My Poker Blog

Life tilt and a new game called skipaments

2007-01-07T10:32:00.000-05:00

Last night, someone on the FCP forums (i believe it was IQCrash) had the ingenious idea of creating a game called skipaments. Its a flipament but with a twist. Its a full table but every hand two people have to go all in. No more. No less. If UTG pushes and UTG+1 calls then everyone else must fold. If its folded to the small blind then the blinds must shovel. I really enjoyed these games and was up late playing these and actually doing quite well in them.

I ended up getting 1 hour asleep before waking up to pack for my flight back to IU. Well, when I got to the airport at like 7:25 I was informed that my next flight from Charlotte to Indianpolis was canceled and I am not departing for Indy until 3:20. That's a 6 hour layover. Fuck poker. Errrr. I mean US Air. Honestly, the last 3 or 4 times I have flown US Air they have royally dicked me. Lost baggage, delayed flights, and canceled flights are the norm when flying with US Air. THey are the fucking Lee Jones of the airline industry. SO FUCKING BROCOLEEEE. Not only do I have a 6 hour layover, but this next flight is gonna make me miss the 4:40 shuttle by like ten minutes. So, I will be getting into Bloomington at around 8. Ya, about 2 and a half fucking hours after the IU-Mich St game will END. Once again, NEVER BOOK US AIR AGAIN!!!

Well, I actually discovered some good news in this. I have 6 hours so I can get a full tournament in, read some forums, and maybe read some HOH. Weeeeeeeeeeeeeeee. Well, I whip out my beautiful laptop and am notified Charlotte has free wireless. YAHOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO. But, when I try to log onto FCP I receive this notification.

This site is blocked by the SonicWALL Content Filter Service.

URL: http://www.fullcontactpoker.com/poker-forum/index.php?showforum=7

Reason for restriction: Forbidden Category "Gambling"

Same with pocketfives and 2+2. But, much to my delight, pokerhuas is now up and running (its been down for a few weeks). Also, Pokerstars client is also working.tytytytyytytyt. Now, off to win some money.

MIB

A Much Needed Update

2007-01-01T11:27:00.000-05:00

Wow! Basically a month without an entry. Well, I got home from college on about December 16th. I did well my first semester. I got a 3.6 and my parents are happy (except for my C+ in accounting). Vacation has been great. I have pretty much been relaxing and hanging out with a few friends. I miss the Florida weather so much. It is so much better than the fucking cold in Indiana. However, I am leaning towards transferring towards UF. My parents said it is up to me. I sent in my app, but I am not 100% I want to transfer.

Anyways, over vacation Dapper Dan G, gibler123, robbie redbi and I have been playing online together in a meeting room at a golf country club. I have been sticking to $10 180s for the Pocket Fives competition and my results are not too good. As a matter of fact, they are pretty bad. I have been losing a lot of money through these things and have grown to hate them. It looks like our team is going to bubble in 3rd place. My only success in a few weeks was taking over for robbie redbi with about 13 left in a 180 and going on to beat mkind0516 heads up. As of January 1st, I am free. I no longer have to play $10 180s 24/7. My plan is to move up the turbo ladder and also try to move up the cash game ladder. I will start at the $16 turbos and at $25 NL for cash games. Once my roll gets to 500 on stars i will jump up to $50 NL then I will adhere to a 20 x max buyin bankroll strategy. I love MTTs so I will also be playing a few MTTs. Cardrunners has been absolutely great. I have started to post/read the MTT stuff on 2+2, but I will continue to be a part of other forums too. I have also been using Poker Office a lot recently and I can already see it helping. PokerStove has also been a very nice tool to use when I am not sure of the equity I am getting in certain situations. I reccommend both PokerStove and PokerOffice/PokerTracker to everybody.

After opening up my presents on Christmas, which were pretty shitty (besides HOH 3) because I never told my parents anything I wanted, we hopped on a plane to the Bahamas. Our destination was Georgetown, the biggest city in the Exumas. It was my parents, my sister, my sisters boyfriend (Jon), and I. We stayed for 4 days. The trip was soooooo much fun. We went sailing, kayaking, snorkeling, exploring, and boating. We also relaxed a little at our hotel, the Palm Bay Beach Club, and got wasted at night (tyty 18 drinking age). It was amazing how expensive everything there was. They seriously charge tourists so much money, but they give locals 50% off the tourists rate. What Broccolee!! Anyways, one day we made the 45 minute drive to the Four Seasons Resort (the only major resort on the island). They have a nice golf course, beautiful beaches, amazing women, tons of restauraunts/other amenities, and The Casino at Emerald Bay. We did not stay long, we basically just walked around to check it out, but we obviously stopped inside the casino. It was empty. There was not a single gambler inside the casino besides us. It was pretty small though, with prob 8 table games and 30 slot machines. The Bahamas are so fucking beautiful and it just pisses me off that I am not going to Nassau from Jan 4- Jan 11.

