Road to the Million - an online poker dynasty

[Rawhide]

With the Third Lanark story going on the backburner for a while, I thought it would be interesting to document my "career" as a somewhat flukey online Texas Holdem poker player.

Using Facebook as a starting point, my aim is to build my "career earnings" up and over the magical $1,000,000 mark. I had once obtained this over a ten month period through periodically going playing and exiting a room once I had won a hand - any hand. It was a painstaking and excruciating way to accumulate money...nonetheless it kind of dominated my online life.

After hitting the million mark, I proceeded to squander the chips in less than a fortnight, hitting rock bottom in December 2007.

Through donations from buddies, I gained around $1,000 over the past two years. A random prize draw daily from Facebook Poker also suppelmented my meagre earnings.

Today, January 16th 2010, I start my road back to the top. But this time it's going to be rather different.

Facebook Poker gives players the choice of participating either in rooms (as I had done previously), or in tournaments. A fee is paid from nine players and then split 60-30-10 among the top three place getters.

My goal is to finish in the top three as often as possible and therefore climb up the ladder to a million. However, just to make it interesting/difficult/unnecessarily complicated, there are going to be some house rules:

Tournament Play:
* Minimum value of tournament that I can enter is 10% of my career earnings. E.G. If I have $2,000 in the bank, I can't enter a $100 tournament.

* Maximum value of tournament that I can enter is 50% of career earnings. So, I can't enter a $50,000 tournament if I only have $75,000 in the bank.

* Minimum of four tournaments in a seven day time frame (Saturday to Saturday), maximum of ten.

* No "room play" to boost or squander my earnings.

Game Play:
I tend to be quite conservative in my play, at least until I make the final three. Therefore, to spice things up:

Any pocket double better than 5-5 is an instant "all-in", no matter what the circumstance of the game.

I must play in a round when I have an ace, or if I have two "face cards" e.g. king and jack. However, if somebody raises big before the flop, I can fold at my own discretion.

Goals
Obviously the big goal is $1,000,000, but why not put a time frame on it?

By February 15 - $20,000 - Achieved January 15th
By March 15 - $40,000 - Achieved January 16th
By April 15 - $80,000 - Achieved January 17th
By May 15 - $160,000
By June 15 - $250,000
By July 15 - $500,000
By August 15 - $1,000,000

Wish me luck!

[Rawhide]

With my earnings at a touch over $5,000, I enrol into a $2,500 tournament.

I sit back for a while and ponder the group - one lady is out on the first hand going for the "hail mary all in". She had an ace, but lost to a pair of nines.

My first chance is Queen, Jack, off suit. I hit a jack on the flop, but three clubs appear on the turn. I match the minimum raise called. With only one other opponent, we see it through to the river card and I win with a pair of jacks. An inauspicious start, and I move into fourth place.

My first ace is paired with a five, but two players go all in, so I sit this one out. Good call - the Indonesian lady wins with a full house. I only had an ace high.

Ace, three, off suit...seven players in the pot. Seven, Queen and Ace on the flop. I raise in an instant and two players drop out. Nine on the turn, I raise again confident that there isn't a potential straight out there. Only three players left, and there is another ace! Almost assured of victory, I raise big. The others drop out and I collect a nice pot. Second place.

Ace, five, off suit. I call the minimum amount but the guy next to be raises. I'm not confident so I drop out before the flop.

Meanwhile, players are dropping like flies and soon it's down to only four. I have a five, six on the big blind but the guy next to me goes all in. I sit out.

Ace, Jack on the small blind. According to my rules I have to play. Nine, six and three on the flop. Jack from Idaho goes all in and I fold. Currently fourth.

Ace and ten, I call the minimum amount. I fold once again and the pot is split. I'm down to $700 in chips, third place has about double that. I'm in trouble.

Eventually I'm forced to go all in with Queens and Eights....I land the full house on the flop and gain some valuable breathing space.

That breathing space doesn't last long as I am soon all in again -these blinds are killing me. Ten and five isn't too promising. Daniel from England sees me all in. He has an Ace and Four....I hit a pair on the turn and hold on, but I'm still fourth.

Next hand, Ace and Jack of clubs. I call $400 but Daniel lands me all in. I land the flush on the river and suddenly I'm in the lead with $3,400.

Three hands later Daniel suddenly leaves, and I've achieved my goal of finishing in the top three.

I have pocket fours. I have the option of folding but instead call "Blazing79". Queen, Ace and Four on the flop! I raise. Nine on the turn. I raise again. Blazing79 folds. I wonder if he had a queen.

Jack from Sacramento is choked by the blind and drops out in third place.

A few back and forward folds from Blazing and myself as we search for the right hand to play. I raise with King and Jack, and Blazing folds. Advantage to me.

Suddenly, Blazing's internet connection drops out. There is no response from him and his chip pile slowly dwindles towards me. After three no-show hands it's game over and I have won $11,250!

Road to a Million - Career Statistics

Tournaments Entered - 1
First - 1
Second - 0
Third - 0

Hands Won/Played - 11/30 (36.67%)

Career Earnings - $11,250

[Rawhide]

Buoyed by my win, I enlist in a $5000 tournament almost immediately.

The table is dominated by two alpha males, Kyri from Moscow and a character who I dub "Johnny Big Hair", due to his name and hairdo. They destroy the field from the outset by going all in and winning, usually on the river card.

