how's everyone doing these days?????????????

[joshrogo 0]

Thought that I would check back in with everyone, and see how things are going.

I seem to have drastically reduced my old tendency to tilt .. and have increased my awareness of other players tendencies .. it has all added up to a pretty nice run of late .. I should also add, it appears the cards have been on my side recently.

[KDawgCometh 2]

I've dropped 140 BBs in the last week, yup, I'm loving life right now(the first time that I've dropped over a grand in that span of time since I've gone full time, so, its more just a new threshold of pain really)

[steve7stud 0]

I've dropped 140 BBs in the last week, yup, I'm loving life right now(the first time that I've dropped over a grand in that span of time since I've gone full time, so, its more just a new threshold of pain really)

When it's good it's good, when it's bad it get scary. If you get to 200 BB drop down.

[Guest Zach6668]

After months of sucking at poker, and losing money, I decided to come back to Party Poker and made my FINAL deposit of $50, and with the help of SSHE, and the unbelievable help of the strat section, I've turned that $50 into just about $2100 in less than 2 months  8)  I'm doing just fine, thank you.Zach

Very cool. Honestly, I couldn't be happier for you. I haven't read sshe, but my poker student has. I watched him play, and disagreed with some of the choices that were being made. However, that might be the winning strategy at that limit.If you ever move up to 10-20 or higher lets try and talk. You might need to make a couple of adjustments. Good Luck.

Well, Actuary is right about SSHE being based for the lower limits and their looseness, etc, but I even see a change at a lot of the 2/4 and 3/6 tables I play. Quite often we are 3 or 4 to a flop, maximum, and most pots are raised preflop, so it really does change things from say .5/1. My VPIP in .5/1 for example was 23, while in 2/4 it's 18, and in my small 3/6 sample it's 15. Clearly there is a HUGE difference in play,, and I think the adjustments made from .5/1 to 1/2 to 2/4 to 3/6 to 5/10 to 10/20, etc, seem to be pretty natural progressions, hopefully. I have not played higher than 3/6 yet, but when I do, hopefully I'll be adapting to the new subtleties of the game.As far as ever reaching 10/20, that would be great, but my guess is that it will be quite some time from now. I have quite a few debts unrelated to poker that I need to pay off, so my plan is to leak a bit off of my bank roll as it grows, but keep enough to play 2/4 and possibly 3/6, depending on my success, until my personal financial debts are paid off. They aren't huge, but they've been hanging around for a while, and it's time to get rid of them.Anyways, if I ever make it up there, I'll give you a shout. I appreciate all the help I get from this community, and I will never turn down free advice, and someday, hopefully, I'll be able to give better advice.Thanks again.Zach

[zimmer4141 0]

I guess I'll give you a quickie update on me...Christmas Break was kinda rough, but I guess this is just the first extended downswing I've had ever really. Gotten deep in tournaments a few times, but couldn't win the final coinflip I needed to make the top 5 or so. Took about a 3k hit in December, but feel like I'm playing my best game.

[allinbluff35 0]

i don't think it can get any worse than it is right now, but we'll see.

[grbs1605 0]

I built my bankroll up by 800bb over two months after I fixed some holes and the past two weeks I'm down almost 350bb, does this sound like normal variance to anyone. I am playing about the same game. I did move up to 1/2 just before the start of the downswing because my bankroll was at over 400bb for that game. It seems like I've missed a lot of draws, good hands got outdrawn, and then the usual bad runs in there. No real blow ups or steam sessions.Any thoughts

[KDawgCometh 2]

I've dropped 140 BBs in the last week, yup, I'm loving life right now(the first time that I've dropped over a grand in that span of time since I've gone full time, so, its more just a new threshold of pain really)

When it's good it's good, when it's bad it get scary. If you get to 200 BB drop down.

well, it is 6 max, so these swings are par for the course, they just blow when rent is needed and I don't have a deep bank acct to cover that stuff

[checkymcfold 0]

