My Journey As A Professional Poker Player (29 Viewers)

[Anthony Martino]

So you’re prettily regularly taking pics on your phone and doing write ups at the table or on breaks?

Question being, what’s your cell time look like compared to the other players? Do you stick out a little bit or is everyone just play/cell/play/cell/play/cell?

How many folks are aware of you running a “follow along” thread of the games?

We have plexiglass dividers and lots of folks mess around on their phones, so I don't think anyone notices me taking a quick pic

Wow thats a pretty quick double! Hopefully this fish sticks around man! Iv'e been following this thread for a while and your really living the dream man. Pick your own hours and do something you love for a living.

My secret is clean living my friend!

 

[BarrieJ3]

We have plexiglass dividers and lots of folks mess around on their phones, so I don't think anyone notices me taking a quick pic

Ah yeah. Has this shut down pretty much all social aspects of playing, or is just normalized now?

 

[Anthony Martino]

In the SB with

Call $5 button straddle, everyone calling, kid in LP raises to $30. Whole table calls

Flop



I pot $210 first to act, the original raiser gets his last $130 in with



Turn is and it's over with no waiting

 

[Anthony Martino]

Ah yeah. Has this shut down pretty much all social aspects of playing, or is just normalized now?

Well fortunately Hard Rock is the only one with plexiglass. It hasn't killed socialization completely, but you can really only converse with players right next to you

 

[Anthony Martino]

Lol, I have on the button. My steaming buddy Dave has straddled UTG to $5

Everyone calling, I call. He pops it to $35, bunch of callers, I repot to $180 to isolate cause I know he is playing like shit

He calls OOP leaving $130 behind. The fish lady I busted earlier gets it all-in for $105

Flop

He gets his last $130 in. Turn river and he turns over

and his two pair scoops lol

 

[Anthony Martino]

Have on button, limp in, BB pots it, everyone calling

Flop comes

Checks to me, I pot it for $205, drooler checkraises all-in for $300 and I have to call

He limp-called the raise with and flopped bottom set. It holds, whomp whomp

 

[Anthony Martino]

My buddy Reggie made the money in todays guaranteed tourney behind me, so I video-bombed him

 

[Anthony Martino]

So early on had tripled my buyin, but saw the game get much swingier after that. They never got me under my starting $500, but did knock me back to $750 at one point.

Had an opportunity to bust FOUR players when I trapped my buddy Dave who was just spewing (he would straddle to $5, pot when it got to him and pot EVERY flop he was checked to, regardless of his hand, board texture or # of opponents)

I had and was planning to checkraise when allhell broke loose preflop and three short stacks were all-in after Dave did his thing and another guy who is a good player but was on crazy monkey tilt from losing all night called off halfhis chips (and then the rest when it got to me) with

So I get it in against three stacks that are $200 or so and the monkey tilt kid who has $330

He makes a straight, Dave shows up with and rivers a flush to quintipleup via the main pot and I get bupkis!

Shortly after that the game tightens significantly, so I called it a night +$506 on the session

At least the games are good again, and I don't have to drive an hour and a half for Big O

 

[TX_Golf_N_Poker]

I have mad respect for you. I don't know how you do this full time. You must either have the patience of Job or short term memory loss to deal with the bad beats.

I'm a rank beginner, and only play online at the moment. But I swear, one of 3 things happens EVERY TIME I have a good hand. Either nobody calls even the slightest raise (so I win a TINY pot), somebody else has a BETTER hand, or somebody hits the ONE OUT that lets them beat me! The other night I had JJxx two suited. Got a little money in before the flop, which comes J34. Cautiously I placed a small raise, but got a large re-raise from the next player, and a call from the player after that. These raises were about 1/3 of my stack, so I re-raised all-in and they both called. This was a .10/.20 PLO game (high only) and the pot is now over $40. River comes with another 3 giving me top full house. But of course, the guy who re-raised me has pocket 3s for the quads. This kind of crap seems to happen to me every time I have a good hand. Maybe I'm just not destined to play poker...

 

[JMC9389]

I have mad respect for you. I don't know how you do this full time. You must either have the patience of Job or short term memory loss to deal with the bad beats.

