I sometimes will sit on the floor with my laptop on the coffee table playing poker and watching tv. Sometimes I'll have a glass of ice water on the table as well. Last night I forgot to move the glass and my cat decided he wanted a drink and knocked over the glass and it spilled water all over my laptop (one that is less than a month old). I think I managed to avoid losing the entire motherboard, but the keyboard is shot. I had to take it in and I got an estimate of anywhere between 150 and 450 bucks. That is going to be quite a hit to the bankroll...
I'm now on my old laptop that has been re-imagined and so I have no Pokertracker and no AceHud. I feel completely naked and uninformed playing online poker now. Should be interesting. I can't wait until I get my laptop back.
Wednesday, November 28, 2007
Tuesday, November 27, 2007
Three steps forward, 1 step back
Two days ago I had one of the biggest single days I've ever had (for a lot of folks, its not much but for this part-time micro-playing nit its good): I was up $324 for the day. Over 6 buyins at NL50 FR. To put that in perspective, that would rank as my 8th best month of the 32 months where I've tracked my results. That is obviously the 3 steps forward.
Yesterday, I was down over $150 before making a "comeback" to only be down $107 for the day.
On another note, looks like my rakeback will be over $400 for the month (a new high for me) and that includes taking out the IPod touch that I used FTP points to get for my wife. I'm now aiming for the 50" Plasma TV. I figure at my current pace, I'll have enough points after about 20 months. LoL.
Yesterday, I was down over $150 before making a "comeback" to only be down $107 for the day.
On another note, looks like my rakeback will be over $400 for the month (a new high for me) and that includes taking out the IPod touch that I used FTP points to get for my wife. I'm now aiming for the 50" Plasma TV. I figure at my current pace, I'll have enough points after about 20 months. LoL.
Tuesday, November 20, 2007
Better Day
Hopefully I'm turning things around. I think I'm finally able to fold Overpairs and TPTK to a lot of aggression. There is a possibility I'm being bluffed, but I think the chances are lower at this level, and I'm being smart about who I will fold against using PT numbers on my Acehud. For example, if a passive nit starts getting aggressive all of a sudden, I'm probably beaten.
Yesterday's results:
Hands: 760
Profit/Loss: +$108
ptBB/100: 8.94
I also suck at Omaha Hi but I'm having fun. I'll probably read a book or two about it here soon.
Yesterday's results:
Hands: 760
Profit/Loss: +$108
ptBB/100: 8.94
I also suck at Omaha Hi but I'm having fun. I'll probably read a book or two about it here soon.
Sunday, November 18, 2007
Mid-month update; Variety is the Spice of Life
Alright, so here's where I am through November 18:
NL50
Hands: 23,389
Profit/Loss: +$541
PTbb/100: 2.32
NL100
Hands: 10,438
Profit/Loss: +174.75
PTbb/100: 0.84 (hey, at least its positive!)
I've decided I'm not going to play NL100 until I get my bankroll at FT up over $3.3K (at $2,800) or next month, whichever is sooner but I can't move up unless I learn to fold when I'm obviously beat. I know that this is a huge leak, yet I continually do it and I believe its the reason I'm struggling so much an NL100 (I get away with making dumb calls at NL50 and it hurts the roll far less when I don't get away with it). Until I learn to plug this leak, I really shouldn't move up, despite having the BR.
Variety is the spice of life....
I keep reading that you should learn to play other poker games and with my struggles with NLHE, I thought I'd give Omaha a try, so I sat down at Omaha Hi PL10 table (no way am I ready for the PLOH/L game), where I was the biggest fish. About the only thing I knew about the game was that you get 4 downcards and the community cards play out like HE.l I didn't even know that you had to play exactly 3 community cards and 2 hole cards. After losing a couple of hands trying to use 4 board cards I thought I ought to at least look at the rules, lol.
I've come to realize that these games are pretty soft but I need to read some books/strategy posts and get up to speed a bit but I do find the games fun and I like the variety. Its also fun to donk around with only 10 bucks on the line. I may invest in PokerTracker for Omaha once the new PT comes out (dont' think I want to invest in it yet only to go and get the new version).
NL50
Hands: 23,389
Profit/Loss: +$541
PTbb/100: 2.32
NL100
Hands: 10,438
Profit/Loss: +174.75
PTbb/100: 0.84 (hey, at least its positive!)
I've decided I'm not going to play NL100 until I get my bankroll at FT up over $3.3K (at $2,800) or next month, whichever is sooner but I can't move up unless I learn to fold when I'm obviously beat. I know that this is a huge leak, yet I continually do it and I believe its the reason I'm struggling so much an NL100 (I get away with making dumb calls at NL50 and it hurts the roll far less when I don't get away with it). Until I learn to plug this leak, I really shouldn't move up, despite having the BR.
Variety is the spice of life....
I keep reading that you should learn to play other poker games and with my struggles with NLHE, I thought I'd give Omaha a try, so I sat down at Omaha Hi PL10 table (no way am I ready for the PLOH/L game), where I was the biggest fish. About the only thing I knew about the game was that you get 4 downcards and the community cards play out like HE.l I didn't even know that you had to play exactly 3 community cards and 2 hole cards. After losing a couple of hands trying to use 4 board cards I thought I ought to at least look at the rules, lol.
