Steady climb online..

Yeh I know, this post is a little bit of blowing my own trumpet....

But after hearing that Reinder is also having a good month in online poker I thought I would post some of my thoughts about the last few weeks online.

Since december I have had a steady increase in my bankroll playing the low limits on pokerstars in both the SNG MTT's and the low limit (.5/.10) cash games. It started with a €25 ($33) deposit and with careful play and very careful bankroll management that balance is currently at $129.70, so I thought I would share some of my findings about my own game and why I thnk it is going reasonably ok.

Previously I have built my roll to over $900 but due to terrible bankroll management (BRM) I have blown it all making a break for the big time and decided that this last deposit would be my last one for a long time and in order to try to take on my personal challenge properly I set my self some rules and it's these rules that I believe have actually made the most improvement in making profit than any of the playing tips I have recieved or read about. The importance of BRM had always escaped me before so I thought I would explain how I have been doing it recently.

1. Tounaments - Never buy into a tournament for anything more than 2% of Entire Bankroll. (so $1.20 dollar tourneys only)
2. Cash Games - Never buy in for anymore than 5% of my bankroll (still playing at around 2%)
3. Cash Games - If during a cash game I reach 10% of my total bankroll then I must logg out (approx triple my buy in) and buy in for the same 5% at another table.
4. Buy in limits per day - I allowed myself 2 tournaments and 2 cash table buyins for one session. If I lost them I had to stop playing until the next session (the following day mainly)
5. Never chase a loss. The two cash table buyins can be used on the same table (especially after a abd beat and am not tilting) but if that buy in is lost then you must log out and not play cash tables again until next session
6. Set ranges for increasing my stakes and reward wins. I am currently forcing myself to stay at certain limits where I am confortable winning, I will not go up to higher limits until I have reached various stages of my bank roll. The next stage being 200 dollars. Then I will double up the buy ins that I am currently spending to $2.20 SNG's and the odd $5 SNG's now and again as a reward for winning tournaments.

By sticking to these rules I have been having positive ssessions everyday at the moment and although I did play 1 tournament more than allowed yesterday because I was unaware that I was already sitting in a tournament that was running, so I had 4 going instead of the 3 I was aware of.

I would love to hear anyone elses poker progress and I will keep you posted on the bankroll and any big tourney wins I may get this year.

This weeks fun resulted in (in total about 10 tourneys played, 5 cashes, 3 wins = profit)

Tourney: 45 man - placed 1st
Tourney: 45 man - placed 1st
Tourney: 09 man - placed 1st
Tourney: 45 man - placed 3rd
Tourney: 45 man - placed 3rd

Also some micro limit cash table profit

I also died in 2 tournaments online one because I didn't know I was entered into it and the other due to a stupid play with a big hand. I figured 3 out of 5 isn't bad and it was a profitable evening which is the most important thing. (I was allowed extra tourneys due to tournament win, giving yourself an incentive to earn more if you win means you can make mroe money without risking your bankroll.)

Current Bankroll : 129.70

Comments work now!

Sorry guys I had noticed that comments were turned off for people who didn't have a gmail account.

That is now fixed and anyone can now comment on the blog entries so please start to!! hehe, speak to you all soon and don't forget to let me know if you are going to be playing on the 9th.

Poker Observations of the Lam

Poker Observations of the Lam

 

So here it was; a wonderful night to behold lay before my woolly feet as I trod fearlessly back into the world of poker stars. Under the guidance of the legendary Tenakalaz I took part in the 45 seater in line for a dollar (paid for by the aforementioned).

 

It was going well for me until I had to take a call in the real world, and subsequently got blinded down so much that when I returned it was all I could to but watch my all in on two high cards.

 

At least it gave me a chance to watch the Ten' go about his game and as he took down the 150 euros in the last home game I thought some research may be useful anyway. And that's the main reason for this blogg; his careful strategy deserves closer inspection for the sake of my bankroll.

 

He started copybook tight; tight is right, in the early stages. It was not until the field come down to two tables did he loosen up slightly. He created a very nice image by folding slowly at times, quickly at others. No chat.

 

He let the lunatics get their chips stack and lose them, a lot of it finding its way to him.

 

Here I must admit I tried my best to put his off by typing odd words in the chat box but he had it sorted.

