my last couple of sessions have gone really well which is good. Today after listening to more Mechanics OF Poker podcasts, this time with George Froggatt, i decided to switch to regular tables over zoom. With zoom you can fit a lot of hands in, and the pool seems super fishy, so i didn't think i was giving up that much ev by only playing zoom, but perhaps i have been. One thing I'm yet to grasp is why the regular tables are so much better even if the zoom pool is super fishy? I managed to get a free monitor from the office, i didn't realise stars limited you to 4 tables max which kind of sucks, I remember when you could play 24 lol, i wonder why just 4? Anyway I do kind of getwhy reg tables are better, there's fishy players at the table, yet they're stuck there with you unless they switch, so you get to pick up on their mistakes quicker and in turn exploit them quicker. perhaps this is one reason. For those who are grinding reg tables please tell me the main differences. Anyway i must sleep

I withdrew some winnings to pay for a new monitor and another months subscription of gtowizard, I thought about replacing the money after pay day but I still have more than enough to pay 10nl and grind it up. It's so much better having a larger second screen to play on! I'm also enjoying the switch to regular tables, perhaps it's an illusion but the variance some how seems lower, I'm also enjoying the slightler slower pace and being at the table with the same people for longer, it gives you more chance to pick up on their tendencies and look for spots for exploitation.
I'm also working hard to improve my game. The more I use the solver the more I realise I shouldn't be playing gto. I use it as a guide but rarley play it. People are just so far off what the solver recommends, just slight deviations in strategy completely change the ranges. I think to pay gto at the micros would be leaving a lot of money in the table when people have such massive holes in their strategies. Anyway it's going well, my downswing seems to be subsiding and I'm quitley grinding away. I'm quite pleased so far my challenge has paid for 2 gtowizard subscriptions and a new monitor and I still have enough to grind 10nl. Perhaps I'll stop making withdrawals now and try to get back to 25nl. I could redosit the money but I'm trying to save for the end of season so I can go travelling so I'll see how grinding it back goes first

I have now played 54k hands on this hud, around 45k on the previous, so I guess I'm averaging around 50k hands a month which i don't think is too bad considering i have a full time job and need to fit in studying amongst other things.
I switched to regular tables and I'm really enjoying it, i probably gave away a lot of ev grinding zoom. I like being at the table with people for longer. I've also really been working on my game. Experiencing the downswing was the best thing that could happen i believe. It forced me to really think about my game and look for ways to improve. i feel I'm a lot more balanced, but also not in some ways. i'm definitely seeing that an exploitative approach works best. I continue to study the theory, but I'm always looking at how to deviate. being at reg tables also means i can build up a player profile quicker and look at how to deviate.
Anyway the grind continues, current roll at 408 bucks, it would be higher but I have withdrawn money to pay for my monitor and gto wizard. i don't really want to put it back in when I know I can grind it back.

It's been a while since I posted a session, but this was a good one. I played just under 3k hands and won just under 14 buy ins at 10nl, not bad. I feel I played well, I'm doing my best to exploit people as much as possible. I'm also being more selective with my table selection, tagging players and taking lots of notes. It's paying off.

A short session after work, 900 hands, but up 7 buy ins, so pretty cool. I really feel like my strategy is falling into place. Playing this style and focussing on exploits is so much more fun and so much easier. I feel why play these equilibrium strategies when no one else is. It's good to know them so you can see how to adjust, but actually playing them is losing money for sure, at the micros anyway, I'm sure at the nosebleeds it may be good to be able to play gto or some version of it, but I'm convinced from what I've seen low and mid stakes is all abut exploiting your opponents.

PokerStars - $0.10 NL (6 max) - Holdem - 5 players
Hand converted by PokerTracker 4

SB: 105.2 BB (VPIP: 20.13, PFR: 16.29, 3Bet Preflop: 5.69, Hands: 321)
Hero (BB): 100 BB
UTG: 112.2 BB
CO: 100 BB (VPIP: 23.00, PFR: 19.00, 3Bet Preflop: 4.88, Hands: 103)
BTN: 100 BB (VPIP: 24.50, PFR: 21.85, 3Bet Preflop: 17.54, Hands: 154)

SB posts SB 0.5 BB, Hero posts BB 1 BB

Pre Flop: (pot: 1.5 BB) Hero has A 3

fold, CO raises to 2.5 BB, BTN calls 2.5 BB, fold, Hero raises to 14 BB, fold, BTN calls 11.5 BB

