Hello all,

I started playing poker early last year and stumbled across this site a few months ago. I decided to make my own poker challange to track my progress as I havn't done so well over the last month [-$150 ]. My goal is to advance through the limits following the "stairway to highstakes" graph by inspiron and jimmyrare [roughly 30 BIs for UNL].

I will be starting playing 0.05/0.10 SH. Despite playing at +3.33 BB/100 at 5NL [80,000 hands] my experiance of 10NL [30,000 hands] is -2.00 BB/100 [-$144]. My first goal is to turn this negative BB/100 into positive; hopefully approximately +2.5-3.00 BB/100. I normally play 2-4 tables I don't think I can concentrate properly on more than that.

My current bankroll is $418.16.

Anyway I about to start my first session I will post some hand and my opinions on them any comments on the way I played would be greatly appreciated.

Cheers,

Jamie

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

First session went very well. I played 4 table for 2 hours [731 hands] at +14.14 BB/100 [$20.68] which brings my bankroll to $439.08. Below are a number of hands which are interesting, the first one caused a bit of trouble at the table as two people had an arguement in the chat about how I played it; I'd be interested to hear some opinions

PokerStars No-Limit Hold'em, $0.10 BB (5 handed) - Poker-Stars Converter Tool from FlopTurnRiver.com

SB ($10.12)
Hero (BB) ($24.92)
UTG ($20.70)
MP ($10)
Button ($10)

Preflop: Hero is BB with A, A
1 fold, MP bets $0.30, Button raises to $0.90, 1 fold, Hero raises to $3, 1 fold, Button calls $2.10

Flop: ($6.35) A, 7, 2 (2 players)
Hero bets $4, Button calls $4

Turn: ($14.35) 8 (2 players)
Hero bets $9, Button calls $3 (All-In)

River: ($20.35) 4 (2 players, 1 all-in)

Total pot: $20.35 | Rake: $0.98

The arguement about this hand was should I have bet the flop? I am split on what seems better. The villian suggested the only hand which calls was AKs or a flush draw [although FD's are a tiny part, if any part, of villian's range] where as if I checked 10-KK might bluff the ace or pick something up on the turn. Also flatting the 4-bet is strange with AK or KK [maybe QQ] as most people would 5-bet shove all in; so his range is perhaps more likely 10-QQ. Anyway something to think about if I'm in this situation again.


PokerStars No-Limit Hold'em, $0.10 BB (5 handed) - Poker-Stars Converter Tool from FlopTurnRiver.com

SB ($10.74)
BB ($10.89)
UTG ($19.89)
MP ($14.88)
Hero (Button) ($10.15)

Preflop: Hero is Button with J, Q
2 folds, Hero bets $0.35, 1 fold, BB calls $0.25

Flop: ($0.75) 10, 7, Q (2 players)
BB checks, Hero bets $0.58, BB calls $0.58

Turn: ($1.91) J (2 players)
BB checks, Hero bets $1.27, BB calls $1.27

River: ($4.45) 9 (2 players)
BB bets $3.30, Hero folds

Total pot: $4.45 | Rake: $0.21


In this hand I think it is a pretty easy fold on the river my only thought is could checking the turn with the intention of a c/r make him fold [my read was pretty much KQ] representing I c-bet AK or maybe 89 and hit a gut shot? Tbh I'm not sure

Anyway those are probably the only interesting hands there should be some more when I play next. Cheers all

Played another two hours this morning and it went well again! The motivation of starting this thread seems to be working I played two tables [520 hands] and finished +$24.00, bringing the bankroll to $463.70. Again not to many interesting hands; I did struggle against one dude at my table who was playing like 57/30 [100hands] a couple of good calls against him and one badly played hand by me . I really struggle with calling his cbets etc with no idea of range which I guess is to be expected, sadly I didn't hit anything strong against him either - here is the only hand which I think I missplayed bigtime

PokerStars - $0.10 NL (6 max) - Holdem - 6 players
Hand converted by PokerTracker 3

SB: $10.20
BB: $10.29
UTG: $10.56
Hero (MP): $22.47
CO: $10.00
BTN: $10.78

SB posts SB $0.05, BB posts BB $0.10

Pre Flop: ($0.15) Hero has A J

fold, Hero raises to $0.30, fold, BTN calls $0.30, fold, fold

Flop: ($0.75, 2 players) T J 9
Hero bets $0.50, BTN calls $0.50

after he calls it dosent really change his range much...a few hands before he called down to the river with 73s on 10 8 3 J J so he could have anythnig

Turn: ($1.75, 2 players) 4
Hero bets $1.00, BTN calls $1.00

Although when I bet here I felt it was for value against this villain I wonder if check/calling would be better, I'm not sure, he calls with a lot of trash although, my main though at this point was he had a pair with a straight draw [previously when he'd hit flushes he overbet raised or shoved or something]

River: ($3.75, 2 players) 7
Hero checks, BTN bets $1.90, Hero calls $1.90

I think this call is bad considering the card, it didnt register to me as a scare card I don't think I was concentrating enough....although I dont think I would have folded if I thought more about it as I believe he would bet worse [just don't wanna get into the habit of autopilot].


