Operation: Rebuild, Think, Learn and Improve ....

[acesfullokings]

Ok so about 2 months ago I finally got some RB set up and deposited my $280 roll into Noble Poker and started work right away at 20NL since I decided my roll was small enough that if I happened to go broke it could be replaced. Fortunately my confidence was justified and I was very quickly beating the 20NL game on iPoker as I ran my roll up to about $800 very quickly putting in a lot of hands.

I then cashed my RB into my account and had a shot at 50NL using about 18 or 19 BIs and it went atrociously as I got coolered then tilted a bit and lost about 4BIs and dropped back to 20NL. I got myself back to about $1000 and tryed again with this shot being about as spectaular as the last and I again landed in 20NL with about $800.

At this point I decided that a Bonus was just the ticket I need and I halved my roll and took it a Prima skin and after a few days of my head spinning at the software I hate the most ever it turns out I abandoned that game and went to Tower Poker in search of their 5X $200 max bonus for clearing.

Due to some evilness with the exchange rate I lost $5 from my roll and deposited $395 and got the bonus up and running and started grinding 25NL on OnGame. I steadily beat that game for ~ 10ptBB/1000 and got my roll up to $1100 total between Noble and Tower and had about 70% of my bonus cleared in just over a week.

So with ~$1100 I decided another shot 50NL was the go and had an up and down time while grinding out the rest of my bonus which I completed last night after only about 10 days of solid grinding each night after work plus weekends.

After clearing my bonus I now have $1377 and am looking to make the full time move to 50NL obviously. That is my current goal, to grind 50NL and become a solid winner at that game and work my roll toward $3000 and then a shot at 100NL. I am currently playing the 5 max OnGame game and have the second part of the Tower Welcome Bonus, a fresh $200 7X Bonus. By the time I clear that I will almost enough points for another $200 7X Bonus. Once I see how well that clears at 50NL I can consider the $500 7X bonus. With such good bonus' on offer at Tower this along with my Noble RB deal will probably stay my main sites, but I have my Noble section of my roll headed to Moneybookers for the time being so that I can move some to any site I want if there is a game I want to play. The only downside of that is that it is in $AUD and I can lose a few bucks if the exchange rate goes in the shitter, but most of my money is in Tower so it's all good really.

So my goal here, Beat 50NL and head towards $3000 through winnings, RB and Bonus money and then look at moving to 100NL. Progress, hands, updates in this thread. Let's do it.

[acesfullokings]

OK another bad start as I drop 3 BIs tonight. My first impression is that this level seems a lot more aggro and to be honest all my raises were met by 3 bets that I couldn't call, I shoud've moved tables.

I'm sure I was getting 3 bet light, one guy 3 bet me from the blinds then c/r me all in on the flop with 66. This is just gonna take some adjusting. I'm not posting hands tongiht as I already feel like I played poorly, instead I might go vomit and then go to bed. I still have about 25 BIs so I'll keep trying.

EDIT: This one hand annoys me actually. Bad?

The BB had halved his stack bluffing into me when I had AK on KKx board recently.

Poker Room skin
No Limit Holdem Ring game
Blinds: $0.25/$0.50
5 players
Converter

Stack sizes:
Hero: $83.35
CO: $27.00
Button: $51.30
SB: $43.65
BB: $43.45

Pre-flop: (5 players) Hero is UTG with 4 4
Hero raises to $2, CO calls, 2 folds, BB calls.

Flop: K K 5 ($6.25, 3 players)
BB checks, Hero checks.

Turn: 4 ($6.25, 3 players)
BB bets $2, Hero calls, CO calls.

River: 9 ($12.25, 3 players)
BB bets $10, Hero raises to $25, CO calls all-in $23, BB folds.
Uncalled bets: $2 returned to Hero.

Results:
Final pot: $68.25

EDIT: One good thing about my recent micro success is that I will be able to take my wife out to a small dinner for our anniversary this weekend, so that's another small dent to the roll but one that I can Live with, that money is easily returned later if I need to. Just grind that bonus, and don't be intimidated by 50NL, just play my best and don't stack off like an idiot. More to come.

[acesfullokings]

Been having a tough time, cold cards and some very aggro spots. Except this. This was against a 71/16/1 (AF right?) and after the flop I was commited, but on the turn? Surely if he's calling the flop he could have a Q and if he's playing 71% then its Qx right? WWYD? If he's that much of station should I be potting the flop?

