VPP COUNT: 834371
I moved down to 100NL for a short period of time, just because of how awful the table selection always was at 200NL. Though I ran a bit better at 100NL, it just did not give as many vpps/hand as I need to be able to finish this thing. Back to 200NL it is for me.
I was extremely happy with my play today, and hope I can keep it up. My spirits are still fairly high even though I run so bad.
I've also discovered these "Double or Nothing" tournaments, which are barely even poker. They're a pretty good way for me to boost the number of VPPs I bring in, and can be done much more casually than FRNL. Essentially, they're just elaborate coin flips (with an edge of course), but they bring in some OK vpps.
This will also be a nice backup option if FRNL just gets too unbearably tight. The 52$ buyin DoNs arent high enough, but the 104$ ones could turn into a pretty significant VPP rate. Not sure if it's a good idea yet, but it is nice to have a backup plan....besides shortstacking that is.
I'll be getting in a whole bunch of hours today, and hopefully tomorrow as well, because I'll be gone most of Saturday.
Closer and closer every day...
Thursday, November 13, 2008
Wednesday, November 05, 2008
SNE Quest - Nov 5: Slow and steady
VPP COUNT: 812784
I'm feeling fairly overwhelmed this week, but still steadily getting in those sessions.
Between Thanksgiving, Christmas, and a few other days that have already been taken off, i've got probably 50 working days ahead of me. Not much time to relax.
Less than 2 months to go and its over!!
I am really wanting to devote more time to MTTs and other games after this all is over. I think MTTs are much softer, and will stay much softer than FRNL. I'll probably need to mix FRNL games into my schedule, but more MTTs will be good to mix things up.
I'm feeling fairly overwhelmed this week, but still steadily getting in those sessions.
Between Thanksgiving, Christmas, and a few other days that have already been taken off, i've got probably 50 working days ahead of me. Not much time to relax.
Less than 2 months to go and its over!!
I am really wanting to devote more time to MTTs and other games after this all is over. I think MTTs are much softer, and will stay much softer than FRNL. I'll probably need to mix FRNL games into my schedule, but more MTTs will be good to mix things up.
Monday, November 03, 2008
SNE Quest - 800k MILESTONE
VPP COUNT: 800025
Just a short update while I get started on a session.
I've gone back to playing only 200NL tables, as the table selection and swings at the higher stakes have been terrible for me.
Also, I'm beginning to work on my videos for Cardrunners.com, where I'll be contributing in the near future! I'll be doing a series on multitabling. I'm very excited! This was the "big news" I mentioned in an earlier post.
Haven't had time to do the Galapagos TR yet, my plate is pretty full. It is on the way though!
Back to the grind!
Just a short update while I get started on a session.
I've gone back to playing only 200NL tables, as the table selection and swings at the higher stakes have been terrible for me.
Also, I'm beginning to work on my videos for Cardrunners.com, where I'll be contributing in the near future! I'll be doing a series on multitabling. I'm very excited! This was the "big news" I mentioned in an earlier post.
Haven't had time to do the Galapagos TR yet, my plate is pretty full. It is on the way though!
Back to the grind!
Wednesday, October 29, 2008
SNE Quest - Oct 29: October blows
VPP COUNT: 783892
Just a short update as I am starting a session.
I have been breaking even for most of October. It really has been rough. I've still been getting in the time though, and as of yesterday have broken 100k vpps earned this month. So even with my awful run at the tables, I'm up significantly in bonuses.
So hopefully I can finish these last few days strong, but either way I'll just keep grinding out those points.
Just a short update as I am starting a session.
I have been breaking even for most of October. It really has been rough. I've still been getting in the time though, and as of yesterday have broken 100k vpps earned this month. So even with my awful run at the tables, I'm up significantly in bonuses.
So hopefully I can finish these last few days strong, but either way I'll just keep grinding out those points.
Thursday, October 23, 2008
Ecuador & Galapagos Part I
The trip to Ecuador went very smoothly. Mary and I have recently discovered the secret to being comfortable while traveling. Beer. Going through an airport sucks. Waiting in an airport sucks. Being on a plane pretty much sucks. Beer makes all of these things much more awesome. We tried some "Sweet Water 420" while we were waiting in the Atlanta airport for about five hours. It made the time fly by.
