Weekly Bankroll Update 6/15 - 6/29

Hello all, and sorry for the no-post last week. I've had a lot going on as summer begins to ramp up. I actually took last week off from the virtual felt after going 0/15 the week before so there really wasn't much to report last week anyway. I think it's important to take a break from time to time so your brain can re-charge. When you're playing every day it's easy to just kind of go through the motions and not play your best game. I probably won't play this week either since I will be on vacation from Wed-Sun. Here's where I'm perched for now:

Play Money: 38,851,00 Down 1,422,000

Real Money: $2,209.32 Down $11.07

Target for next MTT level: $2,750 ($55)

Target for next Cash Game level: $4,000 ($200)

Target for next SnG level: $4,360 ($218)

I have been using this time to formulate a plan for when I come back. Cash games and SnGs will be part of the mix, and a more aggressive approach will be necessary. $2,000 of the roll is locked up in a bank account right now and there are no plans to touch any of it. Once the money goes in the bank, it stays there. I will use the $209.32 to try and build through a careful mix of MTTs, SnGs and cash games. The games I play will be dependent on how I'm feeling that night. Staying conservative is great, but ultimately you need to take some shots especially when you feel like you're playing your best game. In the meantime I'm going to enjoy my vacation this week and spending some quality time with the family.

Weekly Bankroll Update 6/8 - 6/14

The plan seems to be working. I've been playing small-ball the last couple of weeks to try and build some insurance above the $2,200 marker and, so far, it's been effective. I played seven Bonanzas, and seven Daily Hundos, plus the Newsletter freeroll and had four cashes, including a final table last night in the Bonanza finishing 9th. It was a bit of a disappointment to finish 9th however. I came in running 7th, but the small stacks kept doubling up and I eventually ran AQ into J9 and was beaten by a 9 on the turn. Still took a decent profit though. Here's where I stand:

Play Money: 40,273,000 Down 965,000

Real Money: $2,220.39 Up $10.63

Target for next MTT level: $2,750 ($55)

Target for next Cash Game level: $4,000 ($200)

Target for next SnG level: $4,360 ($218)

This week will be more of the same. All the Bonanza and Hundo tourneys, and at the end of the week, if I'm down, I'll take a shot in a $3 SnG to try and take a profit for the week. If I'm ahead, I won't bother though. I like this system because even if I have a terrible week and don't cash, I don't take much of a hit. It's more fun to play when you have no pressure on you, and I don't feel that burnt out at the end of the week.

Weekly Bankroll Update 6/2 - 6/7

Last week was a pretty laid back one for me as I just played the bonanzas. I cashed 4/8 times and took in a small profit. Here's where I'm at:

Play Money: 41,238,000 Up 2,941,000

Real Money: $2,209.76 Up $4.51

Target for next MTT level: $2,750 ($55)

Target for next Cash Game level: $4,000 ($200)

Target for next SnG level: $4,360 ($218)

This week I will play just the bonanzas and the daily Hundo. I'm staying conservative to try and stay above the $2,200 level. It's going to be a bit of a slow summer as family engagements take precedence. It's important to try and have balance. We all play for different reasons, but regardless of those reasons, you need to put family first. 

Weekly Bankroll Update 5/26 - 6/1

Well, so much for my break from poker. Monday night I finished 2nd in the Daily Hundo tournament on Global Poker for $100. It was my first triple-digit cash on the site, and it was only $1 to buy in. It was also the last tournament I registered for before I was going to take a break from poker for a few days. I hadn't been playing well, and I felt like my game was on the decline due to burnout. That cash rejuvenated my confidence and got me fired up to play again. So, here we are still playing every night as the bankroll hits another plateau. Here are some numbers:

Play Money: 38,297,000 Up 8,038,000

Real Money: $2,205.25 Up $107.20

Target for next MTT level: $2,750 ($55)

Target for next Cash Game level: $4,000 ($200)

Target for next SnG level: $4,360 ($218)

So even though my break has been delayed a bit, this week will be relatively laid back from a poker standpoint. I have only planned to play the Bonanzas and the Monday night Newsletter freeroll. I will be making sure my bankroll never goes below $2,200 at any point. That means I view my available funds to be $5.25, not $2,205.25. The plan is to slow down a bit to keep burnout from rearing its ugly head, and to play with no pressure on me. If I can get to at least $2,207.88 by the end of this week, I'll play the Bonanzas and the Daily Hundos every night next week. If I make it to $2,242.88, I'll add in the Daily Five Hundo tournament each night as well. My goal is to have enough insurance above $2,200 to play the tournaments I want each night without any possibility of the bankroll dipping below that amount. It may take a while for this to be effective, but I'm not rushing things. I just want to get back to enjoying the game and not worrying so much about results.

