2009 ended up being an amazing year for me despite a horrible end losing 700k in one session. It was a very annoying session in that I just never won a hand. I had one pots that I won that were around 100BB and lost countless that were larger. This hand sums up my day...

http://weaktight.com/1858011


I think I had an amazing year because I was really focused on improving my game. I spent countless hours working on improving my game. I tend to get very lazy and complacent when things go well for me. I tend to lose my focus and stop practicing good game selection. In 2010 I plan on working as hard as I did in 2009. I really want to put in the effort and have anther amazing year. I think its going to be very hard to repeat this years results as I have run very well this year and the complacency issues will be very hard to overcome.

I haven't been playing much in the past week as I have been traveling. From Canada we went to SF for New Years and are now at Lake Tahoe for three weeks relaxing and getting some more skiing in. Unfortunately the weather isn't great in Tahoe and all the snow is melting. I loved how cold it was in Canada. Tahoe gets very icy since its so much warmer and the snow sometimes melts in the afternoons and freezes overnight. When we got in yesterday it was 45 degrees. Hopefully it cools off and we get some more snow but its not looking very likely.

I haven't been playing any poker for the past few days as I have been traveling in Canada for Christmas. I am staying in a small town called Radium which has some great natural hot springs. Its about an hour away from Bannf, a well known ski town. Yesterday I spent all day Skiing at Panorama which is in a town called Inveremere. The snow as great and I pushed myself harder than I usually do. I usually only ski once a year. I even took a 5 year break for skiing but the past 4 years I have gone at least once a year. I have finally started to improve and can do all the terrain at most ski resorts. I haven't done some of the off trail stuff buy anything that's groomed I can get down, but not always that well.

I have rented gear as I never have gone skiing consistently enough, but I think this year will be different. I am in Canada for a few more days then I head to Tahoe for three weeks. I think I will buy some nice gear as renting really isn't that great. By the end of the day my feet are always killing from the boots that don't fit well. I also want to get a big ski trip in February some time. I have always wanted to ski in the French and Swiss alps but have never made it out. I hope to put together a trip but it may not happen. I have also heard Austria is amazing for skiing so I may go there instead.

For Christmas today I learned how to make home made pasta. I got a pasta roller and made some sundried tomato pasta as well as just plan noodles for a lasagna we are making for dinner. I make a great bolgnese sauce and can't wait to put that together with the homemade noodles.


After Tahoe I should get back to playing more but even in Tahoe I think I will be playing every other day or so for a few hours.

I wanted to clear up some allegations about Brian Hastings, Cole South and myself. First Brian H. Cole S and myself never colluded. Collusion is nearly impossible HU but there was always one person playing and never any ghosting occurring. In fact the only person to break the T&C of FullTilt Poker was myself. I had about 20k hands of play on Isildur and I acquired another 30k hands. This is against the T&C of FullTilt Poker and because of this violation I am going to have my red pro status suspended for one month.

Today I played a very aggressive HU match against Isildur and finally came out with a win. I had been getting crushed by him the past few days and finally got a great result winning $432k. For the 4th session in a row I ran under all in EV, this time I was $130k under expectation. Although this doesn't mean everything I think its a pretty good indication of how I have been running. I also feel like I have been on the bad side of coolers, as it always felt like I was getting underset and never undersetting him. This may not be the case as I am more likely to remember the times I am underset and forget the times I underset him. I think this is common thing that poker players do.

I have to admit the past ten days has been incredible frustrating for me. Over this time I have run horrible to the tune of 2.4 million dollars under all in expectation. I was the main reason, along with Durrr and Ziigmund, that Isildur was able to turn 60k into 4+ million in that time frame. Its pretty incredible the run he had over this time. To make so much money so quickly with such a small amount to start with is such a rare occurrence. I would be very surprised to see him to it again, not because I don't think hes a great player but rather that its alot of money to win so quickly vs very tough competition.

Anyways the intent of this blog post wasn't to discuss how poorly I have been running because I have run very very well this year. I should be the last person to complain about a slight downswing. Rather it was just to illustrate how frustrating poker and in particular HU PLO can be. There were countless times where I was just in aw of the sickness that would happen. I think of myself as a very level headed analytical player and I just felt as though I was going to get sucked out on. I just felt like every time before the cards were dealt I would know I was going to lose and my flush draw would brick out, or my set would get sucked out on by a draw. I usually don't let beats get to me as I realize they are a good part of the game, but there were countless times I found myself not just muttering about them but yelling at my monitor about the grossness of it all.

For one of the first times in my poker career I wasn't able to walk away easily. I found myself totally consumed by our matches and would think about them way to much. When out to dinner I would be replaying hands in my head. Usually when I am done with poker and close the computer I don't give another thought to it and can focus on my personal relationships or other activities. This has not been the case the past ten days as I have been a bit consumed by the play.