EDIT: It was missing UTG bets $1.00

Poker Room skin
No Limit Holdem Ring game
Blinds: $0.25/$0.50
5 players
Converter

Stack sizes:
UTG: $74.75
CO: $49.05
Button: $19.35
Hero: $123.10
BB: $65.35

Pre-flop: (5 players) Hero is SB with K A
UTG bets $1, CO folds, Button calls, Hero raises to $4.5, BB folds, UTG calls, Button folds.

Flop: A J K ($10, 2 players)
Hero bets $5, UTG calls.

Turn: T ($20, 2 players)
Hero ???

[kmind]

Bet more on the flop! B/f turn.

[acesfullokings]

I just played a better session, I tightened up and played starting hands from sauces guide and it helped immensely. I didn't play the whole guide, just needed a pointer on hand selection. The passiver play at 25nl meant I could play a bit looser and it was working great, but not so much now. But then I started these starting hands and tried to put some more thought in, that and getting more comfprtable with the larger bets made for a much better session, and I won two buy ins. Back on track, I hope.

[Jack Sawyer]

kick ass and take names, acesfull

[biondino]

5max $50 is a fairly easy game IMO because it's pretty straightforward to get reads - with so few players you'll get a lot of people who either obviously play too tight (<20 vp) or too loose. The maniac you mention will be great to play against because he will clearly stack off too easily; I also find it has the effect of keeping me "honest" and reduces the number of marginal or OOP plays I make if I know there's someone who'll be light three betting.

[acesfullokings]

Had a decent session tonight, and after a dumb stack off I woke up to myself and played a lot better to get myself back to even. I'm definately more comfortable now, just still a little bit too feel out I guess, but not as intimidated by the bet sizes etc.

Just two hands that really bugged me from tonight.

This one near the end because I knew he was weaker than me, a real bad player running 55/8 so I was prepared to play for stacks here.

Poker Room skin
No Limit Holdem Ring game
Blinds: $0.25/$0.50
4 players
Converter

Stack sizes:
UTG: $10.50
Hero: $72.10
SB: $33.90
BB: $55.80

Pre-flop: (4 players) Hero is Button with A K
UTG calls, Hero raises to $2.5, SB calls, BB folds, UTG calls.

Flop: K 9 4 ($8, 3 players)
SB bets $2.5, UTG calls, Hero raises to $8, SB calls, UTG folds.

Turn: 9 ($26.5, 2 players)
SB checks, Hero bets $15, SB calls.

River: T ($56.5, 2 players)
SB is all-in $8.4, Hero calls.

Results:
Final pot: $73.3
SB shows TH KH
Hero shows AD KC

And this KK, not sure about it.

Poker Room skin
No Limit Holdem Ring game
Blinds: $0.25/$0.50
5 players
Converter

Stack sizes:
UTG: $50.15
CO: $54.15
Button: $5.25
Hero: $70.55
BB: $23.60

Pre-flop: (5 players) Hero is SB with K K
UTG calls, CO calls, Button calls, Hero raises to $3.5, 2 folds, CO calls, Button folds.

Flop: J Q 2 ($8.5, 2 players)
Hero bets $5, CO calls.

Turn: J ($18.5, 2 players)
Hero bets $10, CO calls.

River: 6 ($38.5, 2 players)
Hero checks, CO bets $14, Hero calls.

Results:
Final pot: $66.5


Thoughts on these hands?

[acesfullokings]

Started good tonight, ended bad. Down $80 tonight, but annoying. Is this hand bad? I felt like I played decent tonight, keep getting pwned by stations though

Poker Room skin
No Limit Holdem Ring game
Blinds: $0.25/$0.50
5 players
Converter

Stack sizes:
UTG: $49.75
CO: $20.05
Hero: $74.25
SB: $63.60
BB: $64.40

Pre-flop: (5 players) Hero is Button with 5 A
2 folds, Hero raises to $2, SB folds, BB raises to $4, Hero calls.

Flop: 6 3 K ($8.25, 2 players)
BB bets $5, Hero raises to $15, BB raises all-in $54.9, Hero calls.

Turn: 2 ($118.05, 1 player + 1 all-in - Main pot: $118.05)


River: 6 ($118.05, 1 player + 1 all-in - Main pot: $118.05)


Results:
Final pot: $118.05

Call Call. What to do here? 50% vpip player.

Poker Room skin
No Limit Holdem Ring game
Blinds: $0.25/$0.50
4 players
Converter

Stack sizes:
Hero: $51.00
Button: $50.40
SB: $14.50
BB: $91.25

Pre-flop: (4 players) Hero is UTG with Q K
Hero raises to $2, 2 folds, BB calls.

