LeVsKaRa

Hello guys! It is time for the second update of my results in 2020.

SNG:

Starting bankroll: 50 €; bankroll after week 1: 53,17 €; bankroll after week 2: 54,34 €

I played 2x1€ SNG, won the first one and bubbled the second one.

Cash games

Starting bankroll: 100 €; bankroll after week 1: 100 €; bankroll after week 2: 79,25 €

I am very surprised from the players at NL4 cash games. I saw some ridiculous calls with bottom pair after some solid moves from myself, which cost me money. I did make a lot of mistakes as well. At one point I was 42 € down, tighten up, value bet huge my good hands and didn’t bluff anymore. So half of the lost money came back. The good news is that I managed to stay focus, adjusted my game and I will also get a double trouble ticket. There was one huge hand, which I want to share with you:

If I am not wrong, I am a statistical favourite to win the hand at this point: I have 9 diamonds for completing the flush and 6 more outs (3*Q and 3 * eights) to complete the straight., so 15x4=60% chance to win against a random hand. That was my thought before calling. Then when I reviewed the hand, I actually found out, that If I am up against AdQd, I have only 6 outs for the straight and 3 outs (3x9) to get a pair, so 9x4=36%. If I am up against KK or TT, I have 14 outs (no 7d), so 14x4=56%. Well after the call I saw, that I have 14 outs (without the 7d). I don’t thick a fold is an option in this situation in a cash game. In a satellite, SNG and MTT, depending on ICM, it is well possible.

Satellites

Starting Budget: 30 €: budget after week 1: 26,10 €; budget after week 2: 25,30 €

I played 8 Unibet Open Centrolls and won 3 tickets from these. I played 8 freerolls and didn’t manage to win anything. Ticket bankroll:

Thank you @AndreiBN 
Good luck to all of you guys!

@Rushbie 
in your link I can only see the password for the last tournament (02.01.2020). When I try to register with this one, it isn't working

@AndreiBN, @Rushbie , @FunckyFish , @cristihot , @Kevathallam , @Ja-z-Polszy , @MaecTpo , @chester110 , @BundleFjoy , @fifa0000fifa , @FaiDeaEmo , @Putregaiul , @FeelsBadMan 
how did you register for tonight's tournament guys? What is the password?

Hi @marto

you need to use your community alias ("To be eligible for the leaderboard points, you must play with a poker alias identical or very similar to your Unibet Community alias.")

Hello guys! It is time for the first update of the new year. I will try to update my results weekly. I should warn you, that the volume I put in is extremely low.

SNG:

Starting bankroll: 50 €; bankroll after week 1: 53,17 €

I used one 2€-ticket and finished 2nd.

Cash games

Starting bankroll: 100 €; bankroll after week 1: 100 €

Satellites

Starting Budget: 30 €: budget after week 1: 26,10 €

I started the satellite challenge in November 2019. Since then I played 39 Unibet Open Centrolls and won 8x4€-tickets (20,5 % ITM). I played 51 freerolls and won 7 UO tickets (1x4€-ticket, 1x2€-ticket and 5x1€-ticket). I also had some tickets left, from last year, exchanged 1x25€-ticket into 6x4€-ticket, used some of the 1€-tickets and now have the following tickets:

Acces, please! Thanks in advance!

Chapter Six: Setting some goals for 2020

Hello guys and happy New Year!!!

It is time for a fresh start. After having my best poker year in 2019 with the highlight qualifying for Unibet Open Paris and cashing the main event, I hope 2020 could be even more successful for me. In order to achieve this, I will set some main goals and some rules.

Main goals for 2020:

1. Stay disciplined! Respect my bankroll management!
2. Improve my SNG-, MTT- and satellite-play!
3. Qualify for at least one Unibet Open event in 2020!
4. Build a bankroll and become a regular 4€-SNG player!
5. Do not play any HexaPro games, unless with free tickets!

