Hopefully last time I have to take a shot at 25NL

K, so I've been playing for like 5 years probably. Played just about everything. Started play money, tried freeballin and such forever. Eventually deposited 50$ on stars (dont even think I got a bonus back then). Was a BR nit from the start even without a BR management plan. Played .01/.02c for a long time till BR was couple hundred dollars probly, then paid back myself my deposit. Been donking around in all kinds of games for wayyyy toooo long. Was lurkin around FTR for long time before I actually signed up. Learned soooo much from you guys. Shout outs to Spoon, Renton, Robb, BJ, Taipan, and recently M2M and Jason and many others that dont quite come to mind right now.

Anyways did cash games for sometime got 1K+ and have taken a few shots at 25NL which always ended in dropping back down. Have had to withdraw several hundred dollars due to snowboarding injuries and such keeping the BR pretty low. Last Xmas I took out like 600$ from my 1200$ account to pay for presents for family and stuff. My buddy had some sick cashes in a few big MTTs, so I started played those with some success between SNGs/MTTs. As of the last few months I felt my game was still pretty bad and cash seemed the best way to dial my shit in.

K, so present day BR=$1758 as of today. The beginning of October I had a mission in mind. I wanted to get 40K hands at 10NL through the month of October and make VIP silverstar. Started that mission with BR=$1,347 and 57.78 VPPs. I finished silverstar on 10/24 with a BR=$1645. So decided next mission was get to $1750 by the end of the month go for goldstar at 25NL. (BTW there were some 4.40 MTT wins and 25NL donkings in between this month so it wasnt entirely 10NL). I decided at 1750$ im moving up.
Anyways I have been here before and failed and I am hoping this will be the last try. (Also I know I'm wayyy overrolled for 25NL but I feel my game is lacking....soooo). The point is I want to beat 25NL. I think I might be at a point in my game that I can do it this time.

Gonna show you my month of 10NL. I know my BB/100 is low so dont flame, but first month back at cash meh. I think another month would look different as I spent the first week or two readjusting to cash game play. Also relearning wtf A game is. The plan is 10 Buyins at 25NL and drop if I have to so 250$. My roll can take it at this point.
http://img503.imageshack.us/i/10nl.png/

Felt like around 15K I got my Cbettin and aggression under control, as well as hand ranges and such after adjusting (probly heatin too). Then downswong + playing lazy ass Bgame even Cgame poker and maybe some D for drunk game. Then broke 1750$ like I wanted and here I am.

Anyways NOVEMBER=25NL/250$/3000VPPs. hopefully....
and watch the fuck out for this guy http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=y8Kyi0WNg40

lol 3ptbb+ is not a "low" winrate

N holy crap ur a BR nit

GL with your op.

Yo thnx superman. BR is where it is comin off tournies tho, I know im rolled for higher but first month back at cash so....
Anyways update first day at 25NL...ehhhh downnnnnnnn then uppppp then dowwwnnnnnnnn then finish today 2200 hands and up 40c....LOL lame but was down 60$ish
http://img509.imageshack.us/i/25day1.png/
man how the crap do i post the graphs strait up?
anyways...rough first day but feel like first 1k I played terrible and was pretty card dead to go with it. Kinda forcing the action a bit. Last 1k felt like I started getting my sh!t together but still played fairly badly. Hoping for better days to come, at least we aint down.

I live in a ski resort town and right now the resort doesnt open for 2 more weeks. Im out of the job basically till they open and the town comes back to life so I got some time. And will somebody please tell me how to post these graphs properly??

Got in a few hundred hands late last night +1 buyin ! It does seem a bit harder to table select. Its like every table has 2-3 super nits the rest is short stack donk/stations. It seems like people aren't in as big a hurry to dump their stacks like they were at 10NL too. Overall the play isn't too different tho, but this is still the beginning so we'll see.

I R MORON. man last couple of days were just terrible. felt like card dead+missed flops=SPEWWWW!! down to my last 2.5 buyins out my starting 10. today a bit of recovery won back like 1.5 buyins but i dropped down to one table only. GODDAMN that shit is boring. but its gotta be done i think or this OP will be over in no time. so meh BR=1594$. still hopin this will be the last time, but it aint lookin good.....keep on keepin on....

almost +2 Buyins in 400 hands. Playing 1-2 tables ATM, gotta slow the fuck down and think about what im doin. Just to simpylify for BR updates, Im just gonna go by what im playing with at 25NL instead of what my whole roll is.
So the 25NL ROLL=$137 only 5.5 Buyins. Almost 6k hands.

Bout halfway through Pro NL, wanna finish it before I go back to the tables. Might go snowboarding tomorrow, take the day off from poker. Gonna try to get on IRC a bit too, still haven't been in there.

Arg I just can't get going. Everytime I start spend an hour or two gettin up about a buyin.....
Very first hand at the table.
PokerStars No-Limit Hold'em, $0.25 BB (6 handed) - Poker-Stars Converter Tool from FlopTurnRiver.com

UTG ($31.75)
MP ($19.75)
CO ($23.45)
Button ($30.75)
SB ($31.50)
Hero (BB) ($25)

Preflop: Hero is BB with A, A
1 fold, MP calls $0.25, CO calls $0.25, 2 folds, Hero bets $1.75, MP calls $1.50, 1 fold

Flop: ($3.85) 9, 4, K (2 players)
Hero bets $2.70, MP raises to $8.25, Hero raises to $23.25 (All-In), MP calls $9.75 (All-In)

Turn: ($39.85) 9 (2 players, 2 all-in)

River: ($39.85) 6 (2 players, 2 all-in)

Total pot: $39.85 | Rake: $1.95

Results below:
Hero had A, A (two pair, Aces and nines).
MP had 4, 4 (full house, fours over nines).
Outcome: MP won $37.90

Then I tend to spew off another buyin trying to force things or just gettin goddamn impatient. Add 2 more tables trying to get it back but gettin myself into a few more spewy spots instead.

