[Closed] BrYANS RISE TO FAME

Hey Bryan, a long but very nice introduction

Good to see you have created a blog! As soon as you start having the Elephant running you can also post your stats here and we can check if everythings look ok (as well as your tricky hands). Hopefully this will lead to us & you identifying potential flaws in your game.

Considering your final goes I also suggest nudging in some SNG article reading and playing around on the ICM trainer somewhere along the line - since obviously that kind of knowledge is what you will need for tournament play.

Wish you the best of luck in your progress

(and considering your Magic Talent my motivation to organize a community event in the UK grows every so steadily ♦)

Best regards
SoyCD

Thx for the reply Soycd

I have already read a little of the SNG stuff and have downloaded the icm trainer light. I will complete the lessons as soon as I get time. I had a little go on a Pokerstars account I have with two tables open. My initial impression was that the sheets are harder to follow in a live situation than basic sss, and when it came to the end game shoving, I abandoned them altogether and reverted to what I already know. I would have had to do that anyway, as I haven't yet studied ICM properly.

Anyway, have abandoned tourneys for the time being whilst I concentrate on clearing my $50 using basic sss. Saying that, I am in the English community tourney on Pokerstars at 6.30(20 mins from now) for a bit of fun and to get to know one or two people from the site.

All the best
Bryan

Hi all

Brief update:

Getting the knowledge:
Have started reading the bronze articles esp on sss
Am working through the lessons on ICM Trainer Light
On Soycd's advice have downloaded Elephant

Latest Bankroll/playing news:
Last nights session began really well, with me winning several all-ins in succession, including one where I tripled with AA. BR was around $65 with another $5 bonus increment due for release, I thought BR may reach the dizzy heights of $70, but it was not to be.
The Poker gods presumably didn't want me getting too excited at my age, so chose to bring me back down to earth by losing several all-ins, and I closed at $62 appx. However, that was still the highest closing bal recorded so far.

Bal = $62.69
FTP = 362.61
Bonus earned = $10.63
Bonus released = $10
next release in 72.78 FTP's

Nice start MAGICBRYAN!!!

Remember, with SSS the first 50,000 hands are a learning exercise. So are the second 50,000 hands.

After that, you really start to get on top of the game.. hitting and breaking through plateaus where every 50,000 hands you really start to feel like you are finally starting to learn something!

Seriously, remember there are a lot of swings to go through so don't get too caught up in the day to day, week to week ebbs and flows of your bank roll. The best thing you can do is continually work on your game, ironing out the kinks as you go and learning as much as you can.

Best of luck! ♦

Hi All
Thanks Wailboy for taking the time to reply. It's good to see that someone who has attained such a high standard as yourself, being a gold member, takes the time to offer advice to a relative novice like myself.

I am getting this message a lot here, so it is obviously an important one to take on board, not to take too much notice of short-term swings.

I have learned a lot before coming to this site, but having knowledge and putting that knowledge into profitable practice are two different things. That's why I have decided to be guided by the ranking system here and the dissemination of knowledge that goes with it.

Thus, I will stick strictly by the book, to sss basic strategy to clear my bonus hopefully, whilst studying the bronze articles.

Then I plan to start gradually introducing ideas from what I have learned there and getting feedback on my results from the site as I try to acheive Silver status and so onwards and upwards.

I hope to be able to build a bankroll on FT without ever depositing my own money, as a kind of challenge, so watch this space.

Hey, no worries... btw don't get too caught up with the rankings. It is amazing what jumping up a limit or two and a bit of volume can do for you.

There are lots of good people on this site who will help you focus on the important stuff. Just be willing to ask for help, continually learn and listen, and you can achieve whatever you are prepared to work for!

And there are loads of folks who have built bank rolls despite never having deposited their own money - all by following the PS.com strategies. So know that your FT goal is DEFINITELY ACHIEVABLE. ♦

Hello Bryan,

Congratulations on the start of what looks to become a great blog to follow.

A great start to the blog and i will follow with interest mate.

