Daniel - Poker Journal
Playing Bad Poker But Strangely Happy
22 May 2007
I know it’s a little strange and many of you aren’t going to like what I’m about to write in this blog entry, but I don’t feel like playing poker lately. In fact, at the WPT Mirage event I literally, after being there for just over an hour, decided that I didn’t want to be there any longer and played erratically in order to either get a gazillion in chips or bust out early. I busted out early and was actually happy.
I’ve been in that kind of mental state before and found that the best thing to do is to, well, just not play any poker. I don’t plan on playing even a single hand of poker until the WSOP. In fact, I’m going to skip the WPT event at the Mandalay Bay.
I’ve been having loads of fun recently just doing some of the things I really enjoy doing right now. Hanging out with friends, watching my favorite shows, reading, playing pool, golfing, playing video games, hanging out with my family, chillin’ with the dogs, etc.
In fact, this is the longest stretch I can remember when I wasn’t online for more than five minutes in close to two weeks. My e-mail box is full, I was late on my columns (wrote those before this blog, priorities!), and have lost touch a little bit with the poker world.
I did play some poker last week, and I’ll be the first to admit that I played poorly. No patience, some really strange and goofy, out of character plays, and an all around lackadaisical effort at Poker After Dark, High Stakes Poker, and even at the Bellagio later that evening.
I know I don’t “suck” at poker and am just going through a phase right now, but sometimes I really play badly. I’ve been playing badly for a few months now and it all comes from a lack of preparation, but more importantly, a lack of sleep.
Now, I absolutely love my new house, don’t get me wrong, but I haven’t had one good night’s sleep since I’ve been here. The only time I remember sleeping well is when I had by buddies over till 10:00am one night and 2:00pm another night playing pool and Wii. I slept all day and it was good, but aside from that, I’ve been groggy and I totally suck at poker when I’m tired. Most people do, but I can be exceptionally bad.
It’s so strange, you ever see me call out someone’s hole cards, am like 99% sure I’m right that I’m beat… but then call anyway! Recently I’ve felt like my ability to read my opponents cards has been truly uncanny. Yet, despite my reading skills being at an all-time high, I’m knowing what my opponents have… and still screwing it up, lol!
There’s a hand in season four of High Stakes Poker where I am all but certain that my opponent has AA or KK before the flop. Yet still, I managed to go off for over $200,000 with 9-10 off suit! What the?
I had a losing session on HSP and later that night I also lost in the $4000-$8000 game when I was extremely tired. I was actually unlucky at the Bellagio, didn’t play very well, but was still unlucky in a couple capped pots. At HSP I had flashes of excellent play, but followed that up with a couple of bonehead plays.
The main reason I haven’t been able to sleep is that my bed is, well, kinda broken. It slants towards the middle and my wife always ends up in the middle of the bed and I’m left with little room. The bigger reason, though, is our new puppy Marley. She wakes up at 6:00am to go to the bathroom, then jumps into bed with us like Dino from the Flintstones. She gets up again at 8:00am and then again at 10:00am.
The good news is that I will have the situation fixed for the WSOP. I have a room at the Rio and will also be sleeping in a different bed at home so I can get a full night’s sleep. When I’m not rested, I am completely dead money in tournaments.
While I haven’t been doing well at poker recently, I have been holding my own in several other forms of gambling. I have made some decent money playing Nintendo Wii bowling and tennnis. Also, have started to regain a little bit of my old touch on the pool table. I never liked 8-ball or 9-ball having been a snooker player as a kid, but I’m starting to learn a few tricks in 9-ball that have helped me out. I always felt that the strategy in those two forms of billiards pale in comparison to snooker (they do), but I’m finally starting to see where I can use my snooker skills, especially in 9-ball.
As for golf, I’m enjoying that as well.
I played a few games of Mille with my buddy Sam and I must say it’s the unluckiest I’ve ever been over four games. Seriously, he is a complete fish in that game but he totally destroyed me. HOW MANY QUEEN OF SPADES CAN ONE MAN GET? So sick.
The great news for me is that I can spend most of my time at home. The pool table is right next to the poker table and the Wii is right beside both of those. The bar is also conveniently located there also. I’ve had friends over most nights and we often don’t quit till the sun blinds us in the morning. Actually, that doesn’t even stop us sometimes! It’s kind of funny, because we don’t have blinds in that room so when you play pool, if you have a shot “down sun” as we call it, you have to try and make your ball despite not really being able to see it. It’s only really bad between 8:00am and 10:00am.
Anyway, I’m exhausted… time for bed. I have a full day of fun scheduled for tomorrow!
