Cheers, everyone can do it imo.

A quick update. I've been super busy with school. Gladly only <1m remaining this semester. The degree was something I had to get done, it would have been a stupid decision life-wise to do something else.
It can feel dumb to be doing it, while you still have the poker earning potential. I think my decision still stands, that I'd rather be playing poker part-time.
It's not all about money. It's about what your goals are in life, and what helps you to achieve those goals and desires. It's also about living a balanced life, btw which I think is the main key if you want to get into higher stakes. Balanced life helps you deal with setbacks
With this degree I definitely have an opportunity for high-paying tech jobs as well.

Enough with rambling. Basically I got rejected for that one job. Now I'm waiting for an answer from another company. It's a govt organization, big place and I could pursue multiple career opportunities there. I could see myself having a 10-year career in that place!
I'm at a unique position in life where I get to choose independently that what I want to do. I like challenging stuff. Poker is one way to provide that challenge. The other way are these tech jobs. There's just something very intriguing at doing this high-level beyond-insane tech stuff
It's the feeling when something feels impossible or too hard, and then you manage to fully understand that concept.

Gym is going mediocre. Not really making progress w/ weights. I met an old friend who had a look at my SQ/DL postures. I was making stupid mistakes at both of them, and instantly saw upgrades when I fixed those. Today we have a look at my bench technique. It's the main thing I train, and I haven't made progress in ~3 weeks :|
Added few more unique moves to my schedule. Something with the "landmine barbell" and some moves to the core as well.

Hopefully not too boring update. Another ~10k hands month inc unfortunately!
I guess two goals would be: Have a look at solver and get back to meditation!

if you want to make progress in lifts just eat more

#GymTalk



Poker wise, won a little bit.
Looking at the Stars RB changes. I'm glad that I'm retiring.
I also had some thoughts about playing high stakes. Simple end result was that I shouldn't play them since I probably don't have enough skill. Good question is that should I play them occasionally if the games are really great?
I had my high stakes journey, which wasn't a pleasant experience. I burned out from it. It's an intriguing idea that I could take one more shot, or somehow get to the top of this game. It's prob just true that until I start putting big hours off-table and getting coaching, I shouldn't do high stakes.
I think I've reached a point where I'm happy with every possible outcome. Whether it's grinding 100nl, 200-400nl or shotting 600-1k, it's not gonna have a huge influence in my life ITLR. It's probably the external stuff that makes me more happy.

Either way, I'm happy with my poker journey and still enjoying the #privilege.

h1: Bink, turn ?????????

- €4 NL (6 max) - Holdem - 6 players
Hand converted by PokerTracker 4

CO: €411.11
BTN: €186.92
SB: €361.04
Hero (BB): €200.00
UTG: €102.44
MP: €295.10

SB posts SB €2.00, Hero posts BB €4.00

Pre Flop: (pot: €6.00) Hero has A 4

fold, fold, fold, fold, SB raises to €10.00, Hero calls €6.00

Flop: (€20.00, 2 players) 5 2 Q
SB bets €15.00, Hero calls €15.00

Turn: (€50.00, 2 players) 9
SB bets €28.00, Hero calls €28.00

River: (€106.00, 2 players) 3
SB bets €100.00, Hero raises to €147.00, SB calls €47.00



h2: 2017, people still don't bluff

- £4 NL (6 max) - Holdem - 6 players
Hand converted by PokerTracker 4

BB: £200.00
UTG: £206.00
MP: £282.70
Hero (CO): £347.02
BTN: £262.08
SB: £282.00

SB posts SB £2.00, BB posts BB £4.00

Pre Flop: (pot: £6.00) Hero has K 5

fold, fold, Hero raises to £10.00, BTN calls £10.00, fold, fold

Flop: (£26.00, 2 players) 3 K 2
Hero bets £8.00, BTN raises to £26.00, Hero calls £18.00

Turn: (£78.00, 2 players) 6
Hero checks, BTN bets £39.00, Hero calls £39.00

River: (£156.00, 2 players) T
Hero checks, BTN checks



h3: Interesting "always call or always fold" spot. I chose to call 100% and therefore results shouldn't matter.

- €4 NL (6 max) - Holdem - 3 players
Hand converted by PokerTracker 4

BB: €113.71
BTN: €414.00
Hero (SB): €400.00

Hero posts SB €2.00, BB posts BB €4.00

Pre Flop: (pot: €6.00) Hero has Q A

BTN raises to €12.00, Hero raises to €36.00, fold, BTN raises to €80.00, Hero calls €44.00

Flop: (€164.00, 2 players) 5 7 2
Hero checks, BTN bets €82.00, Hero calls €82.00

Turn: (€328.00, 2 players) J
Hero checks, BTN checks

River: (€328.00, 2 players) 7
Hero checks, BTN bets €252.00, Hero calls €238.00

Vegas is ridiculous
God didn't make us that way

I eat 5 meals per day and seeing good progress

Yeah gambling is definitely an interesting psychology concept. Delusions, probabilities and stuff
If you are interested in religious views, you can compare that way of thinking to gambling.
Correct me if I'm wrong, but I think the Buddhist view on life is that everything is probabilities after you drop your ego aka. the delusional views?

---------------

I got rejected from another summer job. I think I did really well, it's just that the competition is fierce these days. I applied for jobs in the capital city area, where competition is the highest. I managed to get into 2 job interviews w/o work experience, which is the nuts. I did vocational school studies, which included small job training periods, and employers were interested in that though.

So that means re-working my plans. It will be another poker summer. I might apply for one more job and that's it.
In the end, it's about doing something meaningful and productive. And getting that feeling that you are making progress in life and enjoying the circumstances.
Positive thing ofc is that I still have this cheap af student apartment. Rent + expenses are easily 800-900€ in the capital city. This small studio is <400€ for everything.
So lol, let's do another Scrooge McDuck summer. #CAPITALISM #PRIVILEGE


So I need to set some goals.
On April 16th, I've been working 3 months at the gym. 6 months will be done at July 16th. Let's make some progress!

Poker wise. I will just grind everything that is profitable, 600+1k only on upswings. I might make a list of spots that worry me, tag some hands and get couple hours of coaching from those spots.
I need to look into solver, but first figure out that in which spots it's the most useful. Ideally some spots where bigger profits can be made. Not looking at whether or not you should float 8hi BFD in 3bp for +0.01 EV.
So, coaching is on my list, I also wanna discuss some hands with people. Primarily exploitative spots / "how do you think regs play this spot".

Life wise, mehhhh. I don't really feel like settling down at my current city. I'd move to capital city area ASAP. I have primarily been doing work/school these last years. I need to keep up and meet up w/ some old friends for sure.
These smaller cities are fine if you have a big circle of close friends. I'm more drawn into other stuff, rather than living the simple life.

I'll do some technical challenge, like studying for Red Hat Certified System Administrator-certification. It will cost 1k € to get certified, but it will pay back easily. Alternatively I could look into re-studying CCNA certification exam.

I have really selfish views, but I also have the freedom of choice with NO NEED to make any compromises. Just grinding 100nl can easily be 3k/month no taxes.
With tech jobs, I've chosen to focus on very high demanding skill-jobs. With this expertise, you will get contacted for sure even if you have no job experience. I understand that for some positions, you'd have to do ****-tier jobs for a while, before getting promoted.


So tl;dr: summer of work ahead. Poker/Tech/Gym. I will really look into relocating to Helsinki area in the autumn.

Poker updates inc. soon.

lol sry i meant vegan is crazy

It's not crazy at all!
When I started, I LITERALLY thought that I was just going to eat salad every day. It's a lot more than that. You can google "vegan meals".
It's ironic that the majority of people in Finland share this view. For this reason, it's really hard to see progress being done. I hope to be a living example and give people a new perspective. I don't intend to preach at all, because I can see how vegans are the Jehovas witnesses of the 21st century. Show example and let people make their own decisions.
It works really well for me and there are no decifits at all. Will have to see if getting ripped is possible this way

the jeovahs are complete selfish turds
vegans are simply annoying people that have found the right way to live.

i don't think vegan is right but moreso caveman style with meat and veg

Hey.

Back at the tables.
I didn't really have inspiration to grind for ~2 months, even if you know the moneys you could make. I was more interested at other things.
No summer job, no nothing, so let's play poker

Right now I feel like I could grind all day long.
Feeling very confident, and ambitious to work on my game. Poker meta is changing, and will change even more. I have this great motivation to really try to figure things out.

