I've been hearing talk for the last year about Bodog/Bovada and how incredibly fishy it is all the way up through midstakes, and figured surely they jest, else all reg's would be playing there. Supposedly Bovada went out of their way to make the software as uncomfortable for regs as possible so that they simply would refuse to play there. Being a single-table rec player I decided it's time to see what all the talk is about, and put some money on there through a ridiculous process of $100 deposits via some check card I had to get from a gas station.
I must say, the games do seem good. Hardly anybody is ever fullstacked, lots of limping and mind-boggling calls and otherwise total chicanery. This is all at NL200 mind you. And I can see why the regs will never play here, the software is simply the most painful thing you can ever imagine. For starters, the only way to top off is to do it manually after every hand, there is no auto-reload. Furthermore, you must topoff immediately following a fold, otherwise the game ignores your request and you will continue to sit there with $43 for the next hand.
If you stand up from a table you cant sit back down for 5 minutes, no matter what. This means you cant switch seats to gain position on a fish. You stand up, you're basically out. There are no waiting lists, so you can never tell which tables are the juicy one's. You cant even see full tables. The only tables in the lobby are tables with open seats.
Multi-tabling is rage inducing. The game does not do much to notify you in the way of active tables. There are no hotkeys for betting, everything must be done manually. The bet-slider and bet-sizer feel awful. The entire process of multi-tabling just feels gross.
Now you've probably heard about the new hand history feature, whereby you can see everyone's holecards, even without showdown after 24 hours. Aside from the fishpool, this is one of the more fascinating features. The HH's are stored on bovada's server and accessed through a search tool, like browsing PTR to see a hand on someone. It's been very interesting going through yesterday's sessions trying to learn the bluffing frequencies of fish, their true limping ranges, what an UTG minraise means, etc. Since most fish all have a similar playstyle there's plenty to study here.
For instance, I find even the worst players arent really stealing your blind that much. Limping ranges are always trash. Calling ranges are trash, preflop and postflop. Stuff most of you already know. But it's still good to have it reinforced since sometimes we convince ourselves to play -EV because you just cant quite ever be sure if you never see their hand. I find myself playing a much more relaxed game now that I have reviewed 100 hands or so where I just had to know what someone had, and feel much better now about making the correct folds and not getting too spewy.
Do I recommend Bovada? Absolutely for any thinking recreational player, no matter how bad you are. Do I recommend it for grinders? It's hard not to since it's free money, but I can never imagine any grinder putting up with this interface. You thought merge skins were annoying? You've never seen anything like this. I'm sure anyone who plays 12+ tables can make up the difference in EV on Stars vs Bovada's 4-table cap.
Looking for a partner who likes bananasby whamm!, April 03
gay title lol
This is still in exploratory stage but Id feel more comfortable if I dealt with people here.
I'm planning on selling banana chips, powder, or even bananas and I'm looking for buyers or middlemen residing in countries who regularly consume or use these. I find it easier to deal with LPers (if any) since it's a lot better than dealing with random foreigners in B2b networks like alibaba and the like. As long as there is any sort of profit to be had for both parties I'm all up for it.
Facts:
- the philippines has a shitload of bananas and it's byproducts
- I can personally go to you in your location so talking to potential buyers will not be a problem for us. If it would help jumpstart things to fruition.
- I've had some business experience in importing goods, none yet in export but Im really dedicated in learning if there is money to be made.
- I live in a mostly agricultural region, the economy is run by agri based business, most particularly bananas
- The risk will mostly be on my end since i will be the one purchasing here. So as long as you don't get greedy with pricing and are resourceful enough to do local research, this definitely has potential.
- Banana chips, powder , flour is a very versatile commodity used in a very wide variety of ways e.g. ketchup, soap etc. Table bananas like cavendish obv are great to eat.
