The Shortdeck Diary: Chapter 2 - Becoming a semi pro

Session start 14:30 Supposed endtime: 22:00
Warm up
1. Review what you are working on
Defining player types and how to play against them atm vs the nit2. Review long term goals
Be a winner on 50NL
Become better at short deck
Reach BR of $10.0003. Review hand history that fit what you are currently improving

Cool down
1. Estimate variance
2 BI below EV.2. Evaluate how you played
Played pbb to longue due to of tournament I started.3. How many hands marked during session?
:spade:14. Take notes about any new detail of your mental game problems and add them to your profile
Did not get long frustrated with coolers just cursed and moved on.
Session outcome
For this session up 2,5 BI. But I had 45$ profit in tournament so actually 2 BI down in short deck.

Originally posted by Fredjen
Cool down
4. Take notes about any new detail of your mental game problems and add them to your profile
Did not get long frustrated with coolers just cursed and moved on.

In "The Mental Game of Poker" by Jared Tendler one of the prescribed exercises is to make a "mental hand history". In this task you record your emotional reaction to various situations. Probably easiest to do if you have a mic so you can say out loud how you feel.

I found it helpful.

Cheers,
VS

Originally posted by VorpalF2F

Originally posted by Fredjen
Cool down
4. Take notes about any new detail of your mental game problems and add them to your profile
Did not get long frustrated with coolers just cursed and moved on.

In "The Mental Game of Poker" by Jared Tendler one of the prescribed exercises is to make a "mental hand history". In this task you record your emotional reaction to various situations. Probably easiest to do if you have a mic so you can say out loud how you feel.

I found it helpful.

Cheers,
VS

Thx for the advice. I try to write it down but it's pbb a bit colored after the session. I read your post before my last playing session of the day and added my emotions in session recording. From now on I will try to record all of my sessions for strategic and metal insights.

Weekly report

Thx to this I decided not to watch my graph anymore during the week. Well it was the good time to start with that

Ran like crap the whole week but did not think 1 min about bad beats or run bad or anything. In stead I have worked on my game and repeated my lessons and read as much as I could about short deck so thx Bencb and LemOn36

Session start 19:15 Supposed endtime: 22:00

Warm up1. Review what you are working on
Defining player types and how to play against them, need to repeat this before next session2. Review long term goals
Be a winner on 50NL
Become better at short deck
Reach BR of $10.000
3. Review hand history that fit what you are currently improving - None

Cool down
1. Estimate variance
2 BI below EV.2. Evaluate how you played
Solid 2 sessions.3. How many hands marked during session?
:spade:34. Take notes about any new detail of your mental game problems and add them to your profile
Recorded session and will watch tomorrow.
Session outcome
For this session break even.

Session start 19:40 Supposed endtime: 22:30

Warm up check
Cool down check

Recorded session to get reviewed by study group
Review 2 vids from other memebers in study group
Search Iso pots to post as that will be the next sunject in our meeting.

Sessions played: 2
Up 2BI BR $ 710

Is this an open study group?

I wouldn't mind something like that for 6+
If not, I'll take your earlier suggestion to download some videos. I already have the charts.

Check message box!

Hand 1
PokerStars, 6+ Hold'em No Limit - Button Blind $0.10 ($0.10 ante) - 6 players
Replay this hand on Pokeit

UTG: $3.67 (37 bb)
UTG+1: $40.43 (404 bb)
MP: $6.89 (69 bb)
MP+1: $10.18 (102 bb)
CO: $11.77 (118 bb)
BU (Hero): $7.62 (76 bb)

Pre-Flop: ($0.70) Hero is BTN with J♠ J♥
1 fold, UTG+1 raises to $0.30, MP calls $0.30, 2 players fold, Hero calls $0.20

PF Standard call behind vs the small openraise.

Flop: ($1.50) 9♣ J♣ 7♦ (3 players)
UTG+1 checks, MP bets $1.43, Hero raises to $2.86, UTG+1 calls $2.86, MP calls $1.43

Flopping top set is always a good move in short deck. But how do we get most money? UTG1 is loose aggro PF but not as much from the flop on. MP seems to be a more sticky guy. I think a shove can also be fine but a minbet is pbb slightly better to keep the UTG1 in the pot. I do not have a minraise bluffing range but do I need one?

Turn: ($10.08) 7♠ (3 players)
UTG+1 checks, MP bets $3.63 (all-in), Hero raises to $4.36 (all-in), UTG+1 folds

Turn we boat up and stacks are easy to get in.

