The grind that never was..

I'll say it once, and hopefully once only. I have a new-found, incredible, almost unlimited respect for anyone in a position in which they're successfully grinding out the micro-stake cash games online. I hate to admit it, but I don't have the time, nor the patience to play 2c/4c or even 5c/10c. The 10% rake slows down your return and the standard of play is abysmal. I'm sure most people looking to build a bankroll would enjoy that; but my mentality just can't adapt and exploit.. so here ends the challenge. In only my first blog update - I'm sure there's a couple of people that aren't too surprised!

For anyone on my friends list (or indeed anyone that has me tagged!) on PKR, you may have realised that I haven't been that active recently; predominantly because I realised that playing too much poker online can be incredibly detrimental to both my physical and mental health and I'm trying to find the right balance. In the same breath, I recently had two live cash sessions - one playing £1/1 at The Vic, sitting with 100BB's (£100) in which I was 1.5 buy-ins (£150 to the non-poker readers) up after a quick 2.5 hour session. Two hands were the only real significant money spinners for me;

2.5 Hour Session At London Victoria (The Vic), £1/1

The table has been relatively passive. Most players are stacked up around ~£300 so I'm pretty sure I'm looking like fresh fish. My usual game mixes up raising suited connectors, suited one-gappers, most pairs (dependant on position / table dynamic) and obviously all premiums, as well as 73 if it's folded / limped to me, because anyone that's played with me regularly, knows 73 is the nuts. Yes, I'm being serious, I actively play 73. Tonight however, I'm being dealt a series of awful cards in every position. J3o, Q6o, 25s.. you get the idea. Absolutely nothing to work with. I must look like the biggest nit at the table.

I pick up KK in mid position, there's a limp UTG and I raise to £5. Button calls as does the SB. The board isn't awful, Q high with 2 diamonds. What throws me is, the SB throws in £12. I should probably raise in this spot, but I opt to flat, planning to raise any non-diamond / non-board-pairing turn and the button calls behind. Obviously the turn is the Kd. Probably the sickest card in the deck. SB checks, I check as I think I'm always folding to any raise in this spot, and the button checks behind. At this point, if I'm entirely honest, I'm not sure where I was. There's a chance that my hand is good, but I'm certainly dead to any diamond on the river that doesn't pair the board, and there aren't many worse hands calling off a value bet. There's also every chance I could be up against a flush already that was hoping to c/raise. The river lands as a harmless 7, complete brick. No straights got there, but there's three diamonds glaring at my set and the SB is pretty quick to throw in £25.  With approximately £60 in the pot, I don't think I can ever fold in this spot considering how the hand has played out. I make a crying call and the button gives me a quizzical look before folding. The SB flips 67o for a busted straight & a pair, which did surprise me, but obviously I'm pleased top set is good.
- Really don't like how I played the hand, my first mistake was not raising the flop, and I think I can probably bet the turn and release to a raise. If anyone wants to comment, please feel free.

My second hand was purely due to table dynamic; as we were actually out for a friends' birthday, I had two guys hovering by the table waiting to go (and obviously, I had the pleasure of being the designated driver). I'd announced that I was only playing to my button, so took the opportunity to straddle. The table got pretty limp-happy at this point until the aggressive SB raised it up to somewhere in the region of £12. I called, and a competent player two seats to my left called too. The board ran out pretty harmless; 924 rainbow. The SB checked, which means he's either holding a monster, or more likely, his AK / AQ / complete steal just whiffed. As he gave up the betting lead, I fired £24 into the £40 pot and was called by MP1 whilst the SB folded. The turn lands, Ah. At this point, it's either a fantastic card for me, or a terrible card. I think it's a pretty good card to represent given my flat pre and bet on the flop - I likely play a raggy A the same way, as I'm very reluctant to give up a straddle, especially to a single raise. I fire a second bullet of £58 and he looked at my stack of around £80 behind. After tanking for what felt like an hour, he folded a 9 face up and declared "I don't think I could've called the third bullet on the river bar a miracle.. should've raised the flop".
- Needless to say I was relieved but pretty happy with the second barrel in that spot and flipped the bluff face up as I was leaving after three more hands. Again, any reviews welcome.


My second session was an 8 hour stint at The Empire. A good friend (N) of mine that I met through a pub game we ended up running between us agreed to stake me £300 for a 30% return. We discussed the general standard of play etc and he described 80% of the players there as loose, passive and fishy. "Don't overplay AK, they'll call you down with bottom pair"... sound advice from someone that plays there at least twice a week. I had a few hands of interest as detailed below..

