Hey BM,

From looking at your graphs and at this stage in your development I would suggest getting coaching from someone who is a significant winner over a decent sample at a level or 2 above where you're playing. At least I think that would be better value for you than paying $100/mo for RIO elite. Guys off the top of my head that would fit this criteria would be Brokenstars, Urban Surfer, and myself. Gl in whatever path you choose to improve as a player and let me know if you're interested in more details.

Ran deep in a $20 MTT last night. Ended up taking about 25/600. Also cashed two other MTTs out of 5 total for the night. I plan on working out some coaching sessions in the near future. I played a relatively solid 6max session earlier today. Really opened up my game and went from my usual 18/14 to more of a 28/24 style. One thing I did not adjust to was my perceived image. I can usually run bluffs with an extremely high success rate if I am playing really nitty. On one table I ran a tiny river bluff because I knew my opponent was weak. I was running about 36/33 at that point over a large sample and I got snapped off by a pair.


April Cash Graph(All games):


April MTT Graph:



Bankroll: $2739.42

Interested to see the HH of that river bluff.

Just finished worst session mentally that I've had in months. Took a few coolers and lost a handful of 80/20s for stacks and starting spewing money. Blew about $150 tilt spewing.

Down over 10 buyins EV in 3.5k hands in PLO on ACR, that roll is down to $200. $2.2k on Bovada.

My mental game is ****, and the main reason why I will likely fail at poker.

I requested a temporary ban from Bovada so I can try and get my mental game in order before I start playing again. I am not enjoying playing because I can't seem to log on without losing a few hundred bucks playing cash games. As a student with no personal income, losing three figures almost daily is not fun to say the least.

What sets me off is if I am playing for a significant amount of $, say 100NL, and I take a puke-worthy cooler(see below). Add in a few more 80/20s and all of a sudden the tilt is compounded and I am frustrated every time I lose as a favorite.

When I come back in a few days I plan on going MTTs full time. I enjoy the luxury of being able to play in cash games, and the softness, but mentally I don't know if I can handle them. I do not tilt in MTTs like I do in the cash games. MTTs are just more fun as well. A 5 buyin heater in a cash game isn't as thrilling as final tabling a $10 MTT IMO.

If my roll goes under $2k at any point I plan to withdraw it all and play live with 10 buyins. Hopefully this downswing turns around soon.



Thank you everyone who has helped me out via PM and in my thread. I really, really appreciate it. For now, my mental game needs more work than my poker game IMO.


-332.72
Bankroll: $2406.7

Subscribed to the thread a while back and appreciate your honesty (although you might be a little to hard on yourself).
Just a suggestion but maybe since a significant portion of your bankroll came from a couple of MTT scores you should consider dropping down in stakes at cash games (if you go back to them). Maybe get a few more laps in at 25nl or even 10nl and get that mental game and confidence boosted back up.
Anyways, thanks again for sharing your successes, trials, and tribulations and I'll keep reading anytime you post.

Tupadre,

Thanks for following! I am very hard on myself with any hobby. It's a good and a bad thing. I tend to be obsessive on getting really good as fast as possible. Same goes for golf and video games.

And I agree with you that dropping down to certainly 25nl and making 50nl my highest stake is a good idea. It's a bit of an ego hit when I know I can handle 50NL and 100NL with the amount of whales and awful plays I see there. But no player should be playing out of their bankroll, and I think I am just barely rolled for 50NL right now.

Also, from my past history with monkey tilt I know what my triggers are. It's when I am playing slightly out of my bankroll and I get coolered or bad beat. I am not rolled for 100NL right now and I've taken quite a few coolers/bad beats lately. That is what sets me off. If I were playing 25NL and the same things happened, my most severe tilt session would be minuscule compared to what it is at 100NL. So I think you are right about moving down, not because of a lack of skill but rather for protection against my tilt triggers.

I won't be playing any poker until Thursday. My goal is to relax and write down exactly what tilts me, why it tilts me and how I can minimize the chances I become tilted. Also, a plan for quitting when I see the warning signs that I am getting tilted or potentially about to go on full blown monkey tilt.

Losing more than what I think I can afford is also a huge tilt factor for me, and therefore makes me play badly (too nitty) whenever I venture into higher stakes than what my bankroll might justify, so I can definitely empathize.

Satty'd into the $30+3 10k. Running deep. Lets go!!!!

