Wednesday, January 18, 2006

Back to winning ways - Toshi's Back (In disguise)

It has been a strange end to a relatively good year and this year started off same as the last one ended ‘very bad’ for me in so much as being card dead, and yet again confused as to whether this game really is worth spending so much time doing…

So here is just a quick update make sure I get at least a few bits of information down from memory before it all goes Pete Tong. My hard disk crashed last week on my new PC and I have lost my entire poker tracker, 2006 Spreadsheet stats etc. etc. At the minute I am relying on my laptop to get me online and have in the process sorted my disconnection problems which were guilty of sending me on tilt on a few occasions alongside the gremlins in the system that keep dealing me long streaks of abysmal cards.

I have had AA cracked more times than I can remember and draws are an impossible dream, in my opinion of late a 5/1 shot for me is 200/1 and a 50/50 is more like a 80/20 in my opponents favour. Cant post any more hands that show how passive my play had become but the ‘Variance monster’ continued to scratch his head while everyone around him made money online… There have been a few players saying the odds on Betfair just aren’t right, and a lot believe this to be correct. My view on this subject is that I haven’t played for long enough to recognise this kind of information, I believe I have experienced my first major bad run which the poker veterans speak of as part of poker life, so therefore can’t blame the RIG…

Right before I go any further that’s the negative out of the way and now for the positive…

Toshiwonka at the minute is concentrating on the MTT and STT side of the poker world and I have incorporated; thanks to ‘Smart Money’ a Betfair forumite a P & L strategy to monitor my progress for 2006 and assist me in achieving my goals, sooner hopefully rather than later. I have recognised a few flaws in my MTT tourney play and just need to adjust strategy to assist in this area.

STT play shows me in profit at whatever level I play which is anything from £60 six-pacs to £500 Six-pacs and I enjoy the ability to be able to make moves and play some real poker with some of the better players on the site. I think some Very good players exist on the higher stake six-pacs but play scared because they are playing out of their comfort zone. The opposite end of the spectrum some players just have money to burn and just kamikaze it away on the bigger tables much to delight of the more solid online players who take advantage of both these situations with very profitable results.

10 Seated STT’s no longer exist as a game for me to play I find them too boring and at the later stages are just a crapshoot for the 3 positions at the end. I don’t skip them altogether as you will find me regular on the £1 --- 10 seated STT’s going all in every other hand and generally testing tilt inducing strategies on possibly the most tilt susceptible players on the site. A lot are trying to play by the book and learn the game as it should be played so when log on and start spoiling their fun they don’t take it very lightly... UL GG WP….

My New Year Account is open and I’m playing some of the best poker I think I have ever played. Toshiwonka is on the cash tables but under a new name and it’s a good buzz to be actually winning again after so long a bad run. Yes I said WINNING again, its true my draws are hitting, my AK is flopping A’s and K’s and my middle pairs are flopping sets an acceptable amount of times. My new problem is getting the most equity possible for my hands at the minute which is good or even great (dare I say). I have tilted a little with one of my problems needing to be accepting of the fact that weak players also get good hands every now and then, and don’t always have A rag in their hands. Discipline wise other than that I’m happy, I pick times to play and I concentrate more on my opponent’s style of the moment which is helping heaps. If I don’t like a table or the mix of players on it I leave. I also recognise when I’m out of my depth when it fills up with sharks and a once loose table is now rock tight, you know where only monster V monster will ensure a payout for the lucky player to get the best of it.

Moreover, I play sober poker and I haven’t looked back since my last drop of beer in November 2005 I’ve never felt better or sharper for a very long time. I always feel like I might sound like a recovering alcoholic when I mention the booze LOL, I don’t know but to think like that could mean I was one or at least on the verge of being one! My problem with the drink is like most other things in my life I’m either ALL or Nothing, if I have a pint I it has to be 8pints etc… Anyway there’s the clue to my new screename, Toshiwonka is still alive but my friends have given me a new name and I have incorporated it into my online existence. Good luck at the tables…

?????????
TOSHIWONKA

P.S I have just bought a yearling racehorse with a good friend of mine, he’s training at the minute with Dandy Nicholls and looking good. Mid February we should know if he is any good so fingers crossed. Anyone who follows the racing shouldn’t miss him when he runs his name is TOSHIWONKA. Hope soon to be writing my winners speech rather than my blog, or both would be a brucie…

5 Comments:

Anonymous Anonymous said...

glad its turned mate, I know what a torrid time you have had. Good players tell me that when they hit bad runs like that they either stop completely or drop right down in stakes. A lesson I am still trying to learn. Keep it going fisken, catch you laters
Heavskin

1:37 pm  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

sounds like u've got a nice sound poker playing head on again m8. Discipline, game selection, tilt control etc are boring words but oh so important. Like you, I had a minging december which included an £8k downswing at one point where it felt like I ran into sets nearly every hand, didn't hit 1 draw and then tilted & played like a cnut. Thankfully made it back now with a little interest but it wasn't half depressing!

Can't guess what ur new name might be so say hello if you if u see me @ the tables!

bampot

3:01 pm  
Blogger Wonky said...

GL Tosh.. and TY for your words of encouragement on mine. Like the £1 STT tests BTW lol

Wonky

4:12 pm  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

vely good read, woud you add my link to your blogi yes pleasy

http://marstin.blogspot.com/

tyvm siry, gg

11:20 am  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

nice to hear things are going well toshi, i have left betfair and now play on prima where i have had a fantastic 4 months.managed to keep tilt at a minimum. good luck with the nag i'll be looking out for it.

ATB
PJC

8:56 am  

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