Although Platinum Star shouldn't be too difficult to reach at NL100, I spent the majority of January studying and playing fewer tables. So I'm more than happy with this result.
Thursday, January 30, 2014
Platinum Star!
After a 3.5 hour grind session tonight I hit Platinum Star! Feels great to hit my monthly goal with one day to spare.
Monday, January 27, 2014
Trust Yourself (Breaking Bdon 3)
PlatinumStar?
I was able to catch up on some playing time this weekend and Platinum Star might be achievable this month after all. I've got about 2815 VPP's to go with 5 days left. At 0.30 VPP/hand that means roughly 9.5k hands of grinding over the next 5 days. Might be tough but I'm gonna try!
Trust Yourself
I stumbled across this video on YouTube and it definitely got me pumped up. I have nothing but mad respect for The Governator.
Rule 1: Trust yourself
As a poker player you can't always win. Downswings are inevitable and sometimes the break-even, or worse, losing stretches, can last for weeks or even months. During a downswing, it's easy to doubt yourself and wonder if you were ever really a winning player. But like Arnold said, you have to trust yourself. All we can do is keep a level head and make the most +EV decision at every point in a hand. And if we can continue to do this on a daily basis, then the money will flow.
Rule 2: Break the rules
There's no such thing as a "standard" way to play a hand in poker. I hate it when I post a hand on forums and someone says something like "betting the flop here is standard". Every hand of poker is a unique situation and there can be always be arguments for taking a different line. In fact, sticking to "standard" poker, is the quickest way to let your game stagnate. Only you have all the pieces to the puzzle: previous history with villain, timing tells, your own perceived table image, and of course HUD stats. So once in a while, we should look to break the rules and play in our own unique style.
Rule 3: Don't be afraid to fail
The best way to test a new strategy is to try it out in practice. After all, what good is a bunch of math that looks good on paper if it never works in reality? That being said, there will be many times where we choose the wrong spot to implement a new strategy, or it was a good spot, but it still didn't work out. The key is to just keep trying and to keep what works and discard the rest.
Rule 4: Don't listen to the naysayers
Many people don't understand that poker can be a viable source of income. It can be tough when family and friends don't understand how you can take a game of chance so seriously. Words like "problem gambler", "degenerate", "throwing your life away", etc. can hurt. But going back to #1, you have to trust yourself and not let anyone get in the way of your success.
Rule 5: Work your butt off
This is a problem that many poker players face. I'm very guilty of not putting in the hands when I should be. Instead opting to lazily watch some coaching videos and shrugging it off as "educational value". Or worse, browsing Facebook, YouTube, and Reddit. But when push comes to shove, your earnings are a direct result of putting the hours in. This is why monthly volume goals are good to have. I really need to hit Platinum Star this month!
Rule 6: Give something back
This is something I want to do more of with poker. I would like to start contributing more in the forums and making more/better poker videos. I've always enjoyed mentoring and if I can help lower stakes players plug some leaks then that would be great. Who knows maybe I'll learn a thing or two about myself along the way. I'd also like to start updating my blog more, but finding the time can be difficult!
Breaking Bdon - Episode 3
The final part of my first video series. It's a bit longer than the first two parts but I wanted to finish it off instead of going for part 4. I think next month I'll aim to do another video series. Making these videos really helped me improve my thought process. So even if nobody watches them, at least I'm gaining something out of it!
I was able to catch up on some playing time this weekend and Platinum Star might be achievable this month after all. I've got about 2815 VPP's to go with 5 days left. At 0.30 VPP/hand that means roughly 9.5k hands of grinding over the next 5 days. Might be tough but I'm gonna try!
Trust Yourself
I stumbled across this video on YouTube and it definitely got me pumped up. I have nothing but mad respect for The Governator.
Rule 1: Trust yourself
As a poker player you can't always win. Downswings are inevitable and sometimes the break-even, or worse, losing stretches, can last for weeks or even months. During a downswing, it's easy to doubt yourself and wonder if you were ever really a winning player. But like Arnold said, you have to trust yourself. All we can do is keep a level head and make the most +EV decision at every point in a hand. And if we can continue to do this on a daily basis, then the money will flow.
Rule 2: Break the rules
There's no such thing as a "standard" way to play a hand in poker. I hate it when I post a hand on forums and someone says something like "betting the flop here is standard". Every hand of poker is a unique situation and there can be always be arguments for taking a different line. In fact, sticking to "standard" poker, is the quickest way to let your game stagnate. Only you have all the pieces to the puzzle: previous history with villain, timing tells, your own perceived table image, and of course HUD stats. So once in a while, we should look to break the rules and play in our own unique style.
Rule 3: Don't be afraid to fail
The best way to test a new strategy is to try it out in practice. After all, what good is a bunch of math that looks good on paper if it never works in reality? That being said, there will be many times where we choose the wrong spot to implement a new strategy, or it was a good spot, but it still didn't work out. The key is to just keep trying and to keep what works and discard the rest.
