Stars wars

Only managed 22 games tonight just did one set where I usually just keep 12 open continuously. Somehow managed to win $ even though I didn't think I played well or ran well either, KK seems to be the hand of death for me lately.

Wasn't sure about this hand

UTG is whale playing 45/0 over about 25 hands at this point, MP1 50/17 over 6 hands and MP2 is a reg I think but am only going off the fact he was running 12/8 but I hadn't seen him before

Poker Stars No-Limit Hold'em Tournament, 150/300 Blinds (8 handed) - Poker Stars Converter Tool from FlopTurnRiver.com

MP1 (t1741)
MP2 (t4048)
CO (t1000)
Button (t1560)
Hero (SB) (t3857)
BB (t3395)
UTG (t8835)
UTG+1 (t3473)

Hero's M: 8.57

Preflop: Hero is SB with 10, 10
UTG calls t300, 1 fold, MP1 bets t1716, MP2 raises t4023, 2 folds, Hero ?

Will xpost this in hand evaluation and post result here

48x45 mans -$31 and 9xmtt -$31 at least I am consistent

Those low stakes mtt's are like trying to navigate a minefield without a map!!! I am feeling pretty glad I only do MTT's on Sundays, couldn't grind those all week I would go insane!

Feel like I ran fairly bad today couldn't seem to get through a final table on the 45's without shoving into aces. Final tabled 15 out of the 48 I played and still couldn't make a profit!! Well at least thats the stars crazy weekend donkfest over, move forward to the weekday games which seem much easier to navigate to me.

I would call that TT hand. You have only 13bb left and there is huge possibility that MP1 and MP2 block some outs eachother or they could smalle pairs. UTG will fold very often so it`s good spot to flip vs two players and hopefully get bigger stack.

Hey, I'm pleased there is another blogger in his 40s (ok, just) writing for the English community.

Good luck out there.

Thanks Fingers, maybe us 40 somethings can take over the poker world!!! I just started to read your blog. My blog may not be as err random I think is the word as your blog, or as funny

North west eh? Whereabouts if you don't mind me asking? ♦

I am from Rochdale. Are you from nearby then?

Stuck to the $3.50 45mans today for some reason. 40 games +$52 so makes up for a crappy day yesterday.

Seem to be shipping my Ax into AA lots lately, had a look and for the 58 times I ran an ace into AA I have yet to suck out once. I need some coaching in sucking out obv

Fav hand of the day, mostly because I saw the flop before another table had popped on top and was never expecting to see this table again.

Hand Information
, 1200 BB (3 handed).
Hand History converter courtesy of pokerhandreplays.com

Table Information
Seat: 1 Player 1 ($13675) Big Blind
Seat: 4 Player 4 ($40507) Dealer
Seat: 6 Hero ($13318) Small Blind
Dealt to Hero
3♦: 3♥:

Preflop (Pot:1800)
Player 4 FOLD
Hero RAISE $13243
Player 1 CALL $12043

Flop(Pot: $27086)
A♠: K♥: T♣:

Turn(Pot: $27086)
A♠: K♥: T♣: A♥:

River(Pot: $27086)
A♠: K♥: T♣: A♥: A♦:

Showdown:
Hero SHOWS
3♦: 3♥:
Player 1 SHOWS
J♥: Q♣:
Hero wins the pot: $27086

Originally posted by ipeaceonu
I am from Rochdale. Are you from nearby then?

Not anymore ♦ Used to live in Manchester but my Grandad was from Rochdale Live in the Lake District now so a good 90 miles or so from you ♦

Tuesdays is always my day off from playing online, usually I manage to fit in some session reviews or watching coaching vids etc. Play live tonight in a pub league, something I have done for about 4 years and no matter where my poker goes I probably still will. I used to take it serious when I first started going but now it's just a social thing and a chance of some real rough banter with mates!

I have once again been thinking of getting staked/coached to move up through the limits. I really don't want to go into a huge stable of players though. Maybe I will search out someone who is willing to do the coaching/mentor thing for x% of profits.

I joined in the mtt live coaching coaching last night, was fun and felt more involvced than just watching a vid. I would recommend it to anyone who hasn't been involved in one yet. I don't think I got anything new out of it but it did reinforce the fact my thought process was along the same lines as the coaches. positive reinforcement has always been a big help to my game.

So I count my weeks from tue to tue as I take tuesdays off, I really need to put in some volume have only played 209 games this week. I remember when I could put in 500+ games per week. I will set a goal for at least 300 games this week, I don't like to set my own goals as if I don't make it I think it has a -ev effect on me however, I always seemed to manage goals set by coaches/stakers lol. Self motivation is severely lacking I think.

