I think we have an edge on England, because they will be greatly underestimating us, USA will be the toughest. 
Besides the Slovenia I will be holding my fingers for NZ. Not just because you're such a great guy and I like to see you happy, but because I always when underdogs win, especially against some big, arrogant team. 
Originally posted by Berkstajger
I think we have an edge on England, because they will be greatly underestimating us, USA will be the toughest.
I think you'll have an edge on England, because their press will drive the expectation of the English public to a frenzy and the pressure will get to the team. Like always. (except for half a century ago ofc).
Besides the Slovenia I will be holding my fingers for NZ. Not just because you're such a great guy and I like to see you happy, but because I always when underdogs win, especially against some big, arrogant team.
If we get a point in the group stages, I'll post a picture of me being happy. So far our World Cup record is 0 points, although we did score 2 goals against Scotland (losing 2-5) which was a real highlight!
It's because of the auto rebuy. I'm never lower than 12BB and that's all I need for any hand. Any extra money on the table is unnecessary.
Plus, from time to time folks will assume you're a fish because of the low buyin. Not mentioning any names of course.
AFAIK people who know that low buyins = fish, are usually the TAGs and LAGs. Fish don't realize this.
So are you trying to get these solid players to sit on your tables?
I usually buy in for 50BB to (try to) scare the good players away.
Well, the tables I sit at I have postion on the loose players, plus the table VPIP stats will attract TAGs anywhom.. good regs will have table selection software and tracking software - and to be honest, I'd rather have tags on my left if possible, and possibly underestimating my 3 bets and iso raises, until they get a decent sample at least. 
Ohhh, diamond Waiboy. Nice. ♦
Interesting tactic... I always underestimate players with min. buyin and flowers in the avatars. If I didn't know you before... 
Thanks for the kind/surprised comments folks. Of course I earned my new shiny... mmm... shiny... status the old fashioned way - by short cutting!
I won the PS.com Christmas promo for the most shameless whine as to why I should be diamond. Being absolutely shameless and a huge whiner I guess I had a good head start in the comp.
To be honest now I really feel like I want to earn it properly. I'm going to be at least three months from attempting anything like that though.
@ Berkstajger/ DB: On the buy in thing, any good player will work out whether you're any good no matter what stack size you have within a couple of orbits. I think when deciding whether a player is weak you HAVE to look for open limping or overcalling with poor hands, or of course raising/3betting any two cards.
Usually you can descern the weak players relatively quickly, and I think stack size does form part, but only part of that. Anyone 12BB deep is capable of obtaining full value. Interestingly there is a TAG at iPoker who often plays short and will go broke before rebuying to 10BB. This, I've never worked out cause it must cost him a huge amount in lost value.
Anyone playing 10BB or less and not rebuying can of course be regarded as shipping value and therefore can be considered weak.
And besides, Cornholio often plays as low as 10BB deep. Of course, he's Cornholio and can therefore do whatever the hell he wants. 
Hello! Man has summer finally arrived in Aotearoa! It's gorgeous outside and apparently we owe it all to mass CO2 emmitters. YAY!!
Jus' a quick update (definitely quick 'cause I only have 10 mins max!).
I'm loving FTP even if FTPs RNG doesn't love me.
Fortunately, I've released $100 of the FDB, so there is some love from the hosts!
Unfortunately, the first 3k hands in Purgatory have rended me oscillating between 75 - 105BB down since moving there.
Fortunately, I hit a mass heater at $1/$2 FR so the beating hasn't been so severe.
Unfortunately, I've become addicted to the FTP Academy challenges. Seeing as they're all essentially either NL/MTT/SnG challenges it means I've been tempted to the dark side earlier than expected.
So I've been donking away cash at NL10 - which doesn't seem right no matter how I dice it - currently down a sickening 6BI and running at 2.5BI under EV. To be fair I paid 2BI in lessons calling down loosey, goosey fishes on ugly must fold boards with marginal holdings like sets/2 pairs. I thought I was bluff inducing. 
Won't be doing that again - I'll wait for the nuts.
I haven't really studied any NL theory, other than some really surface stuff, so I shouldn't expect anything less. Although it'd be nice if when I go in pre-flop with AA v AK or AA v KK that it hold up slightly more often than the zero times it has so far.
What I have been studying is some FL theory - OMFG - I know! I think I've already mentioned it, but my current goal is to get my PF game close to perfect as I can. ATM I'm working on blind play and you should expect an update to PT3: TSFV in the next few days. I've just worked through the Stox blinds section and will go through the PS.com stuff either tonight or tomorrow.
I'm making the most of my month too... I've ordered my T-Shirt so that I maximise the value of my PS.com diamond status Christmas prezzie - - and I'm printing off the articles like a maniac, so that I have a solid library for when I drop back to bronze next month.
