Operation 7k5

Don't feel to down, I had those exact same stats over 20k hands at 100NL when I moved up at poker stars (Paradise had a much fishier game). I was down 2k too. A lot of it was just a horrid series of two and three outers, and some was bad play. Move down to 50, get a better feel for your game, and move back up.

Yeah, stepping down a stake is a great idea. A combination of bad beats, losing money, and bad play will take a toll on your psyche. Beat some poor 50nl players and you'll feel better and wonder why you were ever frustrated with the game. GL.

Thanks guys, helps me feel better about my decision to move down.

I still seem to be having some outrageously bad luck, but at $50NL I'm still making a profit because my opponents are soooo baaaad.

Had a long day the other day, was up a couple of buy-ins after a few hundred hands, then down a buy-in by 500 hands, then up a couple by the end.

Managed to make about $190 the last two days, which still leaves me down $370 for the month so far but things going in the right direction again.

Also sat down at a stars $12+1 SNG for fun while watching the superbowl.
I got an early lead and then watched as guys donked their stacks off and I found myself in third at the bubble. But I just played nice aggro poker, picked up a couple of nice pots and suddenly had the lead.

It was really fun just bullying the other guys around on the bubble as they refused to call me down and I went ITM with a 7:1 chip lead.
Made it extra fun with the guy I beat at the end (KT v A8 and I hit) beratting me for being a crap player when I'd just sailed to first place.

All in all a satisfying session, even if the stupid Bears lost because they have more donk plays than me at $200NL.

Played a fair bit of poker today, about 1200 hands of $50NL. Finished down about $40 overall; partly because of poor concentration (playing while working) and a bit of bad luck.

I made about $30 off a session of $1/2 LHE, which I did mainly to have a session review with Poker_Muzz.

Went fairly well. Wish I'd not folded this hand though:


Limit Hold'em CryptoLogic ($1/$2)
Converted by FTRConv
6-handed

StacksUTG+1: $19
CO: $13.50
BTN: $33.52
SB: $61.75
BB: $32.25
Hero: $43.25


Pre-Flop: Hero is UTG with 4 4
Hero raises, UTG+1 calls, CO calls, BTN calls, SB 3-bets, BB 4-bets, Hero folds, UTG+1 calls, CO calls, BTN calls, SB calls,

Flop:(22SB) Q 4 2 (5 players)
SB bets, BB raises, UTG+1 folds, CO calls, BTN calls, SB calls,

Turn:(19BB) 8 (4 players)
SB bets, BB calls, CO folds, BTN calls,

River:(22BB) 4 (3 players)
SB bets, BB calls, BTN calls,
Final Pot: 25 BB

Should have called even with the cap, the number of callers making it worthwhile. *sigh*

Awful day.

Down almost four buy-ins. Two of which came right near the end. (Top two pair verses quads and KK v set- both probably avoidable).

There's some bad play there, shouldn't be losing like that at $50NL.
Trying to put it in perspective I'm still up at $50NL for the month and it' s just reduced my win-rate to something more realistic; but when there's a $700 deficit from $100NL already it just stings.

Pretty much want to just put this month behind me and hope that March is better. Which given that it's only the 9th Feb sucks a fair bit.

Still if I keep playing $50NL I ought to eventually start building up the bankroll... just got to keep playing.

So I find myself pretty much where I started the month, with my BR sitting at around $2000.

Of course I've received $250 in rb and $300 in bonus, so I'm mucho down still.. but it doesn't feel so dangerous as long as the BR stays where it is.

For the short-handed game I'm back at $50NL, got in about 3.5k hands over the weekend at around 1bb/100, which actually is my long-term winrate at $50NL now (on Crypto, much higher at Party, for example).

Put in another 900 hands today and managed to pick up one luckbox suckout which helped me finish a couple of buy-ins up.

I've also played a few hands of full-ring $100NL and up half-a buy in there (would have been higher, but paid off a set of 9s with my AA).

I'm actually up at all limits of LHE this month, so far. I had a good session at $3/6, which I really enjoyed although I have to say I think the guys there were above my skill level (I was single-tabling and found it hard to track what was going on). Finished up $80 ish, would again have been more but in a hand in which I hand the nuts on the turn it turned into a split pot on the river so an $80 pot was split.

BR is now sitting around 2100. There's another $200 in bonus to get from Interpoker and $100 from Sun this month; if I can finish at $2400 it'd be a start.

Well my constant attempts to sabotage my own Operation are starting to wear me down.

I've been playing a few thousand hands of Short-Handed Limit Hold 'Em.

Traditionally I've been a significant loser at the game; but felt like giving it a another spin for fun.
I've been playing $2/4 and $3/6 for the last few days. Until today I was losing a fair bit at $2/4 and making a little more at $3/6.

Yesterday I had a bad start, losing a fair bit at $2/4 and then in the evening managed to lose some more.
But I kept on going until I managed to win a lot of it back, really felt I'd settled into a groove and was playing well.

Came back today and managed to lose $300. I can't believe it, it just rolled away, never lost a really giant pot, but a few big ones. But it seemed like my outs never came in and my opponents did. I'm sure I bled a few BBs off by maybe calling a flop I shouldn't have, or even failing to fold to a 3-bet pre-flop.
But at the same time my opponents were hitting their outs and I was losing with my big hands.

I got my last $200 from Interpoker, so I've moved over to Sun the last leg of my month's bonus-whoring. So far at all types of poker I'm now down $800 this month; with $500 claimed in bonus and $250 earned in rakeback.

I've got another $150 coming in rakeback and bonus. So I can still turn a profit this month, but I have to try to get to the end of the month without further drama.
I suppose it'll be $50NL 6-max, the only game I expect to win these days. (that's not entirely true, I'm also up (barely) at $3/6 Limit and $100NL full-ring).

So what have I got out of it? Is it the possibility of finishing up $50 at the end of the month? Is that what the thousands of hands were worth? Or have I improved? Have I learned to play better poker?

That really remains to be seen. I honestly thought I had improved a lot at 6-max LHE, but today's performance makes me question it. And the fact that my "long term" (16k hands or so) $50NL winrate is about 1bb/100 is a little disappointing too.

Just did the IQ test at donkeytest.com



Much as one wouldexpect, I'm a fairly average player.

Suck at the tourneys, good with small PPs

SH limit can be really fun, it's really aggro and not too hard either.
Dude don't worry about your massive swings. You may be playing fine. You may break even for like 20k hands and then 2k hands your up 15 buyins.

But on another you can obviously improve at poker a lot. Post more hands and we'll try to give more insight.

Thanks Iowa... encouragement helps!

I've been back at $50NL a bit, but have little bonus left to clear so I thought I'd play some SNGs for fun.

Decided to give some $3 games on stars a go, went something like 11 games out of the money.
Lost a bit in some heads-up tournies too.

Had a nice run on Friday, had four quick $3s and finished 8th (all-in with 90% of it), 3rd, 2nd and 1st.
Still a slight loser at $3s, but probably time to play something else.

Then tonight I sat down at the Gauntlet and somehow managed to pull off a first place!! Some major suckouts along the way. All-in AJ v AK for starters.

Still that's hiked up my ROI to 60% for the week as Gauntlet was worth $84.

I actually posted the trimmed HH in the Gauntlet forums... so I hide none of my appaling play.

Decided not to play any more poker tonight, haven't felt this good about poker in a while; really need that.
So up a bit tonight and currently first in the Gauntlet leaderboard... I'll enjoy it until Wednesday

Congrats on your win today!

I went on a 16 ootm streak in the $3... lol donkaments.

Well, I've got about 12 MPPs to clear on Sun Poker and then all my bonuses are earned and I'll be winding down until Thursday when we can start all over again.

Had a major twitch at SH-LHE $2/4 and lost about $300, which would have about finished me had it not been for my NL games.

LHE:

NL: (Oooh, look, dropping down to $50NL has worked)


Another bright spot is my tourney results. Much of it from the gauntlet; but I'm up $100 or so. I lost $7 over 33 $3+0.40 SNGS on Stars; with Biondino pushing me to move up (Pot? Kettle? Issue of the Blackness?!?!)
Finally got up to the $6s, first 10 have been good to me.



All in all I've managed to clear $600 of bonus this month and lose $700 at short-handed limit and no limit. Picked up $100 at tournies and even at FR.

Bonuses picking up the tab for my donkishness is nice. Even nicer is the nigh-on $500 rakeback I've earned which will make a nice contribution to the roll.

Before I sign off for the night I'll post some hands, don't do that enough...

Here's my $100NL full-ring hands, which demonstrates part of my problem....

Hand 1:

No Limit Hold'em CryptoLogic ($100NL)
Converted by FTRConv
9-handed

StacksUTG+2: $80
MP1: $39
MP2: $101.50
CO: $121
BTN: $68.80
SB: $41.75
BB: $64.50
UTG: $57.25
Hero: $128


Pre-Flop: Hero is UTG+1 with A A
UTG folds, Hero raises to $4, MP1 folds, MP2 folds, CO folds, BTN folds, SB calls, BB calls

Flop:($12.00) J 9 3 (4 players)
SB checks, BB checks, Hero bets $10, SB folds, BB calls

Turn:($32.00) 4 (3 players)
BB checks, Hero bets $25, BB raises to $50.50 and is all-in, Hero calls
River:($133.00) 5 (3 players)

Final Pot: $133.00

Not sure here. Probably okay... certainly not my worst mistake.
Result:Villain had 99


Hand 2
No Limit Hold'em CryptoLogic ($NL)
Converted by FTRConv
10-handed

StacksUTG+2: $170.75
MP1: $71
MP2: $114.75
MP3: $125
CO: $70.28
BTN: $97.75
Hero: $103
BB: $106.87
UTG: $116
UTG+1: $101.63


Pre-Flop: Hero is SB with 9 7
UTG folds, UTG+1 folds, UTG+2 calls, MP1 raises to $4, MP2 calls, MP3 folds, CO folds, BTN folds, Hero calls, BB folds, UTG+2 folds

That call was dumb.

Flop:($14.00) Q T J (3 players)
Hero checks, MP1 bets $10, MP2 folds, Hero calls

Implied odds don't justify this...

Turn:($34.00) 8 (2 players)
Hero checks, MP1 bets $25, Hero raises to $89 and is all-in, MP1 is all-in $32
River:($148.00) A (2 players)

Final Pot: $148.00

Result:Villain flopped his straight with AK

Hand 3
No Limit Hold'em CryptoLogic ($NL)
Converted by FTRConv
9-handed

StacksCO: $163.38
BTN: $44
SB: $21.77
BB: $99
UTG: $34.75
Hero: $114.50
UTG+2: $101.50
MP1: $61.86
MP2: $107.88


Pre-Flop: Hero is UTG+1 with T T
UTG folds, Hero raises to $4, UTG+2 calls, MP1 folds, MP2 folds, CO raises to $16, BTN folds, SB folds, BB folds, Hero calls, UTG+2 calls

Really not sure about this call.

Flop:($49.50) 2 6 2 (3 players)
Hero bets $10, UTG+2 folds, CO calls

Really, really not sure about this donk.

