Operation: Move back up to 25NL

Introduction
I'm one of the old guys here (age wise) on FTR and I finally decided to do the OP thing. I've been playing online since July 2008. I play home games too about once a month but those are for socializing and drinking beer.

Did the normal thing: Put $25 on PS and lost it in limit micros. Rinse, Repeat about 6 times. Tried playing $1.20 SNGs and lost there too. Then did some Googling and found a video by Bjaust and have been here since.

After I found FTR and started playing SNGs and built the roll up a little with much help on the SNG forum by posting HHs. Started multi tabling SNGs but still got bored. Added a 5NL cash game to ease the boredom. Realized I was losing money in the SNGs so went exclusively to cash games (5NL) and started using the free trial of PT and then HEM until the trials ran out.

Grinded up to about $220 and took a shot at 10NL where I failed miserably and dropped back down at about $150. Posted stats and founded out I sucked much more than I thought. The words "tard" and "idiot" were used many times in the analyses. I was playing weaktight.

Got reamed out by many FTR'ers and started playing TAGG and the mullah started rolling in. After $300 I moved back up to 10NL and proceeded to run at 20 bb/100. I was up $275 in February alone over about 14k hands. Sometime in there I bought HEM.

At $650 I took a shot at 25NL and lost miserably dropping back down to $470 before getting money scared.

Which brings us to this blog. My goal is to return my BR to $650 and then decide if I want to move back up to 25NL. This is dependent on how confident I feel.

gl mate. I tried to move from 10NL to 25NL about 5/6 times and was unsuccessful until pretty recently. keep reading ftr and posting the hands you're not sure about.

also, when you do move up, keep your game the same. i think the biggest mistake i made was expecting/thinking all the regs were constantly playing back at me.

glglgl.

Thanks

Played 500 hands and down $3 after being up 3BIs earlier. Looks like I'm going through the variance shit.

220 hands tonight and down $19.
Until a few days ago when I started losing at 25NL I hadn't had a losing session since 2/23 over with over 4k hands.

This is the same kind of crap I was seeing at 25NL. Getting frustrating. Good new is it looks like variance so I'll be patient.

Villian is 26/18.5.5 over 50

PokerStars No-Limit Hold'em, $0.10 BB (5 handed) - Poker-Stars Converter Tool from FlopTurnRiver.com

UTG ($8.95)
MP ($6)
Button ($20.30)
Hero (SB) ($10.50)
BB ($1.40)

Preflop: Hero is SB with 6, 6
2 folds, Button bets $0.40, Hero calls $0.35, 1 fold

Flop: ($0.90) 8, 3, 6 (2 players)
Hero checks, Button bets $0.60, Hero calls $0.60

Turn: ($2.10) A (2 players)
Hero bets $1.70, Button raises to $6, Hero raises to $9.50 (All-In), Button calls $3.50

River: ($21.10) 8 (2 players, 1 all-in)

Total pot: $21.10 | Rake: $1.05

Results:
Button had 8, A (full house, eights over Aces).
Hero had 6, 6 (full house, sixes over eights).
Outcome: Button won $20.05

Biggest win. Villian was 75/1/1 over 20
Most villians at this table were over 35 vpip. Kinda agressive on my part.

PokerStars No-Limit Hold'em, $0.10 BB (5 handed) - Poker-Stars Converter Tool from FlopTurnRiver.com

MP ($10.55)
Button ($4.40)
SB ($8.65)
Hero (BB) ($10)
UTG ($8)

Preflop: Hero is BB with 8, 10
1 fold, MP calls $0.10, Button calls $0.10, SB calls $0.05, Hero checks

Flop: ($0.40) 10, J, 7 (4 players)
SB checks, Hero bets $0.30, MP calls $0.30, Button calls $0.30, SB calls $0.30

Turn: ($1.60) 6 (4 players)
SB checks, Hero bets $1.30, 2 folds, SB calls $1.30

River: ($4.20) 7 (2 players)
SB checks, Hero checks

Total pot: $4.20 | Rake: $0.20

Results:
SB had Q, K (one pair, sevens).
Hero had 8, 10 (two pair, tens and sevens).
Outcome: Hero won $4

Played another session of 300 hands and I'm up $45 so the BR is once again at about $500.


Hand 1
Villian was 40/12/3.5 over 25

PokerStars No-Limit Hold'em, $0.10 BB (6 handed) - Poker-Stars Converter Tool from FlopTurnRiver.com

CO ($12.45)
Button ($9.70)
Hero (SB) ($9.90)
BB ($18.10)
UTG ($8.05)
MP ($10)

Preflop: Hero is SB with J, J
2 folds, CO bets $0.40, 1 fold, Hero calls $0.35, 1 fold

Flop: ($0.90) 8, 10, J (2 players)
Hero checks, CO bets $0.50, Hero raises to $1.50, CO raises to $12.05 (All-In), Hero calls $8 (All-In)

Turn: ($19.90) Q (2 players, 2 all-in)

River: ($19.90) K (2 players, 2 all-in)

Total pot: $19.90 | Rake: $0.95

Results:
Hero had J, J (three of a kind, Jacks).
CO mucked 8, 10 (two pair, tens and eights).
Outcome: Hero won $18.95

Best of luck! 10nl can be very frustrating. I had been riding the variance train till this week when I finally was able to make some progress towards 25nl. I would suggest moving up at $750 instead of $650 to give yourself an extra cushion (atleast that is what I plan on doing).

Anyways, hope that things go well for you and you can pwn 10nl and get back up to 25nl soon

Thanks miec. I'm following your OP too.

10NL is frustrating but it doesn't bother me as much to lose a BI as it did in 25NL. Guess it's the BRM thing. $10 out of $500? Meh, but $25 out of $500? Holy shit.

I guess to have the same meh reaction at 25NL I need a BR of $1250. Don't know if I can wait that long.

Play your good hands fast and pay very close attention people's position and betsizing. The more you play the more you are going to figure out a lot of general bet sizing tells

You need to concentrate not on Variance or coolers because honestly the skill level at 10NL is not high. You need to focus on general solid all around poker and spots where you can pound villains, which is very often blinds. Study blind play and you can heavily increase your winrate.

Seems I've been getting bored and spewing a bit. I normally play 3 tables. Last night after getting down a couple of BIs, I stopped and reviewed my hand histories.

I was playing several hands that I should not have been playing in. I was OOP with marginal hands and spewing. I decided to add another table and I immediately stopped spewing as I didn't have time to "Justify" making a stupid play. At the end of the session I was up 1.5 BIs on 2 tables and up a couple of bucks on the other two. I think I'll 4 table for a while and see how it goes.

Time for a break.

When it gets to the point when you say out loud
"I hate this game" it's time for a break.

I was up 4BIs earlier tonight and lost all of it and about $5. I will not play again for a few days at least.

When it gets to the point where it's not fun, it's time for a break.

The beer drinking started after the last cooler and will continue until... whenever. I think I'l go fishing for a few days. I'm thinking I'll do better with the other kind of fish.

Thank you

Expect the next update about Wednesday at the earliest.

http://www.flopturnriver.com/phpBB2/...st-t83403.html

I don't know what else to say. At least I'm pretty much breaking even. Still at about $460

Currently playing 10NL

Graph for 5NL, 10NL, and 25NL combined




Stats for 5NL, 10NL, and 25NL by month



Graph for 10NL only



AI and EV/SD for 10NL

After posting the stats, I really looked at my sessions for the last week. I blocked known cards and practiced ranges. I was doing this peviously before every session and then I stopped when I was at 10bb/100 hands. I spend an hour or so doing this. I also went back and read Spenda's series on leaks of losing NL players. I then opened 3 tables instead of 4 and turned music on the tv instead of a movie/hockey game/etc.

Amazing what you can do when you start playing again like you were playing when you were winning.
BR got down to as low as $393. Now it's back up to $470. I was up 5.5 BIs just last night.

I was calling hands when I knew I was behind.
I was cbetting very wet boards against players with a fold to cbet of <20%.(not paying attention)
I was calling too many 3bets when I knew villian was holding AA or KK.(this was a revelation while reviewing HHs. "What did you think he had idiot?")
I was calling to many bets with horrible pot odd.
I was playing marginal hands OOP.
I was tilting when losing a BI. (This was retarded as I am over- rolled for 10NL at 40+ BIs)
I was folding hands where I had great pot odds

I WILL review HHs before every session from now on... like I did when I was killing 10NL at 19bb/100 hands.

