Rebuy!

  My second game of the year took place on January 8th at Bill and Amy's. I had decided, after my meltdown from the previous night, that I really needed to watch my attitude. I decided that I was going to stop pressuring myself to make money and just enjoy my hobby. Well, I certainly did do that.
  This night I was going to a tournament at Bill and Amy's house. This tournament has re buys. Now, I pride myself on the fact that I usually don't have to re buy in these kinds of tournaments but pride comes before a fall. Well, I started off playing ok but quickly began donking up the place. I was playing too loose and bleeding chips. I was in the bb with suited crap and called a raise with it. There are five people in the hand. I flopped my flush draw and in my donkified state decided it was a good idea to bet into 4 people in first position. Well, of course, I got raised by my poker buddy Shannon and my other buddy, Herb, called. The raise was half my stack, so I decided it was fold or shove. I shoved. Shannon really agonized over this wondering if I had a real hand and also wondering what Herb was going to do. In the end they both called. Shannon showed 2 pair and I forget what Herb had. My draw missed and Herb and I were out. We both yelled "Re buy!"
  Round two lasted for one hand. Herb and I both take seats directly across from where we were. I immediately look down at AKs and make a raise. Herb re-raises me and Matt pushes for about half my stack. Knowing the range of the two very loose people who just raised me, I think "You guys are full of bs" and again I shove. Herb calls and turns over 99 and Matt turns over 78s. Well, the 99 holds. "Re buy!" I yell again. I was laughing at this point. I was determined to have a good time in spite of having to re buy again. (although I didn't relish the idea of telling my husband I bought in three times "but I had a good time, honey")
  Round three starts and I tell myself to get my head in the game. Ok, Angie, you just have to make 4th place to get your money back. I finally played tight, solid and really started making some progress. I got some really beautiful hands and they all held up. It also helps when the guy on pain meds keeps betting into your set and your nut flush. (I'll take 'em any way I can get 'em) I made it to the final table and was raking in huge pots. I commented on how cumbersome all these chips were. "Some people have to get lucky to obtain chips." said my friend, Bill. To which I replied, "I'd rather be lucky then good."
  I went on to chop with Gary for first place. I recovered all my money from the previous night plus some. The best part was I had a really good time. I like this new attitude, it pays well.

Poker blogs

Here is a link to a site with lots of poker blogs if you are interested: http://www.pokerweblogs.com/

"It is better to light a single candle than to curse the darkness"

  January 7th was my first game of this year. I was on my way to the casino with high hopes. It's a new year, this one is bound to be better, I told myself. I kept my mind busy on the way running the percentages of pre-flop card match ups in my head as well as Mr. Skalansky's table of hand ranges for calling all-ins in the bb. Yes, I really do this. My latest book is "No Limit Hold 'Em Theory and Practice" by David Skalansky and Ed Miller. This book made me think about things in the game I had never before considered, opening my mind to some new strategies. No, I do not get paid to say this. Although, it would be nice if I did. (hint)
  I arrive at the casino and head for the tables. I had fun, at first. Nothing seemed to be happening for me and I watched my chips slowly go away. I finally get pocket JJ and make a raise. Two people call and I quietly say to the girl beside me "I'm thinking of a flop" (A,J,something little) and there it is! I am not kidding! I check, one guy bets, another guy raises, my dream has come true! I shove because I don't like the two hearts on board and I want to maximize my expectation. The first guy goes all in for less and the second guy calls. It was just as I suspected, guy #1 has a flush draw and guy #2 has a big A. Hold up please. No such luck, a heart comes on the river. Well, at least I got the side pot which puts me right back where I was. I tell myself to be grateful I got that and move on. Oh but it just gets worse. Nothing was working, no cards, no successful bluffs, didn't get paid for my good hands you get the picture. Running out of time, I go on tilt and gamble away the rest of my chips trying to make something happen.
  I left the casino mad as hell. On my drive home I was cursing more than just the darkness. "God, how can you let this happen to me? I had a really poor end of 2010 and now 2011 is starting off like this!" I ranted and raved while a little voice in the back of my head reminded me that some of the loss was my own fault. A penny saved is a penny earned or a dollar not donked off in stupidity is a dollar I get to keep. I went home and drank, a lot, and watched Craig Ferguson's Late Late Show. He makes me laugh and that is some good medicine.
  I did eventually apologize to God. I found the above quote and it gave me new life. My dream is to be the first woman to win the WSOP main event and I keep this ever before me. This is but one of the candles I light. Sometimes I think of my family, my friends or I make fun of myself, trying not to be so serious. I'm grateful for the fact that at least my poker hobby pays for itself. So, when the bad beats come, and the cards don't, and when nothing seems to work, light your candle and maybe you will leave the casino with at least some of your money left.

