OP: Get to the Midstakes...

I'm looking to get back into the game of poker again, after taking about a 5 month hiatus (besides a successful trip to Turning Stone) and a little bit of Full Tilt playing. I have just deposited $400 onto Pokerstars with their 25% reload bonus and sent my buddy $30 because he wanted to play some tournaments.

I have been playing since I was 16, and have made a few thousand playing poker. I love the game and look to make some money. I want to buy a car this summer and will be looking to get an internship, so I'd like to be able to buy the car outright. (Parents said they will give me about 4K. Hopefully the offer is still on the table with the economy taking such a hit).

I'm a full time college student with a part time job, so I'm going to try and play 8-10 hours a week. Does anyone know how many hands it will take to get 2000FPP for my bonus playing $10NL? I've seen people do calculations, just not sure how to do it.

Also I am thinking about purchasing pokertracker. I used the trial over the summer, and needless to say the trial is up. And I cannot see myself multi-tabling without pokertracker.

Updated Bankroll: $1363

Goals to achieve by May 2009.
* Get a 3.5 this semester
* Play 25,000+ hands per month
* Run 8BB/100
* Be 165lbs at 7% bodyfat.
* Get a paid internship for the summer.

have you tried the holdem manager trial 15 days for free. Then its cheaper than PT3 if you go for the lite version which is limited to 50NL down for $55 and then you can upgrade to the Pro version for higher limits when you need to at a later date for just the difference in price between the small stakes version and the Pro version.

Originally Posted by Keith_MM

have you tried the holdem manager trial 15 days for free. Then its cheaper than PT3 if you go for the lite version which is limited to 50NL down for $55 and then you can upgrade to the Pro version for higher limits when you need to at a later date for just the difference in price between the small stakes version and the Pro version.

Thanks, I actually just downloaded it. I have to work until about 10:15 tonight, so I will be trying it out then. I've read numerous places that HEM is better than PT3. So I will give it a shot.

Thanks for the advice!

Thats awesome Cbat! i was watching you play the other day and it was phenominal, i learned alot just from watching in on your 10$ NL game. you were constantly making the right calls and raises, it was almost like watching a PRO.

Thanks frreshprince.

I can't get Hold'em Manager to work. So my poker playing has been delayed. I can't multi-table without some kind of HUD and my free trial at pokertracker is over. HEM just says "validating" and I cannot get past this point. I even left it on over night just incase it needed to seriously validate. I've reinstalled it, and allowed it through my firewall. Anyone have any ideas?

Question / Issue

I have a problem activating/registering Holdem manager?

Answer / Solution



Most Common Issue:
If the problem says "No more Activations allowed. You must first deactivate the software from the original machine before attempting to activate again" then either choose a different profile (so “1 ANY” or “2 ANY” when prompted) or if it is the same machine that used to be working then contact [email protected] to have your code reset. In 1.06.04+ youll be able to manually reset your code via the software

for any other issue please follow these steps:

1) Make sure your date / time is correct on your pc
2) Make sure Holdem Manager.exe is running as administrator – in XP use Run As and select someone with administrative privileges and in Vista right click, go to properties and in the compatability TAB make sure its ticked to run as administrator. If its greyed out then your already running as admin so thats fine too. Youll find the holdemmanager.exe file in the C:\Program Files\RVG Software\Holdem Manager folder.
3) Disable your firewall (or just allow holdem manager internet access) You may also need to allow any .exe files in the C:\Program Files\RVG Software\Holdem Manager folder where they cant be disabled or alternatively uninstall your antivurus/firewall where possible and reinstall after activating
4) Disable any other software that might be blocking HM from hitting the internet.
5) Are you running / using a web proxy of some kind?
If the problem has “The request failed with HTTP status 417: Expectation Failed.” then this is a proxy issue. For most cases simply updating to http://rvgsoftware.fileburst.com/HmUpdate.exe will resolve it. If that does not work then either disable the proxy or find the proxy information and when activating press Ctrl-F7 and enter the proxy info in there.
6) Check your holdem manager folder for a file named holdemmanager.exe.ldat – if it is there then delete it.
7) If it still does not work then please send me your reg.log file from the C:\Program Files\RVG Software\Holdem Manager\logs folder to [email protected] indicating youve tried all the steps in the FAQ

Originally Posted by CBAT

Thanks frreshprince.

