Festus22
07-14-2004, 01:59 PM
In 5 days, I will have officially played online holdem for money for 1 year. And it seems like a lifetime ago. I started playing for play money at Pokeroom and pretty much played any 2 cards. I think I put some ridiculous beat on someone who then typed “amateur hour”. And that one comment launched me into learning about the game and that’s how I found 2+2. I wish I could find that guy and shake his hand.
So I bought HPFAP as my first holdem book and realized it wasn’t written in English. Or at least it seemed that way since I had no idea what they were talking about. Jones’ WLLHE was next. OK, that seemed a bit easier to read for a newbie. The concepts were certainly new to me but seemed pretty straightforward and easy to understand. So I practiced this new found knowledge on the play money table and what do you know, it worked! I built my play money account up to $100K in about a month (if only…) and decided it was time to play “for real”.
So I wired $150 (which ended up being $130 after the $20 transfer fee) to Neteller and played my first online money game – Pacific $0.05/0.10. My opponents were guys with names like Pimpleboy, TheHickeyKid, FartMan, etc. But I was still nervous since hey, this was REAL money now so these guys must know what they’re doing right? Lucky for me this group was about as awful as it gets and by playing pseudo-tight, I managed to win right away. So then it was $0.10/0.20, then $0.25/0.50 and even to $0.5/1 before I started to encounter better players and had trouble winning. I also started on UB (I craftily split my “bankroll” in two $65 pieces since I didn’t want all my money tied up on one site. OMG, I chuckle even now when I think back to how clueless I was /images/graemlins/tongue.gif). I guess through some good fortune and some OK play I was up $100 or so and decided to try Party since that’s where all the 2+2ers were playing. And wow…!
I remember thinking that place was like the wild west of holdem. 10-way pots, wild draws hitting, suckouts galore…I hated it initially. But everyone kept saying these are great games and you HAVE to win in the long run by playing even semi-decent poker. Well I persevered and finally started to show a profit. I think at one point I was down like $60 playing $0.5/1 which represented 25% of my bankroll and I thought the sky was falling. And I started posting hands here.
I have nothing but praise and respect to those who responded (and still do) to my hand posts. And some of my first posts were pretty darn ugly. Guys like Dynasty (it was a kinder, gentler version back then), JoeTall (LarryJoeFish33 as I recall?), Homer, Ed Miller (majorkong), Clarkmeister, Louie Landale, Bernie, MaxPower, RockLobster (remember him?), and so many more. I wish I could name everyone who has helped me but then this post would probably border on War and Peace material. Slowly but surely I finally started grasping the why behind some of the recommended plays and the tumblers finally starting clicking into place.
So I continued at micro limits for a few months and steadily approached the $1K mark – something I had never dreamed I could do. Along the way I realized there was SO much more in the online holdem world – bonus whoring, multi-tabling (it took me 2 months before I even knew you could do that), guys here who make some big numbers playing and even do it for a living! Just amazing stuff.
I remember sometime in October when the first 2+2 table happened at Party $0.5/1. I get the courage to sit at the last open seat and who do I find – akshawnd (no one knew he was Ulysses/El Diablo then), davidross, Inthacup, Homer, I think GuyOnTilt was there… It was just a ridiculous lineup. I remember folding JJ UTG just because I didn’t want to mix it up with these guys. But the running commentary was absolutely hysterical. I recall David Ross making a flush and akshawnd types <playernotes: davidross – good at making flushes>. I think I coughed up a piece of lung from laughing so hard. Man that was fun.
I know for those first few months, I couldn’t get enough of the game. If I’d wake up in the middle of the night, I’d go play an hour. I'd get in a quick ½ hour session before work. Have marathon sessions over the weekend. I was playing a ton. But like anything, the newness and excitement gradually wore off and I began to look at the game like I do today – somewhat fun and challenging but kind of like a part time job. Now it’s 10 – 15 hours/week max since that’s about all I can handle without getting bored or brain-drained. Probably having a full-time job that requires a lot of problem solving and thought limits the amount I’m willing to do outside of work. But to those who can actually do this for a living, I’m impressed by your ability to stay focused month after month.
So I pretty much have drifted along these past few months. I think I’ve gotten much better in some aspects but I realize I have a long way to go to confidently challenge the higher limit games. I’ve played quite a few hands at $2/4 and am a modest winner there but I feel I make too many mistakes. I am really looking forward to Ed’s book to perhaps plug some of my leaks (I pre-ordered about a month ago so I hope I get dibs on the first shipment /images/graemlins/grin.gif).
And now the numbers – as of this moment, I have won exactly $6,143 so far. That’s from playing approximately 130K hands. The game breakdown is probably around 80% $0.5/1, 15% playing $1/2 and the rest from nano limits and $2/4. Though relatively modest by many 2+2 player standards, I must say I’m somewhat proud to have made such progress in a year. And thinking back to how clueless I was, I never would think I’d have reached where I am today. Once again, I have a ton of you to thank for helping me and a special thanks to Mason and David for making these forums possible as well as their superb literature. My morning routine before work is now to fire up the PC, grab a bowl of cereal and check out the posts on the micro, small and especially mid/high stakes forums. I still find many hand discussions very interesting so maybe the game is just a bit more than the part time job I previously mentioned.
I hope year 2 sees me permanently moving into the $2/4 game and up. Like I said, I think I have some leaks but I also know it’s a confidence thing. I really do want to move up but I have to think I am absolutely ready else I’ll play too timidly and won’t be having fun. And if that’s the case, then what’s the point?
