Merry Christmas eve everybody!

I have decided to do a thread like this to document my success and as a way of improving/reaching out to the poker community, as despite playing for a long time, I have never really got out of the bottom levels. There is only so much I can gain as a lone ranger so I'm going to try this out alongside my usual study.

My long-term goal is to crush the microstakes and be able to build my bankroll and develop my ability to play Poker as a whole. My game of choice is NL Holdem 6 max.

Goals

1. Play 1 Million hands of Poker in 2018
2. Study in some form for an hour a day (schedule permitting)
3. Use this thread to update progress and post hands/discuss my thought process.
4. To focus more on networking and getting friends in the community with similar goals, alongside a study group
5. Progress to nl50 using a fairly conservative strategy and get a positive winrate.
6. Become proficient at using HM2 and the HUD to improve my game and decisions.

Number 5 of course is more results-orientated of course but it's nice to have a goal.

I will delay the beginning of this until Mid-January as I will be going Thailand for two weeks. This next few weeks will not be wasted however. I have my pre-Thailand goals which will set me up to a good start next year:

1. Memorise my preflop opening ranges so they are automatic
2. Set up a Skype, email and 2+2 accounts (DONE!)
3. Get DeucesCracked membership (When I get back)
4. Post a thread on 2+2 (DONE!)
5. Get 5 Poker buddies on Skype/email (Help me out guys!)
6. Gather a done of resources to learn from (working progress)
7. Spend hours learning how to use HM2 and the HUD. Learn to conduct effective session reviews etc.
8. Figure out how I want to mark players based on how they play.

Comments and questions are more than welcomed. I have opened a new email address and a Skype to allow myself to keep Poker discussions separate:

- jcgrind05@gmail.com

Feel free to be in touch by email or add me on Skype if you have/want to make a microstakes study group or talk poker with me.

That's all for now, I will be posting my thoughts as and when I feel like it to see what you have to say.

Wish me luck!

Quick update!:

- I am starting with $126. I started a less organised challenge where I went from 100 to as high as 180 and then an tilted attempt at nl5 brought me back down to 126. I have a number of hands on HM2 already.

The bankroll management strategy I intend to go for is the following:

Nl2: Where I start
Nl5: Take a 4 BI shot at $150 (30 BI)
Nl10: Take a 4 BI shot at $400 (40 BI)
Nl16: Take a 4 BI shot at $800 (50 BI)
Nl 25: Take a 4 BI shot at $1250 (50 BI)

Establish a solid winrate at nl25 before moving on.

I'll keep you posted guys

GL. nitty bankroll mngt but good if you aren't comfortable with switching up and down stakes which is frustrating, but so is grinding out limits like this imo. Whatever works for you obv.

Thanks a lot, downswings affect my play if it's too high % of my bankroll. Happy to grind and play enough to know I've beat a level solidly.

GL to you

Okay guys! I'm back and ready to go!

I have worked on many of the things above and will continue to. My plans /goals might change but here and now here are my intentions:

1. To play two hours a day minimum, starting off on a small number of tables to focus, steadily increase as and when.

2. conduct sessions reviews, alongside weekly and monthly reviews

3. Spend at least one hour a day studying Poker, through books, videos and articles.

4. Keep reaching out to Poker buddies and join a study group (help?)

I will ask separate strategy-based questions elsewhere but I will update this with my progress and thoughts.

Take care guys!

Good luck buddy

Day 1 - Feb 3rd 2018

Okay guys, session 1 of my challenge and here are the results:


Hands: 980
Net: -$2.61
BB/100: -13.32
Bankroll: $121.77
Total net: -$2.61

So a negative start, I was down around this much for most of it, clawed it back slowly, only to have this hand happen...

***** Hand History for Game 1111111111 ***** (Poker Stars)
$2.00 USD NL Texas Hold'em - Saturday, February 03, 12:02:57 ET 2018
Table Etamin II (Real Money)
Seat 3 is the button
Seat 1: Player1 ( $2.00 USD ) - VPIP: 23, PFR: 16, 3B: 3, AF: 2.0, Hands: 82
Seat 2: Hero ( $4.59 USD ) - VPIP: 18, PFR: 14, 3B: 4, AF: 5.4, Hands: 980
Seat 3: Player3 ( $2.25 USD ) - VPIP: 77, PFR: 10, 3B: 0, AF: 1.3, Hands: 30
Seat 5: Player5 ( $2.18 USD ) - VPIP: 24, PFR: 16, 3B: 0, AF: 1.5, Hands: 38
Seat 6: Player6 ( $0.63 USD ) - VPIP: 41, PFR: 14, 3B: 8, AF: 3.2, Hands: 29
Player5 posts small blind [$0.01 USD].
Player6 posts big blind [$0.02 USD].
** Dealing down cards **
Dealt to Hero [ 8s 8c ]
Player1 raises [$0.06 USD]
Hero calls [$0.06 USD]
Player3 calls [$0.06 USD]
Player5 calls [$0.05 USD]
Player6 calls [$0.04 USD]
** Dealing Flop ** [ 7h, 7s, 7d ]
Player5 checks
Player6 bets [$0.02 USD]
Player1 calls [$0.02 USD]
Hero raises [$0.25 USD]
Player3 raises [$0.48 USD]
Player5 folds
Player6 folds
Player1 folds
Hero calls [$0.23 USD]
** Dealing Turn ** [ 2c ]
Hero checks
Player3 bets [$1.24 USD]
Hero raises [$2.86 USD]
Player3 calls [$0.47 USD]
Hero wins $1.15 USD
** Dealing River ** [ 2d ]
Hero shows [8s, 8c ]
Player3 shows [4d, 7c ]
Player3 wins $4.55 USD from main pot


