Started with a $1/$2nl challenge, now we're here.
đŽWARNING!! IMA 2+2 VIRGIN!! FIRST DAY AT THIS!! FIRST THREAD!!
The Goal is Simple - $40k in One Year (starting Jan.1st 2013) playing only $1-$2NLHE, and $1-$3 NLHE cash games. Most of my play will be @HSIPoker (90% of play), @HollywoodPoker (5% of play) in southern Indiana, and other (5% of play). I will make the occasional trips Vegas, Chicago, etc. My buy-ins will be least $300 and no more than $800 in all daily sessions. If I lose a $800 bullet in the first hour of play, then I leave. Therefore a losing session will never exceed $800. I am committed to play an average of 30-35 hours a week. All statistics (running total $, $/hr., #of hrs. win/loss ratio, etc.) will be tracked through my Poker Journal App. The max buy-ins on both of these games @HSIPoker is $300 up to half the big stack at the table (i.e. big stack has $1400, then new player can buy-in for $700, or other players at table can add up to $700 to their chips). Also @HSIPoker players can straddle from any position, so $1-$2 plays like a $1-$3 or even $2-$5 w/deep stacks. Side note: Just yesterday a maniac player at $1-$2 nlhe straddled for $350!! I will also play no more than $5k worth of tournaments for the year ranging from $300-$1700 buy-ins. The tournaments will be recorded separately, and will be added or deducted from cash game total profits at the end of the year (ending Dec. 31st 2013). I will stay committed to this all year and I will not stray from my rules. I can guarantee I will post at least twice a week, and would even like to link a monthly video segments throughout the year. If you stay with me on this journey, I can promise you I will stay with you throughout the whole year. You can count on total transparency in my poker grind. I will share honestly the ups and downs, the brutal swings, and sprinkle in some spice and substance. All while trying to spare you the bad beat stories. I rather do naked snow angels in freezing temps than listening to someoneâs bad beat story. For future reference if you share one with me, I will act like I care, but I will really be thinking of when will this bad beat story end!! You can also follow - http://twitter.com/RayzRayl
Background â Starting playing seriously at age 25 during the Chris Moneymaker boom. Duh! It was around the same time I was teaching middle school math. I left teaching to create my own destiny. I started out playing low limits and have played as high as $25-$50 NLHE online. I am like most of you that have $ tied up on Full-Tilt. I am mostly a cash game player, and have played very few tournaments with very little success. I bricked the WSOP Main Event twice (I bought in once, and the other seat was a won through PokerStars). I seem to come up short on the big buy-in tourneys. My biggest score in tournaments are a couple of $20k cashes, and biggest score in cash games are a few $10k sessions. Sometimes poker was my full-time job, and sometimes it was supplement income. Right now it is my full-time job. I own a few rental properties, so that helps take the pressure off the grind. My girlfriend (15yr. relationship) and I have 2 girls (2yrs and 9yrs) that are joys of my life. My biggest challenge is explaining to them along with everyone else that I play poker for a living. I struggle with the fact that I am basically chasing money, and not doing anything productive. On the flip side, I do like the higher levels of thinking, the competition, and the pressure that poker offers me. Furthermore, I am not a gambler! I go straight to the poker room and straight out, nothing in between (no dice, no colors, no slots, no blackjack, etc.). Donât get me wrong though I will bet anything I have an edge on. Most of all, I am a man devoted to my faith. Side note: I donât see playing poker as sinful behavior, or gambling. I define gambling as anything where Iâm not a favorite to win long term. More about me . . . thrive on competition, unique, introvert, outside the box thinker, gym fitness member, a bit anti-social, well mannered, authored my memoir at age 30, every other weekend drinker, love my church, entrepreneurial thinker, tennis junkie, green thumb, and I think cats are skittish.
Reason for Goal â The challenge itself is the ultimate reason for this goal. I was recently in a conversation with a friend of mine, and he was stating that $30k/yr. was a realistic earning for a $1-2, $1-3 nlhe grinder. I discussed that an âAâ player putting in 40hrs/wk. can possibly make $40k/yr. He said, âno wayâ, and I said âIâm going to do it.â And thatâs how this goal started. Reason 2) Simple â the goal will keep me staying determined to play flawlessly, and it will keep me focused at the task at hand. This goal allows me to stay âhungryâ the whole year. I enjoy the pressure of striving to achieve something that is challenging. This challenge will keep me waking up each day and grinding. The satisfaction of achieving this goal will be half the fun, and the journey getting there is the other half. My subscribers, followers, and my post will keep accountable; and keeps me determined to play my âAâ game. Thank you in advance for subscribing/following! Reason 3) it keeps the pressure off me playing the bigger games. I always told people the âpoker lowsâ hurt more than the âhighsâ feel good. If that makes any sense to you! There were times when I was playing bigger limits where I would lose $5k in a sesh. Trust me those days sting! When I lost that amount of cheddar I would always think of what I could have done with that money; i.e. remodel the kitchen, go on shopping spree, buy a used car, get a golf membership at the country club, etc. When I win itâs like âcoolâ, but when I lose big it affects my whole psyche! With this goal I am managing my losses where worst case scenario is an $800 losing day. Reason 4) the $1-$2 NLHE is the most popular poker game around. There are more $1-$2 players than any other game. This will give a good idea of whatâs a realistic earning from a solid $1-$2nlhe player. I want to do this for all the grinders. There is not a truer grinder than a $1-$2 grinder. Big Ups to all the 1-2ers!
