I'm a Microstakes Player, Get Me Outta Here!

So I've been playing quite well lately, which of course doesn't necessarily imply winning loads of money but whatever.

Because I got a bit ahead of myself and tried eight tactics at once I had to slow down and go back to nitty for a while. It'a all good, I enjoyed being comfortable for a bit.
I think I do ok now preflop except I made the effort to do more squeezing, producing the graph below. Aficionados of such moves will of course note my complete failure to print money, due mostly to my trying it versus unknowns and at certain times of the day when the no-foldem-holdem gang comeout to play. Meh, I'll get it.

I've upgraded my winrate this month at least, it's now exactly $00.00/100bb over 64K - seriously?!

If I can improve my game such that I am comfortable with all these strategies and tactics, I may well set myself a big challenge for after Christmas, we'll see how the BR and my eyesight go.

In other news I would like to say I enjoyed the zimmers game but having taken the pills I went blind and had to drop out and go to bed. Bah! I think it was the pills, it may have been that bloody 8-game!

Christmas shopping nearly done and spent way, way over the top on mrsgadget again, but of course I'm going to say she's worth every pound - but I bet I wont say it sooner than she does! ♦

You don't have to be nice, but be good.

Mal.

Great game tonight Mal, really enjoyed it

@roo, sorry I had to leave but you were owning me anyway!

So here we are, a nice shiny new db started in HM2, to go with the nice shiny new month and the nice shiny new Pokerstars client download I will need, me being a UK nitfish. Good boy Mal.

Now, it seems I have a nice shiny new limit to play since I'll be at nl10 - when I get the chance to play that is, what with me and SWMBO both being a bit 'off' - but at least it's a move in the right direction.
If I own nl10 like the last time I'll look to moving to nl25 nosebleeds and a nice shiny new challenge for the start of the nice shiny new year; maybe give that SN thing a go but not sure how to work out how to do it properly yet, or even if I can at nl25. I suspect nl10 would be a bit too long of a day. We'll see.

In other news, I've finished Christmas shopping and thank fk that's out the way. In keeping with my miseryguts persona I hate all things Christmasy, or Halloweeny for that matter - and New Yeary - and...- so it's all just for She Who Cannot Be Named because she loves that crap. It may be because my family are distant, not geographically, but we've never been close knit. I haven't seen my older sister in years and she only lives 4 miles away.

Perhaps I should make a resolution to improve relationships with them.

Have a nice week and have better weather than we are if you can.

Hi Mal, jus popped to say hi.
this must be one of the best blogs and love your sense of humour.
Hope to see you crushing the nosebleeds soon

Hi there peddy53, thanks for dropping by. I'll assume the '...best blogs...' comment was tongue in cheek and move on.

Now, here's a thing. I had a stab at the big playground a few days ago and they stole all my sweeties the bastads!

Only a few hands in but I'm pretty sure that having looked at it a few times now, that this was a fold. Forget he flush, if villain has that then gg; so if he doesn't? I don't know these guys much and I thought he might be doing the nl10 trick of trying to get me to fold with his weak Q or whatever. How can I think that after about 20 hands?
Glub, glub, glub.

That was my first session at nl25 and it went -2BI after 300 hands and -6BI for 1400 or so. Sigh, gg.

Get back in the water fish!

Then this cropped up:

Guy is nittier than a nitty nit so no point betting the turn really.

Oh and the river is wrong, no idea what happened there but I didn't chk I bet 1.30 so his bet is a raise, no point in me betting any more and I nearly played chk/c anyway.

SB: $18.54 (185.4 bb)
Hero (BB): $12.41 (124.1 bb)
UTG: $29.63 (296.3 bb)
MP: $12.75 (127.5 bb)
CO: $10.20 (102 bb)
BTN: $5.54 (55.4 bb)

Preflop: Hero is BB with J A
3 folds, BTN raises to $0.20, SB calls $0.15, Hero calls $0.10

Flop: ($0.60) T A T (3 players)
SB checks, Hero checks, BTN bets $0.20, SB calls $0.20, Hero raises to $0.60, BTN folds, SB calls $0.40

Turn: ($2) T (2 players)
SB checks, Hero checks

River: ($2) 9 (2 players)
SB bets $4.60, Hero folds

Results:

Villain took the clock on the river so I did the same. That was what swayed me, if he tanks he calls an ace. So, it's aces or a ten; nice hand.

Whether the play was good or not, I didn't bat an eyelid and just moved on; I impressed myself there. My problem is that I didn't bet the turn and that changes a few things which is why I nearly called the river raise.

Anyhooo, I'm not doing too badly and getting it back at nl10. It's a very strange thing that I've reverted to my old nitty self again (19/14/5 ish) after getting a drubbing but people will still insist on bluffing at me!

