Micro MTT Mayhem - Bankroll Challenge Blog

Good luck with you're MTT challenge

Cheers,
SDK1987

Hi garynicol85!

I hope that writing this block is a good motivator for you to play more poker. Good luck with the bankroll challenge and good run with the tournaments.

So, first week down and it went ok. The volume wasn't great as i only managed to play a long session on Saturday, and a small session on Thursday, due to other commitments on Sunday. I work Monday to Friday and also coach youth football, so two nights are taken up with training. The weekend coming looks clear so i will be looking to complete two long sessions on Saturday and Sunday.

I had a few good runs that were crushed after running into some bad variance but i still ended the week slightly up.

Results:

Tournaments Played: 42
Profit/Loss: +$28.78

Just a quick update this time round. Good luck on the felt

@Chipderella - thanks for the support. Ive been reading your blog, i love the Zero to Hero vibe with the freeroll approach. You seem to be killing it, i hope that continues

@SDK1987 thanks for dropping in. I remember you from my previous attempt at blogging on here 10 years ago. I hope this attempt lasts longer than that did.

Another week in the books, i wish this one had just stayed unwritten. First losing week of the challenge (of many i'm sure), however at least i didn't throw all my winnings from last week in the bin.

I was hoping for a couple of long sessions this week but only managed a couple more tournaments than last week, mostly due to unexpectedly having my granddaughter over night on Sunday. She is the best reason to miss a Sunday sesh, less downswing and more giggles.

This coming weekend I will definitely get more chance to play so i'm hoping to have a some good runs. Im going to change my blog update day from a Monday to a Sunday. I feel rushed on a Monday night to get it out as i have football training , which often throws a few curveballs. Sunday morning updates will hopefully mean a better chance to reflect with the added benefit of getting a day of poker in the books for the coming week down too.

I noticed this weekend my energy levels are really low, finding it hard to keep focus for long periods. I haven't been consistent in exercise for many months my diet is out of whack and my sleep schedule is very poor. I will make a plan this week for how im going to combat these three areas and use this blog to hold me accountable, starting next week. Just in time for WCOOP.

Results:

Tournaments Played: 45
Profit/Loss: -$17.82

Bankroll Challenge Week 3

An ok week, didnt get a huge amount of volume, as i expected this week as i moved my update day to Sunday. I played a small session after work on Friday which i added in due to not being able to play at all on Sunday, it ended up being a small losing day however a few deepish runs on Saturday put me back in the black. I have had to miss a Sunday session for the second week in a row thanks to some last minute work commitments.

Next weeks update will be just from the Saturday session i aim to play so volume will be low. Lets hope for quality without the quality.

I mentioned last week that my energy levels were low, this has not improved but i at least have a plan now. I am looking to tackle the 3 key areas to improve my energy and focus. Those being Exercise, Nutrition and Sleep. For exercise i have decided to start with 30-40 mins HIIT workouts, minimum 3 times a week. After a month i will add in 2-3 weight training days. I have opted for the cardio for two main reasons. Firstly, time. I can do this in my house and will only need to wake up an hour earlier to fit it in. Secondly, feeling. The feeling i used to get when doing these workouts was amazing, after the initial wanting to throw up had passed.

The cardio will also help with the sleep side, enabling me to drift off earlier. For nutrition, I have mealed prepped lunches and dinners for the week, I will be aiming to have 3 small meals and have also included some healthy snacks in between.

I have not been consistent in working for over a year so i want to start building this habit back in to my life. I dont want to set unrealistic goals, so will aim to just have 3 good days this week and build on that.

I will be tracking my weight on here as well, mostly to give me another metric for progress. I have put a lot of weight on over the last year, and while I mostly want to increase my energy levels, losing some of this excess weight would be a nice added benefit. Current weight is 211.4lbs

The goals for this week then are:

• Play minimum of 20 tournaments.
• HIIT Cardio 3 days
• Sleep for 7 hours 3 days
• Eat 2000 calories 3 days

Results:

Week 3
Tournaments Played: 33
Profit/Loss: +$19.65
Current Bankroll: $180.61

Bankroll Challenge Week 4

Tournaments Played: 29
Profit/Loss: +$4.76
Current Bankroll: $185.37

Just a quick update this week. I only managed to play on Saturday this week, which was the plan. On Friday I took my son to watch the Scotland U21's vs Spain U21's match. It was good to watch the next generation of Scottish players, my son came away inspired and wants to one day play alongside them, time to up his training.

