Hi everyone,

This is my first PG&C thread. I’ve decided to make one because I think it would be an awesome spot to track my progress and because a lot of PG&Cs on here seem to develop a really good community vibe.

I’m from Canada and in my mid 20s. I finished my Master’s degree in August 2019 and have been working full time since. I love what I do, especially working from home, and unlike a lot of other people I’ve never had the desire to play poker professionally. Even from when I started grinding online somewhat seriously, the idea of having to make poker a profession and being forced to play never sounded ideal.

My other main hobby is golf, which I love to both watch and play, although I am a complete hack and struggle to break 100, though largely because of physical health issues which limit distance off the tee. Outside of this I’m a big sports fan and watch golf, hockey (Canucks fan), NFL (Ravens fan), NBA (Raps fan), European football (BVB fan) and tennis majors. Despite the username I am a Raptors fan.

I’ve always seen poker as a fun hobby and potential source of side income. I’ve video gamed a bit in the past, especially runescape growing up, but these days I don’t game as much. I never had an issue gaming as a hobby even though it technically accomplishes nothing productively or intellectually, but when it comes to poker I never felt that I could just casually play it, but that I had to work hard and try to improve and get better, or else it was just not worth playing.

I’ve been playing seriously online for four years with a few breaks here and there, starting when roommate got me into online.

After spending five years of undergrad and postgrad hunched over on a tiny MacBook air, a sleu of ergonomic issues necessitated me building a computer and setting up a better ergonomic set up. So I built this 3700X build, which allows me to get to solver work. I’ve been working on my game more than ever, and working with solvers has allowed me to begin to actually understand the game properly theoretically, in a way I never felt I was able to before I had access to a solver. Before getting solver access, I was always somewhat lazy and wanted to play much more than I wanted to study. But now I’m finding the studying process significantly more interesting and rewarding and my time is probably split 60/40 study to play right now.

https://ca.pcpartpicker.com/user/the...d/#view=ZV3TJx

I’m currently on poker stars at 10z. I also play home game tournaments with people I played with IRL before COVID.

My primary goal has always been to beat 25z on stars for 5+ evbb/100 over a decent sample. I know this isn’t a lofty goal, but I always felt that to be 25z on stars you have to have a solid theoretical understanding of NHLE. Once I reach this goal my plan is to reevaluate where I want to go with poker, and decide whether I want to move up to higher stakes or start studying another format or game such as focusing on no limit MTTs or perhaps a draw or stud variant.

I'm also mostly dictating this with dictation software, so forgive me if there are small grammatical errors from dictation that I miss when proofreading.

Reserved.

Moving on to play and how I’m doing at the stake. I’m currently on probably the biggest downswing ever in my poker career, which is incredibly frustrating, especially because I feel like my understanding of the game is better than ever. It’s possible I am misimplementing things, but I honestly feel like I’m in a really rough downswing. It feels weird making this thread in the middle of the downswing, but I’ve been thinking of doing this for a while, so I figured why not now and then in the future I can look back at how I overcame this downswing.

Overall though, I feel like I’m handling this downswing well. I feel like I’m tilting much less that I have in the past and I feel like my mental game is developing despite it. I'm trying to look at this good opportunity for me to develop my mental game despite how awful it feels to log on and run bad each day.

My current downswing has me down about 20BI from my peak for the stake. However I’m currently at 61BI for the stake despite the downswing. I’m 95% confident I am a winner in this pool as the 10z pool has become incredibly soft since antes were introduced, probably softer than 5z. I don't feel like I'm much of a degen, and I've never once felt the need to move up stakes or play underrolled. My plan is to shot take 25z at a 1k roll, or maybe after a 1k roll if I don't feel ready.

Thus far this downswing I’ve resisted doing things that I normally would do and feel comfortable doing just because of the downswing. I feel like I’ve been losing every flip, getting nowhere with AK, and especially lighting money on fire in 3 bet pots. It feels like every time I’ve 3bet light, every cbet gets called. I’m down like 6BI in the last 900 hands, which sucks.

