The Terms of “the $500 Poker Challenge: Start with $500 and build a substantial poker bankroll within one year. You may only play live games in casinos and poker rooms; no online or home games.
In my last column you heard the sad but true story about how I busted out in Las Vegas—all because I was “too big for my britches” and thought I could ignore my instincts. I want to thank those of you who sent emails with sympathy and tips and especially all of you who had the courage to admit you’ve seriously busted out too.
“For every action there is an equal opposite reaction,” according to Isaac Newton’s Third Law of Physics. The consequence of busting out is that I am back to square one, so now it is time to “get real.”
Danny Robison, the high-stakes 7-Card Stud player who plays primarily at the Commerce Casino, said he believes it will take a miracle from Jesus Christ to turn me into a champion poker player. You guys are really brutal; you’d think I was trying to part the Red Sea! But as I said, “Let’s get real!”
You will recall that Dany Georges is our $500 Poker challenge coach, and captain of Team Lebanon for World Team Poker. He also recently signed with SuperCityPoker.net, www.supercitypoker.net. He is a graduate-level coach, but my play is still at an undergraduate level.
Dany contributed $100 to replenishing my poker bankroll and prescribed I hit the books, coach other less advanced players, and thus see my own mistakes in others, develop a more deliberate playing style, and practice better bankroll management.
Humility is tough to practice, but my poker reputation is on the line, so I chose to sharpen my poker skills at Stuart Locascio’s Poker Academy in Reseda, California (www.poker-academy.net).
When briefed on the Challenge, Stuart nodded his gracious head “yes,” gave a deep sigh, made no guarantees to endow me with Chip Reese’s skills, but said he was willing to give it a shot, as long as I would hit the books and practice his advice, not simply nod my head pretending to listen.
Poker Academy is the only live-action poker school, and it teaches both players and dealers. The Academy believes “Instruction + Repetition = Results.” Last week I spent a week there, asking Stuart a variety of questions. He answered some and referred others to one of the lead instructors, Steve “The Mover” Frakes.
My assigned Poker Academy homework is to reread until I fully understand Doyle Brunson’s SuperSystem, especially Mr. Brunson’s no-limit chapter, and the limit chapters by Bobby Baldwin (Vol. 1) and Jennifer Harmon (Vol. 2).
Putting books under your pillow waiting for knowledge to seep in by osmosis or on pedestal with a well-placed artistic light does not work. I was informed by an anonymous friend that he tears the pages out of the book in order to read while sitting at the table.
Now for reader email. Scott Zimmerman says he believes anything under $4-$8 limit is unbeatable. Scott recently switched to $1-$2 no-limit with a $100 minimum buy-in. He reports that as a result, “I play fewer hands than I did in limit, and the pots I win are much bigger.”
I invite you to take the $500 Poker Challenge with me and report your results!
Contact “The Scientist” at highstakespoker@hotmail.com.
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