As part of my east coast poker trip, I was thinking about going to Toronto to hit up some casinos. Anyone play out there before?

4 Poker Trips Confirmed

I still have a few hotel reservations to figure out (especially with trip 4), but everything else looks good right now.

Trip 1 -- April 20-30

I will spend most of my time at MGM National, Maryland Live and Horseshoe Cinci

Home 1 -- May 1 - 4


Trip 2 -- May 5 - 27

Delaware, Maryland, Pennsylvania, New Jersey, New York, Connecticut, and New Hampshire

Home 2 -- May 28 - June 1


Trip 3 -- June 2 - 26

LA, Manila Philippines, Angeles City Philippines and possibly Cambodia again

Home 3 -- June 27 - 29 || MGM National June 30 - July 2nd


Trip 4 -- July 5 - July 23

Still working out details, it's casinos from Maryland to Oklahoma


Summary

The timing works great since my gf is traveling most of the summer for either work or concerts/festivals with her girlfriends. We have a few cool rafting trips planned for August so that's really cool. I appreciate her patience as I make a go at it this summer.

Original: $5,000 (210 hours prior to starting this thread)

Previous: $7,006

Current: $7,006 () out of $8,000

Vacation: $2592 (+$53) out of $3500

Homegame 3 - 3 hours

Game: 1/2 NL - 200 buy-in

Hours Total: 163.00 + 210.00

Total Since Nov 1: $9,598 || Total Since Mid January: $4,598

--

Decided to hang out with the guys before heading out on Poker Trip 1 of 4 Thursday night/Friday morning.


Few notes:


- Dropped almost a full stack within the first hour. In the past, that would put me on tilt or at least in a mindset of 'need to make it back'. I just don't care anymore, I believe with enough hours, the money will flow back.

- Was up about $130.00, however, guys were giving me amazing odds to draw to open enders and flush draws.

- Made a nice checkraise jam with 99 on 875. Opponent showed JJ and other said he had 76 which was fine by me.

- I'm really happy with my hand reading, felt like the ranges around the table were close to face-up.

- I need to stop trying to balance ranges, nobody is paying that much attention.

- I regret not 3 betting AQo on the button to a late open, I don't know what I was thinking.

- I'm getting quicker at determining combos and tying it to pot odds. I do get somewhat lazy with it at easier games.


Summary

There's always more to learn, however, I need to start looking more at 2/5 games when the PLO games aren't great. If I'm going to be honest with myself, it's a comfort zone issue. It's fun crushing low stakes, I understand that I need to start facing tougher competition at bigger games to push forward. I'm not sure how much more I'm going to learn at 1/2 and 1/3 NL games.

I'm looking forward to playing a bunch of Omaha and Omaha/8 on this upcoming trip. If I get slaughtered, I'll probably end back on the NL tables to grind up and take another shot (rinse/repeat).

Life is good. Anyone at MGM National or Maryland Live April 20 - 30?

Original: $5,000 (210 hours prior to starting this thread)

Previous: $7,006

Current: $7,006 () out of $8,000

Vacation: $3,054 (+$562) out of $3500

Online 1 - 2 hours

Game: PLO (mid stakes)

Hours Total: 165.00 + 210.00

Total Since Nov 1: $10,060 || Total Since Mid January: $5,054

--

I've been on an online PLO heater, that might be my last online game until end of Summer. I have a massive poker travel schedule starting Thurs night / Friday morning.

Goal 1: Hit 8k. -- accomplished (makeup 1k)
Goal 2: Hit 3.5k vacation -- $446 away
Goal 3: Shift to $300 buy-ins at 1/3 once 10k hit and spend more time at 2/5.

I might be sacraficing a lot of value not playing bigger since I have a great IT career that could replenish losses. As I mentioned last update, I feel like I need to move away from 1/3 games when 2/5 is good. I have learned so much the last 5 months and feel like I'm so much better off with tilt control.

Excited about the upcoming trip this week!

DAY 1 - Maryland Poker Trip

Original: $5,000 (210 hours prior to starting this thread)

Previous: $7,006

Current: $7,006 () out of $8,000

Vacation: $3,236 (+$182) out of $3500

MGM and Maryland Live

Game: 1/2 and 1/3 NL

Hours Total: 171.00 + 210.00

Total Since Nov 1: $10,236 | Total Since Mid January: $5,236

==

6 hour session, the PLO games weren't great so decided to pass the time with NL. Was down as low as 640ish but came back to a win of 182. Learned so good lessons tonight:

- I go on winner tilt thinking I can just run over the table

- Running big bluffs haven't worked out well for me at these limits. I need to reexamine my 3 street bluffs.

