Operation Supernova Elite??

Wow, what an ambitious title [old title - Operation Supernova (New title is even more ambitious!)] for someone who has until now been unmotivated, unspecialised and unsettled.

My goal is to achieve supernova this year at Stars by 12-15 tabling 6max cash. I feel confident that I can do it, towards the end of 2007 I tried donking about with 15 tables of 10NL and 25NL, now that I have played ~7k hands of 50NL already this month I feel on course and ready for a year of severe grinding!

Obviously this is a long and ambitious goal, but I will get there barring something spectacularly awful/ bankroll crushing happening. My first step is to achieve PlatinumStar in January. As I mentioned, I have already played 7.5k hands this month. The results are a not entirely impressive 1ptBB/100. Oh dear. I lost a 300BB pot with set>set etc. the sob stories could go on. However, I don't really care, I hope I am just running badly but if not I'm constantly working on my game and thinking through hands so I will be more profitable in the future.

I have worked out that if I 15 table 50NL with the aim of getting Platinum this month, I need around another 35 hours of grinding. At around 1.5 hours a day that sounds easily attainable, though I have a lot on this week and my dad will be staying with me one weekend in late January, so it may not be as straightforward as I hope.

As for profit, well frankly I have no idea... I set myself a new year's resolution of being +$10k this year. If I grind enough to get 100k base FPPs I will really have to suck to make only that. Basically, for me the FPPs and Supernova are the carrot on a stick to motivate me to grind lots this year. Hopefully the profit will follow, I have only been playing for a year and have so far exceeded all my expectations. It will be tough, but with the right approach I think this is achievable and will set me up to get through college without sponging off my parents!

Wish me luck/ flame me for being a mediocre ABC multi-tabling tag-bot

If you have a sample for the stakes you're playing of 20k or more I can show you how to get an extremely close approximation of the number of hands you'll need to play for Supernova.

Originally Posted by spoonitnow

If you have a sample for the stakes you're playing of 20k or more I can show you how to get an extremely close approximation of the number of hands you'll need to play for Supernova.

Well I've now got 2k FPPs for the year after 8.5k hands... so that's... 400Kish hands lol.

Hopefully I will move up to 100NL 6max soon though, where I will earn them faster.

Today was interesting, played ~1k hands of horrible poker. I focused my attention too much on one particularly insane table and made some horrible calls on the others.

Here is a hand that tilted me slightly...

PokerStars No-Limit Hold'em, $0.50 BB (4 handed) Poker-Stars Converter Tool from FlopTurnRiver.com (Format: FlopTurnRiver)

Hero ($58.20)
SB ($32.75)
BB ($11.95)
UTG ($17.75)

Preflop: Hero is Button with A, K.
UTG raises to $1, Hero raises to $4, SB raises to $8, BB calls $7.50, UTG folds, Hero raises to $56, SB calls $24.75 (All-In), BB calls $3.95 (All-In).

Flop: ($78.45) 3, 8, 9 (3 players, 2 all-in)

Turn: ($78.45) 4 (3 players, 2 all-in)

River: ($78.45) 5 (3 players, 2 all-in)

Final Pot: $78.45

Seat 1: badgers_uk (button) mucked [Ah Kd]
Seat 2: Maniac (small blind) showed [5c Ts] and won ($76.45) with a pair of Fives
Seat 3: Not usually maniacal but wtf is this? (big blind) mucked [Th 6h]

I was incredibly close to quitting after that hand... I felt tilted and horrible but the +EV of playing against this idiot convinced me to play on...

PokerStars No-Limit Hold'em, $0.50 BB (6 handed) Poker-Stars Converter Tool from FlopTurnRiver.com (Format: FlopTurnRiver Cards)

Hero ($49.75)
SB ($74.20)
BB ($37.05)
UTG ($34.60)
MP ($16)
CO ($42.30)

Preflop: Hero is Button with , .
2 folds, CO calls $0.50, Hero raises to $2.5, SB raises to $5.5, BB calls $5, CO folds, Hero calls $3.

Flop: ($17) , , (3 players)
SB bets $10, BB folds, Hero calls $10.

Turn: ($37) (2 players)
SB bets $58.7 (All-In), Hero calls $34.25 (All-In).

River: ($105.50) (2 players, 2 all-in)

Final Pot: $105.50


Seat 1: badgers_uk (button) showed [Kc Qs] and won ($102.50) with a pair of Queens
Seat 2: Maniac (small blind) showed [9d 4d] and lost with a pair of Fours

And magnificently...

PokerStars No-Limit Hold'em, $0.50 BB (5 handed) Poker-Stars Converter Tool from FlopTurnRiver.com (Format: FlopTurnRiver Cards)

Hero ($120.30)
SB ($51.30)
BB ($24.05)
UTG ($33.85)
MP ($15.50)

Preflop: Hero is Button with , .
2 folds, Hero raises to $5, SB calls $4.75, BB calls $4.50.

Flop: ($15) , , (3 players)
SB bets $2.5, BB folds, Hero raises to $15, SB calls $12.50.

Turn: ($45) (2 players)
SB bets $6.5, Hero raises to $100.3, SB calls $24.80 (All-In).

River: ($107.60) (2 players, 1 all-in)

Final Pot: $107.60


Seat 1: badgers_uk (button) showed [Ah Kc] and won ($105.60) with two pair, Aces and Tens
Seat 2: Maniac (small blind) showed [6d 8c] and lost with two pair, Tens and Sixes

Despite all that, I only ended breakeven. It's pretty irritating but I'm still getting to grips with playing so many tables and I know I can concentrate harder and play better. I'm hoping to play MUCH better poker next time, 1ptBB/100 sounds about right at the moment the way I am playing...

