The Mad Raiser Story

Before I sign off for the week, a little insight into the Mad Raiser tag I had been given at my poker baptism. At work, I came across a couple of guys talking about poker and enquired what it was about. They played this season tourney every tuesday with a pool of around 40 players and I quickly got myself into that action. Prior to this I had only played poker twice with a few folks over some beers. With so much prior experience behind me, I entered this league where there were seasoned home game players. I still remember the first tuesday I played. It was 2 full tables with $20 buyin and a bounty on the TLB top gun. As we settled down to play my first tourney game and asking folks to help me out on what SB,BB were and what I could do with my chips; we hear a commotion on the first hand at the other table. I walk over and see that two guys were allin with black aces against red aces. And one guy took it down as there were 4 diamonds on the board. Lot of action for a newbie huh!

The monday after, I was out at blockbuster to pick a movie and Stu Ungar's movie was just out on video. I had no idea who Stu Ungar was, and as it was a movie about poker I picked it up and watched it with gusto like a kid who is given a new toy. There was this particular scene(probably wsop action) where Stu raised 4 consecutive hands and it was folded to him. That was my first lessons in poker about aggression. Armed with this, I went to the game the following day and without blinking I did the same the first four hands. I had no idea how I was to follow up on the hands. I was testing waters and imitating Stu and others unaware of my playing style or skill promptly folded to me. By my fourth raise, this big guy christened me 'MAD RAISER' and it stuck on me there-on as I entered the poker world of these guys. Since then, people call me with the same name. The guy I mentioned is a very nice guy and hosted these limit 3/6 games every friday, invited me to his game(why wouldnt you if you see a newbie/fish). That is where I had my initial poker lessons. Around a year later, I realized what a fish I was.(Maybe, I still am, now a Super-Fish) Yes, it was a very long time to realize that and expensive too. I still remind him the words he used to put in my ears - 'You can fold!!' as I had called another river bet one too many times after having flopped the bottom pair.

Crash and Burn

That is the gist of the story from my plays over the weekend. I got tired of the numerous beatdowns I took over a period of two days. That is nothing new to rant about. But still it takes the life out of your playing style or skill. I wouldnt even go into the finer details as it is the most recurring theme when you end up playing long hauls over and over. I guess playing huge MTTs(>3000) is never easy, as you would have to dodge quite a lot and to make it into the top ten you have to be super-lucky and I wasnt. Anyways, I am out for the whole week and have taken a poker sabbatical with the long weekend looming large. Hopefully next week I would start afresh with a different frame of mind. Until then, happy thanksgiving to everyone and good luck at the tables.

On a side note, I am planning to make a trip to New Hampshire. This is my first trip to the state ever and meet up a cousin's family up there. I do plan to squeeze in a trip to Foxwoods, never been there either.