Third Man Walking

Amidst a couple weeks mostly away from poker, your correspondent plays two unusually low-stakes sessions, thinking along the way about the impact of policy upon poker options at public casinos.FORUM DISCUSSION: CLICK HERE0:16 What I've been up to3:14 What is low-stakes poker like in 2025?7:44 How poker in casinos is affected by changes in laws11:01 $1/$3 session in Seattle14:13 AsAx on J87xss3x5x19:29 AJo on JTTssx6x8x21:07 AQss on Q73xxsKdd6x24:10 $2/$3 session at Hustler27:00 QTo on KJ5ssx28:08 Double-board PLO bomb pot: T984 on J844Q and 852Kcc2x31:30 A8cc on K82xxc2dd7x34:14 AQ on QQ3r2r3http://twitter.com/thirdwalkinghttp://crushlivepoker.com

Your correspondent revisits the 2009 poker reality show "2 Months 2 Million," then reviews a day of poker that spanned two casinos and over 10 hours.FORUM DISCUSSION: CLICK HERE 0:15 2 Months 2 Million12:47 Recap of a long Friday session and a hand review: 55 on T85rJdd4xhttp://twitter.com/thirdwalkinghttp://crushlivepoker.com

Your correspondent looks back at the 2015 gambling movie "Mississippi Grind," then reviews a $5/$10 session in which he played several all-in pots.FORUM DISCUSSION: CLICK HERE0:15 "Mississippi Grind"10:43 $5/$10 session10:55 87dd on AT2ddd2xJx14:52 AA no diamond on KQ2dxd3ddd16:50 99 all-in preflop20:15 76cc on T98ssx21:14 AKo all-in preflop22:21 66 on J65rTss6x25:37 AKcc all-in preflophttp://twitter.com/thirdwalkinghttp://crushlivepoker.com

Your correspondent revisits the 2007 poker film “Lucky You,” then discusses a $5/$5/$10 session that left him shrugging to himself about the quality of his play.FORUM DISCUSSION: CLICK HERE0:20 Brief life/wildfire update1:45 "Lucky You"14:05 $5/$5/$10 session14:13 On the types of "action" players currently playing in public mid-stakes games18:27 TT on KT6sxs2sss20:34 Double-board PLO bomb pot with Jh992.First board: 9644.Second board KhQh5x (?) Ahhh23:01 KsKh on J82ccx5ddTddd25:11 JJ on A74xssKx2x29:05 A5hh on T62hhx7hhh7x31:47 Conclusionhttp://twitter.com/thirdwalkinghttp://crushlivepoker.com

Your correspondent reviews a recent $5/$5/$10 session in which he ran several big bluffs. He also relates a story about a nitty opponent. FORUM DISCUSSION: CLICK HERE 0:27 $5/$5/$10 session0:43 QTss on KT5xxsJss6x6:20 Double board PLO bomb pot: JT22xddx. Top board: AKQr8dd4x. Bottom board: Q93r2ss4x8:45 JJ on A54r4ddTddd10:34 JTss on 322ccx4xKx12:59 KQcc on T84hhh2x3hhhh15:09 T9dd on KQJxssQccKsss16:30 Q6ss on 942sxx2ss5x18:52 Thoughts on dealing with an annoying opponenthttp://twitter.com/thirdwalkinghttp://crushlivepoker.com

Your correspondent wins some big pots at $5/$5/$10 but leaves the casino a bit frustrated. Then, he thinks about how poker players think about money.FORUM DISCUSSION: CLICK HERE0:19 $5/$5 and $5/$5/$10 session0:36 AQo all-in preflop1:46 K7o on 752rQss8sss3:09 QQ on 853rQccJccc6:31 AhKx on K95hhxTxTx10:22 QJdd on AJ5dxdKx4ddd13:34 AA (no heart) on J96rKhh8hhh14:50 I return to $5/$517:36 Poker players’ weird relationships to moneyhttp://twitter.com/thirdwalkinghttp://crushlivepoker.com

Your correspondent discusses how private games have created an imbalance in live cash-game poker, and what to do about it. Then, he discusses a $5/$5/$10 session in which he made several very strong hands.0:15 On the migration of private games from high-stakes live poker to mid- and low-stakes poker, and the problems that has created20:00 $5/$5 and $5/$5/$10 NLHE session21:15 AA on 664r9r224:45 97hh on K85xhx6hh2x28:28 44 on QT4hxhTx30:51 44 (again) on 843rJccFORUM DISCUSSION: CLICK HEREhttp://twitter.com/thirdwalkinghttp://crushlivepoker.com

