It's Me, Snitches!!!

All of my loyal readers have probably been wondering where the hell I've been. After all, I haven't posted since like January, probably thought I fell off the face of the earth... at least the poker earth.

Truth is, my mind (and bank account) needed a serious break from poker for awhile. I kept saying that I needed a break, so I took one. I'm not gonna lie and say I haven't played at all in five months, but it's been very minimal, maybe a total of like five sessions.

But, I'm back. Since my triumphant return to the felt, I feel a ton more confident in my game. Good results contribute to that warm, fuzzy feeling of course, but even in the sessions I'm losing I feel pretty good. Happy to say that, despite limited sessions, I'm probably having my best poker year. All in all I'd say I'm up somewhere around the $1,000 mark for the year, a good chunk of which has come in the last few days.

I'm seeing things better now, not getting as tunnel-visioned as I had previously. Sure, there are a few instances--like a couple hours ago when I thought I had the nut straight but was felted by, you guessed it, a higher straight--where I lose my head, but for the most part things have been well. I'll probably head up to AC in a couple weeks once I scratch together more of a bankroll (funny, I'm up a G but only have about $500 in my left pocket) to play in some cash games, maybe hit a tourney or two.

I was looking online for the new Gus Hansen commercial, but unfortunately I can't find it so I'll explain the premise. Poker, in it's rawest form, is very much like storytelling, and the object of poker is basically selling your story with as high a succession rate as possible. I think this hand illustrates my point well:

PokerStars Game #17581390396: Hold'em No Limit ($1/$2) - 2008/05/21 - 01:36:43 (ET)Table 'Hermentaria II' 9-max Seat #3 is the buttonSeat 1: my_gem ($702.80 in chips) Seat 2: jigrig08 ($37.15 in chips) Seat 3: khinster ($59.05 in chips) Seat 4: Doikito ($23.75 in chips) Seat 5: mindcirkus ($202.15 in chips) Seat 6: mike8557 ($197 in chips) Seat 7: rouel111 ($164.60 in chips) Seat 8: Tripset30 ($220.75 in chips) Seat 9: ba dum dum ($424.75 in chips) Doikito: posts small blind $1mindcirkus: posts big blind $2
*** HOLE CARDS ***Dealt to Tripset30 [7s 7c]
mike8557: folds rouel111: folds Tripset30: raises $4 to $6ba dum dum: folds my_gem: calls $6 jigrig08: folds khinster: folds Doikito: folds mindcirkus: folds
*** FLOP *** [As Qs Ac]Tripset30: checks my_gem: bets $8Tripset30: calls $8
*** TURN *** [As Qs Ac] [3d]Tripset30: checks my_gem: checks
*** RIVER *** [As Qs Ac 3d] [9s]Tripset30: bets $15my_gem: folds Uncalled bet ($15) returned to Tripset30Tripset30 collected $29.50 from potTripset30: doesn't show hand *** SUMMARY ***Total pot $31 Rake $1.50 Board [As Qs Ac 3d 9s]Seat 1: my_gem folded on the RiverSeat 2: jigrig08 folded before Flop (didn't bet)Seat 3: khinster (button) folded before Flop (didn't bet)Seat 4: Doikito (small blind) folded before FlopSeat 5: mindcirkus (big blind) folded before FlopSeat 6: mike8557 folded before Flop (didn't bet)Seat 7: rouel111 folded before Flop (didn't bet)Seat 8: Tripset30 collected ($29.50)Seat 9: ba dum dum folded before Flop (didn't bet)


Little background: I came to the table with $120, and throughout the session my_gem, a loose aggressive player, had pretty much assumed that I was a pretty straightforward player and had given me entirely too much credit. Of the $240 I profited during this session, $200 of it probably came from him. But, back to the hand.

Obviously he doesn't have an ace or he'd at least call on the river, but this hand makes my point perfectly. I sold him on the fact that I had a hand like A-K or A-J, possibly even A-Q (though I doubt it). Had I continuation bet on the flop, he probably would have read me as weak, because weak players usually don't bet a set on the flop. So, I satisfied him and I check-called the flop, checked the turn because I wanted to continue my "slow play", and then, the kicker, value bet the river. Didn't think for a second he had an ace, so I figured I could get away with such a seemingly by-the-book play.

Did I make him throw away the best of it? Maybe, maybe not. The point is that by selling my story I didn't have to find out.

Good to be back.