1/3 Grinding and Bankroll

Good for you. I need to follow your regime. Really need to sleep better, although I'll never be a morning person, and I need to start exercising!

Today I slept in, I guess my body needed it. Going for a hair cut and beard trim to take care of my appearance, been a while since I did that.

Yesterday I ran bad in the 20/40 mix, losing with a pat 6/7 in Badacey to a cold calling draw three in a 3! pot (85/15) and a couple excellent two card draws in b2 - 235, 234 - did not improve in 3! pots as well. Won some at plo at least to reduce the losses.

Today after my hair cut I am going to exercise and hit the felt again. Nice not to have to worry about interviews or court dockets for a change. Snow storm is coming and I’m probably going to get a room at mgm for a couple days so I don’t have to worry about the (however short) commute.

After hair cut and beard trim played and won $1, 000 or so for a change. Bluff caught incorrectly against a big bluffer at 2/5 but ran ok at plo and made it back and then some. I’m all in against a player who has slow rolled me before and he throws his cards towards the muck (but not in) and the dealer starts to push me the pot. I say hey can you put those cards in the muck first, dealer does not and says he knows how to do his job (he clearly does not), so I put them in the muck for him, I get called mean names by a third player for this when the whole point is to prevent the player from retrieving their hand at the last second in an “oopsie” situation after awarding the player the pot. It happens all too often at plo because people misread their hands and try to grab them back and it’s unfair to the “winner.” It even happened to me last week. I’m surprised the dealer even gave me push back about this simple rule.

Did a lot of push ups and jumping jacks, I’m up to 40 and 60 of each now in one set. Maybe I can get up to 50 and 100.

After an uneventful short session got homemade burger and fries at my old friend’s place, the guy who introduced me to poker years ago and made all this possible. He had a cute dog too, it was fun and we’re neighbors. Got to bed relatively early and woke up at an earlier hour thankfully for my schedule which I hope to maintain so I don’t have dreadful weekend to weekday transitions anymore and terrible anxiety over not getting enough sleep the night before court. Hooray!

Lots of snow everywhere, gonna walk to mgm later.

Enjoying a quiet poker room with a decent plo game now and running well. Most of the regs stayed home today so a nice recreational game is always pleasant.

The walk to the casino in the snow was difficult in very cold temps and bad walking conditions due to the snow but I toughed it out. Will get a ride back from a poker friend or Uber in the dark and icy conditions, better safe than sorry.

I’m very pleased I woke up as early as I did today, want to keep that schedule moving forward for the sake of my mental health.

Slept in unexpectedly but more sleep is better than not enough. Made $3, 300 on the snow day, ran well and few tough spots. Nice little upswing. Biggest pot was AKQQ6ds 4! pot on T52dd my fd flop jammed $950 got called by Tx and held.

Roads still look mediocre due to the ice. Will probably walk to mgm again if there is a game running.

Hey Dumbo, just discovered this thread and subscribed. It's really cool to see your updates and progression from a few years ago.

Thanks for following! It's been quite the journey. Looking forward to what the future holds as well.

In some ways I feel like my poker progress has stagnated because I have not kept moving up in stakes. Probably does not matter for me, because the level I have reached allows for solid profits in addition to my other income sources and job.

I am redefining success now that I am working again, and I don't have the same profit goals I used to. If I can make even $100, 000 a year I would be very happy.

Made around $1, 800 when all was said and done yesterday. Ran well at plo again in some good games but lost 88 to Q4hh bvb at 5/10 on 873hhJhAs runout in a limped pot where I didn’t show any interest in the hand against a capable opponent. Alas he had a bigger hand than I was trapping with.

Got my reps of push ups in again yesterday up to 42 now and I feel the accomplished soreness in my chest. Had dinner with friends who have become like my second family at mgm. They invited me to celebrate a birthday with their family. Very kind people. I liberally give them poker advice but when we’re at the same table I don’t hold back. They are mother and daughter and occasionally soft play but no one cares because they are likable and good for the game. I call her mom “Mama.” She says she loves me. So sweet!

Ended up making $3, 700 yesterday, ran good no tough spots. Games were decent too. JJ held all in pre at 5/10. Won lots of all ins at plo too. Played patiently. Is it just me or am I running and playing better now that I’m not working? My parents said the same thing. They think it’s because I use different parts of my brain to work and play poker.

On a little upswing recently which is always nice after a downswing. This last week reminds me a lot of two years ago when I was playing full time and generally couldn’t really lose. Been putting in around 8-hour sessions lately. Seems like the sweet spot.

I think it would be cool to write a screenplay for a show or movie about psych wards, like the series “orange is the new black” but for mentally disabled people confined in psychiatric units. They would have stories and personalities and it would humanize people with mental illness. Could even have roles for the judges and lawyers and psychiatrists and nurses.

I have a call with the CEO of that mental health organization on Friday about getting on the board. This would be a good step towards starting a project for people with mental disabilities who are getting out of prison.

Keep having wins like this and you won't need a 9-5 ever again

I tried that for a year. Full time poker isn’t all it’s cracked up to be. Even now taking a week off and sun running I’m getting tired of just playing all day and I’m bored and ready to get back to work again.

Made an exceptional check back with KKJJ8sshh on QQ82Khhss after my 1/3 pot stab ott which was called when checked to me again otr... Blocking flush and sds and Qx would bet as would 22/88 ott when it checks through. It smelled like what it was and my river x was correct. If I was lazy or tired from a long day at work I would have auto jammed river for spr 1, but I thought about it carefully and concluded he would only call me with quads as played. What do you know, that's just what he had!

