Congrats on your deep finish.

You really don't understand why a 22 year old playing his, what, 2nd WSOP ME, saying he's "paid his dues" is funny?

Srsly? LOL.

I think David shouldn't be bashed for ranting in his blog. It's his blog, ffs, and only people who are interested on what he has to say read it.

And yeh, he is beyond sick in NLHE.

Main event is way deeper than most live and online tournaments. David probably has an incredible edge over the field, since most people who play tournaments don't know how to play post-flop. When all players are deeper than, like 30bb, I think even live tournament pros must be live ones against him (and, for that matter, all winning HSNL players).

So yeh, he is understandably frustrated for being eliminated after going so deep (and getting the best of it post all-in).

DN rapdurr love triangle?

Spot on description of the blog entry.

I'm not hung up on the issue of him ranting on his blog...it's a free country and that's what blogs are for. To share your views on things, etc. But I find it simply amazing in a bad way how he can:

-Feel like an honest mistake in reporting was done on purpose to make him look bad to anyone that read the summary of his ME bust

-Not expect to take heat from people that feel he's whining/complaining about it. It's the price you pay for the life you choose, especially when you choose to share your view in a public forum. I feel the same when I see an athlete commit a hit/run and then complain about why the public doesn't like him anymore, or when some movie/TV star yells at a fan in public when asked for an autograph. It's stupid! And then to insult people that are going to post here about it. Deal with it or don't act in that manner.

He got knocked out when Cantu made a call as the underdog in the hand and one of the cards Brandon needed to win came out and Raptor lost. Yes, it sucks! I'd expect to be mad and want to vent too. It's part of the game of poker. If the favorite always won, poker would be boring. Taking a chance to win is called gambling right? But what gets you respect, makes you money, etc. in any career or life you choose is how you deal with things.

I enjoy reading stories from players that talk about some of the fun things they do when not playing...it's a nice diversion for the average person away from what they do each day. But to talk about how awful it is to potentially lose a game of "credit card roulette" in reference to paying a $1,700 dinner tab when you state that you've had a 7 figure month in staking people/playing cards? It just doesn't make sense to the people he wants to admire him or say "that's cool Raptor" (ie: most of the people that read 2p2 and the rest of the world). There's always a way to say what you want without drawing negativity to yourself. That's the lesson he should study!

I was impressed by his run in the ME and wanted to see him go farther even though I've not enjoyed some of his nonsense here when he blantly insults people that disagree with his views or his friend's views. So I wasn't exactly surprised when this blog came to light.

I'm not going to argue the point of him "being a good guy once you get to know him personally". I'm sure that's true to those that do know him...but you can't expect to not have to listen to criticism just because "you say so" when it's coming from living in your own world.

I don't believe that Daniel would take time to post on something so insignificant for no reason. He's obviously in on the PokerNews-live pro conspiracy.

I said it in the comments on Raptor's blog and I'll say here to you directly... that's a pretty douchey thing to be laughing about when you've ran like Jesus in tournaments and fail to realize it. Just look at your WPT record. You've experienced tremendous good fortune in WPT and WSOP to the tune of it being impossible for anyone on the planet to continue to run as good. I'm not saying you're a product of good luck alone as I respect your game, but if you want to understand 2+2's sentiment on people making somewhat negative comments about bad luck and variance, but have experienced ridiculous good luck themselves, check out the reactions to Greg Raymer's tearing up of a card at the table, or Joe Hachem's comment that he "runs worse than anyone." To save you the trouble, neither were well received at all.

Aside from that, I could find you kids in the 21-25 range that have played more tournaments than you lifetime. I have no idea what Raptor's tournament experience is like, but it's very possible he's played more than you give him credit for.

He's trying to make a name for himself and he experience some ridiculous bad luck... it's not just a beat, it's a beat that should have never taken place. The same thing happened to me when I won FTP's IronMan competition last year and was playing for $50k HU vs FTP pros when a certain pro called an AI on the turn (I flopped 2nd nut flush) with naked Ace of that suit to spike his nut flush on the river. Yeah, it was peanuts compared to what I make now, but it was devistating for me as a young poker player trying to elevate poker from hobby to profession to take a beat that was worth $20-$25k in equity.

