2005 Microquests Thread -- Post Your Progress, Setbacks
 

The goals have been set, and I've seen a few personal updates slide by lately, so in the spirit of threads like this and this, I'd like to invite everyone who makes their home here to keep us all updated on your progress (or the lack thereof). If nothing else, we'll be able to look back and say that we knew each other when...

I documented my own microquest in bison's thread, and found it motivating to read about the adventures of my fellow/sister Micros -- past and present.

Stop in from time to time and tell us how you're doing. I'm sure I'm not the only one who's curious.

Best of luck to all, and happy pokering.

Re: 2005 Microquests Thread -- Post Your Progress, Setbacks
 

I was in the process of moving up to 2/4 when i had to get my car fixed, and someother expenses so I had to clear out my BR down to 300BB of .5/1

its been alright so far only about 1000hands, +35BB .. but I don't feel I've been playing good poker

Re: 2005 Microquests Thread -- Post Your Progress, Setbacks
 

I'm giving it another ~30K hands before I give up the game (if I continue to run at my current rate). At about 1.6 BB/100 after 1100 hands. Better then normal... [img]/images/graemlins/shocked.gif[/img]

Brad

Re: 2005 Microquests Thread -- Post Your Progress, Setbacks
 

Okay, I'm game.

In 2005 I want to achieve several poker related goals.

The most general goal, and the one foremost in my mind, is to continue to study the game seriously. SSHE needs to be read again, and then again. Reading threads, posting hands -- I'm looking to assimilate all I can.

Getting results oriented, I very much want to make the move to 2/4. I'm 3/4 of the way towards a 400BB bankroll (garnered playing a mix of .50/1.00, 1/2 and 1/2 6 max), at which point I'll probably try mixing in some 2/4 tables during peak times at which I’m playing. I want to take it slowly, though, as I know I've still got much to learn.

Stretch goal for 2005 is to conquer 2/4 and make it up to 3/6. This is likely an ambitious goal, but I believe I can do it.

Finally, I'd like to build up enough of a bankroll whilst at 2/4 so that I can withdraw a chunk to put towards a "real life" bankroll for 4/8 at Foxwoods. (This is a bankroll priority for me, prior to the 3/6 jump, and in addition, this ameliorates some of the “bankroll grows faster than skill” issue.) Playing 2/4 at the reservation is fun, but the rake is utter nonsense. 4/8 at peak times seems crazy loose with a more reasonable rake, and I'd like to get in that game. (I'll likely put any bonus whoring or rakeback money towards this goal as well.)

On the side I want to keep practicing NL tournies. But, I think this is going to be the year for learning limit. Seems to me like that's the best foundation to build on.

Wish me luck!
-Brian

Oh yeah...as if I\'m not goddamnmotherfucking wordy enough...
 

- Finish my masters degree.
- Play more guitar.
- Eat more healthfully.
- Floss.

That's mostly it.
-B

Re: 2005 Microquests Thread -- Post Your Progress, Setbacks
 

Goals:
1. Settle in in someplace where I can actually play from the same connection using my own computer.

2. Get pokertracker

3. Look into the option of getting a rake return.

4. Play 4 or 5 tables.

5. Start moving up in limits.

-aron

Re: 2005 Microquests Thread -- Post Your Progress, Setbacks
 

I've got a blog where I'm documenting my BW progress, as well as my PS bankroll.

After putting 50 in PS, I've run it up to 70 after a few hundred hands of .5/1. I don't have PT, so I can't accurately say what my winrate is (I would imagine it's around a 4 per hundred).

After putting 100 into my BW journey, I'm waiting a couple more days for the money to clear at a crypto site.

I'm documenting everything here

My goal is to get my PS bankroll to 300 safely before college and to get my bonus whore bankroll to $1000 by the end of the year.

Re: 2005 Microquests Thread -- Post Your Progress, Setbacks
 

1/2: took a shot or two in october 2004, moved up full time november 2004. ~12,000 hands played, 170 out of 300 BB earned. I'm hoping to be done with 1/2 after anohter 8000 hands, but we'll see whether I can reach 300 BB in that time period...I certainly think it's possible, given that I earned way more in my last 9000 - I spotted myself -130 over my first 3000.

1/2 6 max: 0 hands played, this sh[/i]it scares me

2/4: 200 hands played, some money won. havent added in any tables to the rotation though.

3/6: the promised land, for now.

