100 Hours and 1,000 Dollars [Live]

I've been very unhappy in my well paid corporate gig. I have the opportunity to live rent free on my friends farm, if I put in 10-15 hours of physical labour a week. I expect my expenses to be around $500-1000 a month. There is a card room that's 40 minutes away, that I plan to use for my sole source of income. The goal would be to play 20 hours a week with an expectation of $10/hour. Going to TRY not quit my gig until I can delude myself that the above is possible.


To prove that this is remotely reasonable, between now and the end of the year I want to play 100 hours at Hammond Horseshoe of 1/2.

Starting Bankroll: $1500, 100% dedicated to poker only
Key rules:
1. No more than 3 drinks per night, ideally none
2. Post an update after ever session.

gl you.

3.5 hours
+168
0 drinks :)

played 85% A game, 15% B game, in other words best poker ive played in a long time. my C game is really bad.

ran well in general.

one potential mistake:

A2o in SB 125bb effective.

tight player from mid position raises 11. folds to me. i thought he was fairly straight forward player. i bump it to 33. i have clean image,
but he might have noticed that i cbet often.

probably FPS here in preflop.

he calls. flop KJJr ... pot: 70ish, i lead....for 25.


thoughts?

preflop is mariginal at worst. right?

no other hands where i got creative.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by bikes

gl you.

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thanks!

There will always be time for poker. There is not always time that one gets a well paid corporate gig. I would keep the poker as a hobby until it pays almost as much as your daytime job. At that time, then escape the rat race. When you have finished 1000 hours of poker, it may show you a more reliable hourly rate you are making from your live poker.

Wish you the best in your goals.

The one thing about live is that you really don't need to get too out of line to get action / calls etc. People will just call cause they are bad.

No need for the A2o 3b, and esp not vs an MP raiser. Flop seems fine, I would maybe come in half pot.

Good luck with the project!

A2o: Too much pressure for you in the blinds, because you are out of position throughout all streets, there are better hands such deep stacked, and i also doubt that all donks/players at the table observe your image etc., but im no live or cash game player :)

Quote:

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Originally Posted by griffey24

The one thing about live is that you really don't need to get too out of line to get action / calls etc. People will just call cause they are bad.

No need for the A2o 3b, and esp not vs an MP raiser. Flop seems fine, I would maybe come in half pot.

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i agree with all of this.

the 1/2 fish came to play and u can't play by folding yo

at casino playing my C game. taking a break. i ran super hot for an hour hitting sets and getting paid. up to 700ish then i kept calling off against players who were tight. not sure why i tilted. just got up eating going back after clearing my head. at -200.

3.5 hours
0 drinks
-130

Second half of the night went well in terms of playing well.

had one fun hand that probably would never happen online.


in HJ with two black aces. 3 limps in front. i bump it to 15 get 4 callers.

pot ~75
flop: Q57 two clubs
2 checks and this guy shoves fo 193.

guys been fairly quite.

action to me..?

3.5 hours
0 drinks
-7

very swingy session.

was all in preflop with AK vs 77 for ~350. so a $700 pot, one of the biggest ive had. lost but made the right preflop call.

need find a better way to remember hands

Maybe you should have raise higher, if you had 4 callers (!) with the Aces.
I think the overshover wants to protect his AQ (or even KQ if he´s a donk), i don´t think he has a set, most people play this trappy, even with wet boards.
The community cards are not bad for you, and you hold also a backdoor nut flush ace.
Did you win? I hope so! :)

AA hand - you need to feel out the table and their limping/calling propensity. Clearly you could have made it much bigger pre to thin the field somewhat.

As played, I'm snap calling flop shove.

i called he had flush drawn.

my issue with sizing table is that if 1 person calls i get a wave if calls even at 15.

my preflop sizing could use work but i dont like varying it based on hand strength

I would probably size it such that I just get one caller.

I'd rather one or two callers at $25-30ish, than 4 callers at $15. The pot size will be similar, but hand reading will be a lot easier headsup or 3-way.

5.5 hours
+8
4 drinks
80% A game 15% B 5% C

i thought i played well until i had my AA cracked in a 3 bet pot. player raises to 7, 2 callers, i bump to 30. 3 players to the flop including me.

