Here you will find the story of a real life loser, who may just turn his whole life around using poker.

For over a year now, living on the east coast, I have been struggling to survive. When I broke up with my girlfriend, I suddenly had to pay 100% of all my living expenses. I had a crappy apartment that cost way too much, a hard labor job that often did not pay the bills, and I was always one "life emergency" away from busto.

I am not new to poker. I read as many books as I could find, and in 2009 I had a real money PokerStars account. I played mostly low stakes limit, and was a small winner. (about $800 profit in 12 months with a lot of hands played) On the east coast, we had no casinos within 100 miles so I pretty much played zero poker since Black Friday.

In May this year, I opened up a new PokerStars account to play the play money NL games. (I was bored). I built my bankroll to 150 million chips. I played the 10 mil buyin ring games for a while, but moving up required playing 6 max, which was significantly more difficult. Playing the 100m buyin six max ring games was a real challenge, and I learned a lot there.

On a dare, I played the highest daily play money tourney: 50 million buyin. 45 entrants, and I won it the first try. I played that tournament 4 or 5 times a week for 3 weeks, winning first place at least once per week, in the money 60%. 2 or 3 billion in tournament winnings. I had over 6 billion chips by the time I left for my road trip. Go ahead and troll me for this, but I believe I dramatically improved my game using play money.

In an effort to improve my life situation, I planned to move out west, where the cost of living is much lower. I saved every penny, and was able to put together $1,700 for the 2,500 mile road trip. This was going to be a very tight budget. Gas: ~$500, first month+dep for new apartment ~$800. Hotels were out of the question; I planned to sleep in the car. My first stop at my destination would be the employment office.

Truly, selling all my furniture, packing everything I own into my car and traveling across the country on a tiny budget was an insane idea... but I was pretty desperate. I was tired of working long hard hours moving furniture, and never getting any money into my savings account. I felt helpless.

I left during the 4th of July weekend. On my way through Ohio I saw signs for Hollywood Casino in Columbus. I looked it up on poker atlas, took a $200 ATM withdrawal (that really I couldn't afford to lose) and sat down at a 1/3 NL table. I promised myself that if I won here, (or didn't lose) I would reward myself with another poker stop.

I was worried that I would play "scared money" or that the competition would be too tough.

About 30 minutes in, I faced my first challenge:

I am in MP ($200) with QJ Folds to me and I open for $10. Villain is a loose aggro player (he covers me) on the button and calls, folds to the BB who calls.

Flop ($30) 279
I c-bet $15, villain calls, BB folds.

Turn ($60) J
I bet $30, villain calls.

River ($120) 3
I check, villain bets $100.

This is a HUGE decision for me. I am out of position so I really don't have a range on villain. I cut out the $100 chips, look at my remaining stack (about $60)... This may seem like just a standard b/b/c line with an easy call... but for me it was a decision for my whole poker roll. I look at villain. We make eye contact and he blinks away. I push the chips in.

"nice call" he says and tables A5
My QJ is good.

I finished the day +$250.


I slept in my car in the parking garage.The next morning I continued my road trip.

As I passed through St. Louis, I saw more "Casino" signs. I opened up poker atlas and found a poker room at the Lumiere. I don't remember significant hands, but I finished with another $250 profit. At this point I'm starting to get excited.

I went to the parking garage and heard explosions. What is that? It was July 5th, and I had arrived just in time for the fireworks over the river.



After the fireworks, I drove 5 miles (very tired) and parked at the River City casino parking garage and went to sleep. In the morning I took a change of clothes to the restroom, cleaned myself with baby wipes (oh the wonderful life of a hobo) brushed my teeth washed my face and went looking for the poker room.

I played for 4 hours. I lost $100 early, and slowly grinded my way back; mostly taking down small pots against fof players. I finished with $100 profit, and I was relieved.


I got in the car, counted my $800... and couldn't believe it. I felt good. was making the right decisions, I was hand reading, making squeeze plays, bluffing scare cards, taking good lines. The thought "I am good enough" flows through my head. I drove 5 hours through Missouri, and stopped on the Oklahoma border at Downstream Casino in Quapaw.

In my first orbit at the table, I pick up 55 in EP ($200) and limp. SB (~$150) raises $7, BB (~$250) calls, I call.

Flop ($21) KA5
SB checks, BB checks, I bet $15. Call, Call

Turn ($66) T
SB checks, BB checks, I bet $45. SB raises $150 and is all in, BB goes all in. I call all in.

I table my 55. SB and BB both turn over QJ for the nuts. River is a brick, and villains chop up my $200 buyin

I took a moment of self-assessment, and I surprised myself. I didn't feel like I made a huge mistake, and I wasn't upset. I decided to put another $200 on the table.