I can't get Hold'em Manager to work. So my poker playing has been delayed. I can't multi-table without some kind of HUD and my free trial at pokertracker is over. HEM just says "validating" and I cannot get past this point. I even left it on over night just incase it needed to seriously validate. I've reinstalled it, and allowed it through my firewall. Anyone have any ideas?

If you are still having trouble look up fat in IRC, he is HEM god!

Good luck on the felt sounds like you've got a good grasp of the game.

[edit]
Sorry I posted this before reading the rest of the thread. Sounds like keith_mm knows his HEM as well.

nope never used it , fairly nifty with google though .

Originally Posted by Keith_MM

Question / Issue

I have a problem activating/registering Holdem manager?

Answer / Solution



Most Common Issue:
If the problem says "No more Activations allowed. You must first deactivate the software from the original machine before attempting to activate again" then either choose a different profile (so “1 ANY” or “2 ANY” when prompted) or if it is the same machine that used to be working then contact [email protected] to have your code reset. In 1.06.04+ youll be able to manually reset your code via the software

for any other issue please follow these steps:

1) Make sure your date / time is correct on your pc
2) Make sure Holdem Manager.exe is running as administrator – in XP use Run As and select someone with administrative privileges and in Vista right click, go to properties and in the compatability TAB make sure its ticked to run as administrator. If its greyed out then your already running as admin so thats fine too. Youll find the holdemmanager.exe file in the C:\Program Files\RVG Software\Holdem Manager folder.
3) Disable your firewall (or just allow holdem manager internet access) You may also need to allow any .exe files in the C:\Program Files\RVG Software\Holdem Manager folder where they cant be disabled or alternatively uninstall your antivurus/firewall where possible and reinstall after activating
4) Disable any other software that might be blocking HM from hitting the internet.
5) Are you running / using a web proxy of some kind?
If the problem has “The request failed with HTTP status 417: Expectation Failed.” then this is a proxy issue. For most cases simply updating to http://rvgsoftware.fileburst.com/HmUpdate.exe will resolve it. If that does not work then either disable the proxy or find the proxy information and when activating press Ctrl-F7 and enter the proxy info in there.
6) Check your holdem manager folder for a file named holdemmanager.exe.ldat – if it is there then delete it.
7) If it still does not work then please send me your reg.log file from the C:\Program Files\RVG Software\Holdem Manager\logs folder to [email protected] indicating youve tried all the steps in the FAQ

Thanks, I've tried all of these steps though. I don't know what a web proxy is, so I doubt I am running one. I also don't have a code because its a trial. I tried signing up for their forums, but never received an activation code. I guess I will email them now. Since that seems to be the last step.

Lost about a buy-in yesterday in $10NL playing without a HUD. It was the end of my session and I made a horrible play, not even worth posting.

I played a $3 27-man SnG and placed second place for $21.60. I had to go to the bathroom and could no longer hold it with three people left, and as soon as I got up to go, someone was knocked out in 3rd place. I got back a minute later and had lost about 8,000 chips (went from 11k to 3k). So I got knocked out in 2nd the next hand. Oh well, nature calls!

I purchased HEM for $55. I am going to take that out of my pokerstars account.

Current Bankroll: $333.50
Tournaments: +18.20
Cash Games : -10.00ish
Holdem Mngr: -55.00
Starting Bankroll: $370.00

Note-to-self: Do not play any differentially on your last hands.

Played 439 hands last night.
Was +$12.75 and ran 15/10.3/4.88 Which is right around where I'd like to be. AF might be a tiny bit high.

