Week off work but not much poker...

Warm Down Journal for Thursday 24/09:

Having had the week off work this week, I thought I would of been able to put in the volume at the tables, but only managed to get in 2 sessions! Very disappointing, I could have and should have organised myself better.

The first of the two sessions was incredibly frustrating, I found myself in a really really good game with a couple of huge punters, but everything seemed to go against me. I found myself in for nearly £500, with a little over £100 on the table, but I was able to keep myself together and grind it out to pull most of it back over a 9 hour session (previous longest session being 5 hours).

Warm Down Journal for Friday 25/09:

With a wedding to go to Saturday morning, and with no outfit to wear, Hannah wanted to go shopping, and I was the man to take her. I had the great idea of suggesting we go to Stratford, where she would be free to roam around, and I could get in a session and check out the games at Aspers. 

It all went to plan, I managed to book a nice win, and Hannah took 5 hours to pick out a dress and get her hair done, 

Back to work tomorrow, but I will get in an afternoon session today. 

Warm Down Journal for Saturday 19/09:

Well, I managed to bounce straight back from last night's loss, booking in a nice win after a short session.

I pretty much played one pot, pealing a pre flop raise with 55 pre, and seeing a board of 88359, I got all the money in 3 way on the river vs K8 and 67. Nice life.

Was card dead for the next few hours, but happily folded to a £260 winning session.

I also came 2nd in a $5 comp online last night, which was a very welcome result, even though not a massive score, making final tables are always fun!

One good,one bad...

Warm Down Journal for Wednesday 16/09:

After a pre session nap after work, I felt really rested and felt my focus throughout the session was very sharp.

I got off to a good start and played some really solid poker in a session just short of 6 hours.

I booked a win tad over £150. This put me into a small profit after 7 sessions, shame I couldn't hold onto it....

Warm Down Journal for Friday 18/09:

This is a session which should never have happened! I should not have gone in, and I would not have booked my biggest losing session thus far. But it happened and I just have to accept it and move on.

So what went wrong?

First of all, I was exhausted. both physically and mentally. I pushed myself to go in. I couldn't focus, and I wasn't comfortable at the table. I felt irritable, and I just couldn't settle down.

I hadn't completed neither my Warm Down Journal from my previous session, nor had I completed any of my pre session routine. Shame on me!

Anyway, straight of the bat, I got stacked after getting my money in bad, though at the time I felt it was justified and a bit of a cooler. Reality is it probably wasn't. Awful run out though, villain hit a gin card, not only nutting his hand but making my hand unfoldable (ish).

I then watched a couple of awful regs run like god for several hours building towers while defying poker fundamentals. I wasn't my usual self and felt every hand they won tilt me, obviously the hands they won against me hurt more, I just felt really tilted and had a deep feeling of what I can only describe as anxiety.

I lost nearly every pot I played, with a couple of medium to large pots with ridiculous run outs costing me chunks, ended up booking a loss of about £250. Yuck!

Its not the loss that's upset me, but the fact that I felt I played pretty poorly and I how tilted I got, I am disappointed with myself.

Well I was, I am over it now. I just completed a 2 week straight at work without a day off, and now I got a week off to grind the shit out of these games!

Warm Down Journal for Saturday 12/09:

Again a somewhat frustrating session, for the most I was card dead and the only big hands I were dealt were cracked. Lost with AA, KK, and AK, but managed to limit the damage to book a £9 loss for the session.

I can feel a string of positive variance coming, and I can see the light at the end of the tunnel!

I was very close to a bankroll boosting win online Sunday night, but busted to a pretty brutal beat with 24 left in a $11 comp on 888. The cash for a little shy of $150 was still a welcome injection to my account.

Work has been pretty intense, but I am nearly through it, a few more days and then I have a week off.

I am not in until 1pm tomorrow, so planning to put in a solid grind tonight!

Solid session..modest win...

