Now's probably not the ideal time to post. Im going to attach two pictures at the bottom via facebook direct to picture links of my EV graphs because today was Brutal.
First of all folkes, glad so many of you are reading still. Means alot that you take time out of your day to read my rants and brags - with very little in between.
I ended yesterday with a strategy session found a couple of leaks with will only help me in future - not major leaks but stuff that will increase our win rate a little long term.
That meant i managed to stay up a little longer than what i had been. Plan was to wake up around 5/6ish for todays session. Just about managed that 4.45am was the wake up time. First mtt started at 5.15 and Micro Series started at 7am.
All in all i regged everyhting upto 11am that i fancied. $50 on the number site, 3 on the Micro Series and 2 for Sky.
Starting with the 2 for sky - because somehow this is going to be the most positive ones. 2x £3.30 bhs, between them took 4 heads, stack in one peaked at starting, the otherone peaked at double starting but not till starting was 10bb. Set v backdoor straight in a 4b pot crippled me in one, Shoved Two overs + FD in a 3b monotone flop pot in the other, got called by a bare gutshot which was accompanied by Ace high. He hit his 3 out gutshot anyways, but the Ace high would have been enough to beat my KQ.
To the micro series. First game was a progressive bh. Played well first 3 hours before going spot dead, getting ul in 3 spots before a double then AT v 78 AIP for 10BB runs out xxxx7 GG. Second one again up to 40k from 5 starting after playing well, people handing us stacks, then QQ v KK AQ v AJ and A9 v AQ later we're GG. So that left the 4 max static bounty hunter33 v QQ v A4cc all in for 500BB pot and 2 heads all in on 36T with 2 clubs - turn club board doesnt pair. Reocvered back to 3k before AA v QQ v the same opponent AIP runs out xxxxQ.
So the numbers site. I can't rmemeber most of the mtts. One bluff on the bubble went wrong left with chips before JJ lost to AJ for a huge pot then lost a flip for the rest. Nothing you can do in those spots. The other was a static bounty hunter where you have to have a web cam. 5 where paid. Lost a mega flip (like 4/5-1 chip lead if i win flip) with 12 left. Then AQ v 99 on T8x, A6cc v 78cc on 245cc and AQ v A2 meant that i came 8th.
Those where the only games i can remember never got going in the rest tbh.
So i decided to have a second session. Knew i was staying up for the football anyways, great result by the way. Great tactical battle from 2 solid managers, managing average teams.
Anyways to the pokers... Started around 2 with a huge session. Some meh luck around a bubble and then alot of luck as a result of bad lack we ended up all in on the BB during H4H. By the time the hand had finnished someone had already bust so we got a min cash. A few other nearly misses meant that was our only cash, showing at that time a -$80 day -$100 if you include the other $ site.
Andy mailed me when i had one mtt left, with a stack that was yo-yoing about 2 freeroll sats on sky. Cant mind what the first was for. As it started i bust the MTT i was in with a cooler A4 v A6 on A64 - that was just again shy of the bubble too. Anyways, first sat went meh. The second was for Thursdays main, and things went well, didnt lose much, got paid when i had it, won my flips. And got a seat. If i'd had a good day id have taken the seat and the gamble. But because i was having the day i had, i decided to do the reg and de-reg thing.
So today has been one of the hardest days for me to swollow. A total of 23 games, 2 cashes, and 3 heads i think.
Most of that volume came on the numbers site with 18 games. 4 on Sky and 1 micro Series.
Micro Series has no came to and end. One game today, i did have more but would need to commit to 9am finnishes tomorrow which since i started at 8am today felt a pretty decision. I lasted a total of 20 mins playing 3 hands AA, KK, QT in that order - the QT was a 10BB shove. I've finnished the series with a profit of +$19
Sky games where all bounty hunters as usual, picked up 2 heads i think no other cashes. These where the only games i was really happy with. Full clean exits never got going if anything.
The numbers site has some serious issues today aswell. And i dont mean in terms of my results either. Never been disconnected so often. Results fell down to 0 cashes across the board with 3 games remaining. Got through bubble on one and ran down to final 3/4 tables before busting, can't even mind the exit to be honest.
With one game left i needed 7th to break even on that specific site, 4th to break even since my last cash, and 3rd to break even for all sites. Not an ideal spot to be. Going into the money i was 2nd in chips but that did't really maintain as cards and spots went against me. Approching FT i was always just above the shorties, and then FT bubble i got Jacks in against A8s - which flopped me dead to one out. That was slightly frustrating expessially given i was miles higher than all of the life support stacks, including one sat out.
