Congratulations, VIRGE!!!!!

Congratulations to our buddy VIRGE who played like a beast tonight and made two simultaneous final tables on Full Tilt. He took 3rd in the $4K guar. PLO and he TOOK DOWN the Daily Double-B tournament for over $2400. He played flawless throughout and actually got his hands to hold up for a change. He is a solid, solid player who always gets it in good so he takes his fair share of bad beats. But not tonight!!!!!! This was the "National Day of Virge!!!"

Congrats again, buddy.

W2D

Wasted Opportunity

I played another full Sunday schedule and had another maddening day. I played great overall and just got kicked in the nuts on several occasions. I won't bother to discuss or post any bad beats but needless to say....it was gut-wrenching.

I finally went deep in the 9th MTT I played in (STARS $25K). There were 1985 entrants and I was able to navigate myself to the final two tables. I played relatively mistake-free throughout before making a questionable move with 12 players left. A player had opened two consecutive pots before opening a third from middle position. I looked down at Q-J on the button and thought it was a good spot to build the stack before the final table. I 3-bet shoved with tons of fold equity and he called with 10-10. The flop came J-10-6 and that was the end of that. I was crippled and busted out two hands later in 12th place for $422.

When are these god-forsaken WSOP satellites going to start? I'm jonesing, here!!!......

One last shout out to DannyMac31 who has just been killing STARS in February. He has two huge wins, a second, and a deep finish in the $500 STARS million yesterday. Great job DMac!!!

Thanks for reading,

W2D

Nice Cash Game Session

Quick post here.....I have so many things to post about that I really need to sit down and bang out a couple of long posts. I had one of those once-in-a-great while occasions to find an utter WHALE at the $1/$2 NL cash games last night. He was sitting at the table with $775 when I got there. Within 40 minutes, I had busted him 3 times over and was sitting with over $1,200. The picture above was taken at my highest point. Unfortunately, a short time later, I raised to $7 with 10-10 and the BB 3-bet to $27. I called as I was very deep and the flop came 8-5-3 with two hearts. I checked and he bet $25 (into a $55 pot). I shoved and he called me with....wait.....K-3off. Turn was a brick and the river was a putrid looking 3. I lost that $450 pot and the guy proceeded to berate me over the hand. I tilted a tad after that but was able to go to bed with a $645 profit in about 75 minutes of $1/$2 NL (I'll take it).

It's been a busy week at work and softball, baseball, and basketball for the kids is full force. We received some unsettling medical news about our 11-year old daughter yesterday that really shook me to the core. It's amazing how we get on this road in life and think we know what's important and that we're invincible. My wife took her to see some specialists and have some tests today so we're praying and waiting for the results. It sure makes poker seem unimportant.

I'm dying to narrate the story of my 2006 and 2007 WSOP experiences but I'm just struggling to find the time. Hopefully, I can knock it out this weekend.

Thanks for reading,

W2D


Weeeeeeeeee!!! My first pro bounty on Full Tilt...

Hello HGJ18622,

Congratulations! You busted Karina Jett in the following tournament:
$10 + $1 Knockout (40588872) We have credited your Full Tilt Poker account with a bounty prize of $10.00.

In recognition of your achievement, we would like to send you a special T-Shirt.

Wasted Sunday

Sundays are quickly becoming a very frustrating endeavor. The stars were aligned for a big day yesterday (with the family gone) but after five MTT's of over $50 buy-in including the FTOPS Main Event, I was left with squadoosh!!!

The FTOPS Main Event was a 3.5 hour roller coaster. I must have been all-in a minimum of ten times...getting sucked out on...sucking out...winning and losing races...until finally I got 30BB in with Q-Q against former Main Event winner "fkscreennames" K-K.

I can't complain right now because I was able to take a considerable amount of money out of my FT account and still leave my bankroll in the best shape it's ever been in. But....I would like to gain some higher level of consistency in my MTT game. It's maddening to go weeks with very little to show for it before hitting one big score. Ideally, I'd like to be making multiple final tables each week. Hey...I always need to have a goal.

Thanks for reading,

W2D

2 Final Tables...and My Biggest Online Score EVER!!!

As Stone Cold Steve Austin used to say..."Can I get a hell yeah??!!" Wow...what a night. One night after my post that questioned the evolution of my poker game and whether I would ever reach new heights, I took down the biggest score of my online career.

