I have been kicking around the idea of starting a thread in PG&C for a while now, so with the new year come and gone, now seems like a good time to give it a go.

A little background info about myself:

I am 27 year old currently living in Japan and teaching English. My wife (fiance at the time) moved from Seattle to Japan in 2009 after her work visa ran out and she was no longer to live in the US. As a result we decided to both head back to Japan together. Since then we got married and have lived here for about 2.5 years. Life is good here and I am thankful all that I have. Fortunately, my job is pretty laid back which allows me a lot of time to pursue hobbies that interest me such as photography, gaming, food, and of course poker.

I have been playing poker on and off for the last 8 years or so, both live (when I was living in the states) and online. During that time there were significant stretches where I didn't play cards at all. I really enjoy studying the game and reading books on poker nearly as much as I enjoy playing. I struggle at times to incorporate certain concepts into my game which I have read about and seem like useful tools. In the past, playing live (in the US) I usually stuck to limit or spread games because at the time I didn't have the confidence to play in a NL game. Online I have played mostly at 10NL and 25NL. I usually play 3-4 tables at a time. I feel like playing any more than that and my play style becomes to mechanical and bot like. It is not good for my edge, and more importantly, I don't get as much learning out of it. I also enjoy the occasional MTT, but just as a way to change things up rather than only grinding cash.

Current Bankroll: $225

I will be playing 6-max 10NL on stars until reaching roughly $500. After then I will re-evaluate my game and consider take a shots at 25NL. My goal in doing this thread first and foremost is hoping it improves my game. Making money of course comes with improvement and solid play, but it isn't the the sole purpose for doing this experiment. In roughly 6 months I will be moving back home to the states and I want my game to be good enough to play live 1/2 NL . I will be putting in money made in during this challenge towards my live poker bankroll.

After each session played I will post a graph for that session, as well as a graph tracking my overall progress at the end of every month. From time to time I will also post HHs I find interesting and as way to better my play.

General Goals During Challenge:
-Play no less than 6,000 hands per week at current stake.
-Spend 6 hours a week studying poker (i.e. reviewing sessions, reading books, browsing applicable forums).
-Continue to work on my mental game to avoid anger, tilt, and loss of confidence in myself (this goes for away from the table as well).
-Workout 3 days a week at local gym.

Had a decent session this morning 4-tabling at 10NL. Played an $8 180 man to end the session and ended up busting in 21st. Was card dead like no other, but feel like I played well overall.

Something I have noticed lately is that I really need to work on my post flop play. I know one of my leaks is being exploited by regulars who 3bet wide pre-flop. I have difficulty playing flops when I totally miss against aggressive players and as a result, usually fold to the 3bet to avoid that type of situation.

For example, I am holding AJ in the CO and it is folded around to me. I raise 3x and get 3bet by a regular in the blinds who is playing 24/22 with a 7-10% 3bet. I call. The flop comes Q72 rainbow. Reg bets half pot. I fold. This is a really common situation I find myself in when trying to combat the 3bet. Any advice on what I should be doing?

Cashgames: +$32.07
MTT: -$8.00
Session: +26.07

Bankroll: $251.07

Graph as promised:

As far as combatting the 3bet goes, against someone who is 3betting really wide, 4bet bluff some of the hands you can't call a 3bet with. Hands that you can call a 3 bet with you need to make sure to not play fit or fold or you might as well have just folded them pre and save yourself the money. Say you flop the nuts in a 3 bet pot and rarely raise the flop when lead into by the aggressor 10% of the time and whenever you don't flop strong you are folding to their 3 bet.

Balance this by floating flops in equal proportion to the times that you flop but like hands, or it you frequently fast play in 3 bet pots, do the same thing, raise the flop with air or weak draws (gutshots) as often as you would raise it if you had hit your hand.

Really though, you don't have to play this GTO at these stakes. Value bet relentlessly against the fish, go for thin value against regs that don't like to fold, and recognizuse the range of hands that a reg is 3 betting. IE if he 3 bets 12% and cbets 100%, he'll fold the flop when facing a raise more than 60% of the time, and it you pick proper board textures this increases.

Anyways, good luck with your challenge bud. BTW all the above is coming from a guy that rarely plays cash online anymore...lol Super turbos are just too lucrative. Glgl though.

A lot of truth in this. Thanks for your input, I definitely need to work my on betting for value and in turn stop valuetowning myself against regs who aren't folding.

