Tough week

This is being a tough week. I've not had a decent tournament showing since I took third in the $65 buy in morning tournament at MGM a week ago tuesday. I think that mostly I'm just having bad luck but I also wonder if that accounts for all of it. For that matter I'm starting to once again question if my limited successes have been more luck than skill. It's so easy to start doubting yourself and I know no one who can sit down with me and analyze what I've been doing or watch while I play and critique my play. Oh how I'd love to find a mentor but with my virtual inability to make friends that is very unlikely to happen. I'll just have to spend some more time in books and keep practicing and hope that my skills get better and I find some luck somewhere along the way (other than bad luck, that I have plenty of.).

I should have posted an entry about the MGM tournament I got third in when I was still on a high from it and believed it wasn't just luck that got me there. Now is not the time to write about it. Oh well.

I'm off to get some tums or something, the 27 seat sit and go's I've busted out of tonight have me feeling like I'm getting an ulcer...also has me wanting chocolate, a lot of chocolate. Sigh.

WSOP Circuit Event

I've been watchng the WSOP circuit events that ESPN has been covering as they work up to showing the 2005 WSOP. Even with all that it never occured to me to look on the web site to see when and where this year's circuit events would be held. A friend of Connie's told her that there will be one in Biloxi coming up before too long. I'd heard that the Biloxi Grand Casino was getting some sort of major poker tournament. That led me to finally check out the schedule.

I wish I'd checked it out earlier because starting tomorrow, August 11th and stretching through August 25th there will be an event in Tunica. I've always wanted to go to Tunica and this would have been the perfect time to go. Alas I've got my Vegas trip scheduled for most of that time period so I can't go.

The good news is that there is indeed an event coming up in Biloxi. It will be September 29th through October 12th. I've got mixed feelings about it. I have major questions as to whether I'm good enough to give it a shot but I'm excited about the opportunity.

I try to remind myself of that "Live like you were dying" philosophy I claimed I would try to live. Of course fiscal responsibility enters into the mix too. I will NOT be buying into the main event. Not with a $10,000 buy in I won't. On the other hand there will be continuous satellites and other smaller events. I can see very easily trying the $300 and $500 buy in events. Those I have enough for in my poker bankroll at the moment. I'd cheerfully use the results of cashing in one of those tournaments to buy into the main event if I don't just win a seat through the satellite process.

Like I said in my earlier entry I'm questioning my skill and ability somewhat but I think I have to give myself a shot, test myself against the people that are doing what I want to do. Only in that way can I know for sure where I stand. I'll be doing it with money I can afford to use, indeed with money set aside specifically to be used for that kind of thing. I've been almost hoarding it, afraid to lose it. If I keep that up I won't lose it....but I won't ever find out if I could have done more either.

Time to stop talking and start...

living like I was dying....

See ya'll in Biloxi Sept 29th through October 12th.

Luck or Skill?

I'm doing horribly in tournaments this week. I'm not sure if it's lack of luck or lack of skill. I wish I knew. I wish I had a little birdie who would sit on my shoulder and tell me if I suck or just have bad luck. Not a good sign when I'm supposed to go to Vegas this coming week. I may take the rest of this week off from poker because even cash games are not going well. I'm just trying to decide what will get me to Vegas in the best frame of mind. Actually if I could cancel it now I would but the air fare is not refundable. LOL might be cheaper to take that $200 hit than to go try to play though. I hate feeling this way but I have NO feedback other than my results and they suck. I need poker playing friends who can and will watch and discuss my good moves and my bone-headed ones. This is one of those times I really regret my total inability to make new friends. Well I'll muddle through and just hope that luck will smile on me.

Two Satellites, two disappointing finishes

I played two satellites today both $3 rebuy satellites for main events on Sunday.

The first was on UB and early on I had pocket aces overtaken by a worse hand and had to rebuy. I finally went out in that one when, holding pocket 8's,  I called an all in from a loose player. They flipped over pocket 7's and you'd think I was home free but fate didn't have that in mind, a 7 flopped and I didn't manage an 8 or the 10 I needed for a straight. My day was done, out in 20th place with 40 entries in that one.

The next satellite was on Poker Stars and was for the Sunday $500,000 guaranteed event. I played fairly well and decided to take the add on at the end of the rebuy period. I was not near the lead but I was roughly at the average stack size. Just before the second break at the 200/400 level (50 ante) I picked up pocket aces and made a healthy preflop raise. One other player raised me all-in with enough to cover my 8000+ chips. I couldn't not call. I really needed to double up. I hate calling off all my chips but I'd have gone all-in preflop if I thought I'd get a caller or two. He flipped over pocket 9's and you guessed it a 9 flopped ending my day. There were 392 entries in that one and I was out in 152nd. I needed to be in the top 19 for a seat that time.

Obviously this was just not my day but tomorrow will be another day.

Connie and I may go check out the Amateur Poker League thing they have at a local billiards place on Wednesday nights. The weather is REALLY bad though so it may not be worth going out. She just called and said she is not even leaving work until it settles down some. I'm interested to see how this league thing works since they don't play for money, just points or something. If it's decent poker it could be fun and good practice and have the side benefit of meeting some local people who play poker. I'm sure if and when I finally get there I'll write about it here.