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

#**176** 29-11-2007, 2:32 PM

Thanks for the link Chris, I look forward to reading the article. I only ever started out playing for fun, and that is still my main motivation for playing.

However, I've been away from work for a long time due to ill health. So far, still on full pay, but that may not last much longer. There is a very real possibility that I'll have to retire on health grounds. I do have a very good company pension to fall back on, but a few $'s here and there from poker would be a bonus!

The above probably explains (to anyone who has noticed a recurring theme to me recent contributions here) my new found obsession with BRM. Messing about with a few hundred $'s was never an issue with my salary, but if i have to give up work I need to modify my outlook on life somewhat!

#**177** 29-11-2007, 7:11 PM

Day 28: 250% (329.61)
Day 29: 245% (322.65)
Day 30: 238% (314.02)

A relatively short session today, and nothing of significance to report on.

#**178** 29-11-2007, 8:15 PM

Day 5: 85%
Day 6: 104%
Day 7: 99.5%
The only thing I have to say is sometimes I wonder why I even bother to play.I only wish I had signed up through a rakeback site.

But enough whining,back to the grind!

#**179** 30-11-2007, 11:28 PM

Progress Update

Day 30: 398% ($7,958)
Day 31: 384% ($7,679)
Day 32: 388% ($7,765)

Oh man, breaking about even sucks almost as much as losing big time if you spent 7 hours at the tables.
At least I've been playing well, so I hope things are going to improve again soon.

I really can't wait to hit the $2/$4 tables. I've given these a try when my bankroll was around $6,000 but ultimately decided to hold off until I've reached 10K to be on the safe side. 10K, where are you? I want you NOW!

#**180** 01-12-2007, 12:06 AM

Day 29: 245% (322.65)
Day 30: 238% (314.02)
Day 31: 243% (320.65)

I was about to rant on endlessly about the frustration of playing good poker for the best part of 6 hours to how a miserly increase from 238% to 243%, and my graph having stagnated, then saw that Chris had beaten me to it – so no further comment!!!!!

#**181** 01-12-2007, 6:22 AM

Day 8 :95% (331.18)Horrible day,I'll leave it at that.

Day 9 :99% (345.34)I'm ahead for the day.Played in a 400pt.freeroll qualifier.Started out great,ran into bad luck toward the end.Busted out 40th,top 22 player were payed 109T$'s.

Day 10:112% (390.38)Broke even at the ring games(again).Donked my way to a 3rd place in the CC $11 dollar tourney at Bodog.

Tomorrow I'm going to play a series of $11 regular and $6.50 turbos.I need a small break from ring games.

#**182** 01-12-2007, 6:23 AM

Quote:

I take it you're talking about the SNG bubble?

It really never came to my mind because it was a SNG, but yep that's it. I'll see what I can do with the advice.

Ok. So, I tilted a wee bit a couple days ago and find myslef taking swings in both directions. I think it's due to one or a combination of the following factors, and look to control the situation in future days. I would like to think it's less of C and more of A & B, but probably more likely to be all three combined.

A: Card dead. I hit a streak where I couldn't pair the board if my life depended on it, neverless actually make a winning hand. I eventually start to press, do stupid things, etc...
B: Bigger stacks and better players surround me. It's easy to take people's $ when they basically want to give it to you. It is very tough to, however, when they do not and have the ability to keep it.
C: I'm an OK/mediocre player who has incredible luck and when it goes bad, it goes BAD.

Progress Update:

Day 26 : 254%
Day 27 : 211%
Day 28 : 245%

#**183** 01-12-2007, 9:36 PM

Day 30: 238% (314.02)
Day 31: 243% (320.65)
Day 32: 243% (320.34)

This is about as frustrating as it gets. Over 6 hours play, and 31 cents down and my BR is pretty much the same as it was 11 days ago. I often preach patience, patience, patience. Well, lets see how able I am to practise what I preach!

#**184** 02-12-2007, 3:46 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Boltneck

This is about as frustrating as it gets. Over 6 hours play, and 31 cents down and my BR is pretty much the same as it was 11 days ago. I often preach patience, patience, patience. Well, lets see how able I am to practise what I preach!

Man, this may sound awful, but your post made me feel a little bit better. Because it shows me that I'm not alone

Progress Update

Day 31: 384% ($7,679)
Day 32: 388% ($7,765)
Day 33: 381% ($7,624)

8 hours of play, and I'm down $140. To make things worse, this includes a $200 dollar bonus I cleared, so in terms of gameplay alone I'm down $340.

