My poker story
About me: I am 35. I have an okay job that pays about $70k a year in Wisconsin. Masters degree+, veteran. I work for sch
Hopped in a $60 tournament. Just to get an idea of the players and what the room is like. About 55 runners or so. 20 left and chip leader. 1st is I think $1k. Gonna take this bitch down. Gonna go full try hard mode may even put the Champion hoodie on at the final table. Structure is slow and deep OMCs all around and they knew I was new when I sat down. One $1/$3 game running this room is gonna hate me in about a week the village is already talking
Final 7 …second in chips taking this $60 tournament down will build the confidence I need this to convince me. I don’t even play tournaments but it was deep first levels now it’s push shove **** so gonna need some run good. Table draw to seat 5 worst seat for me dislike sitting across from dealer center table
Got 7th QQ vs A3 all in 7th out of 60 or so played some $1:$3 cash won a few hundred
That's an annoying bust hand but good to see you cleaned in up cash. How was the action in the cash games? I played once in UP over 10 years ago not sure if it was the same place or not. Couldn't hardly get the game started I think we did finally start 6 handed (and I brought a friend so only 4 others) at around 7 or 8 PM, action was horrible mostly tight shortstackers. Was a weekday though I think which might make a difference
That's an annoying bust hand but good to see you cleaned in up cash. How was the action in the cash games I played once in UP over 10 years ago not sure if it was the same place or not. Couldn't hardly get the game started I think we did finally start 6 handed (and I brought a friend so only 4 others) at around 7 or 8 PM, action was horrible mostly tight shortstackers. Was a we
Yeah, opponent called off A3 for all his chips pre flop with me as UTG aggressor. I also had folded AK OS UTG + 1 to a 30 big blind UTG shove (not the guy I went bust to but another) first hand at final table. He had AJos didn't have any reads on him only 7 of 9 positions paid at final table so chose to fold that hand, but maybe could have gone with that spot to set me up . Little tournament things I need to get the hang of still overall played good but could have found a way to get top 3 if I had played perfectly I think. No worries 7th of 60 for first tournament in years not a bad result at all. And it was just a $60 tournament so nothing to get beat up about, but a bit frustrated for not shipping it and not playing perfectly. No major meltdowns or punts by any means but just could have found a way to get top 3 I think.
The action in the cash game wasn't anything special. It was actually 10 handed in the MTT and cash game. I don't remember playing a 10 handed game. Can tell pretty quickly into a game who the players are all I saw were people who thought they were good. Cash game vibe was heavy mostly sober guys who seemed to be taking the game serious but nobody special. Players playing face up, some too tight, some playing looser but sizing was off..typical things. Folded AJ on a flop of A 10 8 to a guy who 3 bet me pre and raised into 4 people with first action. He had AK. Then folded AQ pre from BB cold to a guy who had 4 bet. Flop was QQ10 pre flop aggressor had AK. Other guy had 10's and another guy had a flush draw and they got it in. So the few hundred I won in that game was from skill alone. I'd rather be playing drunk black & Asian dudes in Milwaukee on a Friday night and not having to make 200IQ hero folds than that group.
Although I liked the vibe of the room and may go back here and there because of it....it was literally one small room in the back of the casino with like 6 run down tables with dust & tears on the felt. Chairs that were wobbly, pics of old local "legends" on the walls , guys who knew one another by their first name, a very odd room. Some guys who claimed they were "grinders" and a few others who said they would play in Milwaukee & Green Bay, though I didn't recognize anyone. Not surprising they don't use Bravo. They had a $650 tournament today running something they had been promoting for months but I didn't feel like playing it. It started at 10am this morning and didn't get home until like 4amish after a slot & craps spew. Mostly because there was a cute group of girls at craps who seemed fun...definitely worth it not because I made $ but because I got one of their #'s.
New 2025 goal is to focus on the gambling leaks. I am saying that here right now...slots, roulette, craps, sports betting...all leaks for me. Poker is the only thing I have an edge at. **** anything else inlcuding the shorties.
Gonna go hop in a $1/$3 game in Green Bay tonight and play until 11ish. Will try and take some pics of a few flops and break down some hands in more depth . The only real goal Ihave tonight is no casino games just poker.