I will try now to specify these goals with some more details:

Goal 1: This is the most important goal for me! In 2019 was the first time, when I started to have some kind of a bankroll management. If I have to be honest, I did not respect it too much. There were numerous occasions, when my bankroll was around 50 € and I played cash games NL25, 10€ buy-in MTTs and so on. I will try to stay more disciplined and to have separate bankrolls: one for SNGs and one for cash games. I will use 25 Buy-ins for CashGames, 50 Buy-ins for SNGs (and 100 Buy-ins for MTTs). I will set a yearly budget for the UO satellites.

Goal 2: In November 2019 I bought Dara’s book “Poker Satellite Strategy” and read it. I find the book really amazing and it already has some impact on my satellite-play. I will read the book one more time, this time I will take some notes. I will also buy Collin Moshman’s Sit N Go Strategy, work on my heads-up-play and study ICM more. The third step will be some MTT books. Feel free to recommend me some in the comments! I will also watch some poker streams and read free articles on the internet.

Goal 3: I will have a starting budget of 30 €. I will use 10€ of them to play the Unibet Open Centrolls (0,10€ buy-in=100 buy-ins). I will also play 100 freerolls. This will be step 3a. In step 3b I will use the remaining 20€ for “Qualifier to Unibet Open 4 € 5 TIX” with 1€ buy-in. The goal after step 3a and 3b is to have 40 4€-tickets. In step 3c I will use these to win some 25€-Tickets and so on. I will specify every next step, when I have finished the previous one.

Goal 4: I will start with a bankroll of 50 €. I will start playing the 1€-SNG’s using the following system to move up and down the levels:

Hello @RayL,

i would like to have my poker results for 2019: SNG, MTT and cash games! There is no need of separation of the cash game stakes.

Thank you!

Good luck @marto ! 

I will follow your blog with interest!

Hey @Caladrias 

good luck with your challenge! I just read your previous thread and what a great story it is. Congrats on your results and your discipline! Keep it going :popeye:

Chapter Five: Unibet Open Paris 2019 (Part 2)

Friday 29th of November 2019: Day 1B

I played on Day 1A, so Friday was my day to rest, better said day to explore the beauty of Paris. I forgot to mention that my parents were also in Paris (travelled to meet me there, because we haven’t seen us the whole 2019 and of course to support me xD). We visited Sacre Coeur and then the Opera Garnier. It was very nice and I rested very well from the previous day.

Saturday 30th of November 2019: Day 2

A total of 105 players qualified for Day 2, average stack was around 137 000. I was 11th with my 217k. 63 players get paid, so a mincash was a must-do for me. New day, new table, new players. I was the third biggest stack at my table, with 3-4 players very short. I played very careful, won a flip with AK vs. 99 to bust one short stack. Then highlight of the day: new player at our table- Dara O’Kearney… He was short stacked and shoved a couple of times with everyone folding. The second time I was the BB with 93o and thought to myself: “Should I gamble and have a story to tell how I busted Dara from the tournament?” Of course I folded, I didn’t want to do anything stupid. Every chip is important. Dara was busted shortly after A9<AT. I was pretty aggressive at this table, played excellent the whole bubble stage and increased my stack to more than 300k. On the stone cold bubble I was moved to another table.

“Hello, Mantas, we meet again!” said I friendly. Only if I knew, what was going to happen xD. After the first break the bubble busted and I was in the money, cashing my first Unibet Open from my first attempt. Better said: cashing my first live tournament from my first attempt! I continued my aggression, so did Mantas. It was for a couple of hour like this: I open, everyone else folds or Mantas opens and everyone else folds. Despite losing a flip 88 vs. AK for around 20 BB, I managed to increase my stack to around 400k. And then a disaster happened: I was dealt AKs and I opened. Mantas made a 3-bet and here was my first big mistake: I just called. I spoke with him at the next break and he told me, that he would have folded to a big 4-bet… Flop came AQJ rainbow. Mistake number 2: I lead. Mantas raised, I called (without my lead it would have been less damaging for me). Turn is a J. We both checked. River is a 2, no flush possible. I checked and Mantas made a bet… I literally beat nothing at this point, so I should have just folded… But the pot was so big, around 400k, it would have probably made me the overall chip leader. Lack of disciple, lack of experience and I called. AQo for Mantas and tilt for me. I was down to 180k, still a good stack, around 20 BBs. 20 minutes until the second break. I managed to survive to the break. 20 minutes for me to stop tilting… It is not that easy. To add to this I was really card dead after the second break. After 30 minutes without winning a hand, I got dealt AJo, a guy in front of me opened 2,5xBB and I shoved. This was a huge mistake: I had still 17 BBs, maybe just flat or a 3-bet, but I was still tilting. The guy called with his pocket aces and I wanted to just hit my head in the wall… He didn’t cover me, so I was left with 40k (4 BBs). After shoving all kinds of stuff and winning with 88 vs. the pocket kings of Quoc Dung Le (finished 2nd in the tournament), I was up to 8 BBs. Couple of minutes later it was “gg” for me: A2<AJ. 34th from 480 and a nice cash of 2850 euros, but a big frustration of the way that I played the last hour.

