Update: took a few days off but it doesn't help much. I am still mental down.
Still can't find to my A-Game and lost in the last Sessions again over 2.5k..Haven't had any one single session again, where I played good and solid poker. Down over 8k this month:

Have to stop it for sure now to get my mind free.
I ordered Jeff Hawkings 2nd book

I will study the game more. His first book help me alot and I hope the 2nd one will also help me to understand some PLO concepts deeper and to get a better theoretical approch to the game.
Hard work is coming outside the tables to get in my winning mode again.

Hwang's books are a bit outdated for today's PLO landscape so don't use all of his advice as the best way to get back to the winner's circle. Still has some solid fundamentals that you can put into action. Enjoy the book.

The third one is mostly hand examples and quiz style reading if memory serves me right.

Yeah you are right but his books are nice to read anyway. I have ordered another book from H. Okolowitz and W. Taschner "Mastering PLO - the modern aggressive approach". Made some study from my live game as well and wrote everything down. I have analysed my game so far and have figured out some key points:

1. My B-Game and my C-Game sucks. I am losing very quickly some buy-ins, if I am down because of that. I have to have some trigger like warning-signs at some point in my losing sessions and leave the table.

2. I play a high variance style overall. It explains my big winning sessions and also some of my big losing sessions so far. I am overconfident sometimes. I am pushing my equity in some spots, especially out of position too much and will get crushed too often by some tight nitty players by made hands. In some big pots where I lost, I have only about 30 to 35% equity and that is not that great.

3. I don't think too deep which hands will call/raise and push on the river in some spots, so I can easy fold my 2nd and 3rd nuts hands there. Even, if I have to fold top full house in some spots because only one hand that makes sense and beat me is quads.

4. Playing too many marginal hands and I often don't know when to stop with my aggression. Be aggressive is good but sometimes I am too aggressive and some people just waiting to play back at me with their strong hands.

5. My bluffs in some spots are not great. I have to be more aware of when to bluff and which player I can bluff. Especially, if the player is a thinking-player and can read my hands and my lines.

6. I lead out in some spots too often, have to be more balance here and play some c/c or c/r lines in some spots.

7. My turn play is still not great, and I am not very happy with my bets there overall. Either I bet too small and get raised or I bet without any idea. That is one of my biggest leaks in my game and I have to put hard work to fix this leak.

8. My riverplay could be better. Still calling to much there.

9. There are some better players right now at I don't have to play versus them too much if is not necessary. But I love the fight and that is not always good.

There are some points I am very proud of it:

1. My winnings overall are still over 8k. That is my first winning graph in 5 years over that long.


2. My bankrollmanagement is good so far. But 25k is still not much even in soft live games. Will feel better, if I have 50k to play.

3. My A-Game is getting better and better. If I am going to build my stack to 2k very quickly, I can run over the table and crush it. My confidence is very strong, if I am winning.

4. My edge over some weak players is getting bigger. Playing marginal spots is therefore not always bad is also good because I can handle some of the marginal situations better than most of the tight nits who play always the nuts every day over and over again.

5. My play in position is great. Most of the time I know when to bet there and when is better to check or give up. My checking/betting and raising range is well balanced. If my biggest leak is my play out of position right now where my lines are too unbalanced and weak, my biggest strength is my position play.

6. Study the game more deeply. Try to look at my sessions not only under the winning and losing aspect but more in a progress way to learn more every time I play and get a better player every day.

7. My overall view of the game is getting better and I know better where my winnings are coming from and know that I have to win some pots from the blinds, if I am calling too much there..

8. Have fun to play the game and enjoy the environment.

This is one of the most important. The game is supposed to be fun, I feel like we sometimes forget that as we get caught up in the winning and losing aspect of it all.

