A Fresh Look at My Bankroll

The WSOP satellites are over now, and I never really got as close as I did that first week or so. One other time I was in first place at the break of an 81 player tourney where only one player qualified for the WSOP. I "played to win" and not to survive till the final table. I ignored the fact that 2nd-13th place paid several hundred dollars. Ooops! I became too fixated on going to Vegas in First Place. Duh, I should have survived and put myself into position to get the money and a chance to win at the final table. I spent a little more money overall trying to qualify online than I initially thought I would, but it was spread out over several pay periods, $15 at a time, and only had to get into my live-game poker stash once to pay for it (near the end when I decided to do a re-buy satellite, mentioned above.) I am happy I tried, and satisfied overall with my performance. Next year perhaps fewer tries....just like online cash play, too much is too much in a short time.

Throughout the same time period as the WSOP satellites, my live cash game play has been on a roll. I have only really lost in Minnesota where the cash game is a limit game, which I am less informed about. I have won a lot of money in both cash and tournament formats in both home and casino games since April. I was invited to the Honnerlaw Wednesday night game, and placed in the money in both tourneys so far. I am very confident in my game right now. Check out my live-game cash bankroll below:

This chart dates back to July '05 and includes every single live game in which I have played, including cash games and tournaments. It shows my bankroll in terms of net profit/loss, which now stands at an overall profit of $1,580.00. Although I have recorded every single buy-in since I began playing for money, only recently did I decide to create a chart, as I have done so consistently with my online bankroll. The first thing that struck me after creating this chart was the fact that only once throughout my time playing live poker was I a "losing player." The first time I ever played I showed a $3 profit, and the second time I played I lost $20 for an overall loss of $17; the only time in my life that I've shown a net loss in live poker.

I found this "discovery" to be quite impressive. Though I've lost money in several individual sessions, I can say without equivocation that since June 2006 I have not shown a net loss in my overall poker bankroll in any one year period, and my bankroll has never dropped to zero.

Another interesting fact revealed by my thorough record keeping involves my performance in limit hold 'em. I have a net loss of $380 in limit games. I only play limit hold 'em in Minnesota where no-limit is not allowed except in tournaments. Even with this considerable drain on my bankroll, my net profit since I began to play live games for money in July '05 is $1,580.00.

Knowing all of this, playing very well recently, and the long break from playing in cash games online has really been good for my attitude concerning the $10,000 Bankroll Challenge. I have also established the habit of going to bed at a reasonable hour, and I exercise a lot more now. I am confident that if I play less, and don't play too late at night, that my online bankroll will slowly swell. I am not giving up on growing it to $10,000.