April Result: +$128 YTD:+$706

It has taken me nearly two months to reverse the damage of my early March downswing but I am finally back around my peak. I have much to do however to get my challenge back on track. Fifty seven cents per game is way below my aim, expectation and potential. It is the truth of my year to date however. Kartajana          884 $0.57   $5   10% $506   Tilt N/A iPoker Year2011 SNG Only Events have given me perspective in April: Poker activity in the US have highligted just how fortunate I am to switch on my computer and enjoy playing a game I love. My fortieth birthday this month has shown the value of family and friends in my life (and that I can win at poker in my forties just as I did in my thirties). The shot above is me and my wife at my birthday party at Haydock Park. A trampoline injury to my three year old son has led to four hospital visits and great concern as for a few days he could not walk. He is fine now thankfully. In terms of May, my aim would be to get above $1000 in my challange via a solid month and a consolation bonus win. Meanwhile don't forget to vote in my latest survey.

Progress

Halfway through April and I am making some progress with my Maui Challenge, though I remain well behind schedule overall. My main aim in April was to make over $1 per game and get back some lost confidence. I am on track for this and I have also come close a couple of times to winning a second consolation bonus.   Kartajana          116 $1.07   $5   18% $124   - N/A iPoker 4/1/2011 4/15/2011 SNG Only

In terms of tilt my infection has subsided (though I am not completely cured). The inevitable bad beat stories continue, but one month on I can now smile and be happy I made the right play and move on to the next game to do the same. It is amazing how much poker results can be affected by mindset and discipline.

 

I have also experimented a few sessions playing eight games at once (rather than my normal five or six) which has proved quite effective. I am totally focused on the games because I have to be, am not tempted to play hands I shouldn't because I don't have time and the higher number of games reduces overall session variance.

 

All I need now is a bigger screen!

March Result:-$157 YTD:+$578

A tough month for sure. It took me the whole month to get my Maui game back together following a poor run of luck and a frustrating case of tilt. But I'm back ready to get my Maui Challenge back on track and looking forward to a new month. My aim for April is to play well, at above $1 per game for the month and win a second consolation bonus.   Kartajana          647 $0.58   $5   10% $378   - N/A iPoker Year2011 SNG Only   From a more positive perspective I made an overall profit poker wise in March thanks to that good Pokerstars cash and probably paid $350 in fees during the month so all is not too bad. I also ended a session yesterday with three consecutive wins making me feel a jackpot success is not out of reach.   I can dream at least.

Respect the regulars

Check out this theoretical ten man sit n go table. These players including myself are winning regulars on the Maui Jackpot trail who I come across a lot at the times I play. As I try to get my game back together it is useful to look at all these players progress charts to see that none have avoided downswings along the way. My aim now in the final week or so of March is to get my game back on track and have a positive end to the month. What has happened has happened. I can only do this by playing well and avoiding mistakes (this is really hard to do I have found when you are on a losing run). I do not try to dodge these players as I largely understand their play at each phase of the game. Having said that it would not be ideal to play in a game with more than a couple of these winners.

 

Username	Games Played	Av. Profit	Av. Stake	Av. ROI	Total Profit	Form	Ability /100	Network	Filter
DieGrinder	1,111	$0.24	$5	4%	$264	Super Tilt	N/A	iPoker	Year2011 S5-5 Jackpot	x
Donseng	563	$0.91	$5	15%	$512	Tilt	N/A	iPoker	Year2011 S5-5 Jackpot	x
HeartGreen	671	$0.29	$5	5%	$194	-	N/A	iPoker	Year2011 S5-5 Jackpot	x
KarenMudi	243	$0.93	$5	16%	$227	-	N/A	iPoker	Year2011 S5-5 Jackpot	x
Kartajana	534	$0.58	$5	10%	$311	-	N/A	iPoker	Year2011 S5-5 Jackpot	x
Mixa08	1,518	$0.05	$5	1%	$72	-	N/A	iPoker	Year2011 S5-5 Jackpot	x
MrKrakatoa	538	$0.25	$5	4%	$137	-	N/A	iPoker	Year2011 S5-5 Jackpot	x
ottoskorzeny	625	$0.46	$5	8%	$285	-	N/A	iPoker	Year2011 S5-5 Jackpot	x
petrovna1957	586	$0.09	$5	2%	$54	-	N/A	iPoker	Year2011 S5-5 Jackpot	x
xxShitOutxx	3,293	$0.42	$5	7%	$1,372	-	N/A	iPoker	Year2011 S5-5 Jackpot	x

 

Respect and good luck to you regulars (just not on my table please).