- Afaik developed asian countries and even arab countries import philippine bananas, with regards to banana flour/powder Im not too sure but I know some who have dealt in korea, malaysia
Like I said these are all plans for now, but I have some money to get this into motion eventually, for now I am still doing some research on suppliers/growers so this probably wont start till next year if ever. For now Im just looking if anyone within the respectable LPer circle, but not necessarily ballers.
We will start very small, but this is what I love doing and this can grow a decent rate as long as both of us are dedicated enough and obv dont get greedy, that being said I prefer dealing with someone within a community I know since it's damn tough doing it with a random guy (did that before and its just super stressful)
I dunno if doing this on the side is possible, but if you have a ton of free time and hang out at LP, you're probably smart enough to be reliable imo. Nothing to lose really.
Here's a poker article I wrote in 2010. Times have definitely changed after two years though. I welcome your comments!
January 26, 2010
The Poker Life by Alex Krapivinsky
There it is. You’re sitting down at your local casino’s 2/5 No Limit Hold’em game, up a few buy-ins, when all of a sudden you run into a myriad of bad beats and unfortunate coolers that drop you down 500. Variance. Bad luck. It can shroud your mind with thoughts such as, “this game is rigged” or “life hates me” but as the games’ oldest poet will tell you: “That’s Poker, Folks.”
Well, that’s easy to say. If you’re not careful, it’s really not that hard to slip into a frustrated poker-absorbed existence where the world goes on without you. And how’s your stress-level? Is there anything you can do to have any control over that at least? Hours spent hunched over your keyboard, not daring to move anything but your carpal tunnel, your optical nerves and occasionally a brutal assault on your vocal chords. Ah. But “That’s Poker, Folks” and if you get it, you love it. If you can end the day up, you love it. But keeping an even keel – knowing how to manage these three taps – is the difference between, well, being a winner and being a loser. It’s about keying in and concentrating in the three aspects of life: Mental, social and physical.
Variance
Whether you’re a beginner, a solid player on the side or a full fledged poker whiz, dealing with variance is an art, but it is arguably the hardest most demoralizing side of poker to master. After hundreds of thousands of hands, it is still the demon that crushes my spirit -- and my game -- when it doesn’t go my way.
Recognizing that losing is an integral part of winning, is as funny as it sounds. When you’re winning, you’re on top of the world. You get cocky. When you’re losing, you wish you had never heard of the game in the first place. You have to dig deep and remember that variance is just that. Variance. You have to focus on the game and persevere, having faith that the game you love will smile on you again. It’s not an easy frame of mind to hang on to.
Often, friends who are amateurs tell me about the run that made them think they were the next hot thing; those dreams quickly dashed by the other side of variance rearing its ugly head. The common factor with these players is that when times get tough they quit. They blame poker for “hating them,” or God for giving them the “unlucky” trait. They don’t see the positive in the negative. Losing should give you time to think about what you could have done better to minimize the damage. Losing should teach you to be better. The tilt that comes along with it is the hardest part to beat but with each losing session, if you approach it with this philosophy, your defences to tilt get stronger.
The most practical advice when you’re on the bad side of variance is to work on being a better player. Study up and follow a strict bankroll management strategy. Read up on the game. It may sound like a cliché, and the last inclination you have at the time, but its true, and it works. These are the most important factors of getting in control if you
want to be a profitable poker player. Mastering these two elements helps put you in more the driver’s seat mentally when things are not going your way.
Unfortunately, after those two huge building blocks come, there are others that separate the good players from the great players and ultimately, the truly elite.
Social
Poker is very time consuming. Tournament poker can take whole days at a time, and if you get into a habit of playing a lot of tournaments, it can really take over a part of your life. You can somehow forget where your life is. The friends you know and love, who might not understand or appreciate poker like you do, can empathize when you vent, but it can seem ignorant and inconsiderate – they just don’t know. Take a break. Keep a balance by getting out there, maintaining a social life and improving yourself socially. It’s pretty important. If you’re playing cash games and are on a huge downswing, you might not want to talk to people for a week. A bad social dynamic doesn’t only hurt you, it takes a major toll on your poker game. Having a life is an important aspect of your well-being, and in turn of your success at poker.
