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.