Welcome mobsters, if you are reading this blog for the very first time, I thank you for your initial interest. I think that if you give it a little time, you will find something that will peak your interest.
I am a semi-pro poker player and an author. I am currently working on several projects for publication, and will be discussing them on occasion in this blog. If you are a fan then I warn you, from time to time there will be spoiler book ideas discussed.
Section 1: Poker Tips & Concepts
Today's tip is a very important one for all you Multi Table Tournament fans out there. I cannot stress to you enough that all Mtt's are not created equal. The blind structure of a tournament can totally change its overall dynamic. You cannot play a hyper turbo with 5 minute blinds, the same way you play a regular tournament with a 10 or 15 minute blind structure.
I know some of you are thinking,
"No kidding dude, you think we are stupid?"
No I do not. However, I have been asked time and again by new players why they cannot seem do win in certain types of tournaments. Tournaments with a fast blind structure must be played more aggressively with a wider starting hand range.
Successful turbo players must be prepared to expect to endure a lot more negative variance and longer downswings. This will require you to have a much larger operational bankroll.
Section 2: "Ronin's Bankroll Management Challenge"
Well this section is going to be familiar to the forum regulars as I have been running this section for awhile in the forums, It is about the single most important skill a poker player must have in their arsenal in order to be a successful winning player.
Bankroll Management has been estimated to be the single most neglected poker skill by almost 95% of all players. Countless books have been written on the subject, and yet most players most often just ignore the rules of proper bankroll management.
I too fall into this trap at times.
This section is intended to show how proper bankroll management can ensure that and good poker player who approaches his bankroll and poker play from a solid and disciplined position can succeed.
It also is intended to help me to remain focus and discipline in my own bankroll quest to succeed.
The 1st part of the year in 2014 will see me discussing heavily the results of a combined staking run between myself and a fellow mobster. (His name will be withheld to keep people from asking him for stakes which he does not need the grief from)
Section 3: The daily rant.
Well I have notice that my personal support workers are on both ends of the spectrum. One is always late, does a fantastic job cleaning me up, and we have developed a very personal close friendship, the other is always early, does a passable job cleaning me up, but maintains a very professional attitude about work and follows the company rules much more closely about not getting personally involved with her clients, she does not get overly friendly but does get the general job done.
When I look at the two support staff objectively I realize they both have their strength's and weaknesses'. I would much prefer people to be on time. I think people in general prefer to have people show up slightly before they are supposed to. Being on time for things is generally a good thing and often can mean the difference between getting a raise and not getting a raise.
If you want to maintain good working relationships with your employer's the damn well show up to work on time, and be ready to work.
Well until next time, be cool.
Section 4: The call of the Muse (Wednesday's)
This section will also be familiar to forum regulars. I am resurrecting Ronin's Short Story blog which I ran for a time. Yes mobsters I am going to write more poker based shorts here on BankrollMob.
I have decided to once again start writing in "The Bluff - A Poker Short Story".
I will re-post the entire story here in this new blog area along with a new section in the next few hours.
I apologize to Steve's fans for the long wait.
I hope you enjoy the new blog area.
The Bluff - A Poker Short Story
Chapter 1, Part #1
Sweat beaded along Steve's forehead as he looked at his dwindling chip stack. He knew that MTT's were marathons and not sprints and God knows he had played his share of tournaments lately, but damn this one had been one hell of a monster roller coaster ride. Everything started out so well, and it went to crap so fast is all he could think to himself.
Steve had been card dead for the last 40 minutes and the blinds after 3.5 hours of play had grown to 5K/10k with a 1K anti every hand and the last 40 minutes had seen his beautiful chip stack get reduced down to just over 13500 chips. The blinds were going to increase again soon and he was getting so close to the money if only he could hold on to at least get his $22 buy in back.
Slow playing every hand by running every second of his decision clock for the last twenty minutes slowed the bleeding down to a trickle. Now with just 6 places to go until the money he wakes up with pocket kings, knowing the blinds will take him out in two hands if he folds he has no choice but to play the kings and hope for the best. The first to act is a Russian moron who loves to play every hand and almost never folds, and Steve can't understand how this suck out king even lasted to this point in the tournament.
