Tilted Blog

Well things are gradually picking up for me. I’ve been trying to stay as consistent as possible with respect to the types of games I play and it is working out better than expected.

I have always noticed that the best online players were generally logged in at the same times and playing exactly the same games and number of tables. So recently I have been 16tabling the $5 DoNs for 2-3 hours at night time and playing some 180s and mtts in the mornings.

I am hoping to extend my playing time at night to 4-5 hours just to get through more volume. I have noticed something that really shocked me. Just out of curiosity I visited SharkScope to view the top 20 players in Double or Nothing games with cost from $2-$5 and to my surprise a lot of the players have either slightly higher, the same and in some cases a lower ability score as me. The stand out difference is they all have around 10,000+ games played and I’m at around 5,500 at the moment. I’m seriously wondering now that I am increasing my volume and not diverting from the type of game I play if I will make the top 20 in the category. I would consider that a major brag. Whilst the game isn’t exactly rocket science I think to be considered in the top 20 of any type of game is something to be proud of. I wonder how many people that is out of. Must be thousands.

Anyways, let’s get back to the title subject.

First off, I am becoming even prouder of my poker playing ability. I’m feeling more comfortable, making better decisions, and yielding better results.

I attribute this to 2 main things at this stage.

1: My purchase of TableNinja.
2: That one session I had with Jamie.

Now with TableNinja I no longer think of playing a set of games of being able to lose x and need to win y in order to have a good session. I’m paying less attention to my all-in hands with is allowing me to make better decisions with whatever I am faced with at the time. Previously, if I was playing 16 games and I was all in pre flop with KK, I’d quickly drag the table up so I can always see it and watch the play. If I was called by QQ and saw the Q flop I’d instantly become upset and aggravated which in turn affects my play until I’ve gotten over it. If I was knocked out of a game I’d begin to say to myself “Well, I’m playing 16, just lost 1, have 15 left, so need at least 9 out of 15 to show a profit for this session”. Thinking like that is a recipe for disaster. The logical side of me knows this but the emotional side outweighs logic more often than not.

Now I’m of the opinion, “I’m going in with the best hand and whatever happens, happens. Let it be and focus on the next hand which is waiting for me". The other benefit is when a DoN gets down to 6 handed and on the bubble, when the game is over it simply closes without me knowing if I’ve won it or not, so I really have no idea what is happening whilst I play. All I have to do is focus on playing A+ poker and the rest takes care of itself.

Ok, now I’ll get on to the title subject.
(Have I been rambling too much again?)

Consecutive 180 player tournaments, both ITM!
Pretty cool stuff.

I actually played 4 games this morning. 1 which was the $2.75 mtt with over 7,000 people and 3 $4.40 180s alongside that.

I missed the cash in the $2.75 and 1 of my $4.40s. To be truthful I wasn’t paying as much attention to them as I should have because I was to focused on what was happening in the other games.

1 game I was in the top 20 of chips for the whole game and the other I had won a coin flip to put me in top 10 with around 50 players left.

In fact the game that I was in the top 20 for I was actually 1 out of 179 after 2 minutes when my QQ held up against AK all in pre flop. Always helps, thank you PokerStars.

I’ve had multiple ITMs while playing 9 player SnGs more times than I can count, but I’ve never done it at the same time in a 180 player SnG.

See for yourself.



Can you tell by now that I like pictures? Pretty cool huh!

Yet alas, this was about as good as it got. I finished 13th in the one I was short stacked in on the right and 7th on the left after I called an all in with QQ vs AJ and watched that lovely A drop on the flop, once again, thank you PokerStars.

Once again, I'm left with mixed emotions. I am upset with no win but from a personal growth perspective my game is finally approaching a new higher level.

This is justified not only by today’s results but also the following previous posts I've made last month and this month here:


February 18th 2010 won a 18 player SnG after being down to less than 1 blind.


February 22nd 2010 came 2nd in a $2.20 180 player SnG.


February 22nd 2010 came 6th in another $2.20 180 player SnG.


