Chased by a Shadow

It seems people have come to expect pictures of food on here now. I apologize for being so lax in my duties. I haven't made anything of tremendous interest in the past week other than some tasty white chocolate and raspberry cookies. I'll throw some pictures of them up later.

Seriously, peameal bacon, garlic havarti, sweet and smokey mustard on an onion bagel with fried potatoes just didn't seem picture-worthy. Am I too elitist with what I deem worthy of posting?

The Canada Day weekend was made up of barbeques, all of which had the standards of steak, sausage, chicken or burgers. That said, it's amazing what one can do with a series of store-bought BBQ sauces, a limited selection of herbs and spices, and a few other random ingredients when it comes to marinating chicken breasts. There's a reason I keep getting invited back.

Add more elk purchases (they were out of steaks... grrr), playing squash for the first time, fireworks, euchre, and that ugly ouster from the Big Game, and it was a good way to spend my long weeked. Still, I wish I had a cottage.

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I've got a friend who really wants to head to Vegas in September. Chances are I'm the only person who can go with him. I know I'm asking the wrong group, but does heading out to Sin City 4 times in 14 months indicate that I have a problem? Bear in mind that this trip will also include the Grand Canyon, Hoover Dam, and other non-gambling activities... as well as gambling. 5 or 6 days in Vegas. That will push my limits for sure.

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Poker. I find it quite amazing the effect that single word has. I've chronicled some of my recent luckboxery in hands here. It has gotten to the point where Hoy needs not refer to me or Bayne when talking about luck. People are telling me things like, "Hey! I got to be you in this tournament I played today! AA, KK, QQ, AK!" It's nice to be known for something :).

The string continues, but not at lofty peaks where it had previously resided. Yes, I still see some good pocket cards. In the MATH last night I caught no small amount of boards early on. To the point where I held the lead for pretty much the entire middle frame. For the 3rd straight week I went out 10th though. Out in the 300's in the Fifty-Fifty after having a more-than-necessary stack for a long while. In short, I seem to have lost my middle and late game.

I can blame only some of this on cards. I'm catching big time in the first hour, and then missing entirely afterwards. I can't sit and wait for premium hands to come, for that way lies larger blinds and smaller stacks. However, if I chase and miss then I'm giving away chips even faster. If I chase and bluff, I seem to be running into calling stations or Lucko (at least he used my chips wisely - Congrats!). There were at least two times last night where I felt I should have come over the top but didn't, and it easily cost me 2/3 of my stack. Two months ago I make that move without hesitation. I once had no small amount of backbone. I need to figure out where it has gone, because right now it feels like I've regressed a year, getting by mostly on luck.

I believe in variance of cards, but not of results. My mentality has always been that one needs to find the style that they are comfortable with and that works for them. Frequent adjustment is needed in order to improve and to avoid predictability. At no time should cards or players be an excuse for poor performance. If you get sucked out on, then you played it correctly. If you make a move and get caught, then you got caught. Straight over set happens. Set over set happens. Straight flushes over nut boats happen. Any player worth their card protector should have a reason for every play they make. There's absolutely no shame in going out early if you feel you'd play a hand exactly the same way in the same situation.

So it's back to the Shaolin temple for me to retrain. I've lost focus, and I need to work on my middle game, and very likely my end game as well. I don't like my big stack play of late, and my shortstack play has been too timid. I've started playing scared poker again, and I need to stop before it becomes habitual. I'll be playing some $1-$5 MTTs and big field SnG's so that I can focus on tactics instead of the money at risk. I know the cornucopia of donks will be overflowing at this level, but frankly, I couldn't care less how they play. The 26k and Fifty-Fifty will only be played if I satellite into them for the time being as well. I love these games, but the bankroll can't take the big -ROI % it saw last month. Naturally, the Blogger games will continue to be played. Unless I don't see improvements that is. Then it will be time for a 2-week break. I'm sure I can find something to occupy my time with now that it's summer.