1/3 Grinding and Bankroll

Congrats for the blog! I also go time to time to MGMNH as a fish �� what concrete sites/software/books would you recommend to start studying NLH in 2025? What domain to start with, preflop ranges? Postflop? Etc. Thanks!

Yeah the treatment can be horrifying. You’re right about stigma. Stigmatization made me wonder whether I could hold down a full time job and second guess my abilities.

Yeah start with preflop get your opening ranges down by position. Then postflop. Get comfortable with mixing overbets into your game too, they are a thing now. A lot of people use gto wizard.

No I doubt anyone calls out the scum I see as much as I do. I also voice my displeasure with others’ negativity directed towards me much more assertively. It’s part of my nature as a lawyer who is paid to argue for a living.

Don’t judge someone unless you’ve walked a mile in their shoes. Even if they’re clown shoes.

I was so fixated on my poor client this week but I did everything I could for her including talking to her parents and filing a complaint with the healthcare quality agency overseeing the hospitals. I feel awful for her. There’s a point at which the treatment becomes torture and it’s no longer therapeutic especially when forced on someone.

I tried to take my mind off it by playing the mix last night and having some laughs with the guys. Two of them got into an argument about whether a non-nut wrap was really a wrap, it was a hoot. “It’s a Romanian wrap, ” I told one of them, a jovial Eastern European who I banter with often.

Played the big mix today again, just felt like it, the game wasn’t even good it was all good regs but I felt more confident having gotten more experience over the past few months. I was up $4,000 at my high point but lost a couple pots and quit still up around $1500. Scooped AA876ds in plo5 and chopped AKJ82 in big o versus AA and won a few smaller pots in 2-7 and stud8. Lost 752, 4 versus another two card draw that made an 86 after the first draw in triple draw and called it shortly after this hand pretty happy to have booked a modest win in a tough field.

Hey DumbosTrunk, I recently found and have really enjoyed reading this thread. It’s really cool to see someone go from 1/3 NLHM to playing mixed games and Omaha at such a high level. The personal journey has been very interesting as well, congrats on the new job and the impact you’ve made already!

Thanks a lot! I appreciate the kind words. 😀 Be well.

Wrapped up the month on a small loss, but overall did phenomenally, winning over $200 an hour. Seems like much less volume and balance in life is helping me play better poker too!

Dumbo has been targeted :(

I hope not, my friend thinks I just don’t disengage fast enough from negative encounters. My Mama taught me not to be a doormat for other people though.

All those stats about mentally ill people not being able to work regular jobs are a much of hooey. I wish we were encouraged more to do whatever we wanted instead of being led to believe we are not as capable as everyone else. We have special gifts like empathy that can be very useful in various professions as I have found, especially those in mental health.

I was talking about all the spam posts 😉

Lol!

I’m more laid back now with the job so hopefully fewer negative poker interactions.

I got a solid 10 hours of sleep and I feel amazing! The rest of the day goes so much better if I just get plenty of zzz's. Client interviews this morning then prep for Friday's court docket. And then it's the weekend again. Lattes now then gotta hit the road, in the office a few times a week. The commute is a bummer but I'm getting used to it n

I learned from my boss that when I'm done training in civil commitment work I will be helping clients committed after NGRI pleas, which is right up my alley. The intersection of criminal law and mental health has always been a keen interest of mine. I have strong feelings about detaining people due to mental disabilities and actions they took due to symptoms of a mental illness.

The nice thing is in most of these cases the hospital is in agreement with the patient's release who has been rehabilitated and stabilized and it's just a matter of convincing the judge that they no longer pose a danger to society.

Had a dream the market crashed 50%, bleh.

It’s Friday! Interviews yesterday went well. It’s a light day in court, just postponements no hearings. I started prepping for a Tuesday morning hearing yesterday. Looking forward to that one, apparently the doctor is squirrelly and does not like giving a straight answer.

Played so so session, unfortunately the games at mdl are not as good at mgm. Lost at plo and 2/5. Got A9hh in a 3! pot spr 1.2 on 578scc against a perceived maniac, he had a good hand this time though in 76cc. Every other time he bet big he would fold to a raise, once he had 22 on J7943. Even so it’s a pretty loose call with A9s.

Looking forward to the weekend.

Played a longer than normal session, first at MDL where I wasn’t feeling it so I left for traffic and mgm. The rake went up $1 at mgm which was a bummer but the room was much nicer as usual. Did really well at 5/5 plo but lost in nonstop $400 drawmaha flips at 10/10 towards the end of the night. Wound up losing a few hundo on the night, not bad all things considered. Beats what I lost in the market the past week!

