Hello followers and randos! So I’ve gotten a little interest in people wanting to buy pieces of me for the $1.1k Harvest Poker Main on November 10th. Depending on my financial situation a week from now I would probably be in for 10-30% of myself. If you’re interested in helping a kid play his first big live tournament (and maybe making a little dough), feel free to PM me and maybe we can work something out!

Done the work week, my legs were dead af today. Walked an average above 10km per day during this week and I think it’s something to expect going forward. I only got a cheap velcro vest to wear as a seasonal helper but my driver got me a legit employee’s jacket today. Only took two weeks, but at least it’s warm lol. The walking is definitely good cardio and I’ve been doing well with weights so far. Just gonna keep chipping away without totally running my body into the ground. I did a test for the government job yesterday that I’m pretty sure I aced. They have something like 50 positions to fill so hopefully I will hear back from them soon and it will be in a good way

As far as poker goes, my next two days will be focused on coach’s project. I’ve been making solid progress this week and will hopefully bang out a lot tomorrow. With the job and gym I haven’t had a ton of time, but I’m chipping away. For playing, I think I am going to play this Sunday for the Monster Series on Party. It’s the only online BR I haven’t zeroed out yet and I’m itching to play some MTTs. I think it will be pretty quiet because I won’t have the other sites going. Hopefully with fewer tables I’ll crush. Monday-Saturday is the poker series at Casino Regina and I’m gonna try grinding every night. Big week coming up, hopefully I can make a few bucks

Good luck this week! Hope you get it started with a bink this weekend!

Hopefully! Crossing my fingers

Didn’t work on the project today but I did start and finish Darkness Visible: A Memoir of Madness by William Styron. It’s basically his account of a severe depressive episode he had in the 80’s, why he think it happened, how he got through it. I read it because I ordered a few things relating to suicide and depression through the library a few days ago, wanting to read more about it, wanting to see how other people described it. I would rate it 4/5. Lots of the material was relatable to events in my own life, but I wasn’t the biggest fan of the voice. It was almost amateur-doctorish, prescribing possible reasons for falling ill, symptoms, and remedies. Styron’s vocabulary is also pretty sophisticated. That’s not necessarily a bad thing but I basically write how I talk which is not very fancy at all. Exact verbiage probably does a better job explaining everything, but I feel it also elevates and isolates works from normal everyday people. Why use a fancy word when you can be simple?

Although it was a good read, it isn’t really a perfect textbook on depression. Which is fine, it’s a memoir. For being released in 1990 (I believe), it’s pretty ballsy that Styron was so forthright with his mental struggles. It’s becoming less taboo every passing day, but I’m sure 1990 wasn’t the most hospitable environment for books on mental health. Cool of him to do that.

Met up with my Regina friend for supper tonight where we talked for a couple hours. I haven’t hung out with anyone since we saw each other over two weeks ago. It definitely helps that I’m living in a house with four other people. I get on well enough with everyone, but since I can always hear them hanging around I never feel completely isolated as I’m sure I would if I was living alone. Locking myself in my room got me in trouble in Vancouver and I was repeating the habit my last few months in Swift. Good to be around people on the regular lately

Tonight my friend and I talked a lot about our respective mental struggles the last couple of weeks. I would say I’ve been doing pretty good. Even if I’m not doing as much poker-related work as I should be, I’ve been putting a big emphasis on going to the gym, improving my physical health, and eating better. Basically, there are a lot of things I am wanting to do. My friend was saying even if I’m not crushing the poker goals, I’m crushing a lot of other important stuff I need to take care of. We can only focus on so much. I probably am a little hard on myself. To think about where I came from a year ago, I am a much better, healthier person. Even though I feel a quiet danger of possibly falling backwards, the person I am today is way stronger than the person I was. Keep chipping away and I’ll get where I want to be (hopefully)

I brought up the thread as well because that’s something I can be proud of for maintaining this long. I’m not doing actual creative writing, but I am still exercising some of my writing muscles doing this. The thread is similar to my journal in that it’s something I’m compelled to update. It isn’t a chore, I simply need these outlets. My friend was v hyped that I have a thread and people give me poker advice and encouragement and that he’s described as the “friend who gets what I am doing.” It would be nice to write a book some day about this mental health/poker journey. I feel like it needs a good finish though where I am actually a successful pro poker player. I’ll never reach Daniel Negreanu-popularity, but I’m sure having more poker street cred would go a long ways towards giving the book credibility. Thoughts for the future.

I crushed a lot of Diet Pepsi tonight so I’m still kind of buzzed on caffeine. Might be a long night, but tomorrow will be dedicated to coach’s project. Time to do some damage

Final note. This is an observation I had about a possible source of some of my mental struggles. From a very young age I was always kind of different from normal kids in a harmless, obsessive way. During elementary school lunch hours while the class would be going nuts with no supervisor I would be sitting in my desk reading a Star Wars book. I was always one of the smarter kids and a bit of a nerd, but I didn’t really separate myself until 6th grade when I became obsessed with the spelling bee and started carrying a thirty pound dictionary/word lists in my backpack for the next two years. Eleven year olds aren’t supposed to do that.

I remember that entire obsession started when, after I was eliminated in regionals, I saw a kid fumble the start of his word then go back and re-spell it correctly. The rule is a letter laid is a letter played, but the judges let it slide and he stayed in. My fam left the bee and when we came back later to check it out the very same kid was being crowned champion. I don’t know why but that kind of set me off. I didn’t study at all before that day, but I immediately got my parents to help set me up with some spelling books. Even if I wasn’t the most efficient studier, I still improved a lot on my own even if I came up just short the next two years of making Scripps (winner qualifies, I placed 3rd in Grade 7 and tie-2nd in Grade 8 )

The thing with the spelling bee is that there was just something wrong, an itch I needed to scratch and couldn’t ignore. I felt compelled to study and try winning that bee, which became my sole dream/desire for two years. I don’t know if it’s innate competitiveness. There was just something I needed to do, a question that needed to be answered (can I make it?), that I couldn’t ignore even as a middle schooler.

Spelling bees are harmless, right? The obsessions would change over time though. They were questions that needed to be answered, things my brain wouldn’t rest on until the problem was laid to rest. In Grade 9 the question of God’s existence was my crisis, one that led to my eventual deconversion in Grade 10. At some point I became obsessed with becoming the best golfer I could be, which led me to the driving range after every summer school day my last two years (and going from breaking 80 to breaking 70 in that span). Of course, I became obsessed with a girl which derailed my life for a while. After she rejected me, I then met my ex who became my new obsession.

Some of these obsessions are harmless. Golf is whatever. I would’ve loved to be a professional player, I just don’t have the athletic ability and eventually I came to accept that. But the God thing? I never wanted to be atheist. All I remember was a nagging doubt. It was quiet, but it was there. No matter what I did, I couldn’t ignore the itch. The more I scratched it, the more doubt that came. This obsession was not pleasurable for me. Deconverting was a long and terrible process but once the seed was planted, I couldn’t stop it from growing. I just had to ride it out.

With my ex, the relationship eventually broke down. After everything we went through together, the question became why did I deserve what happened, why would someone that loved me treat me the way she did? The answer is that my ex made her own bad choices that didn’t reflect on who I am as a person. I didn’t interpret it that way though. Instead, I took what a counsellor described as “residual negative feelings around relationships” and found myself to be the root problem. Thus the spiral, the self-hatred, the drunken burning of money at the poker table, the suicidal thoughts. Once I realized I was the problem, I couldn’t ignore it. I just attacked and attacked and attacked myself

In the present I no longer think of myself as the problem in my life, but after such a prolonged period being in that state of mind I’m just a different person. Even though nothing outwardly horrible has happened to me in the last eleven months or so, I’ve still battled depression the entire time. It still lingers, it’s still here. Negative self-talk was something I did a lot of in my worst days and it’s a habit I will still slip into now and again, a self-destructive tick. I recognize it as what it is and combat it when it happens, but it still happens regardless.

Maybe if I never had these intense, acute obsessions I never get as low as I did. That being said, that ability to obsess is a huge part of the person I am. The last year my obsession has been improving my poker game, my mental health, and my physical health. They’re different than the ones that came before, constructive obsessions that are helping me move to a better version of myself. Maybe without that weird quirk in my psychology I never sink as low as I did, but I also surely never achieve as much as I have, now or in the past. Moving forward perhaps it’s just something I need to be aware of. When focused on these positive things I’ve made tremendous strides. By channeling it correctly I will hopefully achieve a lot of what I want to in the future.

It’s simply a thought I had. A force for good, a force for evil. Depends on the perspective I guess. Goodnight and good luck at the tables everyone

Great writing bruh

cheers man! Appreciate it



Also, looks like I've still got a little MTT magic in me. Took down the $3.30 Sunday Rebuy on Party. Got to FT 6/8 and squeaked out a win. The table wasn't outrageously bad, people seemed to play appropriately snug. I think I might have made a few mistakes by playing too loose under big ICM pressure in one or two spots, but overall I still played well and I got the cards which helps a lot. I only played 18 tournaments today. This was by far the smallest field, also one of the smaller buy-ins, but I will take it

Won about $400 CAD today, the equivalent of a good day at $1/$2 I guess lol. I got off to a good start in the $200k Monster PKO, winning back my buy in and then some in the first hour. Unfortunately I cooled off afterwards. No massive score, but still a good Sunday. I gotta say, I was overwhelmed my first hour when I was just five-tabling. I can't believe I was playing 12-14 tables on the regular this year. I got used to it, but still a bit of a jolt to the system.

Nice little confidence boost going into the poker series week. Plan is still to try and play cash every night at the casino, we'll see how it goes. I'm not done coach's project yet but I'm seeing a light at the end of the tunnel. Not sure how much time I'll have to work on it this week, but I think I will be done it in the next week and a half. Two and a half months late, but at least it will be done. Then I can stop complaining about it and can fully devote myself to crushing the $1/$2 grind. Hope you guys had a good Sunday, see ya

The Regina series is so soft, I'll be in Vegas for the Venetian series instead though. Dont play a tournament for only 10% of yourself though.

In for $180, out for $351. I guess my intel was bad in that the first Harvest event isn’t until tomorrow. That, coupled with the blizzard blowing through town, led to a pretty quiet evening in the poker room. Two tables running at peak, short-handed for a bit of it. This was a wishy-washy session, good and bad. My peak was once again about $600, constantly fluctuated up and down. I had a decent stack all night but made a few loose plays that were okay for the most part. Worst hands were when I opened small suited connectors and cbet flops with no draws or backdoor draws or pairs or anything. I have a pretty snug image but I should know I won’t get three folds every time

Was tired for the last few hours seeing as how I was up a little late last night, walked 10k at work and then did weights at the gym after. I keep weighing myself after each workout because I want to see that number go down. Thing is, sometimes it goes up. Not the ego boost I want when it happens lol but hopefully I’ll hit 230 sometime this week. Despite being tired it didn’t really affect my play. Just general fatigue I guess

Best hand I played was against a random guy that looked a lot like Iregption (my fave poker streamer). I was in big blind with Q3hh, he was small blind. MP limped, villain raised to $10, and we both called.

Flop was T94r with one heart. Villain checked and I bet $15. MP folded, villain called. As mentioned, I have a pretty snug image at the table as being aggressive with good hands (doubled up an old man flush over flush a few hands before lol). With no real equity but some blockers, I decided to bluff this hand and barrel any broadway, any brick, and any heart on the turn with potential to bluff river with my straight/flush blockers.

Turn is another T, board is now T94Tr. Villain checks again and I check behind. I basically never think villain has Tx here since he would have checked his TP OOP on flop. I can barrel but I decide to delay-barrel the river since checking turn and betting river with trips makes some sense to me, we can still get a lot of folds.

River is a brick, board is something like T94T2. Villain leads $30. Not sure what he is doing this with but it feels weak. I also believe he’s betting most of his OPs on flop as well, I don’t put him on Tx, no real draws or anything get there. I take a few seconds before announcing my raise to $90 and villain insta-mucks. I think I look super strong in this spot and felt like a boss. Maybe this is a run-of-the-mill hand but it’s one of my first more sophisticated stone-cold bluffs. I wanted to show just to get some street cred, but I decided to keep my queen-high a secret for myself.

That was my favourite hand. As the session progressed I started to pick markers of dropping below $450–$400 to leave the table. I ended up flopping trips with T4o in limped pot big blind against someone with K4. I doubled them up cuz my Tx out-kicks a lot of limped 4s and there were also lots of draws on the board. Stayed for the last rotation and luckily won some back to leave with a respectable session. Mistakes were made but overall I was still happy with my play and a little bluffing creativity. Hopefully tomorrow will be popping (and I don’t get frostbite at work )

In for $300, out for... $0. For the first time in Regina I finally got stacked. Tonight I just saw a lot of trash hands. Offsuit, big gap garbage. When I had a decent starting hand, I usually missed flop or couldn’t get much value. Last hand I got dealt KK in a $5 straddle hand with about $150. Flop was all undercards, I got it all in on the turn and straddle had flopped top two. Just wasn’t my night tonight. Although I didn’t get the cards I made my fair share of suspect plays. A handful of ****ty calls with random draws or overcards where I should just fold usually. Postflop I think I did okay of letting go of hands when I was beat (for the most part). Folded QQ on a K-high flop versus two players that both hit their King. Not great, but not terrible.

They moved all the tables to the casino showroom and it was actually an impressive sight when I first showed up. A lot of tables were going and it was a great atmosphere, I definitely dig the festival vibe. They had the $200 satellite tourney today. I would have loved to play but would’ve sucked to win a seat for a tourney I couldn’t make it to. The $1k doesn’t look like it’ll happen for me. I might fire one satellite on Friday depending on how the rest of the week goes.

Also, I wore my Edmonton Oilers getup today for no particular reason. I look like a douche and I know I look like a douche but the beautiful thing is that I’m not the one that has to look at the orange. Everyone else has to put up with it but I just get to rep my team like Marlins Man. Got asked a few times if I was from Edmonton, who my favourite team was, etc etc. Also, a masseuse actually chatted me up. Cute girl, apparently she was from Edmonton. Not gonna lie, we had a little chemistry, talked about the casino’s sick train vibe. I expressed my disdain for everyone hitting on her just because I think it’s kind of scummy, but I guess it comes with the job. Poker masseuses, waitresses, and beer cart girls I guess. I can’t really flirt with her after saying that tho lol. Maybe I’ll see her around the next few days, strike up another convo perhaps

Hopefully I can turn it around tomorrow. Get some better cards, round into my A-game. I think my tentative plan for the week is to do some weights after work tomorrow and then hold off on the gym until Saturday when I can go before the casino opens. Fresh snow in Regina today meant I was pushing my mail cart through some drifts. Actually sick resistance training. The mail job might get me swole after all lol

Not sure if expressing disdain for everyone flirting with her is an awful or amazing play haha.

When I said it I wasn’t trying to make a play, but now that I’m reconsidering it could definitely backfire lol. Been thinking about it and maybe she only chatted me up to build some goodwill for a massage down the road. I’ve been tricked by masseuses before so my guard is up haha

One thing I’ve been thinking about. I haven’t been playing god awful but I definitely haven’t been playing great. Mid-game I find that I am putting players on ranges, but they’re usually undefined and almost reactionary to how the action and board plays out. That’s how ranges are supposed to function I guess, but I want to really try paying attention and putting people on legitimate ranges at the table tonight. No “Maybe he has two pair” or “Maybe he’s on a flush draw”, I’d like to try putting my opponent’s on two actual cards rather than just a perceived hand strength. Something to test out today. It’s not like I’m not doing it, I’m still making some good plays, but I just want to be more deliberate and engaged with my decisions. Off to work, see ya

In for $500, out for... $101. Oh my god. Guys, it turns out I am not a poker god lol. Today was just an absolute gongshow

I’ll start with work. I’m a mail walker so I get a little push cart to push all of my packages through residential areas and the occasional shopping center. Me and my driver meet up, he loads up my cart and leaves me at the mall (how we start every day), and then takes off. The cart though is really not moving through the ice and snow, like really not moving. What the **** is going on? I check and the front left tire is completely flat. I stood outside for twenty minutes waiting for my driver to come back and help me out. I thought I was a mail god too but a flat tire makes you realize how little power you actually have. I thought I might get the day off and could go to the casino early but my guy got the tire fixed. Basically stalled my work day for a whole hour to start. For the rest of the day I was driving the packages around in my car and I kept banging my car door into the push cart. Was just a total klutz, whatever

Worked four and a half hours which is a long day. As I mentioned I was going to go to the gym, but by the time I got home it was gonna be peak hours right away. I just decided to skip the gym, ate some grub and headed to the nino.

Obviously the poker did not go well. I’m gonna try doing an HH from about an hour and a half into my two and a half hour session lol. HJ villain is a normal middle-aged guy that seemed to play pretty straightforward. Effective stack is about $250.

PREFLOP (7-handed / $1/$2)
Hero is in CO with Ac9h

MP and HJ Villain both limp. Hero CO raises to $15. Folds around to the limpers who both call.

FLOP (3-handed)
Flop is KhQ8h. Pot~$45

Checks to Hero who cbets $25. MP folds, HJ calls (after making an audible and seemingly genuine grimace)

TURN (Heads-up)
Turn is 7h. Board is KhQ8h7h. Pot~$95

HJ checks, Hero bets $45. HJ calls.

RIVER (Heads-up)
River is a 7. Board is KhQ8h7h7. Pot~$180

HJ checks, Hero bets all in (about pot). HJ calls.

SHOWDOWN
Hero has Ac9h (Pair of 7s-Ace Kicker)
HJ has 87 (Full-****ing-house)

HJ wins ~ $600


Okay. So, does it seem like a punt? In our MTT course blockers to the nuts became a very important thing plus range advantage. I have a massive range advantage against both limpers on flop and see that I have both a heart blocker and possible straight blockers to unload on J or T turns or rivers. From the flop I see this as a good bluffing hand. Like I said, villain grimaced and took a while before calling flop. I took it as a weak/hesitant tell and knew I looked very strong.