steve,since i'm going full time in september, i suppose that i should ask for some advice. here are my stats since last february (about 100k hands, at various limits/stakes):25/50 full ring (5k hands, only play when it looks juicy): 1.10 BB/10010/20 full ring (40k hands): 2.32 BB/1005/10 full ring (10k hands): 1.29 BB/10010/20 5-max (20k hands): 4.31 BB/1005/10 5-max (20k hands): 4.25 BB/100tournament winnings: about 35k, including a 15k win, 2 5-6k wins, and about 25 other final tables at 20-1000 buyins/rebuys (i don't play tourneys much anymore--just when i get tired of the grind)i had a 200 BB downswing at 10/20 full ring, quit for a month, and came back fresh and playing well. beyond that, it's been a pretty smooth ride upwards with a few 50-60 BB downswings, but nothing worse than that. having 30% rakeback helps a lot--that extra grand or so a month can really smooth out the rough patches. but my questions to you are as follows:1. after looking at my above stats, and knowing that i moved to s/h tables recently and have been basically running over people for a very consistent profit, should i consider my stats relatively sustainable over the long haul? that is, do the above stats suggest that i can make a living at cards?2. my stats are playing about 10 hours a week on average (i'm in grad school, heh.). do you find that playing more requires a lot of discipline, as in knowing when you're getting a little burnt out and need to quit or drop down for a bit?3. insurance: easy to get? expensive? i'll be moving to chicago in sept, when i make my run at it, and i won't be able to mooch off of the lovely canadian free health care any more.4. taxes: generally, around 35% of reported income, yes? ( i know there are sites that talk about this, but i'm just curious about a firsthand account)5. after going to vegas for a bit, playing as many limits/casinos as possible, it seems to me that vegas has some of the tougher games at each limit that i've encountered live. is this the case? is chicago the right type of city to make a living in playing cards?6. what kind of money should i have saved/in my roll to go for it? i'm aiming for a 20k roll and a 10k bank account before i start. should i wait to save more?reply at your leisure, of course. i'm really just curious to see how someone like you might respond to these sorts of questions.

[Smiddywap 0]

I've been grinding at the .5/1 and 1/2 lhe tables, more for experience than anything. I've been going through swings lately, most times I come out more than 30 BBs either up or down, which is a lot for the lengths of time I play. Overall I've been on the rise.Trying to teach myself restraint has been the hardest part of learning the game so far. I don't go on tilt from being sucked out on anymore but I still go on "boredom tilt." When I don't see many playable cards for an hour or two I'll start loosening my starting hand requirements and bluffing more, which at my limits usually doesn't work out too well.I haven't been playing any tourneys other than freerolls because I can't seem to keep concentration into the third hour. The boredom tilt always sets in, especially if I'm a big stack.Thanks for asking. How you doin'?

[loogie 115]

I haven't been playing poker at all, and I'm looking great!

[smoothcall 0]

whenever im in the dumps about poker i like to watch rounders. that usually inspires me to play well and right.

[Actuary 3]

i don't think it can get any worse than it is right now, but we'll see.

if it makes you feel better, I laughed.seriously, run good.

[steve7stud 0]

steve,since i'm going full time in september, i suppose that i should ask for some advice. here are my stats since last february (about 100k hands, at various limits/stakes):25/50 full ring (5k hands, only play when it looks juicy): 1.10 BB/10010/20 full ring (40k hands): 2.32 BB/1005/10 full ring (10k hands): 1.29 BB/10010/20 5-max (20k hands): 4.31 BB/1005/10 5-max (20k hands): 4.25 BB/100tournament winnings: about 35k, including a 15k win, 2 5-6k wins, and about 25 other final tables at 20-1000 buyins/rebuys (i don't play tourneys much anymore--just when i get tired of the grind)i had a 200 BB downswing at 10/20 full ring, quit for a month, and came back fresh and playing well. beyond that, it's been a pretty smooth ride upwards with a few 50-60 BB downswings, but nothing worse than that. having 30% rakeback helps a lot--that extra grand or so a month can really smooth out the rough patches. but my questions to you are as follows:1. after looking at my above stats, and knowing that i moved to s/h tables recently and have been basically running over people for a very consistent profit, should i consider my stats relatively sustainable over the long haul? that is, do the above stats suggest that i can make a living at cards?2. my stats are playing about 10 hours a week on average (i'm in grad school, heh.). do you find that playing more requires a lot of discipline, as in knowing when you're getting a little burnt out and need to quit or drop down for a bit?3. insurance: easy to get? expensive? i'll be moving to chicago in sept, when i make my run at it, and i won't be able to mooch off of the lovely canadian free health care any more.4. taxes: generally, around 35% of reported income, yes? ( i know there are sites that talk about this, but i'm just curious about a firsthand account)5. after going to vegas for a bit, playing as many limits/casinos as possible, it seems to me that vegas has some of the tougher games at each limit that i've encountered live. is this the case? is chicago the right type of city to make a living in playing cards?6. what kind of money should i have saved/in my roll to go for it? i'm aiming for a 20k roll and a 10k bank account before i start. should i wait to save more?reply at your leisure, of course. i'm really just curious to see how someone like you might respond to these sorts of questions.

It's hard to tell whether or not you're ready from 10 hours a week, but you certainly do have good results. Only you can decide if you're ready. And you already know the answer to that.Insurance can be difficult to get. But if you're young and you don't have any health problems, you should be "ok".I don't think that Vegas is a great place for people to play poker live. It can be, but I have found the games in LA much better. Which is why I continue to live in LA. Not sure why you would live in Chicago. Nothing against the city, but as far as poker goes...............Rule of thumb about going pro is: Have six months living expense in advance (including rent) Have a BR of 3-500 BB. Hopefully this helps. Good Luck.Let me know if you have any questions along the way.

