[Closed] The Journey is complete. The fun times had. 897's Retired SNG blog.

Thanks guys!!!

I love waking up to start my day and blogs are updated and I find such kind words waiting for me in mine.

Waiboy that is a great idea. I usually spend some time reading through blogs, and some NVG on 2+2
for the funny posts not the ones full of retards who add nothing to the world but they have some
hilarious threads with pics that brilliant minds contribute to. This gets me calm and laughing and
comfortable.

Once I am in this mindset and have eaten and got everything I need for a session, glass of water,
phone right beside me incase it happens to ring and I am here alone so I must answer it, I do not
have to get up and search for it with 10 tables open...

Then if I feel like I want to, this is the biggest part in wether or not I play, I just see if I am ready
or if I would rather watch a movie or play some GTA 4 or something else and if the answer is poker
which for the last more than a month it has only been this answer.. then I open up table ninja hem
and Stars and off I go.

Nick you as always hit the nail right on the head!!

It's not reminding time yet though I am not pissed off and at the fuck this game stage or anywhere
close to it. I have a while yet to hit this stage, I just caught a heater on the $6.50s and thought I
was on my way to the $16s and spending money which was of course a mistake.

AS far as A B and C game nothing can ring more true. I can not count how many times I should have
quit while I was ahead. And by ahead I mean lost my first bunch of games in a row right from the get
go of firing up a session or even not losing them all but being too tired or pissed or distracted
to make sure I am playing them all at my best.

I have not always come out of this as losing in the end cash wise but for sure I did time management wise.
Like you said, it would have been better doing something else instead of playing when I was not prepared
or in the right mental state to do so. I end up pissed at things I can't change and I end up just not
enjoying what I am doing and it ends up being a loss no matter what the BR looks like at the end.

I am sooo glad that you guys all post here. It makes a huge difference seeing you have support
and people following along with you.

Thanks again and as always thanks for reading.

hows the hunt for skype/microphone going 897?

Originally posted by lessthanthreee
hows the hunt for skype/microphone going 897?

No hunt untill I have the BR to buy a headset.

Now interestingly enough after the last topic of being in the mindset to play, I ended up sitting down
this morning, food eaten, phone beside me, funny blogs checked, and Just as I was about to fire
up the software, I had doubts.

I just had a feeling that I was not in the mood and even though I want to push through a certain volume
I felt that playing at this time would be exactly just that, playing or volume and having lack of quality.

I found other things to do with my time today, and I do not feel a hole or regret that I did not play.

This is the balance I was hoping to find and alas I think I am getting there.

So March goals....

Interestingly enough I can touch on the goal of getting in 1k hands at a time with the ICM trainer and
getting a high score. Tonight at the Gold SNG coaching, someone asked Unam what he does/did
with his ICM practice once he was established and ready for advanced practice.

His answer hit home with me really hard.

He said he used to practice with SNG wizard and the quizz but it wasn't helping very much so he started
creating scenarios like bubble situations and tweaking them to see what makes a play doable and what
makes it a money pisser.

I ran over 600 hands through the ICM trainer and 500 and 600 again I did this a bunch of times this month.

I always end up with 96-98 percent correct.

But as he said, you just go by memory really.

I find that I end up shoving some sick cards into some crazy stacks because I know what will work.

Of course as has been happening lately when they call with monsters I still know it works because I
am only failing when these people are calling wide. I put them on 99+ AJs+ AJ+ for example and I am not
even seeing the bottom of this range. I can have a guy like this on several tables and shove into him
all the time and SNG wizard screaming at me DONT DO IT !!!! ITS SUICIDE untill I put in the same range
and then SNG wiz says You fold this and you suck.

***EDIT: I always increase the range a bit as well when reviewing my hands so that If the range
that villain calls with can be wider than what I am guessing and the play is still a push
then I can be SURE I made the right play.

And even after all those times they finally wake up with a monster on 3 tables at once. Still no TT
or AJs, just KK QQ AKs.

I mean cmon they have to know I am the same player shoving into them on different tables and they
have to know I am doing this with an insane amount of hands... But they just sit back and wait for their
monster.

