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someday I might start to write something meaningful but until then thats all you get.................

POKER!!!!!!<img vspace="4" hspace="4" border="0" align="left" alt="3491_461d41c391cbb.jpg" xsrc="images/comprofiler/3491_461d41c391cbb.jpg" mce_src="images/comprofiler/3491_461d41c391cbb.jpg" />

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i was play in 72 freeroll and a member was mad that i was not do your self a favor and look at new member list i have been for 2 wks

My thoughts: (on the bubble with pocket tens).

• For me it was too big of a gamble to risk missing the money. The blinds are going to knock someone out before you. I think you've gotten off the Bubble have force 9 other players behind you to out play you. In some MTT you're not playing for first, just take as much as you can and have some profit to show for your efforts. Plus playing as a team I would think so of the lower level wins would help play back some of the buy-ins. If the team was behind you in this play them don't be upset. I would have waited for the money, and then once in the money gamble some.

BernardDogs advice (what I should have been thinking):

• Often, we need mid-level money at least to break even. If Carnagex and I are rebuying, we may often need the final table I simply don't play an MTT to finish in the first round of the money. I'll take the coinflips on the bubble with the hopes of plowing through a stack shorter than me. If I miss, then I stay agressive with a few all-ins ... hoping that conservative bubble players will give me the blinds until I get some more breathing room. You just won't hit the big money in an MTT without taking the coin flip opportunities. Your other option is hoping that the cards are running incredibly well and the deck is hitting you smack dab in the forehead. That happens RARELY, so you've got to put your self in front of the deck sometimes and hope it doesn't dodge you.

This was some great advice that got me a lot more aggressive on the bubble and helped me money a lot higher in some MTTs.


The Art of Bluffing with a medium or small stack (My Question)

• I've got no problem bluffing some when I've got a big stack late in a MTT, but with an average stack or small stack I have a harder time picking up the pots with a bluff. I find that if I don't get some good cards late in a tourney I'm going to get eaten up by the blinds and end up having to make a coin flip all in. What is the correct way to bluff when your not a big stack. I know don't go at the big stacks and postion is very important, but what are some other factors? Hands that you would bluff with? Hands to avoid bluffing with? What beat to make xBB? What to do when your bluff gets called preflop? These are just a few things I'd like to get cleared up, and any other advice on bluffing. Looking foward to learn how to bluff you!

• Roxy: Try bluffing at rags from the small blind, make a good bet works best with 3 or less people. Rags are always good to bluff at.

• BernardDogs: I never bluff, but I'll give this a shot. Betting the rag flop from the BB is a great play (reference, Roxy ... previous post). This is only adviseable when you get to see the flop for free and it really is unlikely to have landed for anyone else. Take caution though ... if the button limps rather than going for the steal, that's often a sign of wanting to keep you in with an overpair. Also take caution from an EP or MP limp, as it could mean a low PP that landed as a set. If I'm doing the rag flop bluff, they've GOT to by 9s and lower. It's REALLY funny to see the BB call a pre-flop raise (indicating a potential hand) and then revert to this move ... makes me laugh every time. You can also try representing strength on a REALLY tight table by raising UTG despite not having the cards. Don't do this as the short stack, as you'll want to bail should someone give you action and/or raise you. Don't be afraid to bail. Otherwise, it really is about keeping a SOLID read on your opponents, defending your blinds, and just picking the right spot to toss a nice 4xBB bet out there with the hopes of gathering the blinds. From MP on, ALWAYS consider what you'll do if you're first in so you can act in a manner that looks like you are appropriately confident. I hate to give up control of the hand if I'm bluffing. For example, if I'm defending my blind to a raise from the button that smells suspicious, I commit before the action gets to the button by deciding if I've got a defending hand or not. When the button raises, I instantly re-raise and then ALWAYS lead on the flop. This is once I've committed to the defend. Know when you've gotten to the point where you are bound to an all-in move. You want to use your all-in bluff before your all-in won't hurt to call. That's a start. But again ... I don't bluff much, so take this all with a shaker of salt.

