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Poker Forums => Best of blonde => Topic started by: TightEnd on December 30, 2008, 02:40:52 PM



Title: Stuart "easypickings" Rutter : In the well
Post by: TightEnd on December 30, 2008, 02:40:52 PM
From Birmingham, Stuart entered the Poker world in 2005 his student days just behind him where his final year was spent in Germany. He qualifed online for the Monte Carlo Millions, and caught by the bug he went off to play more live. In one of his early tournaments he finished fourth in the Helsinki Main event and from there played the European scene for a while.

Since then he's established himself as one of the up and coming pros with a series of results in the UK and Europe. Most recently these included a final table in the GUKPT grand final  for over £40,000 following on from the final table of the GUKPT Luton last August.

These results represented a return to form as, by his own admission, 2008 until then had been disappointing by his own standards.

In the early part of 2009 Stuart has a hectic schedule, about to begin in Galway with his brother and fellow blonde Tom and then onto Paris, EPT Deauville and Utrecht in association with 32redpoker where his blog can be seen.


So over to you, questions for Stuart Rutter please..............



Title: Re: Stuart "easypickings" Rutter : In the well
Post by: action man on December 30, 2008, 02:43:18 PM
how dangerous is it to leave women with me while you go to the bar?


Title: Re: Stuart "easypickings" Rutter : In the well
Post by: TightEnd on December 30, 2008, 02:44:52 PM
this isn't a set up, as I genuinely don't know!

what online games do you play and why? torunaments/cash? levels?



Title: Re: Stuart "easypickings" Rutter : In the well
Post by: GreekStein on December 30, 2008, 02:48:34 PM
If you played Tom heads up every day with equal bankrolls who would busto first?


Title: Re: Stuart "easypickings" Rutter : In the well
Post by: easypickings on December 30, 2008, 02:50:22 PM
how dangerous is it to leave women with me while you go to the bar?

In Blackpool, it's probably dangerous just to look away.

I'm still gutted like a fish about that steal


Title: Re: Stuart "easypickings" Rutter : In the well
Post by: easypickings on December 30, 2008, 02:58:35 PM
If you played Tom heads up every day with equal bankrolls who would busto first?


Rutter would.


No, damn good question. It would definitely be very close I think. I would go for Tom; he plays a great game, and one that is even more aggressive than mine. He's the more natural heads up player in that respect.

It's been great to be learning the game at the same time as him. We talk about hands a lot of the time; I've hardly ever played against him in a live jobbie, but  I imagine it would be a nightmare.


Title: Re: Stuart "easypickings" Rutter : In the well
Post by: tikay on December 30, 2008, 03:13:16 PM

I get confused. Are you the good-looking one, or the one that plays good?

Seriously, what memories do you have of that splendidly structured Event in Helsinki? Apart from me not lasting until Level Two, that is.

You looked nailed-on during Day Two, but it got away from you somehow. Did it come a little early in your career? (Flushy & JP were in the same event, as I recall).

What did you think of Pascal Perault's game in that Final? He was vying, with Mickey Wernick (who was back in the UK) for Ranking Points, to clinch the Player of the Year, but I think he blew it.


Title: Re: Stuart "easypickings" Rutter : In the well
Post by: easypickings on December 30, 2008, 03:22:39 PM
this isn't a set up, as I genuinely don't know!

what online games do you play and why? torunaments/cash? levels?



It's funny. I was talking about stuff with Alex (http://www.blondepoker.com/blondepedia/blondepedia_view_player.php?player_id=1198) Martin (http://www.blondepoker.com/blondepedia/blondepedia_view_player.php?player_id=1198) in Luton, and only then realised that I've hardly ever played a live cash game, and hardly ever played an online tournament. So, I have quite a bizarre mix of building a bankroll multi-tabling online cash games, and donking it off in live tournaments.

I used to play farily high ($25/50 sometimes, mainly $10/20) with reasonable success, but the last few months have decided that the best way for me to build steadily is probably to multi-table $5/10, normally 9 tables at the same time. This is partly that I find poker more satisfying if the swings are alot lower. It is also because it would need a player much better than me to be able to multi-table higher than $5/10, and be successful despite the lower attention you can give to the dynamics of the game.

 I feel that the standard of play on the internet has increased sharply over the last year, and even that it will continue to do so. That should be of real concern to an internet grinder, and I genuinely think it could reach a saturation point one day where it is difficult to beat the games by much more than the rake. I would advise any friend pretty heavily against internet play as a way of reliable way of making money.

"Why?" is a very good question, as the fact that variance is alot less cruel if you play alot of tables is important to me,  and was especially so during my dry spell in 'live' poker. It's very satisfying to be able to sit down for a couple of hours, and know that if I play well I will win, and that if I lose, it can only be becuase I haven't played well enough.This balance that you can achieve within a couple of hours on the internet would take many months in the live tournament circuit.

That said, I love 'live' poker, and have actually played far more 'live' than on the internet in the last few months. I'm hoping to play quite alot of liive tournaments in the next few months, but imagine that I could play alot more without ever getting bored if it wasn't for the element of spending so much time away from home.

I am careful with money, but really couldn't care less about winning it. Poker for me is all about the challenge of the game; 'live' poker is the real deal for me, and I see internet as no more than a practice ground for the true challenge. This was why I found the run of doing well online and never bothering the scorers in live tournaments so frustrating, and found myself wishing it could swap the two situations round.


Title: Re: Stuart "easypickings" Rutter : In the well
Post by: AlexMartin on December 30, 2008, 03:28:26 PM
wp for doing this stu.

one question. who is the nicer guy, you or thewy? have you ever been mean to anyone?

:)

p.s vbol in galway and cu soon m8.


Title: Re: Stuart "easypickings" Rutter : In the well
Post by: easypickings on December 30, 2008, 03:56:20 PM
I get confused. Are you the good-looking one, or the one that plays good?

Wrong family mate.

Seriously, what memories do you have of that splendidly structured Event in Helsinki? Apart from me not lasting until Level Two, that is.

That tournament in Helsinki was, until recently, far above any other in having a wonderful slow structure.It is just a shame that it seems to attract all those Scandanavian fellars.

 Luckily that bar has been raised more consistently recently; I think Jon Raab has perfected the GUKPT structure within the constraints that he has, and good efforts by other tours such as the Gala Poker Tour will hopefully feel a pressure to improve after DT (http://www.dusktilldawnpoker.com/)D (http://www.dusktilldawnpoker.com/)'s wonderful effort in December. (Interestingly, if you measure the structure of a tournament relative to its buy in, it is at the moment the EPT which comes out by far the worst). I think good structures are just so important for 'live' players, and the change that could allow the biggest improvement for a structure in the same time frame is for a tour to committ to eight-handed tables. Even if space does not allow this at the start, an organiser could still seek to play eight-handed as soon as is possible.

You looked nailed-on during Day Two, but it got away from you somehow. Did it come a little early in your career? (Flushy & JP were in the same event, as I recall).

Looking back to that tournament in 2005, it was a serious injustice to poker that I made the final table of that tournament.(The epitomy of mu luck was when I scooped a pre-flop all-in with  Ad Ks vs  Ac Kd.) My naivety at the time should have cost me in a number of ways, but one part of that naivety that is interesting is that it allowed me to go with my instinct, and make crazy all-in moves when I thought the time was right. Funnily enough, I probably chanced upon exactly the right way for me to play that tournament, given the limited experience I had. For all that you gain with experience, I just wonder how costly is the loss of that rawness and willingness to be reckless.

One of the strangest things about this funny game is that mistakes are not punished as they should be, and so often rewarded. The biggest mistake I made was to completely misjudge a situation and move in with  Tc 8c against Johan (http://www.blondepoker.com/blondepedia/blondepedia_view_player.php?player_id=604) Storakers (http://www.blondepoker.com/blondepedia/blondepedia_view_player.php?player_id=604), who snapped me with   Ahrt Qh; a ten on the turn gave me a big stack I did not deserve. My tournament ended in 4th place after a fairly unusual mistake from Peter Eichardt. I had 3-bet with  7d 7c, and he moved all-in with Ad 6s. Problem was, he didn't have the fold equity he thought he did, and I was obliged to scratch my head, shrug my shoulders, and call. An ace on the flop ended it for me, and now good friend Jonas (http://www.blondepoker.com/blondepedia/blondepedia_view_player.php?player_id=613) Molander (http://www.blondepoker.com/blondepedia/blondepedia_view_player.php?player_id=613) went on to get a first big win that he thoroughly deserved.

