New Year, New Focus

It has been awhile since I posted (about 3 months).  I was busy with work, the holidays, family, you name it.  Hopefully, I will be able to find the time to refocus on my poker goals and to post some good stuff.  I will try to post regularly, although it will not be as often as previously.  My bankroll is down to just over $50, so I am basically starting over on my bankroll challenge.   I have added a button for my readers to submit their email address so that they can be notified as soon as there is an update.  I am doing this for two reasons:  to give my loyal readers the first chance to read my new posts and to encourage repeat visitors.  That is all for now.  I will try to post again within a couple of days.

Bankroll Management Saves the Day

Recently, I have suffered a series of losses that have made me appreciate the bankroll management rules I have been following.   In the past, I probably would have gone broke by now.  Chris Ferguson's bankroll mangement tools have allowed me to keep playing as I am not risking a large portion of my bankroll on any given tournament. Recently, I have bubbled quite a few tournaments.  I have had a few small wins, but overall I am down over the last week or so.  My bankroll is now at $112.51.  I will admit, my focus lately has not been that good.  My mind has been elsewhere.  My wife and I recently found out that she is pregnant with our second child, so we have both been preoccupied with that.  Going forward, I will try to take it one hand at a time and make the best decision I can with each hand I am dealt.

$140!!

I have been playing 18 and 27 player SNG's like crazy.  I was on a bad losing streak, but I just took 2 first place finishes and 1 second place finish.  My bankroll is now at $141.98.   This is my highest my bankroll has been since I started this experiment.   I am approaching $150.  There is a $3 SNG I have been wanting to play, when I get to $150, I will be able to take a couple of  shots at it.  It is a knockout tournament, meaning you win cash for each player you eliminate, which in this tournament, is $.50. 
I have not played many large field tournaments as I have  been pretty tired when it comes time for them to start.  Last week was a crazy one, but hopefully this week wont be as hectic and I will be able to focus on my blog and my game.

Slowly But Surely

I apologize to my readers for lack of posts.  It has been pretty hectic at work this last week.  By the time my daughter goes to bed and I play for a couple hours, I am too tired to put anything together.  Hopefully next week will be easier. 

I have broken the $130 mark.  After failing to cash in a couple of multitable $2 tournaments, I tried my luck at some single table $5 SNG's.  According to Ferguson's rules, I can play a 1 table SNG for up to 5% of my bankroll.  I lost a couple and had a 1st and a 2nd place finich to push me up to $136. 

Today, on my lunch break,   I was reading the Full Tilt Strategy Guide.  In the chapter written by Chris Ferguson, he talked about having a purpose when you bet.  The reasons for betting are threefold:  to get a better hand to fold, to get a worse hand to call, and to protect your hand against draws.  He also talks about many reasons not to bet.   If the board is KQ936 and you have 88, the only hands that can call are hands that beat you.  Why would you bet in this spot?  On the other hand, if you check and your opponent bets, maybe you have him beaten.  He could have a hand like AJ or maybe he missed his straight for flush draw.  This is a good spot to check to induce a bluff.  If he bets and you have put him on a straight draw or flush draw, you can call and win a bet that you otherwise wouldn't have.  If you had bet and he had nothing, he would most likely fold and you win a smaller pot.  If you bet and he calls, he has you beaten.  I found this to be a very interesting approach and will try to incorporate it into my game.  This is just a small portion of what he talked about in his chapter.  I hope to be able to discuss more of Ferguson's poker theory in future posts as I find it very interesting. 

In the mean time, I will keep plugging away at my $10,000 goal.  Only $9,870 more to go!!

Holding Steady

The last couple days have been pretty neutral as far as results.  I failed to cash in several tournaments, but took down second in a 27 player SNG.  My bankroll is holding steady at just under $129. 

I played a large field tournament last night, but failed to cash.  For the most part, I tried to keep the pots small unless I had a very strong hand.  There is one hand I am particularly proud of.  I was 2 behind the BB.  The player UTG raised to 3 times the BB.  I had AK suited and reraised about 2.5X his bet.  He repopped me for all of my chips.  I had been watching this player for quite a while and he had been quite aggressive.  He been bullying other players with large preflop bets.  I thought for a couple minutes and finally decided he was making a move on me.  I called his all in and he showed K4 offsuit.  Nice call!!  He didn't improve his hand and I doubled up. 
Late in the tournament, the following hand came up.  I had AA in middle position.  I raised to 2.5X the BB.   The button, who was the tournament chip leader,  reraised 3X my bet.  I four bet and the button moved all in.  Of course, I called.  He turned over Q5 of spades!!!  On the flop he flopped a 5 and a spade.  The turn and river were both spades and I was eliminated in 97th place.  Oh well, there is always next time.  I got my money in good and thats all I can do.  I am happy with how patiently I have been playing.  I know it is just a matter of time to my first big win.

Cashing Small....... Again.....

Last night, I cashed in a $2.25 large field tournament, but only made the 2nd level of pay.  When I cash, I seem to be stuck in the lower levels of pay outs.  Its my curse.   I just  can't seem to get to the upper levels of pay.  I seem to do well in the 45 or 27 player tournaments, but the large field cashes elude me. 

I play well enough to cash almost every time I enter a large field tournament.  You would think that I could play well enough, or at least get lucky enough to move up the pay ladder at least a little bit.  Take last night for example:  out of over 600 players, I was knocked out in 50th place.  Once we made the money, I just couldn't win a hand.  JJ no good, QQ no good, AQ no good.  Frustration is setting in.  I hope it doesn't affect my play.

On a good note, I took 2nd in a 27 man SNG.  My bankroll is now just over $129.  I am increasing it slowly, but steadily.

Uneventful Week So Far

As the title to this post would suggest, this week has been uneventful.  I have played a few $2.25 large field tournaments, but have not cashed in any of them.  It looks like the 8 PM Pacific time $2.25 tournament averages about 600 players.  I have been close to the money, but just haven't quite made it.  I need to find a way to accumulate more chips early on.  I feel I have been playing pretty well.  It is rare that I put my entire stack in danger.  I have been patient and wait for good spots to get my chips in.  It is just a matter of time before I have a good finish in one of these.  I am consistently getting through most of the field, but keep finishing just outside the money.  Tonight, I finished 71st out of 609 and 63 places are paid.  When it got close to the money I was short stacked and I was trying to find spots where I could steal blinds or double up. On my last hand I was on the button with Q9 of spades.  I moved all in and the BB called with KQ.  A K fell on the flop and my tournament was over.  I will keep at it until I have a strong finish.  First place tonight paid almost $300.  That would be a nice boost to my bankroll experiment.  My bankroll is now at $110.06.