[stevek173]

Says he doesn't enjoy the game anymore.



Good run, guy has been good for the game.

Farewell, Doug.

[ArunSh]

Yeah, too bad, the guy was good for the game.

I totally understand where he's coming from though. Problem is to really make $ at poker long term you have to put in a lot of time/hours. And once you do that it doesn't (at least for me) stay fun, it's much more of a daily grind. And not many people (myself included) can tolerate that daily grind, particularly with the crazy swings that come along with it. Kudos to the few who can and make it in the end.

When I first started playing and winning (at low stakes), I thought I would be one of them without any problem, but the game is a lot harder than that and has become so much more challenging compared to the years right after the poker boom.

[blankoblanco]

Always enjoyed Doug Polk's videos. I also really understand how the passion's died down at the level he plays at. Not just that it's a huge grind but that once you start to approach "perfect" poker it really is mostly a math game where you're trying to be this perfectly balanced robot. It kinda loses the romanticism of stuff like Rounders or whatever, the things that got a lot of us into the game

Doug actually staked me for a brief period way back in the golden age. I'm sure I was one of many, but we chatted a few times, he was always a nice dude

[stevek173]

Always enjoyed Doug Polk's videos. I also really understand how the passion's died down at the level he plays at. Not just that it's a huge grind but that once you start to approach "perfect" poker it really is mostly a math game where you're trying to be this perfectly balanced robot. It kinda loses the romanticism of stuff like Rounders or whatever, the things that got a lot of us into the game

Doug actually staked me for a brief period way back in the golden age. I'm sure I was one of many, but we chatted a few times, he was always a nice dude

Wow, that's really cool. Yeah I saw Doug at a casino I was playing at and he seemed really cool.

Was your staking on PTP? If you don't know what that is/was don't worry about it.

Just asking because I had a dude stake me there that was/is super cool and now plays super high stuff. Staked many for micro stuff there as well.

[blankoblanco]

PTP = part time poker right? But nah it wasn't that, at this point I think Doug was just doing some staking on his own. Or at least he's the only guy I talked to. It would've been in either '09 or '10. I had a close poker buddy who knew Doug and he vouched for me

[stevek173]

Yeah Part Time Poker. Place was alright back in the day.

That's pretty cool man, good to hear that his nice guy appearance is legit.

[cincinnatikid513]

poker gets really boring especially tournaments which last so long

[JoeCool20]

Yeah, too bad, the guy was good for the game.

I totally understand where he's coming from though. Problem is to really make $ at poker long term you have to put in a lot of time/hours. And once you do that it doesn't (at least for me) stay fun, it's much more of a daily grind. And not many people (myself included) can tolerate that daily grind, particularly with the crazy swings that come along with it. Kudos to the few who can and make it in the end.

When I first started playing and winning (at low stakes), I thought I would be one of them without any problem, but the game is a lot harder than that and has become so much more challenging compared to the years right after the poker boom.

Yeah I can see how you "thought" you might be a guy who could win at poker. (Low stakes or not) But after seeing your way too many posts on here about things that "annoy" you, I quickly realized that you could never stand the bad beats and "crazy swings" that come along with playing REAL CASH poker. All anybody on here needs to know is why you EVER claimed I was "annoying." One time in pizza poker, you went all in on a draw against me, and YOU DONKED IN YOUR DRAW! But I had 2 pair, and I "back donked" you with a full house on the last card. So I simply posted the words:
"LOL You went all in on a draw?" And you were so steamed that you went crazy and started assuming that I thought you made a "bad call". All because of my little comment that you could have just said YES to!! "Yes J-Cool, I went all in on a draw!" But instead you were so steamed that you made a thread about the hand and asked others if they would go all in or call all in with that draw! All the while I was pm-ing you and saying: "Dude I NEVER said it was a 'bad call' stop assuming shit on me!" All to no avail. You NEVER relented from wrongly assuming that I had accused you of playing:
"bad poker" when the stakes were only for pizza points! LOL Then you gave away 2700 of your OWN points comparing me to Waves in some stupid "Holiday Celebration" of a ban that I got!! And you also started making LYING posts about me on the forum!! LOL All because I said the words: "LOL You went all in on a draw?" Dude you must be kidding or retarded! But wait! There is more! After all that over a hand of pizza poker, you just kept on & on whining about pizza poker until other people got sick of it themselves! Then all of a sudden, I was evinced, and you were lambasted for your constant bitching! And you took off from the whole poker forum!

