I had my best day of poker ever on Saturday.

I started my session with around $65 in my BoDog account, and ended the day at almost $200! I made a good $130 bucks!

I started out the night by joining a $7 , guarenteed $3000 MTT. First hand I flop the nut flush and eliminate a player who was betting into me. SO I am the chip leader after a few hands. I then wnet a few orbits without getting anything good, and proceeded to donk away my chips on two hands. I played really bad. With a full house on the board, I took my opponents (who I had covered) bet to mean a bluff. Nope, he had the 4th card for quads. Doh! I shoulda just let that hand go PF. I then pickup AQ and make a 4x BB raise. The table chip leader calls. I hit TPTK, with two clubs on the board. I bet pot and get called. turn is the 3rd club. I bet the rest of my chips, and he turns over KT of clubs to eliminate me. Out in 221st place out of around 380.

I then played a few SNGs. I played three $5 SNGs, took 1st place in two of them, 5th in the other. Then I played a $10 and won that one too. A nice $72.50 profit from those.

And I was also playing some PL Omaha HL. Very very loose play there. I scooped a huge $60 pot. With one card to go, I had a draw for the nut high and the nut low. I needed a heart for the nut high, and any card from 4-7 for the nut low. The comes and I scoop the largest pot I've ever been a part of. That felt pretty good.

And I also played pretty good at the .50/1.00 limit tables.

And while doing that I cleared the BoDog bonus, so I can withdraw anytime now. But, I think I'll keep money there cause I like their SNGs

My SNG stats for BoDog are:

Total Played: 9 (six $5, one $6, two $10)
1st place: 4
2nd place: 0
3rd place: 0
4th place: 1
5th place: 3
9th place: 1

Total wagered: $61.50
Total won: $200.00
ITM%: 44.4%
Profit: $138.50
ROI: 225%

I'm in the process of finding the next site to grab a bonus from. I've done bet365, CrazyPoker, and BoDog.

Bankroll sitting just above $400

Deposited $200 at Paradise last night. Even though I've read on these forums that Paradise sucks, I decided to give it a try anyways. $100 bonus for 1000 raked hands is pretty good, especially since I can clear it at limits I am comfortable with.

Cleared about 200 hands last night and this morning, and then made a decent $18 profit at the tables while doing it. I think I can have this bonus cleared in a week or so.

My first impression with Paradise is that it is super slow. The graphics are slow, which slows down play, and they give everyone at least 30 seconds to make a decission. I'm lucky to see 30-40 hands an hour at the .50/1.00 limit tables. You can only play 3 tables at a time too. It's not that big of a deal, since 4 is probably my max, but this will slow down the bonus clearing. I played some 5 card draw there and had some fun and made a little money. Those hands go fast since it is only 5 people per table

Cheers!

Finished my bonus over at Paradise. But lost $70 in the process. This sucks, cause was about even with only about 250 hands to go. So I only made a profit of $30.

Got killed at the NL and PLO8 tables at BoDog this weekend too. And I didn't even play that much. I got rivered three times in eight hands playing NL. I did take 2nd in a $10 SNG to make a few dollars back. I then cashed everything out of BoDog. Deposited $50, made $50 bonus, and $67 from playing poker.

Here is my bankroll status as of today.

Initial Deposit: $100

Poker Stars: +$20.00 Bonus; -$7.00 Poker
Bet365: +$100.00 Bonus; -$20.00 Poker
Crazy Poker: +$50.00 Bonus; +$35.00 Poker
BoDog: +$50.00 Bonus; +$67.00 Poker
Paradise: +$100.00 Bonus; -$70.00 Poker

Bonus Profit: $320.00
Poker Profit: $5.00

Total Bankroll: $425.00

So I've been playing Poker now since beginning of June, so 4 months total, and I've made a whopping $5.00 playing poker! LOL!

My Next Bonus will be Absolute. I'll deposit $100.00. Then the rest I will Deposit into PokerStars. They have a 25% reload going on now through the end of the week.

Nothing too exciting to report today. Took 3rd place in a $10 SNG yesterday, and went out in 5th in one today.

Here are the hands that did me in on the first one. I was the chip leader with three left, and a complete luck sack drew out on me continuously


PokerStars Game #2834692825: Tournament #13954818, Hold'em No Limit - Level VI (100/200) - 2005/10/18 - 17:05:40 (ET)
Table '13954818 1' Seat #3 is the button
Seat 3: Ratking117 (4328 in chips)
Seat 7: LuparFiend (5834 in chips)
Seat 8: jery_ice (3338 in chips)
LuparFiend: posts small blind 100
jery_ice: posts big blind 200
*** HOLE CARDS ***
Dealt to LuparFiend
Ratking117: raises 400 to 600
LuparFiend: raises 600 to 1200
jery_ice: folds
Ratking117: calls 600
*** FLOP ***
LuparFiend: bets 600
Ratking117: calls 600
*** TURN *** [7h 6d 5h]
LuparFiend: checks
Ratking117: checks
*** RIVER *** [7h 6d 5h Kd]
LuparFiend: checks
Ratking117: bets 1000
LuparFiend: folds
Ratking117 collected 3800 from pot
Ratking117: doesn't show hand
*** SUMMARY ***
Total pot 3800 | Rake 0
Board [7h 6d 5h Kd Td]
Seat 3: Ratking117 (button) collected (3800)
Seat 7: LuparFiend (small blind) folded on the River
Seat 8: jery_ice (big blind) folded before Flop


