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
9 day winning streak came to an end.
Got it all in otf straight draw/flush draw, and bricked everything. -$550
Totals:
The goal is to keep logging more hours than the month before. Way behind pace for 1/3nl $40k challenge.
looks like $8,531 to me #fulltransparency
For this to b the best backyard pickleball court in all the nation we gonna hv to put some steps in (on high side). When the ball rolls off on that end, it will b much easier to step down than to walk the big rocks.
Also, will need to build up around the bball post. Been taking away any rock there and filling w dirt. When I dunk on my son, I can’t b dropping off behind the goal.
Got 4 stair stringers, and gonna space every 2’ for 8’ long steps. Never done this before, but how hard can it be when ur the most intelligent person itt? <— just messing around.
I assume Rayz uses it as a motivational tool, I wouldn't describe his approach to a lot of things as standard
^ ty @jollibee.
40% of poker players say an “A player” can earn more than $40k playing 1/2nl.
43% of poker players say an “A player” can earn less than $34k playing 1/2nl.
Interesting. I’m grinding less than 16hrs/wk and on pace for $30k. Lol. If did 40hrs/wk I feel I cd make $70k+ a year. *But I'm may b the “A++ player” exception.
If u play long enough, ur gonna hv a lot of firsts. Last night was the first time I ever flopped a straight flush.
The poker room has a $300 high hand promo each hour (using both cards). A Qclub ott wd hv disqualified me from the promo, since my 2 cards wdnt play. It was hu and the villain had $90, so I just opened shoved flop. Wasn’t worth risking the Qc coming.
It held, $300.
A high vpip guy playing $1k allowed me to top up to half the big stack. Every time he won more I wd top up. Bought some adult beverages out of my wallet, tipped from cup holder, and both paid off! A big double from high Vpip Villy on A109 flop w both having 2 pairsA10 >A9.
I was thinking last night that I may hv earned $30 more by keeping chips on table. Usually, I will take $6from my stack every time and buy Jameson gingers. I had 2 before the double and some tips = $30.
+737 on 4hrs 59mins.
because ~8 years ago you were a clueless... so you've played about 100 hands of PLO in your lifetime then... again, your hubris is telling you lies. you are not a favorite in a PLO game. you're not very good at NLHE and you're a huge fish at PLO. no more PLO... don't be a complete idiot.
For this to b the best backyard pickleball court in all the nation we gonna hv to put some steps in (on high side). When the ball rolls off on that end, it will b much easier to step down than to walk the big rocks.
Also, will need to build up around the bball post. Been taking away any rock there and filling w dirt. When I dunk on my son, I can’t b dropping off behind the goal.
Got 4 stair stringers, and gonna space every 2’ for 8’ long steps. Never done this before, but how
would you ever consider purposely letting your son win vs you in a game of 1-on-1?
nobody thinks you're messing around when you say/act like you're god's greatest gift to the earth. nice try 😀
^ ty @jollibee.
40% of poker players say an “A player” can earn more than $40k playing 1/2nl.
43% of poker players say an “A player” can earn less than $34k playing 1/2nl.
Interesting. I’m grinding less than 16hrs/wk and on pace for $30k. Lol. If did 40hrs/wk I feel I cd make $70k+ a year. *But I'm may b the “A++ player” exception.
12 years ago when this poll was taken 1/2 games with $200 max buyin were still a thing. The 1/3 game you are playing in now where you can buyin for half the biggest stack would be playing just as big or bigger than 2/5 games played 12 years ago.
I’m w ya @hellmuth_was_right. Heck, $40k 12 years ago is like a million now. Lol
_____________________________________
Challenging myself to put in more hours in March than I did in Feb. February, 79hrs logged. March, we shooting for mid 80s.
I assume Rayz uses it as a motivational tool, I wouldn't describe his approach to a lot of things as standard
I taped 15 $100 bills on my wall one time as motivation. It was my winnings from a weekend of playing poker. I think it was also a way to brag to my roommates how cool I thought I was.
That's his mother's job! At least that's what I learned from reading Super System. It was Doyle's mother that let him win playing gin rummy to build his confidence. I have that book memorized, so should you!
my last post mentioned we gonna log more hrs this month than Feb. But, didn’t play over the weekend and not gonna play today (I don’t think).