Boost From Pokerstars Cash

While I try to get my Maui Challenge back on track following a recent downswing I can take heart from a decent cash on Pokerstars. Whilst 80% of my poker is centered on the Maui Sit N Gos I do play some games on Full Tilt and Pokerstars. Full Tilt has gone well this year but I have had a nightmare on Stars until this game. My previously absent luck has been stored up my the kind folks at Pokerstars to help me come second in this multi-table sit n go from having almost no chips. This is a decent cash for me and puts me nicely ahead overall in March to date. Hopefully it will boost my overall poker confidence for the Maui games.     PokerStars Tournament #373938888, No Limit Hold'em Buy-In: $11.00/$1.00 USD 180 players Total Prize Pool: $1980.00 USD Tournament started 2011/03/11 18:37:47 ET Tournament finished 2011/03/11 20:34:43 ET   1: kolll77 (Ukraine), $594.00 (30%)   2: Kartajana (United Kingdom), $396.00 (20%)   3: besoccer10 (United States), $235.62 (11.9%)   4: Gimmidaloot7 (Canada), $158.40 (8%)   5: waslander (Netherlands), $128.70 (6.5%)   6: gutu47 (Spain), $99.00 (5%)   7: 6daxtilos (Cyprus), $69.30 (3.5%)   8: leoninas (Argentina), $51.48 (2.6%)   9: mata070 (United States), $33.66 (1.7%)

Despite numerous elements of good luck throughout, including at the final table where the pay jumps got bigger and bigger I still ended the game annoyed at not winning having had a dominant chip lead heads up at one stage.

 

On reflection I am very happy with second having subsequently noted the number of winning players at the final table. Well done me and congrats to kolll77.

Early March Downswing!

Variance has hit my Maui Challenge in the first few days of March. Variance has led to tilt. Variance and tilt have catapulted me on a five day downswing. Only Poker can see you win 57 days out of 59 only to lose for 5 consecutive days. My own fault though. A run of bad luck is always around the corner in poker. How you handle it defines your overall success. So what you can only win one in five coin tosses and it seems your opponents mistakes are rewarded not punished. If you continue to make the right decisions the good times will return soon. It is statistically inevitable. I am not a machine though and emotions have led me to play poorly in response to my misfortune. On day five I resolved to be totally focused and have a winning session. Things were going well until a further set of unlucky, cruel and downright ridiculous hands led me to cash only once in six games. An extra unplanned session followed (in which I was tilted, tired and tetchy - even bemoaning my bad luck in the chat box with comments like "one-outer!" and "come on!").

I am guilty of the following:

Tilting in the face of a run of bad luck

Playing when far too tired and ill

Being distracted by Pokerstars qualifiers for the Sunday Million

Being over confident

Believing my poker challenge is more important than it is

I am hoping this blog will help rid me of my tilt infection

Here endeth my confession...............

Kartajana

461

$0.9

$5

15%

$414

Tilt

N/A

iPoker

Year2011

Tonight I play well, smile when luck conspires against me and maybe just maybe have a winning session based on focused good play...... I bloody hope so anyway.

February Result: +$470 YTD: +$735

The positives from February are that I won my first $200 consolation bonus and continued at a good rate per game despite a late month dip (no doubt caused by my jackpot near miss). Overall my total profit year to date is now $735 for my Maui Challenge which is slightly ahead of schedule. On a more negative note I failed to improve the number of games played in the month, though quality is better than quantity I guess.

Kartajana

430

$1.24

$5

21%

$535

-

N/A

iPoker

Year2011

x

Thanks to those who voted in my poll.

The challenge continues!