Fixed limit FTW! =D

Yesterday I started to test out headsup play.
It was interesting and fast paced, I only played in play money to test it out.
Ended up busting a couple of hapless newbies.
I learned a lot and found that as opposed to full ring play money,
the loose player could not hide in the crowd.
Every mistake was punished. ♠_cool:

One of the most educational sessions was a guy how never raised a single time.
Only check, call and an occational fold when it was super totally obvious he was beat.
It was interesting to see how fast I drained his money.
In general headsup is a good way to watch how different mistakes manifest in cash flow.

Obviously I will do this more and also I will start hunting for some tables with less players
at them at the cash tables. ♠_biggrin:

Been away from this blog for a while.
However I've done a lot of work meanwhile with poker.

Basically I've memorized charts and mapped out what I need to learn and do to get better.
I've played some, but mostly I just memorize the charts right now.
I go around with a deck of cards and a chart all day in my pocket and just give myself
hand after hand after hand and relate it to the chart in question + repeating allreadly covered charts.

For me this method work really well.
Not more to say right now, I still have 5 charts I havn't even started on.
So this summer is dedicated to that project.

It is weird how you need to fight everyone and their cat on being a pokerplayer.
Everybody think they know what it means to be a pokerplayer.
Their admitted lack of knowledge despite.
It is like they kneejerk and have to spew their warped opinion.

Not that I'm not prepared for this, just thoght I'd mention it since it is an integral part of poker.
To handle how it integrates with the rest of ones life.

I was introduced to another online game some weeks back.
League of Legends, due to stress and a death in the family I welcomed the escape and dived in.
It got so bad that I forgot to play poker.

Don't try to pin poker addiction on me anymore, I even forget to do it... :-/
Anyway besides that I've now relegated that game to sundays only.

It was interesting how I could relate the process of getting good at LOL to getting good at poker.
You pick your fav game and your fav strategy and fight toe to toe with real people.
Sure there are plenty of differences, but the similarities gave me a few aha's.

Besides from that I'm back playing and I seem to be winning.
Still on 2c, but I'm starting to get a handle on several things that took me much more effort
before than now.

Originally posted by ListenAces
Been away from this blog for a while.
However I've done a lot of work meanwhile with poker.

Basically I've memorized charts and mapped out what I need to learn and do to get better.
I've played some, but mostly I just memorize the charts right now.
I go around with a deck of cards and a chart all day in my pocket and just give myself
hand after hand after hand and relate it to the chart in question + repeating allreadly covered charts.

For me this method work really well.
Not more to say right now, I still have 5 charts I havn't even started on.
So this summer is dedicated to that project.

Ubelievable attitude!

You go get 'em! I love this stuff. Don't forget to post 40 billion hands for the mighty Boomer to look at, he really is the nuts.

Oh yes, never forget it's fun!

Mal.

Glad you like my attitude. ♠_biggrin:

But in fact so far I've floundered around and only dabbled in this.
I'm planning on getting more dedicated to poker, but there are many areas that need attention.
But I will get there slowly.

I'm working on making the people around me that with poker it is my way or the highway.
My girlfriend has got the message clearly.
I play poker and if you wanna be with me that is part of the experience.

Familiy is another issue entirely.
They take you for granted and don't really get how playing poker will be a good thing.

Last couple of days have seen me jump up and down between 2cent and 5cent.
I'm thinking I'm ready to play 5cent as I can't say that the level there is intimidating anymore.
Still there are less people playing at that level and so I find myself having to wait in line
or start a new table.

I've been encouraged to post more hands, but right now my focus has been elsewhere.
Maybe when I get all the charts in my head I will do it again.

Time to asses and set my goals anew.
Cause you know what?
Unless I know and can define what road to take from here I will flounder.

Memorization:
I've memorized the Startinghands chart and the First in chart.
I may need to repeat them a few times, but I got the information in my head now.

Next up is the

Small blind call chart and Big blind defence chart.

After reading some other guys blog I noticed that the goal was set in hands a day.
So I will try out 100 hands per playing day and see if that makes sense.

Obviously getting my money up to $60 to start playing 10cent is an important step on my way.
And a long term goal is to hit 50cent with a $300 bankroll.

On the way events will probably force me to set many short term goals besides memorization.
But every journey starts with one step. ♠_cool:

Played well over 100 hands today and will probably get in some more.
Only reason I'm saying is that this is the first time I've kept track.

I can easily seeing me playing maybe 200-300 each playing day.
Will have to see how much energy I've got.

Anyway learned a lot from this session.

