Jesse’s Nephew Kenna

Jesse James was a primitive outlaw with a reputation for being a version of Barry Greenstein. No, Berry hasn’t taken to funding his charities with bank robbing. But they both have been called a Robin Hood. Kenna’s game is an aggressive one that seems to fit the bank robbing part and it is usually a good one. He seems as nice a TV personality as you’d think you’d enjoy having a beer with. And, his wife seems something special too.

He’s been blogging a bit and I have it on my feed. He’s not the most prolific blogger out there and he just busted on Day One at Niagara. In doing so, he created a blog that is a good one. It isn’t about mistaken claims at genius like my recent HH analysis of my easy play. He’s pointing out that even the pros do blogger event plays. You can make a stupid read with 92s as easily as with our beloved hammer.

He then played his QQ about as -EV as possible. If you haven’t been there, done that, own the scars; you are lying or new to the game. His blog really points out the thin line between good aggression and utter stupidity. He could have given a few generic remarks about busting out and getting in with the best hand but he didn’t. Really he couldn’t but it could have been closer with some creativity. Instead he told it like it is.

Misdirection is honored at the tables and often in the blogs. Selective memory also rears it head without actual intent. The tendency we have was countered in the blog. Brutal honesty is brutal to our ego. But without it, you don’t advance.

So, in the interest of honesty, let me share one of my worst moves in my failing memory. There were three of us left in a little tournament. I’d played well and had the chip lead. One of the players was a true tight passive that’d got the cards or whatever and he was on my left. I was playing him like a piano when I came up with a decent raising hand. It was a scary flop that I didn’t quite hit but had a draw of sorts. I fired a bullet. Turn came without improvement and I fired the second bullet. And, then I fired the third. The guy had flopped a full house and I was crippled. A blind battle that was a battle of the halt and blind on my part. Two friends as sweaters made it worse.

Kenna’s brutal honesty was a refreshing blog. I’ve been wandering the blogs more of late. I am not normally a serious blog visitor. I’ve a few regulars but the blare are an intermittent visit at best. You can be prolific, like me. You can misdirect like Fuel. Or you can share it all like friend CC. But, you won’t see a better blog than the one Kenna just provided. It is the type of thing that makes for a better game for the reader.

ADDENDUM:

Today is a day where my old fart syndrome beats me over the head. I’m headed for the dentist for dentures. Ugly! I might as well be renting a billboard in the front yard pointing out my decline. I’ve fought doing it too long. I still hate it but it moved beyond options too long ago.

————————————–

On a good note, I am again profitable on FullTilt and getting close on PokerStars. Of course I’m profitable on FT by a massive $1.30. That isn’t going to enhance the retirement income but I was down a relative bunch and it started moving in the right direction. Small successes are successes none the less.

This entry was posted on Thursday, November 1st, 2007 at 8:07 am and is filed under Journal, Poker Philosophy. Responses are currently closed, but you can trackback from your own site.