March 3rd 2010 had the highest cash ever in a $3.30 2000+ player mtt.

So my begging question is, am I simply on a heater? My answer is unequivocally NO. I am becoming a better player and so I should be for all the time, studying and training I've had over the years.

I’m still quite some way from the top but it feels damn good to know within myself I am getting better, admittedly probably slower than most people but its getting there.

For anyone that is of the belief that luck really is a factor and determines out outcomes in this game I can now really laugh in your face because for all I’ve gone through and where I am going now playing poker is clearly a game of skill.

And I'm getting better as each day goes on.

Custo.

Let's talk red line. Today was going fine... after 150 games, my red line was +1500. Then something happened. I don't know what. I started running into hands, shoving WAY too wide, and making dumb calls. My red line ended up at -700 through 235 super turbos. For those last 100 games, it felt like I was the fish in the game. WHY DO I FEEL THAT WAY? I have crushed these games for over 15k games, but when my red line nosedives over 100 games, I doubt myself.

I just hate seeing the red line down. I played 9 hours and it's down 700. It makes me feel like the day has been a waste.

And I KNOW that what I just wrote is nonsense. The red line has swings of it's own. I need to go back to the Attitude Change that I talked about earlier. I have to keep putting in the games and play well. I definitely didn't play my A game today.

I am going to post my graph of the year so far, which will put that latest red line downswing in perspective. It's so silly to get worked up over it.
















Whoever said that playing poker professionally was easy is so wrong.

I actually made 1300 today, but it didn't even strike me that I was up. I am so obsessed with the red line. Before I knew of it, I would refresh my cashier 100 times a session. Now I refresh my red line 100 times a session.

My only goal for tomorrow is to play a decent amount and think about every decision. If I do that, then the red line will take care of itself.

From my blog at:

http://collinmoshman.com/

Since I have 27 days to earn vpp’s this month I am well on target to get the 3000 I need for gold. After the first 8 days I have 1126 vpp’s for the month so I should be able to pull it off fairly easily.

Also – my next sng will get me my first $50 stellar reward bonus – so that makes $100 for the year now. I should fly through for the next $50. I really like that Pokerstars added that to their VIP program – it is a nice little plus on top of the other benefits.

I hinted in the last post that I was doing alright so far this year, and that has brought on a convenient problem to have: I'm seriously overrolled for 1/2 and feel like I should really move back up to the midstakes. Why is this a problem at all? Because I get most of my poker played between 10 to 11a.m. and 2:30 to 3:30pm, European time - and those are not prime hours for picking good tables at Party Poker. In fact, in the morning hours I'd be lucky if I could even get a seat at six tables in the hour I have to play.

So I decided to give iPoker a whirl. So far, I'm so very not impressed. I've played iPoker before, but I didn't realize how many issues there were with their software that bugs the hell out of me. I have to make three clicks in order to get on a waitlist? What the... Non-resizeable tables? You've gotta be kidding me! Taylor hinted that I should install MiniMaxMod, so I did - and promptly spent three hours trying to get it to work in a way that made sense at all, and failed. So I gave up, at least until someone can help me figure out how to get it to work. I'm also not getting my BetPot script to work (despite it supposedly having iPoker support) so now I'm doing it old-school. Not happy about it. Not sure if I'll stick around for more than just this one month that I decided to spend giving it a try. We'll see.

I'm amused by the fact that apparently iPoker has set a "quota" of how many winning players a specific skin is allowed to have. I thought this was a joke at first, but it appears it isn't. I have no idea how they figure this is good business, but if I'm informed that I'm limited to playing 10NL, off to greener pastures I go. Anyone have any suggestions for greener pastures? Requirements include a decent number of tables running 24/7 at the midstakes and it being a European site for taxation purposes.

I just wish Stars or FTP would move their servers to Gibraltar. Would make my life a lot easier.

Warning: This post consists of me whining.

