I have recently focused a serious amount of effort towards poker after years of thinking about it. This will be the log of my journey.

I started about a month ago, back in Feb 2019, with a $200 deposit on ACR. About 15,000 hands of microstakes later, I am just about breakeven with about $204, which is not bad. I have $10+ in rakeback and $10 in bonuses for a combined $20 extra I am not including (not yet redeemed).

However, this is not excellent either. I will post my stats later. For .1/.2 NL, 10k hands is definitely not enough to see a long-term trend. Before I started this journey, I always wondered why I saw pros quote hand amounts of 50k, 100k, even 1m+ before results could be accurately interpreted.

At this point variance tells me I'm a breakeven player, but there are some hopeful elements.

The fact that there are some steep slopes upwards mean I am sometimes doing something right. The really steep cliff drops remind me of when I tilted away by usually stacking off light. The problems arise are when I stack off light when I am super deep. I think if I can just avoid this one spot, where I stack-off light when deep with a weak bluffcather, I could create a pro winning winrate. We shall see.

I had a convo with a friend about going pro as a poker player today. He started talking about "how" to go about it.

Since I have thought a lot about it, and now seriously giving the journey a shot, I responded that the question really is "should one undertake the journey" and not "how."

The "how" is already out there. There's a lot of good and free literature about how to play, how to manage a conservative bankroll, etc. On the same token, there's also a lot of information out there about "how" to play baseball. There's countless books and videos about how to hit a ball, how to pitch.

But the question is the same for both poker and baseball: should one undertake the journey?

Does a person have an amazing natural throwing velocity with huge potential? Or, does he have an undying love of the game?

A really good baseball or poker player may just end up in the minor leagues, barely making minimum wage.

And this is what I have realized in my first month of "going pro." For me, "going pro" just means "playing 500 to 1,000 hands of online poker during my day job before my boss finds out that I'm not actually working and fires me."

I realized that I have to be the best in the world, top of my game, just to win pennies. Maybe it is easier for others, but I cannot just "zone out" and multi table and play like a robot. I feel like I am emotionally invested in each table- at least I have to be in order to win. I have to get a good "feel" for my opponents in order to know when they are acting out of line.

And I'm fine with my realization. Because (I think) I love poker. I mean it's not the funnest game in the world. There are other games with much better graphics. Graphic-wise, this game is pretty sad.

But strategy-wise I love it it. It's simple enough to understand, but deep enough to always have elements that can be studied. A long-time to master. And as a means-to-an-end to make money, I really like playing a strategy game all day. It really beats just about every other thing I've done for money in my life.

Of course there is always a better end game, to own one own's business for example. This is why the best pros end up coaching and not playing.

However, for my ditch to dig, I like poker as this choice. I can happily dig it and not fool myself about what I'm doing.

It's the most honest day's work I can do. I sit at a table with villain, I say "hello sir I am here to take all your money." And he says to me "and to you kind sir, I am here to do the same to you." And we say "good day sir" to each other and don't fight each other after the cards are dealt and the day is done.

Is any other profession as honest? When a salesman knocks on your door selling knives, it's just a dishonest game of "sir I'd really just rather have your money without all the song and dance."

That's what poker is. Life without all the song and dance. I'll save the song and dance for my friends and family, but business is straightforward-- I want your money sir, I am here to take it and am going to do everything within my means to do so, I hope that is okay with you.

This is my FR (9max) .1/.2 after about 1st 10k hands


6max .1/.2 after a few K hands


I'll have to say that 6max feels like a completely different game to me. I had traditionally been a FR player, never dabbling much in 6max. I am learning the game now due to it's recent resurgent popularity and high population online.

I have been very much humbled playing the microstakes. I came in playing like I did not have much respect for these players. At first I must have run good because I was up a whole bunch of buy-ins (on full ring). Then I went on a steep tilt, trying to run over players.

I learned a lesson that there are good players at the microstakes. I've always known this. I mean, sometimes you have people playing their absolute best poker at the lowest level because it's their last remaining dollar. I know I've been there.

True, you have a lot of the worst players here too, but the play is definitely underestimated. Or, it's not talked about much because it's too much of an ego hit to say that you can't win at the micros.

I'm finding it most hard to balance what I think is solid play vs the most exploitative play. I not only want to win at this level, but I more so want to develop good habits and build upon skills that are useful for higher limits.

Sometimes the right play is the exploitative play, whatever limit you're at. If someone can be exploited, and you don't exploit them, then you are exploiting yourself.

One concept that I have recently realized is that even if you try to play GTO, the correct GTO percentages come from making the correct individual decisions over and over again, rather than simply randomly making decisions in order to arrive at a particular percentage.

