Thanks, Dude.

Last session of the trip..

In for $225, out for $840. Played 19 hours. At some point I thought I may make 24 hours, pretty happy this old man got in 19 straight, tho. Been a while since I felt that strong, for that long.

Interesting session and certainly some big hands but too fried to recall them in detail. Maybe later...

Main thing is I kept myself solid for entire session. Made some big calls, a few big bluffs, and was a little too much of a station at times. Got to play several hours where most of the table was 200bb+ deep. That was good practice, for sure.

Best part of session was that the casino was having "technical issues" and a lot of machines went down. A lot of new players came into the room to give poker a try and were able to leave winners. I even found a few bad calls to make to help them win a little more, lol. Nice to see them enjoy there experience and win a little money. #pokerboom 2018

Will give overall update when the fog lifts.

Ok, this was the last session. Decided to squeeze out 4 hours before I hit the road...in for $200, out for $420.

Got to win ~$100 in a fun way...

It's about noon on sunday. Plan is 3 or 4 TAG hours and head back to the farm. Extremely drunk 20 something takes a seat to my left. He 's babbling drunk nonsense, stinking like beer, and getting way too close. Obviously, he is gonna be an issue for the table and dealers. Can't get his bets out properly, betting and raising out of turn, throwing red birds to the dealer.

I go outside and burn half a blunt. I do yoga and even meditate a little. But deep down inside I am really a just a corn fed country boy that has no patience or tolerance for extreme rudeness and sloppiness in my immediate area. I'm not RichCheckmaker but I will put someone in there place from time to time.

Now I'm good and stoned and a little sleep deprived and return to the table. Guys stack is going up and down and he is tilting the OMCs. Everyone is limping every pot and he is raising and playing everything. I don't want to limp cuz I'm a TAG today. Anyway, the poker gods reward me.

I look down at black aces utg. Haven't played a hand since the drunk sat down. I make it $10 just as the waitress gets to him for another beer order. We all look at him. He's flirting and babbling and it's quite a show. After about 20 seconds the dealer says "sir it's on you." He already warned him twice about putting his beer on the felt, so his patience was gone. I could have watched another minute of this show.

Anyway, drunk says "I'm all in" and looks at the waitress and says something like "this is cool." Dealer snap says "player is all in." I guess he knew what was about to happen and was glad for it.

Folds around and I somehow fade T8 after he hit an 8 on the flop. Easy game.

Played well. Happy with the trip.

Life Update

Had a bit of a Keto problem that I think I got corrected. Basically fell off of my water, greens, and veggie intake, and I think it caused some dehydration/mineral loss. Got weak and lethargic for a couple of days. Decided to start taking some vitamins/minerals just in case I slip up again. Workouts are back to 100%. Gonna start lifting heavy in August.

Today's weight was 218lbs. Don't plan on falling below 210lbs, but I'll decide when I get there. Tracked my macros for a couple of days, but I don't think I'm gonna do that regularly. Think I'm active enough, and not really able to over eat as long as I stay on Keto, to worry about gaining weight. Just gonna focus on getting good fat with every meal and avoiding carbs.

Meditation is going well. I think some of the breathing exercises helped me a few times last week while I was playing. Trying to do more yoga. I like to have a schedule but it would be good to just throw 15-20 minutes in here or there.

Next poker trip will be from 7/17-8/2. Won't play every day, but my goal will be 10 sessions/80 hours. Those goals don't usually work out for me...

In the next 2 weeks I plan to work on:
1) Playing AK out of position (hit or miss)
2) Finding spots to check raise (other than when I have the nuts)

Current 1/2 Stats

Won 19/29 sessions
155 total hours
Up $3705
$23.94 per hour

Great work so far! I like including health and fitness goals here...I definitely believe in a mind/body connection, not to mention that it seems easier to sit at the poker table at length if you have a base level of fitness.

July Trip

Hoping to be able to get 2 weeks of play in during this trip. Depends on family commitments and tilt control. Been running bad in life lately, won't let it spill over and affect poker. At least that's the goal.

July 18. Got in 7 hours. Into the game for $400 and cashed out with $100. -$300 to start the trip. Don't like it at all.

Played ok, I guess. Had one really bad hand. Over played AQ from the blind. Common issue for me. Raise limpers, miss flop, lead flop, call off with more perceived outs than I actually had.

Then I just called too many rivers. I play so much better when I'm betting instead of calling. Had 5 big river calls. Was right 2 out of 5. Well, technically I was right another time when opponent turned small pair into a bluff and I called with Ace high. Unless he was a super genius that was doing one of those merge thingys I hear all the wizards talking about.

Anyway, I'm just folding rivers from now on.

July 19

6 hours. In for $300, out for $661. This session was a dogfight. Couldn't get anything going for a while. Missing flops, getting driven out of pots by aggression, just not making any hands.

Had a good image and after I made a few hands I was able to do some things at the table I was pretty happy about. Stole a few pots with semi bluffs and had to make a couple of tough river calls.

