Haha! Just to add a little bit of insult, I just saw that the Academy bus hiked the rate to AC $1 to $29 starting tomorrow. Ok, whatever, but then I also see that the Trop has lowered their cash back from $22 to $17. They've really been cutting on everything lately, from firing half the workers to taking a lot back from guests, to not fixing broken elevators and air conditioners, to hidden security holds on your card, or whatever else. I wouldn't be suprised to see the Trop be the next place run into the ground. If they've changed their poker rate policy, which used to be one of the best and easiest in AC to achieve, I would see no reason to ever set foot inside that place ever again.

Some more random AC poker room thoughs...

Really wished the Hilton had a better bus schedule, but it's pretty difficult to get to. I hear that they have the best comps, lowest and easiest room rates, and give back almost your entire bus fare $20 + $8 food. Unfortunately the location is kinda crappy, not really close to anything but the Trop, and I'm not sure how many tables run or how late.

Just for the hell of it, I inquired about the poker rate at the Taj during the week, even though I know I can't get it. The answer was $100 in comp and I have no idea what that means and they couldn't really explain it. Does that mean that once you have $100 comp accumulated and then you can request forever? Does it mean you need $100 comp available and then the room is free? What if you accumulate $100 comp, spend $50? Is there any discounted price then? What if you want to stay 2 nights in a row? Does that mean you need $200 comp? Are there no poker rates, just completely comped rooms? I don't know, I'm totally confused. Good thing I have nowhere near $100 comp.

I know realize my greatest MTT weakness. Allowing people to call and hit 3 outters. Once I'm able to fix this minor leak, my MTT game and results should greatly improve.
2 MTT's tonight:
ATs < A8o all-in preflop then AK < TT all-in preflop for the rest of it.
J7s SB < QT on 5JA flop w/ 2 of my suit then AQs into AKs for the rest of it a few hands later

As for this miserable month. First some disgusting stats, and then some miserable screen"shits" to illustrate.

First the good, the only good:
25 MTT's +107.25 ROI +$364.77

Omaha (all versions) +$41.90

Now for the rest of it:
Live limit - 2 sessions 15 hrs (both last week) -$140 (deducting expenses as well)

Online NL:
$25 6-max 4,438 hands -19.17 BB/100 -$212.65
$25 FR 2,419 hands +9.70 BB/100 +$58.65
$50 FR 3,247 hands -14.07 BB/100 -$228.45

The biggest problem this month was that it seemed everytime I PFR'ed, they knew when I missed or hit harder when I hit hard. I was bet into, raised, or re-raised just about everytime.

Everytime I PFR'ed at $50FR in Sept ommitting AA+KK:


My PT stats also show that I lost from every position except CO in September.

Here's the PokerEV one which includes everytime I PFR'ed and saw a flop where I had less than top pair: It's like they knew that I missed.


Blah.....I was gonna post more screen"shits" like all the 60%+ of the 50 VP$IP players who are still very profitable in database and more red numbers and declining graphs on myself for the month.......but you get the point.

The final # for September is only -$105.22 due to a $481.25 profit from a final table appearance on 9/14.

I may keep some money on Full Tilt because after looking over the Stars MTT's, I've decided that I like the Full Tilt variety and structures better, but I am now ready to embark on my PokerStars career as soon as I can find someone to transfer me $700.

Gonna start back up at $25NL over there and try to run it up again while leaving a little bit on Full Tilt for occasional MTT's and taking the remainder out to add to the live bankroll.

I know realize my greatest MTT weakness. Allowing people to call and hit 3 outters. Once I'm able to fix this minor leak, my MTT game and results should greatly improve.
2 MTT's tonight:
ATs < A8o all-in preflop then AK < TT all-in preflop for the rest of it.
J7s SB < QT on 5JA flop w/ 2 of my suit then AQs into AKs for the rest of it a few hands later

As for this miserable month. First some disgusting stats, and then some miserable screen"shits" to illustrate.

First the good, the only good:
25 MTT's +107.25 ROI +$364.77

Omaha (all versions) +$41.90

Now for the rest of it:
Live limit - 2 sessions 15 hrs (both last week) -$140 (deducting expenses as well)

Online NL:
$25 6-max 4,438 hands -19.17 BB/100 -$212.65
$25 FR 2,419 hands +9.70 BB/100 +$58.65
$50 FR 3,247 hands -14.07 BB/100 -$228.45

The biggest problem this month was that it seemed everytime I PFR'ed, they knew when I missed or hit harder when I hit hard. I was bet into, raised, or re-raised just about everytime.

