Really, this doesn’t deserve ranting about, but I need to do it.

$10 Nine Player SNG on Mansion
Blinds are 10/20, Everyone has a starting stack of 1500.

I get the button with

Folds to MP who makes it 60 to go. I decide to call, figuring I still have time if I miss.
SB calls the 50.

Flop comes

SB checks. MP bets 120. I re-raise to 480. SB re-raises to 800. MP calls, I shove instantly for everything. SB insta-calls, MP calls.

SB has for a set of sixes.
MP has for a pair of nines.

Turn

River:

All over in one hand, thanks to a one outer. While it isn’t the sickest beat I’ve had in the last few weeks (the guy who hit a runner runner 5% shot was worse), I guess my two re-raises meant I was on a flush draw with a pair?

I’ve talked myself out of going to too many gigs over the last few years, so when it was announced that Chicago based MC Lupe Fiasco was doing Big Day Out sideshows, I snapped up tickets the day they came out before I had a chance to do it again. Rather than worrying about parking in St. Kilda (especially on Australia Day), I decided to do the lazy thing - drive in to Crown, park, play some poker to get me free parking for next time and then get a taxi to and from the show. A recent post on PokerNetwork hinted that Crown only have one or two 1/2 No Limit tables open, preferring to ferry everyone over to those horrible electronic PokerPro tables which actually made me think about skipping poker all together. After an up and day down of Limit Hold’Em online, I decided to say screw it and headed off to Crown.

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Yeah, new entry. Weird eh? I’ve been horribly lazy since returning to work two weeks ago with everything so I sorta pushed this blog to the back. With that said, as of right now new content will be coming back daily, starting with this entry.

Aussie Millions spoiler below.
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So tonight I decided to get in the poker mood myself and fired up Full Tilt. With no ring games avaliable, I decided to register for a 90 Man Double Stack Sit & Go. I really love these ones because the blinds start low and you get 3,000 chips to begin with so you have a little time to learn about your players and make some plays. A starting M of 66 = Me very happy. Let’s kick things off.

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I have been playing real money poker for about a year and a half now and what do I have to show for it? Nuthin. What is this due to? A mixture of things - bad money tracking, lack of focus and control, ambitious goals. So rather then just playing the game like I did this year, I’m going to make some specific changes as listed below.

1. Give Myself A Proper Bankroll I’ve decided to give myself a proper bankroll for the year - $AU2000. A lot of money for a person in my case. It’s a bit excessive as I only spent about half this on poker this year - but I have no way to track this. The reason I gave myself so much is that this cash will be all I will be spending the entire year on poker - whether online, live in the casino or in home games. I’ll actually be able to make some realistic choices on how I spend it to - so I don’t go crazy one day and to buy in for $250 at a 2/3 game at Crown or play multiple SNGs at a home game (something which I have done). I’ll be tracking everything I spend too so I can see what games I am actually good at and what games I should stay away from - and to track hot and cold streaks too. Of course, I’ll keep you in the loop.
2. Break-even for the year Really this ties in with number one, but I felt the need to separate it. As I wrote earlier, I have nothing to show for the year in my poker play. By at least breaking even for the year, I can be proud that I accomplished something whether it be my skill of the game, my bankroll management, or my plain luck. Going broke is not an option - so I will be making sensible decisions on what I play based on how much money I have and what the proper limits for me to play are.
3. Improve my game and eliminate distractionsReally two different points but they are similar so I’ve grouped them together. Playing online especially, I get way too distracted and worry more about reading web pages or listening to music then playing the game. If I’m going to play poker, poker has to be my 100% focus - nothing else. By improving my game in this regard, I then have to turn to the books and the web to learn new elements, and improve those elements that I may not use in my game enough right now.
4. Stop worrying about getting the bad side of the coin so often While I can usually control my emotions, I need to stop worrying about bad beats and worrying about folding winning hands. It happens so often that I just need to let it go and move on, so rather then re-read hand histories and paste them to my friends or talk about bad beats I will just focus on the positive and only the positive.
5. Focus on what I’m good at and learn what I’m not good atI have made a little bit of money from playing low level NL holdem yet I lost it when I moved up in stakes. In 2007 I am going to play where I am comfortable in hopes of beating those people who are not comfortable more often. I’ve also taken to playing Ohama Hi/Lo, Razz and 2-7 Triple Draw, all games I don’t properly know how to play. Before I take to these, I need to sit down and learn more then just how to play them, but the basics in the same way I did for NL Holdem.
6. Qualify for the Aussie Millions 2007 and Win a decent cash tournament These two I tried to do this year and never really completed, despite getting close. I am able to cash in the smaller tournaments however I have not been able to do so in the bigger ones, even if it means I am satelliting my way in. With an improved focus and improvement in my game, I feel I will be able to do this.

Hopefully if I can cover all of these, I will improve my game and when looking back at the end of next year, have six new goals to set poker wise. Here’s to the new year of poker.

So last night on my way home I decided to get myself a nice donar kebab for dinner. As usual, lettuce tomato onion and a generous amount of garlic sauce. It’s okay, meat is a little cold but it’s from a store “Victoria’s Best Kebabs” so it must be good right? 5:45 am and I have an upset stomach, time to sit on the toilet for a little while. 40 minutes later, and I’m back in bed - for about five minutes. Back to the toilet, back to bed, back to the toilet, this happens a few more times. At this stage it’s about 8:30 and I decide to have a day off. Ring up work quickly, then back to the toilet. At about 10am I’m done so I go right to bed. Unfortunately, it’s too late. I can’t sleep. After a shower, I get dressed and check out Full Tilt to see what’s going on. Turns out today is the last day to qualify for the Aussie Millions, so I decide to give it one last crack. $69+$6 tournament, let’s go.

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