I keep on taking notes pretty religiously. I should find the thread I read a while ago with some sample notes. Im currently just putting the blind level and the players tendency. Its going well and its really helping me to make smart choices (or educated bad ones when I want to test my info and cant bring myself to fold)
Also I registered Pokertracker today.. I found out Ive got some nice interior work lined up for the winter so money is nothing to really worry about. I may have mentioned this before but Ive been hesitating to spend $55 on something for myself but I have no problem spending $40 on booze or a meal. Makes no sense.
Thursday, December 27, 2007
Wednesday, December 26, 2007
Notes..
So Ive been playing online for over an hour now and I started taking a lot of notes on whats going on... something I keep reading I should be doing but not anything I do a lot. Im already finding it helpful because I otherwise lose track of who did what against me even in the same session. I have yet to run into a player I already have notes on but I only took a few last night so its not surprising.
I probably shouldnt be typing this while Im still in the ring game but I wanted to make note of it. I also probably shouldnt have been unpacking the 16 service silverware set and food processor that we got for Xmas either while my laptop is on the stove but thats old news now.
I probably shouldnt be typing this while Im still in the ring game but I wanted to make note of it. I also probably shouldnt have been unpacking the 16 service silverware set and food processor that we got for Xmas either while my laptop is on the stove but thats old news now.
Monday, December 24, 2007
33 BB hand.
I realize this kind of shit wont happen has I move up but its always great when a hand like this comes around.. I really dont get it but ill take it all day.
PokerStars 0.10/0.20 Hold'em (9 handed) Poker Stars Converter Tool from FlopTurnRiver.com (Format: HTML)
Preflop: Hero is UTG+1 with 5d, 5s.
UTG calls, Hero calls, 1 fold, MP2 calls, 1 fold, CO calls, Button raises, 1 fold, BB calls, UTG calls, Hero calls, MP2 calls, CO calls.
Flop: (12.50 SB) 6h, Ks, Qs (6 players)
BB checks, UTG checks, Hero checks, MP2 checks, CO checks, Button checks.
Turn: (6.25 BB) 5h (6 players)
BB checks, UTG checks, UTGB bets, MP2 folds, CO calls, Button raises, BB calls, UTG calls, UTGB 3-bets, CO calls, Button calls, BB calls, UTG caps, Hero calls, CO calls, Button calls, BB calls.
River: (25.25 BB) Jd (5 players)
BB checks, UTGB bets, CO folds, Button raises, BB folds, UTGB 3-bets, Button caps, Hero calls.
Final Pot: 33.25 BB
Main Pot: 33.25 BB, between Hero, Button and UTG. > Pot won by Hero (33.25 BB).
Results in white below:
UTG has Jh Th (one pair, jacks).
Hero has 5d 5s (three of a kind, fives).
Button has Qd Td (one pair, queens).
Outcome: Hero wins 33.25 BB.
PokerStars 0.10/0.20 Hold'em (9 handed) Poker Stars Converter Tool from FlopTurnRiver.com (Format: HTML)
Preflop: Hero is UTG+1 with 5d, 5s.
UTG calls, Hero calls, 1 fold, MP2 calls, 1 fold, CO calls, Button raises, 1 fold, BB calls, UTG calls, Hero calls, MP2 calls, CO calls.
Flop: (12.50 SB) 6h, Ks, Qs (6 players)
BB checks, UTG checks, Hero checks, MP2 checks, CO checks, Button checks.
Turn: (6.25 BB) 5h (6 players)
BB checks, UTG checks, UTGB bets, MP2 folds, CO calls, Button raises, BB calls, UTG calls, UTGB 3-bets, CO calls, Button calls, BB calls, UTG caps, Hero calls, CO calls, Button calls, BB calls.
River: (25.25 BB) Jd (5 players)
BB checks, UTGB bets, CO folds, Button raises, BB folds, UTGB 3-bets, Button caps, Hero calls.
Final Pot: 33.25 BB
Main Pot: 33.25 BB, between Hero, Button and UTG. > Pot won by Hero (33.25 BB).
Results in white below:
UTG has Jh Th (one pair, jacks).
Hero has 5d 5s (three of a kind, fives).
Button has Qd Td (one pair, queens).
Outcome: Hero wins 33.25 BB.
Conflicting Sessions
Ive recently have had two sessions over the weekend that in terms of BBs won or lost cancel each other out... Unfortunately the big winner was at .10/.20 and the big loser was at 2/4 live. I havent been felted at Foxwoods since I started this project so it was pretty disheartening.
