YULETIDE GLORY AND SONG SHALL BRING YOU ALL YOUR POKER DREAMS THIS MONTH SO DANCE A MERRY JIG

tis the season to be grinding

November:



birday sweated me at around 5.5k hands, and went on a ridiculous heater after that. if anyone needs some rungood consult the king himself and profit $$$

December:
[]50nl shot
[]1k tourney score
[]moar volume
[]xmas turkeys

Non use of capitals in the title just makes this thread look kinda dull

I'm not sure if the BB part should be capitalised (can probably go either way) but 'thread' certainly shouldn't. I got in early this time so I could call it beginners' rather than beginner's.

I did notice you'd got that bit right at least. Bit of a grammar nazi though.

How's the Digest going btw?

Just waiting for people to send me articles. Then I need to read them through, write a quick relevant editorial and come up with some ****ty artwork. Might try and do a crossword too. It should be out within a few days. As it's the first one back, I'm going to try and do a couple of 'audience interaction' things, but those will need to wait until the second issue.

Awesome, look forward to it. If you need any help with the proof reading or anything else just gimme a shout

Didn't ask me for anything so you can' SUCK MY willy pls

November was not great for me:

This is 25nl, down to 10nl, then a tiny bit of 16nl at the end



Basically played badly/downswong at 25nl Zoom, then reg tables, so moved down to find my mojo again despite still being rolled for 25nl in theory. No massive losing days in there, -3BIs was my worst (getting better at quitting), but mixed in with a few -2BI days and suddenly your roll looks pretty thin. I know I've got it in me (hell i used to play these stakes before!) so still confident.

Last half of the month I did two things. Started watching some DC vids again, and went over the Thin Red Grind series by Grindcore, which is excellent and get's you thinking about the game, and particularly your opponents range. Can't recommend it highly enough.

Also found as much info as I could on using HM2 for leakfinding and spent a few days going through my DB. It's amazing what you find and I'd highly recommend everyone does this at least once every month or two depending on your volume. Turns out I'm OK preflop (3 trouble hands for me are KQo, AQo and ATs fwiw) but funnily enough I'm not great on the river. Partly I've made some bad decisions, but think I'm also getting there with too weak a range, so working back from there at the mo.

So, goals for Dec:
[ ] Exercise in some way every day
[ ] Concentrate on playing my A game and recognise when I'm not and quit
[ ] Watch one video per week
[ ] Read more threads in LLSNL
[ ] Get to the casino at least twice to lol liveaments
[ ] Eat and drink too much at Christmas ldo!

Good luck one and all

Correct would be Beginners' Bankroll Thread™

Can it be MODified?

Mods are known to be power-hungry and abusive with their powers. There is nothing they can't or wont do.

Setting up a trend here. One winning month one losing month



Didn't tilt much at all despite running terrible all throughout the month. So big improvements there.

November goals
[x] 10k VPP - 10,500 on track for SN
[x] read TMGP2 and start another book.

December goals
[ ] 14.5k VPP - finish SN
[ ] read Applications of NLHE and start another book.

good luck everyone

Got basically none of my goals completed from last month.

1. 20% done with EHUNL
2. Decided to switch from 5NLHU to $5.25 HUSNGs. The rake + getting hit and run is tough to muscle through, and HUSNGs are soooooo soft.
2a. This lead me to the complimentary decision to study population tendencies, upon which I decided to build a new computer since my current one blows due to the fact that it was purchased in '08.
3. I did manage to start my live cash grinding today. Kinda tl;dr so I'll put it in a spoiler



4. I didn't get to try to meet up with dgiharris while he was at the Commerce, sadly. I would've gladly been his rail bitch if he permitted and if I didn't have time restraints on my schedule

I played 1143 combined hands of HUSNG and 5NLHU...netting -$0.01.

Second consecutive +EV month, climbing out of the downswing. 2-tabled zoom mostly for the maximum focus.

December goals:
[ ] Hit 200$ and start 10nl
[ ] More volume
[ ] Finish courses and enjoy holidays.

Goals are:

[ ] Finish Harrington on Online Cash.
[ ] Make $120 at 4nl which would allow me to start 10nl.

