I'm not going to tell you to finish school, since I don't know you or your life goals. I'm sure you can make a good decision about that. But I do know two things you might not that are relevant:

1. Transfer credits degrade over time. So if you do want to finish school at some point, I suggest you have a plan to do that in the next five years or so. By the time you're 40 what you've mostly completed now may be worthless.

2. If you want to change careers midlife, it is so much easier and more adult-friendly to go get a Masters in your new field than to grapple with an unfinished undergrad degree. With one term left this is probably worth it all by itself if there's any chance you would ever want to do something that involves advanced study.

Thanks man, I really appreciate advice like this. It is my goal to have my degree within the next few years. Haven't thought about a timeframe, but within 3-5 years would be good

When I started this thread almost 2 months ago I had played 40,000 hands at $1/$2 with a 6.84 BB/100 WR. One of my goals was to keep this above 5.

I'm at 77,000 hands now, nearly double when I started, and my win rate is a solid 5.32 BB/100. My goal is to play 120k-150k more hands at $1/$2 by the end of 2017, bringing my total to at least 200k. If I'm still winning 5+ BB/100 and my bankroll allows it, I will hopefully be playing 2/5 full time starting Jan 2018. (Only 4k hands at 2/5 so far, +13BB/100)

I've only made real money at this for a few months, but it feels surreal. All those $50 deposits, the hours of study, all the struggling I went through at the micros as I watched deposit after deposit disappear; it's all finally paying off. God damn it feels good.

Since last post I've played 4,621 more hands (all but a few hundred at 1/2) with a WR of 21.78bb/100.

82k hands at $1/$2 now with a total WR of 6.35bb/100
4.5k hands at $2/$5, 19.33bb/100

what study method did you use?

I didn't really have a set study method. When I decided to try and become good at poker I started by reading random articles about how to play tight, etc. Then I read 2+2 archived strategy posts, and watched a bunch of youtube videos. Jcarver videos were a big part of my early learning. I also watched/read a ton of Doug polk (free) content. Equilab has really helped me understand ranges and make me a much less nitty and more aggressive postflop player. I've never read a poker book or purchased any content/coaching from anyone.

The biggest key to my development as a player has been playing. Every time I study something new, I try to apply it to my next session. When I play, I'm always thinking about how I'm playing and how my opponents are reacting, and I'm always looking for ways to optimize my play. I played over 100k hands on ACR against some fairly tough 50nl regs, and I think that was huge for me. Playing good opponents and getting exploited by them really helps you improve, if you pay close attention to what they do and why they do it.


And just for lulz this was a funny hand I just played:

Hand History driven straight to this forum with DriveHUD Poker HUD & Database

NL Holdem $2(BB)
CO ($199)
BTN ($223.2)
SB ($173.15)
HERO ($425.1)
HJ ($445.53)

Dealt to Hero 5 5

HJ Raises To $7 (Rem. Stack: 438.53), CO Folds, BTN Folds, SB Folds, HERO Calls $5 (Rem. Stack: 418.1)

Flop ($15) 6 8 5
HERO Checks, HJ Bets $7.5 (Rem. Stack: 431.03), HERO Raises To $28.5 (Rem. Stack: 389.6), HJ Calls $21 (Rem. Stack: 410.03)

Turn ($72.0) 6 8 5 6
HERO Bets $46 (Rem. Stack: 343.6), HJ Calls $46 (Rem. Stack: 364.03)

River ($164.0) 6 8 5 6 9
HERO Bets $343.6 (allin) (Rem. Stack: 0.0), HJ Calls $343.6 (Rem. Stack: 20.43)

HERO wins $848.2

Forgot to add that villian had A9o

86k hands at $1/$2 and the WR has grown to 7.7 BB/100
4.5k hands at $2/$5, 17.95bb/100 WR

Just took down the nightly 10k Knockout for the second time for 2200 plus bounties. Life's good man. Final hand:

Hand History driven straight to this forum with DriveHUD Poker HUD & Database

NL Holdem $30000(BB)
HERO ($917960)
BTN ($772040)

Dealt to Hero 5 5

BTN Raises To $45000 (Rem. Stack: 709040), HERO Calls $30000 (Rem. Stack: 854960)

Flop ($126000) 6 8 3
HERO Checks, BTN Bets $75446 (Rem. Stack: 633594), HERO Calls $75446 (Rem. Stack: 779514)

Turn ($276892) 6 8 3 4
HERO Checks, BTN Bets $164823 (Rem. Stack: 468771), HERO Calls $164823 (Rem. Stack: 614691)

River ($606538) 6 8 3 4 8
HERO Checks, BTN Bets $468771 (allin) (Rem. Stack: 0), HERO Calls $468771 (Rem. Stack: 145920)

BTN shows 9 2

HERO wins $1544080


Had some reads here. I could tell he was getting frustrated (he had a 5:1 lead when we got heads up) and he was very bluffy. Also, this shove/line is weird because he's basically saying he has trips or better. I don't think overpairs shove river

Lost close to 2 buyins at 2/5, but won a buyin at 1/2 and min cashed two other tournaments, so still had a nice day overall.

