Harsh beginning-part one: from 4$NL to 20$NL

Hi guys,
I've been hangin' around for quite some time, but I've never participated. However, I finally decided to take poker more seriously and I would like to start here some sort of a blog, to write down my thoughts and to discuss them over (In case somebody will be willing to)

Some basic info about me: I am 21, I am from Czech Republic and studying. Currently I am trying to grind 4$NL and over a sample of 32k hands I was able to make 180 USD from 13 USD at 2 and 4$NL.

Finally, I am starting to be able to spot some serious leaks in my game and I hope, that this blog will help me to identify them and to get rid of them.

Right now, I am playing from 4 to 9 tables, 6-max and I would be happy to play about 25k hand per month with at least 4ptbb/100 winrate. I would like to be rolled for 10$NL in the middle of September, but we shall see. I will try to write down all important or somehow interesting stuff, I'll encounter.

Before you inevitably lose my respect, I would like to give a few tips.

1. Your main focus should be on improving your game.

The money you earn at microstakes is insignificant anyways, so playing 8 tables is futile, unless you want to master robotic non-adjusting poker.

2. Consider your time at the tables as training.

Make a lot of mistakes, not intentionally of course, but make sure you learn from each mistake. No need to sweat any mistake before you start playing at stakes where the money matters.

3. Your studies are more important than poker. Poker will be there for many years, but its harder to finish studies once you get a job and/or family.

Basicaly, I've already thrown aside the whole "awfultonsofhandsperhour" idea. Despite the fact I am somehow winning player at these stakes and I can play 9 tables with a solid winrate, I don't give a crap. I obviously didn't make myself clear, I meant, that I finally realized, that my game is full of leaks and I would like to get rid of them.

I also read a lot, right now I am going through The Theory of Poker and then I wanna read HOH.

As for my studies, I study two universities and I am seriously considering applying for International relations at Oxford. I am not going to dump my studies, not even with an awful amount of bucks in my pocket...

Generally, I don't wanna seem cocky, I am looking forward to improve my game, I will do my best and I'd love other people (many of whom are much more experienced than me) to comment on my notes.

Originally Posted by Sir Pawnalot

Before you inevitably lose my respect, I would like to give a few tips.

1. Your main focus should be on improving your game.

The money you earn at microstakes is insignificant anyways, so playing 8 tables is futile, unless you want to master robotic non-adjusting poker.

2. Consider your time at the tables as training.

Make a lot of mistakes, not intentionally of course, but make sure you learn from each mistake. No need to sweat any mistake before you start playing at stakes where the money matters.

3. Your studies are more important than poker. Poker will be there for many years, but its harder to finish studies once you get a job and/or family.

gl op.

"I am seriously considering applying for International relations at Oxford."

This is a great idea, and I hope you follow through with your application.

I feel extremely confident you will be a winning player at whatever stakes you set forth to conquer.

Damn, I am guessing, I am not a pro at making a good impression over the net

Ok, can we just forget about my last comment and begin over again? I am sorry for my rude approach, as I said I didn't want to be cocky and I apologize for that. Hope, I'll get another chance

It's not just you. You're gonna get ribbed until you have at least a few more posts. Think of it as initiation. GL!

Originally Posted by PhilMC

Damn, I am guessing, I am not a pro at making a good impression over the net

Ok, can we just forget about my last comment and begin over again? I am sorry for my rude approach, as I said I didn't want to be cocky and I apologize for that. Hope, I'll get another chance

Hehe, I think you misunderstand. I do not use any sarcasm or irony, and I find it funny that people assume meaning from my words.

I was serious, and I do not find your posts cocky at all. You stated you had leaks and was working to plug them, and you are already a winning player.

But beware, there are a lot of haters around here who do not like winning players for some reason.

I followed your advice and decided to play only 4 or 5 tables at once. With this number, I can adjust to my opps and, in the same time, I am not losing concetration because of long delays between "playable" hands.