I lost 25 BBs over the course of 5 hours. The biggest chunk of the money was lost with pocket AAs. Now Ive gotten pretty good at laying it down when its obvious or when the board doesnt feel right. In this case I was playing at a maniac table. Perhaps maniac isnt the right word. Basically over half the table would call down with any piece of the board or draw right to the river and think nothing of calling any raise or reraise.. the perfect environment really. So Im UTG with the black aces.. I raise. 7 people cold call and the big blind completes. Flop was 3 7 10. I get checked to and come out firing. I raise and reraise every street. I know damn well that anyone at this table will call with a pair of 3s.. what I didnt get right was the BB.. a girl who was playing about as tight as me.. was showing some aggression. I figured either she had Ace 10 or maybe an overpair.. I considered the set too. It gets to the river and showdown with 4 people left.. and I was right about everyone but her. she turns over 7s and 3s and starts apologizing and telling me she only called because of how big the pot was preflop. I told her there was no need to explain and i took my giant hit gracefully.
The other two big hands were just stupid.. I had KQs and raised.. the guy to my right was completely loose and called. flop misses me but is all undercards.. it checks to me so i bet (trying out the new betting for a freecard play.) and get called by him. Turn is a Q and I feel alright about it.. he bets I reraise he calls. River is a king. I bet he calls and smugly shows me the Ace 10 os and tells me he "read me" for a weak 6 (middle pair). Usually I dont say any but I was not happy so I said "wow.. way to stick around for way too long." he again says about his read on me and I tell him he was way off and "I've been playing tighter then a 10 year old why would I have a weak 6? Good thing bad reads pay off sometimes right?" and I pat him on the back. He shut up pretty quick after that.
The final big expensive hand was A8suited in the blind. I flop top two pair. I bet get raised I reraise. 3 people in the pot now. turn is a 4.. lots of action river is a blank lots of action. other guy had a weaker two pair and the 3rd guy flips over some ugly looking straight he caught. I had just sat down so I had no reads but I really should have looked at what his aggression means with only two pair. Id like to think those were all some pretty awful beats but I do take responsibility for not identifying aggression from the girl I had Aces against and the guy who wanted to cap in the last hand.
Well the cable guy is here to fix the DVR so Im going to end this.
I lost 25 BBs over the course of 5 hours. The biggest chunk of the money was lost with pocket AAs. Now Ive gotten pretty good at laying it down when its obvious or when the board doesnt feel right. In this case I was playing at a maniac table. Perhaps maniac isnt the right word. Basically over half the table would call down with any piece of the board or draw right to the river and think nothing of calling any raise or reraise.. the perfect environment really. So Im UTG with the black aces.. I raise. 7 people cold call and the big blind completes. Flop was 3 7 10. I get checked to and come out firing. I raise and reraise every street. I know damn well that anyone at this table will call with a pair of 3s.. what I didnt get right was the BB.. a girl who was playing about as tight as me.. was showing some aggression. I figured either she had Ace 10 or maybe an overpair.. I considered the set too. It gets to the river and showdown with 4 people left.. and I was right about everyone but her. she turns over 7s and 3s and starts apologizing and telling me she only called because of how big the pot was preflop. I told her there was no need to explain and i took my giant hit gracefully.
The other two big hands were just stupid.. I had KQs and raised.. the guy to my right was completely loose and called. flop misses me but is all undercards.. it checks to me so i bet (trying out the new betting for a freecard play.) and get called by him. Turn is a Q and I feel alright about it.. he bets I reraise he calls. River is a king. I bet he calls and smugly shows me the Ace 10 os and tells me he "read me" for a weak 6 (middle pair). Usually I dont say any but I was not happy so I said "wow.. way to stick around for way too long." he again says about his read on me and I tell him he was way off and "I've been playing tighter then a 10 year old why would I have a weak 6? Good thing bad reads pay off sometimes right?" and I pat him on the back. He shut up pretty quick after that.
The final big expensive hand was A8suited in the blind. I flop top two pair. I bet get raised I reraise. 3 people in the pot now. turn is a 4.. lots of action river is a blank lots of action. other guy had a weaker two pair and the 3rd guy flips over some ugly looking straight he caught. I had just sat down so I had no reads but I really should have looked at what his aggression means with only two pair. Id like to think those were all some pretty awful beats but I do take responsibility for not identifying aggression from the girl I had Aces against and the guy who wanted to cap in the last hand.
Well the cable guy is here to fix the DVR so Im going to end this.
Wednesday, December 19, 2007
Winning Session
Well after not playing for almost 3 weeks at Foxwoods I went back for 4 hours today and posted a solid session at 2.5 BB an hour. What kinda gets me is I was up 110 after an hour or two but I decided to stay and finish out my scheduled session time. I lost one big big hand with pocket aces.. I looked great the whole way.. two other players in the hand. One will chase but fold on the turn or river and one is a complete donkey, calling down anything and showing it even when he has nothing. When I first sat down he mucked his BB hand and every since blind he had to be told 2 or 3 times to post.. you get the picture. Well he busted me with 9 4os by catching the 7 high straight on the river.
