Been taking time off poker lately since I've gotten back from L.A. (Okay, I did enter some events on Sunday, but after busting out of the two biggest ones after getting my money in as a big favorite in big pots, I said "fuck this" and quit. It's just as well; I certainly wasn't at my sharpest that day.

That's the only thing I've played since I left, though.) Mostly I've been just hanging out with friends, nothing too exciting. Looking for a place to call home in Houston the next few months (and possibly beyond, depending on where my life takes me).

One thing I have been doing is finding other stuff to keep me occupied and mentally sharp. I haven't been sitting around watching TV-- there's been chess, basketball, gonggi, yoga, and more. The physical stuff helps, too-- much of it involves focus, discipline, and technique, all of which comes into play at the table. And chess keeps me thinking, keeps my mind active, without burning out-- it's like changing the workout you do for a certain muscle group. It's not growing as much, it's becoming too specialized, so switch up its routine to get it back on track and sharp.

I've also been reading Tommy Angelo's The Elements of Poker. I didn't really know much about him beforehand, but after reading him I can see why so many people wanted him as a coach and value his advice. His approach to the game is almost zen.

Well, that's about all I have for now. I'll keep you posted as things develop. I may hit the live circuit again in a month or so. We'll see.

I feel a need to get back home. I've had enough of poker and enough living in a casino.

I didn't really even get to see Los Angeles-- just like last year. And while I played well early, I felt my game slipping as it became more and more difficult to eat right and exercise. I can already feel the effects after not even ten days.

I realized just how much better I feel when I'm living right. It's damn near impossible to do on the road. I need a consortium of likeminded players who seek to stay healthy and active while they're traveling the circuit.

Anyway, I need to get back to that. The 10/20 did not treat me well; I did not play well. No más.

Most of them think I played it fine. I disagree, because my initial instinct was to squeeze preflop, and I strive to always trust that first. But it is a good reassurance that the mistakes I made this trip weren't big mistakes-- either small pots or close, tough decisions.

I won my first pot at showdown of the entire tournament at the 200/400/50 level. Then the next level I screwed up PF when gbecks opened 1800 in the CO and Fred Goldberg called the button. I had 66 in the BB and should have made it 7800 like my first instinct told me to; instead I flat called. Led 4k on a 432cc flop and gbecks called; when he shoved 2x pot on the 9d turn I thought it through and decided some sort of combo draw was his most likely hand and called. No, he had A5. The 6 turn just added insult to injury.

Just another painful reminder that one mistake is all it takes.

I'll probably play some cash for the next few days and then take off. Lingering around after a bustout is no fun.

edit: I had about 25k on my bustout hand.

I have 16,300 chips. I would very much like to have more but Michael Mizrachi runs like god against me postflop. To wit:

(all of these hands happened after the dinner break)

100/200/25. Nam Le limps in EP, another guy limps, I limp 74hh two off the button, SB completes, Grinder checks the BB. Flop is Q62 with two hearts. Grinder bets 625, I call, SB calls. Turn is 5h. Checks to me and I bet 1700. Only Grinder calls, and when the 9h hits the river he donks out 2k or so. sigh. I just fold, although maybe I should have bluff-raised. My hand isn't good anymore, anyway.

150/300/50. Grinder limps UTG, two off the button limps, I have KK on the button (side note, the first time I've picked up kings this entire trip) and make it 1700. Grinder calls and other limper folds. Flop comes Ah9h9x. Grinder donks 2500. Sigh. In frustration I call to see if he'll fire the turn. He shoves in his last 7500 or so on a 3h turn and even if I have "nut" outs I can't really fade that.

Later on, he limps, couple more limpers, I check KTo in the BB. Flop comes K72 with two clubs. I check because Grinder's always betting here; he bets 700, all fold, I call. Turn 4c and I lead 1600 (partly for value and partly to shut down action now that the board's getting scary). He thinks for a little while and calls. River is the 5c. Awesome. I wonder about bluffing here, but I have no idea how light he's willing to call me down. So I check, he thinks and checks and tables 42hh. Sweet.

I didn't pick up too many big hands, and every time I did I either won the blinds or got cracked. Here are the only other two interesting "big hands" I had.

25/50 still-- I pick up red QQ UTG and make it 200. UTG+1 calls; BB (by now the clear fish at the table) makes it 600. Yeah, looks like we're playing for a set here. I call and so does UTG+1. Flop is T97 with two diamonds and the BB leads for 2000. I drop it like it's hot; obviously he shows aces after the hand.

Now later at 150/300/50, two to my right limps and I try to make it 1300 with AQhh but grab a 500 chip instead of a 1k so it's only 800. Grinder makes it 2600 from the SB and my plan there is to just call and shove a lot of flops. Then the limper makes it something like 7500 cold. (This is the third time he's limp-reraised.) Now it's clear fold; Grinder also folds and the limper shows 33. He tells Grinder "I thought you were making a move because his raise was weak." Sigh. Who the hell knows what happens there if I make a normal raise.

I'm really tired right now. Every other tournament has started at 3:30 PM and played until 3:30 AM, which meant, despite the fact that I was getting up regularly between 10 and 11 Central time before I came here, I'm now suddenly on a 6 AM - 2 PM sleep schedule. And then they spring a 12:30 start on us. At least I registered the night before so I didn't have to get up early to do so, but I still got maybe 5 hours of sleep.

At least we only played five levels. And I didn't make any horrible mistakes. Gonna just rest tonight and come back refreshed tomorrow, hopefully with a better table draw. And running better.

Also, today was the first time I actually ate food on my dinner break, and I managed to drop 35% of my stack afterward (in just under two levels). I'm never eating dinner again. (I didn't even eat anything heavy or get sluggish. Food just makes me run bad.)