Turn:($69.50) 7 (2 players)
Hero bets $10, CO calls

Really, really, really not sure about this bet.

River:($89.50) 4 (2 players)
Hero bets $10, CO raises to $50,

Really, really, really, really not sure about this bet.

Hero calls

Really want to pound my own head into the toilet. Stupid w*nker.

Final Pot: $189.50
Result:Villain had KK

Which was all the more annoying because I'd just been playing really patiently and picked up this pot:

Hand 4
No Limit Hold'em CryptoLogic ($NL)
Converted by FTRConv
10-handed

StacksMP3: $76
CO: $102.25
BTN: $101
Hero: $144.25
BB: $119.25
UTG: $137.75
UTG+1: $41.50
UTG+2: $44.75
MP1: $40
MP2: $21


Pre-Flop: Hero is SB with T T
UTG folds, UTG+1 folds, UTG+2 folds, MP2 folds, MP3 calls, CO folds, BTN folds, Hero raises to $4, BB folds, MP3 calls

Flop:($9.50) 3 K T (3 players)
Hero bets $4, MP3 calls

Turn:($17.50) K (3 players)
Hero checks, MP3 bets $3, Hero raises to $18, MP3 calls
River:($53.50) Q (3 players)
Hero bets $50, MP3 calls
Final Pot: $153.50

As a result I'm down like $5 at $100NL FR, when I ought to be up almost a buy-in.


Finally, played some LHE tonight. Single table, trying to get my reads together, real focus. Managed to finish up a bit despite one stupid pot going to far TPWK and getting out-kicked.
Best pot was against same opponent when my reads got a bit better.


Limit Hold'em CryptoLogic ($3/$6)
Converted by FTRConv
5-handed

StacksHero: $94.75
BB: $98.03
UTG: $89.75
CO: $152
BTN: $99.12

Pre-Flop: Hero is SB with K Q
UTG calls, CO calls, BTN calls, Hero raises, BB folds, UTG calls, CO calls, BTN calls,

Flop:(9SB) 2 7 2 (4 players)
Hero bets, UTG raises, CO folds, BTN folds, Hero 3-bets, UTG calls,

Turn:(10.5BB) 6 (2 players)
Hero bets, UTG folds,

Final Pot: 11.5 BB

Tomorrow will be the Gauntlet, I hope. A freeroll or two and finish off the bonus and then probably no more ring until Friday.

Tournies FTW!!

Betting on three streets the same amount and making a river call where you're beating nothing is really bad. Otherwise the other stuff is good.

Originally Posted by IowaSkinsFan

Betting on three streets the same amount and making a river call where you're beating nothing is a sign of extreme mental retardation. Otherwise the other stuff is good.

FYP

Thanks for that man.
I'm hoping that these experiences will soon teach me to stop doing those stupid things which I know are stupid.

I thought I'd learned these lessons back at $10NL... obviously not...

Quick update:

Is more like $350 rakeback... my bad.
Have claimed the last of the $600 bonus.

Busted out of the Gauntlet tonight in an obscenely low place... going up against KK with QQ. Ended up with 30.
Manfully fought back until I was on 500, dipped down to 300 and then went all-in v Warpe AKo v K4o. He hit a flush. Oh well.

Went better on the Poker Plex RakeTheRake freeroll. Both Biondino and I FT'd, I got 7th for $125... not too bad. Should have been more.

Well the month managed to squeeze an extra few dollars out of the month; but in a very irritating way.

I had a crack at the $100 reload bonus on Party. Normally I'd go for $25NL FR or something and 8-table it until it was done; but this time I went for some $50NL 6-max and I quickly lost two buy-ins and suddenly needed the bonus to break even.

Worst hand:
Party Poker No-Limit Hold'em, $50NL (5 handed) Hand History Converter Tool from FlopTurnRiver.com (Format: FlopTurnRiver)

saw flop|saw showdown

UTG ($70.74)
MP ($53.83)
Button ($11.55)
Hero ($50.35)
BB ($38.23)

Preflop: Hero is SB with 2, 2. Hero posts a blind of $0.25.
3 folds, Hero (poster) raises to $1.75, BB calls $1.50.

Flop: ($4) 8, A, 2 (2 players)
Hero bets $2, BB raises to $6.5, Hero calls $4.50.

Turn: ($17) 7 (2 players)
Hero checks, BB calls $37.73 (All-In), Hero calls $29.73.

River: ($84.46) A (2 players, 1 all-in)

Final Pot: $84.46

Results in white below:
Hero has 2h 2c (full house, twos full of aces).
BB has As 8h (full house, aces full of eights).
Outcome: BB wins $76.46. Hero wins $7.99.

I switched to full-ring. Mainly playing $100NL.
Although I did play some $50NL and managed to flop quad Jacks twice in the same session; didn't get paid off much on either have to say...

Managed to wind up even futher down and it seemed to be fairly high variance... which I'm blaming Party's $100NL fish for.

These weres the hands that helped me recover.

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

saw flop|saw showdown

MP2 ($23.60)
MP3 ($96.15)
CO ($89.35)
Button ($56.40)
Hero ($123.50)
BB ($49.58)
UTG ($62.30)
UTG+1 ($49.90)
MP1 ($105.25)

Preflop: Hero is SB with 3, 5. Hero posts a blind of $0.50.
UTG calls $1, 6 folds, Hero (poster) completes, BB checks.

Flop: ($3) T, A, Q (3 players)
Hero bets $3, BB calls $3, UTG raises to $9, Hero calls $123 (All-In), BB folds, UTG calls $62.30 (All-In).

Turn: ($203.30) 3 (2 players, 2 all-in)

River: ($203.30) 7 (2 players, 2 all-in)

Final Pot: $203.30

Results in white below:
Hero has 3c 5c (flush, ace high).
UTG has Ah Ad (three of a kind, aces).
Outcome: Hero wins $203.30.

Party Poker No-Limit Hold'em, $ Hero (8 handed) Hand History Converter Tool from FlopTurnRiver.com (Format: FlopTurnRiver)

saw flop|saw showdown

Button ($19.90)
SB ($15)
Hero ($116.55)
UTG ($212.10)
UTG+1 ($295.60)
MP1 ($46.76)
MP2 ($62.30)
CO ($77.59)

Preflop: Hero is BB with T, 7. SB posts a blind of $0.50.
4 folds, CO calls $1, 2 folds, Hero checks.

Flop: ($2.50) 3, 7, T (2 players)
Hero bets $2, CO calls $2.

Turn: ($6.50) T (2 players)
Hero checks, CO bets $4, Hero calls $4.

River: ($14.50) 6 (2 players)
Hero bets $10, CO raises to $20, Hero raises to $50, CO calls $77.59 (All-In), Hero calls $20.59.

Final Pot: $182.68

Results in white below:
Hero has Th 7s (full house, tens full of sevens).
CO has 8d 9h (straight, ten high).
Outcome: Hero wins $182.68.

Ended up down $70 or so, but with the $100 bonus at least my roll went up a bit.

I'm declaring my "finishing roll" as $2333 for the month of February. I expect $325 in rakeback on top of this.

Make-a-Grand March

Well I've been planning this mini-op for a while now.

After pulling in some decent Bonus + RB for the past couple of months I had decided to have a serious go at just breaking even at poker and watching the cash roll in.

The plan is quite simple:

Bonus Whore the following crypto sites:
Poker Plex ($200)
Inter Poker ($400)
Sun Poker ($100)

This $700 will take approximately 26k hands of $50NL(*) and will net around $450 in rakeback.

Whether I can seriously do this I don't know. Interpoker screwed me by taking my $300 reload away (for 1500MPPs) and instead it's $400 for 2300. (Or $200 for 1000).

Bascially I'll do the Poker Plex first (no-deposit) and re-evaluate.
If I don't finish Sun that' s okay because I can take it next month; whereas the others expire.

Even if I cut down to the $200 version I'll have $500 + $270. What if I actually win at poker?
Well, historically I've run around 5bb/100 over 20k hands. But even at 2bb/100 it's more than enough.

Also plan on a few gauntlets, a few Crypto freerolls (another FT would help) and maybe a few Stars SNGs for variety.

Anyway, will start tonight I hope and get some hands in... expect pointlessly statistical updates all month


(*)I can speed things up at different limits, or games (like playing $3/6 LHE for example) but FTR has spoken, so unless things go wrong...

gl i like these mini ops

Good luck. This is the month when you turn it round.

Knock of the limit jumping, playing limit and dancing around. Get your hands in, stick to the tables, and clear the bonuses. Play 3BB/100 and make about $1800. It's about winning poker nad maximum hands, nothing more, your time is now.

Originally Posted by Trainer_jyms

Knock of the limit jumping, playing limit and dancing around. Get your hands in, stick to the tables, and clear the bonuses. Play 3BB/100 and make about $1800. It's about winning poker nad maximum hands, nothing more, your time is now.

Hey Trainer, ur like Tony Robbins, a speech motivator!!!

There is nothing else to do for most guys here. They know how to play, what stakes their roll supports, and what site to play on, a lot of players here just have problems with one thing, puting down the fuckin' beer and playing a shitload of hands.

And not necassarilly Anosmic, he just needs to get the hands, and stop jumping limits to clear the bonuses. Just winning poker and hands, it's all he needs to hear.

Okay.

Hard to start this today. Been in Stockholm with work, came back and straight to the pub.

Hmmm.... slightly under the influence. Decided that 7-tabling $50NL on my little laptop would be gooood!

Managed to rack up 400 hands so have started... am +$100 so far... but let's not get results-oriented.

Thanks for well-wishes/comments/etc guys.


Month's target: 3800 MPPs on crypto. 26k hands
To date:
68 MPPs (2%)
400 hands (1.5%)

Didn't get as long as I'd like to play today. 8-tabled a bit and got in around 750 hands, so am a little behind.

Managed to wind up with a losing session despite this hand:


No Limit Hold'em CryptoLogic ($50NL)
Converted by FTRConv
6-handed

StacksSB: $50.90
BB: $69
UTG: $85.04
Hero: $74.15
CO: $45.19
BTN: $53.25


Pre-Flop: Hero is UTG+1 with 2 2
UTG raises to $1.50, Hero calls, CO calls, BTN calls, SB folds, BB folds

Flop:($6.75) 7 2 5 (4 players)
UTG bets $2, Hero calls, CO calls, BTN folds

Turn:($12.75) 6 (3 players)
UTG checks, Hero bets $10, CO calls, UTG folds
River:($32.75) 2 (2 players)
Hero bets $20, CO raises to $31.69 and is all-in, Hero calls
Final Pot: $96.13

=======================================0
Make-A-Grand Progress

Hands played: 1211 Plan: 1730 Bonus: 170 MPPs (4%)
Bonus Cleared: $34 Estimated RB: $24 Total $:58

So I played some hands today.

Got in around 2k hands of $50NL for the wonderful profit of: $3.

Not actually so bad since I was almost three buy-ins down at one point.

