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| Aaron Massey |
1st blog of the new year…. Unfortunately I have nothing good to report. I wrapped up 2011 with a blog that featured my highlights from the year and my passion for the game. I talked about the things I wanted to accomplish this year, listed specific goals, and even made promises to work hard and win. Fueled with optimism, I was eager to get back to the table and start the year right. I was ready to play a tourney everyday and crush it just like I did in 2011. I knew I was gonna get off to a fast start.
(Clears Throat)
Not so much. I went to LA and played the WSOPC at the Bike. I think I played 11 events; I came within 10 places of the money 6 of those times and did not cash once. I got 20th place in the $1080 event that paid 18, after losing AK to A8 on what was basically the stone bubble, and having the guy fist pump in my face after binking a lucky 8. I also bricked the Main Event twice. It was really hard to deal with bc I knew I was playing well and doing everything in my power (which isn’t much in poker in the short term) to win. I put myself in a position to go deep several times but the deck never cooperated with me. It was arguably the worst I have ever run in a 2 week span. Me and my friend Eli rented a car (Mustang convertible- Omar if you are reading this…) and stayed at White Brian’s condo in Venice Beach for a few days. Then we flew to Atlantic City for the Borgota Winter Open, so I could get back to winning. I knew my days of running bad were over.
Not so much. Another 11 tournaments, another 5 finishes within 10 places of the money, which included a stone bubble in the $1090 event (sound familiar?). I went out in 28th place when my KK lost to AA on the bubble while play was hand for hand, in a hand that took 7 minutes bc the third guy in the hand eventually folded QQ, with the entire tournament surrounding our table to see if they will make the money or not, add another 30-40 spectators and the fact we all had stacks, it equals one of the most tilting bustouts I have ever gone thru. I shook his hand and said good game then walked away to let the other 27 players enjoy their money in peace. The one positive thing was that none of the players celebrated when I busted and none of the spectators on the rail made any noise either, out of respect for me as a player. Usually all these mops cheer, hoot and holler when the money bubble bursts. Not this time though, so I appreciated that, but it still really stung. I kept fighting and playing well the subsequent days but was rudely met by a couple of 3 outers, a rivered straight, and half a dozen lost coin flips in a row. Oh wait, I did miss a nut flush draw in the 2k bounty tourney so that one is on me. I played day 1A of the Main Event today. A $3500 which is over 4x my average buyin, I really needed to do well…but, I got it in KK vs AA, 15 minutes into the tournament to bust. I have been beating myself up all day bc I know I should have folded. I am really hard on myself though, it is kings to aces after all so whatever. Still, it’s just demoralizing.
Chip Stacks, Televised Events, and You (Part 1)
| Jeff Freeman |
"Why isn't my chip stack near the size of the guys I see on TV? I'm not playing enough hands!"
(Bet, call, bet, call, bet... bust!)
New players often wonder why they're not pulling in the giant pots they see on television. Before you go blazing through your chip stack betting on cards better suited as beer coasters, it's important to consider what kind of program you're watching.
Though there's a wide range of hold 'em poker broadcasts, we'll concentrate on the differences between two: ESPN's coverage of the "World Series of Poker" and NBC's "Poker After Dark." In this article, we'll talk about the former.
While watching ESPN's coverage, keep in mind that they hire a production company to cover the "World Series of Poker." In a nutshell, a small army of production magicians cover the days-long event. They conjure an exciting series of one-hour shows for ESPN.
As such, a vast array of hands could unfold before you: premium versus premium, a big bluff, a huge lay down, you name it.
You're probably watching a hand in which someone is going to win a huge amount of chips with very strange cards. Is the player with a horrible set of hole cards not known for bluffing? Did he hit two great hands in a row? Does he think he's got everyone at the table scared of his unpredictable play?
Truth is, you'll never know. There's an incredible number of variables that help a player decide if he's going to play a hand or fold it.
Coverage of the Main Event is very fast and masterfully edited. Rather than cover hand after hand at one table, the show focuses on highlights of the event. When the final product comes together, viewers are watching the most entertaining hands of the event.
You can still learn a lot from ESPN's coverage: commentary during the games help you understand what's developing. Segments throughout the series give you a peek into the minds of your favorite pros.
Above all, keep in mind how quickly the show moves. Nothing is worse than obliterating your stack quicker than a commercial break!
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| Aaron Massey |
This is Aaron @nevermissmassey Massey's last blog post of 2011. Thank you, Aaron, for sharing your journey with us this year. - editorWow…. What a wild ride that was.
