Are you playing at the Oaks in Emeryville? Why would you move to vegas? Better games/ enviroment in the Bay Area. There are a few good 2-5 games around, Lucky Chances is one of them

I played 6 hours today and won $47. Made quad Qs that was nice. Donked off a good chunk with KK utg vs a flopped flush lost way more than I should have.

My std deviation according to pt3 is 67bb/100 which I'm pretty sure is on the low side. I have messed around with those ev++ tools they are insightful. I have been keeping an eye on the 2/4 game and would probably be willing to take a shot if the line up is good enough.

I've been to Vegas 4 times as an adult and I just really love the atmosphere. I like it in the Bay Area but I just want to get out of here for awhile I know I can come back whenever I want.

I really want to get out on my own again and be independent and stop mooching off my parents. I moved out at 18 and didn't think I would ever have to move back in especially not for as long as I have been back. I'm 22 now, most of my peers are graduating college or in college. I feel it's really time for me to get my **** together. I will enjoy the rest of the year here and save up so that I would have to have some epic run bad to go busto.

I set my volume goal high and failed to reach it in the 2 previous months. I'm really trying to hit it this month. I'm starting to get in the groove of working again after not having a full time job since 2008.

There are some serious barriers to me ever getting a real job and I think grinding poker holds the most earning potential compared to anything else for me.

I appreciate the advice.

I am probably just going to rent a room for like 600/mo. I havn't played in southern cal yet. I wouldn't mind spending a few months down there grinding. There are a lot of "business trips" I would like to take to places like to AC and Florida. In the next 10 years I would like to hit the UK and Europe.

Thanks for the advice.

Grind on the mind!

Yes The Oaks is home base. The only other rooms I've played at in the Bay Area are Garden City, Lucky Buck and Casino 580. I will definitely check out Bay 101 and Lucky Chances once I have the bankroll to play the bigger games.

Vegas is Vegas there is no other place like it. I want to stay out there for at least 3 to 6 months and if I get tired of it I won't be tied down (hopefully I don't knock anyone up haha).

July 2011

Total hours played- 49.5
Pace- 62
Average hourly winrate- $17
Winnings- $821

2011 YTD

Total hours played- 352
Average hourly winrate- $20
Winnings- $6991

SoCal sucks for grindind strictly because of traffic. Not only does is it a huge $$$ vig, but an obscene time waster as well.

Check out Miami if youre interested in traveling. I wouldnt move to Vegas until youre buying in for 500 or more, simply because that will be a better transitioning point for your career. In a year, you should be there.

can you please post your monthly expenses so we can guage this better rent, utilites, auto insurance, phone bill, health insurance, etc? are you working another job?

details please on the quality of life. am thinking of doing the same


thanks

I played 8 hours today and won $72. Just another meh session, mostly folding no big hands.

Right now I have budgeted 1k/mo to live off of. Mainly it is just food, phone, public transportation, weed. Living with my parents for now rent free. I'm saving up for a car which should cut my travel time to and from the card room in half.

Not sure exactly what you mean by quality of life.

July 2011

Total hours played- 57.5
Pace- 67
Average hourly winrate- $16
Winnings- $893

2011 YTD

Total hours played- 360
Average hourly winrate- $20
Winnings- $7063

I played 6.5 hours today and won $59. Spotted a pretty obvious tell, heads up on the turn a have tptk it is checked to me and right as i'm about to put villain all in he beats into the pot about 80 into 150. I almost c/f it but end up putting it in anyway. He said he had 2p but I get saved by the river.

July 2011

Total hours played- 64
Pace- 72
Average hourly winrate- $15
Winnings- $952

2011 YTD

Total hours played- 366.5
Average hourly winrate- $19
Winnings- $7122

Keep it up, Great Thread

I played 8.5 hours today and won $99. Played okay accept for a hand where called a min 3bet oop with AK and c/c 3 streets on a K10348 board and got owned by 1010. Dumped 270 on that hand otherwise I could've a had a great session. All this week a have been missing some obvious folds.

Thanks man.

