How did you become a Rounder?

No, I'm not going to break into more analysis of the movie Rounders! Though, didn't you feel Teddy KGB represented the struggle between ... OH NEVERMIND!!

What I mean is, during Show 97 I alluded to the exact moment that I became the type of player who likes to make a profit and hang on to it rather than play some more just to play. But that doesn't mean I've pinpointed how I became a poker player. I've always been competitive, and when I stopped bowling competitively I needed something to fill that void. I think I've mentioned this before on the show, but one night I came home and my stepson and his friend were playing Texas Hold Em with little chips from that game Sequence. They didn't completely understand the rules, but I had seen the game on TV and wondered what the hell was going on. So I sat down, and that was it. I found something that could get the competitive juices flowing again. I loved playing cards with my dad when I was kid, and despite not knowing what I was doing except that I knew what beat what, it was so much fun. (And what I mean by not knowing what I was doing, I mean strategy.) So when you put those things together, and combine it with the fact that my wife enjoyed playing too, I had to become a poker player.

What's your story? When was the moment you realized "Hey, I can play this game?" Of course I don't expect Scott to answer this since he still can't play poker. LOL!

-- Chris

Comments

[Brett Otte]

I realized I can play when I started winning or finishing in the money in all the home games and winning at all the free bar tournaments around town about 6 years ago.

[Chris Cosenza]

But when did you realize you wanted to play poker? Can you remember the day? Moment?

[JLBSox]

I have always been super competetive with sports, board games, Dungeons and Dragons and of course cards(set back, spades, hearts etc..) I remember noticing that poker was on TV alot, but not really paying too much attention to it. I finally sat down and watched an episode of Celebrity Poker Showdown with Phil Gordon. He was such a good teacdher of the game I was enthralled. I became totally hooked and haven't looked back since then. I just wish I had found poker when I was in my early 20s with no responsibilities and tons of free time instead of my late 30s. I'll never have the opportunity to totally immerse myself into the game like some of these up and coming kids are. Sigh

[AHCS110]

I agree with the competitive idea. I played baseball in HS then College, but that ended. Then came golf, but a blown disk in my back ended that. So, now comes poker. I can get the juices flowing again, then the Govt screws that up too. Whats next?

[Brett Otte]

The actual moment was when some friends at work had seen poker on TV...probably ESPN. Watched it for a few months and we talked about it at work for months too about setting up a home game. FINALLY, we set a firm date and boy oh boy were we AWFUL. I still recall all of us standing up when 4 people were all in and we were trying to read the board with all the hands to see who had the best one.

We all disagreed and one hand we actually saw had a straight flush instead of straight as he proclaimed.

I knew this was a game that I could play and beat people at since as we saw, some people don't realize what they have. We began 2-3 homegames a week and I haven't quit since. I knew from then on this is something I'd like to do professionally and I'm nearing my $10K buy-in to the 2007 no-limit tourney. You can find more info about it here:

Reservations:
http://www.worldseriesofpoker.com/reservations/

Schedule:
http://www.worldseriesofpoker.com/events/eventinfo.sps?eventid=43306

Play Schedule for $10K No Limit Tables:
http://dps.twiihosting.net/wsop/doc/content/doc_591_133.pdf

There's another PDF that is several pages long that I downloaded too explaining how to enter, rules of the game, rules violations with swearing, etc too. Very interesting to read, but I know it's at worldseriesofpoker.

[Michael Paul]

One of the benefits of living in So-Cal is that you can start going to Vegas at the ripe old age of 18. So, I did. I actually sat down at a stud table one time with some friends and had no freaking idea what I was doing. I even took a pot!

anyway, I was pretty much a blackjack player for a good long while but then I started playing Pai Gow to kill time. From that, I got a better handle on the hands.

About three years ago I was staying at the Excalibur and saw a sign for Poker lessons. I had wanted to try playing for some time but was a bit intimidated because I had never even played in a home game. I took the lessons to learn the table etiquette and then started playing 1-3 spread. boy what calling stations at that game!

Anyway, I figured Poker was a game where I had some control wheras BJ was still mostly luck although with correct play you could shift the advantage a bit.

So, from then on I've been playing. I play once a month at the local casinos around San Diego and hit Vegas 2-3 times a year.

Michael

[Popeye39]

Played baseball 'till my early 20's. I still golf but with 2 blown disks and no cartiladge in my right knee from blowing it out on the job, I've been searching for a competetive outlet. Flipping through the channels one day I saw Hold'em for the first time. Once I picked my jaw up off the floor, I thought, I'd love to do that. I played badly in a couple of bad home games, because my state wants to protect me from any live gambling or card play. (Except horse racing and lottery) Anyway my buddy down the street told me about Party Poker. I signed up, played fake for 3 months,read about 5 poker books,and deposited my first $50. I played a 5.00 SNG and won it. Worst best thing that could have happened. I was all in from that moment on. Almost 4 years later, I'm vacationing in FLA. in a couple of weeks. Reading materials include the following.

Online Ace-Scott Fischman
The Pofessor, the Banker, and the Suicide King-Michael Craig
One Of A Kind-Nolan Dalla

My first five dollar SNG on Party, and I take it down. That's when I knew.

[Godard]

I own Sequence, and I don't think I've played it since I started playing poker. Don't even ask about Po-ke-no.

[loser64]

I played play money poker on Pokerroom after "going broke" many times, I finally started winning. When In hit 400k in play money, I bought in for real money, this time on Stars, and won the first sng I played. That was 4 years ago, and I was hooked.

