[Closed] The End.

I think you need to change your thread signature if you are going to be getting more out of following through
with that last diamond / study goal a few novels up from here. I remember your reviews if not always
correct, at least opening peoples eyes to stuff they just stared at without absorbing.

I was going to post here sooner I swear but it would mean I have to accept the end of the world is nigh as
first its Earthquakes and tsunami alerts everywhere and Waiboy had withdrawn winnings twice and had 2
solid winning months in a row. It means I am running out of time to get out of these micro SNGs and gain
enough cash to get really really drunk for armageddon. The states will probably attack us first but we will
just show them our Gold medals and hockey sticks and flick beer caps at them and all will be well as they
will be blinded by the flashing and rendered defeated by the welts of the caps as the remnants of REAL beer
is foreign to them and should act like poison.

How goes the training of the little one? have you picked a variant yet? It is never to soon to select a sponsor
either. The way things look, by the time legal age has been reached, it will still be mostly between Stars and FTP.

Enjoy your winnings andd o not chalk it up to positive variance, you have been working on theory and
it has been paying off. Sure someof it may be variance bu don't rip yourself off, you are a good player.

Waiboy:
occassionally taavi and SirVanek. C'mon lads, time to attack $2/$4 SH!!!

Don't be kidding, I'm happy of every single day I manage to survive at $1/$2. Currently +25 BB above the bottom. ♦

Outstanding return there fella! Particularly the idea of flicking beer caps at Americans... I can't stop giggling!

Originally posted by 8979687
How goes the training of the little one? have you picked a variant yet?

Terrible. I started him on Badugi, but he thinks waaaay too long about simple decisions, and after timing out he throws up on the keyboard. Kids can be such a dissapointment sometimes.

Enjoy your winnings andd o not chalk it up to positive variance, you have been working on theory and
it has been paying off. Sure someof it may be variance bu don't rip yourself off, you are a good player.

Thanks for the vote of confidence! In all honesty though, I still have stupid amounts of holes right through my game pre flop to river. I'm not into self deprecation just for kicks - if I think I'm good I'm a FIGJAM kinda guy! What the recent results (may) indicate though is that I'm leaking less now than I was in December, and therefore able to take better advantage of the positive variance. I'm certainly getting more value out of good hands and saving bets every now and then. It all adds up especially when you combine it with brutal table selection. I'm sure a strong player could run at 3BB+/100 at $1/$2SH on FTP in the long run.

To expound upon this slightly, last night I actually lost sleep over FL theory - and I very seldom (if ever) take more than five minutes to conk out at night. I had a real crisis of confidence - usual story in that it was borne out of frustration at not understanding simple concepts properly. I posted a thread in the strategy section about one of the FL vids, felt dense after reading the replies, re-read the thread yesterday, realised I haven't actually learned anything from posting the thread or its replies, and just mentally spazzed out.

I think the conclusion I eventually came to is this:

I think that I can beat $1/$2 SH on FTP, especially after rakeback is taken into consideration. Looking at the looseness of the tables, I think I can probably beat $2/$4 as well at my current skill level.

To really get to grips with FL concepts though I need coaching. I'm trying to formulate what I'd want from getting coached. At the moment I would start with the following sessions/concepts:

i. Pre-flop play. Adjusting calling/raising ranges based on opponents tendancies, equity required to play in raised, multiway pots (thanks to a thread by feraldave in the strategy section I've been tormented by this for a day now), proper calling/raising ranges when in blind wars and v various villian types on the button.

ii. Blind war play and BB defense v BU/CO steal raises. Understanding properly when to calldown, when to bluff raise for fold equity, understanding when, for example, what hands give me the miniscule equity I need to call down to some rivers!

iii. Turn play. I think the turn leads to a lot of lost cash for me. Bet/folding incorrectly, bet/calling incorrectly, not raising for value or free cards enough or at the correct time, not bluff raising enough.

iv. Note taking and using reads. I take loads of notes, but I think often I miss the important stuff - this is a function of not 100% understanding where the money comes from with thin value bets or calldowns.

