Third Man Walking

Your correspondent returns to the subject of his downswing, which continues despite his best efforts to jinx it into going away by talking about it.0:21 Downswing Part 21:31 Taking variance is part of the job4:25 The downswing leads to bad habits8:53 Why I'll keep grinding instead of focusing on teaching15:04 5/10 NLHE hand: TT on T85rJxQxFORUM DISCUSSION: CLICK HEREhttp://twitter.

Your correspondent discusses his thought process as he endures the worst downswing of his poker career. He also reviews a recent $5/$10 session.0:17 Maintaining a healthy relationship to the game in the midst of a big downswing8:29 Dealing with a long stretch of boredom, in which moneymaking opportunities are few and far betweenFORUM DISCUSSION: CLICK HERE20:22 $5/$10 NLHE session2

Your correspondent visits poker rooms in the Bay Area and Sacramento, folding flopped straights and finding ways to lose ridiculous amounts of money with ace-king. Along the way, he compares live poker in Los Angeles to poker elsewhere, and reflects on a recent bad run.FORUM DISCUSSION: CLICK HERE0:20 Traveling to Northern California0:42 Poker in American cities that are not Los An

Your correspondent discusses Michael Craig's poker-boom-era classic "The Professor, the Banker, and the Suicide King." He follows up on how he finished in the tournament discussed in the last episode, then reviews a double-board PLO bomb pot he played that left him feeling frustrated with himself.FORUM DISCUSSION: CLICK HERE0:20 "The Professor, the Banker, and the Suicide King"12:3

Your correspondent gets through Day 1 of a tournament for the first time in over five years. He reviews the tournament hands that brought him to Day 2 glory, then recaps a cash session of $5/$5/$10 (with straddles of up to $160) and $5/$5.FORUM DISCUSSION: CLICK HERE0:16 Your correspondent bags a tournament! ($1200 LAPC Million at Commerce)3:42 AJhh on J95r (big blind = 800)6:04 AA

Your correspondent discusses why two thousand dollars is an important sum at $5/$10 and $10/$20. He also discusses his recent experiences playing $10/$20, then reviews a recent $5/$10 session.FORUM DISCUSSION: CLICK HERE0:21 Why $2,000 is such an important threshold in mid-stakes cash games4:40 Comparing $10/$20 to $5/$107:17 KsJx on JT8xssTx7x9:54 $5/$10 NLHE session10:23 AKo on Q

Your correspondent discusses how to filter poker strategy advice -- which advice should be ignored and which is worth taking? How can you tell them apart, and when should you feel satisfied with uncertainty?FORUM DISCUSSION: CLICK HERE0:16 How do you find good advice in poker?12:47 5/10 NLHE session12:56 AKss all-in preflop14:04 QJss 4bet preflop15:29 AQss on AT5r3dd4x17:42 JTcc on

Your correspondent explains why he chose not to go to Las Vegas to play tournaments last month, and relays how his experience playing the WSOP Main Event in 2019 shaped his skepticism about playing tournaments at all. He then reviews a recent 5/10 session.0:21 Tournament skepticism and the 2019 Main Event13:49 5/10 NLHE session (and staying off my phone)15:09 KK all-in preflop17:41

Your correspondent reviews a recent 5/10/20 session, then discusses "Game of Gold" and Alex O'Brien's new book "The Truth Detective."0:21 5/10/20 NLHE session1:22 AKcc on KT7r3x2:36 KQo on KK2rTdd6x4:00 AKss all-in preflop5:09 KTdd on QT8xxd6hhQx6:32 AKo on AJ4r2ss7x9:19 AQcc on AQ4ddx4xAx13:07 AA on 632rKhh15:52 QTss on JTThhx9hhh4x17:53 AdAx 995xdd3xAx19:38 T9dd on Q85hhdThhhQx21

Your correspondent reviews a recent break-even stretch. He then considers recent rumors of cheating in high-stakes private games and offers a simple solution: Stop playing private games, and come play poker at casinos instead. Finally, he reviews a recent 5/10 session.0:58 Why we shouldn't assume downswings have obvious causes1:34 Whiny bad-beat story: 5/5/10/20/40 KK on TT3rAx3:26