My memories of those few days are just of such excitement, I couldn't believe what was happening. Apart from a few nerves around the bubble, I felt no pressure and was just determined to enjoy the whole experience, not sure whether I would ever have it again. It's interesting to look back not only at the rawness of my play, but also of my excitement. I knew in that, my second ever live tournament, how ridiculously lucky I was to be able to go somewhere like Helsinki, and play a game I loved. That's something that's very easy to lose amidst all of the frustrations and disappointments of tournament poker, and so I often think back to those days, and use them as my benchmark for how much I will enjoy the game.

What did you think of Pascal Perault's game in that Final? He was vying, with Mickey (http://www.blondepoker.com/blondepedia/blondepedia_view_player.php?player_id=283) Wernick (http://www.blondepoker.com/blondepedia/blondepedia_view_player.php?player_id=283) (who was back in the UK) for Ranking Points, to clinch the Player of the Year, but I think he blew it.


Just popping out, will answer the last question later.


Title: Re: Stuart "easypickings" Rutter : In the well
Post by: tikay on December 30, 2008, 04:02:21 PM

.....will hopefully feel a pressure to improve after DTD's wonderful effort in December. (Interestingly, if you measure the structure of a tournament relative to its buy in, it is at the moment the EPT which comes out by far the worst). I think good structures are just so important for 'live' players, and the change that could allow the biggest improvement for a structure in the same time frame is for a tour to committ to eight-handed tables. Even if space does not allow this at the start, an organiser could still seek to play eight-handed as soon as is possible.

OMG. I love you.


Title: Re: Stuart "easypickings" Rutter : In the well
Post by: tikay on December 30, 2008, 04:05:31 PM
I knew in that, my second ever live tournamnet, how ridiculously lucky I was to be able to go somewhere like Helsinki

And, if I'm not mistaken, your first Live Tourney was in Walsall, yes? I may even have interviewed you, for Poker425?

PS - If your bro will give me one of those Yassar Arafat type neckerchief/tablecloths he wears so frequently, I'll love him more than I love you. How cool does he look in that? How cool would I look in that? ('Photo courtesy of blondepedia).


Title: Re: Stuart "easypickings" Rutter : In the well
Post by: Graham C on December 30, 2008, 04:24:19 PM
How many scarfs do you have?  do you have a favourite?


Title: Re: Stuart "easypickings" Rutter : In the well
Post by: Royal Flush on December 30, 2008, 05:23:53 PM
I feel that the standard of play on the internet has increased sharply over the last year, and even will continue to do so. That should be of real concern to an internet grinder, and I genuinely think it could reach a saturation point one day where it is difficult to beat the games by much more than the rake. I would advise any friend pretty heavily against internet play as a way of reliable way of making money.

Poker for me is all about the challenge of the game; 'live' poker is the real deal for me, and I see internet as no more than a practice ground for the true challenge.

So the practice is harder than the real thing?

Does this mean what you actually seek is an ego massage and adulation from your peers rather than playing with and beating the best?


Title: Re: Stuart "easypickings" Rutter : In the well
Post by: easypickings on December 30, 2008, 07:16:49 PM
What did you think of Pascal Perault's game in that Final? He was vying, with Mickey (http://www.blondepoker.com/blondepedia/blondepedia_view_player.php?player_id=283) Wernick (http://www.blondepoker.com/blondepedia/blondepedia_view_player.php?player_id=283) (who was back in the UK) for Ranking Points, to clinch the Player of the Year, but I think he blew it.


I actually didn't play with Pascal at all, as he busted out just before the final table. If memory serves me right, he needed to come 4th in the year's last big live tournament to snatch it off Mickey. Apparently, what happened was that he decided to make a dangerous run for a big stack with about 16 players left, and hit the ground before he hit the sky. If this is true, this is a very admirable attitude to take towards the ranking systems (and one in fact that I saw Andreas Krause take in Paris last year in an attempt to nick the title off Soren, which ended with him busting out on the final table bubble).

I admire these two kamikaze efforts at the title, as I feel the rankings system is met with unfair apathy from most observers. People cite two big disadvantages it has, but these are too obvious. Of course they are not a measure of who has played the best poker that year (far from it), but I think the system comes fairly close to this impossible task. There is no immediate financial incentive, but what the rankings system does represent is one of the few opportunities for prestige in poker.

Poker in the public view is behind other activities such as darts, or even chess, which some see as having crossed the borderline between a game and a sport. Where it falls behind is that it lacks the idea of some kind of accepted rankings system. If people are going to be interested in a game, they want to have some idea of who are the best players, and who is going to be the overall winner. If that can develop the kind of excitement of someone making a late run for the "title" like Pascal did, then that is a great thing.

The rankings system stands alone in being able to provide ongoing anticipation, and I think people should spend theie time suggesting improvements to the system rather than doubting its aims. (Indeed,it seems quite strange to me that someone like Jason (http://www.blondepoker.com/blondepedia/blondepedia_view_player.php?player_id=2136) Mercier (http://www.blondepoker.com/blondepedia/blondepedia_view_player.php?player_id=2136) can play only a handful of tournaments on this continent, come away with two EPT final tables including a victory, and a 1st in the high rollers event in London, and somehow not take the title).


Title: Re: Stuart "easypickings" Rutter : In the well
Post by: easypickings on December 30, 2008, 07:44:14 PM

.....will hopefully feel a pressure to improve after DT (http://www.dusktilldawnpoker.com/)D (http://www.dusktilldawnpoker.com/)'s wonderful effort in December. (Interestingly, if you measure the structure of a tournament relative to its buy in, it is at the moment the EPT which comes out by far the worst). I think good structures are just so important for 'live' players, and the change that could allow the biggest improvement for a structure in the same time frame is for a tour to committ to eight-handed tables. Even if space does not allow this at the start, an organiser could still seek to play eight-handed as soon as is possible.

OMG. I love you.

Every good golf player seeks out only the best courses that will express his game best, the best cricket batsmen demand perfect wickets, but it has always surprised me that regular poker players settle for mediocre structures. Recently, more players do seem to take a keen interest in a tournament's structures, and this has been best helped my Mr Raab's equal dedication to this cause.

Up to now, the problem with putting together a good structure  is the simple equation that more structure means more time; of course, time has to have some limit in a poker tournament. There is, however, one possible solution to breaking this equation, and it seems remarkably simple. If you play eight-handed (or I would argue even seven), this means each player plays more hands per hour, and so you can fit more structure into the same time. An event like the GUKPT could then fit into the same time frame, but have 90 minute levels instead of 60 minutes, or a 15,000 starting stack rather than 10,000.

Obivously, one extra pressure develops in that a tournament needs more dealers, but this is an expense worth considering for a change that makes also for a more enjoyable, action-packed type of play.


Title: Re: Stuart "easypickings" Rutter : In the well
Post by: AlexMartin on December 30, 2008, 07:51:59 PM

.....will hopefully feel a pressure to improve after DT (http://www.dusktilldawnpoker.com/)D (http://www.dusktilldawnpoker.com/)'s wonderful effort in December. (Interestingly, if you measure the structure of a tournament relative to its buy in, it is at the moment the EPT which comes out by far the worst). I think good structures are just so important for 'live' players, and the change that could allow the biggest improvement for a structure in the same time frame is for a tour to committ to eight-handed tables. Even if space does not allow this at the start, an organiser could still seek to play eight-handed as soon as is possible.

OMG. I love you.

Every good golf player seeks out only the best courses that will express his game best, the best cricket batsmen demand perfect wickets, but it has always surprised me that regular poker players settle for mediocre structures. Recently, more players do seem to take a keen interest in a tournament's structures, and this has been best helped my Mr Raab's equal dedication to this cause.

