BACKGROUND:

I'm a student currently in the first year of a Maths and Management degree at Leeds Uni, I have a large amount of free time, and a large drive to become a profitable poker player.

I've been playing poker for roughly 3 years, and probably come in around $200 down. I've had some big wins in MTT's (+$300), and some big losses through bad game selection - I've tried everything, and had reasonable success in most things, but still come out losing, generally because of idiocy, I do feel that I am a decent to good poker player.

I have a spreadsheet I created myself that tells me I am $110 up over the last month, mainly on 18 man and 27 man SnG's.

I've recently decided to take poker seriously, I've started using PT3 - so now
everything I do is tracked, and this seems to make me play better.

I don't understand rakeback. Would love someone to explain to me whether I can get it - or even what it is!

I currently have a bankroll of just under $200, so will be playing $5.50 18-man, 27-man and 45-man SnG's

GOALS:

Stick to 10NL in cash games, I often move up to 25NL and lose.
Play $5.50 18, 27 and 45-man SnG's.
Play two or three MTT's a day, but for no more than 3% of my bankroll.
Adapt some kind of BR strategy!
Go and play some live games in Leeds.
Make enough money to kit out my next year student house.

I cannot play all day every day, but I will update here when I do, I would welcome any criticism, or advice - I just need to try and get myself to stick to some kind of strategy - I can play $11 SnG's, and mainly profitably, but I'd rather wait till I have more BR.

Also, My pokertracker has missed a couple of wins, making my graph looks very depressing already - some Rush wins and a normal - is there anyway of sorting that out?
Looking forward to playing sensibly for once!

Good luck bud, you ever been to Gala over there in Leeds? Softest poker games ive ever played, makes up for what I lose online

Try to import HH's manually..

Question: With how much moneyz do you start your challange?

Good luck,

Never really played live at all except with friends, who generally don't play poker, get bored and start fifa or cod at the drop of a hat. I'm currently trying to recruit my housemate into poker - so I'll try and take him sometime!

I have a bankroll of just under $200, doubt i'll be playing today as I'm at work now, meeting my girlfriend after this and then of course the England match - but we'll see!

Played very little over the weekend, 4 $5.50 tournaments and 457 hands of 10NL, lost $13 on the tournaments and lost $5.68 on the cash games, after being $25 up.

BIG WASTE OF TIME.

Bankroll is currently $172.79. Tomorrow I aim to play 20 $5.50 tournaments, mixed between 18, 27 and 45-man tournaments when my girlfriend leaves, may also play the daily doubles, depends if I'm in tomorrow or not. Not a great start, but I can pull it back!

Today I played 25 tournaments, starting with $5.50's, but then moving onto $6.50 turbo 18-mans for the final (and more profitable) 15 tournaments. I've realised, from trying to play 6-tables today that I really can't deal with anymore than 4, but I can do 4 easily.
Is there any way of making playing more easier?

Current Bankroll: $205.48
Tournament Total: +$53.19 - 35.04% ROI
Cash Table Total: -$17.90 - Waste of time.

Day Total: +$35.19

So, alright. My plan tomorrow is to try and get in 10-15 $6.50 turbo 18-mans, as I've got loads of stuff to do, and there's some sick world cup games on. No cash tables, I am really not too good at them!

Do a google search for "What is Poker Rackback" I attempted to find a link for you but most go to various rackback providers. Not all rackback providers are created equal so once you understand rackback look for the site offers the best rackback with a good reputation.

Play 4 tables until you can react immediately through every hand (without a long thought process) and remember betting sequences for any hands you play on all 4 tables at once. Once you can do this, just continue to add 1/2 tables at a time.

I started playing SNG's on PP 6 years ago with one table at a time. That quickly moved up to 2 tables, then 4 once I was comfortable with that. At one point I was 16 tabling cash games (although losing my ass playing outside my BR). I play 8 with minimal effort.

When it comes to SNG's, do you play in sets or continuously? IE, do you re-buy as soon as you bust on one or do you wait until all are completed?

It is much easier to play if the blind levels are all the same, however, it will lower your hourly earnings significantly.

As of late, I play 8 SNG's at a time, as I start off, during the first 3 blind levels, I will re-buy if I got knocked out of any tourney, once the blinds break $t50/$t100, I stop re-buying in anticipation of playing several tables shorthanded. I find it is difficult to play my "A Game" if I am playing 4-5 tables 3 handed or heads up, while playing 6-7 handed on the other 3-4.

There is a sticky in the STT forum that talks about this, although, it's really just personal preference. Play what you can manage for now, once it becomes "easy" add a table or two and just make sure your play is still top notch. Rinse and repeat.

I find the more tables I'm playing during low blind levels actually increases my performance as I am less likely to play a moderate holding because I want action, instead I'll just fold and move on.

Hope this helps a little.

BAEVentures

Pretty similar situation to youself lad except I'm winning in the cash and losing in the sng's( seem to be down bout 5 buyins for every 100 sng's I play and just can't turn it around oh well). But anyway gl with it!

Just wondering - I can't get rakeback on my already existing accounts, is that true?

