Third Man Walking

(0:00) Introduction (0:15) On aggression (8:25) $5/$5/$10 session (8:36) AhQx on 654hhhAx (10:28) KK (no heart) on 832hhx9xAx (14:47) AhKx on AJTxhh6x5x (16:38) 16:38 A9o (no spade) on QJ7sxs9x9sss (19:12) KK on K43xssAx (21:05) AA on 982cxc8x (24:12) QTss on A87sxx3dd Your correspondent considers the meaning of the term "aggression" in poker, and how odd it is that a word with a negative connotat...

(0:00) Introduction (0:15) Cash Players Vs. Tournament Players (15:23) $5/$5 and $5/$5/$10 session (15:55) QQ preflop spot (17:18) AKo preflop spot (19:02) 88 on 876r5ccKccc (20:28) AQhh on AT8r5hh (21:30) 87cc on A96ddx5x (23:16) 55 on 873r8ss7x Your correspondent addresses two amusing but similarly unanswerable questions about cash game pros as compared to tournament pros. Who does better in the...

(0:00) Introduction (0:15) "The Adults" (12:22) $5/$5/$10 NLHE session (14:04) AJo preflop spot (16:05) T9ss on K82sss7x (21:05) JJ preflop spot (23:47) QQ preflop spot Your correspondent discusses the 2023 film "The Adults," which prominently features poker being played in bumbling fashion. He then plays some bumbling poker himself, struggling through a $5/$5/$10 session. FORUM POST Episode notes...

(0:00) Introduction (0:52) Sunday, May 10 (5:41) 22 on QJ2ssxQx4x (9:27) QhQx on 874hhx (13:31) Monday, May 11 (16:53) QQ on J86r (17:26) AKo on A73xcc (18:21) QQ (again) on J73hxh9x9x (21:00) Tuesday, May 12 (22:15) Double-board PLO bomb pot: JT98r on T92ddd2xAx and KQ4r7xT (26:38) Wednesday, May 13 (26:50) Double-board hold-em bomb pot: 99 on 975ccx and T64xcc (30:20) AKo on A96r3hh5x (32:26) Th...

(0:00) Introduction (0:15) The Lodge, the LA blackjack ban, and "The Highest Stakes" (4:59) $5/$10 no-limit hold-em session (6:11) AhAx on J43xhhKx7x (9:40) 88 on 953ssxAx (11:37) K2ss on T54r3rA (13:41) AJo on J83rKccJx (16:10) 87o on J93ddxTx3x (19:25) AJo on JJ3r9ss5x (24:46) KK all-in preflop (25:53) 33 on 653rAhhAx (28:37) AsKx on T82rKss7sss Your correspondent begins with a roundup of recent...

(0:00) Introduction (0:14) Live cash games in the near future (14:39) $5/$10 NLHE session (15:07) AJss on A82ddx9cc (17:04) AKo on KKTxssTx2sss (19:04) 9s3x on 865rAss2sss (21:13) A3dd on T42dxd (22:21) JJ on QT3r4cc5x (30:12) 30:12 A7hh on A82xxhQhhKhhh (31:55) QQ on 954rJrA (34:24) 76cc on K54xcc Your correspondent thinks about how live poker might look in four years. Then, he reviews a spewy $5...

(0:00) Introduction (0:15) On the closure of the Lodge (7:00) $5/$10 NLHE session (7:16) AKss on A76rQcc (10:34) A5cc on Q55ssx4x6x (13:01) JTss on 988ccxQx4x (15:09) AdAx on T32xdd5xJx (16:19) Double-board hold-em bomb pot: T6dd on T75xdx4dd8x and 652r4ssQx (21:32) KsQx on J98ssx8sssAssss (23:22) Double-board hold-em bomb pot: J9o on 998r2ccKx and 877r4ssQx (27:01) AA on ... Your correspondent ad...

(0:00) Introduction (0:15) The 2008 poker movie "Deal" (12:16) $5/$10 NLHE session (12:55) Bonus $5/$10 hand: AhAx on 742hhx6xJx (18:20) $5/$5 hand: AsKx on 983sss (20:08) $5/$10 hand: AJo on T95r8ss (21:51) QsQx on K84sss7ssssKx (24:30) JJ (no spade) on Q93sxs (27:08) Double-board hold-em bomb pot: T8o on T63ssxKx and 962r4cc (28:32) KJo on J65hhxJxTx Your correspondent looks back at the poker fi...