Also, I have only been to the Hard Rock/Kennel Club like 1 or 2 times over break which is sort of dissapointing. Matt, Juan, Ron, and Alex went last night and it was really fun. Matt, Juan, and I were not playing seriously, just dicking around. We were playing props, straddling, playing hands out blind, capping it preflop, and rivering this big black guy consistently. I won $140. weeeeeeeeeeee. Matt and I hope to play some of the Hard Rock tourneys this upcoming week.

This is getting long. I promise to update more frequently. Maybe 3/4 times a week?

Well, Happy New Year to everyone. Be safe, have fun, play well, and get lucky in 2007.

MIB

Cardrunnners

2006-12-03T07:20:00.000-05:00

Today, Matt and I bought cardrunners. It is a poker learning tool where top pros show videos of their play and instruct you why they are doing what they are doing. I think pokerxfactor might be slightly better, but who knows. Cardrunners was much cheaper. It was $50 to sign up and $20 a month after that. I have already watched a few videos. A few Action Jeff Garza videos and a Mkind video which i barely payed attention to. Mkind doesnt seem to really explain why hes doing things and his voice is really annoying.

Other than that, I have been blowing through my roll. But today, I played great poker. I won a $10 180, which will help my team in the $10 180 man challenge, as well as almost double my roll (ya, its that low). Hopefully, I can keep up my great play and keep on building.

MIB

I'm Just a Little Mike Matusow

2006-11-29T10:14:00.000-05:00

Ok, Ok. I have never been to jail. I have never distributed X and other drugs. I have never fucked a prostitute (well, legally). BUT, I do know how to lose alot of mobney (the only difference between Mike and I here is that I ACTUALLY SUCK AT POKER).

My bankroll has declined from over 2500 to just over 1500. Its time to step down in limits and play some fucking good poker. I put a marine theme on the background of my stars tables and also a PCA background on my computer. I am hoping this gives me a little more inspiration.

Your Degenerate,

MIB

P.S. Mikey--You are the man. I have so much respect for your game and your lifestyle.

Tournament Day

2006-11-27T19:10:00.000-05:00

Well, I have tons of work to do. However, I would rather play poker. Today, since I am starting early I will be able to play a good amount and good variety of tournaments. I will just list what I played and go into further detail when I deem it necessary.

$5 rebuy (in for $55)-busto in 1500 (ran flush into higher flush)
$20 180 person- busto about 50 min in (trying to make a move)
$11 1 rebuy/1 addon (in for $21)- busto
$20 180 person- out in 27th
$3 rebuy- busto on bubble KK loses to AQ aipf
$25- 11th (once again..only cash of the night)
$5-busto JJ<24 LOL
$9 360 max- busto (forget how)
$10 10 min levels- out 2nd hand when QQ < 99 aipf
$15-busto early
$20 180 person- played poor
$30-pending

Turbos

2006-11-27T02:11:00.000-05:00

I did not have the time to play any tournaments tonight but I was up for "tournament poker" so I decided to play some turbos. I played three $25+2 turbo sit and goes and lost all of them. The first one I saw 1 flop through the first two rounds and on my button in the third rotation I had QQ (stack was 1365 and blinds 25/50). I make it 150. SB raises to 250 total. BB pushes AI which has us both covered. I instacall trying to scare off the SB. However, the SB still decides to call with AQ soooted (LOOOL). BB showed 99. 9 on flop gg me. 2nd one i was pretty card dead and made it to the 75/150 level with 1400. I made a big mistake and pushed with A4 in the wrong spot. I deserved to lose this one. I came in like 5th. In the 3rd I was in the same situation as the 2nd but I picked up 99 on the button. I pushed and ran into tens. Down $81 on the night.

Whatever,

MIB

Last Night

2006-11-26T17:28:00.000-05:00

Last night I started with around $2515 in my stars cashier. I played multiple tournaments, making one cash. From the tournaments my roll dropped to around $2350. I then proceeded to play 3 $25+2 turbo sng’s and came in 4th, 2nd, and 1st. I also played some 3/6 limit holdem at a six handed table and did not do too well. I lost approximately $80. Overall, it wasn’t a great night. But, I feel I played well outside of the 3/6 game. I think I will drop down a level or two and work on my cash game skillllllzz. I finished the night with $2404 in my roll. Well, I’m about to get on my flight to Philadelphia where I will have a layover filled with cash games and sng’s before my next flight into Indianapolis.

