February 2011

Results


Graph:


Review

As planned I didn’t put in much volume this month. I’ve been pretty busy wrapping things up at work as well as making preparations for our departure. I also wanted to take it easy this month so I’m fresh and hungry to attack my first month as a pro in March. It was a pretty frustrating month overall unfortunately with 2 awful days ruining an otherwise solid month. I feel overall I played pretty well but there were definitely periods where I wasn't on my 'A' game. I did manage to finally come up with a bankroll management strategy I'm happy with. On the 1st of every month I will withdraw enough so roll is $16k and start playing 200nl and anytime roll is >$20K I can play higher. This simple strategy should keep my risk of ruin very low but also allow me to go on some heaters and run it up stakes sometimes. We'll see how it works starting next month.


March 2011 Goals

First month as a pro, I think it’s time to step up my game! My last day is Friday the 11th and then I’m flying back to NZ to visit the parentals for the weekend. I’ll keep the volume light until I get back and then I’m going to hit the tables hard for the rest of the month. My goal is 100k hands but this may prove unrealistic as my previous most is only ~60k and I won’t be playing much for the first half. I’m going to experiment a bit with scheduling but I think I’m going to start by trying to fit in 3 x 2hr sessions a day with decent breaks in between to refresh.

GL man, 100k hands would be a sick volume.

Just found this thread. Sounds awesome, good luck!

Thanks for the vid, and good luck in March!

Thanks, I think I'm going to need it, I've only played more than 55k in a month once before and it was a struggle.

Ty ty. Only 1.5 more weeks of work now and only 34 days till take off!!

Your welcome. I'm planning uploading a few more this month so if you liked it and want to see some more keep checking in.


In other semi-related news; The ad to rent my apartment went up today check it out

http://www.realestate.com.au/propert...urne-405073524

You're apart looks great. Might take a trip there for a week or 2

Pussying out on my 100k hands goal already lol. I think my mouth is bigger than my motivation is. I have entered this months SSNL volume pool though for 80k so $500 should be motivation enough to put in some hands. Not sure if it's a +ev move I don't exactly play my best when I feel "forced" to play. On the other hand I don't hardly play at all if I'm not...

First session for the month down 1389 hands +$388.20

V. is not very good tight passive 16/2. River is kind of thin I guess, KQ is obv going to be a big part of his range but I just figured he's going to be calling all the other K's too so shove was +ev, maybe I just got lucky

Full Tilt Poker $1/$2 No Limit Hold'em - 9 players - View hand 1210123
DeucesCracked Poker Videos Hand History Converter

UTG: $267.85
UTG+1: $293.60
UTG+2: $70.00
Hero (MP1): $269.30
MP2: $200.00
CO: $215.05
BTN: $42.45
SB: $99.15
BB: $767.75

Pre Flop: ($3.00) Hero is MP1 with 7 8
3 folds, Hero raises to $6, 3 folds, SB calls $5, BB calls $4

Flop: ($18.00) 9 K 2 (3 players)
SB checks, BB checks, Hero bets $10, SB calls $10, BB folds

Turn: ($38.00) T (2 players)
SB checks, Hero bets $20, SB calls $20

River: ($78.00) J (2 players)
SB checks, Hero bets $233.30 all in, SB calls $63.15 all in

Final Pot: $204.30
Hero shows 7 8 (a straight, Jack high)
SB mucks K A
Hero wins $201.30
(Rake: $3.00)

Hey guys!! Been a little while since my last update...

Poker Update



UTG is a fish which is why I take this somewhat unusual line.

Full Tilt Poker $1/$2 No Limit Hold'em - 9 players - View hand 1224391
DeucesCracked Poker Videos Hand History Converter

BB: $213.20
UTG: $222.00
UTG+1: $200.00
UTG+2: $586.40
MP1: $90.85
MP2: $200.00
CO: $210.60
BTN: $253.75
Hero (SB): $212.50

Pre Flop: ($3.00) Hero is SB with 8 8
UTG calls $2, UTG+1 raises to $9, 4 folds, BTN calls $9, Hero calls $8, 1 fold, UTG calls $7

Flop: ($38.00) 8 4 Q (4 players)
Hero checks, UTG checks, UTG+1 bets $21, BTN requests TIME, BTN folds, Hero requests TIME, Hero calls $21, UTG calls $21

Turn: ($101.00) 7 (3 players)
Hero requests TIME, Hero bets $55, UTG calls $55, UTG+1 calls $55

River: ($266.00) J (3 players)
Hero bets $127.50 all in, UTG folds, UTG+1 calls $115 all in

Final Pot: $496.00
UTG+1 mucks A A
Hero shows 8 8 (three of a kind, Eights)
Hero wins $493.00
(Rake: $3.00)


==================================

SB has 8% 3b so I think KJs plays pretty well IP vs his range

Full Tilt Poker $1/$2 No Limit Hold'em - 9 players - View hand 1224392
DeucesCracked Poker Videos Hand History Converter

CO: $81.00
BTN: $113.80
SB: $407.35
Hero (BB): $446.45
UTG: $200.00
UTG+1: $193.00
UTG+2: $179.15
MP1: $209.25
MP2: $219.35

Pre Flop: ($3.00) Hero is BB with J K
6 folds, BTN raises to $6, SB raises to $20, Hero requests TIME, Hero calls $18, 1 fold

Flop: ($46.00) 7 Q 6 (2 players)
SB checks, Hero requests TIME, Hero bets $26, SB calls $26

Turn: ($98.00) 5 (2 players)
SB checks, Hero bets $58, SB folds

Final Pot: $98.00
Hero wins $95.00
(Rake: $3.00)



Things haven't been going too well so far in March. I feel like I'm playing pretty well but I just can't seem to get any upwards momentum. Short of one awful flop 4bet bluff 300bb deep I don't remember too much spew or tilt. Sucks to be on my third 10bi+ downswing in the last 30k hands but I'm not too worried because....

Adventure Update

Tomorrow is my last day of work!!!!!!!!!!!

I am unemployed

Get a job, you bum.

Freedom!

glglglglgl sir. I wish you the very best in your adventure. I love to see people do this, and go out and actually live their lives.

Good luck! Anyone seriously looking to work on their poker should consider moving somewhere nice and cheap for a while. Not giving a toss about the cost of living works wonders. I'm living in Argentina so PM if you make it that far.

Hopefully not for a long time...

And it feels great. Hasn't truly set in yet, not getting up and putting on my suit Monday is going to be brilliant.

TY Sir.

I would really love to visit Argentina, I have heard great things. Some friends of mine from Aus lived in BA for 3 months last year and they loved it. Americas is the last 3rd of the adventure, I'll have to see how things are going by then but I very well may take you up on..


I'm back in New Zealand at the moment visiting Whanau before taking off. Haven't played any hands since my last poker update, going to have to pull finger once I'm back in Aus in order to hit my 80k goal. I'll have 15 full days once I touch down and I still need ~70k hands so almost 5k a day. Not impossible by any stretch but certainly far far above what I'm used to. TBH I;m not sure I have ever played 5k hands in a day... could be tough.

Good luck mate, sounds like a great way to spend a year.

I'm hoping to do something similar next year after I graduate although probably shorter time frame (6-9 months), and only traveling in Asia.

Well, ****.

Two days into my pro career and I'm feeling more depressed about poker than I ever have. These last two days have been an unmitigated disaster. I have put in good volume, well over what is required for my volume prop and I feel like I have been playing fairly well with very few decisions that I regret but the results have been disgusting. Yesterday was my single biggest losing day ever and although today isn't on that scale I'm still down ~4 BI.

I'm under ev but thats not the real reason, more a combination of running into the absolute top of peoples ranges as well as boards turning and rivering the absolute worst cards for me to get value.

Villain in this hand has a 0.4% 3bet over 400 hand sample, how the **** does he ever show up with 45?

