Perfect weather. Every day you wake up to blue skies here in Vegas.
I am going to go down to the pool shortly, get a bit of sun. I might hit some serves on the tennis court, and I am most definitely going to go for my daily run at the gym at some point.
Pool area...
I really cant begin to explain how lucky I feel right now sitting here, neither can I begin to explain how beautiful this place is.
I still feel like this after what has been a very frustrating second week.
After running KK into AA (all in pre flop), late into last night's session I am resigned to a break even week.
My first week I broke the $2,000 barrier (even with a couple of break even days), and would of loved to book in another solid week to keep the momentum going, but meh you cant force these things.
Variance is a moody girlfriend. She will be loving one day, and fuck you the next, but she will never leave you! In the long run if you are good to her and understanding forwards her needs she will be good to you.
The standard of play out here is really bad. I mean really fucking terrible. These cunts are just chucking it away. They don't know any better, god bless you boys.
Countless times this week me and Roshan have been in some sickeningly amazing games, we sit there giddy with excitement just watching the action unfold.
Unfortunately, and somewhat bizarrely neither of us have been able to capitalize on these morons. Due to a lack of cards but primarily because of some disgusting coolers and at times bad beats.
It is somewhat disheartening (and frustrating) when you literally witness stacks (and stacks and stacks) of reds ($5 chips) being passed around the tables like cookies, and you just cant get a piece of it.
Imagine being invited to a birthday party, and they cut the delicious birthday cake, dish it out, everybody gets a slice but you!
Its pretty cool to sit with Roshan during sessions, we are constantly working through situations, during periods when we are card dead we are putting ourselves in hypothetical spots and talking through hands. Basically keeping our self constantly engaged with the game.
I never realised how much Roshan bluffs, I remember Rob (The Horse) saying this to me but I never really took it on board, but I see what he meant now. Roshan makes a lot of moves, trust me I am never going to lay a hand down to him back in London now after seeing some of his shit. This dude hardly ever gets looked up, fucking finds these sick spots and runs the lines like a mother fucker!
Poker (and bluffing in particular) is about situations as opposed to hands, and finding the absolute right spots.
When I tend to bluff, more often than not I get looked up. I often find I picked bad spots, or I shake like a jelly baby. So with that in mind I have been pretty solid thus far.
My one bluff came late into a session earlier this week. I had chipped up to $400 or so, and had been brutally card dead for hours.
I limped A9 suited (diamonds) under the gun (yeah I know somewhat questionable play here), and after several limpers the cut off popped it up to $10, I called along with the several other players.
The flop came down K J 5 (two diamonds). I checked (with a mild plan of check raising).
The original raiser checked, and the button bet $40 into a $50 pot. The action folded around to me. I took a minute to assess the situation and I raised it up to $140 total.
The guy who bet seemed pretty solid, he had bought in for $100 and had more than $500in front of him now, I felt he would be reluctant to risk his winnings without a "nut" hand. On top of this he had made several remarks about how tight I had been playing several minutes earlier hence I realised he had acknowledged my image and should be willing to give me a credit for a big hand.
I felt at the time (just before I bet) he had a king, and was hoping he didn't have KJ. Once he started talking (when he was considering his options after my bet), I realised he had KJ.
This was the worse case scenario, but he can still lay this down. Hard to I know but he could, I mean I am only pretty much representing 55 here (as it would be unlikely I had KK or JJ), but still there was a chance he could fold this here.
After what seem like a lifetime he called the $140. I had $250 behind. The pot now was over $300. No king, no jack I am shipping the turn. He knows this of course.
The turn was a brick. I know he knows I am shipping no matter what, but I took my time, regardless of the fact that we are both committed at this stage, I wanted him to feel it was a not an inevitable shove, to give him the idea that it would not be necessary an inevitable call.
I eventually went all in for another $250 or so.
This dude made me sweat, although I felt really calm, I was shaking! I don't know why! Maybe because it has been a while since I ran a big bet bluff like this.
He reluctantly called. I hit my nut flush on the river to win a $900 pot. You know what I remember very vividly though, my non emotional reaction. Both externally and internally. I really wasn't happy or sad. Is this bad, why cant I just go..."...YEAHHHH BABBBBBYY!!!!!..." and feel happy for once?
I didn't feel a thing. I am so numb to the emotions of this game now. Good or bad? I don't know. The guy made a good call, and got fucked. Fuck his life! (oh and his butt ugly girlfriend -sorry dude your woman was "butters"). He took it bad.
Anyway that was pretty much the only time I got "out of line" all week, most spots have been pretty standard.
It has been very grounding living with Roshan, the dude is ice cool. Really has a calming effect on me. True professional. I wrote too much this blog so I wont go on too much, but seriously its great to have him around, keeping me sane, positive and relaxed about life and poker.
Quick update from our heads up challenge though...I am crushing Roshan. Beat him at Stud (even though he wont concede this as it was online), and outright crushed him during our first live session of pot limit Omaha.
