Heads-up with Barb

Last night we played ring games. I didn't really won my buy-ins back. I think im still down a bit. But when everyone started leaving, Che and I was left with Barbs. Che, with no more chips, opted not to buy-in anymore since she's happy being drunk already. I think she can't read her cards anymore. Hehehe! Anyway, Barbs told me that I have an option to cash out or play heads-up with her. MAN, heads-up with Barbs?! That's like one of the scariest things in the Manila poker scene! This girl is our poker guru! Should I put myself in a situation wherein I would get schooled and lose all my money for that night?

...

Well, I was thinking... My chips ain't even half of the total money I used for my buy-in. And it sure is worth to learn from Barbs. Besides, heads-up is something I've got to develop in my game. So, I did.

I am so nervous. I know this lady can smell fear in me, she does with everyone of us. My five months of playing poker against Barbs' years of experience, I'm a dead money dude. She kept telling me that she's giving me the option. But, what the heck! I told her, let's try it a few hands. I'll see if I can stand the pressure... I'm already having cold sweat there. My hands are so cold and I suddenly felt so awake. Well, who'd feel sleepy when Barbs would stare at you as if she's got x-ray eyes?! Geez...

Our game lasted with more than five hands. And I WON!!!
This is definitely one of the highlights of my poker career.

Good game, Barb! I really learned a lot in the game.

ALL IN your tiles

Yes, that's a familliar red felt we use for poker. Now, it is now also used for a game of scrabble. And oh, you get double points if you use a poker word. Next time, I'll bring snake and ladders! hehehehe!

Mango Classic

Wow! I've never seen so many poker players until the Mango Classic.

Salute to the Stehmeiers, Poker Filipinas, A55 and everyone resposible for pulling off such a great event.

And I thought that almost everyone playing poker nowadays would seem to be a familliar face to me. But noooooo, more than half of the people there seemed new to me, but not to the game.

I had a big stack early in the game. Then luck turned the other way or I guess, I need to learn more. But, hey, finishing 45th out of 109 players ain't so bad -> specially when i'm coming down with a flu. Yeah, fever with bad cough and colds didn't stop me from playing poker.

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QUESTION: How do you play an early big stack?

Bubble Girl

hehehe I bubbled in the bounty hunter tourney...
Well, bubbling out of the money with no single bounty ain't all that bad. I'm still 4th place. I survived the chaos out of many really good poker players. And I'm sooo happy for Kath!!! Way to go girl! She deserves it. Yey, let's drink that Jack Daniels!!!

Poker = LIFE

Did it ever cross your mind that poker can be compared or related to anything in life?

I know that for some, poker IS their life. But some wouldn't understand.

The best thing that can happen is to be sitting with some really good people over beer talking about poker plus life in general. Yeah, that's no mistake, we talk about poker then later on we ventured to lovelife, family, friends and almost anything that clouds our tilted heads. Imagine hearing someone telling you that your breakup story is like going all in with K-K... you did the right thing. But when you lose with an A-4 when the A comes out in the river, it's not your fault.

Damn, are we thinking too much about poker?

Nah! I'd rather take that than hanging out with people who can't bear to hear us talk about poker. Some really don't get what we are talking about, no matter how we try to explain in plain English. Some wouldn't want to understand since for them, poker is gambling. Or those who thinks that we are just fanatics of the Celebrity Poker shown on TV.

Forgive them, for they do not know what they are talking about...

Damn, that felt ain't as cozy as it looks! But they don't know.

They don't know why there are people like us who think about poker most of the time, conntinuosly trying to improve our game, learn more and play a lot of hands.

But enough of those peeps who wouldn't understand. You are reading this because you know poker. And that you are a poker addict, too, like me! :-D


So now, let's get psychological about this... I came across a site that explains human nature and poker...

THE SEVEN STAGES OF AK
Psychologists often refer to the 7 stages of grief that accompany any significant loss in an individual's life. We certainly think AK qualifies, and know the stages all too well:
1) Denial: "There's no way I could've missed the flop. They were suited. I can call here, I probably still have the best hand. Shoot, I should raise to narrow the field"
2) Anger: "I raised preflop. The board is 239. What the fuck are they calling on? Oh, now they're re-raising me? Well, we'll fucking see about that. Fine, your 23o hit? Congrat-u-fucking-lations. Cap!"
3) Guilt: "Man, I missed the turn and they're still betting into me. I am such a terrible player. I should really let go of this hand. Let go if it, dumbass. Let go. See, this is why you never make money at poker because you can't lay a hand down you stupid fuck JUST FOLD."
4) Depression: "Call"
5) Forgiveness: "It's ok, you have to look that guy up every once in a while with A high. He might've been on AQ or AJ, and you would've had the best hand then. It's good for your table image anyhow. People won't mess with you now.
6) Acceptance: "Ok, next time I'll just limp and see a flop."
7) Recovery: "Hey, AKs, alright - RAISE!"

taken from http://www.parttimepoker.com/poker-humor/misc/7stages-AK.htm

Nice game

Wow! This week's BBC5 was such an intense game. I wasn't in the finals but man, it's a really nice game!

