"Most people think failure is final, the truth is it's not. Failure is just an event, you just turn the page and write the next chapter of what your life is going to be." - Com Mirza

I Can Hold The Strip in My Hand





Red Rock



Duke0424 (left), RockstarRossi (right) and his brother (center)



First Friday Art Fest



Mirage Volcano



I have to apologize for not being punctual with the updates, I've been a little distracted. There is 1 week until WSOP officially kicks off so I want to get caught up on updates before then.

Hand 13:

1/2 NL (9 handed)
V1 (1200)- passive
V2 (364)- haven't seen him play a hand
Hero's Image (400)- tag

Preflop (3):
Hero is LP dealt AA
V1 raises to 11 in MP, Hero 3b to 44, V2 calls BTN, V1 folds.

Flop (98):
872
Hero bets 50, V1 raises to 125, Hero rips for 320, V1 calls AI.

I'm pretty confident villain has an overpair like JJ or QQ so I think it is fine to stack off OTF. Villain didn't have odds to setmine so if he did flat the the 3b with 88, 77, 22 we are fine with drawing to 8%

Here is my latest vlog-





Here is a cover "Re Education Through Labor" by Rise Against-



Here is one of my paintings-



Thanks!

Mini Challenge #12

[19] 50 hrs poker
[.5] 10 hrs art
[15] 10 hrs dating and social life
[1.5] 5 hrs music
[0] 5 hrs volunteering/organizing
[1.5] 5 hrs reading
[6.5] 5 hrs to do list
[2] 10 meditation sessions
[0/0] 5 runs/5 calisthenics sessions

2016 GOALS

[352.5] 1800 hrs poker
[80.5] 360 hrs art
[111.5] 360 hrs dating and social life
[64] 180 hrs music
[13] 180 hrs volunteering/organizing
[37.5] 180 hrs reading
[72.5] 180 hrs to do list
[31] 360 meditation sessions
[56] 180 runs/180 calisthenics sessions
[ ] Travel to 6 new places + Europe

Good to see your goals are going well PA and great pics!

Looks like you have some traveling to do, any thoughts on what new places (sorry if missed, need to reread about a year of your thread since I went MIA).

"With everything that has happened to you, you can either feel sorry for yourself, or treat what has happened as a gift. Everything is either an opportunity to grow, or an obstacle to keep you from growing. You get to choose." - Wayne Dyer

Sunset Station Marquee at Sunset



Life is Built 1 Block at a Time





On That Snapchat Grind, add me username: zxxcarlxxz



May has been a pretty low volume month, looks like I didn't even put in a session this mini challenge. June will undoubtedly be a high volume month. Gunna crank out the updates for mini challenges #14 and #15 so I will be current and I can effectively zero in on my goals in real time.

The new Wynn poker is super nice, will probably be here a bunch.

Hope everyone who comes out to LV has a great time, feel free to say what's up if you see me around.

If you are in town and would like to help out with my volunteer project you can check out this thread in LVL for details.

http://forumserver.twoplustwo.com/10...ation-1539274/

Hand 14:

1/2 NL (9 handed)
V1 (200)- straightforward
V2 (250)- passive
Hero's Image (300)- tag

Preflop (3):
Hero is UTG dealt JJ
Hero raises to 10, V1 calls in MP, V2 calls in LP.

Flop (30):
Q92
Hero bets 20, V1 calls, V2 folds.

Turn (69):
2
Hero bets 30, V1 calls.

River (129):
K
Hero checks, V1 bets 30, Hero folds.

I am betting OTF and OTT to get value from Ax and Kx, OTR Kx gets there so I think c/f is fine, V might turn Ax into a bluff but I think his bet OTR is predominately value, especially based on sizing.

Hand 13 Results

Here is my latest vlog-






Here is an original called "Fatal Shadows"-





Here is one of my paintings-



Hey good to hear from you man, how's the bike riding been?

Indeed! Some of the places I would like to go are NYC, Boston, DC, Seattle, Austin, Dallas, Tampa, Italy, Germany, Sweden.