Within five minutes, there are only five people left in the game. Kyri takes care of Johnny Big Hair in a big show down and suddenly I'm second with my $980 in chips. Kyri has $6,110.

He proceeded to pick on fourth place, Shauna from Charlotte. She stuns him with pocket aces, but falls on the very next hand.

I am guaranteed third without even winning a hand!

I have Ace, Eight and stupidly raise. Kyri tips me all in but I fold. Only $580 left.

King and Jack, all in. Kyri and I both have two pairs of kings and jacks but I have the kicker and win the pot.

Second placed Stella has not played a hand.

Ace and six, with a seven, eight and ten on the flop.

I go all in, hoping for a nine.

It doesn't come and I land out of the tournament, with $9,000 in prizemoney - a tidy profit of $4,000. Not bad work for winning one hand out of five!

Road to a Million - Career Statistics

Tournaments Entered - 2
First - 1
Second - 0
Third - 1

Hands Won/Played - 12/35 (34.29%)

Career Earnings - $15,250
Current Money - $18,292

[Rawhide]

I resolve to play one more tournament for today.

Another $5000 - a fairly bland sort of cast, except for "Mykmymky" and "Galvinator".

It seems to be a fairly aggressive table, with Galvinator and Rob doing much of the wheeling and dealing. They knock out three players between them, and I'm sitting in third with 980, behind Rob (4180) and Jack (1940).

I slip into fourth when Ama goes all in against Rob and doubles her money.

Jack suddenly tips all in against Rob, but loses with Rob having four of a kind. Rob leads with 6200, Ama has 990, I have 920, Mykmymky 500 and Galvinator 300.

Six, Three on the big blind - I win with two pair after Ama and Rob check all the way.

Mykmymky exists with pocket nines, beaten by three of a kind.

King, King - all in for me! Rob and Galvinator fold.

Six, Six - all in again! Rob calls with Ace, Jack.

Queen, Five, Seven, Queen and Eight appear and I've doubled my money.

I hit three of a kind but scare Rob and Ama off with aggressive raising.

Galvinator is choked by the blinds and exits. I have a podium finish once again. Rob 4600, Me 2600, Ama 1800.

Jack, Ace. I raise before the flop. Rob and Ama both call.

Four, Three, Six appear. Rob and Ama check but I raise. They both call. An ace appears on the turn. Checks all around.

Nine appears. Rob raises $600, I call and win with a pair of aces. Rob and I are roughly level.

The fatal blow is dealt when I have King, King. Automatic all in.

Rob calls with Jack, Ace.

Three, Seven, King on the flop. Queen on the turn, Ace on the River.

I have 7800, Rob 900, Ama 300.

Rob goes all in and I beat him with a pair of fives.

Ama and I shuffle back and forward. I win 11 of 16 hands played before I finally win with a flush.

A fairly good game for me, winning 20 of 37 hands.

$22,500 in prize money! Goal one achieved!

Road to a Million - Career Statistics

Tournaments Entered - 3
First - 2
Second - 0
Third - 1

Hands Won/Played - 32/72 (44.44%)

Career Earnings - $37,750
Current Money - $35,542 - This is what I'm counting for my "million dollar challenge", not the total earnings.

[Rawhide]

I win $500 on the daily lottery and sign up for another $5000 tournament.

Two players are knocked out on the first hand by Jehad from Turkey.

I have an Ace, Five, and pair the ace on the flop. With a low card on the turn, I raise but scare nobody off. Jehad raises on the river card, I call without thinking and fall victim to a flush. Jehad has the early start with $3200 of chips, nobody else has more than $1000.

Pocket twos, not an automatic all in but I try to get some help on the flop. Jrgen from Slovakia raises and that's enough to scare me off.

Jehad takes town Jrgen with three of a kind. The Turk is unstoppable.

Double Aces! With only $820 and running fifth of six, I go all in. Sixth-placed Phillippe of Montreal also goes in.

Two, Queen, King, Six, Three appears and my pocket aces stand up. I catapult into second place. Jehad 4600, Me 1900, Jeff 1300, Jorge 830, Jakob 370. Lots of J's playing.

I have an Ace and King, both of hearts. King, Jack, Eight lands on the flop but no hearts. I raise, Jakob raises even higher. Jorge and I both call. Queen on the turn - now there are three spades on the board.

Jakub is down to his last $144 and goes all in. I suspect he has a flush.

Jorge tips all in as well, with $704. I fold. Jorge's flush is better than Jakob's and the field is down to four. Jehad 3900, Jorge 2200, Me 1600, Jeff 1300.

Jack, Jack. I raise before the flop. Ace, King, Six on the board, and we all check. Another ace on the turn - everybody checks. Five on the river. Pretty sure that my two pairs are good, I raise. Jorge folds, but Jehad's interested. He has a flush, and for the second time this morning I got fleeced by the Turk.

I start to realise there's still a bit of work to be done to get onto that podium.

Pocket aces again, stuff this, I'm all in. Jeff also goes all in. He has King, Six.

Eight, Four, Four, Six, Ace. I win! Woohoo! Jehad 3700, Me 2900, Jorge 2400.

I win the next three hands, including a nice flush on the flop, and a full house on the next hand. Jehad folds all three times. He has poker smarts.

My heart falls through my bottom when suddenly Internet Explorer announces it is no longer working.......the window automatically restarts and reloads the browsers that were open. Fortunately I'm still at the table with Jehad and Jorge, and with all my chips intact.