(I like this picture because you can see Mary and I in the reflections)
Ecuador was a culture shock. We had a honeymoon suite at the Cafe Cultura in Quito. It was a very nice room, but not by American standards at all. The water was very unreliable, and during certain times of the day you could not get running water. Heating was also a bit of an issue, but it was the colder season. Very few people spoke English, so we were forced to learn and try Spanish - and I think we did a pretty damn good job of it.
What Cafe Cultura lacked in American amenities, they made up for in quality. Their service was amazing, and the food was even better. Every morning we had fresh squeezed blackberry juice, coffee with hand whipped sweet cream, water with mint/lemon, and that was just the beverages. Despite the amazing food, the altitude must have been doing something to mess with our stomachs, because we could barely finish our meals.
The markets were somewhat disappointing. It was pretty much the same 5 or 6 stores over and over, and 90% of the things you saw for sale were extremely mass-produced. This may be because we visited during the down season. We did find a few gems, and were able to find gifts for most of our relatives.
On our 3rd day, which was a Sunday, we visited "Old Town" in Quito. Ecuador is a very Catholic nation, and their mass was in progress while we were visiting. There were quite a few bands playing, and people in the street, so we definitely picked the right day to visit. The markets there were...more of the same. We did get to eat in a nice little place in the center square, where we had some Pilsener. (Ecuador's beer brand)
After staying 3 nights at Cafe Cultura, and basically being forced to immerse ourselves, our trip got easier. We met our guide, Roberto, who took us through Ecuador for 2 days before we left for Galapagos. We stayed at the JW Marriott the night before.
The Marriott was awesome. They upgraded us to a honeymoon suite, which included access to the executive lounge. The executive lounge meant free food, and 1 free drink! Very awesome. We also got to see a little Ecuadorian TV. Like most TV...nothin' special.
Our first day with Roberto was a long drive towards Otavalo, the "Largest indigenous street market in the world!!". One of our stops was Cayambe, a small town that is known for their "biscochos". The biscochos are basically buttery biscuits that you generally eat with cheese. Mary and I each had some, and were incredibly sleepy during the remainder of the car ride.
At one point, Roberto had mentioned that eucalyptus is used in the biscochos. I knew that eucalyptus had a narcotic effect, so I asked if that effect stayed in the biscochos. Apparently in that town, they also have saunas where eucalyptus is used as well, and it is supposed to "enhance your relaxation". I'm pretty sure we had an experience with a true opiate of the masses!
We stayed in Hacienda Pinsaqui, outside of Otavalo. It was a lavish, hidden Hacienda, which was almost empty because it was the off-season. As soon as we arrived, a band started playing just for us, people came and took our bags, etc. We are not used to that kind of treatment, so it was just a little awkward. The room was a bit more modern than Cafe Cultura, and had a sweet wood-burning fireplace. That night, the band played for the handful of guests at the bar. They served us tea, and some sweet liquor that I've never had before. It was a good stay.
Otavalo market was pretty disappointing. Sure, it was the off-season, but they were selling all of the same mass-produced stuff that the other markets were. Almost nothing was unique to Otavalo at all. Oh well.
After Otavalo, we started our trip back to Quito. We stopped in the national park, and walked down a little hiking trail next to "Guinea Pig Lake". Apparently they eat guinea pigs in Ecuador. The scenery was beautiful - a lake at the base of a volcano. We made use of Mary's new camera and the panoramic setting.
The drive to and from Otavalo was also noteworthy. Their roads are filled with 1) Diesel trucks that cant go more than 15mph, 2) Small cars trying their best to weave between traffic on 1-lane streets, and 3) INSANE buses that would literally run other cars off the road. Also, cows are just wandering along the sides of streets. They obviously are owned by somebody, but they just chill on the side of the highway.
We stayed in the Marriott again that night in Quito. No suite upgrade that night. We just swam in the pool and relaxed before tomorrow mornings' trip to the Galapagos...
Stay tuned for tales of dragons, pirates, and Ecuadorian moonshine. Part II and the Galapagos TR are coming soon!