The damned Russian bastard shoves all in pre-flop for $136564 chips, Oh God damn it Steve is unable to keep himself from cursing out load, He knows he has to call this moron who is probably bluffing, even though the bastard has been caught shoving with any two freaking cards there is a sick feeling in Steve's stomach as he runs his clock and then calls, much to his relief everyone else folds and the cards are flipped over to be seen.
Steve's heart begins to soar when he sees the Russians hole cards are a Queen diamonds and an 8 of clubs, so his two red Kings are a huge favorite to win. The flop comes out 9c 10c 7c, Steve's heart begins to sink as he realizes the Russian now has a straight flush draw, a flush draw and an open ended straight draw. So many ways for him to lose he does not even bother to count all the damned outs.
The turn comes out and it is a 10h and Steve sees a little hope as he begins screaming,
"King 10, King 10, King 10" at his monitor screen begging, no pleading for a boat.
The river card comes down and it is an Ace of Spades.
"Damn it" Steve shoats, but then realizes it not a club so his kings just held up.
Steve throws his arms up and yells,
"Yes! Oh thank you God, I'm going to make the money",
With a tremendous sense of relief he watched the chips slide across his screen and into his chip stack. His next two cards got dealt to him and he was looking at an Ace of spades and 9 of hearts which he ran his clock on before folding.
Steve was somewhat antsy as he looked at his two new hold cards. They were the Ace & King of hearts. The tournament was still literally on the button. The last eight hands had all been hand for hand play as they were exactly one away from the money; several players were desperately trying to hold out to get their buy-ins back. Steve could not remember the last time he played in a tournament which had gone so long on the button. He was in good shape to make the money if he just was patient. He was in middle position with four hands to go before the big blind cost him 12K in chips, and although the ante was currently 1.5K each hand, he felt ok considering.
He breathed deeply and started talking things through to help himself make a decision. He did keep his voice lowered as to not wake up his girlfriend Amber who was asleep and needed to work in the morning. The First player to act was a really nice player from the United Kingdom, he had a note on him about being a solid player and a great fellow at a table, and he opened with a standard 3 bet.
Steve spoke "Ok buddy, nice standard raise there so not a lot of info to be gained there, but you did stay in the hand so I'm going to put you on a pair of 10's or better or big suited connectors."
The next player was new to the table last hand and he knew nothing about this guy. The UTG+1 re-raised to six big blinds very fast it might have been hot keyed.
Speaking again,
"Well that sucks, I wish I knew something about you, but I got nothing on you. Where are you from bud?"
Sliding his mouse pointer over top the player told him the new player was from Canada, which really did not set off major alarms. The next to act was Steve's favorite moron at the table, the Russian whom he just loved to hate. The Russian shoved all in pre flop for the 5th straight hand which was a bet of $112674 chips. It was Steve's turn to act and he spoke to himself quickly as his clocked ticked down.
"Ok well I got great cards but we are on the button, and how many times have I lost on the button with these kinds of cards? Too many times to count, all I got in the pot is the ante, Oh shit the tournament lobby is showing the smallest stack is $0 chips so someone has busted out. If I fold I am guaranteed to money. If I risk it all and lose I might still miss out. Screw it I'm going to play it safe and at least get my buy-in back with a small profit."
Having thought things through Steve folded his Ace King and watched the hand. The hand ended up having 4 players involved.
The flop came down and Steve had to smile to himself it was the 6c 7d 4s
The turn was the 7s
The river was the Jh
The winner of the hand was the player from the United Kingdom with pocket Jacks, Which turned into a nice little boat. A boat that cracked the Canadian's pocket Aces wide open. The truly great thing was the Russian was just eliminated which just made Steve's night.
Steve folded the next 3 hands after running his clock to the very last second which was a winning technique which he learned playing in the Poker stars online poker school. He had been reading a lot of poker books and forums lately however and people general seemed to think it was a bad idea to play in this kind of passive way in a multi table tournament. Regardless it had got him to the money several times and even to a final table twice this month. The continued slow play seemed to frustrate some players to no end, and they would often call him with weaker hands just to try and knock him out of the tournament.