BTN shows 8 K (Straight, Jack High) (PreFlop 35%, Flop 43%, Turn 41%)
Hero mucks A J (One Pair, Jacks) (PreFlop 65%, Flop 57%, Turn 59%)
BTN wins $7.19

Anyway it wasn't too costly something I need to work on [playing against LAGs - i've never had much experiance of it]
One other thing I noticed is I play looser on two tables than four [27/23 compared to about 19/15 from my 2 sessions] maybe it was just because I picked up more hands but something to consider if I ever add more tables.

cheers

GL with your goals OP

I agree with the argument from the first hand slow playing is definitly the better option and he has only got $7 left with the pot at $6.30 a free card is affordable.

Looks like you're off to a good start. Keep it up

AJ is a tough hand for me to play. So easy to get beaten, but still think you have a good hand (at least for me).

On that first hand, I am surprised too that the villain flatted your preflop 4-bet. Even if he had QQ you'd think he would have realized he was beaten and folded. If he had AK or KK he would have shoved IMO. I don't think he had a flush draw. If he had diamonds, he wouldn't have called your flop raise as only one came on the flop. If he had spades, he hit it on the river. I think you played it ok, but I'm a n00b, so don't trust that

Figured I would also post my graph since starting this thread, it's much prettier than my life time Around hand 1000 I sucked out all in with trips to make a bigger full house than someone who flopped one which bumped me up above EV for the first time in a while Hopefully I'll play again later
Jamie

Thank you for your replies sjingham and OldRod_KS!

@ sjingham yes I definately feel in hindsight checking is better [although I may have inadvertantly made my hand look weaker by leading out?] since I don't really need to protect against flush draws, as what could he have...flatting a 4bet for half stack with KQs or similar seems very unlikely...

@OldRod_KS ye the range seems difficult post flop as I don't understand the flatting of 4bet without history, you seem to have the same opinion as me [btw he actually had AhKh if your interested]

Thanks again for your input guys

Thanks - I was wondering about that I see he gets married to top-pair/top-kicker like I do sometimes

Hmmm... that wasn't me in your HH was it? Oh, I'm playing 2NL these days, so probably not

GL op, will be following

gl am in the same boat starting with 500 at .5/.10 if u want anyone to discuss hands / play etc with feel free to pm me

Hey thanks for the comments ChickRaise and OzieOzieOzie. @Ozie ye I would like to discuss hands etc. I'll send you a pm sometime feel free to do the same

I played another session just now, wasn't as successful as the previous two I finished after 560 hands down $10.23 - bankroll is now standing at $454.01. I think I missplayed a couple hands which didn't help [either does some dude stacking my AA w/ a set...] but other than that nothing really seemed to get going. I found I was often getting called by 2-3 people so I wasnt really able to c-bet and take down pots etc but hey. Below is a hand I misplayed -

PokerStars - $0.10 NL (6 max) - Holdem - 6 players
Hand converted by PokerTracker 3

Hero (BTN): $11.11
SB: $14.06
BB: $10.00
UTG: $12.77
MP: $10.30
CO: $10.00

SB posts SB $0.05, BB posts BB $0.10

Pre Flop: ($0.15) Hero has J J

fold, fold, CO raises to $0.30, Hero raises to $1.00, fold, fold, CO calls $0.70

Flop: ($2.15, 2 players) 6 4 6
CO checks, Hero bets $1.00, CO calls $1.00

Basically here is were it all goes wrong this bet should be more like $1.80-$2.00 I think. I don't blame his call here though as I'd just sat down at a table and in 10 hands had JJs twice and KKs so must have seemed like a maniac w/ 100% 3bet :P

Turn: ($4.15, 2 players) A
CO checks, Hero checks

River: ($4.15, 2 players) 8
CO bets $2.00, Hero calls $2.00

This call is also pretty bad 77s, 99s + 10s are probably not betting so I basically only catch a bluff from a missed FD or something


CO shows A K (Two Pair, Aces and Sixes) (PreFlop 46%, Flop 24%, Turn 95%)
Hero mucks J J (Two Pair, Jacks and Sixes) (PreFlop 54%, Flop 76%, Turn 5%)
CO wins $7.76


Anyway I suspect I could have avoided that with a decent flop bet or just fold the river....