Re: 2005 Microquests Thread -- Post Your Progress, Setbacks
 

My goal this year is to get up to the 2/4 limit tables after first beating 1/2 and 1/2 6 max. Right now I'm at around 630BB for .50/1.00 (which is insane because I only had a 300BB BR a week ago) so I'm going to start 1/2 fairly soon. I'm still kinda shaken about dropping 150BB into 1/2 6 max when I was underprepared.

Also another goal for myself is to withdraw enough to get myself a nice big LCD monitor while still having a big enough BR to play at 1/2 at least. Shouldn't be too long now, actually.

Re: 2005 Microquests Thread -- Post Your Progress, Setbacks
 

Move bankroll from $1,500 to $9,000. Enough to buy my GF a nice big gift hint hint.

Acomplish this via bonus whoring playing .50/1, 1/2 max, and hopefully 2/4.

This averages out to about $600 a month, which is certainly a stretch goal, but achievable. 2 bb/100 poker at the Crytpo monthly bonuses will net me $400 per month, and 1 or 2 other bonuses per month will get me to $600.

Re: 2005 Microquests Thread -- Post Your Progress, Setbacks
 

well, it hasn't been a year since i made those goals but:

[ QUOTE ]
have a new monitor (or two)

[/ QUOTE ]

check. (just one dell 2001fp right now)

[ QUOTE ]
be comfortably 4 tabling 3/6 with no reads while watching TV

[/ QUOTE ]

4 tabling 2/4 with GT+ reads.

[ QUOTE ]
be able to beat 5/10

[/ QUOTE ]

haven't tried yet. i may jump on a 15/30 game for one session.

[ QUOTE ]
read up on some tax threads to determine if I'll go to jail at the end of said year

[/ QUOTE ]

i didn't make enough last year to warrant too much research. i'll report a few K i think.

[ QUOTE ]
follow Entity around his tables and prevent him from reaching his goal

[/ QUOTE ]

if I told you how much progress I made here, I may ruin my plans...

my goals for the future are to actually play more hands. since I got my latest job, i've played maybe 10K hands in 3 months.. not good.

Re: 2005 Microquests Thread -- Post Your Progress, Setbacks
 

After talking with a bunch of SS regulars, my goals have gotten a bit more ambitious than I used to feel. I'd like to:

Play 15/30 online by the end of the year.
Become a 5/10 6max regular.
Incorporate so I can better deduct losses from my earnings.
Play 10/20 live by the end of the year.
Attend a 2+2 meetup in Vegas.
Play 200,000 hands.
Learn to properly play NLHE.

I have lots of personal goals as well (rehab my knee, get in top notch shape again), but those are my poker goals.

Rob

Re: 2005 Microquests Thread -- Post Your Progress, Setbacks
 

[ QUOTE ]
Incorporate so I can better deduct losses from my earnings.

[/ QUOTE ]

how's this help? i haven't found a great tax thread here. everyone just says report it b/c you have to by law. report it how? as normal gambling income with no receipts? as online gambling income?

i was nearly incorporated last year, but didn't go 1099 at my job.

i also think 15/30 is doable in one year's time.

Re: 2005 Microquests Thread -- Post Your Progress, Setbacks
 

[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]
Incorporate so I can better deduct losses from my earnings.

[/ QUOTE ]

how's this help? i haven't found a great tax thread here. everyone just says report it b/c you have to by law. report it how? as normal gambling income with no receipts? as online gambling income?

i was nearly incorporated last year, but didn't go 1099 at my job.

i also think 15/30 is doable in one year's time.

[/ QUOTE ]

Spider,

If you get serious about your earnings, you'll want to get this. I'm only part of the way through it but I'm formulating a strategy for next year overall that should help me save the most when it comes to taxes.

Rob

Re: 2005 Microquests Thread -- Post Your Progress, Setbacks
 

Here goes...

In 2005 I will...

1) Bonus Whore. I will open an account at every site that offers a open-bonus and will find a good pattern of monthly bonuses that I will go trough like a paper-route thereafter. I will take advantage of as many reloads as possible.

2) Learn to play 6-max hopefully getting up to 5/10 by the end of the year.

3) Be able to comfortable play 5/10 full ring games.

4) Play live at least once in a casino.

5) Learn NL. Win at least one NL tournament.

6) Learn Omaha.

7) Make at least 20K in earnings.

8) Do all this without hurting my marriage.

