HOW IT STARTED: 

3 years ago...

My college buddies invited me over to their house for their weekly house game. They knew that my only poker experience was from watching ESPN's World Series of Poker coverage and I'd be easy money in their poker game. Unfortunately, I was pretty risk averse (and poor) and knew that I was a fish so I had second thoughts about going.  But poker seemed easy enough.  And the "anyone can win" slogan that ESPN's Norman Chad kept repeating played over and over in my head. So I went and played...

I didn't really know it at the time but I was completely outclassed.  It wasn't just the fact that I had no poker experience but my friends were actually among the top tier of players at the University of Virginia.  They  were regular faces in the tournaments and cash games around Charlottesville.   Unfortunately for them, one thing can overcome a huge difference in skill:  a bigger difference in luck.  And I had it that night. During the game, they snickered and laughed as I rivered my way to every pot.  The typical commentary for the hand went like this:  "Z can only win with a 9, Woah! 9!"  At the end of the night, I won $60 (a ton of money for me).  I had walked into someone else's house, had a huge adrenaline rush, and walked away with a lot richer. I felt like a poker natural and nothing in the world could stop me. 

It was around this time that Chris Moneymaker's super publicized zero-to-hero story started the online poker boom.  This fact, combined with my aura of invincibility led to my first $50 deposit to Ultimate Bet.  I found poker more addiciting than any drug could ever be (No, I haven't tried any.)  Unfortunately for me, it didn't take long before I realized that I was a lucky whale who had gotten lucky that night.  And like any stubborn fish, I thought I could win it back anytime. I lost my original $50 and kept redepositing until I was down about $400. 

I hated losing and started to study the game more. I read and reread Doyle's Super System.  Believing that Ultimate Bet was rigged and enticed by the large sign up bonus, I tried my luck on Party Poker.  Following the advice from Super System and my younger brother (real name: Hac, online: Jinsokkp), I started to find success in the $25 buyin games.  He was also dominating the games as well.  Even though we are both very competitive by nature, we decided it would be best to combine our bankrolls and learn the game together. 

Combining our bankrolls made us less competitive (with each other) and more focused on improving each other's game.  We built our bankrolls up to about $3000 from the Party NL $25 tables.  This was a lot of money (especially for college students) but this grind got boring after awhile  so I decided to switch to limit while he continued to play no-limit. It was during this time that I realized how much skill was involved in poker.  I realized that if I studied the game more, I could make a decent salary playing.  I spent countlesss hours scouring twoplustwo.com  and the dozens of poker books I had added to my collection. I also hired Gabe (ggbman on 2+2 who I have a great appreciation for) to coach me in limit.  I got to be a decent winner on Party (playing4real) at the $5/10 and $10/20 games but could never break that hump. I won big somedays but lost big on other days.  The rollercoasters tested my patience and I was losing this battle. 

One night during a big losing session, I got bored (and tilted) decided to take a shot at the $3/6 NL game to win all my money back.  I remember the chills of nervous excitement that rushed through my body as I flopped my first set ever in a 3-way pot. A set in limit wins a few bets, but a set in no-limit wins a whole buyin.  I hit a few more great hands and won $1500 in two hours!  This was much more than I could ever make playing limit. I began to fall in love with no-limit again as I continued to run well.  A few nights later, I jumped into $5/10 NL.  Again, I kept hitting sets and players kept paying me off.  I made $2500 in three hours.  I switched to no-limt for good and moved up the ladder.  Eventually, I pursuaded my brother to take a shot at the high stakes no-limit games too.  As our bankrolls grew, we moved from $3/6 NL (Full Tilt) to $5/10 (Full Tilt) to $10/20 (Party Poker as newb1e, g000ber, vnguy31).  The games were much easier on Party so we built a large chunk of our bankroll there.   