As I promised myself, I reviewed HHs before playing. I spewed a bit tonight but my play was much better. Up 5.5 BIs yesterday and up 2.5 BIs today.

A few hands...

Hand 1
Villian was 35/9/2.5 over 120 hands
Sometimes Villians play exactly the way you want them to. The check turn was to induce a bet which he didn't. He was slowplaying his boat. I was hoping he would shove with the weak river bet.

PokerStars No-Limit Hold'em, $0.10 BB (6 handed) - Poker-Stars Converter Tool from FlopTurnRiver.com

Button ($10.35)
SB ($4.65)
BB ($8.15)
UTG ($9.05)
Hero (MP) ($21.60)
CO ($9.45)

Preflop: Hero is MP with 5, 5
1 fold, Hero bets $0.40, 1 fold, Button calls $0.40, 1 fold, BB calls $0.30

Flop: ($1.25) 2, 10, 5 (3 players)
BB checks, Hero bets $0.90, Button calls $0.90, 1 fold

Turn: ($3.05) 5 (2 players)
Hero checks, Button checks

River: ($3.05) K (2 players)
Hero bets $1, Button raises to $9.05 (All-In), Hero calls $8.05

Total pot: $21.15 | Rake: $1.05

Results:
Button had 2, 2 (full house, twos over fives).
Hero had 5, 5 (four of a kind, fives).
Outcome: Hero won $20.10

Hand 2
Villian was 70/21/5 over 35 hands and a major pain. A few hands earlier his A high flush got spanked by a straight flush so he was really bitching when this hand happened. He lost it after this one.

PokerStars No-Limit Hold'em, $0.10 BB (4 handed) - Poker-Stars Converter Tool from FlopTurnRiver.com

SB ($12.10)
Hero (BB) ($9.95)
UTG ($11.70)
Button ($7.80)

Preflop: Hero is BB with 6, 8
UTG calls $0.10, Button calls $0.10, 1 fold, Hero checks

Flop: ($0.35) 6, 6, 8 (3 players)
Hero checks, UTG bets $0.50, 1 fold, Hero calls $0.50

Turn: ($1.35) 5 (2 players)
Hero bets $1, UTG raises to $3, Hero raises to $9.35 (All-In), UTG calls $6.35

River: ($20.05) 8 (2 players, 1 all-in)

Total pot: $20.05 | Rake: $1

Results:
Hero had 6, 8 (full house, eights over sixes).
UTG mucked 7, 6 (full house, sixes over eights).
Outcome: Hero won $19.05

Hand 3
Major Spew

Villian was 11/5/2 over 30 hands. I knew he had AA but like a retard I spewed and spewed and spewed. AK is by far my spew hand. I either wins minimum pots or lose big pots.

PokerStars No-Limit Hold'em, $0.10 BB (5 handed) - Poker-Stars Converter Tool from FlopTurnRiver.com

Button ($14.05)
Hero (SB) ($9.85)
BB ($10.15)
UTG ($2.35)
MP ($12.05)

Preflop: Hero is SB with K, A
UTG calls $0.10, 1 fold, Button bets $0.40, Hero raises to $1.20, BB raises to $3, 2 folds, Hero calls $1.80

Flop: ($6.50) J, 10, 7 (2 players)
Hero checks, BB bets $7.15 (All-In), Hero calls $6.85 (All-In)

Turn: ($20.20) 6 (2 players, 2 all-in)

River: ($20.20) 5 (2 players, 2 all-in)

Total pot: $20.20 | Rake: $0.95

Results:
Hero had K, A (high card, Ace).
BB had A, A (one pair, Aces).
Outcome: BB won $19.25

Played about 500 hands as a 22/20/2.5 tonight and I'm up over 5 BIs and I did not shove once. I never got AA and I lost or split every time I got AK or QQ. Won min pots with KK. I mostly won with sets, flushes, straights or bluffing.

One notable hand.
Villian was a 70/60/2 and would open 4bb every hand he played. I was at a table with 3 out of 6 players VPIP of 45 or greater. I was playing nitty because of this. I had seen villian bet this exact way with air many times. He would have 37o and hit a 3 on the river to take down AK. He did this so often that many players would leave. I split with him a few hands earlier with top two. He would bet big with air and slowplay good hands. He tried to slowplay the top two but I pushed him and he called. This may look bad on my part but it was one of those "you had to be there" hands. He would berate players every time he beat them. The entire table LOLed after this hand. A few hands later he bluffed a flush and got taken down with a flush and left. More LOLs all around.

PokerStars No-Limit Hold'em, $0.10 BB (5 handed) - Poker-Stars Converter Tool from FlopTurnRiver.com

BB ($36.60)
UTG ($20.25)
Hero (MP) ($14.20)
Button ($9.40)
SB ($17.85)

Preflop: Hero is MP with 6, 6
1 fold, Hero bets $0.40, 1 fold, SB calls $0.35, BB calls $0.30

Flop: ($1.20) 4, 8, 2 (3 players)
SB checks, BB checks, Hero bets $0.90, 1 fold, BB raises to $2.50, Hero calls $1.60

Turn: ($6.20) Q (2 players)
BB bets $5, Hero calls $5

River: ($16.20) 8 (2 players)
BB bets $6, Hero calls $6

Total pot: $28.20 | Rake: $1.35

Results:
BB had 7, A (one pair, eights).
Hero had 6, 6 (two pair, eights and sixes).
Outcome: Hero won $26.85

Since posting my stats, I increased my VPIP, PFR, 3bet and AF. These are the sessions since then.
Up almost 5BIs.

Looks like I need to get drunk and lose half my BR to get some feedback

After 40 minutes, I was down 4BIs. Boat got spanked with quads, Straight spanked with boat, Q full of A got spanked with A fullof J, etc. Major tilt so I took a break for an hour and watch hockey. Came back after I had relaxed and won it back except $8. Feel much better.

Op over.
No feedback
Waste of time
Back down to $390

Meh, above post was after major tilt. I don't care if anyone replies. I like having a record of my thoughts and progress (or lack there-of)

I normally play 3-4 tables of 10NL-6max. Thursday, Friday, and Saturday I decided to play 2 tables of 10NL and 1 of 25NL. I had a little over 20BIs for 25NL so I figured one table would be a good way to ease into it.

I played the same way for all tables.

10NL tables went as usual. Up a BI, down a BI, up a BI, Up, etc.

25NL tables went Down a BI, reload, Up a few bucks, Up a few bucks, Down a BI, quit.

This happened all three days. Luckily I was up in all the 10NL tables so I wasn't down $150 for 3 days but I was down ~$100 total.
At one point I had more $$ at both of the 10NL tables than I had at the 25NL table.

I was not playing with scared money at the 25NL tables, unlike before. I got my money in good on all the 25NL losing games. I lost for the same reasons I did at 10NL (str8<flush, set of A< river str8 card, etc) but the effect on my BR was too much of a hit so no more for a while. I think once my BR can support 25NL I'll move up (no more taking shots)

I know y'all are so glad that I didn't end this Op as you look forward to reading it every day.

Maybe since I did something stupid, I can get a reply. Or was it stupid? I would like a reply to this question if possible.

Originally Posted by Sasquach991

I know y'all are so glad that I didn't end this Op as you look forward to reading it every day.

Maybe since I did something stupid, I can get a reply. Or was it stupid? I would like a reply to this question if possible.

Old guys rule! I'm no spring chicken myself, lol. I can't answer your question, but I did read your op. GoGoGo

ya dude, we readin. don't give up! Post a few more hands for discussion.

