshaffer raises to $156.15, and is all in
PhD_Chemist has 15 seconds left to act
PhD_Chemist folds
booger369 has 15 seconds left to act
booger369 calls $75.50, and is all in
gdshaffer shows [5c 4c]
booger369 shows [As Kh]
Uncalled bet of $59.65 returned to gdshaffer
*** TURN *** [Kc 4s 5s] [7h]
*** RIVER *** [Kc 4s 5s 7h] [9c]
gdshaffer shows two pair, Fives and Fours
booger369 shows a pair of Kings
gdshaffer wins the pot ($209) with two pair, Fives and Fours
booger369 adds $100
*** SUMMARY ***
Total pot $212 | Rake $3
Board: [Kc 4s 5s 7h 9c]
Seat 1: CATZEL36 didn't bet (folded)
Seat 2: gdshaffer showed [5c 4c] and won ($209) with two pair, Fives and Fours
Seat 3: profisee (button) didn't bet (folded)
Seat 4: giveusakiss (small blind) folded before the Flop
Seat 5: CarolynS (big blind) folded before the Flop
Seat 6: PhD_Chemist folded on the Flop
Seat 7: liftedxchevy is sitting out
Seat 8: booger369 showed [As Kh] and lost with a pair of Kings
Seat 9: Hardspoon didn't bet (folded)

I made the call preflop precisely because I'd noticed a tendency in the villain I wound up playing the hand against to stack off in very marginal situations. What's funny is that he gave me crap for playing a "trash hand" after an EP raise. It took all of my self-discipline not to respond with, "look you idiot, I played that hand specifically because it was an EP raise from a tight player, but you're too stupid to realize that I'm actually hoping he has AA here. Even if my call was a mistake, and it wasn't, your call of my shove is by far the worst call I've seen all night."

Seriously, what do I show up with here? A flush draw?

Incidentally, I think the original raiser did in fact fold aces. He took forever. Either that or he had AK as well.

I got up as high as +$385 but lost a buyin with AK vs. AA, I button stole, agg player in BB reraised, I called, and stacked off on a K high flop and blank turn. Questionable but justifiable. In the end I finished at +$261, not bad for under 2k hands. I'm up exactly $700 for the month, hardly lifestyle sustainability but at least positive for now.

Two hands to describe my night

Only 600 hands, so bitching about a bad run is pointless, but godDAMN.

FullTiltPoker Game #6193102815: Table Deerfoot - $0.50/$1 - No Limit Hold'em - 2:25:07 ET - 2008/04/27
Seat 1: dewster1 ($21.35), is sitting out
Seat 2: Eriap14 ($41.35)
Seat 3: Photo Guy174 ($151.60)
Seat 4: bigman451 ($74)
Seat 5: Tegee ($29.50)
Seat 6: action44 ($101.50)
Seat 7: gdshaffer ($136.90)
Seat 8: ATrain006 ($120.40)
Seat 9: l Love Beer ($101.40)
Tegee posts the small blind of $0.50
action44 posts the big blind of $1
The button is in seat #4
*** HOLE CARDS ***
Dealt to gdshaffer [Kc Kd]
gdshaffer raises to $3.50
ATrain006 folds
l Love Beer folds
Eriap14 folds
Photo Guy174 raises to $6
bigman451 folds
Tegee folds
action44 folds
gdshaffer raises to $18
Photo Guy174 calls $12
*** FLOP *** [3s 8s Ts]
gdshaffer bets $35
Photo Guy174 raises to $133.60, and is all in
gdshaffer calls $83.90, and is all in
Photo Guy174 shows [As 3d]
gdshaffer shows [Kc Kd]
Uncalled bet of $14.70 returned to Photo Guy174
*** TURN *** [3s 8s Ts] [2s]
*** RIVER *** [3s 8s Ts 2s] [Qs]
Photo Guy174 shows a flush, Ace high
gdshaffer shows a flush, Queen high
Photo Guy174 wins the pot ($272.30) with a flush, Ace high
gdshaffer adds $100
gdshaffer is sitting out
*** SUMMARY ***
Total pot $275.30 | Rake $3
Board: [3s 8s Ts 2s Qs]
Seat 1: dewster1 is sitting out
Seat 2: Eriap14 didn't bet (folded)
Seat 3: Photo Guy174 showed [As 3d] and won ($272.30) with a flush, Ace high
Seat 4: bigman451 (button) didn't bet (folded)
Seat 5: Tegee (small blind) folded before the Flop
Seat 6: action44 (big blind) folded before the Flop
Seat 7: gdshaffer showed [Kc Kd] and lost with a flush, Queen high
Seat 8: ATrain006 didn't bet (folded)
Seat 9: l Love Beer didn't bet (folded)

