So I'm starting one of these things.

May was an interesting month. Looking back I played 110 hours of poker. Did I mention that I have a full time job and a family? I'm quite simply playing too much. But the focus was there, mostly -- I had one donk session where I tilted away $500 or so, but other than that I was on and cleared about $2000 for the month.

But that's the past, and we're on to the present.

I found $200. I logged in to Party because I told a guy I'd coach him for an hour as he played 25NL...I found that I had left $200 there that I forgot about. Which got me thinking, maybe I should check some other accounts. But I haven't done that yet. Instead, I started my great party poker experiment.

I decided that I'd play the $200 without adding to it, just to see what I can do. So that meant dropping down a bit, and I bought into 3 50 NL games. I figured what the heck, that left me one buy-in margin of error. For anyone thinking this is an insane way to play, please realize that I have a real bankroll, and I'm not risking my entire poker life on one session. But being short cash at the site did create some interesting situations.

First, dropping back to 50NL and playing loose tables I wasn't taking it seriously. After an hour I found I was playing about 30% VPIP Oops. As you might expect, it was bringing mixed results. By this point I'd toasted my back-up buy in and was starting to think this was going to be a short experiment. I was down to about $40 on each table.

But then I started to play. After another hour I had one table that was even, one table at $100, and one table at $20. If all things were equal, I'd have closed the $100 and the $20 and opened two new tables...but the $100 table had the lord king of all donkeys on it...and he was rebuying. In fact, to get me to $100, he called my push for his stack ($20 at the time) when I had an overpair QQ and he had a straight. Except there was a problem...there was no straight on the board. He had 5 6 7 8 10. This visibly upset him, because he was pretty sure a straight was better than a pair. But he rebought for $50 more, and I really didn't want to leave him.

So that left me playing a table with $20. Basically since I would never get odds for a draw, I was trying to wait for a hand I could push with. Finally I get KK in the BB...and the loose table folds around to me. I ended up pushing with 77 on a 442 flop and losing to JJ. So I was playing two tables.

The one table continued to pay off, and I finished with $150 there, basically breaking me even for the night. I'm going to have to take my play more seriously if I want this to work.

So my experiment was short lived. Not because of anything I did, or lost, or anything. I log into party and hey, 20% bonus up to $100. So I deposit $500 to get the free money. 3 Tabling NL100 against the whores.

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I ended the experiment when Party gave me $100 of free money. Can't turn down a party bonus. So with my new Party Bankroll of $700 or so, I didn't have to play the 50s. I played about 3 1/2 hours of 3 table NL100. And the biggest pot I was in was $30. Ever have one of those nights when nothing happened? Nothing good, nothing bad, just nothing.

The tables were tight, for the most part, with all three hanging around 20% VPIP. And I had no cards. I did get an inordinate number of AKs last night. At one point, at one table, I got AK, AQ, AK on 3 consecutive hands. I raised all three and folded the entire table preflop 3 times in a row. You'd think they'd have gotten suspicious. I almost raised the next hand with J8 just to see, but the way my luck was running I'd have gotten 2 callers and a reraise.

When I did get callers with my AK I invariably missed the flop, and people were calling my continuation bets, so life was not good.

Then at 10:30 CT someone flipped a switch and one of my tables turned into a 6 max. There were 10 people sitting at it, but the VPIP went up to 39%. I caught QQ, raised 5x, which was folding the table 15 minutes ago, and all of a sudden I got 4 callers. An AKx flop ended that hand quickly enough for me.

I got 750 hands in, and about 65% of the way through the party bonus. I'll finish that tonight. Lost $45 for the session, but the bonus will cover that.

The $30 pot I was in was a little interesting, because I thought it was going to be huge. Villain had $60 and was average. I had maybe $120.

I had [Ks] on the button and villain raised to $5 from MP. I reraised him to $15. He calls. In my head he's got QQ, AK, or AA, because he's absolutely wrong to call my reraise without one of those hands. He only has $45 behind now that he's got $15 in the pot, so playing for a set is beyond retarded. But I'm not complaining.

Pot $30. Flop [Qh][5s]. When I see this flop I'm pretty sure I'm getting his stack. Because this just hit his QQ or AK and he could still think his AA is good. He checks to me and I bet $15. I go with a small bet because he's so short that if he calls he's going to be committed anyway, which is what I want. And he mucks without even thinking about it.

The only other interesting hand has me in the SB with [Kc] when a solid player raises to 4x from LP. I just call it. Two of us see the flop.

Pot $9. Flop [Kh][5d]. Normally I bet here, but holding AK I can't see anything that will call a bet that doesn't beat me. Either he has AA or KK and I'm through, or he's got 99-QQ and he'll fold. Villain is aggressive, so I think he'll bet an underpair here. And he does, betting $8 which I call. Turn is a blank -- check check. River's another blank. I bet $8 and he folds. I should have reraised this hand on the flop and just taken it.

And so it ended. 750 hands where I never risked my stack. I never risked a quarter of a stack.

The wife is leaving for Savannah today with the boys for 10 days. I'm travelling on business next week, but for the next 3 days I'm home alone, so it will be a feast of World Cup, Nachos, and Poker. I might crack 25 hours played over the next 3 days.

