Winning Players No. 2

[SirPercival]

Loving this thread.

I had a fundamental change in approach to poker in January this year. For me the key thing is bankroll management. Starting in 2009 I now use Pokertracker, and I agree with the comment earlier that it is excellent for cash games (which I am now focussed on) but no good for tournaments. This is in regard to stats, but when it comes to tracking your own winnings and losses its fine for both. For live games I use "My Poker Diary" on the Hendon Mob site.

This has also helped with the "wife stealing the winnings" problem!

My wife is a very understanding non poker player. By being open about my poker wins and losses by showing her my stats in Pokertracker she can she the effect of variance. This means that although everything is looking good right now neither of us want me dipping into "family" money to fund poker so the winnings stay in the bankroll. Another thing I did this year was set up a bank account for Poker. All entry fees, hotel costs, travel costs etc. come out this account and all winnings go into it. I am fortunate enough to have a well paid job at the moment so I also "seed" this account by a set amount each month (even although I am a winning player for online cash, tournaments and live tournamnets at this moment. [£100 down on live cash ] ). My logic for this is that I may hit a losing streak anytime and need that buffer or I don"t and can justify Vegas trip number 6 (see my blog for more details)  

[nosey-p]

The wife thing is what put a stop to my bank roll. I was quit happily making money month on month, got to over £10k but I made the mistake off telling the wife. Unfortunately I don't have a well paid job so when unexpected bills come in I had to pay with my winnings and a few other things (see my blog "in the beginning"). But now I keep my mouth shut, all I need to do now is win some money. I had a couple of small wins playing live and a few half decent on-line which I withdrew and put in a safe place were Mrs P can not find it (but then again she does not know about it) if any of you meet her, don't mention this.  

I keep giving cash a go but just can not seem to get off the starting block. I will have a good two or three sessions then all the profit is gone plus more in one go. So I am back to the tournament's just waiting for that big win (what the wife does not know about) and then I can have a go at the bigger games

I did keep a spread sheet with all the information on, but I found that I paid to much attention to it, which tuck the fun out of playing (coincidently this is when I had my down turn)    

Wayne

[SirPercival]

The wife thing is what put a stop to my bank roll. I was quit happily making money month on month, got to over £10k but I made the mistake off telling the wife. Unfortunately I don't have a well paid job so when unexpected bills come in I had to pay with my winnings and a few other things (see my blog "in the beginning"). But now I keep my mouth shut, all I need to do now is win some money. I had a couple of small wins playing live and a few half decent on-line which I withdrew and put in a safe place were Mrs P can not find it (but then again she does not know about it) if any of you meet her, don't mention this.  

I"ll try not to mention it Wayne, but I might forget. £20 notes usually help me remember these things  

I keep giving cash a go but just can not seem to get off the starting block. I will have a good two or three sessions then all the profit is gone plus more in one go. So I am back to the tournament's just waiting for that big win (what the wife does not know about) and then I can have a go at the bigger games

I think your game suits cash play. What level are you playing at? Is it appropraite to your bankroll?

2 or 3 sessions is hardly enough to determine whether you are winning/losing.

I did keep a spread sheet with all the information on, but I found that I paid to much attention to it, which tuck the fun out of playing (coincidently this is when I had my down turn)    

Are you sure its a coincidence?

[kinboshi]

Here"s a photo of some winning players:



Whoops - sorry, wrong thread.

[noble1]

Here"s a photo of some winning players:



Whoops - sorry, wrong thread.

lol

[Honeybadg]

... great thread ...

Quick question on poker tracker ... I spend 95% of my time playing MTTs .. does it have any practical use for these?

L

[SirPercival]

... great thread ...

Quick question on poker tracker ... I spend 95% of my time playing MTTs .. does it have any practical use for these?

L

IMO -  not really.

You can get some use, for example you can replay any of your hands, track your wins/losses, see which hands you are overplaying etc etc.

The problem is that PT calculates many things based on Big blinds per 100 hands. i.e winnings. As BB"s change in tournament play this information is not appropraite.

I can give a LOT more detail if you need it but in short the answer to your questions is yes it has a use for MTT but its not really worth it unless you play cash - IMO.

[Honeybadg]

... detailed thoughts would be great ...

I am going to start playing cash (properly on line).

I can see massive potential there ...

I have taken the 60 day free trial ... so interested in any thoughts on best use for cash ...

MTT wise - it looks like it might occasionally give some decent info ...

How does it deal with table changes etc?

Does it treat a new table as a new session?

L

[Mayfair]

How does it deal with table changes etc?

Does it treat a new table as a new session?

L

Hero stats are for the whole MTT. Villain stats are for
everything dependant on how you have them set for general
tournament play.

Think i found this 2+2 link here on APAT and it gives a good starter
guide to getting going with pt stats.
http://forumserver.twoplustwo.com/39/small-stakes-pl-nl/how-use-poker-tracker-111/


Note: In an MTT when you change table in ipoker the HUD stops and you have to
stop and restart the import/hud and it comes back into life.

[Honeybadg]

... thanks for this link ... I will file and ponder ... for cash game assault.

MTT day today ...

L

[bigredders]

I dont think you should target cashing, but aiming to win (or at least top 3) when you go deep.
From an admittedly small sample on pokerstars 180 player SNGs I have an ITM of 19% (beat that moorman ) but an ROI of -45% due to the fact that I have yet to make a big score when I do cash.

Good point, have updated table with ROI aswell.  Not a bad stat for George at the moment.  

this is a good point... im becoming increasingly fustrated at the amount i cash at the lower end compared to a top 3 cash. I have a 19% rate cash wise in an average field size of just over 1000 yet my roi is only around 16%. I don"t think im doing too much wrong i just lose coin flips/get outdrawn at vital times. not only that it seems to be always against the player that can decimate me/ knock me out. its the same in live events too.... i have cashed in 3 out of 4 apat events yet my finishing positions are 5th 12th and 14th...soooooo fustrating!

any tips anyone?

[Diablo]

I know I was responsible for 2 out of those 3 APAT tournaments

[bigredders]

I know I was responsible for 2 out of those 3 APAT tournaments

yeah well i know to avoid you already!

[noble1]

I dont think you should target cashing, but aiming to win (or at least top 3) when you go deep.
From an admittedly small sample on pokerstars 180 player SNGs I have an ITM of 19% (beat that moorman ) but an ROI of -45% due to the fact that I have yet to make a big score when I do cash.

Good point, have updated table with ROI aswell.  Not a bad stat for George at the moment.  

this is a good point... im becoming increasingly fustrated at the amount i cash at the lower end compared to a top 3 cash. I have a 19% rate cash wise in an average field size of just over 1000 yet my roi is only around 16%. I don"t think im doing too much wrong i just lose coin flips/get outdrawn at vital times. not only that it seems to be always against the player that can decimate me/ knock me out. its the same in live events too.... i have cashed in 3 out of 4 apat events yet my finishing positions are 5th 12th and 14th...soooooo fustrating!

any tips anyone?

post a lot more of your hands in strategy,the ones you feel are coin flips.Also post hands or situations where you have folded pre-flop but afterwards kick yourself for not calling or at least re-raised...
A common trait to have for winning mtt players in mid to late stages is that they will
embrace the risk,they get out of there comfort zone and gamble,you may be just taking one to many gambles or choosing the wrong opponents/situations to make moves......Ask and post !!