Up to now, the problem with putting together a good structure  is the simple equation that more structure means more time; of course, time has to have some limit in a poker tournament. There is, however, one possible solution to breaking this equation, and it seems remarkably simple. If you play eight-handed (or I would argue even seven), this means each player plays more hands per hour, and so you can fit more structure into the same time. An event like the GUKPT could then fit into the same time frame, but have 90 minute levels instead of 60 minutes, or a 15,000 starting stack rather than 10,000.

Obivously, one extra pressure develops in that a tournament needs more dealers, but this is an expense worth considering for a change that makes also for a more enjoyable, action-packed type of play.

do you think poker players would swallow higher vig for better structures to compensate for more dealers?


Title: Re: Stuart "easypickings" Rutter : In the well
Post by: easypickings on December 30, 2008, 07:56:40 PM
wp for doing this stu.

one question. who is the nicer guy, you or thewy? have you ever been mean to anyone?

:)

p.s vbol in galway and cu soon m8.

Silly question. It would be impossible for any man to be nicer than Julian. When I scraped into the cash in Barcelona, he took my girlfriend aback by even congratulating her!

Seriously though, Julian is a great guy, and to have someone like him in the game makes a real difference in my decision of whether I want to decidate lots of time and emotional energy into playing it. It is a great thing that the most successful player of late is also the friendliest and most likeable character, and I would say this is no coincidence. Julian would be a credit to any walk of life, but the fact that it is our game that he is a figurehead of is an important thing. It is because people who don't know the game might expect a poker player to be egotistical and unpleasant that it is wonderful that Julian is the polar opposite of this.

Have I been mean? Tons of times. I once stole the same guy's blind 3 out of 4 orbits. I tried to be less mean, though, and showed him ace-king each time.


Title: Re: Stuart "easypickings" Rutter : In the well
Post by: TheChipPrince on December 30, 2008, 07:58:52 PM
Good answers.

1. Which football team do you support?

2. Fave pizza?

3. What the fk is eggnog?


Title: Re: Stuart "easypickings" Rutter : In the well
Post by: celtic on December 30, 2008, 07:59:05 PM
Hi Stuart.

Enjoying this so far.

I recently played with you at luton recently and was impressed. I noticed tho that you spent the first two hours playing very little, not even at the table then after the break decided you were going to open raise most hands and call most raises that got there before you.

Was this a pre-planned strategy or just your observations on the rest of the table, that they would pretty much sit back & let you do this til they found something to play back at you with.

cheers

vinny.


Title: Re: Stuart "easypickings" Rutter : In the well
Post by: easypickings on December 30, 2008, 08:05:59 PM

.....will hopefully feel a pressure to improve after DT (http://www.dusktilldawnpoker.com/)D (http://www.dusktilldawnpoker.com/)'s wonderful effort in December. (Interestingly, if you measure the structure of a tournament relative to its buy in, it is at the moment the EPT which comes out by far the worst). I think good structures are just so important for 'live' players, and the change that could allow the biggest improvement for a structure in the same time frame is for a tour to committ to eight-handed tables. Even if space does not allow this at the start, an organiser could still seek to play eight-handed as soon as is possible.

OMG. I love you.

Every good golf player seeks out only the best courses that will express his game best, the best cricket batsmen demand perfect wickets, but it has always surprised me that regular poker players settle for mediocre structures. Recently, more players do seem to take a keen interest in a tournament's structures, and this has been best helped my Mr Raab's equal dedication to this cause.

Up to now, the problem with putting together a good structure  is the simple equation that more structure means more time; of course, time has to have some limit in a poker tournament. There is, however, one possible solution to breaking this equation, and it seems remarkably simple. If you play eight-handed (or I would argue even seven), this means each player plays more hands per hour, and so you can fit more structure into the same time. An event like the GUKPT could then fit into the same time frame, but have 90 minute levels instead of 60 minutes, or a 15,000 starting stack rather than 10,000.

Obivously, one extra pressure develops in that a tournament needs more dealers, but this is an expense worth considering for a change that makes also for a more enjoyable, action-packed type of play.

do you think poker players would swallow higher vig for better structures to compensate for more dealers?

Good question. They definitely should do, and a good player can expect to win more in a better structured tournament. However, there is no group of people more committed to grumbling than poker players, and a tournament organiser would need some resilience to this. I'm sure one or two would complain that someone had the cheek to make them stay even longer than they had to in the first place.

If you put it to a popular vote, though, I think the 'yes' would win.

(I've answered the question assuming that vig means the same as "juice." You cockneys are so confusing though; if it is some kind of deadly medicine that people would have to swallow, then I'm not so sure, but the answer for Tikay and I is probably still yes.)


Title: Re: Stuart "easypickings" Rutter : In the well
Post by: easypickings on December 30, 2008, 08:20:01 PM
How many scarfs do you have?  do you have a favourite?

Good question, now we're getting to the point. Just one at the moment actually, the green one was unashamadly stolen by HornswaggleU, who has since not been seen.

It's quite funny, I was walking around in Prague with Rob Sherwood in temperatures of about -5 degrees, moaning about how freezing it was. He exposed a flaw in my thinking by asking "well, why haven't you got the stupid scarf on then?", and I realised that I had actually never thought of using it for the purpose of keeping warm!

I just like wearing silly clothes at the table basically; Pete Singleton tried to tilt me by breaking the news to me that my hat looks like a wooly condom, but he never recovered after I just laughed, and told him that I knew. I bought my first suit in fact recently, and I think I might wear it for a laugh soon. It will have to be in the most unlikely of locations; Luton  seems like the best contender for that, though turning up to one of the events in Vegas in suit and tie could be quite funny too.
My Dad was buzzing when I bought a suit; I think he thought that people with good suits normally have good proper jobs, and so I'd at least got myself half way there.


Title: Re: Stuart "easypickings" Rutter : In the well
Post by: easypickings on December 30, 2008, 08:51:09 PM
I feel that the standard of play on the internet has increased sharply over the last year, and even will continue to do so. That should be of real concern to an internet grinder, and I genuinely think it could reach a saturation point one day where it is difficult to beat the games by much more than the rake. I would advise any friend pretty heavily against internet play as a way of reliable way of making money.

Poker for me is all about the challenge of the game; 'live' poker is the real deal for me, and I see internet as no more than a practice ground for the true challenge.

So the practice is harder than the real thing?

Does this mean what you actually seek is an ego massage and adulation from your peers rather than playing with and beating the best?

It's always surprised that there is any debate as to whether live or online players are the better players. As I see it, in terms of understanding and reading the game, there is no longer any argument that online players are anything but vastly superior. There are of course other skills involved in 'live' poker, but I feel that anyone who has mastered the skills needed to beat the online game must have the potential to master the additional skills like reading tellls. (Incidentally, I go against the majority by thinking that the whole area of tells is actually much underrated. The scary thing is that it's importance will always be very well disguised, as anyone that is using tells to their big advantage is very unlikely to be sharing their secret.)

An ego massage? That's difficult to go with in a game where there are far more opportunties to look stupid than there are to look clever, and more often than not you will be left nursing your bruises and blaming yourself. However, if a player was good enough to be able to beat both the online and live game and was only interested in financial measures, they would be foolish to ever put down their mouse, and to start looking for Thanet on the map.

So, why is it that we bother to travel around everywhere, and even you sometimes briefly show your pretty face? It's simply that the game was not invented to be played trying to click a mouse better than someone the other side of the world; it was invented to have someone able to look into your eyes every time you make a bet. The feeling of a raking in a big pot is unbeatable, and nowhere near matched by a number on a screen just getting bigger whilst you say to yourself "loldonkament" or some nonsense. The crushing disappointment of doing everything right and having your adventure ended by the turn of one card is something that epitomises 'live' poker; if you lose a buy-in online, there is barely time to mutter the word "variance" before you turn to click on the next screen.

Basically, 'live' poker will always be the real deal; it's the challenge of the game, the excitement and the emotions that make it different to anything else. A basketball player likes to practice by shooting hoops one after another, but really he can't wait for get to the court for the next game. Some of the hoop shooters like you can shoot into 12 different baskets at the same time, and would undeniably make great basketball players. But now it's time to have some fun, and show up to the court.



Title: Re: Stuart "easypickings" Rutter : In the well
Post by: easypickings on December 30, 2008, 08:54:48 PM
Good answers.