Good luck with the op'. We must remember not to donk off our rolls off at DTD at the end of the month and bring our Operations to a grinding halt!!

OK, so I just had a -$192 session. I am really really irritated about it, I felt that I played good poker and didn't tilt, despite provocation. Having been at one stage +$300 this month, I'm now at -$80 making this a ~8 buy-in downswing. I need to play less table and concentrate harder, but also run better...

Blergh. There are some hands in the SHNL forum, please comment on them!

Another session, another loss, this time -$173. I've been fiddling with some gadgets... PokerEV says I'm running at -$350 for all-ins, set-o-meter shows my horrible set>set so I'm running ~ -$75 below expectation in that as well. So, instead of being -$253 for the month I should be running at ~+$200. I feel much better about my game now as well, despite this nasty setback.

Oh well.

Hands played - 14500
VPPS - 3.3k/100k
Profit - -$253/$10k

Poker can be a bitch sometimes...

I dunno mcuh about the supernova stuff but arent you just starting off played cash games. jumpin str8 into 12 tabling is mad, i cant play that many tables even now

I've been playing 9-tabling at Party 50NL for ~25k hands profitably, but the software tilted me to hell, so I thought I'd come over to Stars... I love multi-tabling, I can do ~20 in tourneys and I don't feel stressed or confused 15 tabling cash... Maybe I'm missing too many double-barrelling opportunities and still playing like a tourney donk, ie. cbet, give up. Perhaps it is the number of tables that is the issue, but I'm not convinced.

aye, 12-tabling 6max is sick....If you´re grinding for vpp´s exclusively full ring might be the better option (assuming VPP´s are earned for cards dealt and not rake contributed)

Anyway, good luck dude achieving your goal

Good luck man .

Btw, when did you switch to cash from SNGs? What prompted the decision? You more profitable now?

Originally Posted by bjsaust

Good luck man .

Btw, when did you switch to cash from SNGs? What prompted the decision? You more profitable now?

After I dropped 30 buy-ins on Party turbos I immediately felt like switching to cash. I started at 10NL, played a few thousand hands, same at 25NL and I've now played ~60k hands of 50NL for very little profit... I thought about switching to MTTs, but there again a 30buy-in drop was enough to drive me mad.

I think I could have a much higher $/hr rate heavily multitabling turbo SnGs, but frankly they do my head in and I think the skills I gain from cash will be much more profitable in the future.

Made the move from 6-max to full-ring yesterday and the style seems to suit me much better. Making the adjustment has been tough and I've dropped a couple of buy-ins overvaluing TPTK against nits, but I feel OK and ready to seriously grind this week.

Oh, and I got 5k VPPs today (halfway there for a Platinum Star January!), looking to do ~4 hours 14-tabling tomorrow.

Spoon, if you are reading this, your table layout is absolutely amazing and brilliant to play with

Progress report...

Profit - -$299
Hands - 22k
VPPS - 5k

Not the most succesful 2 weeks of my poker career, but it's the beginning of my first serious year and I will turn the corner... At least I'm getting the hands in, and FR FTW!

Agree with you on the skills from learning cash. I'm grinding out a bonus for the next couple of months with STTs, and hopefully building a nice roll doing so, then I'll look at changing, probably to cash. STTs are fun and relatively easy, but you dont exactly learn to expand your poker skills beyond some basics.

Might want to drop tables and just improve your game for now and pad your bankroll. You've got all year to get Supernova, and if you get to 100nl by the late summer, you'll make Supernova really easily.

Originally Posted by spoonitnow

Might want to drop tables and just improve your game for now and pad your bankroll. You've got all year to get Supernova, and if you get to 100nl by the late summer, you'll make Supernova really easily.

I've thought about this a lot... I am easily rolled for 50NL atm, and I feel comfortable playing this many tables... If I have another downswing I'll probs let my ego take a back seat and drop to 8, how's that? Most of the improvement in my game comes after sessions when I review and self-analyse.

Wierd day today. The transition to full ring seems to be going really well. I feel much more comfortable and so many players limp/fold which is amazing. 3bets tend to get way more respect. Also, when the table breaks, the adjustment to short-handed play seems largely awful. I got kk<aa 3 times, spewed a little in places, but I feel that overall I played OK. I need to listen to myself more when I think I should bet/fold the flop. That means bet fold to ANY raise... Calling because it's a minraise is dumb

Profit - -$250
Hands - 26k
VPPs - 5.7k

Calling because it's a minraise is dumb Evil or Very Mad

Oh, you do that too?

Originally Posted by badgers

Calling because it's a minraise is fine when you time it right...

FYP - example below.

Full Tilt No-Limit Hold'em, $0.50 BB (8 handed) Full-Tilt Converter Tool from FlopTurnRiver.com (Format: FlopTurnRiver)

SB ($34.65)
BB ($50)
UTG ($31.30)
UTG+1 ($51.75)
MP1 ($15)
Hero ($44.90)
CO ($47.50)
Button ($50.30)

Preflop: Hero is MP2 with T, T.
3 folds, Hero raises to $2.5, 1 fold, Button calls $2.50, 1 fold, BB calls $2.

Flop: ($8) T, Q, K (3 players)
BB checks, Hero bets $7, Button raises to $14, BB folds, Hero calls $7.