Today I played only about 700 hand and I didn't run very well. Despite this fact I am pretty excited about this session, because I was able to avoid tilting and even though I was down nearly 3 BI in one moment, I managed to get it all back and ended up in blacks.

Some thoughts I figured out today:
I really need to stop barreling OOP, when I feel something ain't right
I REALLY need to stop calling insane river bets with little showdown equity... I take this for my biggest leak and I guess, this is the problem, which costs me the biggest deal of my money..
I must protect my made hands with much bigger bets... If someone is going to draw, he has to pay awfully...
when SB tries to steal my BB, I call him, float him on flop and he gives up, I must fire at least 3/4 of the pot... I must convince him that even his draws don't worth it... often he is likely to fold and I can't afford him drawing on straigh or flush...
And I should lay down my made hands more often, especially in raised pots, when opps are giving out bets like a crap...

Today I pretty much f*cked up and I am down about 20 USD. Some bad beats, some bad plays...
I am a bit frustrated... When I play my A game, I can beat the hell of my opps, but I have troubles sustaining this attitude. Several hundreds of hands I make decidions, pretty much based purely on EV stuff, but, all of a sudden, I make some stupid play and for the rest of the day, I am like "wtf, can anybody please tell me what happened, I am not sure, I was present". I am not bad in guessing ranges, but from time to time, there is obviously a communication breakdown between my brain and my hand.

Anyway, generally, I am satisfied with my stats, for last few days I am running like 14/10 with 55% WSD... I am bit worried about my steals, I must steal much more, I would be happy for 25%, but I am still stucked somewhere around 17-18%.

OK, I am BE over last 10k hands, as I said, I experienced some awful bad beats, however, I take full responsibility for that. From now on, I'll try to stick with few basic rules.
1. Concentrate
2. Think
3. FOLD

O, this is gettin pretty weird... I reviewed last few thousands hands and I dare to say, I am playin pretty much my A game (perhaps A- or B+, but it should be enough) and even though I am down about 10 BI... I know, this may be regarded as a matter of variance, though I am really pissed off... I must find a way how to get my emotions under control..

Today, I am down about 2 BI, first BI KK vs AA, second QQ vs 33 (preflop I raised, he reraised, I reraised, he called (there were 50 BB and his stack was about 40 BB), flop came J high and he pushed right away, insta call I guess), third AA vs K5, he limped UTG, I raised him from BB, he called, you can easily figure out, how did the flop look like...)

Post some hands for critique.

iPoker No-Limit Hold'em, $0.04 BB (5 handed) - iPoker Converter Tool from FlopTurnRiver.com

SB ($4.12)
BB ($3.96)
UTG ($9.14)
Hero (MP) ($4.11)
Button ($4.58)

Preflop: Hero is MP with K, K
1 fold, Hero bets $0.14, 1 fold, SB raises to $0.28, 1 fold, Hero raises to $0.68, SB calls $0.40

Flop: ($1.40) 10, 7, 6 (2 players)
SB bets $0.80, Hero raises to $3.43 (All-In), SB calls $2.63

Turn: ($8.26) A (2 players, 1 all-in)

River: ($8.26) J (2 players, 1 all-in)

Total pot: $8.26 | Rake: $0.55


iPoker No-Limit Hold'em, $0.04 BB (6 handed) - iPoker Converter Tool from FlopTurnRiver.com

SB ($7.76)
BB ($5.04)
UTG ($6.01)
MP ($1.84)
Hero (CO) ($4.08)
Button ($3.35)

Preflop: Hero is CO with Q, K
2 folds, Hero bets $0.14, Button raises to $0.24, SB calls $0.22, 1 fold, Hero calls $0.10

Flop: ($0.76) K, K, 6 (3 players)
SB checks, Hero bets $0.40, Button raises to $0.80, 1 fold, Hero raises to $3.16, Button calls $2.31 (All-In)

Turn: ($6.98) 6 (2 players, 1 all-in)

River: ($6.98) 2 (2 players, 1 all-in)

Total pot: $6.98 | Rake: $0.46

Not sure about this one. Any chance I get called and still be ahead?