When I am not running into their monsters, these people just beef up my stack sooooo much that
this is always worth it.

Now I obviously know their range widens as the blinds increase and their stack dwindles
etc etc this is just an example.

So yeah, I think the ICM trainer is good for starting out, and I agree with Unam about toying with situations
and getting deeper into the hows and whys and I will be trying to do the medium and then harder
ICM quizzes in the wizard next.

The other serious goal was to find a play schedule and volume that I am comfortable with.

This is a success. Sets of ten at once and about 4 sets a day is doing it for me for now.

As my game skill increases and I need less time for certain decisions in the later stages, I plan
on adding more and more tables untill I am just doing a set of 25 tables. 4 of these a day
and thats plenty of volume. Also, it is very relaxing and easy for me to play 4 sets so I think
this is a good long term goal.

Also I have been watching videos reading the new aritcles and reviewing sessions steadily so
both goals are accomplished in March. I have also been rereading SNG strategy in between
everything so all March goals are complete except for finding a cure for dislexia after posting
a chip earned is worth more than a chip lost in Guns blog.

I like dislexia so fuck it goal failed sue me.

I will post the 2 graphs for march and the total graph.

I like the idea of the seperate limits and then watching them merge in one longer graph.

I will post Aprils goals tommorow.

So the $3.40s for March...

And the $6.50s for March....

And the whole month of March.....

Thanks for reading...

BR stands at $338 from .25c

No poker again today, maybe tonight but I won't force a set in, I am just very busy and if I do not
have the time I can not forcibly cram it in there for obvious reasons.

However, I do have enough time to write about April.

My goals are this.

Get at least $500 by the middle of the month and $1000 by the end of April.

Have an ROI of 15% or better on the $3s before moving up.

Stop pushing into the tight players for free chips. I have been mulling it over and this has to be -EV.
I mean if it was the right play, then it would not fail that many times in a row this is not variance
anymore this is just tight players adjusting by calling with their AA, ETC.

Stop having the RED LINE dip downwards so often on the graph. I mean over 30 SNGs it is clear
I am playing bad if the line drops by more then 3 buy ins.

Start watching the suckouts and find the patterns. Clearly there has to be a way to know when a
suckout is on the way because it always happens on the river and its always the wierdest shit but
if I can figure out what the wierdest shit would be when the 5 cards are comming after an all in
pre flop I will spot the patterns and avoid suckouts. This should bring in many more 1st place
finishes.

Thanks for reading.

I suggest you drop your $$$ and ROI goals if you wanna stay sane. Only luck will allow you to hit them... If you are beating your limit you will eventually move up, but setting ROI and $$ goals over the short term is just a recipe for frustration and tilt... think about the be stretches you have seen other players go through... you are not immune to them, and there is nothing to say that you won't experience it this month. Rather concentrate on what you can control. Profit and ROI are merely reflections on things that have passed us by, not things we can magically create the instant we want to.*

*disclaimer: this is said by a player who has spent more time moving down recently than up

try setting volume goals. helps me a lot.

HAHA I got 2 of you!!!! I am starting to feel bad though because I thought people would realize...

Check the date and then read those goals again VERY carefully. read how Tight players are "adjusting" by calling
with AA.

I could not resist getting as little April Fools in on the blog.

I will post the real April Goals later tonight or tommorow.

Thanks for reading and please don't be mad it was harmless April Fools fun.

haha i thought those were pretty reasonable

nice1

Originally posted by 8979687

Start watching the suckouts and find the patterns. Clearly there has to be a way to know when a
suckout is on the way because it always happens on the river and its always the wierdest shit but
if I can figure out what the wierdest shit would be when the 5 cards are comming after an all in
pre flop I will spot the patterns and avoid suckouts. This should bring in many more 1st place
finishes.

I knew it was April Fools when I read this. I lol'd so hard

ha ha 8979687 you nearly got me aswell but I thought wait none of these goals make sense...oooohhhhh!

