Bio

I have been playing poker for over 45 years. For years we played dealer's choice and played an array of poker games. Once Moneymaker won the WSOP main event my home games shifted to NLH and never looked back. In 2017 a casino opened up in the local area giving more opportunity to play poker.

I really enjoy the competitive nature and the studying necessary to be good at poker. The more I learn about poker the more I realize how much more there is to master to be good. This is especially true when I transitioned from cash to tournament poker.

One of the biggest tips that I have for the APT community is to work on having a strong mind set when playing poker. Tournament poker is fun but it can be a brutal game when the bad beats continuously roll in. It is crucial to be able to maintain a level head and continue to play your A game throughout the game.

Bio

I started playing home games with my parents in 4th grade. We had a weekly game in college. I played hard when the online poker boom hit turning $300 into $87,000 in three years mostly grinding away at bonuses. These days, I only play live poker. Online jumped the shark (for me at least) when all of the trackers were keeping track of hands played. So people that did not even have a history against you, knew your aggression level, etc. I moved to live and have not looked back.

Poker is the ultimate unsolvable game as you rarely have complete information. You can play ABC, but the crazy LAG puts in a bet of 3X pot and gets you to fold. You are not just playing your cards, but your opponent and his cards too. It's the ultimate battle of wits yet can be super relaxing too.

Doyle said something many years ago and I never forgot it: If you bet 1/3 to 1/4 of your opponent's chips, he is interpreting that as you are likely to go all-in on the next street. It's a great way to manufacture strength from position while minimizing the chips you put in danger.

Bio

I'm 63 years old, born and live in Lisboa, Portugal. I'm a collectibles dealer, and I have a small shop here.

I've been playing poker online for 15 years, but only now in the last year did I take it more seriously. This wonderful game that I love so much is a great medicine and exercise for my brain and my cognitive abilities.

I'm a break-even player but I have a master plan that makes my poker life very exciting. Most importantly, I have a dream, when I turn 70 years old I will play the WSOP Main Event in Las Vegas!

I study 1 hour and play 2 Sit&Gos a day plus 3 MTTs a week. I know is not much but it's a start! About Advanced Poker Training, all I have to say is excellent, I've been a user for 5 months, although it hasn't reflected on the results yet, I feel a lot stronger and more confident, and I'm sure it's going to make me a much better player and help me fulfill my goals.

I particularly like Alex Fitzgerald (I'm a proud NIT so he helped me loosen up a bit with his aggression), Kenna James (very empathetic, an excellent teacher, his videos give me great pleasure) and of course Steve Blay (mentor of the best poker site in the world and great video lessons).

I hope that APT will continue to do this magnificent work for many, many years to come! Good luck everyone and let's go!

Bio

I've been playing poker for a long time. I learned poker before I started pre-school. I didn't start playing seriously until 2006. I was transferred to London and, after a short time playing online, I started playing in live tournaments and enjoyed it ever since. With moving back to Houston post Black Friday, most of my poker time has been spent playing live tournaments on APT to keep me learning.

I enjoy poker for the competition, the people I meet through playing, but mostly from the continuous learning I get from playing. I learn about myself in making decisions and managing risk which I can use in other venues. I like the variety of games; so I enjoy playing Omaha, HORSE, and other mixed games even though I still have a lot to learn. I have had the chance to play against some well known poker celebrities which is something you can't do in many other professions.

My advice: Focus on the decisions you make rather than the outcome. I go back to the review the critical decisions I made during the tournament and determine if the decision was correct for the situation. The replay feature on APT is a good tool to do this. Also, I try to take good notes on all of the people I play against on a continuing basis. Over time, taking notes and actually using the information improves the win rate significantly.

Bio

I have been playing poker for as long as I can remember. Ever since I was a young boy, my brother and I would regularly play card games with our Dad at the dining room table. Some of our favorites were games like: "Follow the Lady", "7 Card no Peek", and of course a favorite of Stu Ungar's "Gin".

What I like most about poker, and more in particular Texas HoldEm, is that the game embodies wonderful complexities such as human psychology, mental stamina, and mastering one's emotions. The social aspect is quite a fun experience as well, it's a game that invites anyone from all different backgrounds. Poker is a game that is timeless, one can continue to grow and master it throughout all stages of life.

The evolution of A.I., solvers, and GTO strategies show us that by removing emotion and focusing on optimal frequency we can reach equilibrium with that of a computer. I attribute a large part of my professional success in poker to my mentor "The Mad Genius of Poker" Mike Caro. Mike took the time to coach me on a 1 on 1 basis, and it is something that I will forever be grateful for. He is such a wonderful and ethical human being. Mike has mastered the game, and in my opinion he has not received the credit that he so well deserves for his contributions to the community. Who could forget, Mike wrote the first successful computer program to play against human beings (and win), its name was "Orac".

