An Adjustment slot
For the last week I've been writing lots of "session notes". I generally hate reading them when written by other people absent some nice piece of insight gleamed from the session. Judging from the lack of comments to my session notes, you generally hate reading them too. No more of that then.
I've obviously become hooked on razz again, even though right now I'm playing break-even razz. I'm not sure if the problem is: (1) I'm not executing sound razz strategy properly; (2) my sample size is too small and I'm in a bit of a bad run of cards; or (3) slot methods as outlined in Sklansky on Razz are too tight for today's online game. The only answer for now is to keep plugging away and see if my results improve.
I may also need to learn how to be more aggressive in the later stages of tournaments and to selectively gamble here and there. The limits in the nightly 2k guarantee go up quickly. There really isn't much time to fold 20 or 30 hands in a row unless you're sitting on a monster stack.
Getting Closer
Well, I finally cashed in the 2k razz tourney on my fourth try. There are roughly 100 runners each night. Previous efforts saw me finish (in this order) 60th, 24th and 19th. Tonight I was on fire. With 27 remaining, I was in first place (12 pay). Then the card death and the bricks began. My final hand, slot online limits were 800/1600 and I had only 4500 left after starting 2-4-5 on the previous hand and catching 3 bricks in a row. I was the bring-in with 3-A / 6 against a deuce, a 3, an ace and a 6. No question about it -- it was go time. My hand was very live and three of my nine pair cards were out. The ace completed, the other 6 raised, I 3-bet. The ace folded and we were heads-up, with me as a 3-to-2 favorite and ready to commit the rest of my stack on 4th. Of course, a jack for me against a 9 for him. After we got the rest of it in, he showed 4-5 / 6-9. I caught a deuce on fifth against his 7 to retake the EV lead 3-A / 6-J-2 against 4-5 / 6-9-7 (55/45) but I wouldn't be writing the post if I got there. I wound up finishing 11th, cashing for a very disappointing 2x buy-in.
..And This Is What Break-Even Looks Like
I wasn't going to play any more tonight, but then I spotted Waffles at a table so of course I had to sit down. We were later joined by Poker Enthusiast. I had a break-even session (within one big bet to either side):
For this session, I think I can say that I just wasn't getting much in the way of playable hands. Folded one pot on the river after starting 4 to a 7 and finishing with a 9-7 that was most likely no good. I might have called there... it was close. Those marginal decisions are what really make razz a tough game.
The Difference Between Winning and Losing
It was a night where lots of little things went against me:
1. I brought it in 16 times in 100 hands at a full table. Average would be 12 times. That hurt my bottom line slightly.
2. 6 times that I brought it in, nobody completed so I got a useless free 4th street. Subtracting 6 times from "Saw Fourth Street" means that I actually saw fourth street 22 times, slightly higher than yesterday (18). That's sort of irrelevant, except...
3. The total wins on 3rd/4th yesterday (5) was the same as today. It's true that I won more of those hands on fourth today than yesterday (slightly bigger pots), but I also put more money in on third today. The net was lower. That hurt my bottom line slightly.
4. I saw fifth street the same number of times (12) both days.
5. I got fewer folds on fifth tonight, meaning I had to go to sixth more frequently.
6. Last night, I was 6 for 6 when seeing sixth street. Tonight I was 4 for 9. I lost 3 pots at showdown and had to fold on 6th twice out of fear that I was drawing dead. Losing pots after they've gotten to the big streets really hurt the bottom line, especially if it goes to showdown. Tonight I was an ugly 1 for 4. I lost with a 6-5-4-3 to a 6-5-4-2, a ten (in my defense, this was against the bring-in who defended with a king and I just couldn't believe that he drew into such a good board while I drew so crappy), and a 7-6 (started 6-5-4-3 here) that lost to a 6-5 who caught running perfect cards on 6th and 7h. Average pot size was 11 big bets. If I win even one of those pots, it swings the session from a small loser to a small winner.