OK, so I never really needed to be in intensive care or anything, but I think my poker career is going to be okay. I can't really explain it in words, but most of you understand the panic of a poker player in distress. Sometimes it just feels like variance is beating down on you and everything is going wrong at the same time. Although I can't quite imagine exactly what my emotions were at that moment, I just know that I felt like I'd never win in poker again.

But what do I know, I was wrong.

I wasn't planning on playing poker on Wednesday, because I had some schoolwork I had to get to (I just wanted to be prepared since it was my first full week of classes). However, I got a message from Eskaborr saying that he wanted to play. Unfortunately, I enjoy money too much to pass that up (please note that this is a very special occasion and a very special emotion, because I have never used, nor do I intend on using in the future, smiley faces of any kind).

So, we played 6 tables for 2k hands. Something happened, I think I watched TV. He messaged me again, then we 6 tabled for 2k more hands. This second match went decidedly better than the first, although I ran equally terrible in both of them. Something else happened, I think I probably went and got a milkshake, and when I came back he wanted to play again. And play we did. We 8 tabled in the last session, getting in a total of ~6500 hands on the day? Something like that. I ran ~25k below equity (managed to play some fun ones, which I guess I'll reluctantly show you guys [1] [2], and otherwise just played a bunch of flips). Still, I managed to win about 10 buy ins off of him, so that was cool. I think I ran really good in the coolerific type of spots, but I'm not really sure.

That was a good way to start the climb out of the DS, and today was nice as well. I don't really think I won much money today, maybe 10k at the most, but it was just a very relaxing day. I lost like 3k 8 tabling 10-20 and 25-50 6m in the evening, then I just chilled out and went and bought a grill with my roomate, etc. I came back at night kind of determined to not play, since I was stuck a very insignificant amount and there weren't many games running (nor did I expect to get any action at HU). So, I got a milkshake and played Madden all night, until I finally had to sit at some shorthanded 50-1 games on FTP. There were 2-4 running for a while. They were pretty good, not quite amazing, but fun low-variance ish type spots. I also got action from one of the donks at 50-1 HU, where I got up a little and then he did this to me [3], must have been trying out some advanced strategy out.

At the same time, with only one buy in in my account, I sat vs one of my favorite spots: Brianm. He's awesome to play, because everything he does remarkably wrong is very easy to counter. Again, a fairly low variance match (when compared to HU against 'regulars' or 'good players.'). However, he won a bunch of pots where he called called called and had pairs and I had nothing, but didn't want to get caught bluffing my entire bankroll off.

!

So, I finally 2 pair over 2 paired him, won another pot, caught him bluff raising, triple barreled him, one a 3-bet pot, and voila! I've got ~40k in my account, from down to like 7500 at the low point. It was a pretty cool feeling because I was so confident! I sent an instant message to the famous g-p that stated "I'm going to actually bust my Stars account right now, it's kind of sick, I've never done anything like this." Then, g-p, a master at being down to his last buy in (or bet), told me that the key to not busting your account is positive thinking. So, I began to think positively, and things started turning around! I give him all the credit, and will send him $5 in honor of this great comeback today.

I've got nearly 250 online again, so I feel okay about myself. Confidence is at about a B- I'd say, but on its way up. And, even better, I am not going to play for the next two days! Yes! I'm very happy about this, no doubt. I've played kind of a lot of hands in September (~12k already), so I'm ready for this break.

On the slate for this weekend: going to pick up my night stand and barstools tomorrow that I bought today, going mini-golfing with the girlyfriend, then football Sunday! with my parents and some friends coming over to our place for the Bears-Colts game. Kind of excited about that, especially with the new grill my roommate bought (idk, he spent almost 1k on it, my boy told me he just got a sick one for 200, so I'm not sure exactly what 800 bucks buys... maybe it'll cook your food and give you a blowjob at the same time? If so, I might have to try my hand at the culinary arts this weekend).

Quite the busy body For the next 48 hours or so, but looking forward to it more than a weekend stuck in the house playing online poker.

On one last semi-whiney-but-definitely-not-Dave-Benefield note, I can't get my 100-200 hands from today to import into my HEM. I get kind of frustrated and angry, but in reading the HEM forums it looks like they've had some previous problems with Stars HHs? I'm thinking since there was an update like 48 hours ago there needs to be a patch or something? If someone can figure out why my stars HHs from today won't appear, just post a comment or something. I just wanted to show you guys how I *think* I'm in the green for September, but no graphs without that 100-200. Sigh, the HEM interface and options are so sick, I just wish I was technologically competent enough to figure everything out.

I think this got a little long and it probably won't get any comments since it's less slit-my-wrists emo, eh?


Appendix:

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HAND #1
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Full Tilt Poker, $25/$50 NL Hold'em Cash Game, 2 Players
LeggoPoker.com - Hand History Converter

SB: $11,195.50
Hero (BB): $6,094

Pre-Flop: 3 K dealt to Hero (BB)
SB raises to $150, Hero calls $100

Flop: ($300) 5 3 K (2 Players)
Hero checks, SB bets $250, Hero raises to $777, SB raises to $1,450, Hero raises to $2,323, SB raises to $11,045.50 and is All-In, Hero calls $3,621 and is All-In

Turn: ($12,188) T (2 Players - 1 is All-In)

River: ($12,188) 2 (2 Players - 1 is All-In)

Results: $12,188 Pot ($0.50 Rake)
SB showed 4 A (a straight, Five high) and WON $12,187.50 (+$6,093.50 NET)
Hero showed 3 K (two pair, Kings and Threes) and LOST (-$6,094 NET)




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HAND #2
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Full Tilt Poker, $25/$50 NL Hold'em Cash Game, 2 Players
LeggoPoker.com - Hand History Converter

BB: $5,548.50
Hero (SB): $11,742.50

Pre-Flop: T 9 dealt to Hero (SB)
Hero raises to $100, BB raises to $550, Hero calls $450

Flop: ($1,100) 4 9 3 (2 Players)
BB bets $550, Hero raises to $1,250, BB raises to $4,998.50 and is All-In, Hero calls $3,748.50

Turn: ($11,097) 4 (2 Players - 1 is All-In)

River: ($11,097) A (2 Players - 1 is All-In)

Results: $11,097 Pot ($0.50 Rake)
BB showed K 4 (three of a kind, Fours) and WON $11,096.50 (+$5,548 NET)
Hero showed T 9 (two pair, Nines and Fours) and LOST (-$5,548.50 NET)




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HAND #3
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Full Tilt Poker, $50/$100 NL Hold'em Cash Game, 2 Players
LeggoPoker.com - Hand History Converter

SB: $9,521
Hero (BB): $11,823

Pre-Flop: A K dealt to Hero (BB)
SB raises to $300, Hero raises to $1,100, SB raises to $2,600, Hero raises to $11,823 and is All-In, SB calls $6,921 and is All-In

Flop: ($19,042) 8 J 9 (2 Players - 1 is All-In)

Turn: ($19,042) J (2 Players - 1 is All-In)

River: ($19,042) 2 (2 Players - 1 is All-In)

Results: $19,042 Pot ($0.50 Rake)
SB showed Q T (a straight, Queen high) and WON $19,041.50 (+$9,520.50 NET)
Hero showed A K (a pair of Jacks) and LOST (-$9,521 NET)