Tournament route 66 10k guarantee(20k prize pool)

Buyin: 160

Duration: 6 hrs

Entrants: 144

Places: 2nd

Cashout: 2760

Dealer tip: 75

Result: + 2525

My new best tournament finish. We chopped 6 handed and 1st and I got and extra 100. Everyone else got the same but 2 players gave me 50 each, and 2 others gave to 1st.

Very happy with the deal as I was really tired and blinds were, 6k 12k, with 2 k ante.

First had over 500k, I had 350k and the reat were aeound 200k.

Everyone started with 10k so 1,440,000 was in play.

As i write this its 4 am, I have to be at work in 2 hours. Lol.

I didnt take down any hand histories. I made 3 or 4 mistakes. 2 times it worked in my favor. Have to remember the oversize chip rule. 2 times I meant to raise but didnt announce it and threw in a 25k chip only for it just to be a call. Both times I had marginal hands players called, flop came out high cards, they checked to me, I bet it and take it down.

Ran pretty well over all. At the final table before the chop I went on a huge run. Got K's, Q's,J's, A's, 9s twice in a row.

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Final chip stack.

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My new graph. Very happy

Great run, Sam! Congratulations!

I popped in after I played a little cash to see where the field was at and if you were still in there around level 8. Sounds like the field went farther than level 8.

Thanks man. Felt great to make a final table and boost my BR a ton. I lost track of the levels at some point in the night. But it was long thats for sure. 8 hrs total I think. Good luck tonight. Hope you take it down. I will be sleeping my ass off tonight.

What's up Sam. You sound so much like the younger me.
So, I'd like to tell you, without having read through everything that's been posted already, don't do the same mistakes I did.
I also started out trying to build up my bankroll through poker.
When I made some money, I'd spend it on bills or luxuries.
I didn't have a mentor to advise me. Only now in my 50's have I built a proper bankroll slowly by opening up a savings account and depositing a small amount each week. Now I see how I'm playing the best poker of my life. Not only because of my accumulated experience but because I'm also not afraid to make the right decisions and none the less lose a big pot.
Can you build up a bankroll through poker alone? Sure you can. Just like a Negreanu or a Phil Ivey did but you're not those one in a million guys. Neither was I.
You can also end up wasting 10 years trying and not get anywhere.

Well thanks for the reply and input. Always nice to hear a different point of view.

I think I understand what your saying but you kinda lose me at the end.

I dont ever plan on being a Phil Ivey, or a MTT pro. And while I have made bankroll mistakes in the past, IE spending my bankroll on crap. I have repaid myself the money, started a seperate savings account that is not for any poker.

I plan on not spending any of my tournament winnings on anything but more poker.

My BR is at 6,300 in 6 months from nothing. Im quite happy with my progress and strive to improve my game every day. My main goal is to be able to go play poker anytime I want(1/2 or small buyin tourns) and not worry about money. Future goals are always changing but that 1 remains the same.

I would love more advice from a seasoned player of the game. So please feel free to jump in anytime and let me know what you think. Anyone that has played cards as long as you should have some unigue points of view

$66 tubro satelite

Buyin: 66

Duration: 1 hr 30 mins

Entrants: 46

Paid: 11

Result: 24th

Ran up a big stack fairly easy. With 30k in chips and blinds at 600/1200, ante 200.

Hero raises AhKs to 3500 in cutoff, btn jams for less. BB raises to 8500, Hero jams, BB calls and has me covered by 10k.

BB JJ
Btn KJ

Flop QJ5

Turn 9

River 6

I bust and decided to not play the 366 main due to being tired from the week and not feeling it.

Session 46

Buyin: 300

Duration: 1 hr 35 mins

Cashout: 525

Result: +225

Good short session.

Nice read and congrats! I'd suggest making your main goal 2/5. Often times when you are a solid winning player it's just a matter of rake consideration at most casinos and often the player pool isn't that much harder to navigate.

Thanks for the kind words and reading along with my journey and offering advice. I have to agree that it is abour time to take a few shots at 2/5. Unfortunitly my local room rarely runs 2/5 unless a series is going on. In fact we are in the route 66 series this weekend and only a 2/5 interest list. 1, 10/20 PLO 8/b game.

Though alot of people straddle to 5 both on the button and UTG(for some reason, but I like it). So I would feel okay with 2/5 blinds at this point.

The 1/2 player pool at my casino is large and extremely soft IMO. Some good players but they are easy to avoid and spot. I only avoid a few players at this point.

Lately I have really hit a stride in my play and have turned up the pressure alot.

Session 47

Buyin: 300

Duration: 3 hrs 43 mins

Cashout: 950

Result:+650

Great table. Loose asain young guy gave me 300 or so. Then played 2 hands with a very aggresive older man. He bets large and is never passive in his play.

Hand 1 vs Older Aggressive Guy.

Old man raises, mp player calls, hero calls 8h8s bb.