This unfortunetly in the power of mtt poker, but I feel like im playing well, I'm starting to get some volume in again and looking back to getting my next score which im sure is in the post. Although really could use it soon as the BR is looking very wounded at the moment.
Once i ship sales of the Micro series BR back to people who bought, ill be splitting that into 2 between the big site and its sister old big site allowing maximum pool to choose from.
The money i have on the numbers site at present is also crippled, tonight i had 100% BR in play, which is never a good spot. However i really think its +Ev to reload there as soon as i can.
Im taking tomorrow off, partly to refresh the head, but also to refresh the body.
Returning Tuesday or thats the plan. GTA will be a mega lure but so is Double GTE Turbo Tuesday.
Why wouldn't you hit yourself over the head with a Hammer
So i am purposely posting this before i even start my grind today.
Yesterday i took the plunge and signed up to a well known strategy video website. I have so far downloaded somewhere in the region of 250 hours of stuff. Including everything they had on the mental aspect of poker.
Which is what i started on yesterday. I've only watched episode one properly so far of on ofthe series based on tilt and I can already alot of things. This episode was just talking about foundations of fixing things, but building these foundations will in turn help build a mighty fine looking house.
These foundations are also something that when i was watching i seen similar issues in most poker players. Obviously these other poker players don't have the mental game i have which means they get away with it. However I now think I'm on the right path.
As a result of this I've decided to set myself some goals and targets. Now the goal will be unachieveable but its to also remind me that failure is ok and acceptable as long as I am trying my hardest. The targets will only be achieveable with hard work and dedication.
Goal(s)
[ ] Play Perfect Poker
Target(s)
[ ] Make the Correct Decision on this street
[ ] Volume of at least 400 MTTs in December
So thats the goals and targets. Playing perfect poker will never be possible, but we can always strive towards it. Targets should be something we look to hit over and over again, so I decided on taking the videos example of making the right decision on the current street i am on. This is achieveable on every hand i play on between 1/4 times a hand. I feel this is a good target to work on. 400 MTTs i think is very much achieveable. I've kept it low, because my BR on sites is low and a couple of bad days could easily see me not cashin and being busto on certain sites.
As for the title - it refers to good advice, right reason.
I'm not sure if it's a goal or a target (wtf is the difference?) but a good 'aim' to go alongside your volume target would be to spend xx hours watching those videos you've downloaded.
Now that you're only playing mtts I think you should make the most of the skype group you have access to.
There are people in there who can help you much more and in ways poker videos can't. Really is an invaluable resource that money can't buy.
Half an hour talking to MB/TD/MP/CG and Sanj (for comedy value) about mtt mindset, approach, temporament, swings etc is worth 2/3 hours sat in front of poker vids imo.
Not just talking to them but actually trusting what they say, taking it in and using it to help yourself improve. Just look at their results, they know their stuff!!
Don't ask about the relative strengths of 22 and Q9 though, that definitely doesn't help tilt levels
Hopefully (at last) this is some sorta break through !
Before i get into this update. Chris love that quote
JJ a target is a static aim, a goal is something that when you hit, you forget about and create a brand new goal. Tbf volume of 400 games should maybe be a goal but I've put it there because i can adjust the amount. 400 might also be too small but i can always adjust in the future if i smash it in December.
So onto today - I took in a much strong attitude into today. And early doors I felt like i needed it. Much like the past few days I couldn't keep any amount of tables open. No matter what I did. The one game i had left was one of these buy 3 seats into one mtt and was left with just 1. Anyways plogged on. made one pretty daft mistake but knew it straight away and moved on.
However the differance from yesterday to other days, I felt much more in control. And that meant i was enjoying it more, and playing better. The first mtt i cashed in normally im like sigh just a min cash ffs. I put... "i couldn't have done anything to go any further in this mtt" - im sure the guys i type to prefer that to ffs etc, and although its seems like a moan i was expressing I had no regrets with how i played it and no regrets for where i finnished. I played my best and that is what really matters.
Later on min cashes where going galore. I was ul in alot of spots, but thats regardless. As i said to jj on FB i feel a score comming, I keep putting myself in great spots to go deep, only a matter of time before i do.