Granted, getting it in on the flop is mandatory, but threebetting and then calling a big bump with A3 motherfucking offsuit? I had this particular player pegged as a maniac, probably a late night Saturday drunk, and ran into this hand on my last orbit. The sick thing is, he probably stacks off to me even if that flop were all hearts. He caught a pair, and a pair = teh nuts!

Then:

FullTiltPoker Game #6192811320: Table McKnight - $0.50/$1 - No Limit Hold'em - 1:50:24 ET - 2008/04/27
Seat 1: gdshaffer ($110.45)
Seat 2: Jan Ullrich ($140.75)
Seat 3: dreamer422 ($48.25)
Seat 4: giveusakiss ($91.60)
Seat 5: younggunner24 ($40.80)
Seat 6: AAheatinnmKK ($27.70)
Seat 7: pikey007 ($117.30)
Seat 8: Godfather 309 ($55.35)
Seat 9: Therealwestbrom ($50)
Jan Ullrich posts the small blind of $0.50
dreamer422 posts the big blind of $1
5 seconds left to act
Therealwestbrom posts $1
The button is in seat #1
*** HOLE CARDS ***
Dealt to gdshaffer [7h 7s]
giveusakiss folds
younggunner24 folds
AAheatinnmKK folds
pikey007 has 15 seconds left to act
pikey007 folds
Godfather 309 calls $1
Therealwestbrom raises to $4.50
gdshaffer calls $4.50
Jan Ullrich folds
dreamer422 folds
Godfather 309 calls $3.50
*** FLOP *** [6h 7d 9d]
Godfather 309 checks
Therealwestbrom bets $15
gdshaffer raises to $46
Godfather 309 folds
Therealwestbrom calls $30.50, and is all in
gdshaffer shows [7h 7s]
Therealwestbrom shows [Jd Jc]
Uncalled bet of $0.50 returned to gdshaffer
*** TURN *** [6h 7d 9d] [Ad]
*** RIVER *** [6h 7d 9d Ad] [Qd]
gdshaffer shows three of a kind, Sevens
Therealwestbrom shows a flush, Ace high
Therealwestbrom wins the pot ($103) with a flush, Ace high
gdshaffer adds $39.55
*** SUMMARY ***
Total pot $106 | Rake $3
Board: [6h 7d 9d Ad Qd]
Seat 1: gdshaffer (button) showed [7h 7s] and lost with three of a kind, Sevens
Seat 2: Jan Ullrich (small blind) folded before the Flop
Seat 3: dreamer422 (big blind) folded before the Flop
Seat 4: giveusakiss didn't bet (folded)
Seat 5: younggunner24 didn't bet (folded)
Seat 6: AAheatinnmKK didn't bet (folded)
Seat 7: pikey007 didn't bet (folded)
Seat 8: Godfather 309 folded on the Flop
Seat 9: Therealwestbrom showed [Jd Jc] and won ($103) with a flush, Ace high

I can't even win when I catch a set against an overpair!

Lost a buyin tonight, with a net run of -$180. Such a brutal fucking game.

Positive week

Played about 4500 hands in the past 7 days, keeping it nice and light. Had one pretty much disastrous day where I dropped about $240 (just atrocious luck), but so far for the month I'm up about $500 and I've pretty drastically upped my playtime in the past week or so. My past 3,000 hands in particular have been quite good, back to a winrate of over 5.5PTBB/100. 3,000 is a pathetic sample size for winrate, but I feel like my running has gone back to normal over the past few days.