1. Which football team do you support?

2. Fave pizza?

3. What the fk is eggnog?

1) Wednesday (strangely, for someone who lives in Birmingham). I used to go all the time, but poker has put a stop to that. I went to see us get beaten at Coventry on Sunday, however, and am now regretting that fact a lot less.

2) Did somebody order me a regular cheese?

3) No idea? It's probably the way of saying £200 in London.


Title: Re: Stuart "easypickings" Rutter : In the well
Post by: DaveShoelace on December 30, 2008, 09:04:55 PM
Good answers.

1. Which football team do you support?

2. Fave pizza?

3. What the fk is eggnog?

1) Wednesday (strangely, for someone who lives in Birmingham). I used to go all the time, but poker has put a stop to that. I went to see us get beaten at Coventry on Sunday, however, and am now regretting that fact a lot less.

2) Did somebody order me a regular cheese?

3) No idea? It's probably the way of saying £200 in London.

Weeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee

Me, Barry Neville, Trigg, Red Dog and now even Mr Rutter, the Owls really are the poker players football team.


Just not the football players football team.


Title: Re: Stuart "easypickings" Rutter : In the well
Post by: Graham C on December 30, 2008, 09:06:49 PM
Can't be many more of you about ;)


Title: Re: Stuart "easypickings" Rutter : In the well
Post by: Dewi_cool on December 30, 2008, 10:16:56 PM
Hi Stu,

Is it dark down there?


Title: Re: Stuart "easypickings" Rutter : In the well
Post by: lucky_scrote on December 31, 2008, 12:22:28 AM
Is it true you fist pumped mickey wernick at Manchester GUKPT 07 after knocking him out?


Title: Re: Stuart "easypickings" Rutter : In the well
Post by: Royal Flush on December 31, 2008, 01:50:15 AM
I feel that the standard of play on the internet has increased sharply over the last year, and even will continue to do so. That should be of real concern to an internet grinder, and I genuinely think it could reach a saturation point one day where it is difficult to beat the games by much more than the rake. I would advise any friend pretty heavily against internet play as a way of reliable way of making money.

Poker for me is all about the challenge of the game; 'live' poker is the real deal for me, and I see internet as no more than a practice ground for the true challenge.

So the practice is harder than the real thing?

Does this mean what you actually seek is an ego massage and adulation from your peers rather than playing with and beating the best?

It's always surprised that there is any debate as to whether live or online players are the better players. As I see it, in terms of understanding and reading the game, there is no longer any argument that online players are anything but vastly superior. There are of course other skills involved in 'live' poker, but I feel that anyone who has mastered the skills needed to beat the online game must have the potential to master the additional skills like reading tellls. (Incidentally, I go against the majority by thinking that the whole area of tells is actually much underrated. The scary thing is that it's importance will always be very well disguised, as anyone that is using tells to their big advantage is very unlikely to be sharing their secret.)

An ego massage? That's difficult to go with in a game where there are far more opportunties to look stupid than there are to look clever, and more often than not you will be left nursing your bruises and blaming yourself. However, if a player was good enough to be able to beat both the online and live game and was only interested in financial measures, they would be foolish to ever put down their mouse, and to start looking for Thanet on the map.

So, why is it that we bother to travel around everywhere, and even you sometimes briefly show your pretty face? It's simply that the game was not invented to be played trying to click a mouse better than someone the other side of the world; it was invented to have someone able to look into your eyes every time you make a bet. The feeling of a raking in a big pot is unbeatable, and nowhere near matched by a number on a screen just getting bigger whilst you say to yourself "loldonkament" or some nonsense. The crushing disappointment of doing everything right and having your adventure ended by the turn of one card is something that epitomises 'live' poker; if you lose a buy-in online, there is barely time to mutter the word "variance" before you turn to click on the next screen.

Basically, 'live' poker will always be the real deal; it's the challenge of the game, the excitement and the emotions that make it different to anything else. A basketball player likes to practice by shooting hoops one after another, but really he can't wait for get to the court for the next game. Some of the hoop shooters like you can shoot into 12 different baskets at the same time, and would undeniably make great basketball players. But now it's time to have some fun, and show up to the court.



Random analogy's that make no sense ftw!!!

:D

So basically you play live for a buzz rather than a challenge, may i suggest cocaine, its less time consuming.

Having said all that i will be playing Brighton so hope to see you down there where we can sit around playing 25hands/hr against players so bad that after 1 level we will want to kill ourselves because reading 'heat' would be more of a challenge.

P.S. Might have a SNG in my flat to decide who the best player is, only the cream can play super deep structure, far more relevant than the winner of the GPT!


Title: Re: Stuart "easypickings" Rutter : In the well
Post by: easypickings on December 31, 2008, 02:24:42 AM
I knew in that, my second ever live tournamnet, how ridiculously lucky I was to be able to go somewhere like Helsinki

And, if I'm not mistaken, your first Live Tourney was in Walsall, yes? I may even have interviewed you, for Poker425?

PS - If your bro will give me one of those Yassar Arafat type neckerchief/tablecloths he wears so frequently, I'll love him more than I love you. How cool does he look in that? How cool would I look in that? ('Photo courtesy of blondepedia).

-Walsall must have been number three I think, as the first 'live' tournament was an altogether different experience. I can't remember whether you were present Tikay; there were only a handful of English players including Rowenna and crew?

The first 'live' tournament I ever went to was October 2005, at somewhere called Maori, a random little town on the Amalfi Coast in Italy. I was quite nervous and unsure what to expect, but just so eager to see what 'live' poker was all about. It was a nightmare journey getting there (I had flown from Germany, where I was living at the time), and in this dark, rainy town in the mountains I eventually found the hotel where the festival was being held. As I got to the top floor of this hotel, I was relieved to see that it did all seem an exciting, official set up. There were already tables hosting cash games and satellies, before the next day's 750 Euro Main Event. I paid my money for the buy-in, and felt much better having met a couple of the players (some names escape me, but I remember Tony (http://www.blondepoker.com/blondepedia/blondepedia_view_player.php?player_id=34) Chessa (http://www.blondepoker.com/blondepedia/blondepedia_view_player.php?player_id=34) being there too)

I decided to stay and join the smallest cash game, when suddenly three policemen marched into the room. It was all a little bizzare, but I remember them shouting "documenti, documenti," and being pretty scared as I didn't have my passport on me. The police realised soon that checking every single player's documenti would be too exhausting, but what they did instead do was to collect up all the cards, all the chips and ultimately the money box of buy-ins for the Main Event, to the organiser's horror. It turned out that this tournament should never have been held (I can't remember the ruling and how it fits in with the fact that San Remo does now host the EPT), and that this first big tournament ever held in Italy was simply illegal. The organiser had hoped that the top floor of a hotel in a little seaside town would offer him enough disguise to get away with his gamble.

It was my first experience of 'live' poker, and before I decided to brave it again, I thought it might be my last. It's funny to think back just three years and think how I perceived poker after that experience, compared to the friendly, exciting game I'm now used to playing every week.

- I think he has a spare one, and I'm just sure he'll give it to you if you promised to wear it. That would just about be the coolest thing I've ever seen.


Title: Re: Stuart "easypickings" Rutter : In the well
Post by: easypickings on December 31, 2008, 02:56:22 AM
Hi Stuart.

Enjoying this so far.

I recently played with you at luton recently and was impressed. I noticed tho that you spent the first two hours playing very little, not even at the table then after the break decided you were going to open raise most hands and call most raises that got there before you.

Was this a pre-planned strategy or just your observations on the rest of the table, that they would pretty much sit back & let you do this til they found something to play back at you with.

cheers

vinny.

It definitely does fit with my strategy, but have to admit also that the main reason for wondering around is that I just can't stop nattering. One of my biggest goals in poker is to one day sit next to Jonathan Butters for the whole day, and natter so much that he drinks himself into oblivion before the end of the ninth level. I came close in Thanet, but we only had the Butters-Rutter combo for the last two levels, and time was not on my side.

But yes, for all the opinions people have about the right gear to take, I think it's undeniable that the right way strategy for the first level of a big tournament is to play pretty tight. The way people process information is unbalaned, so that they will always give far too much weighting to the first things they see. This is why it is true in other walks of life that first impressions are so important. In my opinion, the ideal image to have at the table is that of a tight player, particularly if the truth is something different!

