Friendly Neighbourhood Spidey1978: "With great poker, comes a great bankroll."

Okay, so here it is, a small history from when I got bit by the radioactive poker spider to now...

At first, it started by playing some small home games with friends - I had only ever really played a bit of draw poker very recreationally, then my mates introduced me to Texas Hold 'Em - I was hooked.

This was way back over 10 years ago in 2007 (before I even had the first of my three children).

As I said, I was hooked. I looked forward to playing these home games, but they were few and far between. That was when I found online poker. At first, I just played with play money, but soon that wasn't enough. Unfortunately, money was scarce at that time and I couldn't really afford to deposit. Then fortune smiled on me...

I don't really remember how I found it, but I found PokerStrategy.com... And they were offering... FREE MONEY!!!

I must admit, I was skeptical at first. Thought there was sure to be a catch. I searched for this catch, but I couldn't find one. I took the plunge. I signed up for PartyPoker (I think) and was given my first $50 (I think there were release conditions, but I don't remember what they were).

I started off (like a lot of a people) playing the SSS (small stack strategy - does that even exist anymore) and gradually increased my bankroll. After a couple of months, SSS was getting boring - it was super tight and didn't take much thought - just apply the strategy.

Eventually, I decided to give Single Table SnGs ago which all went very nicely - my bankroll increased and decreased (but thankfully overall increased) - 2007 was a really super soft time to be playing (if only I had kept it up back then).
I played for a year or so have some moderate success - final tabling a freeroll for around $200 was a highlight I remember.
In the end, I was playing $22 Sngs. Unfortunately, SnGs had become a little dull for me recently and I was not longer winning as often as I had been. This plus a rising credit card bill made me decide to remove all but $50 of my bankroll (I withdrew over $1500) and set off on a challenge to build myself up again. Unfortunately, that project didn't really take off and I kind of drifted away from the game leaving my little bankroll to stay frozen in time.

OOPS! Wrong super hero!

Anyway, to cut a long story short, I have been back and forth from the poker table, playing mainly recreationally, but never really making it further than NL2, a few small buy-in SNGs and the occasional Multi-table tournaments/ 180s.

And now I'm back to let you know I can really shake 'em down...

All the time I have kept around that $50 buy-in I left myself all the way back in 2008(ish) and my claim to fame... I have never deposited any of my own money in to poker! Hope that can continue!

That is it - a small potted history of my poker life so far.

I hope you will be a part of it as I continue this blog into the future!

Hello Spidey1978,

Good luck in reaching your bankroll goals and I look forward to reading future posts
Subbed

Regards

Matt

Hey Spidey,

Welcome to the 'Get Rich or Die Tryin' bankroll challenge. we will be looking forward to your first update which you should post by Monday of each week in Get Rich or Die Tryin' - The Bankroll Challenge - Reporting thread.

Trust your spidey senses

Laz

If anyone is interested I have written a small poker history in the 2nd post above.

Other than that - not a great start to my blog/bankroll challenge.

My biggest problem is that I still have to call down that river bet even when I know that I am beat with a disgusting runner on that last street! That needs to be a point of focus!

Anyway, let's see how I get on this weekend ready for my first bankroll post of the challenge. Hope I can put myself into the +!

Originally posted by Spidey1978
I don't really remember how I found it, but I found PokerStrategy.com... And they were offering... FREE MONEY!!!

I must admit, I was skeptical at first. Thought there was sure to be a catch. I searched for this catch, but I couldn't find one. I took the plunge. I signed up for PartyPoker (I think) and was given my first $50 (I think there were release conditions, but I don't remember what they were).

And now I'm back to let you know I can really shake 'em down...

All the time I have kept around that $50 buy-in I left myself all the way back in 2008(ish) and my claim to fame... I have never deposited any of my own money in to poker! Hope that can continue!

Unfortunately I couldn't do the same I took my free $50 bankroll in 2011 to Cake and turned it into crumbs.

Hands Played: 1355
Profit: -$0.85 + $15 BONUS = $14.15
Current BR: $61.44

Must admit I am a bit confused as HM2 says I am down $0.28, but actual bankroll shows I am down $0.85?

Let's assess my week against my goals:

Originally posted by Spidey1978
I'll keep my first week's goals simple:

• Play 1000 hands of NL 6-max (volume is tricky for me ATM)
• Write up potted poker history for Blog
• Update Bankroll Challenge Thread

All goals completed - can't ask for more than that!

