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luckyplayer
05-25-2005, 07:45 PM
I've been on this board for about 2 months. I'm in the middle of getting my PhD, and things are starting to get very hectic. Long story short, I am only going to have about an hour on weekdays and ~5 hours for both weekend days. This gives me apprx. 15 hours a week for sit n go play/learning.

My resources:
this website
Eastbay's tool
Books: TOP, Caffiones NLPLPan IYP, HOH 1, with HOH 2 coming.

Any suggestions on how best to spend my time? My goals are relatively simple. I have no plans of 8 tabling 200's anytime soon. I simply want to learn as much as I can and be able to handle any situation that arises. I do play in a weekly home game where I was able to convince the others to set it up exactly as a PP 10+1-30+3 game. So improving my ability here would also allow me to become even more successful there.

Suggestions?

Bigwig
05-25-2005, 07:46 PM
One word: play.

While playing, read this board, and your books.

Apathy
05-25-2005, 08:14 PM
add TPFAP to your book list, there are a few ideas in their that are important for SNG play.

Also I would divide your time up between posting and playing about 50/50 when your starting out, play a couple, then read and post/think about anything you learned or interesting situations that came up.

jon462
05-25-2005, 08:50 PM
http://teamfu.freeshell.org/visitor_histories.html

lastchance
05-25-2005, 08:55 PM
L1-L3: Fold preflop. This is paramount to beating SNG's. BTW, at a home game, you don't want to use Party structure. It's fast and gets into a push-fest way too easy. I'd personally prefer bigger stacks and more hands per round.

Bubble: Learn Prize structure, and ICM calculations. The jump from 4th-3rd is just as big as 2nd to 1st, and much bigger than 3rd-2nd.

ITM: Raise, a lot.

luckyplayer
05-25-2005, 10:28 PM
This may seem like a stupid question, but do you mean simultaneously playing while doing reading books or while posting/reading this site? And if so, how do you recommend dividing time between book reading and site reading?

luckyplayer
05-25-2005, 10:29 PM
Forgot to mention that I also have TPFAP. This sounds like a good suggestion. Thanks. Any suggestion on prioritizing my book reading vs board reading.

Bigwig
05-25-2005, 11:06 PM
[ QUOTE ]
do you mean simultaneously playing while doing reading books or while posting/reading this site?

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Yes
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And if so, how do you recommend dividing time between book reading and site reading?

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I dunno. Flip a coin.

ilya
05-25-2005, 11:19 PM
[ QUOTE ]
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do you mean simultaneously playing while doing reading books or while posting/reading this site?

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Yes.

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I strongly disagree with this advice. Do not do anything else while playing. Focus on your games 100%.

You will get more out of 1 hour of careful playing and 1 hour of careful reading than you would get out of 3 hours of trying to do both at once.

Blarg
05-26-2005, 02:25 AM
I tend to agree with this, but particularly regarding reading. Reading 2+2 books can be done somewhat by breezing through them, but they are books that actually bear reading deeply and repeatedly, and thinking about and being very careful to remember. I think you'll get the minimum possible out of a good poker book by doing anything less than giving it your full concentration.

Bigwig
05-26-2005, 02:32 AM
I guess I just have more multi-tasking ability than the rest of you. /images/graemlins/tongue.gif

KJ o
05-26-2005, 02:33 AM
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Bubble: Learn Prize structure, and ICM calculations. The jump from 4th-3rd is just as big as 2nd to 1st, and much bigger than 3rd-2nd.

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I've heard this a million times, but I'm not at all convinced it's true. If the prize structure was 50-33-17 instead of 50-30-20, which hands would you play differently?

How much EV are you givning up if you play perfectly for a 50-33-17 structure, even though the actual structure is different?

Anyone answering this withouth maths need not bother...

(BTW: The first part about learning ICM calculations etc is 100% true and not what I argue with.)

GtrHtr
05-26-2005, 10:20 AM
I am in a similar situation but due to spending time with my family. 15 hours is in fact more than I play per week, I'm more like 10 although I spend a hell of a lot of time reading 2+2 so it probably evens out.

I am in the improve my game and build my BR mode and have been since October or September when I began playing SnGs. My progression has been painfully slow as I single table at the 5.50's with the odd 11 for fun.

For me, the sight I began playing on has helped me out greatly. I continue to play SnGs on UB for two primary reasons. 1. The competition is IMO better than average and that has made me a much better player. 2. The rake is 10%. Now if I had only gotten a rakeback deal when I started...

All that being said, I have come a long way since I began but things really began to click about 6 weeks ago.

I would find a site that fits you (get a rakeback deal before you do anything) and play there as you progress. PP small starting stack play vs PS or UB deeper stack are differant games so pick the one that you think you'll fit with and go with it.

Now, if I could only get Scuba to teach me the math I'd be complete.

Good luck.

bluesbassman
05-26-2005, 10:58 AM
Hey luckyplayer,

It looks like you are in Austin... I got my PhD from UT.

I'm in a similar situation as you -- I'm trying to learn to play SnGs well as I build my bankroll. (Although lately most of my SnG profits have been funding WSOP satellite buy-ins.) I've played extensively on PP and Stars, and unlike most here, have settled on Stars. I actually prefer the bigger stacks and slower blind structure, and enjoy more post-flop play. I'm not too concerned at this point about maximizing my profit per hour.

As far as study goes, I'll often read 2+2 during the first three blinds levels when I'm folding most hands pre-flop. Sometimes I'll also re-read the hand examples in HOH. Doing this perhaps helps me from being tempted to enter too many pots in the early rounds. Then once the blinds get up to 50/100, it's time to play poker and I'll concentrate on the game.

The primary disadvantage to this is that I might miss getting a read on the other players during the early rounds. However, since good play requires a change in strategy near the bubble anyway, I figure this isn't too big a problem, at least at the lower stakes tables.

luckyplayer
05-26-2005, 01:59 PM
Sounds like a pretty reasonable idea. I played the 5.50s at UB for about a week before deciding to plunge into the 10+1 at Party. Seeing as how I'm not a max hourly rate guy either, it may be to my advantage to go back to those games or try the ones at stars. I guess the early levels last a lot longer at UB and Stars as well, allowing me to go through books/posts during that time. Sounds like this may be a pretty good solution.

AJ_Rider
05-26-2005, 10:38 PM
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http://teamfu.freeshell.org/visitor_histories.html

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Thank you. I had never gone through these before. Some interesting stuff.