Changing gears is something that everyone cites as being important, but something that people don't think about enough. You see, changing gears is such a simple idea that it's easy for anyone to be reasonably good at it. It really is an artform, however, and so it's something that is incredibly difficult to perfect. That day, I did not change gears well, as once I hit the reckless gear I decided to stay in it for a while. It was a shame that our table broke before things got interesting. The tightrope-like challenge of changing gears is to judge for each different player at the table exactly when they have had enough. The great challenge is that you cannot be wrong even by a single hand, as one mistake can cost so much in poker.

In my opinion, there are two levels to changing gears. One style which depends heavily on it is to be the player who intermittently hits the dangerous fifth gear. He has to know exactly when he has lost the patience of the table, and has to revert back to the ABC seond gear.

 The second style is the player whose default gear is to play fairly tight, but who likes to use the reputation that this develops to risk a few bluffs and fancy plays. This player has to know exactly how long he can hit the surface before he has lost enough credibility that he has to dive back below, and build up an image all over again. This style becomes interesting if it is engineered perfectly by always escaping just before that crucial point. A player can actually play all day with a tight image, despite for a good number of brief periods of time this really not being the case! This pattern is really difficult to perfect, and the best example I have seen of it was playing with Javed Abrahams in the first day of the GUKPT Grand Final. I realised at the end of the day that, by using exactly the correct timing, he had managed to appear quite tight all day, but could still count a good number of sick bluffs he had pulled.


Title: Re: Stuart "easypickings" Rutter : In the well
Post by: easypickings on December 31, 2008, 02:57:46 AM
Hi Stu,

Is it dark down there?

Yes. And I'm getting thirsty, I just wish I had something to drink.


Title: Re: Stuart "easypickings" Rutter : In the well
Post by: easypickings on December 31, 2008, 03:02:54 AM
I feel that the standard of play on the internet has increased sharply over the last year, and even will continue to do so. That should be of real concern to an internet grinder, and I genuinely think it could reach a saturation point one day where it is difficult to beat the games by much more than the rake. I would advise any friend pretty heavily against internet play as a way of reliable way of making money.

Poker for me is all about the challenge of the game; 'live' poker is the real deal for me, and I see internet as no more than a practice ground for the true challenge.

So the practice is harder than the real thing?

Does this mean what you actually seek is an ego massage and adulation from your peers rather than playing with and beating the best?

It's always surprised that there is any debate as to whether live or online players are the better players. As I see it, in terms of understanding and reading the game, there is no longer any argument that online players are anything but vastly superior. There are of course other skills involved in 'live' poker, but I feel that anyone who has mastered the skills needed to beat the online game must have the potential to master the additional skills like reading tellls. (Incidentally, I go against the majority by thinking that the whole area of tells is actually much underrated. The scary thing is that it's importance will always be very well disguised, as anyone that is using tells to their big advantage is very unlikely to be sharing their secret.)

An ego massage? That's difficult to go with in a game where there are far more opportunties to look stupid than there are to look clever, and more often than not you will be left nursing your bruises and blaming yourself. However, if a player was good enough to be able to beat both the online and live game and was only interested in financial measures, they would be foolish to ever put down their mouse, and to start looking for Thanet on the map.

So, why is it that we bother to travel around everywhere, and even you sometimes briefly show your pretty face? It's simply that the game was not invented to be played trying to click a mouse better than someone the other side of the world; it was invented to have someone able to look into your eyes every time you make a bet. The feeling of a raking in a big pot is unbeatable, and nowhere near matched by a number on a screen just getting bigger whilst you say to yourself "loldonkament" or some nonsense. The crushing disappointment of doing everything right and having your adventure ended by the turn of one card is something that epitomises 'live' poker; if you lose a buy-in online, there is barely time to mutter the word "variance" before you turn to click on the next screen.

Basically, 'live' poker will always be the real deal; it's the challenge of the game, the excitement and the emotions that make it different to anything else. A basketball player likes to practice by shooting hoops one after another, but really he can't wait for get to the court for the next game. Some of the hoop shooters like you can shoot into 12 different baskets at the same time, and would undeniably make great basketball players. But now it's time to have some fun, and show up to the court.



Random analogy's that make no sense ftw!!!

:D

So basically you play live for a buzz rather than a challenge, may i suggest cocaine, its less time consuming.

Having said all that i will be playing Brighton so hope to see you down there where we can sit around playing 25hands/hr against players so bad that after 1 level we will want to kill ourselves because reading 'heat' would be more of a challenge.

P.S. Might have a SNG in my flat to decide who the best player is, only the cream can play super deep structure, far more relevant than the winner of the GPT!

Maybe we could set ourselves the challenge of reading our copy of Heat for the whole first day?  We could even do it for charity.

Great idea. It's really good of you to use the flat to have this challenge for the best players. What's the plan? You deal the cards, and Dubai prepares the tea? I hope you won't both get bored.

Can we play some basketball too?


Title: Re: Stuart "easypickings" Rutter : In the well
Post by: easypickings on December 31, 2008, 03:09:14 AM
Good answers.

1. Which football team do you support?

2. Fave pizza?

3. What the fk is eggnog?

1) Wednesday (strangely, for someone who lives in Birmingham). I used to go all the time, but poker has put a stop to that. I went to see us get beaten at Coventry on Sunday, however, and am now regretting that fact a lot less.

2) Did somebody order me a regular cheese?

3) No idea? It's probably the way of saying £200 in London.

Weeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee

Me, Barry (http://www.blondepoker.com/blondepedia/blondepedia_view_player.php?player_id=42) Neville (http://www.blondepoker.com/blondepedia/blondepedia_view_player.php?player_id=42), Trigg, Red Dog and now even Mr Rutter, the Owls really are the poker players football team.


Just not the football players football team.

Good man Mr Carter. There's only one guarantee in life, and it's this. A random person asks you who you support, and you say "Wednesday." Depending on how nice they are as a person, they will do something ranging from looking incredibly sympathetic to laughing in your face. However, the guarantee is that they will then recover and say, "Oh, a guy I know from school/work/the pub.. who supports Wednesday. Try it, it never ever fails.

I'm using what looks like a break in the poker calendar to organise a road trip to the Ipswich match on the 10th Jan. Any of these fans out there, llet me know if you're interested!


Title: Re: Stuart "easypickings" Rutter : In the well
Post by: easypickings on December 31, 2008, 03:28:44 AM
Is it true you fist pumped Mickey (http://www.blondepoker.com/blondepedia/blondepedia_view_player.php?player_id=283) Wernick (http://www.blondepoker.com/blondepedia/blondepedia_view_player.php?player_id=283) at Manchester GUKPT 07 after knocking him out?

Little can of worms you've opened there Mr Carter. Yes and no, basically.

I won a big pot against Mickey half way into the second day. I was just so relieved when my kings held up that I stood up from my seat and pumped my fist. It wasn't the worst thing in the world, but it wasn' t pretty, and I'll always be grateful to Matt (http://www.blondepoker.com/blondepedia/blondepedia_view_player.php?player_id=274) Tyler (http://www.blondepoker.com/blondepedia/blondepedia_view_player.php?player_id=274) for helping me out by putting me right on it.

What then followed was the greatest game of Chinese whispers that poker has ever seen. The last ear in the game, that of Barry (http://www.blondepoker.com/blondepedia/blondepedia_view_player.php?player_id=42) Neville (http://www.blondepoker.com/blondepedia/blondepedia_view_player.php?player_id=42), heard a story of events that some kid had knocked out Mickey, spun a couple of cartwheels in screaming delight, and danced a merry jig around the Legend all the way to the car park. Poker is a sick game, and so it was only fitting that ten mintues later Bazza would get moved to that kid's table. Perhaps undertstandably, he seemed to want to bite me to a very slow death. This luckily didn't transpire as there was a poker game to focus on, but what he did manage was to knock me out of the tournament in a 240k pot, and this was probably more painful.

Anyway, Barry's a great guy and I'm good friends with him now, so all's well. It's always important to me to be part of a good, friendly atmosphere at the table, so I'm still a bit gutted about what happened.


