World Series of Poker .... you play?

With the WSOP about to crown their 2009 champion with the coveted bracelet and $8+ million dollars, are there any folks in BP nation that like to play poker online (for fun of course)? I have a home game but never played online ... a friend suggested Full Tilt.

Edited: 06/26/2010 at 10:27AM by Ted Harris

J Scott

Real Estate Investor · Atlanta, Georgia

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Icon_minipost Nov 09 '09, 09:08 AM

I don't play online, but I played professionally for many years...in fact, I came within two cards of winning a bracelet a couple years ago...

Unfortunately, this was the first year in many that I didn't play the Main Event (had a very pregnant wife), but two very good friends of mine made the final 50 of this year's tournament, and I was hoping to have a reason to be there for the final table this past weekend...but unfortunately neither quite made it...

Edited: 06/26/2010 at 10:27AM by J Scott

James Hiddle

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Icon_minipost Nov 09 '09, 02:49 PM

Don't play online but I do watch the poker shows on GSN.

Edited: 06/26/2010 at 10:27AM

Ted Harris

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Icon_minipost Nov 10 '09, 12:52 AM

I don't play online, but I played professionally for many years...in fact, I came within two cards of winning a bracelet a couple years ago...

Wow, that's impressive J Scott! Did you travel throughout (and possibly outside) the US entering tournaments and playing cash games? I've read where playing poker professionally can be quite grueling despite how glamorous it may look on tv after all the editing that is done ....

Edited: 06/26/2010 at 10:27AM

Will Barnard

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Icon_minipost Nov 10 '09, 01:08 AM

I am definately no pro, but love to play and do have a full tilt account.

It would be great to get some BP nation members into a live or even online game.

What did you have in mind Ted?

Congrats J on your poker success! Did you get any TV time? I watch all the world series and WPT tournaments. I was trying to make it to this years world series, but got too busy to get away. I am planning on making a run at it next year and will most likely play in one of the circuit tournaments.

Edited: 06/26/2010 at 10:27AM

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Ted Harris

Real Estate Investor · Portland, Oregon

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Icon_minipost Nov 10 '09, 01:15 AM

It would be great to get some BP nation members into a live or even online game. What did you have in mind Ted?

More just curious about playing online especially after watching the WSOP and talking to a friend from my home game ... I don't play that much but enjoy it a lot and thought about starting an online account. I worry it might take too much time from biz, family, etc.

Edited: 06/26/2010 at 10:27AM

Will Barnard

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Icon_minipost Nov 10 '09, 02:35 AM

It can take up a lot of time. I was "addicted" for awhile, so it can happen.

I do enjoy playing, but prefer live games much better.

Edited: 06/26/2010 at 10:27AM

Will Barnard, Barnard Enterprises, Inc.
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Will Barnard

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Icon_minipost Nov 10 '09, 02:38 AM

I have a great idea if there are enough poker players here in BP Nation.

The online sites like Full Tilt offer private invite poker tourneys and BP can have their own. We can set it up to where we fund a pot and the winner of the most points (through a point system we create) gets a spot in the next World Series of Poker.

This would require enough interest and if it was accomplished, BP Nation would be represented and "branded" in the World Series in Vegas at the Rio.

Edited: 06/26/2010 at 10:27AM

Will Barnard, Barnard Enterprises, Inc.
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J Scott

Real Estate Investor · Atlanta, Georgia

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Icon_minipost Nov 10 '09, 03:30 AM

Originally posted by nationwidepi

Congrats J on your poker success! Did you get any TV time?

I've been on TV twice. The event where I almost won a bracelet (I came in 2nd) was aired on ESPN back in 2005. The guy that beat me was -- at the time -- the youngest player ever to win a WSOP bracelet, and -- also at the time -- it was the largest limit hold'em event in poker history. So, it was a pretty well-covered event from a media standpoint at the time...

The other time was at as WSOP Main Event Feature Table on ESPN (back in 2006). It was early in the tournament, so it wasn't very memorable...

And while it probably doesn't count, I was in one of those Milwaukee's Best Light commercials during the WSOP on ESPN, and made it into one episode of "The Nuts" during a WSOP broadcast.

Originally posted by Ted Harris

Did you travel throughout (and possibly outside) the US entering tournaments and playing cash games? I've read where playing poker professionally can be quite grueling despite how glamorous it may look on tv after all the editing that is done ....

I did, though I was mostly a high-stakes cash game player for about 10 years, not a tournament player.

I could only do the tournament circuit for about a year and a half, as I was one of the few pros that also held a full-time job; with big events almost every week, it was just too much traveling and too difficult to juggle priorities.

