I'm quitting cash games. After two too many bad beats, I'm calling it a day on cash games as I just can't handle them any more. I'm so close to going on a major tilt at the moment I have to stop whilst I've got some money left. I'm down loads (for me) for the month and have never had anything close to it so I'm not doing it any more. I tried to get my head around it tonight and start fresh and positive, but I managed to run my kings into Q2, my aces into jacks and my AK into A9 and thought that was enough.

All my previous decent winnings have come from tourneys so I'm going to concentrate on them. I may have a bash at sit and go's from time to time as I've done ok in them in the past and 9 tabling on Stars is great fun!

It's been troubling times recently. After my last session with Alex, we discussed me opening my raising range more and playing less nit like so I gave it a go and managed to lose 5 buy in's over the next two sessions. I was feeling pretty bad about it and worried about losing the money so I did what all good poker players (sic) do and went for a spin up at NL200. I figured that as I'm constantly being called with crap and losing at NL50, NL200 would see a better game.

Quickly managed to lose another $300ish between Blonde and Stars and was feeling even worse about playing cash. On top of this, my mtt results, whilst not being outstanding and making me lots of money, were quite consistent and I was at least making the money, just not getting a decent return. This made me almost quit cash but after a couple more tourneys where I basically got my buy in back but came close to a nice score, I turned back to NL50 and decided to concentrate more.

Since opening up my raising range, my post flop game has gone to shit. Preflop, I think I've always been pretty ok and now I think I'm slightly better, but post flop I do struggle sometimes and get sucked in for draws, or convince myself that 'he can't have it'. Tonight only saw one such example where the button made his usual attempt to steal. I was in the SB with AT and decided to 3 bet him, he called and the flop came 7 A 5 rainbow. I bet the pot ($11) and he called. A 4 came on the turn and I shoved for my last $32ish and he made the call with 54, his two pair were good. Now, I know it was a fishy call from him preflop and on the flop, but I wonder if 3 betting here was right or after I was called on the flop, I should have slowed down. It was a steal though, I knew he didn't have it!

Since my comeback at NL50, I had a small profit session, then lost it in my next session, had a very small loss the next time, but for the last 3 sessions, all today funnily enough, I'm up about $110 so I'm quite pleased with the way I'm heading again. Hopefully I'll be able to sort my post flop game out and save myself a fortune! I don't mind not winning loads, but I hate playing like an idiot and giving it away.

I'm currently about $200 down for the month (excluding Stars cash which is down about $100 too) but I should get about $100 in rakeback and hopefully I'll continue to improve the bankroll too. I may just about get myself out of trouble!

Talking of Stars. I made Step 4 for the WCOOP qualifiers and annoyingly came 4th but that was good for $210 and I also have another step 4 ticket to use which I guess I'll do at the weekend, but that cash of $210 really helped as I was getting very worried about my Stars roll. I may also make Silver again this month somehow. I've hardly played there, certainly not cash I don't think, but I've only about 70 points to go so I may as well knock those off - the step 4 will do that by itself.

Been a funny old month so far.

This is typical of what's happening to me at the moment


http://www.pokerhand.org/?3039671

The old saying of "you want these people calling" isn't true. It costs me a buy in when they do, but it takes ages to get it back because they generally piss off once they've doubled/trebled up. I keep paying of the idiots and I'm not getting anything back.

Perhaps I'm the idiot :(

I've been working on becoming a bit more open, but it's all going horrible tonight. In fact, I've had two sessions since and I've had my biggest losses since I've been playing cash in them, that is two buy in's the first time, and just over three tonight. Aside from the outdraws, I can't get rid of anyone. If I 3 bet, I get called, obv I miss the flop but make a c-bet which is called, we both check the turn, then he bets out on the river taking a nice pot. If I just raise, everyone seems to come along and I lose a massive pot against rubbish.

The goal for August was to get to $3000 and start NL100, but at the moment it's to break even! I'm not giving up though, I'll review my losses and see where I'm going wrong and be back in business tomorrow or Thursday.

Was running well in an omaha comp, 7th with 12 left

Then this

then this

then this

all within about 6 hands, all to the same guy.

And they say poker isn't rigged. One day I'm sure I'll have another half decent cash in a tourney.

Smiling for the cash game. It wasn't going great until this hand. I was pissed at matey for calling to the end with JT beating my pocket 10's after hitting on the river and a few before that I paid him off after he hit trips, so slightly tilting I guess, but he was a donkey. Obviously I didn't put him on kings otherwise I'd have folded but it worked out nice.

Here against the table donkey. He'd made the same weak check raise before so I figured I was ahead.

Just lost $50 though with AQ v TT who hit a set on the turn. I must must must lay down to check raises. Every time I do it.

Again, instead of being $50 up, I'm $20 down and those two hands are pretty much wasted. Why do I keep paying people off holding only top pair top kicker. I'm such a fish.

A plus, the tele is amazing, as is the PS3

Haven't played much cash recently, but I've hit the mtt's big time as the Mrs and Daughter are away for a few days. I seem to be playing well but never quite make it and it's always a donkey call that seems to ruin me. Made a few small cashes yesterday for about $170 profit and was going great today in the $80k on Stars until I made a call with AJ against a shover who had 69o and hit two sixes, then a couple of hands later I'm dealt AK, shove against a raiser and it all goes wrong. At the same time, I'm deep in a crappy $5 tourney and having lost a huge pot with KK against AQ for pretty much the chip lead, I'm in bad shape, but make a few good moves here and there and am building up slowly when this happens. A7! I always look at OPR for these things an it's obvious why these donkeys are making such little money, but it's damn annoying when it's stopping me from trying to move up. I'm so much better than this crappy level but it's a catch 22. I even knocked out of the $10 rebuy on iPoker with AQ v AJ deciding to be a hero and despite hitting a queen, he hits a flush and I'm out in 22nd or something like that.

I'm making plenty of cashes at the moment, but can't nail that one win that will move me up to the next level.

On the plus side, I'm enjoying going deep and have been playing my 'A' game for a while now.