FWIW Ray I've been a member on 2+2 for 9years and I've posted only a handful of times. I hope that speaks for itself how much I appreciate you and this thread. Please do a 2016 challenge!

Appreciate all those kinds words. Still contemplating on 2016.

Today, or at this hour I guess it wd b yesterday: Fasted all day, and grinded on an empty stomach. The fasting is something our church always does the day before Thanksgiving, and ends w a night of worship service. Once church let out around 9p, I was so looking forward to eating!

What fasting does for me:
-Deepens my faith
-shows my appreciation for Jesus and His ultimate sacrifice.
-teaches me to be obedient
-Rejuvenates my spirit
-on a poker level, it teaches discipline. If I can go all day without eating; then surely I can fold rags all day until I have something playable.

+$355 playing 1/2nl

Prior to church service, I went by good buddy Aiden's house and picked up some Lego Legacy swag for The Rocket Man Tourney Friday.
(2p, $1,120 buy-n. 10% rake, $ chops negotiable)

Not only do I want to give Aiden's Lego Legacy a $1k contribution towards his mission, but also want to shed as much light as possible on Childhood Cancer. Therefore, each player that plays in the tourney will either get a bracelet, button, pamphlet, sticker, or Legos just a reminder of the gd deed they r contributing to. I even have some Legos ear rings if any females are playing in the event.

My mom died from this horrible disease, and wd hv been 62 today. Happy Bday.

I had a couple hours to spare today so I headed to the poker room.

I was +$160 when I racked up from table 11, and headed over to cash out. Five feet from the cashier window, I hear, "7pm splash goes to table 11." I did a U turn and went back for one more hand.
Before the splash, HSI high cards for $50, and that is followed by $100 splash the pot before the cards are dealt.
I'm in seat 5, and seat 4 gets up to use the restroom. I don't think this rec player is aware he could possibly win $50 on a high card. The dealers deals to every seat, and actually dealt a Q to the empty seat 4. The floor standing behind the dealer says, he doesn't get a card since he isn't here. Thus, I get his Q and it holds up. $50 bink, and then folded A4 on the splash after mp raises to $200.

The best U turn I ever made.

+$208. Thanksgiving action was way better than expected. I didn't know anyone at my table. The 6 Asians at the 1/2/5nl game made for a juicy game.

Now time for Wally World Black Friday. I wdnt miss it. #WhoLovesItMore

Awesome Ray! Glad you're promoting a good cause through poker, very +EV life move! Glad you had a couple good sessions. Hope you had a great Thanksgiving!

I was driving home after traveling for thanksgiving, just ready to get home. This post added a stop along the way.

In other words: Thanks rayz!


Sent from my SM-G900V using 2+2 Forums

Thanks @smbland, and no worries @mt1215.

Bout kick off The Rocket Man Tourney. Let it be known allllllllll the classics r here. They coming out of the woods for this one.

Let's go!

#playingForAiden

Rocket Man was a great success. Ended up having 60 strong level players. The field was tough, but at least I was able to shed some light on Aiden's mission.

One player in the tourney had a bounty on him. He goes by Hollywood, and the bounty on him started at $1k, and then went up $100 every level w a $1500 cap.

Top 5 got paid, w $29k going to first and 5th getting $3k (ft chopping negotiable). The bad news is, I ended up busting w 25 players left. The gd news is I took out Hollywood and recieved the $1500 bounty.

The hand I busted:
Blinds 100/400/800
I'm in sb w 14bbs.
Mp (25bbs) raises 2x, button (30bbs) calls, and i 3 bet squeezed all in w A6 in the sb . Mp quickly folds, and button tank calls w 99.
Board runs 64J22.
I took a calculated chance here, and it didn't work out.

It's was the one and only move I made all tourney. Is this an acceptable tourney play?

Still a gd day overall.
-$172 in 1/2nl on 33mins
+$305 in 2/5/10nl on 1hr 6mins


+$1,802 in Nov w one working day left on Monday.

Props for supporting and bringing awareness to this cancer charity! It's a terrible disease (my family has been affected by it too) and anything done to combat it is admirable.

Really appreciate that @Pure_agression. I took the $1k donation over to Aiden's house today, and it felt oh so gd. This will go towards Legos, so that Aiden can pass them out to kids at Kosair Children's Hospital. It's his desire that these Legos will help them take their mind off Cancer.

------------------------------------

This guy call King of Lame has been working hard today.
Put the popcorn in the microwave... coming soon

*called (only because it was bugging me)

Just a little quiz on AA for the players.

My thoughts:
• I expect all the professionals to get 8 out of 8.
• Those aspiring to be pros 7 out of 8.
• A winning player shd get at least 6 out of 8.
• May want to consider yourself an amateur u get 5 or less.

