Chugs

Okay i have to deal with reality.

As of late i haven't been doing well in NL situations online. I know that in general the CPT event is going to be a big outlay for me so i need to ensure that i have the tools to compete when the tournament comes around.

The example that was sitting in my mind was this. If in basketball you're the leagues premier three point shooter, it doesn't mean you have any business in a slam dunk contest. That's what i feel like right now, i'm doing okay in ring limit games and actually even in limit sng and heads up (been practicing), but my NL is just off.

So while in theory you should never play for short term results, i find the added pressure helps you to focus.


So in the next 15-16 days before the CPT event, i have to meet a personal target or i will not play in the tournament. To make the challenge meaningful, it has to serve a purpose and that is to be running well in NL in tournament scenarios, which help to guarantee the ability to bring an 'A' game to the CPT event.

The CPT buy-in is $240 plus a $200 add-on and re-buys at $100 (for half the initial, so really $200 re-buys). So ignoring the re-buys that may be needed the tournament will cost at least $440. I'll assume the rebuys come out of my bankroll.

SO THE CHALLENGE

So before Monday March 7 ... i must book a NET profit of no less than $450 ($10 for gas) in no limit tournaments (MTT, SNG, heads-up) and i must show a net profit in at least 2 of those three categories. This means i'll be doing well in all three theoretical stages of tournaments, the progression to the final table, final table and heads up.

The dollar number isn't sky high, but the overall criteria mean i have to play disciplined poker. I also won't let myself go overboard to get to it, meaning if i'm down i'm not going to play $100 SNG etc... to get back above.

i'm going to take a very slow approach which will consist mostly of, low limit SNG and heads-up with my MTT being limited mostly to the stars $215 super satellites (i find when my game is running well, these use to be so easy), the stars 10:15 re-buys and i'll look for other $5, $10 or $20 buy-in events on other sites.

I'll try to keep a sincere posting of my progress, towards this challenge and hopefully show the discipline towards my poker game that has been lacking. With any luck by the time the CPT rolls around i'll be dunking like a maniac and with any luck i'll see you you at the final table.

all_aces

Chugs, forget about all this. I need you to play in the March 9th event regardless of how your Challenge goes... I have a final-table bet with Gamblor, remember? lol j/k

Sounds like a plan. It's good to set realistic goals for yourself, and to have the discipline to 'punish' yourself if you fail to meet them. Discipline, discipline, discipline... that word keeps coming up when people talk about good poker players. Guess there's a reason for it!

Best of luck to you. I'll see you on March 9th.

__________________
Regards,
all_aces

Old blog entries, trip reports and articles:

http://myspace.com/downtowndevobrown

New blog entries:

http://devinarmstrong.livejournal.com

Chugs

actually that bet is in my mind also ... if i can't accomplish this simple goal i'm not going to be of any help in winning that bet, cause i have the same bet with him

BBC Z

First of all, good luck.

but..

I wonder if using $$ as your measure of good play isn't going to make your run up to the tourney near impossible.. You are looking for +$450 Net over a bunch of type of poker which have very high variance. MTT's? That'll be a net loss unless you get pretty lucky. I'll guess that an awesome MTT player makes the money in 20% of their tournaments.. Heads up, a great player versus an idiot will only win 70-30 at best, so theres s'more variance.. SNG's (I think) a great player can expect a 70% ROI (Im making that one up, I think Im wrong)... so the SNG will be the bread and butter of your profit... You've only got 17ish days..

I'd say toss out the requirement to be profitable in 2 of the 3 and use the gross profit from MTT to get to 450..

Of course, you don't specify what level you actually will be playing at.. So you could get there pretty easily at the $50 SNG level but I dont think thats what you intended to do..

I think at the end of your run, if you have lost money then no play. If you've made it to profit then you've got you ducks in a row assuming you meet some arbitrary minimum play requirement..

This post sounds a lot like the joke I spread around work.. that when I play poker online, I pick the money tree until my arms grow tired.. but the wins don't actually bank that way..

__________________
13Cards is the worst thing to happen to Canadian Poker ever.

pkrfce9

I like the idea. Good luck! I want to hear about your progress.

Not much time. Gotta focus. Discipline and poker. What a concept.

The MTT's will be difficult to show a profit and they are time consuming. I wouldn't play more than a couple.