I agree that sleep is for the weak. However I challenge anyone to have several drinks, watch Poland vs. Ecuador, and NOT fall asleep. That's why soccer on TV and liquor don't mix -- because the next thing you know you wake up 4 hours later on the sofa and Bassmasters is playing on ESPN 2, and you can't figure out why.

I have no excuse for avoiding the heat. I'm just a wuss.

[quote="mike_m235"]I agree that sleep is for the weak. However I challenge anyone to have several drinks, watch Poland vs. Ecuador, and NOT fall asleep. That's why soccer on TV and liquor don't mix -- because the next thing you know you wake up 4 hours later on the sofa and Bassmasters is playing on ESPN 2, and you can't figure out why.
quote]

well said

Came home from work to the empty house, watched some soccer, then got down to business at Party. Finished up the bonus playing about 600 hands, and dropped about $150. Wasn't playing bad, just never hit a draw or a set. And I was getting a bit pissed so I took a break and mowed t he lawn.

Came back and I had $600 left at Party. And that included the bonus. Since I'd found $200 there and deposited $500, I was down about $200 since I had the $100 in bonus. But I only DEPOSITED $500, so really I was still playing with found money. Or so my warped mind says.

So my plan was to play Party, but if I lost $100 then to quit and buy in at another site for another bonus. 15 minutes later I"m up 3 buy ins. One I flopped quad aces and got paid a stack. Another I flopped 2 pair aces up and then for good measure hit a runner runner nut flush. The third came from 2 or 3 hands.

I promptly gave one of the buy-ins back on a sick hand that was limped preflop. I held 77 and the flop was AK7 at a fishy table. Long story short, I get it all in on the flop against a guy who had only played one hand at the table. The turn is a K, and I am worried, but it didn't matter much since he had AA. I was already counting that 4th stack, too.

I played a couple more hours without much happening, although I made a couple of really good laydowns that saved me some money. And the guys were kind enough to show cards, so I know the laydowns were good. The tables were really wild, fluctuating from 40% VPIP at one point all the way down to 15% This was fairly interesting, since the change in table play forced me to change styles a few different times.

I played even for a long time, until I lost a stack and a half in the last ten minutes...just insane play that I got caught up in. Bleah. I ended up all in on a hand with QQ against...no joke...AQ shortie, 66, and JTs. Flop had an A, and turn was a 6, pretty much toasting a stack.

I finished with $722, so basically I preserved 22 of my bonus. I should have quit 30 minutes earlier, but I had a great fish on my right. Oh well. Not sure if I'm cashing out party or not. I'll decide tomorrow.

I hate Saturday morning poker, so my plan is to get up, run on the treadmill while I watch England v. Paraguay. Then I'm starting in on the casino bonus trail. I have shied away from it in the past, but the first two BJ ones seem almost foolproof, which is perfect for me.

Hey mike,

Are you thinking of doing that 888.com casino bonus? The one where you deposit $200, get $200 and can cash out your deposit immediately?

If you haven't heard of it, check out:



Looks pretty sweet, but after you cash out you have to wait about a week until the money shows up in your account, and in the meantime you can't play a hand or your withdrawal is forfeit.

By the way, good job on the journal, an interesting read. Good luck!

dsierpin

So yesterday was great and sucked at the same time. It was great because I got everything done I wanted to, got a great workout, had good food, and watched soccer. I made $60 playing blackjack, although I'll actually believe that when it hits neteller. But I lost $400 playing poker at Pokerroom. $100 I donked off with two misclicks as I was starting out. Oops. At least $50 of it was to a fellow BTPer. But from there I actually played well and just lost. Here was an example hand:

I hold [3d]. Muppet 1, who has repeatedly paid off hands and chased gutshots...okay, I have to share...I held 88 on a 672 board, bet, rebet the 3 turn, checked the river 9 to find muppet with T9 off. So that's Muppet 1. I've been dreaming about getting a hand against said muppet. Muppet 1 raises min in EP. I call. Muppet 2 is in the SB and re-raises to $4 (this is NL50, so that's a big raise). Here's my read on Muppet 2...muppet 2 sucks, but has also taken some ridiculous beats from muppet 1, and is steaming. Muppet 2 wants to beat Muppet 1 SO bad. Muppet 1 doesn't even realize this. Muppet 1 calls Muppet 2, so I decide to call. It's a big raise to call for 33, but I'm in position and these two WILL stack off if I set up.

The flop is [3h][2d]. Muppet 2 pushes all in for $21. Muppet 1 calls.

Now Muppet 2 has AA. I'd say 80% likely. It could be KK. I'm dead sure of this read. Muppet 1 calls. Muppet 1 could have any two cards...AJ is a possibility. Then again so is AK, QJ, two spades...anything. So I push all in. Muppet calls and we're in a $130 pot. Muppet has JJ. And thus goes my day.

So I've decided not to deposit any more money into Pokerroom, because it is spawned by the Devil. I have $114 and I'm going to either play it back up or go bust. I've never busted on a bonus in my life, so it's kind of a challenge. So if you see me fooling around at 25NL at pokerroom you'll know why.

In life events, tomorrow I'm flying to Virginia. I'll be on the plane during the US soccer game. Great timing. And I'll be away from my DVR for a week, so pretty much no soccer this week. That's okay, the World Cup comes around again in 4 years.