Hunting high and low - uStakes blog
02-23-2017
, 12:09 PM
Hello, nice people.
That will be the start of my humble blog.
The short version of this start will be like this: My name is Georgi, I am 33 years old, I am a veterinary surgeon and I've recently deposited $30 in Stars and I will try to play my best and have fun in my spare time. There, wasn't so long, was it?
The long version of the start will now follow. Feel free to skip it. If someone wants to read and comment it, so much the better. I feel like writing now.
So, you already know my name and occupation. I will add some history with the game.
A couple of years ago, like in 2008 and up to mid 2009, I played poker somewhat actively. I played SnGs on Tilt, I was able to beat the $6.5 level with like 5.4 ROI over 2200 games, I was having fun, multitabling and all. Then I had to change my job to a one that involved working with clients. So I had to quit SnGs. I switched to cash games, like, in October 2008. I started from NL5, I was somewhat serious about it all, I read articles, I watched videos. I beat NL5 and NL10 in no time, I had the roll to play NL25 so I did. In about 30000 hands or slightly more, I had that crushed, I had my roll at the pretty $1300. I decided to play NL50. I had a coach, we had a deal where we split winnings and rakeback 50:50, things were smooth. I played like 20000 hands on NL50, just a week or so, I reached like $1500. And then I just didn't feel like playing anymore, it seemed all dull and stupid. I paid what I owed, I withdrew the money and I quit. I thought I quit for good.
But a few weeks ago I felt like playing again.
I think I am a responsible person and I wanted to play efficiently. So I searched for books, I stumbled upon Treat your poker like a business and The mental game of poker. I read them a couple of times, to the point where I knew what follows next when I read the book. I also read Crushing the microstakes. I took the time to write down the useful advice in all of them on paper, I keep it around when I play.
Then I started playing on NL2. It's been fun and maddening at the same time. I do such stupid mistakes and I become annoyed with myself. I am actively trying to not do them. I seem to have lost all skill related to poker and I have to learn everything again.
So, now, my goals. My goal is to play as much as I can and improve my game.
This is not too specific though. So I will elaborate.
I can play only when I am at work, I will not play when I am with my daughter for obvious reasons. At work I am alone, I own the place, it's not like there is some giant douche boss to watch over me. So it makes more sense to play poker instead of CSGO and Starcraft although they are tons of fun and even when I won my biggest pot in NL50 for like $240, I wasn't as happy as when I win a 1v1 game in Starcraft or some sick clutch in CSGO.
Following Mr. Dusty Schmidt's advice I did a ratio of gaming to studying 80% : 20%. I've come with the following schedule, based on my work hours (I work like 30 to 35 hours per week. Yes, I know, it's not much but I don't need to work more, I earn enough money like this so I prefer to spend my time in other ways):
For poker time I have:
Monday and Wednesday, 2.5 hours each day, 0.5 hrs for studying, 2 for gaming. Tuesday, Thursday and Friday – 4 hours, 0.5 hrs each day for studying, like 3.5 for gaming. Saturday I should be spending like 2 hours just for studying, probably videos. I've scheduled to play on Sunday too but that's not too realistic as of yet. I've recently divorced my wife but we do not yet live apart so I will have to see to issues like moving stuff from one place to another, paying more attention to our child so playing on the weekend is questionable. It totals to like 15 hours per week for playing and around 4 hours for studying.
I have no idea about volume though. It can't be large, obviously. I also can not multi table like before, I play on 4 – 5 tables. I tried a session on 7 and it wasn't nice so I will stick to 4 -5 tables for now. I wish to play more hands in the future, commit to the game and be successful.
All in all, my largest goal now is that some day, like in a year and a half or sooner if I can, to play at NL50 and beat it comfortably. I am aiming at NL50 because if I aim and beat NL100 I will think of going full time pro and I dare not think that yet. I don't see myself as a pure poker pro anyway. I love working with animals and I don't think I will quit that.
So far I've reviewed the hands where I've lost more than 30 bbs. They are around 20 from 9000 hands overall so it's a tiny sample but I think I see a pattern where in a 2b pot anytime I am against aggression on the turn or the river, (literally anytime) say villain donks big into me (like 3/4 pot or more) or he raises me on turn or river, he has me utterly crushed, I am with no more than 20% equity vs his value range, every time he has the nuts or 2nd nuts. It's always when I am holding an overpair or TPTK of course. As much as I hate it, I have to fold them.
Good. That's all for now. So I guess I will start to play actively next week and post my ramblings and hands and thoughts.
I hope you're not bored to death. gl hf gg :P
post script: I am so hyped to make this poker thing work, I hope I don't burst my enthusiastic bubble too soon. I don't care about variance so that shouldn't be an issue. Just my motivation. I do not play poker for money, just for fun and to learn and try new things.
That will be the start of my humble blog.
The short version of this start will be like this: My name is Georgi, I am 33 years old, I am a veterinary surgeon and I've recently deposited $30 in Stars and I will try to play my best and have fun in my spare time. There, wasn't so long, was it?
The long version of the start will now follow. Feel free to skip it. If someone wants to read and comment it, so much the better. I feel like writing now.
So, you already know my name and occupation. I will add some history with the game.
