In case anyone is wondering...$7 in 6.3 hours today.

Great thread, man, just reading through it now on page 7 but had to stop and say that at least.

One thing though - dont u think u r losing value by not moving up having a more than good roll for like 2/5 but then again your 1/2 is deep and the house rules encourage deeper and looser play so i can see the argument for not moving up and just sticking with the challenge. If it was a normal 60/200 1/2 game though i would have moved up long time ago (esp considering how soft low stakes live cash fields are).

I believe u r correct, but 2/5 never goes, and if it does prob only for about 6-10 hours total a week. Usually late fri and sat. I wd never play 1/2 200 max. It wd bore me. The game I wd really want to play fulltime wd b 1/3 $500max buy, or 2/5 $1k max buy. Neither of these games run on the reg anywhere close to me. As u mentioned, w the house rules at HSI, 1/2 is the best game I can find to play fulltime. For me honestly, I rather play 1/2 at HSI than 2/5 at HCO. After this challenge is over, I will take some bigger shots. Thanks for checking out the thread. Wish u luck at the tables.

Well, well, well,...just trying to find some momentum. Been on the wrong side of it lately. This month has been really frustrating. I been winning each week, but it has been small. I been extremely card dead lately. And once I do have smthing playable, I always up against it. Today was just another day of the same. Blah Blah Blah. No cards and couldn't get anything going once more. I was proud of the fact I stay disciplined, and didn't try to force anything. Not winning flips, not hitting draws, not flopping sets. I haven't seen a lot of 2pair+hands. Mostly just pairs, that I have to fight to win. It hasn't been easy this week. Gonna keep grinding and fight through the mud.
today -$165 loss. Currently at $21,734 in cash
#noworries

For the different runbads u described, its rly good u didnt even lose a buyin. Kudos.

For flips, i dont remember getting all in pre and flipping a lot. Not even combo draws vs overpair/tptk situation has come up where its all in on flop. Maybe a total of like twice this month. Dunno if its my style or just how connecticut players are but there seems to be more postflop play. I think this is interesting to think about because if your session includes flipping quite a bit, maybe you r not capitalizing on certain edges often enough.

@parreleflex u r correct. I hate flipping pf unless I have to against a short buyn ($100). This doesn't come up a lot, but smtimes it does and I hv no fold equity. For example short buy player might JUST CALL a 2 bet, and then I may 3bet to $25 w AK otb and short stack just spazzes and goes all in for $80ish w 44 and I call and end up on the wrong side of the coin. Stuff like this. Not flipping a lot for big stacks unless its post flop, and I bet up a huge draw like open ended straight flush against Aces or 2 pair on the flop. Action transpires and smtomes the money gets in, And i been on the wrong side of these as well lately. But u share ur thoughts exactly, I hate flipping unless the situation leaves me no choice.
Anyways it's 5am. Trying to flip the script and get out of this funk. Entering the "shoe" to try to exploit and extract from the alnighters. Trying to end the week on a gd note. Not gonna press, just going to let it come to me...

It went ok. Bought n or $460 and cash out $675. Kind of upset in the fact that I was up $400ish, but then got caught up n some hands and tried to bluff my way out. Im just gonna shut down the bluffs for awhile...hmmm. Mayb not a complete shut down. Today i wasnt able to get any bluff through, and it cost me couple hundo. +215
Bluffingonthebluffing

The hourly is taking a bit of a hit this month. I think before this month it was $30 and sm change/ hr. I looked at it today and it is $28.5ish/hr. couple $ drop. Today I bought in for $300 rebuy $200, Cashed out $582. +$82 on 5.5hrs. Still been a little slow and sluggish for me this month.
It was gd to c the poker room busy today, reminded me of the gd ole days during the boom era.
"Everybody loves poker!" - Thomas Stinson R.I.P
God Bless

Wasn't feeling it today. The dynamics didnt seem favorable for me. Plus just too much on my mind lately. Played for 1.5 hrs, and decided to #nitrun $75. Getting frustrated this month, and honestly starting to get burnt out w this challenge. But one thing I'm not is a quitter. I'm sticking through this the rest of the year. Just need to find some mojo and some motivation. Lately been feeling depleted.
Latest results..

