100k . . . Hands That Is

[Scotch78]

Aaahh . . . the wonders of high-speed. Since moving back home in June I've logged about 8,000 ring games and maybe 50 SnGs because I've been stuck with a tiny monitor and a dial-up connection that could only be used in the wee hours. To make matters worse, I work third shift, so that means one table at a time one night a week (I gotta drink too, you know).

Well, last week I simply got fed up with it and bought a new computer (the old one was too slow to support a high-speed connection). Now the DSL is up and running. All I need is a new reg code for PT.

So . . . the quest: 100,000 hands of Empire's $1-$2 6max by the end of the year. I work 40 hours a week and just multi-tabled for the first time with my new monitor a week ago, so there's no way I'll make it, but [censored] me if I'm not going to try.

I jotted down some numbers a couple weeks ago and estimated that I've spent almost 1,000 hours reading 2+2 books and posts in this forum since I discovered online poker back in December, but the most important part is still missing--experience. So needless to say, I'm very impatient to log as many hands as possible. The first week will be a warm up, then I'll do some math and figure out how many hands per week I need to average.

Enough rambling though, here's the quick of it--no fancy journals, just a weekly update. If I fall behind in hands played, motivate me (translation: naphand, unleash your full fury on me). If anybody has advice, whether it's strategic or just what music to listen to, speak up.

Scott

[J.R.]

If anybody has advice

You should probably move up to 5-10 well before 100K hands.

[Scotch78]

Holy crap was that fast. Took them less than 30 minutes to reply with the new code. Feels like Paradise.

Scott

[NLSoldier]

[ QUOTE ]
You should probably move up to 5-10 well before 100K hands.

[/ QUOTE ]

I second this...Once you have like 4k I think it would be good to take a shot. Or like 6k if you dont want to risk having to move back down.

[Scotch78]

You guys are kidding, right? I was actually planning to hit the Paradise $2/4 and $3/6 for 100,000 hands each before moving up to the Party $5/10. If you're not, could someone explain why? Thanx

Scott

[joker122]

I think it's definitely doable even for someon who works full time. 4 tabling 6m you get ~7 hands/minute, which translates into 420 hands per hour. 100,000/420 = ~238 hours of play. There are 71 days left in the year so 238/71 = ~3.4 hours a day which I think is pretty reasonable.

[Scotch78]

I was actually figuring 300-350 hands/hour, so I'm hoping your numbers are more accurate than mine :-)

Scott

[Nottom]

[ QUOTE ]
which translates into 420 hands per hour

[/ QUOTE ]

Wow you play fast. I try to play in 1000 hand sessions and it usually 3hours +/- 15 min or so. I think 350 is a much closer estimate, at least in my experience.

[imitation]

[ QUOTE ]
You guys are kidding, right? I was actually planning to hit the Paradise $2/4 and $3/6 for 100,000 hands each before moving up to the Party $5/10. If you're not, could someone explain why? Thanx

Scott

[/ QUOTE ]

No ones kidding you are wasting your time playing that many hands at 1/2(you are also leaving way too much money on the table in rake) and to then consider playing that many at the subsequent levels is pretty ridiculous. You post here regularly, your game is solid and you know this, why would you consider not moving up to a comparably soft game if you have the BR???

Scotch I moved upto 5/10 with around 30-40k hands SH experience ranging from party 1/2 to stars 3/6. The games are simply too good at the moment to pass up, by the time you finish 300k hands at the end of next year can you be confident the 5/10 6max games will be as soft, I say take it while you have the opportunity...

Further to reiterate I think you post valuable input on most hands and your logic and reasoning is very sound from what i've seen, I think you are probably a better player than myself and I seem to be able to beat 5/10 (too few hands yet for definite, but as has been mentioned numerous times you can generally feel out a game in not a great deal of hands to know wether you are a better player than most).

[naphand]

Jeeez, do I really have a reputation for being angry? Maybe so. I put it down to lack of sleep, f'ing schizoid neighbours... /images/graemlins/mad.gif

Perhaps I will get my Zen books out...

Go for it, but 100K at $1/$2 is excessive. I wouldn't say less than 20K is enough, but you should seriously review after 20K, note your weaknesses and then take some shots at limits above this. My biggest issue when moving up was...ummm...dealing with the aggros. Getting sucked on by fish is one thing, but getting CR by bottom pair on the Turn by some LAG who catches trips on the River is worse. Since my epiphany/nadir in April, I am pretty pleased with the way I have "restructured" my game. It is much stronger, and I really should be playing $5/$10 already. But I promised myself after getting my bankroll back into shape, to play at least 7K hands across at least each of 5 sites at $2/$4 amd $3/$6 before stepping up - so around 40K hands. This way I get to hit 1 or 2 reasonable downswings and see how I cope "under pressure". I think it is important to have the experience of decent-sized downswings at any limit before moving up, as it is just too easy to blow a hard-earned 2-3 BB/Hr win-rate in a week or two of bad cards.

For me, so far so good. I am "enjoying" my first decent downswing at $2/$4. I caught myself tilting a bit the other day, and stopped playing. I have since put up with some more abysmal sessions complete with gob-heads giving me serious grief over some hands I lost (you know - the "I own you" type thang), and my game is still looking on good shape. I have no problems seeing how easy the $2/$4 and $3/$6 games are to beat, and am data-mining the $5/$10 in preparation for some shots in the next 2-3 months. But as part of my mental discipline, I set minimumn hand number targets.

Just don't over-do the preparation... /images/graemlins/shocked.gif 20K hands is enough to know how you stand against the opposition, and to know where you leaks are. Certainly you should have firm grip on any limit by 40K, and know how to play the type of opposition you typically meet. If you still have not fixed the leaks it may be necessary you for you to move up, in order to expose them to the harsh light of marginally better players. Don't make the mistake of thinking you can perfect your game at lower limits.

[Scotch78]

Nah, you don't have a reputation. You're just the only poster I could think of who I've seen get angry at all. Chalk it up to all the weak-tight passive types surrounding you /images/graemlins/wink.gif

Scott

[Scotch78]

[ QUOTE ]
your game is solid and you know this, why would you consider not moving up to a comparably soft game if you have the BR???

[/ QUOTE ]

Well, I do believe that I'm a winning player, but I'm actually in the red at 6max so far. I know, my sample size is pathetic, but I've been trained to find the smallest piece of doubt in arguments and then attack like a super-aggro maniac (philosophy major). My brain simply won't let me have faith until I post long-term wins.

[ QUOTE ]
I think you post valuable input on most hands and your logic and reasoning is very sound from what i've seen, I think you are probably a better player than myself and I seem to be able to beat 5/10

[/ QUOTE ]

Knowing that others agree with my judgment does make it easier to believe though, so thank you for the vote of confidence. Since everyone has responded pretty emphatically that I'm being too conservative, I will speed up the move to $5/10. Still gonna do the 100k hand quest though. If nothing else it'll give me the bankroll for $5/10.

Scott