I've come to realize that these games are pretty soft but I need to read some books/strategy posts and get up to speed a bit but I do find the games fun and I like the variety. Its also fun to donk around with only 10 bucks on the line. I may invest in PokerTracker for Omaha once the new PT comes out (dont' think I want to invest in it yet only to go and get the new version).
Thursday, November 15, 2007
The bottom continues to fall....
Here is yesterdays results:
NL50: 1,593 hands, -$150.60, ptbb/100: -9.45
NL 1o0: 398 hand, $14.60, ptbb/100: 1.83
In taking a quick review of my sessions for the day, slightly more than $100 of the total loss for the day were clear mistakes by me (one instance I made a bad call on the river, although the sucked out runner-runner to win; one was slowplaying Aces PF then pushing into str8 - got me a case of fancy play syndrome on that one; and then $14.76 PF push with 55 due to tilt). The rest of the losses is just from being card dead - lot of calls with med-small pocket pairs and suited connectors that didn't hit, and some missed-flop CBs being called.
The good news is that the leaks are fixable. Let's see if I can do that today.
NL50: 1,593 hands, -$150.60, ptbb/100: -9.45
NL 1o0: 398 hand, $14.60, ptbb/100: 1.83
In taking a quick review of my sessions for the day, slightly more than $100 of the total loss for the day were clear mistakes by me (one instance I made a bad call on the river, although the sucked out runner-runner to win; one was slowplaying Aces PF then pushing into str8 - got me a case of fancy play syndrome on that one; and then $14.76 PF push with 55 due to tilt). The rest of the losses is just from being card dead - lot of calls with med-small pocket pairs and suited connectors that didn't hit, and some missed-flop CBs being called.
The good news is that the leaks are fixable. Let's see if I can do that today.
Wednesday, November 14, 2007
Bottom Falling Out/Adjusting to NL100
Remember my earlier post when I said that I should quit poker - not b/c I was running bad, but because I was running too good? Well, it happened - I came back to reality last night. I was down over $300 at one point. I managed to get it back to -160 by the end of the night. I think this is largely because some of the calls I was making (which were probably -EV, but I got lucky and won) finally stopped panning out for me. I also think some of it is adjusting to NL100. I don't necessarily find NL100 more difficult than NL50, but I am finding that perhaps some of the calls that are +EV at NL50 are not at NL100.
I also find that I seem to run better when I buy in short (60BB) at NL100. Not sure if that's luck or if its that I'm a bit afraid of the money and get lost on the turn/river when I have a full stack (when SSed, I'm pretty much committed by the turn).
I also really need to remember to fold those overpairs/TPTK where warranted (i.e. -I'm not folding everytime, but if I have a read, I shouldn't ignore it). I may be bluffed some, but its so hard to come back from a big hole, when I can find better spots to put my money in.
I also find that I seem to run better when I buy in short (60BB) at NL100. Not sure if that's luck or if its that I'm a bit afraid of the money and get lost on the turn/river when I have a full stack (when SSed, I'm pretty much committed by the turn).
I also really need to remember to fold those overpairs/TPTK where warranted (i.e. -I'm not folding everytime, but if I have a read, I shouldn't ignore it). I may be bluffed some, but its so hard to come back from a big hole, when I can find better spots to put my money in.
Monday, November 12, 2007
Goals
I keep reading that I need to have goals if I want to advance in poker. With November almost being 1/2 gone, these goals will apply to both November/December:
- Play 30,000 hands at 50NL FR
- Play 15,000 hand at 100NL FR
- Get comfortable in 8 tabling (4 50NL and 4 100NL)
- Increase my PTBB/100 to 3.2 for 50NL and 100NL by not stacking off with TPTK (unless I have a read) and getting value from hands where I believe I'm ahead (i.e. value-bet the river more).
- Increase my stats to 15/10 by loosening up my call/raise hands when in position (start with Button and HJ spots), including raising limpers when I have baby pairs and and good SCs, and calling/RR EP raises from loose players
Sunday, November 11, 2007
First Post
This is hopefully the first of many entries on my new poker/life blog.
A bit about me/poker history.
I'm a mid/late 30's male with a wife and 2 kids (6 and 4). I have a full time job that I work from home. This allows me to play poker when I work (but work takes priority over poker during "work" hours). I started playing online poker about 3 years ago (started recording high level results 32 months ago). I've gotten in a ton of hands but until 2007 I was a small loser. Below are my career totals by year:
2005: -7.85 (started in April)
2006: -221.52
2007: 4496
I first deposited on Party Poker with like 50 bucks and played 25NL. That obviously didn't last long. At the time I barely even understood hand rankings. I really enjoyed the game though and bought Phil Helmuth's book, "Play Like the Pros" (yeah, i know). Since that focused on the limit game, I switched to that for quite awhile. The book did help me get a fundamental understanding of being solid pre-flop and playing only good starting hands.
