Session 1*

* Sessions getting reset this month to reflect new house/ computer/ hem.

Hands: 891
Net Win: $1881

This session was a bit of a revelation. The revelation, essentially, was that I remembered how I used to so beat up on the samey same regs so successfully. This session I played 31/27 with a 3bet of 15%.... and managed to fuse the monkeyness of my old winning ways with the concentration and attitude of my recent blogging efforts.





I had forgotten just how rewarding it can be to apply unrelenting pressure preflop in the form of 3bets and squeezes.... rewarding because some regs never adjust, and the ones that do are immediately taken out of their comfort zone. The beauty is that they are the ones adjusting to me, and as such I'm the one in control able to take my foot off the gas when needed, and the one who will always be one step ahead in the adjustment game.

After my session found this in the Ub regs thread, lol.

What the above all comes down to is the virtuous circle (not my term), whereby the unrelenting nature of the aggression means I win a million small pots, and also get paid in the big ones that matter. Thus the circle is: win small pots, lose some medium ones, win the big pots.
So, as well as everything else I'm going to be concentrating on applying pressure. This doesn't mean 3bet every hand and triple barrel everything with numbers on it.... it means in a controlled sense, and being aware of the reg's tipping point whereby I have to re-adjust and stay one step ahead.

Some winning hands from today, after I'd established my image... not amazing hands or anything, just designed to show that in each of these spots I make no money if I'm perceived as a nit or even 'standard'.

Hand 1


$2/$4 No Limit Holdem
6 players
Converted at weaktight.com


Stacks:

UTG	VICTUMSEMPRA	($478.70)
UTG+1	Hero	($929.50)
CO	MR_BOBSTUPAK	($1129.00)
BTN	AXISBAL	($555.60)
SB	THEFLOW	($474.70)
BB	TRADEBYDAY	($879.20)

Pre-flop: ($6, 6 players) Hero is UTG+1

1 fold, Hero raises to $14, 1 fold, AXISBAL raises to $48, 2 folds, Hero calls $34

Flop: ($102, 2 players)
Hero bets $38, AXISBAL calls $38

Turn: ($178, 2 players)
Hero bets $110, AXISBAL raises to $469.60, Hero calls $359.60

River: ($1,117.20, 2 players)

Final Pot: $1,117.20
AXISBAL shows:
Hero shows:

Hero wins $1,114.20 ( won +$558.60 )
AXISBAL lost -$555.60



Hand 2


$2/$4 No Limit Holdem
6 players
Converted at weaktight.com


Stacks:

UTG	BASEBALLEARL	($480.80)
UTG+1	THEFLOW	($545.80)
CO	MR_BOBSTUPAK	($425.40)
BTN	BRIGUY1413	($500.00)
SB	IMAYJUSTWIN	($966.60)
BB	Hero	($1128.10)

Pre-flop: ($6, 6 players) Hero is BB

2 folds, MR_BOBSTUPAK raises to $14, 2 folds, Hero raises to $42, MR_BOBSTUPAK calls $28

Flop: ($86, 2 players)
Hero bets $40, MR_BOBSTUPAK calls $40

Turn: ($166, 2 players)
Hero checks, MR_BOBSTUPAK bets $112, Hero raises to $1,046.10, MR_BOBSTUPAK calls $231.40

River: ($1,555.50, 2 players)

Final Pot: $1,555.50
Hero shows:
MR_BOBSTUPAK shows:

Hero wins $1,552 ( won +$423.90 )
MR_BOBSTUPAK lost -$425.40



Hand 3

$2/$4 No Limit Holdem
4 players
Converted at weaktight.com


Stacks:

CO	TODOPAMI	($350.70)
BTN	SCOMBRIDAE	($381.61)
SB	Hero	($915.90)
BB	WINSTON222	($188.00)

Pre-flop: ($6, 4 players) Hero is SB

TODOPAMI raises to $12, SCOMBRIDAE calls $12, Hero raises to $52, 1 fold, TODOPAMI folds, SCOMBRIDAE raises to $381.61, Hero calls $329.61

Flop: ($779.22, 2 players)

Turn: ($779.22, 2 players)

River: ($779.22, 2 players)

Final Pot: $779.22
SCOMBRIDAE shows:
Hero shows:

Hero wins $777.22 ( won +$395.61 )
SCOMBRIDAE lost -$381.61
TODOPAMI lost -$12


Going to play another session now; concentration, timing and applying controlled pressure on my homework list....

Dan

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Been Moving House...

My prediction in an earlier blog that I should get a lot of hands in this month as "not much is happening" kind of forgot that moving house can take longer than a few hours, and sometimes even stretch into days!

My desktop computer went missing in transit, a real total mystery. I grasp that these things happen, but the poker player versed in Bayesian inferences inside of me tells it's strange that the most expensive item in the place is the only thing that gets 'lost'. Hmm.

Well anyway, that means I've lost all my HEM and yearly results. Fwiw, I was on $140k the year and $-1k for the month after having a winning session I didn't have time to blog about. I'm just about settled into new place now so I plan on caning lost of hands in the next 21 days. Quality definitely >>>> quantity though.