[slickcity]

You are making me think. Not used to it. Played some in the Navy. Captain made all the officers play on Saturday night while at sea. Unlike Richard Nixon, I did not do well enough to finance my first political campaign.

Like others, always been good at competitive board games. Unlike others, never was good at athletics. Played, but sucked.

Got really pulled in watching on TV with a buddy while at a conference, found it much more interesting than stud played on ship. Your podcast has helped make it interesting enough to work at. Thought there might be something to this, if I studied. Have studied several games, still stink, but it is fun. Online is the way to go- anywhere, anytime, there is a game to be found.

[Paboo]

Played my first hand of hold'em at the Mirage in Vegas about 10 years ago. Very first hand I flopped 4 to Royal Flush... didn't win the hand, but quite a rush.

Had been a BJ player, and switched to playing poker b/c I could stretch my gambling money a lot further.

Can't really define the moment when I changed from a recreational gambler hold'em player to a thinking hold'em player. Definately got a lot better after reading a few 2+2 books and really improved my tournament game after reading HOH. HOH definately lite a couple of lightbulbs in my head.

Paboo

[Erwin Blonk]

It started with Wil Wheaton blogging about poker. Played for play money for 3 days and that was it: I deposited on PokerStars. I never have been very competitive. When I used to cycle and run a lot but never really cared about results other than that it provided me with some statistics to look at.
That changed with poker. From my first hand I knew I wanted to be good at this. That´s why I switched to real money quickly. I´m still an overall losing player but my results are up since last december.
January 16th 2006, I knew I would play this game forever. December 29th 2006, I knew I had a shot at beating the game. I had success at single table SNG (6 and 9 handed) but more importantly, that moment I felt I was able to understand the game.
I went broke a few times (not a big deal at micro limits) and had to go back to a lower limit a few times before I finally got the hang of this game.
It will probably be another year or two before I can decide whether or not I can actually make money at this.

[Bulldogmafia]

The other day I was heads up for the biggest tournament cash of my life. Difference between 2nd and 1st was a several thousand (which is significant to me). People in the chat room, my opponent, friends on instant messenger were all asking me to chop. I couldn’t do it. I play for the competitiveness, money is just how you keep track if you are winning or losing.

[Chris Cosenza]

Well, did you win?????

[Alan Fuller]

I've always been competitive. I liked beating my parents at cards (rummy, 9 card brag, cribbage) then scrabble. I moved on to Dungeons & Dragons and computer games. In University there was a craze every term. I remember long sessions of MULE, juggling, poker, Mille Bourne, Hearts, table tennis, hackey sack, euchre, nerf golf (in the dorm, for money, at 2am, during mid-terms - there's no 12-step program for that!), darts, bocce, and, of course, paintball. (Did I mention I stayed for 2 degrees?) Anyway, after graduation it was Video Poker and BlackJack, in the vain hope they could be beaten. About 7 years ago my friends took a trip to the local (Indian) casino that was offering poker. Got instructions in the car. Loved it. Made a full-house (nuts) and after raising then calling (instead of capping), the lady next to commented that my friends were not good teachers. Bought 2 books the next day and never looked back.

[Alan Fuller]

BTW, I sat down at a blackjack table and (as asked) waited until the new 6-deck shoe started. Lost every single hand (playing proper strategy) until I made a BJ on the final hand and ... so did the dealer. That was the moment I knew I was not a BJ player. Last hand I ever played.

[Joe- Unimpressed]

JLBSox- you and I have the same story, pretty much. Watching Phil Gordon on Celebrity Poker Showdown. He'll always be one of my favorite players.

I also remember playing penny poker with my family over thanksgiving a 4 or 5 years back. I got the nickname (one of many) "Full House" from my wife when I lost about 4 bucks on a hand, calling my dad down with a full house... might seem like a good idea, but not when practically every other card was a wild.

I wish I would have started younger too. I could have found the underground games in Dallas when I lived there in 1998, or hit the riverboats in St. Louis from 1999 to 2004. But as it was, I didn't get the bug until right before I moved out of St. Louis and Foxwoods is an hour away which is still a bit far to go on any regular basis. Plus with a daughter and a mortgage we don't really have much disposable income.

[nate_46]

Somewhere around July 4th 2005 I truely watched my first broadcast of WPT. I had seen them on tv for a while but never seriously watched one episode. I have always had a tough time sleeping so tv is about all I had to spend my awake time (sometimes till 3 or 4 a.m.). I watched the WPT broadcast and saw the interaction of the people at the table, seeing how one person can enrage another with a well placed bet or raise. I hadn't played a hand yet and i was hooked, and I figured I had plenty of time to learn because I was up anyway.

I researched the rules online and signed up with Paradise Poker and played free poker to get the feel of playing. I entered a local bar tourney and made the final table my first time. I was on cloud nine, because I was new to the game and I beat out all of these other people who apparently have played before. I went home and put $50.00 on Paradise to lose it in my first week.

I now knew I needed to work on my game so I bought a slew of books and studied. I then started again playing free on Pokerstars and eventually put $50.00 there as well. I never needed to redeposit except when I had to open an account on FTP before AIPS II started. In fact I have withdrawn a couple of times from Stars, nothing truely big, but it was money when my family needed it.

I could possibly say that I am a winning player cause my cash won out weighs my cash deposited or lost. If you factor in the amount of time spent to make the money I would of been better off getting a second job at Wal Mart. Poker has filled a need in my life cause I feel like I am living better and I sleep much better now. One day I might make a few bucks from this to take my kids to Disneyland! I am glad I found this crazy game called Poker. :)

[Bulldogmafia]

Well, did you win?????

Posted by: Chris Cosenza

YUP!