(I like this picture because you can see Mary and I in the reflections)Ecuador was a culture shock. We had a honeymoon suite at the Cafe Cultura in Quito. It was a very nice room, but not by American standards at all. The water was very unreliable, and during certain times of the day you could not get running water. Heating was also a bit of an issue, but it was the colder season. Very few people spoke English, so we were forced to learn and try Spanish - and I think we did a pretty damn good job of it.
What Cafe Cultura lacked in American amenities, they made up for in quality. Their service was amazing, and the food was even better. Every morning we had fresh squeezed blackberry juice, coffee with hand whipped sweet cream, water with mint/lemon, and that was just the beverages. Despite the amazing food, the altitude must have been doing something to mess with our stomachs, because we could barely finish our meals.
The markets were somewhat disappointing. It was pretty much the same 5 or 6 stores over and over, and 90% of the things you saw for sale were extremely mass-produced. This may be because we visited during the down season. We did find a few gems, and were able to find gifts for most of our relatives.
On our 3rd day, which was a Sunday, we visited "Old Town" in Quito. Ecuador is a very Catholic nation, and their mass was in progress while we were visiting. There were quite a few bands playing, and people in the street, so we definitely picked the right day to visit. The markets there were...more of the same. We did get to eat in a nice little place in the center square, where we had some Pilsener. (Ecuador's beer brand)
After staying 3 nights at Cafe Cultura, and basically being forced to immerse ourselves, our trip got easier. We met our guide, Roberto, who took us through Ecuador for 2 days before we left for Galapagos. We stayed at the JW Marriott the night before.
The Marriott was awesome. They upgraded us to a honeymoon suite, which included access to the executive lounge. The executive lounge meant free food, and 1 free drink! Very awesome. We also got to see a little Ecuadorian TV. Like most TV...nothin' special.
Our first day with Roberto was a long drive towards Otavalo, the "Largest indigenous street market in the world!!". One of our stops was Cayambe, a small town that is known for their "biscochos". The biscochos are basically buttery biscuits that you generally eat with cheese. Mary and I each had some, and were incredibly sleepy during the remainder of the car ride.
At one point, Roberto had mentioned that eucalyptus is used in the biscochos. I knew that eucalyptus had a narcotic effect, so I asked if that effect stayed in the biscochos. Apparently in that town, they also have saunas where eucalyptus is used as well, and it is supposed to "enhance your relaxation". I'm pretty sure we had an experience with a true opiate of the masses!
We stayed in Hacienda Pinsaqui, outside of Otavalo. It was a lavish, hidden Hacienda, which was almost empty because it was the off-season. As soon as we arrived, a band started playing just for us, people came and took our bags, etc. We are not used to that kind of treatment, so it was just a little awkward. The room was a bit more modern than Cafe Cultura, and had a sweet wood-burning fireplace. That night, the band played for the handful of guests at the bar. They served us tea, and some sweet liquor that I've never had before. It was a good stay.
Otavalo market was pretty disappointing. Sure, it was the off-season, but they were selling all of the same mass-produced stuff that the other markets were. Almost nothing was unique to Otavalo at all. Oh well.
After Otavalo, we started our trip back to Quito. We stopped in the national park, and walked down a little hiking trail next to "Guinea Pig Lake". Apparently they eat guinea pigs in Ecuador. The scenery was beautiful - a lake at the base of a volcano. We made use of Mary's new camera and the panoramic setting.
The drive to and from Otavalo was also noteworthy. Their roads are filled with 1) Diesel trucks that cant go more than 15mph, 2) Small cars trying their best to weave between traffic on 1-lane streets, and 3) INSANE buses that would literally run other cars off the road. Also, cows are just wandering along the sides of streets. They obviously are owned by somebody, but they just chill on the side of the highway.
We stayed in the Marriott again that night in Quito. No suite upgrade that night. We just swam in the pool and relaxed before tomorrow mornings' trip to the Galapagos...
Stay tuned for tales of dragons, pirates, and Ecuadorian moonshine. Part II and the Galapagos TR are coming soon!