Anyways here are some hands from today...

This one caused me to cuss at my monitor, something I rarely do.

http://weaktight.com/1787933


I was surprised how much equity he had here.

http://weaktight.com/1787934


As irrational as it may sound I just felt the club coming...

http://weaktight.com/1787936


A cooler for me.

http://weaktight.com/1787938


And another cooler for me. Its very easy to forget these and just remember when they happen to you.

http://weaktight.com/1787940

For those of you who didn't know Lou, he was a valued member to the CardRunners particularly the off topic forums. He passed away in a car accident recently and there will be a tournament to honor him today at 5PM PST and 8 EST. The tournament is a $15+$15 with entry fee going to pay for part of Lou's sons college fund. I would imagine most who cash in the tournament will donate that to the fund as well. The tournament ID is 122018681 on FullTilt Poker and the password is DRD#1. I hope to see you there.

I put in a short, well short for us, session of 3/6 HU PLO against Isildur. It didn't go great for me as I lost 80k. It was a very frustrating session as I ran below allin EV for the third or forth straight match. This was the first match where it began to get to me and I don't think I played my A or A- game the entire time. I would rate my play a B or B-.

Here are some hands

Getting it in very bad.

http://weaktight.com/1785901


Bluffing with nothing.

http://weaktight.com/1785913


A big suckout by me.

http://weaktight.com/1785915

The past five days I have put in a few big HU sessions against Isildur1. Overall it was a bad result for me losing 1.6 million dollars. Although I didn't play perfectly I played I thought I played my A- to A+ game throughout the entire sessions.

If you read my blog you know that I am very tough on myself when I lose. This time though I was very proud of myself for never tilting or letting the variance get to me. It was a very agressive match with huge swings. I ran 2.2 million dollars under all in expectation and felt like I was on the bad side of quite a few coolers. That said I kept my cool and never tilted and always came prepared to play. There were a few hands that caused me to take a 5 minute break to regroup and make sure I was playing well.

I notice some people posted on my last blog that I wasn't preaching what I was saying about stop losses and tilt control. This is the furthest thing from the case. I had stop losses set and when I was stuck 12 BI in one session I took a short break and made sure my mind was clear. I went on to recoup about 500k that day. I never once was on tilt the entire five days, nor did I ever not play when I was totally lucid and playing my best or near my best.

In total we played 8726 hands. Just adjusting just for allin EV over this time I would have been a 9 bb/100 winner vs him, instead I ended a -23bb/100 loser. This doesn't take into account coolers which I felt like I was often on the bad side of. Thats the variance of HU PLO between two very aggressive players. My variance numbers were higher vs him than any other opponents I have ever played. I spend off times analyzing all the hands we played and determining new strategies to exploit him. I thought he did a great job of quickly countering my strategies and adjusted very well. I think this is the sign of a great HU poker player.

To counter my run Brian Hastings played him and ran about 2 million above expectation winning 4.2 million dollars. I wish it had been me :), but life is not fair and I misplayed a few hands but overall I played amazing. I know a few years ago when we were moving up from 50/100 NLH games to 200/400 NLH games Hastings ran horribly while I ran incredibly hot and won a few million that year. He would grind for weeks at 50/100 and take shots at 200/400 and get crushed. I guess don't discount what Hastings did yesterday just because he ran hot, he had some very tough times in the past where he ran way below expectation. I railed Hastings and thought he played great and when you combine that with running well you win 42 BI in 3k hands. Nice job Hastings!!!

There have also been some accusations of Cole South, Brian Hastings and myself colluding against Isildur1. I guess colluding is not the correct word but more team play. First Cole and Hastings both live 2500 miles away from me. Sure we could have linked our computers and all be giving thoughts as play but I would imagine that would be nearly impossible while playing 4 or 6 tables vs someone.

I talk alot of poker with Brian Hastings and Cole South, but this has been going on for years. We have shared hands with each other when we were playing 25/50 together. I have never spoke to one of them while a hand is happening nor would I. After a hand sure we would discuss and share player reads but never during hands.

Today I was playing an opponent at HU 25/50 who was just crushing me. I was very tired while playing and I felt as though he was running red hot vs me. He probably was getting very lucky but I was getting out played and on zombie tilt. Its very easy to play mindless poker and think you are doing fine when in all actuality you are playing very poorly. I have become very good over the years stopping whenever I find myself not playing my best. Usually it happens after playing a long session or playing when tired/unfocused.

This year I have had an unbelievable year. I have done many things correctly to put myself in situations to succeed. Whenever I have played 200/400 or larger I have been very focused and whenever I feel myself not playing well I instantly quit. I haven't been on zombietilt once while playing that large. I also have had strict stop losses HU so that I quit whenever I get stuck a few buy ins. As much as I would like to think I play amazing when I am stuck I find that my game suffers.