I have a King and Jack. Jorge tips all in and I decide to call. He has Ace, King and pairs the Ace on the flop. Not a mortal blow. Jehad 3700, Jorge 3200, Me 2100

The blinds start to rise fairly quickly. In no time at all they are $400/$200.

I have double threes, and have Eight, Two, Eight on the flop. Everybody checks right to the river and nobdy can beat my two pair.

King, Five. I pair the five on the flop, and once again everybody checks and nobody can top a lousy low pair. All of a sudden Jehad is looking vunerable after Jorge wins a few hands. Jorge 4600, Me 2500, Jehad 1900.

Blinds $600/$300, and we're drawing close to the end of the game. I win a big pot with a pair of aces but it's only good for second place.

With the blinds rising to an astronomical $1200/$600, I decide my Ace and King must be worth a punt. I go all in, Jehad looks at me with Ace, Jack.

Queen, Nine, Seven lands on the flop. Another Queen on the turn, and then Jehad strikes it rich with the Jack on the river, and I'm out on my feet.

Bugger!

Still, third place once again is pretty good going. This is the best form I've had in tournament play for a little while. I won 16 of 32 hands in this game, with one split pot.

I'm only a fraction off achieving my second goal of $40,000.

Road to a Million - Career Statistics

Tournaments Entered - 4
First - 2
Second - 0
Third - 2

Hands Won/Played - 48.5/104 (46.6%)

Career Earnings - $41,750
Current Money - $39,792 - This is what I'm counting for my "million dollar challenge", not the total earnings.

[Rawhide]

I am exhausted, having just played the longest game of the series thus far - exactly one hour!

Another $5000 table, with the goal of going over $40,000 in total money.

Ty makes the obligatory all-in call on the first hand. Faith keeps the faith and calls him. She's soon looking for a new tournament as a straight is revealed.

Ace, Five. I'm in. Ten, Ace, Seven on the board, and Gi raises before it comes around to me. I call out of curiousity but soon it's just the two of us playing for the pot. Seven comes out on the turn, and Gi raises $300. I fold and rest in eight spot with $800. Ty has $2000.

Chad tips two other suckers into a big pot and walks away with $3000. Adele is out, Dave is as good as gone with only $10 left - not even enough to pay for the big blind.

Ty tips Gi all in and soon there are five left. Chad has $3200, Ty $3100, Gator and Craig are tied on $900 and I have $800 still.

Nine and two of diamonds on the big blind. Nobody raises, so I'm in this hand.

Two diamonds appear on the flop and I'm suddenly more interested. However, I'm frustrated in my attempt to find that fifth card and meekly fold.

I need a stroke of luck, and get it with pocket aces. All in.

Ty calls with King, Ten.

Three, Eight, Five, Seven, Queen, and I have doubled my money.

Ty goes all in and interests Craig. Ty gets a straight to king, beating Craig's straight to queen. And then there were four. Chad has nearly two thirds of the chips though.

Craig sees the writing on the wall and goes all in. Chad has a pocket pair of kings and sees him on his way.

Another podium finish! Five in a row! Chad $6800, Me $1600, Gator $600.

I land a rare full house but Gator wants nothing of my raise.

I fall into a rut for the next ten minutes or so, folding lots of bad hands. On three instances, they turn into two pairs. Frustration is not the word I would use to describe how I felt!

Queen, Ten. Let's play.

Ace, Queen and Three on the board. We all check.

Five appears. Check again.

Four on the river. A potential straight to five is out there. Who has it?

We all check and I win with a pair of queens. Bad poker.

Queen, Six on the big blind.

Queen, Five, Six and I check out of shock.

Seven on the turn and I belatedly raise. Gator calls - he only has $65 left.

Another seven on the river. Shit! I check, hoping Chad doesn't try anything silly.

He raises by $350. I call. Gator folds with his meagre total.

I cross my fingers and it pays off, as I win with two pair.

Chad finally sinks Gator, and it's a showdown. He has $7850 and I have $2150

Up until this point I have won 4 of 15 pots that I've played in. Chad and I proceed to slug it out over 48 hands to see who wins this one.

He frustrates the hell out of me by not calling even when he's in a strong position chip-wise.

I win 23 out of 48 hands, splitting one. All but a handful of the hands never get to the river card as we fold bad cards or are scared off by the other's raise.

The closest that I get is $3000. The end comes when he calls my King, Jack with his Ace, Two. Four of the cards on the board are the same suit as his ace and he wins with a flush.

I win $13,500 for finishing in second place and go over $40,000 for the first time in this dynasty.

Road to a Million - Career Statistics

Tournaments Entered - 5
First - 2
Second - 1
Third - 2

Hands Won/Played - 76/167 (45.5%)

Career Earnings - $55,250
Current Money - $49,542

[Rawhide]

Using the 10% limit that I placed on myself in post one, I sign up for one last $5000 tournament. This will be my last if I do well, and I'll then have to start playing in the $10,000 tournaments.

I scan the crowd before we start. One girl scares the hell out of me - Shannon the cat lover. Apart from her feline fascination, she has over $3m in chips and is up to Level 55 on Facebook Poker. I am a humble level 25. That probably means we both play too much, but oh well.

Shannon knocks out Todd on the first hand.

Ferdinand distinguishes himself by abusing the chat function, telling everybody what hand he has. Quite the spoilt little child.

Ace, Two suited, and it's a call.

Ace, Ace, Ten on the board. Happy days. I raise by $130. Chase and Normino are interested.

