Little bit about me, I am a 24 year old software developer based in the Northeast. Been coding for 7ish years and graduated in 2012 with a bachelors.

I started playing poker when I was about 18 (freshman year) and played on Stars (oh I wish I still could) just grinding micros and having fun, never taking it seriously. Played a lot of SNGs, my favorite was the $2.20 180m. Shipped a few of those and thought I was the ****, obviously I wasn't.

Took a break from poker before BF and really never played on stars again, was able to get the $150ish off my account and just kind of wrote poker off. Last year I started to play on the Merge network and deposited a few times but went busto.

About a month ago I deposited $100 on Bovada with the intent to grind it up and have some fun. I played $1.10 HUSNGs to starts and made like $10 off that, decided I wanted to play higher but the next level they have is $5.50 so I played some cash.

Been grinding 5NL since and have taken a few shots at 25NL (for some reason 10NL zoom doesn't run on Bovada), I enjoy 25NL way more as the money still means a little something to me while at 5NL I just think "oh, $5, whatever".

I also play MTTs in the evening up to a $3.30 buy-in. There are usually 3-4 I play depending on when I start and if I have plans. I don't really have an end-goal for this challenge, just to grind up my BR and have some fun while doing it.

Starting Deposit: $100
Current Bankroll: $214.75
Tournament Tickets: (1) $7.70

Gl fellow US grinder!

I used a tourney bink to skip the ultra micros hehe. Like you said the money just seemed to small. What site do you play on? I am currently on Sportsbook and they are making it sooo obvious they only want rec players on there. Makes the games so soft but player club is non existent. I'm torn between leaving for better rewards or staying for soft tables.... How is your site with these things?

Hope you do well itt

I play on Bovada, rewards are existent but bad. Right now they are doing a weekly promo for earning "Poker Points" where you get a random gift if you earn at least 75 and a tier 2 gift for earning 150.

I qualified for tier 1 the first 2 weeks and got a $5.50 TT and a $7.70 TT. Not bad, plus each point is "worth" $1 towards a tourney buy-in.

Not great rewards but they are there. They do different promotions all the time, I know they did one a few months back where a certain # of points just got you cash.

Here is the schedule for the night:

$1k GTD - $1.10 (R/A)
$1k GTD - $2.20
$2k GTD - $3.30

Will mix in a zoom table of 5NL.

Busted the 2k - $3.30. Got it all in with AK vs 88, flop comes AAx, turn is an 8 and the river was a blank.

Running well in the $1k - $2.20, 11th right now with 15k so hopefully I can continue my rungood there

Finished 45th in the $1k Rebuy event, busted with AQo to 910s when he turned a straight after getting it in on the flop with top pair. Cashed for $5.81.

Finished 19th in $1k - $2.20. Got it in with KQs with 10BBs on the btn and BB called off with A6o and the board bricked off, oh well cashed for $6.74.

Also played a bunch of 5NL and profited $15.50.

Starting Bankroll: 214.75
Ending Bankroll: 234.20
Profit: +$19.45

Schedule for the night:

$1k GTD - $1.10 (R/A)
$1k GTD - $2.20
$2k GTD - $3.30
$2k GTD - $7.70 Omaha - Tourney ticket used

How do you like the anonymous tables?

Anonymous is different, you don't really have to worry about things like balance as people don't know who you are. The exception is tournaments since you have the same player number throughout.

I find I like that I am anonymous but a lot of times I wish I knew who people were so I could put them on ranges (mostly useful pre-flop).

Overall it is the best that is available in America imo so I deal with it.

Busted out of the 1k GTD - $2.20 in standard fashion.

Omaha is not my game and it didn't help that I couldn't hit a flop to save my life so I busted that.

Still going in the $2k GTD - $3.30 have an average chip stack after double with AA.

The $1k Rebuy is almost to the addon period and I have rebought once.

Hopefully I can run good in the last 2 tourneys, might open up a cash table after the breaks.

Have you tried the merge network? they have a very good mtt schedule considering all american sites, and good cash out times as well. You can use a HUD on them which is what i like.

I have played on Merge before, when I busted my roll I decided to try Bovada as I heard it was soft and I like it so far but yeah, I may go back eventually.

GL in the 2k guarantee!

Luck didn't come soon enough!

Had A10o in the Hijack, CO comes along and so does BB.

Flop is AQ2r. BB donks out, I raise, CO calls BB is all in.

Turn is a 4 and I shove my last 8 BBS. Co calls and flips over 35s.

So ends that run, side note BB had A8 so I had him haha

ITM in the $1k Rebuy event, in for $5.10 and min cash is $4.96 so still no profit!

Have a 13bb stack looking for a spot to double up, here is hoping for some run good

EDIT: Just got it in with AKcc vs A10o and he turned a 10, so sick. Down $6.00 for the day, off to bed and hoping for some better cards tomorrow.

Schedule for the night:

$500 GTD - $2.20
$1k GTD - $1.10 (R/A)
$1k GTD - $2.20
$2k GTD - $3.30

Will pop open some cash games if I feel like it to try and win some $$$s

Ugh, no fun in the $500.

Guy in front of me limps, I look down at AKo and raise it to 4x, folds back to limper and he flats.

Flop comes 678hh and he donks into me for 4.75 BB, I float as I don't think he is super strong here often - no sets, no straights at best TP but I have 2 overs and back door flush draw.

Turn comes Kc and he checks, I shove my last 11 BB and he tank/calls, flips over 89o for pair + open ender.

River comes 5 and he hits his straight.

Standard or should I have folded flop? Think after flop it is standard but not sure about the float.

That is a very bad flop for AKo...seems like you can only get into trouble floating as at best he has top pair and a draw. At worst he has hit two pair, trips, or a straight already and you are drawing dead or near to it.

edit: if i am reading correctly and you only had 15bb you should have just pushed all in preflop.

My BB count may have been off.

Thinking about it more, the flop is such a clear fold.

Busted the $1k #2.20 - shoved 77 from the button with 12ish BB and the BB had 88 and KOd me.

I am 32/82 in the $1k Rebuy with 54 paying and 91/162 in the $2k with 99 paying

Just lost 1/2 my stack in the $2k GTD with KK vs 44, none of my premiums have holded today.

AA < 1010
KK < 44
AA < JQ

Still going to cash but was hoping for a deep run, down to 8ish BBs in the $2k.

EDIT: Just shoved 1010 in the $2k and binked a 4card flush vs JJ, guess that makes up for it haha

33/57 in the $1k Rebuy.

Looking forward to the moment when USA is joining the international poker market again

Results for the day:

Cash Games: +$7.33
$1.10 Rebuy: 16th for $10.56
$3.30: 23 for $11.17

Busted both in typical fashion, nothing to write home about. Forget the hand I busted on in the rebuy but the $2k was AQ < KK to leave me with 1.2 BBs and then k10 < 107s.

Pretty good night and happy with how I played save the AK call in the $500 GTD but we learn from our mistakes.

Hello fellow American! I play on Bovada too and I would definitely recommend the 3.30 rebuy that starts around 8:30ish? I always wait until the R/A period is over and then buy-in and add on during the break. This gives me plenty of chips to work with and cashing in these tournaments are very juicy. Good luck on your grind and maybe I'll see you at the tables. Haha just kidding

I may throw that one into the mix. I feel that the R/A tournaments I should just late reg, double rebuy and addon.

Bankroll is at $247.82 which is nice, have 10 BIs for 25NL so I might take a 2 BI shot this weekend and since tonight is my "late" night I might reg the $8k GTD $10 + 1 DS tournament, thoughts on that?