The big blind arrived and Steve looked at his cards with mixed delight. The pocket Kings were looking pretty, but he knew even with a shove from him people would call, because of his stack size and position. He could have such a huge shove range the players would call him with almost any two cards. If the kings managed to hold up he would make much needed chips for sure.
The first three players to act all folded and then finally the player from the United Kingdom made a standard 3-bet which got a re-raise from a new player from France. The next player to call was the small blind and Steve shoved all his chips into the middle. He was all in with his very tournament life on the line. He spoke to himself,
"Well Steve my son there's a lot worse cards to make a stand with then pocket Kings. May the Gods be kind?"
It was a four handed pot which was going to increase Steve's stack size by five times if he managed to win. He was holding his breath. The cards began to hit the table, and the flop was not very helpful to Steve it was Ace of diamonds, 5 of hearts, 5 of clubs.
The player from the UK just checked but the dude from France bet 30K in chips which the small blind called instantly, as the UK player folded. Steve exhaled heavily and said to himself,
"Well damn, I guess I am toast now, one of them definitely has an Ace and my Kings are now smoked."
The turn card came out and it was an 8 of clubs, which was no help to any buddy. The guy from France bet 50K and the small blind that was the largest stack at the table shoved all in. The guy from France hesitated for about 8 seconds before calling.
The river card hit the table and Steve nearly fell out of his chair, it was the most beautiful King of spades he had ever seen. He just got a river boat and most likely a huge ass suck out along with it. He was speechless as he watched with glee as the cards were all revealed. Looking at the cards he could not believe what he was seeing.
Steve had to blink twice and take a breath; it was a royal reaming in the extreme which he could hardly believe. The dude from France had turned over an Ace and Queen of Clubs, so his read on him was correct about having an Ace. The small blind however had a pocket pair. Thank God they were 8's and not 5's. The small blind had a full house, Eights over fives.
So until later mates.
Section 5: The Escape
Welcome to what for me might very well be the most difficult section of the blog to write on a daily bases. In this section, I will attempt to keep a detailed food intake log, as well as an honest accounting of a daily exercise routine, which hopefully will move me steadily towards the goal of getting physically healthy.
In May 2013 I was admitted into hospital and they weight me at that time at the weight of 602 lbs. I spent 64 days in the hospital and during that time they had me on an 1800 calorie a day diabetic diet. On the day I was released from the hospital I was weighted at 542 lbs.
During the 1st month my weight climbed back upward to 158 lbs again.
I became very depressed about this and honestly just wanted to die. I could not see my life getting better and was constantly in extreme pain which required me to take a lot of pain medications just to stay somewhat functional.
I decided to lose weight even if it killed me. In October I began, and in November I was weighted at 536 lbs. I have not been weight since.
In December I completely went off the rails and I am convinced that I regained some weight back. I plan to get weight very soon in order to have a truer starting number to once again begin working from. I believe that I am right around 550 lbs again, I have a 74" waist and ware an 8X T-Shirt.
It is humiliating to admit these facts but I fell I must be honest with you all of why even bother with this section, my hope is that by making myself accountable to my fellow BankrollMob members that it will motivate me to succeed this time unlike past failures.
The exercise levels for the day were not great, as I was in a lot of pain. I did however walk to and from my door to my bed several times, and also did a small work out with hand weights. I also did some seated exercises. Looking back at the day, I think I probably took in more calories then I exercised away. Will do better tomorrow, I really need to work on my diet and exercise routine. I am at least being honest about what I have done, and realize I MUST do better. It all comes in baby steps and at least I am trying.
I am going to develop a better way of keeping the daily food intake log. I need to have a much better record of the calories which I am truly eating.
I have been working on this issue since the 1st of January, 2014 but I have not really been having as much success as I would like. I am thinking about counselling from a dietitian to get me food choices improved, going to do some investigation on YouTube about healthy eating.
Wanna blog for bankrollmob? Simply send an e-mail to [email protected] with a few words about yourself (Name, age, interests etc) along with a complete blog post (doesn't have to be a new one).
great read though, cant wait for your next blogs 