I will absolutely concede that I don't think there's some conspiracy to make him look bad, I'm not exactly sure that's what he was trying to say either. But that's pretty frustrating to get knocked out on a sick beat, and to have the poker community think you played it terribly.

DN is the guy who once argued that tournaments should be winner take all. This was of course in the middle of a huge hot streak.

I have been atleast an acquaintance of Dave's since he started playing poker professionally in ~2004. Since I've known him I've admired his passion for the game and for his peers. The reality of NLHE tournaments is that they're very turbulent and will absolutely drive you insane.

As others have said, the only part about Dave's blog that bothered me was his animosity towards the tournament reporters. I know Dave feels bad for this part and should and will make a public apology towards these folks. I know a lot of these guys and girls personally and they have a passion for what they do and work their asses off to do it to their best ability. Often times the reporters are only notified abt the hand after all the money is in, and they're relegated to asking other players for the action or scribbling shorthand on their notebooks as fast as possible. I, for one, am very appreciative of their hard work.

Still, sympathize with Dave as the fact that he's a self made multi-millionaire is for the most part irrelevant when it comes to the pain anyone will feel when busting so close to a life changing accomplishment. I can't imagine what I would slam in my blog if I lost a tough pot like that for close to seven figs in equity.

SS

Last I checked, Jesus didn't run so well

Considering the last time he ran bad was in 4 BC or whatever, that's a pretty good hot streak.

a donk should win donkaments. I want a donk to win ME and feed some of the money back to the poker society.

Yeah, wouldn't that be the greatest. Him blowing it all at nosebleed stakes and high-buy-in tourneys. The majority of poker players would certainly benefit from that right?

Didn't Jamie Gold already win the ME?

Raptor is an amazing player and it is soul crushing to put all your heart into a tourny for 6 days and go out like that so I feel where he is coming from.

Age really shouldn't be an indicator of "paying your dues". I am almost certain Raptor has played more hands lifetime than Daniel, in a more rigorous setting. Surely, Daniel has played more total hours lifetime but whether or not can be defined as "paying his dues" moreso is debatable. It is more likely just saying he paid his dues inefficiently.

It is o.k. to vent and say all those things. However, it is a product of your tender age to feel that way. Maturation makes a mellow mind.

Johnny Hughes

Have never met Raptor, but his post did not seem all that bad to me. This was NOT excessive whining. Your assesment, which IS based upon your persona knowledge, sounds pretty much like how he already appeared from his post.

What? I cant admire a young man's toned arms, tan skin, symmetrical facial features, fashionable haircut, and straight white teeth? Why i gotta be gay??

Yep he's pretty 'hot' imo too . Raptor using the fggt word is just like blacks using the n-word. Perfectly acceptable ldo.

God, I am getting more tired of Negreanu every day.

Did anyone else see him in the last "Life of Ivey" where he makes an ass out of himself at the charity tournament?

He stands on a chair and does his best thug impression for Ivey and his friends. I felt embarrassed for him, and the thing he doesn't understand is that if he wasn't such a vegan bitch, Ivey and his friends would have probably taken offense.

ugh ugh beat me to it. dn could have a 200% ROI (he doesn't) and he'd still be running like 2x or 3x over expectation over the last 5 or 6 years. conversely raptor is probably stuck close to a million in sklansky bucks in his bustout hands in the 10k PLO and 10k NLHE this world series alone. but clearly, dn has clearly paid his dues because he has been around longer, or something.

dn is doubly lucky that he happened to be one of the most recognizable players around at the absolute peak of the poker boom and to run good during that time period. this has probably net him millions above and beyond what he would otherwise have. i mean, i'm sure he had it harder coming up as a busto high school dropout, but lots of people have a hard time coming up these days -- it's possible that he just wasn't as talented as raptor.

as an aside i didn't think variants of the line 'you made me laugh so hard i spit mountain dew all over my monitor you owe me a new monitor good sir!' had been remotely amusing on the internet since 2004 or so.

Dave's a cool person, maybe you should try getting to know someone before talking **** about them...