I have $1287 in outstanding bonus's, WTF!

Rich

Well I have posted a couple of hours today. Not a whole heap to write about. I am playing currently at Poker Now in an effort to start cutting down my bonus mountain. I need 1260 hands, so far I am now on about 202. I am playing 2 tables and trying to do about 150 hands per session, which is roughly about 2 hours.

I made $4 so far, whoo-hoo! Nothing much to say, I won a few small pots and bluffed a few more. I don't think I won a pot over $20 the whole time. Just a case of losing little bits on draws then winning small pots back. To be honest it was pretty easy as sessions go, no real hum-dinger decisions.

I am playing again tonight as I really need to get back to the coal face, holiday over now. I am going to be very strict with myself and stick to only 2 tables. I am not overly concerned about bottom line results right now (well you get my meaning) as playing well, learning well and getting quality from my sessions. I think more than two tables it can start to become robotic. I am trying to get away from the whole ABC poker thing.

Well I shall report back later. For the record I am currently down about $5 for the month.

Rich

I am currently sticking the new auto-rate rules on PT before I play tonight and I am bored. Why not share my boredom with you guys then?

Question: How do you know when you have found the perfect woman?

Answer: a; She suggests we get personalised playing cards to give out to guests at out up and coming nuptuals.
b; She takes great pride in telling all and sundry I paid for her engagement ring by playing poker (and no, it wasn't from a ceral packet before you say it Monk).

Oh, and she is hot to trot plus all the other stuff...

So far I have to say I am liking the transition to NL. Its the ability to defend a hand that appeals so much. I am also making a lot by betting into my draws, people folding and letting me have it. I am currently possibly losing a little value as I am betting big in vunerable situations such as TP with a flush draw but I figure better to win a small pot than lose a large one.

Well I am going to stick in another couple of hours tonight. I have to say it is good to be back playing so I guess the rest was worth while.

Rich

Piss Wank Bollocks, why why oh why me????

Party Poker No-Limit Hold'em, $ Hero (9 handed)

Table ATM ($96.55)
Button ($49.13)
SB ($41.2)
Hero ($54.25)
UTG ($71.02)
UTG+1 ($48.5)
MP1 ($50)
MP2 ($69.02)
MP3 ($81.25)

Preflop: Hero is BB with , . SB posts a blind of $0.25.
3 folds, MP3 calls $0.50, Table ATM calls $0.50, 2 folds, Hero raises to $2.5, 1 fold, Table ATM calls $2.50.

Flop: ($6.75) , , (3 players)
Hero bets $5, Table ATM raises to $10, Hero raises to $15, Table ATM raises to $20, Hero calls $5.

Turn: ($46.75) (3 players)
Hero calls $31.25 (All-In), Table ATM calls $31.25.

River: ($109.25) (3 players, 1 all-in)

Final Pot: $109.25

Results in below:
Hero has Kc Kh (two pair, kings and sixes).
MP2 has (two pair, kings and sixes).
Table ATM has 6d 3s (full house, sixes full of fours).
Outcome: Table ATM wins $109.25.

Before any critism of my play, this guy was so bad I swear he couldn't see his cards and despite being up was on his fourth rebuy when this hand happened and I had only been at the table 45 mins.

So far down $90, going to mess about on Paradise for a change of pace.

Rich

I figure I should leave you with some abbrievated results from tonights play. Basically I lost $100 playing the NL, $55 on the above hand and the rest just in silly little things. I am not too worried about this though as I think I was playing pretty good all night and just running into things.

The good news was I made $41 playing $0.50/$1. I know I said I wouldn't but I was bored and getting a little cheesed off with the NL so rather than piss away a load of money I figured I would mess about on Paradise and play with the missus. I also got $20 off Paradise so I guess a $20 loss is no biggie.