Then i was left with 2 mtts, into the money in both. The one that just creeped into the money again i got ul. But again i made the right decisions. The one that was left was going ok. Unlike the others, i got lucky. However i still feel i was making the right decisions. The first one 2 limpers at 3/6k i shove A9 from the SB - at this stage the feild of 67 remaining was extremely compact, less than 7bb from chip leader to 7th, so stealing a spot like this would give me 3bb + my SB back and the antes in play. All that dead money, and chances are v limping ranges A9 is the best hand anyways. The BB snaps - Some swear words came out my mouth at that point, but i still think its the right decision, i just know im in awful shape. He had QQ we hit out ace on the flop. That was the same kind of spots that was going against us earlier in the other events. But thats why i now want to focus on the decision regardless of the result.
From that i took control of the FT final 3 you could combine the other 2 stacks and id still be chip leader - HU i had a 3/1 chip lead. The site once again disconnected while HU and i decided to wait talk in chat until the other guy confirmed he was back. 2 hands later i shipped an OESD on him he called with TPTK - i got there and won the tournament.
Strangely im still in loss since my last win, but i feel if i keep playing like i did today, and more importnantly keep the mental attitude and build upon it - this will be a far more common occurance.
So this evening was purely the games I've always said was my bread and butter. And 2 near misses with no heads, a couple of heads then ul meant nothing really went anywhere.
The main had a solid start, then a meh pot back to starting. Then made a small mistake, but the play was for the right reasons. Im still happy with it, although i was maybe giving the opponent slightly too much credit. I then got ul with my exit but thats no biggie.
The mini was similar i doubled took a head, then got ul in a great spot, then lost a flip and gg.
However i cant complain and i won 5/10 all in sats i entered for the main. That means I'm only -£4 on sky today - i sold all my nightly action so will deposit that and i'll have increased my roll a small amount.
I'll be honest i was a touch embarrased sending te details of my package, but variance will be variance and we can hopefully show a profit next time on the package.
So yesterday i took a day off. My back had been getting sorer and sorer through the micro series, and despite the day break Tuesday was unbearable, expessially towards the end of the session.
I didn't do too much a little bit of study time, and spent alot of the day just playing with the weeman.
Onto todays poker exploits. When i first woke up i was 20 mins away from any MTTs starting. I had a tournament ticket I'd won in a depositers promo freeroll the other day, I had the choice between a 9 max S&G, a steps system or a 6 max or 6 max turbo. Steps probably the most EV option but i didn't want to comit to much time to it so went for the STD 6 max. Strange payout structure meant i came third for $1.02 (3 paid with like less than 3 buy ins for the win $2 buy in as standard - defo not something I'd put any volume in)
Bar 1 head in a static bounty hunter that was literally my only cash. So from 22 games my total cashes where $2.02 - Not the result I was hoping for.
I felt like i played reasonably well, and when i break down hands i played, I struggle to see how I could have done any better - couple of nitty folds in places, but often proved to be the correct fold. I also stayed away from any sort of tilt bar one slight moan when i had aces cracked by KQ and KK respectively in the space of about 10 seconds.
I really do find the stuff i have found on the mental game to be helping and i've only watch 50% of the episodes so far.
The increase in volume is also going well, i could have easily played another 20 mtts today but have some stuff to discuss with Mel about the little ones education and the application for the place Mel wants has to be in tomorrow so agreed we'd sit down and discuss. That meant stopping registering about 1pm.
I was going to put this post up earlier, and although i wasn't tilted comming off the session i felt a touch deflated and I decided to just play some Minecraft and chill for a couple of hours first.
Today's been a funny day. I stopped around 12ish having had 3 cashes, all virtually min cashes from 8 mtts played in the morning session. I had a headache and decided to stop regging till Mel came home with some painkillers to sooth it.
My exit's in all the cashed events where pretty sigh. 2 bad beats and one hand where i probably could/SHOULD have folded AQ. The moment you sigh before hitting the all in button is the second you know its not the correct move, and even though we're shallow AQ is a fold in that spot.
The afternoon session again showed lots of promise. a further 3 cashes including 18th in a 2k runner turbo competition. AK v 96 being the crippler there, altho i did get back into it after Blinds, followed by the breaking of my table blinds going up and straight back into the BB (basically i went BB SB BTN(didnt get a shove) BB) meant that no comeback would be possible. My exit was a touch ul i got there, had him down to 2 outs, and he re-got there.
Every other exit was pretty ul too.
My last major tilt episode where i went x amount of mtts without a cash, Dohhhhh said to me he'd prefer that to loads of min cashes. Today i understand why. I'm not tilted, I'm not annoyed. I'm disappointed because every one of the deep run exits, if i hold, I'm in great shape for FT and maybe beyond.