Kind Regards,
-Steve

Hi all

Thanks guys for the response. Very encouraging and positive messages. Last couple of sessions of hour to two hours duration have gone well enough, sticking mostly to 4 tables max of basic sss. Bankroll still up and down but staying slightly ahead. However, the main thing at the moment is that I am steadily but surely clearing my bonus.

Also, whilst I am used to getting a dollar or so here and there added to my account, which PS say will be my rakeback, I suddenly have had $20 given me by FT and I don't know what for. Support at PS said they didn't know, and I thought that the first time deposit FT give was only if you deposit your own money, which I haven't done. I have emailed their support, and they are in the process of getting back to me. I hope they don't decide it was a mistake and take it back from me !!

Bearing in mind what I have just said above, current stats are:

BAL = $85.23 (wow lol!)
FTP = 411.86
Bonus earned = $12.56
Bonus released = $10
Next release in 40.55 FTP's

If I get to keep the $20 that will be $0 to $85 in a couple of weeks, Chris Ferguson had better watch his back LOL

Hey Bryan,

As you play at FT then the $20 could have possibly came from the Take 2 promotion that they was doing if you took part in that.

Kind Regards,
-Steve

Considering you have been multi-tabling on each of the last 10 days it looks like those $20 are yours to keep: http://www.fulltiltpoker.com/take-2

At least if you signed up for promo that is (which I'm guessing you did if you received the money)

Hi All again,
Thanks again for your help guys. I do remember clicking on some pop-up now re take2, so I think you may have hit the nail on the head. It was one of those offers that looked good at the time when I clicked on it, but then forgot all about it, not expecting much. So pleasant surprise.
I am getting replies faster here than from FT, who replied saying that I wasn't emailing them from a valid email address, and I needed to change it. I won't bore you all with the details as I am sure readers are all familiar with these so-called security checks. I still haven't had a reply from them re my bonus though, and the email address was valid anyway.

I'll update here again after my next session. Just been looking at the leaderboard again. How the hell does anyone amass 15000+ strategy points in 3 weeks ? Multitabling all day long ?

Bryan

Originally posted by MAGICBRYAN
Just been looking at the leaderboard again. How the hell does anyone amass 15000+ strategy points in 3 weeks ? Multitabling all day long ?

Nope, just jump a few limits, pay a TONNE more rake and the SP flow like, well, like flowing SP's.

And consider the 500k SPs needed to get to Black Member status. I think last time I calculated it was going to take me 16 years at my current rate.

OK thx again Wailboy. One step at a time though I think for me. Last night just played late at night for an hour due to a very tiring day. Results :

Bal = $82.08
FTP = 427.01 (just past halfway to clearing my bonus ((835 FTP)
Bonus earned = $13.47 (am I missing something here? that's not halfway)
Bonus released = $10
Next release in 25.40 FTP's

Must try to find more time to both play and study the strategy articles.

Work permitting, I will try to watch the live coaching on Friday on sss

All the best all
Bryan

Hi everyone

Just a brief daily blog update:

I plan to try to catch as much as I can of the live coaching at 4pm on the basic sss I am currently playing.

Have received a reply from FT with apologies for delay, confirming that my $20 was from the Take2 promotion as suggested here.

Last nights little session brings overall score to date:

Bal = $83.41
FTP = 438.66
Bonus earned = $14.17
Bonus released = $10
Next release due in 13.75 FTP's (this should hopefully be released either today or tomorrow)

Hope people are finding me keeping a daily diary as it were of interest. It would be nice to get more feedback esp from other newbies to the site to se if there experiences are any different to mine.

So far I am really enjoying everything this site has to offer. I also like the fact that you have to earn the rank to see more knowledge, as this helps me to focus with a definite aim in mind. This kind of mindset, I am sure, will help me to find success as a player longer term.

All the best everyone, and remember don't be shy, tell me what you think whatever it is.
Bryan

Hey Bryan

Sorry to keep spamming your blog!

Things have started off pretty well, huh?! Great to see.