Dude, you need to stay away from ALL types of poker. Because you get way too caught up in thinking that "correct play" will somehow make it where you win all the time. It just doesn't work that way dude. And you don't have the ability to let the "crazy swings" roll off your back. You have a problem moving on from them. Just take a break for a while bro.
It ain't about me, but when the purely innocent words: "LOL You went all in on a draw?"
(in a game of pizza poker no less) made you go freakish, it was time to take a break way back then.

[stevek173]

JoeCool I know nothing about Arunsh except for him being a good enough opponent at the tables for me to not want to be in hands with him (unlike yourself, with all due respect) - someone I am sure is more than capable of playing for a living and I believe nothing he said to be untrue.

Please do me a favor and don't even respond to this post and/or continue to try to start an e-battle in this thread, as this thread was meant to be a tribute to as far as I'm concerned someone whom has done more for the game than maybe 50-100 people ever in Doug Polk (he virtually started the "vlogging era" - and we can thank him and people like him for Neeme, Burton, etc.), stepping away from the game at a very young age, and Blanco's post further elaborated on how deeply cool Doug is - to help someone get going in the game that he hardly even knew.

Arunsh and Cincy both brought up great points about the grind being tough on the mind. Never a tournament player live myself (only cash) the grind got to me too and both times I did it for a few months full time with moderate low stakes success the mental part of some vicious swings lead me to seek mental stabilization in other avenues of income. I might go back to playing part time at some point. If anything I'm worried about some deeply cool friends I made playing, both players and dealers (and other staff people as well actually), and I truly hope they are doing well.

The bottom line is the game needs as many truly good souls as it can get in the game more than ever right now, so it hurts me to see someone like Doug step away so early.

But I get it. It's not for everyone.

[clockwise1965]

I subscribe to Doug's YouTube channel and liked when he broke down poker hands.

I'm sure he will do well in whatever he decides to do professional.

Good luck Doug.

[PaperTrail07]

Lost the entertainment value a while ago....who wants a 1-2 game where book readers play top 7's....people eat during play....constant smoke breaks.....coughing sick people still at table.....BUY IN PERIODS in tournaments that will make you play ALL FUCKN DAY-always rebuys to hit their gurantee....Dealer Add On's that are essentially forced (get people need paid) but damn.......not easy to win and when you do it seems hardly worth it.......

[Itsamazing777]

noone wins any more
spread out among more players thats all

[blankoblanco]

Yeah I can see how you "thought" you might be a guy who could win at poker. (Low stakes or not) But after seeing your way too many posts on here about things that "annoy" you, I quickly realized that you could never stand the bad beats and "crazy swings" that come along with playing REAL CASH poker. All anybody on here needs to know is why you EVER claimed I was "annoying." One time in pizza poker, you went all in on a draw against me, and YOU DONKED IN YOUR DRAW! But I had 2 pair, and I "back donked" you with a full house on the last card. So I simply posted the words:
"LOL You went all in on a draw?" And you were so steamed that you went crazy and started assuming that I thought you made a "bad call". All because of my little comment that you could have just said YES to!! "Yes J-Cool, I went all in on a draw!" But instead you were so steamed that you made a thread about the hand and asked others if they would go all in or call all in with that draw! All the while I was pm-ing you and saying: "Dude I NEVER said it was a 'bad call' stop assuming shit on me!" All to no avail. You NEVER relented from wrongly assuming that I had accused you of playing:
"bad poker" when the stakes were only for pizza points! LOL Then you gave away 2700 of your OWN points comparing me to Waves in some stupid "Holiday Celebration" of a ban that I got!! And you also started making LYING posts about me on the forum!! LOL All because I said the words: "LOL You went all in on a draw?" Dude you must be kidding or retarded! But wait! There is more! After all that over a hand of pizza poker, you just kept on & on whining about pizza poker until other people got sick of it themselves! Then all of a sudden, I was evinced, and you were lambasted for your constant bitching! And you took off from the whole poker forum!

Dude, you need to stay away from ALL types of poker. Because you get way too caught up in thinking that "correct play" will somehow make it where you win all the time. It just doesn't work that way dude. And you don't have the ability to let the "crazy swings" roll off your back. You have a problem moving on from them. Just take a break for a while bro.
It ain't about me, but when the purely innocent words: "LOL You went all in on a draw?"
(in a game of pizza poker no less) made you go freakish, it was time to take a break way back then.

Aaand Joe freakout outta nowhere

[stevek173]

Lost the entertainment value a while ago....who wants a 1-2 game where book readers play top 7's....people eat during play....constant smoke breaks.....coughing sick people still at table.....BUY IN PERIODS in tournaments that will make you play ALL FUCKN DAY-always rebuys to hit their gurantee....Dealer Add On's that are essentially forced (get people need paid) but damn.......not easy to win and when you do it seems hardly worth it.......