Turn: ($36) T (2 players)
Hero checks, Button bets $12, Hero calls $12.

River: ($60) 4 (2 players)
Hero bets $12, Button raises to $21.8 (All-In), Hero calls $4.40 (All-In).

Final Pot: $92.81

Originally Posted by daven

Originally Posted by badgers

Calling because it's a minraise is fine when you time it right...

FYP - example below.

Full Tilt No-Limit Hold'em, $0.50 BB (8 handed) Full-Tilt Converter Tool from FlopTurnRiver.com (Format: FlopTurnRiver)

SB ($34.65)
BB ($50)
UTG ($31.30)
UTG+1 ($51.75)
MP1 ($15)
Hero ($44.90)
CO ($47.50)
Button ($50.30)

Preflop: Hero is MP2 with T, T.
3 folds, Hero raises to $2.5, 1 fold, Button calls $2.50, 1 fold, BB calls $2.

Flop: ($8) T, Q, K (3 players)
BB checks, Hero bets $7, Button raises to $14, BB folds, Hero calls $7.

Turn: ($36) T (2 players)
Hero checks, Button bets $12, Hero calls $12.

River: ($60) 4 (2 players)
Hero bets $12, Button raises to $21.8 (All-In), Hero calls $4.40 (All-In).

Final Pot: $92.81

hmmmmm, I'm not sure I like this one. I was talking about bet/folding hands like TPTK, obv your not folding here. This hand is really interesting. Calling the flop gives us a cheap chance to fill up, but are we not giving away too much to a J or FD? After that, I would just c/rai on the turn most of the time, depending on how good opp is, because we don't want a draw to be able to fold the river. Leaving $4 behind also seems like it loses value, how many hands are going to raise here? Not many, but lots are priced into call a shove.

OMG that is the worst flop play of all time!!!!!

Wheeeeee a good day at last...

2k hands played for $160. Amusing I still managed to run below expectation in all-ins but I coolered players in a couple of spots so I'm not complaining

There's one interesting hand I'm going to post in the FRNL forum in a min, not sure if my play was OK...

Also, not once did I call a minraise when I intended on bet/folding. Hear that Ben, I'm learning at last

Profit - -$87
Hands - 28k
VPPs - 6095

Hopefully I'm turning the corner and heading for a nice January profit

Originally Posted by Da GOAT

OMG that is the worst flop play of all time!!!!!

read and villain's range was AJs/QQ/QK in that order. And able to fold AJ on the turn if I got too out-of-line. River bet I thought about and decided to rep some weakness; I think that 30% of times I pushed that river villain folds, and about 80% I leave some stack behind villain would push.

Originally Posted by daven

Originally Posted by badgers

Calling because it's a minraise is fine when you time it right...

FYP - example below.

Full Tilt No-Limit Hold'em, $0.50 BB (8 handed) Full-Tilt Converter Tool from FlopTurnRiver.com (Format: FlopTurnRiver)

SB ($34.65)
BB ($50)
UTG ($31.30)
UTG+1 ($51.75)
MP1 ($15)
Hero ($44.90)
CO ($47.50)
Button ($50.30)

Preflop: Hero is MP2 with T, T.
3 folds, Hero raises to $2.5, 1 fold, Button calls $2.50, 1 fold, BB calls $2.

Flop: ($8) T, Q, K (3 players)
BB checks, Hero bets $7, Button raises to $14, BB folds, Hero calls $7.

Turn: ($36) T (2 players)
Hero checks, Button bets $12, Hero calls $12.

River: ($60) 4 (2 players)
Hero bets $12, Button raises to $21.8 (All-In), Hero calls $4.40 (All-In).

Final Pot: $92.81

dude 3-bet the flop. You're ahead of his range and there's so many cards you (and him depending on his hand) don't want to see. He's also not stacking off with very many weaker hands that he wouldn't stack on the turn with.

qdmklewqahfd;iewrqio; raise flop

Played another 2k hands today for $90 profit, so I am now +$3 for the year! I rule.

Here's a hand I'm not sure about... Table went short-handed and they both sucked so I was happy to play on. SB is 35/16.... I suspected he was FOS preflop, but does the turn shove only get called by better hands? Should I have flat-called or even folded? (edit: looking at that again, folding is def out of the question.) Flat calling is probs better but there are so many rivers I don't want to see...

PokerStars No-Limit Hold'em, $0.50 BB (3 handed) Poker-Stars Converter Tool from FlopTurnRiver.com (Format: FlopTurnRiver)

Button ($9.50)
SB ($62.25)
Hero ($56.30)

Preflop: Hero is BB with T, 7.
1 fold, SB completes, Hero raises to $2.5, SB raises to $5.75, Hero calls $3.

Flop: ($11.25) T, K, K (2 players)
SB bets $7, Hero calls $7.

Turn: ($25.25) K (2 players)
SB bets $16, Hero raises to $43.8, SB calls $27.80.

River: ($112.85) 4 (2 players)

Final Pot: $112.85

Progress...

Profit - $3.35
Hands - 30k
VPPs - 6540

So I played another session because for once I came home without touching a drink (unbelievable, I know).

I was very close to quitting after ~700 hands after I was 2 outered in a $100 pot and had my K high flush beaten by an A high flush (Fortunately the board paired so I didn't lose my stack).

But I took a few seconds to compose myself and played on. I'm very glad I did, some excellent results I'm +$255 for the day so that must make my second session +$165! I have to admit that I won a huge pot with a 2-outer (justice?), but a lot of the money went in pre and he was a donk for calling with JJ anyway...