A Two comes out on the turn and I have a full house. All in.

Normino is spooked but Chase swallows the bait. I soon have his money. It's my best start in a while, as I win four out of five hands played. I have 2300, Shannon 2200, Matt 1400, Ferdinand 1100, Cody 900, Taren 800 and Normino is on life support at 100.

I fleece a bit of money out of Matt by raising repeatedly. I have a pair of aces, which turns into aces and jacks on the river card. He folds and leaves me a big pot.

King, Ace, you beauty. Preflop raise to $120, who's interested?

Cody and Taren both call. Five, Two and Six on the flop. Taren raises by $180. What the deuce?

I call, and out comes the Queen. Taren raises again by $60.

The King smiles at me on the river, and Taren can only check. Forgetting momentarily that I only have a single pair, I raise. Taren calls and walks away with two pairs - fives and sixes.

Not a mortal blow, I'm still in first. There are four players in a relatively strong position, while Ferdinand and Cody are on the outer. Ferdinand falls to Matt and I fall into second place.

Taren gets rid of Cody and now there are four.

Ace, Eight, let's roll. I call $100.

Jack, Ten, Three. We all check.

King. Check.

Six. Shannon raises. I call, forgetting I only have an ace. A single card!

Shannon relegates me to last place with her pair of sixes. Shannon 2700, Matt 2600, Taren 2100, Me 1600.

I sit back for a while and fold a lot of bad hands.

Ace, five, and it's a call.

Ace, Four, Nine on the flop.

Taren raises and I'm happy to oblige him.

Ace on the turn, and I'm all in. This time Taren obliges me.

A six on the river and I'm smiling again. It's my first win in nine hands played. Matt 38000, Me 2500, Shannon 1700, Taren 800.

Shannon attempts to knock out Taren but fails, and they trade places.

A moment of collective madness for my opponents, as Taren goes all in. Shannon and Matt both call. I wisely sit out and Taren falls by the wayside. Third place again - this will be the last $5000 tournament, as my purse will exceed $50,000!

Ace, Six, and I play bully boy by tipping the cat lover all in.

She has a misely Seven and Two. She hits a pair on the flop and holds on.

The very next hand, and I'm getting weary. Queen Jack, all in for $1,445.

Matt wants nothing to do with it but Shannon's keen. She has Ace, Three.

I hit the pair this time, on the turn.

Shannon is reeling and is all in on the next hand. I call with Ten and Eight, she has Three and Two. Although we can't hit a pair between us, my high card holds on. She exits stage left to feed Mr Bojangles.

Showdown between Matt and myself for the main purse. He starts with $4,920, I have $4,080.

I win the first two hands by raising before the flop.

Matt connects with four straight wins and eventually tips me all in. He has pocket queens and finds another on the flop. Game over.

I win 12 of the 31 hands played and pocket $13,500 in winnings.

Road to a Million - Career Statistics

Tournaments Entered - 6
First - 2
Second - 2
Third - 2

Hands Won/Played - 88/186 (47.3%)

Career Earnings - $68,750
Current Money - $57,792

My options for the next tournament are either $10,000 or $25,000. The highest is $50,000.

[Rawhide]

Last tournament for today - $10,000.

Mixalis is the first person in the room. She is on Level 65 and once had more than $10m in chips. Ryan is currently unranked, so he's a newbie. What's unusual though is that he already has $500,000 in chips. So he's either good or lucky.

The usual amount of horsetrading at the start, and we are quickly reduced to six players. I am fifth.

The game meanders with me folding most of my cards, until I get pocket jacks. All win with only $470, I double my money, and then gain a bit more on the next hand when everybody folds despite my King and Ace.

Through absolutely no effort of my own, I slide into third place. Pretty excited, there's a big check coming my way. But my time is as limited as my chips, and I'm out when Mixalis tips me all in.

I win a total of $45000 just for coming third! Won six out of 19 hands.

Road to a Million - Career Statistics

Tournaments Entered - 7
First - 2
Second - 2
Third - 3

Hands Won/Played - 94/199 (47.2%)

Career Earnings - $113,750
Current Money - $76,792

Time to bolt, storm coming.

[Rawhide]

After driving eight hours today, you'd think I'd be too tired for poker. Wrong!

Another $100 won in the lottery, and we go for a $10,000 tournament, our eighth for the week. Remember, I can compete in a maximum of ten tournaments in a Saturday to Saturday timeframe.

Very unremarkable room, with no real bigshots in the chip count.

Jake goes all in on the first hand and wins with pocket aces. He repeats the dose on the next hand and there are six players left after two rounds.

King, Queen. I call for $40.

Three, Queen, Jack on the flop.

Last person to put money in the pot is Jake, who raises $940. I fold, and would have lost to Jake's full house had I continued.

Only five players left now - Jake with 4700, Fredo 1500, Me 1000, Harsh from India 900 and Mauro 900.

Jack, Queen. Call for $40.

Five, King, Three on the flop. We all check.

Ace appears on the turn. A potential straight out there for me. We all check again.

Ten on the river and I have my straight! However, despite my minimum raise of $40, I can't get anybody else to bite and although I win the pot, I'd rather it were a bit bigger.

King, Ace - otherwise known as Anna Kournikova. Looks great but never wins. Let's test that theory. Preflop raise to $120. I have Harsh and Jake on board.

Seven, Ace, Four. I raise and Jake sticks with me.

Ten. Another raise, another match.

King on the river! I push all in with my $700 remaining. Time to live life on the edge.