Here are some graphs, and I’ll post some hand histories. I’m obviously making some theoretical mistakes, but I feel like this is largely just run bad and I just need to push through it. I’m trying to see it as a growth opportunity more than anything. I’m considering making some temporary changes, like never getting AK in pre and just 4bet/folding it, or never cbet bluffing after I 3bet light.

This stake:





This month:




Pots where I 3bet pre this month:

Some hands from this month excluding AK in pre and other coolers:

PokerStars - $0.10 Ante $0.01 NL FAST (6 max) - Holdem - 6 players
Hand converted by PokerTracker 4

BTN: 116 BB
SB: 100.5 BB
BB: 99.8 BB
Hero (UTG): 101.8 BB
MP: 80.4 BB
CO: 100 BB

6 players post ante of 0.1 BB, SB posts SB 0.5 BB, BB posts BB 1 BB

Pre Flop: (pot: 2.1 BB) Hero has J J

Hero raises to 2.8 BB, fold, fold, fold, SB calls 2.3 BB, BB raises to 4.6 BB, Hero calls 1.8 BB, SB calls 1.8 BB

Flop: (14.4 BB, 3 players) 7 5 9
SB checks, BB checks, Hero bets 10.4 BB, fold, BB calls 10.4 BB

Turn: (35.2 BB, 2 players) 3
BB checks, Hero bets 22.2 BB, BB calls 22.2 BB

River: (79.6 BB, 2 players) T
BB bets 62.5 BB and is all-in, Hero calls 62.5 BB

BB shows 7 7 (Three of a Kind, Sevens)
(Pre 19%, Flop 89%, Turn 95%)
Hero shows J J (One Pair, Jacks)
(Pre 81%, Flop 11%, Turn 5%)
BB wins 195.4 BB


That guy just seems fishy with his 3bet sizing pre, and I think he can have a bunch of junk aces and single pairs. I'm not sure if this is a cooler or I should fold?

PokerStars - $0.10 Ante $0.01 NL FAST (6 max) - Holdem - 6 players
Hand converted by PokerTracker 4

Hero (BTN): 107.7 BB
SB: 105.4 BB
BB: 116.1 BB
UTG: 211.3 BB
MP: 35.1 BB
CO: 126.7 BB

6 players post ante of 0.1 BB, SB posts SB 0.5 BB, BB posts BB 1 BB

Pre Flop: (pot: 2.1 BB) Hero has T Q

fold, fold, fold, Hero raises to 2.8 BB, SB calls 2.3 BB, BB calls 1.8 BB

Flop: (9 BB, 3 players) T 3 7
SB checks, BB bets 4 BB, Hero calls 4 BB, SB calls 4 BB

Turn: (21 BB, 3 players) 2
SB checks, BB checks, Hero bets 15.1 BB, SB calls 15.1 BB, fold

River: (51.2 BB, 2 players) 7
SB bets 24.5 BB, Hero calls 24.5 BB

SB shows K T (Two Pair, Tens and Sevens)
(Pre 75%, Flop 87%, Turn 93%)
Hero mucks T Q (Two Pair, Tens and Sevens)
(Pre 25%, Flop 13%, Turn 7%)
SB wins 95.7 BB


I haven't studied multiway much, so this could be a massive misplay, but I feel like getting value here before over cards come in the board gets scary is smart. River I really wasn't sure what to do, but I didn't think he would call KT or AT in the SB alot.

