The Poker Lifestyle

Op-Ed here on my website. 

Additional thoughts on the article:

I don't aspire to be the best. Is that wrong-way thinking? 

I don't aspire to be the next Tom "Durrrr" Dwan or Phil Ivey.

I don't have pipe dreams of winning the World Series of Poker Main Event.

I don't want to "grind" for the rest of my life.

But I DO love the game. But I don't think playing 8+ hours a day is fun (most the time). That's a fucking grind.  

The problem with poker is, like David Peat mentions in the above article, you can never really get a sense of accomplishment from it. So even post Black Friday, poker consumes a ton of my time (just got started on Merge) essentially preventing me from moving on to other things.

Part of this is choice and self-control, true.  

But think of a video game, you feel the compulsive need to play until you beat it. How often do you play that game after you beat it? Not often, right? I know playing games doesn't reward you $$$ (I wish, right?!) but you get the point.

For me, I've decided my criteria for "beating the game" months ago, I just wanted to accomplish one thing from this list:

• Ship a Sunday Major
• Ship a Online Major (FTOP/SCOOP, etc.)
• Ship a WPT/WSOP event.

Yes, unfortunately, 2 out of the 3 tasks on that list will be put on hold (US Player). But if I could do just one, my career for me is "accomplished". 

That doesn't mean I'll quit the game, I love it way too much. It just means I won't have to grind the rest of my life searching for the sense of accomplishment.

I want to be "semi-retired", the part-time pro. Ahh yes, that's the life I want. 

Thoughts? What's your guys' criteria for beating the game?

You know what it feels like? The tables are turned, you’re starting every hand with the “Rockets”, hitting runner-runner flushes and binking miracle 2-outers on the river. That’s what early April was like for me, up until April 15th, a day better known as Online Poker’s Black Friday. I overheard the news that morning and suddenly panic and anger overtook me – and would last for the next few days.  It felt like a paradigm shift, my girlfriend was playing a SNG, then the next minute she informs me that it won’t let her register for another game as PokerStars stops her with a message, “…US Players can no longer play real money games.” More emotions kick in – confusion, disgust, and sadness. I couldn’t think straight, I was off-balance and later came to realize that I was on FULL. BLOWN. TILT.

But a week has passed by, the tilt has subsided, and you know what?...

Read the rest on http://pokerlifestyledesign.com/2011/lifestyle/online-pokers-black-friday-wont-end-of-the-world/

Last week, I did the 5 Best Keyboards for Poker Players, today, it's mouses. Or wait, is it mice? I know the plural of a mouse (rodent) is mice, but what about for a computer mouse? I want to say its mice, but it just sounds weird LOL. Oh well, nonetheless check out the article here:

http://pokerlifestyledesign.com/2011/04/10/the-top-5-best-mouses-for-poker-players/

Sadly, my VX Revolution does not work anymore and need to buy another mouse. I'm passing by with a Microsoft Bluetrack mouse atm, which is decent, but winning 3 BI's at 1knl means its time to splurge for another mouse. It's between the G700 and MX for me, decisions, decisions... 

I just purchased the Logitech G19 on Amazon. I can't wait until it's delivered. The idea of displaying HUD stats on a LCD built into a keyboard is pretty sick, oh and being able to stream YouTube videos on it is pretty sick as well!

As I was researching poker players thoughts on keyboards, I found that a ton of people use AHK's (Auto Hot Keys), programmable buttons with TableNinja, and Macro's. All of which are unfamiliar territory for me. What are your guys thoughts on those functions, and how has it improved your game?

Full article here:

http://pokerlifestyledesign.com/2011/03/16/the-top-5-best-keyboards-for-poker-players/  

Just finished up a really interesting blog post, if nothing else read the wrapped quote of the study on rats playing "small-ball," it's was pretty crazy. Didn't know rats had it in em. 

Check it out here:

http://pokerlifestyledesign.com/2011/03/05/diet-exercise-serotonin-tiltlessness-and-gambling-rats/

Moved out of WA and into OR, with change, comes a new set-up! Pics up here:

http://pokerlifestyledesign.com/2011/02/01/9djhqhkhah-ii/

2011 is now upon us and here’s a chance to start the year different, and like every year, you set goals, or “resolutions” for yourself, but let’s face it, did you accomplish your New Year’s resolutions for 2010? Unlikely and I’ll tell you why:

Since I'm in WA I haven't had anything to do for the past two months, I just started a new website, pokerlifestyledesign.com!

Check it out! 

In other news, the apartment search in Oregon has been tough, but found a few and hope to close the deal next week!