1.c4: Chessman begins his poker journey
Hey everyone! I’m excited to see where this goes. I’m 20 and have decided to forgo getting a traditional job (most likely at Big4, high finance, trading, IB etc.) to play poker professionally for the foreseeable future.
This is a really great time for me.. by this time next month I’ll have completed my undergraduate finance degree with honors and have moved out of my apartment in TX and into one somewhere else. The last three years have been incredible, and while this is an interesting time to be graduating (with COVID-19 and all), I wouldn’t trade it for the world. I’m considering moving back in with my parents in Southern California, as the game selection in the LA area is among the best in the world, and saving piles on rent will certainly help long term, but also have the funds to move anywhere I’d like. I’m still undecided. If I do move home, it would likely be temporary and mostly a business decision.
Since I imagine that almost everyone reading this doesn’t know me (irl or through my posting on here), the title alludes to my childhood chess obsession 😀. I’ve won state titles, national titles, represented the U.S. internationally, become a National Chess Master, coached CEOs- the whole nine yards. I’m hoping I can achieve similar success in poker, this time for piles of cash rather than fulfillment :p. While I’m proud of my accomplishments wrt chess, and worked incredibly hard for them, it’s time to move on and start fresh. Hopefully this thread is a piece of that puzzle.
Poker Volume Goals for 2020 & 2021 (Combined): Play 2000 hours and study, analyze, watch, post, and talk Poker etc. for 2000 hours as well. I’ll be tracking how much I play. The second half will be a little harder to track considering how many elements there are but I’ll do my best to estimate within reason. While watching a poker vlog or posting on here, for example, isn’t nearly as beneficial as reviewing HHs etc., I do think those things are miles better than watching Netflix etc. and think they can be considered productive. I plan to also incorporate a fair amount of balance in my life, something which I have always struggled with. This will include things like lifting, playing basketball, playing or teaching chess, going out etc.
Life can always get in the way as well, and I think it’s good to be conservative to account for that in some capacity. However, regardless of how I decide to spend my time in the coming years, I’d like to be as productive as my mental health allows me to be. After all, I’m sacrificing a lot of upward mobility to take this career route.. and don’t want to look back filled with regret,
I plan to primarily be multi tabling 40 NL, 60 NL, and 100NL cash and small/mid buyin tourneys on PokerBros until I turn 21 (November). I’ve played practically every stake and have spent a fair amount of time at 100NL and 200NL on bros, but want to now start approaching this the right way... especially as the games get progressively more difficult. I have multiple accounts and access to private clubs in addition to unions such as diamond union.
Starting December of this year, I plan to play 5/5+ at the Bike, Commerce, Gardens, HP etc. assuming I move back home... 2/5+ if I move to Florida, Vegas, etc.
If you know me irl, have pics of me, recognize one of my SNs, know my name, where I went to school etc.. that’s cool! But please don’t post any of that itt. I feel more comfortable that way and this will allow me to be more transparent. I would also really appreciate if we could keep things positive itt as well. Thanks!
GL me. Enjoy!
long term follower of the thread and I'm happy for all the success you made. wondering how your journey has been for the past year since you haven't posted much on the thread about your poker journey? Would love to hear about your thoughts about going pro after college cause my situation is very similar to yours as I just recently graduated from university and am wondering if I should go pro or not? (have a poker bankroll of aprroximately 40k and my total profit in poker is around 100k. Mainly p
thanks man.
I'll get back to you
Cute doggos!
Great pics dude, glad to see you experiencing cool adventures while maintaining sick volume!
appreciate you dude!
Random hand from recently. msnl online 6m.
vs reg no sample.
113bb. 3-handed. BvB
OTTH
Pre-flop: V 3 bb SB. Hero c A♦ 10♥.
Flop (6bb): J♦ 9♥ 8♠. V check. Hero xb.
Turn (6bb): J♦ 9♥ 8♠ 5♦. V 3bb. Hero r 15bb. V calls.
River (36bb): J♦ 9♥ 8♠ 5♦ 4♣. V checks. Hero jam 85bbe.
Rolled 80+ ott and otr if relevant. No timing tells from V.
I think population (msnl regs) over - folding 109, J10, Jxs hand class here vs this line otr .. with flop x range being weaker than it should be.
Think lots of regs snap betting top end value like Q10 otf .. despite this being a high freq x spot for SB in optimal.
We should have higher EV bluff candidates like Q7s , K7s type stuff otr.
I haven’t simmed this hand yet, thoughts, sims, data etc all welcome.
Spoiler
V folds
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i think i messed up the original hh , used old one as template, should be good now?
Casually strolls back in like he never left. Welcome back man. Have skimmed this blog for therapy during tough times. Glad to see you're out there still getting it.
I don’t hate turn raise with Ad but feels like river should be a give up, not blocking calling range, blocking some auto folds on river
that said, I’m fine with overbluffing if villain has a pretty low WWSF
Casually strolls back in like he never left. Welcome back man. Have skimmed this blog for therapy during tough times. Glad to see you're out there still getting it.
Welcome back sir
I don’t hate turn raise with Ad but feels like river should be a give up, not blocking calling range, blocking some auto folds on river
that said, I’m fine with overbluffing if villain has a pretty low WWSF
I agree with this. If I was the reg in SB typically this is a spot I'd call any pair in as I'm pretty sure a lot of players would overbluff as played when they xb flop and get blank riv. That said, from your perspective... not entirely sure people are overfolding here vs. this sizing but it is probably close.
