Variance rollercoaster is on the decent...

I had been running good and playing good in the cash games the past several months, but it looks like that has tailed off. It kind of pisses me off because I can over analyze hands, and try to find out where my leaks are...and I can find them. The problem is that what some people call "Variance"...I feel is just terrible play. As an example, I am sitting with around $200.00 at Shorty's in a cash game and look down at KK and I raise to $35.00. There is a re-raise to $75.00. I can't see putting almost half my stack in without getting it all in...so I shove...dude calls with AKo and hits an Ace on the turn. Most people would think that the hand "plays itself"...That I got my money in with the best of it...70-30...oh well...it happens. But lets look at what would have happened if I smooth call the $75.00 and open shoved post flop. The AKo can't normally call there. Thats the kind of mistakes I have been making.

Booked a loser at the Amelia Belle on Monday...got the last of my chips in terrible. In fact, I played great poker and self destructed and lost my stack in a matter of 5 min. Theres a pf raise to $15.00 with 5 callers and I held KdJd. Flop comes out 9d10dAh. UTG fires out $25.00 and a caller to me...I shove my last $110.00 in the pot. Dinger calls behind me as does the button...the 2 people betting and calling the $25.00 fold. 3 players in getting almost 3 to1 on my money with a flush and gutterball draws with a straight flush re-draw...only problem was Dinger has Ad4d to kill most of my outs...see ya.

Booked a loser in Coushatta. I made one of the worst calls I have made in a long time. There is this guy from Texas thats had on his finger a "Replica" Superbowl ring (Thats another story) with about $900.00 in front of him. 3 hours in I limp from the button with 5 other players with As5s. Flop comes out Ac9h4c. Ringwraith fires $20.00 at the pot and I am the only one that calls. Turn...a pretty 5d. Ringwraith again fires a 20 spot and I raise to $60.00...he smooths. Now the dealer peals out the Qc and the dealer hasn't even taken his hand off the card yet and he says "Im all in". I mean it was instant. I went in the tank and talk my way thru the hand, "Sir...Why would you bet so much?"...I can't figure it out. There were so many hands out there that beat me...I was sick. I say, "Sir, you either have the stone cold nuts ...or nothing". I was passing up the "Strong means Weak" tell to fold and I started to make a move with my cards towards the muck...and he jumped and acted relived that I was folding..."I call", I say...he tables KcJc...at least I was right about something ;-). That is a must laydown for me. I know better than to make that call. I didn't have alot invested, and I still would have ample stackage to play with.

Also booked a loser at Shorty's today. Had Kings cracked twice and flopped 2 pair twice with my opponents rivering a straight and flush. I think I played too many hands though.

It was one of those ..."You run bad...so you play bad" scenarios. I am still up in my cash play in 09' but this little run really brought me back to reality...and sent me back to the books.

On a personal note...My 3 week old little niece is in Children's Hospital in New Orleans fighting for her life...please keep my family in your prayers.

"The most important thing in life....is family" The Spanish Detective to Creasy in "Man on Fire"