This weeks graph, made a tidy profit 146x$3.50's=244, 63x$7=133. I am sure I have been on the better side of variance this week. I was down around $36 in mtt's this week but only played 12 of them.

Have a sharkscope star atm which is nice but will be short lived I think with lack of volume.

45 man graph

Not played since the 5th been a bit busy with other things, which sucks because I am gonna stuggle to get any volume in this week.
Today started ok, stuck to the $3.50's as I haven't played for a few days. Went a little downhill near the end of the session, plenty final tables but not managing to get my 70% hands to hold. I think that it to feels worse to get deep and bust than it is to bust early even if you do cash. Tables are a bit nuts with it being weekend, plenty more 3 or 4 way all ins than there is during the week so you really need to run good. Anyway, will try and grind hard over the weekend maybe give the mtt's a miss on Sunday so I can get some 45 man volume in.

Today

Just settling down to watch the Jimmy Carr being funny dvd

Hey mate, i'm playing the $1 45mans right now and looking to move up to the $3.50 turbos eventually. What would you say the difference is going from the $1 games to the $3.50 turbos? How much tougher are the players?

Anyway, i'll be following your blog from now.

Hey Andy, thanks for reading my blog. I have never played the $1 45mans but I would assume there are more regs at the $3.50's as some of the top regs at the 7's and 16's mix in the 3's at quiet times. I would concentrate on getting shoving ranges correct before moving up. You may find a few tougher spots post flop when in pots with regs, having to take different lines to exctract value from them than you would the weaker players. Overall though there are still plenty of bad players that are willing to donate their chips to you so the transition shouldn't be too difficult. How have you been doing at the $1's?

Thanks for the info. I've been doing good at the $1 ones, currently ~70% ROI over a few hundred games. It's a tiny sample, i know, but i definitely feel 50-100% ROI is sustainable with the slower structure plus how almost everyone is extremely bad.

I'll be looking to skip the $1.50 turbos and just move up to the $3.50s when i am sufficiently rolled, or i might stick with the $1 a little longer just to get a decent sample size. I'll definitely be working on my game before moving up.

Are you playing turbo's now or regular speed? If you are not rolled for the $3.50's yet maybe add a couple into each session you play just to get the feel of them. I dunno about that kind of roi being sustainable at the $3.50's, I guess it would all depend on how many tables you play. Don't forget sng's are all about your hourly, no point having 100% roi playing 1 table if you can play 10 and get a 20% roi on each.

I am just starting a session now and can see about 12 "regs" in the first game I am loading, not that they are all regs but they do have an idea on what they are doing which does eat into your roi.

Rough day on the 45's was almost $100 down at one point, as usual couldn't get a hand to hold blah blah blah. Luckily it turned around a bit and managed to finish the day in profit, even if it was only $3.57 :). Played this weeks 100vpp vip freeroll on stars and cashed for $27 so that has helped.

I have always struggled at weekends, sure the games are softer but the swings are much bigger due to the aggressive/stationy nature of the rec players on at weekend. If anyone has any suggestions how they adapt to weekend games then they would be gratefully received as my weekend roi has always sucked.

Only bit of good news today was that stars let me change my avatar, so I now have a pic from the movie poster for fear and loathing in Las Vegas, if anybody is looking for a whacked out movie to watch I would highly recommend it.

Nice work, sir - keep it up!

Originally posted by Tim64
Nice work, sir - keep it up!

Thanks Tim I will try

So I had about 3 hours sleep last night and ended up getting up at 6.30 am which is not something I ever do!! By 8 I was bored so thought about grinding stars, 45's are pretty slow loading at that time so decided to add a $2.50 180 mans just to fill up a session. Found a few unsure spots in the 180's obv I know I have to be wider than the 45 mans but not sure by how much. Anyway it did go fairly well and managed to ship one of the 180's, I think that's the first one I have ever won. Not that I have played many of them anyway but always nice to get that first win. Was weird to not have many players colour coded or any notes on them as I feel I have the 45 man regs ranges down fairly well, at least at the $3.50's.

Todays graph from 12x 180 mans, 13x45mans and busting $15 worth of sunday million satellites.

Went to a casino in Manchester this afternoon for a $25 freezeout, 10k starting stack 20 min clock. Only 40 runners and busted in 8th a good 4 from any money. Was a good day though and always nice to play live for a change. I just wish casinos would make player friendly structures for the lower buy in tourneys. By the final table it was the usual 2 guys with 20 bb and everyone else with 10 or less.