Operation reach 100NL by end of summer

So, quick summary of my poker story. Friend transferred me 11$ in Pokerstars. I, like a retard, play a 5$ sng, get lucky and get 3rd/27 and my bankroll is at 35$, I play more sngs and lose until im back down to around 23$ and I transfer my friends 11$ back and decide this isn't going to work. I read some books, discover this site, watch some poker on GSN and I'm ready to start again.

I build my bankroll to 95$ then up a stake and build it to 150$ in 1 day. At this point I feel so invulnerable I think I'll be making good money soon, but alas my upswing ends and a huge downswing begins. Before I know it I'm back down to 120$ and I feel I need to create a thread and tell you folks about a couple hands and how I played them and determine if I'm playing to the best of my ability.

I also decide to set a goal, which I'm not even sure is reachable. I was hoping to reach 100NL by the end of summer, so in my senior year of high school I can be making a decent wage playing. For me, summer begins May 24 at which point I can play a TON of hands. Summer ends in mid August I think. This goal isn't too hard is it? 120$-2000$ bankroll over the coarse of 3 months playing a ton of hands. I'll post an update and a few HH's every other day. Hopefully my downswing will end soon!

Good luck!

What are you currently playing? 5 SNG's? What route are you taking to build up to 100NL?

I plan on playing .01/.02$ till I get back to 150$ then playing .02/.05$ till 200$ then 10$NL. I play 12 tables at .01/.02 with a full stack and wait for monsters currently. It's been working but lately I've gotten many hands like these. Once I reach 10NL i think I'll tone it down to 6 tables or so and work on my game a bit more.

PokerStars Game #9239683687: Hold'em No Limit ($0.01/$0.02) - 2007/04/03 - 22:07:38 (ET)
Table 'Starshine' 9-max Seat #7 is the button
Seat 1: Bejlmru ($6.84 in chips)
Seat 2: Flarb89 ($5.57 in chips)
Seat 3: Dollarjoe ($3.58 in chips)
Seat 4: Kentopolis ($0.54 in chips)
Seat 5: Sharky76 ($2.97 in chips)
Seat 6: ztyme ($1 in chips)
Seat 7: TRIKAAL ($7.34 in chips)
Seat 9: foggle ($5.03 in chips)
foggle: posts small blind $0.01
Bejlmru: posts big blind $0.02
ztyme: posts big blind $0.02
*** HOLE CARDS ***
Dealt to Flarb89 [3c 3h]
Flarb89: calls $0.02
Dollarjoe: folds
Kentopolis: folds
Sharky76: calls $0.02
ztyme: checks
TRIKAAL: calls $0.02
foggle: calls $0.01
Bejlmru: checks
*** FLOP *** [3d 5c 5d]
foggle: checks
Bejlmru: checks
Flarb89: checks
Sharky76: checks
ztyme: checks
TRIKAAL: checks
*** TURN *** [3d 5c 5d] [Ks]
foggle: checks
Bejlmru: bets $0.08
Flarb89: calls $0.08
Sharky76: folds
ztyme: folds
TRIKAAL: folds
foggle: folds
*** RIVER *** [3d 5c 5d Ks] [7s]
Bejlmru: bets $0.28
Flarb89: raises $0.72 to $1
Bejlmru: raises $0.72 to $1.72
Flarb89: raises $3.75 to $5.47 and is all-in
Bejlmru: calls $3.75
*** SHOW DOWN ***
Flarb89: shows [3c 3h] (a full house, Threes full of Fives)
Bejlmru: shows [5s 7d] (a full house, Fives full of Sevens)
Bejlmru collected $10.67 from pot
Flarb89 said, "ouch"
*** SUMMARY ***
Total pot $11.22 | Rake $0.55
Board [3d 5c 5d Ks 7s]
Seat 1: Bejlmru (big blind) showed [5s 7d] and won ($10.67) with a full house, Fives full of Sevens
Seat 2: Flarb89 showed [3c 3h] and lost with a full house, Threes full of Fives

You should not be 12 tabling.

Slow night. Tried playing 6 tables instead of 12, I suppose I'll do this more often. Last night I read about this thing called Polyphasic sleep cycles, anyone heard about it? It looks pretty cool and I think I'm going to try it after spring break begins tommorow. Heres a link to a blog about it http://www.stevepavlina.com/blog/200...yphasic-sleep/
Very interesting stuff. My short term goal for spring break is 200$+ shouldn't be too difficult, especially if this polyphasic sleep thing works . Heres some ugly hand histories.

