Out of Range

13/03/12 - Duration: 2:45 893 Hands

Net Won/Lost: -$2.56, -14.61 /100

In some quick updates, I've continued to grind away and just haven't been posting. I was getting crushed and my roll was looking pretty thin. There's been discussion about rake rates and it made me reconsider my move to Paddy Power. My rakeback deal was conditional on a certain amount of rake generated in a monthly window - which was unattainable at uNL. So I've moved to Stars, which is good as the software is great and the 2012 rake changes (controversial to many) were a bit of an improvement for the uNL types at 2c/4c and the like.

My database has swelled to just below 20k of hands. My winrate over this period is some negative, and I'm down a few buy ins after all that play.

I'd be more negative about it but it's standard, really, and all I can do is keep chugging on. To the hand analysis!

Poker Stars $2.00 No Limit Hold'em - 6 players - View hand 1682019
DeucesCracked Poker Videos Hand History Converter

BTN: $1.97 - VPIP: 36, PFR: 16, 3B: 0, AF: 1.2, Hands: 81
SB: $2.01 - VPIP: 18, PFR: 9, 3B: 0, AF: 0.0, Hands: 11
BB: $2.56 - VPIP: 51, PFR: 5, 3B: 0, AF: 0.9, Hands: 41
Hero (UTG): $2.45 - VPIP: 20, PFR: 16, 3B: 5, AF: 2.0, Hands: 4228
MP: $2.00 - VPIP: 33, PFR: 17, 3B: 0, AF: 0.0, Hands: 12
CO: $1.58 - VPIP: 30, PFR: 0, 3B: 0, AF: 0.0, Hands: 10

Pre Flop: ($0.03) Hero is UTG with K K
Hero raises to $0.06, MP calls $0.06, CO calls $0.06, BTN calls $0.06, SB calls $0.05, BB calls $0.04

Flop: ($0.36) 8 4 5 (6 players)
SB checks, BB checks, Hero bets $0.28, MP folds, CO raises to $1.52, BTN folds, SB folds, BB raises to $2.50, Hero calls $2.11 all in

Turn: ($6.66) 2 (3 players - 1 is all in)

River: ($6.66) 3 (3 players - 1 is all in)

Final Pot: $6.66
BB shows 5 5
Hero shows K K
CO shows Q 8
BB wins $4.75
(Rake: $0.23)

I probably stacked off to light here with KK. It's a spot where I will be prone to doing it so I need to be more cautious. As such, I'm going to bust up the ranges and get this situation sorted.

Preflop and the Cbet for value are standard, I think.

Now, the initial shove is from a player playing 30/0 over a small sample. I don't know much about them though as it's a tiny frequency, but they seem to be a bit loose. If he shipped, everyone else folded, I could call happily. The trouble spot is the extra-shove coming from a 51/5 over a short sample - who had shown loose/passive tendancies.

I would assume he would raise (versus a huge field) with QQ+. So they are out of his range, though he would play those a similar way if he'd seen the flop with them. 

Right, so, the pot offers me odds of 2.16:1. This means I have a required equity of just under 33%.

If the villain shoves his sets, straights, and overpairs (99-JJ) then I am 41% against his range and it's a +EV call. However, it depends on the read of the villain and how he will play certain combinations of his range. If the villain only ever shoves his sets and straights here then the call is burning money. If he shoves something like JJ only then the call is still -EV, but if I assume he shoves JJ here then he probably shoves TT here too - which would make the call marginally +EV. It's a tough spot, really. If I call with KK then I also catch him the times he spazzes out with hands like 87, which adds to my EV even if he doens't do it all the time. One for the forum, really...

But here, in this analysis, if I can assume the villain shoves 12 combos of PPs higher then the board then the call becomes +EV. If they don't, then it's a snap-fold. It's a read-dependant spot. Agaisnt a NIT I'm always out, but against a LAGfish then I'm happy to get it in.

