as per this thread high stakes PLO player, Red Pro and huge online winner Ben Grundy has agreed to be In The Well.

I think this is a pretty good opportunity to ask some interesting questions of a world class PLO player. I think it should be used wisely.

I will be back in a minute with some of my own questions.

Good luck in the well.

1. Tell us your poker story? Was there an epiphany? When did it all start to come together?
2. Why MilkyBarKid?
3. How long before you change your Hendon Mob DB picture?
4. Why an R8? Why not an A5?
5. What do you think makes you better than others?
6. Are you not in Amsterdam now?
7. Post some sick graphs and stats.
8. you were 80/42 over a sample of 115,000 hands - how are you just that good post flop?
9. What is your preferred game? i.e HU, 6max, 3 handed?
10. Why are you so good at short handed play? what skill do you have that gives you such an edge?
11. You and Chufty in a hu4rollz duel - who wins? Did he challenge you after you slagged him off on here earliuer in the year.
12. Biggest influences on your poker careeer?
13. There is a 6 max game running with one major donator - what stops you from getting into it? Another player having position on you etc.
14. Who is the best?
15. How many ships make a sheep?

good luck and thanks for doing this, i look forward to reading responses.

Ben thanks for opting to do this.

1. Have you got much gamble?

2. Do you think you would have an edge in the biggest games running on Full Tilt?

3. Describe a live hand you played very well.

4. Which of the old school UK/Irish pro's have a very good PLO game?

5. To what do you attribute your rise to near the top of the game?

6. How good is Johnny Lodden at live tournament poker?

7. Your tipple?

8. In your early blog posts you played quite nitty. What would you say about your change in style over time?

If you're okay answering these questions... in your opinion:

1) Who are the top 5 6-max PLO players?
2) Top 5 HU PLO players?

Do you read this forum regularly?

Will you play me(ashman) at HA?

Cool will answer these when i get back from the pub

Ha, this could get interesting

1. How did you learn to deal with PLO variance?
2. What's the biggest leak most 6-max PLO players usually have?

Oh yah, biggest downswing? Biggest upswing?

Thanks for doing this Ben.

1. How did you go about managing your bankroll while moving up through the ranks in PLO? (Certain number of buy-ins, taking shots, etc)

2. What are some of the bigger leaks you have plugged in your own PLO game?

3. What is the single best piece of advice anyone has ever given you?

Thanks in advance

what, in your opinion, seperates the top high stakes players from the rest of the pack?

what are the biggest mistakes that people make at PLO that nobody realizes are mistakes?

Biggest live game you've played?

What sites, other than full tilt do you play?

How many hands do you play a month?

2 or 3 keys to beating HU Omaha?

There is a rumour going around that Ben's visiting us in Ireland and his well will be delayed because the pub he's in doesn't close until much later.

There is no truth in this. None of our pubs close until after new year.

ps nice car (for a shortarse)

what happened between benyamine and FTP, he isnt red or have his avatar anymore

1. Well i started playing in 1990 after Mansour Matloubi won the WSOP main. His son was one of my best mates, and a few of us used to play Pot Limit Hold’em and Omaha for our pocket money. I played with the same few mates until i was old enough to play in casinos. At 18 i first played a £5 tournament with about 40 runners which i won. It felt great, and i was soon diving into the £0.50/£1 games and sometimes up to £2/£5. The games were usually Pot Limit Hold’em, Omaha and Omaha Hi/Lo.

I played maybe once every couple of weeks during university, and did pretty good. Then i travelled and moved to London. I made the occasional trip to the Grosvenor Victoria casino and usually played £1/£2 PL Omaha. I also started playing Omaha online at Paradise Poker about six years ago. I think i used to play $2/$4. It was tough to find time to play though with working 50 hour weeks. Even when i did play i was often tired or drunk.

I was lucky to land a high paying job in 2003, which for the first time gave me the opportunity to play much higher. I started winning £2000-£5000 a month playing some live and online. After this happened for a year, i decided to quit by job to see if i could make it just playing poker.

Just a week before i gave up my job, after i’d handed in my notice, i came 7th in Monte Carlo for about £50000. It was massive at the time for my bankroll, it allowed me to play comfortably at $5/$10 stakes.

