My project: Baby steps at the Micro stakes

I ran pretty good today and since I usually just come here and whine and moan about how I'm 15 buy ins behind EV in 40k hands, I'd thought I'd change it up a bit. Today is also the first time my bankroll dips over 2k which is definitely cool. I'll be done clearing my first deposit bonus at FT within a couple days, I'm looking forward to seeing how the rakeback is going to be without a bonus being cleared.

I'm also wondering whether I should take 1k or so and take the Stars initial deposit bonus. The only problem with that is it would be difficult to maintain Ironman while clearing the bonus. I guess I'll see next month how everything is going.

Edit: woot, page 3

I'd wait to do the stars deposit bonus until you decide to switch over for good. (If you don't plan on doing that, then do it whenever obv, but make sure you can maintain Ironman since you don't want to lose that value.)

I had a pretty crazy weekend. Saturday was a pretty massive fail, I ran 3 buy-ins behind EV and ended the day at like negative 3 buy-ins. Sunday I made all that back and a bit. I guess I'm not used to the swings at 50NL in terms of monetary value quite yet. This weekend definitely popped my cherry in terms of swings that big, being down like $200 one day then making like $250 the next.

I really want to put in more study time. Against several reggy types in 50NL I don't feel like I have a big edge yet. This is both psychological because I just moved up and also because I don't quite feel in my element and also because with new regs I have to build up my database of reads on them before I can really start playing back with confidence.

Overall the move up is going alright, though.

Ok move up going like shit now. In 50k hands I'm $500 behind AI EV. This is over 1/4 of my bankroll at this point so it's really starting to affect me. I can't do fuck all about it of course, but I feel the tilt creeping in pretty badly every time it happens... again. About half of it is from 50NL the other half from 25NL. I just had to stop playing with 3 perfect seats/tables going but I was again down over 3 buy ins for the session.

I might have to go back down to 25NL to chill a bit. We'll see after tomorrow's session. BR was at 2.2k monday, it's at 1.8k now. That's really depressing.

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Originally Posted by Gobbatino

I might have to go back down to 25NL to chill a bit. We'll see after tomorrow's session. BR was at 2.2k monday, it's at 1.8k now. That's really depressing.

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play tomorrow's session, move to 25nl if your roll is under 1.9k at the end of it. Big chance that you'll be playing under subtle tilt if you're aware that you're running this bad.
Here's my prescription:
Get through it, pwn a few more 25nl buyins, get your rakeback pay at the end of the week, feel good about carving it up at 25nl again, move back up, run average = beat the games comfortably, stay up.

Sad fucking shit going on right here. I'm 700 behind EV and just played a session where AK < AA pre, QQ < AA on AQx board, JJ < AA on AJx board and AA < 88 pre, 3 way pot with AK in there. -4 buy in in the session. Bankroll is fucked. Mindset is fucked. Considering withdrawal. I don't think I could handle this at a higher limit.

Sick thing is a downswing doesn't have duration, it's not like it's "time I ran good" now, this can literally go on forever, there's the same chance of running like this on tomorrow's session as there was in this one, and it's been going on for a while now.

It's just such a fucking huge dissapointment.

FUCK IT. IM FUCKING DONE WHINING. Tomorrow I start rebuilding at 25NL. If I run like death then I'll go down to 10NL. FUCK IT. Because I can and if nothing else because I'm stubborn and I know I can. FUCK IT.

25nl sounds like a good option. if just for rebuilding of your confidence. its hard to play your best at a new limit after moving up when you have run so bad in terms of situations (ie coolers) AND all in EV. especially seeing as you're used to losing half the monetary value while running this bad at 25nl.

Yeah, thanks rpm. I've made Gold Ironman already so I'm taking the rest of the month off. Thursday I'm getting laid after a month of no sex then saturday or sunday I'll start off at 25NL. Sounds like a plan.

/brag

Just posting this because I've never had a heater like this. It's 25NL up to around 8.5k hands, the rest is 50NL. I'm running like Jesus obviously.

http://img121.imageshack.us/img121/4272/julyheater.png

Heaters are fun, aren't they?

Fuck yeah they're fun. Still going strong, too.

I'm at 22.25 bb/100 over my last 10k hands. I've effectively doubled my BR in 20 days. I'm almost rolled for 100NL and I'm not even used to 50NL yet, I've played barely 10k hands since moving up so 100NL is kinda intimidating still. I doubt I'll move up for a while, at least not this month for sure.

Man this is so cool. :P

Ok, my heater finally tapered down. I'm still running good, just not absurdly great. I played some Rush, winrate wasn't impressive so I only got the 4 day 100 point bonus for $25.

[x] Cleared mid-year bonus
[x] Rolled for 100NL

I felt really intimidated about 100NL but nonetheless opened up a couple tables during my last session when they were really tasty. It paid off nicely, won a couple buy ins. I'll keep playing 50NL for the most part but opening up good 100NL tables to start getting used to the monetary value. To be honest there was very little difference from 50NL. Maybe my tables were just ridiculously good.

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I doubt I'll move up for a while, at least not this month for sure.

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Ya rite...

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Originally Posted by Gobbatino

To be honest there was very little difference from 50NL. Maybe my tables were just ridiculously good.

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Ok lol just played a session with about 40% 100NL 60% 50NL and I could definitely notice a big difference now, my tables yesterday must've just been soft as fuck.

Loads more 3 and 4 betting pre is the main difference I suppose. I'm actually kind of proud of myself for adjusting to that somewhat decently. I found a couple spots to 4 bet light from LP where the 3 bettor was likely light himself. So that was definitely new. :P Seeing a lot more floating as well. I definitely feel somewhat gimped for now since I'm not used to the amount of money on the line yet and I feel that I let that affect my decisions in tough spots, ie, going kinda weak tight.