If you’ve made it this far, congratulations. Happy New Festus22 Year! /images/graemlins/cool.gif
So I bought HPFAP as my first holdem book and realized it wasn’t written in English. Or at least it seemed that way since I had no idea what they were talking about. Jones’ WLLHE was next. OK, that seemed a bit easier to read for a newbie. The concepts were certainly new to me but seemed pretty straightforward and easy to understand. So I practiced this new found knowledge on the play money table and what do you know, it worked! I built my play money account up to $100K in about a month (if only…) and decided it was time to play “for real”.
So I wired $150 (which ended up being $130 after the $20 transfer fee) to Neteller and played my first online money game – Pacific $0.05/0.10. My opponents were guys with names like Pimpleboy, TheHickeyKid, FartMan, etc. But I was still nervous since hey, this was REAL money now so these guys must know what they’re doing right? Lucky for me this group was about as awful as it gets and by playing pseudo-tight, I managed to win right away. So then it was $0.10/0.20, then $0.25/0.50 and even to $0.5/1 before I started to encounter better players and had trouble winning. I also started on UB (I craftily split my “bankroll” in two $65 pieces since I didn’t want all my money tied up on one site. OMG, I chuckle even now when I think back to how clueless I was /images/graemlins/tongue.gif). I guess through some good fortune and some OK play I was up $100 or so and decided to try Party since that’s where all the 2+2ers were playing. And wow…!
I remember thinking that place was like the wild west of holdem. 10-way pots, wild draws hitting, suckouts galore…I hated it initially. But everyone kept saying these are great games and you HAVE to win in the long run by playing even semi-decent poker. Well I persevered and finally started to show a profit. I think at one point I was down like $60 playing $0.5/1 which represented 25% of my bankroll and I thought the sky was falling. And I started posting hands here.
I have nothing but praise and respect to those who responded (and still do) to my hand posts. And some of my first posts were pretty darn ugly. Guys like Dynasty (it was a kinder, gentler version back then), JoeTall (LarryJoeFish33 as I recall?), Homer, Ed Miller (majorkong), Clarkmeister, Louie Landale, Bernie, MaxPower, RockLobster (remember him?), and so many more. I wish I could name everyone who has helped me but then this post would probably border on War and Peace material. Slowly but surely I finally started grasping the why behind some of the recommended plays and the tumblers finally starting clicking into place.
So I continued at micro limits for a few months and steadily approached the $1K mark – something I had never dreamed I could do. Along the way I realized there was SO much more in the online holdem world – bonus whoring, multi-tabling (it took me 2 months before I even knew you could do that), guys here who make some big numbers playing and even do it for a living! Just amazing stuff.
I remember sometime in October when the first 2+2 table happened at Party $0.5/1. I get the courage to sit at the last open seat and who do I find – akshawnd (no one knew he was Ulysses/El Diablo then), davidross, Inthacup, Homer, I think GuyOnTilt was there… It was just a ridiculous lineup. I remember folding JJ UTG just because I didn’t want to mix it up with these guys. But the running commentary was absolutely hysterical. I recall David Ross making a flush and akshawnd types <playernotes: davidross – good at making flushes>. I think I coughed up a piece of lung from laughing so hard. Man that was fun.
I know for those first few months, I couldn’t get enough of the game. If I’d wake up in the middle of the night, I’d go play an hour. I'd get in a quick ½ hour session before work. Have marathon sessions over the weekend. I was playing a ton. But like anything, the newness and excitement gradually wore off and I began to look at the game like I do today – somewhat fun and challenging but kind of like a part time job. Now it’s 10 – 15 hours/week max since that’s about all I can handle without getting bored or brain-drained. Probably having a full-time job that requires a lot of problem solving and thought limits the amount I’m willing to do outside of work. But to those who can actually do this for a living, I’m impressed by your ability to stay focused month after month.
So I pretty much have drifted along these past few months. I think I’ve gotten much better in some aspects but I realize I have a long way to go to confidently challenge the higher limit games. I’ve played quite a few hands at $2/4 and am a modest winner there but I feel I make too many mistakes. I am really looking forward to Ed’s book to perhaps plug some of my leaks (I pre-ordered about a month ago so I hope I get dibs on the first shipment /images/graemlins/grin.gif).
And now the numbers – as of this moment, I have won exactly $6,143 so far. That’s from playing approximately 130K hands. The game breakdown is probably around 80% $0.5/1, 15% playing $1/2 and the rest from nano limits and $2/4. Though relatively modest by many 2+2 player standards, I must say I’m somewhat proud to have made such progress in a year. And thinking back to how clueless I was, I never would think I’d have reached where I am today. Once again, I have a ton of you to thank for helping me and a special thanks to Mason and David for making these forums possible as well as their superb literature. My morning routine before work is now to fire up the PC, grab a bowl of cereal and check out the posts on the micro, small and especially mid/high stakes forums. I still find many hand discussions very interesting so maybe the game is just a bit more than the part time job I previously mentioned.
I hope year 2 sees me permanently moving into the $2/4 game and up. Like I said, I think I have some leaks but I also know it’s a confidence thing. I really do want to move up but I have to think I am absolutely ready else I’ll play too timidly and won’t be having fun. And if that’s the case, then what’s the point?
If you’ve made it this far, congratulations. Happy New Festus22 Year! /images/graemlins/cool.gif