btw on the last hand you posted, lead flop with q8. Barrel turn, barrel big on river since if your being called two streets now, his range is almost always a queen.

I played a 7 hrs today and won $75. It was another painfully boring session where I was absolutely card dead for the latter half at a table with "all you can eat" action. I'm trying not let it get to me though it just makes me miss playing online where folding and folding is so much less tedious.

Here is a hand I played at the 2/4-

KQ on the btn with 2 mp limps, I make it 20 both come along. 200 effective stacks.

Flop- 234
checked to me, I bet 30 into 41, only 1 caller who is a loose reg

Turn- A
checked to me, I bet 60 I think I can credibly rep the A since he knows I am cbetting the flop with Ax. I suspect he had a pair on the flop. He ends up tank folding.

There is a book store that is a 15 min walk from the Oaks, I am planning to read all the poker books they have there. I read 50 or so books back at the beginning of 2010 and since then I really haven't touched one. I read a bunch 2+2 strat threads while grinding the micros which was helpful. Since I began this challege I haven't actively studied or improved my game at all. I definitely think it is time to invest more time in that.

Good to hear from you. I do think there are a lot more spots I'm missing where I can take advantage of my tight reputation vs regs.

I am very content with the way things are going because at this time last year I was unemployed and broke as **** for a long period and just running bad in life. Poker has really given me something to work toward and I feel that even though I'm barely beating minimum wage currently there is so much potential to get better and earn more as opposed to working for the man at some dead end gig. I am very optomistic about the future.

As far as moving up goes I have played 20 sessions of 2/4 so far and have about the same hourly as 1/2. I think my play has been decent but I haven't run particularly hot. I agree that focusing on the money is not important and that taking the best line in every hand is what counts. Getting stacked doesn't phase me because I know that it was just one bullet and I've got a whole clip.

Next time I'm in Vegas maybe we can have couple drinks. I'm planning to be there for New Year's Eve with a bunch of friends.

September 2011

Total hours played- 67
pace- 84
Average hourly winrate- $11
Winnings- $717

2011 YTD

Total hours played- 628.5
Average hourly winrate- $14
Winnings- $8830

I played a 6.5 hrs today and won $28. I managed to get in a solid session, felt good and played good despite the modest results. I managed to lose the minimum with an underfull.

I got my driver's license back today so I'm going to start looking for a cheap car. I am also looking for a new place to live closer to the Oaks.

I ran into a guy at the table who said he's read the thread so that was kind of cool.

My band is playing at a bday party tomorrow which should be a good time, it has been awhile. I am going to have to put in 8 hr days for the rest of the month to meet my goal but that shouldn't be too hard.

September 2011

Total hours played- 73.5
pace- 92
Average hourly winrate- $10
Winnings- $745

2011 YTD

Total hours played- 635
Average hourly winrate- $14
Winnings- $8858

Hey Pure,

Nice playing with you yesterday. I myself was playing terrible and had my worst session yet this month with -340 at the 200 max. But fwiw, I think perhaps you could increase you win rate but widening your range a bit and loosing upnyour game.mfrom what I saw you were playing very tight and as a result no one was giving you any action. Maybe this is enough at the 100 max when it mostly donkeys, but in thebgame last night there were enough semi-thinking players that you need to be a little kore aggressive if you want to make anyn money.

The majority of big pots are won one of three ways:

1) some calls you with a worse hand
2) someone bluffs into you at the wrong time
3) you crack someone's big hand with your set/straight etc

You need a looser image for #1 and #2, and need to play more speculative hands (when getting a good price) for #3.

Anyway, that's my 2 cents.

Best of luck!

Forgive the typos - Using an iPad...

Thanks for the advice. I think I can play a few more hands from mp, I can definitely add some hands to my range in lp. It has been harder to get value from my monsters vs the regs lately. My occasional bluffs are almost always successful but I think I could be less selective and find some more spots to put pressure on. I know that it is not bad to get caught bluffing since it will increase the action I get with my monsters.

I played a 6 hrs today and lost $191. I was trying to mix it up a little bit today playing the 2/4. I was 3betting a little bit wider from lp. I think I was perceived a little more LAG and intern got action when I picked up aces. But other than that I was running pretty cold.

Here are a couple hands-

AK In the bb, raise of 12 from mp and 2 lp callers. I make it 74, original raiser calls (loose reg) and lp (unknown) calls. stacks are 200 effective.

Flop- 983
I ship my remaining 126 into a pot of 224. I pretty sure I was commiting myself pf by putting in 1/3 of my stack. mp crushed me with 88

The other hand I've got 1010 in the bb, 7 limps and I raise it to 44. Shorty raises all in for 90 more it folds back to me. This guy had been playing really snug and this was his first aggressive action.

The pot is 112, 90 to call I tanked on this one and I feel it was pretty boardline. He starting giving me the speech I felt I had to give him credit for JJ+ and maybe AKs so I made the fold. He shows the 10 so I'm assuming he had pocket 10s aswell unless he did it with A10.

The plan is to really grind it out this week and put in long days, I'm also going to spend some time reading at the bookstore.

September 2011

Total hours played- 79.5
pace- 100
Average hourly winrate- $7
Winnings- $554

2011 YTD

Total hours played- 641
Average hourly winrate- $14
Winnings- $8667

I played 7 hrs today and won $123. I spent about an hr at the bookstore skimming through a few books. I made some pretty good laydowns today. I am catching little things that I wouldn't have caught if I wasn't focusing.

September 2011

Total hours played- 86.5
pace- 104
Average hourly winrate- $8
Winnings- $677

2011 YTD

Total hours played- 648
Average hourly winrate- $14
Winnings- $8790

I've noticed that reading about poker helps you to focus better even if you aren't directly applying what you are reading. It puts you in a good mindset for playing.

