Played in a tourney since I didn't have to work today and placed 5th out of 81 entries. Tried to get a 5 way chop that would have doubled my take and have everyone better than 3rd place money, but chip leader denied.

Oh well.

The HPT Poker tournaments are around the corner. I'm considering playing in those, would love to get into the main event there.

There's lots of satellites and I might try a few. Here's to hoping.

Played a NL session today. Big pairs didn't hold up and I played JJ terribly. AA got cracked, but money went in as a 4-1 favorite. KK got cracked by A3.

-$120.

Also played a $20 tourney and played fast and flipped early on with AKcc vs QQ and hit an Ace, unfortunately on a 4 heart board.

I felt like I was playing very well, very confident in my reads and my hands. In a fast tournament I felt I shouldn't lay down an overpair, so I went with it and lost that. Went in with 77 and villain flopped a set of 5s.

The graph won't show a profit, but today was a good one, just ended up on the wrong side of variance.

Pending this potential new job, I'll be playing NL a lot more and will probably play in Motor City on occasion. I'm sure I'll make trips to Soaring Eagle as well. I'll get started on this grind and fund my roll.

The idea is to get to 2/5, and use a small percentage of winnings to pay off my house.

I do play in Michigan. Mostly $2/5 at MCC.

Sorry about your job, good luck at the tables...

Thanks, always need good luck. Hopefully I will see you at 2/5 in 2014 on occasion. Maybe you'll be playing mostly 5/T by that time.

Luckys down too now.. Sort of but not really.. I almost quit the palace before we shut down just to put my focus into playing the game again and not dealing.. I think it's a blessing in disguise really... ****ting where you eat isn't awesome but the money is really downtown @ the big 3 anyway...

I'd be down for some MC trips in the near future, Knocking on wood here but I've lost once out of 10-15 times there playing 1/2 there in which I was on life tilt before sitting.. I've found the play there to be absolutely horrendous for the most part.. Maybe that's changed since I've went but I doubt it.. Oh and as far as having an advantage from being a dealer goes, it just depends on where you're coming from in the first place.. If you have a winning mindset and good fundamentals it has the pretty big advantage of being paid to see a ton of hands where you don't have to invest anything other than your time and if you're a sponge about it there's lots of value in picking up on player types and tendencies after hours upon hours dealing to them..

Maybe live poker is where it's at, tons of casuals.. live tells.. guess it depends on your mentality.. My 2c

GL and also subbed

We will definitely take a trip. I took a hit playing NL early when I started this thread, but I have hit an upswing after taking a look at some leaks I thought I had. It would be nice to have another person in the small group of actual people I talk to about poker.

Always down to talk pokers unless I got a bunch'o games up

Looks like I can plan to keep a poker bankroll completely separate from my life roll around February. I've got to pay my Dad back some dollars before I can feel good about risking $200 on a buy in to get started.

At some point when I do get established, I am considering taking a personal percentage rake off wins to potentially help fund some side projects. (building a desktop, maybe some home improvement, other miscellaneous hobbies, spoil my girl for putting up with my silly poker habits) Curious how others feel about that, I realize it could delay some progress to 2/5NLHE, which is my goal for now.

My tentative plan/outline (since charity rooms are pretty much nonexistent) is to play 1/2 at the nearest casinos until I get a bankroll of $~2k. I'll then take the occasional 1BI shot at 2/5, but keep playing primarily 1/2 regardless of outcome until I get to $6k and try to shift my main game to more 2/5.

The lowest limit of live NL is 1/2 in most casinos, and logically the next step up is 2/5. I think that is an achievable goal for the foreseeable future. One step above the smallest stakes will keep me in perspective I would be happy with that. Anything beyond will be great, not saying it will happen, but I'm being optimistic and setting realistic goals for myself.

For starters, I think I will track hands I play and post them. Similar to how a few PGC threads have done. I always enjoy constructive criticism because that's how we get better.

Interested in stakes to possibly get an early start.

Just a quick update:

When I begin playing, (maybe next week in tournaments) I will keep a tab on the small amount of debt I owe, along with results. Once I repay what I owe, I can begin to rebuild a bankroll and chase this little dream.

Good luck everyone.

Quick update:

I'll be playing a couple tournaments at the charity rooms, but eventually I'll move to Motor City cash games.

I'm on my way to dinner with friends now. We will be playing shortly after.

Hopefully things go well and we can get this roll on the right track.

I've been lacking in the cards department, makes me feel like I've already got a leak. We've been a little short handed, so I've tried to open up a little and play in position, but I haven't connected with any boards.

Also lost twice by checking it down. Probably scared money.

Flopped top two and money went in on turn. I c/r OTF and shipped turn.

Traveled with my friends and are likely to call it a session soon.

In for $300, cashed out $501.

I made mistakes, but I think I played my B game. Always room for improvement and plugging leaks, hopefully this continues to be a successful hobby.

I'll post HH when I'm able.

Planning to play at Motor City this weekend, looks like Friday night for now.

Looking at last week's session, I think I can wait a little longer and develop more solid reads and a feel for the table before playing a wider range.

I feel I need to work on my play in later streets. Bet sizing has been a focus as well.

Hand 1:

V1: Folded J8 on a J84hh 2h Ac board saying "that ace was the worst card" with no mention of a flush. Check raised all-in with TT OTT after bet/calling a raise OTF ( QJ9ss Qs ).
Has shown down many losers tonight. This is definitely a player I want to isolate, but he is directly to my left. ($300)

V2: Had the table give him $500-$700 within the past round, running well. seems to only show down winners, but has shown down hands like Q6hh as well. ($1000ish)

V3: New to the table. Older, clean shaven middle eastern man in a suit. Seems to know the dealer. ($230?)

Hero: Short, red hair, black frame glasses, wearing a hat dressed in jeans and long sleeve shirt. Shown down a couple airs that lost to better airs after hero raised pre. Has shown strong hands after that, and has been playing in position and developing reads for the generally weak table. ($215?)

Hero: BB
V1: UTG
V2: MP
V3: CO

V1 raise to $6, V2, V3

call. Hero decides to call the extra $4 with J8o.

I'm thinking this should be a fold pre. I think I was just anxious to be in another pot with V1.

Flop: Js 8h 7h ($25)

Check, check, check, V3 bets $20. Hero raises to $70. Folds to V3 who considers for less than 15 seconds and calls.

Turn: 6c ($165)

Hero thinks for a few seconds before shoving. (~$140)

Villain takes minutes before calling.

Headed down to play again with my brother. I may post another hand I have in mind and post it to LLSNL as well.

Edit: Sorry for the break.

Fold that pre all day

Played well postflop but the pre is a severe leak

Gl

I figured all of the above, one of the very few terrible hands I played. Thanks for the input. Hope your Chicago trip has went well, been meaning to check out your thread.

BUSTO

But I recently have gotten internet services. So I'll be playing online in addition to my infrequent trips to Motor City.

Home game tomorrow.

Went busto. Should be rejoining the poker community as a player very soon. Time to chase a dream.

A lot has happened since I posted this years ago. I started a new career, I got married and moved across the country.

I am at that point where I’d like to try to make poker a profitable hobby of mine again. Ideally I will be playing at The Arena Poker Room At Talking Stick Casino in Arizona, probably some other places near Phoenix as well. Hoping this thread will give me feedback and accountability.