Blazing_Saddler "Keep It Real"

U Cook Socks · Blazing_Saddler "Keep It Real"

Firstly, I hope BrokerStar doesn't mind me starting a new thread, it's a new beggining, and I feel it deserves a new thread. I would have hit you up on skype to ask permission, if I could get the dam thing to work on my computer! Obviously, any problems just let me know.

This isn't just another bankroll thread for me, it is about a new me, a new phase in my life. I have played very little poker over the past 6 weeks or so, I have focused more on other things, which I have neglected and taken for granted far to often in the past. Last year was a strange year, with a lot of highs and lows. My Son James being born , one of the obvious highs, my mom being really ill being the big low, and a lot of other stuff in between. I have learned a lot about life, and myself recently, all of which I want to use positively.

Anyone who has followed my progress in the past, will know that self belief is a big problem of mine, this is something I really want to work on. I am in control now, I choose how my future pans out, which paths I go down. I feel getting a good poker/life balance is key to making the road enjoyable and successful, something I have failed to do in the past.

Actual Poker

Before I begin to talk about the poker side of things, I just want to say a few thank you's, forgive me if I miss anyone out, so many people have helped me it is hard to remember everyone, but I feel these people need a special mention for the help they have given me.

Sausage and Aggsy B for always being willing to talk poker with me, two great guys, who are very different in so many ways, but really nice chaps, and always willing to help me.

BrokerStar for making me believe I could beat games higher than $10, and never once not having faith in my ability, it meant a lot, and I know you were sincere (or you wouldn't have kept shipping me money Very Happy

) Also for solid logical poker advice, and taking time to do me leakfinders, HH reviews etc etc.

Borg, for the same as Broker, and despite not knowing him in person, he really is one of the most genuinely nice guys you could ever wish to speak too. I may be wrong, but I seriously doubt that there is a better HUSNG player on this site, the fact you took time to help me out is absolutely fantastic, so thank you.

Finally Red_Dog. To this day I still stand by the statement, I would still be playing $5 HUSNG if it wasn't for Matt. He took my game to another level with the help he gave me, poker just seems to come so easy to him. A real nice bloke with a good sense of humour. Was always willing to help me out, and i appreciate it so much. If anyone really wants to go from beating $10 games to the $50s, I suggest you speak to Red_Dog, he really can help you.

Goals

I have a very specific long term goal. To play poker for a living. I have never craved it before, but now I am focused, and really want to make a full time income from poker. I don't crave making mega bucks (although I wouldn't say no!) I really am aiming to be a solid wininng $100 reg. I am giving myself a time scale of this year to get there. I'm not sure if that is to easy, or to unrealistic , but that fits perfectly fine for me, if I get there sooner, then all the better.

Just to add, I won't even be attempting $100 games , until I have 100 buy ins. this may seem a bit ridiculous to some, but it is the comfort zone I will need to have any chance of making it. I am in no rush, I have all year remember !

Short Term

I have been playing on PokerStars over the past few months, not any great volume, but I have been plugging away. I now have a roll of $3004 on there. Also $380 of my initial sign up bonus which I have until April to clear. I have have played some $50s recently, and done pretty well, but hit a rough patch the last few days, when I tried again, possibly a bit rusty. I am going to stick to $30 games for now.

I need to play 780 $30 games to clear my deposit bonus, so I am going to concentrate on this first of all. Then evaluate where I am at. I am aiming to have a min ROI of 10% which is achievable based on my previous experiences so far. This would make me something around $2500 if my calculations are correct, plus the rest of my sign up bonus, and other bonuses + My Initial roll. I need to take some out to by a new computer, as mine has had its day. So the plan is to play these games, make some $ buy a new PC, then evaluate if I stay on Stars, or move back to FT, and what level I am going to play at etc etc, and where I go from there. Hopefully I will be easily rolled for the $50s, but will worry about that when I get there. I believe I can finish the 780 games before the end of Febraury if I get my act together, so that is another goal I will be aiming to complete.