Jake calls and loses his first hand of the game. I win $1810.

On the very next hand, the spunky Russian tennis queen is looking at me again. Let's repeat the dosage. I raise to $120.

Thinking "anything he can do, I can do better", Fredo raises to $550. Mauro calls and is all in.

Eight, Eight, Three on the board.

Fredo raises by $140 and I'm pretty sure he doesn't have an eight. I call.

Ten. Check.

Six. Check, and I win the pot. Jake 4000, Me 3100, Harsh 1100, Fredo 800.

Harsh and Fredo go all in against each other and Harsh is mortally wounded. Time to finish him off and secure another podium finish.

I feel as though I'm in the zone. Next hand, Ace and Queen. All in. Harsh has no choice but to call, with King and Four. I make a pair on the flop and then there were three.

Jake has 3900, Me 3300 and Fredo 1800

With the Minnesota-Dallas game on replay in my motel room, I start playing like a gunslinger, taking inspiration from the old man behind centre for the Vikings.

King Ten, let's go all in Fredo. He accepts the challenge but beats me with his Ace and Ten. We both have a pair but he has the better kicker.

Fredo 5300, Jake 3000, Me 700.

The writing is on the wall, and I'm all in with King, Two suited. Fredo has pocket queens and blows me out of the water.

I win 5 out of 13 hands contested, and pocket another $18000.

Road to a Million - Career Statistics

Tournaments Entered - 8
First - 2
Second - 2
Third - 4

Hands Won/Played - 99/212 (46.6%)

Career Earnings - $131,750
Current Money - $84,392

[Icy]

Sorry for the stupid question, but i have never played facebook poker, is it real money or some kind of fake used in facebook? I guess it's the second, but to be totally sure

[SportsDino]

It is fake, cause if it is real I need to go play these bozos and clean up.

[DaddyTorgo]

hehe okay i was gonna say

[Rawhide]

Yeah, luckily for all involved it is only fake money.

[Rawhide]

My ninth tournament for the week sees me enlist in a $25000 shindig. It's time to raise the antes a bit and I'm feeling confident.

The calibre of player seems to be higher, as you would expect. Kerry has over $29 million in chips, and Bertrand once had over $50 million.

I get Ace, Nine on the first deal. I call $20.

Ace, Queen, Jack on the flop. We all check.

Ace appears on the turn, I raise $20 and have three interested parties.

Queen on the river and I have a full house. I go all in and everybody else backs away. I should have only raised a little, but nonetheless I am leading!

Some time later I'm relegated to second spot behind Tia after she knocks out Francis.

Ace, Seven on the small blind. I'm playing.

Ace, Nine, Queen. I raise by $50. Seven people interested.

Nine appears on the turn. I raise again, but Mia raises by $300.

The thought crosses my mind "She has a nine", but the louder voice is "I have two pair, and a pretty good two pair at that. At worst we split the pot." I call.

Seven on the river. I check. Sign of weakness, as Mia raises me all in.

I pause for a second or two. "She's got you by the short and curlies" reasons the first voice. "Go for it, she's bluffing" says the second voice.

The second voice wins. All in.

Mia wasn't bluffing.

My streak of podium placings ends at eight. A minor milestone is brought up when I win my 100th hand, even if I only won one out of two.

Road to a Million - Career Statistics

Tournaments Entered - 9
First - 2
Second - 2
Third - 4

Hands Won/Played - 100/213 (46.9%)

Career Earnings - $131,750
Current Money - $59,392

[Rawhide]

My tenth and final tournament for the week. I unexpectedly win $15000 in the daily prize draw. I enrol for a $10000 tournament.

Even if I lose, I'll gain money today. That's the theory at least.

My stay wasn't a very long one, losing every single one of my seven hands. The final draw came when I had pocket kings, found one on the flop to make three of a kind. Going all in, I lost when my opponent had pocket jacks, making a full house on the river.

Road to a Million - Career Statistics

Tournaments Entered - 10
First - 2
Second - 2
Third - 4

Hands Won/Played - 100/220 (45.5%)

Career Earnings - $131,750
Current Money - $62,992

I now cannot play in a tournament for another 27 hours, when it will become Saturday here.

Still, a tick under $63k for the week isn't bad going at all.

At this rate I will become a millionaire on May 7.

I'm going to need a lot more luck to make that a reality.

[Rawhide]

A new week, a new beginning. I took yesterday off while I prepared for work again, and also followed a tropical cyclone which was threatening my brother's place.

After taking a few hits in the last two tournaments, I enrol for a $10,000.

Larry knocks out three players on the very first hand with four of a kind.

I lose a few early hands and it's all in early with King, Ace.

Two players call (one only had $10 left) and I double my money when King and Ace appear on the turn and river. Sweet!

Larry leads with 4100, Jonnyrotten has 2200, Me 1200, Brenda 900, Grigoris 600.

Some time later I have Ace and King of diamonds. Four are playing, but I am big blind and can raise last. I do so to $120. Everybody calls.

Three diamonds on the flop! I've made a flush! Raise to $120, everybody calls.

Club on the turn, no chance of a full house to gazoomp me. I raise again $120, Larry drops out but the others are still interested.

Last card is a heart, and the hand is mine. I go all in, Brenda calls and I win a smashing pot. Brenda tumbles froms second to fourth.

She takes out her frustrations on Grigoris and then there were four.

Ace, Three. Everybody calls.

Ace, Ace, King on the flop. You ripper!