What was missing during the meat of my downswing were the people who would stack off to me with with reasonable to powerhouse holdings. I was on the receiving end of plenty of coolers, but wasn't delivering anyone, I wasn't stacking any overpairs in situations where they maybe sort of should have gotten away from it, and I wasn't laying any big bad beats on anyone (except for shortstacks), though I was on the receiving end of all of those. I'm starting to see those spots again and it's restoring my confidence. I never felt like my A game left me, but I was getting drawn into stupid spots and playing a little mindlessly. I feel much better about the way I'm playing, and I'm seeing the benefit to keeping my sessions relatively short.

Today I won close to $300 and never once felt like I wasn't in control of the table, losing only one significant pot ($50 down) on a cooler, JQ vs 88 on an 8JJ flop. OTOH I got two overaggro players to make very poorly timed bluffs on me, each for a full stack. The tables were pretty nice tonight and I ran silghtly better than normal.

I still have a lot of ground to make up if I'm looking to sustain any kind of lifestyle, but the fact that I went into this little ordeal with a good amount of money saved up is quite important.

I still have a ways to go before I try to step back up to $1/$2, but I feel like I can take a good shot at it once I get there, and hopefully stay there for a while.

New formula: short and sweet

Played another very short session yesterday, only 250 hands on four tables, and won another buyin, $117.60 to be exact. I feel like I'm making better decisions in the short sessions, in addition to running pretty well. The big profit hand this time was a limp-called set of 333 against AQ on a 3TA4 board where I check/called the flop (it was rainbow) and check-raised the turn all in, getting AQ to stack off to me drawing dead. For all my downswing I bitched about people making calls they had no business making when I happened to be bluffing. This is the fortunate flip side to that: someone making a terrible call on me when I actually do happen to have it, and they happen to be drawing dead. Although it looks innocuous enough as he does have TP with a good kicker, this is one of the worst calls I've seen against me in months, as there is like a 0% chance this could be a bluff and basically a 0% chance AQ could possibly be good here. At the *very least* I have aces up, but my line was so strong that it's almost always a set. Any half decent player gets rid of that hand there.

In other good news, there was a complete idiot at the table who admitted he was new to the game. He was running 74/8 and very tough to get to fold postflop: kind of the sort of donkey opponent you run into at the live tables all the time. He quickly gave away most of his initial $50 buyin, and finally gave his last $10 to me. I raised from LP with QQ, donkey called from the button, BB reraised to $9. BB only had $30 or so in his initial stack and I felt like he was observant enough to know that the donkey could be very weak, which opened his range up considerably, so I pushed. Donkey calls, BB calls, donkey has 77, BB has JJ. The flop comes J high, but I catch runner-runner clubs for the flush to bail me out. Woot!

Obviously if I'm serious about making this my living I need to play more hands per day, as while I can certainly live on $120 a day (if I keep my standards low), I'm quite obviously not going to be able to run at 24PTBB/100 forever. But I feel the need just to work myself into a rhythm and make adjustments to my style to maximize my profitability. Playing in small increments helps that a great deal. Maybe soon I'll feel the desire to put in another marathon session. In the meantime, I'll take it one step at a time to dig back out of my little hole.

Limpin' on up

Extremely short session today of only 187 hands, but I was playing with something else going on in the background. Amazingly had my best session of the month, winning over $135.

Two big hands, the first which was half bad play on the part of my opponent, half a cooler:

FullTiltPoker Game #6033067531: Table Waterhen - $0.50/$1 - No Limit Hold'em - 14:37:45 ET - 2008/04/14
Seat 1: woodo75 ($98.50)
Seat 2: Mpire1986bo ($20)
Seat 3: Ebonycat ($38.25)
Seat 4: PkrOzzy ($20)
Seat 5: Djvatos ($121.30)
Seat 6: LilFang07 ($150.25)
Seat 7: body passion ($39)
Seat 8: gdshaffer ($100.90)
Seat 9: flop412 ($60.90)
Mpire1986bo posts the small blind of $0.50
Ebonycat posts the big blind of $1
The button is in seat #1
*** HOLE CARDS ***
Dealt to gdshaffer [8c 9c]
PkrOzzy folds
Djvatos folds
LilFang07 folds
body passion folds
gdshaffer raises to $3.50
flop412 folds
woodo75 calls $3.50
Mpire1986bo adds $0.50
Mpire1986bo folds
Ebonycat folds
*** FLOP *** [8d 4c 6d]
gdshaffer bets $6
woodo75 calls $6
*** TURN *** [8d 4c 6d] [Jc]
gdshaffer has 15 seconds left to act
gdshaffer bets $12
woodo75 calls $12
*** RIVER *** [8d 4c 6d Jc] [7c]
gdshaffer has 15 seconds left to act
gdshaffer bets $26
woodo75 has 15 seconds left to act
woodo75 raises to $77, and is all in
gdshaffer calls $51
*** SHOW DOWN ***
woodo75 shows [5s 5h] a straight, Eight high
gdshaffer shows [8c 9c] a flush, Jack high
gdshaffer wins the pot ($195.50) with a flush, Jack high
woodo75 is sitting out
*** SUMMARY ***
Total pot $198.50 | Rake $3
Board: [8d 4c 6d Jc 7c]
Seat 1: woodo75 (button) showed [5s 5h] and lost with a straight, Eight high
Seat 2: Mpire1986bo (small blind) folded before the Flop
Seat 3: Ebonycat (big blind) folded before the Flop
Seat 4: PkrOzzy didn't bet (folded)
Seat 5: Djvatos didn't bet (folded)
Seat 6: LilFang07 didn't bet (folded)
Seat 7: body passion didn't bet (folded)
Seat 8: gdshaffer showed [8c 9c] and won ($195.50) with a flush, Jack high
Seat 9: flop412 didn't bet (folded)

I can respect the float on the flop, although I think the turn call is a bit fishy as villain had no history with me and thus was drawing to the straight only most of the time. I'm learning to curb back on my 2barrels on unknowns, lol. In this case I felt I was up against a diamond draw most of the time, probably with overcards most of the time. I kinda like how I played this one. The turn bet ($12 into $20) seems a little small, but I feel pretty good that I've picked up the club draw and I think I have the best hand most of the time anyway.

Obviously the river card was the worst possible card in the deck for my opponent (but the best one for me!), and villain is totally screwed. There's no way he fears the club flush and he knows there's not much way I can put him on the straight if I have the overpair I'm representing. He feels like he hit the jackpot, and has to raise. I wonder if his heart sank when I snapcalled :)

The second one was just fun.

FullTiltPoker Game #6033097272: Table Waterhen - $0.50/$1 - No Limit Hold'em - 14:40:26 ET - 2008/04/14
Seat 1: woodo75 ($100)
Seat 2: Mpire1986bo ($20)
Seat 3: Ebonycat ($36.25), is sitting out
Seat 4: PkrOzzy ($20)
Seat 6: LilFang07 ($148.75)
Seat 7: body passion ($48.25)
Seat 8: gdshaffer ($197.90)
Seat 9: flop412 ($59.90)
body passion posts the small blind of $0.50
gdshaffer posts the big blind of $1
The button is in seat #6
*** HOLE CARDS ***
Dealt to gdshaffer [As Ac]
flop412 folds
woodo75 folds
Mpire1986bo folds
PkrOzzy folds
LilFang07 folds
body passion calls $0.50
gdshaffer raises to $3
body passion calls $2
*** FLOP *** [5s 4h 3d]
Ebonycat has returned
body passion bets $6
gdshaffer raises to $18
body passion raises to $45.25, and is all in
gdshaffer calls $27.25
body passion shows [4c Th]
gdshaffer shows [As Ac]
*** TURN *** [5s 4h 3d] [5c]
*** RIVER *** [5s 4h 3d 5c] [Kh]
body passion shows two pair, Fives and Fours
gdshaffer shows two pair, Aces and Fives
gdshaffer wins the pot ($93.50) with two pair, Aces and Fives
body passion is sitting out
*** SUMMARY ***
Total pot $96.50 | Rake $3
Board: [5s 4h 3d 5c Kh]
Seat 1: woodo75 didn't bet (folded)
Seat 2: Mpire1986bo didn't bet (folded)
Seat 3: Ebonycat is sitting out
Seat 4: PkrOzzy didn't bet (folded)
Seat 6: LilFang07 (button) didn't bet (folded)
Seat 7: body passion (small blind) showed [4c Th] and lost with two pair, Fives and Fours
Seat 8: gdshaffer (big blind) showed [As Ac] and won ($93.50) with two pair, Aces and Fives
Seat 9: flop412 didn't bet (folded)

