The Dude Is In The Well
 

A stranger is being shown around a village that he has just become part of. He is shown a well and his guide says "On any day except Wednesday, you can shout any question down that well and you'll be told the answer" .

The man seems pretty impressed, and so he shouts down: Why not on Wednesday? and the voice from in the well shouts back: Because on Wednesday, it’s your day in the well.

I haven't really been on this forum in about two years, so most of you probably won't know me that well. James asked me to do one of these, and I think they're quite fun, so here we go.

A little about me to get you started: Poker and I have had lots of ups and downs, strikes and gutters. I've been on my own, I've been staked, I've run very well at crucial times, and I've run very poorly at key times as well. I've had family go out of their way to offer encouragement to pursuing poker, and I've had family practically disown me for it. I've played professionally online and live, I quit poker to run a restaurant, then went back to playing poker. I've been a pro in LA, Vegas, and Washington. I also remember when 2+2 was a small community.

That's all you get for now. Cheers.

Re: The Dude Is In The Well
 

1) Maude or Bunny? and why?

2) stories about family members encouraging/discouraging poker, and their reasons why?

thanks,

kck

Re: The Dude Is In The Well
 

Do you abide?

Re: The Dude Is In The Well
 

What are the highest games you have ever played?

How would you compare the Bellagio 30 game to other Mid Limit games?

Do you like the 5 bet cap?

What is the 1 thing I should know about taking shots at bigger live games(30/60+)?

Who is the most underrated 2p2 poster in all of LHE history? Why?

Favorite BBV4L/BBV/OOT/NVG topic?

Why is your title so similar to your screenname? Do you ever use this masculine image to value bet very thinly to unknowning 2p2ers who first meet you and think trying to get them to fold?

Re: The Dude Is In The Well
 

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1) Maude or Bunny? and why?

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Definitely Maude. First, I like not having the clap. Second, this world is better off the more seeds I plant.

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2) stories about family members encouraging/discouraging poker, and their reasons why?

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When I first started learning poker, I told my family how fascinated I was by the depth and complexity of the game, blah blah blah. My dad offered to give me 10k to hire John Feeney as a coach (I hadn't contacted him yet, I had told my dad I feared he'd ask more than I could pay.) in return some of my future earnings. This was the first encouragement I got from anyone that confirmed the thought that I was smart enough to win at this game.

My mom, however, was convinced that I was on a road that would lead to ruining my life. She was convinced that I was addicted to gambling, and that I was going to end up in debt to mobsters. When I told her I was quitting my job to play poker, and that I wasn't going to get a job when I graduated college, she said "When people ask me what you're doing, I'm not going to tell them about this, because I'm so ashamed."

Other family members reacted somewhere in between, but eventually they've all stopped being concerned.

Re: The Dude Is In The Well
 

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What are the highest games you have ever played?

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Online: 15-30 full, 10-20 6max.
Live: 40-80

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How would you compare the Bellagio 30 game to other Mid Limit games?

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More weak/tight and passive, although not nearly as much so as the 15-30 games in Vegas. You will also often find a very wide mix of players, since there are so many tourists that come to town. It's not too uncommon to see the game play like a Commerce game for a few hours.

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Do you like the 5 bet cap?

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Absolutely. It's extremely uncommon when a street goes 4 or 5 bets and I'm not happy that it did.

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What is the 1 thing I should know about taking shots at bigger live games(30/60+)?


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You have to stop somewhere. I'm a big fan of taking shots, but if you're always taking shots as soon as you can, you'll eventually run bad and have to step way down. Never let yourself invest more into a shot than you have extra for the limit you're at. (Unless you can get staked.)

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Who is the most underrated 2p2 poster in all of LHE history? Why?


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I don't think I'm qualified to answer that, so I'll take the word of some people who I think are: Snakehead. I haven't seen him post in a long time, but I've heard from more than one very good poster that Ray Zee is probably the only 2+2er that's better.

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Favorite BBV4L/BBV/OOT/NVG topic?

[/ QUOTE ]
Hmm. I don't know. Maybe the "25 Songs You Can't Live Without" thread that Schneids started. (Sorry, too lazy to dig up the link.)

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Why is your title so similar to your screenname? Do you ever use this masculine image to value bet very thinly to unknowning 2p2ers who first meet you and think trying to get them to fold?

[/ QUOTE ]
I once value bet KQ (no A on board) on the river HU and declared "value bet" as I did it. I don't think nirfdog would have called with his Q high or whatever he had if I hadn't said it.

Re: The Dude Is In The Well
 

What is your winrate/hour playing live at 40/80?

Where is the most lucrative place to play?