At the same time, dipping my foot in these waters is exciting as well. I'm officially out of the micros and really looking forward to learning to navigate these stakes.

Ok so like hi ftr!

Its been over a month since I played. RL BS bla bla. Here was my july garph:

http://i644.photobucket.com/albums/u...y-50-100NL.png

+$175 bonus
+$223 rakeback

$1635 for the month! My BR before this month was 1.4k or thereabouts so I more than doubled it. In the process I dabbed a bit into 100NL tables, the last 5-6k hands were mostly 100NL. I've been meaning to start up again and today I logged in to FT to find a $500 bonus waiting for me (what is this for, btw?), so the timing couldn't be better. I have 21 days to clear this and it should be doable fo sho. I'll be starting at 50NL to get back into the groove and then back to 100NL if things go well and I feel confident.

I hope everyone's been having a good September. Good luck!

The bonus is for the 'Fast $50' (most people that grind on FTP got $50 lol) but the amount of bonus you could received ranges from $50-$500. I myself got $400. I'm gonna go ahead and say you picked the best month of the year to take a month long break from poker lol.

Ahh I see... Wow, cool story, then! Thanks mister Anger. <3

Right, so after a little bit of calculation, the $500 bonus won't be as easy as I thought. If I stick to 50NL, its over 3 hours of play a day, which is a lot for me. Mixing in some 100NL is going to be necessary. For now I'll stick to 50NL until I feel back in the groove (I'd I can allow say 3-5 days or so), playing at least a couple hours daily then I'll start opening up juicy 100NL tables and go from there. I will not play more time or stakes outside of my comfort zone just to clear the bonus.

edit: dranger your avatar rocks

Sounds like a good plan man. Gogogo!

Haha thanks, I thought so too. :P

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Originally Posted by Gobbatino

Right, so after a little bit of calculation, the $500 bonus won't be as easy as I thought. If I stick to 50NL, its over 3 hours of play a day, which is a lot for me. Mixing in some 100NL is going to be necessary. For now I'll stick to 50NL until I feel back in the groove (I'd I can allow say 3-5 days or so), playing at least a couple hours daily then I'll start opening up juicy 100NL tables and go from there. I will not play more time or stakes outside of my comfort zone just to clear the bonus.

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have you considered max-tabling 25nl to clear it?

I find when I go over 8-10 tables my winrate goes to poop so I'd rather do a mix of 50-100NL. So far I'm on track at $52/$500 with 19 days to go, pleeeenty of time if I keep this up.

Bonus will be cleared np. I'm about halfway there.

Been playing only 100NL the last few days. I'm breaking even. Ran kinda meh but also made some pretty big mistakes here and there. Just playing here consistently is a big success, mental state is healthy, losing the "omg I'm playing $200-300 pots" feeling, which is great. I honestly thought playing at these stakes would be harder to get used to. I'm pleasantly surprised at how easy I'm finding desensitizing myself to the monetary value at stake.

Homework for this week is to choose my aggression better. I know I'm being passive in places where I could be aggressive and vice versa.

Ahh, 100NL is fun. I'm really enjoying this. For one I'm finally at stakes where the money I make (or lose) is actually significant. That makes it exciting. And second, making some moves in the right spots against the right players works. But somehow there are still fish calling down with middle pair in other spots, so its the best of both worlds.

Results-wise things are kinda shit, not running good in big spots, which sucks butt. Cleared almost $400 of the $500 bonus, so even though I'm break even at the tables I've boosted the BR a bit.

It's an ongoing theme in this operation that I say I should study more and its becaues I barely study at all. I need to think of ways to motivate myself. But seriously I don't know when to do it anymore. I get home from work at around 6:30-7:00, I play from 7:00-7:30 to 8:30-9:00, then I go to the hot tub for about half an hour, swim half an hour, get some dinner, do some house chores and boom, time for bed. Maybe during the weekends. At least half an hour a day of videos I should be able to do though, no excuses.

Before you you eat dinner, after the swim, fire up HEM or PT3 and review your top 3 biggest losing and winning hands. Then on the weekends do some in depth analysis. This won't take very long, maybe 15 minutes tops.

Thanks dude, I'll give that a try.

Full on running like poop in a bunch of situations, KK pre, AK pre, everyone and their mom has AA. Also a few buy ins behind in all in situations. The river hates me, etc.

I might have to move down for a bit. BR still comfy thanks to the fast bonus and rakeback but nonetheless being down about 1k from my peak this month is taking its toll on my tilt control.

Last post on this blog to close it off.

November was my first month at 100NL 100%. I also changed my game quite a bit, went from playing 13/11 3% to 17/14 5% or so. I had also been on a short break before doing it so it's a wonder that I didn't nosedive doing all three things at the same time. Quite the opposite, I ran pretty good, played well and had a good month, results wise. I feel I developed a lot, so I'm pretty happy. I'm still working on not being results oriented. I tend to close down sessions where I'm up a lot even when I have good seats and that sort of shit is just stupid. Curiously I play better when I'm down a few buy ins than when I'm up a few... anyways, something I'm working on, along with a bunch of other things.

So my bankroll is hovering over the $5k mark atm. I'll be playing 100NL for the forseeable future unless something goes terribly wrong or something. Which means I'm officially off of the micro stakes and this operation is complete. It took me about a year, starting with $300 @ $10NL 6max and ending at 100NL FR. In that year, I played about 6 months, so I guess it's alright. I never withdrew money except for $100 to pay for HEM. I managed to keep it a hobby that I could drop and pick up as I wished and I feel that went a long way in helping me get here. Anyways, I'll start up another blog type thing at some point.

Thanks to FTR for helping me get here so much. I think it's safe to say that other than my time at the tables, FTR has been my biggest source of information and development.