Super Stack

It was like a Double Stack only much slower. Twelve minute blind levels, 5K starting stack, an extra 10/20 blind level. Played one event at 9:30 am and saw another listed at 13:00. This will be excellent for developing my various strategies and the plan is to play one or two a week but be ready for a long haul. The winner likely will be in at least six or seven hours. This is also the format for the Mini Series of Poker starting on May 28 at 15:20 for $5.50 and also May 29 at 15:20 for $11.

Developing a strategy for these tournaments will be dependent on a number a factors so we have a spreadsheet and plan on additional note taking to track our progress and I'll report back.

How To Bet

Following my prolonged hiatus from NLHE, I've been quite pleased with my recent results. Upon my return the only “old” notes I could locate were Evelyn Ng's Novice NL Tournament Strategy in Daniel Negreanu's Power Hold'em Strategy which has served me very well and seems to have been perfectly tailored to my $1.10 deep stack 90 player sitngo's. Tonight, the Daily Dollar at 20:15 proved a little more challenging since there were 927 entrants and had me card dead early. With my heightened goals for the coming year out came the Full Tilt Strategy Guide Tournament Edition edited by Michael Craig and featured some advice by Chris Ferguson: Three Versions of Raise-or-Fold-Strong, Weak, or Medium. With the Novice Strategy, a limper in front of me would cause me to fold a pair of sixes and medium or large suited connectors. Now as long as there is a limper in front of me, those cards may be limpable under the right conditions.

Chris “Jesus” Ferguson built a bankroll at Full Tilt starting with Free Rolls and never adding any cash of his own, built it up to 10K. Now that's ROI. He topped that by donating it to Save the Children Foundation. Everybody probably looks at him like could this guy know anything...well a PHD in computer science and game theory studies...just keep looking dudes. I just might bet him to win the WSOP this year-he's done that before too.

Make A Plan

Let's make a plan.Let's say that our plan is to qualify for the Tournament Of Champions for The Battle Of The Bloggers VI starting in April 2011. Let's also say it is a “pay as you go” plan. We'll need six buy-ins of $26 and six of $11. That is $156 plus $66 is $222. What else might we need? Well if we make $2,222 by April 2011, we can afford poker lessons to enhance our chances of success at the BBT. I understand Vanessa Rousso teaches NLHE game theory sometimes in Florida, sometimes in Vegas-sounds good to me.
We'll start with four tournaments a day...two $1.10 deep stack...one $2.20 at 16:20 daily and one Daily Dollar at 20:15. Hold'em Manager has a nice record keeping function so we'll be posting our results monthly.

Five Year Plan for Growth

Starting today, let's consider and monitor my investment alternatives over the next five years for return on investment (ROI) assuming a starting bankroll of $600 divided equally between poker, handicapping horses, and the stockmarket. Knowledge base and opportunity are critical. It's the growth of our bankroll that wins when considering knowledge base and opportunity costs of the future ROI of poker, horse race handicapping and the stock market. Where can I make the most money by May 15, 2015?

Today is Preakness Saturday and we'll place at least one bet, maybe more. I've already paid $10 to a group on their thoughts for the day. Also purchased a race card from Always Racing Software. Both are considered sunk costs. Handicapping is an area of knowledge where I'm starting from scratch so to speak. However, with the level of poker ever increasing, it is worth at least investigating.

Next is poker. Today, tomorrow and for the next two weeks,we're playing at least two $1.10 deep stack tournaments in preparation for Monday's "Poker From the Rail" and Wednesday's "The Mookie". My poker knowledge should be considered extensive with a library of thirty books and forty years experience that is however facing a huge resurgence worldwide. But recent developments have peaked my interest. This Battle of The Bloggers is quite the opportunity to go for the whole enchilada maybe for this whole five year period. Kudos to Full Tilt and the bloggers who put it together. Thanks ladies and gents...a job well done. Enthused again.

Finally, the stock market. We'll put it in cash and wait. My knowledge here is so so. I was a Registered Investment Advisor when a working CPA but consider that knowledge as limited as anyone.