25NL
This is a lovely one

Villian is 38/0/2.3 over 20 hands

PokerStars No-Limit Hold'em, $0.25 BB (6 handed) - Poker-Stars Converter Tool from FlopTurnRiver.com

Button ($8.40)
SB ($71.15)
BB ($22.85)
UTG ($25.60)
Hero (MP) ($24.75)
CO ($42.75)

Preflop: Hero is MP with A, A
1 fold, Hero bets $1, CO calls $1, 3 folds

Flop: ($2.35) J, Q, 9 (2 players)
Hero bets $2, CO calls $2

Turn: ($6.35) 5 (2 players)
Hero bets $6, CO raises to $18, Hero raises to $21.75 (All-In), CO calls $3.75

River: ($49.85) K (2 players, 1 all-in)

Total pot: $49.85 | Rake: $2.45

Results in white below:
Hero had A, A (one pair, Aces).
CO had 3, 10 (straight, King high).
Outcome: CO won $47.40


31/2/2.8 over 50 hands

PokerStars No-Limit Hold'em, $0.25 BB (6 handed) - Poker-Stars Converter Tool from FlopTurnRiver.com

UTG ($13.35)
MP ($36.40)
CO ($25)
Button ($31.75)
Hero (SB) ($29.95)
BB ($20.75)

Preflop: Hero is SB with K, K
UTG calls $0.25, 2 folds, Button calls $0.25, Hero bets $1.25, 1 fold, UTG calls $1, 1 fold

Flop: ($3) J, 8, 8 (2 players)
Hero bets $2, UTG calls $2

Turn: ($7) Q (2 players)
Hero checks, UTG checks

River: ($7) 4 (2 players)
Hero bets $3, UTG raises to $10.10 (All-In), Hero calls $7.10

Total pot: $27.20 | Rake: $1.30

Results in white below:
Hero mucked K, K (two pair, Kings and eights).
UTG had Q, Q (full house, Queens over eights).
Outcome: UTG won $25.90




BB was 60/3/0.6 over 20 hands
CO was 84/6/1 over 30 hands

PokerStars No-Limit Hold'em, $0.10 BB (6 handed) - Poker-Stars Converter Tool from FlopTurnRiver.com

BB ($4.90)
Hero (UTG) ($15.55)
MP ($9.85)
CO ($2)
Button ($6.35)
SB ($10.15)

Preflop: Hero is UTG with 6, 6
Hero bets $0.40, 1 fold, CO (poster) calls $0.30, 2 folds, BB raises to $0.70, Hero calls $0.30, CO (poster) calls $0.30

Flop: ($2.15) 4, 6, 2 (3 players)
BB bets $0.40, Hero calls $0.40, CO raises to $1.30 (All-In), BB calls $0.90, Hero raises to $14.85 (All-In), BB calls $2.90 (All-In)

Turn: ($11.85) 7 (3 players, 3 all-in)

River: ($11.85) 8 (3 players, 3 all-in)

Total pot: $11.85 | Rake: $0.55

Results in white below:
BB had 5, 5 (straight, eight high).
Hero mucked 6, 6 (three of a kind, sixes).
CO had 4, 9 (flush, nine high).
Outcome: BB won $5.50, CO won $5.80

Originally Posted by Sasquach991

This is a lovely one

Yea, so my question is, what's the point in studying and learning the game? How can skill compete with luck? At microstakes, it seems, luck > skill. Anyone have an argument? Of course people manage to beat micros, but damn it's frustrating.

Originally Posted by PlayToWin

Originally Posted by Sasquach991

This is a lovely one

Yea, so my question is, what's the point in studying and learning the game? How can skill compete with luck? At microstakes, it seems, luck > skill. Anyone have an argument? Of course people manage to beat micros, but damn it's frustrating.

Beating the micros is easy. Play ABC poker, learn to fold when you're raised (or behind your opponents range) and get your hands in. Seriously. I'm beating 25NL for 14BB/100 at the moment playing ABC poker.

Sasquatch, for the hands above:
H1 I fold turn
H2 Smaller turn bet, I fold river
H3 preflop is fine I guess. Pretty much setmining now. You must raise the flop sooner imo to not risk seeing a turn cheaply. They are stacking off with overpairs so make sure it happens.

Originally Posted by Illfavor

Originally Posted by PlayToWin

Originally Posted by Sasquach991

This is a lovely one

Yea, so my question is, what's the point in studying and learning the game? How can skill compete with luck? At microstakes, it seems, luck > skill. Anyone have an argument? Of course people manage to beat micros, but damn it's frustrating.

Beating the micros is easy. Play ABC poker, learn to fold when you're raised (or behind your opponents range) and get your hands in. Seriously. I'm beating 25NL for 14BB/100 at the moment playing ABC poker.

Sasquatch, for the hands above:
H1 I fold turn
Board is too wet I guess. If villian is on flush or str8 draw is this still a fold? So the turn bet screams str8 (even though he didn't have it til the river)
H2 Smaller turn bet, I fold river
Meh, makes sense now.
H3 preflop is fine I guess. Pretty much setmining now. You must raise the flop sooner imo to not risk seeing a turn cheaply. They are stacking off with overpairs so make sure it happens.
I figured overpairs too. Did you look at the results? I was surprised at what they were holding

Originally Posted by PlayToWin

Originally Posted by Sasquach991

This is a lovely one

Yea, so my question is, what's the point in studying and learning the game? How can skill compete with luck? At microstakes, it seems, luck > skill. Anyone have an argument? Of course people manage to beat micros, but damn it's frustrating.

You study to know when it's +EV to continue. Players will get lucky and take your stack but if I had a similar situation 10 times, I would probably take the pot more times than not (esp. Hand 3)

Played roughly 500 hands yesterday. Up 3.5 BIs

BR is up to $450. If only I hadn't added the 25NL tables this weekend.

For April, up 11 BIs for 10NL

I have started letting the table determine by VPIP/PFR. Last night I was 28/25/3 at one, 12/8/1 at another, and 18/14/4 at another. Don't play more hands just because you're getting cold cards (but do steal when appropriate) Do you show Your HEM stats at each table?

I have started folding more to big bets when I know I'm probably beat.

My birthday is coming up in a couple of weeks.
I'll be about 2.5x the age of dranger7070

My wife asked me what I wanted for my birthday.
I told her that I wanted to move up to 25NL.

She said "How much does that cost?"
I didn't know how to answer her.

Lol in-quote replies

Originally Posted by Sasquach991

Originally Posted by Illfavor

Sasquatch, for the hands above:
H1 I fold turn
Board is too wet I guess. If villian is on flush or str8 draw is this still a fold? So the turn bet screams str8 (even though he didn't have it til the river)

Board is wet, too many set/straight combos, and there really aren't that many villains that do this with straight draws, despite this case.

H2 Smaller turn bet, I fold river
Meh, makes sense now.

Good

H3 preflop is fine I guess. Pretty much setmining now. You must raise the flop sooner imo to not risk seeing a turn cheaply. They are stacking off with overpairs so make sure it happens.
I figured overpairs too. Did you look at the results? I was surprised at what they were holding

Yea it was surprising but you got it in with the effective nuts so who gives a fuckshit what the results were.

Post more hands and PM if you ever need help.

Up almost 4 BIs for the night.
BR sits at $491

I've been having to play rather nitty lately (16/12) as I've been finding tables with three or four 35+ vpip players and a couple nits or weaktight players.

For April I'm running 14.85 bb/100 over ~10k hands
Up 15 BIs for the month of April
I may get my birthday present after all
/brag
(It's my Op and I can brag if I want to. Better than bitching all the time)

Suuuuweet hand

Villian is 38/35/2 over 70 hands. He would also fold to aggression.
I limped intentionally as I knew he would bet. I was going to c/r the flop but he checked.
Honestly, I didn't push on river cause I didn't see it at first. Then I figured he might fold if he thought I had the A.
Getting too tired by this hand.

PokerStars No-Limit Hold'em, $0.10 BB (5 handed) - Poker-Stars Converter Tool from FlopTurnRiver.com

MP ($8)
Button ($10)
SB ($13.70)
BB ($13.50)
Hero (UTG) ($13.05)

Preflop: Hero is UTG with Q, J
Hero calls $0.10, MP bets $0.30, 3 folds, Hero calls $0.20

Flop: ($0.75) 10, 7, 9 (2 players)
Hero checks, MP checks

Turn: ($0.75) 2 (2 players)
Hero bets $0.50, MP calls $0.50

River: ($1.75) 8 (2 players)
Hero bets $1, MP raises to $4, Hero calls $3

Total pot: $9.75 | Rake: $0.45

Results in white below:
Hero had Q, J (straight flush, Queen high).
MP had K, A (flush, King high).
Outcome: Hero won $9.30

From reading your posts, I get the impression you don't have a one day 5% of your bankroll stop loss. I'd recommend doing that and you'd prevent yourself from losing too many buy-ins in one day.