Got it all in pre with 62k stack with JJ and lost to 55 for 14th. Cashed for $117. Woulda really been nice to win that pot, I'd have been in 7th with 13 remaining.

Played a short live session tonight. Played scared money and got into some tricky spots. Lost about $150. I won't be playing live again until I have a full roll and thus won't play scared money. The games are soooo soft though. Had a really deep stacked whale at my table playing 90 vpip 0 fold to cbet.

May 1-8 Graph:


I just finished a nice 4 table 6-max session on Bovada 50nl. +3 buyins. My short handed game has really opened up and I am getting comfortable 3betting lighter and playing more like a 25/21 instead of a 17/12. I also seem to be getting more action with my premiums but that could just be the sample size. The awful redline should start improving when I get this new import of hands tomorrow. It already looks somewhat better.

My plan is to continue playing 50NL cash games a few days per week and go full MTT schedule a few days per week. I'll be playing every satellite from $3-$22 and every MTT open from $5-$22. I got really close last night in the $33 10k but unfortunately got coolered JJ<55 near the FT.

I started playing some micro stud on WPN and Bovada. I really enjoy that game. Hopefully WPN brings 8 game to the site in the near future.

I'll be taking tomorrow off until maybe after midnight to prepare a nice dinner for the family. Shrimp over rigatoni with arugula, fresh tomatoes, basil, roasted peppers with a lot of spices.


BTW, my local casino added two new tables that allow you to play two hands simultaneously. There is a dealer on each side of the table and you play two seperate hands at the same time. It's a very interesting concept. When my roll permits I may give it a shot, but I also think it discourages whales from playing because you really have to pay attention.

+154.01
Bankroll: $2560.71

that redline tho...bluff more and stop folding the river so much

So my internet has been barely working since Thursday. I get .5mb/s during the day and it comes back to normal speeds at around 1 am. I have barely been playing because of this. My cellular plan is also capped at 10gb so tethering every day is not an option.

Given how bad my ISP is I am considering withdrawing about $1,000 and taking it live for a 5 buyin shot at 1/2. I'd be playing very, very nitty with only a few buyins.

I still want to focus on playing online because it is so much more convenient but if I can't get working internet there is no reason for me to keep my roll online for now.

What do you guys think? 5 buyins should be good if I only play weekend nights and play extremely nitty?

5 days my ISP has been telling me they are working on the issue but still no improvement.

Managed to get in 3 sessions when my internet came back or via tethering my phones 4G connection.

I've been playing 6max 50nl. Playing very well, running bad. Certainly better than last month. Not included are about two buyins -EV today. I withdrew $1k for live poker. I should have roughly 30 buyins on Bovada for 50NL left, and $200 on ACR. Once I get my ACR balance back to even($400), I plan on cashing out. The site is good I just don't like playing with nitregs all day and anything above 50nl is a reg fest. I plan on opening another bank account and putting all live earnings in there for at least a year. We'll see how that goes.

May 1-12 Summary:


May 1-12 Graph:


+21.44
Bankroll: $2582.15

Hey all, quick update here.

I've been playing mostly 50NL 6m this month. Looking at my results I have to stop playing the Zone games. Every month I am leaking money there, although I am way -EV in those games. I still think I have a much bigger edge in the standard cash tables.

I did lose 8 buyins a few days ago at mostly 6max 50NL. I have recovered about 4 buyins since then.

As you can see, my game opened up a bit at 6-max. I think my 3-bet is still a bit low. My redline also has improved slightly. I am running some bluffs and stealing pots when opponents convey weakness, which I never used to do. I know I have a ways to go but I am pretty confident I can crush 50NL and work my roll up to get back to comfortably playing 100NL. Once my internet connection gets stable I will go back to playing some MTTs too.

My $1k check should be here any day now and I plan on playing 1/2 live with it on the weekends. I'll be updating the thread with live session results and hand histories starting this weekend.

May 1-18 Overall Graph:


May 1-18 6-Max 50NL Graph:


May 1-18 Winnings Summary:


+32.86
Bankroll: $2615.01

My whole game seems to have 'clicked' in the last 3 days. I am running bluffs in specific spots, stealing pots, 3betting much wider(especially in BU/CO), and defending my blinds. The deck has been on my side too.

Most importantly, I am identifying errors immediately as they happen. I know I lost 2 stacks calling with overpairs in spots where I should be folding. Limp call, flop call, turn check raise by a competent V on a T742 board? Set 95% of the time. Fold AA.