 

He played a few careful but committed bluffs against the correct opponents and played his A-game until the field was down to seven, then he used the credit he gained from his tight image to be able to take some high blinds down pre-flop.

 

He was safe and waited for his cards. When they came he coaxed others into a hand and knocked them out.

 

What was noticeable about his game was the discipline he showed in making it to the final table and then being able to switch his game to a more aggressive style. As the players remaining came down to four he was super aggressive, and it was not long between until it was between him and the other best player in the tourney were heads up.

 

Here, when a little luck was needed he had none and had his K7 suited (I think) blown away by an AQ off suit.

 

A great game to watch…

 

I was thinking that maybe it is not fair to submit these observations; we will all get a chance to play him and use what we know about his game against him, but when he can switch his style so effectively, will reading this make him any easier to play? I doubt it.

 

But it could help us.

 

lol

ONLINE TOURNAMENTS ARE HERE!!!

Well it has been sorted....

I now have the ability to create private passworded tournaments on pokerstars for us to play in.

My brother and some of his friends in the U.K have also expressed an interest in playing plus some other friends, so we could expand the tourney to other people we know who can't make the home game.

I was thinking of doing a trial tournament very soon to see how everything works, the structure is a simple sit and go style tournament but I will investigate all the options this weekend and set up a tourney for some evening next week for all those who are interested.

I was also thinking of setting up a teamspeak server so we can all chat whilst playing but you will need to get yourself a headset to be able to use it, but it would make it a bit mroe like the home game.... there is also the chat window of course.

I really want to know who will be interested in playing!

Pokerstars can be found here, it's also available for mac both links are under this

Online tournaments

After a discussion with Adam I think I have found a way to create private online tournaments on pokerstars...

It would mean that every now and again we could play home games online with each other, but it would require people to make a pokerstars account and deposit some money in it in order to be able to play.

But before I bother going to the trouble I want to get an idea of how many people would be interested in private online tournaments with our usual home game crowd? would also make things a lot easier for when we have lots of people who want to play, could even be used an extra side game midweek in the evening.

Just testing the water to see what you all think?

let me know in the comments what you think

Idea for next home game?

Just to add a bit of excitement for the next home game maybe this is an idea?

Just because the film kicks arse!

Just for fun I thought I would stick this on the site...

If you haven't seen this movie... DO IT NOW!!!

And the winner is...

So another interesting match with very live cards this week......

Reinder managed to hang to his lead despite not finishing in the points, so he is holding up well for the player of the year points at the moment, and it was good to see that everyone coughed up the 2.50 for the POY award pot this week, I will be keeping a tally on the site of what is in the pot on the site when I get it sorted.

Dave was suprised to win after having his first hand of pocket Aces cracekd by andy holding a K and hitting a full house on the river. This set Dave a bit on tilt were he tried to steal the next pot with 7 3 clubs and somehow hit a miracle 3 of a kind 3'.... putting him almsot back to square one after tripling up through Andy and Liam.

The game was quite a fast paced and action filled game with chips being passed around all over the place and some big hands being hit, such as Brians quad aces heads up towards the end. But everone stayed it pretty long this week and Adam was the first to go out after the add in periodd with A 10 losing to a pair of queens.

Liam went out in 5th despite standing about 2nd in chips when his AK didn't hit against Daves QQ, pushing around 10,000 chips his way, this left just Brian, Robbert, Reinder and Dave. Reinder being very shortstacked was just waiting for his moment to push and it didn't pan out as intended leaving just 3. RObbert got knocked out when his K 8 didn't hold up against Dave's AK.

Also of note was Andy's eagle eye and the fact that he was the one who pointed out that Dave had won the match with a backdoor flush with his pocket 5's, against Brian's A Q off suit, otherwise the game could have gone on for a long time.

Thanks again gusy for a great match.

The next match will be on the 9th February 2008 dus to Liams birthday and a 1 week break.

So get your heads on for february when the mayhem continues.

Next tournament 19-01-2008

OK guys.....

The table is full we have 8 people ready to play on saturday..

Please try to be ontime as we will be starting at 7pm sharp and if you are coming but are late your chips will be blinded off until you arrive which to be fair is not going to be a huge problem.

