Stream and Spin and Go (and rock)

Reserved for awesome stuff.

Goals for August 2017

Minimum:

• 40h stream
• 70h off-stream grind
• 1k games overall
• 25h coachings and videos
• 10h self-study, hand reviews, homework, reading, etc. (will be harder for me than it sounds)
• 50+ chipEV / tournament
• 1x/week running
• 1x/week short core / back/ shoulders workout

(145h total)

Optimal:

• One long extra stream on a weekend
• 100h off-stream grind
• 1.5k games overall
• 35h coachings and videos
• Read Tipton's Expert Heads Up No Limit Hold'em vol. 1
• 60+ chipEV / tournament
• Go running 2x/week
• Short core / back/ shoulders workout at least 2x/week

(~ +50h)

In general, three things are currently challenging for me:

1. Self-study, session reviews, spot analysis etc.

When I put in many hours grinding and learning passively (coachings etc.), it's hard for me to find the motivation to learn actively. Hence the small but important goal. I am aware of some leaks I want to work on, and probably could identify more.

2. Focus and stamina

I'm mostly happy with my A-game, but I don't always play it. To improve my mental fitness, I'm already changing my nutrition, replacing junk food and sweet softdrinks with more healthy food and water / teas. At least to some extent. Sometimes it just has to be pizza ♦.
I'll also try to incorporate some modest workouts into my schedule to become more physically fit. I don't have time for more, because rehearsing and playing gigs with my bands is time-consuming and also replaces endurance training to some extent.

3. Multitabling

I really want to improve here. I definitely make more mistakes when I play 2 or more tables. Also, my awareness of villain reads and tendencies decreases. I guess it needs practise. Any suggestions on how to approach this?

I just took down a 25x multiplier spin with a chipEV of 572, for a profit of 360$

Not many super interesting hands tough. Biggest postflop pot was this:

PokerStars - 15/30 NL (3 max) - Holdem - 3 players

BTN: 23.4 BB (VPIP: 44.44, PFR: 22.22, 3Bet Preflop: 20.00, Hands: 9)
SB: 9 BB (VPIP: 29.41, PFR: 17.65, 3Bet Preflop: 16.67, Hands: 18)
Hero (BB): 17.6 BB

SB posts SB 0.5 BB, Hero posts BB 1 BB

Pre Flop: (pot: 1.5 BB) Hero has J♥ 4♠

BTN calls 1 BB, fold, Hero checks

Flop: (2.5 BB, 2 players) 5♣ 8♠ J♦
Hero checks, BTN bets 1 BB, Hero calls 1 BB

Turn: (4.5 BB, 2 players) 9♣
Hero checks, BTN bets 2 BB, Hero calls 2 BB

River: (8.5 BB, 2 players) J♣
Hero checks, BTN bets 4.27 BB, Hero calls 4.27 BB

I might have folded the river unimproved to a reasonably sized third barrel. With rivered trips, I wasn't sure if I can get more value on the river by raising, with possible flushes, straights and better trips out there. Would you raise in this spot?

Hi, Xanham!
Great blog!
Subscribe to blog and twitch stream!
I wish you to achive all you Goals and Good Luck!

Thanks!

Here comes the full hand history for the very first game on tonights stream:

PokerStars - 10/20 NL (3 max) - Holdem - 3 players

Hero (BTN): 25 BB
SB: 25 BB
BB: 25 BB

SB posts SB 0.5 BB, BB posts BB 1 BB

Pre Flop: (pot: 1.5 BB) Hero has 6♣ 6♠

Hero raises to 25 BB and is all-in, fold, BB calls 24 BB and is all-in

Flop: (50.5 BB, 2 players) 8♦ Q♦ 9♠

Turn: (50.5 BB, 2 players) Q♣

River: (50.5 BB, 2 players) 7♠

Gotta love those players! <3

Added your blog to my favourites (the first one actually, haha).

Is Tipton's book your own choice of reading or is it advised to read when entering gold level with SL?

Cheers,
Okselson

What's your expected hourly on the 15's? /w the amount of tables you play.

Originally posted by Okselson
Added your blog to my favourites (the first one actually, haha).

