Nice post and definitely great progress. We (recreational players) can't really understand how people are able to put in such monster hours but I guess you need determination and good self-discipline to do it. Especially that 22/30h playing streak 
big respect and thumbs up:f_thumbsup:
Keep it going and crush on.
Do some vlog! Don't be lazy:f_rolleyes:
Hey my man Yax. Thanks and nice to see you back in action yourself.
Yeah, I didn't understand it myself as well. It is just that extra small decision, will you keep going and prevail/complete your goals, or it is ok, doesn't matter if I do 5 minutes or an hour less. You must do the right decision every time and it becomes a habit. Just don't fail yourself and anything less than what you set out to do is not an option. Or you do the other decision and the other one becomes a habit, because next time 10 minutes less is good enough and then an hour less is good enough, then one day less, whatever I played other four days etc...
Then it is also going after new limits. Do you wish for it to happen and "I could do it, if bla bla", or I will try to do it etc., or are you moving your ass and getting it. If you could do it, then do it. Don't try to do it, but just do it 
Now is the time to fulfill the dream and to start,not tomorrow or next month. With pushing your limits new horizons open. It is mindblowing when you start to play 8 hours instead of 4 and studying more. It becomes a habit and "easy", I can stay concentrated now for longer, not fatigued so much and also the new results or just the amount more you do, can give you wings. But you still do this little decision everyday -to do it or not to do it, to fail or not to fail, decision is easier and easier, the reward and feeling after the day is over makes it all worth it and you are on the path to your dreams. I am still at the very basic stages of what I can do, but I progressed a lot as well.
Of course result will not always be favorable in short term, but it will be sooner or later, if you just do everything you can in your power and never give up.
And touche about Vlog 
Will do it by Monday
Happy New Year all!! Let's get closer to our goals and dreams this year.
I had a nice New Years Eve, more calm, spending it with my friends. I was not awake for long as well like usually. I didn't drink too much as well, so I was pretty fresh the next day, except for my awful sleeping pattern.
End of third month, December review:
I have played just one more day after the end of the week and then had coaching one day and was doing some theory work and spots review, also thinking about plans to make.
Results wise I had an awful month. The end total is 839€. I spent much more time playing than last month and was also playing NL100 among with other, so the results are pretty bad.
So first week I really had an awful first two days where I must have spewed by my own big mistakes I should have never done at least 300€ to 400€. It was a lot the result of my mindset and tilting. My play for the whole week was a bit shakey and after reviewing, I was also playing very bad at NL100. Second week and also for the whole month my mindset improved and my tilting was pretty much nonexistent. However the second week I think I was more or less running quite bad. Playing wise I didn't feel the best, but was not really making any huge mistakes. I ended up even in negative numbers that week so the first half of the month was really bad and that was with receiving some RB as well. Third and 4th weeks, things started getting better, I did feel I am not running best, but I had my moments as well and I had some plays I felt really good about with exploiting opponents.
What was good: What was a big step forward was my volume and playing time. As I had only around 100hours previous month, I stepped it up to 35h per week first two weeks and 50h per week, the last two weeks. Now I do what I set out to do, no excuses. Also my mindset was rock solid after the first week, even when not doing best and I am quite used to NL100 now and not playing there like a scared baby anymore.
The graph of the third month:
Results are worse with the untracked hands included. I have played 176hours, around 24k hands, and studied a lot as well, although not as much towards the end. I was doing bad on NL50 limit so I think that is why the rise on the graph is so slow.
Goals for next month:
I joined the 4k challenge for January, so I will try to break my limits.
I was thinking a bit about it,as the minimum requirement is basically what I am doing now regularly anyway and I wanted to take one slower week playing wise, to really study and go over the notes and do some theoretical things (some charts I have in mind, pot odds, implied odds etc) and some study material I want to make for myself that will help me drill some things in my head (some recordings and stuff ) and will save me time and thought that it might be more beneficial.
But there are some things I am not doing regularly enough lately (posting and answering hands, equity calculations) and there is great morning ritual I wouldn't do on my own which I like. Also forget slowing down for one week, so I went with it. I'll grind and make all of the other stuff as well and try to reach a great 4k profit.
Goals for the year:
Well I am actually quite on course, but I need to do a better job in some areas. I mean I was on a drink with some girl that haven't seen my for a few months and she said if I am working out, that I got skinny... And with my lately schedule I am eating too little and not working out much, so no more waiting! I need to start doing serious action steps in this area. While I have created a bit of the diet and am eating clean, I am missing a lot of meals eating too little calories and I am figuring out some snacks I can do that I can take quick while playing, doesn't need much preparation(or can be pre-pepared-> like some homamade protein bars) and gives me everything I need nutrient wise. Next thing is working out part. I will start at home with some quick insanity 30max and my own strength workouts (bodyweight, pull up and some free weights for a bit bigger resistance) and am considering signing into fitness February or March. I might take martial arts route and then do strength at home, as I would love to also start training again, miss sparring and hitting the bags and pads and all that jazz.