So 25NL BR=45$ Just under 2 buyins. Did a few 10NL seshs when I didnt feel like 25NL so im gonna put those in play for now and bump it up to BR=81$. But I got some serious game issues, shouldn't be having this much trouble I think. Been reading thru Robb and BJs old opps when the were moving up, sounds the same, having same struggles. Read Jason's too and that foo had an EZ transition .
Been going thru the old HHs, seems like all the bigger pots come down to me being a moron or opposition being a moron but hittin when drawing thin. I'm gonna keep stickin it out here but dunno, I'll probly have to go back down. But it seems like I got some serious leaks that need to be fixed anyways so goin back down may be for the best.

!@#$#%^^&&*(((%^@$%@
PokerStars No-Limit Hold'em, $0.25 BB (6 handed) - Poker-Stars Converter Tool from FlopTurnRiver.com

CO ($5.55)
Hero (Button) ($25)
SB ($26.45)
BB ($18.25)
UTG ($15.25)
MP ($7.20)

Preflop: Hero is Button with Q, Q
UTG calls $0.25, MP calls $0.25, 1 fold, Hero bets $1.50, 1 fold, BB calls $1.25, 2 folds

Flop: ($3.60) 10, 6, 6 (2 players)
BB checks, Hero bets $2.70, BB calls $2.70

Turn: ($9) 4 (2 players)
BB checks, Hero bets $6.60, BB raises to $13.20, Hero raises to $19.80, BB calls $0.85 (All-In)

River: ($37.10) A (2 players, 1 all-in)

Total pot: $37.10 | Rake: $1.80

Results:
Hero had Q, Q (two pair, Queens and sixes).
BB had A, 10 (two pair, Aces and tens).
Outcome: BB won $35.30

BR=44$ 10NL i'll be home soon....

Originally Posted by WeaselT

!@#$#%^^&&*(((%^@$%@
PokerStars No-Limit Hold'em, $0.25 BB (6 handed) - Poker-Stars Converter Tool from FlopTurnRiver.com

CO ($5.55)
Hero (Button) ($25)
SB ($26.45)
BB ($18.25)
UTG ($15.25)
MP ($7.20)

Preflop: Hero is Button with Q, Q
UTG calls $0.25, MP calls $0.25, 1 fold, Hero bets $1.50, 1 fold, BB calls $1.25, 2 folds

Flop: ($3.60) 10, 6, 6 (2 players)
BB checks, Hero bets $2.70, BB calls $2.70

Turn: ($9) 4 (2 players)
BB checks, Hero bets $6.60, BB raises to $13.20, Hero raises to $19.80, BB calls $0.85 (All-In)

River: ($37.10) A (2 players, 1 all-in)

Total pot: $37.10 | Rake: $1.80

Results:
Hero had Q, Q (two pair, Queens and sixes).
BB had A, 10 (two pair, Aces and tens).
Outcome: BB won $35.30

BR=44$ 10NL i'll be home soon....

This type of thing happens to me about 4-5 times a session. Except I don't even know it happened until I do my session review. You have to learn to not give a shit one way or the other. You have to be like.. "I win a huge pot" yawn "I lose a huge pot and take a beat" yawn. Onward we go.

Letting past hands, whether good or bad, affect future decisions is the definition of tilt.

Our equity is almost never 100% when the money goes in. A certain number of times out of 100 we will lose. If we didn't, the fish would stop playing.. and we don't want that.

Averaging 60% equity when the money goes in will make us a huge winner over time.. but if we let the other 40% piss us off, we tilt and WE become the 40% fish for awhile.. at least 'til we give a beat and get off tilt.

By the way, have you ever tried FR? Its a lot less intense than 6-max and the swings seem to be a lot more gentle. I spend 90% of my time 9-handed now and read a lot and practice getting better at 6-max in spare time. I also use a 100 buy-in rule for 6-max.

Ya I'm usually like really good at shakin shit like that off. I think part of the problem is im playing less tables and the action goes sooooo much slower. Then I do tend to stew over an hours worth of play flushed away in 2 seconds. Also now that BR for this level is sooo limited just pains me to see a buyin shippin instead of gettin shipped. Gotta get over it I know . I never even flinch when that crap happens at 10NL.
As for FR, ya tried it but then the ADD sets in from boredom. Boredness usually leads to spew...gotta work on that aswell.
Wow goddamn 100BI rule for 6max??
Got a little more play in last night BR=59$

UPDATE: so already the title of the OP is a FAIL. 25NL did not work out again.... . New month same goal I guess. BR currently=1598.
Almost 4 BI's for 25NL but the month didn't go well as far as me and my game.

The snowboard season started again which is already a big distraction. Our mountain reopened middle of this month and I also had to reopen the bakery. Between working and riding (and breaking a finger already) I was just completely unfocused. I kinda donked around at 25 tables and played wayyyy less than optimally. If I was tired I donked around at 10NL which sorta kept my 25 losses up, but thats not good enough. I was lazy and just not playing A game. For some reason my game keeps changing to a Weak/Tight or overly Aggro and deviating from solid play. I think I was also too focused on quantity instead of quality. I guess this is the stake where you just cant get away with playing lazy and I was punished for it.

I can play lazy at 10NL and win a good bit but thats not what I'm trying to do. So for now I gotta rebuild to 1750$ (shouldn't take long I hope) and give it another go. But this time I HAVE TO STOP FUCKING OFF. Gotta cut down tables at 25 to 2 max. Gotta stop playing with the TV on. Gotta stop playin when the wifey is home (too distracting pretending to listen and play at the same time). Gotta spend more time reviewing and pluggin up leaks cuz I know i got a ton.