Without writing a big ramblefest. Just saying that I changed my approach towards the game a lot. Being long-term goal oriented now. I also have a lot more confidence now. That came from having thought some stuff through.

3 things:
1) What you have
2) What you desire to have
3) What would it take you to get those things

So you can use those 3 things to evaluate poker progress. It really should work, #pseudoscience


Gym is going great. Current weights: 50kg bench (15kg dumbbells), 55kg DL and 50kg squat.
Very happy with those numbers, and those numbers allow me to take it more easily now. Think I'll focus more on lower weights, reps and making sure that the techniques are right.
Have been training for 4 months now, starting from scratch (the bar).

Poker is going decent as well. Winning stacks vs weaker players. Games are still great even in this day and time.
I play 100-400nl at all networks. My approach to stakes is that I consider 400nl a high stake. At 200nl I could even HU table start. At 100nl I do have some self-control issues with bluffing too much and calling light.
Shotting higher on an upswing, and having more emphasis on just putting in the hours at lower stakes.

MPN removing hand histories is fine for me. In a way I like it. Not being able to account is the only downside. I like being on a same level with the recreationals.
It's also nice to just play sessions, do your best, and not have the mistakes haunt you in the form of hand histories. You have to make the decision in the moment, and not spend 15min analyzing that hand afterwards.
This also means less emphasis on graphs and just looking at balance.
My current approach is to not look at results, because variance. I put my emphasis on just playing my best. If I don't play well, that's obviously an accountability issue and I take responsibility for it.
Also not choosing to look at hourly rates, just playing when ever there's good games. That can be 1 table or 8 tables, which ofc skews hourly.

so tl;dr: putting in the hours, being accountable, long-term approach, #labwork

Posting some hands soon.

Today was a good grinding day.
A mixture of good and bad sessions. Ran the worst at 100z, but at the last session I ran well and games were good. Flopped draws and played some fun pots.
Sometimes you are the kid beaten up at the schoolyard, but sometimes you get to join the bullies (i.e flop rly well). It's nice to experience both sides, so you don't get paranoid and understand that sometimes people just flop well. But sometimes there are those sessions that are nothing but xf'ing and giving up.
Made a couple of rusty theoretical mistakes, not taking all the variables into account in a short time, but you learn from those spots!

Made some really ambitious lines at hundo, i.e decided to bluff it off with 0% equity
Really sucks when you are ambitious, try something new and it fails. It only hurts if you are unsure though. I can bluff gii 100bb and lose without even blinking.
I always have to ponder whether my focus is good, am I spewing or am I impatient. All valid points.

All this made me think about ambition as a whole. I think you can't get to the highest levels without ambition. If you just bumhunt and expect easy profits, that's not very ambitious.
I know a year ago I was greatly lacking ambition. Just that creative energy and risk taking while playing.
I was following a very conservative style and letting pots play themselves out. But maybe that was a (total) lack of (new) perspective.
I think that to grow is to experience pain. Muscle won't build unless you train and exhaust it. Or you can wait for pair + FD type hands and not have to think at all.

Just a random rant about how I think there are two perspectives to growing. Nitty style is to not really grow and to greatly lack perspective. A lack of ambition, greed, and in a way, entitlement.
Opposite is the aggressive, ambitious style, which is very risky if you don't know what you are doing and are not rolled. This style is going for the "high hanging fruits". Some big mistakes will be done along the way, but the idea should be to learn from them and to later benefit from the stuff you learned. If you are not focused and you are impatient, you are NOT learning, but more likely just clicking buttons and spewing, because you are impatient.

So that's the Yin/Yang of poker imo.
There are rich nits and there are aggro regs who went broke, but how many of the rich nits made it to the top?

Another thing is that, without great goals, you are so likely to give up easily. After a bad session you just rage quit and don't play for few days. Instead you could man up and get back to the games and understand #variance.
These are just important things to think about. Learning the #variance will be my biggest journey. No excuse to spew, no excuse to play unfocused, but also no excuse to play without any motivation and ambition.

Lately I have been making impulsive decisions where I perhaps should think twice about it.
A lot of them are vs recs and vs (perceived) aggro regs. Vs nits I can really "shut down" lol.
Sometimes they work in my favour like in hands below.

Cool video by The Prez about goals and ambitions. Have to love what you do, that's the source of ambition.


And a few hands

Some hands

h1: stubborn vs rec (because why would you...?)
Made my mind OTT. Following up and going for it then.

- $2 NL (6 max) - Holdem - 4 players
Hand converted by PokerTracker 4

SB: $148.17
Hero (BB): $200.00
CO: $204.60
BTN: $200.00

SB posts SB $1.00, Hero posts BB $2.00

Pre Flop: (pot: $3.00) Hero has 5 9

fold, fold, SB raises to $6.00, Hero calls $4.00

Flop: ($12.00, 2 players) T 3 5
SB bets $11.40, Hero calls $11.40

Turn: ($34.80, 2 players) 3
SB bets $33.55, Hero calls $33.55

River: ($101.90, 2 players) 2
SB bets $97.22 and is all-in, Hero calls $97.22



h2: Snap fast vs rec, and having a laugh afterwards.

- €1 NL (6 max) - Holdem - 6 players
Hand converted by PokerTracker 4

CO: €100.00
BTN: €174.37
Hero (SB): €100.00
BB: €188.01
UTG: €120.36
MP: €154.48

Hero posts SB €0.50, BB posts BB €1.00

Pre Flop: (pot: €1.50) Hero has A A

fold, fold, fold, BTN raises to €2.00, Hero raises to €8.00, fold, BTN raises to €14.00, Hero raises to €33.00, BTN calls €19.00

Flop: (€67.00, 2 players) K 2 4
Hero bets €14.00, BTN calls €14.00

Turn: (€95.00, 2 players) K
Hero checks, BTN bets €53.00, Hero calls €53.00

River: (€201.00, 2 players) 7



h3: really stubborn / curious vs new fish. you'll never know...
when it's a new table I think it's more likely they can spew off (in the first minutes of playing)

- £1 NL (6 max) - Holdem - 6 players
Hand converted by PokerTracker 4

UTG: £197.35
MP: £64.87
CO: £60.20
BTN: £62.04
Hero (SB): £50.00
BB: £50.00

Hero posts SB £0.50, BB posts BB £1.00

Pre Flop: (pot: £1.50) Hero has J A

fold, fold, fold, BTN calls £1.00, Hero raises to £4.00, fold, BTN calls £3.00

Flop: (£9.00, 2 players) 2 2 3
Hero checks, BTN checks

Turn: (£9.00, 2 players) K
Hero checks, BTN bets £6.00, Hero calls £6.00

River: (£21.00, 2 players) A
Hero checks, BTN bets £41.00, Hero calls £40.00



h4: Dream crusher

- €2 NL (6 max) - Holdem - 6 players
Hand converted by PokerTracker 4

BTN: €192.20
SB: €208.37
BB: €200.00
UTG: €464.58
MP: €282.00
Hero (CO): €413.22

SB posts SB €1.00, BB posts BB €2.00

Pre Flop: (pot: €3.00) Hero has 6 5

UTG raises to €5.00, fold, Hero raises to €18.00, fold, fold, fold, UTG raises to €46.00, Hero calls €28.00

Flop: (€95.00, 2 players) 4 3 T
UTG checks, Hero bets €40.00, UTG raises to €140.00, Hero calls €100.00

Turn: (€375.00, 2 players) 7
UTG bets €278.58, Hero calls €227.22

River: (€829.44, 2 players) 2

Mega tilt today.

I felt like the kid at the schoolyard being beaten up by snap clicking nits.
So tilting to play lower limits and then you run bad.
#lolwhaleexcuses but I like the action and the energy of the higher limits.
I'm just a bit anxious that people at lower limits are still too straight forward even in 2017. Of course not everyone, but the people you encounter at passive 3am morning games.

Gym was great today. I did deadlifts with dumbbells and it felt great. That's a good exercise also if the squat area is taken. I like it because you don't have to do barbell shrugs, because you hold the dumbbells up a lot more than you do hold a bar with weights. Also helps you deal with bigger dumbbells in the future.

So today was tilt & running average. Have to be careful with tilt, because that's when your brain stops working and lizard brain takes control.
Lizard brain equals a web of lies
"I'm not tilted"
I mean you can't objectively evaluate your actions when you are in that state.