Goals from last month:

[x] Crush souls - I profited and shipped my first ever MTT so I'm counting this completed.
[x] Maintain GoldStar
[ ] Download and read Applications of No Limit - couldn't find a download. Waiting for Christmas now but to be honest I doubt my poker-hating parents will go for it, but I don't want to get it in advance as I've asked for it.
[x] Consider range construction on flops as PFR more. Definitely been shifting hands around my ranges a bunch while thinking about it. Ran a couple of simulations to estimate the % I need to call down when my range is capped (when one's range is capped and against an uncapped range it's best to attempt to be unexploitable rather than attempt to exploit because the latter is going to be really tough without sick reads), and realised a couple of spots where I had problems with this where I was only calling down <10% of my range.

Played my first session back at 50NL today. Didn't seem much harder than 25NL but I might've got a skewed sample (it is Sunday after all). Also helps that I ran well - 500 hands, +3BI.

Hands:

1) Looking back I think the river bet is too thin.

PokerStars - $0.50 NL FAST (6 max) - Holdem - 6 players
Hand converted by PokerTracker 4

BTN: $53.30 (VPIP: 0.00, PFR: 0.00, 3Bet Preflop: 0.00, Hands: 1)
Hero (SB): $71.60
BB: $57.21 (VPIP: 17.52, PFR: 15.52, 3Bet Preflop: 6.25, Hands: 460)
UTG: $50.50 (VPIP: 10.34, PFR: 6.90, 3Bet Preflop: 0.00, Hands: 30)
MP: $57.98 (VPIP: 0.00, PFR: 0.00, 3Bet Preflop: 0.00, Hands: 3)
CO: $134.15

Hero posts SB $0.25, BB posts BB $0.50

Pre Flop: (pot: $0.75) Hero has K J

fold, MP raises to $1.50, fold, fold, Hero raises to $5.00, fold, MP calls $3.50

Flop: ($10.50, 2 players) 9 3 J
Hero bets $6.61, MP calls $6.61

Turn: ($23.72, 2 players) Q
Hero checks, MP checks

River: ($23.72, 2 players) 4
Hero bets $12.00, fold

Hero wins $22.65



2) Call this against a reggish villain? Just worried that he has a bunch of Ax in his range and not much else.

PokerStars - $0.50 NL FAST (6 max) - Holdem - 6 players
Hand converted by PokerTracker 4

BTN: $33.19 (VPIP: 28.21, PFR: 16.67, 3Bet Preflop: 6.45, Hands: 78)
SB: $10.50 (VPIP: 30.77, PFR: 25.00, 3Bet Preflop: 8.33, Hands: 52)
Hero (BB): $82.64
UTG: $56.89 (VPIP: 29.11, PFR: 18.99, 3Bet Preflop: 3.13, Hands: 79)
MP: $104.30 (VPIP: 25.00, PFR: 25.00, 3Bet Preflop: 0.00, Hands: 8)
CO: $94.80 (VPIP: 18.90, PFR: 14.63, 3Bet Preflop: 6.11, Hands: 336)

SB posts SB $0.25, Hero posts BB $0.50

Pre Flop: (pot: $0.75) Hero has Q K

fold, fold, fold, fold, SB raises to $10.50 and is all-in, fold

SB wins $1.00



3) Don't know why I don't just shove the turn. Don't think I can fold the river considering we can both have bluffs here and he can even be going for super-thin value with AJ or something.

PokerStars - $0.50 NL FAST (6 max) - Holdem - 6 players
Hand converted by PokerTracker 4

BTN: $50.00 (VPIP: 20.51, PFR: 18.80, 3Bet Preflop: 4.76, Hands: 119)
SB: $50.00 (VPIP: 22.00, PFR: 14.00, 3Bet Preflop: 4.55, Hands: 51)
BB: $38.31 (VPIP: 0.00, PFR: 0.00, 3Bet Preflop: -, Hands: 2)
UTG: $25.47 (VPIP: 15.88, PFR: 15.42, 3Bet Preflop: 10.34, Hands: 633)
MP: $87.19 (VPIP: 22.00, PFR: 20.00, 3Bet Preflop: 5.36, Hands: 156)
Hero (CO): $75.14

