February 2008 stats

Here are my stats for this month, February 2008

Sessions

Cash - 5 sessions +$18.13
STT - 6 sessions -$6.00
MTT - 2 sessions +$100

Profit / loss +$112.13

So a much better month than January but totally skewed by the $90 mtt cash and I'm not naive enough to think that I'm gonna have decent cashes like that every month! I still only played 13 sessions and I think this is gonna be pretty much the norm for the foreseeable future. I'm not gonna take too much notice of any profit/loss over so few sessions as its so affected by variance but that's 2 months in a row that I've made a small loss on the stts but as long as I get my money in when ahead like I have been doing I can see the profit continuing!

Overall for the challenge as a whole the stats look like this:

Cash
27 sessions
Profit/loss +$36.85
ROI 38.26%

STT
42 sessions
Profit / loss +$81.45
In the money 61.9%
ROI 62.87%

MTT
9 sessions
Profit / loss +$111
In the money 77.78%
ROI 917.36% (LOL)

The challenge bankroll is now a healthy $245.60

Return of the super deep stack stts!

I was gonna play another $5 stt on laddies this afternoon so was really pleased to see that they had re-instated the super deep stack stts! The format was still 5k chips but 8 handed with 20 hand levels with top 3 paid $20, $12 and $8. So still pretty good and it turned out that each level lasted about 15 mins so well done Ladbrokes! I'd like to think it was something to do with my emails asking them to re-instate them......

Anyhow it was a successful return to the money when I finished 2nd for $12.

In this structure you can afford to see a few flops relatively cheaply and hope to hit a monster. In level 1 I had 22 and , called for 40 with 2 others. The flop came QJ2 with 2 hearts which was what I was hoping for apart from the flush draw and I raised a 200 bet to 563. I was re-raised to 763 and so i re-raised all in. The short stack called for his last 1.6k with KQh so he had middle pair and a flush draw. This time my set held and I was up to 8.1k.

My luck continued with sets and I won 1.8k after checking in the big blind with T5 and hitting a TT2 flop which again gave a flush draw. Once again the flush never came and I won 1.8k. Things were going well!

I thought things were gonna turn bad when I folded K8 and K5 in early position pre-flop and watched in horror as I would have flopped a full house each time and won a shed load of chips! lol Still I guess pre-flop it was the right decision as I will lose more in the long run calling with rubbish than I would win.

I didn't pick up any cards for ages and was very passive as there was big chip leader with 15k who was min raising every single hand. When he did show down he had 92 or 83 but it just wasn't worth taking him on with rubbish ans there was no need as the blinds were still only 50/100 and I had 9k. It was just a case of sitting tight as i was in 2nd/3rd and waiting to pick up a big hand to take him on. In level 6 it duly arrived and i raised with QQ in the big blind to 2.4k. Of course the chip leader called and the flop came T64 with 2 diamonds giving another flush draw! I checked and then re-raised the chip leader all in. Of course he called for 4k with a flush draw which he missed and I was up to 12k.

In level 7 I picked up JJ and raised the chip leaders pre-flop bet to 1.2k which he unfailingly had to call. The flop came AQJ with 3 spades giving me a set but I didn't like it one bit! He led out for 750 and I called. The turn was 9 spades which was a horrible card for me. He bet out 2.7k and I had to fold. Weak or sensible play? I guess I had outs if the board paired even if he did have a flush but I would have been seriously short stacked and we were on the bubble so I bottled it I guess! lol.

The bubble came and went and the chip leader ended up donking his 30k chips off, unfortunately not to me and heads up I was a 5-1 chip dog. I didn't get a hand and the other guy played very aggressively raising almost every hand as he knew I could not call with rubbish like 64, 92, J3. I managed to doubled up with 99 to about 5k and had a little run of cards where i was aggressive and re-raised him and got back to 7k. In the end we got them all in with A9 and he had KK and that was that.

I played another stt this evening and went out to a bad beat. I never really got going as I just didn't get any cards but was at around 6k after winning 1.8k with top pair of Q. I won a few small pots with AK but my 2x big blind raise with AA was folded round grrr. I was on around 6k with 5 players left and I had KK in the big blind. The loose chip leader raised to 600 and I re-raised to 1.5k, he re-re-raised me all in for 10k and I called. I think that it was piss poor play when he showed TT but of course he was rewarded with a T on the river grrrr!

Do people not pay attention when playing online? Don't answer that because we know they don't! I mean what did he think I would re-raise the chip leader with? 99? Jesus Christ! Well lets just hope that everyone at this level plays as badly as that!

Anyway its good to see a decent structure STT available again. OK the cash isn't as good as its only 8 handed but I reckon that I will cash in these more often than not given the poor standard of play on display today..... but time will tell!

The challenge bankroll is now $245.60

January 2008 stats

I've been meaning to post a record of my stats each month broken down by cash and tourney (stt/mtt) this year but forgot to do this in January and as I only played 7 sessions it seemed a bit point less but it ony takes a few mins using pokerdonminator software so here goes

January 2008

Sessions

Cash - 2 sessions +$10.23
STT - 5 sessions -$6.75
MTT - n/a
Profit / loss +$3.48

So a whoppingly successful month lol but not surprising given that I barely played! February is looking much better provided I dont donk it all off in the next 3 days!