I'd been being aggressive preflop at this table (a couple of reraises, blind steals, etc., and I actually respect my opponent's move, provided he knows it's a bluff. He just got a bit unlucky in that I wasn't lying this time :)

Woah

So, I managed something I haven't managed in quite some time: strung two winning sessions together, playing about 850 hands tonight for a $45 profit. Not exactly setting the world on fire ... in fact, barely better than breakeven ... but still, hell, it's something. I did deliver a beat on a guy; flopped bottom two on a monochrome board against a flopped nut flush, spiked my four-outer on the river with all the money already in. Still, I wasn't not getting it in with bottom two. I also spiked a 2-outer all-in on an undercard flop against a 20bb stack with JJ vs QQ, but then again, also had double-dominating hands cracked twice.

First Ad Ac was cracked by As 2s on a Ts Qs 5s flop. Opponent was a fish and limp-called from MP (I was button). He c/c's a full $10 PSB on the flop, turn (7h) goes check/check, river (5d) he checks, I value bet $15 into 30, he min-raises, I puke and call. Lucky he didn't take me for my stack, although I'd have been very hesitant to stack off. I'm glad my value bet was small.

The other was a hand against 2 posters from EP where I raise to $5.50 from the CO with QQ. SB, who seemed tiltish, shoved for $35.75 with 4h Qs. Folded to me, I snapcall. Board comes 7d 6d 3d 5h 8s. Beautiful.

Oh yes, and let's not forget the hand where I have Ac As, raise from UTG, get two callers, board comes 4d Tc Ks. I check, donkey goes all-in with Kd 7d, I call. Turn 7c, River 9s.

The point isn't to whine about bad beats (ok, not really) as I actually ran well today, if you consider that the bottom two hand was my biggest hand of the night. Equity-adjusted I should have lost about $20. But on the beats I delivered, I had reasonable hands (bottom two, a JJ overpair), while on the ones I received, I was generally up against total shit. I felt I was playing well tonight and that reinforces it.

I also had a beautiful river value bet where I bet $8 on the river on a 35Q2Q board with 77 and got a call from AK. Felt like my best play of the night, and I don't think I made any really bad ones. I'm not anywhere near out of my little hole, but it's good to be moving in the right direction.

omg poker

Finally got back on the wagon, a short session of 750 hands. Good result, +$110 for 7.3PTBB/hr, but I don't feel like I was playing particularly well. One particularly bad call with KK on a QQxxx board where I knew I was up against a Q, and paid $30 anyway. I did have one semi-jedi call with TJ on a J6699 board. Still, the opposition was pretty weak tonight and I felt like I had a substantial edge.

I just need to get back into the rhythm and I'm sure I can dig myself out of my February/March hole in no time. It won't happen all at once, but coming back from a blank slate should be relatively good for me.

Back home

A little over two weeks at Brian's place, and essentially zero poker played. Several reasons for this:

1) Given my downswing, I've felt I needed a break. I don't think I've been playing terribly recently, but I haven't been on the top of my game either. A mental break will help with that.

2) Brian's internet connection is shite. When I did hop online, I was pretty regularly timing out. It makes the games almost unplayable and potentially very -EV (say, timing out in an obvious bet situation).

3) Brian likes to fix people drinks, I don't make a habit of saying no, and I don't like to play with alcohol in me.

I don't know that I can really afford to take too many breaks like this, but this one felt natural and I'm ready to attack the tables once again. Hopefully April can be much better for me than March was.