SNE Quest - Oct 23: Breaking ANOTHER downswing
VPP COUNT: 764185
After another pretty significant downswing which left my October earnings pretty scarce, I'm finally bouncing back into a solid profit. I'm putting in 6 and 7 hour days repeatedly, and still pretty damn motivated. As of last night, I was within 44k points of being "on pace" and closing the gap quickly.
The 800k milestone will be a great confidence boost, and I'd like to hit it before Oct 31st. This would leave me with 2 months and 200k VPPs to go - a very attainable pace, even with the Christmas season.
Also...big news is coming...
Big BIG news
I'll give an update on this as soon as I can :)
After another pretty significant downswing which left my October earnings pretty scarce, I'm finally bouncing back into a solid profit. I'm putting in 6 and 7 hour days repeatedly, and still pretty damn motivated. As of last night, I was within 44k points of being "on pace" and closing the gap quickly.
The 800k milestone will be a great confidence boost, and I'd like to hit it before Oct 31st. This would leave me with 2 months and 200k VPPs to go - a very attainable pace, even with the Christmas season.
Also...big news is coming...
Big BIG news
I'll give an update on this as soon as I can :)
Thursday, October 09, 2008
SNE QUEST - Oct 9: Focused and Moving Forward
VPP COUNT: 719428
I've been focusing much more than usual, taking a ton of notes, and really working on advancing my game as opposed to just putting in the time. I am 100% sure I am playing better, and taking down more of those uncontested pots than I was previously.
I have also been putting in a solid 5+ hours per day since Oct 1, so I'm well on my way to being in good VPP shape.
The next blog entry was supposed to be a Galapagos/Ecuador trip report, but I literally have not had the ~2-3 hours necessary to throw it together. Once I have regained some more ground, I'll be more comfortable about skipping/postponing a daily session to do side projects like this. Luckily, I woke up at 1am and couldn't get back to sleep, so I had plenty of time to put this one up.
Back to the grind :)
I've been focusing much more than usual, taking a ton of notes, and really working on advancing my game as opposed to just putting in the time. I am 100% sure I am playing better, and taking down more of those uncontested pots than I was previously.
I have also been putting in a solid 5+ hours per day since Oct 1, so I'm well on my way to being in good VPP shape.
The next blog entry was supposed to be a Galapagos/Ecuador trip report, but I literally have not had the ~2-3 hours necessary to throw it together. Once I have regained some more ground, I'll be more comfortable about skipping/postponing a daily session to do side projects like this. Luckily, I woke up at 1am and couldn't get back to sleep, so I had plenty of time to put this one up.
Back to the grind :)
Thursday, September 18, 2008
PokerStars Concierge is Awesome
Before I leave, I'd like to give a public "Thank You" to William and Scotty from PokerStars.
The Stars Concierge has taken care of this entire wedding for me, and every single step has gone smoothly on their end. William and Scotty have made the SNE challenge much more enjoyable - it really is a VIP service.
Thanks again!
The Stars Concierge has taken care of this entire wedding for me, and every single step has gone smoothly on their end. William and Scotty have made the SNE challenge much more enjoyable - it really is a VIP service.
Thanks again!
Married!
VPP COUNT: 679833
There has been a big lack of updates lately...mostly because I have been busy getting married. I've also been using every hour of free time to get back into reasonable condition to achieve SNE. The blog hasn't exactly been a priority :)
After today, I should be around 682-685k VPPs, and will be returning from the honeymoon on October 1st. This means I'll have to average a bit more than 100k points per month. It won't be easy, but I'm extremely confident.
As of 9/12/08, I am a married man!
We will be leaving tomorrow (Friday) morning for our honeymoon in Ecuador, and the Galapagos. We are both extremely excited
Yes, that is a pineapple-upside-down-wedding-cake in the picture above. We are that awesome.
I don't have time to write much more... ~6h of play and lots of packing/preparation before I can sleep tonight.
I'll be back in October to rock the tables on my way to SNE!
There has been a big lack of updates lately...mostly because I have been busy getting married. I've also been using every hour of free time to get back into reasonable condition to achieve SNE. The blog hasn't exactly been a priority :)
After today, I should be around 682-685k VPPs, and will be returning from the honeymoon on October 1st. This means I'll have to average a bit more than 100k points per month. It won't be easy, but I'm extremely confident.