The session on Saturday yielded a small profit. I narrowly missed the final table of the Big $1.10, and a bigger payday, when my set of 10s was beaten by a set of 9s which rivered the case 9 to give him quads.

Last weeks goals

Play minimum of 20 tournaments. PASSED
HIIT Cardio 3 days FAILED
Sleep for 7 hours 3 days PASSED
Eat 2000 calories 3 days PASSED

Current weight: 213.4lbs (+2lbs)

I managed one workout before catching a nasty cold leaving me breathless at walking up stairs, never mind a cardio session. I still managed to put on weight this week so will need to be stick to the calories for more days. I did pig out massively on Friday, first time ever trying Wing Stop.

This weeks goals:

Play minimum of 50 tournaments.
HIIT Cardio 3 days
Sleep for 7 hours 4 days
Eat 2000 calories 5 days

WCOOP starts today so im going to get straight in to the action. Good luck on the felt.

Originally posted by garynicol85
@Chipderella - thanks for the support. Ive been reading your blog, i love the Zero to Hero vibe with the freeroll approach. You seem to be killing it, i hope that continues

@SDK1987 thanks for dropping in. I remember you from my previous attempt at blogging on here 10 years ago. I hope this attempt lasts longer than that did.

I hope it as well. The start seems reasonable

It sounds like you’ve had a mixed week, but it's great to see you maintaining a positive perspective despite the setbacks. First losing week of the challenge is definitely a tough moment, but it’s commendable that you didn’t let it overshadow the previous success. Keeping a level head during these times is crucial, and it’s clear you’re doing just that.

It’s wonderful to hear about your granddaughter visit. Family moments like that are priceless and worth missing a poker session for, even if it means dealing with a bit of a downswing. The joy and memories created are definitely worth more than any poker loss.

I think moving your blog update day to Sunday is a smart decision. It’ll give you a chance to reflect on the week more thoroughly and incorporate any poker results or thoughts into your update without the time pressure from football training. Plus, getting a day of poker in before your update could provide more content and insights to share.

Regarding your energy and focus issues, it's great that you’re planning to address them. Consistency in exercise, a balanced diet, and a good sleep schedule can make a significant difference in your performance both at the tables and in general. Using your blog as a tool for accountability is a fantastic idea and could help you stay motivated and on track.

As for the results, losing $17.82 over 45 tournaments isn’t a huge setback in the grand scheme of things, especially considering the challenges you faced. Focus on your recovery and preparation for WCOOP, and I’m sure you’ll bounce back stronger...

Wishing you all the best for the coming week and the WCOOP. Here’s to better runs, improved energy, and successful sessions ahead!

Best of luck and happy grinding! 🎉💪

Bankroll Challenge Weeks 5 and 6

Tournaments Played: 133
Profit/Loss: -44.49
Current Bankroll: $140.98

A rough couple of weeks on the tables has left me below my starting bankroll. A combination of playing poorly, playing while ill and the inevitable losing flips at the deeper end of tournaments.

I have had an ear infection and a sickness bug in the last two weeks but thought i could still try to grind through it. I really should have took some time off but i didn't want to let some microscopic beasts fuck with my momentum, especially during WCOOP. It goes without saying, the other health and fitness goals went out the window too. I am feeling a bit better today, the earache is just a dull throb and i seem to be holding down my food so i will grind again today. I wont be setting any other goals this week.

Originally posted by Nica096
It sounds like you’ve had a mixed week, but it's great to see you maintaining a positive perspective despite the setbacks. First losing week of the challenge is definitely a tough moment, but it’s commendable that you didn’t let it overshadow the previous success. Keeping a level head during these times is crucial, and it’s clear you’re doing just that.

It’s wonderful to hear about your granddaughter visit. Family moments like that are priceless and worth missing a poker session for, even if it means dealing with a bit of a downswing. The joy and memories created are definitely worth more than any poker loss.

I think moving your blog update day to Sunday is a smart decision. It’ll give you a chance to reflect on the week more thoroughly and incorporate any poker results or thoughts into your update without the time pressure from football training. Plus, getting a day of poker in before your update could provide more content and insights to share.

