I'm running bad lately and am disgusted with the results. This is how my last 4 live sessions have ended. All the sessions are $2/$100 spread ($1/$2 blinds, max bet $100).

(Session 1) $150 starting stack. I'm in MP with AJos, 1 limper to me, I raise to $14. Players (all unknown but a few reads from a few orbits) were sticky and liked to see flop, so decided to raise it 7x pre. I also had just lost a hand prior and so wanted to act a little tilty. 2 callers behind and player in BB shoves his remaining $60. Folds around to me, I call. Limper folds, 2 players behind also call. Pot $243. I have $90 behind, 3 players, including me, to flop (and a side pot with one all-in player) I'm first to act. Flop comes A 5 4 rainbow. I bet my last $90, 1 caller and 1 fold. Turn Q. River 6. He shows 56os. Other opponent all in for side pot shows A3 suited

(Session 2) #1 hand: MP player limps + 2 players limp, I raise on button with QKos to $10 three callers, flop K85 two hearts, I bet $28, one caller, turn K , I bet $60 he calls, river 2 hearts, I bet $100, he calls and shows AK

#2 hand: 8 hands later, on button again with J9 clubs, 3 limpers, cutoff raises to $12, I call and limpers call, flop J86 two hearts, checks around to me I bet $25, one caller - not preflop raiser- turn 4 non heart, he checks, I bet $80 (didn't want him to draw out and figured I'd just take the pot down here, normally I'd bet smaller yet large enough to make drawing mathematically flawed, but I couldn't rebuy and wanted to play since this was my like 2nd orbit lol), so he shoves and I have $20 behind and obviously have to call. He shows pocket 44's.

(Session 3) I limp UTG with 10 8 suited with about $350 behind. 4 other limpers behind and blinds check. Flop is 7 4 9. I lead out $10. A nitty 23 year old to my left raises to $30 and has me covered. Haven't seen any flops yet with this player in the 2 hours I've sat at the table. I folded 2 times when he 3 bet my EP preflop raise. My table image is TAG and I believe this player perceives me as good. I call. Turn is J. I lead out $40. He max bets $100. I re-max $100. He calls. Pot is now $570. After he max bets I'm thinking he either has the same hand I do or a set of 77's, 99's, JJ's. I don't think he would max bet with 44's, so I know it's one of those 4 hands. When I 4 bet another $100 and he just calls instead of raises, I know he doesn't have the nuts and he either has 99's or JJ's. So as the dealer is ready to turn the river, I'm thinking hopefully the board doesn't pair...River is 4 . I check, he max bets $100, I fold. He shows me JJ's. He ships the $570.

(Session 4) I open UTG to $10 with AKs with about $250 behind. Folds around to Big Blind who 3 bets to $30 with about $80 behind. I max $100 he calls. I know I would have folded if the cards weren't suited. Thinking back on it, not sure I love this play. I don't think I have any fold equity against this player and I haven't seen this player 3 bet once. Although he is very weak and plays poorly and is a calling station. Plus it's only $100 and I have a suited Ace King, so it can't be the worst thing in the world, but I maybe should have just folded knowing I was probably a coin flip at best. He calls and shows aces. I don't improve.

So, what exactly is my challenge? My goal for the month of May, June, and July is to put in at least 100 hours total strictly playing $2/$100 spread limit. Those hours would be a lot higher except for the fact that (1) I work 70 hours/week every night (2) I'm not 100% sure that I can sustain profitable play. So I'm not going to create an unrealistic goal I'm not capable of completing. I'll also keep track of the profits/losses. Since the beginning of May I've put in about 3 hours and have lost $545 (hand history in first post).

Total: 3/100
Profit: -$545.

GL!!
don't let variance defeat you!!

Just got back from another short session at Canterbury. Bought in for $420 at $2/$100 spread. Second orbit in BB with pocket aces. UTG aggressive player makes it $8 and 3 callers. I make $34. One caller in MP, everyone else folds. Pot $83. Flop comes 9104. I lead $56. He calls. Pot $195. Turn Q. I max bet $100. He remaxes $100. I call. Pot $495. I check 2, he maxes $100, I call. He shows 99's. Pot $695.

Up to the 3bet turn call I played it good I think. I was pretty sure I was beat after the raise, but I made a tilting call. Calling $100 to win $395. I need 25% equity here and after he 3bets I think his range is pretty polarized to a set/straight. To a set I have 10% equity and to a straight I'm drawing dead. So flush $200 down the toilet. Should have only lost $200 on that hand. But I figured I already had $200 invested in the pot and with $200 behind it's whatever. Bad on me.

So "run bad" still continues:
Hours: 4/100
Profit: -$945 (4 3/4 buy-ins)

This is like a 200 hand 5 buy-in downswing. I don't have an expert understanding of variance, and I hear stories about people having 20 buy-in downswings, even worse, but over 200 hands for me to have a 5 buy-in downswing is pretty rough, especially since it's live.