This week's goals will also be simple as I go back to work tomorrow after a long summer break and I am not sure what my volume will be like. Here they are:

WEEK 2 GOALS

• Play at least 1000 hands of NL 6-max.
• Before each session watch and make notes on Confidant91's beginner course.
• Look for spots to implement some of Confidant91's pre-flop adaptations regarding stealing wider and calling multi-way suited connectors.
• Do a mid-week blog update.

I have already been opening up a lot more in late position and when opening from BU or SB have pretty much been opening any 2 with maybe only a few exceptions.

Steal Stats before I opened up (3320 hands):
Steal from Button - 52%
Steal from SB - 55%

Steal Stats since I opened up (1089 hands):
Steal from Button - 80%
Steal from SB - 96%

(One caveat - data before includes regs and Zoom tables, whereas data after is just from Zoom tables.)

My question then: is this profitable? I understand on reg tables it needs to be very player dependent, but on zoom where not many people have reads or hands on you it can be.

My success rate at the moment is:
Button Steal Success - 43%
SB Steal Success - 64%

I guess it may be a bit hard to tell if it is profitable in Button as it doesn't include the money I may have won/lost by cbetting the flop if SB or BB call?

Should I continue with my steal frequency or become more discerning?

Hands played: 1063
Profit: -$3.64 HM2 says I am down $3.56 but my PS account says differently (odd)!
Current BR: $57.80

Unfortunately, another losing week - but with every cloud, there is a silver lining. I think I found out I have more of an edge when 2-tabling reg tables rather than 1 tabling zoom tables at the moment.

From last week, I started the week playing zoom - played 4 sessions for 633 hands and each session was losing session amounting to over 3.5 stacks lost (I was getting quite frustrated and often calling rivers where annoying draws were hitting - sometime runner, runner - and of course they were never a bluff - I realised I was getting tilted as I knew the correct play was to fold almost always given the big river bets and knowing I was beat, but calling anyway).

On the other hand, towards the latter half of the week, I played 4 sessions at the NL2 reg tables (2 tables only at the moment) and each session was a winning session amounting to nearly 2 stacks won back. Seemed to be able to implement much more of Confidant91's course and adaptations successfully.

Now, admittedly, this is a very small sample I could well have just had a downswing coupled with rubbish play on the zoom tables and then focussed more whilst hitting an upswing at the regs, but I feel better playing the regs at the moment and psychologically that has got to count for a lot I think.

Originally posted by Spidey1978

WEEK 2 GOALS

• Play at least 1000 hands of NL 6-max. Achieved
• Before each session watch and make notes on Confidant91's beginner course. Achieved
• Look for spots to implement some of Confidant91's pre-flop adaptations regarding stealing wider and calling multi-way suited connectors. Achieved
• Do a mid-week blog update. Not achieved

So, 3 out of 4 ain't bad, I suppose. I have been pleased with my stealing journey - I started out basically looking to steal close to any 2 from SB and BU on the zoom tables as I didn't really have any reads/stats and everyone seemed pretty tight. When I stated playing regs, and getting reads/stats on the different players, adapting to play more (or less) certainly became easier (another plus for the reg tables atm).

This week's goals then:

WEEK 3 GOALS

• Stick to reg tables for the week.
• Play at least 1000 hands of NL 6-max. Might be a bit trickier as I know there will be at least 1 day I can't play and I will be playing reg tables so less volume. I may look to play 3 tables if things continue to go well.
• Before each session watch and make notes on Confidant91's beginner course.
• Look for spots to implement some of Confidant91's post-flop adaptations re: flop texture and betting sizes.
• Do a mid-week blog update.

Right, that is all I have time for today - hope to achieve my fifth goal and be back on Friday with a mid-week update.

See you on the felt!

Hello, gonna follow the blog so keep it up! Btw add me as a friend here so i can contact you via private message.

Hey Confi, thanks for stopping by - hoping I can make you proud as a successful student one day. I have added you as a friend now.

Just one hand I need to post today to get it out of my system - I know I should be please with this in long run, but short term - JESUS!!!

This guy was a maniac like 80/60 and 50% 3-bet so I was pretty sure I was getting my QQ - still worried it would come up against AA or KK - but instead:

Poker Stars, $0.01/$0.02 No Limit Hold'em Cash, 6 Players
Poker Tools Powered By Holdem Manager - The Ultimate Poker Software Suite.