Physical
One of the biggest personal improvements I’ve made to my poker game has been getting into the routine of going to the gym and really getting healthy and strong. If you were to ask the top professional poker players how they get ready for a big tournament, or just a night of playing, it’s by pumping iron and doing some cardio. A probable misconception would be that it would just tire you out, but it’s the exact opposite effect. It makes you more mentally prepared for the heavy lifting of a poker game.
Since I started going to the gym regularly a year and a half ago my profits have doubled playing the same game. Of course I’ve learned through downswings, and gotten smarter, but getting a quick workout between sessions has helped my stamina and the way I think through hands. When you play a lot of poker, especially tournament poker and getting in a lot of hands, you tend to go into robot-mode. Physical stamina helps you through it.
Focusing on the three aspects of life – proper attitude with the task at hand, friends, and your own physical well-being will only benefit your game and increase profits -- even if means cutting into the number of hands you play.
The obvious draw is that poker is about the money involved, but it’s also about the love of the game and the competition. Poker can teach you about life and life can teach you about poker. There are ups and downs, and but those with a negative attitude and bad work ethic, those who put their friends and themselves aside, are usually the fish at the tables.
Should I try for live wsop satellite?by ynot, April 02
I just wanted to add a little 1/3 beat I had the other day before talking about the wsop satellite, dont mind me. :-p
If you have read my little blogs about my adventures swimming among the fish in my live 1/2 games you would know I have been on a successful streak lately. Yesterday was another decent day with leaving with 740 stack after buy in for 200. My bank roll for 1/2 has almost doubled since i began and I'm feeling pretty good. I really haven't had a bad day minus one day about 3 days ago and it sort of went like this:
10 minutes into session: Bought in for 200, 1/3 game, not even through first orbit yet...
Ks,Qs, on the button. Two limps to me and I make it 18 to go.
Both blinds fold, one limper calls. Flop comes 9s,Js,4s. Not bad right?! I have no info on the limper as I have just sat down.
He checks to me and I make a 35$ bet. He calls.
Turn, Ad. He checks again and I bet 75, a little small perhaps but I'm bad. He shoves over the top and I sadly call. I thought he might have the As but needed another spade as most fishies love chasing.
River was a blank (no spade or board pair) He flips over As,2s. FML FML FML
My only joyful moment in that night was going to take a leak with the song "car wash" playing on the speakers and the guy in the urinal next to me was moving his hips from side to side to the beat of the song until I heard "damnit!" I think he got a little too excited with swaying his hips and pissed outside of the urinal. It made me smile.
Anyways!! The Horseshoe Casino that I play at is having a wsop satellite every Monday. A 120$ rebuy, 200$ add on after the second or third break. Start with 800 in chips and can add on for 2000 more. A little awkward I thought but they usually have 150 people and a prize pool of over 60k.
The reason I want to play is I have had decent success playing at Horseshoe tournaments taking 10th, then 6th at my last 2 events. I am in much better form than I was when I previous entered and have a great coach from liquid poker to help me get ready. The few people I have seen make it into the money are complete DONKS. No exaggeration to the word. People who blow through at least 1k when they play 1/3. I feel good about joining but what do you guys think?
Let me know and thanks for taking the time to read this!!
Deucescracked videoes recommendations by aCa_, April 02
Lately I feel like I hit a wall in my poker skills and I don't feel like I'm improving at all.Been playing 10nl for a while and even though I've taken shots at 25 and 50nl usually it was more because of tilt and not because I was ready for it. I've always played casually but I really do want to improve my game and start moving up stakes and have been taking poker a little more seriously by analyzing hud stats more, writing more notes on opponents, and reviewing hands after sessions. Because of this I signed up for a subscription at deucescracked and hopefully I can improve my game from it because as of now I don't think I can improve on my own. It never really made sense for me to sign up for one of these sites because as a microstakes player i feel like theres no point of getting coaching if you just suck on the basics. Kind of like in sc2 theres no point of getting coaching from a GM if you are in silver because there is a lot of foundational information you need to know before using the higher level advice. Anyways if anyone could recommend some videos from deucescracked or some good authors for 6max nlhe let me know.Thanks
Didn't get enough volume in March I only got in 15k hands and down around 300$ but I still have around 12bi before I have to move down again from 100plo. I was smoking way too much weed again and watching antiques shows I'm obsessed with antiques now.