In other news, mrsgadget is feeling a lot better at the moment so maybe the trade-in will have to wait a while longer. Oh and wait for it, wait for it! Mrsgadget has promised when she gets her next holiday week off in a fortnight's time, that she will cook a meal for me. Beans on toast it is then.

So in two weeks time if you don't hear anything from me...

I'm off to practice rolling around on the floor in agony - have a safe weekend.

Originally posted by gadget51

Now, here's a thing. I had a stab at the big playground a few days ago and they stole all my sweeties the bastads!

The way you describe things always makes me laugh Mal

Greetings fellow demi-gods.

@roo: Well at least my life isn't a complete washout then.

Our electricity and water were off for ages today, apparently the guy next door can't do DIY and fkt it all up. I wasn't up to much either, felt like I'd had an argument with Los Zetas and I know how they end!
Had a walk to town in the pissin' fkn rain which helped no end then played some pokerz for a short session which was profitable:

It's been a while since I had a nice graph but the odd thing is the tighter I play the more blufy/spewy people get - and I'm stealing everything that looks vaguely timid up to 3-way. Maybe I'm just paying more attention, we'll see how long it lasts before throwing the party.

Odd that yesterday nobody folded and my squeezes ended up 4/5-way so often, not a good profit day.

Then I walked the dog in the pissin' fkn rain and felt really great after it, honest.

In other news, mrsgadget is off work for a few days and we're going to have a quiet time - until she notices the wallpaper I bought (and hid in the cupboard) - and that'll be the end of that shit.

Anyway, have a dry day.

Originally posted by gadget51
It's been a while since I had a nice graph but the odd thing is the tighter I play the more blufy/spewy people get[1] - and I'm stealing everything that looks vaguely timid up to 3-way. Maybe I'm just paying more attention, we'll see how long it lasts before throwing the party.

[1] Well, yeah -- that is how we are taught to play vs excessively tight players. Vs a nit, loosen up. I've also found that people that are tight pre-flop are also likely to play fit or fold post flop. So if I *do* call vs a raise from UTG, I'll float any piece of the flop and bet any scare card on the turn.

Note that this only works in the second 300 hands of a session. In the first 300, you lose a stack each time you try ♠_cry:

Originally posted by gadget51
Anyway, have a dry day.

Why ta guv <tugs forelock>
We've had love clear, cold fall days here for the past few -- and a few more to come.

Then rain 'til mid march as per usual.

Cheers,
VS

I thought you'd be up to your wotsits in snow by now V. Or are you 6ft 8in?

Mrsgadget found the wallpaper, say fk all, fkn hate decoratin'. I especially hate decorating with nice patterned wallpaper on shitty walls that look like they've had an argument with an RPG and an earthquake and lost both. Talk about fkin knackered!
So our fireplace now has pretty red flowers and birdies and fkn butterflies on it. Fkn butterflies, I ask you! Purrleeeze!

In other news, poker went ok when I got a chance to play. I shouldn't have really but it was that or Fkn Strictly Come Fkn Dancing with mrsgadget singing along...don't, don't even go there...

Shame I lost 6 fkn BI on Thursday/Friday, although $50 was a shot at nl25 that lasted about 300 hands, stacked set over set first 10 hands in - thanks dealer, you twat.

I still think I can make nl25 by the end of the year, but then I'm the tit still papering after 4 days who thought wallpapering would be easy peasy and take about two days.

Sometimes I wish my 'Oooooo, I know what would be nice for She Who Must Be Obeyed for Christmas,' would just fk off.

Have a nice weekend and if you see me at nl10 I'm the 15/12/4 nit covered in paste

Originally posted by gadget51
I thought you'd be up to your wotsits in snow by now V. Or are you 6ft 8in?

Nah, I live in Canada's Banana Belt. We leave all the snow-getting to Calgary and points east. We'll do a token slush-fall once a month in Dec - Feb, but that's about it.

I have a friend from Korea who was dressed in t-shirt, regular shirt, flannel overshirt, two scarves, down parka, togue and ski gloves. He stood shivering. It was only -2C.
That's sweater weather unless its windy, in which case I'll wear a windbreaker.

I don't usually wear those unless I have to break wind for some reason.

In fact, from the sounds of things, our climate is similar to yours.
Grey, with water falling directly from the sky nearly continuously.

Oh, and nice graph!

Cheers,
VS

Well here's the very next session. Gotta keep a balanced strategy after all init!

Here's a couple of my favourite rungoods from yesterday. Too many to count overall but the second one did for me at nl10.

