Live Poker

So I've played six sessions so far in my return to live cash game poker. Not sure how far I want to pursue it. The upside is the games are a ton softer. And that's kind of it. The downsides are many and varied. Which would seem to make it an easy choice, except the upside is kinda major.

Sadly, the games aren't quite as soft as it first seemed. I guess I got kinda lucky my first couple tables, both in terms of opponents and in terms of the cards falling the right way. There's only been a 2/5 or higher game running about half the time I've been there (they've only run 5/10+ when Brad Booth is there, I guess he's the designated game starter at those stakes). So a lot of the 2/5 regs play 1/2. I wouldn't say there's anybody scary there, but there are a fair number of decent players. Even still, the games are definitely cuddle bear soft compared to similar stakes online.

The two biggest reasons I'm not entirely convinced that I should dedicate myself to working on my live game are variance and convenience. Convenience is kind of obvious. You really can't beat online poker for that. It's only about a ten minute walk for me to the poker room, so that's not really an issue. But it's just a much bigger commitment to take on a live session, and you can't just take a break and watch your son trying to learn how to crawl (for example). Plus, there's a fair number of unlikeable people at the tables.

As for variance, overall it should a bit easier to overcome because my edge is bigger, but the problem of course is that over any given session (or even series of sessions) the sample size is so small that a few bad breaks are tough to overcome. I was reminded of this in a bad way today when I had what must surely be my worst ever session, luck-wise, of live poker. I was all-in seven times as a significant favorite and was sucked out on every single time. Accordingly, my profit for the previous six sessions was wiped out. I was proud of myself for not tilting too much, and it certainly doesn't affect my belief in my ability to make a go at live poker. I definitely think there's a living to be made there. But it does make me wonder if I really want to pursue it, cause sessions like this are just so ridiculous. We'll see, I guess.

Here's four of the seven hands, recapped briefly:

#1. Effective stacks 200BB. I'm in the BB on a straddle hand with QQ. It limps around to SB who goes all-in. Effective stacks are $400. Against this particular opponent, it's a snap call. He has 99 and there's a nine in the window.

#2. Effective stacks 150BB. I open 7c6c OTB, a few callers. Flop is 8c5h2c. Multiway action on the flop, I get all-in with one caller. Guy has 43o. He pairs the 3 on the turn, I don't improve.

#3. Effective stacks 175BB. Get all-in on the flop with AdTd on a Th7d6d board. Villain has KdQd. Flush doesn't arrive, he rivers a K.

#4. Effective stacks 125BB. I have T8, flop is 976. Get all-in versus 85. T on the turn. At least I chopped it, but I still said 'fuck me' when the ten binked.