Most awesome hand of the day was re-raising lagtard preflop with KQs and hitting KQx.
I bet it out, get re-raised and I 3-bet, which he calls all-in.
He has A4s, a flush draw.
Turn A. River 4. gg. tx.


My embarassing hands:
1) Erm. He hasn't gone all-in... so raise!!
2) Luckboxtastic

Hand 1:

No Limit Hold'em CryptoLogic ($50NL)
Converted by FTRConv
6-handed

StacksHero: $86.05
BB: $125.32
UTG: $85.65
UTG+1: $49.90
CO: $75.12
BTN: $49.50


Pre-Flop: Hero is SB with 7 8
BB folds, UTG folds, UTG+1 folds, CO raises to $1.50, Hero calls

Flop:($3.00) 8 4 8 (3 players)
Hero checks, CO bets $2.50, Hero calls

Turn:($8.00) 6 (3 players)
Hero bets $7, CO raises to $18.50, Hero calls
River:($45.00) 4 (3 players)
Hero checks, CO bets $33, Hero calls
Final Pot: $111.00


Hand 2
No Limit Hold'em CryptoLogic ($50NL)
Converted by FTRConv
6-handed

StacksCO: $44.75
BTN: $201
Hero: $51.15
BB: $30.08
UTG: $14.49
UTG+1: $124.95


Pre-Flop: Hero is SB with 7 A
UTG calls, UTG+1 folds, CO folds, BTN folds, Hero calls, BB raises to $1.50, UTG calls, Hero calls

Flop:($5.00) A 2 T (3 players)
Hero bets $3, BB raises to $28.58 and is all-in, UTG folds, Hero calls

Turn:($62.16) 4 (2 players)

River:($62.16) 8 (2 players)

Final Pot: $62.16

=======================================0
Make-A-Grand Progress

Hands played: 3104 Plan: 2595 Bonus: 406 MPPs (11%)
Bonus Cleared: $81 Estimated RB: $60 Total $:141

Dude, if I could 7-8 table 6 max like you it wouldn't be hard to play 30k hands a month. That's not even 2hr of poker a day. Get to work man, good luck to ya.

Gah.

Sucky day really. Not entirely sure what I think of my play.

Things were going okay. I was 10-tabling for a bit which was cool.
(9x $50NL and 1x$100NL).

Hit this hand:

Hand 1:

No Limit Hold'em CryptoLogic ($NL)
Converted by FTRConv
6-handed

StacksUTG+1: $102.50
CO: $36.38
BTN: $163.50
SB: $105.84
Hero: $100.37
UTG: $133.75

Pre-Flop: Hero is BB with 5 5
UTG folds, UTG+1 folds, CO folds, BTN raises to $3, SB folds, Hero calls

Flop:($6.50) 3 5 7 (2 players)
Hero checks, BTN bets $6, Hero raises to $16, BTN calls

Turn:($38.50) 2 (2 players)
Hero checks, BTN bets $20, Hero raises to $81.37 and is all-in, BTN calls
River:($201.24) 4 (2 players)

Final Pot: $201.24

Yeah villain has rockets...

So that's fine... but why does the variance hit me at my one $100NL table?
Anyway, won that back to finish up at $100NL but I had three big losses at $50NL (While only 4-tabling... so it really is my judgment I'm questioning).
Okay, so you know the results are losses, hope that doesn't colour any views.

Hand 2
No Limit Hold'em CryptoLogic ($50NL)
Converted by FTRConv
6-handed

StacksUTG+1: $58.18
CO: $59.20
BTN: $25.85
Hero: $49.50
BB: $51.55
UTG: $71.28


Pre-Flop: Hero is SB with K Q
UTG folds, UTG+1 folds, CO raises to $2, BTN folds, Hero calls, BB calls

Flop:($6.00) 2 Q 7 (3 players)
Hero bets $4, BB calls, CO folds

Turn:($14.00) Q (2 players)
Hero checks, BB bets $7, Hero calls
River:($28.00) 9 (2 players)
Hero bets $15, BB raises to $38.55 and is all-in, Hero is all-in $21.50
Final Pot: $101.00

Can you afford to play trips this way?

Hand 3
No Limit Hold'em CryptoLogic ($50NL)
Converted by FTRConv
5-handed

StacksBB: $66.70
UTG: $50.60
Hero: $64.20
BTN: $28.30
SB: $74.30

Pre-Flop: Hero is CO with J J
UTG folds, Hero raises to $2, BTN folds, SB folds, BB calls

Flop:($4.25) 9 6 2 (2 players)
BB bets $2, Hero raises to $6, BB calls

Turn:($16.25) 3 (2 players)
BB bets $8, Hero calls
River:($32.25) 4 (2 players)
BB bets $31.50, Hero calls
Final Pot: $95.25

What does villain have? I just couldn't understand what hand with a 5 bets the flop and donks the turn? What else pushes this river though?

Hand 4
No Limit Hold'em CryptoLogic ($50NL)
Converted by FTRConv
6-handed

StacksBB: $65.15
UTG: $49.25
Hero: $49.75
CO: $30.30
BTN: $45.07
SB: $47.15


Pre-Flop: Hero is UTG+1 with 5 5
UTG folds, Hero raises to $2, CO folds, BTN folds, SB raises to $4.50, BB folds, Hero calls

Flop:($9.75) 5 K Q (2 players)
SB checks, Hero bets $5, SB calls

Turn:($19.75) 6 (2 players)
SB checks, Hero bets $15, SB calls
River:($49.75) A (2 players)
SB bets $22.65 and is all-in, Hero calls
Final Pot: $95.05

Villain wakes up on the river. But is it wrong to instacall with a set?

=======================================0
Make-A-Grand Progress

Hands played: 4769 Plan: 4325 Bonus: 580 MPPs (15%)
Bonus Cleared: $116 Estimated RB: $86 Total $:202

Variance really picked a sucky time to stick it to me.
To be honest I can't complain too much because I'm getting good hands too, I'm just getting a fair few suck-outs.

Overall I'm down $43 over 5.5k hands of $50NL. Which given some of the luck I've had is not too bad.
I'm trying to refrain from being results-focused (which is why in my "Progress" bit I don't list my results, just RB and bonuses).

I'm aware this sort of crap can be a little low-content, but hopefully there's something there. If nothing else I think, by playing so many hands (by my standards) I'm seeing how swingy poker really is.
Hopefully when I get into another downswing at $400NL I'll look back and remember it's normal

These are all from todays 900 hands, some ups, some downs.

Hand 1:

No Limit Hold'em CryptoLogic ($50NL)
Converted by FTRConv
5-handed

StacksCO: $44.10
BTN: $30.90
SB: $50
Hero: $50.40
UTG: $51.55

Pre-Flop: Hero is BB with 7 7
UTG calls, CO folds, BTN folds, SB calls, Hero checks

Flop:($1.50) K 7 K (3 players)
SB bets $1.50, Hero raises to $5, UTG calls, SB calls

Put him on a Kx now?

Turn:($16.50) A (3 players)
SB checks, Hero bets $12, UTG folds, SB raises to $44.50 and is all-in, Hero calls

Regard AK as less likely with flat call pf, so this should be good

River:($105.50) J (2 players)
Final Pot: $105.50

Results:
He had KJ. STBM

Hand 2
No Limit Hold'em CryptoLogic ($50NL)
Converted by FTRConv
6-handed

StacksHero: $74.50
UTG: $21.75
UTG+1: $40.87
CO: $132.43
BTN: $18.31
SB: $103.40


Pre-Flop: Hero is BB with K T
UTG calls, UTG+1 folds, CO folds, BTN calls, SB folds, Hero raises to $2, UTG raises to $3.50, BTN calls, Hero calls

Flop:($11.75) Q J 9 (3 players)
Hero checks, UTG checks, BTN bets $1, Hero raises to $6, UTG calls, BTN raises to $14.81 and is all-in, Hero raises to $23.62, UTG is all-in $12.25

Playing the nuts is easy

Turn:($70.06) J (3 players)

River:($70.06) K (3 players)

Final Pot: $70.06
Results:
Both opponents had rockets.

Hand 3
No Limit Hold'em CryptoLogic ($50NL)
Converted by FTRConv
6-handed

StacksBTN: $49.25
Hero: $49.50
BB: $45
UTG: $58.10
UTG+1: $45.50
CO: $104.25

Pre-Flop: Hero is SB with 7 7
UTG folds, UTG+1 raises to $1.50, CO folds, BTN folds, Hero calls, BB folds

Flop:($3.50) 7 5 2 (2 players)
Hero checks, UTG+1 bets $3.50, Hero raises to $8, UTG+1 calls

77 again!!

Turn:($19.50) 9 (2 players)
Hero bets $13, UTG+1 calls

I really thought about my bet sizing and what would get his stack into the middle. Worked well

River:($45.50) T (2 players)
Hero bets $23, UTG+1 calls
Final Pot: $91.50

Results:
Villain has TT. STBM again. But I think I played this right from start to finish

Hand 4
No Limit Hold'em CryptoLogic ($50NL)
Converted by FTRConv
6-handed

StacksUTG+1: $28.90
CO: $62.50
BTN: $112.50
Hero: $60.40
BB: $31.85
UTG: $42.90


Pre-Flop: Hero is SB with K A
UTG folds, UTG+1 raises to $3, CO folds, BTN folds, Hero calls, BB folds

Try to remember to call with this maybe 5% of the time. Agaisnt this rather weak opponent I thought it was good

Flop:($6.50) 6 4 7 (2 players)
Hero checks, UTG+1 bets $6.50, Hero calls

I plan to give him aggro if the flush hits, I think he'll lay it down. I think my AK are good if they hit.

Turn:($19.50) K (2 players)
Hero checks, UTG+1 bets $18.50, Hero raises to $37, UTG+1 is all-in $0.90

Talk about the I-don't-want-a-call signal

River:($58.30) 8 (2 players)
Final Pot: $58.30

Results:
Villain has 45s. He pushed bottom pair and a OESD on the turn. Perhaps not a bad move from him, but I call it a suckout nevertheless.

Overall though I'm doing okay. My mini-op is going well; I'm getting the hands in and finding 8-tabling goes okay on crypto's rather slow tables.
The plan is 865 hands per day, and I'm almost a day ahead of schedule now.

Right now the actual games are a net loss of $5 (over all levels).
My BR has taken a hit from a string of OOTM finishes in the stupid stars Turbo $16s... I actually went busto on stars... *sigh*

Probably better stick to ring...

=======================================
Make-A-Grand Progress

Hands played: 5911 Plan: 5190 Bonus: 707MPPs (19%)
Bonus Cleared: $137 Estimated RB: $107 Total $:244

So today was a good day.

Today was a very good day really.

I got back to playing some SNGs, played one $11 which I crashed out of early and six $16 turbos. Of which I finished ITM in 5 (1x1, 2x2, 2x3, 1x6).
For a nice profit of $95 and I'm now up at this level.

Thanks to taipan168 and biondino for good advice, seems to be helping already

Had a very swingy day at 6-max. Was up $59 over the first 50 hands and then it all went horribly wrong.
I think I was paying off in overpair v overpair situations a little too easily, but hard to work out what's the best play there.