Flush comes in on the turn. I fire a second barrel setting up a pot sized river shove (which I intend to unload often with my massive range advantage). I don’t really put villain on any strong hands since I imagine he’d raise KQ and other good Kx preflop. He can have a flush but I block it and I’m kind of locking into the triple barrel.

River is a 7 which is a brick (lol). I jam because I have aces, flushes, and basically all full houses that flop a set on the flop. I am nutted to the nuts and even if he has a flush I think that villain has to consider folding if it’s a weaker one since the house gets there. Of course, his house was the hand that actually got there.

I’m not saying it’s a good bluff but I don’t think it was horrible. I got unlucky to run into I guess the one nutted hand I didn’t expect him to show up with. I think the bluff works most of the time but obviously it didn’t this time. I really want to study my cash game play lol

So I had already added on $100 at that point and was down $300 after stacking off. I bought in another $200 and left with my $101. I made a really horrible call against the same guy with a weaker TP Jack I definitely should have folded river on. Other than that, I was raising a lot of straddled hands once again with relatively good holdings and didn’t really hit at all. My very last hand I had $121 and raised it to $20 UTG with JJ. I got a call from both of the blinds, board was Q87hh, SB donked $35 and tight BB instant called. I mucked, laughed, sighed, and left. No thanks. I’ve gotten my ass kicked enough today.

To top everything, that cute masseuse just happened to be massaging a guy at the next table over when I left. Yesterday when we talked I asked her why she carried gum in her little tray and she said it was for the players and gave me one. On tilt after leaving my table, I just reached into her tray, picked out a piece of gum, and popped it in my mouth. Two guys at her table definitely thought I was rude, asking if that was alright. She looked at me, with what could have been a smile, and said, “It’s okay, he’s a poker player.”

And then I LEFT!

I didn’t even say thank you!!! I completely forgot, took gum from her tray like a dick, and then said nothing to her even though I could have and totally should have. How was that my big move??? I really couldn’t do better than that?

Real talk: her calling me a poker player was actually super attractive. I almost forgot I was one for a second, and then it was like “Oh yeah, I am.” Beyond that one slightly quirky interaction, I would say I still basically bombed this entire day.

Down $700 in the last two. Can’t wait to get on that study grind. I know I thought live would be the easiest thing in the world, but my tune is starting to change now. I’ve typed this whole post at the gym actually. I’m glad I didn’t go this afternoon so I can punch-dance away my rage tonight. Goodnight fellas, hopefully tomorrow goes a little better

Two mishaps to add to this disaster of a day. I was button in one hand today and unknowingly took SB’s first card during the deal. I don’t know if the card was pitched into my hand or if I wasn’t paying attention or something but I had two on the button and the lady in SB had one. Dealer announced misdeal and the table solved what happened. The lady then said, “Don’t take my cards anymore.” But not in a jokey or fun way, in a genuinely serious way that made me think she actually thought I was stealing from her. It’s okay to be peeved, but it was an honest mistake. Sorry!

That made me feel like ****. Finally at the gym doing weights, I went to go use one part of a machine for my triceps. A girl sitting on the other side of the machine stopped me to say “I’m using this” and moved the triceps weight pin back to where she had it. She wasn’t doing anything, she was just sitting on her phone on the machine. Not to mention it’s like 10pm and the gym is almost empty, so it kinda sucks she’s just commandeered the one machine I had to use for herself. Once again, just the way she rebuked me made me feel like I was at fault and had done something to piss her off. I guess she’s allowed to be pissed off. Sorry I guess? ****

One good thing did happen though. For my post-workout weigh in I hit 229.4 lbs. Sub 230! I’m gonna crush the PB & Banana sandwich I packed for the casino and take this run good into tomorrow (hopefully )

Yup I hate those days that it feels like the whole world is out to get you Winter is rapidly coming though (-34c in Dawson today ), so it might affect a lot of peeps...

Good stuff man, I was about to ask you how the weight challenge was going What weight were you at before starting the job?