Poker Stars $2.00 No Limit Hold'em - 5 players - View hand 1682020
DeucesCracked Poker Videos Hand History Converter

UTG: $1.65 - VPIP: 36, PFR: 16, 3B: 0, AF: 1.2, Hands: 81
CO: $1.45 - VPIP: 51, PFR: 5, 3B: 0, AF: 0.9, Hands: 41
Hero (BTN): $3.93 - VPIP: 20, PFR: 16, 3B: 5, AF: 2.0, Hands: 4228
SB: $2.03 - VPIP: 33, PFR: 17, 3B: 0, AF: 0.0, Hands: 12
BB: $1.60 - VPIP: 30, PFR: 0, 3B: 0, AF: 0.0, Hands: 10

Pre Flop: ($0.03) Hero is BTN with A K
1 fold, CO calls $0.02, Hero raises to $0.08, 2 folds, CO calls $0.06

Flop: ($0.19) 7 K 3 (2 players)
CO checks, Hero bets $0.14, CO calls $0.14

Turn: ($0.47) 7 (2 players)
CO checks, Hero bets $0.34, CO calls $0.34

River: ($1.15) 5 (2 players)
CO checks, Hero bets $0.92, CO calls $0.89 all in

Final Pot: $2.93
CO shows K 7
Hero shows A K
CO wins $2.83
(Rake: $0.07)

Right, here we go again...

Preflop iso-raise is super standard. So is cbetting the flop and turn.

My bet-sizing on earlier streets was geared to setting up easy-shove scenarios on many river cards. The 5 is a blank as it gets, really.

The villain is a weaker player with demonstrating calling tendancies. As such, I can rely on him to call here with a weaker range of Kx hands then the average villain.

His range for calling is comprised of Kx hands, K7, 76s, 87s and 33. It's defining the width of the Kx range that determines the profitability of the shove. If the villain calls with only KQ and KJ, then the shove is still +EV.

However, can I not assume this villain is weak enough to call with the likes of KT or K9 at least some percentage of the time? I mean, he's hardly a tight caller. Well, that's the read-dependant part, but I think in this spot the shove was definately +EV.

--

You know, I had more hands listed here. I had some definately -EV plays that when I revisted them I was like, "What the fuck are you doing?" I've ceased to review them in note-form as they are nothing close to marginal, they are just plain bad. 

A real leak of mine is not viewing things for what they are. People are very clearly defining their ranges at these stakes by not being aggressive enough with a wide range - so when they show aggression I should be in a good position to play as best as I can in EV terms.

It's disappointing that I keep making these mistakes. Simple stuff, really: Over-aggressive with marginal hands and assuming fold equity against weaker players - things you read about in strategy posts on 2+2. It's the leak that's really holding me back. I'm just burning money.

So, in summary, I learned today that I am still a losing 2NL player. I am often too loose calling in situations and generally try to exploit the thinnest equity advantages that come from semi-bluffing that just runs me right into the nuts. I need to reign it in a little and avoid situations that will screw me over. I read recently that good advice is to avoid situations with thin equity advantages if you know they will lead you to tougher spots down the line where you will mistakes. Wise words.

28/02/12 - Duration: 1:19, 430 Hands

Net Won/Lost: -$4.16, -48.37/100

Bankroll: $36.21 BI: 18

IPoker Network $2.00 No Limit Hold'em - 5 players - View hand 1660245
DeucesCracked Poker Videos Hand History Converter

BB: $5.34 - VPIP: 36, PFR: 19, 3B: 2, AF: 4.3, Hands: 118
Hero (UTG): $2.00 - VPIP: 22, PFR: 18, 3B: 6, AF: 2.4, Hands: 13055
CO: $2.18 - VPIP: 46, PFR: 8, 3B: 0, AF: 2.5, Hands: 13
BTN: $0.78 - VPIP: 38, PFR: 19, 3B: 7, AF: 2.0, Hands: 32
SB: $3.23 - VPIP: 36, PFR: 19, 3B: 2, AF: 4.3, Hands: 118

Pre Flop: ($0.03) Hero is UTG with K A
Hero raises to $0.06, CO calls $0.06, BTN calls $0.06, 1 fold, BB calls $0.04

Flop: ($0.25) 7 A J (4 players)
BB checks, Hero bets $0.20, CO calls $0.20, BTN folds, BB folds

Turn: ($0.65) 5 (2 players)
Hero bets $0.50, CO raises to $1, Hero calls $0.50

River: ($2.65) 3 (2 players)
Hero checks, CO bets $0.92, Hero calls $0.74 all in

Final Pot: $4.13
CO shows 7 A
CO wins $3.86
(Rake: $0.27)

Even before I stove this situation, I'm fairly certain the play was -EV. I was getting married to a hand here when I was clearly behind a villain's range for being aggressive on the turn. I think this is a spot where I spew off chips a lot that keeps me a loser in the game, so I'm really just evaluating it to punish myself and drum home just how tight I need to be in these spots.