Things went well in the end, I'm up $60 today at $50NL and about $100 at $100NL. And since I was about even this means I'm up $160 for the month now (less $30 I'm down overall at SNGs).

Anyway, a really good day really as it means I'm making a little profit while racking up the hands.

Here are some hands from today...
Hand 1:

No Limit Hold'em CryptoLogic ($50NL)
Converted by FTRConv
6-handed

StacksHero: $49.25
SB: $54.55
BB: $45.35
UTG: $71.61
UTG+1: $14.67
CO: $23.10


Pre-Flop: Hero is BTN with K J
UTG folds, UTG+1 folds, CO folds, Hero raises to $2, SB calls, BB calls

Flop:($6.00) J 3 2 (3 players)
SB checks, BB checks, Hero bets $3, SB raises to $9, BB folds, Hero calls

Hmmm. Not sure about this check-raise. Seems like it might be a J testing me.

Turn:($24.00) 8 (2 players)
SB bets $12, Hero calls

With the flush-draw I think I'm taking this to the river

River:($48.00) 7 (2 players)
SB bets $31.55 and is all-in, Hero is all-in $26.25
Final Pot: $100.50
Results:
The flush makes it easier to play. But what would he stack off with? QJ. Yup. That's right

Hand 2
No Limit Hold'em CryptoLogic ($50NL)
Converted by FTRConv
6-handed

StacksHero: $84.25
UTG: $50.50
UTG+1: $61.50
CO: $46.75
BTN: $48.40
SB: $24.30


Pre-Flop: Hero is BB with T T
UTG raises to $2, UTG+1 folds, CO folds, BTN folds, SB folds, Hero raises to $5, UTG calls

Same villain as Hand 1

Flop:($10.75) 6 8 4 (2 players)
Hero bets $7, UTG calls

Turn:($24.75) 7 (2 players)
Hero bets $15, UTG calls

Not sure how to play now he's called here. I'd be looking for a raise here if I'm behind; so I'm probably going to value-bet the river

River:($54.75) A (2 players)
Hero bets $10, UTG folds, Hero doesn't show hand
Final Pot: $54.75


Hand 3
No Limit Hold'em CryptoLogic ($50NL)
Converted by FTRConv
5-handed

StacksHero: $116.60
UTG: $51
CO: $50.75
BTN: $35.85
SB: $49.50


Pre-Flop: Hero is BB with Q Q
UTG raises to $2, CO folds, BTN folds, SB folds, Hero raises to $5, UTG calls

Same villain as above

Flop:($10.75) 8 T 3 (2 players)
Hero bets $7, UTG calls

Turn:($24.75) 3 (2 players)
Hero bets $16, UTG calls

River:($56.75) 3 (2 players)
Hero bets $13, UTG raises to $23 and is all-in, Hero calls
Final Pot: $102.75

Felt I had to call here, although his raise worries me of course, since he folded the river above

Results:
He had AA

Hand 4
No Limit Hold'em CryptoLogic ($50NL)
Converted by FTRConv
6-handed

StacksBB: $50.45
UTG: $94.70
UTG+1: $44.25
CO: $139.50
Hero: $48
SB: $13


Pre-Flop: Hero is BTN with J J
UTG folds, UTG+1 folds, CO folds, Hero raises to $2, SB folds, BB raises to $3.50, Hero calls

Same villain again
Flop:($7.75) J 9 5 (2 players)
BB checks, Hero bets $3, BB raises to $10, Hero calls

Turn:($27.75) 4 (2 players)
BB bets $13, Hero calls

Villain seems ready to get it in himself, so I just call

River:($53.75) J (2 players)
BB bets $15, Hero raises to $21.50 and is all-in, BB calls
Final Pot: $96.75

He had KK

Hand 5
No Limit Hold'em CryptoLogic ($50NL)
Converted by FTRConv
6-handed

StacksBB: $56.05
UTG: $42.75
UTG+1: $34.05
Hero: $85.15
BTN: $126.70
SB: $38.25

This is against a different villain, and this one was a hard call

Pre-Flop: Hero is CO with K K
UTG folds, UTG+1 calls, Hero raises to $3, BTN folds, SB folds, BB calls, UTG+1 folds

Flop:($6.75) 6 3 9 (2 players)
BB checks, Hero bets $5, BB calls

Turn:($16.75) 2 (2 players)
BB checks, Hero bets $10, BB raises to $20, Hero calls

Nightmare spot, but there's little left behind now

River:($56.75) 6 (2 players)
BB bets $28.05 and is all-in, Hero calls
Final Pot: $112.85
I have to say I think this call is bad. How often am I ahead here? But I've become so suspicious of these flush-bluffs

Results:
Villain has 55. And probably deserved more from his play


Finally here's two hands I played on the same table, I decided to push the first hand because I thought it could take down the pot right away and there were a lot of cards that could make the later streets difficult.

The two villains have some sort of thing going on, which I profited from.

Hand 6
No Limit Hold'em CryptoLogic ($50NL)
Converted by FTRConv
5-handed

StacksCO: $39.05
BTN: $58.20
SB: $28.35
Hero: $45.95
UTG: $45.80


Pre-Flop: Hero is BB with J K
UTG calls, CO folds, BTN raises to $2.50, SB folds, Hero calls, UTG calls

Flop:($7.75) J K 2 (3 players)
Hero checks, UTG bets $2.50, BTN raises to $8.50, Hero raises to $43.45 and is all-in, UTG folds, BTN folds, Hero doesn't show hand
Final Pot: $27.25

So this hand I was in exactly the same position (same two oppoents betting and re-raising) with the nuts. So I thought I'd put in another of these plays. Perhaps one of them would be suspicious and call.
I think this is weak reasoning that rarely works. More likely this would be a better place to bluff because they're likely to think that I'd not pull the same trick twice unless I had the goods.

Or maybe they're all donks and I should have just called and get it in on the turn.

Hand 7
No Limit Hold'em CryptoLogic ($50NL)
Converted by FTRConv
5-handed

StacksUTG: $50
CO: $49
BTN: $34.35
Hero: $57.60
BB: $88.40


Pre-Flop: Hero is SB with 9 9
CO raises to $2, BTN folds, Hero calls, BB calls

Flop:($6.00) 4 9 6 (4 players)
Hero checks, BB bets $1.50, CO raises to $5, Hero raises to $55.60 and is all-in, BB folds, CO folds, Hero doesn't show hand
Final Pot: $17.50

=======================================
Make-A-Grand Progress

Hands played: 7121 Plan: 6055 Bonus: 865 MPPs (23%)
Bonus Cleared: $163 Estimated RB: $130 Total $:293

One thing about playing a lot of hands is that you see a lot of suprising stuff.

Had a short session of 200 hands this morning. It went a bit poor at $100NL. Was forced to fold QQ on an A-flop to a villain's push. And got a villain all-in with just two overs on the turn (13%) and he hit one.

But that's as nothing when you look at the $50NL session.
There's a bit of background. The first hand sets up my stack.

Hand 1:

No Limit Hold'em CryptoLogic ($50NL)
Converted by FTRConv
6-handed

StacksSB: $55.75
Hero: $50
UTG: $13.18
UTG+1: $46
CO: $109.10
BTN: $49


Pre-Flop: Hero is BB with T A
UTG folds, UTG+1 calls, CO calls, BTN folds, SB folds, Hero raises to $3, UTG+1 calls, CO calls

Flop:($9.75) 3 9 5 (3 players)
Hero bets $5, UTG+1 folds, CO raises to $13.50, Hero calls

Have to call this even if my overs are no good

Turn:($36.75) 7 (2 players)
Hero checks, CO bets $4, Hero raises to $12, CO calls
River:($60.75) 4 (2 players)
Hero bets $21, CO calls
Final Pot: $102.75

Villain has KK

Hand 2
No Limit Hold'em CryptoLogic ($50NL)
Converted by FTRConv
6-handed

StacksCO: $74.81
Hero: $98.75
SB: $39.92
BB: $42.25
UTG: $42
UTG+1: $50


Pre-Flop: Hero is BTN with A A
UTG calls, UTG+1 calls, CO calls, Hero raises to $5, SB folds, BB calls, UTG calls, UTG+1 calls, CO calls

So this is going to be a big pot... lets hope I have the big hand post-flop

Flop:($25.25) A 5 4 (5 players)
BB checks, UTG checks, UTG+1 checks, CO checks, Hero bets $20, BB folds, UTG folds, UTG+1 raises to $45 and is all-in, CO raises to $69.81 and is all-in, Hero calls

The deep stack enables me to cover both villains. UTG+1 is the villain from those hands I gave yesterday, he's donated a number of stacks to my monsters now.
He actually is a major dog here and doesn't have the odds for this.
CO has a much better hand and his push is great with an OESFD, but he's still a significant dog because the flush won't help.
UTG+1 shows: 8 9 (16%)
CO shows: 6 7 (21%)


Turn:($209.87) K (3 players)

River:($209.87) K (3 players)

Final Pot: $209.87

Now that feels good.

One pot and I'm now >2.5bb/100 @ 50NL.
(Which, kids, is why 6k hands is not a significant sample size.)

BR right now is sitting at $2977, with another $130 already cleared in RB. But I'm not going to celebrate the $3k mark until the moneys in one of my accounts :S

I always thought it would take some sort of magical alignment of the stars to get me over that barrier (the third grand has been much harder than the second).

Onward to $4k!!

Hmm.

Some varying results over the last few days. Took Friday off but am still on target.
BR took a bit of a hit as I lost some stacks at $50NL.

Things have been tough at $100NL but I'm doing a bit better and while I struggled today I ended up half a buy-in which has decreased my losses somewhat.

First 10k of the month:


Disappointing, but $100NL is getting better and the $50NL is at least winning. Still, break-even is all I set out to achieve this month.

Obviously with RB+Bonus+Profit I'm halfway to my goal and I'm only 36% of the way through the bonuses.

Crypto has got more miserly over the last few months. It's taking another 15-20% the number of hands in order to clear bonuses.

Hopefully I can clear it at $50NL. Otherwise the Sun reload will have to wait until next month.

=======================================
Make-A-Grand Progress

Hands played: 10,337 Plan: 10,120 Bonus: 1374 MPPs (36%)
Bonus Cleared: $248 Estimated RB: $201 Total $:449

good luck with this months target. if u put the hands in i reckon you'll get there easily.

how tough do you think the games are on crypto? i'm thinkin of tryin it out. how many mpp's can you clear an hour at SH NL$50?

Originally Posted by xyu

good luck with this months target. if u put the hands in i reckon you'll get there easily.

how tough do you think the games are on crypto? i'm thinkin of tryin it out. how many mpp's can you clear an hour at SH NL$50?

Thanks mate. And yeah, I chose an easy target but with a meaningful reward. Basically as long as I don't lose $5-600 I won't struggle to make my grand.

Crypto is bloody brilliant.
I like poring over statistics, so this sort of thing is what I look at when planning my month.