Heuristically I would usually flat here and use this to bluff diamond rivers, but it looks ok. I would probably lean on KT for my raises, and potentially some of the trashy Txs we have. I think we will get snapped by JT here but we might get overfolds from some weaker segments.
That said I suck at bvb so who knows?
Hope the grind is treating you well.
no update?
life or poker ?
it’s 1am~ here have appt early am let me just drop a few lines ..
24. no kids. no debt. cute dog. live in SoCal. best shape of my life. feel great!
do have some personal demons lots of trauma that all the above hasn’t helped with work in progress .
mid - stakes online. some high stakes private. will play lower at times in both settings for various reasons.
Casually strolls back in like he never left. Welcome back man. Have skimmed this blog for therapy during tough times. Glad to see you're out there still getting it.
thanks man, appreciate the love.
how’s family life ?
being a provider seems like a lot of responsibility, stress ..
I don’t hate turn raise with Ad but feels like river should be a give up, not blocking calling range, blocking some auto folds on river
that said, I’m fine with overbluffing if villain has a pretty low WWSF
Hey man!
thanks.
how’s married life?
laying video games or poker more these days??
Welcome back sir
I agree with this. If I was the reg in SB typically this is a spot I'd call any pair in as I'm pretty sure a lot of players would overbluff as played when they xb flop and get blank riv. That said, from your perspective... not entirely sure people are overfolding here vs. this sizing but it is probably close.
Ty sir
Heuristically I would usually flat here and use this to bluff diamond rivers, but it looks ok. I would probably lean on KT for my raises, and potentially some of the trashy Txs we have. I think we will get snapped by JT here but we might get overfolds from some weaker segments.
That said I suck at bvb so who knows?
Hope the grind is treating you well.
what’s up man!!
thanks.
I was looking through old pics in my camera roll recently ..
it was fun playing live and getting dinner.
same to you, how is everything ??
Thanks for the bump rick and the brief update RTP!
I was looking through the India pics and couldn't help but wonder why on earth you made what was on your eating utensils "anonymous".
Hope you're doing great overall!
Loll I don’t remember.
you as well. Hope your dogs and the fam are happy and healthy ..
what you do is appreciated, ty sir.
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RTP,
If you don't mind me asking, why are you focusing your poker between mid-stakes online NLHE and high stakes live NLHE private games?
Good to hear from you RTP again 
Any plans on attending WSOP??? Coffee/lunch on me if you are 😉
Good to hear from you RTP again
Any plans on attending WSOP??? Coffee/lunch on me if you are 😉
hi!!
yeah sure, that sounds great, if we both there same time.
no plans to attend WSOP yet.
not opposed to flying in for few days to see poker friends but would probably be low key i don’t know.
excited for you!
good to hear from you as well sir
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glad to hear about the grind RTP. Keep it up and drop by the Pen some time.
Hey RTP
SPC and I were just talking about you the other day and were wondering how you were. Sound like life is treating you well. Like DMW said stop by the pen sometime and say hi
Hey!! Thank you both, gentlemen.
Appreciate the warm welcome😀
Vs unknown reg.
100bbe.
OTTH
Pre-flop: Hero 2.5x CO 9♠ 9♣. V 11.5bb SB. Hero c IP.
Flop (24bb): K♠ 7♦ 6♥. V 7bb. Hero c.
Turn (38bb): K♠ 7♦ 6♥ 8♣. V 24bb. Hero c.
River (86bb): K♠ 7♦ 6♥ 8♣ A♥. V snap jams 57.5bb.
Hero?
Above avg turn for us- not sure if V structuring properly in-game when they use this sizing ott.
Think most regs are going small/check here.
Interesting that V snap jammed river. Less likely V turns over A10s, A9s imo when we click call.
I haven’t simmed or nodelocked this hand yet, thoughts, sims, data etc all welcome.
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Sim wise you're basically only calling an Ace or better.
Though the sim checks AK and KK pure on the turn. I doubt most regs are doing this as they likely want to build the pot w/ these hands unless they think you're a fish who over stabs or will spaz out on the bet check line. So they are probably even stronger by the river than normal.
I would tend to agree w/ the sim here I don't think 99 is anywhere close to a call on the river unless you have some other information. A call seems like a massive deviation.
hey thanks dude
respect how articulate concise you are.
im not sure how V is structuring, in comparison to solver, with the b33p/66p line (rounding) - but i expect V to have partials of QTs/JTs/J9s and ATs A9s ott. Those all seem pretty intuitive.
(I wouldn’t have those personally as I’d be mostly checking or betting small with full range on this turn.)
of those combos i think the riv snap jam intuitively far more bluff heavy than value. Ofc this is just a small nuance and V has other value that can snap jam.
What V is doing with 88-66 pre (and post) going to have a big impact on our optimal strategy as well.
A call is no question a deviation would be interested to hear if others like call as well ..
Spoiler
I folded in game not sure what v had
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I'd guess people barreling large on bad cards for them are stronger than they should be. I could see it being the opposite since they might value bet a lot less.
No clue what to make of the snap jam but I would definitely fold bad bluff catchers here.
Would you jam river had they checked?
If V bet small OTT, x this riv .. I would be jamming pure as one pair is getting over folded in this spot and V needs to call a lot of 1p
Here AP, I would just xb.
appreciate the feedback
Congrats on having carved out a version of the poker world that works for you. You should be proud of yourself to have done it at such a young age. I'm also in socal and am getting back into playing plo after a long time away from it while I hit some monetary goals. I remember your thread from back in the day and am happy to see your significant progress!
