2005 review and 2006 goals

I started playing online poker seriously in the summer of 2005. Quickly realizing that “Is it possible that I’m not as good as I think I am?” I decided to take a trip to Poker capital of North America Vegas. I played low limits (1/2) and made some nice profit everyday. Which really changed my view of the difficulty of poker, and that I am as good as I thought. As for the online game nothing really monumentous happened in 2005. I made some good runs in large tournaments but never was able to finish the game. Usually making one bad move that cost me ¾ of my chips and then being forced all-in on the next few hands. I would have to say that my biggest accomplishment would be growing a bankroll of 23.00USD to just over 800.00USD. This was a great confidence booster for me and made me feel like this poker thing could actually cover some of my money woohs (booze, entertainment, women, big screen TV’s). Some things that I would like to change in 2006 are as follows:

• Posting less poker hands
• More constructive writing about poker theory and strategies
• In-depth hand analysis
  

Some major lessons that I learned in 2005 were I have little to no bankroll management. I can’t seem to play low limits when I have a massive bankroll. I can only say that this is from inexperience with poker and my hopes are to focus on improving my discipline. I will loose, I will get sucked out, and 75% of people that I play against are terrible fish.
I am starting to see the edges and advantages that present themselves at the tables. I’m finding my balls and I’m able to make some pretty outrageous bluffs. This gives me hope and confidence in that when it comes down to the crunch I have what I takes. Even though right now I have no funds, I’m reading like a champ and trying to improve my live game.

Two hands of 2005 that I will never forget (Vegas trip).

Hand One (MGM GRAND):

3 players hero holds 34o

Hero on button limps for 2$ small blind completes and BB checks

Flop comes 3K3 rainbow

SB bets 25$ BB re raises 50$ Hero Re-raises 100$

BB gets all his chips in SB calls for another 125$ hero calls for another 50$

SB holds 310o

BB holds KK

Hero loses many chips and is very shocked.

I had a friend at the table that was trying to tell me to muck my hand because the BB showed the table his hand saying how can I loose. I was on mad high thinking I was going to take down a massive pot.

Hand Two (MGM GRAND):

Unknown player comes to the table plays one hand leaves for 45 mins. Returns sits down limps in, Hero on Button calls with Q10o. Flop comes Q high unknown players thinks for 3 mins then goes all-in. I call, unknown flips AA turn rag river A just to make sure. I lost about 175$ on that pot. The very next hand I say to the dealer gimmie AA, and he gives it to me. But of course I get no action.

It's funny how I will probabley never forget these hands. You always remember you looses but you usually never remember you big wins. Unless it's a tournament.

Jo S^Y