2008 – A year in review.

Firstly a brief wrap up for this month.

Start of December 2008 BR = $1780.10
End of December 2008 BR = $2448.75

Overall $668.65 profit
Bankroll increase of 37.56%

Where did the money come from?
Ring games = -$13.41
SnG's = $513.30
MTT's = $98.76
Bonuses = $70.00


Now how has the entire year gone?

January 1st 2008 BR = $100
December 31st 2008 BR = $2448.75

Ring games = -$8.53
SnG's = $1290.40
MTT's = $927.13
Bonuses = $144.80

I’d said to myself in the end of 2007 that 2008 was going to be a trial year for me. Prior to 2008 I had lost money consistently so to not bust once and show continuous growth is a massive achievement for me.

What’s really interesting is between January 1 and September 1 I made a profit of $366.97. September 2 through to the end of the year I made $1981.78. So approximately 80% of my profit came in the last 4 months. Exceptional growth, I can only wonder what will happen in the new year.

I am happy with my bankroll management system, its’ proved to be great protection for me. There have been several instances throughout the year where I moved up in stakes and had to move back down. Was real kick in the guts when that happened but it’s all about playing what I can afford to play in without putting myself at financial risk.

At the start of the year I was playing $1 SnG's, 10cent MTT's and playing .01/.02 NLHE cash games. Cash games didn't change all year and they are going in the can until I get some official training as I clearly suck at ring games. I'm currently on $22 SnG's and almost rolled for $22 MTT's. I am however strongly considering increasing my buy-in requirement for MTT's to 200 buyins.

Following last months data here are stats for my 3 main accounts for SnG's.



My most profitable game recently has been the $10 double or nothing at Titan Poker, the results are below.



These games have got me a hourly rate of $10.56. If I can attain the some ITM rate on the $20 games then $21.12 per hour is starting to look a lot better.

Plans for 2009

One of the best moves I've ever made this year was not focusing on cash so much. The biggest hurdle I find myself coming across is fear when I move up levels. I'm not going to start saying I want $xxxx by this time next year. I'm focusing om still playing my best but also start looking at my money in terms or buy-ins. Rather than saying I'm $600 away from $3000, start saying, I'm 15 buy-ins away from the $30 game. Ultimately I want to be multi-tableing $100 SnG's and MTT's by the end of 2009 but that's still along way away. I may even find I switch to playing 1 table at a time as the competition may be a lot better and it may be more like playing actual poker, however having viewed some of the hands played by CC colleagues on 200 or 400NL, I suspect it may be similar.

Another one of my goals is psychological. I've had a tendency to enter games with minimal expectations. Hoping just to cash in MTT's or hoping to cash in 5 out of 8 SnG's to make minimal profit, and generally that's exactly what happens. Highly inspired last night after watching the 2005 NBC Heads Up Championship several players were interview. They were Antonio Esfandiari, Scott Fishman, T.J. Cloutier, Chris Ferguson and Phil Hellmuth. They all have different styles of playing but their primary message was clear.

The Warrior Mindset
In order to win, you must think like a warrior. Let no-one put you off your game and show no fear at any stage. Shoot for the stars and know that you can do it. Don't be bothered by uncontrollable set-backs as they are unavoidable. Let nothing deter you and fight harder that you've ever fought before. This will be probably my biggest challenge to date as changing the way you think does not and will not happen over night. But with a positive outlook and critical thinking I can get it down, the only question is how long will it take.

Playing poker aside, I also intend on becoming a more prominent member at CardsChat. Having been helped by so many down to earth good people, I'd really like to give something back to new players, not so much in terms of how to play, more so how to think and keep positive.

Shout-Outs and Thanks

All CardsChat members that have given my advice throughout the year both via chats and responses on threads. Way to many to list but primarily, IceMonkey, KingCurtis, Chuck, Zach, Jurn, Insocre, Jagsti, thank you for any assistance and following the blog, I look forward to many more posts next year showing fantastic results.

Christopher Squirkle.

Mate, even though you don't play, you following the blog and watching the progress and all the comments are highly appreciated. Your one of the only people I know that doesn't play yet reads every post I make. I look forward to that big win where we can have a massive celebration, my shout obviously :).

And finally,
The one who doesn't believe in superstitions.
The one that's teaching me critical thinking.
The one that points out my grammar mistakes so I can edit my posts after they've gone live.
The one who went bananas with me when I took down that 360 player 10cent tourney.
The one who's trying to convert my from PC to MAC (I'm still not sold by the way)
The one I'll be working with even closer next year and in many years to come and some unbelievable exciting ventures.
Yes, I'm speaking of the infamous Dr.G.