As I was preparing to hit the tables (after putting the kids to bed), I actually remember saying out loud (to no one in particular) "It only takes one." I had been thinking back on my poker career and remembering other times that I was a little down and one big win had erased weeks of frustration. I have sufficient bankroll management skills that weeks of below-average play doesn't necessarily decimate my bankroll so it only takes one big score to get back ahead of the game.

As I sat down, my friend Rubbarose asked me what tournaments I was going to play. I told him a $10 6-max and the $16.5K guaranteed at 9:00. I told him that I wanted to play just a couple of tournaments and focus on solid play. When I told him that I was playing the $16.5K, he actually AIM'd me "You are due to win that one." As both tourneys progressed, I found the $10 6-max to be about as soft as a tournament can be. I basically breezed to the final table as the $16.5K was moving into the third hour. I played a solid final table in the 6-max but really went card dead at the FT and ended up finishing 4th for only $190. It seemed like a lot of effort and a deep finish for a relatively small score.

As the $16.K progressed, I found myself really reflecting on a tournament video I had been watching recently on PokerXFactor by UCLABruinz. I used a lot of the concepts I learned in that video throughout the tournament. I ended up busting our buddy DannyMac31 right before the bubble and collected his $15 bounty (sorry, bro). I was in the Top 5 in chips throughout the last 4 tables and as we got down to two tables, I promised myself that I would play for the win and keep the pressure on. I ended up making the final table 2nd in chips.

I must admit....this was probably the weakest final table I have ever been at. I would say there was probably one other quality player and, not coincidentally, I ended up getting heads-up with him (weballin). Just way too much folding by people. I don't know if they were looking to move up in money but I was able to basically obliterate the table with very little resistance. I ended up knocking out TWO players in the same hand on TWO different occasions (K-J v. Q-J/9-9 flopped a K...As-Qs v. A-K/A-4 turned a flush). I continued to destroy everyone in my path and got heads up with a 4.5-1 chip advantage. He was a solid opponent and ended up doubling up through me in a race (his A-10 v. my 8-8). I just chipped away at him and ended up getting back to a 3-1 chip advantage before winning a final race with A-Q v. 3-3. The win shipped me my biggest score ever...$7,730 (including 12 KO's).

It sure seems that this blog has allowed me to really focus my efforts and express some thoughts that have allowed me to clear my head. On Thursday, I asked myself whether I would reach the apex before the abyss. Last night, I took one step closer to the apex.

A special thanks to my friends Rubbarose and VIRGE. Rubba has helped me immensely and is there every night to talk about hands and tilt control with me. VIRGE was there for me at the final table last night to give me encouragement and provide his special brand of humor in the chat box. Thanks, GUYS!!! You know I'm always there for you.

Here is the Hand History link on PokerXFactor:

http://www.pokerxfactor.com/servlet/pxf?a=mv&t=myhand2&handid=114913&filename=080215%20FT%20Hand%20History.txt


Thanks for reading,

W2D

Reflections on a Personality

As I once again struggle with a downturn in my poker bankroll, I tend to find myself constantly reflecting on the evolution of my poker game and whether an apex has been reached in my learning curve. There are nights that I find myself aimlessly sitting at the tables; playing A-B-C poker and waiting for "monsters" instead of actually playing poker. "It's about everything but the cards"....that's what they say. But it seems that over the past month, more times than not I find myself feeling lost at the tables with no sense of my image, feel, position, etc. at the table.

The past day started me thinking about whether I have reached a point in my poker game that I have reached many times in other facets of my life. I've never been one to buy into the modern-age personality or psychological disorders that we find plastered all over Oprah, Dr. Phil, etc. etc. Obsessive compulsive, Attention Deficit Disorder, Depression, Addictive personality....I've never, ever thought that I would ever fit into any of those categories. I have always considered myself the most well-adjusted, normal person amongst any circle of friends that I have travelled in. But as I reflect on my last 20 years of adult life, I seriously wonder if I fit the clinical definition of addictive personality.

