So True… lol. The Professional Poker Player in a nutshell. I found this from James, who shared it in skype chat so I had to re-post it for everyone. Doing a new Thailand video, should be up on my YouTube in 48 hours or so.
Feb 142012
Dec 282011
Protest PokerStars! Mass Sit-out!
This sucks. PokerStars has decided to make changes in the VIP club and increase the rake in spite of all of the regs complaining about it. This will literally steals thousands of dollars from the regular grinders who have been loyal to PokerStars for years.
This change will take affect starting January 1st, 2012 and will drastically hurt ALL cash game players. Whether you are a once a month player, or a daily player, please join forces to help protest this shady increase in rake.
Sit out on January 1st 2012! 12pm EST.
And whether you are a poker player or not, at least help us out by visiting the Protest PokerStars Facebook page and click “like”
Dec 062011
Life Lessons of a Professional Online Poker Veteran
The life of a pro poker player seems like that of a glorious one. However, if you’re a poker player and haven’t been through tough times then I’d say you haven’t been doing it long enough. As I sit here typing on my laptop, my mind drifts into deep thought back to a time before I got into poker. I chose poker, it didn’t choose me. At least that’s what I would like to believe. But what if I didn’t take the path of poker. Where would I be now? How would my life be different? Most of all, what type of person would I be, and what values would I have or not have today?
I’m left wondering if I had made the right choice. Whether it was the path I was supposed to take or not, one thing remains certain… a poker player is what I am. I return from my brief day dream as my thoughts have now become clear with this realization. I have learned some of the most valuable lessons from internet poker; things that no teacher could have ever taught me.
How to deal with the variance of life.
I am a much different person now than I was 10 years ago. Poker has changed me, it has taken most of my emotion away from the everyday things.
When I play baseball, I notice the majority of my teammates over-expressing emotion when they strike out, make an error, or when the umpire makes a bad call. They lose control, their emotion shows in either temporary depression or in a fury of anger which leads to them playing worse and hurting the team.
If you looked into our dugout, you could tell by their actions if our team was winning or losing. You can see which teammates are having a good game and which ones were really sucking it up out there.
However, if you stared in my direction, you wouldn’t know if I was pitching a no hitter or if I just got rocked for a 5 run inning.
The biggest lesson I have learned, is to only worry about the things I can personally control. Now while that statement sounds very simple, it’s not a lesson I could’ve learned without years of poker.
Four months ago while living in Prague, I had lost my wallet during a night out drinking with friends. My wallet contained over 8,000 crowns ($500) that I had just withdrawn, my ATM card, my social security card, and all of my identification..
This happened about 9pm on the way to our first club, the accident occurred somewhere in or out of the taxi cab. The two girls I was with didn’t want to bring their purses out with them that night so I was juggling too many things in my pockets and somehow misplaced my wallet.
That night could have been one of the worst nights of my life being in a foreign country stuck with no money, identification or an ATM card. I understood that things like this happen and while it would be a mess to get it all back in the future, I didn’t let any of it affect my mood. I couldn’t change the fact my wallet was gone, but I could control how I felt that night and I did just that. That night was a blast, we had a great time and nothing about my bad beat affected me emotionally.
Click here for a story of the after effects of losing my wallet 
To be independent.
There are no co-workers, teammates, or bosses in poker. For you to survive, you must do it all by yourself. No one is there to make goals for you, set your work hours, or tell you if you are doing a good job.
I’ve learned to set the bar high and how to motivate myself in order to reach those goals. I enjoy a challenge and because I know how to challenge myself, I set goals that are often hard to reach. However, I know just how many hours and dedication is needed to reach those goals. Rewarding yourself for hard work is great and I feel extreme satisfaction when I hit those goals.
How to use all edges to win at life.
I was always good at strategy games as a kid. I played Risk, Chess, and Magic the Gathering. I enjoyed using my mind to beat my opponents. This transitioned well into Texas hold’em, which was a much simpler game with very few rules compared to my games of the past.