I would like to note that I did spend a good amount of time practicing counting the pot and using the information correctly. All and all I felt good even though I only left with $40 instead of $100 or so.
I went over the goals I posted a few ago and Im thinking it may be a challenge to obtain those goals on time. Im still working and I havent been laid off yet so I havent had the time on my hands to study and play as much. I moved last weekend and we've been getting the new place all set up BUT things are finally calming down.
Also Ive been playing more NL tournies and SnGs. It was fun to get back into it for a change of pace. I read in a book once that when the guy who wrote it (Scott Fishmen however you spell it) said when hes feeling burnt he plays a different game and takes uses that time to expand on different things. Well I've taken that to heart and have enjoyed the break and was able to jump back into Limit confidently with a fresh outlook.
Ive posted a few threads on 2 + 2 with a problem Ive been having about not pushing myself to the next level in this.. meaning counting outs effectively, applying the pot odds and all.. well I got a big mix or replies but what I came away with is I really REALLY just need to start going over hands more and analyzing my play or someone elses until it becomes second nature.. it really is the only way Im going to get better. I kind of wish I had someone to work with this on but Mike has been shying away from limit lately.
One last note Im thinking about signing up for a poker video site.. either cardplayers new service or stoxpoker, Im not sure which. When I get laid off I think Im going to set a weekly schedule for casino time, study time and online time. Last winter I didnt have much direction or organization and I didnt do too well. Im really looking forward to advancing my game asap.
ps.. thank god they automaticall save drafts.. almost lost this whole post
I would like to note that I did spend a good amount of time practicing counting the pot and using the information correctly. All and all I felt good even though I only left with $40 instead of $100 or so.
I went over the goals I posted a few ago and Im thinking it may be a challenge to obtain those goals on time. Im still working and I havent been laid off yet so I havent had the time on my hands to study and play as much. I moved last weekend and we've been getting the new place all set up BUT things are finally calming down.
Also Ive been playing more NL tournies and SnGs. It was fun to get back into it for a change of pace. I read in a book once that when the guy who wrote it (Scott Fishmen however you spell it) said when hes feeling burnt he plays a different game and takes uses that time to expand on different things. Well I've taken that to heart and have enjoyed the break and was able to jump back into Limit confidently with a fresh outlook.
Ive posted a few threads on 2 + 2 with a problem Ive been having about not pushing myself to the next level in this.. meaning counting outs effectively, applying the pot odds and all.. well I got a big mix or replies but what I came away with is I really REALLY just need to start going over hands more and analyzing my play or someone elses until it becomes second nature.. it really is the only way Im going to get better. I kind of wish I had someone to work with this on but Mike has been shying away from limit lately.
One last note Im thinking about signing up for a poker video site.. either cardplayers new service or stoxpoker, Im not sure which. When I get laid off I think Im going to set a weekly schedule for casino time, study time and online time. Last winter I didnt have much direction or organization and I didnt do too well. Im really looking forward to advancing my game asap.
ps.. thank god they automaticall save drafts.. almost lost this whole post
Monday, December 3, 2007
Frustrated
After the loss at Foxwoods Ive lost 40 bb online.. yeah its only $8 but its still getting frustrating. I think I need a break and some study. I keep making good calls preflop and not hitting and occasionally I hit and someone with a weak rag hits the two pair. I know this is part of the game and I know these highs and lows coming but it is really wearing on me.
I didnt have to work today so I was tempted to go and try to post a winning session at the casino but Im not feeling right about it.. not confident. Not sure what needs to be done. Usually I just wait, take a breather. Whats weird is back when I was playing NL I would have to do this from bad beats but limit doesnt really lay bad beats on you. I dont know this feels like rambling..
I didnt have to work today so I was tempted to go and try to post a winning session at the casino but Im not feeling right about it.. not confident. Not sure what needs to be done. Usually I just wait, take a breather. Whats weird is back when I was playing NL I would have to do this from bad beats but limit doesnt really lay bad beats on you. I dont know this feels like rambling..
Sunday, December 2, 2007
Ugh..
Just got back from a 9 hour session at Foxwoods.. I was truely truely card dead for most of the night and Im not one to complain about an easy fold. I did not see a pocket pair over 10 10 once. My cards were unsuited and unconnected for hours on end. At about hour 7 I was dead even again but that didnt last. I only played one hand poorly early on and I played AKs aggressively against someone who called me with bottom pair saying "you go me" I just dont get people some times
A note on the table.. It was capping preflop repeatedly. The woman with 96 os was actually mad when her two pair didnt stand up to Q 8 os.. and those were all capped. I was waiting for a good hand to cash in against these people but it just never came. I did flop a 10 high straight flush and it was the one hand all the action dried up.
