Update 23/01/2011. Big downswing.

Tonight I lost around $260, I took a massive blow to my BR and confidence. There were stints of frustration but I cannot admit that I made so many mistakes nor was I tilted in the slightest to warrant or encourage such a huge loss.

I started the 5 hour session with 5 tables. 2 of 2-7 triple draw and 3 LO8. Mostly  and no higher than $1/$2. I lost silly money in the triple draw and I can remember a few hands where I am certain I made mistakes. Most of my losses in that game came down to missing my big draws or betting the river, getting raised and never seeing worse than an 85432. I've got to do that bet/folding thing more often, but I have seen people bluffraise me when I pause before betting. Yet the man to my left was drawing to bad hands the whole time, and he won over $170. This guy was 3 betting 9 draws pre and patting rough tens and owning me in position. The maths weren't in his favour but luck certainly was. Another man won $100. This is in $1/$2. I probably did about 7 $32 bullets.

In O8 I was getting plain unlucky! I am sure the only time I capped a street way behind was when I flopped a king flush. Obviously the guy who plays 60% of the hands miraculously has the ace flush. Usually his highest card is a king, let's put it that way. Another hand I flopped broadway with two pair. A fellow of a similar ilk called two bets on the flop with KQ89 (one pair, gutshot, backdoor flush). So the only way he wins that hand is his flush. Guess what, he gets there - and the other guy who I KNEW had two pair rivered the low as well. Chances of both those things happening are well below 10%.

It's not exactly Right Thinking to be looking at my cashier balance or graph during my session but I knew I was losing big and had to keep track. To be honest I only quit because I was tired. My friends in the background were telling me to stop but I was telling both them and myself I am playing the same way I always do and that usually makes me win. This time it isn't working, and it isn't working in a big way, but I know how I play gets the money and if I keep swinging, the ball might find the bat, y'know?

Looking at my graph for Limit O8 I've definitely had a downswing this month and I'm neither above nor below expectation. Compile it with PLO8 and PLO however, and I am £150 roughly below expectation.

This is the biggest loss I've incurred thus far and I am not sure I am able to withstand another such loss. It definitely means I have to start playing $0.50/$1 again and stop $1/$2. Maybe I'll try those PLO8 sit n gos again, they gave me a nice boost before. When you take a hit like this you have to be humble and drop down in stakes.

Despite the grim loss, I still feel good about the way I play, except I need to find the fold button more often. A bet saved is a bet earnt.

Despite a massive win earlier in the month at Triple Draw I am quite sure I have now lost more than I have won and it has become a drain on my bankroll compared with O8. As addictive as it is the only solution is to stop playing it until I have studied it a bit more and can afford to splash around. With $773 (was $1036) I can't afford to mess around.

Signing off,

LV

Update 19/01/2011

Alright so it's been too long, grind on the mind and all that. I knew I was abusing the blog, leaving it untouched for so long.

I've come a fair old way since my last post, my roll now stands at $1,138.72. It's always nice to be able to put a comma in it, that's what I say. I've made a lot of money in a relatively short period of time, most likely thanks to moving up to $1/$2 limit games and playing those $11 PLO8 turbos. I've also sat in a few $0.10/$0.25 PLO games, I feel I am quite good in that game.

I got to that point basically playing a few $11 PLO8 sit n gos (couple of $50 1st places, a lot more 2nds), some PLO (+$52), and the rest comes from Stud 8 ($.5/$1, $1/$2), a teensy bit of NLHE $0.05/$0.10 deep tables (+$40) and limit Omaha 8. I have really crushed the 6max O8 lately. I managed to sit with drnkyrmlkshk who is a 2p2er and O8 reg. We chatted a bit and he said he admired my game and that I was a lot stronger than my threads give me credit for. I was glad to get that compliment from him because I know he does well in the limit O8 cash games and has his own roll of around $4700, he is a strong player himself and I know he knows it. So if he can know what makes a strong player and he sees it in me it's probably a correct assessment, right?

With regards to my staking deal, I have opted to build up to at least $1500 then end the deal. Alternative options centered around buying a piece of the stake which meant I would have to make less money to get off it.

Until next time, signing off,

-LV

Update 01/01/2011

I started being ill yesterday, I caught it off Antony. I told him I probably wasn't going to be able to play. Nevertheless I played, grinded my 50 FTPs and then decided to go for the 125. I think this month I will try to crack Gold for Iron Man. I managed Bronze in December and that netted me a $25 bonus. I'm pretty sure they'll be doing a Mid Year Bonus so if I can get 4 out of 6 months of Gold I should get a $350 bonus. I'm half way through clearing the $25 already - only need 250 FTPs total and I've got 125.

I've played a couple of great sessions on the $0.50/$1 Stud Hi/Lo. Peak $692. Bear in mind I was on ~$605 just days ago. Now $671.51.

I didn't do a whole lot for New Years. We just played Civ 5 a lot! Very fun. NHS interview day soon.

Signing off,

LV