hott_estelle: BR updates, from $0 to $1,300+ and more

(Posting this thread, after reading one of the Chris Ferguson posts and his goal to turn $0 to $10,000)

I never actually had funds online until 3 months ago. Been playing live for a few years now, and 3 months ago I decided to get into online poker as well--a few people I play with regularly in casinos said I was really missing out on money, and convinience of playing from home/work/free time not in casino, by not playing online--so I decided to deposit. Turned out, my bank and credit card company didn't allow online poker deposits, recently banned that, so I thought I had no way to play.

A couple nice people on CC, I'll keep their names private since I don't know if they want to reveal who they were, staked me and gave me a few dollars on PokerStars to play in CC events. I cashed in one, and that got me to around $40 on PokerStars.

Since the $40, started out playing the low stakes games completely, $1 SnGs mainly--which, considering I played $1/$2 or $2/$5 regularly live play, and sometimes higher--was a big drop for me in play, but I had to go off my online BR, since I didn't have a way to deposit, and so I had to follow BR rules. So I started out in the $1 SnG games, eventually won 3 in a row at one point (posted those wins on CC, one of my firsts posts on here). Anyways, those wins, along with a few MTTs cashes, got my BR up to around $150+. I moved up to $5.50 SnGs.

Eventually got to around $500+, which is when I moved up to the $11 SnGs. Until this point, I had pretty much stayed away from the ring tables on PokerStars, because I knew myself, and I knew I'd be completely bored of the micro stakes tables and would just give money away, so I stuck with the SnGs until I got to the point of playing the $50 Max .25/.50 ring game. So, playing $11 SnGs, a few CC events, and couple MTTs, I got myself up to around $900.

At this point, I started playing the $50 Max game. The $50 Max level is an adjustment for me still--from 1/2 and 2/5 to .25/.50, still harsh adjustment in stakes--but I just got myself into the mentality to separate my thoughts on stakes from live to online play. I play live a lot on the weekends and some week nights, but mostly during the week I played online so I was able to separate the general disparities in stakes for the time being.

Anyways, have been at the $50 Max level for a few weeks now, up to about $1300+. Been playing a lot with joosebuck whenever he gets on at night, since I usually get home late from being out, and for some reason he's always online (even though its like 2 hours later where he lives). Anyways, normally I play about 2 tables--still adjusting to online play, and multitabling, big difference from live and concentrating on one table--and joose plays about 4 tables (show off). So, I've been making a steady climb at the $50 Max game, occasionally playing the $100 Max, a bit out of BR range but I just play one table and have been successful so far at it--but I've mostly stuck with the $50 Max so far. I think I'll stay at the $50 Max until around $1800-ish or so, which is when I'll go to $100 Max online.

So as it stands now, I've gone from literally $0 online to $1300+ at the moment in a span of 3 months. Normally, in a great 4-5 hour session, I could probably make this in live play in one day, but that doesn't mean I can online because of the BR situation. This is the importance of BR management and why patience is so key in being successful in poker. A lot of people have the skill to make money in poker, but don't understand the key elements to BR management and the patience it requires.

I was considering withdrawing a few dollars here and there from the online thing, but I've made a few big wins in live play over the past few days, so I don't think I'll be needing any extra money anytime soon. So I guess I'll keep the BR as is online, and see how far along I am in 3 more months.

Just thought I'd write this here, after reading the Chris Ferguson story, just wanted to give the less experienced players a CC member's perspective on BR management in action.

If you guys find this interesting enough, I'll post more updates as I progress.

WOW!!! $0 to $1300, thats incredible.. well done

I got from $0 to $130 in 3 weeks, then lost it in a day, I really need to learn about BR management.
I recentley turned the $5 sign up bonus on wingows poker into $90 in a week, but i lost $50 of that yesterday . It was my fault i know that i shouldnt be playing 0.10/0.25 and 0.25/0.50 with only $90. I guess i just dont have the patience.

Keep up the good work!!

I brought in for 20$, took 3$ SNG and got bust out with AK vs AJ or Ax...i am now down to 3$...sadly for me, I have no money to play, so if any off you kind people from cardchat whould give 5 bucks to izoren on pokerstars....I would be very thankful

my english suxs :P

Go to wingows poker, you get $5 free.

Very inspiring post E

Nice, Estelle. Inspiring story for people just starting online.