Dropped out of uni because the guy who I got to write my essay disappeared. I missed the first hand in so 2nd one was final and I handed in a piss poor excuse of an essay.. oh well.
Moved back to my country don't know what I'm going to do but damn it feels good to get away from London ... the air, the water and food is so much better everything except weather but I hate when it gets too hot anyway.
Some pics I took since getting back (damn I missed that dog) + Show Spoiler +
Haven't received the full set of pictures from the company yet. It is common in Taiwan to make a wedding picture "photo-book" - everyone about to marry usually goes and has one made. I received a modeling coaching session from Tutz before the shoot so I am confident the final product will turn out OK. Enjoy!
I've been on these forums for a long time, may not really be well known but I've been around since the golden years (started 2008 i think). I have been playing on and off, online and offline, cashgames, tournaments and sngs. I've been a breakeven not so serious player for the last year or so and I haven't really been serious nor consistent enough to be a longterm winner.
Anyway, enough bullshit, I'ma start playing again cause I have the time and I think this game is still pretty profitable if you work hard enough and I'm not dependant on poker for income. I'm starting with a roll on Victor Chandler with about 400€ and my goal for nl20 this month is simple:
40k hands
25 bi's profit (500€, not counting with rb)
Also, I'm a huge music lover so I'll be posting some sweet tunes as well. Here's an awesome soul/funk track from Earth Wind & Fire, cause I wanna start out positive. It's from their album I Am (1979) which is dope from start to finish. Enjoy, and wish me luck!
Well this month had a rough start but ended up being respectable. Here's a snapshot of how I'm doing overall, stacked up next to how March went. http://i.imgur.com/iV9Cp.jpg
My hourly was $17 lower than my average has been so far this year, which I attribute to running poorly on the weekends during March Madness when the games were great and then the games being sub par on the weekdays in between. If I can get in 160 hours per month for April and May at my current hourly I would finish up around 67k. To get to 100k I need 691.45 more hours at the current hourly. If I expect to achieve that number by the end of May I will need to average about 190 per hour for the next 2 months...Nothing a little run-good can't cure.
Regardless, I am satisfied with the amount of hours I got in this month. I managed to take 2 days off per week in-keeping with my schedule and felt like I had a really good work-life balance for the month and am looking forward to maintaining my schedule for April.
-----
Budget Stuff.
Now that the month's over I can add to my previous post that my savings rate (Expenses/Income after taxes) for the year is now 49.57% (-30% Jan, 70% Feb, 50% Mar). My goal for the end of the year is to have a 65% savings rate as an average and, as the expenses get lower, hope to improve on that next year. With a 65% savings rate and non-changing expenses you will be "retired" in 17 years assuming nothing saved up. With an 80% savings rate you can retire in 5.5 years. I'm hoping to clear 80% over the next 3-5 years so I can just be done doing stuff. Or bink a WSOP event and be done this year .
If any of you sickos wants to stake me for the Sun Mil tomorrow, PM me. 80/20 in your favor, no makeup obvs. http://imgur.com/NZpzEhttp://imgur.com/NZpzE
From top to bottom: 180 stats, mtt stats, overall stats
Post in here, or PM to confirm. http://imgur.com/NZpzE
Edit: Forgot to mention that third time's a charm :D
It was being another standard month and then I met Serkules and MOCA CHOCA89 there around game 1800. They talked me into moving up and now being backed for 200s/300s, hopefully soon some 500s. Crushing it easily so far, if only hadn't run so bad that one day where I dropped 28bi with a breakeven EV lol
The sky is the limit, really wanna start sitting those 1k's because I feel like I am so much better than every single player in the world. I'll prove that soon.
