My TruePoker WSOP 120K Hands Challenge - Update # 6

[O Doyle Rules]

Hello All!

I am now 32 days into this challenge and it is safe to say that I will probably never feel the same aboout playing online poker again. Last week I reported this challenge had started to turn into to fun for me. After this week, I will be just very, very glad when this challenge is completed. Jane, get me off this crazy thing! (Obscure Jetson reference)

I got off track a little this week so I played late Saturday night and last night to get back on pace. This morning I am one exhausted man working this morning on about 5 hours of sleep. Playing while tired has definitely cost me. I feel if I had quit playing when I had wanted to, I would be easily up 3-4 times what I am now.(Unfortunately, not an option.) Both Saturday night and last night were big losers for me.

On the bright side, the talk around the house has went from "Why are you doing this?", to "Can you do this?", to now "What will you do with the money if you win it all?" Seriously, my wife and family have been great throughout this whole thing and very supportive.

Has this been worth it? Without a doubt, yes. It is true that I would have stand to win more money that what I am currently up over the past 32 days, but this still pales in comparison in the thrill and anticipation of playing in the WSOP.

My thoughts have started to drift about playing in the WSOP and when I complete this challenge I will have about three weeks to prepare myself. I have played just a few B & M tourneys, finishing in the money only once. Most of my multi-table tournament experience has been online where I have had some success. I have won two smaller tournaments online, (about $1700.00 in one and around $ 600.00 in another) finished 4th in a WSOP qualifier once, where they took the top two, had a few other final table finishes and have been in the money many times. In saying that though, I realize I will have little or no edge over anyone else playing in the WSOP. (And fact I realize that many, many players will have a huge edge on me due to my limited B & M tourney experience) I admit that even the infamous Granny Mae holds an edge over me. This is where I am asking for your all's help. With just three weeks to prepare for the WSOP, what steps should I take to improve my odds at the WSOP. (Book suggestions, links to excellent posts, any advice that you all could personally provide to me, would all be greatly appreciated.)

I wasn't quite as productive this week from a hand count standpoint playing 20,881 hands over 49 hours, an average of 426 hands per hour. Even with the drop in productivity, I was able to knock off three hours off my estimated hours to complete this challenge. I have always played alot of online poker, but it is a world of difference when you have to play. My heart goes out to the ones that are doing this for a living. (Especially the ones that are 8 tabling, grinding it out, playing 40-50 hours a week.)

Results so far:

Hands Needed: 120,000
Hands Played: 91,229
Hands Left: 28,771

Estimated Hours: 292
Hours Played: 222
Hours to go: 70

Winning/Losings: + 573.00

Projected date of challenge completed: June 14th

(This might be a little optimistic, it could be a day or two later, but I am going to shoot for it.)

AND FOLKS, please remember this is the original hand challenge to the WSOP. Please do not accept any cheap imitations!

[SackUp]

Wow, you make a litte over $2/hour!

That's amazing! j/k.

I think this is pretty interesting. Have you read Harrington's book? Just master that in 3 weeks and you should be fine. You'll easily make the final table [img]/images/graemlins/smile.gif[/img]

GL gaming!

[FlFishOn]

"In saying that though, I realize I will have little or no edge over anyone else playing in the WSOP"

Ten years ago you'd have been roadkill. Five years ago you'd have been avegage. Today, with the entire fish world winning entries you're above average. Now if you can get a horseshoe surgically implanted up your ass....

[IggyWH]

Keep up the good work O Doyle. Didn't you have like 55 days to complete this? If that's the case it looks like you're ahead of schedule and should cruise on into the finish [img]/images/graemlins/smile.gif[/img]

Care to share the amount of rake contributed by yourself so far?

[O Doyle Rules]

[ QUOTE ]
Wow, you make a litte over $2/hour!


[/ QUOTE ]


Great! Not only I am dead tired, I am now depressed.(just kidding) I also like to factor in the value of the WSOP and the True Points I accumulating. If I do that, I am making about $ 50.00 an hour even with my anemic win rate.

[O Doyle Rules]

[ QUOTE ]
Have you read Harrington's book? Just master that in 3 weeks and you should be fine. You'll easily make the final table [img]/images/graemlins/smile.gif[/img]

GL gaming!

[/ QUOTE ]

Thanks. I thought about purchasing it. Any reviews out there?

[spamuell]

[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]
Have you read Harrington's book? Just master that in 3 weeks and you should be fine. You'll easily make the final table [img]/images/graemlins/smile.gif[/img]

GL gaming!

[/ QUOTE ]

Thanks. I thought about purchasing it. Any reviews out there?

[/ QUOTE ]

I'm sure there are tons of great reviews, but, basically, it's a 2+2 book on no limit hold'em tournament strategy. You're about to play in a 10K buyin NLHE tournament which you've worked extremely hard to get into and you consider yourself a dog and would like to learn more about NLHE strategy. You'd have to be insane not to buy it.

[Gallopin Gael]

And I think this Harrington guy knows a thing or two about playing in big tournements.

I'd snag parts one and two and have them delivered about the time you finish your challenge.

[AAmaz0n]

Are you geographically near a place where you can play some live tourneys? It sounds like you will finish early so you make have some time to get a little live warm up in.

The thing that I notice most when going from live to online is the difference in time compression. It takes a while to get accustomed to how much slower things are and how much time you have to work with. There is just so much more time to put reads on folks. The downside is that online you don't have to hide your thoughts/feelings so much and it may take some practice to get your poker face on.

If you have some live play near you, the week or two before we leave would be a great time to put in some live action. I'm looking at the Bike's Mini Series of Poker as warm up here.

Good luck,

Shauna

[O Doyle Rules]

[ QUOTE ]
"In saying that though, I realize I will have little or no edge over anyone else playing in the WSOP"

Ten years ago you'd have been roadkill. Five years ago you'd have been avegage. Today, with the entire fish world winning entries you're above average. Now if you can get a horseshoe surgically implanted up your ass....

[/ QUOTE ]

Number one - How costly of procedure is this?

and Number two - How difficult will it be getting through the airport metal detectors when I go to Vegas.

Thanks, Fish. I didn't realize someone telling me that I am above average would make me feel better, (but it does)