If you want to become a great poker player, you must learn to master your emotions. There will be a lot of ups and downs, but just as in life, if you take failure as an opportunity to learn, there isn't anything that can stop you from becoming great!

Bio

I have been playing poker for 11 years. One evening in 2008 as I was having difficulty sleeping, I picked up the remote and clicked through the channels. I stumbled upon Poker After Dark, which used to air in New York at 2:05 AM. Almost immediately, I became fascinated by the personalities, the strategies, the depth of the game. Texas Holdem was something that I had no familiarity with. I began to learn about the game. Full Tilt Poker was one of the online sites that advertised on PAD. I opened a play money account on FT and began to play and learn. A month or two later, I deposited some cash and entered the micro limits, playing 2NLH (.01/.02), and some micro tournaments. As my skills and bankroll increased, I moved up the limits.

In the Spring of 2009, I played in a free tournament on FT, with the prize being an entry into the Main Event of WSOP. The top seven places were awarded the prize. There were about 1000 entrants. I was able to place in the top seven. Unfortunately, I was unable to get time off from work to play in the Series, which I would have liked to have done. FT was very understanding, and allowed me to keep the $10,000. I continued playing online until Black Friday (4/15/11).

In the fall of 2009, I visited Foxwoods in Connecticut and gave live poker a try for the first time. I definitely got “beat up” a bit initially, until I managed to make the necessary adjustments from online to live play. I have been playing at Foxwoods fairly regularly ever since then. Unfortunately, the options for online poker in New York are not all too desirable, so I do not play all that much online these days. I hope that online poker will eventually be legalized in New York where I live.

Poker has become a passion for me. I am intrigued by the challenges of growing in the mastery of the theory, math, psychology, and overall complexity and richness of the game. I have met some very interesting people at the tables as well. I am always looking to challenge myself to move to the next level. I have found Advanced Poker Training to be a wonderful resource in bringing my game to the next level. APT draws my attention to those areas in the game that I need to work on. APT provides the tools that are necessary to do that work. Additionally, I utilize instructional materials put out by individuals such as Jonathan Little, Alexander Fitzgerald, and James “SplitSuit” Sweeney. I strive toward understanding as many nuances of the game as possible.

If I have any “poker secrets”, it is the following. First and foremost, develop and maintain a love for the game. Be honest and identify both one’s strengths and weaknesses. Devote a fair amount of time studying and improving one’s poker skills off the table. Finally, work on maintaining the correct mindset while at the tables.

Bio

It's not a real experience behind me, I think I was quite unlucky when it really started.. When I started it was right on the eve of what would have been the famous Black Friday of Full Tilt Poker, I started from there with the always useful books by Dan Harrigton on Hold'em and David Slansky, but in that period I only played for three months. There was the famous Black Friday and consequently living in Italy and then poker being completely illegal even in small clubs I was never able to continue. In that same period where I live, there was even a law that was intended to eradicate any live tournament in clubs, they called it "zero tolerance for poker tournaments." It was later legalized only online thanks to the entrance into the field of the famous Pokerstar, which I never digested, for obvious reasons. In Italy there was only that one plus other small rooms, but the level was truly horrendous. There were mostly people who came from soccer or horse betting.. In short, with Full Tilt's Black Friday I had abandoned the idea of playing, but I continued to read books and occasionally follow him on YouTube. I have always liked this variant of poker, because you are always alone with yourself and it is a constant challenge in terms of decisions. You cannot count on anyone, only on yourself, and to use the words of Doyle Brunson, it is a war.

I came back to poker in 2020 or 2021 I think during the covid quarantine through APT, because I wanted to start building a bankroll to go live, but I didn't make a serious commitment to it, because I already knew that after the quarantine it would be hard to rebuild the entire job and get clients back. I came back just last month by signing up on APT reading books on GTO by Dara O'Kearney, even if I find it too concise reading, replaying the first tournaments on Pokerstar, which I still don't like, but from scratch for now I have managed to build a bankroll of around € 400. I had some final tables at the micros narrowly missing the victory. I'm trying to build a bankroll online to go live, because I've always thought that this game must be experienced live, online lacks the emotional part for which people often refuse to play and cheating. I just hope to succeed and have the opportunity to sign up for a real tournament like the WSOP or the WPT. after gaining experience in some minor live tournaments.

So that's the answer to your question and to be more precise, why I like it, it's that constant challenge with yourself, in getting as far as possible in a tournament, the factor of improving and always keeping in mind all the times we played badly, your mindset. It's a challenge with your head and everyone else, and like every challenge, this one also requires a solution to get to a right compromise.

One thing I understood for sure, when we lose, we have to accept it to avoid the tilt, it had to go this way, it's part of the process, it's part of improving, even when we did everything well and we were unlucky.