I’m sitting here, looking back on the last 12 months and I’ve got to tell you, I’ve come a long way. This time last year I spent every single day sitting in my apartment, at my desk, with my computer and my 2 monitors, playing 10 tables at once for 12 hours a day. I would wake up around noon and go to the gym, get home at 2:30pm, order food for the entire day, and play online until like 3am. I was working my ass off when online was around and was 100% dedicated to learning, winning and working as hard as possible. I watched players who I knew were better than me and it motivated me to catch up to them. It was during this period that I took my game to the next level. I played so many hands and discussed poker relentlessly. I also had the privilege of having an unbelievable mentor.
During the period where I played online every day, I was able to watch, play and discuss poker with Kevin “Bel0wab0ve” Saul for hundreds of hours. He is among the greatest online poker players of all time and he took me under his wing. I have always been a live player, I’ve been playing in casinos since I was 19. I would drive to Indiana twice a day with Ralph’s ID to go play. However, it was the online fundamentals that brought my game to where it is today. To be honest, I wish I had started playing online 5 years ago. If I had, who knows where I would be right now.
Anyways, something pretty crazy happened… Online poker in the US got all screwed up. And guess what? It was time to play live again. This ended up being great for me because it forced everyone to have to play me in my arena, where I thrive. Live poker is what I was meant to do; I honestly know and believe that it is my calling in life. It’s kind of exhausting to explain but if you know me or have seen me play, then you know what I mean.
With live poker comes a lot of travel, and I have been to quite a few places this year. It started with Tunica, St. Louis, and New Orleans. I took a train cross country with my close friends to Vegas for the World Series. We stopped at a few places along the way including the Grand Canyon. We hiked all the way to the bottom of the Canyon, slept there overnight, and climbed out. When we got to Vegas we stayed at the Golden Nugget on Fremont Street in old Vegas for a week. Then I moved over and stayed at the Gold Coast, next to the Rio where the World Series is held. I lived there for over 6 weeks. During that summer a lot of crazy shit happened and I had a lot of experiences. I took part in some of the best partying I’ve ever been around in my life. Cabanas, clubs, bottles and bullshit... All of it. I never really spent money at any of them either.
Chip Stacks, Televised Events, and You (Part 2)
| Jeff Freeman |
There’s no doubt that ESPN’s coverage of “World Series of Poker” is fast-paced and exciting. The series punctuates big pots, big hands, and big money. Some of the best players in the world sit flanked by monster stacks of hard-earned chips.
Players looking to up their skills may not realize that a highlights-based show set to the soundtrack of thousands of chips is a dangerous place to look for poker advice.
A more in-depth show is usually the better bet (and certainly easier on the wallet).
NBC’s “Poker After Dark” focuses on a single table tournament. The tournament is broken down into a week-long series of one-hour episodes. Most importantly, the show rolls on every single hand in the tournament. It doesn’t matter if a big pot rests on the river card or if everyone folds around to the big blind.
To a reckless, action-hungry player with unrealistic expectations, it sounds pretty boring – but those are the kinds of players that don’t stick around very long!
To a player that understands patience and discipline are two of the most important attributes of a good poker player, watching a table surrounded by pros mixing it up in big brother style coverage is a great learning tool.
The single table tournament allows you to watch every hand develop throughout the tournament. You’re offered the opportunity to analyze the tournament as a whole, not just the hand.
Why did Daniel Negreanu fold pocket kings? How did Chris “Jesus” Ferguson take down a huge pot with garbage hole cards? What sent “Poker Brat” Phil Helmuth Jr. into another of his infamous tirades?
Poker strategy is a lot easier to figure out when you’ve been watching the tournament hand after hand after hand.
As in “World Series of Poker” coverage, viewers have the advantage of seeing each player’s hole cards. However, they’ve also got the added ability to use previous hand outcomes to help them decipher what happens in hands that follow.
Take enough mental notes (or use the rewind button often on your DVR) and it becomes easier to see why a player decided on one course of action over another.
East Coast Swing and a Break
| Aaron Massey |
I'm laying on my couch after a long weekend, and this place is a mess. Ralph is passed out on the other side of the couch with his mouth open and his right hand down his pants (standard). I swear he plays with it in his sleep. The last 3 days/nights have been a blur. Everyone came home for Thanksgiving and all my friends were able to reunite this weekend. In typical fashion, and without divulging too much, it was a shit show. When u put all of us animals together, AND we all haven’t seen each other in a long time, it makes for some laughable nights and some big boy stories. Anyways, it was short lived. I was in Atlantic City for a few weeks and am now heading back to AC tomorrow for more poker tournaments. My last trip there was a good one.