So some hands

h1: Seen him spew. Hopping tables. Earlier he overB bluffed turn in 3bp w/ GS + bottom pair. It's a spewy decision and he could have checked back.
Main reason to call here was that he didn't go all-in. It's an impulsive decision and I think he may be a gambler type.
Vs gambler types you do wanna take all advantage when they become impulsive. So I think that's a good enough thought process. #SimplePoker you just jam trips AT KT JJ+. Everything else is just odd

- €2 NL (6 max) - Holdem - 2 players
Hand converted by PokerTracker 4

Hero (SB): €257.34
BB: €200.00

Hero posts SB €1.00, BB posts BB €2.00

Pre Flop: (pot: €3.00) Hero has T 7

Hero raises to €6.00, BB raises to €18.00, Hero calls €12.00

Flop: (€36.00, 2 players) T 6 4
BB bets €24.00, Hero calls €24.00

Turn: (€84.00, 2 players) 6
BB bets €44.00, Hero calls €44.00

River: (€172.00, 2 players) 5
BB bets €84.00, Hero calls €84.00



h2: STUBBORN vs tricky fish. Looks fine OTT, river may be debatable. I don't think he bets for thin value anymore. 76/87/86/32s and even A5 A2 A3 type hands. He is polarized OTR, soooooo.........
Don't ask strategy wise, #GekkoStrategies

- £2 NL (6 max) - Holdem - 5 players
Hand converted by PokerTracker 4

CO: £221.65
Hero (BTN): £220.40
SB: £315.55
BB: £176.05
UTG: £71.12

SB posts SB £1.00, BB posts BB £2.00

Pre Flop: (pot: £3.00) Hero has 6 6

UTG raises to £4.00, fold, Hero calls £4.00, fold, BB calls £2.00

Flop: (£13.00, 3 players) 5 9 4
BB checks, UTG checks, Hero bets £8.00, fold, UTG calls £8.00

Turn: (£29.00, 2 players) K
UTG bets £20.00, Hero calls £20.00

River: (£69.00, 2 players) T
UTG bets £39.12, Hero calls £39.12



h3: Vs a new total amateur fish, I mean who is folding there?
Turn min-raise was a snap, so it's either some type of impulsive decision. Can't put too much logic into his play but you might expect a bigger raise or smth

- €2 NL (6 max) - Holdem - 6 players
Hand converted by PokerTracker 4

BTN: €200.00
SB: €210.04
BB: €121.83
Hero (UTG): €265.67
MP: €200.00
CO: €78.03

SB posts SB €1.00, BB posts BB €2.00

Pre Flop: (pot: €3.00) Hero has J J

Hero raises to €6.00, fold, CO calls €6.00, fold, fold, fold

Flop: (€15.00, 2 players) Q 3 4
Hero checks, CO checks

Turn: (€15.00, 2 players) 3
Hero bets €12.00, CO raises to €24.00, Hero calls €12.00

River: (€63.00, 2 players) K
Hero checks, CO bets €48.03, Hero calls €48.03



h4: depends if people quickly jam the river when you block bet. think so......... that it's possible for enough combinations.

- £1 NL (6 max) - Holdem - 6 players
Hand converted by PokerTracker 4

MP: £241.58
CO: £71.50
BTN: £93.66
SB: £52.14
Hero (BB): £63.16
UTG: £57.00

SB posts SB £0.50, Hero posts BB £1.00

Pre Flop: (pot: £1.50) Hero has Q 8

fold, fold, fold, BTN raises to £2.00, SB calls £1.50, Hero calls £1.00

Flop: (£6.00, 3 players) 2 Q 9
SB bets £3.00, Hero calls £3.00, BTN raises to £10.00, fold, Hero calls £7.00

Turn: (£29.00, 2 players) 8
Hero checks, BTN bets £10.00, Hero calls £10.00

River: (£49.00, 2 players) 3
Hero bets £18.00, BTN raises to £71.66, Hero calls £23.16



h5: just too curious to see this one. I think fish play gut shots passively, but he can have a lot of FD's

- €1 NL (6 max) - Holdem - 6 players
Hand converted by PokerTracker 4

SB: €35.31
BB: €39.29
UTG: €75.80
MP: €201.45
Hero (CO): €106.73
BTN: €83.58

SB posts SB €0.50, BB posts BB €1.00

Pre Flop: (pot: €1.50) Hero has T T

fold, fold, Hero raises to €3.00, fold, fold, BB calls €2.00

Flop: (€6.50, 2 players) 2 J 8
BB bets €4.55, Hero calls €4.55

Turn: (€15.60, 2 players) Q
BB bets €10.92, Hero calls €10.92

River: (€37.44, 2 players) 6
BB bets €20.82, Hero calls €20.82



Also had one hand at the anonymous tables. Flop comes Kc9c5x. I cbet Jc6c and get min-raised by fish. Turn is something like 2c. Fish jams for 3x pot.
I call and

Because of random stuff like that, #NOSELECTIVEBIAS. I just wanna go with the gut feeling, but you have to be smart about it.
Losing huge pot like that also makes accounting for EV harder. In a way I like the system where you don't have absolute certainty, because my OCD can be pretty bad lol.
I like this system of accountability and just playing your best, and being confident that you are making the best decisions.

Selective bias and results oriented-ness are two old demons I'm fighting against.
Sorry for a negative post but just got so angry after losing few of those pots, so I think it's good to do some emotion processing.
Sometimes you are the bug and sometimes the windshield. As long as I don't tilt I'm fine with however things go. Question is, what is "tilt" then?

So let's keep fighting and keep going!

Took a break for couple of days. Just didn't feel "OK" enough to grind.
Played a long morning session today. Followed one spazzy fish to 1k £ table and won a BI there. That win came from the easiest hand I've ever played in poker, and that's 1000£
Not checking winnings, but ran really well today.


Hands

h1: Looks quite simple winning at this online poker thing.
That was his strategy, jam all playable hands. #NoNeedForSummerJobs
Should buy myself something nice.

- £10 NL (6 max) - Holdem - 6 players
Hand converted by PokerTracker 4

SB: £1,046.00
BB: £1,103.25
UTG: £1,276.00
MP: £921.75
Hero (CO): £1,015.00
BTN: £2,054.13

SB posts SB £5.00, BB posts BB £10.00

Pre Flop: (pot: £15.00) Hero has A A

fold, fold, Hero raises to £30.00, fold, fold, BB raises to £1,103.25 and is all-in, Hero calls £985.00

Flop: (£2,035.00, 2 players) 8 4 K

Turn: (£2,035.00, 2 players) T

River: (£2,035.00, 2 players) Q



h2: Another beauty.

- £10 NL (6 max) - Holdem - 5 players
Hand converted by PokerTracker 4

CO: £1,035.00
BTN: £1,117.00
SB: £870.75
Hero (BB): £1,000.00
UTG: £1,064.35

SB posts SB £5.00, Hero posts BB £10.00

Pre Flop: (pot: £15.00) Hero has A A

UTG raises to £30.00, fold, fold, fold, Hero raises to £100.00, UTG raises to £215.00, Hero raises to £470.00, UTG raises to £1,060.00 and is all-in, Hero calls £530.00

Flop: (£2,005.00, 2 players) 5 9 6

Turn: (£2,005.00, 2 players) 2

River: (£2,005.00, 2 players) 4



h3: Whale in SB, should widen his flatting range.

- £10 NL (6 max) - Holdem - 6 players
Hand converted by PokerTracker 4

BTN: £1,198.20
SB: £1,010.00
BB: £1,107.00
UTG: £865.75
Hero (MP): £1,969.55
CO: £1,040.00

SB posts SB £5.00, BB posts BB £10.00

Pre Flop: (pot: £15.00) Hero has T A

UTG raises to £25.00, Hero calls £25.00, CO calls £25.00, fold, fold, BB calls £15.00

Flop: (£105.00, 4 players) 4 2 8
BB checks, UTG checks, Hero bets £40.00, CO raises to £120.00, fold, fold, Hero calls £80.00

Turn: (£345.00, 2 players) T
Hero checks, CO bets £253.75, Hero calls £253.75

River: (£852.50, 2 players) A
Hero checks, CO bets £639.38, Hero calls £639.38




h4: Friday #1

- €4 NL (6 max) - Holdem - 5 players
Hand converted by PokerTracker 4

Hero (BTN): €988.10
SB: €590.51
BB: €400.00
UTG: €468.20
CO: €183.37

SB posts SB €2.00, BB posts BB €4.00

Pre Flop: (pot: €6.00) Hero has Q K

fold, CO raises to €16.00, Hero calls €16.00, fold, fold

Flop: (€38.00, 2 players) 2 T 4
CO bets €20.00, Hero calls €20.00

Turn: (€78.00, 2 players) Q
CO bets €147.37, Hero calls €147.37

River: (€372.74, 2 players) 6



h5: Friday #2

- €2 NL (6 max) - Holdem - 4 players
Hand converted by PokerTracker 4

BTN: €45.24
Hero (SB): €350.97
BB: €220.50
CO: €300.25

Hero posts SB €1.00, BB posts BB €2.00

Pre Flop: (pot: €3.00) Hero has Q K

fold, BTN calls €2.00, Hero raises to €8.00, fold, BTN calls €6.00

Flop: (€18.00, 2 players) 2 7 J
Hero checks, BTN checks

Turn: (€18.00, 2 players) K
Hero checks, BTN bets €9.00, Hero raises to €52.00, BTN calls €28.24

River: (€92.48, 2 players) 9

Marathon grind today.
Still a bit sick. Nothing sucks more than being sick when you want to grind!
Played OK. Towards the end I started to lose my focus, and turned into a 2/3 betting zombie
Even the spots that failed a bit, I still learned a lot from them. My opponents made a lot bigger mistakes than I did, which is great!