Re: 2005 Microquests Thread -- Post Your Progress, Setbacks
 

[ QUOTE ]
1) Bonus Whore. I will open an account at every site that offers a open-bonus and will find a good pattern of monthly bonuses that I will go trough like a paper-route thereafter. I will take advantage of as many reloads as possible.

[/ QUOTE ]

A good place to start are the monthly Crypto bonus's. Sign up for every one:

Interpoker
Carribean Sun
PokerPLex
William Hill
UKBetting
totalbet

If you haven't already, sign up for every Party skin. By playing/dissapearing from each one, you'll get more frequent reload offers.

I only play about 5k hands a month, and I think these sites (combined w/ stray Pokeroom, Absolute, Hollywood, Gaming Club, etc etc) will keep me bonus clearing for all 5k of them.

Re: 2005 Microquests Thread -- Post Your Progress, Setbacks
 

Well; my goals aren't as lofty as most of yours...but my poker goals are:

1) Move up to 1/2 and be constantly beating it by the end of the year
2) To get poker tracker
3) Be able to hold my own in the 2+2 Tables

Also, when do I have to worry about taxes on what I win? Is there a certain $ value I have to pass or should I be doing it no matter how much I win? I'm in Canada.

Re: 2005 Microquests Thread -- Post Your Progress, Setbacks
 

I want to play 5-10 at 3 or more tables by the end of the year. This is very doable, I think. Hopefully only 10k more hands 1/2 (another month, maybe less). I've been told that 2/4 is quite good.

Another goal of mine is to figure out how the hell my aggro factor is so large. My 1/2 numbers (over 5k hands) are even higher than my .5/1 numbers. 5.26, 4.07, 2.67 for a totagg of 4.07. Is that ridiculous? Or does that mean that my variance goes up, but so does my winrate?

I'll probably end up getting a coach. Someone local (easypete maybe).

I need another monitor, too.

Taxes!? Hopefully I won't go to jail...

Re: 2005 Microquests Thread -- Post Your Progress, Setbacks
 

[ QUOTE ]
I want to play 5-10 at 3 or more tables by the end of the year. This is very doable, I think. Hopefully only 10k more hands 1/2 (another month, maybe less). I've been told that 2/4 is quite good.

Another goal of mine is to figure out how the hell my aggro factor is so large. My 1/2 numbers (over 5k hands) are even higher than my .5/1 numbers. 5.26, 4.07, 2.67 for a totagg of 4.07. Is that ridiculous? Or does that mean that my variance goes up, but so does my winrate?

I'll probably end up getting a coach. Someone local (easypete maybe).

I need another monitor, too.

Taxes!? Hopefully I won't go to jail...

[/ QUOTE ]

Is your call button broken? Seriously though you have a leak. Too much aggression means your not playing the passive lines enough. Look into this as it's a key weapon in my arsenal.

Re: 2005 Microquests Thread -- Post Your Progress, Setbacks
 

I'm in.

Getting a new laptop next week so I can finally play at home. Have been bonus whoring the past month to recover my bankroll whic I blew by getting drunk an entering multiple $100 tournies. Went from 1100 to $150. Have whored my way back to $550, and after clearing my next bonus should have around $700. So my goals are as follows.

1. Play a minimum of 1200 hands a week of hold-em at the appropriate level.

2. Faithfully whore party, paradise, stars, and Interpoker bonuses to keep building my bankroll.

3. Limit myself to (2) tournies a week with entry fees not to exceed 3BB of the limit level that I am playing at.

4. Be playing 10/20 holdem by next January.

5. Continue to whone my O8 and 7-stud game at the penny level on stars and paradise.

6. Finally to not let Poker interfer with work and spending time with my daughter. In other words keeping it in focus as a hobby.

Re: 2005 Microquests Thread -- Post Your Progress, Setbacks
 

[ QUOTE ]
Well; my goals aren't as lofty as most of yours...but my poker goals are:

1) Move up to 1/2 and be constantly beating it by the end of the year
2) To get poker tracker
3) Be able to hold my own in the 2+2 Tables

Also, when do I have to worry about taxes on what I win? Is there a certain $ value I have to pass or should I be doing it no matter how much I win? I'm in Canada.

[/ QUOTE ]

I'm pretty sure you crazy Canucks aren't taxed on gambling. Hosers.

