Intro

I've wanted to start a blog for a long time, but wasn't sure anyone would be interested. I'm a small/micro stakes player who has mostly broken even the last couple years. I'm posting a profit this year but still have plenty to learn. That being said, maybe there are many of you out there just like me and perhaps we can compare notes and learn something together.

A little about me. I live in Tulsa, Oklahoma, USA. I'm ancient in terms of the majority of online poker players at 42 years old. I've been playing poker since 2006. I started out playing online, playing NLHE strictly as a hobbyist and with no bankroll management whatsoever, and went busto a dozen times for $100-$300 each time. Switched to live play, playing both LHE and NLHE still as a hobby and while I never kept any records, I believe I either broke even or was a small loser over the next couple years. I've also played NLHE tournaments, where I have shown a profit, but I much prefer cash games.

In 2007, I was a moderator for PokerStars. For those of you who are curious, DonkDown.com recently did a rundown of what Moderators get for working at PS, and they got it right except that Moderators are also given automatic GoldStar status, so they can play the weekend VIP freerolls. During most of 2007-2008 I played strictly play money games, and while it's not real poker, I did run my 2,000 chips into a total of 12,000,000.

Okay, so at the end of 2008, I decided to study the game and try to improve and return to cash games. To date, my library contains over 20 poker books. Some were helpful. Some totally screwed up my game. But overall the information was helpful, if not always applied correctly. Changing one's approach to the game is tough, but for me it was necessary.

After studying up it was time to start playing again, and in Jan 2009, I deposited $100 on PS and $100 on FT and away we go. To date, I've run it up to just over $1000. No cashouts yet. I've moved up in stakes as my bankroll has grown and am now playing 25c/50c LHE on FT. My BR on PS is somewhat smaller, so I'm still mostly playing 10c/20c over there. What games to I play, you ask? I'll spare you the long story and just say that I've sworn off NLHE for now, and staying away from SNGs and tourneys because of the high variance. My bankroll isn't big enough to withstand any dry spells, which is a high risk when playing tourneys with $1 and $2 entry fees.

I have therefore chosen to play LHE exclusively for now and really focus on improving my game. The LHE literature is kinda sparse. SuperSystem covers it but it's so general in nature that it's not very helpful. I may get criticized for that but it's my opinion. A much better source is Barry Tanenbaum's Advanced Limit Hold 'Em Strategy. It's an excellent breakdown of all aspects of LHE. I highly recommend it.

I joined CR in 2010 and wow. Just wow. It has made all the difference in the world. Scheids and the rest of the gang have totally transformed my game.

I am not using a HUD yet. My computer is an older model that needs to be replaced, and any time I try to turn on the PT HUD, it can't handle the load and my system crashes. So I'm taking lots of notes on players and relying on them for reads. Fortunately, the player pool for limit games is smaller than NL, and I often have notes on half the players at the tables. I hope to buy a new system soon and would appreciate any recommendations/information regarding what I should get.

Since I've had some success lately in growing my bankroll, I've decided it's time to set some goals. It's something I've never done before and wonder just what kind of goals to set. Hours of play? Number of hands to play? I'm not sure. Leave me your comments and tell me what your goals are.

Anyways, for now my goal is to play 3 hours per day and put in 800 to 1000 hands. I usually play 2 tables of shorthanded RUSH, but occassionally play FR and occassionally try 4 tables. But 2 tables of 6-max RUSH is the norm.

Here are my stats from today's sessions:


And the results graph (not that it matters to you, but it does to me):


If you've made it this far, it's more than I expected. Will try to have more interesting stuff in the future. I plan on posting hands, asking questions, and maybe even having an almost-competent answer or two. If you're a small/microstakes player like me trying to move up, let me know...wouldn't mind making your aquaintance.

In the meantime, thanks for stopping by!
M