I played the golf tournament yesterday and shot 80, which is decent for how little I have been playing. I thought I would put in a lot of volume today, and I did. 7.5 hours, 206 super turbos, -3700. UGH. 4000 below EV. I am playing so well, I just cannot catch a heater like I did in November. I am not 16k below EV in super turbos overall. Puke.

I have never been happier about the way I'm playing though. I have tweaked (mostly tightened) my ranges in certain spots, and it seems to be working.

Here is today's awful graph:
















Even though I am playing well, I am making a few mistakes. The goal is to cut those out, play perfectly, and RUN GOOD. The next few months are going to consist of me CRUSHING these games. I reached 6 figures from super turbos a couple of days ago, and want to make another 6 figures soon.

Good night.

Not a lot of hands, thats a given. The one thing that I have been doing is table selecting like hell. I've also basically stopped playing 6 tables, at least until i get used to the new format. So playing 4 tables, and selecting like hell, it takes time. So far I'm happy with the result.

Graph.

Review: Chicago Poker ClassicI just got home from playing in the final event of the Chicago Poker Classic. Of course, it does seem a little bit funny that this series is actually taking place in Hammond, Indiana -- not even the same state! Hammond/Gary , however, does house two riverboats with poker rooms and is only a 20-minute trip from downtown Chicago.

The Classic was held at the Horseshoe Hammond -- a Harrah's property. I had played in two WSOP circuit events at the Horseshoe, so I was familiar with the property. I played in Events 5 and 9.

Now that I have played four tournaments here, I can say that I have been truly pleased with the way the tournaments have been run. Registration at the WSOP events was nasty -- long lines that took forever -- but registration for the Chicago Poker Classic events was quick and easy.

Event #5The Event 5 (Tuesday, March 2) buy in was $240. $10,000 was added to the event entry money. Starting chips: 10,000. Structure: fantastic! With 45-minute levels and slowly increasing blinds and antes, this was one heck of a bargain.

I got many big hands early but had trouble getting much action on them since my table was very nitty. I was, however, keeping above the chip average for many hours and felt okay about where I was. I made it to the dinner break (tournament started at noon) but knew that I was going to need to make some moves when we returned. After bleeding off chips on promising hands that missed flops, I made a grand suckout. I had A-K in the small blind and was faced with a hand in which everyone outside the blinds folded. I decided to limp. The big blind checked. The flop was Q-10-rag. I checked. The big blind checked. The turn was a King. I bet and the big blind raised. I decided to shove and was inst-called. Much to my surprise, the big blind turns over pocket Queens! I was ready to leave the table when -- you guessed it -- I spiked a Jack on the river and doubled up. Don't feel too sorry for the guy, though, because he was all in a few hands later. I had hit a straight, and he hit the straight on the river, chopping a big pot with me.

As the event went on, my table was collapsed several times. I was moved to a table with a woman I thought I recognized. I couldn't place her at the time, but later found out that I had probably seen her on television on the Heartland Poker Tour -- a tour that runs through the midwest. Mary Jo Belcore-Zogman won a Heartland event in 2008. She impressed me as being a very good poker player. I got into two big hands with her. In the first, she apparently chased down a hand and hit her card on the river, putting a dent in my chips. In the second, I hit a set on the flop, checked (I knew she would bet big), then check-raised her all in on a draw heavy board. She went in the tank and decided to fold. Nice decision -- for her at least.

At my final table, I saw my stack dwindling as the blinds increased. I had been card dead for over an hour and needed to make a move. I pushed with Q-9 sooted (best hand I'd seen and before another orbit would make me an easy target for the big stacks) and was called by another shorty with A-K. Neither hand improved and I was out -- 117/444 after 9+ hours of play.

Event #9I decided to make the trip back up to Hammond for the Event #9 since I had such a good time earlier in the week. Since this was the final event, though, it was only scheduled for one day and had a different structure -- $10,000 added, 10,000 starting chips, but only 30-minute levels and more accellerated blinds and antes.