Last week there was some confusion (from myself included) about the amount of rebuys that were available and everyone agreed that this would be 3 and not 2 which I thought it was.

So from now 3 rebuys and 1 addin are available in the tournament...... Plenty of chance to get your chips back so I am expecting fireworks early on again.

Looking forward to it guys see you all tomorrow!

Catch you later

Straight flush

Just to celebrate Reinders Straightflush on saturday I thought I would stick this nice hand on the site for people to watch!

Free Online poker Money

For those people who wish to start playnig online I have managed to find and use a lot of free money that is available in order to play.

If anyone fancies starting to play online and wants to take advantage of this then please send me an email and we can arrange it.

It's possible to get around 100 dollars free in order to start playing and winning online.

Let me know

Saturdays Game

Well it was an interesting game again saturday!! With Reinder who played for the first time last week coming in 1st and newcomer Andy pulling his weight by coming in 3rd..... Stu the home player finsihed a respectable 2nd.

It was also the first time we introduced the Purple chip with a value of 2000, Andy was the first to get the chip lead and chip upto hold 2 purples within the first few hands catching Roy and Robbert with his set of 6's...... giving him an early lead.

Andy appeared to be a dark horse with people having obvious trouble reading him and putting him on hands, David was desperate for a showdown to get a feel for the sort of hands he was playing, only to push all in with 4's late in the tourney and get knocked out by Andy with K 6 clubs.. hitting his 6 on the flop, that will teach Dave for going in with such small pairs as fours.

There was some crazy hands during the game especially early on but once things had quieted down Andy called for a new deck and everyone was in agreement feeling that the deck had gone cold...

And what a difference it made..

The most memorable hand of the evening was with a flop of K K J and a 10 on the turn Roy Bet, Robbert raised all in and Reinder moved all in after him.

K K J 10

Once the hands were shown the situation was CRAZY........ Roy had flopped a full house kings over jacks, Robbert had hit three of a kind Kings and Reinder had hit the royal straight and the Straight/Royal flush draw....

Heading to the river only a 9 or a a of clubs could save Reinder and Roy was already couting his chips when as if he had planned it, Reinder catches his 9 clubs on the river......Hitting his straight flush (the first in the history of the tourney) Tripling up and knocking Robbert out in 7th.. Ending Robbert's amazing streak of wins and 2nds! Roy was left bewildered wondering what had happened to his beautiful trapping play he had made with his flopped full house.

Kc K K Jc 10c 9c

Amazing!!!!!! 9 through to king all clubs! Well done Reinder on your first win and Stuart with cashing after not playing since November!!!

I will mail everyone about the next game tomorrow!

New Item on the site!!

As you can probably see I have added a confirmed for next game section on the right hand side of the site.

Just so people can see when the next game is taking place and how many people are already signed up for it.

The table can hold a maximum of 8/9 people anything above that and we have to use two tables (so from 10 people or more)

For this weekends game there is definately 2 places left over.

I am currently awaiting confirmation from

Robbert
Reinder

Confirmed as not attending

Juha
Liam

They will both be away in belgium plotting revenge.....

So those two seats are available and if you know someone who would like to play then let me know.

Roy wins the opening tourney of 2008!!

It was time to start the first mathc of the season and it was a good one, the points system will be fully implemented from this match and as of saturday the first buy in will be 12.50 (to cover beer and the player of the year prize) all rebuys and addins will still be 10 euros!! I will be keeping track of the player of the year pot on the website as well so everyone can see.

So with a full table of 8 people it was a great match, lots of early action and crazy all in pots within the first 3 levels.... some horrible beats such as Reinder losing out with his A Q of hearts against David's A Q off suit when Dave hit the four flush to make his diamond flush with the queen.

Anytime someone went all in Roy seemed to have a slightly better kicker leaving him with 3 players left with around 90% of the chips in play, DOMINATING!!!! After a few hands he beat Robbert to take down 1st place and a pot of 165 euros!! not bad for your first win Roy!!

Robbert took down 55 euros in second place keeping up his good run at the table!!

Stuart has also returned from his visit to teh U.K so the rock is back heres to Saturdays game it should be a good one and if everyone turns up we could be sitting with 9 people, anymore than that and we will move on to two tables!!

Thanks to everyone it was a great match and hopefully we wil see you all on saturday!