Completed operation $2k.

Approximately 4 months ago I began operation $2k. I began with a bit under $700 playing 25nl and finished September with just over $2350 playing $100nl. I thought I'd post some thoughts and conclusions, but really they've all been said either in my "thoughts on beating microstakes" threads or in other posts/replies. Or you can just read through my op.

Instead I thought I'd share one post I made a while back. I think it sums up how I did it, and my approach to getting better. Its a topic I've addressed before, but it focuses on being active in your learning, rather than passive. I posted this about 3 months ago, and its probably close to what I do now also:

A session for me is usually about an hour long. I dont want to get too tired and play poorly, and it also is just easy to slot into my days. Some days I may get two sessions in, and some days I may miss altogether, but I'm really trying hard to be consistant about the 1 session per day thing to keep my practise up.

After every session I do a review. Biggest winners, biggest losers, hands that stood out, a few random pots, etc. I'll try to take some postgame notes on some opponents, especially if they stand out during any of my hand reviews. I probably spend around 15 mins doing that after every session, and post a few hands on weaktight for my group to review. I then spend some time going over any comments they've made on previous hands, and commenting on any hands they've posted.

I would normally talk to at least one person per day on msn or aim about poker. Maybe following up on a comment they made on a hand, talking in more depth about my thoughts on a hand they posted, or just chatting about games, strategies, problems, solutions, whatever.

I try to pick the crop of the posts on FTR and focus on the threads that will benefit me by reading them, and really try to think about the comments in those threads. I often spend a few mins on the 2+2 uNL forum, but its largely a cesspit of stupidity. Sometimes you find a diamond amongst the turds though.

I have a grinderschool membership, and went through and downloaded every 6-max vid they've done a while back. Sometimes if I have time I'll watch another one. I really should study them properly, even take notes/etc, but I dont really. I just watch them and try to let stuff sink in. Maybe because watching a video seems to be my option when I want to do something to improve my game, but my heads not right to play and I dont want to think too hard reading articles/etc.

Something I've been doing lately, is if I find a good post, or maybe an article on the internet somewhere that seems solid, especially if I dont have time to give it a lot of thought, is save it to my HD and then print it out later. I then clip them all together, and if I'm travelling or something I can take them along and read when I'm away. Sitting on a train or passenger in a car I can really muse over whats being said and think how it can apply to my game. Seems to be working well for me so far.

So all in all, I'm really trying to make the time I spend on poker count atm. Rather than just mindless entertainment for hrs a day with little playing and no real thought, I'd prefer to concentrate when I'm "on poker", and then let it go and do other things the rest of the time. Seems to be working so far, but its still early days.

I dont really spend much time in the irc channel unfortunately, but I do recommend it, especially if your aim/msn/whatever contact list doesnt already include a handful of players who are better than you to discuss things with.

sticky

Holy crap can we quit with the sticky comments.

Congrats bjsaust.

Originally Posted by spoonitnow

Holy crap can we quit with the sticky comments.

Congrats bjsaust.

sticky?

Originally Posted by XxStacksxX

sticky

This.

Nh sir!

congrats bj!

Originally Posted by courtiebee

congratulations BJ?

fyp?

BEN BEN BEN BEN BEN

Originally Posted by spoonitnow

Holy crap can we quit with the sticky comments.

i think i've suggested this for four threads, total. Coincidence that two have been in the last two days. That extract would make good beginner required reading I think. That's all...

grats bjsaust, i enjoy your threads quite a bit i hope u stick around the BC when u move up to 50NL.

Grats bjsaust! Your video was awesome and a great help to me too. I hope you make another. Kudos.

Thanks guys, I meant to post this to hopefully help some of the new guys who may read "study more", and "work to improve your game" without really having many ideas on how to do that other than just read FTR a lot. Hopefully walking through the ways I've worked to improve my game will give them some ideas.

I do appreciate the congrats though .

Its an ongoing project. I think now I'm fairly happy with my understanding of the concepts and principles of winning poker (for where I'm at), its time to suck it up and give the maths a real going over now. I personally believe that really understanding how poker works and why things work and when is the most important part, but there comes a point where not putting proper effort into ranges and EV calcs is just putting off the less fun aspects (for me anyway).

Thanks redpalo, I'm glad the video has helped you and others. I had planned to do another on making the next steps (things like BRM, multitabling, HUDs, moving up, etc) in SnGs but unfortunately I switched to cash and its been months now since I played my last one. I'm really too rusty to do it justice now. There seem to be a bunch of good $22 and $33 (and $16/$27) STT players on FTR atm though, so maybe one of them will take up the challenge to do something similar .

"cash games for people who built thier roll on SNG's" sounds like a good title hmmmm........

Because I see posts like this a few times a week:
http://www.flopturnriver.com/phpBB2/...lp-t76710.html

Haha, no pressure if you're not into making more at the moment. Just want to make sure you know if you do consider another in the future, you should go for it. Your calm, logical thinking out-loud and lots of "oh I'll just fold this," "I'm not interested in this" was a great example to me.

Originally Posted by daven

Originally Posted by spoonitnow

Holy crap can we quit with the sticky comments.

i think i've suggested this for four threads, total. Coincidence that two have been in the last two days. That extract would make good beginner required reading I think. That's all...

We could try "add this to the digest" from now on since that seems more practical.

After every session I do a review. Biggest winners, biggest losers, hands that stood out, a few random pots, etc. I'll try to take some postgame notes on some opponents, especially if they stand out during any of my hand reviews. I probably spend around 15 mins doing that after every session, and post a few hands on weaktight for my group to review. I then spend some time going over any comments they've made on previous hands, and commenting on any hands they've posted.

I think I missed the first thread you posted this in but damn this makes a lot of sense for me. Most of my losses come after marathon sessions where I go way up get overly excited/greedy, kinda reverse tilted and then go on to suck because I couldn't quit while I was ahead. Also, I was falling into the habit of think that looking at poker tracker for a few minutes was all I needed to do was study. Yea I over play my KJ...next...that isn't helping me learn, but doing the best worst hands has opened my eyes alot. Appreciate the wise words.

Originally Posted by spoonitnow

Originally Posted by daven

Originally Posted by spoonitnow

Holy crap can we quit with the sticky comments.

i think i've suggested this for four threads, total. Coincidence that two have been in the last two days. That extract would make good beginner required reading I think. That's all...

We could try "add this to the digest" from now on since that seems more practical.

you're often right. again.

Congrats BJ. Next goal?

$5k. I'm original .

At $5k I'm ready to start getting out of poker what I originally wanted, so its a pretty big one.

Originally Posted by bjsaust

$5k. I'm original .

At $5k I'm ready to start getting out of poker what I originally wanted, so its a pretty big one.

Best of luck.