This is my first blog in a while. Last time I quit writing, as I failed in using bankroll management and went belly up. Since that time I successfully grinded my acct from the dollar range to where I can be more selective. Of course, having a big win was helpful. I got my acct to around 50 bucks so the Sunday before last, I played in a 2 buck 7.5k guarantee. There was an astounding 8444 players and even more remarkable was that I finished in second place. My first substantial win on stars and first 4 figure score in some time. I immediately withdrew $1500 and left myself around 300 to gamble with.

The following day I took another second in a larger sng and brought my acct to $550. Since then I have been treading water with a slight gain. Here is the thing I am "trying" proper bankroll control. I typically play multi-table sngs of the 2-4 range. The biggest sng i play is the 3.30 180 man rebuy. I really enjoy rebuys! Here is a story about last nights rebuy. I crush the first half hour and end the period with over 45k in chips, second place has around 22K in chips. However, the next hour was hell. I played way too many pots, called off so many chips with extremely marginal hands and bluffed off my chances to win that event. I ended up outside of the money and dejected. However, this was a humbling experience and I believe I learned a bunch from it, so actually this loss was likely +ev.

Here is my problem that I'm hoping to solve. I chase my losses! The way that I have been doing this is by playing DON's. I find DON's very beatable and an excellent way to pad the bankroll and recoup some of my losses. However, I know that this will inevitably result in me going broke once again. I can't be playing 20, 50 and even 100 dollar DONS and expect not to take some major beats. So far I’ve been lucky but I really don't want to take these risks anymore. My new goal is to force myself to write these blogs and by doing such maybe shame myself into changing my thought process. I can be a bankroll nit. I'm not playing to pay off the bills; I play for the fun, the challenge and the ability to treat myself and my family when I win. I know I can win since I've done so before but can I thrive???

I am extremely pleased with the personal challenge, that I put myself up to complete. I started with $1.00 and within 30 days, I have built a decent little roll. I am currently sitting with $264 and change (oh and I'd have more money but I've paid off a debt and haven't been perfect with BR mgmt.). I plan on staying in the lower stake range and hope to be at $1000 by May 2009. I also plan on keeping up this blog, to keep me honest, as well as a tool to stop me from going outside proper BR mgmt.

I also had an ROI of 55% according to sharkscope in DON's.