Raise preflop is obviously fine.

On the flop, I have TPTK. This has strong equity against a calling range HU. M/way pots are confusing to me as I have a limited understanding of the scenarios. I think the weaker villain's call me often with drawing broadway hands, weaker Ax, and flush draws. I don't know how they respond in terms of calling ranges when they factor in the m/way nature of the pot (if they do at all), but I think I bet here with a hand that has decent equity and gain from simplifying situations on later streets by reducing the number of villain's and also charging against draws and getting value from dominated Ax hands.

Now, the villain had been playing 46/8 over 10 hands. Not enough to justify his stats but I will assume they have a least a little measure of loose/passive tendancies. I will establish their calling range on the flop as the following, then: 77,TT-QQ, AQo-A9o, KJo, QJo, JTo, AQs-A7s, KJs, QJs-QTs, JTs, KhQh, KhTh,. which I have 73% equity against. This is a fairly narrow range for a villain who could be very loose and have more FDs. I basically stipulate that they call with any Ax, Jx and FD and a set of 77 or JJ sometimes for a -EV slowplay.

Adding in the weaker FDs they may have if they were a 60/10 type over 200 hands (meaning they will probably call with like 76s vs an UTG raise) won't influence my decision much here as I'm investigating my equity against the turn raise. I don't think the villain bluff-raises many FDs here and any more FDs he has in his range would just add to my motivation to bet for value against his range again on the turn.

Now, as if I need to tell myself again, TURN RAISES ARE A TIGHT RANGE. The villain will be doing this very tightly, so I'm assigning him the following range: 77, JJ, AJo, AJs, A7s - sets and 2pair hands, which I have 10% equity against (AKA Drawing practically dead). 

The villain's raise size is indeed small. After my bet, the pot is $1.15 and his raise leaves me calling $0.50 into a pot of $2.15. This means that I only require about 18% equity to call - which I still don't have against the villain's nitty range. I also want to factor in that on the river I will be getting a great price to call a shove (that's probably still not good enough) so I will likely make a classic "me" mistake there. Like I did. Sigh. 

Even if the villain makes the incomrehensible decision to suddenly turn a FD into a bluff on the turn, ON THE RIVER THEY HAVE GOT THERE YOU DICK, ADAM.

As you can see, I'm irritated with myself. Still, I will make mistakes and studying this spot will have improved my winrate. I will, I vow, never go on to spew off buy-ins to turn raises where I am clearly beat. This is a particular leak I need to fix if I'm going to beat 2NL.

IPoker Network $2.00 No Limit Hold'em - 6 players - View hand 1660244
DeucesCracked Poker Videos Hand History Converter

BB: $4.86 - VPIP: 14, PFR: 12, 3B: 5, AF: 2.0, Hands: 73
UTG: $1.00 - VPIP: 43, PFR: 30, 3B: 13, AF: 3.0, Hands: 47
MP: $2.31 - VPIP: 26, PFR: 12, 3B: 13, AF: 3.4, Hands: 102
Hero (CO): $2.10 - VPIP: 22, PFR: 18, 3B: 6, AF: 2.4, Hands: 13055
BTN: $0.58 - VPIP: 41, PFR: 20, 3B: 9, AF: 3.0, Hands: 51
SB: $3.06 - VPIP: 14, PFR: 12, 3B: 5, AF: 2.0, Hands: 73

Pre Flop: ($0.03) Hero is CO with 6 6
UTG raises to $0.07, 1 fold, Hero raises to $0.18, 3 folds, UTG raises to $0.40, Hero raises to $1.16, UTG calls $0.60 all in

Flop: ($2.03) A 5 J (2 players - 1 is all in)

Turn: ($2.03) 6 (2 players - 1 is all in)

River: ($2.03) Q (2 players - 1 is all in)

Final Pot: $2.03
UTG shows Q Q
UTG wins $1.90
Hero wins $0.16
(Rake: $-0.03)

Look! I've done it again. Some combination of levelling/trying to be LAG has done it to me again. I don't know why I do this. It's things like this that keep me a losing player. The frequency of them has dropped massive but I just end up taking my eyes off the prize for a second and then getting it in drawing dead as I don't really know what's happening.

I won't stove this. I don't want to play this hand (even IP) against an aggressive type who I will just make mistakes against. It's not good to 3bet. Fold. You blew your winrate here, too.

It's a fairly simple little update here. I wanted to post some hands and go through them to remind myself why I lose at poker and what things I need to eliminate to turn myself into a winner. Get it sorted, Adam.

27/02/12 - Duration: 1:09, 385 Hands

Net Won/Lost: -$0.44, 2.86/100

Bankroll: $38.65, BI: 9

IPoker Network $4.00 No Limit Hold'em - 6 players - View hand 1658791
DeucesCracked Poker Videos Hand History Converter

UTG: $2.60 - VPIP: 18, PFR: 5, 3B: 0, AF: 1.5, Hands: 39
MP: $7.20 - VPIP: 16, PFR: 11, 3B: 0, AF: 0.9, Hands: 166
CO: $1.44 - VPIP: 79, PFR: 14, 3B: 0, AF: 0.0, Hands: 14
BTN: $8.05 - VPIP: 26, PFR: 20, 3B: 5, AF: 2.7, Hands: 201
Hero (SB): $5.93 - VPIP: 22, PFR: 18, 3B: 5, AF: 2.3, Hands: 12295
BB: $6.74 - VPIP: 18, PFR: 5, 3B: 0, AF: 1.5, Hands: 39

Pre Flop: ($0.06) Hero is SB with Q J
2 folds, CO calls $0.04, 1 fold, Hero raises to $0.12, BB calls $0.08, 1 fold

Flop: ($0.28) 4 8 Q (2 players)
Hero bets $0.12, BB raises to $0.28, Hero calls $0.16

Turn: ($0.84) T (2 players)
Hero checks, BB bets $0.63, Hero calls $0.63

River: ($2.10) 5 (2 players)
Hero checks, BB bets $5.71, Hero folds

Final Pot: $2.10
BB wins $1.96
(Rake: $0.14) 

Villain is extremely loose/passive. I wanted to islate with QJo even OOP as he is such a weak opponent that I want to take any oppertunity to play against him. However, the BB calls and the original target folds. BB is 25/15 over a small sample and is not as weak, though still a 4NL player so they probably are still weak.

On the flop I mis-clicked and bet less then 1/2 pot. This made him raise. If I'd bet and been raised with a standard amount I'd be extremely cautious of continuing with TPDC but because I'd bet small I felt I induced him to raise a wider range (he had been fairly aggro for a 4NL player), even though calling would put me in tougher spots later. 

In calculating his range, I want to do it with the assumption that he raises slightly more often here due to my bet size (hands like A8s for SPTK) and I get: 44, 88-JJ, AQo, KQo-KJo, QJo-QTo, JTo, AQs-AJs, A8s, KQs, QJs-QTs, JTs, which gives me 68% equity on a call. I think I have to call a lot here if he raises wide even in a bad spot as I have good equity with such good odds, so I'd have to be bluffed a lot by such a player who won't be that agressive to lose money here.

On the turn, his range tightens as he makes a decent bet and I think his bluffs stop dead when I call the flop: 44, TT, AQo, KQo, QJo-QTo, AQs, A8s, KQs, QJs-QTs, JTs, for 31% equity, which is less then the 42% I need to make the call.

Now, seeing as it's a river blank it doesn't change much and it's a clear fold on the river if I mistakenly get there.

I want to change the flop-raising range and assume he's not noticed my bet-sizing and is simply raising his normal value range on this board, considering he is a 4NL player who is actually typically quite passive in the grand scheme. 

If I'm assuming a tight cbet-raising range here, which has zero bluffs and only is for a tighter value range (not a spewy one where people raise TPNK, etc.) then the range looks like this: 44, 88, AQo, KQo, AQs, KQs, QJs, and gives me just 13% equity, so it is a clear fold.

I think a part of this hand is that 4NL players, even at 6max, aren't bluff-raising or a lot or raising for value a great deal, so I'm playing to exploit this tendancy by folding so much.

