About the Player
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About The Poker Player
My name is Joe Simmons. I am working professional poker player, among other things. I am not Tom “Durrr” Dwan. I only point out that I’m not Mr. “Durrr” because I read on a poker website he was up five million last year (online play). He’s the prototype player of the poker boom ; young Internet kid who can’t miss. I, on the other hand, rarely play online – I play in the casinos. (Note: I wrote this intro a year ago – before Black Friday and the current poker on the Internet crisis began)
I’ve been playing poker for 8 years now and I have had moderate success. In fact, many people would say I have been very successful. I have generated over eight hundred thousand in income from tournament play during that time period and made it to a television spot on the coveted World Poker Tour.
During that time I have also made a living playing in cash games all over the country playing almost every game that’s offered.
The poker world, however, is rife with volatility. “Easy Come, Easy Go” – that’s the mantra. In the 8 years I’ve been playing I have had my bankroll as high as four hundred and fifty thousand and I have gone broke twice.
My main issue has been money management. Second, playing above my bankroll in games that I could no longer afford because I wanted to a) get my money back and b) be known as a high limit player. My ego probably cost me a hundred thousand. Third, a huge chunk of my money went to tournament fees. The year my bankroll was the highest was also the year I spent the most in tournaments. This is when major tournament buy-ins were ten grand a pop. Add a World Series summer in Vegas and our hero has spent $175k , all under the disillusion that it’s the cost of doing business when you are trying to make a million dollars playing cards. In case u think I’m completely insane this was in 2006-2007 before the economy tanked.
I’ve learned how to manage my money better but I’m actually playing less and consequently making less money because I’m trying to do my music and this website. So I’m spending more money and making less which I have found can be a recipe for disaster if you run bad during that time. But that’s my dilemna and follows the STUCKFROMPOKER theme.
The real question is how can this site help u?
- I’m not going to teach anyone how to play poker better. Every man (or woman) for himself when it comes to that. I’m sure
some gems will leak out, though, because it hard to discuss something without some information spilling. I’ve been
lectured already about giving away trade secrets by one of the poker players I really respect. In general the game has
gotten hard enough as it is. Thank the guys on TV and the poker sites for this. (I would teach you how to play too if I was going to make millions from TV revenues and Internet rake.) - I will, however, discuss my own issues with the poker lifestyle. Things like how to buy a car (or house for that matter) when
no bank will give you a loan, The IRS, how to keep the energy positive in the game while you’re playing, health care, entrepreneurship on a poker bankroll, etc. These are things I’m still trying to work out. I will put my insights in my blog
along with my records from each session. - A blog is the perfect place for discussing poker because the blog changes daily and so does poker. New poker information
is absorbed by the players and the game changes again. - Entertainment Value. If you’re running bad remember I KNOW HOW IT FEELS.
- I’m not going to teach anyone how to play poker better. Every man (or woman) for himself when it comes to that. I’m sure