Wednesday, January 16, 2013

The Day I Jumped from 25NL to 1000NL

I can't access pokertableratings from this country, but once upon a time I used to play a ton of penny-stakes poker.  From 2NL to 25NL, I would put in at least 100,000 hands per month, and I am pretty sure that I maintained a consistent habit of it for at least 2 years, which doesn't count the amount of SNGs that I played before and during that period.

Once I tried to win $1,000 in a month at 2NL.  I think I only managed to get $600 in that month.  Needless to say, this was a period in my life when I had a lot of time on my hands--read no life--probably the summers during law school.

My microstakes strategy was as simple as it was condescending: set mine at 24 tables; overplay AA and KK; and trashtalk my opponents endlessly.

Anyhoo, one day I looked at my balance of $1,500 or so and figured that I would take a shot at $5/10 NL six-handed.  The fact that I had only played full-ring before that moment didn't really factor into my decision-making process.  Beer, however, did play a role.  Fat Tire, I believe.  So I bought in for $1,000 and strapped myself in.

I only recall two hands, and I remember only one player in that game.  He sat one or two seats to my right and seemed to be raising about half of the time.  In one hand, I raised a hand like AQ, he called from one of the blinds, and we saw a flop of Axx.  He checked, I bet out, he raised, I reraised, and he folded.

Easy game, I thought.

Hand #2 happened a bit later.  He raised from UTG, and I called from middle position with KQ of hearts.

The flop came something like Qc 6h 2h.

Please, I pleaded.  I think I was praying.  I never pray, but I think that my Please qualifies.  For me, anyway.

He bet, I raised, he reraised, I shoved, and he called.

Turn was a heart, which naturally made my heart leap--Second nuts! I thought--and the river was a blank.

Villain showed Ah 9h, and two months of 2NL pennies slid his way.

. . . Did I mention that I was playing in a bar at the time?

2 comments:

  1. You really play a very risky game. That was just really exciting. Your site is just really interesting by the way.

    ReplyDelete