At $50NL 6-max on crypto I've earned approximately 0.132 MPPs per hand. Which means that you need just shy of 1900 hands in order to clear 250MPPs.
Most bonuses are 500MPPs per $100, so that means around 3800 hands will net you $100 and if you've got rakeback (if you haven't pm me and I'll send you a link) that should be another $60 on top of that.

As for hands/hour that's dependant on the table. I think banking on about 70/h is okay. Although Crypto freqeuntly claims higher numbers.

I'm having a fairly swingy month; and a lot of that I brought upon myself.

I'm actually down at $50NL now (up at $100NL). And in general round about even at ring (have also donked off masses at the $11s SNGs... gah).

I'm playing a bit more nitty up at $100NL and trying to be less of a calling station/donk everywhere.

Here are some hands which I think are indicative of what's going on with me at the moment.

Hand 1:

No Limit Hold'em CryptoLogic ($50NL)
Converted by FTRConv
6-handed

StacksCO: $56.58
BTN: $99.07
Hero: $50.60
BB: $54.75
UTG: $45.55
UTG+1: $62.35


Pre-Flop: Hero is SB with 7 7
UTG folds, UTG+1 folds, CO folds, BTN raises to $1.50, Hero calls, BB folds

Flop:($3.50) 6 3 8 (2 players)
Hero checks, BTN bets $2, Hero raises to $5, BTN calls

Wimpy raise. But okay for the purpose. We're almost certainly ahead now.

Turn:($13.50) 7 (2 players)
Hero bets $6, BTN calls

Stupid. We're now way ahead and villain wants to hang around. this should have been at least $10.

River:($25.50) K (2 players)
Hero bets $12, BTN raises to $86.57 and is all-in, Hero is all-in $26.10
Final Pot: $101.70

That call... gah.

Hand 2
No Limit Hold'em CryptoLogic ($50NL)
Converted by FTRConv
6-handed

StacksUTG: $49.72
UTG+1: $21.20
CO: $14.05
Hero: $50.10
SB: $66.15
BB: $46.11


Pre-Flop: Hero is BTN with A A
UTG calls, UTG+1 folds, CO folds, Hero raises to $2.50, SB calls, BB folds, UTG calls

Flop:($8.00) K T Q (3 players)
SB checks, UTG checks, Hero bets $6, SB calls, UTG folds

Turn:($20.00) 8 (2 players)
SB checks, Hero bets $11, SB calls

One of my biggest leaks is how I play overpairs. I'll stack off with them waaaay too often

River:($42.00) 6 (2 players)
SB bets $46.65 and is all-in, Hero is all-in $30.60
Final Pot: $103.20

See?

Wanna see me do it again?

Hand 3
No Limit Hold'em CryptoLogic ($100NL)
Converted by FTRConv
5-handed

StacksUTG: $98.50
CO: $209
Hero: $94
SB: $80.50
BB: $141.47


Pre-Flop: Hero is BTN with A A
UTG raises to $3, CO folds, Hero calls, SB folds, BB folds

Flop:($7.50) Q Q 7 (2 players)
UTG bets $6, Hero calls

Turn:($19.50) K (2 players)
UTG checks, Hero bets $15, UTG raises to $30, Hero calls

Five will get you ten we're up against a Q here. Min-raising, pah

River:($79.50) 4 (2 players)
UTG bets $20, Hero calls

Maybe it's okay to call here. 5:1. Meh. Maybe he has a king sometimes.

Final Pot: $119.50

Villain had AQ.


Part of the problem is that $100NL is quite aggressive in comparison to 50. And I'm not always good at the reading...

Hand 4
No Limit Hold'em CryptoLogic ($100NL)
Converted by FTRConv
6-handed

StacksUTG+1: $137.75
Hero: $101.25
BTN: $101
SB: $87.50
BB: $231.70
UTG: $422.50


Pre-Flop: Hero is CO with Q A
UTG folds, UTG+1 folds, Hero raises to $4, BTN folds, SB calls, BB calls

Flop:($12.00) A 6 T (3 players)
SB checks, BB checks, Hero bets $8, SB raises to $16, BB folds, Hero calls

Hmm. Min-raised flop. Sounds suspect.
This guy likes his draws. Could it be?

Turn:($44.00) 8 (2 players)
SB bets $25, Hero calls

Hard call for me. It's going to be hard to get away from the river here. But I don't think he's got me here. I don't think he's put me on TP and so thinks I can be pushed off

River:($94.00) A (2 players)
SB checks, Hero checks

Almost certainly ahead here, but what hand calls that I beat?
Final Pot: $94.00

Results: Villain has 78 hearts

Okay. To break with the pattern, here's a hand I think I played well.

Hand 5
No Limit Hold'em CryptoLogic ($50NL)
Converted by FTRConv
6-handed

StacksUTG+1: $34.80
Hero: $55.40
BTN: $59.34
SB: $46.25
BB: $48.25
UTG: $36.60


Pre-Flop: Hero is CO with K K
UTG folds, UTG+1 folds, Hero raises to $2, BTN folds, SB folds, BB calls

Flop:($4.25) Q 6 8 (2 players)
BB bets $2.50, Hero raises to $5, BB calls

Villain is solid. Probably has TPTK or something. Wants to make sure I have it. He's not going to stack off with this, so got to be careful.
My line is suspect from the get go, which may encourage him to play.

Turn:($14.25) 5 (2 players)
BB checks, Hero bets $8, BB raises to $41.25 and is all-in, Hero calls

I waited a long time to make the bet and then made an innocuous looking follow-up bet. It really invites him to put me on something like AK.
I'm trying to get him to believe his Q is good and that I'm trying to snatch the pot. It works, he goes all-in.

River:($96.75) 5 (2 players)

Final Pot: $96.75

Results: Villain had QJ.

Today was looking a bit poor thanks to the AA hand shown earlier. I then had this hand which was a real heart-attack inducer.

Hand 6
No Limit Hold'em CryptoLogic ($NL)
Converted by FTRConv
6-handed

StacksBB: $137.75
Hero: $147.25
UTG+1: $101
CO: $100
BTN: $228.70
SB: $421.50

Pre-Flop: Hero is UTG with 5 5
Hero raises to $4, UTG+1 folds, CO folds, BTN raises to $10, SB folds, BB folds, Hero calls

Villain is a bit of a calling station and usually fairly passive. So this is bad news. His weak raise is, of course, good news

Flop:($21.50) 5 4 3 (2 players)
Hero checks, BTN bets $20, Hero raises to $60, BTN raises to $100, Hero raises to $137.25 and is all-in, BTN calls

Nice having the top set. Unless he's got A2 or 67.
Villain flips over AA and it's tense

Turn:($376.00) 2 (2 players)

This more or less describes my luck this month. 6-outs and bang here's one of them. But I have a card left.... plzzzzzzz

River:($376.00) 3 (2 players)
Final Pot: $376.00

And that's a mighty nice pot. tx. gg.

Man.

The suckiness of the last two days cannot be easily expressed.

As I write this I've just unticked the blinds am getting ready to quit. The last two days I'm down $250+ at $50NL over 1k hands. Don't think I've ever run that bad before.

Running pretty bad I think, big PPs are either winning the blinds or running into big hands post-flop.

So far this month I'm a significant loser at $50NL (-$316).
Am slightly up at $100NL and £50NL so overall for the month am down $235.

Bit depressing though, to be losing at $50NL. I really rather expected to be running at +2bb/100 not -2bb/100.
Will try to get in another 4.5k hands before Monday. Hopefully have something better to report then.
At present I'm break-even over the last 25k hands of $50NL!! WTF?!

On the positive side my SNGs have improrved. Was down $170 this month, now it's only $90. Won my first $10+1 (not running well in those) and I'm running better in the $15+1 turbos again (ROI is low on those though).

So halfway through the month and aprox halfway through the bonus:
Bonus + RB = +$608
Play = -$235
Change= $373

I need to run better over the second half... i.e. I need to break even over the next 15k hands. Will post sick graphs at 20k
=======================================
Make-A-Grand Progress

Hands played: 14,510 Plan: 14,784 Bonus: 1877 MPPs (49%)
Bonus Cleared: $332 Estimated RB: $276 Total $:608

Played another 500 or so hands this evening and went from -$150 to +$30 odd, which makes things look a little better. I'm back on track for my grand...

Should poker be this swingy? Or is it just me?

Hi anosmic,

That was me who chatted to you at the tables tonight. Glad it went well for you tonight. I have had massive swings over the last 2 days. Yesterday I lost $163 and today I was up $130. The swings are quite brutal but I guess it will all come good in the end.

Anyway good luck with your operation. I have enjoyed reading it thus far.

Good to see you there last nigh hornsta9.

But man I'm going to have to move up soon with all the FTR sharks flooding cryptos $50NL tables.

Actually I have moved up. Played my first session of $600NL. Wasn't even drunk.

Is a BB/100 of 8.37 sustainable?? 4 BI FTW!!

Okay, properly past the halfway stage of my mini-op.

Current status:


I've played 2k hands of $100NL so far, and I'd guess I'd need another 2k if the 30k target is to clear all the bonuses I'm after.
Running quite well right now and playing a little better. Although I'm still unsure about overpairs.
For every time I push with AA into a flopped set I find I'm getting calls from a draw who tried to get aggro because they think I missed my flop.

If I can just hold it together for two more weeks I think there's a good chance of a $1200+ improvement to my roll this month...

=======================================
Make-A-Grand Progress

Hands played: 15,864 Plan: 15,708 Bonus: 2049MPPs (54%)
Bonus Cleared: $360 Estimated RB: $302 Total $:662

"if I can just hold it together for two more weeks..."

Man those are some stupid, fate-tempting words to utter.

I lost $160 at $100NL yesterday. Which means that overall I'm down about $60 again for the month.
Doesn't seem particularly horrific when you consider that I've made over $800 in bonus. But it was very frustrating as I'd just been running so well and was up a nice chunk and finally beating the £$¤##!& game of $100NL.

I do admit that I had a bit of luck when KK cracked AA from all-in preflop. But then I think I can point to enough losses of my own this month that I was due a bit of a break.

Was up a bit, as I said, the other day and then followed up with another good session so I was up about $150 yesterday.
I was shooting for an extra $50 bonus that Interpoker offered (concurrent with my other, so no extra work) which meant squeezing in just one short evening session... no biggie.

Well, while crashing out of last night's gauntlet (felt I couldn't wait for a better spot than my AJs so I called a 3-bet all-in from the BB, he had KK) I was not concentrating on the ring as much as I should; I was also on the living room sofa which is -EV pokerwise (mabye +EV marriagewise... dunno).

First this happened:

Hand 1:

No Limit Hold'em CryptoLogic ($100NL)
Converted by FTRConv
6-handed

StacksHero: $100.25
BB: $160.47
UTG: $137.25
UTG+1: $108.75
CO: $101
BTN: $96


Pre-Flop: Hero is SB with K K
UTG raises to $3, UTG+1 folds, CO folds, BTN folds, Hero raises to $9, BB folds, UTG calls

Flop:($19.50) 2 T J (2 players)
Hero bets $16, UTG raises to $33, Hero raises to $91.25 and is all-in, UTG calls

Turn:($218.00) 9 (2 players)

River:($218.00) A (2 players)

Final Pot: $218.00

Result:Villain had AT spades.

