The 1st Day

Scene: Commerce Casino, L.A.
Time: 2:3opm

I left the Bullitt with the valet and entered the poker room the same way I always do. It felt the same as usual, too. That was a good start. It didn't take long to get a seat as there were five 5-10NL tables and one must move running. Fortunately, the must move turned to a regular table after a little while and I never had to move. While many players at Commerce constantly change seats and tables to find a lucky spot, I know the way to win is to know as much about your opponents as possible. That takes time. So I was happy to sit tight at table 7, seat 2.

These players made up a weak group of limpers that has become more common as of late. There are pluses and minuses playing with a group like this. A minus is when so many players limp in, a late position raise (usually from me) must be higher than normal. With no limpers ahead of me, my standard raise is to $30. With one limper, $35. Two limpers, $40. The higher the preflop raise and the more callers, the more expensive it is to play after the flop. There were a few occassions when there were 4 or 5 limpers when I found a hand like A-Q or T-T in late position. I had to try to thin the field. Unfortunately, these guys were all making the typical play of limp-call-any-raise-with-any-hand. So it went to the flop four or five handed several times.

In one early hand, I was replying to a text msg from Kid when I looked to find Q-Q. With two limpers, I raised to $40. The BB and both limpers called. The flop was K-8-3 rainbow. I thought momentarily about giving up on the hand but everyone checked to me and I decided to do the right thing and continue with a bet of $65. Only the blind called. I knew I was toast. After we both checked the turn, I was sure he would bet the river. But he checked. There was no value in betting there so I checked, too. He showed K-4o. That is just the kind of player he is. He had made up his mind to call me down with no kicker, thinking he was beat, giving me credit but not showing it.

The very next hand, I woke up with K-K. Again two limpers so I made my standard raise. This time, the button called so I didn't have position. Then both limpers called and we headed to the flop four-handed again. I did not want to see an Ace. The flop was pretty good for me with Q-J-8 and two hearts. It was checked to me and I almost just pushed all in with my last $190. Instead, I paused to consider the possibilities. Certainly, anyone holding T-9 would be slow playing it. But I didn't think anyone had that. I just didn't read that kind of strength. My only concern was that the button might have called with J-J and had me drawing almost dead. As I thought about this, I realized there was no need to move all-in. It would be an overbet that would likely appear weak. Plus, anyone that would call that bet would also call a smaller one. But a smaller bet that left me pot-committed could actually convey more strength and I would not necessarily have to get all my chips in even if someone called.

I decided on $120 into the $175 pot. Strong enough, I thought. Nope. The button called and I thought my fear of a set was reality. The other players folded and we were heads up. I asked him if he had a set to which he appeared to almost reveal his hand. But I was not all in so that would have been a slight mistake to my advantage. The turn was a J that didn't change anything except lead me to think he would only have me with a set of Q's. I checked thinking my opponent would realize I was pot-committed and just check if he didn't have a set or better. However, he did bet and I quickly called. The river was another 8. That could not have been good for me. I turned up my Kings and he slowly mucked. Phew! Nice big pot.

Back to the limper issues...A plus: I really like when players constantly limp on my BB. I take advantage of this terrible play by playing my hand blind and checking all the way. I won't look at my cards until someone bets. Most of the time, I have nothing so the play to that point is exactly how I would have played had I known what I held. Sometimes, I wake up with a big hand. Sometimes the nuts. Then I can call of raise and take down a decent little pot considering that I haven't had to expend any energy up to that point.

This happened in a hand involving six of us including the guy I went heads up aginst with my K's (he looked like a miniature version of Chris Moneymaker...Moneymaker Jr...I'll call him MMJ). The flop was 8-7-3 rainbow. The turn was another 8. The river was a Q. We had all checked to this point. Then MMJ bet $25 into the $60 pot. It folded to me and I finally checked my cards -- A-8. Beatiful. I quickly reviewed the board to make sure there was no straight or flush possible then raised to $75. He called instantly and slapped down his Q-6 as if he thought it was definitely the best hand. No, sir. That ridiculous limp in with Qs-6s cost you $110 in total. I thank you.

