Humble beginnings: The path of an aspiring pro
01-31-2019
, 08:32 PM
03-13-2019
, 08:26 AM
Played some APL Million tourneys, made day 2 of the main and busted AK vs AJ. Favourite tourney was probably the pineapple event. It's an interesting hybrid between NL and PLO in a sense. Makes you think about blockers a lot and sometimes you see some people do something weird and you forget they probably had a relevant discard blocker. Would definitely play more of this but doubt it'll catch on here in Aus. Maybe if they made a short-deck, crazy pineapple format or something. Anyway picked up a min-cash in that as well as the teams event. No big scores in live tourneys yet but gotta put in a sample for those.
Back to life as usual minus the regular streaming. I'll still try to do a few stream a month but no guarantees. Just really enjoy playing extra tables. Usually mixing 2x 500z with 2x 1KNL or 2x 500reg and another 2 on an untracked site
Typically playing two 3hr sessions consisting at the moment. 500z has been getting up pretty often now so that's been nice. It's been a while since I've posted hands so decided I'd post some fun ones but nothing fancy.
Setting the trap...
Always nice to flop a set
One of those hero calls...
He wanted to win the hand badly
And here's a graph. Pretty good start to the year despite bricking most of the live tourneys that I played.
Back to life as usual minus the regular streaming. I'll still try to do a few stream a month but no guarantees. Just really enjoy playing extra tables. Usually mixing 2x 500z with 2x 1KNL or 2x 500reg and another 2 on an untracked site
Typically playing two 3hr sessions consisting at the moment. 500z has been getting up pretty often now so that's been nice. It's been a while since I've posted hands so decided I'd post some fun ones but nothing fancy. Setting the trap...
Poker Stars, $5/$10 No Limit Hold'em Cash, 5 Players
Poker Tools Powered By Holdem Manager - The Ultimate Poker Software Suite.
Hero (SB): $1,441.32 (144.1 bb)
BB: $1,736.75 (173.7 bb)
MP: $1,025 (102.5 bb)
CO: $1,079.50 (108 bb)
BTN: $988.50 (98.9 bb)
Preflop: Hero is SB with K
K
2 folds, BTN raises to $20, Hero raises to $80, BB folds, BTN calls $60
Flop: ($170) K
A 9 (2 players)
Hero bets $55, BTN calls $55
Turn: ($280) 9 (2 players)
Hero checks, BTN bets $140, Hero calls $140
River: ($560) 5
(2 players)
Hero checks, BTN bets $713.50 and is all-in, Hero calls $713.50
Poker Tools Powered By Holdem Manager - The Ultimate Poker Software Suite.
Hero (SB): $1,441.32 (144.1 bb)
BB: $1,736.75 (173.7 bb)
MP: $1,025 (102.5 bb)
CO: $1,079.50 (108 bb)
BTN: $988.50 (98.9 bb)
Preflop: Hero is SB with K
K2 folds, BTN raises to $20, Hero raises to $80, BB folds, BTN calls $60
Flop: ($170) K
A 9 (2 players)Hero bets $55, BTN calls $55
Turn: ($280) 9
(2 players)Hero checks, BTN bets $140, Hero calls $140
River: ($560) 5
(2 players)Hero checks, BTN bets $713.50 and is all-in, Hero calls $713.50
Spoiler:
Always nice to flop a set
Poker Stars, $5/$10 No Limit Hold'em Cash, 6 Players
Poker Tools Powered By Holdem Manager - The Ultimate Poker Software Suite.
SB: $2,095.75 (209.6 bb)
BB: $1,000 (100 bb)
UTG: $940 (94 bb)
MP: $771.32 (77.1 bb)
CO: $1,571.18 (157.1 bb)
Hero (BTN): $1,052 (105.2 bb)
Preflop: Hero is BTN with 8 8
UTG folds, MP calls $10, CO folds, Hero raises to $50, SB folds, BB raises to $175, MP calls $165, Hero calls $125
Flop: ($530) 8 4 9 (3 players)
BB checks, MP bets $170, Hero calls $170, BB raises to $825 and is all-in, MP calls $426.32, Hero calls $655
Turn: ($2,776.32) T (3 players, 1 is all-in)
River: ($2,776.32) 7 (3 players, 1 is all-in)
Poker Tools Powered By Holdem Manager - The Ultimate Poker Software Suite.
SB: $2,095.75 (209.6 bb)
BB: $1,000 (100 bb)
UTG: $940 (94 bb)
MP: $771.32 (77.1 bb)
CO: $1,571.18 (157.1 bb)
Hero (BTN): $1,052 (105.2 bb)
Preflop: Hero is BTN with 8
8UTG folds, MP calls $10, CO folds, Hero raises to $50, SB folds, BB raises to $175, MP calls $165, Hero calls $125
Flop: ($530) 8
4 9 (3 players)BB checks, MP bets $170, Hero calls $170, BB raises to $825 and is all-in, MP calls $426.32, Hero calls $655
Turn: ($2,776.32) T
(3 players, 1 is all-in)River: ($2,776.32) 7
(3 players, 1 is all-in)Spoiler:
One of those hero calls...
Poker Stars, $5/$10 No Limit Hold'em Cash, 5 Players
Poker Tools Powered By Holdem Manager - The Ultimate Poker Software Suite.
