Zen

I have been reading Zen and the Art of Poker. I am only half way through it but I think it has helped me out quite a bit. My last two big losing sessions at the casino would not have happened if I had read the book. The biggest ideas I have taken away from it is the idea that it is not my turn and learn to love the fold. In my past two losing sessions I called (ugh) all in against the nuts, and in the other I pushed with a weak holding that had little hope of pushing the original raiser off his hand. Yesterday, I broke even and felt pretty good about it. I was on one of the biggest action tables I had seen in a while. I was card dead. Stone dead. I kept repeating my mantra. "It's not my turn". Over and over. My original $200 had dwindled down to $60 over three hours mostly due to a nut flush not getting there and my only pair, 99, running into a shorties AA. Finally the dam broke. Got KK and took down some blinds and limpers. Read a player right and called down his bets with my AT. He had 57 off suit, ace high good. I pick up 77 and it was my turn. Flopped a set on a 79Q board, in position. Early position player bets the pot. Me and my neighbor call. Turn is the five of hearts. This puts the flush draw out there. The original raiser bets $18 and my neighbor flats. I push all in for $51 more. The original raiser tanks then calls. My neighbor super tanks and says he thinks he is priced in now. He finally folds T8 for the flopped oesd. I wish he had called after the four of diamond blanked the river. The original guy showed a naked queen and said he made a bad call on the flush draw as well. I am pretty sure he just had a queen. I have played with him a lot and he is a pay off wizard. I flop another set with 66 later and I end up even for the day.

Zen worked for me this day. There were many times in the game that I felt like pushing with less than great holdings but then listened to my mantra.

I bubbled the tourney as well. It got heads up and the stacks were near even. The lady did not want the chop. First was $544, second $344. Of course she lost. Cost her $100 or so. It never ceases to amaze me how often people fail to realize the nature of this turbo tournament. It is a crap shoot at the end. Take the guarantee and do something else.


Ohmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm ohmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm