What a difference a week makes...

Raising Pots

Ok, ok so I know last week I came here waxing lyrical about how I was going to play $1 MTTs and give cash games a rest. Well I did, it's true...however the lure of cash games was too much. I'm a cash game player at heart and though I love the MTTs cash games are where it's at...it being money! So after seeing how paltry the rakeback was that earned despite playing 112 tournaments in one week I decided to get back to cash games, prompted in no small part by main man Pokerpoopy (good luck with the world record attempt mate!). So, I hit the cash game tables and decided to, once again, up the number of tables. I now play 12 tables of $5NL. My dedication to the game right now is strong, really strong. I want to improve and really start to see some results so yesterday I sat down and really trawled through my database, which now contains ~152,000 hands, to plug some leaks in my game. Now, I have no doubts that there are many but I decided to focus on a few that seem to be costing me and see if I can plug those. So I have made a list of 5 leaks, noted how much these were costing me and have decided on a course of remediation to see if I can successfully plug them over February. I have made a note in my diary (I don't have a filofax at the moment) to review on 1st March.

So, how did this week go? As mentioned I played both cash and a few MTTs and on the whole I think it went Ok, a few swingy sessions on the cash table where I ran hugely below EV but these downswings do occur. So let's see the tale of the tape (tournaments first then cash):

(tournaments)

Tournaments played: 28

ITM: 7.14%

ROI: -27.27

Average finish: 41.44

Net won: -$8.10

(cash)

Hands: 17,465

Hours: 26.88

BB/100: 0.07

$/hour: $0.01

Total winnings: $1.28

Total rakeback: $8.70

Total for the week: $1.88

Well, as you can see a pretty paltry profit for the week but, as stated, I ran massively under EV this week and should be up ~$35. Well, you can't go broke making a profit. Bring on February.

Should be down at the Fox Poker Club in London tomorrow at 2pm to play their £25 freezeout tournament for the second time. Will let you know how it goes next week!

Lifting Weights

A week on from sitting and aching from a good session and I'm still here, though not aching, but that's to be expected. It's still frustrating not being able to work as hard as I used to but, again, that's to be expected and I'll get there in the end. Good things come to those who wait...and work hard....and I'm doing both so I should expect good things...right?

So, just to let my lovely readers know that I'm not here next week, heading back to my beloved Cornwall for some rest and recuperation and some quality time so won't be able to blog on Sunday. I may, if I'm clever enough, schedule one to post in my absence with details of what I have managed to achieve before going home.

Love to you all...

Here I go again...on my own.

Raising Pots

Hey faithful readers! So my first proper blog of 2011! Happy New Year to you all...I still can't believe it's 2011 and I haven't seen some of my (much, much loved) readers. Hey ho...I will soon, I'm sure and I can't wait!

Anyway, so how's the poker been Pokerlifter? Up and down in truth. I have given cash games a bit of a rest for the moment as I have started to play some 45 man $1 sit 'n' go tournaments. The reason for this? Well, I think they're pretty soft and beatable to a decent ROI plus, right now, they're just a bit different and I need something different so I figured, why not? I've enjoyed the change - sure the fact that targeting the fish is a lot harder as one bad suck out and you're on the rail is difficult to deal with whereas with a cash game you just reload and hunt them down! That said I've found that I can run pretty deep in these and cash a fair amount of the time with a pretty solid ABC strategy for MTTs. So the tale of the tape looks like this (different format for tournaments):

Tournaments played: 112

ITM: 13.91%

ROI: 15.85

Average finish: 23.53

Net won: $19.70

Rakeback: $1.37

Total for the week: $21.07

So not a bad week. So my plan initially for January is to finish with the following stats:

ROI: 12%

ITM: 20%

Realistic I think and potentially a little light but if I can hit that for Jan then I'll be very happy.

One other exciting thing that happened (admittedly last week but whatever) is I played my first ever live tournament at the Fox Poker Club in London. Was very excited, and a little nervous, but had a day off from work so thought I'd go for it. It was the £25+5 Bounty Tournament. There were approximately 45 entrants and dear old Pokerlifter finished in....6th place!! Regrettably one off the money but for my first attempt at live poker I was very pleased. I plan to play the same tournament at 2pm on 31st January so come and rail me!!

Lifting Weights

Ouch, that hurts! Thank Goodness!! Yep, I lifted some weights this week and boy can I feel it. Have been really down recently and feeling so very lost so the gym has been far from my mind but the week I thought, come on, it's time to get the endorphins flowing and start pumping those weights. I'm feeling really out of shape at the moment and not happy with my overall level of fitness so it felt good to make those first steps back at the gym even if it did feel like I was starting from scratch. It's kind of depressing when you can't do as much as used to but it will come back soon enough, I just got to keep plugging away - I need to be physically and mentally strong over the coming weeks. The poker will keep my mind sharp and the lifting will keep my body sharp. It's gonna be worth it in the end...so, very, very worth it. Motivation for the future is high, the future for Pokerlifter is bright even if the short term prognosis isn't. Out of 10? 10. No 5 out of 10s here! Come on Dunkey, drag the bar up to 10/10....

One Lonely Dunkey I Be...

Raising Pots

Hey readers!!! Wow, I've been away for a long time. I haven't been anywhere and I've been grinding like a demon still but what with Christmas/New Year etc I just haven't had time to blog. This post isn't going to be a full post I'm afraid just one to say that I'm still alive and haven't forgotten about you...I'm extremely busy and distracted right now 'shuffling my cards' but will get some solid action in soon and post a proper update. Just thinking.

Lifting Weights

Haven't gymmed once yet in 2011...am working earlies at the day job this week so hope to put a few hours in!!

*PS anyone get the song reference in the post title?