Mission Complete

Well folks, it's safe to say that I set out what I intended to prove...that from a few pennies, it is possible to build a decent bankroll to go out and play low stakes poker once again. From a meagre $16 I got it built up to just over $60, and then the inevitable happened.

Yes, I got pissed and starting thinking I was great and began playing poker. Big mistake.

A combination of loose aggressive play, ridiculously high stakes (in relation to my bankroll), some bad luck, but most of all my own stupidity saw me blow away my hard earned cash in little over an hour on Friday evening. It's not the loss of the money that bothers me so much (what can £30 get you these days), but the fact I let my heart control my head, and the results were plain to see. Here are three golden rules, I think we all know, but often don't adhere to:

Rule 1 - Never play poker with the intention of winning when drinking heavily.
Rule 2 - Never chase a loss by trying to up the stakes. It doesn't work like that.
Rule 3 - When on a bad run, stop and take a break for an hour, or ideally the day.

If only I would listen to my own advice which I freely dispense. I know I would be a far better live player if I drank less (my fellow Scoop Troop buddies will agree, I'm sure), but the drink affected me far more when playing online. It's just too easy to sit and click a mouse to call that bet, which you really know you shouldn't ... I'm imposing a booze ban on myself when playing poker / placing bets !

So what now ? Well, apart from my stupidity yesterday, I think I can call the low stakes bankroll building exercise a success. During the week, I intend to drop another deposit into PokerStars, and explore their stable of tournaments (particularly their stud and omaha variations), perhaps in a "steps and ladders stylee".

Thanks for reading,
Mountain Man