K53, two spades. orignal raiser who is tight leads out for 60. over caller shoves for 120. standard call on my part.

AK vs K5 vs Me. these games are goood :) just need to run better.

started tilting a bit after that got 2 more drinks maybe donked off $50 and left.

decided to keep track of money spent on drinks outside of bankroll

What are positions in AA hand?

Again, I think you can make it bigger than $30. If you don't want to make it too big and blow people out, then throw in a bluff 3bets with bigger sizing earlier and see if that sizing is expected to get some folds or calls.

Also are you listing drinks because you think the number of drinks is correlated to quality of play/results, or just interested in keeping track? :)

i was button. initial raise was EP other guy was MP. right around 200 for first guy less than that for second guy ~150

keeping track of drinks because if i have a -800 night thats going to be possible if i get wasted. general have decent control unless im drunk. plus since im taking this "seriously" it really should be 0 drinks per night, but i human.

i have one had that might be monkey spew that i can post...

I had a pretty sweet table this night, only one guy was tricky in a semi smart way. But I noticed that he over thought things, once he got it all in with KTs him on CU vs SB, who has 3 bet him a couple of times. He has also 3 bet my EP/MP opens 3 times, have yet to see his hands in those situation though.

1/2 NL
EP2 - Villain: (~500)
MP1 - Donk: (~150)
CO - Donk: (~300)
SB Hero (cover):

Preflop:
V raises to 15, MP1 & CO Call. A3o in SB, I bump it to $85.

I had reason to believe that he opens widish here. Maybe im trying too hard force action but. I'm betting $85 to win $45. I'm a bit rusty on math, but I think if they fold over 65% of the time i show immediate profit.

He calls, begrudgingly everyone else folds. At this point, i'm confident that he doesn't have QQ+ or AK. Suited broadway cards make sense, maybe an oddly played 99-JJ.

Flop(~200): 427r

Hero ...?

i don't like the 3b, but honestly as played I think I might just ship it. There's no FD so he can't easiy put you on a draw, and most ppl can find big'ish folds here in my experience. I wouldn't expect QQ+ to fold, JJ someone might be able to hero fold, but i think pairs TT and less can find a hero fold here.

That being said, I would never ship an overpair here, I'd prob bet like $125ish with an overpair. But it's live.. so lol balance haha.

probably awful, but i check. he bets 70, bump to 195 he folds QKs

griffey24,

When do you think it makes sense to squeeze? Do you do that often?

Based on some of your comments looks like you don't advise ever 3b light. Or am i picking bad hands to do it?


In LP i like calling with weak suited Ax, but Axo is a throw away so sometimes i get frisky, which you seem to hate.

I feel very good I would like to see your progress, since these short-term goals will encourage much personally.

I hope you fence very well with this challenge do you proposed

I better like a bankroll of 2,500 instead of 1,500 but neither can be said is wrong

good luck!

I've been posting a fair number of live hands in my blog, so those might give you a sense on how I play.

I really don't 3b light that often at all. Partially because I feel like in my games (mostly 2/5), the open size is like around 4x-5x open. So I just think that the SPR becomes so shallow when you 3b, that it's hard to maneover much post flop.

So given that SPR will be so shallow, it's nice to have big hands that hit top pairs well etc. So I'd rather 3b hands like ATo, QJo, blah blah that hit top pairs, as opposed to A3o.

Also at least in my games, most ppl call 3b so I don't really feel like going OOP in a 3b pot with a hand like A3o. At least have it suited, so you can play aggressively OOP on some boards.

As for your last comment. Yah I hate it because ppl never fold. It's not like online where you can get a fold often, so it makes sense to add some of your folding range into your 3b range. Live I feel like ppl always call so I'd rather add some of my callable/playable range into my 3b range if I wanted to up my 3b frequency.

4.0 hours
0 drinks
+343

first hour or two played solid C game, mostly with extremely loose calls preflop, was lucky that i didnt anything.

once a won a little was able to tighten up a bit.

one interesting hand.
villian utg ($400):
Hero - bu (cover):

villian is fairly tight middle aged man. though ive seen him c/r top pair nut flush draw. has a little bit of game in him.