Mini Challenge #13

[0] 50 hrs poker
[14] 10 hrs art
[13] 10 hrs dating and social life
[12.5] 5 hrs music
[0] 5 hrs volunteering/organizing
[1] 5 hrs reading
[5.5] 5 hrs to do list
[1] 10 meditation sessions
[2/1] 5 runs/5 calisthenics sessions

2016 GOALS

[352.5] 1800 hrs poker
[94.5] 360 hrs art
[124.5] 360 hrs dating and social life
[76.5] 180 hrs music
[13] 180 hrs volunteering/organizing
[38.5] 180 hrs reading
[78] 180 hrs to do list
[32] 360 meditation sessions
[59] 180 runs/180 calisthenics sessions
[ ] Travel to 6 new places + Europe

Are you ck/calling flop with any hands? JJd seems like an ideal one to do it with. Same question for turn.

I feel like we should be betting this flop a lot of the time as the pfr. Get value from fd, 9x. Turn bet is more debatable, I felt like a smallish blocking bet was good and can still charge fd. I suppose c/c is ok and it prevents being raising out of the pot if V decides to semibluff.

I'm a fish and would of likely called the $30 River bet on the JJ hand.


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It definitely wasn't a snap fold OTR given the enticing pot odds. I did a little verbal digging for info and was sufficiently convinced my hand was no good.

I am in the same boat as Da_Nit, and have to look him up. IMO a straight forward player would recognize this as a spot that he has to bluff w/ A high as opposed to putting in a tiny river value bet. So that would make me weight his range more towards missed A High fd's.

Additionally, I don't give villains credit for the ability to make thin value bets at 1/2. So, I think the hands that a villain bets otr w/ this board are either way ahead of JJ or A high.

However, I could see low limit folk playing flopped A high flushes similarly.

Definitely feels like we should be check/calling flop here to me. We are sitting very high in our check call range, certainly, but betting 2 streets for "thin value" is optimistic as we will be value owning ourselves a lot. We often will not be betting 3 streets. The combos of Qx or better are greater than the combos of AdX and KdX. This also gives our V a chance to bluff/semi bluff/value own themselves on turns that otherwise they may fold out to a double barrel.

I think since this is generally a 1-2 street hand depending on run outs, I want to weigh my line toward bluff catching.

If we get to the river by check calling 2 streets, we can feel pretty comfortable folding to a river triple barrel against most Vs.

Exactly my thoughts. That being said I'm an out of practice fish and Pure_Aggression does this every week and has a solid win rate. That's why I find this hand so fascinating, he must be right enough times that this is the right move the vast majority of the time.


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Pure_Aggression hows it going man. I just moved to vegas about 2 months ago. I've read about half of the blog so far. Just want stop by and wish you good luck at the tables with the wsop starting this week. You playing any tourneys this summer or are you just going to focus just on cash games ?

"Every adversity, every failure, every heartache carries with it the seed of an equal or greater benefit." - Napoleon Hill

And So it Begins…





Metaphor From Untapped Potential



Snapping my way through the summer, add me on snapchat username: zxxcarlxxz



I ran into lots and lots of friends today at Rio. Excited to buckle down and play a lot more to make up for the laziness of the first 5 months of 2016.

I really want to break out and step it up effort wise, especially with regard to my poker playing and study. I'll detail my plans for the summer in my next update tomorrow. I have been coming up short on a lot of my goals, time to refocus and recommit. It is my responsibility and no one elses.

Hand 15:

1/2 NL (9 handed)
V1 (200)- loose passive
V2 (250)- lag
V3 (320)- loose passive
V4 (140)- loose passive
V5 (210)- loose passive
Hero's Image (300)- tag

Preflop (3):
Hero is BTN dealt K7
V1-V4 limp, Hero limps.

Flop (10):
654
Checks to V2 who bets 10 from UTG, V3 folds, the rest call, Hero calls.

Turn (57):
J
Checks to V2 who bets 15, V3 folds, the rest call, Hero calls.

River (117):
4
Checks to V2 who bets 65, V4 folds, Hero calls, V1 calls.

I think we can sometimes play the spot aggressively and raise OTF but there is a lot of traffic so not much FE, I think drawing and possibly overflushing someone is worth more. River brings our flush but pairs the board, I still think we have to call but I think shoving is an overplay as there are a lot of 2p and sets that have boated. We can also let BB call which we might've pushed out with a raise.

Hand 14 Results

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Here is one of my paintings-




He very well could have flopped flushs in this spot. I think if he was going to bluff he would have gone at least 60. Thanks for your input.