♦

I'm a

Originally posted by NickParkes
I'm a

Never!

I posted the stats of a fish in Lennonacs blog. You can not come close if you had help
from a brain disease and unlimited alchohol and a sudden hate for the game and your BR!!!

Ok so I did get to play 30 games today, I am probably done for today because of things to do.

I finally fucking won a session!! It has been IDK a few hundred games of blah blah but
After my first 20 games today being the usual insane losses like 8 bustouts and a 3rd
and a 2nd being a better than average set, I started the last ten....

Third hand or so I get KK and raise it up. 2 loose callers and flop comes Q84 rainbow.
I raise half pot and get shoved over from loose caller 2 after loose caller 1 folds.

Im waiting to see this one and he flips over Q4os. Im like yep standard and next table popped up
so I did never see how that hand ran out but I know I was booted from that game with the sound
I am hearing so often now a days.

KK comes my way again and same scenario different fish q8 has 2 pair not Q4.

I played on and then instantly as usual everything just turned around.

4 firsts and a third that set.

I am good for another while of running bad now. I am still way down since this shit storm
hit me, but that doesnt matter to me. All that matters is once in a while I can have a good
set so I can have a little confidence back.

Whats bugging me about the results lately is that I want to add more tables to my game.

I know my game needs work it always will, and I am working on it but how the fuck can I know
exactly how much of this recent ass kicking is my fault and how much is bad luck? I even
had a reg type in one of the tables we were on out of like 10 together WOW 8979687
you are getting raped by luck.

He saw me go out of 6 in a row running into monsters not even getting sucked out on haha...

Anyhow that was the new tilty thing was wanting to add more tables but waiting untill
I was not unsure of my game quality.

This little winning set does not mean I am ready to go add 2 more tables tommorow, but
again fuck the $$$$ results, just a little taste of run good is enough to dust the seat of my
pants off from the super huge boot of bad luck and give it a clean spot to kick tommorow.

Ok so now the REAL goals for April......

Add as many tables as I can to my sets 1 at a time untill I am making mistakes because of it
and then remove a table. Play untill I am doing fine with that number and add 1 more.

Watch more videos on ranges. I am kind of dissapointed with the Gold videos.. Jonathan Little
was quite the let down im sorry but he just seems like he has not been playing these games
recently enough to have a strong foothold anymore. I will finish his lated video off but form
what I was watching he just didn't seem to be in his A game. Also alot of the videos are
quite old. The games on Stars are harder now then they were when most of these were
shot. I am hoping there will be an influx of new videos to the site to replace the older
outdated ones.

Get more involved with SNG Wizard and take Unams advice to heart and learn to tweak and
play with it better and learn a pile from it.

Get skype so Lessthanthree stops sending me more pms which result in emails than a site
selling viagra.

I am allready just assuming I will still be fitting ~4 sets in at a relaxed pace a day so I am not
going to readd that to this goal list. I am pushing for those sets to be more than 10 games at
a time though .

Ok folks thanks for reading.

Originally posted by 8979687
Get skype so Lessthanthree stops sending me more pms which result in emails than a site
selling viagra.

come on! it takes 1 minute to download! you dont need a headset!!!

Ok scratch the last goal off from my list as I thought it was for sweating and sessions reviews.

I added lessthan3 to skype and all I got was advertising for coaching where I would pay
a percent of my winnings and rakeback to him for coaching. If you are a new player please
do not fall for shit like this. It may seem golden yeah you will get advice from someone
who thinks they are a pro but really, the only people these "COACHES" can teach are micro
limit players, and if you sign up, what little profit you make while you learn is gone and then
some. The articles and videos on this site (POKER STRATEGY) are free and will help you just
as much as these guys can help you at your level. Gedwashere they are using you as a satisfied
customer and using your quote for advertising. This is wrong. I don;t give a fuck who dislikes
me for wiritng this, THIS IS WRONG!!!!! and you should not sign up with these guys.

I am actually quite fucking pissed off about this.

To take advantage of newer people across the felt virtual or live is one thing...
to rip people off who think they will have a chance via your advice and do so
so blatantly is bullshit.