Hands that I have questions about (only 1):
***** Hand History for Game 25045074314 *****
$10.00 USD NL Texas Hold'em - Tuesday, February 17, 11:18:10 ET 2009
Table Bussolini II (Real Money)
Seat 7 is the button
Seat 1: Vanena ( $9.35 USD )
Seat 2: Indra81 ( $10.50 USD )
Seat 3: cchapi ( $8.05 USD )
Seat 4: SMOTR ( $1.70 USD )
Seat 5: JaciO ( $6.60 USD )
Seat 6: jolfi ( $15.30 USD )
Seat 7: CBat28 ( $6.10 USD )
Seat 8: Mavricccc ( $5.15 USD )
Seat 9: DPGA ( $3.50 USD )
Mavricccc posts small blind [$0.05 USD].
DPGA posts big blind [$0.10 USD].
** Dealing down cards **
Dealt to CBat28 [ 8d Jd ]
Vanena folds
Indra81 folds
cchapi calls [$0.10 USD]
SMOTR folds
JaciO calls [$0.10 USD]
jolfi folds
CBat28 calls [$0.10 USD]
Mavricccc calls [$0.05 USD]
DPGA checks
** Dealing Flop ** [ 3h, 8c, 5h ]
Mavricccc checks
DPGA checks
cchapi bets [$0.50 USD]
JaciO calls [$0.50 USD]
CBat28 calls [$0.50 USD]
Mavricccc folds
DPGA calls [$0.50 USD]
** Dealing Turn ** [ Jh ]
DPGA checks
cchapi checks
JaciO checks
CBat28 bets [$0.60 USD]
DPGA folds
cchapi calls [$0.60 USD]
JaciO calls [$0.60 USD]
** Dealing River ** [ 5d ]
cchapi bets [$6.85 USD]
JaciO folds
Hero??????

Mistake: Don't play while drunk.

I'm -2.5 buy-ins after 1700 hands. 1 of the buy-ins is from my drunken stupor, another 2 buy-in pot someone hit a 2 outter after all of our money was in.

http://i39.tinypic.com/9021iv.jpg

Finally ran really hot for the first time since starting to play again! Got myself back up over even in ring games with this spurt. I've cut down to 5 tables when playing, and find that I have much more time to make decisions.

+27.50
Bankroll: $397.50

Hey BAT, I've been playing online poker maybe a year now and was interested in these PT & Calculator's. I'm just not sure how much they really help a person's game. Best of luck on the car and hope you achieve your goals. L8R

Thanks for stopping by Larrdawg.

Pokertracker and Hold'em Manager can do wonders for a multi-tabler. When you only play one table, you can keep track of what players tendencies are etc., but if you are playing multiple tables, these calculators keep track of the other persons stats. How often they raise preflop, how often they reraise, and things like that. These all show up right on the table for you, so when playing multiple tables, it makes your decisions based on the players much easier!

I hope this helps you understand.
www.pokertracker.com
www.holdemmanager.com
Both of these sites have free trials PT (60 days) HEM (15). Give them a try, it definitely can't hurt.

Well I'm off to a hot start in March. After taking a small hit in February due to the purchase of HEM. I have moved from $10NL FR to $25NL 6-max. And yesterday I finished up just over 3 buy-ins. I ran well and played very aggressive while in position.

Big ups to Sauce123 http://www.flopturnriver.com/poker-v...deo-NHC023.php
His video helped me a great deal with 6max, and how to play your opponent. I am 3-tabling right now because I feel that any more and my advantage over the field begins to drop because I do not focus as much on the player.

I have let my friend borrow $105 which I will be receiving in cash. ($55 can be for HEM, the rest I will take out of my starting bankroll).

Starting Bankroll: $350
HEM: -55
Current Bankroll: 404.60
FPP to clear bonus: 259/2000

Looking to keep it growing!

Well, I'm home on Spring break. I'm enjoying being home, sleeping in my own bed, hanging out with friends from high school.

It's just that I have two problems. I am nursing a sprained ankle and can't do one thing that I love (basketball). But I can still lift and play poker.

The other problem is, I've been playing like an absolute idiot. I jumped up to $50NL for six hands and lost a quick $25 (stupid). I've made some way too large bluffs without any real reads on a player (stupid). I've spewed away a ton of money due to blindly c-betting at flops like JTA when I'm sitting on 55.

