(LC) My 1,000th post!

[swede554]

I don’t see as many of these as I used to, but I always enjoyed reading various milestones posts so here’s my version. I won’t delve into any comprehensive strategy or provide you with some revolutionary great insight. That I will leave to the numerous incredible skilled and talented players on 2+2 that I have much to thank for. So what follows is a brief synopsis of my poker “career”, some other stuff, and what I hope the future will bring. I’m no Hemingway, but I hope you’ll enjoy reading it.

I grew up in Gothenburg, Sweden, and that’s where I had my first contact with the game, occasionally playing draw poker with friends. Back then it was only a game like any other game you played as a kid. Fast-forward to 2003, and now I'm living in Florida with my family and I’m attending the University of Florida (Go Gators!!!) Anyone who went to college in the immediate post-Moneymaker Era knows how poker basically became everyone second favorite activity (after drinking obv., well maybe 3rd for you smokers out there). It so happened that I was living in my frat house at the time, and began to play $1-3 spread limit hold’em at a makeshift poker table with a wood rail and beer-stained felt. I got hooked instantly. Loved every second of it, win or lose. The more I played, the better I wanted to become, and that fortunately still holds true today. I borrowed Super System from a friend and basically didn’t put it down until I finished it. I became hungry for more, so I ordered Hold’em Poker For Advanced Players and that’s how I got introduced to 2+2. Since then I’ve read many more books, the HoH volumes and Theory of Poker probably being the most influential.

I registered on 2+2 on April 27th, 2005, after lurking for a while. It has taken me awhile to get to 1000 posts, but I’m ok with that. I don’t post a bunch just to increase my count, I like to actually contribute something useful when I do post. Originally I registered as AACardplayer, but a few months ago I got bored and had it changed to my current AAPlayer05, as maybe one or two people noticed [img]/images/graemlins/tongue.gif[/img]. Anyways, coming here provided me with a reality check. I used to think that I was a great player because I was beating the frat game and other home games I played around Gainesville (mostly 1-2nl). Oh nooooess, how wrong I was. Reading posts by the stronger players on here made me realize how far I had to go, and how little I actually knew. But you know what, that actually made me even more determined to become a great player. Am I there yet? Hells no, but I’m on my way.

After graduating in 2005 (with a Bachelor’s in Public Relations), I moved to Lake Tahoe to be a ski bum for a year. I worked at Squaw Valley as a ski instructor the 05/06 winter season, and I played very little poker during that time, but man was it awesome. If any of you are considering doing something like that, I highly recommended it, it was a great experience.

Nowadays I live in San Francisco with my girlfriend who I met my senior year at UF. She came with me to Tahoe as well, and we made a few trips down to the Bay area during that time and we both really liked it so we decided to move here. I’m looking for a job (sort of) but poker have fortunately given me the luxury to be patient and wait until I find something I really want to do.

Currently, I mostly play MTT’s on Stars (swede554 on there) and do well enough to pay for all my living expenses here (it ain’t cheap living in the City) and slowly increase my bankroll. I grind $20-55 MTT’s, but hope to soon be a regular in the $100+ FO’s and $20-55 rebuys. Next month might determine how soon that will be.

You see, I will be taking somewhat of a shot by bringing my entire roll with me to Vegas next week (as I know many of you are as well). Me and some non-2+2 friends rented a house for the month of June, and I’m planning on playing lots of poker and hopefully win lots of monies. I’ll mostly be playing the Venetian and Binion’s tourneys, and occasionally trying to satellite into a few WSOP or Bellagio events. In between I’ll grind 15/30 limit, maybe 20/40 or 30/60 if I get off to a hot start. (And just in case if it doesn’t go so well, I got several months living expenses saved up so don’t worry[img]/images/graemlins/grin.gif[/img].) I guess I kinda feel like Mike McDermott in the end of Rounders, and I’m damn excited. Wish me luck.

Andy A

[0evg0]

good post, and i hate to sidetrack it, but could you tell me a bit more about your time as a ski instructor?

I love skiing, and it's something I always thought would be a great experience, but I wonder if there is a place for someone as average a skiier as I am. AIM is evg87, or just post here if you feel like talking about it.

[* AA *]

CongraTS!! AAplayer

Keep up the good work

[Foucault]

Nice post, man. It made me excited for you! Weekly trip reports?

[Soulman]

Nice post AA, weekly trip reports would (hopefully) be awesome. I'm going to Vegas for the first time with my (thankfully) poker-playing gf this fall, feel free to PM me/post about anything useful regarding the Venetian/Bellagio MTTs.

Good luck in Vegas!

[cappla011]

Great post, I love reading these.

[ QUOTE ]
Anyone who went to college in the immediate post-Moneymaker Era knows how poker basically became everyone second favorite activity (after drinking obv., well maybe 3rd for you smokers out there).

[/ QUOTE ]

I lol'ed.

[jonnyd]

keep us posted while in vegas. gl man

[jtomon]

Well done, trip reports/updates are a must!

[Mi_T_Sharp]

[ QUOTE ]

You see, I will be taking somewhat of a shot by bringing my entire roll with me to Vegas next week and putting it on black

[/ QUOTE ]

You might as well start out the trip with a nice coinflip double up if you ask me. GLGLGL!!!!

[ASPoker8]

Swede is the man