The Well: Massimo

"In between the ideas of right doing and wrong doing there is a field, i'll meet you there."

I'm in macau right now and all the tournies are over so i have a lot of time on my hands. Ask me any question you would like in this thread.

In order of importance to get better

1) Study session hands and run pokerstove calculations
2) Play hands, hands, and more hands
3) Close friends to discuss concepts and sweats
4) a mentor/coach
5) gabe/sauce/ISF and you on speed dial?


edit: and thanks for doing this by the way.

Originally Posted by jyms

In order of importance to get better

1) Study session hands and run pokerstove calculations
2) Play hands, hands, and more hands
3) Close friends to discuss concepts and sweats
4) a mentor/coach
5) gabe/sauce/ISF and you on speed dial?


edit: and thanks for doing this by the way.

I'm gonna give a little bit of a cop-out answer and say it's just different for different people. But, i think that there are two of those points that usually are more important than the others. As long as you do 2 (play a shit load of hands) and have some sort of mentor, coach, or friend who you can rely on for a good answer to your question, you're going to do be improving hopefully.

Running pokerstove calculations can be very productive too, as long as you're checking that your conclusions aren't somehow off.

Here's an important point though: you can get better and better what what is standard and what range you put a guy on where a 23/19/4 c/r you on the turn, but the fact of the matter is that--unless you excessively multitabling-- after 100 hands with a player most of the hands that you play with that player have a solution that isn't going to be found by me or any other player on ftr, it's going to be found by you. Look closely at betsizing of players and really look at their actions. Start ignoring what you have and start thinking about what they're going to do (your line may not make sense, but is he still going to fold?). That's how you're going to extend your edge.

How big would you estimate your edge is in the PS 1kNL 6max games?

How much longer to you think you will be interested in playing poker? What will you do then? Do you think that online poker will reach a point where it's very difficult to be a 1ptBB/100 winner in midstakes games and if so roughly how far away from this demise are we?

Do you invest any of your poker winnings? If so where and why? (Obviously don't need specific details)

Give your honest impression of me as a poker player.

Are websites like CR, deucescracked, etc. worth it for their videos and forums?

When do you think one should pay for coaching/sweat sessions for it to be worth? (ex. 50k stretch of breaking even at a new level).

Why did you play 200NL forever and then shoot up through the ranks? I realize you got the nice bankroll boost not too long ago but I assume you wouldn't be playing 25/50NL if you didn't think you could handle yourself up there.

Were you just building a monster bankroll or did it take you that long to really be able to graduate small stakes?

And how are you finding the higher stakes to be?

- How old are you, how long have you been playing, generally what's your pokerlife been up till now?

- What are your profitable hands from UTG and MP?

- What board textures (combined with type of opponents probably) are good for double barreling, which are good for triple barreling?

- Why?

Originally Posted by Irisheyes

How big would you estimate your edge is in the PS 1kNL 6max games?

I'm still working on my 6-max game a lot. Recently i took on HU and i had been doing so well that i stopped playing 6-max. I've taken it back up recently. I'd say that right now my edge 6-tabling is probably 2-3PTBB/100, but that's just total speculation.

How much longer to you think you will be interested in playing poker? What will you do then? Do you think that online poker will reach a point where it's very difficult to be a 1ptBB/100 winner in midstakes games and if so roughly how far away from this demise are we?

I think i'll probably be playing forever, and i actually think that i might do it as a true profession for many years to come before i get into other things. If i go the college route i think i'll major in education because i kind of want to become a teacher. I'll probably get into some sort of investing/trading along the road.

I don't think online poker will ever become basically impossible to beat like you're suggesting. I think we're coming to a point in online poker now that the big winners just actually know how to play the game, where years ago all you needed to exploit is basic preflop and flop leaks, and you could grind out a decent winrate. But i think winrates were grossly overestimated back then anyways fwiw.

Do you invest any of your poker winnings? If so where and why? (Obviously don't need specific details)

i'm working on it, but as of now no.

Originally Posted by Irisheyes

Give your honest impression of me as a poker player.

have i ever played with you?????????? lol. I find it hard to actually get an idea of someone as a player from just reading their posts, but your results are pretty good!

Originally Posted by L_Clan_Sup3rMaN

Are websites like CR, deucescracked, etc. worth it for their videos and forums?

um yes. Those things should be worth thousands of dollars.

When do you think one should pay for coaching/sweat sessions for it to be worth? (ex. 50k stretch of breaking even at a new level).