Rob

Re: 2005 Microquests Thread -- Post Your Progress, Setbacks
 

[ QUOTE ]
5.26, 4.07, 2.67 for a totagg of 4.07. Is that ridiculous?

[/ QUOTE ]

Yeah, that probably signifies a leak in your game. Can't tell overall without seeing hands you post, but it's definitely a sign.

Rob

Re: 2005 Microquests Thread -- Post Your Progress, Setbacks
 

[ QUOTE ]

Is your call button broken? Seriously though you have a leak. Too much aggression means your not playing the passive lines enough. Look into this as it's a key weapon in my arsenal.

[/ QUOTE ]

Yeah, my call button might as well be broken. My problem is I just don't know where the aggression is misplaced. I'm going to give some of the respected 2+2ers around here 200 hands or so and have them look at them. At least my vpip is 14.xx, so the ridiculous aggression is neutered in some respects by the few hands I play. meh.

Re: 2005 Microquests Thread -- Post Your Progress, Setbacks
 

[ QUOTE ]

Play 15/30 online by the end of the year.


[/ QUOTE ]

best of luck. you at 2/4 now?

Re: 2005 Microquests Thread -- Post Your Progress, Setbacks
 

</font><blockquote><font class="small">En réponse à:</font><hr />
Play 15/30 online by the end of the year.
Become a 5/10 6max regular.
Incorporate so I can better deduct losses from my earnings.
Play 10/20 live by the end of the year.
Attend a 2+2 meetup in Vegas.
Play 200,000 hands.
Learn to properly play NLHE.

[/ QUOTE ]

I'm pretty much the same. Except, I don't think I'll be regularly playing 15/30 (maybe take a shot or two). I'm gonna have to buy that book you linked, maybe then I'll understand this incorporating thing.

Re: 2005 Microquests Thread -- Post Your Progress, Setbacks
 

[ QUOTE ]
A good place to start are the monthly Crypto bonus's.

[/ QUOTE ]

Just as a warning from experience, if you live in the US expect to wait 10 days before playing on these sites if you use Firepay

Re: 2005 Microquests Thread -- Post Your Progress, Setbacks
 

Looks like this has expanded beyond micro stuff. Groovy. Probably fitting that I contribute.

I moved up to 2/4 two months ago after nearly 90,000 hands of .5/1, and have settled into the 4-tabling grind after a bit of a rocky start.

My future goals have always been fluid. Poker has been my primary source of income from day 1... though I've been lucky enough not to have to withdraw much from my roll along the way. I live modestly, and a few timely influxes of cash have been enough to carry me over without getting myself into too much trouble.

I'm now in a position to make (for me) a reasonable living while adding to my roll. So the question is: do I continue my strategy of playing heavily over-rolled at a limit I'm comfortable with and work on adding some tables, or should I make the move to 3/6 a little sooner than I'd planned? It's something I'll have to figure out as I go. How successful I am $ wise in the next month or two will be an important consideration.

In the meantime, my game can certainly use some work, so I'm going to make the effort to post more again. Here and in SS. Thanks to all who have helped me on my way (whether or not you realized it).

Re: 2005 Microquests Thread -- Post Your Progress, Setbacks
 

Play both 3/6 and 2/4, breakdown your play, find out the differences in the limits, datamine, and post post post.

Re: 2005 Microquests Thread -- Post Your Progress, Setbacks
 

[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]
I want to play 5-10 at 3 or more tables by the end of the year. This is very doable, I think. Hopefully only 10k more hands 1/2 (another month, maybe less). I've been told that 2/4 is quite good.

Another goal of mine is to figure out how the hell my aggro factor is so large. My 1/2 numbers (over 5k hands) are even higher than my .5/1 numbers. 5.26, 4.07, 2.67 for a totagg of 4.07. Is that ridiculous? Or does that mean that my variance goes up, but so does my winrate?

I'll probably end up getting a coach. Someone local (easypete maybe).

I need another monitor, too.

Taxes!? Hopefully I won't go to jail...

[/ QUOTE ]

Is your call button broken? Seriously though you have a leak. Too much aggression means your not playing the passive lines enough. Look into this as it's a key weapon in my arsenal.

[/ QUOTE ]

Yeah like when I use my ultra secret bluff cold-overcall (damn it's not a secret any more) [img]/images/graemlins/mad.gif[/img]. They never know what hits them and I tell the dealer to just push the pot to the guy with the most awesome hat. [img]/images/graemlins/cool.gif[/img]

Brad

Re: 2005 Microquests Thread -- Post Your Progress, Setbacks
 

[ QUOTE ]
...and post post post.

