[Closed] From humble beginnings, how much pie will be eaten?

Only been playing Titan today to build confidence up as seems to be more predictable (or at least players are) and I'm close to having enough points for a $1k freeroll entry.

I've been a "good boy" today and stuck pretty rigidly to the strategy, even moving in with JJ when I thought I was behind.... I was, but caught the trip, happy days.

Usual suk outs brought me back down though. Is it me, or is there an invisible force field around the gain of $15, sigh

Find myself humming the song "Breakthru" by rock band Queen, but even this doesn't help.

One good aspect however is that I'm now getting more confident with the SH's, moved up to playing 2x tables together today whooo hooo

More grinding scheduled for tomorrow, $15 will be mine, all mine ♦

Titan Chart

Full stats follow on next update, need some sleep now for the battle ahead.

p.s. Maybe I chose the wrong Queen song, Flash would perhaps be better...... "come my brave hawkmen"!

Mood = Determined

No ring games today unfortunately, got side tracked by 'normal life' issues.

Did manage to log on in time for the English # 6 though.

I used to play a lot of MTT's, but never really achieved anything. Since starting this strategy, I sticking religiously to my BRM's and only playing whatever freerolls I pick up.

3rd consecutive personal best in the English Community League, gotta be happy with that!

English #4 > 25th (upgraded to 24th due to presence of non community players)
English #5 > 10th (upgraded to 9th)
English #6 > 7th (upgraded to 6th)

Mood = Happy as "Larry". ♦

I totally suk at cash tables. BR's just disintegrating before my eyes.

I'm finding that on average its taking me 3 to 4 circuits to actually find a hand thats fits all of the SSS criteria, thats -$0.45 to -$0.60 in lost blinds for a start. Then because I've had to wait those 4 circuits, people scurry away when I do raise, so I profit from only $0.15 stolen blinds, net loss 30 to 45cents a time.

So I attempt to steal occasionally, sticking strictly within the guideline hands and what happens people call with f.a. (i don't mean five ace!) and then call my cbet after hitting the bottom pair or have 3 to a flush.

It seems daft to me to have to fold TT just because your in UTG+2, but then play 77 aggressively from late pos only to constantly lose to callers with 2 overcards.

I know, its all be worked out mathmatically and over long term you should have an advantage, but seems to me that I have a big neon sign over my head and everyone knows exactly what I'm playing at (does everyone I play read this blog?).

BR's are... well to be honest I don't want to look, both are now probably down on starting point due to heavy Titan losses.

Mood = Deeply disallusioned and threatening to quit to concentrate on MTT's

Titan Chart

Full Tilt Chart

play BSS or SnGs
I quit SSS a while back,most people don't have the patience to make this strategy profitable. At one point my BR was $6, now it is $1440 so Gl.

Originally posted by fun101rockets
play BSS or SnGs
I quit SSS a while back,most people don't have the patience to make this strategy profitable. At one point my BR was $6, now it is $1440 so Gl.

Thanks rockets, STT's might be worth a try as my tournament play has definately improved since starting to go through the strategy guides.

I don't actually find cash tables very interesting at all, but thought they would be the best place to learn, hmmm we'll see.

Need to get some shut eye and refocus more logically and calmly tomorrow I guess.

Many thanks for your input though, really appreciate it, cheers m8.

Bart.

Just read Drakhor's blog and it started exactly the same as mine. Decided therefore to get right back on the horse (small pony) and try again.

A small number of hands later, exited with 25cent gain. Not a great deal in terms of $ but a tremendous psychological morale boost.

Hey EagleStar88

Good to see you blogging. The first steps are always the hardest steps So even if the SSS is often frustrating and hard (I can't seem to play SSS with less than 4 tables since it gets pretty boring otherwise) - it helps you train discipline. Making tough folds can be very important in BSS - and playing SSS is perfect training for that.

Its important not to think of the money or the winnings while getting started out but at the learning curve. Try to spend a lot of time thinking about the game and why you are doing what you are doing. Read articles, watch videos, browse the sample hand forums, visit coachings, and motivate yourself to be critical towards your own play. If you lose money every session - but fix a leak or two in return - you are on the right way towards becoming a winning player
(while winning $ every session but adopting losing tendencies - due to currently making shortterm winnings with them - will just lead to a crash on higher limits / later)

So good luck on your progress and see you next week in the league

Best regards
SoyCD

Thanks Soy,

It means a lot that you take the time out to encourage the newer members and you always give great advice.

I had been focusing on the net +/-, but actually you are totally right, it is the learning process that is the main focus here (as stated myself in the first post). If it cost a $ or two on the way, then hey no problem, cheap at half the price.

Every long journey starts with a single step.