PokerStars - $0.10 Ante $0.01 NL FAST (6 max) - Holdem - 6 players
Hand converted by PokerTracker 4

BTN: 100 BB
Hero (SB): 100 BB
BB: 111.5 BB
UTG: 100 BB
MP: 100 BB
CO: 190.4 BB

6 players post ante of 0.1 BB, Hero posts SB 0.5 BB, BB posts BB 1 BB

Pre Flop: (pot: 2.1 BB) Hero has K J

fold, MP raises to 2.5 BB, fold, fold, Hero raises to 11 BB, fold, MP calls 8.5 BB

Flop: (23.6 BB, 2 players) A Q 2
Hero bets 9 BB, MP calls 9 BB

Turn: (41.6 BB, 2 players) 4
Hero checks, MP checks

River: (41.6 BB, 2 players) 8
Hero bets 26.2 BB, MP raises to 79.9 BB and is all-in, fold

MP wins 89.8 BB

I think this hand is probably a misplay post flop, and this is one of the issues I had recently, where I keep constantly stabbing in three bet pots when I miss trying to take it down. I probably should size this flop bigger, but my intention here is to get all his underpairs to fold, but this is probably poor thinking giving that aces, and other hands I connect with the board a lot are a vast chunk of his range. After turn checks through I decide to go for a River stab. I'm not sure if my blockers are good or bad, as I'm blocking his missed draws, but also blocking AK, AJ, QJ, KQ hands he can be calling.

PokerStars - $0.10 Ante $0.01 NL FAST (6 max) - Holdem - 6 players
Hand converted by PokerTracker 4

BTN: 243.6 BB
SB: 180.9 BB
BB: 121 BB
UTG: 39.3 BB
MP: 100.1 BB
Hero (CO): 100 BB

6 players post ante of 0.1 BB, SB posts SB 0.5 BB, BB posts BB 1 BB

Pre Flop: (pot: 2.1 BB) Hero has T Q

fold, fold, Hero raises to 2.8 BB, BTN calls 2.8 BB, fold, BB calls 1.8 BB

Flop: (9.5 BB, 3 players) 4 Q 7
BB checks, Hero bets 6.8 BB, BTN calls 6.8 BB, fold

Turn: (23.1 BB, 2 players) T
Hero bets 16.6 BB, BTN calls 16.6 BB

River: (56.3 BB, 2 players) 9
Hero bets 15 BB, BTN raises to 59.9 BB, fold

BTN wins 82.4 BB

I'm not sure if I'm getting exploited, though it sure does feel like it, but I think he has a ton of flushes here and I've been trying to bluff catch less and not get tilted in that regard.

Just for fun, I'll post my one big jolt up on the graph this month. This massive whale, is a complete calling station, but had stacked me the previous day when I rivered to a straight and he rivered a flush.

PokerStars - $0.10 Ante $0.01 NL FAST (6 max) - Holdem - 6 players
Hand converted by PokerTracker 4

BTN: 173 BB
SB: 273.8 BB
BB: 189.1 BB
UTG: 66.5 BB
Hero (MP): 248.2 BB
CO: 100 BB

6 players post ante of 0.1 BB, SB posts SB 0.5 BB, BB posts BB 1 BB

Pre Flop: (pot: 2.1 BB) Hero has 8 9

fold, Hero raises to 2.8 BB, fold, fold, SB raises to 11 BB, fold, Hero calls 8.2 BB

Flop: (23.6 BB, 2 players) 7 T Q
SB bets 6.8 BB, Hero calls 6.8 BB

Turn: (37.2 BB, 2 players) J
SB checks, Hero bets 30 BB, SB calls 30 BB

River: (97.2 BB, 2 players) 3
SB checks, Hero bets 200.3 BB and is all-in, SB calls 200.3 BB

Hero shows 8 9 (Straight, Queen High)
(Pre 51%, Flop 56%, Turn 100%)
SB shows 5 5 (One Pair, Fives)
(Pre 49%, Flop 44%, Turn 0%)
Hero wins 482.8 BB

A session tonight that started and ended the same way!