Title: Re: Stuart "easypickings" Rutter : In the well
Post by: Dry em on December 31, 2008, 08:12:57 AM
I feel that the standard of play on the internet has increased sharply over the last year, and even will continue to do so. That should be of real concern to an internet grinder, and I genuinely think it could reach a saturation point one day where it is difficult to beat the games by much more than the rake. I would advise any friend pretty heavily against internet play as a way of reliable way of making money.

Poker for me is all about the challenge of the game; 'live' poker is the real deal for me, and I see internet as no more than a practice ground for the true challenge.

So the practice is harder than the real thing?

Does this mean what you actually seek is an ego massage and adulation from your peers rather than playing with and beating the best?

lol your small obsession with everything internet poker related does make me chuckle sometimes. If live players are so bad (and the general standard is poorer) then surely we can afford ourselves some shots at some bumper prize pools against these "live idiots". I know you play lots and lots of online mtt's but not sure why you chastise ppl for playing live so much


Title: Re: Stuart "easypickings" Rutter : In the well
Post by: JungleCat03 on December 31, 2008, 08:57:29 AM
Great read, you've got a gift for expressing yourself Stu. Keep writing.

My question.

When we chatted recently you bowled me over by telling me you hardly ever play any live cash, whilst you pretty much make a living on online cash tables, and conversely you hardly ever play online tournaments.

That seems a little strange!

You must have a taste for tournaments given you turn up to lots of the big live ones, so why no online tournaments?

Wouldn't this be useful practice, given you can bank so many more hands online than live in key tournament situations, the bubble, final table etc and take this experience into live tournaments?

Interested in your thoughts.


Title: Re: Stuart "easypickings" Rutter : In the well
Post by: JungleCat03 on December 31, 2008, 09:03:02 AM
I feel that the standard of play on the internet has increased sharply over the last year, and even will continue to do so. That should be of real concern to an internet grinder, and I genuinely think it could reach a saturation point one day where it is difficult to beat the games by much more than the rake. I would advise any friend pretty heavily against internet play as a way of reliable way of making money.

Poker for me is all about the challenge of the game; 'live' poker is the real deal for me, and I see internet as no more than a practice ground for the true challenge.

So the practice is harder than the real thing?

Does this mean what you actually seek is an ego massage and adulation from your peers rather than playing with and beating the best?

lol your small obsession with everything internet poker related does make me chuckle sometimes. If live players are so bad (and the general standard is poorer) then surely we can afford ourselves some shots at some bumper prize pools against these "live idiots". I know you play lots and lots of online mtt's but not sure why you chastise ppl for playing live so much

You've no idea of the perils of live poker for someone like flushy.

People think he's really aggressive at the table.

"Oh look flushy's all-in again."

But he's not.

The truth is that every time he leans forward to check the flop, his moobs knock his stack into the middle and he has to pretend he meant to move in.

It's torture for the lad. He pretty much had to write an essay to justify moving in on the river with 5 high and no fold equity in a hand in brighton. All because of the moobs.





Title: Re: Stuart "easypickings" Rutter : In the well
Post by: Rod Paradise on December 31, 2008, 09:08:23 AM
I feel that the standard of play on the internet has increased sharply over the last year, and even will continue to do so. That should be of real concern to an internet grinder, and I genuinely think it could reach a saturation point one day where it is difficult to beat the games by much more than the rake. I would advise any friend pretty heavily against internet play as a way of reliable way of making money.

Poker for me is all about the challenge of the game; 'live' poker is the real deal for me, and I see internet as no more than a practice ground for the true challenge.

So the practice is harder than the real thing?

Does this mean what you actually seek is an ego massage and adulation from your peers rather than playing with and beating the best?

lol your small obsession with everything internet poker related does make me chuckle sometimes. If live players are so bad (and the general standard is poorer) then surely we can afford ourselves some shots at some bumper prize pools against these "live idiots". I know you play lots and lots of online mtt's but not sure why you chastise ppl for playing live so much

You've no idea of the perils of live poker for someone like flushy.

People think he's really aggressive at the table.

"Oh look flushy's all-in again."

But he's not.

The truth is that every time he leans forward to check the flop, his moobs knock his stack into the middle and he has to pretend he meant to move in.

It's torture for the lad. He pretty much had to write an essay to justify moving in on the river with 5 high and no fold equity in a hand in brighton. All because of the moobs.






 rotflmfao rotflmfao rotflmfao


Title: Re: Stuart "easypickings" Rutter : In the well
Post by: Royal Flush on December 31, 2008, 11:42:31 AM
I feel that the standard of play on the internet has increased sharply over the last year, and even will continue to do so. That should be of real concern to an internet grinder, and I genuinely think it could reach a saturation point one day where it is difficult to beat the games by much more than the rake. I would advise any friend pretty heavily against internet play as a way of reliable way of making money.

Poker for me is all about the challenge of the game; 'live' poker is the real deal for me, and I see internet as no more than a practice ground for the true challenge.

So the practice is harder than the real thing?

Does this mean what you actually seek is an ego massage and adulation from your peers rather than playing with and beating the best?

lol your small obsession with everything internet poker related does make me chuckle sometimes. If live players are so bad (and the general standard is poorer) then surely we can afford ourselves some shots at some bumper prize pools against these "live idiots". I know you play lots and lots of online mtt's but not sure why you chastise ppl for playing live so much

Yeah i totally agree about occasionally going off to play a live comp to take a shot but i can't justify it as a profit making expense to go 1/2 way across the country to spend 4 days playing a 300/500/1k event because i would only turnover 1800 in buyins in that time when online i could easily do 6k 3 times as much with no expenses and no hassle of driving to some place i would never visit if it didnt have a casino.

Stu by his own admission doesn't play online tournaments, he makes good money from online cash, more so than i would imagine he makes from live tournaments. So why would you go traipsing around the country to play tournaments where the buyin is less than a cash game buyin?

Only reasons i can think are:

Social interaction with like minded people.
The hope that u win 2 or 3 comps in quick succession so people with no clue about poker start saying 'your the best'

and the most likely reason

You heard Barry is going to be at the event so you were hoping to collect....




Damn you JC this is the actual truth:

You've no idea of the perils of live poker for someone like flushy.

People think he's really aggressive at the table.

"Oh look flushy's all-in again."

But he's not.

The truth is that every time he leans forward to check the flop, his moobs knock his stack into the middle and he has to pretend he meant to move in.

It's torture for the lad. He pretty much had to write an essay to justify moving in on the river with 5 high and no fold equity in a hand in brighton. All because of the moobs.






Title: Re: Stuart "easypickings" Rutter : In the well
Post by: Royal Flush on December 31, 2008, 11:54:31 AM
Right anyway back to the well


Stu

Most overrated player you have played with?

Most underrated player you have played with?

Your fave tournament venue in mainland europe?

Where do you see poker in 2yrs and 5yrs time and where do you see yourself in 2+5 yrs?

If you were the leanest and fittest person out of a group of 4 people and you were all rushing to get a taxi together, which seat would you go for?


Title: Re: Stuart "easypickings" Rutter : In the well
Post by: MANTIS01 on December 31, 2008, 12:21:33 PM
A few years ago I was playing a big pot with your brother in a self deal tournament at Walsall. I was the dealer. Your bro raised and I re-raised with Aces. He went all-in and I called. I then looked down to find I somehow had mucked my Aces. I went through that muck, got them Aces back, and knocked him out. Is this ok? See I felt really bad afterwards but your bro was fine with it cos he's a nice guy. Should he have been fine with it? You see I did not want to deal but they forced me to. Your brother was the most vocal about me dealing as well...so really it's ok cos the dealer says so right?


Title: Re: Stuart "easypickings" Rutter : In the well
Post by: lucky_scrote on December 31, 2008, 01:06:37 PM
Just like to say you are doing a good job in the well. When I did the well, I think I gave one line answers back to everyone, you are putting in some effort :D

Stu, I am sure you don't mind me picking on you because we are great friends but would you say you are addicted to internet poker? You put in some monster sessions. Or is it just determination. You are deffo the least laziest poker player I have ever met, actually making good money at private math lessons for young students and writing more articles than anyone I know.

