Live player starts online bankroll challange - $300 -> $10k
Hi All,
First post - but to give a little context I am 26 and play full time live poker. Being from the UK I'm playing mainly 1/3 & 2/5, and being far away from London there is limited game selection in the day. I don't play online at all really but I have been toying with the idea of a bankroll challenge for something to do in the day - so the idea will be a $300-$10k bankroll challenge playing zoom only. I will be looking to play somewhere between 10/25k hands per week time dependent - but I will update after each session. Even if this takes a year plus I think it would give me a new appreciation for the game and refresh poker a little bit for me, and I am looking forward to the more GTO learning rather than the pure exploit style I use playing live.
I will be putting in 5-10 hours a week on GTO wizard based on 6 max zoom alongside my current study schedule but I usually learn best whilst playing, so will lookup spots on the fly as I'm playing that come up. This will be a big adjustment in how I have been playing for the last 3 years so I am interested in how it will alter my current playstyle/mindset.
I have decided to start with $300 as I want to use a 30BI bankroll management strategy, taking shots at 25BI and moving back down if needed once I drop below 20BI. So 10nl will be the starting point as I want to experience the true climb rather than starting at 25NL or 50NL which I did think about.
I will be doing this on Pokerstars so all rakeback will be added.
I will aim to update after each session but please drop in anything you think will be helpful for me 😀
19 Replies
Session 1
Session one I played on 22/01/25, nothing really to note no really extreme run good or bad, solid and only a few spots I had to pause and lookup. But felt like I still managed to use exploits well in the GTO heavy strategy. Only played 2 tables to get into the swing of it but this will increase to 3/4 soon.
Starting BR
Session
+$3 rakeback.
End BR and current total stats & graph
Good luck with your challenge.
May I ask how do you find playing online affects your live game i.e. when you find your online style do you think it negatively impacts your live game because it's so different and online is all about the strat and live all about the exploit?
Also, where are you finding 1/3 and 2/5 live games in the UK outside of London?
All the best.
Well I've only got about 6k hands in so far so I haven't noticed any issues, but I imagine long term it'll start to impact some of the thought processes and defaults I've been using for years.
If anything I think I could be winning slightly more online but I still potentially play slightly loose compared to the population at 10nl. I am slightly worried about losing the exploits however most of that is based on live tells and live fish tendencies anyway so it shouldn't.
Manchester, Birmingham, Coventry and Nottingham mate in casinos - private games all over 😀
Session two I played on 25/01/25 but only had a couple hours to play, in general still happy and feel like I'm crushing the pool - but running horribly on all in situations, but . Lost KK vs AK, AK vs KK, and worst of all AA vs KK & AJ for a 340bb pot.
Starting BR for session - $333.64
Session -
End of session BR and current total stats & graph
BR - $362.17
Subbed gl man!!
SESSION 3
First of many losing sessions on 26/01/25 and down a few BI. Felt happy with my play for the most part, just ran into AA twice and had a couple sets into straights. Tried to focus more on GTO sizings and lines today, however realised the pool is underbluffing massively so going forward I think I am going to exploit fold to most non-whales on turn and river raises specifically.
Session starting BR - $362.17
Session -
+ $3 rakeback
End of session BR and current total stats & graph
BR -
Session 4
Small session and not updated for a few days as I've been visiting family. Going to have a few bigger session over the next few days and get towards 20k total hands.
Session starting BR - $341.08
Session ending BR - $348.90
Total rakeback so far - $6
Session
Total stats & graph
Nice blog, best of luck!
Session 5
NGL I am very happy I didn't tilt at all, I think years of exposure to bad beats has prepped me and I have always said my mental game is super strong, but grinded this session back from being 3/4 buy in's down like 3 times - despite running horribly. 4 all in's massively ahead and 2 AK vs AK loses. Only got it in behind once which was QQ vs KK. Good news is were still up on the challenge despite being 5 BI below EV in 9k hands lol. Just makes me want to grind more, still adjusting and it's so different to live poker, getting stronger daily at GTO lines and the strategy is getting stronger. 100% some of the worst 1500 hand all in run bad I've seen.
Session starting BR - $348.90
Session ending BR - $331.13
Total rakeback in challenge - $6
Session
Overall challenge Stats & Graph
best of luck
Session 6
Hit the 10k hands - not bad overall happy with my play and learning I've done so far in a GTO sense, and not impacted my live play as of yet and have been running super good on the IRL felt - feel like I'm making correct decisions but might either start mixing in a third table or 2 reg tables at the same time to increase volume. Ideally want to stick to zoom though. This weekend will be trying to get in 7-10k hands so should see significant progress with any luck. Can hopefully catch my expected EV. Will start posting interesting hands from the day on each session post - any questions or advice please leave it for me/
[B]Session starting BR - $331.13
Session ending BR - $343.59
Total rake back in challange - $6
Session
]
Overall challange stats and graph
Session 7
Had a longer session today - played well but also made some hands at really nice times. Last session ended poorly and was getting tired so should of hopped off but an overall day of progress for the challenge. Aim is to hit $625 by March to take the first shot at 25nl.