The most appropriate quote I've ever heard about playing poker professionally is, "It's a tough way to make an easy living..."

I think that about sums it up. It's definitely grueling. When you can spend two fourteen hour days playing in a tournament and still got knocked out without winning any money, that's about as frustrating a feeling as I've ever had. Not to mention those events where you pay $10K to enter, and then get unlucky, and get knocked out in about 5 minutes (luckily it's only happened to me once, but I know a lot of well-known pros that routinely don't make it more than an hour into a $10,000 event because they take a lot of chances).

And while people think that it provides a lot of flexibility and freedom, it doesn't (unless you're playing online). Think about it...there are really only a few good places to play in the U.S. (Vegas, L.A., and a couple smaller spots), and if you play the big games, you're limited to when you can find other players available to play or when the games are good, which is generally on the weekends.

Not to mention, most poker players don't exercise, don't eat well, and can spend days at a time sitting in a chair under fluorescent lights. So, for most, it's not very healthy either.

It's also worth mentioning that most poker players aren't very good at managing money. I'm friends with many of the guys you see on TV winning millions of dollars (including the really big name players), and you'd be very surprised at how many of them are completely broke.

It's a tough life to play the tournament circuit or the high stakes circuit, which is why I never even considered quitting my job and doing it full time...and I'd never recommend it to anyone else either, unless I didn't like them... :)

Edited: 06/26/2010 at 10:27AM by J Scott

Ted Harris

Real Estate Investor · Portland, Oregon

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Icon_minipost Nov 10 '09, 04:38 AM

The online sites like Full Tilt offer private invite poker tourneys and BP can have their own. We can set it up to where we fund a pot and the winner of the most points (through a point system we create) gets a spot in the next World Series of Poker.

I like this idea on the surface ... I have a feeling J Scott would be the overwhelming favorite. I assume cost would be $10k divided by # players who sign up? Also, what kind of time commitment we looking at?

Edited: 06/26/2010 at 10:27AM

Tim W.

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Icon_minipost Nov 10 '09, 06:30 AM

Originally posted by Ted Harris

I have a feeling J Scott would be the overwhelming favorite.

I'll put money in assuming he's still got "the stare". :wink:

I do full tilt and do alright when I know when to quit. I try to time it though when US people are home after work. They get uber-aggressive online and slow play seems to work. Be careful playing too late when the asians log on. They're deadly.

Edited: 06/26/2010 at 10:27AM by Tim W.

J Scott

Real Estate Investor · Atlanta, Georgia

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Icon_minipost Nov 10 '09, 06:57 AM

Originally posted by Tim Wieneke

I'll put money in assuming he's still got "the stare". :wink:

I'd also put money on the fact that most of you guys would kick my butt if we played online...

I don't think I've ever won a session online, as I just don't have the focus to actually pay attention to what's going on if I'm not physically sitting at a card-table and watching my opponents... (hence the stare :)

Edited: 06/26/2010 at 10:27AM

Tyler H

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Icon_minipost Nov 10 '09, 07:04 AM

Wow J. Scott.....2nd at WSOP? That's is an awesome achievement!

I agree with you on the guys winning and blowing it all. I know a few of the pros from LA. One of them, I don't want to name, he won over $4.0 Millions and let me tell you. He was KING for a couple of years. Everywhere he goes, girls follow. And I mean Chicks!!!! He blew away everything in less than 3 years.....why? Fun, not managing and most importantly, they all have the mentally they can win back those money again just as easily.

Speaking of winning, we have another record for the youngest to win the WSOP! If you watch ESPN lately and know who made the final table then you know who this is. I like him, I think he is good. As for the guy last year, he was mostly luck. VERY LUCKY actually. He didn't play that well. This year winner is younger, unbelievable!!!

Edited: 06/26/2010 at 10:27AM

Joshua Dorkin

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Icon_minipost Nov 10 '09, 12:05 PM

Just watching from the sidelines here . . . and enjoying what I'm seeing/hearing.

If the player ends the tourney "in the money" would there be any love for the place that made it all happen?

Edited: 06/26/2010 at 10:28AM

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Matty M

Real Estate Investor · Los Angeles, California

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Icon_minipost Nov 10 '09, 01:14 PM

What an entertaining and enlightening thread. Go J. Scott.

I always wondered what life would be like for a professional poker player. Now I feel like I have an idea.

Edited: 06/26/2010 at 10:28AM

Will Barnard

Rehabber · Santa Clarita, California

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Icon_minipost Nov 11 '09, 12:17 AM

Speaking of winning, we have another record for the youngest to win the WSOP! If you watch ESPN lately and know who made the final table then you know who this is. I like him, I think he is good. As for the guy last year, he was mostly luck. VERY LUCKY actually. He didn't play that well. This year winner is younger, unbelievable!!!