As online poker became tougher and tougher each year, I found that the even the smallest edges must be found and exploited in order to stay ahead of the curve. As I funded my life spotting these tiny advantages I realized that no edge should be wasted.
Now I can’t help but look at all the angles of everything I do. I’ve learned the true meaning of giving 100%. Whether it be pitching in a baseball game, picking up a girl at a bar, or planning a trip somewhere, I pay attention to every detail to make sure that I win at all of the things I can control.
Dec 032011
From Busto to slightly less Busto
Things are starting to get better. But i’d say its more that the future is something to be more excited about than it was when I was only looking at poker for the years to come.
Okay, so fiverr isn’t the answer to becoming a millionaire, but its one of many things I’ve been working on. My fiverr jobs “Things I will do for $5″ are post in the right column. What do you think?
So anyway let me put it this way…
Have you ever spent an incredibly long time working on project after project only to lose interest and have your bright idea end up slowly doing dim? Well my light was dim on all of my projects when something recently started happening with all of them.
Still a long way to go, keep checking back to see if I become a millionaire or fall harder than I did in October!
Dec 012011
Its been a little over a month since my “Completely Broke In Thailand” video. While I swore that I was quitting poker, somehow it was poker that has been keeping me 85% afloat. The other 15% has come from a variety of small projects I’ve been working on here and there as I continue to look for a better alternative to the stressful like of a small bankrolled poker player.
One of the surprising and mildly promising alternatives is Fiverr.com. This is My Fiver Page. While this site hasn’t produced big $$, its simplicity inspires some food for thought. I’ll be keeping it in the back of my mind as one good idea could yield a big score.
I entitled this article “The Path to Greatness” because that is nothing sort that what I wish to achieve. There are many projects, ideas, and events I have done in the past that have been nothing short of great. I’m ready to do something bigger, better, and greater than ever. But first I will need to find out what they will be and I’m sure it will require a lot of funds.
Until then, I will leave you with my friend’s website that I found quite interesting. Improve The Self is devoted to just that. Let me know what you think.
Oct 172011
Bangkok, Thailand October 17th 2011
It took a lot to post this video, especially knowing a lot of my friends on Facebook would see it. Facebook is like a mystical land where everyone post pictures of them having fun. Its a place for nice comments and where lots of love is shown… for the most part. I didn’t want everyone to know how fucked up my life is right now, kinda wanted to just leave Facebook as my escape to pretend everything is okay. Ah but fuck it, life isn’t perfect for anyone right?
It all started 6 months ago when I went to Prague to play baseball this summer. I was already kinda low on cash, my poker hourly rate was about $20 an hour saw a drop to about $5-10 an hour as Black Friday hit (which banned all bad american players from giving money away online) So as the summer went on, all of the professional USA players found a way to continue playing and the games got tougher and tougher to beat. With half of my time committed to my baseball team, the other half of the time spent playing poker didn’t see much profit like it used to.
Things only got worse as the summer came to and end. I had lost my wallet, with all of my cards, a lot of money and ids, etc. All I had left was my passport. I booked my flight to Bangkok, Thailand and moved into my new apartment on October 2nd, which after paying travel expenses, and my rent + deposits, I was left with $900, $200 of it was in Czech Crowns, which collect dust today because NO PLACE in Thailand will exchange them!
With $700 left, $500 on the poker site, $200 was spent on normal stuff in the 2 weeks I was here, cab rides, food, one night out drinking beer, a mouse pad, bathroom stuff, which was budget well, but not that $200 is only $12 and the $500 small poker bankroll was lost in the 2 weeks which happens. 8 stressful years of playing poker for a living and today is the worst and most stressful day ever. I’m leaving poker behind and now I will search for a new way to earn a living.
With $12 total to my name, rent paid for until November 1st, and no assets, and poker left behind… my adventure begins.
I will keep you guys posted on what happens.
In the meantime :
Thanks for viewing my blog and subscribing to my YouTube Channel! It means a lot!
If you want to help out
- keep watching my videos!