SB: $1,307 (130.7 bb)
BB: $1,053 (105.3 bb)
MP: $1,113 (111.3 bb)
CO: $2,446.89 (244.7 bb)
Hero (BTN): $1,725.27 (172.5 bb)
Preflop: Hero is BTN with 8 8
MP folds, CO raises to $20, Hero raises to $70, 2 folds, CO raises to $225, Hero calls $155
Flop: ($465) 5 5 6 (2 players)
CO bets $232.50, Hero calls $232.50
Turn: ($930) T (2 players)
CO bets $465, Hero calls $465
River: ($1,860) J (2 players)
CO bets $1,524.39, Hero calls $802.77 and is all-in
Poker Tools Powered By Holdem Manager - The Ultimate Poker Software Suite.
SB: $1,307 (130.7 bb)
BB: $1,053 (105.3 bb)
MP: $1,113 (111.3 bb)
CO: $2,446.89 (244.7 bb)
Hero (BTN): $1,725.27 (172.5 bb)
Preflop: Hero is BTN with 8
8MP folds, CO raises to $20, Hero raises to $70, 2 folds, CO raises to $225, Hero calls $155
Flop: ($465) 5
5 6 (2 players)CO bets $232.50, Hero calls $232.50
Turn: ($930) T
(2 players)CO bets $465, Hero calls $465
River: ($1,860) J
(2 players)CO bets $1,524.39, Hero calls $802.77 and is all-in
Spoiler:
He wanted to win the hand badly
Poker Stars, $5/$10 No Limit Hold'em Cash, 5 Players
Poker Tools Powered By Holdem Manager - The Ultimate Poker Software Suite.
Hero (SB): $1,405.50 (140.6 bb)
BB: $1,137.25 (113.7 bb)
MP: $1,071 (107.1 bb)
CO: $1,963.25 (196.3 bb)
BTN: $1,077.75 (107.8 bb)
Preflop: Hero is SB with A K
MP raises to $30, 2 folds, Hero raises to $120, BB folds, MP calls $90
Flop: ($250) 9 3 8 (2 players)
Hero checks, MP bets $145, Hero calls $145
Turn: ($540) 6 (2 players)
Hero checks, MP bets $226, Hero calls $226
River: ($992) K (2 players)
Hero checks, MP bets $580 and is all-in, Hero calls $580
Poker Tools Powered By Holdem Manager - The Ultimate Poker Software Suite.
Hero (SB): $1,405.50 (140.6 bb)
BB: $1,137.25 (113.7 bb)
MP: $1,071 (107.1 bb)
CO: $1,963.25 (196.3 bb)
BTN: $1,077.75 (107.8 bb)
Preflop: Hero is SB with A
KMP raises to $30, 2 folds, Hero raises to $120, BB folds, MP calls $90
Flop: ($250) 9
3 8 (2 players)Hero checks, MP bets $145, Hero calls $145
Turn: ($540) 6
(2 players)Hero checks, MP bets $226, Hero calls $226
River: ($992) K
(2 players)Hero checks, MP bets $580 and is all-in, Hero calls $580
Spoiler:
And here's a graph. Pretty good start to the year despite bricking most of the live tourneys that I played.
03-30-2019
, 10:43 PM
End of month update for you guys. Basically had one of my best months so far playing poker. Online volume was very good considering that I’ve been quite busy taking on additional students and that has cut into my playing time quite a bit and that I also played quite a bit of live poker at the start of the month.
I’m at a point where I’m quite happy with where I am financially, I’m very grateful to have the opportunity to play everyday and just enjoy the whole process and worry less about the finances. Poker has afforded me a lot of freedom and while I could just spend my time playing video games or something, I know that I want to be continuing to optimise the efficiency and effectiveness of my hours.
What does this mean for me in regard to how I want to spend my time?
I’ll be prioritising poker for specific periods of time throughout the day when the traffic/game quality is at it’s peak. This means that when less games are running or they aren’t as good, I’ll be spending that time doing something else… i.e. meditating, exercising, coaching, studying poker, learning some new skills etc.
I think the main thing that many of the players who grind lower stakes for a long time neglect that they could be allocating way more time to improving rather than grinding and that this would help them out more in the longer term. Winrate improvements and the ability to play higher stakes in the future offsets the amount you might be currently making. In addition to this, there are things outside of poker that can contribute a large amount to increasing winrate. Mental game, overall happiness and health are vital to playing at/getting to a high level. I notice whenever I get less sleep than ideal, I perform worse at the tables. Same thing happens when I play way too much volume and neglect exercising. So fixing these things can do way more than grinding more hours.
I’m at a point where I’m quite happy with where I am financially, I’m very grateful to have the opportunity to play everyday and just enjoy the whole process and worry less about the finances. Poker has afforded me a lot of freedom and while I could just spend my time playing video games or something, I know that I want to be continuing to optimise the efficiency and effectiveness of my hours.
What does this mean for me in regard to how I want to spend my time?
I’ll be prioritising poker for specific periods of time throughout the day when the traffic/game quality is at it’s peak. This means that when less games are running or they aren’t as good, I’ll be spending that time doing something else… i.e. meditating, exercising, coaching, studying poker, learning some new skills etc.
I think the main thing that many of the players who grind lower stakes for a long time neglect that they could be allocating way more time to improving rather than grinding and that this would help them out more in the longer term. Winrate improvements and the ability to play higher stakes in the future offsets the amount you might be currently making. In addition to this, there are things outside of poker that can contribute a large amount to increasing winrate. Mental game, overall happiness and health are vital to playing at/getting to a high level. I notice whenever I get less sleep than ideal, I perform worse at the tables. Same thing happens when I play way too much volume and neglect exercising. So fixing these things can do way more than grinding more hours.