Fishy guy first. Maybe at nl2K someone like the mighty mbml could find a hero fold, but not me at nl10 (fish):

Maniac, I'm never folding here either:

Crushed for a week solid, so nl5 for a week yet again.

poker gods,

Have a fun day guys and gals, I'm going for a nice long walk off the very short pier.

Just a couple of fun ones from nl5, nothing special.

This one comes from the, 'Taking the Initiative Away from the Villain' section of Phil Helmuth's 'Look Honey, I Can Dodge Bullets!' -> when playing 10/6 feels too spewy.

...and this one comes from the WTF department of spewtard regs:

Poker Stars, $0.02/$0.05 No Limit Hold'em Cash, 6 Players

SB: $6.13 (122.6 bb)
BB: $22.02 (440.4 bb)
Hero (UTG): $12.14 (242.8 bb)
MP: $5.49 (109.8 bb)
CO: $8.80 (176 bb)
BTN: $5.39 (107.8 bb)

Preflop: Hero is UTG with Q A
Hero raises to $0.15, 4 folds, BB calls $0.10

Flop: ($0.32) A 8 Q (2 players)
BB checks, Hero bets $0.18, BB raises to $0.36, Hero calls $0.18

Turn: ($1.04) 3 (2 players)
BB bets $1, Hero calls $1

River: ($3.04) Q (2 players)
BB bets $2.91, Hero raises to $5.82, BB raises to $13.09, Hero calls $4.81 and is all-in

Results:

The tough part is I can only put him on eights, slow aces or a bluff (na, surely not, nobody's that stu...)

So anyway, I'm trying to score 100vpps each day until the end of the month, I need another 622 which will get me a little gold star thing. I need it because my next month's challenge will be to hit platinum and the needed volume in the trenches would be too much from silver for me.
BR still p and down like the proverbial, lose 40 win 30 blah blah.

In other news, the fkn decorating is done for now and the little birdies on the really squint walls are supposed to be looking across, but actually look like they're trying to look down. If I'd had to go much further, the last one would be standing on it's effin head!

Mrsgadget, as per, is absolutely delighted with it. Job done.

Run good everybody, the sun is out here - ssshhh!

Hand #1:
This is the dreaded bluff fold.
Watch out for this one. It will make you money when you least expect it.

Hand #2:
He was repping trip 3s in the hole

Peace,
VS

Luckily he didn't have them or I was bolloxed! Maybe he thought he did...?:f_ugly:

Poker has gone all weird on me this week. I'm trying not to be so nitty so I upped my first -in steal percent from the button to about oh, I dunno, 17% or so; that should do it!

Bit of contrast and compare today peeps:
This morning:

This afternoon:

The pattern goes back a couple of weeks now, can't seem to make any headway. I'll get there.

So there is me, watching a Laqoob vid and he's saying, put the fish all in on the turn, they'll call anything to hit a draw.

Oh, ok boss...

Poker Stars, $0.02/$0.05 No Limit Hold'em Cash, 6 Players
Poker Tools Powered By Holdem Manager - The Ultimate Poker Software Suite.

SB: $5.13 (102.6 bb)
BB: $5.84 (116.8 bb)
UTG: $2.33 (46.6 bb)
MP: $5.34 (106.8 bb)
Hero (CO): $5.28 (105.6 bb)
BTN: $2.48 (49.6 bb)

Preflop: Hero is CO with 6 6
UTG calls $0.05, MP folds, Hero raises to $0.15, 3 folds, UTG calls $0.10

Flop: ($0.37) 6 4 K (2 players)
UTG checks, Hero bets $0.19, UTG calls $0.19

Turn: ($0.75) J (2 players)
UTG checks, Hero bets $2.15, UTG calls $1.99 and is all-in

River: ($4.73) T (2 players, 1 is all-in)

Results:

So anyway, the vpps are stacking up nicely, only 482 to go to gold star. woohoo, go me. It'll actually be a close finish but hopefully the weekend volume will be enough to see our hero over the line.

It's nice to know that apart from disaster sessions I do just fine at nl5. I'll stick there while I consolidate and build a buffer, then move up next month I think.

Have a fun week.

Looking good - as always,

Mal.

Right, got the gold star and very pretty it looks to. Trying out for platinum in December.

It gets tough doing these challenges that take a lot of volume:

Platinum = 7500 vpps
Minimum 75K hands at nl10
Means 250vpps per day
Hands per day = shitload.

Day 1:
204.96vpps
7047 hands
-$51.53

I'll need to up my game, it appears 90% favourite on the turn isn't strong enough to win the race.
Maybe I need to just bet bigger?...

