Two Plus Two Newer Archives - The Well: the

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Life story?

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cliff notes at the bottom... this is long.

My gambling career started fairly innocently at a young age. I loved sports. Whether it was watching or playing them, I didn't care. Soon my love extended to betting on them as well.

I was probably 10 when I placed my first bet. My dad wagered responsibly on football every week, and I always watched the games with him. A lot of times when he was putting together his parlay, he'd ask my opinion on games. In homer/lisa fashion, I started picking games correctly at an alarming rate. I helped him to some big scores, and he'd buy me video games and stuff. My hot streak was probably a fluke, but it really instilled an interest in gambling.

Eventually I started saving up to wager like $10 every week with my dad's bookie.

This continued all the way through high school. I never really bet a lot, and I was using 'pro-line' now (sports betting regulated by the Canadian government) instead of my dad's bookie. But both of these avenues only offered parlays, which I quickly learned was a losing proposition.

I remember the exact moment I found on-line gambling. I was in my 2nd year of university, coming home from California on a plane. I was visiting my current g/f, who was like 5 years older and super rich. She used to fly my broke student ass to see her every so often. God she was hot.... wait, where was I?

I saw an ad in a magazine for betonsports.com (or something like that). I placed a $500 on the superbowl that year (I think it was indy vs ne... I don’t remember), won and tried to cash out. It was SUCH a hassle.

Once I got my money, I decided to move sites. I chose intertops, which just so happened to have poker too. I had seen poker on TV, but I there were no hole cams and it was super boring.

I started in playmoney, and made lots of chips. My strategy was to play any 2 cards over 10, because they figured to be better than my opponents. No joke... this was my strategy. And hell if it worked... I destroyed play money games [img]/images/graemlins/smile.gif[/img]

Eventually I moved some money into the account and started playing $5 SNGs. I used the same strategy UNTIL something very important happened. I got berated in chat.
I called an all-in on the button with KJ from a UTG raiser who had like KK or something. Obviously I suck out and the guy goes nuts. He spewed out all kinds of things about odds and positional analysis. I was shocked and a bit embarrassed. There was obviously a lot more to this game than I thought.

So I studied. And studied some more. I read every book I could get my hands on about poker. I joined 2+2.

Please remember this story the next time you berate a fish.

Anyways, I realize that poker is a much better proposition than sportsbetting, and move all my money into the poker account.

I was probably about $15k in debt at this time, almost entirely from paying for tuition. I was not eligible for student assistance, and had no more credit. So, I had to come up with about $8k to pay for the next year (and interest on my $15k). My parents didn't really help me financially (those who's parents do this, please realize how lucky you are and thank your parents).

But yes, that year as a full time student, I managed to scrounge up enough money to pay tuition, buy a laptop and go on vacation! Ah poker, my saviour! (this was all through SNGs and MTTs btw... no cash at all)

Then things get a little messy. I'm about $17k in debt, and have two years left of school. I'm not worried, because I have ~$4k in my poker account and know I can grind it up. But I stumble. My 1st and only moment of true degeneracy.

I've only ever shared the following story with 5-6 people. It's really embarrassing, but also a good story.

It was around NBA allstar time. Lebron James, Carmello ANthony and a sick freshman class are set to play against an inferior sophomore class. I hadn't really bet on sports much anymore, but this game really intrigued me. So, I shipped $500 from my poker account and made the bet on the rookies.

The game was a blowout. And now I know why people say to never bet on all-star games. It was ridiculous; no one took the game seriously. The end actually turned into a dunk competition during regular time. I couldn’t believe what I was seeing. And obviously I lost.

I was so pissed that I just blew $500. I had to get it back. I instantly logged on to my account and transferred over $1000 to my sports account. I placed a bet on a soccer game I had no idea about. It was just the next game starting, and there was a clear favourite. I bet on the favorite. And I lost.

Enraged, I transfer the rest of my balance to my sportsbook. I place everything on the next match (soccer again), and promptly lose EVERYTHING I have. My credit cards are maxed (~$3k), my student line of credit is tapped (~$14k).

I do the only thing I can think of. I punch my laptop screen (which I got from poker winnings) and smash the LCD. Awesome. I can’t even describe how I was feeling that night. I don’t think I even slept at all.

The next day was terrible. I was so depressed. I spent the day feeling sorry for myself and watching TV. At around 10pm, I realize I’m [censored]. I’m going to have to take a year off school to work some $10/hr job. I’m desperate. This sounds like hell to me. So I frantically pull out my credit cards and try to get a deposit on pokerstars.

Oh yeah, my monitor is smashed. So I hook up my laptop to my TV which I’d never done before, and I fire up stars.

I try $100 on 1 card. Declined.
$50? Ship it? Declined.

I try the second card.
$100? Declined.
$50? ….. APPROVED!

WTF? Nice. And I’m on my way.

I guess I should’ve started at microstakes and grinded. But I was desperate. I registered for the $11rebuy with a $45,000 guarantee which started in 5minutes. I decide it’s all or nothing.

10hours later, it’s all. Ship the $12,000.

I pay for my tuition, buy a new laptop, and leave a roll to make sure I can pay off next year as well. Trust me, I learned my lesson.

Eventually I graduate from university, and decide I want to travel. I didn’t plan on being a poker pro, I just saw it as something to help me pay the bills. So I do some research, and find a job teaching English in South Korea. It’s a 1year contract, and they pay for my flight and apartment. Awesome. So I pack my stuff, and head out to be the best teacher I can be.

I instantly fall in love with Asia, meet my current girlfriend, and start getting comfortable in my schedule. It’s only then when the school I was working at went bankrupt. Oops.
But I don’t want to go home. So I turn to the only thing that’s ever really paid the bills before. Poker.

I had a roll for $200NL, and as of January 1st, 2007, I became a pro. It’s been a decent year, but I know I can do better. I’m still fairly new to cash, but I’m really enjoying my life right now.

I originally planned to spend my year in asia and get out of debt. Thankfully I've far surpassed my goals in the last 1.5years and now have a nice amount in the bank, and looking to buy a house.

Cliffnotes:
Gamboled thru university with some setbacks
Overcame them
Graduated and moved to asia to teach English
School goes bankrupt
I go pro