Becoming a professional poker player
One of the perks of writing a poker column is the many opportunities it gives you to discuss the subject with people of disparate opinions. With my e-mail address displayed in the footer of every column I publish, people often write to ask questions. One of the most common has to do with what it takes to go pro...
Showing posts with label bankroll. Show all posts
Showing posts with label bankroll. Show all posts
Saturday, March 31, 2012
Saturday, June 4, 2011
Flirting with busto
FYI, this is a vent-post. I'm running bad and my BR is almost gone.
There are no smaller stakes to be played live. I may actually have to use my own money to play if things don't turn around in my next session.
Six weeks ago, I started with $300, added another $600 two weeks later from my PS cashout. In two weeks, my BR reached a height of $3138. I used $1000 for personal expenses (car repair, household goods). Week 3 and 4 were rough, where I lost $1108. Week 5 and 6 I rebounded a bit, winning $1064. I used $225 for personal expenses from week 3 to week 6, putting my BR at $1869 to start week 6.
Five straight sessions without a win has my bankroll teetering on the brink of busto. In those five sessions, I've lost $1440. I keep getting it in good against a donkey who calls my pfr with T6o, J4o, T4s, etc, flops a pair or weak draw, gets it in bad and sucks out.
I'm playing well. I'm not tilt-calling off in bad spots. Example: I held QQ, raised pf, got 1 caller (a player I had pegged as a calling station). Flop KQ4. Bet the pot. Villain calls. Turn T. I bet 3/4 pot. Villain calls. River J. I bet 1/3 pot and villain went all in. I folded, face-up. Villain showed ATo.
The above has become a recurring theme of 2nd best vs calling stations.
KK vs 52o. (Obv I raised pf, villain called from BB.) Flop 529sss (I have Ks). Bet, call. Turn Qh, bet, call. river Jc, bet, call.
QQ vs A3s, aipf. Board:667A9.
Called pfr w/AhTh vs QQ. Flop Tc6hTd, check-called. Donked turn 8h for half pot. River Qh. Donk-called a min raise. I would have folded if I hadn't made the flush.
AA vs J6s. He makes 2 pair.
AJ vs 99. Flop J64ss. Villain overbet the flop, I shoved. He calls my all-in thinking I have a draw. Turn 9.
The pot that really hurt last night was this one, even though it's not a bad beat:
Stack sizes: At the start of the hand, I have 90BB, villain has 110BB.
I'm dealt QsJs in MP. 2 limpers, I raise 5x. 3 callers.
Flop comes TsJh4s.
1 check, villain donks, I raise, folds back to villain who reraises. I thought about just calling. Villain's most likely holding is JT. 44 is also a possibility. I'm discounting naked straight or flush draws because this player would just call rather than reraise. So I think about the math. Against AJ/KJ, I'm a slight underdog. Against JT, it's basically the same, a slight underdog. Against a set it's a bit worse but not horrible.
I decide there's just too much equity to fold it. And if my flush comes, I don't want my opponent freezing up. I shove. Villain insta-calls and shows Th4h for bottom 2.
I'm actually a 52/47 favorite. But, I have to hit. Turn is the 8h.
Now I have more outs, but it can't be a heart.
River 5h.
Look, I realize that when the money went in, I was behind. I accept that. I own it. I just don't accept that I continue to play better cards and the donkeys are constantly getting lucky with trash. I realize bad beats happen. I just have a hard time swallowing the frequency with which I'm getting beat this week.
I just feel like I'm playing well, getting my money in good on a regular basis, and while I'm not happy with my results, I accept the concept that results and play are not directly connected in the short-term. Nevertheless, it is hurting my confidence in both my play and in the poker gods. I don't care who it is, when you're running bad, you can't feel 100% confident.
M
There are no smaller stakes to be played live. I may actually have to use my own money to play if things don't turn around in my next session.
Six weeks ago, I started with $300, added another $600 two weeks later from my PS cashout. In two weeks, my BR reached a height of $3138. I used $1000 for personal expenses (car repair, household goods). Week 3 and 4 were rough, where I lost $1108. Week 5 and 6 I rebounded a bit, winning $1064. I used $225 for personal expenses from week 3 to week 6, putting my BR at $1869 to start week 6.
Five straight sessions without a win has my bankroll teetering on the brink of busto. In those five sessions, I've lost $1440. I keep getting it in good against a donkey who calls my pfr with T6o, J4o, T4s, etc, flops a pair or weak draw, gets it in bad and sucks out.
I'm playing well. I'm not tilt-calling off in bad spots. Example: I held QQ, raised pf, got 1 caller (a player I had pegged as a calling station). Flop KQ4. Bet the pot. Villain calls. Turn T. I bet 3/4 pot. Villain calls. River J. I bet 1/3 pot and villain went all in. I folded, face-up. Villain showed ATo.
The above has become a recurring theme of 2nd best vs calling stations.
KK vs 52o. (Obv I raised pf, villain called from BB.) Flop 529sss (I have Ks). Bet, call. Turn Qh, bet, call. river Jc, bet, call.
QQ vs A3s, aipf. Board:667A9.
Called pfr w/AhTh vs QQ. Flop Tc6hTd, check-called. Donked turn 8h for half pot. River Qh. Donk-called a min raise. I would have folded if I hadn't made the flush.
AA vs J6s. He makes 2 pair.
AJ vs 99. Flop J64ss. Villain overbet the flop, I shoved. He calls my all-in thinking I have a draw. Turn 9.
The pot that really hurt last night was this one, even though it's not a bad beat:
Stack sizes: At the start of the hand, I have 90BB, villain has 110BB.
I'm dealt QsJs in MP. 2 limpers, I raise 5x. 3 callers.
Flop comes TsJh4s.
1 check, villain donks, I raise, folds back to villain who reraises. I thought about just calling. Villain's most likely holding is JT. 44 is also a possibility. I'm discounting naked straight or flush draws because this player would just call rather than reraise. So I think about the math. Against AJ/KJ, I'm a slight underdog. Against JT, it's basically the same, a slight underdog. Against a set it's a bit worse but not horrible.
I decide there's just too much equity to fold it. And if my flush comes, I don't want my opponent freezing up. I shove. Villain insta-calls and shows Th4h for bottom 2.
I'm actually a 52/47 favorite. But, I have to hit. Turn is the 8h.
Now I have more outs, but it can't be a heart.
River 5h.
Look, I realize that when the money went in, I was behind. I accept that. I own it. I just don't accept that I continue to play better cards and the donkeys are constantly getting lucky with trash. I realize bad beats happen. I just have a hard time swallowing the frequency with which I'm getting beat this week.
I just feel like I'm playing well, getting my money in good on a regular basis, and while I'm not happy with my results, I accept the concept that results and play are not directly connected in the short-term. Nevertheless, it is hurting my confidence in both my play and in the poker gods. I don't care who it is, when you're running bad, you can't feel 100% confident.
M
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