Let's build some bankroll - who's with me?

#**491** 11-01-2008, 8:30 PM

Progress Update

Day 72: 412% ($8,249)
Day 73: 481% ($9,626)
Day 74: 542% ($10,834)

I'm totally owning 600NL. Well, not quite, but at least I finished with two stacks of profit..

Oh yeah, in case somebody was wondering - I didn't stick to my 5-3-2 system. As I briefly mentioned yesterday, I've been playing 600NL for three days now. I started playing it when I had just under 10K, and I'm buying in for the max as opposed to $500.

I even took a stab at 1000NL yesterday when I started with only $8,249

I'm not exactly sure what went into me, it's the first time I "took a shot", and I wasn't even close to properly rolled for it.
I intended to stop playing immediately should I lose one full stack, but it was pretty insane nonetheless. Fortunately, I ran pretty well, and 250 hands made me about $750 of profit.

I quickly realized that I was playing with scared money, so I stopped the madness. Right now, I feel pretty comfortable at 600NL with full buy-ins, but I do realize that I'm overextending my bankroll rules quite a bit.
I'm patient at the tables, but when it comes to growing my bankroll, things just can't go fast enough.

I've often preached to never look at past peaks in the graph, but that's exactly what I'm doing, and it's hard to stop it. I know that I've been to 15K and that I should be way beyond that by now, so I keep wanting to "get back there". The right way to look at things is to just look at the current bankroll and not care about past performance, but it's real difficult.

In times like these, I feel it's appropriate to once again post our big mentor's graph to realize the meaning of the word "variance".

Does anybody know whether Chris Ferguson can be contacted via e-mail? I have a few questions concerning his bankroll challenge which seems to have been running badly as of late.

#**492** 12-01-2008, 4:27 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Chris_TC

Progress Update

Day 72: 412% ($8,249)
Day 73: 481% ($9,626)
Day 74: 542% ($10,834)

I'm totally owning 600NL. Well, not quite, but at least I finished with two stacks of profit..

Oh yeah, in case somebody was wondering - I didn't stick to my 5-3-2 system. As I briefly mentioned yesterday, I've been playing 600NL for three days now. I started playing it when I had just under 10K, and I'm buying in for the max as opposed to $500.

I even took a stab at 1000NL yesterday when I started with only $8,249

I'm not exactly sure what went into me, it's the first time I "took a shot", and I wasn't even close to properly rolled for it.
I intended to stop playing immediately should I lose one full stack, but it was pretty insane nonetheless. Fortunately, I ran pretty well, and 250 hands made me about $750 of profit.

I quickly realized that I was playing with scared money, so I stopped the madness. Right now, I feel pretty comfortable at 600NL with full buy-ins, but I do realize that I'm overextending my bankroll rules quite a bit.
I'm patient at the tables, but when it comes to growing my bankroll, things just can't go fast enough.

I've often preached to never look at past peaks in the graph, but that's exactly what I'm doing, and it's hard to stop it. I know that I've been to 15K and that I should be way beyond that by now, so I keep wanting to "get back there". The right way to look at things is to just look at the current bankroll and not care about past performance, but it's real difficult.

In times like these, I feel it's appropriate to once again post our big mentor's graph to realize the meaning of the word "variance".

Does anybody know whether Chris Ferguson can be contacted via e-mail? I have a few questions concerning his bankroll challenge which seems to have been running badly as of late.

The laws of statistics have no memory who was ahead or behind.

Regarding CF's graph: Variance is not synonymous with poor BR management. Either he doesn't follow his rules or his rules are no good.

#**493** 12-01-2008, 7:17 AM

Everyone looks to be on the upslope, so Nj.

After viewing some of the graphs closely, (it's kind of hard to tell exactly when people took days off...) I feel the weekend play, which includes Friday, Saturday, and Sunday, has a great deal to do with the down slopes more than a few of us have incurred. My theory is that better play comes out on the weekend and the donkey's play get worse, causing everyone's usual game to get slightly off track at times and possibly causing a downward tear.

I guess that's my theory...and maybe the long hours some of us play on the weekend can account for some of this. But, for one reason or another, I'm beginning to believe you have to keep a close eye on how you play, and what exactly happened, because the weekend brings unexpected consequences when otherwise we're running smoothly going into it.
Crack-Pot theory. Eh. You can make your own judgments.

#**494** 12-01-2008, 8:24 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Cheetah

Regarding CF's graph: Variance is not synonymous with poor BR management. Either he doesn't follow his rules or his rules are no good.

