the davenpoker project

today i became a pro poker player.

I abandoned a super-secure role in a career that i am good at but am uncertain about dedicating myself to. Twelve months ago I started working part-time. In part, this was to allow time to improve at poker and prove that i could earn some $$ playing this crazy game of cards.

If you care about how that twelve months went then click here .

One week from now I head to europe, escaping a southern autumn for a northern spring and summer. I will climb, juggle, and occasionally play poker. Late '09 i will head back to New Zealand and take poker a little more seriously.

I know i can grind 0.5-1.5ptBB/100 playing a lot of tables up to 200nl. This plus rakeback/bonuses is an easy $3-$5k per month.

But...
I don't want to be a long-term small stakes grinder. What's the point in being only a journeyman? I want to try for more.

I need some goals.
I have some.

I want to be proficient in full ring, short handed, and SnG/MTT unlimited holdem play.
I will work on this.

I will play full tilt FR with a starting roll of $2k, probably kicking off at 100nl for a while longer.
I will play party short-handed with a starting roll of $1.2k, initially 25nl, but moving up aggressively.
I will play stars SnGs and MTTs when i feel like it (need to open a stars account first tho!)

goals:
An understanding of poker - i guess $ are the best measure of this, so....
100k in poker earnings by May 1st 2010 - wonder if the party WSOP promo will help here

cool. Tomorrow i play my first hands as a pro...
watch this space.

if you're interested in how I turned $200 into $1000
here, or $1000 into $4000 here

gl sir

seconded

The best of luck to you Sir! Will be stopping in to check up on you.

HELLS F YEAH. Good luck dude!

Never be satisfied.

Good luck man, one day I hope to join you /watching this thread

GL man, remember its not a job.. its an adventure.

Enjoy the ride

tldr

just kidding. Good luck and work hard imo

You can dooo eeeet man! I may have barely beat you to 5k, but it appears you beat me at escaping dayjobs... well done sir, I'm kinda jealous

Good luck at keeping the discipline up, and then of course

holy shit

Awesome daven do it!!

gogogogogogogogo

Originally Posted by Jack Sawyer

gogogogogogogogo

HOLY TITS

and also, good luck daven! Stick it to the man, and all that

turns out i quite enjoy 6-max. Only playing 8-tables too, so relaxing times.

How it started - I opened up my party account and there was a $22 token thing available, plus about $15. I played a $22 tourney and cashed for $60. There is also a $150 no deposit bonus that I'm grinding through. Moved another $490 over there and started to learn short-handed poker. I've decided to move quickly until $50nl, but grind a little rather than simply start with the $1.2k deposit. This seems worthwhile, cos my short-handed game is far from watertight, so why not learn for cheap?

5nl - tick after one session
10nl - tick after one session
25nl - I had to play a little better. Running fine now after 2k hands (was spew <> thin value, down $100 after 1k!). Will move up at party roll $900 - i expect i'll grind out 6 more buyins around as fast as the $150 clears, so hopefully i'll be there early next week.

I'll probably post some 25nl hands in the beginners circle - they may prove a little controversial?

Will have a Full Ring session this evening, and look into the various easy-rake-race free money opportunities floating around this month (things like rake $5 to win $100 seem to exist).

good luck daven, it will be interesting to follow this thread over the next year.

Good luck dude!

Originally Posted by daven

I'll probably post some 25nl hands in the beginners circle - they may prove a little controversial?

Even I never stack off in the BC

I get a bit tired with people making up ranges in the BC that are likely wrong. It seems like some folks have a line they want to defend, so they make up a range that would make their preferred line correct, rather than taking reads, estimating ranges, guessing at the reasonable actions for the various portions of the range, and then taking appropriate action.

I think some controversial hands in the BC would be good.

enjoying the no-work-bum-lifestyle again!
poker is fine and fun. I haven't played much, <15k hands so far but that's cool. Playing the occasional 6-max session seems to do great things for my full ring game, i'm not sure i can define exactly what it is that I am learning, but I like it.
Something about picking spots, some realisations about aggression, range by position, dunno.

Up just under $1k for the week including rakeback. Got enough ironman medals to buy a $600 bonus then a $100 bonus, but I think I'll wait until I'm hungry before I dip into that.

a couple of fun hands.
Full Tilt No-Limit Hold'em, $1.00 BB (8 handed) - Full-Tilt Converter Tool from FlopTurnRiver.com

CO ($153.80)
Hero (Button) ($100)
SB ($15.65)
BB ($101.10)
UTG ($375.55)
UTG+1 ($138.85)
MP1 ($254.95)
MP2 ($94)

Preflop: Hero is Button with 6, A
1 fold, UTG+1 calls $1, 3 folds, Hero calls $1, SB calls $0.50, BB checks

Flop: ($4) 8, 3, J (4 players)
SB bets $2, 1 fold, UTG+1 raises to $8, Hero calls $8, SB calls $6

Turn: ($28) Q (3 players)
SB bets $6.65 (All-In), UTG+1 raises to $31, Hero raises to $91 (All-In), UTG+1 calls $60

River: ($216.65) 7 (3 players, 2 all-in)

Total pot: $216.65 | Rake: $3

Results:
Hero had 6, A (flush, Ace high).
SB had 9, 10 (straight, Queen high).
UTG+1 had Q, 9 (flush, Queen high).
Outcome: Hero won $213.65

and 6-max, where i play my 66 badly and villain plays AA even worse
Party Poker No-Limit Hold'em, $0.25 BB (6 handed) - Party-Poker Converter Tool from FlopTurnRiver.com

CO ($29.33)
SB ($14.35)
MP ($26.19)
BB ($25)
Hero (UTG) ($48.98)
Button ($29.59)

Preflop: Hero is UTG with 6, 6
Hero calls $0.25, MP calls $0.25, 2 folds, SB calls $0.15, BB checks

Flop: ($1) 6, 10, 6 (4 players)
SB checks, BB checks, Hero checks, MP raises to $25.94 (All-In), 2 folds, Hero calls $25.94

Turn: ($52.88) 4 (2 players, 1 all-in)

River: ($52.88) Q (2 players, 1 all-in)

Total pot: $52.88

Results:
Hero had 6, 6 (four of a kind, sixes).
MP didn't show
Outcome: Hero won $50.24

there is something to be said for quality, not quantity...
1 week and low volume with decent winrate >>> breakeven high volume

1 - 19-16 is too lag for me playing full ring
2 - don't call when i'm obviously beat
3 - if i decide to bet-fold, then fold to the raise!
4 - concentrate
5 - ???????/
6 - profit

I need to work on point #5 myself. GL Daven

Yay yay yo!

Good luck man, hope everything goes well. Whats your first destination in europe and for how long will you be traveling around the old world?

