I'm Going to Vegas!!!!!

I didn't think I would be saying that this early in the summer, but I am in SeaTac Airport getting ready to board my Southwest Airlines plane and fly first to Reno then to Vegas.

I mulled this decision over in my head for a while, deciding if it would take away from the trip on my 21st in September. Overall, my brothers and fellow crew members were probably not ecstatic that I was going, but it was my decision, and I want to go down there to hang out with Derek and rail him in the 39th annual World Series of Poker.

Because our September trip will be filled with primarily binge drinking and degenerate gambling, I figured that this trip would be more of a vacation. Therefore, the plan is to hang out by the pool, enjoy the sights, play some golf, and try to avoid dying of heat stroke. Right now it is 99-degrees and should remain in the low 100's for the rest of the week :/

I didn't play any poker this weekend, which was nice, and I am not sure if I will be playing any poker while in Vegas (okay maybe I could put my brother's ID into use somehow). I am also really looking forward to seeing the pros down there, as it will be my first time obviously seeing some of my favorite players.

Oh ya, Derek doesn't know that I am coming so it should be a nice little surprise for him. The plan for tonight is probably to have some drinks, hang out at the sports book and then I would like to see Rafael Furcal, Andruw Jones, and Nomar Garciaparra on their rehab assignments at the 51's.

Well, on that note, I purchased this stupid $9 wi-fi thing and managed to dump almost $100 playing .5/1!! TILLLLLLLLT

Hope everyone is enjoying their summer!

JG

Back in Bellingham

I had a nice little week+ at home. I didn't really get a lot done. Just played some golf and quite a bit of poker. I also played a lot with my dogs and my cat and got a chance to meet up with my old friend Trevor and Pat. I don't think you can beat just being at home with absolutely nothing to worry about school or work-related. I hung out with Derek quite a bit, and we had some fun.

The only bad thing about being home is that I always eat out a lot and never ever work out. I started feeling pretty bad about myself toward the end of that week and was determined to get back up here and work out. So far so good.

I got up here on Thursday night and put it good workouts yesterday and today. On Friday, I basically jogged a mile and was nearly dead after that so that was embarassing. Today was quite a bit better as I took it a little easier. I also went to the store today and spent $96+ on some necessities and some healthy food actually, which might equal the most I have ever spent with my own money at a grocery store.

Besides that, my roommate moved out on Friday, and I have just been playing some online. Yesterday I logged on to play in some MTT's, and a few minutes into my sesh, a table popped up that said something about it being a comp tournament. I clicked on the tourney lobby, and apparently it was a freeroll into the 50-seat qualifier which took place today. Because UB sucks at customer service, they had to make up for their lack of notice for the previous freerolls by adding another freeroll which about 5% of the players actually showed up for (no notice was given AGAIN). Oh well, at my starting table, it was me and 2 other players sitting in with 7 black seats. I wasn't sure what the correct strategy was at this point. With the blinds being 5/10, I didn't want to go crazy trying to steal blinds, but the reality was there was only 3 people at a 10-handed table. It was really weird, but I eventually felted those guys and it was just me and 9 black seats LMAO!! I clicked the call button for the rest of the hour until they were all gone, then it was time to play against some actual opponents.

Later on in the tourney, I had chipped up to 140k. The only player who covered me had about 200k and was crazy monkey agro. Then this pot came up: with the blinds at 400/800, there was a limper up front and said villain bet pot at 5kish. I was in the SB with AQ and was weary of 3-betting him because I obv didn't want to play a huge pot with the one player who had me covered given the nature of the tourney. But I figured I had to let my presence be felt, and he was unspeakably active, so I raised to 20k. To my dismay, he called, and we were heads up to a K 10 2 flop. Check, check. Turn 6, which brought a backdoor FD. I bet 32k. He insta-called. River K, and I checked, very frustrated. He almost immediately bet pot to put me AI. I had 70k left and decided to go through the hand before I mucked. I ruled out a K completely, as he would have potted the flop. I would have heard from a 10 earlier, and I was pretty sure he would have done some gay min. raise on the turn with 666 or 222. All in all, it was probably a poor call, given that I was still above average, and only 10 spots paid the entry with about 200 players left. Anyways, I pressed the call button, and he showed AJ. WOOHOOO for the hero call!

