Have a lot of time on my hands so lets see how it goes.

Gonna play 4 zoom tables starting at 5nl with 20BI

5NL : 100>
10NL: 200>
25NL: 500>
50NL: 1000>
100NL: 2000>

If i reach a new stake i'm allowed to lose 5 buyins.
challenge will complete at 3000$ USD

Subscribed. GL sir. Which site are you playing?

GL! Are you a beginner player? Or did you win on higher limits before already?

Pokerstars.com

Not a beginner. But i've been struggling and dabbling around different formats. I am 24 and have been playing on and off since 18

day 1.
Getting internal server error when i try to convert a handhistory atm.

Halfway to 10nl. Hot beginning! Still cant post hands though

It seems like it's been ****ed for years.

Try converting hands here and copy and pasting them.

https://upswingpoker.com/convert/

Good luck in the challenge.

GL man, nice start so far!

Good luck. 5 Buyins seems like a lot to lose before dropping back down. I'm all for shot taking when moving up stakes, but back when I played zoom 10BI swings were fairly common. It'll all come out in the wash in the end, but don't be surprised if you end up dropping a couple levels.

¨
Challenge so far^

Not the greatest day at all. Didn't really bring my A game and could've gotten away from a lot more spots than done.
Hero cape has been thrown away for now....


General impression of 5nl so far

These are my assumptions based on my experience thus far

* generally 3bets are pretty nutted / people dont 3bet enough-> less 4betting as a bluff and less defending in general i suppose.

* The opposite is true when getting called as the 3bet aggressor. I see people defending bottom of their opening range once in a while.

* Playerpool dont like folding in 3bet pots or in general, postflop.


based on these assumptions i guess my strategy is just being patient and waiting to get gifted money. Simple and boring (rip redline)

Any playerpool advice is appreciated (all playerpools)
I guess the difference in playerpools is not that huge up until 25NL/50NL

PokerStars Zoom, Hold'em No Limit - $0.02/$0.05 - 6 players

andypr0 (UTG): $6.00 (120 bb)
3Karl3 (MP): $4.89 (98 bb)
Dryk_2914 (CO): $6.84 (137 bb)
titus348 (BU): $5.50 (110 bb)
ScarWild (SB): $7.38 (148 bb)
marria juana (BB): $5.07 (101 bb)

Pre-Flop: ($0.07) Hero (andypr0) is UTG with J♣ T♣
andypr0 (UTG) raises to $0.10, 3Karl3 (MP) calls $0.10, 2 players fold, ScarWild (SB) 3-bets to $0.40, 1 fold, andypr0 (UTG) calls $0.30, 1 fold

Flop: ($0.95) 5♥ 3♦ K♣ (2 players)
ScarWild (SB) bets $0.30, andypr0 (UTG) calls $0.30

Turn: ($1.55) J♠ (2 players)
ScarWild (SB) bets $0.75, andypr0 (UTG) calls $0.75

River: ($3.05) 9♦ (2 players)
ScarWild (SB) checks, andypr0 (UTG) bets $4.55 (all-in), ScarWild (SB) calls $4.55

Total pot: $12.15 (Rake: $0.50)

Showdown:
andypr0 (UTG) shows J♣ T♣ (a pair of Jacks)
(Equity - Pre-Flop: 22%, Flop: 8%, Turn: 11%, River: 0%)

ScarWild (SB) shows A♦ A♥ (a pair of Aces)
(Equity - Pre-Flop: 78%, Flop: 92%, Turn: 89%, River: 100%)

ScarWild (SB) wins $11.65

Pre : I fold pre here to a larger Squeeze
Flop : Not sure if floating flop here is a thing vs his narrow range but doesn't seem too bad against a range bet.
Turn: i would guess we're indifferent here so maybe it's best folding vs unknown
River: Felt like a spot that would be super underbluffed, but i'm repping really narrow (AKo-KJ-JJ-QTs and maybe 1 combo of 5s)

20k hands played.

last 10k hands pretty breakeven

Tough times... Didn't think i would struggle this much in 5nlz



Today's session one of the worse ones


Today's biggest pots:
Solver prefers x / c turn with my holding here, guess i overplayed turn and river
UTG: $5.07 (101 bb)
MP: $5.00 (100 bb)
CO (Hero): $15.03 (301 bb)
BU: $8.74 (175 bb)
SB: $6.92 (138 bb)
BB: $3.91 (78 bb)