As a default play without super concrete reads I tend toward value betting rather than playing passively to induce bluffs. If I have read that V is bluff happy I would be more inclined to give him rope and check.

You may be right I could be value owning myself in this spot. I am certainly not going to get 3 streets of value on this board.

I follow what you are saying, appreciate the input.

Thanks for your thoughts. I like getting multiple points of view. Humility is very important in poker and life. I would never think I am above taking opinions from my peers here on 2+2.

Welcome, same to you! Preliminary plans are to focus solely on cash games like last summer.

Mini Challenge #14

[4] 50 hrs poker
[32.5] 10 hrs art
[3.5] 10 hrs dating and social life
[16] 5 hrs music
[0] 5 hrs volunteering/organizing
[2] 5 hrs reading
[5] 5 hrs to do list
[1] 10 meditation sessions
[2/1] 5 runs/5 calisthenics sessions

2016 GOALS

[356.5] 1800 hrs poker
[127] 360 hrs art
[128] 360 hrs dating and social life
[92.5] 180 hrs music
[13] 180 hrs volunteering/organizing
[40.5] 180 hrs reading
[83] 180 hrs to do list
[33] 360 meditation sessions
[62] 180 runs/180 calisthenics sessions
[ ] Travel to 6 new places + Europe

I've got some leaks. Thanks to threads and discussions like these I get some help inspecting them.

Best of luck with your run at the next couple months grind, mentally and on the felt.

Does anyone else consider shoving the flop here? If I've read things right, there's $40 in the pot (if V1 already called, unclear), which is decent money compared to most stacks (especially since deepest stack V3 has now folded). A shove should have some decent FE, backed up with decent hand equity. Our IO are low on our 4-to-a-straight draw, plus we could chop with someone (so blowing them out is fine, as is freerolling against them for stacks). Even our IO this multiway when we hit our flush might not be great (other than of course against other flush). With no one else raising on this very drawy board, it seems the only guy who might have a real hand is V2 (and even if he does we're still doing ok).

GforumaggrotardG

On the flop you know only 3 villains are left once v3 folds. Against most scenarios of 3 different hands that are all wide, your equity is the greatest 4way and you will continue to maintaining a large chunk of that equity on brick turns given either v4 or v1 called along on the flop. The one truely bad scenario is when someone has the nfd. There is too much value in raising the flop for you not to raise since you shouldnt run into the worse case scenario all that often.

However i wouldnt shove the flop bc it simply has the reverse effect of what you want. You want to raise for value to get called wide. If we jam, we severely shrink their calling ranges to sets and straights (and occasionally still nfd) which will alter your equity drastically.

"There are three constants in life... change, choice and principles." - Stephen Covey

A Few More Pics From Red Rock







Follow my story live, snapchat username: zxxcarlxxz



My plans for WSOP are to put in a lot of volume, highest of the year. But I also want to raise the quality of my play so I don't want to over do it on the volume. One thing I have learned about myself is that I struggle to focus and play my A game after around 8 hours.

I plan to post 1 HH from each session I play. I'll also post a running hours count to make sure I'm making reasonable progress. Please get on my case if I start slacking.

I'm happy to report I got in a workout everyday of Mini Challenge #15 and 8 meditation sessions. It feels great to get these routines on track.

Hand 16:

1/3 NL (9 handed)
V1 (293)- tag
Hero's Image (400)- tag

Preflop (3):
Hero is BB dealt J6
MP limps, LP limps, V1 completes SB, Hero checks.

Flop (11):
J86
V1 bets 20, Hero calls, MP folds, LP calls.

Turn (68):
3
V1 bets 20, Hero raises to 70, LP folds, V1 calls.

River (208):
Q
V1 bets 200 AI, Hero folds.

V1 leads out for double pot, I decide to flat because I have a strong but not nutted hand, I think raising is probably an overplay. When V1 bets tiny OTT I am now pretty confident I have the best hand and put in a raise (maybe could have sized it a bit bigger). River brings a flush card, V1 could plausibly take this line with a FD and I think it would be an odd spot to bluff so I give her credit and let it go.

Hand 15 Results

Here is my latest vlog-



Here is an original called "Glistening Guillotine"-



Here is one of my paintings-



Everyone does, that's why it's good to be a part of a synergistic community such as 2+2 and PG&C. Cheers, same to you!

