Re H2, how do we plan on playing it if not leading flop? Check folding imo seems more terrible than leading. Check calling just makes it an absolute nightmare to play. Lead flop then give up unimproved? Or are we really just check folding what is likely a huge equity share otf?

Epictetus - The Art of Living



Just bought this book today on my day off while browsing through one of the many local book stores. I've already fallen in love with it after reading about a third of it. Essentially, it talks about happiness and what we can do mentally to cultivate it.

Lately, something has been playing on my mind and I feel as though it's holding me back. That's this whole notion of making my parents proud. Or rather, perhaps with equal weighting, not disappointing my parents. I have no idea why this has been so important to me, but it's becoming a problem. If I want to do something in life, one thought that always lays latent is "what will my parents think?" Every kid wants to make their parents proud. Everyone wants their parents to think of them as a success. If I go busto in poker, what will my parents think? If I decide one day I want to up and move to Tibet to meditate with the Buddhists, what will my parents think? If I want to get a tattoo, what will my parents think? I couldn't care less what my friends think of all these things... not one bit. It's a terribly grim thought to have, but at times, I imagine if my parents were to tragically pass away, I'd no longer have these burdensome thoughts lingering over me. I don't wish my parents didn't exist, not at all. But I wish I cared less about whether they see me as a success or failure, whether they're proud or disappointed.

Anyhow, in the book, I've gained some clarity over the issue when reading the following passage:

The book thus far has talked a lot about circumstance not being good or bad in and of itself, but rather our reaction to the circumstance that manifests the goodness or the badness.

This has a very direct correlation to poker. The event of us getting AA in 250bb deep and losing to QQ isn't a bad thing at all. The event is simply us being dealt two cards, villain being dealt two cards, the flop being dealt, then the turn, then the river. The dealer slides the money away from us. That's the event. What causes anguish here is nothing but how we look at the event. If we're able to look at the event in a perfectly stoic and unattached way, no badness manifests at all!

It states from the very beginning that we know what we can and cannot control.

Loads more tidbits of awesome wisdom in this book. A lot has incredible carry-over to the mental game of poker. Would highly recommend if you can find it in a book store near you. Will keep ya'll posted as I make my way through the book!

Did you talk with your parents before making this move? That's something that I did, well my mother and grandmother. They were behind me 100%. Most (sane) parents just want their children to be happy with life and what they're doing. If they view you as successful or not, they're not good parents imo.

I think for both hands you played the flop and turn perfectly fine
In terms of the river, especially for 2nd hand, a check can be ok AS LONG AS YOU ARE DOING IT FOR THE RIGHT REASONS. So good reasons to check the river would be because you block a Jack you think he's going to show up with spades a lot and want to let him bluff with them, or to let him turn hands like 86 into a bluff

I really dislike checking just because you dont want to get raised and be put in a tough spot. I get that when the raise comes you want to throw up but i think you miss value in the long run

Oh of course, and they're extremely supportive!

Yeah, I just think we struggle to get value now out of OMC on the river. I check to let him bluff missed draws, but I really don't know how often OMC will do that.

Again, just one man's opinions regarding preflop, and there will be a lot who disagree with them. But is something to consider.

Were we really the SB with J3o in H1? I'm never completing this junk in my 1/3 NL game. I'm guessing completing in a 1/2 NL game is also meh, although less of a small mistake given the great immediate odds (but IO and position typically matter more than immediate odds). But in the end, we didn't play this hand to flop TPNKnodraw in an eleventeen way pot. Just check/fold and move on, for the most part, imo.

H2 really comes down to the Villain. Was he really "expertly floating" to give himself options on the turn/river? Or is he just a massive calling station fish trying to hit his hand and get paid off? If he's calling on this flop in a very multiway pot with others left to act behind him, he's just a massive calling station fish trying to hit and we should be less inclined to pay him off.

GimoG

Are you a good person? Nice and respectful to your parents and the people around them and they can see that and be proud of that? That might matter more right now, especially as a young person trying to find their way (they were young once too, they know what it was like).

GgoodluckG

Yeah tbh I just instinctively call like 100% from SB when there's so many limpers. Realistically though, were about 3.3% chance of flopping two pair or trips and need about 8% equity to profitably call. Assuming we have some IO, it's probably not super terrible but considering the RIO, it's probably not great either.

You're right that I should just fold it and I think I'll start mucking a little bit more junk from the SB in these spots.

Say, hyperthetically, I end up in prison tomorrow. After committing a very serious crime. I feel as though the worst possible thing about that would be the shame my parents would feel. If my parents didn't exist, again hyperthetically, I don't think there would be any such intense feeling of shame and I could deal with my circumstances remarkably well... Akin to a Tibetan monk who'd been locked up and tortured by the Chinese for years but retained a peaceful solitude and stoic happiness... But for some strange reason, the very worst possible part of that ordeal for me would be disappointing my parents. I'd like for that not to be the case because I feel as though it might prevent me from authentically making life choices as I want to make them.

I would never complete J3o unless it was just insane game.

anything remotely connected I'd complete though, hands like 69o, or J3s I'd complete for example.

Yah, those hands sound a lot better.

Do you know if any good clubs that one could join on the PPPoker app?

Yeah a few, are you Aus-based? I'm not sure whether they just let anyone join or not.

How does this PPPoker App work? Is it for real money, do you deposit on it? Are most countries eligible?

Yeah I live in Brisbane same as yourself.

I THINK it's available everywhere? Basically like PokerStars home games, you can create a club, and then players join and play in it. Players transfer the club owner money via bank xfer in exchange for chips and the club owner handles cash outs.

I could probably refer you to a club if you're interested? Do you have WhatsApp?

Yeah I have WhatsApp I can send you a pm with details if you want.
Not sure if I will be able to jump straight in anyway bankroll is a bit thin ATM.

Yeah add us on +61432945026 if you wanna talk it over.

Is it like legit tho? or can somebody just decide they dont want to pay you?

In theory, they can. But it's never happened in any of the clubs I'm aware of.

Interesting stuff! Always good to expand your list of games available. Obviously just have to be careful. Also, I think you said 5% 15 cap rake? On 1/2&1/3? Quite high but could be alright it seems, as long as there are no extra money exchange fees, etc.

I thought you were in the BB in this hand when I posted, although that doesn't change much except fold pre. When you lead flop it just doesn't seem like you're getting called by many worse hands. Id prefer to c/c flop but I agree it makes it tough to play as you mentioned, which is why I advocate fold pre.

Been an exciting ride so far OP

Keep at it!

Cheers boi!

Daily Update - Thur 24 Aug 2017

Hours Played: 8
Profit: $1,620

Notes: Played fairly good and ran alright last night to book my biggest win since the thread. I should have a weekly review coming up, although I'm about to run out the door to a Penthouse game. No particularly interesting hands to note.

Technically I have maybe 1 day left in the month and after last night's performance, we're <$1k from the black since this thread. How miraculous would it be to hit green for the month after tonight!?

Anyway, I'll probably give this thread some more care and attention with a daily, weekly, and monthly review after tonight's grind. Also have some good news re the Tinder grind boys!

So big update coming later tonight, stay tuned.

Full Results & Graph: https://1drv.ms/x/s!AkK4doh8PHLEgk6pBpFJrgcokPKM

About time! Congrats.