Naw. Probably would be pretty tilted and need to take a few days off. But then make it all back in poker in a week or two. I crush, money comes easily.

You do love action.

How are the girls bro? any ah ah ah ah ah oh yeah oh yeah ah ah ah.

We need more posts about the girls. pics included.

Until it doesn't. And that is the problem. I have survived this/crushed for the past decade professionally, but every couple of years or so, there will this 3-7 months of B/E stretch that pops up. How will you handle it?

Chasing loses and betting 10% of your BR on a sports bet, is how I have witnessed previous (million dollar+) crushers go completely broke/in debt. I hope you can avoid it bro, but ever so often you do (dangerously) test the waters GL, am rooting for you friend

Thank you Dubnjoy. You're totally right. I'm going to dial it down <3

Update?

Hey QD if you're reading this, I'd enjoy an update too! I sent you a text a few days ago and you're usually great about replying and we have great convos. So I'm concerned to not hear from you. Everything alright bud?

FYI my last message to you was about how I'm in Vegas now (was in Dallas) and I'm here for the holidays in case you come through again soon.

Yo my bad bro! I was doing something when I saw your text and meant to reply later but completely forgot about it.

Update:
Everything is good. I ended up degening again and lost like 15k. But won 7k same weekend at poker, so total loss wasn't too bad. But still, big yikes.

After that I decided to take a break from all forms of gambling, including poker, for the next 30 days. Most likely longer, but 30 minimum. To give my brain a chance to reset and to re-think things and figure things out. I refuse to learn things the hard way again. I refuse to be a statistic, another degenerate who runs up a roll only to bust it, over and over.

That was 9 days ago. Since then I have been focusing on starting an E-commerce business. I've been doing a ton of research and am starting to take the first steps now. I started a website and filed for an LLC in the last few days. Going to try a few different things and see how it goes.

That and working out are my primary goals right now. That's all I care about right now. I am spending all my free time and energy to make sure I become successful and both of these things.

If/when I start to make money from these ventures, I'll return to poker. I am hoping that once I have a secondary source of income I can come back to playing poker and the pressure of making money at gambling will be reduced and my degen tendencies along with it. But right now, I don't see myself playing poker anytime soon. I have my primary goals I'm focused on and poker is on the backburner.

Other than that, everything is great. I'm just finishing up the final requirements of my probation. I won't get off of probation until February but I will have all the stipulations completed by December 23rd, and at that point I will basically be a free man (just can't get arrested). So planning on moving then and excited about that. I think Florida might be the spot, it's starting to get cold here and I ****ing hate the cold.

All great news friend and happy to hear it So assuming this poker/gambling venture of yours is done for now (and I certainly hope it is, as falling off the wagon would mean degening, I fathom...), how much is your BR atm? Congrats friend, this has been a good stretch and (almost) successful on all fronts

Peace

Thanks Dubnjoy <3

BR is healthy. Was much better before btc took a **** but such is life. Let's just say it's less than 100k but more than 50k

Great to hear bro, you did well for yourself, happy to hear it

Yeah, I know : I sold @ 11k, but looking to get back now (waiting for 6.5k price...). I lost overall thought because of alt coins ; such is life

Any updates OP? Hope it's going well!

Bankroll at a new all time since starting this thread high. My self imposed ban lasted less than 30 days but games have been sick and I haven't been tempted to degen. Won 11k this weekend at 2/5 in like 20 hours played. Most of it from one guy. We bumped it to 5/T and played HU for like 4 hours Friday night/Saturday morning before he finally quit me. Really amazing spot for me.

Outside of poker, today is my exit interview for DUI school. Meaning I will have all of the terms of my probation completed and I can finally start traveling again. Ready to leave this small town for greener pastures. Life is good.

Really pleased to hear it's going well for you! Gives us degens hope. Merry Christmas.

Had an insane December. I remember joking in this thread a couple months ago that I would reach my 100k BR goal by the end of 2019. At the time, I didn't think it was possible, but after having 5k+ sessions 3 out of my last 6 or 7sessions. And only one losing session. I only needed to win 3k last night and my BR would be at 100k.

Alas, I fell short, and only won 1200 last night. And, as that was my last session of the year, I will not be reaching this goal in 2019. But, still, what a wild ride 2019 has been. I went from 0 dollars to my name and working at subway making minimum wage in May. To quitting in June and running up a few thousand dollar BR to all the way up to just under 100k by the end of December. Absolutely insane. And I guess I could still hit 100k before 2020 if btc goes on a small rally

This has been the best year of my life and I can't believe how far I've come this year. I'm writing this from the airport right now, as I wait for my flight to Denver. I'll be in Denver celebrating the new year with my best friend/cousin. So no poker for the next 5 days. But When I come back I'm planning on staying in Sacramento for the next two weeks and grinding there. Then I have a 5 day Vegas trip booked after that.

Not sure where I'll be after that. Probably either Sacramento or Florida. Then I officially get off probation first week of February. Going to buy a ticket to Thailand or Philippines and fly overseas to celebrate being a free man, as soon as I get off of probation. 2019 has been the best year of my life, but this is just the start, 2020 is going to be even better. Cheers and happy new year everyone Let's all kill it in 2020!

Uodate: Today is my first official day of freedom. Yesterday was my last day of probation. I didn't even know I was getting off today until a few days ago. I thought it would be sometime in February because I signed a deal for 12 months in February 2019. But I emailed my probation officer to find out the exact date of my release and was shocked to find out I would soon be a free man.

Today is my first day of freedom- and also my last day in America. I'm ready for some adventure. So I searched google flights and found a one way ticket to Costa Rica for ~$250 that leaves tomorrow and impulse bought it. I have done no research and have no lodging set up there and my Spanish sucks. I'm just going to show up and make it work. That's how the best adventures start- or how you end up killed lol.