Coaching is always gonna be worth it no matter how you're doing. If you think about it, even if it improves your game like .1PTBB/100 you are still going to make what you payed back over time.

Why did you play 200NL forever and then shoot up through the ranks? I realize you got the nice bankroll boost not too long ago but I assume you wouldn't be playing 25/50NL if you didn't think you could handle yourself up there.

Were you just building a monster bankroll or did it take you that long to really be able to graduate small stakes?

I don't really know why it took me so long to get past 200nl. I just didn't play that much really and i fucked up my BR situation when i lost like half my roll at 400NL HU last year. I suddenly shot up because in april i moved up to 5/10 with about a 30k roll and quickly doubled it by the end of the month. Then um that tournament happened.

And how are you finding the higher stakes to be?

There are definitely some very good regs who play 5/10 6-max, it's definitely tougher than 3/6 or 2/4 ever was. In terms of HU though, everyone at 5/10 and below basically sucks.

Originally Posted by minSim

- How old are you, how long have you been playing, generally what's your pokerlife been up till now?

I'm too ADD right now to actually go through it. I'm 20 and i've been playing 3 years. If you want to read about my poker life you should read the interview i did with ISF in his blog a half a year back.

- What are your profitable hands from UTG and MP?

- What board textures (combined with type of opponents probably) are good for double barreling, which are good for triple barreling?

- Why?

In general i play very tight utg and in mp because people usually play too loose to my raises. But if i have passive players at my table i'll loosen up a bit.

Good places to double barrel and triple barrel depend on your opponent, dummy! There is no default, because everyone is a unique person. If you use default plays all the time you're not exploiting that unique players leaks.

[/quote]

Should i call this the Well? or does FTR have a unique name for it?

Also who the hell gave this 4 spades instead of 5?

i dont get your stupid quote... im not going to cross the fucking line. can i leave?

Originally Posted by Massimo

Should i call this the Well? or does FTR have a unique name for it?

Ask Massimo ...?

But I like "The Well"

What ever happened to Real Poker Rankings?

Why do I crush full ring and heads up but struggle whenever I try 2-4 or 3-6 6-max? Do I just suck or is there a more complicated reason?

What do you enjoy more, online or live?

Who are the three best live pros you've played with? Three worst ones?

Who do you hate the most: bumhunters, shortstackers, or people who play the button HU then sit out?

do you coach at all? if so whats your rates.

When we are both millionaires will you flip for 100k

howd you get your ft screen name and what does it mean?

does your turtle avatar give you more action, and why isnt it the panda?

Originally Posted by mcatdog

What ever happened to Real Poker Rankings?

Why do I crush full ring and heads up but struggle whenever I try 2-4 or 3-6 6-max? Do I just suck or is there a more complicated reason?

What do you enjoy more, online or live?

Who are the three best live pros you've played with? Three worst ones?

Who do you hate the most: bumhunters, shortstackers, or people who play the button HU then sit out?

- Stars actually put us on the list of prohibited sites! Danny and I recently decided we're going to open it back up soon just as sort of an opinion website about online poker and the best players.

- Haha i'm not god i don't know the answer

- I enjoy both about equally. I'm starting to get really good at live so and new things are always nice. I never get bored of online though.

- Best live pros: Barry Greenstein, Does Shaundeeb count? lol, and you know to be honest i haven't played with that many live pros but Lisa Lin and Liz Lieu are both in macau and they are smokin.

Worst Live pros: JJ Liu and Alex Brenes come to mind.

- I hate all 3 a lot but i have to say 1) blind steal and leave, 2)bum hunters 3) shortstackers (thank god for 50BB min tables)

Originally Posted by Da GOAT

do you coach at all? if so whats your rates.

pm me and we'll negotiate but yes i do coach.

When we are both millionaires will you flip for 100k

my jew blood prevents me from doing anything like this.

wtf does runittrim mean?

idk but RUN IT!!!

also the turtle is a mean killing machine

I play $50nl 6max (stepped up from $25nl about 2 months ago) - but I don't have PT or use HUD. I'm doing fine, but should I get PT and a HUD or wait till I hit $100nl ? I've always been of the belief that not using them would improve my poker skills.

Also can you name all 50 States and State Capitals of US without google or an atlas - my American friend recons all Yanks can (ps I don't want you to actually name them, unless your seriously bored....)

What are your stats and why are you playing those?

