“I hate everything about poker, but what I hate the most?….the players.” Quote from one of the nicest guys ever, and one of the best pro players I have ever met and played with. There’s some element of truth to this unfortunately. Man, you meet some real douche bags when you play, and you’re stuck there for 3-14 hours straight sometimes. There are another 8 or 9 players and yourself usually at the table, and you are sitting there, for hours on end with those same people. If they aren’t silent they are usually making some smart ass, critical, often mean comments about you or your play. Sometimes they try to ‘get in your head’ which always makes me giggle honestly. The craned neck, hoody kid, fixed staring in my direction for minutes, trying to get their ‘read’ off me always makes me giggle, whether I am bluffing or have the nuts. It’s so ridiculous.
I’m running just horribly right now. I have not been on the good side of variance for about 8 months. I also just arrived back from a week long poker marathon in Reno that I bricked, so I’m a little more cynical than usual about poker. Being a douche is the m.o. for a lot of players, and it really doesn’t bother me, and certainly doesn’t affect my game (usually), but I will say something if someone is just downright personally mean to someone else at the table.
For the record I am regularly called a ‘bitch, dumb bitch, dumb whore, you women are stupid, women shouldn’t be allowed to play’… the list goes. I am not called these things because I am actually being a bitch, it’s usually after I win a pot. It is rather unpleasant being on the receiving end of these comments but hey ‘that’s poker!” How many times did I hear that last week? For the record, many times, particularly when I got 2 or 3 out-ted on the river multiple times. It gets old.
Also for the record, my bad running is not all bad luck. There were absolutely spots where my decision making was off or my read was off, so my play was not perfect. However bad luck way out-weighed my bad play. I always analyze my play and I have a lot to learn (one of the things that I find appealing about poker). Twice this past week someone limp trapped me with QQ and KK, and it cost me. I have to watch that. I personally would rarely limp with these hands unless I was trying to induce a shove or something. In any case they got a few chips from me, so their limp trap worked.
I also have to watch those cash players. Any two, any two? Limp, raise, call. Or limp, raise, 3 bet, call, call. Original cash player limper tables 2 3 on a A3783 board and takes pot, even though the 3 better bet his AK on the flop and the turn. Third then fourth pair is good to call right? Yeesh. I have to be careful with those guys.
Some positives this past week: My boyfriend played and ran like a god. He cashed at least 70% of his tournies, final tabled a couple, and chopped won 2 events. I was so proud of him. He was running hot.
We also met some very nice young men who were exceptional players. I mean exceptional. I saw one young man make a sick call with K high. Monty saw the same kid make another sick call with Q high! I mean, that kid is putting the story together and adding it up and making an amazing steel kahones decision. So good. For many of these young men though they are playing a bit scared, because they have no bankroll and they have to at least cash! Especially with online poker essentially gone, they are trying to grind a living playing the regional live circuit. Yeesh that is tough.
I can foresee the live tournament poker player demo shifting more towards your middle aged, disposable income hobbyist. Throw in your few pros and some kids with backers and I think that’s going to be the make-up of players. This year in Hammond we saw 2000 players in an event, more than 70% were 20 something guys. I predict we will see far less young guys in a year. If online poker comes back, then that will change, but if not, I predict we will see a slightly smaller and older field at the live tournaments next year. Women players makeup typically 5% of the field. I don’t think that’s going to change. Especially if we keep getting told we are dumb bitches lol. Fun times.
I am also re-thinking my game strategy. The old guys who were betting 10x bb on hands were stacking chips! Yeah the young guys were laughing at them but they were taking down the tournaments! I think I might throw in some crazy town tidbits I picked up this trip myself the next time I play. We’ll see. I can probably get away with it because I am just a stupid female player anyways, so they say.
From here on out, I am only doing 5 day max, out of town tournaments. Anything longer is just too much. It is grueling and exhausting and unhealthy. I would rather take extended time for a beach vacation. With the money we’ve spent on buy ins, I’d rather go to Europe for a week! Or…the degen gambler in me who still loves to play poker thinks…how about Monte Carlo and get the best of both worlds? I think that’s a fabulous idea for summer 2012 instead of the WSOP.
Apart from poker I am running pretty good in general though. Gearing up for some holiday travel and playing our local poker tournies which, I love. They are simply fun to play, which keeps me playing.
Hope you all are running good! Put a dollar into the Salvation Army bucket. Namaste, pdub.
