My First Money

Day 6 of my no more live games thing. Been itching to play live poker for money... this is the closest thing that i can come up with:

Alright, been playing the freerolls over the net trying to polish my poker skills. My site of choice is Poker Champs the home of Gustav Hansen! LOL. Anyway, they have this freeroll tourney which guarantees money if you place 28th above, here's the breakdown;

1st - $5
2nd - $3
3rd - $2
4th - 28th - $1

I always play this coz I really wanted to know if they'll actually give yout the money if you win. The field is tough i tell you, plus the fact that it's so hard to concentrate coz you know you got to play for free and nothings really at risk, not unless you really consider time as gold. the field ranges from 1200 - 2600 players, I don't know the time for each level, all i know is that it's fast and at some point, they introduse antes already.

So I did my thang, played 3 play money tables while playing the tourney. This is why I love this site! You can actually watch/play 4 tables all at once. I ordered my food from Jolibee to keep me busy while watching and waiting for the schmucks take out each other. Then it sounded the 5 minute break after the first hour of play. Wow! the field is only about 170 at this point(i think we started with 2500) and I was ranked 22nd! The best finish that I know of is my brother who ended up 52, my best finish was 70. there were too many wonderful moments to mention, but I ended up 19th taking home $1! yahahaha!

phase two of the investigation, i checked my account to see if i got the $1 they promised, well it was there. next step was to play it in the real cash games. i bought in the whole amount at the .02/.04 table, max buy in was $2. went all in with my AK diamonds pre-flop, got beaten by pocket aces by a guy who was playing the first hand that was dealt to him. wow!

well, coz of this online tourney that they have, i actually feel that my tourney play is getting better, of is at its best right now. im alot more patient than before. Also, I appreciate more online poker now than before coz i now see the possibilities of playing online. you are dealt more hands. unlike live games, you get bored easily, but with online, you can enterntain yourself by surfing the web, reading poker articles, listening to mp3, checking your email etc.

lets just hope i get out of this online poker thing alive! As they say, what does not kill you will only make you stronger. something like that.

grouch

WTF?!?!?

Yes, you heard that right! I don't know WTF is happenning to me now, I don't feel the itch to play no more. It's been bugging me for quite a while, I miss hanging out and playing cards. But Tilter suggests, I finish reading Beyond Tells by J. McKenna before I play again. Im feeling exactly like fish out of water.

I was browsing through this book I read a year and a half ago, The 48 Laws of Power by R. Greene. To my surprise, now that I read some of the laws again, I find it very applicable and powerful to use them at the poker table. Let me share to you guys one law...

LAW 48 ASSUME FORMLESSNESS

JUDGEMENT
By taking a shape, by having a visible plan, you open yourself to attack. Instead of taking a form for your enemy to grasp, keep yourself adaptable and on the move. Accept the fact that nothing is certain and no law is fixed. The best way to protect yourself is to be as fluid and formless as water; never bet on stability or lasting order. Everything changes.

I just love the way he said 'never BET on stability'. When you think you're stable and ahead you bet and then you get beat, it's how the game is. The last line of this law goes something like this...'You use formlessness, not because it creates inner harmony and peace, but because it will increase your power... It means that ultimately you must throw out the laws the others preach, and the books they write to tell you what to do, and the sage advice of the elder.' 'The book states '...the definitive guide to modern manipulation.' Sounds like a good guide to me, take a look at it, and trust me it is a power poker book. ;)

I wish to become formlessness... fluid like water... fish to the water.

Fishizzle!

Tribute to the Prodigal Son

Posted the pics from the Aruba days at Grouch's place. The fun times. Also, posted the heads-up super fight of NickG and Mike. What a battle.

From home games to ring games at the joint... it's just the start folks, it's all going to be better, like what Nostradamus said. hehe

I'll take more pics next time... :D

Fishizzle!

Mike against Nick, look at the shades, ipod and the monster stack.  

NickG heads up against Mike (JGPT OG) look at that bad ass mofo. 

