Balonas

Hello everyone,

I didn't post anything on the forum for a while, but I decided to start another blog here and hopefully keep it active and updated more than the other blogs that I started so far.
I the last few months I must admit that I played a little bit of poker but only at the lowest limit possible on STARS. I even had an attempt to learn PLO and played a few k hands at PLO2 but went pretty bad when I tried zoom tables and gave up. Here are the stats and the graph:
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It's a small sample, but I wasn't in the mood of learning a new game after all.
The conclusion is that I will stick to my main game wich is standard FR NL TABLES here on STARS and try to climb up in limits. As I mentioned above, I played a decent amount of hands at FR NL2 but didn't move up because I wasn't being mentally ready I guess. Had some good days and some bad days at the tables like everyone, but overall it went decent enough to make me continue with this game. Here are the stats and the graph from september untill now:
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Yeah, I know what are you thinking: "Who the fuck plays 400k hands at NL2 and doesn't move to NL5???!!!" .... well I did.
The good part is that I am playing only around 2h/day but grinding like a maniac in that time. (24 tables)
I read some really interesting articles yesterday, posted here on PokerVip by the coach Adam Jones, which somehow opened my eyes a little bit and gave me confidence to take the game more serious.

January 2016 Objectives: (from 17th to the end of it)
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play 40.000 hands on NL5
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play standard game (maybe a little bit more tight is not that bad)
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watch as many poker videos as possible and try to improve my game
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watch over the posted hands by other users in HH review on PokerVIP
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move to NL10 if I finish the month with profit

As you can see, I have pretty simple objectives to accomplish. Hopefully this time I will do it right.

I have only 2 questions before I start:
What kind of bankroll management should I be using?!
I didn't had downswings larger than 10 buy ins so this is one thing to keep in mind. If I will be playing at 24 tables than there are from start another 24 buy ins to count in. So, at first look an ok bankroll management should be around 50 buy ins so that I can play confortable even if I am hit by a downswing. What do you think? 50 buy ins bankroll is ok? Or is it a little bit too large?

The next question:
How many buy ins should be in my shots for the upper limit?
Adam mentioned that 5 buy ins shot are best, but since I play that many tables at a time, wouldn't be 10 buy ins better for me?

I hope someone will answer to my 2 questions and give me some advice.

Good luck all!

Last Post 7 years ago by

Balonas

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Normally I'd say that 30 BI is gonna be enough up to stakes of NL25, but if you play 24 tables that's gonna be a bit harder for obv reasons. I would prob cut down to 12-16 tables to begin with (especially when moving up to a new limit), and use an aggressive BRM like 30 BI for next limit with around 5 BI shottaking "rule". As we can see from your NL2 graph you aren't gonna experience a big amount of variance/downswings at these limits (NL2-NL10) because the avg player isn't gonna be very good, so I wouldn't be surprised if you are able to move up to the next limit at your first few shots.

GL moving up!

Wow! Perfect graph man!

I'm like yourself when it comes to moving up the stakes! Mentally, I feel serious pressure

When you say "play standard game", do you mean 6 max or just solid ABC poker?

I used to play FR and my win rate was crazy! Like 10bb/100 but I switched to 6 max... My win rate has dropped but it's a faaaar more interesting dynamic! However, I'm contemplating playing some FR again for the $$$ haha

I personally go for 30 buy in bankroll! And take a 5 buy in shot when moving up. As you're getting in so much volume, maybe 10 buy ins would be good!

Looking forward to future posts

I just tried to play a session at NL5 but at this hour most of the tables are terrible. There are just around 55 tables in total for NL5, and it is pretty hard to have a decent amount of good tables with this number while playing at so many as I do. At NL10 there will not be such a problem since there are right now around 105 tables so I have a decent amount to choose from. Here is an exemple of one NL5 table that sucks in my opinion:
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I really don't understand how they can stand to play eachother, for me this table means only a waste of time.

So, in conlucsion, I will grind NL5 tables later afternoon when there will be around 100 tables open.

PS: I hate mixing stakes because I will get confused if there is alot of action going on at the same time.

Good luck!

I just finished my first day at NL5 FR tables and it went ok. I made some stupid calls on river raises, hit an under set in another set on flop but somehow managed to loose just around half my stack and played poorly some KK, but otherwise it was ok. I must admit that there aren't that many idiots like on NL2 but I played only 2 hours ar so.