Good luck,

MIB

Ten Facials

2006-11-25T19:38:00.000-05:00

Last night I went to bed at around 6 am and I ended up waking up at 11 am. Today, I chilled around the house and went into town for a little shopping (obv didnt buy anything because I am cheap). Around the house I helped with a few chores, watched the good guys win the UF-FSU game, and basically just hung out with family. My brother and I were killing some time before dinner and we had just finished a three way game of Egyptian Rat Race (whatever you want to call it, this game has so many names) between my dad, brother and I. Yours truly obviously won. After that, pops had to go get ready as we had guests coming over soon. My brother and I didnt want to play the same game again, but we couldn't decide what to play. Eventually, we decided on Texas Holdem. However, we had one problem. We did not have any chips and we also do not have the imagination to use anything else as a replacement for chips. Soooooooo, we decided to play for face slaps. The game was 1 face slap antes with no blinds. We only got four hands in due to dinner. I was sooo card dead. I lost the first three hands before I won the fourth hand preflop. I didn't have a pair the whole game. My best hand was king high. Yes, yes, I know. The bad beat forum is down the street, but, this is truly pathetic. I lost to my stinkin brother at a game I play 24 fucking 7. Due to my loss, my brother is allowed TEN FACIALS (uh oh, he is 6'7" 300 lbs). Prior to the game we established that the face shots can be as soft or as hard as the slapper wants and that you can exchange slaps for dollllllla bills at the rate of 5 slaps for $20. I certainly cannot afford to lose my roll, so I will be taking some blasts to my face. Hopefully my 10 year older brother will be nice to the baby of the family.

I have not played any online yet today, but I will try to get on ASAP tonight and take some tourneys down.

Sincerely,

MIB (moneyinbag)

Obv

2006-11-25T05:57:00.000-05:00

Well, I OBVIOUSLY haven't updated for a while once again. I really am trying to update more frequently but its tough. Hopefully, I can stop being a lazy bastard.

On Tuesday I flew up to Bar Harbor, Maine to be with the family (mom, dad, brother, sister n law, nephew, and two family friends) for the T-giving holiday. I'm a little mad that I had to go to the freezing cold and not back to sunny SoFla but its alright (ha, i actually heard it snowed outside of Orlando). Its actually pretty nice up here. I also wanted to go back to the 56Ace so I could see some friends from high school. But, what are you going to do with annoying parents. Thanksiving dinner was great. Especially, after the Miami Dolphins won their fourth straight game! Playoffs?!?!? (eehh..dont think so...one can wish) My nephew is amazing. He is soooooo coool. There really isn't much to do in Bar Harbor. We basically just hang out, relax, and spend some quality time with each other. Today, we played basketball (ok its 6 am and the sun just came into my room and I am just rambling on about random things, so bye)

So, after the cash from my big $10 win I was up to about 2100. I donked it off playing big tourneys (like the $65+? on FTP) and was was down to 1800. Some rough stretch in tourneys brought me back down to 1600ish. I then decided to try my hand at 3/6 Limit Holdem. I was crushing the late night(read: drunk) games on Pokerstars. I built up to between 2100 and 2200. Then, I started to lose many buyins in donkaments and a few hundered when i was tilting at $100 NL (will try not to do it again, although I am a degenerate gambler and I know I will). So, today I was looking at approx $1600 in my roll on stars before the night started. I am trying to make the top 100 TLB for the month so I can get into the 4 seat PCA freeroll, but it looks like I am going to miss it. Trying to accumulate many TLB points I started off playing 3 180 man sng's, 2 DS sattelites to the million (not worth TLB's), and three other tourneys. Overall, I might have cashed in one of those 8, if any. I discovered that playing 8 tables is not very optimal for my game. Although, I was running pretty bad. Nevertheless, I would have done better with fewer tables. I played a few more tourneys here and there. I cashed in the $5 360 man before blowing my stack (forget how). Then, as there were less main tournaments going on I decided to play two $20 180 man sng's. I went deep in both. The first I bubbled in trying to build my stack. The second I won for $1080. weeeeeeeeeeeee! At the first break, my stack was not the best. It was around 2500. At the second break I had like 12-14k and from then on I just kept on building. I tried to play very aggressive at the money and final table bubble and tighten up when the table had more players. One key hand was when it was 3 handed, my AA beat AK to give me a commanding chiplead. I proceeded to lose the chiplead, but then came back to win the tournament. I was very happy with my play, except for a few minor hands where I spewed a few chips. Anways, gg me!

