From NL2 to NL50 in 100,000 hands
PokerStrategy coach, KrisRukov, talks us through the successful completion of his own personal Bankroll Challenge.
Our cash game coach krisrukov recently completed his Bankroll Challenge in which he planned to help viewers "escape the curse of the micros and start making some real dough".
Just last week, he completed his stated challenge to progress from NL2 to NL50 and lift his bankroll from $100 to $1,000. Here, he tells us all about it.
Click below to watch our man take down his challenge.
Did making the videos help you in your challenge or did they add pressure?
krisrukov: They added pressure, definitely! Playing in front of a big audience adds that. Sometimes the words would come out wrong while I was recording a video which meant that at the end, I needed to explain that I hadn't meant what I said. But it helps as well because what I say and show in the videos, I feel personally responsible for. I don't want to show or teach people something that will cost them money. So in essence it both helps and adds a bit of pressure.
Are the micro stakes different to when you last played them?
krisrukov: The level I started playing at was NL10 back in 2009. My skill set was very different back then and so were the games. There was definitely less aggression back then but I don't remember too much else to be honest. I do remember that I busted after three months of playing but, after a couple of years studying while working, I made another serious attempt which was this time successful.
"Mistakes are good; embrace them, learn from them and move on"
Would you say your biggest challenge was motivation due to these games being so much smaller than you are used to?
krisrukov: Yes, the biggest challenge was motivation but there was also the matter of finding the time to play and also to produce the video content. Many of you might not know this but, a 30 minute video takes up to eight hours to make which means that I spend all day editing and rendering different segments before stitching them together, just to produce one single 30-minute episode. There were nights where I set my alarm for 3, 4 or 5am just so that I had the time to upload the video.
The difference in stakes might seem a bit unmotivating, but the challenge is to prove a point, not to make money. It is a bit frustrating when I come home from live session $2k up and I lose $8, it throws you off a bit.
What are the biggest errors players make at micro stakes?
krisrukov: That's a great question. I think that the biggest mistake is that they watch Phil Ivey or Tow Dwan or someone else from that calibre and then they try to run the same bluff on 5NL. I've always found that funny. Not only bluff spots but other strategies and concepts that dont quite convert. Another mistake is when you pay too much attention to a wrong move that you might have made three months previously as if it will determine your entire poker career. Mistakes are good; embrace them, learn from them and move on.
There is also a third mistake which some people can make, which is thinking that they will improve naturally because they are already so smart and they refuse to study. Everyone at the table thinks that they are the smartest and that they are better than everyone else. That is what makes poker interesting as no one believes that they suck at it. Only those few who study and work on their game will thrive.
Is having a public goal the best way to make sure you achieve it?
krisrukov: I can neither confirm nor deny this. For different people, different approaches work. For me personally, I felt responsible for the viewers and what I taught them. If you don't have a blog then make one, give it a try and see how it goes. I personally don't love blogging but I can definitely see the benefits of it such as meeting likeminded people who play at the same stakes as I do, making new poker friends, helping and evolving together, sharing ideas and so on.
"Look at time as a continuum and start achieving your goals today"
In that spirit, have you made any big New Year's resolutions?
krisrukov: I don't believe in New Year's resolutions because not only it is proven that they fail, but they also set a wrong mindset. I do, however, believe in resolutions tied to an end date. I don't think waiting for New Year makes its easier to start, stop or achieve whatever else you want. Only YOU can do that so start today, why wait until New Year?
For example, I quit cigarettes more than two years ago. I don't remember the date or the month I did it, but I do remember that it was in the summer and I just decided then and there to quit. It worked the same with coffee and caffeine, I didn't wait for New Year or my birthday or what have you, I just cut it out.
At least that is what works for me. I achieve my goals and dreams throughout the year, not by waiting for a specific date. People usually see time as a year-by-year closed end loop but it's not. Look at time as a continuum and start achieving your goals today!
Will you be doing a different challenge now and if so, what is it?
krisrukov: I am giving it a lot of thought but I haven't decided anything definitive. Right now, I'm planning to partner up with PokerStrategy and produce more content because I can see that there is a demand for a coach like me. If the readers have any interesting ideas, they can leave a comment or they can always write me a personal message and share their thoughts.
I will take January off because I'm turning 30 this month and I'm throwing a huge party with family and friends, do some skiing and having fun in general. I have a whole year ahead of me to work hard and now it's time to play hard too.
Enjoy it and thanks for playing the Bankroll Challenge.
Join the Challenge Today
Our challenge continues and you have the opportunity to join at any given time. Being late in is not a problem at all and each week one member wins a status upgrade.
Joining the challenge is easy:
- Create a blog
- In your first blog post state your Bankroll goal
- Sign up here to the challenge
- Play, learn and post updates along the way, and discuss them with other members
- Win $$$$
