For the record, I cringe everytime I see a challenge thread or blog post. Its not that they are overdone or boring, its that they are unrealistic. "I will deposit $50 on stars and within 1 month I will make $10,000." I love the ambition. Aim high. Vince Lombardi said that p<SPAN class=body>erfection is not attainable, but if we chase perfection we can catch excellence. I guess that is what most players who write these posts are hoping for. If they strive for $10,000 and make $500 it is a success. Now, I dont mean to harsh the mellows of these posters (in fact this is a challenge post and I would be a hypocrite to condemn them in the same blog where I am trying to start a challenge lol) but just try to be more realistic.

With that said, I am going to try a challenge for myself. I have been playing poker seriously/semi professionally for the last 3 years. I have dabbled in all forms of poker (nl holdem, limit holdem, omaha, razz, stud, razz, etc.) and all forms of games. (tourneys, sng's, sng mtt's, cash games). But I have never tried to specialize in any one form.

That my friends is my challenge. I am going to become an omaha specialist. I am not going to play any type of poker that is not omaha. I am going to play omaha and omaha hi lo cash games and tourneys. I am going to run this challenge from February 8th to June 8th (4 months for the math inclined lol). My goal is not to make a certain amount of money (i know the title says $800 to $5,000 but that is not the real point. it is just a way to assign a pass or fail grade). My goal is to get better at a game that I feel is the game of the future and to spark my daily grind. Things have been pretty good but I am losing interest in playing. I dont have that spark to play everyday. I need something new, something exciting. Thats what I hope this challenge will do for me. Spark up my interest in playing poker.

here are the parameters:

40 buyins for plo full ring cash games
60 buyins for plo 6max cash games
500 bets for O8 limt cash games
150 buyins for tourneys
the only non-plo games I can play are for sattys*
I will update this blog every 5 days (as best I can lol)
And cash out regularly based on Jennifears Bankroll Management Guidelines

*I put this in so that I can satty into the biggest PLO tournies on stars and tilt. Since there are not many sattys for these events I need to use the sunday major tourney sattys as my means of entry. Of course this means if I win a seat I will play.

I have dabbled in omaha before. Small volume to say the least. I am going to watch training videos and read as much info as possible on omaha. From the outside, I agree its a tall order. I say this is a 50/50 proposition. Its just as likely that I will fail. Either way, Im trying something fun and new. In fact, fun and amusement was this reason I got into this game.

I am really and truly interested in this endeavor. I hope this can inspire some of you to try a new game out and open up you poker skills. I know this will be beneficial in the long run for my poker game, I just hope I dont go busto lol. Well, heres to good luck and prosperity!!

Good luck and see you on the felt.

Starting Bankroll: $886</SPAN>