Hello all,

I am new at this goal making, and relatively new I'd say to poker, or at least playing in more of a grind fashion rather than games here and there (so I have had some experience, but this is my attempt at taking it more seriously). I play pokerstars and have read some other goals that people have done. I started this month with the whole idea of properly bankrolling (unlike previous times), I deposited around 109 into my account, planning on playing games under $1.50 (I know not proper but that was the plan). After a few days of losing, I had a great day winning a Turbo 90 and Regular 180. Im playing mainly those kind of mtts and KO 9 man sng. I have just downloaded a trial version of Super HUD as well within the last few days so starting to use that too. After that though its been a negative downhill streak, where I am currently sitting on 104.

My goal was, and still is to develop my poker skills, reading, bet sizing etc.... in order to be better at my live play (which I actually feel I am pretty good at). I want to build the bankroll as well up to $350, but with no particular timeframe. I know with other people there is like x hands a day, games a week, but I have other stuff on so its not like im full on grinding. I am also trying to learn the game better, I am starting to read Harrington on Holdem and will look to read online as well.

What I was hoping for was some advice and tips around playing and having some consistency to my winning. That is the thing I am struggling with, maintaining the consistency. Also I will post hands here (or should I do it elsewhere), but yeah looking for advice as well.

I don't know if Ive done this right but heres hoping

So today I tried to do some spin n go grinding 2 sessions of 20 games before lunch 2 sessions after lunch. Overall I played quite aggressively (mainly cause I watch one of the poker players streaming prior to my sessions). I lost $20 in total over a rough 2 hour combined time session. First hour was alright, break even, second hour I just had a string of over aggressiveness, mixed in with some of pokerstars finest rivering.

I guess lesson is learnt, but it did give me a chance to play more poker. I mean this in the sense I expanded my ranges and got to play some different style rather than a tournament style which I am normally more conservative.

I think Ill be going back to my bread and butter after this adventure.

Heres hoping to build back my bankroll

Pretty much shot my bankroll in the foot after trying to grind cash today. Down to around 65 super horrible even after a great deep run (for me at least) in the 180.

Definitely never playing cash or spin n go no matter how i feel or what i see or read again. Just gonna go back to concentrating on sngs and start a fresh. I mean this is my last chance I gave myself.

Either way I know noone reads this but it does feel good to talk it out and put it out there

SO I decided to step down the stakes I am playing. Im just gonna start doing 0.50c mtts to build my bankroll but I feel confident in my playing ability in them, got 1st in 2 out of 6 I played yesterday.

Also had my sunday treat, stayed up to 3.30am to play the sunday storm, where I proceeded to bust out in an hour an a half. Ah well

Keep at it good luck.

Could you tell us a little about yourself. Vital statistics, location, that sort of stuff.

AH i so new I don't know what vital statistics are, I guess the most vital is that im losing?

Bankroll currently at 68. Lower my stakes to 0.50 small mtts like the 45 turbo. I believe that I have the knowledge and ability but lose focus and consistency, esp after bad beats from russian rivers.

Location: Im in Australia, and I play Pokerstars. I do play as many freeroll live tournys as I can which is very popular around here. Competition is good and I enjoy playing live a whole lot more, but know the hands I get in online will only help my live play.

I'm assuming some statistics that would be helpful to know are: VPIP/PFR/AF to start. If you post some hands, you'll get help and opinions on members from time to time. Other times, it will be like you're talking to yourself lol. Either way, it's good to use this forum as your own blog that you can reflect on and keep track of your progress.

What books have you read?

I have just looked on the free hud thing I have on, from a total of 2961 hands (this includes HU so I guess that affects my overall stats), VPIP is 27%, PFR 16.6%, AF 1.7. I think without HU my VPIP is closer to 22%.

I am reading Harrington on Holdem vol. 1. Got heaps of great stuff from it and I feel it has helped my play a lot already. Giving me so much to think about.

Heres a hand I just played first hand of a 45 turbo 50c tourny.
Seat 1: dloneunit (1500 in chips)
Seat 2: PSDáPSTira (1500 in chips)
Seat 3: nasoclps (1500 in chips)
Seat 4: tygr1000 (1500 in chips)
Seat 5: JCpucp (1500 in chips)
Seat 6: d9telsp9til (1500 in chips)
Seat 7: emilioseijas (1500 in chips)
Seat 8: guegoR7 (1500 in chips)
Seat 9: Dorothy1943 (1500 in chips)

*** HOLE CARDS ***
Dealt to dloneunit [Js Ks]
tygr1000: calls 20
JCpucp: folds
d9telsp9til: folds
emilioseijas: folds
guegoR7: folds
Dorothy1943: calls 20
dloneunit: raises 80 to 100
PSDáPSTira: folds
nasoclps: calls 80
tygr1000: calls 80
Dorothy1943: folds
*** FLOP *** [5d 5c 9s]
nasoclps: checks
tygr1000: bets 40
dloneunit: raises 160 to 200
nasoclps: folds
tygr1000: folds
dloneunit collected 437 from pot

I cut out the unnecessary extras, but this hand I was in position with decent cards. I know KJ dangerous OOP but suited and button I thought a raise was fine with 2 limpers. Then postflop a low board I felt the 40 raise from the UTG limper was nothing hence my raise.
NOW here is where I normally get in trouble, if he had called my raise and/or reraised me I get uncomfortable. The next two street I always feel compelled to continue and barrel, however with only 1500 I do this lose and down to a nothing stack and/or out. I think this is when i need to learn to let go/not raise at all. Maybe reduce my aggression factor.