Rule 4: Don't listen to the naysayers
Many people don't understand that poker can be a viable source of income. It can be tough when family and friends don't understand how you can take a game of chance so seriously. Words like "problem gambler", "degenerate", "throwing your life away", etc. can hurt. But going back to #1, you have to trust yourself and not let anyone get in the way of your success.
Rule 5: Work your butt off
This is a problem that many poker players face. I'm very guilty of not putting in the hands when I should be. Instead opting to lazily watch some coaching videos and shrugging it off as "educational value". Or worse, browsing Facebook, YouTube, and Reddit. But when push comes to shove, your earnings are a direct result of putting the hours in. This is why monthly volume goals are good to have. I really need to hit Platinum Star this month!
Rule 6: Give something back
This is something I want to do more of with poker. I would like to start contributing more in the forums and making more/better poker videos. I've always enjoyed mentoring and if I can help lower stakes players plug some leaks then that would be great. Who knows maybe I'll learn a thing or two about myself along the way. I'd also like to start updating my blog more, but finding the time can be difficult!
Breaking Bdon - Episode 3
The final part of my first video series. It's a bit longer than the first two parts but I wanted to finish it off instead of going for part 4. I think next month I'll aim to do another video series. Making these videos really helped me improve my thought process. So even if nobody watches them, at least I'm gaining something out of it!
Thursday, January 23, 2014
Breaking Bdon - Episode 2
Here's part 2 of the $100NL Zoom session I played last week on PokerStars. Any and all feedback is welcome!
Monday, January 20, 2014
January Goals (Breaking Bdon - Episode 1)
Poker
I know this is a bit late for a monthly goal post but better late than never!
I ended 2013 with Black Card status on Full Tilt Poker. For 2014 I'm switching over to PokerStars with the end goal of reaching Supernova status and being able to beat the $500NL Zoom games.
My goal for January is to take a break from grinding poker and to spend more time away from the tables studying the game. Specifically, my studying goals for this month are to:
Originally I also planned on reaching Platinum Star VIP status in addition to studying. But that's definitely not going to happen as studying is taking up more time than I imagined (plus it's fun) and dropping down to 500 hands/hr won't generate enough VPP's. Looks like I'll have to settle for Gold Star, which should be easily attainable.
Badminton
On the badminton front things have been moving a bit slowly. I took a break from training over Christmas holidays and of course all that delicious food paid its price! My badminton goal for January is actually not directly a badminton goal. I'm tired of the wrist pain I get while playing badminton. It's been over a year since I injured it without any real improvement in the condition. The pain limits the amount I can cock my wrist, and thus my ability to generate maximum smashing power and also shot selection.
So my badminton goal for January (and onward) is to:
I'm seeing a new physiotherapist and so far it's going well. She gave me some stretches and exercises I can do at home, in addition to the ultrasound treatment and adjustments she does at the clinic.
Jdon lent me his Wrist Widget. I was skeptical at first but it seems to be working and it doesn't interfere with my range of motion too much, so I'll keep using it.
My buddy Lester also lent me his Evoluent Vertical Mouse. I brought it to work since that's where I spend most of my time mousing. It took some time getting used to, but it's actually really comfortable and using a horizontal mouse now feels weird. I still prefer a regular mouse for poker though since it's kind of like gaming where accuracy (and sometimes speed) matters.
Thanks for the stuff guys! Hopefully these things combined with physio will help my wrist pain go away >:(
I know this is a bit late for a monthly goal post but better late than never!
I ended 2013 with Black Card status on Full Tilt Poker. For 2014 I'm switching over to PokerStars with the end goal of reaching Supernova status and being able to beat the $500NL Zoom games.
My goal for January is to take a break from grinding poker and to spend more time away from the tables studying the game. Specifically, my studying goals for this month are to:
- Learn more about Game Theory Optimal play by finishing Applications of No Limit Holdem by Matthew Janda
- Sign up for Run It Once elite membership and review all of Ben Sulsky's videos on GTO play (and also contribute more in the forums)
- Review my Holdem Manager database for Q4 of 2013 (140k hands) and identify my biggest leaks (spoiler: it's playing from the blinds)
- Use what I've learned from all of the above to construct a more balanced strategy against stronger players
- Reduce the # of tables from 4 to 2 so that I can step away from auto-piloting and force myself to think clearly about each decision
Originally I also planned on reaching Platinum Star VIP status in addition to studying. But that's definitely not going to happen as studying is taking up more time than I imagined (plus it's fun) and dropping down to 500 hands/hr won't generate enough VPP's. Looks like I'll have to settle for Gold Star, which should be easily attainable.