- Listened to CLP on live 3betting. Unfortunately AQ vs AK, AQ vs 99 q92, and AK vs KK. I still like the spots and sizing, I will keep working on it.

- I play too many hands when I'm bored.

- Excited to lock up the vacation find so I can focus back on bankroll building.

- Visited The Horseshoe Cincinnati, that's a pass in the future unless there's some crazy compelling reason to play.

First time getting a Maryland Live card, $10 free credit. I Play a few dollars in spots like every 6 months. I spin twice on a $5 machine. Hit $330.00, cashed out at $300.00.

Here's the exciting part, applying it to my Asia vacation slush fund and now hit my goal. Woo!

Challenge 2 Complete: $3,536.

DAY 2 - Maryland Poker Trip

Original: $5,000 (210 hours prior to starting this thread)

Previous: $7,006

Current: $7,284 ($277) out of $8,000

Vacation: $3,536 (+$300) out of $3500

MGM and Maryland Live

Game: Omaha Hi 1/2, 8.25 hours

Hours Total: 179.25 + 210.00

Total Since Nov 1: $10,820 | Total Since Mid January: $5,820

==

Exhausted, I need a good night sleep before hitting it hard again tomorrow. It was great applying the theory into practice. Right now, it takes a lot more concentration trying to piece everything together.

Day 3 - PT1

Consolidating my reporting format now that the 3.5k vacation fund was reached.

Current Bankroll: $7,284
Money Earned Since Nov 1: $10,820 (correction on records)
Games/Location: N/A
Hours Played This Session: N/A
Total Hours Since Nov 1: N/A
Financial Goal: Challege 3 - $10k Bankroll
==

I decided to get a full 7 hours of sleep to get myself ready to hardcore grind this weekend. My goal is to play PLO at night when the games are best. In the Day, I'll probably play 1/2 1/3 2/5 (if the game is good).

DAY 3 - PT 1 - Maryland Poker Trip

I'm being a little lazy today. Playing 1/2 at Maryland Live, play is so predictable,I can work on my Tagalog and Thai for my June trip. I plan to play PLO later tonight.

They have a 8/16 mixed game which is great. I've been learning other games in my spare time, nice option where I don't have to play super high like MGM N. Harbor.

Hand at 1/2 - 320 effective stacks

5x call, I'm on the button with 72o.. pop it to 24. I expect one or two calllers but feel like its a weak fit or fold table.

BB calls UTG calls

flop comes 44J

BB bets 20, 2nd player folds.

Now here's the point of the hand,let me know if I'm just being a spew tard.

When BB bets, he most likely has a J. QQ - AA is raising almost always with this player. Maybe TT-77 but I think I get him off that with a raise. BB bets 20...

I'm looking for thoughts on that analysis, not the 72 raise.

Current Bankroll: $7,471 (+187.00)
Money Earned Since Nov 1: $11,007
Games/Location: MGM/Maryland Live/CharlesTown
Hours Played This Session: 8.5 hrs - PLO 1/2 NL 1/2
Total Hours Since Nov 1: 398.5
Financial Goal: Challege 3 - $10k Bankroll
==

Exhausted. Dusted off $200 needlessly being over aggressive. Too tired for full update, the roadtrip is going great. Met a lot of cool people.

nh

enjoying the thread, gl gl

Why not?

Thanks for the comment. The initial raise was just to set the image for the session and steal all that loose passive dead money. The flop lead out from the BB was the interesting spot to me in the session. Certainly not my standard hand.

BB bets out 20 on the turn, I raise to 80, BB tanks and calls. Oops, thought I could take it down right there. So now there's about 215 in the pot and I have a pot size bet behind. Board is J44 (rainbow) 8 (now 2 spades). BB checks, I jam. Yeah, he's getting 2:1 but how good do you feel with AJ, TT, 99 at a 1/2 table? I've been there about an hour, haven't gotten out of line. Sometimes he shows up with QQ. That flat seems a little odd. I'm shoving any card besides a 4, J or A here.

I'm open ears, if I played this poorly at every street, I'm happy to learn.

Thank you, I appreciate the well wishes mate. On April 2nd I dusted off about 1100 at MGM, feels good to be on the upswing.