So I qualified for that, but I was already qualified, so I scooped the 530 tourney dollars. In addition to that yesterday, I final tabled the 6:20 bounty, and took 5th for $480. While this was going on, I was deep in a FTP 6-handed tourney. There were 20 left, and I was around average when the gross hand came up. With 32k in chips, I raised 66 UTG. The button min-raised (I cannot recall what the blinds were, but I am obv calling the min-3-bet). He had 22k behind to start the hand. The flop came a beautiful Jx 7d 6d. I check/called a 4500 bet because I thought he might have had air. Turn 4d, and I decided on the pot-bet AI. He called and tabled black QQ. River Qh :'-( Very next hand I get in for the rest of my chips with A10 against J8 on a KQxx8 board.

Woke up today, went to work out as I said, then came home to play in the WSOP 50-seat qualifier. I was pretty active early getting up to 3200 from the 2500 starting stack. But then I limped 79ss on the button behind a limper at 20/40, and 4 of us saw a As 6s 5h flop. Checked to me, and I bet 140 into 200. SB called. Turn the interesting Js. He checked, and I decided to check behind for pot control and to get river value. River x, and villain bet 350. I settled on a call, and he showed 10-8ss. Oh well. That put me down to 2400 and I was never able to get anything going and moved in for 1100 (50/100) with 10-10 from MP and SB called with AA.

I then played in the $20k guaranteed DS tourney at 5pm. I doubled up early when a donk open shoved with AK, and I called with KK and held. I was up to as much as 44k but lost a few all in pots and was down to 18k at 1k/2k with 22 left (20 getting paid). I moved in with 77, and BB woke up with KK, making me nearly the exact bubble boy for something like the 4th time in that tourney with 0 cashes!!! Here is the chat between me and Derek:

XxAEstud05xX (9:09:55 PM): 77

XxAEstud05xX (9:09:56 PM): again

afroderek (9:10:33 PM): ugh

afroderek (9:10:35 PM): sorry bro

XxAEstud05xX (9:10:43 PM): FUCK THIAZ GFAGOISJDCFIPONAEWK

XxAEstud05xX (9:10:45 PM): aewdfqefhoqerwocadsfadqf[

XxAEstud05xX (9:10:46 PM): a

XxAEstud05xX (9:10:47 PM): sdfads;faj;dsfkjak;ldsc

XxAEstud05xX (9:10:51 PM): fuking hate thies fuking shit

XxAEstud05xX (9:10:55 PM): fwefkljaewfk;ljadsklfcjak;lsd;ckajds;cas;lkdjck;l

XxAEstud05xX (9:10:57 PM): jalsdkfjas

XxAEstud05xX (9:10:58 PM): dcaskldcs;ldkjcak;lsdfk;lanewdfnqew'fmc

XxAEstud05xX (9:10:59 PM): ac

XxAEstud05xX (9:11:07 PM): fuking bubble

XxAEstud05xX (9:11:14 PM): im AWFUL I WANT TO HANG MYSELF!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

So yes, I may have been slightly tilted, but what do you expect? I feel like I am playing the best poker of my life and continue to knock on the door in big tournies but have had like almost no success. I feel it's coming soon though, and I am playing in the $200k tomorrow on UB.

Anyways, after that I went and got some dumplings (comfort food) then came back and was itching yet again. I decided to sit down at some 1/2 NL 6-max tables because it's Saturday night.
I played about 500 hands, winning $373 which was nice. Here are some of the cool ones:

It was meh until this hand came up. I love free money:
http://www.pokerhand.org/?2790275

I then got lucky to flop bottom set in a big pot against a guy who would ejaculate with TPTK:
http://www.pokerhand.org/?2790329

I didn't really get unlucky all that much but felt that the games were very weak. I go through phases where I hate then love live games, but I would really like to do the whole move up levels thing like all the other online pros. Tournies are fun, but it definitely got me thinking today how silly it is to play for so long and get absolutely nothing. I'm sure I will be saying how much I hate live games in the next couple weeks, but hopefully not.