Much respect for the consistent days/hours you put in.

I played 2 hrs today and won $73. I made a shamefully bad river call on an ace high 3 flush board with jacks, I really wanted to smack myself for that one. I coolered a guy AA vs KK aipf to recover the chips I donked off. There were only 2 tables of 1/2 going and they were both terrible so I opted to spend some time reading instead.

Yes I find it does get my poker gears turning. Getting in the right mindset can make a huge difference. If I have other things on my mind I don't pay full attention to important details and tend to autopilot.

Thanks, I'm pretty sure I haven't gone a whole week without playing poker this entire year. But some days the time I've put in has been pathetically minimal.

September 2011

Total hours played- 88.5
pace- 108
Average hourly winrate- $8
Winnings- $750

2011 YTD

Total hours played- 650
Average hourly winrate- $14
Winnings- $8863

I played 2.5 hrs today and lost $281. My good friend got out of jail and we played some cards out in Santa Cruz at Ocean View Card Room. They had 1 table of 3-100 spread going which had great action. I never could make a hand as strong as top pair so it was pretty ugly and I was basically donating helplessly. I did keep a chip to add to my collection.

September 2011

Total hours played- 91
pace- 112
Average hourly winrate- $5
Winnings- $469

2011 YTD

Total hours played- 652.5
Average hourly winrate- $13
Winnings- $8582

Rounders ITT?

Love this thread man Keep pushin!

I played 9.5 hrs today and won $193. Most of the session I was blinding down, missing flops, and losing showdowns. I had just stacked off to bottom set with tpgk. Then all of the sudden in the last hr I pick up aces 3 times and kings once all within 2 rounds. I got hefty action with 2 of them to bring me back from being 300 in the red.

Over all I failed to meet my goal of playing 120 hrs in September but did manage to put in 83% of it. My results were obviously not fantastic, I think I was running cold but I was also making mistakes more frequently than I should have.

September-



2011-



October is going to bring some big changes for me. I will be taking on some additional financial responsiblities. I am going to bump my target back up to 160 hrs. I have 6 months until I plan to make the move to Vegas. I will being trying to live as cheaply as possible until then because every dollar I don't spend is another chip in my bankroll.

6 more posts to 1k , seems like just yesterday I was only a lurker.

GL to my fellow 2+2ers in the new month.

My friend did hustle the other inmates playing cards like Mike but he is not a cheat.

Thanks man!


September 2011

Total hours played- 100
Average hourly winrate- $7
Winnings- $664

2011 YTD

Total hours played- 662
Average hourly winrate- $13
Winnings- $8775

I played 4.5 hrs today and won $277. Great start to the month. I was playing at an excellent table, this Saturday night was a stark contrast to the terrible Wednesday games. I managed to pick up a few hands and they held.

October 2011

Total hours played- 4.5
Pace- 5
Average hourly winrate- $62
Winnings- $277

2011 YTD

Total hours played- 666.5
Average hourly winrate- $14
Winnings- $9052

read this thread and i wish you the best
living the dream!

i know your posting your winnings but what is your bankroll

great thread, aggression. GL, and keep swinging~ subscribed~

I played 6 hrs today and won $2. Break even day, I played some hands good and made some good reads. I also ****ed up a couple hands where I played too passively.

Thanks man!

October 2011

Total hours played- 10.5
Pace- 21
Average hourly winrate- $27
Winnings- $279

2011 YTD

Total hours played- 672.5
Average hourly winrate- $13
Winnings- $9054

I haven't been playing the last few days. I'm going back to Vegas for a week starting Monday. This time I'm going with my buddy Ryan, should be a fun time with lots of sessions.

I played 11 hrs upon arriving and lost $308. It is nice to be here. I was kind of tired from the trip but still wanted to put in some hrs. I made a couple mistakes but also ran bad in a lot of pots. I'm going to turn it around today after a good nap.

October 2011

Total hours played- 21.5
Pace- 52
Average hourly winrate- $1
Winnings- $29

2011 YTD

Total hours played- 683.5
Average hourly winrate- $13
Winnings- $8746

OP, fun thread and congratz on the success, but you should take a couple hundred of that and get a good coach for 5 hours. You seem to have problems with pot odds and definitely there are other huge leaks in your game.

GL getting yourself situated to move to vegas

I played 9 hrs today and lost $267. I was just getting crushed for the first few hrs with a similar story. I would open raise pf with a playable hand, cbet the flop and be forced to give up facing heavy action and no hand to work with. I'm not going to let running bad affect my game though, I know it is completely standard. I managed to claw back a little bit and actually made a few pairs toward the end of the day to cut my losses in half from the low point.

One pretty reliable tell that I've seen lately: After a villain bets into you on the river, if when you cut out a call while tanking and they are eyeing those chips like it is a delicious steak dinner they are strong.

Here is a hand I played today at Bellagio

I've got KK in the sb, 1 limper on the btn (when you see this you can be confident they are probably an inexperienced player) I make it 11, bb calls btn folds. 200 effective stacks.

Flop-QJ8
I lead for 15 into 22, bb calls and I picked up on some strength like tpgk or nut fd.

Turn- 4
I fire 40, bb calls

River- 10
Not a great card as it completes some straights and likely 2p holdings so I check and she checks behind AA which surprised me a little.

I'm getting closer to be back on track with my target pace, so that is good.

October 2011

Total hours played- 30.5
Pace- 57
Average hourly winrate- $10
Winnings- $296

2011 YTD

Total hours played- 692.5
Average hourly winrate- $12
Winnings- $8479

I could definitely benefit greatly from spending a few hrs with a coach, I'll look into it (any recommendations are welcome). I know I have plenty of leaks I need to work on.

Ty for the well wishes.