My realization is simpler when explained in terms of macro versus microeconomics. Gas prices must stay relatively even at pumps city-wide. However, you can see individual fluctuations that are quite steep: like high gas prices at highway intersections, or deep within a city with no other gas stations nearby. These hyper local pricing decisions don't agree with what the averages say the should be. However, taken in aggregate, all these individuals combine to create the average.

That's not to say that each individual gas station should just look at the average and aim to be there. Each individual station has its own set of factors to take into account in order to come up with its pricing decision.

And this I would say is the same for each poker spot for each hand. Although in aggregate, you can look at your game and say this percentage is too high or that percentage is too low, and even be correct, it's probably impossible to also adjust your game at this high a level, because the decisions come from individual factors at the detail level.

This is why a very good high-level understanding of the theory of poker still isn't sufficient to be a winning player. There's something to be spoken about the "execution" part.

As Sklansky has said in the fundamental theorem to think about what the villain wants you to do and "disappoint him," it is still our success or failure in this "disappointment" part that divides the winners from the losers.

Even the best players are still just winning a little over half the time (50+% W%SD). This means that half the time (or just under) they are wrong. They just keep that edge and push it.

Gl man will be following, enjoyed reading your post. Why are you playing at work though lol

lol thanks for the support... the question should be "why am I trying to work while playing poker"

full commitment to the poker! lulz

I felt a little confident this morning and took a perhaps risky bankroll move and played some .10/.25 NL.

After just a few minutes and 13 hands, I left the table up almost a buy-in ($19). I doubled up and lost some back after the hand below.

Key hand below. I think as played, I am always putting villain on ace high flush draw. If he's got a set then I believe I always make the payoff. I just don't see decent players calling with a set with the flush draw out there, but who knows when someone wants to mix up their play.

Winning Poker Network (Yatahay) - $0.25 NL - Holdem - 7 players
Hand converted by PokerTracker 4

CO: 94.28 BB (VPIP: 20.00, PFR: 0.00, 3Bet Preflop: 0.00, Hands: 5)
BTN: 58.6 BB (VPIP: 22.03, PFR: 5.08, 3Bet Preflop: 5.88, Hands: 59)
SB: 108.4 BB (VPIP: 25.00, PFR: 25.00, 3Bet Preflop: -, Hands: 5)
Hero (BB): 99 BB
UTG: 100 BB (VPIP: 0.00, PFR: 0.00, 3Bet Preflop: 0.00, Hands: 5)
UTG+1: 96.6 BB (VPIP: 40.00, PFR: 20.00, 3Bet Preflop: 0.00, Hands: 5)
MP: 125.8 BB (VPIP: 20.00, PFR: 12.00, 3Bet Preflop: 0.00, Hands: 25)

SB posts SB 0.4 BB, Hero posts BB 1 BB

Pre Flop: (pot: 1.4 BB) Hero has T A

fold, fold, MP raises to 3 BB, CO calls 3 BB, fold, fold, Hero calls 2 BB

Flop: (9.4 BB, 3 players) 4 T 8
Hero checks, MP bets 8.96 BB, CO calls 8.96 BB, Hero raises to 24 BB, MP calls 15.04 BB, CO raises to 91.28 BB and is all-in, Hero raises to 96 BB and is all-in, fold

Turn: (215.96 BB, 2 players) K

River: (215.96 BB, 2 players) J

CO shows 7 A (High Card, Ace)
(Pre 33%, Flop 39%, Turn 20%)
Hero shows T A (One Pair, Tens)
(Pre 67%, Flop 61%, Turn 80%)
Hero wins 205.2 BB

0.96 BB was deducted from the pot for the jackpot.




I also redeemed about $20 worth of rakeback and bonuses accrued thus far, because I got impatient lol.

I guess the sad but true thing I must face is that just a little under half the time ~40% I am expected to lose this pot, and his all-in is actually a really good move that should net him some fold equity a decent amount of time. So this win puts me above my EV.

Bankroll, $245.

Seems a bit loose to raise/ get it in there. Best case your up against FD/combo draw. Unless u kno villain is fishy.

Thanks, I def need to hear that because half the time I'm either already beat or flipping a coin with the combo draw. This play is probably a contributing reason for my steep drops.

PokerTracker4 Free-Trial is Up

Damn, this software is so totally worth it. It's taken my game to a new level (I think at least). Getting to know myself as a player is a very fulfilling and rewarding experience in itself. Having studied a lot of literature about VPIP/PFR over the years did kind of improve my game; but it isn't until I got a full picture of my own stats that I really understood how to interpret and act on other the data received from the PokerTracker HUD.

Just knowing that the top 10% of hand range looks like a diagonal (up/left) pointing arrow is nice and all. But seeing my own "hand-range visualizer) of my own playing range (let's say it was 10% PFR) but see it span a much wider range was pretty cool. Maybe this knowledge is widely known, but judging by my own PFR range, a 10% range even in the same seat (let's say MP for example) could look very different in 2 different players.

