Well, the silver version at least. I fulfilled my final day of FPP points required to reach the "Silver" level on Full Tilt's Iron Man Challenge. I learned a lot in the past month during this process. I learned that there are a lot of really bad players playing the nickel/dime games. This can be a really good or really bad thing. I was slightly profitable most of the days playing at this level while reaching my 50 FFPs required. However, there were about 4 days where my losses exceeded $10 per day and 3 days where my winnings exceeded $10. What I found was that people will play, bet, call and raise with anything at this level. The key is to pay close attention to your opponents and take good notes. Find out who is willing to push in all their chips preflop with 7 8 of hearts versus my JJ. Yes, he hit his flush for a $4 pot, and yes, he actually said "TY" when i typed "congrats" in the chat box after the hand (obviously i need to work on my sarcasm skills). Anyway, I fared reasonably well in the cash games and earned a $50 bonus (which I have to clear in January). I am hoping to use what I've learned this month to become more profitable at these games in January while clearing this bonus. At that point, I should have a bankroll to support a move to the dime/quarter games
Mooooovin on up!!!!
Saturday, December 29, 2007
Wednesday, December 19, 2007
Identity Crisis
Who am I?
As I sit here after 1 a.m. on Wednesday morning, I'm asking myself one simple question...who am I? Specifically, who am I as a poker player? I've been playing for several hours a day, nearly every day for quite some time. I go through spells (like we all do) of playing well and winning, playing well and losing and even winning sometimes despite myself. I've recently begun to play more ring (cash) games and fewer tourneys & sitngos. I made this change not because I was looking for a change, but to try to take advantage of a promotion on Full Tilt offering bonues for earning more FPPs, and that was the quickest way to rack 'em up. Funny thing, the first several days were awesome. I was racking up points and winning money too. Then an even better thing happened...they started another promotion 3 days ago offering double FPPs ring game play through the end of the year. And that's when everything changed.
In the past 3 days I have lost $50 playing nickel/dime pot limit holdem and dime/quarter limit omaha hi/lo. So the question is....what changed? My playing style? Not really. My luck? Maybe a little. But the major change is my attitude. I was grinding it out before and was happy to break even while getting my 50 points a day. Then I started trying to push for 100 or more and expected to win in the process. I've taken some brutal beats that cost me four or five bucks in a hand in the past couple days, but I think that's the result of my problem as opposed to my problem. I have to get back to folding the marginal hand....calling instead of raising....keeping the pot small until I know I have the goods. Stop relying on luck after the money's in the pot.
Answer to my opening question....I'm a poker player who is better than how I've been playing lately. A player who should be the best at the table at almost every nickel/dime/quarter table he sits down at. A player who is gonna go back to the basics of what got me where I am.
Funny sidenote...I checked poker-edge.com to see how they were rating my play. I expected to see some negative feedback based on my recent demise. Actually, the reverse was true. Check it out if you're interested. My ID is budgetcoach.
As I sit here after 1 a.m. on Wednesday morning, I'm asking myself one simple question...who am I? Specifically, who am I as a poker player? I've been playing for several hours a day, nearly every day for quite some time. I go through spells (like we all do) of playing well and winning, playing well and losing and even winning sometimes despite myself. I've recently begun to play more ring (cash) games and fewer tourneys & sitngos. I made this change not because I was looking for a change, but to try to take advantage of a promotion on Full Tilt offering bonues for earning more FPPs, and that was the quickest way to rack 'em up. Funny thing, the first several days were awesome. I was racking up points and winning money too. Then an even better thing happened...they started another promotion 3 days ago offering double FPPs ring game play through the end of the year. And that's when everything changed.
In the past 3 days I have lost $50 playing nickel/dime pot limit holdem and dime/quarter limit omaha hi/lo. So the question is....what changed? My playing style? Not really. My luck? Maybe a little. But the major change is my attitude. I was grinding it out before and was happy to break even while getting my 50 points a day. Then I started trying to push for 100 or more and expected to win in the process. I've taken some brutal beats that cost me four or five bucks in a hand in the past couple days, but I think that's the result of my problem as opposed to my problem. I have to get back to folding the marginal hand....calling instead of raising....keeping the pot small until I know I have the goods. Stop relying on luck after the money's in the pot.
Answer to my opening question....I'm a poker player who is better than how I've been playing lately. A player who should be the best at the table at almost every nickel/dime/quarter table he sits down at. A player who is gonna go back to the basics of what got me where I am.
Funny sidenote...I checked poker-edge.com to see how they were rating my play. I expected to see some negative feedback based on my recent demise. Actually, the reverse was true. Check it out if you're interested. My ID is budgetcoach.
Wednesday, November 28, 2007
New strategy....same results
For the past few days, I have been on a terrible streak. Since my last post, where I acknowledged my play wasn't up to my normal standards, I have make strides to tighten up. Maybe I tightened up too much, but the only thing that changed was the way I wasn't winning. I went from going out early to going out on the bubble...over and over.