How do you guys address when to be aggressive or not aggressive?

I am kinda over this variance I am facing. I am literally getting called with rubbish pf and they flop hands hidden and I get the best hand. That and its so many all in races which I hate. People at this level just shove for like 10-40bb no matter, no real poker being played. And at these stakes there isnt the slow non-turbos that I enjoy playing more.

SO I have been losing these 50c so much would it be so bad to break br rules and play the $1 180. This tourny is just more for me its slower blind levels, and sometimes i get bad beats other times i make mistakes but at least i dont go racing after 15mins of play (in which i suck at and lose majority).

Blog update, thought id play a cash game definitely over my br.
Either way heres what happened. 1st hand I have KQ I raise 2.5bb he reraises I fold. cool sets the platform.
2nd hand I have AA I do the same exact raise hoping for a reraise as before. Happens he puts in 4x what I raise, perfect as I wanted so I raise 3x what he raised (did this to win it there/if he reads me as a beginner he would think oh this guy just doesnt want to lose im a shove on him) he shoves, even better i snap call. He turns QQ.
Flop has a Q, holds he wins massive I lose massive.

I mean I played this perfect in my opinion, i set my persona up over several hands and developed the perfect hand and read for this. I knew he was strong but i was strongest. Now im not saying pokerstars is telling me something but I get sucked out on alot. I mean alot.

Question to all 2 people who have looked at this. Did i play this right? If I did is it just bad luck?
Or is this a sign that I should quit trying to build bankrolls and **** and go back to playing willy nilly?

Lesson is learnt. That was a tilty post.

Reflecting now, I should have been punished for playing out of bankroll, undoubtly their skill level is overall better. That being said I think I played this very well. I am happy with how I played it, and I have to tell myself that I want this situation 10/10, sure he flopped me this time, but Ill take this race where I have a great statistical advantage anytime.

I think with my br as it is, Ima do some mtt grinding, but play outside of the 50c 45 turbos. I just hate turbo structures too fast, too much shoving from lesser hands that pick up randomly. Wish me luck

Okay, so I will say a couple of things:

With the KJ hand, I would have limped in position like that to see a cheap flop. Your hand isn't that great and early limpers will often calls raises anyways, especially in these cheap tournaments. You are playing with mostly level 1 players and need to be tight and get the money in when you have the best hand. Trying to outplay anyone at this level will get you looked up (and losing to) pretty bad holdings. Also, expect very high variance as people will play worse cards and win with them.

Back to the hand, I'm probably limping and maybe calling one street because that board is kind of dry. But honestly, it depends if the player is likely to bet out like that often or not. I'm really much closer to folding and getting my hand in when I have a better holding.

As far as bankroll management:
You got the money in right with your AA, but that's variance. This is why it is absolutely important that you don't play outside of what your bankroll can handle. You're allowed to take shots at higher levels, but you need a stop loss. For example, if you lost one or two buy-ins, you would immediately drop back to the previous level and grind back up.

I don't recommend playing cash if you have little experience. Especially heads up. I made the transition from MTT to cash and got wrecked playing tournament strategy. Early stage MTT strategy gives you a decent idea what cards to play pre-flop that translates pretty decently to beginner cash. However, I find that a lot of players, including myself, lack the post-flop skills necessary when first transitioning to cash. Many times, you will not being playing post-flop in tournaments as you sometimes are in fold or shove mode.

Once again great advice, I think a mix of my current life situation makes me go tilt money in cash games which is sooooo stupid. And exactly being in an AA vs QQ situation I always get want to be in, he has equity and it is expected to lose sometimes. And as you said if I was in my bankroll I would have been sweet.

Yeah I've read about this lvl 1-4 thinking, I think I'm overthinking at times and as a result I tend to make plays(bluffs) that get called off because the guy loves his top pair on a board that would usually scare off top pair (eg straights and flushes on river card). Like you said abc poker is what I need to get back to. Had a good run in a 180 $1 for a min cash but played well. Was in great position but made a major betting mistake and that crumpled my stack and had to shove when I had a hand and lost the race. Good thing was I was smiling and actually enjoyed it rather than how Ive been recently with stressing about losing losing losing. I need to get it in my head I will lose to learn and that will build me to be better in the future to win.

Thanks for your great advice as well