Jack's Road to Maturity

Poker maturity that is.
I've dabbled in the "poker world" since december, but I've been wandering around aimlessly.
Finding direction is one of the great shortcomings of my, uhm, great personality. Discipline is another.
As some of you remember, I've had an ops thread already here, but it was more of a blog than an operation, a bloperation (tm) if you may.

So this time I'm serious.

Rules:

GL. From where did you get this little graph with the pie charts?

Jack

Good luck. I guess the first step is admitting the areas you need to improve in. Your'e PokerTracker stats highlight how much of a grind cash games can be at low limits and therefore places even more importance on patience, discipline and the other attributes you mentioned.

Good luck again with the operation. And I don't necessarily think there is a problem with your operation updates turning into a blog as it gets a bit tediuos if all people post are hand histories! a bit of discussion on other aspects of how you are travelling are good for people to read

Stu

interesting read. Good luck! Think I'm going to start something like this soon enough...

will do shortly. Right now it's simple, laydown when I'm beat. Stay playing tight unless there's a reason. Win big pots, rather than lose them. Stay in games that i'm rolled for... similar to you really, will set an ops thread up this weekend!

In the beginning, I'll only be able to log 500 or so hands daily. I just received my withdrawal money on moneybookers, which I'll use to get 'net at home.
Once that is done, and I suspect it will happen in 14 days at most, I'll aim to log 2k or so hands daily, as per the rules above.

Today: Roll @ ~260
I've been reading hands properly too.

took your advice. I now have a blog thread thing

Today's mistakes:

#1 too weak
PokerStars No-Limit Hold'em, $0.10 BB (9 handed) Hand History Converter Tool from FlopTurnRiver.com (Format: FlopTurnRiver Cards)

MP1 ($5.90)
MP2 ($6.75)
MP3 ($5.25)
CO ($9.50)
Button ($4.10)
SB ($4.25)
BB ($10.45)
UTG ($9.60)
Hero ($10.80)

Preflop: Hero is UTG+1 with

,

.
UTG calls $0.10, Hero raises to $0.4, MP1 calls $0.40, 4 folds, SB calls $0.35, BB calls $0.30, UTG calls $0.30.

Flop: ($2)

,

(5 players)
SB checks, BB checks, UTG checks, Hero checks, MP1 checks.

Turn: ($2)

(5 players)
SB bets $0.3, BB calls $0.30, UTG folds, Hero folds, MP1 folds.

River: ($2.60)

(2 players)
SB checks, BB checks.

Final Pot: $2.60

#2 bethappy

PokerStars No-Limit Hold'em, $0.10 BB (9 handed) Hand History Converter Tool from FlopTurnRiver.com (Format: FlopTurnRiver Cards)

UTG+1 ($5.50)
MP1 ($6.75)
MP2 ($5.25)
MP3 ($9.50)
CO ($4.10)
Button ($3.55)
SB ($12.25)
BB ($9.20)
Hero ($10.40)

Preflop: Hero is UTG with

,

.
Hero raises to $0.4, UTG+1 calls $0.40, 7 folds.

Flop: ($0.95)

,

(2 players)
Hero bets $0.6, UTG+1 calls $0.60.

Turn: ($2.15)

(2 players)
Hero bets $1, UTG+1 calls $1.

River: ($4.15)

(2 players)
Hero bets $2, UTG+1 raises to $3.5, Hero calls $1.50.

Final Pot: $11.15

I'm still falling in love with AK, actually A[insert a face card here]. I need to learn to fold these.
Also, I should know better when to hold'em and when to fold'em.

And today's thincall:

PartyPoker (Cash Game): $0.05/$0.10 NL , 10 players
Sat Aug 25 03:51:18 VET 2007
(Format: BBCode)

BB (15.5 bb's)
B7 (90.1 bb's)
B6 (101.4 bb's)
B5 (160.9 bb's)
B4 (16.5 bb's)
B3 (101.3 bb's)
B2 (15.5 bb's)
Hero (175.7 bb's)
BN (161.8 bb's)
SB (64.8 bb's)

BN is the button.

Precards:
SB posts the small blind 0.5 bb's, BB posts the big blind 1 bb.

Preflop: Hero is dealt Eight of Spades

(10 active)
B7 raises to 3 bb's, 5 folds, Hero calls 3 bb's, 3 folds.

Flop: Six of Clubs

(7.5 bb's, 2 active)
B7 checks, Hero bets 3 bb's, B7 calls 3 bb's.