As of 9/12/08, I am a married man!
We will be leaving tomorrow (Friday) morning for our honeymoon in Ecuador, and the Galapagos. We are both extremely excited
Yes, that is a pineapple-upside-down-wedding-cake in the picture above. We are that awesome.I don't have time to write much more... ~6h of play and lots of packing/preparation before I can sleep tonight.
I'll be back in October to rock the tables on my way to SNE!
Thursday, August 07, 2008
Another Funk, Another Recovery
VPP COUNT: 576968
I basically burned myself out in the beginning of July with the 2xVPP promotion. After that, pretty much every (rare) session I played was a minor loss, and it became harder and harder to sit down and work. By the time July was over, I was about 20k points BEHIND pace, after having built a 30k cushion after the 2x promotion. Pretty bad.
August became yet another "do or die" month, as September will be mostly devoted to the wedding and honeymoon. I've gotten back in gear once again, and the last 3 days have been very solid. I'm still trying to stick more to the 400+ tables, but the game quality is still rough.
Our trip to the Galapagos is booked and paid for by Stars Concierge :) The wedding is a bit more than 1 month away. Not enough time in the days.
I basically burned myself out in the beginning of July with the 2xVPP promotion. After that, pretty much every (rare) session I played was a minor loss, and it became harder and harder to sit down and work. By the time July was over, I was about 20k points BEHIND pace, after having built a 30k cushion after the 2x promotion. Pretty bad.
August became yet another "do or die" month, as September will be mostly devoted to the wedding and honeymoon. I've gotten back in gear once again, and the last 3 days have been very solid. I'm still trying to stick more to the 400+ tables, but the game quality is still rough.
Our trip to the Galapagos is booked and paid for by Stars Concierge :) The wedding is a bit more than 1 month away. Not enough time in the days.
Wednesday, July 16, 2008
SNE QUEST - July 15: Sporadic Sessions
VPP COUNT: 550815
I've only put in a few sessions this week. They have been damn successful, but I haven't put in enough time. Mary's classes are ending tomorrow, so that will free up my Wed-Thurs work days.
The wedding is less than 2 months away, and I need to have quite a bit of cushion before then. I currently have a 10k point lead, and should probably have about 40-50k lead by the 10th of Sept. That gives me a max of 56 days to do it, requiring an average of 5 hours per day. That should not be difficult at all. If I can get in another big couple of months, I'll be at 750k+ points and 3 full months to finish.
Sophy is almost 8 months old... I guess time seems to fly by so much because our days are just jammed full of things to do.
Life will calm down much more after Friday.
I've only put in a few sessions this week. They have been damn successful, but I haven't put in enough time. Mary's classes are ending tomorrow, so that will free up my Wed-Thurs work days.
The wedding is less than 2 months away, and I need to have quite a bit of cushion before then. I currently have a 10k point lead, and should probably have about 40-50k lead by the 10th of Sept. That gives me a max of 56 days to do it, requiring an average of 5 hours per day. That should not be difficult at all. If I can get in another big couple of months, I'll be at 750k+ points and 3 full months to finish.
Sophy is almost 8 months old... I guess time seems to fly by so much because our days are just jammed full of things to do.
Life will calm down much more after Friday.
Sunday, July 13, 2008
SNE QUEST - July 13: That break went a bit long...
VPP COUNT: 544824
So I took a total of 5 days off, from Mon-Fri. My breaks always tend to go longer than I plan, but at least I still have a significant cushion on SNE pace.
Table winnings have been pretty boring and small this month, but July is looking to be my biggest bonus month.
Sophy has figured out crawling, and has been crawling to, and propping herself up against pretty much anything she can get near. The more she can move on her own, the more difficult taking care of her is going to get. She also figured out how to chuck her toys out of her crib...oh boy.
The wedding is less than 2 months away!
So I took a total of 5 days off, from Mon-Fri. My breaks always tend to go longer than I plan, but at least I still have a significant cushion on SNE pace.
Table winnings have been pretty boring and small this month, but July is looking to be my biggest bonus month.
Sophy has figured out crawling, and has been crawling to, and propping herself up against pretty much anything she can get near. The more she can move on her own, the more difficult taking care of her is going to get. She also figured out how to chuck her toys out of her crib...oh boy.
