1. 2008-02-25 08:31:38

   Good Change of Online Scenery

   In seven sessions this month, I've lost my January profit and a third of my newly established online bankroll playing in the piddly no-limit cash games on Full Tilt. To make matters worse, I haven't received my rakeback payment for January and their support emails must be forwarded into oblivion - they don't respond.

   The other night, I decided I should take a break from the cash games and try out a tournament or two. I primarily was playing the cash games for the rakeback and because you can get up whenever you want, but I'm not receiving my payment and I had some time, so I figured I might as well play the format that is more enjoyable to me. More importantly, sometimes it seems harder to snap a losing streak when you go back to the tables with your last losing session fresh in your mind - a part of you just expects to lose. I didn't feel that way at all when I bought in to the two 18-person tournaments.

   I set my custom filter to show me only 2-table sit-n-go tournaments with a buy-in from $1 to $10, with no crazy extra stuff (like "turbo" or "short-handed" and the like). There were surprisingly few tournaments available, but they appeared to fill up relatively quickly and new ones were posted when the current ones filled up.

   The first one I found was for a $2.00 + $0.25 buy-in, which is a bit under what my bankroll allows, but whatever. I end up raising and missing a few times and make a bad river call with a weak kicker, so I'm pretty short-stacked. The blinds are still reasonable, so I play super conservatively, steal some blinds, and hit some flops to put myself back in the running. I end in 4th after losing to a flush draw after getting all my chips in on the turn. Profit = $1.25.

   The second tournament, which I started just a few minutes after the first one was for $5.00 + $0.50 - big money (hah). I hit a couple good hands and call somebody down early on to take a huge chip lead, but I wasn't able to do anything with it, so I ended up becoming average once the second table broke. I managed to flop a straight and triple up, leaving only 4 players, so I rode into heads-up pretty easily. The heads up match was crazy. We folded back and forth, and then I ended up making a terrible call with middle pair, which put me down to a 10-to-1 chip dog. I magically doubled up twice, and it was a game again. I became a 2-1 leader, got my opponent all in with my AK and lost, and then lost again with a pocket pair to finish 2nd. Profit = $21.50.

   So I finally managed to make a profit... Now I'm wondering if it's the change of scenery or if I'm just better at two-table tournaments. More experiments to come.

   Posted by Jason M at 2008-02-25 08:31:38

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Comments on “Good Change of Online Scenery”

1. • Posted by Jason M g 2008-02-28 05:46:25
   • 

   • I've used SharkScope before to check out my opponents, too. I've only played in 5 or so tournaments so far, so I have a ways to go. I can't decide which way to go - ring or tourney. Either way, I'm not playing when I'm tired any more.

2. • Posted by K (unverified) g 2008-02-28 01:36:08
   • 

   • $5 is where you might see little bit of competition. I play single tables only so I am not sure how hard the 2 table ones are.
     They are still soft because the regulars play turbos to increase hourly rate.

     You can check your ROI at sharkscope.com but the number is not reliable until you play hundreds of games.

     I hate the variance in sngs. But 2 table ones are even worse.
     So get ready for a bumpy ride!
     Don't pay attention to how you are running. Just try to put in enough volume, study and see check your ROI after every 100 games.

3. • Posted by Jason M g 2008-02-27 21:42:10
   • 

   • So I played again last night. Lost 2 $5 tournaments - one to a JJ vs KQ me flush him full house and another to a me calling with a JJ overpair against a ragged board. Then I played some cash game for another $20 loss :/ Ugh.

     I think I'm going to make a new rule about when I can play. I find myself playing because I want to put the hours in, but I not be in the besgt state of mind. It's usually after 6 hours of sleep, then 10 hours of work, then 4 hours of PokerSoup work... Probably not a good time to play. I have to figure out what this new rule is, but for now it's going to be no playing after midnight and no playing after a day of double-work.

4. • Posted by Nick L g 2008-02-27 20:26:17
   • 

   • I truly believe that your a better tournament it suits your game better. People will be more willing to call you in a big pot with an inferior hand but regardless keep up the good work. Thank you for all the support on the phone and on the blogs.

5. • Posted by Jason M g 2008-02-26 22:49:39
   • 

   • Stephen - I'm doing my best to punish the spewy fishes. Maybe I like the tournaments because each hand builds upon the previous in a more suspenseful way. I suppose cash games are the same way, but since there is no time limit or blind increases, it seems different.

     Craig, I'll let you take the PokerStars moneys for now :) I don't need another online account yet! Congrats on the profitable play - keep it up.

6. • Posted by Craig (unverified) g 2008-02-26 19:22:34
   • 

   • Ah see. I think I gave away my secret, recommending Jason try PokerStars. If I can place in-the-money on the PS tourneys, then surely Jason will be raking it in. But don't tell anyone else 'cause I don't want any more competition ;-)

     And don't join the same SNGs that I'm in <grin>

7. • Posted by uzjedi g 2008-02-26 02:55:53
   • 

   • You might be better at tournaments, but you need a much bigger hand sample to know for sure. Sometimes the nature of cash games can get you playing too spewy. There's no finality about it because you can reload at any time. But that's what I like about. Glad you are giving it more time though. Punishing spewy fish is a beautiful thing. ;)

8. • Posted by Jason M g 2008-02-25 17:12:26
   • 

   • Ooops - typo. I meant 2-table SNGs. I agree with your take on the advantages of cash play. I'll probably mix it up as flexibility allows or when I'm getting sick of cash games. What site do you play on Sunil?

9. • Posted by Sunil (unverified) g 2008-02-25 16:49:18
   • 

   • Are you playing 2-person SNGs or 2-table 18-person SNGs? Not sure from your description.

     I do like the tournament play better than cash play. But the reward factor is higher in cash play. And obviously the flexibility is good as well.