To reinforce what I've been studying, I decided to record videos of myself playing and then evaluate my play afterwards. Live commentary is too difficult for me at the moment but I'll get there eventually. I'm hoping to start producing content like this regularly to keep my blog interesting. These videos are geared towards more advanced players so I apologize if any of the poker jargon is confusing. I'm sharing these videos with other poker players so communicating my thought process with them is my priority, but if you have any questions feel free to ask.
So here it is... my first ever poker video. Comments and criticisms are welcome :)
So here it is... my first ever poker video. Comments and criticisms are welcome :)
Badminton
On the badminton front things have been moving a bit slowly. I took a break from training over Christmas holidays and of course all that delicious food paid its price! My badminton goal for January is actually not directly a badminton goal. I'm tired of the wrist pain I get while playing badminton. It's been over a year since I injured it without any real improvement in the condition. The pain limits the amount I can cock my wrist, and thus my ability to generate maximum smashing power and also shot selection.
So my badminton goal for January (and onward) is to:
- Fix my wrist
I'm seeing a new physiotherapist and so far it's going well. She gave me some stretches and exercises I can do at home, in addition to the ultrasound treatment and adjustments she does at the clinic.
Jdon lent me his Wrist Widget. I was skeptical at first but it seems to be working and it doesn't interfere with my range of motion too much, so I'll keep using it.
My buddy Lester also lent me his Evoluent Vertical Mouse. I brought it to work since that's where I spend most of my time mousing. It took some time getting used to, but it's actually really comfortable and using a horizontal mouse now feels weird. I still prefer a regular mouse for poker though since it's kind of like gaming where accuracy (and sometimes speed) matters.
Thanks for the stuff guys! Hopefully these things combined with physio will help my wrist pain go away >:(
Tuesday, December 24, 2013
Black Card Status Achieved!
I had two stretch goals for 2012:
1) Win the CSCS SuperStreet AWD Championship
2) Achieve Black Card status on Full Tilt Poker
Black Card status is the highest VIP level you can reach on Full Tilt Poker without being sponsored. When FTP was closed in 2010, I had a large amount of unclaimed Full Tilt points on my account. Only once you become a Black Card player are you allowed to cash out those points into cold hard cash. Which has now become a reality for me. My bankroll is now in a very healthy state to be able to take a shot at the $100NL games.
There were some major setbacks along the way. Particularly a large downswing which wiped out about 75% of my bankroll between August/September. I had to move down limits twice and spend a lot of time analyzing my database, but I managed to revamp my game and grind my way back up from $25NL.
Then in October I got hit by a stomach virus and pneumonia shortly after. Most of October was a write-off which pushed me even further back on the 100-day rolling average.
I'm so glad to be done with this challenge. I have to admit that it took a lot longer than I expected. The lesson here is to always account for the unexpected - which in my case was the downswing and getting really sick.
I'm almost done playing for the year. I have a small bonus left to claim which should only take me about 3 hours of playing. After that it's time to relax and enjoy the rest of the holidays :D
1) Win the CSCS SuperStreet AWD Championship
2) Achieve Black Card status on Full Tilt Poker
I started working on my 2nd stretch goal on July 1st and 270 hours and 224,000 hands later I'm proud to say that I've managed to achieve my goal.
Then in October I got hit by a stomach virus and pneumonia shortly after. Most of October was a write-off which pushed me even further back on the 100-day rolling average.
I'm so glad to be done with this challenge. I have to admit that it took a lot longer than I expected. The lesson here is to always account for the unexpected - which in my case was the downswing and getting really sick.
I'm almost done playing for the year. I have a small bonus left to claim which should only take me about 3 hours of playing. After that it's time to relax and enjoy the rest of the holidays :D
Dobie says Merry Christmas!
Monday, December 23, 2013
2014 Goals
I've always considered myself to be an athlete at heart in the purest sense. Meaning that I love competing in something at a high level regardless of what it actually is. It doesn't matter if it's racing cars, sports, video games, or even board games.
One of the non-monetary reasons that I'm leaving Time Attack racing is that I feel a large % of the competitive advantage can be bought. I'm not afraid to admit that I probably spent the most money out of all my competitors this year, and subsequently won because of it.
If you spend a lot of money on your platform then you WILL be faster than someone who didn't. I'm not calling anyone out in particular, or saying that there's no skill involved. Driving fast takes plenty of skill (and balls). But relative to other competitive mediums, money has a much bigger impact on results in motorsports than in anything else I've ever competed in.
For 2014 I've decided to revisit some old hobbies of mine and re-ignite my competitive flame in them.
My goals for 2014 are:
Become a Better Poker Player
Poker was a large part of my life between 2006-2010. Many people don't know this but poker actually helped fund my motorsports career. I played for small stakes and grinded a steady profit each year. It was like a second job to me.
But playing poker every night on top of my full time job became overwhelming in 2010. I decided to take an extended break from the game and enjoy some of my winnings with racing.
