30DaysofPoker.com

An Experiment in Excessive Poker Play

Big H is having his home game again, 22 people this time with a $60 buyin, 4,500 in starting chips. I am going to try to play fairly conservative early on, I know most of these people from my free poker league and it should be a little frisky early on. Blinds are at now 50/100 and I win a 1,000 pot with AQ when the board comes ace high. I win a similar pot with A2 suited (limped pot) against Mr. P when I hit another Ace. Blinds are 100/200 and I raise to 600 from the button with Q9o and get 2 callers, not an ideal steal. Board comes AJblank and we all check, turn is a blank and Mr. Walrus bets 600, I fold and he shows AK for the slowplay. I am not a fan of Mr. Walrus in general. I speculate in one more pot and have to fold.

Blinds are now 300/150 with a 25 ante, and I’m down to 3,800 now. Not dead, but not healthy either. I limp for 300 with 44 in a 4 way pot. Flop comes 662, I bet 1200 and everyone folds. Nice! I raise on the button with Ac9c and get called by Mr. K. I have history with this guy and am a little worried that I’m behind now. Board comes A86 rainbow, I check and Mr. K goes allin. After a long think, I fold and Mr. K shows AK. Whew! Good read, I dodged a bullet there, but I am now down to about 3,000 in chips. Blinds are now 200/400 with 50 antes. I have about 8 big blinds left, which isn’t great. Mr. Walrus raises to 1,200 and I have 88. Nobody else is involved, so I go allin for 2,800. He calls with AK and turns an ace for the win. Oh well, I go out about 14 out of 22. I was pretty sure we were racing on that last hand, but I would have been slightly ahead, and I needed a double up. Can’t wait around for much longer with the chips I had left.

Mr. P made a comment that I was not playing like my usual self. I am starting to think that taking notes during the game is distracting me too much from my usual play. I am going to try to focus on the game more, and take notes during breaks instead.

I need to dig myself out of this hole, wish me luck!