So OP failed but not over.........

UPDATE: I'm back. Currently I am playing 25NL and doing pretty well. Im about 10 BI's away from 50NL!!
I believe this OP may have tilted me more than anything which is why I havent touched in a long time. I think I became completely results oriented.When the new year started, I restarted. Reset my database to start from this year fresh. Cashed out 500$ from my account for Christmas for me and the wifey. Didnt matter because a good portion of that roll wasn't being used for the stakes I was playing at anyways.

So I started fresh at 10NL 6max with a little more than 1K$. Rebuilt my roll to 1250$ in about 3 weeks and made the switch. So now almost at the end of February I'm at about 1745$ all from 25NL (down from 1800$ the other day tho ). Going to 50NL @ 2K$. Haven't combined my database from my 2 comps but on this comp im running about 6.24BB/100 for about 10K hands.

Anyways I am at a much better place than I was when I first started this. Figured out and fixed a lot of the problems I had the first time around (probly more like 7th hehe). I did actually switch to FR. Mostly because it just seemed WAYYYY easier to find fishy tables. I have done 6max also but the majority is at FR. I'll post my 10NL graph but I'm going to wait until I finish up 25NL to post the graph.



No more updates until we hit 2K$.

And just for fun I found this :


I believe this was my tourney phase last summer starting from around 200 games or so.

UPDATE: BR=2004$$!! about goddamn time too. 25NL COMPLETE!!!

So I am now about to venture outside of the microstakes (not as a drunken mistake anyways). On to 50NL. Exciting and scary. The last few weeks I've been peeking at the 50 tables. Looks like there are are still fishies to be fished but a lot fewer.

I feel like I played well but definitely not as well as I could have. Got it done in any case. 25NL was not my favorite stake for sure. Seemed like most tables were packed with full stacked nits or 20BB shortstack shovemonkeys. They were fairly easy to deal with but hard to make any real money off of. Table selection was key for sure. I had to move A LOT. Got all the 10$ stellar rewards so that helped and I'm at about 90% for my first 50$ bonus.

So, Goals. Mostly I just want to stick around 50NL. Not have to move back down in a week. 10BI's lost=back to 25NL. No more hand goals, no more VIP goals. I just want to hold my own at 50NL and keep learning and eventually move up. At this point tho I dont care how long that takes. I BEAT 25NL. So even if I do have to go back, at least I know I can do it.

I will update again if I make 10BI's at 50NL, or if I have to move back down (hope thats not the case).

Now for the Garphs.
25NL:

Everything since the new year 10NL-25NL:

UPDATE:
not up, not down really. I really just felt like I needed to express my disgust for 50NL. I haven't played much of it really so far tho. About 3K hands only 9 days played, +35$ for the level so far. BR is ok for now about 2115$ or 12 BI's. 50$ bonus and some 25NL when the fiddy tables were just too bad. Table selection fookin blows. ITS ALL REGS. They are all tight as fuk too, which is terrible for me cuz im tight as fuk. It's all full stacked or 20BB tight asses. UGGG hate it.

So now I gotta do some serious work at opening up my game and improving my postflop game. But ATM hating 50NL for sure. Was never really necessary to open up lower because it was just too easy to get paid. But I've been pretty break even so far so that just aint gonna cut it. Not feelin bad really, just hatin on regs :P. Whatever just felt the need to say how much I hate it here so far. Gonna keep working on stuff and hope I can get this figured out.

Also just started puttin down cab 3s and 540s this season pretty stoked on that. Still want to get backside 7's before the season is out but only got a few weeks left for that one. I've been staying off the big booters this year due to knees feeling terrible and trying to avoid anymore surguries. We've been gettin skrewed as far as snow goes this year, so my after season spot Arapahoe Basin may not be open until June like it was last year. Summertime is good for grindin tho cuz snowboarding is about all I do for outdoor activities.

Anyways will try to update again up or down 10BIs.

what time are you usually playing? I agree that the 50NL tables have a lot of regs. I table select like crazy and when my table gets too reg filled for me, I leave it and hunt for another table with a couple fish. And for sure there are tons of bad regs... (I think I'm one of them, lol)

usually afternoon or evenings US mountain time. I table select like mad too and can find a couple of fish but 10 minutes later fishy is broke and replaced by more regs. (and now I can join you as one of the bad regs ).

UPDATE: BR=$2474 Close enough to +10 BIs for 50NL since the move. Wasn't entirely 50NL tho. Had some 25NL times when the 50NL tables were just terrible and +50$ from stellar bonus. I feel like I might be settling in now tho.

First 2 weeks were all break even, but that was ok considering I tanked within a week during previous shots at 25NL. I think once I stopped FPS spewing I actually started winning. Really only since about the start of April I started booking some wins. Just too busy lately between working snowboarding and trying to play fewer tables to put in much volume. So I don't want to get ahead of myself and think I'm gonna crush this sh!t. But for the time being I have almost 20BIs for 50NL before I have to move back down. I'm sticking to a strict 2BI stop loss so unless the doomswitch hits I should hopefully be sticking around for a while.

This is life at 50NL so far:

UPDATE: okey, BR=$2200+. The Pokerstars switch killed me. I topped out at about $2550@50NL. Since the switch, my tough time with the regulars just got wayyyyy tougher. Being the nit that I am I usually did the best I could to find fishees. Seems like the tiny pond I was fishing at 50NL dried up. Even played some 25NL and it seemed like I was playing 50NL previous to the switch. I just ended up trying to outplay and FPS spewing all over the place.