Would you admit you have any weaknesses in your game? *cough game selection*


Title: Re: Stuart "easypickings" Rutter : In the well
Post by: easypickings on December 31, 2008, 02:15:13 PM
Great read, you've got a gift for expressing yourself Stu. Keep writing.

My question.

When we chatted recently you bowled me over by telling me you hardly ever play any live cash, whilst you pretty much make a living on online cash tables, and conversely you hardly ever play online tournaments.

That seems a little strange!

You must have a taste for tournaments given you turn up to lots of the big live ones, so why no online tournaments?

Wouldn't this be useful practice, given you can bank so many more hands online than live in key tournament situations, the bubble, final table etc and take this experience into live tournaments?

Interested in your thoughts.

That was a very entertaining conversation, given that we were only getting out of the way for NoFlops to chat up some girl. He needs to work on his act for when everyone goes back into the room, of trying to pretend nothing has happened by innoundating us with nonsense questions!

I think you're absolutely right to say it would be useful practice. When it comes to timing and building a bankroll, grinding the steady online games around the uncertainty of big buy-in tournaments has worked well. However, it is easy to get trapped in the flow and mindset of online cash play when playing live tournaments. The styles of play have no massive differences, but so many small ones that playing an online cash style would produce many leaks in a live tournament.

There are situations later in a tournament where the style of play has to be different, but even in the deep-stacked early stages of a tournament which imitate a cash game, there are many differences in the expected style of play. There will be some massive generalisations here, but this is how I see it:

- In online cash, the preferred style depends on the idea of representing a range. The style generally is to value bet big to represent a narrow range, and to make small bluffs that represent a wide range. In 'live' play, the thinking is at least a level lower, and the average player will make his decisions too much on the strength of his hand. Therefore, it can often be right to make more measured value bets, and actually to bluff big to try to scare people off their hands.

- Three betting in position in 'live' poker works far better than it should do. (The only problem is that you can often struggle to find a spot where you can 3-bet pre flop and still be playing deep stacked after the flop). In good online games, your opponents will time 4-bets annoyingly well or be prepared counter attack on the flop, whereas 'live' players will believe you for a big hand, and be prepared to play "fit or fold" if they do call. The fact that "fit" is something which doesn't happen very often hands a big advantage to the 3-bettor.

- In the situation where you have fired two shells and are going to the river, I would say there is a big difference between online play and a large bulk of live players.  An online player will understand far better the stength of the thrid barrel and be prepared to risk his stack to pick it off, whereas the thinking live player tends far more towards concern about all the strong hands that you could be representing. There is far too much emphasis in live tournaments put on protecting the bottom of your stack. Though there is some extra value to your last few chips, I belive it is much more the (understandable) emotional factor of players wanting to stay in the tournament that makes profitable any situation where you can threaten your opponent's stack.

Oops, wittering again. So yes, I think I'm going to play more online tournaments to get used to the different style of play. Cash is always just so convenient though! I have meant a couple of times to play a tournament but forget to register, and don't they go on the whole night?


Title: Re: Stuart "easypickings" Rutter : In the well
Post by: easypickings on December 31, 2008, 02:30:06 PM
Yeah i totally agree about occasionally going off to play a live comp to take a shot but i can't justify it as a profit making expense to go 1/2 way across the country to spend 4 days playing a 300/500/1k event because i would only turnover 1800 in buyins in that time when online i could easily do 6k 3 times as much with no expenses and no hassle of driving to some place i would never visit if it didnt have a casino.

Stu by his own admission doesn't play online tournaments, he makes good money from online cash, more so than i would imagine he makes from live tournaments. So why would you go traipsing around the country to play tournaments where the buyin is less than a cash game buyin?

Only reasons i can think are:

Social interaction with like minded people.
The hope that u win 2 or 3 comps in quick succession so people with no clue about poker start saying 'your the best'

and the most likely reason

You heard Barry is going to be at the event so you were hoping to collect....


Yeah, to be honest, internet grinding and going to a live tournament at the weekend are two completely different things. Internet poker is about the challenge of thinking against the best, building a good style, and building a bankroll as a ticket to donk off in a live tournament. A live tournament typically is about having a natter, trying to play your best, but typically making one stupid bluff that some muppet calls for the completely the wrong reasons, and then starting the fun all over again at the bar.

The challenges in live poker are different- finding your balls when you don't have a computer screen to hide behind, trying to get into the muddled thinking of the weaker players, and one that I find interesting but hasn't been mentioned- dealing with the frustrations and crushing disappointments of the game is character building, and a worthy challenge in itself.


Title: Re: Stuart "easypickings" Rutter : In the well
Post by: easypickings on December 31, 2008, 03:59:09 PM
Right anyway back to the well


Stu

1)Most overrated player you have played with?

2)Most underrated player you have played with?

3)Your fave tournament venue in mainland europe?

4)Where do you see poker in 2yrs and 5yrs time and where do you see yourself in 2+5 yrs?

5)If you were the leanest and fittest person out of a group of 4 people and you were all rushing to get a taxi together, which seat would you go for?

1) Tough question to answer. I'm going to wimp out slightly, but I think that whoever has been on the best run in recent tournaments typically becomes the most overrated player.

2) Easier.  Karl Mahrenlohz never fails to completely own me, I was really impressed with Javed (http://www.blondepoker.com/blondepedia/blondepedia_view_player.php?player_id=1258) Abrahams (http://www.blondepoker.com/blondepedia/blondepedia_view_player.php?player_id=1258), and some kid called Tom Rutter plays a great game. That guy Dubai is a lovely lad; he hasn't had the rub of the green in live tournaments, but he shouldn't less this get him down and be so shy about coming back.
I also feel  that if anyone were to rate Neil (http://www.blondepoker.com/blondepedia/blondepedia_view_player.php?player_id=302) Channing (http://www.blondepoker.com/blondepedia/blondepedia_view_player.php?player_id=302) as anything other than clearly best tournament player in England is probably underrating the man.

3) I really like the GUKPTS in England, the events are more fun than any other. Tallinn in Estonia is the most fun I've ever had at a poker tournament, well worth a visit.

The Aviation in Paris is clearly the worst. Sitting in a pokey, smoke-filled casino trying not to tilt that the staff are the rudest people you have ever met and that you are in France, whilst you wait for someone to say "tapis" and end your pain, is a fate I would wish on nobody.

In my opinion, San Remo is a massively overrated town as an EPT location, Prague and Dortmund are the best.

4) To be honest, I worry that in the future we'll look back at the situation over the last couple of years, and realise how good we had it. It was only inevitable that, after the poker boom, there would be enough people willing to apply themselves to the game to make things change dramatically. I would strongly advise anyone thinking of making poker into a job to either not to, or have a very clear back-up plan.

One effect that we could see if the standard continues to increase like it has is that live poker, with its added extra expenses, is no longer viable as a good profit making exercise. Am I alone in thinking that the standard in the GUKPT increased quite alot this year?

I also feel that sponsorship may continue down the road it is taking, and sponsors will realise that they are better to hope that a sports star or averagely pretty girl becomes a half-decent player than they are to take on the most talented players.

5) Completely the wrong end of the stick mate. As we went into town, I was just taking in the rules of the game that the front seat passenger has to pay the taxi fare when I was foiled by a surprising change of pace from Colchester Kev, and found myself well behind the three of you. After the embarassment not only of going to a gay bar but failing to get in (Kev was worried that by wearing his Blondepoker "Colchester Kev" t-shirt people might know who he was and where he came from), I was pumped for the way back.

I got off to a good start, but with the pressure Colchester breathing down my neck, I rembered only that the game had something to do with taxis and a front seat, and found myself jumping athletically into the front seat. In the space of half an hour, I had spent £13.60 to try and fail to get into a gay bar. gg nh


Title: Re: Stuart "easypickings" Rutter : In the well
Post by: easypickings on December 31, 2008, 04:18:35 PM
A few years ago I was playing a big pot with your brother in a self deal tournament at Walsall. I was the dealer. Your bro raised and I re-raised with Aces. He went all-in and I called. I then looked down to find I somehow had mucked my Aces. I went through that muck, got them Aces back, and knocked him out. Is this ok? See I felt really bad afterwards but your bro was fine with it cos he's a nice guy. Should he have been fine with it? You see I did not want to deal but they forced me to. Your brother was the most vocal about me dealing as well...so really it's ok cos the dealer says so right?