How long have you been playing professionaly?

How long is your typical live sesssion?

What's the most you've ever won in a day playing LHE?

Re: The Dude Is In The Well
 

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What is your winrate/hour playing live at 40/80?

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In about 60 hours of 40-80 play, I'm at about $500/hr. I've played a lot of 30-60 and below, but haven't put that many hours at 40-80.

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Where is the most lucrative place to play?

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I am convinced that for 60-120 and below, Commerce is leaps and bounds above everywhere else.

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How long have you been playing professionaly?

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4 1/2 years, with a 6 month break when my ex-wife and I owned a restaurant.

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How long is your typical live sesssion?

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5-7 hours, assuming I'm playing in Vegas. If I make a trip to LA or Arizona to play, 8-12.

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What's the most you've ever won in a day playing LHE?

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On my last trip to Commerce, I was up $13k in one day in the 40-80 game. 14 hours.

Re: The Dude Is In The Well
 

That's some heater you're on Dude!

Re: The Dude Is In The Well
 

Can you describe some of your Ah HA! moments?

A couple of things that advanced players understand that most low stakes players don't?

Barry Tanenbaum has told me there are several players in the 40/80 game that are making several BBs/hr. You must be one of them. [img]/images/graemlins/smile.gif[/img]

Re: The Dude Is In The Well
 

Are you ever writing another 2p2 mag article or did you run out of stuff to write about? Seriously, that was some good stuff.

Re: The Dude Is In The Well
 

thanks for doing this.

in your opinion, when was the small stakes LHE forum at it's peak? just curious.

Re: The Dude Is In The Well
 

another one,

what is the most common/biggest mistake/misconception you've noticed in the small stakes forum? i remember you once told me i was "valuebetting too much". while that might be a function of the limited amount of my play you were exposed to at the time, i am curious as to your observations.

Re: The Dude Is In The Well
 

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Do you abide?

[/ QUOTE ]

Well, do you?

Also:

As you were moving up the ranks, did you have a special process by which you tried to solidify your lessons learned from a particular session? Did you take notes? Talk to a friend? Just post hands? What was your process for learning after a session?

Re: The Dude Is In The Well
 

[ QUOTE ]
Are you ever writing another 2p2 mag article or did you run out of stuff to write about? Seriously, that was some good stuff.

[/ QUOTE ]
First of all, thank you. And I wouldn't say that I ran out of material as much as I got busy doing other things. A few months before I got engaged is when I stopped writing them, and I just didn't have the time. I did enjoy it though.

Re: The Dude Is In The Well
 

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A couple of things that advanced players understand that most low stakes players don't?

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I think the biggest difference is in hand reading skills and ability to make judgments.

For example, there are times when a hand is being discussed and a very good player will notice a good opportunity to bluff, or be more able to estimate the number of outs you have, precisely because he can read hands better. (There's a lot more that very good hand reading skills help you do, but those are some obvious ones.)

And being able to judge how big a person's raising range is, after one limper, etc. This is largely experience but also effort. If you don't try and improve this skill you won't get better at it very quickly, and you'll plateau pretty low.

Re: The Dude Is In The Well
 

Is that u AMir Vahedi or Ellix Powers?

Re: The Dude Is In The Well
 

If lost both your arms in an accident how would you masturbate?

If you were to be eaten by an animal but could choose the animal which would you choose and why?

If you were to become a doctor what kind would you be?

How much would I have to pay you to eat a worm?

Re: The Dude Is In The Well
 

What do you think are the most common mistakes made by bellagio 30/60 regulars?

Fill in the blank: Goofball, __________ is the one thing I think you most need to improve on when you play poker

Fill in the blank: Goofball, __________ is something you're awesome at and should use/exploit more when you play poker

Answer the above two questions except replace "Goofball" with "The Dude"

Re: The Dude Is In The Well
 

[ QUOTE ]
As you were moving up the ranks, did you have a special process by which you tried to solidify your lessons learned from a particular session? Did you take notes? Talk to a friend? Just post hands? What was your process for learning after a session?

[/ QUOTE ]
There is nothing that can compare to having a coach of some sorts. Someone who is where you want to be that can talk to you about every aspect of poker. GuyOnTilt bankrolled me and took me from a slight winner in the live 4-8 and 6-12 games to a solid winner in the 20-40 games. If you have to pay a coach, do it. If you are friends with someone who will do it for free, even better.

Re: The Dude Is In The Well
 

If lost both your arms in an accident how would you masturbate?
There's some new technology that permits us to do some exciting things with interactive erotic software. Wave of the future. 100% electronic.

