#GrindingItUp through 6max zoom & live poker (UK)
09-07-2015
, 07:03 AM
Intro
Hi 2+2'ers!
It's been a very long time since I have been active on these forums (and poker in general) - It's nice to be back. I plan on using this blog/thread to keep me motivated through the challenge and hopefully inspire others who are on a similar path to me.
Quick Poker history
*The last time I played poker seriously was in 2013 whilst I was in my first year of uni. At the time, I was grinding the 25NL 6 max on stars with some degree of success.
*I then moved up to 50NL and ran fairly well in the early days on stars.
*Took my entire roll over to StanJames on the Microgaming network to grind out the sign up bonus ('bonus whoring'). Ran awfully, played awfully and rage quit back to stars without clearing it.
*Got my roll back up to 50NL standards again. Once again, decided to bonus whore at Ladbrokes (also on the Microgaming network). Ran even worse, played even worse, spewed at every opportunity and tilted like never before (And I wasn't comfortable at 50NL). I put my entire BR at a huge risk by sticking around (under-rolled basically) until I cleared the bonus. Luckily, I left Ladbrokes break even after clearing the bonus.
*Concentrated on zoom poker since. Though, I've not exactly put in any real volume and have been stuck between 2nl-10nl as I've had to dip in to my bankroll to pay for rent once or twice.
Online
I've always fancied doing some form of micro stakes challenge (2nl-100nl for example) but in the past lacked motivation. I recently stumbled upon Felix Schneiders #GrindingItUp challenge from 2013 (He put up plenty of video blogs and live play sessions on YouTube whilst doing the challenge. Some of the content is as good, if not better, than the stuff you have to pay a monthly fee for over at DeucesCracked IMO).
As I'm broke at the moment and have tonnes of free time, I think now is a good time to give this challenge a proper go.
Online: BRM
Take shots when I have 20BI (Anything after 10NL, I may increase this to 30BI but we shall see) at the new level + 4/5 extra BI. Eg: 10NL. $200 + $50 = $250.
Online: Goals
1) Improve my online game -> There's a number of books I would like to read (Poker Blueprint) and some videos to watch (Mostly content by Splitsuit). I may decide to give DC another shot at 10NL/16NL.
2) Improve off the table work ethic -> I really need to be doing more session reviews, DB leak finding and hand reviews.
3) Don't tilt!
4) Ideally, I would like to be playing at, and beating, 25NL. If I can beat this limit on stars (in todays games), I see no reason why I couldn't beat £1/2 live cash games (the ultimate goal).
Online: Current Progress
A few weeks back, I deposited $60 on to stars and started out 4 tabling 6 max zoom (A brief period was spent on FTP when stars broke HUDs. FTP is much softer IMO). So far, I've played just short of 41k hands winning $85 at a rate of 10.4bb/100. This is my 2NL graph since I started the challenge:
I've begun taking shots at 5NL. After 4k hands, I'm up a BI which is nice and I feel like I am adapting to the regs at these limits (very aggressive with their 3bets for whatever reason).
The total BR stands at $150 as I type. This should be more than enough to move up to 5NL full time, but I would like to work on my 3 betting game first (All of it to be honest. Especially playing 3B pots post flop).
Live
The ultimate plan is to be playing £1/2 live cash game poker and, eventually, beyond. I don't currently have the BR for this nor enough live experience.
In the meantime, I plan on taking some trips up to Newcastle (I'm thinking of moving there for 6-12 months anyway whilst I work through a career crisis) and play some of the lower limit games. It wont pay well but I really need the experience before jumping in to the higher limit games.
I would like to start on the 50NL live games (Still need a BR for this, but I'm rather hopeful of a short term staking deal) that crop up in the Genting and Grosvenors and see where that leads. I've played one or two of these games in the past - seemed rather soft. There's also a number of 1/1 games going if successful.
Failing that, I will play the 25p-25p games at Aspers on an evening. This is more like bingo (It was often full of drunk people who had just won a few quid on the blackjack tables) to be honest with 7 people to every flop, 12x opens, and people 3 barrelling (>300bb from time to time) with air in to people who will call down with bottom pair. Again, it wont pay well but I need some live experience, it should be a good laugh and will provide a number of amusing hand histories.