- subscribe on YouTube if you haven’t already
- leave comments
Its all appreciated it! If you really want to go a step further
- adamvanwildest (AT) gmail.com is my paypal address
- sandviper23 is my pokerstars screen name
I’ll be giving a free copy of My New E-Book to anyone that makes a donation.
Oct 032011
I didn’t realize just how much losing your wallet can epically hamper your life.
And yes.. epically is a word, I just evented it.
As we lost in the 1st round of the baseball playoffs, it marked the end of my time in Prague, Czech Republic. As broke as this summer has left me, it was time grind poker very hard until I had enough money for a flight to Bangkok, the city I’ve planned to live in the next half year or so.
It 10 straight days of focusing long hours on Pokerstars and I had made enough for a one way flight and new apartment rent and deposit cost. If it wasn’t for my alcoholic ways, I might of been able to shave a couple of days off that total.
Boom!
Ship it!
Last minute one way ticket from Prague to Bangkok, $434! Sweet Jesus, great deal. Normally the best price is $680-700ish. But fuck! I can’t book it, I lost my credit cards and atm cards when I lost my wallet. Okay, no big deal, I’ll find a friend to book it for me and ship him money. NO LUCK, everyone was gone or didn’t have a pokerstars account. CRAP! 24 hours later… ..
When I thought all hope was lost of snatching this sick last minute deal, my friend Pavel came to the rescue. We booked the flight and I was set to leave the next day early.
October 1st, Saturday 4:17am
It had marked 1 year since I left Las Vegas and now everything I owned was in a laptop bag and two suitcases waiting on the corner as the bus pulled into the stop. 1 hour later I arrived at the airport and was one of the first people to check in for my flight. No Money, Mo Problems
I hand the clerk at Aerosvit Airlines my confirmation number, passport and flight details, only to find that the flight wasn’t paid for! WTF? He tried to explain to me in broken English that my ticket was reserved, but I needed to pay for it. After 20 minutes of relentless arguing, I am pushed aside as new passengers approach the desk. Did Pavel’s credit card not go through?
Thinking back, I had lost out $100 the day before. We booked it on Cheapoair.com and at the last page, the credit card confirmation froze. Pavel was scared that it charged his card, but I got no confirmation email. We waited about 10 minutes then tried again, flight price went up from $434 to $530… crap… oh well bad beat, but we did get confirmation.
My cell phone had no time, I couldn’t call anyone, I use my laptop to check my email, sent Pavel a message if he could call me and double check my flight confirmations. I wait in line again… the clerk, who didn’t seem happy to see me, listened as I pleaded my case again and I showed him my email confirmations , however, he explained it didn’t matter because he computer showed different. If I wanted to fly, I would have to buy a new flight, $1,200.
My throat became dry, the pulse in my neck seemed to throb rapidly beyond my control. I did everything right, but I felt so helpless in this situation, it was 6am in the morning now, no one was awake, Pavel confirmed 100% with me the flight was booked and I already gave him my saved money. If I left now, would I lose my money? My only choice was to take a 1 hour bus back to Prague and grind poker for another week or two until I could purchase a new flight.
No!
I cut through the people at the desk and leaned over to get the clerk’s attention, I asked to speak to a manager. The clerk asked for my passport and left. I’ve heard horror stories about people booking through 3rd parties having major problems at airports before, but in all of my traveling days, I never experienced anything like this. I hear my name in broken English off in the distance, I follow the clerk across the airport to a “Student Agency” desk. He leaves.
The lady sitting behind the glass nods in recognition as I rant about my situation. I wait patiently while she hammers way at her computer keyboard. ”Do you have a return ticket?” she ask. ”No, I don’t have a return ticket, I’m not coming back to Prague” She then explains that to go to Thailand I would need a ticket showing that I would be leaving from Thailand in 30 days. I tell her I’m taking a train to leave the country, I’ll be traveling all over South East Asia, I don’t have a plane ticket to leave because I haven’t decided where I’ll go, maybe Australia, maybe New Zealand. She prints out some documentation and sets in front of me, I begin to read it as she resumes typing away at her computer.