Below is a bit of a run down of my progress to date.

$10s

$20s

$30s

$50s

Total

Sorry if it's been a bit muddled up, I tend to write as I think, rather than sitting back and thinking about what to write. It is for my own benefit as much as anything, but you encouragement and not allowing me to feel sorry for myself at any point would be appreciated.

Things to work on

All the obvious studying needs to be done, no need to write it all down, I just need to do it, I will include what I have been doing to improve in my updates though.

The main thing to improve on is self belief!!!

Thanks for taking the time to read my op.

Blazing_Saddler

aggsyb

Very solid stuff mate keep smashing it , when the downswing(s) hit dont let it phase you. You've come along way and its only a matter of time before were seeing you in the $100+ lobbys.

YATHINNK

Mate, when did you become so wise?

YATHINNK

Good luck, no doubt you'll do it though.

U Cook Socks

YATHINNK

Nahh not disappointed at all mate, pleased for you. When I eventually come back to the nock again, probs be easter now. We'll go out for a pint or something. Christ knows I can drink once in a while..

Wannawin

Nice graph - I am resigned to the fact that at best mine will look like a stormy ocean wave - ah well.

GL GL

Become the crusher of dreams Twisted Evil

BetMagicMoney

Nice graph mate Smile

we have played once or twice and you never said anything - i think i won one you won one Razz

GL at any rate Very Happy

kierkegaard1

good stuff as always. keep fighting

sausage

Thanks for the thanks Very Happy

Your results speak for themselves. Just keep plugging away at a level you are comfortable with & the future will sort itself out in the way you want it to I'm sure.

Been too long since we last spoke. Catch up soon.

Brokerstar

Mate you're what I call a very humble champion. I don't know where your self doubt ever came from but I hope that you're really starting to see the plain fact that you're solid!!

Good luck man. Very Happy

Borg7

Great thread, thanks for the kind words, mate. =)
I genuinely have no doubt that you will make it to $100s within half a year if you have enough self confidence.

z1s6arn

Awesome start socks! GL and make the dream come true!

bridgegunner

blaz

u are an awesome guy from what i have seen in the forums and a very humble person. people like u dont come around everyday. i can relate to the hard work and determination that goes into developing your skills but the end goal is to do this for a living. u are blessed and a very lucky man for having a supportive family and i truly know u will crush the 100;s

i hope u don t mind if i add u on skype

awesome graph too

tmle09

goodluck
keep up the good work
keep us updated

U Cook Socks

Quick Update

Well things haven't exactly gone to plan, since my big plan!

I think I have probably played around 50 odd games, and I think I am just about in profit by about $20 or something like that, after an awful start. First 3 games, and I had 3 hands for full stacks, all in on the flop or turn, 90% + fav, and they went down. (puke) Kinda knocked me back a bit, but hey sh*t happens.

That's not the real reason for the lack of volume, more like there is always something comes up at home that needs doing, seems impossible to get the hours in I need to play.

I have a solution, I am using a friends flat in the day time, whilst he is at work. So as from tomorrow, I shall be playing full time, 8am-5pm. (and probably some late evening too if things go to plan) So there should be something big to update next week.

I will be updating on Friday's. Friday always seems like the end of the poker week to me, not sure why, think it may be from when I got my rakeback from Full Tilt on a friday.

Anyway update on Friday, for those who are interested.

icemanv6

Goodluck

z1s6arn

A private space to focus will do wonders for your game!

I hope it goes well!

U Cook Socks

Okay, was going to wait until Friday to update, but I just couldn't resist getting this post in, on my first day playing full time.

I was late for my first day for a start Very Happy

Managed to get 16 games in, which isn't great, but the waiting times were pretty sick today, I'm sure it's not usually so slow.

Anyway, played 16, won 13, my biggest ever winning day, with a total of $276 profit.

BOOOOOOM

hjbear

congrats man thats a sick winning session

Borg7

Good job! ;P

JamEaze

Nice one buddy!

