PlauZee's HU SNG Poker Blog

Day 7 – Sunday, Author: Tanja

Today’s already half time. First half is over, just 7 days left to win the challenge!

Review: During last 7 days I learned how to play HU’s step by step. I started with main rules then went on with play money games and €1 up to €2.

Today I only played €2. First I had good luck. Among other things I had my first Royal Flush today! -> Chris couldn’t believe it – he said, it’s very unlikely to have a Royal Flush during first week playing poker
Later I had a bit bad luck. Well, finally my statistics for today have ended almost balanced. Read the rest of this entry »

Day 6 – Saturday, Author: Tanja

After pausing yesterday, I went on playing tonight. First I started with €1 games again, then after winning the most of them, I went on with €2 games. For luck, opponents on €2 are just a little better than those on €1.

Maybe it’s just beginner’s luck – but up to now I have won more than 50% of my games and I hope it will go on like this! Read the rest of this entry »

Day 5 – Friday, Author: Tanja

Today I didn’t gamble – a lot of other things had to be done. However, Chris gave me another book, I started to read.  It’s especially written for HUs and we expect, that I can improve my gamble strategy by reading it. Some of you will already know it:

HEADS-UP NO-LIMIT HOLD’EM
Expert Advice for Winning Heads-Up Poker Matches
by Collin Moshman

Day 4 – Thursday, Author: Tanja

Today it’s already the forth day of the challenge. Even though I didn’t play much today, I’m already a bit used to gamble.

Contrariwise I’m still not certain, how some hands have to be played. To illustrate this situation, there can be named the first car lesson. Maybe you remember your first time driving a car: Your attention is only focussed on the steering wheel and the gas pedal – there is no possibility for you to keep an eye out on the street.

Well, what I want to say is, that I still try to play only my cards without having an eye on my opponent. But there are still enough days left

Statistics of Today
Game Amount: €1
Total Games: 11
Won Games: 6
Lost Games: 5
Start Bankroll: €49.25
End Bankroll: €49.48

Day 3 – Wednesday, Author: Tanja

Ok, third day of the challenge. Time to start with real money: I received a bankroll of 50€ to start with 1€ games. I’d already read main parts of the book, Chris gave to me. And I’d also made first experiences at playing yesterday night.

Well, to tell the truth I still play foolish. At the most hands I still have no idea what to do and I don’t wanna ask Chris for any move. It’s better to talk afterwards – and every time we do he has a great deal of improving suggestions, cause of my poor game.

Besides – as you all know – opponents play very different so it’s not possible to use the same strategy for all of them. So it’s a bit difficult for my to find out, which move is a good one and which is just rubbish.

Anyway, there are still good news: At least I can already cope with my opponents on 1€ level

Here’s a little statistics of today
Game Amount: €1
Total Games: 25
Won Games: 13
Lost Games: 12
Start Bankroll: €50.00
End Bankroll: €49.25

Day 2 – Tuesday, Author: Tanja

Today’s second day of the challenge. Yesterday I started reading the book Chris gave to me. Through night I also got to know the main rules of poker by playing with his real poker set. So far, it seemed pretty simple.

But today, real work began: We installed Poker Stars software on my laptop and I started my first game – with play money.
Well, I don’t think, there are words, which can describe the way I played. Chris told me, that players, who gamble very poor, are named fishes. Well, I played like a pollywog. First of all, I struggled with handling the software. Moves were shown too fast for me to analyze them. And the button between “fold” and “raise” liked to change between “check” and “call”. Well, I had to learn the hard way, that there is a big difference between checking and calling $800!
The people I met where also some kind of crazy. Some of them were mainly chatting with me as doing on a dating platform – instead of playing the game. Some others only seemed to know two moves: Fold and All Inn.

During my first 3 games Chris was watching and helping me while the lowest card I got was a 7. I asked him why he did’t tell me before, that it was not possible to have hands from 2 up to 6 – he just answered with a look, like being on his wit’s end.
The next game I wanted to make it better. I told him: “I’ve got a Royal Straight” – unfortunately he did not look much happier…
He only said I had to play on my own as soon as possible – what he mend was “right now”. So I did.

To sum up my second day in challenge: There is a lot for me to do!

Little Statistics:
Level: play money
Total games: 18
Won: 12
Lost: 6

Edit by Chris:  Message of the Day: “Checking is free”

1st Day – Monday, August 09 2010, Author: Tanja

Ok, think it’s my turn now. I’m Tanja “JoooZee”, the crazy girlfriend, who could not hold her tongue while drinking and talking about poker .

Today is the first day of the challenge. I’ve got no idea about playing poker or about playing any other card game. I’m also not used to gamble strategy-games on the computer and I even have nothing to do with mathematical science at the university – my main study subjects are law and social sciences.

My boyfriend is playing HUs over and over and now I finally wanna know: What is he doing all day? What’s up with this game, fascinating people for years?

Is there a possibility for someone like me, who has no idea of playing poker, to learn the principle and a bit strategy of this game? Do I have the chance to get this knowledge in just 14 days training? Can I be taught to beat small level in such a short time?

Now I wanna find out: Can I beat $11 turbo HU SNGs just within a fortnight?

Today we’ll start with basic poker rules with his real poker set. Chris also gave me a dictionary to look up poker-definitions – seems to me like a complete new language! By the way, wtf is the difference between limp and call???

Chris also gave me the book “Mastering No-Limit Hold’em” by Russell Fox & Scott T. Harker. He said, it’s some kind of basic book, to get a first idea of the game.

I just read the introduction: “..we assume that you have some poker knowledge, and are most likely an experienced limit hold’em player..” “..you’ve probably read a book or two on the game, and perhaps you’re even a winning player..”

Oh my god – how can I ever cope with this??? – Ok, if I want to have any chance, I have to start right now!

Link to: My Challenge