Picking up my chips from table. Dinner break. Currently stuck $374, and contemplating to play more after some grub.
I actually got it back to even at one point, and then a few hands later...disaster! I flop bottom set against a pair and nut flush draw (A7). Flop is 2 4 7. We get it All n on flop, and it goes 3 on turn.... Wait for it......BOOM 5 on river!! Lost $320 that hand. Jus when I got unstuck, it was quickly back to an uphill climb. What makes it worse is that everyone is a comedian at the table today. It's hard to find the humor in these many jokes from the 4seat when I'm stuck. Poker is not fun today.

No i was feeling gd. I just had 3 (had to drive). Gd read on the Pale Ale tho, and not the other.

My last update on today's sesh... After dinner I decided to head out, but on the way out I cut my losses by 25%. On Sundays here at HSI they have a free "Spin the Wheel of Fortune Promo", and all u have to do is swipe ur connection card at the kiosk. I fig I wd spin on the way out, and whatcha u know I won $100!
Today's Final Update -$374cash +$100 Promo = -$274today

Preciate those updates today. neat to follow. hope u meet your challenge

I remember horseshoe indiana having hot cocktail waitresses . Keep up the good work op

@emptinpockets and I r heading to Hollywd Friday 10am ish if anyone else wants to roll for the day. Emptinpockets might play the $200k gar and im playing just 1/3 cash. Got room in car for 2 more. Inbox me if want to roll. Gl grinders.

I heard about this site from a poker player at Elizabeth, IN Horseshoe. After reading this blog, I'm hooked. Im glad you are doing this for all the 1-2 players, and will be fo sure following along. Is your plan after the challenge is completed to play higher limits next year? What's the long term plan with you and poker? I read that you have played as high as 25-50no limit online, but then diversfied your baankroll because of the stress with higher limits. So just wondering what comes after this challenge?
Thanks to Scott for letting me know about this site, and good luck Rayzing Ray

Your description of the home game was spot on and brought back vivid memories playing at buddies houses back in the day!!

Should be doing 5d at Hollywood Friday, boss won't let me off to do 5c as I wanted, but luckily been pushing OT all week so I can play Day 2 as well... Have to swing over and say hey again!

@samesaclean Thanks and glad u found it. To answer your questions.
1)Yes it is my plan to play higher next year. although during the week its mostly 1/2 at the shoe. But Friday/Sat 2/5 and the 5/10. Might try online next year so i can reg 2/5 tables, or multi table 1/2s. Not sure? Still kind of gun shy w online after still not seeing any of my cheddar from FullTilt. I wd really like to play 2-5 (1k max) or 5/10 live daily, but its not an option w/o traveling. I just know my fam isn’t moving so I can play these limits daily. Ive already tried that talk many times. I always push for Florida (I hear poker is booming in FL, plus my dad lives there), but the “boss lady” isn’t going for it at all. For her to move away from her parents wd b like taking Linus' blanket from him! I don’t blame her tho. Plus I wd only move if my 9yr old was on board. I wdnt want to take her away from her friends. I guess my long term plan is to just take my time, and keep poker fun. To play poker for a living, it takes a deep passion for the game, and a headstrong attitude. I’m just gonna be patient, be wise, and work my way up. I think long term I may play more tournaments and less cash. Im not quiting this game until I bink a $100k+ tourney.
2 When I played 25-50online it was just a handful of times. I was just taking some shots after some gd scores.
3) I guess after this year’s challenge is over I wd like to take a week to reflect/vaca. Then jump into some bigger games. Also wd like to do the "Summer Vegas Thing" next year. Mayb stay 3 weeks play a handful of tourneys and grind, grind, grind. .. Just like my teeth at night.

