Saturday, September 25, 2004

40oz of money

I wanted to include 40oz in the title of this post but couldn't find a good way to do it. I wouldn't let that stop me so I apologize. Anyways I do have some poker news to input. So, I've been doing the experiment for almost 2 months now (I figure) and today I hit a new peak. My pokerstars account has a grandtotal of $40.00 in it as of right now. So, I'm up 35 bucks over that amount of time. It's been slow going but overall positive. I've been playing 2/4 cent way too much recently. I made the big gains today playing at .05-.10 and I think I need to stick with that. I know I can beat that level I just need to do it. Anyways, I'm gonna go play some more and I'll update again later. Peace out

Friday, September 24, 2004

progress

It's 1:10 eastern time, I'm still going strong with the side bet.  It sucks but 5 bucks is worth it.

 

I'm Joe Graber, and I approve this message

 

SrA GRABER, JOSEPH L.

TIME CHANGE/ADR/STOCK CONTROL CLERK

MUNITIONS ACCOUNTABILITY

722-7062

 

"Not everything that can be counted counts, and not everything that counts can be counted." - Albert Einstein (possibly referring to AFV)

 

"If you are flammable and have legs, you are never blocking a fire exit" - Mitch Hedberg, Strategic Grill Locations

 

 

"I'm a gulch" - Ralph Wiggum, The Simpsons

 

 

A Side Bet

One of the guys I work with bet me 5 dollars that I can't go a whole day at work without looking at any websites other than official Air Force sites.  Thank goodness for being able to update the experiment from my email account.  The bankroll is at $37.29 after a long weekend.  I haven't played since Tuesday because my wife just got home from Cincinnati where she was taking her state board test for cosmetology.  I recently got Lee Jones book on winning low limit hold'em and I have read through the first part of it.  I like using it as a basis for hands that I can and can't play.  I really feel like it will help even though it doesn't cover much new ground for me.  The book has taught me a few things about position that I hadn't thought of before.  Putting more emphasis on position has really helped my game to feel stronger even though I'm not yet winning any more money.  Hopefully it will help with the swings, That would make me more than happy.  I never really made any exceptional plays this weekend, just played my regular, tight game and walked with a profit.  One thing that worries me is that I prefer to play 2 and 4 cent over .05/.10 because it just feels better to me.  The players are the same I just handle the ultra tiny bets better in my head.  Sometimes I feel like my game is off when I'm at a higher level.  This is something I must fix if I ever want to play at even a midrange level.  I'm not sure what to do other than just look at the money as a bet not as a specific dollar amount.  If I can make myself think of it that way I think I will be fine.  Hopefully I'll get a chance to put in a few hours this weekend and then I hope to have a update that says I'm over the 40 dollar mark.  It should be just around the corner.  Well, back to work.   I still have some GMAIL accounts if anyone wants one, email me at AMMOJOE@gmail.com   

 

 

AmmoJoe

 

PS: look me up at the tables, it'd be nice to play someone I know

Monday, September 20, 2004

Untitled update from work

 

 

Played a couple hours of .05-.10 like a complete moron, down to 31 bucks.  Played a couple hours of .02-.04 like a friggin genius, up to $36.02.  Moral of the story: play like a genius not a moron.  This is the first time the bankroll has been over 36 dollars, I'm happy.  Now I just have to transfer my style up a level and rake in the dough.

