Loooooong Session

Well I decided to start the summer with the grind on the mind. My second session was on Saturday and I played 2/5 (because I could instantly sit down compared to 1/2 where it was over a 1.5 hour wait). Remember, until July 1st the max buy in is only $100 so its 20bb poker until stacks are built up. However, if the same people play for a few hours (which they usually do, no hit and running in live poker or at least not as much as online) then stacks get built up and usually at least 3/4 of the table or even the whole table is at minimum 50bb but mainly 75bb - 150bb ish. So you can play some real poker after sitting down for a while. Anyways, I only played for 3.5 hours because I had to meet some friends at a bar but in that time I was able to make a nice profit of $466 (buying in $200 and cashing out $666). The 2/5 game is really soft with players playing the extremes, you have the nits who only raise with AA, KK, and QQ and only reraise with AA (they flat KK) and then you have your usual limp with any unsuited 4 gapper in UTG +1 type players (these resemble most of the 1/2 players). So, for any thinking/competent player who is paying attention to position (I tend to move around the table 3-6 times during a session and I just pawn it off to other players as this seat feels "lucky" or I dried out the "luck" out of my last seat or something along those lines), stack sizes, player types, level 2 thinking, pretty much anyone who doesn't look down and see A3o and moves all in then these games are like printing money.

The next day, I decided to do a marathon session. A total of 22 hours straight. I played 1/2 for 11 hours and 5/10 for 11 hours. At 1/2 I was doing well the first 6-8 hours being up about 600 but ended up giving it back the last 3 hours and breaking even. It was just ridiculous, I just got coolered repeatedly and was able to lay down some huge hands. Several players around the table were angry at me because I should of gone broke 3 or 4 times and my money should of been in their stack. A few of the many many examples are im in the big blind flop comes 2K2 two hearts and I hold 28o. I lead out and get called, the turn brings the 8 of hearts. I lead out and get min raised. I flat. The river I lead out and he shoves, I spent for ever on the hand. I knew the player (been playing with him for the last 6 hours or so). The shove was more than a pot sized bet for my entire stack, the only guy who had me covered. I really really wanted to call and ended up laying down and showing 28. He turned over 2K (he was small blind) and started tilting a butt load for not winning an extra 3-4 hundred or so. Im not sure if that was a +ev laydown in the long run, but I could only put him on a full house. He never has the nut flush because he is never shoving the river (he was a good player and i respected his game alot, if it was any other donk on the table I would of snap called), He is never bluffing... EVER. And, he is just calling with a duece. So the only hand I could put him on was a full house, and seeing how mine was the smallest possible, I decided to lay it down. I feel good about my decision, and think I have great reasoning to back up my play (what poker decisions are all about imo). So against this particular player, I love my laydown. Vs anyone else I snap call.

Another cooler situation was when I flopped the nut str8 on a all hearts board. I lead out and got min raised and just called. He bet and I called and then he shoved the river (big over bet), there was also a player behind me. So basically, the only hand I lose to is a flopped flush. I lay it down and the guy behind me snap calls. The bettor had A9 of hearts for the nuts and the caller had a measly 2 pair (complete idiot).

There were many more situations like this, and it was just sorta ridiculous (another one being KQ vs K10 and flop is KKQ adn the turn a 10.... didnt get away from that one). But, overall I think I played my A game.

At about 1:30 am they closed all the 1/2 tables and just had 2 tables of 5/10 running. I decided that I didn't want to stop so joined one of them (only $100 buyin so basically the same thing as 2/5 you need 2-3 hours to build up $500+ stacks around the table). I bought in 5 times for a total of $520 and ended up cashing out $1,015 (I was 4th on the table, one guy had about 4k). Played that for another 11 hours for a total of a 22 hour session.

Here is just an update of my summer:

Friday, April 30th
Hours: 2.5
Limits: $1/$2
Buy in: $100.00
Cash out: $442.00
Profit/Loss: +$342.00

Saturay, May 1st
Hours: 3.5
Limits: $2/$5
Buy in: $200.00
Cash out: $666.00
Profit/Loss: +$466.00

Sunday, May 2nd
Hours: 11
Limits: $1/2
Buy in: $124.00
Cash out: $120.00
Profit/Loss: -$4.00

Monday, May 3rd
Hours: 11
Limits: $5/$10
Buy in: $520.00
Cash out: $1,015.00
Profit/Loss: +$495.00


Net Win/Loss $ 1,299.00

Current Streak $ 495.00

Real Hours Played 28.1

Gross Winnings $ 1,303.00

Best Streak $ 808.00

Hourly Rate $ 46.20

Gross Losses $ -4.00

Worst Streak $ -4.00

Standard Deviation $56.90




------Sean

1st Session

Profit/Loss: +$342
Time Played: 2.5 Hours

I've forgotten how smokey the Miccasukee poker room is, definitely took me by surprise when I walked in. It was great to see some of my friends and just as good to sit at a table, a perfect seat. I was to the right of 3 or 4 very loose passive fish with all 300+ (max buy in being 100). There were about 3 memorable hands:

AQ vs ??
Board: QJx

JJ vs AQ
Board: KJx

AK vs AK
Board: 83QKx

The first hand, I was in late position and had 3 or 4 people limp to me and then the fish to my immediate right raised to $5. I had been sitting at the table enough to realized that he did this with any two. Saw him do it with KJo, 94o, and 107s. So I re raised to 22 (leaving me with 80 behind). 2 limpers called, and the raiser called. Flop came QJx, all checked and I shoved my 80 into an 80 dollar pot. Called by the first guy, but he mucked at show down.