[/ QUOTE ] I've given this advice dozens of times. Funny that it's coming back around to me. Thanks for the nudge.

Frankly, the biggest obstacle is time/energy. I still find it difficult to put in full days at the table, let alone think about doing much more than reading through a few interesting looking threads. I'm sure it'll improve over time. Especially since I have no intention of playing this much once I can afford to slow down a little. Poker is a means to an end, not an end in itself.

I recognize that I was learning more quickly when I was more involved. I'll have to find a way to get back to it. Others manage it and put in more hands/day than I do.

Re: 2005 Microquests Thread -- Post Your Progress, Setbacks
 

[ QUOTE ]
Play both 3/6 and 2/4, breakdown your play, find out the differences in the limits, datamine...

[/ QUOTE ]

My minimum requirements for moving up are:

a) 1000 BB at my new limit and preferably a month or two of minimal living expenses -- I'm very conservative in this area out of necessity as well as temperment

b) A reasonable level of confidence that my game is ready

Of the two, (a) is far easier. 'Tis just a matter of putting in the time. My game has a ways to go, though I feel like I've been making reasonably good progress. I've put in fewer than 30,000 hands at 2/4, and would be surprised if I tried to move up again before I've doubled or tripled that.

And yes... I'll be datamining before I test the waters.

Re: 2005 Microquests Thread -- Post Your Progress, Setbacks
 

The more you post, the faster you can post. [img]/images/graemlins/laugh.gif[/img]

Re: 2005 Microquests Thread -- Post Your Progress, Setbacks
 

Started late August with 25 at Pacific, moved from .05/.1 to .1/.2 to .25/.50 to .5/1. Took my roll over to Party, built it to 500 and then did some BH to get it to over 1k. I have just recently moved to 1/2 6max because I hear 1/2 full sucks and I have the bankroll I wanted, 500BB. 6max has proved unbelievably soft but crazy after 1.5k hands. My goals for the next year are to move from here to at least 3/6, possibly 5/10 full and 5/10 6max by the end of the year if I have the time. The only thing that could hold me back is that almost everyone I know including my mother thinks I have a gambling problem and wants me to quit. Just continueing to play may be a bigger challenge than moving up limits, but heres to hoping.

Shill, stopping playing poker altogether? did I read that right?

Re: 2005 Microquests Thread -- Post Your Progress, Setbacks
 

Poker Related:
1) Complete the $0.50/$1 journey and graduate full-time to $1/$2, no later than 31 March 2005. (Should have been there by Dec 2004, but a 80BB slide in Nov put a damper on New Year's.)
2) Graduate to $2/$4 by Dec 2005. (Stretch goal: $3/$6)
3) Learn how to play NL ring games (starting at $0.01/$0.02).
4) Learn how to play games other than HE.
5) Learn short-handed play.
6) Play more live games (take advantage of the unexpected move to California, where poker is legal).

"Real" life:
1) Spend more time at the gym to which I'm paying ungodly amounts monthly.
2) Concentrate my online time to after the kids go to bed, even if that means I take a hit on my poker playing.
3) Spend more time actually working during business hours, rather than reading forums.

Re: 2005 Microquests Thread -- Post Your Progress, Setbacks
 

[ QUOTE ]
I'm in.

Getting a new laptop next week so I can finally play at home. Have been bonus whoring the past month to recover my bankroll whic I blew by getting drunk an entering multiple $100 tournies. Went from 1100 to $150. Have whored my way back to $550, and after clearing my next bonus should have around $700. So my goals are as follows.

1. Play a minimum of 1200 hands a week of hold-em at the appropriate level.

2. Faithfully whore party, paradise, stars, and Interpoker bonuses to keep building my bankroll.

3. Limit myself to (2) tournies a week with entry fees not to exceed 3BB of the limit level that I am playing at.

4. Be playing 10/20 holdem by next January.

5. Continue to whone my O8 and 7-stud game at the penny level on stars and paradise.

6. Finally to not let Poker interfer with work and spending time with my daughter. In other words keeping it in focus as a hobby.

[/ QUOTE ]

Progress:

Got my new laptop on 1/11/05. I have 6,000 hands in since. My bankroll is now at $1200. This is higher than it has ever been.

