April Update

I was planning making a post the goes over my number for the first full month, showing what's working and what's not.

Well, that's not gonna happen because nothing is working. I haven't added up my March numbers yet because they suck balls.

I got off to a decent start for the first two weeks in Vegas, but the last three weeks or so have been an epic failure. Tournaments, donkaments, NL cash, Omaha. Everything!

I don't mind the ups and downs, especially in tournaments. But when it's only down down down, then it's really hard to get motivated to leave the apartment and dust off another buy-in. It feels like I'm saving money by not playing, which is a terrible mindset to be in.

I've been in poker long enough to that I was gonna have some losing months, but I didn't think it would be the first month.

The only saving grace last month, and what kept me from filling out job applications, was the Golden Nugget $140 tournament that runs every Sunday 9am. I've played in five of them so far, and they've been in the 50-60 player range. I had three straight Final Tables, all finished with deals for a total of $3355.

Easy Like Sunday Morning

"Shuffle Up & Deal" - 9am Sunday $100 tournament at Golden Nugget. 10k chips w/ 30 min levels. 5 tables set up, and each table is about half full. My table has five bodies, and I'm the youngest by at least 5 yrs. 

Level 1 (25/50) - We're up to eight bodies at my table. The best way to describe the action is "still asleep", as it has been super passive. The only big pot at this table was the previous Hand Of The Day, and it didn't go well for me. I have 8150 chips. 

Level 2 (50/100) - Full table now, including a Kid who is seated on my Right+1. Action is still comatose. In the only big pot of the level, one of the players was making crying calls because he only had Bottom Set. Of course, it was good. I only raised a couple of times, and won them all on the Flop. I have 8600 chips.

Level 3 (100/200/25) - Mid (50's guy) raised 400. I'm Button with Kc Js. Considered making a 3-bet, but didn't since I was the only caller. Flop Kd Qh Td. He bet 500, I raised to 1200 with Top Pair & Open-Ender, and he called. Turn [Kd Qh Td] 2s. He checked, I bet 2000, and he thought for a bit before folding. 

Hand Of The Day #102

Golden Nugget $140: Level 1 (25/50) ~ 03.02.14

Since it's Level 1, we aren't at a full table, and the action has been ultra-passive. I min raised (100) from UTG+1 with KJs. Four players see the Flop Kh 8s 5s. Pretty good flop with Top Pair + Flush Draw. I bet 225. Button (60's Lady) raises to 500. SB (70's guy) cold calls.

So much for a passive table. I decide to 3-bet to 2000. I have a big hand, and I want to win a big pot. But I also want some more information. If the Button 4-Bets, then she's got a Set, and I can act accordingly. She ends up thinking for a bit before calling. SB calls quickly.

Turn [Kh 8s 5s] 3d. SB checks. OK, now it's time for me to think, and put these two on hands. The SB is the easy one, as the line of Check Call Call screams the Nut Flush Draw. Of course, he could just be a calling station, but we'll assume the Nut Draw until something changes.

Today Is The First Day Of The Rest Of My Life II (The Sequel)

I'm typing this from my new apartment in Las Vegas. I drove the U-Haul down from Reno on Monday. This post would have been up sooner, but I've had big issues with my internet company's wonderful customer service, and I'm posting it from a McDonald's.

I know you're wondering if I transferred down here like I did from Ohio to Reno. Well, the answer is "No." I quit my job, although I prefer the term “Retired Early”.

So the next logical question for you to ask is, “Why would you walk away from a job that pays $65k a year with good benefits?” Well, that answer is a rather complicated, and will require a few paragraphs.

First, I've been with the USPS for 10 years, and I've known for most of that time that I was not gonna be there for the full 25 – 35 years like most of them. The plan for me was to save as much money as possible, and move on to other things when the time was right.

The post office has big problems, and has been deteriorating every year I've been there. First, it's one of the worst run organizations in the county. Although, in their defense, I think it's just too humongous of a company to be run with any efficiency. Second, they need to downsize drastically, but can't because of postal regulations and numerous union contracts. Any major changes, like elimination of Saturday delivery, can only happen with an Act Of Congress. But as everyone knows, Congress is not capable of doing any action these days.

$8/$16 Omaha-8 At Atlantis

$8/$16 Omaha-8 at Atlantis is a 4/8 chip structure with the yellow $2 chips they normally use for the rake. There is a half kill to $12/$24 (6/12) when someone scoops a $100 pot, which is on the small side. The Kill acts like a sleeper straddle, as it acts last preflop unless there is a raise in front of it. 

This is the 3rd week this game has run at Atlantis on Saturday afternoon. I played both times after work, and I'm up almost $300 so far. I had last weekend off, so I'm able to play from the start of the game. I thought I would try a Running Log for the session, as I haven't done a Running Log for a cash game in loooong time.

2:00 $200 - Full 10-handed table. I recognize most of the players, and it's a good mix of tight & loose. 

Other games in the room today include (2) $1/$2 NL, $3/$6 L, $10/$25 NL, and $100/$100 NL. No clue why they have the big NL games today, as it's normally hard to get a $3/$5 game going here. I recognize only one players at the $100/$100, but most of the $10/$25 are locals. I guess there are a couple of special guests in town this weekend. 

2:30 $230 - Normal action so far, as nobody's stuck yet. It was pretty quiet for me. The only significant pot was me limping the Button with Ts 9s 8d 7c. Flop was Jc 8h 7s. Checked to me, and I bet ($8). Three callers, and Turn [Jc 8h 7s] 7d. I bet ($16), and they all folded.