Hello everyone, my name is Dizzyqtp.

As a frequent follower and enjoyer of many PG&Cs, I have often considered starting one of these myself, but never really felt like committing to keeping up with a thread for the long-term. However, after just starting a mini-challenge with myself, I thought this was the perfect opportunity to give it a try while simultaneously keeping myself accountable; so here we go.

Quick background: I am a mid-20s part-time player who has had a lot of success in live poker as a compliment to my full-time job since I graduated college. I started playing seriously just over 2.5 years ago grinding 1/2 NL, and have since moved up to $5 and $10 blind no-limit games.

Since I started I have: logged ~2200 hours, made over 6-figures, and have averaged 12bb/hr across all stakes.

However, more recently I have been getting crushed by a combination of negative variance (which I am less concerned about) and straight up poor play (which I can admit to, and am much more frustrated about). 2018 started off well, but since then I am on an $18k downswing (mostly from $10 blind games) and am stuck $10k on the year.

The Challenge: So after booking yet another -3k session today, I decided I was going to force myself to drop down and play solely 2/5 NL until I am unstuck for the year, and use that time to refocus and get back to my A-game. Luckily I am in no danger as far as my roll is concerned, I am just tired of playing bad poker and figured I could use something tangible to get me back on track.

My first session of the challenge should be tomorrow, and I will be keeping a running-tally as well as doing session/hand reviews to hold myself accountable and force myself to stop and think about having to post a hand-history for everyone to see if I am about to spew I usually average ~15hrs/week and mostly play during the week after work, with the occasional weekend session when I don't have plans.

Hopefully we can have some fun and the challenge doesn't end up taking too long! Wanted to keep the OP on the shorter side, so happy to answer additional questions as they come up. Also any advice/comments/criticism always welcome.

disclaimer: If a bigger game goes and it is super juicy I am going to play in it (I recommend being over-rolled for a reason lol ) and we will count it to the challenge. But for the most part, I expect to be playing 2/5NL.

0/10,000

Sgt. Spew reporting for duty

Good luck. We have similar hours logged and money won. I am on a 45 hour 14k downswing right now.

Good luck bro, looking forward to some hh's

yoo bro - now I just need you in my games

ty - and that is pretty coincidental/weird lol. Let's get unstuck together!

ty! just hopefully not too many spewy ones

lets goooooo!

Just want to say, after we both had big 2017's (yours what quite better tbf) I'm in the same boat as you (large d/s to start the year.) It's easier said than done but keep playing your game (and improving) and you will be just fine. BOL.

(Also, those 2/5 games at your casino = )

You are soooooooooo lucky to have this happen b4 going pro.

<-- wasn't that lucky

gimme 3 months

thanks man! starting off the year with a massive downswing is all the rage in 2018 I heard. definitely easier said than done to turn it around but if I stop spewing I will be just fine

and yes the 2/5 games are usually very nice Beers on me when we finally end up playing here on the same day.

yeah going on a large downswing definitely helps keep a big winning year in perspective + it is very nice to have no real financial stress over it.

& no plans to go pro right now lol.

if I am not done the challenge by then I just may need your help..

Just wrapping up session one of the challenge. Stayed later than normal since I found myself at a great table towards the end of the night.

Tried to book a win guys I really did but looks like we will be starting off with a small loss. Overall happy with my play - will post a session review tomorrow morning.

Session 1

h1: whale limp; 2 weak passive limp; I raise 35 QcJh. SB fish + whale call
($115) Flop: J83r; x x I cbet 45; both call
($250) Turn: 7cc; x, whale lead 135; I call; SB calls
($655) River: Qo; x x I jam; SB folds; whale calls 250 eff
MHIG vs J7o

Turn is pretty marginal tbh I can probably just fold there. Some nice river run good to start the session though!

h2: fish + whale limp; passive CO raises 30; i call KQo BTN; 3 more calls
($150) Flop: Q72r; x to me; I bet $55; folds to PFR who calls
($260) Turn: 6r; x / x
($260) River: 3; x; I bet $105 he folds

Usually a 3b or fold pre for me but wanted to play pots with the limpers. Would go 3 streets post flop a lot of the time but vs the PFR specifically I was targeting 88-TT with a b/x/b

h3: 6 handed open A2ss UTG 20; blinds call
($60) Flop: J34r one spade; x x I cbet 35, SB call
($130) Turn: 3dd; sb leads $45 I fold

Really wanted to raise turn/jam river here but this guy was on the stationy side. He shows AJhh

h4: Tight reg 25 UTG; fish calls; I 3b to 115 with KKh in the BB; UTG calls
($255) Flop T73hh; I bet 170; she calls
($595) Turn 7o; I bet 350; she calls
($1295) River 6o; I jam 750; she calls with AAh

Womp - got nit rolled on the river too. Once I faded the snap I was positive she had JJ/QQ. But instead I get asked if I have TT and then shown the Aces lol. At least she bought me a beer afterwords Back to being stuck

After that hand my table also had turned really bad. Stuck it out for a little then finally was able to change to a much better table.

h5: MP raise 20; I call JTcc SB; BB call
($60) Flop KT5r; checks around
($60) Turn 6ss; I lead 25; BB raises to 55; MP calls; I call
($225) River Ao; I check; BB bets 85; MP folds; I raise to 405; BB tank folds

Turn bet and call are both pretty meh - I like my river bluff though. He said he folded 2p

h6: Straddle; I open A9o 35 in HJ; BTN passive fish calls
($80) Flop A83hh; I bet 35 he calls
($150) Turn 6o; I bet 75 he calls
($300) River Ahhh; I bet 125; he raises to 325; I fold