Hi 2+2'ers!
It's been a very long time since I have been active on these forums (and poker in general) - It's nice to be back. I plan on using this blog/thread to keep me motivated through the challenge and hopefully inspire others who are on a similar path to me.
Quick Poker history
*The last time I played poker seriously was in 2013 whilst I was in my first year of uni. At the time, I was grinding the 25NL 6 max on stars with some degree of success.
*I then moved up to 50NL and ran fairly well in the early days on stars.
*Took my entire roll over to StanJames on the Microgaming network to grind out the sign up bonus ('bonus whoring'). Ran awfully, played awfully and rage quit back to stars without clearing it.
*Got my roll back up to 50NL standards again. Once again, decided to bonus whore at Ladbrokes (also on the Microgaming network). Ran even worse, played even worse, spewed at every opportunity and tilted like never before (And I wasn't comfortable at 50NL). I put my entire BR at a huge risk by sticking around (under-rolled basically) until I cleared the bonus. Luckily, I left Ladbrokes break even after clearing the bonus.
*Concentrated on zoom poker since. Though, I've not exactly put in any real volume and have been stuck between 2nl-10nl as I've had to dip in to my bankroll to pay for rent once or twice.
Online
I've always fancied doing some form of micro stakes challenge (2nl-100nl for example) but in the past lacked motivation. I recently stumbled upon Felix Schneiders #GrindingItUp challenge from 2013 (He put up plenty of video blogs and live play sessions on YouTube whilst doing the challenge. Some of the content is as good, if not better, than the stuff you have to pay a monthly fee for over at DeucesCracked IMO).
As I'm broke at the moment and have tonnes of free time, I think now is a good time to give this challenge a proper go.
Online: BRM
Take shots when I have 20BI (Anything after 10NL, I may increase this to 30BI but we shall see) at the new level + 4/5 extra BI. Eg: 10NL. $200 + $50 = $250.
Online: Goals
1) Improve my online game -> There's a number of books I would like to read (Poker Blueprint) and some videos to watch (Mostly content by Splitsuit). I may decide to give DC another shot at 10NL/16NL.
2) Improve off the table work ethic -> I really need to be doing more session reviews, DB leak finding and hand reviews.
3) Don't tilt!
4) Ideally, I would like to be playing at, and beating, 25NL. If I can beat this limit on stars (in todays games), I see no reason why I couldn't beat £1/2 live cash games (the ultimate goal).
Online: Current Progress
A few weeks back, I deposited $60 on to stars and started out 4 tabling 6 max zoom (A brief period was spent on FTP when stars broke HUDs. FTP is much softer IMO). So far, I've played just short of 41k hands winning $85 at a rate of 10.4bb/100. This is my 2NL graph since I started the challenge:
I've begun taking shots at 5NL. After 4k hands, I'm up a BI which is nice and I feel like I am adapting to the regs at these limits (very aggressive with their 3bets for whatever reason).
The total BR stands at $150 as I type. This should be more than enough to move up to 5NL full time, but I would like to work on my 3 betting game first (All of it to be honest. Especially playing 3B pots post flop).
Live
The ultimate plan is to be playing £1/2 live cash game poker and, eventually, beyond. I don't currently have the BR for this nor enough live experience.
In the meantime, I plan on taking some trips up to Newcastle (I'm thinking of moving there for 6-12 months anyway whilst I work through a career crisis) and play some of the lower limit games. It wont pay well but I really need the experience before jumping in to the higher limit games.
I would like to start on the 50NL live games (Still need a BR for this, but I'm rather hopeful of a short term staking deal) that crop up in the Genting and Grosvenors and see where that leads. I've played one or two of these games in the past - seemed rather soft. There's also a number of 1/1 games going if successful.
Failing that, I will play the 25p-25p games at Aspers on an evening. This is more like bingo (It was often full of drunk people who had just won a few quid on the blackjack tables) to be honest with 7 people to every flop, 12x opens, and people 3 barrelling (>300bb from time to time) with air in to people who will call down with bottom pair. Again, it wont pay well but I need some live experience, it should be a good laugh and will provide a number of amusing hand histories.