After playing at a number of places and bonus whoring (granted, not optimally as I was buying in for 100 bucks here/there vs. buying in for the matched bonus amount), I was feeling ok about my game and had read several more books and was able to very slowly move up in stakes until I was playing 1/2. I then had 3 consecutive months of losing a ton at 1/2 and .5/1 that I decided screw this, I'm playing NL (if for anything other than a change).
Once I started playing NL, I haven't gone back (well, I occasionally play limit here and there). I was fairly successful early on but staying at a very low limit (.05/.10, .10/.25 NL and PL). Did really well at Pokerstars PL tables for awhile but then went on a two month downswing. Decided to switch it up and move to another site (Full Tilt). By this time, I had starting reading forums and learned of rakeback (oh the amounts of money I had missed the first 2 1/2 years of poker playing - feel dumb for not doing it earlier). This is also when I started my little experiment with 6-max tables. I initially started playing .25 NL/PL @ Full Tilt but the tables seemed much tighter than what I was used to. I noticed that the six-max tables looked very juicy, sat down at a 50 PL 6-max table and thus started my 6-max experiment. The first month when super - I won over $1600 (including deposit bonuses) and started thinking I was a world-beater. I think I won over 10 buy-ins at 50PL that month. The next few months reality hit and I lost all of those buy-in's and then some (actually ended up ahead for this period of time thanks to rakeback).
I was perusing the full ring forums on 2plus2 and thought, you know, I bet I would do better at full ring. So, in the 2nd week of October I tried some 25NL and 50NL FR and have been running good since. Given my history, after being successful for a few months I follow that up with some losses (getting cocky, me thinks). That said, I don't think I'll have sever swings. Mostly because I play a super-nitty-conservative style (9/5/1.8) which while not optimal, is definitely more suited for FR than 6-max.
So right now, I'm grinding away at 50NL/100NL playing about 6-8 tables at a time (unless I'm at work, in which case I'll play a couple of 50N tables)
October Results:
34,291 Hands
+ 871.08 (including rakeback)
November Results Thus Far:
23779 Hands
+ 636.40
November Results so far:
A bit about me/poker history.
I'm a mid/late 30's male with a wife and 2 kids (6 and 4). I have a full time job that I work from home. This allows me to play poker when I work (but work takes priority over poker during "work" hours). I started playing online poker about 3 years ago (started recording high level results 32 months ago). I've gotten in a ton of hands but until 2007 I was a small loser. Below are my career totals by year:
2005: -7.85 (started in April)
2006: -221.52
2007: 4496
I first deposited on Party Poker with like 50 bucks and played 25NL. That obviously didn't last long. At the time I barely even understood hand rankings. I really enjoyed the game though and bought Phil Helmuth's book, "Play Like the Pros" (yeah, i know). Since that focused on the limit game, I switched to that for quite awhile. The book did help me get a fundamental understanding of being solid pre-flop and playing only good starting hands.
After playing at a number of places and bonus whoring (granted, not optimally as I was buying in for 100 bucks here/there vs. buying in for the matched bonus amount), I was feeling ok about my game and had read several more books and was able to very slowly move up in stakes until I was playing 1/2. I then had 3 consecutive months of losing a ton at 1/2 and .5/1 that I decided screw this, I'm playing NL (if for anything other than a change).
Once I started playing NL, I haven't gone back (well, I occasionally play limit here and there). I was fairly successful early on but staying at a very low limit (.05/.10, .10/.25 NL and PL). Did really well at Pokerstars PL tables for awhile but then went on a two month downswing. Decided to switch it up and move to another site (Full Tilt). By this time, I had starting reading forums and learned of rakeback (oh the amounts of money I had missed the first 2 1/2 years of poker playing - feel dumb for not doing it earlier). This is also when I started my little experiment with 6-max tables. I initially started playing .25 NL/PL @ Full Tilt but the tables seemed much tighter than what I was used to. I noticed that the six-max tables looked very juicy, sat down at a 50 PL 6-max table and thus started my 6-max experiment. The first month when super - I won over $1600 (including deposit bonuses) and started thinking I was a world-beater. I think I won over 10 buy-ins at 50PL that month. The next few months reality hit and I lost all of those buy-in's and then some (actually ended up ahead for this period of time thanks to rakeback).
I was perusing the full ring forums on 2plus2 and thought, you know, I bet I would do better at full ring. So, in the 2nd week of October I tried some 25NL and 50NL FR and have been running good since. Given my history, after being successful for a few months I follow that up with some losses (getting cocky, me thinks). That said, I don't think I'll have sever swings. Mostly because I play a super-nitty-conservative style (9/5/1.8) which while not optimal, is definitely more suited for FR than 6-max.
So right now, I'm grinding away at 50NL/100NL playing about 6-8 tables at a time (unless I'm at work, in which case I'll play a couple of 50N tables)
October Results:
34,291 Hands
+ 871.08 (including rakeback)
November Results Thus Far:
23779 Hands
+ 636.40
November Results so far:
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