I like how you keep working within bankroll management and keep being patient, showing that you can make a good return with good management instead of getting up to a few hundred and then blowing it all.



(btw, did you refund your original backers? )

yeehaw love the shout out. gj darling, we'll be able to afford that house on the beach in no time!

very nice estelle, keep up the good work>>>>>>>> buck

Graphs plz.

Don't have any graphs for the ring games, don't have any access to those. Havn't bought any online poker tracking software yet. Anyways, I do have the SnG graph (even though I don't play SnGs as regularly as ring games anymore).

Get Poker Tracker!

39% ROI in S+Gs is very good.

Like I said, just recently got into online poker, and I didn't think I was playing really at the higher levels in stakes online, that I needed something like PokerTracker yet.

Also, considering how frequently I play live, I don't know how that would affect my live game, because I would have PT online, but not live. I don't want it affecting my game in any way, because I become too reliant on PT online. But then again, my concerns about this might just be completely off-base, and having PT online wouldn't affect my live game. I don't know. Any input on this?

I am interested to see how you do. Looking foward to updates

I'm a very inspiring woman.

Shouldn't you be doing the bulk of the work for that beach house? Probably too much DOL getting in the way.

When I make a significant move up (or down, but hopefully not, but always a possibility in a game like poker) then I will let you guys know.

if anything PT will help you to more easily distinguish and infer habits from your opponents styles.

Hey E:


I really like your post, it truly is amazing for you to manage your Bankroll with an positive % especially in that amount of time . Hell one month im doing fantastic, then next month I cant buy a win . However, everysince coming to CC it's been an asset to my Poker ability from what i've learned from you all, an like you I have'nt purchased any software to assist me with tracking, i'll get around to that hopefully sooner than later , E- I wish you continued success, an yes let us know how it's coming along.

It has many different uses. One of the most important being that you can easily look back over your big pots and work out whether you played well or badly, and try to identify and leaks. It'd be worth it even if it didn't have its realtime uses to keep track of your opponents' tendencies.

Just a one time fee BJ? And does it work for just the laptop/computer I set it up on or is it like associated to my username or something?

you can install it on as many computers as you want, but it will [supposedly] only work on two at a time.

So fees are paid by username?? And is it just a one time fee or monthly/yearly thing? (doubtful its monthly or else that wouldn't be a good deal at all)

if u talking pt u pay 50 bucks once and it is yours for life

Very very nice post Estelle, it gave me the idea to write something like this in the near future since I've never played live and online is the only real money experience that I've had. It has only been 6 months now that I play real money, which is the reason that many times I start my posts by saying "I'm not an expert". Anyway, I'll write about this some time soon.

I would say that your stats look terrific on sharkscope, and the overall numbers you describe are great in 3 months. It certainly conferms you have poker experience prior to playing online otherwise there was no way you could do that good.

The best part of your post is the way you described how you manage your BR playing the proper game limits. That should be a very useful for the members with limited playing experience. Patience is a great virtue.

Keep up the good work, I'm sure the best for you is yet to come.

Mine for life, how nice of them. That is a good deal, I'll have to get around to purchasing that soon.

Thanks Joe.

+rep for original post estelle.
one question, where did you get the graph from, was it sharkscope, or PS's own?

Very nice, E.
I recently deposited $20 in my bodog account a few weeks ago. Sticking with low limit (turbo) SNGs and I've brought up my current BR to just a little over $100. This post is really inspiring. I'll have to make one of my own when hit my target goal.

Keep up the good work.

Yes, the graph is from sharkscope, but sharkscope only shows SnG stats. At the moment, I've really stopped playing SnGs, except for HU SnGs when I just want to play some HU, which has lowered my ROI a bit, but I don't mind.

Anyways, yea, if you're looking for ring game graphs I think you need something like pokertracker (someone else with more experience there could probably help you out).

Thanks for the comments, as long as you don't go out of your BR limit, in the games and stakes you play, you should have a decent chance at continuing the increase with good play. Good luck.


On another note, my online BR is still increasing pretty rapidly, but for some reason my live BR has been stagnant for the past couple months. Well, I guess one big reason why it hasn't had much swings in the past few weeks is because I'm not in Vegas anymore, and I've been so busy. But I've completely settled down now so I should have much more time for online/live poker again.

Poker Tracker frequently has improvements/updates -- these are free with your initial purchase.