New Year, New Goals

[thomastem]

With the fast approaching new year I find myself reviewing 2003's stats and contemplating my goals for 2004. I know some people don't want to share exact $$$ figures but some goals don't need $$$.

In 2003 I had 1 negative month, my goal in 2004 is 0.

In 2003 I went up 2 stake levels, my goal in 2004 is to gain enough BR to go up 1 more.

Starting the year off 2 stake levels higher than last year and hopefully ending up 1 more stake level my goal is to double profit in 2004 over 2003's.

I have a goal of 50 NL multi-table tourneys for 2004 showing a profit.

I want to double my total to 20 women on a yacht! /images/graemlins/shocked.gif

What are your goals?

[jasonHoldEm]

In a nutshell, I'm looking to move up to the middle limits over the next year. I know it's going to be a difficult journey, but I'm confident I can make it (although I know it might take longer than a year).

I've made a project of sorts to help me get to my goals, it's structured somewhat like the OIC, but on a much larger scale. If you want to check it out you can visit the Sophomore Poker link in my sig.

Also the whole peace on earth, goodwill towards men thing.

Jason

[Your Mom]

Jason, what limits are you currently playing? I read your plan for 2004. I think if you really want to play poker, then try the 5/10 SH games. This is about all I play right now. There are many different styles of play on these tables. Figuring out who fits what style and how to adjust is a worthwhile challenge. So far it has been a profitable one as well for me. I'm sure it will be for you too as long as you have the proper BR. I'd recommend at least $5000, because the swings are pretty big. Going on a losing streak while playing two tables will test you, but I think you are up for it. Good luck to you in '04.

[richie]

My goals for 2004:

Play 2/4 until I reach 500 playing hours, then move up to 3/6 (currently have about 125 hrs @ 2/4).

Try to withdraw at least $500/mo to pay off some bills.

Try to play at least 70-80 hrs a month, maintaining at least 2.5BB/hr win rate.

No more tilting /images/graemlins/grin.gif

Try to stay away from multi-tournies /images/graemlins/crazy.gif I managed 3rd place in one, winning $800, but I think it affected my ring play negatively. I had a hard time grinding it out after that nice little score.

Finally, all the normals goals: lose weight, quit smoking, cut down on drinking /images/graemlins/grin.gif

Happy New Year to all /images/graemlins/smile.gif

[colgin]

My goal over the next 12 months is to build my bankroll and my skills enough to move up from my current $2/4 limit to $5/10 .

[Sleepy Weasel]

I'd like to move up to 2/4 first, I'm hoping within the first quarter of the year, (because the table selection at 1/2 Party is killing me with all the 6 max which I don't like).

I'm thinking I might stay at 2/4 for awhile, but if I do get up to 300 BB for 3/6, I might give it a shot to see how it compares.

Whether I get up to 3/6 or not, I'd like to actually be taking some money out of poker in 2004 instead of just using all my winnings to build my bankroll.

Oh, and I want to get enough quality reading time with HEPFAP and TOP to actually understand a little of each /images/graemlins/smile.gif.

[CORed]

I'm not going to play internet poker any more.


Or any less.

[TylerD]

[ QUOTE ]
Play 2/4 until I reach 500 playing hours, then move up to 3/6 (currently have about 125 hrs @ 2/4).


[/ QUOTE ]

Shouldn't you move up when your roll/skill is adequate. Anyway, my goals for 2004:

- Continue to build my roll each month, whilst withdrawing enough to make it worthwhile.

- Increase the limit I play when I feel comfortable playing at that level.

- Try to go on tilt less. /images/graemlins/tongue.gif

- Win one of those damn Stars multi table tournys.

- Try and post more here about how to play poker rather than typical Zoo posts.

and of course win a WSOP bracelet (no one said they had to be realistic).

[richie]

[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]
Play 2/4 until I reach 500 playing hours, then move up to 3/6 (currently have about 125 hrs @ 2/4).


[/ QUOTE ]

Shouldn't you move up when your roll/skill is adequate.

[/ QUOTE ]

Well, I figure after 500 hrs I will have the bankroll, plus the confidence to move up. I've played a little 3/6 with mixed results. No sense in getting ahead of myself, I want to set reasonable goals. I'll have to see how it goes /images/graemlins/smile.gif

[drudman]

I don't understand why you all are hoping to go up like 1 level over 12 months... I certainly hope that isn't your goal. If you make even 2 BB/100 it should only take you a couple of weeks at the most of real play to move up a level.

To double your limits, say to go from 1/2 to 2/4 you have 300 BB in your bankroll and you just need to get 600. That's 300 BBs at 2 per 100 hands. So 15000 hands, playing three tables at once you churn out about 100 hands every .75 hours... should take about 112.5 hours. That's like a month at 5 hours a day. Don't have the time? Play half that and move up in 2 months. At that rate, you could go from .5-1 to 1-2 to 2-4 to 4-8 to 8-16 to 16-32 (or the equivalent of party's 15-30).

That's my goal this year, to go from grinding it out at 2-4 to living large playing with the rich clowns on the 15-30 tables.

And don't try to tell me the games get harder as you move up the limits, they get easier.