Over the weekend, asked Bago, if he wanted to help w steps, and he said Monday. It’s 7:45a and not sure if he has a car to roll up or if I need to get him an Uber. The last time I remember Bago driving somewhere was 2020. The time before that was in the 1900s.
The driver may hv to make a couple stops so he can hunt down his post hole digger. Where do I send the driver? Is he on the streets, at Carrie’s, or Jays? Will I hv to get him a 12 pack before work begins or not? Sara warned me last night not to let Bago hv her Stella’s.
We may work on steps or may head to poker room. Sent a head up text, so we’ll see how this plays out.
The more I think about it the more I shd just do these steps myself on free time and grind today. Damn I need to get in a 4miler today. TC in 10 days.
Monday
12 years ago when this poll was taken 1/2 games with $200 max buyin were still a thing. The 1/3 game you are playing in now where you can buyin for half the biggest stack would be playing just as big or bigger than 2/5 games played 12 years ago.
I was having this thought recently as well - I remembered shot-taking at 2/5 as I was just starting and the buyins/swings/pots are smaller than the current ones in 1/3 in my local casino (in absolute dollars, anyways)
Got that 4 miler.
Louisville Triple Crown 10k next Saturday.
A few more runs before then.
Bagz needed picked up and didn’t hv anything that cd help so went solo on stairs. 2 stringers done and 2 to go.
Hero, how much space is there between the back line and the end of the cement and what about sideline to the end of the cement on the sideline?
I looked on Amazon for a 1 foot tall net you could put along the cement edges of the endzones to reduce the amount of balls that went down the hill and found nothing, but you could buy a 2nd cheap pickleball net to put there too. I don’t know if it is going to be that big of a problem though as long as you are playing with 6+ balls.
Hero, how much space is there between the back line and the end of the cement and what about sideline to the end of the cement on the sideline?
.
Guessing no more than 6’ behind baseline (pickle court).
Enough for a NBA 3 pointer same side (bball).
We hv enough for top of key 3pointer (high school), but not enough for college 3 point length. Not sure what line we going w.
Made the steps where the top board will b 1” above concrete. Maybe this 9’ edge will help for some of the roll offs .???
We got this PickleBall Container coming today. Gonna attach to a pole and sticks in that corner.
Built a small house w all the bricks from missed draws today.
In for $1399. Down $800 at the most. Left down -$362. 1/3nl 5hrs 4mins.
Cd hv been worse if didnt get lucky in this spot before leaving.
Utg ($500) $11, reg in mp calls, fold to me ($500) make it $40 w Ac5c. Utg 4 to $110. and I 5 shove $500.
A5>AK
How much is current bankroll/liferoll at now?
Under 16k @Masq.
Gonna hv to start logging hours, running gd, and maintain gd br management. Wd a $600 $250k guarantee be wise? Cincy Poker Open coming up.
Dude, just up the volume. I think I speak for most people in the thread when I say we don’t want to see you slowly bleed away your life roll and play like 10-20 hours a week. Get some real volume in and then let’s get that run it up energy back.
If you really wanna play the tourney, set like a volume / bankroll goal you have to reach to be allowed to play it. That way you motivate yourself to push harder
Get some real volume in and then letÂ’s get that run it up energy back.
If you really wanna play the tourney, set like a volume / bankroll goal you have to reach to be allowed to play it. That way you motivate yourself to push harder
Lost a lot of mojo, but fighting to do what I can. Nothing is natural and all is forced.The last couple years hv been tough to wake up and go. I know if I dont set these goals, get outside, exercise, projects, grind etc; then IÂ’ll suffer mentally. It will get very dark if I donÂ’t make myself get in the sun, get moving. HasnÂ’t always been the case, but noticing it the last 2 years more than ever. Forcing myself for my own mind.
^this has been a struggle that maybe I shd talk more about. Lmk.
Got off track @goodjunk. So how many hours shd the volume goal be?
Tourney next week. Day 2 wd b 3.5 hours after our 10k Triple Crown Race. <—another force myself. IÂ’m cool w finishing a 10k, driving 2 hours, and shipping a 250k g. 😵 force that ****er too.
perhaps you could offer PLO coaching or get a patent on one of the modified stolen tools you've returned to Home Depot?