Depending on the cost of a good coach, I'm gonna set a BR target of around $1800 to begin this next phase of development. This gives me a bit of time to further read/note the gold articles - which in turn gives me a better chance of getting value from my coaching.

Alright, enough warbling - to the tables!

out.

Clearly you understand your wall and you will bash it down with coaching.

Some people just don't learn by reading and absorbing as well as by examples and seeing things laid out.

I think I am glad I do not play FL on FT anymore not just because I am sane now, but because you
are going to be owning that site once your plan comes to fruition.

Good luck, as always I will be reading.

One day, 897, I hope to believe in my game as strongly as you do... I think that'd be good.

Just so it doesn't all appear to be sweetness and light here in the dungeon, I thought I'd add a touch of bwin (which is rigged, btw). Had an awesome 129 hand session at, not that I'm results oriented anymore, -47.91BB/100 - which I think may be a record for a session over 100 hands! (well I don't know at all whether it is a record, but it wasn't much fun).

I actually quite like playing at bwin, but bwin really didn't like me today.

Also i remember had 50BB/100 downfall last year in more than 150 hands feels like you jumped from plane without parachute

You wont run into me in the next months. After soso results ( +0.8BB/100 on FR 0.5/1, ~0BB/100 on FR 1/2 and SH 0.5/1 ) i left FTP . Not good results but atleast i could be a rakeback pro. i think.

Originally posted by Waiboy
Had an awesome 129 hand session at, not that I'm results oriented anymore, -47.91BB/100 - which I think may be a record for a session over 100 hands! (well I don't know at all whether it is a record, but it wasn't much fun).

I had some sessions like this one as well. Probably even worse. Not surprise with WTSD of 36 and W$SD 0 (zero) after 200 hands (it happened just once, but one can remember those "special" days)
But on the other side, You have to love those few ~ +60BB/100 sessions. Rollercoaster FTW

Anyway, Im thinking about joining Your Full(of)Tilt club guys. Since I finally managed the rakeback deal on my old account and FDB is still available I think it might be an option for next few weeks/months. Is the play comparable with stars/party? I mean 1/2SH & 2/4SH. Do You think one can clear the FDB (10k FT points) by playing about 12k hands/month?

@martizzo: It's nice to let a little darkness into the light every now and then - it was strange having that session after months of, well, not having those sorts of sessions! Parachuting sans parachute for the win! I guess that'd just be paraing?

@SirVanek: sad to see you go fella.. but a change can sometimes be enough to kick start you again... If you're not going to Stars, just make sure you're up for the lower winrates/higher rake of other sites. Ofc bonus whoring makes that a little more tolerable!

@kennyxx: last things first, the FDB is comfortably clearable at $1/$2 SH on those volumes, and at $2/$4 (I'd guess) relatively grind monkey days free. As for the standard of play, I have only anecdotal knowledge of Stars/PP but with some guesswork included I'd say:

- FTP has been tightening up over the last month or two at $1/$2 - compared to December when I first played and all tables (6+ at slowest time of day) were easily 40%+ VPIP with a few always 50%+. Now there are still 40%+ VPIP tables most of the time, but there are also a lot 35%-40%. There always seem to be weakish aggro regs around though.

- Pokerstars is by reputation the softest games with approx. the same level of rake and PP more like iPoker and generally tougher with a higher rake. I would imagine this still holds though possibly less pronounced. Anyone else with a view on this?

BTW RB + FDB + low rake + random bonuses =

In other news, after the traditional turning over cars and setting them on fire following the Chiefs poor display in the second half in the 'tron last night, gdj_online and my good self went to the evil rigged well that is live NL500 (one table going, half full with reggy types - not sure how strong they were but I'm pretty sure the curve in the seats matched their buttocks like a glove for a reason... buttocks and gloves... [giggles inanely]).

