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peterbirksWhen you are in the middle of a bad run, you get to the stage where you say to yourself "fuck these Sklansky dollars, could I just win a pot, please?"
This is not irrational. Getting out of a bad run is very much a matter of hunkering down, not trying anything new, sticking to what worked in the past, and waiting for a bit of luck. That gives you sufficient confidence to start trying for improvements.
And so, after having twice lost with sets under sets, and twice lost with flopped sets agasint flopped straights (once against 85o, once against T7o -- and, yes, they did both defend their blinds with that stuff), it was a joy for my all-in with 99 on a QJ9 board to win against, yes, KTo. Luckily a Q on the turn gave me the boat.
The EV line is so far above my actual line this month that I would need another dozen of those to get back to par.
But, like I say, just booking a positive result, and never mind what the EV says for that particular session, is the tonic you need to believe that what you are doing is not fundamentally wrong -- you have just been running bad.
I'm still minus for the month both before and after bonuses. Q1 will not match last year, despite a big increase in volume. Indeed my win rate per 100 hands is the worst for three or four years. Games are getting tougher, and, if 2+2 and my own experience is to be believed, a signficant gap has now opened up between $100 BI and $200 BI. Indeed, were it not for the fact that the $200 BI game has hidden benefits (making me better-prepared for $400 BI and above), I would say that my expected earn is probably higher at $100 BI at the moment. I played some 6-max for a couple of hours yesterday because of a shortage of tables on Party, and even the regulars (prob small winners/rakeback grinders) looked weak.
++++++++
I deployed the Tom Tom to go to Brighton yesterday and it proved very useful. It showed me a new way to Brighton from Lewisham (about 12 miles longer route via M20, but probably a good 10 mins quicker than my normal route). It got me to Craig's without difficulty and, equally importantly, it got me out of Brighton without difficulty.
I'm still working out how the various options work, and which ones I prefer. I think I like the text guidance bit better than the "map" guid, but it's a close-run thing. In some situations (where you don't know the names of the roads, as in Brighton!), the map system is better. But once I get to an area I know (but do not necessarily know the best route), then the text is better.
Lovely to see Craig and Kate again. Kate has some nice friends too. Helen and Amanda have nice dry senses of humour, while her neighbour Dave is basically a nutter. So it was a good day, despite the weather being utterly unsuited to Brighton.
We had an afternoon meal at Frankie and Benny's - at the Marina. The burger was very nice, although there was a marvellous moment when I asked for mustard. "English or French" asked the waiter. "French", I said. A minute later what should arrive but "French's Mustard". I didn't have the heart to tell them that this was a brand name of an American mustard.
Craig on the left. Kate hidden behind him. On the right, Dave, Helen, Amanda.
++++++++
The Tom Tom was less successful in Central London. I popped up to a workmate's birthday drink at the Jerusalem in Rathbone Place, off Oxford Street.
Driving into central London on a Saturday night is not something I shall do again in a hurry. It took me 20 mins to find a parking space.
I only stayed for an hour -- Saturday night pubs in central London are a bit young and loud for me these days. But it was great to see Grant's flatmate Sheena and her friend Beverley again. Both used to work for Informa. Bev is now working in Dubai, but was back for a long weekend.
I was tired when coming home, so perhaps I should have thought about things before I started driving. Instead, I found myself in one gridlock (on Goodge St) , which I sidestepped, and then another (heading south down Regent Street). This wasted a good half-hour. When I finally went the way I should have driven (after u-turning in Regent Street) in the first place (I had parked near the BBC) -- I drove up to the top of Great Portland St and then along the Euston Road -- I got home fairly quickly. However, the Tom Tom was helpful in telling me that the BBC on Portland Place is 8.3 miles from my home.
+++++++++
Looks like I'll maintain the supernova on Stars, but the Palladium level on Party is a dead duck. The new points-accrual system on Party seems to have screwed me (2 points for every dollar you are deemed to have contributed in rake), although I'm told that it actually works better for 6-max players.
Paradoxically, losing the Palladium level doesn't do me a lot of harm, because I've booked the Palladium bonus, which I can work off while building up to Palladium level over the next quarter (if I want to). I'm seriously thinking of going to 6-max $100BI if my win rate at $200 BI full ring continues at this low rate over the next quarter.