But there is a good side to this. I am still up $94 AND I have $11 tournament dollars from a 20 man FPP tournament for the 200K Sunday tourney on Pokerstars. I unregistered just incase I'm not around to play in the tournament.

I have begun watching some of the videos on FTR and have learned a lot. I also switched back to Full-Ring just because I prefer it (I like being a little nitty). I'm also studying the forums much more and some of the advice on different situations.

So despite acting/playing like an idiot, I'm still doing alright, running about 9BB/100 at $25NL.

Well, I'm 4752 hands into $25NL, and I feel that I've plugged some leaks as of recently. I ran great today. Won almost 4 buy-ins in about 1100 hands. I bumped it up to 6 tables today, and managed it pretty well, although I feel much more comfortable at 4 tables, 6 is definitely doable, w/o any distractions like AIM, TV, phone calls.

After the 4752 hands I'm running at 12.21BB/100.

18.7/14.1/3.51 - this is with some 6max thrown in too. I've gone back to strictly FR.

I'm about halfway to silverstar for the first time this month. Also I've gotten 783/2000 for my $100 bonus.

I plan to cash out everything above $650 (I plan to be above $650 at this point) when my bonus clears and then build my roll from $650.

As of right now my bankroll is at $680, but $110 is from a debt my friend owed me. So I am up about $170 total.

So my goals for mid-May have been updated:
8,000 Hands per month (more for March due to spring break)
SilverStar
Clear $100 bonus (April)
10BB/100 Winrate at $25NL
3.5GPA this semester
Get a paid internship for the summer
175lbs 10%BF

Logged about 6.5K hands this week on Spring break. Bumped up to 7-8 tables at a time so i get about 400-500 hands per hour.

Goal Progression
988/1200 VPP for Silverstar.
1177/2000 FPP for $100 Bonus.
$25NL: +$291 @ 13.92BB/100 over 8374 hands

I still don't have an internship lined up for the summer. It's getting harder and harder because it seems as if no one is hiring interns due to our economic recession and the organizations pulling internships from their budget.

Tomorrow I'll be going to a St. Patty's Day Parade and going to start drinking as soon as I wake up. Kegs & Eggs, should be a fun time.

Bankroll: $706

Call me superstitious, but I'm not going to post my progress on here until the end of the month. It seems like every time I make a comment on how well I am running, I go on a cooler.

[Begin Rant]
KK vs AA
JJ vs AA
AA vs J3
AA vs AA (split)
[End Rant]

Silverstar
Well, today I reached silverstar for the first time ever. I was expecting to see fireworks and stuff, but no such thing

Running a little cool right now, took a -2 buy-in hit yesterday while still running about even EV. Nothing you can do but laugh it off. Probably get in about 500 hands later today when I am done with classes.

If I knew how to fold I would make a lot more money.

Originally Posted by CBAT

If I knew how to fold when i'm a dog against opponent's range I would make a lot more money.

me too dude

Hey, when you get check raised on the flop with an overpair after he limps and just calls your preflop raise.

FOLD

Played the longest session I've ever had today online.

Well I cleared my bonus yesterday. +$100 to the Broll.

129 minutes. 1354 hands 12 tabling (first time 12 tabling).

I won't be posting results in here until the end of the month because I'm a superstitious loser.

Played with hangchiong today. Didn't realize he was an FTR member. I was thinking while playing, I hate the way this guy plays...then realized it was VERY similar to myself! He sat 2 seats infront of me and consistently stole my blinds from the button. I would then 3bet him and he'd 4bet right over the top and I'd fold. He also hit a T8cc flush on my straight! Lucky for me his time bank ran out and he didn't bet it on the river =)

+$330 in cash, $100 bonus, +11 in DBLorNothngs and tournaments

First full month since the summer time. $50NL here I come!



YEP YEP - a little downswing to end the month.

Current roll?

Nice job man, great month!