Heads-up you are the champ but there isn't much of an overlay. I guess you can move up in stakes and show a decent profit.

Try the 9- or 18-seat SnGs. Games over in 1-2 hours and the dual-table tourneys kinda simulate the stages of a real tourney only faster. Usually at least half the field is weak so you shouldn't lose money in any of them (unless you hit some bad luck) and chances are good to double or better your money every tourney.

I'm not sure how the CPT registration is set up. Have you already paid? Then it wouldn't be prudent (i.e it would be stupid if I wasn't being PC) to not go. In addition, since you have a side bet, you'd be increasing your risk of loss by not participating. One other way you could increase your risk of losing that bet would be to lay a big hurt on all_aces' stack during the early rounds. Keep that in mind.

__________________
I can't tell you how awesome it feels to win a WSOP bracelet!

Chugs

Thanks for the input everyone

BBC i agree that i'm putting myself at the bottom of a mountain when it comes to the goal that i've set, but it wouldn't be much of a challenge if it wasn't challenging i guess. I realize that i'm forcing myself to try and get results immediatly and that isn't ideal, but i think the pressure will do me good.

pkrface, i am going to do the two table formats because i find they suit my game well. In terms of registration, i'm technically at the top of the waiting list so i haven't paid the money yet, but would pay on the day of ... that's what the informed me.


Note: Some of this is rough, i'm just working from some notes i took to keep track of the challenge

Day 1 Update

SUMMARY
Total Buy-ins: $68.25
Total Return: $41.40
Net: -$25.85



Event: Midnite, $3 pokerstars Satellite to $215
Type: MTT
Cost: $9 ($3 + $3 rebuy at start + $3 addon)
Return: $0
Net: -$9
Notes: Running well into the second hour with a 3 avg stack. Get kings and then aces busted in the course of 5 hands, am short stacked (4000 chips with 200/400 blinds) ... rebuild but get blinded down, on the short stack go out with AJs in the cutoff when i have 5BB about thirty minutes later, the button had QQ ... i don't suck out but i never gave up.

Event: 1am, $11 turbo pokerstars Satellite to $215
Type: MTT
Cost: $22 ($11 + $11 re-buy at start)
Return: $0
Net: -$22
Notes: Busted out on the last hand of the rebuy with AQ, compared to table would have been utterly short stacked even with a double re-buy and add-on decided to save $33 for a better oppurtunity

Event: 2:30am, $6 + 0.50 turbo two table SNG
Type: SNG
Cost: $6.50
Return: $32.40
Net: +$25.90
Notes: took only 35 mintues to get heads-up but heads-up lasted for nearly 20 minutes. Don't recall how it ended, but i'll edit this and add it if i can find the summary.

Event: 7:00pm, $5 + 0.25 Heads-up
Type: HU
Cost: $5.25
Return: $0
Net: -$5.25
Notes: standard heads-up lots of back and forth. final hand we end up all-in on the turn. i have top pair, open ended and a flush draw. he has no pair, a gutshot and the other flush draw on a double suite board. he hits a queen on the river to make the straight and ironically give me two pair.


Event: 7:45, $10 + 1 Stars NL tourney
Type: MTT
Cost: $11
Return: $0
Net: -$11
Notes: Busted out after second break, 99 vs k8 all-in pre-flop with me on the short stack with 99. he flopped a king and an eight.


Event: 8:30, $5 SNG
Type: SNG
Cost: $5.50
Return: $9.00
Net: +4.50
Notes: Once heads up the chip leader had been really agressive. He called my raise (i had JJ) flop came ten high all clubs. I had the J of clubs. I go all-in he calls with KQ of diamonds, and flops a king on the river.

Event: 9:00pm, $3 pokerstars Satellite to $215
Type: MTT
Cost: $9 ($3 + $3 rebuy at start + $3 addon)
Return: $0
Net: -$9
Notes: Double average stack after three hours. I actually also had to leave for a full 30 minutes to deal with a mini family emerg. Busted out all-in pre-flop with KK vs AK, i had the KK. Could have called and taken a flop, but the math was working such that even with an ace on the flop i may not have been able to get away from the hand. Was running really well, made only one stupid mistake entire tourney which was a complete blind steal (against two blinds who never defend, and got minimum re-raised by the cutoff (next to act) ... he flopped quads and it cost me about 20% of my stack)


So far the challenge isn't going great. I'm actually overall not unhappy with my play, i've been avoiding some common mistakes and generally speaking i've always gotten my money in with the best of it the whole day. even made some great laydowns, in multi way pots with big hands. if i get my money in with aces or kings and i get beat, that's life since I know that my skill level is never so good that i'm a 4-1 advantage to out playing my opponents.

