The Poker Project (playing and writing about poker in the U.S.)
09-30-2019
, 10:01 PM
September Results, October Goals
[X] Read
Some great stuff this month.
When Breath Becomes Air, by Paul Kalanithi. Memoir of a neurosurgeon who discovers he has cancer in his mid-thirties.
Three Women, by Lisa Taddeo. Deeply researched nonfiction account of three women's sex lives that reads like a novel
The Yellow House, by Sarah Broom. Extraordinary book of journalism/creative nonfiction in which Broom tries to make sense of the neighborhood where she grew up as one of 12 kids. “This is the place to which I belong, but much of what is great and praised about the city comes at the expense of its native black people, who are, more often than not, underemployed, underpaid, sometimes suffocated by the mythology that hides the city’s dysfunction and hopelessness. If the city were concentric circles, the farther out from the French Quarter you went--from the original city, could be reasoned--the less tended to you would be. Those of us living in New Orleans East often felt we were on the outer ring.”
I’m about halfway through William Poundstone’s Prisoner’s Dilemma, which is part biography of John Von Neumann and a history of game theory. So far it’s an informative, accessible read. Although John Nash is the dude usually associated with game theory, von Neumann predates him and was also a genius. He had close to total recall and, according to one anecdote, recited the first fifteen pages of A Tale of a Two Cities at someone’s request. Unsure if that’s a blessing or curse.
Solid interview with Ken Burns:
[25] Write 50 hours
[22] Study 50 hours
[60] Play xx hours
HH for the fans from Limitland, where the action is plentiful and stack sizes are meaningless.
Five limps to me in the SB, I #minraise two jacks, everyone calls. Flop 3s5s8c, I bet, three calls. Turn 4c, I bet, three calls. River 5d, I bet and the the white-haired geezer in the BB snap-#minraises me. I’m 100% sure that I'm never good but I call anyway because lol pot odds, spite equity, and opposite theory.
"Big pair is good," he says. I show my jacks, he mucks, I don mirror shades and commence assembling phat stacks while enjoying a massage and drinking Coors Light on ice.
Making Art
US Open Memories
October Goals
[ ] Survive Road Trip to the NE
[ ] Play xx hours
[X] Read
Some great stuff this month.
When Breath Becomes Air, by Paul Kalanithi. Memoir of a neurosurgeon who discovers he has cancer in his mid-thirties.
Three Women, by Lisa Taddeo. Deeply researched nonfiction account of three women's sex lives that reads like a novel
The Yellow House, by Sarah Broom. Extraordinary book of journalism/creative nonfiction in which Broom tries to make sense of the neighborhood where she grew up as one of 12 kids. “This is the place to which I belong, but much of what is great and praised about the city comes at the expense of its native black people, who are, more often than not, underemployed, underpaid, sometimes suffocated by the mythology that hides the city’s dysfunction and hopelessness. If the city were concentric circles, the farther out from the French Quarter you went--from the original city, could be reasoned--the less tended to you would be. Those of us living in New Orleans East often felt we were on the outer ring.”
I’m about halfway through William Poundstone’s Prisoner’s Dilemma, which is part biography of John Von Neumann and a history of game theory. So far it’s an informative, accessible read. Although John Nash is the dude usually associated with game theory, von Neumann predates him and was also a genius. He had close to total recall and, according to one anecdote, recited the first fifteen pages of A Tale of a Two Cities at someone’s request. Unsure if that’s a blessing or curse.
Solid interview with Ken Burns:
[25] Write 50 hours
[22] Study 50 hours
[60] Play xx hours
HH for the fans from Limitland, where the action is plentiful and stack sizes are meaningless.
Five limps to me in the SB, I #minraise two jacks, everyone calls. Flop 3s5s8c, I bet, three calls. Turn 4c, I bet, three calls. River 5d, I bet and the the white-haired geezer in the BB snap-#minraises me. I’m 100% sure that I'm never good but I call anyway because lol pot odds, spite equity, and opposite theory.
