Link to my previous journal.



I've missed keeping account of my progress over the last few months, and decided with the recent poker legislation that's been passed & forcing me to change sites yet again, now is good of a time as any to re-start my journal. As I said when I started my last journal, anyone and everyone is welcome to post suggesstions, comments, etc.

After my month-long "retirement" (see the link in my prior journal, last entry), I had a chance to get away from the game for awhile and think some things over. I've been back on the scene now for the past month or so, and have been more active in the fourms lately. This is a good thing. For those following my journal and for my own sanity, I make a few comments as to what's changed from last July-

1. I now realize that I'm not going to be one of the elite players out there. Just simply because I have a career and other obligations that won't allow me to put in the work that is needed to obtain that level of play. That's why my progress (moving up levels, as opposed to getting better which I am) has been slower than others that started when I did, or even after I did. And it will continue to be slow.

2. Part of the problem I was having and a big part of what was detracting from my enjoyment of the game was the fact that although I was winning, I wasn't enjoying the profits. Like I said, I have no ambition of ever going pro or even relying on poker as a serious stream of income, as such I have no great desire to focus only on bankroll growth in order to move up as soon as possible. I have made periodic withdrawls over the last few months totaling several hundred dollars (initial investment - $40 last December). My level of motivation and play quite frankly has increased a great deal. I think it has something to do with seeing real, tangible gain from this endeavor.

3. I've taken care of my problems at work, the commitment to my relationships I was perceived in lacking on, and have begun to lose the weight I've gained over the last several months. Result? I'm more confident in all areas right now, including when I sit down at the tables.

If any newer posters that may be reading this for the first time want more history, check out my first journal.

I'd be posting at least once a week with current updates, observations, etc. I am not going to post daily session recaps, at least for now, as I think that was one more thing that was getting me worked up (having to look at numbers when they were not favorable for sometimes weeks on end).

My plan is to grow my "base", or minimum required bankroll by AT LEAST $200 a month until I reach $2,000, at which point I will be taking on $100 NL. My first "cap" of $1,200 will be November 30th, to allow me time to transition to PokerStars from Party. I may increase the allowance if I find that I'm beating $50 NL at a very good clip (which so far is the case), but like I said I'm not rushing and want to give my very best game each session.

Current Bankroll: $1,344.00
Next bankroll cap: $1,200
Date: 11/30/06
Current Level: $50 NL

Week Ending 10/15/06

Rough Start with Pokerstars

Ugh. Not exactly the way I wanted to start things off at Pokerstars - down almost 5 buy-ins since Friday. For some reason, the games at Pokerstars are like night and day compared to the old Party games. Maybe I'm just distorting my perspective of things right now in light of this downswing, but it seems that everyone's far more aggressive, both pre-flop and post, and are only folding when I have a hand and calling otherwise and ALWAYS taking me off my hand. And when I do call or play to the end, time and time again I see the chips being slid the other way.

I think my play has slipped over the last day or so as well. By far the worst call of the weekend:

PokerStars No-Limit Hold'em, $0.50 BB (9 handed) from (Format: FlopTurnRiver)

saw flop|saw showdown

MP2 ($50.25)
MP3 ($87.55)
CO ($44.65)
Button ($60.65)
SB ($64.15)
BB ($28)
Hero ($64.25)
UTG+1 ($35.75)
MP1 ($18.30)

Preflop: Hero is UTG with A, Q.
Hero calls $0.50, 1 fold, MP1 calls $0.50, 3 folds, Button calls $0.50, SB completes, BB checks.

Flop: ($2.50) 6, 4, A (5 players)
SB checks, BB checks, Hero bets $2.5, MP1 folds, Button calls $2.50, SB folds, BB folds.

Turn: ($7.50) 7 (2 players)
Hero bets $5, Button calls $5.

River: ($17.50) 7 (2 players)
Hero checks, Button bets $52.65 (All-In), Hero calls $52.65.

Final Pot: $122.80

Results in white below:
Hero has Ad Qs (two pair, aces and sevens).
Button has Th 7h (three of a kind, sevens).
Outcome: Button wins $122.80.

Not sure what I was thinking he was pushing with. Anyways, I think I've just been trying to make things happen over the last few sessions and deviating from my usual TAG play that served me well at Party. It's only been less than 2,000 hands at Stars so far, so no need to make drastic changes to my game at this point.

Back to basics. The silver lining behind all of this is the same thing that's been costing me - no one folds. Time to tighten up my PF hand selection and reduct the number of CB's I'm making - since there seems to be more aggression, it seems that I will get paid off when I do have a hand. Hopefully this weekend has just been variance and not the start of a serious regression in my game.

Current Bankroll: $1,099.76
Next bankroll cap: $1,200
Date: 11/30/06
Current Level: $50 NL