You make some good points. My first inclination was to raise, I'd say more often than not I'll play big combo draws aggressively. I felt this spot was slightly different because there are so many other stations in the hand. I would guess the most likely result of a shove would be getting 1 caller and I would have roughly 50% equity. So we would be flipping and chopping up the dead money and that is certainly +EV and better than folding.

I decided drawing at a cheap price and going for value if we improve was higher EV. Though it's hard to work out the exact math with so many undefined ranges.

PIappreciatethethoughtsA

We certainly have a strong draw with a ton of equity assuming our outs are clean (we aren't drawing to the nut str8 or flush). I think there is more value in flatting and keeping in hands we dominate rather than putting in even a small raise OTF that might knock out people that can pay us off if we make our hand. We also minimize our loses when we brick out.

You make a valid argument regarding a raise vs a shove, I think there are a lot of similar spots where this concept holds true. Thanks for the input.

Mini Challenge #15

[25.5] 50 hrs poker
[18] 10 hrs art
[5.5] 10 hrs dating and social life
[9] 5 hrs music
[1] 5 hrs volunteering/organizing
[13] 5 hrs reading
[2] 5 hrs to do list
[8] 10 meditation sessions
[5/5] 5 runs/5 calisthenics sessions

2016 GOALS

[382] 1800 hrs poker
[145] 360 hrs art
[133.5] 360 hrs dating and social life
[101.5] 180 hrs music
[14] 180 hrs volunteering/organizing
[53.5] 180 hrs reading
[85] 180 hrs to do list
[41] 360 meditation sessions
[72] 180 runs/180 calisthenics sessions
[ ] Travel to 6 new places + Europe

I really like this most recent painting; interesting how your style has evolved.

"Great minds have great purposes, others have wishes. Little minds are tamed and subdued by misfortune; but great minds rise above them."
- Washington Irving

Slotzilla



Things are Heating Up in LV



Fremont St East





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I felt I was in the groove for the first part of the mini challenge then got a little off track. I've been feeling a little sick the last few days but I hope to be back to feeling 100% so I can get in more volume.

Hand 17:

1/2 NL (9 handed)
V1 (340)- straight forward, has had the goods at sd
Hero's Image (300)- tag

Preflop (3):
Hero is MP dealt AK
UTG limps, Hero raise to 10, V1 calls from BB, UTG folds.

Flop (20):
A97
V1 checks, Hero bets 12, V1 calls.

Turn (42):
5
V1 checks, Hero bets 25, V1 calls.

River (92):
8
V1 bets 45, Hero calls.

Preflop through turn, pretty standard going for value and charging draws. OTR 6x gets there but the flushes brick. It's kinda odd that V is passive the whole way then leads OTR. He could should up with 6x or maybe 2p but also a some Ax and maybe missed draw so I think we should call.

Hand 16 Results

Here is my latest vlog-





Here is a cover of the intro to "Aries" by Unearth-





Here is one of my paintings-



Thanks a lot. I believe experimenting and frequent practice has helped me progress the last couple of years. I look at some of my old stuff and some of it is not very good but it was a stepping stone and all part of the gradual refinement of my individual style.

Mini Challenge #16

[22.5] 50 hrs poker
[11] 10 hrs art
[8.5] 10 hrs dating and social life
[9] 5 hrs music
[4] 5 hrs volunteering/organizing
[6.5] 5 hrs reading
[5] 5 hrs to do list
[6] 10 meditation sessions
[2/2] 5 runs/5 calisthenics sessions

2016 GOALS

[404.5] 1800 hrs poker
[156] 360 hrs art
[142] 360 hrs dating and social life
[110.5] 180 hrs music
[18] 180 hrs volunteering/organizing
[60] 180 hrs reading
[90] 180 hrs to do list
[47] 360 meditation sessions
[76] 180 runs/180 calisthenics sessions
[ ] Travel to 6 new places + Europe

"Great things are done by a series of small things brought together."- Vincent Van Gogh

Summer Solstice Full Moon



Aria



Follow my story live on SC http://www.snapchat.com/add/zxxcarlxxz



I am happy to report I met my hours goal for the mini challenge. I feel like I have a little momentum so let's keep it rolling.

I had a small bet on the Warriors in game 7, a little disappointed they couldn't close it out.