Brenda follows me every step of the way and I steal all of her chips. My full house beats her straight. Too bad, love.

Another podium finish!

At the start of the showdown, Larry has 4900, I have 2700 and Jonnyrotten has 1300.

Jonny goes all in for three straight hands and consolidates his position by stealing blinds.

Queen, Jack. I tip Jonny all in. He has Ace and Eight.

Jonny wins by making two pair on the turn and river. We swap places in the positions.

I win three hands with more than a bit of luck - the other two fold when I was big blind, and twice I had the highest card with the others unable to make a pair.

Jonny wins two hands in a row against Larry and he is eliminated! I am second!

Jonny starts with 6000, Me 3000. I go all in on the first hand with Ace, Ten and promptly lose to pocket nines.

Still, I'm back in the hunt! I win $27,000 for my troubles this morning, and increase my overall winnings to $80,492.

I won 13 out of 32 hands played.

Road to a Million - Career Statistics

Tournaments Entered - 11
First - 2
Second - 3
Third - 4

Hands Won/Played - 113/252 (44.8%)

Career Earnings - $158,750
Current Money - $80,492

[Rawhide]

A very short and disappointing game, out in two hands. I raised big with pocket fours, and nearly got wiped out on the first hand. All in with King, Queen, and I lose to a pair of sevens.

Can't win them all.

Road to a Million - Career Statistics

Tournaments Entered - 12
First - 2
Second - 3
Third - 4

Hands Won/Played - 113/254 (44.5%)

Career Earnings - $158,750
Current Money - $71,592

[Rawhide]

Another quick game, but I'm not really in the mood to take notes tonight. I change my soundtrack from Meet The Beatles to Abbey Road, but too much McCartney is disrupting my usual poker rhythm.

Let's see how Instant Karma influences my game.

[Rawhide]

Well, we all shone on, like the moon and the stars and the sun.

Got out to a good early lead and then folded until I was in the final three. Then changed the soundtrack to Green Day and started going all-in, winning a few cheap hands, but ultimately bowing out second. I won eight of fourteen hands, probably my best return thus far in this dynasty.

Probably not the classiest way to play poker, but it's time to head to bed.

Road to a Million - Career Statistics

Tournaments Entered - 13
First - 2
Second - 4
Third - 4

Hands Won/Played - 121/268 (45.1%)

Career Earnings - $185,750
Current Money - $88,092

[Rawhide]

Piss poor game.....won big on the very first hand when my king and ten of clubs made a flush on the river. I lost the playbook after that and started chasing hands that weren't there. Before long I had squandered the bounty I had won on my first hand.

I won one of thirteen hands. There's a stat for you.

Finished fifth.

Crap week.

Road to a Million - Career Statistics

Tournaments Entered - 14
First - 2
Second - 4
Third - 4

Hands Won/Played - 122/281 (43.4%)

Career Earnings - $185,750
Current Money - $79,592

[Rawhide]

Start of a new week, but it's the same old story.

Won two out of seven hands but got nowhere.

Going to try a $50,000 tournament next. This will either put me well on the road to a million, or set me back pretty well back to the start.

Road to a Million - Career Statistics

Tournaments Entered - 15
First - 2
Second - 4
Third - 4

Hands Won/Played - 124/288 (43.1%)

Career Earnings - $185,750
Current Money - $70,092

[Rawhide]

Reports of my death are greatly exaggerated! Through good luck and good management I managed to scrape through to the final three, winning four out of twelve hands (mostly with pocket pairs).

I won $90,000 - however that merely takes my total to nearly $110,000.

Still, not too bad at all.

Road to a Million - Career Statistics

Tournaments Entered - 16
First - 2
Second - 4
Third - 5

Hands Won/Played - 128/300 (42.7%)

Career Earnings - $275,750
Current Money - $107,592

[Rawhide]

Well, with the remnants of a tropical storm blowing past (despite living a thousand miles from the ocean!), it's quite a good evening to hit the poker table. Washing up done, rubbish out, ironing complete, nothing to do but try to make a killing.

$25,000 tournament today.

[Rawhide]

Great game! Won 11 of 24 hands, including three big "all-in" showdowns. Evenly matched against my final opponent, we both go all-in, and she beats me with the higher flush.

Finished second overall and won $67,500.

Road to a Million - Career Statistics

Tournaments Entered - 17
First - 2
Second - 5
Third - 5

Hands Won/Played - 139/324 (42.9%)

Career Earnings - $343,250
Current Money - $149,592

[Rawhide]

I win $4000 in the daily lottery, but drop $50,000 in a tournament, finishing sixth and winning none of two hands played.

I got fleeced, I tell you! Had Ace and Queen paired, but didn't realise the flush was on. Marie from France tipped me all in before I realised what was happening.

Going to try another $50,000 just to win it back.

Road to a Million - Career Statistics

Tournaments Entered - 18
First - 2
Second - 5
Third - 5

Hands Won/Played - 139/326 (42.6%)

Career Earnings - $343,250
Current Money - $101,092

[Rawhide]

Terrible, awful, woeful game. I hang on to play seven hands and finish fifth.

The only had I won was with a pair of fives.

Down to less than $50,000 now. Haven't won a tournament in 16 turnouts.

Road to a Million - Career Statistics

Tournaments Entered - 19
First - 2
Second - 5
Third - 5

Hands Won/Played - 140/333 (42.0%)

Career Earnings - $343,250
Current Money - $48,592

[Rawhide]

And now, the graphic updates that you demand....