I have no advice on poker, or do I presume to give any, because there is always something to learn. The only advice I could give is to go "running", outside on the street, at the beach, regardless of the weather. Since I added running to my workouts along with the gym in the last two years, my resistance and resilience have improved a lot. Why do I recommend running to everyone now, because it is a constant challenge with your head that tells you to give up, it is too hard and the results are slow to arrive. This helps to have a strong mind and above all a lot of patience on a mental level. I do this twice a week at 6:00 a.m. Along with this, read a lot but not just poker. I am the one who still buys paper books.

Bio

I've been playing poker since the 1960's, at family gatherings. Mostly Seven Card Stud and some wildcard games. My first trip to Vegas in the mid 90's the games were mostly 7-stud.

We didn't get gambling in Indiana till later when Holdem started. I like going to the Casinos to pick up a little side money.

The last couple of months I have been paying attention to the starting hand charts and my position with those hands . I think that is what helped a lot. I have also made quite a few more friends while playing at the Casinos.

Bio

I have been playing cards for over SEVENTY years and playing poker for more than FIFTY. Poker keeps your mind active and gives you social contact. And results are based on skill and decisions, not necessarily LUCK.

Adapting is important -- currently low entry tournaments with six levels of rebuys and/or reentries have changed the game -- making it harder to be profitable.

Recently I've gone back to cash games and to get better prepared bought Alex Fitzgerald's Cash Game Dominance and listened to every word. It has GREAT CONTENT and his teaching methods drove home IMO what one needs to know to make 1-2, 1-3 and 2-5 cash games PROFITABLE. Knowledge is power.

Bio

I've been playing poker since 2005. A friend introduced me to NL hold'em. My love for the game last much longer than the friendship.

I love the challenge. Every time I sit down to play it's like a new beginning, facing decisions I've never faced before, new players, new environments, new stakes. I never really get bored. But if I do, I just mix up where and what I play. I also love encouraging younger players in their development.

My advice: Have fun. Enjoy the journey if you're on one. If not, enjoy the moment. But if you want to win consistently, you need to be prepared to work hard away from the felt. Once I made that decision/transition, the game became much more fun and much more profitable.

Bio

I have been playing poker since High School. Nothing serious or more than a home game until my 30s. (I'm 59)

For me, poker is a competitive atmosphere that I truly enjoy. Your level of play can always be improved with study. The first poker book I read was by Phil Hellmuth. The second (way over my head) was Mathematics of Poker by Chen. That helped me see the game from a whole new perspective.

My Edge, my big secret is get/hire a coach, and out work every other player off the felt by studying the game. Practice every day. I continue to pay for every lesson, every book, every video package through my winnings in local cash games and tournaments.

Bio

I started playing poker 15 years ago and I have always played online, never live. I have mostly played tournaments, since I consider it to be the most fun and exciting form of poker. It’s pure epic!

However, most of the time the tournaments are very frustating, so to dedicate myself to poker professionally I play Cash or Sit N’ Gos, because they are modalities with much less variance (and...much more boring)

My biggest advice if you want to succeed at poker is to specialize in a single modality until you completely master it. Jack of all trades, master of none!

I consider APT to be the most fun way to learn to play poker, and this is the community I want to be in. I really love the game!

Thanks to all and greetings from sunny Spain!

Bio

I have been playing poker since I was 16. No Limit Holdem since I was 45...so 17 years now. I enjoy the strategy of the game, live reads, running well and running not so well (my current story). Played in this year's Super Seniors WSOP event for very first time. Managed to bust out with 2 mins to go in day one.

APT has helped me prepare for the live tables and is a great way to train yourself and see many different hand situations!

Bio

I've been playing for about 20 years; in fact, this may be year 20 since I started. I was persuaded by a good friend to start learning the game right around Robert Varkonyi's WSOP Main Event win in 2002 and of course was even more into it when Chris Moneymaker started the entire poker boom the following year.

What I like most about poker is the fact that there's an unlimited learning curve. Even if someone is physically limited in some capacity, there's no limit (see what I did there?) on how much a player can learn regardless of their level of knowledge and experience.

What I feel should be remembered by all players at all levels is: 1) Poker is about making correct decisions at the time they get made. If a player makes the correct decision at the time they have to make it, one should be able to live with the result. And 2) HAVE FUN PLAYING!!! (I have to constantly remind myself about both of these "secrets" on a regular basis. I revert to books read and re-read about the mental game frequently and they are a big help.)

Bio

I'm a retired engineer and part time musician. I live just outside of Tampa and play 1/2 no limit at the usual places in that area. I'm originally from NJ and grew up playing seven card stud in college. I played limit stud regularly in Atlantic City for many years but when I moved to Florida and all the stud games dried up I switched to Hold em.

I'm here to make an active effort to plug the gaps in my game. What I like about poker is the application of skill and knowledge to game playing. Only advice I can think of right now is always remember to leave with the money!