Got in another session today, nothing really exciting to share. Happy with the volume I have been putting in this week, so I guess that is a positive. Took a couple shots at some 180man-sngs and made 14th in one. Little down on the day, but overall happy with how I played.

Cashgames: +$5
MTT: -$13
Session: -$8

Bankroll: $238

Played a few MTTs this morning, had a couple good runs, but busted around the bubble. Will play some cash later.

Cashgames: +0
MTT: -$15
Session: -$15

Bankroll: $223

Played a 2 hour session this afternoon and did very well. Had a couple of interesting spots that I will post later with HH for anyone who would like to give advice or critique my play. No MTTs today, that is a rule soldier!

If time permits, might play a little bit more later tonight, but we shall see.

Cashgames: +$27
MTT: $0
Bonus Unlock: +$10
Session: +$37

Bankroll: $260

Today's graph:



10NL stats for the year thus far:



Wish I could figure a way to get my red line higher. I am beating 10NL for 9.5bb/100 which I am really happy about (I know, lol sample size). Just feel like my dollars lost without seeing showdown could be improved.

Played a short session and ended up giving a buy-in back. Feel like I played alright, but felt lost in a couple spots. Now is probably a good time to share some HHs with anyone that is reading. Would love to hear little insight

Cashgames: -$12
MTT: $0
Session: -$12

Bankroll: $248

Hand #1

Villain is playing 31/27 over 94 hands. Seems to be decent player, haven't seen him showdown with anything other than strong hands.

Grabbed by Holdem Manager
NL Holdem $0.10(BB) Replayer
SB ($10.12)
Hero ($12.93)
UTG ($5.49)
UTG+1 ($10.70)
CO ($10.46)
BTN ($10)

Dealt to Hero Q Q

UTG calls $0.10, UTG+1 raises to $0.30, fold, fold, fold, Hero raises to $0.80, fold, UTG+1 calls $0.50

FLOP ($1.75) 7 T T

Hero bets $1.20, UTG+1 calls $1.20

TURN ($4.15) 7 T T 7

Hero checks, UTG+1 bets $1.90, Hero calls $1.90

RIVER ($7.95) 7 T T 7 9

Hero checks, UTG+1 checks





Hand#2

Villain is 48/12 over 46 hands. Was acting like a pretty big calling station before we mixed it up in this hand. At the time I was thinking he re-raised river with Kx and thought I was just trying to buy the pot rather than bet for value. That is why I called him down. Thoughts?

Grabbed by Holdem Manager
NL Holdem $0.10(BB) Replayer
SB ($12.90)
Hero ($10)
UTG ($11.86)
UTG+1 ($5.24)
CO ($10)
BTN ($9.77)

Dealt to Hero K 8

fold, fold, fold, fold, SB calls $0.05, Hero checks

FLOP ($0.20) 2 J J

SB checks, Hero bets $0.20, SB calls $0.20

TURN ($0.60) 2 J J 8

SB checks, Hero bets $0.40, SB calls $0.40

RIVER ($1.40) 2 J J 8 K

SB checks, Hero bets $1.50, SB raises to $4.10, Hero calls $2.60




Hand #3

Villian is playing 63/17 over 35 hands with a 3betting 12%. Had seen villain spew a few hands earlier against another player on a straight draw.


Grabbed by Holdem Manager
NL Holdem $0.10(BB) Replayer
SB ($10)
BB ($7.99)
UTG ($10.65)
UTG+1 ($8.02)
CO ($13.03)
Hero ($10)

Dealt to Hero A K

fold, UTG+1 calls $0.10, fold, Hero raises to $0.30, fold, BB raises to $0.70, fold, Hero raises to $1.50, BB calls $0.80

FLOP ($3.15) 2 8 9

BB checks, Hero bets $2.20, BB raises to $6.49 (AI), Hero calls $4.29

TURN ($16.13) 2 8 9 J

RIVER ($16.13) 2 8 9 J T




Lastly, here is a picture of my Non-showdown winnings line for the year. Its awful. What should I be doing to improve on this? I have included my stats based on position as well.

Got in just over 700 hands today, wanted to get more but life called and had to attend to a lot of stuff after work. Overall a pretty good session. Had quite a few bad players at my tables, but just couldn't get any decent hands at the right time. My biggest disappointment of the evening was getting it AIPF against the guy to my left who was play 95/70 over 35 hands. I had AK and ran into KK. LOL talk about the high end of someone's range :P

Oh well, still came out on top which feels good.