Full Tilt Poker $1/$2 No Limit Hold'em - 9 players - View hand 1235782
DeucesCracked Poker Videos Hand History Converter

UTG+2: $403.65
MP1: $515.85
MP2: $211.00
CO: $130.35
BTN: $335.15
SB: $308.75
BB: $214.00
Hero (UTG): $245.60
UTG+1: $53.80

Pre Flop: ($3.00) Hero is UTG with K K
Hero raises to $7, 3 folds, MP2 calls $7, 1 fold, BTN raises to $27, 2 folds, Hero requests TIME, Hero calls $20, 1 fold

Flop: ($64.00) T K 3 (2 players)
Hero checks, BTN bets $30, Hero calls $30

Turn: ($124.00) 2 (2 players)
Hero requests TIME, Hero checks, BTN checks

River: ($124.00) 6 (2 players)
Hero requests TIME, Hero bets $87, BTN raises to $278.15 all in, Hero calls $101.60 all in

Final Pot: $501.20
BTN shows 5 4 (a straight, Six high)
Hero mucks K K
BTN wins $498.20
(Rake: $3.00)

Why check the turn ?

I did think of donking the turn and in retro I like it better. I guess my thought at the time was that it was better to give him some rope but really I'm letting him check behind with things like JJ or even AA with a :spade and allowing him to play perfect.

I am feeling much better now than my last post. It sucks to have lost so much money and it does nothing for my confidence but overall I'm more O.K. about it than I thought. I have been playing pretty well I think, not tilting barely at all and the volume has been much easier than I had feared. I am confident I can recover and I'm still reasonably rolled for my stakes. I have about 10 buy-ins before I hit my pre-determined "drop down point" and if I have to move to the hundo or lower I guess that's what I'll do.

Poker

Things have been picking up, still a long way to go to recover from the epic start to the month but I've at least managed to stop the rot. Still running horrendous with flops, I can't even describe how many times I've had my 3 bet cold called with **** like 56o and see a nice "safe" flop of 437. Oh well...

Been managing to put in good volume, averaging just over 5k hands a day so at least I'll be getting a nice rakeback payment on Friday. Also I've moved my BlackCard average from ~820 to 1072 and I expect to be at the 1500 point tier by the end of the month which is one of my goals.



Travel

Getting really close to take off, just 13 days now. Still a lot to do before we go, going to have to get my **** organised!!

Just another standard day at the office...



I don't usually like to whine about bad beats but today was seriously rough. Just a selection..


Full Tilt No-Limit Hold'em, $2.00 BB (9 handed) - Full Tilt Converter Tool from FlopTurnRiver.com

ChoiceAsBro (SB) ($515.65)
BB ($100)
UTG ($384.55)
UTG+1 ($215.10)
MP1 ($203)
MP2 ($318.55)
MP3 ($401.20)
CO ($272.10)
Button ($209.90)

Preflop: ChoiceAsBro is SB with K, K
1 fold, UTG+1 bets $8, 1 fold, MP2 calls $8, 3 folds, ChoiceAsBro raises to $30, 2 folds, MP2 raises to $318.55 (All-In), ChoiceAsBro calls $288.55

Flop: ($647.10) Q, 8, 10 (2 players, 1 all-in)

Turn: ($647.10) 8 (2 players, 1 all-in)

River: ($647.10) 5 (2 players, 1 all-in)

Total pot: $647.10 | Rake: $3

Results:
ChoiceAsBro had K, K (two pair, Kings and eights).
MP2 had 8, A (three of a kind, eights).
Outcome: MP2 won $644.10



Full Tilt No-Limit Hold'em, $2.00 BB (9 handed) - Full Tilt Converter Tool from FlopTurnRiver.com

MP3 ($200)
CO ($282.75)
Button ($200)
SB ($182)
BB ($573.25)
UTG ($91.40)
UTG+1 ($290.80)
ChoiceAsBro (MP1) ($219.85)
MP2 ($618.40)

Preflop: ChoiceAsBro is MP1 with 2, 2
2 folds, ChoiceAsBro bets $6, MP2 calls $6, 2 folds, Button calls $6, 2 folds

Flop: ($21) J, 2, 4 (3 players)
ChoiceAsBro bets $12, MP2 raises to $30, 1 fold, ChoiceAsBro raises to $68, MP2 raises to $612.40 (All-In), ChoiceAsBro calls $145.85 (All-In)

Turn: ($448.70) A (2 players, 2 all-in)

River: ($448.70) 6 (2 players, 2 all-in)

Total pot: $448.70 | Rake: $3

Results:
ChoiceAsBro had 2, 2 (three of a kind, twos).
MP2 had A, A (three of a kind, Aces).
Outcome: MP2 won $445.70



Full Tilt No-Limit Hold'em, $2.00 BB (9 handed) - Full Tilt Converter Tool from FlopTurnRiver.com