Cliff Notes â Can I? Or canât I? Make $40k in 2013 playing only $1-$2 and $1-$3 NLHE. Playing at least 30hrs/wk. and buying in for no more than $800 a session! I will also invest no more than $5k in tournaments in 2013 that will be factored into the $40k/year goal. I will post often with full transparency. I thrive on competition. My motto is look good, feel good, play good. I like puzzles. I have a degree in Mathematics. This is my very first post on 2 + 2 forum. 
All feedback welcome.
Thanks,
Rayz
Regarding the T9 hand, the turn is a very classic 2x pot for anyone who actually understands poker theory. In live 1/3 this bet will print so much f-ing money. 80+% of range directly goes into the muck and still drawing to the nuts, or can just 2x pot river brick where he has nothing to call with.
Pretty much every live 1/3 player would fold even 87 by the river. If you're reading this and you disagree it's probably because you've never overbet bluffed in your entire life which is why you're stuck in low stakes.
I don’t see how those two things are connected at all. Paper plates are for light and quick snacks/meals to save time and effort on cleanup, normal plates are for heavier/messier meals that paper plates can’t handle. Net worth does not come into the equation at all.
Open ears to suggestions for reels.
This was most recent visit I found on MyChart.
Kind of gives us a starting point.
Started early and lost 5 lbs already. Not really gonna b 24lbs in 2024 because 5lbs were lost in last week of 2023, but kiss my ass lol.
Looks like my physical went well.
Hope you were able to get that BP down, 149 is pretty high
I donât see how those two things are connected at all. Paper plates are for light and quick snacks/meals to save time and effort on cleanup, normal plates are for heavier/messier meals that paper plates canât handle. Net worth does not come into the equation at all.
Hope you were able to get that BP down, 149 is pretty high
a lot of poor homes choose to eat from paper plates for whatever reason (it's cheaper short-term and most "poors" regularly make suboptimal purchase decisions?). it's a relevant query for sure.
a lot of poor homes choose to eat from paper plates for whatever reason (it's cheaper short-term and most "poors" regularly make suboptimal purchase decisions?). it's a relevant query for sure.
I think most reasonable people would assume he eats off of normal plates the majority of the time and not automatically jump to the conclusion that he lives like a poor who only eats from paper plates just because of one picture posted.
I think most reasonable people would assume he eats off of normal plates the majority of the time and not automatically jump to the conclusion that he lives like a poor who only eats from paper plates just because of one picture posted.
Close. Most reasonable people would not give the slightest **** what kind of plate he eats off of and would not even have noticed there was a plate in the pic. We were looking at the food.
Ur right @Marknfw. Cant eat off paper plates canât use my Christmas gift card to Jimmy Johnâs. Mg.
Happy NY everyone.
We started the $40k today and gonna log 5hrs.
Hoping to get in 100 hours this month. 1000+hours total for the year.
In for $425
Up a little after a couple hrs played.
Will try to gv more hh this year. I know u love them lol.
First meal today will b 5p. Havenât decided yet, but will get out my finest Chinaware.
DAY 1 STARTED WITH A WIN!
That’s all we were looking for. Just a W.
Wasn’t much, but on goal pace after 1 day lol. In for $425 and out for this…
*poker room here will always color up chips after sesh to highest denomination. Take them w u or go to cashier cage cash out.
Was wanting to play longer, but was experiencing some faint spells. $168 3hrs 49mins.
Gonna eat a pork chop at 5p.
faint spells are totally normal and healthy, stick with the program, you'll get that trendy auschwitz body you've been wanting soon enough
Ty @rickroll
Pork chop w onion and red hot on a paper plate at 5p
]
Run at 6p. #iamnotarunner
Grapes now
]
Back at it tomo for a solid 5hours of grind this time. Promise.
*all promos will go towards $40k challenge. Hell, I put that money in there.
This diet you are on with the running is going to take all your muscle. Most bodybuilders use long walks as their weight cutting method as the muscle is not really affected. The other thing is you will feel good when you are done instead of pain. Or turn into a walking skeleton who fights running every chance you can only to overcome it for no reason.
Before I ran 3.8miles last week my furthest run ever was prob 2.5miles back in my 20s. Was always towards the end of the pack on my hs/college baseball team. #iamnotarunner.
As far as our diet plan, decided to put this Triple Crown race in the mix. I guess we train for this. Can I do 6.2miles?