(0:00) Introduction (0:15) How the legal battle facing California's card rooms might impact poker in the state (11:45) $5/$10 NLHE session (13:47) ATo on AT8cxcTccc (16:41) QhQx on 554xhh7hhh6x (18:44) AKo on Q98xdd5xJx (21:54) JJ on 972r3hh7x (23:24) QJdd on 976hdhThhh (24:58) A9dd on JTTrAss (27:40) A7ss on A65xss2x9x (29:27) AJdd preflop spot (30:56) A4cc preflop spot Your correspondent discuss...

(0:00) Intro (0:15) Distractions and mistakes (8:31) $5/$10 session (8:35) 95ss on Q96xxsJss8sss (9:49) T8ss on T83r2rK; thoughts on the population finding more river folds than they once did (11:43) KxQh on T83hhx2x2hhh (13:51) 97ss on K62xss3sss8x (15:30) 98o on J74ccx4ss (16:55) Jackpot! AA vs. QQ vs. TT on AQTT (19:52) JJ (no heart) on 983hhh2hhhh (21:28) AQcc on T94ccx8x8ccc (26:49) J7cc on Q...

(0:00) Intro (0:19) Chaos (8:18) $5/$5 NLHE session (8:30) KK (no heart) on Q76hhhJx8x (10:36) 77 on T42r7dd3x (12:40) 44 on J868r4 (14:33) AThh on 842cxcTss9x (16:11) AKdd on QJ5r7dd4x (18:28) KcKx on T85cxc6x Your correspondent discusses Barry Greenstein's idea of "chaos" -- the millions of kinds of luck in poker (or outside it) that seem further removed from the key elements of poker gameplay t...

(0:00) Intro (0:15) On turning a corner (10:38) $5/$5/$10 NLHE session (12:00) AQhh on 765rQx7 (14:02) QQ (no club) on J54xcc7ccc2x (18:00) AThh preflop spot (18:56) 8x7h on 653hhh9x8hhhh (20:34) AsJx on K97sxs3sss (22:43) T8dd on AJ9xdd Your correspondent looks back to a time when he had a big breakthrough in his poker results, and wonders what causes such breakthroughs. Then, he gets into a numb...

(0:00) Intro (0:15) What I've been up to (2:40) There's a right answer, but what is it? (10:25) $5/$5/$10 hand: AThh on A83xdd6x (15:25) AQo on Q83r4r (23:56) $5/$5/$10 session (25:14) AJo on AK6xcc9x8x (26:51) Ridiculous preflop spot with KK (30:34) AQo on AQ2dxdTx8x (32:51) AQo (again) on KJTrJccTx (33:59) AA on Q94hhx (35:22) TT on T72ccx6x6x (38:27) A9ss on 863ddxAhh Your correspondent thinks...

(0:00) Intro (0:15) A frustrating day at $5/$5 and $5/$10 (7:12) $5/$5 hand: 88 on 842hxh6ccAx (13:14) Poker as "founder training" (19:17) $5/$5 NLHE/standup game session (19:47) JJ all-in preflop (21:04) AKo all-in preflop (22:33) AA on A33ddx4x (23:32) AQo on A74hhxQhhh2hhhh (25:41) A8cc preflop Your correspondent discusses a frustrating day of poker, responds to Kelly Lucas' reaction to Erik Se...

(0:00) Social media and AI (2:32) Storytelling in poker (17:11) $5/$10 NLHE session (17:36) K9dd on A98ssdTsss2x (20:22) AdKx on 964ddd (22:28) AThh on QT5rAcc9x (24:33) KsJx on JT3sxsAx (26:00) TT (no spade) on J63sss6x9ssss (28:53) AA on QT2rKss4x (30:21) QJo on AT8cxcKhh4ccc Your correspondent thinks about the AI mini-scandal that recently engulfed the WSOP's "No Limit" docuseries. He lists som...

(0:00) Intro (0:15) "Ballad of a Small Player" (13:06) $5/$5 NLHE session (16:00) JJ preflop spot (17:40) AKdd preflop spot (19:02) AJdd on A54xdx3ss2x (22:18) AQo on AT5hxh6dd9x (24:09) AA on 322r (26:07) J9ss on T75ssx2sss4ssss Your correspondent discusses the new Netflix film “Ballad of a Small Player,” finding it more rewarding upon repeated viewings. He also picks up some big hands in a recen...

