[banzi]

Not posted for a while, but because of the good news I really haven't had the time to play. When I have played, I've been on a short time-frame and it's been interesting.

I played two low-buying NLHE tournaments. Didn't cash in one and came third in the other when I was forced to go all-in on A2o on the button (I would've been all-in for the BB next hand). I played a little 2/4 after and won a whole 2BBs in about three hours, so called it there.

Roll on to tonight. Head out and go down 30bbs right away with some sick beats (I had AA cracked twice in the first hour), but keep it friendly (even if the rest of the table, including some younger guys were trying their very best to be the biggest dicks in town) and took the beats well, and managed to come back and post a 15bb win.

I'm finding my reading is getting better, I am judging people a lot better and making some good laydowns and calls based on math rather than feel. If I take out the money and simply focus on making the right decisions (aided by drunk college kids who play their last $20 blind when I flop the nut flush lol) I do okay.

I will say this - the poker psychology book I bought has been a tremendous help to me in the way I handle the beats. Now I seem able to shrug them off, knowing that eventually, given time and the best hands I will get it back. I just have to keep playing correctly and I'll be okay. I also am very aware of how people see me - when I'm on a bad run I will tighten up against them, value-bet less and not bluff because they know I'm running bad. Of course when it started to turn around they paid me off. C'est la vie.

I wish I could've stayed. One drunk guy to my left had around $500 in $1 chips in front of him and a stack of Miller Light bottles behind him, and both stacks were slowly being eaten away by the table, but alas my family comes first.

There's always tomorrow.

I'd like to add that I have seen a few of the tells from both books at these low limits, mainly the "holding chips in my hand to stop you from betting" type tells (which also include any motion towards villan's chips when it's up to you to bet) that have helped me value-bet a few marginal hands and take them down.

I also have seen a few others, albeit very seldom - mainly the "quick glance at my chips - I have a great hand!" type tell after the flop.

I'm trying to push my thinking to the next level, but find it hard to displace my thoughts into someone else's shoes. I'll keep trying.