Mr online quickly doubled up with KK on a low raggy board by what was probably 99s or TTs, then was just as quickly destroyed by a killer 4 outer on the turn with JJ v QT on a QQJ T board. I still can't believe he missed his re-suck there. 1 outers must be, like 50:50 to come in live, at absolute worst. I'm still crying from all the tequila slammers I didn't get to drink on his shout following what would have been the start of party time. :f_mad::f_cry:

Waiboy in the second worst seat at the table and too tight to buy in full went for the awesomest live poker experience anyone could ever hope to have - live SSS!!! Nothing says awesome like folding 20 hands over an hour and a half. NZD14 worth of pure adreneline fuelled entertainment. Still, weirdly, love the atmosphere of the live game.. if not it's pace and lack of table selection options. Thanks again for the beers Mr online!

And I received my EPT playing cards from Mansion yesterday morning too... so obviously a little heads up PL0/NL FL action happening back at casa del online post rocking the casino. These cards are real purdy. I them! And handily they wipe clean too... erm... I've said too much...:f_frown:

out.

Level of play on Party and IPoker seem alike yeah, although on Party it can fluctuate quite a bit depending time of day and especially the type of promo going on. With the Gladiator promo it's always some kind of TAG-fest. Not that most of them are THAT good, but obviously it eats away (part of) your winrate.

From what I keep on hearing from others I should really try PS or FT some time though. ♦

Meh, I've managed to tilt myself off bwin. I was hoping to have a two week blat, try to clear a bonus there and get out, but I'm running so badly I'm starting to jump at shadows.

The last straw was finally having an okay session then having AA cracked 3 times in ten hands by a turned gutshot and turned trips (the first one I forget) - both hands multiway to the turn. Turned a small winning session into a big losing one and cut the cord.

The variance I can live with I guess, but I'm not into playing bwin for the long haul, the bonus is taking too long to clear playing mostly $.25/$.50 and a little $.50/$1, and if I'm gonna run at -6.5BB/100 for much longer I want to at least know I'm going to be playing there for a decent period of time so I can try and get past the variance.

I've never come close to winning on bwin.. I hoped with an improved game and a bit of luck I might have an enjoyable little blat, but not to be.

So I'm going to deposit at 888.com and play there as my second room for the next few months until I clear the bonus. I think then Everest, then Cake.

lol, awesome signature sir!

@ Goo: Why thank you! Not so much a signature as a barely avoidable obsession... CURSE YOU VHALLEE!!

I've had a couple of interesting, both conflicting and complimentary, "bits of stuff"* to consider over the last four or five days. In a feeble attempt to be concise they are:

Horace: TerrorBlade casually mentioning in a coaching that my volume is feeble and therefore the NZ Black Member party is at least a decade away. Thus the grind monster was poked with a large, pointed stick.

Result: I've deposited at 888.com to grind out the bonus. I figure I have time for this because at $1/$2 I'm clearing 200 FTP with relative ease each day. There is no real incentive to grind more as I have no bonuses remaining (other than grinding RB and winrate ofc). Hence I assume that playing somewhere else for bonuses makes more sense.

888.com: So I'm at 888.com now and have very quickly realised a couple of things. The bonus is a bitch to clear, games are available but relatively scarce (less than Ongame/bwin!) and the rake is astronomical (after 500 or so hands it's at an eye watering 5.7BB/100)!

Result: I'm gonna give it a lash despite the horrendous volume required in addition to my FTP time (which wasn't the intention, but meh), with the following caveats:

- I'll give it an inital ten day solid effort and see how I'm running - both from a WR and bonus clearing perspective. I won't prejudice this review by placing criteria on it... I'll go by feel.

- If Horace impinges on my ability to play at $1/$2 I'm going to drop it like a H1N1 infected pig out of a helicopter flying over a volcano - not very nice, disturbingly satisfying in a seriously macabre way (okay maybe I'm stretching the simile somewhat here - call it licence), and sometimes absolutely necessary ie saving a villiage from the "Volcano/Serious Illness God" via porcine sacrifice (simile stretching overload FTW).

- Try to take into consideration other factors like access to PS.com Gold+ articles, possibly rake race as well - these things will reveal themselves in the 10 day period.

- Consider the time impact on my study, RL and other bits of stuff*.