Everytime I PFR'ed at $50FR in Sept ommitting AA+KK:


My PT stats also show that I lost from every position except CO in September.

Here's the PokerEV one which includes everytime I PFR'ed and saw a flop where I had less than top pair: It's like they knew that I missed.


Blah.....I was gonna post more screen"shits" like all the 60%+ of the 50 VP$IP players who are still very profitable in database and more red numbers and declining graphs on myself for the month.......but you get the point.

The final # for September is only -$105.22 due to a $481.25 profit from a final table appearance on 9/14.

I may keep some money on Full Tilt because after looking over the Stars MTT's, I've decided that I like the Full Tilt variety and structures better, but I am now ready to embark on my PokerStars career as soon as I can find someone to transfer me $700.

Gonna start back up at $25NL over there and try to run it up again while leaving a little bit on Full Tilt for occasional MTT's and taking the remainder out to add to the live bankroll.

I seriously considered making the trade, but then something reminded me that I didn't want to do that. . . ty for your sig. sir.

Some of the guys that play the bigger donkaments might be able to do it, try xas, 12er, h2t, roy, et al.

I've been contemplating epass, but honestly I just don't want to deal with it. It would probably take about 2 weeks from the time I set it up till I get the money from Tilt to Stars + the fees involved.

Ended not going to the Taj, obviously, today. Read that there was no ESPN coverage for the USPC event this year which drastically drive down the # of entries. Then read on 2+2 that there were only 41 entries as of late this morning. They ended up with 164 and the biggest names in the field are Gavin Smith, Cindy Violette, Jeff Madsen, and Alex Jacobs who won last year. That Funston guy that entertained everyone last year is playing again as well.

Might still make the trip again tomorrow, but nah.....I probably won't.

It Hurts Sooooo Much!

I must be the worst tournament player ever. Finished up on Full Tilt with my last tourny ticket and bout into another satellite tonight. I got all my money in several times - each time with the best hand - lost each time.

Tourny 1:
In the last 6 hands I played, I got it all-in 6x preflop - each time with the best hand
1 - BB [Js] 40/80 blinds - SB open-pushes 445, I cover and call. [Js] < [Th]

2 - [4h] OTB 1565 blinds 50/100 - 2 limpers, I push - same guy (2nd limper CO) calls w/ [8d] for 1010 total. [4h] < [8d]. Ahead, but actually almost identical % wise to win. Great limp/call with J8s.

3 - 3 hands later - [8h] 555 blinds 50/100 - I open-push. SB calls [8h] < [5h]

Tourny 2:
1 - Flop a set of 9's on x[Ad][9d] board. 7 players in the pot, NO action.

2 - Raise [Js] w/ 1 limper. 2373T board, can't make him fold 44 after firiing 3x. Can't get action on a set in a family pot, can't get a single limper to fold 44.

3 - 1 limper, raise [Qs] out of SB. BB and limper call. [Qs] < [4h] BB on [Qh][8h] flop

Got it all-in 4x - 73%, 49%, 60%, 63% and lost all 4. I don't know what the math is on that, but I'm pretty sure it = I suck!

Just withdrew everything cept the $700 from Full Tilt. I just can't stand the lag on Full Tilt either anymore. I disconnected several times tonight too.

Trip Report - USPC ME and some other random shit from the Taj

Ended up at the Taj yesterday. There were about 80-something players left in the USPC ME and played down to 54 around midnight before they stopped. I was playing on the other side of the room, but stopped in frequently to see what was going on during bathroom breaks. Trump hired an independant camera crew to film it although it won't be on ESPN this year. I guess he's hoping to sell it to GSN or someone. From what I saw:

-Gavin Smith just seemed to have a mountain of chips in front of him every time I walked by
-Alex Jacob (won it last year) was there at one point and then not. Easy to spot because of the huge fro, so I'm guessing he busted sometime right around dinner.
-Cindy Violette is not bad looking at all for an older woman. Not sure if wording it right, but better looking in person than on TV. Saw her on a medium to short stack a couple of times, but then sometime around 1am also saw her cashing in a couple of racks of chips (I was 2 tables from the cage) so she must have busted sometime around the dinner break and been in cash games the rest of the night.
-Wandered right in front of the TV camera during an exit interview and entirely fucked it up. No clue who the guy was though. I had just been dealt AK/AQ 3 consecutive hands, flopping TPTK each time and then been check-raised on the flop each time. The last time by a 90 year old woman in a motor chair who was laughing at me. I got up and took a walk and didn't even realize I had cut right in front of the camera probably because I didn't care. I'm sure that will be edited out if they ever air it.

Might go back tomorrow. Just read that today was pretty short and they are down to 27 in about 5 hours. Jeff Madsen, who I didn't recognize because he doesn't really stand out, has a big chip lead. Gavin is still 2nd. Johnny Bax still in the field as well.

Conecerning my own welfare......
-Flopped bottom 2 in a big pot with 54o in BB on first hand. Turned a boat. Ended up splitting it. All downhill from there.
-Dealt AK/AQ MANY times. Rarely I missed, unfortunately I was flopping top pair just about every hand.....and losing. Most ridiculous one:
AQs flop Axx w/ 2 hearts (I had spades). Turn and river were both hearts. I was called down, check/called the river and was shown Q6o for no pair, no draw on the flop but with a heart.
I was check-raised several times on the turn when I flopped top pair.
-After splitting the first hand, I went almost 2 hours before winning one.
-I had 4 full houses and won the pot only once. I split twice and lost boat over boat once.....to the same 90 year old woman who check-raised me and laughed.
-Some asshole actually called the floor over because the dealer was being too friendly to the old woman. Nobody else seemed to mind. Who cares? He was pretty much made to feel very uncomfortable by the rest of the table after that and soon left.
-I flopped several 12+ out draws and the 4th time, finally hit one and it was actually the least obvious out (my GSSD to the nuts), but yet was not paid off by the PFRer who was UTG and bet flop, called a c/r, and a turn bet. Said he was looking for his Ace so he could raise me. One of the few times an Ace did NOT hit the river.
-One idiot who kept check-raising kept flipping his sunglasses down everytime he bet.
1 - What the fuck was he thinking? Most of the old farts and bats couldn't even see the board cards? Yet he thought they were going to read his eyes?
2 - Moron would c/r (pretty much always with the best hand) and THEN stare you down AFTER he bet. So he was trying to intimdate people into folding the worst hand?
You wear sunglasses in a low limit game, you look like an asshole.
-Was down just about 10-20BB the entire session until finally making a comeback fairly late. I wound up quitting down 3.75BB when the table tightened up considerably. Was pretty much the most competant low limit live table I've played so far by the time I left.

I think the problem with my play at this point is that I've been taking SSHE too literally since re-reading it again a couple of times lately. I need to adjust it more to my game. For instance, relentless value betting when you flop top pair is NOT going to work when people limp/call down QQ. Some won't even raise 2 pair or sets if there is a possible better hand on board. I believe I've gotten myself in trouble by value betting too many hands against certain players lately. I'm mostly getting called only by hands that have me beat on the river (even 2 pair and flushes). A lot of people in these games will call down to the river with middle pair/TPNK and then fold. I need to taylor these concepts more to the styles of the players in the game.

I really do like playing live so much more than online. I like just being down there, the social aspect of being on a table of live people, the occasional eye candy, and even getting up and going for a drink at the bar to wind down after a session. Again, the only thing that really sucks is the commute and being at the mercy of the bus schedule including the extra half hour or so that you waste just waiting around.

Concerning epass:
I've been looking into it the past few days. Not very comfortable with what I've been reading on 2+2. At this point it would probably take just as long to set up as waiting for a check anyway. I miss Neteller. I'll probably try the ole debit card next week or whevever I get the first Tilt check. If it works great, if not then whatever, then I'll just have more of a bankroll for live play. Pretty much resigned to sitting out

Quick update:

Thanks to Trump34, I was finally able to get some funds on Stars. Tried a small debit card deposit as well for the $50 bonus - DENIED! May look into epass again at some point in the future.