Turn: 6 Club

4

2

(13.5 bb's, 2 active)
B7 checks, Hero bets 10 bb's, B7 raises to 40 bb's, Hero raises to 70 bb's, B7 raises to 84.1 bb's (all-in), Hero calls 14.1 bb's.

River: 6 Club

4

2

3

(181.7 bb's, 2 players)

Final Pot: 172.7 bb's, 9 bb's raked
Hero, net: 82.6 bb's, Won at showdown, has Eight of Spades

(Two Pair, Eights and Sixes)
B7, net: -90.1 bb's, Lost at showdown, has Queen of Diamonds

(a Pair of Sixes)
BB, net: -1 bb's, Folded Preflop
SB, net: -0.5 bb's, Folded Preflop

However, I'm not too sure about this one:

PokerStars (Cash Game): $0.05/$0.10 NL , 7 players
Sat Aug 25 02:41:02 VET 2007
(Format: BBCode)

B1 (290.5 bb's)
Hero (148 bb's)
SB (63 bb's)
BB (105 bb's)
B4 (104.5 bb's)
B3 (40.5 bb's)
B2 (41.5 bb's)

Hero is the button.

Precards:
SB posts the small blind 0.5 bb's, BB posts the big blind 1 bb.

Preflop: Hero is dealt Jack of Clubs

(7 active)
3 folds, B1 raises to 5 bb's, Hero calls 5 bb's, 2 folds.

Flop: Ten of Spades

(11.5 bb's, 2 active)
B1 bets 7 bb's, Hero raises to 20 bb's, B1 raises to 60 bb's, Hero folds.

Final Pot: 49 bb's, 2.5 bb's raked
Hero, net: -25 bb's, Folded Flop, has Jc Js (a Pair of Jacks)
B1, net: 24 bb's, Won uncontested Flop
BB, net: -1 bb's, Folded Preflop
SB, net: -0.5 bb's, Folded Preflop

I think it was an OK fold. Had he been holding AK, he'd crap out on the flop raise. Unless he had a reaaaaly good read on me.

Anyway, I'm up 3 BI today. slowly but surely, I'm grinding to the next step.

hey, jack.

gl. as for your histories, hand 1 (JJ), i may fire a flop bet out there, but there were so many players in the hand, i dont mind the prudence. if i fire the flop, i fire it hard, and am done if called, especially once the 9 pairs. hand 2 (AK), yup, thats a bit overplayed.

keep going. is party still rater stupid? that KQ that raised you 88 wasnt the greatest move given the action. lol.

TX

I've tried about 10 180's since the start of this op. Everyone I placed OTM. That's -$40, a hit to my roll. Maybe I have to scratch 180's from my list, and only do big tourney's where I'm lucky enough to sat into, to keep my roll constant (minimize the hits).

In cash though, I'm still doing fairly well. I'm running 6BB/100 now, and my aggression is also pretty good.

On a sidenote: I used to play MTT's very tight early, etc, folding a lot and so. I find myself not doing this anymore. Maybe that is affecting my play inasmuch as making me a worse/ more variance prone player? Hmm...

Hey, a question. How are you copying the Poker Tracker stats from PT?

Just print-screen, then pasting in your favorite image editor.

I think I've acquired discipline enough to not pay off with second bests.
That, or the villain had a lot of balls and bluffed me. I guess we'll never know

PokerStars No-Limit Hold'em, $0.10 BB (8 handed) Hand History Converter Tool from FlopTurnRiver.com (Format: FlopTurnRiver Cards)

saw flop|saw showdown

Hero ($23.40)
UTG+1 ($6.75)
MP1 ($7.80)
MP2 ($14)
CO ($16.05)
Button ($10.40)
SB ($12.70)
BB ($29)

Preflop: Hero is UTG with

,

.
Hero raises to $0.3, 2 folds, MP2 calls $0.30, 3 folds, BB calls $0.20.

Flop: ($0.95)

,

(3 players)
BB checks, Hero bets $0.5, MP2 calls $0.50, BB folds.

Turn: ($1.95)

(2 players)
Hero bets $2, MP2 raises to $4, Hero calls $2.

River: ($9.95)

(2 players)
Hero checks, MP2 bets $9.2 (All-In), Hero folds.

Final Pot: $0.75

Roll update: 310. 190 more to go to reach 25NL.
My won@showdown went up, as did my aggression pf and post.
I'm playing well, and aside from a few lapses in concentration (which cost me dearly), I think I'm in shape to soundly beat the next level for 8bb/100. I'm not anywhere near great, but I'm playing well.