As we kept winning at $10/20, it became a "grind" again so I started to take shots at the $25/50 NL games on Full Tilt and Ultimate Bet.  I found it impossible to break through as the players on these sites were much better (more tricky, agressive and smarter) than the Party $10/20 NL players.  One of my worst poker memories was staying home from going to Six Flags with my friends and  losing $27,000 (13.5 buyins at my normal stakes)  I seriously thought that I had gone as far as my abilities would take me, similar to my peaking at the limit games.  Each missed shot stung worse than the one before but I pushed myself even harder.  I read the 2+2 forums, watched videos, read poker books and reviewed my hands until I was finally able to break through.  Eventually, I broke through and started winning.  This jump was the hardest jump I've had to make as a poker player. 

The rest of the story played out the same way except I had already climbed over the largest hill.  As the game started to turn into a grind, I took shots at the next level.  My brother never let himself fall behind as we learned from each other's mistakes and successes.  We climbed the poker ladder and eventually reached the $200/400NL games on Full Tilt (the highest games online).

MY THOUGHTS ON ALL OF THIS: 

Looking back on everything, I realize how lucky and blessed I am to be in this position.  If I didn't run well the very first time I took a shot at the big $3/6 no-limit games, my brother and I would defintely not be anywhere near this position.  Sometimes you might catch me being cocky (when the cards run hot), but I always try my best to remain humble.  So from now on, I give you permission to slap me on my head each time you catch me being cocky. 

I can't finish my thoughts without giving thanks to many people who helped get me here.  First off, my parents were pretty much always supportive with me "gambling" and I owe them for that. Next, big thanks to Hac for always pushing me (directly and indirectly) and covering my ass on the months where I lost money (yes, there are a lot of those). 

Also, thanks to the many poker buddies that I've made during the journey who are always there to listen to me cry about bad beats or my depressing "plus $30,000 downswing."

especially (Durrrr, J-Man, Raptor) <----  No Tom, you're not the coolest one.  They're in ABC order, ass.  :) 

Also, of course, a big thanks to all my friends outside of poker who had to put up with me playing poker too.  This includes my Piedmont Ave. roomates (107), and friends (1900) who I've flaked out or been late so many times on because I couldn't commit the sin of letting a fish leave with his money.

And no thanks at all to my toughest opponents that I faced on my way up here... In other words, it took me longer to make it to the next highest level because these guys always knocked me back down.             (I'd thank you for the lessons, but I already paid for them with my own money on the way up the ladder.)

$5/10 NL on Full Tilt

Professor_plum - tough ass grinder that I hated seeing at my table

Ljubjana- taught me how to check raise the flop to build the pot with sets.

$10/20 on Party Poker

Bldswtrs- You were an amazing player for your time, head and shoulders above the competition. You taught me how to be much more aggressive

Lololtrickedu- You had amazing efficiency with the multitabling.  You taught me how to concentrate on 12 games at once without missing a beat (even though I timed out a lot). 

Samolous- You were way too smart to be playing on Party. You taught me how to critically think about a hand with your posts on 2+2.

$25/50 on Full Tilt/Ultimate Bet

Irockhoes- I remember one session when you potted two streets against me.  I called with the worse hand.  Then the next hand, you potted and showed a bluff (I folded 2 pair on a 4 straight board).  Then you value potted the next hand and I called down again.  I've never felt so owned in my entire life. 

Stinger88 (aka: LucLongley)- I always thought you were a fish because you stacked my aces with J9s one time but you always made life tough for me moving up.

Nosebleed Stakes on Full Tilt

David Benyamnine- For luckboxing me the most times of anyone I've ever played against. I always had to end my shot taking cuz of a bad beat/cooler you put on me. 

Sbrugby- This may sound weird, but I always worshipped you.  Even after you made that horrible call against my AA all-in push preflop with your K6ss and sucked out (I doubt you remember).  And thanks a bunch for your compliments in Bluff magazine ("Urindanger is a very good player.") They made my week.

 

MY LIFE (The boring stuff): 

I was born in Virginia in 1983 (I'm 24) and I have lived there all of my life.  In 2001, I graduated from the Thomas Jefferson High School for Science and Technology.  In 2006, I graduated from the University of Virginia with a degree in Mechanical Engineering.  Currently, I don't have a real job unless you count poker. I still live at home with my family (Mom, Dad, 3 brothers and 1 sister).  I am a big fan of sports, especially basketball and football.  I consider myself a simple guy and I have the most fun ever just chillin' with my family and friends.