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
When ur down to 16k life/poker roll every big pot matters. On the other hand, I can surely handle losing a few hundred bucks when favorable percentages don’t go our way. I mean I hv had a few 6fig daily losses in the market.
This feels like our $ plateau, and now we build. No more big spending on court. We done w those expenses. Now we run it back to $30k.
Until then, we’re not really rolled for anything other than 1/3nl.
in before $500 dog collars and $1knl stream shots
We got close to 15k life poker roll today. Lost $707 playing 1/3nl for couple hours. Bad for 40k challenge
Played like a maniac a bit during an anxiety attack. These donĂât happen often, but when it does it feels like spiraling death.
Actually. had to fake a phone call during a hand. Blurry, dizzy, too much **** around me, The cranium is firing off **** from every spot possible. IĂâm wondering how fast we can get to showdown w this hand. I got a measly pair of sevens and hoping someone bets so I can fold. Gotta call this phantom person back! What I really need to do is grab an Ativan from my car and calm the **** down. Everyone is being strange.
Came back triple barreling and lagging it up. The meditation music help calm me and slowed my heart rate after bluffing all-In.
If my style had a name
.Overall pretty satisfied w play. B game. Big loss to start the night. Too involved. Too weirded up to b playing
Got it back in 5/5 plo
+$1099. The whole mood and environment changed for me. The Ativan slowed the activity of the brain and nerves and felt normal again.
I was locked in until Sara wanted to meet for dinner.
+392 overall.
that doesn't sound great rayz, hope you can get that resolved for the better
Only rolled for 1/3, then next minute is sitting 5/5 ploâŚ
I love you Rayz, keep fighting you mad ****er!
degenerate gambling in life and at the poker tables! this is why i read this thread. Rayz, do you have any idea how big a game 5/5 PLO is compared to 1/3 NL? do you even know how to play the game?
At what point would you consider that you need something to supplement income from Poker? This semi-retired life sure sounds stressful to me!
At what point would you consider that you need something to supplement income from Poker? This semi-retired life sure sounds stressful to me!
We can always come out of semiretirement if need be and log more hours. Up to this point, we have logged 122.5 hours this year. Thatâs only 15.5 hours a week! The court and sickness put us behind, but donât lose faith in Rayz Em Up Rayz.
At what point would you consider that you need something to supplement income from Poker?. If we get under 10k, Iâll start to go 30yrs a week. Poker will be the job. No supplement for now.
This semi-retired life sure sounds stressful to me![/QUOTE]. Poker can b stressful in general. The Lord put me through mountainous swings the last few years. Nothing now really phases me anymore.
We believe itâs gonna all work out. Hell, we on pace for $40k, but itâs overall, not just 1/3nl. 40k on 15.5 hours/wk. Why we sweating? #semi-reitred
We can always come out of semiretirement if need be and log more hours. Up to this point, we have logged 122.5 hours this year. Thatâs only 15.5 hours a week! The court and sickness put us behind, but donât lose faith in Rayz Em Up Rayz.
I'm not sure that will be the solution. Seems like you're in a rush to get up from the table and book wins. The more hours you play, the more exposure you have to losing the win and i'm not sure you can handle that.
Poker can b stressful in general. The Lord put me through mountainous swings the last few years. Nothing now really phases me anymore.
Didn't you literally post 12 hours ago that you had an anxiety attack and had to walk away from the table?!
Then you came back and played a tilt / spewy game in stakes bigger than you can handle in a game you don't really play and it worked out for you this time.
We believe itâs gonna all work out. Hell, we on pace for $40k, but itâs overall, not just 1/3nl. 40k on 15.5 hours/wk. Why we sweating? #semi-reitred
Is $40k really the dream? I guess "we sweating" because every week your net worth goes down and you're a few bad sessions away from dropping under $10k.
At some point you'll have to do something desperate. Some of us can see the train lights in the distance coming towards us, whilst others are more oblivious until it's too late to move.
30 hours a week and only if you go below $10k?
You are in a hair on fire emergency RIGHT NOW and should be getting some steady income. If you aren't willing to do that (we all know you aren't) and you truely believe you are a crusher you should be playing 50-60 hours a week MINIMUM.
You can be semi-retired again and play 15 hours a week when you are fully rolled for 5/10/20 or higher and are beating the game handily.
All gd advice.
If anyone catches me in poker room 40-50-60 hours a week; then pull my chair out from under me, stomp on my throat, and shove the cards down my mouth until I suffocate.
3 weeks until first run race ever. The Louisville 10k Triple Crown (that I signed up for during 24lbsin24) March 16th.
We still training for it. we surely not getting our registration $60 back, and not gonna quit. We committed, so we taking it seriously.
Been putting in 10 miles a week. We’re not gonna actually run 10k distance until race day. So if we finish it will b the longest run of my life. Current long 5miles. Then after Triple Crown, we can be #notarunner again.
Monday we grinded the pickle court while my boy stayed home from school w stomach bug. He went back to school today and I went back to the poker room for some 1/3nl.
Bottom set held vs flush draw in the biggest pot of the day.
*still tipping out of cup holder. I want as much chips in play as possible for my double ups. Tipping out of cup holder got me an extra $20 w the set hand dub up. Lol
+836
Still behind 1/3nl 40k pace, but hourly in all games is solid. Just need to get my ass to the room if wanna accomplish the goal.
End of month Feb updates in couple days
If you had your tip money in your stack, instead of off the table, during a hand that you double up wouldn’t you have made a few extra bucks?