Maybe I misunderstood you, but did you move up to $25NL before you met the goal you had set for yourself? If so, why?

Originally Posted by Jason

From reading your posts, I get the impression you don't have a one day 5% of your bankroll stop loss. I'd recommend doing that and you'd prevent yourself from losing too many buy-ins in one day.

Maybe I misunderstood you, but did you move up to $25NL before you met the goal you had set for yourself? If so, why?

I thought it was 10%, which I was doing. I guess I was on the high side.
From rilla's BR Management article.
"a good rule of thumb for your bankroll size is never risk more than 5-10% of it on any given day."

I don't consider what I did moving up. Kind of a half assed shot. Before I only played 25NL when I took a shot. This time I was only risking $5 more than 4 tabling 10NL and when I lost 10% (maybe 12% when I got below $500) of my BR I would quit for the day.

I won't be doing it again anyway.

Had one hellluva night
~1000 hands and up 6.5 BIs

BR sits at $560

For April, I'm running 18.96 bb/100 hands for 11400 hands

Something that has helped alot is finding the Fold button. The minbet-monkeys were killing me. I've gotten better at spotting a set and two pair also. Still lost a few with overpairs

I'm also being very selective in table selection.
1. High Players per flop
2. Low Hands per Hour (lots of hands going to showdown)
3. High Average Pot (at least 10bbs)
In that order.

These are the hands you love...

Table had 4 players with VPIP of >45 and one 11/9/13 player
This villian was 49/11/4 over 48 hands
On the river I though he may have hit the straight flush until the minraise.
The $6 bet was suppose to put him AI but I looked at it wrong.
Gotta start wearing my reading glasses more (That's old guys for ya)


PokerStars No-Limit Hold'em, $0.10 BB (6 handed) - Poker-Stars Converter Tool from FlopTurnRiver.com

SB ($5.65)
BB ($5.30)
UTG ($10.30)
Hero (MP) ($13.65)
CO ($13.20)
Button ($8.35)

Preflop: Hero is MP with 3, 3
1 fold, Hero bets $0.40, 1 fold, Button calls $0.40, 2 folds

Flop: ($0.95) 3, 2, 2 (2 players)
Hero checks, Button checks

Turn: ($0.95) 6 (2 players)
Hero bets $0.70, Button calls $0.70

River: ($2.35) 5 (2 players)
Hero bets $1.50, Button raises to $3, Hero raises to $6, Button raises to $7.25 (All-In), Hero calls $1.25

Total pot: $16.85 | Rake: $0.80

Results in white below:
Button had 4, 7 (straight, seven high).
Hero had 3, 3 (full house, threes over twos).
Outcome: Hero won $16.05

Originally Posted by Sasquach991

For April, I'm running 18.96 bb/100 hands for 11400 hands

Something that has helped alot is finding the Fold button. The minbet-monkeys were killing me. I've gotten better at spotting a set and two pair also. Still lost a few with overpairs

I'm also being very selective in table selection.
1. High Players per flop
2. Low Hands per Hour (lots of hands going to showdown)
3. High Average Pot (at least 10bbs)
In that order.

These are the hands you love...

Excellent month so far.....

Isn't it great when you don't have to worry about the flush!!

Thanks PlayToWin.

Had another pretty good night last night. Up about 3 BIs.

BR sits at $590

Up 25 BIs for April and running 19.25 bb/100 hands.

I need to learn where the fold button is with AK. If I don't hit on the flop, I always lose and refuse to fold.
AK alone cost me over 3 BIs last night.
I need to read the AK article again, and again, and again.


Villian was 35/9/1.6 over 160 hands and I had just taken $15 off of him two hands earlier with AA>KK .

PokerStars No-Limit Hold'em, $0.10 BB (6 handed) - Poker-Stars Converter Tool from FlopTurnRiver.com

Hero (BB) ($30.75)
UTG ($12.60)
MP ($10.35)
CO ($15.35)
Button ($5.10)
SB ($3.30)

Preflop: Hero is BB with K, A
1 fold, MP bets $0.30, CO calls $0.30, 2 folds, Hero raises to $1, 1 fold, CO calls $0.70

Flop: ($2.35) Q, 10, 7 (2 players)
Hero checks, CO bets $0.80, Hero calls $0.80

Turn: ($3.95) 6 (2 players)
Hero bets $2.80, CO calls $2.80

River: ($9.55) 10 (2 players)
Hero bets $7, CO raises to $10.75 (All-In), Hero calls $3.75

Total pot: $31.05 | Rake: $1.50

Results in white below:
Hero mucked K, A (one pair, tens).
CO had 10, 8 (three of a kind, tens).
Outcome: CO won $29.55


Villian was 40/0/1.3 over 130 hands.
Typical calling station. Even the 4 flush cards didn't phase him. I tried to rep the Kh on the river but he didn't seem to notice.

PokerStars No-Limit Hold'em, $0.10 BB (5 handed) - Poker-Stars Converter Tool from FlopTurnRiver.com

Hero (MP) ($14.30)
Button ($7.70)
SB ($5.40)
BB ($9.45)
UTG ($14.80)

Preflop: Hero is MP with A, K
1 fold, Hero bets $0.40, Button calls $0.40, 2 folds

Flop: ($0.95) A, 2, 3 (2 players)
Hero bets $0.90, Button calls $0.90

Turn: ($2.75) J (2 players)
Hero bets $2, Button calls $2

River: ($6.75) 7 (2 players)
Hero bets $3, Button raises to $4.40 (All-In), Hero calls $1.40

Total pot: $15.55 | Rake: $0.75

Results in white below:
Button had J, A (two pair, Aces and Jacks).
Hero mucked A, K (one pair, Aces).
Outcome: Button won $14.80

Weekend didn't go so well. Down 4 BIs. Got up to $600 then dropped to $560.

Got money on good but typical 2pair<set, got out flushed, set<flush, etc.

No complaints though. Had a very good week last week.

Down to $500... again.

More of the same. But I am finding some dream tables at 10NL. All players over 45 VPIP. Gotta be careful what you get in with. The ones that give me the most trouble are the 90/75 villians. Seems every time I get in good, they got in a little better. Especially after I see them go to SD with T4o and air. Taking some good notes though.

Still grinding along. I'm no longer in a rush to get to 25NL. I'll get there when I get there. Hopefully this time it'll be during a major heater.

I have high hopes for the weekend. Playing in a home game Saturday at a friends. I don't expect to win much but I always have a good time. It's a needed change over playing online sometimes.

Originally Posted by Sasquach991

The ones that give me the most trouble are the 90/75 villians. Seems every time I get in good, they got in a little better. Especially after I see them go to SD with T4o and air.

Yeah, last night I was on one of those tables and kept getting coolered. Had a made straight against villain who had 75% VPIP and he had two cards to make a one card better straight. Against a 65% VPIP villain, made an 8 high flush using two cards and he had a ten high flush using two cards. Flopped the nuts in another hand, get two maniac villains betting into me, but they auto shut down on the raise. Grrr ...

Originally Posted by Sasquach991

Still grinding along. I'm no longer in a rush to get to 25NL. I'll get there when I get there.

I think EVERYONE should have this attitude. Why the rush? It'll only make you feel bad when you don't move up at the rate you want. If you're beating the game, you just have to play enough hands. I tend to think taking it slow is better EV because you're in a better frame of mind. Quality EV hours always beats any amount of mediocre negative EV hours.

Originally Posted by Sasquach991

I have high hopes for the weekend. Playing in a home game Saturday at a friends. I don't expect to win much but I always have a good time. It's a needed change over playing online sometimes.

Why can't you win much money? The stakes are too low or the competition is too good? I have two games planned myself: a $0.25/$0.50 game and a $0.50/$1.00 game. I've cleared as much as $131 in the former. It's amazing what I can do when I actually hit some hands against some fish

Jason,
The home games are low stakes.

