In Like a Lion, Out Like a Lamb

Things couldn’t have been better for the first two orbits of the table last night. Within playing 21 hands I was up 13BB and every dream card that could fill me up was hitting the board. Alas starting with hand 22 I couldn’t catch a card to give me half a tank, much less fill it up. I was locked into a mindset by then and everytime I had a possible hand I convinced myself that the board would continue to pay homage to my greatness. This ladies and gentleman is what we refer to as “Chasing the River”. Any poker player worth his salt will tell you it’s fools folly. No self respecting player would dare tempt the fates and play in such a manner. The jury is out and I apparently have no self respect, and am not worth my salt. In the next 45 hands I managed give back all that I had taken and if not for a self imposed loss limit, I surely would have given away more. As it stood my loss limit is structured in such a way that the loss was minimal. Someone should have slapped me around hand 25 and brought me back to reality. Reminded me that I know how to play this game, that I can expect to take a meager win if I just settle down and play my normal game.

Upon leaving the table I then broke my loss limit guidelines. “Bad Poker Player, Bad” I would normally quit for the night after giving back so much and try to sleep it off. Instead I said, “Hey I’m not down so much, I can take back a profit for the night and then go to bed.” Well I did manage to grind a very small win at the next table but my sagging eyelids would not assist me in my quest for profit. I would have just been better off getting the extra half hour sleep and being ready to tackle the tables tonight.

Damage:
Table One – 70 minutes, -3.5BB, -3BB/Hr, 66 hands
Table Two – 33 minutes, 1.25BB, 2.27BB/Hr, 27 hands

Total – 103 minutes, -2.25BB, -1.31BB/Hr, 103 hands

My biggest pot for the night was $13.50 so nothing spectacular, I just hit several medium sized pots early to give me my lead.

I will play tonight but then take Friday night off. I have to be to work early on Saturday for the Preakness. If you’re a loose passive player feel free to stop by my table tonight. :) See ya there.