<p>The real world took over for what should have been my rd week. A blocked drain led to a flooded bathroom and hall. So I took the hint and had this week off, just playing a few SnGs on Stars as and when I felt like it in between dealing with soggy carpets etc. The nd week of 'this is a job' was illuminating. Having spent some time watching the NL tables on Party I decided to find a table on Pacific that seemed to have similar play and see how I fared. That's when I realised I still have a lot to learn. I didn't exactly play badly by my standards, just that my standard of play at NL isn't that good to start with. To make matters worse I didn't enjoy it much, it seemed like drudgery. That could have been down to my being tired but the 'one long session' thing was echoing around my head coupled with visions of a dead Albatross and an Ancient Pokerplayer wandering the oceans of fish for eternity. Maybe NL cash games aren't for me or maybe I need to change my medication, lol. <p>
<p>I've also been reading a lot of forums and found myself spending more and more time at the tournament sections wishing I were better at them. The reading did bring some benefits. I learned about 'pushbotting' and even grasped that there are times when it's right to go all in with o. Also the 'Gap Concept' and how the gap changes relative to how many players are left. All that reading didn't do my play any harm either. I won enough from playing the . player SnGs to attack the player . ones again and managed a st and a nd from . This bucked me up no end, I usually get short stacked early in the player events and flounder but this time I was pushing more even though unsure of exactly when to do it. Winning a SnG makes me feel like I've achieved something. Even winning the play money ones gives me a boost.<p>
<p>It occurred to me that if I made the same hourly rate no where I played and no matter what the game, I'd be playing SnGs on Stars and maybe the occassional player ones on Pacific plus some O limit. I've never been one for chasing the highest wage if it means not enjoying the job so it is with some relief that I have, for now, given up my plan to go bonus chasing and having to get to grips with many different sites. I realise that the chance of failure is higher now but it's what I want to do so I am going for it. I can still go bonus chasing later if this endeavour fails. Either way I'll be posting my progress here. I'm currently showing a ROI of out of x . SnGs. (I haven't recorded the . ones.) I'll get that notepad file to and then use proper recording software to track my results. Initial target is to get the ROI positve before hitting the mark.<p>
<p>One nice thing about SnGs is that you can predict your earnings in advance assuming you're good enough. One target for me is to make an average of £ a week. Allowing for the exchange rip that means ~ or per day. ROI is considered decent so I need to invest a day on them. At ., tourneys is a long day even with multi tabling but once I can manage tables and get the magic ROI, sets of at . is near enough. On various forums I read posts on the lines of the STTs being soft up to and I'm like...c'mon that's the holy grail for me. ROI of around for STTs and my head would have trouble fitting through the door. For all the talk of money, I'm Frequent Player Points away from getting a sweatshirt from Stars and that is going to be such a buzz, can't wait to see their faces at my home game. <p>
<p>One area of pride for me is that I've never put my own money into a poker site. Pacific gave a sign up bonus and a friend transferred to me on Stars after he scored nd in a MTT. (I later returned when he busted.) I have had my Stars account up to but tilted away nearly all of it (down to ) during a disasterous run. I am so tempted to try and build my roll from the I have there now. Just stubborn pride but if the variance does decree that I deposit, then so be it. I've still got the dosh that was intended for Party and in Pacific and if I lose all of that , well tourneys aren't for me I guess.<p>
<p>I'm not sure about my work plan now. What I did learn from my = tilt session is that SnGs need a sharp mind. I can show a small profit from NL cash games just by waiting for cards (given careful table selection) but the tourneys involve a fight, reminds me of when I played a lot of league chess. I'm not sure what's going to happen when it's time to work but I'm feeling dull, I think I'll burn that bridge when I come to it. The week off has also reminded me that I am way behind on physical projects, ie. anything not to do with computers or the internet. So I'm trying to get things done like get my FM aerial fitted in the loft, change the pots on my combo amp and sort out the plumbing for my latest homebrew project. I'll leave the next weeks open and see how it goes, given my (lack of) poker skills I can't be making 'how to play' posts but one thing I have sorted out pretty much is the bugbear of connection problems. That will be my next article.<p>.