Hopefully tomorrow will be more productive, time for guitar practice
cheers

Played two sessions yesterday totally approx 500 hands it was very swingy but I finished up about $6 so the bankroll is now at $460.61. I found that I was making most of my profit playing heads-up starting tables then bleeding it away after they filled up , which is surprising since i have a terrible record in HU SnGs...

Anyway I have a busy night tonight so I will post some hands and hopefully try to play 1000 hands or so tomorrow

cheers, jamie

OK, so I have been a bit busy and not got around to updating this. The last few days have infuriating. Every session I've played has started with a buy-in lost to AA vs KK which is not a problem; but then I grind my way back, start showing a profit and the same thing happens again . It seems I make my profit from winning lots of small pots and then losing it in one big go haha.

Anyway, currently the bankroll is about where it was a few days ago = $459.19. Since starting this thread I seem to be on track, not as much traction recently but I have a positive win rate which considering my history at 10NL I am happy with. In 7,423 hands I am up $39.53 I have been runnin 2.66 BB/100.

I don't have that many hands that stand out as interesting but I will need to have a proper look through PT tomorrow when I have free time try and fix some holes. For example I seem to make way to little from the button, not for lack of trying... I'm thinking to perhaps sign up for a sweat session ... just don't wanna embarrass myself haha :P

Anyway, I'll sort this out tomorrow and play some more too hopefully get out of this breakeven crap
jamie

I played a session last night of 1,462 hands for +$27.82 . I also cleared my first stellar reward of the year for an extra $10. So after this session my bankroll is at $490.19. The session went very well and I got paid off on a couple of flopped nuts which is always nice :P.

So, I mentioned I was going to take a look at my stats on PT and look for leaks since I started this challange (...there are lots). I read a lot of the micro stats thread and there is some illuminating posts in there.... I only wish I had gone there sooner.

So I looked at my stats since I started and the most glaringly obvious leak is my NSW ... it looks like a sideways V with my SW line. So, I didn't think I was but apparantly I am to passive post-flop. I rarely double barrel turn as a bluff AND more importantly I often don't bet the turn for value... too much "pot control" and letting stupid draws etc get there and hands that would fold get there for example c/calling OOP with a pocket pair when I know someone is just c-betting overcards and letting them river it when I should be raising flops. Furthermore, and related is my turn and river aggression factors being way to low I need to be betting or raising more.

Further passivity is my cold call from blinds and DB, especially from the SB being perhaps a little high
WTSD% - perhaps a little high ?
W$WSF - seems a little higher than other I saw not sure whether I should be pushing marginal spots or value-betting a little thinner.
W$SD - again seems pretty high.

http://img714.imageshack.us/i/amount...verhandsd.png/

http://img403.imageshack.us/i/ptstats.jpg/

Ok as a break from reading the stats thread I decided to try some of the things mentioned. It went well :P. FInished after 167 hands +$9.96 AND more improtantly I had a positive red line. My stats for the session are below, the only weird thing is my PFR being quite far from my VPIP but I can explain this by coldcalling with some pocket pairs. I think I could have got away with raising but my 3-bet was already 13% and I was in the SB when I got these pairs.(I know I said I need to stop cold-calling from blinds but .. but 93% fold I believe is ok, im not sure).

I had 2 regs two my left who I have several hundred hands on and they do love stealing blinds so I 3-bet almost everytime and only got called once, and they folded to 50% c-bet, it is sooo much easier than I thought haha. Furthermore I hiked up my AF [see below] to levels that are better, perhaps not optimal im not sure.

Now, I have a feeling I was on a little heater haha but I'm going to cut down to two tables and try and continue this level of aggression and hopefully reap the rewards

My stats from trying this out [yes I know 170 hands is no realistic sample size] hopefully I will get a few thousands hands in and see [and post] the results soon.

http://img525.imageshack.us/i/1301.png/

http://img716.imageshack.us/img716/2...experiment.jpg



O, bankroll currently at $500.05 I'll play again later after guitar practice, if anyone thinks my thoughts on statistics are wrong or I missed something major please tell me :P

Jamie

Ok, so I was going to post about my progress after playing a session tonight. I started at $510.09 and with-in about 100 hands was down to 470 .