As far as the hand in question, if this was online, I would be triple-barreling with the A but not the 9, given that A9 does have a non-negligible amount of showdown value and I want to not overdo it as far as frequencies goes... But given that it is live, we don't to overbluff this spot, me thinks. I find that scare cards work extremely well live, but moreso when a scare card comes on a later street and we can represent it, or double barrelling on a Kxx board where villain will fold his middling holdings (but not triple-barreling). Anyhow, while I find this triple-barrel is whatever online, close to neutral equity or perhaps a slight winner (again, I prefer the A), I would not pull the trigger live. GL friend

Appreciate the feedback Dub! I definitely agree that Ah is a much better card to bluff since it blocks the nut flush. That bluff was probably a little too ambitious. I’m still trying to translate my knowledge over to live appropriately and I seem to be missing some pretty key spots. I definitely have some adjusting and studying to do in the future

Btw, -34 C is absolutely sick. Coldest we’ve had in Regina so far was like -15 with windchill. I know it will get colder but hopefully I can get that new job before then lol

As far as weight goes, I started the fitness journey in August at 248 lbs and I actually weighed myself again in mid-to-late September at the exact same spot. So I’ve basically lost almost 20 lbs in the last month and a half or so. Going at a pretty good clip right now and the gym/healthy/less eating have all become parts of my daily routine. 220 by 2019 is still a goal but maybe if I crush it I can hit 210. I actually feel some muscles building up from the weights so maybe 180-190 will be my finishing goal. We’ll see

For poker I think I might take today off. My body is sore and I’m kind of tired. I’ve already put in 4 consecutive days and am not having the best run as of late obviously. The only real reason I want to go is to apologize to the masseuse but I don’t actually feel like playing poker today haha. Might use tonight to cook supper for the next couple of days, work on coach’s project, and probably watch a movie and chill. I rented both Aliens and Eighth Grade from the library so I’ll probably crush one of those. See ya

In for $400, out for... $459. I did it! Had a winning session this festival! Didn’t look good there for a bit but I pulled it out. Got stacked about 15 minutes into the session. I folded every single hand because it was complete trash until I got dealt KK. An aggro opponent in a cowboy hat opened it to $17 UTG and since I knew he was splashy and me not playing a hand and then 3-betting would be fishy I just flatted. Flop was J57ss. He cbet $35, I just called. Turn was 9s, completing the flush. He checked and I bet $55. He waited a few moments before announcing he was all in (I’m about $200 effective start of hand). I of course instant called with my overpair. Cowboy stands up from the table likely to get money and a 7 hits the river. Before I can show my Kings he turns over his 72o.

Ouch. That one hurt.

Everyone was kind of laughing especially the guy. He said “Got caught with my hands and feet in the cookie jar” and “It’s good for the game.” He also made sure to say I would get him back. I rebought, not feeling tilted, knowing I got it in very good and played the hand well despite losing. Sure enough I got him twice in the next couple of rotations to bring us to about breakeven before he left the table.

The session was largely uneventful. After the first two hours I didn’t have much in the way of big hands. Unfortunately the shuffle machine was broken at our table so our hands per hour was absolute ****. I guess several of the tables had broken machines. I am definitely making an effort to get a properly working table tomorrow.

I played until 3 am today and I forgot how out of line things can get after 2ish in the morning. A couple crazier guys came to our table and we all agreed to play $1/$2/$5. I did a lot better playing those straddle hands, limping a lot more. I think my straddled pot game definitely needs work cuz I’m probably losing tons of money in those spots, but I’m very happy with how this part of the night went. I went from in the hole to a slight winner in that stretch so I’m glad.

This crazier guy was definitely very chatty and making the whole table laugh. Me being me I didn’t really talk that much. There was a running gag about his sister from Yorkton being a whore and everyone but me was getting into the jokes. First of all I’m not talkative, but second of all that whole subject matter is not really something I dip in lol. So I just listened to everyone else and enjoyed my time. It was a good atmosphere and a good group.

At some point he asked me why I was always smiling “Like someone was jerking me off from under the table.” Funniest thing he said all night, the table (including me) had a really good laugh. I had a ****ty non-answer answer of course and he moved on. It is something that I do a lot though. I guess I smile when I’m playing, even when I’m not in a hand. I’m not sure why that is. Do I just love poker? Do I like the atmosphere? Am I just grateful? A couple weeks ago a guy folded to my 3-bet because he said my smile was intimidating (I had garbage lol). It is weird that I do that. I don’t even know why. I’m not the happiest guy in the world as I’m sure you all know by now lol, but I do enjoy playing poker. That’s pretty sick that’s something I get to do. Very cool

Also cool were some of the bigger cash games they had going. They had their $1/$2 but they also had $2/$5 and $5/$10 and I think a $10/$20 Spread-Limit Omaha. Some of these tables had massive stacks I haven’t seen before, stacks of black $100s and purple $500s, thousands of dollars for each person. The rail atmosphere was neat too because people would sometimes stop by the big game just to watch which was something I haven’t been a part of before. Lots of the players were regulars at $1/$2 during normal days so it’s crazy to see them with that much money on the table. Clearly some of the people are better than I am. Like, much better. I have a lot of room to grow as a player before I earn a spot at those tables. Wouldn’t that be cool though? Blake holding court with a couple G’s at his disposal. I’m a long way from that but I know it isn’t impossible. What I’m doing right now was impossible to me a year ago too. Just go step by step

Tomorrow imma sleep in, hit the gym, eat some grub, and head to the nino for a a hopefully long and very profitable session. After this I won’t play cash at least until coach’s project is finished. I can get on the study grind too and I know it’s something I desperately need. Like I said, step by step

It's a 5-2000 spread FWIW. Most people playing that game this weekend are bringing 5 figures to do so.

