white_lytning
Rock Star
Silver Level
I have been roaming this board for a while, posting when I feel something is worthy of some of my time. As I am finally at the 200 mark I decided to post my story and my general theory about the game and its current state. Not that I have any more incite than anyone else out there, but I feel that I have been involved in it enough to maybe have some different ideas than others.
Noob Time
No matter how hard I try to pretend I was playing before the poker boom, it wasn't really the kind of poker that I play today. It was fun games with friends to pass the time and drink beer if we were able to get any way back in early high school. When college came I remember seeing the WPT on TV and thought that would be fun to do. The 5 guys in my suite started a regular tourney that blossomed into almost 40 kids meeting in the basements of dorms on a regular basis to play what we thought was poker. Looking back at it, it makes me laugh thinking that we didn't know enough to split pots, and instead killed the action when someone called any all in.
As I did better I started to learn the game more. I thought I was a lot better than I was (still do). I was able to turn $50 bucks into about $300 playing small tourneys at college. The logical next step is the first trip to the casino.
Turning Stone casino let 19 year olds play so the 2 hour drive went by in minutes that first time. I remember how nervous I was sitting at the 1/2 limit game. I don't remember much about the first session, all I know is I won a hand with KK and ended the session up. Of course I credited the win to my game play and not the cards as we all do. That lone session became a habit and within months I was taking the 2 hour drive Friday night after class, playing all night, sleeping in the car Saturday, waking up mid afternoon to eat and play all sat night and drive back to college Sunday morning. My bankroll grew, almost as fast as my head did, but my skill, if I had any, didn't.
It took a few months of slowly moving up first 2/4 limit, than 3/6 limit, than 5/10. I was scared to play NL at the time because the swings were too high. I hadn't heard the term Bankroll Management and had no clue what to do with my growing bankroll until... a few days after thanksgiving driving back to school after seeing the parents I decided to take a shot at the 20/40 limit. I sat with my entire roll (about $1500 at the time) and really never thought that I could lose. I lasted about and hour until I was broke. The regulars must have been licking their chops seeing me sit down at their game, not knowing what a three bet was or how to properly imply odds.
Growing up
After that I decided to take some time off. To lose that kind of money as a sophomore in college was unexplainable. None of us had money and that much was worth 10x its real amount. I didn't play at the casino for a long time after that. I didn't play at all for a while. But like most things I would get over it and eventually found my way back to the dorm tournys.
I played very small and very rarely for the rest of college. I didn't really get going again until maybe a year or two after college when I entered a charity event with some buddies and took 2nd place for about $1200. I have never lost that $1200. I'm a regular at the local room and have played tons and tons of hands in the last few years. I grind $2/5nl and have been successful. Poker has given me a motorcycle, it has paid my rent on occasion, bills, a tv, trips to Vegas, nights at the strip club, drugs, girls, clothes, and I'm sure lots of other stuff..(as you can see I still have issues with BRM) I have used that $1200 to fuel by poker "career". I'm in no way a pro, just not sure what else to call it. I have a roll, and I want to keep playing.
I love the game for numerous reasons. The money is obviously paramount, but there are lots of ways to make money. Poker is different than the rest because of the competition. Everyone thinks they are better than everyone else, the only way to prove it is to win. Its like fantasy sports. Everyone thinks they know everything about baseball or football. Fantasy sports gave people a way to compete in it. We all pretend to be something or be someone, in poker we can put our money on the line to show who pretends better.
I also realize that I am not very good at the game. I know how to play basic poker, but am very aware of players that I would rather not play against. I know when they sit at my table, and I know I am more comfortable when they are not there. I think that I have a very good "feel" for it. Live players such as myself like to say we have a "feel" for the game because we can't really explain why we make certain plays. I know I am not as good online and avoid it.
I guess my long term goals are to keep playing, and moving up in stakes. I have tried playing full time and the stress of relying on the ups and downs for money was too much. I want to keep getting better. I want to keep playing and competing with the other people. Taking a huge pot with a hand they didn't expect or making a play to steal a pot I shouldn't have still makes my smile. I love stacking chips and want to keep doing it. If you actually read through this, sorry for wasting your time if you were looking for something new. It is just kinda my story in a quick version.