So I have been taking lessons from a fellow member on liquid poker and I haven't felt in better poker shape than i currently am at the moment. We go over hand scenarios, any questions I have, and not just say what the right answer to a question is but go into great depth talking about why people make certain decisions. ie Why would someone bet a certain amount in a certain position, why we bet a particular amount and not another, how we can extract the most value from our made hands. I'm sure this is basic stuff but it really helps me out. I asked a while back "how do you beat 1/2?" The generic answer was, value bet your hands and play safe with rarely a bluff. Only now can I slowly understand a little bit of what that truly means.
So I sat down yesterday with 200 like always. I was sat down at a floating handed table that was both adding players and moving them to the big game that game going on across from us. I go into my usual routine FOLD FOLD FOLD. While I fold hand after hand I take the time to study the table and get out a character profile on everyone (tight-aggro, loose-aggro,tight bla bla bla) As well as do my best to remember any hands anyone shows down. A lot of people like to remember all types of hands that involved a lot of money but I just like to remember the hands which i know what the hole cards were. I just don't think it makes a lot of sense to remember possible bluff hands. Anyhoot! Since I live in the south most of the table are the country talkin, dip in the mouth while playin, drinkin liquor early in the day, Southerners. I like it. Never mind they talk the ENTIRE time they are at a table, I just do my best to tune them out and remember all they faults they make when they play.
The table at this point (1 hour in) is being raised constantly by 1 bully. The bully, a guy who for whatever reason ended up taking 6th in some 60k tournament and had a lot of money to blow. He was going through buy-in after buy-in with me slamming my face into my hands every time he stacked off with mediocre holdings and me never being able to take advantage of it. Due to my hand range being fairly tight with this table i had the image of a tight player though i doubt any slack jawed guy at my table even knew that... I look down at:
A,Ko on the button 180ish in my stack.
3 limpers then the actions is to me. I make it 17 to go. The BB is the tourny winner guy.
The BB calls, 1 other calls and the 2 other limpers fold. I didn't have much info on the other caller. He was more tight than anything else and would usually bet a small amount in all pots regardless of how much was in the pot.. odd player.
Flop comes Q,10,6 (i think it was rainbowed, hard to remember)
Both players check to me and I make it 40 to go. BB calls, other player folds.
Turn is a jack of spades. I believe the jack added to another spade on the board. BB checks and I make it 100 to go. He thinks and thinks, sais some bullshit like I have trips or something and he has two pair and folds. After I won this hand he just wouldn't stop talking about how he played it right and I got lucky as well as talking about what was on the TV on the wall above us with the show being "Dr. Phil" and the headlining topic is "man who was raped by girlfriend". Fun stuff... lets play cards and not watch TV I thought to myself. Although i did laugh at a few things that this guy would say. "Somebody tell me what i have to do so my ex's will rape me!" Ohhh the joys of 1/2.
Soon after I was moved to the big game. I spot a few regulars that i don't regard as particularly good players but good enough to fold top pair which sadly is an impressive trait to see in someone at these tables.
(I apologize in advance if I come off cocky or arrogant. I am a newby learning as well but sometimes i feel some people are just......SO BAD!)
I sit down, go over my routine of studying the table again and re-making all of my profiles on people. I notice that a very nice but PLUMP lady is sitting next to me from England. I begin talking to her just a little chit chat doing my fold marathon and it comes to this:
On the button with As,2c. 5 people limp and the action is to me. I limp as well. SB (the big lady) limps and BOOM 7 people. I can feel the readers rolling their eyes at me already. :-p
Flop comes A,T,T - Everyone checks and decide to see who has anything to call with so i bet 5 bucks. I figure an A will call, Ts will call. No biggy. The SB calls and one other person calls. Not too bad for 5 bucks. haha.