Combination of passive, aggressive and Asian fish today. Had some trouble with those fish who stab pot when you check to them -.-
On the contrary, the passive fish frequently give up all 3 streets.
Had to bet/fold a lot, which is always annoying. Also gave up a lot vs fish turn raises....
Bumhunted some 1k as well. Decided to go for a brave all-in bluff, which worked out, and ended up breakevenish in that table.

Some hands

h1: Didn't realize at the time how crazy he was. I think fish play a lot of draws passively, esp. gut-shots.
To gii here I'd have to know he can do that with AJ or something. He can have a lot of 7x as well.

4 NL (6 max) - Holdem - 6 players
Hand converted by PokerTracker 4

SB: 121.75 BB
BB: 303.59 BB
UTG: 100 BB
Hero (MP): 100 BB
CO: 151.27 BB
BTN: 316.8 BB

SB posts SB 0.5 BB, BB posts BB 1 BB

Pre Flop: (pot: 1.5 BB) Hero has K K

fold, Hero raises to 3 BB, fold, fold, fold, BB calls 2 BB

Flop: (6.5 BB, 2 players) 7 J 4
BB checks, Hero bets 4.55 BB, BB calls 4.55 BB

Turn: (15.6 BB, 2 players) 7
BB checks, Hero bets 10.92 BB, BB raises to 48.36 BB, fold

BB wins 73.88 BB

h2: Look what we have here.
I'm cursed or something

2 NL (6 max) - Holdem - 6 players
Hand converted by PokerTracker 4

BB: 124.5 BB
UTG: 102.8 BB
MP: 124 BB
Hero (CO): 245.55 BB
BTN: 124.32 BB
SB: 64.53 BB

SB posts SB 0.5 BB, BB posts BB 1 BB

Pre Flop: (pot: 1.5 BB) Hero has K K

fold, fold, Hero raises to 3 BB, BTN calls 3 BB, fold, fold

Flop: (7.5 BB, 2 players) 9 J K
Hero bets 6 BB, BTN calls 6 BB

Turn: (19.5 BB, 2 players) A
Hero checks, BTN checks

River: (19.5 BB, 2 players) 5
Hero checks, BTN bets 19.5 BB, Hero calls 19.5 BB



h3: Going for high-risk high-reward!
Such a station

2 NL (6 max) - Holdem - 6 players
Hand converted by PokerTracker 4

MP: 50 BB
CO: 241.25 BB
BTN: 46.5 BB
SB: 92.63 BB
Hero (BB): 100.53 BB
UTG: 143.47 BB

SB posts SB 0.5 BB, Hero posts BB 1 BB

Pre Flop: (pot: 1.5 BB) Hero has 4 7

fold, fold, CO calls 1 BB, fold, fold, Hero checks

Flop: (2.5 BB, 2 players) 6 5 8
Hero checks, CO bets 2.5 BB, Hero raises to 17 BB, CO raises to 240.25 BB and is all-in, Hero calls 82.53 BB

Turn: (201.55 BB, 2 players) A

River: (201.55 BB, 2 players) 5



h4: how to play vs fish who bet pot

2 NL (6 max) - Holdem - 5 players
Hand converted by PokerTracker 4

CO: 171.78 BB
BTN: 152.21 BB
SB: 100 BB
Hero (BB): 142.35 BB
UTG: 147.96 BB

SB posts SB 0.5 BB, Hero posts BB 1 BB

Pre Flop: (pot: 1.5 BB) Hero has T K

UTG calls 1 BB, fold, BTN calls 1 BB, SB calls 0.5 BB, Hero raises to 7 BB, UTG calls 6 BB, fold, fold

Flop: (16 BB, 2 players) 2 K 6
Hero checks, UTG bets 16 BB, Hero calls 16 BB

Turn: (48 BB, 2 players) 6
Hero checks, UTG bets 24 BB, Hero calls 24 BB

River: (96 BB, 2 players) T
Hero checks, UTG bets 48 BB, Hero calls 48 BB



h5: for some ****s & giggles
vs "tight reg", snap shoves after my turn bet (after flop missclick).

2 NL (6 max) - Holdem - 5 players
Hand converted by PokerTracker 4

SB: 65.63 BB
BB: 258.5 BB
UTG: 50 BB
Hero (CO): 51.5 BB
BTN: 140.47 BB

SB posts SB 0.5 BB, BB posts BB 1 BB

Pre Flop: (pot: 1.5 BB) Hero has 6 9

fold, Hero raises to 2.5 BB, fold, SB calls 2 BB, fold

Flop: (6 BB, 2 players) 5 8 2
SB checks, Hero bets 1 BB, SB calls 1 BB

Turn: (8 BB, 2 players) 9
SB checks, Hero bets 4 BB, SB raises to 62.13 BB, Hero calls 44 BB

River: (104 BB, 2 players) 7



h6: Perhaps too greedy vs new fish

4 NL (6 max) - Holdem - 5 players
Hand converted by PokerTracker 4

UTG: 146.8 BB
Hero (CO): 110.94 BB
BTN: 100 BB
SB: 154.48 BB
BB: 284.89 BB

SB posts SB 0.5 BB, BB posts BB 1 BB

Pre Flop: (pot: 1.5 BB) Hero has J 8

UTG calls 1 BB, Hero raises to 4 BB, fold, fold, fold, UTG calls 3 BB

Flop: (9.5 BB, 2 players) 2 7 4
UTG checks, Hero bets 7 BB, UTG calls 7 BB

Turn: (23.5 BB, 2 players) 4
UTG checks, Hero bets 17 BB, UTG calls 17 BB

River: (57.5 BB, 2 players) 3
UTG checks, Hero bets 82.94 BB, fold

Hero mucks J 8 (Flush, Jack High)

Hero wins 139.44 BB


Currently loving the grind. Let's hope games stay as good as the new week starts.

Another great day in the books!
I was like a class clown, keeping everyone entertained and starting games
It's incredible how fast the games are when tables are not full.
Played some 1k again, ended up winning there! Many spazzy recs around today, at Sunday morning, which is great!

Went for a walk at 5am in the morning during the sunrise. Beautiful atmosphere, fresh air, while the city sleeps. That kind of freedom is something you would never want to exchange away!

Had some thoughts strategy wise. I realized that I have some subconscious fears that manifest when I play the highest stakes.
One particular kind of fear, is that opponent will put me on my exact hand (typically a thin vbet hand) and bluff me out of the pot. I think the right thought process would be to bet thinly, until you get proven otherwise. We should be rational about how often people just randomly spazz bluff. That's true also for the weaker players.
No one knows your exact hand. When you bet it raises fear amongst your opponents as well. Maybe you are perceived having slowplayed, maybe your small sizing means that you are inducing etc. "He's never folding since he induced a shove".
Just some spots I found by reviewing where I let fear take control of me, but in those spots it's also unlikely that you get bluff-raised.
So I shouldn't approach the issue like a chess game, where my opponent is 2 steps ahead of me. Getting rid of all kinds of fears is very important for aspiring pro. Instead of fear we could call it mind games, "demons at the back of the head" or something.

Some other strategic areas as well, where I'm working towards gaining certainty on some spots. In the end what matters is our own perception and knowledge. Need to find out yourself what works, what doesn't work and why is it the case. False perception and having faith in it, is really bad for one's ideology.

