Res Ipsa Poker

Poker is a game of skill, blah blah blah. I'm familiar with the arguments. You're familiar with the arguments. It really is different than pure gambling.

But even the most hardcore poker advocate has to admit that - especially in the short run - luck does play a role in poker. When the universe is reduced to the results of a single player over a single session luck is a pretty big deal. You have to be a little lucky to get action. You have to be a little lucky to have your favorites hold. You might not have to be a little lucky to win but it sure helps.

I haven't felt particularly lucky at the virtual tables in years now. Some time in late 2005 or 2006 - I forget which but I want to say '06 - any luck I had completely evaporated. I remember it well as I went to the WPBT Winter Classic already on a downswing and just got obliterated. By everything. Small potatoes in the grand scheme of things but when it's loss after loss it gets to you. Since coming back to the virtual tables I had some decent runs but never really felt the love. And by love I mean luck.

I've gotten tired of being an anti-luckbox.

I know that I use this space too often to bitch about bad beats. I'm sure that I owe each of my readers dozens of dollars for being subjected to the stories. I hope y'all take Sklansky bucks. I don't always play well. Hell, I often play downright bad. But still, I contend that I've also been unlucky.

Since the really obnoxious last hand two outer I mentioned below, things have started to look up. I haven't had a losing session of any significance. I've had a few modest wins. And on Tuesday I actually felt lucky. Lucky! Winner. I've recovered from the annoying beat and ground out a few extra play chips on top. Life is good.

I'm not ready to call it a full reversal of fortune yet, but I'm hopeful. It's time for the funk to lift. Let's do work. Let's get lucky.

***

On a semi-related note, holy cow is shortstacking out of control. It's not at all unusual for there to be at least 4 shortstackers on a single table of NL100 and one table I had open on Tuesday had SIX. Three players (including myself) bought in for 100 play chips, six players were in for 20.

I don't really care all that much if people want to shortstack, it just requires you to pay a bit more attention when you're taking a line with a hand preflop. Plus a lot of these guys mass multitable and have a very small assortment of moves. I picked off a couple yesterday who 3 bet shoved from the big blind with such epic hands as A2o and Q5o. You will get sucked out on - I had AA snapped off by J9s for one - but it's definitely possible to get it in good and win 1/5th of a stack at a time.

Full Tilt seems to have lots of shortstackers from Russia and the Ukraine - what are they, the opposite of Scandidonks?

Do you suppose shortstackers only have 1/5 of a soul?


Yes, I know that I've probably just activated the doomswitch. Consider that chance taken. Run good ... please?