I recently started my own challenge, trying to build a roll and balance life as a dad. We'll see how that goes

@DinngusEgg Will follow you.
Back in action and back to solid poker again!
Update today:
Good and solid Session winnings: 1640€
Hit some nice flop like wrap and 2nd nut flushdraw on 9Tx flop with QJK6ds. Made a nice str8 flush on the turn and won a nice 1k pot.
Another nice hand was AQT9ds on J8x flop with flushdraw to the nuts.
Hit my nuts str8 on the turn and my flush on the river. It was a nice 700€ Pot.
Overall I am playing solid again and try to avoid playing big pots, if not really necesary. Some good regs could pick me on that and try to push me around but I don't care much right now. I am stay away and let them go.
The last 3 Sessions I am up about 5.2k€
Overall winnings now over 10k€ again.

Update live Session today.
Great run again. Winnings: 1870€
Hit some nice flops and played very well in position.Solid A-Game overall. Happy to come back and play well and strong again. Have learnt a lot from my mistakes in the downswing-periode and could fix some leaks in my game to come back stronger and better.
A interessting hand today was this one: Pot is 800€ and the board is A353 on the turn with 2 heart and two spade (spade for the backdoor flush). I was holding Ks4s6x and called the flop action in position with str8 draw and backdoorflush draw.
On turn it was checked to me and I pushed in with my entire stack of 540€.
A tight regular who check raised the flop, tanked for a while and called, the another guy folded.
River is a beautiful spade and I won a nice 1.8k pot. The guy holds also 2 spade and made a str8 on flop with 42xx.
My winning graph overall so far.


Ready for the weekend.

Update live Session Friday night.
Solid run for friday and solid A-Game again.The last weekend was very tought, so I am happy to book some winnings today: 875€ up and 5th winning Session in a row.
Table was very tight at the begin, so I was playing very loose and and could win some small pots but no one really has the intention to play back at me. Got a little bit lucky in some spots with KKxx against a solid tight regular and his AAxx.
Leave the tabel because of one guy who has position on me and who 3 bets me almost every hand.

Update Satarday live Session yesterday:
Satardays are always tought, the last 3 times I lost a lot..Bad table selection, bad luck and bad play. Yesterday it was a little better, I could managed to come back twice from 1.3k down and booked 190€ winnigs at the end.
I like my play now. LAG style works well and I mix it up with Small ball and try to creat my own style depend on my condition and players tendencies. There are only few players left in the pool, I still fighting to get a small edge..Rest of the players pool is weak tight and stay at the same level the whole time.

Update Sunday live Session.
It was a tough table with some strong players in there, but my gameplan works well in this enviroment. I was focus on position and aggression and was try to creat some tough situations for my opponents. My A-game is very strong right now, so I can make some moves here and there and semibluff some scarecards, where some of the tight opponents have hard time to call and to continue.
I managed to win a lot of ante pots (30 preflop ante from each players) where I hit some flops well, but also made some good play.
I some spots I pushed my equity a little too much and was a little bit unlucky to run into villians top range there. For example:
On 345A board with 2 hearts, I pushed in a 1k pot over a potsize bet from a ABC str8 forward villian. I with holding AQ52 (nutflushdraw + low str8 + top2 pair) but lost to a 67xx hand.
On another hand I won a nice pot with 998x on 956 Board where I bet/shoved over a solid villian, who was try to made some play here on this kind of board.
Winnings: 715€
This month so far: 5.7k
Overall winnings now 14k:

Tip from an ex high stakes plo pro:

- Stop ordering books, start doing the work yourself, there's so much out there right now.

- You need to learn how to play a shortstack even if you have no intention of ever using it yourself. You'll improve your winrate by being better at adjusting your ranges vs them. For example, blindly opening 50% of BTNs vs a shortstack is a sure way of lighting money on fire (no idea if you do this, but just to give an example).

- If you can't get yourself to study/analyze poker, then watch what other good players you are playing against are doing. Really think stuff through if they do stuff you wouldn't normally do. That might be a more fun way of improving for you, it's a bit more error prone because these good players could be making mistakes as well ofcourse.

Also aren't GG games v often filled with tons of shorties? There's no way you can win there while paying 15-20bb/100. That's just insanity.

Thanks!! Yeah you are right!