Live PLO reminds me the feeling I had when I went from online to live NL. Keeping track of potsize takes a little getting use to compared to ignition.

Missing Money

I was going back through my entire thread to review and evaluate my progress over the last months posting here on TwoPlusTwo. I realize my total is off by $1,000 since I took out that money for personal expenses. I'm an idiot. lol

Money Earned Since Nov 1: $11,007 is now $12,007.

Live Coaching Question

I spend most of my study time at CrushLivePoker.com. I'm considering spending 1g for live coaching to clean up holes. I know online coaching is standard, has anyone done live sessions?

You're one of very few people I've come across who understands how to post a picture of themselves on the internet.

One of my big picture goals from playing online poker is to be able to travel to different places and play live/online poker along the way, both because I enjoy the game and to further fund my adventures, so I really love what you're doing here and it was great reading through.

I've taken away a ton of tips from reading your log, going to go back and reread a few things, especially your post about structuring balance in life, so I'll try and give you a little something back that has helped me.

I stopped working out and have had problems getting back into a routine, especially when I realised how much time gets taken up going to the gym. I still have problems but I'm gradually getting back into it. I found some old woody's resistance bands that I used to use along side lifting weights, they are really light and compact and you can take them anywhere and just do a ton of exercises with them, especially if you have somewhere solid to anchor them.

So what I did was:
- Get a notepad, pen, and timer to store with my bands
- Draw a box each for chest, back, legs, arms, and shoulder health and core
- Write down a bunch of exercises to choose from for each category that I can do anywhere without the need for a gym:
-- Chest: Pushup variation, band presses, band flies
-- Back: Pullups, rows with bands, pulldowns with bands
-- Legs: Squats, lunges, squats with bands, jumping squats
-- Arms, etc..

And what I do is:
- Set aside 15 minutes per day
- Pick a box
- Pick a couple of exercises for that category
- Grab a water bottle
- Stop thinking and get busy for 15minutes
- Tick off a box
- Enjoy how good I feel for the rest of the day

Gradually:
- Work through a cycle of boxes, this keeps everything in good balance
- Increase the time set aside to exercise
- Incorporate extra minutes at the end to do burpees, jumping jacks, sprints, kettlebell swings or something really cardio intensive

It doesn't matter if you miss a day, just don't miss any boxes as you cycle through them, eventually you get into a good routine and habit and build on the length of your workout once you see and feel the benefits of exercising again.

Also, if you love learning, it seems like you do from reading your log, it should be motivating to hear that neuroscientists have shown that exercise has a profound effect on learning by stimulating the birth of new neurons and helping newly created neurons survive. In other words, exercise is like injecting your studies with steroids. So is sleep and relaxation, and exercise helps these too!

And if you used to workout in the past, it should also be motivating to hear that muscle memory is no longer mythical and actually proven, you really do make rapid progress.

Sorry for the long post, my posts always turn out to be longer than I want them to be, but I hope you got something from this and do start exercising, as exercise only has benefits.

Cool thread, gl! Kind of whizzed through but:

1. I think you can be more aggressive with your bankroll - $6000 at $1/$3 BI for $300 is fine especially if you can replenish losses with your career.

2. If the problem is tilt, just get it sorted, force yourself to play tighter, if its close just check/fold/take the lower variance option. You are not missing out on tons of edge at $1/$3.

3. The 72o hand; just fold innit. Hand strength aside I would pay attention to what people on your right are doing, and to what UTG in your pools tends to limp in with (someones people will limp in with a hand like JJ, AQ etc, everyones different).

4. Clean up the leaks that can easily be fixed right away; for example, don't straddle. If you have a $30 hourly, thats $6 you're throwing away there and then. I would only straddle if the guy on your left is particularly bad or literally just to play another hand if some guy is raising $50 pre with ATC etc - maybe if you win a nice pot then $6 or so to be friendly is ok too, but as a rule of thumb just don't straddle.

5. Bart Hansons podcasts are great!

7. For live coaching I'd probably recommend Hunter Cichy at Check Shove Poker - think his articles/videos are great and would be well worth an investment. (FWIW I'm not affiliated with him, nor have I taken coaching from him).

gl!