Che and I were saying, we are watching a great poker game LIVE!

And I've gotta give my salute to those guys in the money and the winner. I thought it was his lucky night. But when he slow played a set that wins the game, I knew he's got game! It takes more than luck to win against 25 good poker players... And not to mention Barb was there! Dang she IS good!

~0~0~0~0~0~0~

Awww... I feel bad we missed the JGPT Saturday game. This might mean I gave up my seat on the 3rd place spot. Oh well, things we've gotta sacrifice for the sake of moving to our own place. But above it all, we miss our friends...

My game...

Last night, after a super points mini-tourney at JGPT, I was talking to some friends. We were talking about some game play. Then there's this question...

"What type of player am I?"

I am so freaking interested to hear how people see me. Not for any other reason, but I don't know how I play.

And they wouldn't agree that I am still trying to find my game play.

Grouch told me that I am a passive-aggresive player.

I remember Jards telling me I'm a tight-aggressive.

Then Bryan... when I asked him the same question, laughed. He didn't know what to say.

Ey, I give high regards to this dude on the felt. He is one the best players I've played with. One of the few I don't wanna play heads-up with. He's got a dangerous combination. He is an intelligent poker player. And he is verrrry patient. Now that's something I don't have! But how come he can't tell me what kind of poker player am I?

Then, he explained further. He would rather call me an erratic player.

I started out as a very aggressive player. Then I turned tight. But then again, I would shift from one end to the other and vise versa.

Bryan clarified that my type of game is good for me, bad for the people playing against me. For all they know that I'm a tighty whitey... then comes out a raging devil.

Oh well, that's Jazmination for you!

And they still won't agree that I don't have a game yet. Che told me that it's not possible for me not to have game when I've been consistently in the final table of games I played lately, place 3rd in a BBC5 when those are really good players we played with and be in the top three position of the JGPT progressive points. Che blurted out, "You've got game already, you just don't know you do!"

I'll take that! :-D

Struggling

Lately, my game is getting better little by little, although my stubbornness still persist at times. Finding my Chi can really be hard amidst a poker battle. But during the times that I somehow balance the yin and the yang in the felt, I really go places. Yeah meaning I finish 3rd place or something.
During the last BBC5 tourney, I was so damn proud that Che and I were the only women in the tourney. We were both in the final table and I placed 3rd, getting both our buy-ins back and a little more. But it was so frustrating, I was aiming to be the first girl to ever win a BBC5 tourney. Yeah, yeah… my bad, I took Che out! I know it seems bad but things like this can’t be avoided in playing our game. We really play poker, even against each other. If not, it would be such bad taste and it will just hinder our growth in the game. Well… I treated her dinner after the game…
Then at the Saturday JGPT day, we played 3 games (2 of which is a mini-tourney of two tables). I was in the finals of all those three but never bagged the top place.

I know this is better than my confusion state, but I know I can do better than that. So now I go back to the battle-felt ground and find my Chi amidst all the chaos.

~0~0~0~0~0~0~

Now, Che and I might limit our games than we usually do. We now have to consider bills and rent. But nonetheless, we will still set aside money for our bankroll. It just might not be much to cover most tourneys, games, transpo expense and food. And I am not ashamed to admit that money is such a big factor for us since we live solely on our paychecks, and it ain’t much. But we don’t play for the money. How can newbies like us make a living out of poker?! Anyway, we will still be there the best we can. And Im still banking on my poker education to flourish one day… :-)

Finding my game

I’d still say that I am in the midst of finding my game play.

I started playing Hold ‘Em May of 2005. Although, I know, I already played a lot of hands now… I know I still have a lot to learn about poker.

I started out to be a very aggressive player, a calling station as they would say. I will call your bet now matter how high it is. I bluff, I draw and I bully. Sometimes I get lucky. But for that kind of play, I would either be out of the game fast or be a really big chip lead. But with that huge chip stack, I would stay in the game. But I wouldn’t last even the final three.

So during the last big tourney, I learned a lot in such a short span of time. I can’t play gung-ho with the testosterone-ego monsters around. I played uber tight. I keep thinking every time I’d play a hand that if I am ready that this could be my last hand for the game. They can always call me all-in since I don’t have much chips compared to the others. So I choose the hands that I’d play. I folded a lot of hands that I would usually play. It was so hard to fold hands like and Ace, Six or suited connectors. And thank goodness, I was doing the right thing! I finished 6th out of 48 people who played the tournament. It was the best day of my poker life, so far.

But right now, I am confused. Do I play aggressive or tight? I play tight then I get killed by the blinds. I play aggressive, I get shot out. Hmmm….

Damn, poker’s making me think too much.

The Villain in me..

I wonder is it's true though...