March 2007 Low Content Thread

[glass_onion]

So I guess I'm the first one to it this month.

As I sit and think about ways to improve my game and become more profitable, I cant help but think of my last 12 months playing (almost exclusively PLO). Around a year ago I played almost exclusively at Party unless a bonus was out. I made most of my actual profit bonuswhoring from site to site. Didn't even bother with rakeback. I nitted and made my money by volume. Exclusively 9 or 10 person max. Hated the idea of 6 max.

Today I can't even play a full ring table or I want to die of boredom. New legislation has required that I play where the games are - stars, UB, bodog, FT. There aren't any regular bonuses anymore, so I've improved my game dramatically and no longer win on volume. Win rate went from 4bb/100 to 11bb/100 as my stakes went from $50 to mostly $200. I rakeback terrifically on FT.

In short the player I am now is drastically better and different than the player I was last year. The tables are harder, lower VP$P, $/pot, yet I win more. I've adapted to different and harder games.

Makes me wonder what else I could be doing, or will be doing a year from now, to adapt and make more money. And if I'll be doing it in a year, why not make those painful changes now?

[glass_onion]

[Troll_Inc]

I dropped stakes because I pretty much sold off my bankroll. To me the games aren't as juicy and more importantly it doesn't make sense to have any real money online. Something like the Neteller fiasco could happen very easily at one of the poker sites for US players. If you really wanted to you can still get money into the places either via player transfers, check, etc.

I will make my Ali like return once all the dust settles and the US fish get used to loading up again. It will happen eventually, may take a month or two, or maybe 6 months. I would imagine (hope) that when this happens, they're going to be a whole bunch of people itching to play.

Also, I'm somewhat hopeful that PLO is going to be the "next big thing" and will eventually become as popular if not more popular than NL cash games. The online games will be better and I'll have more chance to play live.

[glass_onion]

[ QUOTE ]
I dropped stakes because I pretty much sold off my bankroll. To me the games aren't as juicy and more importantly it doesn't make sense to have any real money online. Something like the Neteller fiasco could happen very easily at one of the poker sites for US players. If you really wanted to you can still get money into the places either via player transfers, check, etc.

I will make my Ali like return once all the dust settles and the US fish get used to loading up again. It will happen eventually, may take a month or two, or maybe 6 months. I would imagine (hope) that when this happens, they're going to be a whole bunch of people itching to play.

Also, I'm somewhat hopeful that PLO is going to be the "next big thing" and will eventually become as popular if not more popular than NL cash games. The online games will be better and I'll have more chance to play live.

[/ QUOTE ]


That's a pretty damn optomistic viewpoint that I hadn't heard expressed. I was certaintly hoping that PLO was going to become the next game, and I saw it happening, but then the legistlation came through and I figured this would kill all poker growth. Perhaps this is a too US centered view, but then again the U.S is a huge portion of the world poker demand.

Just so I can get a more optomistic view, what events could transpire that would result in the 'dust settling' and the US fish flocking back. Everything I'm reading is predicting that FT, stars will go the way of Dolye's Room.

[Troll_Inc]

[ QUOTE ]

Just so I can get a more optomistic view, what events could transpire that would result in the 'dust settling' and the US fish flocking back. Everything I'm reading is predicting that FT, stars will go the way of Dolye's Room.

[/ QUOTE ]

Trying to stop [censored] on the internet from happening is just not possible. I remember putting $100 into a Sportsbook with PayPal. When Paypal was shut down for gambling Neteller took its place. So many options are already popping up, they will just be impossible to shut down all of them.

Also, eventually someone is going to get smart and open a poker only neteller type of deal (maybe the poker sites themselves?). To my knowledge, there has never been any action against anyone doing poker only activities.

After Nov 2006 there just isn't the political will. My read of the situation is that the current legislation won't ever be maximally enforced. The government going to spend its money in Iraq or making sure the ports are safe? or billions of dollars to make sure that people can't move money around on the internet?

As far as NLHE...no poker variant has lasted forever as king. Can you think of a better replacement than PLO?

[cmyr]

So I sat down a few hours ago for my first session of March and dropped $3k at 2-4 in 200 hands.

And then i quit.

The first bit isn't that unusual, but the second bit is... Normally I'd hunker down and make a night out of it, but I'm sort of tired and out of it and i'm just frankly not in the mood.

I'm going to go out for a drink with some friends and then i'm going to get a good night's sleep, and I can make money some other time.

[Troll_Inc]

[ QUOTE ]
Also, I'm somewhat hopeful that PLO is going to be the "next big thing" and will eventually become as popular if not more popular than NL cash games. The online games will be better and I'll have more chance to play live.

[/ QUOTE ]

You guys can all call me Nostratrollmus when PLO does indeed become the "next big thing". It seems like all the sudden there is an influx of NLHE players. This is definitely a sign of things to come!

Pete get your crew rolling with all the advice that gets everyone player more looser and crazy gambol aggro! I can disagree with you guys and then you can point out I'm full of crap and a low stake wannabee. The only thing is that when the games take off, make sure you send me a nice little cut of all that juice.

[glass_onion]

basically a bitch post, but that's what this thread is for, right?

Just cannot get a decent hand to play all week. Its absolutely getting rediculous, over 7k hands my VPSP is down below 22%. I've been a solid 33% player for as long as I can remember, 320k hands on PT. The worst thing is my flops aren't hitting, even a little bit.

I"m starting to look like the nit at the table, which I'm absolutely not, but I am unwilling to push the action. Been taking advantage of fold equity a lot more on the turn, but can't think of much more to do.

I showed a semi bluff reraise all in on a paired board tonight at 1/2 game, which the guy folded to. I showed top pair and Q-flush draw. He replied, 'yeah, so what, am I supposed to be impressed?' I was thinking, 'yep, i wouldn't be.

Anyway, its just tough to pull yourself out when the preflop is so off. I haven't staked anyone in the last 2k hands since i'm just not getting action. . .

[Troll_Inc]

It is definitely a huge plus multitabling when you aren't getting very good hands or flop...it makes it seem not-as-bad.

But if you are just playing 2 or 3 tables and you are card and flop dead, that just plain sucks.

[mixmastermattyk]

Been in the same boat this week, glass onion. About a 8-9 buyin downswing at my usual PLO200. Couldn't get any cards, and when I did, flops wouldn't hit... and when they did hit, opponents hit harder... and when I was ahead, they came from behind... anyways you get the point. Just a nasty-ass week in general. Lost 4 coinflips in a row, which doesn't sound too bad but it's an absolute kick in the nuts and the difference between +$1000 or -$1000.

Thought, [censored] it, and played $400 today which I don't normally do even though I'm close to rolled for it. Anyway, finished up 3 buy-ins on two SWEET tables (think pre-ban fish) and pretty much dug myself out of a whole I'd been digging all week.

On another positive note, it would appear my Party experiment has significant potential. Even though the full-ring tables almost kill me through sheer boredom, the plays some people have been making brings a big smile to my face. The abundance of true fish that I didn't realise still existed is something special (Note: I apologize to all Party players who have one less fish at their tables, and to all the Americans unable to play Party, sorry you are unable to take part - although your absence makes me happy). The best part is they always buy in full (or some random amount which is probably the remaining balance of their account) and rebuy a couple of times before they finally leave. It's gold.