Bio

I started getting interested in poker after Moneymaker won the WSOP main event and it got so much coverage. I taught statistics to undergraduates and graduate students, so it seemed right up my alley. So I started to study the game and set up accounts on PartyPoker, Pokerstars, and Full Tilt. I also wrote a program to calculate push/fold equities: based on calling ranges for tight, average, and loose opponents it came up with a “number of big blinds” below which you should go all-in for each hand at each position, when folded to you. This was well before this was available - I think the first time I saw somebody else do it was in the book “Kill Phil” published over a year later.

I qualified through a satellite on Party Poker for the WSOP main event, went there and sat at the featured table on day 1: probably because Phil Hellmuth was also at that table. So I was on ESPN’s broadcast later that year and they showed me beating him on a hand and him going on a rant afterwards. Unfortunately, I went out on the bubble early on day two of the tournament. But overall, in three years playing poker mostly online, I netted $250 thousand, so I did pretty well. After the UIGEA happened though, all the fish left the online poker world, and it was mostly sharks trying to feed on other sharks, so I thought it time to get out.

I hadn’t played poker at all for many years after that but just recently I retired and decided to bone up on everything new that has happened since I last played (like solvers, for instance), before actually risking my money. I joined APT at the beginning of November, and think it is a really great site. Being able to play with the bots is a huge plus in my book!

Bio

I was a break-even recreational player 8 years ago while I lived in Vancouver. I haven't had the disposable funds to play until now and decide to try and make some extra money playing a game I've always loved to play.

I've decided to go all-in and study off the table which brought me to APT. It's amazing to be able to drill situations over and over again. Poker is so dynamic with so many variables as you never know what's being dealt next. I enjoy being able to have different strategies verses different opponents. It's unbelievable that I stepped away for so long.

Now that there is so much game theory it's allowed me to have strong fundamentals which has let me change my game exponentially. I've been serious about playing for a couple months now after 8 years off with limited game theory or real fundamentals and was very very passive.

My secret: study study study and be aggressive on the table in the right situations. With my limited live time available I'm spending close to 3 hours off the table to 1 hour on.

Bio

So I've been studying and practicing for the past 4 months. I tried some training programs and Advanced Poker Training was my favorite so far!

To be honest, I still feel like a noob. A big fish. For me, I have to remind myself everyday to never feel defeated. To always bounce back. And to take in the wins!

Bio

I began playing poker back in 1998. I started out playing live because the stockbrokers I worked with had a weekly cash game. They all had a shit ton of money and no one really knew how to play. The games were nosebleed stakes, so I started hitting up the local casinos to get as much playing time as possible. Then, like most, I went online with ultimate bet and full tilt. After funds were frozen, I gave up with online and devoted most of my time to the live game. I prefer cash but with all the casinos down here in South Florida I will go play the series events when they pop up.

I love the game because it allows me to compete. I will never play basketball with the likes of Jordan or Lebron but put me on a table with them and I will show you what a fierce competitor is all about.

I believe there are two main factors in poker. Perception and timing, I am very aggressive which leads most to play back at me. Knowing the difference between someone holding the goods vs fed-up tilt is crucial. Betting patterns and timing tells are key and most players do not realize how much information they give off. My advice would be to stay consistent with your sizing and timing. I would also like to add - be aggressive. BE AGGRESSIVE!!!!

I love APT and I am very thankful for the platform you provide!

Bio

I learned how to play poker about 2 months ago and I have been studying a lot. I play small stakes 0.02/0.05 online, I plan to participate in live tournaments when I think I can really be competitive. I like the probabilistic approach and game theory involved in a poker game. What has been working for me: PLAY, but also STUDY.

Bio

I am honored to be in the Champion's Club. I'm 80 and been playing poker for at least 70 of those years. I played stud and draw while serving as a security policeman in the USAF for almost 27 years and am relatively new to Texas Hold'em. I play poker for the "thrill of victory and agony of defeat".

I wanted to become a better poker player, looked on line until I came upon APT. It's surely been worth the money to me! I especially enjoy the revamped software and much deeper analysis of my game. I just recently started to play in live home tournaments and have done very well. I credit APT for this. I'm located in Stockholm, ME, retired from the US postal service about two years ago and can spend a lot of time playing/studying this game. Poker secrets?? Learn from your mistakes and try not to repeat them! (very hard for me)

Bio

I play online poker on APT. It's only the second month that I've trained on your platform. For perspective, 40 days ago I had trouble remembering which is higher - a straight or a flush.

I've never played for real money yet. I am quite cautious and willing to take my time to master the game. Maybe I will try low stakes soon.

I like that poker is full of wild emotions, unpredictability and drama. Also the incredible complexity beyond something that looks so simple on the surface.

Bio

mo1944 told us that he wishes to remain anonymous, but he's an annual member of the APT community. He's been playing poker for over 50 years and still enjoys the challenge of it after all these years. Although he had to stop playing live poker in casinos because he can't pass by the Blackjack tables (a weakness of many poker players...)

