Starting from the bottom

Posted 8 years ago

Hi everyone,

First of all I would like to apologise if I appear to be repeating myself as I have already introduced myself on another forum thread. For those that haven't read it then here goes...

My name is Keith, I am 34 and I live in Oxfordshire.

I have been married for just over 3 years and we have 2 beautiful 22 month old twin boys.

I had been working full time ever since I left school but reduced my hours at work to 1 day per week last March so I could look after the boys on a full time basis.

I started playing poker in 2005 but was merely just a recreational player that would just pop onto Pokerstars every now and again for a bit of fun. I stopped playing in 2006 and it was only towards the end of last year when, after having a few conversations with various poker friends that I decided I would get back into it but only this time I would play properly.

I started researching poker on the net and stumbled across this site (one of the best things google has ever found for me). Since joining this site in September I have watched multiple videos on here, read various articles, etc. I had seen that this site offers excellent promotions to many poker sites but as I still had $17 in my Pokerstars account I thought I would try my luck there first.

I started playing 2 tables of 2nl for a couple of weeks and was making slow but steady progress - then I discovered Zoom. At first I thought Zoom was marvellous, I was getting through so many hands per hour and was enjoying it more than the regular tables...until I started losing. I noticed on Zoom that as quick as I was able to make a few $, I was able to lose twice as much. It didn't take me long to realise that for now, until I am a more competent player, Zoom is not right for me. I then went back to 2nl and continued the slow but steady progress I had been previously enjoying. My account now stands at a whopping $59 (helped by the fact that I won a $1 spin and go with a royal Flush).

I had been watching many videos on this site (mainly from Jon) and after watching his recent Sky series I thought I would try my hand there. I already had a Sky account so could not link my account to the promotions that this site offers. I played on there for a few weeks and was pretty much breaking even (maybe a couple of pound in the green but nothing too spectacular). I did enjoy the lack of HUDs on the site and after speaking to Senad from PokerVIP on multiple occasions I decided to move to Unibet so I could enjoy a site with no HUDs and also sign up through this site to get extra benefits.

I have been on Unibet for just over a week now and have only played with the freebies that Unibet gives at the start so far on the 4nl tables. I have, however, turned my free 10euros into just under 25euros and have also turned my 4euro Unibet UK tour token into a 100euro token so it s heading in the right direction (so far anyway).

I would like to say I aim to move from 4nl to 100nl this year but I think that is just aiming way too high so for now my target is to just play well, make money and to put in as much table time as possible whilst also putting in the effort to learn throughout and hopefully I can soon start moving up through the stakes.

I will keep posting up my progress on the page for whoever is interested in keeping tabs on someone slumming it at the very bottom hoping to work their way up through the stakes.

Smile
keithyboy198

Last Post 8 years ago by

keithyboy198

32

Posts

6,224

Views

Copy post URL
https://www.pokervip.com/thread/view?forum=my-poker-journey&slug=starting-from-the-bottom&nav=56965c59d39043cb208b4660
2
Posted 8 years ago
Epicccccc and very pumped to follow this journey as it is very different to a lot of our others and your life and lifestyle are very tough to balance with poker so it will be an uphill climb but one i am sure you will make.

I would love to help you as much as possible! Why don't we start off with a Video Review?
Posted 8 years ago
Jon-PokerVIP: Epicccccc and very pumped to follow this journey as it is very different to a lot of our others and your life and lifestyle are very tough to balance with poker so it will be an uphill climb but one i am sure you will make.

I would love to help you as much as possible! Why don't we start off with a Video Review?


Yeh sure, I will try and sort out a video in the next few days. I definitely think I need help with things like bet sizing and 3bet spots as I feel I go into my shell a bit when I have an ok hand but someone opens utg so I end up either calling (*SPIT*) or folding. I'm sure I have an absolute ton of other leaks that I need to try and fix so any help would be greatly appreciated.

I am finding Unibet a great site to start off with, the tank is filled with fish. People just throw money at you if you wait long enough. I had a quick 1 hour session last night and made just under 2 buy ins.
Posted 8 years ago
Over the past few days I have not been able to play too much poker due to one of the boys being unwell. It has literally been 45 here and 30 minutes there. I have, however, managed to increase my balance to just under 47 euros from the 500 hands I did manage to play.

I am hoping to get a few good sessions under my belt this week so hopefully I can build on my positive start and release the bonus money I am currently using.

Attached Image
Posted 8 years ago
Sometimes things get in the way of grinding so just doing anything you can whenever you can is a big win so don;'t see it as a negative. However if you are playing these 45 min sessions and not in the zone then that obviously becomes a negative.
Posted 8 years ago
Its good to be back!

Its been over a week since I have been able to have a game of poker. I was struck down with tonsillitis so have not had the energy to play.

I started off and immediately walked into quads when I had the nut straight (he hit his quad on the river) so lost a buy in pretty much straight away but I got my head down with hardly any distractions - apart from the odd noise from the intercom in the boys bedroom. I played around 200 hands - I know its not much compared to the amount of hands a lot of guys on here play, and managed to turn it around and ended up around 2 1/2 buy ins.