Cashgames: +$14
MTT: $0
Session: +$14

Bankroll: $261




Monday Thread Saver:

#1

Preflop i would make the 3 bet a little bit bigger, specially now UTG is limping, like $1-1.10 this way you making it tougher for him to 4bet bluff or call with good drawing hands and you are OOP. Turn i would just bet for value, chances he's holding Tx 7x are very small.. More likely hes not giving up 88/99/JJ or even Ax. AA/KK is out of the question imo. By checking you also lose the control of the pot, it's hard to call 2 streets here, but betting makes life much easier.

Goodluck, will take a look at the other hands next time.

Hey junk, thanks for swinging by. Hope your challenge is going well, I'll be sure to check in periodically.

Only got in 800 hands over the last two days. Work has been pretty busy and between going to the gym and attending a weekly home game, I haven't had as much time to play online as I would like.

Was feeling a bit tired this evening and decided I couldn't focus enough to play my A game @ 10NL. Played a $2 180-man and cashed in 5th place. Felt like I played really well in the tournament, although it sucked getting AJ in versus AK at the final table. Oh wellz, it happens.

One interesting hand from yesterday's session:

In retrospect I think I should have made the bet on the flop closer to pot-sized, but once I get CR by the BB (who is a solid winning reg over a vast # of hands) and have two callers behind, there is really no way I can continue with the hand. Any thoughts?



Cashgames: -$10
MTT: +$24
Session: +$14

Bankroll: $274

Today was one of those days where nothing you do can go right at the table. Lost 4.5 BIs, and I was playing really well. River gave me Ace-high FD gives other guy a boat. AA get cracked by 88 hitting a set on the flop. Plus I ran 2 BI under EV. I honestly think very little was spew on my part. There was only one time in during the session where I felt tilt coming on strong. I immediately took a break, made dinner and some coffee. An hour later I was in the right frame of mind and ready to play again. The cards apparently were not ready yet

On a positive note, I got about 2 hours of studying in while at work. Finished Jared Tendler's Mental Game. Seriously a great read. Funny how so much of it can be applied to nearly any situation in life. Highly recommend it to anyone looking to improve how they think and respond to inevitable swings in poker, as well as life's ups and downs.

Here is to a better tomorrow at the tables!

Cashgames: -$46
MTT: +$0
Session: -$46

Bankroll: $235

Session's Graph:



Thread Saver:

Sitting at work, still trying to figure what happened yesterday. I know in poker there are days like this, but flushing nearly my entire profit for the month on one session really hurts.

When something like this happens, it makes me question my ability, even though I know I was playing well. I know results from previous sessions are not any sort of indicator of how you will run in the future, but I feel nervousness about playing today.

I know how you feel man. Just had a massive downswing a few days ago, and I decided to take a break because I knew I'd be playing my C-game if I went back in. Just let the lucker dogs go until you can get your head back on your shoulders. Better to study your leaks than to play scared poker because of a bad run, IMO.

Bad runs happen... if you feel it sticking in the back of your head than don't play.
l2rungood.

Also I dont think you are 4 betting enough, and the AK hand you posted...
You need to decide if you are getting your money in on that flop. If you are bet larger so that when he shoves you are getting the correct odds to call. Or bet smaller so you can fold. your bet size didn't accomplish anything good for you.

Yeah a I took a 24 hour break and spent a little bit of time going over hands I have played this week where I lost or won a considerable amount. Feeling like it was just a bad run of cards and less than ideal spots which accumulated over a short time span. Feeling refreshed and ready to go now! Thanks for the post

Reviewing that AK, your comment makes a lot of sense. At time I was hoping the raise would get the villain to fold out weaker holdings, but it put me in a worse spot on the turn once he made the call. I could have most likely accomplished the same goal by betting a lot less, thus making the turn an easy c/f. I will keep this in mind when I find myself in a similar situation. Thanks.

---------------------------

Got in a 2 hour session yesterday. Still only 4-tabling as it is where I feel the most comfortable. Eventually I plan on adding another table, but I want to hit 30BIs before I make the move to do so.

Tomorrow is my Saturday, so I am going to try and log somewhere in the neighborhood of 1.5k-2k hands. Here is hoping for rungood!

Cashgames: +$29
MTT: +$0
Session: +$29

Bankroll: $264


Sessions graph:




note: that up swing and down swing at the end were against the same player. Caught AA against his QQ and stacked him, then about 10 hands later at the same table, my KK ran into his AA and he returned the favor. Winner = rake.