A few orbits later, I pick up AK. EP limps, villain in MP makes it $8, I 3-bet $25 from the hijack. EP folds, villain calls. Effective stacks $250.

Flop ($56) AK3

Villain checks, I bet $40, villain check-raises all in.

Any set is possible, but how can I fold here? I tell him "I guess I'm going home, because I'm all in too."

I table AK Villain turns over 87

Part of me was relieved that I wasn't behind, but another part was absolutely TERRIFIED of the cards to come. I had already lost $200, and a $400 loss for the session would cut my bankroll in half.

Turn: T

As the dealer flips the river card, his hand covers part of it, but I can see it is black.



My AK is good. I melt back into my chair. Villain was very polite, I joked that I needed the pot more than he does (he has no idea) and he jokes that I took his child support money. He leaves the table, but comes back a couple hours later. This man had a very good attitude at the poker table. I wish him well.

I played for 8 hours. I had a few small swings in momentum, but for the most part I slowly chipped up. One of my last hands at the table was played against a very good tempered Chinese "gambler" whale. He liked to play pit games, and had an expensive looking watch. He loved to play big pots. He had lost an all in pot earlier, and flashed a giant roll of $100 bills when he reloaded. He had just won an all in pot, doubling up to $400, when we got in a hand together. I flopped a set of deuces vs his K7 two pair, and I felted him. People were calling me "chip leader", one guy asked me if this is what I do for a living. Wow!

I finished the night with ~$850 in chips, for a profit over $400.


It was 3am, I was feeling like a boss, but also very tired. I wanted to use my winnings for a hotel room, but after a few phone calls, I discovered that if I wanted to check in right away, I'd have to check out in only 7 hours. I reserved a room about 5 miles away, and slept in my car to wait for morning check in.

I woke up at the bull crack of dawn (damn you, sun!) and called the hotel. I asked if I could check in early. The man on the phone was a bit rude. He said he didn't know how many people have checked out (you can't check?) and I had to wait til 3pm. Well, now what am I going to do with myself? I guess I'll go find some food and play more poker.

I went to the poker room; there were no games playing, but they put me on the list. I went and ate breakfast, then they called me to join the first table opening up.

Literally five minutes after we started playing, the man on my immediate right got into a pot with a loose fish. Fish had QQ, the man on my right had AJ. Board ran out A2ATA. The man on my right had been very careful to keep the fish in the pot, and get enough money in to qualify. "Is that a bad beat?" he asked the dealer. "Looks like it" WOW!!!! Table share was $750. I gave the dealer a generous tip and silently thanked the rude hotel manager for making me wait for check in.

I won a few pots over the next couple hours, and then got into a hand against the same bad-beat guy on my immediate right.

I was dealt AA I 3-bet, got two callers, flop was Ace high, with two . I made a near pot-sized c-bet, and only the villain called. turn was another , I bet again, villain called. river was a , I check, villain goes all in. I tank-folded, and he flashed K (offsuit of course) for the nut flush. I did not show. The pot was bloated, so he took all my profit from that session. I was left with only my starting stack.

I told him I want to be mad at him, but I just can't. haha! I left with about $30 less than I started with at the table, but about $700 richer from the bad beat.

I checked into the hotel, had a couple beers, and rested for nearly 24 hours before hitting the road.

This time I only drove about 2 hours to my next stop: the Hard Rock in Tulsa. This was my favorite stop on the whole trip. The casino was gorgeous, and the staff was very friendly.

About one hour into my session, I was dealt 43 in the BB. EP limps, villain in late middle position limps, SB completes and I check. Effective stacks ~$130. I cover. Villain seemed like a competent ABC player, semi-tight, with a good table personality.

Flop ($12) 425
SB checks, I bet $15, EP folds, villain raises $45. SB folds. I ship it. Villain tank-calls. He gets up out of his seat "You got the straight?" .. "No, I have a big draw". I table my hand.

Turn: Brick
River: 6 Bink!

Villain mucks, but later claims he had 52 for two pair.

A few hands later, I make my first live mistake. I don't remember hand details, but I was dealt QQ, on a J4Xr flop. Heads up, against a short stack. I bet aggressively on the flop, turn was a brick, and we got it all in. He turns over 44 for a flopped set, and I muck my hand. Dealer looks at me "You didn't want to see a river?" OH **** I thought we were at the river. I tell him "I'm not used to live play" he goes "I expect better from my table captain". I had about $500 in front of me at the time. I point to an elderly gentleman at the table who had been running hot and had $1,200 in front of him. "He's your table captain." he answers "No, you're my table captain" I thanked him quietly. I had never received such a compliment from anybody when I played poker. I played for about 9 hours.

Chip porn! (taken an hour before I racked up)

I finished with $930, almost two full racks of red chips for a $730 profit.