If you feel like you have a few leaks, here's a good exercise to do that I've found useful during a recent downswing:

1. Tabulate your top 25 perceived leaks.

2. Assign a frequency that each leak occurs (1-5). For example, straddling would be a 5 as the opportunity for it to occur is fairly frequent.,

3. Assign an impact of each leak (1-5). For example, straddling would be about a 1.5 for me (you're not going to lose that much money with it.

4. Multiply the two numbers together for each leak.

5. Sort them from biggest leak to smallest.

6. Ensure you utmost focus is on the top 3 leaks. Fix them, do whatever it takes to do so even if it means you're putting in less volume. Find the right CLP videos to help. Then move onto the next 3 etc.

gl!

@acidhauss
@bustobrah

Thank you so very much for the great comments/advice. I will start working through the comments in the next few days to give them the proper attention they deserve. Major work adjustments over the next 72 hours which I outlined below.


Current Bankroll: $7,434 (-$37)
Money Earned Since Nov 1: $10,890
Games/Location: MGM/Maryland Live/
Hours Played This Session: 3 hrs - 1/2
Total Hours Since Nov 1: 401.5
Financial Goal: Challegne 3 - $10k Bankroll

\\\

I was stealing a lot of small pots for the first 2.5 hours at 1/2. I was planning on playing another hour and then head to MGM National Harbor to play the rest of the night PLO. I got hit with 2 beats:

1) Had a Q high flush with a pair, ran into a rivered A high flush for a big pot
2) Work sent me a late night email (rare) which basically let me know an unexpected priority swift happened and the next 3 days starting at 6am would be incredibly busy.

My work/poker life isn't all sunshine and rainbows. I have a lot of flex, however, I have to be prepared at any moment to re-shift priorities. 2 years ago, I even flew back from Thailand early which resulted in spending extra money on a ticket adjustment. I signed up for this life, it happens.

I drove home about 6 hours (construction) last night, passed out in my bed and back at work. I could have done this on the road, however, since it's probably close to 12 hour days, I wanted to have my full monitor setup. M-W will be insane, I plan to get back on the road Thursday morning and finish the rest of Poker Trip 1. Since I'm back home, I will also commit to getting some time at the gym and play at least 30 min a day of drums.

Really appreciate your advice on fitness. It makes a lot of sense to start smaller and hold myself accountable. I think the mistake I'm making is trying to schedule an hour into my calendar before the habit is built. I need to start at small intervals, like the 15 minutes you suggested and go from there. I also like the idea of the boxes, instead of putting it into a word document, I'm posting it on my bedroom wall. I want to confront it every morning.

I don't mind the longer post one bit, you got me thinking and I feel motivated to take another jump. I have about 4 hours more of work and then I'm starting immediately.

1. I agree with being more aggressive with my bankroll. I have a feeling the shift to PLO should put it to the test. Once I get a better feel for the swings, I'll start scaling up the buy-in. Also, I will move to $300 buy-in for both 1/2 and 1/3 when I do play those games. Thanks for bringing that up, sometimes you need that reinforcement to make the shift.

2. As far as tilt, I'm in FAR better shape than I was at the start of the thread. When I do tilt, it seems to lean toward 'winners tilt'. As I drag down pots, I start getting too loose. I recognize it and working on the correction.

3. I just want to clarify, the 72o on the button is probably close to 5%-10% of the time playing absolute trash on the button if I'm looking at balancing. At lower limits, I love raising big on the button and then stealing from fit or fold players. As you mentioned, it depends on the competition. I do pay a lot of attention on how players are playing at my table. That was a problem for me for awhile, but getting better as I build the habit.

4. More good advice on straddling. In homegames, I'll typically button straddle because I think I can force people to make mistakes while I'm in position. I'll usually only do it a few times unless everyone is straddling. As far as casinos, I try to do it only if I'm trying to get people to loosen up or purposely trying to show an image as a gambler. What I'm starting to learn is (as you mentioned) it's a waste. Nobody is paying that sort of attention at these limits to make it profitable.

5. Yes, huge fan of his podcasts and the live video training.

6. Thank you for the recommendation

Gonna read this when I return to work tomorrow, looks like a fun thread! Also enjoy seeing 40+ers playing!

I appreciate you stopping by to read the thread. It's a little odd, I forget I'm 40+ until I look around the live poker table. When I'm in Asia, I make my 21 year old self look boring. I leave in about 5 weeks again, can't wait!

Nice, I was just in Macau to play in the PSC event. I'm nearing 40 (37) so I know what you mean when you say you look around and its mostly younger kids at the tables. Have fun in Asia!