Diary of a MTT Grinder Wannabe

[Amatay]

i love u Ant

[pleno1]

Nothing wrong in taking a shot, heard that's how some players got their bankroll, didn't Galfond at one time have a winning session that was more than his whole bankroll at the time? and durrrr talks about taking shots with 20% of their roll.

I think if it's done properly, and I wouldn't know off the top of my head how to do that, but say if you're a winning player, ROI 40%, you take a shot say once every 3 months, with 20% of your roll, and only take another shot once you've rebuilt any losses, it could work. It's just controlling the shots, had a PLO spin a few years back 4400 up to about $6k in a few days going from $.25/.50 winning the majority at $2/4 and sitting in, or actually shitting it in a $5/10 game, ended up about $4k and cashed out. Did try to start from $400 again few times but no luck.

I wonder if there's any articles on taking shots, If I was doing it now, it would be live, prob the spanish pokerstars tour as i'd imagine with Rafa's involvement its attracting value, it's getting decent fields I believe and the buy ins not much.

What made you decide to take a shot Ant, and how often/high have you played before, and do you plan to do it in the future, or is it a random thought that you decide to act on?

He late regard a comp 2 hours into it and played a 500 hyper HU to help
Subsidise it. It's trly different to the examples you hae.

[George2Loose]

Ant you remind me a lot of myself when I first started. Take huge bankroll shots with a dream of a happy ending when you ship the 72k. What if it happens tho? What if this is the comp you're supposed to win? And finally you'll have the roll and lifestyle you always wanted.

I used to sit in front of my PC when I bust in 144th not quite believing that I'd bust. Hmmmmm this wasn't how it was sposed to happen.

If this is you, I suggest you try and work on your game rather than binking 500 hypers. Sorry if this sounds harsh- it's not meant to. You CAN "make it" but you have to work bloody hard to make it happen if you haven't got the natural aptitude of a Jake Cody or the sheer dumb luck of an Alex Goulder.

Best of luck with it!

[GreekStein]

You CAN "make it" but you have to work bloody hard to make it happen if you haven't got the natural aptitude of a Jake Cody or the sheer dumb luck of an Alex Goulder.

EXCELLENT

[jackinbeat]

Nothing wrong in taking a shot, heard that's how some players got their bankroll, didn't Galfond at one time have a winning session that was more than his whole bankroll at the time? and durrrr talks about taking shots with 20% of their roll.

I think if it's done properly, and I wouldn't know off the top of my head how to do that, but say if you're a winning player, ROI 40%, you take a shot say once every 3 months, with 20% of your roll, and only take another shot once you've rebuilt any losses, it could work. It's just controlling the shots, had a PLO spin a few years back 4400 up to about $6k in a few days going from $.25/.50 winning the majority at $2/4 and sitting in, or actually shitting it in a $5/10 game, ended up about $4k and cashed out. Did try to start from $400 again few times but no luck.

I wonder if there's any articles on taking shots, If I was doing it now, it would be live, prob the spanish pokerstars tour as i'd imagine with Rafa's involvement its attracting value, it's getting decent fields I believe and the buy ins not much.

What made you decide to take a shot Ant, and how often/high have you played before, and do you plan to do it in the future, or is it a random thought that you decide to act on?

He late regard a comp 2 hours into it and played a 500 hyper HU to help
Subsidise it. It's trly different to the examples you hae.

in sikness yep.

[Ant040689]

@Alex Correct atm I have fairly rare loosely controlled degenerative lapses, however this is really only a blip rather than a massive problem. This ultimately was a $500 shot at both the hyper and then in the entry of the tournament, rather than outright $1050 entry. The massive degen part was regging 2 hours in with 33 bbs, however i felt confident even with this as i am a good turbo grinder and am comfortable with building shorter stacks. Not excusable but just letting you in on the thought process.

@Pleno Every right to be alarmed, not my normal behaviour, however if I have the ability to do this at all I have a mental game flaw that once I properly address there will be no problem. Especially as my fundamental tournament game profitability is very respectable.