Short resume after 3 months of livepoker.
Overall winnings 9k€.
As a long time losing player (online) in the game, it is more, that I ever could imagine to win.
Its great, but I should be still realistic.
Yesterday, I played Omaha with 10/10 blinds for the first time. I shouldn't play that high, but I couldn't resist. I won 1k at this Session, but didn't play well and I was very dissapointed at some point with my game. Made some bad calls and some bad moves and get crushed in some spots very hard. Could come back from almost 4k, but It was not great at all.

Now its time to be very realistic with me, my game and my poker goals.
Its hard to say, but i still have some big issue with poker.
Its all about losings and how to handle the losing days.
After a good run at the begining of this month, I lost almost all of my winnings in the last few days, because of tilt issue.
Sure, I made some progress but thats not enough.
One day I feel, I can crush the tables. I feel very confident, I play solid A-Game and can run over all weak players with aggression and LAG-Style. That is great for sure but suddenly, I feel totally lost. I am out of focus and out of my zone.
I can't managed to lose in this game. Everytime, I feel confident at the start of the Session but after losing some pots, I get on tilt very quickly and throw away alot of my preview winnings in just few hours. thats hard and thats sucks.

My vacation is over and I will take a break now for sure to get my mind clear and get out of the poker bubble for some weeks.
Will focus on some other hobbys and my job where I have a good and stable income.

Back in action guys! Just took only a short break to recover from bad run and bad play and try to keep moving forward.
Booked today in my livepoker Session my biggest win ever: 6020€
Playing Omaha 10-20€ blinds. It was a private table in the local casino with 5 players and some good regs. I was hitting some boards very hard and got payed off my good hands.
Could double up my stack with AAJ9 preflop against 9TJQds. It was nice 5.3k pot.
Another nice hand was with KKQ8ss. I called a raise preflop and called the c-bet on Qxx flop. Turn: 8 Could win with my top2 pair a nice 1.7k pot.
Good run and good play!
This is my graph for this month:


Keep fighting!! Up again!

Wow, that was quick!!! ;-)))

From "I played 10/10 for the first time in my life" to "played 10/20 yesterday", from it's to high for me, bad play yada yada ... 5 regs, but i crushed it, great play ...

You are some serious Dr. Jekyll-Mr. Hyde type of guy buddy.

I'll refrain myself from commenting anything serious about your play or other decisions and read this thread from now on for entertainment purposes only.

Keep up the good work, great job!

@chad
No one need to take it serious what I write about poker. I am not a serious player, I am not a pro and I will never be one. I just don't have the right mindset. I know that. I write today this and tommorow another thing about the game and It is ok. You can read it or not, who cares?
I make some steps in the right direction but another day I make some steps back and tomorrow I will stay at the same startpoint like three months before. Some good guys give me here some good advice but I know: its just advice and if I play I don't follow it.
I follow only my instincts. Its the only way for me I can play this game. Not by reading some books, watching some videos and follow some GTO advice.
My instincs are great some days and I can crush the tables make some crazy plays, crazy bluffs and crazy calls...I love it its a great feeling!! But another day my instincts are crappy, I will get burn alive, get crushed and push down to the ground. Thats ok.
I will come another day and play again!
I will play tough opponents at 10/20 and I am not running away. I am not folding hands if I am up...
Poker is a big fight for me not only against opponents, more against me and myself.
Against my weakness, my fears, my doubts.
Someday I feel like the best player and there is no chance someone can win against me!!
But another day I feel like the worst player...
Maybe I am dreaming and poker is a big illusion but you know what?
I love it!

I congratulate you for being honest.
But, again, my question stands:
If all what you say is true, then why discuss this in a Poker strategy forum?
You better talk to a psychologist (and I mean no offense here), but for what you describe a professional in that area might be the better person to talk to.

Am I wrong?