SB posts SB $0.25, BB posts BB $0.50

Pre Flop: (pot: $0.75) Hero has Q A

fold, fold, Hero raises to $1.50, BTN calls $1.50, fold, BB raises to $6.00, Hero calls $4.50, BTN calls $4.50

Flop: ($18.25, 3 players) 5 A 6
BB checks, Hero bets $9.58, BTN calls $9.58, fold

Turn: ($37.41, 2 players) 6
Hero checks, BTN checks

River: ($37.41, 2 players) 5
Hero bets $17.00, BTN raises to $34.42 and is all-in, Hero calls $17.42

BTN shows 6 6 (Four of a Kind, Sixes) (Pre 55%, Flop 95%, Turn 100%)
Hero shows Q A (Two Pair, Aces and Sixes) (Pre 45%, Flop 5%, Turn 0%)
BTN wins $103.75


4) Think x/r river is probably better than my line but I also don't think he's raising wide enough to make betting a standard size better.

PokerStars - $0.50 NL FAST (6 max) - Holdem - 6 players
Hand converted by PokerTracker 4

BTN: $40.74
SB: $137.50 (VPIP: 42.86, PFR: 28.57, 3Bet Preflop: 0.00, Hands: 8)
BB: $60.37 (VPIP: 25.00, PFR: 15.00, 3Bet Preflop: 0.00, Hands: 62)
UTG: $27.10 (VPIP: 28.81, PFR: 11.86, 3Bet Preflop: 4.00, Hands: 123)
MP: $51.35 (VPIP: 31.90, PFR: 26.72, 3Bet Preflop: 6.98, Hands: 120)
Hero (CO): $102.88

SB posts SB $0.25, BB posts BB $0.50

Pre Flop: (pot: $0.75) Hero has Q J

UTG calls $0.50, fold, Hero raises to $2.00, BTN calls $2.00, fold, fold, fold

Flop: ($5.25, 2 players) Q T 9
Hero bets $3.30, BTN calls $3.30

Turn: ($11.85, 2 players) Q
Hero bets $7.47, BTN calls $7.47

River: ($26.79, 2 players) J
Hero bets $90.11 and is all-in, fold

Hero wins $25.58


5) Felt like a nit checking back this river. Should I be vbetting?

PokerStars - $0.50 NL FAST (6 max) - Holdem - 6 players
Hand converted by PokerTracker 4

BTN: $50.00 (VPIP: 12.50, PFR: 12.50, 3Bet Preflop: 11.11, Hands: 17)
SB: $56.11 (VPIP: 20.26, PFR: 17.24, 3Bet Preflop: 7.78, Hands: 241)
BB: $33.60 (VPIP: 11.11, PFR: 0.00, 3Bet Preflop: 0.00, Hands: 9)
UTG: $63.50 (VPIP: 19.27, PFR: 11.01, 3Bet Preflop: 4.65, Hands: 116)
MP: $59.83 (VPIP: 21.43, PFR: 14.29, 3Bet Preflop: 16.67, Hands: 15)
Hero (CO): $59.91

SB posts SB $0.25, BB posts BB $0.50

Pre Flop: (pot: $0.75) Hero has Q A

fold, fold, Hero raises to $1.50, fold, SB raises to $4.50, fold, Hero calls $3.00

Flop: ($9.50, 2 players) J A 6
SB bets $5.00, Hero calls $5.00

Turn: ($19.50, 2 players) 5
SB checks, Hero bets $10.24, SB calls $10.24

River: ($39.98, 2 players) K
SB checks, Hero checks

SB shows Q Q (One Pair, Queens) (Pre 70%, Flop 10%, Turn 2%)
Hero shows Q A (One Pair, Aces) (Pre 30%, Flop 90%, Turn 98%)
Hero wins $38.18




6) Expect to get it in flipping or ahead most of the time here. Guess BB must've been a frequent squeezer.