The wedding is less than 2 months away!
Tuesday, July 08, 2008
SNE Quest - July 8: Taking a little break
VPP COUNT: 538016
Just a short update today.
I took Monday off, and will be taking today off as well. The first week of July was way too freaking stressful, and the break has been amazing.
I earned a total of 51,523VPPs for the 6 day 2X event. Not bad at all. I went from 10k points behind pace to 25k points ahead. It was a very significant boost.
I'll be back at the tables tomorrow, possibly this evening.
Just a short update today.
I took Monday off, and will be taking today off as well. The first week of July was way too freaking stressful, and the break has been amazing.
I earned a total of 51,523VPPs for the 6 day 2X event. Not bad at all. I went from 10k points behind pace to 25k points ahead. It was a very significant boost.
I'll be back at the tables tomorrow, possibly this evening.
Saturday, July 05, 2008
2X VPP WEEK - HELLLL YEAH!
VPP COUNT: 525847
So the week actually did fall on a pretty bad time for me. Mary is still in her summer classes, 4th of July, other random time-consuming things that could have been rescheduled if I had more warning. It really would be nice if Stars would just give me...say 24h notice before an event like this so that I could prepare accordingly.
I've put in about 30.5h in the past 5 days, and will be putting in another 2 or 3 tonight. This brings me to just above 6h/day avg, and is pretty pathetic considering how rare these events are. Oh well, by the end of the night, i'll be near 20k points ahead of pace and will have 1 2x-day left before the next part of the promotion starts.
I get the strong feeling that the next 3 weeks of 2X promotions wont be near as profitable as the first 6 days. If they were, I'm pretty sure stars would be losing $$ to me in rake... In fact, I think they already are.
So I'm psyching myself up for my last 2-3h session tonight. Including the 5k milestone bonus I cleared this morning, I am very close to having the biggest cash gain day of all time. I'll be playing 90%+ of my hands at 400NL+ and will be table selecting at 1000NL. With some luck, I'll break my record :) If I do, I'll come back and give an update tonight or tomorrow with my good hands.
Cross your fingers for me. If you happen to sit with me in the next few hours, just dump a few stacks my way, it's for a good cause.
So the week actually did fall on a pretty bad time for me. Mary is still in her summer classes, 4th of July, other random time-consuming things that could have been rescheduled if I had more warning. It really would be nice if Stars would just give me...say 24h notice before an event like this so that I could prepare accordingly.
I've put in about 30.5h in the past 5 days, and will be putting in another 2 or 3 tonight. This brings me to just above 6h/day avg, and is pretty pathetic considering how rare these events are. Oh well, by the end of the night, i'll be near 20k points ahead of pace and will have 1 2x-day left before the next part of the promotion starts.
I get the strong feeling that the next 3 weeks of 2X promotions wont be near as profitable as the first 6 days. If they were, I'm pretty sure stars would be losing $$ to me in rake... In fact, I think they already are.
So I'm psyching myself up for my last 2-3h session tonight. Including the 5k milestone bonus I cleared this morning, I am very close to having the biggest cash gain day of all time. I'll be playing 90%+ of my hands at 400NL+ and will be table selecting at 1000NL. With some luck, I'll break my record :) If I do, I'll come back and give an update tonight or tomorrow with my good hands.
Cross your fingers for me. If you happen to sit with me in the next few hours, just dump a few stacks my way, it's for a good cause.
Friday, July 04, 2008
Wednesday, July 02, 2008
SNE QUEST - July 2: Halfway there
VPP COUNT: 500067
Well, July 1 marks the half-way point in the year (less days in Feb), and it is also the first day since late March that I am ahead of pace! Pretty nice to know that I can hit the halfway point after taking a vacation, taking care of a baby, and all of the other random distractions of new-family-hood.
The 2xVPP promotion has been kind of a mixed experience. During the early hours, the tables are absolutely awful. The average stats at almost all of my tables just hovered around 15/10 and the fish were scarce. I really think that my win rate suffered more than the 2xVPPs helped. The tables were so significantly tighter, the VPP rate actually decreased drastically. I generally average about 750-800vpps/hr when 24tabling, so I assumed I'd be getting about 1500/hr today. It was more like 1200 though, because so few hands even went to the flop.
