He has done a ton of small crimes to a lot of people, and continues to do that. You are being naive on that, and people like him will continue to take advantage of your emotions if you feel sorry for them, since that is the foundation of their con. The way he is posting his sad life story in this thread is the internet version of his routine, nothing more. I do appreciate your honesty in expressing no interest to actually help him.



A very nice offer indeed, nice to see someone trying to do something, even if I do not agree with the choice.

Anyway, it will be interesting to see how the main character in this story ends up doing in that 5K tournament.

42-2KM - awesome offer.

I honestly don't think he will take you up on your offer but I just txt msg him the link to your post.

Your winrate at 1-2 will not be enough to live on in the long-run. The rake and having to tip eats too much into the small pots.

If he runs decently at 2-5 in the beginning and puts together a good 1st month he will at least be heading in the right direction.

2-5 is the smallest game you can make a living on imo. Of course 5k is not anywhere near the bankroll you should have but that's all he has so....what can he do?

Larry

yep, because as Arlo told us in Alice's Restaurant, that would get EVERYONE to move away

Playing 1/2 wouldn't be the best way to make a living but it would likely still be a better living than he has made through poker over the past 10+ years.

I had some sympathy....






I no longer do...

Cannot speak to what charges do or do not exist, and didn't remember the bit about burglary from the Cali stuff (and too lazy to go re-read it). HOWEVER...I have seen multiple cases here in Texas where a burglary preceded the passing of a bad check stolen IN the course of the burglary. On rare occasions, the dollar amount in aggregate makes the checks a greater felony so the plea is to the included burglary.

Remember that many pleas around the Country incorporate some measure of a legal fiction where the offense title may not comport exactly with the primary facts of a case.

To some around here, that IS a kid...granted, one that should know better but a kid nonetheless...not every 2P2 poster is some 20-something wunderkind.

Yep I found that disappointing too. Kind of reminded me of myself just before I quit online poker.

Michael has made some bad choices. The obvious solution is Choice Center.

After reading the brutally frank back story and the refreshing "coming clean" and Mike's admission that he has a serious problem I was hopeful that this could be a story with a happy ending. Then I read the following and my heart sank: "Maybe I'll quit tomorrow, but not today."

Thanks. Anyone who knows me knows that my offer is serious. For anyone here that is friends with Mike, help him out on this one.

Mike did send a PM about the offer. This was my last message to him:

Mike, it seems that you're indecisive on this offer. Take some time to think about it, I'm just heading into a conference and will be free after 3 pm NY time.

You can begin right now with some very little steps Mike. You already know what to do, but put down whatever you're doing and start right this minute.

1. Get some exercise to clear your mind. It doesn't have to be a grueling workout, just anything that will make you sweat for 60 minutes.

2. Stay well hydrated with water. Eat a small meal that is nutritious.

3. Take care of your personal hygiene. Find a space that is quiet and give some serious thought about the things you wrote about yourself, some of the responses and my offer.

I'm not giving up on you, just let me know when you're ready to go to the airport. I've contacted a friend who lives in LV; he can pick you up today and get you on a plane.

You can do this Mike.

Thats very kind of you 42. I really hope he takes you up on this offer.

Fair enough. I did rationalize his behavior, but I felt it was somewhat needed. And I respect your opinion, however I still stick to my opinion/views... but there's nothing wrong with agreeing to disagree.

All of the best to you too.

"has made mistakes"

"has issues"

"has made poor choices"

Comedy Gold.

and no offer of recovery should exclude the requirement of paying back the victims of his scumbag actions.

mike give up gambling for maybe even just a month. I've done this with things like alcohol and it just makes you feel really good about yourself.

Even if he doesn't take you up on the plane ticket, the advice above is solid and doable. Glad to know there are people out there like 42-2KM focused on helping Michael and others who might be reading this in a similar situation.

1.Michael got outed here and came in and told his wretched story, he deserves credit for that. telling us the sordid details will make it a lot harder to do his $200 scam. If anybody who knows his story gives him money, you might as well give him a lit stick of dynamite. He has narrowed the field of suckers. He's taking away "outs". Good for you Michael.

2.The Internet is a place for *******s to read a post and then rip the the OP. I could go on a food blog and write about my love for the Rib Eye steak at the Bellagio Steak House, and SalmonLuvr would tell me to "eat a dick" or "you're gonne die of colon cancer you POS. So all you *******s who pile-on and humiliate him are miserable human beings. Go home and rip the wings off butterflies. Karma will rear it's ugly head. Enjoy.

3. I was a happy grateful card carrying member of AA for 20 years, I stopped going to meetings, stayed clean and sober for 5 years, and went out on a bottle of vicotin. I stopped working the program. I am an addict. I was "out there" for about a year lying cheating stealing to get those little ****ing yellow oval pills. I flew to San Diego, walked across the border, bought some ****ty opiate based pills at a pharmaceria in TJ and walked back across ****ing loaded. Told my wife I was at a business trip in SD. All kinds of sick **** like that. I AM AN ADDICT. I accept that today. I keep the tiger in the cage a day at a time.