IPoker Network $4.00 No Limit Hold'em - 6 players - View hand 1658794
DeucesCracked Poker Videos Hand History Converter

SB: $2.62 - VPIP: 18, PFR: 5, 3B: 0, AF: 1.5, Hands: 39
BB: $7.20 - VPIP: 16, PFR: 11, 3B: 0, AF: 0.9, Hands: 166
UTG: $0.74 - VPIP: 79, PFR: 14, 3B: 0, AF: 0.0, Hands: 14
MP: $8.19 - VPIP: 26, PFR: 20, 3B: 5, AF: 2.7, Hands: 201
Hero (CO): $6.71 - VPIP: 22, PFR: 18, 3B: 5, AF: 2.3, Hands: 12295
BTN: $6.61 - VPIP: 18, PFR: 5, 3B: 0, AF: 1.5, Hands: 39

Pre Flop: ($0.06) Hero is CO with 3 A
UTG raises to $0.08, MP calls $0.08, Hero raises to $0.24, 3 folds, UTG raises to $0.74, 1 fold, Hero calls $0.50

Flop: ($1.62) Q 9 Q (2 players)

Turn: ($1.62) 8 (2 players)

River: ($1.62) 4 (2 players)

Final Pot: $1.62
UTG shows Q 6
UTG wins $1.52
(Rake: $0.10) 

Right, I'll say now that this is a preflop spew. With this raise size I need 52% fold equity in a vaccum to be profitbale. With the primary villain being very loose then it's unlikely I have this. If the villain is very weak vs 3bets I may have (the other villain is TAGier and folded to 3bets more so that's not so bad).  If the villain's were both very tight vs 3bets OOP then it could be fine, but it's not the case here. What adds to it being a mistake is that I have position on 2 players and one is deeper with me so I can flat with this hand as I will have two opponents who won't cause me many problems (the original villain is weak, and the other villain won't be stepping out of line here with 2 opponents) and then have implied odds with a hand that can flop decently and then make more that way.

When he reships I assume it is a spew from this type and just call as the pot gives me decent odds and my Axs hand gives me good equity to call. The Q6o showdown shows that I was accurate in my assumption that he would spazz like this here.

IPoker Network $4.00 No Limit Hold'em - 5 players - View hand 1658796
DeucesCracked Poker Videos Hand History Converter

CO: $3.67 - VPIP: 14, PFR: 14, 3B: 4, AF: 14.0, Hands: 231
BTN: $3.03 - VPIP: 36, PFR: 33, 3B: 3, AF: 3.0, Hands: 100
Hero (SB): $7.43 - VPIP: 22, PFR: 18, 3B: 5, AF: 2.3, Hands: 12295
BB: $5.01 - VPIP: 19, PFR: 10, 3B: 0, AF: 0.0, Hands: 21
UTG: $6.23 - VPIP: 14, PFR: 14, 3B: 4, AF: 14.0, Hands: 231

Pre Flop: ($0.06) Hero is SB with 5 K
1 fold, CO raises to $0.12, BTN calls $0.12, Hero raises to $0.32, 2 folds, BTN calls $0.20

Flop: ($0.80) 7 8 6 (2 players)
Hero bets $0.56, BTN calls $0.56

Turn: ($1.92) K (2 players)
Hero checks, BTN bets $1.15, Hero raises to $6.16, BTN calls $1 all in

River: ($6.22) Q (2 players - 1 is all in)

Final Pot: $6.22
BTN shows 6 6
BTN wins $5.81
Hero wins $4.01
(Rake: $-3.60) 

Look, another spew immediately after the last HH!

Right, obviously raising here is a spew. I don't win enough preflop to justify and I will be OOP with a weak hand postflop. Standard fail here haha

On the flop, betting isn't terribad as I have decent equity with the hands they fold and the OESD.

The turn is a weird spot I put myself in. C/R is bad, definately. Probably just b/f here. I'm not doing too much for this as it's just a horrible hand for many reasons. Don't do this one again.

IPoker Network $4.00 No Limit Hold'em - 6 players - View hand 1658797
DeucesCracked Poker Videos Hand History Converter

CO: $4.94 - VPIP: 38, PFR: 12, 3B: 0, AF: 3.5, Hands: 34
BTN: $4.05 - VPIP: 13, PFR: 11, 3B: 3, AF: 0.0, Hands: 84
Hero (SB): $8.37 - VPIP: 22, PFR: 18, 3B: 5, AF: 2.3, Hands: 12295
BB: $5.00 - VPIP: 16, PFR: 11, 3B: 0, AF: 0.9, Hands: 166
UTG: $5.96 - VPIP: 19, PFR: 19, 3B: 3, AF: 0.0, Hands: 85
MP: $3.70 - VPIP: 38, PFR: 12, 3B: 0, AF: 3.5, Hands: 34

Pre Flop: ($0.06) Hero is SB with Q Q
UTG raises to $0.20, 2 folds, BTN calls $0.20, Hero raises to $0.56, 1 fold, UTG raises to $1.92, 2 folds

Final Pot: $1.36
UTG wins $1.36 

Ooh, the "QQ OOP vs 4bet" spot of nightmares!

