Hopefully last time I have to take a shot at 25NL

Finish this sentence (no limit on number of words).

My turning point in poker was when ___________.

man i gotta think about that one...right now im not sure...there were a few 'AHA!' moments somewhere in there...

squeezed in an hour sesh today after riding. +167$ .

some grinding tunes YouTube - Reef The Lost Cauze - Still I Rise

My turning point in poker was when ___________.

I thought about it. Not even sure if I had a turning point :P maybe im just running good. Nah I dunno. I guess what helped the most lately was quitting my button mashing addiction. I mean, dropping to a few tables. Really spending my time figuring out the table layout. Figuring out where my money is coming from. Thinking about what I want to open vs. different opponents. Thinking about position, stack sizes, image, etc. Thinking, thinking, thinking. I know its all the same shit we read over and over. But when I really slowed down and thought about what the fuck I was doing and why, shit just started coming together. Like, just paying attention and figuring out your opponents goes a long way. I just came to the conclusion (mostly when the money became slightly signifigant) that EVERY DECISION MATTERS! But even if its the smallest most trivial pot, stop and think about it. Perhaps there is something else. Stop trying to think "standard" all the time.

I generally don't participate much in HH reviews and discussions. I kind of don't like to. Not because I'm afraid of having my thoughts berated or anything. I like to read them tho. I like coming to my own conclusions about this kind of stuff. I also like the opposing points of views on stuff, but I like to keep mine to myself. While it may not be optimal, standard, whatever. It's what makes my...style I guess. I dunno. I barely have time to play let alone study. But I try to make up for that with quality play if I can. I have been reading "Small Stakes No-Limit Hold 'Em" for the second time now (next book after "Professional NLH"). I would say a must read for anybody at the 25-100NL level. It's aimed at the SSNL crowd 50-200NL. It doesn't have anything that you can't find anywhere on the net or even in FTR. It's all stuff I've read about before. But it lays out the concepts extremely well and follows with a ton of examples taken from real online play. I had a much better understanding of all of those concepts after reading it for sure. Probly pretty standard for the bigger guys, but it clarified a ton of shit for me. A few other recommended reads are "PNLH" and "The Poker Mindset".

Lately though, I've just slowwwwwwed down to like 2-4 tables and just really trying to take my time on all decisions. There really is so much to absorb, I dont find myself getting bored or autopiloting. I dont care about volume anymore. Really I just try to put down a good short sesh whenever I find the time (maybe a few short sessions if can). The VIP status really doesnt mean much unless your at least supernova. I figure if I can climb the ladder high enough, eventually those veeps come rolling in anyways. CASH $$ > RB $$. I feel like I learn so much more from every session too because I am paying attention and probly actually learning. That learning translates to the next session. I don't have to go back and pick through HH's to see where I fucked up, cuz usually I can tell right away. I do go and look at my tough spots tho, still tho there are a lot fewer to sort through.

SOOO I guess my turning point was focusing quality over quantity. EVERY DECISION MATTERS!!! I'm going to do my best to continue with this 2-4 table max thing. I had my first 4 figure/best month ever with probly least volume ever. Must be something to it...or I could blow it all fairly soon......lets hope not . Oh and I must add PS changing the tables back to the good stuff helped for sure.

Now for some garphs.

50NL 2011:


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and 100NL 2011:


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I think that redline is up there cuz I've been scaring out money too soon. Meh.

On another note. I've been riding very well this season, up to like 70-75 days something like that. But my knee now hates me for it (surgery once already), so I'm going to try to sit out a week maybe more (hopefully not) and rest it up. Good news for poker time, bad news for ride time.
Stay classy San Diego.

One more from today without riding so kinda happy kinda sad:


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50-100NL mix still 4 tables just more hours.

update..........mehhhhhhhhhhhh............nahhhhhh hhh............

March:

1/3 100NL
2/3 50NL


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Little late with that. Meh. Neways march was good. Trying to focus more on 100NL now. Shaky so far, running under -EV but still doing good umm kind of...maybe? Been riding hard everytime I go out. Hit some sick staircase handrail at copper on monday. But man my knee is in bad shape. Been taking more and more time off the hill. Sucks too cuz I the town has slowed down a lot so I am working like part-time now basically. So good news is I have more time to play....but I'd rather be riding . Couple more weeks and we shut down the bakery for like a month so I'll have nothing to do until almost June. Hopefully I can keep gettin some ride time in if my knee holds up otherwise keep grindin.

Are you trying to become a professional snowboarder? If so that's so awesome. I wanted to do that after graduating HS but never had the money to move to Colorado or Cali.

As for the poker side of things all I can say is MORE VOLUME! If you really want the money from poker there's no other way than to put in the hands, especially if you feel like you are playing well. I work part time, go to school full time, and still have found ways to increase my volume over the last couple months by cutting out down time or watching TV or other things that had previously been a standard part of my day.

Good luck at the tables!