Update:

[ashmc2]

I'm feeling all giddy, like JOJO The Circus Monkey. (Tommy Boy - for those who don't have a TV in their cave.)

I just passed 1K in my online bankroll. Although most of my earnings were from winning play, quite a bit of this was due to bonuses. As you can tell, I'm still a little timid, so I'm going to wait until i have $1200 before I give the $50 NL a shot. I guess I should'a said, If I amass $1200. I just can't imagine putting $50 on the table at once.

I must give props to all of your posts and HH analysis which I read religiously.

Yet so far the best advice I've received, which came from quite a few here, is to always put max on table. This in itself has exponentially increased my profit margin.

Thanks for the continued support and great reading.

[Aequitas58]

It's good to see everyone else do well at poker except for me and RD.

Keep up the good work, ash.

[ashmc2]

Thanks Aeq. Your not having too bad of a run are you? If so, just stick to your game, and you'll pull out of it. GL

[melioris]

That is awesome. Congrats. Pull some money out and buy yourself (or your someone special) something frivolous.

[GTDawg]

That's awesome man.

I put in $50 two weeks in to January and I'm hovering at 500 right now.

Slowly but surely, I'm working back in after taking a few weeks off (spring break, mid terms)

Hopefully, I'll be joining you at the TP 1k success story club shorty
=)

[thrash1294]

way to go to the both of you Would like to here your strategies?

[Aequitas58]

No - just up and down. Constantly.

[Boobie Lover]

Same for me, except take out the "up and" part.

[Talking Poker]

Ahem.

Please add me to the Boobie group. 2006 has not been kind to TP.

It's all good... I know it's part of the game and to be expected, but it gets old after a while.

When I get home, I'm going to hammer those new $50 90s for a while and see how I do. If I am as good as I think I am (don't read into that statement - it means exactly what it says), I should be able to beat them pretty solidly in the long run. They are (relatively) cheap, they are available all the time, and they last a good amount of time (3-4 hours). I like the structure and everything.

[eejit101]

WOW!!! TP is happy with a tourney structure......

[Talking Poker]

Am I usually not?

[ashmc2]

I would just like to say something that might help with the swings. There will always be variations to your bankroll in the longterm, but if your swinging up and down constantly from this session to the very next. Too much aggression might be the culprit or making too many plays.

My bro and I, when we go play somewhere I always see the same pattern pattern. I usually come home with a moderate earning - he's usually way up or way down. His chip stack has huge swings throughout the night, and it mostly depends on when we leave as to how much he's leaving with. It's all to do with the difference in our styles. My brother-in-law plays a good game, but sometimes he will try to win too my hands in one session by making plays. Although he does have the skills to make these plays, sometimes these don't work. Sometimes the other player senses the move, they have a hand they just can't get away from, or the player is too naive to do be steered in the appropriate direction. If he sees a fish he is all over the guy, trying to isolate with him with an insatiable appetite for his chips. He just feels because he is better than that player he deserves to when "every" hand, no matter what that person holds.

You need to remember that often when your making a play your behind in the hand at the moment. You are now depending on them folding or you hitting your outs to win the hand. This can be detrimental to your bankroll if your plays are failing often.

In conclusion l'd like to say that I don't know a lot and these are just my thoughts on extreme bankroll variation. Maybe it's time to get back to the basics if you are finding your yourself hanging out at the bottom of the swing more often than you should. I think some times that we evolve our game so much with tricks, moves, and intuitive plays, that we forget where we came from and what got us there. So maybe it's time to try to play at your tight-aggressive baseline and only add in half your advanced plays.

[ashmc2]

I've luckily been playing winning poker while bonus whoring.

There really isn't much to my strategy. I usually play 3-4 tables at a time, (as many as site allows usually.) I play tight but not super tight on all tables. Though as of late I've been throwing in some steal plays, which work quite often due to my table image. I can stand to play this tight because I've got so many tabs going at once and I'm actually getting some action on at least one of the tabs. I wish I was a little more on the aggressive side honestly. I don't try to get cute too often; if I've think I have it I take it down then.

[Talking Poker]

I understand what you are saying, but I think you are not understanding the big picture.

If at the end of the year, you have grinded out 100 $5 winning sessions and 0 losing sessions, you've netted $500. If at the end of the year, your brother has logged 50 $50 winning sessions and 40 $40 losing sessions - guess what? He's netted $900. Sure, his variance may be higher along the way due to his style, but his more aggressive style is also making him more money in the long run, which is what it's all about.

In the short term (session to session), variance will be very high - In fact, this "pattern" you have picked up on is probably not a pattern at all. Poker is a long term game. In the long term, variance goes away and the best players end up with the most money.

[ashmc2]

What your saying also makes sense.

I think i just can't personally deal with the short term swings, to make it through to the long term.

But with my Bro I get the best of both worlds because we split our winnings after our outings.When he and I win, we split that nice chunk of money. And when only I win, we split my meager earnings. I always seem to come home with money. But when he loses, occasionally he doesn't reach even with my money added to his losses.

[eejit101]

If you cant deal with the swings, maybe it isnt the game? I mean your doing well, but its the risk/reward thing again. PLay within your bankroll of course, but if you are a good player, and can clear bonuses and win doing it, why not move up?

Everyone feels like its risky moving up when they are new, but the rewards for playing well at 1/2 instead of .25/.50 are soo good, its completely worth trying.

And the splitting thing is a weird way of playing.. i cant justify that. If your styles of play are the same, then fine. But if he is loose/agressive, and you are tight/passive, it wont work.

[ashmc2]

You hit the nail on the head eejit. My conservative play reflects my personality and how I go about doing things. I'm a prude i guess, lol. I'm a goal setter, that's just my way. And I've decided to move up to $50 NL at $1200 and I can't make myself risk it until then.

And as for the splitting thing - My Bro and I are just weird like that. When we go out it's more for a night out than about the money. We usually party pretty good, and if we come home broke it's ok because we were going out for a good time.

When we go alone we don't party and it is then about the money.

PS. eejit, that tight/passive thing hurt. It cuts deep man. I don't come off as totally passive do I?

[eejit101]

from what i am reading you do. You are tight, which is good. BUt the tightness you have needs to be backed up by betting the big favourite hands. The feeling of having someone raise into your raise when u have AA or something is second to none my friend.

Gotta get more agressive.

But on the other hand, your winning as you are, so if its working stick with it. But a time will come when u need to bet a hand or two, or the amount you will win in pots wont be enough to cover the blinds and keep you in the money.

[ashmc2]

The Brit says favourite, now that's colourful. Just jokin' E. Your right I don't bet any but the premium hands PF. But when I hit any hand I usually come on pretty hard post-flop.

I really appreciate your feedback. I'll have to get some balls one day.

[eejit101]

im selling mine on e-bay for $100 or nearest offer. They dont seem to get much use nowadays....


j/k im engaged....


infact.....

yeah, they are for sale

[ashmc2]

I hear ya buddy. I've been married for 13 years.