Started with a $1/$2nl challenge, now we're here.
😮WARNING!! 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 someone’s 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 – 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.). Don’t 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 don’t see playing poker as sinful behavior, or gambling. I define gambling as anything where I’m 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 – 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 “A” player putting in 40hrs/wk. can possibly make $40k/yr. He said, “no way”, and I said “I’m going to do it.” And that’s how this goal started. Reason 2) Simple – 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 “hungry” 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 “A” 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 “poker lows” hurt more than the “highs” 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 it’s like “cool”, 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 what’s 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 – Can I? Or can’t 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
@Rayz
What would you say is your (2-digit) level at pickleball if you auto-evaluate yourself?
@babaloos I don’t even know where to start.
Made 1.4 milly and then started having 6 fig losing days that broke me. To my knees. Feeling of crumbs put me in a year long therapy. Ended up losing a milly. Simultaneously having physical and mental pain like nothing ever felt. Ended up 1 of 3 main characters In a documentary on AppleTv (and on ur favorite airlines in the sky). Motivation and dreams hv been paralyzed by the hurt of defeat. Now in the gutters playing 1/3nl w a 17k roll. Trying my best to give my heart to this 40k challenge. Attempt 3? maybe 4? Lost track. Oh,had a separation from wife and then reconnected happened. Currently building the best backyard pickleball court on earth. In a house way over my head. My family has been my purpose. Poker and mining around 700 gala tokens/day is our job.
Prob hv missed some other shitz. Who the f knows.??? Living w a lots of mental phuckness last few years that been keeping private. No one can fake it better than me. Smile.
@uberkuber not sure how pickle ranks. *Last tennis ranking was 4.5 usta.
Tbh, I’ve played pickle less than 10 times total. Improving and learning tactics each time out. That said, I cd compete w the best around Kentuckiana.
+200ish both sessions yesterday. 3 hrs in morning. 3hrs at night. We a proud 3-5hr guy. Like a great cheeseburger, we like to get In and Out.
opening the first game has been dragging.
First table started at 11a this morning.
We hit high hand for a $400 wsop circuit voucher (next month).
Up $400ish plus voucher.
Maybe we leave early again like our favorite cheeseburger. We In and We Out.
Getting closer to pace, but still behind. Don’t count me out. #NoQuit #KarateKid
We’re actually trying now. First few months we played some 2/5nl and threw in some plo. Now tho, now tho, we trying. It’s been all 1/3 so far this month.
On pace for 90 hours in April.
Hourly up to $39.43!! Was wondering if that was more than any previous year. So went into the cliff notes…
Dayum ^ 2015. Wish I wd hv tried the 40k goal that year #sigh
Did another multi (morning and night). We lose -$4 in morning sesh and politely hit n ran the night sesh for +323.
wow inspiring stuf
Ty.
Everyone that has played poker has wondered what’s possible at 1/3nl stakes.
No one has documented more years of stats and journaling at this level than me. Everything can b verified to the last dollar from players in the room. I take pride in providing the most accurate statistics.
$40k at 1/3nl working part time! Is this gonna happen?
accounting for inflation it's like making 25k when you started
^ Ain’t nobody here been dead last couple years.
MID MONTH UPDATE
Oops we hit n ran today +423 in 58 mins.
Limped 3bet twice the same guy within a few hands apart. Called the 4bet both times (A10 > KQ) (AK > AQ) when he shoved for a couple hundred.
MID MONTH UPDATED UPDATE
Omg we’re at $40/hr @ 1/3 stakes.
Glad to hear you are trying to work things out with your wife
Keep rolling this has been one thread I’ve followed for many years. Been here since you even started dabbling in the stocks
Amy other plans for other side hustles this summer?
Glad to hear you are trying to work things out with your wife
Keep rolling this has been one thread I’ve followed for many years. Been here since you even started dabbling in the stocks
Amy other plans for other side hustles this summer?
Ty @babaloos. Ur one of the ogs from beginning.
No plans for side hustle. Just poker for now. We gonna ride it out little longer while thinking of our next leap into something.
Loss -$523 yesterday on 4ish hrs. Cdnt hit the gut shot flush draw for the biggest pot of the day ($600).
Hero w black QQ in sb ($600) 3 bets the mp $7 open and co call to $35. Bb ($1200)who has been calling everything and hitting, calls. A novice understudied utg ($500) limp calls $35. Mp opener calls. Co calls.
5 way $175
Flop: Kh 8s 2c
Checks thru.
Turn: 4h
I check, bb bets $50. Utg calls. Middle position player and co both fold.
Is anyone peeling here w Queens?
of course. trivially easy with relative position, no Qh, and getting 5.5 to 1. also pretty happy to snap riv if it bricks, BB bets not too crazy, and UTG flolds
Why 3bet and check flop?