@Jackinbeat Decided to take the shot after say 4 hours of sleep and intermittent drinking while at the horse racing at Goodward during the day (up £75, WAL) and having the laptop with me in the sitting room with my family meant i was feeling much more excitable. I took pleasure in telling them what i was doing as i was doing it. My dad was in shock when i said i was going to start playing poker and almost 10 mins later I said I had won about £320 from the hyper turbo $500 entry. His response was, "fuck, you gotta be kidding me, that was quick!?"
               I then said i was using that profit to enter a £650 tournament. Making sure to show off what i could win in £35k. I do like satelliting into the Super Tuesday on the cheap, as it is such a better chance of a very nice payday. 400 odd runners is small in comparison to the top prizes. Anyway, Dad went to bed along with the others before i had went out of the tournament. In the morning he asked how i got on, heard i failed, then made a snide remark about how irresponsible it was and i replied that wouldn't have been what was said if i had won!
               In all, this was a shot that i never normally do. Yesterday, everything aligned to make me more susceptible to take the chance and i went for it. I was backed by the idea I could make up the $500 hopefully quite easily with continued sensible grinding on every other day. This has all alerted me to the irresponsible approach i have to the game though and one i can't afford to have, so i am waking up. I am taking as much time out of the game as needed, to come up with an impenetrable approach that will effectively guarantee i am doing all i can to give me the best chance of succeeding.
                To your questions, I would say i don't take many shots. I have been prone to having quite a high Sunday grind in terms of collective buy ins but never so much in one go to cause too much hassle. My previous biggest online single shot was $525 before Tuesday, when i got backed by Dubai and Flushy for a $2100 SCOOP turbo. Live i have paid out £550 as a single entry twice and about £700 ish for a £1070 GUKPT which i got backing for on here, plus obvious lower buyins of 300 and lower. That is over 5 years though, so not really that degenerate. However, strictly speaking, the live shots weren't adhering to proper bankroll management, and i have to really factor in how i will allow these shots in the future, if any.

@Amatay The love you have isn't unrequited, right back at you sir!

@George I am not normally one to be allured by the bright lights of the big one off score as i have a big history in playing less than 200 runners fields on the euro sites grinding much less substantial first places. I do have the urge occasionally and try to feed it, limiting my losses as best i can when i do so, like on Tuesday night.
                 My technical game is good but as with everyone it can be improved. I have 30% ROI over 4000 games on stars without any real revision whatsoever. I know the sample size is small but that is still decent going. With the additions of: a credible noting system; HUD; game selection; BRM; healthier lifestyle; general discipline and technical play revision (this will take a long time for the different types of tourns i play and the many different spots that are marginal and i need verification on), I should be a much better player. Which is interesting, because for the last 5 years of playing, I have always been doing so with a nagging stress. Being completely calm should add a lovely level to my game and if i am already nicely profitable with a flawed system, i would hope that means i would be so much better with a more correct system. So in terms of "making it" it could be said i am not far off in terms of gridning a nice yearly wage, as i have the right tools at my disposal, just need to better prepare and iron out the mental game flaws.

I think it is time to find out my true potential. So i am going to take a break from the game and only come back knowing i am prepared to a level I can feel very confident. So a lot of homework and preparation has to be done, and the thought of juicy games going amiss for more time than needed is going to be a big motivator in me applying myself properly. No idea how long it will all take and i may well start grinding as i am learning once i have my favourite games theory in check to a decent enough standard so i can continue to make money as i go along and not become completely stale with just having my head stuck in theory. Don't worry though, this doesnt mean i am allowing myself to just be irresponsible again, the rule still stands i must be really confident in the games i am in.

The turbo ones are where i will probably start playing again a lot sooner under this new regime than the normal slower paced tourns, which for me i have quite a few flaws, but they are normally based around not knowing my oppo very well while multitabling so a HUD could quell that for me instantly. The addition of a noting system would help that problem further. So i could see i may be ready to play with just getting the HUD and noting system in place. But i will benefit hugely by revising some maths of different types of spots, seeing shoving ranges, plowing through HH's and generally getting a much more whole picture of how to seek out as much non showdown profit as possible.

Will update as I go along with the prep and i hope that the idiocy on Tuesday night will be the last time i do something totally irresponsible with regards to poker.

Comments and advice welcome, interested particularly on who i should go and watch for different types of tourney play in terms of online tutorial vids, and perhaps tips as to how i should try and break down my HH revision approach. Should i be assessing every possible action on every possible street listing every possible type of player that is involved could be and literally leaving no stone unturned? It is going to be a really intriguing experience, applying myself properly that is lol, and I can't wait to reap the potential benefits, if there are any.