Others don't need much clarification and this is it:
-poker- finish program and get 10k per month regularly
-fitness (just be in shape, gain 5kg of muscle mass + or start to train again in martial arts: complete action plan in the making)
-learn Spanish (do it 30min per day)
-Some other business project I have in plan,but stopped (will start January, but now maybe February that I accepted challenge, slowly in the beginning as poker is priority - this is more secondary goal and I will see if I can handle it with poker or outsource some and if I can progress with the small amount of work I mean to start with, until I finish poker program)
Definitely hardworking and exciting year ahead!
Hey guys,
the first week and few extra days ended of the new year. I continued quite strong with my performance, I felt like I was really playing good and adjusting good. I also joined the 4k challenge and was ready to tackle it.
First days after New Years Eve I was still a bit tired and I had some other things planned and meant to take 2 days off. I started also with Hour of Power and Insanity training in the morning as part of it. It is great, but also was a bit hardcore for my untrained body I was super tired first days and in pain. Also in the spirit of the challenge I still put in 5 hours of play instead of zero for my intended free two days so I started pretty good I felt.
So when the new week actually started I continued with Hour of Power and Insanity and also put in about 10 hours of play everyday with all of the other requirements. Insanity was still kicking my butt and after Wednesday my muscles just needed time off as I couldn't move my arms and all and it would just be detrimental to go on with it and could injure myself.
Performance wise I was killing it at the tables and was for the first time in top 5 for the best players for almost whole first week, until I had my worst day while in HU. I got a bit overconfident, really felt like I am so good and it cost me, when things started to go a bit worse. I was still doing breakevenish after 8-9 hours of play, recovered a bit, but then 15 minutes, 4 hands and I was already around 200-250 down in a few hands on NL100 and then lost another stack on NL50 and hit my stoploss of -300€. Some where standard unavoidable things, but I also played very bad a few hands so I think at least half of it were my own mistakes. I also tilted and felt a bit helpless. It was pretty hard to take that day in.
When I am not performing my best and I am making mistakes it really hurts me more then when things just don't go my way, so I was a bit disappointed. But doing/running good for longer can mess with your mindset as well when adversity do come, so I need to learn from it.
With a few bonuses I got, unfortunately this didn't stay the 4 figure week as I messed it up at the end:
Here is the graph:
Graph is not completely correct and I played close to 7300 hands, but it gives good representation on how it went.
I also am still learning quite a lot mostly through discussing a lot of hands. Also had a few sessions of reviewing the whole play of my friends we formed a group with and I was very happy when they said it helped them a lot and they turned the results around as well. That is what I loved when I was coaching before I got into HU program and when I saw better results and how we progressed together. It is just so rewarding. Everyone does it on their own anyway in the end, but just being a piece of that puzzle, maybe give someone an idea or inspiration is great.
Last two days I also had free days and was not in my home town, but went to Maribor with one of my best friends as he is otherwise not living in Slovenia. It was good to catch up a bit and have some free time, actually going out to have a drink among the people haha.
This week the plan is more or less the same. Hour Of Power and Insanity, and make a comeback after my tough day. I will do it! Beast mode on. I did not start with Spanish yet, so in this week I will do that as well. Then I am going towards my goals in all areas.
Heya, time for a weekly update. Week 2 of January.
Yesterday I didn't plan to have a day off, but my condition got worse and again I felt super bad and just went to sleep. Was also sleeping whole day today, so just stopped playing.
I was not feeling good in the beginning of the week and on Wednesday I had high fever and a big headache and I just couldn't do anything and ended up sleeping a lot. It was the same next day, but in the afternoon I felt better and said I will play a bit anyway. I managed to put in 10 hours and then I slept for 11 or 12 hours straight. Then managed to play again and slept whole day etc. This was more or less the theme of the week. While I meant to take some more days off in the end I ended up playing 10,11,12 hours sessions, so I am pretty happy about that
I was not doing any workout/Insanity this week though because of the fever.
Performance:
Other than that I was losing a lot of situations I was ahead. Quite some of 90% favorite to 80% favorite losses and also set-ups with them hitting turn or river and then getting it in. But I was not so bothered by it and I eliminated lot's of my leaks I was doing previous week, so I felt ok.
Graph of week 2:
Again quite some hands are missing, I played 6530 of them, played 54hours as I did have Wednesday off and had 150€ profit.