This affected me a little, I knew I wasn't playing well soon after as I made a couple of really donkish moves (a river bluff with T8o on a nothing board where I'd just picked a really bad time to pull something... although villain calling down with crappolla (but better crappolla) was a wow).

I'd be on course for losing my winnings really, which wouldn't be the end of the world, but this hand kind of put me over the top, or under the bottom, or whatever:

Hand 2
No Limit Hold'em CryptoLogic ($100NL)
Converted by FTRConv
6-handed

StacksHero: $93.75
SB: $83.22
BB: $100
UTG: $98.50
UTG+1: $202.50
CO: $97


Pre-Flop: Hero is BTN with Q Q
UTG folds, UTG+1 raises to $4, CO folds, Hero raises to $12, SB folds, BB folds, UTG+1 raises to $33, Hero calls

Flop:($71.50) 2 J 2 (2 players)
UTG+1 bets $39.99, Hero raises to $60.75 and is all-in, UTG+1 calls

Turn:($193.00) 4 (2 players)

River:($193.00) J (2 players)

Final Pot: $193.00

Result: Villain had rockets.

I think QQ/JJ are proving really difficult for me to play effectively. Need to spend some time on those I think.

I'll also have to work on my concentration and not playing when I can sense that I'm not playing well (or at least move down a limit) as it was I cut down to 2-tables but the damage was pretty much already done.

I believe I can beat $50NL and $100NL on crypto. I clearly have the patience, I can clearly wait for the big hands, I just then go and blow it and that's a major problem.

Thanks to the donking off of $300 (well, $150 + variance) or so on Sunday the arrival of $350 in bonus hasn't taken me over the $3k limit... so I'm still waiting.
Obviously I have $350 in rakeback coming my way and more bonuses and rakeback to earn... but I want to finish this month up. Just a couple of hundred would be nice.
=======================================
Make-A-Grand Progress

Hands played: 17,769 Plan: 16,632 Bonus: 2381MPPs (63%)
Bonus Cleared: $466 Estimated RB: $349 Total $:815

Losing concentration can save you money sometimes.


No Limit Hold'em CryptoLogic ($NL)
Converted by FTRConv
6-handed

StacksUTG+1: $98.50
CO: $29.75
BTN: $107.25
SB: $139.25
Hero: $100
UTG: $85.50


Pre-Flop: Hero is BB with A K
UTG calls, UTG+1 folds, CO calls, BTN calls, SB raises to $5, Hero calls, UTG calls, CO calls, BTN calls

Flop:($25.50) 5 8 A (5 players)
SB bets $16, Hero folds, UTG folds, CO folds, BTN folds, SB doesn't show hand
Final Pot: $25.50

Somehow I believed that *I* had raised PF and got called by everyone. Rather than SB.

So when I flopped TPTK I was all ready to bet it out when the bet came.
Seeing as how he is an FTRerer that he would be less likely to bet into everyone without the goods (he is an aggressive player, so there's a risk someone will stand up to him).
But I also reasoned that if he had a big hand why not check-raise me (except of course *I* wasn't the pf raiser!!). With pot/stack sizes I decided that either this was going to end all-in or I was folding it here and now... so I laid it down.

Given what SB told me later he had it was a very wise lay down. And my reasoning was almost right, it was just the fact that I'd mis-remembered the pre-flop that was suspect.

On the BR front: I've gone past $3k! Woo hoo! It' s only taken 5 months to make that third grand.... *sigh*

I'm such a fish. Really.

Or just a noob. I dunno.

Played 350-odd hands this afternoon and lost $91 at $100NL.
Not sure I made any huge mistakes. I mean, I maybe hung around too long with KQ on a AKQ board, I chucked it when opp pushed a J river after betting every street...
AQ v AJ, opp flopped AJx and I paid a third of my stack off there.
KK v AJ, villain with TPTK called me down and hit trips Js on the river... could have cost me more than it did (I put in $20 while ahead, $6 while behind, can't complain).

But basically I felt really frustrated after that session. Even though it was almost certainly mostly variance, I've played much worse and won much more... so why does it bother me?

Similarly I put in another 300-odd hands this evening and have gone from -$91 to +$154. And now I feel really good about my poker.

This is such bad thinking. I'm striving to take out this results-oriented crap; but it's quite tough.

Anyway, am now UP again for the month (woo hoo) and up at $100NL. But experience this month shows that this can change on a session-by-session basis at the moment.

As far the op goes I've cleared $800+ of RB and bonus. So within sniffing distance of the target.

Have $250 of bonus left to clear, hopefully giving around $150 more rakeback. If I play breakeven for the rest of the month I'll have moved my BR into the neighbourhood of $4k and THAT would be a nice result.

=======================================
Make-A-Grand Progress

Hands played: 18,650 Plan: 18,480 Bonus: 2572MPPs (68%)
Bonus Cleared: $504 Estimated RB: $367 Total $:871

Okay. So tempting to stop the operation right now while everything is going so well

Am up at all stakes right now...


although these numbers hide of ups and downs:



BR is sitting at $3500+ now with rakeback still to come. Another 4-5k hands of $100NL will finish off the mini-opearation; just need to keep the upslope going and leave break-even behind.

=======================================
Make-A-Grand Progress

Hands played: 20,409 Plan: 21,252 Bonus: 2829MPPs (74%)
Bonus Cleared: $555 Estimated RB: $395 Total $:950

Anosmic run bad.

Dude,

Love reading the operation. Great to prove how you can build a roll through just a sheer number of hands. I am planning on doing the same thing. We may have been in the same boat what with not playing many hands and then going ahead and playing a lot.

Any advice to not get burnt out/deterred from your goal?

Thx. Nice to know it's of interest to others.

Obviously your operation will depend on your game and things like rakeback and bonuses.

But from my perspective I could bank on a grand from simply playing the hands; I know that there will be ups and downs, being down $200 is irritating, but ultimately meaningless.

It took me about 25k hands to run good at $100NL SHNL.

So it's that old chestnut: avoid money goals in the short term.

Well.

Last run up to the end of the month and how does it stand?

Well, today I finished off the Empire bonus I got when I emailed them and asked. So another $100 there. I finished down $1 there, so it's actually only $99 profit (although not bad since I was down about $100 at one point)... took a while to adjust to Party.

I accidentally signed up for an $11 LHE SNG on Party today, and then an NL as I had intended. Took first in both; so I'm UP for the month at tournies.

One thing that a lot of you may well think is a real bonehead move: on Saturday I took $500 of my profit for the month and decided to risk it by buying in at $500NL (crypto has no $2/4 level for NL).

I chatted about this with biondino (who considered it to be a stupid move, but has some sympathy for my argument).
Basically, things are going well, I'm running much better at $100NL and starting to think about tackling $200. But after that I've no idea what the poker world looks like and so I decided to dip my toe (or entire leg, depending on how much of my BR that equates to).

I really do feel that up to $200NL I can play because they're just variations on the same game... but many others have said (and my limited experience bears this out) that it's a different game and I'm going to have to get to grips with that.

If it really offends your bankroll beliefs then consider it a cashout... or a loan of one BI from future anosmic who has hit $10k

It went okay at first, finished break-even when first table broke up. Went for another and this time it went much worse. Quit as soon as my losses reached $500.

Biggest loss was this one:

No Limit Hold'em CryptoLogic ($NL)
Converted by FTRConv
6-handed

StacksCO: $798.25
BTN: $286.50
SB: $454.43
BB: $561.25
UTG: $490.88
Hero: $288.50


Pre-Flop: Hero is UTG+1 with Q Q
UTG raises to $20, Hero calls, CO calls, BTN folds, SB folds, BB folds

Flop:($67) 2 T K (3 players)
UTG checks, Hero checks, CO checks

Turn:($67) 8 (3 players)
UTG bets $45, Hero calls, CO calls

River:($202) 3 (3 players)
UTG checks, Hero checks, CO bets $50, UTG folds, Hero calls
Final Pot: $302

I'm 90% sure he doesn't have a K here, so I feel I should call.
Result: Villain had T8o

That session would leave me more or less even (actually up a bit at SHNL) but I've had a crappy time at $100NL FR. Caught a really bad couple of sessions (set-under-set, KK v slowplayed AA on a q-high flop, and boat-under-boat) to leave me about $380 down.

So overall I'm down around $300 from play of all types, with $1100 or so made and another $100 + RB to go.
A good run to the end of the month will see my BR go + $1k... but I consider this a good month and a successful op with all but the most disastrous of final days.

2k hands of $100NL should get me there no probs.

See you at the finish line.

=======================================
Make-A-Grand Progress

Hands played: 21,718 Plan: 24,948 Bonus: 3300MPPs (87%)
Bonus Cleared: $750 Estimated RB: $427Total $:1127

Make-A-Grand results
Hands played: 25407

Bonus cleared: $850
Estimated RB: $488
Total: $1338
Poker profit: -$376

BR Change: + $962

So I'm declaring it a success: I made my grand (just lost a bit of it) and even with the poker losses I cam very close to the full grand being added to my roll.

My ring hands look like this (6-max, FR, SH-LHE).


Tournaments:


Of course it would be a huge month were it not for three things:
* I lost a buy-in at $500NL.
* I ran badly at FR for a bit.
* I tested $5/10 SH-LHE.

Trying out $500NL was informative, $5/10 limit was just fun and manic But I promised myself I would play a session once I was rolled for the latter, which happened this month.

I think I had a solid month at $100NL, which made up for a rather disappointing showing at $50NL. I've dipped my toe in at $200NL too and felt okay about that.

My fluctuating BR is now at $3277 with RB it should approach about $3750. Which means I've reached the half-way stage of 7k5 and am back on target (1 April target was $3429, 1 May is $3969 so not far to go).

I'll be playing a lot less poker in April. Cut it back to something more manageable, because I found 25k a bit much at times. I also am not convinced 8-tabling is for me right now. 4-5 is okay.

Finally here's the 6-max month in it's swingy glory.:


See everyone on Sunday when I'll be back with another completely meaningless mini-op

Right, so it's April.

Well, $100NL went quite well for me during March, so I guess I'll give it another go.
Plus I want to have a dig at $200NL now I've got 20 buy-ins.

I'm thinking perhaps something like 8-10k hands of $100NL and perhaps 2k of $200NL (probably just 1-tabling for the time being).
I'll adjust depending on how well I run!

I have the Party $100 bonus to clear now, so some Party games could be in order... then back to crypto for at least one more month there...

Gl me

Questions.

1. Why is a euro playing on crypto? (P.S, please ay for bonuses so i can kill you )

2. Play more hands at crypto, 19/10 stuff is only going to win you so much and you arent going to put regulars into tough spots. Raise to 3bbs more often than 4. This means you can attack and raise a wider range and get away with it, see flops facing aggresives etc.

