I did forget to update here on the forum, but I will do this now. I had a very bad run, but taken action.
Poker Challenge: Sessions 5-17 Overview
Sessions 5-7:
Not much to report initially. I played for an hour before taking the rest of the day off, keeping control despite having some beers. However, things took a downturn as I streamed for 4 hours, almost exclusively running bad and facing top ranges. I nearly ground back to break-even but hit another downswing while trying to maintain my leaderboard spot. This led to an unnecessary and frustrating chase for 1st place. My mental game was off; I was distracted, playing my C game, and the lack of focus was evident. A few beers earlier in the week disrupted my sleep, leaving me frustrated, tired, and only at 50% energy for the grind.
Despite earning $44 from GGCare and $70 from the leaderboard, it felt like I was back at square one.
Session 8:
After a 2-day family vacation, I tried a short session in the evening but felt tired and unsatisfied with my play. Realizing I needed to focus more on mental strength, I committed to two key changes: prioritizing rest and setting up a mental fitness routine before each session. This routine involves playing short chess matches and solving puzzles to assess my decision-making and focus, assigning myself a performance category (D, C, B, A, S) based on this. This system is aimed at ensuring I only play when I’m at my best, avoiding the pitfalls of playing while fatigued or distracted.
Sessions 9-14:
The downswing continued, and it was mentally exhausting. After feeling a deep sense of frustration, I realized I needed to stop playing temporarily. Despite the ongoing losses, I remained determined to grind through and not give up on the challenge, even though NL25 was proving to be a tough barrier.
Session 15:
This session was a breakthrough in terms of handling adversity. I remained unfazed by coolers and difficult runouts, saving numerous hands to review later. Despite these challenges, I managed to book only a small loss. The swing was tough, with a drop of around 55 buy-ins including rake, but I refused to let it break my spirit. I couldn’t play more that day but was proud of my resilience.
Session 16:
I played again but lost another 4 buy-ins. Losing $100 might not seem like much, but it marked the first time I felt physical pain from the grind, realizing how much I had lost on NL25—around $1,300. This was a blow, especially knowing how much I’ve improved over the last 3 years. While variance plays a role, it's tough to keep blaming it. I decided to minimize my playtime for the week and focus on rebuilding my health and well-being. This involves reintroducing daily workouts, meditation, hydration, studying, and healthy eating. These are desperate measures but necessary to regain focus and energy.
Session 17:
The last 3 days have been fully dedicated to my health, and I’ve been super consistent with my new routine. I’ve stuck to a 6-hour intermittent fasting window, drank 4 liters of water daily, hit the heavy bag for 45 minutes, and stayed active with my son. Removing social media apps has been a game-changer, allowing me more quality time with family and friends and helping me clear long-pending tasks.
This session was incredibly focused—I wasn’t distracted, caught a lot of spots, and my intuition was sharp. While I’m happy with the session, I wouldn’t rate it higher than an "A" due to a couple of decisions that could have turned a +$60 net into +$140. Nonetheless, I barely made any mistakes and followed every rule I set for myself. Consistency is key, and I’m determined to keep this momentum going both on and off the felt.