Don't love this one - normally a fold pre for me but straddle is someone I wanted to play hands with. Was close between checking/betting both turn and river

h7: Straddle, EP open 30; I call 77 CO; 5 way to the flop
($150) Flop T53cc x around
($150) Turn Jo x to me I bet 65 everyone folds

h8: Straddle, 2 limps I raise T8ss 50; limpers call
($160) Flop 644ss; x x I cbet 100; first limper raises to 275; fold; I fold

Annoying hand - I would peel with better flush draws. He had 34o lol

h9: Straddle, Raise KK 35; SB whale calls
($80) Flop K97dd; x I cbet 50 he calls
($180) Turn 6o; x I bet 125 he calls
($430) River Jo; x I bet 265 he folds

h10: I am in the straddle with JsTc 5 limpers and I check
($60) Flop J96cc; x to me I bet 30 3 calls
($180) Turn 9o; x around
($180) River 4o; BB leads 100; I call; others fold and MHIG

----

Other than that I was pretty card dead. My second table was great so stayed until 1am but couldn't get much going. Overall I thought I played well. Some small mistakes but no spew. Running KK<AA for 300bb will ruin a session obviously

I was in for 2,000 and out for 1618 so booked a small loss of -382

----

10K Challenge Update
Sessions: 1
Hours: 6.5
-382/10,000

Everyone has different styles, but I see some seriously bad plays mixed in with some good ones.

HH1
HH4
HH6

are pretty bad IMO.

h1 & h6 I agree. wasn't happy with either of those hands.

how are you playing h4 differently?

Im almost never putting in 270BBs with KK in a spot like this where a tight UTG raiser opened and we 3 bet. Im checking somewhere. I mean is she really calling your river shove with JJ? or even QQ?

If so then I guess its not terrible, but I dont think most tight players are willing to do that.

I mean I generally have a pretty aggressive image & have also played a hand vs the same villain in the past where I floated flop/semi-bluff jammed turn for over 200bb in a 3b pot (she had AA then as well )

With QQ I am not playing for stacks here but not doing so with KK on this board seems kinda nitty. You're just going to x/f river?

If I didnt check the turn, I would check the river and see what she does. I doubt shes going all in. She may even check behind. Of course when she has QQ, you hate yourself so theres that.

Mike - there's just over a 1/2 PSB remaining on the river. x/c vs. AA and having QQ x back is a disaster. The hand is a set-up. He's never folding at any point so the alternative is to maximize value vs. villain's range which b/b/jam accomplishes.

h1: fold turn brah. the only hand you're beating is a button clicking JT or J9. flop i would have shaded up just a little bit to $60 with two other players in the hand and T9 OESD possibile.

h2: i don't like calling a passive player's raise, even if we are IP. you are either dominated by AK/AQ or trying to outflop JJ-99 which you will fail to do 2/3 of the time. post flop is fine.

h3: nh

h4: you were way overdue for KK vs AA so ¯\_(ツ)_/¯

h5: not really sure what to do with JTs in this spot from the SB tbh. effective stacks are important, as are reads on MP and BB. in a vacuum flatting seems -EV. i would fold to the turn raise but river raise is nice repping QJ and ATs/A5s that stuck around with the BDFD on the turn.

h6: i think A9o from the HJ is too loose. i would size up the flop and/or turn as played and i wouldn't bet the river. what are you trying to get called by, 8x?

h7: nh

h8: nh

h9: nh. are you b/f or b/c?

h10: nh

@johnny
h1 - agree
h2 - only calling pre b/c we have btn + fish will always limp/call
h4 - rip money
h5 - i was like 800 eff with the pfr and bb; both are abc. pfr limps a lot so idk if there is much value to 3b JTs here and i don't really mind that much if the bb comes in the hand
h6 - yah A9o normally not an open for me here; should have just folded pre and post-flop is a mess. river my first instinct was check but instead did some weird block/value bet. he was doing stuff like call bb with 96o and peel on QJ6r vs a cbet though. we are always beat when he raises obv.
h9 - not folding vs this guy

Yo yo dizz my man, sorry I completely missed the inception of this thread! What's with all ya'll downswinging to start the year? Has anyone actually made any money in 2018 yet???

Keen as to sweat the challenge. I have no doubt you'll get unstuck quick enough, ship another 100k year, and then snap go pro. :')

Will take a look at a few of the hands shortly.

How so? If villian has AA and QQ the same percentage of the time, I think we come out ahead long term by checking the river.

She clearly isnt folding AA to a shove.
She may fold QQ to a shove
So thats a loss on our part if we always shove.

If we check the river, she may check both AA or QQ back. We dont know for sure. If we knew she would only bet AA and not QQ then again, checking is better. Obviously we dont know that, but surely she bets AA more often than QQ when we check to her....so I submit checking / calling is better. Or check/folding if you get some super live soul read

Hands all look pretty standard. I agree fold turn in hand one and think bigger squeeze in KK hand.

she should have QQ more often than AA imo (she can also have JJ or TT)

I can see an argument for x/f river (she prob bets AA/TT but checks QQ/JJ) or x/c river if she bets small enough; but when it is close I always prefer to be the one betting and pushing for max value.

Also post with KK looks very VERY standard. I'd never check this river?

H2 that better be a big whale because kqo does super poorly against a passive players raising range.
H4 less otf and less ott especially if the 7h is already otf, checking otf seems reasonable too. Bigger pre too oop and deep, $150 should be good
H6 probably check either flop, turn or river
H8 sizing otf seems bad, bet $50