Just realized that my losing session of ~$700 in cash games today was the worst session I've had since 8/8. Man, I've been running good. Usually a losing session of 500+ happens to me weekly but this is the first in almost a month. rungoodfeelsgood

89k hands at $1/$2, and the WR keeps going up. 7.84 bb/100

Shooting for a 10 bb/100 WR by 150k hands

gl.

Thanks man.

90k hands at $1/$2, 8.44 bb/100. If I hit 10bb/100 before 150k hands the goal is still to have a 10+bb/100 WR when I reach 150k.

I love it

Hand History driven straight to this forum with DriveHUD Poker HUD & Database

NL Holdem $2(BB)
HJ ($50.05)
CO ($197)
BTN ($259.15)
SB ($188.3)
HERO ($219.25)
UTG ($427.2)
EP ($200)
MP ($307.95)
MP ($208.5)

Dealt to Hero 2 2

UTG Raises To $8 (Rem. Stack: 419.2), EP Folds, MP Calls $8 (Rem. Stack: 299.95), MP Folds, HJ Folds, CO Calls $8 (Rem. Stack: 189), BTN Calls $8 (Rem. Stack: 251.15), SB Folds, HERO Calls $6 (Rem. Stack: 211.25)

Flop ($41) Q 9 2
HERO Checks, UTG Checks, MP Checks, CO Checks, BTN Bets $12 (Rem. Stack: 239.15), HERO Calls $12 (Rem. Stack: 199.25), UTG Folds, MP Calls $12 (Rem. Stack: 287.95), CO Folds

Turn ($77) Q 9 2 Q
HERO Checks, MP Checks, BTN Bets $30 (Rem. Stack: 209.15), HERO Calls $30 (Rem. Stack: 169.25), MP Calls $30 (Rem. Stack: 257.95)

River ($167) Q 9 2 Q 9
HERO Checks, MP Checks, BTN Checks

HERO wins $163
MP had 66
BTN had 1010

Almost folded pre, almost folded flop, hated the shove on turn but couldn't fold... against 91/0 whale potting ~33% of time. Caught him bluff-potting already. Thoughts?

I like that I have the 2, hate that it's a heart. Fold pre getting 7:1? Fold turn because it's too nutted? Or just fold flop? All options seem too nitty, especially against this whale/other fish in pot

Hand History driven straight to this forum with DriveHUD Poker HUD & Database

NL Holdem $5(BB)
CO ($240.36)
BTN ($504.38)
SB ($980.51)
HERO ($686.5)
UTG ($651.61)
HJ ($689)

Dealt to Hero 2 5

UTG Folds, HJ Folds, CO Raises To $10 (Rem. Stack: 230.36), BTN Calls $10 (Rem. Stack: 494.38), SB Calls $7.5 (Rem. Stack: 970.51), HERO Calls $5 (Rem. Stack: 676.5)

Flop ($40.0) 4 6 5
SB Bets $40 (Rem. Stack: 930.51), HERO Calls $40 (Rem. Stack: 636.5), CO Folds, BTN Calls $40 (Rem. Stack: 454.38)

Turn ($160.0) 4 6 5 5
SB Bets $930.51 (allin) (Rem. Stack: 0.00), HERO Calls $636.5 (allin) (Rem. Stack: 0.0), BTN Folds

River ($1727.01) 4 6 5 5 8

SB shows 7 8

SB wins $1723.01

Alright, if you're reading this, don't let this hand distract you from the hand above. Could really use thoughts on it.

vs. bluffy/spewy opponent. Put him on a low flush that hated the river

Hand History driven straight to this forum with DriveHUD Poker HUD & Database

NL Holdem $2(BB)
BB ($290.95)
UTG ($332.81)
EP ($200)
MP ($181.64)
HERO ($369.18)
HJ ($345.18)
CO ($207.54)
BTN ($254)
SB ($223.86)

Dealt to Hero T J

UTG Folds, EP Folds, MP Folds, HERO Raises To $6 (Rem. Stack: 363.18), HJ Folds, CO Folds, BTN Folds, SB Folds, BB Calls $4 (Rem. Stack: 284.95)

Flop ($13) 3 T 3
BB Checks, HERO Bets $6.5 (Rem. Stack: 356.68), BB Calls $6.5 (Rem. Stack: 278.45)

Turn ($26.0) 3 T 3 9
BB Checks, HERO Bets $9 (Rem. Stack: 347.68), BB Raises To $34.56 (Rem. Stack: 243.89), HERO Calls $25.56 (Rem. Stack: 322.12)

River ($95.12) 3 T 3 9 7
BB Bets $11.98 (Rem. Stack: 231.91), HERO Raises To $95.5 (Rem. Stack: 226.62), BB Folds

HERO wins $198.6

Inspiring stuff man, keep crushing, subbed

52 hand, I fold both pre and flop. Flop feels too nitty because of the bettor, but the reason to fold is really the two guys behind you. You're just so hosed if either of them raise.