I had taken a full 2 weeks off from poker when I rolled into AC on Nov. 8th. I was fresh and was ready to play. The 1st event was a $450 reentry tourney where u can rebuy as many times as u want during the earlier stages if you bust out. This makes for a huge prizepool bc many players are in for more than 1 buyin. There were around 1000 players in this tourney and I was making a deep run. At one point during this tournament I pulled off the most ridiculous bluff for most of my chips, with 4 of my friends standing behind me AND having seen my cards. Throughout the hand I was telling my opponent that I was bluffing him, that I was only playing this hand bc my friends were watching, and that I am going to try and impress them by bluffing him in this hand. I was also acting a fool, use every false tell I had in my arsenal to throw this guy off and make him fold. Long story very short, I get this guy to fold the 2nd nuts FACE UP while saying, if your acting like you are bluffing that much u must have it, you’ve got to have it… here I fold, throwing away a King High Club Flush. My friends erupt and beg me to show….. so I turn over something like 35 offsuit, stare at this man who just made the worse fold ever, and laugh at him in the most annoying way ever… yep yep yep yep yep yep! He turns bright red and looks like his head was going to explode. I mean, how does this guy not call me… ME. I never have it. Idiot. Oh well, I end up cashing the tourney and getting something like 55th place for roughly 3x my buyin.
Laundry, Part 1: Hindsight Is 20/20
| Jeff Freeman |
I've been struggling with a label for you. I settled on "Laundry." That is to say: "Laundry doesn't fold itself." If I sound a little bitter in these next few installments, it's because I've lost a few hefty loads of chips to Laundry players in my casual poker playing career.
One point needs to be made clear: Laundry is not a Call Station. Laundry continues to call bets even if the hole cards they're holding are dead in the water. Call Stations at least have the common sense to fold a hand that isn't getting them anywhere.
Laundry players develop in a number of different ways. The simplest, of course, is the Laundry that just doesn't know that much about the game of poker.
Some beginner players, however, turn into Laundry by fixating on a few unimportant developments in the game.
It's impossible to consider an infinite number of possibilities and characters playing out in a hand of poker, so we'll keep it simple. Let's say you find yourself with 
hole cards. Someone else throws out a bet you're not comfortable with. You fold your hand. You sit back, joke with a friend, and pick up your beer.
The flop comes down: 
. Two pair! The knife of what-could-have-been stabs at your gut.
The turn card hits: 
! Damn it -- a full house! The knife turns, and the cold beer you just swallowed suddenly has a sickly warm feel to it.
The only scenario you play out in your head is what may have transpired had you called a potentially lethal bet from a player somewhere higher up on the rail: "I should've stayed in! I would've had that gigantic pot, and I'd be chip leader. I probably would've even ended up winning the tournament!"
In other words, your fixation on your garbage folded cards blinds you to the action that developed at the table and caused you to fold in the first place.
What you're failing to realize is the disaster that could've befallen you. Dedicating a portion of your chips to a set of hole cards that are better off balancing out a rickety restaurant table is a slippery slope. You really, really want a hand to develop, but other players are forcing you to contribute more chips to the pot for the minuscule chance that your hope is actually realized.
So, you end up playing crap cards for a slim chance of striking it rich. You remain completely oblivious to the bets coming your way. You remain entirely ignorant to hands other players may be betting on. You fail to draw even the simplest correlations between the big bets and a developing table. All you want is a 6 to at least pair your hand on the river (while ignoring the size of the bets and the flush draw already on the table)!
As developing your playing style goes, it's very dangerous to ignore what you did right in order to fixate on what could have been. You may pull down a monster pot or two (and it will likely be at my expense), but the reality is that you're eventually going to make a very charitable contribution to your opponents' stacks.
Instead, consider the big picture. Was your fold really a bad decision? What hand could you have hoped for in holding ? There was a very slim chance your hole cards were going to develop into the monster that eventually played out. The correct decision shouldn't be second-guessed when you're faced with another two unimportant hole cards.
Don't dig yourself into a hole. You don't have to know poker odds to understand the sinking feeling in your gut every time you make a call means you should've folded a long time ago!