Cash Games

  After my big win in the ladies tourney, I felt I had a big enough bankroll to take on the local cash games. Up to this point I had played mostly tournaments. I had some experience playing but most of it was the 25/50 cent games at Chris and Mary's. It's easy to feel comfortable when you are only risking $50. I use Phil Gordon's guideline of 100x the bb as my buy in. I would like to say it was a smooth transition but that is not so. I found myself with $200-$300 of my hard earned tourney money at risk in front of me. It was a little unnerving. I was so nervous at times that I made some really stupid blunders. Thank God for the trend of mucking your hand if you lose because I would have been embarrassed to showdown some of those hands!( I know you can relate even if you don't admit it)  I made the adjustment and went on to make some decent money at times. I also lost some decent money as well.
  2009 ended with my bankroll in the black in spite of hitting some very long losing streaks toward the end of the year. 2010 was not a big improvement. I played a variety of cash games and tournaments but my losing streaks were longer than my winning streaks. I actually won enough to put me in the black, but between expenses for poker trips and using my bankroll to pay for car repairs my bankroll was pretty beat up by the end of the year. I know that it wasn't only bad luck. The losing streaks were affecting my play. I had to face the ugly truth of being responsible for my results. Alan Schoonmaker made me face the truth in his book "Your Worst Poker Enemy." Through his wisdom I realized I was probably extending my streaks with my poor attitude. I've been working on it but have not totally conquered it as you will see. (your welcome, Alan)
   Well, that's it for the past. I have high hopes for 2011. So let's come into the present and see what's happening in my current poker life.

A WSOP Event

   The year was 2009. I decided to go to A.C. with some lady friends and play in the WSOP Ladies event in March at Caesar's. The friends included Rita, Janice and Janice's friend Janelle. We were meeting my other friend, Robin, who was going with her husband. I arrived with butterflies in my stomach and my hopes high. As soon as I sat down and saw the screen with the blind levels my heart sank. I had been reading "Poker Tournament Formula" by Arnold Snyder. (A good book for those aspiring to play tourneys, your welcome Arnold) I had 3000 in chips with 30 min. blinds and well over 200 women to beat! For those of you unaware this is a horrible structure.
  Well, too late now, shuffle up and deal! I did well at first until the field thinned and I had to play women who knew what they were doing. Then card deadedness set in. I was down to three bb and saw K8s. All in! Trip 8's tripled me up and I went on to get through the rest of the tourney by the skin of my teeth. Meanwhile, one by one my comrad's fell leaving me as last woman standing. I made it to the money, 27, then to two tables, then the final table baby! When my friends Robin and Scott found out I made the final table, they were there in a shot supporting me. I called my husband and my friend Amy on the breaks to let them know how I was doing. I had a great time playing with those ladies. I made it to 3 then I made a deal with the two left and then went out in 3rd place!
   Have you ever walked around a casino with thousands of dollars in your bag? It was new to me. I treated my friends to a couple of drinks. Then, tired and happy, I made the long trip back home. I paid off a debt and padded my bankroll. Then, I went on to try out the cash games. But that's a story for the next blog.
Link to my win: http://www.pokerpages.com/tournament/result24158.html

Where Do We Go From Here?

  The previous posts were on the year 2005. I ended the year with 4 or 5 tourneys under my belt and $1000 to play on. I, of course, shared my bankroll with my husband because we have always shared all of our money. We continued going to Bill and Amy's and my friend Penny came through again and introduced me to Tiny. I want to stop here and thank Penny. If you read this, I want you to know how grateful I am to you for your roll in my poker life. If it wasn't for you, I don't know how I would have found so many games. Tiny had a regular game and through him and Bill and Amy's games I met new people and went to new games. I had a wonderful time playing a lot of cheap tournaments at Tiny's and Chris and Mary's for $10 and $20 a shot. Tiny's game eventually moved to my house where we had a lot of fun as well.
  Unfortunately, it is hard to build a bankroll on small tourneys. We floated around our $1000 for two years. At one point, we were down to our last couple of buy ins and then we started to win again. In 2008 we had a good year and our bankroll started to grow. I didn't know it but my best year yet was on it's way.

