New Orleans was an absolute blast!
I only made noise in one of the four events that I played. I placed 9th in my first live final table in a 1k or bigger buy in. It was the 1k event @ Harrah’s. I had been playing a super agressive game for pretty much the entire [...]
Rich “TheEngineer” Muny takes time out of his work with the PPA to join us on this week’s podcast.
Just
took down my first $100 rebuy on stars today. It was a short-fielded
Saturday tournament, surprisingly drawing only 81 players. My game
feels very sharp as of late and I can't wait to wake up to play
Sunday morning.
Final
two tabled the $1k Monday on FTP…it seems I'm getting deeper and
deeper in bigger and bigger tournaments. I've completely lost my
respect for the buy-ins and am simply looking to make the most
positive-ev moves at all times.
I
had several p5'ers contact me regarding the negativity expressed at
the end of my last blog. It's important to treat people with respect
and decency in everyday life, but in poker it's kill or be killed.
I've called security and had them walk me out of casinos several
times. I'm not going to be pressed at the table, I'm going to be
doing the pressing. It's important to stick up for yourself, give it
your all, and do everything you can to fight to earn the most amount
of profit possible when you sit down to play poker. Life's too short
to be mediocre and unmotivated. If I came across as a bit crass in
my last blog, I assure you,…it's only to let you in on the killer
poker mentality that is present in many top players. Put up or shut
up!!!! Give it your all or get out of the arena. If you're not
going to take your life seriously, nobody will.
Over
the past 6 months, I've seen many instances of what I would describe
as "A-player-itus." This is a term I made up to describe B
and C level players who truly believe they are A players. Whether
it's a student that comes through Ari's training center, a "pro"
that comes into Vegas to try their hand at a few live tournaments or
friends I know from back-home that also play poker…unless you are
making well into the six-figures every year…you're probably not an
A player. If you can't be self-honest with yourself, the odds of you
drastically improving is unlikely. My humblest students, the ones
most eager to listen to what I have to say (and ask questions) almost
always do the best.
Happiness
is infectious (like winning). The buddhist monks cross their arms in
front of themselves as a "ward off" if someone with
negative energy tries to touch them or give them a hug. People with
negative attitudes give off different energies/vibrations than those
who are positive. Always try and remain positive in support of
yourself and to set a good example for others around you.
Every
time I walk into my bank I notice this teller behind the counter who
is always smiling, happy, and conversive. The last time I was in the
bank it was my turn after waiting in line and what do you know…Mr.
Happy says, "I can help the next customer." I had a friend
with me and as I was in line I was pointing out to him just how happy
this guy always seems. While I was taking care of my banking needs I
asked the guy, straight up, "I know this might sound odd…but,
what's your trick? Every time I come in here you seem so damn happy.
What's the deal?" He laughed and said, "It's the drugs.
No, just kidding. Really, I just want others to treat me the same
way and I feel like I have a better day if I treat others with
respect and friendliness."
It's
unfortunate to have others treat me differently than the way I treat
them. So often throughout my life I've seen others cut corners for
short-term gains and end up burning bridges…costing themselves
greatly long-term. I'll do everything in my power to keep people who
are negative out of my playing and living environment. To a large
extent, we program others to treat us in the manner we're treated.
Go out of your way to help others, but don't be so short-sighted as
to allow any form of negativity in your life in return for short-term
gain.
UB and AP COO Paul Leggett is our feature guest this week, as he discusses the recent 60 Minutes show and the merge to the CEREUS Network. Popular P5er PhiAlphaMTSU is the second guest.
Information has the ability to change the collective mindset of a population…I had the opportunity to sit down with my Kung Fu master's master. He's in his 60's, a Native American, and one hell of a fighting machine…10th degree black belt (the highest possible rank). He told me a great story about growing up in Watts/Los Angeles. "There's nothing worse than being a minority in a minority area." Just walking down the street was enough to get into a fight…and fight he did! He mentioned that before Bruce Lee came on the scene…nobody knew anything about blocking. Someone would start a fight with him and he'd just kick them right in the face, in the stomach, etc. After people started watching Bruce Lee flicks, everyone started to BLOCK. Even the most amateur of fighters knew the most basic of defensive measures.
I've put serious time and energy recently into learning the mechanics of the stock market, as well as starting to price real estate properties both in the states and in Costa Rica. I have a long-term plan in place as far as poker is concerned, but I also want to begin to diversify my talents and energies into other productive/profitable endeavors. Alongside owning (ideally in the future, several) poker training centers, managing and investing my personal investments…I'd like to own a Kung Fu studio in Costa Rica (where I plan on permanently moving in the next 5 to 10 years). So much is possible in the future…at this point I'm trying to arm myself with the skills to succeed as I look forward into the next phase of my life.
The first thing I learned in intro to Economics is…"The key to making money, sustainable profits is to…look for expanding markets." When I got into poker, I was partners in a water conservation business. As prices for commodities (water, energy, etc) were increasing, companies were doing anything and everything possible to cut costs. My uncle and I started a water conservation company for large-scale commercial operations like hospitals, colleges, prisons, etc. Before the water conservation business, I studied at the graduate level (environmental studies, economics) and was preparing to enter the hybrid vehicle market in some form or fashion. I was/am convinced that hybrid/efficient transportation is the wave of the future…I was looking to enter an expanding market.
Times are getting tougher and tougher by the day. The economy is going to turn upside down in the next 5 years. We are living in interesting and volatile times. Poker is going to be one of the businesses that has the ability (if given true free-market conditions) to continue to expand. Markets like Central/South America and Asia are almost completely closed to poker…and a poker boom in these regions is a great possibility. We all need to try and do our part to EXPAND THE POKER ECONOMY in any and all ways. Remember, poker isn't just a game, it's also a business!!!
When you're at the tables (especially live), you've got to be completely ruthless and cunning in regards to dealing with opponents. I keep seeing references to psychological conditions and states that relate in some form or fashion to poker. Below is a description of psychopaths from Barbara Oakley's Evil Genes (it seems I'm being called a "psycho" more and more as a compliment on and off the tables in regards to my poker game…interesting choice of words to say the least):
Psychopaths might best be described as "predators who use charm, manipulation, intimidation, and violence to control others and to satisfy their own selfish needs. Lacking in conscience and in feelings for others, they cold-bloodedly take what they want and do as they please, violating social norms and expectations without the slightest sense of guilt or regret…
I always used to laugh when someone asked what I did for a living. I used to say I stole college kids' money for a living…I'd talk to my brother over the phone to get motivated before a session, "I'm going to destroy people's lives; ruin their careers, cause depression, make them bow down to my will, bring them to the lowest point they could ever imagine." My brother would laugh and scream like a football coach, "Do it Dave,…do it!"
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