I reread "The War of Art" by Stephen Pressfield. I like this book because it is equally applicable to poker as it is to painting and music. We have all experienced resistance but recognizing it and calling it out by name has a powerful effect. I highly recommend this book to everyone.

I've also been reading "Elements of Poker" by Tommy Angelo, I like his writing style as it is entertaining and engaging while getting nuanced points across. One concept he mentions is "6th street" which is usually the easiest time to extract info regarding how your opponents think. Most people let their guard down after the betting has concluded.

Hand 18:

1/3 NL (9 handed)
V1 (300)- loose
Hero's Image (450)- tag

Preflop (3):
Hero is BTN dealt A3
2 limps, V1 limps LP, Hero limps btn.

Flop (15):
AQ8
Checks to Hero who bets 10, all call.

Turn (72):
3
Checks to Hero who bets 35, only V1 calls.

River (142):
2
V1 checks, Hero bets 50, V1 c/r to 165, Hero calls.

Sometimes I'll iso, sometimes I'll overlimp preflop. We flop tp no kicker, still worth a vbet. OTT we make 2p and can be pretty confident we have the best hand. OTR we can c/r which can mean trouble a lot of times, the bd flush did get there. We are getting decent odds and I have a read so I make the call.

Hand 17 Results

Here is my latest vlog-





Here is an original call "War of Attrition"-





Here is one of my paintings-



Mini Challenge #17

[50] 50 hrs poker
[11] 10 hrs art
[6] 10 hrs dating and social life
[3.5] 5 hrs music
[6] 5 hrs volunteering/organizing
[8] 5 hrs reading
[3.5] 5 hrs to do list
[9] 10 meditation sessions
[7] 10 fitness sessions

2016 GOALS

[454.5] 1800 hrs poker
[167] 360 hrs art
[148] 360 hrs dating and social life
[114] 180 hrs music
[24] 180 hrs volunteering/organizing
[68] 180 hrs reading
[93.5] 180 hrs to do list
[56] 360 meditation sessions
[83] 360 fitness sessions
[ ] Travel to 6 new places + Europe

"A person with a clear purpose will make progress on even the roughest road. A person with no purpose will make no progress on even the smoothest road."- Thomas Carlyle

Cool Sky



The Strip





Follow my story live on Snapchat http://www.snapchat.com/add/zxxcarlxxz



Just wanted to give a shout out to everyone who has said whats to me while out here for the Series, hope you all are doing well.

I've been going to Toastmasters meetings twice a month for the last 7 months and I think it has been a positive group to be around, learned a lot. Vanessa Rousso and her wife showed up as guests at the last meeting so it was cool to chat with her for a bit. She seemed very down to earth, we can both relate to the grind of poker and being a musician as well.

It was also cool to grab a bite with PG&C legend ButterflySymmetry. Super chill guy and in case you haven't already, go check out his poker vlog>>> https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCF_...M8GQwDS8ZDeO7Q

I am happy to report we knocked out 4 volunteer meet ups this month despite the scorching temps outside. If you are ever in Vegas and would like to get involved check out this thread in LVL for the details>>> http://forumserver.twoplustwo.com/10...ation-1539274/

I know I've been saying I wanted to get back to posting some more poker room reviews, but I am serious this time. Those will start dropping this week, already have all the clips for Aria just have to edit and upload. I have been using TheTrooper97's old point and shoot camera so the night time and indoor clips should look much better than the mushy purple clips I was getting on my htc phone.

I also am going to get back into that 2+2 art project I was working on last year… stay tuned.

I've been continuing to read "Elements of Poker" by Tommy Angelo I love his term for early position: WOOPS (way out of position sadly) and "Professional Poker" by Mark Blade both great books with lots of little tidbits of info. The chapter called "Is Poker Still Fun When You Play Full-Time" definitely resonated with me.

Hand 19:

1/3 NL (9 handed)
V1 (254)- haven't seen him play a hand
Hero's Image (500)- tag

Preflop (4):
Hero is UTG dealt KK
Hero raise to 12, V1 calls in MP, LP calls.

Flop (37):
832
Hero bets 25, V1 calls, LP folds.

Turn (86):
6
Hero bets 60, V1 raises to 150, Hero goes AI for 217 total, V1 calls.

River (520):
A
Action complete.