We normally get into these silly competitions, this time it was first to get a $10 bonus, then who ever would leave the table with the most money. She was $10 up on me when I got KK on my final orbit, and I hit a K on the flop! Sadly the flop was all diamonds and I got beat by T8s after failing to boat. Wanker.

You know you might be getting bored at the poker table when:

Paradise Poker 0.50/1 Hold'em (10 handed)

Preflop: Hero is UTG+1 with , .
1 fold, Hero raises, 5 folds, Button calls, 2 folds.

Flop: (5.50 SB) , , (2 players)
Hero bets, Button raises, Hero calls.

Turn: (4.75 BB) (2 players)
Hero checks, Button checks.

River: (4.75 BB) (2 players)
Hero bets, Button calls.

Final Pot: 6.75 BB

Results in below:

Hero has 2s 7h (two pair, sevens and twos).
Button has Ad Qh (one pair, queens).
Outcome: Hero wins 6.75 BB.

Hope you like that one Dave, note the preflop raise for extra style points.

Since I have now blown my tight/aggressive image I am going to sleep.

Rich

Ah now THATS more like it. None of this KK nonsense.

I trust you were on the receiving end of an appropriate amount of shit from your opponent?

I have now been able to put a few solid days on playing only $50NL. I am also being very strict in sticking to two tables, no matter what! So far it has actually been rather good though I still feel I am learning. Well I haven't posted some figures in a while but I guess I should keep you guys updated.

Results since 16th May.

$50NL

Hands: 390
Amount Won: $59.95
BB/100: 15.37 (this is off Poker Tracker, isn't there something about doubling or something?)

This has been pretty cool though I think I am playing a little too tightly and not pushing all my edges. I guess though its a case of learning to walk before I run.

I have to cut this short as the missus is humming in a dangerous get-your-arse-away-from-that-journal kind of way but before I go I have to post this. Its about time this NL stuff started working for me.

Party Poker No-Limit Hold'em, $ BB (10 handed)

MP1 ($13.25)
Hero ($48.15)
MP3 ($39.1)
CO ($38.65)
Button ($50)
SB ($31.45)
BB ($17.2)
UTG ($44.55)
UTG+1 ($78.9)
UTG+2 ($54)

Preflop: Hero is MP2 with , . SB posts a blind of $0.25.
2 folds, UTG+2 calls $0.50, MP1 calls $0.50, Hero calls $0.50, 1 fold, CO calls $0.50, 1 fold, SB (poster) completes, BB checks.

Flop: ($3) , , (6 players)
SB checks, BB bets $3, UTG+2 folds, MP1 calls $3, Hero calls $3, CO raises to $15, SB folds, BB calls $13.70 (All-In), MP1 calls $9.75 (All-In), Hero calls $44.65 (All-In), CO calls $23.15 (All-In).

Turn: ($118.25) (4 players, 4 all-in)

River: ($118.25) (4 players, 4 all-in)

Final Pot: $118.25

Results in below:

BB has As 9c (one pair, nines).
MP1 has 4s 7s (one pair, fours).
Hero has 9d 9h (three of a kind, nines).
CO has Tc Th (one pair, tens).
Outcome: Hero wins $118.25.

I am going to wait till I get some more stats then go through a break down of my play. If anyone can help though are there any things I should be looking for in PT? Remember this is coming from a limit background.

Cheers

Rich

That hand is awesome. MP1 must leak money like a sieve.

Trouble with that hand was I busted the two table fishes and they didn't bother to reload. Oh well, I am putting their money to poor use.

I played some more limit at Paradise tonight and unleashed another $10. I also managed to win $5 on $0.50/$1. I might have won a bit more but I had two gay hands with QQ, one where my set got beat with a straight and another where I got done by trips. Both of these were on the river though I spotted the danger both times so avoided bigger losses.

Its seems dumb to be playing $0.50/$1 after all this time but I am enjoying the change of pace. I just need to get the raked hands up without crapping money. Tonight I felt a little tired and below my best so it was like a night off. Also I played the same table as the missus for bit though I never got to mess with her despite having position (cue Monk or TW joke).

