Day Fourteen

(9/29) - Day Fourteen: +$256
Hands: ~1800
Total: +$1,897
+/- Pace: +$497
86 sessions to make: $8,103

Good day on AP. Took a really, really, really rough cooler at the end of the session. Flopped set under set with a stack of about $275 against the one guy who had me covered. Obviously this stung a great deal and I was honestly alittle shocked. I just closed out of AP for fear of tilt.

I played the $30+3 double stack on FTP and in typical KKush style I get up to about 10k in chips nearing the money and lose AK to AQ and KK to JJ and hit the rail hard.

I also entered my nemesis in the MTT world, Stars' $11r with a prizepool of $35k Guaranteed. As much as I love this tourney, I don't think I've ever even made the $. I have made FT's in the $5r and $3r, but the $11r has evaded me for a very long time. I double rebought to start but got up to 7.5k in chips when my AK held against K10 and A10. I didn't have to rebuy any more so I was in for only $33 after the add-on. The second hour I doubled up to about 20k when my KK held up against KQ's top pair. I bounced around alittle but eventually worked up to about 30k when I made the key play of the tourney.

I had been opening alot of pots and hadn't met much resistance. I opened from the hijack seat (Button+2) with JJ and was reraised by the BB. I flat called with full intentions of playing for all my chips if an Ace didn't fall. The flop was Qxx, he moved in, and I insta-called. I faded his 22 and had a nice chip stack. Later I raised with 99, 2 cold callers in position, flop is 1092 and I crack some poor guy's aces--if he reraises preflop I am deep enough stacked to lay my hand down. The ITM play wasn't that exciting until the final 2 tables where again I made a really nice read.

I had the average stack of about 500k. Player to my right had played a ton of pots by limping or min-raising. He raised to 2.5xBB and I reraised to ~9xBB with JJ. He flat called. Again, the flop comes Qxx and he open shoves the flop on a slight overbet. I insta-call again and fade his 99. Tourney CL with 17 left!

This is where I lost it all. Raised with 99, got pot committed against a short stack's 1010 and couldn't suckout. Lost a KJs vs. AA blind vs blind war with another shortstack. Got down to about 300k from my previous high of 1.1mil. I made some very standard pushes with marginal hands and won pots without showdown. With Bobby hammering me with "don't fuck up" on AIM I avoid making a huge mistake or a bad push late. I got up to about 850k when the FT bubble finally burst and I made my first FT in a very long time in the biggest event I play.

A few players donk out early and we go to break 6 handed. Already talk of a chop is floating around but one player has about 40% of the chips in play and thusly wants a lion's share of the prizepool. I wanted atleast third place money to consider a chop. We play a few more hands, in which I actually lost a pot where I c-bet, and finally we all sit out and wait for support. I end up doing a chip-count based deal where the CL actually gave up a significant amount of his equity to make the deal happen. 40% of the $ was about $11.8k but he took $10k flat. I believe I got the 3rd most in the chip count after a little bartering, and scored $5.5k. This was > third place money and I feel like 6 handed, 3rd in chips, my equity probably falls somewhere near this number. I may be better than my opponents, but with small M's and an overwhelming chip leader, my advantage may be minimal.

After the deal was set we played it out as we would have with no deal. I actually would have gotten coolered with KK vs. AA a few hands later and actually went out in 5th. Therefore, the extra $2.2k the chop earned me was very nice. Say what you want about chopping, but the difference between 6th and 1st was five digits. I didn't play 8 hours of perfect poker to get bad beat or something ridiculous at the FT. This is my career's biggest score and although it had an anti-climatic ending, it was a great day of poker. If this tourney report is somewhat long and boring, I apologize. I took some heat for not writing a full TR for my UB win so this is to make up for it.

Thanks a ton to all my friends who railed the entire event. I had 3 fans standing behind me high-fiving me after every pot and Bobby and Dhruv hammering the chatbox with ridiculous spurts about KKush. Come drink at our house next weekend, the Sam Adams is on me.

Days Eleven, Twelve, and Thirteen

(9/26) - Day Eleven: +$209
Total: +$1,247
+/- Pace: +$147
89 sessions to make: $8,753

(9/27) - Day Twelve: -$67
Total: +$1,180
+/- Pace: -$20
88 sessions to make: $8,820

For the first time in awhile I'm behind the pace. I am sorry for the delay in posting these last two days and for the lack of HH's from both days. I was trying out some new sites and wasn't sure if I would include the results in my challenge, but decided because they were days spent playing NLHE cash games I had to include them.

(9/28) - Day Thirteen: +$461
Hands: ~1000
Total: +$1,641
+/- Pace: +$341
87 sessions to make: $8,359

Welcome back to Absolute Poker! Great day despite not getting in an overwhelming number of hands. Really didn't even run that well, losing a few all ins with pair over pair or 70/30 situations.

