Wednesday, March 10, 2010
SNG Madness FAIL
to make matters worse, I whiffed the SNG madness raffle, I qualified for a freeroll on Saturday that I can't play in because I'm going with the in-laws to sunny Syracuse, and when I cashed out, I was like $2 shy of $50 on my rakeback, so I got penalized like $10. EPIC FAIL.
Monday, March 8, 2010
Worst Month Ever
So we're 8 days into March and it's already my worst month ever. It's a combination of a few things. One, it was SNG madness this weekend, and I went overboard. Just simply played too many tables. In the entire weekend, I only won two SNGs. Probably out of like 30. That's pretty bad. The HU superturbos went bad and got out of control.
The results on Shark are worse than what my BR actually is. In the midst of all this, I cashed out a third of my BR. I feel ok about doing that. I was really just not caring about the money loss. I did lose a $28 superturbo HU game. Why did I play it? Just super tilted. I won about $30 playing PLO - at the highest stakes I've ever sat. Why did I do that? Just super tilted. I was playing bigger and playing worse.
I will just go back to the normal grind. I feel good that I have a check coming. Something to show that this is all actually worth something. I still feel like I should do something specific with it so that I have something that's actually tangible from my poker playing. I never know what to get though.
The results on Shark are worse than what my BR actually is. In the midst of all this, I cashed out a third of my BR. I feel ok about doing that. I was really just not caring about the money loss. I did lose a $28 superturbo HU game. Why did I play it? Just super tilted. I won about $30 playing PLO - at the highest stakes I've ever sat. Why did I do that? Just super tilted. I was playing bigger and playing worse.
I will just go back to the normal grind. I feel good that I have a check coming. Something to show that this is all actually worth something. I still feel like I should do something specific with it so that I have something that's actually tangible from my poker playing. I never know what to get though.
Monday, March 1, 2010
the $2.20 MTTs
These are becoming my nemisis. When I have time, there are two that run every night. One at 10pm and one at 11pm. They are exactly the same - usually the first one has a few more entrants. They are regular, 9-person games, standard 1500 stacks, and standard blinds.
In the past 2 or three weeks, I have finished 19, 20, 21, 21 for like (almost) no money. The last one I busted, I should post the hand, but basically the SB raised me and I had ATss in the BB and shoved way over. I was covered, and the guy fucking called with A7. Hit the 7 on the flop, and added another 7 on the river to kick me in the balls.
One of these days, I will run deep. Nice to get there consistently though. I feel like I'm learning to navigate the fields better. They are usually just rollercoasters though. Just a constant up and down.
February was a good month. One of the most profitable ones that I've had in a while. Basically won a couple $5 SNGs and that was the difference. Just signed up for an upto $50 cash bonus (Depending on how many points I get), but hopefully, I can maximize that and stay on the good run I've been on. If all goes well, I think I might be able to eek out $10 of the possible $50.
In the past 2 or three weeks, I have finished 19, 20, 21, 21 for like (almost) no money. The last one I busted, I should post the hand, but basically the SB raised me and I had ATss in the BB and shoved way over. I was covered, and the guy fucking called with A7. Hit the 7 on the flop, and added another 7 on the river to kick me in the balls.
One of these days, I will run deep. Nice to get there consistently though. I feel like I'm learning to navigate the fields better. They are usually just rollercoasters though. Just a constant up and down.
February was a good month. One of the most profitable ones that I've had in a while. Basically won a couple $5 SNGs and that was the difference. Just signed up for an upto $50 cash bonus (Depending on how many points I get), but hopefully, I can maximize that and stay on the good run I've been on. If all goes well, I think I might be able to eek out $10 of the possible $50.
Tuesday, February 16, 2010
Rakeback - status
So it's been just over a half a year since I've gotten rakeback. Going into it, I thought if I got $50 a year, that would be a nice little uptick. So far, I've gotten $43, so I'm pretty far ahead of my admittedly conservative estimate. A couple observations:
1. I'm not using FTP points anymore to get tournament dollars. In the course of a given year, I'd probably use my points to get somewhere between $25-$35 worth of tournament buy ins through satellites. That's gone now.