For the time being I am going back to 25NL to try to work some sh!t out. Pains me being well rolled for 50NL still, but I have some serious kinks I have to work out before continuing. I'm also on pace for goldstar for the first time ever and its a bit easier to put in higher volume at 25NL. I picked out about 10 regs I have 700+ hands on. I'm going to go through PT and try to pick their game apart and see if I can come up wih some good ways to hurt em. Dunno should be benificial I hope. Don't know how long I will stay at 25. I guess whenever I feel like I can stomp the regs a bit better. I thought I had a problem with them before but now...........

Life news: My home mountain closed on Sunday. I took a slam on a jump a week ago. Busted lip and a broken wrist woooo. Also managed to destroy 2 sets of bindings this season. Last day, my wifey broke her wrist as well wooooo. Now that the resort is closed, the town will be a ghost town. I have about 2 weeks until we close down my bakery, so I will be on part-time hours pretty much. After that we wont open again until memorial day weekend. Arapahoe Basin should be open till middle of May I hope so I might still get some riding in before stupid ass summer. But anyways I will have plenty more time to play and hopefully improve. Next update whenever the fook I feel like it.

I dunno wtf I wanna do. Yesterday I started at 25NL, was pretty meh. Saw some better 50NL tables, played there for the rest of the day +60$. Today the 25NL tables seemed better than 50NL +30$. Low volume though, only bout 300-500 hands a day with less tables. I think I just had a bad week. I really need to stop being a pussy and play what I'm rolled to play. Although I think it's even more +EV for me to play whatever stake seems to be suited to my nittyness at the time. A lot of my spew still seems to come from bad postflop play and trying to put moves on regs. I'm not scured of the regs. I guess I'm just getting frustrated trying to squeeze a penny out of em. Stuff to work on, dunno.

BR=2300$ish

TOTAL for 50NL 13K hands +300$ (why am I pussing out??)
actually lost a good chunk at 25NL

YouTube - Masta Ace - Da Grind (Feat. Apocalypse) FYP

Goldstar!!! BR=$2500+

Originally Posted by WeaselT

Goldstar!!! BR=$2500+

<<<Jealous!

Nice job!

I tried to make a run at goldstar, but came up short thanks to school winding down =\

Next month!

UPDATE: BR= 1582$ +Goldstar for the first time ever.

Month was kind of meh. Started off well until PS changed the structure. Then I kind of struggled to figure out where to play and pretty much blew it while I was finding my way. I did a lot better @50NL FR for the whole month than anywhere else. Somehow I ended up down about 9 buyins @25NL (wtf? I dunno). Spent the end of the month gettin it all back @25NL (+8 BIs in one day tho mwahaha).

So on to May. I will be out of work as of today until the 27th. Other than some occasional trips to Arapahoe Basin to ride, probly won't be doing much. Going to go full on 50NL only. Got 20+ BI's at this point to play on and I've been doing well there so far. I want to start posting at least a hand a day and putting in more study time. Side goals are to quit smoking (again), stop drinking for the month, and start gettin some excercise at home now that I wont be riding anymore.

April:



50NL Total:

Fucked up spot, im lost. Villian is 50/0 over 11 hands??

PokerStars No-Limit Hold'em, $0.50 BB (8 handed) - Poker-Stars Converter Tool from FlopTurnRiver.com
UTG ($59.05)
UTG+1 ($50)
MP1 ($59.90)
MP2 ($25.65)
CO ($6.65)
Hero (Button) ($58.85)
SB ($51.60)
BB ($40)
Preflop: Hero is Button with Q, Q
UTG calls $0.50, 1 fold, MP1 bets $2, 2 folds, Hero raises to $6.50, 2 folds, UTG calls $6, 1 fold
Flop: ($15.75) 2, K, 4 (2 players)
UTG bets $5, Hero??

Seems like he could probly limp/call a lot of Kx, 22, 44. I dont know shit about him. 1/3 pot?? I dont like any of my options really......thoughts?

in the hand above i call flop/eval turn. i'm not too worried we are behind when he leads out small; if he had 22/44/AK/KK+ i would expect him to usually c/r small or c/c the flop.

Villain is 23/18 over 200ish hands 50 AFQ 86cbet/33fold cbet

PokerStars No-Limit Hold'em, $0.50 BB (8 handed) - Poker-Stars Converter Tool from FlopTurnRiver.com
Button ($39.20)
SB ($49.50)
BB ($55.85)
UTG ($13.95)
Hero (UTG+1) ($50)
MP1 ($50)
MP2 ($41.50)
CO ($49.25)
Preflop: Hero is UTG+1 with A, A
1 fold, Hero bets $1.75, MP1 calls $1.75, MP2 calls $1.75, 3 folds, BB calls $1.25
Flop: ($7.25) 7, 3, 2 (4 players)
BB checks, Hero bets $5, MP1 calls $5, MP2 calls $5, 1 fold
Turn: ($22.25) 6 (3 players)
Hero bets $12, MP1 raises to $29

hero?????
checking turn and going from there seems like the way to go........

222<8888
TTT<JJJJ

Update wat?: Hey, not even sure if anybody reads this but whateva i know cbat wanted one :P. So starting the new year I restarted at cash games and tried to conquer 25NL. Done deal, did it. About end of May beginning of June I guess I had to go back to work FT. Worked my nutz off. I work at a bakery/breakfast place but I run the baking of the whole place. I worked there for several years and the place has had 3 different owners since I have been there. I do my job and do it well so the owners don't fuck with me cuz I get shit done. Anyways, the current owner wanted me to start baking for these local farmers markets this summer. So on top of just running shit for the bakery, I also had to make hundreds of loaves of bread and pastries myself. I was baking all night, sleeping all day, all summer long. Sometimes I would sleep 4 hours then go work 14, was a pretty fucked up schedule.

Sooo, as far as poker went...