Regarding your energy and focus issues, it's great that you’re planning to address them. Consistency in exercise, a balanced diet, and a good sleep schedule can make a significant difference in your performance both at the tables and in general. Using your blog as a tool for accountability is a fantastic idea and could help you stay motivated and on track.

As for the results, losing $17.82 over 45 tournaments isn’t a huge setback in the grand scheme of things, especially considering the challenges you faced. Focus on your recovery and preparation for WCOOP, and I’m sure you’ll bounce back stronger...

Wishing you all the best for the coming week and the WCOOP. Here’s to better runs, improved energy, and successful sessions ahead!

Best of luck and happy grinding! 🎉💪

Thanks for the lovely, detailed message

Bankroll Challenge Week 7

Tournaments Played: 55
Profit/Loss: +$59.94
Current Bankroll: $200.92

A good week, hitting a new bankroll high. Most of the profit came from a deep run in the Mini Sunday Kickoff last week, finishing 22nd after getting it all in on the flop with top pair and the opponent hitting runner runner flush to end my dreams of completing the challenge in one fell swoop. I would've posted the hand here but i haven't figured out how to do that cool thing other bloggers do yet.

Managed to hit a royal flush for the first time in years.

Feeling a lot better this week and hoping to satty into the low main event today and finish WCOOP with a big payday. Also just noticed i won a prize in the blogger raffle. Thank you so much Pokerstrategy

Bankroll Challenge Week 8

Tournaments Played: 58
Profit/Loss: -$37.72
Current Bankroll: $163.20

A mixed week resulting in a big loss. I played the low WCOOP Main Event on Sunday after satelliting in for $5.50. I struggled to get anything going, missing every flop i entered. A couple of hours before day 2 I got it all in pre flop with T♦:T♣: against 9♠:9♦:. A 9♥: on the flop shattered my dreams of making day 2. The next afternoon i noticed a ticket giveaway on the Pokerstars X page with $109 tickets on the line. I entered and miraculously won.
I entered day 2 with 15BBs and the dreams of hitting a huge score. 6 hands in i get it all in pre flop with J♥:J♣: against T♣:T♠:. The inevitable T♥: dropped on the flop to send me packing for the second time in 24 hours.

I finished Sunday with a small loss thanks to finishing 2nd in a PKO earlier that day.

I played a long session on yesterday but could not get anything going at all, only min cashing one tournament. I did play in the NAPT freeroll, finishing 11th place and winning a $55 NAPT sat ticket. Hopefully i can spin that into a package next week. I am taking my son to his first ever gig tonight, so no Sunday grind this week. After yesterdays horror show, im kinda glad for the break.

Till next week, good luck on the felt

Bankroll Challenge Week 9 & 10

Tournaments Played: 54
Profit/Loss: -$24.75
Current Bankroll: $138.45

Its been a poor couple of weeks for results, dropping down to the lowest my bankroll has been since starting the challenge. A combination of bad play, terrible focus and some awful bad beats. I have not been sleeping well over the last couple of weeks, which has massively impacted my ability to play long sessions with good focus. I will aim to address this over the next few days by getting some workouts in and hopefully force my body to stay asleep during the night.

Until next week, good luck on the felt

Bankroll Challenge Week 11 & 12

Tournaments Played: 87
Profit/Loss: -$23.71
Current Bankroll: $114.74

Sorry for the late update again guys. Another bad run of form. This now makes it 5 weeks in a row in the red, with the bankroll taking another big hit over the last couple of weeks. I know these runs can happen when playing tournaments but i don't think its just down to running bad. I'm going to have a deep look at my database and see what leaks I can find.

Bankroll Challenge Week 13 & 14

Tournaments Played: 64
Profit/Loss: -$17.24
Current Bankroll: $97.50

Week 13 was the 6th week in a row i finished in the red. Nothing seemed to be going my way most of the week, i was either card dead or running into the top of ranges in most of the tournaments. I had one deep run in the Bounty Builder $1.10. I had a big stack and some bounties when i ran into two bad beats to destroy my stack.

Poker Stars, $0.98 Buy-in (500/1,000 blinds, 150 ante) No Limit Hold'em Tournament, 7 Players
Poker Tools Powered By Holdem Manager - The Ultimate Poker Software Suite.