This session also killed me hourly earning.. im not making a normal $9 and change an hour.. not fun at all.
Id like to say that I need to study up (which I always do) but I dont feel like I played bad at all. My starting hands were so scarce that I barely had a chance to mess up short of calling with crap.
Ah well.. this was bound to happen. my 7 game winning streak has come to an end. Well now its past 3am and I really should be sleeping instead of typing about poker. so... yeah
A note on the table.. It was capping preflop repeatedly. The woman with 96 os was actually mad when her two pair didnt stand up to Q 8 os.. and those were all capped. I was waiting for a good hand to cash in against these people but it just never came. I did flop a 10 high straight flush and it was the one hand all the action dried up.
This session also killed me hourly earning.. im not making a normal $9 and change an hour.. not fun at all.
Id like to say that I need to study up (which I always do) but I dont feel like I played bad at all. My starting hands were so scarce that I barely had a chance to mess up short of calling with crap.
Ah well.. this was bound to happen. my 7 game winning streak has come to an end. Well now its past 3am and I really should be sleeping instead of typing about poker. so... yeah
Tuesday, November 27, 2007
Lucky?
I dont know whats going on but with that last hand I posted yesterday and the hand I just had which was almost as many BBs in one pot Im 1/3rd of the way to the next level on pokerstars.. I realize this is going to take some time and half of me is expecting to hit a downswing at some point where I have to drop down a level but so far so good.
I keep getting discouraging feedback from people on 2+2 about how 2/4 is unbeatable at Foxwoods with the rake and all and Im just not finding it to be the case. Sure youre losing one BB for every pot you hit but Im still averaging 3.5 BBs over 32 hours and its just making me think this is variance and Im going to hit a wall soon. I dont like thinking this way about it thought.
I just started the work week with a labor intensive 10.5 hour day.. I actually enjoyed it having not had to do anything in 5 days from the Thanksgiving Weekend into the rainday yesterday but Im already planning on working Saturday which is so far my favorite time to play.
Alright I think Im going to do some reading.. 10 pages from the section on betting for a free card and Ive been looking forward to actually knowing what this means and when to use it instead of nodding and smiling when it comes up.
I keep getting discouraging feedback from people on 2+2 about how 2/4 is unbeatable at Foxwoods with the rake and all and Im just not finding it to be the case. Sure youre losing one BB for every pot you hit but Im still averaging 3.5 BBs over 32 hours and its just making me think this is variance and Im going to hit a wall soon. I dont like thinking this way about it thought.
I just started the work week with a labor intensive 10.5 hour day.. I actually enjoyed it having not had to do anything in 5 days from the Thanksgiving Weekend into the rainday yesterday but Im already planning on working Saturday which is so far my favorite time to play.
Alright I think Im going to do some reading.. 10 pages from the section on betting for a free card and Ive been looking forward to actually knowing what this means and when to use it instead of nodding and smiling when it comes up.
Monday, November 26, 2007
Giant hand
Just wanted to save this hand.. Would have been a $150 hand at Foxwoods.. also probably would never have happened.
PokerStars 0.10/0.20 Hold'em (9 handed) Poker Stars Converter Tool from FlopTurnRiver.com (Format: HTML)
Preflop: Hero is BB with 8s, 8h.
2 folds, MP1 calls, 2 folds, CO calls, Button calls, SB completes, Hero checks.
Flop: (5 SB) Tc, Qd, 8c (5 players)
SB checks, BB bets, MP1 calls, CO calls, Button raises, SB calls, BB 3-bets, MP1 calls, CO calls, Button caps, SB calls, Hero calls, MP1 calls, CO calls.
Turn: (12.50 BB) 6h (5 players)
SB checks, BB bets, MP1 calls, CO calls, Button raises, SB calls, BB 3-bets, MP1 folds, CO calls, Button calls, SB calls.
River: (25.50 BB) 5d (4 players)
SB checks, BB bets, CO folds, Button raises, SB calls, BB 3-bets, Button caps, SB calls, Hero calls.
Final Pot: 37.50 BB
Results in white below:
SB has Qc Jh (one pair, queens).
Hero has 8s 8h (three of a kind, eights).
Button has Qh Th (two pair, queens and tens).
Outcome: Hero wins 37.50 BB.
PokerStars 0.10/0.20 Hold'em (9 handed) Poker Stars Converter Tool from FlopTurnRiver.com (Format: HTML)
Preflop: Hero is BB with 8s, 8h.
