EthanCainePoker.com

AQ vs AJ Got Greedy – Got Raped

Basically the guy kept raising me and raising me throughout the hand. Small value bets nothing major. I’m guessing he put me on AK. The thing is I had a feeling he had AQ all along.

Got Greedy & Stupid

I stupidly pushed ALL IN on the river after he value betted me and well lost almost an hours worth of work.

Still a good lesson that I need to tighten up my game and really think about what people have.

-Ethan
Follow Me On Twitter @RealEthanCaine

UGH Donkey Call Extrodinaire

Fuck am I stupid…like seriously…I must be on crack or something to make a call like this.  I played the guy TO THE RIVER chasing the flush.  Once I didn’t make my flush I went all in?!  Of course he had AA and I am a retard.

Donkey Extraordinare

2s Never Lose

Fool tried to slow play AA and got raped by 2s.  No clue what Ferrisuko was doing in this hand but oh well…

2s Never Lose

That being said I also had no business being in this hand as I only had a 2 of clubs…AA guy should have laid it down however considering he was PROBABLY beat given the flush board.

Overvalued Two Pair on FLOP

Should have seen the strait coming.  I over bet the FLOP with my TWO pair because I wanted to chase away flush people but the guy re-raised and the next thing I knew I was all in.

So DON’T over value Two Pair because they can get you in trouble like it did me….dammit.

-Ethan

Gotta Stop Playing Loose

I got dealt 10 10 Pre Flop and threw out a 4x BB Raise to get people off.  Button calls with AK.  Flop comes with 37Ace.  I bet half my stack, he re raises,and I stupidly go ALL IN cause I don’t want to get pushed around.

Bad Call But I Won...will try and learn a lesson from this.

Fortunately the turn brought a 10 giving me a set but of course there was only a 8% chance that could have happened so Neoseeker90 made the correct call and I didn’t.

I am writing this post to force myself to play more correctly and pay attention to odds.

UGH Bad Call Pushing Around Short Stack

For some reason  I got it into my head I could push this short stack around but of course he just went all in.  I didn’t even have a pair….

Gotta remember to always keep my head and only play positive EV hands.

Don't Push Around Short Stacks...

-Ethan

He Bet It Like He Had AA…and He Did

Playing RUSH poker tonight and I learned the lesson that I need to listen to my intuition and not my greed side AGAIN.

I raise PF and the AA guy re-raises me.  Flop comes RAG unless he has a FLUSH and I go ALL IN push.

I had a feeling he had the AA before I hit the button yet I still pushed ALL IN.  I’m blaming greed on that point but still, I need to learn to LET HANDS go because this mistake cost me my ENTIRE stack.

Ask long as one keeps his head all will be well.

-Ethan
Follow Me On Twitter @RealEthanCaine

QQ vs AA – Should Have Known

I was playing a cash game today and got dealt QQ. I raised PF to drive calling stations out and I get a couple callers. The flop is rag and one of the guys raises a good 3x the pot. Of course me being a good poker player I have a bunch of notes on this guy I have been gathering for the last hour.

The other guy who called folds and its just me and Mr. Raiser. Now Mr. Raiser is a very tight player who doesn’t protect his blinds and folds to CBETs constantly. I re-raises his bet and he pushes all in.

Of course the guy has AA but like a retard I push all in with my QQ. This experience wasn’t a total waste as I know I’m getting better at reading people but of course doing the right thing with that knowledge is something else.

I’m reminded of something I read in Zen and the Art of Poker:
“Only by avoiding the beginning of things can we escape their ending”

Need to work on that.

-Ethan Caine
Follow me on Twitter @RealEthanCaine

Why Can’t I Let Go Of Hands???

For the last couple weeks I have been losing a lot of buy ins on marginal hands I just can’t seem to let go. I KNOW I should let them go but I just don’t. I will have QQ and the flop has an Ace and I KNOW the guy has ace yet I throw all my chips in the middle like a retard.

I sat down and tried to figure out why I do what I do in these situations.

First I identified whats going on just before i make the call.
-got that mild kind of scared feeling in my chest
-my amigduala or the lizard part of my brain goes into a mild flight or fight mode
Then BAM all my chips are in the middle

I’ve been reading a lot about ego in poker and how there is no place for it. I’m positive its not my ego as I have never had a problem taking the humble path when it came to arguments and the like.

I’m pretty sure this behavior is caused by the more basic instinct part of our brain. This is the mechanism that kept us alive thousands of years ago when a dangerous animal was near by hunting. Our brain senses the danger and puts us on alert to either run or fight.

Of course in todays day and age this mechanism is more annoying than useful but like it or not its part of who we are.

Zen and the Art of Poker suggests that you perceive the game as if you were simply a spectator. Essentially they are talking about emotional detachment.

To achieve this Zen state in Poker or anything for that matter you must practice practice practice knowing the game inside and out. Once you have achieved this your many hours of skillful play will put you in a state where you simply act automatically.

I feel I am closer than ever to this state but still have a ways to go. Will keep studying and practicing and see where it takes me.

-Ethan Caine
Follow me on Twitter @RealEthanCaine

Mental Fatigue

I was playing a cash game online for a couple hours tonight. I was playing very well for the first hour. Waiting patiently for a good hand, stealing when The opportunity presented itself. However on hour two I was starting to get tired and of course I went all in on a mid pair and got raped by his 2 pair.

Tonight was a good reminder that mental fatigue creeps up on you and you don’t really notice it until its to late.

Still, I’m glad I was able to play exceptionally well for that first hour and know when to quit and when to continue. This is probably one of the main things I will be working on in the near future to improve my game.

-Ethan Caine
Follow me on Twitter @RealEthanCaine