Keep the concentration levels up, don't pay off with obvious second bests, and view my game from a third person perspective. That's all I should be thinking about.

And I'm not complaining about beats. And I'm not gonna do it anymore.

Today I couldn't lay long.
Yet every hand I touched, on multiple sites, seems to turn to gold.

An (rather donkish) example:

PokerStars No-Limit Hold'em, $0.10 BB (8 handed) Hand History Converter Tool from FlopTurnRiver.com (Format: FlopTurnRiver)

saw flop|saw showdown

MP1 ($8.80)
MP2 ($1.85)
Hero ($9.85)
Button ($7.35)
SB ($10.95)
BB ($13.10)
UTG ($17)
UTG+1 ($10.55)

Preflop: Hero is CO with 8

, 7

.
UTG raises to $0.3, 3 folds, Hero calls $0.30, 1 fold, SB calls $0.25, 1 fold.

Flop: ($1) K

, 9

, 7

(3 players)
SB checks, UTG checks, Hero checks.

Turn: ($1) 7

(3 players)
SB bets $0.4, UTG folds, Hero calls $0.40.

River: ($1.80) 7

(2 players)
SB bets $0.9, Hero raises to $3, SB calls $2.10.

Final Pot: $7.80

Yes I know. Bet turn. Push river.
As played, I guess I should've pushed the river anyway.
Almost at 16 BI for 25NL, I think I'll start taking shots.

See you at the tables!

Good lucky sawyer, i'll be there soon too. My BR is at $482 at the moment. I had to withdrawal $1000 at the beginning of August and left myself with just $100.

TNX

Not exactly because I tilt, but because I was severely underrolled at the start. This measure was taken to make sure I wouldn't spew 50% of my BR away in any given day.

And about the +5BI - I feel that my implied odds to play any average stack while having such a big stack isn't optimal. I would much prefer to take those earnings to an upper level for a shot.

K

Lets use numbers, for simplicity's sake.
When i have $50 in front of me, yet all I can win the next hand is $10, I don't feel a desire to play. I can only win 1/5 of my stack, yet everybody else can double up when against me.
I want it to be worth my while. I want to at least be able to win $25 in the next hand.

I don't really like playing against short stacks. Maybe its because of this?

Wheeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee! 600th post!

any table that lets you get up to 5buy-ins is good to be at. If you don't like sitting with 5, why not leave the table - note the number, then re-join or waitlist it five minutes later?Then you would be there with a normal stack and most of the same donors...

Edit: martindcx1e, i just noticed that we have almost the same project going on, except i started later and have a lot still to learn. Race ya!

Its definitely in my head
I've got to get it out! Get it out!

Good Luck. Many of your targets and goals are my own as I have also only dabbled in the poker world to date.

TX

a whole day, grinding at 10NL. I was up two BI.
Then these beauties:

PokerStars No-Limit Hold'em, $0.10 BB (8 handed) Hand History Converter Tool from FlopTurnRiver.com (Format: FlopTurnRiver Cards)

CO ($28.65)
Button ($2.80)
SB ($5.60)
BB ($10.10)
UTG ($12.80)
Hero ($9.95)
MP1 ($7.80)
MP2 ($15.55)

Preflop: Hero is UTG+1 with

,

.
1 fold, Hero raises to $0.3, 3 folds, Button calls $0.30, 1 fold, BB raises to $1, Hero calls $0.70, Button folds.

Flop: ($2.35)

,

(2 players)
BB bets $2, Hero raises to $5, BB raises to $9.1, Hero calls $3.95 (All-In).

Turn: ($20.25)

(2 players, 1 all-in)

River: ($20.25)

(2 players, 1 all-in)

Final Pot: $20.26

Results in white below:
BB has Jh Qh (flush, queen high).
Hero has 9c 9s (three of a kind, nines).
Outcome: BB wins $20.39.

PokerStars No-Limit Hold'em, $0.10 BB (9 handed) Hand History Converter Tool from FlopTurnRiver.com (Format: FlopTurnRiver Cards)

BB ($23.60)
UTG ($3.75)
UTG+1 ($6.60)
MP1 ($4.90)
MP2 ($12.90)
MP3 ($1.35)
Hero ($9.75)
Button ($9.85)
SB ($9.60)

Preflop: Hero is CO with

,

.
2 folds, MP1 calls $0.10, MP2 calls $0.10, 1 fold, Hero raises to $0.4, 1 fold, SB raises to $1, 1 fold, MP1 folds, MP2 folds, Hero calls $0.60.