Im leaving Germany on June 5th and come back around August 1st, be 3 weeks in the hills in the north and then leave again for two or three weeks in Portes Du Soleil in France. Would be awesome to have a beer together, if not enjoy your time over here.

weeeeeeee reg-wars

vs tule git
Full Tilt No-Limit Hold'em, $1.00 BB (8 handed) - Full-Tilt Converter Tool from FlopTurnRiver.com

CO ($77.05)
Button ($110.15)
SB ($124.80)
BB ($100)
UTG ($17.50)
UTG+1 ($103.55)
Hero (MP1) ($108.60)
MP2 ($97.50)

Preflop: Hero is MP1 with 10, 10
2 folds, Hero bets $3.50, MP2 calls $3.50, 2 folds, SB raises to $15, 1 fold, Hero raises to $33, 1 fold, SB calls $18

Flop: ($70.50) Q, J, 8 (2 players)
SB checks, Hero bets $36,


vs a weak type
Full Tilt No-Limit Hold'em, $1.00 BB (7 handed) - Full-Tilt Converter Tool from FlopTurnRiver.com

BB ($106.40)
UTG ($66)
MP1 ($110.35)
Hero (MP2) ($109.10)
CO ($106.50)
Button ($86.50)
SB ($100)

Preflop: Hero is MP2 with 6, 6
1 fold, MP1 bets $3, Hero calls $3, 4 folds

Flop: ($7.50) 9, 2, 4 (2 players)
MP1 bets $6.50, Hero calls $6.50

Turn: ($20.50) Q (2 players)
MP1 bets $15.50, Hero raises to $31, MP1 calls $15.50

River: ($82.50) A (2 players)
MP1 checks, Hero bets $68.60 (All-In),


vs a laggy spewy reg

Full Tilt No-Limit Hold'em, $1.00 BB (8 handed) - Full-Tilt Converter Tool from FlopTurnRiver.com

MP1 ($130.95)
MP2 ($50.85)
CO ($115.10)
Hero (Button) ($100)
SB ($99)
BB ($195.50)
UTG ($102.20)
UTG+1 ($101.50)

Preflop: Hero is Button with 3, 3
2 folds, MP1 bets $3, 2 folds, Hero calls $3, 2 folds

Flop: ($7.50) 8, 2, 3 (2 players)
MP1 bets $5, Hero calls $5

Turn: ($17.50) 6 (2 players)
MP1 bets $11, Hero raises to $28, MP1 raises to $122.95 (All-In), Hero calls $64 (All-In)

vs a fish i have huge equity vs range ?
Full Tilt No-Limit Hold'em, $1.00 BB (3 handed) - Full-Tilt Converter Tool from FlopTurnRiver.com

Hero (SB) ($140.65)
BB ($157.40)
Button ($158.90)

Preflop: Hero is SB with K, K
Button bets $3, Hero raises to $10, 1 fold, Button calls $7

Flop: ($21) 7, 8, 6 (2 players)
Hero bets $21, Button calls $21

Turn: ($63) 9 (2 players)
Hero bets $109.65 (All-In), Button calls $109.65


vs one of the 3 best regs. We have huge history - i saw him sitting alone with a big stack and couldn't resist loading up the table

Full Tilt No-Limit Hold'em, $1.00 BB (2 handed) - Full-Tilt Converter Tool from FlopTurnRiver.com

Hero (SB) ($100)
Button ($344.50)

Preflop: Hero is SB with 8, 9
Button calls $0.50, Hero bets $4, Button calls $3

Flop: ($8) 4, 2, J (2 players)
Hero bets $5, Button raises to $12, Hero raises to $26, Button calls $14

Turn: ($60) A (2 players)
Hero bets $70 (All-In),


yeah, yeah. vs a reg-fish with a win-rate like mine
Full Tilt No-Limit Hold'em, $1.00 BB (6 handed) - Full-Tilt Converter Tool from FlopTurnRiver.com

UTG ($104.40)
MP ($100)
CO ($73.75)
Button ($47.95)
SB ($106.30)
Hero (BB) ($172.95)

Preflop: Hero is BB with K, A
UTG bets $3, 1 fold, CO calls $3, 2 folds, Hero raises to $12.50, UTG calls $9.50, CO calls $9.50

Flop: ($38) 7, 2, 9 (3 players)
Hero checks, UTG bets $26, 1 fold, Hero raises to $52, UTG raises to $91.90 (All-In), Hero calls $39.90

after someone squeezes the pot is too big to 4b a normal amount I just shove and take my chances

dang I gotta say pretty much every hand is so so badly played by hero. I'm on my ipod now but will comment later when I'm home if u want.

TT - Fold or call imo, depending on MP2´s likelihood to overcall. C/f flop and most turns.

66 - I do this sometimes and usually get berated for it, just c/f turn. Sizing on turn sucks and I dont think he folds a lot of rivers.

33- See why minraising the 66 wasn´t awesome? Otherwise it looks standard, I wonder if hero can flat the turn on such a dry board vs a perceived wide/weak range.

KK - Whatever type of fish he is, I think you dont do very well vs a range that calls off a massive overshove on a this board. A mirrion of decent draws/pr+draw/2pr/sets. B/f turn 38ish

89 - Pure spew. Idk how someone limping the btn hu can be considered "good" only a few hands into the match. Your hand does prob well if u check pre. Your hand does well enough to take a cheap flop, raising just puts u in awkward spots like this. Fwiw Im raising button-limpers extremely polarized, save ur zero equity hands to steal his limp, dont waste decent middling hands on a preflop raise. You have to fold the flop to his raise and by shoveling turn u rep very few hands and a lot of bs that gets snapped off light.

I don't really get any of those. Your bluffs represent bluffs basically.

The TT hand I would just fold... I don't really expect a squeeze from the SB unless proven otherwise.
The flop bet makes head esplode... no idea what you're trying to do.

Did you just turn KK into a bluff?

89
If they're VERY weak then you could raise, but I still think you're better off not putting too much money in, HU oop.

Flop play makes head esplode.

There seems to be a lot of bluffing with no equity going on there.

Thanks to everyone for the hands comments!
you're all right, i posted the hands to remind myself that I sometimes deserve to lose $$....

my brief analysis.

hand 1 - i don't hate the 4-bet because of history. But calling or folding pre is probably better. The flop was a standard c-bet but after his call pre-flop = spew

hand 2 - i call for set reasons pre. So i can fold the turn. Awful.

hand 3 - standard. Calling the set on this flop is fine, but raising is probably better. Happy to get it in on the turn.

hand 4 - ugly, bet-fold turn way better. I had some sort of idea that he had a flush draw or overpair as most of his range. Shame he hit his happy card on the river...

hand 5 - i should have said 'one of the best FR regs', i don't rate him heads up. Check pre. Fold to the flop raise. etc.

hand 6 - i'm doing my best to rep the ace of clubs drawing to the flush. Oh well, i got it in on the flop with the nut flush vs a set = pretty standard. Leading flop is obviously better here though.

Basically what XTR said:
1. Call or fold pre, 4betting isn't too bad I guess but once he calls wtf. I'd check back the flop and try to get to showdown.
2. C/f flop. What you're doing is raising with 100% of your range and that is usually bad. Pick better spots/hands.
3. Interested in hearing about a c/c c/c c/r line. Your line just screams set.
4. Blah sucky spot. I guess c/f turn. EDIT. Yeah b/f small like XTR said.
5. Weird. Hard for either to rep. much. Tbh I'd probably spew and play like this but I think we should fold to the flop c/r but I'd definitely call light in that spot or 3bet with some sort of equity a lot.
6. Gross notes on villain in hand 6. You're better than him. His play is gross. Yours isn't the best , but blah to him. Definitely lead the flop.

Gl.

6-max is helping me open up my FR game.
A while ago i posted about the importance of fish to my bankroll, but until this month I didn't think much more about how to adjust my game to maximise $$. I've thought about that a lot recently. I'm getting somewhere.

Incidentally, I've often tried to become more of a FR LAG - without really understanding what that meant. It usually resulted in me widening all sorts of pre-flop ranges inappropriately and then getting lost with weak holdings post-flop.

So, some work i've been doing recently that seems to be resulting in changes to my game:
Isolating the right players.
Identifying strong lines from fish and folding.
Maximising value lines
Stealing at the right time, pre- and post-flop.
Playing in position more and more.
Understanding what is possible out-of-position, and what isn't.
Recognising the conditions that allow my unimproved low pocket pair to take down a pot without hitting a set = opponent dependent solid (especially 1k+ hands) reads, position, board texture and what line(s) will credibly rep a set, etc.