The last hand of Grouch and Beach - Two pair 4's and 3's  

Grouch takes down the tourney vs Beach 

Grouch and Tipsy at the Friday 2 table mini tourney at 'aruba'.  

This helps me a lot

The Universe Conspired to Help

The man had a dream
He knew what he wanted, it seems

Once he was sure in his heart this was it
He vowed someday that he would achieve it

He wasn't quite ready to do his thing
But he felt fairly certain what the
future would bring

When one day the time was right
When he was ready to fight the good fight

He conquered all his excuses and set forth
To take the risk-fraught first step
without any remorse

Once he took his first step down the line
The universe conspired to help make sure
he was fine

He never dreamed that he would accomplish so much
That the universe would give him such incredible luck

Now older and wiser he understood the hardest part
Was convincing himslef that it was time to start.

-Phil Hellmuth

need I say more about what i'll be in the very near future? can't wait to get back...

grouch

Mango Classic

107 playahs + 160k pot = Great pokuh action.

Tourney's just get bigger and better, the last tourney was around 70 people. Despite the poor weather conditions, sudden unfortunate change of venue, people still participated and played at the Mango Classic. It trully is a 'classic', being the biggest tourney YET. I would like to congratulate Misha Peters for winning the tournament and Migs 'Maverick' Cuneta. for bagging 3rd place, both played awesome at the tourney. Good job guys.

I would like to salute the A55 and Poker Filipinas group for making everything possible. These are the only group of people I know that can run kick-ass tourneys here in the Philippines. You can bet that the next one is going to be bigger and better, that's for sure. Also, thanks to the Stehmeier family, because without their support the Mango Classic would not have happened.

To everyone who joined the tourney, let's play more poker.

Fish-Out!

P.S. Somebody hook me up with a SNG game. TY :)

He's out of the can.

I think All of us have seen or know about Sesame Street. Big bird, ernie, bert, elmo, cookie monster, the big hairy mammoth... but there's one character that always remained a mystery to me and that's the grouch. I remember when i was little, i never ssaw the grouch anywhere but there inside his can. He never got out of the dumpster to go eat cookies with the cookie monster or go take a bath with ernie and his rubber duckie. So Why doesn't the grouch get out of his trash can?

I guess the grouch is happy that way, living in his own space, nobody bugging him to go clean his room, take a bath or go get a social life. He is happy. That's the most important thing. I guess all of us have our own 'grouch side' We can all be happy doing what we want to do.

There's no way that anyone will stop you from doing what makes you happy.
As the saying goes, you can take the grouch out of the can but you can't take the can out of the grouch.To the prodigal son... WE KNOW you'll be back... as for now.. The bets are on, mark your calendars boys! hehe

fish-out

For the Nth time, Bankroll Management!

How many times has this topic been mentioned in this blog? I can never reiterate how important game selection is. It's just as important was knowing when to fold. Why? Coz turning down a game you know you can't handle is just the same as mucking a marginal hand when overcards are showing on the flop. The game does not start when the dealer shuffles the cards. The game starts when you pay for your buy-in. If the game you're gna be playing will hurt your bankroll, don't play. If you know ur wallet is gna hurt if you lose, then you might as well engrave it in stone that YOU WILL LOSE. Your game will be different coz at the back of your mind, you are defensive. You're protecting something. It's very very simple and easy to grasp. I don't care how good you are or how brave you are, but it's just stupid to play a game you can't handle. It's even more stupid if you continue to keep playing after you lost. This quote is from a book I just read:

"A loser's favorite game is to play catch-up. that is, they lose and keep playing, hoping to win back their losses. players who are being responsible will play what they can afford and stop when they reach that limit, true, both are losing. responsible players will be disappointed, but will not sulk for the rest of the day or stay to lose more. winners will take teir losses and play another day not only because they have reached a loss limit but also for other reasons. such reasons may be noticing changing conditions at the table or feelings like simple not wanting to play any more. these are the reasons that a winner usually leaves whether ahead or behind. losers will just keep playing and losing. their feelings in the end will be the negative payoff losers are accustomed to collecting. when winners lose, they're disappointed and don't collect such negative payoffs. they get on with other things until they play again. winners know how to lose. losers cannot allow themselves to lose. even when luck is against them, losers will chase their luck as if it is just around the corner."