"Big pair is good," he says. I show my jacks, he mucks, I don mirror shades and commence assembling phat stacks while enjoying a massage and drinking Coors Light on ice.
Spoiler:
Making Art
Spoiler:
US Open Memories
Spoiler:
October Goals
[ ] Survive Road Trip to the NE
[ ] Play xx hours
10-02-2019
, 05:29 PM
Nonfiction. Glad you enjoyed
Quote:
About 10 years ago when I was still playing lolLimit, a big semi-reg at the neighbouring 2/4 Limit table keeled over from his chair and started spazzing out on the floor. Both tables quickly got up and started moving chairs so that he wouldn't flail into them. A couple of security / medics arrived and they went about stabilizing him and eventually getting him onto a gurney and wheeling him away. His table missed a few hands. IIRC, pretty sure our table didn't miss a single hand. I'm guessing some from the NL games in the back of the room may have gotten up to take a quick look, but I'm not sure. Felt really weird still playing not knowing exactly what was going on. I ran into the guy years later and asked him what happened; he said it was just a weirdo one-time-only epileptic seizure attack of some sort that he hadn't experienced before or since. I still play with him occasionally to this day. I'm not 100% of what his name is, I think it might be Bob, although in my PokerJournal player notes I have him entered as "Epileptic Attack / Seizure Big Guy". Such is poker I guess.
TY TY, although I should mention that this thread is guaranteed to deliver in one and only one way. You're welcome:
Spoiler:
10-04-2019
, 10:33 AM
Poker Faces in the Crowd: Truestoryteller
This month I spoke with 2+2 hero Truestoryteller about the difference between public and private games, the exotic plant industry, the process of revising a 2+2 thread into a book, and the future of high-stakes public poker games.
BnogamblenofutureB
This month I spoke with 2+2 hero Truestoryteller about the difference between public and private games, the exotic plant industry, the process of revising a 2+2 thread into a book, and the future of high-stakes public poker games.
BnogamblenofutureB
10-30-2019
, 02:13 PM
October Results, November Goals
[X] Read
This essay, Voyage Around My Cell, is the best thing I read this month. It made me appreciate even more the ability to travel.
I think that this essay, Can You Really Be Addicted to Video Games?, is well-researched and thought-provoking. As I've mentioned itt, I grew up as a gungho gamer who enjoyed NES and computer games, sometimes to an unhealthy degree. It's interesting to consider how huge gaming was and is.
It's also interesting to consider the parallels between gaming and gambling. One rationale that grinders have that most gamers don't is the ability to justify massive hours logged as "work."
LOLhumanity, continued: Google's recent achievement in quantum computing is staggering.
[18] Write xx hours
[12] Play xx hours
[X] Survive Road Trip to the NE
'Merica
that soul-crushing moment when you drive past your childhood home to see no beeball hoop and a blue smudge on the garage
outside the Encore Boston
Do you even bioethic, bro?
Bicycle Heaven!
November Goals
[ ] Read
[ ] Write 100 hours
[ ] Play xx hours
[X] Read
This essay, Voyage Around My Cell, is the best thing I read this month. It made me appreciate even more the ability to travel.
I think that this essay, Can You Really Be Addicted to Video Games?, is well-researched and thought-provoking. As I've mentioned itt, I grew up as a gungho gamer who enjoyed NES and computer games, sometimes to an unhealthy degree. It's interesting to consider how huge gaming was and is.
Quote:
Originally Posted by NYT
Globally, more than two billion people play video games, including 150 million Americans (nearly half the country’s population), 60 percent of whom game daily. Professional athletes routinely perform goofy victory dances from Fortnite. Game Informer has the fifth-highest circulation of any American magazine, surpassed only by AARP’s Magazine and Bulletin, Costco Connection and Better Homes & Gardens. When Grand Theft Auto V was released in September 2013, it generated $1 billion of revenue within three days. No single entertainment product has ever made so much money in so little time. Video games are now one of the most lucrative sectors of the entertainment industry, having overtaken film, television, music and books. Games are also the most popular and profitable type of mobile app, accounting for about a third of all downloads and 75 percent of Apple’s App Store revenue.
