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My first year in poker!
Hello everyone. This is a bit of a ramble, sorry!
Its was around this time last year that i found the game of poker and this site. I have always had a bit of a gamble on the football and occassionally horses and whatnot. I remember being bored one afternoon last Christmas and decided to have a bit of a gambly day on the laptop. I had always made a bit on the football over the years with small accumulators and lucky 15's but last season i was down a long way at Christmas and decided to have a pop at the roulette and bandits on skyvegas. That didnt go well, so i went on to skybingo (some say i never left) and eventually on to the poker side of it.
Now, i had never played before and didnt know my flushes from my straights. I was a complete novice and soon did a wedge on the 2p/4p cash tables, well i say a wedge but it was about £20! Anyway, time for my first thankyou! Come on down serial multi tabler at NL4 J1MBOE! J1MBOE had a bit of a go at me in the chatbox after i lucked out and hit a full house calling me a bingo player and that i was a 'donk' whatever that was! I decided to take my revenge and looked up a few articles on the net. It was then i found there was a bit more to this game than meets the eye and became hooked on strategies and watching clips on youtube!
I soon realised that there were these things called SNG's and were cheaper than losing £1.60 every two minutes on the cash tables. I started pllaying 30p DYM's and 0.35p bountyhunters along with the odd cash game to try out my new moves which included a pre flop raise rather than a limp/call or shove. I now had some tools lol! This was easy and i ground out a nice little £35 from £8 which i promptly donated at the cash tables.
It was about February time that i started again with £8 and played a mixture of SNG's and cash and i have never looked back. I found 865 around this time and the community on the site, especially the Clinic! By March i had found these things called MTT's and Freerolls and i had a couple of good early results which boosted my bankroll. By June, i had over £100 in my account and decided to invest in 'Harrington on Cash Games vol 1' and 'vol 2' and in July started my spreadsheet showing me where i made and more importantly lost my money at the tables. This was one of the best things i did and opened my eyes to the fact i was bad at SNG's whereas i always thought they were my bread and butter!
It was around this time i decided to give multi-tabling a go. If the pro's could do it then why could'nt I? At first it was really hard, i remember folding KK a couple of times because i didnt have time to get to the other table. However after a tough first week i soon got the hang of it and now keep adding one more table when i think i can handle it. I can do 6 but its not optimal for my game so i stick to 3 now where i am comfortable.
In July, i decided cash was my game and played 90% cash mixed in with a few HU SNG's and the odd MTT thrown in for fun and my profits started to roll in. I made it to £160 and stepped up to NL8. Well, i ran my AA in to KK and they spiked the K on the flop. I a smaller flush against a bigger flush etc. I was soon on the back foot and a few 'donk' statements were being made in the chat box again. This was the first real downswing and my confidence was absolutely shattered. I perservered and posted hands in the clinic and i was off and running again after taking some time off.
I am now up at £250 and have been treading water for a while playing the odd NL10 table and NL8 tables but throwing the odd multitabling session in at NL4 for cash 4 points scheme. (May aswell take the free money if i can grind enough). I only play occassionally and have only been over the 500 points the once but will do over a thousand this month hopefully.
I can honestly say i have fallen in love with this game and also the really helpful and amusing community we have on Sky. I'd like to thank the presenters and analysts on 865 as they have had a big impact on my game and improved me no end. Also, the Clinic has been great and some of my hands have been shown on the TV which is nice although it would be nice for them to show a winning hand grr. I'd like to thank everyone from the clinic for their patience with me and also the differing views on the game, it can only be good for our own games listening to others. Special thanks go to Grantorino, LOL_RAISE, CoxyLboro, Offshoot and obviously the one and only DOHHHHHHH for their input.
One more thing before i go (if anyone is still reading), me and the missus are expecting a baby in April, its our first! This may hinder my poker time somewhat, although i might get the odd 3am session in! Any hints or tips on fatherhood would be appreciated, i only know how to get her pregnant, (and that took me a while to figure out) not what happens afterwards!
Have a good one and hope you all enjoy at least some luck on the tables,
Sharpy!
Comments
Great read Sharpy!! You were one of the first people to reply to my posts in the clinic when I started last March! I'm guessing if you can handle 6 x tables you'll be fine with changing nappies!!! Good luck to you and the Mrs. and keep us posted on progress.
pad
I have two little ones, come home from work - give em some quality time then pack em to bed as early as possible ) Split up your evenings during the week poker/missus and your laughing )
kids />missus>poker>
good luck with you life balance sir
ps i woulld be perfectly alright with you naming your kid lolraise
nice read m8
remember playing against you at nl4. was fun. seem to remember a few chats!
i've started on nl8 now so might meet you on the tables soon
fatherhood and poker - don't know about that one when they are young. my youngest was 3 when i started. i do remember being tired alot so it might hinder your playing?
you'll have fun though and it'll put a new perspective on "bad beats" if you get one and then your kid smiles at you!
I'm going soft in my old age!
enjoy
happy xmas
Wish you the very best for 2012 with poker and the little one.
Keep the grind going and see you on TV at NL500 soon!