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
I straddle $6. Mp ($225)) recreation player with high vpip/little knowledge raises to $10.
$10 is legal here off a $6 straddle.
Another high vpip’r calls.
Pot $25
Flop 1074r
Mp 2x pot $50 w $175 behind.
Other guy folds.
Back on me w 108o
I cover. What’s the play?
triple blind games are awesome but you need to realize when everyone is short, as it appears everyone basically is here, it starts to play more like tourney poker. high cards matter more. TPNK might be good in this specific instance, but over the long run it's going to be a losing proposition.
you beat 99- (less 77/44), T6- (less T4), 7x (less 74), 4x, and draws.
how likely is it that V is 2x'ing pot with any of those hands into several players?
it's almost definetly a fold.
honestly, this is almost like the worst flop possible for you. you flop TP but the 2 other flop cards are less than your kicker so it takes away 2 TP hands that you could be beating (T7/T4) and since it's rainbow the only draws are 98 or 65. like the only turn cards that you would want to see is like a T or a 2. even an 8 brings in 65 and you're basically guessing on every street and you're OOP.
a big improvement in my game came when i started protecting my stack when i was OOP. things like realizing how difficult it will be to get to showdown when you're on the flop unless the miracle best runnout happens can save massive amounts of BBs.
The bet, his high vpip, and bit splashy got me thinking. Seemed odd.
Gd advice @johnnyspot.
You wouldn't call $4 into $30 to see a flop with T8o? I am super nitty but that seems like a leak.
Hero made a mistake saying the flop pot size was $25 - after his call it is $31-$34 (3 callers of $10 + $1 & $3; depends if 2nd guy was in a blind).
Maaaaybe. But it's a junk hand and we're OOP.
It might be an extra $4 to call, but we really need that dream flop to hit. Even if we hit trips there's a possibility we're outkicked and that $4 we paid could cost a stack.
I don't think it's terrible to call the $4. But I do think it opens us up to losing a bunch of money later in the hand.
We otb @masq.
And ur correct bout losing bunch money later in the hand.
I ship it thinking my tp is good.
Raising to me seems slightly better than calling. But folding wd hv been the play lol.
108 < QQ.
ignoring it's an easy fold, having the 8 is terrible here according to solver world. on the surface it's very counter intuitive but you'd be better to have T3 than T8 according to the solves because you hold a key blocker to the draw you actually want him to have.
@kevin1983 easy fold to most opponents, but this guy just seemed off.
On the contrary, he leveled me to look foolish.
Solver is cool. I use them, but we use a lot of feel too. Live reads hv been off lately.
Wanna hear another hh?
4 hours later today we climbed back to even and sitting w $750.
AA in sb…
it's a turbo muck (barring very specific reads - which you admittedly do not have).
yeah in games where villains are so far off eq playing solver style isn't going to be most profitable. just pointing out and trying to get you to think a little. you block a significant portion of his bluffing range with the 8. feel be damned that is terribad
$10 co straddle from Ricky the roofer. ($300)
Aggro the construction guy callls on the button. ($750)
Dude who just had hip surgery calls. ($600)
The hero ($750) finally has a hand today where value is about to be had. AA in sb. Make it $60 and wd like a couple callers please. We get just that!! Both aggros call. Lets take these guys to Valueville!!
3 way Pot $185
Clean flop: Q52r.
Lead $100,
Roofer Rick tank folds.
Construction guy ships
There is a high hand promo that pays $300 for quads r better. Many people will check sets on a dry flop like this.
It’s been a self leveling type of day, but this has to be a call.
QQ haunts me again today.
AA
-877 today.
After $3k worth of next week wsop circuit buy ins, and a break even ish couple weeks…
Down to $13k.
I think we were around $35k ??? (Can’t remember) when we moved into the new house back in October.
And there he is again lol.
Coming in w his opinion after he sees the hand face up.
HOF Monday morning quarterback.
you specifically asked if i wanted to chime in, so i did... otherwise i wouldn't have stated the obvious (that it's a fold). the best player of all time would know this, as it's trivial.
After $3k worth of next week wsop circuit buy ins, and a break even ish couple weeks…
Down to $13k.
