Johnny's STT Tracker

[John]

Yesterday I lost about $100. I don't know the exact figure, but from my spreadsheet I know that approx $220 profit at the end of Saturday is now at about $120 profit. It's "only" profit that I have lost, but it's nearly two weeks of hard work gone down the plughole.

Am I right in thinking that there are more donkeys playing at the weekends? Yesterday that seemed to be the case, but I was also incredibly unlucky. I had to shove at certain points mid-way through due to idiotic bad beats, and I shoved once with QQ and ran into AA, once with KQs and ran into AA (I loathe KQs/o and KJs/o), and again with QQ and ran into 44 then trip 4's on the flop. Then there were things like AJ losing to A9, KK losing to JJJ...

So, you know, not a lot I could do about the beatings I took. Most of the time I had the better hand pre-flop. But I didn't post my figures last night because I was utterly annoyed with myself and wound up that I switched the computer off and went to bed. Plus I didn't stop at say, half way, when things were looking bleak. So I don't know my exact figures but I've got them recorded on my spreadsheet at home anyway.

Hmmm. Am I being overly concerned about it?

[counterfeit]

Probably.

I took yesterday off and I never play lower limits at all on weekends.

Generally speaking I only play high level cash or freeroll MTTs on weekends. I make my money during the daytime on weekdays. It's a mindset thing for me. Whenever I play on weekends in STTs or lower cash levels I think I am going to lose and inevitably do.

A lot of pros love playing against the weekend players as they make loads of money but it just doesn't work for me so I give it a miss on the whole.

Don't worry about it though. I lost $750 on Wednesday but still ended up over $2600 for the week.

Just start again today but with the mindset that "yesterday was a fluke and today will be back to normal."

[John]

Thanks for your support fella. Really helps that there is someone offering me words of encouragement.

I understand where you're coming from, I guess it boils down to dealing with the highs and lows of poker. When I used to back horses I could survive the good and bad days no problem, but when it's poker you start to blame yourself a lot more because it's you who's making the decisions.

With it being a weekend, the tables are a lot busier generally and so I imagine a lot of people think they can "play some poker this weekend". Maybe at weekends I should play something different than STTs? Or perhaps set myself a limit of 5 tournaments.

Yesterday certainly was a fluke, hopefully I'll be on the straight and narrow again as of tonight. It's just knocked my confidence a bit.

Thanks again.

[mathare]

I would say that if you're confident you're still playing your A game then don't let the day of the week influence you.

Are the players you faced at the weekend tougher than normal? It doesn't sound like it, sounds more like they were luckier than your normal opponent. You know you are making money off these players when they make mistakes against you so keep playing against them.

If you're game is suffering then by all means quit but if you are still sure you're playing the best poker you can then keep battling away. Maybe allow a little more downtime between tourneys - a few extra minutes to just think back over a few hands and see if you should have played them differently. Check a few Poker Tracker stats/charts. Check your mental state and make sure you're not tilting. It's perhaps the equivalent of a deep breath and a count to 10. If at any time you spot that your game is a little off then log off - the games are always there the next time you want to play.

[John]

Thanks Mat. Have read your comments but got to post results then got to go to bed so will reply at some stage tomorrow. :)

[John]

1. 1 x 9-seated STT - 4th
2. 1 x 9-seated STT - 7th
3. 1 x 9-seated STT - 7th
4. 1 x 9-seated STT - 5td
5. 1 x 9-seated STT - 9th
6. 1 x 9-seated STT - 4th
7. 1 x 9-seated STT - 2nd
8. 1 x 9-seated STT - 9th
9. 1 x 9-seated STT - 9th
10. 1 x 9-seated STT - 3rd
11. 1 x 9-seated STT - 5th

[John]

1. 1 x 9-seated STT - 2nd
2. 1 x 9-seated STT - 5th
3. 1 x 9-seated STT - 2nd
4. 1 x 9-seated STT - 3rd
5. 1 x 9-seated STT - 5th
6. 1 x 9-seated STT - 3rd

Right. Yes that's a bit better. :)

[counterfeit]

told ya

[John]

Are the players you faced at the weekend tougher than normal? It doesn't sound like it, sounds more like they were luckier than your normal opponent. You know you are making money off these players when they make mistakes against you so keep playing against them.

No, they're not tougher than normal. If anything the majority aren't as good, but that doesn't necessarily mean they're easy to beat. I know I can beat players who think on similar levels as me though, on weekday evenings. I understand what you mean about trying to ignore what day of the week it is, but I think this does make a difference.

And yeah, maybe allowing a bit of time to reflect on certain hands would be a good idea. At later stages of tournaments I very often will push over the top of a raise if I have considerably more chips than the raiser, and I am holding a monster hand. In fact, the more I play, the less hands I'm flat calling. I hate flat calling unless it's limping in at the beginning. Raise or fold usually.

