OK, so I was a little optimistic in my last post.
My NL play is still solid, and I made another $100. Although I did have to move up to the 50c/$1 level to get this.
However my roll has actually taken a bit of a battering.
The reason: I seem to have found a poker version of blackjack in the form of Razz.
With my roll at an all time high of $1,400 I decided to have a stab at heads-up Razz ($2/$4 limit). Won $20 without showing against a clown.
Bolstered by the success I moved to the $8/$16 level (!) and leaked all $160 of my buy-in in about 15 minutes.
Unperturbed by that I then lost another $150 playing $2/$4 limit RAZZ, five-handed.
I couldn't hit a thing. The basic rule of Razz seems to be don't play paint and don't play pairs, but whatever starting hand I had I then paired up or hit a succession of high cards. Also kept losing on the river when ahead.
I was on serious tilt by the time I managed to close the table down.
To cap it all I then donked off $70 on an Omaha H/L PL table and roll was down to a sorry $983. Arse!
I've managed to bump this back up to $1,160 - where I was about a fortnight ago - but it still is mighty galling.
So, just for fun, I've decided on some New Year's Resolution's a la MilkyBarKid
1) Build my roll to $3,500.
Very do-able at my current win rates, anything extra is a bonus.
2) Win a cash MTT with more than 100 entrants.
I'm not a massive MTT player, and have only a loyalty points freeroll (on Absolute) once. I've placed loads, especially back when I started playing in 2004, but it would be nice to get there at least once in 2007.
3) Don't play limit holdem and NO RAZZ.
Pretty obvious really.
4) Learn how to use Pokertracker better
I've got it, and log my results but I need to take the time to read the Pokertracker user guide, written by Iggy.
5)Try to vary my game more
This has to be the one of the keys to success on the cash tables. Although no matter how tight you've played, there always seems to be some chump who's bought in with all his stack and can't help but call to see your nuts!
Can't really think of much else at the mo, though I might add a couple at a later date.
On a personal note, I moved into my new flat today and have plans to see a couple of mates in Manchester for the New Year.
Work is going well and I'm actually quite hopeful of a promotion in the next couple of months. I have a finance exam in Jan which I should pass and am off skiing in two weeks for my first holiday in ages.
Ta-ra
Thursday, December 28, 2006
Thursday, December 21, 2006
Winning run
I'm absolutely loving my poker at the moment. Cash games on FullTilt rule and I made another $100 in about 90 mins of two-tabling.
I'm now playing just 25c/50c NL and don't plan to move up til I reach $2,000.
I was lucky last night, hitting trips with 3s and 9s, and winning some by acting weak with As (after raising pre-flop).
I re-read yesterday's post and my style is slightly more complicated than basically feigning tightness and then stealing.
I have some other tricks, and one of the best is to raise pot pre-flop with position lots. It can definitely put low stakers on tilt and confuses the hell out of them.
I'm now playing just 25c/50c NL and don't plan to move up til I reach $2,000.
I was lucky last night, hitting trips with 3s and 9s, and winning some by acting weak with As (after raising pre-flop).
I re-read yesterday's post and my style is slightly more complicated than basically feigning tightness and then stealing.
I have some other tricks, and one of the best is to raise pot pre-flop with position lots. It can definitely put low stakers on tilt and confuses the hell out of them.
Wednesday, December 20, 2006
Slowly rising
The last week or so has been as hectic as ever. Lots of xmas dos, and room hunting have taken their toll.
I have one more booze-up left and then its Xmas, thank god.
I'm really not enjoying tournament and SNG play at the moment, but cash games are going well.
My stack is up to $1,300 now and slowly rising. The three sessions I've played since my last post have each netted around $100, all from the 25c/50c NL and 50c/$1 NL tables on FullTilt.
The more I play the more I realise how stupid I've been over the past two years of play.
The game is so much easier with a big stack behind you.
I've no problem calling big bets if I think I'm ahead and most importantly, I can now push around timid, small stack players who are obviously playing with all the roll. Frankly they seem to be papping their pants every time, they put some money in.
I really try to work on table image.
I like to play very tightly for a few rounds. And make a show of checking down blind v blind battles with a pr, so I can show at the end.
This means I can start stealing as my foes think I'm a supertight.
Last night I was flopped two str8 at the same time, on different tables and got paid off.
With Christmas coming, my aim is to move the roll past $1,500 by the new year, which is more than reasonable.
As long as I stay in my comfort zone of no more than 50c/$1 NL, I should be able to manage it.
On the home front I'm moving into a room in a house in Brixton with a freelance journalist and a French actress/post-grad student.
SPeak soon
I have one more booze-up left and then its Xmas, thank god.
I'm really not enjoying tournament and SNG play at the moment, but cash games are going well.
My stack is up to $1,300 now and slowly rising. The three sessions I've played since my last post have each netted around $100, all from the 25c/50c NL and 50c/$1 NL tables on FullTilt.
The more I play the more I realise how stupid I've been over the past two years of play.
The game is so much easier with a big stack behind you.
I've no problem calling big bets if I think I'm ahead and most importantly, I can now push around timid, small stack players who are obviously playing with all the roll. Frankly they seem to be papping their pants every time, they put some money in.
I really try to work on table image.
I like to play very tightly for a few rounds. And make a show of checking down blind v blind battles with a pr, so I can show at the end.