I did a few mistakes I am not happy about again the last day. One was an iffy call vs very crazy player that cost me almost 100€, it is hard to know but it might be ok.. and versus one player that I couldn't figure out as well and cost me quite some. But other than that I felt I am doing quite ok despite having some tough run outs. After my stop loss I just concentrated to play as best as I can and not do those spewy plays, so I was actually not bothered when I got it in as a huge favorite and lose, as I was just happy I made the right play.
Because of those special circumstances with my health, I did not start Spanish as well, as I was only sleeping or playing poker. I meant to start Pimsleur, as I did that in the past and I loved it. It is half hour of audio, so I can do it when walking or laying down. What I don't like though it is that it uses the formal form of talking and not informal (in the beginning at least not sure how it is later), but who talks like that!... So it it might not be so useful or I have to check out other versions or ways to learn. But I like the way it is structured and utilizes how the brain is learning, so you bring back words and phrases from the memory at specific intervals that then go into your long-term memory.
Plan for next week.
Like for the whole of this month, the plan is to continue with the challenge, so play a lot, study, Hour Of Power, Insanity and Spanish.
Public service announcement:
Got over 1500€ profit this month 2 days ago, so I am very happy to finally make it happen. This was goal for previous months, so we finally made this smaller step happen. Too bad I didn't work this hard two month ago already. It is possible NL 200 shot will be taken soon, have a lot of new stuff to study etc. Exciting times!
It is not an easy a month, with me having:
-a high fever and feeling bad because of it on many occasions, to the point where I slept over a whole day and couldn’t do anything, taking way more free days than intended and not playing always in top shape, but I didn’t feel so bad all the time, just a few days of complete “shut down”. That is the last 10 days , but I think/hope I am finally over that slowly. still not 100%.
-I am still running around 200€ – 250€ under the EV this month.
-I experienced my first stop loss at the end of first week
But we made it happen! I still managed to play 150hours till now regardless, and there is 7 more days awaiting, so lots of poker to be played yet (and study ), so let's make some money finally
a late review of third week of January!
I had a free day on Friday as I had a birthday party and it was great seeing all of the friends in one place. I am already used to not drink on the parties and so are the others I wasn't long though as my health is not the best. That is why I played a bit less than 50 hours, also because I couldn't hold myself from watching a few more of the new material I have to learn. I also had a lot of sessions with my small group of friends/students, sweat session, reviews, analysis, where a lot of debates spring up and time flies fast.
As usual by now my schedule is a total mess, one time I was up all night and until 4pm before going to sleep etc. I was fighting a bit with a fever, feeling bad, sleeping and resting and then trying to play as much as possible, Health is still not good so I am visiting a doctor tomorrow.
That is why working out and Spanish was a bit left out. I woke up after three hours of sleeping somewhere at noon and it is hard to do a workout as I am spent. But this new week I am taking some days off and getting my schedule back and I hope it is nothing bigger wrong with me and I'll be feeling good back in action quick.
To go back to previous week. I feel like I have really become better with so much playing and thinking about the game. In the end I have played 48hours, 6196 hands and around 750€ profit.
Here is the main graph:
Graph is again not complete with quite some hands missing.
Otherwise I have researched some more about Spanish and I think I found the right thing for me. There is one program "Learn Spanish Like Crazy", which is basically a copy of Pimsleur, but maybe a bit more modern and cooler. It uses informal mode as well etc.So it is 30minutes audio per day I think. And the second one is "Synergy Spanish" where you learn 138 words with which you can say a lot of things already. So it is great for a quick start for beginners. So I'll probably check both of these programs, later write and talk with some of my Spanish friends and maybe I'll be able to say something by the summer already
January review!
Hey all. Previous week I mainly felt bad and couldn't play much. A bit disappointing end to the month. I played just 2 more days and the last one was 2 hours long , so really no action. I did good and went up another 275€. And that ended the week.
I was also in laboratory as I had to go there after my doctors appointment and tomorrow I am getting results. It might be I will have some other things to do, but I hope it is all good and we finally start with the month and go strong. I feel quite better , but some moments still come that it just kills me. I really hope I was just a bit weak after not sleeping so much and having the most awful schedule. At the moment my nights are night and days are days, so we are on the right track.!!
Anyhow!! How did we do?
As you remember first week I started strong and was almost at 1000€ mark, until I hit stop loss on my last day. a nice little -300€. I made a lot of mistakes that day and my overconfidence and feeling of invincibility got me. Second week it was time to get back to basics and rebuild. It went totally different than first week and I lost a lot of favorable situations, but was playing good, making the disciplined folds that were lacking the first week and while I ended a bit disappointingly more towards 100€ profit 250€ under EV I was happy with the game. Third week I continued with the good game, became more confident, but also still in check and we got another great result in 750 area and as said fourth week, I played just 2 days, battling with my health.
Overall I played 172 hours, 21206 hands and had 1964€ of profit. It should have been like 50 hours more, but we will do it.
