My solution to average play and inspiration to the newest of players

[googleit123]

I got back from playing $4/$8k at a local casino. Great game, loose game just was too tired to continue. On the way home I realized that making consistent money in poker is difficult but at the same time there are LOTS of mistakes being made in a typical low limit game. I also noticed that a lot of players are there to drop a few racks and leave. Chasing one and two outers, donking off their stack with weak holdings, over calling raises and on top of all that DRINKING! Yikes!!!

I was thinking why in the world after 12k hands on Stars am I only a marginal winner. (.33BB/100) I have read SSHE and TOP but I think I am misapplying some concepts. I noticed that my VPIP numbers at the Stars .10c had decreased 8.3% and my overall win versus .25c had quadrupled.

I am taking time off to get a LOT of study in. For the first week I am not doing anything poker related. Clear my mind, workout, read management books, drink, party, everything but poker. [TIME OFF = EV+] When I come back I will STUDY my a$$ off. Analyzing any significant winning or losing hands from PokerTracker (PT), calculating odds with PokerStove. Areas of improvement are navigating AK on the flop and beyond, what to do with pocket pairs when an overcard come, playing marginal hands in raised pots when I cold call, turn play and river play. My preflop game is pretty solid. I rarely overcall raises, am starting to play more hands in late position, routinely fold small pocket pairs UTG (tight game strategy).

Books I am going to re-read are:
1) Small Stakes Hold Em
2) Theory of Poker
3) Hold Em for Advanced Players
4) Weighing the Odds by King Yao
5) Poker Essays 1
6) Poker Essays 2
7) Poker Essays 3
8) Winning in Tough Hold Em Games
9) Harrington on Hold Em (Early Stages)
10) Harrington on Hold Em (End Game)
11) Harrington on Hold Em (Workbook)
12) No Limit Hold Em Theory and Practice

I plan on posting hands, discussing strategy and participating in other posts. I will commit 4 hours a day to study and resolving hand issues from PT, two hours before work and 2 hours after work.

When I return in a few weeks or a few months I will start at .5c/.10c, on a $325BR and win 100BB at each micro level. When I advance to the low limits, winning 200BB at each level will be the goal. I will play in SNGs a few times a week.

I am going to treat poker as a part time job only. I realized that I will NEVER play poker exclusively as a full time job. If I can get THAT good at poker I can probably make more money doing something else. Luck is too great a factor, variance can ruin even the bestest of players and there will always be someone or somegame better than me or you.

Drawing LIVE is always betting than drawing DEAD!

[ph2133868789]

"I got back from playing $4/$8k at a local casino."

Man that's steep! (kidding, it obviously means kill)

I'm in just about the exact same boat. I tear up $3/$6k - $5/10k here, but never been able to do much impressive online. I'm going to give it an honest try @ .05/.10 NL 6 max with a BR of $600 (for the max bonus). I plan at staying there for a while to plug leaks. Maybe we could chat it up. Are you playing limit or NL? I'm starting May 12th.

I'm playing around 25/11 right now according to my initial stats.

[whickerda]

[ QUOTE ]
I'm in just about the exact same boat. I tear up $3/$6k - $5/10k here, but never been able to do much impressive online. I'm going to give it an honest try @ .05/.10 NL 6 max with a BR of $600 (for the max bonus). I plan at staying there for a while to plug leaks.

[/ QUOTE ]

Same here. The live games that I play in are like taking candy from babies. Online is much tougher for me. It's so convenient though that I'm determined to stick it out and continually work on my game. The 2+2 forums are going to be a big part of my plan.

[googleit123]

I'm around 18/9 right now. Probably about average. I am definately gonna take up NL as well when I return from my studies as I hear many "fish" reside there.

In the mean time, ONE day into my so called "Poker Vacation" I've read two chapters out of my management book and am about to post (this evening) on the Health & Fitness thread. I am going to start working out 3 days a week and eating a lot healthier...EV+ ya know...

We can chat sometime..probably next week...

Google

[ph2133868789]

With a larger sample I'm at 21/13 ... I think my stats were a little funky before because I was in a few games with maniacs playing "catch a hand and stack em"

I guess I need a lot more hands to know for sure.

What's a reasonable number of hands for these stats?

[googleit123]

[ QUOTE ]
With a larger sample I'm at 21/13 ... I think my stats were a little funky before because I was in a few games with maniacs playing "catch a hand and stack em"

I guess I need a lot more hands to know for sure.

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[/ QUOTE ]

A good baseline for stats is 10,000, although I think 100,000 is better to merge your stats.