Hand One
Hand Two
Hand Three
Hand Four

Slight Pause

Recently I've played no NLHE cash games. I had a horrible session of PLO (see HH's below) but I still managed to lose less than $100. I also managed to push deep into a few MTT's without making a major score. I really have spent too much money lately and thus my poker bankroll is a little smaller than I'd like to have it. Therefore, I'm spending some time doing what I (arguably) do best--grinding SNG's. I'm playing a lot of $22, $33, and $55 SNG's on FTP. I also have been completely unbeatable in HU matches on Stars in the $22 and $55 range--I've went 6-0. Haven't ran particularly great on FTP but I attribute some of this to the major difference between Stars' and FTP's structure. If I can't adapt on FTP I'll retreat to Stars with my pride fully intact.

Omaha is a sick game. Here is overwhelming proof. Over $1,200 in pots where my money went in with the current nuts or very close.

Omaha One
Omaha Two (Flopped nuts in a $600+ pot and I'm the underdog?)
Omaha Three (People in PLO think a flush draw is the nuts too--even when they are 100% up against top set)

Look for the challenge to resume either a) when I return to Party or b) when the SNG grind over takes me.

I'll keep posting poker related stuff here. I hope to see Bobby start playing/posting again soon. Tom hasn't had much to say lately either, I'll just assume he's pwning donks.

Day Ten

(9/23) - Day Ten: -$293
Total: +$1038
Hands: ~1300
+/- Pace: +$38
90 sessions to make: $8,962

Ran just awful today. Lost a $400 pot all in on the flop with my nut flush vs. two sets. Also lost a pot with an overpair vs. OESD and flush draw. Just really, really, really wasn't my day on UB today. I never, ever got paid on a set or was able to hit a big draw. The challenge is still on pace, but my breathing room was erased. Hopefully I'll be able to return to Party soon.

Inspired to play PLO today so I might see how that goes. If you don't know, PLO was the game where I made my first $1k playing cash games. I'll probably have to play on either Stars or FTP due to limited selection elsewhere.

Day Nine

(9/20) - Day Nine: +$191
Total: +$1,335
Hands: ~1500
+/- Pace: +$435
91 sessions to make: $8,665

Played $1/2 NL on UB today. Bought in for $100 at every table (all 6-handed) but didn't necessarly leave when I doubled up. I got one table up to almost $400 when I got involved with another guy who had me covered. I realized that I cannot afford to get stacked for $400 and left after the hand--which I did win. I started off pretty slow today and played some MTT's--more on that coming up. Late in the night I seemed to flop a set every hand and I was able to get paid on almost all of them. One pitiful beat where UTG raised to $7, I made it $22 on the button, and the BB shoves for $80 total. I call, board comes 23448 and he flips over 22. Open shoving 22 on a re-re-raise out of the BB with 2 active players is probably the worst play I've seen in awhile. UB's software moves so fast and I was playing 8 tables so I didn't really have time to copy and paste HH's. Perhaps later I'll fish them out of PT.

Donked off at the final two tables of a $22 750-entry on Stars. I was a big stack through most of the ITM play but playing against slowplayed AA/KK from the same player killed me. I made what seemed like the right play at the time but in retrospect I made an error. Lesson learned. Thanks for the advice Bobby. Start posting your challenge results in your blog if you're a balla.

Day Eight

(9/19) - Day Eight: -$240
Total: +$1144
Hands: ~1200
+/- Pace: +$324
92 sessions to make: $8, 856

Rough day back at FTP. Had to close my Party account because I am in the process of making a new one with rakeback. (ask me for details how to get this setup) I basically had people that couldn't fold flush draws and constantly hit against me when I was hammering them with 2:1 odds every time. I have a few pretty uninteresting HH's where I got sucked out on saved but I'll just spare you the pain.

That being said, I have to stay off Party for two weeks and FTP's cartoons annoy me now so I think I might go to UB for awhile. The games are fast and I still have ~$200 in bonus left to clear. I won't count the bonus in my challenge but it is a very nice incentive to return to a very solid site.

I also signed up for a FirePay account today so I can transfer poker winnings directly into my checking account. I plan on using Neteller for deposits but having FirePay to bypass the process of waiting for a check is very nice.

Day Seven

(9/18) - Day Seven: +$455
Total: + $1364
Hands: ~900
+/- Pace: +$664
93 sessions to make : $8,636

Another amazing session on Party. The day started off by losing AA all in preflop to 55 but as you can see I recovered nicely. Never really had any tough decisions all day. Thanks to the Tigers' game I didn't play as much as I have been lately.

