Operation: 100NL by 2009

[Outlaw]

I am creating this operation to keep track of my progress, outline some goals, and post hands.

I did an operation a couple of months back for SNGs and such, but quickly got really tired of it and cashed out most of the dough to pay a bill or two. I left $93 dollars in my PS account and decided to see if I could build up a roll in ring games.

So I started in $2NL and worked my way up to $150 in about 6,900 hands. I am in my second day of $5NL. I will move up in stakes under the following schedule:

$2nl till roll = $150
$5nl till roll = $300
$10nl till roll = $750
$25nl till roll = $1,750
$50nl till roll = $4000
$100nl till roll = $10,000

I have been playing poker since August '07 (am new to ring games)and want to be sure I take it slow as I move up as I have read that skill progresses much slower than a roll. Which is why I am hitting 30 buyins before moving up. I won't hesitate to move down if I feel I'm not ready.

Objectives and Goals:
1. Stay disciplined. Only move up when I feel I'm ready, regardless of roll.
2. Become a regular at $100NL by the end of 2008.
3. Achieve Platinumstar status sometime by the end of 2008.
4. Ask for advice and post hands regularly on FTR.
5. Only play when well-rested and take breaks when tilt strikes.

Current Bankroll- $1,251/+272

[Outlaw]

Here is my stats so far. Feel free to comment/critique!

My bb/100 rate for $5 is kinda pathetic so far, but I know its just a short term swing. I had a few coolers spank me.. (aces full vs quads etc) I am just happy to be up a little! I feel I have been playing very well.

[XTR1000]

GL on your way to 100NL

Your BRM plan looks solid, seems like 3k for 100NL and 10k for 200NL is the new 20BI rule

Your stats look fine for those stakes, when moving up you should probably start to close the gap between VPIP and PFR, but until 10NL there´s no reason to do so.

Oh, pls evaluate why you have a seat between button and SB

[Taxi]

GL Outlaw!
Your position stats r all jumbled up, but from what I can decipher, as well as closing the gap between VPIP and PFR as mentioned, tightening up in UTG and UTG+1 is recommended as you move up in stakes.

[Outlaw]

I reposted the position stats, not sure how they got jumbled.. thanks for pointing that out.

When you say "tighten up the gap" do you mean my VPIP should be lower or my PF raise should be higher? Or does that not matter as long as they are closer together?

My range for UTG and UTG+1 is opening all pp, QJs+ currently. What would you recommend at 5NL, 10NL, and 25NL at 6max?

Thanks again!

O

[biondino]

I wouldn't open QJ, KJ, AT, sometimes even AJ utg at 6max. But your utg VP is 22.3% - that is higher than my overall VP and I guess you must also be playing SCs, Axs and even worse hands utg. Or was that just at 2nl and now that you've moved to 5nl you've tightened up?

[Outlaw]

I played a 1,500 hand session today and tightened up my opening range a bit. I now open all pp and AJs+ UTG and UTG+1.. with the occasional (like once every 20 minutes) suited connecter to mix things up.



I think tightening up a bit helped.. the frustrating thing at this level is invariably, my value bets get called and then a fish gets his miracle card again and again. This happened about 5-6 times today or else I would have had a $30BB/hr+ session. Overall, I'm happy with how things went.. I try to focus on progress, not perfection.. one goes crazy hoping that things go his way every hand.

Thanks for the input Taxi, Biondino, and XTR! Its been really helpful!

Current bankroll- $193

[Outlaw]

Should I have shoved the turn here? Especially because of his stack size.
Hand 1:
PokerStars No-Limit Hold'em, $0.05 BB (6 handed) Poker-Stars Converter Tool from FlopTurnRiver.com (Format: FlopTurnRiver Cards)

Hero ($10.95)
BB ($3.71)
UTG ($5.80)
MP ($9.51)
CO ($1.77)
Button ($11.14)

Preflop: Hero is SB with , .
4 folds, Hero raises to $0.2, BB calls $0.15.

Flop: ($0.40) , , (2 players)
Hero bets $0.2, BB calls $0.20.

Turn: ($0.80) (2 players)
Hero bets $0.5, BB calls $0.50.

River: ($1.80) (2 players)
Hero checks, BB bets $1.1, Hero folds.

Final Pot: $1.80

Results in white below:
BB doesn't show.
Outcome: BB wins $1.80.


Hand #2: Should I have bet the turn? I checked to keep the pot small... and I am pretty sure I should have bet in case he was on a draw. Even though he got his miracle card on the river, the proper play seems to have been 3 streets of value.