I'm a rank beginner, and only play online at the moment. But I swear, one of 3 things happens EVERY TIME I have a good hand. Either nobody calls even the slightest raise (so I win a TINY pot), somebody else has a BETTER hand, or somebody hits the ONE OUT that lets them beat me! The other night I had JJxx two suited. Got a little money in before the flop, which comes J34. Cautiously I placed a small raise, but got a large re-raise from the next player, and a call from the player after that. These raises were about 1/3 of my stack, so I re-raised all-in and they both called. This was a .10/.20 PLO game (high only) and the pot is now over $40. River comes with another 3 giving me top full house. But of course, the guy who re-raised me has pocket 3s for the quads. This kind of crap seems to happen to me every time I have a good hand. Maybe I'm just not destined to play poker...

You were the heavy favorite until the villain one outed their quads. Keep getting it in good like that and you'll make money in the long run. Keep your head up!

 

[Anthony Martino]

I have mad respect for you. I don't know how you do this full time. You must either have the patience of Job or short term memory loss to deal with the bad beats.

if people are sucking out on you it means you got your money in good, you can't control the luck.

Don't get me wrong, I remember beats from over a decade ago, and I'm not immune to tilt.

But recognizing when you are tilting and getting out of the game helps

 

[TX_Golf_N_Poker]

if people are sucking out on you it means you got your money in good, you can't control the luck.

Don't get me wrong, I remember beats from over a decade ago, and I'm not immune to tilt.

But recognizing when you are tilting and getting out of the game helps

Oh yeah, I was seriously tilted, and I knew it. This was Thursday night and I left the room immediately. I haven't played a real money hand since. Basically I am STILL tilted over it... I know, I need to get over it and get back on the horse.

 

[Poker Zombie]

I have mad respect for you. I don't know how you do this full time. You must either have the patience of Job or short term memory loss to deal with the bad beats.

I'm a rank beginner, and only play online at the moment. But I swear, one of 3 things happens EVERY TIME I have a good hand. Either nobody calls even the slightest raise (so I win a TINY pot), somebody else has a BETTER hand, or somebody hits the ONE OUT that lets them beat me! The other night I had JJxx two suited. Got a little money in before the flop, which comes J34. Cautiously I placed a small raise, but got a large re-raise from the next player, and a call from the player after that. These raises were about 1/3 of my stack, so I re-raised all-in and they both called. This was a .10/.20 PLO game (high only) and the pot is now over $40. River comes with another 3 giving me top full house. But of course, the guy who re-raised me has pocket 3s for the quads. This kind of crap seems to happen to me every time I have a good hand. Maybe I'm just not destined to play poker...

I'll also add that with lower the stakes, more players are willing to gambol. Sure, even in Anthony's 5/5 games there are players willing to risk a buy-in on a 6-outer, but money is relative. Bigger stakes pair down the number of players looking to hit the magic card, so your punishment at dime stakes is going to be more frequent (but less severe) than at life-sustaining levels.

 

[Goldfish]

I have mad respect for you. I don't know how you do this full time. You must either have the patience of Job or short term memory loss to deal with the bad beats.

I'm a rank beginner, and only play online at the moment. But I swear, one of 3 things happens EVERY TIME I have a good hand. Either nobody calls even the slightest raise (so I win a TINY pot), somebody else has a BETTER hand, or somebody hits the ONE OUT that lets them beat me! The other night I had JJxx two suited. Got a little money in before the flop, which comes J34. Cautiously I placed a small raise, but got a large re-raise from the next player, and a call from the player after that. These raises were about 1/3 of my stack, so I re-raised all-in and they both called. This was a .10/.20 PLO game (high only) and the pot is now over $40. River comes with another 3 giving me top full house. But of course, the guy who re-raised me has pocket 3s for the quads. This kind of crap seems to happen to me every time I have a good hand. Maybe I'm just not destined to play poker...