*daily fast til 4p today. Never eat breakfast.
10 small Casear bottle water while playing 1/3nl til 2:30p today. Here now.
Before I ran 3.8miles last week my furthest run ever was prob 2.5miles back in my 20s. Was always towards the end of the pack on my hs/college baseball team. #iamnotarunner.
As far as our diet plan, decided to put this Triple Crown race in the mix. I guess we train for this. Can I do 6.2miles?
*daily fast til 4p today. Never eat breakfast.
10 small Casear bottle water while playing 1/3nl til 2:30p today. Here now.
Nice job on the running! Best thing I can tell you is just go slow. Keep your pace slow for now (be able to have a conversation while you run), slowly increase your weekly mileage. To train for a 10K I wouldnât exceed 25 miles/week. Your conversational pace will naturally get faster and once you get to March or so you can start incorporating once a week faster tempo runs to make further improvements. But the vast majority of your weekly miles should always be at the slower pace. Itâs counterintuitive but running slower will make you faster on race day.
Nice job on the running! Best thing I can tell you is just go slow. Keep your pace slow for now (be able to have a conversation while you run), slowly increase your weekly mileage. To train for a 10K I wouldnât exceed 25 miles/week. Your conversational pace will naturally get faster and once you get to March or so you can start incorporating once a week faster tempo runs to make further improvements. But the vast majority of your weekly miles should always be at the slower pace. Itâs count
Thanks for tips. I need all of them. My goal is just running the whole way/finish the race.
25miles a week is tough for me right now. Itâs been 10 miles last couple week.
Iâll take ur suggestion of running longer miles but slower pace. Ty
Side note: wd hv hit a straight flush a moment ago (paying $1k high hand promo) but folded middle pair w one diamond on a pot size flop bet.
Thanks for tips. I need all of them. My goal is just running the whole way/finish the race.
25miles a week is tough for me right now. Itâs been 10 miles last couple week.
Iâll take ur suggestion of running longer miles but slower pace. Ty
Side note: wd hv hit a straight flush a moment ago (paying $1k high hand promo) but folded middle pair w one diamond on a pot size flop bet.
Yeah just steadily increase your mileage maybe 10% each week until you get up to 20 and youâll be fine. I know youâre competitive and because youâre starting out already in decent physical shape youâve got a great shot at running a 10K in the high 40s to low 50s by May.
Working on that 5hours as promised.
Will leave soon after that mark.
Drank 7 10oz bottles of Caesarâs water. 128oz in a gallon, so more than halfway there on the daily target.
Started off the sesh down a little and added on some. We will always hv around max allowed on table. We up pretty gd right now. $300ish w 30 mins to go.
can't wait to book that win, eh? one thing I can't figure out (among many) is why do you insist on playing poker when it seems like you don't enjoy it very much?
Gd question @kevin1983z. Used to do the all-nighters. Used to love w all my passion. Now… it because it beats the alternative.
Gotta do something or there goes the house.
5hr 6mins +333, 8 Casear waters. No beer no soda all year.
Just realized I’m out of paper plates. First meal at 4p today. Gonna go w a 1 tablespoon of chicken salad on 1 piece of bread folded over, and of course my salsa.
Run this evening
I’m an animal. Out compete me
i'm fully aware! does. not. compute.
Gd question @kevin1983z. Used to do the all-nighters. Used to love w all my passion. Now… it because it beats the alternative.
Gotta do something or there goes the house.
5hr 6mins +333, 8 Casear waters. No beer no soda all year.
Just realized I’m out of paper plates.
you mean you threw away the ones you had used? you're supposed to wash them for reuse. boy you better get to digging through them trash bags!
nice win đ is the Caesar water bottled? is it comped or stolen? want to share some key hands?
does it, though? if memory serves me (and it certainly may not lol) I feel like you made around 50k in like 10 months with back yard creations?
along with doing that there were ancillary benefits that you're not getting playing poker. you were up moving all the time and not sedentary in a casino. you were working more by yourself or with people you felt comfortable around and not amongst strangers you may not particularly like in a casino causing your anxiety to build. you still pretty much set your own schedule by being able to seek work and take on jobs as you seen fit. the money was certainly more variance free.
this all seems to go back to what I've noticed and have told you a few times. you insist on making things as hard as possible on yourself and you do it for no apparent reason. its like a form of self flagellation.
does it, though? if memory serves me (and it certainly may not lol) I feel like you made around 50k in like 10 months with back yard creations?
along with doing that there were ancillary benefits that you're not getting playing poker. you were up moving all the time and not sedentary in a casino. you were working more by yourself or with people you felt comfortable around and not amongst strangers you may not particularly like in a casino causing your anxiety to build. you still pretty much s
my guess is that he doesn't look at poker as a real job (although he sure loathes putting in hours as if it were one). he's hellbent on never working again and bowing down to the man. he's semi-retired remember?