Session starting BR - $343.59
Session ending BR - $406.20
Total rakeback in challenge - $16.50
Session
Overall challenge stats and graph
Session 8
Finishing off the weekend with half the hands of yesterday as I'm traveling to a private game for some 2/5 but wanted to get some volume in. Crushed it this weekend over $100 in 7k hands and all in EV isn't amazing - just feel like I'm outplaying everyone pre and post flop and making really good decisions. The pool in general is very weak so I won't be taking to much from it, but the GTO daily study is making a big difference now and my ranges feel way more solid pre-flop. I have also added my discord to my profile so give me a message if you want to chat poker - I will make a server soon to track the progress too and put hand history's.
Session starting BR - $406.20
Session ending BR - $456.97
Total rakeback in challenge - $16.50
Session
Overall challenge stats and graph
Day 9
Challange is flying - live poker is going well but I am enjoying the grind of this far too much. I am getting super comfortable in this pool and will probably be playing at 25nl with any luck before the end of the month. Just shy of 20k hands and over $200 plus rakeback profit - apart from coolers and losing all in's I dominate most pots, especially 3 and 4 bet pots winning 90% without showdown - picking bluff combos well and super happy with sizings.
Discord server is live - https://discord.gg/uKAtzyHS - will set it up properly tomorrow and have study chat's, bankroll challenge progress, hand history's and interesting GTO spots - all sort's so get involved if you want to improve and are grinding through the online cash streets too. Or even if you have questions about live cash and bankroll management give me a shout 😀
Session starting BR - $456.97
Session ending BR - $533.55
Total rakeback in challenge - $27
Session
Overall challange stats and graph
Day 10
I only got 1k hands in today - felt awful so ended up taking the day off live too so I can recover. Kinda wish I didn't play and overall probably the worst session I've played in the challange in terms of how happy I am with the overall play. Ended up in profit due to finding a few nice spots against some VIP's, however made an awful call down to lose a buy in and in general was on autopilot. Even after a winning session it's important to note if you were feeling like this and not just look at results. When I review my sessions on Saturday I will be doing this one first and noting all the large mistakes made.
Session starting BR - $533.55
Session ending BR - $547.08
Total rakeback in challenge - $27
Session
Overall challenge stats and graph
Day 11
Strange day really - didn't feel like I played poorly or well, however got rinsed for 8 BI and was down $80 in 2k hands, ruthless coolers but plugged away at it and pulled the majority of it back. I won't moan at a 2k hand downswing because they can be much more volatile. Defo could of made a few more exploit folds against fish donking on reflection - gonna run some hands this morning and study a little then crack on with another 5k hands today. This was also the first day playing 3 tables so will be adjusting to that too.
Discord server : https://discord.gg/uKAtzyHS
Session starting BR - $547.08
Session ending BR - $525.66
Total rakeback in challange - $27
Session
Overall challenge stats and graph
Day 12
Really small session today only had an hour as I'm off to take a rare shot at a live £5/10 tonight as the lineup is insane. No mega interesting spots but I will start posting a hand history for the hand of the session after today as it is super helpful for me as I'm still learning the online streets. Planning to take this week easy as people are away so live games will be slow, hoping to get to 50k hands & potentially 25NL.
Discord server : https://discord.gg/uKAtzyHS - join to discuss hands, strategy or ask any questions about anything poker related 😀
Session starting BR - $525.66
Session ending BR - $539.79
Total rakeback in challenge - $27
Session
Overall challenge stats & graph
Give me your feedback! Hand played this morning
10NL hand - TcTd
CO (Hero) : 108bb
But (Villan) : 116bb
Pot - 17.5bb - effective stack - 102bb
Flop - Qs8d6d
CO x, Button 5.5bb, CO calls.
Pot - 28.5bb - effective stack - 97bb
Turn - Qs8d6d 6h
CO x, Button 18bb, CO calls.
Pot - 64.5bb - effective stack - 79bb
River - Qs8d6d 6h 7d
CO x, Button all in, CO calls. 222b.5bb pot - Button shows KsJd
So despite winning this pot, I think in the long term this is an extreme punt from me and I’m not overally happy with it. I can acc fold turn happily, however I have quite alot of history with the opponent and I know he will run 3 streets, is super agro pre flop and VPIPs 44%.
However, I called turn planning to fold to aggression river, but the jam set the alarm bells off. Only jamming QQ, 88 or flushes. I hate having the Td but it does block a decent chunk of his flushes and straights. Anyway this was a pure opponent based call - however reflecting on it I hate it and I think having made a few big folds today already I choose to be a station here and I have much better hands to call with.
Result - 10/10
Overall play - 3/10
Day 13
Not going to really say much here, graph speaks for itself. Ran 10bi below EV in 6/7 hands, I got it in way ahead all day and got 1 and 2 outed but that's the game sometimes. All I can do is review some hands this morning and go again. I'm happy though at managing not to tilt and not punting any chips off. Still I am stunned how many set's we got in and list, KK vs JJ, KK vs QQ, KK vs Ak twice. Madness.
Discord server : https://discord.gg/uKAtzyHS - join to discuss hands, strategy or ask any questions about anything poker related
Session starting BR - $539.79
Session ending BR - $516.94
Total rakeback in challenge - $37.50
Session
Overall challenge stats & graph