Surplus playtime: CoreySteel made the point in a strategy thread I wrote in a fit of tilted madness at bwin that playing for bonuswhoring <<<<< playing at FTP/P*s. I'd kinda thought about this over the last few days independently of this, so reading his post clicked a couple of things for me:

- Assuming the 888.com bonus whoring experiment is less successful than hoped for, then I may consider depositing at P*s for my extra playing time (unless someone knows of another relatively low rake site ie <3BB/100). I can try and clear some of their milestone bonuses, get relatively weak games and pay lower rake - occassionally clearing a bonus too!

- If FTP review their VIP system then I can take that into consideration - too much to hope for?

Free coaching FTW!!!: I may have scammed myself some free coaching! Nothing more to say on that at the moment, but hopefully it will be the genises of something awesome... mmmm... Genises....

Alright, that'll do although I think I may have missed something crucial... to bad!

*patent pending

Originally posted by Waiboy
@ Goo: Why thank you! Not so much a signature as a barely avoidable obsession... CURSE YOU VHALLEE!!

It's not my fault you are weak.

Originally posted by vhallee

Originally posted by Waiboy
@ Goo: Why thank you! Not so much a signature as a barely avoidable obsession... CURSE YOU VHALLEE!!

It's not my fault you are weak.

That's exactly the kind of attitude I expect from a machiavellian mind. I'm sure you have a significant shareholding Asian sweatshops as well.

Exploiting the weak... shame, vhallee. Shame.

Originally posted by Waiboy

Originally posted by vhallee

Originally posted by Waiboy
@ Goo: Why thank you! Not so much a signature as a barely avoidable obsession... CURSE YOU VHALLEE!!

It's not my fault you are weak.

That's exactly the kind of attitude I expect from a machiavellian mind. I'm sure you have a significant shareholding Asian sweatshops as well.

Exploiting the weak... shame, vhallee. Shame.

Damn I hope Edwin doesn't see this.

it's okay, waiboy.

as Jesus said, "Blessed are the meek, for they shall inherit the earth" Matthew 5:5.

Slowly but surely, we are taking over the world.

@elhh82: Weak/meek Robot Unicorn Attack junkies FTW!

Occassionally the music intrudes on my poker playing.. "right so KT is in his range... maybe T9... aaaaallllllwwwaaaaayssss IIII waaaanaaa beeee wiiiithhh yooooouuuuu... what the?!? AAARRRRGGGGHHHH".

Originally posted by kennyxx
Anyway, Im thinking about joining Your Full(of)Tilt club guys. Since I finally managed the rakeback deal on my old account and FDB is still available I think it might be an option for next few weeks/months.

Hey man, good to see you at FTP today!! Sorry I didn't reply.. I was mid opening tables and by the time I realised it was you you'd run away!

Anyway, short update just to say I'm running pretty well atm. I've set new USD and NZD bankroll records - the NZD one is pretty exceptional because the first time the NZD was at about 2 to the USD 1, and currently it's more like 1.4.

I'm struggling to make the pace for clearing my 888.com bonus... it's a real mission I've created for myself. However, I'm also running ridiculously hawt so I'm not hating the grind. It does feel like a job though, grinding for up to 6hours to make the pace. I'm on the verge of shotting $2/$4 which should make a significant difference if I can establish myself at that limit. I hope so - on 888.com the games are almost identical as there is a lot of multi-limiting regs given the paucity of tables (three at $2/$4 - with none at $1/$2 today!). On FTP there still seem to be plenty of loose VPIP tables so I'm hoping I can maintain a win rate up a slot.

The downside of all this grinding is that study is harder to get to. I will make more of an effort though because the repairman can't avoid fixing that doomswitch forever!

Anywhom - out.

Originally posted by Waiboy
Hey man, good to see you at FTP today!! Sorry I didn't reply.. I was mid opening tables and by the time I realised it was you you'd run away!

Don't worry, I did it for You cause I had a position

Originally posted by kennyxx

Originally posted by Waiboy
Hey man, good to see you at FTP today!! Sorry I didn't reply.. I was mid opening tables and by the time I realised it was you you'd run away!

Don't worry, I did it for You cause I had a position

LOL! I do that sometimes too, although, as long as you don't just start being mean and exploiting me, you can sit there anytime!