For sure I have massive leaks in my game and in the late stages of the tournament the other players were way much experienced than me, but I think I could have finished in the top 20-top 25 if I have managed to deal with my tilt. I have to work a lot on my MTT strategy and on the mental side of the game in order to be more prepared for my next big live event.

I will now take a short break from poker. Until the end of the year I have a lot to do in my regular job and then I will travel to my country Bulgaria to spend Christmas and New Year with my family. At the beginning of 2020 I will post a new chapter with my goals and challenges for the year. Thanks for reading, enjoy the holidays and run good at the poker tables!!!   

Chapter Four: Unibet Open Paris 2019 (Part 1)

Wednesday 27th of November 2019: Arrival in Paris

My girlfriend and I arrived in Paris at 12:00. The registration in the hotel Le Méridien Etoile was set for 15:00, but our room was already cleaned and we managed to check in earlier and then we took a nice walk to the Eifel Tower.

I also received my welcome package from the Unibet staff, including a very cool hooty.

Thursday 28th of November 2019: Day 1A

After a wonderful breakfast at the hotel I took the Unibet shuttle bus to the casino. The tournament started at 10 and I wanted to be there for the very beginning, I am not a fan of late registration. We started 4 handed and I was so nervous… The other guys were all French, the dealers were locals and they spoke only French, which was very frustrating for me. After three hands I asked the dealer if it is possible to announce the things (raises, calls, etc.) also in English, but he said “no”…

So after folding the first three hands, it was time for me to win my first pot at this Unibet Open Main Event. And guys, it was a massive pot. I am first to act (5-handed, SB=100, BB/Ante=200) and what do I look at: AA. I raise to 500 and it gets folded around to the BB, who 3-bets to 1500. After taking some time I make a 4-bet to 5000 and BB called. The flop came Q25 rainbow. BB checks and I bet 5000, BB calls. The turn was 7, BB checks and I decided to check back (you know, I didn’t wanted to bust against pocket queens flopping a set). I don’t remember the river, BB checked again, so did I. Showdown: pocket kings vs. pocket aces xD Nice pot for me, maybe I could have doubled up or at least got some value on the river, but I was pretty happy at that point. After this hand I wasn’t nervous anymore. There weren’t any more huge pots until the first break. The table was pretty soft, in my opinion there was only one really solid player. First break: 47 800 chips for me.   

After the break I played aggressive and opened a lot of hands. I increased my stack to around 70-80k. One level later I was moved for the first time. I was sited next to Gilles Segers, a Belgian guy, who was the overall chip leader at this point with around 130 000 chips. All the other guys at the table had like close to the starting 30 000. Gilles asked me how many chips I had and we started a nice conversation. I didn’t mind saying, that I have won my package all the way from the centrolls. Gilles qualified through the challenge points system and plays the UO Main Events regularly. Maybe after half an hour Mantas Urbonas, another huge stack (140-150k), was moved to our table. I don’t mention these two guys just like this. Both of them played their part in my story :D Second break: 85 000 chips for me.