The important thing was to get to the new level, I have a lot of new material to study now, which I actually took advantage of my health as I couldn't play, the day I felt a bit better I watched new videos 10 hours a day.
Here is the graph of the month-January:
I will start to put some other graphs in as well that are not accounted in the main on, but it still shows the idea even though there is like 500€ less and 5000 hands less.
goals for the next month:
I think I am starting to play NL200 sooner or later this month!!! woooo, exciting times
Other than that, I will
There is so much new info I will have a lot to learn now, so it will be hard and great month.
The first week I might play a bit less, but I hope I can still make it, just hope my results at doctors are all dandy!
Good luck at the tables and with your own goals!
Hey guys, looong time now see!
A lot and not so alot has happened I missed my update as I also missed a lot of action.
I will try to do it short as I need to sleep, I put a 3am curfew to myself so that I would have a normal biorhythm, but that is already a history.
Anyway what happened was, that my doctors results were not the best. There is something wrong with my liver, or more some measures are a bit too high. It is probably nothing serious, as there are some viruses around and it can be a lot of things. But anyway I felt really super tired and not the best in the beginning of the month. So second week again I had some downer days, where I was super tired and just slept, even though I slept before a lot as well etc. One day I had some other matters to take care of and then again felt bad etc. and days were just disappearing. So in the end I just decided to have absolute free days and didnt think about anything for two days. My mind and body and all was tired..
But some free time really helped me and I think now I am pretty much ok and I think my next results that I have to retake btw next month will be ok. Hope so!
So all in all the first two weeks there was not much to update and poker wise the situation is pretty miserable this month. First week I managed to make 35 hours, next week pretty much 0, unless one evening I really felt like playing and made a short session. Otherwise I did watch a lot of videos and study, but nothing spectacular.
So here is how the results are for the first two weeks (or for the first week):
So here I added some other hands in bb's. I will not do it every week, probably once a month.
I actually started pretty good, but then played 3 opponents that "cleaned me out". I was not sure if I am running super bad or if they are just outplaying me like crazy, might be a bit of both, but I really want to dissect the guys now and hopefully become better and learn a lot! They were quite some battles and was interesting. Next days all went normal, but sometimes it just doesn't fall your way.
There is still some time till the end of the month, so I will make the most of it and I hope we pull of something this month. Plans for this week (3rd one) are already falling a bit short, but from now on I am back to normal schedule and will give it my all.
Oh btw, started the Spanish course and it is great I like it, in three months I might know something already.
Also checked some fitness/gyms so starting that soon as well.
That's it for now, next report coming on Monday as usual!
Week 3 of February- Captain's Log:
Well this was one eventful week. At least last days, maybe not poker wise directly as it was another slow week for me, but one thing happened that will bring an interesting twist on my journey to 60k.
And the news is……
THAILAND!!
So everything unfolded pretty quickly, things have turned upside down and next two months I'll be spending in Thailand and grinding there. One of the coaches all of the sudden decided to go there and invited if everyone wants to join and form a grind-house. I was not the most ready with such a quick timing and a bit different plans, but otherwise I have planned this kind of journey many times in the past, but it just somehow didn't happen and last times I was telling my friend, fellow student, that we must go. The plan was more for next year when we will be making a bit more money already.
But the timing is never perfect in life, but this time it actually is a very good one. I just started playing NL200, got over a lot of new materials, so now it is time to make the next step and Thailand will be perfect opportunity. Not to mention living the dream.
So last days I had to do quite some calculations how to make everything happen, the budget, airplane tickets, everything that you need to do before living, finding a good new laptop under budget restrains etc. More or less I got a very good connection and cheap price of airplane ticket, applied for viza, ordered everything form new office, taking care of money and insurance and more or less everything is set up for me to g, checking some apartments etc.
I am really super excited about it, grinding hard and then chilling in the pool or sea, with great food and new adventures, just greatt!
I will still try to schedule my laboratory appointment I should have in the beginning of the next month this week, maybe get vaccinations even though I am a bit late, but can continue 2nd shots in Thailand. It took some time away from poker and another thing happened which is kind of unbelievable is that I got fever again and have a cold.
I am pretty sure it is not connected to previous things and is just so happens everything is at once. I hope at least, dunno wtf is happening, I never had health issues before so much, rarely caught a cold or anything. Anyways… woooo
How it was at the tables?
I am always embarrassed but I played just 3 days and 30 hours of that. I mean it is just embarrassing. I watched some videos and did regular stuff, but it is just a bad month. And freaking health doesn't help.
Also first two days I was not running the best and last day I had a nice day with almost 400€ profit, but ended up week at around 250€.
Here is the graph:
One site just hates me. Lower two graphs are big blinds, mostly consisting NL50, NL100 and sometimes a lot of lower hands as well.