I still feel like this after what has been a very frustrating second week.
After running KK into AA (all in pre flop), late into last night's session I am resigned to a break even week.
My first week I broke the $2,000 barrier (even with a couple of break even days), and would of loved to book in another solid week to keep the momentum going, but meh you cant force these things.
Variance is a moody girlfriend. She will be loving one day, and fuck you the next, but she will never leave you! In the long run if you are good to her and understanding forwards her needs she will be good to you.
The standard of play out here is really bad. I mean really fucking terrible. These cunts are just chucking it away. They don't know any better, god bless you boys.
Countless times this week me and Roshan have been in some sickeningly amazing games, we sit there giddy with excitement just watching the action unfold.
Unfortunately, and somewhat bizarrely neither of us have been able to capitalize on these morons. Due to a lack of cards but primarily because of some disgusting coolers and at times bad beats.
It is somewhat disheartening (and frustrating) when you literally witness stacks (and stacks and stacks) of reds ($5 chips) being passed around the tables like cookies, and you just cant get a piece of it.
Imagine being invited to a birthday party, and they cut the delicious birthday cake, dish it out, everybody gets a slice but you!
Its pretty cool to sit with Roshan during sessions, we are constantly working through situations, during periods when we are card dead we are putting ourselves in hypothetical spots and talking through hands. Basically keeping our self constantly engaged with the game.
I never realised how much Roshan bluffs, I remember Rob (The Horse) saying this to me but I never really took it on board, but I see what he meant now. Roshan makes a lot of moves, trust me I am never going to lay a hand down to him back in London now after seeing some of his shit. This dude hardly ever gets looked up, fucking finds these sick spots and runs the lines like a mother fucker!
Poker (and bluffing in particular) is about situations as opposed to hands, and finding the absolute right spots.
When I tend to bluff, more often than not I get looked up. I often find I picked bad spots, or I shake like a jelly baby. So with that in mind I have been pretty solid thus far.
My one bluff came late into a session earlier this week. I had chipped up to $400 or so, and had been brutally card dead for hours.
I limped A9 suited (diamonds) under the gun (yeah I know somewhat questionable play here), and after several limpers the cut off popped it up to $10, I called along with the several other players.
The flop came down K J 5 (two diamonds). I checked (with a mild plan of check raising).
The original raiser checked, and the button bet $40 into a $50 pot. The action folded around to me. I took a minute to assess the situation and I raised it up to $140 total.
The guy who bet seemed pretty solid, he had bought in for $100 and had more than $500in front of him now, I felt he would be reluctant to risk his winnings without a "nut" hand. On top of this he had made several remarks about how tight I had been playing several minutes earlier hence I realised he had acknowledged my image and should be willing to give me a credit for a big hand.
I felt at the time (just before I bet) he had a king, and was hoping he didn't have KJ. Once he started talking (when he was considering his options after my bet), I realised he had KJ.
This was the worse case scenario, but he can still lay this down. Hard to I know but he could, I mean I am only pretty much representing 55 here (as it would be unlikely I had KK or JJ), but still there was a chance he could fold this here.
After what seem like a lifetime he called the $140. I had $250 behind. The pot now was over $300. No king, no jack I am shipping the turn. He knows this of course.
The turn was a brick. I know he knows I am shipping no matter what, but I took my time, regardless of the fact that we are both committed at this stage, I wanted him to feel it was a not an inevitable shove, to give him the idea that it would not be necessary an inevitable call.
I eventually went all in for another $250 or so.
This dude made me sweat, although I felt really calm, I was shaking! I don't know why! Maybe because it has been a while since I ran a big bet bluff like this.
He reluctantly called. I hit my nut flush on the river to win a $900 pot. You know what I remember very vividly though, my non emotional reaction. Both externally and internally. I really wasn't happy or sad. Is this bad, why cant I just go..."...YEAHHHH BABBBBBYY!!!!!..." and feel happy for once?
I didn't feel a thing. I am so numb to the emotions of this game now. Good or bad? I don't know. The guy made a good call, and got fucked. Fuck his life! (oh and his butt ugly girlfriend -sorry dude your woman was "butters"). He took it bad.
Anyway that was pretty much the only time I got "out of line" all week, most spots have been pretty standard.
It has been very grounding living with Roshan, the dude is ice cool. Really has a calming effect on me. True professional. I wrote too much this blog so I wont go on too much, but seriously its great to have him around, keeping me sane, positive and relaxed about life and poker.
Quick update from our heads up challenge though...I am crushing Roshan. Beat him at Stud (even though he wont concede this as it was online), and outright crushed him during our first live session of pot limit Omaha.
After
Roshan sucked out let again...
Roshan sucked out let again...
The game lasted over 4 hours, but in the end on I flopped the nut straight, and he flopped the
2nd nut straight with 2 pair, we got the money in...and I faded to take it down! Weeee....
Life is good.