My plan is to play FTP till at least the end of January, where I'll reassess things a little. Once the FDB is cleared/expired, my focus will be on studying FL till my eyes bleed and my brain swells up. In between I'm currently flirting with the MTT bug - for this to work I suspect I'll only play weekends and commit the time to grind MTTs FTW. As my FL chops improve I expect to get some results and finally break my $1/$2 jinx. Time will tell!
After that I think I'll bonus whore around the rest of the PS.com partner rooms utilising my improved skill to maximise my return from those bonuses, and get access to the vids again.
Anyway campers, times up! Catchya soon.
out.
PS: I've finally checked out JuiceQuadre's blog - I really like his VoI idea and think that it is an excellent way of focusing on the important stuff. ♠_thumbsup:
PPS: The Raisy Daisy curse strikes again. Gervy updates occassionally, Yoghi and TerrorBlade succumb and become ghosts just like Chenny8888 and swissmoumout.
PPPS: Actually, it was nice to see that Chenny8888 still lives and breathes, he's just chillin' with the diamonds, ya'll.
On that note, it just gotta be done!
Would embed, only youtube's not playing ball!
FL was bad today. Down 80BB or so in a horribly played 30 mins of FLSH.
So I switched to NL. Played pretty badly, then ran even worse. Here me now!
First hand I was a muppet and should have folded after the C/R on the turn. After villians PF call I was almost certain they had QQ as KK gets it in pre flop and I'd pick AK/JJ to flat call or run after the small bet on the turn. I convinced myself that it was a semi bluff raise on the turn or a value raise with AQ. Cause that's what I do at NL.
Last two hands were in succession v same villian with 43/21/3.0 stats after 14 hands... shove in second hand was because I was representing tilt. After that hand I didn't need to represent tilt anymore. 
BTW ignore my bet sizing, I know its f'd and I know why.
AA = the nuts!
Hand converted with online PokerStrategy.com hand converter: Play hand
$0.05/$0.1 No-Limit Hold'em (8 handed) Known players: [tg]MP3$2.00:///////;CO$2.09:///////;BU$13.58:///////;SB$10.05:///////;BB$6.18:///////;[/tg]
[tg]UTG2(Hero)$10.10:///////;MP1$9.89:///////;MP2$10.00:///////;[/tg]
Preflop: Hero is UTG2 with A:c, A:d.
Hero raises to $0.20, 5 folds, SB raises to $0.70, BB folds, Hero raises to $1.80, SB calls $1.10.
Flop: ($3.7) 9:h, Q:s, 6:c (2 players)
SB checks, Hero bets $1.80, SB calls $1.80.
Turn: ($7.3) T:h (2 players)
SB checks, Hero bets $2.00, SB raises to $5.90, Hero raises to $6.50, SB calls $0.55.
River: ($20.25) 2:s (0 players)
SB gets uncalled bet back.
Final Pot: $19.7.
Results follow:
SB shows three of a kind, queens(Q:c Q:h).
Hero shows a pair of aces(A:c A:d).
SB wins with three of a kind, queens(Q:c Q:h).
Hand converted with online PokerStrategy.com hand converter: Play hand
$0.05/$0.1 No-Limit Hold'em (9 handed)
Known players: [tg]MP1$10.00:///////;MP2(Hero)$10.00:///////;MP3$13.23:///////;CO$10.00:///////;[/tg]
[tg]BU$2.20:///////;SB$1.80:///////;BB$2.00:///////;UTG1$5.41:///////;UTG2$18.90:///////;[/tg]
Preflop: Hero is MP2 with A:d, A:c.
UTG1 folds, UTG2 calls $0.10, MP1 raises to $0.20, Hero raises to $1.00, 5 folds, UTG2 calls $0.90, MP1 calls $0.80.
Flop: ($3.15) K:d, 2:s, 8:d (3 players) UTG2 bets $17.90(All-In), MP1 folds, Hero calls $9.00(All-In).
Turn: ($30.05) 9:d (0 players)
Hero gets uncalled bet back.
River: ($30.05) K:h (0 players)
Hero gets uncalled bet back.
Final Pot: $21.05.
Results follow:
Hero shows two pairs, aces and kings(A:d A:c).
UTG2 shows three of a kind, kings(K:s J:d).
UTG2 wins with three of a kind, kings(K:s J:d).
Hand converted with online PokerStrategy.com hand converter: Play hand
$0.05/$0.1 No-Limit Hold'em (7 handed)
Known players: [tg]MP3(Hero)$10.00:///////;CO$13.23:///////;BU$10.00:///////;SB$2.25:///////;[/tg]
[tg]BB$1.90:///////;MP1$5.41:///////;MP2$10.09:///////;[/tg]
Preflop: Hero is MP3 with A:d, A:s.
MP1 folds, MP2 calls $0.10, Hero raises to $0.50, 4 folds, MP2 calls $0.40.
