despite having a great year in 08, i have always had a feeling thats things wont last. im not a particularly good player, im just your average joe grinder. as each week passes, more and more avarge grinders like myself join the tables, less and less idiots compliment them, and the tables become tougher. in the last 3 months ive sat at many tables where im the worst player there and have had to hop about to find better tables. obviously that cant continue.
playing poker professionally full time for my first year has way way surpassed my earnings expectations but i have to be honest and realistic. there will come a time for a player such as myself that i cant beat the game anymore. i had 100k online, december i lost 30k of that. if things dont turn around for me, and i keep losing at my current rate, ill be busto my march. 100k is enough to lose, and ill draw a line under it at that moment and walk away, content that ive not given back all last years profits. What i dont want to be is that person who loses all his profits because i didnt spot that fact im not good enough anymore
With that in mind, who knows what 09 will have in store. i have no idea if ill be blogging this time next year, or how long this temporary poker job will last, all i know is its a temporary contract for sure.
here are my goals for 2009
1 MILLION NL HANDS
5K HANDS A MONTH OF PLO
1 DAY PER WEEK OF HU
LOSE 1 STONE IN WEIGHT ( CURRENTLY 14 ST 2 POUNDS)
1 million hands is an increase from 600k this year. its very attainable considering i was only 4 tabling at the start af the year and now i have a professional set up. its a commitment to 35 hours a week. plo is my escape route, by the end of the year i want to be a competant player, and hu is an area i want to improve also, so a commitment there also. 1 stone in weight by the summer also.
2 January 2009 08:00
1 million hand's, sweet jebus that's a heck of a target. GL Sir.
Is moving to PLO your backup plan for the increase in good players in NLHE?
2 January 2009 11:11
I am just a wannabe fish right now but fwiw... I think its 110% correct not to be complacent but your realistic outlook combined with your work ethic should be your big edge. while a good % of the pros will no doubt get overtaken I expect you will be working on your game and maybe getting some coaching etc.
Please don't be too pessimistic about the future. Expect a good year and it shall be!
GL in 09
2 January 2009 19:10
it aint that many hours tbh kev @800 hands an hour. and yeah plo is a back up plan hopefully. lots of nl players are trying to diversify and plo is the action game atm or so i hear.
thnks havingalaff, im just trying to be realistic is all, im not on a downer or anything. if i did go busto it will be with a smile on my face, ive had a good ride so far, im just not prepared to donate anymore of 08 winnings back to the poker community. i figure 100k is enough tbh. i am taking a little prematurely, but it is a real possibility
plus theres more to poker, and would be time for another adventure is all, who knows.
gl in 09 chaps
3 January 2009 18:32
You'll be fine clarky, i like the targets and 1 million hands is a very good idea my friends. If the games get tougher and the winrate diminishes a bit, put more hands in to make up for it.
Gl anyways, gl team goatatroid!
9 January 2009 09:25
nice honest post and good luck for similar year matey. Keeping it real is so important imo!!!