PokerStars No-Limit Hold'em, $0.02 BB (8 handed) Hand History Converter Tool from FlopTurnRiver.com (Format: FlopTurnRiver)

saw flop|saw showdown

Button ($6.04)
SB ($2.64)
Hero ($5)
UTG ($2.03)
UTG+1 ($4.96)
MP1 ($2.81)
MP2 ($5.05)
CO ($0.83)

Preflop: Hero is BB with K, K.
UTG raises to $0.18, 6 folds, Hero raises to $0.6, UTG raises to $2.03, Hero calls $1.43.

Flop: ($4.07) T, 3, 9 (2 players)

Turn: ($4.07) T (2 players)

River: ($4.07) 6 (2 players)

Final Pot: $4.07

Results in white below:
Hero has Ks Kd (two pair, kings and tens).
UTG has 7c 8c (straight, ten high).
Outcome: UTG wins $4.07.


PokerStars No-Limit Hold'em, $0.02 BB (8 handed) Hand History Converter Tool from FlopTurnRiver.com (Format: FlopTurnRiver)

saw flop|saw showdown

UTG+1 ($5)
Hero ($4.97)
MP2 ($0.32)
CO ($3.03)
Button ($6.06)
SB ($2.88)
BB ($1.13)
UTG ($1.67)

Preflop: Hero is MP1 with T, A.
2 folds, Hero calls $0.02, MP2 raises to $0.06, 2 folds, SB calls $0.05, 1 fold, Hero calls $0.04.

Flop: ($0.20) A, T, 6 (3 players)
SB bets $0.13, Hero calls $0.13, MP2 folds.

Turn: ($0.46) 5 (2 players)
SB bets $0.51, Hero raises to $1.3, SB calls $0.79.

River: ($3.06) J (2 players)
SB bets $1.39 (All-In), Hero calls $1.39.

Final Pot: $5.84

Results in white below:
Hero has Th Ah (two pair, aces and tens).
SB has Ac Js (two pair, aces and jacks).
Outcome: SB wins $5.84.

I played that one horribly, needed a much bigger raise on the turn and a flop raise as well looking back.

and the downswing continues... BR now 110$
heres a taste of the hands I got today, I'll probably play some sng's or something later tonight after I relieve some stress for a change of pace, this is getting sick.
I actually almost convinced myself to fold this, but eh would you folks have? I couldn't do it.

PokerStars No-Limit Hold'em, $0.05 BB (7 handed) Hand History Converter Tool from FlopTurnRiver.com (Format: FlopTurnRiver)

saw flop|saw showdown

CO ($8.85)
Button ($7.05)
SB ($2.66)
BB ($4.75)
UTG ($8.84)
MP1 ($6.26)
Hero ($5.56)

Preflop: Hero is MP2 with K, K.
UTG raises to $0.25, 1 fold, Hero raises to $0.8, 4 folds, UTG raises to $6, Hero calls $4.76 (All-In).

Flop: ($11.63) 8, 5, 8 (2 players, 1 all-in)

Turn: ($11.63) J (2 players, 1 all-in)

River: ($11.63) 5 (2 players, 1 all-in)

Final Pot: $11.63

Results in white below:
UTG has Ad As (two pair, aces and eights).
Hero has Kd Kc (two pair, kings and eights).
Outcome: UTG wins $11.63.

and another

PokerStars No-Limit Hold'em, $0.05 BB (8 handed) Hand History Converter Tool from FlopTurnRiver.com (Format: FlopTurnRiver)

saw flop|saw showdown

Hero ($5.93)
MP1 ($1.78)
MP2 ($10.24)
CO ($3.73)
Button ($5.52)
SB ($5.85)
BB ($6.34)
UTG ($10.31)

Preflop: Hero is UTG+1 with A, A.
1 fold, Hero raises to $0.25, MP1 calls $0.25, 5 folds.

Flop: ($0.57) 9, 8, 7 (2 players)
Hero bets $0.4, MP1 raises to $0.8, Hero calls $0.40.

Turn: ($2.17) 3 (2 players)
Hero checks, MP1 bets $0.73 (All-In), Hero calls $0.73.

