Me Playing Poker

Bankroll Challenge: -$1,278

Putting in work both under the hood and at the tables today.

Started the day detailing the interior of my car—filthy when I bought it, but I’m committed to restoring it to excellent condition by doing 15 minutes a day. Feels good to break it down into manageable chunks. One step at a time.

Then I rolled over to the poker room for what I thought would be a smooth session… but wow, the logistics here are something else.

They were running a freeroll, so regular traffic was up. Despite knowing this, the room somehow didn’t schedule enough dealers. Only 3 tables were running even though 10+ people were waiting. I showed up early, but since working on the car took longer than planned, I had to reapply to the list. That put me at the bottom. Brutal.

Watched person after person walk in and get seated ahead of me, while I sat waiting. First world problems, I know. But when you’re showing up prepared and the room isn’t, it stings. Still, I tried to keep a level head and stay positive.

Session Summary:
When I finally got seated, I was ready to go. First real hand I pick up: AJs on the button. I raise to $15 over a few limpers and get three callers. Flop comes Ac Jc 2h. Checks to me, I make it $10 to keep worse hands and draws in. BB raises to $30. Other guy folds.

I consider the situation, range him mostly on flush draws, maybe some weird 2-pair if he’s sticky. I rip it for ~$200. He calls. Brick turn, club river. He flips Kc7c for the nut flush draw that got there. Down ~$430 on that one.

From there, tilt started creeping in. I get dealt pocket Tens. Straddle is on from the same villain who just won the last hand. I flat the straddle on the button thinking he might raise again, but he just checks. Flop comes A 9 5 with two hearts.

Action player—guy who’s been punting chips all day—rips it in. I think he’s overplaying a draw or bottom pair and make the call. He flips 9 5s for bottom two. GG. Down $313 total for the session.

Bankroll Challenge Update:
Current total: -1,278

I left right after. No point compounding tilt with more hours. Sometimes it's not your day, and today definitely wasn’t mine.

Bankroll Challenge Update: Downswing Continues (-$1,812)

The downswing continues — lost the last two sessions I played for a combined $540. My bankroll challenge is now sitting at -1,812.

Right now, it feels like I literally can't win a single hand. First session this stretch:

Lost with 99 vs. KJ

Lost with TT vs. JJ

Lost with A♠10♠ vs. KK

Lost with KQ on a dry board vs. AK

Today, I came in with just one goal: play good poker for two hours and leave. Simple. Stay focused.

Table was good — lots of action, a dream spot, honestly. I wait about 40 minutes, finally pick up pocket Jacks in UTG+1.

UTG (who had been losing) limps in.

I raise to $10.

LP, a deep-stacked young guy who just sat down, 3-bets to $30. It didn’t feel strong to me.

UTG just flats, which again felt weak.

So I decide to go for it — I shove for $218.

New guy snap folds.

UTG tanks forever, then calls.

Clean runout all the way... until the river, where he spikes a Queen.

It feels like no matter what I do, I can't win right now. I'm doing everything in my power to play well, but it's really messing with my head. I can't remember ever running this bad over this many sessions.

What am I missing?
Any feedback or perspective would be appreciated — I'm trying to stay level-headed, but this stretch is brutal.

I’m quite successful at live 1/3, prefer to buy in deep like 500$+ and play solid, don’t stack off with JJs just raise and play according the flop, don’t be afraid to go multiway even with premiums but fold if board gets scary and villain starts double barreling and stuff, play risk free game, go for value, i mean when you start with 300$ stack basically you’re forced to play bingo bongo game so try buy in deeper

Bankroll Challenge Update: Adjustments in Progress (-$1,432)

After a disappointing session where I felt like I was playing scared and just jamming strong hands without seeing flops, I made a conscious decision to adjust.
Focus: Play postflop, reduce unnecessary aggression, trust my reads.

Went to Deerfoot this time — wanted a fresh start at a better casino.

Early on, I pick up KK in the big blind. Raise to $20, get two callers.
Flop comes A-9-8. I shut it down immediately — no need to torch money into an ace-high multiway board.

Later, river a straight with K♣Q♣ on a 10-9-4-10-J board against 10♠5♠.
Made good value.

Had another hand: K7♠, called $25 pre three ways.

Flop K-7-9, tilted player checks, I bet $25, he calls.

Turn 10, he donk leads $50, I call.

River 7, he strangely leads $125 — I shove for $125 more.

He folds after tanking.

Also pulled off a nice bluff:

A♠2♠ on a K-Q-10 two-spade board.

Check-raised to $50 on flop, checked through turn (King♦), river 7♣.

Villain checks to me, I rip it.

He tanks and folds JJ face up.

At that point, even though the game was still juicy, I wanted to lock up the session and get some sleep. Discipline over greed.

Bankroll challenge now sitting at -$1,432.
Still deep in the hole, but mentally this session was a big win. Adjustments felt right. Less autopilot, more controlled aggression.

Thanks for the input, Blazar. I definitely respect that style — deeper stacks give you a lot more room to maneuver and avoid the bingo bongo situations like you said.