3. Move sites.

4. Youre playing tagg, stop spewing, and stop calling down against aggession unless you hand is semi hidden/fully hidden.

5. Stop c/r'ing when your hand is defendable/showdownable.

eg.
Hand 2
Villain fairly laggy. Decided to take a swing at him.

No Limit Hold'em CryptoLogic ($100NL)
Converted by FTRConv
6-handed

StacksHero: $104
UTG+1: $131.75
CO: $100
BTN: $39
SB: $114.88
BB: $147.25


Pre-Flop: Hero is UTG with 8 8
Hero raises to $4, UTG+1 raises to $9, SB folds, BB folds, Hero calls

Flop$19.50) 9 5 4 (4 players)
Hero checks, UTG+1 bets $11, Hero raises to $35, UTG+1 calls

Turn$89.50) 7 (4 players)
Hero bets $25, UTG+1 calls
River$139.50) 7 (4 players)
Hero bets $35 and is all-in, UTG+1 calls
Final Pot: $209.50

C/c flop bet turn fold to a raise. He either has overs or an overpair. Its a tight game you play in. Floor your strong hands, play your draws hard-you have lots of fold equity against weak/tights- and try not to play big pots when showdown is what you are after.

@rant over@

Gl anyhow.

Originally Posted by Miffed22001

Questions.

1. Why is a euro playing on crypto? (P.S, please ay for bonuses so i can kill you )

2. Play more hands at crypto, 19/10 stuff is only going to win you so much and you arent going to put regulars into tough spots. Raise to 3bbs more often than 4. This means you can attack and raise a wider range and get away with it, see flops facing aggresives etc.

3. Move sites.

4. Youre playing tagg, stop spewing, and stop calling down against aggession unless you hand is semi hidden/fully hidden.

5. Stop c/r'ing when your hand is defendable/showdownable.

eg.
Gl anyhow.

Cheers mate.
1) Bonus AND RB
2) Trying to... need bigger balls
3) Giving Party a try. I've played iPoker too, now and then, probably should play there more (just hate the software even more than cryptos).
4) yes sir.
5) Those aren't proper adjectives. But that's my problem: I have no idea what you're talking about

I hear poker champs and pacific poker are very fishy sites.

Okay, time for a brag post.

Well, in reality it's a reminder post about how fortunes can change in poker. You can be down and nearly out one minute and then suddenly everything is all lovely... if you let yourself get too results oriented.

I started the month with some $200NL at party. Found an interesting seat, and battered about versus some suicidal lags.
And I got burned... ended up down 2 buy-ins. Lost a coinflip (I pushed a scarey board, he called with a rather weak looking draw and hit the river) and then paid off a set with overpair.

Sat down today and found another little friend to play with; took me ages but finally started to get the best of him when I could get HU with position.

I had been bitching to biondino about how I'd gone so long without AA, KK, QQ or set when this suddenly happened:

No Limit Hold'em Party Poker ($200NL)
Converted by FTRConv

Stacks
BTN: ( $ 346.95 USD )
SB $ 223.95 USD )
BB : ( $ 460.40 USD )
UTG $ 281.90 USD )
HJ: ( $ 200 USD )
CO: Hero ( $ 267.90 USD )

Pre-Flop: Hero is CO with 8 8
2 fold, Heros raises $6, $22, 1 folds, BB calls, Hero calls.

Not bad odds. BTN seems a reasonably solid nitty player. BB is a very loose pre-flop player (45/15) who boosts my implied odds a lot

Flop: ($67) 7 9 8 (3 players)
BB bets $50, Hero calls, BTN raises to $124, BB raises to $438 and is all-in, Hero calls and is all-in, BTN folds.

Believed that if BTN has got a solid hand (maybe overpair) he's got to play back on this kind of board, so calling seems fine here. If he raises and BB calls then I can push
Turn: ($679) Q (2 players 2 all-ins)

River: ($679) 3 (2 players 2 all-ins)

Final pot: $679
Results:

BTN shows Td 5d drawtastic


And then just to rub it in a few moments later:

No Limit Hold'em Party Poker ($200NL)
Converted by FTRConv

Stacks
BTN: $371
SB: $119
BB : Hero: $674
UTG: $203
HJ: $219
CO: $177

Pre-Flop: Hero is BB with 5 2
2 fold, CO calls, BTN calls, SB calls. Hero checks.

Flop: ($8) 4 6 3 (4 players)
SB checks, Hero bets $7,CO raises to $14, 2 fold, Hero raises to $35, CO raises to $177 and is all-inHero calls and is all-in

Wasn't sure if to call and attack the turn, but then I thought that if he likes it enough to raise he may have trouble getting away from this...

Turn: ($363) 9 (2 players 2 all-ins)

River: ($363) 7 (2 players 2 all-ins)

Final pot: $363
Results:

CO shows 9c 6s


Man that felt good. I went out after a player and got him with the help of some great cards.
Want to frame this: one of my biggest stacks in terms of BBs and definitely in terms of $$$:

Originally Posted by Massimo

I hear poker champs and pacific poker are very fishy sites.

100 and 200nl on pokerchamps plays like the 25nl and 50nl tables used to on party.

Originally Posted by Miffed22001

Originally Posted by Massimo

I hear poker champs and pacific poker are very fishy sites.

100 and 200nl on pokerchamps plays like the 25nl and 50nl tables used to on party.

wow they have 200NL, im checking this 2m. gotta go out now

For quite some time I've been aware of one extremely annoying problem with my approach to poker: I'm a results-oriented fish.

Before you roll your eyes and think this is another of my alternating I'm great/I suck/I'm great/I suck post, it's not.

My efforts to attack $200NL have failed miserably. I've lost about 3 buy-ins, not a lot I know, but losing 2 buy-ins at $100NL has left me down $800 after a little more than 1300 hands. Which sort of sucks, especially as I've had a few huge hands (as you can see above).
But I'm fairly lost or uncomfortable or whatever at that stake on Crpyto, so it's not a very attractive prospect.

A huge problem is I'm very sensitive to results. Maybe not in one hand (AA cracked by KK all-in pre-flop? So what?) but if I lose over a few k hands I start to get despondent or smug depending on results.

At the moment, with so little success at $100NL (one good month so far) I'm cautious; and of course being new to $200NL and with fairly tight
budget I'm even more sensitive.

I played $50NL last month and there I was fairly able to shrug off results, knowing it'd be okay in the end (even if 'okay' meant only break-even last month).

This month isn't intended to be a high-volume poker month, but that I'm losing money at this rate will make it a depressing one (especially given the overall 7k5 operation).

I've already cashed out of Sun Poker. Even though it's a nice site with good rakeback the bonus lags behind so many others.
I'm now planning on cashing out from interpoker once the rakeback comes in next month.

Poker Plex I'm going to cash out all but say $500 or so (providing I have that much left) once I've done the bonus and that's all I'm leaving on crypto.

Why desert crypto after being on it so faithfully for six or seven months?
Well the crap software is a good reason. But the main one is game selection. FR over $100NL is non-existant on crypto and $100NL is sporadic.

Being unable to practice seat-selection is bound to be a problem; and although moving to somewhere like Party will be irritating when I'm not earning RB or bonus (until I can get RB) it should make it more appealing to play (and more hands per hour too). Plus a $100 bonus every 1k hands is nice, but now it's only a half-stack it's even less of a safety net.

May try iPoker(again) or Pokerchamps; but right now Party's $50NL and $100NL FR is looking very appealing.

Well. There you go. Will report back if anything interesting happens...

i really sympathise with you here mate, I do the exactly the same. I'm running really good atm, so i start thinking how much i can win if i play x number of hands, and how easy the game is and how long before i move up. likewise, 2k break even and i can't remember how i get any money off the tables.

don't you think you switch limits a little too much (and games, possibly)?

are you playing tired or drunk or anything, or even forcing it when you don't want to play because u have a good bonus that needs clearing?

like i said before, i stop bringing my head to the game regularly and presume just by sitting there that the money will come. i definitely bring the wrong mentality to the tables sometimes.

anyway, good luck. maybe the lack of bonuses will give you extra focus and the fish will be handing you the $$$. make it happen.

Thanks for the support mate.

There's a lot of things I do wrong in poker, but the most annoying thing is that I'm losing money at the moment even when doing okay.

I'm tempted to move down from $200NL as my BR has taken a $1.1k hit over about 2k hands and I don't feel like risking more at crypto.

I'm running bad in terms of cards... that has its impact to compound my errors.
The odds of a PP are 0.45% which means I ought to have had between 7-8 of each PP over the last 1700 hands.

I've had AA 3 times.
KK 6 times, but it's won only 66% for a net loss.
QQ 12 times for a large loss (66%)
JJ 10 times for a huge loss (70%)
TT 16 times (actually for a nice profit)

So not doing so well from my big hands. I've flopped 3 sets and rivered a fourth. 3 sets from 59 flops is bad. (Should be 11.8%, so twice that at least).

So how much comfort can I take that the stats show I'm running bad?
Well, ideally I should keep playing $200NL because eventually things even out. And it's better for me if they even at out $200NL than I hit all my sets back at $100NL.

I mean that's why I have 20x buy-ins... not so that I can lose 5 and move down but that I can ride out the variance.
But it's soooo hard when the results are going against you.

I'll decide whether to actually move down or not. It's such a shame to when I've started playing well.
I am very tempted to finish the current bonus ($100, not the whole $300) and move on... try $200NL somewhere else maybe.

So I reached the "oh ffs" point last night and so I deposited at Kiwi Poker (iPoker network).

Unfortunately they've stopped RB (which would have been nice). But they have a 100% match bonus up to $500. (I only had $420 in my neteller account, so I took that).
Bonus lasts until july, so I have time. But it clears slowly (so it's more like rb rates anyway).

But I didn't go there for the bonus. From previous experience you get massive swings (lots of calling down) but that you can beat it very nicely.
Software is a bit sucky (new mini-table view, a lot like Prima, helps there).

Anyway, I played a session of full-ring last night $100NL and $50NL and finished up $45 or so off a couple of hundred hands.
I had a quick stab at $50NL and $100NL 6-max this morning, barely any hands in (I do think their "turbos" tables are a bit poor. No time to think/size bets, but only 60-70hph) but up $100 or so.

Sure could be some variance paying back (if so, plz wait until I'm playing $200NL again). But mainly some really fishy play.


No Limit Hold'em iPoker ($100NL)
Converted by FTRConv
5-handed

Stacks

BB: $148.75
UTG: $110.57
CO: $92.50
Hero: $98.50
SB: $48.38


Pre-Flop: Hero is BTN with 8 J
UTG Fold, CO Fold, Hero Raise $3.00, SB Call, BB Fold

Flop:($7.00) J 7 Q (5 players)
SB Bet $3.00, Hero Call

Turn:($13.00) 8 (5 players)
SB Bet $4.00, Hero Raise $12.00, SB Call

River:($37.00) 3 (5 players)
SB Check, Hero Bet $12.00, SB Allin $30.38, Hero Call

Final Pot: $97.76

On Crypto I'm fairly sure that that river check/push would probably mean I was bust by some monster. Here it was just QTo.