2 folds, MP1 calls, 2 folds, CO calls, Button calls, SB completes, Hero checks.
Flop: (5 SB) Tc, Qd, 8c (5 players)
SB checks, BB bets, MP1 calls, CO calls, Button raises, SB calls, BB 3-bets, MP1 calls, CO calls, Button caps, SB calls, Hero calls, MP1 calls, CO calls.
Turn: (12.50 BB) 6h (5 players)
SB checks, BB bets, MP1 calls, CO calls, Button raises, SB calls, BB 3-bets, MP1 folds, CO calls, Button calls, SB calls.
River: (25.50 BB) 5d (4 players)
SB checks, BB bets, CO folds, Button raises, SB calls, BB 3-bets, Button caps, SB calls, Hero calls.
Final Pot: 37.50 BB
Results in white below:
SB has Qc Jh (one pair, queens).
Hero has 8s 8h (three of a kind, eights).
Button has Qh Th (two pair, queens and tens).
Outcome: Hero wins 37.50 BB.
Quicker trip to the woods
I went back to Foxwoods today. A friend from work wanted to go just to hang around the casino and I picked her up.. I told her Id be playing around 5 hours and she was cool with it.. brought some blackjack money and some books. I should have known better. She was completely fine but an hour and a half in I asked her what she was up to in a text and she said she spent her limited blackjack money and was reading and she was cool. I offered to leave and she said whatever I wanted to do and we left. This is a problem I have even with my poker playing friends. We cant take the same car in case one of us busts.. psychologically I cant keep playing when I know someone is waiting for me. Kind of a waste of gas but F it. Sorry for using hard letters.
I need to read more.. I need to finish SSHE and start rereading/applying its concepts. Today it was brought to my attention on the 2+2 forum that I dont know what a free card bet is. I mean I get the jist of it but im not 100% on when to use it. I figure I have about 50 more hours left at 2/4 live before I am willing to give 4/8 a shot. Id prefer 1600 but Id give it a shot around 1400 or so. I wouldnt want to drop below a grand after I get it.
Work should be ending soon.. hopefully a month or so.. After xmas I should be able to start spending about 3 days a week seriously grinding it out. Treat it like a job and hopefully build the bankroll up to where it needs to be.
On a personal note my girlfriend will be having surgery on her ass again (a sinus near her tailbone) and she will need me around for about a week straight. So lets lay out some goals.
To Do by January 15th
1 Build a Bankroll of $1200 .. easily obtainable
2 Finish Reading SSHE
3 Move up to 1/2 online with $400 roll
Current status
1 $466 Bankroll
2 1/3 through
3 playing .10/.20 with $50
I need to read more.. I need to finish SSHE and start rereading/applying its concepts. Today it was brought to my attention on the 2+2 forum that I dont know what a free card bet is. I mean I get the jist of it but im not 100% on when to use it. I figure I have about 50 more hours left at 2/4 live before I am willing to give 4/8 a shot. Id prefer 1600 but Id give it a shot around 1400 or so. I wouldnt want to drop below a grand after I get it.
Work should be ending soon.. hopefully a month or so.. After xmas I should be able to start spending about 3 days a week seriously grinding it out. Treat it like a job and hopefully build the bankroll up to where it needs to be.
On a personal note my girlfriend will be having surgery on her ass again (a sinus near her tailbone) and she will need me around for about a week straight. So lets lay out some goals.
To Do by January 15th
1 Build a Bankroll of $1200 .. easily obtainable
2 Finish Reading SSHE
3 Move up to 1/2 online with $400 roll
Current status
1 $466 Bankroll
2 1/3 through
3 playing .10/.20 with $50
Friday, November 23, 2007
Quick trip to the Woods
Well I got up early today and went down to Foxwoods. Im glad I got in there by 830 because by 10 the place was completely packed. I was able to open a table and I did pretty well. My biggest mistake was calling a raise and reraise with trips. The board had flush and straight draws and I just fell in love with my aces.. lesson learned I hope. My read on the table was great and I knew who would pay me off and who wouldnt. I left after only 3 hours with 21 BBs in my pocket. I could have hung around but its a long weekend and I did what I wanted to do there.
My biggest problem there has been that I DO NOT count the pot! I feel like I dont even need to with the horrible players Im encountering and I know I should be using that time to get better at counting it for when I move up and start playing against actually good players.
I think the best thing to do would be write up some quick reference charts on index cards and get used to using them when I play online and the repetition will put those odds into my head enough so that when I do need to start counting the pot Ill already know what kind of odds I need to make calls. Im going to see if I can find some cards around the house and get on that seeing as how I am constantly thinking about doing it when working but never actually do it when home.