Second hand, One player limps, and I raise to about 17ish (not quite sure) in MP. One guy called behind, limper calls. Flop is KJx two diamonds, first player checks and I lead out for about 3/4 the pot. The late position caller shoves (not that much more) and limper folds. He said he had AQ at showdown but never showed, ill take his word for it.

Third hand, similar situation to the first hand, 2 players limp and the guy to my right raises to $5. I 3bet to just over 25. One guy flats behind me and 1 limper calls, the raiser folds. Flop is Q83 and I cbet about 1/2 pot. Behind me folds and the limper calls. Turn is a K and the limper leads out for 1/4 pot or so. Its a wierd line and I seem him doing this with a turned 2 pair, a pair that wants to get to showdown cheaply, or maybe air? I called and he leads the river for 1/4 pot. I call and he shows AK, (floated my flop bet? I don't know)... weird hand imo.

I played pretty tight aggressive, only time I wasn't limping PPs or high suited connectors and raising big hands was when I had QJo in the cut off. 2 people limped, I raised to $12 and the button re raised me to $35. All folded, including me. (later in the session I realized that guy over plays hands like pocket 7s, Q10, K9 and etc). But, he had position on me and most likely a better hand, no need to get involved.

I only stayed for 2.5 hours, instead of my alloted 5 or 6. There were three reasons behind this, a) I have to get up at 6 am tomorrow to pick up my gf from the airport and b) I was still very tired from traveling and the whole last month of doing all nighters and such for finals and hanging out with friends and c) 3 of the 4 fish to my right left and the last fish only had 125 or so in front of him. There was also two other players who I thought played well. One that was a bit looser than myself but still Tight Aggressive (with about 500+ in front, never got in a pot with him) and another guy who was Tight but a little bit too Passive, however he made some good reads (with 250ish in front).

Well, that was a good start for my summer grind, hope it keeps up.


------Sean

Good To Be Back

I arrived yesterday afternoon and slept basically the entire day. It was nice seeing my parents and brother, he is 17, but I can't wait to see my friends and start this challenge. So this morning, I woke up late, ~1pm, and called up a bunch of my good friends with the intention of asking them to meet me at a casino or a bar tonight. But being the degens my friends are, 4 of them are already at the local poker room haha. So I will be starting the summer off with the grind on the mind, planning on playing about 5-6 hours today. Will graduate to 7 hours minimum a session next week.

This summer challenge is going to be much easier having a bunch of friends who play poker as well, they all got interested in the game about the same time I did. However, I was the only one who went on to make some good money in it. But, apparently one of my friends has been playing all year and has made some decent coin (haven't talked to him yet). Anyways, I'm off.

------Sean

Miami and Staking

Well, I am flying back to Miami tomorrow. I will start my summer challenge within the next week or so. Unfortunately, I will start with a tad less than expected (1.5k) because I had to pay a few things before hand.

I have also discovered staking, I have always heard of it but never really looked into it. After doing some research and trolling around a lot on the internet, I have become incredibly interested and want to get involved. I found Part Time Poker, an Online/Live Poker Staking Website. I have done a few small micro stakes (break even) and have ran a few low buy in stakes (up a few hundred). So it has been going well/fun. I recently started to sell some of my online medium buy in MTT and mini FTOPs action, I think it is a great way to start of my poker filled summer. If anyone is interested please check it out:

My Medium Buy in MTT and mini FTOPs BAP

Also, on (its the same thing though, just two sites to get more action):

Same BAP on 2+2

I would really appreciate it if anyone looked into it. I am trying to gain points/trust with the site for future stakes and such.


------Sean

Hanging On (House Remix) - Sean

Not poker related, but its before the actual start of it so this is acceptable :) This is my newest song that I finished (I produce music with FL Studio):




------Sean

Summer Goals

Hello everyone! This blog will not "officially" start until early May, but I decided to create it before hand. This blog is here to basically help myself track my progress as I play live cash games over the summer.

My Poker Goals for my 4 month long summer:

- Play a minimum of 30 hours a week with at least one ~60 hour week a month.
- Play a minimum of 4 sessions a week. Sessions will be a minimum of 6 hours, with basically no maximum (probably no more than 14).
- Make a minimum of $6k for the summer, target ~$10k and really wanting to earn $12-$15k (realistically not possible unless I run well, uncapped poker is passed on July 1st, and I move up to 2/5).

I am sure I will set more goals through out the course of the summer.

In order to achieve these goals, I will need to play around 4-5 days a week for an average of 7 hours a day (basically a full time job). I will have to have a win rate of around 5bb/hr or $10 an hour (around the minimum), I believe this is more than achievable after looking around 2p2 even with the 100max cap at the moment. After it becomes uncapped I am confident I can make around $16 an hour easily, due to Florida players being extremely bad (I am underestimating a lot of numbers as well).

As a side note, I wont have any expenses either, except for costs of food/a % of going out since I will be living at home (parent's house) over the summer.

Some non poker related goals:

- Work out a lot since I have become a bit of a slob after my 1st year of college (basically, get back a 6 or 8 pack, had one in high school but not anymore).

- Get tanned ha ha (coming from Miami and living in Canada has caused me to turn unusually white)

Wish me luck! Any comments or suggestions about goals and poker are greatly appreciated!

------Sean