Now I'm Frustrated
I don't get it. I'm playing statistically ideal poker. I might make one mistake per session, but for the most part, that's it. Sometimes, I'm not even making that one mistake. Last night, I played 31 hands, picked up about 7 "premium" hands, and played them. I got to showdown once and lost my whole buy-in, just by mostly playing cards to the flop. I'm not catching a damn thing. Got dealt pocket pairs 3 times. The flop made each ot then the low pair. Got 9's, 7's, and 6's. The 6's in the blind. Flop made them low pair, I laid them down, and NOT once would I have improved my hand. Played Axs twice, K-paint suited twice. Flopped a 4-flush 4 times. Improved ONCE. Bet out, got called, another suited card on the river, the other guy had the ace. IGHN.
Frustrating.
I'm frustrated because I know I"m a better player than most, playing ideal ABC poker, knowing when to get out because I'm beat, and the like. Last night, had I played EVERY HAND to showdown, I would not have won once.
This summarizes my night--I have middle two pair, a straight and a flush draw BY THE TURN. Half the deck can help me. Guy bets, I raise, he calls, river card doesn't help. The alarm says to lay it down, so I do. I was right. He had me beat with the river. Not before, but on the river, and he called a raise to get there!
I'm playing 0.10/0.25 PL O8B now, and having some success, even though I just laid down a monster winner. Had AA55 in my hand, flopped trip aces, but with a straight draw on board (not a qualifying low), I laid it down to an all-in bet, only to see the board pair on the river, which would have given me the boat--and a $30 pot. Yes, $30 in 0.10/0.25 PL. 4 called the all-in, 2 had the straight. I was getting 5-to-1 odds to call, and I probably should have, but, that's what getting beaten like a rented mule does for your level of confidence.
Well, today is tax return day for me and the Mrs. We'll see exactly how much we can put away for the wedding and honeymoon, and see what exactly we can afford to take to Atlantic City with us (heehee). In the meantime, I've come to another important date. Last Sunday was the third anniversary of my Hodgkins' Disease being in remission. I had never mentioned it before, but when I was 26, I found a lump at the base of my neck, and to make a long story short, I had it checked out, biopsied, and yadda yadda, I found out that I had cancer, A curable type, but cancer nonetheless. I had to leave work since the 6-month course of chemotherapy was too tough on me physically, and I was doing pretty bad for a while, but with the help and love of many people, I was able to pull through it. So, as each year passes by, the chance for recurrence drops significantly, and at three years, the recurrence rate is around 1%. Every 6 months now, I have to go for what I call my "oil change." I go for CT scans, a physical exam, blood work, and for a few days, I sit wondering if I'll ever have to go through that again. I've had a clean bill of health so far, and I expect that to continue. But I always still get a little nervous, always feeling and pawing at my neck, wondering what that is. Now is that time to be nervous. I go for my CT's Monday and Friday next week, and my appointment with the oncologist is at the end of the month. So, if I seem a bit testy, nervous, irritated---that's why.
The funny part is, now that I typed all that, the bad run of cards doesn't mean as much anymore. I've had a bad run of cards. A few cyber-cards, hell, I can handle that--easy.
Just remember that when you have a bad run--somebody always has it worse. People have had it a lot worse than me in life. I feel quite lucky. As much as life can make you miserable, not being here is the ultimate in misery. Like I said, I feel quite lucky--a little luckier every day.
Frustrating.
I'm frustrated because I know I"m a better player than most, playing ideal ABC poker, knowing when to get out because I'm beat, and the like. Last night, had I played EVERY HAND to showdown, I would not have won once.
This summarizes my night--I have middle two pair, a straight and a flush draw BY THE TURN. Half the deck can help me. Guy bets, I raise, he calls, river card doesn't help. The alarm says to lay it down, so I do. I was right. He had me beat with the river. Not before, but on the river, and he called a raise to get there!
I'm playing 0.10/0.25 PL O8B now, and having some success, even though I just laid down a monster winner. Had AA55 in my hand, flopped trip aces, but with a straight draw on board (not a qualifying low), I laid it down to an all-in bet, only to see the board pair on the river, which would have given me the boat--and a $30 pot. Yes, $30 in 0.10/0.25 PL. 4 called the all-in, 2 had the straight. I was getting 5-to-1 odds to call, and I probably should have, but, that's what getting beaten like a rented mule does for your level of confidence.
Besides that, How's Life?
Well, today is tax return day for me and the Mrs. We'll see exactly how much we can put away for the wedding and honeymoon, and see what exactly we can afford to take to Atlantic City with us (heehee). In the meantime, I've come to another important date. Last Sunday was the third anniversary of my Hodgkins' Disease being in remission. I had never mentioned it before, but when I was 26, I found a lump at the base of my neck, and to make a long story short, I had it checked out, biopsied, and yadda yadda, I found out that I had cancer, A curable type, but cancer nonetheless. I had to leave work since the 6-month course of chemotherapy was too tough on me physically, and I was doing pretty bad for a while, but with the help and love of many people, I was able to pull through it. So, as each year passes by, the chance for recurrence drops significantly, and at three years, the recurrence rate is around 1%. Every 6 months now, I have to go for what I call my "oil change." I go for CT scans, a physical exam, blood work, and for a few days, I sit wondering if I'll ever have to go through that again. I've had a clean bill of health so far, and I expect that to continue. But I always still get a little nervous, always feeling and pawing at my neck, wondering what that is. Now is that time to be nervous. I go for my CT's Monday and Friday next week, and my appointment with the oncologist is at the end of the month. So, if I seem a bit testy, nervous, irritated---that's why.
The funny part is, now that I typed all that, the bad run of cards doesn't mean as much anymore. I've had a bad run of cards. A few cyber-cards, hell, I can handle that--easy.
Just remember that when you have a bad run--somebody always has it worse. People have had it a lot worse than me in life. I feel quite lucky. As much as life can make you miserable, not being here is the ultimate in misery. Like I said, I feel quite lucky--a little luckier every day.
0 Comments:
Post a Comment
<< Home