A simple March challenge

nabmom

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I'm participating in a cash challenge on a training site I joined in December.
Simple challenge: play at least 2 days a week and at least 500 hands/week. Post all session results and at least one HH per session.

At the end of the month, we'll determine the winner based on total BB/100.

So all stakes and all games can play (Hold'em, PLO). And since I play around my full--time job and full-time family, I can put in multiple small sessions each week and still be able to play along.

I thought I'd cross-post here to give me even more incentive to avoid spew.

My games are all 4NL on Carbon.
My first session I had 6 tables going at all times and got into some bad spots. I wasn't totally focused. My second session I went down to 3 tables and played feeling I'd be fully accountable for every hand (like a coach was watching over my shoulder). I definitely played differently and tighter and let some marginal hands go sooner than I would usually (well, most of the time). May be coincidence over such a small sample but I had a much better game.

GS Challenge March 05 Summary
 
ovitoo

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Sweet challenge nab. Good luck! Maybe I'll see you at the tables :wink:
 
Cafeman

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This 6max or FR? Yes, post some HHs and thoughts, and ... gl! :)
 
nabmom

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I'm playing 6-max.
HHs to come!
 
nabmom

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mmm,6-max is difficult to new hand like me.I only play 9max.

One way to think of 6max is that it is like full ring but without the early positions. Since we should be playing tighter in the earlier positions and loosening up at we get towards the button, this makes sense. So overall, hands selection and positional play is the same, just without EP.

It does mean that you'll play more hands overall and that the blinds will hit you more often.
 
nabmom

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Hand from my much better second day of play. How do we get maximum value from a great hand?
 
nabmom

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Good thing about snow days is that I get more poker time in!

Another hand. Here I'm wondering how to size my bet on a good but possibly tricky turn.
 
nabmom

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I play 4nl 6max on carbon to lol I will try my best to look for you haha.

Are you Hoodiemaster12 on Carbon?

I checked but don't see that I have any hand history against you...

Hope we see each other.
 
Aces2w1n

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One way to think of 6max is that it is like full ring but without the early positions. Since we should be playing tighter in the earlier positions and loosening up at we get towards the button, this makes sense. So overall, hands selection and positional play is the same, just without EP.

It does mean that you'll play more hands overall and that the blinds will hit you more often.

I've never seen it like that before... thanks pal! :)
 
Seraphim

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Are you Hoodiemaster12 on Carbon?

I checked but don't see that I have any hand history against you...

Hope we see each other.
Yup that's me but it might be Hoodiemaster12CP once I got rb then had it taken away :(
 
nabmom

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Have played a bit more this weekend.

Aside from the cash challenge, I played some SnGs. Small stakes and I like to play because it's such a different pace from cash games. Even played to HU SNGs. Lost one and won one. Also played in the league game on Friday. I was short-stacked fairly early on but managed to hang on for a while. Long enough to keep my team in first place. Not so happy with my play but happy about the result.

(Shout out to all the dashing devils and to all CC league players. If you're reading this and don't play in the league--please reconsider for next season. Even if you only play cash, it's worth it to play if only just for the camaraderie.)
 
nabmom

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Bit of backstory and my current roll on Carbon

I wanted to say a bit about how I started playing online. There are some threads here that talk about it, but I'm not bothering to find them at the moment. So the following is from my spotty memory. It is close enough...:D

I started playing online around 2009-ish. Played in freerolls (including the ones here on CC) and from that built up a bankroll on Stars, FTP, Carbon, and Absolute. At some point I had to deposit on Carbon so that I could withdraw.

I am and have always been a very part-time recreational player. Maybe I play 10 hours a week now (was playing more like 20 before Black Friday). Was decent enough to build rolls and withdraw small amounts from time to time.

By Black Friday I had about $500 on Carbon. Since then I've been slowly leaking over time and have about $150 on Carbon now. So that's my roll for now.
 
R

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Your initial post made me laugh, because you hit on something that is really key in many ways to playing poker, and why the various table shifting games don't work out and turn into a crap shoot.

If you are playing too many tables at a time, you lose the ability to read the other players well. You can copiously make notes or whatever, but in the end, you are still not paying enough attention to catch the more subtle things, nor will you have the time and attention to properly look at every hand that is played out and down cards shown. You miss a huge wealth of information, the sort of thing that can really make a difference.

I mean, look at your numbers. Your first session has you looking at 10 hands plus a minute, which is effectively 6 seconds per hand. You won a lot of hands (probably converting good hands to cash), but you ended up losing money overall. When you slowed down to 4.5 hands per minute (or about 13 seconds per hand) your take increased significantly. 16% win rate is pretty much in line with a 6 player table. That you took a bunch more money should tell you something.

Ignoring the "you have to play X number of hands" thing for a moment, you may want to go back and try this very toned down, with maybe only a couple of tables, trying very hard to concentrate on the actions of other players, especially in hands you are not in. if you can raise you win rate up enough (and gain bigger pots by keeping other people in hands long, example), you may find it more profitable and more relaxing to play it that way. Quantity and Quality are two different things, right?

Just some thoughts from someone who prefers in the end to play live... mostly recently in Macau.
 
nabmom

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Thanks so much, Rawone.

<flattery>I really liked reading what you wrote (I do love a well-written and thoughtful post!). </flattery>

What you said is really true and I'm trying now to be much more mindful of my play. I think my optimal is about 3 tables per session. Not too little to make my mind wander, and not too many so that I can't keep up with the nuances of the play.

Besides, this challenge is really set up so players can avoid feeling like they have to cram in a high volume (500 hands a week isn't a lot when it has to be over at least 2 sessions).
 
nabmom

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Daily update

Had a decent evening yesterday. Played some 10NL along with the 4NL (and happened to have a much better game on the 10NL tables).

GS Challenge March 09 Summary
 
AlfieAA

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Good luck nabs, wishing you lots of rungood on the CASH tables (not the league ones) :p
 
nabmom

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Good luck nabs, wishing you lots of rungood on the CASH tables (not the league ones) :p

Alfie, you aren't allowed to tell ANYONE, but you are one of my favorite CC'ers!

I'm really loving this league play with you and all the good-natured jousting.

I'm enjoying your poker posts as well. So glad I've gotten to know you a abit.
 
nabmom

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So far, March is looking like this:

GS Challenge March 16 Summary
 
AlfieAA

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Awww thanks deb, that's nice, maybe next season we will be on the same team, then we will be tag team needle everyone haha
 
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