But naw, I am pretty sure CR is one of the safest countries in Latin America. But, I am just going to start out there. My plan is to get there. Explore the country for a week or two and then bounce around South America. I think once I get to Colombia and some of those other countries it gets a little sketchier for Americans. But, I've been making a ton of friends from that country on Tinder, so I'll have friends to show me around and help me not end up in the wrong place and get murdered. Hopefully.

Poker has been brutal since last update. But I could not give any less of a ****. Bankroll still healthy. Still working hard to achieve my goals. And I can't believe how far I've come in a year. This time last year I was just about to start probation, living at my mom's house, completely busto, no job and no money to play poker. Only thing I had was motivation and a plan. Now, I'm free and leaving for Costa Rica in a day. I can't believe how lucky I am and how beautiful life can be.

Good stuff, partner! Enjoy yourself, work hard, and stay safe. glgl.

I was just in Costa Rica last week and will be there at the end of this month again. Try to get away from San Jose as quick as possible. A few things, learn the numbers and get a lot of small bills in local and American money. Things are listed in USD and local Colones and they will always screw you on exchange rates and change. I got so frustrated down there since the last time I was there in 2014, it seems like everyone is trying to milk every cent from you and rip you off. It is quite expensive too, probably about on par with the states and some things are more expensive. Check what things are supposed to cost, I paid $8 for pack of cigarettes first day and later found them at $3.50 for example.

Make sure you get prices from taxi driver before you go anywhere and get an idea what it should cost, you should be taking metered taxis with red cars when you can. Book all rooms online or you will probably get ripped off, although you can negotiate good cash prices sometimes.

I would recommend not going to Jaco, but Santa Teresa is a nice quiet beach town with a nice nightlife as well, I got married there and also partied a lot there in previous trips. The east coast is supposed to be nice too.

You want to know anything let me know, buy Spanish book asap!

Edit, I'm in Nicaragua now, its pretty much the same but cheaper, you should check it out. Easy bus trip up north.

This is great advice! Thank you so much! How is Managua?

I was just in Managua yesterday to get some quotes on some dental work, its pretty hectic, big sprawling city, pretty similar to San Jose I guess as it has all amenities and banks, western fast food etc, most necessities I found like bottled water and stuff were about Half that of San Jose. 10 minute - 3 mile taxi ride in Managua for me was about $3, while I was being quoted about double that in San Jose. Locals probably pay less. Good meals for about $4 if you're willing to eat locals food which is quite good - usually meat, rice/black beans, salad and French fries seems pretty common.

I don't really know what you are looking for, but if you are into partying or want to meet fellow English speaking travellers, you will need to go to a beach town like San Juan Del Sur in Nicaragua or something with a tourist attraction like a volcano or something with history. Drugs are fairly prevalent, I have done quite a bit of blow down here over the years and some hookers and stuff, I can't recommend that really but that is all over Central America for those interested.

Anyway, money will go a lot further in Nicaragua, but you will see for yourself when you get to Costa Rica. I used to do trips through here on $15 a day a decade ago, but now with a wife we want nicer things and spend about $150 a day.

Awesome. Thank you for the wealth of information! I'll hit you up if I make it up to Nicaragua

Sounds exciting, GL on your freedom endeavours friend That said, a few notes on Latin America :

- I understand the adventure behind winging it, yet learning (even just some basic) Spanish will take you long ways. In fact, from my personal experience I have found that learning the local tongue is perhaps even more useful in Latin America then other areas of the world where English will largely get you by (compared to Europe and Asia).

- San Juan del Sur is indeed a chill beach town to meet backpackers.

- As far cities goes, I was not impressed with neither of San Jose nor Managua. I feel that you would need to go to South America (or Mexico) before finding some really nice cities. I appreciated more the towns in Central America.

- Not sure where you base your idea of Colombia being dangerous outside of reputation from the 80-90s, but there are a TON of gringos there.

If you are seeking out some live games, there are some threads on Costa Rica in the travel section. All the best bro

That is something I noticed about Asia, most touristy places nobody really expects to see people put much of an effort into learning the language, but in Latin America, although most people do know some English, you won't find everyone is accommodating. Even if you learn a dozen phrases and as much of the numbers as you can. Things like, do you have, I would like, where is, can you, when is, how much etc will go a long way. If you can't understand prices when someone tells you something, you will be getting ripped off more than you should, for example when I first went to Mexico at 17 years old, prices aren't listed at many stores, so I would have to just hand the cashier a big bill or hold out a bunch of small bills and hope they were fair. Having travelled through Latin America quite a lot, this time around I have never had so many people trying to take advantage of me, don't know if its bad luck or things have changed since 15 years ago.

About the Latinos perhaps being less linguistic accommodating then in SEA, I just believe it is human nature that when your language is somewhat international, you develop a sense of entitlement that others should learn it a little bitt. We do a little the same thing in Montreal where we, Montrealers, had to learn English and thus appreciate it when new comers/people moving long term, learn the language (or at least a few words for the travellers). Idem in Spanish. The most entitled are naturally Anglo Saxons (and least likely to learn other languages), as English is so international, so they oftentimes subconsciously expect others to speak it (in their own country or anywhere in the world)... Anyhow, having conversational Spanish has made my experience go from night tp day in Latin America/Spain

You should be able to pound some big ass South American girls while down there. That's really the only reason to go to South America.

Yeah I'm planning on spending a couple months in Latin America and trying to learn Spanish while I'm there. I'll either join a school or hire a tutor.

I mean that's a benefit lol but experiencing other cultures? Amazing beaches? Lol