From 2005-now i played stakes from $5/$10-$200/$400 primarily at PLO. There have been some sick swings but its been fun. If i had to say when it started to come together was when i switched to a much more aggressive style, and learnt how to maximise my profits using that style.

2. I auditioned to be the milkybarkid when i was nine years old. I got down to the last few, but couldn’t win that short handed battle. It became my nickane after that....

3. Never. I’m too superstitious. Actually i’ve been doing so badly in tournaments maybe a change would be good.

4. I just fell in love with the car when i saw one in my local Audi showroom. After a decent few weeks i just walked in and bought one.

5. Its tough. I think i have a really good feel for the game, and what plays my opponents are making. I think my style sends opponents out of their comfort zone and on tilt alot too.

6. Nah i decided not to go. I’ve been running/playing not so great in tournaments lately. I’ve also had some sick beats when i have played. I’m just going to play EPT Prague in December and i’m looking forward to the tournament, and seeing the city.

7. 50/100 PLO Lifetime graph

8. I don’t know. I’ve never read a book or watched a training video, i base most of my decisions on my instincts.

9. My results lifetime are probably best 4-6 handed, i actually have focused alot more on HU and 3/4 handed play this year, as i find it more fun.

10. I looked at my stats on Poker Tracker. 80%+ of people i’ve played alot of hands against Heads Up i win more than 65% of the hands. So being the most aggressive player always me to take control of the matches.

11. Hehe. I’ve played so many hands against Chufty online, probably more than anyone else. It would be close, but i’d like to think i’m favourite against any player HU PLO.

12. Not really sure. I have a few mates i chat strategy too on MSN, but i couldn’t name one person.

13. Nothing stops me playing probably. I just can’t stand short stackers and rock nut peddlers. I normally avoid those sorts of games.

14. I don’t really have a big sample at all at stakes over $50/$100. I’m down most to David Benjamine at high stakes, so for now i’d say him.

15. Seven. No idea.

What did you do when you worked?

Does money on the table feel the same or different to money in real life?

1. Yeh i grew up gambling. My dad actually bought me a gambling machine for my 11th birthday to try and make me bored of gambling. I’ve gambled alot on fruit machines, horses, football, roulette and black jack. Luckily i got them out of my system, apart from one lapse in vegas last year.

2. I think i’d have an edge. There are some very good players, but some bad ones too. I’d have to set aside $2 million to have a real crack, but it’s not tempting me at the moment.

3. This one that i played in the Bellagio this year, $100/$200. My stack was about $37000. I raised UTG with 7hTsAsKd and picked up one caller directly to my left and the small blind called. The flop came down Kh8h9s. Small blind checked. I checked and the guy to my left checked. Turn brought a 3c. SB now bet out $3300. I called and the guy to the left called. River was a 9h, pairing the board and bringing the flush. SB now checked, i checked and the guy to my left now bet $11,000. The SB went into the tank for a few minutes and i was running through my mind what hand the bettor could have. He checked behind on the flop last to speak to its pretty unlikely he would do that with two pair, set or nut flush draw. It just didn't make any sense, i also had a very strong feeling it was a total bluff, as he won't be value betting small flushes given the action. The SB eventually passed and i quickly called. After he said two pair i knew my hand was good.

4. Hmm i haven’t played the old school that much. I think Ram Vaswani is decent from when i’ve played him. Most of the old school are very good in nine handed live cash games.

5. Luck, skill and learning to control my tilt.

6. I haven’t actually played with him much, but those that have say he is very good. He isn’t someone i’d like on my table.

7. Mojito or Havana 7 year rum and coke.

8. I’ve gradually got looser and more aggressive over time. I get too bored now when i try and play tight.

Thanks Ben, that graph is one of the illest I have ever seen. If you fancy a change of pic I think I have good quality pics of you on file from the Irish Open this year, i will gladly pass them on. Also, the milkybarkid story is about as good as it gets imo.

1) Benjamine, Chufty, Antonius, OMGClay, Howisitfeellike

2) Durrrrr, Cole South, Brian Hastings, Ziigmund, can't think of 5th

Not the PLO forum, i read the NVG forum a fair bit though, it can be quite amusing!

Sure i'll play anyone at HA 25/50 50/100 just ask when you see me sitting at PLO tables.....

What do you think have been some major factors to your success?

Describe where your edge comes from in HU PLO vs another solid opponent you've played before? (don't have to actually name the person obv)