Starting to play more now.....$744

It seems that I have switched up my game again and now and sucking bad at SNG's and letting the ring games bail me out. I am going to start playing a bit more Omaha8 and Stud8 just to switch up everything as hold 'em is getting really old.
I went on a poker cruise the other day and had a blast. As soon as I figure out how to post pics on here, I will throw a few down. I ended up taking TJ Clouiter out on day one and got a $1000 bounty for that (My 10/10 held up to his AQs--all in preflop), then got frickin creamed by Bernard Lee on day 2. I was in the BB with about 125k in chips (don't remember the exact amount) and had 3 limpers in EP/MP. Bernard was in the SB and min-raised to 10k....????? I didn't know what to make of this play at the time, although immediatle yafterwards and to everyone reading it is somewhat obvious right? SO I look down to see A10os and simply call (bad, bad, bad). We lost all the limpers except one...flop came down 2 8 J true rainbow. Bernard and I both check, nad the limp-caller sets out 18k and that has me really confused then...pot is 40k and he bets less than half when he just limp-called!? Well Bernard immediately jammed for ovre 200k, and I have to insta muck. Well limp caller also mucked and Bernard flipped over what?.......AA......nope! He turned over the all powerful 46s. He was playing the hand from the beginning with full intentions of stealing. Freaking world class play! The limp caller told me later that he had 99.

Ok, enough of that tourney..I just thought it was an interesting hand. I ended up breaking even on the cruise with all the cash games that were going on. I never played in the big games with the pros, but I did throw down with some 3/6 plO8 which was a blast. Total soft field and I took down a bunch of questionable pots. So I know that this cruise and the buy-in was way too much for my bankroll, but I had used some savings from a previous business venture to book this one, so it isn't cheating....right?


Buy-Ins: $39 Ring games: 9 hrs 0.25/0.50 plhe (4 sessions) $102
Winnings: $70
----------------
Profit $31






ps. By the way, I forgot to write down that I sold my share of Deuces POker Room before i even owned it for one day. The car dealership next door offered up 3 times what it is worth (they just want the land) so we sold that day. I ended up making 5k on the deal after taxes and all and that is what I used to buy-in to my cruise. When I told one of my friends it was 5k, they freaked, but it isn't as bad as you think.

Vacations over now, time to concentrate $611

Bad month for sit n go's but my cash games bailed me out and then some.


Buy-ins: $246
Winnings: $153
---------------------
-$93

Cash games: 7.5 hours 0.25/0.50 nlhe (+)$155

Total profit: $60

Still playing a little $551.00

Still only playing at infrequent intervals, but still having some good play. I am actually doing better at ring games than I have been in the past, which is odd, but hey, I'll take it. So here are the numbers:

$164.50 Buy-ins
$224 Winnings
--------------------
$59.50 Profit

Monthly update $492.50

So I got into some troublew at work about playing cards and surfing the net, so I am going to be very limited to when I can and can't play from now on. I will only be updating once a month from now on as well. Here are the results:

SNG's: Ring Games:
$188 buy-ins 7 hours total at 0.25/0.50 PL/NL hold em
$199 winnings $197 total profit
-----------------
$11 profit

Monthly total winnings: $208

Long time, but somewhat productive $284.50

I have been a little bit busy lately with a business venture that I have wanted to be involved with for a very long time. On september 1st I will be a partner in Deuces Poker Room, which is a local bar that has a total poker atmosphere. I am very excited with this and will continue to post updates and hopefully some pics.

Since last time, I have only played in 10 sng's:

Buy-Ins: $82.50
Winnings: $131.50
---------------------
Profit: $49.00

Lots of down time

My niece turned one so I flew into illinois to see her, and then when I got back I found out my ex had gotten into my house and took a bunch of stuff. On top of that, my job is downsizing and I am on a list of potential lay-offs. Joy!

So needless to say, poker has not been on my list of things to do, so I will start to try and make more of an effort to play again as soon as I feel up to it.

farmist

Days 11-13 --$235.50

So I only played a little bit because of some things at work and just wasn't that into playing again.

$ 33 Buyins
$ 27 Winnings
-----------------
($6)

Days 8-10 --$241.50--

I ended up taking friday off as I just wasn't really into much of anything at all, especially poker. So when I woke up on saturday, I felt great and I played 5 sngs and won 3/5, so not too bad. Although one of the wins was hu :). On sunday, I just did one and I bubbled when I hit top 2 pair and the donk hit runner runner straight. Oh well, thats poker (God, I hate it when peopole say that).

$34 buy-ins
$56 winnings
---------------
$22 profit

Day 7 --$219.50-- Random mtt thoughts

So I played some ring games and did a bunch of $5 sng's and one 6-handed sng. I won a few and lost the rest, I either win or I lose and it seems I almost never finish 3rd or 2nd. Anyway, it was very uninteresting poker last night and i won't bore you with the details. I really can't wait until I can move up stakes a bit because this is really dragging me down. I was going to wait until I hit $300 to move up to the $10 sngs and some of the mtt's, but I think I might move up here pretty soon.