I spent some time today listening to some poker podcasts. The one particularly hit home was last week's Ante Up, where Chris said he was taking a break from online play for a while. It seemed that everything he said had been happening to him was exactly what I'd been going through. I also listened to an interview with Barry Greenstein where he talked about limping into the money versus being in a position to win. I realized that this is something that happens to me a lot, so I need to work on that as well.
I have been trying to qualify for the Full Tilt "point-a-day" bonus and so far I'm on track for November with only a few days left. I decided that I will continue to play to qualify for this, but will take a few days off next month if my play hasn't corrected itself by then.
I can say that I did cash (12th) in a 180 man sit-n-go just a few minutes ago. I didn't make anywhere near enough to make up for my losses this week, but at this point anything that isn't a loss feels like a huge pick up.
I spent some time today listening to some poker podcasts. The one particularly hit home was last week's Ante Up, where Chris said he was taking a break from online play for a while. It seemed that everything he said had been happening to him was exactly what I'd been going through. I also listened to an interview with Barry Greenstein where he talked about limping into the money versus being in a position to win. I realized that this is something that happens to me a lot, so I need to work on that as well.
I have been trying to qualify for the Full Tilt "point-a-day" bonus and so far I'm on track for November with only a few days left. I decided that I will continue to play to qualify for this, but will take a few days off next month if my play hasn't corrected itself by then.
I can say that I did cash (12th) in a 180 man sit-n-go just a few minutes ago. I didn't make anywhere near enough to make up for my losses this week, but at this point anything that isn't a loss feels like a huge pick up.
Tuesday, November 20, 2007
Loosey, I'm home!
So it's almost midnite and I've just started a 18 man Sit-n-go. I've already busted out of two SNGs tonite, playing far too loose. The most frustrating part is that I know exactly what I'm doing wrong and I'm still doing it. I made the final table twice last week in 180 man SNGs, so my bankroll had a substantial boost. Ever since, I have been fighting the urge to want to push with questionable (or worse) hands. Is it greed? Maybe. Could it be that I've tasted sucess and I want even more faster than it's supposed to come my way. Probably. Either way, I know that I'm playing a style that isn't me....so why I am struggling to fix it?
One bright side is that I honestly cannot blame the cards, the programmers or even luck. All of those are things I can't control. My play is something I can control. So now that I've put it in writing, I have to put it into practice. As of this moment there are 16 players left of the 18 that started. There have been 14 hands dealt and I have played only one (A9 from the BB) and took down a minimal pot after flopping a set and not getting any fish to bite.
Here's to hoping that I've left my bad habits here in this post and I'll get back to playing my game. Wish me luck.
One bright side is that I honestly cannot blame the cards, the programmers or even luck. All of those are things I can't control. My play is something I can control. So now that I've put it in writing, I have to put it into practice. As of this moment there are 16 players left of the 18 that started. There have been 14 hands dealt and I have played only one (A9 from the BB) and took down a minimal pot after flopping a set and not getting any fish to bite.
Here's to hoping that I've left my bad habits here in this post and I'll get back to playing my game. Wish me luck.
Friday, November 16, 2007
Diary of a Poker Insomniac
As I type the first words of the first entry of my first ever blog, I glance down at the clock on my laptop....1:48 a.m. on a Friday morning. No, I don't work the night shift and I'm not unemployed. I'm just a guy who needs very little sleep to function and enjoys the quiet hours of the late night and early morning.
Why am I posting here? I have decided to start this blog to chronicle my addiction to poker. I plan to post my experiences so that I may track my progress (hopefully upward progress) and perhaps share some learning experiences with others who may stumble across these pages.
I play both live games and online poker on Full Tilt and Poker Stars. I started several years ago on Poker Stars and have had some success (although very small stakes). I have played on Full Tilt for a much shorter period of time, but I really enjoy it. I generally am a player who gets his money in with the best hand, and I have had better luck on Full Tilt avoiding suckouts.
I really enjoy playing live more, but I don't live near a casino so I play online much more. There's just something about the feel of the chips and the felt that can't be replaced with a keyboard and mouse. I get to the casinos about 2 or 3 times a year and make it to local games or tournaments once every couple months. I hope to be able to take my online play to the next level to possibly subsidize my trips to the live games.
Well, the clock now says 2:07 a.m. Even a poker insomniac has to get a little sleep. I'm off to bed.
Why am I posting here? I have decided to start this blog to chronicle my addiction to poker. I plan to post my experiences so that I may track my progress (hopefully upward progress) and perhaps share some learning experiences with others who may stumble across these pages.
I play both live games and online poker on Full Tilt and Poker Stars. I started several years ago on Poker Stars and have had some success (although very small stakes). I have played on Full Tilt for a much shorter period of time, but I really enjoy it. I generally am a player who gets his money in with the best hand, and I have had better luck on Full Tilt avoiding suckouts.
I really enjoy playing live more, but I don't live near a casino so I play online much more. There's just something about the feel of the chips and the felt that can't be replaced with a keyboard and mouse. I get to the casinos about 2 or 3 times a year and make it to local games or tournaments once every couple months. I hope to be able to take my online play to the next level to possibly subsidize my trips to the live games.
Well, the clock now says 2:07 a.m. Even a poker insomniac has to get a little sleep. I'm off to bed.
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