(not necessarily your stats, but why do you think playing the way you do is most optimal for you in your situation)

Originally Posted by WillburForce

Also can you name all 50 States and State Capitals of US without google or an atlas - my American friend recons all Yanks can (ps I don't want you to actually name them, unless your seriously bored....)

oh god i have to try this:

Arizona - Phoenix
Arkansas - Little Rock
Alabama -
Alaska - Anchorage
California - Sacramento
Connecticut - Concord
Colorado - Denver
Delaware - Dover
Florida - Jacksonville
Georgia - Atlanta
Idaho - Boise
Illinois - Springfield
Indiana - Indianapolis
Iowa - Des Moines
Kansas - Kansas City
Kentucky - Louisville
Louisiana -
Maine - Augusta
Maryland - Annapolis
Massachusetts - Boston
Minnesota - Minneapolis
Missouri - Jefferson City
Montana - Helena
Nevada -
New Hampshire -
New Mexico - Albuquerque
North Carolina - Raleigh
North Dakota - I heard from this swedish girl there's a lot of dutch exchange students there!
Oregon -
Rhode Island - Quahog????????? (jk)
South Dakota - i don't care
Tennessee -
Texas - Austin
Washington - Seattle
Wisconsin - Madison

ok nevermind fuck this

Originally Posted by WillburForce

I play $50nl 6max (stepped up from $25nl about 2 months ago) - but I don't have PT or use HUD. I'm doing fine, but should I get PT and a HUD or wait till I hit $100nl ? I've always been of the belief that not using them would improve my poker skills.

I think PT (or HM) definitely has it's value just for tracking your hands. I've heard of some people saying that playing without a HUD improved their game but that's a psychological thing that i don't really go through. Having the stats out there obviously can help if you use them correctly. So i suggest playing with a HUD and see if you go into "treating everyone like robots" mode. If you don't then continue to use it.

What are your stats and why are you playing those?

I'm not gonna really just blurt out my stats on a public forum, but i will say that i really like to play loose passive in position and tight aggressive oop

I can't seem to beat 100nl anymore. Any general suggestions? This is vague, I know.

thanks for doing this Max, this thread will gonna be awesome


do u see poker as an overall lifeplan?

alternative professions if online poker suddenly crushed?

your opinion on studying hard vs being talented?

favourite actress?

favourite rap lp´s?

poker story?

Why have I never met a live player that is good at poker

Why is live poker so boring? Why do I have to bluff people out of every hand I play?

Have you played FR for any substantial amount of time? If so, what level and winrate?

What all factors do you look at when bluffing? How often do you bluff with air or PPs?

Originally Posted by XTR1000

thanks for doing this Max, this thread will gonna be awesome


do u see poker as an overall lifeplan?

alternative professions if online poker suddenly crushed?

your opinion on studying hard vs being talented?

favourite actress?

favourite rap lp´s?

- I don't really have an overall lifeplan... do people really plan out there lives at age 20? I'm just taking it a month at a time.

- Live pro? lol i think i answered this question earlier.

- The people who succeed in life study hard. Talent can only take you so far.

- Scarlett Johansson is hot

- Eminem Slim Shady and Marshall Mathers LP. I usually don't have favorites i just go through cycles of really liking something. Here are some good ones though: Atmosphere - Overcast!, Binary Star - Masters of the Universe , Dr Dre - Chronic 2001, Nas - Illmatic, Blue Scholars - Blue Scholars, eh if i was near my desktop i could name more.

What do you think is the most important thing to improve in your game to beat 400nl/600nl?

Originally Posted by Deanglow

Why have I never met a live player that is good at poker

Because 98% of them suck. But players mistake this for actually being good themselves.

Why is live poker so boring? Why do I have to bluff people out of every hand I play?

Stop playing 200NL

Have you played FR for any substantial amount of time? If so, what level and winrate?

I haven't played it enough to get a winrate, but when i've played it's been very soft so probably +4PTBB/100 at 5/10 when it's going, but then again who the hell knows.

What all factors do you look at when bluffing? How often do you bluff with air or PPs?

I used to worry if my line made sense or not. Now i just mostly think about what my opponent is going to do (now if he's gonna read into my line as a bluff, that's a different story). Basically all my bluffs with air or no outs come on the river, Although sometimes i make bluffs which essentially have no outs (making a small flop raise where i'm not intending to call a shove even though that's the only move he's doing besides folding).

Marshall get that shit out of my thread

Originally Posted by meeloche

What do you think is the most important thing to improve in your game to beat 400nl/600nl?