Oh well, I'm just a little bitter that I ran badly. It is very good that I am back ahead of pace, and the remainder of this promotion will help me get a nice lead. Ideally, I'd like to get about 40 hours in the next 5 days.
It's hitting me how easy this challenge really is, if poker is your full time job. The # of elites will probably grow significantly in the next few years as everybody starts to find out how easy it is to make a huge amount of $ and travel the world.
I'm predicting July to be my best month ever. Between the 2xVPP promotion, the fact that i'll hit the 5k and 6k milestones within this month, and just the sheer volume of hands I plan on putting in, it would take a hell of a dry run to have a bad July.
Well, July 1 marks the half-way point in the year (less days in Feb), and it is also the first day since late March that I am ahead of pace! Pretty nice to know that I can hit the halfway point after taking a vacation, taking care of a baby, and all of the other random distractions of new-family-hood.
The 2xVPP promotion has been kind of a mixed experience. During the early hours, the tables are absolutely awful. The average stats at almost all of my tables just hovered around 15/10 and the fish were scarce. I really think that my win rate suffered more than the 2xVPPs helped. The tables were so significantly tighter, the VPP rate actually decreased drastically. I generally average about 750-800vpps/hr when 24tabling, so I assumed I'd be getting about 1500/hr today. It was more like 1200 though, because so few hands even went to the flop.
Oh well, I'm just a little bitter that I ran badly. It is very good that I am back ahead of pace, and the remainder of this promotion will help me get a nice lead. Ideally, I'd like to get about 40 hours in the next 5 days.
It's hitting me how easy this challenge really is, if poker is your full time job. The # of elites will probably grow significantly in the next few years as everybody starts to find out how easy it is to make a huge amount of $ and travel the world.
I'm predicting July to be my best month ever. Between the 2xVPP promotion, the fact that i'll hit the 5k and 6k milestones within this month, and just the sheer volume of hands I plan on putting in, it would take a hell of a dry run to have a bad July.
Tuesday, July 01, 2008
SNE JUNE: Tilt Control
VPPS EARNED: 95022
VPPS TOTAL: 486493
HOURS: 122
This month, I even surprised myself. The first half of June, I was in a downswing that was about 30% bigger than I've ever had. I kept putting in the hours, and finally, during the last week of the month, it paid off big. I ended the month with a MAJOR upswing, which left me completely satisfied with the month as a whole.
I have stopped with my .xx bets for a short period of time, just to see what kind of difference it makes. I think I will randomly switch back at some point in the future as well...just gotta keep everybody on their toes.
I also stopped the preflop minraise. I'm starting to believe that as long as your bets aren't overly large and exploitable, it really doesn't matter what amount between 2-4xBB. This is actually a very interesting piece of information, which I may be able to use to my advantage in the future.
Great month.
In the May recap post, I mentioned the 2x promo, and how it would probably come at around 20billion hands. Well, apparently it is the first week of July instead.
WOOOOOOOOOOOO
I'll be out of my cave in a week.
VPPS TOTAL: 486493
HOURS: 122
This month, I even surprised myself. The first half of June, I was in a downswing that was about 30% bigger than I've ever had. I kept putting in the hours, and finally, during the last week of the month, it paid off big. I ended the month with a MAJOR upswing, which left me completely satisfied with the month as a whole.
I have stopped with my .xx bets for a short period of time, just to see what kind of difference it makes. I think I will randomly switch back at some point in the future as well...just gotta keep everybody on their toes.
I also stopped the preflop minraise. I'm starting to believe that as long as your bets aren't overly large and exploitable, it really doesn't matter what amount between 2-4xBB. This is actually a very interesting piece of information, which I may be able to use to my advantage in the future.
Great month.
In the May recap post, I mentioned the 2x promo, and how it would probably come at around 20billion hands. Well, apparently it is the first week of July instead.
WOOOOOOOOOOOO
I'll be out of my cave in a week.