Got a ticket for the sunday million ($110) - so going to give you half of any winnings
First break down - above starting but just below average
way above my pay grade, but maybe i run like a god.
lost the min, but really - how i run
slowly sinking... but live in hope
2nd break
sorry, just not good enough
Oh no worries about breaking me in ever but nice gesture…that would be a nice one to take down.
Quick update: For me Thursday I played cash at Oneida. Was in a $1/$3 nlhe for $300. Added another $200 after dipping below $200. Peaked at about $900 walked away with $590ish for $90 profit. But lost it back in craps so failed that goal. Disappointed in myself for playing a casino game other than poker so hadnt posted. Didn’t take any pics of flops either felt strange to pull out my phone and snap a pic of a flop. Had a few interesting hands but don’t really feel like breaking them down. Peaked after semi bluffing an older guy off aces on the turn with a gut shot straight draw w/ a flush draw & pair ..think I had just over 50% odds vs his hand he folded getting like 3:1 too. Then lost some back missing flops and calling off a guy on my right who was playing pretty well and hard to read. Played like 3 hours poker that night.
Went back to my Parents this weekend to visit for Easter. Was nice to see them. Still will go there for a few months after school year ends. Wont be playing too much until I get moved into my new place really so just kinda chilling on the gambling side.
I feel in a good place financially all is good on my end may play one or two times before June not sure, but will post quick updates at the least anytime I play. Not likely to make any big bets or anything at the exact moment. But we chilling just keeping it low key for the summer. Did the math I’ll have like $30k discretionary income from September - June so just kinda keeping it low key until that starts coming in. Hopefully I can learn to just grind cash and build up a nice roll heading into Summer 2026. I do think I’ll be able to stick to poker ….and then heading into next summer with like $40k is totally doable for me with discipline, so that’s sort of what’s I’m trying to set myself up for here with the move and job switch and just chilling for now.
NFL draft is in Green Bay this weekend. Not sure how much of that action will carry into the poker room but gonna go check out the scene after work Friday. Matter of fact, I have 6 weekends before Summer. Hasnt been the method to say Im going to do this or Im going to do that lately. Who knows what will actually happen….but going to try and keep my ass in the poker room and grind like a good puppy.
Im 100% over the Pacers ML swing. Got the taxes filed, paid the bills, feel refreshed. If I can run up 10 buy ins at $1/$3 in the next 6 weeks the confidence will be back. I’m playing good and solid poker right now and am confident in my cash game but the discipline hasnt been there for me all around and that’s a fact. In hindsight reflecting on my last month the lack of discipline is what has continued to crush me. Take the best poker player who is a degenerate and the most disciplined poker player and in the long run discipline usually will trump talent. Gonna try and hit a reset button and prove to myself I can walk into a city on NFL draft weekend and stick to the game. The quick craps money was fun while it lasted. I won 14/15 of my first craps sessions, and was beginning to think I could fix dice. Well fact is I cant and craps has turned into a big leak. The math always wins in the long run. I don’t blame myself for playing the game, after all 14/15 wins was an impressive streak, but poker is and always will be where the actual math edge is for me. The only thing stopping me is myself and the lack of discipline. Im not a perfect person there’s been mistakes made since starting this blog, but the story goes on good or bad. It’s helped keep things for me in perspective and helped me reflect on ways to get better. Poker is a brilliant game because it carries over to so many different pieces of life. It teaches you how to make the best possible decision given incomplete information, you learn to weigh risks, consider odds, and act decisively. You learn to understand variance, and think multiple steps ahead. And sometimes if you’re good enough it can be a road to somewhere. Lets get it.
Discipline is so tough, my biggest struggle as well hope you can stick to poker.
Shit I had no idea the draft was in Green Bay, maybe the games will be insane...
Didnt play poker yesterday at all. Thursday was round 1 of the draft, but I had work the next day so try and not go to the casino on work nights…..which hasn’t ever been a problem for me. I only go during the week if Im on a nice heater, and I never get too crazy because it throws my mood off the next day if I lose. Played poker today for about 5 hours starting at about 4pmish. Lots of action but just got sort of a tougher table against some guys Ive played against before. Nothing crazy just a table I couldn’t run over and an aggressive guy attacking limoers and 3betting light on my left. I also didn’t run well at all.