[John]

1. 1 x 9-seated STT - 7th
2. 1 x 9-seated STT - 9th
3. 1 x 9-seated STT - 5th
4. 1 x 9-seated STT - 2nd
5. 1 x 9-seated STT - 4th
6. 1 x 9-seated STT - 7th
7. 1 x 9-seated STT - 1st

A loss of $4, pretty much break even. I'm delighted with the win because I was HU for about 15 minutes. He loved to shove, so I played patience and waited until I hit something. Fortunately I got from being low-stacked to level-stacked about 3 times... and I could tell he was getting prickly because started to fold more and more hands when he realised I was waiting for good hands to call him with. In the end he shoved to my AQ and lost nearly all his chips. He was playing 11 other tournaments at the time, so probably using a bot, which might explain his $11k profit to date.

[counterfeit]

He was playing 11 other tournaments at the time, so probably using a bot, which might explain his $11k profit to date.

I have to ask. How do you know how much profit he made?

[mathare]

He was playing 11 other tournaments at the time, so probably using a bot, which might explain his $11k profit to date.

If he has made $11k profit he's almost definitely not using a bot as they are rubbish at no-limit poker. He's probably just a multi-tabling pro - there are a lot of them about at that sort of level

[John]

I have to ask. How do you know how much profit he made?

I looked him up on Sharkscope - you get 5 free searches a day.

[sportingprofit]

11 tables at a time is nothing, I can play 16 and win at the $16 turbo level.

Heard of people who play up to 36 Sng tables at a time, once you have worked you've worked out the math it becomes easy to multitable.

[mathare]

I'll say it again - Haved Khan did 40+ at one time. He videod himself playing 20+ at a time to prove to his poker room that he wasn't using a bot

[John]

1. 1 x 9-seated STT - 4th
2. 1 x 9-seated STT - 6th
3. 1 x 9-seated STT - 2nd
4. 1 x 9-seated STT - 3rd
5. 1 x 9-seated STT - 3rd
6. 1 x 9-seated STT - 6th
7. 1 x 9-seated STT - 6th

Meh. One of those "I shouldn't play poker after a work party" nights.

[counterfeit]

It wasn't too bad. I can't play at all if I have been out. I keep pressing the wrong buttons.

[John]

1. 1 x 9-seated STT - 6th
2. 1 x 9-seated STT - 2nd
3. 1 x 9-seated STT - 4th
4. 1 x 9-seated STT - 5th
5. 1 x 9-seated STT - 2nd
6. 1 x 9-seated STT - 5th
8. 1 x 9-seated STT - 4th
9. 1 x 9-seated STT - 2nd
10. 1 x 9-seated STT - 5th
11. 1 x 9-seated STT - 2nd
12. 1 x 9-seated STT - 1st

Bit of a marathon session for a Friday evening! Turned out well, and managed a decent profit after winning the last one. Tournament 11 was weird though - and here's why. I reached the last 5, then the last 4, then the last 3, and in the space of about 20 minutes a certain player who I will name in a minute kept flat calling every single hand except all pushes. Didn't matter what cards he had. So then when we're down to 3 players left, still he would flat call every hand and fold to a push, which meant that when I was in the big blind with rag cards I had to see them through until the river, because he was never the first to bet, but always called bets. Typically he makes it heads up with me and doesn't alter his strategy of flat calling my BB with hands like J-A, K-Q and 9-9. Anyway, I push with J-Qs and the flop comes J-Q-A. He's got A-A and wins it.

So after a bit of research I looked up his username on Sharkscope and found this [attached below].

[counterfeit]

Flipping heck (not allowed to swear). That is somebody with loads of money and no idea.

Good session though John.

I've an idea for you. Throw a sicky for a couple of days and play flat out. See if you are consistent enough to make a living.

I'm not suggesting you should than give up work if you are good enough. Heaven forbid. But here's a story for you.

Roberto Romanello broke his leg in a motorbike accident and couldn't work for 8 weeks. He was bored after a week at home so chucked £100 into a poker site. By the time he was fit to work he had made over £10k so decided working for £20k a year wasn't for him anymore. He is now one of the Full Tilt pro team and is minted.

Funny how fate can get you started on anew path.

[markwales]

Excellent session John... I only watched 2 of the games before hitting the sack as was knackered, but you played well, attacking when in position and nursing when short.

Nice to end the session with a win too.

[Mavrick]

Well done John. Keep coming with the updates. I really wanna see how you get on as I've well and truely got into poker these last few months. You're obviously better then me but, I'm definitely getting it together slowly.

[markwales]

You're obviously better then me.

Trust me!!!! don't believe it :)

[markwales]

11 tables at a time is nothing, I can play 16 and win at the $16 turbo level.

Screenshot please.

