Will look into a watch winder, TY. Have spent more than I'd like on watch maintenance, but part of this is due to being very careless with my possessions

Thanks man!

Was never too sure with Kawhi...he's so unpredictable and doesn't give much away. There were some clues both directions. Sad to see him go, but I'm also not a super diehard Raps fan - was for sure rooting for them in playoff run, but I'm also a fan of individual players (Westbrook, Lillard to name a few) moreso than teams. Vince Carter def favorite Rap all time

I'm about a 15 handicap, which is pretty lousy considering how much golf I play. Last few years I've played about 80 rounds a year, and prior to that it was between 5-20 a year. Need to take some more lessons for sure, and I rarely hit the range so that hurts.

It really helps that I just love playing poker, and particularly love PLO cash. Also the 5/5/10 games tend to be a lot more fun than the bigger games, especially in the evening and weekend hours where I like to put in a lot of my volume. Those smaller games are also less stressful, and while my hourly is higher at 25/25+ than it is at 5/5/10, it isn't so to as significant a degree as you might think. That said, if I play 25/50 for two weeks straight, then have to hop back into 5/5/10, there can be an adjustment period where I'm not playing my A-game or feeling as locked in...particularly if the 25/50 didn't go well. In times like that, I like to do social things with friends, or start getting on a better workout routine, to get my mind right to get back to work

Thank you! KKT3 is actually quite the opposite - especially if rainbow or double suited, it benefits from being multiway and set over setting people. I look at weak QQ/KK hands in PLO similarly to hands like 33 or 44 in hold'em - they are basically setmine hands that do well in single raised multiway pots.

Example of a hand that I might 3bet is weak reg opens HJ, I have J975ddss OTB, and we're 150bbs deep. Pretty fistpump 3bet here bc the hand won't do amazingly multiway if we let the blinds in (will be up against similar less gappy hands that dominate us at decent clip), but we liven up our suits, seize initiative, and get a lot of those hands that dominate us to fold when we 3b here. I used to get carried away with this concept and 3bet stuff like Q653ds in spots like this, which I rarely do these days. Still will sometimes vs ego regs who I think will be insulted when they see this hand at showdown, particularly if I know I'll be playing with them for a few weeks. I enjoy setting up dynamics like that and will sacrifice some shortterm EV to do so

Single at the moment, pass the message on to your gf

Oh man...

I've probably played the odd HUSNG just messing around on Stars over the last few summers when I'm back in Canada, but I haven't grinded them seriously since 2011 or so. I do think that my HU cash and HUSNG background has been helpful in the development of my overall poker game, even outside of hold'em. Really teaches you how to think about poker

Thanks and damn, wish I made you some money!

As for advice, first and foremost, have fun. You'll play better if you do, but you'll just enjoy yourself more and life is about enjoying yourself. Try to relax, if you're a drinker, I recommend participating in beer level the last hour or two of the night. Take the time to get to know your opponents; the structure is good so there are fewer eliminations and tables take longer to break. Try to get a good feel of who is doing what, and who is capable of what. Don't automatically assume someone is good because you've heard of them or seen them on TV

If you make the later days, make sure to try to get a good sleep and do some light exercise in the morning. Try not to eat heavy carb-loaded foods. The All American Dave's green shakes are money and got me through Days 5-10

Best of luck, and maybe see you there

Thanks man, from what I gather, you've had a good couple of year yourself! Don't think we've met in person but we've definitely played a bunch together online over the years. Best of luck and maybe see you around at one of these live stops - I'll be at Aussie for sure and maybe WSOP-E

Have played 9 mains

2009 - bust day 1 shoving T5o over a raise and two calls for 56 bbs
2011 - bust day 2
2013 - 13th place (day 7)
2014 - bust day 3
2015 - bust level 1
2016 - bust day 3
2017 - bust day 1
2018 - 251st place (day 5)
2019 -

Thanks again

I can completely understand the difficulty of dealing with swinging around the stakes; I've experienced it myself for sure. Fully submerging myself into the social environment of the table turns poker from a chore into something I enjoy. Having said that, if I've been playing 25-25+ all week and then 5-5-10's the only game running, and I sit and it's a nitty game with nobody talking, I'll usually pick up pretty quickly.