Tuesday, June 24, 2008
Monday, June 23, 2008
SNE Quest - June 23: Fighting Downswings
VPP COUNT: 459815
A while ago, someone wrote, "Eventually, everyone runs worse than they ever expected." This is incredibly true. After playing professionally for years at a time, you are bound to have that one month where things just never work out.
I had an anonymous request in the previous post to give more detail about my recent downswing. Since he called the blog "inspirational", my ego urged me to fulfill his request.
The downswing from this month lasted 65k hands and totaled 22 buyins (from highest point to lowest point), evenly spread through the 600-200NL level. This is probably about 50% more than any previous downswing, as I have a pretty low-variance style. Eventually you just have a month where nothing works out, and much of June was like that for me. I still technically haven't fully recovered. I'm up a bit for the month, but am still about 5-10 buyins away from my previous peak.
SNE has really made it easier to get through downswings. Even when I get repeatedly cold-decked, at least I'm accumulating VPPs and getting closer to my goal. If it weren't for that alternative encouragement, those big downswings would be much more devastating, and would kill my drive to play.
The best advice I can give someone who is currently getting cold-decked: Just step back and look at it from a long-term perspective. If you have lost enough that it has significantly damaged your bankroll(I'd call 50% significant, if you are properly rolled), it may be time to move down or completely re-assess your game, because something is not working. In my case, though the amount of money lost was extremely significant, it worked out to less than 10% of what I've made this year.
So I ended yesterday at about 15k points behind schedule. I'm still on a solid pace to hit 500k by June 30. Unfortunately, this is not going to leave much room for a day off, as my Wednesdays, Thursdays, and Sundays are all pretty much limited to a 3hr session each day. Life is busy.
Hopefully I'll be able to end this month the way I ended May.
A while ago, someone wrote, "Eventually, everyone runs worse than they ever expected." This is incredibly true. After playing professionally for years at a time, you are bound to have that one month where things just never work out.
I had an anonymous request in the previous post to give more detail about my recent downswing. Since he called the blog "inspirational", my ego urged me to fulfill his request.
The downswing from this month lasted 65k hands and totaled 22 buyins (from highest point to lowest point), evenly spread through the 600-200NL level. This is probably about 50% more than any previous downswing, as I have a pretty low-variance style. Eventually you just have a month where nothing works out, and much of June was like that for me. I still technically haven't fully recovered. I'm up a bit for the month, but am still about 5-10 buyins away from my previous peak.
SNE has really made it easier to get through downswings. Even when I get repeatedly cold-decked, at least I'm accumulating VPPs and getting closer to my goal. If it weren't for that alternative encouragement, those big downswings would be much more devastating, and would kill my drive to play.
The best advice I can give someone who is currently getting cold-decked: Just step back and look at it from a long-term perspective. If you have lost enough that it has significantly damaged your bankroll(I'd call 50% significant, if you are properly rolled), it may be time to move down or completely re-assess your game, because something is not working. In my case, though the amount of money lost was extremely significant, it worked out to less than 10% of what I've made this year.
So I ended yesterday at about 15k points behind schedule. I'm still on a solid pace to hit 500k by June 30. Unfortunately, this is not going to leave much room for a day off, as my Wednesdays, Thursdays, and Sundays are all pretty much limited to a 3hr session each day. Life is busy.
Hopefully I'll be able to end this month the way I ended May.
Tuesday, June 17, 2008
SNE Quest - June 17: Almost in the black.
VPP COUNT: 441374
I put in about 15k hands yesterday, and had the kind of day I've been waiting for all month. It is in my top 3 all time cash days easily. Even after the huge upswing, I'm still slightly down for the month. I am in fine shape after VPPs and bonuses though. It is nice to know that I can have the biggest downswing of my life and still have my monthly nut more than covered after 16 days. Poker is awesome.
Sophy is learning to crawl. It is fun watching her figure it out.
I put in about 15k hands yesterday, and had the kind of day I've been waiting for all month. It is in my top 3 all time cash days easily. Even after the huge upswing, I'm still slightly down for the month. I am in fine shape after VPPs and bonuses though. It is nice to know that I can have the biggest downswing of my life and still have my monthly nut more than covered after 16 days. Poker is awesome.
Sophy is learning to crawl. It is fun watching her figure it out.
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