Third Man Walking

Your correspondent tries to fight off bad thoughts while playing $5/$10 and $5/$5 at two casinos.

FORUM DISCUSSION:

1:05 On the "dead zone" in late afternoon public poker games
2:32 $5/$10 NLHE session
2:39 AKcc all-in preflop
3:17 KK all-in preflop
4:14 KK all-in preflop (again)
5:46 JJ on QT2hxh4cc
8:15 QTss on QJ6rAxA
10:22 $5/$5 session later that day at a different casino
13:27 AKo all-in preflop
17:34 JJ on T32sxs2x
18:21 AQcc KJ8cxxQx
19:52 AJss all-in preflop

Recent WPT champion Ilyas Muradi joins Third Man Walking to discuss his improbable path to poker glory.

I learned about Muradi's story from the following articles:

Sean Chaffin: "WPT champion's journey: Ilyas Muradi transitions from detention to domination"

Charles Rabin: "From immigration 'cage' to newest poker champ at Hard Rock. An Afghan refugee's luck returns"

Spencer Woodman: "'Solitary Voices' detainee wins big, but remains in immigration limbo"

Your correspondent reviews a recent break-even stretch. He then considers recent rumors of cheating in high-stakes private games and offers a simple solution: Stop playing private games, and come play poker at casinos instead. Finally, he reviews a recent 5/10 session.

0:58 Why we shouldn't assume downswings have obvious causes
1:34 Whiny bad-beat story: 5/5/10/20/40 KK on TT3rAx
3:26 Nearly a catastrophic punt: 5/10/20 AKcc on 543ssc9sss8ssss
9:37 Thoughts on Nik Airball's accusations against Mars
10:45 Don't play private games
12:19 *Do* play poker in casinos
15:13 5/10 NLHE session
16:07 KQss on 764hsh5ss4sss
18:48 AJdd on QT9rQx4
20:02 55 on Q52r7dd
21:48 KJo (no diamond) on K82ddd2x4x
23:38 QQ on 966r
25:26 Q9cc on 952sxs9xTsss
29:58 KThh on QT2hxh3x9x
31:50 QQ on 986cxc3x
40:22 KQo on KT4r9hhJx

FORUM DISCUSSION:

Your correspondent asks whether, in the next ten years, poker will get tougher at the same rate it has in the last ten. Then, he reviews a recent $10/$20/$40 session.

2:37 Vanessa Selbst (44) vs. Kevin MacPhee (A9o) in the 2012 EPT Main Event (Watch here: )
6:10 How and why players will get better in the future
7:35 Why non-NLHE poker variants will continue to grow in importance
13:25 $10/$20/$40 NLHE session (and an explanation of the rules of the many sub-games we played)
16:20 Capped double-board PLO bomb pot: K764 on a top board of KK4 and a bottom board of JT3xhh
19:00 TT all-in preflop
19:56 TT (again) on 955r
24:13 99 all-in preflop
25:08 QTo on Q65rJssJx
26:50 Capped double-board PLO bomb pot: KKJ2 on a top board of T76xhh and a bottom board of AK3r
29:47 Q3cc on Q88ddc7cc5ccc
32:40 A3ss on K97sxx8ss
34:38 Q8dd preflop

Third Man Walking Episode 5, on the poker ecosystem and the rate at which it changes:

Third Man Walking Episode 51, which reviews hands from the 2003 WSOP Main Event:

FORUM DISCUSSION:

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’ book Billion Dollar Hollywood Heist

5:54 Curtis’ cheating in an underground blackjack game

6:22 Deck-switching in an underground poker game

7:52 How Curtis got to play in Molly Bloom’s game

10:12 Curtis’ friendship with Russ Hamilton

12:52 Curtis’ arrest over debts with a casino

16:14 5/10 session review

16:23 74ss on 654r6dd

19:13 JJ on QQ78K

21:37 AcTx on T93ccc9x4cccc

24:25 AThh on 843hhx

26:17 Programming note

Cardplayer.com article naming Curtis and Rick Mahr as executive producers:

Kahnawake Gaming Commission report on Ultimate Bet cheating scandal that names the H_Curtis account:

PokerFraudAlert interview (relevant portion starts at around 1:34):

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