It's a fully ole game!

So then,

The past week has been somewhat of a learning curve for me. Having lost all of my winnings last week, I think I better drop back a level. I've noticed some of the $3/$6 level players playing $10/$20 so I think I may just be a little out of my league. After installing Poker Tracker today and analysing my hands it seems that $1/$2 and $2/$5 suit me better at the moment. I think I know what it is mind! I don't have the bankroll for $3/$6 so I am making bad judgments in fear of losing what money I have. I can comfortably play at $1/$2 and try to build a better bankroll to start and play $2/$5. So much for the big start at $3/$6! ;-) Everyday is a school day - especially when playing Texas Hold'em!

Another interesting thing that I have picked up from Poker Tracker is that I try to bluff too many hands. For example I seem to be check raising with nothing and getting caught with it. I also seem to play AK, AQ, AJ too strongly post flop even if I don't hit. This causes me to get re-raised after a $50-$60 lead out. WAIST OF MONEY.

Here are a few things I feel I need to do to improve my game:

• Tighten up.
• Be more patient.
• Don't be too aggressive with marginal hands.
• Realise that top pair isn't always best!

I think I have a good understanding for the game now after 13 months of play and feel that I can improve massively if I can adhere to the above improved qualities.

On a better note, I finished 2nd in a £50 local tournament this weekend. I got a little lucky to start with. I got a player to fold an over pair with A10 having hit my 10. This said, I think that if I were to be playing weaker opposition, I would have got called for definite. He later told me that he folded to what he thought was a set. That guy later went on to win the tournament. Perhaps if I'd have had the discipline that he showed then I may have had more chips to beaten him with when we were heads up. Never the less, there was good competition here and I think that the 2nd place is a confidence boosting result. I really enjoy playing live!

That's it for now. Thanks for reading.

Paul.

1st Day Catch-Up

Good evening,

Last night was a bit up and down. I played the $150 + $13 tourney and finished nowhere but had a dabble with $5/$10 and won the entrance fee back plus another $100. Not breaking any records but I felt I played well at what is the highest level I've played at.

Today has been a completely different day to yesterday. Playing $3/$6 again, I was down about $1100 by dinner but finished the day on a monster hand $400 up. The hand went something similar to this:

Me: AA
Other Player: A9

Board: 94A 10 9

Making me the nuts AAA99 and him 999AA.

I've got a lot to learn and a lot of patience to find based on today's play but I feel comfortable and keen to go on! Anyway, must dash got a free live game tonight in my local pub. They play them all over the place... Check them out at www.pokerdownthepub.com. It's a completely different game I know. Lots of beginners but good fun too.

Laters.

Welcome

Well hello there.

Thanks for stopping by at my 1st ever blog. My intention for this blog is to create a running log of my poker activity for coming year. I have been playing poker now for approximately 14 months and mainly play the Hold'em variation of the game although I am starting to show more and more interest in Omaha Hi. I have been mostly playing cash games with limits from $0.05/$0.10 to $2/$5.

What I hope to achieve over the coming months is to successfully progress up higher stakes cash play. I played at $3/$6 for the first time today and for the first time felt completely at ease with this level. By this I do not mean that it was a walk in the park by any means, but I finally feel that I can confidently play at this level without getting beat or outdrawn by some other beginner playing rubbish.

The game today started well. I doubled up from $600 to just over $1200 with AdAh then continued to play that up to $2242.95. I'm hoping this isn't new level luck and that I can continue to build this bankroll up.

Check back soon and find out how I do in tonight's $150 + $13 Hold'em tournament on Full Tilt.

Thanks,

Paul.