Bio

I started playing poker with college friends around the 2003 Moneymaker boom. I fell in love with the game the instant I began watching the World Series on ESPN. I then read both of Doyle Brunson's SuperSystem books and my win-rate at my local casino's $2/$5 game skyrocketed. Unfortunately, life got in the way, and I stopped playing for years as I completed my master’s degree, got married, moved several times, and bought a home. I realized how much I missed playing and picked the game back up two years ago. I've read around 20 poker books in those two years and have been absolutely crushing my local cash games.

I much prefer playing live to online. There's something about being in the casino hearing the rustling of chips and feeling the cards in your hand that online just doesn't offer. I'm in the process of building up my bankroll so I can play $5/$10 and beyond for a living. Once I get there, I'll play some large-field tournaments like WPT and WSOP events as well.

The thing I enjoy most about poker is how it challenges you mentally. Your decisions have to be top-notch every hand or you'll end-up losing 3 buy-ins or busting out of your tournament. When you get set-over-setted you have to be able to dust yourself off and get your mindset right for the very next hand. I'm also probably the most competitive person you'll ever meet so poker gives my competitiveness an outlet. I bring the mentality of a former defensive lineman to everything I do. It's almost too much sometimes. I once got upset in a game of apples-to-apples because someone didn't choose my card. Looking back on it now, I am kind of embarrassed at that one. Lol

A couple of my best poker tips come from Doyle Brunson. Never draw to the low-end of a straight and don't draw to straights or flushes on paired boards. My own personal poker advice is pay attention to what your opponents do on every hand (even the hands you aren't involved in). Study and understand what the appropriate frequencies and bet sizes look like. Play exploitatively to the max. Watch for what your opponents are doing wrong and develop a counter-strategy to annihilate them.

Bio

I've been playing poker for a few years now on a regular basis. Got a taste of it in college. I mainly play online at the moment. Mostly micro stakes... but I'm hoping to jump up stakes within a few years. I don't have any secrets really. Studying is my only tip.

Bio

Been playing for as long as I can remember, since primary school, over 30 years now. Prior to that I played a traditional German card game with my mother called "Mogeln" (which means: to cheat) where each player has to put down the next higher card (T on a 9, for instance), but face down. If you suspect your opponent is cheating, you knock on the table. If villain indeed was cheating, she has to take the whole stack of cards in the middle. If she was honest then YOU have to take the whole stack. The objective is to be the first to get rid of all your cards to win the game. Incredibly simple, really but my mother read me like a book and always beat me at the game, for years. It taught me a lot about poker and reading people - long before I ever played my first hand of poker. Then I picked up draw poker and other variants in school (Texas Hold'em wasn't a thing back then) and eventually ended up beating everyone consistently.

Still play online, mostly 6-Max cash with a focus on fast-fold formats, which are incredibly vacuumed and tough (I'm a masochist I guess). I also play 500NL ($2/5) live games at my local casino, which are still very soft - And they only have 5-max cash games currently due to Covid restrictions, so as a shorthanded specialist I obviously have an extra edge versus all those full ring regs.

What I like most about poker is how it forces you to be objective and honest with yourself at all times. If you're not, you're gonna crash and burn pretty quickly. Your game is a mirror to yourself so you should look and pay close attention. It's all about being "Zen" (calm, in the moment and in the zone / flow state) and staying objective at all times. Keep tabs on yourself, take notes etc if you can. I also love how the game evolves and always forces you to improve yourself. All that said, exactly all the same things can be said for being a trader - and being a futures day trader has been my "day job" for many years now. All the same applies, and I firmly believe if you can succeed at either profession - you can also succeed at the other. They are extremely similar in almost every way, both are games of betting on probabilities with incomplete information. The most important takeaway is that your worst opponent is yourself - your "Ego" if you will. It's that constant battle of your "Ego" (your emotional, irrational, undisciplined and impatient self) vs your "Id" (that part of your mind that deep down always knows the right thing to do). Thoughts like "the market always turns around and against me the instant I take a position" get you nowhere in trading and are completely irrational. Well, poker is no different.

Be humble, realize just how little you know, be honest with yourself and keep putting in the work and time. As the saying goes: "Anything that's worthwhile is not easy, and anything that's easy is not worthwhile."

Bio

I have been playing poker since I was a very young kid. Every time my family got together there would be nightly dealers choice games, mostly draw poker, Stud, and 7 card no peek, with tons of wild cards. I learned to count money by sitting on my parent’s laps and putting their bets in the pot for them.

I watched the Moneymaker win, but still didn’t get too excited about Hold ‘em until I played it for the first time in Afghanistan in 2010. I have been playing quite a bit ever since.

I play both live and online. I travel a lot so I get a chance to see new casinos quite a bit and when I am home, I usually have a lot of time on my hands so I get a chance to play online. I keep the online to pretty low stakes because of the risk of another “Black Friday” type event here in Washington.

