Topic pretty much sums it up, I'm a 24 year old recreational poker player. I run my family business which make close to six figures doing. (OBV my father makes more but he's retired now). I will be completely honest and say that if I don't succeed I will have no problem buying the ring anyways, I just figured this could and would be a good way to teach myself some discipline at the table and to set a reasonable goal.

Since poker is just a hobby of mine I usually just play 2-5 two or three times a month and would say I'm a slight winner. (even tho I don't keep track) I occasionally play 5-10 when I'm running good in 2-5 and any money I lose doesn't mean to much to me so tend to gamble more than I should.

The ring I want is around $8,000. I don't plan on proposing till Christmas time or maybe shortly after. So that is obviously my time frame. I'm local to Chicago (suburbs) and can play at either charity events (soft), Elgin river boat (soft), or horse shoe indiana (mix but bigger games). I plan on playing 2-3 sessions a week approximately 2-6 hours long. I work 6-7 days a week usually from 6-2, but sometimes later if work is busy etc.

I'm starting with $1500 and my stop loss is two buy ins ($400). Today was my first session at a charity event it lasted around 2 hours with not to many interesting hands but I will post a few.

Hero is in Hi-J with $180
V1 is CO seat with aprox $175

I haven't been in long but V seems competent 20something that has been quiet and hasn't played any pots since I've sat down.

Hero is folded to and raises to $6 with Ah3h. V1 calls.

Flop comes Js 3x 3x

Hero bets 10$ V calls

Turn is Ks, I think this smacks his range and decide to check to make it look like I'm giving up on my cbet. V bets $25. Hero calls.

River 7x, and obv doesn't change hand. I contemplate leading out $50 but I really think he has AK or KQ and may bet this river for value if I check and I may get a sketchy min raise in, so Hero checks. V cuts out stack of $45 and is about to throw it out and then he just flips over AK. **** I missed out on a bet.

No more interesting hands till a 2-5 reg sits down waiting for his seat to open. He's in the 9 seat and is young LAG, we've played together before and he knows me as a pretty LAG myself.

Hero 3 away from button with 4x4x and raises into one limpet to $11

V1 raises to $25 with about $250 behind (I cover). Other guy folds and Hero calls.

Flop Kx 6x 3x and Hero checks.
V1 bets $40 and Hero check raises to $95.

My reasoning was, it was pretty obvious he was killing time and trying to run over table by betting a lot of flops, and I figured he cbets 100% of time when I check so I felt like it was a good spot. Give me some opinions and I'll post results later along with my current bankroll!

Bankroll: 1500 (b4 session)

Thanks for reading wish me luck!

Oops topic says $1000 it's $1500 if mod could change please! Thank you

lol u nit just buy the ring and play nl500 u make enough

just playing but are you playing 1/2? why would u only start with 1.5k and what is ur poker history?

A3- if your checking turn you should go for a check/raise doesn't have to be huge
44- bad c/r imo if he's trying to run over the table it means your hand is ahead a good percentage of the time so just call

Dont buy ring w gamboool money. Get serious. Better yet, dont marry that sweet girl. She doesn't have a chance.

#3 Haha I know I can just buy it and play what I want its the challenge I want! Yes I'm playing 1/2. I'm Only starting with 1.5k cuz I feel like that is where the challenge lies, If i start with much more I might as well just buy the ring haha.

Also My experience before has always been recreational. But I've read books and I'm friends with some very good respected players that some of you may know, but work will always come first because thats my bread winner! I never had bankroll management cuz I never really needed it, i would just buy into what ever tourny I wanted to play and that would be it. Cash games I only played live and I've played quite alot just yet again no bankroll anything just take money from my bank play win or lose no biggie.

So A3, I obv lost value by not check raising, and if he shoves over my check raise its obv snap call.

And the 44 hand, I knew I was ahead or at least figured I was, but if turn is Ax or another card that smacks his range whats our line? I assumed I had a good chance taking it down with a check raise.

The outcome of the 44 hand was he ended up folding and he said he had AIR when he got up and moved from the table, but never said what his AIR was.

I ended day +119
Total Bankroll: $1619

I'm playing tomorrow and will keep better notes of hands and update again!

Thanks for reading

44- Most of the time we should be c/f turn its unlikely he would continue to barrel w/ air

Thanks for input! I have another session today around 2 or 4, till who knows when. My girlfriend is having a girls weekend with her friend from out of town and that starts today. So this should be a good weekend to get multiple sessions in. Back to work for me and hopefully I can adjust to the 1/2 game and play a little more snug than I'm used to.

