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bencathers
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06-27-2005, 05:54 AM
Post subject: My story and hello!
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#1 (permalink)
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Flush
Join Date: Jun 2005
Location: Manhattan & Boston
Posts: 480
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Hi Guys,
Long time lurker, first time poster after *finally* registering (I guess I wanted the opportunity to finally make a couple of posts).
Everyone has a poker story, so here's mine... I started playing the game about 1.5 years ago in college (still in, going to my final year) after my roommates kept playing it and I finally joined the game... (my only previous experience was a couple of 5 and 7 card stud games with my dad)... lost the first couple of times, but they were 3 dollar tournaments, so whatever. I have a very strong analytical mind, as well as a background in the psychology of business (negotiations especially) and I started to develop my skill where I started winning and then moving up to the "big" games around Boston.
There, I started playing (at what seemed large at the time) 1-2 cash NL games.. and after busting a few times, I finally picked up the tells of the regulars and had to move on (no one's happy when it's a 20 dollar buy-in and I walk away with 140)... so the next logical step was online.
Not knowing anything about bonus whoring or whatever, I joined partypoker, as well, I saw it on tv. My first 50 turned into 250 in two days. I was happy, until I got overconfident and lost 150 in three hands.. I cashed out with a 50 dollar profit - I didn't enjoy playing online and preferred the social aspect of live games. However, the ppl who I regularly played with in person, they all moved online and soon, I saw myself depositing again.
And this is where my poker life really developed. I put in 100 again, turned it into 300 playing 1/2 limit and took the plunge - moving right into the 5/10 Limit games... and was shocked by how soft they were. In about one week, the 300 turned into 2000... then 3000... then 4000... it was simple. No multi-table. Just fold everything. Play only the best and overbet if I hit. Call with a draw. I was hitting nut flushes and trips all day and being re-raised (I once capped the betting in 5/10 after I hit quads on the flop. I couldn't believe the person kept re-raising). So, I'm now EXTREMELY overconfident, calling the 5/10 my "personal ATM".
And this is where it gets fun. After playing with a local game at a frat house and losing to a runner runner, I stormed back to my computer to play "real competition"... I was also incredibly drunk. I lost over 2k in about 2 hours, half my bankroll. Next day a run of bad cards and still playing on tilt saw another 1k gone.... you know where this is going.. in one week I busted out everything and ended up losing 600 of my own personal funds as I was on a "week long tilt"... and when I finally told my parents and relatives, they all begged me to stop playing online... saying its "gambling" and I have an "addiction" and it was hurting my school work (which was true. I'd often play instead of study.. and I go to a top 30 school where you simply can't do that)... so after speaking with my parents and everyone, I stopped... disconnected my personal accounts to make sure it won't happen again.
And for a good two weeks, I didn't even think about poker. Everyone was happy. But man, that damn poker bug hit me.. I started thinking I was the worst poker player for losing all that money.. and then I started reading flopturnriver (Im not quite sure why, but I stumbled upon it).. and upon reading it, I realized these swings were normal and necessary... it was soothing.. relaxing... realizing Im not the only one to have a bad beat (I felt like a 15 year old girl who was just dumped and thought she was the only person to ever of been dumped)... and read the rules of being a pro-gambler (set max winnings and losses... I never did that, once I was on a winning streak, I never stopped.. I rode the wave as long as possible).... it helped me pick my head up, and really start to appreciate poker and everything.
I went home and played some local home games... and won... and won... I went to an 18+ casino while on vacation in Florida and turned 40 in 250 each day (I'm turning 21 in August, where I'll be seen in AC and foxwoods).... I was back, but my relatives and friends said to just keep playing in the B&M, where there was a social factor, and it wasn't as easy to take out money (yeah, there are ATMs everywhere, but when you play online you simply push a few buttons and another 50 is added)..... anyway, the local home games dried up, and I determined to play online again.
