The road from NL5 to NL200

Nice title, you are very humble :f_biggrin::f_biggrin::f_biggrin:
I will watch your blog.

Bold objective, very hard to do NL 5 - NL 200 in one year. Also you're using a tighter bankroll management so it will take more probably.
Good luck at the tables and with your objectives.

It's time for my first update!

Alright, I've been playing a lot lately, because I've been responsible and quarantining myself for the last couple of weeks. This corona virus thing is getting out of hand hm.

Anyway, I managed to double my bankroll in two weeks. I realize this is due to running good but still. I also decided that having a 35x BRM is a bit too conservative, mainly because I feel I have an edge over people at NL5 level and variance is not playing such a big role. Therefore I decided to have a more aggressive BRM for this challenge (15 buy in-s). I will adjust that when leveling up. So for now my strategy is to increase the number of buy ins needed for every level I climb, I think that's reasonable.

I am glad to report I am managing my tilt very well. I have been very disciplined only playing when I can fully focus on the game. I also slowed my response time. In other words I am thinking out each decision for extra 5 seconds. This prevents me from making a mistake because I did not see that the BB has only 23 big blinds and will shove if I raise putting me in a tough position.

I will show some hands from my last session in the following post (I want them to be separated). I will also try and post hands that I think I have not played well so there should be some room for discussion. Please give me some feedback as discussing hands really helps me to learn and improve my game.

Be safe and healthy!

Now this is a hand that I did not wanna fold but I did. MP is a reg and I know he's a very tight player and that gave me reason to believe if he's 4betting he must have 10s+

iPoker - €0.05 NL FAST (6 max) - Holdem - 6 players
Hand converted by PokerTracker 4

Hero (BB): 90.4 BB
UTG: 41.4 BB
MP: 100 BB
CO: 100 BB
BTN: 109.2 BB
SB: 72.2 BB

SB posts SB 0.4 BB, Hero posts BB 1 BB

Pre Flop: (pot: 1.4 BB) Hero has 8♠ 8♦

UTG calls 1 BB, MP raises to 6 BB, fold, fold, fold, Hero raises to 14 BB, UTG raises to 41.4 BB, MP raises to 100 BB, fold

Flop: (97.2 BB, 2 players) A♠ 7♣ J♦

Turn: (97.2 BB, 2 players) 5♥

River: (97.2 BB, 2 players) 9♥

UTG shows 9♠ K♥ (One Pair, Nines)
(Pre 23%, Flop 2%, Turn 0%)
MP shows K♠ A♥ (One Pair, Aces)
(Pre 77%, Flop 98%, Turn 100%)
MP wins 90.8 BB

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I don't know what happened here:
iPoker - €0.05 NL FAST (6 max) - Holdem - 6 players
Hand converted by PokerTracker 4

BB: 97.6 BB
Hero (UTG): 76.4 BB
MP: 100 BB
CO: 41.4 BB
BTN: 100.8 BB
SB: 115.8 BB

SB posts SB 0.4 BB, BB posts BB 1 BB

Pre Flop: (pot: 1.4 BB) Hero has 5♠ 5♦

Hero raises to 3 BB, MP calls 3 BB, fold, fold, fold, BB calls 2 BB

Flop: (9.4 BB, 3 players) 8♥ 4♠ 8♠
BB checks, Hero bets 8 BB, MP calls 8 BB, BB calls 8 BB

Turn: (33.4 BB, 3 players) T♠
BB bets 33.4 BB, fold, MP calls 33.4 BB

River: (100.2 BB, 2 players) A♣
BB checks, MP bets 55.6 BB, BB calls 53.2 BB

MP shows J♥ J♣ (Two Pair, Jacks and Eights)
(Pre 81%, Flop 64%, Turn 10%)
BB shows 7♠ 6♠ (Flush, Ten High)
(Pre 20%, Flop 36%, Turn 90%)
BB wins 196.6 BB

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I am not sure if this lay down was accurate:
iPoker - €0.05 NL FAST (6 max) - Holdem - 5 players
Hand converted by PokerTracker 4

BB: 71.8 BB
UTG: 100.4 BB
CO: 100 BB
BTN: 48.8 BB
Hero (SB): 162 BB

Hero posts SB 0.4 BB, BB posts BB 1 BB

Pre Flop: (pot: 1.4 BB) Hero has T♥ 9♥

fold, CO raises to 3 BB, fold, Hero calls 2.6 BB, fold

Flop: (7 BB, 2 players) 8♣ K♠ T♣
Hero bets 4 BB, CO calls 4 BB

Turn: (15 BB, 2 players) 2♥
Hero checks, CO checks

River: (15 BB, 2 players) 7♣
Hero checks, CO bets 7.6 BB, fold

CO wins 14 BB

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Felt he had nothing:
iPoker - €0.05 NL FAST (6 max) - Holdem - 4 players
Hand converted by PokerTracker 4

Hero (BB): 154.8 BB
CO: 140 BB
BTN: 100 BB
SB: 149.6 BB

SB posts SB 0.4 BB, Hero posts BB 1 BB

Pre Flop: (pot: 1.4 BB) Hero has J♦ Q♦

fold, BTN raises to 3 BB, fold, Hero calls 2 BB

Flop: (6.4 BB, 2 players) A♣ A♦ 7♦
Hero checks, BTN bets 3.2 BB, Hero raises to 7.4 BB, BTN raises to 20 BB, Hero calls 12.6 BB

