Current Micro-Stakes Battles

So here it is, I have ground the PS 25NL tables for two weeks, usually focusing on studying players, analyzing table selection, and playing just ONE table. I implemented a couple of measures to prevent myself from going broke on my limited bankroll. Here are the details:

Starting bankroll: $30

Ending bankroll: (12am on 14th day): +131 = Bankroll of 161

Hands played: 1850 (avg play less than two hrs per day after work)

Analysis of Play and Adjustments:

“Never let the resonable majority of your game be at the mercy of the tyranny of the worst 2 percent of it” – Cort Caldwell

 Buy-in Notes: I almost always bought in for $9, which is counter to conventional wisdom about buying in for the max, and also avoiding laggy and solid playing leaning on you in particular as a short stack and likely a worse playing. I found that my moves got more action and the -vast- majority of my profits had come from winning post where I invested less than this amount, while all catastrophic losses, naturally, came from having the max or more on the table.  One major consideration in this buy-in decision was my severe bankroll limitations.

Bankroll Limitations:

•  Full buy-in, with 40 bullets =$1000 (my “safe” BR).
•  9 x 20 bullets = $180 (“ultra min” BR).

So, starting with $30 and and ending with $160 putting $25 on the table at any point (the benefit) DOES NOT outweigh the risk for me personally, given my lack of ability to replenish my bankroll.

Notes: there are very successful omaha players, particularly in Europe who habitually buy-in for the min and are some of the biggest winners.

CURRENT WEAKNESSES:

 I still overplay non-aces pocket pairs. JJ or QQ are not going to be profittable four-betting all-in against a TAG player. You need a laggy fish or -specific information- to consider such a move. YES, at the micro-stakes, that 3 or 4 bet to 20 times is frequently aces. That MASSIVE leak of mine has run me into aces for a big loss 3 or 4 times this month, and is as big as my last plugged leak of overplaying AK preflop.

OLD ADVICE: it is still -very- true that if you sit down and cannot spot the fish within ____ minutes (what would it be online? 20 hands? 10 or 15 minutes max?) YOU ARE the fish. Really. Leave with your BR intact and find a better table.

My personal agreement/ covenant:

• Since I have the undeniable propensity to donk to the felt via moving up in stakes, chasing moderate losses and invariably going broke (or occasionally making big gains, thus re-enforcing my “brilliant” moronics, I will UNDER NO circumstances MOVE UP in stakes until reaching 40 buyins (at my buy-in levels).
• The above conditions apply to the new level, although I may use my discretion for how long I stay at the current level when I am experiencing adversity (significant losses).
• A violation of these terms = sitting down at a table and posting the blind.
• I will post it here and volunarily self-exclude myself from cash game play, should I play one hand in violation of my agreement.

That is enough for the moment, although I do have some deeper analysis, PT3 analysis, vs opponent analysis etc, which I may add in a future post.

-Dr.Stat