Flop 4c4s9c

Hero checks, old man checks, mp makes it 25. He has done this a few times with air when checked to. I raise to 75. Old man calls which I was not expecting. Mp player folds.

Turn Kh

Hero checks thinkimg im very far behind. Old man Jams for 200. Hero folds but does not believe old man.

Hand 2

Hero 600 LAG 8h8s UTG, Raises to 15, Old man calls from hand 1, same mp calls and the BB.

Flop 8cKc6s

Hero bets 40, Old man calls, other 2 fold.

Turn 3d

Hero leads 80, old man calls

River Kd

Hero checks, im certain old man has a King and if not I want him to try and bluff knowing his ability to be very aggressive in position. Old man bets 100 and has 160 or so behind. Hero waits about 1 minute and then Jams. Old man calls almost instantly and says nice hand after I table my boat.

Hero scoops a huge pot.

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Session 48

Buyin: 300 + 300

Duartion: 5 hrs

Cashout: 0

Result: -600

The session of losing AK suited to everything. Seriously i had this hand many times with a straddle on the btn and I pop it big everytime. Get called by many people and get really bad flops out of position.

I cant complain too much because I ran so good the last week.

Hand 1
Hero 300 TAG

Hero is UTG AsKs. 5 straddle on the btn. Sb calls, BB calls, Hero makes it 30. 5 callers.

Flop 2c4h5s (pot 150)

2 Checks to hero. Who bets 60, V1 tanks for along time then jams for 110, V2 tanks then jams for 60, Hero calls 50 more

Hero AsKs
V1 9c9s
V2 Ah6h

Turn 8h(pot 430)

River 9h(pot 430)

Hand 2

Hero 200.

Btn starddle to 5, 1limp, Hero looks down at AdKd. Makes it 35, sb calls, and BB jams for 300 having me covered. I call, sb folds.

BB shows KK. And we are way behind. I was putting BB on a smaller pocket pair 9s-Qs, AK perhaps. He was the player who called off his stack with Ah6h in hand 1.

Flop 864r

Turn 9

River 8

I got AK suited 8 or more times in the short session and I think I dragged 1 pot with them.

Poor me. Lol. So i got a comp for food got the food to go and I am now at home. Ready to relax the rest of the night and get ready for tomorrow.

Session 49

Buyin: 300

Duration: 4 hrs 30 mims

Cashout: 1046

Result: +746

This whole month has been epic for me. After rereading the last session I clearly punted 170 dollars at the end for no good reason but tilt. Other than that 1 session I have been playing well and running fairly good to boot.

Most the money I won was from 1 villain. V is a young guy who I think I have seen before. He appears a liitle drunk, due to the way his eyes looked. He is fairly composed but I could be wrong on him being drunk. He raises the 1st hand he gets to 12, I call Ad5d, V2 older tight player calls.

Flop AdQc7c (pot 36)

V1 jams 120 into 36. I fold, V2 folds and V1 tables 8c4d and says im on tilt.

Game on!

He continues to makes these huge over bets and in 20 minutes he has 400+ when this hand happens. I ended up having him coveted by 10 bucks or so.

Hero 450+
V1 450+

V1 raises to 12, 1 call, Hero calls 9d9s, 2 other calls I think.

Flop 9c8c6s

V1 leads 25, V2 calls, Hero calls, others fold.

Turn 6d

V1 checks, V2 checks, hero bets 35, V1 raises to 100, V2 folds. Hero trys hard to act like he doesnt want to call but I throw in the call.

River Kc

V1 checks. He has 300 behind. I bet 100, V1 snap shoves. I snap call and roll my hand over before he knows what to do. He mucks and I scoop a huge pot.

He gets up and says he will be back. To my surprise he is quickly back with 300. Im 2 seats to his left and in great position.

Few hands later.

V1 300
Hero 800+
V2 100

I dont really remember the preflop action except it was raised by V1, hero calls with 10h10d, V2 calls.

Flop AcQc10c

V1 checks, Hero checks, V2 bets 20 or 25, V1 instantly jams for 300. Hero tanks, V1 states "I flopped it, I'll show" I wait, he instists again he flopped it.

I hate the clubs but I think he has some kinda A or total air. I call and V2 calls quickly as well.

Turn 8d

River 4c

**** more clubs. V2 rolls over QdQs, V1 says nice hand and shows AsJh, I table.

V2 had 85 so he scoops the 300+ main, I get the 430 side pot and V1 gets up and doesnt come back.


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2 racks are better than 1

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10 more hours until I have 40 hours for the monthly freeroll. Hopefully I can get them by Friday at midnight.

Sweet session, nice job!

Wow. Its Pure Aggression. Man your thread is my favorite to read and your thread specifically inspired me to follow my passion and start this thread and my BR challenge.

My life has greatly improved and I look forward to the future and playing cards for a long time to come. I still grind out the 40 hour work week but I dream of playing full time. And while I may never get to that point I can honestly say this journey has been great and your journey has been very inspiring.

