Channeling Joe

Playing poker for many years with "Curly Haired" Joe, he sometimes would make notes on every hand.  When asked about it, he would show his notebook where he would list every pair he was dealt and whether he won with it or not.  I found the idea interesting and have tried it on occasion.  Sunday decided to kick it up a notch and record every hand I was dealt in omaha.  It was pretty distracting, depressing, and difficult.  I did it for almost 3 rotations, 23 hands, until I went broke on my first $120 buy in.  I usually noted whether the hand was single, non, or double suited, what the board was, and my financial loss ( I did not win even one half pot).  Like I said, depressing. 

So, it was a disastrous session, no high hands, multiple rebuys.  Very frustrating.  Meanwhile I chose not to play in the big ($350 buy-in) end of month tournament with 117 players and first prize of $13k.  I would have saved money.

Lessons learned.  First, I played much looser than I should have.  Only dealt 2 A/2 hands but played 13 of 23 hands.  Granted some were in un-raised blinds, but others were trash hands with pairs (did fold quads once).  I have got to avoid those, particularly small pairs.  Later folded a high hand quad 3's, but low pairs are trouble hands.  Made sets with them only to lose to bigger sets or bigger full houses or straights or flushes.  My biggest losses came on missed draws and a flush that hit but lost to boat.  No wins with my premium hands all day with several great starting hands missing flop or river.