2010 Manifesto
Monday, November 09, 2009
My 200 person staff is working around the clock to get the New HighOnPoker.com up and running. We ran into a SNAFU this weekend when trying to set up the new RSS feed. At the very least, the .COM site was up and running, even if I'd have to post twice (blogspot and .COM) in order to share my posts with RSS readers, but even that came crumbling down sometime Saturday night. Now, for some reason, the .COM site redirects to the blogspot address, even though I cannot see how that would be possible, considering the changes I made to the .COM.
Thank god I'm not a tech guy. As much as I enjoy tweaking with these things, it's just a hobby and when I hit a brick wall, I can go back to being an online ham-and-egger relying upon the actually talented to help me break through these road blocks.
On an entirely unrelated note, I had an epiphany this weekend. I still want to go pro, probably now moreso than ever. It's also still a pipe dream, but the passion is still there. In fact, I think I found the one path that will allow me to go pro yet not destroy the wonderful life I have created with wifey Kim.
The key, my friends, is to hit a big score. I know that this is a ridiculous statement on its own. We all want to hit big scores. But its more than just desire now; it's soon to be action.
Now, to be clear, this big score is not unbridled. There is a bit more to it.
When I started playing online poker, I was playing for pennies. I worked my way up through some online freerolls, eventually got together enough money to play higher stakes online (but never high stakes) and then allowed my live game to blossom.
My live game started with $20 buy-in tournaments or .25/.50, $20-max-buyin NLHE held at my apartment or at a friend's place. Over time, this too grew, and I began to play the cheaper under-$100 tournaments at AC along with 1/2 NLHE. I was still largely at this stage until I started to play more in the underground NYC clubs. There, I dabbled in 2/5, along with one 2/5 run in a single session up in Buffalo. I never felt the urge to play 2/5 in casinos because the action was so plentiful and soft at 1/2. I still am in no rush to play 2/5, but I feel confidence that I can do it competently. The main key was getting comfortable with the money that could be won or lost. Having a deeper bankroll and more experience has hopefully helped shed that concern.
The big change, though, were the tournaments. Whereas I used to seek $100 or less buy-in tournaments, now I am looking for higher buy-ins. In fact, that is the linchpin of the new poker thrust for 2010.
The only way for me to continue to grow organically into something that can someday lead to poker financial independence is to continue to play higher. The goal for 2010 is to enter tournaments with $200 or higher buy-ins, live only. Online, I could still give to shits, although I'll continue to play low stakes with the hope that I can have another $3k or $2k score every once in a while. But live tournaments are where I hope to make my nut, albeit in a very safe manner.
The key is to balance the goal with my current life. I don't want to eschew my life as a husband and lawyer. I embrace that life. But I also want to continue to grow as a poker player, and that means putting in the time, effort and, probably most important to my transition, the money.
I have amassed a decent bankroll this last year, even with random withdrawals to the bank of real life. So now, its time to put it to work for me.
The start will hopefully occur in Vegas in December. While others are making plans to actually socialize, I hope my weekend trip will be practically wall-to-wall poker. The blogger private tournament is that Saturday, so Saturday afternoon is out. Friday night is supposed to be mixed games at MGM and since I love mixed games, that's out too. So, I think I've decided on a 12:30am tournament to take place at Harrah's Las Vegas. It's not quite the buy-in I am looking for at $150, but for that late at night, its the best I can find in reasonable distance from my hotel (the Imperial Palace). It's also a $50 bounty tournament, meaning that aggression will likely be the key to earning some decent cash. Whatever the case, I probably know more about playing a bounty tournament then most casual Vegas players, so I like my odds.
After that, the goal will be to play some of the Borgata (AC) higher buy-in weekly tournaments when I can, specifically the $300 Saturday tourney. This'll be tough since my time is scarce, but I must commit to making monthly or so trips to AC if I really want to break through.
Maybe poker is merely that dream of mine, always destined to be at a distance like a mirage in the desert. It's certainly a possibility. But if I don't try, I cannot succeed, and I guess that is what this is all about. I love poker and I want to succeed; ergo, I must take more chances and play higher.
Until next time, make mine poker!
posted by Jordan @ 9:21 AM,
9 Comments:
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At 11:24 AM,
Lucypher said...
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Good luck. Having enjoyed reasonable success, I have also been thinking about how to go to another level. I agree one has to keep challenging oneself to grow.
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At 1:07 PM,
Dave said...
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I also finding making a balance the most difficult thing. If you are 21 and living at home then you have nothing to worry about. Different story when you have kids and a mortgage.
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At 2:13 PM,
Unknown said...
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I'm hoping we can at least spend an hour together or whatever in Vegas,but otherwise good luck to your poker dreams. You'll certainly good enough for it.
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At 4:19 PM,
Unknown said...
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I believe the Bellagio has a nightly $300 tourney, and Caesar's should have one in your wheelhouse as well. I'd check the Poker Prof's Vegas Poker Tourney listings for details.
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At 4:37 PM,
BWoP said...
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I wish you all the best!
Any thoughts about coming to Vegas during the WSOP or one of the Venetian Deep Stack series???
I miss snarky Jordan. -
At 5:28 PM,
Four Hands said...
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In the spring, you should head up and play some of the $400 to $600 Poker Classic events at Foxwoods, particularly the non-hold'em ones if you can. They're great value, plus the cash games are paradise during that time. Foxwoods also has a good satellite structure for playing your way in to their 10k event which is another good way to go for the big score...
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At 6:24 PM,
edgie212 said...
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I too hope to increase my AC trips in the coming year, also for that $300 tourney. If you ever feel like sharing costs on the way down, let me know!
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At 8:11 PM,
kipper said...
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Once we get DNS issue ironed out your feeds will be ok. Trust me I am a nerd.
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At 3:14 PM,
Shrike said...
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Best of luck, says the fellow snarky lawyer from the West Coast.
-PL