8 Hour Session at the Empire, Leicester Square. £1/2


Having played relatively conservatively, I spent the first two and a bit hours with my stack fluctuating slightly. I was never more than £50 up or £20 down. The only hand I'd played was 77 all in pre against AK after he limp / shoved UTG as a short-stack for £50. My stack finally dwindled to £50 under when someone turned a 4-outer gutshot on my set after some action pre; I found a fold and he showed KJ so I was pretty pleased my read was spot on. I topped up £100 on top of my initial £200 making my stack about £250ish when I look down at AA in the C/O.

Unfortunately, my table hadn't been as aggressive and loose as my friend had suggested, after 3 limpers, there was a raise from my direct right to £10. I made it up to £25 and wasn't too surprised when it folded round to the raiser who called considering I was perceived as pretty tight. The flop was almost perfect; AT4 rainbow. It's checked to me HU so I led out for £35 into £60 and villain calls. Turn is harmless, and I lead again for £55 which he calls. I'm currently sat on the nuts with not much on offer in terms of draws so I'm a little bit baffled as to what he's calling me down with here.

The river brings a K - still no flush, and the only straight is QJ although I find it incredibly unlikely he calls two streets with a gutshot and I can't imagine he thinks that if he hits, he's good. I'm pretty certain my hand is good and he checks to me. I think I bet a little too small, £80 into ~£240 and missed value when he called. I tabled AA to the surprise of the table and he mucked two pair.
- I think I can bet around £140-£170 here and still get paid off considering villain was chipped at ~£500 at the start of the hand. Was my bet-sizing off pre / flop / turn and can I build a pot big enough to shove the river here?


So after picking up a big pot and adding £200 to my stack after topping up, I was pretty confident in my game. I lost a fairly significant pot when I 3-bet JcTc on the button after an aggressive Hungarian raised pre and a fairly passive lady called in between. Board came J high and she shoved into the pair of us which we both called. Checked turn and river and he tabled KJ which was disappointing, but I certainly don't mind my 3-bet there with a hand like JTs that plays well post-flop.

A few hands later, I got involved with the Hungarian again as there was a raise to £6 on my BB and I was well and truly priced in. Having hit middle pair with 64, the board showing 962, he bet the flop and I c/raised before leading out on the blank turn, to which he folded 88 face-up. He wasn't best pleased about it and I'm not sure if I gave off a tell or not when scooping the pot, but I'm sure it played into the dynamic of the hand two hands later..

Hungarian raises from LP to £6 and I 3-bet (from the BB) to £21 with QQ. He's the only caller, and the board comes a dry K high. I cbet £34, and he flats. He has a lot of Ks in his range but I think he'd play his hand pretty face-up and raise the flop; if not, I definitely find out on the turn. The turn brings a T, and I fire £65 which again he flats. I'm still pretty sure he's not got a K here and my hand is good - a set is likely raising the turn if not the flop hoping I have a hand like AK. The river is an A and I check. He looks at me pretty exasperated and asks why I'm checking when the A hits and looks incredibly disappointed as he checks behind. I declare Queens and he sheepishly apologises as he turns AQ face up. In response to his question, I told him "Because I valuebet when I'm infront, and check when I'm behind"; we were building quite the dynamic.
- I'm pretty happy with how I played this; I was spot on with my read that his flatting was weakness and knew that I wasn't getting called by any non-A or worse on the river. A little disappointed I walked into an obvious fish that got rewarded with his 7-outs but nevermind. Shook it off pretty quickly.


A few hands later, N has moved to my table. Now, one of our agreements, was that we play on seperate tables. If we run into eachother, as he's staking me, it almost makes no sense to play a big hand with eachother. He either loses profit, or indeed his stake if he stacks me, or he just reduces his own profit. He's about £800 better off (400BBs) when he makes an appearance on my table, two seats to my right.

Hugnarian does his usual from EP and makes it £7 to go. £6 late, £7 early - his standard raise size. N raises it to £21 and I look down at two black Kings. I pump it to £55 hoping the Hungarian has some sort of hand to call with and Friend will get the idea and fold, unless he's sitting on AA, in which case I fully expect him to make it £120+ and I probably find a fold, purely for the situation we're in. So this goes a bit tits-up when Hungarian folds and Friend flats.

The board is pretty kind to me, J75. N checks and I bet £70. He flats. AA does cross my mind here, but knowing he's super aggressive and aware of the situation, I'm thinking he's letting me know. If he's playing his natural game, then I think his flat actually represents strength, or he's got AhXh for a flush draw. The turn is a brick and I fire £125 into the pot, which he calls. I'm honestly stumped at this point, but a 7 falls on the river and he checks. I can't imagine many 7s in his range which he raises with and then calls down two streets given the strength I'm showing so I fire another £150 on the river. He declares "I should ship but I think we're splitting" and calls.. I table my KK a little bit baffled by his remark, and he tables the nuts. 73.
- I think that moment was the closest I've ever been to tilting so I went out for a timely cigarette. My stack had just fallen to £250 after that hand, and I'd been sucked out on, by my own hand, and not even seen it coming. Tad sick. Just a tad.


