Post #32... It's been awhile

So where did I go? Here is a rundown on why there has been a lack of consistency in my posting.

First, I ran my initial online buy-in of $200 up to $2,000 and back down to $750 where I then ca$hed out and said I am done with online poker for a month or so. I made a healthy profit but honestly coming home after my 9-5 and then grinding it out a few hours online was getting to me. It became a routine and my roommate kept getting on me telling me I need to unplug, which I agreed so I ca$hed out and got back into the gym and some other things here and there.

The truth is... poker is fun, but there is bigger and better things in life. There are many times I would come home from work, where I had a great day, but then I would take a -$400 swing online and I would go to bed that night stressed out. 1/2 NL was, and still is, a very profitable game, but I ran into problems at the 2/4 NL better players and bigger swings. Now in days I prefer to go to work, go to the gym, and then spend some time with my girl or just relaxing a bit. There is a lot to do downtown and poker is going to get the back burner for awhile.

I did make it out to my first homegame in months last night. I attended Pops bi-weekly Saturday game where I played in the $70+10 tournament and the 1/2 NL ca$h game afterwards.

The Tournament
I commend Pops on the structure. Slow moving blinds and a quick dealer gives plenty of time for good poker playing and very little pre-flop pushing early on. My table was a healthy mix of tight and loose players and I feel I picked my spots very well. I knocked out the loosest cannon at the table Frank early on when I held AK in the SB and the flop came AK7, I bet, Frank raises, I push him all-in, he calls with 88??? Questionable but he said it was his first time playing. Frank was unique he treated poker like a boxing match "You raise me $10??!?! I raise you another $10!!". Later in the ca$h game I would go to clean him out once again when we got tangled up in a hand, nice guy but I don't think poker is his game. Back to the tournament... I played a bit aggressive stealing blinds when I could but eventually it caught up to me when two players slowplayed AA and another large hand against my aggressive betting. I get knocked down to 3,100 in chips blinds are 400/200, folds to me in the SB and I push with 96s to pick up the BB. Unfortunately he looks down and sees KQs and feels he has been pushed around along enough, which I agree and he calls. I flop a 6, but on the river he hits a K. End of story.

Ca$h Game
The session started off with fireworks from Frank "The Boxer" firing back re-raises and getting it All-In ($200+) with 74s on a flop that had little to do with his hand. Eventually things toned down and by midnight the action was very low with most pots under $20. I bought in for $200 and ca$hed out with $410, making back my tournament buy-in and $130 on the side. Good game.

Closing
I am not sure when my next post will be, as I am not playing as much poker now in days and I am taking a break from online. I will be hosting my bi-weekly Saturday game next week and I am looking forward to the crazy action that game brings every other week. If you are in the area, you should defiantly stop by it is good times.