I've been a 100nl FR reg for ages. I have a lot of hands logged. I have received many $$$ from rakeback and promotions - another $500-ish coming in july as some iron-man mid-year bonus. I have >20k hands of history against several of the regs. That means that any big changes i make to my game will not be apparent in their HUD for about forever. I am not being dominated by any reg. There are one or two regs that i don't like having to my left, and will leave a table unless table conditions are otherwise great

I'm posting 5 hands here, with results. The last two are just fun bad-beats, the first are successful value hands - any comments on lines welcome!

hand 1 - villain is mostly straight-forward, except has a very low fold to c-bet . He is raising sets or flushes on the flop. His range is overpairs and flush draws. My image at this table is kinda manic - 10% 3-bet and 21-18 over 200 hands. I've been showing down strong, but mostly winning pots without showdown.

Full Tilt No-Limit Hold'em, $1.00 BB (7 handed) - Full-Tilt Converter Tool from FlopTurnRiver.com

BB ($105.80)
UTG ($59.85)
MP1 ($100)
MP2 ($56)
Hero (CO) ($172.25)
Button ($98)
SB ($184.40)

Preflop: Hero is CO with A, A
3 folds, Hero bets $3.50, Button calls $3.50, 2 folds

Flop: ($8.50) 4, 6, 5 (2 players)
Hero bets $8, Button calls $8

Turn: ($24.50) 6 (2 players)
Hero bets $23, Button calls $23

River: ($70.50) 5 (2 players)
Hero bets $70.50, Button calls $63.50 (All-In)

Total pot: $197.50 | Rake: $3

Results in white below:
Button had 7, 7 (two pair, sevens and sixes).
Hero had A, A (two pair, Aces and sixes).
Outcome: Hero won $194.50


hand 2 - villain is 68-5 over 55 hands. Very low fold to c-bet suggests calling any piece. If he has a 7 then i'm pretty sure he's betting the turn, so i bet hard for value cos I'm not convinced he's calling 3 streets. River standard value, but maybe check behind. I'm interested in thoughts on turn and river particularly.

Full Tilt No-Limit Hold'em, $1.00 BB (9 handed) - Full-Tilt Converter Tool from FlopTurnRiver.com

Button ($145.50)
SB ($100)
BB ($102.10)
UTG ($108.10)
UTG+1 ($50.15)
MP1 ($101.35)
MP2 ($44.15)
Hero (MP3) ($127.40)
CO ($17)

Preflop: Hero is MP3 with 10, 10
4 folds, Hero bets $3.50, 3 folds, BB calls $2.50

Flop: ($7.50) 7, 5, 7 (2 players)
BB checks, Hero bets $6, BB calls $6

Turn: ($19.50) 3 (2 players)
BB checks, Hero bets $17, BB calls $17

River: ($53.50) 8 (2 players)
BB checks, Hero bets $27, BB calls $27

Total pot: $107.50 | Rake: $3

Results in white below:
BB had K, 5 (two pair, sevens and fives).
Hero had 10, 10 (two pair, tens and sevens).
Outcome: Hero won $104.50


hand 3 villain is 42-11 over 50 hands. He folds to c-bets enough to make it worthwhile. My c-bet sizing is awful. Turn is bingo and i'm happy to try to get it in over two more streets. Note his chat!
Full Tilt No-Limit Hold'em, $1.00 BB (8 handed) - Full-Tilt Converter Tool from FlopTurnRiver.com

MP2 ($51.45)
CO ($20)
Button ($106.65)
SB ($19)
BB ($35.55)
UTG ($112.65)
Hero (UTG+1) ($100)
MP1 ($17)

Preflop: Hero is UTG+1 with Q, A
1 fold, Hero bets $3.50, 1 fold, MP2 calls $3.50, 4 folds

Flop: ($8.50) 3, 7, 8 (2 players)
Hero bets $4, MP2 calls $4

Turn: ($16.50) A (2 players)
Hero bets $12, MP2 calls $12

River: ($40.50) 10 (2 players)
Hero bets $40.50,
D4L3G3ND has 15 seconds left to act
D4L3G3ND: u hit the ace noob?
D4L3G3nD calls $31.95 (All-In)

Total pot: $104.40 | Rake: $3

Results in white below:
Hero had Q, A (one pair, Aces).
MP2 had 9, 10 (one pair, tens).
Outcome: Hero won $101.40

and now for the slansky bucks:

I should get the Ad more often

Full Tilt No-Limit Hold'em, $1.00 BB (9 handed) - Full-Tilt Converter Tool from FlopTurnRiver.com

MP3 ($20.20)
CO ($100)
Button ($17)
SB ($20)
Hero (BB) ($124.25)
UTG ($97)
UTG+1 ($100)
MP1 ($100)
MP2 ($100)

Preflop: Hero is BB with A, A
2 folds, MP1 bets $3, 5 folds, Hero raises to $9.50, MP1 calls $6.50

Flop: ($19.50) 5, 8, 4 (2 players)
Hero bets $11, MP1 raises to $29, Hero raises to $114.75 (All-In), MP1 calls $61.50 (All-In)

Turn: ($200.50) 6 (2 players, 2 all-in)

River: ($200.50) 9 (2 players, 2 all-in)

Total pot: $200.50 | Rake: $3

Results:
Hero had A, A (one pair, Aces).
MP1 had 7, 8 (straight, nine high).
Outcome: MP1 won $197.50

Then again, Ad doesn't always seem to help that much

Full Tilt No-Limit Hold'em, $1.00 BB (9 handed) - Full-Tilt Converter Tool from FlopTurnRiver.com

CO ($49)
Button ($43)
SB ($23.15)
BB ($22.20)
Hero (UTG) ($133.50)
UTG+1 ($17.60)
MP1 ($80.05)
MP2 ($20.60)
MP3 ($19)

Preflop: Hero is UTG with A, A
Hero bets $3.50, 1 fold, MP1 raises to $12, 6 folds, Hero raises to $29, MP1 raises to $80.05 (All-In), Hero calls $51.05

Flop: ($161.60) Q, 3, K (2 players, 1 all-in)

Turn: ($161.60) 7 (2 players, 1 all-in)

River: ($161.60) 4 (2 players, 1 all-in)

Total pot: $161.60 | Rake: $3

Results:
Hero had A, A (one pair, Aces).
MP1 had A, A (flush, Ace high).
Outcome: MP1 won $158.60

Hand 1: I'd probably c/c river but I think its pretty close either way. Range of missed draws is probably similar to range of overpairs.

Hand 2: I like everything about this hand, well played.

Hand 3: My first reaction was to bet smaller on river, but with his stack this seems good. If you read his hand from his range then extra bonus points!

Hand 4: I'm kinda close on just calling flop and getting in on blank turns instead.

I c/f flop #3 vs almost everyone, moreso vs the high-vpip crowd

5 more buy-ins behind ev the last 24hrs and somehow the month isn't looking so hot after all. I've made enough in May to cover the next three months rent and living for the month - so it's not all bad. But it's a far cry from balla

Where abouts are you in Europe. Based in one place or touring round in a clapped out VW camper van.

Originally Posted by Keith_MM

Where abouts are you in Europe. Based in one place or touring round in a clapped out VW camper van.

i'm based in bonn, germany.
No plans for a van tour this time around, other fish to fry
I will see some of europe though, plans so far include taking a complete break from poker during August and most likely:

• * European Juggling Convention in Vittoria-Gastez, Basque Country, Spain for a week in early July
  * Climbing in Fontainbleau and going running with some friends in Paris - ? not sure when exactly?
  * Climbing trip to Czech republic for a week with a friend (czech) from back home
  * Ten days in early August heading from Copenhagen-Gothenburg-Oslo-Bergen and then back to germany
  * maybe some time in late August surfing in south-west france where i know someone who is running a surf-camp
  * maybe heading up to the Harz for some bouldering and a beer with XTR then across to berlin for a few days
  * whatever else turns up
  * I spent four days cruising around Aachen already = nice to re-visit some people and places

so, my first month as a pro

too many adjustments in too short a time.
Some worked, some obviously didn't.
it's lucky I don't need to save any money while I'm in Europe...


lucky I made about $900 in rakeback, a little bit of money playing micro-6-max on another site, and some bonus on that site too.