Is Tipton's book your own choice of reading or is it advised to read when entering gold level with SL?

Cheers,
Okselson

Welcome, and thanks! Tipton's book was recommended several times in our coachings, but it's not an official "must read".

Originally posted by Varune
What's your expected hourly on the 15's? /w the amount of tables you play.

I don't have reliable numbers yet. I moved up to 15$ spins about a month ago and had a slow start. With "ok" winrate (pre-rakeback), but not yet heavily crushing (so far about 4.5% evROI). That's why I still study a lot and sometimes only play 1 table or "synchroneous" 2 tables, i.e. starting the next 2 games when the previous ones are finished). I will mostly play 2 tables this month. My average number of spins per hour with 2 tables is around 13 at the moment.

Related to this are my small difficulties with multitabling, as described in my August goals. Besides improving my A-game, I will focus on improving volume by increasing the number of tables. Don't have a good strategy for that yet. Open to suggestions!

Cool, thanks! I saw there is a Volume 1 and Volume 2, do they recommend both Volumes or just Volume 1?

About multi tabling, did you buy/receive StarsHelper yet? I bought it myself a while ago and I use it to convert chips to BB, show pot odds and positions. One feature that I like is the ability to place tables on a preferred position. The program really reduces a lot of unimportant handlings :).

Probably you have it already tho. The only thing I can think of besides StarsHelper is trying to use the timebank more efficiently. For example, make yourself use the timebank for at least 50-75% every hand, so you avoid the risk of 'clicking' from table to table without thinking, and instead force yourself to think about the flop/turn/river.

Hope that helps,
Cheers,
Okselson

Well, multiple sources recommend both of Tipton's books. I got them both, but haven't finished vol. 1 yet. Will tell you more when I have

I use Starshelper, it's nice! But right now I rely on analyzing opponents during the game and adjusting my game, and that's tough on more than two tables. It's not like in MTTs or 6-9max cash games where you are not involved in every hand.

Very intresting your blog. I will watch witt atention.

Originally posted by EU321
Very intresting your blog. I will watch witt atention.

Thanks!

The other day on stream - really strange hand:

PokerStars - 10/20 NL (3 max) - Holdem - 3 players

SB: 10.5 BB
Hero (BB): 24 BB
BTN: 40.5 BB

SB posts SB 0.5 BB, Hero posts BB 1 BB

Pre Flop: (pot: 1.5 BB) Hero has 7♦ Q♦

BTN raises to 2 BB, SB calls 1.5 BB, Hero calls 1 BB

Flop: (6 BB, 3 players) 9♣ 8♦ Q♥
SB checks, Hero checks, BTN bets 3 BB, SB calls 3 BB, Hero calls 3 BB

Turn: (15 BB, 3 players) K♦
SB checks, Hero checks, BTN checks

River: (15 BB, 3 players) 8♠
SB checks, Hero bets 3.4 BB, BTN calls 3.4 BB, SB raises to 5.5 BB and is all-in, Hero calls 2.1 BB, BTN calls 2.1 BB

I bet the river for value, but after a call and a raise it's really strange. I found the call just because there was so little behind, but usually I'd fold that.

Anyway, enjoing streaming so far and I'm on track to reach my goals. I will post detailed statistics each month.

Tune in if you find the time: Xanham Twitch stream

Took down a 10x game on yesterday's stream with +1187 (!) chipEV

The craziest hand against a crazy player:

PokerStars - 20/40 NL (3 max) - Holdem - 2 players

Hero (SB): 28.78 BB
BB: 8.73 BB

Hero posts SB 0.5 BB, BB posts BB 1 BB

Pre Flop: (pot: 1.5 BB) Hero has J♠ 6♣

Hero calls 0.5 BB, BB checks

Flop: (2 BB, 2 players) 5♦ 4♦ 7♦
BB bets 1 BB, Hero calls 1 BB

Turn: (4 BB, 2 players) J♣
BB bets 6.73 BB and is all-in, Hero calls 6.73 BB

River: (17.45 BB, 2 players) 6♥

Turn call is a bit tricky, but I already had reads that this guy is crazy and will be doing this with any pair, any diamond, any gutshot+. Getting it in with 89% equity for the 10x win felt good! For one second But found a happy end later.