Simba

sausage

Good to hear, you deserve it.

Just don't be late tomorrow Smile

U Cook Socks

icemanv6

Blazing do you ever go on skype, I have removed and added you like twice, but never see you on?

Nice run also Smile

U Cook Socks

U Cook Socks

*Update*

Well it's not been a great week. I should have known better than post about my winning day, cos after getting off to a great start ,it's all been downhill since.

I am running about $300 under EV, but no way am I making excuses, some of my play from Wednesday onwards was just unacceptable. Pretty disgusted with myself. I lost count of how many spots where I knew exactly what the villain had, and I thought "I can bluff him off bottom pair" Of course I couldn't cos they were fish!

by today, I had turned in to a station, so I cut the day short, with the intention of taking the weekend off, to refocus. I did however play another 3 games this afternoon, took my time and won all 3, which kind of rescued the week from being a disaster.

The good thing is, I can do something about this, it would have been easy to post my HEM graph, and show how much under EV I am, and palm it off as variance. It's not though, I know that I was shocking for a lot of this week, and I intend to put this right sharpish. I have been through these downswings before, and come out the other side, so I know I can do it again. I just need to realise a fish is a fish for a reason, when I act upon those reasons, I will beat the game again.

One of my main strengths has been my ability to put away the fish constantly, I have struggled with regs, but my record against fish has always been really good. I have never played in to their hands, and gradually picked them off. So god knows what happened this week, I think mondays 13/2 session, made me feel a bit invincible, but I won those games by doing what I know is right.

I am a bit unsure of how many games I have played since my last update, when I filter it for the $30s only, which is all I have played, it works out different to if I put my full stats on and subtract the games I had played when I last updated. I will put my stats on anyway, I have nothing to hide, up or down, I will post each week. I will note how many games I am at on my full ss stats this week, then work it out from there next week.

Things to work on.

Easy really, just a bit more focus on who I am playing, and getting back to playing them how I always have. It really is that simple I think. If I do that, and the results don't come, then it may be time to have a rethink , but I see no need to panic right now. Just do my session reviews, and other study I do every day anyway, and get back to being me.

Back next week

Blazing_Saddler

JamEaze

Sometimes I think it is better when you hit the variance just as your play starts to deviate from optimal. Otherwise if you run hot but are playing poor, it kinda masks it.

No doubt you will be back to your old self and crushing it next week.

icemanv6

U Cook Socks

aggsyb

SUPER NITTTTTTT ITT

U Cook Socks

True, it helps you cope with the bad times though, trust me.

icemanv6

Looking forward to seeing you move up the stake's blazing! That is indeed a lot of BIs but it's fine to play the 30s and not higher to get back into the swing of things Smile

kantor1003

Yeah, that's nitty, but what ever makes one comfortable:) It costs you money though I think. Let's hope the transition to the 50s go well.

forced

your perseverance and attitude is truly admirable, when i get through with the cash school and back into husng's im going to be rereading your threads for my own motivation. Your view's on poker and life, and how you handle all situations, good or bad, is something I wish to become alot better with in my own life.

cheers! blazing

U Cook Socks

I am really tempted to go in at the $50s from tomorrow. I'll have to think about it. I can't see the harm in it. If I give it a 10 buy in shot, I'm still in a fairly strong position if it goes wrong.

BetMagicMoney

U Cook Socks

Well, if I am going to play full time, I feel the $50s is the minimum I should be playing for really. I have played quite a few, and beat them over a small sample. It's the nit in me, it wont go away !

Wannawin

Hate to guess what your bankroll will be before you start stabbing at the 100's Smile

U Cook Socks

dzikijohnny

Joe Tall said that Tony Angelo only had one piece of advice about bankroll size. Loosely requoted:

Think about how you would be playing the game you are playing right now. If you would be playing more comfortably, with less stress and worry, and you would be making better decisions then, you need to double your bankroll.

ps. Are you playing regulars or turbos?

U Cook Socks

Reg speeds, for now at least.