You have been with me since I started with $1 in August 2007. I can remember being so excited about making 17 cents in a session because it showed a positive ROI. We haven't broken any rules and showed unbelievable discipline which will continue. I'm super excited about the projects coming up next year such as the blog migration and what the "Jabber" is working on for us. We are still a bit away but we have some unbelievable times ahead of us, or that needs to happen is to keep the focus.

So that's it for 2008. Over the moon with my results and looking forward to a bigger and better 2009.

Happy New years all.
Custo

No shortage of fish

Thought this screen shot would be a good eye-opener for anyone playing and not happy with the profit they are making.



Here I am 4 tabeling SnG’s with the SharkScope HUD running. This HUD is only useful for player information on their past performances. Names have been hidden to protect the innocent.

I have selected 3 main icons to be displayed above all people. From left to right they are:
• Games played
• Average ROI
• Total profit/loss

Here I have 20 random opponents, 18 displayed as 2 were already knocked out by the time my 4th games started. Every single person here shows a loss!

For me, when I get frustrated that I’m making minimal amounts of money and impatience starts to kick in, I look at this and remind myself, I am making money, which is the main thing.

For anyone that may read this post, my message is: If you are making money, be happy! There are so many bad players out there. Don’t get impatient or frustrated with small profits and always play your A game, the results will come, in turn, so will the money.

I’m not making millions yet, but I’m starting to make money. Don’t let bad players tilt your performance. Bad beats, suck-outs and shocking showdowns will happen on a daily basis, get used to it, get over it and get on with it.

Play the way you know best, have discipline and above all be happy while you do it.

Custo

Now I’m getting excited.

Being close to the end of the year now I am so excited because yesterday my BR allowed me to enter a new level of SnG’s, $20 games. This is an absolute milestone for me. January 1st this year I was 4 tabeling $1 games at Stars, 12 months later I’m 4 tabeling $20 games. I attribute this, not to being the best player, because I’m far from that, but to sticking to an unbelievably strict BRM system, and not breaking it once. I have not succumbed to temptation like I did in the past and the results have reflected that.

Played my first session yesterday, 8 $20 double or nothing games, the donkament of all donkaments, and cashed in 7 out of 8. Bubbled the 8th game on a coin flip, can’t win them all I suppose. I don’t know the exact amount but I suspect the total BR is just over $2100 now. Not bad considering I started with $1 in August 2007.

I am in preparation of writing a full 2008 review for both public viewing and my own purposes which I look forward to sharing with you all soon. I will also be entering my 2009 goals.

That’s it for now, just wanted to express my excitement about the new levels I’m at. Keeping this post short cause the next one will be the wrap up for the end of year and by the way it looks, i expect it to be massive, so keep your eye out.

Merry Christmas to all and a happy and safe New Years.

Custo

This is why you never give up!

A story of a Multi-SnG today.

I've had a bit of a bad run this month on my MTT's. I had played 12 so far and only managed 1 cash, which was a 20th placing in a game that paid 20 spots. I have been upset about my MTT BR going down but more so my confidence was starting to drop. I thought I was due for a really dry spell. I really needed at least a cash today, just to break this horrible run.

I entered a 18 player $16 games at PokerStars. Somehow, I survived to make it to the final table. I played textbook tight at the start only focusing on making it this far to start with. To be honest, I was completely card dead for the duration of the first table aswell.

The moment the tables merged, there was already an all-in taking place and 1 player was eliminated 9th, before I was dealt a hand. This means I only have to survive 4 more people leaving and I'm guaranteed a profit.

Below is the first hand of the final table. You will not see anything special here, but it will show you my stack, my competitors stacks and the blinds and antes.


With just under 10 big blinds left, I needed a hand and needed one fast. People say that you will need some serious luck to win any tournament. Here you will see the hand that got me back.


Yes I know, I got ridiculously lucky there. How about that flop. 4 all-ins preflop, 1 guy has the over pair, 1 guy flops an open-end straight draw and the other guy flops a set.......And Custo wins.

With my new stack, I knew I could afford to both sit tight and do a little bullying in the right positions.

Playing everything to perfection, I managed to make it to heads up. Here is the first that got me to heads up.


Small problem now. I have less than 4BB's left and my stack is 3K to his 23K. All games this player just could not miss and to be honest was playing exceptionally well making great calls and being very aggressive. I had a feeling luck may be on his side but certainly was not giving up. I knew there was only 1 way to approach this battle, hyper-aggressive. I raised every hand in my SB, and he folded. I'm not sure why, but he turned really quite when we were heads up. Always folded to my SB raises and even folded his own SB when I was BB. I wasn't complaining.

