The rich are Social Darwinists as long as they're the ones with the boot on the throat. Yet the moment someone comes along with better innovation or skills they suddenly need to be subsidized or insulated from their competition. You're right that the top pros need to massage their egos, constantly remind them that they are indeed the Alpha Male in all arenas of life. JRB and Esfandiari are perfect examples of how one should act to massage the egos and get the most money, "Cuck pros" as I call them.

At least 2 other people played regularly on his greggy account back around 2010 but no one called Greg out for his shady behavior

it's the same as any other business. Treat your highly valuable customers well and make them want to do business with you.

Got emmmm!!!

I agree and I want it to be understood that I wish I had the bankroll to be able to "Cuck pro" myself. I know that term sounds derisive, but it seems appropriate given that one must sublimate ones own ego to appease another. Esfandiari has some leaks in his Cuck pro game. I recall one episode of HSP where that billionaire that owns Treasure Island asked Esfandiari if he knew why AK was called "Anna Kournikova" and AE acted like he never heard "because it looks good, but never wins" before and gave off the fakest laugh ever.

Now everyone must know, that being a pro, he's heard this at least dozens of times before. Surely even this old billionaire knew it. I believe Ruffin was testing AE's ego appeasement prostitution levels with this obvious softball and AE fell for it. The proper reply is simply a cold "I've heard that one before" and a roll of the eyes, not just for Ruffin's benefit, but for the eyes of the onlookers as well that would see through your phoniness, which would harm your likability.


Now based on what I've seen from the Aria Super Hi Roller JRB is the best I've ever seen. Nothing he does comes across as faked of forced. His only weakness might be he doesn't "neg" the Whales enough. You have to leave the Whale a little in doubt that he might not be the single greatest Human to ever live, because even they themselves know that can't really be true.




For the Aspie's out there that don't know what a "neg" is:



A light insult wrapped in the package of a complement. Used by pick-up artists to gain and maintain the attention of women who possess uncommon beauty (9+). These women are immune to standard complements.
The classic neg

pua - "you have beautiful nails, are they real?"
(9+) -"not really"
pua - "Oh, I guess thats still cool"

pua - "that's really cute, your nose wiggles when you speak"
(9+) -"no it doesn't"
pua - "ha ha, there it goes again, sorry, its just really cute"

Very good post.

In most cases, you couldn't have done anything to get into the game anyway (esp at these Aria games). In some games, you definitely at least had a chance to find your way into it.

Whales want to lose $$$ to certain types of people. There's a guy I play with that'll often say, I can't afford to play in this game any more if I keep losing. He likes me, so I reply with, "[insert baby boomer name here], the price of entertainment isn't cheap these days." He laugh and always shows up the next week.

I think its just JRB's personality more than a conscious routine, not that I'm suggesting he's unaware of his effect. Maybe it takes a little more effort from Antonio to accomplish same objective so he has more awkward moments. I've personally felt pretty confident with this stuff but I cant ****ing play good enough to make good use. Maybe that's not a bad thing.

I'm not sure about the first "neg". I think the 2nd one is perfect bc it highlights an 'imperfection' that you personally find cute (though the rest of society may not gasp! Though I've ben told all this pick up stuff is sexist, I'm not really sure. Still don't know what "cuck" means lol but I can figure it out if I need to.

That negging crap is so stupid. The most popular guy i know who plays high stakes is just totally chill. Older whales love him cause he's so polite and smart and fun. His secret is he actually listens to you respectfully and cares what you are talking about. He knows when good games will be running in Bobbys or Iveys because whales text him.

No, his neg game is so strong and balanced that you are not even aware you're being manipulated. I have no doubt he genuinely listens and makes himself care, but that's what all the manipulation books tell you to cultivate, a genuine interest. How To Win Friends and Influence People is required reading for the ambitious psychopath.

I know what you're all thinking "but Slater not everyone that is cool and chill can be a psychopath in disguise, they just can't be!"

That is very true, but anyone looking to acquire vast sums of money far beyond what is needed to live in comfort while also seeming to be "cool and chill" must be psychopathic, just do to the sheer amount of energy and stress needed to accomplish such ruthless endeavors. Inside you must be a raging killer to acquire a uninherited mulit-million+ networth.


The really cool and chill guys would be like The Dude from the Big Lebowski. A guy just content to hang out and go bowling everyday, a unambitious broke loser. The Dude abides.

Some people are genuinely nice. Don't be hating on them cause they also have mad poker skills too.

It's the wannabes who always think there is some trick to being successful. Some of those who actually put the time in to be great are nice because it's easy to be. If you were beating 400-800 you might be less cynical and a bit happier too.

I must admit I do find it hard to believe one can master the technical aspects of poker theory enough to beat 400-800 while also being a naturally suave motherfuc*er. The first thing requires such an incredible level of nerd obsession that it seems unlikely that obsession wouldn't carry over to other games, like socialization.

Well there you are. You can't imagine what's clearly demonstrated to you. Not everyone in Bobbys Room is autistic.

Right, and people like Merson are perceived as autistic and it's okay to discriminate against those types and exclude them because they don't "get it" when it comes to socialization. This is why the autistics should work on their glib charm and chill levels so they can be allowed in the game and get revenge against those that would seek to dehumanize their kind.

lol slater. How much dope have you taken tonight?

20 mg Hydrocodone and .5mg Alprazolam.

I thought so. Get some help bro, it'll get you, like it got me.

Anywho, I agree with about everything you said, especially the psychopath part. Although I don't think the dude is a broke loser, hes just "the dude"

Fairly certain I just caught an interview with Merson on Poker Central where he talks about the skill of game selection in live play and the need to put ego aside to avoid players against whom you have no edge or one that is so small that variance dominates.

If he has enough self-awareness to understand that ...

While I stand by my comments that being a nice person is a big edge, you get invited or notified for more games, especially in high stakes, turns out not true for this particular game.

A little birdie who is way more connected than I tells me it's not the Jon-Robert Bellande game, it's the Bobby Baldwin, Jon Robert, and seven stiffs game. And it's not Greg Merson, anyone with a clue (or a pulse) isn't allowed. Supposedly Doyle couldn't get in the game for a long while. The game is also never put on Bravo.

One story is that Ben Lamb (might be Scott Seiver, source not sure but thinks it was Ben cause he had some affiliation with Aria) was allowed to play, but not allowed to raise preflop. Legend is that he still wins three sessions in a row without being able to raise, and so is then banned.

yes

lol ambitious psycopath sounds about right

what a joke to see these "pros" try and game the whales (Who they otherwise wouldnt normally hang out with) like girls they trying to sleep with. Fake fake fake!

Ben Lamb + Bobby Baldwin

Two Tulsa boys made good.

any idea why jrb gets to be the one to organize/play? Assumedly even with how bad he is at nlhe he is winning at a good rate in this game?

Good post.

Everyone else seems to be regurgitating the narrative that "nice + friendly + social skills = invited to the big game". There's no actual proof that narrative applies here, and there is so much more to this story than that.

He's an Aria employee, I'd guess he got the gig because he knew people who wanted to play and brought the game to them. And yes, the assumption is he's beating this game and could not beat it with three or four Mersons in it.