Strictly talking cash I think so much of it is when/where you play. 2 o'clock on a Tuesday afternoon? Sure - expect it to be only regs playing top starting hands because the recreational players have jobs.

12:30 am Saturday morning? I can tell you multiple rooms where you can chase alcohol infused donks around for a few hours.

But yeah like many things -

It ain't what it used to be.

At least online's opening up for us a little bit as far as legality. Now if we could just get something besides sharks and bots on the tables in that climate....

Well that'd be refreshing, to say the least.

Back to Polk and vloggers - who are some of your favorites anyone?

I do like Polk and Owens but I find their stakes/strategies tough to relate to so I veered away from them. Very entertaining though.

Andrew Neeme my clear cut #1, James Burton solid and Matt Vaughan is very good, imo.

[PaperTrail07]

Used to love online-----due to the lull I checked out 5D poker and Bovada--I remember Why I quit playing lol.....win or lose its trash

Strictly talking cash I think so much of it is when/where you play. 2 o'clock on a Tuesday afternoon? Sure - expect it to be only regs playing top starting hands because the recreational players have jobs.

12:30 am Saturday morning? I can tell you multiple rooms where you can chase alcohol infused donks around for a few hours.

But yeah like many things -

It ain't what it used to be.

At least online's opening up for us a little bit as far as legality. Now if we could just get something besides sharks and bots on the tables in that climate....

Well that'd be refreshing, to say the least.

Back to Polk and vloggers - who are some of your favorites anyone?

I do like Polk and Owens but I find their stakes/strategies tough to relate to so I veered away from them. Very entertaining though.

Andrew Neeme my clear cut #1, James Burton solid and Matt Vaughan is very good, imo.

[clockwise1965]

I never played high stakes poker online or anything close.

I would normally play 50 or 100 dollar sit n goes on Pokerstars back in the day.

Poker just doesn't seem the same anymore. I'm not sure if I lost interested in poker or I just got older.

I can't imagine having to grind out a living playing poker. I think the swings would be too much for me.

I play occasionally now. We have a local card room that spreads a 20/40 limit holdem game.

The 20/40 game is about the extent of my poker these days.

Good luck all.

[JoeCool20]

JoeCool I know nothing about Arunsh except for him being a good enough opponent at the tables for me to not want to be in hands with him (unlike yourself, with all due respect) - someone I am sure is more than capable of playing for a living and I believe nothing he said to be untrue.

Please do me a favor and don't even respond to this post and/or continue to try to start an e-battle in this thread, as this thread was meant to be a tribute to as far as I'm concerned someone whom has done more for the game than maybe 50-100 people ever in Doug Polk (he virtually started the "vlogging era" - and we can thank him and people like him for Neeme, Burton, etc.), stepping away from the game at a very young age, and Blanco's post further elaborated on how deeply cool Doug is - to help someone get going in the game that he hardly even knew.

Arunsh and Cincy both brought up great points about the grind being tough on the mind. Never a tournament player live myself (only cash) the grind got to me too and both times I did it for a few months full time with moderate low stakes success the mental part of some vicious swings lead me to seek mental stabilization in other avenues of income. I might go back to playing part time at some point. If anything I'm worried about some deeply cool friends I made playing, both players and dealers (and other staff people as well actually), and I truly hope they are doing well.

The bottom line is the game needs as many truly good souls as it can get in the game more than ever right now, so it hurts me to see someone like Doug step away so early.

But I get it. It's not for everyone.

Aaand Joe freakout outta nowhere

LOL You don't want to "be in hands" with him, but you do want to "be in hands" with me? LOL I've been playing poker for 30 years! Like one person is "better" than another after you know which "correct decisions" to make?! It just comes down to who gets "donk lucky" after that! Dude this is a forum for posts! Just read what I said and move on! It's not an "e-battle!" The Arun dude won't say a word to me when I can respond! He only ran his mouth when I couldn't reply!
I got a ban, and I returned to see this idiot Arunsh had made lying posts about me calling me a scammer, and "celebrated" my banning by giving away 2700 of his points while comparing me to Waves. I'm not taking that!
And he did it all like a pu$$y when I couldn't even reply to defend myself! Well I can now! And I will.
So now I am putting it right back up his ass to see how he likes the dumb shit when somebody doesn't even know you, but they run their mouth about you. And I was not even "mouth running!" I was only explaining WHY the dumb-ass Arun decided that I was "annoying"!! It was because of a hand of freaking pizza poker that he whined about & "wrongly assumed" that I was saying he made a 'bad call' when I NEVER said that!
Now comes the "fairness" thing from me! Why would you post this to me but you never posted anything to him?
Where were your posts to HIM when he was bashing ME and telling lies about me on here?
Don't make a post about me when I'm only defending myself by "returning fire" to an idiot liar if you didn't make any posts to him when he was bashing me and telling lies about me! That's just dumb! Take care Stevie!