In for $300, out for... $1160!!! I made a profit this week at the festival and I am pretty jacked about it

My very first hand today I lost $100 with trip Kings and added on but never looked back after. I got some good cards in the first two hours to run up a good sized stack. My peak was about $1300-$1400. I got the cards, I made some good folds, I made a few fishy plays, but kept the mistakes to as close to a minimum as possible. In the last half hour my stack was ~$700 and I was so sad I wasn’t going to make a profit at the cash tables this week. Then cowboy hat came to our table and I won a ~$850 pot with a ten-high flush. Tonight my table was great from start to finish. Chips were flying and some of the stacks got pretty massive for $1/$2. I could have won more if I got a few breaks but I am super thrilled to be back in black on the week. I was keeping my eye on that the entire session and it’s definitely a big victory for me moving forward

Today at my table a youngish guy from Vancouver was playing. Got to ask him about Parq, mentioned how I donated money at Edgewater back in the day. Chances are we were playing in the same room one of those random drunken, rainy Vancouver nights. This festival made me realize how small the poker community is but it really is a community. Lots of these people from all random parts of mostly Western Canada had all played together at some point and have been to basically every major casino in Canada. I definitely appreciated being surrounded by like-minded people that were all passionate about the game. Special stuff


Didn’t go to the gym today so I’ll squeeze in something tomorrow. No work Monday because lots of businesses will be closed for Remembrance Day. That means I have two days to relax and also do some damage on coach’s project. If I’m not finished by the end of Friday I am a colossal piece of ****. Once that is off my chest I can get back to the study grind and actually be truly, truly independent. Coach did ask last week if I was interested in getting staking now but I told him no, not for a few months at least. If I were to save up $15k+ maybe that’s something I would look into doing. Not sure though! A question for another day. Even if I didn’t make a boatload of money I can take a lot of pride in the work I put in this week and how I handled myself in the face of relative adversity. Time for bed, goodnight!

Congrats on the solid night bro, happy for you

I miss when the Edgewater had its own poker room across from the casino, those were the golden years of the poker boom when the game was big enough for a small casino to have its own separate poker room (around 15 tables...). Parq is what it is : a copycat of many Marriott hotels across the world that hold a few poker tables in the middle of the floor and it is highly raked with no free drinks or food

Thanks Dub! And I wish I was able to play poker earlier. I can only imagine how fun poker was 10-15 years ago for anyone with some level of poker competence. I'm still having fun today but I think part of it is because I appreciate the challenge of it all, definitely a much harder barrier to break. Speaking of rake, one of the guys at my table this week talked about Playground in Montreal and how it charges insane rake. Apparently they take rake on multiple streets, cap is super high, or something like that. Anyone know if that is true? Apparently food and drinks are complimentary which would be chill but considering I'm packing my own lunches and running out to my car like a pleb to cut costs the high rake thing is definitely something I'd need to take into account for Montreal possibilities.

In other news, I'm not done coach's project yet but I am so so so so SO ****ing close. One or two more Spittin Chiclets podcasts and I will be finished. I am going to be so happy to finally move on from this. I definitely could have and should have finished it earlier, but I have still been productive on a lot of other fronts in my life. Feel bad for my coach but I think he'll be fine.

Hopefully I finish tomorrow, if not then for sure Wednesday. And then I have to celebrate. I've been bad the past few days about food, crushed some chips, some pop, and a pizza. Junk food as a reward is definitely a bad habit to fall into but you bet your ass I'm gonna crush another pizza once I finish lol. Moderation is okay as long as I stay on the path. Saw a vid Jamie Staples put on Youtube about how he is well behind his body fat percentage prop bet goals with Bill Perkins. Him and his bro had their Ultimate Sweat prop bet win last year and it looks like he's put on a significant amount of weight since. He's definitely gone through some struggles too though so I definitely feel for him. This is the fourth time already I'm going through a significant weight loss journey. That's a lot for a 23 year old. Pretty sure food will be a constant struggle in my life, but I am doing this weight loss thing for the right reasons this time. First three times were to 1) make the Grade 10 basketball team, 2) impress a girl, and 3) impress girl #2 lol. This time it's all about being the best person I can be, trying to be physically and mentally healthy. I will need to be diligent and I know there's a possibility I will slip in the future, but I'm setting some good habits for myself and gaining important life skills I need to do my best staying on top of this in the future