Well with some skill and luck, day two should go better.

pkrfce9

Nice update. You inspired me a bit.

I wandered back to Pacific to try some of their tourneys. They have 10- and 20-seat tourneys so the prizes are slightly better than pokerstars. The competition isn't nearly as good but I haven't played there in a while. For building your bankroll quickly, I recommend you give them a shot.

Here's my results in 3 hrs. I hadn't played a $10+1 tourney there since forever so I gave a 10-seater a shot. I won it. +$39. Feeling brave, I tried the 16+1.60 20-seater for the first time. Played poorly but won pots when I needed them. On a brutal short stack, I waited for others to bust out and I squeaked into the money. +$46.40.

Good luck. Let me know how you do on Pacific if you try it. I'm curious if you think the tourneys there are easier competition.

Those MTTs are a long shot. Anyone has to be pretty lucky to get into the cash so if you are trying to show results quickly, I don't think this is the way to go. I put this down as more of a longer term thing where you might make some cash once every 10-20 tries. Your bankroll will drop a lot along the way before you hit the money. I'd pursue that as a separate project.

__________________
I can't tell you how awesome it feels to win a WSOP bracelet!

Chugs

Here is one fun hand from the day that will give you an idea of how aces played for me. This guy was a really really agressive player. I'm proud i didn't self destruct after losing this hand like this, and managed to actually win back my chips and knock this guy out 15 minutes later. Just wait to get the nuts and let him bet into you.

PokerStars Game #1237395446: Tournament #5285640, Hold'em No Limit - Level V (75/150) - 2005/02/19 - 01:06:23 (ET)
Table '5285640 50' Seat #3 is the button
Seat 1: radsky (11520 in chips)
Seat 2: DaBearMan (20892 in chips)
Seat 3: turtlewax (14065 in chips)
Seat 4: waltpsu (5000 in chips)
Seat 5: hacke (3600 in chips)
Seat 6: rata (3500 in chips)
Seat 7: jpg777 (4300 in chips)
Seat 8: chugs (13980 in chips)
Seat 9: Golden4Ever (4270 in chips)
waltpsu: posts small blind 75
hacke: posts big blind 150
*** HOLE CARDS ***
Dealt to chugs [Ac Ad]
rata: raises 150 to 300
jpg777: folds
chugs: raises 600 to 900
Golden4Ever: folds
radsky: folds
DaBearMan: folds
turtlewax: folds
waltpsu: calls 825
hacke: folds
rata: calls 600
*** FLOP *** [Qs Jc Td]
DaBearMan said, "Chugs at 11k you added on?"
waltpsu: bets 1350
rata: calls 1350
chugs: raises 2250 to 3600
waltpsu: folds
rata: calls 1250 and is all-in
*** TURN *** [Qs Jc Td] [Ks]
*** RIVER *** [Qs Jc Td Ks] [5s]
*** SHOW DOWN ***
rata: shows [3s As] (a flush, Ace high)
chugs: shows [Ac Ad] (a straight, Ten to Ace)
chugs said, "in case that happens"
rata collected 9400 from pot
DaBearMan said, "now that's a shame"
*** SUMMARY ***
Total pot 9400 | Rake 0
Board [Qs Jc Td Ks 5s]
Seat 1: radsky folded before Flop (didn't bet)
Seat 2: DaBearMan folded before Flop (didn't bet)
Seat 3: turtlewax (button) folded before Flop (didn't bet)
Seat 4: waltpsu (small blind) folded on the Flop
Seat 5: hacke (big blind) folded before Flop
Seat 6: rata showed [3s As] and won (9400) with a flush, Ace high
Seat 7: jpg777 folded before Flop (didn't bet)
Seat 8: chugs showed [Ac Ad] and lost with a straight, Ten to Ace
Seat 9: Golden4Ever folded before Flop (didn't bet)

pkrfce9

No update on your challenge today?