Weekly Bankroll Update 5/12 - 5/25

Hello again readers! Long time, no write. I wish I had some big news to report given that it's been two weeks since my last post, but unfortunately not much has transpired from a poker standpoint. My MBA graduation was last weekend and it feels really good to be done with school. I've been on vacation from work since the 17th, and it's back to reality on Tuesday. I was able to make a couple of trips to MGM Springfield to play a little $1/$2 NLHE, but I got trounced. Everything that could have gone wrong did. The first session I lost $288 in about three and a half hours of play. Twice I lost w QQ to two pairs on the flop. First one, guy had 10-5 off, second one guy had 3-5 off. Then I got up and left after my AQ lost to A9 after we both flopped an Ace and he rivered a 9. I'd had enough. My second trip wasn't much better. I lost $200 in just under three hours of play. First I lost a small pot with KK when the flop came all hearts (I didn't have the King of hearts). Folded on the flop and a heart hit the river and I would have been beat there. Then I lost with AK on a JJ669 board. Guy had flopped quad Jacks. Finally, I met my demise when I came over the top with AK pre-flop to a guy who re-raised and happened to be holding AA. These kinds of things happen and I'm not too discouraged, although I will be taking a short break from poker after Monday night. The Rattlesnake tournaments have been quite a grind, and I've been feeling a little tilted lately. Here's where I'm at:

Play Money: 30,261,000 Up 1,492,000

Real Money: $2,098.05 Down $5.58

Target for next SnG level: $2,200 ($110)

Target for next MTT level: $2,750 ($55)

Target for next Cash Game level: $4,000 ($200)


I've been going pretty strong here for the past two years trying to build my bankroll, but I think I'm overdue for a hiatus from poker. I'm not playing my best game and I've punted a couple of tournaments I may have had a shot at winning. That's one of the main reasons why my roll is only down $5 the past two weeks. I tend to not play real money games when my confidence is shot or I'm not playing my A-game. Either way, my break will be short. Maybe a week or so. I was hoping these casino trips would give me a chance to add some profit, but I'll just have to wait until I save up enough to go again. I'll have to build it online for now. I will be opening things up a bit when I come back. Maybe play some bigger MTTs and SnGs, plus put some time in at the cash tables. I'll post again next week because who knows? I could always change my mind.

Weekly Bankroll Update 5/5 - 5/11

The Rattlesnake tourneys are officially underway and although I've been running very well, I have no trophies to my credit. Of the 12 tournaments I've played, I have seven cashes and three final tables. 5th place is the closest I've come. Luckily, there will still be plenty of chances left for me to score a snake. Here's where I stand:

Play Money: 28,769,000 Up 2,559,000

Real Money: $2,103.63 Up $7.40

Target for next SnG level: $2,200 ($110)

Target for next MTT level: $2,750 ($55)

Target for next Cash Game level: $4,000 ($200)

This will be my last blog post without an MBA. Graduation is Saturday and the anticipation is starting to mount, My vacation also starts on that day and I have at least a couple of those days reserved for MGM trips to play some $1/$2 No-Limit. I'm hoping for some success to boost the bankroll a little and give me some insurance above $2,000. If that happens, I have a game plan for what to play which will be unveiled in the next couple of weeks, assuming I'm able to win a little. Until then, it's going to be a grind in order to win my 2nd snake trophy.

Weekly Bankroll Update 4/28 - 5/4

My two-year anniversary on Global Poker has come and gone as we struggled a bit last week with bad beats in key spots. I played well but just couldn't close things out when I needed to. I had several 4th and 5th place finishes in SnGs, while making some deep runs in the Daily Bonanza and Daily Hundos, but struggled mightily in the $3 rebuy. Here's where I ended up:

Play Money: 26,210,000 Down 116,000

Real Money: $2,096.23 Down $18.42

Target for next SnG level: $2,200 ($110)

Target for next MTT level: $2,750 ($55)

Target for next Cash Game level: $4,000 ($200)

I'm super excited for this week as Global begins it's second Rattlesnake games tournament series. It runs May 6th - 26th. I won a trophy the last time, and would love another snake trophy to add to my collection. There will be real and play money tourneys and I'm hoping to take a shot at a couple of the $3 ones. Maybe a $5 here and there depending on how I'm running, but I'll mainly focus on the two play money ones that run each night. Can't wait!