Bad beat stories suck, and frankly I wouldn't know where to begin. So I'll spare you the details and simply post one stat that represents my current run very well:
Hand: KK // Times Dealt: 79
WonSawFlop% 66.67% // $Won -$776.9 // $Won/Hand -$9.83

#**185** 02-12-2007, 4:27 AM

Back from a long break, sounds like a good thread to participate in.

BR: $236.37 across two sites, one I play SNG/MTT other cash

#**186** 02-12-2007, 5:08 AM

This is a great thread!! I read through all of it (most of it last night) and it inspired me so much. I used to have a decent bankroll a couple months ago but didn't have good BR management skills and went broke. I did really good in SNG's to build my bankroll and then went on a BAD streak and lost it all. I took a long break from online poker and only played live. Then I decided to play in a Daniel Negranu tournament and got $2 so I decided to play a $1 SNG. I played really good but the some fish kept landing every single freaking hand he played (no joke). He would start with the dumbest hands (i.e. 9 2o, 10 3o) etc etc and would flop 2 pair, full house, flush's etc. I looked him up on sharkscope and saw that he has played over 400 games and has lost A LOT of money lol (plus he had 2 or 3 fish's next to his name). Playing that SNG upset me even more with online play but reading this thread has given me new life. After reading Chris Ferguson's challenge I'm going to give it a go. I'm starting with $0 at FT and with $0.77 at PokerStars. It will probably take me a few months to get to $50 on each site but when I do I will start posting in this thread my progress. Or maybe I'll just pop in every once in a while and tell you guys how I'm doing.

Good luck to all of you and it looks like your all doing a great job!

#**187** 02-12-2007, 12:13 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Chris_TC

Man, this may sound awful, but your post made me feel a little bit better. Because it shows me that I'm not alone

Bad beat stories suck, and frankly I wouldn't know where to begin. So I'll spare you the details and simply post one stat that represents my current run very well:
Hand: KK // Times Dealt: 79
WonSawFlop% 66.67% // $Won -$776.9 // $Won/Hand -$9.83

We both appear to be in a similar predicament at the moment, and I too find it encouraging that I'm not suffering this alone. I'm looking forward to the next week or so when we will be congratulating each other on "riding the storm" and getting our BR moving swiftly in the right direction.

#**188** 02-12-2007, 1:22 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by AutoArt

This is a great thread!! I read through all of it (most of it last night) and it inspired me so much.

It's great that you draw inspiration from this thread, that was exactly the intention of it. I wish you good luck with building your bankroll!

Quote:

Originally Posted by Boltneck

I'm looking forward to the next week or so when we will be congratulating each other on "riding the storm" and getting our BR moving swiftly in the right direction.

I can't wait! Let's hang in there!

#**189** 02-12-2007, 1:32 PM

Sorry for the double post, but every now and then this thread needs to be updated with Chris Ferguson's progress.
I'll admit that the timing in this case isn't completely coincidal

#**190** 02-12-2007, 3:04 PM

STARTING BR - $110.03

DAY ONE - 108.93

DAY TWO - 125.53

#**191** 02-12-2007, 5:28 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Chris_TC

Sorry for the double post, but every now and then this thread needs to be updated with Chris Ferguson's progress.
I'll admit that the timing in this case isn't completely coincidal

It looks to me that Chris Ferguson could use some better bankroll management.

#**192** 02-12-2007, 5:57 PM

I think Chris Ferguson's variance is mostly due to him playing shortstacked (unless he has changed his strategy).

I will never understand why he prefers to play shortstacked when that takes his main advantage (outplaying people postflop) away. Push/fold poker is prone to high variance and it's not something I'd volunteer for.

But what am I doing, spending time on the internet. Back to tables, NOW!

