Seeking results = getting anxiety

Theories vary on how to cure target panic. Some switch their shooting hand, or change their grip slightly — techniques that have also proved successful in golf. Others use visualization techniques and positive reinforcement. Wunderle advises his clients to imagine seeing and feeling what a good shot is, without focusing on aiming the arrow. “Do not focus on results,” he said. “When you focus on results, it builds anxiety. And anxiety is the kiss of death.”
-"The Secret Curse of Expert Archers," Aug. 1, 2008, The New York Times

This is kinda what I think of when I hear people talking about winrate. I'm pretty sure MLB players don't think when they're up at the plate that they've only hit 15 home runs this season.

Plus there will always people who hit more, and less. It's good to work hard to be productive but it's also good to be happy that you are able to play at the level you are playing.

Free movie ticket from Fandango

I saw this on the FlyerTalk forum today, it's part of an AmEx promotion to get people registered for their e-mail entertainment newsletter.

Link is here.

Spooling up the FTP

Whenever I sit down to acquire my daily Iron Man points at Full Tilt, it's a lot like Galactica having to endure an onslaught of Cylon raiders and missiles while waiting for the civilian fleet to spool up their FTL drives and jump to safety.

I used to fear the turbulence that playing for points can cause, especially multitabling, but don't anymore. It's a ritual of necessity and my 'roll there is at the highest that it's been.

I also like it because it's a way to force me to get used to the limits I now play at and to know that if you're properly 'rolled, there's not much to fear in terms of losing 'roll.

Burrito + Ed Miller = private home game?

I decided to stop by Sham's favorite lunch spot before my 2 p.m. start of work. As an afterthought, I dragged out my copy of Ed Miller's No-Limit Hold'Em from under my bed for something to read.

A dude there noticed it and we got to talking. Sounds like he has a fun home game not too far away.

Even better, he didn't flinch when I told him about Cardrunners videos (he hasn't seen any) and that I play $2/4NL online. So thanks Ed Miller? lol

It would be interesting to play in live games again, but maybe more as a relief pitcher kind of thing. Online still is the king, and the ability as a winning player to play multiple tables and get rakeback is hard to pass up.

That said, it's good to have face time in other games, particularly upcoming ones at Kaja's and BrainMc's.

We'll see...

I may have to play Baseball 2K8 forever

With Thursday's trade deadline near, it's dawned on me that my copy of Baseball 2K8 -- and the Atlanta Braves team that I am playing -- will soon be the only vestige of the real-life team that started on Opening Day.

In that fantasy world, John Smoltz (right shoulder), Tom Glavine (left elbow) and ace Tim Hudson (right elbow) are my starting pitchers. Manny Acosta (strained hamstring), Peter Moylan (out for season) are decent middle relievers. Will Ohman is still healthy but likely will be dealed out in a trade with slugger Mark Teixeira.

Chipper Jones (strained left hamstring) still hits for me and ironically, Jeff Francoeur, struggling in real life, is the team's biggest bat. Chronically injured starting pitcher Mike Hampton has pitched several games for me even before he came off the real-life DL and pitched this weekend.

In the Cat Braves' world, it's April 24. Closer Rafael Soriano gave up 2 runs in the top of the 9th against the Washington Nationals, only to end up booking a win when Kelly Johnson booted a 2-run homer to win the game 3-2 in the bottom of the 9th.

The Cat Braves are 14-9, compared with 10-11 in real life (the real-life Braves actually were unable to play April 4 against the Mets and April 10 against the Rockies).

Who knows what the next two days will bring to the real-life Braves. But it's safe to say a video game will be much more exciting down the stretch.

The weekend continues

My 3-day weekend continues. On deck is returning my third rental car for 10,000 more miles and some frolf.

Yesterday, after seeing The Dark Knight in between a bunch of PBR and Jager bombs with Sham (before and after the movie), I came home to double up somehow at Poker Stars and later in the evening caught the premiere of the second season of Mad Men.

I like this show, especially since HBO originally turned it down, only to have the lowly AMC pick it up to turn it to a smash hit- it's like the Empire not being able to capitalize on the Incom X-Wing fighter.

Seeing January Jones in lingerie in the episode is a very good thing.

My 'Stars bankroll briefly jumped past my Full Tilt 'roll for the first time. The other day I looked and was surprised to find that 'Stars has been the most profitable site overall, which is surprising to me given that I don't consider myself to play it as much as Full Tilt.

I expect, though, that Full Tilt will end up being the most profitable over time.

Back to the weekend...

E-dogs and cats

In the Full Tilt commercial that played for the first bracelet event (PLHE) for this year's WSOP on ESPN, Erick Lindgren displayed the Kuro (36).