Basically I sat at the same table and didn't move before 100 was up.
I realized that sitting at 10 full ring tabl is a drag.
Since I play much better when I can bully 1 or 2 helpless victims. ♠_cool:

Anyway... I had a really bad beat. four of a kind 8 kicked in the nuts by four of a kind Q.
This set me back a bit, but I managed to win it back.

So all in all everything is well. ♠_biggrin:

GL, will fallow you here

GL, glad you're back on track ♦

Thanks!
Will try to make it interesting. ♠_biggrin:

So I've played about 300 hands today.

200 at 6 ring 2cent and 100 at 6 ring 5cent.

For some reason I'm not able to beat the 5cent.
Ending up losing all my previous gains.
I almost felt on a tilt, so I stopped to write this up.

In general I did good and learned a lot today.
I think I'm to tired to continue so I will call it a day. ♠_grin:

Played another 300 hands today.
Started off on 10 ring 2cent and finished at 10 ring 5cent.

Won at 2cent lost at 5cent.
Now part of the reason I lost was that I got many strong hands like AK, KK, AQ and they
all dragged me into betting a lot and getting punished hard by pocket pairs sporting sets.
But eh what can you do.
Won some back by getting AA and getting to 3bet preflop and two callers.

Anyway I learned a lot.

A curious thing is the Pokerstars 100 billion hand thing going on right now.
It is a bit distracting every time it closes in on a 1 million hand reward.

Not much else to say, except that it takes a lot of effort to learn charts so well that
you can use them automatically from memory.
Only one is in that department yet.
Still I navigate the others I practice on much faster now, so it is all good. ♠_cool:

Put this hand up in the hand analyzis forum.
Long story short I've now gotten a new concept to be aware of.
Implied odds.
Sure I've heard about it, but I never sat down and read up on it.
Well now I know of it and will put it to practice.
It seems to be one of those things that takes a while to master.
Of well, might as well start now.

In other news I've practiced the first in chart over and over.
It isn't a particulary easy chart to memorize perfectly.
However I guess the blind defence chart is going to be the hardest one.

Been watching all the most known poker movies.
I feel that I need to have some points of reference to understand what I'm
gotten myself into and what to expect in the future.
And it is always nice to watch all the little hints and big mistakes, reveled in such movies.
Obviously it don't replace hard work though.
So I've got to work harder on my goals to make them real. ♠_cool:

So I've done something that I've should have done a while ago.
I've added a label for every of the 8 types outlined in the strategy section.
Will be interesting trying to spot them now. =D

Played some hands yesterday.
Maybe 200 or so.
Posted many interesting hands and got feedback on various issues.

Specifically bluffing vs valuebetting was interesting.

Also I got some advice on implied odds earlier.

I have memorized a new chart, the "Calling from the small blind" chart.
It wasn't so big as the others so it went fairly quick.
I'll imagine that the big blind defence will take some time.

I notice very big effects on my play as of late.
I've managed to climb to 5cent without losing all I've gained from winning at 2cent.
Hopefully this is a permanent thing and I can start to consentrate on working up to the next level 10cent.

Dunno what just happened but won about $4 at a small session of about 50 hands.
A nice winning streak that pretty much solidifies my stay at 5cent.
I doubt very seriously that I will get bumped down to 2cent again now. ♠_cool:

Stuff are happening. ♠_cool:
Played some with Avataren in a homegame and learned a lot.
He took many of my playmoney away... ♠_cry:
But the lessons I got ot of it was sure worth that prize. ♠_biggrin:

Other than that my bankroll is at $44.71 now.
I think it was up to like $45.50 at the most before I lost to some really nasty river stuff.

Still I'm only $15/16 from getting $60 and a shot at playing the 10cent tables.
If my winnings continue for a couple of weeks or less I should be there.

I'm realizing that I have a LOOOOOOOOOOOOOT to learn.
But still can't let that distract me from working on one area at a time.

Sticking points right now is memorizing standard charts,
a tendency to donk bet out of turn,
an overvaluation of Ace high and top pairs,
an inability to loosen up my play when needed. (playing tooo tight)

Thanks Avataren for pointing those out! ♠_love:

Played some today, first I lost some and then I won it back + a $0.5.
I guess I got to be happy with that.
Building that bankroll and getting practice. ♠_cool:

Had a not so nice session just now.
It was hard to play well regardless, but I think I managed to do it okay.
Lots of failed draws and premium hands colliding with other premium or marginal calls
that turned into hands against me. Felt fairly unlucky.

Anyway I've made myself a study roadmap of what I need to brush up on onwards.
If it goes according to plan I will get a lot better soon.