[X] 8,000 Hands per month (more for March due to spring break)
[X]SilverStar
[X]Clear $100 Bonus (April)
[O]10BB/100 Winrate at $25NL
[...]3.5GPA this semester
[...]Get a paid internship for the summer
[...]175lbs 10%BF

-Played 20,000 hands
-Easily achieved silverstar (600 away from Gold)
-Cleared $100 bonus in mid March
-Winrate is at 6.22BB/100
-3.5 GPA is in progress - I'll probably be more like 3.3
-No internship for the summer yet, but I think I'll have a -Finance/bookkeeping job with the intramurals next year (interview on Monday).
-175lbs 10%BF NOPE. How about 165lbs 7%BF by mid May.

Let's go April!

Well I played my first session at .25/.50

It actually went really well. I was surprised at the amount of horrible players at this level. My session ended at -27, but could have easily been +250.

Well, I've decided, I've got too much going on to stay completely concentrated at $50NL right now. I found myself drifting off while playing, and the level of competition is much higher than $25NL. I can auto-pilot $25NL and make money, while I cannot do the same at $50NL.

So I have cashed out $500 and will be grinding back up through $25NL.

Bankroll: $643

How long did you play? Did you give it enough time? Jumping up the competition ALWAYS seems a lot better. I think we have to get used to all the new variables before a sense of normalcy sinks back in.

Fodder that we must accustom us to each one of the all variables of the poker before of the poker before beginning to invest money

Originally Posted by PedroMXDF

Fodder that we must accustom us to each one of the all variables of the poker before of the poker before beginning to invest money

stop post whoring in people's operations.

Cbat: that's a pretty good decision man. most people would probably just let their ego get in the way and play 50nl when unprepared. TBH I'm pretty sure that's the reason why certain people seem to be struggling with it. Play when you're ready to own, and you will.

GL

Thanks for the support guys.

I've decided that today is the day I break out of this downswing. Here comes the $$'s.

"Chalk it up to variance."

Screw that term. Sure, I ran like 10 buy-ins under expected EV last month. But that doesn't matter. If I could bring up my non-showdown winnings to about even I would still be winning. Also if I was running at EV I would be about ~3BB/100 which is more than half of what I am shooting for at $25NL.

My goals for May:
30K hands.
Try out 6max for a few thousand hands.
Take another shot at $50NL when I reach 1.5K Broll.
Play some donkaments.
Win $$$

How should I have played this hand?

haug is 60/0/1.2 after 40 hands
OMAN is 30/13/.4 after 90 hands

$0.1/$0.25 No Limit Holdem
6 players
Converted at weaktight.com

Stacks:
UTG Morze83 ($25.00)
UTG+1 CarltonRulz ($25.00)
CO julez32888 ($68.15)
BTN ROMANKOZLOV ($32.55)
SB haug12 ($28.00)
BB Hero ($44.90)

Pre-flop: ($0.35, 6 players) Hero is BB
2 folds, julez32888 calls $0.25, ROMANKOZLOV calls $0.25, haug12 raises to $1, Hero calls $0.75, julez32888 folds, ROMANKOZLOV calls $0.75

Flop: ($3.25, 3 players)
haug12 bets $1.25, Hero calls $1.25, ROMANKOZLOV raises to $5, haug12 calls $3.75, Hero folds

Turn: ($14.50, 2 players)
haug12 bets $3.50, ROMANKOZLOV goes all-in $26.55, haug12 folds

Final Pot: $21.50

ROMANKOZLOV wins $43.55 ( won +$11 )
haug12 lost -$9.50
Hero lost -$2.25
julez32888 lost -$0.25

[quote="CBAT"]
I played a $3 27-man SnG and placed second place for $21.60. I had to go to the bathroom and could no longer hold it with three people left, and as soon as I got up to go, someone was knocked out in 3rd place. I got back a minute later and had lost about 8,000 chips (went from 11k to 3k). So I got knocked out in 2nd the next hand. Oh well, nature calls!
quote]
"Gatorade Bottle"... every mult-tabling MTT player always has one on hand. One of the most profitable tools I've picked up!!