When I was waiting for a $1/$3 game the only open seat was a $3/$6 limit game and its been about 13 years since I sat in a $3/$6 limit game. Canterbury park in MN first live game I played at after Vegas. I remember bringing a backpack there driving in from Grand Forks and I thought I was going to grind that **** for hours. . I managed to lose $130 in that game tonight not for a lack of taking it serious but because…astonishingly…couldnt get anyone to fold when I was ahead and they got there. Thought sitting in a poker game was better than me wandering the casino which is probably always correct.
Anyways in altogether for about $800 in the poker and have about $780 on me so only down a bit. Feel like IÂ’ve been playing okay not my A game made a few bad calls on the river but just been a tough session running up against it and cant hit any flops, or when I do theyÂ’ve been getting there on the river. Was down to about $300 peaked at about $900 so just havent gotten over the hump but havent given up and donked it. Got some chicken fried rice and taking a break. HavenÂ’t played any casino games so thats a huge plus for me especially when poker has been frustrating. Even got slow rolled by this dude lol. Anyways NFL draft brought in some good action was hard to find a parking spot even and about 6 tables running when its usually 2-3.
Stacked a guy with a set of 77s game was getting juicy but tired so heading home up $250ish bbl
Solid win, returning tomorrow?
Chapter 1: Part 1: My Alter Ego
There was a movie released in 1984 called The Never Ending Story. Its sort of a cult claasic. The main character in that storys name is Atreyu. Atreyu is the protagonist. He is a young warrior from the Grassy Plain. His parents were killed by a Purple Buffalo soon after he was born, and his entire village raised him. In the story, Atreyu is tasked with discovering a cure for the Childlike Empress illness in order to save Fantasia. He is given an amulet called Auryn that can guide and protect him in the quest. As Atreyu sets out, a wolf-like being named Gmork is sent to kill him.
I am hereby Atreyu, the warrior of the Green Bay poker room. The Gmork are the casino games sent to kill me. The Auryn is my first poker chip I ever won…which is in my pocket. It will serve as a token over these next several blog posts to remind me to stay the course. The cure to save Fantasia is a $10k goal target from poker alone through the Oneida Poker Room, my local card room. I will keep track of all my hours to the exact minute and dollar played, and will only post an update after every 10 hours played. No I am not on mushrooms. But I am officially Atreyu until the Cure for Fantasia is obtained.
Hrs Played: 0
Profit/Loss: $0
$ to Cure: $10k
Okay back to ground 0 LOL. No more alter ego **** butt
Today I played poker first time since that last post. Hadn’t even played a single minute until today. I played from about 12pm - 5pm and I made $1,050 profit. Bought in for $350 got down to about $280 lowest but pretty much straight up. Absolutely crushed the table made some sick reads and also ran well. I had seat 9 so I was locked in. Stacked a guy for about $400 with a pair of 9s on a 10 9 4 K 3 board based on a body language tell. Didn’t make hardly a single mistake until ….I punted it alll back in craps. I got issues what can I say. Working on it. But on the story goes lol. Do I want to make a post about me crushing poker for 5 straight hours and then spewing it back on a stupid game ? No. Bye bye stack but we will be back. Luckily didn’t lose much from what I brought just about $300ish total plus the $1,000 I made from poker. So was upstuck but not stuck stuck.
I watched the never ending story a few years ago when I was quite drunk, was trippy. Can only imagine watching it on something a little stronger.
Damn those table games do be tempting...
I watched the never ending story a few years ago when I was quite drunk, was trippy. Can only imagine watching it on something a little stronger.
Damn those table games do be tempting...
For sure lol but I’m working on it. I don’t do drugs hardly even drink but should have known better to get my toe wet in craps
Got to a $1/$3 at 1230pm. Played until 4:30pm. Up $250. Leaving a little earlier because I have a headache. No table games. Table was above average, but played very solid today. It did get a bit juicy for about 45 mins but didn’t get much from that. Going home for the night. Gonna take a visit home for Mother’s Day. Leaving up from poker is a win today. Gotta kick that craps hook because I’m crushing right now and playing good. I feel disciplined in the poker game don’t chase or get too wild, just playing my game which I think is peaking. But up $1250 in like 9 hrs of play so really need to lock down and grind this **** hard. Summer plans may adjust may play this summer more than anticipated we will see.
Did some fishing on a lake, grilled some burgers. Wisconsin weather finally turned nice. Heading back home tomorrow. Nice to take a break but would rather be playing some cards.
