Operation "get good and make money trying"

[d0zer]

New operation time. Operation "Own FR Properly" served its purpose -- I've grinded out a bit of a roll and have become relatively comfortable with full ring and postflop play in general.

When I was killing the 100NL fish at UB with a fairly ABC tagg strategy I felt like a pro. Stars/FT 200NL has been a rude awakening as I watch my W$WOSD drop steadily down about as fast as my showdown winnings climb leaving me more or less breaking even over a bunch of hands. I know there's tons of leaks in my game. I know the more straightforward strategy I've followed getting up here needs revising, my play needs to become more dynamic to deal with the new kind of villains 200NL offers. This often puts me in the 'uncomfortable' postflop situations I've always avoided, but they're getting less and less uncomfortable as I notice some consistencies. I'm getting better at thinking hard about bluffs, instead of just taking bluff lines just as a gambol, which I think is the biggest problem I've had with them.

So I got a Cardrunners membership with my FT points, am reading more books and have noticed some good results so far. I'm taking a more aggressive approach to the sea of considerably tighter 200NL villains and it's feeling good so far.

I've also branched out from FR, playing 200NL 6-max and 100NL HU. I'm feeling good about my HU game, at least vs weaker exploitable players, and it's really fun I usually don't stay long vs taggier types, but I've been getting good results exploiting the massive leaks in bad HU player's games. I'm also playing more donkaments lately, and actually having good results both in MTTs and smaller SnGs. Things I'm learning about postflop play in each gametype I'm often able to apply to the other game types, and playing HU cash is really really helping my late SnG game which is by far the most fun, and there seems to be lots of players fairly terrible at it. weak/tights, loose passives & spewtards galore..

BR Log:

July 22: 5700
Aug 8: 4200
Aug 10: 5000

[JinxT4]

So which game is your main game now? 200NL 6max or 200NL FR (or other)?

Good luck Mr. Dozerrr.

[d0zer]

So which game is your main game now? 200NL 6max or 200NL FR (or other)?

Good luck Mr. Dozerrr.

Thank you sir In the last week I'm playing about 50/50 6-max and FR...just depending on what I'm feeling like in the instant. We'll see which one at 200NL adds up to more hands at the end of the month.

This month I've definitely played more 6-max, playing about 15k hands of 100NL 6-max.

[bjsaust]

Nice, GL killing 200NL!

I watch my W$WOSD drop steadily down about as fast as my showdown winnings climb leaving me more or less breaking even over a bunch of hands. I know there's tons of leaks in my game. I know the more straightforward strategy I've followed getting up here needs revising, my play needs to become more dynamic to deal with the new kind of villains 200NL offers.

Something I've found really helped, was keeping an eye out for lines that just dont make sense. Rather than just think "fk it, he's betting/raising he must have me beat", think about what hands he could play that way, and whether he really would play those hands that way rather than another.

[d0zer]

Something I've found really helped, was keeping an eye out for lines that just dont make sense. Rather than just think "fk it, he's betting/raising he must have me beat", think about what hands he could play that way, and whether he really would play those hands that way rather than another.

Excellent advice.

Playing a more thoughtful postflop game has really helped me. I just had a terrible session where I let the auto-pilot take over and I think I missed a few opportunities. AK < 99 & AK < JJ (preflop vs blind defending regs) never helps either

Anyway, now when I notice my brain turning off I quit my cash games and fire up a few cheap turbos...

[BankItDrew]

play hard dozer.

i'll be taking a peek in here from time to time.

[daven]

dynamic game and uncomfortable post-flop situations - sounds like you're well on the way!

see ya at 10k, (we're still pretty close BR-wise) although you'll probably move to 400nl then, when I'll be moving to 200nl - so maybe we'll have to wait until an MTT final table to attack each other again!

I'll probably hit a couple of $20-$50 tournaments the next month or so, come play a few hands on FT!

Play well and best of luck...

[d0zer]

UPDATE!

I fucking suck at this game. Some combination of loose postflop calls (paying off sets with 1pr / bottom 2 hands) coupled with a few bad beats at 200NL and PRESTO! I'm back to 100NL when I dropped to a BR of 3800. Surprisingly, this hit hasn't demoralized me too badly -- I'm kinda getting used to these 1k+ swings.

So I've started 12-15 tabling 100NL FR again...just grinding my roll back up + clearing my PS bonus & then I'll take a stab at 200NL again with a clear head. I'm playing a 12/10 preflop game with a fairly tight postflop game and that seems to work pretty well.

