Back to Basics

I figured it was time to have a good look at my game and see whether it is anything I am doing different that has led to a difficulty in hitting the profits I achieved last year.

However rather than delving straight into my game to see whether I was playing too loose or too tight and pouring over 1000's of hand histories I decided to look to my game selection.

My game plan has definitely changed from what it was a year ago. I now play on sites that give me entry into free tournaments through an affiliate. I am normally playing cash games on these sites in order to earn say 50 or 100 points which grants me entrance into a free restricted tournament. Some of which are very under subscribed and relatively high rewards.

Could this be problem..... well I think the answer is yes. I have slipped into the mindset of just needing to earn 10 more points on this site, then 20 more on that site and all within a deadline time. So I have probably been playing faster than usual, multitabling more often and trying to "win" points instead of money.

So how does this differ from last year. Well first off it doesn't lend itself to the strict bankroll management methods I used to employ. My bread and butter used to be the 10man STT. I would start at the lower levels and as I won went up through the buy ins and as I lost went back down through the buy ins. I would then put a pot aside from these winnings for multi table tournaments and a pot aside for the cash games.

Now I just tend to play cash games with no real bank rolling method.

So what do I intend to do?

Well first off I am going to find a 10man STT that I can beat. And then start my strict bank rolling methods again. I am then going to use winnings (if I have any) to qualify for those free tournaments that do not have a short qualification time or that have the best reward structure.

So sometimes it pays to keep your spreadsheets up to date and mind open to your actions.

Having said this I still feel I am getting more than a fair share of poor luck - again today my AK running into a shortstacks' AQ for him to 4 flush the win. These things happen but instead of it being a dent to my bankroll as a cash buy in it just meant I didn't cash as much as I should have in my STT. Hopefully my Back to Basics game selection approach will level out the impact on my losses.

I'll keep you informed on how it goes, and back to some more reading to ensure my game play leaks are plugged in as good a fashion as my game selection leaks.

Keep it Tight!