Third Man Walking

Your correspondent shares his thoughts on a recent downswing, then reviews a difficult 5/5/10 session. 0:17 Your correspondent returns from Europe and reflects on taking a break 4:52 Annual thoughts on tournaments and whether to play them 12:52 5/5/10 NLHE session 13:21 99 on 852r4ss3x 15:42 AQhh on J33r 16:55 K7cc on 732r 18:09 88 on A95sxs2hh5hhh 19:42 KK all-in preflop 22:28 A tangent on spots...

Your correspondent, still on vacation, reviews two recent 5/5/10 sessions. 1:05 Session 1 1:26 QQ no spade on T64ssx5x 4:12 TT on T42r3ss 8:27 KdKx on T75ddx3ddd 11:04 AKo all-in preflop 13:03 3s3x on J96ssx4xAsss 14:58 KK no club on AQ5ccx7ccc3cccc 18:06 AJo no diamond on QT2dxd6xKx 19:49 QQ on T86r6hhTx 25:51 Session 2 26:10 (at 2/5) AA on 875hhx 27:49 (at 5/5/10) 53hh on 764shs 30:38 AA all-in...

Your correspondent discusses the role of ego in poker as it relates to the game's recent surge of heads-up challenges, and then to the state of games in LA. He then reviews a session that began with a hand he played very badly. 0:16 Upcoming plans 1:08 Ego in poker 11:26 The state of games in Los Angeles 5/5 NLH 16:24 KQcc on Q92ssx7x 18:36 AKss A63xss4x9x 5/5/10 20:46 AKo all-in preflop 22:35 AA...

Your correspondent reviews a portion of Nik Airball's recent interview with Doug Polk, in which Nik describes what it means to be "good for the game." Your correspondent discusses what being "good for the game" means in for the games he plays in and for the the lives he and other mid-stakes pros are trying to lead. The Airball/Polk interview: https://www.youtube.com/live/WTFM_dEj_XU?feature=share&...

Your correspondent discusses running it twice -- what it does, whether it changes anything, and why it can lead to conflict in poker. He also reviews two recent 5/5/10 sessions. 0:19 On running it twice 12:14 5/5/10 session review 12:26 Q4o on AQ3ccxQxKx 14:42 K9ss on J32xssTx6sss 17:58 77 on 533rTx6 20:57 97cc on JT6ddc9dddAx 23:56 A second 5/5/10 session 24:00 TT on T95rQss7x 26:16 AcQx on KT8cx...

Your correspondent discusses the weird tension between cooperation and competition in the negotiations of ongoing straddles in cash games. He then reviews two recent midstakes cash game sessions. 0:55 On straddling 9:05 5/5/10/(20) session no. 1 10:17 AA on AT7ddx6ddd 14:47 99 all-in preflop 18:06 KQo T65r6xT 22:44 AJcc on 983xhh4xKx 25:07 5/5/10/(20) session no. 2 25:15 64o on QQ7r47 27:41 KTss T...

Your correspondent answers some requests for elaboration on a tweet he recently wrote, leading to a wide-ranging discussion that covers the live mid-stakes poker ecosystem and the distinction between not losing and really winning in live public poker games. He also discusses the (dodgy) possibilities of playing in private games or collecting rake from those games. 0:22 The tweet in question, leadi...

Your correspondent travels to play poker in San Antonio and a city where the game was so juicy he won't even tell you where it was. Along the way, he plays double-board PLO bomb pots, encounters novel local poker customs, and wonders whether pros have it all wrong about the best places to play public live poker games. 0:32 Los Angeles as compared to other poker towns 1:42 A wild game in a mystery...

Your correspondent looks back on his approach to poker in 2022 and looks ahead to 2023. Along the way, he wonders whether it's better to stay in one stake at one casino, or to play a variety of NLHE cash games at different venues. Then, he reviews a 5/10 (and then 5/10/20) cash session. 0:18 How much I played poker in 2022 0:59 The advantages of usually playing at the same casino 4:09 The case for...

Your correspondent reviews two 5/10 sessions in the midst of an annoying downswing. 0:18 An extremely long metaphor about luck in poker 3:25 The venerable tradition of lying about your cards after you muck 5:17 Bad luck and downswinging Forum Discussion on this episode: CLICK HERE 8:00 5/10 NLHE session no. 1 8:09 JJ on T73cxcJx 9:46 A9o on 976r3cc5x 13:38 AKdd on 862ssxAsssKx 15:13 33 on Q43r6cc...

Your correspondent ruminates on the way poker is used for dramatic purposes in books and movies, and contrasts that with the reality of winning in cash-game poker, which, if you're doing it right, isn't terribly dramatic. He then reviews an interesting but sometimes frustrating 5/10 session. 0:20 Your correspondent appears in a poker scene in a music video 3:25 Where does drama in poker come from,...

Your correspondent talks with Crush Live Poker coach, Hustler Casino Live commentator and high-stakes poker pro Marc Goone about staking up-and-coming poker players. 2:10 Marc joins 2:39 What this business is and how it developed 3:32 Why do you back players, and how do you find the right players to back? 8:00 How do you prevent theft? 9:45 On finding players who don’t fit the typical demographic...