Oh and I rivered a wheel flush today to crack some kings.. he was even holding Kh for the second nut flush. It was pretty cool to get that live.
My biggest problem there has been that I DO NOT count the pot! I feel like I dont even need to with the horrible players Im encountering and I know I should be using that time to get better at counting it for when I move up and start playing against actually good players.
I think the best thing to do would be write up some quick reference charts on index cards and get used to using them when I play online and the repetition will put those odds into my head enough so that when I do need to start counting the pot Ill already know what kind of odds I need to make calls. Im going to see if I can find some cards around the house and get on that seeing as how I am constantly thinking about doing it when working but never actually do it when home.
Oh and I rivered a wheel flush today to crack some kings.. he was even holding Kh for the second nut flush. It was pretty cool to get that live.
Wednesday, November 21, 2007
A 10 diamonds
I posted a hand history on 2+2 yesterday and got some great feedback. I flopped the nut flush draw and a straight draw and I wanted better players then me to criticize my play for better or worse. I really did learn and hear stuff Ive never even thought about before. Admittedly I still haven't worked my way through "Postflop Play" in SSHE so it didnt really occur to me that betting out UTG with draws would get less money in the pot. It was definately a NL way of playing the hand.
The link to that thread is here .. I hope it stays in their database without changing the URL
Also Id like to say my .10/.20 play is going pretty well.. I believe Im up $7 (more importantly 35 BB) in a very short amount of time. I was playing with a lot of fisherman but I'll take what I can get.
Starting the 4 day weekend for thanksgiving tonight.. Ive definately got Foxwoods in mind for friday or saturday and Id like to spend some time studying and giving my back some time to straighten out.
The link to that thread is here .. I hope it stays in their database without changing the URL
Also Id like to say my .10/.20 play is going pretty well.. I believe Im up $7 (more importantly 35 BB) in a very short amount of time. I was playing with a lot of fisherman but I'll take what I can get.
Starting the 4 day weekend for thanksgiving tonight.. Ive definately got Foxwoods in mind for friday or saturday and Id like to spend some time studying and giving my back some time to straighten out.
Monday, November 19, 2007
Goals
So that last post I wrote up a few days ago and posted on pokerblog.com.. apparently I misunderstood the point of that site and it spent two or three days waiting in the queue or some shit so I opened this account and cut and paste that entry here..
So while Im waiting for a table on pokerstars I would like to lay out my objectives.
Im currently working on two seperate but completely related goals right now in limit hold'em. The first is live play. I took $100 of my own money and hit the 2/4 tables at Foxwoods. My first session yielded $85 after tipping the dealer. After that session I took the $100 and put it back in my bank account and have only played with won money since then. I decided to take advantage of the poker analyst on cardplayer.com as was recommended in an article I read in the same publication. I had already started logging my live sessions in a notebook I use to write down important things I read or pick up about poker so it was easy to transfer them. Currently I have 27.5 hours logged of live play over 5 sessions. Ive built the bankroll up to $371 averaging $13.49 an hour or 3.37 BB an hour. I plan at playing at 2/4 until i get around $1500 to move up to 4/8 live.. I may try it at $1200 which is technically a little early for bankroll requirements (based on a 200xBB roll) but I may give it a whirl early
The second project Im putting together is online. I started with $10 on pokerstars just for limit poker (I have a few hundred on bodog but I spread that between sit and goes and tournaments but I wanted one account for just limit cash games.) I decided to see if I could build a bankroll playing by strict requirements .. moving up with I get 200 BB for the next level and dropping back down when i have 200 BB for the lower level. I decided to skip the .02/.04 level and go right into .05/.10. I spent about a month at that level building up to $40.. unfortunately I never kept track of how many hours I was playing and what my results were and I will admit to playing some of these games drunk and blowing a buy in here or there and other times playing like a jackass and hitting my longshot draws and doubling up. A few days ago I just cleared the $40 and I moved up to .10/.20. Each level I find completely different play. I have to stick this one out til I get up to $100 so I think it may be a while. So far so good though.
So thats what Im currently working on and I intend to keep progress posted on both the bankrolls how I feel about how I played and possibly some hand histories. This is mostly for my own benefit and hopefully the end result will be a full documented history of my climb up the ladder literally from nothing.
Oh, something I intended on writing about is that although I am pretty comfortable financially at this point in my life I was raised very very poor. As a result I never asked for anything and never was comfortable spending money. This has been one of the bigger obstacles Ive had to overcome which is probably why Im sticking to strict bankroll requirements for moving up and down and why I dont play with my own money. I honestly don't understand the people who use their own money through the learning curve.. I cant see spending $2k and jumping right into the $5/$10 game and being someones fish.