Quote:
Originally Posted by NYT
A typical gamer in the United States spends 12 hours playing each week; 34 million Americans play an average of 22 hours per week. About 60 percent of gamers have neglected sleep to keep playing, and about 40 percent have missed a meal. Somewhere around 20 percent have skipped a shower. In 2018, people around the world spent a collective nine billion hours watching other people play video games on the streaming service Twitch — three billion more hours than the year before. In South Korea, where more than 95 percent of the population has internet access and connection speeds are the fastest in the world, compulsive game play has become a public-health crisis. In 2011, the South Korean government passed the Shutdown Law, which prevents anyone under 16 from playing games online between midnight and 6 a.m.
[18] Write xx hours
[12] Play xx hours
[X] Survive Road Trip to the NE
'Merica
Spoiler:
that soul-crushing moment when you drive past your childhood home to see no beeball hoop and a blue smudge on the garage
Spoiler:
outside the Encore Boston
Spoiler:
Do you even bioethic, bro?
Spoiler:
Bicycle Heaven!
Spoiler:
Spoiler:
Spoiler:
November Goals
[ ] Read
[ ] Write 100 hours
[ ] Play xx hours
11-01-2019
, 06:53 PM
11-02-2019
, 02:23 AM
Ben, it was probably mentioned ITT before (although I have been following since its inception...), but just caught your interview on Thinking Podcast : solid, interesting insights and you seem like a grounded and cool fellow 
11-04-2019
, 02:33 PM
Quote:
Poker Faces in the Crowd: Michael Groetsch
This month I interviewed Michael Groetsch, a passionate defender of all things Nola and a poker player for over sixty years (and counting). We discussed how Mike got into poker, the sociology of the cardroom, growing up on the Gulf Coast, domestic violence, and seeking balance in poker and life.
This month I interviewed Michael Groetsch, a passionate defender of all things Nola and a poker player for over sixty years (and counting). We discussed how Mike got into poker, the sociology of the cardroom, growing up on the Gulf Coast, domestic violence, and seeking balance in poker and life.
GcluelessdeckstackingnoobG
11-13-2019
, 10:50 AM
One other story that I ended up leaving out of the interview: Mike G's dad, Ewald Sr., and his brother, Ewald Jr., hit the bad beat together at a LOLimit table a few years ago. Not sure if Old Ewald put the beat on Young Ewald or vice versa, but it was father-son quads over quads!
Young Ewald hasn't been around lately, but when he's back I'll be sure to get the full story
11-14-2019
, 06:08 PM
This is true, I sat at a table with Bob once in NO and he is a cool and talented dude. A rare breed in this dumpster of a world.
11-30-2019
, 01:01 PM
November Results, December Goals
November Results
[X] Read
I read two books this month, and both were excellent. The first was Andrew Marantz's Antisocial: Online Extremists, Techno-Utopians, and the Hijacking of the American Conversation. Not my normal cup of tea, but I was impressed by his interview with Sam Harris and decided to give it a shot. The subject might seem woefully depressing, and it is, but it's not only that. Marantz does a great job inserting himself into the narrative—as a Jewish liberal reporter for the New Yorker—and he writes with good humor and even compassion about the Nazis and trolls he hangs out with.
The second was Trevor Noah's memoir Born A Crime: Stories from a South African Childhood. I've always admired how well Noah stepped in as host of The Daily Show following Jon Stewart's departure. And even though he's always struck me as funny and smart, I wasn't prepared for how well-written this book is. It hits you hard, from all directions: there's humor, as expected, but a lot of ugliness and intensity stemming from Noah's upbringing as a mixed-race child during apartheid. I feel like I learned a lot from this book AND it's an easy read, which is one of the best combinations you can ask for!