@hello7027 go get em! Is it u, and the crew? Did u get a room? Ill look for ya... Gl

After 121 days of 365. 33% done!
CASH GAME: $12,568 total. 443 total hrs. $28/Hr. 75 total Sessions (53 Winning Sessions 70% - 22 Losing Sessions 30%). Avg Buy in on winning sessions $368 – Avg won on winning sessions $371. Avg Buy in on Losing Sessions $394 – Avg Lost on losing sessions $324.
Tourney: -$1,680 total. Total Cash 1. Total no cash 6.
Promo Cash: $300.
Review: I need to log more hours!! 26hr/wk avg. The Rental Properties, my Family, and being a Tennis Junkie is keeping me from the 30hr/wk avg I need. Though I am happy with these results, and hope it can continue.
Poker…. It’s a “hard way to make an easy living”.
God Bless

Hoping to book a room soon or sleep in the car all weekend!

It's just 2/3rds of the #pokergang going. The brains, @onceharby, has prior commitments... the mouth, @acekicker56, will be there with me

1/3 may not go for awhile today--it took awhile for it to get started yesterday.

Pleasantly surprised to c it's going right now. I walk in and no wait -straight to 1/3.
Gd luck to my buds n tourney @emptinpockets @hello7027 @acekickers56 @jcary.

The Hollywood started off like a bitch slap and ended like a chair getting pulled from underneath me… But in between it was like eating Twinkies –All Good!
We roll up around 11am and right away I start playing 1/3nhle buying in for $500. My second hand played I raise the sb to $20 w A K after 4 limpers. Utg called w K 7, and the remaining 3 called as well. The Flop is K 6 7. I check, UTG bets $45, then its folded to me. I call… The turn is 2, I check call (for pot control) $75. The river is a J. I check, hoping it gets checked behind. I really could only beat K Q, and if he has KJ then 2 pair got there. Possible same hand, but doesn’t feel like it. He bets $100 on river. I call… hoping its KQ, K10, bluff 89, 56, air??? I called, and saw his 2pair. Second hand played and down $240. After losing I tell the table, “damn, I wish I wd have played the tourney now.”
So I add on another $250 to my stack, and now in the game for $750. Within an hour, I got it back to even when I my pocket KK finds a friend on the flop K. I check, and the turn is a J. Which gives Villain (JJ) a set w his pocket pair. Fireworks on the turn, and we get it all in. I win a nice $600 pot on set over set.
Over the next couple of hours I build my stack up to $1700. Around 6pm @emptinpockets is done with his flight and we plan on leaving around 7pm. As I wait for some of my buds @hello7027 @Acekickers56 to arrive for the 1d start I start to realize how much I like Hollywood. I once liked it better downstairs, but now the pendulum is swinging the other direction. Im starting to like it upstairs more. The openness, better reception, better lighting, multiple tv views (sucked to c the Cubbies blow it in the bottom of 9th w bases loaded down 5-4), and they even replaced the noisy slots for some quieter ones around that area. The dealers and staff are great too. I also like the fact that you can view the poker lists from the tables.
As I gear up to leave, and I did something I never do. PLAY OUT OF A RACK! It took me 2 deals to rack up my chips. 1st deal easy fold as my 40stacks go into rack 1… 2nd deal- OH OH! Its JJ in UTG+1, I limp and MP makes it $15 one other caller, and I limpraise to $45 as I casually rack up chips into rack 2. Call from to the 2MP players. The flop is Q57 I lead out $70 (which wd put both players all in), fold from one player and call from other w K4 flush draw. Brick on turn, and 5 on river. Ugh the ole K4 got there. My chips get all racked up and I pat the table…+$799

Forgive me if you have already discussed this, but do you prefer live or online? Are you plaing any online? If so, is it going towards this challenge?
Sorry so many questions. Just trying to get caught up. Wish you luck. Rooting for you

I want to play that next home game lol. Keep it up, I'm just north of Indy so not to far from you.

Im one of the few that prefers live to online (more information live). Not playing online at the moment. A little "gun shy" after not having my money from FTilt. W the legalization in Nevada, im projecting Indiana within 2 years. I plan on playing online again when it becomes legal in Indiana.
Lol. The game is $50 buyn w rebuys. But the game is so slow and unorganized. Even tho its +ev, I usually stay away. Not a big fan of home games unless its a big game or for charity.