PokerStars - $0.50 NL FAST (6 max) - Holdem - 6 players
Hand converted by PokerTracker 4

BTN: $49.68 (VPIP: 20.83, PFR: 12.50, 3Bet Preflop: 8.33, Hands: 49)
Hero (SB): $50.00
BB: $25.50 (VPIP: 15.56, PFR: 14.07, 3Bet Preflop: 7.14, Hands: 141)
UTG: $104.26 (VPIP: 27.97, PFR: 13.56, 3Bet Preflop: 9.38, Hands: 120)
MP: $50.60 (VPIP: 27.71, PFR: 16.87, 3Bet Preflop: 9.38, Hands: 83)
CO: $13.19 (VPIP: 14.29, PFR: 14.29, 3Bet Preflop: 0.00, Hands: 7)

Hero posts SB $0.25, BB posts BB $0.50

Pre Flop: (pot: $0.75) Hero has J J

fold, fold, CO raises to $1.50, BTN calls $1.50, Hero raises to $6.50, fold, fold, BTN raises to $13.50, Hero raises to $50.00 and is all-in, BTN calls $36.18 and is all-in

Flop: ($101.36, 2 players) K Q 7

Turn: ($101.36, 2 players) 9

River: ($101.36, 2 players) 3

Hero shows J J (One Pair, Jacks) (Pre 19%, Flop 9%, Turn 9%)
BTN shows A A (One Pair, Aces) (Pre 81%, Flop 91%, Turn 91%)
BTN wins $98.86



7) Really not sure about this hand. Flop xb is because my UTG range should look strong so I don't get action from much worse, but I'm not sure if I should be raising the turn. The thing is I don't have a turn bluffraise range here but I'm not sure if that should matter? River is a bluff, but my sizing's horrible. Figured he was mostly capped to Kx with a few flushes here and there and I can rep AK and backdoor flushes decently (I certainly have more than he does). Think my sizing's too small to fold out Kx though, he doesn't have many 8x and I'm ahead of the rest of his betting range, so IMO sizing bigger > fold > call > this size.

PokerStars - $0.50 NL FAST (6 max) - Holdem - 6 players
Hand converted by PokerTracker 4

BTN: $21.64 (VPIP: 23.35, PFR: 17.86, 3Bet Preflop: 10.27, Hands: 370)
SB: $72.49 (VPIP: 17.12, PFR: 11.71, 3Bet Preflop: 0.00, Hands: 114)
BB: $74.59 (VPIP: 0.00, PFR: 0.00, 3Bet Preflop: 0.00, Hands: 7)
Hero (UTG): $67.77
MP: $43.21 (VPIP: 57.14, PFR: 28.57, 3Bet Preflop: 33.33, Hands: 7)
CO: $36.16 (VPIP: 22.22, PFR: 11.11, 3Bet Preflop: 0.00, Hands: 9)

SB posts SB $0.25, BB posts BB $0.50

Pre Flop: (pot: $0.75) Hero has Q J

Hero raises to $1.75, fold, fold, fold, fold, BB calls $1.25

Flop: ($3.75, 2 players) Q 9 6
BB checks, Hero checks

Turn: ($3.75, 2 players) J
BB bets $2.50, Hero calls $2.50

River: ($8.75, 2 players) T
BB bets $5.50, Hero raises to $13.50, fold

Hero wins $18.86

I feel like a super nit for folding and playing this way but i've turned by winrate around by playing more passive and folding more. Is this an exception? Can we call turn and hope that villain shows up with AQ, KJ or something?

PokerStars - $0.05 NL FAST (6 max) - Holdem - 6 players
Hand converted by PokerTracker 4

Hero (BTN): $5.00
SB: $5.30 (VPIP: 0.00, PFR: 0.00, 3Bet Preflop: -, Hands: 1)
BB: $20.37 (VPIP: 0.00, PFR: 0.00, 3Bet Preflop: 0.00, Hands: 6)
UTG: $2.28 (VPIP: 0.00, PFR: 0.00, 3Bet Preflop: 0.00, Hands: 3)
MP: $4.83 (VPIP: 33.33, PFR: 33.33, 3Bet Preflop: 0.00, Hands: 6)
CO: $6.09

SB posts SB $0.02, BB posts BB $0.05

Pre Flop: (pot: $0.07) Hero has A K

fold, fold, CO raises to $0.15, Hero raises to $0.45, fold, fold, CO calls $0.30

Flop: ($0.97, 2 players) 5 8 4
CO checks, Hero checks

Turn: ($0.97, 2 players) 4
CO bets $0.50, fold

@Fishtankz, if you're checking flop then giving up to turn bet is good as his range is uncapped and he can bet all PPs for value here

