Originally posted by fruktpuff
It will come back around - just need to find the energy to grind these instead of making mirrions at PLO25 ♦
I'm inevitabley gonna blow that soon enough ♦
Back to Steps games when the wife goes to work!
#GottaGrindThisOut
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Originally posted by justkyle88
Awesome to see your taking a crack at this again.
Cheers Kyle 
Hopefully I have the longevity for the task. Can't seem to get myself fired up at the minute to play these.
Right then, its gone 11am - the missus is off to work and it's time to get a few things done before setting off for my Steps action.
I've had to self-exclude myself from all cash games. I've been zooming off and on this morning with my remaining $. Started off with roughly $40 and now it's up near $170. So I've almost paid for half of my next block already.
Sorry PLO regs - this fish is leaving the ocean for now ♦
Legendary heater though - including rivering quads twice (although my set vs. set was ahead in both hands already)
#StepUpTime!
wow haha nice heater gary, teach me? maybe i should move up to the $15 hypers and see 
Originally posted by Castle93
wow haha nice heater gary, teach me? maybe i should move up to the $15 hypers and seeNo! I was lucky ♦ very freaking lucky!
Originally posted by HollyMichelle
Game 1:Played the usual tight aggressive style that I believe to be the best in these games. I can rely on my push/fold game a lot as I'm usually pretty solid in this department.
I continue to work on with ICM trainer (at least a few times a week)
Back to the game, I played very little until I was at 10BBs. Big hand came when I flopped an OESD and shoved on it and got called by T2s. Villain hit a 2 to go in front on the turn but a 9 on the river gave me a better pair and thus I doubled up.
A few hands later this hand happened:
Poker Stars No Limit Hold'em Tournament - t75.00/t150.00 Blinds - 6 players - View hand 1792393
DeucesCracked Poker Videos Hand History ConverterMP: t2530.00 16.87 BBs - VPIP: 19, PFR: 14, 3B: 0, AF: 5.0, Hands: 37
CO: t2648.00 17.65 BBs - VPIP: 24, PFR: 3, 3B: 0, AF: 1.5, Hands: 37
BTN: t2405.00 16.03 BBs - VPIP: 16, PFR: 12, 3B: 0, AF: 5.0, Hands: 49
SB: t1592.00 10.61 BBs - VPIP: 14, PFR: 11, 3B: 8, AF: 3.0, Hands: 37
BB: t2050.00 13.67 BBs - VPIP: 38, PFR: 16, 3B: 0, AF: 1.0, Hands: 37
Hero (UTG): t2275.00 15.17 BBs - VPIP: 18, PFR: 12, 3B: 4, AF: 1.4, Hands: 73748Pre Flop: (t225) Hero is UTG with 8
8
Hero raises to t400, 4 folds, BB calls t250Flop: (t875) J
3
5
BB checks, Hero bets t700.00, BB raises to t1650, Hero calls t950Turn: (t4175) A
River: (t4175) 9
Spoiler
Final Pot: t4175
BB shows K
Hero shows 8
BB wins t4175.00Played this horribly - to be honest I'm not exactly sure what the correct line here is at all so I've posted it for our SNG pros in the HE board.
TL;DR - Busto in 6th!
Game 2:
Pretty much a mirror image of the first game.
Played zero hands until push/fold. Picked up QQ in the BB at 50/100 and shoved to a 3x open from the CL. He folded and showed an A.
Next hand, I picked up KK and after my 2.5x raise was called. I bet out my set which got a fold.
Made it to 4 handed and I was 4/4 with 10BB left again. When this hand happened:
Poker Stars No Limit Hold'em Tournament - t100.00/t200.00 Blinds - 4 players - View hand 1792390
DeucesCracked Poker Videos Hand History ConverterSB: t5509.00 27.55 BBs - VPIP: 20, PFR: 18, 3B: 20, AF: 3.0, Hands: 50
Hero (BB): t2120.00 10.60 BBs - VPIP: 18, PFR: 12, 3B: 4, AF: 1.4, Hands: 73748
CO: t3454.00 17.27 BBs - VPIP: 22, PFR: 8, 3B: 5, AF: 3.0, Hands: 50
BTN: t2417.00 12.09 BBs - VPIP: 25, PFR: 17, 3B: 3, AF: 3.0, Hands: 76Pre Flop: (t300) Hero is BB with A
CO raises to t600, 2 folds, Hero raises to t2120, CO calls t1520Flop: (t4340) 4
Turn: (t4340) Q
River: (t4340) 8
Not sure if this is correct or not but I will post in HE forum to see
Spoiler
Final Pot: t4340
Hero shows A
CO shows 55
CO wins t4340.00TL;DR: Finished in 4th for $1.50 (Net loss $6.00)
Will get a few more games in later today as Sunday is always gonna be my volume day (i.e whilst the wife is at work)
You really need to work on your sizings mate. Betting 700 into 800 was to ahcieve what? What would you do this bet with? Betting the same amount or smaller than your pre flop raise makes bluffs cheaper and gives you a much much more balanced game plan.
I'm not too sure but hand 2 looks like a fold as we have no fold equity.
Originally posted by HollyMichelle
Cheers Tiltmeifucan!As promised a short low down of games 3 and 4!
Game 3:
Was a funny old game when everybody and anybody who was short survived! I think it was the longest Step 1 game in history and it didn't finish until the blinds hit 300/600 ♦
I didn't play a lot in the early levels except for opening the BU with AJo which got through. The next hand I won the blinds again with KK.
The next blind level came and I managed to almost double my stack when this happened:
Poker Stars No Limit Hold'em Tournament - t50.00/t100.00 Blinds - 7 players - View hand 1792413
DeucesCracked Poker Videos Hand History ConverterBB: t1263.00 12.63 BBs - VPIP: 29, PFR: 14, 3B: 17, AF: 1.0, Hands: 21
UTG: t3052.00 30.52 BBs - VPIP: 29, PFR: 10, 3B: 0, AF: 1.6, Hands: 87
UTG+1: t1845.00 18.45 BBs - VPIP: 11, PFR: 9, 3B: 6, AF: 5.0, Hands: 123
MP: t2010.00 20.10 BBs - VPIP: 40, PFR: 25, 3B: 11, AF: 2.8, Hands: 87
CO: t1495.00 14.95 BBs - VPIP: 25, PFR: 13, 3B: 0, AF: 10.0, Hands: 76
BTN: t2215.00 22.15 BBs - VPIP: 28, PFR: 14, 3B: 13, AF: 4.0, Hands: 72
Hero (SB): t1620.00 16.20 BBs - VPIP: 18, PFR: 12, 3B: 4, AF: 1.4, Hands: 73881Pre Flop: (t150) Hero is SB with A
5 folds, Hero raises to t200, BB raises to t1263, Hero calls t1063Flop: (t2526) 3
Turn: (t2526) T
River: (t2526) K
Final Pot: t2526
BB shows 8
Hero shows A
Hero wins t2526.00Things kinda fell nicely into place in that hand but I don't normally min open AA as its probably not the optimal play.
Down to 5 handed and into the next blind level I flopped a up and down straight draw that never completed. Villain bet out on the flop and turn so I lost a few chips in that hand to put me back to 4/5
Managed to make it into the top 4 and then top 3. I was 2/3 and sailing into Step 2 when one opponent left himself with 125 chips a few hands into 3 handed when he LOLfolded with 1.5k chips invested ♦
TL;DR: Shipped a Step 2!
Game 4:
Was a forgettable experience as I had been concentrating a lot of the other game. Managed to double up early when I flopped a set and turned quads! Villain shoved on the river with two pair ♦
After that I lost a few chips playing silly pots with marginal hands. This is something I tend to do when I double up early. Gonna have to put a stop to that.
In the end, I exited 6 handed when I shoved K8 suited from the CO and walked into the SBs AKo.
TL;DR: Busto in 6th
More to come later, got some things to do around the house beforehand
Ireland vs. Croatia this evening in the Euros so I want to get as much poker played as I can before then!Hope you're all having a wonderful Sunday
min opening is definitely the optimal play, doing anything else here would be really bad. I noticed in post befor you 2.5x 88 which is a mistake and 2x is definitely fine.
Cheers pleno1!
Nice to see you pop in don't be a stranger
Just a question: why is 2x better than 2.5x in both hands?
it makes your steals cheaper and people will 3bet the same range vs 2x as they do 2.5x.
Game 9 and 10:
Cant say much about these games as I missed a fair chunk of them! Had Holly down for a nap and whilst I assumed she was asleep - I had a bang from the bedroom and sure enough she had managed to climb out of the cot!
Thankfully, she had done so without hurting herself but she did get a scare and needed some TLC.
Shipped a retry in Game 10 after being blinded down in Game 9 and couldn't claw back.
Progress update after 10 games:
Step 2: 1
Step 1 retry: 1
Fails : 8
Very, very disappointing and tbh I'm lacking the drive I was during the first challenge. I guess running poorly and playing poorly is not helping either.
Originally posted by pleno1
it makes your steals cheaper and people will 3bet the same range vs 2x as they do 2.5x.
Thank you! (bow)
don't worry 10 games is nothing.just play to make the right decision and you will win the package
Yep, 10 games is nothing - just a drop in the pond on the way to 160+
I'm going to take a few days away though. Not playing optimally in any way shape or form. Not getting enough sleep at the moment which is probably not helping either.
Enough of the whining now. Time to catch a break and hope to return soon to rock this out!
I'd really suggest getting a coaching session from a SNG player. The money you made from PLO would be much better invested in a coach who could spend 2-3 hours on you and find some huge leaks and make you alot more solid, in the grand scheme of things ($13k potentially) its going to be a good investment.
Coaches aren't expensive either, you don't need to find Galfond to tell you how to double float etc you just need somebody to reinforce the basics and help you out with basic bet sizing and positional skills.
Cheers Patrick - I was actually considering this today. I ran good at PLO for a reason and I think you are dead right.
I'm not gonna lie here and say my game is perfect or even 1/2 perfect. Time to grow up and accept that!
Thanks again mate 
How the hell did I miss this.
1st challenge was awesome
This 2nd challenge is going to be epic.
Best of luck in shipping WSOP ME ticket or TICKET'S
sorry, I've been away from the blogs & got WAY behind.
so I had to finish the first one, then come find this one & catch up.
stupid question:
based on your schedule, I guess these Steps run year round?
because it does not seem like this is set up to make it in time for this year's ME.
(stops & re-reads thread title. sees "2013", smacks forehead. question is even stupider than I thought! if I had any self respect, I would edit it out.)
now, to be "that guy".
kind of a disappointing start.
are you finding the other players any tougher than your first foray through the Step 1's ?
Originally posted by William340
sorry, I've been away from the blogs & got WAY behind.
so I had to finish the first one, then come find this one & catch up.stupid question:
based on your schedule, I guess these Steps run year round?
because it does not seem like this is set up to make it in time for this year's ME.
(stops & re-reads thread title. sees "2013", smacks forehead. question is even stupider than I thought! if I had any self respect, I would edit it out.)now, to be "that guy".
kind of a disappointing start.
are you finding the other players any tougher than your first foray through the Step 1's ?
Hey William - been a hectic week at work so I've not had time to play nor post and I only seen your reply now
Yes - the plan remains the same except for I'm hoping to make it for next year.
Big update to come shortly....
Time for that update then!
I haven't played a single Step game since the last one mentioned above. I'm not currently in the right frame of mind to carry on this project at the moment.
Work is getting crazy at the moment and I don't really have the spare time for this challenge right now. Therefore - I am placing this challenge on hiatus for the time being. By no means is it over - just need to take a break until work calms down and I can truly focus on it.
I have purchased SnG Wiz and working on that at the moment. There is a tonne of information that I've neglected to learn over the years and I really really need to do so if I'm going to plough $1k into this challenge to reap any reward.
I have thus - withdrawn my funds from PokerStars except for a few $ for staking and general messing about when I do get a spare minute! In fact this morning I managed to satellite into the 1/2 price Sunday Million!
Not sure if I will play this or not - seems like a waste to play it when I'm not playing so well or in the proper mind to do so. Also, it's Fathers' Day so I'll probably enjoy the evening with my ladies.
That's all for now - I won't be too far away anyways - I still have my trolling to do around here ♦
Thanks for following
Gary