This is really a tough one because for a while i didn't feel like i was improving enough to beat those levels by much. I've talked to a lot of people who talk about having a "breakthrough" from some little thing like a good player saying something or the player themselves just suddenly realizing something. I would say that most players probably get to those levels by just roboting there way and listening to others about what is good play. I suggest trying to find your own style and find how you relate to the game the best.

I'll give you an example: I used to find something on a forum or through a friend monthly and try and really focus on it in my game, just because i was unsatisfied with my play, and i thought that maybe one of these tricks would be the secret to making me good. Recently though, i saw through my Headsup play that i really wasn't much a soul reader but i was a great strategist (which in poker is using game theory), I could think of correct counter strategy on the fly. I just never really thought to use my creative strategy because i was too busy trying to find the answer outside myself. And then i realized it, i should FUCKING USE this skill i was so good at, game theory is the way i effectively relate to the game. Now-a-days if you play me in 6-max my play looks really quirky, but it's incredibly effective.

How far behind your online game is your live game?

What are you going to do in Europe besides play tourneys?

If you and ISF played a specially designed HU grudge match in which you played the same hands from opposite positions (think Tommy Angelo's idea of reciprocality put in action) against each other, who would win? (Or put the usual way, how big is your or ISF's edge vs. the other HU?)

it was a serious question ...

Originally Posted by bode

poker story?

i'll eventually get to this since there's demand. Just not in the mood right now though.

which one of you had side burns?

I'll let you know which one I thought was cooler after you answer my question.

Which Steinberg would win in a boxing match?

And in a wrestling match?

Originally Posted by zook

How far behind your online game is your live game?

What are you going to do in Europe besides play tourneys?

If you and ISF played a specially designed HU grudge match in which you played the same hands from opposite positions (think Tommy Angelo's idea of reciprocality put in action) against each other, who would win? (Or put the usual way, how big is your or ISF's edge vs. the other HU?)

- Well i've been playing online for 3 years and like thousands of hours so obviously my online game is much better. But i think that my live game has become very good recently (and i'm talking cash games as well as tournaments).

- Hiking with Sauce, Party, fuck bitches... ya know the standard stuff.

- I always have the same answer for this and everyone is always a little disappointed: I think Danny is a little better than me. That being said, i think that despite that i'd still have a small edge because Danny would probably level himself too much.

Originally Posted by bigspenda73

which one of you had side burns?

I'll let you know which one I thought was cooler after you answer my question.

Probably me. And i hope you think sideburns are badass cause otherwise i don't really care what you think.

Which Steinberg would win in a boxing match?

And in a wrestling match?

lol. The only wrestling match we ever had was like 10 years ago and Danny won after an eternity.

It's funny you mention boxing because my friend and his older brother recently trained for a boxing match they had in some warehouse in my hometown which happened 2 weeks ago. Fwiw the older one ended up winning and i would hope that if danny and i had a boxing match it wouldn't be the same result.

Originally Posted by Massimo

Originally Posted by zook

How far behind your online game is your live game?

What are you going to do in Europe besides play tourneys?

If you and ISF played a specially designed HU grudge match in which you played the same hands from opposite positions (think Tommy Angelo's idea of reciprocality put in action) against each other, who would win? (Or put the usual way, how big is your or ISF's edge vs. the other HU?)

- Well i've been playing online for 3 years and like thousands of hours so obviously my online game is much better. But i think that my live game has become very good recently (and i'm talking cash games as well as tournaments).

- Hiking with Sauce, Party, fuck bitches... ya know the standard stuff.

- I always have the same answer for this and everyone is always a little disappointed: I think Danny is a little better than me. That being said, i think that despite that i'd still have a small edge because Danny would probably level himself too much.

Dude when are you coming to Europe? and where?

What exercise did you find most effective to improve your hand reading ability? (Any specific tips other than "play lots of hands" would be greatly appreciated.)

What tools(books/coach/Video site, etc.) did you find that helped improve your hand reading the most?

How many tables did you play at one time when trying to really "grow" as a hand reader?

and a fun one. . . How do you stack your chips live? Even stacks, tall stacks, pyramid style.

xianti clearly aaron would win the steinberg wrestling match

Originally Posted by Massimo

Originally Posted by bigspenda73

which one of you had side burns?

I'll let you know which one I thought was cooler after you answer my question.

Probably me. And i hope you think sideburns are badass cause otherwise i don't really care what you think.

Which Steinberg would win in a boxing match?

And in a wrestling match?

lol. The only wrestling match we ever had was like 10 years ago and Danny won after an eternity.

