$50 Cash Game Challenge Update 1

I've been focused mainly on my DoN SnG Challenge, but with the recent downswing I needed a break and decided to throw in some sessions for my $50 Cash Game Challenge for a change of pace.

The DoNs can be brutal. The best strategy is to play those games super tight and playing that tight is no fun at all.

In cash games I play a bit looser, maybe too loose. I enjoy them so much more. I get to play more hands, I get to play position more, I get to play the players more. This is what playing poker should feel like.

Unfortunately things have been up and down in this challenge. It's been a while since I've played for this challenge and when I first posted it on this blog, I was almost back down to my starting bankroll of $50. The one good thing is I've never fallen below it.

I hit a few tables today and wound up increasing my bankroll to almost $69.

I hit some big hands and some bigger flops and was able to felt 4 people when my hand didn't get outdrawn or when I outdrew them. Too bad they were mostly short-stackers but I did manage to felt two in the same hand which was like being up against a real stack.

My winnings would have been a bit higher but I got in a tough spot with an over pair vs a flopped set. Luckily I gave up on the hand when I didn't improve to a set on the turn, but it cost me all my previous winnings at that table (and then some) to see one more card. Big pairs are so tough to lay down.

I didn't play as loose as I normally do, mainly because I wasn't getting much in the way of playable cards. The few times I did get some good holdings I was able to get paid off and the times I was behind I was able to figure it out before losing too much.

It's so refreshing to play these after the mind numbing DoNs, so I'll make sure to throw some sessions in when I get a chance and hopefully I can get this chart moving up in the right direction.