I looked into the Pokerstars VPP thing, but in order to take advantage of it fully, you need to have a lot of volume. After a bit of experimenting with multi-tabling and AHK, I realised I still had so much to learn in just playing the game, so went back to playing 4-6 tables on a rakeback site where volume and rakeback are not related.
The big question we all ask ourselves is whether we are good enough to make a living from the game. As you can see from the graph below, there is no doubt I can beat the game just now, up to 100nl, as the majority of that sample is 100nl, both full ring and 6 max. I currently play around 15 hours a week at poker, seeing 20k hands per month. Some could actually live on just what I have earned through poker this year. For it to be more than just a decent side income however, with that volume, of course I have to be beating 200nl by this time next year, with an eye on shots at 400nl and 1000nl. I need to ask myself whether I want to put that kind of pressure on me, given I work for myself, and don’t always want the distraction of poker, especially when things are going bad. I would also have to think about whether I need coaching or should I carry on with my own brand of betting.
The alternative approach is one of an immediate start of 200nl tomorrow and balling it to 400nl by March to be a reg there by May or June. I am certainly bank-rolled for it. And certainly I could have a heater at the right time, which is probably all you need to cement yourself at the limit. But I have also heard the transition form 200 to 400nl is the hardest, and losing 10 buy-ins trying doesn’t appeal to me, which could happen even if I played perfect poker, as we all know.
The fact of the matter is, I have only been playing online cash poker for a year, and feel I still have a lot to learn. I think, like all businesses, (and I think of poker as a business) we need to think in 5 year plans, and therefore there is more than enough time for me to reach mid stakes without having to risk much too quickly.
Away from Hold’em, I have recently added PLO 6max to my game, which will add discussion and extra dimension to my blog, once I have something to say.
Finally, through my email above I have had a few tentative requests for coaching, which I haven't so far taken up, as I wanted at least 250k hands under my belt. If further requests came in, I would think about it for limits up to 50nl probably, if anyone was still interested.
Well that’s it, enjoy 2010.
Good luck with 2010 mate. Hope you make the rise in stakes/games successfully :)
ReplyDeleteSounds like you have ambitions! Quite right. Like your business like approach. GL in 2010
ReplyDeleteAbsolute sick graph my friend. I wholeheartedly think you should jump into the 200nl games. If you have a shot to play mid-stakes then take it. The money, even playing 25k hands a month and an "okay" win-rate + rakeback/rewards are enough to make it a full time job. Don't waste an opportunity many of us would love to take.
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