[57] Write 100 hours
[75] Play xx hours
For the second year running, the local donkament series PokerGras happened, so I spent a decent amount of time at the tables. I hadn't played a single donkament since the Nola Circuit Event in May, so it was fun to hop in the 32-person HU. Naturally I busted in the first round like a boss
I did, however, final table the Main Event, and the tourney was a lot of fun!
My Day 1 tablemates and I returned from break to find this gift, courtesy of the 2 seat #grateful #blessed
A gorgeous day, a frolicking pup, and a book that skillfully describes the collapse of American society...what more could a guy want?
Happy Saintsgiving!
December Goals
[ ] Read
[ ] Write XX hours
[ ] Play XX hours
[ ] Pet a lion
November Results
[X] Read
I read two books this month, and both were excellent. The first was Andrew Marantz's Antisocial: Online Extremists, Techno-Utopians, and the Hijacking of the American Conversation. Not my normal cup of tea, but I was impressed by his interview with Sam Harris and decided to give it a shot. The subject might seem woefully depressing, and it is, but it's not only that. Marantz does a great job inserting himself into the narrative—as a Jewish liberal reporter for the New Yorker—and he writes with good humor and even compassion about the Nazis and trolls he hangs out with.
The second was Trevor Noah's memoir Born A Crime: Stories from a South African Childhood. I've always admired how well Noah stepped in as host of The Daily Show following Jon Stewart's departure. And even though he's always struck me as funny and smart, I wasn't prepared for how well-written this book is. It hits you hard, from all directions: there's humor, as expected, but a lot of ugliness and intensity stemming from Noah's upbringing as a mixed-race child during apartheid. I feel like I learned a lot from this book AND it's an easy read, which is one of the best combinations you can ask for!
[57] Write 100 hours
[75] Play xx hours
For the second year running, the local donkament series PokerGras happened, so I spent a decent amount of time at the tables. I hadn't played a single donkament since the Nola Circuit Event in May, so it was fun to hop in the 32-person HU. Naturally I busted in the first round like a boss
I did, however, final table the Main Event, and the tourney was a lot of fun!My Day 1 tablemates and I returned from break to find this gift, courtesy of the 2 seat #grateful #blessed
Spoiler:
A gorgeous day, a frolicking pup, and a book that skillfully describes the collapse of American society...what more could a guy want?
Spoiler:
Happy Saintsgiving!
Spoiler:
December Goals
[ ] Read
[ ] Write XX hours
[ ] Play XX hours
[ ] Pet a lion
Last edited by bob_124; 11-30-2019 at 01:27 PM.
12-28-2019
, 01:49 PM
December Results
Why wouldn't I visit South Africa?
[X] Read
As a sort of preparation for the trip, I read J.M. Coetzee's Disgrace, which is about an aging literature prof who sleeps with a student, loses his job, and visits his daughter in rural South Africa, where more drama ensues. It's a well-written book, as you'd expect from Coetzee, but somber and maybe even humorless (which you might also expect from him). Having slogged through too much of Phillip Roth's late fiction, I'm pretty much over the Dirty Old Man genre, but this book also paints an interesting portrait of Cape Town/rural African life/post-apartheid race relations, so if any of that sounds appealing then I'd check it out.
I also read Hall of Mirrors, Robert Stone's 1966 novel that's somewhat fallen off the radar in recent years (as has WUSA, the 1970 film starring Paul Newman for which Stone wrote the screenplay). The book centers on three down-and-out characters who eke out a living in New Orleans within an increasingly fraught racial climate. People tend to mention the end of the book, which crescendos in an outrageous and disturbing race riot, but I enjoyed the beginning the most--especially how Stone skillfully introduces the main characters and draws a realistic, gritty portrait of the city; what's astounding is how the book is hyperrealistic AND surreal. It's not for everyone, but I would recommend HOM if you're interested in New Orleans, sixties counterculture, politics, sadness, or good writing.