River: ($3.63) J (2 players, 1 all-in)

Final Pot: $3.63

Results in white below:
Hero has Ad Ah (one pair, aces).
MP1 has Jc Jd (three of a kind, jacks).
Outcome: MP1 wins $3.63.

just bad beats.

i think you could probably play 10nl with your bankroll... i dont think you really need to have 20 buyins to play it, you would have to be really, really, bad or really, really, unlucky to drop 11 buyins and you wouldnt even drop that far you would obv drop down if you lost some buyins.

Really lost a lot of the confidence I had during my upswing, and this goal is becoming seemingly harder and harder. When it rains, it really pours and pours.

I left FR for awhile to play some SNG's and did pretty well. I played a 5$ 9player normal and won 1st, then played a 6$ turbo and placed 2nd (really hard to play HU when blinds are like 1/5 your stack). I tried 2 more but place OTM and decided to try some 6-max.

I really liked playing 6-max, I felt like I could really open up my game, and it felt like I was playing well. Although I ended the night down a few bucks, I think if I play like I did there every session, I'll be to 200$ in no time. The downswing surely isn't over but at least I'm almost breaking even. I'll just grind through it, it has to end soon. Heres some hands from the 6 max that I liked the way I played.

PokerStars No-Limit Hold'em, $0.02 BB (4 handed) Hand History Converter Tool from FlopTurnRiver.com (Format: FlopTurnRiver)

SB ($3.04)
Hero ($5)
UTG ($6.08)
Button ($5.73)

Preflop: Hero is BB with 9, 9.
1 fold, Button calls $0.02, SB raises to $0.14, Hero calls $0.12, Button folds.

Flop: ($0.30) 2, T, J (2 players)
SB checks, Hero checks.

Turn: ($0.30) 3 (2 players)
SB bets $0.14, Hero calls $0.14.

River: ($0.58) 7 (2 players)
SB bets $0.22, Hero calls $0.22.

Final Pot: $1.02

Results in white below:
SB has Qs Ah (high card, ace).
Hero has 9d 9c (one pair, nines).
Outcome: Hero wins $1.02.


In this hand, I knew he had AK and the second I saw the K hit I knew I was done, but I love how I was so confident in my read. My reading skills are improving!

PokerStars No-Limit Hold'em, $0.02 BB (5 handed) Hand History Converter Tool from FlopTurnRiver.com (Format: FlopTurnRiver)

SB ($2.43)
BB ($2.25)
UTG ($2.16)
MP ($0.72)
Hero ($5.75)

Preflop: Hero is Button with J, J.
2 folds, Hero raises to $0.08, SB raises to $0.22, 1 fold, Hero calls $0.14.

Flop: ($0.46) 7, 3, 5 (2 players)
SB bets $0.2, Hero raises to $0.6, SB raises to $2.21, Hero calls $1.61.

Turn: ($4.88) K (2 players)

River: ($4.88) 3 (2 players)

Final Pot: $4.88

Results in white below:
SB has Ah Kc (two pair, kings and threes).
Hero has Jd Jh (two pair, jacks and threes).
Outcome: SB wins $4.88.

Definitely more 6-max in the coming days.

If you have a grasp of how to play poker, 10nl is where you should start. Don't beat your head against the wall for a few dollars.

If need be, give your friend $100 irl and have him transfer you another $100. Seriously. It's not worth grinding 10,000 hands of nickel blinds.

So I think I'm going to take Takesix's advice. I plan on withdrawing, and getting a job until I have 250$ to deposit, and enough money to pay for my car insurance in 6 months. I'm getting SO sick of grinding for so long only to have my fullhouses get rivered by 4 outers. I think these stakes are extremely dumb. I found that the more I try and play poker like its suppose to be played the more I lose. Reads dont exist here, they can have any 2 cards at any point. The only way to win is to hit big hands, and take big pots.
However, when your monsters don't hold up EVER, you become a losing player, and at these stakes that kills any confidence you have, even though you know you played well. I did some calculations and found that I would have to sit here playing like 6-9 tables of .01/.02$ for a sick amount of time, when I could be working somewhere and making more, so you could say it's +EV to go get a job. Here are the hands that sent me over the edge
PokerStars No-Limit Hold'em, $0.02 BB (8 handed) Hand History Converter Tool from FlopTurnRiver.com (Format: FlopTurnRiver)

saw flop|saw showdown

UTG+1 ($4.57)
Hero ($5.51)
MP2 ($1.11)
CO ($3.24)
Button ($3.80)
SB ($2.84)
BB ($4.02)
UTG ($3.64)

Preflop: Hero is MP1 with 2, 2.
2 folds, Hero calls $0.02, 1 fold, CO calls $0.02, 1 fold, SB completes, BB checks.