For the last week I'll play 6 days and make this month at least somewhat better. I almost finished with Thailan, maybe will have to jumpo in the morning to some doctors and one day set up a laptop, but that can happen on Monday. So other goes into playing. I feel I am playing pretty good.
I have to post this funny/crazy hand of the week:
So that is that, exciting journey indeed!
So this is it, the end of the February, the end of the 4th week.
I am very disappointed in myself with this week. I just failed myself, something I said I will not do anymore and will take my goals sacred and always do them. So it leaves a bad feeling in me. Previous weeks I felt it is ok as I just had health issues, could still do a bit more in 3rd week, but I felt it is at least minimal with all the other things I had to arrange.
This week I played just 2 days and also didn't do any other things poker related. So not much I can say more about it. It is very bad and I honestly miss the beast mode, when I did so much poker wise, played a lot, studied like crazy and felt like I am taking strides toward the goal, towards the dream. It also made me more satisfied overall. I could still play 60-70 hours this week and make something out of the month. So I am going back to that definitely so in Thailand, I am going all out.
Here is the main graph, few hands missing:
Had an intense battle in the end on NL100.
So next to poker I took care of everything, got vaccinations ,where you have to make an appointment and usually wait for long, I was lucky, just got there at the right time without appointment, the doctor was in a good mood and 15 minutes later I left with 3 shots in my arm. It is better to take them 1 month before going, but I got everything explained and some are ok, some will work a bit later. I opened new bank accounts and a card just in case, booked all the flights from Bangkok and hotel etc. etc. Then I got a laptop I ordered from Germany and this was my biggest shocker as I made a mistake... I am a big computer lover so was carefully selecting what to buy under my budget constrains and when I finally find the match I did some mistake with ordering. Ordered one with a low resolution. This is just a game killer as I don't think it is useful so much for poker...so I spent next 3 days finding out the solution to this, searching all German, Austrian, Italian, Slovenian shops, in contact with express services ordering to Austria post office and going there to pick it up etc. The result-> I am sending this one back and buying one in Thailand (was searching thise shops and was in contact there as well). I will bring my old one for a few days while that happens and hope it will handle it. I really like my equipment perfect it is one area I am sensitive about, but I still don't like how I handled this, wasting so much time on this and leaving my poker tasks. I could play and do everything this week about the trip.
Ohhh BTW also arranged an earlier laboratory test and my results ended up good!!!
**A SHORT MONTH REVIEW: FEBRUARY:**
Very bad month poker-wise:
1st week, still felt bad an had days without energy was a t the doctor and didn't look good. I did play some poker though and do some studying, started ok, but then had 3 tough duels where I just got destroyed or was on the bad side of run outs as well. 2nd week, I was feeling super bad and had whole week off in the end. 3rd week I played a bout 30 hours, continued with bad results, then had a better day and 4th week I played 2 days, running errands a lot but still I could do it all. Those two days I played were ok. Biggest news of the month is going to Thailand for 2 months (oh and my health is ok! )
Graphs:
Results:
: I played 81 hours ♠, results are 574€ (we are about 400€ under EV at that), not sure how much I studied, going over the material, it was somewhere in 40 hour to 60 hours region.
Overall I feel much stronger player now and I think with going back to grinding hours and doing everything and specially now in the grindhouse with Maestro, I could start to finally knock down the 3k, 4k, 5k months and beyond. So that is the goal, really want to break some 4k and 5k barriers.
Hey hey!
BANGKOK:
Sooo a lot has happened in last 2 weeks. I landed in Thailand on 3rd of March in the evening, where me and Maestro met for dinner. We had a flight to Koh Samui the next day and I was already not sleeping much previous day and now after traveling 16 hours we were not sure about partying much, but just grab a beer and so. Well it ended with us having some buckets, going to check different clubs, then 5 after parties later and not long till our flight, we basically barely made the flight to Koh Samui. Poker players don’t need sleep anyway 😛 In that after-partiy series as we were searching for next venue that is not closed yet, we got from paying 300baht for a cab down to 50baht ( I was in Thailand 7 years ago, so should already know better, but was not using much cabs back then), almost had taxi driver party with u, then got to some secret club that is still opened, after everything is closed, but basically you can get in only if some local ladies bring you in, otherwise not for foreigners. It ended though with us running out of the place, because police/army stormed the place and if they get you, you have to do mandatory drug tests etc. which would be very time consuming. In that place I also met some serbian guy, which always results in us being like brothers so after we escaped out of the club, we had to go to have another drink to catch up some. We were joined by some russian/isreali girls and as some was a local living there we got to only place still opened, I am pretty sure, some underground illegal gambling place, located in a “normal” building, in second floor, they were gambling and upstairs it was a bar and I think also a brothel. When we got out of there there was already super sunny, I was pretty tired already and wanted to get home, but the girls wanted to party more, so we went to the area where we had hotel as there are lot’s of bars, so it continued and it was then soon time to get to the airport with taxi waiting while we were packing up, my hotel was next to Maestro’s and in my hurry the valet was running after me, as I forgot to make a check out and had a key and everything with me and just left. We sorted it out and caught a flight and ferry to Koh Samui. So it was pretty eventful first day and basically practically every day is for the archive, so as the blog is already getting quite long I will be shorter going forward.
