Hello all,

I know this challenge seems a little lame, but I want to convince myself I can win +$100 bucks if I but my mind to it. I came close to it last fall, but got distracted by other games (hold'em, etc.) 5CD seems to be my best game, with low variance and idiot players at the lowest levels. I absolutely hate no limit poker and limit hold'em can be swingy was well. That said, the hardest part for me will be to stick to this game and not go running to Hold'em/Omaha when I get bored or when swings turn south.

The parameters:

1. only play .10/.20 limit 5CD
2. 2-3 tables at once
3. $10 Pokerstars VIP Stellar reward will count if obtained
4. Goal must be obtained by end of summer (August 19 at 10 am CST).


If/when I succeed in this, I can turn to more loftier goals like playing PL5CD, limit hold'em or dating women on the internet.

Update #1

Number of hands: 1000
Current bankroll: $37.02
Profit: $8.02
BB/100: 4.0

A winning start, yea! (Although it didn't start out all that well, dropping to $27 during my first hundred, lol). I'll try to make updates every thousand hands, which means every two or three days. Didn't check to see how many FPPs I earned but it's probably around 2-3 per 100.

The players at .10/.20 seem as bad as ever. Still lots of people chasing their flushes and gutshots, some even calling with a pair at showdown.

Two pair is still the toughest hand to play. I have no problem throwing away 6622 of worse behind a lot of calling and raising. So far the only bad beat was when my full house lost to a better full house. It's fun to call in the small blind with a flush draw and everyone else in the pot, and then to make your hand. Only problem is deciding to bet or check-raise.

School is officially out and I submitted by grades yesterday. I have to attend graduation today as window dressing. Live poker with the other professors tonight, but probably no 5CD. It just takes too long to deal and draw. Definitely lots of drinking tonight. My friend and I might go to the casino tomorrow. Am thinking about trying internet personals again but what's the rush? I have all summer (famous last words).

Actually finding this really interesting, I didn't know 5CD was beatable lol

GL with your goals.

Could you tell me why you hate holdem?

I actually like limit hold'em, but it's gotten so hard to win at all but the lowest limits. Which was fine when the lowest limits were .50/1 at PartyPoker back in the glory days, but I was having a hard time even at .10/.20 last month at PS. Plus the swings are gutwrenching. I'll still play LHE live, especially when I'm in Vegas. Online, maybe after this challenge is over.

I despise no-limit hold'em because your stack is always at risk. Yes, I know people say you can win a lot more at NLHE, but to me it's not worth the sick feeling you get in your stomach when you push your $200 stack all in with KK and your opponent turns over AA. Again, maybe someday I'll feel differently but not now.

btw - low level 5CD is extremly profitable

I've played a ton of .20 5CD. I've probably played 1000 times more hands than any of you. I gave up on it, since there's really only 1 round of betting. Hard to get any value after the draw.

Update #2

Current bankroll: $35.79
Hands played: 2042
Profit: $6.79
Winrate: 1.66 BB/100

Well, I guess you can't win'em all (at least I can't). I was off to such a hot start, did I get overcondfident? I was tickling $40 after 100 hands or so, then things went south. Maybe it's for the best that I have my first losing set early and get that out of the way. A few obervations:

1. God damn two pair!

2. I think I became a little loose with queens and jacks. Raising to open them is fine (actually, it is mandatory) but cold calling a raise, I'm not so sure I should do that anymore. Even if I'm already in for a small blind or even a fullbet calling with anything less than queens should be a little iffy.

3. Looks like I'm earning 2-3 FPPs per hundred hands.

4. I should probably leave a table when it gets down to 3 players, no?

5. This is a game where position is very, very important. I'm learning that everytime I don't have position.

6. God damn two pair!

The semester ended officially a couple days ago and I submitted my grades. My friend and I went to the casino on Saturday. Played a little nickel video poker. I only played about 10 minutes and then said to myself "I'm going to hate this game if I play it even away from my computer...I might even hate my own life more..." So I quit and played some blackjack. No poker tournament for me, no casino poker period until I go to Vegas in July.

I'll be going to visit family in Cleveland on Thursday and will stay there for a couple weeks. That's probably where I will give my next 3-4 updates. I'll be playing even more 5CD there, since I need something to keep me sane.