Growing as a player?? Nahhhhh...

So last night was probably my most fufilling night of losing ever. My instincts were on point, and things just ended up not going my way.

I played in the Poker.com 8:00 freeroll, a 5.50 SNG, a 2.20 SNG, and another SNG.

The 5.50 was very up and down. This, unfortunately, was probably my worst performance of the night. These play at an entirely different level than the 2.20s, and next time I play one I'm going to have to dedicate to it 100% to get a feel for how they play, and how to beat them. Both times I've played one I've been splitting my time and come up just short of where I need to be, so I'm obviously missing something. I trended down at the beginning, but then went on a pretty good run and amassed a decent stack, eeking my way into the 3rd & 4th place range w/6 or so left. I then proceeded to tinkle it away one way or another, and as I recall, it was fairly quickly. I was playing it like a $2.20, and after two very similar performances, its obvious that I can't do that. Its also quite sad that I don't remember how I lost it, and the really sad part is that I was more focused on the freeroll because it was going so well. So no more of that.

The freeroll and the 2.20 SNG was where my instincts were out of this world. I knew right where I was at on every hand but one that I can recall. I just read the situation, felt it, whatever. I spent a lot of time in the top 10-15 in the freeroll, hitting some cards, making some great plays, and even better reads, but in the end, I just missed too many times in a row with good hands and high blinds and faded away in 45th. It was very similar to Robert Williamson III's demise on PPT last night if you were watching. The 2.20 SNG was the same way, I grabbed a bunch of chips with a few cards, plays, and reads, and I ended up taking a rough beat when I outflopped someone, got them all-in as a dog, and they drew out on me. That crippled me, and had me pushing w/A4 a couple hands later, only to miss completely.

Poker.com also runs these SNGs where you buy-in w/100 in play money, and if you win a 6 person, 6 person, and then a 10 person SNG, they give you a buck in real money. I played a few of these on Monday night, and they're pretty good for practice, and the challenge is fun enough. I might just note here that for me to be dorking around in virtual play money SNGs also shows how level-headed I am right now. Usually when I've got money in I'm rabid about playing with it as much as I can, but Monday night I just didn't really feel like playing w/real money, so I horsed around in these all night. And last night it was a combination of being right on the edge of tilt and not having enough time before bed that had me in one of these instead of another real money SNG. Anyway, I ended up just throttling this table. I was that guy at the table that just had everyone else completely puzzled. I'd win and show down with good hands, and I'd win and show down with bad hands, but all anyone knew was that they didn't want to mix it up with me. It was a blast, and I'd love to perfect a game where I can do that on a consistent basis.

Anyway, in the end I am down $7.70 on the night, but just really played lights out, so I can really look back on the night as overall positive. Its annoying to lose when you're playing so well, but you're never gonna take luck out of the game, so you have to take 'em where you can get 'em.