Summer of Love (and beyond?)

As you can see by my last few entries I have been going through some struggles lately.  I won't go into too much detail about them here because they have already been explained.  Anyway, after I had limited myself to a few short 30-minute burst sessions of 4-tabling 6 max games with reviews in between, watching some related poker vids, and then making some goals based off of it all, I got ready to sit down and play.  

It was a pretty enlightening experience.  

My goals were very simply to play my game and stick to my guns.  That meant stealing liberally, c-betting aggressively in spots where it looked profitable (dry flops, opponents w/ high F2CB stats, etc.), 3-betting both in position and from the blinds, isolating fish (and cbetting fit and folders while valueowning  stations), obviously betting for value, and most importantly listening to those warning bells going off in my brain when facing a big raise or 3bet on the flop but most importantly the turn -- in my review I took a good hard look at my winnings when calling all-in bets and these types of raises.

I sat down to play determined to ignore the results and play my damn game.  Things had been going pretty bad lately so it wasn't the easiest of tasks, then something just kind of clicked.  There was a hand at some point where I got the money in good and lost, but it didn't shake me.  There were scary turn raises that I let go, but it didn't effect me.  I could hear baluga's words from one of the Coaching Kristy videos "eventually, the cards will turn and we'll go on a huge heater."

There were more hands, some wins, many losses, and after about 5000 hands (don't make fun of the sample size, this is a lot for me in one day) of breakeven poker I realized that I was in a groove.  The results weren't there, but everything had seemed to slow down for me.  My reads felt crisp. My game was comfortable, and then it happened.

I started picking up hands.

I'm not going to post a bunch of hand histories (I might later), but boy-oh-boy was I picking up hands.  High pockets were coming in droves, I was setting up left and right.  Peeling to get those low-outers from a small flop raise found me hitting and dragging large pots.  What a feeling, it is magical, really.  Hell, I even lost a huge 350 bb pot on a turn all in after my pocket aces spiked a set on the flop, (I'm happy calling this turn raise every time), but it didn't shake me one bit.  

It feels good to snap out of a slump.  It feels even better when it comes after taking the necessary steps to do so.  

I'm out.

dammit, I had a whole post made.  

anyway 30 min at a time.

Spewtard.

No hands.  Not worth reviewing.  I suck.  I spew. Going to cut my poker down to 30 minute sessions to start.  Try and stay focused for that time.

Value bet. Don't bluff. Value bet.  C-bet on dry boards.  Value bet. Stop being a retard.  

So, I filtered my Pt3 to only show stats from today going forward because I really don't want to look at the 10,000 hands prior.  I fired up 4 tables, which I think is the most that I can play comfortably.  Truth be told, I think I would have a better winrate at 2 or 3 but 4 is quite comfy for me.  For the session I really focused on going for value and not being a hero.  For the most part I think I accomplished this reasonably well.  There was a couple of times where I think I took an ill-advised shot at a pot and it didn't work out.  I stole often when given the opportunity was good and 3-bet liberally in position.  I also did not look at the during the session which is something that I want to avoid from here on out.  The one caveat to that would be when I feel I am losing a lot and need to decide whether or not to continue with the session.  

About the spots where I feel I got a little squirrely and might have spewed I will post below.  

The first was a hand where I was dealt KJo and decided to just flat from the button.  My reasoning for this is that I wanted to keep the 55/3 fish in the big blind in the hand, and take him to value town if I hit.  The CO was also a pretty liberal raiser from that position so I figured that he could easily be playing a hand that I could get value on if I hit as well.  The flop didn't hit me and the CO bet out.  It wasn't a great flop to Cbet, but the guy Cbets a lot so I figured it was worth a shot at a raise.  I also didn't figure the fish would come along facing a bet and 3bet before him.  He called and I thought that the second ten was a good card because it made me think he probably didn't have one, and would be inclined to fold if that was the case with many of his possible holdings.  I bet out (not sure about the sizing here) when he called I shut it down and we checked through the river.  

Was this a spewy play? 