UTG limps, 2-3 limps. i bump it to 12 with AQs. UTG Limp reraises to $35. all fold. i tank and call.

i was fairly active and im confident he noticed.

flop (~70ish): 937r
he thinks and checks. i check
turn K, i think it brings flush draw not my flush though

he thinks and bets 45

i didnt think he would slow play KK, AK, or AA, nor did i really think he would limp reraise. the king was a perfect scare card to bet...

i tank.... thoughts?

As much as we love to believe these ppl are capable of getting out of line here, on average they aren't. They probably think they are getting out of line by doing this with AK, cause they don't even have a pair yet pre-flop.

If you want to continue, I suppose I can see a call, but I think it should be a turn fold. Flop check is fine imo. I'd imagine his preflop range is like TT+, AK and maybe some AJ/AQ.

Honestly given stacks, if I really didn't believe him I might re-pop sometimes pre with this particular hand (good blockers etc). I think re-popping puts a ton of pressure on him, even with hands like JJ-KK.

Best of luck to you man, sounds like you got a good set up to atleast attempt this! I hope you are successful in your venture!

repop pre folp seems ideal based on my reads. sizing ? 105?

i call. river A. he checks i check, flips JQo

Probably like 85 or 90 pre and then 95 on the flop on most boards.

3.75 hours
0 drinks
+140

not happy with my game at all. keep trying to force it.

It's always nice when you can be unhappy with your game, but still net in the plus.

Good job on cutting out the drinks the last few times out as well. That'll help for sure!

3.25 hours
1 drink
-177

Going to take a 1 week break to clear my head, I'm way ahead for end of year for hours anyways. Haven't played good poker in a while. Ended up just getting up after feeling myself tilt.

5.5 hours
-500
0 drinks

painfuk session

Keep it up, you'll get back on track.

Start posting some of your bigger hands in each session.

Closing this done. Don't have enough discipline yet...ever?

In the last 10 years I went from a marginal winner to a bigger marginal winner. But playing poker 40 hours + a month messes with my head and makes me more emotional than anything else in my life. I'll continue to play as a hobby and keep detail records.

How old are ya, !luck? I really hit my stride in terms of confidence / self control / emotional balance in very late 20s like 28-29. I guess it's different for everyone though. And you're never fully there; there are always going to be slips every now and again. Humanity kind of sucks like that.

2014 Summary:

Game	Hours Played	Amount Won
2/5	6.5	-$1,066
1/2	133.6	$1,577
.5/1	9.3	$569
Total	149.3	$1,080

This is the most live poker I've ever played, still have a ton to learn and looks like 2/5 isn't so good for me, but that's only 2 sessions. I'm heading to vegas in January, haven't decided on how much I should bring and if I will play 2/5.

Thanks for the support all, especially griff.

Poker for me has been about emotional control. I'm slowly getting better, but i'm a narcissistic egotist. Nothing worse than ego in poker, win or lose it doesn't matter, did I play it right is all that counts. One day I will be able to live that mantra, but not yet, not today, but someday!

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Penneywize

How old are ya, !luck? I really hit my stride in terms of confidence / self control / emotional balance in very late 20s like 28-29. I guess it's different for everyone though. And you're never fully there; there are always going to be slips every now and again. Humanity kind of sucks like that.

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I'm older than you and should know better. It's journey.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by !Luck

2014 Summary:

Game	Hours Played	Amount Won
2/5	6.5	-$1,066
1/2	133.6	$1,577
.5/1	9.3	$569
Total	149.3	$1,080

This is the most live poker I've ever played, still have a ton to learn and looks like 2/5 isn't so good for me, but that's only 2 sessions. I'm heading to vegas in January, haven't decided on how much I should bring and if I will play 2/5.

Thanks for the support all, especially griff.

Poker for me has been about emotional control. I'm slowly getting better, but i'm a narcissistic egotist. Nothing worse than ego in poker, win or lose it doesn't matter, did I play it right is all that counts. One day I will be able to live that mantra, but not yet, not today, but someday!