Flop: ($0.08) T, J, 2 (4 players)
SB bets $0.04, BB raises to $0.2, Hero calls $0.20, CO folds, SB calls $0.16.

Turn: ($0.68) J (3 players)
SB checks, BB checks, Hero bets $0.3, SB calls $0.30, BB folds.

River: ($1.28) A (2 players)
SB bets $0.3, Hero raises to $4.22, SB calls $2.02 (All-In).

Final Pot: $7.82

Results in white below:
Hero has 2h 2s (full house, twos full of jacks).
SB has As Ac (full house, aces full of jacks).
Outcome: SB wins $5.92. Hero wins $1.90.

PokerStars No-Limit Hold'em, $0.02 BB (6 handed) Hand History Converter Tool from FlopTurnRiver.com (Format: FlopTurnRiver)

saw flop|saw showdown

SB ($5.16)
BB ($2.79)
UTG ($3.14)
MP ($3.79)
Hero ($4.86)
Button ($2.53)

Preflop: Hero is CO with 7, 7.
1 fold, MP calls $0.02, Hero calls $0.02, 1 fold, SB completes, BB checks.

Flop: ($0.08) 7, J, J (4 players)
SB checks, BB checks, MP bets $0.02, Hero calls $0.02, SB folds, BB folds.

Turn: ($0.12) 5 (2 players)
MP bets $0.02, Hero raises to $0.06, MP calls $0.04.

River: ($0.24) A (2 players)
MP bets $0.6, Hero raises to $4.64, MP calls $3.09 (All-In).

Final Pot: $8.57

Results in white below:
MP has Ah Jd (full house, jacks full of aces).
Hero has 7d 7h (full house, sevens full of jacks).
Outcome: MP wins $7.62. Hero wins $0.95.

PokerStars No-Limit Hold'em, $0.02 BB (8 handed) Hand History Converter Tool from FlopTurnRiver.com (Format: FlopTurnRiver)

saw flop|saw showdown

UTG+1 ($4.54)
MP1 ($0.59)
MP2 ($5.72)
CO ($8.93)
Button ($1.47)
Hero ($4.94)
BB ($4.98)
UTG ($2.75)

Preflop: Hero is SB with 2, 2.
UTG calls $0.02, UTG+1 calls $0.02, MP1 calls $0.02, MP2 calls $0.02, CO calls $0.02, 1 fold, Hero completes, BB checks.

Flop: ($0.14) T, 9, 2 (7 players)
Hero bets $0.1, BB folds, UTG calls $0.10, UTG+1 calls $0.10, MP1 folds, MP2 calls $0.10, CO folds.

Turn: ($0.54) A (4 players)
Hero bets $0.5, UTG calls $0.50, UTG+1 folds, MP2 folds.

River: ($1.54) T (2 players)
Hero bets $2.96, UTG calls $2.13 (All-In).

Final Pot: $6.63

Results in white below:
Hero has 2s 2c (full house, twos full of tens).
UTG has Td 9s (full house, tens full of nines).
Outcome: UTG wins $5.80. Hero wins $0.83.

Before I withdraw, I have to make sure US players can still deposit in Pokerstars. Any of you know? How would I go about depositing nowadays? I suppose if we can't I'll just take a long break. I WILL be back and I WILL be at 100NL by the end of summer, but for now this operation is on pause, I will bump the thread when I return and hopefully I'll be able to post more hands other then complaining hands (right now thats all I got). If any of you know about pokerstars and deposit methods for US players please reply.

Seriously dude, whilst yes, you are running bad, you HAVE to stop slowplaying your sets and boats. The first hand you posted, that 355 flop, just bet 1/2 pot or 2/3 pot.. at 2NL you'll get called by overs hoping to spike one of 6 outs.

Having said that, what I'm seeing is a pretty horrible run of cards.. gl!