Pre-Flop: ($0.07) Hero is CO with T♥ A♥
2 players fold, Hero raises to $0.12, BTN 3-bets to $0.50, 2 players fold, Hero calls $0.38

Flop: ($1.07) A♣ 3♦ T♠ (2 players)
Hero checks, BTN bets $0.26, Hero raises to $0.90, BTN calls $0.64

Turn: ($2.87) J♦ (2 players)
Hero bets $1.86, BTN calls $1.86

River: ($6.59) 9♦ (2 players)
Hero bets $11.77 (all-in), BTN calls $5.48 (all-in)

Total pot: $17.55 (Rake: $0.73)

Showdown:
CO (Hero) shows T♥ A♥ (two pair, Aces and Tens)
(Equity - Pre-Flop: 30%, Flop: 84%, Turn: 5%, River: 0%)

BU shows J♥ A♠ (two pair, Aces and Jacks)
(Equity - Pre-Flop: 70%, Flop: 16%, Turn: 95%, River: 100%)

BU wins $16.82

PokerStars Zoom, Hold'em No Limit - $0.02/$0.05 - 6 players

UTG: $5.00 (100 bb)
MP: $5.00 (100 bb)
CO (Hero): $5.67 (113 bb)
BU: $3.59 (72 bb)
SB: $5.00 (100 bb)
BB: $6.52 (130 bb)

Pre-Flop: ($0.07) Hero is CO with Q♣ A♣
2 players fold, Hero raises to $0.12, 2 players fold, BB 3-bets to $0.55, Hero calls $0.43

Flop: ($1.12) 2♣ 5♣ A♦ (2 players)
BB bets $0.35, Hero calls $0.35

Turn: ($1.82) 8♥ (2 players)
BB checks, Hero bets $1.04, BB calls $1.04

River: ($3.90) 4♠ (2 players)
BB checks, Hero bets $3.73 (all-in), BB calls $3.73

Total pot: $11.36 (Rake: $0.47)

Showdown:
CO (Hero) shows Q♣ A♣ (a pair of Aces)
(Equity - Pre-Flop: 29%, Flop: 43%, Turn: 25%, River: 0%)

BB shows A♥ K♣ (a pair of Aces - higher kicker)
(Equity - Pre-Flop: 71%, Flop: 57%, Turn: 75%, River: 100%)

BB wins $10.89

PokerStars Zoom, Hold'em No Limit - $0.02/$0.05 - 6 players
that 2x 4bet just feels like AA everytime.... at the same time i dont wanna nit it up and not 5b QQ ai pre BvB

UTG: $5.00 (100 bb)
MP: $4.27 (85 bb)
CO: $5.61 (112 bb)
BU: $5.96 (119 bb)
SB: $5.49 (110 bb)
BB (Hero): $7.41 (148 bb)

Pre-Flop: ($0.07) Hero is BB with Q♣ Q♥
4 players fold, SB raises to $0.15, Hero 3-bets to $0.45, SB 4-bets to $1, Hero 5-bets to $7.41 (all-in), SB calls $4.49 (all-in)

Flop: ($10.98) 7♠ 2♠ T♣ (2 players, 2 all-in)

Turn: ($10.98) J♠ (2 players, 2 all-in)

River: ($10.98) 5♠ (2 players, 2 all-in)

Total pot: $10.98 (Rake: $0.46)

Showdown:
BB (Hero) shows Q♣ Q♥ (a pair of Queens)
(Equity - Pre-Flop: 19%, Flop: 8%, Turn: 5%, River: 0%)

SB shows A♣ A♦ (a pair of Aces)
(Equity - Pre-Flop: 82%, Flop: 92%, Turn: 95%, River: 100%)

SB wins $10.52

PokerStars Zoom, Hold'em No Limit - $0.02/$0.05 - 6 players


UTG: $8.19 (164 bb)
MP: $18.39 (368 bb)
CO: $5.00 (100 bb)
BU: $9.29 (186 bb)
SB (Hero): $5.38 (108 bb)
BB: $5.20 (104 bb)