Your correspondent turns to his new assistant Robert to relay his poker thoughts as he recovers from laryngitis. Robert, though, has other ideas. 0:18 Introducing Robert 5:25 Life update and thoughts on the current state of poker in Los Angeles 9:10 The $870,000 Hustler Casino Live pot between Nik Airball and Buttonclickr, and its aftermath 18:32 Listener Q+A: Benefits of poker coaching 21:25 Do y...

Your correspondent discusses double-board PLO bomb pots with Crush Live Poker head honcho Bart Hanson, who helps him through two hands and explains core strategies for these sorts of pots. 3:02 Bart joins 12:29 $50 double-board PLO bomb pot, eight-handed. Hero has A753hhxx on the button Flops 400: T32ccx, Q65hhx. Everyone checks Turns 400: Accc, 7x. Everyone checks Rivers 400: 8x, 2hhh. (So hero h...

After a brief look at recent developments in the Garrett Adelstein / Robbi Jade Lew controversy, your correspondent reflects on changes in the poker landscape since the start of the poker boom. (Topics include the 2003 WSOP Main Event and the recent YouTube release of the 2011 poker documentary "Grinders.") He then reviews an overbet jam in a recent 5/10 hand. 0:23 Adelstein/Lew controversy 3:36 K...

Your correspondent discusses last week's controversial Hustler Casino Live hand, in which Robbi Jade Lew called Garrett Adelstein's massive all-in with J4o on TT93chch, leading Adelstein to accuse her of cheating. He discusses whether he thinks Robbi was cheating (maybe not?) and whether Garrett handled the situation well. In the second half, he reviews a recent 5/10 session that featured two espe...

Your correspondent tries to dodge variance and an especially surly opponent in a weekend-evening 5/10/20 session. 5/10 2:32 Lojack vs. cutoff on 532ddx4ddd9dddd 8:55 JhJd on 872hhxQx2x 5/10/20 13:43 QTdd on QT9ssx 15:19 A9cc on 986ssx 16:15 AQo on AQTr6hh3hhh 18:50 KQo on 852ddxQx 20:23 33 on 432hhx7x8x 23:01 KQo on KJ6ssx8sss4x 24:45 AhJx on T53rKhhAx http://twitter.com/thirdwalkin... thirdmanwal...

Your correspondent thinks about why winning in poker can feel less intense than losing, then reviews a complex bluff at 5/5/10/20. 0:30 TT hypothetical 3:01 Feeling less when you're winning 6:34 What losing streaks feel like 9:13 Why high-stakes poker culture can be so dull 10:48 Why narratives about non-crushers are more interesting 14:42 Interesting pot at 5/5/10/20: 99 on 865ssx2x5sss http://tw...

Your correspondent looks back on a fun couple of weeks that included winning a table share of a $100,000 jackpot, running hot in poker, and debuting as a commentator at Hustler Casino Live. He then considers what it means to give action and why giving action can be good, especially in streamed games. 0:21 Winning a jackpot table share 5:49 Running hot 8:17 Giving action Hand discussed: Andy Stacks...

Your correspondent fights against his default tendency to play poker too cautiously, especially in double-board bomb pots and bounty games. He also reviews a 5/10 session in which he develops unusual dynamics with his opponents. 1:19 "Natural" talent in sports and poker 4:00 How studying poker can make us play it less distinctively 7:42 How we can improve at poker by fighting against our default t...

Your correspondent recaps two 5/10 sessions on consecutive days, reviewing 15 hands, including four that fell within a single hour of poker that nearly broke his brain. 0:48 The effects of switching casinos 2:28 AA (no heart) on JT8r2hh7hhh 5:10 KdKx on J52ddx3x 8:17 KK (no diamond) on 732rJdd6x 11:16 KK on Q76rJssAx 13:12 KK (not a typo!) (and no spade) on AJ8sxs 16:08 QTo on T54r3ddQx 18:28 QQ p...

Your correspondent speaks with iconic rock guitarist and recording engineer Steve Albini, who has recorded Nirvana, the Pixies and PJ Harvey, and who recently won his second WSOP bracelet. 0:16 Introduction 2:16 Steve Albini joins 3:10 Albini discusses his job as a recording engineer 5:04 What kinds of sounds Albini is known for 7:31 How Albini became a serious poker player 8:35 Mixed games 10:03...

Your correspondent returns to his review of new Live at the Bike executive producer Houston Curtis’ book, then answers three questions from listeners. 1:41 Joey Ingram’s interview with Houston Curtis and the fallout from the last Third Man Walking episode 9:27 Dealing with burnout (and why burnout might not be a bad thing) 15:59 Having discipline as a pro (in interacting with recreational players,...

Your correspondent reviews new Live at the Bike executive producer Houston Curtis’ 2020 book Billion Dollar Hollywood Heist , which chronicles Curtis’ sketchy past as a card mechanic and as a player featured in the movie Molly’s Game . Then, your correspondent reviews an overbet bluff jam in a fun 5/10 session. 0:16 My leaving LATB and why I read this book 3:04 Houston Curtis’ bio 4:45 Curtis’ boo...

Your correspondent discusses whether self-awareness is a good trait for a poker player, then connects that topic to the recent spate of cheating allegations in the high-stakes poker community. From there, he examines what, if anything, can be done. In the second half of the episode, your correspondent reviews a recent late-night 5/10 session. 0:33 Self-awareness 5:10 Is it good to be self-aware in...