The System at Work

The Running Back Plan results thus far:
10 days of play
30 levels achieved (2% of on-line bankroll per level)
23.5 table-hours
$1460 won at $1/2NL
$46 per table/hour
23 BB won per table hour

Since I started the “Running Back Plan,” my results have been like magic. I started this plan on June 20th, and I took a week vacation in there. I’ve played on 10 different days. On these 10 days, I’ve increased 31 “levels,” with each level being a win of 2% of my total on-line bankroll, rounded to the nearest $10.

At the start, 2% was $40. At the current level I’m working on (level 31), 2% is $70. My total win in these 10 days has been $1460. Most importantly, I’ve had 19 winning sessions out of 21 sessions. The way I’ve been recording things, a session is any time I have at least one cash table open. I’ve recorded more than one session on a single day by playing at more than one time in a day (only on the weekend), or playing one or more cash tables, then playing a SNG or tournament, and then opening up one or more cash tables again.

My complete focus has been simply winning a modest amount to book a win and reach the next level. With the constant focus of reaching the next level, I’ve been more focused than ever before at cash games. Traditionally, playing SNGs or a tournament provides focus – win the table or the tournament – while playing cash games just seems like a never-ending grind.

But, with the Running Back approach, I have a constant goal in cash games. I’m conscious of reaching the next level. These levels are simply a different method of characterizing progressive wins, but the levels provide a focus and a goal that really works for me. I enjoy the focus of winning enough in each session to reach the next “level,” then playing around to UTG and logging out to book a winning session and reach the next level. Then opening 1 or 2 tables and winning the next $60 to reach the next “level,” repeat, repeat.
I haven’t played perfect poker, and I haven’t been running especially good. Overall, I’m making more well-reasoned decisions, and thinking through each decision, because I’m conscious of the fact that each decision affects whether I reach the next level. Its really working.