Ty @babaloos. Ur one of the ogs from beginning.
No plans for side hustle. Just poker for now. We gonna ride it out little longer while thinking of our next leap into something.
Loss -$523 yesterday on 4ish hrs. Cdnt hit the gut shot flush draw for the biggest pot of the day ($600).
Hero w black QQ in sb ($600) 3 bets the mp $7 open and co call to $35. Bb ($1200)who has been calling everything and hitting, calls. A novice understudied utg ($500) limp calls $35. Mp opener calls. Co calls.
5 way $175
Flop: Kh 8s 2c
Checks thru.
Turn: 4h
I check, bb bets $50. Utg calls. Middle position player and co both fold.
Is anyone peeling here w Queens?
Flop is a check fold 1000 times out of 1000. If that's not totally obvious to someone then they probably are losing at 1/3
Just need to log a 1000 hours, right?
Everything is getting so fined tuned. Reviewing everyday after playing. Still kicking myself for not 3b raising 4th nuts otr last week for an extra $100 he had behind. Stuff like this is getting tuned up. We been in the lab w preflop charts and running sims on certain hands. I’m not to gto or silver base if u will but do like to know how others r using it. Exploitive play is more my style mixed w some gto.
People just aren’t paying attention enough. So much info just thru convos and actions.
Cool to see that live poker is just as beatable in 2024 as it was in 2014. All this talk of the average player being better seems to be unfounded.
Keep it up hero. Keep grinding and giving us updates
Ty @goodjunk21. This will prob b the last year for the thread. I think I know when it’s time to exit, and it feels that way.
I hv found this 1/3nl challenge is hard to stay ahead of life. We barely breaking even each month in poker profit/life expenses. Cd b a slow bleed. We hovering 17k, but I don’t see a way to build. Unless we move up. But again, we only hv 17k. Finish out the year and decide from there. Who knows maybe my gala mining may pay off. Gala to the moon please!
1/3 Hourly dropped by a couple on a -$532 loss yesterday.
Lost a big one that maybe was correct river play maybe not. Mayb I shd hv just called flop and turn instead of raising flop and betting turn???
After that hand, I felt myself getting too involved pre. Felt I was chasing a bit and normally don’t do that. After another $100 bleeding off, I decided to pick up remaining chips and leave. Just didn’t feel like I was playing my A game and still questioning some of the lines I took.
“That hand’
I straddle $6 from co and bb calls $3 more. Head up and I raise $20 more on straddle option. W Jc2c. I just feel it’s one of those she calls $3 more but wdnt want to call $20. I was wrong. The older tag Asian regular makes the call. I’m cool w that too. I hv position and she is easily outplayable.
Asian $300. Hero $350
Flop Kc 7c 2h
Asian donk bets $25.
Sidenote: never understood why it’s called donk bet. I don’t see it one sided as much as others.
I raise to $60. She calls and says, “no club”. Lol she soul reading me.
Pot $180.
Turn 7d.
Asian checks. I make a bet of $45. She calls.
didn’t like board pairing. This cd b a check behind. ??? The $45 bet looks pure value but it’s not accomplishing much. She calls all king pairs. Which she must hv at this point. I feel itÂ’s an abused bet.
Pot $270.
River As
75 year old tag Asian checks. What’s our play? I think we hv to jam this Ace river. I did and she tanked w K10 before making the call.
easily outplayable 
I hv found this 1/3nl challenge is hard to stay ahead of life. We barely breaking even each month in poker profit/life expenses. Cd b a slow bleed. We hovering 17k, but I don’t see a way to build.
A shame you didn't have a thread when you had $40k where probably a couple dozen posters told you what a dumb idea all your **** was with poker, a court, and of course, a dog that turned into two dogs. All haters, right?
You know how to build. You just don't want to put in the work because #semiretired. You have a job where you make $38/hr, can work double the hours you already are, and after a month or two, give yourself a promotion to 2/5 and then scale back the hours...but nah, no way to build, it'll just b a slow bleed.
You can work double the hours you already are, and after a month or two, give yourself a promotion
he really can't, though, because then he wouldn't be able to hit and run to keep that hourly inflated. it would normalize and he'd be stuck with the realization he HAS to play more to sustain. as of now he can still say he just doesn't WANT to.
tbh I think that's kinda why the thread has died. it's extremely tiresome explaining to someone that they're making mistakes only for them to continue to do them. there was at least some entertainment value here when he was yolo degening stocks, and ripping off Home Depot's. now, its just watching someone go busto/scrape by at $1/3. walk into any cardroom in America and there's a dozen of these guys.