Flop: 5 9 K ($4.25, 2 players)
BB checks, Hero bets $2.5, BB calls.

Turn: 9 ($9.25, 2 players)
BB checks, Hero bets $4, BB calls.

River: 4 ($17.25, 2 players)
BB checks, Hero bets $10, BB calls.

Results:
Final pot: $37.25

[Halv]

In general I think your postflop bet/raise sizes are a bit on the small side.

In the KK hand the turned J is an interesting spot. On the river, despite being offered seemingly attractive odds, I like a c/f. Straight draws missed, but does he chase straights on paired flushdraw boards on multiple streets often enough?

In the A5s hand I really prefer a preflop fold even against his minraise, just because I tend to put too many chips in with one pair post flop. I also think I like a flat call on the flop. There are plenty of chips left to bet, giving us decent implieds plus maneuverability (sp?) to make a move on later streets if we choose to do so. We also have a tiny bit of showdown value with A high.

[acesfullokings]

I'm definately finding my feet at 50NL now and I have climbed back to my starting point or there abouts, just $30 behind it now. Had a few harsh beats I got my money in good and lost. But I shook it off and resolved to play more and more hands today and grind through it which is doubly good since I am clearing a 7X $200 bonus as well. That means that this weekend I am up 4 BIs and hopefully I can push into the green and start to make some profit at 50NL, after all that's the point. I was gonna post some hands but I'm not at my PokerTracker computer, but I have some pokerhand.org ones.

http://www.pokerhand.org/?1581322
This hand was just a bit annoying, especially as I dropping down toward 20BIs at the time. I was trying to value bet him, got all in. Should've been job done.

http://www.pokerhand.org/?1581502
I butchered this one. I flopped huge and should've just called his check raise and let him hang himself on the turn. I hate how I played it, gotta slow down and think about my decisions.

http://www.pokerhand.org/?1581375
I don't know about this hand just thought he was weak. I probably should've checked behind on the river, but he was a strange opponent and I thought he might pay me with an 8.

Anyway a bad start but in the end a good day and won back some BIs. More to come, hopefully a lot of hands tomorrow as well. Gonna be a lot of grinding.

[acesfullokings]

I've only paid a few hands today and after getting back to ~ even with 50nl last night my arsehole is now gaping wide. Fuck I'm frustrated, so no more games today. So now I'm stuck 4 BIs since I started 50nl. That just feels gross. So does this.

Poker Room skin
No Limit Holdem Ring game
Blinds: $0.25/$0.50
5 players
Converter

Stack sizes:
UTG: $28.00
Hero: $62.10
Button: $36.50
SB: $49.50
BB: $45.95

Pre-flop: (5 players) Hero is CO with Q Q
UTG folds, Hero raises to $2, 2 folds, BB calls.

Flop: A 7 Q ($4.25, 2 players)
BB checks, Hero bets $2, BB calls.

Turn: 3 ($8.25, 2 players)
BB checks, Hero bets $5, BB calls.

River: J ($18.25, 2 players)
BB bets $10, Hero calls.

Results:
Final pot: $38.25
BB shows 8D KD
Hero shows QD QH

Lot's of chasing going on. A lot of evil cards. I'm only stuck 4BIs so its nothing serious and I've more than half of the bonus cleared. My immediate goal is to grind back those 4BIs, and by then I should have the bonus cleared or there abouts for another 4BIs. I'm overplaying shit so it's time to smack myself in the head, take a deep breath and hit the tables tomorrow night and try again. But for the moment I just wanna say fuck.

[Halv]

I've said it before: you need to make your betsizes larger, especially when it's a drawy board. You want to stack someone when you make a set, you can't do that if the pot size on the river is less than half the remaining stacks. Betting ~4$ on the flop lets you bet ~10$ on the turn which allows you to shove the river.

As it went, you gave him good enough odds to chase the NFD for implieds (though he himself should've probably bet the river a little harder). No use complaining when they hit their draws when you give them a good prize. (I didnt calculate it 100%, and I didnt discount his outs/take his reverse implieds wrt board pairing into account, just trying to make a point.)

[acesfullokings]

Hmmm. Looking back I can see that bet sizes are small there. Where should I get to though, duh its opponent specific. Should I be potting the flop/turn in this hand? $3.50, $4? making the pot about $12? Than what about $8 on the turn, $10? Should my bet on the turn be smaller pot% than the flop?