Your correspondent briefly muses on the difficulty of finding ways to improve when poker continually finds new ways to challenge and mislead you. He then reviews a $5/$10 session that featured some wild street-poker hands, including two in which he made huge folds.FORUM DISCUSSION: CLICK HERE0:15 On hunting for ways to get better6:48 $5/$10 NLHE session7:29 JJ on J65ddxThh9:03 AJcc on A75xddKx2x11:08 QQ on 962r5dd13:15 KK on J53rTr15:09 TT on 943rQcc8x17:01 $200 splash pot -- 99 on AK6rQdd4x20:12 QThh on T83rTr7x (including a discussion of the tactic of overlimping)25:24 AA on 863hhhKxJx34:08 JJ on KJ5ssxQx2xhttp://twitter.com/thirdwalkinghttp://crushlivepoker.com

Your correspondent reads the anthropologist David M. Hayano's "Poker Faces," a book that, 42 years since it was published, has much to say about modern poker culture.FORUM DISCUSSION: CLICK HERE 0:30 "Poker Faces"18:21 Anatomy of a Downswing, Part 1,000,000, featuring some weird digressions on nearly getting run over by a truck and of being in a mall in suburban Cleveland needing to buy a shirt29:07 $5/$5 hand history: AA on 922r4hhJxhttp://twitter.com/thirdwalkinghttp://crushlivepoker.com

Your correspondent struggles with his proximity to the recent Nick Vertucci scandal and wonders how long he should stay in the poker world. Then, he plays a $5/$5/$10 session.FORUM DISCUSSION:CLICK HERE0:16 On the Nick Vertucci scandal12:17 $5/$5/$10 NLHE session13:03 4c4x on T32ccxQxTx16:06 QTss on TT3rA618:25 QQ on T75r4Q20:31 JJ on 332xddKx6x22:01 66 on 652ccxKcccQx24:57 AKo all-in preflophttp://twitter.com/thirdwalkinghttp://crushlivepoker.com

Your correspondent waits -- and waits -- for good opportunities at the table.FORUM DISCUSSION: CLICK HERE0:22 On waiting for my turn6:17 $5/$5/$10 hand history: AA preflop10:20 $5/$5/$10(/$20/$40) hand history: A4hh on Q22ccx4xJx15:51 $5/$10(/$20) session16:41 7c7x on J95ccx8x3x (playing against an unusual opponent type)21:00 AKo on AK3r4ss22:50 QQ (no spade) on K96xss5x7sss24:44 JJ preflop25:51 AKo on QT9r5727:43 QTo on T82cccAx4x29:25 QQ on QT2hhhJx30:49 KQo on KQ6r2r32:21 QTo on J88r33:05 AQss on QJ3ddxKx3x34:57 AKo all-in preflop35:59 $25 bomb pot with K5dd on AJ3dxx2dd7xhttp://twitter.com/thirdwalkinghttp://crushlivepoker.com

Your correspondent defends "mandatory" under-the-gun straddles against recent criticism. Then, he plays a brief but fruitful $5/$10 session.FORUM DISCUSSION :CLICK HERE0:16 Some not-so-obvious reasons why straddles are good for games10:10 $5/$10 NLHE session10:52 K4ss on JJ6rAssTsss13:04 88 on K42ssxJx6x14:28 KQo on QT9cxc7hh16:54 AQo on AQ9sssAxQx19:19 A4dd on A53ssx23:08 JJ on 854xssAx2x25:09 AhAd on J84ccx9ccc6xBrent Jenkins on the Poker Zoo Podcast: https://persuadeo.nl/pz94-brent-jenkins-is-that-guy/The Anti-Straddle Manifesto: https://brentjenkins83.substack.com/p/the-anti-straddle-manifesto?r=4adu4k&utm_medium=ios&triedRedirect=truehttp://twitter.com/thirdwalkinghttp://crushlivepoker.com

Your correspondent tries to fight off bad thoughts while playing $5/$10 and $5/$5 at two casinos.FORUM DISCUSSION: CLICK HERE1:05 On the "dead zone" in late afternoon public poker games2:32 $5/$10 NLHE session2:39 AKcc all-in preflop3:17 KK all-in preflop4:14 KK all-in preflop (again)5:46 JJ on QT2hxh4cc8:15 QTss on QJ6rAxA10:22 $5/$5 session later that day at a different casino13:27 AKo all-in preflop17:34 JJ on T32sxs2x18:21 AQcc KJ8cxxQx19:52 AJss all-in preflophttp://twitter.com/thirdwalkinghttp://crushlivepoker.com

Your correspondent talks to screenwriter and poker player Josh Wilcox, who wrote the upcoming poker movie "Dead Money." Your correspondent then reviews a recent $5/$10 session.FORUM DISCUSSION :CLICK HERE1:35 Josh Wilcox on "Dead Money"15:55 Playing a freeroll tournament20:09 $5/$10 NLHE session20:15 AKss on K72ccxAxQx22:04 A7dd on Q96ddxJxAx24:57 AKss (again) on KQ7xhhTdd27:50 A9o on 963rTcc9x33:47 AcAh on 632ddxhttp://twitter.com/thirdwalkinghttp://crushlivepoker.com