It probably would be bad to GII OTT this deep on a dry board but with all the draws present and less than a PSB left after my bet I'm ok stacking off here.

Hand 18 Results

Here is my latest vlog-



Here is cover of "Unknown Soldier" by The Casualties-





Here is one of my paintings-



Mini Challenge #18

[28.5] 50 hrs poker
[15] 10 hrs art
[15] 10 hrs dating and social life
[7] 5 hrs music
[8.5] 5 hrs volunteering/organizing
[13.5] 5 hrs reading
[15] 5 hrs to do list
[10] 10 meditation sessions
[8] 10 fitness sessions

2016 GOALS

[483] 1800 hrs poker
[182] 360 hrs art
[163] 360 hrs dating and social life
[121] 180 hrs music
[32.5] 180 hrs volunteering/organizing
[81.5] 180 hrs reading
[108.5] 180 hrs to do list
[66] 360 meditation sessions
[91] 360 fitness sessions
[ ] Travel to 6 new places + Europe

Wow, just discovered this blog. You are putting in work my man. I'd admire your work ethic, especially across such a broad array of subjects. You're art is really intriguing as well.

I'm guessing you don't own or watch a lot of TV (my personal nemesis to getting things done)

Anyway, well done and much success!

"Don't go through life, grow through life."- Eric Butterworth

The Only Card I Need





All the Utility Boxes Along Maryland pkwy are Painted



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I had a fun time on the 4th of July BBQing back at my old pad the Meridian and chilling with the homies.

I've decided to get out of town for a few days to hit up Zion National Park for a little hiking and introspection. I've been a couple times before and it is really spectacular so I can't wait.

In "Professional Poker" by Mark Blade there is a chapter called "will you be able to look at yourself in the mirror" that talks about the moral implications of playing poker as a job. We both agree that there is nothing immoral about it, but that it is not on the highest end of the spectrum of affecting the world in a meaningful positive way such as a doctor or marine biologist. It is something I've thought about a lot over the last few years seeing as I've spent thousands of hours playing poker. I don't seem to derive much fulfillment out of playing. As far as the direct impact of playing poker on the world, it is minimal. I find musical and artistic pursuits more fulfilling as there is a trace left behind, a legacy when I die… Just my feelings lately, maybe it is different for very super successful players?

Hand 20:

1/2 NL (9 handed)
V1 (235)- lag, seen him 3x pot OTR with a str8 on 3 flush board, stack off with middle pair a few times.
Hero's Image (600)- tag, have 3b V1 like 5 times in the last couple hours and he folded pre each time

Preflop (3):
Hero is BB dealt QQ
1 EP limp, MP raises to 4, MP calls, V1 3b to 15 OTB, SB calls, Hero 4b to 70, folds back to V1 who ships it for 235 total, folds to Hero who calls.

At first I thought it’s a slam dunk GII but later I considered it might have been a mistake. He had been opening loose and playing loose post flop but his 3b+ range seems to be nutted. Not sure if he rips it with all AK combos, I think this could be a 4b/f spot, very close with only PSB left.

Hand 19 Results

Here is my latest vlog-



Here is an original call "Break From Reality"-





Here is one of my paintings-



Thanks, though I know I could be working harder and accomplishing more.

Yeah I haven't watched a set top TV in a few years. I do watch a lot of youtube, but at least some of it educational and interactive. I do find myself getting sucked into it some days and would benefit from cutting back.

Jim Rohn said in one of his speeches, even if you buy a huge screen TV, the price to acquire it is much cheaper than the price to watch it… opportunity cost!

I was also playing poker with a trained hypnotist and he mentioned TV actually puts us in a trance. Within 1 min of beginning to watch TV our brainwaves are switched from beta (associated with logic) to low alpha (associated with suggestibility). I guess that's why it's a favorite tool of marketers and propagandists.

Like alcohol or caffeine, TV addiction seems to be widely acceptable by modern society.

Mini Challenge #19

[30] 50 hrs poker
[24.5] 10 hrs art
[14.5] 10 hrs dating and social life
[6] 5 hrs music
[0] 5 hrs volunteering/organizing
[6.5] 5 hrs reading
[10] 5 hrs to do list
[10] 10 meditation sessions
[7] 10 fitness sessions

2016 GOALS

[513] 1400 hrs poker
[206.5] 360 hrs art
[177.5] 360 hrs dating and social life
[127] 180 hrs music
[32.5] 180 hrs volunteering/organizing
[88] 180 hrs reading
[118.5] 180 hrs to do list
[76] 360 meditation sessions
[98] 360 fitness sessions
[ ] Travel to 6 new places + Europe

Awsome Thread!