• Rick James: Also, another thing that may work is bluffing when the board pairs on the flop. If board his JJ3. I will raise anyone who makes a small bet into this pot. If someone is betting minimum, more than likely they have nothing and want to pick up the pot. they will usually back down to a raise. Most players with the J will usually slowplay the hand. The UTG raise also works if the table is really tight and you have been playing pretty tight as well. if you get called though prepare to fold if flop doesnt hit you. Someone calling an UTG raise more than likely has you beat.

Advice on staying at the tables when you get up early:

I know there has been so discussion on this in the past, but I would like to get some more thought on this matter. OK right now I'm playing 2/4 limit and get 4 hours of play every night. I want to make 2/BB an hour playing for a total of $32 a night. Say I sit and the deck hits me in the face the first orbit and I'm up $40-$60 right off the bat would you stay? Also if the table is one you fell your going to get sucked out a lot on, would you consider changing tables to a tighter table? I'm asking this cause I've seen a lot of profit get sucked out this last week after getting off to a good start. I've had many nights where I've got off to a hot start and kept on rolling the rest of the night too, but I would also like to protect a little better some nights. Thoughts please...

• torch: Like I've done (and someone did for me) in these conversations, I'll point you to this link: http://www.fullcontactpoker.com/cparticles_archives.php?id=00002 Which basically says that if you are in poker for the long run, play hours and not results. For you, that means play 4 hours a night. It doesn't matter, in the long run, when you play. It just matters that you play. Of course this assumes that you are playing your 'A' game. If you can't manage that, then you should quit no matter how long you've been at the table. The fact that you've dedicated yourself with those goals is great, because its good motivation and a good way to track your progress. However the standard you should set is playing 4 hours a night, and the goal becomes the $36. Hold yourself to those hours, play your best, and it will likely come to that 2BB/hour.

Hope some of this helps you I know it has me!

I can remember a year or 2 ago posting about how I like mowing my yard now, because it gave me time to get a way to find some piece of mind.  Well those days are over. I'm back to hating mowing!

 I am however going to try and be more active with my blog here. I may not make long post all the time but I'll try to post when ever something is on my mind.

 On the poker front I've not been playing much at all. I'm pretty sure I had a case of poker burn out for the last few months, but the last few days I've been wanting to get back on the tables more. Also I'm for sure ready to get back and battle it out in Season 14 here on 72os. I don't think I missed playing in last season, but seeing Big Will get another top 5 spot (almost winning it) it made me want get get back in the action.

 To night I did sit down for a little while. I played a $3 rebuy on UltimateBet.com and lost my cool and didn't play like I should have. I sit and didn't get any hands for the first 40 or so hands then get QQ a player that had just busted and just re-bought raise $200 and gets called. I reraise to 600 to try and isolate the loose cannon. He does as I thought and goes all in. The other player calls, which leaves me with about 1000 so I go ahead and push all in and the other player calls. The first player flips over A2, 2nd player shows AQ...so I think I'm in business with them only having two outs. Wrong...Ace on the flop and I'm send out. I didn't even think about the rebuy as I close the software down.

 I'm working on a SnG I just recorded. I've got to put some audio on it. Also We'll be starting back with events this weeks so look for an email and new events being posted.

 Josh aka JSaw

I thought I might make a rough list of the things that I feel I need to work on to make my poker game more consistent and solid.  If anyone else has noticed anything that I don't list, feel free to let me know........

1.  Playing too many hands out of position-  I tend to play hands that would be good in late position or on the button from other positions.  Hands that would be good in late position become far more marginal if played out of position.......  one of my many downfalls.

2.  Gap Theory Concept-  I know what it is, and what it entails, but I don't use it very well.  I'm very loose in calling raises with hands not worthy of calling them with.......  I'm also considering becoming a bit more aggressive opening pots that are full of limpers........  Like I said, I know what it entails, I just don't put it to use as well as I could........  I waste loads of chips there.