Flushed away!

Another $5 high stack STT today and I busted in 8th. I had no cards until level 3 when a pre-flop raise of 300 with AK took the blinds. The next decent hand was my last and it was AK again. I raised 300 pre-flop and got 2 callers. The flop came K73 all hearts. The under the gun caller bet out 475 and I re-raised all in for 2.2k as I needed to start getting busy. He called for almost all his stack with K and J hearts and of course the river gave him his flush with the 2 hearts.

At first I thought that this was a typical crappy fish call with a flush draw but thinking about it now, he did have top pair as well. Should I have pushed with top pair on that board without a flush draw? I put the hands into a hand calculator and after the flop I was a 53% favourite so a little better than a coin flip and then a 72% favourite after the turn. So statistically it was the right play...! I'm not sure if I was him that I would have called for over 1/2 of my stack with his cards after being re-raised when he was no where near pot committed......he did and he got lucky but he did bust in 3rd chasing another flush draw though lol

So I've played 4 $5 stts now and have only cashed in one which is a bit disappointing but still early days and with a bit of luck would probably have won 1 and cashed in another.

Challenge bankroll is now $244.60

Nice tourney cash!

Just had a nice cash for $90 in the Gala Poker $1000 new player freeroll! 109 players with 1.5k starting stack and a 15 minute clock with top 10 paid - so not a bad pay day for the top few places.

I had my usual slow start with nothing until level 3 when I flopped a set with JT in the big blind and was paid off after I check-called the flop and then re-raised all in on the K turn - he had AK and I doubled up. I didn't get many cards after QQ in level 4 when I hit a set on the flop but no one else had anything and all folded to my river bet.

It was then a case of grinding away and waiting for a hand to raise with. I picked up QQ, KK but never really got paid off big. I then got unlucky and then lucky with TT in the big blind. I called a short stacks 2k all in. It was a good call as he had A6. The A on the flop would have taken me back to 2.5k but the T on the turn and the river A gave me a full house and I won 4k. Raising 2k with AK under the gun brought me 4.6k on a checked down 66663! board.

I was in the top 20 for ages and then up to 7th/8th as we gradually moved towards the money. Unfortunately when we were down to 2 tables I was on the table with the 4 chip leaders whilst the other table had all the short stacks which was not a great situation as each time I pushed to steal the blinds it was a risk as they all could knock me out if I ran into a monster. I managed to get some breathing space and up to 10k when one of my pushes with QT in the small blind was called by 44 but a Q on the flop was a welcome sight!

The last few players and then the bubble took an age but it finally burst and I was on the final table in 9th. I hung around but was in a tough spot as I had about 10k and was stuck between the 2 chip leaders with c. 40k each. I was just waiting for a hand to shove all in with and gradually crept up the money as other short stacks pushed and were taken out by the big stacks. I bet 6k pre-flop with KK hoping for a caller and was pleased to see the chip leader put me all in with his TT. He didn't suck out and I won 22k and was in with a chance. As I now had a stack to play with I could be more aggressive and raise pre-flop but still have enough to fold if re-raised. I picked up TT, AK, AJ and won the blinds only with 3x big blind raises.

I was then was card dead when there were 6 left and was the short stack with 4 left. I had about 10k and called an all in with 55 hoping to be up against 2 over cards at best but the 99 held up and I was out in 4th for $90.

I was pleased with the cash and also the way I played as I was patient and only got lucky once really. My big cards held up which is what you need to go deep in any tourney and I was pleased that I was aggressive at the right times and didn't make any real bad plays...well i thought so anyway!


Challenge bankroll is now $250.10...woo hoo!

22 February - 2 more STTs

The first deep stack I played tonight I busted out 5th. I had nothing all game but its always fun to watch a big stack donk them all off in 3 hands which is what the guy who had a 12k stack after the first 2 levels did!
The only hands of note for me were when i raised 3x big blind with AK to 600. I got 2 callers and the flop came 3 spades on the flop. I checked and then the chip leader went all in for 7k and with no flush draw it was an easy fold. The last hand was with 77 in the big blind and with 2 limpers I pushed for 1.2k, hoping to take the blinds. Unfortunately under the gun had limped with AA (which is such a dangerous play). Unluckily for me I didn't suck out and that was that! So not a great start to the $5 level lol

I decided to play another stt at about 11.00pm and pleased to say I came 2nd for $15 after 90 mins but with a bit of luck it would have been first - it was an absolutely crazy game at the end heads up with the huge blinds!

I decided this time that in my previous game I had been calling with marginal hands like small pocket pairs and suited connectors far too much and was unnecessarily leaking chips so decided to be a rock in the early levels unless I got a monster. I got nothing until level 3 with AK in the cut off . I raised to 200 and there was 1 caller and a 343 flop. i called the 150 bet. The turn brought a K and i re-raised his 775 bet all in to 2.3k. He called with K7 and i was up to 5.3k.