Last thing to talk about. I've been tracking all of my poker sessions played at the casino, both in terms of hours and money won/lost. Obviously I've been putting the money numbers on here which maybe I don't have to be so specific about the further along I go (lol), but I have a spreadsheet and my phone notes too. Yesterday I downloaded a slick little app to track all of these poker sessions and I love it already. Keeps stats, gets all of the relevant info to me, has some sexy ass charts. This app actually has a thing to track how much you tip which is something I really need to do. Maybe I'll guesstimate, maybe I'll get a clicker or something. I don't even know how much I'm tipping but it definitely might be too much. Casino Regina does something where all of the dealer tips get pooled and distributed evenly. So tip the amazing guy dealing you quality hands and keeping up a great pace and he'll get the same cut as the dude forgetting to count the bets/calls before mashing all of the chips together in the pot. A player last week talked about why he doesn't tip here for that reason and he honestly made a lot of sense. I don't think I'll stop tipping, but I can at least be conscious of how much money I'm giving away. Don't wanna be a dick but if I'm giving away $10+ a session, I can probably cut it back. Things to think about! Work and then workout and then poker work tomorrow! Back on the grind

I liked Dub's analysis on the A9o triple. Not horrible but doesnt seem worthwhile to iso with a hand that poor to me.

You should play some low stakes zoom cash online to work on your deeper stacked play. Paid dividends for me, once you start to beat 10nl online youre officially a live 1/2 crusher lol.

Great posts lately, sounds like your consistent work on self improvement is paying off and things are going fairly well.

Also when it comes to tipping I find people tip quite a lot for 1/2. It really would cut into your winrate if youre tipping $1 for every time a flop cbet takes down a small heads up pot. General rule of thumb for 1/2 in my opinion is: small pot no tip, medium pot $1, big pot $2.

True about the rake at the Playground, but it remains one of (if not the) best rooms in North America. If you grind cash games there, you definitely want to take advantage of the free food and beverages. I do not know precisely what the rake is, as I play the tournament events and played exclusively a few hours of 5-5 and 5-10 PLO & NLHE (rake differs per stakes), but if you ever envision moving to Montreal, you gotta look at it for :

- Quality of life. Montreal is an elite city in North America for nightlife, culture (music or theatre events etc.), restaurants etc.

- Casino of Montreal has 14 tables (most of them occupied every night) with substantially lower rake (capped at 8$ for 2-5, don't know for 1-2).

- Playground always has a ton of action (think 50 tables on a Monday afternoon ) with multiple tournaments to chose from. There is a series going on every 2 months or so and a few 50-100$ BI daily (raked at 10% for the latter, lower for higher BIs).

- Rent and expenses would be cheaper than any other Canadian city.

edit : as far as tipping goes, I disagree with your stance. It is part of the rake and, more importantly, an integral part of someone's else salary (much like in the restaurant industry). These dealers make a lowish 20-25$ which you should exceed promptly in your grind (if you haven't already) as a hobby, let alone professionally (where it would then exceed 30$/h)

Yeah I was thinking of making a trip sometime to play at Playground.

So food and booze are both free at 1-2? On their site that make it seem like the food is only free if you're sitting at 2-5.

I'm reading that 1-2 has %10 ($9 cap) but also a $2 jackpot drop once the pot is $20.

Honestly, doesn't seem worse than my local rooms $6/30min time based rake at 1-3. That garbage crippled me while I was trying to drink and have fun, not play as many hands as possible to combat the session fees. And you don't get anything there for free but parking if you play long enough.

Nitting it up at 1-2 and feasting like Robert Baratheon definitely seems like something I could be up for.

Food is free at 1-2, albeit a different fast food menu, but with still plenty of choices. I believe it is the same menu at 2-5...? and then once you play 5-5+ you have access to the full menu including table hote etc. (the latter I know for sure). For the record, 1-2 is a 200$ BI, I believe... while 2-5 is 500$, so 100bbs (while 5-5 is 1k and 5-10 3k).

The comfort level at the Playground is unmatched. Think office leather chairs, cheap 1$/minute massages, tv screens everywhere, great service. And again, if you are going to grind in Montreal, Casino de Montreal has much cheaper rake (8$ at 2-5 and cheaper for 1-2, perhaps...?).