Thanks for the post and inspiration.

Session 48:

Hand 2: Seems completely standard unless villain is insanely tight

Congrats on the recent success. Judging by Hand Histories you have improved quickly from the start of this thread, your sizing is a lot better. Keep it up.

Thanks WiCane! I have to agree it was nit very good a few months ago. Best thing is I still feel like I have so much to learn and I am looking forward to studying more in the future.

Hand 2 of session 48 I am still on the fence. I didnt play long with that V but I dont remember him even opening raise 1 time. Just limp, call, fold. Except this 1 hand where he over jams. I do have blockers to A's and K's but I think this V was too tight to be anything but QQ-AA. I dont think he would have been capable of too many tricky plays.

I just poker stoved it and AdKd is 46% against 10's, J's, Q's, 34% against K's, and 12% against A's.

Overall not too bad against most of his range so probably not too bad except he was a Nit sooooo.

Thanks again for the input and advice.

Well its been about 6 months since I last posted anything.

Shortly after my last post I went on a fairly large downswing. I was feeling pretty worn out and I took about 2 months off from playing live poker and began focusing on work, school and making money buying and selling guitars.

I made a fairly big score on a guitar a few weeks ago and just went ahead and booked a trip to vegas by myself.

While in Vegas I had alot if fun, meet the trooper and pure aggression. Both very cool people that made the trip tgat much better. Got a hat from trooper and made the vlog for December 4th or 5th which was cool.

What was even more cool was the amazing painting I picked up from pure aggression. The dude is very talented and his thread has motivated me to make more changes in my life for the better.

Poker wise I feel like I killed it. Even though I only played 4 tournaments and 3 cash sessions. All of which werw pretty short.

Results.

Tournaments: 440 in buiyns(70,70,150,150) chopped 1 of $150 ceasers 3k guarntee. For 1k

+ 560

Cash games:
Ceasers: +387
Venetian: -300
Ceasers: +390

+477

Total profit :1037

I spent alot of time smoking good weed, eating good food, and wondering about. I enjoyed taking the monorail at night to Harrahs.

1 hour after getting home I already had my next trip booked.

19 more days. Dec 26-30. Staying at Westgate $100 for 3 days and a striaght flight to vegas and back for $280.

Looking forward to putting in some more time at the felt this time around. Less vacation more grinding.

Not sure if I will keep updating this but im considering it.

I though that I recognized the Tulsan from a few Trooper episodes back. Glad to hear of your nice results and pleasant trip.

Nice to meet you dude. Thanks for your donation to the Poker Player Volunteer Organization, it will be put to good use!

Awesome that you won 1k+ grinding poker and got to check out some of the dispensaries.

I didn't know you flipped axes, that's cool. Curious about which guitar turned into a big score.

Thanks for the compliments, glad I can influence anyone to methodically improve their life. Enjoy the painting!

Definitly enjoyed meeting you and getting my painting. This next vegas trip I will be in town on a thursday so will probably play the trooper game at westgate. I have noticed you playing in some of those so perhaps we will play some cards together.

I have been flipping guitars for a few years now. Mostly to just buy more stuff. I am finally tapped out on guitars I want and now have 14 or more. I lose count.

My biggest score to date.



2007 Gibson Custom Shop Dave Grohl DG335 in phelam blue.

They have made 2 runs of these. 2007, 2014. Each run only had 200 in blue, 400 in gold.

I purchased this guitar from a local pawn shop for $3000.00 out the door tax included.

I listed on reverb(ebay for instruments). They charge less for selling items. Bought it Wed, listed it Wed. Saturday I had 2 offers for 5k. I countered both offers to 6k. And 1 recountered my offer at 5,550.

I accepted and after shipping of $140. And the cost of reverb i cleared just under 2k in 4 days. Best part is I get to play the guitars until they sell. And I can always brag "I owned 1 of those".

Yup I shaved my beard right before vegas as I let it grow all of november. So its not the normal, bearded, shaggy hair Sam. Thanks man. You still playing?

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Retrying the guitar pics

I haven't been in the poker room in a couple of months now. There have been a few brief online sessions on ACR, but nothing very significant. At the moment I am trying to work up the motivation to get myself back to the poker room and work on grinding out some hours.

Sweet looking ax!

I have that problem as well. I got kinda sick of playing against tge same villians everytime I went to hard rock. Thats why I enjoyed Vegas so much. All those new faces and it was painfully clear most had no idea what was going on. I was surprised just how many fish were at the tables I played. Could be a fluke. I will let you know what I think after this next Vegas trip.

Playing on ACR final table $5.50 1,000 GTD. 4 people left and Jeff Boski is chip leader.

Its really weird because I actually know how he plays and to be on the opposite end of the table instead of watching him talk about a hand is just odd and cool.

Vegas tomorrow. Good day