I then had no hands which I played for ages but the rubbish I folded hit the flop big time twice in a row. The next hand I would also have flopped 2 pair as well!


I thought 'here we go, bloody typical!' lol

I got a few walks in the blinds as they got bigger and it wasn't until level 7 when I got another decent hand - 56 in the big blind and it was checked to me and the flop came 552. I flat called a 200 bet and bet out 200 on the K turn hoping he had a K. I got one caller and the river 2 gave me a boat and I picked up 1.8k as my 300 bet was called.

The bubble arrived in level 9 and there were 3 of us who were within 1k of each other and one big chip leader with double what we had. It was very much a raise and all fold situation. I pushed all in from the small blind with AJ and was pleased to get a call from QT. For a change the 875A6 was no help to my opponent and I doubled up to 6.6k. All 3 of the smaller stacks were up and down all over the place as the blinds bit into our stacks. My shoves with AK and AT from the small blind bought me much need chips form the blinds and a looser push with K8 all in was called by K7 and I was up to 7k.

The only option now was to push all in as even a 2x big blind raise was half of our stacks and so we would all be pot committed. Pushes with a wider range of hands and hope that no one had a monster was the order of the day to avoid being blinded out - no real skill anymore - and i got walks with T6, QQ and A9 and won blinds when they were at 800/1.6k.

The bubble finally burst at the 800/1.6k level and I only had 6k left. A couple of hands later it looked like I would finish 3rd as I had 2.7k vs 13k and 14k. However, I tripled up when I hit top pair with K7 and then when I took the next 2 hands I was chip leader!

Heads up was just crazy! The blinds were 1k/2k and I was a 3-1 chip dog. I pushed with J4 and hit 2 pair to beat AT and then my 99 hit a full house and I was now a 27k to 3k chip leader and looking odds on to take the win with blinds at 1.5k/3k. However, he won the next 3 hands in a row from behind lol and went from 3k to 24k and left me shaking my head. The first hand I was in the small blind and he was big blind with just 120 left. I pushed with 72 for the extra 1.5k which was an automatic play with any 2 cards hoping to finish him off as soon as possible. I probably would have 2 live cards at worst - unbelievably he only had 63 but hit a 3. Strike 1 and he's up to 6k. Next hand he pushed with 65 and I called with Q6 to have him dominated and he hit a 5. Strike 2 and he's at 12k. Next hand he pushed with Q6 and I call with A7 and yes he hits 2 pair on the turn! Strike 3 and he has 27k and i have 3 k lol!

I managed to get back to 11k but on the last hand I called his all in with K6 and his A9 was ahead and the A93 flop sealed the deal.

Heads up was pretty much a lottery as there was no room for raising and folding give the stack sizes and blinds and whoever got the luckiest won. Fair play to him though it was a very good game and just a shame the blinds go up so quickly!

Challenge bankroll is $160.10

Laddiesforum $1000 freeroll

I played a $1000 freeroll last night on Betfred. It was supposed to be for forum members only but there were a load of people who it seemed had just joined the forum to get the password which was a bit annoying. There was even one freeloader whose first ever post on the forum was today asking when the next one was - cheeky fecker!

Anyway thanks to BetFred for putting in the $1k prize pool and for it having an excellent structure - 2k starting chips and 20 minute blinds, 222 players with top 30 paid.

It took me forever to get going, not helped by being sucked out on by AJ when I had AQ....how did I know the river was gonna bring a 9 to give him his straight. As soon as the turn came I knew it was gonna happen! I pushed all in a couple of times with small pocket pairs and just before the end of the 2nd hour I was back up to my starting stack of 2k. Talk about grinding!

I then went back down to 900 when I pushed with 77 and got called by AT and AK with the river bringing the A. Thankfully it was against 2 shorter stacks. I then doubled up with 44 vs QQ when all in and then again when I pushed with 97 in the big blind when the flop came 976 with 2 hearts. A heart came on the river to give my opponent his flush but it also filled my boat and I doubled up to 3.6k. Another (lucky) double up with KQ when I flopped 2 pair to beat JJ - it was a scary 3 hearts on the flop though as he had the Jh but my 2 pair held and I was now into the top 30.

I then doubled up again when I raised with KK and chikadee re-raised me all in. It was an insta-call and she showed ATh. The board came 57K86 and i was now up to 12k and in the top 15. Unfortunately I then went completely card dead and once in the money I pretty much dribbled away, managing to steal the blinds a few times with rubbish such as A5, KJ when it was folded round to me in position. This kept me alive but I never threatened to double up to be in a position to make the final table.

I made the top 20 and pushed with QJ with impeccably bad timing as I was called by AA lol. I had a few chips left but that was it for me.

Anyway I finished 20th and cashed for $10 and it was a good game and nice to see a 'proper' forum member, Gaffer win the whole thing for $270.


The challenge bankroll is now $156.10