Net about +$1350 yuck

I'm working on too theory posts at the moment, ones that I think will allow for big improvements in my game.
I'll probably post them here first, and then chuck them into the beginner circle for dissection.

1) Small blind play (full ring focus, but...)
2) Fish, isolation, and maximising EV vs dead money

Thats something I think I see a fair bit. People decide they need to rework their game, and they overhaul everything at once. It rarely seems to work well. I think a much better approach is to work changes into your game one at a time, so you still have a degree of comfort.

Sooo, how about those german beers? Found any keepers?

So you're playing on the road? What do you use for mobile internet?
I'll be driving around europe this summer... I'm most likely just going to take a break from poker, but I might consider if I decide to travel some more.

Poker the end of last month went badly, and this month is starting out even worse...
Yet again, it is time to put the FR LAG experiment to bed. I.m 18-15 over 10k hands in June and down about $500...
micro-6-max is going well though

Originally Posted by daven sometime in may

5nl - tick after one session
10nl - tick after one session
25nl - I had to play a little better. Running fine now after 2k hands (was spew <> thin value, down $100 after 1k!). Will move up at party roll $900 - i expect i'll grind out 6 more buyins around as fast as the $150 clears, so hopefully i'll be there early next week.
.

well, I will be sampling 50nl in that game sometime this afternoon. Reads are more interesting, and come into play so much more often. Aggression becomes a different game. More hands = more hands against the table fish (plural), etc...

Originally Posted by JackSawyer

Sooo, how about those german beers? Found any keepers?

beer is tasting good - i have found a few that i am already going back to rather than trying something new every time

Originally Posted by oskar

So you're playing on the road? What do you use for mobile internet?
I'll be driving around europe this summer... I'm most likely just going to take a break from poker, but I might consider if I decide to travel some more.

not playing on the road. I.m living in a share-house in bonn and i guess i.ll simply be taking breaks while i-m on the road!

edit June 6:
I'm finally in the black for june! now to make some profits

weeeeeeee

Full Tilt No-Limit Hold'em, $1.00 BB (9 handed) - Full-Tilt Converter Tool from FlopTurnRiver.com

UTG ($100)
Hero (UTG+1) ($144.80)
MP1 ($98.50)
MP2 ($57.20)
MP3 ($107.20)
CO ($127.50)
Button ($100)
SB ($111.95)
BB ($100)

Preflop: Hero is UTG+1 with 7, 7
UTG bets $3, Hero calls $3, 1 fold, MP2 calls $3, MP3 calls $3, 2 folds, SB calls $2.50, 1 fold

Flop: ($16) 7, 6, 4 (5 players)
SB checks, UTG bets $10, Hero raises to $32, MP2 raises to $54.20 (All-In), 1 fold, SB raises to $108.95 (All-In), 1 fold, Hero calls $76.95

Turn: ($298.10) 8 (3 players, 2 all-in)

River: ($298.10) 10 (3 players, 2 all-in)

Total pot: $298.10 | Rake: $3

Results:
SB had A, 5 (straight, eight high).
Hero had 7, 7 (three of a kind, sevens).
MP2 had 8, 9 (straight, ten high).
Outcome: SB won $109.50, MP2 won $185.60



Full Tilt No-Limit Hold'em, $1.00 BB (6 handed) - Full-Tilt Converter Tool from FlopTurnRiver.com

Hero (SB) ($102.65)
BB ($103.40)
UTG ($63.85)
MP ($52.50)
CO ($81.15)
Button ($117.60)

Preflop: Hero is SB with Q, Q
UTG calls $1, 2 folds, Button calls $1, Hero bets $5, 1 fold, UTG calls $4, 1 fold

Flop: ($12) 10, Q, 7 (2 players)
Hero checks, UTG checks

Turn: ($12) K (2 players)
Hero bets $8, UTG raises to $16, Hero calls $8

River: ($44) 7 (2 players)
Hero bets $21, UTG raises to $42.85 (All-In), Hero calls $21.85

Total pot: $129.70 | Rake: $3

Results:
Hero had Q, Q (full house, Queens over sevens).
UTG had K, K (full house, Kings over sevens).
Outcome: UTG won $126.70



Full Tilt No-Limit Hold'em, $1.00 BB (9 handed) - Full-Tilt Converter Tool from FlopTurnRiver.com

CO ($129.55)
Button ($42.50)
SB ($226.90)
BB ($162.80)
Hero (UTG) ($209.80)
UTG+1 ($207.55)
MP1 ($50)
MP2 ($132.45)
MP3 ($100)

Preflop: Hero is UTG with 6, 6
Hero bets $3.50, 3 folds, MP3 calls $3.50, CO calls $3.50, Button calls $3.50, 2 folds

Flop: ($15.50) A, A, 8 (4 players)
Hero bets $8, 2 folds, Button calls $8

Turn: ($31.50) 7 (2 players)
Hero checks, Button bets $7, Hero calls $7

River: ($45.50) 6 (2 players)
Hero bets $15, Button raises to $24 (All-In), Hero calls $9

Total pot: $93.50 | Rake: $3

Results:
Button had 6, A (full house, Aces over sixes).
Hero had 6, 6 (full house, sixes over Aces).
Outcome: Button won $90.50

I've played 13k hands of party 6-max this month, 25nl and 50nl. I've posted stats in the SH forum and welcome any comment or review.
http://www.flopturnriver.com/phpBB2/...me-t86117.html
Up just over $600 for the month SH. At the same time I've cleared closing in on $300 in bonus, and accrued enough points to buy another $100 in bonus - so I'm running at about 90% RB equivalent on that site!

6-max is fun. And watching a tiny bankroll grow on a new site is fun too. I was going to move to 100nl 6-max on party once I hit $1500 there. Right now I'm just under $1500 on party and the move seems premature. I'll re-assess at $1800. It's simply that I know my 6-max game is still leak-ridden.

I've played about 20k hands of FR this month. A combination of wanting to run a LAG experiment plus the carry-over of habits that were working in 6-max micros plus calling too much have made it pretty savage. Down $900 for the month at Full Ring running 19-15. Although rakeback makes that a lot less bad than it sounds, and i feel as though i've learnt a lot out of it.

The rest of the month will be about:
1) making some cash playing Full Ring, at least to be breakeven at the tables
2) playing a bunch more 6-max and end up feeling comfortable at 100nl in that game. Will move to 200nl 6-max when my party roll hits 4k, so will likely be a while away
3) grinding smarter...

also, I've scoped out the local casinos. The smallest games going are 5/10 euro, and that's out of my comfort zone. I've told myself that if I make 15k between now and end August then I'll go and take a stab...

Originally Posted by boywonder

The big difference between the average 1-2 grinder and the average 3/6 or 5/10 grinder is definitiely not raw talent or godgiven natural abilities. It is risk tolerance, bankroll management, game selection, tilt control. All very simple things to reign in with a little emotional control. Once in a great while, just due to the large volume of players, you will get some kind of prodigy that will go from the micros to the nosebleeds very quickly, and not by virtue of luck or "positive variance" but a natural understanding of the game. These people are definitely the minority.

thanks iopq

the month of june. Was down almost $1500 during the first week. Up over $1k now. Hope the home stretch goes well...

for live you can use 20 BIs because variance is lower
when I played NL300 at a casino I was really nervous at first because I only played as high as NL100 online, but when I started playing it was like wow this is 10NL online

It's not even 10nl online... I'm 20 minutes from a cardroom but I'm just so fucking lazy that I still bother to play online.

tbh tilt factor is bigger in a casino as well. When you take a beat while 6 or 8 tabling you don't care quite as much as you do when you're sitting at a single table in the casino with the college jock doubling through you when he felted AJ pre to beat your kk and said you were coin-flipping.

