Harsh Month

Good thing I've implemented bankroll management strategy. For the month, I'm down 30% of my bankroll. This after having increased the bankroll by 34% in January. I've played the same as always, though I did get the bankroll up enough to move to a higher level of table. The new level takes longer to make my win goal, but I'm still running into horrible luck or no luck at all. I know there will be times where the probability of a particular hand winning gets blown out the window, but this string has been running for 3 weeks now. Still grinding it out though. I know I will recover based on solid play, but it's no less frustrating to be on a losing streak. Wish me luck.

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Steady Climb

Since moving out of the baby tables, it's been slow and steady progress. I didn't play from December 15th through the end of the year. Too busy with Christmas and needed a well deserved vacation. I started playing again on January 1st with $487. Up to $537 now and still grinding it out.

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No More Baby Tables

The month of November has had it's share of ups and downs. At the beginning of the month, I quickly raised my bankroll to $383 and was very soon headed out of the micro tables and into the low tables. Oh how things change. I went on a losing streak and lost $80. Thank goodness for my rules only allowing me to risk 5% of my bankroll at a time.

So from the $303 I currently had, I continued to grind it out. My luck changed as expected from good play. I was playing well all along, just running into bad luck. Gradually I rebuilt the bankroll to over $383, then over $400. $400 was the magic number to move up out of the penny tables and onto tables playing with actual dollars. What a difference.

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SCORE !!!!!!!!!!!!

So I was just looking at the blog. I know it's been a while since I've posted, but July? I didn't realize it had been that long. So here is a quick update as to where I am on the quest for turning $25 into whatever it turns into.

I have been playing when I can and keeping a steady pace towards increasing the bankroll. I decided to expand my original bankroll management rules and begin playing tournaments. The ones I'm mainly playing are $2 buyin tournaments with 180 players. These tournaments are also Turbo, meaning the blinds go up much more quickly than a regular tournament. The only rules I have are the buyin can be no more than 2% of my entire bankroll. When I started this venture, my bankroll was up to $136. I transferred $25 to my wife so she might play as well, then I started playing the tournaments.

As of the writing of this posting I have won 1 of the tournaments and finished in the top 10 in 5 others, bringing my total bankroll to $276. Not too bad considering I have none of my own $$ in the account. Stay along for the ride if you like. This is going to be fun I believe.

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Poker Literature

I have nothing against books explaining the game of poker to new people interested in learning. Recently, I was cleaning out my garage and came across the first book of poker I ever bought. This was after I had been playing poker online for play money for about 8 months and had built the original $1000 they give you in play money to over 5 million.

I had kept the same philosophy I had in play money that had made me successful. I was averaging $100/day playing $5/$10 fixed limit tables for real money, but I thought I could improve my game with a poker book.

Then came Hold 'Em Poker by David Sklansky. For $19.95, this book cost me $2,000. In my eagerness to improve my game, I dismissed the aspects of my game which had made me successful in the first place. An expensive lesson to say the least, and one which I haven't fully recovered.

Since this lesson, I have changed jobs twice, had 2 kids, and generally not been able to afford an extra $500 to jump start an online poker account. I guess that would explain all the posts about playing penny poker. Time is the only thing I have to give, though not nearly as much as I've had in the past.

So while poker books can improve your game, keep in mind there are things you do well already. Don't dismiss what you already do well and change your game entirely to the detriment of your bankroll. There is useful information in the Hold 'Em Poker book, and reading it now, I see things which can improve my game.

Maybe Sklansky will help me get my $2000 back.

..... just maybe.

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