Weekly Bankroll Update 4/21 - 4/27

It's so funny how sometimes you can go from feeling like the unluckiest poker player to the luckiest almost overnight. Last week started out well enough with me cashing in some Daily Bonanzas and SnGs as well as profiting in cash games, but then I went on a terrible SnG run going 0/8 with five 4th place finishes. There is nothing more infuriating then finishing 4th when three get paid. Especially when it happens five out of eight times. Going into Saturday I was feeling a little punch-drunk as I began by finishing 4th yet again, but then I got a win. Right after that, I won a raffle for 5% of The Golden Blazer's action in the $10,000 guarantee (by the way, if you're not watching his stream on Twitch, you should. You might even be "lucky" enough to see him do Sharkhead Karaoke) in which he finished 10th for $175. $8.75 went to me. I also went on a nice run in TGB's "home game" that night nearly knocking him out to score a T-shirt, but he runs too damn good for me to beat him in a flip. And now, some numbers:

Play Money: 26,326,000 Down 702,000

Real Money: $2,114.65 Up $46.36

Target for next SnG level: $2,200 ($110)

Target for next MTT level: $2,750 ($55)

Target for next Casg Game level: $4,000 ($200)

This week I expect life events to slow down a little bit. Saturday was my last day of school, and graduation is just three weeks away. It hasn't really sunk in yet that I'm done, but I imagine as May 18th gets closer it will. I might take a few more shots in some MTTs going forward, and upping my SnG buy ins a bit. I've soured a little in cash games though. It's feeling a lot more difficult to make money in them lately. Plus, SnGs and MTTs are much more fun to play. We'll see how it goes. Thanks everyone for reading! See ya next week! 

Weekly Bankroll Update 4/14 - 4/20

Last week went pretty well as I continued to stay conservative and build up the roll a little more. I actually profited 6 out of 7 days lifting the bankroll to an all-time high. With just one week of school to go, I think it's best to focus on finishing that up, so Daily Bonanzas, $3 SnGs, and $10 cash games will be in the repertoire. Here's where I ended last week:

Play Money: 27,028,000 Up 4,041,000

Real Money: $2,068.29 Up $54.26

Target for next SnG level: $2,200 ($110)

Target for next MTT level: $2,750 ($55)

Target for next Cash Game level: $4,000 ($200)

The two year mark of this project is approaching (May 2nd) and I never thought I'd be this far along at this point. I've had some luck along the way, but I really feel like my past failures have contributed a lot to my success. Losing bankrolls actually taught me the importance of managing them well. A lot of players that have early success fail to learn that variance plays a huge roll in poker, and managing your bankroll through it is more important than playing well. You can make correct decisions and still lose. The old adage "luck is streaky by nature" is what I try to remind myself of whether I'm running bad or good. I put in for a week of vacation the week after I graduate, and I will most definitely be going to the casino at least three or four of those days. In the meantime, I will be playing low stakes to protect the roll. Thank you to everyone for reading, and Happy Easter!

Weekly Bankroll Update 4/7 - 4/13

The bankroll continues to grow as I took the conservative route last week playing primarily Daily Bonanzas and a $3.30 SnG win to finish things off. Schoolwork dominated most of my free time so I took the focus off playing the big stuff and went small-ball. It worked as I took a small profit. Here's where I'm at:

Play Money: 22,987,000 Up 587,000

Real Money: $2,014.03 Up $12.61

Target for next SnG level: $2,200 ($110)

Target for next MTT level: $2,750 ($55)

Target for next Cash Game level: $4,000 ($200)

School will probably take up a chunk of my time again this week so I think I'll stick to the same strategy. The good news is I can buy in for $10 at a cash game and still remain above $2,000. Some insurance would be nice. Each time you go up a level it's like starting over again. A lot of people don't realize that as they move up in limits. They think they can just go hog wild and immediately start playing the limit they got to, not realizing that if you lose right away, you have to drop back down. It takes some time to get traction at new limits so it's important to play sparingly at first. The higher up you get the more shots you can take. I've lost many bankrolls in my time and I wish I understood this concept earlier in my career. Anyhoo, it's another week folks. Let's see what happens!

Weekly Bankroll Update 3/31 - 4/6

It wasn't a great week last week as I had a lot of ups and downs. The week started of well as I finished 25th in the $7,500 guarantee on Global Poker cashing for $44 and change, but then it kind of went downhill from there. I had some bad beats in cash games at one point losing to quads and a straight flush in back-to-back hands. Here are my digits:

Play Money: 22,400,000 Down 1,268,000

Real Money: $2,001.42 Down $23.47

Target for next SnG level: $2,200 ($110)

Target for next MTT level: $2,750 ($55)

Target for next Cash Game level: $4,000 ($200)

I'm anticipating a bit of a poker slowdown in the next few weeks. My final project for my MBA is due on the 27th, and I'll have to be putting in a lot of work in order to complete it. Only six more weeks till graduation! The MTTs seem to be working well for me right now and I'm going to be putting my focus there if and when I do play. Cash games can bleed you dry quickly when you're not running well, and being so close to dipping under $2,000, I don't really want to risk it.