FTP possibly via rakebackpros.com

All other sites, typically no.

BAEVentures

Had a HORRIBLE day yesterday! Started off with 2 $11 HU SnG, for a change, won them both, then played 4 $6.50 18-mans, winning in 3, putting me $53 up. Later I lost $22 on MTT's and then a lot more on $11 Rush and a few $6.50 18-mans, leaving me with...

Current Bankroll: $158.79
Tournament Total: -$45.70
Cash Table Total: $0
Day Total: -$45.70

So, pretty depressing. My plan today is to really see how much I can get in, I'm going to London tomorrow to stay with some friends so I won't be playing for a couple of days after this. Fingers crossed!

Don't play that high with your bankroll, you will get broke w/o even noticing it. Another losing session and you are done, becouse you will then wan't to recover and go to higher stakes and bust your roll.

They got me added afterwards - but that was a few years back...

What are your life time sng profits and how many have you played in the last month? Definetly agree with Username^^ that you are playing too high for your BR. Stick with 3$, 6$ sng’s till you get up to 400. Then play 12$, 16$ ones.

Seems to me that its not a strategy problem you have, but sng fundamentals that you are lacking. You need to plug those leaks imo. Post some sharkscope graphs, hands and aspects of sng’s where you think that you are struggling most. I had the benefit of my closest friends being SNG junkies, so I learned from them, but I think sng strategy threads might help you out. IMO dont use this thread as your personal online poker diary, but as a learning platform by posting hands and discussing strategy. Others can benefit as well.

Today was silly, played 40 tournaments, and came out just up. Made lots in $6.50 18-man turbos, and $5.50 27-mans, and lost lots in $4.40 Rush 135-man, which I still feel I can do, should probably hang off those. I came 30th in one daily double for $18, so close but so far. I have only just got PT3, so I only have about 10k hands on it, what should I post statswise, I would love to plug some leaks!

Current Bankroll: $187.71
Tournament Total: +$28.92
Cash Table Total: $0
Day Total: +$28.92

I'm going to London tomorrow, for some birthday party and then to chill at some friend's houses, so won't be on for a week or so - When I return, more grinding away at 5.50 and 6.50 tables, less mad play of tournaments I lose at.

You are playing way too high for your bankroll. Try to keep ATLEAST 100 buy ins for sit n goes and more for multi table tournaments.

I was going to suggest many things people are saying about not playing out of your bankroll, but I'm sure you're sick of hearing that same critique, so:

My suggestion is to stick to one game.
I don't mean like NHLE, I mean like, 18-man sngs. Or cash game. etc.

You said your making more profit on sng's I believe? Why not stick to that.
Choose either 18-man or 27-man(I personally play 18-man because theres more traffic and more levels of them, bi-wise)
Grind the hell out of them, learn them in and out.

Once you do that, maybe commit one day a week to mtt's. I personally love mtt's, but unless you have the roll to commit to there ridiculously high variance playing them really is just to try to get lucky and score big, which sure looks to have its upside, but its like playing the lottery for some.

maybe just to start, drop the cashgame and stick to sng's/mtt's.
I'd also suggest to stick to one limit, play say 18-man sngs, 4.40's or something(Idk ftp limits), grind them, play say X game(500~1000 maybe) and see where you stand. Move up/down then.

Goodluck with it

In getting your goal, you need to learn one essential thing in poker. Be Unpredictable - remain unpredictable and disguising your plays, so that your opponents will waste time trying to figure out your mock behavior. Keep them chasing after illusions while you form a true strategy. ~ asian poker software

So, back from London. Whilst I was there I played a little on a friends laptop, got my bank roll at one point up to $260, and once down to $80. I saved it tonight with some good sessions on 25NL Rush, and won a 9-man 3000FTP tournament for a $109 Tournament ticket, sweet, but I dont know what to do with it! I'll probably check the marketplace and try and sell it.

Back to concentration play, now I'm home.

Current Bankroll: $136.08 + $109 Tourny ticket.
Tournament Total: $0
Cash Table Total: $0
Day Total: -$51, kind of

I might play the Tourny ticket in a 6 man regular speed table. The $360 prize would be awesome. I probably shouldn't though.

I, of course, have just realised that I can't really sell the tournament ticket.
Right then, 6-man it is, I'll do it tomorrow when I'm in the right frame of mind!

I give you a little advise that you can take or leave. Until you can beat a game weather it be the 10 NL, Rush poker, 18 man SNG's Heads up SNG's I would stick to one game or I would bet any amt. of money that you will be broke.

After you feel that you are able to beat a game then feel free to move on to another game. JMHO Good Luck!

E-mail the poker site and ask for rakeback.

You are getting excellent advice here about sticking to one game and BRM. Don’t play any more HUSNGs because they are a very different beast from the MTTs requiring a very specialised skill set. Also, listen to what people are telling you about BRM - it’s amazingly important because when you start putting real volume in, variance will do things to you that you never thought possible. Also, you are in the UK so play euro sites with better promotions – get a good RB deal (40% is definitely available for euro players) and move around sites to take a few bonuses out.

Good luck!!