[Rawhide]

Well, it's back on the wagon as I attempt a $5000 tournament. My only two wins in this dynasty came playing the "minnows". After getting burnt by the big fish, it's going to be a long way back.

[Rawhide]

Well, a second place is better than nothing!
Won seven out of eighteen hands, many of them with pocket pairs.

Road to a Million - Career Statistics

Tournaments Entered - 20
First - 2
Second - 6
Third - 5

Hands Won/Played - 147/351 (41.9%)

Career Earnings - $356,750
Current Money - $58,342

At this rate I will break $1,000,000 on: September 13th
(based on current money divided by dynasty days)

[Rawhide]

Well, that was pretty disappointing. Seventh in a $10,000 tournament, winning one out of seven hands.

Road to a Million - Career Statistics

Tournaments Entered - 21
First - 2
Second - 6
Third - 5

Hands Won/Played - 148/358 (41.3%)

Career Earnings - $356,750
Current Money - $47,842

Going to play one more tournament tonight, with one special rule:

Whenever I see Dolly ****ing Parton (9, 5) I will go all in. I don't know how many times I've seen that hand today! At least half a dozen!

[Rawhide]

Well, I guess I'm officially on the rocks.

Dolly Parton didn't show up, but Anna Kornikova did. All in, lost to a pair of f***ing twos!

Won two of seven hands.

Going back on what I said earlier, enrolling in a $25,000 tournament and then calling it a night.

Road to a Million - Career Statistics

Tournaments Entered - 22
First - 2
Second - 6
Third - 5

Hands Won/Played - 150/363 (41.3%)

Career Earnings - $356,750
Current Money - $37,342

[Rawhide]

(deep breath)

...........

(sigh)

...........


Well.....I would rather finish ninth on the first hand, rather than finish fourth and miss out on a good chance of bolstering my finances.

I win four out of 24 hands....a dreadful performance.

Road to a Million - Career Statistics

Tournaments Entered - 23
First - 2
Second - 6
Third - 5

Hands Won/Played - 154/387 (39.8%)

Career Earnings - $356,750
Current Money - $11,342

If I maintain this streak of futility, I will break $1,000,000 on September 14th 2013.

I think the first chapter of this dynasty is at an end - it's only the first chapter, mind you!

Starting tomorrow - new rules, new attitude.

(Until then, I'm taking any suggestions)

[Rawhide]

With no advice (or otherwise) from my adoring fans, I tear up the old rules and instead will be following these misguided guidelines:

Tournament Play:
Old Rule - Minimum value of tournament that I can enter is 10% of my career earnings. E.G. If I have $2,000 in the bank, I can't enter a $100 tournament.

New Rule - Minimum value of tournament that I can enter is the closest to my total career money. E.G. If I have $13,000 in the bank, I can only enter a $10,000 tournament. High risk, high reward.

Old Rule - Minimum of four tournaments in a seven day time frame (Saturday to Saturday), maximum of ten.

New Rule - Whenever I like, however often I like

The "Room Play" rule stays.

Game Play:
Any pocket double better than 5-5 is an instant "all-in", no matter what the circumstance of the game.

Old Rule - I must play in a round when I have an ace, or if I have two "face cards" e.g. king and jack. However, if somebody raises big before the flop, I can fold at my own discretion.


New Rule - Any ace is an immediate all-in. Any consecutive cards higher than 9 (e.g. 9 and 10, Jack and Queen) is an all-in. Any suited cards with at least a Jack or higher (e.g. Jack and Three of clubs) is an all-in.

New Rule - I must play in a hand when I get the following cards:
Dolly Parton (9 and 5)
Jackson Five (Jack and Five)
Big Buddy (Ten and Four)
Wally Lewis (Five and Eight - obscure reference to Australian rugby league player)
Who Let The Dogs Out? (King and Nine - K9 - get it?)

New Rule - In a "showdown" between the final two players, every hand is an all-in, no matter what.

Also...
I'm changing the way I "score" my games. Previously I've marked as a loss a hand where I've folded before seeing the flop, resulting in an inflation in my loss column. Now, I'm officially scoring games only where I see the flop, or win before the flop. This is going to raise my winning percentage significantly (I hope!), but also reflect the true nature of my playing.

I'll keep my win-loss records in "Chapter Two" of this dynasty seperate, but also include a culminative total in my recaps.

Goals
The timeframes remain. The destination is the same, only the journey has changed slightly.

By February 15 - $20,000 - Achieved January 15th
By March 15 - $40,000 - Achieved January 16th
By April 15 - $80,000 - Achieved January 17th
By May 15 - $160,000
By June 15 - $250,000
By July 15 - $500,000
By August 15 - $1,000,000

[Rawhide]

With just over $10,000 in chips, it's a $10,000 tournament.

First hand contains an ace, so it's all in we go, and I knock out three players.

In fact, I win eleven of my first twelve hands. I like these new gameplay and scoring rules already!

My luck runs out eventually, but not before I finish third and double my money.

I win 13 out of 21 hands.

Road to a Million - Career Statistics

Tournaments Entered - 24
First - 2
Second - 6
Third - 6

"Chapter Two" Hands Won/Played - 13/21 (61.9%)
Total Hands Won/Played - 167/408 (40.9%)

Career Earnings - $374,750
Current Money - $20,842

[Rawhide]

Another $10,000 tournament. This time my playing is a bit streaky but the new rules carry me through to the final three. I flirt with playing .500 with my hands, eventually finishing at eight out of eighteen.