[John]

Counterfeit - interesting idea that! Although I'm not sure how well I would cope with playing flat out for hours and hours... think my batteries might run out. I'd have bundles of awake energy though, and it'd be entirely different from playing after work in the evenings where I'm nodding off. I tend to have a more awake frame of mind at the weekend because I've had a lie-in and I feel fresh without the thought of work the next day. Contrastingly though, as we've mentioned before there seems to be a higher number of donkeys roaming the fields at weekends. Today that didn't affect me fortunately, until the last tourney.

Mark - what can I say! Let's hope I can continue onwards and upwards. I know I've said to you in the past that watching me puts me under pressure, but hell fire, it certainly helps me raise my game if I know I'm being watched. :)

Mavrick - thanks for your comments, and don't believe a word of it! Good luck at the tables - I've found keeping a record of stats definitely helps to keep on top of things.

[John]

1. 1 x 9-seated STT - 4th
2. 1 x 9-seated STT - 1st
3. 1 x 9-seated STT - 2nd
4. 1 x 9-seated STT - 3rd
5. 1 x 9-seated STT - 8th

$55 profit... :) Funny thing - short stacked all the way through Tourney 4 but happy to watch others bust themselves out. If I remember rightly, I had 390 chips UTG and the blinds were 200/400 - I folded, hoping to catch 3rd somehow. 2 players went all in (4 left) and they got called by the chip lead who busted out one of them. So I made 3rd miraculously, happy days. Coming 2nd was annoying in Tourney 3, the other guy managed to hit two straights in quick succession. Tourney 2 was me at my best. :D

Another thing - I've stopped limping into pots - and now fold/raise everything. I'll only (sometimes) limp when heads up or three-seated, where I'll limp with a monster if conditions are right.

[sportingprofit]

Screenshot please.

I stack (full size) the tables so screenshot would probably not prove anything, I'm sure you'll take my word for it

I play a strategy where I fold everything except AA, KK, QQ and AK and limp pocket pairs (set mine) in late position so I just press fold for 90% of the hands. Then when approaching the bubble/later stages I've lost a few games and have less tables to worry about, I just shove/fold. Works well at the low stakes and is profitable.

tme03 on Pokerstars (Sharkscope). Have a look at recent results (only shows 8) and note the time.

I rarely play SnG's though, usually when am bored or on a downswing at cash games.

I'd be happy to prove I can play 16 at a time if I can get a good internet connection later.

-Tom

[John]

1. 1 x 9-seated STT - 4th
2. 1 x 9-seated STT - 7th
3. 1 x 9-seated STT - 6th
4. 1 x 9-seated STT - 3rd
5. 1 x 9-seated STT - 8th
6. 1 x 9-seated STT - 2th
7. 1 x 9-seated STT - 9th
8. 1 x 9-seated STT - 1st
9. 1 x 9-seated STT - 2nd
10. 1 x 9-seated STT - 1st
11. 1 x 9-seated STT - 6th
12. 1 x 9-seated STT - 5th
13. 1 x 9-seated STT - 3rd
14. 1 x 9-seated STT - 4th
15. 1 x 9-seated STT - 1st

Haven't had a lot of time on my hands today. Terrific day... made $2 shy of $100, very happy, haven't limped into a single pot, and bank at an all time high. :D Tournament 15 was probably the hardest one I've had to win yet, up until 3/4 the way through. I'd played 1 hand in 38, had about 5 or 6 big blinds to my name and then Q-Q arrived - flop came 3-T-Q-A-T giving me Queens full. From there I became middle stack and dominated to the point where 3-handed my stack was about 10,000, versus two at 1,500. With heavy blinds I raised pretty much everything. :)

[John]

1. 1 x 9-seated STT - 4th
2. 1 x 9-seated STT - 6th

[John]

1. 1 x 9-seated STT - 1st
2. 1 x 9-seated STT - 4th
3. 1 x 9-seated STT - 6th
4. 1 x 9-seated STT - 2nd
5. 1 x 9-seated STT - 4th
6. 1 x 9-seated STT - 3rd

Made a nice profit tonight but I'm really not happy with myself. I played awful in T5 and T6, calling a very pricey turn card with the nut flush draw and folded the river, costing me half my stack. So utterly disgraced at how badly I played the hand. I never want to play a hand that badly ever again.

I got lucky in T6 for 3rd but only because with five left, a three-way pot sent two all-ins home packing. Played really well in T1 and T2, really unlucky to bubble in the second one actually. Then after watching some Green Wing I played terrible afterwards. Still, profit is profit nomatter how you make it. Jeez, I just hate myself for playing that hand so badly.

[counterfeit]

Made A Nice Profit Tonight But I'm Really Not Happy With Myself. I Played Awful In T5 And T6, Calling A Very Pricey Turn Card With The Nut Flush Draw And Folded The River, Costing Me Half My Stack. So Utterly Disgraced At How Badly I Played The Hand. I Never Want To Play A Hand That Badly Ever Again.

>((()))>

:d