Update livepoker Session today.
My 2nd biggest day-win ever: 5210€ (10/10 blind).
Also won my biggest pot ever. It was a 7k pot with topset on draw heavy board against a very loose aggro guy. We run it twice and I won it twice.
Also was playing very strong against some tough opponents, who made my life difficult in the last copuple of days.
Futhermore made one of my sickest laydown ever with AJJx on J83A board after got raised pot on turn from a super nit.
I think I will only get raised here with top set from this kind of player...I was protecting also my stack here in this spot, what I should do more often in the past.
So it was not a big deal to fold the best hand here and wait for a better spot..and I was doing it right.One hour later I could won the 7k pot with my healty 3.5k stack
It was my last Session for this month. After a good start,I had some trouble playing good and had some bad Sessions, where I was tilting alot and playing bad. But could comeback and made a good run in the last couple of Sessions.
August was my 2nd best month ever!
Still alot of work to do to get better and play stronger, but I am on my way!

Congrats on the 2nd best month ever! The AJJx fold is pretty sick, how deep were you?

Thanks!
The nit guys has a stack around 2.5k I had a stack around 4.5k before the hand started.
I put him at AA at the moment but after some consideration later he could have AJ with some bd str8draw and bdfd also. For 100BB is a easy snap call but for 250BB I was not sure here about the call...
At best I had 70% equity here, at worst 0%...and I was looking to protect my stack atm because there was a loose aggro guy at the table and I had position on him! So I am happy about my fold here and my play yesterday. It was one of my A-Game days, where I can run over the table and crush it.
Hope to get better in my B and C-Game where I suck atm.
This is one of my goals for improvment to handle better the bad days and not lose too much there...

Hi Guys, some updates.
Livepoker:
Still going well and I can make some steps forward.
After my trouble weeks there, I could find a way to be more in controll at the table and not tilting around. Enjoy playing 10-10€ blinds atm and feel very confident there. Can stand the pressure and going to fight, if necessary. Have still some room to improve. My poker-mindset is not that great, but I know that and I try to not think much about it. Some people start talking some bs*** to me and try to find a way to get my out of the comfortzone, but I don't care what they think and try to focus on my game..
Some people like me and some dislike me thats all...

Onlinepoker:
Have started playing online today at Partypoker again. Was playing PLO1k for the first time and won my biggest PLO-pot ever:
Here we go:


Here my graph for today blinds from 0.5 -1$ to 5-10$:

damn you moved up to the highstakes pretty fast

btw, did yo finish the mental game of poker book?

@Gerundol0
Just take some shots at 1k. Can't play smallstakes anymore, if I am winning live some 4k pots, I can't play for 50$ online. Its not working.
I have finished reading the book and it helps me a little bit. Still have a long way to go, to be more stable in my mind and get the right mindset for poker...Poker is one of the sickest and toughest competitions for me.
Update online:
Running good online sofar. Playing PLO200 as my standard level and take some shots at PLO1k.
Here some interessting hands from my Session today:
Standard CC in position and standard shove on this flop, I guess.
[converted_hand][hand_history]PartyGaming - $2 PL Hi (6 max) - Omaha Hi - 5 players
Hand converted by Holdem Manager 3

SB: $691.20 (345.6 bb)
BB: $200.00 (100 bb)
UTG: $455.82 (227.9 bb)
CO: $356.06 (178 bb)
Hero (BTN): $419.47 (209.7 bb)

5 players post ante of $0.20, SB posts $1.00, BB posts $2.00

Pre Flop: (pot: $4.00) Hero has :7h: :7c: :6s: :5s:
fold, CO raises to $8.00, Hero calls $8.00, 2 folds

Flop: ($20.00, 2 players) :7d: :2d: :3h:
CO bets $14.25, Hero raises to $61.75, CO raises to $204.25, Hero raises to $411.27, CO calls $143.61

Turn: ($715.72, 2 players) :3s:

River: ($715.72, 2 players) :5c:

Results: $715.72 pot ($3.00 rake)
Final Board: :7d: :2d: :3h: :3s: :5c:

CO mucks :4c: :6h: :2c: :5h:: (Straight, Seven High)
(Pre 32%, Flop 35%, Turn 0%)

Hero shows :7h: :7c: :6s: :5s:: (Full House, Sevens full of Threes)
(Pre 68%, Flop 65%, Turn 100%)

Hero wins $712.72

Villian is an aggro donk and was raising almost every hand. Nice turn




Standard rivercall I guess, Villian was try to rep a FH there...