Another Pacific tip for your quest:

I tried the $30+3(?) 20-seat SnG for the first time. This is the biggest tourney entry fee I've played there. The competition was very weak. I played my cautious tight game and just watched everyone around me bust out quickly. I was the short stack throughout the final table. I think I only won about 3 hands when I needed it and I finished in 3rd for $120. I actually had a legitimate shot at 2nd with my bust out hand. I had the kicker advantage over the other player but he hit the miracle runner-runner flush to knock me out. I don't feel too bad about it, though. If I played a bit more aggressively, I'm confident I'd have a better shot at winning it. Sure I'd bust out occassionaly, too...

I think this is the most expensive SnG they have. It only took about 1hr15. Give it a shot.

__________________
I can't tell you how awesome it feels to win a WSOP bracelet!

Chugs

DAY TWO UPDATE

Really didn't play much today, since i was at work and then had company over.

Before i get into the details i actually did some rough math and realized that playing the tiny buy-ins i'm playing it'll take forever for me to actually achieve my goal. Haven't actually done SNGs etc... regularly in a long while. Also i'm not going to do detail write-ups like day one, i want to spend time playing not writing, just quick details

DAY TWO SUMMARY
Total Buy-ins: $58.05
Total Return: $84.80
Net: +$26.75

CUMULATIVE SUMMARY
Total Buy-ins: $125.30
Total Return: $126.20
Net: +$0.90

$10 SNG on UB @ 1am: Came in first for $50 showing a net $39
$8 two table SNG on Pacifi @ 2am: Came in 4th for $24 showing a net $15.20
$5 stars HU @ 12pm: Lost showing a net -$5.25
$11 Stars turbo satellite to $215 @ 1:30pm: busted out showing a net -$21.00 (with add-on, missed opening rebuy and won small first pot
$5 two-table SNG on Stars @ 6pm: Lost showing a net -$5.50
$6 two-table turbo SNG on Stars @ 6:30: Came in fourth showing a net $4.30


While my goal was just to do this in tiny buy-ins: i'll likely need to move my buy-in levels to a more comfortable $20-30 level. Not sure why buy mentally i've always had more difficulty playing something like a $50 SNG, but would have no problem playing 10/20 or 15/30 and investing $150 or more into a single pot. the money is less but i think psycologically it is different.

I also deviated out of bordom from one facet of my challenge, which was in my mind but never written. I want to try and avoid playing limit hold'em during this challenge and focus on NL tournies. But i had about 1.5 hours to kill so i went to a 4/8 game near where i was and booked a quick +$150 in about an hours play. I found not playing limit holdem online for the last few days, and playing the tournies and started to bring back my patience at the table. Not panicing or getting into spots i don't need to.

pkrfce9

At this rate, you have 998 days to go...

Just kidding. Interesting point about the psychology of buying into a tourney for $50 vs playing 10/20 ring game. I suppose with ring, you control how much you throw away but with the tourney it is all in one shot.

Make sure you set aside time each day to reflect on the day's experience.

I didn't think Pacific paid 4th place in the SnGs anymore. The ones I've been in lately only paid 3 places. I'll have to check that out. For sure Pacific's $30 20-seater pays 300/180/120. Or else I was dreaming.

Good luck.

__________________
I can't tell you how awesome it feels to win a WSOP bracelet!

Chugs

pkrfce you're right the $16 and $30 20-seater only pays top 3 but the $8 one pays the top 5 spots. Well my day count may come down a bit, played a $20 SNG and placed first for $100. the dollars overall may be small but i'm happy that they're coming in NL, and i'm feeling slowely a bit better with my game.

next challenge is to stop using poker tracker while playing on UB, i find the real time table info to be an almost unfair edge.

pkrfce9

Sweet! 6 more of those and you are golden...

Funny that you are concerned about an unfair advantage. I guess when preparing for a live event, you should be using only the tools that will be available to you there. Interesting dilemma between trying to qualify (i.e. your winnings target) and being qualified.

__________________
I can't tell you how awesome it feels to win a WSOP bracelet!

Chugs

While typing this i'm registed in the 10:15 guaranteed $25,000 tournament on Stars. I'm playing it a bit differently though just going with a straight buy-in and no add-on. Essentially playing it like a freezout. The thinking right or wrong, is that since i'm trying to keep my buy-ins low and show a consistent profit do i think taking the re-buy and the add-on triple my chances of being in the money or winning it.