Haha what do you mean doesn't hve a chance?

GL OP! I didn't use the ol pokerz money to buy the ring in full, but I did use some winnings to pay mine off at the end. Having that extra $ in the pocket each month all helps the cause after it finally got paid off (1 year loan).

Thank you! I'm gonna try and win money in full before I buy but obviously I'm not gonna postpone proposing because of poker. Most places offer 1 year no interest is nice, but I wanna try to buy from a family friend who owns a small time jewelry shop that my Italian side of the family has "connections" with lol!

Thanks

Session 2:

Hero in seat 3. I sit down at the local charity game confident as ever. This game is easy these 1/2 donks are easy free money and I'll hit my goal in no time. I have my phone open and ready to take notes. I look around at my table, 4 old guys 1 asian and 3 young kids who've I've played with in my first session. I have position on that same 2-5 kid that was donking around in the game the day before, and today he seems to be doing the same. Ok lets do this I'm taking all the MONIESSSS

First interesting hand hero is UTG with A5 and I raise UTG to $9. It folds around to my v1 from the 44 hand the day before. He just smooth calls and the flop comes 345x. V1 checks and Hero leads out $15. V1 snap raises to $60 with like $100 behind. Hero thinks shortly then shoves and I have him covered. He snap folds.

A few orbits go by and I have bet/folded and my stack is around $195. Then this hand comes up. Hero opens UTG to $7 with 10J. I get two callers, in MP 1 and 2. glop comes QJ7. Hero decides to check because this flop smacks both their ranges and V1 and V2 both check. Turn brings 6 and Hero checks, V1 checks, and V2 bets $15. Hero calls and V1 folds. River bricks 2. Hero Check calls $25 bet from V2. I was good. V2 in this hand was one of the young guys I played with from the day before. Also I may have pissed him off he said "good call" and was about to muck but I waited for him to flip his cards over before I showed. He seemed fairly tilted but showed A9. I wanted the info but idk if it was worth the dirty looks lol.

At this point my stack is around the $240 mark and I'm starting to settle down with my raises and cbetting into wet boards multi handed. I pick up 1010 in MP3 and and raise to $9 (around standard open in this game) Old guy a few seats to my left raises me to $21, folds to hero and I call. Flop comes 1093x. Hero checks and V leads out $40 Hero check raises to $100 and V1 snap shoves hero snaps. At charity when you get all in you have to flip your cards over. Villain shows up with KQ. Hero did have me covered. Obviously V catches the J on river and I'm felted. I feel like I have a huge edge at this game and I decide to reload.

I straddle utg, and get a table for a limpers. I look down at 4x7x and check. Flop comes 563x. it goes check check Hero checks and MP bets $12. It folds to hero and I decide to bump it up to $33 Villain re raises to $100 and hero (tank) Shoves for a little less than $185 total. Villain snap calls with 6x6x and turn is 2x and river is 2x. WOahhhh just like that my good day goes FELT FELT.

After looking at this day I seem to have realized I have some bad leaks for this 1/2 game that I think will be easy fixes. 1: I need to stop Cbetting so often into wet boards especially multi way. 2: I need to value bet more and stop trying to check raise or check to induce bets. These idiots seem perfectly content check calling with very marginal hands and I need to get value from that. 3: I need to be more patient, and stop getting antsy in this lower limit game. So overall I felt like I couldve played better, but I also ran terrible. If I can stop my 3 leaks I feel like I could run these tables over with closer to ABC poker.

Session 2: -400
Bankroll: $1219

Thanks for reading, I may go for a session tomorrow after a work/nap. But I think I'm going to the casino.

Thanks for reading leave comments/critiques I'm open to anything!

A5s- seems like a fold pre.. I dont mind a limp to see a flop since you won't get exploited. As played, obv super standard.. he seems pretty aggro.

JTs- Limp or raising pre is fine with this hand i actually prefer raising since i would call if some1 iso'd anyway. Why didn't you bet the turn to protect your hand? You can always bluff catch the river.

74- Run better

Does anyone suggest since I'm starting with a small bankroll I only go with $300? Buyin for $150 what's everyones thoughts on this?

^^
terrible idea your going to be losing value
buy in for min. of $200 imo

Yeah I figured as much, I've just seen people make the argument before so I was curious!

Hopefully I can turn it around today. I'm going to the horse shoe at Hammond Indiana today after work!

I was also thinking about starting an anonymous twitter account for live updates and a way people can contact me if they are interested. Let me know what y'all think!

Thanks time to frag!