The first is the hardest! My $1k post!

[RockyMoose]

Well, the number of hours spent to get here certainly means I need to keep my day job, but nonetheless, I hit $1k (online) profit today.

I'm not going to write a poker essay about it, but I'd like to thank all the donks out there for their contributions. The donks probably aren't on FTR, of course, so for those of you reading, thanks for the solid tips!

Obligatory graph:

[taipan168]

Well done Rocky! It's true that the first $1k is the hardest (almost by definition because by the time you get to $1k profit you're playing higher stakes than when you started out) but it's definitely a milestone achievement nonetheless.

[Nakamura]

Weeeeee .... forward to 5K now!

Congrats

[pj87]

I noticed around 200 games in you stopped floating up and down around the break even mark and made all positive gains. Was there something around this time that changed? Different tactics, more patient, different buy in perhaps?

[Nakamura]

I noticed around 200 games in you stopped floating up and down around the break even mark and made all positive gains. Was there something around this time that changed? Different tactics, more patient, different buy in perhaps?

.... or within acceptable variance. It's funny how the human eye picks up certain patterns. Did you notice Hero runs break-even between 450 and 700 games?

[flomo]

congrats!


the rake at the lowest buyin SnGs are crippling.

[RockyMoose]

I noticed around 200 games in you stopped floating up and down around the break even mark and made all positive gains. Was there something around this time that changed? Different tactics, more patient, different buy in perhaps?

.... or within acceptable variance. It's funny how the human eye picks up certain patterns. Did you notice Hero runs break-even between 450 and 700 games?

I do think it took a while for me to get my online "mojo" at the beginning. My prior experience was limited to a monthly home game and reading HOH. I played mostly $5.50 STTs to start, with a few other low stakes games mixed in.

Past 200 games, I think I moved to level 2 thinking, where I thought about villain's ranges, put more emphasis on position, and got my mojo. The break-even run that Nakamura noticed was when I started to move to $10+1's, mixed in with $5.50's, and I think the higher stakes messed with my head, even though I think the play is about the same.

I now play $10+1's almost exclusively, so I expect the next $1k to be a bit easier since the stakes are higher.

Regarding variance: it's in there, but I'll also point out that two of my biggest upward streaks both happened while I was relaxing on holiday. There's something to be said for being in a good, alert, mental state, instead of just playing a game or two each night when tired or distracted by "Lost". "Dexter" is pretty good for that, too.

[pj87]

Id be interested to see what your other stats say and how they compare to all this? Such as ROI, first place finishes etc.
I have to same problem watching TV and playing at the same time, definitely guilty of trying to make moves in the add breaks after being patient for ages!

[P-Train]

Well done RockyMoose. I may have to begin tracking my own progress. I have never previously deposited money on a poker site until Christmas this year when my mother-in-law deposited $30 on Bodog for me. I have played many money games after winning money from some of the freerolls offered on bodog but always ended up cashing out if I got enough in my account. Looking forward to watching more progress and hopefully posting my own.

[Kijjo]

Remember P-Train, he's saying he's profitted 1k, though he may have withdrawn some. Just because you pull the money out doesn't mean that you can't count it.
Good job Rocky Moose!

[RockyMoose]

Yes, I have made several withdrawals. In fact, I highly recommend keeping an online poker balance to a minimum needed for play. Far too often I hear of poker accounts getting compromised. Keep your email password secure (since anyone with access to your email can have your poker password reset). Don't make it easy for someone to Google up your email address given your poker login. My FTR alias is not the same as my poker login, and the email address I use for poker is separate from everything else and uses a crazy secure password. I don't have enough $ in my poker account to warrant one of those RSA keyfobs, but those are a very good idea if you play big money online.

[liqourmaster]

Yes, I have made several withdrawals. In fact, I highly recommend keeping an online poker balance to a minimum needed for play. Far too often I hear of poker accounts getting compromised. Keep your email password secure (since anyone with access to your email can have your poker password reset). Don't make it easy for someone to Google up your email address given your poker login. My FTR alias is not the same as my poker login, and the email address I use for poker is separate from everything else and uses a crazy secure password. I don't have enough $ in my poker account to warrant one of those RSA keyfobs, but those are a very good idea if you play big money online.

FTR has that extra security code you can buy for 5000 fpp. It seems pretty good. Only if you have your ftp pw & the little device w/ you can you log on. Just purchased today.

Congrats btw. Keep it up. 11 sng was probably the toughest thing for me. I couldnt adjust to their ranges for some reason. I jumped to 22 sng and my roi skyrocketed, maybe b/c I'm more used to the ranges there. But all that is like <200 games sample so yea haha.

[inV1NCEble]

The first 200 are the hardest. Nice graph!

[RoundThemUPjoe]

Great work man! I'm only half way there...just moved up to the $5.5 1 tables. How do you get a nice graph like that?

[liqourmaster]

How do you get a nice graph like that?

looks like a sharkscope graph to me.
go to www.sharkscope.com. Each ip gets 5 free searches a day

[drmcboy]

actually, the 26th k is the hardest, but it's depressing to talk about.

congrats.