That said, still ++++EV to play fishier games, and they're at the casino.

about the time of my last post I read something about non-showdown winnings being important at 6-max. Almost 5 sunk buy-ins later i decided that i no longer care about non-showdown winnings. Since then I have value-bet those lost buy-ins back.

So, this means that I'm about to sample 100nl 6-max. It's been a quick climb. Month is going ok too. Rakeback > the table losses for FR, and 6-max plus party promos is another 1k-ish...

edit Thursday - spoke too soon, just ran a shitty session for -$500 at Full Ring. 3 buyins behind ev, and another where the board paired on the river with the pot already $250 and $30 behind... Yuck

It's funny how my game has changed. I tend to play around 18-15 at FR now, and 22-19 short-handed. I like it. Loads of action too, sometimes too much..

One of the goals of this op was to start learning 6-max. I will consider that well underway once I have made my second 6-max thousand.
Another of the goals was to learn some SnG + MTT play. I'll have a day or two of that sometime soon.
100k is still a while away.

running

Full Tilt No-Limit Hold'em, $1.00 BB (9 handed) - Full-Tilt Converter Tool from FlopTurnRiver.com

Button ($157.35)
SB ($19)
BB ($58.95)
UTG ($20)
UTG+1 ($25)
MP1 ($52.50)
MP2 ($21.50)
MP3 ($20)
Hero (CO) ($140.80)

Preflop: Hero is CO with J, K
5 folds, Hero bets $3.50, Button raises to $6, 2 folds, Hero calls $2.50

Flop: ($13.50) A, 9, 10 (2 players)
Hero checks, Button bets $7, Hero calls $7

Turn: ($27.50) Q (2 players)
Hero checks, Button bets $13, Hero raises to $127.80 (All-In), Button calls $114.80

River: ($283.10) 9 (2 players, 1 all-in)

Total pot: $283.10 | Rake: $3

Results:
Button had 10, 10 (full house, tens over nines).
Hero had J, K (straight, Ace high).
Outcome: Button won $280.10

Full Tilt No-Limit Hold'em, $1.00 BB (4 handed) - Full-Tilt Converter Tool from FlopTurnRiver.com

Button ($38)
SB ($21.80)
BB ($100)
Hero (UTG) ($101)

Preflop: Hero is UTG with Q, Q
Hero bets $3.50, 1 fold, SB calls $3, BB raises to $14, Hero raises to $32, SB calls $18.30 (All-In), BB calls $18

Flop: ($85.80) 10, 9, 2 (3 players, 1 all-in)
BB checks, Hero bets $69 (All-In), BB calls $68 (All-In)

Turn: ($221.80) 6 (3 players, 3 all-in)

River: ($221.80) K (3 players, 3 all-in)

Total pot: $221.80 | Rake: $2

Results:
SB had Q, A (high card, Ace).
BB had K, 10 (two pair, Kings and tens).
Hero had Q, Q (one pair, Queens).
Outcome: BB won $219.80

Full Tilt No-Limit Hold'em, $1.00 BB (9 handed) - Full-Tilt Converter Tool from FlopTurnRiver.com

Hero (BB) ($130.60)
UTG ($17.20)
UTG+1 ($49.50)
MP1 ($19.90)
MP2 ($60.25)
MP3 ($20)
CO ($55)
Button ($43)
SB ($26)

Preflop: Hero is BB with A, A
UTG bets $5, 4 folds, CO calls $5, 2 folds, Hero raises to $14, UTG calls $9, CO calls $9

Flop: ($42.50) 5, 5, K (3 players)
Hero bets $15, UTG calls $3.20 (All-In), CO raises to $30, Hero raises to $45, CO calls $11 (All-In)

Turn: ($127.70) 6 (3 players, 2 all-in)

River: ($127.70) 6 (3 players, 2 all-in)

Total pot: $127.70 | Rake: $3

Results:
Hero had A, A (two pair, Aces and sixes).
UTG had 8, J (two pair, sixes and fives).
CO had K, K (full house, Kings over sixes).
Outcome: CO won $124.70

Seems oddly familiar

hand 1, floating flop OOP is pretty questionable.

other hands: my god, is it normal to get that much action on party poker? I really hope they come back to the US.

Originally Posted by dev

other hands: my god, is it normal to get that much action on party poker? I really hope they come back to the US.

those hands are all full tilt... choose good seats

this is more like party style:
Party Poker No-Limit Hold'em, $1.00 BB (5 handed) - Party-Poker Converter Tool from FlopTurnRiver.com

Button ($100)
UTG ($176.16)
Hero (MP) ($165.01)
SB ($117.60)
BB ($62.66)

Preflop: Hero is MP with A, 10
1 fold, Hero bets $3, Button raises $9, 2 folds, Hero calls $6

Flop: ($19.50) 10, A, 7 (2 players)
Hero checks, Button bets $14, Hero raises $40, Button raises to $91 (All-In), Hero calls $51

Turn: ($201.50) Q (2 players, 1 all-in)

River: ($201.50) Q (2 players, 1 all-in)

Total pot: $201.50

Results:
Button had A, Q (full house, Queens over Aces).
Hero had A, 10 (two pair, Aces and Queens).
Outcome: Button won $199.50

Party Poker No-Limit Hold'em, $1.00 BB (6 handed) - Party-Poker Converter Tool from FlopTurnRiver.com

CO ($200.92)
Button ($100)
MP ($100)
Hero (BB) ($104)
SB ($110.18)
UTG ($105.29)

Preflop: Hero is BB with 8, 8
UTG bets $3, 3 folds, SB calls $2.50, Hero calls $2

Flop: ($9) K, 8, Q (3 players)
SB checks, Hero checks, UTG bets $3, 1 fold, Hero raises $8, UTG calls $5

Turn: ($25) J (2 players)
Hero bets $18, UTG raises $36, Hero calls $18

River: ($97) 2 (2 players)
Hero checks, UTG raises to $58.29 (All-In), Hero calls $57 (All-In)

Total pot: $211

Results:
Hero had 8, 8 (three of a kind, eights).
UTG had K, K (three of a kind, Kings).
Outcome: UTG won $209.29
Party Poker No-Limit Hold'em, $1.00 BB (6 handed) - Party-Poker Converter Tool from FlopTurnRiver.com

MP ($49.31)
BB ($100)
Button ($134.65)
UTG ($100)
CO ($151.95)
Hero (SB) ($184.32)

Preflop: Hero is SB with A, A
1 fold, MP bets $3, 2 folds, Hero raises $8.50, 1 fold, MP calls $6

Flop: ($19) Q, K, 9 (2 players)
Hero bets $9, MP raises to $40.31 (All-In), Hero calls $31.31

Turn: ($99.62) 6 (2 players, 1 all-in)

River: ($99.62) J (2 players, 1 all-in)

Total pot: $99.62

Results:
Hero had A, A (one pair, Aces).
MP had 9, J (two pair, Jacks and nines).
Outcome: MP won $96.62

somehow i made $1k in poker profits during june.
I drank a bunch of good german beer, went to a cool 4 day festival, and have some nice plans for the next two months...

Considering how bad i played and ran, that's kinda reassuring. Especially from being down >$1k for a while. But it's not cool.

I gained a bunch from the month though.
* I learned to play 6-max. This seems successful
* I learned to play looser in FR, this was a failure until i realised which adjustments worked and which didn't
* i further understood the importance of discipline

Right now I'm in discipline mode. I'm playing 50nl until my online roll boosts another $1k. It's grinding again, and working out just fine. I'm at 5ptBB/100 over 10k at full ring, and up 3 buyins over not many hands at 6-max. So another $350 to grind, but i get some rakeback shortly and start to clear the ironman mid-year bonus, so i guess i'll be at 100nl again in a week or so.

July is running way behind EV...
my bankroll is hammered from playing bad, running bad, and withdrawals.