I got another refer-a-friend bonus on UB so I now have $962 there! I have to really start laying into that soon. I think I might need to go back to playing $2/$4 to make a real dent, on the $50NL I seem to be working about $2 an hour per table. I am not going to do the math on that but its not good.

Well life is good and I am tired. I am looking forward to getting a good weekend in to make some real cash. This has to work around the FA cup final (anyone but Arsenal so I guess its Man U all the way) and the new Star Wars film. Am I cool or what?

Speak soon.

Rich

The most profitable starting hands I have are middle and baby pairs at the $50 NL tables. If you can limp in you almost always have correct implied odds and they are so well hidden when they hit. My only advice is don't slow play em. Always put that pot sized bet or big raise in to protect against the drawing hands.

I think at the higher levels players have better fold discipline but anyone with an overpair to the flop or even tptk will usually call off their stack to you.

Continued Good Luck

Cheers BKAZ,

I have to say I am happy with the way things have gone so far. Playing $50NL has in some way been a backward step after playing up to $3/$6 limit but I am hoping that the work I put in now will be what I reap in 3-4 months time. I just need to get in there and play some hands.

I am using more suited connectors, small PPs etc in MP to LP. Its fun though I still think I am playing too tightly. I guess thats better though as a starting point and I will open it out a little as I get a better feel for things.

I haven't played tonight as I am tired. I am going to put some hours in over the weekend mopping up all these Party bonuses going around.

Well speak soon.

Rich

Due to the FA Cup final and going to see the latest Star Wars movie (very good by the way) I haven't played today. Due to some accidental alcohol poisening I am not going to play tonight. Instead I figured I would write a little and see what happens.

So far my NL education has been very interesting. It feels like there are so many little subtle differences between limit and NL at times its like two different games. One thing that I am coming to grips with is the tightness/looseness of the game. On the one hand small blinds against stacks make many more hands potentially profitable to play, even sometimes against raises. The flip side being that you have far more potential to lose a lot of money if you get in a bad situation compared to limit, which implies tight is right. I guess the key to winning consistantly is going to be somewhere in the middle but its a delicate path to tread.

I 100% think there are more "just depends" situations in NL, where as at lower limit play you can have quite a few absolutes. Again due to the money potentially involved I have found mixing up my play to be vital. In limit you can almost predict how a hand can go since there are only a few variations on a theme, especially if you get a hand heads up. With NL this is not the case. This unpredictability has taken sometime to get used to as when I started I would almost get into the "program" of playing. The flip side being the fun you can have using this on others!

I don't know what others think (and it might be the drink talking) but at times there is almost an artistry in the way you can play out a hand. Poker is a game of decisions and there is no more fun than putting someone in a position where almost no decision they make can be correct. At times you feel it is an art form as you can almost see the guy you are reeling in, how they are counting the money they are about to win only for you to suddenly do something which stops them in their tracks, then their glee turns to uncertainty into fear then back to uncertainty when they remember you might be bluffing. I love those moments when you know some poor guy is sweating away wondering what they should do.

I think one skill I am learning which I don't think is mentioned enough is about keeping pots small. I mean we all know how to make them big when we have it but what about the millions of times when you have a hand but its beatable, easily. When I started I think I was too eager to make big pots, and bet bigger when I was uncertain. I have since found this was costing me in situations where I wasn't going to fold the other guy with brute force. The only real way I have got around this is to use my natural aggression to dictate the pattern of the pot, and not be afraid to bet smaller amounts or check it down. In limit you can be unafraid to bet since you know the costs, in NL you might be committing money you are going to lose, like if someone raises you big time over what your hand is worth.

So far I am enjoying the change. I am eager to move up but only when I have earnt the right too. For me this means a; winning the money to afford a higher level and b; having a record of beating my current level.

Well onwards and upwards.

Rich