I have a year and a half right now, go to 4 meetings a week, and help others through sharing about my relapse. I'm grateful I got a 2nd chance. I would love to meet you Michael at a Starbucks and shoot the **** about college football, recovery, degen stories, dysfunctional family stuff, etc. but I sure as **** wouldn't lend you or give you a dime. I would just be a fellow recovering person you could talk to.

You are gambling addict who is currently gambling. You are in the toilet. For whatever reason you are not willing today to get clean. My heart goes out to you. If you think it can't get any worse, you are sadly mistaken, the finish line is blowing your head off. The bottom will keep going down. I'm not calling you a piece of ****, I'm just being honest about where you are today.

4. I know a lot about addiction, and some about gambling addiction. Losing that $150k in 45 minutes, THAT'S the rush, not winning the $$$. At the core of your being is a need to self-destruct. I'm sorry if I'm being too harsh, but either you got molested as a boy, or you had an angry father who told you you are a loser and your addiction is subconsiously going out and proving it. There are deep rooted problems here and you need to unpeel the layers of the onion. It takes time. It will take 90 NA meetings in 90 days, an NA sponsor you call on the phone every day, once a week psychotherapy, and YES that drug naltrexone. Your physical brain chemistry is broken, your wires are crossed.

I respectfully disagree with the poster who said "There's no chemical solution to a spiritual problem". In my opinion, you truly do not understand the level of Michael's addiction. But, the spiritual solution ( NA meetings, NA sponsor, the 12 steps) are definitely part of the recovery process.

5. When you were in your hotel room arranging all those $100 bills, that's the ADHD part of your addiction. That is a very powerful signal about the type of gambling addict you are. There are slot addicts, who are "dreamers" ( it's an escape ), and you, the ACTION junkies. Table game addict. Double down on 8 with 5 showing ..... LOSE !!!. ACTION. RUSH. And that tells me, you def need to go on Naltrexone.

6. I have a buddy in AA who went in the "black book" at the local card clubs, a self exclude thing. I asked him "does it work ?" He said "No, it just means you can't cash a check or collect a jackpot", the dealers openly let us play if we have cash". So the sad reality is, you have to be able to walk past a casino. They are EVERYWHERE.

7. Michael, I wish I had a magic wand and tapped you on the shoulder and you woke up and came to your senses. I can't make you want recovery, it has to come from within YOU. Jail, prison, rehab, sleeping in hotel lobbies, NONE of the things convinced you you are 100% powerless over gambling. Poker is not an option. That's like giving a 4 oz glass of Coors Lite to an alcoholic. Poker just lights the fuse. DM me and we'll talk on the phone if you want. The NA meetings in Las Vegas are the best in the World ( go figure ). You can get off the hamster wheel RIGHT NOW if you're sick and tired of being sick and tired.

PEACE, MY BROTHER.

Mine didn't as I love a good trainwreck story. Also, lol to any schmuck that loaned this charming guy $$$. PSUmike wtf? Please answer questions regarding your pai gow runs FFS.

All good man. I actually just got my education on addiction as someone very close to me had to go to rehab several times for a sever alcohol addiction. Going through the relapses, watching them try to pick themselves up and then falling again was gut wrenching but the only real solution was for me to turn my back on them and for them to get the help they need for the right reasons. Not because I wanted to help them.
But I learned what a nasty disease addiction is. It's not a sickness or a weakness. It's a DISEASE. Not unlike cancer. Those afflicted can't just make it stop or go away.
But with addiction, like cancer, there are things you can do to increase your chances of survival. Going to meetings/support groups and staying away from all forms of your vices is probably the first and best steps you can take.
Good for though man! Some are strong enough to gain control over their addiction. Glad you are one of them!

Love this thread and all of mikes posts. I agree with another poster - he has no self respect, no self worth and has deserved all his jail time. This is even though most of his victims are complete idiots and fools.

Mike -

I wonder though how was your childhood? Your early life must have paved the way for this destruction.

It is clear there is some chemical imbalance in your brain triggering a nice high from gambling - but there is more to this. Might I suggest some drugs or alcohol to mellow you the hell out.

Great great stuff. Thanks for the read.

This guy is living just the way he likes to live, on the edge. He will never come back. His tale of woe is only an angle for a WSOP stake that he will almost certainly get. The dude has been conning since 1999, he is a pro.

This paragraph is proof that you haven't hit rock bottom yet. You've realized what you're doing wrong, but you haven't decided to stop doing it yet. When you decide that you really do want to turn your life around and stop the destruction, you'll stop talking about making that one big score.

Need an update of his sng grind etc.

Nice way to turn this into a hidden brag.