Weekly Bankroll Update 3/24 - 3/30

As March winds down, I find myself looking forward to a Spring season that brings many fun events including my birthday and graduation. I write this post as I sit looking out the window of my 10th floor room at The Tower Square Hotel in Springfield, MA. I'm here not for poker, but to see Disney On Ice with my family. Admittedly, I've been reflecting on my success, and its meaning, a lot over the past few days. It's been a pretty big week for the bankroll as it passed  $2,000 for the first time, and it's a huge milestone. I am bankrolled to play $100 cash games now. I had a pretty good week on the tables even making a final table in the $1,000 guarantee on Thursday. Here's where I'm at:

Play Money: 23,668,000 Up 2,781,000

Real Money: $2,024.89 Up $81.38

Target for next SnG level: $2,200 ($110)

Target for next MTT level: $2,750 ($55)

Target for next Cash Game level: $4,000 ($200)


It feels good to finally get past that $2,000 number. Still a lot of work left to be done though. I will be formulating my strategy week to week as I go. I expect it to be a mix of everything at all different stakes. I'm going to try just going with my instincts and play whatever I feel comfortable with on that day. I can play many different levels now, and I just need to make sure I keep the roll above 2K. Success really is just what you perceive it to be. We all strive for it, but how do you know when you've reached it? These past few days, I feel like no matter what happens going forward, I've succeeded, and that's really all that matters.

Weekly Bankroll Update 3/17-3/23

I had some struggles last week as bad beats reared their ugly heads, but a nice deep run in Saturday's $500 guarantee helped recoup most of my losses. I took $32 and change for my 5th place finish. I was all over the map as far as what games I played with no real strategy as far as game selection. That could have been part of my problem. Here are some numbers:

Play Money: 20,887,000 Up 747,000

Real Money: $1,943.51 Down $10.20

Target for next Cash Game level: $2,000 ($100)

Target for next SnG level: $2,200 ($110)

Target for next MTT level: $2,750 ($55)


It would appear as though the envelope promo funds have dried up as Global has not credited my account from the last batch I sent, so it looks like I'm gonna end up just shy of $2,000 and will need to formulate a strategy moving forward. I should be playing $50 cash games regularly now so that will have to be part of the plan. I'd like to try and use any profits from the cash games to start playing some of the bigger MTTs in the hopes that I can put together some sort of deep run. As far as SnGs, I think it's time to make the $6.60 level 1 and do the steps from there. I'll only play the $3.30s if I need to make a "day-saver". The main goal right now is to break that $2,000 marker and start building to get to the $100 cash games. It's been tough to schedule a casino run with school and the weather not being cooperative, but I'm hoping next month offers me an opportunity. Until then, I'll continue my online grind at Global Poker.

Weekly Bankroll Update 3/10-3/16

A huge hand in the $100 cash game and a profitable home game session contributed to the majority of my record-setting profits last week. The home game drew nine players Sunday night, and I was able to get a few good hands to exploit their poor play pulling in $34 of profit. Being the only sober one at the table helped too. It's nearly impossible for impaired players to disguise their tells. Saturday night I sat down at a $100 cash game on Global and the very first hand generated a $60 profit. Here's how it went down: I started the session in the big blind and picked up JJ. There was a middle position raise to $4 and one caller. I flat-called and the flop came 4-4-J. Yup. I flopped a boat. I of course checked, and the pre-flop raiser bet $6.25. The other player in the hand folded and I called. The turn came a third club and I checked again. The pre-flop raiser bet $10 and I min-raised to $20. He re-raised all in for his remaining stack and I called. He turned over AK of clubs for the nut flush, but it was not enough to beat my full house. I got out of the session a few hands after that and it was mission accomplished. Here's where I'm at:

Play Money: 20,140,000 Down 72,000

Real Money: $1,953.71 Up $200.15

Target for next Cash Game level: $2,000 ($100)

Target for next SnG level: $2,200 ($110)

Target for next MTT level: $2,750 ($55)

I know I played slightly above my limits entering a $100 cash game, but in order for me to unlock my promo money from my Global account, I have to actually play with it by entering cash games and tourneys, so that was more designed to make the funds available for withdrawal than anything. That's why I got up shortly after that big hand. I wasn't planning on playing a long session at that level. I should be able to break the $2,000 marker this week. Once that happens I'll up my frequency of cash games, and start playing slightly bigger MTTs. Let's see how this week goes.