Whenever Iâm over $400 (max buy in) then I tip out of cup holder. Doesnât make sense to under the max buy in.
I put $400 on the table and $25 in cup holder.
Im hoping u can figure the rest out without me explaining. @masq u seem logical.
considering you're shook by haters these days (evidenced by your ignoring my past 20 questions), i doubt you'll answer me now. hopefully you're having a good day where you can pretend hate fuels you so that you'll oblige this time! fingers crossed.
Whenever I’m over $400 (max buy in) then I tip out of cup holder. Doesn’t make sense to under the max buy in.
I put $400 on the table and $25 in cup holder.
Im hoping u can figure the rest out without me explaining. @masq u seem logical.
why not? also, if you're so concerned with maximizing your profits, why not always top up to $400?
how much smarter than the second smartest person ITT would you say that you are? an IQ point estimation is fine. besides you, who are the top #3 intelligent individuals ITT? power rankings are always fun đ
Whenever I’m over $400 (max buy in) then I tip out of cup holder. Doesn’t make sense to under the max buy in.
That makes sense - I figured I was missing something.
I heard them call your name over the speaker for PLO on saturday. I thought about walking over to introduce myself, tell you I am your biggest fan, get a picture and an autograph, but the last time I did that was to Tony Molito and it was a super disappointing meeting. It was at a local pizza joint so I waited until he finished eating with his family and he was getting up to leave. I introduced myself as his biggest fan and asked him to say "I'm a dealer for the people. WOOOOOOOOO" and he refused and brushed me off. I guess that is why they say it is better to never meet your heroes.
why not? also, if you're so concerned with maximizing your profits, why not always top up to $400?
how much smarter than the second smartest person ITT would you say that you are? an IQ point estimation is fine. besides you, who are the top #3 intelligent individuals ITT? power rankings are always fun đ
1) I hv never bought into 1/3nl short. Always the max, will buy in half the big stack, or top up to half big big stack, and always topping up to $400 most all of the time
For now on, all tips, drink orders, etc coming from cup holder lol.
*Actually buying in for $425. $400 in play and $25 on the. Iâm counting tips as part of $40k1/3nl challenge. So I enter initial buy in for $425 now.
2)âŚ
3) @doughboy
1) I hv never bought into 1/3nl short. Always the max, will buy in half the big stack, or top up to half big big stack, and always topping up to $400 most all of the time
For now on, all tips, drink orders, etc coming from cup holder lol.
*Actually buying in for $425. $400 in play and $25 on the. I’m counting tips as part of $40k1/3nl challenge. So I enter initial buy in for $425 now.
2)…
3) @doughboy
glad to see you're having a good day đ
"Whenever I’m over $400 (max buy in) then I tip out of cup holder. Doesn’t make sense to under the max buy in." is a strange thing to write if you're never under the max buy-in. anyway, the times you are under $400 why tip out of your stack instead of the cupholder? seems like the opposite of topping up.
follow-up question: do you believe yourself to be the most intelligent person ITT?
i thought he said doughboy is the smartest itt
i miss him, he was a great poster
I heard them call your name over the speaker for PLO on saturday. I thought about walking over to introduce myself,. I guess that is why they say it is better to never meet your heroes.
i wd hv made it more awkward than it wd hv been.
Today: +41 1/3nl, +126 2/5nl 3 hours total. (1.5 each). Late start. Kids had a 2hr delay (high winds). 11a-2p.
9 winning days in a row. Not individual sessions, but days.
we need bahbah and rayz standing side by side and shirtless for transparency
why do you tip out of your cupholder when you're above $400 but take money out of your stack when you're below it?
playing PLO is a shortcut to bankruptcy for anyone with your small roll (in particular someone who doesn't know how to play the game; it's not NLHE with two extra cards). how experienced are you playing the game? do you plan on playing PLO regularly these coming weeks?
why do you tip out of your cupholder when you're above $400 but take money out of your stack when you're below it?
playing PLO is a shortcut to bankruptcy for anyone with your small roll (in particular someone who doesn't know how to play the game; it's not NLHE with two extra cards). how experienced are you playing the game? do you plan on playing PLO regularly these coming weeks?
-it defeats the purpose of keeping max on the table.
If I went below max and not topping off; then I don’t care bout max chips in play. Otherwise, I wd b grabbing those chips in the cup holder and setting them on the mutha ****n’ table.
-shots only when plo line ups look gd. NOT buying in for max, just $500.
Experienced enough to hv an edge.
Never make plans. We all feel.
Whenever I’m over $400 (max buy in) then I tip out of cup holder. Doesn’t make sense to under the max buy in.
I put $400 on the table and $25 in cup holder.
Im hoping u can figure the rest out without me explaining. @masq u seem logical.
-it defeats the purpose of keeping max on the table.
If I went below max and not topping off; then I don’t care bout max chips in play. Otherwise, I wd b grabbing those chips in the cup holder and setting them on the mutha ****n’ table.
-shots only when plo line ups look gd. NOT buying in for max, just $500.
Experienced enough to hv an edge.
Never make plans. We all feel.
i'm sorry, but i can't even figure it out your strategy even with your explanation. guess everyone can't be doughboy!
basically when you feel like playing big pots you top up and tip out of the cupholder but when you're not in the mood (feel play!) you play shorter stacked and tip out of your stack to play even smaller pots?
how many hours of PLO would you say you've played in the past 8 years?