I'm also pleased that the transition to full ring has seemingly gone amazingly well. 12k hands in and I'm running at over 3ptBB/100. Small sample, I know, but it's pleasing nonetheless. Also, looking over my past few posts, I've made nearly $500 in 2 days which isn't too shabby!

Profit - $168
Hands - 32k
VPPs - 6843

Whew, almost a week without an update. I haven't played much this week, college has been keeping me pretty busy... I played a couple of awful sessions earlier in the week (hence no update) There was one in particular where I lost ~$160, I just didn't know when to quit and I felt like I was chasing my losses, trying to win it back asap instead of thinking of the most +EV lines, leading to a lot of spew.... There was also a less spewy session in which I got KK<AA 3 times

But that is past me now... I had nice 3k session today, still 14-tabling. I made $200 yay! I still feel like there are a load of leaks in my game, including playing when tired/ tilted, that can easily be ironed out to improve my winrate. I'm still at 2ptBB/100 over 20k hands of FR so I'm doing OK!

Profit - $127
Hands - 39k
VPPs - 8513

I'm really unsure about what to do with my FPPs atm. The cash bonus is what I really want, but they seem like pretty bad value at $650 for 50k FPPs. I may try a STT with a PS pro for 1/10th of a $2250 prize pool for 15k, or just buy into the $215 Sunday Warm Up for 13.5k... That is the most +EV but the idea of never seeing any bonus cash is worrying, and the tourney would take a long time to play anyway. I don't know, it's something to ponder.

I just had the wierdest/ longest session of my life. I managed to drop ~$300 in the first 1k hands of the session after tilt induced by this hand...

PokerStars No-Limit Hold'em, $0.50 BB (8 handed) by Hand Converter CG

saw flop|saw showdown

Button ($87.50)
SB ($24.50)
BB ($45.40)
UTG ($50.40)
Hero ($52.20)
MP1 ($28.75)
MP2 ($57.40)
CO ($60.50)

Preflop: Hero is UTG+1 with Ks, Kc.
UTG raises to $3.5, Hero raises to $11, MP1 folds, MP2 folds, CO folds, Button folds, SB folds, BB folds, UTG calls $7.50.

Flop: ($22.75) 4s, 9d, 4d (2 players)
UTG checks, Hero bets $14, UTG raises to $39.4, Hero calls $25.40.

Turn: ($101.55) 5d (2 players)

River: ($101.55) 7d (2 players)

Final Pot: $101.55
Main Pot: $101.55, between UTG and Hero. > Pot won by UTG ($101.55).

Results in white below:
UTG has Ac Ad (flush, ace high).
Hero has Ks Kc (two pair, kings and fours).
Outcome: UTG wins $101.55.

I knew he had AA. Everything from the large raise UTG to the flat call of my reraise, to the crai on the flop SCREAMED of aces. I even said in the chat "OK, I pay you off". But I didn't have the discipline to follow my instinct and fold. This drove me fairly insane...

I was also coolered repeatedly and ran about -$100 in all-ins just within those 1k hands, but I'm not going to bitch. Most of the problem was bad play and tilt. However, somehow I managed to calm myself down and turn my results around. I played for 4k hands in total and brought my losses back to -$22 for the day. Considering where I was at one point, I am delighted that I brought it back and got myself under control.

I'm hoping to reach PlatinumStar tomorrow so I can finish and put January behind me. Don't get me wrong though, this has been an OK month, I've learnt a lot and I've made the move to FR. Hopefully I can make a bit more money next month though

Profit - $105
Hands - 43k
VPPs - 9406

Grrrr...

January can fuck right off. I finished this months grind today, since I'm mega busy for the rest of the week. In total I'm -$149... I ran sooooo badly today it was incredible... KK<AA 3 times each for full stacks. I also had QQ<AA vs. a mega-lag for -$70. Added in with the tilty 1st thousand hands todayand I'm -$140 for the day, over 7k hands. I am annoyed.

However, I've worked out what to do with my FPPs. I will wait until I reach Supernova next year and do the 1.5k bonuses. Which means I have $300 of FPPs so I feel slightly better about this month.

Profit - (-$13)
Hands - 46k
VPPs - 10002

Haha, so I end the month in profit thanks to some post rail spewage! Cheers Dean

Mighty profit - $6
Hands - 46k
VPPs - 10018

Originally Posted by badgers

Haha, so I end the month in profit thanks to some post rail spewage! Cheers Dean

Mighty profit - $6
Hands - 46k
VPPs - 10018

lol, , clearly playing lagg = profit.

Guess it's time for an update...

Haven't played much this month due to college stuff. I've played ~3k hands for $90ish profit. So I'm doing OK, putting January behind me

I'm jetting off to Amsterdam next week so there'll be no poker then either. The last two weeks of Feb will probs involve much grinding but their looking fairly hectic anyway so who knows how much I'll get to play...

Looking back at some of last month's play, it's obvious how much of a factor tilt/ semi-tilt was to my lack of success. I need to cut that out of my game asap.

Hands - 49k
Profit - $100 (That's like $2 an hour wheeeee )
VPPs - 10666

Yeah, if you're going to take this stuff seriously, then you really need to realise what one bad session of tilting can do to your overall results.

I've found its better to not play at all when my heads right, than play just because thats the only time I have available.

I'm back baby. Dunno if the op is still on because due to big break from poker I'm way behind schedule. I'll just see how it goes.