Current online roll (and that's all i include as poker br, withdrawals to date are life money - thanks poker) around $5k. Wow. That's a long way from balla

I will grind 50nl until $6k, move up with a 6buyin stop-loss.
Grind 100nl until $10k. etc. I have a bunch of 'emergency fpp bonuses' available - about $1k on FT, about $350 on party, and about $2k worth of points (2+2 marketplace) on FT. But... i won't use these just yet.

and withdrawals. Right now i'm in europe living on money made from playing poker. I have enough 'poker withdrawal' cash to live for about two years i guess, but i consider that life money now rather than poker $$.

Timeline:
July - get out of the dip. I'm about net -$300 so far (but +ve in ev-land). Study some. Play with discipline. Consider whether continuing playing a 6-max sometimes/FR sometimes mix makes sense. It seems to result in problems for several players.

August i plan to take a month off and go travel scandanavia.
September I'll grind some, but then time in malaysia will mean no poker either for a couple of weeks
October is back to nz and it will be time to play again.
December will be time to assess pro-poker lifestyling. I hope to spend 2+ weeks/month December-March climbing/surfing/hiking and grinding poker/training the other weeks. But only if i'm playing well, earning ok $, and enjoying the grind

edit - i just noticed i've hit the $50k rake paid mark on Full Tilt. Wow, i make them more money than i make myself...

Originally Posted by daven

and about $2k worth of points (2+2 marketplace) on FT. But... i won't use these just yet.

What is this?

Originally Posted by daven

edit - i just noticed i've hit the $50k rake paid mark on Full Tilt. Wow, i make them more money than i make myself...

Haha what, if anything, are they giving you? That's amazing though $50k in rake.

Jyms wrote some very wise words - i think of it as his "why" post, and am including it below cos everyone should read it.
Also important is that once you know why, don't forget it. It's so easy to get into autopilot mode and fold that flop cos that's what you do and you figured out why ages ago so why bother now? cos you should. Cos it's not the same spot. Cos the why may be different...

Originally Posted by jyms

You need to learn the concept of why. Why can't I call. Well when someone posts that you need to bet that flop, or fold to the turn bet, or check a flop w/TP you don't say Ok and start folding, you ask why. What makes it a bet, what makes it a fold. Every time you think your gonna do some "play" like 3bet the BTN because I was told to 3bet more, or raise the flop bet because the board is "dry" like they told so and so, you have to know why. Start finding why. Why is shoving an A high flush draw ok today but yesterday Spenda told me I am an idiot but today he told Iwannplaypoker to shove that flop bet. Find out why. Once you know why, it all comes together and is the reason why guys playing $5K NL will be able to beat micro stakes. Because believe it or not, there is always a why. Watch vids, Spend more time in the strat sections of FTR, get into IRC and post hands. There are tons of guys here that will talk to you on MSN or AIM. Sure they are busy, so just ask if they have a minute to look at a hand. Don't worry if they don't have time, get people to talk to that are at your level and talk a ton. Bounce ideas. Swap HH's and don't pat each other on the back about hands. Tell the truth. Ask why. They may have a reason. discuss the reason. Post hands.Real hands that are confusing, not The AA that gets beat by a set. But the 3bet pot you folded the flop on. The 9/9 that called behind and check shoved the river. review your HH's in HEM or PT. Don't just watch and validate them. Get out pokerstove and stove the ranges street by street. I cannot tell you how valuable a resource there is here. But also, the answer is not here. It's in your head. You need to find out why, and then use the answers.

I'm really enjoying poker again. 50nl grind is going fine. I'm still miles behind on EV for the month, but so what. That's poker. And I'm winning.

i've also started to learn some MTT basics. Played a few sng/mtts the last days and i'm doing ok. Came 2/112 in a $3 pot limit game with live IRC commentary the other day for a smokin' $45... looking forward to having some confidence in my MTT game and playing some that are slightly bigger, for now I figure to work to a 750buyin rule

came 3/75 in an omaha-8 micro tourney. Tourneys are fun, except the beats. Came 22/90 when AA<AQs all-in pre for what would have been the chip lead...
Eventual goal is to get to a stage where i feel that playing the occasional tourney could be at least neutral EV. I have a $75 tourney token i won in some points tourney and it's burning a hole in my pocket. I'm pretty sure it cannot be transferred, so I'll eventually be playing a tourney i'm definitely not rolled for by traditional MTT br guidelines...

a couple of hands for your enjoyment - why?!?
$0.25/$0.5 No Limit Holdem
8 players
Converted at weaktight.com

Stacks:
UTG haer982 ($6.50)
UTG+1 bombers88 ($16.70)
MP1 haoyunchi ($45.10)
MP2 s7eVe7n ($80.65)
CO fcsm1589 ($9.75)
BTN e-chizzle ($20.65)
SB Hero ($51.70)
BB KidVranic ($10.00)

Pre-flop: ($0.75, 8 players) Hero is SB
5 folds, e-chizzle raises to $1.50, Hero raises to $5, 1 fold, e-chizzle calls $3.50

Flop: ($10.50, 2 players)
Hero checks, e-chizzle bets $4, Hero raises to $22.50 ...


$0.25/$0.5 No Limit Holdem
9 players
Converted at weaktight.com

Stacks:
UTG Martamars ($35.60)
UTG+1 SCISSORS_01 ($49.80)
MP1 molazar ($95.25)
MP2 PatHalsell ($57.95)
MP3 flying hippo1 ($57.90)
CO juicyjc ($105.75)
BTN Hero ($55.90)
SB wts4 ($104.05)
BB Lord Xail ($73.45)

Pre-flop: ($0.75, 9 players) Hero is BTN
2 folds, molazar calls $0.50, 1 fold, flying hippo1 calls $0.50, 1 fold, Hero raises to $2.75, 2 folds, molazar calls $2.25, flying hippo1 folds

Flop: ($6.75, 2 players)
molazar checks, Hero bets $4.50, molazar calls $4.50

Turn: ($15.75, 2 players)
molazar checks, Hero bets $13 ...

Originally Posted by Parasurama

Originally Posted by daven

and about $2k worth of points (2+2 marketplace) on FT. But... i won't use these just yet.

What is this?

go to 2+2 marketplace and take a look (pm sent)

8th July 2009. Noon.
This month:

i am down $700 at 50nl on full tilt
Some of this is tilt, being 13 bi behind ev already this month is tilting - i need to either stop when i'm tilting, or stop tilting.
It's worrying to see that even at neutral ev i would be breakeven. I need to stop letting beat after beat after beat affect me.
Glad this is happening at 50nl

i am up $500 on party this month.
Some of this is playing ok, being right on EV is a lot better than being behind - but being ahead of EV would be nice too.

I have cleared $250 of a mid-year ironman bonus and am due about $190 in FT rakeback.
I have earned about $100 in party fpps, and cleared about $20 of some bonus.

that makes me net slightly in the black for the month.
So what. That's not what i'm after.
I want to crush 50nl for a short time longer at party 6-max, and for some time at FT full-ring, then move back to 100nl and crush, then 200nl.

I know the feeling
I'm "in the black" on the order of $100 (incl. RB) but I should be up like $500 (not including RB) at NL100

so I'm moving up to 1/2 because fuck you I'm rolled for it anyway

Originally Posted by daven

that makes me net slightly in the black for the month.
So what. That's not what i'm after.
I want to crush 50nl for a short time longer at party 6-max, and for some time at FT full-ring, then move back to 100nl and crush, then 200nl.

Good luck - I know how ugly it feels to run bad (I was down 11 BI's from EV at one point in May). I also tilted repeatedly over it, so I don't have any great advice about how to avoid that.

I guess we could play each other HU, then at least ONE of us couldn't run 10+ BI's behind EV, amiright?

Robb I can take you up on that

Running like shit has been great for my game.
If i was a 5ptBB/100 winner, then being 14buyins behind EV over 20k hands would have me still ahead of breakeven. So, even if that isn't possible, how to get close? With that in mind I have been reviewing loads of hands, not just the big pot beats and flips.