Anytime I had to play poker I was sooo wiped out I didn't want to. When I did I was unfocused and just donking around horribly. I backed off of 50NL due to lack of focus and motivation. I stayed mostly at 25NL, but not with much success. I played so little I dropped back to bronze star (lol cant even remember last time I didnt make silver). I pretty much broke even for the whole summer. Mostly the BR hovered around 2500$ some months up couple hundred, some months down.
I finished my last farmers market this last Friday which I am soooo fucking stoked about. I had a lot of time to think about pokerz alone all nite. Came to a few conclusions about my game.

One being, I am a huge fucking BR nit and it has to stop if I am ever to progress.
Two, A game is such a huge necessity (dont know how to spell that I think, fuck it haha). A game always, always, ALWAYS. No matter what the stake. If you can't bring it dont play it.
Three, keep spending time studying. The learning never stops, if you stop your game will too. I barely had time to play let alone study but whateva, dont neglect it. A few others I got floating around in my head but meh.
Sooo ATM this week I moved back to 50NL still under a 10BI rule because if I cant thrive on the 10 BI's then I might still suck even tho still overrolled. Always, take this shit serious if you really want to improve I guess might have been my biggest lesson.

Of the 5 days and 3k hands I have played in September I am up 235$ between 25NL/50NL. I am trying to focus more on quality over quantity these days. Also I am dumping all VPP's into bonusus to boost the roll. Previously they all went for books or iPods and shit. Now I want to move up as quickly as possible. I may get my ass handed to me moving up but it should teach me some things when I take my shot.

Not sure if I will keep up on this but next on the list is 100NL. Sittin at about 2850$. Want to make the move at 4K. So next update then maybe?

GL

Guess I won't be seeing you at the 25NL tables anymore.

Thx dude and hopefully i'll be seeing you at 50NLs instead?
BR broke the 3k mark today for the first time ever . Down a little bit from that now but new milestone for the BR anyways.

I could be down for a sweat too if anybody of similiar stakes like 25-50NL is interested. I play a super nitty game so wont be too exciting on my side but just putting out there...

I think Robb put it best with "winning is a habit". It's a habit I am trying very hard to be in when I got back to the tables these last couple of weeks. This is the first 5 days back at 50NL, I just wanted to put this up cuz its kinda sexy.


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As far as my play/study time. I am trying to take a more directed approach. I'm sticking to 4 tables max even less if theres not much to chose from. I am only playing like 2-4 hrs a day hands max even tho I have the time to play more. Haven't even played a 4 hour day yet. Moving tables a ton to fit my style. Notetaking and on all SD hands and whatever like a madman. Trying to take as much damn time as I want to make decisions. Trying to think hard about ranges no matter how incorrect they may be. When I feel A game slipping away, whether it be tilt, FPS, or whatever I'm done.

Then something that was neglected for a long time was review sessions. I've only been putting in like 300-600 hands a day so it doesnt take very long. I probly dont review all that I should but some is better than none. Then go read a few strat articles either here or 2P2 and donk around the forums.

So far I think my play is kinda meh. I'm think I am playing much better than I was in the spring. But always just tons of room for improvement. Seems like I am running goot and playing umm I dunno better? So few hands to say anything really just glad to be off to a good start I guess.

BR=3177$

w00t! See you at 100s soon!

Keep it up man. And I would be down to sweat sometime for sure.

Okey so I'm not sure what the thoughts are on linking stuff from 2P2 but there were a couple of posts I read recently that I thought were just awesome. (plz tell me if this is a nono).

On Being Solid (very long) - Small Stakes Pot Limit and No Limit - Small Stakes Poker Forum

The Theory of Grinding (TL;DR) - MTT Community - Multi Table Tournament Poker Community

WeaselT I really enjoyed reading your blug and will be keeping up with your progress. I admire your discipline with your bankroll. BUT damn dude you are a br NIT! Keep it up!

FYI I don't think you have anything to worry about as far as linking 2p2 or anything else. If it's +EV info then share it for sure.

Thx dude. I guess it's kinda BR discipline and ya it's nitty. Mostly tho I built my roll from cash and tourneys before. This time around I wanted to do it proper like moving up as my CASH only winnings and skill allowed. I do plan on moving up to 100NL@4K thats pretty standard for most I think (40BI's). I've been keepin up with your OP as well looks like you're making some good progress, keep it up homie.

Guess its end of the month update time eh?


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Those big flat lines are drunken donking at the penny tables (like 3.5K worth), and a few other smaller stakes mixed in. About 5.5K hands@50NL for like 5 BIs. So not too shabby considering the low volume. Still trying to stick to like 4 tables only mostly.

So bout +475$@ the tables and +225$ with stellar bonus/vip bonus/50billion bonus. 700$ month, pretty sure thats the most I've made in a month. BR=3308$ also another first.

Hoping for 100NL by the end of the year, but not gonna sweat it or go balls out to make it there. Supernova's not even close. Just gonna keep doing what I'm doing, see what happens. Wanna shoot for like 15K hands in Oct. (woah no way, I know huge). Going to NYC for a week on the 26th. Then snowboarding season starts again so gonna have some serious conflicting issues. Snowboarding usually wins :P. GL to all in October!.

UPDATE: BR= 3573$ ATM. Down a bit from 2600+, kind of a shitty day but whateva. I started getting my feet wet at 100NL (the holy grail of micro grinders IMO). Played short sesh yesterday and today. +18$ over a whopping 60 hands. I'm trying the 30 min 1 table with full focus approach for now.

First impressions, not terribly different from 50NL. Saw some wacky like overly aggro plays that looked realy bad but could've been reg battles, I dunno. It's weird too cuz I check occasionally and it seems like the table selection at 100NL is better a lot of times. Still too soon to say anything really tho.