QQ vs AA SB vs BB, possibly should have folded pre but it was like my 3rd hand at the table, turns out villain hadnt raised a single pot until this one so opps

The very next hand, I raise with AA from the DB and the BB re-raises so I over shove to look like tilt... this time he has QQ ... opps he flops a set....

blah blah anyway this is the only hand I think I could have folded of the lot. In fact looking back it was definately missplayed I think

PokerStars - $0.10 NL (6 max) - Holdem - 6 players
Hand converted by PokerTracker 3

MP: $9.55
CO: $19.35
Hero (BTN): $14.62
SB: $20.88
BB: $12.36
UTG: $13.87

SB posts SB $0.05, BB posts BB $0.10

Pre Flop: ($0.15) Hero has Q K

fold, fold, fold, Hero raises to $0.30, SB calls $0.25, BB calls $0.20

Flop: ($0.90, 3 players) T A J
SB checks, BB checks, Hero bets $0.70, fold, BB raises to $2.21, Hero raises to $4.40, BB calls $2.19

I should maybe just jam my 4bet size is too small but when I did it I wasn't sure whether just to call then raise all in on the turn or flop turns out I did the worst think and gave him reasonable odds to draw to FH...

Turn: ($9.70, 2 players) A
BB checks, Hero bets $6.00, BB raises to $7.66 and is all-in, Hero calls $1.66

Should this be a check back? His range for raising on the flop is like stone cold bluff [no point in betting he might again], flush draw [much less likely than a bluff he is like 16/5/1 ( which I should have put more thought into think I must have been playing bad from losing the previous hands), or sets, during the hand I thought surely he would have raised 10s+ to Bsteal but I didnt check the stats, I think he calls with 2 pairs considering he's not been too aggressive.
In summary when the board paired I know I am beat but I am stupid enough to bet

River: ($25.02, 2 players) A

BB shows T T (Full House, Aces full of Tens) (PreFlop 57%, Flop 35%, Turn 100%)
Hero shows Q K (Straight, Ace High) (PreFlop 43%, Flop 65%, Turn 0%)
BB wins $23.80



Anyway, small hitch, I'll maybe play a cheap MTT tonight incase I am tilted, which I'm not sure, normally when I think I'm tilted I am a NIT but I was still playing my usual style tonight. After how badly that hand went though... I knew it was time to quit :P
Cheers, Jamie

I probably would have 4-bet all-in after the flop on that one. With a set of tens he probably still would have called, but it was a chance for you to win the hand there - with 2 spades out there, you would have to be worried about a flush coming on the turn anyway, so make him have to pay you big to see it.

With that flop, and you going all-in, he might have actually put you on the straight and folded to your 4-bet. Tough hand

OK, So I got back from Amsterdam on Monday but was still too out my face to play poker :P and had to get back into guitar practice for Uni. I had a small session just now which went excellent considering I have not played well recently. I played 4 tables for about 50 minutes [269 hands] and managed to acheive a profit again albeit $11.10 ... Should have been more but I miss-played a hand for my stack with a turned top 2 vs bottom set, I should have been able to get away from it I think because the guy was an NIT. However hopefully this continues and I continue to build the bankroll [currently at $463.20].

I think I am going to set smaller goals with time limits so I am motivated to put in a little more volume. Perhaps even attempt adding another table to my four. Right now I feel the best thing I can do is attempt to fix my [perhaps many] leaks as I think I understand this limit fairly well now; my hand reading seems to be strong [If I act on it]. I also enjoy [an advantage of less tables] trying to read hands I'm not in and making notes on players tendancies; especially the regs. Anyway first new goals -

- $500 by February 6th
- A comprehensive review after each session of the hands I play, combined with taking notes in a word document of situations and plays I make which are spew. Hopefully this will help me find leaks combined with looking at positional stats etc.

Anyway I am going to start looking at hands and then play again in an hour or so after scales

Jamie

gl sir.

@AcevivKing Thanks for the encouragment

Ok well since my last post I played 6 short sessions.

465 hands = -$14.86
797 hands = -$21.30
545 hands = +$6.58
266 hands = +$1.74
309 hands = +$13.94
446 hands = +$24.05

The first to sessions were negative purely as a result of me one hand in each session infact since I decided in one session to play a deep stacked table. I basically got myself into situations against fish where I didn't understand what they were trying to do and consequently made stupid plays. Sadly today I read a COTW were someone mentioned that not everyone thinks like you so just because someone isn't playing a hand how you would does not mean they don't have it! The final two sessions I felt I played a few hands very well especially deciding what to bet in different streets against the range I thought most likely. A couple times I lost concentration and forget to keep thinking e.g. I once bet a turn BvB I feel should have checked after a c-bet with top set where if I checked and bet river I am more likely to get a call from 2nd pair etc. Playing each hand to the best of my ability, be it check, fold, raise whatever is something I need to work on, esp. by avoiding distractions.