So, about to play a session.... concentration and avoiding RE and not paying off the nit = success!

dan

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Session 2

I didn't end up playing another session last night, too tired etc and was doubtful that I was in a +EV state. I'm writing this just before I play my session, just like to collect my thoughts first so I can give it 100%. Just want to re-affirm that I'll be concentrating and timing on all decisions.... results to follow below.

*plays session*

Sigh!

Hands: 537
Net Loss: $2514

Concentration: 8
Preplay Prep: 10
Avoiding RE: 5
Cbetting strategy: 5
Don't Reward The Nit: 5 - I need to start seeing unknowns as nits until I learn otherwise

Regular Timing: 10

What can I say, I felt on top early on, but really it was just a session of making no hands, the odd suckout, some spew, and some horrendous RE calldowns on my part.

The biggest lesson to learn from today is that no matter how much concentration etc, occasionally you'll just find yourself $1500 down or whatever anyway. The trick then is to redouble efforts to play optimally, something I didn't do today when I was similarly stuck and this hand came up.

$2/$4 No Limit Holdem
6 players
Converted at weaktight.com


Stacks:

UTG	ANNETTELOL	($397.00)
UTG+1	PKRPLYR82	($549.00)
CO	MARCLAR3	($539.30)
BTN	Hero	($790.00)
SB	LOHIFUSHI	($148.60)
BB	POKERFACE256	($117.30)

Pre-flop: ($6, 6 players) Hero is BTN

1 fold, PKRPLYR82 raises to $14, 1 fold, Hero raises to $42, 2 folds, PKRPLYR82 raises to $84, Hero calls $42

Flop: ($174, 2 players)
PKRPLYR82 bets $100, Hero raises to $706, PKRPLYR82 calls $365

Turn: ($1,345, 2 players)

River: ($1,345, 2 players)

Final Pot: $1,345
Hero shows:
PKRPLYR82 shows:

Hero wins $241 ( lost -$549 )
PKRPLYR82 wins $1,101 ( won +$552 )



The I regressed into a form of marine life, putting (unknown!) villain on AK in a horrendous RE situation

$2/$4 No Limit Holdem
5 players
Converted at weaktight.com


Stacks:

UTG	RIKERCRYSTAL	($1261.20)
CO	Hero	($894.80)
BTN	ANNETTELOL	($1213.50)
SB	MICHAELEHLY	($528.00)
BB	YEAWHATEVER	($494.00)

Pre-flop: ($6, 5 players) Hero is CO

1 fold, Hero raises to $14, 2 folds, YEAWHATEVER raises to $44, Hero calls $30

Flop: ($90, 2 players)
YEAWHATEVER bets $68, Hero calls $68

Turn: ($226, 2 players)
YEAWHATEVER bets $155, Hero calls $155

River: ($536, 2 players)
YEAWHATEVER bets $227, Hero calls $227

Final Pot: $990
YEAWHATEVER shows:
Hero shows:

YEAWHATEVER wins $986.50 ( won +$492.50 )
Hero lost -$494



Again in this hand villain is just completely unknown, not such a RE spot on the turn but I need to be folding the river vs an unknown. My turn bet I think is fine, the argument being that if I check and call a river bet I've lost the same by betting for protection and value vs overs and 88 etc.

Going to play now, focus on the usual things but it's really important to learn from losing sessions, and in this case my hard earned lessons are:

1) Treat unknown regs as 'nits' (my definition) and don't pay them off.
2) Triple concentration levels and determination to play optimally when a few BIs down.
3) Stop harping on in blogs about avoiding RE spots, and acutally start doing it.

Session 3 review coming right up....

Dan

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Session 1

Hands: 315
Net Win: $1395

Concentration: 10
Preplay Prep: 10
Avoiding RE: 10
Cbetting strategy: 10
Don't Reward The Nit: 10
Regular Timing: 10

Good good session, in all the ways. Concentration/ attitude etc was spot on and thus so was everything else. Made a couple of really non-standard decisions that I usually just sigh at and make the excuse 'standard' when I lose.

One such hand here, now I'll be the first to admit that if I'm folding to a jam here I shouldn't be cold 4betting.... but honestly I can't really explain better than I just knew via *blink*, timing etc that he was super strong. Stronger than QQ in my book.

$2/$4 No Limit Holdem
6 players
Converted at weaktight.com


Stacks:

UTG	MONSTER1095	($626.90)
UTG+1	LOL_TEH_DUMB	($977.30)
CO	JESUS_WALKS	($887.00)
BTN	MR_BOBSTUPAK	($453.00)
SB	STAINLESS9	($2337.20)
BB	Hero	($968.70)

Pre-flop: ($6, 6 players) Hero is BB

3 folds, MR_BOBSTUPAK raises to $14, STAINLESS9 raises to $50, Hero raises to $140, MR_BOBSTUPAK folds, STAINLESS9 raises to $2,337.20, Hero folds

Final Pot: $2,491.20

STAINLESS9 wins $2,491.20 ( won +$154 )
MR_BOBSTUPAK lost -$14
Hero lost -$140


Another hand, a failed unorthodox bluff this. Unorthodox as people rarely bluff via a bet check bet line... everyone knows this which is why I like it in the right spots.