I am not happy.

***EDIT: I was very mad when I wrote this as the post in lessthanthrees blog.

I stand by the fact that having me get skype with me being of the understanding that it
was for session reviews and sweating and then having it be to pay for coaching was wrong
and I hold to this.

Originally posted by 8979687
I added lessthan3 to skype and all I got was advertising for coaching where I would pay
a percent of my winnings and rakeback to him for coaching. If you are a new player please
do not fall for shit like this. It may seem golden yeah you will get advice from someone
who thinks they are a pro but really, the only people these "COACHES" can teach are micro
limit players, and if you sign up, what little profit you make while you learn is gone and then
some. The articles and videos on this site (POKER STRATEGY) are free and will help you just
as much as these guys can help you at your level. Gedwashere they are using you as a satisfied
customer and using your quote for advertising. This is wrong. I don;t give a fuck who dislikes
me for wiritng this, THIS IS WRONG!!!!! and you should not sign up with these guys.

I am actually quite fucking pissed off about this.

A pretty disappointing story - one of the cool things about the community at PS.com has been the atmosphere of co-operation and willingness to help each other out, to improve together. Private coaching is offered through site approved coaches and is not business that is touted for by those approved coaches.

Hearing a story like this I think the community dies a little. I only hope this is a relatively isolated incident and not widespread. lessthanthreee if you using PS.com players and site to further your own business by approaching them, I suggest you stop. This is a breech of the terms of use of this website and resources.

897 - I'm still kind of hoping this is some sort of delayed April Fools joke. If not, I suggest you pass this information on to hadi/vhallee for further investigation.

Originally posted by Waiboy

Originally posted by 8979687
I added lessthan3 to skype and all I got was advertising for coaching where I would pay
a percent of my winnings and rakeback to him for coaching. If you are a new player please
do not fall for shit like this. It may seem golden yeah you will get advice from someone
who thinks they are a pro but really, the only people these "COACHES" can teach are micro
limit players, and if you sign up, what little profit you make while you learn is gone and then
some. The articles and videos on this site (POKER STRATEGY) are free and will help you just
as much as these guys can help you at your level. Gedwashere they are using you as a satisfied
customer and using your quote for advertising. This is wrong. I don;t give a fuck who dislikes
me for wiritng this, THIS IS WRONG!!!!! and you should not sign up with these guys.

I am actually quite fucking pissed off about this.

A pretty disappointing story - one of the cool things about the community at PS.com has been the atmosphere of co-operation and willingness to help each other out, to improve together. Private coaching is offered through site approved coaches and is not business that is touted for by those approved coaches.

Hearing a story like this I think the community dies a little. I only hope this is a relatively isolated incident and not widespread. lessthanthreee if you using PS.com players and site to further your own business by approaching them, I suggest you stop. This is a breech of the terms of use of this website and resources.

897 - I'm still kind of hoping this is some sort of delayed April Fools joke. If not, I suggest you pass this information on to hadi/vhallee for further investigation.

No joke Waiboy infact I posted about this in lessthanthrees blog and was put down for it but
I posted a long detailed description of what happened there with PICS after Lennonac tried to
say they do not advertise and target people. I took a screen of his post incase he deletes it.

And now someone else has posted there that they were also duped in this way so yes it is
true and I had every justification to expose this shit the way I did.

*****Edit: Situation resolved as a misunderstanding which will not occur again.

Well back to poker then.......

No poker today because we are doing the Easter dinner and we're all together today doing other
things. I did try something fun last night, I fired up 25 DONs just to see what would happen.

It was quite easy at first though the decisions had to be made fast I was not timing out
with the help of Table Ninja.

I ended up down ~$1.00

The fun I had was worth it. I recommend it if people are having bad streaks just donk off
on a low limit game who cares what it is rush poker or a $1 SNG or something that does
not hit your BR hard but gives you some enjoyment playing poker. Try omaha having no idea
how to play it and see what happens IDK just get yourself laughing while playing somehow.

