[Matt Flynn]

I started dropping by Lucky Chances for dinner and a beer on the way home since my wife was 1.5 hours behind me commute-wise. Played $3-6 one night while waiting for $2-4 holdem, flopped a set and put in a couple bets but then wimped out. I have never since felt that kind of stress over money on the table: $3-6 was my max. Won, started playing $6-12, mostly by feel. My success involves a tournament, but I didn't win it. Busted out fifth and got nothing. However, I sat next to Tommy Angelo for three hours and three tables. We got to know each other, he took 20% of me into $20-40, got my head a little righter about the game, and I won a ton of money for live play in $20-40, $15-30 and $40-80 when it ran.

Then one night I sat down with Alex in the no limit game at Lucky Chances. Afterwards Alex called me another soon-to-be-ex-limit player. Two days later I was playing $10-10-20 $40 to go at Lucky Chances. Got my ass kicked repeatedly. Got better. Five years pass.