+++++++++++++++++++++++++
Now, time for a bath, the Sunday Times, and a packet of chocolate biscuits.
_____________
This is not irrational. Getting out of a bad run is very much a matter of hunkering down, not trying anything new, sticking to what worked in the past, and waiting for a bit of luck. That gives you sufficient confidence to start trying for improvements.
And so, after having twice lost with sets under sets, and twice lost with flopped sets agasint flopped straights (once against 85o, once against T7o -- and, yes, they did both defend their blinds with that stuff), it was a joy for my all-in with 99 on a QJ9 board to win against, yes, KTo. Luckily a Q on the turn gave me the boat.
The EV line is so far above my actual line this month that I would need another dozen of those to get back to par.
But, like I say, just booking a positive result, and never mind what the EV says for that particular session, is the tonic you need to believe that what you are doing is not fundamentally wrong -- you have just been running bad.
I'm still minus for the month both before and after bonuses. Q1 will not match last year, despite a big increase in volume. Indeed my win rate per 100 hands is the worst for three or four years. Games are getting tougher, and, if 2+2 and my own experience is to be believed, a signficant gap has now opened up between $100 BI and $200 BI. Indeed, were it not for the fact that the $200 BI game has hidden benefits (making me better-prepared for $400 BI and above), I would say that my expected earn is probably higher at $100 BI at the moment. I played some 6-max for a couple of hours yesterday because of a shortage of tables on Party, and even the regulars (prob small winners/rakeback grinders) looked weak.
++++++++
I deployed the Tom Tom to go to Brighton yesterday and it proved very useful. It showed me a new way to Brighton from Lewisham (about 12 miles longer route via M20, but probably a good 10 mins quicker than my normal route). It got me to Craig's without difficulty and, equally importantly, it got me out of Brighton without difficulty.
I'm still working out how the various options work, and which ones I prefer. I think I like the text guidance bit better than the "map" guid, but it's a close-run thing. In some situations (where you don't know the names of the roads, as in Brighton!), the map system is better. But once I get to an area I know (but do not necessarily know the best route), then the text is better.
Lovely to see Craig and Kate again. Kate has some nice friends too. Helen and Amanda have nice dry senses of humour, while her neighbour Dave is basically a nutter. So it was a good day, despite the weather being utterly unsuited to Brighton.
We had an afternoon meal at Frankie and Benny's - at the Marina. The burger was very nice, although there was a marvellous moment when I asked for mustard. "English or French" asked the waiter. "French", I said. A minute later what should arrive but "French's Mustard". I didn't have the heart to tell them that this was a brand name of an American mustard.
Craig on the left. Kate hidden behind him. On the right, Dave, Helen, Amanda.
++++++++
The Tom Tom was less successful in Central London. I popped up to a workmate's birthday drink at the Jerusalem in Rathbone Place, off Oxford Street.
Driving into central London on a Saturday night is not something I shall do again in a hurry. It took me 20 mins to find a parking space.
I only stayed for an hour -- Saturday night pubs in central London are a bit young and loud for me these days. But it was great to see Grant's flatmate Sheena and her friend Beverley again. Both used to work for Informa. Bev is now working in Dubai, but was back for a long weekend.
I was tired when coming home, so perhaps I should have thought about things before I started driving. Instead, I found myself in one gridlock (on Goodge St) , which I sidestepped, and then another (heading south down Regent Street). This wasted a good half-hour. When I finally went the way I should have driven (after u-turning in Regent Street) in the first place (I had parked near the BBC) -- I drove up to the top of Great Portland St and then along the Euston Road -- I got home fairly quickly. However, the Tom Tom was helpful in telling me that the BBC on Portland Place is 8.3 miles from my home.
+++++++++
Looks like I'll maintain the supernova on Stars, but the Palladium level on Party is a dead duck. The new points-accrual system on Party seems to have screwed me (2 points for every dollar you are deemed to have contributed in rake), although I'm told that it actually works better for 6-max players.
Paradoxically, losing the Palladium level doesn't do me a lot of harm, because I've booked the Palladium bonus, which I can work off while building up to Palladium level over the next quarter (if I want to). I'm seriously thinking of going to 6-max $100BI if my win rate at $200 BI full ring continues at this low rate over the next quarter.
+++++++++++++++++++++++++
Now, time for a bath, the Sunday Times, and a packet of chocolate biscuits.
_____________