If you were to be eaten by an animal but could choose the animal which would you choose and why?
Hmm. I think I would like it to be an animal I'd have a chance at fighting off, but not a snake. Maybe an ROUS.

If you were to become a doctor what kind would you be?
I would want to be a high-class surgeon, I think. Maybe on the cutting edge of organ transplants, that sounds cool.

How much would I have to pay you to eat a worm?
Can I chew it first? I've watched this on fear factor, and for some reason I'm paranoid that just swallowing it will lead to me getting worms. (Irrational fear, I know.) It's probably in the $300-500 range.

Re: The Dude Is In The Well
 

What do you think are the most common mistakes made by bellagio 30/60 regulars?
Not value-betting and raising for value. Everything else seems to be pretty standard all-bad-players-do-this type mistakes. At least speaking this generally. Specific players I can get more specific against.

Goofball, tightening your range against good players who raise in front of you, primarily when they raise in early or middle position is the one thing I think you most need to improve on when you play poker

Goofball,interacting with tourists and loosening up the game is something you're awesome at and should use/exploit more when you play poker (You have better and more important skills, but you exploit them very well.)

The Dude,getting away from top pair or better hands is the one thing I think you most need to improve on when you play poker

The Dude, __________ is something you're awesome at and should use/exploit more when you play poker
I'm more interested in you and others answering this question. (Nothing very prominent comes to mind.)

Re: The Dude Is In The Well
 

you were an online pro, now your a live player. Why?

Re: The Dude Is In The Well
 

Don't any of ya have the guts to play for blood?

How much would you pay to have sex with the following people(negative amounts are acceptable)

Jessica Alba
Glenn Close
Ichiro!(pitcher)
Young Audrey Hepburn
Marine Biologist from Star Trek IV
Danny Devito(pitcher)

Re: The Dude Is In The Well
 

hmm. specific players:

-Billy (when i was in the 1 in the great game from your 22 hand he was in the 3/4, asian guy, there all the time, plays pretty decent imo)
It's just nearly impossible for me to remember specific player's names. Why I always have to use notes when playing online.

What poker book was the most helpful to you?

Large foreign guy straddles(same guy from the whole weekend), Doran 3bets (small [censored] read) drooler calls 3 cold, what's your 4betting range on the button?


I'm still pondering the things you're awesome at and should exploit more. Most of the things I've thought of you exploit plenty.

Re: The Dude Is In The Well
 

Hi The Dude.

Why do all of your post titles begin with "Fun with"?

Do you have any advice for an online shorthanded player adjusting to live 20/40 at commerce?

What is easier, 40/80 live or 10/20 6 max online?

Could you post a hand where you felt you pwned a 2p2er?

Re: The Dude Is In The Well
 

Hi The Dude. Thanks for going into The Well.

How often do you play poker?

What was the longest single session you have played?

What is the largest pot you have ever won?

What are the biggest BB downswings you have had at a couple limits? How did you feel about them? Wouldn't live downswings last like a really long, very depressing time?

WITHEG recommends default open-raising from the button with a certain 41% of hands (22+, A2s+, A3o+, K2s+, K9o+, Q5s+, Q9o+, J7s+, J9o+, T8s+, T8o+, 97s+, 98o+, 86s+, 75s+, 65s+) in full to 3 handed games. What do you think of this?

How often do you 'autobet' with any two cards?

Who do you think is the best LHE player in the world? Who do you think is the best you have played?

You are hosting a limit hold 'em home game. You may pick the number of seats and the stakes. You can choose to invite absolutely any person ever living or deceased and they will accept. Who do you invite and what stakes will you play?

Your name is written in green. What 2plus2 forum/s do you moderate? Which have you moderated in the past?

Who is your favourite intellectual figure of all time?

What, if any, sports have you played? What are your favourite sports?

What is your favourite pizza topping?

If you could be any other person in the world, who would it be?

Re: The Dude Is In The Well
 

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you were an online pro, now your a live player. Why?

[/ QUOTE ]
I used to be able to make a lot more per hour, with a smaller bankroll. Small stakes games online have gotten much tougher, and legislation has made it much more difficult to get money on and off sites.

Re: The Dude Is In The Well
 

[ QUOTE ]

How much would you pay to have sex with the following people(negative amounts are acceptable)

[/ QUOTE ]
Jessica Alba - this number is larger than my borrowing power. Probably much more. Can I tape it? Can I do whatever I want? This number could get extremely large, even if you stipulate that I can't sell the tape or whatever. It's larger for her than anyone else in the world, by the way. If we assume I can pay off this loan as a 30 year mortgage and I can do whatever I want, it's probably over $100,000.
Glenn Close - <font color="red">($5,000)</font>
Ichiro!(pitcher) - as big of an Ichiro fan as I am, I can't imagine staring at his ass hole and getting a boner without some extra incentive. <font color="red">(-$20,000)</font>
Young Audrey Hepburn - $10,000
Marine Biologist from Star Trek IV - $1,000
Danny Devito(pitcher) - you're a sick man, goofball.

