04.01.08
Posted in Blog Entries at 8:51 am by mscell
So with the first 3 months of 2008 in the books, it is time for me to review my progress so far this year. Let’s take a look at some overall numbers first:
MTTs Played 498
Cashes 68 (13.63%)
Final Tables 21 (04.21%)
Top 3 Finishes 6 (01.20%)
Wins 2 (00.40%)
I think my volume is right around what I expected it to be assuming I’ll generally play between 150-200 tournaments/month. My cash and final table rates are within the target areas as well. (Based on my past research, winning players usually have cash rates of 15-20% and FT rates of 3-7%.) I think my top 3 finish and win rates are too low. I will have to review my HHs from these final tables to see if I made mistakes to cost myself some chances for the bigger prizes.
As for profit, I am currently hitting the low end of my monthly target range. I set my target ranges based on what I was making at my old job before poker and what I think is realistic given my skill level and the buyins I play. Minimally, I want to make equal to what I was making in the corporate world. Ideally, I would like to make double what I was making before. At this point we are on track…..but there is room for improvement.
So what is the game plan for the next 3 months?
1. Stay focused on the games I have the most success in and that are within my BR.
2. Don’t take as many shots at the big games. I’ll either have to win a seat into the biggest events or skip them until my BR is bigger.
3. Play focused and alert. Don’t play when tired or bored because it leads to bad play.
4. Take more full days off to avoid burnout. (This means doing something completely unrelated to poker for an entire day.)
Hopefully, you will do a similar analysis of your own game and make the adjustments that will result in you having more success at the tables.
- Mark
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03.28.08
Posted in Blog Entries at 10:24 am by mscell
Not much to say relating to poker today but I wanted to get an update on the blog so here are just some random things passing through my mind on this Firday afternoon:
- I had a very nice Easter with my family. Holidays are not always the best and they have been tougher these last few years since I got divorced but I was happy that this one worked out pretty good.
- March Madnesss is in full swing and the madness seemed to carry over from basketball to poker during the 1st and 2nd round games last week. I guess I could see people drinking and watching basketball and trying to play some online poker as a reason for the wacky play at the tables last week.
- I love music. It has always played an important role in my life but I will say that ever since I had children I have gone through stretches where it takes a back seat to other things. It isn’t getting better as they get older either becuase now they want control of the radio in the car!! I have an itunes gift card and need some suggestions for new music to buy since I’m behind the times at the moment.
- My juggling act between poker and parenting has been going poorly lately. Mostly because I’ve been having my children with me more days/week than I normally do. This is a good thing because I enjoy spending time with them but it creates some problems for me when I can’t figure out when to get “my work” done.
- The 1st quarter of the year is just about over and I have not played a single hand of live poker this year (other than my friendly home game.) This is somewhat disappointing because I really felt like I had made some good progress in December when I played in the Circuit event at Harrahs. Hopefully, I’ll find the time to play something soon.
- Life is very strange. This is not something I just realized but something I continue to think about each day. We really never know what will happen next.
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03.15.08
Posted in Blog Entries at 1:14 pm by mscell
I knew I wasn’t playing as poorly as my results indicated in February. Tournament poker has quite a bit of luck involved and one break can completely change your month from bad to good or vice versa. So far in March, we are on the good side of variance and luck and hopefully I’ll be able to stay there long enough to get a few more big final tables before the end of the month.
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03.05.08
Posted in Blog Entries at 8:19 am by mscell
If you can keep your head when all about you
Are losing theirs and blaming it on you,
If you can trust yourself when all men doubt you
But make allowance for their doubting too,
If you can wait and not be tired by waiting,
Or being lied about, don’t deal in lies,
Or being hated, don’t give way to hating,
And yet don’t look too good, nor talk too wise:
If you can dream–and not make dreams your master,
If you can think–and not make thoughts your aim;
If you can meet with Triumph and Disaster
And treat those two impostors just the same;
If you can bear to hear the truth you’ve spoken
Twisted by knaves to make a trap for fools,
Or watch the things you gave your life to, broken,
And stoop and build ‘em up with worn-out tools:
If you can make one heap of all your winnings
And risk it all on one turn of pitch-and-toss,
And lose, and start again at your beginnings
And never breath a word about your loss;
If you can force your heart and nerve and sinew
To serve your turn long after they are gone,
And so hold on when there is nothing in you
Except the Will which says to them: “Hold on!”
If you can talk with crowds and keep your virtue,
Or walk with kings–nor lose the common touch,
If neither foes nor loving friends can hurt you;
If all men count with you, but none too much,
If you can fill the unforgiving minute
With sixty seconds’ worth of distance run,
Yours is the Earth and everything that’s in it,
And–which is more–you’ll be a Man, my son!
–Rudyard Kipling
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02.20.08
Posted in Blog Entries at 1:55 pm by mscell
I managed one cash during FTOPS finishing 250th out of 6000 in Event#8 (NLHE 6-Max.) Not the stellar performance I was hoping for but considering I didn’t play nearly as many events as I had hoped to…..it will have to do. February overall has been a tough month after the solid month I had in January. I managed to win the Tilt 50r this month but overall it is a down month at the moment due to the cost of FTOPS and playing more Sunday events.
I have had a few solid chances to make something happen this month but couldn’t get the breaks late when I needed them. I will keep working at it cause I have confidence in my game. Onward and upward to March!!!
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