Music. GL all!

Glad to see things are working out for you mate, keep it up.

^^ Cheers mate!


Played 5 hour marathon session again. Hitting the gym, and grinding more once back.
Played 1k again. Ran bad on one site, but won a big pot on the another.
I tried out a lot of stuff this session, not everything worked out. It's ok to get a slap in the face though.

Few of those losing hands.

h1: Perhaps I need to stop doing this, vs tight reg. Just check the turn and suck it up, no value jamming vs tight reg I think...
I could jam light, and therefore he'd have to call light as well, so this is a merge. I think sets would raise the flop, some weaker flushes as well. I could jam there AK w/ , maybe AJx, 65s. but maybe just checking is better, overbetting and losing with 0% equity is not great.

2 NL (6 max) - Holdem - 5 players
Hand converted by PokerTracker 4

Hero (BB): 106.58 BB
UTG: 38.33 BB
CO: 120.35 BB
BTN: 116.13 BB
SB: 66.77 BB

SB posts SB 0.5 BB, Hero posts BB 1 BB

Pre Flop: (pot: 1.5 BB) Hero has Q A

fold, CO raises to 2.5 BB, fold, fold, Hero raises to 10 BB, CO calls 7.5 BB

Flop: (20.5 BB, 2 players) 3 Q 4
Hero bets 15 BB, CO calls 15 BB

Turn: (50.5 BB, 2 players) 9
Hero bets 81.58 BB, CO calls 81.58 BB

River: (213.65 BB, 2 players) 3



h2: zzzzzzzzzzzzzz....
who the **** folds this vs china rec. He is really passive though.

2 NL (6 max) - Holdem - 6 players
Hand converted by PokerTracker 4

CO: 96.3 BB
BTN: 116.73 BB
SB: 75.21 BB
Hero (BB): 125.17 BB
UTG: 54.13 BB
MP: 48 BB

SB posts SB 0.5 BB, Hero posts BB 1 BB

Pre Flop: (pot: 1.5 BB) Hero has K K

fold, MP raises to 2 BB, CO calls 2 BB, BTN calls 2 BB, SB calls 1.5 BB, Hero raises to 11 BB, fold, CO calls 9 BB, fold, fold

Flop: (28 BB, 2 players) 2 5 3
Hero bets 18 BB, CO raises to 40 BB, Hero raises to 114.17 BB and is all-in, CO calls 45.3 BB

Turn: (198.6 BB, 2 players) J

River: (198.6 BB, 2 players) 9



h3: vs china rec as well. 44/4 w/ 4% 3-bet , big sample. expecting AQ to raise, so it's either 55 or KJ that beats us OTR. sizing does not look like KJ.
Maybe raise/folding small is better and just grin-folding if he jams.

2 NL (6 max) - Holdem - 5 players
Hand converted by PokerTracker 4

CO: 50.05 BB
BTN: 200.19 BB
Hero (SB): 102.5 BB
BB: 83.75 BB
UTG: 25.12 BB

Hero posts SB 0.5 BB, BB posts BB 1 BB

Pre Flop: (pot: 1.5 BB) Hero has T A

fold, fold, BTN calls 1 BB, Hero raises to 4 BB, fold, BTN calls 3 BB

Flop: (9 BB, 2 players) A Q 5
Hero checks, BTN bets 5 BB, Hero calls 5 BB

Turn: (19 BB, 2 players) T
Hero checks, BTN bets 8 BB, Hero calls 8 BB

River: (35 BB, 2 players) 8
Hero checks, BTN bets 18 BB, Hero raises to 85.5 BB, BTN calls 67.5 BB



h4: choosing to xb vs reg. this allows bluff catch river opportunities. had other plans for other turn cards. this is the problem with nut weakest flushes
Tx is not that scary though, since his nut range is just KK and TT 4 combos. more worried about better flushes.

4 NL (6 max) - Holdem - 5 players
Hand converted by PokerTracker 4

BB: 70.82 BB
Hero (UTG): 196.63 BB
CO: 124.2 BB
BTN: 109.93 BB
SB: 155.48 BB

SB posts SB 0.5 BB, BB posts BB 1 BB

Pre Flop: (pot: 1.5 BB) Hero has 6 4

Hero raises to 3 BB, fold, fold, SB raises to 10 BB, fold, Hero calls 7 BB

Flop: (21 BB, 2 players) T 3 K
SB bets 10.5 BB, Hero raises to 36 BB, SB calls 25.5 BB

Turn: (93 BB, 2 players) T
SB checks, Hero checks

River: (93 BB, 2 players) 8
SB bets 65.1 BB, fold

SB wins 157.1 BB

h5: chickened out OTR, because I'm just not perceived to have a folding range there. turn is very risky play, maybe just folding would be better, but had to try it out.
I think with the limp 3b dynamic we can call there.

2 NL (6 max) - Holdem - 4 players
Hand converted by PokerTracker 4

BTN: 193.53 BB
Hero (SB): 101.08 BB
BB: 213.58 BB
CO: 83.43 BB

Hero posts SB 0.5 BB, BB posts BB 1 BB

Pre Flop: (pot: 1.5 BB) Hero has K A

fold, fold, Hero calls 0.5 BB, BB raises to 3.5 BB, Hero raises to 10.5 BB, BB calls 7 BB

Flop: (21 BB, 2 players) J 8 3
Hero checks, BB bets 11 BB, Hero calls 11 BB

Turn: (43 BB, 2 players) 8
Hero checks, BB bets 25.8 BB, Hero calls 25.8 BB

River: (94.6 BB, 2 players) 6
Hero checks, BB bets 66.22 BB, fold

BB wins 158.82 BB

h6: tried out some new stuff like this as well, while the rec took a small break.

10 NL (6 max) - Holdem - 2 players
Hand converted by PokerTracker 4

BB: 103.6 BB
Hero (SB): 131.05 BB

Hero posts SB 0.5 BB, BB posts BB 1 BB

Pre Flop: (pot: 1.5 BB) Hero has T 7

Hero raises to 2.5 BB, BB calls 1.5 BB

Flop: (5 BB, 2 players) J A 2
BB checks, Hero bets 1.5 BB, BB raises to 6 BB, Hero calls 4.5 BB

Turn: (17 BB, 2 players) 5
BB bets 14 BB, Hero raises to 38 BB, BB raises to 95.1 BB and is all-in, fold

BB wins 150 BB


Couple of spots that I don't like. Namely overplaying hands vs 5% PFR weaker players. Just rare to see those players in these stakes over big samples.
Tried out new stuff, which I'm happy for.
Should not give tight regs easy spots, esp. if they don't fight back enough to make it worth trying.
On the contrary, I played vs some very good aggressive regs, and really did fight back vs unusual lines.
Panicked a little bit, when auto re-buyer said that my balance is too low. Not checking results until end of the month, and I think I have played decent so far. Not that many tilted or spazzy spots, just trying some new stuff, but ofc trying to be rational about it.

Hey Fishtankz! Just wanted to let you know that I'm following your blogs from the get go and I have a huge amount of respect for what you achieved. I'm nowhere near competent enough to comment on your hands but I love your write ups and think that you offer great general mindset advices/comments.
When I look at my poker progress there is no doubt I underachieved and this is in part due to me fixing goals that are not ambitious enough. Looking at blogs like yours help me realise that I have to work harder and set higher standards for my self.
Cheers !


Envoyé de mon iPhone en utilisant Tapatalk

Hey. Thanks for the nice comment!
Goals are definitely important, since goals define your ambitions Aka. what motivates you in life!
It's indeed a big journey to get into small/mid stakes. And it's getting harder every year. You have to study a lot. Find a suitable way of studying for you!
Then you just have to grind a LOT, and I think this is where most people fail eventually.
I studied a lot, mainly by posting hands. Eventually things worked out when I had a huge upswing when I moved into small stakes. Haven't looked back since! I had another upswing when moving into 200 + mid stakes and got lucky in the process. But that's not unusual. To get to the top, you either have to be darn good, or get lucky during the process somehow, so you can move up faster and stay at those stakes. (Or be born rich (NOT!))
Some people win big tournament, some people win big at sports bet. Then some people run under EV and can't move up. It can all happen.