Maybe he stopped following these rules after he hit 10K. That's why it's a shame there's no information on what and how he's currently playing.

#**495** 12-01-2008, 10:58 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by wsorbust

Everyone looks to be on the upslope, so Nj.

After viewing some of the graphs closely, (it's kind of hard to tell exactly when people took days off...) I feel the weekend play, which includes Friday, Saturday, and Sunday, has a great deal to do with the down slopes more than a few of us have incurred. My theory is that better play comes out on the weekend and the donkey's play get worse, causing everyone's usual game to get slightly off track at times and possibly causing a downward tear.

I guess that's my theory...and maybe the long hours some of us play on the weekend can account for some of this. But, for one reason or another, I'm beginning to believe you have to keep a close eye on how you play, and what exactly happened, because the weekend brings unexpected consequences when otherwise we're running smoothly going into it.
Crack-Pot theory. Eh. You can make your own judgments.

Yes, true. But we also all secretly cheer for Chris

#**496** 12-01-2008, 11:35 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Cheetah

Yes, true. But we also all secretly cheer for Chris

I meant our Chris, not Fergusson. Just re-read my post and had to clarify that

#**497** 12-01-2008, 11:39 PM

I cheer for both.

#**498** 13-01-2008, 2:50 AM

Progress report

Day 0: 100% ($677)

Day 1: 94.5% ($640)

Day 2: 83.5% ($568)

Day 3: 99.5% ($670)

Day 4: 94.5% ($640)

deja vu

#**499** 13-01-2008, 11:05 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Monoxide

Every time I slam my head into a wall my head hurts

Yeah, but doesn't it feel great when you stop doing that?

#**500** 13-01-2008, 7:58 PM

Day 1: 01/13/08 100%

#**501** 13-01-2008, 8:28 PM

i am curious to how you all have graphs of your winning and losing. How can I get one?

#**502** 13-01-2008, 8:29 PM

i am curious to how you all have graphs of your winning and losing. How can I get one?

#**503** 14-01-2008, 2:50 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by jay0382

i am curious to how you all have graphs of your winning and losing. How can I get one?

The URL is: http://h3141.dnsalias.com:9001/. I paste my data in from an excel spreadsheet. I save the jpeg file and attach it to my post where I put in the days since my last graph.

#**504** 14-01-2008, 3:00 PM

My bad day #19 was just bad playing on my part. #21 was part bad play, part variance. I just wanted my graph to be the same as the graphs of each Chris, I guess.

16 125.2%
17 127.1%
18 127.1%
19 119.2%
20 119.5%
21 116.0%

#**505** 14-01-2008, 6:57 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by pigpen02

My bad day #19 was just bad playing on my part. #21 was part bad play, part variance. I just wanted my graph to be the same as the graphs of each Chris, I guess.

That was pretty funny, I laughed out loud.

Your support means a lot to me, but you may now go back to playing awesome poker and kicking variance in the behind

Oh, and while you're at it, please tell her that I never want to see her again. There's so many fish waiting to hook up with her that she really needn't bother with you and I

As far as the playing goes, I took a short two-day break over the weekend. But today, I already played a session, and session 2 will follow shortly, as will the update.

#**506** 16-01-2008, 1:00 AM

Progress Update

Day 74: 542% ($10,834)
Day 75: 452% ($9,043)
Day 76: 355% ($7,106)

Pokah is teh devil.

#**507** 16-01-2008, 3:40 AM

Uhh, im going to restart.

From $600 down to like $210 or $220 on full tilt because of a few big losses ($216 750k tourney and multiple bad $22 games), so im just going to leave that money on there, perhaps rebuild, perhaps withdraw, whatever.

Back to PokerStars for now. King of sit and go's. Had $2 on it because I withdrew all money last month. (Was like $350 or smths)

I put on $100 yesterday. Now at $560. Begin!

Progress Report

Day 1: 100% ($100)
Day 2: 560% ($560)

#**508** 16-01-2008, 4:50 AM

What on earth did you play on PokerStars to win $460 in one day?

#**509** 16-01-2008, 4:55 AM

monoxide i think u play way over ur bankroll
u went from 600 to 200 in 1 day
dont get me wrong im happy for u that u won but it is way to fast (unless u finall tables a big tourny)

#**510** 16-01-2008, 4:59 AM

I agree fully, but i just played well in 2 45 seat $27 sngs got 2nd and 3rd and placed well in a few 12$, lost a few but won lots

#**511** 16-01-2008, 5:04 AM

so ur risking roll to play in 3 sngs?
if u lose all 3 u only have 19$ left
anyway now that u have 560$ u can play 12$ gamees comfortably

#**512** 16-01-2008, 5:17 AM

yup, thats what im doin

#**513** 16-01-2008, 1:36 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Monoxide

Uhh, im going to restart.