Anyways, Grant and his dad are coming up tomorrow to help Grant move in, so I gotta go to bed so I can get up and put in a good workout again before they get here!

God Bless,

JG

Done with School + Online Tournies

The plan yesterday after I finished my last final was to come home and sleep for a while, but I couldn't resist the itch and decided to play a ton of satellites and play in some of the big daily tournaments. The day started off pretty average until I luck-boxed my way into the $500 WSOP 50-seat guaranteed satellite next Saturday. One spot paid, and it was a turbo so I was shipping and re-shipping almost every hand. On the final hand, my opponent min-raised on the button, and I decided I had some FE with 9-5ss, so I put him in, and he called with K7dd. Final board of Kx 5h 4d 5d X. That was fun. While that was going on, I satted into the $200 $80k guaranteed tournament.

I couldn't really get a lot going in that one and found myself down to 1400 chips at 75/150. I moved in from 2nd position behind a UTG limper with 22. The limper snap called with AdKx, and the board came Qd Xd Xd X X. I chipped up to 15k at 300/600 when I found AKss unopened on the button. The BB had about 30k and was unspeakably aggressive. I told my roommate that the stack sizes made for a perfect 4-bet. I made it 1700, and he obv raised to 4400. I "tank" shoved, and he called with Q8o. I had him drawing dead on a K44J board.

While this was going on, I found myself HU in a FTP 90-person SNG which I eventually won to get above the red on that site. I was also going deep in the UB $7.5k guaranteed. 3-handed in that one, I raised KK on the button to 7500 (1500/3000) with 120k-ish to start the hand. The SB who was awful and covered me called, and the BB moved in for 60k. I called, and he showed 66. Flop 665 (lmao) and I was down to 45k. I later 4-bet AI from the button with AJdd and was called by 22 and whiffed. 3rd place was good for $800.

Back to the $200, I was really dead from 3-tables on. I found myself with 17k (1k/2k) and made a mistake by moving in with no FE behind a tight raiser up front with AJ, and he called with AQ. Board XXXJX, and I doubled through to 40k. First place was $20k, so I was really trying to play my best. A few hands later, with 18 players remaining, it mucked to an aggressive SB player who had me covered. He raised to 5500, and I found A10hh for an easy 3-bet AI for 38k total. He tank/called with AJ, and I missed. GG me. The flop was AK4, so either way I play it I am going bust. I felt like this was quite a cooler all things considered. The amount of luck that you have to have to win one of these things is unfathomable. I was lucky to get that far but was still itching to FT and cash big. I won $600 in that one, so overall I put together a dece day.

It was good to get some experience playing in a big-buyin online tournament, which, as mentioned in previous blogs, was something that I was going to try and do more of this summer. At one point, I was at the same table as FCP members "whatarunAA" and "MJ_Grinder" and Jon "PearlJammed" Turner (I'm pretty sure this was JT). It is quite a different game when less than 50% of the players spew chips and do not 3-bet light p/f. At one point, I raised 3 consecutive pots on the bubble and got 3-bet AI every time. This is something that you simply don't experience in lower BI tournaments and something that I need to adjust to.

Today is a beautiful day in the city of Bellingham. I woke up and played in a FTP tourney and a UB tourney, which I had no luck in. After that I gathered up the courage to go to the gym and put in a nice solid workout. I started off shooting hoops and I can honestly say I have lost my Graves shooting touch. I was absolutely awful, but I will get it back! I then did some ab stuff and finished with some bi's and tri's which felt good. I just got done cleaning up our apartment and waiting for my brother Pete and my good friend Nate to come over here for a night of drinking watching the NBA game/U.S. Open and maybe dabble in some online tournaments.

The plan for now is basically to just hang out for a little while until classes start back up in a month (summer sesh). I am going home tomorrow for an indefinite period of time and am still debating going down to Vegas to sweat Derek in the ME. I guess I have to make my mind up shortly.