Player A (14/10 VPIP/PFR): let's say his MP PFR of 10% follows the standard arrow
Player B (20/10 VPIP/PFR): this guy's MP PFR of 10% is super wide because he sometimes flats his stronger holdings and includes some weaker ones in his PFR range to keep it wide, but masks it by keeping the frequency lower at 10%

^This is the "aggressive fisherman" strategy I have employed for most of my playing 'career,' so to speak.

At least it's the info I have gained from playing about 20,000 hands with PokerTracker.

The style has a lot of leaks, at least as I am playing it. I tend to stack off too light. Other than that, you need some strong post-flop skills to play this style successfully, because you will not be protecting your strong hands enough pre-flop, so you allow some weak ass stuff to realizing their equity, but you make-up for this inherent weakness by getting more value out of weaker marginal villain holdings that would have otherwise folded preflop.


Bankroll is $300+

I did a few LAG sessions to test. I really like the style but it is emotionally taxing. It's because you enter every pot with the understanding that everyone's stacks are at risk, and it happens often. It sounds scary to you, the lag player, but the thing is, and why it is so successful, is because your style is equally scary, if not more, to your opponents.

It's like trying to race against a drunk driver with his headlights and tailights missing. You can kind of see where he is and where he is going, you know his general strategy is to get to the finish line, but from A-to-Z it is never a straight line and he's veering wrecklessly. Perhaps it is wiser and safer to play for a more consistent 2nd place finish and perhaps let this guy burn himself out.

Yea so I got fired today. I guess it was a pretty mutual good parting as my boss pointed out that I wasn't doing much and I agreed and parted on pretty good terms, with possibility open that I still do some contract work to wrap things up or ongoing. But I guess I kind of foreshadowed this with my first post, player poker at work and all. What could go wrong?

Nothing too interesting to post. I ran the roll up to $340+ then tilted away about $30 or so on $10NL. I was thinking about doing the smart thing and grind away at $2NL until I got the roll back up to take another shot. But when faced with the conservative choice and the risky one you know which one I always take. Anways, I am only playing $10NL FR, with a $300 roll, so 30 buy-ins. It's not like I did the stupid thing and moved UP! Which I understand the feeling lol.

Anyways. Just single tabling it to see if I can beat this limit. So far I am down quite a few buyins for this limit. (my wins at the super micros have been funding my shots here, I am still positive overall)

I am going to say no poker on the weekends, now that I consider poker work, and weekend is quality time with the girlfriend. When I do feel like gaming, I will play Overwatch instead, because that's actually a game I can enjoy playing, win or lose. Good graphics, good action.

I know I am giving up EV by not playing with the fishiest recreational players, but hey, it is a +EV move for my life since the girlfriend is #1.

My 6max play is a lot better than I thought, results wise, could be on a heater, it's only been under 10k hands so we shall see.

My FR game is weaker than I thought. Actually I am just not adjusting very well. I just have to adopt the tight-is-right mentality. I tried to force too much at first.

Clock is ticking on me needing to get the roll to a point where I can actually produce and withdraw.

...

this is my first attempt to start doing session reviews seriously and making a regular weekly post; I know that if I treat this like homework and study, then I will get better; today I will just do one, better than nothing.


Below is an example of a hand that is more common in 6max. I would never do this on a FR table. However this is what it often takes to win in 6max. I can put myself in this mindset, but to be quite honest, it is super stressful during and after the session. This is why I prefer the slowness of FR 9max. However, after a crushing stack-off, it is hard to regain the mental composure in 9max. Whereas in 6max, you can trade stacks back and forth pretty often within a few orbits.

Sometimes I am in the mood for one or the either.

No Limit Hold'em $0.05/$0.10
Winning Poker Network
5 players
Formatted by pokercopilot.com: Poker HUD for Mac and Windows

Stacks:
UTG - Hero ($46.08)
CO - CO ($10.00)
BTN - BTN ($28.27)
SB - SB ($12.47)
BB - BB ($14.32)

Preflop: ($0.15, 5 players) Hero is UTG with 9 J
Hero raises to $0.30, 1 fold, BTN raises to $1.05, 1 fold, BB calls $0.95, Hero calls $0.75

Flop: T 8 3 ($3.20, 3 players)
BB checks, Hero checks, BTN bets $1.10, 1 fold, Hero raises to $4.10, BTN calls $3.00

Turn: A ($11.40, 2 players)
Hero bets $8.12, 1 fold, Uncalled bet of $8.12 returned to Hero

Total Pot: $11.40
Hero mucks 9 J

Hero wins $10.83

I feel like I made some poor/marginal choices in this hand; however, at 6max, at this limit, sometimes it is simply aggression vs aggression.

The preflop play is questionable, but the call is partially odds driven, since BB called. It is mostly macho driven. I kind of don't want to look like a pussy after raising UTG, lol.

