Poker News

Ashley Adams

I’m the Stud expert. I started with $50 at Party Poker. Knowing the potential risks of losing my entire bankroll, I played carefully. I followed my own best advice, willingly sacrificing some pieces of optimal play in the interests of reducing risks. I learned to win steadily if not by as much as I could if I were willing to accept more volatile play.

As expected, my $50 grew. I won at the rate of about $1.75 an hour. That’s pretty puny hourly pay for anyone. But But at $.50/1.00 stud it’s nearly two big bets an hour. Not too shabby - especially not with a rake that’s the size of the large bet. After a couple of weeks of careful (albeit boring) play, I had doubled my stack to $100.

I resisted the temptation to go up to $1/2, properly respecting the debilitating effect even a small run of bad beats could have on my bankroll. I wanted at least $200 before I played $1/2 since this was all the money I had in the world for on line poker. My plan was to gradually earn my way up to $30/60. Small progress was progress toward that goal. Still, I was getting bored.

When I reached $125 I decided to try my hand at the $25 Pot Limit Omaha8 games - just for some distraction and experimentation. I did very well, very quickly, doubling and then quadrupling my money in a few hours of very, very, very tight play. In less than four hours I was at $225. Time for some $10 Stud Sit and Gos.

I won four out of my first six. The formula seemed simple. Tight/aggressive and then wait for all but one or two to knock each other out. Then play very aggressively and win. My stack increased to $340 or so. This was terrific. Doesn’t sound like a tale of woe, does it?

My stack finally allowed higher stakes. I played $1/2. The games were soft. I played conservatively, though not as nit-like as I had at the $.50/1.00 table. I lost a few hands in a row when I was outdrawn. It happens. Down to $280 or so. Then a $30 Sit and Go. I lost the first and won the second. Up to $390 or so. This was fun.

Not so damn fast Mr. Expert. I played in three more $30 Sit and Gos. Nothing. I moved over to the Omaha-8 games. I was a little too wild. Convinced that I would eventually repeat my earlier success I stayed too long. Before I was really aware of it I was back down to about $120. That was OK, I thought, I’ll just start over at $.50/1.00 and work my way back up.

Back down I went. But there was a serious, bankroll depleting problem. Try though I might, I couldn’t go back to my careful play. I wanted to play with more risk and aggression. I just couldn’t be a nit again - scratching my way back up at the rate of $1.75/hour. I was impatient and eager for more serious action. So I pushed my borderline hands and was much less selective. I lost. Down to $50. I should have just gone back to playing carefully. I didn’t. If played a $30 Sit and Go. Winning would give me a respectable stack again. I played well but got out drawn early in the sixth round, with five players remaining. Exit stage left. Down to $15 or so. Back to $.50/1.00. Tight, tight, tight. Loss, loss, loss. And finally $0. $0 is a lonely number.

Next time: lessons learned.

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