PokerStars No-Limit Hold'em, $0.05 BB (6 handed) Poker-Stars Converter Tool from FlopTurnRiver.com (Format: FlopTurnRiver Cards)

Hero ($11.81)
MP ($3.60)
CO ($5.51)
Button ($11.80)
SB ($8.53)
BB ($5.98)

Preflop: Hero is UTG with , .
Hero raises to $0.2, 1 fold, CO calls $0.20, 1 fold, SB calls $0.18, 1 fold.

Flop: ($0.65) , , (3 players)
SB checks, Hero bets $0.4, CO folds, SB raises to $0.8, Hero calls $0.40.

Turn: ($2.25) (2 players)
SB checks, Hero checks.

River: ($2.25) (2 players)
SB bets $0.75, Hero calls $0.75.

Final Pot: $3.75

Results in white below:
SB has As Ts (two pair, aces and tens).
Hero has Ah Kd (one pair, aces).
Outcome: SB wins $3.75.

[Outlaw]

All I can say is.. wow.

I played a short session tonight and was up about $9 after 150 hands. Then within the space of about 5 minutes, I had an incredibly good run of cards. I had AA 3 times, KK once, QQ once, 44 (flopped a set). The aces won once (2 others folded on the flop) Every other hand.. I got stacked or half stacked. Just a summary.. Aces lost to quad deuces, aces lost to trip sixes, kings lost to aces, queens lost to kings, and trip fours lost to trip tens.

I have never had such a bad run and hope to never again.

Net result= down $1.79 for the day. Not too bad all things considered.

Current bankroll: $169.62 (Was over $200 fifteen minutes ago lol)

The good news is, I'm not a bit upset, no tilt (although I did stop playing), I know its only that ugly V word. Anyone else ever gone through this?

[bode]

...I know its only that ugly V word. Anyone else ever gone through this?

lol, once or twice. or 20 times.

[Pythonic]

Go through varience all the time, lol. But I seemed to have limited the losses when they do occur now. I'm currently up 9 straight days over 15,000 hands played. I'm either up 4-5 buyins per day or breakeven due to some great laydowns.
I'm in the same shoes you are though, BR is at $235 and playing 5NL at Stars.

[Outlaw]

Another really poor day yesterday. I actually only finished $2 down for the day, which is not bad all things considered.

I had a 10 buyin downswing during the last 4,500 hands but was able to gain about 4 back by the end of yesterday. Now hopefully I can get back on track and move forward again.

Just a note on why I feel I had such a bad downswing at this level. Although I am going to review my play, I feel the dip was more due to variance and not getting paid off on my nut hands hardly at all.

For example. I am up $32 with KK but down $20 with AA. Lowlights of this are losing to quads twice yesterday with AA, trips 3 times, and getting 4-flushed twice.

I know this trend can't continue for long so I am pretty happy to still be up overall since moving to $5NL, although it is kinda annoying that I made 4 times as much at $2NL in 3k less hands.





Current bankroll: $176 (transferred $10 to my cousin)

[Outlaw]

Over the past couple of days, my bankroll has recovered nicely. I hit a new high point today even though I was down $8 in the first half hour of my 54 minute session. I lost big pots with two straights and AA but ended up $6 up for the session.

I added the "Poker Operations Manager" banner to my first post, but am not sure its working correctly.. it doesn't seem to refresh.



Current bankroll: $195

[Outlaw]

I had a decent day, up $26 in 2,500 hands. I did have a question about one hand.


No reads

PokerStars No-Limit Hold'em, $0.05 BB (6 handed) Poker-Stars Converter Tool from FlopTurnRiver.com (Format: FlopTurnRiver)

SB ($6.61)
BB ($7.86)
Hero ($5.63)
MP ($4.85)
CO ($3.21)
Button ($3.62)

Preflop: Hero is UTG with Q, A.
Hero raises to $0.15, 2 folds, Button calls $0.15, 1 fold, BB calls $0.10.

Flop: ($0.47) 7, A, 2 (3 players)
BB checks, Hero bets $0.2, Button raises to $0.6, BB folds, Hero calls $0.40.

Turn: ($1.67) J (2 players)
Hero bets $0.3, Button raises to $0.9, Hero raises to $4.88, Button calls $1.97 (All-In).

River: ($7.41) A (2 players, 1 all-in)

Final Pot: $7.41

My bets appears too weak (I was thinking I should keep the pot small), but was my push on the turn the proper play? Is my thinking flawed here? Should I of laid this down after he showed such strength for 2 streets? The diamond on the turn is what made me commit.

Also, one of my biggest problems is playing TPTK. I can't find a specific hand to show right now, but I always seem to either win small pots or lose big ones with these hands. Anyone got any specific advice on how to play TPTK? Or know of a thread?

Thanks in advance!