Merge Network $0.02/$0.04 No Limit Hold'em - 6 players - View hand 1759932
DeucesCracked Poker Videos Hand History Converter

MP: $4.35
CO: $4.28
Hero (BTN): $4.86
SB: $4.06
BB: $3.97
UTG: $8.45

Pre Flop: ($0.06) Hero is BTN with K J
2 folds, CO raises to $0.12, Hero calls $0.12, 1 fold, BB calls $0.08

Flop: ($0.38) 6 T 3(3 players)
BB checks, CO bets $0.25, Hero raises to $0.78, BB folds, CO calls $0.53

Turn: ($1.94) T(2 players)
CO checks, Hero bets $1.17, CO calls $1.17

River: ($4.28) 5(2 players)
CO checks, Hero checks

Final Pot: $4.28
CO shows T K
CO wins $4.07
(Rake: $0.21)

Another questionable hand was the following.  The villain, a typical TAG had been stealing frequently.  I was talking my way through the play and remember saying that it was prime 3betting time.  Obviously, I don't love the ace on the flop but with my 3bet me having an ace is very believable.  On the other hand this isn't a guy who folds to 3bets too often so he could easily be playing quite a few aces. I bet about 3/4 and when he called I shut it down and we checked the turn.  The king was a pretty scary card for me and I'm not calling or shoving over that river bet.  Should I have? Should I have led the turn? What about check/fold, check/call, check/raise the flop?

Merge Network $0.02/$0.04 No Limit Hold'em - 5 players - View hand 1759934
DeucesCracked Poker Videos Hand History Converter

UTG: $6.21
CO: $4.04
BTN: $3.57
Hero (SB): $5.24
BB: $7.12

Pre Flop: ($0.06) Hero is SB with J J
2 folds, BTN raises to $0.16, Hero raises to $0.52, 1 fold, BTN calls $0.36

Flop: ($1.08) A 2 8(2 players)
Hero bets $0.77, BTN calls $0.77

Turn: ($2.62) K(2 players)
Hero checks, BTN bets $1.74, Hero folds

Final Pot: $4.36
BTN wins $4.23
(Rake: $0.13)

The last questionable hand found me with 88 preflop.  I'd only played around 45 hands with the villain but he was a 50/20 type pre flop.  Obviously, If I'm playing this hand at all I am 3betting pre.  The problem comes on the flop, where it isn't a great flop for a cbet and hits a lot of his range. It doesn't give many hands that are worse that could call (outside of the draws). I decided to c bet anyway, and then shut it down when he called.  Similar questions to the last hand, though I think this one is more likely to be one where I should just take a pass on the cbet.  Still, I did 3bet pre so that shows some strength if the guy is paying attention.

Merge Network $0.02/$0.04 No Limit Hold'em - 6 players - View hand 1759935
DeucesCracked Poker Videos Hand History Converter

UTG: $5.50
MP: $4.00
CO: $1.70
BTN: $12.33
Hero (SB): $4.00
BB: $6.59

Pre Flop: ($0.06) Hero is SB with 8 8
UTG raises to $0.12, 3 folds, Hero raises to $0.36, 1 fold, UTG calls $0.24

Flop: ($0.76) J T 3(2 players)
Hero bets $0.64, UTG calls $0.64

Turn: ($2.04) 4(2 players)
Hero checks, UTG checks

River: ($2.04) K(2 players)
Hero checks, UTG bets $0.52, Hero folds

Final Pot: $2.56
UTG wins $2.46
(Rake: $0.10)

The only other hand where I lost significant money I think I played reasonably well and think I made a good fold.  I won't explain it just post the hand. Villain was a pretty aggro 35/30 in just 60 or so hands.

Merge Network $0.02/$0.04 No Limit Hold'em - 6 players - View hand 1759938

DeucesCracked Poker Videos Hand History Converter

UTG: $6.00
MP: $4.10
CO: $1.52
BTN: $11.65
Hero (SB): $4.81
BB: $4.94

Pre Flop: ($0.06) Hero is SB with K K
2 folds, CO calls $0.04, 1 fold, Hero raises to $0.20, BB raises to $0.64, 1 fold, Hero raises to $1.96, BB calls $1.32

Flop: ($3.96) A 7 T(2 players)
Hero checks, BB bets $2.98 all in, Hero folds

Final Pot: $6.94
BB wins $6.75
(Rake: $0.19)

I made these goals out about a week ago.  Summer is finally here.  Time to put the plan into action.