I have also exercised alot of game selection this year. I still play pretty much anyone but instead of just mindlessly sitting and grinding I analyze everything. I write up reports which I review whenever I play someone HU. I find this helps me get in the mind set and really take advantage of my opponents weaknesses. The reports also help me come up with a game plan of how I am going to exploit my opponents.

The point I am trying to make is its the small stuff that sets poker players apart. I would not have the results I have had this year if I hadn't spent as much time working on my game away from the table. My results this year have been amazing. Sadly at the end of the day my poker strategies and my play isn't that much better than any of the top 50 or 100 guys. But what I have done better this year than ever before is to be prepared and put myself in situations to succeed. Also running unbelievably hot when it counts doesn't hurt!

As I said in my last blog post this has been a really special year but this month has been really great being my best ever. I am up more than double my previous largest month.

Alot of that has been due to running well at HU PLO. I have been doing very well, though the variance is huge and I could easily be down what I am up.

There have been some very good 50/100 PLO games running recently. So far in 2k hands I am stuck 20k but I am running 65k below allin EV. So I think I will have some great results in them if they keep running. I think I have played well in them but not amazing.

The mix games have been going really well. I have been very happy with my progress in them. I think I am a slight winner or break even in the Stud games which feels great. I want to be a big winner in them, but I think I have a ways to go. I am surprised how much I like the new games I am learning, I think they are all really fun. I think I enjoy 2-7 triple draw most though. Its such a fun game, I hope FTP adds it to the rotation. I would also like to see them add Badugi to the 7/8 game mixes as I want to learn that.

A few days ago I played some 5/10 Badugi and without knowing the rules. I need to watch some videos on it or something as I bet its played often in the live game rotations. I was trying to google the rules as I played which as you can imagine didn't work well. It took me about 15 minutes before I realized that suits mattered and I wanted to have a rainbow hand.

I am also really looking forward to next summer and the big mix games that run at the Bellagio. I thought I wouldn't be ready to play any mix games so quick, but I do think I will be ready.

Sorry about not blogging much recently. I got frustrated with our blog system and took some time off. Poker has been going amazing for me this year. I am on track to have my best year ever. Hopefully I don't jinx myself.

Tomorrow I am making Thanksgiving dinner for fifteen of my friends and family. I am making a Turducken for the first time. For those of you who don't know a Turducken is a chicken stuffed in a duck stuffed in a turkey with stuffing between each layer.

I am a pretty good cook but I am a bit nervous as I have never cooked a Turkey much less a Turducken. Today I prepared all the stuffing and have the three birds in a brine preparing for tomorrow. I did cheat a bit in that I had the butcher debone the birds which I hear is the toughest part. Beyond that I am doing everything else myself.

For the stuffing's I am doing a cornbread and a Sausage based stuffing. I plan on having the sausage one layer between the Turkey and Duck and the cornbread stuffing between the duck and chicken. I may put cornbread stuffing in the chicken or I may just put some lemons so it steams from the inside.

I also made a great habanero infused vodka which I plan on making into a cajun martini to serve with the wine and champagne tomorrow. I tasted the Vodka and its so hot its almost undrinkable. I only used one habanero pepper and two green peppers. I will have to cut it with some more vodka tomorrow so its not as spicy.

I have been in Dallas for some Stoxpoker meetings. Its great to see everyone again, and even meet some of the guys I hadn't met before.

As for poker its going great this month. I have been playing alot of HU PLO with amazing results at 200/400. Unfortunately I have been getting crushed at 25/50 PLO. In my last 3k hands at 25/50 PLO since I got that money online I am stuck 53k running 78k below allin expectation. But I can't complain because the opposite is happening at 200/400! Its so nice to run hot while playing bigger. In total this month I am up 275k playing PLO. I hope I can put in the hands and get unstuck at 25/50, I think that would be good for me to focus on that game while playing.

I am really starting to improve in some of the games I am weaker in. I am really proud but I am now a lifetime winner in the 75/150 games on stars over like 10k hands. I would guess 75/150 on stars is the toughest ring O8 game that consistently runs so I think its a really good sign that I feel like a winner. Overall in O8 I am still a big loser but I do feel like I am turning the corner.

Stud has been going amazing as well and I am up over 100k in about 5000 hands this month. Hopefully its not just me running hot and I am starting to learn and improve.

I had a big blog entry finished, but the entry was deleted and I am way to tilted to fix it. Sorry we will have our blog networked fixed soon and I will blog more consistently. Its just so annoying spending 30 min writing something only to have it deleted right as you try to publish it.