Even though it is just NL5, I played a little bit scared money but hopefully that feeling will go away after a few more sessions. So, the challenge is on, 40.000 hands at NL5 until the end of the month and hopefully jump to NL10 afterwards.
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I started with 40 buy ins, an amount that should probably be enough to play with.
Here is the graph from today:
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And here is one of the KK hands that I played like shit:
Poker Stars, $0.02/$0.05 No Limit Hold'em Cash, 8 Players
Poker Tools Powered By Holdem Manager - The Ultimate Poker Software Suite.

SB: $5 (100 bb)
BB: $3.80 (76 bb)
UTG+2: $12.59 (251.8 bb)
Hero (MP1): $5.54 (110.8 bb)
MP2: $5.14 (102.8 bb)
MP3: $5 (100 bb)
CO: $5.86 (117.2 bb)
BTN: $5.53 (110.6 bb)

Preflop: Hero is MP1 with K Attached Image

UTG+2 folds, Hero raises to $0.15, MP2 raises to $0.45, 5 folds, Hero calls $0.30

Flop: ($0.97) T Attached Image

(2 players)
Hero checks,MP2 bets $0.50, Hero calls $0.50

Turn: ($1.97) 7 Attached Image

(2 players)
Hero checks, MP2 checks

River: ($1.97) 3 Attached Image

(2 players)
Hero bets $0.35, MP2 raises to $2.10, Hero folds

Results: $2.67 pot ($0.11 rake)
Final Board: T Attached Image

Hero mucked K Attached Image

and lost (-$1.30 net)
MP2 mucked and won $2.56 ($1.26 net)
Good luck!

Well first of all yayyyyyyyyyy welcome back and a sick intro post there. That graph is totally epic and a beautiful thing to look at. You must be super proud everytime you look at it!?!?

Yeh i can't mix stakes that well unless i am

@PandaLife Thank you!
@colly191091 Yes, I mean ABC poker. TY!
@Jon-PokerVIP Yeas, Proud if I don't see what stake it is

... is your last phrase complete?!

Played again at NL5 but didn't run that good, too passive in some spots and got rivered alot because of that, some setups and at least one stupid bluff from me which didn't represent shit in my opponets eyes, all the blame on me :)).
Here is the graph from today: (at least is brake even)
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I must say that the action is a little bit quicker at NL5 comparing to NL2 tables.
One interesting hand from today:
I didn't had info about the villain, only that he was playing around 24/15 after about 80 hands. I am wondering about my river play. At that time it felt that I should call all 3 streets if he bets "normal". Seeing his cards at the end makes me feel that I made the right decision, I think that he would have 3 barreld even if the A on river didn't appear. What do you say?
Poker Stars, $0.02/$0.05 No Limit Hold'em Cash, 8 Players
Poker Tools Powered By Holdem Manager - The Ultimate Poker Software Suite.

SB: $5 (100 bb)
BB: $4.98 (99.6 bb)
UTG+2: $9.74 (194.8 bb)
MP1: $8.06 (161.2 bb)
MP2: $5.13 (102.6 bb)
MP3: $5.45 (109 bb)
CO: $6.67 (133.4 bb)
Hero (BTN): $5 (100 bb)

Preflop: Hero is BTN with K Attached Image

3 folds, MP3 raises to $0.10, CO folds, Hero raises to $0.35, 2 folds, MP3 calls $0.25

Flop: ($0.77) 2 Attached Image

(2 players)
MP3 bets $0.37, Hero calls $0.37

Turn: ($1.51) 5 Attached Image

(2 players)
MP3 bets $0.72, Hero calls $0.72

River: ($2.95) A Attached Image

(2 players)
MP3 bets $1.41, Hero calls $1.41

Results: $5.77 pot ($0.24 rake)
Final Board: 2 Attached Image

MP3 showed A Attached Image

and won $5.53 ($2.68 net)
Hero mucked K Attached Image

and lost (-$2.85 net)

Good luck all!

Deeem, those 400k Nl2 hands.. How many hands/h you get? I was stuck at NL5 cash out cycle for way wayyy too long some year ago.
GL!

I get between 1.500 - 1.600 hands/hour.

GL!