Now that my extended break is over, I feel that I have a renewed energy for the game. I really miss the strategic depth of the game and the element of personal mastery needed to overcome the inevitable variance and downswings. To put it bluntly, I miss using my brain. I also miss making money.
Over the past few months I've been ramping up my play significantly and shaving off all that rust. I've read a few books along the way that have really solidified my mental game. I recently joined Phil Galfond's new poker community Run It Once and I'm hoping to become an active member there as well. I feel that 2014 is going to be a very positive year for me at the tables.
Become a Better Badminton Player
After an 8 year hiatus from playing with the Varsity Blues in 2004, I picked up my racket again at the end of 2012. Although I've just been playing casually for the better part of a year, I really want to improve my game and start competing in tournaments again.
For the past few months I've been training with famous YouTube coach Lee Jae Bok. He's helped me improve my game a lot so far but I still have a long way to go.
I can't claim to be a good badminton player yet, and I've been struggling with a wrist injury for the better part of a year. But my plan is to keep training and improving on a weekly basis that will allow for steady improvements throughout the year. At the very least, I'll improve my fitness and health, which is a win no matter what!
One of the non-monetary reasons that I'm leaving Time Attack racing is that I feel a large % of the competitive advantage can be bought. I'm not afraid to admit that I probably spent the most money out of all my competitors this year, and subsequently won because of it.
If you spend a lot of money on your platform then you WILL be faster than someone who didn't. I'm not calling anyone out in particular, or saying that there's no skill involved. Driving fast takes plenty of skill (and balls). But relative to other competitive mediums, money has a much bigger impact on results in motorsports than in anything else I've ever competed in.
For 2014 I've decided to revisit some old hobbies of mine and re-ignite my competitive flame in them.
My goals for 2014 are:
- To become a better poker player
- To become a better badminton player
Become a Better Poker Player
Poker was a large part of my life between 2006-2010. Many people don't know this but poker actually helped fund my motorsports career. I played for small stakes and grinded a steady profit each year. It was like a second job to me.
But playing poker every night on top of my full time job became overwhelming in 2010. I decided to take an extended break from the game and enjoy some of my winnings with racing.
Now that my extended break is over, I feel that I have a renewed energy for the game. I really miss the strategic depth of the game and the element of personal mastery needed to overcome the inevitable variance and downswings. To put it bluntly, I miss using my brain. I also miss making money.
Over the past few months I've been ramping up my play significantly and shaving off all that rust. I've read a few books along the way that have really solidified my mental game. I recently joined Phil Galfond's new poker community Run It Once and I'm hoping to become an active member there as well. I feel that 2014 is going to be a very positive year for me at the tables.
Become a Better Badminton Player
After an 8 year hiatus from playing with the Varsity Blues in 2004, I picked up my racket again at the end of 2012. Although I've just been playing casually for the better part of a year, I really want to improve my game and start competing in tournaments again.
For the past few months I've been training with famous YouTube coach Lee Jae Bok. He's helped me improve my game a lot so far but I still have a long way to go.
I can't claim to be a good badminton player yet, and I've been struggling with a wrist injury for the better part of a year. But my plan is to keep training and improving on a weekly basis that will allow for steady improvements throughout the year. At the very least, I'll improve my fitness and health, which is a win no matter what!
Thursday, December 19, 2013
2013 End of Year Update
I haven't updated this blog in a few months so I wanted to take a moment to write about a few important changes coming up.
I've decided to take a break from Time Attack racing indefinitely.
This season was exhausting. I went over budget on my build trying to keep up with the arms race that the Super Street AWD category has become. Ultimately, I won the championship, but not without great sacrifice. Motorsports accounted for over 50% of my spending this year including mortgage payments and regular living stuff. That is completely unacceptable and unsustainable.
I'm getting married in 2014 and there will be a lot of bills to pay. The reality is racing is an expensive sport and I don't think I'll be able to continue racing competitively without going completely bankrupt. This doesn't mean I'm quitting driving though! Just competing.
I debated selling my car. I even put it up for sale. If I get a decent offer for it, I won't hesitate to let it go. But that's probably not going to happen as my asking price is a little high (I put a lot into it, and don't want to lose too much). If I can't sell the car, then it will likely be detuned back to something less hardcore and more of a weekend warrior/project.
Even if I had the money to continue racing competitively, I wouldn't. I'm at a point in my life right now where I need to start being smarter with my money instead of blowing everything on a depreciating hunk of metal. I would like to be financially free sooner rather than later. On top of that, I just feel like the competition in motorsports can be too easily "bought" by anyone willing to spend the money. More on this later.
Thank you to all the people who supported my short lived motorsports career. I'm sorry there won't be as many motorsports updates. But hopefully you will still find my blog interesting as it changes direction in 2014.
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