Weekly Bankroll Update 3/3 - 3/9

Things continue to roll right along for the bankroll as spring approaches (even though it doesn't feel like it yet. It's snowing this morning). There is a live game going on tonight that I'm playing in and it should be full of fish. Hopefully my cards run well and I can take advantage of what is likely to be very bad play. I've been able to bank some cash over the past few weeks thanks to Global's envelope promo and it's really helped the roll as the $2,000 marker nears. Here are some numbers:

Play Money: 20,212,000 Up 500,000

Real Money: $1,753.56 Up $92.48

Target for next Cash Game level: $2,000 ($100)

Target for next SnG level: $2,200 ($110)

Target for next MTT level: $2,750 ($55)

I really can't wait to play some live poker tonight. It's much more fun than online which can really feel like a grind sometimes. I also want to try and get to the casino sometime in the next couple of weeks. The roll is growing and I will soon be adjusting my strategy accordingly. More cash games and MTTs will be a part of it, but I also want to start playing sattelites into bigger tourneys. Stay tuned to my Twitter feed for live results from the home game tonight!

Weekly Bankroll Update 2/24 - 3/2

February has finally come to a close and I'm really looking forward to Spring. February always results in me being sick, car troubles, financial challenges, and overall school and work stress. Happy to put all that behind me and move on to bigger and better things. The bankroll continues to grow as good SnG and cash game results come my way, and the bankroll is my main focus now. Here's where I'm at:

Play Money: 19,712,000 Down 750,000

Real Money: $1,661.08 Up $88.92

Target for next Cash Game level: $2,000 ($100)

Target for next SnG level: $2,200 ($110)

Target for next MTT level: $2,750 ($55)


I finally have enough banked for $33 MTTs, but it doesn't mean I'm just gonna play them all right away. It's really just a milestone more than anything. At the rate I'm going, I should pass $2,000 within the next few weeks. Then look out. I will be very aggressive between the $2,000 and $4,000 milestones. Playing small stakes conservatively is no longer a viable option in that range, and we will start to see the exponential benefits that take place. The more you have, the more you'll make. It's an exciting time for the roll right now. I'm just gonna sit tight the next few weeks and make sure I hit that next milestone. I'm also hoping for a casino trip sometime this month. School doesn't start back up until March 30th so there's some time for a run assuming the weather cooperates.  We'll see.

Weekly Bankroll Update 2/17 - 2/23

Last week was a good one for the roll. I ran well, but still have no Grizzly trophy and today is the last day. Hopefully I can pull out a miracle and get one, but if not I'm ok with it. I ran pretty well and had some fun sweats this series. Four final tables and a handful of cashes is something to be proud of. These tourneys have gotten much tougher and winning one is no easy task. Anyhoo, here are my standings:

Play Money: 20,562,000 Up 455,000

Real Money: $1,572.16 Up $99.55

Target for next MTT level: $1,650 ($33)

Target for next Cash Game level: $2,000 ($100)

Target for next SnG level: $2,200 ($110)

This week it's back to normal with no Grizzly tourneys to play. My strategy is going to be to keep playing the Steps and maybe some MTTs. The roll is growing nicely and it's time to take some shots to keep the momentum. I am planning a run to MGM Springfield in March as well now that my car is finally fixed. I only have three Saturdays left of school before I graduate in May and I'm starting to get anxious so a casino trip will be the perfect thing to take the edge off. February has been a tough life month, and I can't wait to get this week started and get into March!

Weekly Bankroll Update 2/10 - 2/16

Well, still no Grizzly Bear trophy in my collection yet, but had a pretty good week. I was sick for a couple of days so I got a chance to play a little more than normal and it seemed to pay off. I had another deep run in the Weekly Bonanza and have now cashed four times in a row in that tournament. Also did pretty well in SnGs. Here's where I stand:

Play Money: 20,107,000 Up 698,000

Real Money: $1,473.71 Up $47.52

Target for next MTT level: $1,650 ($33)

Target for next Cash Game level: $2,000 ($100)

Target for next SnG level: $2,200 ($110)

This week I have just one goal which is to win a Grizzly. The bankroll is sitting on a record high so I'm happy with that. I just need that damn trophy. There won't be much change in my strategy this week as I just want to try and add to the roll.