Sea World

After a week of trying to integrate the ‘super tight is right’ philosophy I got from reading Phil Hellmuth’s book, things look kinda bright. I no longer get exited when I have a king or an ace with a shity kicker, and folding those types of hands became easier.

As I log more hours on the felt, the same basic principles of the game reaffirms itself into my brain. Patience and discipline, those are the two key factors that will help any player get by the night. As you might have notice, we are getting a lot of guest to our state of mind, and these guys aren’t poker players, they’re gamblers. If you don’t have enough patience to play these kinds of fishes, you’re in big trouble buddy.

It has been preached that playing with the fish is a very profitable venture for you and your bankroll. Very true, but it has its buts. Let’s say you’re the lone shark surrounded with smiling dolphins, do you actually believe that you have a fighting chance against those smiling mo’fos? It’s always better when the sharks outnumber the dolphins, reel them in, then you all go for the attack. In this way, you’ll all be getting some action but not from one another, get the picture?

Initially, I was pissed by these kinds of players, but I soon realized, bring it on. We’ll be here waiting for our tummies to be filled and appetites satisfied.

the grouch is munching away.... yummmmmmmmmmmm

Home Away From Home

I never imagined a place so unique, where you can just go there, feel at home, be with friends without noisy music or expensive beer. It's a place where you can sit back relax and play cards. It's my home away from home. It's my favorite place.

I haven't been winning these days. I've been booking small wins, minimal losses, got a55 whooped at the Friday 5 by, due to some stupid play and nice read from Barb. I partied hard on the weekend though so it's all good ;)

Oh yeah, the books are on the way, Harrington on Hold'em advance strats for tourneys and Theory of Poker by Sklansky, can't wait!

Mango's just around the corner, let's see some action guys.

Fish-out

Back in Action

Friday 5 in 4 hours, some intense sh*t is going down. It's Friday again and you guys know it. New game, new plays, new crazy ass sh*t. Titler's going to play tonight, he's in for a wild ride and he doesn't even know it. hehe

As for me, I gotta bag a win. I've gone so far and so close that I can taste it already. I hope to have the same focus and state of mind later. I'm not going to get served by Atty., this time I'm going to bust him out.

Beware of the 'quinine' guys... hehe

Twenty Questions

This was a test conducted by Gamblers Anonymous to guage if you were a compulsive gambler or not. If you answer yes to seven questions, then you are a compulsive gambler.

1. did u ever lose time from work due to gambling?
2. has gambling ever made your home life unhappy?
3. did gambling affect your reputation?
4. have you ever felt remorse after gambling?
5. did you ever gamble to get money with which to pay debts or otherwise solve financial difficulties?
6. did gambling cause a decrease in your ambition or efficiency?
7. after losing, did you feel you must return as soon as possible and win back your losses?
8. after a win, did you have a strong urge to return and win more?
9. did you often gamble until your last dollar was gone?
10. did you ever borrow to finance your gambling?
11. have you ever sold anything to finance gambling?
12. were you reluctant to use gambling money for normal expenditures?
13. did gambling make you careless of the welfare of yourself and your family?
14. did you ever gamble longer than you had planned?
15. have you ever gambled to escape worry or trouble?
16. have you ever committed or considered committing an illegal act to finance gambling?
17. did gambling cause you to have difficulty sleeping
18. did arguments disappointments or frustration create withing you an urge to gamble?
19. did you ever have an urge to celebrate any good fortune by a few hours of gambling?
20. have you ever considered self-destruction as a result of your gambling?

a friendly reminder: if you are a compulsive gambler, it means your attitude in playing poker is probably bad. your attitude will reflect on the way you play. poker is 25% luck, 5& skill, and 70% attitude.

