Gaming Club WSOP Challange: Week 2

[AAmaz0n]

..............or learning and loathing shorthanded tables.

Week 2 of the Gaming Club WSOP 120,000 hand challenge.

First some numbers.

Hands completed …..34,005...........28% towards goal of 120,000
Days so far…....…...… 14...............29% of 48 days of challenge.
Average hands/day………………………….............2428
Days left .................................34
Average hands needed per day for remainder..............2530

I need to pick up the pace a bit, I’ve had some days where I didn’t meet my quota and fell a bit behind. I’m still close to being on track and should be able to make it, just have to put a little more time in. The Gaming Club gave me a boost this week; they started asking me about clothing sizes, so they must think that I’m likely to make it and are fitting me for “Jesterware” for the WSOP. As long as I don’t have to wear the hat with the bells on it, I’m fine with that. [img]/images/graemlins/cool.gif[/img]

After taking a lot of losses on 6 player max tables, I started mixing in more full tables to balance it out. It was a stopgap measure; win money at the full tables and give it back at shorthanded ones. Of course, the more full tables I played, the lower my hands/hr dropped. Shorthanded tables get so many more hands/hr. and make it easier to make my goal, but it’s not a genre that I’ve been good at, and has a lot of variance. The swings have been larger than I’d like.

Fortunately I’ve had some help from my friends to work out some of my kinks playing on short tables and I’m not getting consistently killed right now. I’m still down in terms of money, but making a comeback. Poker Tracker has moved my rating from a caution triangle to an eagle, so my aggression is finally starting to improve. A lot of my problems have been too much caution postflop; I need to stay more in touch with my inner Klingon. [img]/images/graemlins/grin.gif[/img]

I’m still down $63 playing shorthanded after about 22, 000 hands and up $155 on my 5,800 hands on full tables, mostly at 2/4 with some 3/6 and 5/10 thrown in. The shorthanded number had much more red ink earlier this week after some horrific sessions, but it seems like I’m starting to have a clue and making my way back to the black.

Oddly enough, my big loser right now, is my no limit game; this is usually my best money maker with not so much variance. It’s only 5,800 hands, but I usually don’t have big bad swings in this game. I’m down 100 BB and it just seems like I’m always running into trouble; flop two pair when someone flops a set, flop a set when someone has a straight, flop a straight and watch my all-in opponent catch runner runner for a flush. The 1/2 no limit is a step higher than I usually play, but maybe I just need to get used to it more. Or get luckier. [img]/images/graemlins/smirk.gif[/img]

Ergonomics continue to be a problem. I added some music and a TV to the “boiler room” - or as my partner refers to it “the germ free zone” (it’s an Aviator reference), and tried using various pillows to make my seating more comfortable. I’m really going to have to shop for a good chair and spend some serious money though. It’s just hard for me to think about spending hundreds of dollars on a chair, but I’m so sore now that I can see the justification for it. My ankle is still swelling after long sessions, but my doctor doesn’t seem to be too worried, he says I’m just retaining water. I do get some exercise in and take my walks every day, but probably need to do more.

The good news is that I’ve been motivated to take care of some things that have been neglected. I finally got around to getting the Fedders folks to come and fix the air conditioning after a few fairly warm days trapped in here. Also, I moved my cable modem/router into the room so it’s in with all the other computer stuff and have the iMac on the net now. I moved my email and web surfing over to the Mac so it doesn’t take up space on the now more poker dedicated PC. I’m glad to make the switch, I really love working on an Apple. Some more RAM this week so I can run OS X comfortably and I can move my spreadsheet and stuff over there as well and leave the PC for the games, PT, GV, etc.

I should be able to finish this challenge on time if I just pump up my hours or hands/hr rate a bit. My summer 9ball season is in serious jeopardy though. I’ll have to think about that before we get started next month. I could really use one night a week with some human contact; I hardly talked to anyone other than my partner and my cat this week.

Jedziah (the cat) always seems to whine at the worst times too, right when I’m in the middle of a series of bad beats. She wants attention, but won’t come close and let me pet her. I miss her brother Curzon; he would just sit in my lap and watch me play. My partner, Denise, fortunately has been a real rock through this, and has been very encouraging. It would be hard to get through this without her. I hope that I finish in the money so that I can do something really special to make up for the time we’re spending apart.

The Gaming Club staff has been very helpful. Special kudos to Havana Banana for keeping me on track. Thanks to every one here for your encouragement, support and help. I’m hoping to get to meet some of you in Vegas.

Shauna

[VinnyTheFish]

You are going great! Keep up the good work. You'll be on cruise control soon.

[ QUOTE ]

My partner, Denise, fortunately has been a real rock through this, and has been very encouraging.


[/ QUOTE ]

At first I was jealous, then I read "Denise" and became intrugued! Your loyal and faithful fans need more details!

[GMan42]

Glad to hear things are going well...good luck!

I think I played against you at a couple of the 2/4 6max tables the other night...IIRC I did my best to improve your winrate [img]/images/graemlins/frown.gif[/img]

[AAmaz0n]

thanks for the encouragement Vinny.

Details,...............hmmmmmm. what do you want to know? [img]/images/graemlins/confused.gif[/img]

I guess that I forget sometimes that outside of West Hollywood our relationship might be considered unusual; here we are just the "girls next door."

that's not to say that either of us minds a little male attention now and again. [img]/images/graemlins/wink.gif[/img]

Shauna

[VinnyTheFish]

OK, you have become my favorite Zoo poseter of all time!

Granny who?

I think I speak for everyone when I say:

"Pictures please!"
[img]/images/graemlins/cool.gif[/img]

Note: Good 4 you!!! [img]/images/graemlins/heart.gif[/img]

<font color="blue"> EDIT: Both you and your roommate win the "VinnyTheFish Grand Prize ... 2 Granny Mae shirts!" </font>

[stillbr]

was this hands challenge open to anyone? I'm only 20, but this might be somthing I am interested in for next year

[HavanaBanana]

It was open to anyone who expressed interest, (and who were eligible to play the WSOP.) However we reserved the right to limit the number of entrants.

13 expressed interest, 7 started 5 played seriously, 3 are still in it.

ToT

[stillbr]

will gaming club be doing something like this next year?

[HavanaBanana]

[ QUOTE ]
will gaming club be doing something like this next year?

[/ QUOTE ]

Well, that would depend on AAmaz0n, LastCoyote and SoulRebel and their results in this one! [img]/images/graemlins/wink.gif[/img]

We have not planned next years promotions yet, but we will surely come up with something that will get you excited!

Even this year we might find a way to get you involved with the WSOP, stay tuned!

ToT

[O Doyle Rules]

Keep going Shauna, you are doing great!

You have my total empathy and sympathy.

Just a suggestion, as I'm sure you are going to do it, you might consider setting aside one day where you just really burn it up just to get a little ahead of pace. I know my personal commitments keep slowing me down.


(In online hand challenges "space", no one else can hear you scream.)


Hang in there!