Over the next few weeks I do intend to play a lot more hands than I currently am and then gradually as the boys get a bit older and quite frankly listen to (or understand) a single word I say, I then hope to play even more.

Attached Image
Posted 8 years ago
Do you have the camera intercom for your kids?

They seem like the nut thing to have.
Posted 8 years ago
No, we haven't got those ones. You're right, they do look fantastic but ours are just sound only. They are only really used now so we know if they are getting into mischief ie climbing out of the cots or trying to pull the blinds down, etc.
Posted 8 years ago
Since my last post I have had a bit of a bad run, particularly on a session I had on Sunday night where I finished 5 buy ins down. It was a combination of things...every time I had a hand someone had better, when I had the nuts I got no action. I also went into my shell when an aggressive player sat down and I am ashamed to say a couple of buy ins were lost through tilt. My balance went all the way down to 23 euros!

I know I am only playing the lowest of the micros but it still hurts when I have a session like that and that is definitely something I need to work on...I feel I need to learn to lose before I can learn to be a real winner. I have always had this issue, even when trading on the betting exchanges, I'm just not very good at having a losing session.

Since Sunday night I have had a couple of days off from playing poker but had a couple of quick sessions yesterday and today. I have had a better run in those sessions and have managed to get my balance back up to 37euros.

This is my new favourite Unibet achievement that I got courtesy of pocket queens against a guy that was 7x'ing every hand preflop and some other guy that just came along for the ride...

Attached Image
Posted 8 years ago
My Unibet series is completed and starts to be launched this time next week! Wonder if we have played each other during any of it. My name is crushinguni1
Posted 8 years ago
I'm really looking forward to seeing that series - hopefully I'l be able to pick up a few tips to improve my game on there.

I don't recognize the name but you never know, I might suddenly appear on one of the tables in the video.
Posted 8 years ago
Just a quick update...

I haven't played a great deal over the past few days as on Friday night I used my Unibet 100 euro token that I had built up from the original 4 euro token. I managed to win a 500 euro package consisting of a bit of cash and a seat in the Unibet UK tour. I think I am due to attend the tournament this weekend, I'm just awaiting my confirmation email which I have been informed will be sent tomorrow. In the meantime I have been swotting up on playing MTTs as I don't see myself as a very good tournament player in the slightest.
Posted 8 years ago
Wow wtf anymore info on that tourni man? Sounds epic
Posted 8 years ago
Not yet Jon. In the t&c's it states that I am automatically entered into the next tour event which is this weekend in Brighton and that entries cannot to moved to other event dates. I want to speak to them about that as it could prove a little difficult to do it at short notice due to the fact I have the children to look after. If that fails then I will have to see what I can sort out as I would love to attend even if it's just for the experience.
Posted 8 years ago
I spoke with Unibet yesterday and the lady on the chat said she would send my request to move my entry to another event over to the poker team. I spoke with them again today and today's lady confirmed that my tournament entry has now been changed to the event in April. That gives me a bit more time to learn how to play tournament poker.

Oh and Iv also had 168 euros put into my poker account towards travel and accommodation for the event so my account now stands at 209 euros and I still haven't made a deposit!

Smile
Posted 8 years ago
Sounds sooooooo sick!
Posted 8 years ago
Yeh it should be good fun, I will look forward to that.

In the meantime I have been getting back to grinding the micro micros. I have to admit I am finding it a bit frustrating at the bottom. I am trying to learn how to put people on ranges but I'm not sure if I am wasting my time doing that at those stakes as people show up with anything.

I'm really looking forward to the forthcoming Unibet series to see if I can pick up a few tips to help me move up the stakes a bit quicker.
Posted 8 years ago
I have played a few sessions this week but seemed to be treading water. Iv had some winning sessions and some losing sessions so have finished the week just a few cents up.

I have watched part one of the Unibet video series and feel it was very useful. I am looking forward to putting what I learned into action this week on the tables and hopefully that will help me move up to the 10nl games a bit quicker.
Posted 8 years ago
keithyboy198: I have played a few sessions this week but seemed to be treading water. Iv had some winning sessions and some losing sessions so have finished the week just a few cents up.

I have watched part one of the Unibet video series and feel it was very useful. I am looking forward to putting what I learned into action this week on the tables and hopefully that will help me move up to the 10nl games a bit quicker.


Glad you liked it buddy!

Spoiler - I have a couple of sessions where I run seriously bad and also run into some seriously weird shit. I really think it will help so much as the games there are not normal and people do genuinely show up with the most random hands possible. All just about adjusting!
Posted 8 years ago
Hehe and there was me thinking I was the only person that believes Unibet poker is almost like a completely different game of poker. The site is full of PDDS - people will call an all-in with queen high! One guy was open shoving every hand yesterday. When I called him with pocket 8s he showed 72o.

I do get a bit frustrated at times in those 4nl games but I can definitely see why it is rated so highly in the soft sites list!