DAY 1 - EVENT 1 - 1K NL HOLD-EM

Day 1 of Event 1 is in the books.   After 3 flights, nearly 500 players, 130 will be returning tomorrow for day 2.  Starting with 10k in chips, it was a fair, but aggressive blind structure.  One noticeable level missing was the 500-1,000 - we went from 100/400-800 to 100/600-1200.  The levels were 40 mins. long - starting 25-50 and after 12 levels, ending with 400/1200-2400.

It was a real grind the first couple of levels and I was down to about 7k before winning a key hand with ATs.  With 3 limpers, I was tempted to make a raise from the bb with my Ace-Ten of hearts, but elected to just check and play to make a hand. The flop fell K-Q-8 and it got checked around.  The turn brought a Jack, I led and got raised.  With two possible flush draws on board, I made a large 3-bet.  My opponent showed QJ for two-pair and mucked!  Nice laydown for him, nice pot for me.  I hovered around 20k for a couple of levels before deciding to make a play in back position with the T-7 of clubs.  With one limper, I limped only to find myself the lone position caller to a big blind raise, who had a high hand frequency and looked to be trying to pick up the pot.  The flop fell A-8-6 with two clubs and we both checked.  The turn brought the 8 of clubs and I flatted his 1500 bet.  The river was an off-suit 5 and my opponent led for 1700.  I made it 4500 to go and he quickly called, turning over a higher flush with the KQ of clubs.  Back down to 15k. 

I wasn't sure how this was going to go until this hand.  UG+1 limps for 400 and Avi (tight player) - a mid-position player made it 1600 to go.  I look down at QQ's and make it 5500 to go.  The original limper now moves all-in for 17k and has me covered!  After thinking a few minutes, I decide to lay it down and he shows me KK's!  Losing flush under flush, and now QQ's to Kings, it didn't look like the tournament was going my way, but I still had 16k in front of me..  Feeling encouraged by my play, I started to open up and picked up a few free pots

There's an UG limper and I flat with AQ.  The short stack behind me shoves for 8k with AJ and I call.  My hand holds up and he's sent to the rail.  I then go on a serious run that puts my stack on nearly 100k before my table breaks.  After that it became a big adjustment and struggle.  Losing with AK in a key spot, my stack shrunk to just over 30k.  I stuck with it and managed to end up the night winning a couple of pots and ending with nearly 70k in chips for the day.  Just above avg. heading into day 2.  130 left, 81 get paid and 1st is about 200k. 

After the tourney, I went for a walk along the river to stretch and get some fresh air.  Melbourne is really a beautiful city.  There is a long walkway that stretches for miles along the river.  Shops, restaurants and artists proudly display their talents for dollars.  Drawing, singing, dancing, etc. they create a wonderful ambiance under the night sky.

Getting to bed early and looking forward to competing for the title tomorrow.  Updates can be found at www.pokernews.com.

Kenna

Aussie Millions 2012

I arrived yesterday in Melbourne, Australia to compete in the 2012 Aussie Millions.  It's been 3 years since I've been here and am amazed how fast time has passed.  I'm excited to rejoin the action here as I've experienced much success in this particular tournament.  Finishing 3rd in 2003,  9th in 2005 and a deep run and cashing 44th in 2008.

Off the felt, it's summer here and the weather is perfect.  The atmosphere is electric as the poker community shares the hotel with the top tennis stars, here to play the Australian Open running concurrently with our tournament.  I literally bumped into Rafael Nadel in the lobby yesterday while checking in, which was pretty cool.  I'll take in a day of tennis on one of my few days off while I'm here.

Today is a day of work.  I woke up at 5 am after a good nights sleep and worked out the specifics of my approach and strategy for today's game.  It's 7 am here now and am off to the gym.  I'll have a one hour work out, a swim and then a healthy breakfast.  I have a private Skype lesson to give at 10 and then will have a brief rest before heading down to event #1 - a 1k NL event.  I'll do my best to post my results here over the next couple of weeks for my friends who are interested.  Just hit the subscribe button on the page if you want receive my updates.

Tip of the Day:  Act Decisively.

Good luck in whatever game you're playing today.  Hope to see you in the winners circle sometime soon!