Ellen was perhaps the best friend I've ever had. Inseparable from age ~10 to ~14. When she left our mutual school, I think I was bitter and resentful at first, dealing with my own angst and issues as a teenager, so that impacted our relationship, but we've gotten close again in recent years. I'll be seeing her in Halifax at some point this summer

And thanks! Definitely appreciate hearing that I carried myself well on TV. I truly enjoy poker, socializing with tablemates, and competing on the highest level, so it's easy for me to be a good version of myself when doing so. Luckily there was no TV coverage of me at my worst

1. North of Brooklyn. They have 5 locations all around the city, so pick whichever one is close or convenient for you

2. A couple other people asked this, so I'll try not to be repetitive, and just answer it from a different lens. A few things I prefer about playing the smaller game:
- More fun players (I don't just mean losing players, I mean that the attitude a the table is generally more light-hearted than in a 25-50 game though there are definitely exceptions to this...some of my favorite games have been the "wine games" of the wynn 2015-2017 and the march madness games in 2016, all of which were at 25-50)
- Deeper average stacks : I enjoy playing deep
- Less financial stress ... makes it easier to just think of the chips as a way of keeping score rather than actual money, and there's no stack depth at 5-5-10 or even 5-10-20 where I start to feel uncomfortable, whereas if I run it up huge at 25-50 and there are other big stacks, it can feel quite big

But as I've said I completely understand why some people struggle to bounce between the stakes and it was something I struggled with online

TBH I haven't enjoyed rum since I was 21 or so

The rumnchess nickname just stuck. I'm more of a gin or tequila guy now if I drink hard liquor, and I like beer and wine as well

I'd say Havana club though

Appreciate it, definitely nice to know I had a lot of people rooting for me

Definitely want to do the South Island. I hear there's great adventure activities and golf, both of which are close to my heart

I've also heard that Aussie is a really soft series overall. I went once, in 2010, but I just played a few side events and cash games. Planning on playing the HORSE, the 8-game, the main event, and PLO cash while there. Maybe a few days off to watch the tennis, etc.

Has been really great reconnecting with Ellen over the last 5 years or so. She's a great person who hasn't let her success get to her head in the slightest. She's passionate about the issues she fights for and lives her life with purpose and clarity

TY and see ya around Aussie

not sure i'll be at either, but have no doubt our paths will cross. maybe ankush will get something nicer than gentleman jack in his house from now on.(fwiw he looked like the single happiest person on the live broadcast, lol)

sounds like I missed a fun trip to SD. glglgl

Is Sonny the greatest PLO player of all time?

+1


Is it weird if two straight friends were holding hands when you were all in and at risk until the hand was completed ?

Great run! What are your thoughts on how the controversial Dario v Marchington hand was handled?

Level 1 of the main bust out story!

this.. although it may bring you a bit of pain. sorry! : (

also more of a fun one as well. any fun stories that you always like to bring up or talk about poker related? could be something you did or someone else.

the person who coined ther term "OMC" is the one who folded QQ to a 3bet. you can't make this up XD

Hey Alex, Tony from Scotland here. Our paths seem to cross every few years in one location or another. Always thought you were a really good guy and super smart poker player so delighted to see this result.

Q: How does one make a Flying Livingston and how many have you drank since the FT?

Thanks!

Can you walk us through the logistics of walking away from cage with $600k cash? Did you stuff it in a backpack and just walk to your car in parking lot? Security follow you?

Do you mind sharing how much you tipped? Always curious if tipping would be expected now that 3 percent is withheld from pool?