The last thing I will say on the incident earlier is that I hope I have not lost too many readers
over what happened. I was just trying to ensure people did not get scammed not by a bad site
but by the methods it was recruiting. It is unfortunate lessthanthree is not around and if I
have lost the ability to co operate with 2 of this sites members then so be it. I just hope I
have not lost any more. I hope people can understand what I did and why and forgiv me
for calling them scammers as I had no right to trash them in that manner. I am sorry for
that and I hope things can carry on.

That being said no poker untill at least tommorow, and I allready know I am going to have fun
when I fire up my next set because that 25 table fun just reinvigorates the poker call for me
and so did the winning session on the $3.40s.

Thanks for reading for those that still are / will be.

I'm a regular reader (rare poster) of your, lessthanthree's and lennonac's blog, and despite what's gone on via Skype or whatever, I hope none of this will affect any of you guys playing poker and carrying on your blogs.

I for one am not interested in what's gone on behind the scenes, and am just interested in hearing what's going on poker-wise. As a micro SnG player, i've learnt a lot from these blogs and would think it's a huge shame for PokerStrategy as a whole if your blogs and poker goals were stopped / harmed / whatever by this seemingly needless arguement. I'm sure several other readers feel the same.

Keep the updates coming, on every blog, not just this one.

Originally posted by DannyG13
I'm a regular reader (rare poster) of your, lessthanthree's and lennonac's blog, and despite what's gone on via Skype or whatever, I hope none of this will affect any of you guys playing poker and carrying on your blogs.

I for one am not interested in what's gone on behind the scenes, and am just interested in hearing what's going on poker-wise. As a micro SnG player, i've learnt a lot from these blogs and would think it's a huge shame for PokerStrategy as a whole if your blogs and poker goals were stopped / harmed / whatever by this seemingly needless arguement. I'm sure several other readers feel the same.

Keep the updates coming, on every blog, not just this one.

Thanks for writing....

Very well said and I hope for the same. Infact I am sure lessthanthree will carry on as he was
and blog away. I truly hope he does. I for sure intend to. I am glad you get stuff out of reading
our blogs because that is how I learned how to play. Well a large part of it anyways.

I know that there are not many hands in people blogs but the mental aspect you can improve on
by following someone elses poker life can really be priceless.

Thanks for reading.

Looking at the week ahead, I am not going to be able to meet any kind of volume goals.

I will be extra busy and will probably only have time to casually fit in so many games which I
am ok with as long as I can avoid the urge to squeeze in some playing because I feel like
I am behind and need to catch up on some games or play for any other wrong reasons.

Infact what is funny is as I am sitting here typing this, I just came to the computer
to get in a set of 12 games and I realized that I am doing this only because I feel
I will be too busy tonight for a proper few sets.

This would have been a mistake to fire up 12 games right now.

I think typing a little here and instead making alternate plans for poker this week like for
example get through more videos. I wan't to get through more ranges videos and I
still like flipping through some sections of Collins book.

Also I want to attack the Gold articles. They are awsome looking. I may be a bit dissapointed in
the Gold video content but I must say the articles are fantastic looking and in depth and I
will definately be going over them more than just a few times to internalize them.

I think I am still happy about being Gold because I always make the G a capitol one.

So it looks like this week will be more about theory then play. I have a few vids on really
getting into fucking around with the wizard that I will be watching as well. I am still
eager to tweak with it.

I think I will find something that I can do poker wise thats not sooo donkish as firing up 25 dons
but still cheap enough and fun enough that I can just sit down and do it without affecting my BR.

Like Rush poker looks like it can be fun to try that with but with the lowest buy in possible.

Maybe even FR FL rush poker. Something that if I have some free time all of a sudden, and
I have studied my eyes out during a busy week and want to play but can not guarantee
the proper focus for a set of 12 games..

But that would mean depositing on Full Tilt and I have no interest in going through the hassle
of switching some of my roll and I am also still waiting to see what Full Tilt does about their support.

IDK there has to be something on stars like maybe even 5 card draw or something.

I'll write about it here if I find something.

Thanks for reading.