I'm still a great underachiever in real life. Empty CV's etc., but ofc that's not the real me, just a corporate profile
In a way, playing poker can be very therapeutic. Real life just works a lot differently. So many rules. As a poker player you make the rules for everything, and pretty much don't have to listen to anybody.
I never quite liked the environment I was born into. Hard to not get bored to death, that's all I can reveal I had the raw intelligence, but no opportunities showed up, hence there came the limiting beliefs :P
Never achieved much prior to poker. It's been a great ride.Dunno what the **** would I do if it wasn't for this. Probably working next 30 years in an office to get piece of the good life
Poker success just changes every piece of the puzzle.
Being an underachiever, and feeling like your capabilities are limited, is the worst mindset!!!!
/selfrant



Todays grind + some untracked volume ofc.
Fine day. One way to evaluate the day is to say, there was no bad intent behind the plays. If you call for info, bluff a bad spot or just want hands to end (and don't think clearly), those are signs of bad intention.

Some pretty deep quotes regarding stoic philosophy.

Yesterday was a really good day. I ran really well vs regs who were bluffing a lot and more than expected vs me.
That's the thing with playing vs regs, you can win a lot of money quickly (or lose). With recs, you have to play a ton of limp-iso cbet-bluff pots, until you hit that "setup".
Gaining some clarity on strategic spots, which helps me to cut down any mind-games and irrationality!

Felt weak at the gym. Only did squats and sumo kettlebell squats, but my legs feel shredded af. That's a sign of good workout.
I can really recommend sumo kettlebell squat, if you want to work out different areas of legs.

Some funny hands.

h1: Snap donk by rec, snap shoved back to induce a lighter call, (while he's still "in the moment", WRECKED. 64/39 type

2 NL (6 max) - Holdem - 4 players
Hand converted by PokerTracker 4

BB: 183.75 BB
Hero (CO): 142.5 BB
BTN: 145.98 BB
SB: 40.64 BB

SB posts SB 0.5 BB, BB posts BB 1 BB

Pre Flop: (pot: 1.5 BB) Hero has 5 4

Hero raises to 3 BB, fold, SB calls 2.5 BB, BB calls 2 BB

Flop: (9 BB, 3 players) 3 Q 2
SB checks, BB checks, Hero bets 6.3 BB, fold, BB calls 6.3 BB

Turn: (21.6 BB, 2 players) A
BB checks, Hero bets 14 BB, BB calls 14 BB

River: (49.6 BB, 2 players) 5
BB bets 45 BB, Hero raises to 119.2 BB, BB calls 74.2 BB



h2: the benefits of nitty image. can't believe I'm actually winning this at 400nl! Usually it's a wreckfast calling down at higher stakes #bias

4 NL (6 max) - Holdem - 6 players
Hand converted by PokerTracker 4

CO: 104.7 BB
BTN: 186.83 BB
SB: 178.02 BB
BB: 138.7 BB
Hero (UTG): 101.05 BB
MP: 194.32 BB

SB posts SB 0.5 BB, BB posts BB 1 BB

Pre Flop: (pot: 1.5 BB) Hero has T T

Hero raises to 3 BB, fold, CO raises to 9 BB, fold, fold, fold, Hero calls 6 BB

Flop: (19.5 BB, 2 players) 2 2 7
Hero checks, CO bets 11.5 BB, Hero calls 11.5 BB

Turn: (42.5 BB, 2 players) 8
Hero checks, CO bets 25.5 BB, Hero calls 25.5 BB

River: (93.5 BB, 2 players) 5
Hero checks, CO bets 58.7 BB, Hero calls 55.05 BB



h3: sometimes you just bink! (vs ss reg)

6 NL (6 max) - Holdem - 6 players
Hand converted by PokerTracker 4

BTN: 90.75 BB
Hero (SB): 197.21 BB
BB: 42.73 BB
UTG: 48.04 BB
MP: 137.13 BB
CO: 100 BB

Hero posts SB 0.5 BB, BB posts BB 1 BB

Pre Flop: (pot: 1.5 BB) Hero has 7 J

fold, fold, fold, fold, Hero calls 0.5 BB, BB raises to 3.5 BB, Hero calls 2.5 BB

Flop: (7 BB, 2 players) T 8 2
Hero checks, BB bets 4.2 BB, Hero calls 4.2 BB

Turn: (15.4 BB, 2 players) 9
Hero checks, BB bets 9.24 BB, Hero raises to 189.51 BB, BB calls 25.79 BB

River: (85.45 BB, 2 players) Q



h4: any thoughts what sizing to use otr? we still wanna bet top of our range, combined with some KQ bluffs.
But it's also a perfect spot to mix it up, and xc to induce bluffs. Maybe this is why I should do checking more often.
And maybe flop is a xf, esp. deep.

4 NL (6 max) - Holdem - 6 players
Hand converted by PokerTracker 4

Hero (SB): 171.32 BB
BB: 108.38 BB
UTG: 216.04 BB
MP: 111.03 BB
CO: 177.23 BB
BTN: 153.41 BB

Hero posts SB 0.5 BB, BB posts BB 1 BB

Pre Flop: (pot: 1.5 BB) Hero has Q K

fold, fold, CO raises to 2.59 BB, fold, Hero raises to 9 BB, fold, CO calls 6.41 BB

Flop: (19 BB, 2 players) 3 J 4
Hero bets 11 BB, CO calls 11 BB

Turn: (41 BB, 2 players) T
Hero bets 27 BB, CO calls 27 BB

River: (95 BB, 2 players) 8
Hero ????,

CO wins 224.23 BB


Another lovely day in the office ahead!
In b4 "**** this game, **** these snap clicking nits"

Longest marathon thus far. Could have kept going and going.
Maybe it's because of the ascension day of Christ and national holiday (?), the games were really good.
The bad news = ran like ****
I kept my patience very well though and took the beats professionally. I don't think strategy wise I was making big mistakes.
Paid off a lot of weaker players, some worked some didn't.


Some hands

h1: Vs big whale, who FLOATS a lot.
All the nutted hands get there for sure, but we are also looking at K Q 4x 5x missed bluffs, and even some random spazz play w KQ type hand. Also combos for this guy

10 NL (6 max) - Holdem - 6 players
Hand converted by PokerTracker 4

SB: 100 BB
BB: 40.92 BB
Hero (UTG): 160.5 BB
MP: 253.36 BB
CO: 156.05 BB
BTN: 168.63 BB

SB posts SB 0.5 BB, BB posts BB 1 BB

Pre Flop: (pot: 1.5 BB) Hero has 7 7

Hero raises to 5 BB, fold, fold, fold, fold, BB calls 4 BB

Flop: (10.5 BB, 2 players) A 2 3
BB checks, Hero bets 6 BB, BB calls 6 BB

Turn: (22.5 BB, 2 players) 3
BB checks, Hero checks

River: (22.5 BB, 2 players) 2
BB bets 29.92 BB, Hero calls 29.92 BB



h2: Gross cooler and gross results, wth man

10 NL (6 max) - Holdem - 6 players
Hand converted by PokerTracker 4

SB: 50.11 BB
BB: 50 BB
Hero (UTG): 50 BB
MP: 48.08 BB
CO: 143.73 BB
BTN: 50 BB

SB posts SB 0.5 BB, BB posts BB 1 BB

Pre Flop: (pot: 1.5 BB) Hero has K A

Hero raises to 3 BB, fold, CO calls 3 BB, fold, fold, BB calls 2 BB

Flop: (9.5 BB, 3 players) 6 Q A
BB checks, Hero bets 3.5 BB, fold, BB calls 3.5 BB

Turn: (16.5 BB, 2 players) 6
BB checks, Hero bets 10 BB, BB raises to 43.5 BB, Hero calls 33.5 BB

River: (103.5 BB, 2 players) 9



h3: no luck this time! I think that if you never jam as a bluff, you're not really gonna jam for value either, sooo....

4 NL (6 max) - Holdem - 4 players
Hand converted by PokerTracker 4

BB: 57.78 BB
CO: 50 BB
Hero (BTN): 70.32 BB
SB: 68.3 BB

SB posts SB 0.5 BB, BB posts BB 1 BB

Pre Flop: (pot: 1.5 BB) Hero has 7 7

fold, Hero raises to 3 BB, SB raises to 9 BB, fold, Hero calls 6 BB

Flop: (19 BB, 2 players) J 5 A
SB bets 6.27 BB, Hero calls 6.27 BB

Turn: (31.54 BB, 2 players) J
SB checks, Hero checks

River: (31.54 BB, 2 players) 4
SB bets 53.03 BB, Hero calls 53.03 BB



h4: vs whale.
The amount of times I got check/raised today OTT.... should mean that weaker players fastplay, so should be good here to jam.