God Bless,

JG

School's Almost Out...

And I couldn't be more excited about that. This quarter has been absolutely brutal, and I am very happy that I put my head down and fought through it. I got an A- in my 385 class, meaning I don't have to take the final which is awesome. Right now I have a B+ in my 307 class including a D on a test, and the final is optional and can't hurt my grade so if I can manage a B, I should be able to scoop an A in that one too! In my 306 class, I am still waiting to hear what I got on my second test. I got an A on the first one, so if I got an A on the second one, I also wouldn't have to take the final which would be awesome.

So if things go well in the next couple of days, I should be able to pull somewhere around a 3.6-3.7 which would actually raise my cum. GPA. This was completely unexpected but something that I have really worked hard to accomplish. I have learned so much about economics this quarter that it is amazing. When I look back at how I struggled through intro to micro and macro and now to see where I am at now, it is quite amazing. Now that I got 3 core classes done, I will only have one more major theory class left, econometrics (which will suck).

As far as poker goes, I obviously have not been playing as much as I would like. Being a MTT player makes it really hard to try and squeeze some play in between studying. It is so hard to turn down such equity, knowing that I can probably make somewhere between 15-20/hour simply playing $20-$30 MTT's, knowing my ROI. As soon as this week is over, however, I will have about a month off until my summer session starts with little to nothing major to do.

I am going to try and get in somewhat of a healthy routine over the next month, which might be tough. My goal is going to be to wake up every day and hit the gym before I play online. With good tournies starting at 11 and 12, I may have to try and get on a normal sleeping schedule which is close to impossible during the summer imo. I would like to build up my online roll enough to be able to comfortably play $100 MTT's, meaning I would have to keep about $5k in my account. I currently have about $3k in there after withdrawing $600 on Friday.

Speaking of Friday, I went home on Thursday night and hung out with Derek that night. The next day I went home and hung out with my mom for the afternoon which was pleasant. We took our two dogs to a place called Soggy Doggy in Des Moines, which is a self-service dog-washing place. I was given Riley (the smaller one), and he hated the idea of being bathed so much that he jumped out of the tub and was hanging by the leash that he was on. In a very motherly-manner, my mom rescued him and put him back in the tub.

Later that day, I played in the $30 deep stack on UB. I got lucky early when I ran AK into KK for a big pot on a final board of xxxAx. I cruised to the final table, then got HU and obv ran KK into AA (lmao!). I can vaguely remember one other time that I ran KK into AA hu in a sng, but for it to happen at the FT of a MTT is just sick. I took second for like $350 which was okay.

That night, Derek and I went to Wizards to play in their $5-$40 spread game, which they obv never got going. So instead I decided to dump $160 playing 4-8 then $25 more at the pai gow tables on the way out. We decided to go back to his place and play some late-night MTT's. I ft'd the $50 $10k guaranteed but was unfortunate to re-ship A9 behind the super agro chipleader's raise, and he woke up with AA, good enough for 7th place and $450 :( I also ft'd the 10pm $20 6-seat but played absolutely awful there and took 5th for like $150.

I have found myself tilting a little bit more as of late, especially when I multi-table. In a FTP tourney the other day, I had over 100k in chips with 12 left and was like 2nd in chips. I got re-raised a couple times and lost a couple small pots then just blew up and ended up finishing in 12th. It is stupid because I am aware that I am doing it when it happens, and I tell my friends who are railing that I am blowing up, but I do not do anything about it. I am going to try super hard to try and stay focused, especially when I am late in MTT's, as going off in one has adverse effects on other tables as well.

This blog has gone really long, but I would like to say congrats to my friend Grant who ft' d the Sunday 200 on UB last week, good for $8500. It has been really fun to watch him get better and use extremely good br management to grind his way up to over $1k. He then got in on for $20 via a satellite and played really well during the tournament.

On that note, I have some studying to do for my macro test tomorrow, so hopefully I go do the whole pwn thing and get an A in the class.

More blog posts to come in the future!

God Bless,

JG