Bad beats happen all the time. It’s a part of the game, especially where players are holding more than 2 cards. Guy with bottom set got real lucky. So be it. It’s poker. Reload and keep swinging. The cards will swing ur way eventually.
My advice to u ( for whatever it’s worth) is do not be cute with ur hands. If u think u have the best hand, bet it (unless u flop so big u need people to catch up). The wraps and flush draws are gonna call against ur set. No cute mini raises. They just get u in trouble. naked sets (with no plan b) look better than they actually are statistically. Bet it, but ur ass is in the air against the wraps and flush draws (a more conservative play in bigger games is to check so see a clean turn, but I didn’t go to that school). Typically with top set I just get it all in as fast as I can and close my eyes.

 

[k9dr]

Bad beats happen all the time. It’s a part of the game, especially where players are holding more than 2 cards. Guy with bottom set got real lucky. So be it. It’s poker. Reload and keep swinging. The cards will swing ur way eventually.
My advice to u ( for whatever it’s worth) is do not be cute with ur hands. If u think u have the best hand, bet it (unless u flop so big u need people to catch up). The wraps and flush draws are gonna call against ur set. No cute mini raises. They just get u in trouble. naked sets (with no plan b) look better than they actually are statistically. Bet it, but ur ass is in the air against the wraps and flush draws (a more conservative play in bigger games is to check so see a clean turn, but I didn’t go to that school). Typically with top set I just get it all in as fast as I can and close my eyes.

He speaks the truth. My first time in 1-2-5 PLO at Aria I have AAxx twice in 3 hands - flop top set - get it all in vs same villain with a wrap and a flush draw and get stacked both times Nothing I would do differently, but I declined to rebuy again.

 

[Anthony Martino]

I'll also add that with lower the stakes, more players are willing to gambol. Sure, even in Anthony's 5/5 games there are players willing to risk a buy-in on a 6-outer, but money is relative. Bigger stakes pair down the number of players looking to hit the magic card, so your punishment at dime stakes is going to be more frequent (but less severe) than at life-sustaining levels.

I've seen players chase open-ended straight draws on paired and flushing boards. Some players have no clue, some just don't care. This happens at all stakes. A fish with bottom set in a 2K max buyin game sitting on 7K got it in with bottom set and a gutshot straight draw on a flop that presented a two card flush against the biggest pro in the game who was the only player that had her covered and he had top set and she stacked off to him. She went nuts on me with a pair of 9's on an 8-high flop when I had a wrap draw and couldn't believe her overpair didn't hold up.

Bad beats happen all the time. It’s a part of the game, especially where players are holding more than 2 cards. Guy with bottom set got real lucky. So be it. It’s poker. Reload and keep swinging. The cards will swing ur way eventually.
My advice to u ( for whatever it’s worth) is do not be cute with ur hands. If u think u have the best hand, bet it (unless u flop so big u need people to catch up). The wraps and flush draws are gonna call against ur set. No cute mini raises. They just get u in trouble. naked sets (with no plan b) look better than they actually are statistically. Bet it, but ur ass is in the air against the wraps and flush draws (a more conservative play in bigger games is to check so see a clean turn, but I didn’t go to that school). Typically with top set I just get it all in as fast as I can and close my eyes.

I'm also a big fan of no cute raises. My bets are generally pot, I rarely bet anything less.

He speaks the truth. My first time in 1-2-5 PLO at Aria I have AAxx twice in 3 hands - flop top set - get it all in vs same villain with a wrap and a flush draw and get stacked both times Nothing I would do differently, but I declined to rebuy again.

Ooch, that's rough. Depending on stack sizes and flop texture, I may wait for a safe turn card in some instances before I go to town with certain hands, but that is pretty sick three times in the same session vs the same villain.

 

[Goldfish]

He speaks the truth. My first time in 1-2-5 PLO at Aria I have AAxx twice in 3 hands - flop top set - get it all in vs same villain with a wrap and a flush draw and get stacked both times Nothing I would do differently, but I declined to rebuy again.

I will let the mathematicians in the group chime in, but I believe that a naked set against a full rap with flush draw is statistically behind On the flop. Coin flip at best.