SB: $2.49 (124.5 bb)
BB: $2.38 (119 bb)
UTG: $1.81 (90.5 bb)
Hero (MP): $2.11 (105.5 bb)
CO: $1.94 (97 bb)
BTN: $2.30 (115 bb)

Preflop: Hero is MP with Q♥: Q♠:
UTG folds, Hero raises to $0.06, CO folds, BTN raises to $0.10, 2 folds, Hero raises to $0.30, BTN raises to $0.50, Hero raises to $2.11 and is all-in, BTN calls $1.61

Flop: ($4.25) K♠: 5♣: 5♠: (2 players, 1 is all-in)
Turn: ($4.25) 7♣: (2 players, 1 is all-in)
River: ($4.25) 5♥: (2 players, 1 is all-in)

Results:

Not a successful first session today - fish seemed to be hitting everything today - that's the way it goes though I suppose.

Hands played: 982
Profit: -$6.84
Current BR: $50.96

Pretty rubbish week - out of the 7 sessions I played only 1 of them (the last one) was positive, plus I am coming down with a cold. Not sure I can say regs are more profitable than zoom tables anymore - anyway, feeling too rotten at the moment to update properly; I will try to get a proper update done tomorrow.

Have been feeling a bit rubbish this week and poker hasn't been great either - dropped about 4 stacks over a few days - partly through downswing, mainly through poor play. Today though, I have felt much better: my cold has gone and my poker was better as well. I recorded a session for Confidant91's Beginners series today and it really seemed to help - I stayed focus throughout and was rewarded with my best single session since I have come back to poker (unfortunately, not more than I have a lost in a single session). Might have to record myself more often. I am now looking forward to seeing how Confi reviews my session and seeing if it was just an upswing in spite of my poor play or a combination of upswing and good play from me... I am sure I'll pick up a lot of ideas.

Anyway, here is my quick review of last week:

WEEK 3 GOALS

• Stick to reg tables for the week. Achieved
• Play at least 1000 hands of NL 6-max. Might be a bit trickier as I know there will be at least 1 day I can't play and I will be playing reg tables so less volume. I may look to play 3 tables if things continue to go well. Pretty much - 982hands
• Before each session watch and make notes on Confidant91's beginner course. Nearly - I did most sessions, but not all
• Look for spots to implement some of Confidant91's post-flop adaptations re: flop texture and betting sizes. Achieved - have been looking to see when I can steal much more - still want to learn more about hand range reading and adapting to flop texture through.
• Do a mid-week blog update. Kind of - I did drop a hand to my blog mid-week (not a review though).

And without further ado - here are the goals for this week:

WEEK 4 GOALS

• Play at least 1000 hands of NL 6-max.
• Start increasing number of tables played from 2 to 3 (perhaps 4).
• Before each session watch and make notes on Confidant91's beginner course.
• Record session for Confidant91 to review.

Yeah, so I added the last one, so I could guarantee at least one achieved goal as I have already done that one.

Anyway - I think that is all I want to say at the mo - hope my upswing continues and hope even more that my play improves. Make sure you check out Monday coaching with Confi as you'll get to see me play!?!?!?!

Catch ya at the tables.

How ended week 4 for you and how started week 5?
Good luck with improving your game with cash games

Cheers,
SDK1987

So, It's been a while - going back to work after the summer break and continuing to juggle 3 children and trying to study/play poker unfortunately meant something had to give and it was this blog for a while.

As I said, I have been continuing to study and play as often as possible - you can catch up with how my bankroll has been going on the Get Rich or Die Tryin' - The Bankroll Challenge - Reporting thread, but to cut a short story shorter. I have been a loser!

Notice the past tense? That's because this week - for the first time during this challenge -

Here are the highlights of this week.

Spoiler

Hands played: 652
Profit: $4.15
Current BR: $44.06

My first week in profit solely from playing!

These past few weeks I have continued watching and trying to implement some of the teachings from Confidant91's beginner course - I have about 30 minutes of the final coaching to watch and make notes on (starring yours truly playing the session being reviewed :f_drink:). It has been a slow process as I only get max of about an hour a day to study/play poker, but I feel my game is certainly changing the more I watch. I have also been reading 'The Grinder's Manual' when I have been waiting for the kids to finish clubs and what not - this is a really good book and I am sure together with Confi's course I will continue to learn more and more and hopefully become a regularly winning player. I am looking forward to moving on to Confidant's new course soon (hopefully this week as we are on a week break from school and the children are visiting grandparent's for a couple of days this week).

I have also been chatting with La55i (whose Blog re-inspired me to start this one) regarding his mentoring venture and I am pleased to be one of his first students. I am going to start with a little video and stats review and see what happens next.

Volume has been down in playing the past couple of weeks as I have been off sick, my son had an operation and we spent a weekend away, but I still managed to get some sessions in.

Anyway, I'll be back with some goals later this week - something to do with c-betting frequency and sizings I think.

Catch ya at the tables!