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.