River: ($17.34) T♣ (2 players, 2 all-in)

Total pot: $17.34 (Rake: $0.78)

Showdown:
BU (Hero) shows J♠ J♥
MP shows 9♠ 9♦ (a full house, Nines full of Sevens)
BU (Hero) wins $16.56

Hand 2
PokerStars, 6+ Hold'em No Limit - Button Blind $0.10 ($0.10 ante) - 5 players
Replay this hand on Pokeit

UTG: $37.17 (372 bb)
MP: $10.08 (101 bb)
MP+1: $11.67 (117 bb)
CO (Hero): $17.29 (173 bb)
BU: $3.57 (36 bb)

Pre-Flop: ($0.60) Hero is CO with J♠ Q♦
UTG raises to $0.30, 1 fold, MP+1 calls $0.30, CO (Hero) folds, 1 fold

Here I fold because BTN is short stacked 33a and I think he will shove pretty light to try to pick up the ante's as he's a decent player. Seeing that UTG1 is a 79/37 and HJ is 63/8 it is just an Iso and if BTN shoves we can just call it off.

Flop: ($1.20) 9♦ T♠ 6♥ (2 players)
UTG bets $0.50, MP+1 calls $0.50

Turn: ($2.20) A♥ (2 players)
UTG checks, MP+1 bets $0.50, UTG calls $0.50

River: ($3.20) Q♠ (2 players)
UTG bets $2.90, MP+1 folds

Total pot: $3.20 (Rake: $0.14)
UTG wins $3.06

Hand 3
PokerStars, 6+ Hold'em No Limit - Button Blind $0.10 ($0.10 ante) - 3 players
Replay this hand on Pokeit

UTG: $13.14 (131 bb)
CO: $54.32 (543 bb)
BU (Hero): $10.33 (103 bb)

Pre-Flop: ($0.40) Hero is BTN with A♣ Q♥
UTG calls $0.10, 1 fold, Hero raises to $0.60, UTG calls $0.50

PF it's an isoraise.

Flop: ($1.50) A♦ Q♦ 8♣ (2 players)
UTG checks, Hero bets $0.47, UTG calls $0.47

Do we need to bet a bit bigger OTF because a FD is possible?

Turn: ($2.44) 9♠ (2 players)
UTG checks, Hero bets $1.28, UTG raises to $3.50, BU (Hero) folds

Am I a nit for folding? In game I put him on JT. Don't think he would check raise other hands OTT.

Total pot: $5 (Rake: $0.22)
UTG wins $4.78

Originally posted by Fredjen
PokerStars, 6+ Hold'em No Limit - Button Blind $0.10 ($0.10 ante) - 6 players
Replay this hand on Pokeit

UTG: $3.67 (37 bb)
UTG+1: $40.43 (404 bb)
MP: $6.89 (69 bb)
MP+1: $10.18 (102 bb)
CO: $11.77 (118 bb)
BU (Hero): $7.62 (76 bb)

Pre-Flop: ($0.70) Hero is BTN with J♠ J♥
1 fold, UTG+1 raises to $0.30, MP calls $0.30, 2 players fold, Hero calls $0.20

PF Standard call behind vs the small openraise.

One of my major weaknesses is the small open raise. I'll often join in the fun "just to see the flop" but I think it's a spew move in general. I aim to have 33% equity or more 3-way and better than 25% if more players than that. I think a better strategy is to re-raise those family pots with very strong hands.

The GTO charts I have don't include min-raises, though, so I play 'em like they were a larger raise.
For example:

As you can see calling is spewing
I wonder why TT is a fold though.

Yeah JJ is not spewing by calling the small raise pre :). These small raises are not solved because it's a 'fishy' move and should be treated as limps. I keep it villain dependend and if i'm facing an unknown I treat it like a limp. I used to raise in this spot and get butchered.

TT is a fold because you're not closing the action.

Its also a good move to check some minopens/-raises from early positions, to check, if they split their range into "small open/iso and large open/iso... you can find guys, who play nearly face open (like the ones, who allways open 6a with any suited connector >87s and potsize (or slightly above) with QQ+ and AKs.

Originally posted by Fredjen
Yeah JJ is not spewing by calling the small raise pre :). These small raises are not solved because it's a 'fishy' move and should be treated as limps. I keep it villain dependend and if i'm facing an unknown I treat it like a limp. I used to raise in this spot and get butchered.

TT is a fold because you're not closing the action.