Road to a Million - Career Statistics

Tournaments Entered - 25
First - 2
Second - 6
Third - 7

"Chapter Two" Hands Won/Played - 21/39 (53.8%)
Total Hands Won/Played - 175/426 (41.0%)

Career Earnings - $392,750
Current Money - $28,342

The next level of tournament that I can play in is $25,000. A loss here (outside of the top three) will see me fall back to pre-dynasty levels.

[Rawhide]

And two hands and eight minutes later, the dream comes crashing down.

Road to a Million - Career Statistics

Tournaments Entered - 26
First - 2
Second - 6
Third - 7

"Chapter Two" Hands Won/Played - 21/41 (51.2%)
Total Hands Won/Played - 175/428 (40.9%)

Career Earnings - $392,750
Current Money - $2,342

[Rawhide]

I finish third in a $1,000 tournament, pocketing a massive $1,800.

I split my twelve hands 6-6.

Road to a Million - Career Statistics

Tournaments Entered - 27
First - 2
Second - 6
Third - 8

"Chapter Two" Hands Won/Played - 27/51 (52.9%)
Total Hands Won/Played - 181/438 (41.3%)

Career Earnings - $394,550
Current Money - $3,092

Estimated date that I will reach $1,000,000 - March 22nd 2025!

[Rawhide]

Seven (!) tournaments entered today, as I attempt to arrest my slide into oblivion.

$2500 tournament - one and done. Down to $592.

$500 tournament - one and done, again. Back to $67. This is rubbish.

$25 tournament - A bit more consistency in my play, winning three of six hands. Still not good enough to get into the winners' circle. The bank account stands at $42.

$25 tournament - Miss out on the prize money, and I will have to wait until tomorrow's lottery before I can play again. Seven people go all in on the first hand. I sit on the sidelines and finish in the money without playing a hand. The entire game lasts just two hands. I finish second and have won $54. Yippie.

Another $25 tournament - I have an excellent game, although it's largely due to everybody folding my all-ins. I win seventeen of twenty hands - a dynasty record. We seem to be back in business. Eventually I stand alone at the summit and break a 30-game streak in this dynasty - It's a win! $90 in the bank!

Emboldened, I play a $100 tournament. I win three out of four hands and put together back to back victories for the first time! It is a very similar game to my last $25 game, with nobody determined to stick around for very long. I win $450.

The last tournament of the day was probably a mistake, as I go out in the first hand of a $250 tournament.

I win 23 out of 34 hands over the seven tournaments, but my financial position is in reverse.

Road to a Million - Career Statistics

Tournaments Entered - 34
First - 4
Second - 7
Third - 8

"Chapter Two" Hands Won/Played - 50/85 (58.8%)
Total Hands Won/Played - 231/523 (44.1%)

Career Earnings - $395,144
Current Money - $209

[hoopsguy]

I'm reading along.

I'm guessing that you are more concerned about having fun playing these free money tournaments than you are with the results?

Does the competition improve noticeably at the higher levels? What is the first level you've played at (if any) where it feels like 50% of the people at the table remotely care about their results?

[Rawhide]

Thanks for reading

At this stage of the dynasty, it's definately about having a bit of enjoyment. I think the stated purpose of a million dollars "jumped the shark" after about tournament 17....for me, it's just about having a bit of fun, especially with these lower money tournaments.

If you had to seriously rate the success of this dynasty, it could be only a dismal failure because I'm further away from $1,000,000 then when I started.

The goals, graphs, "date that I will reach the million", and especially the statistics, are more of a self-depreciating pisstake of myself rather than a serious analysis of a hardened poker player, because, let's face it.....I'm a bit of a chump at this game. If I reach a million before August 15 it will be because of an amazing series of coincidences which see me as the benificary; it won't be because of my stunning play.

The rules add to the fun....they don't make me a better player, but probably a more aggressive one. That occasionally annoys others at my table, but come on.....if you're sitting on the net playing in a shitty $20 tournament, what do you care if it's over within five hands?

That said, I will probably relax all financial rules for the time being.

Just to inform you, this is the pyramid of tournaments on Facebook poker:
(how much they cost to play, plus an extra fee, no more than 5% usually)

1. $1,000,000
2. $100,000
3. $50,000
4. $25,000
5. $10,000
6. $5,000
7. $2,500
8. $1,000
9. $500
10. $250
11. $100
12. $20

As for your question about the quality of play....generally the higher tables attract a higher calibre of player but there are good players in the lower tables too; by the same token, there are chumps playing the $100,000 tables (usually me). I have an increasing suspicion that some of the people with big career earnings actually went and bought a few million chips off the bat using Paypal....something that I'll never resort to!

The lower tables are more fun for me at the moment, especially when seven people go all in on the first hand!

Cheers for the comments

[Rawhide]

Three tournaments today.

The first two are "one and done" affairs. I reach a bonus of $2,500 for making it to Level 28 on Facebook Poker, so it's an unexpected windfall and off to a $1,000 table to quickly blow it.

Quickly blow it I do....winning none of four hands really sucks!

Road to a Million - Career Statistics

Tournaments Entered - 37
First - 4
Second - 7
Third - 8

"Chapter Two" Hands Won/Played - 50/89 (56.2%)
Total Hands Won/Played - 231/527 (43.8%)

Career Earnings - $395,144
Current Money - $1,282