2. The little deposits into my account probably mask some mediocre play. It probably suggests to me in my brain that I am playing better than I actually am. My sharkscope graph has been almost completely level for quite some time, but if you factor in the $30 or so dollars I've made in rakeback over that time, it's probably consistent with my career arc.
3. FTP has some really cool stuff that I'd like to purchase if I ever got the points to do it. I've never had this many points before (I have just over 2000), but with rakeback, I'm probably never going to use them.
1. I'm not using FTP points anymore to get tournament dollars. In the course of a given year, I'd probably use my points to get somewhere between $25-$35 worth of tournament buy ins through satellites. That's gone now.
2. The little deposits into my account probably mask some mediocre play. It probably suggests to me in my brain that I am playing better than I actually am. My sharkscope graph has been almost completely level for quite some time, but if you factor in the $30 or so dollars I've made in rakeback over that time, it's probably consistent with my career arc.
3. FTP has some really cool stuff that I'd like to purchase if I ever got the points to do it. I've never had this many points before (I have just over 2000), but with rakeback, I'm probably never going to use them.
Thursday, February 4, 2010
Late Update
Avenged Sevenfold put together a great video tribute to Jimmy Chamberlain on their website.
Poker has been ok recently. Went deep in a $1 turbo only to needlessly flame out with T8ss and bust in 68th place.
I'm starting to play more superturbo heads up. Heads up, as it is, is pretty much gambling. This kind of stuff gives me a low-stakes gambling-type fix, although I think I'm turning a profit in these babies.
Just wrapped up a murder trial. The jury's still out. That's the reason I haven't played much in January. Perhaps some more play this month.
Poker has been ok recently. Went deep in a $1 turbo only to needlessly flame out with T8ss and bust in 68th place.
I'm starting to play more superturbo heads up. Heads up, as it is, is pretty much gambling. This kind of stuff gives me a low-stakes gambling-type fix, although I think I'm turning a profit in these babies.
Just wrapped up a murder trial. The jury's still out. That's the reason I haven't played much in January. Perhaps some more play this month.
Friday, January 8, 2010
The Rev is dead
Jimmy Sullivan, also known as the Revered Tholomew Plague, is dead. So disappointing.
I have always maintained that the Rev was an alien that came here from outer space. And having other-worldly talents, he could have done whatever he wanted to in this world, so he chose a life that would be the most fun - being a drummer in a rock band.
In all seriousness, the Rev - a person whose existence I had no knowledge of just two and a half years ago and have never met or seen in person - has had an impact on my life. He got me inspired to play the drums again. A7x is the first band that I've liked as much as the bands that I used to listen to since...the back when I used to listen to those bands. Jimmy was a huge part of that band - more than just a drummer in a rock band - he wrote entire songs, brought concepts to the table, and did some singing.
What an incredibly creative and talented person. His approach to rock drumming just blew my mind. The concepts that he would come up with were just different, and everything he did was just interesting. It was interesting to listen to. It was interesting to figure out. It was interesting to try and figure out how and why he was doing certain things. Nothing was haphazard. Everything was well thought out, but not with rigid calculus. It was inspiring.
Except for Strength of the World, which is just a bad song.
When I talk about "his approach", I'm talking about a lot of things. One of the most creative guys on the double bass without a doubt. Not just machine-gunning 16ths or triplets, but breaking it up and making it groove and making the songs "crackle". He could also machine gun them with the best of them. Songs 2, 3, and 5 on City of Evil are quintessential Rev. The other thing he was good at was incorporating interesting sticking patterns. Some of the double ride/hi-hat stuff was pretty intricate. I wonder how he picked up that stuff. Some of that stuff I know how to do from doing marching band and some of the rudimentary stuff that I used to work on for drum lessons. I wonder how he picked up on that stuff.
I honestly wonder what the Rev did in his youth to get that good. What bands did he used to listen to? What approach did he take to their songs? What did he used to work on when he sat down at the kit? From the videos on the band, it just seemed like Jimmy was homeless from middle school on. He was a weird dude who wore kimonos and shit to school. Lived in vans or in buildings that were under construction - wherever he could find a home. And in all this, he became an incredible musician - truly original in so many aspects of his life, and music.
