The Big Heads-Up Challenge - 7th Update

Hi people,

First of all, I apologize for my "long" absence.

In the previous post, I talked about doing 100 extra games of 7$ NL Heads-Up since the things didn't go as I expected. However, I've decided later on to do 250 games (the repetition of the 3rd level) since it also doesn't went so well, and here are the statistics and results:

• number of victories - 136;
• number of losses - 114;
• total invested - 1750$;
• total won - 1814,24$;
• profit - 64,24$;
• number of VPP won - 455.

It was nothing special also and I've finished with a bankroll of 297,92$ (quite far from the 350$ that I expected).
Anyway, I am going to the next level (15$ NL Heads-UP) and soon I will talk about how is it going.

See you at the tables.

The Big Heads-Up Challenge - 6th Update

Hi everyone,

The 3rd level is done (7,00$ NL Heads-Up) and here are the statistics and results:

• number of victories - 135;
• number of losses - 115;
• total invested - 1750$;
• total won - 1800,90$;
• profit - 50,90$;
• number of VPP won - 455.

 

This level went worst than I have thought. A lot of bad beats, a lot of bad players (it doesn't mean that I am a good one, as I said in a post before) doing unbelievable things and the tilt...

I have some hands that I would like to show and discuss with all off you. I also would like to see your opinions and how would you play at the same situations.

Here is the first hand. I was with 675 Chips, quite short, and the other player with 2325 Chips. The Blinds were at the level 15$/30$. He was the Dealer, first to talk pre-Flop, and makes a simple call. I made a small raise, from 30 to 90 Chips, the other player calls, and the Flop came. Since I was very short and I had two pairs, I've decided to make an instant ALL-IN. The other player makes an instant call with an amazing pocket pair of 4's and the result is shown. A Flush on the River with a Diamond on the hand...

The second hand that I want to show can be seen above. I was the Chip-leader of the tournament with 1765 chips and the other player was with 1235 chips. The Blinds were at the level 20$/40$ and the other player was the Dealer. He raised pre-Flop from 40$ to 80$ and since I had the best hand, a pocket pair of Aces, I have decided to raise him 3 times (from 80$ to 240$). The other player calls and the Flop came. I was the first to talk and I forced him to bet everything or to fold (I made a bet of 994 chips and he had 995). He raises to 995 chips, I called and the Flop came. The rest can be seen.

And here is the last one that happened in this level. I would describe it as unbelievable.

As can be seen, I was de Dealer, the Blinds were at the level 10$/20$, and I made a simple call pre-Flop. The other player checks it and the Flop came. Since we were playing very aggressive and since I had the Top Pair I've decided to make an instant ALL-IN. The other player calls it at the same instant and the result can be seen. What does he have to make such a call? Absolutely nothing, possibility of nothing and he made an amazing Three of a Kind. Fantastic.

My actual Bankroll is at 233,68$ and the 4th level of the challenge (15$ NL Heads-Up) should start now. However, and since I don't feel quite comfortable to play this level with just 15 Buy-ins, I am going to do 100 extra games of 7$ NL Heads-Up and try to get close to 350$. I know that these extra games were not on the plan of the challenge, but in my opinion it makes sense to do that to don't through it all way.

Good luck to everyone and see you at the tables.

The Big Heads-Up Challenge - 5th Update

Half of the 3rd level is done (125 games) and I have to say that this is not going well. I am in a tremendous down-swing. I get crazy with some things that I see in this level. Even worst than 3,50$ NL Heads-UP.

Anyway, here are the statistics:

• number of victories - 60;
• number of losses - 65.

 

I will keep on play and see how it will finish.

Good luck guys and see you at the tables.

The Big Heads-Up Challenge - 4th Update

Hi people,

The 2nd level (3,50$ NL Heads-Up) of my challenge is finished and here are the statistics and results:

• number of victories - 157;
• number of losses - 93;
• total invested - 875$;
• total won - 1033,06;
• profit - 158,06$;
• number of VPP won - 290.

I think this went better than what I thought, specially the last 125 games. Maybe it is not so good for the amount of games that I've made, but in my opinion 158,06$ of profit in 3,50$ NL Heads-Up is not so bad.

I promised in the previous post to talk about some hands. However, I can just talk about one since I've just made one print screen.

At the beginning of this hand, I was the Chip-Leader with 2200 Chips and the other player had 800. The blinds were at the level 20$/40$ and since I was the Dealer, I've decided to make just a simple call pre-Flop. The Flop came and the other player, the first to "talk", bets 80$. Since I had the nuts on the Flop I raised him to 240$ (3 times his bet). My opponent goes at the same instant ALL-IN and, as it is obvious, I called him. The result can be seen.

That happens a lot of times in Heads-Up Poker or, at least, it happens a lot of times to me.

Please give me your opinions and say what have you made in this situation.