SB ($224.55)
ChoiceAsBro (BB) ($310.85)
UTG ($226.80)
UTG+1 ($100)
MP1 ($164.20)
MP2 ($201)
MP3 ($210.30)
CO ($277.95)
Button ($662.15)

Preflop: ChoiceAsBro is BB with K, K
7 folds, SB bets $6, ChoiceAsBro raises to $18, SB raises to $44, ChoiceAsBro raises to $310.85 (All-In), SB calls $180.55 (All-In)

Flop: ($449.10) 10, 5, 4 (2 players, 2 all-in)

Turn: ($449.10) 6 (2 players, 2 all-in)

River: ($449.10) 9 (2 players, 2 all-in)

Total pot: $449.10 | Rake: $3

Results:
SB had 9, 9 (three of a kind, nines).
ChoiceAsBro had K, K (one pair, Kings).
Outcome: SB won $446.10



Full Tilt No-Limit Hold'em, $2.00 BB (9 handed) - Full Tilt Converter Tool from FlopTurnRiver.com

ChoiceAsBro (SB) ($284.20)
BB ($254.10)
UTG ($197.75)
UTG+1 ($255.95)
MP1 ($320.55)
MP2 ($230.50)
MP3 ($55.45)
CO ($229.85)
Button ($210.85)

Preflop: ChoiceAsBro is SB with K, K
6 folds, Button bets $4, ChoiceAsBro raises to $15, BB raises to $36, 1 fold, ChoiceAsBro raises to $78, BB raises to $254.10 (All-In), ChoiceAsBro calls $176.10

Flop: ($512.20) 6, 9, A (2 players, 1 all-in)

Turn: ($512.20) Q (2 players, 1 all-in)

River: ($512.20) 4 (2 players, 1 all-in)

Total pot: $512.20 | Rake: $3

Results:
ChoiceAsBro had K, K (one pair, Kings).
BB had A, K (one pair, Aces).
Outcome: BB won $509.20

Looking at those hands again I think I've found a leak... DON'T PLAY KK!!

This month filtered for KK only.

GL with the challenge. Is there any chance you could post a link to your hud?

My HUD is pretty basic. I have a lot of the stats color coordinated and the colors match my notes system eg. very tight preflop stats will show light blue and I also color nits light blue. Theres a link and an image below.

http://www.mediafire.com/file/azml6b.../ChoiceHud.xml



Poker

I have moved to 100nl. I still had 1/2 a dozen BI at 200nl before I hit my official move down point but I decided to bit the bullet and move down early. I actually regret not moving earlier and I'm going to adjust my moving up and down points in the future. Played 5k odd hands at the hundo yesterday and felt really comfortable. Small sample, but I definitely noticed a difference in the quality of the regs. I haven't played this low for months so I don't have many recent hands on a lot of the players (except the ones that mix 200nl and 400nl) and it will take a bit of time to get my color scheme going.

$50 to anyone who sees me playing higher than 100nl before I post a screenshot of my cashier with $13,000 in it.

[QUOTE=ChoiceAsBro;25615928]My HUD is pretty basic. I have a lot of the stats color coordinated and the colors match my notes system eg. very tight preflop stats will show light blue and I also color nits light blue. Theres a link and an image below.

http://www.mediafire.com/file/azml6b.../ChoiceHud.xml



Yeah that's the part I was interested in (color coding). Thanks alot.

No problems, heres what it looks like in game.



I use the HUD predominantly to find leaks in my opponents I can exploit. In the guy above for example:

- vpip/pfr seem pretty normal for a TAG 14/11
- steals much more from btn than sb (good imo) so I'm not going to play back against sb as much as bth
- 4.6% 3b is on the higher end and fold to 4b is 67% so he looks like a good candidate for some light 4 betting
- Against 3bet he folds 85%, 4bets 7% and calls 8%. This is going to be a pretty big leak and very exploitable by 3betting the **** out of him with a polarized range of mostly bluffs and KK/AA and flatting mid strength hands (KQ, AQ, JJ etc).

Overall he seems like a competent TAG albeit a quite "fit/fold". In game I use the big box to find position stats mainly but also more obscure stuff like check/raise, flop/raise and donk %'s

Hope that helps