Here was an interesting hand that came up. I open T9hh to $10 from early position. Older cowboy calls on the button. Played with him a few times. Seems to be a station. Sticks around in pots as long as he has some of it. Also plays a lot of aces.

$20 in the pot. We have $300 effective. Flop comes KQ6hhh. I bet $15, he calls. Turn is 4c. Bet $25, he calls. River is 3h. So, I hate this obviously. I know he has a lot of A hearts here. But I also know he is a station and may get sticky with 2 pair. Decide to bet with plans to fold to a raise. I bet $30, he mutters something about me having an ace and calls.

He rolls over KJ with J of hearts. Doh!

July 20

In for $300 out for $164. Down $136 in 6 hours.

Pretty card dead most of session. Folded a few spots on rivers mostly because I feel like I'm calling too many.

Trying to talk a little more at the table. Games need to be entertaining and sometimes I can be funny.

Where are you playing again? Also, how's the weights going?

Mostly at Winstar.

Man, all my goals got derailed about 2 weeks ago when I went to see some family. Too much beer made for a slippery slope. I've been trying to dial things back in. On the road now so no weights at all.

Starting an old man version of Starting Strength at the beginning of August. I may do a separate Health and Fitness thread for that.

Trying to decide between a gym membership or just go ahead and buy a rack and some weights for home.

July 21

Quick one. In for $275 and out for $0. Lost 2 pots to same OMC type and just left. Wasn't too tilted just kind of frustrated with a lot of things and didn't think I should reload.

First hand I come back to table after a break and post in the CO. OMC is on button. Several limpers and I see a flop with 34hh. Flop comes A52. Checks to me and I see he is grabbing chips so I check. He bets $10 and I call. Turn is a 7 and I check and he bets $25. I put him in for his remaining $45. 5 on river and he rolls over 52cc.

Next hand I limp behind in MP with 77. OMC type dude limps and fishy guy in BB makes it $12. We go 4 ways to flop of 74K two spades. Checks to me and I bet $15 into $45ish. Button and raiser call. Turn is an 8. Checks to me and I bet $55 into about $90 leaving myself about $80 behind. Button calls.

River is T of spades. I decide to just put it in because I think I cant check/fold for this price and I don't think this guy has any non nut flushes. I've played with him a few times and really thought he was way nitty. Too loose and limpy pre but I've seen him check back and fold hands i was surprised by.

He tank calls with Q2 of spades.

I think it was pretty standard session. Won with kk and jj and lost these 2 hands in 2 hours. Kind of surprised by this guys pre flop limping range tho. Thought he was a little tighter. In first hand I was expecting two pair with an ace something. In second hand I thought something like AK KQ maybe KT.

July 22 30 min waiting to meet family at casino. Lost $100. AQ < AA on Q high flop. He got 3 streets of value.

July 23 12 hours. In for $240 out for $420.

July 24 6 hours. In for $250 out for $280.

So far this trip sucks. 40 hours and -$280.

YTD

194.75 total hours. Up $3465. $17.79 per hour.

July 25

12 hours total. In for $250 out for $247. Lol.

Played ok. Probably too sticky on the river in a couple of pots.

KK<AA for about $120. Definitely a player I could have found a fold against. Several limpers and OMC limps in CO. I pop it to $18 from BB and he backraises to $45 leaving himself about $60 behind. I would fold except I just didn't think there was an aggro enough guy left to act that would make him expect a raise. Thought TT-JJ and AK may have been possible. Anyway, I jam and expect AA.

Got a nice semi bluff thru on the turn against a couple of decent recs so that felt good.

So far, worst results of the year. Getting in lots of hours tho and feel like I am playing ok.

July 26

7.5 hrs. In for $320. Out for $375.

Just been tough. Really can't think of any bad play this session. Was an aces cracked day so there were a few pairs that I probably should have raised but didnt.

Kind of fell in line with the table and limped too much. Mostly with pairs < 88s. Otherwise, pretty happy overall.

Just not making many big hands this trip.

Coming up on 60 hours for the trip. Down $188. Worst stretch of the year.

Really tough to stay positive. I must have been running real well early in the year. I don't feel like I'm running bad now. A few coolers but mostly I'm just not making any hands.

Gl man will be following. You running a keto diet? How's energy levels?

Been struggling with the Keto for the past 2 weeks. Went to visit some family and got off my routine. Beer appears to trigger my carb cravings. Workouts have been sporadic while I've been away from home. It's been 110 in Texas for a while now and away from home my workouts have to be creative. Usually I find a park and do pull ups push ups jog etc. Being so hot I have no motivation.

So, energy has been way down. Especially compared to my last trip when I had everything dialed in. Focus too. Definitely think keto is still good for me but need to be more disciplined away from home.

I did a 48 hour fast over the weekend and I felt way better during and immediately after.

Gonna play today and reevaluate. Have a week till I have any where I need to be. I may keep playing or may just head home and try to get back on track.