U Cook Socks

*Update*

Very low volume this week. Only 45 games. In all honesty, it's not really been my fault, I have had one of those weeks, where if anything could go wrong it has. If I had been working a full time job, I would have been home half the week. Kids!

Anyway, I still don't feel I am playing at my best, I had a real shock when I checked how I had done this week, because I would have said I broke even at best. But apparently not Very Happy

I'm not playing with a lot of confidence right now though, I have some things in place to help me improve, which I always do.

I have played a total of 699 Games on Pokerstars now, I want that total at 800 when I update this time next week. That is my main aim, to get a solid weeks volume in. I really feel like I am waiting for it all to kick off, but maybe I need to put a bit more effort in.

Sorry it's not much of an update. Below is my total HUSNG stats, and my weekly stats.

Back with a better report next week. If my volume is low next week, please give me a great big kick up the anus.

Blazing_Saddler

U Cook Socks

*Update*

Sorry for the lack of updates. Had a nasty case of food poisoning. Not been much fun at all, and it has limited my playing and studying time. Have eased my self back in to it the last few days with a few games here and there, but nothing major. The worst of it is over now thank god, but I still have times where I feel super rough.

Below, my total stats, and my stats since my last post, playing much much better now. Far more focused, and back on my game.

Only played four games today, 3 of which were against a reg, who has made over 30k, and has a star next to his SS name. I just totally owned him, it was so funny, he kept sitting me out of spite, in the end I was accepting his rematches, but he gave up in the end. I used to worry about regs, but the more I play, they are actually easier to play than random fish at times. Unless they are real good players, but those are few and far between imo.

Hopefully I can get better and kick on from here now.

U Cook Socks

Bankroll up to almost 4k now, well it was 4k, but I lost to some fish who I really should have beaten. I really need to start turning the chat box off, these players don't half tilt you. He spent the entire game telling me how immoral, what I was doing was, and that Inland revenue were going to be after me for tax on my winnings Very Happy

What he was saying didn't tilt me, just the fact he never shut up. Chat box is now banned.

Anyway, I am just being ridiculous messing about at the $30s now. Wtf am I waiting for.

From now, I am playing the $50s, and if I have a solid month in March at the $50s, I am taking a shot at the $100 games in April. Long way to go before then, but if I don't try I will never know.

In before a downswing, I have won something like 20 out of the last 25 matches. Long may it continue.

JamEaze

Top work that man!! Not thought about going from 50's to 80's rather than doubling the stakes to $100?

U Cook Socks

z1s6arn

U Cook Socks

I Totally understand what you are going though, really I do. I mean it was seriously one of the hardest thing I have ever done. That sounds a bit dramatic, but I found it so draining.

I just failed so badly when I first started the Top Team, I went from $10 games, to $50s, and I just found it so hard. I found it hard losing someone elses money. That's meant to be the whole point of being staked, although to be honest, the coaching I got was why I was really in it. I'm not that kind of guy though, I hate letting people down.

I had many highs and lows from my Top Team experience, some weeks I reported back with huge winnings, then other weeks I had to go back and say I had blown a tonne of money. Truth be told, I never made the most of the experience, as in , I had a lot more help on offer than I took. Use it wisely , and there is no limit how far you can go.

I can tell you without any doubt, if you can crush the $5s, you can smash the $20s, and $30s. Take a step back, look at your game, and don't be afraid if you have made mistakes, let Broker and Borg look at them, and they will see you right.

Hey I still make mistakes now, I worked so hard to get to the $50s, and a few days of run bad , combined with some very retarded play by myself, and it is slipping away. Really annoyed with myself. I never blame anything on variance, there is always something I could have done better, and as long as I put these things right, I know I will get there in the end.

Good Luck on your journey, and as I said, don't be afraid to ask me for help, if I can I will. My advice wont be as good as what Broker or Borg can give you, but I do have a fair bit of experience of beating the games you are playing.

z1s6arn

Bless you mate! z1