$10 buyin tournament with about 10 players. Pays top three(50/30/20).

Players who get knocked out of the tournamant start a $5 buyin cash game. Stakes are 0.05/0.10 but BI is limited to $5. Rebuy only allowed when you get less than $1.

I always take lots of beer and drink a little of it and give the rest away. This is always ++EV.

Had a pretty good night. Switched back to 4 tables cause I was geting bored playing and spewing a bit. Woulda been up more but I got coolered a couple of times.

Up a little over 4 BIs.
BR is at $552

And now the better news...

Went to the Urologist today for a "procedure"
(don't ask what it was cause just describing it will make you young guys hurt and prob the old guys too)

There was a chance I had Prostate Cancer.
I DON'T
Everything was just as it's supposed to be.


*Lifts beer to mouth*

repeating as necessary

Had another good night. Back up to $570

Thank you sir, for not describing, said procedure.

Also, keep up the grind man, you are doing will, you will pwning the 25nl feesh in NO TIME!!!

Been breaking even over the last few days.

I am finding the fold button more but it's hard to find with the nut flush. Boats have been killing my flushes.

-I keep trying to bluff the calling stations.
-Stop cbetting crap and not getting out when I should
-I intend to b/f but I'm getting called so I bet another street and get called again.

Breaking even is better than losing at the moment.

BR $582

Still taking my time and not rushing to 25NL.
Dranger and M2M are making it hard to do though...
Y'all are kicking ass and taking names

Looks like I will not be getting the B'day present I wanted. B'day is tomorrow. The big 48!!!

Home game went pretty good too. Came in 4th in the tournament. This is why I stopped playing SNGs online.

Cash game went much better. $5 Buyin and I was up 3.5 BIs by the time I left. Of course they tried to get me to stay longer.

Finally had another upswing. Up ~2.5 BIs so BR sits at ~$610.

I stopped stealing from SB as much and upped stealing from Button.

I stopped trying to bluff the calling stations. First half hour of hands I did this and remembered I said I wouldn't so I stopped.

Still having some trouble witht he b/f and getting called.

I'm getting better at finding the fold button. Biggest pot lost for the night was $3. Usually it's >$8

I took down many pots betting every street. For many villians this put them AI and they had middle pairs. On one I was beat with bottom two pair and rivered a K for a set. Villian tilted nicely.

A few entertaining hands

Hand 1
Typical 40/1 calling station.
I fell right into his slowplaying set trap

PokerStars No-Limit Hold'em, $0.10 BB (6 handed) - Poker-Stars Converter Tool from FlopTurnRiver.com

Button ($16.40)
SB ($10.80)
Hero (BB) ($11)
UTG ($6.10)
MP ($13.95)
CO ($5.85)

Preflop: Hero is BB with 7, 8
UTG calls $0.10, 3 folds, SB calls $0.05, Hero checks

Flop: ($0.30) 2, 10, 7 (3 players)
SB checks, Hero bets $0.30, UTG calls $0.30, 1 fold

Turn: ($0.90) 9 (2 players)
Hero bets $0.60, UTG calls $0.60

River: ($2.10) 6 (2 players)
Hero bets $1.50, UTG raises to $5.10 (All-In), Hero calls $3.60

Total pot: $12.30 | Rake: $0.60

Results in white below:
Hero had 7, 8 (straight, ten high).
UTG had 2, 2 (three of a kind, twos).
Outcome: Hero won $11.70

Hand 2

Villian was 30/4
Villian's thought process:
"His Turn bet is a Q or a flush bluff so I'll minraise him allin and he'll fold. I know he can't have a flush"

PokerStars No-Limit Hold'em, $0.10 BB (5 handed) - Poker-Stars Converter Tool from FlopTurnRiver.com

Hero (Button) ($23.40)
SB ($9.70)
BB ($10.70)
UTG ($2.50)
MP ($11.95)

Preflop: Hero is Button with A, J
UTG bets $0.30, 1 fold, Hero calls $0.30, 2 folds

Flop: ($0.75) 6, 7, 10 (2 players)
UTG bets $0.60, Hero calls $0.60

Turn: ($1.95) Q (2 players)
UTG checks, Hero bets $1, UTG raises to $1.60 (All-In), Hero calls $0.60

River: ($5.15) K (2 players, 1 all-in)

Total pot: $5.15 | Rake: $0.25

Results in white below:
Hero had A, J (flush, Ace high).
UTG had K, 10 (two pair, Kings and tens).
Outcome: Hero won $4.90


Hand 3
Button was an 80/2/0.6 calling station who had $23 about 20 hands before.
MP was another calling station 40/4/1.5 who had taken most of Button's stack a few hands earlier.

QTs is usually a fold for me with a raiser but I was getting cold cards forever. I played this one because as Spenda puts it in his vids "Because I felt like it".


PokerStars No-Limit Hold'em, $0.10 BB (6 handed) - Poker-Stars Converter Tool from FlopTurnRiver.com

Hero (CO) ($10.90)
Button ($2)
SB ($20.50)
BB ($12.75)
UTG ($23.45)
MP ($14.75)

Preflop: Hero is CO with 10, Q
1 fold, MP bets $0.30, Hero calls $0.30, Button calls $0.30, 2 folds

Flop: ($1.05) 10, 8, Q (3 players)
MP bets $0.80, Hero raises to $2.40, Button calls $1.70 (All-In), MP raises to $14.45 (All-In), Hero calls $8.20 (All-In)

Turn: ($23.95) 4 (3 players, 3 all-in)

River: ($23.95) 2 (3 players, 3 all-in)

Total pot: $23.95 | Rake: $1.15

Results in white below:
Button had 9, J (straight, Queen high).
MP had A, A (one pair, Aces).
Hero had 10, Q (two pair, Queens and tens).
Outcome: Button won $5.85, Hero won $16.95


Hand 4

I was called several names after this hand.
Both villians vere maniacs. I would have titled this my spew hand if it weren't for the river.


PokerStars No-Limit Hold'em, $0.10 BB (5 handed) - Poker-Stars Converter Tool from FlopTurnRiver.com

SB ($3.60)
Hero (BB) ($15)
UTG ($20.40)
MP ($3.70)
Button ($5.40)

Preflop: Hero is BB with 5, 5
UTG bets $0.20, MP calls $0.20, Button calls $0.20, 1 fold, Hero calls $0.10

Flop: ($0.85) 5, 7, 6 (4 players)
Hero checks, UTG bets $0.20, MP calls $0.20, Button raises to $0.40, Hero raises to $1.20, 1 fold, MP calls $1, Button raises to $2, Hero calls $0.80, MP calls $0.80

Turn: ($7.05) 3 (3 players)
Hero checks, MP bets $1.50 (All-In), Button raises to $3.20 (All-In), Hero calls $3.20

River: ($14.95) 7 (3 players, 2 all-in)

Total pot: $14.95 | Rake: $0.70

Results in white below:
Button mucked 8, K (flush, King high).
Hero had 5, 5 (full house, fives over sevens).
MP mucked 4, 4 (straight, seven high).
Outcome: Hero won $14.25

Something I need to remember:

-Even bad players get good hands occasionally.

An 80/1/0.6 spanked my ass two hands in a row(JJ<KKset, KK<AA) so I was down 2.5 BIs for the session. I took a half hour break and came back and recovered 2 of the BIs.

Why is it that you sit 4-tabling and get air forever and then all the good cards hit all the tables at once?

Here's how my night went.

My BR is between $580 or $620 depending on the night. No more, no less.

