Hello folks!
Long time no posts, I had my reasons -immigrating to a new country does that.

In this challenge, we are trying to make $60 profit playing only at 2NL (that's 0.02 big blinds, or the lowest cash tables available, or the kiddie pool as some like to call it) to pay for our poker tracking software in the shortest time possible (based on days or hands played).

This challenge will prove that:
1. The microstakes are still very much beatable in the year 2020 (or 2021).
2. Poker tracking software and HUDs are worth their costs.

Disclaimer:
- I am not a professional poker player -ie: don't make my income solely from poker.
- I will not play more than 4 tables at a time -ie: no (massive) multitabling.
Thusly if you see me beating this, you will know that you can do this too.

I am planning to post graphs (aka giraffes) and interesting hand histories in this thread. Once -hopefully- we are done I am planning to make a video documenting the whole process.

I've already started the challenge so the first graph will be in shortly.

Finally, if you'd like to support me, you can do so by buying Holdem Manager 3 or Poker Tracker 4 (whichever rocks your boat) by first clicking through the following links.
I will use the proceedings from there to prove to my wife that I am not completely wasting my time!

***** Holdem Manager 3 (my preference) *****
***** Poker Tracker 4 (wife's preference) *****

Without further ado, let the #hm3challenge begin!

Oh and of course we will have thread savers which you can't find at other threads like 3 boobs instead of the usual, boring 2

And what a start right out of the cage!
That's 5.5 buy-ins won in the first session, woot!
I don't know if this giraffe is better or the 3 boobies above (yeah boobies )



$11.5 done, $49.5 to go...

I should have put the evil eye here when I posted my first giraffe

I was running like God's gift to poker then I came back played tired...
Played at 4 tables while tired...
Got bad beats...
and eventually derailed...
Now we are $64.5 behind our goal

Maybe this happened because no one cared to say "good luck with the challenge" under this thread, or at least "go home you suck at poker" would also suffice.

Show your love before this challenge is completed and don't miss the chance to be on the first page of this first of its kind challenge

Here is the graph which I named "The Tired Dragon":

GL sir, how do you find the 2z pool so far? Any obvious exploits you've been using?

Thank you very much sire for the very first reply to my thread

Call me old fashioned but I'd like to get to know my fishies before I thoroughly grill them. So instead of the shag bang shebang of the Zoom tables, I prefer the serenity of the full ring, where I get to dissect my fish alive every step of the way.

With that said, I found the "competition" to be softer compared to 2 years ago -I was doing another challenge at 2NL for my students back then. I believe this is mostly due to the new influx of players because of ... well COVID?

In the second graph I was trying to "push" things to happen. Instead I am now letting things happen and let the fish come to me, instead of chasing or scaring them. Basically I am hiding my sharky fins and swim around them.

What this means is that, I am not raising big nor am I 3betting too often unless I want to isolate the regfish.

I make excellent use of my position and enjoy the freedom of cash games where you get to play deep every hand compared to tourneys.

Also the never changing blinds and no antes does not require me to make any fast moves.

I happily concede from marginal spots or preflop raising games but bite big chunks when I sense their weakness with their checks or low bets -unless they are habitual low betters.

As time passes I will have more advantage over them -especially the regfish- as my poker tracking software will inform me of their tendencies.

Here is a reg fish I caught this session for reference:

After I rested and hit the tables again the fish did not have any place to run!
We are back on the saddle and only ~$40 to reach our goal!
Here is the proof of concept graph, which I'd like to call:
"You woke the dragon, now you feed it"




Haha! I say both to myself between mere seconds that pass while playing poker
Though the voices in my head are usually a bit harsher on me
Welcome to the thread sire!

Alrighty folks, we have passed the halfway mark, now only $27 to get there!
This is happening much easier than I had thought -don't jinx it, don't jinx it!

This giraffe is called: "The only way is up!":

Merry Christmas Everybody!

Row row row your boats harshly up the stream
Merrily merrily merrily merrily
Poker is but a dream!

We are 2/3 there, ~$22.5 to go! This is happening gents!

Between us and our goal no fish is safe!
We are only $16 (or 8 buy-ins) away from our goal.

The Giraffe: "Run to the hills, run for your life!":

Hey folks the challenge is going great but I got some other news for ya!

I have 20+ years of experience playing and about a year of streaming poker.
I already have about 500 followers -proof that I am fun to watch, but come see for yourself.

Now I decided to stream in English and to donate part of my profits every month to charity.
You can be part of the decision to which cause we will donate our profits which are acquired live while streaming.

Here is how it will work:
At every session I will run a poll at two different timepoints.
Everyone in the channel will be able to vote to which cause we will be donating the profits to.
You all get 2 votes every session and at the end of the month, the cause with the most votes will receive the donation.
I will share the donation receipt at the following session and we will restart the whole process with different causes every month.

The first month is starting today and will end on the 27th of January 2021.

The nominated causes for donations this month are charities supporting either:
1. Children
2. Animal Shelters
3. LGBTQ+
4. Homeless People

I play Texas Hold'em and PLO8 MTTs, I do explain my thought process and answer any and all questions my viewers ask.
We do also play cash games from time to time for fun and profit!

We are live now so come join the fun and be part of doing something good.
https://www.twitch.tv/pokerock

Don't forget to mention you are a fellow 2p2'er!

Although we have hit a rough patch right over $50 we are still on track.

Actually we can call this challenge completed because we have made $53 and got about $7 rakeback which adds to our target $60, but we will keep on grinding till $60.

I really thought games would be easier in the holiday season but the fish did get lucky...

We are still winning with >36bb/100 which is pretty good eh?
Only $7 to go!
Also thanks to all who visited my Twitch stream yesterday. Come and follow me for more

Here is the giraffe I'd like to call "Air Pocket":

All right, cue the music, pop the champagne this challenge has now been completed!

Yes the 2NL is still crushable, even more easier than before in my opinion!

We have made the $60 necessary to buy Holdem Manager 3 in about 7000 hands and under 14 days -which is the trial deadline for HM3.

I believe this is doable even in less than 5000 hands as I did not play optimally for a 2k stretch.

The winrate is about 40bb/100 -which is kinda cool, eh?

I know that there are folks who do >7000 hands everyday even before having breakfast, but this was done in 20 sessions, playing 1-3 tables at a time, more like a recreational player would do not a pro.

Also I wouldn't expect a massive multitabler to average 40bb/100 even at 2NL, because you need to pay more attention to the fish and their tendencies.

If I do not procrastinate I will do a video summary of how we got this and what are the new trends in the microstakes' lowest level in 2020 (2021).

I would finish this challenge in less time but I was playing my MTTs for another challenge here where I aim to donate part of my winnings to charity every month.

Here is the proof of concept shot:


Here is the photo finish:


Happy New Year all!