Made a weird mistake today and launched 2 2nlz tables instead of 10z. As I play in BB, I didn't notice. After about 5 minutes and this hand:

PokerStars - $0.02 NL FAST (6 max) - Holdem - 6 players
Hand converted by PokerTracker 4

BTN: 155 BB
SB: 188 BB
BB: 227 BB
Hero (UTG): 100 BB
MP: 409.5 BB
CO: 102.5 BB

SB posts SB 0.5 BB, BB posts BB 1 BB

Pre Flop: (pot: 1.5 BB) Hero has 7 7

Hero raises to 3 BB, fold, fold, BTN calls 3 BB, fold, fold

Flop: (7.5 BB, 2 players) 9 9 7
Hero bets 2.5 BB, BTN calls 2.5 BB

Turn: (12.5 BB, 2 players) T
Hero checks, BTN bets 6 BB, Hero raises to 34 BB, BTN calls 28 BB

River: (80.5 BB, 2 players) 8
Hero bets 60.5 BB and is all-in, BTN calls 60.5 BB

Hero shows 7 7 (Full House, Sevens full of Nines)
(Pre 18%, Flop 83%, Turn 91%)
BTN shows 8 8 (Full House, Eights full of Nines)
(Pre 82%, Flop 17%, Turn 9%)
BTN wins 194.5 BB

It was clear tonight was not my night. That was frustrating start so I was planning to just call it a night. However after this hand I realized I wasn't playing 10z, so I decided to continue at the normal stake.

A night like most of the recent ones. Not much happening. Any value I hit was in small pots and not making much, other than one flush over flush spot for 75bb. Decided to wrap it up after coming full circle on the day and having another fish end the night as it started:

PokerStars - $0.10 Ante $0.01 NL FAST (6 max) - Holdem - 6 players
Hand converted by PokerTracker 4

BTN: 129 BB
SB: 113.1 BB
Hero (BB): 136 BB
UTG: 113.6 BB
MP: 153.5 BB
CO: 116.3 BB

6 players post ante of 0.1 BB, SB posts SB 0.5 BB, Hero posts BB 1 BB

Pre Flop: (pot: 2.1 BB) Hero has K K

UTG raises to 3 BB, fold, fold, fold, fold, Hero raises to 11 BB, UTG calls 8 BB

Flop: (23.1 BB, 2 players) 5 5 6
Hero bets 13 BB, UTG calls 13 BB

Turn: (49.1 BB, 2 players) 8
Hero bets 26 BB, UTG calls 26 BB

River: (101.1 BB, 2 players) J
Hero bets 85.9 BB and is all-in, UTG calls 63.5 BB and is all-in

Hero shows K K (Two Pair, Kings and Fives)
(Pre 81%, Flop 88%, Turn 5%)
UTG shows 8 8 (Full House, Eights full of Fives)
(Pre 19%, Flop 12%, Turn 95%)
UTG wins 217.8 BB

Wasn't too tilted, but decided to call it a day as it seemed to fitting to not to.

Alas, hopefully better things tomorrow. Felt like I played solidly, and variance is beyond my control.

Always fun to see more canadian poker players, here are my 2c on some hands, gl on grind man!


H1 JJ - vs the min click squeeze from BB i think 4 bet pre get value from fish

H2 QTo - seems fine can maybe raise flop if he's shown to be a fish weird board to be lead into on

H3 KJo - Think this is very loose 3b preflop OOP , I have it as 0% 3b SBvMP , very low % SBvCO. As played river i believe you want a heart and when you do bet it would be a bigger sizing 75%+, with this combo can just giveup.

H4 QTcc - I probably check flop , as played check flush completing river. I don't think anyone at these stakes is exploiting you or capable of it if they decided they wanted to.

Thanks man!

Yeah H3 I agree entirely. This is one of my spots recently I am lighting money on fire in 3bet pots.

H4, I have a bad habit in tough spots OTR of trying to block bet then fold if raised as opposed to checking and facing a tough spot. Need to look into more when this is appropriate.

Another demoralizing runbad session.

Not worth posting the hands where I get stacked. Only coolers, wouldn't play them any different.