"You can't make someone fold" even if they have

Q2o in the BB or
36o in the BB

These are the nights that it drops to $580 (no more cause I always quit)

PokerStars No-Limit Hold'em, $0.10 BB (5 handed) - Poker-Stars Converter Tool from FlopTurnRiver.com

UTG ($7.65)
MP ($4.75)
Button ($7.35)
Hero (SB) ($10.30)
BB ($14.45)

Preflop: Hero is SB with 10, A
UTG calls $0.10, MP calls $0.10, Button calls $0.10, Hero bets $0.50, BB calls $0.40, 1 fold, MP calls $0.40, Button calls $0.40

Flop: ($2.10) 8, Q, Q (4 players)
Hero checks, BB checks, MP checks, Button checks

Turn: ($2.10) 2 (4 players)
Hero bets $1.50, BB calls $1.50, 2 folds

River: ($5.10) 3 (2 players)
Hero bets $8.30 (All-In), BB calls $8.30

Total pot: $21.70 | Rake: $1.05

Results in white below:
Hero had 10, A (flush, Ace high).
BB had 2, 2 (full house, twos over Queens).
Outcome: BB won $20.65



PokerStars No-Limit Hold'em, $0.10 BB (4 handed) - Poker-Stars Converter Tool from FlopTurnRiver.com

Button ($22.45)
SB ($10.35)
Hero (BB) ($9.85)
UTG ($18.50)

Preflop: Hero is BB with 4, 4
UTG bets $0.50, 1 fold, SB calls $0.45, Hero calls $0.40

Flop: ($1.50) K, 6, 4 (3 players)
SB checks, Hero checks, UTG bets $1, SB calls $1, Hero raises to $4, UTG raises to $10, 1 fold, Hero calls $5.35 (All-In)

Turn: ($21.20) 5 (2 players, 1 all-in)

River: ($21.20) 2 (2 players, 1 all-in)

Total pot: $21.20 | Rake: $1.05

Results in white below:
Hero had 4, 4 (three of a kind, fours).
UTG had K, K (three of a kind, Kings).
Outcome: UTG won $20.15


PokerStars No-Limit Hold'em, $0.10 BB (4 handed) - Poker-Stars Converter Tool from FlopTurnRiver.com

Hero (SB) ($9.45)
BB ($10.35)
UTG ($6.65)
Button ($6.80)

Preflop: Hero is SB with Q, A
1 fold, Button calls $0.10, Hero bets $0.30, 1 fold, Button calls $0.20

Flop: ($0.70) A, 3, 6 (2 players)
Hero bets $0.50, Button calls $0.50

Turn: ($1.70) 10 (2 players)
Hero bets $1.50, Button raises to $3, Hero raises to $8.65 (All-In), Button calls $3 (All-In)

River: ($13.70) Q (2 players, 2 all-in)

Total pot: $13.70 | Rake: $0.65

Results in white below:
Button had 3, 3 (three of a kind, threes).
Hero had Q, A (two pair, Aces and Queens).
Outcome: Button won $13.05


PokerStars No-Limit Hold'em, $0.10 BB (6 handed) - Poker-Stars Converter Tool from FlopTurnRiver.com

MP ($12.90)
CO ($19.60)
Button ($54.65)
Hero (SB) ($10.20)
BB ($5.40)
UTG ($5.75)

Preflop: Hero is SB with K, Q
UTG calls $0.10, 2 folds, Button bets $0.40, Hero calls $0.35, BB calls $0.30, UTG calls $0.30

Flop: ($1.60) 2, Q, 4 (4 players)
Hero checks, BB bets $0.50, 1 fold, Button calls $0.50, Hero raises to $2, BB calls $1.50, Button calls $1.50

Turn: ($7.60) 5 (3 players)
Hero bets $4, BB calls $3 (All-In), 1 fold

River: ($13.60) 6 (2 players, 1 all-in)

Total pot: $13.60 | Rake: $0.65

Results in white below:
Hero had K, Q (one pair, Queens).
BB had 3, 6 (straight, six high).
Outcome: BB won $12.95


PokerStars No-Limit Hold'em, $0.10 BB (6 handed) - Poker-Stars Converter Tool from FlopTurnRiver.com

CO ($12.95)
Button ($10.60)
SB ($3.40)
Hero (BB) ($10.60)
UTG ($10)
MP ($9.90)

Preflop: Hero is BB with 8, 7
UTG calls $0.10, MP calls $0.10, CO calls $0.10, 1 fold, SB calls $0.05, Hero checks

Flop: ($0.50) 7, 3, 8 (5 players)
SB checks, Hero bets $0.30, UTG calls $0.30, 1 fold, CO calls $0.30, 1 fold

Turn: ($1.40) 10 (3 players)
Hero bets $1.20, 1 fold, CO calls $1.20

River: ($3.80) 3 (2 players)
Hero bets $2.50, CO calls $2.50

Total pot: $8.80 | Rake: $0.40

Results in white below:
Hero had 8, 7 (two pair, eights and sevens).
CO had A, 10 (two pair, tens and threes).
Outcome: CO won $8.40

No more updates until things start going better.

I'm sick of bitching.

Finally made it to 2 pages though, through no help of anyone but me.

O bull crap, I posted in here once or twice. Don't worry about the neg variance, just make sure its REALLY negative variance and you're making the right plays ALL the time. Keep up the session reviews afterwards, and studying away from the tables and you will pwn soon enough.

Originally Posted by dranger7070

O bull crap, I posted in here once or twice. Don't worry about the neg variance, just make sure its REALLY negative variance and you're making the right plays ALL the time. Keep up the session reviews afterwards, and studying away from the tables and you will pwn soon enough.

This is a nice way of saying you've posted several hands showing a variety of leaks. Try to find them. Make sure you made the right decision on EVERY street.

If you want help on individual hands, posting them in the beginners circle will get you more responses. Have you found any leaks? If so, how about getting a conversation started on them? What are you doing to fix them?

If you want to increase your win rate, quit turning your hands into bluffs, quit calling all in overbets/overbetting all in yourself w/ top pair hands, and either reduce the number of tables you play or stop playing when you're too tired. Missing value from not knowing what you hold is an easy leak to fix. Playing big pots with small pot hands is an easy leak to fix. Failing to put your opponent on a range of hands and acting accordingly on every street against that range is an easy leak to fix.

You've got several responses from people in your op thread. Please don't berate them for not posting every day in your op if you want them to keep posting.

Actually I was trying to get a rise out of someone. Seemed to work.

Thanks okiman

"quit turning your hands into bluffs, "
I'm doing this waay to much. I put a note on my monitor that says don't bluff so much, especially the calling stations

"quit calling all in overbets/overbetting all in yourself w/ top pair hands"
This is probably my biggest leak. I keep forgetting that even bad players do get good hands.

My wife asked me what I wanted for my birthday.
I told her that I wanted to move up to 25NL.

She said "How much does that cost?"

That's like a snapshot directly from my life. I'm right there with ya brother.

Originally Posted by Kijjo

My wife asked me what I wanted for my birthday.
I told her that I wanted to move up to 25NL.

She said "How much does that cost?"

That's like a snapshot directly from my life. I'm right there with ya brother.

Must be an Alabama thing...

Originally Posted by Sasquach991

Actually I was trying to get a rise out of someone. Seemed to work.

Thanks okiman

"quit turning your hands into bluffs, "
I'm doing this waay to much. I put a note on my monitor that says don't bluff so much, especially the calling stations

"quit calling all in overbets/overbetting all in yourself w/ top pair hands"
This is probably my biggest leak. I keep forgetting that even bad players do get good hands.

Notes on monitors are a great tool to use. Any time I'm working on a concept or struggling with a leak, I do the same.

Another thing that will help is starting to post hands where you are adjusting for your leaks. It will help you focus more on those situations and it will get you some feedback to make sure you're not over correcting.

gl at the tables. Now it's time for me to go fix my leaks.

All of these hands are against villians with
vpip >40
PFR <3
AF <1.5

Hand 1

These types of players drive me nuts. Minbet monkeys

PokerStars No-Limit Hold'em, $0.10 BB (6 handed) - Poker-Stars Converter Tool from FlopTurnRiver.com

UTG ($6)
MP ($10.15)
Hero (CO) ($23)
Button ($6.95)
SB ($9)
BB ($4.95)

Preflop: Hero is CO with Q, Q
2 folds, Hero bets $0.40, 2 folds, BB calls $0.30

Flop: ($0.85) 2, 6, A (2 players)
BB bets $0.10, Hero raises to $0.70, BB calls $0.60

Turn: ($2.25) J (2 players)
BB checks, Hero checks

River: ($2.25) 9 (2 players)
BB bets $0.10, Hero calls $0.10

Total pot: $2.45 | Rake: $0.10

Results in white below:
BB had A, 8 (one pair, Aces).
Hero mucked Q, Q (one pair, Queens).
Outcome: BB won $2.35

Hand 2

Good Bluff?
If I get a call do I c/f river or b/f river

PokerStars No-Limit Hold'em, $0.10 BB (5 handed) - Poker-Stars Converter Tool from FlopTurnRiver.com

UTG ($10.10)
Hero (MP) ($21.65)
Button ($7.70)
SB ($14.70)
BB ($5.15)

Preflop: Hero is MP with K, Q
UTG calls $0.10, Hero bets $0.50, 2 folds, BB calls $0.40, 1 fold

Flop: ($1.15) 9, 8, 5 (2 players)
BB checks, Hero checks

Turn: ($1.15) A (2 players)
BB checks, Hero bets $0.70, 1 fold

Total pot: $1.15 | Rake: $0.05

Results in white below:
Hero didn't show K, Q (nothing).
Outcome: Hero won $1.10


Hand 3
Too Tight? or is he value betting his flush?