I am also going to start writing longer responses to hand history posts in the forums, this is a great way to ensure I keep thinking about poker even when i'm not spending hours studying.
I have played a couple of sessions (again behind EV) recently where I feel as though I am actually playing well. Possibly I haven't really played well in Full Ring for a few months.

I still have an online roll to rebuild before moving back to 100nl. I hope to be there this month.

Something I learned not to long ago, is the EV graph is crap. It fucks with your head. Stop clicking on it. Nobody ever gets happy or even admits to running +EV on the graph, they always justify it in their eyes. Start looking more at longer term graphs. 1 week, 1 month and 3 months will help you find holes, trends and tell you a ton more about your game. Do we want to wave dicks or beat the game? I won't play the "my EV sucks more than your EV, because I have a game to learn.

Originally Posted by jyms

will help you find holes, trends and tell you a ton more about your game. Do we want to wave dicks or beat the game? I won't play the "my EV sucks more than your EV, because I have a game to learn.

more wise words, and i agree completely.
The good of the EV debacle this month is that it has made me work on my game even more - something i should have been doing as a matter of course.

by the way, BBJ tables pay more rake

Yes they do, and when the BBJ is high it's easy to find tables running 35/8 with 3 or more 40vpip's. I use spadeeye and go where the fish go.

Originally Posted by jyms

Yes they do, and when the BBJ is high it's easy to find tables running 35/8 with 3 or more 40vpip's. I use spadeeye and go where the fish go.

how high is high?
i may have to look into spade=eye, thanks for the heads-up! if the players are bad enough the extra rake is probably worth it

Originally Posted by daven

8th July 2009. Noon.
This month:

i am down $700 at 50nl on full tilt
Some of this is tilt, being 13 bi behind ev already this month is tilting - i

so after this post I sorted my game out a little. I'm still a long way down on EV this month, but I've fought back 14bi since my trough for the month. I'm playing better.
I'm proud of myself for having dug myself out of this hole. I've cleared the FT ironman mid-year bonus ($525), and i'm doing ok at 6-max as well.
I still have huge and glaring leaks to plug, once i feel that's making more progress it will be time to move back to 100nl

Here's a pretty EV graph for FT Full Ring..


6-max i obviously need to play more hands

i always feel a dash of pride when i open fold 66 utg...

this morning's session felt like i was playing well. A couple of spew spots, but generally finding good places to click the right buttons...

The plan was to play 3 such sessions today, but instead i rode with friends to a lake and spent the afternoon swimming. A short session now perhaps, then climbing, then???

I'm feeling comfortable with a range of styles now, a comment Robb made a while back has stuck - something about loose vs tight pre-flop shouldn't make much difference cos you're still playing against a range. I claimed that the relative weakness of my range when playing looser made life harder, nope, i just need to consider my range more appropriately.

Grind is grinding. I have a little bankroll goal for each site i'm playing, and once hit I'll be back to 100nl. Fun playing 50nl with hundreds of buyins behind for the moment.

alles klar
and this morning

You played 3k hands this morning? How many tables are you playing? It occurs to me that if you want to play looser, you can gain more of an edge, but you have to consider more factors when you make your moves. It helps to play fewer tables.

Originally Posted by dev

You played 3k hands this morning? How many tables are you playing? It occurs to me that if you want to play looser, you can gain more of an edge, but you have to consider more factors when you make your moves. It helps to play fewer tables.

agreed completely. I'm playing a very relaxing 12-tables-tiled while i play a little looser. I'm understanding the spots a lot better and they are getting simpler as regs start sitting out Getting heaps of notes too, and gaining a better feel for lines, timing tells, and their meaning for range strength.

i've played 30k hands FR the last week at 2.3 ptBB/100. I think I'll stick to only 12 tables for a while. Also, instead of playing tighter/less tables when tired I instead either don't play or I play micro SnGs or tourneys to try out some tourney ideas. Hence the omaha-8 limit comments i'm starting to make in IRC

Obviously I play less tables 6-max, especially as i understand the lines less. 6k hands 6-max 5-9 tabling the last week, 3.2ptBB/100 including a session where i suck-spewed pretty hard...

it has been a nice poker week. First week of >>$1k profit AT THE TABLES in a while, and i got some bonus $$ too, plus a few hundred in rakeback arriving tomorrow.
But, and more importantly, I'm finally starting to get/play better.

Very close to the funny $ goals on both sites i play, staying at 50nl so long with heaps of buyins and history at 100nl has been a great journey in discipline - and i needed to prove some discipline to myself before venturing much higher. I'm going to move aggressively from 100nl to 200nl (well, for me. 100buyins sound good?), but August is my month off poker - scandanavia here i come I would like to bet at 200nl before i head north, but i think one week to move through a stake is pushing it. October is looking more likely.

Still way behind on AI EV this month, but who cares. That's not what's important - really key to realise that a few (or 15) buyins behind shouldn't matter over 40k hands if you're truly a winning player at your stakes.

I remember Fnord stating that his worst downswing was a tiny 10 (?) buyins, and someone pointed out that downswing magnitude is a function of REAL winrate. If you beat the game for 6ptBB/100, then when -ve variance hits you'll be closer to breakeven for that stretch than if you're a scratch +0.8ptBB/100 "winner"

Cool. Feeling good about poker. Partly results orientated, partly cos I feel that I'm thinking better. IRC has been good for me lately, thanks to those who've been asking questions/commenting on hands/all that stuff. I hope that it has been mutually beneficial.

The obsession with loose and tight and aggressive and passive and 3-betting more or a (wtf!?) polarised 4-betting range or whatever is flavour of the day isn't what winning at poker is about, not in isolation.

Nor target stats that suddenly become sub-par when game conditions change or you don't know how or when to play the ranges these numbers suggest.

Poker is a series of situations with huge areas of common ground and subtle differences that are of incredible importance. Any situation is modified by a range of variables.AKs on the button facing a limp, a raise and a 3-bet before it gets to you. What to do? Options are call, fold, or 4-bet. All are correct - depending on the modifying factors.

And this is what becomes ever more difficult, identifying the table conditions and how they affect optimal decision-making.

There are standard or default actions. 3-bet AA from the SB vs UTG+1 open and two callers. These need to become obvious, instinct. But not simply by rote learning, instead by investigating and understanding why. Why is it bad to be out of position 5-way to a flop with aces? Why don't you want to be on the cutoff with 77 and calling an MP open and HJ call with three aggro shortstacks left to act. So what is better here? Fold? 3-bet? The more situations you have given in depth thought and analysis to, the more that the influence of modifying factors on any given situation will become clear.

I have spent loads of hours/hands grinding out huge volumes of low winrate sessions.
Then tilting and having losing sessions smash that win-rate. And, finally and thankfully, a period of variance in the "wrong" direction that has finally provided another poker a-ha moment.
Behind 15 buyins on All In Expected Value over 20k hands and tilting and moaning I read a post from Jyms about the why of decisions. And at the same time realised that being 15buyins behind AIEV over 20k hands should still leave me in the black at the stakes where it occurred - if I was playing well.

So, about ten days ago, I got to work.
Assessing default plays and realising the numerous positions/situations where these "standard" default plays were at best far from MaxEV, and at worst uber-spew.
And studying the why. Especially the why of calling. Realising that you need a damn good why to be calling anytime in poker. That anytime you call you need a why that explains it being better than folding or raising. And to this, you need to answer what - what is the situation, including the relevant modifying factors. Or, better, the modifying factors are in fact part of the situation.

