Thank God for Valtrex!

30 September 2008, 62F and nice

Strange title, I know...but there is method to this madness. Yesterday, I went to see the doctor about some excruciating and piercing pain in my lower back. Turns out a have a damaged disc, and just need to do some stretching and loosening exercises (along with losing some weight). I then explained that I had been having some other piercing pain in my temple. So he looked, and found some bumps on my forehead near the location of the pain, and gave me a surprise...the shingles! So, now I have insanely painful lower back issues, and what seems to be pain like a migraine from the shingles. I thought shingles was reserved for people much older than I (being 31), but it can be a manifestation of too much stress in one's (my) life which causes a weakened immune system. So trying to wear all the hats that I have (student, stay-at-home dad, husband, MLB scoreboard operator, etc) has left me with no energy, pain and a few bumps on my head! As a note: apparently the chickenpox, the shingles and genital herpes are all related (herpes family), so I get to take Valtrex for a week. And MAN is that stuff expensive (about $11 per pill).

As for the month in poker, I had a few more blowups, where I put nearly my whole bankroll at risk. Every time I do this, I always seem to win back the losses I have incurred playing at levels I shouldn't be playing at. I really have to chalk it up to luck, because skill just doesn't seem to be a logical explanation. Especially when winning my first $2/$4 PLO pot ever. I was playing from the BB (5-handed). UTG has been spouting off about the horrible play as I sat down, and thought that he might be tilting a bit. He potted from UTG, and the button calls before I decide to call. The flop comes , giving me an open ended straight draw and a flush draw. The pot is $44, and I bet $30 into it, UTG aggressor pots it to $112, dealer folds, and I tank for a bit (as much as on-line allows). The turn came , now giving me two pair, with an open ended straight draw and a flush draw. I thought that I had about 18 outs based on his range...thought he could have aces, or that he was just being angry aggressive. I checked, he went all-in, and I again tanked before calling. He had for two pair (2s and 7s). the hit on the river, leaving us both the same, and me to win a $674 pot. Since I don't know Omaha THAT well, I'm not sure how good this play was. I'm not too upset about calling the pre-flop raise double suited with a lot of straight cards. Anyhow, it's a game I want to learn, and will probably play more often once my bankroll gets a bit bigger (never been nigger...see below).

I have been playing a lot of $2/$4 FLHE 6-max lately, and have noticed that I need to adjust my play again. Before, at the lower limits, players didn't bluff alot, and making reads was pretty easy. Now it is much tougher, as the play is better. I have seen some moves that I hadn't seen much before (like 2- or 3-betting two suited cards on the flop). Also, they are better players, so bluffs will work more often, and good hands can be sniffed out a bit easier (they will not call down light or with air as much). I am currently adjusting my game, despite having made some significant financial progress over the past month. I AGAIN seem to notice that I don't play as well at night (because I'm tired), and that I still have that bad habit of playing too loose when I'm down in a session. As I try to tighten up the ship...here are my monthly stats:

MONTHLY TOTALS (September 2008)
My play: +$308.24
Bonus: +$150.00
Overall: +$458.24

OVERALL TOTALS (since 1 May 2007)
My play: +$592.45
Bonus: +$619.04
Overall: +$1,211.49 (All-time high of $1,211.49 on 30 September 2008)

--polishweasel