The printed sheet explains the rules for foreigners arriving in Thailand, and how you can be denied entry, I already knew this stuff, but never had a problem before. She then hands me a paper with some new numbers on it. ”Those are your flight numbers, take them back to the desk”
I return to check in and rudely by pass the line to see my “friend” at behind the clerk’s desk. He sighed as I handed him the papers. 60 Seconds later I had my boarding pass in hand and my 2 suitcases were floating down the baggage loading isle. 2,400 crowns? What? Clerk Jerk now said that I needed to pay him ($150) because my baggage was over the kilo limit. 25 kilos, the limit is 20 kilos, 600 crowns per extra kilo, he was doing me a favor because he is only charging me 4 kilos instead of 5. No way, I told him to get my bags, I could easily remove 4-5 kilos that would be well less than $150 value.
However, my bags were already gone down the shoot, we starred at each other in silence for about 30 seconds, seemed a lot longer. ”fine” he said, “just go” WTF I thought. I shook his hand thanks and headed to the security gate.
Seriously though… WTF? I wonder if they ever pocket that money? And $35 per extra Kilo, that seems steep. I wonder if its even a legit fee? Such a stress morning so far, but the worst was yet to come.
I had been in Prague for 5 months without making a visa run or without paying for an extention. I was 2 months overstay and wasn’t sure what my fate would be. As I walk towards the passport control desks, I look at my options : An older man with thinning hair, a 20′s girl with brown hair, and a
I hand over my passport and try to breathe normally but my body seems to be holding my breath in uncontrollably. After flipping through it back and forth a few times, she becomes fixated on my arrival date. ”When did you arrive in Prague?” she questioned. ”I messed up” I explained. “I got here May 9th, 5 months ago, but I have traveled to several other countries thinking that I was able to do that, but I just realized a few days ago that I wasn’t allowed to do that” she responded. “Which countries, do you have proof?” I didn’t have proof, just showed her my Budapest Hostel shirt I intentionally wore for this encounter and explained how time just flew by as I traveled between hostels and drank a lot of beer.
STAMP!
BOOM!
RUN GOOD!
I was allowed through with no fees! Something was going right, I had read about similar situations in the past that had resulted in bans from the country and 200+ Euro fines before you could ever return.
13 hours and 2 flights of no sleep later. I landed in Bangkok. The Joneses is a good movie by the way. I really enjoy Californication and David’s part in this was similar. Now… just a few more stressful steps to get through before I can relax and sleep.
Thailand Customs
I wasn’t sure what to expect when I handed over my passport to the security at customs control. Was not having a return flight going to bite me in the ass? I had just spent 8 months in Thailand before Prague, was that going to be a problem? I didn’t apply for any Visa, just showed up, would that be okay?
YES!
Passport Stamp! No Questions, done and done.
Now all I had to do was exchange the little cash I had left into Thai Baht and then buy a cab over to my new apartment.
If only it was that easy! They do not take Czech Koruna at the airport. In Fact, they don’t take Czech Crowns anywhere in Thailand! No Thai Money, No Credit Card, No ATM card, No Wallet. AND… i realized my sim card was also in my lost wallet, so I can’t even use my phone in Thailand anymore. The worst part of it is, its 3:30am, I don’t know many people in BKK and they wouldn’t be awake right now anyway.
I grab my suitcases from baggage claim and sit down on a bench in defeat. I just want to sleep. Sleep for 10 hours, I lean back and close my eyes. I drift away into the dream world, my mind floating through space into a never ending existence and a new reality.
SNAP!
I have an idea, I log into my computer and check for WiFi, bingo. I get online and as luck would have it find Quinn, my friend who lives in the same apartment complex I am moving into. He agrees to help me, I take the taxi to the apartments and pay the driver when I arrive.
Welcome to Bangkok! May new and exciting adventures await.
My City Review Post : Prague, Czech Republic
Sep 152011
2011 New Team Poker Stars Pro Instructional Video
New 2011 Team Poker Stars Pro – Sandviper23 teaches you advance strategy in this internet poker instructional video. Sandviper takes you through 4 hands and explains new techniques that can be used in today’s online poker game.