Hi,

it sounds like a very good and ambitious schedule you have. I will follow your blog and watch it on Twitch, quite excited how you perform.

I also will do a lot Spins but i really have to do more analysis and general learning. These days i studied more psychological stuff for Poker, in my opinion and especially for me it`s a very important part especially for Spins to achieve a greater mindset.
One advice i could give you (from a few 1000 spins): i do not recommend multitabling! I would play a single 30 $ buy instead of two 15s parallel. Skills are not so much different there in between these two buy ins, so your awareness playing one table will do a much greater job than two or more tables.
In my opionion the game has its "skilljump" in playerpool from 3$ to 7$ ones, although i had my problems with 3 $s much more than 7$s :-) but that just could be random...
Perhaps we can do some hand analysis?

hope your goals will be achieved soon!

Hey, thanks lupus213! Good advice there.

I also think that mindset is important, it can be tough to go through downswings and play a big volume. I lose at least a bit of motivation even when on a short downswing, so still working on that. In general, with the monthly goals I set here I'm trying to become more organized.

On the multitabling topic: You're right. However, I also believe that studying alone is not enough, it takes a lot of practice. My time-based volume goals always have priority, but I also want to get better at multitabling and increase the number of monthly spins.

It took me a little longer than expected to pass 3$ spins, but then I passed 7$ spins rather easily. Might be variance. I experienced a jump in difficulty when I moved to 15$ spins though.

On track to reach my time-based goals so far. I'll have about 50% of the minimum goals done this weekend. My chipEV/tournament is not great though, it's swinging around the minimum goal of 50.

But I'm excited about my upcoming 8h stream, as promised for reaching 300+ followers on Twitch. It will also be the first of the optional monthly goals I complete.

Tune in tomorrow, Sunday, 3 pm CEST (10 am EST): https://www.twitch.tv/xanham

I will be playing 15$ Spin and Gos (of course), but also trying other games just for fun on micro stakes, like the new Spin and Go MAX, possibly other jackpot-type SNGs, MTTs, cash...

How are things going Xanham, still on track? When do you want to reach the 30s, somewhere next month, right?

Cheers,
Okselson

Hey, I had a great last week and weekend. Just not so much for poker

I played a gig with my band last Friday, opening for the Argies (from Argentina - who would have thought ). Super nice and friendly dudes.

All in all I was rather busy with band stuff and didn't have much time for poker. But still did a few nice streams, some studying and/or at least a little bit of grinding on most days. Got another gig this Friday, then I'll fully focus on poker again 'till the end of the month.

I still want to reach my "minimum" goals, but it will be tough to do the optional stuff / volume. My goal is still to move up to 30$ in October, but I feel like I'm currently in a stretch where my game and chipEV is stagnating a bit. Not a surprise and I'm sure it will change when I spend more time with spins again.

Yesterday I hit a 10x on stream vs. two crazy recreational players. Very nice I thought! Then I got Aces. Great! I thought.

Then it went like this:

PokerStars - 15/30 NL (3 max) - Holdem - 3 players
Hand converted by PokerTracker 4

Hero (BB): 16.67 BB
BTN: 19 BB
SB: 14.33 BB

SB posts SB 0.5 BB, Hero posts BB 1 BB

Pre Flop: (pot: 1.5 BB) Hero has A♥ A♠

BTN raises to 2 BB, fold, Hero raises to 3.5 BB, BTN calls 1.5 BB

Flop: (7.5 BB, 2 players) 7♦ 6♦ 2♦
Hero bets 5.57 BB, BTN raises to 11.13 BB, Hero raises to 13.17 BB and is all-in, BTN calls 2.03 BB

Turn: (33.83 BB, 2 players) Q♥

River: (33.83 BB, 2 players) 9♥

Tough times! No chance I can get away here, probably not even readless.

I had a rough month in general with less time for poker than I planned. I'll post a graph and a detailed goals evaluation at the beginning of next month.