Warm down Journal for Saturday 5/09:

Played solid, won a buy in. Not much more to report. Due to work I haven't been able to play much since, hoping to get in a session tonight (Saturday 12/09), will definitely put in a solid session on Sunday though.

Just about getting over my tonsillitis, feeling much better today after a week of been under it! Should be able to start training, running, hitting the tennis court at some point next week!

Four sessions down...

Warm down Journal for Thursday 3/09:

I wasn't feeling great after work on Thursday, I felt exhausted and as I am still recovering from having tonsillitis last week I'm definitely not 100%, but after taking Bobby (my gorgeous Victorian Bulldog) out for a long walk I got my second wind and headed in for a session.





















I got into a game at around 10pm and played until 2:30am, I was very conscious that I had to be at work at 8am the next day, and I didn't want to be too tired or get ill again due to fatigue.

I want to have a good balance, I don't want my work to suffer while I pursue my quest to grow my bankroll, having peace of mind and not worrying about issues which may arise at work due to my lack of focus or commitment is priceless.

Unfortunately I got stuck in a pretty slow game, with one too many shallow stacks, and could not get much going, losing about £50.

One hand of slight interest, or one hand which I thought I should not have played!

Villain is a semi competent TAG, bought in for £200, and has been somewhat active. He has opened in late position several times prior to this hand.

Folds around to him on the button, he opens to £3, small blind calls, I squeeze to £12 with A8. Villain calls, small blind folds. Flop Kxx, I bet £15, villain calls. Turn J, I check fold to a £30 bet.

I was a little bit frustrated to have lost £27 with such a shitty hand for no apparent reason, giving light action in any of these high rake games let alone in a slow, shallow game where getting unstuck might be harder is definitely not a good idea! But meh, it happened.

As a point of interest, I really felt this guy was floating me and just wanted to get into an ego battle with me, but I did not accept his invitation (even though I instigated it by 3 betting in the first place!).

I get it a lot, I get into a game, I may be active or not, some guys who consider themselves "good"(but in reality have several big fundamental leaks in their game, as well as really not getting what poker is all about), notice I know what I am doing, and go out of their way to play pots with me, or make moves on me for absolutely no reason. Its so dumb. I have the awareness to pick up on these guys and will make the necessary adjustment in coming sessions!

Feeling optimistic and focused, looking forward to a strong session tonight.

Finally we break the losing streak...

Warm down Journal for Tuesday 1/09:

Its early days but I seem to be getting into a very balanced routine. 

After coming home from work on Tuesday, I had dinner, relaxed for a while, put in an intensive circuit workout, showered and got to The Vic for about 11:30pm.

I planned to put a solid 5 hour session, and could relax in the knowledge I didn't have work in the morning. 

I am feeling incredibly calm and relaxed at the tables, this may be for a number of reasons, but one thing I can say for sure is not drinking Red Bull (or coffee) and not eating a whole bunch of sugary foods is keeping my energy levels very steady, no highs and no extreme lows. It almost seems like time has slowed down, and during hands I feel I can take my time, process all the information and isolate my focus sharply to the "now". 

Anyway, upon my arrival I was seated in a game after a short wait, and let again I was very pleased to find the action both soft and juicy! 

I am very encouraged with what I have seen so far, however the rake (including the money taken out of the pots for the Loyalty Freeroll) is fucking ridiculous. The other night we had a dealer who was neglecting his duty to drop the rake money into the box in fact he wasn't even changing up the £5 chips to higher denominations, so there was a massive stack of reds right there in the middle of the table, It was somewhat demoralizing to see the rake pile as it was bigger than not just my own stack but most of the players at the table!!!

I need to book some wins, move up to £1-£2 quick! 

Tuesday night, I was finally on my way! I booked a modest win of £160, but boy it felt good!

  

I was slightly disappointed with my play nearing the end of the session, as I failed to adjust correctly to a whale joining the table, but I am not going to be too hard on myself, I am aware of what I did and what I didn't do, and I will be aware of this going into my next session.