(0:00) Private games and the Chauncey Billups scandal (10:52) $5/$10 session (12:14) AKhh all-in preflop (13:00) 99 all-in preflop (15:38) AKo on K54r6ssQx (17:57) QhQx on AJ6hhxQx4hhh (20:01) QTcc on QT4hxhJx7hhh (21:41) JThh on AQ2hxxKx (23:25) AA on AQTr4ccJx Your correspondent discusses the Chauncey Billups scandal and Doug Polk's interview with Philip Wiszowaty and how, again, private games a...

(0:00) Intro (0:37) The Noble Hustle (11:18) $5/$10 session (12:47) TT on T77ddx8x2ddd (16:11) AcQx on 974cxcKxKccc (21:37) A4hh on Q76hxh (22:39) AKhh all-in preflop (26:20) J9cc on Q52ccxAccc8x (29:09) AKhh on 544hxxJhh (31:16) AJo on AJ4r4ccTx Your correspondent reviews Colson Whitehead’s 2014 poker diary “The Noble Hustle,” a beautifully written account of his brief foray into the poker world...

Your correspondent reviews the 2015 Canadian poker thriller “Cold Deck,” then recaps a relatively smooth (but imperfect) session at $5/$10. FORUM DISCUSSION: CLICK HERE 0:23 “Cold Deck” 11:49 $5/$5 and $5/$10 session 12:03 AJo on K63r4dd 14:08 J9cc preflop spot 15:43 AKo on AJ6ccx7x4x 16:54 KK on T94r9cc5x 19:44 KK (again) on T86hhx 22:27 AQo preflop spot 23:11 JhJx on T76hxhKhhh5x http://twitter....

Your correspondent discusses the potential ban on sweepstakes casinos in California, then reviews a $5/$5/$10 session in which he wonders how frequently he's getting bluffed. FORUM DISCUSSION: CLICK HERE 0:19 Thoughts on (more) law changes affecting poker players in California and elsewhere 6:06 $5/$5/$10 no-limit hold-em session 6:24 88 preflop 8:47 AQo on QJ3r 11:17 76hh on QJ2hxh4hhh7x 13:11 Ad...

Your correspondent watches the 2013 poker-adjacent film “Runner Runner,” then gets put in some tough spots at $5/$5/$10, making (at least) one big mistake along the way. FORUM DISCUSSION: CLICK HERE 0:15 Making adjustments to online poker with big antes 3:48 Watching “Runner Runner” 7:35 $5/$5/$10 session 7:56 AThh on Q54hxx9cc 10:21 AJo on J42ccxJhhKhhh 16:51 KK (no club) on Q98ccx 18:08 Quads al...

Your correspondent reflects on how private games cycle through players, and how public games in LA can compete with those of the private-game world, which offer newer side games. He also muses on a recent experiment that seems to point toward privatization even in tournaments in casinos. FORUM DISCUSSION: CLICK HERE 0:15 Scattered thoughts on private games and the way poker is changing 0:37 Derek...

Your correspondent plays a $5/$5/$10 session in which he wonders what to do facing a string bet, then navigates a long card-dead stretch. He also muses about the possibility of playing on stream. FORUM DISCUSSION: CLICK HERE 0:15 $5/$5/$10 session (with digressions) 1:26 Limit hold-em vs. no-limit hold-em 4:07 Weird string-bet spot: AJo (no clubs) on A95xccJxTccc 10:19 KsQx on JT2sssAxKx 13:00 Str...

Your correspondent reviews his recent trip to Las Vegas. Then, he discusses two new developments that are bad for poker: Will Kassouf's performance in the Main Event, and changes to US tax law. FORUM DISCUSSION: CLICK HERE 0:15 Being a tourist in Las Vegas 10:50 Will Kassouf in the Main Event 23:59 Big changes to the way poker players are taxed http://twitter.com/thirdwalking http://crushlivepoker...

Your correspondent offers his take on the controversy at the end of the Millionaire Maker last week, then reflects on the worst year of poker he’s ever endured, a year that he thinks (and hopes) is now over. FORUM DISCUSSION : CLICK HERE 0:58 The Millionaire Maker / Club WPT Gold controversy 11:16 Reflections on the past year http://twitter.com/thirdwalking http://crushlivepoker.com