Money management / Trend?

City of Melbourne snooker Championship is on this weekend, but I am not playing in it. As I said before, I am not going to donate to Neil Robinson's snooker fund. Bow-tie, self refereeing is also an issue. I want to make it clear, I have nothing against Neil, but I prefer donating to local snooker players whom they will represent Australia overseas. Master Gee draw a tough group. He won't qualify 1st in his group coz Neil is in there, and he need to beat Sam Fishy and Steve Cain to qualify. Then most likely he will bump into Roger Leighton. Tough break master! Vinny "the GIMP" Calabrese headed to England last Sunday. This time he will stay there for 11 months. Good luck Vinny! I beleive you can make it.

As my snooker goes, I played allright on Wed night. We had a 9-9 draw with Brunswick (BOBO) and I won my match 3-0 against Bully. My 1/2 table potting and positioning was good, but I am still missing the long pots. Guess I need to spend more time on my long potting.

I have started playing a bit more on PS this week. After a short break from the table, I feel that I am as fresh as ever. 2 weeks ago when I had prop bet with Superman, my PS mojo was only $88. The last couple of days, I guess Pokerstars really miss me a lot. Most of my big hands held up, lost a few hands against mushroom stack but managed to win the side pot. Although I didn't scoop, but still had a minor profit in the hand. I gave away a huge suck-out 1 night in a NLH 25/50c table. I was UTG with JJ. I was short, with only about $15 in front of me. I raised to $1.50 UTG with JJ. The next guy flat call me. Folded around to MP pop to $5.50. At that moment, I knew I couldn't flat call, either shove or fold. If my stack a bit bigger, I might just call. I shoved all-in for $15+, all of the sudden the next guy also shoved for $40. MP went to tank and called his whole stack for a touch less. Flop As Js 7d, turn 6c, river 9c. I scooped the main pot with JJJ, UTG+1 had KK and MP had AK. Finally got a break!

After killing the $30/$60 limit Holdem, Master Buck has cooled off a bit lately. He lost a bit in the $50/$100 limit, and haven't seen him since. I guess he withdraw part of his winnings and rolled the rest. That's good money management! Speaking of money management, right now I am trying my own system. So far the result is good. Here are the rules I set to myself:

1) Only allow to play 10/25c PLO, or 25/50c NLH, 50c/$1 on all other limit games (Stud, H/L etc)
2) In each table, I am allowed to re-buy once. No re-buy/top up allow in limit games
3) For NLH or PLO, I can only buy-in for 50 to 60 BB, allow to top-up/re-buy only once for same amount (50/60 BB). Buy-in for 20 BB in all limit games
4) In limit games, once you double up from your starting stack. You can either leave the table or keep on playing. Once your stack drop below 2X your starting stack, you must leave.
5) For NL or PL, same rule apply for your first buy-in. For your 2nd buy-in, once you break even at the table, you must leave.
6) Must leave if stack reach 4 times your buy-in.
7) Does not apply to Crown. The game is just to loose over there. People will give you all kind of actions when you have the nuts.

So far I am doing OK using this system. Manage to build my bankroll from $80 to $370 in 2 weeks (OK! I do admitted I got lucky in 2 sessions). This system is to limit your swing on your bankroll. If you are able to win 3 out of 5 sessions, you should able to win in a long run. I can always play in higher limits, only if I am comfortable sitting at those tables and need at least 15 buy-ins or more in my bankroll.

During one of my session a few nights ago, I bumped into Master Chan at 25c/50c NLH table. WTF was he doing in there? I remember he used to say this to me, " You must play at least $1/$2 NLH in PS. In those lower limits, there are just too many fishes. Everytime you bet, they would not fold. Most of the time, they will call you down! But in the higher limits, people are more willing to fold, so everytime I bet big at the end, I usually win!" Based on this conversation, I realized several things. Master Chan is a big bluffer. As bluffing is a very dishonest act, so I can now conclude he is a very dishonest person! Still, why is he sitting in such a low stake table? Is it because the Neverlose Effect? As far as I know, Donohoe has already follow his footstep in snooker, so Master Chan might be next. It wouldn't surprise me at all, all three guys have similar personalities. They always brag how good they are in their respective field. Blah! Blah! Blah! Why are they so good? That's why I always think Master Gee is a better person, and that's why I worship him. We all know he is good, but at the same time he is very humble as well. I would like to hang around with him, but unfortunately, hes just too busy socializing with the MOPS.

I sat down in his table, sitting directly to his right. So he had position on me most of the way. Since he has been doing so well recently, obviously I am eyeing on his stack. I don't mind sitting on his right coz I know most of the time he will bet with nothing. So I can play my hand aggressively thru check/calling all the way (ATC). In the first 1/2 hour, I didn't play much due to card dead. Manage to win a few small pots to maintain my stack. Master Chan didn't recognize I had been there for so long until this hand came up. UTG +1 pop to $1.50. All folded to me and called with KhJh. Master Chan also called for value (he simply Neverfold a hand in raise pot + 1 caller). All other folded, 3 way action. Flop Ac 5c 6d. UTG checked, I try to steal the pot with a $2.50 bet. Master Chan called (obviously, especially an Ace on the board), UTG fold. Turn Jd, I still felt that I'm in front, so I value bet $3.50. Master Chan could have anything, coz he is sort of guy calling pre-flop with 10 5 sthooted. Master Chan flat call again. River 7d. I check the river, coz I knew he would bet. He bet $7 on the river, easy call for me coz I didn't put him on an Ace all the way. He showed AdQd for the nuts. Damn! I top up for another $30. 1 round later had AA in the BB. MP pop to $1.50, 1 caller, I pop to $5.50, MP called, CO fold. Flop Ah Jc 8c. I lead out for $3.50, MP pop to $10, I shoved, he called. Turn 5c, river 3c. I had the Ac and won with the nuts. MP had 888.

Now he realized I were at the table, and he called me to my mobile. We chatted a bit, wondering why he sat down in a small stake table like this. He told me he has been running good so far and just muck around in here, bought in for $40 thru his loose changes. He told me he won big in the $2/$4 table, called $40 raised pre-flop with 22, cracked AA when flop A22. He also told me he flop straight flush in raise pot with 67, 3 way all-in when 1 guy had Ace high flush, and the other guy had fullboat. Well somehow I couldn't track all those hands in PTR.com. Hmmm! I guess that site needs to do a better job than that.