Turn comes an A. People at the table gasp for whatever reason talking about a possible bad beat pot. But they are retarded if two people limped with A's and T's. The SB checks to me which i thought was strange anyways. I figure we are going to chop if they has an ace and fold if they has a T, no big deal. I wanted to make it fun though and make her sweat a little. I make it 80 to go. A weird bet but i figured we are just going to chop this pot so whats the problem with a little fun. She think and thnks and thinks and actually startled me a little since i was like "what in fuck could she be thinking so hard about???" She make the call.
River a blank, i think a 3 or 4. Can't remember which. She checks. I couldn't quite imagine what she called down the 80 with that gave her mind such a headache. Maybe she really did hold 10,10 haha. She checks and one again, for shits and giggles, i go all in. She thinks and think and begins talking outloud, breaking down the hand with quiet mumbles. I just couldn't understand what the hard decision was. If you have an ace, call. If not, fold. EZPZ. she thinks and finally sais call. I show my ace and she flops over her 10 instantly complaining about the call she made and way she played the hand. It was probably the easiest money i have ever made at a hand that i shouldn't of. But that's 1/2 for ya.
The rest of the night was a bit of a blur since i never really had any large hands like that until my last hand. Everything else was picking up 40 dollars here and 30 there. Slowly making my stack around 700.
So I have been at the table for about 7 hours and have a massed quite the reputation of a solid player only having the nuts. Which was semi-true. There were times i won with mediocre holdings but through a short string of good hole cards and bad opponents I was able to take stacks from a few different people.
My last hand of the night. I look down at As,KS in the cut-off. Not to shabby for a last hand.
2 Limps to me and I make it 15 to go. Both blinds fold, UTG calls, and someone in middle position calls. Both of these players have around 400 in their stacks and one seems fairly competent.
Flop comes Ac,Kc,3d rainbow. Both check to me and decide to make it 40 to go. both of them take time and take sighs as they don't want to get involved with me in a big hand. I have never had opponents feel that way about me before so it felt pretty amazing. :D they both call.
Turn comes Ad. they both check to me and I am trying to find out how to get the most money out of this hand. I put one guy on chasing some sort of flush and the other with some sort of K,Q - A,Q, Jc,Tc. Something along those lines. I think I made a bad bet but I wanted they to be able to continue chasing for relatively cheap and hope they hit. i bet out 40 again. I wanted to go up to 100 but i didn't want them both to fold which i felt they would do given my tightness and they possibly needing good odds to call a pot. One guy i think is chasing calls and the other folds.
River comes 4s. He checks to me. I feel he is in some form of check fold here so i wanted to give the impressive i missed some wonky flush or straight draw. So I lead out of 200. He thinks and thinks but ultimately folds. But not so bad for my last hand!
I started with my 200 buy in and left with 920! I was pretty excited. I haven't left down from these cash games in quite a long time now. I am starting to be consistently up and this is the second time in a couple weeks where i came out a big winner. I guess we will see what happens.
Thank you for taking the time to read this and I will be going to the casino again today and i'll be sure to type another one of these with better detail and a little more complicated hands other than my nut hands.
Also: A big thank you to my coach!! I wouldn't be where I am without you. No homo. :-p
To show how hard our conference is, Oklahoma City, Oklahoma Baptist and Lubbock Christian are all ranked, Saint Greg's, Rogers state, and Northwestern Oklahoma State all received votes.
We play Rogers State friday and saturday. Shit's going to be BIG. All they do is sit there and run their mouths. I believe last year the benches were cleared, but could be wrong, it might have been someone else.
It will be some good baseball. We beat Lubbock Christian 2 of the 3 games in the series and we also just swept Oklahoma Christian University, throwing three complete game shutouts.
We're playing great baseball and it's being recognized nationally (1 vote). This is a HUGE series as we have momentum on our side. We're pitching lights out right now.
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