$10KPC Part II - "Scared Money"

Friday

Yuck, but also....phew? I don't think I was ever up money in the entire 11 hours I played. Things got off to a bad start and went downhill from there, including this little gem:

An active player in early position opened for $20, two players called behind him, and I raised to $100 in late position with AK. The initial raiser called, and the first caller behind him backraised all in for $400 which is also a "cap" (no one else can raise until the flop). One fold to me, I called, and the initial raiser called. 

942r. A total whiff. The initial raiser checked to me. At that point, he had just under $300 behind and it was hard to imagine him folding anything better than AK after calling $400 preflop. I checked behind. 

An ace fell on the turn...and he shipped his remaining stack into the middle. Jackpot? Call. 

A 7 on the river. Both players seemed reluctant to show their hands. I showed and the player who was all in preflop immediately mucked his hand. The other player?

"Ahh, I got ya."

He sheepishly tables A7o. 

...a rivered two pair. And just like that, A $1,300 pot was shipped his way. Given that I was down a few hundred before the handed started...I was back down to even on the challenge.

It's easy to feel entitled in these spots. It stung, of course...but I was probably lucky to hit an ace in the first place (vs. the other player). It's easy to get wrapped up in selective memories of being a heavy favorite and losing. Too often players forget the times when their opponents were massive favorite against them and we they got lucky. Furthermore, the player who was willing to play A7o like that is the exact reason why poker is profitable. 

Having said that, those are the types of hands that will make or break this challenge. 

I reached into my pocket and pulled out what was remaining of my "$2k limit daily roll" - $700. 

Then I started folding. A lot. I picked up just enough pots over a several hour stretch to just about break even. 

Eventually, I doubled up after calling a raise with KQ and getting check-called on every street of KK79Q.

Not long after, I took down a big one with 10-9s in a straddle pot on a 99J42 runout. Easy game. 

Eleven hours later and somehow I was only stuck $180 on the day. Meh. 

...and that's where things end. At least for now. I wish I had been a little more diligent about the realities of moving to Japan before making this challenge public (Friday evening was enlightening!) Here's my reality:

I have been apartment hunting for places in Japan. A general average of monthly rent for places I'm looking is between $1,200 and $1,500. Not bad. The caveat?  ~$8,000 for initial move-in expenses. Eight. Thousand. Dollars. A bit of a far cry from the American standard of first-and-last month's rent as a deposit. 😦

That was the catalyst for my doubt in continuing this challenge, but the truth is I'm also just not feeling it. I'm on the precipice of some very major life changes, both nerve racking and exciting. I quickly realized after Friday that I'm reluctant to let myself risk thousands of additional dollars until my situation becomes a bit more...predictable? I'm simply not in the right mindset. 

The challenge is officially a failure given I failed to meet the 25 hour minimum this weekend. Sheesh. #FeelsBadMan 

Some amended version of the challenge may come when I decide to play again. 

Hours played: 11

Bankroll after 36 hours: $11,040.