Flop: (31 BB, 2 players) T 6 T
Hero bets 10.7 BB, BTN calls 10.7 BB

Turn: (52.4 BB, 2 players) 9
Hero checks, BTN bets 75.3 BB and is all-in, Hero calls 75.3 BB and is all-in

River: (203 BB, 2 players) 2

Hero shows A 3 (One Pair, Tens)

BTN shows J K (Flush, King High)

BTN wins 193 BB


Thought I'd post a hand. I'm trying not to be a station, but i was pleased I found this call. I could have flatted, but chose to use the A3s as a squeeze. On the turn i had decided to give up, however his sizing led me to call. To me it made no sense, A T would want to get value from my over pairs or let a hand like AK catch up, so imo would bet small or check, the same for houses, and what pair would want to jam? He doesn't have JJ+ imo as he faltted the CO pre, he most likely always 3 bets them, then after the squeeze if he did have them in his range decided to flat again, so my thinking was what hand chooses this sizing? If it's not an over pair, a T or house? I thought most like it was a suited broadway or something that was trying to force a fold. Anyway obviously i chose to call, was correct yet he rivered the flush. Oh well, i still finished up 14 buy ins so screw it, i just thought it was a fun hand.

Todays session, I moved back to 25nl and it went really well. Finished up 6 buy ins, 152 bucks, almost unlocked another 40 dollar bonus. Current roll $766.
I've been making sure to continue my soft exploits like table selecting but also my hard exploits at the table. I enjoy playing a lot more at reg tables over zoom, i was missing out. It almost feels like a different game. Anyway the grind will continue tomorrow. for now I'm going to get some studying in then sleep.
Something else I'm doing is making sure I take regular breaks, I think it's important so I can play as close as possible to my A game. I started to feel a little tired and noticed I was playing my c or even d game so I'm done for tonight.

Managed to fit in a short session before work, 1100 hands, up 3 buy ins however so pretty cool.

This month so far below, 25k hands played, a lot at 10nl and around 8k of them at 25nl. Since approaching the game from an exploitative perspective I seem to be doing a lot better, playing regular tables has also helped a lot.

Quick session before work, only 874 hands but finished up 2.5 buy ins so not bad. I was up 5 buy ins at one point but lost some big hands towards the end, got stacked by a whale who I had in rough shape and got very lucky, then lost an all in with KK vs AKs and AA, but hey 67 bucks isn't bad for a short session. Almost back at 1k now, the roll is now at $967 and I'm close to unlocking another 40 dollar bonus.
2 days off after tonight's shift so lots of grinding for the next couple of days.

well I just had the session from Hell variance wise lol. 1600 hands and down 187 bucks, so almost 8 buy ins, but hey, it happens. At least I've pretty much reached the next 40 dollar bonus. I lost sooo many hands. I lost AA vs AKs they rivered a straight, I flop top set on the driest board ever and still loose, I iso a whale who limped with A9s and flop the nut flush on KT5 all clubs, he donks into me for 50% pot, turn K he donks again, river K he checks and he has T8o, what the hell lol. Everything went wrong, but hey that's the way it goes sometimes. I'm sure I'll make it back. I may now go make some burgers then go wild camping in the mountains, so not sure if I'll play again today.

Well the poker Gods have decided I must loose for the foreseeable future, who knows how long. I flop a set and get it in on the flop vs an over pair they river a higher set, I flop the second nuts with a flush draw and they have the actual nuts and hold, I make a bluff and run into top of range. Who knows how long the poker Gods have decided I must loose for. While my downswing is happening I think the smart thing to do is to temporarily move back to 10nl until it's over.

2 short sessions at 10nl, yesterday and today. Finished up 6.5 buy ins so good times. Trying to find ways to weather variance a little better, I've heard it said moving down is essential for moving up and that feels true. If I had the roll for it I would have just stayed at 25nl but I don't know how long the downswing would have continued. Moving down seems to hep mentally, me anyway, I'm sure I'll be back at 25nl soon. Current roll at $697

played a short 25nl session this morning and bad idea it seems, just 800 hands and down over 5 buy ins. The games are very good, lots of bad players, I just can't win atm. I ran into aces 4 times! Variance sucks balls lol. very frustrating that the games are so good yet the gods won't let me win atm.
Anyway my mum is visiting so that's it until tonight. Back to 10nl for now...