Pre, you're probably better at this game than I am, so maybe you can play this. But it's pretty marginal even so.

Thanks for the input Tapirboy. On this table, with two fish and a whale in the hand, I'm playing ATC in the BB to a min raise. 3x raise, I fold 25o.

Yeah, with no one to act behind it's an easy flop call. Looking at it again now, with those two behind I think it's a fold. If I get raised I have to fold, and there's a lot of reverse implied odds if I peel a 3 (or a 5 apparently).

And I probably could have made a crying, fml fold on the turn. I really only beat 76 and FD's, and how often does he 4x pot with top pair + open ended or pair + FD?

Also, the button called flop, so he likely blocks the kinds of hands I'm hoping for SB to be going psycho with (FD's, pair + gutter, pair + open ended)


Thanks BadRegOrFish, gl to you

Looks pretty std, versus his range and your read. Once he weak/ block bets the river, it's a std. shove vs someone like this. Nh.

Thanks. I actually don't like my line here, besides the river raise. I think flop I can bet ~1/3 pot if I bet and mix in some check backs, then bet turn if I check flop. I think I figured he would call me with any pair + BDFD on the flop, so I wanted to protect my hand on the turn, but I think checking is probably better. Regardless, AP I like the raise.

Any thoughts on the 52o hand?

92k hands, 8.18 bb/100. Took 3 days off poker to start the week, which was actually kind of nice. Running kinda ****ty now though. Not playing much because the software on Ignition is worse than usual lately.

Fired a bullet at a 250k GT WSOP event at Thunder Valley. Ran meh, busted in the 7th level. Might play another flight tomorrow.

: )

I'm honestly shocked by my own results. When I jumped through the stakes from 50nl -> 100nl -> 200nl in a couple weeks, I was just hoping to do 2-3 bb/100 at $1/$2. Never imagined that I could do 5+ or maybe even 10bb over a 100k hand sample.

This whole process has been pretty surreal. I started studying poker exactly one year ago, and it was at this time last year that I made my first account on ACR and started playing online penny poker for the first time ever.

What started as a way to kill some free time (and burn some $20's out of my wallet) has turned into a passion that pays my bills every month. Life's crazy sometimes

Running better

$1/$2: 93k hands, 8.43 bb/100
$2/$5: 6k hands, 12.43 bb/100

I knew I wasn't good. I just knew it. Almost got away. Almost

Could have all combos of 79 here and 66, so fold is probably ok

Hand History driven straight to this forum with DriveHUD Poker HUD & Database

NL Holdem $5(BB)
MP ($650.64)
HJ ($627.75)
CO ($136.96)
BTN ($914.79)
HERO ($495)
BB ($242.89)
UTG ($655.77)
MP ($537.76)

Dealt to Hero 8 6

UTG Calls $5 (Rem. Stack: 650.77), MP Folds, MP Calls $5 (Rem. Stack: 645.64), HJ Folds, CO Calls $5 (Rem. Stack: 131.96), BTN Calls $5 (Rem. Stack: 909.79), HERO Calls $2.5 (Rem. Stack: 490.0), BB Checks

Flop ($30.0) 6 A 8
HERO Checks, BB Checks, UTG Checks, MP Checks, CO Checks, BTN Bets $19 (Rem. Stack: 890.79), HERO Calls $19 (Rem. Stack: 471.0), BB Raises To $38 (Rem. Stack: 199.89), UTG Raises To $152 (Rem. Stack: 498.77), MP Folds, CO Folds, BTN Folds, HERO Calls $133 (Rem. Stack: 338.0), BB Folds

Turn ($391.0) 6 A 8 5
HERO Checks, UTG Bets $391 (Rem. Stack: 107.77), HERO Calls $338 (allin) (Rem. Stack: 0.0)

River ($1120.0) 6 A 8 5 3

UTG shows A 6

UTG wins $1116

just fooooooooold

Running absolutely terrible. Dropped 5 buyins at 1/2 and 2 buyins at 2/5 today in just over 1k hands. Had the standard KK vs AA AIPF cooler, then got KK AIPF vs QQ and 77. Ended my session after that one.

Totally expected this, but it still sucks.

1/2: 94k hands, 7.77 bb/100
2/5: 6500 hands, 8.39 bb/100