Here is the hand that switched the balance in power.


Rags vs Rags and my rags won.

Now I'm in contention. Here is the very next hand.


Coin flip preflop, very nice outcome for me. Just when you need the coin tossed the way you call it.

Next hand, whether I'm dealt AA or 72o I'm putting him in.


All over, thank you very much.

16 hours in 1 day = bad idea!

Don’t normally admit this but I think I have to today. Yes, I played too much poker. Aside from a 1 hour lunch break I’ve played from 6am – 10pm and yes, I have nothing to show for it.

It all started by setting the bloody alarm clock 1 hour too early. PokerStars host the biggest donkament I’m aware of, over 22,000 players and $11 entry fee. It’s on at 7:30 Australian time and I thought, as I’ve got Monday off, why not give it a shot. Of course stupid me set the alarm for 6am rather than 7am so I had nothing to do for the first hour. Why not quickly grind some SnG’s? Opened 4 tables $11 each and BANG! Lost them all. Great way to start the day isn’t it? Wake up and immediately flush $44 down the toilet.

Left absolutely bedazzled about what just happened, as it’s highly irregular for me to lose 4 games straight, my PokerStars game started.

Well 3 suck-outs, 2 bad beats and 1 wrong all in later, I was out within the first hour.

At one stage today I was down around $150. Having a small breather, I managed to regain some composure and grind a little back up, I think for the whole day I’m down around $70.

I’m not blaming anything but me today. I played way too many games and chased losses too much. In the future if I intend to play an early MTT, I'll stick to that then play my main games at my normal playing time.

I’ve estimated I spent around $500 today on buyins so to be down only $70 isn’t as bad as it could be, but for the time I invested it totally sucks.

Tomorrow, ill be taking things slower, much slower.

Now, its time for bed, and a bloody sleep in!

PokerStars WBCOOP

I have registered to play in the PokerStars World Blogger Championship of Online Poker!

This PokerStars tournament is a No Limit Texas Hold’em event exclusive to Bloggers.

Registration code: 133207

Good luck to all bloggers and I hope to see 9 CardsChatters at the final table.

Results for November 2008

Start of November 2008 BR = $1244.11
End of November 2008 BR = $1705.30

Overall $461.19 profit
Bankroll increase of 37.07%

Where did the money come from?
Ring games = -$4.75
SnG's = $178.70
MTT's = $287.24

November is over and I’m left to scratch my head. When I put all the results together I’d confirmed my earlier suspicions. On Tuesday night, November 25th, I felt I was up marginally for the month. Turns out that as of the 25th I had a net profit for the month of $19.69. 5 days later, I’m up $441.50. That’s a profit of ~$92/day. Now that’s making things exciting.

Admittedly I did have 2 large MTT cashes after the 25th, but even if I put them aside this happens.

Net profit in 5 days = $441.50
Net profit – Recent MTT profits = $441.50 - $237.50
Total profit without MTT cashes = $204

New total profit $204 / 5 days play = ~$40/day.

Certainly fells better than the $2 or $3 I was profiting per day 6 months ago.

Official poker rankings has boosted my global ranking from 38,995th up to 35,559th, not too shabby and my 2 cashes didn’t even come from Poker Stars so moving up ~2,500 spots for a few minor cashes I’m very happy with. I’d love to win a big tourney at Stars and wee what that does to my ranking.

The first 25 days in November really were swings for me, losing big then winning small. The last 5 days have been a real confidence booster. I’m no longer worried about the $10 buy-in games so it took a month to get over that.

I have no intentions on moving up stakes next month; my main goal will be to have more consistent growth rather than a repeat of last month. I know my end results were good, but if the month had ended on the 25th, I would have a $19 profit to show for it.

Below you will see my 3 main profiles on the different sites I play at. First positive, everything is in the black. SnG's are still my focus at the moment and I hope to grow these even more by the end of the year.



These results have been tracked since I first started playing 3 years ago. I'm sure, Poker Stars especially, the total profit would be higher if it tracked me from when I started playing seriously.

Overall results for all sites are here:

Poker Stars


Pacific Poker


Titan Poker


I ended setting no goals at all for the month of November. I do have some hope of where I'll be at the end of the year, once they are finalised I'll put them up.

But for now, I'm going back to the tables.

Thanks for reading, will report back soon.

Custo