However, I do feel like I have a much better mental approach. I'm going to post more hands, spend some time every day seriously studying the game (not just peeing about on FTR, actual maths and stuff.) This break could have done me good. GOGOGO!!!

Dont know what you did with your FPP's but I had thought about it the same way you did. The bonus's dont seem like that great of a value and a giant sunday tourney takes forever just go get into the money. One of the best ways to use your FPP's is to play into something like a 1 table 1500FPP satelite to the sunday million. First place in one of those gives you a seat and then all you have to is unregister and now you have 215 bucks. They also have 4 person 2 table HU Sunday Million SNG's for like 3 or 4k FPPS. You will find the players in these FPP tournaments usally suck pretty bad.

GL badgers, I hope you reach supernova this year, it's awesome.

I only read the last and first few posts, but I'd like to add the following: I'm a Supernova player on 200nl. I'd rather be a supernova player on 400nl than a supernova elite on 200nl. What I'm trying to say is that it's more profitable to make your goal to move up in stakes, than anything else. The status and the extra FPP will always follow you, no matter what level you're at.

I dunno... I know you're not an idiot and probably know all this already. Honestly, there's not a fuckload of difference between 25 and 50nl. If you can make the attempt a few times and finally end up playing 50NL, you'll take in nearly twice the buy-in profit, and nearly twice the FPP.

Originally Posted by jasons0147

Dont know what you did with your FPP's but I had thought about it the same way you did. The bonus's dont seem like that great of a value and a giant sunday tourney takes forever just go get into the money. One of the best ways to use your FPP's is to play into something like a 1 table 1500FPP satelite to the sunday million. First place in one of those gives you a seat and then all you have to is unregister and now you have 215 bucks. They also have 4 person 2 table HU Sunday Million SNG's for like 3 or 4k FPPS. You will find the players in these FPP tournaments usally suck pretty bad.

I still haven't spent any... I may buy the £250 ($500) Amazon gift voucher if I can find someone to sell it on to. At 30k FPPs that's way better value than the $650 bonus.

Bankitdrew, you're right of course. I think that was part of the problem in January, I worked too hard getting the hands in even when I was tilting. So I'm down to 12 tables with a new HUD set-up which means I get way more info. I think I was playing an ok style but not adjusting enough.

Anyway, here's a fun hand vs. our very own Rondavu

PokerStars No-Limit Hold'em, $0.50 BB (9 handed) Poker-Stars Converter Tool from FlopTurnRiver.com (Format: FlopTurnRiver Cards)

MP1 ($25.65)
MP2 ($49.25)
MP3 ($29.25)
CO ($9.60)
Button ($71.35)
SB ($56.75)
Hero ($56.70)
UTG ($54.10)
UTG+1 ($22.50)

Preflop: Hero is BB with , .
1 fold, UTG+1 raises to $1.5, 1 fold, MP2 calls $1.50, 4 folds, Hero calls $1.

Flop: ($4.75) , , (3 players)
Hero checks, UTG+1 checks, MP2 bets $3, Hero calls $3, UTG+1 folds.

Turn: ($10.75) (2 players)
Hero checks, MP2 checks.

River: ($10.75) (2 players)
Hero checks, MP2 bets $7, Hero calls $7.

Final Pot: $24.75

Results in white below:
Hero has 9s 9d (two pair, queens and nines).
MP2 has 3h 3s (two pair, queens and fives).
Outcome: Hero wins $24.75.

Maybe I should have bet the flop...?

Originally Posted by badgers

Maybe I should have bet the flop...?

LOL no !
You got the max out of villain, that's all that matters. This is not one of those 'results oriented' posts either.

Only check the flop if villains behind you are aggressive. This was a great spot to do so. HERO call btw.... but it was a standard bluff line: everyone shows weakness on flop so position bets. turn: guy in position says: "fuck i got caught, check." river: "the only way i win this hand is by betting... bet" "hero call" "Fuck!"

badgers, where the fuck you been?

also, how much pot did you have in a'dam?

Originally Posted by Jack Sawyer

also, how much pot did you have in a'dam?

Heh, actually not that much. Most of the guys I went with had never smoked before and their first experience of weed was not good. A mate overdid it a tad and almost fainted lol, had to be dragged back to his feet by the hardcore stoners in the coffeeshop. But still, it was the best weed ever and I learnt how to roll

Poker = update tomorrow

OK so I'm managing to run way below ev again... $140 to be precise + KKvAA etc etc boohoo.

Fuck that shit, I'm about to have an epiphany.

PLaying only 12 tables atm, I have realised what I am doing wrong, I will list the things here...

1) Rushing. I am playing too quickly when not under much time pressure. I have enough time to think more deeply than I am but I'm just seeing flashy lights and going too fast. Not cool.

2) Putting the really nitty players on ranges. I am assigning too wide ranges to the 12/6 crew. If a 12/6 player l/cs in early position he has a small-med pp so much... If this player then calls on an A67 board and I have AK I can forget about getting value from AQ. (although seriously wtf do these players do with Aq there, fold???) c/f turn, b/f river sorted.

3) Calling with the intention of c/fing the next street too much vs. nits.

4) Losing money to nits when I shouldn't.

5) Not having a clear enough idea of what my preflop ranges are. It depends on the players yet to act, I know, but my preflop play seems a little too wishy washy. Sometimes I will raise QTs in the CO, sometimes against exactly the same players I won't. This allows my mood and state of mind to affect my play. An average opening range chart needs to be made.

6) Playing the shortstacks. A study of shortstacking needs to be done to play these shits unexploitably. I don't lose money to them atm but I'm sure I could win more.