Sunday Morning

It was the same ol' Saturday night, went to the JG game played a couple of SNGs. After, I went to the regular joint, it was a slow night. I'm kinda used to the slow Saturday nights just playing cards and having a couple of beers. But I wanted to play...

There was action at the tables but it wasn't the kind I'd prefer. It was super loose, I don't like loose games, it's bloody and ugly. I didn't play until after my 5th beer, I couldn't wait any longer for a good ring so I sat down and threw chips around. I lost.

I was still there having my nth beer, then familiar faces walked in. The FAPA group, Kix, Nik, Ricky and Ex-Pope. We decided to have a lil 11 handed SNG, 300 buy-in, 3 place pay-out. (Damn, miss those games.) It was 3 am, Sunday morning when we started, the game lasted for almost 2 hours. Goma took it down vs Kix, Ed took 3rd. I hope next Saturday we'll have another 300 SNG.

Card players don't sleep.

Can't wait til Friday... dammit slow playin' mo'fo!

Like a Virgin

Bought a book last Sunday, Play Like The Pros by Phil Hellmuth Jr. started reading it right away and i caught something that really made sense to me.

Super tight is right

Ooohhhh... another poker concept that i am sure will bring a lot of heated arguments. Just like any other buyer in the market, you gotta test drive first to see if you like the ride of that car that you will buy, and eventually serve you.

Some people were actually shock to see me play so tight. The funny thing was, it was actually working... yeah, i was up a bit, but unlike before, i don't expereince the swings like before. then just like any experiment, you have to compare it to something right? so i went loose. guess what? i lost it all.. lol

im not saying that this is the best way to play poker, all im saying is that it actually works. i want and need to read more books and theories about poker strategy to be really knowlegable.
just like my previous major, you need to read Marx, Webber, and Durkheim first before you decide which type of a sociologist are you.

grouch

Friday Again

It's Friday again and you know what that means. I'ma keep my eyes on two guys tonight, that would be Ken S. and Bry, the money makers from last week. I was close to ITM'ing, right after the bubble. I lost patience and played badly got chip hungry and lost my huge stack.

Now, it's a new week, a new Friday, a new game. You guys better get ready coz I'm gonna bring it! Friday 5 yo!

Hitting the Books

I got back my copy of the bible. I'm hitting the books! This is how I started before playing poker games and now after months of play, my goal is to internalize the fundamentals of the game. From pre-flop openings to river plays, connectors, together with the attitudes and principles. I'm hoping to become more solid after this, it's better reading it again because now I understand the concepts more due to my experiences at the felt.

After the bible, it's Sklansky, then I'll limit hold'em by Jennifer Harman AGAIN! I won't forget the magazine articles at 2+2, damn those guys rule. It's study time for me, not only reading but also I plan to play online again, after months not playing. It's going to be a learning experience for sure.

Class has just begun.

Book the Win

In the past, every time I play a ring/cash game, I will sit there until I have a massive stack or have nothing at all.

Big mistake

Our local scene here got started with single table tournaments(sit and go's aka SNG), and for you to win that, you must get all of the chips at the table. It was how we learned to play the game, watching WPT, and for the more fortunate, WSOP, and for a while, that's the only thing we know of. The only time you will leave the table is when you don't have any chips left. You sit there and wait for the current tourney to be over and for the next one to start.

But as you all know by now, the texture and the overall mechanics of a cash game is totally different. Sure, it is basically the same game, No Limit Texas Hold 'Em, same rules, same structure and all, with some differences which I would'nt call minor. Blinds don't increase, and you can cash out or rebuy anytime.

I notice a lot, and I mean a lot of players playing the ring game as if it was a SNG, playing til they stil have chips. I for one, is guilty of this kind of mentality, but I'm getting the hang of it. If your down already, analyze the situation whether or not it will be a right thing for you to buy in again, maybe it's time for you to call it a night. On the other hand, if your up, again, analyze the situation, maybe what you have right now is the best that you can do for that night and be happy with it.