So, I started from scratch. I couldn't deposit - that was letting everyone down. So, I played the freerolls. At first, I tried to play it like poker - until I realized the first 30-40 minutes are just crapshoot all in fests... just go all in, and if you double or triple up, good for you!.. so I did a few of them and won a couple of bucks. I was estatic - I had a bank roll.. of 5 dollars. And that's when I had to play the micro stakes games.. it was humbling... it was weird to go where I was routinely making 20 and 30 dollar bets to folding to an 8 cents raise... and to actually play as tight as possible, because here ppl will call with anything. and within a few weeks, I turned that 5 into around 100 playing the micro limits... and that was incredibly rewarding, humbling and fun...
and now, I'm back... I'm routinely playing poker, looking forward to hitting up the 5/10 tables in Foxwoods (1-1.5 hours from me in college) and AC (near me at home)... and playing online at my regular tables... albeit, with strict winning and losing guidelines... and even playing the freerolls, just to "remember my roots"... and I must say, I read FTR on a daily basis, I love reading all your postings... I find michael1123's playing on the high stakes tables unbelievable and find it theraputic to read it... ilikeaces86, you are absolutely the man, especially with having 2-2 and making the guy with KK fold (awesome!).. and I look forward to chatting with all of you and thanking you for letting me get back in to poker and adding hopefully some constructive comments to this forum.
oh, and my favorite hand is 10-k suited. I dont know why, it just works... close second is 3-6 suited
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ensign_lee
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4-of-a-Kind
Join Date: Feb 2005
Location: The University of TEXAS at Austin
Posts: 2,237
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Just remember bankroll management. Doesn't sound like you should be going to the 5/10 limit games just yet on your bankroll. Anyway, good luck, buddy. Glad to hear your story and welcome to FTR!
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bencathers
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Flush
Join Date: Jun 2005
Location: Manhattan & Boston
Posts: 480
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Well my online BR is different from my b&m bankroll, so I can enjoy the 5/10's there... but I'm mainly sticking to the 2/4's online, with a few peaks at the 5/10's for "nostalgia" reasons  .. and thanks for the reply!
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Xianti
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Administrator
Administrator
Join Date: Dec 2003
Location: facebook.com/xianti
Posts: 5,289
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Welcome aboard, ben! Stick around... we're gonna have something very special happening to our forum in the next day or so.
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Eric
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Administrator
Administrator
Join Date: Dec 2003
Location: on my laptop
Posts: 1,782
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Welcome ben. I don't really play 3-6 suited outside of the blinds but I guess everyone has different preferences.
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a500lbgorilla
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JESUS TAKE THE KEYBOARD
Join Date: Sep 2004
Location: This room is a good place to be
Posts: 8,379
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Welcome to the madness.
-'rilla
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Smithers, use the amnesia ray.
You mean the revolver, sir?
Precisely.
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Staresy
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Full House
Join Date: Sep 2004
Location: Following the Herd to 6-Max Land
Posts: 1,240
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Quote:
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Originally Posted by Xianti
Stick around... we're gonna have something very special happening to our forum in the next day or so.
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oooohh!! You told me this in a PM. What is it?!?!!?
I know, I know, I will have to wait and see .....
SERIOUSLY, what is it?!?!?!?!?!!?!?!?!?!?!?!?
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Quote:
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Originally Posted by Xianti
Welcome aboard, ben! Stick around... we're gonna have something very special happening to our forum in the next day or so.
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 ........... 
Welcome, Ben!
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Pizzaman
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Join Date: Feb 2005
Posts: 73
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Thats a great story. Glad to see you back in the game.
Welcome
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God Bless America
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bencathers
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Flush
Join Date: Jun 2005
Location: Manhattan & Boston
Posts: 480
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Thanks guys.. its great to be back to poker. I started posting some of my LHE (I just play limit online - tho NL for tourneys) on the board... straight flush and then flopped a straight against hyper aggro player
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tjp
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Join Date: Apr 2005
Posts: 50
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good to have an honest story, warts and all.
Bankroll management ad infinitum...
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05-26-2012, 03:08 PM Australia Legalized Online Poker coming up in next 6 to 12 Months
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