Yes, I feel slightly silly for this donkey shove. I felt a bit lost, it's difficult to expect quads anytime in this situation, but I kinda expected an overpair and shoved anyway.

Struggling to find the best line though, what can I do here? Is this an easy lay down? A call would be delaying the inevitable.


I played 4 tables, I can play much more but while I'm focusing on studying and using the HUD I'm gonna keep it more chilled. Working on how to properly review my play, everything is a work-in progress.


Here's to the long road ahead!

Honestly, if you are making mistakes like the one above, I doubt you could play more tables. At least not successfully. I wouldn't play more than 4 regular or 2 Zoom tables until you have an airtight basic strategy.

The 2 things at the top of the list for the basic strategy should be no tilt and no spew. These 2 will kill your win rate before you even get started.

Good luck!

use hand converter

preflop is good obv
When MP who has range advantage as the preflop raiser calls the min donk on the flop, raising is good to deny equity from 2 overs in a family pot ie hand is ultra vulnerable to a lot/most turns. When the whale raises us and the rest fold we should fold right there. How likely is he to bluff? will he raise with a worse value hand?

Day 2:

Another losing day on the tables guys but there's hope... I've spent hours studying and have been sent a great book by somebody on Skype... The Grinders Manual, very thorough and detailed and explains the 'why?', I've read the section on C-Betting and will read it all eventually.

I have decided to break my study down into weeks, focusing on one specific topic a week and really hammering it daily and incorporating it in my game. This week is C-betting. I feel like my understanding has increased on it already.

Results!

Hands: 1741
Net: -4.51
BB/100: -20.56
Bankroll: $117.20
Total net: -$7.16

No session review today and therefore no hands. I'm still looking into how to conduct them properly.

The hope is that I start to string some winning sessions together but my mind is firmly set on improving and committing to the process first and foremost.

Guys! I've survived two days! If I lose, I keep learning, if I lose more, I keep learning! If I lose my bankroll, I reload and keep learning!

Take care

Usually in these spots where i don't know what their min-raising range is i just give them half of worse value hand combos coz of the point i mentioned i guess but all 7x combos, and if the combos are just close to being enough ill just fold it obv this situation not folding flop even if he is playing as wide as 74o.

There are 3 other players behind, 4 including us. better overpairs and quads out there, and 2 overs with good equity we are in bad shape. Can have some worse boats ofc

Day 3

Small sessions of around 350 hands yesterday due to internet issues. I'm playing two tables at a time to really consider the C-Betting and trying to expand my in-game mind. It went well I caught a strange bluff for a full stack which I will look for on my next review.

Total hands: 2056
net: $3.66
BB/100: -8.51
Bankroll: 120.71
Total net: -3.50

Same again today, think through every decision, two tables. I have always been obsessed with volume and I am glad my attitude has changed. Learning and studying will now be my primary aim.

Day 4

3/4 losing sessions so far! Not to worry, I have studied a lot and feel noticeably more confident and comfortable in my C-betting game. The loss can be boiled down to a silly call-off.

I've noticed a MASSIVE leak in my game, my WTSD is 18.5%, which I've learnt from this book is super nit territory.

I know, I know. I think focusing on being the action giver has led to me neglecting receiving the action. My call fold Cbet is also insanely low. My aim is to float more and not give up just because I'm not PFR.

The results will come...

Hands: 2468
BB/100: 10.72
Bankroll: $118.85
Total Net: -$5.29

In the meantime, I am a lone ranger at the moment and would love a group, or just buddies to talk things through with.

Keep going guys!

Day 4/5

I have had another couple of losing sessions, I have been a fair way up during parts of them but settled lower than I started. I was back in the positive at one point. I find myself making okay decisions and then tilting off a stack or two where I've just 'went for it' as opposed to accepting I'm probably behind.

hands: 3914
BB/100: 10.72
Bakroll: 115.37
Total Net: -8.68

As I have said before, I have developed an ability not to be as results-orientated. I am actively focusing on making the right decisions and playing my cards right. If these results over such a tiny sample do reflect my genuine ability then that's fine by me, I will have plenty of time to recoup losses when I get there.

Staying positive, will start to make an effort to post more hands. Back to studying!

Post hands in micro - small stakes section over there \< for discussion