I don't know what it is about mtt's, but I always seem to do very well in them. I don't FT a lot of the time, but it seems that I cash quite a bit when I have been trying to. I will jump into 3 or 4 of the $1 tourneys and make it an all-inament. Whatever, I don't care I only take the $3 rebuy and higher seriously anyways. I feel like I have a lot of potential in the higher buy-in mtt's but I am hopelessley lost at ring games. If i get pwned 2/5 times in micro limit, what would happen when I shoot up to 1/2 or higher?

I have done a few of the sunday millions and have lasted a long time. Never cashed yet, but the last one that I did, i should have. I was playing great and had AA and got it all in preflop with a chip leader. He also had AA, but he hit a 4 card flush and gg me.

While it seems that I am moving up pretty damn slow, well...I am. I am playing the part of the part-time, only a hobby-poker player and trying to stick within my br. I know I have made a few slips, but who doesn't? So I figure that I have more than doubled my initial stack of $100, so I am hoping for this week to get to $350 or higher.

$34 buy-ins
$54.50 winnings
-----------------
$20.50 profit

Day 6 --$199 -- Trying to get my head back in poker

So I got my personal life crap all back in order and I am pretty well set to start making a go at this thing. I woke up yesterday and felt great so I immediatel sat down at a $5 sng and won that pretty darn quick (the blinds were only at 50/100 when we got to hu).

Once I got to work, I was pleasantly surprised to see that it was a very slow day so I of course jumped onto PS and played the very first mtt I could afford with my br. So, since I have been running fairly hot at these rebuy deals, I decided (stupidly) to jump into the $5 rebuy. I ran well again, and ended up cashing, but could have done a lot better. I was just above average chips, but close to the short stack at my table (which was very loose btw) and I got KQs in the BB. Cut-off raises 4x and I call...flor was AJ10 os. He pushes hard, I think for a bit and reraise, of course he calls quickly and flips over JJ....river A and it was gg me in 318th pl. Oh well. Again I only had the inital buy-in, one rebuy and the add-on.


So wednesday rundown:

$21 buyins
$56.50 winnings
----------------
$35.50 profit

Day 4, 5 --$163.50-- not into poker right now

Well, I had a bunch of personal issues that I had to deal with so i was a little bit off my game and overall just wasn't into sitting in front of a cpu for hours playing poker. Monday I did a sng and got toasted pretty early and decided to do the $3 rebuy event. I know, I know I really shouldn't be doing this with a $150 BR, but I have been running hot on this tourney so I gave it a shot. Early on I had 75o and went all in preflop (obv) and flopped 2 pair, gh me. I never had to rebuy so I was in for a total of $9 (buy-in, initial re-buy and add-on) and I cashed in 244th place for $25.94.

So mondaywound up with

$14.50 buy-ins
$25.94 winnings
----------------
$11.44 profit


Tuesday, I was still dealing with all my personal crap and it kinda hit a peak so I only played a few sng's late and got kille don them, but it honestly wasn't my fault. KK was a very horrible hand for me apparantly as I busted out in 7th in the first sng with KK losing to QQ all-in preflop. Jumped into another immediately and the second hand I held KK utg. I raised 4xBB and was reraised and a call ahead of me, so I reraised all in and was insta-called by both of them. So what do you think? AA, AK, QQ....nope it was JJ and Q8c with a flop of QQ8...gg me. I ended up with 3rd in the last sng of the night, and I was so tired and tilted, it was bedtime.

Tuesday totals:

$16.50 buyin
$13.50 winnings
---------------
($3.00) first daily loss

Day 3 - $150--Some ring games

Ok, I did some ring games today, but just because the tables looked extra juicy and I just couldn't help myself. I jumped into a 0.10/0.25 table and the first hand I doubled with 88>AK on a board of 8 10 A 2 2. I ended up playing for about an hour while doing a sng, and I did well coming out ahead 10.30, but I lost in the sng (I had a set of nines and he hit runner runner str8).

So I was on semi-tilt and a little tired so I called it a night after an hour. At least I won't get burned out.

farmist

Day 2..$145...Drunkaments

Ok, so day 2 kinda sucked. I was not really in the mood to play because I had been at work all day long, but I managed a few sng's anyways. I played in 2 and took 4th and 6th. Each of these tourneys I had the best hand going in and simply got sucked out on. Can't win em all I guess.

So it was kinda late and I was bored off my mind, so I logged into FCP and got talked into a skipament by Chrozzo. Yeah, that was a great idea and I really tried my best to stick to bankroll management, but I was already considering a drunkament anyway, so I said whatever and hopped in. Well, thanks to drunk ass Chrozzo, I took 1st for $35.