Im really looking forward to winter break. It should be a blast. Being back home the 56Ace crew and other friends from high school. Playing at the palm beack kennel club and the hard rock to prep my game for the PCA (hopefully). Going to the Bahamas twice. Once with the fam (mom, dad, sister, and Jon (sisters bf)) and 5 days later with the crew (Matt, Danny, Harrison?, FCP) for the PCA.

Well,

2006-11-19T06:50:00.000-05:00

A long week of exams is over and I can finally stop drooling over the success of my friend Matt (robbie redbi/alanstats) and play some myself. Friday was not a good day. I dropped over $150 in buyins. However, Saturday was different. The first tournament I played was a $10 with 1035 people. I ended up chopping HU for $1863 and 300 for 1st. I got 2nd. I thought I played alright, but not my best (maybe I would have done better if I was high). I will post the HH tomorrow. At the beginning of the tournament I was extremely card dead and had to chip up just making good moves and playing good poker. Then in the middle stage I tried to accumulate more and ran into some bad beats, and then chipped up to give myself a good stack (do'nt really remember very many hands in the tourney, but ill look over the HH tomorow and give some more analyis). As for my late play, I played aggressive, making a few resteals, making some ballsy calls, etc. I think my aggression was fine, but I got really really lucky with a few suckouts. I continued to play afterwards and did nothing besides barely making the money in the $30. Bleh. Its pretty funny how after not doing anything after the $10, I am considering this a shitty night. But, I will own today. Need to rest up first.

As for what this win does to the games I will play, I will stick to tournaments under $20 with an occasional shot at a $30.

In other news..ehh nevrmind, no news outside of poker. Well, I guess Im thinking about transferring to the University of Florida. I do not know tho. It is a very tough decision. I think I will apply and play it by ear. One plus to transferring is living in a poker house with robbie redbi and others, plus a better sports program here at IU :)

I know this blog is a little boring, I will make it more exciting and definitely update more.

Later,

Baxter

Swings

2006-11-08T17:52:00.000-05:00

I can't stand them. I have not cashed in like 27 straight tournaments. I really hope I am just running bad, but I highly doubt that. I think I need to play less tables at one time. I am going to limit it to two tables for now. My BR was up to 400 at one point, but now it has dropped back down to 176. I am not playing any MTT's until I build back up. I am going to stick to $6.50 turbos.

Whatever...
Mike

The Past Couple Days...

2006-10-27T14:31:00.000-05:00

I havent played a MTT at all in the past couple days. Been focusing on sit and gos and have been running veeeeeeeeeerry bad. Today I decided to play some Full Tilt and this pretty much sums up the past few days...

Blinds 30/60. Stack like 2700. About 21 players left in a $5 45 person sit and go on FTP. I limp with K8 h in CO. 5 people to flop (300 pot). 688 (2 dia). SB checks. BB leads out for 210. UTG + 2 raises to 640. I push my stack in. Button, SB, BB fold. UTG+ 2 "hopes" I have a flush draw and reluctantly calls (I have him covered by 200). He flips 82. Turn blank. River 2.

Whatever, gotta learn to deal with it. I tried to come back but was eliminated in 19th place. Still in a $4 180 with a 3k stack. 110 people left. glglglglgl me

Update

2006-10-24T20:22:00.000-05:00

Ive got a little below 9k in the $3r heading into the first break. Im in for $24.30 (not too happy about that). We'll see how I do.

Yesterday, I went deep in the $1, placing 48th, when my top two ran into a straight. I bubbled the $20 (i was staked in it). I failed in two attempts at the $2 216 people 6 handed sattelites. However, I have taken down two $5 45 person sit and gos over the past two days.

It's been a while

2006-10-22T18:05:00.000-05:00

Wow, It has been a while. Well, let me just say this: PCA PCA PCA. My bankroll is low but workable, $267.66 over all sites. I am trying to build it up through cash games, sit and goes, and tournaments. My short term goals are to build the BR and to qualify for the PCA. In the long run, I would love to be ranked on the Pocket Fives Leaderboard.

Today I played in a $5 and a $3r and cashed in the $3r but not deep. $11 FTP and $3.30 PS are starting now. GL me.

Welcome

2006-07-14T22:46:00.000-05:00

Welcome to my poker blog. I want to write this blog because I feel that it will help me become a better poker player. I began playing poker online at Full Tilt for play money in the summer of 2004. I played with my friends every once and a while. Eventually, I started to become more serious and began playing online for real money, as well as some of my friends. I want to begin to analyze the game more and become more serious. I play mostly on Pokerstars, but occasionally I play on some other sites. I will be a freshman at Indiana University this fall. This blog is mostly for my own benefit, but I hope others do enjoy. If you have any questions/comments feel free to email me.