Sit and Go with Mike

Thanks to Vandweller’s advice on the Stox’s Poker Forum. I was able to lean up my quizzes in SitNGo Wizard.  I suggest anyone who is using this product should try this too. In the options set the quiz parameters to restrict your stack size to 13BB. That way the quiz will only pertain to times that it is actually correct to push, rather than make a standard raise.

My results improved slightly tonight. I found myself making a few mistakes that repeated. So I made some notes/ comments I will share about assessing if shoving is a good idea.

1. Pay attention to your stack size vs the blinds, as well as your opponants. (This was the one mistake I need to improve on the most, while I have all of the time in the world to make my guess on the quiz, you only get like 15 seconds to make a decision online.)
2. Push tighter with a raiser before you. (I found that if I was in the small blind and the dealer made a standard raise, pushing with weaker cards was a mistake)
3. Pay attention to the pot odds (This one also relates to my point #1, it is often correct to call an all-in raise if you have a big stack in the big blind and the shover is raising with only 1 or two blinds with any two cards.)

Keeping in the theme of SitNGo wizard I also watched a video tonight. Colin Moshman’s SitNGo Wizard tutorial video (Video #150). It helped me to understand alot of what the numbers mean. If you have a Stox Poker membership and you have this tool and have not yet watched it you should. It helped me a ton.

I also continued to read my first book. I have few books with regards to sit and go strategy, and I chose to go with How to Beat Sit and Go Tournaments by Neil Timothy first. It is a beginners guide to beating sit and go tournaments.

I want to get back to basics and this book does exactly that. It focuses on solid ABC poker. Tight in the early blinds, loosen up in the middle and even more at the bubble. I’ve gone through the gameplay section of the book and now it is focusing on reading your opponents. This book is what I needed for the back to basics. It doesn’t cover any advanced concepts, but they do make the claim that you will end up in the top 6 over 80% of the time by following this strategy.

I’ll find out tomorrow, because my son willing, I will play some poker. (Finally).

Tuesday, September 17 2008.
SitNGo Wizard Score: 74/100 (Difficulty Average)

I’ve gone though just about everything I can think of, maybe it’s the donkeys who play 9,3 offsuit. Maybe it’s bad luck.. how can I keep getting sucked out when I have the best hand. Why do I keep going out before the bubble?

I need to start taking responsibility for my actions. I need to start taking the game more seriously. So with that in mind I give you my manifesto.

Above is my current Sharkscope for Titan Poker. My first goal is to get my numbers out of the red. How am I going to do this you ask?

1) I am a member of Stoxpoker video training site. (My goal for September is to try to watch a video every couple of days)
2) My vast collection of books. (My goal for September is to read my first book)
3) Forums. I will post at least two hands that gave me trouble per day of play. I will also try to make a better effort to reply to posts as well.
4) SitNGo Wizard. I will review every session that I play. I will also take the quiz every day to get my score up.
5) Look into the possibility of a poker coach.
6) Lastly I will make a better attempt to play more games.

I intend to post my hand histories, my results. And In general post more to my blog. I believe with dedication and hard work I can become a successful SNG player. I welcome your comments, and invite your criticism.

Tuesday, September 16 2008.
SitNGo Wizard Score: 66/100 (Difficulty Average)