The flop is somewhat horrible, in the sense that although I get an open ender, a couple of those outs are immediately nullified bc of the 3-flush on the flop.

I play it hard anyways, bc YOLO and it's 6max. I figure since the As came that he couldn't have been on that spade draw so went for the CBET and almost died when he insta-folded.

I'm going to play significantly outside of my bankroll to go big or go home, force me to use my other talents to make money if I bust out. Doing the micro grind is not working out, as I thought I really enjoyed playing poker, but I actually like playing Overwatch so much more, lol. As a game, poker is pretty dry. It is a pretty cool "job" though, so although I can probably make $2/hr grinding away at microstakes, I am not getting much better while I am doing so, and I think life would be better served, as well as my poker career, to do things that I can make over $10/hr at with my life skills and then play at those stakes or higher. It doesn't make much sense to play -EV on my life skills-- example, working my ass off and grinding for $1-$2/hr while I let other skills remain dormant. Might as well play at the level of poker at which my other skills can support. And if I cannot beat this game at this level then I'll just go home. Trying some NL50 at the moment with about 25% of my bankroll on the line. Meh. lulz.

I went on tilt back in April and blew most of my roll. I have been playing a lot of Overwatch last 3 months. I am mentally ready to come back at it.

I wrote the below earlier and wasn't sure where to share it. This seems like a good place....

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The Duality Problem with Society
7/29//19

I think the problem with society is how the entities in power create dichotomies and pit them against each other. Part of it is within our human nature-- our survival instincts and victim mentalities force us to see things as either friend, or foe. It is always us against them. There is always an “us.” And there is always a “them.” So far I am speaking in generalities, but I think it’s obvious the big one in politics is Left versus Right, or Democrats versus Republicans. If you’re an American, you must be one, or the other. If you are one, they are your friends, the others are your enemies.

I remember back in college (I went to USC), the crosstown rivalry with UCLA was alive and strong. It still is. If you’re an alumni or in any way associated with UCLA, I hate you. Just kidding (lol). I am way beyond those years. But this is only because I am much older, matured, and self-aware. I also remember that even within our own school (USC), I was in an Asian fraternity. There were only two Asian fraternities. So naturally, we competed for the small population of Asian males at USC who wanted to join a fraternity. This made us natural “enemies,” since we competed for the same finite resources (rushees and pledges).

I simply use college and fraternity rivalries as two examples of “us versus them” that can in reality create very real hatred in our minds.

There are numerous examples. Maybe you work for Google and you hate all Apple employees. Whatever, go find your own examples.

My point is that sometimes these rivalries can be healthy and keep us moving forward in life. For example, if it is within sports and kept on the field, then so be it. However, if some Oakland Raiders fan (yea first example that came to mind lol) assaults some other team’s fan, that’s where rivalries aren’t so healthy anymore.

As humans, I don’t think we can avoid these types of “us versus them” feelings. However I think we need to realize they exist and to understand the effect that they have on us. More importantly, we need to realize when artificial dichotomies are kept in place, reinforced, in order to control the population (ahem Democrats ahem Republicans ahem).

Personally I have never voted for the president even though I have had multiple opportunities. It wasn’t because I don’t care. It was because I feel like I’m being forced into a stupid game that shouldn’t exist in the first place.

If someone threw some football pads at you and told you to go play linebacker for the NFL, what would you do?

You’d probably be like “ummm nah bruh I don’t think I’d survive in that game, rather not play.”

The game of politics is something that a lot of people take seriously, so I don’t want to offend people that play the game. However, I wonder why we can’t have 3, or 4, or 5 or more parties seriously contend for the presidency of the United States.

When that time comes, I may become an actual participant. But at this point, I have a strong feeling that those wealthy people behind the scenes, truly in power, don’t really care which party wins, as long as there are only two. This way they can back the party they want as well as the other party to hedge their bets. Either way, they win. They win because they have the entire population fighting each other rather than realizing what’s actually going on.

I started streaming poker on Twitch this week and it's been really awesome. Little did I know there are people are there who actually like watching microstakes amateur players. Who woulda known that not everyone likes watching the pros! Awesome. I guess it's like how some people prefer watching college football over the NFL.

Well if you wanna come sweat me or just support the stream, here it is: https://www.twitch.tv/superbusboy

Been streaming microstakes poker on Twitch for the past couple of weeks. Although the streaming has been going well (made Twitch affiliate this week w00000t), the poker has not, lol. I lost most of the remaining roll playing MTT's that were way outside the bankroll's range. Oh well! I fully knew what I was doing, it's just when the roll gets this low, it encourages one's suicidal tendencies to takeover. But I didn't get completely busted, I still have $16.83 left so I'm back at the $2NL 6-max cash game penny tables to work the roll back up. C-ya'll later, catch me on my stream!