The Journey Begins - June Summary

Where's your blog? Where's your blog?

Here it is. The keys have been pressed and the story has begun. From rags to riches? we'll see.

I have already begun my journey and I won't stop until I reach my mark - Ten Thousand Dollars. I must admit, it is quite daunting thinking about it and I have given myself a year to reach this goal. I have gone on streaks before and I remember using my player points on Pokerroom to turn points into $1,000+ in one day. Sheer dumb luck.

Now, it's for real. With 3+ years of poker experience under my belt, this pleb is going to shoot for the stars. Even though this is my first blog - the journey is well established and i'm proud to say that I haven't gone bust yet. Here's a recap, more for my own benefit, this will be broken down into each session that i've had - it might be boring but I hope it will shed light as to how i've achieved everything.

Oh by the way, I play on Full Tilt Poker (FTP). I can't find the hand that started it all and I have requested my complete history from FTP. I don't want to lie or fabricate an winnings/losses and for reference I have been a losing player on FTP for as long as I can remember. I remember hitting rock bottom and then launching this journey with the last $4 in my account.

It all starts, 9th of June, 2007. I know I have played some $1 SNGs by this stage and have won a few - building my bankroll to about $7. I know I still haven't got a sufficient BR to be playing 10NL FR - but anybody can go on a rush right :)

Session #1 (10NL - 9/06/2007)
I can see I start with $5.15 but I am sure this is not accurate - PokerTracker does not show how my stack changes - but this is not important. I finish this session $13 up starting with $5.15 - here are some key hands:

Hand #1 - You can't bluff an idiot mate! My two pair is good here (+$5 pot).

http://www.pokerhand.org/?1300764

Hand #2 - FFS! They keep bluffing! Jacks full is good (+$16 pot).

http://www.pokerhand.org/?1300784


Session #2 (10NL - 10/06/2007)
My bankroll is now about $20 - a few more $1 SNGs have helped solidify that. I sit down for a quick 4 minutes here, and pull out $3.50 up:

Hand #1 - I don't know what I was thinking stacking off with AKo with TPTK paid off though (+$6 pot).

http://www.pokerhand.org/?1300811


Session #3 (10NL - 11/06/2007)
I'm feeling really good now. I am really only playing my premium hands on a FR table and I haven't been tilting at all. My bankroll is about $25 and I sit down for an hour and add another $8 to my BR.

Hand #1 - Here I am, stacking off with AQo. Now, I am pretty sure these plays will only work at these limits. Or, I believe I have sufficient enough information to know what this guy is holding (+$15 pot).

http://www.pokerhand.org/?1300848


Session #4 (10NL - 12/06/2007)
Continuing from my streak of good luck and good cards, I go for another 1/2 hour session adding $13 to my BR.

Hand #1 - This hand will spark debate, UTG call with As3s and calling a raise preflop too. Still, not a bad pot that I should never have seen (+$12 pot).

http://www.pokerhand.org/?1300861


Session #5 (10NL - 16/06/2007)
I have had one session before this that isn't worth mentioning but I did earn $2 in that session and put me over the $50 mark. What does this mean? Even though I know BR management is crucial here I decide to 4-table FR because I feel I can pull out as soon as I feel things get out of control. This session lasted for about 40 minutes and net profit was about $8.

Hand #1 - Terrible check-raise with a flush/straight draw on the board. Paid off though (+$10 pot).

http://www.pokerhand.org/?1300884

Session #6 (10NL - 17/06/2007)
3-tabling 10NL for 15 minutes. Adding another $13 to my BR :) I remember this session because 'nittanyted' was super aggressive.

Hand #1 - Hitting a flush draw with AsKs on the turn is sweet (+$22 pot).

http://www.pokerhand.org/?1300910

Hand #2 - Aces hold up against a chasing 'nittanyted' (+$7 pot).

http://www.pokerhand.org/?1300921


Session #7 (10NL - 24/06/2007)
I've had a little break now. Do you wonder where the losing sessions are? I've been blessed so far and picking only premium cards or the right situations to play. Never-the-less, with my $65 BR I 4-table 10NL for 2 hours. This time, I take down some big pots, but finally have a losing session down -$2 this time.

Hand #1 - I remember this v.clearly. This is actually a 6-max table 'xsdudztx' is hyper aggressive and going all in pretty much every hand. Still, it is no reason to stack off with 66 (-$16 pot).

http://www.pokerhand.org/?1300934

Hand #2 - On tilt and knowing that it's impossible to lose two coin flips in a row, I tango with 'xsdudztx' again. This is russian roulette with my BR at it's best. (+$17 pot).

http://www.pokerhand.org/?1300948

Hand #3 - Spewing chips - running straight into top two pair with my straight draw (-$12 pot)

http://www.pokerhand.org/?1300967

Hand #4 - When a straight and a flush draw doesn't hit, it costs you money (-$8 pot)

http://www.pokerhand.org/?1300978

Hand #5 - BB special, 48 holds well (+$8 pot)

http://www.pokerhand.org/?1300981


Session #8 (10NL - 27/06/2007)
Probably getting carried away with posting my hands. Going to only post the biggest win/loss of the session, or any good plays I think worth mentioning :) I finish this session $8 up, recouping the $2 that I lost last session and some! Still playing 10NL FR.

Hand #1 - Trip jacks hold up against a flush draw (+$10 pot)

http://www.pokerhand.org/?1300991

Hand #2 - I felt this guy was on some sort of a draw, but wtf was he calling with?? This hand is too funny (+$5 pot)

http://www.pokerhand.org/?1301004


Session #9 (10NL - 29/06/2007)
1 hour session 4-tabling 10NL. I only end up about $4 up from this session. It could have easily went the other with the hand below.

Hand #1 - QQ is good, on the river (+$17 pot)

http://www.pokerhand.org/?1301011


I will end the posts for June here. For this month, it's been good. I've successfully started with $4 (although in my post it says $5, i'm sure Pokertracker has it wrong) and finished this month up about $70. Thus, my BR is at this stage about $75.