7) Recognising the difference between positionally aware and positionally unaware TAGs using the attempt to steal stat.

8) Pay more attention to AF postflop (Hud will be changed so anyone with a AF of <1 will come be red, 1<2 orange.

9) Tilt less. Not an issue yesterday but my mental approach is always something to consider.

10) DO NOT ACCEPT MEDIOCRITY.

/End epiphany. Thoughts?

Originally Posted by badgers

1) Rushing. I am playing too quickly when not under much time pressure. I have enough time to think more deeply than I am but I'm just seeing flashy lights and going too fast. Not cool.

This is s huge problem of mine as well. I seem to play much more profitable poker when I take my time and play in a relaxed enviorment. Even if you can only play for a half hour, plan to play for that half hour and you will find that you will set yourself apart from other distractions. Ive also noticed that there are certains types of the day when there is many more fishes online (late night is crazy), so you may want to try and surround your game around that as well. These are just some of my thoughts, not really saying it is going to work for everyone but it has helped me out quite a bit.

Originally Posted by badgers

2) Putting the really nitty players on ranges. I am assigning too wide ranges to the 12/6 crew. If a 12/6 player l/cs in early position he has a small-med pp so much... If this player then calls on an A67 board and I have AK I can forget about getting value from AQ. (although seriously wtf do these players do with Aq there, fold???) c/f turn, b/f river sorted.

4) Losing money to nits when I shouldn't.

8) Pay more attention to AF postflop (Hud will be changed so anyone with a AF of <1 will come be red, 1<2 orange.

2+4+8=11)http://www.flopturnriver.com/phpBB2/...20.html#666285

Stop getting in big pots with marginal hands vs. the nits

Originally Posted by badgers

5) Not having a clear enough idea of what my preflop ranges are. It depends on the players yet to act, I know, but my preflop play seems a little too wishy washy. Sometimes I will raise QTs in the CO, sometimes against exactly the same players I won't. This allows my mood and state of mind to affect my play. An average opening range chart needs to be made.

thats not all that bad. a players mind does like 90% of thinking subconciously and many times when we leave our default path of acting our weird mind figured out a reason for it. the hard part is, to recognize WHY a certain decision was taken, put it into words and evaluate if its good or bad. beside that its impossible for most to fully control your emotions and letting 3% of actions be based on our mood adds a valuable deception to your game. dont force yourself to play like a bot, doing something 100% the time is worse than letting ur state of mind influence ur actions marginally.

Dear Poker_Muzz,

Congratulations! You have achieved the "PlatinumStar".

We invite you to learn about your many new PokerStars VIP privileges by
visiting http://www.pokerstars.com/vip/platinum/

Sincerely,

PokerStars Team.

Wheeeeeeeee, r u platinum yet? 81k for supernova!

I guess you're right XTR, your posts are always insightful and interesting and it's a great help. At least now that I've written down some opening ranges I can tell when I am steaming and make myself follow the chart. I think it will also help me to increase my vpip/pfr more smoothly by position. But I have to be careful not to turn into a bot...

Muzz I still have 86k to go I got platinum in January but then hardly played in feb which was annoying.... I'm still on though, I really think I can grind madly in April

Wierd session today. Dropped 3-4 buyins through coolers and a bit of bad play, but then went on a nice heater to end +$124 from 2.5k hands.

Oh and here's a funny hand...

PokerStars No-Limit Hold'em, $0.50 BB (8 handed) Poker-Stars Converter Tool from FlopTurnRiver.com (Format: FlopTurnRiver Cards)

UTG+1 ($65.90)
MP1 ($50)
MP2 ($50)
CO ($47.95)
Hero ($62.70)
SB ($30.95)
BB ($60.20)
UTG ($58.75)

Preflop: Hero is Button with , .
UTG calls $0.50, UTG+1 calls $0.50, 3 folds, Hero raises to $3, 2 folds, UTG raises to $6, UTG+1 folds, Hero calls $3.

Flop: ($13.25) , , (2 players)
UTG bets $6, Hero calls $6.

Turn: ($25.25) (2 players)
UTG bets $12, Hero calls $12.

River: ($49.25) (2 players)
UTG bets $25, Hero calls $25.

Final Pot: $99.25

Results in white below:
UTG has 6s Jh (one pair, sixes).
Hero has 8s 8c (one pair, eights).
Outcome: Hero wins $99.25.

WTF

As 2008 began, jorg95 didn't log on to play. He relaxed for a few days, went to the Bahamas for the PokerStars Caribbean Adventure, and didn't worry about the Supernova Elite program for nearly two weeks. He didn't play a single hand online until January 13.

Two months and five days later, on March 18, jorj95 became the first Supernova Elite of 2008.

As for what he's going to do now, that's still up in the air. Whatever he decides, there is certainly more poker to be played this year. By virtue of making Supernova Elite, he gets free entry into the World Championship of Online Poker main event, as well as two big buy-in live events...all for less than three months work.

Congratulations to jorj95 for the achievement.

What stakes did that motherfucker play at?

Originally Posted by Jack Sawyer

WTF

As 2008 began, jorg95 didn't log on to play. He relaxed for a few days, went to the Bahamas for the PokerStars Caribbean Adventure, and didn't worry about the Supernova Elite program for nearly two weeks. He didn't play a single hand online until January 13.

Two months and five days later, on March 18, jorj95 became the first Supernova Elite of 2008.