Weekly Bankroll Update 2/3 - 2/9

Well, the Grizzly Games are underway and I'm off to a pretty good start, but no trophy yet. I had a couple of close calls finishing 3rd in one tourney and 4th in another. I'm also 6/12 cashing the Gold Coin tourneys overall. I haven't played any real money ones yet, but for the next $3.30 buy-in I plan to throw my hat in the ring. The next one will be Wednesday night, a $3.30 6-handed rebuy. I had a very good week playing in the Steps as well. I started Sunday night winning Step 1, and Monday night I won Step 2. No cash in Step 3 on Tuesday so I dropped back down to Step 2 and cashed three straight times finishing 2nd, 3rd and 3rd. Saturday night I failed to cash Step 2, but it's fine. I'm starting Step 1 again tonight anyway. I even had a deep run again in the Weekly Bonanza and have cashed three in a row there. All in all, a pretty good week. Here are my digits:

Play Money: 19,409,000 Up 92,000

Real Money: $1,426.29 Up $35.75

Target for next MTT level: $1,650 ($33)

Target for next Cash Game level: $2,000 ($100)

Target for next SnG level: $2,200 ($110)

This week I'll do the Steps again obviously, and play that Grizzly tourney on Wednesday. I'll also try and play all the Gold Coin tourneys too, but school work is starting to amp up so I might have to sit some out. I'm just $20 and change off my peak and I'll be trying desperately to break that before this week is up. Hoping for some good news to report. Stay tuned...

Weekly Bankroll Update 1/27 - 2/2

I think sometimes the poker gods just love to mess with me. Every time I think I'm dead in the water going into Saturday, I pull some sort of miracle out of my butt. Last week started off well with another deep run in the Weekly Bonanza, but then started to go downhill from there. I kept getting ridiculous beats where my opponent would flop straights, flushes and full houses on me, or I would get crushed in key situations by two and three-outers on the river. I even bubbled a satellite tourney finishing 7th with six paid. For three days this happened until I finally broke through with a second place finish in Step 1 ($3.30 SnG), and a couple of good runs in the $1.10 27-man tourneys. Then I reverted back to getting crushed for a couple more days until last night. I was hovering around even for the week, maybe even down a little and then went on a nice run cashing in the Daily Bonanza, getting a 2nd place finish in the 27-man, and winning a Step 1 SnG. Unfortunately the win came on a Saturday so no Step 2 tonight as we start over on Sundays. That's ok though. I'll take it. Here are some numbers:

Play Money: 19,317,000 Up 1,548,000

Real Money: $1,390.54 Up $21.59

Target for next MTT level: $1,650 ($33)

Target for next Cash Game level: $2,000 ($100)

Target for next SnG level: $2,200 ($110)

I'm super excited for this week as the Grizzly Games are back on Global Poker. There will be trophies given out to the winners, as well as hats and T-shirts, and they can be played for play money and real money. There are a couple of real money ones I want to play, but mostly I'll be grinding the play money ones trying to get a trophy. The trophy will be nice to have, but more importantly I'll be eligible to participate in the Hometown Heroes promo. You can get money for taking photos and videos of yourself around your hometown and home casino. It's usually worth about $60 for me so even though I'll be playing play money tourneys, there will be real money potential on the line. I also have a horse in the race for the Super Bowl tonight (Go Pats!) as I bought four squares ($5 each) through work. It's $75 for the 1st and 3rd quarters, $150 for halftime, and $250 for the end so, go me! I'm just $57 off my peak now and the past two weeks have been, um, ok. It'd be nice to make some profit early in the week for once so I'm not sweating going into Saturday. Today I'll be playing the Weekly Bonanza as well as the $5,000 freeroll that kicks off the Grizzly Games. I need to figure out what my nightly schedule is going to be this week since there is so much going on. I normally don't like to play more than three at one time, but I guess if I have to I will. The first Grizzly Games tourney starts at 8:15 and the second one at 9:15. I may sit out the Daily Bonanzas which start at 9:00, but I will continue to play the $0.50 satties into the Grizzly Games Main Event which start at 10:20. Somewhere in there I need to fit in my Step tourney, but I may also sit out the $1.10 27-man tourneys, unless I bust everything early. Oh yeah, I also have school work to keep up on too. Goodbye sleep!