The main problem I have when deciding what to bet I guess is not with this type of hand, I can see these are too small, I should be be betting more. But what if on this board he has the same hand and I have AK for just a TPTK hand? Should I be betting pot (insert bet size here) on the flop still with a more vulnerable hand. When I do this I'm having trouble distinguishing between pricing out draws and when I am just spewing, especially since a lot of the players at OnGame are very stationy which means I sometimes have trouble narrowing their range when they are ATC.

Thanks for the thoughts Halv.

[Halv]

I'd generally be making it 3/4-pot to full pot also with TP type hands. We want to punish them for calling too much and too often, so bluff less and valuebet more.

I'm really not worried about my strong one-pair hand being beaten until they stop check/calling and start betting or raising. At that point it might seem that we've put ourselves in a tough spot in what's becoming a big pot, but really when passive people call the flop and raise (or c/r) the turn then one pair is no good. (Is this the Baluga theorem?)

I'm not very good at adjusting bet sizes though, I usually just go for 2/3 to pot no matter wtf I have :P.

[acesfullokings]

I have to drop back to 25NL to finish the current bonus. I'm getting raped. Shit like this is killing me. Dropped another 2 and bit BIs and I don't know what's going on. I made an effort to bet more on my hands tonight as well. Mr roll has been decimated to below $1k and I refuse to donk it off at 50nl, so back to 25 to rebuild, clear my bonus, and then re evaluate.

Hand Converter not working so here is a great example of repeated kind of thing.

Texas Hold'em $0.50-$1 NL (real money), hand #P4-51904458-128
Table Odense, 16 Oct 2007 10:24 AM ET

Seat 1: icelander_79 ($43.30 in chips)
Seat 3: -_-a ($50.90 in chips)
Seat 4: callmyCHECK ($52.25 in chips)
Seat 8: ezy2stack [ AD,AS ] ($43.50 in chips)
Seat 9: handsomeb1 ($29.40 in chips)
ANTES/BLINDS
icelander_79 posts blind ($0.25), -_-a posts blind ($0.50).

PRE-FLOP
callmyCHECK folds, ezy2stack bets $2, handsomeb1 folds, icelander_79 calls $1.75, -_-a folds.

FLOP [board cards 5D,5S,KS ]
icelander_79 bets $2, ezy2stack bets $7, icelander_79 bets $10, ezy2stack bets $34.50 and is all-in, icelander_79 calls $29.30 and is all-in.

TURN [board cards 5D,5S,KS,JS ]

RIVER [board cards 5D,5S,KS,JS,6D ]

SHOWDOWN
ezy2stack shows [ AD,AS ]
icelander_79 shows [ 5C,QD ]
icelander_79 wins $85.60, ezy2stack wins $0.20.

SUMMARY
Dealer: handsomeb1
Pot: $87.30, (including rake: $1.50)
icelander_79 bets $43.30, collects $85.60, net $42.30
-_-a loses $0.50
callmyCHECK loses $0
ezy2stack bets $43.50, collects $0.20, net $-43.30
handsomeb1 loses $0

Tell me I should've folded I know I probably should've, maybe I'm too frustrated and got stubborn here, but seriously getting hammered to all fuck right now and I'm pissed. Help please.

[acesfullokings]

Ok poker is consuming me. And that's ok, except when I'm running bad I have noting to take my mind off it. So what Ive done is withdrawn $250 so I can get my PS3 of layby, picking it up tomorrow. That means that if I'm fucked in the head over poker or too tired and shouldn't play (when I have been anyway) I now have something else to focus on and not donk off my cash. So this sets me at $750 and re grinding 25nl, but thats ok as I am about to clear another $200 bonus, and then I will have another bonus I can buy and clear another $200 7X bonus. I'll make a re jump to 50nl at some point during the next bonus I'd say, it depends on how well I run at 25nl while doing it. This is going to go better I think, another distraction for if I need to take a break.

Ok let's go grind that bonus.

[acesfullokings]

I had to withdraw. Then I run bad, so then I play bad. I have $490 after a shit house session -6 BIs, but cleared my bonus. I am withdrawing, then on the weekend I will decide what to do next, RB > bonus so I don't chase the bonus when I feel I shouldn't be playing. So I think it will be Mansion and Full Tilt. I have 36% RB at Mansion and I want to play a big site as during the day on weekends (my time for big sessions) the euro sites (OnGame etc) are dead. I signed up at Grinder School, and I am gonna get back to my A game, or throw it away, dunno. Need a few days off but that's ok because my cash out from Tower will take at least that long. I am tired from work, hate my job.

Let's re evaluate, get some Full Tilt RB and play a site with some fucking volume so I have more than 4 tables to choose from on the weekend. I can play better than this, let's go do it this weekend.