So while Im waiting for a table on pokerstars I would like to lay out my objectives.
Im currently working on two seperate but completely related goals right now in limit hold'em. The first is live play. I took $100 of my own money and hit the 2/4 tables at Foxwoods. My first session yielded $85 after tipping the dealer. After that session I took the $100 and put it back in my bank account and have only played with won money since then. I decided to take advantage of the poker analyst on cardplayer.com as was recommended in an article I read in the same publication. I had already started logging my live sessions in a notebook I use to write down important things I read or pick up about poker so it was easy to transfer them. Currently I have 27.5 hours logged of live play over 5 sessions. Ive built the bankroll up to $371 averaging $13.49 an hour or 3.37 BB an hour. I plan at playing at 2/4 until i get around $1500 to move up to 4/8 live.. I may try it at $1200 which is technically a little early for bankroll requirements (based on a 200xBB roll) but I may give it a whirl early
The second project Im putting together is online. I started with $10 on pokerstars just for limit poker (I have a few hundred on bodog but I spread that between sit and goes and tournaments but I wanted one account for just limit cash games.) I decided to see if I could build a bankroll playing by strict requirements .. moving up with I get 200 BB for the next level and dropping back down when i have 200 BB for the lower level. I decided to skip the .02/.04 level and go right into .05/.10. I spent about a month at that level building up to $40.. unfortunately I never kept track of how many hours I was playing and what my results were and I will admit to playing some of these games drunk and blowing a buy in here or there and other times playing like a jackass and hitting my longshot draws and doubling up. A few days ago I just cleared the $40 and I moved up to .10/.20. Each level I find completely different play. I have to stick this one out til I get up to $100 so I think it may be a while. So far so good though.
So thats what Im currently working on and I intend to keep progress posted on both the bankrolls how I feel about how I played and possibly some hand histories. This is mostly for my own benefit and hopefully the end result will be a full documented history of my climb up the ladder literally from nothing.
Oh, something I intended on writing about is that although I am pretty comfortable financially at this point in my life I was raised very very poor. As a result I never asked for anything and never was comfortable spending money. This has been one of the bigger obstacles Ive had to overcome which is probably why Im sticking to strict bankroll requirements for moving up and down and why I dont play with my own money. I honestly don't understand the people who use their own money through the learning curve.. I cant see spending $2k and jumping right into the $5/$10 game and being someones fish.
Sunday, November 18, 2007
Introduction..
Im not sure why this occurred to me but I realized I was narrating my goals and progress in poker in my head constantly and at some point it clicked with me that no one was listening. I remembered reading in Cardplayer that some players have a blog and so I took a quick look into it and here I am.
Here are the quick details of me and my poker background.
Im a 26 year old male who lives with his girlfriend and two friends from high school in Warwick, RI. January 1st she and I will be moving out to an apartment in Federal Hill in Providence, RI.
Ive been playing poker for 2 years. I first got interested while watching celebrity poker on bravo while laid off from work one winter. I soon started playing for free on partypoker. A little while in I found out that all of my close friends watched and played poker on one level or another and I had no idea. I started playing locally at the Eastern Poker Tour and a few bars around town. Over the last two years I can honestly say my game has entirely changed.. I see newer people play a certain way and completely see my self 3 months.. 6 months.. a year ago and know how to exploit it.. and the fact that I can see that constantly makes me want to get better and better because I know there are tables full of people who see how Im playing and know how to get my chips from me.
Moving on..
I live in Rhode Island so the closest casino to me is Foxwoods. I remember my first time playing at the 1/2 NL table with $100 from my tax return. (I should say here and now that although I consider myself pretty successful at life in that middle class sort of way, I grew up very poor and once things got better I never figured out how to ask for things or spend money on myself or risk money oddly enough. As Ill be talking about later I even dont gamble with "my" money) I lost all that after about an hour on some silly hand or another. I remember not caring and thinking "ok.. this was a lesson and I need to remember it". The actual hand and how it is played is completely out of my immediate memory but I know whatever transpired is lodged in some file of what to look out for as all poker players develop.
My main games for the bulk of my playing time were tournaments.. Ive played a lot of SnGs online.. hosted some $10 tournaments at my house and played at nightly tournaments at bars. I picked up a book early on that gave me a foundation for starting hands and that served me well for a good while.
A few times I would go to Foxwoods and not have the $100 to potentially loose at 1/2 so i would sit with $40 at 2/4 limit on the advice of my friend Mike. After several loosing sessions and then the stereotypical loss of AA versus 72 suited I realized I do not understand this game..