I could have won more, or lost less, if I just applied this months ago. Thinking too much about how much I can make was detrimental and became my waterloo. At least I learned from it, and I hope you guys learn from it too.

Grouch's balls to the wall comment of the week: Yeah, right now poker here is a social thing. We meet, greet, and chit chat with the players, it's like the new golf course a friend of mine told me months ago. But it's not so much more sociable losing money to the guy next to you isn't it, no matter how small you lose? unless you have money to burn, which i don't think most of us has. think about it.

In peace, prepare for war; in war, prepare for peace... (or the other way around?)
-Sun Tzu

grouch

Baby Steps

I was talking to a friend, a student of the game, a good player. We talked about poker here in Manila, from it's humble one game a week beginnings whereas now, there's 3-4 games a day plus tourneys on the weekends. Playing endless hours, grinding at the felt, winning big and burning paper. Then we talked about this one article at 2+2, it was about the transition of players committing themselves to the 'poker life'. Are we ready for this big step? Or are kilometres ahead of ourselves? It got me thinking.

In the Phils, poker has been here for a long time- Variation poker, pusoy dos, pusoy ayos and the like. The NLHE mania was in result of the WPT. People started to play, learn, play and play more. Then the craving for more poker knowledge led to reading books, poker websites, magazines and articles. It was a development stage for the community and thanks to a couple of people, now, the poker dream is now reality. What I mean by this is that, poker will soon reach that point were everyone knows/plays the game and hopefully its going to be as big as basketball.

The market is still at its infancy stage, and yes we are kilometres behind. But with time, patience and work, we will get there. As for now, just play a lot of poker, learn/read more about the game and love it.

The Mango Cup is around the corner, 150 seats available, biggest tourney in the Phils yet, BIGGEST pot yet (Around 225k). It's going to be a whole day event so bring your cap, shades and ipod cause its going to be a good one.

Next Case. hehe

doing the phil

yeah yeah, im doing the phil right now... the phil....

years back, phil mickelson was regarded as the best player without a major win. for those of you who hate golf, the major consists of The Masters, the U.S. Open, The Open Championship or more pupularly known as the British Open, and the PGA Championsip. Any professional golfer in the world wants to win at the very least one, some have as many as 18 like Jack Nicklaus, i think Tiger Woods has about 11 right now. Any golfer can win millions of dollars winning around the world, but they won't feel as fulfilled if they won't win one.

As I was saying, Phil was 'majorless' since he turned pro back in the 90's til he won his first green jacket(the masters) in 2004. Before he won it, he was branded as the best player never to have won a major. then he broke thru and recently got his 2nd major this year winning the 2005 PGA Championships. he persevered, never stopped believing in hs abilities and continued working hard on his game til he got, not just one, but two majors.

My Point? When I taught my lil' bro Mafioso21(that's his camp holdem and poker champs handle) to reach the state of mind otherwise known as the BBC, he met a good buddy of mine named Ace. Ace was taking care of lil' Mafioso, chatting with him a lil' bit, trying to teach him the ropes, and described yours truly as 'a very good player who always loses'.

And it's true

I've been losing like crazy lately, again. I know there's no way but up, but right now, I'm still stuck on the bottom of the ocean trying to reach the surface again.

No worries. Why? coz I'm trying to fix my game, and I know, in time I will be able to figure out what's wrong with it with the support group that I got right now. They're helping me identify the flaws of my play, and hopefuly, we'll be able to figure it out soon. I'm not being cocky or anything, just trying to allow the positive chi in and the negative out. tyring to stay optimistic about things even if the situation is already choking me to death.

hey, not everyone's born a tiger, some of us gotta dot the phil...

by the way, got the straight flush 3-7 spades earlier. had quad aces, quad 6's, and no the straight flush in more than a week. but I ended up losing that night... see what I mean? the phil...

note: to those who know me and actually see or played with me before, please leave a comment or opinion on the flaws of my game. it will gladly be appreciated

grouch