This happened again later on with MMJ when he bet $20 into a board of Ac-Qc-5c-4d. I found A-5 for two pair and decided to call since he probably only had a flush draw at best. We both checked the turn and he was disgusted at what he saw. Sorry, sir. That was your own bad play that cost you another $30.

After that he started mumbling "he can't be beat," as if I had been sucking out on him. He also mumbled about the my K's hand, saying that he had two pair and I caught an 8 on the river. I got his attention (he was wearing headphones) to ask him which hand he was talking about. He said he had two pair when I had kings and the 8 that paired the board on the river had saved me. I humored him but knew he was full of it because the board had paired jacks on the turn. He was only fooling himself.

There is one more hand that I want to write about but I need to get going. I have to hit the gym before the card room today. I felt like crap after only 6 1/2 hours of play yesterday and attribute that to my decayed physical condition. I've got to get back to working out regularly.

By the way, the net result for my first day was a moderate winner of $346. My high point was +$710 but things went quite stale and no one showed any respect for my tight play. Still, a good positive start.

SEEYa

"Tomorrow will be the most beautiful day of Raymond K. Hessle's life. His breakfast will taste better than any meal you and I have ever had." -- Tyler (Fight Club)

Tomorrow is the first day of my new life. At least it didn't take Tyler Durden holding a gun to my head to get me to do it. Although, if you've been reading, it may have felt like a gun to your head.

Today is the last day on the job. Last day of the cross-county commute. Last day in a cubicle. Last day in the rat race...for at least a little while. Hopefully forever.

I just got back from a farewell lunch with my coworkers. However I may have made it seem, they are nice people. I like them. (Of course, I can say that because none of the ones that I don't like were at lunch.) During the meal, they asked what I was planning to do and I told them. It came as a surprise to all because I haven't been advertising the fact that I will be playing poker full time. I was happy to find good responses and well wishes from each on them.

It turns out, everyone wishes they could take a similar chance. A chance at something that isn't in a corporate building. On something that they really enjoy and maybe love. I also realized that I can stay in touch with a few of the more likable people because they play tennis together several times each week. I've played with them a few time, too. So I'll try to meet up with them on the courts now and then.

More and more, I am sure it is the right thing for me to do. It starts tomorrow. But it seems like I've already been doing it for a while. I've certainly been preparing for a long time. Just a few more hours and no more alarm clock. Woo Hoo!

SEEYa

She's Standing Again

I finally finished installing the new leaf springs on the Mustang. She's not walking just yet, but she can stand. The rear end is assembled and the wheels are on. There were a lot of little road blocks along the way. That and little daylight available when I would work on it in the evenings made for a long, trying but ultimately rewarding effort. I'll soon post some pictures of all my work so far. Next I have to finish assembling four wheel dollies so I can easily move the car around in the garage and out of the way so my mother can park when I am not working in there.

Meanwhile, the days are ticking away slowly toward my new career. There is a lot to be done at work but its not making things go by any faster. Oh, well. Only four more days on the job.

SEEYa

The good/bad/good-again news

I haven't been writing about poker for a while because I started to feel like I could be coming off as a fraud. Constantly dwelling on plans to quit my job and play poker full time. It truly was my intention to follow through with everything I wrote about. And now...

The deed is done. I gave notice at work yesterday. In less than two weeks, I will begin a new chapter in my life. First and foremost, this will be an indefinite break from the corporate routine. I have wanted to simply take time off for a long time. Fortunately, I have poker. And I'll find out if my abilities in the game can sustain me financially. So I might be shopping my resume' in 6 months or I might never have to again...or I might find something entirely different that I love to do.

Its a scary and exciting time. Time will tell.

...more to come...

SEEYa