Imo he started with nothing and played with really strict br management.

Solid troll, 8/10.

Why so cryptic? What's crypto?

I agree these challenges are revealing about the state of the game.

For sure it's still possible to win and to turn a small starting deposit into several thousand dollars -- I think for example Spraggy did just that over a short space of time recently.

However, there are a ton of experienced players even on low stakes these days. They might not be the best, but they're good enough that they will get it in against you with some decent equity; this means good players will find it harder to convincingly crush in my opinion.

In particular, I think there are a lot of players who are bit like Jaime Staples in that they have read some push/fold charts and then they play tournaments and try to win flips. They don't necessarily play so well post-flop, but they know how to squeeze and apply pressure on the blinds/how to defend, and they like to get it all in pre-flop, denying players the opportunity to play more skilfully. It's that basic strategy that is easiest to learn from Twitch streams possibly.

I remember reading about Isildur turning his deposit into literally millions of dollars within months and then crushing at high stakes. This doesn't seem possible anymore.

Im not so sure this post is coming off the way you actually think it is lol, you come off as a complete moron with no idea about the realities of investing.

Pokerstars has basically destroyed the ecosystem of the midstakes that used to make this sort of thing possible. Rake increases and the gutting of the heads up ecosystem has created nothing but reg wars. Also losing the largest market in the U.S. took a lot of dead money out of the online game.

This is the exact same thing I said about porno. I figured why watch for free when I can get paid!? Now I am making love and making money. Also I have about 12 different STDs but that is just the price you pay.

Your hands are very promiscuous

what exaclty do you mean by thinking high level?

can you describe it?

i see a lot in poker these vague expressions like "puts ton of work into his game" or "thinking high level"

but what some people consider high level or ton of work for others is very basic things

this makes discussions though because we all have different standards, what is hard for you can be something others consider very easy

a lot of things that some need to work/study to handle are already on "automatic" for others and they dont even feel they are using because its incorporated on their regular thinking proccess

Spraggy/likecricket? has run $100 up to ~$22k pretty consistently on his Twitch stream. He played cash through $8k and MTTs thereafter.

One thing you need to consider about these youtube/twitch challenges is that streaming is demanding in and of itself, so these guys aren't putting in the same # of hours or tables as a grinder would.

I'll also say that as someone with a relatively cozy day job, the only professionals I envy are the ones who have made enough clear money to get out, otherwise the job just seems too stressful. Not just in terms of annual income swings, but in terms of whether you're even going to have a job in 5 years.