Noob Time
No matter how hard I try to pretend I was playing before the poker boom, it wasn't really the kind of poker that I play today. It was fun games with friends to pass the time and drink beer if we were able to get any way back in early high school. When college came I remember seeing the WPT on TV and thought that would be fun to do. The 5 guys in my suite started a regular tourney that blossomed into almost 40 kids meeting in the basements of dorms on a regular basis to play what we thought was poker. Looking back at it, it makes me laugh thinking that we didn't know enough to split pots, and instead killed the action when someone called any all in.
As I did better I started to learn the game more. I thought I was a lot better than I was (still do). I was able to turn $50 bucks into about $300 playing small tourneys at college. The logical next step is the first trip to the casino.
Turning Stone casino let 19 year olds play so the 2 hour drive went by in minutes that first time. I remember how nervous I was sitting at the 1/2 limit game. I don't remember much about the first session, all I know is I won a hand with KK and ended the session up. Of course I credited the win to my game play and not the cards as we all do. That lone session became a habit and within months I was taking the 2 hour drive Friday night after class, playing all night, sleeping in the car Saturday, waking up mid afternoon to eat and play all sat night and drive back to college Sunday morning. My bankroll grew, almost as fast as my head did, but my skill, if I had any, didn't.
It took a few months of slowly moving up first 2/4 limit, than 3/6 limit, than 5/10. I was scared to play NL at the time because the swings were too high. I hadn't heard the term Bankroll Management and had no clue what to do with my growing bankroll until... a few days after thanksgiving driving back to school after seeing the parents I decided to take a shot at the 20/40 limit. I sat with my entire roll (about $1500 at the time) and really never thought that I could lose. I lasted about and hour until I was broke. The regulars must have been licking their chops seeing me sit down at their game, not knowing what a three bet was or how to properly imply odds.
Growing up
After that I decided to take some time off. To lose that kind of money as a sophomore in college was unexplainable. None of us had money and that much was worth 10x its real amount. I didn't play at the casino for a long time after that. I didn't play at all for a while. But like most things I would get over it and eventually found my way back to the dorm tournys.
I played very small and very rarely for the rest of college. I didn't really get going again until maybe a year or two after college when I entered a charity event with some buddies and took 2nd place for about $1200. I have never lost that $1200. I'm a regular at the local room and have played tons and tons of hands in the last few years. I grind $2/5nl and have been successful. Poker has given me a motorcycle, it has paid my rent on occasion, bills, a tv, trips to Vegas, nights at the strip club, drugs, girls, clothes, and I'm sure lots of other stuff..(as you can see I still have issues with BRM) I have used that $1200 to fuel by poker "career". I'm in no way a pro, just not sure what else to call it. I have a roll, and I want to keep playing.
I love the game for numerous reasons. The money is obviously paramount, but there are lots of ways to make money. Poker is different than the rest because of the competition. Everyone thinks they are better than everyone else, the only way to prove it is to win. Its like fantasy sports. Everyone thinks they know everything about baseball or football. Fantasy sports gave people a way to compete in it. We all pretend to be something or be someone, in poker we can put our money on the line to show who pretends better.
I also realize that I am not very good at the game. I know how to play basic poker, but am very aware of players that I would rather not play against. I know when they sit at my table, and I know I am more comfortable when they are not there. I think that I have a very good "feel" for it. Live players such as myself like to say we have a "feel" for the game because we can't really explain why we make certain plays. I know I am not as good online and avoid it.
I guess my long term goals are to keep playing, and moving up in stakes. I have tried playing full time and the stress of relying on the ups and downs for money was too much. I want to keep getting better. I want to keep playing and competing with the other people. Taking a huge pot with a hand they didn't expect or making a play to steal a pot I shouldn't have still makes my smile. I love stacking chips and want to keep doing it. If you actually read through this, sorry for wasting your time if you were looking for something new. It is just kinda my story in a quick version.
Awesome story and wow... I just loved it@ I haven't been playing poker for very long but I can understand what you mean.. the more I play the less I know. That's for sure. LOL . I couldn't help but laugh out loud several times allthough I'm here all alone.. esp the sentance "We all pretend to be something or be someone, in poker we can put our money on the line to show who pretends better " lol.... To me it seems so true@