I've also had a few value spots where I should have bet much larger. By putting V on a specific range of hands that would see a river there are spots where betting 95% is the proper play, since V has a big hand and is calling 40% or 95%, never folding. I used to default just bet 50-60% of pot on all rivers. I am now identifying spots where potting the river is going to get snap called as often as would a 50% pot bet, because V is either in really good shape or has nothing and isn't calling anything.

I am really feeling good about my game right now. Thanks a ton to everyone who told me to open up my 6-max game. That negative patch of variance really messed with my confidence for a few weeks.

I am also really focusing on every hand right now. I am 4 tabling max and legitimately thinking about every click of the button. Not auto piloting like I used to. That is fine for full ring but for 6-max paying attention to every hand is really helping. It's allowing me to pick better spots to bluff or call down light depending on my image at a particular table.

I received my $1k check from Bovada today. I'll be hitting the casino this weekend for a late night session. I will be opening another bank account soon and keeping 100% of my poker earnings in there. Carrying $500+ in cash is kind of worrying. How do people who play high stakes at casinos travel? Do they keep their money at the casino in a safe deposit or are they just risking being targeted on the way home? If I ever were to carry a significant amount of money, like $5k+, I would not feel comfortable doing so without a CCW permit. Is there some method that I am not aware of or are people really walking around with $20k in cash to and from the casino?

GL at the tables!

+380.11
Bankroll: $2995.12

People are really walking around with $20k in cash or chips for the bigger live games. I personally have carried large amounts of cash $10k+ in and around casinos all over the country for different lengths of time for years and never really worried about it. The only time I have been concerned was leaving into a dark parking lot like at the Bicycle Casino has in the back. Carrying $500 is not a big deal. I keep that much in my wallet at all times anyways as do a lot more people than u think. Just think about the guys wearing a $10-$25k Rolex on their wrist at the casino. Same thing. They're not scared.

Although during the WSOP in the summer I get a box at the RIO cuz I typically bring very large amounts with me. And don't want to carry that much. It's just too bulky and difficult to do without a back pack anyways.

Oh and congrats on doing better man!

Carrying $500 is no big deal. That's like pocket change tbh. A 2/5 player should bring a minimum of $1500 to the casino to play 2/5.

That being said, if you are carrying around lots of cash it would be naive to not be concerned. $500 might not be much to a live poker player, but some people would kill for $500. Poker players are often the targets of robberies. One of my buddies was robbed for $20k just a few months ago. I also know a poker player that was murdered by a degenerate gambler (police claimed the motive was money).

I highly recommend taking extra precautions. For instance, when I leave the casino I am always watching my surroundings. If there is someone I don't know exiting the casino at the same time I will double back and leave a different time. If I see some non-threats exiting the casino i may leave at the same time as them as their presence makes it more difficult to target me. I never take a straight line to my car. I will walk one way and then cut over to my vehicle (also taking note of anyone near my vehicle). I will leave my parking spot immediately.

Fortunately I live in a state where no license is required to carry a gun in the vehicle. Nearly every 5/T player i know carries a gun in their vehicle.

Last night I went to a fast food joint at around 3am. I had around $10k on my person. Going into a fast food joint with $10k on you is just asking to be robbed. That's where having three 100+ lb dogs come in handy. I just left the $10k in the vehicle with them.

Then once inside the fast food joint I got 20 questions from another patron. ie What do you do for a living? What are you doing out so late? Etc etc. I could have told him I'm a poker player that just binked a little tournament tonight for $6.5k. Being truthful would be the equivalent of pulling out wads of cash and asking him if he would like to rob me.

Obviously common sense is needed when carrying $10k+. As the old saying goes a fool and his money are soon parted.

Even the closest friends I have in the "poker scene" don't know how much cash I carry around with me or when I do or don't have more than $1500 on me. Don't be a fool and you'll have no reason to be a target.

Obviously if you bink a jackpot or tournament in some way and receive $10k+ from the cage in cash ask for an escort to your car. The casino will oblige.

If you run up $10k in a cash game watch your back or get an escort to your car if you feel uncomfortable.

Common sense goes a long way.

Finished up a 2.5 hour live session tonight. -$75.