[Guest Zach6668]

Rule of thumb about going pro is: Have six months living expense in advance (including rent) Have a BR of 3-500 BB.

3 BB seems kind of small, don't ya think?..... sw

[Abbaddabba 0]

If you dont count the 6 months living expenses as part of your bankroll then it isn't that low.... although i would never do it without a bare minimum of 500.

[steve7stud 0]

Rule of thumb about going pro is: Have six months living expense in advance (including rent) Have a BR of 3-500 BB.

3 BB seems kind of small, don't ya think?..... sw

Apparently you you've never seen me play poker. I could do it with 2.

[KDawgCometh 2]

Not sure why you would live in Chicago. Nothing against the city, but as far as poker goes...............

which is why I plan on hosting games as big as the boats at my moms house when I move back, or hope that Mayor Daley gets his way and gets a land based casino on the lakefront

[econ_tim 0]

corollary to the fundamental theorem of pokerif all of you guys are running bad, i must be running good

[econ_tim 0]

Not sure why you would live in Chicago. Nothing against the city, but as far as poker goes...............

which is why I plan on hosting games as big as the boats at my moms house when I move back, or hope that Mayor Daley gets his way and gets a land based casino on the lakefront

regarding location, if i were playing poker for a living, i'd move to someplace where the rent is really lowof course i wouldn't move to a shack in montana because there is a trade off between nightlife and rent

[steve7stud 0]

Not sure why you would live in Chicago. Nothing against the city, but as far as poker goes...............

which is why I plan on hosting games as big as the boats at my moms house when I move back, or hope that Mayor Daley gets his way and gets a land based casino on the lakefront

regarding location, if i were playing poker for a living, i'd move to someplace where the rent is really lowof course i wouldn't move to a shack in montana because there is a trade off between nightlife and rent

This is very true if you are only going to play online. My girlfriend is in Oregon right now. And if I was just an online player, I could live like a king out there. But, I would rather play live, so LA or Vegas it is.

[Abbaddabba 0]

regarding location, if i were playing poker for a living, i'd move to someplace where the rent is really low of course i wouldn't move to a shack in montana because there is a trade off between nightlife and rent

Even better - somewhere that won't require you to report winnings as taxable income.

[AlohaBruce 0]

The first 9 months of last year were great, now I've been running bad for the last three months. Before I was doing well playing 3/6 at my local card club, 4/8, 2/5 nl at Bellagio. I'm doing so crappy that I couldn't even win a 1/2 nl session at the Paris with a bunch of fish. I probably looked like the fish to the others. Fortunately I don't have to worry about my br. I've been thinking about playing some Omaha for awhile as a change of pace.

[bhaas 0]

Hi Everyone,I'd just like to say that this has got to be one of the best posts so far on here. Good job steve7stud. How about a thread with daily results from people. That would be fun. Keep tabs on everyone and help us all improve our game.I actually had a good session today at the 3/6 in a B&M. I changed my game a bit. Basically I stopped playing Q3os and other fish hands. I went to the game on a mission with $40 and that's all I had.I've played with discipline before and done well but I just like to goof off to much and it's hard to control. But I didn't have time for that today. I need money. I turned that $40 into $280 in 4 1/2 hours. When I got a decent starting hand I'd sometime raise with it but not usually and if I didn't hit anything on the flop or a nut flush/straight draw I was gone. If I had small pairs and didn't get a set by the turn I was gone. No fishing. I saved a fortune not fishing for crap. I actually had pocket kings hold up 3 times for some pretty big pots.The casino I play in has a killer MonteCarlo jackpot there and the royal is $9500 and a few other good ones. I didn't get any 2 cards for a royal to play, but oh well. That was the main reason I went to play live game. I'm not that good at it and I tend to screw off to much. I seriously need to fix that prob. But I still like tournys the best and do better in them but I need consistent money so now I'm gonna focus real hard on my live game starting today.Since I have no job and my bills are about $3000 a month and my back is against the wall and that's when I shine. Workin for the man isn't much of an option for me. I hate it and all the incompetence and the 2 faced fake/phony C Suckers make me want to start swingin, so now it's 100% focus on poker. Time to get serious. Wish me luck.Brad

[Guest Zach6668]

Hi Everyone,I'd just like to say that this has got to be one of the best posts so far on here. Good job steve7stud. How about a thread with daily results from people. That would be fun. Keep tabs on everyone and help us all improve our game.I actually had a good session today at the 3/6 in a B&M. I changed my game a bit. Basically I stopped playing Q3os and other fish hands. I went to the game on a mission with $40 and that's all I had.I've played with discipline before and done well but I just like to goof off to much and it's hard to control. But I didn't have time for that today. I need money. I turned that $40 into $280 in 4 1/2 hours.  

Where do they let you buy in for $40, for one, second of all, I lose $40 playing a flush draw properly. You need to sit with much, much more next time you go, if you want to play TAG poker.Zach