So, full disclosure: I had a bit of time last evening and played in a $0.05/$0.10 ($0.05) cash game. I realized that I should never play poker when I’m bored. I think it’s important that I’m NOT bored when I play. I found that I am easily distracted when I start playing from a place of boredom. I don’t take the game seriously enough. I also learned that, since I just want to do a hit-and-run for my buy-ins, I shouldn’t play at the same table for more than two or three rounds. I’m pretty sure people will lock into my weaknesses and I may end up as shark bait. By the time I left, I burned $5.89 of my bankroll, dropping me down to an even twenty. Still ahead and enough for a tourney with a $3.20 buy-in this morning.
I was pretty much card dead in the tournament’s beginning stages, which was fine as it allowed me to focus more on my cash game. I didn’t buy in for my full bankroll. I didn’t want to start all over again from scratch. I bought in for about seven dollars and did a double-and-run. Back at the tournament I was hemorrhaging chips and was down to 22BB at L11 with the average stack well over that at 52BB. Focus dude, focus. Too late. I got knocked out shortly after. I had pocket fives.
Undaunted, and having recouped my buy-in, I re-entered bringing me back to my 20BB only to get knocked out holding the ace and seven of spades. My mind toggled between returning to a cash game or finding another tournament. I decided to go for a L4 start in a $5.40 tourney as my bankroll was sitting at $20.97. Cash as well? Sure why not. I bought in for $5.57 leaving me my starting bankroll. It was a grind. My most painful hand was not getting a min bet called on a straight flush. That tilted me and I busted out shortly after. Gotta remember to laugh things off. I still had my original $10 and picked up $1.25 in bounties in the tournament where I was 253rd out of the remaining field of 424.
It was an up-and-down grind for a while and by the L10 break I picked up another $3.12 in bounties and was positioned 111 out of 332. With about half an hour until late registration ends, it looks like 90 paid places. FYI making coffee with your fingers crossed is tricky … aaaand doesn’t work. I shoved on the flop: 6S-JC-AS with AC-KS got called by AH-5H and the donkey hits the 5S on the river! ARGHHHHHHH!!!
$14.37 in my bankroll and a daily freebie in my pocket which I didn’t cash on. I ended the day at … $14.37. Still up $4.37!