@hello7027 and ur schwilly St. Louie hat u wear in ur vlogs, this is for u.

I'm gonna [poop emoji] On that in a few weeks!

Always here first.

Here again are the guidelines for the $40K 1/2nl Challenge:

The rules are simple:
• Try to make $40,000 in 2017 playing ONLY nl games where sb is $1 and bb is $2. This includes; 1/2nl and 1/2/straddle games. $21,459 as of July 1st
• All results will be kept w utmost honesty and accuracy using my Poker Journal App. Through my PJA, I will update the thread with monthly graphs, hours played, hourly earned, etc. For more #fulltransparency, I intend on keeping ALL my poker chips earned from cash games in 2017 w pic proof. In addition, I will also provide other pics/vids to better capture the journey of this challenge. At the end of 2017 after accumulating the chips earned, I hope to be looking at $40,000+ in chips. I will also document the whole challenge on my UTube channel. U can subscribe to RayzRayl on UTube to follow along.
• There will be no silly requirements for hours long, buy-in amount, stop/loss, etc. The goal is simple, $40k playing 1/2nl no matter the hours, buy-n amount, stop/loss, etc.
• If I decide to play tourneys, those results will be SEPARATE from my cash totals. Take note, the goal IS $40k playing 1/2nl CASH. NOT cash and tourneys combined. June hours FreeRoll on July 11th won't count towards Challenge
$40k 1/2nl challenge Part 2:
•Whatever we end up from the 2016 $40k shot take, gonna let it ride and stay invested through 2017.
•Gonna put The Melody up for sale April 20th 2017. Done and Sold May 1st
•At the end of 2017, gonna put all the monies together: whatever is left from the $40k Stock Shot, $150k+ if we sell The Melody, and hopefully $40k from the 1/2 challenge.
Then w the cash monies...got a few ideas. ??? Already started the process June 1st.














sorry had to get a new Photobucket. Other had overload on pics.

Thanks for the vlog update! Hope you have a fun 4th of July and continue the run good

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Thanks man. Have a great 4th!

Recently been asked to gv more hh in vlogs. I read it the ut comments a lot.
The fact is, I don't mind doing hh in this 2+2 thread, but in vlogs not so sure.

It seems more rec players watch vlogs more than read 2+2, and I don't know if I want to educate the rec players too much. Poker is my livelihood and I'm not trying to make the game tougher than it already is. Moreover, when I hv the rare occasion to watch other vloggers, those hh are the most boring part for me. For many, I hear it's their fav part in other vloggers' vlogs. To each their own. Any thoughts? Whatcha think?

Been telling people I'll add some hh in vlogs, but always decide against it. Not saying that I won't, but most of the times just not feeling it. I like to mix it up though, so we'll see.

Gonna shoot for 3 vlogs in July.
2 related to #40kChallenge
1 related to PVG

No pokers today. Gonna get back on that grind tomo thru Friday.

I mean i like your vlogs regardless of hh. If you know you have a rec audience at HSI maybe best not to go over hands, as you said it's your job.

Mind going into a bit of detail as to why you sold magnolia and made poker your sole income. Great June btw, gl this month.

Thank u. Yeah I don't want to give away too much insight into my thinking on the vlogs.

I don't mind going into detail on selling The Melody. Many reasons why, but nothing really too serious. Just wanted some change.
1). Lookin for new experiences.
2). Wanted some change. It started to get boring and felt like work.
3). Felt I ran over ev w The Melody and wanted out before I faced some bigger problems w the older home. Built in 1900
4). Housing market was gd time to sell and turned a nice profit on it. Bought for $100k in 2010 and sold for $155k (plus rental income through the years).
5). Wanted to do more frequent traveling trips. I.e. fam thinking about staying in Vegas next summer.
6). Wanted to do something w the money. That I will explain at eoy.
7). Trying to free up more time and wind down a bit in my older years.

TBH, The Melody was a gold mine and right now I cd b collecting the first of the month rents, but I'm heading in a different direction in my life and searching the next thing. These next 6 months of this year will be crucial to my bigger plan. If everything pans out accordingly, my goal for 2018 is to b set up to where I can take on a lot more risks.

7). Trying to free up more time and wind down a bit in my older years.

That one was pretty funny.

Just got here to the poker and they had a sheet of the free roll qualifiers.
I counted 68, but only counted once so give or take +-5.

Only 1 player over 150hrs which gets the max chips 10,000.
6 players w 100-149hrs which gets 7,500.
The rest 50-99hrs which gets 5,000 chips.

Freeroll July 11th, and I'm thinking 60 players show. So 33% chance and making $500. Factor in chip counts and skill level, and I wd say my chances r 50%.

If their is a such thing as a downtick; then I'm on one.

-$904 last sesh of June
-$625 first sesh of July.

note to self: Never 5 bet shove queens in a 1/2/5 game.



Back on the $21k hunt

3 things on my mind...

1). Some take breaks during some runbad. This allows them to clear their thoughts, and come back fresh. For me, I'm one who likes to get back on the horse. If I feel I'm playing gd, no need to break. Money doesn't sleep and diapers need bought.