#**193** 02-12-2007, 9:55 PM

Day 31: 243% (320.65)
Day 32: 243% (320.34)
Day 33: 256% (337.59)

I decided it would be good to add S+G to my armoury, and plan to play one S+G per day (initially) to see how I get on. My first venture was a $5 + 50 10 seater NL. It was my intention to play ultra tight at the lower blinds until I get a feel for it. I needn’t have worried about that as I didn’t get a playable hand until 4 of the 10 players were eliminated! I got into the money having voluntarily contributed to just one flop. It took slightly more effort to get heads up, but when I did so I was only marginally behind the chip leader. 15 minutes later, with things still pretty close, bandit went all in on the flop and I was sitting with a 4 flush nuts draw + gut shot straight + 2 overcards (with no pair to the board). Seemed like the best chance I was going to get to take the game in one hand (particularly given my lack of experience heads up) so I called, missed all the outs and lost to a miserly pair! Maybe a bit naïve / impatient, but I will (hopefully) learn from the experience, and a second place is a decent start. I’m sure that not all S+G’s will be this easy, but I certainly saw nothing to frighten me.

Then on to my normal 50c / £1 limit cash games, which showed a slight upturn in my recent fortunes, though still somewhat disappointed with my return for the day given the length of time played – perhaps I should just lower my expectations a little.

#**194** 03-12-2007, 12:18 AM

Progress Update

Day 32: 388% ($7,765)
Day 33: 381% ($7,624)
Day 34: 377% ($7,531)

I'm sorry, but I have to post these hands. Both occured at $1/$2, less than 60 minutes apart.

Pot size: ~$500
Board when we went all-in: AQTT
My hand: QQ
Opponent's hand: TT

Pot size: ~$650
Board when we went all-in: 755K
My hand: KK
Opponent's hand: 55

When the guy turned over 55 I must have looked as if I just witnessed a train wreck.

I've folded Aces, Kings and Queens postflop at least 5 times today (with no overpairs on the board). I've folded two pair at least twice and top pair top kicker several times.
But despite all this discipline I still couldn't make a profit. Right now, losing 9:1 shots (set vs. overpair) doesn't even qualify as a suckout anymore because it's the rule, not the exception.

#**195** 03-12-2007, 1:46 AM

Day 11:132%(465.32)Played 2-$11 and 1-$6.50 SNG's,got third in all 3.Got drunk

then played 3-$3.40's,won 2 out of 3.Played some 6 player-$25max ring,got stacked once then stacked 2 others left soon after.Finished the night at 3AM with a snorefest $2.20 beginner-27 player SNG.Placed 4th.Today was a good day.

Day 12:134%(468.40)Bet $10 on the Lions to win SU,lol.Won most of that back in a ring game.Played a $6.50 turbo,got third.Not in the mood to play today so I'm quitting and posting this.All in all I'm glad I came ahead.BTW,another bad day for Lions fans.

I'm thinking I will play a couple MTT's tomorrow and some ring games,who knows.

#**196** 03-12-2007, 3:14 AM

I'm up for building from scratch. I took out $40 so I could start from $5. I'll post my updates daily.

#**197** 03-12-2007, 9:26 PM

Day 32: 243% (320.34)
Day 33: 256% (337.59)
Day 34: 256% (338.07)

I only had time for a brief session today, and nothing of consequence to report.

#**198** 03-12-2007, 9:31 PM

Quote:

When the guy turned over 55 I must have looked as if I just witnessed a train wreck.

I think that's a relatively small decrease in bankroll after such a horrible run of beats. You're doing well, keep your head up. Things are bound to turn around anytime now.

#**199** 04-12-2007, 2:10 AM

STARTING BR - $110.03

DAY ONE - 108.93

DAY TWO - 125.53

DAY THREE - 115.13

#**200** 04-12-2007, 2:21 AM

No progress update today. I've only played for about two hours and made a profit of $30.

Quote:

Originally Posted by wsorbust

I think that's a relatively small decrease in bankroll after such a horrible run of beats.

Yes, that's certainly true. This is because I pick up lots and lots of smaller pots. My style is to play as few big pots as possible and whenever I do, to get it in with the best hand.

Basically, it worked like this: I would spend two hours winning pot after pot, building a profit of a couple hundred dollars. Then one of the big all-in situations comes up and I lose everything I had built up. Rinse and repeat.
You may have noticed that earlier in my graph, there are a couple of really massive swings. Back then, I used to play SNGs, and variance is naturally much higher in SNGs than in cash games because often, everything depends on the outcome of that one "survive or get busted" hand.

Quote:

Originally Posted by didimaketherightplay

STARTING BR - $110.03
DAY ONE - 108.93
DAY TWO - 125.53
DAY THREE - 115.13

Thank you for joining in. Could you please format it similarly to most other progress updates, i.e. include a percentage and use numerical days?