Still unable to hit anything in 3bet pots. Might stop 3betting light and just nit up for value for now.

Chin up, micro zoom is a harsh environment

Thanks!

Yeah just trying to push through the runbad. Has to end at some point.

Finally a more positive update!

3BI winning session today, solid overall.

Some interesting hands that I'll post tomorrow. Time to watch PGA Championship and Leafs!

PokerStars - $0.10 Ante $0.01 NL FAST (6 max) - Holdem - 6 players
Hand converted by PokerTracker 4

BTN: 117.6 BB
SB: 137.7 BB
BB: 125.2 BB
UTG: 131.9 BB
Hero (MP): 110 BB
CO: 114.7 BB

6 players post ante of 0.1 BB, SB posts SB 0.5 BB, BB posts BB 1 BB

Pre Flop: (pot: 2.1 BB) Hero has A 7

fold, Hero raises to 2.8 BB, fold, fold, SB calls 2.3 BB, fold

Flop: (7.2 BB, 2 players) 6 4 J
SB checks, Hero checks

Turn: (7.2 BB, 2 players) 7
SB checks, Hero bets 2.3 BB, SB calls 2.3 BB

River: (11.8 BB, 2 players) A
SB bets 14.1 BB, fold

SB wins 11.3 BB

Interesting spot from last night. Not sure at all how I played flop and turn. I struggle with assigning a range for SB callers, as it is very player dependent. I don't see a ton of reason to bet this flop, though perhaps I should bet this more than a Ax with better kicker. Turn I'm not sure this bet is great, in hindsight it doesn't accomplish much, but I figured if he has any draws I can charge them, and I am okay with folding out worse.

River is super weird. Looks a ton like a diamond draw got there. The overbet donk is super suspicious.

Good luck TDD! Will be following closely and hope you're able to get past this runbad and move up!

Any player stats?

Turn bet is close but one I would lean towards making. I'd expect any 88-TT/Jx holdings of villain to lead turn.

River again would need some form of a read, think I would just sigh fold exploitatively given the SB range will contain a lot of suited cards.

Unfortunately did not have any stats. I agree with the rest though. It just seemed so flush heavy.

A couple solid sessions the last couple days. Both were losing right at the end, but only because a suckout and a bluff where the guy turned his gutter. But solid redline near flat each day, which I'm happy with because my recent graphs have been a redline masscre.

Still feeling confident in my game despite my seemingly ongoing inability to get consistent showdown winnings. Trying to approach every spot the same and not level myself. Becoming clear to me that, as MMAsherdog said in a YT vid, micros players are way to value heavy OTR. May tighten up even more with regards to bluffcatching, despite the fact that I try not to do it to much as is.

I'm lucky I'm well enough rolled for this stake that I can weather this out.

following

gl dude, good mindset

focus on the things that you can control. You can't control whether you win or lose over a day, week, month, only how well / composed you play, and how well you face variance

Interesting spot from a few days ago. Guy is 15/11 with 4% 3bet over 500 hands. Not sure if I should find a fold? What am I beating that he jams turn with? Is this a call with the A or Q of d/h and fold my combo?

PokerStars - $0.10 Ante $0.01 NL FAST (6 max) - Holdem - 6 players
Hand converted by PokerTracker 4

BTN: 306.1 BB
Hero (SB): 109.8 BB
BB: 168.2 BB
UTG: 704.2 BB
MP: 100.6 BB
CO: 134.8 BB

6 players post ante of 0.1 BB, Hero posts SB 0.5 BB, BB posts BB 1 BB

Pre Flop: (pot: 2.1 BB) Hero has A Q

fold, fold, fold, BTN raises to 2.4 BB, Hero raises to 10 BB, fold, BTN calls 7.6 BB

Flop: (21.6 BB, 2 players) 5 3 A
Hero bets 8 BB, BTN raises to 24 BB, Hero calls 16 BB

Turn: (69.6 BB, 2 players) 9
Hero checks, BTN bets 245 BB, Hero calls 75.7 BB and is all-in

River: (221 BB, 2 players) 5

BTN cashed out 185.2 BB for a fee of 1.9 BB

Hero shows A Q (Two Pair, Aces and Fives)
(Pre 68%, Flop 17%, Turn 11%)
BTN shows A 5 (Full House, Fives full of Aces)
(Pre 32%, Flop 83%, Turn 89%)

I'm in, best of luck OP

I'm curious about your setup, how about some grind station pics?