When I hear him play now, there is a tinge of sadness. The most disappointing part about it is that we will never be able to hear what he was going to do next. That is what I was looking forward to the most. It's like a beautiful, gifted light in the world has just suddenly been switched off.
I wish for good things for the band, although I think they're done and I think they think they're done. The band was all good friends through high school. You don't make those type of connections later in life. If they get a new drummer, it will sound mechanical. It will just be a guy playing drum parts. Jimmy helped mold the A7x sound.
Ideally, I'd like to see a guy like Vinnie Paul step in and take over. I think the bands had/have a lot in common, and musically, they're good fits. Each entity is missing what the other has. I think there'd be a mutual respect. But the generation gap I think is just far too wide. And I'm not sure Vinnie would have the motivation to learn all the A7x stuff (that is, if he doesn't know it already). Vinnie could always play crushing metal-grooves and has sick double bass skills.
Ahhh...we call can dream I guess. It was nice to be able to enjoy music, especially metal music, the way I used to enjoy music. There had been a sonic void in my life for such a long time. Unfortunately, it's here again. RIP REV.
I have always maintained that the Rev was an alien that came here from outer space. And having other-worldly talents, he could have done whatever he wanted to in this world, so he chose a life that would be the most fun - being a drummer in a rock band.
In all seriousness, the Rev - a person whose existence I had no knowledge of just two and a half years ago and have never met or seen in person - has had an impact on my life. He got me inspired to play the drums again. A7x is the first band that I've liked as much as the bands that I used to listen to since...the back when I used to listen to those bands. Jimmy was a huge part of that band - more than just a drummer in a rock band - he wrote entire songs, brought concepts to the table, and did some singing.
What an incredibly creative and talented person. His approach to rock drumming just blew my mind. The concepts that he would come up with were just different, and everything he did was just interesting. It was interesting to listen to. It was interesting to figure out. It was interesting to try and figure out how and why he was doing certain things. Nothing was haphazard. Everything was well thought out, but not with rigid calculus. It was inspiring.
Except for Strength of the World, which is just a bad song.
When I talk about "his approach", I'm talking about a lot of things. One of the most creative guys on the double bass without a doubt. Not just machine-gunning 16ths or triplets, but breaking it up and making it groove and making the songs "crackle". He could also machine gun them with the best of them. Songs 2, 3, and 5 on City of Evil are quintessential Rev. The other thing he was good at was incorporating interesting sticking patterns. Some of the double ride/hi-hat stuff was pretty intricate. I wonder how he picked up that stuff. Some of that stuff I know how to do from doing marching band and some of the rudimentary stuff that I used to work on for drum lessons. I wonder how he picked up on that stuff.
I honestly wonder what the Rev did in his youth to get that good. What bands did he used to listen to? What approach did he take to their songs? What did he used to work on when he sat down at the kit? From the videos on the band, it just seemed like Jimmy was homeless from middle school on. He was a weird dude who wore kimonos and shit to school. Lived in vans or in buildings that were under construction - wherever he could find a home. And in all this, he became an incredible musician - truly original in so many aspects of his life, and music.
When I hear him play now, there is a tinge of sadness. The most disappointing part about it is that we will never be able to hear what he was going to do next. That is what I was looking forward to the most. It's like a beautiful, gifted light in the world has just suddenly been switched off.
I wish for good things for the band, although I think they're done and I think they think they're done. The band was all good friends through high school. You don't make those type of connections later in life. If they get a new drummer, it will sound mechanical. It will just be a guy playing drum parts. Jimmy helped mold the A7x sound.
Ideally, I'd like to see a guy like Vinnie Paul step in and take over. I think the bands had/have a lot in common, and musically, they're good fits. Each entity is missing what the other has. I think there'd be a mutual respect. But the generation gap I think is just far too wide. And I'm not sure Vinnie would have the motivation to learn all the A7x stuff (that is, if he doesn't know it already). Vinnie could always play crushing metal-grooves and has sick double bass skills.
Ahhh...we call can dream I guess. It was nice to be able to enjoy music, especially metal music, the way I used to enjoy music. There had been a sonic void in my life for such a long time. Unfortunately, it's here again. RIP REV.
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