Just checked my HEM and realized I've only played 50k hands of cash this year. I've put a ton of hours into poker on the year, but it's been all over the place (live tournaments, live cash, online tournaments). All in all I've broken even, tho I'd be up a lot more if I didnt play online MTTs this year, thats all I'll say (stuck like 25k fml). I was due to stop running like the sun in online mtts anyhow.

At least a student of mine crushed a sunday major today so it's good to know that if I'm running like AIDS, the wealth is getting distributed to those who I share my intricate ninja knowledge with

Mentally I'm in a total rut. All of my successes at cashgames and live tournaments are overshadowed by the online MTT runbad. Since I'm done with live tournaments until WSOP, I'm gonna throw online MTTs aside and focus fully on cashgames to get some level of confidence back . Confidence is DEFINITELY the thing I've been lacking a lot in the last 6 months. Since my earnings have been so sporadic due to how I've handled my profession, money won (generally a random 40k tournament score) doesnt feel like money earned. I want to crush some cashgames for a few months straight and know that the money I won was in fact money deserved, as flawed a mental state as that is. Thats the one crap part about poker as a living, no guaranteed paychecks! hehe

I realize I'm kinda beating a dead horse with the topic, but related to the subject is the Brunson 10. Part of the reason I gave the live/online mtt grind a serious try was the chance at being sponsored by Doyle's Room, because I have a history with the company (wore Doyles Room patch on day 6 of ME on ESPN) and I felt like I had a decent enough track record in live and online mtts (+$1mil earnings, deep in last 2 WSOP MEs, a WSOP FT).

I figured if I ran hot live to start the year I'd have a decent shot. My 2nd place finish at Viejas for 35k isnt even published on Cardplayer/Bluff/HendonMob (argh). My 3rd in the 1kr PLO at Commerce helps, but idk. It's very hard to stack my resume against someone like Steve Gross and be even considered in the same league.

At this point, with the remaining live MTTs being overseas/east coast/Vegas, and online MTTs driving me insane, I've sorta given up the mtt grind chasing the Doyle's dream. The travel costs and buyins are too expensive for my bankroll considerations, even when selling action.

Maybe I'll get lucky and Doyle's won't pick any more people until the WSOP. I'll be playing all the non NL tournaments and will have a far better chance of winning a bracelet than a ton of the pocketfives all-stars, in my opinion.

Anyways, back to basics. I'm thinking:


life basics

wakeup at 9am
breakfast at 930
workout at 11am (gonna use this guide)
chug a muscle milk
play poker from ~1pm to 4 or 5pm, starting at SSNL
crush some chipotle/pho/subway/etc

poker basics
cashout down to 10k on stars and ftp
play 200NL, no more than 4 tables 6max, gameselect/take notes, make videos
move up to 2/4 once I have 40k online, move up to 5/10 when I have 100k online
play the best I possibly can, dont ever tilt (this is huge, I tilt a little too much these days and dont recognize it)

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I fully intend on making bounties ensuring this activity is constant until the WSOP, because right now my habits are haphazard. Don't know how to carry them out just yet, as I'm taking a break from poker for the next couple of days, but when I come back it will be with the intentions of carrying this particular plan out. Bounties worked really well in December, and once I put them aside during PCA I think all my daily habits just went to hell. I haven't gained any weight since the beginning of the year, but I feel a crapload fatter/lazier/more "live pro-esque", lol.

Anyhow, gonna peruse the SSNL forums, pass out, and start the "life basics" bit tomorrow morning.

Peace!