Online poker update

I've been playing a lot of online poker at PokerStars over the last week or so. As mentioned in my last update my credit/bankroll has been swinging up and down. I've had some good results over the last few days and I'm now up to $46 in the account (from the initial $5 credit that I won). I know why they call it "grinding" because its hard work building the balance. Its good practice and experience tho and when I get it in to the 3 or 4 figure range it'll be quite an achievement to have started from literally nothing.

I was initially playing the 18, 27 and 45 man games for $1 + 20c buy-ins. I did fairly well but soon realised that the time spent playing just wasn't worth the paltry return on investment. I know "hourly rate" is a concept for the pro players and its not lost on me now either. I also checked out the ring games and found the same thing. I'd win at the smallest tables but for the time you spend on there its just not worth the effort. I stepped up a level but had some sick beats and my account balance suffered. Two that stick in my mind ... pocket 10's verse ace king, flop comes ace, ten, jack ... he pushes all-in with his ace, I call with my trips knowing I've got him smashed and then the cards run king, queen to fill his straight. Another hand I have pocket 3's and there are 3 or 4 players to the flop. Board comes queen, 2, 3 ... first player pushes all-in likely bluffing, second player calls likely hitting the queen so I push over the top with my trip 3's. Second player turns over ace-queen which I put him on so I'm well ahead until the board runs 4, 5 to fill his straight with the ace. OUCH!

Anyway, with my bankroll around $15 after this session I decide to go back to the tournaments which I do well at. With the hourly rate concept in the back of my mind I decide to stick to the 27 man games and the 45 man turbos and multi-table (2 or 3 games at once). These have better pay-outs for high finishes plus playing the turbo means the blinds go up quicker and therefore the tournament is over sooner.

After spending one night seemingly bubbling (finishing one spot out of the cash) every tournament, I've done very well over the last two nights. Last night I finally finished first in one of the 45 man turbos winning $14. Nothing fantastic but a nice result for me considering I've come 2nd at least 4 or 5 times now (probably more). At one stage last night I knew I was going well when I was playing 2 x 45 man turbos and a 27 man game and realised I was final table on all 3. I ended up coming 2nd in two and 4th in another.

For me, like in APL (Australian Poker League) its not about how many tournaments you win but about consistency and of course increasing the bankroll.