I've been mixing 25NL and 50NL for the last month or so and doing pretty well. Mostly because before my work ended the only times I could play 50NL table selection was awful. I've been sticking with 4 tables and occasional 6 tables. It wasn't difficult to play 2 different stakes simultaneously cuz they dont play HUGELY different IMO anyways. I think now at this point tho, it's time to drop 25NL completely. I really just want to concentrate on the low stakes now. So I guess I am saying goodbye to the micros besides some occasional drunken donking.

It's wierd to think now that the title of my op is "hopefully the last time I take a shot at 25NL". Now I am beginning to take shots at 100NL. Took about 10 months to go from 10NL to shot taking 100NL. Probly could've been done it faster if not for RL shit but meh. I think cbat said something like "all of the information you need is out there, it's up to you to put it to work". Hella true. I'm thinking a lot of micro'ers are too focused on volume. I was too but not so much these days. Slow it all down. Think about EVERYTHING. If you pay enough attention you can spot your own leaks easily. Then go do some study on what it is that's leaking. Every day, I know there is some part of game I need to work on and I try to. I dunno where I am going with that, just some thoughts I guess.

Im off work until like Nov 10th or something so I will have plenty of time to play (besides a week in NYC). So for now I plan to stick with 50NL with some small 100NL sessions until 4K$. Then I'll probly 1-4 table mixed games between the two depending on how im feeling. And then?? 200NL?? Jeez I dunno I guess I'm just happy to have made it this far.

Wp

sick progress man.

I just read through most of your op now. those 2p2 links are gold btw thanks a ton for sharing them.

Originally Posted by WeaselT

I'm thinking a lot of micro'ers are too focused on volume. I was too but not so much these days. Slow it all down. Think about EVERYTHING. If you pay enough attention you can spot your own leaks easily. Then go do some study on what it is that's leaking. Every day, I know there is some part of game I need to work on and I try to. I dunno where I am going with that, just some thoughts I guess.

well said

Thx guys. M you back to NLH yet? Btw loved reading your old OPs from when u were coming up.
oh and roll=3700$

hey, ive discovered a few new things during study for nlhe so yeah im playing that mostly at the moment but still have plo to work on alongside.

good to hear, and PLOL i have played a bit of and i think its an awesome game just to hard to do both for now. would love to spend some time on on it eventually tho.

WeaselT stopped in to check up on ya. Was good to bump into you briefly at the micros. Things seem to be progressing really well. Keep it up.

Hey Harley. Ya I was donking around having a few drinks, despite how bad it looked only -7$ at 10NL 6m. I had a nastly little midmonth downswing but am bouncing back. Roll=3600$ish. Will update at the end of the month. Thx for stopping in .

OCTOBER UPDATE: Roll=3736$. Leaving for NYC for a week so this is then end of poker for Oct. for me. First half of the month was good. Dabbling at 100NL was a fail. Got stacked once and just lost a bit here and there the other times I played. -186$@100NL. Was all on just stupid shit too, me being and aggrotard. Following the 100NL stacking I dropped like another 4BI's@50NL. Worked it back up tho.

Towards the end I was fairly close to Goldstar so I just wanted to crank it out before I left for my trip. 9 tabled 25NL a good chunk at the end. Really didn't enjoy it. Too many tables, not enough thinking. I won a fair amount but to me I just dont think its worth it. Made too many mistakes. I know some people can do it no problems. My win rate and just my gameplay is soooo much better with fewer table. IMO you just learn soo much more too. So I think from now on im just gonna say fuck the VIP status. Ya you get a few more FPP's for rakeback, but spew less and pay less in rake kinda evens out.

+409$ at the tables +100$RB= 509$ for the month. Meh gotta do better in Nov.
OCT GARPH:

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^power

I hate playing hands based on a pre defined range. Because if a true nit opens UTG i fold my AQo in CO and feel good. If a lagg opens from the same position, I snap call. if a manic raises I might 3 bet.

But, I enjoyed reading what you wrote.

Just thought I would throw that out there.

!luck

Obviously your the range you write isn't set in stone, but can be a sanity check when you are not on your shit.

I'm not saying you MUST play your AQo to an UTG nit. Just cuz its in your range for that spot doesnt mean you have to play it. The key is know how to play that AQo in the CO, sometimes you fold/call/raise whatever. This is mostly to rid you of all the crap you were probly playing and losing in certain positions.

Your focus is to try to play the hands you play well, play them the best

I just mean keep it strict at the beginning so you can put your focus into improving your play on limited hands. Clean up what you got and expand.

UPDATE?: November sucks for Poker. BR=$3300ish. Whatever. IT'S SNOWBOARD SEASON!! So for now poker is on the back burner. I deleted that old post cuz I was drunk and didnt like it much. (was mostly my framework for pokerstudy more than a strategy).

November started with me coming back from NYC. Best trip ever. We did tourist shit all day, partied all night. Even lost my phone in a cab after one of those nights but magically got it back from the driver on Halloween . One of my buddies in NYC got one of his photos published in the Nov. issue of Transworld Snowboarding if anybody reads. The snowmageddon section with Luke Love (rode with that kid once too) props to you homie. My early season resort opened up the day before I left for NYC. Snowed so much, the pass closed to get there so I couldnt make it for opening day meh. Got back, first place I hit.

Our area has been getting dumped on since mid Oct. I started work on the 10th, our home mountain opens up the 17th. Got back from NYC hit up my early resort a few times. We have an abandoned resort/church camp or something? like a 10 minute walk from my house. Theres a few jibs and shit set up, hit that a few days. Rode our backcountry mountain pass the day before opening at our home resort (first avalanche rescue of the season, not mine tho thankfully). Goin on 6 days in a row now. Wanna get like 120 days ridin in this season. Only managed like 70-80 last year (fuckin weak btw) could settle for 100. 10 out of 120 so far!! Sooooo stoked on the season the snow is already 10x better than last year soooooooo.........

