Monday, December 31, 2007

Quick 2007 Year in Review

I kind of don't feel like writing a big long year in review, so I'm going to do the cliffs notes version instead. I started the year with basically a $50K roll online not counting the money I won live over WSOP that I didn't want to touch, and a PCA seat. In 2006 I had pretty decent success at the bigger tournaments online and had started learning 3/6 and 5/10 NL cash games online with a lot of initial success. Enter 2007, here's a post I made from 2+2 in an end of year reflection thread with some grammar fixed and extra details added:

Man what a sick year I had.... I started the year playing most of the big online tournaments and having a lot of success learning cash games playing 3/6 and 5/10 NL on like a 50K roll. I continued to do well in those games and also started shortstacking 25/50 and killing it. I was running good and winning pretty big, and I also had a few 20-25K tournament scores. Then I began taking shots with timex shortstacking nosebleed cash games on Full Tilt. Initially we just crushed the games, but we eventually went on a big downswing and quit as the players were adjusting, but still finished up pretty huge overall. During this time I had also moved up to fullstacking 10/20 and 25/50 cash games when they were good and continued to run really hot. Next, the World Series came and I didn't do anything great despite having a bunch of cashes, but I won Super Tuesday online for $75K while I was there.

When I got home from WSOP I decided I just couldn't deal with grad school anymore and there was no way I could finish. I dropped out and grinded 25/50 on Cake back before all the 2+2ers invaded when the games were really soft. I immediately put in a +$200K month, and decided this going pro thing was pretty ok. Since then I've basically just been losing a lot, but I'm still so far ahead of where I ever thought I'd be on the year that it's hard to be too upset. My goals for 2008 include breaking out of 0/17 slump in 5K+ buy-in events, first 6-figure tournament score, win anything on a Sunday, get back to putting in more cash hands, and the usual trying to live a bit more healthily. Monetary goals are kind of foolish since all you can really control is how well you play and the variance is pretty big (especially playing so many big buy-in live events). Also, you never how good the online games will stay as time progresses, but that being said, I'd like to make a million this year.

Mike

5 comments:

Anonymous said...

Hey Mike congrats on the year I think your play has really come out and I like to watch and be amazed at how well you do in online poker. I hope to see your name pop up alot more in the live game side of things. Couple of questions for you when do you leave for the Auzzie millions tournament. how live games / tournaments do you plan on playing in 2008. One more thing is Steve Paul Ambrose not playing that much anymore. Again GREAT SUCCESS in 2008.

Blazin 72

Fuel55 said...

you da man

Anonymous said...

Big fan of your game. Best of luck in 2008 Mike, you deserve it.

PS - Would love to play live some time still (home game)and would love to ask you some questions about poker that have been lingering in my head when we get a chance. Take care.

Anonymous said...

Nice year. Hopefully your rate of growth continues at this pace.

You really got screwed in that $5k freezeout.....they've chopped every week since your finished 2nd. YOUCH. They even chopped 3handed this week....wtf.

Oh well. GL man!

Anonymous said...

Hey Mike, I would like to wish you the best of luck in 2008.
Lets start the year off with a win at the Auzzie millions.
5k tourney you slow played Qs, but I think you lost the mim there.
The A2h vs QJ I think was your money hand, pretty sure you would have won tourney if you won that hand.
HH you limped w/ AKh I think that was bad, what were you think of??

Anyway Mike you have a great game and I wish you the best.

Vinnie