Now let me be frank...I really don't know if that is even a clinical definition. I'm not sure if having an addictive personality is actually a real thing. But let me give you several examples of what I am referring to. Throughout my life, I have latched onto new and exciting things in my life and have dove 150% into them.

-In 1994, I became interested in Martial Arts. I began training at a local Hapkido studio and trained relentlessly for four years. I was awarded a black belt in Sin Moo Hapkido. After receiving my black belt, I stopped training shortly after and never returned.

-In 1998, I joined the K-9 unit at my police department. I became obsessed with the Police K-9 world and ended up winning over 20 different awards at regional K-9 competitions throughout the Western United States. I became one of the best K-9 handlers in the history of our department. But less than three years later, I was promoted and left the K-9 world behind.

-In 2002, my wife had just finished her Master's degree and I decided that I wanted to get one. I quickly enrolled in the MPA program at C.S.U.N. and got my Master's degree less than two years later.

-In 2003, I became hooked on poker (as you've seen from my other posts). I bought and read over 60 poker books. I memorized every WSOP and WPT episode. I accessed the Top 10 poker websites every single day religously. Half my wardrobe became poker-related regalia. We turned our dining room into a poker room. I know more about poker history and the daily happenings of the live and online poker world than all the people I know combined.(Are you seeing a recurring theme here?)

-In 2005, I became reintroduced to the sport of Mixed Martial Arts. I have since become completely obsessed with the sport. I know every fighter, every organization, all their statistics, all the history of the sport, etc. etc.

I have managed to write a relatively long post and probably say nothing of substance. I'm not even sure if I made a point. What I was trying to get across was that I have had a series of events in my life where I latch onto some concept or hobby and just go balls out 150% until I reach a certain goal....black belt, Master's degree, K-9 awards, etc. I'm hoping that poker does not become one of these "hobbies" that I lost interest in after 3 or 4 years. It wouldn't be the first time....

There is no question that I am addicted to poker. Playing it, railing it, reading about it, talking about it...But do I have the longevity, the willingness, the drive, to take my game to the next level. Do I have the ferocious discipline necessary to separate myself from the masses and reach levels that I have been able to reach in other aspects of my life? Or will I fizzle out and move on to my next conquest like I've done before?

My goal is an WSOP bracelet...it has been for 4 years. I haven't reached that goal and I don't plan on stopping until I get there. I'm addicted.......but sane. If you continue to follow my adventures, you'll surely see whether I reach the apex...or fall into the abyss.


Thanks for reading,

W2D

A frustrating Sunday...and Pocket Aces

Damn....that was one frustrating Sunday. After playing so well during the week, I really thought I was going to crush yesterday. I had my full set-up in my poker room at home and was left relatively alone by the family so the setting was good....but the playing was not. I played the Full Tilt FTOPS #9, $25K guar., $55K guar., and the $16.5K guar.

I was never really in the FTOPS event. I hardly won any pots and meekly went out early in Hour 2 when I ran Q-Q into A-A pre-flop (Remember that...it's a recurring theme).

There wasn't a lot to remember about the $25K as well. I plugged along for about an hour and a half before running J-J into A-A pre-flop (sigh...)

The $55K started out a lot better. I chipped up very nicely and had a very large stack throughout the first two hours. I had around $16,000 at 120/240 right before the 2nd break when I got it all-in with J-J against A-K for around 40% of my stack. Obv Ace on the turn and it whacked me down to around $9,500. If I win that race, I'm 2nd in chips going to hour #3. I was able to work my way back up to around $13,000 and with around 120 players left, it got folded around to me in the SB with 7h-6h. With the blinds at 200/400, I raised to 1195. The BB re-raised to 3,200. I insta-shoved and he somehow found it within himself to reluctantly call with.....A-A. Yes, that's 40+BB in pre-flop with 7h-6h. Board bricked and I was out...

I'm not sure how to solve what's going on in my game right now. In the last 20 MTT's, I have made the third hour in over 75% of them. I am able to weather the early stages but I have some serious leaks in my middle game. It's weird because I feel pretty good about my game once it gets to the final 3 tables so there is something inherently wrong with my strategy during the middle stages. I'm going to try and re-evaluate the decisions I'm making and also watch some PokerXFactor videos to watch their middle games. I say it all the time and I'll continue to say it...I have too much faith in myself and know that I'm a top player for me to keep blowing these stacks. I need to start taking more time with my decisions and really examine the entire situation.

On a sidenote, the night was not a complete loss. After taking an hour break after the above fiascos, my wife was really busy with work stuff so I decided to sit down and play a $10 90-man Turbo KO tournament. I don't particularly like turbo tournaments but I was looking for something to pass the time. I played flawlessly and completely dominated the tournament. I ended up having TEN knockouts and won the tournament for $250 (see picture). So....not a complete wasted day.

Bowling tonight so no poker. Back at the tables on Tuesday.

Thanks for reading,

W2D

W2D wins an FTOPS Main Event Seat!

A relatively frustrating night of MTT's got considerably better at the end when I was able to win a $535 seat to the FTOPS Main Event next Sunday. As I usually do in the satellites, I just hung around in the weeds until the final table when I flopped a huge hand with Q-10.....A-K-J board. Not too bad!!!

The rest of the night was cooler-central. I played in 4 MTT's and made the third hour of every single one with absolutely no cashes. I saw a flop with 10-8 and it came 10-8-6....Obv other guy has 6-6. I saw a flop with A-7 and it came A-J-7....Obv other guy has A-J. I saw a flop with A-K and it comes K-9-6. I check to induce a bet and he checks behind. Turn is a 4...Obv he has 4-4 and he doubles through me.

Anyways, I won't dwell on the negative. I played really well tonight and just got a bit unlucky. But I'll take the $500 seat!!!

Thanks for reading,

W2D

A Live Win and Screenname Origins

I forgot to blog that I had taken down the Caesar's Palace Saturday afternoon tournament for a nice little $1K score (see photo). There were only 60 entrants but it's always nice to take down a live tournament. The structure was surprisingly good for a daily tournament and the final table was almost unfair as I believe I was by far the best player. LIVE WINS PWN!!!!!

I thought I would briefly touch on where my two main screennames ("Willing2Die"/"HGJ18622") came from. When I first opened an account on PartyPoker in 2003, I was looking for a cool name that was semi-intimidating but not too ridiculous. I had practically memorized the 2003 WSOP telecasts and I remembered a quote from Amir Vahedi about how in no-limit, "in order to live you must be willing to die." I thought that would be a cool screenname so I adopted "Willing2Die" on Party.

At the time, you could change your screenname on Party something like once every 3 months. For some stupid reason, I wanted to change it so I decided on "HGJ18622."
"H" for my daughter Hannah..."G" for my son Garrett..."J" for my son Jarred...
and "18622" as this is the California Penal Code for the Gang Enforcement Act and at the time I was working a gang task force.

It was during this brief time period that I opened up my FullTilt account and used "HGJ18622." A short time later, I changed it back to "Willing2Die" on Party but found out that you can never change your screen name on FullTilt. I have talked with them at the WSOP and e-mailed support several times but they are steadfast in their denials.

I really enjoy "Willing2Die" as it has become sort of a 2nd persona for me. Some of my poker buddies call me "Will", I have embroidered hats with "Willing2Die" on it, and even my kids use it as a code on some of their video games.

Thanks for reading,

W2D

Deep finish in FTOPS Event #1

Well...If you consider 140th place deep. But when there are over 5300 entrants and you play for 5 1/2 hours, it's pretty deep. I played solid poker with a fairly short stack for most of the tournament. I got ungodly lucky in a couple of different pots. Let's see....open shove with Js-8s and called by A-5 in the BB. Flop A-9-6. Turn-Q...River-10 for the straight. All-in preflop with Q-Q v. A-A and J-J. Flop....K-Q-J!!! Later, Menlo (TheGuru11), probably the best online player in the world, open shoves UTG for 12BB and I call with Q-Q on the button. He shows 4-4. Flop is 10-6-4. Turn is a QUEEN!!! River is ANOTHER QUEEN!!!

With 140 players left, I made a questionable move when I 4-bet with 10-10 from the SB. It made the original raiser think for about a minute and if he had folded, I would have beaten the other player's A-K. But alas, he called with Q-Q and I was done. I still had over 20BB before that hand so it was highly questionable.