July 2011

Total hours played- 72.5
Pace- 77
Average hourly winrate- $14
Winnings- $1051

2011 YTD

Total hours played- 375
Average hourly winrate- $19
Winnings- $7221

How much are you tipping?

What are your requirements for ending a session?

I'm thinking about doing this... but I need to put together a more substantial BR together first. I'll be playing online mostly with maybe a trip to Mohegan/Foxwoods twice a month. I'll also be padding my BR with $100 a week.

Mohegan's 1/2 is a $300 bi while Foxwood's is $100.

I played 5.5 hours today and lost $42. I played at the 2/4 table for a couple hours until it broke (played with a 50bb stack) and half the time it was short handed.

Here is a hand I played 3 handed-

Btn limps, sb completes, I check in the bb with 63

Flop- 543

sb leads for 20 into 11. I make it 50. btn folds, sb calls.

Turn- 4

Villian leads for 20 again I think about raising again but I don't think there is much that he is bet folding so I opt to call getting odds to draw at my straight.

River- 9

Villian checks and I check behind and give up. Villian flips 23 for a chop. Looks like I should have fired like 75 on the end.

Here is a hand back at the 1/2 table:

I've got AK raise it to 12 over one limper from mp, get 2 lp calls and the limper calls.

Flop- 557

Checks around

Turn- A

I fire 15, one call from lp, ep makes it 50. I call lp folds.

River- 2

ep leads for 75 into 160 with 25 behind. I ask him if he has a fh he said he pleads the 5th. Villian could show up here with a Q or J and maybe a 5. I make to crying call and he flips 77 nh sir. I guess I could have dumped it on the turn.

I tip $1 for any pot over about $50. This comes out to about $1 or $2 an hour or between 5 and 10% of my winrate. Dealers have a tough job and they deserve every toke they get. When you take care of them they keep the game moving and make less mistakes.

I usually end a session when I feel the table conditions are not that great (not much dead money up for grabs). I usually scan the other tables to see if there are any better options, if not I just take off. I'll also quit if I am tired and don't feel I can concentrate and play well. I'll obviously end the session when I lose all the money in my wallet, lucky that has only happened once so far this year.

July 2011

Total hours played- 78
Pace- 88
Average hourly winrate- $13
Winnings- $1009

2011 YTD

Total hours played- 380.5
Average hourly winrate- $19
Winnings- $7179

I don't want to call you cheap and I know you are trying to make a living at poker, but the dealers are trying to make a living too. And they aren't getting shipped $300 pots every couple of hours.

I tip $1 on EVERY pot I win. I tip $2, $3, $4 or more depending on the size of the pot. I tip a redbird whenever I feel it's necessary.

Does it cut into my win rate? Yes. But the dealers have families to feed and I am doing this to supplement my income.

If I moved to another casino, I'd like to think I'd cut back on my tipping. But I would never eliminate tipping on pots below $50.

Maybe it's because I am a good tipper, but I know several dealers who complain about not getting tipped when they ship big pots.

Anyone ever tipping more than 1$ a hand at 1/2 is an idiot. Sure sometimes you tip 2 when you hit a 1 or 2 outer or so
But if you actually added up your tips or keep track of them. You will see why. The fish will tip more cause they dont play often. The dealers understand you are trying to make a living grinding and can't tip as well as a fish

I played 7 hours today and won $95. I played in the 2/4 game for most of the day. I feel comfortable playing in the bigger game, but still don't want to play with more than 10% of my bankroll on the table. I dumped my first 50bb buyin JJ vs AA aipf. I managed to make it back by making some moves and playing a little more aggressive than usual.

To each his own. I have tipped 2 dollars for big pots but I think I am just going to stick to the standard of 1 dollar a pot from now on. I feel my contribution of $2k-$3k a year to dealers is sufficient. I think by being frugal I can decrease my risk of ruin and ensure I can stay in action (and toking) for years to come.

Recreational players tend to tip more because their whole buyin is expendable. If they are losing players they tip big because it feels good and every chip in front of them will be gone eventually if they continue to play. Of the 33% or so who are winning players most are winning at a very small rate and if they tip too generously their meager profit will go right into the dealer's pocket.

