FINALLY

I have been hesitant to post lately because I was in one of my "I need to quit poker" modes. I was on a terrific dry spell, which I'm now starting to climb out of. I haven't yet posted my March results, but I finished that month in the red and I am not happy about it and loathe to discuss it. The first two weeks of April were dry as well, but last night, I finally cashed, so first that report, then I'll catch up on March and the other big news swirling about poker circles lately.

I am really dissatisfied with my play lately. I think I have fallen into a mode of play where I was too conservative. It is a good strategy early, but if you don't take some chances in the middle stages, then you are just trying to fold your way to the money. Maybe you get there, maybe not, but you've got very little hope of accruing chips and getting to the final table to make some real money. I squeaked across the bubble a few times, but I've got no big paydays to show for a lot of time and effort.

Lately, I have been getting back on track. I'm paying more attention to the whole scenario, and not just looking at my cards when the bell chimes. I'm finding good stealing opportunities, which keeps my chip stack at the level to inflict damage, induce fear, or really make a double-up count. I'm also getting away from hands and picking my spots, relying more on backbone than wishbone.

Last night, I played a $100 tournament at PokerStars and determined to bring my A-game and leave the tricky and timid Dude behind. I finished 2/325 and scored $4550. I believe I was the better player heads
up, though I was outstacked 1.7:1. I was much more confident than nervous. We only played four hands. I raised/reraised the first two and he folded. He raised the third and I folded 73. The fourth hand, I
raised with QQ. He wasn't going to take it anymore and reraised me. I shoved it all in and he thought about it then made his stand with KT. I win this hand and it's as good as over. Kings came raining down and I finished runner up.

I played solid winning poker. I got lucky only once when I called a short stack all in with A4 but was up against 66 and hit my ace. Every other decision I made worked out, be it fold, call or raise. That last hand was really the only time I got unlucky. It directly cost me three grand of course, but I suppose it's better for the bad luck to come late than early.

I love playing at PokerStars because there are so many railbirds, none of whom have any clue who I am. They are cheering every move from their heroes, while I and others like me are just considered obstacles in the way on their hero's path to glory.

My favorite moment was when it folded around to JohnnyBax with his big stack in the small blind. He went all in, effectively forcing me all in if I chose to defend my big blind. I was sitting there with KK and gladly called. He showed 32. I have played a few times with JohnnyBax, which is always exciting because he is ranked by Pocket Fives as the best online tournament player, and he always attracks a ton of minions to the rail, which heightens the interest. He is the master of the big preflop move. If he has any kind of stack, he is constantly pouring on the pressure preflop. It takes a hand to play back at him or a willingness to gamble with an above average hand. After my kings held up, I had a 4:1 stack on him and he laid off. Once, he put in a 3x but I did a 4x right back to him and he folded.

I played good tight-aggressive poker. I only contested pots I thought I could win, and I very rarely played deceptively. The best example of a good play I made was when I had a huge stack and a medium stack raised 4x from third position. I was in fourth position with 77. Too much lately, I am calling with this hand and hoping for a low flop so I have a shot of holding up against AK. Last night, I put in a monster reraise and made the other guy sweat it. He folded 99 - that is earning a pot, and of course the monster stack is everything in this sitch.

Earlier, I had gotten into a pot cheaply against two early position players, as I held KTs in the big blind. The flop came KKJ favoring clubs. My stack had been dwindling for awhile and I was the shortest of the three stacks contesting the pot. Rather than getting tricky, I pushed all in, figuring it looked desperate enough to get a call, which it did from AJ. Tricky Dude would have checked and either won a very small pot or would have busted out on the river to the third guy.

One more hand I played well: QJd in late position, multi-way. Flop AJJ favoring clubs. It checked around to me and I put in a half-pot "steal" bet, which found one caller. The turn brought a dud and I checked behind him. I knew he wouldn't suspect I had trips since there was a flush draw out there while I'm giving a free card. However, I figured he had an ace and not clubs, so I thought it was a good spot to get tricky. The river was perfect - king of spades. Now, there is no reason for him not to expect a chop. He even put out a value bet. I paused a moment, then pushed all in. He went into the tank. I knew he would call because it looked 90% likely that I was just trying to buy my way out of a chop. He called and I raked.

To live, you must be willing to die. Twice, I called preflop all-ins with TT and both times they held up (AJ and 99). You've gotta win those type hands to have a shot at glory. If the first guy spikes a jack, I'm on the rail. But once you begin building a stack, sometimes momentum builds and you just keep gobbling up shorter stacks. That was working for me last night. I'm now up for the month, and I feel a few more final tables in my immediate future