PokerStars No-Limit Hold'em, $0.10 BB (6 handed) - Poker-Stars Converter Tool from FlopTurnRiver.com

MP ($11.55)
Hero (CO) ($14.85)
Button ($11.50)
SB ($33.60)
BB ($8.05)
UTG ($2.15)

Preflop: Hero is CO with 9, 9
UTG calls $0.10, MP bets $0.40, Hero calls $0.40, Button calls $0.40, 1 fold, BB calls $0.30, 1 fold

Flop: ($1.75) 10, 7, 3 (4 players)
BB checks, MP bets $0.50, Hero calls $0.50, 2 folds

Turn: ($2.75) 3 (2 players)
MP bets $1, Hero folds

Total pot: $2.75 | Rake: $0.10

Results in white below:
MP didn't show
Outcome: MP won $2.65

Hand 4
Am I ever good here?
I thought about bluffing the flush but these are calling stations...

PokerStars No-Limit Hold'em, $0.10 BB (5 handed) - Poker-Stars Converter Tool from FlopTurnRiver.com

Button ($12.30)
SB ($3.70)
BB ($19.95)
Hero (UTG) ($10.55)
MP ($3.45)

Preflop: Hero is UTG with 9, 9
Hero bets $0.40, 2 folds, SB calls $0.35, 1 fold

Flop: ($0.90) Q, K, 8 (2 players)
SB checks, Hero bets $0.70, SB calls $0.70

Turn: ($2.30) 3 (2 players)
SB checks, Hero checks

River: ($2.30) 8 (2 players)
SB bets $1, Hero folds

Total pot: $2.30 | Rake: $0.10

Results in white below:
SB didn't show
Outcome: SB won $2.20

Hand 5

Ahead or Behind?

PokerStars No-Limit Hold'em, $0.10 BB (5 handed) - Poker-Stars Converter Tool from FlopTurnRiver.com

BB ($6.95)
UTG ($13.40)
Hero (MP) ($23.15)
Button ($18.40)
SB ($10.40)

Preflop: Hero is MP with K, A
UTG calls $0.10, Hero bets $0.50, 1 fold, SB raises to $1.60, 2 folds, Hero calls $1.10

Flop: ($3.40) K, 5, 10 (2 players)
SB bets $2.50, Hero calls $2.50

Turn: ($8.40) 2 (2 players)
SB bets $6.30 (All-In), Hero calls $6.30

River: ($21) 2 (2 players, 1 all-in)

Total pot: $21 | Rake: $1

Results in white below:
SB had A, K (two pair, Kings and twos).
Hero had K, A (two pair, Kings and twos).
Outcome: SB won $10, Hero won $10

Finally looked at my FPP on PS and I had over 5000. I've been ignoring it so I won't use it. Decided to "buy" the $50 bonus. At the rate I'm playing, I should clear it in the next 7-10 days.

My wifey wanted me to get a Pokerstars jacket. I asked her why and she said "Because you'll just lose the $50... But you'll probably lose the jacket too".

After I posted my winnings graph in the BC I started up 4 tables and the variance engine started and went into turbo mode.

And you know what? I Don't Care... much

Some of you guys are young enough to play poker for a living. I don't think I will ever reach a point where I can make the same amount as I make at work. For some people "It is rocket science". Been doing it for over 20 years.

I play poker for the entertainment value and because it makes me think. I like thinkin'. One of my other hobbies is Online Air Traffic Control. At times it is as stressful as 25 tabling 6-max turbos and babysitting 10 two year olds at the same time. It will get your blood pumping.

I'm back down to $500. I dropped down to $520 then got it back up to $540 and then I got coolered back down to $500
I'm getting sick of this.

Was up 2 BIs tonight and ended up down 4.

So much for not caring.

As soon as I get above $600 I start losing my ass off.
PokerStove says I'm good on almost every hand. That's why I'm not posting many.

I've got 92k hands at 10NL and I'm swongy as hell after about 70k

I'm getting sick of this.

I was hoping when I get my $50 bonus it would boost me to 25NL.
I've got 284 FPP and I need 350. Maybe it'll put me back at $600.

I'm getting sick of this.

Maybe I'll get my bonus and just cash out cause I'm getting sick of this.

How about another effin heater?
Coolers are killing me.

Lol, keep your chin up dude. Rough times like this suck, but just keep putting your money in good, and the profits will follow. Don't worry about one hand, or one session. Think about (always be thinking about) the long run. It will definitely make you a better player. You won't care so much that your BR has stayed the same over the last few thousand hands.

Another thing: Try not looking at your BR for a whole week. Just get on the tables, when your done, get off them. No checking the cashier/sessions tab in HEM or PT or whatever. Just turn it on when you start, and shut it down when ur done. I guarantee that you will be VERY pleasantly surprised at the end of that week.

Thanks dranger. It hasn'tt been one session. It's been every session since May started.

Got my $50 bonus tonight. And it put me over $500. That's right, $500.

Woo Effin Hoo

BR is at an embarassing $535 with the bonus.

May sucks so far, but then again it's early.
Down 6 BIs for May but if you count the bonus I'm only down 1 BI.

Yeah that's it. Be an optomist.

If you'd like to see some struggling through the micros, pls visit my blawg and see my 35K hand BE stretch at 25NL. You'll pull through man. Just buy a cup before your nuts fall off!

Illfavor, that's some frustrating shit there.

Here's how my night went last night after PS finally came back up.

Up 5 BIs.
Set machine was on turbo
Straight machine was in overdrive
Flush machine was ballistic
Full House flop machine was um.., uh.. , I can't think of anything but it was good.

Very enjoyable session. First one I've had in May.

On the tables where there's a donk that's 2 BIs deep and plays 85/1/1 and can't lose and then a reg comes in and proceeds to take their entire stack. Last night I was the reg.

Originally Posted by Sasquach991

Illfavor, that's some frustrating shit there.

Here's how my night went last night after PS finally came back up.

Up 5 BIs.
Set machine was on turbo
Straight machine was in overdrive
Flush machine was ballistic
Full House flop machine was um.., uh.. , I can't think of anything but it was good.

Very enjoyable session. First one I've had in May.

On the tables where there's a donk that's 2 BIs deep and plays 85/1/1 and can't lose and then a reg comes in and proceeds to take their entire stack. Last night I was the reg.

Always good sir. Now please, hurry up and pwn so we can rape teh 25enels together.

In response to the hands above.

hand 1 - WA/WB situation here. Don't raise the flop. All you're doing is shutting out the portion of his range that will keep bluffing weakly at you. Let him.

hand 2 - Good way to rep missed overcards on the flop that hit on the turn. You'll usually get a fold here. If not, you're almost always up against Ax and can fold the river or check behind.

hand 3 - That weak bet from a bad player sure looks like a hand that missed and is trying to steal with a c-bet/block w/ a big spade (or keep players in with the nut flush). It'd be tempting to try and steal it heads up with a flop raise, but you've got 2 players behind you to act. I'd actually fold the flop given your terrible relative position.

hand 4 - This is fine. Most hands you're ahead of on the flop now beat you after the turn. There are only a few hands in his range you're ahead of now. Not worth putting any more money in.

hand 5 - You're not ahead of much here. I think the best you can expect is a split pot. If the villian was more aggressive, there are a couple of hands you could be ahead of in his range, but this is a terrible spot to be in against someone with a pfr of <3 and an AF<1.5.