July 2011

Total hours played- 85
Pace- 98
Average hourly winrate- $13
Winnings- $1104

2011 YTD

Total hours played- 387.5
Average hourly winrate- $19
Winnings- $7274

Tipping $1 per pot and $2 for big stacks is both standard and generous. It's difficult to beat rake as it is in 1/2, and dealers will make decent money if everyone tips like this consistently.

I played 11 hours today and lost $325. I played well but took some standard beats AA vs JJ, QQ vs KK. Kind of funny whenever I played AKs the flop would be the opposite color . Other than the run bad I felt I still had a high level of focus throughout the long session. I'm planning to put in some more 10 hr+ sessions to hit my goal this month.

He is a hand I played-

I'm in lp and pick up 1010 I raise to 16 over 3 limps. bb makes it 32 and the rest fold. I study him for a minute and decide he doesn't have to have an over pair so I make the call. Stacks are 200 effective.

Flop- QQ8 villain donks 45, I feel like this a stab and he didn't connect. I make the call.

Turn- J check, check

River- J check check. He of course flips AK nh sir. I don't think there is much I could have done here maybe fire on the turn or river? Villain is a station and I had recently seen him snap off a river bet with underpair on a 4 straight 3 flush board.

July 2011

Total hours played- 96
Pace- 108
Average hourly winrate- $8
Winnings- $779

2011 YTD

Total hours played- 398.5
Average hourly winrate- $17
Winnings- $6949

Yea that last hand sucks but when you call the pre flop raise and the flop raise you look strong and if you have a read on the player, stick with it. You thought he didn't connect and your right ( yea its easier now to say that now but with the check on the turn you could kinda tell that he is slowing down after your call) So looking back on it i think you could have bet the turn and taken down the pot there.

I think maybe shove the flop. You get to rep Qx hands plus 88, and any other pair 99 - JJ, basically anything that gets a fold there. Either way tough hand.

Best of luck, been following. Really respect the live grind game. If I had an option that would be my route so I'm really routing for you here. GL

dont forget to include your stack sizes on your HH. Keep it up though good luck!

Tipping doesnt really encourage dealers. I would consider not tipping at all, 3-4k a year is a **** ton of money.


Also, dump the AK on the 755A board that raise screams FH

What was your biggest losing session and what have you tried to learnfrom it? And did you stick to it?

I played 8.5 hours today and won $484. Played 2/4 for a little while and did okay but the table was relatively tough. Moved down to the 1/2 where there was crazy action and it paid off.

July 2011

Total hours played- 104.5
Pace- 114
Average hourly winrate- $12
Winnings- $1263

2011 YTD

Total hours played- 407
Average hourly winrate- $18
Winnings- $7433

My biggest losing session was -454 playing live 1/2. I've lost 6 buyins in 5 hours playing online. As a poker player you have to accept that you are going to be beat, you should just make sure that you are hard to beat. After taking hundreds of suckouts I think I am virtually immune to tilting. I've been stacked in every conceivable way so nothing throws me off anymore. After each lose I evaluate if played a hand bad or if I just got unlucky. If I made a mistake I just adjust in future situations.

I played an 18 hour session today and lost $813. Ironic how I post about losing then set my personal record for worst session. Just to sum it up I flipped with with AKo 3 times aipf (2 times for 400+ pots) and got snapped off by 22, 77, then 22 again. I checked/ shipped top set on the flop and got stacked by the nut flush draw. I ran KK into 55. Very sick run.

I thought I would show you guys my card protector. It's a lucky 1886 Morgan silver dollar.




July 2011

Total hours played- 122.5
Pace- 114
Average hourly winrate- $4
Winnings- $450

2011 YTD

Total hours played- 425
Average hourly winrate- $16
Winnings- $6623

Ouch, that's a tough session. Seems like a lot of us live grinders in the Goals and Challenges Forum are having a sub optimal July. But stay with it, keep your mind right and everything will end up just where it should.