First hand o' the table

Poker Stars NL$1/2, 5 handed

Free hand converter brought to you by CardRunners

Seat 1: Royal88Flu ($74) -
Seat 2: AlexanderT ($200)
Seat 4: THEDUTCH4141 ($240.60)
Seat 5: speedy72 ($120) -
Seat 6: kurokitty ($200) -


PRE-FLOP:

kurokitty posts small blind $1
Royal88Flu posts BIG blind $2
Dealt To: kurokitty


FOLD AlexanderT
FOLD THEDUTCH4141
RAISE speedy72 ($8)
CALL kurokitty ($7)
FOLD Royal88Flu


FLOP:

Pot: $18
   

CHECK kurokitty
CHECK speedy72


TURN:

Pot: $18
     

CHECK kurokitty
CHECK speedy72


RIVER:

Pot: $18
      

BET kurokitty ($12)
RAISE speedy72 ($36)
RAISE kurokitty ($192)
CALL speedy72 ($76)


SHOWDOWN:
kurokitty:

MUCK speedy72

kurokitty collected $240 from main pot

SUMMARY:
Total pot: $242 Rake: $2

Final Board:
     

Seat 1: Royal88Flu big blind folded before Flop - Net Gain/Loss: ($-2)
Seat 2: AlexanderT folded before Flop didnt bet - Net Gain/Loss: ($0)
Seat 4: THEDUTCH4141 folded before Flop didnt bet - Net Gain/Loss: ($0)
Seat 5: speedy72 button mucked [9d Ah] - Net Gain/Loss: ($-119)
  
Seat 6: kurokitty small blind showed [7c 7s] and won 240 with a full house, Sevens full of Tens - Net Gain/Loss: ($144)


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Stick with the plan, cat

All these trip plans for the Winter Bloggers trip to Las Vegas has a cat licking his chops about other trips.

Even this late out, there's a fare on Delta from ATL-ORD for $198 plus taxes and fees. ($229).

After Friday I don't have to be at work until 2 p.m. Tuesday. I could easily hit Tunica or even Biloxi.

But I've had to tell myself to stick to the plan. I have two more Avis rentals to go this weekend that will give me about 20,000 more SkyMiles.

HOTD/Punk hand of the day

I know some people don't like seeing hand histories on blogs. But money is never boring to me.

Poker Stars NL $2/4

Free hand converter brought to you by CardRunners

Seat 1: kurokitty ($384) -
Seat 2: MongeBR ($408) -
Seat 3: Leastz ($406)
Seat 4: sandersvette ($159.70)
Seat 5: mdeckND ($394)
Seat 6: MaknChips ($302.60) -


PRE-FLOP:

kurokitty posts small blind $2
MongeBR posts BIG blind $4
Dealt To: kurokitty


FOLD Leastz
FOLD sandersvette
FOLD mdeckND
CALL MaknChips ($4)
RAISE kurokitty ($20)
FOLD MongeBR
CALL MaknChips ($16)


FLOP:

Pot: $46
   

BET kurokitty ($34)
RAISE MaknChips ($140)
RAISE kurokitty ($364)
CALL MaknChips ($142.60)


TURN:

Pot: $726.6
     



RIVER:

Pot: $726.6
      



SHOWDOWN:
kurokitty:

MUCK MaknChips

kurokitty collected $606.2 from main pot

SUMMARY:
Total pot: $609 Rake: $3

Final Board:
     

Seat 1: kurokitty small blind showed [Qc Qs] and won 606.20 with a full house, Queens full of Fours - Net Gain/Loss: ($411.6)
Seat 2: MongeBR big blind folded before Flop - Net Gain/Loss: ($-4)
Seat 3: Leastz folded before Flop didnt bet - Net Gain/Loss: ($0)
Seat 4: sandersvette folded before Flop didnt bet - Net Gain/Loss: ($0)
Seat 5: mdeckND folded before Flop didnt bet - Net Gain/Loss: ($0)
Seat 6: MaknChips button mucked [9s Tc] - Net Gain/Loss: ($-160)
  


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And then this Punk Hand of the Day:

Hate 3-bettors.

Poker Stars NL$1/2:

Free hand converter brought to you by CardRunners

Seat 1: lydia12345 ($100)
Seat 2: studboy1 ($98.50)
Seat 3: AceBonG ($169.95)
Seat 4: maru2 ($42.85)
Seat 6: kurokitty ($110.85) -
Seat 7: ezy-ezy777 ($99) -
Seat 9: HICE 519 ($51.90) -


PRE-FLOP:

ezy-ezy777 posts small blind $0.50
HICE 519 posts BIG blind $1
Dealt To: kurokitty


FOLD lydia12345
FOLD studboy1
FOLD AceBonG
FOLD maru2
RAISE kurokitty ($4)
FOLD ezy-ezy777
RAISE HICE 519 ($8)
CALL kurokitty ($4)


FLOP:

Pot: $17.5
   

CHECK HICE 519
BET kurokitty ($15)
RAISE HICE 519 ($43.90)
CALL kurokitty ($28.90)


TURN:

Pot: $105.3
     



RIVER:

Pot: $105.3
      



SHOWDOWN:
HICE 519:

kurokitty:


kurokitty collected $101.3 from main pot

SUMMARY:
Total pot: $104 Rake: $3

Final Board:
     

Seat 1: lydia12345 folded before Flop didnt bet - Net Gain/Loss: ($0)
Seat 2: studboy1 folded before Flop didnt bet - Net Gain/Loss: ($0)
Seat 3: AceBonG folded before Flop didnt bet - Net Gain/Loss: ($0)
Seat 4: maru2 folded before Flop didnt bet - Net Gain/Loss: ($0)
Seat 6: kurokitty button showed [4d 3d] and won 101.30 with two pair, Fours and Threes - Net Gain/Loss: ($78.3)
Seat 7: ezy-ezy777 small blind folded before Flop - Net Gain/Loss: ($-0.5)
Seat 9: HICE 519 big blind showed [Ah Ad] and lost with a pair of Aces - Net Gain/Loss: ($-33.9)
  


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