A major step in my poker playing occurred in August of 2007 when my girlfriend and I took a vacation to Vegas. It was my first time there and I had enough money budgeted to blow while there that I was able to sit at many tables and not feel nervous that I had x amount of dollars on the line. I did well at some games.. I took one huge bad beat for my tournament life at the Mirage $60 tournament (I check raised the entire way from the flop to the river with a BB special full house only for the other guy to catch a jack on the river and get a bigger boat) and I just straight out blew $250 at NL 1/3 (weird limit) with AQ (lost to AK) and another hand that escapes me now.. But what clicked with me was that I got comfortable with chips coming and chips going.. money won and lost. I didnt get sweats tossing $20 in the pot with top pair and kicker even though someone MIGHT have 2 pair.
I came back from vegas with a fresh outlook and a good attitude toward my game which was quickly squashed in a week or two while i lost half my bankroll on bodog on some NL games and the only thing that was keeping it afloat was my SnG results... after that I decided to take some time off until I cooled out and didnt feel bad about what I lost and read up. It was at that time I joined the 2+2 forums and bought a book on Limit. I had been reading online and in cardplayer that limit was the most profitable game and although i didnt understand it.. I wanted to be a consistently successful poker player.
And that ladies and gentlemen.. Is the purpose of this blog. To chronicle my poker progress with specific attention to limit hold 'em. Im going to post this and start a new post that is more specific to those goals.
Here are the quick details of me and my poker background.
Im a 26 year old male who lives with his girlfriend and two friends from high school in Warwick, RI. January 1st she and I will be moving out to an apartment in Federal Hill in Providence, RI.
Ive been playing poker for 2 years. I first got interested while watching celebrity poker on bravo while laid off from work one winter. I soon started playing for free on partypoker. A little while in I found out that all of my close friends watched and played poker on one level or another and I had no idea. I started playing locally at the Eastern Poker Tour and a few bars around town. Over the last two years I can honestly say my game has entirely changed.. I see newer people play a certain way and completely see my self 3 months.. 6 months.. a year ago and know how to exploit it.. and the fact that I can see that constantly makes me want to get better and better because I know there are tables full of people who see how Im playing and know how to get my chips from me.
Moving on..
I live in Rhode Island so the closest casino to me is Foxwoods. I remember my first time playing at the 1/2 NL table with $100 from my tax return. (I should say here and now that although I consider myself pretty successful at life in that middle class sort of way, I grew up very poor and once things got better I never figured out how to ask for things or spend money on myself or risk money oddly enough. As Ill be talking about later I even dont gamble with "my" money) I lost all that after about an hour on some silly hand or another. I remember not caring and thinking "ok.. this was a lesson and I need to remember it". The actual hand and how it is played is completely out of my immediate memory but I know whatever transpired is lodged in some file of what to look out for as all poker players develop.
My main games for the bulk of my playing time were tournaments.. Ive played a lot of SnGs online.. hosted some $10 tournaments at my house and played at nightly tournaments at bars. I picked up a book early on that gave me a foundation for starting hands and that served me well for a good while.
A few times I would go to Foxwoods and not have the $100 to potentially loose at 1/2 so i would sit with $40 at 2/4 limit on the advice of my friend Mike. After several loosing sessions and then the stereotypical loss of AA versus 72 suited I realized I do not understand this game..
A major step in my poker playing occurred in August of 2007 when my girlfriend and I took a vacation to Vegas. It was my first time there and I had enough money budgeted to blow while there that I was able to sit at many tables and not feel nervous that I had x amount of dollars on the line. I did well at some games.. I took one huge bad beat for my tournament life at the Mirage $60 tournament (I check raised the entire way from the flop to the river with a BB special full house only for the other guy to catch a jack on the river and get a bigger boat) and I just straight out blew $250 at NL 1/3 (weird limit) with AQ (lost to AK) and another hand that escapes me now.. But what clicked with me was that I got comfortable with chips coming and chips going.. money won and lost. I didnt get sweats tossing $20 in the pot with top pair and kicker even though someone MIGHT have 2 pair.
I came back from vegas with a fresh outlook and a good attitude toward my game which was quickly squashed in a week or two while i lost half my bankroll on bodog on some NL games and the only thing that was keeping it afloat was my SnG results... after that I decided to take some time off until I cooled out and didnt feel bad about what I lost and read up. It was at that time I joined the 2+2 forums and bought a book on Limit. I had been reading online and in cardplayer that limit was the most profitable game and although i didnt understand it.. I wanted to be a consistently successful poker player.
And that ladies and gentlemen.. Is the purpose of this blog. To chronicle my poker progress with specific attention to limit hold 'em. Im going to post this and start a new post that is more specific to those goals.
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