I'm living proof of this, my parents used tv as a babysitter so it seems especially engrained in me. Sold my TV in college and my grades skyrocketed, but I slowly drifted back to it after college. Then a buddy of mine talked me into the DVR and that was all she wrote.

Plus TV is just so damn good these days...Im pathetic

"Tiger Woods is the consummate professional. It would never occur to him, as it would to an amateur, that he knows everything, or can figure everything out on his own."- Steven Pressfield

Zion National Park









Bryce Canyon National Park





Mesquite, NV



WSOP has wrapped up, I think I played decently well throughout and got in a little study time. One of my weakest points has been volume and I definitely should have played more. It was great to catch up with a bunch of poker buddies from around the country that passed through, my group of friends and acquaintances seems to snowball and grow every summer.

My trip to Zion and Bryce was awe inspiring. I hiked a trail in Zion called Angel's Landing, it was really amazing. It starts with a gradual grade along the creek then ramps up the canyon wall with switch-backs, and finally ends along a difficult and dangerous scramble up a sharp shark fin shaped ridge with chains to hold onto to avoid falling thousands of feet. It was refreshing to escape the city to nature. I would like to eventually see all of the national parks.

I stopped by Eureka Casino in Mesquite which is a tiny town on the border of NV and AZ, I played some L08 and 1/3 NL. I of course snagged another poker chip for my collection.

My focus for the rest of the year will be saving for some trips to Boston, NYC, Seattle, Tampa, and Dallas to check out the poker rooms in those vicinities. Also, if things go well a trip to Europe.

I've decided I want to run the LV Rock n Roll marathon again this Nov. I also want to run the Dallas marathon in Dec. I'll be ratcheting up my training to get in top shape for these events.

One interesting topic in "Elements of Poker" by Tommy Angelo was when he talks about grey area decisions or marginal spots. Poker players tend to spend too much time focusing on and debating these spots when the difference between 2 different lines may be negligible or there may not be enough info to draw conclusions. We should therefore focus most of our time and energy to make sure we are making the correct decisions in black and white spots.

Hand 21:

1/2 NL (9 handed)
V1 (210)- lag, he min 3b me and called off 50bb aipf with 66
Hero's Image (300)- lag, been caught semibluffing (and binking a bd flush after flopping a gutter)

Preflop (3):
Hero is BB dealt AQ
2 MP limps, V1 limps OTB, SB calls, Hero raises to 16, folds back to V1 who calls, SB folds.

Flop (33):
Q83
Hero bets 20, V1 calls.

Turn (73):
A
Hero bets 50, V1 calls.

River (173):
T
Hero bets 124, V1 calls.

Pretty straight forward B/B/B line. I think maybe a former self would have tried to slowplay or throw a check in somewhere for "deception". I think the ABC fastplaying line is the most certain way to get stacks in.

Hand 20 Results

Here is my latest vlog-



Here is a cover of "Mommy's Little Monster" by Social Distortion-



Here is one of my paintings-



Thanks dude!

Confession, I've never seen an episode of Breaking Bad or Game of Thrones. There is plenty of buzz around shows such as these and I'm sure they are well done and captivating, but somehow when I'm on my death bed I doubt one of my regrets in life will have been not watching enough TV.

Mini Challenge #20

[22] 50 hrs poker
[10] 10 hrs art
[2] 10 hrs dating and social life
[2.5] 5 hrs music
[0] 5 hrs volunteering/organizing
[3.5] 5 hrs reading
[7] 5 hrs to do list
[4] 10 meditation sessions
[4] 10 fitness sessions

2016 GOALS

[535] 1400 hrs poker
[216.5] 360 hrs art
[179.5] 360 hrs dating and social life
[129.5] 180 hrs music
[32.5] 180 hrs volunteering/organizing
[93.5] 180 hrs reading
[125.5] 180 hrs to do list
[80] 360 meditation sessions
[102] 360 fitness sessions
[ ] Travel to 6 new places + Europe