From even the youngest age, i was never much of a card player.My parents and their friends would sit there for hours and hours playing card games that their parents had taught them. Games like 500 and Yuka were a stable diet on the card menu in our house as i was a young child. However i never ever felt any form of desire to play these games, nor as i got older felt that i had the mental application in order to play such forms of “entertainment” at any sort of respectable level. I was average at games such as snap, last card and even Go fish, and would sit there thinking that there were far better ways of using up my precious hours away form my pj’s and bed linen. Playing sport and livin in my own fantasy worlds were what i was all about as a child, and as i grew into the adult that i am today, i was no different. This however, around four years ago, was about to change.
My group of friends would regularly meet to play poker as part of their weekly ritual. Often i would be invited to come and join, but not being a card player of any sort, i would decline out fear of looking like an idiot. You see, i didn’t play poker, had no idea that there was any difference between stud, hold em and razz. The only poker that i knew existed varied between two forms, the type of stud that you would see in the movies and the other involving removing your clothing. I had no idea what hands outranked what, and could never really figure out what they meant when i heard them say that someone got them “on tilt” or referred to other players as “donkeys”.
Despite my lack of knowledge and at the time, my complete lack of desire to even want to play the game, i decided that i might as well give it a go as a way to not be left out “in the cold” when my other friends would meet to play. Also it appeared that the game was so popular that there must be something ok with it and perhaps i should have a crack at it. I spent some time with my friend Raj. Raj was one of the same guys that had previously taught me to DJ and I felt comfortable that he would not think that i was stupid when struggling to learn the game as he had probably come across this when trying to educate me in the ways of a Dj a few years before. Raj taught me what hands out ranked what, the order of which the community cards were displayed and what were the structures when it came to betting. These were the basics that i needed to get started and from here while i was at work, i would sneak into the office with Vijay, another friend, and play heads up for $20 as he would rape me of all the $20 notes in my wallet. He would explain, the thought process behind his decisions and despite not winning any money off him and still not caring a whole load about the game, it was an education that gradually was starting to help me understand Hold em poker better.
In order to play and learn the game in an environment that wasn’t too aggressive or competitive, i organised a game amongst a group of guys that hadn’t played a whole load of poker but socially wanted to be part of the atmosphere. Each guy brought in for about $60, i provided beer and bourbon and strippers and we called the night “Boys night in”. All the entrants on this night enjoyed it so much, that we organised another event for a couple of months later and it was just as successful. I didn’t play very well and found myself knocked out very early on playing with hands that shouldn’t have even been in the action, but at the time i knew no better and simply was “gambling” and living by a bet and hope philosophy.
It wasnt long after this that i went and played for the first time at the casino. I had previously really enjoyed partaking in roulette and black jack and thought why not give hold em a go to try something new. I sat down at the table and felt instantly intimidated by the language and aggressiveness of every single player at the table. I could feel my hand shaking as i tried to look at my hole cards. I could barely place a bet as my hand was shaking with nerves so much. My nerves were put at ease a little bit when another freind, Loh, sat at the table. I felt a little more comfortable and was not aware of Loh’s poker prowess as i had never played with him before. I was instantly amazed as Loh started taking down pots and thought, that i could do this. It was around this time that i won my first ever pot in a “real” game. Blinds were $1 $2 and i called a pre flop raise from a late position with 10 4 off suit. Not a desirable hand, but to me at the time i knew no different. The flop came Q 6 10, and i couldnt believe it, i actually had a pair. The aggressor bet a further $22 and i snap call out of eagerness. The turn was a blank and he put me all in for a further $66 and i snap call again. My opponent looked at me oddly, thinking “what the hell does this guy have” or it could have been “does he even know what he is doing”. But i didnt care. The river fell… and it was a ………… 4.. I had two pair. He turns over pocket aces with a smile.. i look at his aces, the board, and his aces again. Caught up in the emotion and euphoria of it all, i didnt know if my two pair was good enough, thats how bad i was, so i show… i have two pair… “i win” i think and i did. My oppenent looks at me with disgust and i knew no better. That was when i heard Loh look at me and say something that i heard many many times of my poker eduacation period of my life, “oh my god, you donkey”
It was this feeling of winning, and the feeling of excitement, not just because of winning but because i loved the feeling of competing in a realm that i had never really experienced before. That night i went home and decided that i was going to learn about the game. I read about poker strategies, watched hours of poker videos and started to try and learn about the different ways that my opponents may play and how i could counter these. As i began to learn and play more, i felt a connection to the game, that keeps motivating me to play hours and hours every single week. And such brings me to this blog. A way to share my experiences in poker as i try to win a major tournament and make a living out of this game of poker. Until next time, hold on to those chips, and see you on the felt.
Your the man dan!!!!