Bankroll Management, Position, and Player's Playing Styles

I have been playing poker for awhile and have been a low-limit winner in my games. The reason I did win was based on my playing very basic fundamental poker. I just sat back and waited for good hands and capitalized on other player's mistakes. This works in low limit games but I knew that if I ever wanted to compete in a higher level game, I would need to learn more. Now I will learn more strategy and specific weapons will be gained, however there were three main basic fundamentals that were missing from my game. These 3 things are:





1) Bankroll Management - so many times I have played over my head only to eventually go busted and have to start all over again from nothing. If I had in the past followed strict bankroll management guidelines, I would have probably already been playing at least 15-30 on a regular basis. This problem has now been figured out and is fixed.





2) Position - I always had hand requirements that I followed, however, I never followed where they needed to be played. I always was told position was important, but never really understood how much until it finally clicked. I have now tightened my hand requirements up front and loosened then from the rear. Position also give me opportunities to steal a lot of pots that I never took advantage before. I still need to refine how I will play position a bit, but I am almost there.





3) Playing styles - I always gave a half-ass effort in studying my opponents but never took it to the next level. I never really placed them in a certain category and developed a plan on how I would play that player. I never studied how they reacted or bet in certain situations. This part will be the toughest for me to master, but I am aware and will be trying.





Full Tilt beginning balance - $61.85





$2.25 NL Holdem SNG - 9 players





I finish 4th and out of the money. I make a dumb bluff play in the middle of the tourney that goes wrong and hurts my stack.





$2.25 PL Omaha Hi/Low SNG - 9 players





I was dominating the game with a huge stack lead. With 3 players left I was raising uncontested almost all the time. Then, out of the blue, my computer shuts off! It takes about 8 minutes to get it back on and logged back in, by then, the tourney was over. I finish 3rd with a $3.60 prize. That sucked.





$2.25 Horse FL SNG - 9 players




The computer outage did not hurt this tourney as much, since it was only the middle of it and the game was Razz which is a fairly slow game. With 3 players left and holdem the game, a super aggressive player starts attacking me. I double up when I flat call all the way with my pair of Aces. The very next hand, I call a raise and flop two Kings up. My opponent flops Aces up and destroys me. I bust out 3rd a few hands later for a $3.20 prize.



$2.25 NL Holdem SNG - 9 players



I finish 4th again...race at end that I lose like always...



$.02/$.05 Omaha Hi/Low NL Cash game - Buy-in $3



I make a few hands that builds my stack to about $5. With 8 players left I have a nut low draw and a nut flush draw that I push and get called for my whole $5. I end up hitting the flush and take down the whole pot. I cash out when the blinds hit me for $11.13 and a $8.13 profit.



$.02/$.05 Omaha Hi/Low PL Cash Game - Buy-in $2.50

I play for a long time not really able to hit any kind of hand and end up cashing out $1.53 and a $.97 loser.

$1.25 NL Holdem MTT - 27 players

I get knocked out early when my small pair and flush draw miss and lose to high pair. No money.

$1.25 NL Holdem MTT - 90 Players

I get knocked out midway through the tourney when 3 of us go all-in pre-flop - I have pocket Aces, another player has pocket queens, and the 3rd player has pocket nines and hits quads on the turn. No money for me.

$2.25 NL Holdem SNG - 9 players

I hold my own and go a marathon with only 4 players remaining and last to 2nd place with a $5.60 prize.

$2.25 Omaha Hi/Low PL SNG Matrix - 9 players

It was a bad tourney for me as I only finish in the money with one tourney, however, that finish was 1st place and I finished 2nd in the Matrix points for a total prize of $2.88.

$2.25 NL Holdem SNG 9 players

I try to steal the limper from the BB with A-10 and go all-in with blinds at $50-$100 for $1400 and get called by AJ and lose and finish 5th and no money. Dumb play...not using my brains.

$1.25 NL Holdem MTT - 27 Players

I finish 20th when I go all-in with pocket Jacks against AK and Ace and a King hit the flop. No money.

$1.25 NL Holdem MTT - 45 players

I start out hot by doubling up. I try to use position and steal but keep getting caught with better hands and got crippled mid-way through. I then played a hand really bad where I open from the button and raise it 3 x BB with K-10 of hearts and get called from big blind. The board come A65 and we both check. The turn is a 10 and he checks and for some reason I check. River comes a Q and he bets out 25% of the pot and I call. He shows Q6 and takes the pot down. I later go all-in with A4 out of desperation and finish 14th and no money.

$2.25 Horse FL SNG - 8 players

I must be tired because I played the last four tourneys pretty bad. I started playing this one by making very passive calls and bad raises. I end up making a comeback only to fall short by finishing 4th.

$2.25 NL Holdem SNG - 9 players

I start the tourney again real bad, however, I double up towards the end and survive to finish in 2nd place and a $5.60 prize.

$2.25 NL Holdem SNG - 9 players

I double up early and cruise for awhile. I then get caught bluffing in two spots and have to hang on to finish in 3rd and a $3.60 prize.

$2.25 Omaha Hi/Low SNG Matrix - 9 players

This is the 1st Matrix tourney that I have played in that I did not place in one table. I end up air balling the whole tourney and get no return.

Full Tilt Ending Balance - $63.29