Deck Facial, Good Questions from a Shark Veteran Player

Hockeys Scott Stevens Greatest Hits


I checked out Websters this morning:

deck facial n.

1. Your 36% to hit a flush draw arrives on the turn 50% and riv another 25%.
a. result; atm chasers and 80% "see" floppers are slow played and sent home early.
b. after capping pre UTG your set hits the flop 3-1 of the time not the std 7.5 to 1

2. You put your name on the 10/20 "wish list" after 45 min at 4/8 kill.

3. You gamble and pay to peel off the turn card cause pot is huge and hit your nut gutshot, twice in one hour.

4. 2 words. "Flopped Boat"


Had a good time at Tulalip Casino on Saturday. Sat at 4/8 (biggest limit game in room) for 2 hours and received a complimentary "deck facial" for my 20 min trip to the Tulalip Tribes money printer. I have been on a nice roll live ring lately and was feelin good as I sat down with my normal 20X the BB or $160. I recommend sitting with plenty and rebuy when I get lower then $60. These guys that rebuy 3 times ($60-80) crack me up. They crinkle up their faces like they can't believe "they" had to rebuy then slow game down waiting for chips. I wanna have a nice stack, show the table I have plenty of chips (and will be using them aggressively every time i'm in a pot)and am not gonna crinkle my face up if I need to rebuy. Its just a minor setback. I'm gonna have yer chippies. Sure, it doesnt always work out that way but I think its going to. I don't see many good players at 4/8 live. Quality of play probably compares to about .50/1.00 (online poker).

This table is more passive then most 4/8 games (is that possible) and I can see the disappointment in their faces as I raise the first three pots pre flop and of course all 6 callers do their thing (call).

The first hand 1 have 63o but i'm on the button and looking to test this table out early. We get six callers of the 8 buckers for a nice pre pot of $48. Floppage comes J82 rainbow and I like it. checks around to internet player on my right (said he played at pokerparty) who bets and I raise cause i'm gonna show down jack hi and take this pot for image. Only 1 other caller and PokerParty play chipper calls so 3 to the turn. Turn is 5 and puts 2 diamonds out there. Check, check, I bet, and flush chaser guy calls and PP guy bails. Riv no flush and a blank. I bet 8 and flush chaser folds to bet. No pair and I politely lay my 63o in middle of table so all can see that I may not have a hand while making wagers in the future.

Back door flush chaser guy gives me a death stare and I make note to self. I gotta do that again, soon. ha! 9 man ring is so slow and boring, I have to amuse myself or i'll go crazy at 30 hands an hr. So I do a similar move about 10 hands later (68o). Then as I had hoped the "deck facial" started. Of course, I get called down for the next hour and a half as I show down 2 boats (1 flopped), 2 nut flushes (1 capped pre by me with A10h where 5 players called 4 bets pre), 2 gut shots filled on turn and other assorted atrocities.

2 hours and i'm ready to head out. +302., 37.75 BB or 18.875 BB per hour. I busted out of the $90 buyin event earlier so net was +212. 95 lopasses entered and I went out about 30th. Bluffed into a guy that took a stand and it was nh, gg. The complimentary donuts reminded me of the car business so I just had my std baileys/coffee.

Every day I get up is a good day with no car business in my life. Success in Poker will keep me away from auto dealerships, so I will be working hard to make a living in this great game. I have not replaced my income as a sales closer (or finance mgr) yet but our sites and Shark membership list is growing (about 1000 new players register per month currently) and our new partner Checkrayz Poker (freerolls galore, www.checkrayz.com is rocking as well.

Keep up the good work Mike "IDRINKALOTTABEERANDPEEALOT" (screen name at Kiwi Poker)!

_____________________________

Here is a great question from one of our most popular Shark players Steve "reelcrazy" from Pennsylvania. Hes gonna be disappointed when my Seahawks lay the smackdown on his Steel curtain, hanky wavin fans this Sunday in the GAME. Hawks by 2 TD's. Steve posted this on my Forum. To see entire thread go here:
Reel Thread

Reel wrote;

I have been doing alot of experimenting lately with stats. My bankroll is limited and hard to keep up without depositing pay check money (last time i hand to dig into wifes purse was oct 05). This makes experimenting hard because I like to play tournys and if u dont make bubble money is gone.

So heres the deal, Bodog i have been playing tight tight tight aggresive, my flops seen is down to 15% but my win percentage if flop seen is over 90% (this is amazing to me) I have placed in money in every tournament but i am always short stacked at end because of so few flops seen.

Now poker time i have played a little loose, Flop seen percentage around 28% but win percentage if flop seen is down below 50%and have not been in money here for the whole month.

The obvious answer is somewere in the middle right, but what is in the middle.
I really do want to invest in poker tracker but i am computer stupid and am afraid i cant run it as $55 from my bank roll would be a pretty big hit for me. And is there still suppoort available if u do get it and how is support for us computer stupid lags. I call support for stuff and after they ramble for 5 minutes on what i need to do, i say " huh".

Just need some advise from my friendly fellow shark poker tracker users, so hit me with it.