I'm not sure what I should have done with this hand. Check-fold after the flop?
*******************

PokerStars Game #2834710739: Tournament #13954818, Hold'em No Limit - Level VI (100/200) - 2005/10/18 - 17:08:11 (ET)
Table '13954818 1' Seat #7 is the button
Seat 3: Ratking117 (7328 in chips)
Seat 7: LuparFiend (4634 in chips)
Seat 8: jery_ice (1538 in chips)
jery_ice: posts small blind 100
Ratking117: posts big blind 200
*** HOLE CARDS ***
Dealt to LuparFiend
LuparFiend: raises 400 to 600
jery_ice: folds
Ratking117: calls 400
*** FLOP ***
Ratking117: checks
LuparFiend: bets 400
Ratking117: calls 400
*** TURN *** [7h 9h 3s]
Ratking117: checks
LuparFiend: bets 800
Ratking117: calls 800
*** RIVER *** [7h 9h 3s 4d]
Ratking117: checks
LuparFiend: checks
*** SHOW DOWN ***
Ratking117: shows [4c 4s] (three of a kind, Fours)
LuparFiend: mucks hand
Ratking117 collected 3700 from pot
*** SUMMARY ***
Total pot 3700 | Rake 0
Board [7h 9h 3s 4d 6h]
Seat 3: Ratking117 (big blind) showed and won (3700) with three of a kind, Fours
Seat 7: LuparFiend (button) mucked
Seat 8: jery_ice (small blind) folded before Flop

I hit two pair on the flop. Pot is 1300, and I bet roughly one third. I didn't want to scare him away. He then of course hits his two outer on the turn. Good thing I didn't bet the river.
******************************

PokerStars Game #2834740658: Tournament #13954818, Hold'em No Limit - Level VI (100/200) - 2005/10/18 - 17:12:23 (ET)
Table '13954818 1' Seat #8 is the button
Seat 3: Ratking117 (7390 in chips)
Seat 7: LuparFiend (3634 in chips)
Seat 8: jery_ice (2476 in chips)
Ratking117: posts small blind 100
LuparFiend: posts big blind 200
*** HOLE CARDS ***
Dealt to LuparFiend
jery_ice: folds
Ratking117: raises 200 to 400
LuparFiend: calls 200
*** FLOP ***
Ratking117: checks
LuparFiend: bets 600
Ratking117: calls 600
*** TURN *** [4d 7s 8c]
Ratking117: checks
LuparFiend: checks
*** RIVER *** [4d 7s 8c Td]
Ratking117: bets 1200
LuparFiend: calls 1200
*** SHOW DOWN ***
Ratking117: shows (a straight, Six to Ten)
LuparFiend: mucks hand
Ratking117 collected 4400 from pot
*** SUMMARY ***
Total pot 4400 | Rake 0
Board [4d 7s 8c Td 3s]
Seat 3: Ratking117 (small blind) showed [6h 9c] and won (4400) with a straight, Six to Ten
Seat 7: LuparFiend (big blind) mucked [8s Qd]
Seat 8: jery_ice (button) folded before Flop (didn't bet)

This f*cker is hitting everything!
***********************************************


And then the one from today really pissed me off. I hadn't been invloved in too many hands so far. But I did take one pot off of villain earlier when I hit top pair with ok kicker. He hit middle pair with crap kicker, and called my raise on the flop, then bet smallish on turn and river and I called him down, taking the pot. My read on him is that he is a total muppet. He seemed to fold if he didn't have a hand, but would stay with it if he caught anything on the flop, even bottom pair.