Superwoman is Born

  In the Fall of that year, my friend Penny invited me to a tournament at her club.The buy in was $50. The only money I had available was my $50 monthly allowance. (Don't laugh I'm on a budget) I told myself "If you lose you have no money to spend for a month." Oh well, Carpe Diem! Off we go to the club but this time I'm wearing a black t-shirt with a superman s on it. I told my friend that if  I won I would wear this shirt every time. Wow, I have to beat a lot more people this time, approximately 50 people. Once again I find myself heads up! This time the prize money was $800 and $500! I tried my best but in the end took second. Good enough. I payed myself my allowance back.
  Shortly after this, my same friend Penny invited me to tournament at a couple's house by the names of Bill and Amy. It turns out they had a game twice a month! Finally, a regular game to feed my addiction with! I didn't know it then, but this couple would come to be two of my dearest friends. We still hang out together and try to take each other's money. I made it heads up again and made another $500! I had a bankroll! Not only that, I started buying superman shirts and wore one to every game. People started calling me Superwoman and I rather liked it. I wear the s every time I play. So if you see a woman wearing a superman or supergirl shirt playing poker it's probably me. Don't be shy. Stop and say hello.

The Live Game

  I didn't know it but my online practice would lead to wins in the real world. In the spring of that year my husband told me about a tournament that a guy at work was hosting. The buy in was $25. Using my extensive poker knowledge, at least it was compared to those I was playing, I managed to make it to the final table beating out the huge field of about 20 people. I sat down to the final table short stacked and very nervous. So nervous in, in fact, I had tunnel vision for a few moments. I remember the hand that turned it for me. I had pocket 99 and I guy raised. I called remembering his range of raising hands. I flopped my set and he flopped top pair and all the money went in. It held and several more good hands later I was heads up in my first tournament! OMG! The top prize was $400 and second was $200. Unfortunately for me this tournament had started at one in the afternoon and my boys and I had newspapers to deliver before 5pm! The guy across from me coolly let me know he had all the time in the world and 2 packs of cigarettes to boot. My inexperience at heads up play led me to make some mistakes and my time crunch forced me to shove with K9. I forget what he had but he had me beat and it held up. I left there $150 richer and floated on cloud 9 for the rest of the day and for awhile afterward. This money paid for my second deposit on Pokerstars. I didn't play another live tourney for several months but the next two would give me my nickname.

Poker in Pa.

  So I have this new addiction and no stash. I'm jonesing for a game and asking everyone I know where to find one. We went to the Extended family Christmas party and I learned about online poker from Chris' cousin Jimmy. Woo Hoo! Enter Pokerstars! So have you ever experienced poker on drugs? Well, just go to the free games on Pokerstars. You can really enjoy yourself  with a few drinks and Omaha H/L no limit! Try it sometime when you've had too many bad beats and just want to punish someone.
  I decided to put $50 on and play for real money. After a few NL tourneys and cash games, my shrinking $50 told me that fixed limit was my game. I went to the book store and bought "The Poker Player's Bible" by Lou Krieger which I highly reccomend to all newbies. (You're welcome Lou) The starting hands page stayed in front of me while I calculated my odds and outs and tried to put people on hands. I fought for my $50 but in the end succumbed to my inexperience and had to make another deposit. Enter Phil Gordon's "Little Green Book" which I also highly reccomend. (You're welcome Phil) This man really got me interested in tournaments. I played online and did well enough to make  my money last for over a year but never really made much playing online. Time to find a live game...

In the Beginning

  My husband gave me the best 40th birthday present ever, the gift of poker. He didn't know it at the time but his plan to take me to Vegas would change the course of my life. I had watched a documentary on the MIT blackjack team so my plan was to win big playing blackjack in Vegas. On the plane ride there, I enthusiastically began reading my Blackjack book. Part way through the book I realized how boring this all sounded and abandoned my plan. Now what? I found out you could play Texas Hold Em for only $2 a hand! " Wow that's cheap." I said to my husband naively. " Let's play that." I was totally unaware of the concept of no limit. I had played fixed limit Stud with friends years ago but that was the extent of my knowledge. So, off we go to Binion's Horseshoe. (I know isn't it cool the birthplace of the WSOP! I didn't know this at the time) So we sit down proudly announcing that we had no clue how to play Hold Em and would they mind helping us learn. Well, needless to say, the other players were more than happy to help the newbies. (Meanwhile the thought bubble above their heads said "Why yes red riding hood all the better to... you get the idea.)
   Well, we didn't lose all of our money! We sat and played for hours and had a great time getting to know the locals. We left with me a little down and Chris a little up. This was a totally different experience than playing the slots! (I know you're laughing) I was hooked! The next day we took a Hold Em class at the Excaliber and learned a little more. I barely slept the rest of the trip, waking in the middle of the night with the mantra "poker" on my lips. I came home a woman on a mission, finding a poker game in Pa.