Here are some more hands

I said I'm jinxed once I hit $600
These are the hands after I hit $600 tonight.

Am I too quick on the AI?

Hand 1

24/3/1 over 200 hands
I believe this is called a cooler

PokerStars No-Limit Hold'em, $0.10 BB (5 handed) - Poker-Stars Converter Tool from FlopTurnRiver.com

UTG ($9.85)
Hero (MP) ($12.55)
Button ($15.70)
SB ($21.10)
BB ($16.15)

Preflop: Hero is MP with K, A
1 fold, Hero bets $0.40, Button raises to $0.70, SB calls $0.65, 1 fold, Hero calls $0.30

Flop: ($2.20) A, J, K (3 players)
SB bets $1.10, Hero raises to $11.85 (All-In), 1 fold, SB calls $10.75

Turn: ($25.90) A (2 players, 1 all-in)

River: ($25.90) J (2 players, 1 all-in)

Total pot: $25.90 | Rake: $1.25

Results in white below:
SB had J, J (four of a kind, Jacks).
Hero mucked K, A (full house, Aces over Kings).
Outcome: SB won $24.65

Hand 2

Button was 21/12/2.4
SB was 44/7/1.4
BB was 75/19/2.3


PokerStars No-Limit Hold'em, $0.10 BB (6 handed) - Poker-Stars Converter Tool from FlopTurnRiver.com

UTG ($10.30)
MP ($9.45)
Hero (CO) ($10)
Button ($18.95)
SB ($2.60)
BB ($1.70)

Preflop: Hero is CO with A, 4
1 fold, MP bets $0.30, Hero calls $0.30, Button calls $0.30, SB calls $0.25, BB calls $0.20

Flop: ($1.50) 6, 4, A (5 players)
SB checks, BB bets $1.40 (All-In), 1 fold, Hero calls $1.40, Button calls $1.40, SB raises to $2.30 (All-In), Hero calls $0.90, Button calls $0.90

Turn: ($9.80) K (4 players, 2 all-in)
Hero checks, Button bets $7.40, Hero calls $7.40 (All-In)

River: ($24.60) K (4 players, 3 all-in)

Total pot: $24.60 | Rake: $1.20

Results in white below:
Button had 6, 6 (full house, sixes over Kings).
SB mucked 6, 4 (two pair, Kings and sixes).
BB mucked 5, 2 (one pair, Kings).
Hero had A, 4 (two pair, Aces and Kings).
Outcome: Button won $23.40


Hand 3

64/16/0.7 over 100

This one tilted me

PokerStars No-Limit Hold'em, $0.10 BB (5 handed) - Poker-Stars Converter Tool from FlopTurnRiver.com

MP ($10.95)
Hero (Button) ($10)
SB ($11.95)
BB ($15.20)
UTG ($19.65)

Preflop: Hero is Button with K, K
1 fold, MP bets $0.30, Hero raises to $0.90, SB calls $0.85, 2 folds

Flop: ($2.20) 2, 7, 4 (2 players)
SB checks, Hero bets $1.50, SB raises to $3, Hero calls $1.50

Turn: ($8.20) 10 (2 players)
SB bets $8.05 (All-In), Hero calls $6.10 (All-In)

River: ($20.40) J (2 players, 2 all-in)

Total pot: $20.40 | Rake: $1

Results in white below:
Hero mucked K, K (one pair, Kings).
SB had 2, 2 (three of a kind, twos).
Outcome: SB won $19.40

Hand 4

PokerStars No-Limit Hold'em, $0.10 BB (6 handed) - Poker-Stars Converter Tool from FlopTurnRiver.com

CO ($5.35)
Button ($9.45)
Hero (SB) ($9.90)
BB ($10)
UTG ($2.70)
MP ($11.60)

Preflop: Hero is SB with A, A
2 folds, CO bets $0.40, 1 fold, Hero raises to $1.20, 1 fold, CO calls $0.80

Flop: ($2.50) 7, Q, K (2 players)
Hero bets $1.20, CO calls $1.20

Turn: ($4.90) 7 (2 players)
Hero bets $2, CO calls $2

River: ($8.90) 10 (2 players)
Hero checks, CO bets $0.95 (All-In), Hero calls $0.95

Total pot: $10.80 | Rake: $0.50

Results in white below:
Hero mucked A, A (two pair, Aces and sevens).
CO had 7, 7 (four of a kind, sevens).
Outcome: CO won $10.30


A bit of Spew for your enjoyment

PokerStars No-Limit Hold'em, $0.10 BB (6 handed) - Poker-Stars Converter Tool from FlopTurnRiver.com

CO ($6.30)
Hero (Button) ($16.20)
SB ($9.45)
BB ($20.35)
UTG ($4.85)
MP ($10.35)

Preflop: Hero is Button with J, 10
UTG calls $0.10, MP calls $0.10, CO bets $0.20, Hero calls $0.20, 1 fold, BB calls $0.10, UTG calls $0.10, MP calls $0.10

Flop: ($1.05) 7, 4, K (5 players)
BB checks, UTG checks, MP checks, CO bets $0.40, Hero calls $0.40, 1 fold, UTG raises to $1.40, 1 fold, CO calls $1, Hero calls $1

Turn: ($5.25) 9 (3 players)
UTG bets $3.25 (All-In), 1 fold, Hero calls $3.25

River: ($11.75) A (2 players, 1 all-in)

Total pot: $11.75 | Rake: $0.55

Results in white below:
Hero mucked J, 10 (high card, Ace).
UTG had K, A (two pair, Aces and Kings).
Outcome: UTG won $11.20


All I can say about this one is Shit

PokerStars No-Limit Hold'em, $0.10 BB (5 handed) - Poker-Stars Converter Tool from FlopTurnRiver.com

BB ($10.70)
UTG ($7.25)
MP ($10.35)
Hero (Button) ($25.60)
SB ($8.75)

Preflop: Hero is Button with 3, A
UTG calls $0.10, 1 fold, Hero bets $0.40, 1 fold, BB calls $0.30, 1 fold

Flop: ($0.95) 7, 5, K (2 players)
BB bets $0.30, Hero calls $0.30

Turn: ($1.55) 10 (2 players)
BB checks, Hero bets $1, BB calls $1

River: ($3.55) 7 (2 players)
BB bets $1, Hero raises to $3, BB calls $2

Total pot: $9.55 | Rake: $0.45

Results in white below:
Hero had 3, A (flush, Ace high).
BB had K, 7 (full house, sevens over Kings).
Outcome: BB won $9.10

The good news is that I took a break and watched some hockey, got something to drink and played again.

For the day I was only down $7.50 so I guess I'm happy.

I also don't think the spew hand was spew. I couldn't figure out why I stayed in but after looking at it afterwards I had 13 outs.

I am currently playing break even poker. For May I am down 2.5 BIs over 15k hands. I've had one day where I was up 5 BIs but that's it. At the rate I'm playing, this will be the most hands I've ever played in one month. Maybe I can get another bonus in June.

I'm trying not to tilt anymore. I was to the point where I wanted to quit. Then I kept remembering Illfavor's OP where he was break even over 35k hands so I calm down some. Last night after a 600 hand session I looked at HEM and I was up a whopping $0.05. WooHoo!!

I've started doing something after every session. I review all losing hands and some winning hands and use Pokerstove to see if I got my money in good. I use 20% for villian as a general rule pre flop and then try adjusting it depending on villians range.

In general it's a coin flip or I'm ahead on every losing hand so I'm not sweating it.

The thing that bothers me is I'm having to play very nitty (14/10) because of table selection. I'm finding some dream tables with these types of players at one table
35/0/.6
85/20/1
45/35/3
25/1/.6
These are the norm more than the exception.

Reading Robbs old post about overbetting calling stations has helped alot.

Another technique I've added is betting half the pot after 3betting pf. Very +EV

At least I'm not break even anymore.

Down 4 BIs

JJ<67o against 46/15/1.5

AQs<AA against 17/13/3 (I deserved this one)

AKs<AA against 57/7/1.9

QQ<AKs against 46/13/2

A2(2pair)<A9(2 pair) against 67/23/1.8

Bad Attitude approaching...