<table border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" width="660" height=""><tbody><tr><td><table border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" width="660"><tbody><tr><td><table border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" height="102"><tbody><tr><td valign="top" width="250"><table border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" height="94"><tbody><tr><td>DeepSeaFishi (PokerStars) statistics </td></tr><tr><td>Statistics includes scheduled PokerStars MTT poker tournaments and PokerStars SNG tournaments. (SNG min. 36 players). </td></tr><tr><td>*Please note that we track SnG Heads-Up (HU) and SnG Single Table Tournaments (STT) for Full Tilt Poker players only. See coverage for what is tracked and included. </td></tr></tbody></table> </td><td valign="top" width="160"><table border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0"><tbody><tr><td valign="top" height="14">Period </td></tr><tr><td><script type="text/javascript"> function SelectMonth() { parent.location.href='/redir.asp?playerid=27616837-63EE-4B13-B331-F43064392A6A&MonthID='+document.MonthForm.Mont hSelect.value; } </script> <form name="MonthForm"> <select name="MonthSelect" onchange="SelectMonth()" size="1"> <option value="999999">Full Tracking</option> <option value="999998">Last 120 days</option> <option value="999994">Year 2009</option> <option value="999997">Year 2008</option> <option value="999996">Year 2007</option> <option value="999995">2006 (>?)</option> <option selected="selected" value="200903">2009 March</option> <option value="200902">2009 February</option> <option value="200901">2009 January</option> <option value="200812">2008 December</option> <option value="200811">2008 November</option> <option value="200810">2008 October</option> <option value="200809">2008 September</option> <option value="200808">2008 August</option> <option value="200807">2008 July</option> <option value="200806">2008 June</option> <option value="200805">2008 May</option> <option value="200804">2008 April</option> <option value="200803">2008 March</option> <option value="200802">2008 February</option> <option value="200801">2008 January</option> <option value="200712">2007 December</option> <option value="200711">2007 November</option> <option value="200710">2007 October</option> <option value="200709">2007 September</option> <option value="200708">2007 August</option> <option value="200707">2007 July</option> <option value="200706">2007 June</option> <option value="200705">2007 May</option> <option value="200704">2007 April</option> <option value="200703">2007 March</option> <option value="200702">2007 February</option> <option value="200701">2007 January</option> <option value="200612">2006 December</option> <option value="200611">2006 November</option> <option value="200610">2006 October</option> <option value="200609">2006 September</option> <option value="200608">2006 August</option> <option value="200607">2006 July</option> <option value="200606">2006 June</option> <option value="200605">2006 May</option> <option value="200604">2006 April</option> <option value="200603">2006 March</option> <option value="200602">2006 February</option> <option value="200601">2006 January</option> </select> </form> </td></tr><tr><td><script type="text/javascript"> function SelectEstMax() { parent.location.href='/redir.asp?playerid=27616837-63EE-4B13-B331-F43064392A6A&EstMax='+document.EstMaxForm.EstM axSelect.value; } </script> <form name="EstMaxForm"> <select name="EstMaxSelect" onchange="SelectEstMax()"> <option value="2" selected="selected">with estimated R/A expens.</option> <option value="1">without R/A expenses</option> </select> </form> </td></tr><tr><td valign="top"><table border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0"><tbody><tr><td valign="top">View by </td><td valign="top">Game </td></tr><tr><td><script type="text/javascript"> function SelectContentViewBy() { parent.location.href='/redir.asp?playerid=27616837-63EE-4B13-B331-F43064392A6A&ContentViewBy='+document.ContentV iewByForm.ContentViewBySelect.value; } </script> <form name="ContentViewByForm"> <select name="ContentViewBySelect" onchange="SelectContentViewBy()"> <option value="1" selected="selected">Game</option> <option value="2">Size</option> </select> </form> </td><td><script type="text/javascript"> function SelectContentGameType() { parent.location.href='/redir.asp?playerid=27616837-63EE-4B13-B331-F43064392A6A&ContentGameType='+document.Conten tGameTypeForm.ContentGameTypeSelect.value; } </script> <form name="ContentGameTypeForm"> <select name="ContentGameTypeSelect" onchange="SelectContentGameType()"> <option value="0">All</option> <option value="1" selected="selected">Holdem NL</option> <option value="27">Holdem L/PL</option> <option value="3">Omaha</option> <option value="48">Omaha HiLo</option> <option value="56">Other Games</option> </select> </form> </td></tr></tbody></table> </td></tr></tbody></table> </td><td valign="top" width="95"><table border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" width="95" height="94"><tbody><tr><td colspan="2" id="posheadline" align="left">ITM Finishes</td></tr><tr><td align="left" width="45">1st</td><td id="p1" width="50">3</td></tr><tr><td title="1st ties: Tournament places won where seat or amount won is equal to 1st prize" align="left">1st ties</td><td id="p1t">4</td></tr><tr><td align="left">2nd</td><td id="p2">1</td></tr><tr><td align="left">3rd</td><td id="p3">1</td></tr><tr><td align="left">4-10th</td><td id="p4">8</td></tr></tbody></table> </td><td valign="top" width="100"><table border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" width="100" height="94"><tbody><tr><td colspan="2" title="Avg. Finish (MTT only): Please see FAQ" id="finishedheadline" align="left">MTT Avg. Finish%</td></tr><tr><td align="left" width="15">Early</td><td id="f1" width="85">8% (10%)</td></tr><tr><td align="left">EM</td><td id="f2">9% (20%)</td></tr><tr><td align="left">Mid.</td><td id="f3">39% (40%)</td></tr><tr><td align="left">ML</td><td id="f4">26% (20%)</td></tr><tr><td align="left">Late</td><td id="f5">17% (10%)</td></tr></tbody></table> </td></tr></tbody></table> </td></tr></tbody></table> </td></tr><tr><td><table border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" width="660"><tbody><tr><td colspan="3" valign="top" width=""><table onmouseover="this.style.cursor='default';" border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" height="106"><tbody><tr><td><table border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0"><tbody><tr><td title="" width="130">Game</td><td title="Prizes won - See FAQ" align="right" width="81">Prizes</td><td title="Net profit - See FAQ" align="right" width="81">Profit</td><td title="Return on Investment - See FAQ" align="right" width="60">ROI</td><td title="Avg. buyin - See FAQ" align="right" width="50">ABI</td><td title="Avg. field size - See FAQ" align="right" width="50">AFS</td><td title="How many percentage of tournaments played was R/A (re-buy/add-on) tournaments" align="right" width="50">R/A</td><td title="In the money/Played - See FAQ" align="right" width="85">ITM</td><td title="In the money - See FAQ" align="right" width="50">ITM </td></tr><tr onclick="SetContentGameType(1)" ;="" onmouseover="ChangeFinished(0,'8','9','39','26','1 7'); ChangePos('3','4','1','1','8','23'); this.bgColor = '#D7E4F1'; this.style.cursor='pointer'" onmouseout="DefaultPos(); DefaultFinished(0); this.bgColor = '#D7E4F1'" bgcolor="#d7e4f1"><td>Hold'em NL </td><td align="right">$535</td><td align="right">$223</td><td align="right">71%</td><td align="right">$1.56</td><td align="right">1552</td><td align="right">0%</td><td align="right">40/201</td><td align="right">20% </td></tr><tr onclick="SetContentGameType(27)" ;="" onmouseover="ChangeFinished(0,'0','0','0','0','0') ; ChangePos('0','0','0','0','0','0'); this.bgColor = '#D7E4F1'; this.style.cursor='pointer'" onmouseout="DefaultPos(); DefaultFinished(0); this.bgColor = '#FFFFFF'" bgcolor="#ffffff"><td>Hold'em L/PL </td><td align="right">$0</td><td align="right">$0</td><td align="right">0%</td><td align="right">$0</td><td align="right">0</td><td align="right">0%</td><td align="right">0/0</td><td align="right">0% </td></tr><tr onclick="SetContentGameType(3)" ;="" onmouseover="ChangeFinished(0,'0','100','0','0','0 '); ChangePos('0','0','0','0','0','0'); this.bgColor = '#D7E4F1'; this.style.cursor='pointer'" onmouseout="DefaultPos(); DefaultFinished(0); this.bgColor = '#FFFFFF'" bgcolor="#ffffff"><td>Omaha </td><td align="right">$0</td><td align="right">$0</td><td align="right">-100%</td><td align="right">$0.10</td><td align="right">240</td><td align="right">0%</td><td align="right">0/1</td><td align="right">0% </td></tr><tr onclick="SetContentGameType(48)" ;="" onmouseover="ChangeFinished(0,'0','0','0','0','0') ; ChangePos('0','0','0','0','0','0'); this.bgColor = '#D7E4F1'; this.style.cursor='pointer'" onmouseout="DefaultPos(); DefaultFinished(0); this.bgColor = '#FFFFFF'" bgcolor="#ffffff"><td>Omaha Hi Lo </td><td align="right">$0</td><td align="right">$0</td><td align="right">0%</td><td align="right">$0</td><td align="right">0</td><td align="right">0%</td><td align="right">0/0</td><td align="right">0% </td></tr><tr onclick="SetContentGameType(56)" ;="" onmouseover="ChangeFinished(0,'0','0','0','0','0') ; ChangePos('0','0','0','0','0','0'); this.bgColor = '#D7E4F1'; this.style.cursor='pointer'" onmouseout="DefaultPos(); DefaultFinished(0); this.bgColor = '#FFFFFF'" bgcolor="#ffffff"><td>Other </td><td align="right">$0</td><td align="right">$0</td><td align="right">0%</td><td align="right">$0</td><td align="right">0</td><td align="right">0%</td><td align="right">0/0</td><td align="right">0% </td></tr><tr onclick="SetContentGameType(0)" ;="" onmouseover="ChangeFinished(0,'8','9','39','26','1 7'); ChangePos('3','4','1','1','8','23'); this.bgColor = '#D7E4F1'; this.style.cursor='pointer'" onmouseout="DefaultPos(); DefaultFinished(0); this.bgColor = '#FFFFFF'" bgcolor="#ffffff"><td></td><td align="right">$535</td><td align="right">$223</td><td align="right">71%</td><td align="right">$1.55</td><td align="right">1546</td><td align="right">0%</td><td align="right">40/202</td><td align="right">20% </td></tr></tbody></table> </td></tr></tbody></table> </td></tr></tbody></table> </td></tr><tr><td align="center"><table border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0"><tbody><tr><td align="center" height="10"></td></tr></tbody></table></td></tr></tbody></table>