 

[TX_Golf_N_Poker]

I'll also add that with lower the stakes, more players are willing to gambol. Sure, even in Anthony's 5/5 games there are players willing to risk a buy-in on a 6-outer, but money is relative. Bigger stakes pair down the number of players looking to hit the magic card, so your punishment at dime stakes is going to be more frequent (but less severe) than at life-sustaining levels.

That's what I would think, and yet all night long, up to the point of the bad beat I was getting folds all around with just .60 bets after the flop. In PLO!

 

[k9dr]

Ooch, that's rough. Depending on stack sizes and flop texture, I may wait for a safe turn card in some instances before I go to town with certain hands, but that is pretty sick three times in the same session vs the same villain.

That was 3 total hands with a $500 buy-in - I had AA the first hand - flop top set and get it all in - $500 rebuy - fold the second hand - deja vu on the third hand

 

[k9dr]

I will let the mathematicians in the group chime in, but I believe that a naked set against a full rap with flush draw is statistically behind On the flop. Coin flip at best.

I agree, I just thought I should win at least one of those flips

 

[Anthony Martino]

I will let the mathematicians in the group chime in, but I believe that a naked set against a full rap with flush draw is statistically behind On the flop. Coin flip at best.

It's roughly a coin-flip

 

[Goldfish]

Aces are a tough hand in plo. Aaxx is really only a great hand if u can get heads up pre (3way at most). against multiple hands aa is gonna let u down more times than not. If u can’t raise most everyone out pre, play them like any other pair in ur hand - chuck them if u don’t hit. Personally I would much rather be dealt a double suited run down.

 

[Goldfish]

I agree, I just thought I should win at least one of those flips

U will win. Plo swings can be frustrating, but believe me, top set does win it’s fair share!

 

[Anthony Martino]

For the past two months the Cubans have been making weird plays and getting there everytime, happened again

Cuban in seat 1 straddled to 10 from the BB.

UTG, a solid players calls, I call on button with AK76 ds.

Cuban pots it OOP, flop is AK5 rainbow, he leads into two solid players on that board with a gutshot straight draw, I pot all-in and not only does he spike the J on the turn to pull ahead but he rivers the Q as well

I think from now on if I play Mondays I will come in at noon to be on the 2nd table

I just don't see how over a two month span I can get it in against these guys as a 70-80% favorite consistently and every fucking time they wiggle out

 

[Jambine]

Ah yeah. Has this shut down pretty much all social aspects of playing, or is just normalized now?

Things have changed a lot in recent years regarding cell phones. It was not that long ago when cell phones were not allowed at all at the table.

 

[Poker Zombie]

Things have changed a lot in recent years regarding cell phones. It was not that long ago when cell phones were not allowed at all at the table.

It's time they revisit those policies. I dont see cell phone usage any differently than walking across the table and whispering into a players ear while they are in a hand.

 

[Jambine]

It's time they revisit those policies. I dont see cell phone usage any differently than walking across the table and whispering into a players ear while they are in a hand.

Yes. Just like player collusion is not possible in on-line poker
.........unless of course, both players have access to a phone

 

[Anthony Martino]

SUSPECT HAND #1

Cuban check-calls my flop bet OOP with an open-ended straight draw on a flushing flop he has no piece of. On the turn which brings a 2nd flush draw he doesn't have (or any blockers for) he LEADS INTO ME and then calls off, runs it once, spikes the red Ace on the river.

SUSPECT HAND #2

cuban gets it in preflop with 3-ways for $1500 and beats and when they go once, flop JJ3....Q..9 and the 9 gives one a straight, one a flush and boats him

SUSPECT HAND #3

I think 3 guys (the two regular cubans plus another one) were in cahoots so I got out of dodge before they got me today, left up a grand.