I enjoy the mental stimulation that comes with poker as well as the fact that every poker experience is a little different than the other.

I don’t have any secrets, but I will say that if you show up to play poker and you don’t leave your ego at the door when you walk in, the worst player in the room may end up stacking your chips.

Bio

Who is this mystery man? He has yet to identify himself but he is a force to be reckoned with on APT!

Bio

I started playing poker at the sea of 1 to 5 stud tables spread at Foxwoods in the 90s. I left the brick and mortar casinos when PartyPoker and PokerStars became popular. I preferred Sit-N-Go Tournaments to cash games. Final table strategy is my favorite challenge in poker. I find the weekly challenges where you can replay the same scenario over and over the most effective tool for improving my game on APT.

Bio

I'm from the Baltimore/DC area in Maryland and mostly play at Maryland Live! Casino.

I started playing poker about 15 years ago after seeing some episodes of Celebrity Poker Showdown. I was amazed to learn how much strategy and how many variables are involved in the game.

I've played both online and live poker, and look forward to the day when all US players can all play online again in a safe, regulated environment. I do prefer live play (specifically tournaments) because of the social and psychological factors involved. And IMO, tournaments are a tougher game because of all the additional parameters a player cannot control and must consistently adapt to.

My best advice to learn to play your best poker? Practice a lot to learn various playing styles so you can adapt to how your opponents play. Like they say, play the player...

Bio

I've been playing poker for about 10 years. Mostly I play live - when I play online, it is only on APT. For the last four years or so, I've been playing mostly tournaments, but I do still play some cash games as well.

The best thing about poker, for me, is that people who think things through always win...eventually.

The one best piece of advice I can offer is this: Never, ever, bluff the calling station!

Bio

I've been playing poker for over 20 years. I love the mental game, the strategy, logic, and psychology. It's always felt like fun for me.

In the past year I started using Advanced Poker Training. It's a great tool and has helped me show better results in live tournaments and cash games. I like to use it to get a lot of reps in on to develop quicker logic and intuition, then spend time studying the various analytical tools. I try to play over 1,000 hands per hour-- not overthinking or analyzing, feeling free to make a lot of mistakes and keep learning (studying up slowly afterward). I try a variety of strategies, difficulties, and game types. It's a really great tool!

I've worked in Software industry past 15 years as Financial Strategist, Business Development Manager, Business Planner, Product Manager, Pricing and Licensing Manager. I have Masters Degrees in Business (MBA) and Statistics (MSc). University Teacher. Served 4 years in Marines.

Outside of poker I love travel, hiking, cardio machines in the gym, salsa dance, yoga, meditation.

Bio

I have been playing poker since my Dad taught me early on, and for decades since starting with draw and stud. Since 2003 I’ve played mostly No-Limit Holdem and recently I'm enjoying all games including HORSE. I play live and online with APT.

I like the endless myriad of permutations of the game. I like that every game is different including my own approach to that game. I like to keep my opponents guessing what I'm about to do next. I always try to smile when I win or when I lose...because for me I love everything about the game and good sportsmanship enables me to move on to the next game and become a better player.

I want to thank APT for just that; helping me to become a better player.

Bio

I learned to play poker as a kid from my parents and grandparents in the 60’s. Loved just watching my folks and friends play at the house and couldn’t wait until I was old enough to join them. When I was 13 I remember so vividly my dad and I watching Amarillo Slim on the Tonight Show with Johnny Carson following his WSOP Main Event title in 1972. I couldn’t believe people played poker for that kind of money! I never imagined 36 years later I’d be playing a few events at the WSOP myself! I played a little in college in the late 70’s, but like many players didn’t really get the bug again until the Moneymaker victory and televised WPT events with table cameras! I’m a retired firefighter now, but at the time several of the guys at my station got hooked on the coverage and we watched at the firehouse every time tournaments were broadcast. When I retired in 2008, several of us made a commitment to make a regular trip out to the WSOP every year to play a few smaller events. Our particular favorite is the Senior NLHE Event.

I played online pretty regularly on Party Poker’s site then Full Tilt, but I haven’t returned online since Black Friday.

The thing I enjoy the most about the game are all the incredible people I have met at the tables from all over the world! For the most part the vast majority of players that share the love of this game are amazing! Poker is the great equalizer allowing players from all walks of life to share experiences and bond over several hours at the table.

The only secret I have, and I really don’t think it’s a secret...never stop learning! Try to learn something new about your game of choice everyday! And remember, the game and strategies are constantly evolving and complacency isn’t profitable in the long run.