Your correspondent offers a prescription for the recent controversy surrounding Jonathan Tamayo's victory in the Main Event of the World Series of Poker. He then discusses potential cheating in online poker and -- ugh -- public live poker games, and finds parallels between what's happening now and descriptions of the early days of poker in James McManus' "Cowboys Full." Then, he reviews a profitable but sloppy session of $5/$10 NLHE.FORUM DISCUSSION : CLICK HERE0:20 What can be done to address bad optics and a potentially unfair competitive environment in the World Series of Poker Main Event, and in live poker more broadlyWill Jaffe's tweet: Alan Keating's tweet: Apestyles on the Thinking Poker Podcast: "Recent reports out of Paris ...": Only Friends podcast episode on the alleged live poker cheating ring: 14:43 $5/$10 NLHE session15:05 AA on K76r16:00 KK all-in preflop16:38 QJo on Q72xdd18:58 QJhh KJ5hcc6x5x21:08 KQo (both black cards) on KK5xdd6hh4hhh23:48 JThh on 422hhx5xKx25:55 AA all-in preflop26:41 A9ss K87sxx5ddhttps://x.com/dankness3/status/1814048970588516497https://x.com/Mister_Keating/status/1814042058601963714https://www.thinkingpoker.net/2024/07/episode-445-jonathan-apestyles-van-fleet/https://www.yahoo.com/news/french-police-catch-casino-fraudsters-175413515.htmlhttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=D3SGBrQAdto&list=PLbgxMeaShh5X6MNis_76anP2JAAmoA2Ld&index=1http://twitter.com/thirdwalkinghttp://crushlivepoker.com

Your correspondent reflects on the slowness of live poker and how it can make life feel very, very long.FORUM DISCUSSION: CLICK HERE0:15 Variance & time in live poker10:37 $5/$10 NLHE session10:43 TT on Q75rQ912:29 A8hh on AJ4rTdd5ddd14:47 AJss on A43ddx2x2x17:57 99 on J96hhxJcc19:44 KdJx on T96ddd20:53 77 on 976r3ssTx23:27 98o on 772xss6hh5x25:08 KTss on 944ssx7sssJxhttp://twitter.com/thirdwalkinghttp://crushlivepoker.com

Your correspondent thinks back to how he thought about poker six years ago. Then, he plays a $5/$10 game where he tries to fend off some splashy, aggressive villains.FORUM DISCUSSION:CLICK HERE0:15 Las Vegas trip recap1:03 Your correspondent reflects on how his approach to poker has changed since 20188:50 $5/$10 session and a rant about table changes12:52 76o on 853hhx9cc14:22 KK (no diamond) on 874dxd17:50 KdKx (yes, kings again) on Q42ssx5sss21:27 98dd on Q98sxs7hhhttp://twitter.com/thirdwalkinghttp://crushlivepoker.com

Your correspondent prepares for a brief trip to Las Vegas. He then thinks about what it means that the real action in cash games always seems to be happening somewhere else, hidden from view. He also deals with an annoying opponent in a $5/$10 session.FORUM DISCUSSION: CLICK HERE0:18 Las Vegas weekend plans5:15 Why the real action in cash game poker always seems to be out of viewHere is Pokerithm, in case anyone is curious: 19:49 Late-night $5/$10 session reviewhttps://pokerithm.com/http://twitter.com/thirdwalkinghttp://crushlivepoker.com

Your correspondent reviews some of his recent activities, then journeys to the $5/$5 tables and tries to control for luck in evaluating his recent play.FORUM DISCUSSION: CLICK HERE0:21 Thoughts on Hustler Casino Live's Million Dollar Game3:33 Appearing on the Thinking Poker Podcast: https://www.thinkingpoker.net/2024/05/episode-439-charlie-wilmoth/3:57 WSOP plans5:27 Thoughts on downswinging and variance in live poker10:31 $5/$10 hand: JJ on 877ssx7x16:40 $5/$5 NLHE session18:38 JThh on J75sss5x20:47 AQo on A63rJssKx22:08 KxQd on K62ddx23:57 87cc on 643xccTx3x26:35 KK all-in preflop27:24 KQdd on T92dxd8x3x29:57 QTdd on A86r7dd5x31:15 Giving scores to my play for each sessionhttp://twitter.com/thirdwalkinghttp://crushlivepoker.com

Your correspondent meditates on banging his head against the wall. Featured topics include being surrounded at the table by people getting massages, trying and failing to assemble a cardboard box, moving to a new apartment, the documentary "The Contestant" (streaming on Hulu), the Pittsburgh Pirates, growing up in West Virginia, getting into stranger and stranger music, and taking a call about a job in the tech industry. Then, he reviews a $5/$10 session.FORUM DISCUSSION: CLICK HERE 0:16 Banging my head against the wall13:36 $5/$10 NLHE session13:42 AA on JT7hhx14:38 KQo on J84ccx7x3x16:20 ATo on T72cxc4x18:06 A2hh on K94hhx7hhhKx25:04 JThh on 987xxh2hh27:28 KK on T73ssx7xhttp://twitter.com/thirdwalkinghttp://crushlivepoker.com