Keep grinding for all of us. Just over 4 months to go. Wish you luck bro.

Hey man. Haven't been on in awhile, been busy. But just read that you're feeling a little burnt out and need some motivation.

You're half way there man. Keep pushing forward! Keep making +EV decisions and you'll be where you want to be come the end of the challenge. Take a couple days off and come back fresh.

Hope this helps...


Motivation:
















Come back refreshed and crush the end of this challenge. gl dude

@23straight thanks man. I'm gonna fight.
@illusive man - just wow!, dude that was really cool! Those quotes were on point. I hope to meet u some day because I we'd like to shake ur hand. Thanks a lot.

Grinded 12.5hrs today +$288. Other than playing one hand like a complete moron, i was very much satisfied. My Moronic Hand (short version)- utg makes it $7, mp calls, and I call n CO w A10 - Flop is A10J lb checks, mp checks, I bet $15. Both lb and mp calls. Turn is 7, Lb leads out $50, mp calls, and I moronically raised to $150. Lb goes allin for $240 more, mp folds, and I fold. He shows Q only, but obviously broadway (tells me later it was). I hate my raise there! Once LB check/calls $15 on flop, THEN leads out $50 on turn; I need to just call! I shd never b raising here! His line screams a big hand! This mistake cost me $100!!! I cd hv won +$388 instead of +$288!
Also gd to c @harby make the drive to HSI today, and crush as usual. I enjoy talking poker w him. He has a great poker mind w gd insight.

B back at it tomorrow. Gl to u guys

Thanks for the shout out sir! Was nice to see you stacking chips all day. Also loved coming over and catching some action hands. You were put in some tough spots and made great plays. Too bad that straddled hand with 10s didn't get so crazy pre or you would have been taking home a mound!

Keep dominating and inspiring!

Perhaps, next summer. I should be in Vegas for the series. Maybe I'll see you there if you decide to make the trip as well.

I'm just glad I could help man. We all need that extra push at times. I'm happy to be apart of the journey. You're a great player.

Sick thread bro

@illusive man. Vegas is in the plans for next summer.
@thankskinny602 appreciate it. Wish u nothing but the good side of coolers. crush em my man, crush em.

I lose $300 today AIPF AQ<KJ. I played w my nemesis, Mr. Action Allstate. I love to play w him, but always seem to have horrible luck. I mentioned him a few times before in this thread. He straddles regularly $12- $25 sometimes more (record $940ish he says). Loves to gamble as much as he loves his Budweiser's. He calls dark, raises dark, and will bet dark. He loves the action! Typically, on limped pots, he raises 3x on 80+% of time. Once he 3x raises his straddle, he will most def call off the rest-up to $300.
Today Villain straddles $12, mp calls, I call. Villain raises to $40 total. mp calls, I shove $250 w AQ, Villain calls. Heads up aipf $590ish pot, Board runs out 223k5.
While I was playing, I told myself I was limp shoving 10s plus. And AK, AQoff, and AJ was borderline. I was discussing the range w my friends and most agreed the range was too tight. Some say 7s plus, and AK, AQ, AJ, A10off, and maybe KQs. With him straddling every hand, I fig I cd b more selective and try to get it in w at least 10s AK AQ AJ. Still not sure. Thoughts?

Poker wasn't fun today. I need a day off. Heading to the lake tomo w fam.

My range to stack off vs Brian is more like QJ+, 66+. I accept the swings and push every edge.

Pretty much in line w what my other poker buds said. I just feel if Im only going to fire 1 or 2 buyns, I rather b a lil more selective. I wd say within a couple orbits, I can find something better than 6+. No need for me to get impatient. With a couple buyns, I rather go in w a lil more fight. On the flip side tho, w unlimited buyns, I can see 6 or 7+, And any Ace, KJo and QJs.

Q7, some people are in love with that, I think they even call it the "computer hand"? By the way he played it, I'd go with Qd7d as his possible hand.