Anyway, I have already started the 3rd level (7,00$ NL Heads-Up) with the initial bankroll of 158,06$ (around 22 buy-ins, I know that it is a "suicide" strategy) and once I reach 125 games, a post will be made.

Good luck to everyone and see you at the tables.

The Big Heads-Up Challenge - 3rd Update

Hi everybody,

The first 125 games (of 250) in the 3,50$ level are done and here the statistics and results:

• number of victories - 75;
• number of losses - 50.

 

The first 65 games were really good and I have almost reached 100$. However, a small down-swing made me lose around 20$. At the moment my bankroll is at 80,72$ and let's see if I can reach the 150$ in the next 125 games.

I will try to make the print screens of some typical hands in Heads-Up Poker and then show it here.

Good luck to everyone and see you at the tables.

The Big Heads-Up Challenge - 2nd Update

First level (1,50$ NL Heads-UP) is done and here the statistics and results:

• number of victories - 141;
• number of losses - 109;
• total invested - 375$;
• total won - 389,16$;
• profit - 14,16$;
• number of VPP won - 0,66x250=165.

As can be seen, the results are quite bad. A lot of "bad" players (it does not mean that I am a good one, but I cannot make some things that I see everyday, like all-ins pre-flop with 6 3 and so on) in this level and it is hard to don't tilt.

Anyway, I am going to start the next level (250 games of 3,50$ NL Heads-Up) with the initial bankroll of 24,72$ (10,56$ from my initial bankroll at the beginning of the challenge plus the profit from the 1st level). That's not even 10 buy-ins but "no risk, no fun". I am expecting to don't find so many "bad" players at this level and I will try to play very concentrated (something that it's not easy sometimes).

Good luck to everyone and see you at the tables.

The Big Heads-Up Challenge - 1st Update

So here are the statistics and a graphic with the variation of my Bankroll related to the first 125 games of 1,50$ NL Heads-Up:

• number of victories - 77;
• number of losses - 48.

As you can see, I had a good start and then a down-swing between the games 40 and 50, also provoked for some bad decisions that I have mad.

Anyway, I think is not so bad, but I have to improve my game in the next 125 games of this level, play more concentrated and try to don´t lose at least more than 100 games.

If you have comments to do with your opinions or suggestions, please fell free and don´t hesitate.

See you at the tables.

Return and "The Big Heads-Up Challenge"

Hi everybody,

Almost 2 years passed since last time I wrote here. Many things contributed for my absence but I am not going to talk about them. However, I've decided to reactivate my Blog and I will try to keep it active.

I have decided to make The Big Heads-Up Challenge, at PokerStars, that consists on starting with a bankroll of 10,56$ and play the following number of games and levels:

• 250 games 1,50$ NL Heads-Up;
• 250 games 3,50$ NL Heads-Up;
• 250 games 7,00$ NL Heads-Up;
• 250 games 15,00$ NL Heads-Up.

In total, I should play 1000 games and in every level I must get an acceptable profit to go to the next one. I am not following the "rule" of the 100 buy-ins for my bankroll management (maybe I am doing it wrong), and I will go to another level if I will feel quite comfortable at the end of the 250 games in the previous level.

I have already started the Challenge and an update of that will be made soon.

Good luck everyone and see you at the tables.

The Heads'Up Challenge - Last Update

Hi,

I am writing to do the last update of The Head's Up Challenge. As I mentioned in the previous post, the task of winning 80 games in 100 is almost impossible, and it was! I lost 50 games (in 100). I consider that I was playing good, but when things like below shown happen, it is impossible to win something and people starts to lose motivation.

- All-in pre-flop

- All-in pre-flop

- All-in pre-flop

- All-in pre-flop

- All-in pre-flop

- All-in on the flop

 

- All-in on the flop (I did raise pre-flop, and the player gave call with 7 3. No comments!)

- All-in on the turn

Much more happened but I have just those print-screens.

Final state of the challenge:

• games done - 200/200;
• victories - 110/140.

See you at the tables!

The Heads'Up Challenge - 2nd Update

Hi,

The second series of 50 games did not proceed as desired. I just won 29 games (out of 50), which means that in the next 100 games, I need to win 80 of them. Hard task, but not impossible and I am here to do it.

State of the challenge:

• games done - 100/200;
• victories - 60/140.

See you at the tables!

The Heads'Up Challenge - 1st Update

Hello everybody,

Here is the first update after 50 games done:

• 31 games won;
• 19 games lost.

I have to win more games in the next series of 50 games. This challenge did not start as desired with some bad beats at the beginning. The things are now going well and I hope that will continue like that.

The modality of Heads'Up requires a lot of patience and attention, things that I am trying to improve.

State of the challenge:

• games done - 50/200;
• victories - 31/140.

To finish, give a look on what frequently happens in these games (all-in pre-flop).

See you at the tables!

