Background:
My entire bankroll has been built from an initial $300 deposit. I started playing 1 table of $25 NL and slowly built up to 4 then 8 tables. After dominating the $25 NL level and bulding a large enough bankroll, I moved up to $50 NL.where I played 100K+ hands and won around 8 PTBB/100. Then I moved up to $100 NL where I played another 100K+ hands and won around 7 PTBB/100. Around mid July, I moved up to $200 NL and have been 8 tabling. The first two weeks I was running extremely well, winning at a 9 PTBB/100 rate. Since then I have gone into a terrible slump where I have been a marginal winner. I grew frustrated and eventually posted in the NL section. Some advised I move down to regain confidence and Iceman suggested that 8 tabling $200 NL is not possible. While I agree that most can not do this, I know very well that I can. Thus the point of this journal, to prove Iceman and other skeptics wrong that it IS possible to 8 table $200 NL and be a longterm winner. I am not much of a journal or blog guy, so please bear with me. I am going to try and do the best that I can. This journal will be ongoing until I move up another level. My goal is to be playing $400 NL by December 2005. Hopefully by that time I will have ~350K hands logged at $200 NL and dominate the game much like I have at previous levels. While December is my target date to move up, I always take my time. If I feel I am not ready and am not dominating the $200 NL game like I know I can and should then I will postpone this date.

Game: $200 NL

Tables: 8

Sites:
1. Party (& skins)
2. Prima (within 2 weeks when PokerAce Hud is ready)

Goals:
1. 3000 hands per day (~ 90K hands per month)
2. 5 PTBB/100 = 10 BB/100

Format:
At the end of each day I will be posting my daily totals (hands, stats, profits) along with the accumulative totals since starting this journal. On occassion I may post graphical progress.

What is the benefit of playing 8 tables? You just sit and wait for AA?

No, he's not a nut peddler.....And waiting for AA isn't profitable at any level except maybe 25nl.

2 monitors, each at 1600x1200 resolution with 4 tables of Empire on one and 4 tables of party on the other. That setup would do it. And while maybe not "nut peddling", he sure won't have the time to concentrate enough to have a real good grasp of each and every tables "personality" at all times. But if he is only playing premium hands or almost premium hands, then it shouldn't be too hard to play 8 at a time. But again, he won't be able to play them as well as he would if he was only 4 tabling. It is doable though I think. As for 200NL, I'm not bankrolled for that yet or a good enough player yet to make an informed opinion about whether it is "dominatable" 8 tabling. I would tend to lean towards Iceman's prediction that you can't do it until it's proven otherwise.

Aperfect... more power to you and I'm glad you started this journal!

I'm amazed by the whole 8 table thing. I play 2 6-max tables and struggle sometimes. What do you do if the phone rings or you have to use the bathroom?

He used some of his bankroll for a foley.

What's a foley? Is it the same as a biffer?

Good luck bro. I think you will be able to accomplish winning while playing 8 tables. I have never played at more than 6 at a time but I only have one monitor. I don't think I would have any problem playing 8 or perhaps even 10 at a time at limit holdem as 6 doesn't hinder me at all and I never time out. 200 NL I am sure will be a little more difficult with the reads, etc. but I think it can be done.

Good luck with this, I hope you succeed

Day 1 :: Aug 29, 2005

Hands: 1359
Time: 4 hours

VP$P: 18.69%
PFR: 5.30%
WTSD: 12.32%
W$SD: 54.29%

Won: +$155.12
PTBB/100: 2.85
Win Rate: $38.94/hr



I picked a bad day to start this journal as I knew I wouldnt be able to play many hands today. I had plans during the afternoon and evening (when I log the most hours) which really cut into my play. I even had to quit earlier than I wanted to because I was tired. Anyways, this might be the fewest hands you'll ever see me log.

The day started out awful. Every mid PP - QQ I would get reraised big pre flop and either had to fold or call (with odds) and never caught the set. I got all-in with AA vs a complete Muppet on the flop only for him to catch his flush (73s) and take my stack. All-in-all i was sucked out on for 3 big pots within my first 150 hands. After these 150 hands I found myself down $400. This is typical, it seems like every day I start out awful anymore. Either I get nothing or am sucked out on and have to play catch up.

Overall, I am very pleased with the first day. I played very well (although my PTBB/100 doesnt really reflect it). Considering all of the big suckouts I was faced with and the fact that I was dealt 83 pocket pairs and only flopped 5 sets (6%) when I should've flopped almost 10 sets that is a big difference. Although I'm not a nut peddler, losing out on 5 flopped sets is costly to any player. I'm not worried, this number will more than even out in the long run; however, it is a reason why my win rate was a little lower today.

PS. I will try to get a screenshot posted for tomorrow if anyone is interested.