Turn: (46.4 BB, 2 players) 5♠
Hero checks, BTN checks

River: (46.4 BB, 2 players) K♣
Hero bets 28 BB, fold

Hero mucks J♦ Q♦ (One Pair, Aces)

Hero wins 43.4 BB

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iPoker - €0.05 NL FAST (6 max) - Holdem - 6 players
Hand converted by PokerTracker 4

BB: 177.2 BB
UTG: 62.4 BB
MP: 306 BB
Hero (CO): 175.2 BB
BTN: 116.8 BB
SB: 201.4 BB

SB posts SB 0.4 BB, BB posts BB 1 BB

Pre Flop: (pot: 1.4 BB) Hero has K♠ T♣

UTG raises to 4 BB, fold, Hero calls 4 BB, fold, fold, fold

Flop: (9.4 BB, 2 players) 8♥ 8♠ J♥
UTG checks, Hero bets 6 BB, UTG calls 6 BB

Turn: (21.4 BB, 2 players) 3♣
UTG checks, Hero checks

River: (21.4 BB, 2 players) K♦
UTG bets 6 BB, Hero calls 6 BB

UTG shows A♥ 3♥ (Two Pair, Eights and Threes)
(Pre 60%, Flop 84%, Turn 91%)
Hero shows K♠ T♣ (Two Pair, Kings and Eights)
(Pre 40%, Flop 16%, Turn 9%)
Hero wins 31.2 BB

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I feel I played this very bad:

iPoker - €0.05 NL FAST (6 max) - Holdem - 4 players
Hand converted by PokerTracker 4

BB: 62.6 BB
CO: 146 BB
Hero (BTN): 97.6 BB
SB: 336 BB

SB posts SB 0.4 BB, BB posts BB 1 BB

Pre Flop: (pot: 1.4 BB) Hero has A♣ 7♣

fold, Hero raises to 3 BB, fold, BB calls 2 BB

Flop: (6.4 BB, 2 players) 2♥ 8♥ A♠
BB bets 1 BB, Hero raises to 4 BB, BB calls 3 BB

Turn: (14.4 BB, 2 players) K♦
BB checks, Hero bets 6 BB, BB calls 6 BB

River: (26.4 BB, 2 players) J♦
BB checks, Hero checks

Hero shows A♣ 7♣ (One Pair, Aces)
(Pre 65%, Flop 77%, Turn 91%)
BB shows 5♥ 4♠ (High Card, Ace)
(Pre 35%, Flop 23%, Turn 9%)
Hero wins 24.8 BB

Hey there, congrats on doubling your bankroll in such a short time and best of luck in the upcoming weeks! So many hands to discuss. Have you posted them in the evaluation forum? Also I would recommend hiding hands in spoilers which makes the posts more "clean". Anyway my thoughts on the hands:

88 - as played it is a clear and easy fold imho. But I wouldnt even 3bet in the first place. UTG is probably a fish when he limps, he will often call the 3 bet as the reg will and you will find yourself in a 3way 3bet pot with many overcards on board being forced to check/fold. Calling preflop trying to hit set is much better I think. You invest little, the fish will often call too and you have implied odds. But I wouldnt mind folding preflop already because you are OOP and the fish does not have full stack. As it played out, the action is pretty wild and after the limp/4bet from the fish and 5bet from the reg you just have to fold. The AK is the worst the reg is gonna have. He is gonna have even better than TT+. I would say QQ+ and AK. Also I would take a note on the fish that he is capable of limp/stack off preflop with weak hands.

55 - you can fold preflop. There is no shame. There are 5 people after you, flop is almost always gonna be with overcards and you are gonna be OOP. But raising is not a mistake I think. But be careful postflop. As played you can easily check/fold flop. It is paired but you are 3way, you have little chance to improve. They have many outs on you. I would try to get to the next streets as cheap as possible or fold immediately. Turn easy fold.

T9s - I would consider 3betting preflop. T9s is a perfect hand for it. But depends on your opponent. If he is reg or tight, I would go for it. As played I am not sure on the flop tbh. I would prefer check/calling and decide on turn I guess. As played I like both turn check and river fold. Many draws came, you have a marginal hand and his play can easily be flush, str8 or Kx.

QJs - I like check/raising on the flop but it is the kind of flop where I am not sure if it is the best play. But I would go for it as well. After his 3bet I think calling is the worst option. You look like a flush draw so he might not pay you anymore if the draw comes. He is also gonna bet again on turn where you will have to fold in case of not hitting the draw thus leaving you with lower odds. So I would decide between 4betting and folding and probably folding right away. My semi bluff didnt work, lets focus on next hands.

KTo - you can fold preflop. But it is close. Seems like a fish with his almost half a stack but I would prefer if the KT would at least be suited. I like the postflop play. He shows weakness on the flop, you try to steal the pot with and overcard and backdoor str8. After his call you pot control on turn with an unimproved hand and call small bet on the river after hitting top pair. I like that. Classic pot control line of bet flop/check turn/call river.

A7s - this hand is fine imo. Raising flop to protect your top pair, sticking to protection on turn and pot controling river. Maybe bigger bet on turn would be good. Like 9BB. You are giving him too good pot odds for his flush draws now.