Villain one was a 19/19 over 85 hands so is probably slightly TAG if not a strong player. His UTG raise is probably decently tight and aroudn 13% and looks like this: 22-AA, AKo-AJo, KQo-KJo, QJo, AKs-ATs, KQs-KJs, QJs, which I obviously have an equity advantage over.

The flatting villain is 13/11 and when he flats has a fairly narrow range of PPs and weaker broadway: 22-JJ, AQo-ATo, KQo-KTo, QJo-QTo, AQs-ATs, KQs-KTs, QJs-QTs, JTs, which I'm ahead of. 

The crux of the issue is the villains' range construction in dealing with 3bets here. The UTG villain will ship AA, KK, and probably QQ here. That's a bad spot to call with my holdings. He probably flats the raise with a large part of his holdings as his initial range is strong and he has the potential for m/way action. So when I raise here for value it's fine, as he makes many mistakes calling with worse that gives me value and I'm not really making that many mistakes.

Villain 2 will fold great deal if it's HU and will call with many hands if M/Way, which I'm still ahead of.

So, the UTG raises. It's a super-strong play. If he looks me up with AA, KK, QQ, AKs, and AKo, then I'm not doing well when I ship it here. If I flat, A and K cards fall a lot that see me c/f and ther'es not really that many hands that pay me off if I ship on a safe board (without any knowledge of him hero calling with AK on an xxx board, etc.).

So, I prefer to ship/fold here and shipping isn't great so I'm happy with the fold. Standard. This play is only made +EV by the nature of villain's 4betting range here being SUPER TIGHT and is an exploit of this. If they start raising wider, which happens at better then 2/4c uNL then I can look at this spot differently.

I have gathered the following from this session:

I still have spewy raises in my game which I need to eliminate. I will be more conscious of this in future. Flop-raises are usually a more  narrow range then seems intuitive and you can play very exploitatively against them at these stakes till given a reason not to. 

Also, Pokerstars is launching a Rush Poker-variant. My laptop is rubbish so I can only 4-table but I will move to Stars then as I can put in more volume with a small number of tables and still focus on spots. I assme I'll play more hands 2-tabling Rush then I will 4-tabling standard 6max. Will change screen name as it's the same as this and probably a -EV decision to reveal it on here and say in my blog that I am a NIT vs flop-raises haha

Also, forgot I was signed in to 4NL stakes on my filters so I played that without realizing which is why I have like 9BI. I will move down properly next time.

Right, I'm going to start, and maintain, a little poker blog. This is mainly for my sake, as I'm sure lots of DCers want to read blogs about people playing 2NL 6-Max. However, I'm sure at some point I'll engage with the fine community on here and can get some benefit from it. The main goal, though, is to have somewhere to centralize my thoughts and track my progress which will really be of benefit. 

I was listening to a Blueprint video and I heard an interesting comment about approaching poker step-by-step. What I think he meant by this was that you shouldn't see the whole thing as a mountain you have to climb before you start winning - you just take it one step at a time. You isolate areas that you want to focus on and improve in and then do that before moving onto another. Gradually you will make bigger and bigger improvements and your whole game is suddenly a lot better. So I'm going to keep myself under constant review.

Right now, I'm a losing player at 2/4NL 6max. Yes, I mean the uNL 2/4. I've never really beaten these games over a large sample. In fact, I'm down lifetime to poker. It's a bit irritating to me, really, so my goal right now is to just beat 2NL 6max. Yes, I’m dropping down at uNL. I want to beat it over a large enough sample that I can call myself a winner at these games and put it to rest.

I've been playing poker for about 3 1/2 years now. I've never been very good at it, though. I've basically had the odd heater where I've decided I'm great and have solved the game but when I'm not just running like a god I'm not a winner. However, since joining DC a few months ago and studying I realized practically everything I learned before that time was wrong. The only thing that was a good decision was to buy and study Theory of Poker which offered a solid foundation for understanding Poker and how to think about the game.