And just because I have an opinion on everything :P, don't try to make your blog interesting for those reading it.... make it interesting to you.

The best blogs from a readers perspective, IMO anyway, are the ones where you can experience the writers journey vicariously.

But aside from that, the MOST important part of the blog is that it is interesting to you... that you can look over your blog and remember the ebbs and flows of your poker experience.

If your blog is of little use or interest to you, you're pretty unlikely to keep it up or get anything out of it.

Go get those fishes!!! ♦

Hi All

Thx again Waiboy. Don't worry about "spamming me" your advice was spot on again as usual, and I welcome your comments.

Things are going well in a way, but in another wau they're not so good. I seem to take a couple of steps forward then one or two back. My BR has steadily risen in these early days, but that is as much to do with bonus payments as it is the sss system.

I have read elsewhere that basic sss just breaks even. I don't know the truth of it, but my early results seem to prove this point so far.

Last nights session was exasperating in that I got hardly any hands early on, and was just ticking over, though I knew I was about to hit another bonus release level.

Well I hit the bonus release and that took my BR to almost $90, then it happened ! As if on cue, no sooner had I received a $5 bonus than I started getting big hands which I then lost with on suckouts. I finally ended the session with less money than I started with !!

What I want to know is, why do I keep reading in my magazines about American college kids who only deposit $20 once in their lives and turn it effortlessly into a million before they are old enought to shave, whilst I can't clear a $50 bonus without setbacks at every turn?!! lol

Stats:

Bal = $82.62
FTP = 460.87
Bonus earned = $15.51
Bonus released = $15
Next release in 74.76 FTP's

Hi All
It's been a beautiful day in Nottingham today, and I have been out walking in the local countryside. Thus I am in a wonderful mood full of positive thoughts. My last post was ranting a bit negatively, so I wll report on last nights session seeing all the positive factors.

I made a small gain. Since joining this site, I have been given both $50 to play with plus bonuses from the partner Full Tilt, and without depositing any of my own money, I now have over $85, and who knows what riches lay ahead.

stats:
Bal = $85.17
FTP = 486.41
Bonus earned = $17.04
Bonus released = $15.00
Next release in 49.33 FTP's

All the best
Bryan

Hi everyone,

Everything in the garden still all rosy at the moment. Only played for an hour as tired after work, but profit rather than a loss is always nicer to wtite up, even though I know I shouldn't worry about results.

Bal = $88.28
FTP = 501.95
Bonus earned = $17.97
Bonus released = $15
Next release in 33.79 FTP's

I also notice I have 70 strategy points from 3 weeks, so makes me feel that with a bit more effort Silver status can be acheived soon.

Incidentally, I forgot to mention that I tuned into the coaching session on sss on Friday, which I also managed to catch another time. On Friday it wasn't very eventful, due to the coach picking up very few hands, which couldn't be helped. Probably as a consequence he didn't get asked many questions either.

I still enjoyed it though, as I love watching a more experienced player live, and was amused on both sessions by the way he just took suck-outs in his stride for example. Even small things like that give me more confidence going forward. It brings to life what you read about.

For example, magazine articles galore can tell you that you must develop the ability to take such things in your stride to be a success in Poker, but it is only when you see someone actually doing it that it comes home.

Another example of shoving, regardless of your cards, in certain situations in the late stages of an sng can still not feel right to do to some players. However, when you see a coach do it explaining it as a being a natural thing to do, and taking the pot down (such as I saw on another coaching session) it gives you the confidence to do it the next time you face that situation for real yourself.

Anyway, I'm waffling now and its bedtime. Do feel free to let me know what you think yourself of anything I say here.

Just wondering if I had a good run whether I can get this BR past the 100 dollar mark soon...

All the best
Bryan

Hi All

Positive thinking from the previous sessions must have worked. This was a good session, getting me closer to the $100 mark. Have released another $5 of my bonus.

Bal = $95.55
FTP = 537.74
Bonus earned = $20.11
Bonus released = $20
Next release in 81.33 FTP's

All the best
Bryan