What's tough to note even after one day, is that I still need to sit there grinding it out for the vpps no matter what. I didn't make the volume yesterday because I sat out a bit tilty - that hand above was the second of three in a row.
It's something I considered before taking this on, that I need a buffer to cover me if it goes a bit tits up, that way I can continue to play nl10 (unless it goes tits up again of course). Dropping to nl5 would be a total disaster and I'm pretty sure I couldn't make up the volume to complete the challenge; I'll struggle as it is at zoom 10.

If I can win a few $$$s and get to platinum I may be bale to try for SN at nl25 next year. My sponsor would be pleased to get a return just for a change no doubt.

I need this, mrsgadget is getting laid of in the near future and we'll be relying on me more. She is also not very well and plugging on like the total trouper she is. This of course brings with it it's own problems, i.e. the stress of needing to win and in fact losing dismally. Focus, or the lack of it, however, is definitely not an issue.

Back to it today again...

Run good people!

Day 2.

vpps: 192.10
hands: 8.304
+$44.05

Not going so well yet. It seems another barrier to this is that I have a life. Walk the dog, feed the mrs, clean the house, etc., etc., etc...

I know I can only concentrate for around 2K hands at 4 tabs of zoom 10 and really only do it well for around 1500, then it's break time; I've already worked that out so that's no problem.
So today I thought, ok, difficult getting the hours in so play more tabs, see if that works. Opened 4 zoom 5 as well but that was too many, so I closed 2 and think I can manage 6 tabs ok but only for 1500 hands.
If the roll goes up enough I'll change the zoom 5 for zoom 25 which will help me catch up on the vpps, you don't get points easy at zoom 5 even as a gold.

I also seem to tighten up when multitabling. I am aware of this but I can't see why I would except I haven't time to see all the opportunities, so stick to good hands in position etc., I suppose. I'll need to see if I can fix that by next week if I can, the tighter I play the more hands I'll need.
Then there's the internet isuue. I keep getting disconnected for some unknown reason the techies aren't able to explain. Doesn't help; sigh.

Still, it's better than my normal state of mind according to swmbo, disconnected from reality! Oh is that right! Bitch, didn't think she had that kind of wit in her.

Anyway, If everything stays as is, I'll just have to grit my dentures, tighten my incontinence pants, make some hot cocoa and go for the hours. So, beans on toast it will be in that case for the mrs then!

And for you giraffe watchers, see if you can spot where the stations and drunks turned up.

Run good and have fun.

Originally posted by gadget51
I also seem to tighten up when multitabling. I am aware of this but I can't see why I would except I haven't time to see all the opportunities, so stick to good hands in position etc., I suppose. I'll need to see if I can fix that by next week if I can, the tighter I play the more hands I'll need.

For me that is a necessity. I can 2-table zoom and still pay attention , take notes etc. Any more, and the first thing to go is the note-taking.

Best of luck,
VS

Originally posted by VorpalF2F

Originally posted by gadget51
I also seem to tighten up when multitabling. I am aware of this but I can't see why I would except I haven't time to see all the opportunities, so stick to good hands in position etc., I suppose. I'll need to see if I can fix that by next week if I can, the tighter I play the more hands I'll need.

For me that is a necessity. I can 2-table zoom and still pay attention , take notes etc. Any more, and the first thing to go is the note-taking.

Best of luck,
VS

Note taking at Zoom is a post game activity.

Originally posted by jbpatzer
Note taking at Zoom is a post game activity.

Provided you remember what brilliant flash of insight you had at the time.

<sigh>
VS

'...what brilliant flash of insight...' my thoughts exactly.

Well my platinum challenge has stalled again,

1190 vpps < 1750 min required by now.

Not even close so it'll be a fail now. I'll expect to maintain gold is all and try again later if I'm still playing by then. That also will mean the SN next year will be on hold as well. Just got to put it down to 'outside influences'. this time. Don't know what to do for next year now, I'll see if I can come up with something to keep me going.

In other news, mrsgadget gave me her overtime to put onto poker but I wasn't happy having that so I decorated and spent it on presents for her instead - just before I lost half my roll. Thanks dealer.
So I took a chillout last night, put on this awesome sound:

and sat at two tabs of zoom5 plo until it finished. Well I sat and I sat and I sat and got very little but I hit even less and when I did hit:

http://www.boomplayer.com/poker-hands/Boom/11998182_0D9C3BE5D0

Gg

I think I may have papered over the doomswitch y'know, so now I can't find it to switch it off.

On the brighter side, mrsgadget has more presents the Santa and is as excited as a 6yr old. Her new phone has driven her up the wall, it being a Samsung Galaxy thing.

'It's technical stuff, I don't do technical stuff, you know I can't do that, I only do texting!'

I should point out that 'technical stuff' successes include switching the tv on via the remote twice in a row without tilting.

'Oooooo look, look, look, the pictures on this phone go sideways if you turn it!

You guys have a good weekend