One thing I'm really really trying hard to do it not to play when I notice myself with any expectation of how the session will go. I'm trying to approach 100NL with a "play solid poker" attitude instead of a "gotta make a BI this session" attitude, and not only am I having more fun, but I'm playing better and not making stupid hero calls (or less of em').

BR's back up to 4200, my W$WOSD is still flat, & my hand reading seems a lot better than it ever has so yay!

[daven]

UPDATE!
I fucking suck at this game!

me too dude. That's why I don't plan on moving up to $200nl - everyone on FTR seems to think that it's the hardest step, I'm maybe going to move up when I've logged 50k consecutive hands of 100nl at >3ptBB/100, and even then I'll be moving up with a 5buy-in stop...
get back to crushing 100nl, play well, and if I ever open a stars account then I'll see you at the tables!

[d0zer]

UPDATE!
I fucking suck at this game!

me too dude. That's why I don't plan on moving up to $200nl - everyone on FTR seems to think that it's the hardest step, I'm maybe going to move up when I've logged 50k consecutive hands of 100nl at >3ptBB/100, and even then I'll be moving up with a 5buy-in stop...
get back to crushing 100nl, play well, and if I ever open a stars account then I'll see you at the tables!

Yeah I'm inclined to agree with 200NL being the most significant skill jump I've had to deal with.

I'm still cocky (stupid?) enough to giver another shot when my roll repairs a bit

I may see you on some FT tables for a bit -- need a few FTPs to get my next month of CR membership

HU 4 r000lz?

[BankItDrew]

I find that the hardest thing to do with poker is managing your roll properly, if you can do this - you'll be just fine in the long run. Looks like you'll be just fine.

I think we're due for a rematch BTW. I don't care where, your place, my place, daves place, nicks place, Niagara *wink* *wink*

[d0zer]

I find that the hardest thing to do with poker is managing your roll properly, if you can do this - you'll be just fine in the long run. Looks like you'll be just fine.

I think we're due for a rematch BTW. I don't care where, your place, my place, daves place, nicks place, Niagara *wink* *wink*

Yeah I've gotten better at not completely donking off my roll, but you're probably still a helluvalot more disciplined than I (except at 25NL)

And yeah, a rematch is definitely in order

[d0zer]

Sick. won $430 for 70 minutes of HU. Most from this laggier tagg who I outdrew + got sets paid. ran g00t but played pretty goot too.

HU

BR: 5000

[bjsaust]

Nice!!

As for moving up, meh, I cant see how playing more hands makes much difference. Unless you think another 30k hands of 100nl makes you better prepared for 200nl. Set a larger amount of buyins to take a shot perhaps, but arbitrary numbers of hands seem to have poor value in a decision like that.

[daven]

I'm still cocky (stupid?) enough to giver another shot when my roll repairs a bit

I may see you on some FT tables for a bit -- need a few FTPs to get my next month of CR membership

HU 4 r000lz?

nothing wrong with taking those shots so long as you're good with bankroll discipline - and you are.
I'll keep an eye out for your blue cheer, you know where i'll be sitting
HU - happy to have a session at 50nl or something, but I suck so I'm keeping my roll wrapped up nice and safe...
run good dude.

[d0zer]

Nice!!

As for moving up, meh, I cant see how playing more hands makes much difference. Unless you think another 30k hands of 100nl makes you better prepared for 200nl. Set a larger amount of buyins to take a shot perhaps, but arbitrary numbers of hands seem to have poor value in a decision like that.

agreed. I've already taken 2 stabs at 200NL, third time'll be the charm I hopes. Every stab's gotten me better prepared for it, I'm sure xk hands of 100NL would make me better prepared sure... but I feel like there's more adjustments needed for this move than any of my previous moves up so I may as well just jump in the sea & learn how to swim

[sweetlemon69]

update!

[LuckySlevin]

yeah update please

[d0zer]

Since it is demanded...

I've since withdrawn even more monies, decimating the BR further, and dropping me down to 100NL for like...the third time? I've decided to wait until $6k this time before moving up again. I'm still feeling better about my game, which is tough after recent results:



The month started great then moved into a predictable cooler. The important thing is that my non-SD winnings are flat finally over a 6k hand sample. Small sample yes, but usually 3k hands is more than enough to notice the steady decrease in that line for me, so to get it flat makes me do a happy dance. The recent showdown winning cooler is just crap like this:

http://www.flopturnriver.com/phpBB2/...th-t75929.html

I'm not overly concerned about it. More importantly, I've been doing relatively well at the mental discipline game. See:

http://www.flopturnriver.com/phpBB2/...ed-t75604.html

Not playing when I'm not in an ideal mental space has slowed down the number of hands I play, but has improved the quality of my play so...quality > quantity FTW!