#**201** 04-12-2007, 9:22 PM

Progress Update

Day 34: 377% ($7,531)
Day 35: 378% ($7,559)
Day 36: 429% ($8,585)

Finally an upswing, I was getting extremely frustrated. After 20,000 hands at $1/$2, my BB/100 sits at a fairly low 3.6, so I very much hope that a few more days like today are coming my way.
Actually, based on my calculations, I'm still supposed to win the next 50 situations where I'm a 9:1 favorite

#**202** 04-12-2007, 10:42 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Chris_TC

After 20,000 hands at $1/$2, my BB/100 sits at a fairly low 3.6, so I very much hope that a few more days like today are coming my way.

That's looking pretty healthy to me Chris, despite the lean period that you've been having. If my mental arithmatic is okay, the $180 per day profit is a pretty admirable return.

Day 33: 256% (337.59)
Day 34: 256% (338.07)
Day 35: 266% (350.60)

It was one of those days when I had fewer then usual playable hands, and even less premium hands. On the plus side I was able to exploit the resulting rock like table image to take a few smallish pots with semi bluffs, but the down side is that I didn’t get paid off with the couple of monsters that I did get. I guess that in cricket parlance it was just as case of bowling consistent line and length on an unresponsive pitch that was offering nothing through the air or off the seam (with apologies to the non cricket playing nations out there who won’t know what the hell that analogy is all about)!

#**203** 05-12-2007, 12:52 AM

Day 103.. 106.3%....
Day 104.. 105.2%....
Day 105.. 108.5%...
Day 106.. 109.0%....
Day 107.. 108.3%....
Day 108.. 108.3%....
Day 109.. 113.6%....

Day 106 lost in ring, won second in CCoP#5, ~evened out.

Day 107, lost CCoP#6, ring didn't help out.
Day 108 and 109 - no action, tied up.
Day 110, good day at Full Tilt Poker. Decided to build up my Ultimatebet bankroll and took a chance playing my usual limit but way under-rolled (for the site, not for my bankroll in general. Took to the table what I take at Full Tilt Poker, but it was my whole bankroll at UB. Bank funds waiting for site deposit backed this up 25x) Doubled my UB bankroll in about a half hour.

Graph included from my Excel sheet. Days on axis only days ploted; not a match to text days. Finally looking like it may go up, though.

Made Silver Iron Man, 12 more days getting first deposit bonus at Full Tilt Poker. Then on to Bodog or Ultimatebet for their first deposit bonus

Silver $15,000 tournament on Dec. 8, only 634 players, so entry is worth $26. Not bad bonus, I guess.

#**204** 05-12-2007, 10:51 AM

I got tired of the freerolls on my site so I decided to deposite $50. Played the $.01/$.02 ring games for a few hours so I'm going to start updating my BR on here with you guys

Here goes.

Starting BR is $50.69

Day 1: 117% (59.48)

I'm still going to build my bankroll on FT from $0. Played in a railbirds freeroll on there today and made $0.28 lol, but I'm on my way!! My plan is to build up to $2.20 and play in a SNG to try to build up my BR.

#**205** 05-12-2007, 10:59 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Chris_TC

To pigpen and Boltneck:
I stumbled over an extremely interesting Blog, here's the link
The law school dropout's poker blog: October 2004

This was written by a Limit Hold'em player who builds an amazing bankroll. The Blog starts with him playing $3/$6 Limit and he starts moving up as his bankroll increases. Only one year into the blog, he pulls a $50,000 (net profit) month.
This thing is an amazing read, I recommend starting from the first Blog entry.

I read almost all of this and think it is fiction. There are not enough limit tables available to eight table the limits he says he does. His rakeback line does not go up if his base line does not for periods over a month. This means his rakeback line on the graph is just a multiple of the base line since you would get rakeback even if you lost your main game.

#**206** 05-12-2007, 1:09 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Boltneck

If my mental arithmatic is okay, the $180 per day profit is a pretty admirable return.

Wow, actually I had never even thought about it that way. I've become so used to thinking of my bankroll in relative terms that the real world monetary value may have slipped my mind a bit there.
I've never made a withrawal except for $100 once, so my bankroll hasn't been anything more than this abstract virtual number on some poker site.

By the way, what limits do you play? Do you use the standard LHE "300BB rule" or do you have different bankroll rules?

Quote:


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