$2/$4 No Limit Holdem
6 players
Converted at weaktight.com


Stacks:

UTG	GINGERKID89	($814.40)
UTG+1	Hero	($802.10)
CO	MR_BOBSTUPAK	($554.00)
BTN	LEMME WIN	($561.75)
SB	STAINLESS9	($673.00)
BB	JARMAGH	($388.00)

Pre-flop: ($12, 6 players) Hero is UTG+1

1 fold, Hero raises to $16, 1 fold, LEMME WIN calls $16, 2 folds

Flop: ($50, 2 players)
Hero bets $25, LEMME WIN calls $25

Turn: ($100, 2 players)
Hero checks, LEMME WIN checks

River: ($100, 2 players)
Hero bets $72, LEMME WIN raises to $204, Hero folds

Final Pot: $376

LEMME WIN wins $367 ( won +$122 )
Hero lost -$113


The two aspects to the hand on the river are 1) his range, 2) my perceived range. From my point of view after he checks the turn he has some middling PP a lot that can't stand too much heat, while I rep K10, T8, JJ, KQ that didn't barrel, AJ I would 100% value bet as well. Meh, he raised, only really seeing K10 here.

Winners-wise, (if you will) this was my biggest, vs a fish. Woo flop:

$2/$4 No Limit Holdem
6 players
Converted at weaktight.com


Stacks:

UTG	GOLFPRO_420	($856.70)
UTG+1	MUSTMOVE	($1278.56)
CO	DEUTSB5	($790.00)
BTN	Hero	($1019.65)
SB	SMELLS_FUNNY	($416.25)
BB	GJAKEY	($897.00)

Pre-flop: ($12, 6 players) Hero is BTN

1 fold, MUSTMOVE raises to $8, DEUTSB5 calls $8, Hero raises to $44, 2 folds, MUSTMOVE calls $36, DEUTSB5 folds

Flop: ($114, 2 players)
MUSTMOVE checks, Hero bets $85, MUSTMOVE calls $85

Turn: ($284, 2 players)
MUSTMOVE checks, Hero bets $220, MUSTMOVE calls $220

River: ($724, 2 players)
MUSTMOVE checks, Hero bets $669.65, MUSTMOVE calls $669.65

Final Pot: $2,063.30
Hero shows:
MUSTMOVE shows:

Hero wins $2,053.80 ( won +$1,035.15 )
MUSTMOVE lost -$1,018.65
DEUTSB5 lost -$8


I blitzed season 1 of the Wire in the last 3 days, about to start season 2. Then session 2 will happen with all the usual blog fanfare afterwards.

dan

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New Month, New Fresh Start

Well what a pickle. I'm right back where I was exactly a month ago, good start to the month followed by lots of spew and run-bad and now I'm stuck $2k.

So, I'm going back to last month's formula. Namely, playing back on grogheadflow SN, short 90 minute sessions followed by session reviews and lessons to be learned.

I'll be graded on the following:

Concentration:
Preplay Prep:
Avoiding RE:
Don't Reward The Nit:
Regular Timing:

It's crazy, but just a few sessions of not grading myself in these areas has meant they've all slipped. Especially the concentration. I've dropped cbetting strategy as that just hasn't been a problem for a while now. Regular timing is what I do when well on top of my game, meaning I time on decisions even when they seem trivial. All that extra thought time while playing adds up.

So, concentration, avoiding RE, and ability to make folds should shellshock some regs expecting to see the ol' grog.

I'm currently raging at myself for allowing my $4k start to the month to the slip, and will be screwing my work head on extremely tight from hear-on.

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August Review

August turned out good in some aspects, meh in others. It's good that I was able to turn around being $2.1k down at the start into what ended up being a $15.1k month. Starting this blog at my lowpoint was the catalyst I think, and even though I'm not going to post session reviews quite as much the attitude that it helped instil in me remains the same, and I'll be super quick to review things when I'm not happy.

The meh in the month comes from being break even the last 8k hands or so, but whatever I guess. It's also way under half my best month ever, so I'm capable of better. Saying that, due to holidays etc I played less than any other month, just 23k hands.

September should be a pretty event-free month and allow me to get in (edit: I hate the word 'grind', makes it sound like a chore when it's not, and in any case if it really is a grind then that's probably the problem with your game) the 50k or so hands I expect it to take me to hit something like $30k again for the month.

Things have started ok anyway, currently $3600 for September. I've been toying with the idea of going back to my AP screenname (grogheadflow duh) that everyone knows, as it seemed kind of counter-intuative to suddenly make my game a much more solid and foldy one only to change screennames and dodge any of the benefit with regards villain's not adjusting. But meh, if I hit a downpatch in September I'll maybe give it a go.

dan

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