I ended up cashing for $798. Months and months of deep finishes and close calls are frustrating without ever achieving that one "career-altering" score. I couldn't help but look at the Top 3 prizes last night that were all over $100,000. With 140 left, it's not out of the question to be at least looking at them. I cashed in the FT $11.5K last night as well so my game seems to be coming back around. Hard work and focus are always rewarded in the long run so I know my time is coming.

Thanks to RUBBAROSE, VIRGE, and SLICKWILLY37 for the late rail last night. My next big event should be FTOPS #9 on Sunday.

Thanks for reading,

W2D

2nd in FTOPS #9 satellite/8th in Full Tilt $16.5K

• A couple of days off and a cathartic blog post may have done the trick....I played very focused poker last night and it's amazing what can happen when you a) don't play cash games at the same time and b) put those $120 BOSE headphones on so you're not distracted by the T.V.

• I won a seat in this Sunday's FTOPS #9 event ($322 NLHE) by finishing 2nd in a satellite. Nothing much to report. I became the chip leader with 5 left (Top 3 win a seat) and just used my big stack to decimate the table.

• In the Full Tult $16.5K, I played very well and had an above-average stack for a majority of the tournament. It's amazing how different it is when you actually have chips to play with. I bided my time and went on a rush just prior to the final table and entered it 2nd in chips....the problem was that the chip leader, "ZBTHorton", had a huge lead and was seated directly to my left. He had been opening a ton of pots so my plan was to play it pretty close to the vest at the beginning. The problem was that everyone seemed to be playing tight. We must have played 9-handed for 20 minutes before "Garage13" busted. My first big pot was raising Ad-Kd UTG and having a shorter stack re-shove. It was for 30% of my stack so I called and he showed J-J. Brick city!!! I chipped up again before getting it all-in against the same player for 50% of my stack with A-Q vs. his A-10. The flop brought nothing, turn nothing, river a $%*&^ TEN!!!!!!! This pot would have put me over $300,000 and firmly 2nd in chips. Instead, I was forced to resort to shove-and-fold poker. I picked up two pots by shoving before shoving a third time with K-Q and getting called by J-J. Brick city again!!! I went from starting the FT 2nd in chips to out in 8th place for $800 (including my 6 KO's).

• I was generally pleased with the way I played. Very controlled...Very focused. No blow-ups. I can't ask for much more than getting to the final table with chips and having a 3-1 shot at a big stack (A-Q/A-10). You have to win your races late in these tournaments and I lost two of them as well as a 75/25.

• I was really hoping to upstage RUBBA after his 3rd place in the same tournament a couple of nights ago but it'll have to wait (weeeeeeee)!

• I'll be buying in directly to FTOPS Event #1 ($216 NLHE) so wish me luck!!

Thanks for reading,

W2D

Frustrating Times

This will be a quick post but one I need to make to cleanse my mind of various thoughts. After running well throughout January and really feeling like the momentum was building to a huge February and March, I made some horrible decisions in both game selection and bankroll management that resulted in the blow-up of 50% of my bankroll over the last week. I have had a lot of things at work weighing heavily on my mind and I have let those distract me at the poker table.

I haven't had an opportunity to talk about a concept I refer to as the "hotel factor" in any of my blog posts yet but it is a concept having to deal with the environment in which you play online poker. In a nutshell, I have had a majority of my biggest online successes while in a hotel on a business trip. It is no coincidence...the ability to focus without kids, work, etc. and have a quiet environment to analyze the table is paramount to success at the felt. For reasons I will never seem to grasp, I chose to play this past week when I was a) tired, b) distracted by work, c) home alone watching the kids run around the house...you get the picture. For someone that seems so in control in both my personal and professional life, these obvious leaks in my psychological game at the tables are just mind-boggling.

I'm at a point now that I'm going to have to move down from $2/$4 NL to $1/$2 NL which is very frustrating because I seem to find more donors at $2/$4. I'm also going to have to toil at some of the lower buy-in MTT's until I can make that (inevitable) score to get me back to where I was. Arrgghhhhhhh.....It's just so damn frustrating. I was looking for some real momentum as the WSOP satellite season begins and now I will start that season in a hole.