KOH SAMUI:
We didn’t have any accommodation ready there, so with a group bus going from the pier, we just decided once where to go out. No party that night Next day we used hotel’s pool, until the check-out and the breakfast was good as well, then found a cheaper place until we find the apartment.
To not go into many details, will maybe mention some stories later, but I could write a book about it, as you can see from just the first day.While we were searching for apartments we had some almost the same eventful nights as in Bangkok (a hint: don’t try to convince a ladyboy to drive you home on a motorbike, even if you are lost walking home in the middle of the night for almost an hour and they are the only ones driving around-> ended up with me James Bonding out of the bike:) ) So fun times in that regard.
Real estate agents were slow and not so useful, we checked some apartments out, but didn’t find any with good internet or good location or price. So it took almost 6 days until we finally randomly stopped by the road to call for rental and there was a guy outside already that was renting, we checked the place out, the internet was good, it is a bit smaller then expected, but we were pretty desperate at that point to start grinding so, we have an ok not expensive place with good internet. First thing we did was move everything so we have a nice grinding station going on.
I also searched for a computer store and bought a screen and ordered a laptop. Last 3-4 days I am back to grinding and doing everything,trying o catch up so things started happening finally and it is time to get serious. I hope my new laptop becomes available soon as they have to get it from Bangkok (it is actually here already, but the adapter is missing..hopefully I get it tomorrow. I mean the old one is holding up ok, but is struggling and can’t do everything freely. It is possible to play with a few hickups though,
The life is nice though, we found some great places to eat, authentic cheap Thai places without many tourists but very good, tomorrow gym time is starting, the sun, the sea, the fruit shakes... We met already quite some people here as well. So now just with poker successes and we are golden.
Next week again more poker updates- to be continued!
Very good read. So Thailand is that crazy as you hear:)
I hope you don't get too many distractions and start grinding hard so your next summary will also include some poker not only things we can be envious of. Take care and good luck. Post some pictures:f_biggrin:
Yeah it can be, also depending who is involved haha, but I am sure everyone will have lot's of stories to tell after visiting Thailand. Well to think about it, even any other destination, basically in my experience good things happen after you leave the usual daily boring routine and do something new.
Here it is not bad grinding all day, then having some fruit shake and a massage to relax.
For the next 7 days (starting yesterday) me and Maestro have a challenge to grind 70 hours, to get us back in to discipline. Yesterday was already a good day, grinded 10 hours, went to gym, had coaching, did some other poker things, had good results and went to party for a few hours, meeting up with some friends I met here. So that is the plan for other days as well.
Grind, gym and some relaxation, with good schedule and not wasting time it is possible
Yo dude! Looks like a nice blog! I also live in Thailand now and have been living for the past 2 years here. Although I will go back to Europe to do my Masters. I believe Thailand is the perfect location for playing poker. Just make sure you won't work for someone here as this puts away all the great freedom you want to enjoy in Thailand 
Thank you! Sweet, where in Thailand are you, I am thinking of maybe prolonging my stay. How do you extend Visa for so long or it is not a problem?
Reporting from Thailand.
Previous Thursday was the end of the grinding challenge and we both completed it. As we had a bit easier day before the final one of the challenge, we basically both grinded our asses off the last day. I played like 17.5 hours and Maestro even more and he also started a bit later. We still went to the gym and all. We also got a lot of the grinding during the night schedule, at least me even more, so it was all back as at home haha.
After we the grind we usually went to eat something outside and a few time also on the beach and then to sleep :). It is amazing how you can find restaurants open at any hour. Even here on that »thai« street. So we went to eat at times like 5am or 4am and not some fast food. Pretty great.
I also went to have a walk after once and watch the sunrise on the beach. Mornings are very beautiful as everything is calm and awaking, makes you appreciate the nature more.
I had to put other distraction on pause for a bit, but I was very happy I grinded finally some more serious amount of hours and it is just awesome and nice to be in environment like this.
Poker wise it was quite a tough playing. I lost my first full stack on NL200. Quite painful experience and also bumped into quite a few hands I was dominated versus preflop and postflop. Was not running so good as well in flips, but I also had some nice setups and all.