After the second break I remember two interesting hands on my table. I am involved in the first one: Mantas opened  2,5xBB (like he did almost every hand) and I had KQo in the SB. I decided to 3-bet him, because he was playing a lot of hands. So 3-bet to 7,5 BB and the BB (small stack, aroung 11 BB) shoved, Mantas folded and I was priced in and called. KQo against 66. A king high flop won the flip for me. The second hand is more interesting: Mantas opened 2,5xBB, the guy at the button called and the BB completed. Flop was: 6s7s8s. Mantas made a c-bet, the button called and BB snap shoved his 20 BBs left. Mantas called, and the other guy re-shoved his 35 BBs… Mantas called: KsQs of spades for him, 9sTh for the guy in the BB and 7d8d for the guy in the SB (huge mistake from him in my opinion, despite not drawing dead yet, but after the action before him and a flush and a straight possible out there…). The turn and river were bricks and Mantas won this huge pot and was a huge chip leader after this one. Third break (dinner break): 80 000 chips for me.

After the dinner I was moved to another table, so was Gilles, who had position on me this time. The next four levels were the best for me in the whole tournament. Mantas was at another table, Gilles had just lost couple of flips in a row, so I was the table chip leader. And I did it great: I opened a lot of playable hands and continued aggression on flops and turns. I ran also very hot and hit some flops very strong. But the highlight for me was shortly before the end of Day 1A: Gilles asked me if I was serious, that I qualified from the centrolls. He then said “You play really well, man!” This coming from a guy, who plays way more than me and has much more experience at live events, was really nice. Gilles, if you happen to read this, thank you once again. It meant a lot to me!

I finished day 1A in third place, just 1000 chips after the Main Event Champion from UO Malta 2019 Alan Carr. It was amazing feeling, and it was a veeery long day.

Hey @RaulonY 

Nice blog and want to just wish you good luck with finishing the challenge until the end of December. But don't rush it too much the last week, if you see that it would not be possible. 

Poker bonus points for me, please. Thanks for the great competition and congrats to all winners :cash:

Hello guys,

is there any information about the poker tournament tomorrow? What time will it start?

Chapter Three: Preparation for Unibet Open Paris 2019

As I mentioned in the previous chapter, I won my package on the 9th of September. This meant, I had more than 2 months for a good preparation. At first I tried to play some MTT’s on Unibet, but the stakes, that I play, weren’t much helpful. There are a lot of maniacs at this stakes, other players, who will call you with a bottom pair in a situation, where you actually made a decent bluff, etc. The levels are also increasing too fast, in order to be able to play some pots postflop, without risking your tournament life. Unfortunately I don’t have a bankroll to play some bigger buy-in tournaments, so I decided that my main preparation will be the studying xD. I read a lot of blogs and articles on the internet on the subject “how to play at your first big live event”. Most of the tips were to play patiently, sometimes it can be a whole level of just folding… I need to stay focus during the whole time, especially at the late levels on the day (hopefully I will reach them), where most of the players are tired and the most mistakes are made. Do you guys have other tips for me? What should I (not) do? I will be very thankful for all kind of helpful comments. Any advice is welcome.

I also watched the whole streams of Unibet Open London and Malta this year (more than 60 hours :D). These really helped me a lot to understand the level of play and to add some strategies during the different stages of the tournament depending on my stack size.

A friend of mine is a dealer at a local casino. I had several chats with him about certain situations, common mistakes by betting/raising/calling/folding with actual chips xD. While watching the UO streams, I saw some of the mistakes, that he mentioned. For example if you want to raise 10000 chips and put first 5000 and then the other 5000. In this case the raise is just the first 5000.  In order to avoid such mistakes you can announce loudly your move (“raise 10000”). Good to know this one xD.

Well let’s see if any of these will help me do well in Paris… I will play with no pressure. I already achieved my big goal to even participle at the tournament. Now I will try to enjoy it, to play my best game and to get some experience for my next Unibet Open (hopefully next year). Who knows, maybe the poker gods will be on my side…

Hi @RayL!,

Thank you for your answer! I also wrote a personal message to @JeppeL before posting this one here and there is already a solution of this situation. Thank you one more time for your help!

Best regards

Hello guys,

is it possible to remove my restriction for sports betting? I won free bonus money from a community promotion, which I want to use in sports betting. 