One straddles to 10, everyone calls, straddler makes it 50, we're all calling until last guy who makes it $255 and straddler cold calls. Pushes everyone out (third guy didn't get involved in this one)

They show up with T862 one suit and AKQ9 no suits respectively

They go once with everyone at the table but twice with each other and just smelled super fishy when the guy is calling the 10, letting his buddy make it 50 and then repopping to 255 with T862 one suit. Plus the Cubans usually buyin shorter (200-600) but both were max buying on this day to start which is out of the norm

SUSPECT HAND #4

Limp for 10 in a straddled pot in CO. Cuban in seat 1 makes it 75, couple callers, I repot to 680, holding KK54 one suit

He calls off most of his stack with Q932 has maybe 130 behind. Other guy with AJ43 gets it in for less

I can't play much better than this. He flops the Q, turns another one and I river a useless third 5

SUSPECT HAND #5

Cuban in seat 1 does it again. Calls two all-ins preflop for like 1500 with 8665

He's against KKT9 one suit, didn't see the oyher hand but think it was AAxx

He flops set of 6's, turns the flush AND rivers the straight

He had

All-in pre

Flop
Turn:
River:

SUSPECT HANDS #6 (combination of some previous hands plus some new material)

So maybe it's my tilt talking, maybe I'm just paranoid. But I'm going to start keeping track of who is dealing when these Cubans hit their miracles, which include but are not limited to:

Gets it in three-ways preflop with for $1500, goes once and wins

Gets it in with against on a flop of and magically turns the and fades the river flush and full house outs to chop

Gets it in preflop with for $1500 three-ways, flops set of 6's, turns flush and rivers straight to beat KKxx and AAxx

Raises OOP in a $10 straddled pot to $75 with and after two callers I limp-repot and he just calls leaving himself $130 behind, flops QJ3 against my KK54 and spikes the Q on the turn to win that one.

Called off half his stack preflop (a raise to $450 out of his $900) with against my and flops Q9x and turns the 9 after we get it in on the flop.

Calls off $1,200 as the FOURTH all-in player preflop with and goes twice (this was pre-Covid) and wins BOTH BOARDS up against AAxx, KKxx and AKQT suited.


I mean, it's just fucking uncanny some of the monster pots and absolute setups where their opponents are NEVER folding these guys put their chips into with absolutely nothing. And it's starting to make me wonder if there's more going on than meets the eye here. These two drive to Tampa from fucking Miami to play this game, which only adds further to the suspicion (it's a 4 hour drive)

So yeah, going to start keeping track of the big pots they win with garbage and who was dealing and the action, see if I can't find something nefarious going on.

SUSPECT HAND #7

Seat 1 (Cuban) got me for a little on a 373 two diamond flop in a straddled pot

I had QQJ7 with diamonds in the SB, he had 2456 no diamonds, called my pot bet on the flop chasing his straight on a paired and flushing board.

Rivered a straight, dodging my full house and flush draw outs lol

SUSPECT HAND #8

For the past two months the Cubans have been making weird plays and getting there everytime, happened again

Cuban in seat 1 straddled to 10 from the BB.

UTG, a solid players calls, I call on button with AK76 ds.

Cuban pots it OOP, flop is AK5 rainbow, he leads into two solid players on that board with a gutshot straight draw, I pot all-in and not only does he spike the J on the turn to pull ahead but he rivers the Q as well

I think from now on if I play Mondays I will come in at noon to be on the 2nd table

I just don't see how over a two month span I can get it in against these guys as a 70-80% favorite consistently and every fucking time they wiggle out

I mean, at this point I'm not sure what I'm supposed to think. Have they just been insanely lucky for two straight months to get it in with 20-30% equity, suddenly only be running it one time and just get there in all the monster pots? It doesn't pass the smell test to me.

The hands they're showing up with are absolute garbage the majority of the time, yet they somehow know to raise them and their opponents somehow have hands that they aren't going to ever get away from. It's uncanny.

So at this juncture I'm going to stop playing the morning table with those two on it, something is rotten in Denmark and I'm tired of being the victim of it. IF I play it'll be at noon when the 2nd table starts.

 

[Poker Zombie]

Do they appear to be overall winning players, or are they consistently cashing out for less than they buy-in for?

 

[CraigT78]

I can't imagine they are some how rigging the game with the dealer. But what is probably happening is they are targeting you. Heads up you can beat either one easily, but even the strongest hand 3 way is going to lose a lot more often. Player A and B are in on it together. You're their mark.