Tuesday, May 5, 2009

The Question Begs

I had a go-nowhere month in April, swinging up and down around the breakeven mark, never really going on any extended runs in either direction. Here's my chart, which for some reason is leaving off my last 300 hands of the month, over which I won my way up to the +$40 figure listed below.

Results
Online NLHE: +$39.96
Rakeback: +$86.23
Live Poker: +$439
PLO: -$227

PLO was down this month. I had a 3-day period where I decided I was going to give PLO my full attention. I downloaded the trial version of Poker Tracker Omaha and started 4-tabling on Full Tilt. Then, due to a combination of running bad and realizing that there are a lot of PLO grinders out there who seemed to be exploiting me and generally running me over, I decided that I needed more training. I've watched a few videos, but I need quite a few more before I venture seriously back into the PLO space.

On to the begging question - Why are you sinking so much into online NLHE when you seem to be spinning your wheels in place, and when there seem to be more profitable avenues (live poker, for instance)? Good question, Voice In My Head. 7000 hands, at about 300 hands per hour, comes out to 23 hours (please wife don't be reading my blog today). The answer's pretty simple. As much as I love live poker, it is a slow grind and it just takes too much commitment. I can squeeze in hour-long online sessions with ease, but I have to plan in advance to get away for at least 3-4 hours of live play. And, like I've said here before, I'm a big dork for stats, so I get titillated by all of the lovely numbers that PT3 crunches for me. The convenience, the stats, the analysis, and the eternal optimism about turning the corner and becoming a regular winner. All keep me hopping online to play, profits or none. Until I hit the frustration threshold and give it up for good, I'll be here posting away about my progress. Stay tuned.

4 comments:

WillWonka said...

LOL at wife reading blog.

We all know that online poker can be a stuggle at times. I recently had a 50 buyin downswing. You just have to keep at it. The convenience factor is too much to overlook as it hard for people like us to get away from the family (not that we want to because I'm sure that you don't).

Things will turn around, you'll see.

Anonymous said...

Danny boy, you are sooooo busted. 23 hours? The good news is that you'll have more time for online poker for a while, because you won't be gettin' any until at least July. You might want to pick up some lotion on the way home from work. Just sayin'.

Susan

Lucypher said...

Uh-oh, Busted? Now, that is a bad beat.

noldmax said...

Now she'll be doubly thrilled to find both documentation of the time I sink into poker, and that I've induced smarmy individuals to post on her behalf.

Will, a 50 buyin downswing?? Dude, I'm just impressed that you're still going at it. Kudos to you for being willing to drop down and work your way back.

And you're right, I'm trying to balance 2 things I love, not escape from something that I don't. So convenience and accessibility is paramount.