@TDA - glad to see you move up mate, best of luck (stop posting results ldo!)
My thoughts:
H1 - I think bet smaller OTR to get a call from TT or 9x
H2 - I just fold for reasons you gave, suited I prob call tho just as we have blockers to some of his Axs type hands
H3 - Agree for turn shove. Bet smaller OTF for 3 streets, or set up flop sizing for turn shove. As played I'd be surprised if villain shoves riv with worse Aces tbh (does he have many combos of Ax here anyway? Maybe 4 - thinking AJs/ATs?), altho my perspective is obv micro based but he can have 5s and 6s in his range still given PF action and position
H4 - Agree with x/r. If he's not betting riv with any hand that calls down to riv he's a NIT and you can get a good read on him anyway
H5 - Obv line from reg is obv
H6 - Unlucky, good note to have tho. CO could be very tight also, or villain has adjusted to aggro villains and expects a squeeze often enough in this spot
H7 - Don't like it tbh, especially against an unknown tight player who's range is not capped (as per JJ hand above). Don't think raising is necessary here, esp turning top 2 into a bluff against a villain you have no reads on. This is not the bottom of our calling range. I'd want some good info before expecting anyone to fold Kx here too btw, it's still the micros after all!

Dec goal:
[ ] Reach 5/5 in live.

Keeping it simple this month

In.

December goals:

[ ] Unlock my $50 PokerStars bonus (1000-ish VPP's to go).
[ ] Move up to 16nl (Bankroll at $375, so only 10 more BI's at 10nl until this can be done).
[ ] Plug at least 3 of my leaks.
[ ] 15k hands.

Best of luck with the end of 2013 guys!

H1) Tanked on this one. Sizing is no doubt up **** creek for deep stack play.

BB: $5.09
UTG: $2.00
MP: $2.38
CO: $5.00 (VPIP: 29.63, PFR: 20.99, 3Bet Preflop: 11.54, Hands: 81)
BTN: $3.55
Hero (SB): $3.67

Hero posts SB $0.01, BB posts BB $0.02

Pre Flop: (pot: $0.03) Hero has 6 6

fold, fold, CO raises to $0.06, fold, Hero calls $0.05, fold

Flop: ($0.14, 2 players) J 6 J
Hero checks, CO bets $0.07, Hero calls $0.07

Turn: ($0.28, 2 players) 2
Hero checks, CO bets $0.13, Hero raises to $0.35, CO calls $0.22

River: ($0.98, 2 players) K
Hero bets $0.78, CO raises to $2.91, ???

H2)

CO: $1.56
BTN: $1.92 (VPIP: 42.86, PFR: 14.29, 3Bet Preflop: 0.00, Hands: 14)
SB: $2.70
BB: $4.99
Hero (UTG): $2.00
MP: $2.00

SB posts SB $0.01, BB posts BB $0.02

Pre Flop: (pot: $0.03) Hero has K T

Hero raises to $0.06, fold, CO calls $0.06, BTN calls $0.06, fold, fold

Flop: ($0.21, 3 players) T 9 2
Hero bets $0.17, fold, BTN calls $0.17

Turn: ($0.55, 2 players) 3
Hero bets $0.37, BTN calls $0.37

River: ($1.29, 2 players) 2
Hero bets $0.59, BTN calls $0.59

Hero shows K T (Two Pair, Tens and Twos) (Pre 39%, Flop 47%, Turn 66%)
BTN mucks Q A (One Pair, Twos) (Pre 61%, Flop 53%, Turn 34%)
Hero wins $2.38

H3) Made a note that he didn't 3bet AKs from LP. Don't think I'm ever up against QQ here.

BTN: $1.61
SB: $2.00
BB: $0.66
UTG: $6.59
Hero (MP): $3.11
CO: $5.94 (VPIP: 7.53, PFR: 2.17, 3Bet Preflop: 0.00, Hands: 97)

SB posts SB $0.01, BB posts BB $0.02

Pre Flop: (pot: $0.03) Hero has K K

fold, Hero raises to $0.06, CO raises to $0.39, fold, fold, fold, fold

CO wins $0.15