Flop: ($2.30)

,

(2 players)
SB bets $0.5, Hero raises to $1.5, SB calls $1.

Turn: ($5.30)

(2 players)
SB bets $3, Hero raises to $7.25, SB calls $4.10 (All-In).

River: ($19.50)

(2 players, 1 all-in)

Final Pot: $19.51

Results in white below:
SB has As Jh (flush, ace high).
Hero has Kh Kd (two pair, kings and fours).
Outcome: SB wins $19.50. Hero wins $0.14.

Fuck this break even shit.

Regarding the last two hands you posted:

Hand 1). Looks fine, but make a note that he 3bet you with Q-Js.

Hand 2). I know you would like to keep weaker hands in by just calling the 3bet, but particularly since villain 3bet for such a small amount you ought to make a large 4bet. As played you should just pot the flop and stick it in on the turn.

Definately 4-bet the Kings in hand 2 pre-flop. If he reraises you with AJ, then he might even come along and then you can just stick it in on the flop, otherwise you won a safe and easy 12 BB's. At 10nl I always tried to just get as much in the middle pre-flop as possible against unknowns/ known donkeys with the big pairs and it never stopped amazing me what I got called with.

As for hand 1, nothing you can do but count to ten, breath in a paperback 7 or 8 times, punch your sister in the face for no reason, smile and grind on.

martin, daven, you guys are right.
I'll change the rules to reflect this.

Add
- Never, ever, leave a winning table

Delete
- Leave table once stack= +5BI

Also

Add
- Never, ever, play poker in the morning after waking up. Go read news or something.
Don't ever do this! Listen to me! I'm your own tilted self!

Hopefully not the last. BINGO!

PartyPoker (Cash Game): $0.05/$0.10 NL , 10 players
Mon Sep 10 22:43:10 VET 2007

B5 (117.2 bb's)
Hero (123.3 bb's)
B3 (20 bb's)
B2 (145.4 bb's)
B1 (160.5 bb's)
BN (99.6 bb's)
SB (42.4 bb's)
BB (72.1 bb's)
B7 (194.6 bb's)
B6 (19 bb's)

BN is the button.

Precards:
SB posts the small blind 0.5 bb's, BB posts the big blind 1 bb.

Preflop: Hero is dealt King of Spades

(10 active)
B7 calls 1 bb, 2 folds, Hero raises to 6 bb's, 6 folds, B7 raises to 40 bb's, Hero calls 34 bb's.

Flop: Seven of Hearts

(81.5 bb's, 2 active)
B7 bets 154.6 bb's (all-in), Hero calls 83.3 bb's (all-in).

Turn: 7 Heart

2

K

(319.4 bb's, 2 players)

River: 7 Heart

2

K

6

(319.4 bb's, 2 players)

Final Pot: 238.1 bb's, 10 bb's raked
Hero, net: 114.8 bb's, Won at showdown, has King of Spades

(Three of a Kind, Kings)
B7, net: -123.3 bb's, Lost at showdown, has Ace of Clubs

(a Pair of Sixes)
BB, net: -1 bb's, Folded Preflop
SB, net: -0.5 bb's, Folded Preflop

gotta love villain's play here. Guess he's trying to rep a slowplayed kk/aa??? or??wtf, i got no idea... nice catch

I made up for most of my losses yesterday playing ring.
Yesterday, I tried my hand at a variety of SnG's, with very bad results. IDK what happened to my play, but it sucks now. Badly.
I guess getting accustomed to having 100bb can make you a lazy pig.
BR around $350 now. I'm grinding it a bit more, until I receive word on my Bodog account getting Rakeback.
I think I'll grind it up to around $500 and start focusing on my bonuswhoring odyssey.

I started looking at the iPoker network. Party sucks when bonuses are involved, and stars bonuses aren't very lower-limits-friendly.
I think my next stop will be Cardoza games, after using up the 25% reload Bonus on Empire due the 14th.

I need to get this roll to 4-figures by the end of this month.

Gotta love teh doomswitch

PokerStars No-Limit Hold'em, $0.10 BB (9 handed) Hand History Converter Tool from FlopTurnRiver.com (Format: FlopTurnRiver)

saw flop|saw showdown

UTG+1 ($7.70)
MP1 ($18.95)
MP2 ($15.90)
MP3 ($6.95)
Hero ($9.85)
Button ($13.55)
SB ($9.40)
BB ($2)
UTG ($12.10)

Preflop: Hero is CO with 5

, 6

.
2 folds, MP1 calls $0.10, 2 folds, Hero calls $0.10, 1 fold, SB completes, BB checks.