Moving Through the Micros

Building a bankroll from $100 (.02/.04) to $5,000 (1/2)

The goal is to grind through micro-stakes no-limit hold ‘em and end up properly rolled for small stakes play. 

Start with 25 buy ins at .02/.04

            Move up when bankroll reaches 25 buy ins at the next level

            Drop down when bankroll falls under 20 buy ins at current level

                        * obviously cannot fall drop down from .02/.04

Stakes                                     25 buy ins                              20 buy ins

.02/.04                                    $100                                       $80

.05/.10                                    $250                                       $200

.10/.25                                    $625                                       $500

.25/.50                                    $1,250                                                $1,000

.50/1.00                                 $2,500                                                $2,000

1.00/2.00                             $5,000                                   $4,000

Hands required to move up from one level to the next at different win-rates:

BB/100                                              Hands

1BB/100                                            187,500

2BB/100                                            93,750

3BB/100                                            62,500

4BB/100                                           46,875

5BB/100                                            37,500

6BB/100                                            31,250

7BB/100                                            26,875

8BB/100                                            23,436

9BB/100                                            20,833

10BB/100                                          18,750

Hands per hour for 6-Max and Full Ring:

Estimated average is 90 hands per hour for 6-Max and 60 for Full Ring.

Goal is to play a minimum of 10 hours a week with a majority of play being done 4-tabling 6-Max. Let’s say on average 8 hours of 6-Max and 2 hours of Full Ring (6-tabling)

·         4-tabling 6-Max and 6-tabling Full Ring both average 360 hands per hour

·         10 hours/week = 3,600   20 = 7,2000   30= 10,800   etc.

Summer 2012: Building a Bankroll and Getting in Shape

The regiment:

*Wake-up by 7 a.m. at least 5 days a week

*Spend at least 1 hour going over last poker session on PT3 or studying poker first thing in the morning over breakfast. (and possibly keeping a poker journal/ blog)

*Wake Max up and take him to daycare by at least 8:30 a.m. on days when he goes.

*Upon returning take Barley for a walk and then brush, feed, water him.

1 hour of exercise (not including walking the dog) at least 3 days a week more if possible.

 If working until afternoon get in 2-4 hours of poker in during the time until work.

If not closing, get in 2 hours of poker from 10 p.m. to Midnight unless plans are made otherwise.

Spend as much remaining time as possible trying to be useful around the house; cleaning, yard work, etc.

Shower and be in bed by 12:15 a.m.

Listen to poker podcast while falling asleep.

Breakfast

2 pkg oatmeal

1 cup coffee

1 cup juice

1 cup milk

4 strips of bacon

Lunch

Tuna, Turkey sandwich or bowl of soup

Sun Chips

Salad

Water

Snacks 2x daily

1 snack fruit ex. Apples and peanut butter

1 snack nuts ex. ¼ cup almonds

Sensible portion of whatever we have for dinner.

Above is my graph for the last two weeks of playing poker.  The first 600 hands or so was a super small sample size of me playing super-aggro and getting on the right side of luck, eventually I crashed pretty hard and really started concentrating on respecting villain raises, keeping sessions under control, etc.  I was also watching the coaching kristy series and trying to apply that to my game.  In turn my results began to rise and I saw a steady climb.  That all came to an end after a bad play early in a session coupled with a bit of bad luck on a couple flips turned into full on tilt.  This wasn't maniacal tilt. It was more like, let's to little dumb crap here and there to try to get my winnings back by being a hero tilt.  The remaining hands were played the day after, and ended after I kept playing too long and eventually started playing bad because of tiredness.   

I want to post the stats below from both normal play and the really bad (8 buyin) tilt session to see if any of you guys can notice any differences that might have led to my losses.  The obvious one would be hand histories, but I won't post them because I can remember the hands where I just plain heroed myself into multiple large-pot losses.

I understand these are really small sample sizes but if anything can be gleaned it would still be helpful. 

What can I glean from this?

I am going to play for about two hours tonight with a strong focus on balugafolding when the time comes and really looking for value.  I'll obviously steal relentlessly when given the opportunity and cbet when the flops and situations call for it.  Let's hope that I can keep my concentration, realize when I am losing it and sit out for awhile when I do.  Grinder reminders, right?  