I will have to disagree with this assessment of this years toruney. Joe Cada was extremely lucky in the final 9 where he was all-in pre-flop twice with abby pairs to a huge overpair and outdrew the flop TWICE to hit a set and stay alive at teh final table.
The second place finisher - the logger, was also extremely lucky in that he was dominated on several occasions (twice with A-Q vs. better hands, and outdrew his opponents.
My point is, you can be the best in the world (and he was represented at the final 9 in Mr. Ivey) and you can still lose. You must get cards, you must get lucky (outdraw your opponent) and you must avoid getting unlucky (having your opponent outdraw your better hand). :cool:

Phil Ivey played good at the final table (except for laying down his J's) and was unable to get any cards to start off, an dthen unable to avoid the unlucky scenario of getting in with the best and getting outdrawn.

If the player ends the tourney "in the money" would there be any love for the place that made it all happen?

Of course Josh! You would have to get some nice Biggerpockets shirts made up for the "screen time" and possibly a hat too! We could stipulate that a % of all winnings above the $10k go to BP Nation.

Edited: 06/26/2010 at 10:28AM

Will Barnard, Barnard Enterprises, Inc.
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J Scott

Real Estate Investor · Atlanta, Georgia

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Icon_minipost Nov 11 '09, 01:00 AM

Originally posted by nationwidepi

Phil Ivey played good at the final table (except for laying down his J's)

There's actually a back-story to this hand...

Ivey has taken a lot of flack from friends (other pros) for overplaying JJ pre-flop on a number of occasions. I don't know if it factored into his decision on this hand, but I wouldn't be surprised if that contributed.

Personally, I agree that it was a horrible laydown, purely from a mathematical perspective. Had he had more chips, it's an easy fold...

But short-stacked, you're looking for any positive EV (expected value) situations, and the 3-bet before him pretty much guaranteed that if he pushed pre-flop and won the hand, he was going to get at least a 3:1 payoff, and maybe more.

If he knew one of his opponents held AA, KK, or QQ, he was a 4:1 underdog, and could get away from it, but with that being far from certain, even 3-way he was likely to be even money or better in that situation.

That said, if he thought he had enough chips to wait, and thought he had a significant advantage over his opponents, you can't fault him for looking for a better situation. I would have loved to see him win...

Edited: 06/26/2010 at 10:28AM

Ted Harris

Real Estate Investor · Portland, Oregon

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Icon_minipost Nov 11 '09, 04:04 AM

Joe Cada was extremely lucky in the final 9 where he was all-in pre-flop twice with abby pairs to a huge overpair and outdrew the flop TWICE to hit a set and stay alive at teh final table.

I agree with Will, Cada got very lucky ... in fact, you could overhear him telling the guys he knocked out they deserved to move on and not him. As the saying goes, 'better to be lucky than to be good!' Cada seemed to be a nice kid - hopefully, he takes good care of his new found wealth. :mrgreen:

Edited: 06/26/2010 at 10:28AM by Ted Harris

Will Barnard

Rehabber · Santa Clarita, California

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Icon_minipost Nov 11 '09, 07:12 AM

Jason,
I don't completely fault him, after all, nobody is perfect, including Phil, not to mention the fact that pocket J's are the hardest hand to play in most peoples book!

It was an obvious mistake in hindsight, however, he should have realized that the lower chip count he had by folding and the odds against the Frenschman having Q's or better, was a cue to go all-in there.

I was really hoping he would win as well. He is the most deserving, but as he stated himself, he is young and will be back in the upcoming years.

Edited: 06/26/2010 at 10:28AM

Will Barnard, Barnard Enterprises, Inc.
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Kyle C.

Real Estate Investor · Minneapolis, Minnesota

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Icon_minipost Nov 20 '09, 06:17 AM

Awesome thread to find!
this is my two passions combined: poker and real estate!

I am currently a college student, but I played full-time online at Pokerstars last summer, puttling in over 100,000 hands and making solid money. I was also out at the WSOP for a week. played a $1500 buy in and like 4 Venetian tournaments.. but mostly just cash games.

Well done in the WSOP J Scott!! awesome accomplishment!

Also, I just wanted to add, what people see on tv is soooooooo edited that its barely real poker (i.e. you only see action hands)
FYI, the final table from this year was over 14 hours long, edited down to 1 HOUR by espn.

I would be extremely interested in getting something going on Fulltilt, sounds like fun!

Edited: 06/26/2010 at 10:36AM

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