So when we first set up, I played on my old computer like 25-30 hours and then I was studying, watching some theory videos and trying to catch up to all I missed. Also started with coachings again and getting back in the program.
Then my new computer came in, I had some set up to do and then we started the 70 hour challenge, so it was all grind and coachings and hand reviews etc.
THE SET-UP
So I bought a cheap 24” Acer screen I can grind on and have clients open on my laptop screen. Then of course the mic and headphones for coachings and skype sessions, leather armchair from the living room, living room table, stool for mouse. I found a big glitch in the setup. I still had to bend forward to use the keyboard too many times, so the best decision was a cheap 5€ keyboard a few days later. Now it is perfect I can sit like a boss. Also got some portable speakers when I bought laptop so the music is bumping as well
All that goes together with the UPS we bought if electricity goes out (also for protection), I have a 4g thai mobile and wireless hotspot set up, so we can connect there if internet has issues and of course some cables and sockets.
The look outside the window and an improvised work station.
RESULTS
I still have to figure out the best hours to play, because some stretches it was pretty horrible traffic wise. I was also destroyed on lot of sites, but there was one that was quite a saver.
Here are the current results and graphs while in Thailand:
The end result is ok for the finished challenge, I am a bit under EV and had some tough days, especially one match vs one opponent was really interesting, I think I lost like 8 all ins over that match, without winning (not full stacked and not just preflop) where I was more or less always a huge favorite, not sure if that ever happened to me before:
Graph of the encounter vs one Villain
The end result is 631€ and I am about 300 under EV.
Heya!
Been a long time since I have updated my blog.
I even started writing the blog a few times, but then just didn't finish it. There was not much of poker updates to write about. The thing is mentally I was/am on quite a down spiral.
But lets start part1 with some of the Thailand report. And will make part2 later about the current things.
THAILAND-second month:
What happened after the finished 70 hour challenge was , that when I took a day off I met some bigger distraction that was harder for me to just put on pause. So basically just spent like 24/7 with her since we met. Like even a quick cup of coffee with me determined to grind after, turned into a whole day of adventuring. To be honest I was 100% sure this wont happen to me, as I had my share of experience with women in my life and it rarely to never happens to me that everything clicks and am also an expert of living the life and not working, so had a lot of that in my life already. Now is the time to climb up and work and succeed. While I love the nice environment and even party and everything it was all just a side bonus, I don't "need" it so much.
But what happened was that she was traveling and meant to stay just a few days, so I though OK, I can take few days and then crush it, but then she stayed a few days more and again a few more and in the end whole Thailand went by. And with more days that I didn't play and just enjoy, the more lazy I have become poker wise, to the point I said fck it, I'll just play when I get home. On one hand I am not very satisfied (specially since I spent also lot of money without income coming in) and didn't progress in poker at all and on the other hand I had a nice time and I am ok with giving that time for that. But I know I could have done more poker-wise and didn't give it my all. Could definitely do both.
To continue the story. A few days after the challenge we moved to a new, nicer and bigger place. The apartment was still at a great location and it also had a community pool. That was really great as just going in the morning for a swim, jumping in a bit or just sitting and talking was awesome. It also had a Jacuzzi. Our grinding spot was much better as we set by the same table.
This is how it looked before Justin joined us, I dont have the picture of all of 3 computers there, but it was awesome.
And the pool:
In the beginning of April I even grinded a few days, really had a plan to go for it, Justin joined us and it was nice as we were 3, grinding and talking together. We showed him around quickly and he got into a swing of things pretty fast. I did have quite a rocky start and my mental game was worse and worse as I had some cold showers and was completely results oriented.
So what was I doing when not playing? I really learned a lot about Thailand, tried all sorts of new Thai food in places where you can't even order in English.I like to eat very spicy so even thai people were amazed as I could eat almost as spicy as them. I even ate a whole raw fish (literally whole, head, tail and everything... ♠).. Not the nicest experience as I am not even the biggest fan of sea food. Or like a Thai snack of dipping green mangos into a sauce made out of pure chilies. I loved that
Then I bought all things for cooking and learned how to do some of the dishes myself. Went to classical thai massage, party, visited some nicer places for dinner in places like that:
You have a lot of nice things to do and see there. also met a few Slovenian friends that happen to be there and they even got engaged.
We alsoexperienced the Songkran!- traditional Thai New Year. That is just crazyyy and really fun. It was awesome party and had nice water fights all of the time when we got to our "base" at some bar with a few friends. This is how it looked on one of the streets:
The streets are packed, with water and colors flying everywhere. Basically you are washing away the bad luck with water and the powder is so you will be pretty. That is what the activities symbolize by tradition or so I was told. Everybody is also wearing flowers, so we bought a nice "Hawaiian" style shirts to be in style.