This means I can start stealing as my foes think I'm a supertight.
Last night I was flopped two str8 at the same time, on different tables and got paid off.
With Christmas coming, my aim is to move the roll past $1,500 by the new year, which is more than reasonable.
As long as I stay in my comfort zone of no more than 50c/$1 NL, I should be able to manage it.
On the home front I'm moving into a room in a house in Brixton with a freelance journalist and a French actress/post-grad student.
SPeak soon
Monday, December 04, 2006
Volatile returns
I played a lot this weekend, and played very poorly.
I have been made homeless after falling out with my flatmate/landlord, so I knew the weekend was to be the last time in at least two weeks when I had a chance to play.
Reaching a four-figure bankroll seems to have affected my play and I'm having trouble pushing on past it.
I have no trouble losing to the better hand all-in, but have too often called off all my buy-in on some very dubious calls.
I'm finding it too easy to just insta-call an all-in re-raise, w/o thinking. Sometimes they're bluffing, or have a marginal hand, but I've managed to lose a couple of $100 buy-ins simply from not thinking through the hand properly.
I've been trying to take advantage of the drunk American by playing early doors on the weekends, with success.
But ran into a drunk, and very lucky, bully to my left who raised every bet I made.
I waited and waited, but was getting nothing, before playing back at him on a turned str8, only to lose to a 4-outer, higher str8, on the river.
My roll is now just shy of $1,000 and will remain there until I find a new place to live.
Over at Stars, I've started turning my dwindling bankroll back up by playing pee-wee sit'n'go's ($3+.40c turbos omaha h/l) and am slowly eeking it back up, but this is more for fun than anything.
I'm staying for the next two weeks at my news editor's flat in Stoke Newington, while she is on holiday in Vietnam.
In the meantime I have two viewings, one in a flat in Hammersmith and the other in a house in Finsbury Park.
I'm hoping either will be suitable, but it looks like it will be an interview situation a la Shallow Grave.
We shall see if my charms work on them!
I have been made homeless after falling out with my flatmate/landlord, so I knew the weekend was to be the last time in at least two weeks when I had a chance to play.
Reaching a four-figure bankroll seems to have affected my play and I'm having trouble pushing on past it.
I have no trouble losing to the better hand all-in, but have too often called off all my buy-in on some very dubious calls.
I'm finding it too easy to just insta-call an all-in re-raise, w/o thinking. Sometimes they're bluffing, or have a marginal hand, but I've managed to lose a couple of $100 buy-ins simply from not thinking through the hand properly.
I've been trying to take advantage of the drunk American by playing early doors on the weekends, with success.
But ran into a drunk, and very lucky, bully to my left who raised every bet I made.
I waited and waited, but was getting nothing, before playing back at him on a turned str8, only to lose to a 4-outer, higher str8, on the river.
My roll is now just shy of $1,000 and will remain there until I find a new place to live.
Over at Stars, I've started turning my dwindling bankroll back up by playing pee-wee sit'n'go's ($3+.40c turbos omaha h/l) and am slowly eeking it back up, but this is more for fun than anything.
I'm staying for the next two weeks at my news editor's flat in Stoke Newington, while she is on holiday in Vietnam.
In the meantime I have two viewings, one in a flat in Hammersmith and the other in a house in Finsbury Park.
I'm hoping either will be suitable, but it looks like it will be an interview situation a la Shallow Grave.
We shall see if my charms work on them!
Saturday, December 02, 2006
Rising fortunes
Just a quickieto say since my last post I've managed to get a wireless internet connection up-and-running at the flat.
Unfortunately the $900 deposit turned into $500 because the blackjack demons returned. V. v annoying.
But I have since turned this $500 into $1065.35 on FullTilt, a huge stack by my standards.
Most of this has come from the 50c/$1 NL tables, and a little from omaha h/l.
My basic plan is to stick at this level until I reach $2,000 - then move up.
I'm enjoying my time at the tables, mainly because I'm not playing so much.
Unfortunately the $900 deposit turned into $500 because the blackjack demons returned. V. v annoying.
But I have since turned this $500 into $1065.35 on FullTilt, a huge stack by my standards.
Most of this has come from the 50c/$1 NL tables, and a little from omaha h/l.
My basic plan is to stick at this level until I reach $2,000 - then move up.
I'm enjoying my time at the tables, mainly because I'm not playing so much.
Rising fortunes
Just a quickieto say since my last post I've managed to get a wireless internet connection up-and-running at the flat.
Unfortunately the $900 deposit turned into $500 because the blackjack demons returned. V. v annoying.
But I have since turned this $500 into $1065.35 on FullTilt, a huge stack by my standards.
Most of this has come from the 50c/$1 NL tables, and a little from omaha h/l.
My basic plan is to stick at this level until I reach $2,000 - then move up.
I'm enjoying my time at the tables, mainly because I'm not playing so much.
Unfortunately the $900 deposit turned into $500 because the blackjack demons returned. V. v annoying.
But I have since turned this $500 into $1065.35 on FullTilt, a huge stack by my standards.
Most of this has come from the 50c/$1 NL tables, and a little from omaha h/l.
My basic plan is to stick at this level until I reach $2,000 - then move up.
I'm enjoying my time at the tables, mainly because I'm not playing so much.
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