[20] Write XX hours
[8] Play XX hours
Almost made it to the end of the month without playing a hand of poker (can't remember the last time that's happened), but I stopped by my home-away-from-home, Casino del LOL, for two short seshes.
Not much to report on the poker front aside from Olivier Busquet's new podcast. Based on the first episode, it seems very promising.
[ ] Pet a lion
My safari guide, after I scampered into the brush in search of a pettable mane
Nuzzling rhinos
Acceptable Views
Getting an education
Art; or, Art?
Will try to poast a year-end wrapup soon.
Why wouldn't I visit South Africa?
Spoiler:
[X] Read
As a sort of preparation for the trip, I read J.M. Coetzee's Disgrace, which is about an aging literature prof who sleeps with a student, loses his job, and visits his daughter in rural South Africa, where more drama ensues. It's a well-written book, as you'd expect from Coetzee, but somber and maybe even humorless (which you might also expect from him). Having slogged through too much of Phillip Roth's late fiction, I'm pretty much over the Dirty Old Man genre, but this book also paints an interesting portrait of Cape Town/rural African life/post-apartheid race relations, so if any of that sounds appealing then I'd check it out.
I also read Hall of Mirrors, Robert Stone's 1966 novel that's somewhat fallen off the radar in recent years (as has WUSA, the 1970 film starring Paul Newman for which Stone wrote the screenplay). The book centers on three down-and-out characters who eke out a living in New Orleans within an increasingly fraught racial climate. People tend to mention the end of the book, which crescendos in an outrageous and disturbing race riot, but I enjoyed the beginning the most--especially how Stone skillfully introduces the main characters and draws a realistic, gritty portrait of the city; what's astounding is how the book is hyperrealistic AND surreal. It's not for everyone, but I would recommend HOM if you're interested in New Orleans, sixties counterculture, politics, sadness, or good writing.
[20] Write XX hours
[8] Play XX hours
Almost made it to the end of the month without playing a hand of poker (can't remember the last time that's happened), but I stopped by my home-away-from-home, Casino del LOL, for two short seshes.
Not much to report on the poker front aside from Olivier Busquet's new podcast. Based on the first episode, it seems very promising.
[ ] Pet a lion
My safari guide, after I scampered into the brush in search of a pettable mane
Spoiler:
Nuzzling rhinos
Spoiler:
Acceptable Views
Spoiler:
Getting an education
Spoiler:
Art; or, Art?
Spoiler:
Will try to poast a year-end wrapup soon.
12-29-2019
, 09:01 PM
Quote:
Not much to report on the poker front aside from Olivier Busquet's new podcast. Based on the first episode, it seems very promising.
Not much to report on the poker front aside from Olivier Busquet's new podcast. Based on the first episode, it seems very promising.
01-01-2020
, 12:07 PM
2019 Year in Review, the Road On Ahead
“They put in the thousandth stone on October eighth, polishing off the bottom row with more than a week to spare. In spite of everything, Nashe could not help feeling a sense of accomplishment. They had made a mark somehow, they had done something that would remain after they were gone, and no matter where they happened to be, a part of this wall would always belong to them.”
—Paul Auster, The Music of Chance
The Music of Chance was the last book that I read in 2019. Like the best poker-themed novels—King of a Small World and Shut up and Deal—it's less about poker than about how cardplaying affects the lives of its protagonists. The book is also strange. It's highly realistic and plot-driven, but it also resembles a parable, or even a waking nightmare.
After losing almost 20K in a high-stakes stud game, Nashe and his buddy Jackpot pay off their debt by working as manual laborers. The nature of the work—carting sixty-pound stones under the supervision of a groundskeeper who falls just short of being a prison guard—couldn't be more different from the freewheeling lifestyle that they both enjoyed. A fireman-turned-wanderer, Nashe aimlessly drives crosscountry until his inheritance runs out; Jackpot is a road gambler, a wannabe Doyle Brunson.