KK hand; raise flop (and jam turn) vs the donkbet, as played I don't think we're beating much at these stakes so prob just a fold, we kinda rely on him betting TT-QQ on river which he prob doesn't.

Nice graphs!

First KK hand I go with 4bet...OTF raise that wet board...and OTR bet sizing is criminal...

GL at tables!

TY maki1985... the villain half pot it all the way, nothing that strange there at all regarding bet sizes.

I am a little bit low on volume this month but I plan to grind a little bit harder the last 10 days of it and hit my 40k target. So far it went ok, I can't complain that much. I am a little bit nervous in some spots but I hope to get rid it as soon as possible.
Here is the graph so far from NL5:
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While playing I was impressed by this guy's discipline of not calling at all preflop... pretty hard thing to do in my opinion.
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Oh, and of course, an ugly setup even though I tried to bluff him of the flop with only a gutshot.

Poker Stars, $0.02/$0.05 No Limit Hold'em Cash, 9 Players
Poker Tools Powered By Holdem Manager - The Ultimate Poker Software Suite.

Hero (SB): $5 (100 bb)
BB: $5.19 (103.8 bb)
UTG+1: $5.19 (103.8 bb)
UTG+2: $8.14 (162.8 bb)
MP1: $3.59 (71.8 bb)
MP2: $5 (100 bb)
MP3: $5.12 (102.4 bb)
CO: $5.48 (109.6 bb)
BTN: $1.71 (34.2 bb)

Preflop: Hero is SB with 5 Attached Image

7 folds, [color=red]Hero raises to $0.15[/color], BB calls $0.10

Flop: ($0.30) Q Attached Image

(2 players)
Hero checks, BB bets $0.22,Hero raises to $0.58, BB calls $0.36

Turn: ($1.46) 7 Attached Image

(2 players)
Hero bets $1.20,BB raises to $3.10, Hero raises to $4.27 and is all-in, BB calls $1.17

River: ($10.00) 9 Attached Image

(2 players, 1 is all-in)

Results: $10.00 pot ($0.42 rake)
Final Board: Q Attached Image

Hero showed 5 Attached Image

and lost (-$5.00 net)
BB showed T Attached Image

and won $9.58 ($4.58 net)

Good luck!

in the last hand i think u should raise bigger ,its not even 3x and drawy board so villains will call u there more than we want.

Oooh that turn is uglyyyyyyy

Do you always raise in these spots?

@lennuk &

@Jon-PokerVIP I don't do this kind of moves against fish. I do it against someone that has reg stats like 16/13 or similar and that bets flop alot vs missed cbet like 60+%. In my opinion it doesn't matter that much if it's 2.5x or 4x because he either folds if he has nothing or call/raises with the good part of the range.

I prefer to do this kind of moves on flop because are cheaper and it's pretty simple to play afterwards no matter what.

Of course that I do make mistakes because I don't follow some simple plan and barrel turn burning money like in this hand:
Villain 13/10 in 1.100 hands and 60% bet vs missed cbet... this is an easy give up after the flop on that turn.
Poker Stars, $0.02/$0.05 No Limit Hold'em Cash, 9 Players
Poker Tools Powered By Holdem Manager - The Ultimate Poker Software Suite.

SB: $6.88 (137.6 bb)
BB: $3.85 (77 bb)
UTG+1: $6.68 (133.6 bb)
Hero (UTG+2): $5.59 (111.8 bb)
MP1: $6.84 (136.8 bb)
MP2: $3.64 (72.8 bb)
MP3: $6.16 (123.2 bb)
CO: $4.62 (92.4 bb)
BTN: $4.86 (97.2 bb)

Preflop: Hero is UTG+2 with J Attached Image

UTG+1 folds, Hero raises to $0.15, MP1 calls $0.15, 6 folds

Flop: ($0.37) 2 Attached Image

(2 players)
Hero checks, MP1 bets $0.23, Hero raises to $0.63, MP1 calls $0.40

Turn: ($1.63) 6 Attached Image

(2 players)
Hero bets $1.03, MP1 calls $1.03

River: ($3.69) 5 Attached Image

(2 players)
Hero checks, MP1 bets $0.50, Hero folds

Results: $3.69 pot ($0.15 rake)
Final Board: 2 Attached Image

Hero mucked J Attached Image

and lost (-$1.81 net)
MP1 mucked and won $3.54 ($1.73 net)

Good luck!

