My 25 HOLDEM NL Odyssey - Come Join me!

Dear all,

Do indulge my narsarsistic + long-winded ways but above all, I need the support/feedback and I hope to share some stuff I've learned along the way! In case you need abit of background: I'm primarily a guy who has just learned the ways of "Bankroll management", staple games of SnG and tourneys. This month while I'm back home in Malaysia, I plan to grind 25NL and build up my BR thru freerolls.

How you can help me? I'll post difficult hands from my sessions and summaries and perhaps you can comment. If you're impatient.. I'll highlight in BOLD the stuff I've learnt. But do share some insight! (i'll pose questions in italics)

Long term aim: 1.Master micro limits and move my way up
2. Clear bonuses from site to site as I develop into a winning player

Short term aim: 1. Grind on FT to gain enough FTPs to gain access to
Stox/Cardunners. I need around 1.25k for a week free
access.
2. Develop into a break-even player or better. 3BB/100 hands
is the target I'll set.

How?
1. Hit 10k hands by end of this month. 7 days left as I post this!
2. Watch daily videos. One a day - each vid to do with cash. (good thing to do if you're tilting!)
3. Review my hands daily after each session. Spend at least half an hour a day.
4. Table selection. I will switch tables if there are more than 3 players with less than 20 VPIP and high PFP.
5. I keep a poker journal where I write down stuff I've learnt from videos and sessions.
6. This thread is where I'll post some stuff I've learnt and my progress.
7. Use tools : HEM + Stove + Stressball to vent

What have I done to reach here?
1. I've deposited here and there and played abit of CGs w/o a HUD, I've read Doyle's SS2, Ryan Fee's Holdem guide and been watching videos.
2. I know of some of the great links we have and theorems we have on this site. Some really good stuff...
3. I've a friend who plays 50NL on FTP who I sweat over MSN with and discuss my stats/hands

This post is mainly about my 25NL grind on FT. I've just deposited 20 BIs to ensure I'm adequately bankrolled for it. Currently I am using HEM and my stats display: PFIP/PFR/Ag factor + CB data + showdown.. pretty standard stuff. Best $55 I've invested.

Right. At the time I've posted this I've hit 3k hands (50 of them were PL! D'oh! I hate FT's interface)

MY first 3k hands

My first 144 hands and I'm down $75! I'm playing too loosely with 38.9 VPIP and 26.4 PFP! I keep on check calling (very weak!) for draws OUT OF POSITION! I don't realise this until I actually am typing this now.

Next 500+ hands - I'm up $80. My stats are rather high. (27-35.9 VPIP and avg PFP is 15?)
Agg factor is around 3+. I've seem to have gotten the right feel or just a good swing of cards?

Next 1k hands - I lose 10 BIs! I play really badly and bet into the calling stations and run into a few suckouts. I start to tilt and question my cash ability. My friend recommends a few videos on pokertriz to help tighten up my game. The lesson in this 1k hands : Don't bet into fish unless extracting value from them! Most memorable hand was when I bet my draw, failed to hit it and the fish called with A high! Good read? Bad bluff? Or just out of position.

The journey to 3k - I start to balance out here and develop a TAG game thanks to the videos. However, I'm unhappy that I do donk out in hands 2.8-2.9k where I forget what I've learnt and start playing TAG style. One observation I've made is where blind wars have broken out and 3 bets have resulted from this. EDIT: I'm thinking of incorporating 3 bet info into my HUD to identify who's 3-betting light. But I'm only at 25NL.. am I wrong to think that people would 3 bet light in maybe 20% of situations?

I'm down 8 BIs but that's irrelevant now as I'm learning here and I hope to work my way up.

My 3k lesson so far are as follows:
1) Play Tight:
a) Hand selection
b) Bluff/CB on the flop but be VERY reluctant to fire a 2nd barrel on the
river/turn
2) Play from position
3) Win small pots with that position coz they make up alot in the long run (ie: SB v BB/ on the button play)
4) Value bets on the turn and river are crucial to maximising profit!
5) Baluga's theorem is soo true! If you're facing a raise on the turn/river, watch out! You're probably beat.. TPTK is no good here!
6) Another crucial observation.. I've ran into KK v AA and QQ v KK PF.. where the stats I have on the villian are screaming.. exceptionally tight! (>15 VPIP/PFP) and I still proceed to 4-bet all in PF. I should listen to my stats! The HUD is there for a reason! Precisely these situations!

So that's my 25NL odyssey so far. I'll try to get more precise to update this thread with how I'm doing and post some difficult hands for analysis.

My questions now,1) is how do I maximise my EV or should I not? Pay more attention to actual pots odds and not implied odds? Or avoid such draws OOP?

2) How do you play JJ in this situation. I raise to 85c UTG. Villian reraises to 3 on UTG + 1. I flat call it. Flop comes with an A and a Q. I check, fold. In the long run, am I better shoving with JJ or did I play it alright..?

Thanks and hope to see you guys around. Will update when I hit another 500-1k hands.

No Draws/setmining OOP ......
Fold JJ UTG facing a 3-bet from an unknown while OOP.....

Keep reading and keep learning, start following the Microgrinders thread as it addresses all goals you are trying to achieve here IMO

Thanks for the support! I've checked out the mircostakes thread from time to time. Good stuff... Need help here tho'


25 NLHE:

I've put in 500 hands since and this was an interesting hand.
UTG(villian) with a PFR of 12% (70+hands) raises standard to .85, Hijack limps, I limp with TT. villian and I are at 100BBs +.

Flop comes 4h 9s 2d (rainbow)

Villian checks, hijack bets 2.20, I flat it..

Villian raises to $11.. practically betting pot.

What do I do? I put him on overs/trips as I rated his check raise as really strong.
But then again, his raise was too high! I put in the numbers into stove giving the Hijack a random hand and my equity ranges from 40%-50%. I had the odds to shove. 2.2 to 1 roughly. (calling is certainly out of the question as I would be pot committed)

Reviewing it.. I felt the raise was way too high as he probably put us on 2 overs just as him (AK, AQ?) but now thinking it again, was he trying to iso one of us? Was he trying to steal the pot? Squeeze play?

What do you guys think?