So noted.
I've been going the other way and treating them the same as 9a raises

As you all can see the swings where huge again. At least they felt huge. I do am getting more and more adjusted to them. To be honest I am repeating and working mental stuff a lot. If I do not do this my game goes back very soon.

As I feel I have moved on from playing poker as a fun escape from reality (with some basic skill and run good) to a true recreational reg I run into some other stuff. The most important thing is time. I still have a day job and the hours left to play but I need to find more time to study now.
A consequence will be less updates in the blog. I will engage myself to make weekly reports and post more hands in midweek. It became a repeat of everything I do every session that was probably not the most interesting thing to read :).
A second consequence will be my working out that will have to move in the morning. I am doing it now for 3 weeks and I have to say I like it. I am now getting up at 5:30 to get everything done and I can start my 'pokershift on 19:30 every evening except on thursdays where I have to work till 19:00 and will take the rest of the night off. For those who wonder I go to bed between 22:30 and 23:30 depending on how I feel. These poker hours also include study, warm up, play, cool down as described in a lot of previous posts.

Last thing is that I will keep my daily BR in a sheet like most challengers probably do:

I wish you all a good grind for the week !!!

PokerStars, 6+ Hold'em No Limit - Button Blind $0.10 ($0.10 ante) - 4 players
Replay this hand on Pokeit

UTG (Hero): $7.25 (73 bb)
MP: $36.53 (365 bb)
CO: $4.40 (44 bb)
BU: $14.32 (143 bb)

Pre-Flop: ($0.50) Hero is UTG with 9♣ 8♣
Hero calls $0.10, MP calls $0.10, CO calls $0.10, BTN checks

Preflop we have an easy check behind with the suited connector.

Flop: ($0.80) 7♠ T♦ J♠ (4 players)
Hero checks, MP checks, CO bets $0.76, BU folds, Hero raises to $7.05 (all-in), MP raises to $36.33 (all-in), CO calls $3.44 (all-in)

Yes we flop a straight! Both villains have loose tandencies but not super aggro. So when CO bets pot I assume it's a big hand or big draw. What can we do? Fold is not a legit option imo. Call but what card do we want to see OTT (No A, K, Q, J, T, 9 or 7 wich is almost the whole deck). So shove it is?

Turn: ($19.10) 9♠ (3 players, 3 all-in)

At this point my eyes are closed and prayes are being made.

River: ($19.10) A♦ (3 players, 3 all-in)

Here I'm discusted I got it in with 20% equity...

Total pot: $19.10 (Rake: -$5.88)

Showdown:
MP shows 9♦ Q♠ (a pair of Nines)
UTG (Hero) shows 9♣ 8♣ (a straight, Seven to Jack)
CO shows T♥ T♠ (three of a kind, Tens (cashed out).)
UTG (Hero) wins $18.24
CO wins $6.74

Originally posted by Fredjen

Turn: ($19.10) 9♠ (3 players, 3 all-in)

At this point my eyes are closed and prayes are being made.

River: ($19.10) A♦ (3 players, 3 all-in)

Here I'm discusted I got it in with 20% equity...

Total pot: $19.10 (Rake: -$5.88)

Showdown:
MP shows 9♦ Q♠ (a pair of Nines)
UTG (Hero) shows 9♣ 8♣ (a straight, Seven to Jack)
CO shows T♥ T♠ (three of a kind, Tens (cashed out).)
UTG (Hero) wins $18.24
CO wins $6.74

Snicker
It sure is nice when the 3-way "shove and pray" hands hold up

So it has been a BE week, mentally draining as I did a lot of work off the table and feel like I'm not rewarded. I know this is the harsh truth of poker but nonetheless it sucks.

Let's give them hell!!!

Review Goals February Restart exercises (last one is from 10/1/23) - diet is still going fine btw [check]
Play 10k hands in February [check]
Do study at least 5 days out of 7 every week and keep it in public diary [ Study part can be checked, keeping it public not as it's too time consuming to share on a semi entertaining level :)]
Be more active in study group, be (more) dedicated. [check]
Watch graph only on the end of the month (this will be the hardest - but try it day by day because it does not matter and is not in my control - F*** variance) [surprisingly enough also check]

Goals March
Play 15k hands
Keep same study habbit: 1 session review / week, record 1 session / week to review, Research on specific spots (learn and excercise), Repeat studied subject as an exam to get to the UC level (like driving a car or walking around)
Continue the work out shedule and eating healthy

Just a small update. Been really sick last weeks always tired and stuff so not much poker or good poker at least...
But motivated again to stack everyone!

Session in march:

So get better quickly!