Get knocked down 7x times, get up 8x times

As everyone will know by now from my previous posts, I've been sticking to Freeroll MTT's only to concentrate on the SSS learning process.

In addition to 3 excellent showings in the Community League, I also now add in the follow success, due in large extent to the strategy guides which have helped greatly especially in terms of discipline (lasting a long tourney). I encourage everyone to read them again & again.

Just beat over a 1,000 other players to take down a Full Tilt Freeroll, Get in!

♦ ♦ ♦ ♦

25/10/2008 - Full Tilt $100 U.K. Freeroll = 1st / 1,089 players = Won $15!

Following quickly on from my MTT success, got straight back down to the SSS bump & grind.

What an amazing upsurge this was too. Played a total of 678 hands mainly on Titan, but also Full Tilt when I'd visited all the suitable tables (& to allow the villians to reload their stacks ♦).

Ended the session up $14.25 (Titan) & up $0.80 (Full Tilt). Still think the extra seat on a table (10 rather than Full Tilt's 9) and lower rake make all the difference, but determined to suceed at both.

What was even more pleasing, on the back of the kind words from Soy, is that I felt good all throughout. I was happily laying down my Tens in early pos and with one ($2) exception, played a pretty near perfect SSS game. By jove, I think Barty Boy is getting there, slowly but surely.

Haven't fully disected the elephant yet, but one very memorable period went something along the lines of:

1) Picked up Pocket Aces, they held up and doubled my $1.55 stack (I carefully click the 'autopost blinds' off ready to blind out).
2) Very next hand, pocket Queens, put the standard SSS raise in again, but this time everyone are a bit wary, so no action, weep. Still picked up the blinds and now desperate to leave the table with my 'loot'.
3) Very next hand again, pocket Kings! I nearly fall off of my chair. Whilst nervous (due to my stack), again raise as per SSS and because of my previous 2 consecutive raises table thinks I'm bluffing, get 2 calls. Win the showdown against both after pushing all in, Kings hold up and I exit with just over $9. I could get used to this.

Current Standings:

(A) Titan BRM = Overall +$14.54 (Bankroll $64.54)
2,742 hands played, BB/100= 11.34.

(B) Full Tilt BRM = Overall -$18.95 (Bankroll $31.05)
476 hands(#), BB/100=-18.59(#)
# since elephant 18/10/2008, unknown stats before.

(C) Pacific BRM = Overall +$2.27 (Bankroll $2.27)
Full hand history not currently known.

Overall = - $2.14, Mood = Gone for a lie down (happy) ♦

NB: All above figures are Cash Tables only, excludes bonuses/Rakebacks & Freeroll successes.

Titan Chart

Full Tilt Chart

Just one phrase can sum up the last day or so and that (in the polite form) is "F.F.S."

AA beaten by 86o
KK beaten by 76s (77x flopped)
AK beaten by A4o
JJ beaten by JJ (yes he flushed, sigh)

But actually, am I bothered, No not really for two reasons:

1) The one certain thing about luck is that it will change, still have confidence in the long term strategy,
2) My overall game (in terms of adherence to SSS strategy and the understanding of it) is improving.

A few quick stats from my first 4k+ hands on elephant:

AA Won the hand 94% of time, average +/-=+$0.84 (playing NL10 with buy in of $2).
KK = 72%, avg +0.18
QQ = 98%, +1.36
AK=67%, -0.01 (of which suited 100%, +0.77)
JJ=64%, +0.31
AQ=52%, -0.14 (of which suited 54%,-0.71)
TT=71%, +0.28
99=57%, -0.28
AJ=65%, +0.27 (suited 68%, +0.14)
88=40%, +0.06
AT=44%, -0.01 (suited 79%, +0.21)
77=31%,+0.11
66=17%,-0.10
all other combinations generally less than 20% win rate.

Whilst not nearly sufficient volume of data to be entirely accurate and doesn't take into account position, first in etc, this is quite an eye opener for me.
For example prior to joining PokerStrategy, I thought A10 or AQo were good hands and often used to limp on mid pairs trying to catch the trip.
The stats are however starting to show that these aren't necessarily profitable hands unless played in a very measured approach.

QQ stats seem to be a little high for me (an anomoly), but like I said, take them with a pinch of salt as only 4,000+ hands worth of data.

I still take heart from the wise words from my Mr Miyagi (SoyCD), see above, this is a learning process and boy am I learning lots.

Priorities still remain, in order:
1) Have fun
2) Learn a better game (to better achieve 1.)
3) Eventually over time, fund a small MTT career through Cash Table funding.

Just playing a freeroll at the moment, as soon as out will head back to the tables.

Best regards,

Bart
Brush on, brush off
Polish on, polish off

As it's now 4 weeks into my strategy and so much been going on in the last couple of days, an update is required.

Overall cost to me = $0