 

Saturday, September 18, 2004

Saturday Mid-Day

Played 2 hours of .02-.04 and had great cards and made good plays. Finished up 3.01 to a total of $34.00 It would have been a little higher but I just got sucked out on for my 20 cent buyin. My strategy today had been just to buy in with 20 cents and leave when I felt the table wasn't as easy. Twice I turned that low buy-in into well over a dollar and only busted once. It was a nice session. Gonna go make lunch now, more to come

Friday, September 17, 2004

quick post

 

 

This is going to be quick because I'm being hounded to do someone elses job.  Played about 4 hours last night, quite a few hands of an even mix of .02-.04 and nickel dime.  Total profit without suckouts would've been around a million dollars.  After all the bad beats I finished up $1.99 and I'm happy with that.  Had AK 3 times in 5 hands.  It lost to 89, A7 and JJ.  (first two times I flopped an ace)  I also had QQ lose to 79o.  Didn't bother me because I was still up.  Have to pay off the suckers every once in awhile.  Bankroll is now at $30.99   Total profit $25.99 and that's not bad.  Few more good sessions and I'll be just around the corner from a jump.  Still planning on playing one 5dollar NL sng as a reward at $55.50 but I'll wait and see how it goes.  If I have any results to post, then look for them tomorrow.  Peace out

 

AmmoJoe

 

Thursday, September 16, 2004

Update from work, Re: A Change Of Plans

I Have taken a few days off due to bad beats and then a trip to the emergency room.  The other day at work I had 2 12 foot long 2x6's fall onto my left arm.  Sliced my right hand open from finger to wrist where I tried to catch it.  The board had a nail in it that stuck into my forearm and hit the bone.  I got a couple stitches and a wicked bruise.  Enough of that, on the the experiment.  I was going to change the plans because of some wicked bad beats but that would effectively void the experiment.  I set out to make it work slow and steady and that's what I'm going to do.  I am contemplating one little change as a reward.  Once I hit 55.50 I think I will reward myself with 1 sng.  If I win I'll play another but if I come in anywhere from 2nd-9th I'll just go back to the lower limits.  I'd like to play nickel-dime until I get all the way to 75 bucks but I'll see how I feel.  I may move up at 65 and then fall back down at 60.  The only reason I want to wait until I'm over the 50 dollar mark is that the next limit is 25-50 and that's 5 times the level I'm playing at now.  Mathematically I would have to wait until 125 dollars but that just seems crazy.  As long as I maintain that I will drop back down in levels at a certain loss point I feel that I could really move up at any point where I have a buyin for the next higher level.  I just don't want to risk too many chips on the swings.  I guess we'll see what happens but I have to win something before it matters.  Right now my bankroll is at 29 dollars, If I have another day like I did on Monday I'll be in danger of having to drop down to .02-.04 and I really don't want that to happen.  Hopefully I can play tonight and then I hope I can have a positive update for tomorrow.   This post kind of rambles and I apologize.  Goodbye

 

I'm Joe Graber, and I approve this message

 

SrA GRABER, JOSEPH L.

AMMO  IYAAYAS!

722-7062

 

"Not everything that can be counted counts, and not everything that counts can be counted." - Albert Einstein (possibly referring to AFV)

 

"If you are flammable and have legs, you are never blocking a fire exit" - Mitch Hedberg, Strategic Grill Locations

 

" Don't trash the 'Nati " - Billboard in Cincinnati circa 1999

 

"I'm a gulch" - Ralph Wiggum, The Simpsons

 

Monday, September 13, 2004

A Change of Plans

The experiment is a success at this stage. It's also freaking boring. I'm grinding it out at the nickel dime tables like some 60 year old degenerate gambler. Whatever I win one day I turn around and lose it the next. The real problem is that its not to bad play that I could correct its from bad beats which are inevitable. The bulk of my time will still be spent at .05-.10 but I'm going to change things a bit. Right now I'm at thrity dollars, the change will start when I hit 40 bucks. As soon as I go over 40 bucks I'm taking everything over 35 I have to the next level which is .25/.50 I was watching the play there and it is remarkably better. I'm not so dumb as to think I'll get rid of bad beats and stupid suck outs but it will (hopefully) lower the frequency of them. I manage to stay ahead at the level I'm at now and I think I'll be much better off at a higher level. If I lose the money I go in with I'll drop down again to nickel dime and build it again. I figure that with 1 or 2 good sessions at the quarter fifty my bankroll will be able to handle that level with ease. I'm not doing this to make a score, just to maintain some sanity and get to a level where I'm more comfortable. I really wish I just had a grand to drop and move up to 10/20 or at least 5/10. Let me know what yall think, I really want suggestions and comments on this post in particular.