2 NL (6 max) - Holdem - 6 players
Hand converted by PokerTracker 4

SB: 102.34 BB
BB: 50 BB
UTG: 220.19 BB
MP: 103.75 BB
CO: 78 BB
Hero (BTN): 91.44 BB

SB posts SB 0.5 BB, BB posts BB 1 BB

Pre Flop: (pot: 1.5 BB) Hero has Q Q

UTG raises to 2 BB, MP calls 2 BB, fold, Hero raises to 10 BB, fold, fold, UTG calls 8 BB, fold

Flop: (23.5 BB, 2 players) Q A 5
UTG checks, Hero checks

Turn: (23.5 BB, 2 players) 6
UTG checks, Hero bets 17 BB, UTG calls 17 BB

River: (57.5 BB, 2 players) 9
UTG checks, Hero bets 64.44 BB, UTG calls 64.44 BB



h5: just can't run worse than this vs whale. maybe I'd call some of my best top two here.

10 NL (6 max) - Holdem - 6 players
Hand converted by PokerTracker 4

BTN: 100 BB
SB: 140.56 BB
Hero (BB): 112.25 BB
UTG: 202.32 BB
MP: 266.91 BB
CO: 94.7 BB

SB posts SB 0.5 BB, Hero posts BB 1 BB

Pre Flop: (pot: 1.5 BB) Hero has 8 A

fold, fold, fold, BTN raises to 2 BB, SB calls 1.5 BB, Hero calls 1 BB

Flop: (6 BB, 3 players) 9 8 4
SB bets 2 BB, Hero calls 2 BB, fold

Turn: (10 BB, 2 players) T
SB checks, Hero checks

River: (10 BB, 2 players) A
SB bets 5 BB, Hero raises to 17 BB, SB raises to 34 BB, fold

SB wins 60.6 BB

h6: too big to fold, even vs 40% WWSF guy
could guesstimate as well that nut flushes would jam, wtf is that sizing

2 NL (6 max) - Holdem - 5 players
Hand converted by PokerTracker 4

BB: 137.3 BB
Hero (UTG): 100 BB
CO: 100 BB
BTN: 216.92 BB
SB: 339.73 BB

SB posts SB 0.5 BB, BB posts BB 1 BB

Pre Flop: (pot: 1.5 BB) Hero has Q K

Hero raises to 3 BB, CO calls 3 BB, BTN calls 3 BB, fold, BB calls 2 BB

Flop: (12.5 BB, 4 players) K 7 J
BB checks, Hero bets 5 BB, CO calls 5 BB, fold, fold

Turn: (22.5 BB, 2 players) 8
Hero bets 15.75 BB, CO raises to 39.75 BB, Hero calls 24 BB

River: (102 BB, 2 players) T
Hero checks, CO bets 37.5 BB, Hero calls 37.5 BB



h7: this was so random that I paid him off. HnR obviously

4 NL (6 max) - Holdem - 3 players
Hand converted by PokerTracker 4

BB: 38.5 BB
Hero (BTN): 112.6 BB
SB: 102 BB

SB posts SB 0.5 BB, BB posts BB 1 BB

Pre Flop: (pot: 1.5 BB) Hero has T K

Hero raises to 2.5 BB, fold, BB calls 1.5 BB

Flop: (5.5 BB, 2 players) 2 A 2
BB bets 6 BB, Hero calls 6 BB

Turn: (17.5 BB, 2 players) K
BB bets 10 BB, Hero calls 10 BB

River: (37.5 BB, 2 players) Q
BB bets 20 BB, Hero calls 20 BB



h8: Going all-in successfully vs 90% VPIP guy
No results bias!

2 NL (6 max) - Holdem - 5 players
Hand converted by PokerTracker 4

SB: 129.29 BB
Hero (BB): 50 BB
UTG: 50 BB
CO: 50 BB
BTN: 51.78 BB

SB posts SB 0.5 BB, Hero posts BB 1 BB

Pre Flop: (pot: 1.5 BB) Hero has J T

fold, fold, fold, SB calls 0.5 BB, Hero raises to 4 BB, SB calls 3 BB

Flop: (8 BB, 2 players) 6 T 2
SB bets 8 BB, Hero calls 8 BB

Turn: (24 BB, 2 players) 9
SB bets 24 BB, Hero raises to 38 BB, SB calls 14 BB

River: (100 BB, 2 players) A



h9: Nits at their specialty LOL. LOL LOL AND LOL

1 NL (6 max) - Holdem - 5 players
Hand converted by PokerTracker 4

BB: 100 BB
UTG: 119.3 BB
CO: 100 BB
Hero (BTN): 100 BB
SB: 55.38 BB

SB posts SB 0.5 BB, BB posts BB 1 BB

Pre Flop: (pot: 1.5 BB) Hero has A 6

UTG calls 1 BB, CO calls 1 BB, Hero raises to 6 BB, fold, fold, fold, CO calls 5 BB

Flop: (14.5 BB, 2 players) 2 5 9
CO checks, Hero checks

Turn: (14.5 BB, 2 players) J
CO checks, Hero bets 10.15 BB, CO raises to 33.5 BB, Hero calls 23.35 BB

River: (81.5 BB, 2 players) 9
CO bets 60.5 BB, Hero calls 60.5 BB



h10: One happy hand so it's not all misery. Thank you, come again!

10 NL (6 max) - Holdem - 6 players
Hand converted by PokerTracker 4

Hero (BTN): 52.5 BB
SB: 49 BB
BB: 38.43 BB
UTG: 50 BB
MP: 43.5 BB
CO: 50 BB

SB posts SB 0.5 BB, BB posts BB 1 BB

Pre Flop: (pot: 1.5 BB) Hero has A A

fold, fold, fold, Hero raises to 3 BB, fold, BB calls 2 BB

Flop: (6.5 BB, 2 players) 5 K 3
BB checks, Hero bets 3.25 BB, BB raises to 6.5 BB, Hero raises to 49 BB and is all-in, BB calls 28.93 BB

Turn: (77.35 BB, 2 players) 3

River: (77.35 BB, 2 players) 8



Enough downswing hands. Also ran a lot below EV today. Tomorrow less poker. Not pissed off or anything. Just gets a bit boring to run into nut hands!!
The board runouts also annoyed me. Glad that I play simple strategy, so I don't have to play 5th level mind-games vs fish lol.
Looking forward to grinding more. And working on new strategy!
**** DOWNSWINGS. KEEP IT SIMPLE!

Some music. Judas Priest still rocking after going mainstream! Never listened to full Turbo-album, but it's very good stuff. I like all the old stuff by priest, the new stuff I haven't listed to yet. One of my fav bands for sure.

Spent the morning bumhunting a drunken rec at 1k tables. Saw him go all-in 80bb's at 1k with 93s, so I knew something was going on
He 4-bet preflop with J2o 350bb deep And oh, rivered a full house.
Other crazy stuff as well, so it's insane how bad coolers I had vs that type of guy.
So some handpr0n

Experience talking here!
Would have been the biggest crybaby had I lost this though

10 NL (6 max) - Holdem - 3 players
Hand converted by PokerTracker 4

BB: 89.84 BB
Hero (BTN): 100 BB
SB: 197.86 BB

SB posts SB 0.5 BB, BB posts BB 1 BB

Pre Flop: (pot: 1.5 BB) Hero has 7 4

Hero raises to 2 BB, SB calls 1.5 BB, BB calls 1 BB

Flop: (6 BB, 3 players) 3 K J
SB checks, BB checks, Hero checks

Turn: (6 BB, 3 players) 5
SB checks, BB bets 6 BB, Hero calls 6 BB, fold

River: (18 BB, 2 players) T
BB bets 81.84 BB, Hero calls 81.84 BB





10 NL (6 max) - Holdem - 2 players
Hand converted by PokerTracker 4

BB: 44.4 BB
Hero (SB): 182.94 BB

Hero posts SB 0.5 BB, BB posts BB 1 BB

Pre Flop: (pot: 1.5 BB) Hero has Q 7

Hero raises to 2.5 BB, BB calls 1.5 BB

Flop: (5 BB, 2 players) 4 K J
BB checks, Hero checks

Turn: (5 BB, 2 players) 5
BB bets 5 BB, Hero calls 5 BB

River: (15 BB, 2 players) 4
BB bets 36.9 BB, Hero calls 36.9 BB



Then the RIDICULOUS cooler. His timing tells were way off.

