The Dog Days of July/August

INTERESTING NOTE: The guy circled above is Ylon Schwartz, 2008 WSOP Main Event final tablist (one of the "November Nine"). I had a chance to meet him and play with him when I made the final 3 tables of a 2005 WSOP preliminary event. He's a good guy and a great player.

I never look forward to the WSOP ending. For as much time that I actually spent at the RIO, I spent infinitely more time online, constantly updating the various websites on any and all information I could get my hands on from the WSOP. I am what I have affectionately labeled a "Poker loser." As much as I enjoy playing, I seem to derive an equal amount of enjoyment out of reading and listening about anything going on in the poker world. The "Poker loser" label comes from the fact that I think I know more about the history, the players, the controversies, and the current events of both the live and online arena than anyone I know. For someone that has as much going on in their life as me, I know a lot of $hit about the poker world. I figure if I know what the top 50 online players in the world look like in real life and could smoke anyone at WSOP and WPT trivia, I'm a loser. So be it....

Earlier this week, I had planned on writing one of those cookie-cutter blogs about how I'm running and playing bad and questioning my talent level in the game. I'm not going to do that. Needless to say, I'm down 5-figures over the past month but I know that just comes with the territory. I have had the wicked combination of playing bad AND running bad which never helps your bankroll. I was just telling a friend of mine yesterday a little theory I have....there are four things that can usually be going on in your personal game performance.

1. Running good/Playing good
2. Running bad/Playing good
3. Running good/Playing bad
4. Running bad/Playing bad

The goal is to spend as little time as possible in zone #4, understand that you will spend time in zones #2 and #3 but hope that you basically just maintain a steady bankroll level during those times, and make 95% of your profit in zone #1. I spent the last four weeks in zones #3 and #4 but have worked my way back into #2 this past week. I'm feeling real good about my MTT game and I hope to start running a little better and kick some a$$ in August.

I have made a very comfortable 5-figure amount in online MTT's in 2008 but have lost thousands at the cash tables. I was 2-tabling the other night, lamenting about my obvious inadequacy in cash games, when my friend RUBBA AIM'd me and said, "Can I tell you something?" I obviously said yes and he basically told me what I needed to hear. He simply said that I'm not that good at cash games and I shouldn't be grinding away at them. He said my strongsuit was tournaments and I should stick to what I'm good at. It is so damn refreshing and I am so lucky to have friends that have the sack to tell me things that I need to hear. I wish there was more of that in poker and in life. Thanks, Rubba.

So......here's what's happening in the coming weeks. I'm playing in the $300 Central Coast Poker Championship at Chumash Casino tomorrow (7/19). 600 players, $5,000 starting stack, 30-minute blind levels. I have 3 previous cashes in this tournament and it's a relative donkfest but you have to get your hands on some chips early as the blinds begin to skyrocket in level 4. I leave for Jamaica, mon, next Friday and will be there for 6 days with five other couples. No....we're not swingers. I plan on playing a couple of the FTOPS IX events in early August and am playing in at least one preliminary event at the Legends of Poker series at the Bicycle Casino. I may also try a $1K satty into the WPT main event....that would be relatively SWEET.

I forgot to mention that I had the opportunity to meet Joe Sebok, Amanda Leatherman, Cindy K., and Bryan "Devo" Devonshire while in Las Vegas. I have a ton of respect for all the pokerroad guys and, I would be lying if I didn't say it, I'm pretty awestruck by them. If you haven't listened to pokerroad radio or gone to www.pokerroad.com, you are really missing out. They have incredible poker content on that site. I could listen to Haralobos Voulgaris all day long.

Alright....that was quite a pointless rant. I covered lots of stuff of which none is probably interesting to you but oh well. I am actually having to practice bankroll management for the first time since 2007 as my Full Tilt account dipped to critical levels last week. Since Sunday, though, I have over doubled it and am back on my way towards being in a position that I can comfortably sit down at a $5/$10 NL table with half my roll and act like a nutjob (I wish I was kidding).

Thanks for reading,

W2D