Yeah man totally.

Here is my setup. The mouse and keyboard are what work best for me ergonomically. The monitor arms allow a ton of flexibility, and I can turn them and watch sports/TV on my bed. I'm also waiting to extend the pole in the backmiddle of the arms to add a third monitor above these two. The white cable is USBc phone charger.

https://ca.pcpartpicker.com/user/the...d/#view=ZV3TJx

This is my PC, custom built after some research. I'm happy with it overall, but wish I went with a 3900x for solving. 3700x is solid, but for massive DBs, it does take time.

I'm super happy with it, I've spent a ton of time and money to make it ideal for me.

I finally got my office chair in, but unfortunately a feature on it isn't working out of the box and I'll likely have to send it back. Not a huge deal, but I specifically picked this company for said feature and the chair is over $1k.

Solid session tonight. Felt quite confident in my play and I made a lot of reads that were generally, correct or close to it. Sucks to end the night getting 4 outed OTT with nut straight vs 2p but atleast I won the second run. Run it twice has saved me a handful of times recently.



Here is an interesting hand, not sure at all how I played it.

PokerStars - $0.10 Ante $0.01 NL FAST (6 max) - Holdem - 6 players
Hand converted by PokerTracker 4

Hero (BTN): 116.6 BB
SB: 385.9 BB
BB: 77.4 BB
UTG: 100 BB
MP: 94.9 BB
CO: 170.1 BB

6 players post ante of 0.1 BB, SB posts SB 0.5 BB, BB posts BB 1 BB

Pre Flop: (pot: 2.1 BB) Hero has Q 7

fold, fold, fold, Hero raises to 2.8 BB, fold, BB calls 1.8 BB

Flop: (6.7 BB, 2 players) 7 6 Q
BB bets 3 BB, Hero calls 3 BB

Turn: (12.7 BB, 2 players) 5
BB bets 9 BB, Hero calls 9 BB

River: (30.7 BB, 2 players) K
BB bets 31 BB, Hero calls 31 BB

BB shows 3 4 (Straight, Seven High)
(Pre 38%, Flop 19%, Turn 91%)
Hero mucks Q 7 (Two Pair, Queens and Sevens)
(Pre 62%, Flop 81%, Turn 9%)
BB wins 88.5 BB

That's such a sick setup. Mine looks so ghetto compared to that . My 2c for the hand above is raise flop , then bet bet . If villain had potted the flop then okay trap your hand since they seem so intent on piling the money in, but less than half pot is just letting them set their own price for whatever crap they have. GL

Vs this player type you should be crapping yourself on the flop vs the raise. They absolutely never have FDs here. I think flop is fine to call still but turn should 100% be a snapfold. It's just a spot that won't be bluffed by this villain ever.

If villain is in some way tight or passive I think you should be looking to fold the river. The reality is no one is value betting a weaker two pair here, esp not when we have 24+ straights on the turn. Tough one to pull off in-game but I gtd you'll almost never see a bluff here vs non whales and they're never ever vbetting worse!

Glgl

Thanks for the thoughts meal. I agree with your analysis. The donk in the second hand really made me question what he had as I see some weakfish donking pure junk, but his hand does make some sense in the end. I need to focus more on finding folds in spots like these, I feel like my intuition OTR in tough spots is often right, I just need to find the fold button. I've always been a little bit of a river station in bigger pots.