It's funny you mention boxing because my friend and his older brother recently trained for a boxing match they had in some warehouse in my hometown which happened 2 weeks ago. Fwiw the older one ended up winning and i would hope that if danny and i had a boxing match it wouldn't be the same result.

So im not a steinberg anymore???

Originally Posted by STHollywood

xianti clearly aaron would win the steinberg wrestling match

LOL... of course!

Yeah I can't disagree Aaron would totally win a wrestling match although I'd say right now with only one arm Max or me could take him .

I think Max's assesment about our HU match is fair!

Originally Posted by STHollywood

xianti clearly aaron would win the steinberg wrestling match

Yeah but if we both took you on we'd kick your ass! isn't that what counts?

Originally Posted by Silly String

What exercise did you find most effective to improve your hand reading ability? (Any specific tips other than "play lots of hands" would be greatly appreciated.)

What tools(books/coach/Video site, etc.) did you find that helped improve your hand reading the most?

How many tables did you play at one time when trying to really "grow" as a hand reader?

and a fun one. . . How do you stack your chips live? Even stacks, tall stacks, pyramid style.

- Well... to be honest hand reading has a lot to do with natural talent. If everyone could just work hard and become an awesome hand reader then everyone would eventually be really good at poker. Time is really the only thing that has improved my hand reading.

- I actually don't watch many videos and the only real coaching i've gotten was from Sauce. Most of what i've learned has come from talking with people (danny mostly) and just thinking about it 24/7.

- When i started playing 4 tables. Although i think that two is probably better for more rapid improvement in that area.

- It varies. In vegas recently i stacked my chips in towers of 40 because it annoyed my friend. I usually keep them in stacks of 20 though, and i like keeping everything even. If i have enough i try and make a pyramid with stacks of 20, and if you look at my facebook profile one of my pics is me at turningstone 2/5 with a 5k pyramid of chips in front of me.

How often do you go through hands and generate EV calculations? Or do you just kind of wing it after reviewing hands? Basically, what do you actually do when reviewing hands after a session?

What do you think is the biggest leak of most midstakes regs?

Or what do you think are common leaks of midstakes regs?

Thanks for doing this btw

Originally Posted by kmind

How often do you go through hands and generate EV calculations? Or do you just kind of wing it after reviewing hands? Basically, what do you actually do when reviewing hands after a session?

I rarely review specific hands actually. The only EV calculations i do are trying to figure out what i can do against certain strategies (for example, what hands should i have in my 4-betting range against a very aggressive 3-bettor?). Sometimes i'll just bring up the hand to someone on AIM and tell them what i think is wrong with it, and usually it brings up a pretty cool discussion.

What do you think is the biggest leak of most midstakes regs?

Making poker hard with basic strategy flaws and being to stubborn to realize it.

Or what do you think are common leaks of midstakes regs?

Predictability, Attention Deficit Disorder, putting a missed draw in every range, 3-betting without a purpose, and being too loose preflop.

Originally Posted by Massimo

- Well... to be honest hand reading has a lot to do with natural talent. If everyone could just work hard and become an awesome hand reader then everyone would eventually be really good at poker. Time is really the only thing that has improved my hand reading.

Wow, that is depressing. Thank you for your candor though, and thank you for contributing a well post.

Do you think running around 10PTBB/100 hands is decent in 50 max for someone starting out 6 months ago online seriously? Yes, that is my stats...don't make fun of me...I just want to know my progress!! thanks for your time massimo!

Originally Posted by Massimo

But i think that my live game has become very good recently (and i'm talking cash games as well as tournaments).

What adjustments do you make for live games? How much do you open up your starting hands? Straddle?

Originally Posted by Deanglow

Why have I never met a live player that is good at poker

Because Live players learn to make small mistakes to exploit the very large mistakes other players make. Also, it's a real drag to fold hands pre-flop for an hour or more after driving 30min+ to the cardroom.

Originally Posted by Massimo

being too loose preflop.

I play 28/18ish give or take these days. Too loose?

Talk about the balance between a good college life (drinking, girls, studying, etc) and poker.

What are your opinions on using a HUD?

SIDEBURRRRRRRRRRRRRRRNS FTW

also, i dont think i even met danny, but we def. met and you were cool

Originally Posted by bigspenda73

SIDEBURRRRRRRRRRRRRRRNS FTW

also, i dont think i even met danny, but we def. met and you were cool

Wtf Cullen are you serious I met you.

Originally Posted by Kid Style

Do you think running around 10PTBB/100 hands is decent in 50 max for someone starting out 6 months ago online seriously? Yes, that is my stats...don't make fun of me...I just want to know my progress!! thanks for your time massimo!

