SCOOP Results, Summer

Scoop was amazing but my results weren't. I only got around to playing 4 or 5 events cause college is just busy as hell. Unfortunately the only one I cashed in was the 11$ NLHE tourney that I had freeroll'd into back in January but no deep runs :(. Oh well, WCOOP will be more promising!

Over the summer look to find me on alot as I'm planning on trying to play full time (on my limited bankroll) and see if I can't make a better wage than last year's summer job at UPS! Summer heater anyone?

Rest of the month: Game Plan

I've decided that I'm going to try to put in some big volume at the cash games for the rest of the month. At this point, I'm leaning towards being mostly a tournament player. That's where I feel I am most solid and where I have the most potential (but still have lots of learning to do). But I've decided that I'm going to try to grind my bankroll up at 100 NL (.50/1$) full ring games so that I can be more active in May's SCOOP. Also by decreasing my MTT volume hopefully I can be fresh and ready to make some deep runs in the SCOOP, I am really looking forward to it and hoping I can make a big cash.

So for the rest of the month I will attempt to put in about 1 session / day of 4-tabling 100 NL. I'm not sure on how long each session will last, it depends on how well I'm playing and what else I have going on but I hope to get as much volume in as possible. And hopefully improve my cash game skills along the way too as I happen to have a really crappy record in the cash games.

After the huge nightly 100k run I have set my bankroll at 3,000$. My goal is to build it to 6,000 - 7,000$ which is a suitable bankroll for my MTT lineup, 22$ and under. So that's it for now, I'll post my SCOOP lineup towards the end of the month.

Great Resource - Check out bfizz11.com

Hey all,

One of the main players who I have railed in efforts of improving my poker play is bfizz11. He just recently got his own training site up and if offering coaching for a pretty good deal! Check it out @ bfizz11.com. I can say that there is some very useful material there. 100$ up front, then 25$ / month and you essentially get a live training session each week (replays of these sessions are available) plus have your individual questions answered in a forum, believe me it is a good deal.

3rd in Nightly 100k!

Bankroll: $13,237.31

This was my first final table in an MTT! I had a shot at winning it, but 3-handed my AK lost to 33 and I was lost after that. Great run - really proves how valuable push/fold mode is and the importance of patience.

Almost...

Hi, all. Big apologies for the lack of updates last month. I hardly played at all due to the return of exam season. All I will say for now - the poker cards matched the winter weather! BURRRR! Terrible beats abound. However after this tournament I rebounded from most of it, I think. February zapped my confidence but I think I got it back.

First, note that this tournament is independent of my challenge. I was staked for it, so all winnings were withdrawn.

I went (sorta) deep in a tough field and was oh, so close to making it big. I was the average stack, 18/37 people and was in the SB with A K. It came to the dealer who had just been going CRAZY for the past three or four hands. He snapped a shove on our blinds. And what could I do here, fold AK? Well, let me tell you - I was close. Instincts that were hardened by February were very negative here. I thought for a good 30 seconds. His stack was the same as mine, so losing this ends all hope; winning makes me a chip leader with some promising chances at my first big pay day. Folding leaves me where I am - in it. I put him at best on a pocket pair but began to believe I had him seriously dominated and decided to call. I knew he wouldn't snap an all in THAT fast with AA or KK. He flipped A 10 and, let's keep it non-dramatic, the turn brought him a 10 (as I half-expected after a terrible month of bad beats) and out the door I go. Damn! I am still feeling it's the right call to make..but if I fold, can I still make a run at shipping it? I still don't know. Might try it next time but in the long run, I'm a big winner today.

Regardless, it was pretty well played. This field had many sharks in it so I was happy with even making the money.

Anyways, I'll enjoy this small tourney success & I'll post the frigid Feb. update later this week.

First Major Milestone Reached!

Bankroll: $1,010.38

Woo hoo! After 77 days, I have converted 10$ into 1000$. What a good feeling! I'm 5% of the way to 20k. The next major milestone is set to be 4,000$. At that point, I will be able to play the $0.50 / 1$ ring games as well as some pretty high stakes tournaments of up to 100$.

Update #5: Bankroll Progress for January '10

Bankroll: $908.99
Profit for the Month: $828.38

At the beginning of the month, the goal was to reach 200$. As you can see by the screenshot and graph, I achieved that goal EARLY in the month and went incredibly far beyond my expectations. So I am overwhelmed with how much progress I made this month - it is very exciting. I have essentially made up for HALF my deficits that I had before beginning the challenge. However, along the ride, I also made disappointing decisions. This update will highlight the ride of this month; the ups, the downs, advice, and plans for the next month.

It is amazing to me that at the beginning of this month I had 80$. If I were to go back to January 1, I wouldn't even think it PLAUSIBLE that I could be within a week's distance of the 1,000$ mark. At this point, I am allowing myself to play 20$ sit and go's - a long shot from the $0.25 sit and go's I started with. I am also playing alot of $.10 / $.25 cash games, with the occassional $.25 / $.50 game. Finally, I have played lots of MTTs around 10$, but taking shots as high as the 50$ daily eighty grand.

However, I have found myself in some very disappointing situations along this month that essentially nearly ruined the challenge. I was starting to find myself returning to my old habits and sitting at cash games that exceeded my comfort. I sat down at 1$ / 2$ tables and even a $5 / $10 table once! These were 100% AGAINST my principles of bankroll management. To me, they effectively may have ruined this challenge, because I can no longer say that I have fully followed bankroll management along the entire way. These instances, which at times nearly costed me my entire bankroll, allowed for me to earn about 500$. I found this to be very disheartening and against the spirit of this challenge, and decided to resolve it so that I would never do something stupid like that again. I could just as easily be broke.

In my reflecting on how I can avoid regressing to bad habits, I found a decent solution: I developed a mathematical equation that would foster bankroll growth AND bankroll management. I will not go into depth of what it is here, but you may find my post in the TwoPlusTwo forums here: http://forumserver.twoplustwo.com/15/poker-theory/resource-building-bankroll-supplemental-function-692803/. So, after I developed the equation, I implemented it into excel (directions on how to do that are in the post) and made it the trendline to the graph that I've been using (top of this post).

This equation basically gives a sample "success line" bankroll on a daily basis. It is designed so that I complete this challenge in 550 days from the start date. So, for example, on day 45 into the challenge, it suggests I should have a bankroll $286.61, and on day 46, $293.60 (a change of 7$). This is a rather conservative increase for such a bankroll, but the reason for this is to allow you to overcome days where you LOSE money. This trendline is a gradual growth in bankroll that does not clearly show any slumps or fast rises, but the median of them, which is profitable. When designing the equation, I decided that any time I finished the day with more money than this success bankroll, I could either

A) Cashout
B) "Take a shot" in a MTT (e.g., play a 55$ tournament).

Already I have cashed out once, and I have taken some shots (with positive results) in such tourneys as the Daily 80 grand. Right now, the equation suggests I should be at $522. Therefore, I am able to cashout nearly 400$! I have not decided how I am going to use this extra cash, but I may not cash out or spend it on a higher stake MTT, but just continue the challenge and try finishing about a month faster. Since the equation is designed to force me to endure the learning curve of climbing stakes, I really should cashout. If I run a bit badly, I will cash it all out and stick to the success trendline. In summary it has been extremely useful so far and cured my regression - recommended for anyone going such a challenge. If you are, let me know and I will make it custom to meet your goals.

This next month should prove interesting. It is hard to say where I will be at the end of the month. If I follow the success line, adjusted to my current bankroll, then a reasonable goal for the end of the month is $1,300, where I can play up to 30$ Sit and Go's (note my goal for the end of this month was to reach 3$ Sit and Go's!!). This is much a net gain much less than this month, but I have to keep in mind that this month was perhaps a bit of a heater, seeing I could survive some terrible decisions. I think it goes without saying that my challenge for this next month is to have the discipline to stick to good management and patiently climb these stakes. January was enough of a wild ride!

1,000$ has been the first long term goal of this project; I am hoping to be there very soon. The next long term goal is ~$4,200. At this point, I will be able to play at the $.50 / 1$ - this is the beginning of the tables where I have lost my bankroll many, many times! I will also have access to tournaments and Sit and Go's with buyins as high as 100$! In my opinion, a starting bankroll of $4,200 gives you great potential to make a decent enough profit. As a college student, I could consider myself a part-time poker player at that point, but we'll see. This point in project may take until the end of the year.

February - a month with returning stability? Hopefully.

By the way, in the WBCOOP, it should be noted I played only 1 event (preliminary #1), and earned an 11$ ticket to the SCOOP. A few other random comments to be noted:

-Cashout #1: -$26.77
-Transfered money: -$10
-Donation to Haiti: -$10
-Achieved Silver Star VIP level (hoping to simply maintain)
-Either using FPPs for the pokerstars store, or as satellites

Pokerstars Blogger Participation

I have registered to play in the PokerStars World Blogger Championship of Online Poker! The WBCOOP is a free online Poker tournament open to all Bloggers, so register on WBCOOP to play.

Registration code:
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724989

WBCOOP EVENT #1: Placed 96 - Won 11$ ticket.

WBCOOP EVENT #2: Did Not Play

Bankroll Screenshot 1

I just figured out the art of taking screen-shots on my laptop.

I guess I could have done this when I started the project with 10$ but hopefully you can just take my word for it. If not, I'm really only trying to prove something to myself here.

As for the FPPs, I have spent them primarily as satellite entries.

Session 61

$5.50 Single Table Sit & Go

2nd Place

Profit: +$8.00

Bankroll: $316.01


Last night, I placed third in a $4.40 180-player tournament for a gain of 85$; lately I have been on fire and my bankroll has quadrupled in a week. This was a very good tournament for me. In fact I may have won it if my pocket fives hadn't been thwarted by pocket 3s, but that's just poker.

I posted this session (for today's only game) just to show the progress. In sessions 1-40 I was playing $0.25 90 Player Sit & Go's, making maybe 1$ or 2$ per session, and now I am earning 8$ in ONE game with a TENTH of the players. The heater lately has largely been responsible for this; but I would not be at this point without good bankroll management. In fact this is the highest my bankroll has ever been at a given point, and I have made deposits of 200$ before, only to lose it all.

I am WAY ahead of progress expectations (e.g., to be close to 200$ at the end of the month!). Next update will be at the end of the month to readjust the planning. Til then I will mainly play these Sit & Go's and a few MTTs to continue building as efficiently as possible.

Update #4: Break-through Sit & Go Leaderboard Week

Bankroll: $123.88

I placed in the top 50 in the Sit and Go leaderboard, earning 10$ (Equivalent to about 50% rakeback...placing in the top 30, which is not hard to do (just requires alot of playing time), gives 100% rakeback).

Interestingly, I decided to spend it. I grinded out 100 games that week and really needed something more exciting. So I sat at a $.25 / $.50 PL Omaha Table and managed to win 42$ after a gigantic hand:

A A 3 J (two clubs)

vs.

K K * 5 (two clubs)

vs.

Random Guy on Tilt (10 9 J 7 - two spades).

To my great fortune, I flopped a nut straight (no flush draws on board), while the K K hand flopped trips, AND the random guy who shouldn't've been in the hand flopped a lower straight. All that had to happen was to avoid the board pairing, and I didn't, so I won a huge triple-me-up pot for quite a gain, I think I ended up 50$ ahead.

I got very lucky obviously. But when you get some kind of "Bonus" money in such a challenge it doesn't hurt to consider spending it on a tournament or something (tournament being the better option over what I did). Or you can keep it and just boost the bankroll (as opposed to losing it in that tournament). This is the better option IF you have momentum. If you're on a plateau, you might be interested in spending it (the main reason for me to take this little gamble).

That was a huge, well-needed jump-start (even though basically luck-boxed)

Update #3: Bankroll Progress for December '09

Bankroll: $80.61

Profit for the Month: $60.74

The goal at the end of November was to be well on my way to 90$, where I could move to play 2$ games, and, at 100$, add in some ring games. This month was a great success as I am only a day or two from reaching 90$.

Since my last update, I have broken up my playing as follows. About 80% of my playing has gone into $1.20 single table Sit & Go's. 18% went into MTTs, most of which cost 1$. Once, I played a 3$ MTT and made a deep run to win 20$; this was a HUGE lift in my progress and since then I have made above-expectation progress. MTTs are fine to do every now and then, but even if you go deep, you only rake in a few dollars at this level unless you make a final table. Your time is better put into Sit & Go's but MTTs are always a fun challenge. The other 2% of my play-time was spent on the $.01 / $.02 ring games as a preview, those went pretty well.

The transition from $0.25 90 player Sit & Go's to Single table 1$ Sit & Go's was difficult at first - it is a different ball-game. After playing them one at a time, I figured out a decent strategy. I'm now playing about 8-10 at a time, with average profit of 3-9$ / session. This is MUCH more satisfying than the $0.25 FOUR hour sessions, where I would average half the profit in twice the time.

Right now I am trying to take advantage of Pokerstar's Sit and Go leaderboard. It looks like I may be able to get an extra 20$ / week plus a freeroll entry every month to help supplement my progress. This is the first week I've tried it, right now I'm heading for a top 10 finish but that's for another update.

My goal for the end of this month was to be well on my way to 90$. I expect to reach 100$ in less than 10 days. There I can play ring games at the $0.01 / $0.02 tables, I can continue the 1$ Sit and Go's, and I can add on 2$ MTTs as well as 2$ 90 player games -- Much more versatility. With that said, I expect to reach 150$ by the end of January. There I can add on 3$ single table Sit and Go's, 3$ MTTs; in addition I can make a run for their next highest sit and go leaderboard. (For more information, visit: http://www.pokerstars.com/poker/promotions/battle/)

Under tougher expectations, I hope to be coming close to 200$ by the end of next month. At that point, I can move up to $0.02 / $0.05 ring games, and 4$ Sit & Go's / tournaments. This may be a stretch since I will be back to school but I will dedicate as much time as possible without interfering with studies / college-life. :)

NOTE: I am no longer going to be adding session-to-session updates, but I will continue to add at least one large update per month.

Sessions 42-44

Bankroll: $64.90

No specifics on the sessions are available due to being very busy with the Holidays. I made a deep run in a 1$ [500$ GTD] tournament to account for most of it; the rest is from single table Sit & Go's and a few Omaha / NL Hold'em $0.01 / $0.02 ring games. I'll resume session-to-session updates from here.

Session 41 ***

$3.30 MTT [$4000 GTD]

Players: 4621
Place: 58 [1.36%]

Profit: +$15.77

Bankroll: $53.54


This tournament turned out to be the deepest run I have ever made in a MTT. It was not proper bankroll management, but going up a level higher is not strictly against the rules. In fact, if you are running well or just need a bit of excitement, then it is encouraged. Really paid out here!

Session 40

$1.20 Single Table

Place: 2

Profit: +$1.50

Bankroll: $37.77

Session 39 ***

$2.20 90 Player Sit & Go

Best Finish: 16
Worst Finish: 42
Average Finish: 29 [31%]

Profit: -$4.40

Bankroll: $36.27

0/8 streak!! I went to 16th place in latest tournament but made a poor decision of going all in with A J suited, preflop, and lost to a 8 7 suited flush. If I had been patient I could have avoided a loss there. I am going probably give these 2$ Sit & Go's 2 more shots; if I finish 0-10 I am going to do a short recovery from $0.25 games - so I can get a confidence (and a bankroll) boost - then, I will stick to 1-table 1$ S&G's, as well as 1$ MTTs. But going 0 for 8 is a bit of a shock to me, I never had such trouble at the $0.25 level. Then again, it is way unorthodox to be playing those on a 40$ bankroll. I wish Pokerstars would fulfill my request for 1$ non-turbos....getting frustrating...Anyways...2 more shots; if I can't win, I will build back to 40$ the hard way, then try a new method.

Session 38

$2.20 90 Player Sit & Go

Best Finish: 45
Worst Finish: 72
Average Finish: 58.5 [65%]

Profit: -$4.40

Bankroll: $40.67


The transition from $0.25 to $2.20 has been rough!!

Session 37

$0.01 / $0.02 Ring Game (Pot Limit Omaha)

Buyin: 5$

Number of hands: ~85

Profit: +$5.05

Bankroll: $45.07

Session 36

$2.20 90 Player Sit & Go

Best Finish: 41
Worst Finish: 53
Average Finish: 47 [51%]

Profit: -$4.40

Bankroll: $40.02

Session 35

$1.10 MTT [$2,000 GTD]

Players: 5918
Place: 667 [11.27%]

Profit: +$0.73


Bankroll: $44.42