Unfortunately,this was one of those tournaments when nothing much went right. The best hands I got prior to my last hand were 10-10 and A-10 sooted. I did get lucky by hitting a gutshot on a multi-limped hand when I was in the small blind, but that was about it. Nothing but garbage hands -- fold, fold, fold. I never got much above my starting stack of 10,000, then saw my stack dwindle.

Final hand: I was on the button with K-K. Everyone folded except the big stack in late position, who raised. I pushed all in. Surprisingly, the big blind also pushed all in. The big stack went in the tank, saying he should fold -- but didn't. He called -- with Q-Q. The big blind had A-K. Unfortunately, the big stack binked a Queen on the flop and sent me and the big blind to the rail. There were 255 runners and I went out somewhere in the 100's.

Epilogue

So, although I didn't have much success in these tournamenst, they were fun and I played decent poker. A card or two here or there, especially in Event #5, would have sent me much deeper. Maybe next time.

All the reviews and discussion board threads I have read about the Chicago Poker Classic have been positive. The added money (and even a 2010 Porsche Cayman S in one event!) and the great structures made for excellent tournaments. Horseshoe Hammond does a great job running tournaments, from the great dealers to the complementary coffee and water table. If you ever contemplate entering a tournament there, know that it will be done the right way.

Fortunately, first and foremost, nobody was seriously hurt. I was not on hand obviously, but I wanted to weigh in on the situation.

First, I am really happy to hear everyone is okay.  I know some of the media members on hand and they’ve all tweeted or reported back that everything is okay.

If you did not hear the news, the EPT Berlin event sponsored by PokerStars was the target of a German heist operation.  Guys armed with knives and machetes came in and robbed the casino and from early reports got away with 800k in Euros.  The events were disrupted and many people on hand are emotionally shaken.

In today’s global climate it’s somewhat surprising that something like this had not happened sooner. With lax security measures taken in European casinos, they seemed like a huge target with websites advertising millions of dollars flowing in for high stakes poker tournaments and cash games.  It’s a little surprising this happened in Berlin and not a more economically challenged nation on the EPT tour, but it might be a taste of things to come.  We can’t rule out something like this happening here in the United States, but certainly such an endeavor would be quite bloody with both security and robbers armed with guns.

Unfortunately I do not think this is a single isolated incident and the more desperate people become to survive, the more things like this are likely to happen.

March has been great so far. I have put in lots of volume - 31 hours and 776 9 man super turbos. There were some 6 max ones mixed in. I ended up like -2.8k at them, running 1.6k under EV and decided to never play them anymore. I don't know the subtleties of them and don't want the bother of learning a new game. If there aren't enough 169s are running, I just add a few 75s and 45s.
















I am playing well, and running at EV. However, my red line is definitely running good. It's at 9.5% through 776 games which is definitely not sustainable. I'll take it though :)

I have started game selecting some 335s. I really don't want to play every one that goes off. That can only lead to crazy downswings. I have restricted myself to 4 or 5 fishy ones a day. This way, I get to play some really +EV 335s and they don't influence my overall results too much.

This is my overall graph at the 335s, the last 10 of which are included in my monthly graph above.
















I am now up to 6th in profit at 9 man super turbos for the year. I want to keep climbing. The only way that will happen is if I put in lots of volume. I am taking tomorrow off since I am playing a golf tournament, but next week is going to consist of lots of grinding. I am off to watch the Man United Wolves game now!

If you don’t know who Custo80 is, he’s a good friend from Australia who has a great blog.  Look him up, great guy.

Anyways mate, this post is for you….

I’m on and I got nothing really to do and my mind is kinda out of it so I decide to play some MTTs:

$26 $18k Guarantee
$26 90-man KO Turbo SNG
$13 90-man KO Turbo SNG
$5.50 9-man SNG
$5.50 9-man SNG

So the two one table SNGs … on one I shoved something and lost while shortstacked, standard, lost $5.50.  The other one I finished in 2nd place, so that won me $13.50.