This year I traveled more than anyone whose name isn't Dubnjoy. Traveling, like gambling, is almost pure experience. It's a beautiful thing.
[782] Write 1,000 hours
Writing appeals to me for different reasons. I like the idea of building something, stone by stone, and since I'm a shitty carpenter this is my best option. As I look ahead to next year, I plan to be more sedentary—which will allow me to write more—and to be more involved with New Orleans, with the city and the people here. “A place belongs forever to whoever claims it hardest, remembers it most obsessively, wrenches it from itself, shapes it, renders it, loves it so radically that he remakes it in his image,” Joan Didion wrote.
[29] Read 24 books
Looking back, I'd say that my favorite book of the year is Ross Gay's The Book of Delights. We need more books like this.
[397] Play xxx hours. No volume goal. I will play whatever I want, whenever I want. This almost certainly means that I will play less, which is fine, and I’m hoping that more freedom will keep me hungry to play and improve.
I wasn't exactly hungry to play, but I found myself enjoying playing more than in previous years. I also dabbled a bit in online play. I expect that the sweet spot for me is about 500 hours/year.
In the pokerverse, I suppose that 2019 was the Year of Mike Postle, yes?
I plan to keep updating this thread in 2020. Thanks to all the poasters and the lurkers itt. Yall keep me going
Happy New Year!
“They put in the thousandth stone on October eighth, polishing off the bottom row with more than a week to spare. In spite of everything, Nashe could not help feeling a sense of accomplishment. They had made a mark somehow, they had done something that would remain after they were gone, and no matter where they happened to be, a part of this wall would always belong to them.”
—Paul Auster, The Music of Chance
The Music of Chance was the last book that I read in 2019. Like the best poker-themed novels—King of a Small World and Shut up and Deal—it's less about poker than about how cardplaying affects the lives of its protagonists. The book is also strange. It's highly realistic and plot-driven, but it also resembles a parable, or even a waking nightmare.
After losing almost 20K in a high-stakes stud game, Nashe and his buddy Jackpot pay off their debt by working as manual laborers. The nature of the work—carting sixty-pound stones under the supervision of a groundskeeper who falls just short of being a prison guard—couldn't be more different from the freewheeling lifestyle that they both enjoyed. A fireman-turned-wanderer, Nashe aimlessly drives crosscountry until his inheritance runs out; Jackpot is a road gambler, a wannabe Doyle Brunson.
This year I traveled more than anyone whose name isn't Dubnjoy. Traveling, like gambling, is almost pure experience. It's a beautiful thing.
[782] Write 1,000 hours
Writing appeals to me for different reasons. I like the idea of building something, stone by stone, and since I'm a shitty carpenter this is my best option. As I look ahead to next year, I plan to be more sedentary—which will allow me to write more—and to be more involved with New Orleans, with the city and the people here. “A place belongs forever to whoever claims it hardest, remembers it most obsessively, wrenches it from itself, shapes it, renders it, loves it so radically that he remakes it in his image,” Joan Didion wrote.
[29] Read 24 books
Looking back, I'd say that my favorite book of the year is Ross Gay's The Book of Delights. We need more books like this.
Spoiler:
[397] Play xxx hours. No volume goal. I will play whatever I want, whenever I want. This almost certainly means that I will play less, which is fine, and I’m hoping that more freedom will keep me hungry to play and improve.
I wasn't exactly hungry to play, but I found myself enjoying playing more than in previous years. I also dabbled a bit in online play. I expect that the sweet spot for me is about 500 hours/year.
In the pokerverse, I suppose that 2019 was the Year of Mike Postle, yes?
I plan to keep updating this thread in 2020. Thanks to all the poasters and the lurkers itt. Yall keep me going
Happy New Year!