And, from there, the journey continues.

also, i've been advised to remove AllIn EV from my HEM reports. Save my psyche. also, asking why has caused me to tighten up again - so many spots I wanted to call/raise and i couldn't find a good answer, so folded.
it's a shame i've removed AI EV from the reports, cos i ran 3 ahead today - good timing just as i move back up to 100nl:

^^^ These thoughts alone plus patience, will carry you to the $200NL level in no time. It's still a patience game. Drop tables, beat the game for 8BB/100 and forget about the grind. Your at a point now where the next steps are about non basic "plays". Are you still thinking 12 tables of 3BB/100 are better than 4 tables of 8BB/100?

well mathematically speaking...

On a more serious note, it's inspiring to see some of the serious thought going on here. Reading this op is +EV.

Originally Posted by daven

Especially the why of calling. Realising that you need a damn good why to be calling anytime in poker. That anytime you call you need a why that explains it being better than folding or raising. And to this, you need to answer what - what is the situation, including the relevant modifying factors. Or, better, the modifying factors are in fact part of the situation.

This part especially is so golden. It's just too easy to click that call button sometimes..

Assuming you have control of tilt....
Long term, playing badly costs a lot more than variance.
Note to self, one long session. That must be interrupted when my a-game is absent.

I got smashed on AIEV today, which shouldn't have been a problem if I had been playing well. Interesting to note that on review I should still have been near breakeven were it not for spew. Still a few buyins up over the last two days, and very comforting to note that this game is still hugely beatable if i play my a-game. My a-game includes switching seats when i should do so. Being oop against dead money 70-40 deep isn't smart when there is a shortstacker to his left and a zero waitlist. My a-game includes putting people on ranges and not calling shoves without decent equity against those ranges. My a-game needs nourishment. My a-game needs breaks.

I'm going to shoot for 3+ptBB/100 over a half decent sample, and then the same at 200nl. I guess I'll move up if I'm winning at a little less at 100nl over a solid sample and roll makes it silly not to.
Playing erratically since i moved up and still winning at over 1ptBB/100 during 12k hands - there is easily another 1.5 ptBB/100 in spew that should have been easily eliminated, and I'm about 1ptBB/100 behind on the AI EV thing. So 3+ptBB/100 shouldn't be difficult. I just have to do the things that I know I can do.
1) a-game
2) discipline
3) ask why on all decisions (part of a-game i guess)
4) study

Some big hands. Important comment - some of these I won, some I didn't. Some I think I played well, some badly - this is all incredibly game-flow/situation/villain dependent though. I'm planning to thoroughly review and annotate a number of marked hands from today's session (ca 50?), let me know if any of you out there want to take the time to read this - if not that's fine too. I'm doing this cos I need to take the time to really look at hands closely, and that's going to be profitable beyond this week....

Full Tilt No-Limit Hold'em, $1.00 BB (8 handed) - Full-Tilt Converter Tool from FlopTurnRiver.com

SB ($134.15)
BB ($52.30)
UTG ($93.25)
UTG+1 ($123.75)
MP1 ($100)
MP2 ($97.30)
CO ($122.90)
Hero (Button) ($229.90)

Preflop: Hero is Button with K, Q
3 folds, MP2 calls $1, 1 fold, Hero bets $4.50, 2 folds, MP2 calls $3.50

Flop: ($10.50) 6, 9, K (2 players)
MP2 checks, Hero bets $9, MP2 calls $9

Turn: ($28.50) 4 (2 players)
MP2 checks, Hero bets $22, MP2 calls $22

River: ($72.50) 7 (2 players)
MP2 checks, Hero bets $72.50, MP2 calls $61.80 (All-In)

Total pot: $196.10 | Rake: $3

Full Tilt No-Limit Hold'em, $1.00 BB (9 handed) - Full-Tilt Converter Tool from FlopTurnRiver.com

UTG ($147.50)
Hero (UTG+1) ($100)
MP1 ($49.10)
MP2 ($200)
MP3 ($507.20)
CO ($106)
Button ($94)
SB ($105.30)
BB ($200)

Preflop: Hero is UTG+1 with K, K
UTG calls $1, Hero bets $4.50, 7 folds, UTG calls $3.50

Flop: ($10.50) K, Q, 3 (2 players)
UTG bets $1, Hero raises to $7, UTG calls $6

Turn: ($24.50) J (2 players)
UTG checks, Hero bets $24.50, UTG calls $24.50

River: ($73.50) A (2 players)
UTG bets $111.50 (All-In), Hero calls $64 (All-In)

Total pot: $201.50 | Rake: $3

Full Tilt No-Limit Hold'em, $1.00 BB (9 handed) - Full-Tilt Converter Tool from FlopTurnRiver.com

CO ($123.75)
Button ($166)
Hero (SB) ($124.80)
BB ($20)
UTG ($86)
UTG+1 ($76.70)
MP1 ($100)
MP2 ($100)
MP3 ($54)

Preflop: Hero is SB with K, K
1 fold, UTG+1 bets $2, 1 fold, MP2 raises to $7.50, 3 folds, Hero raises to $22, 2 folds, MP2 raises to $45, Hero raises to $124.80 (All-In), MP2 calls $55 (All-In)

Flop: ($203) 8, 8, Q (2 players, 2 all-in)

Turn: ($203) 9 (2 players, 2 all-in)

River: ($203) 5 (2 players, 2 all-in)

Total pot: $203 | Rake: $3


Full Tilt No-Limit Hold'em, $1.00 BB (9 handed) - Full-Tilt Converter Tool from FlopTurnRiver.com

MP2 ($62.85)
MP3 ($107.90)
CO ($111.05)
Button ($104.05)
SB ($102.90)
BB ($127.60)
UTG ($187.65)
UTG+1 ($123.25)
Hero (MP1) ($100.50)

Preflop: Hero is MP1 with 10, A
1 fold, UTG+1 calls $1, Hero bets $4.50, 6 folds, UTG+1 calls $3.50

Flop: ($10.50) 10, 3, 4 (2 players)
UTG+1 checks, Hero bets $8, UTG+1 calls $8

Turn: ($26.50) 3 (2 players)
UTG+1 bets $25, Hero calls $25

River: ($76.50) 3 (2 players)
UTG+1 bets $70, Hero calls $63 (All-In)

Total pot: $202.50 | Rake: $3


Full Tilt No-Limit Hold'em, $1.00 BB (5 handed) - Full-Tilt Converter Tool from FlopTurnRiver.com

MP ($100)
Button ($104)
Hero (SB) ($112.85)
BB ($102.80)
UTG ($42)

Preflop: Hero is SB with J, J
1 fold, MP bets $3.50, 1 fold, Hero calls $3, 1 fold

Flop: ($8) J, 9, 2 (2 players)
Hero checks, MP bets $5, Hero calls $5

Turn: ($18) 6 (2 players)
Hero checks, MP bets $14, Hero raises to $38, MP raises to $91.50 (All-In), Hero calls $53.50

River: ($201) 8 (2 players, 1 all-in)

Total pot: $201 | Rake: $3

Hand 1, I don't play FR, but I think my opponent has to be fairly loose/passive to get 3 streets of value from tpgk.

Hand 2, Playing too many tables maybe?

Last 2 hands, The ATs turn call might be questionable against certain opponents, but I think I call most of the time. Other than that and assuming Villain in hand 2 is tight, niether of these hands seem anything but standard.

interesting space.
I'm 14 bi behind AI EV at 50nl this month, and still in the black.
I'm 3bi behind AI EV at 100nl so far this month, and still in the black.
This is even after the subtle (and not so subtle ) tilt induced by the beats.

People who spend too much time complaining about running bad need to sort their shit out. If you're a true 3ptBB/100 winner then you can run bad on allin situations to the tune of 3buyins every 5k hands and you'll still be breakeven. Ponder on that.

The month has been kinda meh $wise, especially as I was hoping to move from 50nl to 200nl... Cleared some bonus and rakeback moneys though, and a couple of grand US net is still an ok wage in NZ dollar terms (about 2x median?). But, that's not what I'm after. I want to get better. And this month has been great for that, not only getting better but also understanding how to get better.