I decided to reward myself. I checked into a very nice hotel with a salt water pool and jacuzzi I also stopped at Target to upgrade my wallet from a money-clip to a real bi-fold so it could hold all the $100 bills. What a great feeling! I now had more money in my pocket than was in my bank account. I felt like a baller lol

The next morning I wanted to go back to hard rock, but since I was collecting a poker chip at every stop, I decided to try the River Spirit in the same city.

I sat down with $200. After a few hands, I noticed that I was playing a little splashy. I lost $100 in the first hour. I took a break to re-evaluate my play, and realized that I was probably reverse tilting from all my winning sessions. I was playing too many hands in bad spots, and making loose calls post-flop. I went back to the table after giving myself a little scolding, added another $100, and decided to start playing nit-tag until I pull my head out of my ass.

After a couple hours of doing a lot of folding, I picked up KK in the SB. Villain is in the BB. he had just sat down at the table. Effective stacks slightly less than $200, he has me covered. Folds to hijack who raises to $9. folds to me and I 3-bet to $35. Villain calls, hijack calls.

Flop ($105) Q36
I bet $75. Villain calls, hijack folds.

Turn ($255) 8
I shove for about $100. Villain calls and says "do you have a set of queens?" he turns over 88

Ok. A lot of you LLSNL grinders aren't surprised to see a hand like this. But I was FLABBERGASTED. How could he COLD CALL a 3-bet, then commit half his stack on the flop with just a pair of 8s???? I almost insulted the guy by accident, but I recovered enough to say "nice hand". I said "nice playing with you" to the table, and I left the casino. I think I could have reloaded if not for this play, which I had never seen someone do; and it really bothered me. I finished -$300 for the day. I felt like I was able to honestly critique my own play and adjust, so after the frustration wore off, I felt pretty good about this session. I thought it was very likely that others playing against me have probably made the same mistakes this guy did, and that's where the money comes from.


I checked into a cheap motel, got a good nights rest and a shower, then in the morning I drove 9 hours to Albuquerque. During the last hour of the drive, my AC stopped working, and the temperature rose to 100 degrees. Yuck!

I checked into another cheap motel, took a shower, considered going to Sandia Casino, but decided I was too tired, and I went to sleep. I had played poker six days in a row, along with a lot of driving. At this point I was very grateful I didn't have to sleep in my car! In the morning, I paid for another night at the motel, then went to play some poker.

When I got my players card, the casino gave me $25 free play at table games, and a deck of cards. COOL! I plunked $20 on red 14, lost, and kept the last free play chip. (Don't give oversized chips to a new chip collector! lol!)



I don't remember significant hands, but I posted a $190 profit and quit after 3 or 4 hours.


I went back to the hotel early, went to bed early, got up at 3am (to beat the heat) and drove the last 12 hours of my trip. I arrived with over $2,000 in my wallet, feeling damn good.

I paid for my apartment in cash, fixed my AC, and I've been living as cheaply as possible for the last month. Since my trip, I've continued my winning streak. I play 5 days a week, and as of today, I have finally achieved a legitimate bankroll of 20 buyins for the LLSNL games. I am winning $800 to $1,500 every week. I will post a goals thread soon. I realize this is a relatively short sample size, and this isn't a thing I should get a big head about; I'm still scraping the bottom of the barrel, but to me this is truly amazing, and life changing.

All of this, thanks to a little courage, (a lot of luck), and the most important $200 ATM withdrawal I have ever made. Thanks for reading.

Nice thread, GL OP

In b4 busto

Haha, my thoughts exactly. Also LOL at the PS playmoney.

I knew this post was coming LOL

Nice read op...gl with your future endeavors.

Could end up being a pretty good thread as long as OP doesn't go busto. Variance is a pain in the ass though. GL

I think this a legit brag!

good luck OP

sell play chips, move up to 5/10

Normally id give the standard, EAD OP

...But you put so much effort into this thread, i think ill get ebola as karma if i do

Great thread OP!!!!

As for this...

Spoiler alert...

Great post OP. Keep it coming.

Best op in BBV in months. Keep it coming.

I forgot to add the Lumiere chip!

Here it is.

May the run good be with you

Very good trip report. I wish you all the best.

Nice read OP, GL!

excellent story

Legit thread alarm

GL OP

lol on the playmoney, but putting your liferoll on the table in the middle of flyover country takes balls. GL op.

I actually read your OP again and would PM you, but since you are a scam artist looking for new victims on this forum, your PM's are not enabled.

The most interesting part of your story is that you are a guy who is willing to move across the country to get a fresh start. I understand very well if you are not willing to elaborate on that, but you could write about it just for yourself. Just give it a thought, that's all I'm asking.

You need to have a certain # of posts to be able to PM. Something you know that we don't kaP?