5.30

A nice last day in the heat of New York City, I write this blog as I finish helping my good friend move out of our old apartment. Nearly twenty trips up and down two flights of stairs carrying both furniture and garbage, my legs feel like jelly and I’m ready to sit down and see some hands. Alas, there is no time, as I’ve got about four loads of laundry to do, and barely enough time to do it. I will miss the private poker games in new york while I’m out in Las Vegas but they aren’t going anywhere, and after the WSOP, I’ll be ready to dive back into cash games.

Speaking of cash games, I am starting to think there is just so much more skill in the big-bet games as opposed to the structured mixed games. Actually, let me rephrase that… Both variations of poker require a tremendous amount of skill to master, but no matter how good you are at a structured game, unless you’re playing complete fools (and sometimes even if you are), its only a limit game, and therefore requires less skill. This is an argument I’ve had with some colleagues of mine for a few years now, and I’m starting to see the light and stop playing devil’s advocate. In limit games, its simply only ‘so much’ more to see another card, and in a game like omaha hi/lo I’ve seen people ‘peel’ the most incredible cards off the top of the deck. Its like where do these cards come from sometimes? But you have to remember that its limit, and its omaha, which means the percentages are never that far apart, no matter how dominated you think you have your opponent… and its only a one more bet for them to see another cards, its as if they ALWAYS have odds to call, even if their hand is as ugly as some of those baby pictures I see on pokerstars (just kidding… sorta… not really…). In the big-bet games like NL and PLO, if you have KQ and they have 1010 and the flop falls Q53, the 10′s are in lousy shape with two cards to go they’re gonna need something just short of a miracle to win the hand. In PLO, if the flop is Q105 and you’ve got AKJ9 with a flush draw, and your opponent flips over two pair, he’s in rough shape and basically needs to fill up to win. With so many outs in a game like pot-limit omaha, you’re actually a favorite against a made hand frequently and ‘bricking out’ is unlikely. You can lose a lot of money being far behind percentage-wise in a big-bet game while in a structured game, even if its KQ vs 1010 in limit holdem, its not going to cost you as much, and you’re never going to just fold on a Q53 flop after putting in two or three bets preflop. Ok enough poker rambling, I’m starting to get the itch to play, and I need to do my laundry! Ta ta for now…

6.14

6/14/09

Well its my birthday, and I’m flying home to New York instead of playing the pot limit omaha or horse tournaments today. Poker is wonderful, but family comes first, and despite being smack dab in the middle of the world series of poker, I need to spend a week or two in NYC to clear my mind in addition to family responsibilities.

On a positive poker-related note, MANY of my friends have made final tables so far this summer, with one of them even making two! (mad props tommyboy!) Also a hat-tip to Binger for getting deep in the 2-7 no-limit event. I’ve heard whispers that he’s been workin’ on his game, and it clearly shows. I really feel that the top top players who have shown the ability to play any game are the ‘real’ poker players out there. It might be harder to master a big bet game like no-limit holdem or pot-limit omaha, but there are many little intricacies to the structured mixed games that people are not privy to unless you have some experience under your belt. Furthermore, while poker-theory evolves with new strategies all the time (example: “utg is the new button” LOL), I don’t see much changing in the mixed games… All I see is a few people getting a little better, and the rest still playing terribly… If you don’t know by now, I give very few poker players any credit.

Strategy at the poker table is obviously important, but so is lifestyle and approach away from the felt, even if poker related… Everybody has their ‘thing’ that helps them focus on the task at hand, and we also have other ‘things’ that allow us to find some tranquility when we need clarity and peace. For years now I have attempted to figure out precisely what I need to do when I’m going through a rough patch to help me get back on track as quickly as possible, but I’ve come to the conclusion over the past year that for me, taking time off is the best solution. Anywhere between a few days and a week usually works for me. I encourage everyone to figure out exactly what works by trying different things when they are having trouble, and I’m sure you will all find the answer, within your own variation. No matter how down I am, there is another trick that I use to solve my frustration and always put a smile on my face… Nebraska, my dog… He is so cute, yet so ugly at the same time, but he’ll lick my cheek for hours if I am within reach, and that ALWAYS turns my frown upside down.

Initially I was very upset about having to go home for a week or two, but considering this HAS been a rough start to my world series (busting two tournaments on very rough beats, cashing none), I’m sitting here writing this blog thinking to myself that this is exactly what I need. A little therapy session with Nebraska at Central Park, and some time with the family… I’ll be back soon enough and I’m in no rush to win another bracelet, I’ve got another fifty years of playing poker in me. In the grand scheme of things, sacrificing one important week to ease my mind and relax my psyche is the best move. Figure out what your best move is, and go with it. Everybody has their ‘thing’…….