I am going to make the Jump to 2/4. Reason being since I got "serious" last July, I have played about 30,000 hands and several tournaments. On PT (before I had to restore my HD), I was showing a 3.5 BB/100 WR at .5/1 and 1/2. Also because I know I have the discipline to back down a level if I have to. I mean at one point in December I was playing Stars .05/.10 because I did not have the bankroll for .25/.50.

I have been staying away from tournies, 3 this month so far, biggest entry fee was $3. I have been playing .01/.02 PLO8 and .05/.10 LO8 on Stars.

I have been shocked by the amount of hands that I can get in (140-160 per hour). I am playing 3-tables now. I will not be playing 4 on this CPU, because even with 3 tables I have overlap... but it does not seem to bother me.

Anyway I am willing to chance 2/4 on a minimal bankroll of 302BB, because I am anxious to move up and I think I am ready. If I am not I know I can pull the pin before serious damage is done to my bankroll.

Re: 2005 Microquests Thread -- Post Your Progress, Setbacks
 

&lt;semi-hijack here&gt;

Entity,

How does incorporating provide a tax benefit? I've got Walter Lewis' book and it was sort of useful but very repetitive.

Basically my understanding of the filing options is:

1) File as a recreational gambler. You need to add up ALL of your WINNING sessions and report this as misc. income on your 1040 form and then you can add up all of your LOSING sessions and report this amount on your Sch A under misc deductions -- your loses are limited to your winnings and this only helps you if you itemize your deductions.

2) File as a professional gambler. You use Sch C, get to report the lumped sum of your winnings AND losings (this is a GOOD thing), you can deduct other expenses (such as books, computers, travel, etc) BUT you have to pay self-employment taxes on any remaining profit.

The big question is what the dividing line is between recreational and professional. I've seen some references to you need to be gambling for 3 years and showing a profit before you can file professionally. I seen other references to the poker needing to be a "significant" portion of your income or the time you are spending on that activity to be significant but these are sort of vague definitions.

I started online this fall, and while my poker earnings/losses are not that significant this year, I would love to be able to file as a professional for 2004 in order to take advantage of the other deductions (mainly books). However, based on what I've read in Lewis' book and from searching other post here on 2+2, that seems somewhat risky/unfeasible for this year. Since the additional benefit this year would probably be small, rather than increase the risk of audit by tossing in the red flag "professional gambler", I'll probaly pass.

Obviously this year has just started, and who knows how it will end but I expect to play online 25+ days each month, work my way up from $1/2 hopefully to at least $3/6, bonus whore like crazy and net at least $20-25K -- I'd really like to be able to file professionally for 2005. I've been keeping a pretty detailed logbook since I started so I have the documentation to back up my winning and losing sessions.

Dave

Re: 2005 Microquests Thread -- Post Your Progress, Setbacks
 

[ QUOTE ]
3) Be able to hold my own in the 2+2 Tables

[/ QUOTE ]

This one's easy. Play tight for half an hour, then grab a post-it note and place it on your screen where your cards appear. Cap every street in the dark.

You will PWN all these "tight agressive" players

Re: 2005 Microquests Thread -- Post Your Progress, Setbacks
 

I suppose that I'll go ahead and add my goals. I'm a very casual player (&lt;1000 hands a week) so bear that in mind [img]/images/graemlins/smile.gif[/img]

A little history, I started playing back in April with an initial $50 deposit at Paradise, played micro stakes no-limit poker (cuz that's what I saw on the travel channel [img]/images/graemlins/wink.gif[/img] ) and then I accidentally found myself in a limit tourney. I did well, though didn't place in the cash. Two tourneys later I placed 4th out of 450 and got a nice sum. With that, I stopped playing no limit completely and started trying to be a good limit player. I purchased WWLE and read it a couple times.

From May until October, I was a breakeven player at Party. I stupidly moved up to 1/2 too soon, and even did the classic "i lost at a low limit, so let's move up to 2/4 to make up for it".

Before I knew it, I had gone from $300 in my bank roll to down to $50. Then I started coming here, bought SSH and PT in late November, and I'm on a very sweet swing on variance. For the past 5000 hands (when I started using PT and after I read SSH), I'm winning 10.5BB/100 at Party .50/1.

History being over with, on to my goals:

1) Average playing 1000 hands a week.

2) Start multi-tabling up to 4 tables. Currently playing 2 at a time.