Tough day at the tables today even though there were pretty good tables at some point like this one: (hope for alot of red at my tables)

I simply hit in alot of setups today and didn't manage to make almost any profit.
Here is the graph from today:
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Oh, and one ugly hand from today:
...standard play and standard result

TY STARS!!!
Poker Stars, $0.02/$0.05 No Limit Hold'em Cash, 8 Players
Poker Tools Powered By Holdem Manager - The Ultimate Poker Software Suite.

SB: $5.02 (100.4 bb)
BB: $5 (100 bb)
UTG+2: $5 (100 bb)
MP1: $6.20 (124 bb)
Hero (MP2): $5.24 (104.8 bb)
MP3: $5.60 (112 bb)
CO: $5.19 (103.8 bb)
BTN: $5 (100 bb)

Preflop: Hero is MP2 with 4 Attached Image

2 folds, Hero raises to $0.15, MP3 raises to $0.30, 4 folds, Hero calls $0.15

Flop: ($0.67) 4 Attached Image

(2 players)
Hero checks, MP3 bets $0.30, Hero raises to $1.54, MP3 calls $1.24

Turn: ($3.75) A Attached Image

(2 players)
Hero bets $3.40 and is all-in, MP3 calls $3.40

River: ($10.55) K Attached Image

(2 players, 1 is all-in)

Results: $10.55 pot ($0.44 rake)
Final Board: 4 Attached Image

Hero showed 4 Attached Image

and lost (-$5.24 net)
MP3 showed K Attached Image

and won $10.11 ($4.87 net)

Tomorrow will be better!!!

wow that 44 hand man, brutal

if he just had flush I wouldn't be so mad bu AK pls.
well said "Tomorrow will be better!!!", stay positive!

Here is one interesting hand from yesterday. Villain is a little bit fishi reg and I think he thought that I was bluffing on that turn. He used almost all his time bank to press the call button.
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VPIP/PFR/HANDS
3bet/fold3bet/4bet/fold4bet
StealCO/BTN/SB/FoldvsStealBTN/SB/BB
cbetF/T/R/FoldvsCbetF/T/R

Poker Stars, $0.02/$0.05 No Limit Hold'em Cash, 9 Players
Poker Tools Powered By Holdem Manager - The Ultimate Poker Software Suite.

SB: $5.32 (106.4 bb)
Hero (BB): $5.01 (100.2 bb)
UTG+1: $5.82 (116.4 bb)
UTG+2: $2.15 (43 bb)
MP1: $8.76 (175.2 bb)
MP2: $5 (100 bb)
MP3: $4.29 (85.8 bb)
CO: $5 (100 bb)
BTN: $3.93 (78.6 bb)

Preflop: Hero is BB with 7 Attached Image

UTG+1 raises to $0.15, 5 folds, BTN calls $0.15, SB folds, Hero calls $0.10

Flop: ($0.47) 3 Attached Image

(3 players)
Hero checks, UTG+1 bets $0.29, BTN folds, Hero calls $0.29

Turn: ($1.05) 4 Attached Image

(2 players)
Hero checks, UTG+1 bets $0.66, Hero raises to $4.57, UTG+1 calls $3.91

River: ($10.19) K Attached Image

(2 players)

Results: $10.19 pot ($0.42 rake)
Final Board: 3 Attached Image

Hero showed 7 Attached Image

and won $9.77 ($4.76 net)
UTG+1 mucked 2 Attached Image

and lost (-$5.01 net)

He still had 22.7% on that turn, maybe he thought I have 2 pairs or something... I don't really know.

Good luck!

Wow, with any spade or any 5 killing his set hard this is a very optimistic call from him. Do you ever raise flop in this situation? I can't imagine you feeling confident enough to putting a lot of chips vs aggression if another spade comes.

I guess you meant Diamond and not Spade.

Villain has alot of Ax and pocket pairs in his range bu on flop I don't think a raise is necesary. On a blank turn I was planning to raise it to 3x or something but seeing that 4 made me shove since it has the same effect like 3x or all in in this spot. I don't see check/call turn a good option since I am OOP, and risk to get nothing on river.

Standar for me is check/call flop, check/raise turn and all in river OOP if the cards from turn and river are not a diamond and no pair appears on the board.

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