I think we were around $35k ??? (Can’t remember) when we moved into the new house back in October.
"investing" 3k into tournaments with 16k net worth is a terrible idea. when was the last time you studied ICM/short stack play/tournament strategy? do you understand the huge amount of variance in MTTs?
I'm not sure how long you've been following the thread, but it seems odd that anyone posting ITT can think hero sees high variance as a bad thing that he wants to stay away from. Putting 20% of his liquid net worth on a few MTTs seems like the nitty thing he's ever done.
I'm not sure how long you've been following the thread, but it seems odd that anyone posting ITT can think hero sees high variance as a bad thing that he wants to stay away from. Putting 20% of his liquid net worth on a few MTTs seems like the nitty thing he's ever done.
i'm well aware; it was a rhetorical question. i was probing for his response in order to gauge how aware he is that he's a impulsive feel player (on and off the felt) and not a semi-retired poker GOAT. self-awareness isn't his strong suit. contrived cockiness on the other hand...
he's going to crash and burn. again. it's inevitable. :(
0 for 1 in Event 1.
221 entries busted around 100.
Finally got 15 bigs in w pocket 44 from lj and got called by AQ. In co.
Wd like to play re entry today, but day 2 is on Mother Days. Sara and I already been clashing. so def can’t miss Mother’s Day.
Next T is Monster Stack Tuesday.
More bills paid.
Down to 11k.
In a way, I’m wondering if I’m trying to manage or risk take this remaining cash. A part of me wants to just go broke already to get to our wildest of wild plan of plans. .
don't play any more tournaments. stay home for a couple of weeks, spending time with Sara and studying cash game play.
No offense @mastaass, but ur life has to be total crap. Like really shitty. Ur too obsessed here. Worried bout ya.
Please prove my point w a instant response.
In a way, I’m wondering if I’m trying to manage or risk take this remaining cash. A part of me wants to just go broke already to get to our wildest of wild plan of plans. .
Why do you have to be broke in order to put your plan into motion? Is it bankruptcy fraud?
It seems like you could have a pretty sweet life if you could stop tripping over your dick. If you honestly feel like you have a $35/hr winrate in your games, why not figure out your bills and build a schedule to play the required amount of hours (with your existing liferoll in reserve in case you run bad some months) and spend the rest of your time hanging with your family/friends, playing pickleball, getting high and grilling by the pool?
Really appreciating the thread title here lately. If the page and post count weren't so absurd, there'd be no way to know there was a million dollar spin up in the middle...now we're here.
Rayz, just put your $10k in the bank and start on your next plan if that's what you want to do. No need to bust your roll shotting live mtts first.
Why do you have to be broke in order to put your plan into motion? Is it bankruptcy fraud?
It seems like you could have a pretty sweet life if you could stop tripping over your dick. If you honestly feel like you have a $35/hr winrate in your games, why not figure out your bills and build a schedule to play the required amount of hours (with your existing liferoll in reserve in case you run bad some months) and spend the rest of your time hanging with your family/friends, playing pickleball,
Because having a schedule to go someplace to make money is literally the definition of working a job.
BS can rationalize in his brain that he’s “semi-retired” because he can do what he wants, when he wants (even though he literally needs to make money because he’s got like 11k to his name and has like ~4 months of runway if he did nothing), but I’m guessing if he had to conform to some sort of schedule, the rationalization goes out the window and he’s just another working schlub
Been busy this weekend. My pops came in for a couple days and kid’s tennis tournament.
Cdnt take advantage of wsop action, but will starting tomo.
Cash Monday,
Tournament Tuesday.
Got some flowers surrounding court and service lines in. We ready
Ready to expedite the next thing in my life.
The current life has been not fun.
Up $183 in May cash, down overall w a $400 busted T.
-$217 mid month update.
Playing my 2nd $400 T today.
Thinking bout firing a $2200 high roller Thursday and couple buyns in main if need to.
Either it’s this or it’s that. Let fate determine
9,500
What's the next thing in your life? May as well move on to it now as poker is not it.
Maybe you should just take the summer off and enjoy it with the kids? 9500 will you get you through the summer, right? #retiredforaquarter