Right now, I'm still trying to balance playing solid without getting too passive or scared money with premiums. I do like the idea of buying in deeper when I can though — gives more flexibility to play situations out instead of feeling pot-committed too early.

Appreciate you sharing your approach!

Session Report: Cowboys & Pure - Still Grinding Through It

Started the day at Cowboys.
Bluffed one hand on the river with AQ. Then tried to target the weakest player at the table — guy couldn’t even recognize a chopped board earlier and just surrendered his money.

Get dealt KQo on the button, open to $16. He 3-bets me to $42 (we’re $80 effective). I just rip it in. He calls with 77 and spikes quads. Standard.

Running exceptionally bad about 3.5 hours in — missed every flop, got 3-bet off every hand I tried to open.

At one point I got stubborn: jammed AK into 66, and of course, he flops a set. Just one of those days. I recognized pretty early that it wasn’t my day, but I made the classic mistake of sticking around instead of leaving. Gotta keep working on that leak.

Mentally I still felt pretty sharp though — just needed a change of scenery. Headed over to Pure.
Unfortunately, the game there was just as bad.
I made it a mission to practice leaving if the game sucked, instead of sitting in a -EV spot.

Lost $100 real quick, then played a hand:
Button limp with QTo. Flop comes KJA. Checks to me, I bet $5. SB shoves $35. Folds to HJ, who re-raises to $100.
I think for a second, then say out loud, "Looks like it’s my time to go home," and shove another $150 on top.
He calls — and somehow we scoop a $575 pot.
Hit and run faster than maybe faster than a scammer at a cash out window��

End of the day: down just $31 after being buried way deeper earlier.
Bankroll now sitting at -1463.

Went to play a short session Monday morning—just 3 hours—and dropped $330. That puts the bankroll challenge at -1,792.

Pretty frustrating day overall. I knew the game was bad. Lineup was tight, few spots, no momentum. But I got stubborn and played anyway. That’s on me.

This challenge isn’t just about cards—it's about decision-making and discipline. Sitting down in a game I already knew wasn’t profitable is a leak I must plug. If I’m going to succeed at this, I can’t afford to rationalize bad seats or chase volume for its own sake.

Still in the fight. Every loss has a lesson. I’ll take this one on the chin and move forward smarter.

Played a night session at Pure —felt like I was finally starting to get some rhythm back. Up $60 after two hours, playing sharp, patient, composed. I made a solid read when one guy shoved KJs and I picked him off with A8o. He spikes a king. Okay. happens.

Very next hand, the tightest player at the table open-shoves. I let tilt creep in and snap him off with K3. Another player, who had just sat down and is clearly solid, tanks forever and finally calls with 22. Of course, he turns a set. If it was heads-up, I would’ve won—my king hit—but the third player had 16% equity and ends up scooping.

So now I'm 0 for 9 on flips. Down $208 for the session, bringing the bankroll challenge to -2,000 flat.

In review:
Made one great read.
Made one tilted, emotional call.
Got punished by a worse call that somehow got there.

Just one of those nights. I’m trying to stay honest and accountable with this challenge, so even the losing sessions get documented. Hopefully, the variance tide starts to turn soon. Still grinding.

Banroll Challenge -2510
I’m writing this tonight with clarity, not tilt. I’m done with poker.

I’ve put in my hours, taken my shots, studied, reflected, and battled through the ups and downs. But I’m at a point in my life where I realize: this game just isn’t for me anymore.

A few hands tonight made it obvious.

young shark woman opened the button with 96 suited.I re-raised from the small blind with a10 off,she called. Flop came A♦T♣9♠. I checked, she checked. Turn 9♥, I led 20, she raised to 55. I called. River 2♣. I block bet 20, she jammed 80. I called. She turned over 96 suited.

Later, I had K3 suited. Lojack opened to 15, I 3-bet to 60, a new player in the small blind flatted. Action folded back to him, he said “let’s gamble” and shoved. I called. Small blind called too with JTo. I was totally dominated, and lost another 230.

Final straw: I raised JJ to 23 on the button. callers, Flop QJ6. Checks around. Turn 7. Checked to me, I bet 35. He shoved. I called. He had QQ.

And with that hand, I knew: I’m done. Not in a rage-quit, not chasing a loss. Just honest acceptance. I gave this game a real shot.

I don't regret playing. Poker sharpened my mind, taught me patience, discipline, and decision-making under pressure. also taught me emotional maturity and handling adversity. But I’ve outgrown the chase. I have no desire to grind in a casino anymore. The lifestyle, the variance, the time—it’s not aligned with who I want to be.

Thanks to the 2+2 community. I’ve learned a lot reading and posting here over the years. I wish all of you clarity, success, and balance—both at the tables and away from them.

Time for a new chapter.

Wish you the best of luck in the next chapter, you sound like an intelligent enough guy and imagine you will find a lot of success! Running bad and moving on likely will be the best thing that ever happened to you...