"Blogging helped my concentration" - nmilan84

We chat to the Bankroll Challenger about blogging, completing his challenge, big swings, KKPoker and more.

You've been a PokerStrategy member for 12 years, is that how you started in poker?

nmilan84: Actually I opened my account on PokerStars before joining PokerStrategy. Right after that a friend introduced me to PokerStrategy, and I joined, finished the quiz and got my $50 starting capital at Full Tilt Poker. That was my start in online poker, my card game and other poker formats started years before that.

Your blog results have had more ups, downs and reloads than any other one we have seen. Do you have a loose playing style or is it a game selection issue?

nmilan84: As you have probably seen from my blog, swings are sometimes pretty hard to handle, but they don't come from my playing style. Actually I am quite a TAG when I play poker, I make some loose calls on river, mostly caused by mental game issues.

You have also played lots of formats, are you more a cash or MTT grinder?

nmilan84: Like I said in the beginning I started playing cards at a very young age, and have played so many different formats, I am trying to establish a cash game career, but my wins come from MTTs most.

"KKPoker MTTs are good value"

You are one of many players who have completed their challenge at KKPoker, is it as soft as we have been telling people?

nmilan84: KKPoker has a soft player pool, compared to Stars or Party, but that's MTTs. On cash tables I must say it is like on most of the platforms. You have a rec or two at the table but there are regs as well.

What are your favourite KKPoker features?

nmilan84: Having a VIP card is very valuable, you can get an edge over most opponents, but there are lots of things where the software needs improvement (auto top up at cash tables for example). The best value there by far are the MTT satellites. Sats with 5%-20% people getting the tickets and you have players that are 'in it to win it' like it is an actual MTT.

Also KK has the most action in the morning hours by my time (GMT+1), and that is great for me, as I have most work in the evenings.

On your blog you said you tended to play 8+ tables, what was it like switching to a mobile-only poker room?

nmilan84: I do play 6-12 tables on my desktop and I am very used to it (actually was, now I am getting back in shape after some medical problems), but I don't even compare those two. Mobile is very useful now days, you don't have to sit in one place, if you go and run some errands, you can play for an hour or so while you wait.

You completed your challenge quite quickly, did the experience of having a blog help?

nmilan84: Every time I started writing on my blogs I was more concentrated, I was always careful what will other players see, when I post a hand what will the comments be, but I am just never consistent enough. Both challenges that I started here were cash game challenges, and I finished them with a big MTT score, never finished a single cash challenge. Time to make things right.

What is the Bankroll Challenge?

In the Bankroll Challenge we encourage our members to get better by blogging about their poker journey and setting some ambitious goals. 

Our members found that having a blog kept them accountable to their goals and it's a great way to help them get to know their fellow PokerStrategists. As the saying goes 'what gets measured, gets managed' and simply having a blog keeps you on your A-Game. 

To help you on your journey and with a little bit of luck you can win $100 that we will raffle once a month among our active bloggers, regardless of where they play, accompanied by a special badge for their forum avatar for anyone succeeding in their first Bankroll Challenge.

Extra Prizes with the KKPoker Boost

If you do your challenge at KKPoker you not only get a headstart because of the 50% Rakeback they are offering any PokerStrategist signing up.

Our mobile-only partner is throwing in more prizes for all Bankroll Challenge bloggers, with Silver, Black and Platinum Cards raffled monthly among any PokerStrategist taking part in the Bankroll Challenge at KKPoker.

What's more, anyone completing their first Bankroll Challenge at KKPoker will get a month's Platinum Card and Samurai Era Pack, with the cards unlocking exciting game features including opponent HUD stats and the Samurai Pack unlocking special card themes and a new table layout.

How to join the Bankroll Challenge

The challenge is open to all PokerStrategists and you do not need to be tracked to us to participate. Remember though that you will benefit from extra prizes if you take part in the Bankroll Challenge at KKPoker.

To participate, all you need to do is:

• Start a blog in our forum.
• State your starting bankroll, your regular stakes/games and your poker room in the first post.
• Set a long term bankroll goal of at least $500 and/or a minimum of five times your starting bankroll.
• Sign-up to the Bankroll Challenge in our registration thread, with a link to your personal blog, your initial bankroll and your goal.
• Post at least once a week in your blog.
• If you participate at KKPoker, your results will be tracked automatically but you still need to update your blog at least once a week.

Once a month we will raffle $100 among all eligble PokerStrategists regardless of where you play. Players participating at KKPoker get an exclusive KKPoker Boost where you're able to win Silver, Black and Platinum Cards on top.

Why should you play at KKPoker?

We think KKPoker is the ideal place to start a new Bankroll Challenge because the games are really soft and it has some unique features. Also with 50% Rakeback, you will reach your financial goal so much sooner. 

There are too many benefifts to mention but some of the best include:

• Mobile-only app with a very soft pool of opponents
• 100% up to $500 Bonus
• 50% instant rakeback exclusive to PokerStrategy.com member
• Fast Fold cash leaderboards
• VIP Store to purchase stats on your opponents
• Exclusive PokerStrategy.com freerolls and private games
• 2 StrategyPoints per $1 in rake

You can also purchase Silver, Black and Platinum Cards at KKPoker like the ones we are raffling off every month in the Bankroll Challenge. These unlock exciting game features including the ability to rabbit hunt, tracked stats and opponent HUD stats.