As for what he's going to do now, that's still up in the air. Whatever he decides, there is certainly more poker to be played this year. By virtue of making Supernova Elite, he gets free entry into the World Championship of Online Poker main event, as well as two big buy-in live events...all for less than three months work.

Congratulations to jorj95 for the achievement.

What stakes did that motherfucker play at?

Not that high, at my current rate I'd reach supernova just playing 25NL in 6months with a gold star. Thats not even account for the fact I've now gone platinum or even moving up stakes.

Platinum doesn't have any effect on the rate of VPPs it just multiplies the FPPs

Wheee awesome day, up $200 in 3k hands

I reread all my other posts in this blog because I wanted to see how my thought patterns/ aspirations have changed. All I noticed was that I was a whiny bitch and that doesn't make for good reading! So sorry y'all, I'll be more positive in future!

im about 5k hands from being supernova

just got supernova

Congrats man! enjoy

April sucks

3k hands down $90. -$180 equity in all ins + this

PokerStars No-Limit Hold'em, $0.50 BB (9 handed) Poker-Stars Converter Tool from FlopTurnRiver.com (Format: FlopTurnRiver Cards)

SB ($48)
BB ($45.20)
UTG ($48.95)
Hero ($65.15)
MP1 ($23.30)
MP2 ($49.10)
MP3 ($128.90)
CO ($47.55)
Button ($54)

Preflop: Hero is UTG+1 with , .
UTG calls $0.50, Hero calls $0.50, 5 folds, SB completes, BB checks.

Flop: ($2) , , (4 players)
SB checks, BB checks, UTG checks, Hero bets $2, SB calls $2, BB folds, UTG folds.

Turn: ($6) (2 players)
SB checks, Hero bets $5, SB calls $5.

River: ($16) (2 players)
SB bets $10, Hero raises to $57.65, SB calls $30.50 (All-In).

Final Pot: $97

Results in white below:
SB has 4s 4h (four of a kind, fours).
Hero has 7h 7c (full house, sevens full of fours).
Outcome: SB wins $97.

and a hand I will post in FR forum

I whinge a lot.

On a positive note I played well for 3 hours 16 tabling (good stamina) and should have come out way up.

Meh, luck will change I still have >30 buy-ins + 28k fpps so there's no need to get pissed off.

Wheeeeeeeeeee April will be good might play again later today

Best day EVER WHEEEEEEEEEEEE!!!!

Up $480 in 4k hands. Can't believe I'm up nearly 10 buy-ins in one day it seems unreal...

My roll is now at 2.2k, I will take some shots at 100nl once I get to 2.5k. I will 8 table and really concentrate, and I will be disciplined enough to move back down if I hit 2k.

April is awesome.

I want to gloat some more. Obv I'm on a bit of a heater but it's hard to tell how much is running hot and how much is just improvement in my play. Time will tell.

April stats so far(lol can't believe I'm posting this on the 2nd...)



I'm really pleased with my won$ at SD stat. It has been at ~43% previously which is far from ideal and a result of me calling down vs. the nits with marginal hands. I've stopped that now. I think my w$wsf is about as high as it's going to go as well because I play a lot of multiway pots and trying to win too many of them is just pure spew.

Comments welcome, I will post by position as well if you want to see it but the sample size is a bit small for them to be useful.

that's a lot of hands! Doesn't look like your winrate is artificially inflated, nice work sir!

April has just been the most amazing month so far... I've more than doubled my bankroll. I've made $2k profit with a $120 bonus and over $250 worth of FPPs which I've turned into an Amazon gift voucher to go on a spending spree

Here's my PokerEV graph for April so far. Clearly I'm running a bit hot, the blue line is about $300 over expectation. You can see a bit of spewy play when I move up to 100nl after 12k. But since then the blue and green lines have stayed fairly stable so I'm not losing much/any moremoney in non-showdown pots.



Also I'm about to reach Platinum star which I don't intend on losing. I've made up for missing 6weeks already, I've got 76k more VPPs to go so I'm basically on track for Supernova

Haven't played in a couple of days, college is back on and I'm catching up with friends who I've missed for the past three weeks. I had a quick look at my PT database tonight and found a hand that I think really demonstrates the improvement in my play and how I am thinking more and assigning ranges better.

Opp is a 7/5 nit over 2k hands. He's a half decent player and a heavy multitabler but tight as fuck.

My preflop is "meh" obv. It's not something I make a habit of but sometimes I see pretty cards and want to raise. Table was pretty tight though and the blinds were supernits so it's fine I think.

PokerStars No-Limit Hold'em, $1.00 BB (8 handed) Poker-Stars Converter Tool from FlopTurnRiver.com (Format: FlopTurnRiver)

MP2 ($131.05)
CO ($71.05)
Button ($18.50)
SB ($186.10)
BB ($93)
UTG ($111)
Hero ($94.50)
MP1 ($119.25)

Preflop: Hero is UTG+1 with T, Q.
1 fold, Hero raises to $4, 2 folds, CO calls $4, 2 folds, BB calls $3.

Flop: ($12.50) 7, 4, J (3 players)
BB checks, Hero bets $8, CO folds, BB calls $8.

Turn: ($28.50) 9 (2 players)
BB checks, Hero checks.

River: ($28.50) K (2 players)
BB checks, Hero bets $20, BB raises to $81, Hero calls $61.

Final Pot: $190.50

Results in white below:
BB has 7d 7c (three of a kind, sevens).
Hero has Th Qh (straight, king high).
Outcome: Hero wins $190.50.