In regards to analysising my hands from each session I have done each briefly I am going [probably Sunday] to go into more depths and maybe even post some and explain my actions as an excercise to see if I played them the best I could. I have decided on a new goal to go along with analysing my PT

- Read all the COTWs

I have never got round to it but have read a few recently and they are very interesting...and will probably need to be re-read regularly!

Anyway, bankroll is currently at $465.55 which leaves me fairly comfortable to reach 500 by the 6th if I don't play like a ******. My original goal was to become profitable at 0.05/0.10 and thus far [despite swinging all over the place] I am at +$58.46 which is a BB/100: 1.59 winrate over 18,400 hands. To be honest I am not paticularly pleased since I peaked at $120 but I think I learn more from losing so ... silver lining.... I still have a little to go before my overall progress at 10NL is positive [I was -140something before the start of this] but it will happen.

This will fail like 95% of threads here. And if you succeed then nobody will care anyway; it wouldn't even be a meaningful accomplishment.

GL.

So it's not just my goals thread you're targeting with your worthless criticisms?

Nah that is what he does and he plays NL25 himself so whatever he says has no merit anyway. Bullying microstakeplayers when he plays NL25... lol.

Anyway, gl to you

Good Luck with the challenge!
Funny to see my old stair is still used as a guide.

@ 999 - ... I don't really care what you consider meaningful, and this thread is for me I don't mind if nobody reads it so don't waste your time commenting...

@ 54offsuit and JimmyRare thanks for taking your time to read and the luck :P ... and yes I really like the graph, its almost like a challange haha..

Anyway, yesterday and tonight went quite well. In actual fact I'm pretty certain I'm on a heater. I was on the right side of some coolers like AA vs KK or set over set and everything held up which was nice.

I played 4 sessions -

- +$18.45
- +$2.15
- +$22.54
- +$34.61

which brings my BR now to $525.60; so I have reached the goal of $500 by Feb 6th. I don't think I played paticularly well in the first two sessions but the final two I think I played better by more value betting etc. Although I got into a few bad spots. I did a big bluff early on a table against someone who turned out to play something like 64/10 opps. It seemed like a good situation for it but I think I'll wait till I have a better idea of the table before that again. Anyway heres a hand I was troubled with and my thoughts.

I'm pretty sure I ballsed this up -

villain is 11/9 AFq-75 (50 hands)

PokerStars - $0.10 NL (6 max) - Holdem - 5 players
Hand converted by PokerTracker 3

Hero (BB): $36.26
UTG: $4.26
CO: $10.80
BTN: $12.96
SB: $17.08

SB posts SB $0.05, Hero posts BB $0.10

Pre Flop: ($0.15) Hero has 9 9

fold, CO raises to $0.40, fold, fold, Hero calls $0.30

Flop: ($0.85, 2 players) Q 4 Q
Hero checks, CO bets $0.60, Hero calls $0.60

Turn: ($2.05, 2 players) Q
Hero checks, CO bets $1.20, Hero calls $1.20

I think this is either a fold or raise... ? I didn't raise because I thought his range to call the raise beats me, where as the AJ or AK double barrelling would fold... further more I'm not sure he would 3 barrell 22-88. anyway I'm really not sure.

River: ($4.45, 2 players) A
Hero checks, CO bets $3.20, fold

I think this now becomes and easy fold so....

CO wins $4.24

Anyway I will be going through more tomorrow find anything else interesting

Jamie

Ok I played a short session just now [337] hands for +$8.13 which now brings my bankroll too $533.74. I think I am going to make a new goal since I'm passed $500.

- $600 by February 16th

Anyway time to look at what the hands from that session

Jamie

It is the first of Febuary so whilst I am changing the layout of my HUD I thought I would do a breakdown of everything so far so I can keep track.

In 22 days I have played 21,757 hands and made $130.45 with a BB/100 of 2.94. This now bring me overall at 10NL, according to PTR, into profit [I had to change computer so my PT is no use] which I am very pleased about. Most of all I think I have learnt a lot and am beginning to know the tendancies of the regulars and build a decent collection of notes on them. The graph is a bit swingy but I played badly and got coolered a couple times about half way through.



Uploaded with ImageShack.us

I don't think I'll be able to play much tonight but I've been going through sessions with pokerstove finding out how well I'm play my equity. I found a couple of marginal spots. One were I thought I had more FE than I did and got it in as 40% [combo draw], villain was apparantly on a roll as he had just had AA, KK [stacks each time] and then a set vs my draw in like 10 hands so it was harder to respect his raise...anyway I got lucky

Jamie