I know I'm too good of a player to be down for long. My poker career has always been cyclical and I expect that I will turn it around in short order. I'm not playing tonight (Monday) so I will hit the tables tomorrow night after a few days off and hopefully have a clearer mind.

On a side note, my good friend Daniel (Rubba) Rose www.rosewsop.blogspot.com has really started to turn it on lately and took 3rd last night in the FT $16.5K guar. It was his 2nd cash over $2500 in the last week so I expect him to go on a major tear. Hey....If I can't be taking them down, I'm glad Rubba is doing his part. R-U-B-B-A-R-O-S-E!!!!!!!

Thanks for reading,

W2D

2005 WSOP (Part 2)

The 2nd day of the $1,500 event found me in around 40th place out of the 71 remaining players. We got to the RIO a couple of hours before the 2:00 start time and ate lunch in the cafeteria that is along the 50-mile walk from the casino to the Amazon Room. As we sat there discussing the coming day and any potential gameplan I might have, I was shocked when up walked......my wife, Carrie. She had left the kids and, without my knowledge, flown to Vegas to watch me. I was stoked to see her and thought maybe that was the inspiration I needed to TID!

I got to my table and found Billy Gazes and David "Devilfish" Ulliott. This made for a very entertaining first couple of hours as they were constantly bantering back and forth and involved in hands together. I didn't play a ton of memorable hands; busting one or two short-stacks and playing just one "memorable" hand. A similar stack raised from middle position and I re-raised with Ad-Qd from the button. He thought for sometime before smooth calling my 3-bet. The flop came down Jh-Jd-5d. He checked and I shoved it all-in. He thought for around two minutes before finally folding. Based on the pre-flop and post-flop action, I have thought about that hand hundreds of times and I figure him to have one of three hands: A-K, A-Q, or 10-10. This got me some chips and kept me alive as people began to get whacked left and right.

One random note: The "Devilfish" seemed to take a liking to my wife and would talk to her on every break. Later, after I busted and returned to watch a couple of hours later, he sought us out to talk to both of us. He was very cordial and polite but it was funny to see him drooling over any good looking ladies.

We eventually got down to 27 players and we did a re-draw for seats. This field of 27 included Chris "Jesus" Ferguson, Greg Raymer, Toto Leonidas, Mark Seif, Minh Nguyen, Billy Gazes, and the Devilfish (Fairly stacked for over 2,000 players). I drew a table with only one of these pros (Toto) and no really huge stacks. I think I had around $115,000 with the blinds at $2,000/$4,000 when the UTG player to my right opened for $12K. Just to illustrate the anatomy of a poker tournament and how past events often impact your thinking later in the tournament, I looked down at 10-10. Vividly recalling the 10-10 hand that I had layed down yesterday, I decided to smooth call from UTG+1. In hindsight, I really should have either re-raised or folded there. After just calling, I probably can't call a raise from a player in late position and I have virtually turned it into a set-mining situation. No one else called and we saw a flop of Q-9-8. Check-Check. Turn-7. Check-Check. River-8. He led for $20K and I reluctantly called. He showed Q-10. Clearly, he probably can't call a re-raise from me pre-flop but hindsight is 20-20. This hand hurt my chip stack and would eventually lead to my penultimate hand...

With 24 players left and only 10 minutes from the dinner break, the blinds were $2,500/$5,000. Toto Leonidas opened UTG for $15K and I looked down at A-Joff in the hijack. I had approx. $65K left and hastily decided that it was a good spot to shove. I did and it folded around to Toto who instantly called with K-K. The board bricked and I was eliminated as the last player before the dinner break in 24th place for a little over $13,000.

Believe me when I tell you that I have thought about that A-J/K-K hand hundreds of times over the last couple of years. I knew so little about hand values and end game strategy back then that it is so clearly a fold against a UTG raiser now but I just wasn't good enough back then to understand that concept. I've often wondered if that was one my shot....was that the one opportunity in my life to get to a WSOP final table and play for a bracelet? We never know when an opportunity lost will ever be presented to us again. Dan Marino made the Super Bowl in his 2nd year and never returned. Is that what is in store for me, Willing2Die? Will I ever get another shot to compete at the highest levels of poker competition?

Luckily, I would find out just one year later...

Stay tuned for my 2006 WSOP experience.

Thanks for reading,

W2D