But I'm going to look at the positives, I keep putting myself in spots where I'm getting my money in good for a stack which puts me in great shape for a deep run. I'm playing well, and I've added a few things to my game recently, and although its not got me a decent score yet, i feel its only a matter of time.
The mental improvements are helping too. Despite several spots where i'd have preiously lost the plot, the most i gave out was a sigh, and right at the end of the last one a small sick of busting like that. But compared to before thats a rapid improvement.
I've came a long way in a short space of time, Theres still a long way to go... But i'm getting there.
I was going to end on that note... However I wanted to add, my target for December. Including Xmas theres about 4 days i can't play. So its a 27 day month for me - thats also including one day where I'm considering playing a live event. Over 27 days that means I'd need to average 15 tournaments per day. Currently im averaging between 18-31 depending on how often I'm regging up to cover an exit. I'm also starting to find 7 tables easier to deal with although still not perfect and has never been tested with a deep run in the mix. Anyways this leads me to a question for those of you who have read this far. Should i consider increasing the target a small amount. - maybe aim for 500 instead of 400?
Today probably been one of my hardest days. I was never planning alot of tables anyways, but i was loading up S&Gs to keep tables up. That is never a good sign.
I did have one "deep" run in the 4r that JJ often takes 50% of my action in. My history in it is almost a mirror image of how it went today. Do ok through rebuy period think my most expensive time was 1 extra rebuy the rest its been enter double stack and addon. Today was the cheapest route again.
After that we fold for a while before getting a huge hand and someone bluffs into us and says have my stack. We then fold a little more before making a good call down. We then fold a little more before getting unlucky when approching the bubble. Today was AK into AA for 18BB effective. Thats been the most ok fair enough exit of the lot.
I spoke wth jj afterwards and he was like your having a good month, i said i thought despite the 2 wins ive have and the 3rd lol win im -$100 across all sites. He asked me to get my average buy in and work out. One score would settle that - turns out i wasn't -$100 at all, -$243 not including any of todays game which would be easily another $50 and thats also not including the £43 i lost on mastercash in that session earlier in the month.
I have around $400 roll back, but that obviously means if i go for decent volume next month, theres a decent chance i could go broke - there is no reload.
So overall i feel like im playing well, but theres no results to show for it.
Thats the nature of mtts, and maybe my punnishment for winning some of the lowest buy in events i play in - thats not out of choice, I keep putting myselfs ITM in higher up before getting unlucky in pots that give me a great chance of a deep run.
All in all, i feel positive despite feeling deflated about the results. Hopefully the corner is just up ahead and i can find the real winning ways.
So i planned a mega Sunday session. Instead a mate offered me a pint on Saturday night, and a pint quckly turned out to crawling into the house at 4am. Sunday grind became stuck with a hangover barely able to stay awake through the F1. At least Hamilton won tho
JJ mentioned a 7 day prop bet to me Monday to Sunday. Not much just a fiver but its more for the ego that counts. JJ i imagine will just increase his volume on playing days rather than playing more days. I think that gives me a strong advantage. Or so you'd think.
My plan is to play 20-30 mtts per day depending on how I'm running. I've already lost on of the sites i play on though due to moving that roll to another one to help keep me be able to play on either one. So thats 3/4 mtts a day i'd play removed.
JJ is starting today, I am not. Due to a on going illness I have an appointment with my GP. That puts any grind today out of the window. Thats fine I should still be able to get easily more volume in over Dohhhh.
I will update my volume in here daily for each of the 3 sites i play on via sharkscope. And on Sunday will also cover the full week. Which will set up good feedback (if you folkes wouldn't mind) for doing it for my personal challenge in December.
Yesterdays Doctors went well - nothing seriously wrong, some heavy medication go back in 3 weeks should be better by then.
So that left today open for grind. I'd planned a mega session on Sunday and missed it due to hangover and couldn't play yest for obv reasons.
So that left today. Mega grind it was. So woke up put a package together for 16 mtts, Sold out, not as quickly as normal but was short notice and during peoples working hours.
Add that with 27 mtts from other sites and 1 i had 100% of myself of on Sky. In total 44 mtts.
That was the posititives. 13 cashes (inc 1 FT and 1 FT bubble) - Highest cashes £12 and $5.70 in each currency respective. Results -£70 and -$20
Suddenly it doesn't feel as positive. When i look at how i played, i feel happy. Again I repeatedly put myself in great spots, and just get outdrawn when it really starts to matter.