A couple of years ago, like in 2008 and up to mid 2009, I played poker somewhat actively. I played SnGs on Tilt, I was able to beat the $6.5 level with like 5.4 ROI over 2200 games, I was having fun, multitabling and all. Then I had to change my job to a one that involved working with clients. So I had to quit SnGs. I switched to cash games, like, in October 2008. I started from NL5, I was somewhat serious about it all, I read articles, I watched videos. I beat NL5 and NL10 in no time, I had the roll to play NL25 so I did. In about 30000 hands or slightly more, I had that crushed, I had my roll at the pretty $1300. I decided to play NL50. I had a coach, we had a deal where we split winnings and rakeback 50:50, things were smooth. I played like 20000 hands on NL50, just a week or so, I reached like $1500. And then I just didn't feel like playing anymore, it seemed all dull and stupid. I paid what I owed, I withdrew the money and I quit. I thought I quit for good.
But a few weeks ago I felt like playing again.
I think I am a responsible person and I wanted to play efficiently. So I searched for books, I stumbled upon Treat your poker like a business and The mental game of poker. I read them a couple of times, to the point where I knew what follows next when I read the book. I also read Crushing the microstakes. I took the time to write down the useful advice in all of them on paper, I keep it around when I play.
Then I started playing on NL2. It's been fun and maddening at the same time. I do such stupid mistakes and I become annoyed with myself. I am actively trying to not do them. I seem to have lost all skill related to poker and I have to learn everything again.
So, now, my goals. My goal is to play as much as I can and improve my game.
This is not too specific though. So I will elaborate.
I can play only when I am at work, I will not play when I am with my daughter for obvious reasons. At work I am alone, I own the place, it's not like there is some giant douche boss to watch over me. So it makes more sense to play poker instead of CSGO and Starcraft although they are tons of fun and even when I won my biggest pot in NL50 for like $240, I wasn't as happy as when I win a 1v1 game in Starcraft or some sick clutch in CSGO.
Following Mr. Dusty Schmidt's advice I did a ratio of gaming to studying 80% : 20%. I've come with the following schedule, based on my work hours (I work like 30 to 35 hours per week. Yes, I know, it's not much but I don't need to work more, I earn enough money like this so I prefer to spend my time in other ways):
For poker time I have:
Monday and Wednesday, 2.5 hours each day, 0.5 hrs for studying, 2 for gaming. Tuesday, Thursday and Friday – 4 hours, 0.5 hrs each day for studying, like 3.5 for gaming. Saturday I should be spending like 2 hours just for studying, probably videos. I've scheduled to play on Sunday too but that's not too realistic as of yet. I've recently divorced my wife but we do not yet live apart so I will have to see to issues like moving stuff from one place to another, paying more attention to our child so playing on the weekend is questionable. It totals to like 15 hours per week for playing and around 4 hours for studying.
I have no idea about volume though. It can't be large, obviously. I also can not multi table like before, I play on 4 – 5 tables. I tried a session on 7 and it wasn't nice so I will stick to 4 -5 tables for now. I wish to play more hands in the future, commit to the game and be successful.
All in all, my largest goal now is that some day, like in a year and a half or sooner if I can, to play at NL50 and beat it comfortably. I am aiming at NL50 because if I aim and beat NL100 I will think of going full time pro and I dare not think that yet. I don't see myself as a pure poker pro anyway. I love working with animals and I don't think I will quit that.
So far I've reviewed the hands where I've lost more than 30 bbs. They are around 20 from 9000 hands overall so it's a tiny sample but I think I see a pattern where in a 2b pot anytime I am against aggression on the turn or the river, (literally anytime) say villain donks big into me (like 3/4 pot or more) or he raises me on turn or river, he has me utterly crushed, I am with no more than 20% equity vs his value range, every time he has the nuts or 2nd nuts. It's always when I am holding an overpair or TPTK of course. As much as I hate it, I have to fold them.
Good. That's all for now. So I guess I will start to play actively next week and post my ramblings and hands and thoughts.
I hope you're not bored to death. gl hf gg :P
post script: I am so hyped to make this poker thing work, I hope I don't burst my enthusiastic bubble too soon. I don't care about variance so that shouldn't be an issue. Just my motivation. I do not play poker for money, just for fun and to learn and try new things.
03-07-2017
, 12:59 PM
Anyway, some recap is due. I played just like 12500 hands during the last month. I can give excuses all day, the fact is that I played 12500 hands and I don't think it's enough. I didn't check the Cashier all this time, when I did I was up like 4 stacks but in HEM it shows just one and a half which is weird.
Anyway, I don't care about money, I care that I am obviously playing bad. And when I try to study hands and situations, I just don't know how to go about it. As for database study, to find major leaks, I am completely lost.
If someone would volunteer to look me up, I'd be more than happy to cooperate.
Or I can look for some appropriate forum to ask some nice folks to help me out.
My personal life is getting sorted out, it is kind of clear how my time with the child will be used. So I can devote properly to my hobbies - poker, gaming and Muay Thai.
I am excited at the new opportunities ahead of me, I really am. I want to do my best in every field where my attention is set.
Oh, I read a book last month. Ready player one. It was an amazing read even though sci-fi is not my genre.
gl hf gg