3) Build up a 300BB bankroll to move to 2/4 (I plan on skipping 1/2)

4) Play winning poker at 2/4.

That's it. I'm rather casual, so if I'm winning at 2/4 by the end of the year, I'll be pretty happy with that.

Re: 2005 Microquests Thread -- Post Your Progress, Setbacks
 

[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]
I'm in.

Getting a new laptop next week so I can finally play at home. Have been bonus whoring the past month to recover my bankroll whic I blew by getting drunk an entering multiple $100 tournies. Went from 1100 to $150. Have whored my way back to $550, and after clearing my next bonus should have around $700. So my goals are as follows.

1. Play a minimum of 1200 hands a week of hold-em at the appropriate level.

2. Faithfully whore party, paradise, stars, and Interpoker bonuses to keep building my bankroll.

3. Limit myself to (2) tournies a week with entry fees not to exceed 3BB of the limit level that I am playing at.

4. Be playing 10/20 holdem by next January.

5. Continue to whone my O8 and 7-stud game at the penny level on stars and paradise.

6. Finally to not let Poker interfer with work and spending time with my daughter. In other words keeping it in focus as a hobby.

[/ QUOTE ]

Progress:

Got my new laptop on 1/11/05. I have 6,000 hands in since. My bankroll is now at $1200. This is higher than it has ever been.

I am going to make the Jump to 2/4. Reason being since I got "serious" last July, I have played about 30,000 hands and several tournaments. On PT (before I had to restore my HD), I was showing a 3.5 BB/100 WR at .5/1 and 1/2. Also because I know I have the discipline to back down a level if I have to. I mean at one point in December I was playing Stars .05/.10 because I did not have the bankroll for .25/.50.

I have been staying away from tournies, 3 this month so far, biggest entry fee was $3. I have been playing .01/.02 PLO8 and .05/.10 LO8 on Stars.

I have been shocked by the amount of hands that I can get in (140-160 per hour). I am playing 3-tables now. I will not be playing 4 on this CPU, because even with 3 tables I have overlap... but it does not seem to bother me.

Anyway I am willing to chance 2/4 on a minimal bankroll of 302BB, because I am anxious to move up and I think I am ready. If I am not I know I can pull the pin before serious damage is done to my bankroll.

[/ QUOTE ]

3/07/05

Had a 15K run at 2/4 where I ran at .98bb/100. This stretch included 2 individule 100BB downswings. Also I was experimenting with 4-tables, which I don't think I will do again until I have a screen to accomodate. I found myself making to many plays without thinking and I could not really relax and enjoy myself. For some reason at this point 3-tables seems to be my comfort zone and I am OK with that for now.

Anyway finished one night with $2,100 in my bankroll and decided to take a shot at 3/6. Promptly lost 50BB, but felt I played OK. So I stuck with 3/6. After last night I have 11,000 hands in at 3/6 and am running at 2.7BB/100 for this stretch.

My BR is a little over $4,000 at this point. At 5,000 I am going to 5/10, hopefully by mid-April. At 5/10 I am going to start taking out some money (depending upon results), but even so if I keep getting my hands in with even a nominal WR, I should still be able to be playing 10/20 before the end of the year.

I am pleased that I am continuing to improve, have reread HEFAP a couple times is the last month. Makes a lot more sense to me than it used too.

Bonuses have played a part in all this, I think since the beginning of February I have gotten $200 from Paradise, $400 from Party, $150 from rake back. But I have also paid out $250 to my girlfriend in her quest to become a winninng player.

Anyway having a lot of fun. I try to average about 500 hands a day for the week. This has not really been a problem. Also a let myself play longer when I am winning, but when I am stuck I quit right on time (but not sooner). This has worked well for me.

Re: 2005 Microquests Thread -- Post Your Progress, Setbacks
 

Progress so far: bankroll surpassing skill, by far.

I'm up $2,261 in poker earnings over 39,108 mixed-play hands since the beginning of the year. My bankroll is currently prepared for the $5/10 6max game, but I'm holding off on that until I'm emotionally ready. Currently I'm making my home at the Stars 2/4 6 max game, mixing in some Party 2/4 and 3/6 as we go along. I've been doing an inordinate amount of bonus clearing so far this year, and my total earnings are enough to keep me very happy -- my bankroll should be exceeding $8k by the end of this week.

I'm going to have to start pushing harder if I want to reach $30k in earnings by the end of the year, but I think it's doable.

Rob