No, you're not. At least not in this thread.
The purpose of this thread was never to artificially make the graphs look good. Either you stick with your initial starting point or you'll have to stop posting your progress altogether.

There have been a lot of participants in this thread who have posted a few times (most of them have posted a few winning sessions), and they were never heard of again. That's not how this was supposed to work.

I think that most players get fed up too easily when things don't go their way. Some of the people in this thread may have already gone busto and "started over" (probably playing freerolls, building from zero like Chris Ferguson) without any of us ever knowing.

#**514** 16-01-2008, 2:16 PM

Well I haven't posted in the past 10 days because I blew up one night and went on tilt. Blowing all of the progress I had made over the past few months. I thought maybe if I waited a few days and built it back a bit, I'd be less embarrassed or I would snap back to normal. But it hasn't really worked. I am back over 100% but only because I'm doing the wrong things. Gambling way to much, popping up into levels I shouldn't be playing with my roll. I'm not going to quit. I'm just going to refocus and see how things are. It is kinda interesting how all of us had a nice run up for awhile and now were all getting slammed lately.

103 146.37%
104 96.55%
105 94.46%
106 100.51%
107 104.12%
108 105.81%
109 103.95%
110 106.90%
111 115.10%
112 116.37%

#**515** 16-01-2008, 2:31 PM

More bad days. I keep reviewing the hands and don't think I am playing worse than I was when the line was going up. Still playing until I make my 50 points a day for Iron Man promotion and January bonus, but performance still sucks.

21 116.0%
22 110.8%
23 110.8%
24 107.8%

#**516** 16-01-2008, 4:33 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by smd173

Well I haven't posted in the past 10 days because I blew up one night and went on tilt. Blowing all of the progress I had made over the past few months. I thought maybe if I waited a few days and built it back a bit, I'd be less embarrassed or I would snap back to normal. But it hasn't really worked. I am back over 100% but only because I'm doing the wrong things. Gambling way to much, popping up into levels I shouldn't be playing with my roll. I'm not going to quit.

It certainly looks like you tilted quite a bit there. I can't give you any specific anti-tilt advice other than to immediately stop playing and take a break when you notice that you're spewing chips/money.

Also, there's really nothing to be embarassed about, we've all had tilt happen to us at some point. Just make sure to keep your bankroll at least semi-safe!
I'm playing a bit on the edge myself right now (even though I dropped to NL400 once again), but I'd never play let's say NL2000 or something because I know I'd go on life tilt if things went wrong and I busted my roll.

Quote:

Originally Posted by pigpen02

More bad days. I keep reviewing the hands and don't think I am playing worse than I was when the line was going up. Still playing until I make my 50 points a day for Iron Man promotion and January bonus, but performance still sucks.

Hang in there, it's all gonna work out. You know I know how you feel, so let's get back to the tables and own everybody.

#**517** 16-01-2008, 5:05 PM

---------------------------------------------------------
day 1=15.43...100%
day 2=13.34...86%
---------------------------------------------------------

had a terrible session mostly beats eek hopefully today will be better

#**518** 16-01-2008, 8:33 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Chris_TC

No, you're not. At least not in this thread.
The purpose of this thread was never to artificially make the graphs look good. Either you stick with your initial starting point or you'll have to stop posting your progress altogether.

There have been a lot of participants in this thread who have posted a few times (most of them have posted a few winning sessions), and they were never heard of again. That's not how this was supposed to work.

I think that most players get fed up too easily when things don't go their way. Some of the people in this thread may have already gone busto and "started over" (probably playing freerolls, building from zero like Chris Ferguson) without any of us ever knowing.

Ah cmon its not exactly like that.

Playing at full tilt was with christmas money, hence why I went a little extra spewy and am sitting at what? 35-40% now? I have no desire to play there atm.

Its not like im starting over at <insert amount left> at 100% on full tilt. Its entirely different! Its a new deposit ($100) on my main website I play, Pokerstars. I have over 1k+ games there ive been there since july only reason I stopped was for this full tilt deal.

Anyway I think i should be able to start over on pokerstars, its an totally different website and I only had $2 in my account.

Dont be a nit omggzzz

damn if i ever try to start over again ill give you my full tilt money, gimme a chance here w/new BR.

#**519** 16-01-2008, 8:53 PM

Yeah, whatever.
Another day over, another grand down. I'll go smash something now. No update.

