Starting last May 2009, i decided to keep track of all my Live Poker games and maintain a winning bankroll management. With that, i played my first Live Poker game when Eric Mana invited me to a 18 player, rebuy Knock out tournament in Makati on May 7, 2009. The Buy-In was Ph1,500. Top prize was Php13,500.
I was the unknown player that showed up. The other players seem to know each other. Some play and have won at Metro, while others are newbies and fishes. So my strategy was Trap Trap Trap. Look aggressive and make them think i am always bluffing. It worked! I gained an early chip lead and by the time we moved to the Final Table, i had a HUGE chip lead over everyone else. It was intimidating. But these guys wont be easy to push around. So, i played my “A” Game. I didnt play loose and i avoided coin flips if possible and would raise if i get a chance to isolate and bust out a shortstack.
During the entire game, i had my poker face on. I actually looked at all the poker faces of the pros and the one i like best is Phil Ivey’s Poker Face. He always looks puzzled and confused, like he is wondering what you have and he has nothing. It is so deceiving cuz other players think he is not sure of the strength of his hand and they try to bluff him out and it always backfires. 
When i got to the final table, i would be aggressive and push people. But even while i was pushing, i would have an amazing starting hand, but because i looked confused and puzzled, people thought i might be bluffing.
On one hand, i had the nuts on the turn and i took my time, looking really puzzled and confused and then i suddenly pushed all-in and my opponent, think he had the best hand, calls me. When everyone saw my hand, one player asked me, “what were you thinking about? You had the nuts!” I replied, “I was trapping so that i would get called and paid.”
Anyway, i busted out most of the fishes and eventually started busting out the better players. I eventually won the tournament. hahaha….
my next couple of games were cash games at Eric’s new poker room. My first time to play cash, i got bad beat by a player who called all my bets till the river and hit a gut shot straight on the river. But i got most of my money back in the following hands.
Then i played again a couple of weeks after and i lost Php1,000.
The i played last saturday at Big Ace and bought in at Php1,000 and by the time it was over, i was up by Php4,000.
On Sunday, I was bored and decided to play at my friend place at the Fort. Perty always had games on Sunday and would usually get at least 16 or more players showing up. Buy-in was Php2K. The players that go there were strong players that have played big tournaments and moneyed in big tournaments. Also present were regular cash game players at the Metro. So, i expected a tough field. There was Dana who is a poker addict, tight aggressive that would push and is willing to go for coin flips. I played against her in the PAGCOR tourney and when we were down to 2 tables, she was short stack and built her stack back up to make the final table. There was also Jane, who sets amazing traps and is always dangerous. Then there are the crazy ones, like Lal, who sometimes does he signature move, the “All-in, No Look” move. I also recognized one of the players from the last MTT that i won a few weeks ago at Eric’s. I remember him cuz he was one of the few good players that would actually push back when being pushed.
So, the game started and there were so many aggressive players on my table, pushing and reraising all-in and that was just the second hand. i tightened up only playing premium hands. I didnt bluff alot, but instead trapped alot. I had a tight image on the table and it helped me since most of the aggressive players would get out of my way when i bet out, even when i didnt hit anything. When we got down to the final 10, i was one of the short stacks. I played tight and would only get into a pot when the payoff was at least 3:1. When we were down to the last 6 players, i had 44 and 2 players went all-in. I figured both had overcards like AK, and/or KQ. I called and i was right. They didnt hit the board and i tripled up. At this point, i was already in the money and had a stack to fight. I pushed and reraised preflop all-in when i had a fighting hand, and i kept doing it to this one particular player that he eventually got fed up and decided to call my all-in reraise. He showed A5 and i had AJ. I was in great shape to bust him out and i did. 3 players left and i busted the 3rd player and now i was heads up against the chipleader. But i was not far behind at this point. I loosened up my game and started raising with any face card. With a bit of luck and perseverence, i won the whole thing, and i think everyone in the room that knew me couldnt believe that i won. Apparently, the guy i went heads up with is a really good player.
So, i ended the month of May on a winning streak and a positive bankroll.
YEEEEHHAAA…..