Pressure is on...
http://www.pokernews.com/strategy/th...aces-23500.htm

IMA PRO!!! Like I am a total god at the micros!!

I only got 6 out of 8 as I had my percentages wrong on AA vs AK or 72.

I hope you keep this going in 2016, but will understand if you do not. THank you for keeping it going as long as you have, I love this thread and find it very helpful!

same as what Decy said. keep it going in 2016.

my popcorn is getting stale. c'mon already.

pro here : 7 of 8 lolz. i thought 72 off had less equity than it did. funny that it has quite a bit more equity than ak when versus AA

.

Early in this thread, I have talked about The Ole G.
The OG makes some big moves, big bets, and always puts players to the test. Not your typical elderly statesman, this ole G is capable of anything.

The Ole G: likes the middle seat, tall white man around 70yrs old, take creative lines, mixes it up, and sitting w $300 in bb
Me: $400 in mp w A10

1/2nl on the only table going at 10am.

6 limps preflop.

$12 pot/ 6 handed to the flop of KQJr.
3 checks to me in mp and bet $8. Folded to the Ole G in the bb who calls.

Pot $28/HU to the board pairing J ott.
KQJJ
This time the Ole G leads $30 w $250ish behind.
I call.

Pot $88/HU to the insignificant 2 otr.
KQJJ2
Ole G waste no time shoving all in for $250ish.
I quickly eliminate KK, QQ, and JJ because no raise pre from him in he bb. So it's either KJ, QJ, J2, same hand A10, or a stone cold bluff. Decisions, decisions.

I have a lot of history w Ole G, but i don't get to see a lot of his hands. Mostly because people folds when he makes these play. Which is giving me a more reason to call here.

I call, and he show 10 7.
Broadway>10 high.

After 3 years finally popped the cherry on Ole G! YES!!!

It's now 12p in the afternoon, and looking to end the month of November on a gd note.

So far +$500ish, BUT STILL GRINDING. Just chips until I make it over to the cashier's window.




*@witchescastle get the seasoning and butter out.

It's 4p, and I just made my way over to the cage.
+$952 on 6hrs 7mins playing 1/2nl



Closed November on a gd note.
Updates and BR pic coming tonight.

November Overall Graph. +$2,754



What this graph shows is a lot of going back and forth the first couple weeks of November. Red, black, red, black, red, and finally back in the black for good around third week of November. Since then, managed to stay in the black and pull out a decent month.

2015 Overall Graph. +$38,784



What this graph shows is consistency. To know that I keep showing up, putting in the work is something I am very proud of. I don't see too many noticeable swings on the graph, and satisfied with the upward slope.
Grateful that I endured and managed my way through the flat lining that was battling the last month or so. It looks like now we have a little uptick in the right direction.

Current Cash Game Stats 1/1/15 through 11/30/15 (all limits combined)



Satisfied w the hours logged, but still feel I need to grind more. This has been something that has always been a challenge for me. Sometimes I leave on a vibe I get that tells me this is my peak and it's time to go.
I wish my winning sesh % has higher. I believe the last couple of years were closer to 70%. Ugh
The hourly is cool with me, but feel it shd b better. This year on a whole, I ran pretty badly in the bigger games. The times in Vegas I got it in gd twice in 10/20nl game and lost both, plus many more in 2/5/10, 5/10nl games. Bad beats happens, I get it. But, it seemed to happen more than the norm to me in these bigger games. It's another big reason my hourly is less at the higher limits than it is at 1/2nl this year ($42.03/HR 1/2nl). Hopefully I run better in these bigger games next year.

Current Bankroll Pic 2015 through Nov.



No 2015 goals were completed in the month of November.
The #3 goal of 25hr work week is gonna be really close.
I started off strong, logging a lot of hours, and then pulled back a bit. Right now I have 1056 total hours in cash, and 74 hours in tourneys = 1,130 total hours w an avg 23.5 hrs. If I want switch that goal from red to green; then I will have to log 170 hours in December. This will put me right at 25hrs/week and accomplishing the "25hrs log a week goal". So 170 hours this month means about 40hr work weeks for December. Ugh!!! Ugh!!! Ugh!!! Ask me if I'm gonna give up? Nah. We got this.
Another mini goal I am trying to accomplish is: make more this year than what I did last year. In the last 2 years of serious tracking and being anal w my stats, I noticed I made more last year than the year before. So trying to top by making more this year than last year's total.
2013 = $34,004 overall
2014 = $41,199 overall
2015 = ??????? overall

MY 10 POKER GOALS FOR 2015.

