OMG

This is hard to write.  Almost as hard as the month I've had.  How can I describe it?  Without swearing, like this,
Gutting, Demoralising, Frustrating, Confidence killing, Shocking and almost Heartbreaking.

Well, firstly, since my last post (when I thought I was beginning to make headway), I have been sick and while trying to play through it have lost a few days playing.  Now this is not an excuse for not hitting 900 games, OH NO, I hit 900 games and I could have exceeded it - BUT - it did not increase my profit, in fact it is partly to blame for my downward spiral.
The new site I was playing on had plenty of traffic (ongame network) and I settled down to some Double or Nothing Turbos (looking for the easy bankroll building stuff, ha ha)  Well my SS graph can explain it better than me.

It just disgusts me.  I was bobbing along quite nicely playing $11 games, hit my BR target and started including the $22 when deja-vu struck and I went spiralling out of control.  I did not feel like I was playing any differently but things went wrong and still are, that SS graph is today, and I'm playing as I write (Yes, I know probably not the best idea.)  I cannot really explain this as one of my previous SS graph looks exactly the same when I joked it looked like my son had played a few games.  I keep coming back to FOCUS.  Am I just losing FOCUS and sitting in these games, trying to play them quicker so I can make more money.  I just don't know.  I want to have a few days off and get some study in, which usually does re-focus me and I tend to play a lot better - but that is for normal SnG's not Double Thrus.  Plus I know I am way behind my target and am eager to get back on track. 

 

Well now I have shown you a graph and you have seen exactly how much I suck, lets have a look where we are at in relation to the plan.

Total BR stands at about - $3300 but after a few more games I will have my $500 bonus released, so realistically more like $3800.

Firstly from a start of $500, it is certainly not to be sniffed at, BUT I  am missing my targets.  And my rectification plan?

I have signed up to another site which is offering a $1000 bonus, which I think I can execute within the 40 days given to release it.  So if I can break even as a minimum (not planning on that), I can still build the roll.  I will still be playing the DoN's and may dabble with the non-turbos, if the turbos suck for me too much.

 

On the upside, looking toward the WSOP, I have also qualified through this site for a couple of satellites.  On 7th April the top 75 will go through to the final on 10th April where 10 out of 200 will get a $12000 package.  I will also qualify for the May version so a couple of cheap tries for me to get Vegas bound.  WSOP sats are popping up all over the place and it's hard to pick the good quality ones that offer the best chance for the cheapest entry.  ANY GOOD ONES SEEN, PLEASE POST A COMMENT AND LET ME KNOW.

 

I still plan on hitting Vegas whether it is with a smaller BR or going for the Venetian Deepstack as opposed to the WSOP, I don't know, I am pretty fluid at the moment, especially as my hopes are still firmly fixed on qualifying for something with someone.  That sounds pretty desperate, BUT, I AM.

 

If this month goes alright, I will head back to Full Tilt and play SnG's again as I am only $78 off the leaderboard I was aiming for, even without playing there for a while.

 

Another fly in the ointment is the Mrs has decided that we should have a decent holiday this year and is looking at Florida in the 1st 2 weeks of June, just when the sats go into overdrive, BUT she does deserve it and who am I to deny the lady of my life a good time.  (Plus, I love that place, got family and a villa over there, and I cant get enough of Mickey, if i'm honest)  The Mouse cannot beat the lights, sound, smell and feel of Vegas but he does come a close second.  Even with the Hard Rock Casino in Tampa it just cant excite like Vegas can.

 

   OR    

 

 

When the wife, kids, brother, niece, nephew and parents are in Florida and are up against a lot of sweaty poker players in Vegas the only answer I can give you is ...........       ABSOLUTELY BOTH.

 

The staking of players is going a little better with a couple of small profits being floated my way, and I have some promising ones running as well.  I have not had too much time to search for other winning prospects but that has probably saved me money.

 

Well, if there is anything else you want to know about my journey which I have failed to include or you have any valuable advice to offer then please post, here, on the forum or tweet me.  Even if the message is "GIVE IT UP BRO, NO WAY, NO HOW".  I am a big boy, I can take negativity and every so often I may just believe it, and I would like to hear peoples opinions, whatever they are.

 

GL at the tables.

Breaking Even

Well,well,well.  It would appear that things are a changing.  Can it really be after setting my targets and being a profitable player for some time that it can all disappear in a flash.  Can it be when I dissect my game further that, really, at best I am a break even player.  NOT ON YOUR NELLY MATE.  However recent results would suggest that break even is a good description.  Lets have a look at how it's going.