Bio

I am from a small town about an hour NE of Dallas. I am a native Texan and a USMC vet. I started in poker on a complete whim. We were in Vegas and my friends wanted play a tourney at the Horseshoe when that was a thing. I said, "Let's do it." I knew nothing. My friends told me hand rankings in the taxi from the strip to the Horseshoe. I literally was at the table repeating in my head, ".... a flush beats a straight." Well I finished 15th including knocking my buddy out. Unfortunately top ten got paid. I went out when I shipped 77, hit a set, and was beat by runner runner straight. Hey Tony -- welcome to poker!

I guess I started poker in earnest in 2010. I signed up on PStars and dived into tourneys. I cashed well in the 97th percentile. Not too bad for just playing after work. Just played tight and formed my own push/fold range as I was always a short stack.

As a youth basketball player, I found that I liked training and practicing as much as playing. I love the challenge of improvement. So I guess that's what I like about poker, the never ending pursuit of how to improve. I train and study more than I play.

Live low stakes from 1/2 to 2/5 is what I play now. I am profitable at all levels I've played. Poker is actually legal in Texas as long as no one makes a profit besides the players (no rake). So one can find a game anywhere just about.

My best poker tip is no secret at all. It's the problem for lesser players globally. Ironically it has been solved but it is still the worst problem: PLAYING TOO MANY HANDS!

And so how does one solve it? Know what hands you intend to play from each position before arriving at the table, live or online. Then modify according to the action in front of you during the hand. Nobody wins long term playing 40% to 100% of hands! Don't laugh. I have played with several people that played 100% VPIP.

Train harder. Get better. Best of luck in all your poker hands - unless I'm in the hand!

Bio

I've played poker for more than 20 years live and about 1 1/2 years online. Poker is an incredibly complex game that tests a player on multiple levels constantly. It is one of the most challenging things a person can engage in over a lifetime. I find it wonderfully futile in that no matter how many hands we see or how much time we spend studying the game, we will never come close to seeing or knowing all there is to it. There is no endpoint, therefore it is all about making the most of the journey.

There are no secrets to playing poker. The real secret is in understanding yourself. Are you introverted or extroverted? A savant in probabilities or an observer of human behavior? If you do not know your own strengths and weaknesses and if you cannot be honest with yourself as to what they are, you can never play this game at a high-level. If you are not able to see the parts of your game that are exploitable, you can be sure that others will see them and exploit them. If you can not honestly assess your strengths and weaknesses, you will likely build a game that does not suit you best. No two players' games are identical nor are they interchangeable. Doyle Brunson can't play Fedor Holz' game and Holz can't play Esfandiari's. They are all successful because they all found the best games for themselves as unique individuals.

My suggestion to everyone learning this game or trying to improve is to look inwards as much as out. Find yourself and build your game around you, not around the player you like best on TV. Take the time, think things through, and try to understand the 'why?', not just the 'how?'. Study and practice and train and most of all, talk with other players. I hope everyone can enjoy the game as much as I do and I wish everyone the best of luck on the tables and off.

Bio

I live in Seattle although I'm originally from England. I was introduced to Poker during a company charity tournament about five years ago and was hooked. When I was younger I enjoyed playing all sorts of board games and various card games. I'm a competitive person and play a lot of sports but Poker is my new favorite hobby.

I play live games with a mix of cash and tournaments but only play online with APT. I also like to mix the home games up with some PLO, Big O and even short deck games.

What I enjoy most about Poker is that it incorporates aggressiveness, cautiousness, skill, patience and luck (thrown in for kicks). I really do love playing tournament poker, the fact that everyone starts with the same number of chips and has the same opportunity but there's an eventual closure with a single winner. With APT the opportunity to play "live" tournaments with fellow APT players is fantastic and I think one of the best features of APT.

My best advice: the more practice/reps/hands you can play and analyze will definitely improve your ability to play the game.

Bio

I've only been studying the game properly since last year October. I was introduced to the game around 2010, but have only played a few pub poker tournaments for fun, and about half a dozen cash games at 1/2 and micro tournaments at the Crown Casino in Melbourne for practice.

I have lived in Melbourne, Australia for at least 4 decades, and it is a vibrant city especially with poker. I've worked in many industries, though lately I have endured a rough last couple of years, and since I've watched a movie that led me to get onto APT, I am mastering the game quite quickly, and it is helping me mostly in the game of life. I am enjoying the APT site quite a bit, since I am analytical in nature, this has helped me progress in life, and the better I get in life I also progress well in poker. I was living in the car for 20 months and since I joined the APT site, I have managed to discover a lot about myself, which enabled me to use my poker skills in life and have since moved back into accommodation.

I am quite humble everyday with life and poker. There isn't really a difference between the two. Life skills must be used in poker and poker skills must be used in life to progress. As I am still learning, I will be climbing the ladder of life, not just poker. My desire is to actually find 'my self' in both life and poker. I have a few traits that I have corrected in life, and it has also made my game in poker a lot stronger. I once said to a friend that one day that I will make a lot of money 'through' poker, whether it is in a game, tournament, or outside of poker.......I just know that it will be 'through' poker. This being said is really just being successful at doing what you love, and that is having a fulfilling life. I love this game and the tool of APT that enables me to strengthen my every move and make me live happier.