I just know for sure that in the past I would have bet that turn as it improved my draw and OES+FD looks very pretty. However, I knew that my opponent wouldn't fold enough of his range, and that my hand couldn't really stand up to a CRAI so I took the free card and made him pay for his mistake in checking to me. I felt really good right after this hand was played because I knew I would have fucked up the turn last month.

Originally Posted by badgers

I just know for sure that in the past I would have bet that turn as it improved my draw and OES+FD looks very pretty.

Funny, we all know about buying a free card on the turn - but then so often forget to take it.

Congrats on relearning the basics, i've got so heavily into thin semi-bluffs that I often forget that I bet the flop setting up for a free card...

update plz

Then an update it will be!

It's really wierd, I hit a lot of landmarks simultaneously when I finished my short session today. I have reached a 5k roll, $3333 profit for the month and 17,500 VPPs exactly for the month. Crazy huh?

I can't really think of any exciting or remarkable hands to post as I'm a little drunk but basically the grind is going very nicely. I'll post the graph at the end of the month. PokerEV and Setometer tell me I'm running a little hot, which doesn't suprise me a great deal, about $500 above EV to be precise.

Looking back on it that "epiphany" has done me the world of good. I think the most important thing I did was add Att to steal on the HUD because there are so many bad regulars that not very aware pin terms of position and 3betting them light is just a horrible and avoidable mistake.

68k VPPs to go!!! Actually seems like a fairly attainable target now, funny what 3 weeks can do... Let's hope I don't doomswitch any time soon

GOGOGOGOGOGOGOGOGOGO

April graph as promised, (though there's already one in the April graph thread but meh...)



+$120 bonus and 40k FPPs.

May targets

50k hands
$3k profit

50k hands is an ambitious target as I have a lot on at college and I intend on spending a lot of time studying the game this month. However, if I manage my time well and don't snooze too much in the mornings it'll be fine

Funny last couple of sessions. I've been on a bit of a heater in May so far, up $900 in 10k hands. It would have been more but I spewed a tad while trying to record a video.... Never mind.

I have also increased the number of tables I'm playing. I tried 24-tabling for the first time today and I had a very nice session but I felt physically drained after just a 2 hour session. The effort required to concentrate and try to keep track of so may tables was just immense and I may not try it again for a while.

Here's an interesting hand vs. spoon. Shove or call?

PokerStars No-Limit Hold'em, $1.00 BB (7 handed) Poker-Stars Converter Tool from FlopTurnRiver.com (Format: FlopTurnRiver)

SB ($158.25)
BB ($120.40)
UTG ($100)
MP1 ($94.65)
MP2 ($58.85)
Hero ($100)
Button ($182.95)

Preflop: Hero is CO with 2, 2.
UTG raises to $4, 2 folds, Hero calls $4, 3 folds.

Flop: ($9.50) 2, 6, 7 (2 players)
UTG bets $8, Hero calls $8.

Turn: ($25.50) 4 (2 players)
UTG checks, Hero bets $17, UTG calls $17.

River: ($59.50) J (2 players)
UTG bets $33, Hero .....

shoving would be really bad

What do you think he calls you with if you shove?

Originally Posted by kmind

shoving would be really bad

Originally Posted by bjsaust

What do you think he calls you with if you shove?

This is pretty much what I thought and I did call, but spoon questioned the lack of shovage and said he would have called a shove vs. me with AA, so I thought it was interesting. It would be so much easier to get this in on a two tone flop

Wow without him having a good reason to think you can bluff this much, getting it all-in with AA on the river seems really bad.

Update time.

I feel like I've been playing pretty badly over may and run badly as well which hasn't helped. However, my commitment has suprised even me and I'm almost at my May hands target already having played 43k so far. My profit target is still lagging though, I've made $2k so far...

I think the problem has been that I've been playing too many tables, I've been trying to 24 table for most of this month and I think it's just a little bit too much for both me and my computer at the moment. It's not a serious problem with the computer, but every time it lags my stress levels rise and my play deteriorates as a result. From now on I will try sticking with 20 tables and see how it goes.

Oh yes, the real reason for this update...

HALF-WAY TO SUPERNOVA BABY!!!

Originally Posted by badgers

My profit target is still lagging though, I've made $2k so far...
HALF-WAY TO SUPERNOVA BABY!!!

could you imagine saying this three months ago?!
nice work...

Originally Posted by daven

Originally Posted by badgers

My profit target is still lagging though, I've made $2k so far...
HALF-WAY TO SUPERNOVA BABY!!!

could you imagine saying this three months ago?!
nice work...

You're right, I've come a long way in a short space of time but I'm ambitious and I like to push myself to improve constantly. A nice $400 session in 2k hands today def helped though 20 tabling seems so slow and stress free compared to 24, I think I've found my optimum MT ratio for the time being.

bump



plus like 1k worth of bonuses ut I've only cashed $500 of it so to avoid me counting it again next month or something we'll call it $500. Almost all 24 tabling as well so that's $60/hr according to PT.

Good month

36,613 VPPs to supernova (eeeaaaaaaasssssssssy goal now yay)

June targets.

60k hands
4k profit
24 table all of it
Win more from button and raise att to steal (currently at a nitty 28%)

You've inspired me to switch to FR

Originally Posted by Muzzard

You've inspired me to switch to FR

Awesome

Watch out for the 11/6 crew. They're piss easy to handread so just don't pay them off cos they aren't bluffing. That's about the biggest adjustment you need to make.

Still, 15ptBB/100 to start you must be doing something right