<span>I just started playing on Stars this month after I finally went busto on some other sites. I decided that I wouldn't deposit and just see where using "pretty" good bank roll management might take me.</span>

<span>To start the month, I basically had $1.00 to begin with. Within my first week I took down 2 .10 360 man games. That allowed me to play some micro nl and 1.10 don's. I'm not really a cash player though, so I tried grinding the micro DON's. This and taking a second in 3.20 90 man, got me to around 75 bucks pretty quickly. I then upped the stakes playing 5 buck don's and soon I reached $100.00 in about 20 days. </span>

<span>I realized I was likely running above EV but I didn't expect the variance to kick my ass so quickly. All of a sudden, I was losing 7 out of 10 $5 DON's. Of course I figured that I could just win some mtt's but within 3 days I had dwindled my account from $105 down to about $20. Luckily, I had a great evening last night in which I took 5th and 1st place in a 2.20 and 4.40 180 mtt. So the account is at its apex right now of around $260.00 </span>

<span>I plan on continuing to grind the don's, of which i find are very juicy and play the small stake mtt's which I enjoy the most. I will continue to take some reasonable risks but won't play an mtt over $10. I really am enjoying this test, even though the grind of micro stakes can get boring at times. However, this is my personal challenge and I really hope that I can manufacture a substantial bankroll, by playing solid and intelligent poker while using smart BR management.</span>

<span> </span>

<span>GL MicroStakers</span>