Hope to see you at the tables

AmmoJoe

"Don't confuse chips for skill"

Sunday, September 12, 2004

Just ride it out

Been fighting through that bad beat (stupid flushes) streak I've been on. Before I get to the good stuff let me tell you about how I tried to get my chat revoked playing nickel-dime last night. Dealt A-Jo on the button, raise to a dime and get 2 callers. Flop comes A-10-3 and I bet when its checked around. Gets reraised by the guy in the big blind and I stay in and so does SLMsomething. Turn comes another rag and I bet again. Called all around. Turn comes a 8 and WADB bets, I call knowing I'm beat. Tool turns over 83. Called a reraise preflop, on the flop and a raise on the turn with a pair of threes. Then hit a stinkin 8 on the river. I went off for a bit and made fun of the rest of the moves made by that player. Because I was in the midst of such a losing streak I actually enjoied talking trash more than I did playing. -end rant- Bought back in to a .05-.10 table with 55 cents, less than my usual buck. In 38 hands here were my stats. 63% of flops seen, ten pots showndown, 8 won (80%) and 6 pots won without showdown. Logged off with my account at 36.50 Up over 30 dollars since I started this thing. Just a little more and Ill be up another level. Looking forward to the hopefully better level of play at the next level.

Saturday, September 11, 2004

bad beats

I know that I'm playing an ultra low limit, but man it still sucks with all the bad beats. I'm up about a buck and a half today. Made up some of my losses for the last 2 days. I have seen more suckouts and downright bad beats in the last 24 hours than I ever imagined I could. I'm not mad, I am still on my game but sometimes its frusturating. If it werent for all of them I would probably be up dag on near 10-15 bucks. Oh well, It happens. Come find me at the tables. If anyone wants, I have some gmail invites so just email me at ammojoe@gmail.com and I'll hook you up. Watch out for those runner runner flushes.

Thursday, September 09, 2004

Final update before kickoff

NFL starts tonight. It's the Bengals year, but now we must talk poker. Played about all day today, split my time about half and half between .05-.10 full tables and .02-.04 heads up. I've found that I can make quite a bit at the heads up tables unless I go on tilt and blow my chips. Nickel-Dime was profitable, I made back the money I spent on a tourney earlier. Played a 1 dollar buy in NLHE tourney at 2:30 eastern. Never got many cards and I went all in with pocket tens for 2700. Got called by JQo and a queen fell on the river. Didn't really bother me but it would've been nice to last a bit longer. Finished about 365th out of 900 or so. So, there went one buck. Also lost 2 dollars earlier at the 5-10 tables to a bunch of suck outs. The main thing was that I maintained my cool and played my game. When I just logged off for (hopefully) the last time my account had 31.00 in it. I'm up 26 bucks playing a smart game and I'm feeling quite comftorable in the .05-.10 level. I had a comment today from someone who is thinking that I'm moving up in limits too slow. The reason I'm playing like that is because I really want to make this money last. Im in no big hurry to make a bunch of money so I'm making my moves very cautiously (sp) to ensure that I've always got the money in my roll to fall back on if the swings go bad. My next level move will be once my account is at 75 dollars. If I fall back below 70 I'll switch back down one until I'm ready to try again. If youre online, look me up on pokerstars, it'd be nice to play with someone I know. AMMOJOE