3.  Adapting to the style of the table-  I'm the type of player who generally plays my game and to hell with everyone else, and I think I miss out that way on lots of winnable pots.  I have a hard time with aggressive players.  I get frustrated quickly with them, and tend to fall into the passive range at a tight table.  By changing gears and taking advantage of the nuances of the table, I should be able to pick up some extra pots.

4.  Consideration of what the other players in the pot might have-  Although I'm much more cognisant of it than I used to be, I tend to play my cards, and not consider what other players in a pot might have.......  not as worried about this one, but still need improvement.

5.  Concentration-  One of my biggest problems at the poker table.....  my mind wanders constantly.  I guess you could say I'm easily distracted.

6.  Bluffing-  I need to learn more about proper times to bluff, and how to let go of one when it's not going as I want it to....  i.e.  meltdown, lol.

Those are my worst areas i think.  My hand selection overall is generally good, other than trying to play too many out of position when the hand doesn't justify it.  Like I said, if anyone has any suggestions reguarding any of the babbling above, feel free to give me a shout.  I'm always looking for ways to improve............

Lately I've been questioning my desire to continue to play online poker in any capacity at all, let alone as much as I have over the past year+.  I can attribute the marked improvement in my game to playing online, as I saw hundreds, if not thousands of hands in a much quicker time period than I could possibly playing live.  In fact, during the summer and fall of last year, I played the best poker of my life, mainly due to the fact that that's all I COULD do, but that's a story for another time.  I made a pretty nice chunk of money, supplemented my income, and was able to put together a nice Christmas for the family.  I've become disenchanted with it over the last serveral months however.  It's mainly due to burnout i think, cuz like I said, all I could do was play poker, so that's what I did.  A combination of that and a seemingly continuous string of tough beats and fighting with "all in all the time donks"  has soured me on it to the point I'm considering quitting playing online period.  I'm somewhat of a traditionalist anyway, as I prefer playing live to online any day of the week, and twice on sundays.  I'm much more in tune with the nuances of the game live.  I think that's due to the fact that you can actually observe the other players, instead of just trying to figure them out based on betting patterns.  I've always had a very hard time with that facet of online play.  You can learn alot about players online if you play with them alot and take detailed notes, but you can't get the whole picture unless you can observe them face to face.  My rate of success is much higher live than online, partially for that reason in my opinion.  I can observe and read the other players, and the other thing is there are fewer distractions.  When playing online, my concentration wanders quite often.  I'm always checking out what's on tv, or playing with my children, or about anything else but concentrating on the game.  When I'm actually sitting at a table to play, it has my full attention. 

The other part of it is the people that i've met playing online both in this forum and a few others that I play in.  I've met some very nice people, who have helped me tremendously in learning to play better poker, that I most likely would never have met otherwise.  I enjoy the comraderie with these folks, and don't want to lose contact with them.  Several of these people I've gotten to know outside of the poker arena as well, and I consider them good friends.  I think my decision would be easier if this forum were more dedicated to it's original objective.  It seems to have strayed somewhat over the last several months. 

When I first joined, it was a place where you could learn without fear of ridicule.  If I made a stupid play, it was explained to me what I did wrong, and what I could do to correct it.  If I had questions about most anything poker related, I could ask and usually find someone with more playing experience to answer them.  It was a community of players dedicated to improving their game.  However, as the site has grown, it seems to have gotten away from that.  People join thinking it's just a run of the mill freeroll league, and when they find out it isn't, they play like asses.  (AKA, all in every hand guy)  I wish someone would put a flashing neon sign at the top of the homepage saying  "if you are after free money, this isn't the site for you".  Recently, things have been moving back in the direction of where they used to be, and it does my heart good to see it.  Hopefully the site gets all the way back to what it was intended for.  I'm just not sure I'll be around to see it happen.