Flop: ($1.15) T:s, 3:h, Q:s (2 players) MP2 bets $1.15, Hero raises to $9.50(All-In), MP2 calls $8.35.
Turn: ($20.15) Q:h (0 players)
MP2 gets uncalled bet back.
River: ($20.15) 9:h (0 players)
MP2 gets uncalled bet back.
Final Pot: $11.8.
Results follow:
Hero shows two pairs, aces and queens(A:d A:s).
MP2 shows three of a kind, queens(Q:d K:s).
MP2 wins with three of a kind, queens(Q:d K:s).
I'm almost certain I've never lost big pots back to back with AA before. Feels good.
I'm lucky I have a plan otherwise I'd just chuck this game after days like this. Haven't felt this bad for a while.
100$ already released? I released only 20$ so far, because rake is so low:heart: at FLHU And of course I can't play as many hands.
FTP Academy? Does this involve some additional money or what?
I've released 420$ in about 35.000 hands, most of that FLSH 0.5/1 and some 1/2, so it goes quite quickly...
Some serious bad beats there... I keep getting the feeling that only in NL your aces get cracked so often. But don't worry, just keep your tactic and represent tilt - regs will think they have a read on you but instead you'll just trap them with your monster and take all their monies.
P.s. Can you tell me what program you use for Auto timebank on FTP? I've tried everything I was able to google up, but nothing seemed to work...
P.p.s. Yeah, what's the thing with FT Academy... any money there? ♦
I checked FTP site for this Academy thingy... You choose some challenges to complete, lets say...
Play 5 real money Hold’em cash game sessions each lasting 50 hands or more. Sessions can be at any limit type (fixed limit, no limit, pot limit or mixed limit).
or
Recognizing an instant bet after you check to your opponent on the flop, complete the check-raise with no pair and win the pot uncontested on the flop in a real money, NL Hold’em cash game with at least 4 players dealt into the hand. Complete twice.
And when you complete these tasks, you get Academy credits which you can spend in their store...
This is really tempting and really really in the dark side, like Waiboy said 
edit: Hm... Am I missing something here? All the challenges together are worth 6610 credits... 100$ bonus in store is worth 20k credits... 
You can repeat each challenge 10 times, some are very easy you just need to activate them. Also don't forget to turn on the widget on the main screen that will notify you of your progress.
Eh, doesn't look very juicy for us FLers, so I don't think I'll be joining soon. I have enough problems with Ironman grinding... damn capitalits. ♦
The academy points will, I think, end up buying me a book, either the Poker Mindset, Moshman's SnG or Professional NL Hold'em (or better recommendation from NL cogniscenti).
The Ferguson NL starting hands challenge is dead easy, worth 400 points each time = 4,000 points. The only problem with it is your AA gets cracked every time. 
Originally posted by RahXephon1
You can repeat each challenge 10 times, some are very easy you just need to activate them. Also don't forget to turn on the widget on the main screen that will notify you of your progress.
Just note that there can be some pretty solid delays between clearing the challenge and the widget/web page challenge summary being updated.
Nice backup from last night with a 27/41 WTS/W$SD session.
I wish I didn't keep getting this sick feeling in my guts when I take big hits to my bank roll. If I wasn't getting the FDB I'd be playing $.25/$.50 again. True, I've taken $100 of this beating off NL10 (which I should stop playing unless I intend to study or flick off the doomswitch) but reality is it doesn't really matter where the loss comes from.
As for the important measures on this mornings play, I was doing okay from a mindset point of view initially. I got killed in big pots by a couple of 3 outers in relatively quick succession which tilted me a bit - in so much as I lost focus and forgot the action on a couple of tables in the next few minutes.. may have cost 3 or 4 BB there.
I think I got my composure back but focus was a challenge especially as I continually got bet at to a river check, or donked out at on the turn or river by a 70/4/0.8 player when holding A or K high. I couldn't bring myself to call the first eight or so times it happend but I suspect I was being exploited by a loose/passive player. If not, cool, but it definitely impacted on my demeanour, although I can't point to any spewy spots as a result.
So the plan for the rest of the day is to watch a vid, then I'm gonna continue reviewing blind play theory using the PS.com article Blind Steals - How to adjust to your opponents, and finish off by trying to assimilate the knowledge through a memorisation exercise then a bit of hand history review.
Another couple of days like this and I'm ditching the play altogether because I hate beating myself up over playing badly and running badly - I should be much stronger than this. I don't like the idea of wasting another FDB but there isn't much point in playing if I'm just gonna throw cash away. It just burns at my soul that I'm losing at $.50/$1 when all I care about is a month or two of B/E play for a $600 win. Hooray for results orientednessingishmentality.
Funny thing was yesterday I was in a great space given I was actively studying, and doing so effectively. Meh. [/crying]
out.