The players are horrible. I watched a guy 3bet jam $250 into a $15 open with TT and get snapped off by 99. Saw a $200 call on the flop with AQ on a KJA board where two people had already shoved all in. Saw multiple people get stacked with TP by sets. Just lolworthy stuff. I played less than 10 hands and was labeled a nit so I got no action with the few premiums I had. Got sucked out on in a pot w/ A2 by 59 backdooring a A-5 straight on AT234 board. Saw a few flops for $15 multi-way with low PP and bricked. The players at these stakes are so bad that it's nowhere near as mentally challenging as online.

I may just redeposit the $1k I took out back onto Bovada. The hassle of getting to the casino, buying food, dealing with guys who haven't showered in a month and drunks is not that appealing.

Just a few months ago I didn't enjoy online but really enjoyed live. Things have definitely changed as I have grown my roll and skill set online. I don't think losing this session has anything to do with it, either.

I'll probably give live a few more shots but playing from home in my pajamas is starting to seem more and more like the nut form of poker.

I just finished up a rough session. Took three set over sets and one set into an open ender. I ended down 5 buyins for the day. I certainly lost my confidence toward the end of the session after the coolers. I ended up losing a few bucks as I redeposited $500 on Bovada. I also lost $75 the other night playing live. So I am actually about break even since my last update. Made about 8 buyins in the last 2 days and lost 5 back today.

I really gotta stop playing PLO and Zone. I seem to crush the NL cash games and lose just about everywhere else.

I Satty'd into the $25 25k gtd Mad Monday tomorrow. I plan on playing all of the events under $30.

May 1-23 50NL 6m + FR graph:


-119.80
Bankroll: $2875.32

Fairly deep in the Bovada Mad Monday 35k GTD $109. #95 if you wanna rail me.

EDIT: Took $247 for 39th. I got into a few pots with the maniac chip leader, unfortunately the last hand he woke up with AA I 3bet him AI with AT in position with 11bb and he snapped off.

Still, not bad for a satellite. I satty'd every event today besides the main event $250+20.

Quick update:

Cashed in 5 MTTs today.

39th in the $109 35k gtd for $247
46th in the $22 10k nightly for $45
165th in the $5 7k gtd for $10
13th in the $15 3k gtd for $50

I played well for the most part. I know of three critical errors I made that probably cost me a final table or two. I also had a massive stack in the $22 10k and lost to another big stack AIPF TT<88. That hand would have put me as the overwhelming chip leader and things would have probably turned out differently.

Finished +$350 for the night. I plan on taking a few days off. I played a 10 hour session today with the MTTs. It's exhausting and definitely not something I plan on doing regularly.

Looks like your game has been improving lately. Nice work.

Thanks Daniel! It definitely has gotten better. My mental game still has some leaks. But my physical game is improving by the week.

__________________________________________

I just finished up a MTT and cash session. I played great in the MTTs and got coolered a few times. Got it in right near the bubble with AK pre vs AT in a $33 $5k gtd that I satty'd into. Lost that one which would have put me in the top 3 chip wise. I also ran top set all in on the $5 rebuy vs an open ender and lost. Tonight definitely could have been a big night MTT wise. I played well so there's no point in getting frustrated about it.

I just took a 2 outer on the turn in a 6m game and closed my client. Enough for tonight... I know exactly how this session is going to end up if I keep playing.

Overall I finished -$180 for the day which is not that bad considering how poorly the session went. I withdrew my $370 on ACR and plan on putting it back on Bovada. I'd go to carbon if the cashouts weren't scary slow.

I have noticed that sometimes the Bovada 50nl plays like 5nl and at other times it plays like 400nl. Tonight I had quite a few tables with 5 other regs running 26/22. It's usually never like this. Last weekend I don't think I saw a reg for 2 days straight! I'm not sure what that is about. I'll keep table selecting hard I guess.

I'll be sure to update the thread at the end of the month with all of my stats, graphs, etc.

May 1-28 50NL 6max + Full Ring Graph:


inb4 redline comments

+270.05
Bankroll: $3145.37

Just finished up a 3 hour PLO50 session. Ran about 4 buyins -EV and finished +4 buyins. Toward the end I took a 3 outer for stacks and a 2 outer in a 275bb pot, back to back. I closed up the games after that. At one point I was up 7 buyins. I have a few really interesting hands I will post when I get the HH's.

I know I should not be in these games without 100+ buyins. Currently I have about 60. They are sooooo soft though. I didn't see a single reg in 3 hours, 4 tabling. Mostly guys running 56/9 type hands. Simply waiting to draw to nut outs/freerolls seems like it would crush the games. The only issue I see is the rake.