Another thing I love about poker is that it is exactly the same journey as life. It's all about 'survival'. So many people carry lots of skills, as being analytical, deceitful, intimidating, efficient etc. well, the same is required in life whether you're in the work force or just socialising. Everyone hunts for that next step of acquiring what will make them a richer life, and there is a huge luck factor in the game of poker just like there is in life.

One piece of advice that I can share is that if one wants to truly master the game of poker, they must find their true higher-self in life, not just poker. Once you do find your 'self', you will see that your game will progress. Never give up on something you truly love. Be true to yourself and train like a maniac, in and out of poker!

Bio

Hello Fellow Players, I am from Paris(France), quite a cool and quiet city. I also lived in Bordeaux, Nice, Strasbourg, and Rennes. I feel quite safe in Paris, do not trust the media and come give us a visit - you may like it! I may quit it one day since I miss surfing and snowboarding quite a lot in there.

I played poker casually for Two years from 2010 to 2012. After reaching top 3% in various competitive Esport games last year (mainly rpgs, mobas), I realized I probably could do the same with poker if i would apply the same amount of work and dedication. So I came back 2017. But the challenge seems even harder: I read 5% of players break even... and 5% of those 5% are making a good living out of it.

I like Competition. Numbers do not lie: you suck, you get broke. I love the mix of mathematics and psychology: detect your tilt, read the range of your opponents, seek your A Game. I really really love the community, I did not meet more helpful people then in the world of poker. It is like ... every great player you study can help you to gain +++EV with their advice and experience. I love to train like a madman on Advanced Poker Training. I have various goals related to poker results. The leverage with poker income is just sick for those that mastered the game. I also start to teach the game around me and see many stars in the eyes of the new players...I love to share knowledge and help others. I love to read the Poker coaches books... so delicious to enter in the brightest minds world.

Never Let The Past or Future Ruin Your Present Experience Of The Game...(One day I will succeed at it !!! ahhhhhhh).

Bio

I live in a City called Asheville in Western North Carolina's Blue Ridge Mountains. With a population around 90,000 it's known for its vibrant arts scene and historic architecture, including the dome topped Basilica of Saint Lawrence. The 19th century Biltmore estate, one of the largest private properties in North America, displays artwork by masters like Renoir. Asheville has also in recent years been receiving attention for its microbreweries.

I'm in my fourth year of poker. I got started playing on phone games for play money. Started watching YouTube videos and a year later I found myself looking for real money games live and online.

Now, I play both online and live. Online I grind 100NL at Ignition and Live I grind 500NL at Harrah's Cherokee or another way to say it is online I Play 50¢/$1 & Live I Play $2/$5. Biggest game live or online has been $5/$10 aka 1,000NL with my largest pot winnings of $5,000. That was a beautiful day lol!

The biggest thing I enjoy about poker is how it's made me a better person. Poker has taught me a lot about how to prepare and deal with adversity. It's taught me not only correct choices in the game but also in life. Poker has impacted many areas of my life such as mental and physical health. Financial responsibility and understanding others perspectives in relationships. In my near future as I pursue poker as a professional I'm sure I'll deeply enjoy the freedom it will give me and how blessed I've become to make a living playing a game.

The biggest secret to poker is tracking your game. Charting wins and losses. Painfully going over key hands and debating with other players over how you played.

My goal is to become a cash game professional live and online at the high stakes. Win a few WSOP, EPT and WCOOP Main Events.

My secret sin is PLO :)

Bio

I have been playing poker for 5 years. I play very regularly in live cash games and also live tournaments. Online, only with APT. What I like most about poker is winning, period! Patience works best for me and my style. I get a lot of satisfaction out of waiting for the right cards and opportunity to increase my chip stack, putting myself in position to win...

Bio

Hugoism #11: What keeps you from playing as good as you think you are? Not being as good as you think you are...I leaned this after losing millions to the KGB bots.

This was just a few months ago. I finally stopped just playing hands instinctively and started thinking about why I was playing the hand, and paying more attention to the other players. Watching hand analysis helped.

APT is awesome and I'm very glad I found you and became a lifetime member.

Bio

I’ve played poker since 2008. Back then I played full ring at NL25. Now I only play on-line, 6-max cash games on Pokerstars, at NL2/NL10 zoom levels.

What I like the most in poker is that you never know enough to beat your opponents. You study, they study more and so on, the level of play grows more and more every year. You can never know enough. There is no day I don’t learn something new. Now I'm fascinated by GTO, but it is much difficult for me.

My advice for my friends at APT, I can tell you this: practice, practice, practice! If you have an idea, set the situation (set a range of hands or a single hand in the poker game, set a position, and everything else APT can help you with) and experiment it. Practice!