But then, I don't know a lot Nice lay down!

^
Level right? Wow

I concur. I think I would go as wide as 88+ and A10 though. Not a huge diff though. So my range would prob be about the same in the spot. It just didn't go your way that hand.

Ok I officially burnt from the lake today. Aloe Vero where r u? (Prefer the spray to gel). On the way to the lake, I was looking over my stats on my iphone. I ran some numbers to c where I need to b at the end of the month to b on pace. The magic number is $23,333. I been stuck on $22k. I cd b going into August behind pace.
Tomorrow I might take another day off, or work a half day. Not sure. Tennis is on the agenda, and the usual Friday dinner out w fam. For the most part, its gonna b chill. I want to clear my head, and get ready for Saturdays tournament. I decided to play the Denny Crum main event. Its a $675+$20 buyn, but I was able to buy a seat for $500. And I owe it all to my gd poker buddy Eric. Eric called me Monday night around 10p, and asked if I was still planning on playing main. I said "yes", and he said, "well I just bought 2 seats from the winners of tonight's event, and I gotcha one". I was super stoked for the $175 savings! I tried to give Eric some extra cheddar, but he wasn't worried about it. What a super nice gesture, and one awesome dude!!!
July has been a pretty crappy month. It might get even worse w a Saturday tournament bagel... Or it cd end up being a gd month w a cash. Who knows? #pokerlife I guess ill just wait and see what's in store.
End of month updates and breakdowns coming next week. Stuck at $22k

The winners rather have the 500 and not play? I thought Horseshoe was only giving 1 seat to winner. Gl in the main event. I hope to read that you won.

I was told one or both cdnt make it Saturday(mayb due to work), so they sold it. One player might hv just wanted the money instead. Not sure.
Top 2 finishers of each event r awarded a seat to Main

Busto in level 9 of Denny Crum Main Event.
Tournament Detail: 163 players bought n for $675+$20 add on. $28K up top + $10k wsop main event seat.
My Main Event: My Tourney was a big microcosm (oxymoron) of how this entire month has been. When I had big holdings, the board wd b small. When I had middle suited connectors, the flop wd b all paint. My pockets pairs always saw a ****ty flop. If I had black it wd b red. If I had top pair someone else flopped 2 pair. I cd turn a straight, but villain wd river a flush. This is how it has been all month, and today was no different. I knew coming into this Challenge their wd b sm rough months, and July has been the roughest. Today was mountains of frustration, and slow torture as I never had more than my starting stack. I lost 5k HU on open ended straight draw/flush draw/over, and…wait for it…wait for it… BRICK CITY! Through all the run bd, I still soldiered on fighting during every level, until my tourney ended in level 9. The blinds were 100-400-800, I get 10bbs all-n in Sb w A9 after 3 limpers. I get 1 caller from the “table chip leader”, also known as “I better than u guy”, “chirpy chips”, “Every hand Remarks”, “I Scream my bets because I hv earphones on”, and “The Ante Collector”. The pot sits at 18k. Win this one, and I have a better chance to run it up. Just need my hand to hold up against his 56. The flop 255 turn A river 9. LOL.
My Takeaway: Feels gd to contribute to Denny Crum's Scholarship Fund. Very satisfied w how I played overall. Maybe there was one hand I shd hv bet on the button w 77 after it was checked to me twice on flop and turn, 5 handed. Q J 4 4. If I had more chips, I def bet here. But w my puny stack, I was playing a lil more cautious. Perhaps too cautious, 8 hits river. A8 wins at showdown. Other than that hand, I feel I played really well. I just didn’t run gd w the cards today; but I never did fret, tilt, or get out of line. I stayed disciplined, and feel I made correct +ev decisions all day long. Sometimes n this game, u can play great and lose. Sometimes u can play bad and win. Poker is a funny game. I will continue to stick w my chances of playing gd, and fight through this. What cd hv been… if my last hand holds, and I finally get above my starting stack… perhaps tides turn… That’s Poker folks.