So $100, only another $1k to make back to break-even... woot!

Terrible.

Not only did I fail to play in the gauntlet last night, thus allowing some Nordic fish to leapfrog over me in the standings, but I then proceed to lose all my PLO winnings from last night in a heads up versus him.

$ 25 USD PL Omaha - Sunday, April 08,
Seat 3 is the button
Total number of players : 2
Seat 3: Anosmic ( $ 38.80 USD )
Seat 4: HalvSameIsAFish ( $ 26.75 USD )
HalvSameIsAFish posts small blind [$ 0.10 USD].
Anosmic posts big blind [$ 0.25 USD].
** Dealing down cards **
Dealt to Anosmic [ 4c As 5d 2d ]
HalvSameIsAFish calls [$ 0.15 USD]
Anosmic checks
** Dealing Flop ** [ 9c, 2h, Ah ]
HalvSameIsAFish bets [$ 0.50 USD]
Anosmic raises [$ 2 USD]
HalvSameIsAFish raises [$ 6 USD]
Anosmic calls [$ 4.50 USD]
** Dealing Turn ** [ Ks ]
HalvSameIsAFish bets [$ 12.85 USD]
Anosmic folds
HalvSameIsAFish does not show cards.
HalvSameIsAFish wins $ 25.70 USD

He says he was betting with A2xx. Meh!

Funniest bit was when some random third guy came and sat down for $6 at our table. I busted him in like three or four straight hands and he left!!

I ended up +$1 from my PLO session, which is horrible since I was up $15 at one point and had wonderful career bb/100 stats.

I won't post the one where biondino overplayed AAxx against some random fish who caught 2-pair on the flop... but just so he knows I have the HH in case I need it for future blackmailing

see how fun is PLO?

When are you going to join me on the 200 PLO tables? I have an Omaha operation happening at the moment!

I also banged my head into a brick wall for a couple of months after mid november last year until I realized that game selection >>>> bonuses and rakeback. Sadly for me, Pokerchamps does not want to deal with Australians (wtf? why?)

Now that i'm carrying more confidence i hope to add to my lifetime winnings at full tilt of about $100 (that's INCLUDING over $1,100 in rakeback and bonus!) Didn't help that I was running bad. I was distraught that my $500 bonus (of which I had cleared only $20) expired at the end of March (only 3 weeks after I got it!!!). Oh well, fuck them until they give me another bonus.

Anywayz, good luck. Don't play really difficult games for bonuses, it's not worth it and you'll go insane. And don't play out of your bankroll, it's a really stupid idea. Are you doing the hand history exchange? I think it could really benefit you.

Originally Posted by salsa4ever

see how fun is PLO?

When are you going to join me on the 200 PLO tables? I have an Omaha operation happening at the moment!

I kept making huge bets with the nuts, except then I'd realise it was only the nuts if I used three hole cards... so glad they kept folding to my aggression otherwise I could be in trouble.

I also banged my head into a brick wall for a couple of months after mid november last year until I realized that game selection >>>> bonuses and rakeback. Sadly for me, Pokerchamps does not want to deal with Australians (wtf? why?)

Anywayz, good luck. Don't play really difficult games for bonuses, it's not worth it and you'll go insane. And don't play out of your bankroll, it's a really stupid idea. Are you doing the hand history exchange? I think it could really benefit you.

Yeah, as much as I want to beat the tougher games I need some confidence at these stakes.
Although bonus money and rakeback are a nice cushion for when I'm a slight loser it's becoming less and less of an issue as I'm moving past $100NL.

I'll probably always take shots... it's part of my nature. But I'm not going busto any time soon.

HH-exchange is something I'll have to get back into now the games are getting much tougher.

Have completely given up and moved off cryptologic.

Have moved about half my roll to kiwi-poker on iPoker.

I'm up on kiwi so far. Mostly from FR because I've gone from +$100 or so to -$20 on SHNL.

Ran horribly today lost $340 at $100NL. I managed to win a buy-in at $200NL so that took some of the sting out of it.

But this month at SHNL I've lost nearly $1.5k.

I had fantastic cards hitting sets and straights left right and centre. The only time I got action was when someone had managed to hit a better monster. So I finally got my sets and boats they paid next to nothing.

Most of my best pots were aggressively betting air.

It was really hard work at $100NL. I ran at 27/20 and was getting very little action; managed to lose all the big hands it felt like.
Previously at iPoker it's been very swingy, so I'm hoping in the longer-term I'll get it back.

Another 5k hands or so and re-evaluate.
If I have to move back to $50NL again I think I might just frikkin quit.

you really need to change it up

I've been where you are at least twice, and if I didn't have my SNGs, PLO, PLO8, MTTs to go with my NL$Holdem, I would surely be insane by now. You feel like you *should* be beatng the game, and that's frustrating you. Play stuff you're wininng at like full ring, where you won't have the baggage of the last 3 months

Quitting for a while is not the worst you can do. Go play some SNGs and have some fun for a change. 'cos I don't think you're having a lot of fun, and if it's not fun there's no point

Had a winning day today (woo).

Played some SH and was up about $50 there (still tough).
Played more FR $100NL. Was insane, ran at 28/20 (I don't lag like that in SH!!) and up $52 there too.

It was just perfect, I was taking down loads of pots pre-flop and managed to trap a couple of guys when I had great hands (shorty (there are sooo many shorties on iPoker) stacked off with K3o on a board of TQQ- unfortunately I had TT this time).

AA got beaten by a shorty after I put him all-in on the flop with TPWK and a flush draw and he hit his flush. Otherwise I'd have been sitting even prettier on $100+ up.
So it's not even like all the variance has been good or anything (AA 50% today).

It feels really nice playing $100NL that aggressively.... long may it continue to pay off.

And a losing day.

But I knew iPoker would be even more swingy than crypto.

Down $100 today, which is irritating because I was up $150 fairly quickly.

I donked off $80 of that with a 99 on a J22 board. I called his river bet knowing that TT/JJ were his only likely holdings that beat me and it was JJ. *sigh*.

I was forced by pot odds to call a shorty push on a 666 board (that ought to be a sign in itself, right?) with AQs.
Had typical suck outs like KK v AJ getting it all in on a J-high flop, only for the other J to come on the river.

This is I think the most interesting hand of the day:


No Limit Hold'em iPoker ($100NL)
Converted by FTRConv
8-handed

StacksBTN: $107.75
SB: $20.70
BB: $54.75
UTG: $88.50
Hero: $115.45
UTG+2: $95.60
MP1: $74.30
CO: $71.15


Pre-Flop: Hero is UTG+1 with 9 9
UTG Fold, Hero Raise $4.00, UTG+2 Fold, MP1 Call, CO Fold, BTN Fold, SB Fold, BB Fold

Flop:($9.50) 6 3 5 (8 players)
Hero Bet $7.00, MP1 Raise $14.00, Hero Raise $25.00, MP1 Call

Turn:($73.50) Q (8 players)
Hero Bet $79.45, MP1 Allin $38.30

River:($191.25) 8 (8 players)

Final Pot: $191.25

Interesting stuff. A couple of horrendous calls, some nice moves, still playing 29/22 at full-ring which is great fun
Another day it could have gone my way a fair bit more.

Result of above hand:
Villain had 85s clubs

*sigh*

Poker's been a bit dull of late. I've enjoyed lagging it up on iPoker, but I'm still down about $1k this month and that's just depressing. I only have 15 BI for $200NL now... may have to give it up.

I've played maybe 6k hands this month. And the most exciting thing about poker just now for me is the gauntlet

$100NL FR has been kicking my butt on iPOker (while $200NL I'm up...)

This was a total disaster today... I can't believe I did anything but fold after the flop.


No Limit Hold'em iPoker ($100NL)
Converted by FTRConv
8-handed

StacksHero: $144.35
SB: $236.30
BB: $117.60
UTG: $22.00
UTG+1: $45.50
UTG+2: $17.00
MP1: $70.85
CO: $65.55


Pre-Flop: Hero is BTN with J K
UTG Fold, UTG+1 Fold, UTG+2 Fold, MP1 Fold, CO Fold, Hero Raise $3.00, SB Call, BB Raise $8.00, Hero Call, SB Call

Flop:($27.00) 4 9 8 (8 players)
SB Check, BB Bet $17.00, Hero Call, SB Fold

Turn:($61.00) J (8 players)
BB Bet $38.00, Hero Call

River:($137.00) 2 (8 players)
BB Bet $53.60, Hero Call

Final Pot: $244.20

Villain has rockets, one of which is a diamond.

I switched my attention to some 6-max for a bit and have continued my laggy style at bit more; it's definitely adding something new to my game to go from 24/14 to 38/29


I had a huge luckbox hand: but feel I was due.


No Limit Hold'em iPoker ($100NL)
Converted by FTRConv
4-handed

StacksCO: $96.25
BTN: $90.60
SB: $184.56
Hero: $130.66


Pre-Flop: Hero is BB with T T
CO Call, BTN Fold, SB Raise $1.50, Hero Raise $6.00, CO Fold, SB Raise $20.00, Hero Call

Flop:($45.00) 8 2 9 (4 players)
SB Bet $40.00, Hero Raise $108.66, SB Call

Turn:($262.32) T (4 players)

River:($262.32) Q (4 players)

Final Pot: $262.32

Villain had rockets here too. 2-outers FTW!!

On the other hand villains lose respect for you when you are betting everything and so:


No Limit Hold'em iPoker ($100NL)
Converted by FTRConv
6-handed

StacksCO: $138.95
BTN: $21.20
SB: $285.15
BB: $56.40
Hero: $100.45
UTG+1: $100.00


Pre-Flop: Hero is UTG with J J
Hero Raise $4.00, UTG+1 Fold, CO Fold, BTN Fold, SB Raise $8.00, BB Fold, Hero Call

Flop:($18.00) 4 J T (6 players)
SB Bet $10.00, Hero Call

Turn:($38.00) 3 (6 players)
SB Bet $31.00, Hero Call

River:($100.00) Q (6 players)
SB Bet $24.00, Hero Raise $50.00, SB Call
Final Pot: $200.00


Here's a hand I actually think I played well.

No Limit Hold'em iPoker ($100NL)
Converted by FTRConv
5-handed

StacksCO: $26.80
BTN: $114.35
SB: $90.96
Hero: $97.00
UTG: $198.57


Pre-Flop: Hero is BB with 9 8
UTG Fold, CO Call, BTN Fold, SB Call, Hero Check

Flop:($3.00) 4 7 J (5 players)

SB Bet $3.00, Hero Call, CO Fold

Turn:($9.00) 3 (5 players)
SB Bet $4.00, Hero Raise $11.00, SB Call

River:($31.00) 5 (5 players)
SB Bet $10.00, Hero Raise $40.00, SB Fold
Final Pot: $81.00

I initially put him on a flush-draw, then quickly realised he had some sort of marginal hand like maybe a MP or even TPWK.