DeathDonkey is in the well
 

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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 .

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This should be fun. I sleep at weird hours so sorry if I disappear for some periods of time but otherwise I'm chained to my computer and 2+2. Ask me about anything but you might find poker questions most useful.

-DeathDonkey

Re: DeathDonkey is in the well
 

Alright, I'll get it started. What is your poker background? How much time do you spend in the micros these days?

Re: DeathDonkey is in the well
 

What are some favorite threads of yours?

What area are you from?

Now for the standard: [img]/images/graemlins/smile.gif[/img]

What is the least common good advice you read on the forums?
What is the most common bad advice you reads on the forums?

Re: DeathDonkey is in the well
 

What's your main game and what other games do you play in?
play live much? Where?

Favorite dealer's choice game?

Re: DeathDonkey is in the well
 

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Alright, I'll get it started. What is your poker background? How much time do you spend in the micros these days?

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I was a product of the Rounders era of poker, before the Moneymaker era. Probably 5 years ago I started playing in the dorms during college and at the local indian casino, when I discovered I could play online and opened an account at UltimateBet. I played play chips and at that time they had weekly freerolls at 2:30 in the morning with real money prizes, so I'd stay up late and play in those hoping to make a big score. After a couple months I won one of those tournaments and had myself a $15 poker bankroll on UB. The thrill of winning that tournament is still one of the memories I'll never forget.

I began to play penny limit and NL holdem and around then discovered 2+2 and with the help of this micro forum, I moved up to 25c/50c and probably had a bit over a $100 bankroll. Then, one Sunday morning I played a $3 satellite on UB to their weekly $215 tournament (which was one of the biggest online at that time) and made it. I played the tournament later that afternoon and lucksacked my way to the final table! I took fourth for $4410 (I'll never forget that number), first prize was over 16k.

Suddenly I had more money in my UB account than I did in my bank account! I resolved that day to get serious about poker, started a Party poker account (hadn't earlier because 50c/1 was the smallest game they had) with an ambition to move to higher stakes. Playing lots of micro to small stakes limit holdem, and reading and posting in this forum and the Small Stakes forum during the golden age of SS in my opinion. bisonbison, chris daddy cool, evan, guyontilt, sfer, entity, and others I'm sure I'm forgetting were playing huge games online like 3/6 and I really thank them for inspiring me to get better and work hard and play a lot and try and reach those same levels.

And somehow I did it, I moved up levels, got better, read everything I could on 2+2 and talked to whoever would listen about poker, read all the books, and a bit over a year ago I quit grad school and decided to just play poker for awhile. My main game these days is probably 30/60 online and 100/200 at Commerce. I've played as high as 400/800 (both holdem and mixed games) and I'll play any limit game there is including made up ones because its fun to figure things out.

Unfortunately, I don't spend as much time in micros these days, in fact I rarely read the posts here or respond. That's a product of 2+2 getting so big, and me only having so much time and energy. I strongly believe in giving back to the forum that made me what I am in the poker world today, and I'm thrilled to see a few guys that I remember in this forum as sort of the "old hats" that are the definitive posters in this forum today. Maybe a few of them even remember me :P

-DeathDonkey

Re: DeathDonkey is in the well
 

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What are some favorite threads of yours?

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I don't actually use that feature on 2+2 really, I guess I should. I sometimes remember old threads I loved and try and search for them and sometimes find them. There is a hugeeee thread from probably 2.5 years ago when there was a large organized 2+2 gathering in Vegas which I attended when I didn't know anybody and was a micro limit player scared to play the 4/8 game at the Bellagio. That thread is awesome and has some great stories from that very memorable trip.

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What area are you from?

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I grew up in Tucson, AZ, went to University of Arizona for undergrad (computer engineer by school) and now live in San Diego with my wife (of one month!).

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Now for the standard: [img]/images/graemlins/smile.gif[/img]

What is the least common good advice you read on the forums?
What is the most common bad advice you reads on the forums?

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Tough one...good advice: Figure out WHY you are making a certain play, WHY should I raise here? WHY should I fold? This is a hard thing to find examples of but its easy to get caught up in people making one liner responses that may very well be the best play but when you are just learning the game it doesn't matter what the best play is if you don't understand WHY you should make it and how to apply that information to new and different situations.

For worst advice I'll say "raise or fold" - I am more passive than many and don't mind checking and calling in certain situations. This is less relevant at the micro limits where you want to be more aggressive than most of your loose passive opponents, but when you move up or start encountering loose aggressive players, finding spots to check and call can make your life a lot easier.

-DeathDonkey

Re: DeathDonkey is in the well
 

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What's your main game and what other games do you play in?
play live much? Where?

Favorite dealer's choice game?

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Answered this somewhat already, but I play at Commerce casino in LA frequently, I'd consider the 100/200 there my primary game.

Favorite dealer's choice game...recently I learned Badeucey which is a 5 card draw game with three drawing rounds (triple draw) where the pot is split between the best 2-7 triple draw lowball hand and the best 4 card badugi hand where the nut badugi is 2345 rainbow.

-DeathDonkey

Re: DeathDonkey is in the well
 

lets go to oceans.

Re: DeathDonkey is in the well
 

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lets go to oceans.

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Sure, Friday's are best because they have 75/150 now!

-DeathDonkey

Re: DeathDonkey is in the well
 

wow, its good to see someone who started out in the micros making it to the big games. A few questions

Do you make your living out of poker?
When did you first realise that you were a winning player, and that you could make serious money.
I have been playing just over a month, and have learned a lot, but dont seem to be getting anywhere and am getting quite discouraged, even though i'm way better than i was a month ago . What advice would you give me, (i know a month is a very short time, but im expecting to see improvement)