Shark ideas;

First of all thank you for the excellent, honest post buddy. I agree with Clay on the PT but I think I know what the bigger problem here is. Tourneys are not a good way to build a bankroll (BR). They are hi risk/hi reward, are very time consuming and can dent a strong BR like nobodies business. Been there, done that. You and many others are fighting to stay afloat when you should be grinding it out at a game you can kill. $1 sits, $5 sits, .25/.50, .10/.20 or whatever game you can beat any day. Add 2, 3 or 6 tables at that level and make the new players pay your way into tourneys. You are a strong player. You probably know what limit you can tear up (Limit or NL).

Tourneys also don't get you bonus money or rakeback. My first 6 months online most of my profit was bonus money. I chewed up hands 3 tablin .25/.50 and was making about $1000 a month in bonus and 200 in rakeback. Would I preferred to play tourneys? YES. But I like $$. And to move up in the ranks I needed a BR. So many good players get stuck at 1/2 or less because they gotta play above their BR (or skill level) or play to many tourneys. I made one deposit ($350 I think) and protected that roll and didnt even take shots at bigger games (or more tourneys) until it was 300X the BB that I was playing. To play 1/2 I needed $600 bucks minimum. If it went backwards to $400 i went backwards to .50/1.00. I had a good job to add to BR but my wife was leary about my "gambling" and I wanted to show her I could beat this fun new game and prosper. We started taking vacations on extra BR about a year in. Rewards for all the grinding I did and hours pouring over PT stats, bugging top players on 2+2 (thanks stripsqueeze, mssunshine, and others) for optimal PT stats.

Josh Arieh didnt cash for 10 months after his WSOP 3rd place (2.5 million). He spent about 400K in travel and buyins in that time. Negreanu has been cashing his checks at 7-11 (for tourneys) for the last 10 months until he finally got sum cards last week and cashed 750K. These guys are both proven Tourney animals that hit the ugly bitch called variance. They had the BR to handle it. Congrats Daniel! I knew it was just variance!


Example:
I can teach you to destroy $5 Heads up sit n gos in about 30 min (if you can't already). You can beat this game for 20-30 an hour no problem. It is the lowest variance game on the net IMO. Then when you have added to BR reward yourself with a tourney entry or 2. When you make a nice hit in a Tourney take half proceeds and add to BR. Use other half to play tourneys. BR management is the key to this game. And improving with PT and game skills.

Quote from Reel:
So heres the deal, Bodog i have been playing tight tight tight aggresive, my flops seen is down to 15% but my win percentage if flop seen is over 90% (this is amazing to me) I have placed in money in every tournament but i am always short stacked at end because of so few flops seen. Now poker time I have played a little loose, Flop seen percentage around 28% but win percentage if flop seen is down below 50% and have not been in money here for the whole month.

Shark;

If these numbers are correct you need to work on what you want to accomplish and get a clearer idea on what optimal %'s are, Steve.

15% see flop is way to low (especially for low limits) Not sure what limits you play, could you post that? 90% won when see flop can't be correct but 35% is about optimal. A higher number here (like 50% means you are folding to much and not showing down hands that are winners (probably middle pairs or maybe just Ace high , especially short handed). For example I wouldnt want to be 30% "see" at 10/20 cause I would get killed but I would probably want to be about 30% at 1/2 or less since I can outplay those players more often and win more hands so I can shut er down quicker. Certainly you want to be at least 23% see at 6 handed or less. for low limit.

After thinking about this part some more I think you mean "won at showdown" not won when saw flop.

50 to 56% is good for "won at showdown". Also, keep in mind poker site stats suck. They often are incorrect. Get PT.


My suggestions for optimal PT stats. Remember, I play limit ring so NL guys may want to do more research.

Shark PT info

PT will build good habits as you improve each "leak" in your game. After you purchase it (from sharkmasta) I will tear apart yer #'s. You will have so many problems it will be scary. Plus a ton of bad habits. I was lucky and started with PT the first month online. I rarely have to think about decisions pre now. Its automatic. PT tells me if i'm where I need to be. I still struggle with my pre raise % and blind stealing %. Most would say i'm very aggress. but actually i'm not as agg as I believe optimal to be.

Purchase Pokertracker thru this link (or just try it for free, 1000 hands max)
PT LINK For Shark players

This offer to tear apart your stats and help your game is to you only Steve for posting in our Forum. I don't teach Poker currently. If you would like my help just email after loading your first 8-10,000 hands. Or just post in our forum and Clay, Conn or others will help you a ton as always.

Stacks Poker much anticipated software will be released in beta form any day. Be the first to test it out then play in our $1000 Freeroll in about a month. They will be having fun beta tourneys and be giving out prizes to players that support beta testing. Our Sharks are 800 strong at Stacks already and we will be having many big freerolls here as well as massive swaggage. Stacks Manager Kevin is jacked about our #1 ranking worldwide for Stack registered players. Our 1st freeroll will be the first private "roll" at Stacks.

Register here now, then soon you will receive your download:
http://www.stackspoker.com/?signup=st527501

All new depositors here will receive the NEW Shark hat (or tee) for 300 raked hands of .50/1.00 or higher limits.

Later this week....Strong Live Tourney "Guest" blog from Online/Live Tourney animal, heads up killer and Shark vet NRG70. Located in the Canadian Witness Protection Program NRG lives in No. Ontario. I have mapquest to his home, just email for directions.