The Heads'Up Challenge

Hi everybody!

I am back and I've decided to test again my capacities in a new challenge: The Heads'Up Challenge. Since this is the modality that I am playing more, due to the fact that it is much more faster to get money, I think that I can get success on this challenge.

The challenge consists of play 200 Sit & Go 2,20$ NL Heads'Up (in PokerStars) and win at least 70% of the games (140 games). Every 50 games, I am going to do the actualization of the challenge.

See you!

Mission Failed!!!

Once again, sorry for the long time without update this blog.

As the title of this post suggests, I didn't reach my goal.

I was with more then 40$ on Wednesday (22nd December, 2010) and then, I finish the week with about 6$. The most incredible things happened, as usually, and the result was this...

I don't have time now to speak about the statistics, but I am going to do that by the end of February or beggining of March.

I will also think about a new challenge, but this time, a "real" challenge.

See you at the tables,

Mr. Keysson

The Christmas Challenge

Hello everybody,

A few months passed since I did my last post here. I am sorry that I couldn't write for so long, but I've been very busy in the last few months.

I've decided to do my first challenge: The Christmas Challenge.
During the Christmas Holiday (that unfortunately is just one week and some days for me) I am going to put 10€ (13,15$) in PokerStars and try to finish the week with, at least, 40$. In order to complete my Challenge, I am going to play Sit and Go Tournaments (of any kind) and Multi-Table Tournaments (MTT), always in NL Hold'em.
During the week, I am going to post the results that I am getting, the statistics and some "funny" hands.
I know that this is nothing special but, in my opinion, is very good to start and to play for a goal.
So, the Challenge starts today!

I take this opportunity to wish everyone a...

Poker terms

Sometimes, when we are playing Poker, we face with a lot of terms that we never heard before or we simply don't know what they mean. According to that, a brief description of the most common terms used in Poker is presented.

All-in - to push all your money or chips into the pot

Ante - refers to the minimum amount that each player is required to put into the pot before a new hand begins

Bad Beat - this term is used when somebody as a hand that is the clear mathematical favourite and it lose against another lower value hand

BB - abbreviation for "Big Blind"

Board - refers the community cards placed on the table

BR - abbreviation for "Bankroll". Is the total amount of money a player has for a gaming session

Bubble - name given to a player that finishes a tournament in the spot nearest the money

Button - is the disk that represents the Dealer in a given hand

Buy in - is the amount of money that is necessary to play a Sit and Go or a Tournament

Double Up - this term is used when somebody wins a heads-up pot in which you have put all your money or chips

EMP - abbreviation for "Early Middle Position"

Fish - refers to a poor Poker player, relative to their competition

Fold - term used when a player declines a bet and drops out the hand

Kicker - is the card used as a tie-breaker, when two hands are nearly identical

MTT - abbreviation for "Multi Table Tournament"

NL - abbreviation for "No Limit"

Nuts - is the best possible hand, based on the board cards

Offsuit - cards that are not of the same suit (colour)

Outs - are the cards remaining in the deck that will help your hand win a pot

PF - abbreviation for "Pre Flop"

Pot - is the amount of money that accumulates each player antes, bets and raises. The pot goes to the winner of the hand

Raise - this term is used when a player raises by matching the previous bet and then betting more

SB - abbreviation for "Small Blind"

SNG - abbreviation for "Sit and Go" tournament

Stack - is the amount of money or chips that you currently have at the table to play

Tilt - term used when somebody is playing recklessly, usually as a result of a Bad Beat

UTG - abbreviation for "Under the Gun". Is the first player to act in pre-flop

The hand ranking

Below, you can see The Hand Ranking in Poker. It starts in the highest hand and finish in the lower hand.

1 - Royal Straight Flush - Ace, King, Queen, Jack and Ten of the same colour

2 - Straight Flush - is a Straight with all the 5 cards of the same colour

3 - Four of a kind (Poker) - also as know as Poker, it consists of 4 cards of the same kind and another card which not combines

4 - Full House - it consists of any 3 cards of one kind and any pair of another kind

5 - Flush - it consists of any 5 cards of the same colour

6 - Straight - it consists of any 5 cards, of some colour, in sequence of rank

7 - Three of a kind - any 3 cards of the same kind, together with 2 other cards which do not combine

8 - Two pairs - consists of 2 cards of one kind, more 2 cards of another kind and one more card which not combines

9 - One Pair - any 2 cards of the same kind, together with 3 other cards which do not combine

10 - High card - any high card

The beginning

Hello everybody.

I've just decided to start writing a Poker Blog. I am a Portuguese Poker player and I really want to improve my skills in No Limit Texas Hold'em and that's the main reason why I am doing this.

In this Blog you will find some information about this game, challenges that I am going to propose myself, some moves, bad beats, and so on.

I hope you will really enjoy it.

See you!