In case some of you don't know what a skipament is, here are the general rules:

-2 players are all-in each hand and only 2
-The only bets are all in's
-If the action is folded to the small blind, then the blinds must go all in

So you can see what a game of skill this is, and it is also pretty easy to understand, right? Well Chrozzo decided to just min call and he repeatedly folded when he was supposed to be all-in. Needless to say, a bunch of us were pretty pissed off at him, but whatever, he is Chrozzo.

So I will try to stick to the plan a little bit better than what I have done already. God, we aren't 3 days in yet, and I have already shit on my bankroll. Oh well.

farmist

Day 1 -$132- Hey its a start

So I figure with $100 to start, I can't really multi-table at any ring games (not that I would do well in them anyway) so I stuck to the $5 sng's.

I only played in 4 as I was tired and had to do some stuff around the house, but the reults were ok. I got a 7th, 3rd, and 2 1st's.

$22 entry fee's
$54 winnings
----------------
+$32 for day 1 BR = $132


Now I know that I will never be able to make thousands playing sng's, but I want everyone top know that I am trying to do this the way that I feel is correct. If I jump into the $10 sng's, I only have 10 buy-in's. If I sit a t a 0.25/0.50 ring I have a 2 buy-ins and wouldn't be able to take a losing session.

My plan is to play the $5 sng's (20 buy-ins) until I get up to $200 or so and then start throwing in some mtt's ($5/45, $4/180) . I won't do any of the $10 sng's until I feel comfortable with my bankroll and the move up.

All said, i am pleased with the first day and I will continue to post as often as I can.

farmist

My history of poker

I started playing poker in my first year of college for nickles, dimes and quarters. We pretty much just played 5-draw and of course had the mixed games in there (Chicago, pass the trash, etc) and I really sucked balls in those games. Thinking back, I bet I was winner only a few times, but with $10 on the line, who cares. After moving to Denver, I started hanging out with a group of guys that played some home games on a regular business and for some reason, I dominated those games and was winner almost every night.

One of those guys was a regular on PokerStars and tried to get me to do it for the longest time, but I was reluctant to put my own money on-line. Well, I eventually put on $100 and did pretty well with it....for a few months. I think I was up to $1000 at one time, then moved up levels and got crushed. I think I was playing some $5 sng's at first and then moved on to the ring games. So what level did I start off playing with my $1000 roll? $0.25/0.50?....nope, I started right off at $2/$4. Now, before you hate on me too much, realize that I hadn't played a lot and the sng's that I did play, I did well in and I just thought that I could continue to perform at a higher level. Wrong! I lost it all in one day, and quit.

I was out for no more than 3 or 4 months before I found my self at a bar where they offered free Hold-em. I sat down and won, and was hooked again. I redeposited on PS again and bought a few books. Super System had a big impact on my play and just opened my eyes to a whole new world.

So I play on PS quite a bit and I don't do very well at all, but to be honest, I don't take it that seriously. Most of the time when I play, I am either at work and can't concentrate as much as I should be or I am at home after work and am way too tired to play. For example, I will get into a sng a work then get a call from a physician and have to sit out after 10 minutes of play. I look at my sharkscope and it makes me cringe. I really think that if I concentrate, I could do much better than my results show.

Therefore, I am going to do this challenge only when I can devote enough time to be effective and play my game and I am not going to play over my BR. I am giving myself 6 months so I don't feel rushed and try to 'catch-up' and I really think it is realistic for me to do this while holding my job down and keeping some sort of life outside of poker.

Holla at ya'll later.

farmist

Poker Challenge

Hey all, I suppose I should introduce myself and tell you a little bit about what this blog is for, so her goes. My name is Kurt, and I am a 28 yo pharmacist in denver that has a mild to moderate addiction to poker. I usually play 4 to 5 times a week, but I limit my play to a few hours unless I am in a big Multi-Table Tourney (mtt). I prefer low buy-in Sit n Go's (sng) and don't usually get mixed up in the cash games as I run terrible it seems at those.

I get a lot of people asking me why a pharmacist is playing with a bankroll of only a few hundred dollars, and I always have to chuckle. I view poker as a potential profession sometime in the future, but until I can consistently put up winning sessions, I will stick to the low buy-ins. The way I figure it, why should I move up a level when I am getting pwned at the ones I am at now? We always hear about people that tried to move up too early and wound up broke and on life-tilt, and I truly see proper bankroll management as the way the way to the promised land.

So after hearing of Chris Ferguson's $1 to $10000 deal, and reading about all of the people on FCP trying it out, I figured what the hell ,I will give it a shot. So, here is what I am going to try:

Turn $100 into $5000 in 6 months.

I see a lot of people trying these challenges and it seems to me that they are all doomed to fail without a large cash in a mtt or never have a losing session in ring games. I am going to try and do it in what I see as the correct way while staying within my bankroll. To do this I am going to start off at $5 sng's and work my way up. I will keep the blog updated as often as I can.

farmist