Hand One - Its a PARTY!
Hand Two - Why do people slowplay aces?
Hand Three - Finally filling up
Hand Four - Giving the cooler is always fun

Day Six

(9/17) - Day Six: +300
Total: +$909
Hands: ~2400
+/- Pace: +$309
94 sessions to make: $9,091

Switched sites and strategy today. I played $1/2 6-Max NL on Party. I 6-8 tabled and I short bought ($75) at each table and then left when I got it up to ~$130. This basically made it a capped game for me. I read some strategy articles about short buying today and found some ideas that supported my theory of short buying. I also think psychologically this idea works better for me. For now it is working so I'll stick with it. Had some rough beats today but also got paid on some crazy plays. Another solid day.

Hand One - No idea what he is doing here
Hand Two - This one made me sick
Hand Three - Betting trips=+EV
Hand Four - Nothing I can do here--GIFAFI

I'm also making a lot more laydowns on the later streets. I honestly feel like my NL ring play is probably at it's best right now. I am really making some solid reads and making profitable plays. Folding the 2nd best hand is the biggest key to NL ring play.

Party's software is somewhat choppy and I was constantly opening and closing tables so not as many HH's today. You get the idea--players on Party are terrible.

Day Five

(9/15) - Day Five: +$208
Total: +$609
Hands: ~900
+/- Pace: +$109
95 sessions to make : $9 ,391

Today was another session where I started poorly but made a nice recovery late. I didn't play nearly as many hands because after I got positive I said once I got to +$200 on the day I was stopping and that is exactly what I did. Didn't see NEARLY as many bad beats put on me today. I made 2 decent sized mistakes with AKs but I learned alittle bit from one and just got unlucky on the other (no HH's for pride's sake). The goal is back ahead of schedule again, which is a nice bonus to have.

Hand One - How not to play Ace high for value
Hand Two - Playing the nuts is so easy
Hand Three - Here I obviously play J9 for value
Hand Four - FH > flush draw
Hand Five - I'm the world's biggest lucksack

I really hope I never have to use that red font option on blogger again.

Day Four

(9/14) - Day 4: +$151
Hands: ~2200
+/-Pace: +$1
96 sessions to make: $9,599

This session was the most I've ever been up and down. These cap games may kill me out of stress before I make the goal. The HH's below don't really need any clarification. Either I got bad beat, coolered, or made a good play. If you can't determine which then perhaps this blog isn't for you. The FH vs. straight flush hand is one that I can argue for just calling on the river but I think I'm stacking an ace high flush or straight more often then I see the 8d there. The KK set hand was just sick as was the AA vs. 69 hand. If you can explain either one of their logics you should probably start a website and counsel people like me.

One more thing, if you read this blog regularly I'd love to know. Leave a comment just so I know I'm not doing this for nothing.

Hand One
Hand Two
Hand Three
Hand Four
Hand Five
Hand Six
Hand Seven

Day Three

(9/13) - Day Three: -$354
Hands: ~1500
Pace: -$50
97 sessions to make $9,750


Absoulte disaster today. I'm going to post some HH's below without explanation because I'm that frustrated. If I posted every bad beat from today you'd be reading for months. I honestly can say that in my 10 years of playing poker I've never seen anything like this today. My last hand was AA all in preflop vs. 23s. Obv. flop is 922. Just disgusting day and it set the challenge back significantly.

Hand One
Hand Two
Hand Three
Hand Four
Hand Five
Hand Six
Hand Seven
Hand Eight

Day One and Two

(9/11) - Day One: +$226
Hands: ~1500
+/- Pace: +$126
99 sessions to make: $9,774

Ran ridiculously bad actually. 3 times I had top two or better vs. flush draw all in on the flop and lost. Also lost AK to AQ on AKQ board and AA to KK preflop. If variance evens out this is a $500 day.

Room for improvement: Fill up your sets vs. flush draws.

(9/12) - Day Two: +$378
Hands: ~2500
+/- Pace: +$404
98 sessions to make: $9,396

Fewer suckouts but still didn't feel like I got a fair shake. A one outer that especially stung after guy pushes KK on A82 board into my AK. Stayed level headed and make some good reads late with marginal hands. Proud of my play through 2 days.

Room for improvement: Check/call on scary boards.

$10,000 in 100 sessions

Bobby has Vegas opening it at 3:1. I'll take myself in that bet. The goal is to essentially win $10k in 100 days but to quantify the challenge I'll make it $10k in 100 sessions. This way I can take a few days off and not have it count against me. I will only play poker when I feel like I'm on top of my game. I want to do this completely in cash games, namely $1/$2 NL capped games on Full Tilt Poker. If I make a big MTT score (unlikely I'll play many) I'll have to decide what to do with it.

With that being said, I'll post here after every session, good or bad. Bill Ivey was honest in his results and I'll do the same. If I don't make it I'm sure I'll have haters--that's fine with me. People have doubted my poker skills before and they'll doubt them again. This goal isn't to prove anything to anyone, it is to give my game focus and to give myself a reason to really concentrate every session