1). -Be up 6 stacks of high society by the end of 2015 playing 1/2nl up to 10/20nl. $60,000.
2). -No Losing Months. (*April lost -$2,528).
3). -Log an average of 25/hrs a week.
4). -Come in top 3 in the WSOP League Finale. Getting top 3 will win me a Las Vegas tourney package. (WSOP Packages are: $11k, $4k, $1,500. Finale is April 11, 2015). (*ended up getting 5th in Finale )
5). -Log 1,000+ hours at Horseshoe Southern Indiana's poker room. This feat will take me from platinum to diamond card. (*Diamond card achieve in July).
6). -Log 200 hrs in Jan and get the $400 promotional bonus HSI is offering. (HSI rake back promotion for Jan rewards a player $2 x hrs logged. 200+hrs requirement). (*Logged 202 hrs in Jan)
7). -Have a $10k winning month. (*January +$10,151 Overall)
8). -Have a $5k winning session playing 2/5nl or higher.
9). -Have a $2k winning session playing 1/2nl. (*+$2,236 on June 26th at HSI. +$2,709 on July 10 at HSI
10). -Play a 24hr session (*May 18/19th at HCO+$1,059)

All 2015 goals will b posted in blue. If I complete a goal, I will move it from blue to green. If a goal fails, I will move it from blue to red.

#FULLTRANSPARENCY. I will keep everything I earn in the form of poker chips. At the end of every month I will post pictures of my monthly stats, monthly graphs, and a picture of running total earned with poker chips. For example, if I'm up a total of $15k at the end of April; then I will post a pic of $15,000 in poker chips.

Q). If I'm keeping my poker earnings, then how will I pay for living expenses?
A). I clear about $2k/ a month from my rentals, and plan to use that money to pay my bills, entertainment, and also use for other expenses. If I need to dip into my savings for living expenses I will, BUT ALL THE MONEY I make from poker (in 2015) will b kept separate in my safety deposit box. For this challenge, I have acquired a safety deposit box at my bank where ALL my poker earnings will be kept in the FORM OF POKER CHIPS. I will color up along the way. Hopefully at the end of the year, I will have at least 12 gray beauties in my box (gray is a HSI poker chip worth $5k).
I will also keep poker chips from other surrounding casinos within 5hr drive. *Poker earnings from casinos outside a 5hr drive will be cashed out, and that money will also be put in the safety deposit box. It will all be transparent along the way, and I will keep everyone informed throughout 2015.

I take pride that all my stats/data in this thread have been very precise and accurate. Thus, I will continue to be ultra-precise in 2015, and continue to provide as much proof/transparency as possible along the way. Pictures and occasional videos will further help the authenticity of this thread.

Thanks for following, and keeping me motivated to achieving these goals. 2015 has been a year of great determination, and I look forward to facing new challenges next year. No matter how bad it ever gets, I promise to give every ounce of fiber in my mind, body, and soul to never give up.
I'm hv been going hard all year, focusing at the task at hand, and leaving nothing behind in my best attempt to accomplishing these goals.

@RayzRayl

Hell of a year Ray! Congrats!

Why do you keep chips in your deposit box? Why not cash out and put money in it? What do you plan to do with all those chips? They wont let you cash it all out at once without looking at history and stuff? Could it be a long process to cash it all out at once instead of daily

No way you end the thread in one month.
Deep down your heart you know this thread keeps you motivated!

And I think I'm speaking for the majority of the readers here: Your thread is dope. One of the best live poker PG&Cs out there.

gl in December Ray, gogo 5k winning session!

Also wondering about this. Will you have to go up multiple times with $5K for cash to keep from getting audited or having to provide your license? I know back in the day if I cashed for $3K they just handed me the money but if I wanted to cash more they asked for ID and stuff.

Keep it up Rayz, you can do it!! Close the year strong!!

I was starting to wonder if anyone was out there, and then 5 posts in one day! I guess 2+2 must have been down for a couple of days . Nah, i do appreciate every one of u for taking the time to post and keeping this train running.

Thanks @twspoker1. I'm gonna try.

Thanks absherrj! I think u was one of the first 2+2ers I met. Just like the others I met along the way, a very gd dude. Keep crushing those big games I read about on Twitter.

I keep them in thee because that were the rules of the 2015 goals. I could put cash in there, but it means more to me that these earning came from the poker tables, and I want to see those chips.
I plan on cashing them out starting at the beginning of next year. May take $10k and head to Vegas in the early months...not sure. I'll cash out a little at a time.
Gd questions. Thanks and gd luck.

This really means a lot to me. I got a speeding ticket last night (forgot to vlog it) trying to get my daughter to gym on time, and been kind of bummed about it. $169 on fire. This post was a nice pick-me-up.
The thread does mean a lot to me, but it may be time...at least a break. Is there anything u all would like to see more of in this thread? Mayb I can work something out for next year. I'll see.
Thanks again to u and everyone.

_________________________

Lame is my name, lame vids are my game.
Get that popcorn out.

#KingOfLame introduces POKER CHEEBA
http://youtu.be/eGoTLSBTjT0

It's so long I am preparing for death threats wanting their time back.