Use the Odds

Well here you are again. The cards just aren't coming. Might just hit the road. When all of a sudden you look down and there is AA. Perfect. You say raise and hope for a least one caller. Then behind you is Reraise. You've been here before. It doesn't get any better than this. You say reraise knowing you are at least a 4-1 favorite. How sweet it is...

But now in two days is The Preakness. Your brief sojourn into the world of horse race hankicapping hasn't been in the slightest successful. Your search for information has produced information overload. Relax...you've been here before also. Remember the days at pokerschool before Chris Moneymaker made NLHE magic.

This might just be another wonderful opportunity to learn something. You're not going to be a 4-1 favorite. More likely how big of a dog do you want to be. This is totally different. Just look around. One choice is just to not bet anything or maybe just take a $2 flyer. Enjoy the race. Next year at this time could very well be more different yet.

Know the odds

A discouraging week. Lost $25 on horse handicapping. This is the 3rd place in my near future earnings potential. Now I know how newbies in poker feel. To start with the horses require large odds. At least 4-1 on a show bet.

Well that's my starting point.

A possible favorite is the upcomming Battle of the Blogger's Tournament 5. I'll be in this Wednesday's 10 pm battle. Hope to see you there.

The timing is right

I'm really quite pleased with the handicapping software under review. There is an extremely comprehensive manual which discusses, explains and disects 87 factors in this highly technical process. The cost is free and shipping is nominal so they got off to a good start. If it leads to the proper edge that is discoverable, we'll be all over it. Hopefully, there is less competition than the stock market or the poker table. It's a five week trial for me ending with the Belmont Stakes. The software is free and there are specials on triple crown data files. The learning curve will be steep but the timing is nearly perfect.

In poker, a reduced time frame is indicated. At Full Tilt, maintaining my Iron Man Status will generally be achieved by playing only one $1.10 deep stack 90 player sitngos daily. My decision making needs improvement. I raised 5 x bb early, bet the pot on a flop of TKK, was reraised. A fold was in order. But, my recall is better with my old notes and hand distribution strategies. Overall its thumbs up.

The first two days back at NLHE have been educational. My old notes have proven very relialble in that they are nearly new data to me, proving the old saying "if you don't use it....."
We're going to be somewhat extravagant and enter the $10 + $1 Blogger's event every Wednesday at Full Tilt Poker at 22:00 until June 26. Also we'll work the FPP's and freerolls and maybe the $1.10 90 player sitngo. When this current promotion of the race to the big event is over; it's back to the 7 game tourneys.

"Seek and ye shall...." The first little bit is that the daily double is a better bet than the trifecta.
"It does offer a consistent source of overlay wagers where you have a nice profitable edge, the key to profitability". This is from my search of horse racing software and the quote is from "All Ways Computer Handicapping Software for Professionable and Serious Horseplayers". This from their first newsletter chosen which is also free. With less than two weeks to the Preekness, we continue to seek.

The NFL network is not currently available to me although a change of carrier would accomplish that but we'll delay deciding. Having been a longtime Tampa Bay Buccaneers fan, a sentimental bet on the super bowl at 100 to 1 or the NFC Conference at 60 to 1, doesn't seem attractive. But the Dolphins at 30 to 1 and 16 to 1 are a bit more interesting but I need a more positive edge.

New Beginnings

Just now finished my first NLHE tourney in 6 months. But no bad beat story tonight. Also placed seven trifecta bets on the Kentucky Derby. It was exciting but no cigar. We're going to pursue this for awhile. Poker is too much like dental work. You have to be playing in order to make money, like the dentist that has to keep pulling teeth. It would be better to be collecting rent. We'll be following the Preekness and the Belmont. The trifectas were good but we need to develop better intelligence. Maybe need to investigate racing software. We'll also follow the NFL in the fall for a little more variety.

But until we are fat enough to get a good mortgage and the building, it will be the Bloggers Tourneys on Full Tilt. Hope to see a lot of you there.