Um yes that's incredibly good. You should be wary of sample sizes though (a losing player could win 10PTBB/100 over 5k hands easily, probably not over 30k and definitely not over 100k though).

What adjustments do you make for live games? How much do you open up your starting hands? Straddle?

My preflop game is pretty tight, actually, about as tight as i would play online. I like observing for a while and i'll usually just open up my preflop ranges for pure stealing value. For example, one person limps and i'm on the CO and look to my left and see that the button and BB are folding from their expressions (and this is easier to pick up on than you think). I might raise like T7o there. I used to be addicted to trying to iso limpers but it just got me in trouble.

Oh and just fyi i think one of the coolest tells live is this: If someone has made a bet and when you look at them they look up or around... they are NEVER BLUFFING. This has yet to be proved wrong.

oh and I never straddle.

I play 28/18ish give or take these days. Too loose?

Here's an example of being too loose: you raise KTs UTG when you have 2 aggro players, with wide 3-betting ranges, behind you.

Another example: You c-bet 90% of hands when you raise on the CO. If you raise 35% of hands on the CO you're gonna be very exploitable and most regulars already have been told how to exploit this. If you raise 15% of hands on the CO c-betting 90% of hands becomes and basically balanced.

Depending on your postflop style 28/18 may be too loose but i haven't seen you play.

What are your opinions on using a HUD?

I think i already covered this earlier but i'll repeat. I use HUD and i find that it doesn't poorly affect how i read people (i.e. analyze a player purely by his stats ignoring how he has been playing). If you find that using a HUD makes you treat players like robots, explore playing without it. I wouldn't recommend playing more than 4 tables though.

Originally Posted by Deanglow

Talk about the balance between a good college life (drinking, girls, studying, etc) and poker.

Personally i've found through my college shit that i always felt better when my priorities were like this: 1) study/work 2) poker 3) everything else. But i'm someone who cares to get good grades and i don't see anything wrong with just trying to pass (sadly i just feel like shit getting C's even though i wish i could be happy with em). Another routine i found effective was when i would play all the poker i wanted to play at the start of the day, and then i could more easily get on with my life.

But that's just me, and i know that others probably have different structures that make them just as happy. I personally didn't have that great of a college life, and i seem to be doing much better with a life that's without studying. Now i get to have ample time for girls and drugs, while playing lots and lots of poker!

p.s. i fuckin love cheese

Originally Posted by IowaSkinsFan

Originally Posted by bigspenda73

SIDEBURRRRRRRRRRRRRRRNS FTW

also, i dont think i even met danny, but we def. met and you were cool

Wtf Cullen are you serious I met you.

hmmm, well we probably did, the whole weekend i still a bit of a blur. Sowwy Danny.

Please could you post some more of your favourite live tells?

You wake up tomorrow morning and discover that you don't like poker anymore.

Do you continue playing for the money?

Originally Posted by TwoKicker

Please could you post some more of your favourite live tells?

I already posted one but i gotta say it again it's so golden:

- If someone looks upwards when you look at them after they bet, they are not bluffing.

Another one

- If someone throws makes some sort of hesitation move before throwing out a bet (for example, some people will almost throw the bet out and then think for a second before actually throwing it), they will fold to a raise.

Most people have their own little personal thing though and it's important to pay attention. Something that many players who go from the online felt to the real felt don't get is how important reading someone physically is, it can essentially double your winrate just because folds that are impossible online become reasonable live. The word polarized should be thrown out of your vocabulary live because you should have enough information against most players to determine whether he's bluffing or not.

Originally Posted by Ash256

You wake up tomorrow morning and discover that you don't like poker anymore.

Do you continue playing for the money?

Yea i would. I would actually feel guilty not taking advantage of such a great money making opportunity.

Obviously though i wouldn't be traveling to play live donkaments anymore.

which of the steinbergs would you say is the biggest prop betting fish?

also, what do you listen to for music?

It seems both you & your brother surged in knowledge and confidence as you began kicking ass in HU play. Was this the missing ingredient after slogging away for so long in ring games?

It seems to me, as a very casual observer, that it vastly improved your overall game and made you see ring game play in a different light... I have done well in full and then 6max up to 100NL for 100k hands - but feel like I am still lacking the information and thought processes that other players have. Would learning to win HU change that? (note I am just a casual player doing it for the challenge, fun and 'pocket money')

FWIW - major congratulations on your success. It is quite an accomplish to have broken through to the "other side" of the poker world...