Thanks a lot for our help! 

Hello guys,

does this thread still work? I asked about my results a week ago and I still haven't got any answer. 

Cheers!

Congrats to all winners :cash:! I am very happy to cash for the first time. Bonus poker points for me, please!

Chapter Two: Road to Unibet Open Paris 2019

At the end of 2018 and beginning of 2019 I started playing the Unibet Open Satellites regularly. I didn’t have much of a plan, I just started from the bottom level (Unibet Open Centrolls) and worked my strategy on the road, depending on what tickets I currently had. The main thing that I like about this kind of tournaments is that you don’t need to win the whole tournament, to have all the chips. You just need to reach the “in the money” places. This adds different strategy to the MTTs, a strategy to protect your chips, to play more cautious or more aggressive at certain situations, which fits my style of play. I used to play double or nothing tournaments in the past on other poker rooms, and this helped me a lot, because they are very similar to the satellites.

I didn’t write down my results (how much tourneys, tickets won, etc.). I played maybe around 100-150 Unibet Open Centrolls with 0,10€-Buy-in, 30-40 4€-Buy-in qualifiers and around 10 25€-Buy-in qualifiers. I won just one 250€-Ticket. I found it extremely hard on this level, because you need to play Heads Up and actually win the tournament. I believe I started the Heads Up with similar stack as my opponent. I remember one huge hand, which basically won me the ticket:  TT in the BB, preflop raise from my opponent and I just called. Then KQT rainbow flop, I checked and the other guy went all in… I have to call, right? Maybe he has AJ, QQ, KK, but come on, we are heads up, he was the preflop aggressor, I have a set… After tanking a little bit, I called and the guy showed KQs. After a little smile, I thought “, he has still 16% chance to win and some backdoor flushes…” My set managed to hold and I won the ticket! This was my biggest win to that point.

Things were getting serious. To this point these satellites were more like a joke to me, but now I had a ticket for the final, I started to actually see the opportunity to qualify for the Unibet Open for real. I decided to take my time and to prepare for the last satellite. I started to observe that weekly tournament on the Sundays, to study the levels, to write down number of entries, average stack needed to win the package, how long last the tournament on average, etc. I read a lot of blogs and articles on the internet and watched more videos. Good thing that the tickets have 6 months period before they expire. I decided to try to qualify for Paris 2019. I wanted to play one of the first qualifiers, direct after Malta, so that in case of winning the package, to have time to prepare for the live event.

08.09.2019, 20:00: The tournament has almost 3 hours late registration period, but I wanted to start from the beginning in order to have deep stack and to wait for a premium hands and situations. After the first couple of hours of just folding and winning some small pots, I started losing my patience. The average stack was increasing and I was a little bit worried. I remember this exactly hand: I was in the BB holding KK and everyone folded to the SB. He raised 4xBB, which I found it surprising. He was a tight player, normally he raised 2,5xBB and showed some suited broadways and middle pairs. My image was also tight. I decided to 3-bet to 12xBB and then after some tanking he went all in, which was around 3x my 3-bet. It was an all-in call for me. I quickly thought about his possible holdings: QQ, KK, AKs or AA. As I block KK and AKs, the most possible scenario was AA or QQ. I thought myself if it is an AA vs. KK it was just unlucky for me xD. I was already kind of committed to the pot, so I decided to call and the guy showed his QQ. It was the most important hand in my life so far, my KK managed to hold and suddenly I was chip leader at my table and in top 3 of the tournament. Of course the tournament was not over, it lasted 3 more hours, but I played really my best game, managed to steal a lot of blinds with reasonable preflop aggression and some c-bets. I didn’t play a hand in the last half an hour and finished 6th with a package. Best result in my “poker career”!!! I want to thank to my girlfriend for her support during this journey. Without her support it wouldn’t be possible. Now there is a reward for her-she will visit Paris with me, as the package includes one guest : )

Match list:

@successlaw 

I mostly play just one table, sometimes two. I still consider myself as a beginner, so multi tables  are not a good option for me. In some situations I need a bit of time to choose what my best move will be, I also like to observe the other players and pay attention to the showdowns.