Why do I lose? Well, there's many reasons. I yearn to shout "Tilt" at this point but that would be an incomplete answer. Primarily I assume I lose at poker due to being a bad player. I say "assume" as I think my incomplete understanding of the game would make me unaware of mistakes I was making in situations that I wasn't even aware as being a mistake. I can't help but notice I'm writing in that past-tense here but I'm really still making those mistakes in the present. Discipline is a problem, though, and I do tend to tilt sometimes. Er, I mean a lot.

I've much improved over the chip-throwing monkey I could become in the past, but last night I spewed off a 4NL buy in with the worst play ever. I'd actually written about 4 paragraphs chastising myself but there's no point. It was just a really bad play that I made and it cost me a great deal of winrate and is typical of what I can do.

It seems appropraite that I would list some strengths, here, after my weaknesses. I’m a bit stuck, though, really. I assume anything that I would list as “Strengths” most other losing uNL players would list as “Strenghts”. It’s why I shy away from the “I’d win if I didn’t tilt” story as most players who would still lose if they didn’t tilt think that and it stops them working on improving.

Er. I like to Study poker. I make big books of notes, really. I used to make myself write by hand as I felt I better remembered the information but I have terrible hand writing and it took a very long time. Still, I filled a few A4 lined paper booklets with notes on stuff like Theory of Poker. I just enjoy learning really; I do it about lots of stuff I like. I also particularly enjoy games and I used to study video games when I was a child to find ways to improve and stuff (yeah, I didn’t get out much). So I have a fine resume of pushing buttons and looking at a screen for a few hours at a time.

I’d say I was an analytical person in real life – but this again is probably a fallacy. While I do practice the thought processes I’d assume most people do this and I can’t perceive it as I’m not in their head and we’re all just averagely analytical people. Same with intelligence, too.

Right, so let’s review: I’m a losing 2NL player over several years. My weaknesses are that I don’t understand the game properly and that I tilt a lot. My strengths are that I like poker. Great start, there.

Gosh, this has turned out a bit depressing.

I think everyone has the honeymoon period where they start playing and run good and say “I’m going to do this for a job.” I had that, definitely, but reality has set in and I really can’t do it for a job. I’m just not the type of person who can; I really lack the traits and the ability to do it. I think the level of ability you have to have to play professoinally is a lot higher then in the boom days (and may get tougher) which also precludes me.

Right, so I won a live Pub Poker game I played in for a laugh and pocketed £80. I got DC again and bought HEM 2 – which I really do enjoy tinkering in.

But I’ve spent a lot of time on Poker. I spend most of my free time on it. Money, too. And it’s time to put it to rest, really. I have kind of a crappy job now  (well, I work at Subway and I’m 22 so it’s really crappy lol) and I want to work on re-educating myself and spending time on that. It’s a bit of a time-waster investing everything into poker when I have better EV ways to spend my time that would offer more sure prospects and financial gains, like going to college/university again. I’m a Uni dropout, yes. You get a picture of the person I am haha

Before I stop focusing on Poker, though, I just want to beat 2NL 6-Max. It really shouldn’t be this hard. I just want to beat it over a good sample so I can go “Look, I beat 2NL” and then leave it behind and do something else with my time. It’s a small goal that most on here would find easy but it’s all I’m after really.

I play 4-tables of 6-Max with a HUD and I focus on note-taking which I take some kind of OCD joy in doing. I play for about 2 hours a session with a review afterwards of the hands I played in HEM. I try to post hands daily on DC (which is a big help, btw) and I generally have poker on the mind as I walk around. I’m beginning by viewing uNL 6-Max basics videos on here (From the Ground Up, and the like) and taking notes before/after sessions when I finish work. I have about 20BIs for 2NL, which isn’t a huge roll but it’s not worth worry about as I could easily redeposit as I needed for such a small amount.

If anyone read this, this turned into a bit of a spewy diary post. Sorry about that, I just wanted to offer a backstory to me as I’m trying to firm up where I am and then be more progressive with what I do in the future.

TL;DR: Losing 2NL 6-Max playear just wants to beat 2NL 6-Max over decent sample. Going to study and review sessions whilst 4 –tabling. Needs the luck. Used far too many commas.