Kenna

Hitting the Radio Waves

Tonight I begin a journey into online radio/podcasts with the Kenna James Hour at www.ontiltradio.com.  Not to be confused with FT - the people who got railroaded there might, however, be "on tilt" and should have no problem remembering the difference.

Tonight I'll be working live with a guest and going over the art of hand reading and which skill set you need to be developing in order to become good at it. Being able to read a players hand without having to pay for the information is a crucial element in a players arsenal.  Not a fan of the "probe or information" bet, TJ Cloutier said: "You should never bet for information.  You already should have it, before you make your bet."  I couldn't agree more.  In a recent episode of The Boardwalk Empire, I remember a line from one of the characters who said:  "I don't gamble.  I never make a bet, in which I don't already know the outcome."

I hope you'll join me tonight at 4 pm pdt, or perhaps download the podcast which will be available later in the week.  In the meantime, start thinking about what you think it takes to become good at reading a players hand and see how it compares to what I have to present to you tonight.

Enjoy the Journey,

KJ

A Mistake Filled Session

Have you ever had those days where nothing is going right?  In yesterdays live game session at the Aria, I was off my game and making poor decisions, until the last one, which was to quit.  When your game is off, it’s best to swallow the pride and call it a day.

Here is an example of a mistake I made in this session.

PRINCIPLE:

Don’t Call Raises OP (Out of Position) with a hand that can easily make “Second Best.”

The worst hand in poker is not 7-2, for it rarely losses much money.  No, the worst hand in poker is the one that losses the most money without winning the pot.  Also known as trap or mediocre hands they include such holdings as;  KQ, KJ, QJ, AQ, AJ, etc.

These type hands do hold value in certain situations, but in the situation I describe above (OP in raised pot not closing off the action) these type hands offer nothing but trouble. 

This was the action in the hand I played in a 5-10 NL Cash Game at the Aria in LV:  MP = Middle Position.  LP = Late Position.

MP (1200) -  good player raises to 40 – LP - Solid Player (1000) calls – BT (Button) (3500) –Fish, raises to 200.  Hero (me J) is in the BB (3000) – Calls with KQ and both of the other players call and we take the flop 4 handed with the pot at 800.

Flop:  Q-6-4 two spades.

Hero C-R, Late Position better who bets 200 to 800, BT (Fish) folds and the other player flats 800!  The LP calls all-in. 

Turn:  7 of diamonds.

I move in and MP folds an ace-high flush draw.

River:  7 of clubs.

MP turns over AQ and wins the pot. 

Analysis:

So there was obviously multiple mistakes in this hand.  Along with violating the principle I listed at the top, my betting decisions were poorly timed.  If I was going to take an aggressive line, I should have taken it early against the Fish, since that it is him that drew me into the pot in the first place.  Taking an overly aggressive line with just top pair in a multi-way raised pot is not a profitable play in the long run.  I contributed to making this pot multi-way by just flatting pre-flop.  I could have made it 600 to go pre-flop to isolate the Fish, take control of the pot, and set myself up to win it.  Instead I left myself in middle ground, as they say in tennis, and hit it into the net.  A costly mistake that can simply be avoided by applying the principle:  “Don’t call raises OP with second-best hands.” 

Poker can sometimes offer expensive lessons.

KJ 

For Pride or Money - How do you play the game?

It’s 5:00 in the morning and “The Color of Money” is playing on the television.   I had fallen asleep on the couch, but my eyes crack open as I hear “Fast Eddie” say, “You don’t know whether to take it or not, do you?” proposing a $500 challenge match bet to Carmen, the girlfriend/manager of Vincent (played by Tom Cruise).

I didn’t like this movie the first time I saw it as I was ignorant to the subtlety of its messages.  But now, after studying with the very man who the story is fashioned around, I’m able to clearly identify the genius of its story line.  For me now, it’s more of a movie about how the choices we make define our character.

In the big pool tournament scene near the end of the movie, Eddie makes an interesting choice to walk over to Vincent and gives him back a “pay off” envelope. The subtlety is that Vincent knows this will taint Eddie’s victory and leave him with a feeling of being cheated.  We know this by Vincent’s core reaction in a later scene when Vincent shouts, “YOU USED ME!” Eddie “As-Ises” the moment by responding:

“You bet I did.  But at least you’re not back there in some storage room stocking shelves.  Let’s call it a wash.” 