We had a lot of adventure and crazy stories and is just nice living in the tropics, with delicious foods, fruits, driving scooters around etc.
Was not easy to go and me and Justin actually had the same flight back to Abu Dhabi and from there to our cities, while Maestro stayed one more day and then continued to Cambodia! Not bad, while I came straight back into the snow. Also me and Justin almost missed our flight back, it was crowded and we were going slow and easy, what ended in two of the crew members came looking for us and then we ran together through the whole terminal and got the last on the plane about 4 min before the scheduled take off.
And so we left..
I played like 50hours just in April, have a lot of untracked hands, here is the main graph of ALL Thailand, so part of it is shown in the previous blog already (I saw that it looks like some hands are missing though not sure what happened) so we have some report on poker as well:
On other sites was nothing spectacular, so there wes not much profit in these 50 hours. Around 100€ or so on top of the previous post. So pretty bad and flips or whatever are not on my side lately.
Yo dude! I will add you in the community tool, we can keep in touch through Skype maybe 
I'm sorry, I was a bit busy last month with studying but I'm back on the forum again
I do my visas always via Malaysia and do my Non-B 90 days. You need a couple of documents but not too much.
Cheers,
Hesticus:f_drink:
Ok, thanks Hesticus, will write you.
And here we go with the part2- after Thailand.
I meant to do a 300h playing month this May, as Maestro did back in the day. Because I was slacking of previous month in Thailand, I wanted to kick start my May and earn some money.
But mentally I had quite some hard times with everything and didn't have motivation. I played the second day of May a bit, practically hit stoploss, was not mentally ready for bad times, not hitting nothing, getting outplayed by opponents etc. After that everything just piled up. I will try not to go too much into it, but a lot of doubts creeped in.
I was back in the cold and was thinking do I really want to spend so much time in front of computer, is this the life I want, clicking raise,fold etc. for 10hours and study. As in Thailand I was always around, meeting new people, in motion, outside, experiencing new things, not being sore and fcked up by too much sitting.
On top of that I lost so much courage or confidence in me. Even February was a bad month for me in and out of doctors, playing almost none, then 2 month of Thailand, I am not earning much money, didn't work on my game seriously for so long. I am just kinda winging it for sometime as I felt like I was destroying my opponents pretty good before and found the adjustments, but that first playing May I just felt owned all the time (I know just played 4hours..) and I don't have confidence in my game as for three months I have not studied nor put much hours into it.
On top of that I had some other personal stuff and just so many things on my mind, also it seemed so much work I have to do to get even back to where I was in poker and then all other things I could do and time is just ticking away in May.
So every day that passed and I didn't do nothing I only felt worse as I just failed myself. It is the worst when you are in that cycle of feeling bad and having "no motivation" or energy to go kick ass. Because you need it even more to get freaking out of that. But you just need to do something, force yourself out of the current and do it.
It is time to get back into the groove of things. I figured the real reason I am frustrated and not confident is as I am failing at what was my biggest wish and goal is and not putting time into it. So I need to get back to chase my dreams. Whatever job I would get it would require me to probably sit somewhere for long amounts of time, but here I can do anywhere in the world and can provide with much bigger payday and my own schedule. And it is something I love anyway. It can also provide me with traveling and living that kind of life as well and give me the means to start my other plans and business I have in mind.
And with lot of work that needs to be done and I seem overwhelmed, I just need to chip away everyday and sooner or later it will be done. So let's start. Last few days I watched some strategy videos to get back and that is why I finally wrote a blog.
I will go back to have my goals and what I decide to do sacred. If I decide I will do something, I will do it. Even if it means not going to sleep for 48h.
So just doing this small thing is already making me feel better and more optimistic. Really work towards your goals and dreams or time is wasted.
My goal is to get back to the simple routine:
Everyday post hands, answer hands, do uhlvar equity and study one board texture with different situations and analyze one video. And of course play.
I also still have some other things in mind, but am doing a concrete plan of when I will wake up and how my first 3 hours or so of the day will look like.
As well as doing long term plan until the end of the year. Will write down concrete plan and goals and desires and how to crush them.
Even though it is 10th of May already I can still make an ok May and will try to play around 200h. If I will see that it is much better if I put more time into studying as I was off for so long, I might play less, if I will see playing is ok and I can study on top of that I will go for it. But everyday I will spend most of my time for poker. All day, beside 30min or an hour for some workouts.
See you next week with a good news and a plan and routine planned out( I have one celebration and one birthday party I was invited to like 2 months ago, so need to at least make an appearance there, but I will manage)
Welcome back to myself 
and gl at the tables guys!
So sorry haven seen your thread before.
I havent left samui for 3 years now and spent songkran same place i think, solo bar
Would have been fun to meet, i am the biggest degen ever, let me know if you gonna be back.