                         

March on Full Tilt

Half way through March - need to be on target for my 900 games - need to be building the BR.
Games 395 - BR $2900.  Now, I know that it sounds a bit bad, and it is, BUT, as a man with a plan, I am on the case.

I guess you could say my plans are evolving in an unexpected manner on an almost weekly basis -
                             
                                                
Let me lay this one out there.  I WILL NOT FAIL!!  I WILL DO WHATEVER IT TAKES!!

So what is my problem and how low will I go to try and correct it.

Firstly since starting my quest I have failed to regularly update and reinforce my knowledge through the training site I use.  Not great but not the sole reason for my failings.

Secondly, I did decide to improve my play by the use of HoldemManager (HEM) in order to track my play and the play of others quicker in order to add the extra tables I was playing.  This has been a major problem.
I downloaded the software and signed up for the trial etc and during this process (being a technical retard) I managed to completely screw up my Pc.  The files were not going to the correct folders and in the end my newish Pc gave up.  It took me over two days to rectify the problem and get the Pc restored back to factory setting and start all over again.  Safe to say HEM is not on my Pc now and will not be until somebody offers to come round my house and set it up for me.  (Essex, UK, if anybody took the hint).  When I did get the computer back online I did the unforgivable and tilted off some of my BR.

Onto the corrections!  I looked hard at the Ironman benefits on Full Tilt and decided it would be more beneficial for me to go bonus whoaring
                                                     
For the uninitiated, that has nothing to do with quitting poker and heading for the red light district.  Instead I headed on-line and searched for the site that was going to offer me the biggest bonuses to start playing on their site.
With a new site found, I registered quickly as I have lost playing days this month already.  The bonuses I will be obtaining look something like this.

Sign up bonus will be $500 for playing an easy amount of games.  I could have gone for a bigger one but was unsure about the traffic on the site.

I will be entered into an exclusive monthly leaderboard as I signed up through raketherake.com.  From previous boards, I should earn between $75 and $140 per month.

A leaderboard for the last two weeks of March should net me another $75 or so.

Furtherstill I have a few freeroller tournaments to play and the offer to seal the deal was a satellite ticket for a tourney where 10 from 200 will win WSOP packages on April 12th.

So even if I do break even for the next 4 - 6 weeks, I should still profit in excess of $700.  Lets hope I dont break even and we get back on track.  After 75 games on the new site I am confident of good profit.

I know bonus whoaring is not the greatest thing to be doing for an aspiring poker player due to the short lived nature of the offers but in these circumstances needs must.

During my web surfing I did notice a good deal which I had just missed at William HILL Poker which was giving away WSOP packages (albeit smaller ones) simply for raking a certain amount (cant remember how much, but it was very dooable).  So disappointed at that but did find some others which may interest me as my satellite hunt steps up.

I am hoping my next blog takes a step in the more positive direction as this and the last were about me failing basically.

Along with 2 days off with no computer and 1 day off to spend with wifey as she was stressed over exams at work, I did manage to squeeze another night off from poker on-line to go play live.  A £100 freezeout at a local festival.  (Just realised thats 4 days off from 16 - better knuckle down)

How did you do live? I hear you ask -  Well I sucked like a fish - Really sucked.
                                   
                                         

I can only put it down to having been playing 10 tables at a time and probably 120 hands every 5 minutes, I was suddenly playing just 1.  I was falling to sleep, bored and found myself playing numerous small pocket pairs from the SB without hitting anything and bluffing at every pot.  The only time I did not stoke the pot seemed to be the two times I did have winning hands.  Oh well lesson learned.  At least one night off before next live action and new additions to the Ipod.

One more live trip to a £55 freezeout, next Sunday but that could be it until Vegas.

Nothing else going on really - I need to focus all my efforts on pulling this around.  On the plus side though, I did realise this week that I have enough air miles with Virgin to pay for my return flight to Vegas, although the dates are limited.

Two of the horses (poker players) I staked turned a profit this week.  Only small but a profit.  While a third one ran off with my money.   He had lost most of it already and only made off with a small amount, thankfully.  Unless I am being heartless and something terrible has happened to him which has meant that he cannot contact me or return my messages then I only wish him bad things for letting poker down.  I am not worried about the money, that will come and go.  But the integrity of poker needs to be kept intact for all those private stakes and private games along with all the prop bet action we are lucky enough to encounter.
If the bloke who has not returned my money is an avid reader, I have sent my nephew with something for you.  I have attached his photo so you know it was me who sent him.

                                             


Thanks for reading, until next time, Good luck at the tables.