Re: The Dude Is In The Well
 

hmm. specific players:
-Billy (when i was in the 1 in the great game from your 22 hand he was in the 3/4, asian guy, there all the time, plays pretty decent imo)
I know who you're talking about, but I actually haven't played with him too much. I might say that he folds flops too much. Not sure.

What poker book was the most helpful to you?
Hold 'Em Poker, by David Sklansky. I read that several times when I was first learning poker. I read everything else as well, but once I became a slight winning player GuyOnTilt and 2+2 had a much bigger impact on my game than any books.

Large foreign guy straddles(same guy from the whole weekend), Doran 3bets (small [censored] read) drooler calls 3 cold, what's your 4betting range on the button?
AQo+, AJs+, TT+. I'm calling with more. I'm also assuming that the blinds are such that there are no hands they'll play for 3 bets that they wouldn't play for 4 bets. This might be too tight, not sure.

Re: The Dude Is In The Well
 

My poker room is an hour away and rarely has limit poke over 3-6. How much can I reasonably expect to make if I am the best one or two players at the table?

Do I need to learn NL?

Re: The Dude Is In The Well
 

Why do all of your post titles begin with "Fun with"?
When I started posting a lot of hands, I realized how difficult/lame it was to try and come up with a good title for every hand, so I started using "KK hand" and other bland titles. "Fun w/" seemed a little more lively and yet I could use it universally.

Do you have any advice for an online shorthanded player adjusting to live 20/40 at commerce?
Having played in online SH games, you should do fine in aggro games like Commerce's 20-40 and 40-80. My biggest advice would be to use physical tells. Online you have little information to go on when trying to determine if a raise is a bluff or not, but live you can get a lot of information from someone. Look at how strongly they act when they bet. Look at their reaction to calling your bet (it can help you on the next street). And for God's sake, look to the left before you bet or raise.

What is easier, 40/80 live or 10/20 6 max online?
40-80 live and it's not even close.

Could you post a hand where you felt you pwned a 2p2er?
Hmm. Let me come up with a good one and I'll get back to you. If I forget don't be afraid to remind me.

Re: The Dude Is In The Well
 

How often do you play poker?
6 days a week, 40-50 hours/ wk. This probably won't last more than another 9 mos.


What was the longest single session you have played?
4 years ago I did a 20 hour session at The Mirage, almost all at 20-40.

What is the largest pot you have ever won?
I won a 45 BB pot in Party's 5-10 game. I had AA on an AQQT5 board, up against AQ, KQ, and KJ. I've won several pots of just under $2k in the 30-60 game, not sure if I've beaten that in 40-80. Probably did.

What are the biggest BB downswings you have had at a couple limits?
I've had a 500+BB downswing combined in Party's 10-20 and 5-10 and Commerce's 20-40. That busted me.

How did you feel about them? Wouldn't live downswings last like a really long, very depressing time?
Meh. I have a lot more emotional control over my swings than most. I've made it a specific point to not get upset over downswings. Also, live players have larger winrates and smaller variance, so it's not as bad as online in terms of number of hands. Three weeks is the longest I've gone breakeven live, and that was immediately following my $13k day, so I haven't had to deal with anything major yet. It's coming though.

WITHEG recommends default open-raising from the button with a certain 41% of hands (22+, A2s+, A3o+, K2s+, K9o+, Q5s+, Q9o+, J7s+, J9o+, T8s+, T8o+, 97s+, 98o+, 86s+, 75s+, 65s+) in full to 3 handed games. What do you think of this?
If one of the blinds is tough this is pretty good. But so many players call the flop and fold the turn that I think you can add some hands like K7o, T7s. Not too much, though. And if the BB is loose and calls to the river too much then you should tighten up.

How often do you 'autobet' with any two cards?
Multiple times every session.

Who do you think is the best LHE player in the world? Who do you think is the best you have played?
I'm certainly not qualified to answer the first question, and I'm not sure about the second one. It's probably a 2+2er. I've never played against someone that intimidated me, at least not in the last 4 years.


I'm actually getting ready to leave for Commerce now. I don't know if I'll be able to get Internet access there, but I'll take my laptop. I'll finish answering questions either there or when I get back.

Cheers,
Dude