Right Daryn? /images/graemlins/grin.gif

[richie]

Wow, didn't expect to stir up a controversy over having a modest goal. First of all, I work full-time and can only play so many hrs. per month. I also remove money each month to pay off some existing debt. 500 hrs, I believe, is a fairly reliable indicator of your win rate. I currently only play 1 table and average 2.5BB/hr. So, it will take ME more than 2 weeks to move up a level. I also am more concerned with making a steady and reliable profit, with relatively low risk of ruin. If and when I feel comfortable, I will move up in levels and/or play more tables. You have loftier goals, I commend you. But I hardly think the 15/30 games are as easy as the 2/4 games. If you can make the jump from 2/4 to 15/30 go for it. By your own analysis, you should already be there /images/graemlins/smile.gif Keep us posted on your swift climb up the food chain. /images/graemlins/tongue.gif

[bigpooch]

1. Do quite a bit more reading (not just poker books!)
especially about the markets.
2. Analyze a few games I don't usually play like triple
draw and PL Omaha.
3. Try to play six games with ease on a consistent basis.
4. Bonus whore as much as possible (but only at the sites
with some traffic).
5. Open a poker account at another site at least every few
months.
6. Read a few more flames on 2+2 and make doubly sure my
posts don't suffer from so many errors.
7. Play more multitable tournaments.
8. Play more heads up.

[Simon Diamond]

I don't understand why you all are hoping to go up like 1 level over 12 months... I certainly hope that isn't your goal. If you make even 2 BB/100 it should only take you a couple of weeks at the most of real play to move up a level.

Remember that poker is an individual game, so every player has different aspirations. What's mundane to you, is perfectably acceptable to someone else.

Good luck to all with their 2004 goals - mine is actually to be able to sit down in a game of .50/1 holdem for longer than five minutes. /images/graemlins/smile.gif

Simon

[jasonHoldEm]

I'm currently playing at the 1/2 (for the sophomore poker project). I cashed out alot of my bankroll in the last couple weeks so I'm essentially "starting over" with my project. Before I cashed out and started the project I was a regular at 2/4 and had a fair amount of 3/6 expereince.

I've watched some 5/10 SH, but never played (I have played 5/10 full ring though). I know that playing SH would be a great way to improve my skills, but my BR can't handle the swings for 5/10 at the moment. When I get there I might play around with it, but probably will stay with full ring for the most part.

Thanks for the advice though. /images/graemlins/smile.gif
Jason

[alekhine8]

My goal is to make $10,000 next year off of online poker. I have been cashing out around $500 per month for the last four or five months so I will obviously have to pick up the pace a little bit but I also feel I am becoming a stronger player.

I will achieve this through a combination of low-limit ring games (2/4 and 3/6) and $10 or $30 SNGs, which are becoming my bread and butter.

I have a bankroll of about $500. I know Im under-rolled for the ring games but I dont really care - if I have to rebuy for $50 or $100 and run it up with bonuses/SNGs I will.

[LondonBroil]

My goal is to make $1,000,000 in 2004 from internet poker. I'm gonna take my winrate from the last 6 months (~$9/hr) and bump that up to $10/hr. That gives me 100,000 hours of play to make it.

That comes out to around 274 hours a day which means I'll have to cut out some sleep and my real job.

[pretender2k]

1. Move up from .5/1 to 2/4

2. Learn to play three tables at once

3. Withdraw $3000 for a roth account and maybe some for a nice ring for the wife for putting up with me playing 4-6 hours a day around my regular job

[Schneids]

1. I would like to see my standard deviation drop by 3 BB/hr. It has been way too high over my past 100 hours, and it gets to be a challenge mentally when I'm in the middle of one of those swings. I'm surprised nobody else has mentioned this sort of goal.

2. I'd like to win enough at the 5/10 SH tables to be able to both take out a decent chunk of winnings, and build my bankroll up to the point where I can regularly feel comfortable playing 10/20 SH -- instead of my current thing of only playing 10/20 SH when I see a total mentalcase playing at a table (which means I do a lot of 10/20 spying /images/graemlins/laugh.gif). I played with one tonight that raised/reraised every hand he played, which was 95% of them, for an hour straight. Good times /images/graemlins/grin.gif, other than when his 34o busted my AA with a rivered two pair!

3. 2003, my goal was to use poker to pay for a car... that was successful /images/graemlins/grin.gif (well, will be... as soon as I settle on what car is for me). 2004, I'd like to earn enough to pay for school, ala Mikey McD.

4. Make improvements in recognizing when a table is too bad to be worth sticking around at. I think I need to rid the ego that says "I know this table is no good, but since I'm down 10BB here I need to stick around until I win that back... then I'll leave." Poker is one long, continuous session, and I need to remember that when I'm losing at a table I shouldn't stick around at.

That about does it for me, thanks for reading.

[Lazymeatball]

I think your new years goal should be to stop writing with smiley faces in your posts.

[Lori]

In 2003 I had 1 negative month, my goal in 2004 is 0.

Be careful with this particular goal, it could be counter productive.

Maybe you should do the mathematical equivalent and work out how many hours a month you should play to have a 51% or greater chance of no losing months.

The way you have done it will mean if you are $1 up with two days to go in a month you might not play enough, and if you are 20BB down, you might play a level too high.

Just some thoughts.

Lori