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Good job on the live results. I wouldn't worry about the 2/5, that's a mega small sample size!

Did you notice a legitimate difference in quality of play between 1/2 and 2/5? I think the key thing is mentally. Are you playing differently due to the higher stakes?

Post some hands though.

I went to the casino for the first time in 3 months a week ago and posted some hands. Will try to head there like 15 or so times this year, so probably approximately 90-100 hours worth.

Good luck in 2015!

New Year, New Games

Take train to seedy underground game in working class neighborhood. Hit the call button, hear grumbled noises. "Look up", they yell. I look up and smile for the camera. And I'm in.

Now some would say bringing $800 to random game is a bit risky, but it's the new year and it's a new me.

Game is an uncapped 1/3 with min buyin of $100 and a Mississippi straddle up to $25.

Buy in for $100 and play fairly tight and get comfortable with my surroundings, free drinks are flowing slowly, i'm abstaining. This game can be beaten. But not today, at least not by me.


Hand #1

I'm around $130, get KK in BB, 4 limps, I bump it up to $28 all day, get 4 callers.

Flop 844 with flush draw. I shove for 100 into 140. Get one caller.

Turn 9s
River 8s

And opponent flips A8o and I reach for another buy. ez game.

Hand #2
Few hours later, i'm starting to feel a bit inpatient. I noticed that I'm not paying attention and making some looser calls pre flop. I really should stand up. I don't.


HJ - V($200)
SB - Hero (Cover):

I've noticed this villian, raising J3o in bu/co c betting flops. Check shoving flush draws on flop. I pegged him as aggressive.

Pre flop:
4 Limps, I bump to 28 V calls.

Flop (~$70): A38 rainbow

I lead $30, villain calls.

Turn (~$130): 5

At this point, I look at the guys stack and think this is a commitment decision since I think he has $100 left. The flop is dry, my goal is to get it in.

I lead $50, he shoves for $149. I snap call.

River: 9

Flips over 24o, and I reach for another hundo.


Questions:
#1
Bet bigger pre?

#2
I did not consider villain range, when he shoved. Since I was viewed as fairly tight and showed a lot of aggression, I don't think he's ever bluffing here. Thus, all the hands I was trying to get value form AX become two pairs +. A couple of years ago I wouldn't even consider this to be a mistake due to SPR, but at the very least I should have considered his action. Pretty sure this is still call due to calling $100 to win 330.

And So
In retrospect that last hand tilted me and played fairly poorly after that. Though I brought $800, I cut myself off and walked away a $400 loser.


Happy New Year.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by griffey24

Did you notice a legitimate difference in quality of play between 1/2 and 2/5? I think the key thing is mentally. Are you playing differently due to the higher stakes?

Good luck in 2015!

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Short Answer:
Not really.

Long Answer:
At 1/2, I rarely see players that scare me.

At 2/5 there was one player who had my number, shot my confidence and I started playing fit/fold.

I'm still not very comfortable gambling with lots of money. Even though I can afford it. My only solution is to keep trying. My life roll is very comfortable, but losing $500 in a night still hurts and that fear makes me play sub optimally.

I need to post more hands. Do you have system for remembering hands?

P.S. I subbed to crush live poker

haha i had never even heard of 'crush live poker', just checking it out now.

I don't have a particular system for remembering hands. I feel like I usually only have a few large hands per session, so generally remember the relevant points of aciton.

If you legitimately think you play differently at 2/5, then I'd stick to 1/2 till you can get over that. That's my basis for choosing my max states. If there's a +EV bluff shove that I would make at 1 stake but wouldn't make it at some other stake, then I know that limit is out of my reach for now.

Has your game improved significantly since subscribing to "crush live poker?" Or do you think that other training sites are more useful for beating live 1/2 NL and live 2/5 NL game?

Crush live poker just helps keeping basic concepts in your head, but not worth the $30/month.

Bet/Fold and Raise/Fold is all you need. But, I keep forgetting.

What training methods are you using now to improve your game since discovering that the training site subscription isn't really worth the $30/month?

Do you think that posting on forums like this forum, twoplustwo forums, or the CrushLivePoker forums is a better way of improving your game?