Current bankroll: $227

[mrickett]

Outlaw I like your schedule... right there with ya man

good luck

[Outlaw]

I haven't posted in awhile due to working 80+ hours per week at my business as well as keeping track of a 16 month old a lot of the time as my wife works too.

I have been playing, as time allows, cash games mostly up until mid february. Lately I have been back into MTTs and SNGs, mostly the 45 person turbos as they are quicker.

My bankroll continues to slowly climb, and I have began to use the 100 buy-in rule to apply to all of my play.. cash games, SNGs, MTTs, everything. I just feel at ease and completely comfortable doing this, knowing that there's no chance I can ever go bust. It really does make me play much better than I could even at 50 buyins. Besides, this is a lifetime game.. what's my rush? I'd rather learn slowly and move up in stakes when I am truly ready, than try to hurry up somewhere I don't belong. The game would lose its luster fast.

Current bankroll: $580

[Outlaw]

I have been doing SNGs for a couple of months but decided to go back to cash games for awhile for a change.

Rather than starting a new operation, I'll just pick up where I left off. I am now on 25NL and have been at it for the past 5 days. Here are my results so far.






The differing dollar amounts are because I accidently played some pot limit hold'em.. doh.

I am okay with my progress so far, had one downswing but other than that, very little variance so far. I hope to be at 50NL in 2 weeks.

I feel I am a much stronger cash game player now than I was when I went to SNGs in February. I guess its because I've got a bit more experience, I read FTR regularly, and read 4 more poker books. (as well as reread the first 2 HoH books)

Oh, I made gold member this months as well.... 1st time ever. (mainly because I got a buttload of vpps playing up to step 6 in the ME qualifiers)

Short term goals:
1. I'd like to get closer to 16/14 or something like that.
2. I'd like to raise my AF, it seems woefully low.

[Outlaw]

After a pretty large break even/slightly losing stretch at FR, I tried 6-max for a couple of days. I had a pretty big downswing (17 buy-ins) due to some over aggression, bad tilted play, and a few bad beats mixed in.

I switched back to FR yesterday and have since gained back about 8 buy-ins so overall it was a good learning experience.

I found one of my problems is I get really bored 8-tabling and push the margins just a little bit too much and spew like crazy. So after switching back to FR I tried 24-tabling for a bit and it seems to be about perfect for me. It gives me the 2-3 seconds I need to make a good decision when each table pops up. I seldom feel rushed and I never get bored. The most challenging thing is pulling up a new room once one gets low on players.

I am 2,500 vpps away from getting platinum star, that's about 500 per day for the last 5 days of this month. I am not sure I will have the required time to play to get it, so I may just make it next months goal. I may be able to play most of the day Monday, so if I'm reasonably close then I will give it a shot.

On another note, I have been doing fairly well recently in the Gauntlet. My last three tournies have been 1st, 3rd, 3rd. I am now ranked 3rd almost halfway through, and that's after having been knocked out 2 times by the leader in which he got all his money in as a huge dog to me, so I feel pretty good about that. I think I will have to win at least 2 more or get about 4 more 2nd/3rds to have a chance. I really want that trophy!

New goals-
1. Get platinum star by the end of July.
2. Win twice more in the Gauntlet.
3. Get to 50NL by the end of July.

Current BR- $1,039/+$60

[Outlaw]

I ran really well today, up $186 over 4,100 hands. I am within 600 points of platinumstar, which means if I play a couple hours tonight it should be easily doable tommorow.

So even though I have ran really badly all except two days this month, I am still doing 3.29BB/100., which is very acceptable since I 24-table.

I'm up $621 and with the 15k fpps I've aquired, that's around $850 total if I were to cash them in. I've played about 30 total hours, so that's $28/hr. Almost as much as I make in my real job, and that I am extremely happy with.

Feel free to comment on my stats. Areas I can see that I need to improve on are blind stealing, turn/river aggression, and blind defense. I think I defend by calling too much instead of 3-betting.

Crapola, just got another 3rd in the gauntlet. That's three straight thirds.. oh well, I was the extreme short stack with 14 left so I guess I'm okay with this 3rd. So my last 4 finishes have been 1-3-3-3.





Currnt BR- $1,237.64/+$621.35

[Outlaw]

I have change the name of my operation by basically adding that as a goal.

I ran pretty badly today, but managed to end up 5 buy-ins up. I lost to set over set 3 times, oh well.



Current BR- $1,383.14/+$746.10

[Outlaw]

I have change the name of my operation by basically adding that as a goal.

I ran pretty badly today, but managed to end up 5 buy-ins up. I lost to set over set 3 times.

I achieved platinumstar for the first time today. I am not sure how much $ that will translate into, but I guess we will see.



Current BR- $1,383.14/+$746.10