Either way I've assumed the buy-in against me, but obviously the tourney is still running so i won't know if i have any moeny from it. Day three went well with me showing a profit of nearly $100 through a number of consistent low buy-ins. The troubling part is i have ZERO cashes in MTT so far, and have no won any of my heads-up matches. My results have been due to a good run in SNG (1 and 2 table variety) cashing in 9 out of 11

DAY THREE SUMMARY
Total Buy-ins: $109.25
Total Return: $224.00
Net: +$94.75

CUMULATIVE SUMMARY
Total Buy-ins: $254.55
Total Return: $350.20
Net: +$95.65

Type Site Event Cost Return Net
SNG UB $20 SNG 22.00 100.00 78.00
SNG UB $10 SNG 11.00 50.00 39.00
SNG UB $20 SNG 22.00 (22.00)
HU PS $5 HU SNG 5.25 (5.25)
MTT GC $10 rebuy 31.00 (31.00)
SNG PS $15 2 table SNG 16.00 54.00 38.00
SNG UB $10 SNG 11.00 20.00 9.00
MTT PS $11 re-buy 11.00 (11.00)


I was lucky to get a lot of play in today. I was out at one of the stores, and because of the weather had a total of two customers in the entire day. So i just fired up a dial-up and played away.


I haven't played a tournament in gaming club in a long time, but that's where i started my poker and i can say i know why i loved that site before. While i didn't do well in the tourneyi know i had great oppurtunities, just couldn't handle this one Maniac. Honestly the guy lost chips to everyone at the table but kept replenishing them from me. No word of a lie, he hit three gutshots on me, twice calling big raises. While you love playing against total maniacs in a live game, in a tournament they can hurt themselves and hurt you also. Still i think i'm going to have to go back and make a few more attempts on the prima network (gaming club)

So three days down and about $350 to go

Chugs

DAY THREE SUMMARY
Total Buy-ins: $115.00
Total Return: $164.24
Net: +$49.24

CUMULATIVE SUMMARY
Total Buy-ins: $369.55
Total Return: $514.44
Net: +$144.89

date type site event COST RETURN NET
22-Feb SNG PS $15 turbo 2 table SNG 16.00 (16.00)
22-Feb HU PS $5 heads up SNG 5.25 10.00 4.75
22-Feb SNG PS $20 two-table SNG 22.00 (22.00)
22-Feb HU PS $10 heads up SNG 10.50 (10.50)
22-Feb HU UB $5 heads up SNG 5.25 (5.25)
22-Feb SNG PS $6 turbo Two-table SNG 6.50 (6.50)
22-Feb SNG UB $20 SNG 22.00 100.00 78.00
22-Feb SNG UB $5 SNG 7:00pm 5.50 (5.50)
22-Feb MTT UB $10 6-handed 11.00 13.74 2.74
22-Feb HU PS Pokerforum.ca Mano-a-Mano 11.00 40.50 29.50


The $10 6-handed tourney was actually a bit odd. I was trying to register for another tourney at the same time but accidentily registered for this one. It's a 6 seated limit tourney, my god everyone was a maniac ... myself included. I actually was doing really well, but shortly after making it into the money, i busted out on a set over set. Basicly all-in on the flop with him having a set of kings and me having eights. plus i was already in the pokerforum heads-up tourney. you can't imagine how tough it is playing a shorthanded limit tourney and a heads-up NL tourney at the same time.

I actually did really badly in my first SNGs mainly because i got away from MY style of play. I was trying to push up my agression level, but i've found that for consistent results in these SNG you need to be forceful but agressive. For example a guy who raiss one pot per round, may never get called on his raise and pick up the blinds and antes. the problem is the guy who does it twice a round, will get played back more often and risk more chips, in a situation where generally everyone is short stacked. i guess maybe tight agressive isn't the right term, i'm selective agressive. my agression is less dictated by my cards, than the situations in context to the cards.

I wanted to share two other interesting tid bits, my breakdown by site

Pokerstars Net: $-(52.30)
Ultimate Bet Net: $212.99
Pacific Net: $15.20
Gaming Club Net: $-(31.00)

as is still the case, pokerstars is kicking my ass