[BankItDrew]

duuuuuuude

please don't tell me the rumors are true

[d0zer]

duuuuuuude

please don't tell me the rumors are true

Operation is a failure. I've neither made money, nor gotten any good trying.

I'll still play casually, but I've come to the conclusion that the life of a grinder is not for me. Barry Greenstein's book actually helped me come to this conclusion, but I doubt it would have that effect on most grinders.

[BankItDrew]

Last I checked, you were a solid player making a few K here and there.

What is the jist of Barry's book that helped you come to this conclusion?

[daven]

Operation is a failure. I've neither made money, nor gotten any good trying.

I'll still play casually, but I've come to the conclusion that the life of a grinder is not for me.

further proof that reading poker books is -ve EV?!?

hope all is well, and that you'll still be up for a home game if I turn up north next year... you're good enough to beat 100nl+ if that's what you want to do, and if you don't want to then you shouldn't. Easy.

p.s. prop bet options on d0zer changing his mind before feb 09?!?

[bjsaust]

Move back to UB and kill 100nl for good spending $s!

[BankItDrew]

he'll be back, maybe temporarily, but somehow.

i hear he's starting a new venture

gl to ya bud

[d0zer]

I now have no roll. No poker monies anywhere. I finally withdrew my last $600 from PS on sunday cause I found having a few hundred in there just made me keep on playing.

I've decided to quit for a few reasons, one being that it's a fairly large time-consumer, and I've decided to try to start a software consulting business so I want to focus all my energies there. Plus being on a computer all day for my primary job means that having an entirely computer based hobby isn't great for me. All that sitting and clicking isn't great for my back/fingers/wrist. I also never truly developed the emotional resilience to deal with coolers. They still drove me nuts and I don't really want a hobby that stresses me out.

This is the second time I've decided to quit -- the last time I ran disgustingly goot before quitting, and this time went down similarly. As I was clearing my $650 bonus I ran crazy goot at 100NL. Check out the first 10 days of October:




Despite encouraging results, I still remember the 90k hands before this of breaking even.

In barry's book he made this comment about how the hobbyist player will never be as good as the pro player because he doesn't put in as many hands or as much time as the pro player.

I've been doing a lot of thinking lately...a lot of "what do I wanna do with the rest of my life" kinda thoughts and I've come to the conclusion that I don't think I'm cut out for the pro poker player life. If I'm not gunna be pro with it, then I don't see any point it doing it half-assedly, so I might as well devote all my time and energies into something I'll do with my whole ass.

So we'll see how the consulting thing pans out...I do kinda miss grinding already, but I'm sure I'll get over it. ...or be back in a month.

*shrug*

[sweetlemon69]

love ya bud, and i support this. as long as you still come to live games and we can throw down a HU or 3person in fergus nights! stoked for saturday!

[BankItDrew]

I also support you 100% buddy. I think it's awesome what you are doing and wish nothing but the best for you. That being said...

I'M ALSO STOKED FOR SATURDAY!!!

[daven]

I've decided to try to start a software consulting business so I want to focus all my energies there.

this is good, if you're going to start a business you wanna be focused. Best of luck dude!

and nice note to finish on too! spend the poker cash on something cool

[Stacks]

Fuck Barry Greenstein, amirite?

Anyways, best of luck to you dozer.

[jimmy44]

I've been doing a lot of thinking lately...a lot of "what do I wanna do with the rest of my life" kinda thoughts and I've come to the conclusion that I don't think I'm cut out for the pro poker player life. If I'm not gunna be pro with it, then I don't see any point it doing it half-assedly, so I might as well devote all my time and energies into something I'll do with my whole ass.

I know how you feel!
Just take some time off and you'll see things would get around naturally, either you'll stay away from poker or you'll come back ...

[d0zer]

I've decided to try to start a software consulting business so I want to focus all my energies there.

this is good, if you're going to start a business you wanna be focused. Best of luck dude!

and nice note to finish on too! spend the poker cash on something cool

Thanks man, most of the money is going to my next car, which is cool

Fuck Barry Greenstein, amirite?

Anyways, best of luck to you dozer.

Hah! Thanks.

The book's actually pretty good. I'd recommend it. Good stories & insight into his life & the life of a grinder.

Just take some time off and you'll see things would get around naturally, either you'll stay away from poker or you'll come back ...

Yeah that's the plan (even though I'm going to play live this weekend with the peanut gallery above). I'm playing more music lately too, which feels good. It feels like I'm in a transitory period in my life for the first time in years so who knows where I'll end up.