In the middle of his next semi-final match, as he lines up a shot, he sees his reflection in the object ball.  He backs off, breaks down his cue stick, walks over to Vincent and puts the pay off money back in his arms. Eddie decides to forfeit the match and his chance at victory and the 50k first place prize, refusing to compromise himself in winning the game.  Interestingly, he displayed the thing that he preached at the beginning of the movie when he said, “You need to know whether to take the bet or not.” I believe that through the course of his relationship with Vincent, he changed.  He learned the value of the opposite of another one of his earlier statements.  Which was “money won is worth twice as much as money earned.” 

This time, “the take,” meant that he not only didn’t earn it, but that he himself was being hustled in a way.  He was now “the mark,” that he had so often made other people.  The mark not for money, but for his pride and character.  I believe that Vincent wanted to show off what he had been taught, throw it in the face of Eddie to give him a taste of what he had to sacrifice, and give him a taste of what it’s like to be used. 

Determined not to be anybody’s mark, he refocuses his efforts on training, raising his standards and getting back into competition.  He also makes the choice of not letting himself be bought.  Which, by the way, is a choice you gotta have the courage to make if you want to be great. 

The game of poker is tough man, it’s not for sissies.  You got to be able to handle losses and not cry about it, but pick yourself up, brush yourself off and get back in the ring. 

You gotta have integrity with yourself and others or you’ll continued to get hustled and used like an old beat up cue in some run down pool hall. 

I like the symbolism of the balabushka cue stick used in the movie.  It both, represents and inspires at the same time, perfection in the man who is aware of what he is holding.  Nothing major.  Really.  It’s only your destiny that hangs in the balance. 

It’s 6:30 am now as the birds begin to chirp and I’m tired.  It’s been a long journey.  Forgive me, please, for wanting to roll over and go back to sleep.  Carpe Diem Eddie, I miss ya.

Kenna

  

Differentiating Blog Posts

Those that know me, know that I tend to be very philosophical. In fact, in a recent poker game another player in the game talking about me exclaimed; “I’m playing with the fucking Socrates of poker!  Rather then continue to combine my life philosophy with poker, I’ve decided to create a separate blog that deals with just my perspectives and philosophy on life.  I will  be re-titling and keeping this blog just for poker.  So if you are more interested in my philosophical perspectives visit and subscribe to that blog.    I am also going to create a third blog (invitation only) just for family and close friends for deeper insights on my personal journey. 

It has always been a challenge for me to separate my personal life from my professional one. With my new blog focus, I will be able to differentiate and better serve the interests of those who are interested in just those particular subjects..  Thank you for joining me along this journey.  It is my goal that my blogs, whichever you choose to follow, will continue to enlighten, encourage and inspire you.

Enjoy the Journey,

Kenna James 

You can find my new life blog at:  kennajames.blogspot.com

It is entitled:  Life’s Journey is Here

Seminar - Workshop

I took the redeye to JFK in NYC last night and after a bumpy ride finished off the journey by waking up to an aborted landing.  That'll wake you up quick!  I guess there was a plane that still hadn't cleared the runway and just before we touched down, the pilot hit full throttle and took us on a steep ascent over the ocean.  After doing a fly around we touched down 20 minutes later and I was on my way to hosting my first seminar-workshop at the Albany Poker Club.

My focus was on presenting 10 workable Principles to help improve understanding and approach to the game of poker.  I covered strategies to improve on Perspective, Attitude, Emotional Control, Physical Tells,  and overall Play of Hands using logic and reason.  It was a great group, and we all left with some useful tools and a greater feeling of what it takes to win,  in a competitive game like poker.

I love teaching,  but I don't like traveling as much as I use to when I was playing full time on the World Poker Tour.  At one point,  I was playing in over 100 events a year, across 5 different countries.  Today I'm happy to just take an occasional trip to teach and play much closer to home.  Traveling takes its toll after awhile, especially if you have to keep dealing with aborted take offs and landings.  This was my 3rd one in my last 10 flights!  Sheesh.

Enjoy the Journey!

KJ