Coming to an impromptu end to the session, I'm dealt AA and get it in on a Q high flop against a shortie's AJ with a gut-shot K; he misses and it takes my stack up to just over £310.

In the meantime, N gets into a hand with Hungarian, he raises pre and Hungarian calls. The board is AA9 and both check. The turn is a 2; SB bets £30 into £45 and Hungarian ships about £350. N tanks, cuts out the shove from his stack and continues to tank. SB has made it pretty obvious he's folding and N starts talking about his hand.. after tanking for 5 minutes, he calls and Hungarian flips 22 for the boat. I think N held AK, the river didn't help when a 2 landed to give 22 quads. At this point, N tilted. It's a leak in his game and I think if he resolved it, he'd certainly be a prolific and profitable live player as he's clearly capable.

Following this, N raises and UTG (nit) / BB call. The board comes A68r and it's checked. Turn is an A, and again, it's checked. River is a brick and BB bets, UTG flats and N over-ships his remaining stack; which has dwindled significantly since his table transfer. UTG tank-calls and shows A7 for trips and N mucks his hand, later revealed to me as KK.

To top it off..


After he makes a swift exit from the casino, I follow and drop him his 30% profit.. a massive £1 on top of the £300 stake. We get back to my car to be greeted by a £65 parking fine. At 7am I don't think either of us are feeling too humorous, but we get in the car, laugh to ourselves and enjoy a moment in which we realise poker is poker. It comes with swings, variance, mistakes and can be as depressing as it can be elating. It's the nature of the game, and how you handle it plays a significant role in your long-term profitability as a player.

Sorry I've rambled on; hadn't updated this anywhere near as frequently as I had intended, and I sincerely hope you enjoyed the read and leave comments as to the hands played. I still have a lot to learn about the game (don't we all?) and I'm always interested to hear alternative views to my own.

In closing..


I've decided to withdraw my roll from PKR for now. I'll be making deposits dependant on my 'real life' financial situation and playing the mid-stakes MTTs on PKR. Likely the HMS Deepstack on my days off from work, the Atlantis (provided I have a spare $5.50 knocking around in my account) and potentially the Open. Played both the Oktoberfest Main Event #10 and the Sunday Open tonight; I'll post during the week as I'm off work and let you know how I got on. Hopefully I won't ramble on half as long.

Introducing..

Who am I?


Hopefully I answered most of that with my introductory thread in the PKR forum;


I generally go by Rick, Freddie to some and Keeks to few. I'm fine with either of the three in appropriate surroundings.


My poker experience is fairly limited but quickly expanding.. I started playing locally in a PokerTree league, yet having missed most of the first season, it was pretty uneventful. I had an advantage in learning a fair bit about how the guys were playing though and during the second season I either ran good, or obviously did enough reading of poker forums and actually absorbed some info from the hours I spent watching YouTube vids of HSP, WSOP Main Events and various strategy videos. I won 4 weeks on the trot scooping between £60-100 each night from a meager £5 buy-in and I think I've become somewhat hooked since.

For my 21st, I was treated to a trip to Vegas with my brother. Although it's obviously the home of poker players and degenerates alike, we spent a lot of time in various bars and such.. I'd be lying if I said we didn't spend more time either at the roulette wheels or on the tables - mainly in the Stratosphere. Buying into my first live, structured, dealer-dealt $60 tournament, I chopped first for somewhere in the region of $640. I knocked my brother out in third too so I still hold bragging rights. Vegas is genuinely an unforgettable experience and an absolute must for anyone that enjoys their poker far more than they should.

Why the blog?

Predominately because I need to teach myself serious BRM (bankroll management for the non-poker players that have stumbled across this). I started on PKR with a deposit of around the $75 mark playing a mix of 10NL and occasionally 25NL as I can't stand playing the lower limits. I probably deserved to bust my roll, but fortunately my tournament game had improved ten-fold and I managed some solid results across July, August and early September. Notably binking the HMS for $624 and another three final tables; most of the tournaments I'd lotto'd entry into.

http://www.pkr.com/en/community/players/5350090/tournaments/

Yet with Reading 2011 to pay for I made a somewhat huge withdrawal, and continued to play above my limits. It wasn't long before I bust a roll and had to redeposit £75. It's a sick feeling having to deposit after having won $2,500 in a month, but maybe it was a blessing in disguise. Bankroll management isn't to be dismissed, and that's what this challenge entails.

So, with a roll of a mere $50, I'll be grinding out 4NL (moistly full-ring) until I'm comfortably sitting on 20BI's for 10NL. Still a fairly high-risk strategy, but I'd like to believe it's realistic and certainly achievable. Unfortunately, it also means it limits me posting graphs / HH's until I manage enough to purchase HEM (Hold'Em Manager), so watch this space.