Played a sorta sick hand at 5/5, I open AQJJ4ds ddcc three callers KJ8ddc flop. (A King was exposed preflop.) I x/c. Turn Kc. I x/c. River Tc. I x he bets large I tank call he has KT. Sorta a set up with all draws bricking and the k exposed but after playing more with this guy might not have been the type of triple barrel.

Having a good weekend, got to play 10/10/50/(100) plo5 last night and game was really good. I think joining them for $400 waterfall dramaha the night before helped me get into the game. Would have played as long as I could but needed to be mindful of work schedule during the week. Ran really hot and made $10,000 in a few hours, putting my monthly profit way in the green again after a dull start to April. Very happy about this, I needed a boost after a couple lackluster sessions.

Got another terrible judge in a tough case, sorta frustrating two weeks in a row now in two tough cases that I put a lot of work into to not have a chance because of who the decision maker is.

Got to play 10/10/20 turned 25/50 last night did fine. One fun hand defend A8o btn v straddle A72 x/x. Turn Q. X/x. River 9. I bet pot, he raises to $400, I snap call and win v. A3o. Not sure if value river raise or bluff on his part but no way I am folding against perceived pro with this hand given the action.

I got the same judge on Friday too. Fk. Didn’t help that the client attacked staff the day of the hearing. I did my best the rest wasn’t up to me.

It was a rough week, but I learned after next week I am moving on to the next phase of my work which I am very happy about. Seems I passed the test and they like me.

Played subpar poker yesterday, probably a little too stressed from the work week. Also didn’t run well. Oh well.

A couple rough sessions over the weekend. Had Palm Sunday lunch with parents and family friends and did some work so I’m not swamped tomorrow.

Had emotional talk with mom she said she and dad are in their “golden years,” hard to believe. I am glad they are seeing me doing so well. Hopefully gives them some comfort about my future.

Family friend at end of lunch said he’d call me if he is ever committed. “That’ll be a tough case,” I said. He laughed. He has a dark sense of humor like me.

Played a quick session, made a few hundo, sold another guide and got to hear someone’s personal pov on our current president (he worked for him). Enjoying my morning lattes + protein powder now before work starts and I have client interviews all day followed by hearing prep in the afternoon. Got a decent amount of sleep for a Monday, around 8 hours. Got extra sleep over the weekend too so it’s not so bad.

I got invited to the 25/50 private hold ‘em game again, unfortunately I ran bad over the weekend and am a little cash poor atm as I have been investing more during the recent dip in the market. Will save up to play again hopefully soon.

I was definitely getting a little steamed on Saturday after all the losses as I iso’d KQJ54ds at 10/10 for my last hand of the night. Giving action in the game is never a bad thing though as I can get invited back again.

So, details on the POV, please? Would be interesting to hear from someone who worked for him. (Can't lead with that and not give details!)

Basically whenever he golfs there is a ton of security, snipers, etc. and it’s a PITA for everyone else. He’s apparently an entertaining person but stressful to be around as well, because of the security and other reasons he didn’t go into.

Monday flew by, counting down the days until I move on to the next phase of the job. One client will be discharged today after she followed my advice which was a relief because I wasn’t sure she would be able to do it. Another might have a hearing today or a postponement if we can get one. I have really good rapport building with my clients. One said he could talk to me all day. Most smile when they leave, I think my personal experience helps me relate to them better and this comes out in our conversations.

I am drinking my lattes now trying to wake up before my early morning court docket. Tuesdays can be annoying! And it’s cloudy. Also doesn’t help to have sudden short chest pain and a rapid heartbeat out of nowhere, sometimes I wonder about the side effects of my psychiatric medication. I’ve had one seizure, fainting, nausea, chest pain, you name it over the years. I don’t want to go off them because I’m afraid the mental decompensation would be worse though even though psychiatrists say to try stopping them after five years. It’s been way longer than that by now for me.

I did exercise yesterday which was much needed, went for a walk, did some rowing and push ups and crunches and used the massage chair. A little r&r goes a long way.

Went to bed early and I’m glad I did. That extra hour of sleep makes a huge difference in my wake up, much easier! Doesn’t take me as long to feel alert and I don’t have a lingering tiredness after my last coffee.

Had planned a client meeting after work but he was still sleeping and no way I was about to disrupt a recovering psychiatric patient’s sleep over an optional meeting we could have any other time. I see other lawyers wake people up for meetings and it’s something I would generally try to avoid for their mental health. I know this well from my experience, sleep is super important.