Flop: ($0.40) J

, 7

, 3

(4 players)
SB checks, BB bets $0.2, MP1 calls $0.20, Hero calls $0.20, SB calls $0.20.

Turn: ($1.20) 4

(4 players)
SB checks, BB bets $0.3, MP1 raises to $1, Hero calls $1, SB folds, BB raises to $1.7, MP1 calls $0.70, Hero raises to $9.55, MP1 calls $7.85.

River: ($22) 8

(3 players)

Final Pot: $22

Bigstack had 2c5c ultralol

And when I need one, all I get is "BLANK! BLANK!"
Fuck stars.

PokerStars No-Limit Hold'em, $0.10 BB (9 handed) Hand History Converter Tool from FlopTurnRiver.com (Format: FlopTurnRiver Cards)

saw flop|saw showdown

MP3 ($8.25)
CO ($7.80)
Button ($8.70)
SB ($3.05)
BB ($10)
UTG ($5.05)
UTG+1 ($11)
Hero ($9.60)
MP2 ($40.65)

Preflop: Hero is MP1 with

,

.
1 fold, UTG+1 calls $0.10, Hero calls $0.10, 1 fold, MP3 calls $0.10, CO raises to $0.6, Button calls $0.60, 2 folds, UTG+1 calls $0.50, Hero calls $0.50, MP3 calls $0.50.

Flop: ($3.15)

,

(5 players)
UTG+1 checks, Hero bets $3, MP3 folds, CO raises to $7.2, Button folds, UTG+1 folds, Hero calls $4.20.

Turn: ($17.55)

(2 players)

River: ($17.55)

(2 players)

Final Pot: $17.55

Results in white below:
Hero has Td 8d (high card, ace).
CO has 7c 7s (three of a kind, sevens).
Outcome: CO wins $17.55.

Wow.

PokerStars No-Limit Hold'em, $0.10 BB (9 handed) Hand History Converter Tool from FlopTurnRiver.com (Format: FlopTurnRiver Cards)

saw flop|saw showdown

MP1 ($5.45)
MP2 ($3.85)
MP3 ($6.75)
CO ($10.85)
Hero ($9.40)
SB ($8.50)
BB ($12.30)
UTG ($6)
UTG+1 ($7.80)

Preflop: Hero is Button with

,

. UTG posts a blind of $0.10.
UTG (poster) raises to $0.2, 3 folds, MP3 calls $0.20, 1 fold, Hero raises to $0.8, 1 fold, BB calls $0.70, UTG calls $0.60, MP3 folds.

Flop: ($2.65)

,

(3 players)
BB checks, UTG checks, Hero bets $1.1, BB calls $1.10, UTG raises to $2.2, Hero raises to $8.6, BB folds, UTG calls $3 (All-In).

Turn: ($14.15)

(2 players, 1 all-in)

River: ($14.15)

(2 players, 1 all-in)

Final Pot: $14.15

Results in white below:
UTG has Ah 7h (three of a kind, sevens).
Hero has Ks Kh (two pair, kings and sevens).
Outcome: UTG wins $14.15. Hero wins $3.40.

I haven't had time to reload. Next hand

PokerStars No-Limit Hold'em, $0.10 BB (9 handed) Hand History Converter Tool from FlopTurnRiver.com (Format: FlopTurnRiver Cards)

saw flop|saw showdown

UTG ($3.95)
UTG+1 ($3.85)
MP1 ($6.25)
MP2 ($10.85)
Hero ($3.10)
CO ($8.15)
Button ($10.35)
SB ($15.75)
BB ($7.80)

Preflop: Hero is MP3 with

,

.
1 fold, UTG+1 calls $0.10, 2 folds, Hero raises to $0.5, 2 folds, SB raises to $0.9, 1 fold, UTG+1 folds, Hero raises to $3.1, SB calls $2.20.

Flop: ($6.40)

,

(2 players)

Turn: ($6.40)

(2 players)

River: ($6.40)

(2 players)

Final Pot: $6.40

Results in white below:
SB has Qs Qd (full house, queens full of sixes).
Hero has Ks Kd (two pair, kings and sixes).
Outcome: SB wins $6.40.

Really, Fuck stars

Shit, I'm failing my goal:

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