O and finally i have Jared Tendler's book somewhere around here. I will be reading through that also to help me further. I notice if any of you have read this diary before, since the beginning, I have been talking about what i should be doing, much like this post, and not applying myself. So you guys should think i am up to my normal antics and stick with that thought, until i can prove my work via the better insight i will be giving you into my learning experience with future posts.

[Ant040689]

Madew the last two tabs of the 1001r1a and the 75 turbo, both had 8k up top and in both i made two marginal plays that should have been folds and had my ass handed to me in 11th and 15th respectively, so harsh. Played exceptionally well all night though and i could only count say 5 mistakes i think, and they were all marginal. Bit rusty too atm, but i can see that with the right br management pwning the turbo touns on stars is my calling, until i can adapt better to the slower games.

However, i do enjoy the fast pace of the turbos, so why stop a good thing. May start to include a slowy tourn or two from party or ongame as they will be softer and more value.

One thing i do have to be careful of atm, is BRM, I am shot taking in regards to three tourns in my regular schedule the two $200 turbos and the $1001r1a, I am definitely above most of the field in them, but a little dangerous in me playing them currently.

May look to a non markup package playing those on a daily basis. I haven't got the HUD in just yet, will be setting that up next week, after i replace the hard drive and i am avoiding the slower tourns until i get that up and running. The quicker tourns, the HUD is much more negligible imo, so i am going to carry on for now. Should look into table ninja though, again will wait until after the hard drive change

[Ant040689]

Oh and starting 'lighter life' on weds, its a diet that restricts you to 500 cals a day, and it is definitely what i need atm, because i am getting close to the point of no return in regards to exercising to lose the weight, too unfit to do anything for a prolonged period, so this i see as the kickstart i need to be much more healthy when i have the weight lost. Plus i have dreams of having at least one good fully fit footy season either out on pitch or in goal for a semi pro outfit.

AS a GK, fully fit, I am a very good goalkeeper, and have a contact or two within some managements at local semi pro clubs so for the start of next season i really want to be trialling and enjoying some high standard competitive football. If i can't get into a semi pro team as a GK, i want to be fit enough to enjoy pub standard level as a striker. Really would be lovely to be fully fit and mobile, always had trouble with my weight so to be raring to go physically would be awesome.

[GreekStein]

gtfo i contact u twice a week to play football and u never come.

[Ant040689]

because i am so unfit, its embarrassing, plus have a nose infection making breathing tougher, taking antibiotics for that. I won't be ready to do much exercise until that clears anyway. Would love to play mate and will as soon as i can physically.

[Fenix35]

big sunday today antstahhhh lets doooo thiiiis

[smashedagain]

because i am so unfit, its embarrassing, plus have a nose infection making breathing tougher, taking antibiotics for that. I won't be ready to do much exercise until that clears anyway. Would love to play mate and will as soon as i can physically.

That's nO excuse. Cos plays every week with his badly swollen.
How did you do in Stoke Cos, be nice to report here as you are on a sabbatical from your diary. Must say that watching some of the stream on my iPhone with mad marty nn Paul Z is very entertaining.

[Ant040689]

big sunday today antstahhhh lets doooo thiiiis

I hear ya fella, I will leave you with the Sunday mill and all those other standard paced tourney nonsense games and I will take care of the non variance ridden Supersonic. EZ gaame.

[Sulphur man]

I just read through the long post above, very good. I did a pre season once with Ilkeston Town FC and the manager at the time was
keith Alexander (RIP, he was an amazing motivator) i remember telling him about how i was going to work hard on my game to improve
and he said "Dont tell me i dont want to know just do it".
Guess all he was saying was there are people who say and people who do, his words really stuck with me though.

The Mental Game of Poker is a fascinating read, would love to do a session with Jared one day. And regarding poker training
sites may i suggest Tournament Poker Edge which i have recently joined. Im really enjoying Daryl "aaaaaaaaa" Jace.

All the best, and dont beat yourself up at taking a shot so what, just dont repeat to often. Very best of luck.

[Fenix35]

Ant 1/3 $100c turbo on stars $9.5k ftw gogogo!