Poker...I dunno. I love poker but snowboarding is definately first of my list of passions. I work, I ride, thennnnnnn too tired to do much after that. A-game went away after NYC. I've been playing like a donkey for this whole month. I want to play, but I'm so not motivated to play well. Obviously this does terrible things to the BR. I've tripled my BR since the beginning of this year. Almost quadrupled until November bleh. So whatever. I'm content. Gonna keep playin. 100NL is still within reach if I can pull my head out of my ass when I do decide to play. Just wanna ride for now. I really need to be better about when I play and how than just whatever lets play sesh. Either way let it fuckin snow.

Originally Posted by WeaselT

UPDATE?: November sucks for Poker. Whatever. IT'S SNOWBOARD SEASON!! So for now poker is on the back burner.

Either way let it fuckin snow.

I agree on all counts, although I want to keep playing poker. I'm originally from Austria and it's my first winter here since I was like 2. Just got all my snowboarding gear together and the white fluffly stuff is coming down this week! You should post some snow stuff.

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Not from this winter but you get the idea :P.

Looks like gooooot times!

dneureiter: no plans to stop playing, mostly to stop playing when I shouldnt. Thats almost always now tho sooo....Is this your first year riding?? Either way let it fucking snow mwahahah.
Harley: great times!!! nuttin like stomping your first cab 5 or FS 9, beats any rush in poker.

I gotta say tho the ups and downs of snowboarding can be the same. You wanna learn to 3bet like you wanna BS 7. You gotta get slammed like a fucking lot before you put it down proper. Then you get slammed a lot before you can put down everytime. When you can put it down proper, then its on to the next slam.....(at least theres no hospital time involved in poker slams).

No I've been riding for awhile but didnt bring my snowboard with me to Europe so I'm getting a new one. Going out next weekend. Snow making machines are the shit. I'm not really great in the park (I spin 3's + awful 5's) but I totally know wyhat ou mean about the rush. I <3 the backside of the mountain where I lived in Washington when it snows 2 feet and you just bomb down steep slope and bounce your way down just bearly in control. Then you fall over exhausted at the bottom, quality fun.

euro riding sounds dope, probly gnarly mountains in austria huh?

NOVEMBER UPDATE: Played like a lazy dumbass all month. Down like 500-600$ish. Got my hands on 2 comps so no graph but it pretty much shoots strait down . Ran kinda bad but mostly just played like and idiot. Hope to not repeat in December and have my shit together by 2011. Ridins been fun anyways. 15 days in November (need more volume there hehe). BTW anybody know of an easy way to merge 2 PT databases? Heres to hoping for a donk free A game of a December.

END OF THE YEAR: probably the end of this OP as well. Funky year for poker. When I really buckled down and pushed hard I did well. But when I got too busy with RL stuff or just got lazy. Well, I did uh bad? +1800$ for the year. I'm happy with it I guess. I know I could've done much better but I'll take up over down anytime.

Made it to 50NL and even played with 100NL a bit. Roll currently is around 2750$. I had a bad November and December and cashed out 500$ for Xmas. So 2750$ still keeps me rolled for 50NL. I just haven't played it much lately for a few reasons. I have so little time to even play anymore between work and riding every day. With so little time to play, I have even less time to study. When I do play it's rarely A game so I try to avoid playing for more money. I cashed out because it didn't mean shit to my roll as far as the stakes I've been playing (and cuz I needed the cash for presents .

So for now, probly just best to end this OP as I am no longer taking shots at 25NL (more of just a reg for now). I can't even play with any kind of regularity anymore. Goals for 2011: I'd like to play more, dunno if I can but I'll try. Stay at 50NLs and above, I'm fucking rolled for it I should. That also means I gotta stop playing when I shouldn't (tired, lazy, etc.) Mostly just keep moving up. Right now I dont care how long that takes. Probly wont be able to play regularly again until spring soooooo until then? I dunno just gonna probly try to stay at 50NL with few tables. Want to maybe take shots at 100NL again at 3K/30BI's this time around.

Anyways, I'll figure it out later. Now for the year graph! Pretty pathetic towards the end. Could be off a bit too got some on my other comp but whatever.


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Happy 2011 FTR! and out............

oh and I had to add this because it's been cracking me up all day YouTube - Laughing Shark

Hey!! Still here, still playing. Sometimes. Not enough but meh. More of a 50NL reg now. Dabbling in the 100NLs again. First decent month in some time considering the super low volume. Dunno. Feeling different about my play these days. Feeling next level I guess?? I don't know. It's like, I barely play, but when I do and feel A gameness I can bring it...hmm dunno. Like game changed. Slowed down, considering ranges, considering player tendancies.....dunno it's weird. Wish I had more time to play. Really trying not be a BR nit anymore. In the green at 50 and 100NL this month (not saying much with so few hands tho soo..). Feb pretty good so far tho:


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So for now...Goals I guess are to stay away from the micros. Do my best to hold my own at 50 and 100NL. Still not much time to play until the snow melts but I think im doing aight without much game time. Who knows maybe just running good. I just feel better about my game so....where this goes dunno...keep on keepin on i guess.

Hey guys. Still playing when I can. Soooo stoked about this month. Most I have ever won in a single month and probly with least volume of most months aswell.


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Mostly 50NL about 2-4 tables. Some 100NL +250$ish there. I feel like im playing on a different level. Only goals i've had as of late are to PLAY GOOD. That's it. Not trying to cram in hands or play 18 tables. Just PLAY FUCKING GOOD. Feel like I did it this month.

Couple BI's away from moving to 100NL full on. Hope I can continue the play good there. Still not much time to play until the snows all gone soooo just gonna do my best with the time I can find.

Winters been really good so far. Snow is 10x better than last season. Tried learning front flips yesterday, got pretty close to landing some. Gonna need some more practice tho. Doing a little filming with some homies at the local snowboard shop. Just having fun riding and grinding for now.