A little bit of this... A little of that... And a lot of ketchup
So the grind has been a little on off recently. JJ suggested Twitch to a few of us in group, and I have watched alot of Pokerstaples and a little of JCarver the past few weeks. I thought it would be a solid Idea, and I went for it. Since then I've had 2 sessions and steamed on throughout and the other about 50% of it. Really enjoyed it although didn't notice i had no sound on for the latter. And now i know how to do it keen to do some more. Although the issue is my grind hours and the little one sleeping come into question. And I think moving the pc again is bad for my grind ethic in general.
So how did we get on. Well on 888 there was a load of losses, think in total i had a game where i picked up 2 heads for combined $2 and thats about it. I sold stake for sky comps and requested payment on 888 to try cover some damage.
Sky - 2 min cashes - 1 early FT bust out - and a few heads take us to -£80 since the last update.
Stars - 3rd and a 4th in 180 man S&Gs and conistently cashing the microest of micro turbos (11-55 cent entries) see us making small profit since the last update.
Overall the bankroll is at breaking point on literally every single site. The lowest its been in a long time. The downswing is starting to effect my mood towards grinding, but i need to power on. As i speak JJ has a slight edge in the bet - I had a slight edge going into today but he's taken over, almost certain of it. I should re-take over tomorrow while he's nursing off the cider. (or the Gavascon - a couple of people will get that remark for the rest, i wouldn't worry)
I'm going to put some effort into studying tonight, speicifically mid stages of games - I think its getting too common to be min cashing as much for it to be just variance like i like to think it is. We shall see. But i have a couple of videos which I'm keen to look at.
The graph covers my volume and results. I'm awaiting full results for the Don v Dohhh challenge, although i think JJ will have edged it. I need to wait on jj having a playing day to confirm volume from one specific site which for me backed up by my hud proved several missing results.
Overall im happy with my volume, understandably disappointed with results. That graph covers every game i playd and only one search weas in profit (180 mans +$18) everything else was in pretty strong loss - at the same time though average ROI was 11.5% which suggests winning the wrong games - not to mention we wasted a win on a $13.50 win in a full head prize mtt. I was also extremely consistant in cashing the super micro turbos on pokerstars - the 27c and 11c games - unfortunetly i never quite turned any of those into a FT which would have put a dent in the losses, and the close but no bone cashes are less than a min cash for the more expensive events i play.
Cash while i don't think it would be a great idea normally is looking like an extremely attractive prospect to rebuild for a couple of months. I still think MTTs is the way forward, but losing $450 (not including the £50 lost at MC) Is a huge dent to a roll that started a little over $700.
That also means the December goal of 400 games is out of the window. Which is a shame because I felt it was very achieveable.
The debate i now have is Heads up or NL4 - I'm going to take time to make that decision, and will let you know new targets in the next update. I may update with Don V Doh update before that - although I'm sure JJ will also update in his diary.
A tough end to a tough month November The graph covers my volume and results. I'm awaiting full results for the Don v Dohhh challenge, although i think JJ will have edged it. I need to wait on jj having a playing day to confirm volume from one specific site which for me backed up by my hud proved several missing results. Overall im happy with my volume, understandably disappointed with results. That graph covers every game i playd and only one search weas in profit (180 mans +$18) everything else was in pretty strong loss - at the same time though average ROI was 11.5% which suggests winning the wrong games - not to mention we wasted a win on a $13.50 win in a full head prize mtt. I was also extremely consistant in cashing the super micro turbos on pokerstars - the 27c and 11c games - unfortunetly i never quite turned any of those into a FT which would have put a dent in the losses, and the close but no bone cashes are less than a min cash for the more expensive events i play. Cash while i don't think it would be a great idea normally is looking like an extremely attractive prospect to rebuild for a couple of months. I still think MTTs is the way forward, but losing $450 (not including the £50 lost at MC) Is a huge dent to a roll that started a little over $700. That also means the December goal of 400 games is out of the window. Which is a shame because I felt it was very achieveable. The debate i now have is Heads up or NL4 - I'm going to take time to make that decision, and will let you know new targets in the next update. I may update with Don V Doh update before that - although I'm sure JJ will also update in his diary. Posted by The_Don90
I don't get this at all, surely you just sell a larger % than you would have done previously?
Comments
enjoy the wee man before he grows up. it happens too quickly.
you cant win every tournament you play but too cash in most is an achievement itself I would think.
as for your volume, if your comfortable you can play at the same standard and get too 500 then why not go for it.
gl in your games don reading with interest,
just maybe change that profile pic,
4 leaf clover for luck and all
gl matey.