10 NL (6 max) - Holdem - 6 players
Hand converted by PokerTracker 4

BTN: 100 BB
SB: 106.1 BB
BB: 42 BB
Hero (UTG): 125.1 BB
MP: 98 BB
CO: 40 BB

SB posts SB 0.5 BB, BB posts BB 1 BB

Pre Flop: (pot: 1.5 BB) Hero has K J

Hero raises to 3 BB, fold, fold, fold, SB calls 2.5 BB, fold

Flop: (7 BB, 2 players) Q T 6
SB bets 2 BB, Hero calls 2 BB

Turn: (11 BB, 2 players) 9
SB checks, Hero bets 8 BB, SB calls 8 BB

River: (27 BB, 2 players) 3
SB checks, Hero bets 24 BB, SB raises to 93.1 BB, Hero calls 69.1 BB



Same guy. This was no-brainer gii, even though I didn't have as much info at this point.

4 NL (6 max) - Holdem - 4 players
Hand converted by PokerTracker 4

CO: 102.76 BB
BTN: 100 BB
SB: 141.05 BB
Hero (BB): 123.33 BB

SB posts SB 0.5 BB, Hero posts BB 1 BB

Pre Flop: (pot: 1.5 BB) Hero has A K

fold, fold, SB calls 0.5 BB, Hero raises to 4 BB, SB calls 3 BB

Flop: (8 BB, 2 players) 4 5 9
SB checks, Hero checks

Turn: (8 BB, 2 players) K
SB bets 4 BB, Hero raises to 17 BB, SB raises to 59 BB, Hero raises to 119.33 BB and is all-in, SB calls 60.33 BB

River: (246.65 BB, 2 players) A



Day started with this hand, it's a sign of things to come! (vs another rec)

4 NL (6 max) - Holdem - 4 players
Hand converted by PokerTracker 4

CO: 113.95 BB
BTN: 155.88 BB
SB: 152.55 BB
Hero (BB): 100 BB

SB posts SB 0.5 BB, Hero posts BB 1 BB

Pre Flop: (pot: 1.5 BB) Hero has A 6

CO calls 1 BB, BTN raises to 3 BB, fold, Hero calls 2 BB, CO calls 2 BB

Flop: (9.5 BB, 3 players) 6 2 6
Hero checks, CO bets 6 BB, fold, Hero calls 6 BB

Turn: (21.5 BB, 2 players) Q
Hero checks, CO bets 12 BB, Hero calls 12 BB

River: (45.5 BB, 2 players) A
Hero checks, CO bets 19 BB, Hero raises to 79 BB, CO calls 60 BB



Also had a good reminder why not to check results. I checked that I was up 1.2k € for the day. Then the KJ straight cooler happened and I knew all the profits were gone. That just puts you in a desperate position. Better not to check results (at least until end of the day).

Sign of things to come! Gary Moore one of the best.

Don't think there's anything more frustrating than a massive whale sun running against you then watching him donate it to the rest of the table.

Lol yeah. Exactly this happened.
The drunken rec did something like min-3b K99r flop with K2o, and then reg happily called with AA. Then one reg got the money in, K65tt flop, 55 vs KTs ~100bb. And there I am, losing to sets
The J2o 4-bet was epic though. He did make a full house on AAJxJ.


Didn't look at results except that one time. It's so stupid and screws up your mindset.
At mid stakes you don't wanna look at results session by session, because it can really be a rollercoaster ride. Feeling entitled to win is so stupid.

Rant:

Should always be grateful when ever you have big fish at the table, or another reg tilts or makes a big mistake.

After that whalehunt-session, I just went through a big rollercoaster results wise. Lost >1k quickly. I made a few potential mistakes and felt bad about it.
I thought more about this gratitude stuff. It's something being discussed on meditation reddit. I follow that subreddit, because it gives nice perspectives on life and way of thinking.

So I thought that it's hard to feel gratitude when you are the one making the mistakes. Let's say hero can spew off (aka. bluff loosely) a BI, but there's very little chance the opponent would ever do the same. So if you bluff catch in that spot, when villain just doesn't spew off, you are the one making a mistake. And the same way, if villain would never bluff catch as loosely, you are making a mistake, because your opponent would not do that. Which ofc. opens up some bluffing opportunities.

So what is gratitude. You could think of it as mutual respect. One day you flop the sets, one day weak rec flops the sets. Either way the money goes in.
One day you decide to bluff-raise a draw, one day your opponent does the same.
One day you decide to try out a very thin vb, one day your opponent does that, and fails miserably, but so do we at times.
Mistake-avoidance is a bad mindset, because this type of mindset gets easily ran over by very aggressive regs.

So mutual respect has a lot to do with two players following a similar though process. When this link is broken, i.e one reg is passive and the another one is aggressive, you really have to pick your spots carefully. Especially vs mistake-avoidant people.
It goes back to being accountable and taking full responsibility for your actions. Which is hard at times, but we can't say "Oh this nit will bluff showdown value for sure" "He will call light for sure".
It's important to distinguish your thought process from those of other players. And it's a gutted feeling to make a mistake that you know your opponent would never make :-/
It has a lot to do with staying focused as well, since mistakes are often done on low focus.
And all this goes back to building a stronger logical thought process and following it, so you get rid of the random actions that you make. Which is part of the non-Mistake-Avoidance learning mindset.

Then ofc there's the whole thing with flopping sets, flush > flush and running like jesus. Then there's the opposite.
There's no end-game reward for mistake-avoidance, but big rewards for trying new things out.



The type of spot I wrote about. Vs solid reg with occasional aggro/spazzy tendencies.
I guess we're somewhat on the same page here. I think the thin vb is absurd, but I also think that villain would not call my hand in this spot.
I think we both made a mistake. It's unlikely I call light and it can be unlikely that villain 3brl spazzes out.
Villain would have to bluff all JTs QTs, but also occasionally make a spazzy bluff with T9s 98s type hands by just playing the board.
Sometimes you just don't know in-game and choose to find out.
If I fold more, it gives incentive for villain to bluff more, which is kinda what I thought.

4 NL (6 max) - Holdem - 6 players
Hand converted by PokerTracker 4

MP: 100 BB
Hero (CO): 100 BB
BTN: 144.05 BB
SB: 214.33 BB
BB: 33.9 BB
UTG: 131.85 BB

SB posts SB 0.5 BB, BB posts BB 1 BB

Pre Flop: (pot: 1.5 BB) Hero has Q K

fold, fold, Hero raises to 3 BB, BTN raises to 9 BB, fold, fold, Hero calls 6 BB

Flop: (19.5 BB, 2 players) K 3 2
Hero checks, BTN bets 10 BB, Hero calls 10 BB

Turn: (39.5 BB, 2 players) A
Hero checks, BTN bets 23.7 BB, Hero calls 23.7 BB

River: (86.9 BB, 2 players) 4
Hero checks, BTN bets 101.35 BB, Hero calls 57.3 BB



Weekend grind ahead, should go with patience and gratitude towards all things
No stress regarding money! Just keep making right plays and stay patient. No entitlement!
The grind could be a little easier though

Hand like this makes me wanna self-exclude.
Getting into these spots again and again where the variables are just so weird, and I don't "know any better"!
Vs new rec/reg, screenname is reggy with capital/non-capital letters. Would put my money on him being a rec though.
I mean, random spazz with KJs/KQ type hand? Running into the nuts doesn't really help. It would look obvious if we ran into a bluff.
Obviously he is very capped, so we don't need many bluff combos.that's the definition of a polarized spot, either we are very good or very wrong, and just making a random bluff is enough for villauin

2 NL (6 max) - Holdem - 3 players
Hand converted by PokerTracker 4

BTN: 120.5 BB
Hero (SB): 100 BB
BB: 100 BB

Hero posts SB 0.5 BB, BB posts BB 1 BB

Pre Flop: (pot: 1.5 BB) Hero has 7 6

fold, Hero calls 0.5 BB, BB raises to 3.5 BB, Hero raises to 10.5 BB, BB calls 7 BB

Flop: (21 BB, 2 players) 3 7 6
Hero checks, BB bets 9 BB, Hero calls 9 BB

Turn: (39 BB, 2 players) 3
Hero checks, BB bets 27 BB, Hero calls 27 BB

River: (93 BB, 2 players) 8
Hero checks, BB bets 53.5 BB, Hero calls 53.5 BB

Hero mucks 7 6 (Two Pair, Sevens and Sixes)

BB shows Q Q (Two Pair, Queens and Threes)

BB wins 198 BB