Taking the Good with the Bad...

It had been awhile since I have written. I have been hit with one bad beat after another, and none of it involves poker. I have read that you should not play poker if you are fatigued, angry, preoccupied or any number of the emotional states us humans go through in out lifetimes. The past few weeks have tested The Convictkeeper. A test that has left me in a profounf funk. I found myself facing one situation after another, some involving work and some involving family. I played some poker during this span. I lost 3 buy-ins. I played as a means to distract me from the situations that I was facing. Almost like going to the movies to escape the realities of life. When I play poker, I really get involved. I stretch my thinking and become enthralled in the game. After each session I would review my PT stats. I was playing my normal TAG style, however I did make some bad calls and I did catch some coolers. When I was done, I could not help but wonder if my play was affected by the stresses of life. I have come to the conclusion it had been affected. I learned that I am not as sharp when I have outside influences affecting my personal life. I should preface that comment with this one, I am not a winning player, so maybe I am not as sharp to begin with. Anyway, I now understand why poker requires one’s full attention. If outside influences are allowed to creep into your mind, then it is easy to become distracted, and therefore a target.

I would like to give credit to Card Runner Online Poker Training Site for the creation on the Card Runners Cash Game League. Card Runners was able to secure 3 tables at the $10NL level. This was posted on the Card Runners Low Limit forum and the tables can be found at Full Tilt Poker. I was able to catch a seat just as it was announced. The 3 tables, appropriately named, “tay”, “sbrugby” and “LucLongely”, are the screen names for the principals at Card Runners. At any given time you can see these players playing stakes from $100-200 to $500-$1,000 No-Limit Hold’em. I am at my seat when “tay” (Taylor Caby) and my coach “fruitypro” (Dan Weston) sit in. That was fun. I tried so hard not to look like a dork, but what can I say, I didn’t succeed. From the BB, it is limped around with 3 players seeing the flop. The flop is 456 rainbow and I hold middle two. The SB leads out, and I raise 3x with my 2 pair. The MP folds and I now have position on the SB. The turn is a blank, and the SB checks his bet. I fire a second barrel and get called. Well the river brings a horrible 7. The SB thinks and fires a pot sized bet. Well suffice it to say, I make a crying call and lose to the SB’s 33 for the idiot end of the straight. Well in embarrassment I shove the next hand for ½ a buy-in with KJ suited to get called by “tay” and his AK. I donk off a stack, and any credibility I may have with my coach. I was able to bandage up on a hand with “tay”. On the button, I smooth called a MP raise from “tay” with a suited ATh. The flop was a handsome T53 with 2 hearts. I had TP and the nut flush draw. “tay” bet out and I re-raised to take down the pot. I am sure the teacher was not bragging to anyone that he has helped me, and I a very sure “tay” would love to see me at the bigger games, but that will have to wait. Card Runners has really tried to create a community of players, many of whom are very accomplished and successful, that gets involved in the game of poker. Card Runners has a tournament league and now the cash league, all of these will only create better player. I know that many of the members of Card Runners are attending and/or playing events at the WSOP. I wish all of the members the very best of luck and success.