Weekly Bankroll Update 1/20 - 1/26

Last week began the slow and painful process of rebuilding after two rough weeks of downswings. I was able to make back a good portion of it despite continuing to take horrible river beats. Most of the profit came from a deep Sunday cash in the Weekly Bonanza, and a Saturday night $3 sit n go win. I wasn't able to profit on my Sunday Scrimmage gift since my KK couldn't hold up against 8-5 offsuit, but it was still fun to be able to play that tourney and I really appreciate Global Poker giving me the opportunity. Here's where I ended last week:

Gold Coins (Play Money): 17,769,000 Up 163,000

$weeps Cash (Real Money): $1,368.95 Up $26.17

Target for next MTT level: $1,650 ($33)

Target for next Cash Game level: $2,000 ($100)

Target for next SnG level: $2,200 ($110)

So I consider myself to be extremely fortunate to make back 25% of my losses in the first week of rebuilding. This week I'm going to try something a little different. I'll play the Daily Bonanzas every night as well as $1.10 27-person tourneys to stay conservative. This means I will spend a little over $8 for those, but I'm going to play 9-person SnGs in a "step" format. This worked very well for me when I did it on Full Tilt back in the day. Here's how it works. I start by playing a $3.30 9-person on Sunday. If I lose or come in 2nd or 3rd, I'll play again the next night. If I win, the next night I'll play a $6.60 SnG. If I lose that, I'll move back down to the $3.30 the following night. If I come in 2nd or 3rd however, I'll play that level again the next night. If I win, I'll move up to the $11 SnG the next night and so on. On Saturday night, it ends regardless of what "step" or "level" I'm on and starts over on Sunday. In other words, say I play an $11 SnG and win on a Saturday, Sunday night it's back to the $3.30. So it's win to move up, 2nd or 3rd to stay at that level, and a loss means I move down one. So if I play an $11 and don't cash, I'll play a $6.60 the next night. I'm curious to see how this goes. The hope is I can put together a little win streak and turn a big profit without incurring too much risk. I'll post nightly results on Twitter (@BenRagusa if you want to follow along) and will refer to the "steps" by number. They'll be as follows:

Step 1 - $3.30. Win to move up to Step 2. 2nd, 3rd or a loss to replay Step 1.

Step 2 - $6.60. Win to move up to Step 3. 2nd or 3rd to replay Step 2. Lose and go back to Step 1.

Step 3 - $11.00. Win to move up to Step 4. 2nd or 3rd to replay Step 3. Lose and go back to Step 2.

Step 4 - $33.00. Win to move up to Step 5. 2nd or 3rd to replay Step 4. Lose and go back to Step 3.

Step 5 - $55.00. Win to move up to Step 6. 2nd or 3rd to replay Step 5. Lose and go back to Step 4.

Step 6 - $110.00. Win to celebrate. 2nd or 3rd to replay Step 6. Lose and go back to Step 5.

It's highly unlikely I'll make it to Step 6 since I'm starting each week at Step 1, but if I'm able to generate some healthy profits from it I won't waste my time starting over every Sunday. I really just want to try this out for a week or two and see what happens. Worst case scenario is I just play a $3.30 SnG every night which is what I was planning to do anyway. Let's see how this goes! Stay tuned!

Weekly Bankroll Update 1/13 - 1/19

Last week sucked. There's no other way to say it. It sucked. It was my biggest down week since I started this blog and certainly the most frustrating. I lost everything I played until Friday night when I cashed the Daily Bonanza for a whopping $.90. Then last night I broke out of my slump a little by profiting $3. For all intents and purposes I was done playing. I was gonna take a break. Poker just wasn't fun. I kept getting rivered over and over by one and two outers, and maniacs on straight and flush draws. I felt like a shipwrecked man wandering a deserted island with no food or water and only the clothes on my back... okay maybe I'm going a little too far here, but you get the point. It sucked. Until today. I just found out minutes before posting this that I was awarded a $218 ticket, via Instagram, into Global Poker's Sunday Scrimmage tournament. It's the biggest tournament Global offers. A $50,000 guarantee with close to $10,000 up top and around $300 for a min cash. My hands are still shaking from the adrenaline rush. I'm seriously in disbelief right now. There's still work to be done of course. I have to at least cash the damn thing, but there is potential here for things to substantially change. Anyhow, here's where I landed after falling on face:

Play Money: 17,606,000 Up 1,162,000

Real Money: $1,342.78 Down $74.62

Target for next MTT level: $1,650 ($33)

Target for next Cash Game level: $2,000 ($100)

Target for next SnG level: $2,200 ($110)

Well, here we go folks. My main goal today is to just have fun regardless of the result. I really appreciate Global for doing these giveaways and I'll try and make the most of this opportunity. I'm fortunate to be in this position and I have to try and not forget that or take it for granted. Even though I ran terribly last week, my bankroll is still intact. I started this thing with just $2 and the fact that I'm here every week blogging about it and getting to play every night is the real gift. No matter what happens tonight, I'm truly happy and blessed. For those of you who read this blog every week or even every once in a while, thank you. You give me the inspiration to play well and keep going even when things get tough. I feel I have an obligation now that I actually have folks reading this to move forward and update my results, no matter how frustrating things get from time to time. I'm here, and I ain't going anywhere. Let's effing go! Oh yeah and Go Pats!!!