Pre-Flop: ($0.07) Hero is SB with Q♣ Q♠
2 players fold, CO raises to $0.12, BTN calls $0.12, Hero 3-bets to $0.60, 1 fold, CO calls $0.48, BTN 4-bets to $9.29 (all-in), Hero calls $4.78 (all-in), 1 fold

Flop: ($11.41) 6♥ A♣ 8♦ (2 players, 2 all-in)

Turn: ($11.41) K♦ (2 players, 2 all-in)

River: ($11.41) J♣ (2 players, 2 all-in)

Total pot: $11.41 (Rake: $0.47)

Showdown:
BU shows A♦ Q♦ (a pair of Aces)
(Equity - Pre-Flop: 34%, Flop: 96%, Turn: 98%, River: 100%)

SB (Hero) shows Q♣ Q♠ (a pair of Queens)
(Equity - Pre-Flop: 66%, Flop: 4%, Turn: 2%, River: 0%)

BU wins $10.94

PokerStars Zoom, Hold'em No Limit - $0.02/$0.05 - 6 players


UTG: $13.19 (264 bb)
MP: $10.39 (208 bb)
CO: $5.69 (114 bb)
BU (Hero): $5.28 (106 bb)
SB: $5.00 (100 bb)
BB: $4.35 (87 bb)

Pre-Flop: ($0.07) Hero is BTN with K♣ Q♠
3 players fold, Hero raises to $0.12, SB 3-bets to $0.50, 1 fold, Hero calls $0.38

Flop: ($1.05) T♣ K♥ 5♦ (2 players)
SB bets $0.60, Hero calls $0.60

Turn: ($2.25) 7♥ (2 players)
SB bets $1.10, Hero calls $1.10

River: ($4.45) 6♦ (2 players)
SB bets $2.80 (all-in), Hero calls $2.80

Total pot: $10.05 (Rake: $0.42)

Showdown:
SB shows J♥ A♦ (high card, Ace)
(Equity - Pre-Flop: 60%, Flop: 23%, Turn: 14%, River: 0%)

BU (Hero) shows K♣ Q♠ (a pair of Kings)
(Equity - Pre-Flop: 40%, Flop: 77%, Turn: 86%, River: 100%)

BU (Hero) wins $9.63

Seems fine and normal to me.

GL!

Update
Caught some heat all of a sudden




Time to take a shot at 10nl.
i got an extra 10 dollars from RB so i can lose 6 BI's before dropping down

Edit: For some reason my Hm2 hud does not work on NL10
Anyone knows the issue please lmk

Funnily enough I do know.

When HM2 ceased support Nl10z-NL50z had ante tables and after Stars stopped that there was no HM2 update.

There is a work around however that is a little complicated. You need to locate a file and change some things.

Search the HM2 support thread. If you search that thread for just my contributions you should be able to find where the issue was dealt with.

Damn i found the thread but i coulnd't find the actual file even with hidden files showing... I ended up using PT4 Hud while still tracking hands with hm2 though. Appreciate you helping out =)

NL10 shot got completly wrecked.

regrind time.

Took me a while too. In the roaming folder there is a second roaming folder. That's where you will find the file.

Oh you're right! i've found it now. Thank you a lot

Today i got crushed super hard in 10z then went down after losing 7 BIs and played 5z and got crushed even further.

Felt like i ran very unfortunate but i for sure lost more than i should have due to:
* not overfolding rivers (pool rarely bluffs and dont really find unnatural river bluffs)
* Overbluffing rivers with too many bluffcombos and expecting pool to lay down their relatively weak hand strength.

After the session i had some food and a small break while pluggin some hands into piosolver -> into another grind

Back at 5z i got absolutely crushed the first 1500 hands and it just felt very unfortunate and mostly consisted of coolers. I must admit i have to get better at hero-folding nontheless.



I stuck through the grind and ended up in the green for 5z. Even though it was a bad day $ wise, i feel super satisfied with my mental game and very confident going forward

pretty tilting news today. I open up Pokerstars as per usual and i see aurora forced upon me once more. This woulnd't be a big issue if it wasn't for the fact that the tables become super laggy and almost unplayable even with animations turned off. The worst part is that i have a semi expensive gamer PC.
How can it be so hard to create a decent poker software in 2021.... just mind blowing.

Will be going on a 3-4 day vacation tommorow and i will see if i must continue the challenge on another site. No wonder stars is losing so much traffic besides from the awful chests.