The $18k Guar …did not last long.  Every pot I got into I got outflopped and they showed up one better.  Then I got involved with this hand …

Full Tilt Poker $18,000 Guarantee No Limit Hold’em Tournament – t15/t30 Blinds – 9 players -

whitefishing1 (MP2): t6100 M = 135.56
Hero (CO): t2215 M = 49.22
skburke14 (BTN): t2490 M = 55.33
1GSUDrunk1 (SB): t6174 M = 137.20
jimbopolis (BB): t3000 M = 66.67
rymell (UTG): t4066 M = 90.36
valleyhater12 (UTG+1): t3245 M = 72.11
Rainfalls24 (UTG+2): t4435 M = 98.56
cowboys082288 (MP1): t4070 M = 90.44

Pre Flop: (t45) Hero is CO with J K

4 folds, whitefishing1 calls t30, Hero raises to t135, 2 folds, jimbopolis calls t105, whitefishing1 calls t105

Flop: (t420) 6 4 9 (3 players)

jimbopolis checks, whitefishing1 bets t150, Hero raises to t450, jimbopolis folds, whitefishing1 raises to t5965 all in, Hero calls t1630 all in

Turn: (t4580) 3 (2 players – 2 are all in)
River: (t4580) A (2 players – 2 are all in)
Final Pot: t4580

whitefishing1 shows T 9 (a pair of Nines)
Hero shows J K (Ace King high)
whitefishing1 wins t4580

So that ended that tournament.  I got it in on a flip and lost, seemed super standard to me.

In the $13 90-man SNG KO I made 2 bounties for $4 which was nice and busted …. UGH … in 12th.  Top 9 is in the money.  I was so low on chips and to be honest should have busted before that.  Nothing major to report, so $13 spent in order to make $4 so a loss there.

However it was in the $26 90-man SNG that I was running well.  REALLY well.  People kept handing chips to me.  Two times I got KK AIPF against two opponents who both had smaller pocket pairs and didn’t hit sets.  I made 6 bounties ($4 each) total.   Zachvac was also playing and at one point we were 1-2 in chips with me having a 2-1 chip lead over him!  I took a tough beat and dropped to second, then went card dead.  With 12 left, Zach shoved KK AIPF and got snapcalled by … AA.  Sucked.  So I made the final table 5th in chips and managed to survive.

Finally the action was down to four!!  I had 80,000 in chips, blinds were $2k-$4k with a $500 ante.  The shortstack of 45,000 in chips in in the CO.  I was very excited and saw him go AIPF I looked him up with AK … and he showed A8o.  I’m a 76-24% favorite.  He spikes his 8 on the flop!!! Ugh.  This would have sent me to the soaring chip lead and eliminated him in 4th.  Instead, I become the shortstack. Here’s the HH:

Full Tilt Poker $24 + $2 KO No Limit Hold’em Tournament – t2000/t4000 Blinds + t500 – 4 players –
roninwarlord (BB): t92710 M = 11.59
chinnyQ (CO): t46076 M = 5.76
stvnlee (BTN): t47404 M = 5.93
Hero (SB): t83810 M = 10.48

Pre Flop: (t8000) Hero is SB with A K
chinnyQ raises to t45576 all in, 1 fold, Hero raises to t83310 all in, 1 fold

Flop: (t97152) 6 A 8

Turn: (t97152) 3

River: (t97152) 8

Final Pot: t97152
chinnyQ shows 8 A (a full house, Eights full of Aces)
Hero shows A K (two pair, Aces and Eights)
chinnyQ wins t97152

After a few hands, I pick up 99 on the button with 30,000 left in chips, same blinds.  24/19 player raises and I shove over the top, he shows AJ.  FLOP = 5J8. Turn – ACE.  River – 7. Bleh!

So just like that, a great epic run is cut short by a bad beat and a lost coinflip.  On one side if I win both I’m heads-up with a massive lead.  As it is, I bust out in 4th.

It’s not a sad story as I did profit nicely from the bounties and the 4th place finish!  I did not settle for finishing ITM at the final table though, I went for it all which was a heck of a lot of fun.

So there you go Nick, that’s me playing tournaments, I hope you are happy