Weekly Bankroll Update 1/6 - 1/12

I was down a bit last week, but my results are not indicative of how the week actually went. I had quite a few deep runs and near misses. This could have been a monster week. On Sunday I was one elimination away in the Daily Hundo from $100. Instead I made $10 for finishing 4th. 1-3 got $100. Then on Friday night in the $750 guarantee, I finished 10th but really had a great chance at taking it down for the $234 up top. Here is the hand that crushed me: I'm in the big blind with A-9 of diamonds. Blinds are 1250/2500 and I have 55,000 in chips. Again, 10 left and I'm running 4th. Folds around to the small blind who had been raising my big blind literally every chance he got. I had played back at him once and he backed right down. This time I wanted to trap him. He raised and made it 7500 to go. I called. Flop came 3-5-8 with two diamonds. He led out for 10,000 and again I called. Turn came a 9 giving me top pair with top kicker and a nut flush draw. He goes all in and I snap call. I had him covered by about 5,000 chips. He had 4-9 offsuit. A dream situation until the river which came 4 of spades giving him two pair and leaving me virtually done for the tournament. Had I just gone all in pre-flop or even post-flop, he would have folded and I'd have taken the hand. It was a good learning experience for next time. Aside from that I got crushed in sit n gos going 0/5 which was basically all my losses for the week. MTTs I actually broke even. Here is where I'm at:

Gold Coins: 16,444,000 Up 503,000

Real Money: 1,417.40 Down $30.47

Target for next MTT level: $1,650 ($33)

Target for next Cash Game level: $2,000 ($100)

Target for next SnG level: $2,200 ($110)

I'm still not sure if I should drop my SnG level from $6.60 to $3.30 this week. Something tells me to hold the line and see what happens. I only played five of them and just need to give variance a chance to kick in. I also am thinking of doing a run to MGM on Saturday. If I have similar results this week and lose again, then I'll drop down, but I just don't think I have enough of a sample size yet. I was encouraged by my deep runs in MTTs too and I think I'm really just a favorable river card away from blowing this thing wide open. Let's wait and see...

Weekly Bankroll Update 12/30-1/5

Well, 2019 is finally upon us and my first week of the new year was... drumroll please... meh. I was up but just a tiny bit, but had a lot of fun with the SnG and MTT mix. I need to make one minor adjustment this week which will hopefully result in higher profits (assuming things go well). I did virtually nothing in the MTTs last week, but did take down a couple of 9-man SnGs. In fact, according to Sharkscope, I'm ranked 36th out of 2,530 players in profit at the $3.30 9-man level for 2019 so far. Unfortunately, I probably won't be moving up too much higher since I am increasing the buy in to the $6.60 level this week. I also had a lot of fun watching @thegoldenblazer's epic 24-hour poker stream on Twitch last week. I even got to play him heads up on-stream in a Gold Coin SnG, but he crushed me in like five hands denying me a free T-shirt. If you like poker (which if you're reading this blog I assume you do), then definitely check him out on Twitch. You'll learn a lot and be wildly entertained. Plus, there is a shot at free money at the end of every stream as well as a raffle each Sunday for 5% of his action in Global Poker's Sunday Scrimmage tournament. Anyhoo, my numbers:

Gold Coins: 15,941,000 Up 1,121,000

Real Money: $1,447.87 Up $2.42

Target for next MTT level: $1,650 ($33)

Target for next Cash Game level: $2,000 ($100)

Target for next SnG level: $2,200 ($110)

So here's my strategy for this week: Play the $0.11 Daily Bonanza, the $3.30 rebuy $750 guarantee, and the $1 Daily Hundo. If I bust the $750 before the re-buy period ends, I'm done. If I make it, I'll pay the $3 for the add-on. That means I'm spending a maximum of $7.41 per night on MTTs. If I end up with a loss, I will play a $6.60 9-man SnG. I was playing $3.30, but I feel like that buy in was too low. I needed to win just to turn a profit, and by playing the $6.60, a first OR second place finish turns me a profit. I'll be spending a maximum of $14.01 per day, or $98.07 per week. So that means if I go 0/28 on the week, (which I can PROMISE you will NOT happen), assuming I add on the $3 in the $750 guarantee all seven nights, I would lose less than $100. If I can turn a nice profit over the next couple of weeks, I'll revamp this strategy and up all my buy ins and play bigger MTTs. Let's see how this week goes.