PokerStars Game #2840202901: Tournament #13984443, Hold'em No Limit - Level IV (50/100) - 2005/10/19 - 08:09:51 (ET)
Table '13984443 1' Seat #9 is the button
Seat 1: LuparFiend (1710 in chips)
Seat 2: richcanuck69 (1645 in chips)
Seat 3: Henry1000 (3490 in chips)
Seat 4: capt_morgan0 (3360 in chips)
Seat 7: Riskbreaker (2315 in chips)
Seat 9: moreback (980 in chips) is sitting out
LuparFiend: posts small blind 50
richcanuck69: posts big blind 100
*** HOLE CARDS ***
Dealt to LuparFiend
Henry1000: folds
capt_morgan0: folds
Riskbreaker: folds
moreback: folds
LuparFiend: calls 50
richcanuck69: raises 100 to 200
moreback has returned
LuparFiend: calls 100
*** FLOP ***
LuparFiend: checks
richcanuck69: bets 300
LuparFiend: raises 300 to 600
richcanuck69: calls 300
*** TURN *** [2h 7h 8d]
LuparFiend: bets 300
richcanuck69: raises 400 to 700
LuparFiend: raises 210 to 910 and is all-in
richcanuck69: calls 145 and is all-in
*** RIVER *** [2h 7h 8d 7s]
*** SHOW DOWN ***
LuparFiend: shows [8s Ks] (two pair, Eights and Sevens)
richcanuck69: shows (three of a kind, Sevens)
richcanuck69 collected 3290 from pot
*** SUMMARY ***
Total pot 3290 | Rake 0
Board [2h 7h 8d 7s 3h]
Seat 1: LuparFiend (small blind) showed [8s Ks] and lost with two pair, Eights and Sevens
Seat 2: richcanuck69 (big blind) showed [7c Kc] and won (3290) with three of a kind, Sevens
Seat 3: Henry1000 folded before Flop (didn't bet)
Seat 4: capt_morgan0 folded before Flop (didn't bet)
Seat 7: Riskbreaker folded before Flop (didn't bet)
Seat 9: moreback (button) folded before Flop (didn't bet)

Arggggg.


Even after all that, I'm still about even the last 2 days. I took a nice $30 pot this morning with KK in a .10/.25 NL game.

Bankroll is just under $600 I think

Interesteing poker weekend. I got killed in the limit games on Saturday. I lost about $60 playing mostly 1/2 limit. Had aces cracked by trips again. Lots of missed draws.

So I decided to play No limit the rest of the weeked. I cleaned up there. Made about $165.00 playing .10/.25 NL (Max $50 buy-in) I couldn't believe it. Lots of bad play out there. Won some huge pots with Aces. Won another huge pot with pocket 5s. I hit trips on the flop and opponent hit OESD. He hit his straight on the turn, but the board paired on the river giving me a full house.

Then this morning I backed into 3rd place in a $10 SNG. I was amazed. I've never been so card dead in my life, but still won 3rd. The only hand I won at showdown was when I was the short stack with 5 people left, and my chip count was 350t, and I had pocket 6s. Got called by Kx. Flop had two kings, but turn was a 6!

Hey Man,

I enjoy reading your journal Keep up the great work!

I know you are not getting too many responses, but they will come in time and we are reading!

Steve

The Home Game last night was fun. I didn't win, but I learned a lot. I stayed right around the starting chip stack most of the night. The only time I went to showdown was when I busted out. In the beginning, no body was calling my PF raises. I don't know, maybe they were scared of the new "Internet Playing" Guy.

I won a pot the first orbit where I got the nut flush on the turn, but no one called my turn bet. Another hand, I got pocket 8's, hit trips on the flop. I checked, intending to slowplay. But other player checked also. A third heart came on the turn, and I made a full pot bet. Other dude folded. The only time I bluffed was really a semi-bluff. I had TJ of hearts. 4 limpers/callers. Flop came KJx with two hearts. I made a big bet, but no one called.

The hand I went out on, I got screwed over.

I'm in the BB with [Qs]. UTG limps, Button limps, SB calls. I grabbed my chips intending to raise, thinking I could get all the limpers to fold. As I was playing with my chips, the dealer didn't notice that I was going to raise, and flipped over two cards, which one of them was a Q. I said that I hadn't acted yet, so the dealer re-shuffled the deck. I should have said "raise" right away, but the dealers still should have been paying attention. So I raised 4X the BB. UTG goess all-in, and he has me covered. This guy is one of the more experienced players, so I thought he was trying to put a move on the new guy. I highly doubted that he had a high pocket pair. I figured I was up against two broadway cards. The other two players folded, and I decided to call.


He flipped over [6c]. The flop contained another 6, and I was drawing dead. He limped, went all-in with 6's!?!?!?!! I probably should have just checked PF, but if the dealer wouldn't have screwed up, I probably would have won.

Oh well, 'twas fun.

On the internet side, I have only have $10 more to clear at absolute. I'll probably get that done this afternoon. I'm not sure what site I'll go to next. Maybe over to bet365 real quick and clear there easy $50 bonus.

Oh, and had my KK beat with AA AGAIN playing 1/2 limit at absolute this morning. Holy crap, this has happened to me so many times at that site, its not even funny.

Lupar - I read thru this thread and can only say that you are doing things exactly the right way IMHO - play a few different types of game - SnG's, Ring, 6-max, MTT's and see which you prefer whilst bonuses are constantly building your roll.

Just a word of advice - make sure you are beating the level properly before you move up. Those bonuses at higher levels look very tempting (especially all the Crypto ones at $20/hr or better once you hit $100 tables) and you could probably buy in short and play tight and make more money but you need to concentrate now on playing winning poker.

The next stage is to decide what your particular best game and favorite site is and to concentrate on it with a view to really winning consistently.

Good luck