Before I fire up the tables I'll post my poker (and fatass) goals that I made up a few days ago.

See that dude?  Those babes in the beach chairs do.  They think he's a totally hot badass.  Who is that dude anyway?  Well, that is Nicname circa 2007 lookin' trim and lovin' life in the Bahamas. Five years later ol' Nicname has put on a few pounds and is pretty determined to shed them this summer. He is also ready to shed some bad habits that populate his poker game.

That is what this blog is all about.

A little background info on me:

I started playing poker in around 2001.  It was a mix of 5-card draw and the rest of the other penny-ante games that people have played forever.  I never really grew up playing cards, so I wasn't very good but poker really intrigued me.  Then the WSOP got really popular on TV and when the poker boom occurred I became really into no limit hold 'em.  The only problem was I was a horrible card shuffler and when the only games that you play in are home games with a revolving dealer a phobia of shuffling the deck becomes a pretty big inhibitor to any progress in your game.  

(side note: I was around 19-20 at this time.  I'm 30 now, a relatively old dude especially in the online poker world.  It is kind of weird, whenever I went to the casino I was always the "kid". I don't get that much any more.)

Eventually I got over my fear of shuffling the deck and pretty quickly became one of the better players in the games that I played in -- .25/.50 nlhe cash games at various houses Manhattan, Kan., which is were I went to college.  I was a pretty decent live tournament player whenever I went to the nearest casino as well with a positive ROI in the 15-20 tournaments I entered there. 

Not having a computer, I never really got into the internet boom until it was well over although I did deposit into Party Poker a few times(I even paid my rent with PP winnings one time,SCORE!) When I did deposit I would either win a bit and take it out or play waaaayy above my bankroll and eventually lost it all.  No worries though, it was just for fun.  

Fast-forward to today, and a guy who was once a horrible college student and eventual drop-out (though I was a great student of drinking and being a generally lovable loser and fun guy to party with), has become a pretty grounded dude with a long-time girlfriend and a pretty cool two-and-a-half year old son named Max.  I've also been back in school for two years (majoring in journalism, don't laugh.  Seriously, stop snickering at me) and have really started living up to my academic potential.  I've got a 3.8 GPA so far which is pretty sweet.  

Oh yeah, back to poker.  I absolutely love this game.  The only game I ever loved more was baseball and my days of competitive baseball are long since gone, at 30 I can't even daydream about getting in shape and trying out for some college or farm-club any more.  I believe that I have pretty good poker instinct and have the ability to be a pretty good player.  I haven't played much since Black Friday and really want to build a roll sizable enough to play in live cash games at stakes like 1-3 and 2-5.  The goal here is to elevate my game through a lot of studying, and playing a lot of 6 max nlhe while building up a bankroll (through savings from work and online winnings).  

I never played a lot of 6 max in my earlier internet ventures, but I really have grown to like it and think it is more fun than full ring.  I also, think the fact that it puts a player in more spots, and make them play more hands will increase the intensity and the speed of my learning curve.  Like I said earlier, I'm confident in my ability to play and learn this game.  I just really want to focus on turning that potential into tangible success.  For the most part that means finding my leaks (some of which I have already identified) and ushering them out the door of my game.  

Here is a list of my known leaks:

• Lack of concentration - after a couple of hours I tend to go into auto-pilot, which is bad at 6 max imo
  
• Too many hero calls or "screw it" ships.  Like baluga says, "just fold it stupid, they got you this time."
• Playing when I am not in condition to play ie. drunk, too tired, etc.
• going into "get back" mode where after a couple of bigger losing hands (either via poor play or bad luck) I start playing to win back my losses and not to play a great game.

Out of all these my biggest leak is too often trying to put on my hero cape.  

So that is a little bit about me.  Hopefully you guys enjoy reading this blog and I can get better at poker, and slimmer around my midsection.  

Also, I have actually been playing for about two weeks and have put in around 10,000 hands at 6 max nl4 at Merge.  I will post the stats, graph and talk about that a bit in my next post.  My screenname is Nicnameks at Merge by the way. So if you play there at my stakes holler if you see me at the tables.