2). I cd b collecting rental income right now.
no regrets doh

3). Was quite surprised to see the love and support from 9to5 Poker.

http://9to5poker.com/index.php/2017/...g-poker-vlogs/

Pretty cool to just go to one site to get the latest #PokerVlogs from all the top vloggers.

Do u hv a job if ur not making money?

Full time pro comes w some unwanted stress.
Trying my hardest to get through these next 6 months. Feels a lull.

Poker is the ultimate high and low.
When it's gd it cool.
When it's bad it's utter hell.
During the hell moments, i do my best to go about my days without thinking about it too much. But, it's impossible. At least, I'm proud I don't bring others down with me. I keep all the disappointment on the inside.

How's was everyone's 4th? Happy 4th btw.
For me, the firework parties just aren't the same during some rundbads.
I tried to hv fun. Seriously, I tried. I did the fake smiles, forced happiness, but the brain was occupied w shaky poker thoughts. Thoughts like this one: Yo Rayz, u hv no guaranteed money coming in, and now u losing the money I have. Yep, those thoughts.

Of course, I rather be drinking a beer, watching fireworks, and hanging w buddies; than not. But i just can't shut out those poker demons hovering over me. Reminding me constantly of my recents losses. Knocking stubbornly w no disregard for my attempt on firework fun.

so what is it? Why the downturn?
A). A lot of short term variance and moments of playing some C+/B- game.
Playing gd in some spots and being too way too aggro in others. Barelling when I never get there...maybe I shd give up more and/or bet size differently. Higher vpip lately...ends up slightly spewing. 0for3 hero calling. Need to dumb it down a bit and be more selective when making moves.
Taken more than avg on some beats. Playing B game overall.

Need to turn it around. All of sudden behind pace and 20khunt.

Times are

-$2k ish in July. Haven's won a sesh in July (*only lost 3 days in June).
#fulltransparency

Buy a new piece of property and Arnb that chit !

whats the difference between 1/2 stats and 1/2 ms stats ?thanks

HSI spreads a lot of Must Straddle (MS), where the winner of the previous pot has to straddle.

In times of a losing streak, it's always best to look at the upswings. You had a +$6k month at 1/2, variance is just evening itself out. Stick it through!

Personal bankroll management question, after your big month in June do you pay extra on your bills to get ahead? Or just pay the normal to allow room for the downswings? Keep crushing it Rayz! Very inspiring! Long term lurker, first time poster

I was always curious how our hero can keep all his winnings in safely deposit box and not draw for living expenses.

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Only bills I hv are utilities and mortgage. No debt besides mortgage.
*Just paid my last utility bill on the The Melody this week.

I just pay the normal on my current utility bills. Every so often I will pay down on my principal.
Thanks for posting. I'll try to keep crushing. It's been slow this month.

I was using my rental income for living expense, but sold that last month.
Now using the money in my checking account to pay for living expenses. The $155k from the sell of The Melody sure does help w that.
Once the #40KChallenge is over I will be cashing those chips out and using my poker earnings going forward for all living expenses.

I want to make this as transparent as possible, so please ask if anyone has any questions regarding this challenge.

Thanks for the question.

Hey Ray
So as you know there are many facets we must prove our expertise in if we want to play this game for a living.
This topic imo is one of the most difficult there is and has been certainly the most difficult for me personally.

At times it seems to me that the same unique set of characteristics that set us up to be drawn to and excell at this game also set us up to suffer as such when things don't go our way. Since all suffering is resistance and taring apart resistance is a sort of hobby for me...here we go

Our resistance is a result of our perception kinda like the lense we are viewing our results through.
And oh trust me...i am guilty. Guilty of entitlement tilt, guilty of not being able to see past the lense that our short term thinking immediate satisfaction machines we like to call brains are presenting us with.

So how do we become unattached observers viewing our results through that long term lense at all times. By my estimation it requires 2 things.
First is knowing variance. Not a good understanding of it conceptually. Not a mild infatuation with it. I'm talking knowing it better than we know ourselves, in all its forms and how it applies to every situation. How else can we rid ourselves of our fear of it and our resistance to it.

2ndly being aware when we are looking through to wrong lense and forcing yourself to take a look through that long term lense. Practicing this awareness cracks that veil of perception. Darkness can't exist where there is light.

Disclaimer:
This probably won't work and we are most likely doomed to leap across the table and choke the life out of some sun running spewtard

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@GatorXP u said right.
Those 2 things required are gd reminders.

Still stuck this month, and trying to climb out. A couple wins here recently has helped, but still a lot of work.
Crazy how in poker things can change on a dime.

I had thought about increasing my play at the table, but I hate variance, and seeing a good player like yourself and your crazy swings.....I don't think as much about increasing my play anymore!

•. +$775 today in a juicy game, but still stuck this month.
Trying to get even and then in the black.

•. Poll in thread now has 2000 votes and the current results are interesting.

•. Been thinking about marriage a lot lately, but just can't pull the trigger.

•. How can we make this PVG more interactive w the posters here from 2+2? Any ideas? Wanna some how bring u guys along. Live 2+2 posts during game? Or something else I can do. Got much loyalty to the subs here. #respect

If it ain't broke don't try n fix it