hell week and rambles ^_^

wow.. had one of the most horrible weekend results since a long time in my poker career, dropped like 6k, only had one good end day, a positive Sunday and the rakeback sure covers a lot of the damage, but still, it's really nothing to be excited about lol. I think I didn't play my best, and also ran bad, which makes a bad combo, so I re analysed a bit of my game and started also playing differently on other sites this week to recover from the losses and the start of the new week seems very promising. I'm targetting 10K for this week, to recover my losses and make some profits, because life in Singapore sure isn't cheap :p

anyways, the coaching part seems to be working out better, Jon seems to be more "zen" with the swings when he sees me getting owned (I guess it does have it's positive side effects lol) and he also recovered from his swingy week, and started off like me pretty decently and very keen to looking to hit his first 10k month win.

Took a break yesterday night to go see the double IP Man movie showing, it was a special avant-premiere, and they showed ip man 1 & 2 back to back. Man I was so hyped, the first movie was so amazing, he's such a crusher.. while the second one, meh, first half was good, second half turned out to be like some rocky horror movie show. Hated it so much. They really should script out white people out of asian movies (no racism or anything here intended :p) but usually the guys that do wanna act in lower budget asian movies or willing to work in it are such terrible actors that it just makes me scream. Anyways, if you didn't see the first one yet.. you are missing out. Need to become a crusher now also on the tables. Work, Dedication, Passion, Zen.

Ryu Dang

hero comeback needed :/

So the first week went pretty chill, went pretty well on the coaching area, adapted my protege his handrange a bit and went over some other basics, and he did quite ok during his first week. For myself I went on a pretty bad end of the week, which almost killed all my winnings, which left me.. almost break even (once again) sigh. Anyways, I wasn't that upset about it, until the last few days, I just got totally crushed, owned, soulread on NL1K which led me to drop like almost 4k in 2 sessions.. sigh, it was so disgusting, I wanted to just throw my laptop out of the window... so I definitely need a good hero comeback this week or else my week is gonna end up a disaster :(

As for Jon, his week is superswingy also, lost first day, won it all back second, but lost again today, so he's not having his best of days either.. I guess we are both in a rough week, but I'm confident we will get through it and it will only make us stronger. I'm thinking about analysing and going further and deeper into his preflop actions now, until he understands what dynamics it creates at the tables. On the other hand, I feel so bad coaching someone while I'm not making money at all and losing so much haha.. but well a cheer up talk from my friends in Bangkok helped me and I at least made back some already today. Let's hope this will continue and last for the week.... ran against these sick beats again in today's session, but I guess it's normal. Focus. Hero. Comeback!

Ryu Dang

Singapore!

Just settled in my new crib in Singapore for a few days, had to take my time a bit before I could actually hit the grind again, and well in the days that I have been playing I ran pretty normal on the midstakes, but I got crushed on NL1k again, so there goes my profits once again, good thing my rakeback and my live game winnings covered most of the expenses and things I bought and spewed onto. So I guess there will this insane major heater coming soon haha :)

Had the first coaching session today with Jon, first step was analysing and reforming his preflop game, and this will probably take a few sessions before it will be like it should be and he understands what impact it makes on his game. So the masterplan has been set in motion..

Really enjoying my new environment over here, and also the fact that I'm dodging all the nasty red-shirt fighting stuff that is going on in Bangkok at the moment. Still need to test out the swimming pool and jacuzzi downstairs, I guess it 's a nice way to unwind and untilt ;) hope things will be looking positive and my winrate goes higher, since I've been really running on the lowest winrate ever... wish you all the best

Ryu Dang in SG

Coaching and the run bads (nothing new here :p)

So just a couple more days before my return to Singapore.. I must really say I have been running terrible the last few weeks, not that I'm actually losing money or anything, but I think I should have shipped so much more then.. well this (for me :p) almost break even run. Things just need clear up, I ran against 2-outers, 4 times in total today in one single session and, stacked off 4 times obv, so if I would have won all of them (which would be normal), how different would my day have been? damn you poker.. it's still such an evil game, no matter how long you have played it. I'm taking a small food break now, going to try to make up for my losses of today after I have updated my blog and maybe watch some serie :)

I must say I have been receiving quite a lot of requests for coaching from a lot players, it's like suddenly they actually understand that with a coach their game will improve dramatically, definitely when it comes to online play, this is very true. Since I'm going to be a full time coach already for my roommate Jon, I'm not sure if I will be able to handle more students, but I guess time will tell. I also want to give quality the utmost importance, because I think I will be very thorough if I'm only teaching one person at the time, and I will try to bring out everything that person has, and with groupsessions I think specific guidance will be less effective. I also consider Jon as an reference I guess once he has cleared the trials, but in the end, if one makes it or not, not always is the coach to blame, he's the first one to get sacked though haha :D

So if you feel lucky, you can always spew at me and persuade you into a coaching package, I won't bite, but to be honest, chances will be pretty slim in the near future. I am excited though, it's quite a challenge...