Played two more sessions.

11.5 hours. In for $275 out for $150. Up about $200 at one point. Game went from nitfest to wild and crazy to some pretty interesting leveling between a few good players. Played a long time because I thought I was playing well and i had taken a couple of coolers that cost me my profit. (KK<TT aipf was the worst)

Anyway, realized the game was bad for me and racked up.

4 hours. In for $200 out for $229. Got picked up when I was away from the table for more than an hour. Running well early then AA<JJ against someone with $100 stack. He limps in mp, 2 callers, button raises to $7. I'm in sb with AA. I make it $37. I raise big because I had just raised the previous 2 hands and one was a 3! against the button. We both have $300ish.

Well, first limper calls and button folds. J high flop I jam and he snaps and holds.

Passed the 70 hour mark for the trip. Down around $290.

I'm proud of myself for not just saying F it and starting to go crazy. Not drinking at the table, not spewing, not loosening way up, not chasing draws (lol since the first session), and I'm not whining and complaining at the table about my bad luck.

All things considered, it could be worse. It'd be nice to book a solid win before the trip is over, tho. Back at it tomorrow.

July 29

In for $200, out for $320 in 3.5 hours. Racked up early because I really felt like I needed to book a win. More like, I really felt like I needed to not book a loss.

Especially after this crazy session...

Start of strong and build up a healthy stack. Win with KQ>K8, AK>Qx and a few 3 bets pre flop that get thru. Really grooving until these 2 hands with the same villain.

Villain is 25-30 year old Asian guy. I had him as a solid LAG but realized he was limp/calling more and more.

First hand there are 4 limpers and V is in small blind. He has about $450 behind. He makes it $7 to go. I'm in the big blind with KK and I cover. I make it $27. Folds around to V and he makes it $77.

Now, at this point I'm starting to decide how much I want to raise. I decide to actually think about what hands he may do this with. So far he has either folded to my 3! and occasionally called. Every time I showed a big hand. I'm not sure he thinks I'm capable of 3! him light.

I take a hard look at him and just really think he is strong. Just not gonna do it. I say "young man, I fold."

He says, "good fold" and rolls over AA. I decide to show and amaze the table. Friggin ego.

Second hand. He had just lost a huge pot and was down to about $180. He limps in EP and I have KK in MP and make it $20. Usually I go about $15 here but I think he is ready to go. Older rec on button calls leaving about $60 behind. V calls.

Flop is 963r with about $55 in the pot. V checks, I go $45. Button folds and villain jams. $115 more to me. I don't love it, I need a win. I hate having losing trips. My stack is $500+ for once this trip.

He starts talking. He wants me to fold. Dang it, here we go. Call.

Turn is 9. River is 6.

V rolls over A9o.

Down $164 for the trip. 79 hours. The grind is real.

July 31

6 hours. In for $300, out for $114. The slide continues.

Trip Totals

Won 6/13 sessions
85 total hours
-350

Totals for the Year

Won 25/42 sessions
239.75 total hours
+3350
$13.99 per hour

Graph went flat and I'm going home...

Mid-Challenge Update

So, about half way to my goal. I expect to have this thing done by Dec 1 at the latest.

After being back home for a week I definitely think not being dialed in on Keto and my workouts hurt me last trip. Didn't play horrible, but I definitely think my focus and attention to detail was off. There were some spots that I know I didn't think through correctly. May not have changed much overall, but I will make sure I'm dialed in when I go back.

I have 3 areas that continue to give me problems.

1. Playing out of position. (Considering just checking most of my range on the flop. Probably only lead when I have a hand that really needs protecting. The player pool I am facing won't be able to exploit my play even if it's pretty obvious what I'm doing.)
2. River calls. (I like my thought process in these spots. Just think I need to narrow down how many times I get in these spots and have a better grip on my opponents tendencies.)
3. Playing draws in general. (Feel like I am too black and white. Either I call flop and turn or I just fold.)

The next couple of weeks I'm going to set a goal to do some form of studying for at least 30 minutes a day.

The Future

Tentatively, I am planning to return to Winstar in mid October. The plan will be to grind 5 or 6 weeks and finish this challenge. I am considering a trip in a few weeks to play their monster stack tourney during the River Series. I haven't played a tourney in a while and I like this one a lot. Kind of a reward for myself. Not sure yet. Really focussed on diet and workouts right now.

I am already considering my next challenge. In April of next year I plan on thru-hiking the PCT. Before then I want to do one more poker challenge.

Pretty much considering 2 possibilities:

1. 6 months as a 1/2 live pro at Winstar. This one would be for the dreamers out there. Lock down a budget, get lots of volume, and build a playbook for the kids out there that are considering something similar for their life.

2. Some kind of Vegas challenge. Have plans to go in Dec for the rodeo but the challenge would be something like 6-8 weeks of the 1/2 grind. Maybe Superbowl-March Madness.

Probably will look for a little coaching while doing either of these challenges.

I feel fortunate that I have options.