#**520** 17-01-2008, 10:43 AM

Sorry I haven't been posting in a while, I don't really know why I haven't been. I'm really trying to figure out the holes in my game because I seem to be a really up and down type of player (playing slightly over my BR doesn't really help either but I just play where I'm comfortable but also won't go broke). I kind of think that I'm just not aggressive enough in certain situations. I also notice that when I sit down at a table in the first hour or so I'll make a little bit of money but over the next few hours I'll start losing it, not from bad play but just getting shit cards or maybe even being outplayed by the other players. Not having PokerOffice or PokerTracker is kind of hard to see where my game flaws are.

Anyways, here are the updates since the last time I posted:

Day 11: 140% ($71.31)

Day 12: 123% ($62.41) - Played in a lot off different levels of ring games, lost and lost a lot of HU matches. At one point in the session of was profiting money but ended up losing some in the long run.

Day 13: 171% ($87.01) - Played a couple heads up matches won a couple and lost a couple, then I sat down at a ring game and caught some good cards against a couple fish and made some good money - Total time played 2 hours.

Day 14: 161% ($81.66) - Won 4 heads up matches and the lost 4, lost a $1 45 person sng, and lost a little bit at the ring games - Total time played 3 hours.

Day 15: 119% ($60.61) - Horrible, horrible run added with some tilting. Played for 7 1/2 hours and just had a bad day, so bad that I didn't even write any notes about how I did that day because the numbers are self explanatory - Total time played 7 1/2 hours.

Day 16: 108% ($55.00) - For the most part the day started off good, I made some decent money and then lost a really big pot. I had A K and there was a pretty big raise pre flop, I called the raise and caught aces and kings on the flop. Villian bet out a lot of money which I called and one other person went all in, turn came a blank and the villian put me all in. I ended up folding because I had a feeling he had pocket aces and caught 3 of a kind, turns out I was right when he showed his cards. Played in a $1 18 person SNG and placed 3rd, and then played a pot limit (by accident) $1 tournament placed 39th and made a couple bucks. - Total time played 5 1/2 hours.

Day 17: 132% ($67.20) - Session didn't start off too good. I started off with losing 2 heads up matches but then made some money at the rings because I was sitting at a table with a fish who had a lot of money. - Total time played 1 1/2 hours.

Day 18: 146% ($74.30) - Did pretty good in the cash game, I even noted here that even though I won money I still have some leaks in my game. Also won a heads up match against a guy who played like a retard. - Total time played 45 mintues.

Day 19: 131% ($66.70) - I was pretty tired, I don't even know why I ended up playing that night. I did pretty good in heads up games but ended up losing some money at the ring, and did really bad in a 180 person SNG because I was tired and didn't really feel like playing anymore. I did however make some good fpp's that day - Total time played 1 1/2 hours.

Day 20: 138% ($70.30) - Not a bad day, made a little bit of money at the ring. I then had the sudden urge to play omaha so I sat down at .01/.02 ring and made a couple bucks. Won 1 heads up match and lost a $1 hundred grand satelite. - Total time played 4 1/2 hours.

Day 21: 257% ($130.40) - Overall a really good day and was really happy with the way I played. Made a little bit of money at the holdem and omaha ring games. I then had an urge to play in a tournament so I registered at a $4 180 person SNG and placed 4th, I won $57. This tournament by far was my best play as of yet. Slowly increased my stack in the begining and just kept on going. I was the top 3 biggest stacks throughout most of the tournament. - Total time played 4 1/2 hours.

Day 22: 225% ($114.55) - Card and flop dead for the most part. Lost some money in the ring, placed 50th in a $4 180 person SNG, won a $2 heads up match, I then took a stab at a $5 heads up match and lost, then lost another $2 heads up match - Total time played 3 1/2 hours.

As you can see, my graph is really up and down. I really need to find out where I'm playing bad and what I'm doing wrong.

Sorry for such a long post, just haven't updated recently as you know. I'm also getting really close to gaining enough FPP's to get my initial deposite bonus which is $50, I'm only 93 FPP's away.

#**521** 17-01-2008, 10:15 PM

I haven't updated this for a while because...well it's exactly what Chris said I lost a bunch and was kind of embarrassed, I still kept track of my bankroll I just didn't post it. I was playing too high for my bankroll, I'm lucky I didn't lose all of my money. now I'm only playing $10NL, usually 4 tabling which still might be a little high for my bankroll thats at around $150 now but the players at that level are really weak. I have won a lot more than my bankroll shows because I keep playing in MTTs and losing. Anywaysssss here is my graph.


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