4K$ roll! On to the hundos............

Nice Hand Sir!

Knock'em dead at the hunskys!!!

Finish this sentence (no limit on number of words).

My turning point in poker was when ___________.

man i gotta think about that one...right now im not sure...there were a few 'AHA!' moments somewhere in there...

squeezed in an hour sesh today after riding. +167$ .

some grinding tunes YouTube - Reef The Lost Cauze - Still I Rise

My turning point in poker was when ___________.

I thought about it. Not even sure if I had a turning point :P maybe im just running good. Nah I dunno. I guess what helped the most lately was quitting my button mashing addiction. I mean, dropping to a few tables. Really spending my time figuring out the table layout. Figuring out where my money is coming from. Thinking about what I want to open vs. different opponents. Thinking about position, stack sizes, image, etc. Thinking, thinking, thinking. I know its all the same shit we read over and over. But when I really slowed down and thought about what the fuck I was doing and why, shit just started coming together. Like, just paying attention and figuring out your opponents goes a long way. I just came to the conclusion (mostly when the money became slightly signifigant) that EVERY DECISION MATTERS! But even if its the smallest most trivial pot, stop and think about it. Perhaps there is something else. Stop trying to think "standard" all the time.

I generally don't participate much in HH reviews and discussions. I kind of don't like to. Not because I'm afraid of having my thoughts berated or anything. I like to read them tho. I like coming to my own conclusions about this kind of stuff. I also like the opposing points of views on stuff, but I like to keep mine to myself. While it may not be optimal, standard, whatever. It's what makes my...style I guess. I dunno. I barely have time to play let alone study. But I try to make up for that with quality play if I can. I have been reading "Small Stakes No-Limit Hold 'Em" for the second time now (next book after "Professional NLH"). I would say a must read for anybody at the 25-100NL level. It's aimed at the SSNL crowd 50-200NL. It doesn't have anything that you can't find anywhere on the net or even in FTR. It's all stuff I've read about before. But it lays out the concepts extremely well and follows with a ton of examples taken from real online play. I had a much better understanding of all of those concepts after reading it for sure. Probly pretty standard for the bigger guys, but it clarified a ton of shit for me. A few other recommended reads are "PNLH" and "The Poker Mindset".

Lately though, I've just slowwwwwwed down to like 2-4 tables and just really trying to take my time on all decisions. There really is so much to absorb, I dont find myself getting bored or autopiloting. I dont care about volume anymore. Really I just try to put down a good short sesh whenever I find the time (maybe a few short sessions if can). The VIP status really doesnt mean much unless your at least supernova. I figure if I can climb the ladder high enough, eventually those veeps come rolling in anyways. CASH $$ > RB $$. I feel like I learn so much more from every session too because I am paying attention and probly actually learning. That learning translates to the next session. I don't have to go back and pick through HH's to see where I fucked up, cuz usually I can tell right away. I do go and look at my tough spots tho, still tho there are a lot fewer to sort through.

SOOO I guess my turning point was focusing quality over quantity. EVERY DECISION MATTERS!!! I'm going to do my best to continue with this 2-4 table max thing. I had my first 4 figure/best month ever with probly least volume ever. Must be something to it...or I could blow it all fairly soon......lets hope not . Oh and I must add PS changing the tables back to the good stuff helped for sure.

Now for some garphs.

50NL 2011:


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and 100NL 2011:


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I think that redline is up there cuz I've been scaring out money too soon. Meh.

On another note. I've been riding very well this season, up to like 70-75 days something like that. But my knee now hates me for it (surgery once already), so I'm going to try to sit out a week maybe more (hopefully not) and rest it up. Good news for poker time, bad news for ride time.
Stay classy San Diego.

One more from today without riding so kinda happy kinda sad:


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50-100NL mix still 4 tables just more hours.

update..........mehhhhhhhhhhhh............nahhhhhh hhh............

March:

1/3 100NL
2/3 50NL


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Little late with that. Meh. Neways march was good. Trying to focus more on 100NL now. Shaky so far, running under -EV but still doing good umm kind of...maybe? Been riding hard everytime I go out. Hit some sick staircase handrail at copper on monday. But man my knee is in bad shape. Been taking more and more time off the hill. Sucks too cuz I the town has slowed down a lot so I am working like part-time now basically. So good news is I have more time to play....but I'd rather be riding . Couple more weeks and we shut down the bakery for like a month so I'll have nothing to do until almost June. Hopefully I can keep gettin some ride time in if my knee holds up otherwise keep grindin.

Are you trying to become a professional snowboarder? If so that's so awesome. I wanted to do that after graduating HS but never had the money to move to Colorado or Cali.

As for the poker side of things all I can say is MORE VOLUME! If you really want the money from poker there's no other way than to put in the hands, especially if you feel like you are playing well. I work part time, go to school full time, and still have found ways to increase my volume over the last couple months by cutting out down time or watching TV or other things that had previously been a standard part of my day.

Good luck at the tables!

I snowboard cuz I love it. I wouldn't mind getting paid for it tho . These days you need at least a double cork to hang with the big boys tho. I grew up in Colorado. Moved to the mountains when I was 17 after HS. Get a job at the ski resort. They will set you up in employee housing, free ski pass, free buses running everywhere, rent comes out of your check, it's pretty easy. You just need a few hundred for a housing deposit. Try it for a season, it's fun.

Poker....
I'm fairly new to 100NL so I'm just trying to take it slow for now. Focus on quality, fuck the volume. I've been trying not to play when I'm not feeling it too, otherwise I'm spewy. I want to stay away from the fiddies and stick mainly to 100NL this month. I'll have more time on my hands for the next couple of months tho so I should be able to up the volume a bit.
Neways it snowed 7 inches last night so I gotta get to the mountain .