SB: 43,654 (43.7 bb)
Hero (BB): 67,576 (67.6 bb)
MP1: 35,042 (35 bb)
MP2: 49,225 (49.2 bb)
MP3: 30,516 (30.5 bb)
CO: 88,986 (89 bb)
BTN: 95,855 (95.9 bb)

Preflop: Hero is BB with A♥: K♥:
MP1 calls 1,000, 4 folds, SB completes, Hero raises to 5,000, MP1 calls 4,000, SB folds

Flop: (12,050) 2♥: A♦: 8♥: (2 players)
Hero bets 3,856, MP1 raises to 12,000, Hero raises to 60,668, MP1 calls 17,892 and is all-in

Turn: (71,834) J♣: (2 players, 1 is all-in)
River: (71,834) 7♦: (2 players, 1 is all-in)

Results:

Followed up by another an hour later

Poker Stars, $0.98 Buy-in (2,000/4,000 blinds, 600 ante) No Limit Hold'em Tournament, 7 Players
Poker Tools Powered By Holdem Manager - The Ultimate Poker Software Suite.

SB: 179,753 (44.9 bb)
BB: 62,418 (15.6 bb)
MP1: 24,428 (6.1 bb)
Hero (MP2): 72,674 (18.2 bb)
MP3: 140,690 (35.2 bb)
CO: 47,592 (11.9 bb)
BTN: 148,694 (37.2 bb)

Preflop: Hero is MP2 with K♠: K♦:
MP1 raises to 23,828 and is all-in, Hero raises to 72,074 and is all-in, 5 folds

Flop: (57,856) Q♠: 3♠: T♥: (2 players, 2 are all-in)
Turn: (57,856) A♥: (2 players, 2 are all-in)
River: (57,856) 7♥: (2 players, 2 are all-in)

Results:

I finally managed to break the losing week streak in Week 14, though only for half of what i lost the week previous. I didn't get to play much this week as we had two family bereavements. Looking to get back to winning ways this coming week.

Good luck on the felt

Bankroll Challenge Week 15 & 16

Tournaments Played: 48
Profit/Loss: +$11.68
Current Bankroll: $109.18

A winning update, yeehah. My volume has been pretty low over the last couple of weeks but i have managed to finally finish in profit. Still way behind my starting bankroll, but hoping i can put some good runs together and start making some gains again.

I won a Sunday Million ticket in the social media freeroll. I got all excited about the potential of finishing the challenge with one deep run. The poker gods had other ideas and proceeded to slap me with a cold deck for hours before i shoved 50BB's with KK over a 3-bet. Villain turns over T9o which turns into a full house by the river. Ah well, maybe next time.

Bankroll Challenge Week 17

Tournaments Played: 43
Profit/Loss: -$11.80
Current Bankroll: $97.38

And back down we go again. Another frustrating week again at the tables. Some deep runs that i couldn't turn into big scores. Im hoping its because im storing up all my run good for the New Years Series coming up. I have set myself some new goals for the last few weeks of the year with the intention of building some momentum for creating a Mantelo(esque) set of goals for 2025.

Goal 1
Complete the 2 week Evil Russian Push Up Challenge (started today). It is very tough and time consuming but really good for jumpstarting my fitness goals for next year.

Goal 2
Focus on playing a lot of power path satellites with the aim of winning a silver pass that i can convert into a New Years Series Bundle of tickets. More a hope than a goal but I suppose committing to playing a ton of feeder sats is the goal.

Goal 3
I turn 40 on the 18th of April next year which is slap bang in the middle of the Irish Open. I must play in this tournament. Again, more of a hope than a goal but i will commit to playing the satellites to get me there.

I only have two weeks left at work before i finish up for two weeks off over the Christmas break. Lets smash these last few weeks of the year.

Bankroll Challenge Week 18

Tournaments Played: 49
Profit/Loss: -$25.65
Current Bankroll: $71.73

This was a really disappointing week at the tables. The quality of my play was very poor at times. I made a few deep runs but when it came to the last few tables I just blasted off my stacks in spots where i was pretty sure i was beat. When i get 2 outered, im usually pretty good at not letting it affect my mental state, telling myself over and over that at least I got it in good and thats all i can control. It may have been a build up of a poor run the last few weeks, but i tilted and tilted hard.

On a positive, I made gains towards my other goals. I have completed the first week of the push up challenge, and let me tell you, my breasts are very sore. I am also the proud owner of a Step 4 ticket which i will use this weekend to hopefully complete goal 2. Goal 3 im still working on, but this is the one with longest time frame so thats all good.