Thanks everyone for the motivation and encouragement. It really means a lot.
After 246 votes, $22k to $28k has received the most votes (25% Of votes) for the poll question of, "What is a realistic annual earning of a solid 1/2 player putting n 40hrs/wk?" And only 18% believe more than $40k is realistic.
Been running better than Usain Bolt. #JinxIsSet

Those that don't think 40K is possible don't understand the dynamic that exists at HSI.

There might not be another 1/2 game like it anywhere.

We had 19K on the table Sunday at 2pm.

Gotta live the Derby Action. I remember a few yrs ago a guy was straddling $1k every button on 2/5nhle. He had endless amount of buyns. Players were fighting to sit to the right of him. If everyone folded pf, if player to right of straddle was holding Ace hi it wd be an all in. Derby brings in sm HUGE gamboolerzzzzs w deep pockets. Agree HsI might hv te best 1/2 game around. Btw @fluke22 we still on for tennis Wednesday at 4?

Yes...Clarksville Middle is good. Might need to watch the weather.

+$452 yesterday and -$496 today in just 1 hr! I'm the king at jinxing myself. Could of played another $300, but just not in the mood. Go to poker room today and find out one of my fav dealers died last night. Then get coolered a couple big pots and just didnt want to b there anymore. Today has put a lot things in perspective for me. Gonna regroup/refocus/reflect. The whole day this far has felt like a big ole cooler. God is still good

Still on track to hit your goal?

35% completed $13,200 X 2.86 = $37,752 Annual Cash Projections. A bit behind pace to hit my goal of $40k

I never thought I wd make it to the 100 post mark. Thanks for the support.

MY QUESTION TO U GUYS IS DO U STILL SHOVE TURN EVEN IF U PUT VILLAIN ON AQ?

GAME SUMMARY: 1/2nhle table only been playing for an hour. Not much history on players/dynamics
VILLAIN: 30yr old, above average player, a bit snug/tight, quiet, haven’t seen any errors from him within the first hr of play. STACK SIZE $260ish. AQ limps UTG
ME: J9OTB, STACK SIZE $400ish.
THE HAND: Villain/UTG limps w AQ, followed by 4 other limpers, and I make it $13 otb w J9. Villain calls as does 1 other player from middle position. The flop is Q 10 4 … Villain leads out $15 into a $45pot, MP folds, and I raise to $60. Villain is hesitant to call, but after deliberating he does make the call. With his indecisiveness to make the call, I pretty much narrowed down his hand range to KQ, AQ, JQ. Also, AK or Q10 are both possible too, but not likely (AK suited hearts, Q10 wd prob jam flop w theses hands, and/or not look so pained to call after I raise flop with these 2 possible hands. Therefore, I pretty much eliminated those 2 hands). Pot is now $165…
The turn is 5. Villain checks and I shove all in (Villain has $188 left). After tanking, Villain calls. Oh oH, time to hit a 15outer! River is Brick City. I lose.
After reviewing this hand, I think I still would do the same thing even if I saw his hand face up. I did put Villain on KQ or AQ after he calls my flop raise, but I also thought this particular player could fold this hand to a shove bet on turn…. I was wrong about that, but still only a 45% underdog once he called.
MY question to u 2+2ers is do u still shove turn, even if you know he has AQ? IF not, what’s ur play after he calls the raise of $60 on the flop. I’m not sure I wd do anything differently. It was just an unfortunate circumstance, but I still wd like to hear thoughts. Thanks.
The day ended up with me grinding back to even which always = a loss in my eyes (gas & time).
Plans for the next 2 weeks is to put in 100hrs!
Have a great wkend!

That hand is very interesting to me. I have always played my strong draws very aggressively at HSI. I got very little resistance from top pair type hands until about a year ago. (I was playing my made hands aggressively also).

I then started getting called in spots similar to this one. I have now found that recreational players are more willing to stack off with marginal hands on high boards than on low boards.

Because of that, I think I take the free card.

I think it's pretty standard and you do have decent fold equity. Btw, you only have about 35% after the turn, not 45%, but whatever. I probably play the hand pretty much the same.

good luck getting the hours in these next two weeks! Keep it up!

According to poker calc 45.5% to win after turn. Thanks @h-ven for responding. And good luck to u too