Last night made around $3, 000, another easy rungood plo session. Ran TT into JJ at 5/10 as a short stack before plo started. Ever since the straddle was killed that game has gone down hill. Seems like certain player types liked the straddle and now that it was killed they are not playing. Go figure. So much for making the game better.

I have not checked my poker results lately but it’s probably gonna be another good month.

Had an dream about having a heart attack and not trusting the nurses one of whom said I had cancer. I ran out of the hospital AMA and realized I was supposed to catch a flight to Greece the next day which conflicted with going back to work and decided I’d get a letter from the doctor about my heart condition so I could cancel the tickets without a penalty. Weird.

Made $3, 500 again today, easy game lately. Seems having extra energy from not working during the day really helps me play well. Either that or just a coincidence that I am running so hot during my vacation. Either way, I’m not complaining! Biggest pot was AA nfd nut gutter versus set.

Back to work tomorrow, just interviews with possible hearings on Monday. Early bed for me, was feeling tired and decided not to force it.

I made close to $20k during my week or so off, which is amazing. Gets me into solid profit for the month again and nice way to start the year. Thanks to the snow and ice storm, the games were unusually good as only the truest degens decided to play while the regs stayed home.

I got a job-related hurdle I’d been putting off for a while out of the way during my break too, which is a huge relief not to worry about anymore. Something I wouldn’t have the time or energy to do while working.

Sipping on chocolate lattes mixed with chocolate protein powder now in the sun on the couch. Nice way to start a day. Sold another plo strat guide too.

A former student of mine was happy to tell me yesterday that thanks to me he made $10k this month playing plo part time (he works full time and has a family). I was happy for him. And apparently I can teach. He said the guide works, which was really validating.

Gotta get through interviews today before the weekend starts. Hopefully not a terribly busy docket. This weekend docket usually isn’t.

My interviews were uneventful and pleasant and I had a productive call with the CEO of that nonprofit after work. Sounds like I could get on the board later this year. If that happens, I would consider switching to just board work and possibly lose the job, depending on how the next couple months at work go.

Did my first set of 41 push ups. Looking forward to the weekend.

Started running really well then ran AQ983 into TT on JT33 at a low spr ott and then wrap fd lost to set. Lost back all my profits, close to $3k! Could already tell my mental reserves were not as strong after a day of work as I was slipping up playing too many hands and not as sharp a few hours into my session.

Had a nice talk with my friend’s mom and had dinner, said goodbye for now as she’s going back home and won’t be back for a few months. She said given my education and looks I should do more than just poker which is better for people who didn’t finish school. I was wondering what the key to happiness was and she said at her older age it was health. Her kids give her a lot of joy too. She said do in life whatever makes you happy. She thought no one missed working. She said spend time with your parents before they’re gone or you’ll regret it. Smart lady! My casino Mama.

20k week is incredible. I don't blame you for considering just board positions + poker with that kind of ability. I know 20k/week isn't standard, but even if you average 5-10k/week you'd be crushing it.

Awesome job on the push ups. I do sets of 20 right now ... is the key just volume + consistency ?

Yeah it was nice to run that good. I had $60k + months in 2024 when I was playing full time so it was a little reminder of what I’m capable of playing exclusively for a living and how much of a pay cut I am taking working. Job pays only around $35 an hour with benefits while full time grind is $100/hr+. I lose a lot of grind time when I’m working. I’m probably losing close to $150, 000 a year by working the day job instead of playing.

But in exchange I get to use my legal abilities and education and help people and try to make a difference in society. I also feel better about myself. But these are things I would feel being on the board as well with less stress of a full time job which is apparently only going to become even more stressful and busy for all of us around July according to my supervisors.

For push ups I do a little more each time, I increase by one or two push ups in a rep every other day or so. I started in the 20s and slowly added more over the past few months. Form is very important to get the most out of them and work your whole body. Eating lots of protein and carbs is as well, getting plenty of calories.

I love when people like you comment in the thread by the way, I enjoy interacting with readers and it makes me feel less alone on this journey.

Ran pretty poorly yesterday, set over set in 4c when flop x through, AA cracked by T9o in 3! pot at a low turn spr too at hold em. My AA didn’t hold at plo either in 3! pots at low sprs.

I’m not going to check my results for a while and see if that impacts my play for better or worse. I do think I had a solid winning month to start the year after a roller coaster in the middle of the month.

I celebrated my Dad’s birthday yesterday and noticed that my parents are getting very argumentative as they get older lol. Very stereotypical. Anyway after that I played a shorter session and got nfd in four ways and lost to top set, then make it back with a wrap and 2 bdfds with AQQT7ds on KJ8r, one bdfd of which came in on the turn, and got there on the river against mid set for a very small losing session. Had some friendly banter with a couple poker players who said I had a good heart and was a good guy and I’d grown on them. “John the lawyer, ” one called me. Nice to get positive feedback and feel liked.

Now sipping on vanilla lattes and almond milk waiting for court to start. No hearings today at least, just postponements.

Ran decently at plo winning KQJ65ds versus AA and chopping with another AA as well. Played a short 2/5 session after the dealer went out of his way to kill the straddle we had going at plo, so annoying.

Played a little 20/40 mix to close out the session and won 3/4 with A5432ds multi-way in a capped pot pre but other than that not much happened. Chopped a badeucy pot with 2357Q versus a badugi and a pair. Made around $1, 500 on the session.