[DoctorStrong]

always enjoyed watching him on televised poker events

[JoeCool20]

Strictly talking cash I think so much of it is when/where you play. 2 o'clock on a Tuesday afternoon? Sure - expect it to be only regs playing top starting hands because the recreational players have jobs.

12:30 am Saturday morning? I can tell you multiple rooms where you can chase alcohol infused donks around for a few hours.

But yeah like many things -

It ain't what it used to be.

At least online's opening up for us a little bit as far as legality. Now if we could just get something besides sharks and bots on the tables in that climate....

Well that'd be refreshing, to say the least.

Back to Polk and vloggers - who are some of your favorites anyone?

I do like Polk and Owens but I find their stakes/strategies tough to relate to so I veered away from them. Very entertaining though.

Andrew Neeme my clear cut #1, James Burton solid and Matt Vaughan is very good, imo.

Yes, now back to the point and topic of the thread. (Which I apologize for going off topic.)

Playing "correct poker" and trying to "grind away" at it is terribly frustrating when you get donked over

& over by "amateur goofballs" going for wild draws! It used to be a lot easier to find an "easy table" full of bad

players or drunks. But now, SO MANY people know how to play "good poker" that it is just a grind/battle

of who gets the luckiest! Just like most of these daily tourneys on here are!


It's just too "grindy" & not worth it to play for real money anymore and just "hope" you get luckier than the

other good players! I'd rather play the "Ultimate hold em" game in the casino and just try to beat the dealer!

[stevek173]

Joe,

I've played you many times.

You're almost as bad of a poker player as you are a poster, so I certainly understand why you'd see playing any game against the house as more of a +ev opportunity for yourself than any poker table - and you're probably right.
All the best.

[JoeCool20]

Joe,

I've played you many times.

You're almost as bad of a poker player as you are a poster, so I certainly understand why you'd see playing any game against the house as more of a +ev opportunity for yourself than any poker table - and you're probably right.
All the best.

LOL I'm "bad"?? You have played me on THIS ridiculous software only! So you are talking about pizza poker!

So let's talk pizza poker then! One time this shit wouldn't even let me win with AA for a couple of months!

Then when the money game came, I won $200!!
Try to stay hushed up until you beat that in pizza poker boy! LOL

[JoeCool20]

Also I would say that I'd destroy you in a cash game! I'd say I would destroy EVERYBODY on here in a cash game!
But I know much better than that! We would all play very good poker and then the person who got the luckiest that night would be the one that won the most money!
Then if we played again the next night, the luckiest player would win that night! I'd rather play ANY game of chance than try to "grind out" lucky winning sessions of poker against other good players!!! Because since it is ALL freakin luck, then at least when you play Ultimate Hold em "correctly" in the casino, the freakin luck is over in seconds instead of hours!!

[Enkhbat]

So what is he gonna do under lockdown?

[MrSink]

I really enjoyed his poker related videos as entartainment. good for poker and cool dude. liked his sense of humour

[stevek173]

I really enjoyed his poker related videos as entartainment. good for poker and cool dude. liked his sense of humour

If you think he's funny (which I agree) you should most definitely check out Andrew Neeme. He's hysterical, but in a cool way. You probably know of him but if not I highly recommend as well as James Burton.

Enkhbat he hasn't said what he will be doing, that I know of. I know that some of them, when they're set money wise, move on to other things. A favorite of mine pre black Friday was Cole South, who moved on and now invests in start ups.

Annie Duke whom not everyone likes (but I think is great) walked away from poker after tremendous success and now does all kinds of other things.

Polk's Wikipedia is a ridiculous pretty story, I'm sure whatever he does next it'll be cool. My money's on him coming back to the game at least as a hobby down the road at some point.

Unrelated but did any of you try the Neagranu Masterclass?

I doubt I wil but the commercials are pretty good. Always a big fan of that guy.

[RudyRuetigger]

he has said that for the last year or two

[clockwise1965]

My son purchased Daniel Negreanu's masters class content.
He liked the content and thinks it improved his game.

Daniel's a likeable guy and a very good player.

[MrSink]

Power Holdem Strategy by Daniel Negranu was my first ever poker related book . Back in the days I ve bought that book from pokerstars points . It gave me a spark and I ve never ooked back .

thanks stevek , I will have those names in my mind .

regarding masterclass I have not use that but my guess is that knowledge would be very basic . if you are playing ocasionally and trying to get some confidence in the game this will help for sure