Ryu Dang (still running BKK)

in pain

God, how many retarded beats can someone get.. it's been crazy for this week... I keep hitting the nuts on the flop, only to get people hitting the ubernuts on the river... I have KQ, flop 9TJ rainbow, and it goes threeway all in, one guy has TJ, one guy has 78, and BINK, a freaking J on the river to have me donate another gigantic pot away.. I also lost AA vs KQs twice preflop all in, and also AA vs TJo preflop all in.. what are these guys thinking, that they are ahead? wtf.. I'm like the tightest nit ever :p and yeah ofcourse I want them to call my shove, but can I please hold up one time???? goddamnit, I'm running so much below EV this week, it's not even funny anymore.. when will it balance out? I sure hope very soon :p and for my last week in Bangkok, I'm running horrible in life also.. I lost like all the goddamn flips you can imagine, lost the korean BBQ dinner flop, lost like a gazillion of bottle flips at the clubs also.. gah, I feel like Ted :p maybe it's an asian thing? lol. I just keep reminding myself I had a good run in Singapore, so it's normal that the EV is kicking me back in the butt, censor that, in my behind :p no need to be rude.. well, enough whining.. it is my last week now in Bangkok before I'm moving back to Singapore, so I guess things will all be fine again... I also had a few annoying moments with my internet disconnecting on me a few times in the middle of some big pots where I hit a set and such, only to see the computer to fold my hand due to disconnection, it's really disheartening to see such a thing :p I guess I'm folding sets nowadays :p ubernit in the making :p hopefully you guys had a better week then me ^_^ maybe I should go visit the 4 faced buddha statue again ;-) Peace.

Ryu Dang

back at work

Somehow decided since a few days I had a good and nice break already and headed myself back at the tables. I must say I have been playing pretty steady and eventhough I made a few annoying mistakes I am not complaining about my current level of play. There were a few hardcore beats though and very funny moments. Had this hand a few days ago.. on NL400:

one guy UTG+1 does a standard raise to 12$, I see AA in middle position, so I spice it up to 42$, I get one flat caller, and one guy repops it to a strange 70$, I'm like wtf, how bad can you play.. I mean, I'm not gonna fold to that raise, and if you want extra value you should reraise more with any decent hand no? anyways... original raiser folded. I decided to shove it obviously. The guy in the middle tanks, and calls, the strange 4-better also calls... so what was the result? I had AA, middle guy had J9o and 4-better had KQs.. I'm like WTF lol.... but well, K on the flop Q on the turn, makes me a sad panda and the horrible player got paid off fully :/

anyways, I had few decent days, until last night when I just got supercoolered on NL1K. meh. I quit pretty rapidly after dropping 1.5k$. Maybe I should have played on because the players were terrible, but you know, sometimes you can just play good and still lose money, so I decided to call it a day and wait my spot for next week ;) but in overall I don't think I can complain about my results so far, I also think my trip to Singapore has made my mindset on normal again, and I have a feeling this year is going to be an amazing one for me and that I will have to push my yeargoal quite a bit higher now ;) Wishing you all the best..

Ryu Dang

aah.. the lazy life

Since my arrival back in Bangkok, I have probably been the most lazy person on earth.. well I needed a break, so I really DID take a break lol, I haven't played a single hand since I left Singapore. I do think I deserved it though, because for me it was a very work intensive period, a lot of ups and downs like usual, but maybe it was even more intense because it was a different environment and finding different ways how to cope with the downs. Maybe I'm exagerating but it was emotionally one of my toughest moments in life because I was mainly trying to process breaking up from a very long relationship. I do think it must be tough to be a partner of someone who goes on so many emotional rollercoaster rides. So to all people who have partners who truly support them, do know to appreciate them.

So what have I been up to? well.. mainly thinking about what to do next and planning on some other projects besides grinding out a solid life bankroll. I think it was very nice to be cut off for some time from my MSN, just figuring out life, taking it easy and catch up on some series that I've missed. So what's next? well.. I think the best and most solid environment right now would be Singapore. I think it's a very nice and decent grinding environment, a lot less distractions, because over here, there is not a night that goes by where I don't get invited to come out clubbing or any other degen activities.. not that I'm complaining about that, it's always nice to have a place like this to fall back on.. but I just feel that I have passed this level already. There is no doubt in my mind that doesn't know that it is Bangkok that made me achieve the skill level I am on right now, but I think I'm on a different level now, where that I don't need to improve that much anymore on that level with other people, and I think I can properly analyse my own game since I know myself so much better now. But obviously the gratitude towards my friends over here who helped me out is infinite. So the grand plan is to move to Singapore for a long period, I accepted to move into a 3 bedroom condo together with a friend and his wife. Gonna help him out with his poker game and hope he can manage having me around long enough before he goes on crazy monkey tilt and kicks me back to Bangkok lol. I guess there still will a few trips towards Bangkok, Macau and maybe some other asian destinations during my stay, and a trip back to Belgium to visit my little nephew/niece ;) and my belgian homies. Wishing you all good luck.

Ryu Dang // Run BKK!