The Stars software is a little different than I'm used to. Actually much more like AP than Full Tilt. Took a while to get used to. I actually like the Full Tilt layout better and the speed of the hands, but the at least there is no lag on Stars.

As for the players......HOLY SHIT THEY SUCK! I couldn't believe how horrible the majority of $25NL players were on Stars. NOTHING like Full Tilt $25 or $50. They were so terrible that I wasn't even sure how to react. Constant min-bets after the flop. Leading and calling with trash. These must be the players everyone is talking about when they give advice in NL threads and I just don't see it sometimes.

I mean I raise AK from SB, get called. Flop comes AJx. I bet pot, EP player moves all-in for 1/2 stack. I call, he has QJ???? Totally different game.

So I'm playing for about a half hour and then get my first big pair
Hero raises [Ks] in MP
Horrible LP player 54/15 re-raises
Hero............................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................TIMES OUT AND FOLD.......MOTHER EFFIN VERIZON!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

And that was about it for the night. Figures that the night I finally get back to playing online again after about a week off, Verizon decides to take a dump on me. I was in and out for most of the night. Dropped $12.70 before I quit, mostly due to the software and player adjustments and then of course the Verizon DSL dump. I really, really, REALLY HATE VERIZON DSL!

Finally getting the hang of the Stars software. These players are TERRIBLE! Unfortunately 0 for 25 trying to flop sets so far and 0 pocket Aces, but still getting ahead. Only thing that sucks is # hands per table per hour is less than on Full Tilt. So I only got in about 300 hands today+some PLO and an MTT.

Session 1
Just basically card dead, but they were sooo bad. I was just praying for anything, but the best I got was a top pair hand where a guy called 2 pot sized bets with a GSSD with a short stack. Sick

MTT
Guess I shoulda looked at the structure cause then I wouldn't have been caught off guard by the hike from 100/200 to 200/400. That took me my suprise and immediately crushed my M down to about 2.5 from 5. Open-pushed A8o CO, called by BB w/ 65o, still a bit of a loose call. Looked good until....ship a 6 on the river.

Sesson 2
Still no sets, but this was the sweetest river ever. Too bad just $25NL
BB ($8.50)
UTG ($8.40)
UTG+1 ($16.05)
MP1 ($10.90)
MP2 ($6.65)
CO ($11.30)
Hero ($23.50) [4d]
SB ($32.05)

2 folds, MP1 limps, 1 fold, CO min-raises to $0.50, Hero calls, SB calls, 1 fold, MP1 calls

[Kd][5d] Pot $2.25
SB checks, MP1 checks, CO bets $0.50, Hero calls, SB calls, MP1 folds

Pot $3.75
SB checks, CO checks, Hero bets $3.25, SB calls, CO folds

Pot $10.25 SUHHHWEEEEEET!!!!!!
SB checks, Hero bets $5, SB check-raises to $10, Hero is all-in, SB calls
SB shows [8c] AHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!!!!!


Couple of hands later, different table, I limp [Qc]. There is a raise to $1 behind + 2 callers, I re-raise to $5.50, original PFRer is only caller
[2c][Kh] is like the WORST flop ever because JJ and AK both beat me now, but pot is already pretty big. Check, check flop. Rag turn, I make a 1/3 pot feeler and it gets raised, I fold

Same table, same opponent, 2 hands later. [Kc] BB. He raises UTG+1, gets 1 caller, I make a bigger re-raise, he still calls. Flop [5c][Jc]. I bet $8 into $13.50 pot, he min-raises/calls my push. This time he has QQ.

Also sucked out on a short stack. [Qc] vs [8s] on [Ah][8c] flop. Sorry, but he didn't have enough to make me fold after I bet the flop. Running straight for me.

When I start flopping sets, should get even better.

Possible trip to the Taj tomorrow. Depends how much sleep I get tonight. Read the results of the USPC ME Final Table today. First of all, it was kinda sick that Jeff Madsen went into yesterday with 2x as many chips as Gavin Smith who was 2nd, with only 27 left, and he got knocked out 16th place. Gavin was knocked out 9th. Final table lasted a total of 5 1/2 hours today. HU play was like 3 hands I think, less than 10 minutes anyway.

Who the fuck am I kidding. I'll probably be up all night and just sleep through all the buses tomorrow.