Wednesday, September 08, 2004

It's been a good night

Tennessee was great but now I'm back to my experiment. When I left my bankroll was at a modest $21.80 but it was ready for some big gains. My wife is in Ohio for a couple weeks taking her state board test so now I've got plenty of time to invest into my game. On lunch today I played for about a half hour and made up some losses from the night before to get back to about even, not progress but at least I was maintaining. After I got home and had dinner I went at it on the .02-.04 tables. Played there for probably 3 hours and walked with a profit of 4 dollars. For the first time I was over 25 bucks. I figured it was time to head up to the high rollers at the .05-10 tables. Sat down with my first buck and went to town. Played tight and aggressive and went up about 50 cents. After a few hands I was dealt 54 suited. Called the blinds from the button. The flop came 6/7/10 and I made a bet to set the tone. All 3 players called. Next card was a K and I bet again, all players called. Turn was a beautiful 3 giving me the nuts and I bet and was raised. Me and another player capped the betting and I took down a 2+ pot. My bankroll now stands at a whopping $27.42 With my newfound wealth I think I'll be able to concentrate on the nickel dime table and increase my profits. Tomorrow is more of the same and I hope to update this with another positive post. Ok, thanks, bye

Wednesday, September 01, 2004

Lessons learned from an 80 cent loss

Disclaimer: This is an account of an ultra low stakes online experiment to turn 5 bucks into millions.  As of right now (1 month in) the bankroll stands at $21.80  If you are looking for high stakes, big money then look elsewhere.  If you are interested in bankroll management and slow, conservative play then read on.

 

Last night I only played for about 15 minutes, but I played like I had only 15 minutes worth of experience.  I was calling bets when I knew for a fact I was beat.  I called the blinds pre-flop with garbage like J-7 just hoping to hit a flop I could play.  It was probably the worst playing I have done since my initial deposit 12 months ago.  The night started with me having the 2nd best hand about 3 hands in a row.  I lost my initial buy in of 40 cents when I held K-10c and hit a K on the flop.  I bet and called all the way down only to see aces flipped up against me.  He played it perfectly and I played like the idiots I always hope to be up against.  Playing the wild style had some swings and at times I found myself up, then just a few hands later I would be down to the cyberfelt.  I left the tables once the WSOP was over and I was down 80 cents.  The money is nothing really, I've probably got that much stuck in the cushions of my couch, but what did I learn from this experience?  I've said it before, I'm not out to make a score, I just want to improve my game.  Maybe .02-.04 cents is the level I belong at right now.  If I can't control my hands that I play here, How would I expect to play at a 5-10 or higher table.  I'd like to think that I would tighten up because of the stakes but my experience here is supposed to train me for the big games.  So, Now what am I going to do?  Unless the hurricane hits the base and I can't travel, I'll be in Tennessee for the weekend.  When I get back I'm going to put some serious time into my game.  Back to 2 tables of super tight play, Polishing my "A" game.  By next weekend I should be solidly into the .05-.10 game making my bankroll grow.  I know how to play, I am sure I can when at any small/medium level right now.  I just hope I can remember these 80 cents and how losing will happen when I let my game go.  Losing 3 quarters and a nickel last night may someday save me a lot more.

 

AmmoJoe

First try at .05-.10

Let me start by saying that I'm still playing at the .02-.04 level at Pokerstars.  My goal was to move up a level once I had over 20 dollars in my roll.  As soon as I made it over my goal I made the jump to .05-.10 limit.  I took 72 cents into the game.  The only hard part about the game was the fact that I wasn't used to the bets being as "large" as they were.  One dollar pots were happening every other hand it seemed.  It's not that I was unable to play my cards the way I needed I just didn't adjust to the limits real well.  My comfort is right now at .02-.04 and I was just messed up at the higher level.  I played for no more than 10 minutes and cashed out about .20 cents ahead.  I'm going to keep my game at the lowest level for a few more days until I can have enough over 20 bucks to accept the swings then I'll take a shot at nickel-dime.  More to come

 

AmmoJoe

 

 "Not everything that can be counted counts, and not everything that counts can be counted." - Albert Einstein (possibly referring to AFV)