Nice turn to shove here



Nothing to do here:

[converted_hand][hand_history]PartyGaming - $2 PL Hi (6 max) - Omaha Hi - 5 players
Hand converted by Holdem Manager 3

BB: $256.96 (128.5 bb)
UTG: $219.97 (110 bb)
CO: $145.32 (72.7 bb)
Hero (BTN): $206.35 (103.2 bb)
SB: $208.31 (104.2 bb)

SB posts $1.00, BB posts $2.00

Pre Flop: (pot: $3.00) Hero has :8c: :Kh: :Kd: :6h:
fold, CO raises to $6.00, Hero raises to $21.00, SB raises to $71.00, 2 folds, Hero calls $50.00

Flop: ($150.00, 2 players) :Jh: :6s: :5h:
SB bets $136.00, Hero calls $135.35

Turn: ($420.70, 2 players) :Ac:

River: ($420.70, 2 players) :2s:

Results: $420.70 pot ($3.00 rake)
Final Board: :Jh: :6s: :5h: :Ac: :2s:

Hero mucks :8c: :Kh: :Kd: :6h:: (One Pair, Kings)
(Pre 50%, Flop 40%, Turn 10%)

SB shows :Ah: :8h: :Qd: :Jd:: (Two Pair, Aces and Jacks)
(Pre 50%, Flop 60%, Turn 90%)

SB wins $417.70

Nothing to do:


My graph so far this week (all stakes)

In before crash and burn. If it wasn't for Paisting, this might be the most delusional P&G.

I am not delusional about it...
I know most of my leaks but I don' t give up, because some people think I will burn and go broke. Maybe its true: I will go broke some day like many times before.
I was broke many times, I have crushed my online bankroll in just one night several times, I was tilting and went broke..
But now I have some bankroll to play: 5k online and 20k for livepoker. My 1k shots online are not good, I know that and know my BRM is still one of my biggest leaks, but I have made some progress there.
In livepoker I have some decent results this year and think I am not a fish there who give money away..I know some of play is very questionable but yeah thats me..One step forward and two steps back: thats my way in poker...

Update online:
Nice run at PLO200 online so far this week. Very happy with my play and my stats:


Here some hands from my Session today:
Easy shove on this flop. 40/60


Nice one:



Nice run out:


Easy turnfold I guess. I think I played this hand ok.


Should fold on the river but Villian is super aggro..
PartyGaming - $2 PL Hi (6 max) - Omaha Hi - 6 players
Hand converted by Holdem Manager 3

MP: $140.32 (70.2 bb)
CO: $307.02 (153.5 bb)
Hero (BTN): $200.00 (100 bb)
SB: $234.00 (117 bb)
BB: $1,352.53 (676.3 bb)
UTG: $200.00 (100 bb)

SB posts $1.00, BB posts $2.00

Pre Flop: (pot: $3.00) Hero has :3h: :Jd: :Ks: :Jh:
2 folds, CO calls $2.00, Hero calls $2.00, fold, BB raises to $9.00, CO calls $7.00, Hero calls $7.00

Flop: ($28.00, 3 players) :Kh: :Qs: :9h:
BB checks, CO checks, Hero bets $17.00, BB calls $17.00, fold

Turn: ($62.00, 2 players) :4d:
BB checks, Hero bets $44.25, BB calls $44.25

River: ($150.50, 2 players) :2h:
BB bets $55.00, Hero calls $55.00

Results: $260.50 pot ($3.00 rake)
Final Board: :Kh: :Qs: :9h: :4d: :2h:

Hero mucks :3h: :Jd: :Ks: :Jh:: (Flush, King High)
(Pre 48%, Flop 18%, Turn 13%)

BB shows :Kd: :Ah: :9d: :6h:: (Flush, Ace High)
(Pre 52%, Flop 82%, Turn 88%)

BB wins $257.50