Hey Mantis, good to put a name to a face! How are things going mate?

I think this situation was very different because it was a self deal game. Whoever volunteers to pull the short straw of haivng to deal whilst playing and then having all the people who refused to deal correct his every move, deserves the benefit of any doubt. Your cards were barely in the muck, and it was only right that we got them back.

So, what if it wasn't a self-deal game, and someone had thrown their cards towards the muck, thinking the other player had passed?

(It's a side point, but I feel the one problem with dealers in this country it that they are a little scared to take the initiative in a situation like this. It's by far the most difficult part of the job, but they need to be trained to either state their ruling and be final about it, or call the floor without looking completely petrified, and clearly state what has happened without allowing the players butting in.)

I think if there is any confusion, it falls to the potential fluky benefactor to decide whether to play fair, if it is obvious what has happened. I guess there is no obligation at all for them to be generous, but I think alot of players would much rather try to win with their skill than their opponent's own goal.

There is only one exception to this that bothers me, so let me fire the question back at you. The situation is something like this. You make a good call with  Ac   9s on a board of  Kd Kc  Qc Js 2d. The other player looks frustrated, flahses  Ahrt 8h, and pushes his cards face down over the line. He has not realised, and neither has anyone else, that it should be a split pot. Do you play fair and say, or do you take the view that one of the skills of the game (though fairly simple) is reading your hand correctly, and accept the benefit from your opponent's mistake?


Title: Re: Stuart "easypickings" Rutter : In the well
Post by: MANTIS01 on December 31, 2008, 04:55:56 PM
In that example I am happy to take the pot because matey hasn't tabled a hand. If he did table a hand thinking I won and the dealer pushed me the pot I would push it back and explain the error. If you want the pot or any part of it you gotta show the hand down. Flashing your cards and not tabling a hand gives you no claim to the pot imo.

More importantly, the fact you know about the Aces hand from years ago means your bro told you about it and it stuck in your mind. This means it was a big deal and he was upset. I feel worse now. Could you ask him if he knows anything about the four flat tyres on my car that night? :)

Anyway, on to my serious question. How did you get into poker journalism? Is it financially rewarding or just creatively satisfying? Are there many opportunities in this field, and do you see it as something you will be pursuiting long term? Enjoyed the thread thus far with really comprehensive answers. And would ask other Blondes to appreciate my posts are not all that long really.


Title: Re: Stuart "easypickings" Rutter : In the well
Post by: easypickings on December 31, 2008, 04:59:55 PM
Just like to say you are doing a good job in the well. When I did the well, I think I gave one line answers back to everyone, you are putting in some effort :D

Stu, I am sure you don't mind me picking on you because we are great friends but would you say you are addicted to internet poker? You put in some monster sessions. Or is it just determination. You are deffo the least laziest poker player I have ever met, actually making good money at private math lessons for young students and writing more articles than anyone I know.

Would you admit you have any weaknesses in your game? *cough game selection*

Never mind doing the well, you do a great job of asking the most awkward questions!

Maybe I am when I get going, but the important thing is to know to get yourself away if your game starts to drop for whatever reason, and I've always been OK at that one. I think I've always preferred the style of maybe not plaiyng for a week or two, and then pulling a big session.

My top three weaknesses-

- I get quite emotional about live poker, and there is a danger this makes me too results orientated. Before my crap run came to an end, I lost a bit of confidence, if only in my luck. I started to second guess bluffs, imaganing the ways it could go wrong far more than the ways it could go right. After a few cold decks against me, I started to find every board a terryfying thing, which maybe has led me to misisng value in some spots. (One of my big mistakes in the Grand Final came after I hit gin with my  Qc Tc on the  Ad Kh Td Th turn against Erik Svanes. I checked the turn  behind with a safe hand to trap, but only flat called his 25k bet on a  3h river with 35k behind. He looked a little bemused, and showed an ace)

- A drop in confidence exaggerated a problem that I probably have anyway, which is that I am too unwilling to take a gamble for my stack. I am pretty averse to 50-50% situations, even if it is becoming the inevitable only option. (A mistake that still haunts me from the Grand Final is a gamble I failed to take. I had raised to 6k with  Ahrt Ad, and Pab had 3-bet to 18k from the small blind. I would have 60k behind if I flat-called. The gamble in this spot is of course to not move all-in, and everything about this situation indicated that this line would be right. I would have position, 60k is the perfect stack size to get into a 38k pot, and Pab would know that I do not have the balls to 4-bet all-in with nothing. I second guessed myself, however, and took the simple option of moving all-in. Pab had a lengthy dwell, but made a goos pass.

- When it comes to internet poker, I've always been useless about the extra bits. I've never used much game selection, as that would mean waiting to play, and waiting has always seemed silly. I didn't get PokerTracker until about 3 months ago. It is a useful tool, but it's a shame that it makes the game more about collecting numbers and less about using your instinct.  I think any site that was able to completely ban this software would breathe new life into the game.


Title: Re: Stuart "easypickings" Rutter : In the well
Post by: easypickings on December 31, 2008, 05:28:07 PM
In that example I am happy to take the pot because matey hasn't tabled a hand. If he did table a hand thinking I won and the dealer pushed me the pot I would push it back and explain the error. If you want the pot or any part of it you gotta show the hand down. Flashing your cards and not tabling a hand gives you no claim to the pot imo.

More importantly, the fact you know about the Aces hand from years ago means your bro told you about it and it stuck in your mind. This means it was a big deal and he was upset. I feel worse now. Could you ask him if he knows anything about the four flat tyres on my car that night? :)

Anyway, on to my serious question. How did you get into poker journalism? Is it financially rewarding or just creatively satisfying? Are there many opportunities in this field, and do you see it as something you will be pursuiting long term? Enjoyed the thread thus far with really comprehensive answers. And would ask other Blondes to appreciate my posts are not all that long really.

No no, I only remember as I was on the same table. An older brother's for nothing if not to be proud, and so I remember how he played fair without even thinking about it.

It's funny; I stumbled into it really, but I'm glad that I did. Just over a year ago, I had a conundrum. I loved poker and wanted to keep on playing, but definitely didn't want to rely on it to make a living. I decided to take my chance, and sent off emails to every site or magazine I could think of asking if there were any opportunities avaliable to write. 95% didn't reply, but I then pursued the ones that did. I got really lucky with timing along the way. Just after I had written to Mel Lofthouse, she was frantically searching for someone to interview Dave Colclough, and asked if I lived at all close to him. She was probably fairly surprised when I answered "yes, two minutes down the road."

I turned up to Dave's feeling slightly terrified, thought things were going OK as I scribbled down the answers, but then realised when I got home that I couldn't read a thing I had written. It worked out somehow though; I started to take on other things with PokerNews, and was lucky to find that my wishes fitted exactly with those of 32Red, for someone to promote their site based around writing a blog for it. After a while, I had even made enough money to buy a dictaphone.

So yes, I think there are very good opportunities to get into it, especially if you are willing to take on whatever you are given at first. The bad news is that it's definitely not a particularly financially rewarding job, but it's good fun, fits very well with going to 'live' tournaments, and helps you to think about the game.

- Your posts are always interesting and definitely not too long. Just remember that you will lose the love of some if you haven't asserted the crapness of live poker before the end of the second sentence.


Title: Re: Stuart "easypickings" Rutter : In the well
Post by: Bad Beat on December 31, 2008, 06:19:15 PM


   I also feel  that if anyone were to rate Neil Channing as anything other than clearly best tournament player in England is probably underrating the man.



 Always had you down as a good judge. If you've got time for a beer in Galway I'd like to talk to you about something.


Title: Re: Stuart "easypickings" Rutter : In the well
Post by: Royal Flush on December 31, 2008, 06:38:04 PM
If you've got time for a beer in Galway I'd like to talk to you about something.




Come here little boy

(http://www.faniq.com/images/blog/FamilyGuyHerbert.jpg)


Title: Re: Stuart "easypickings" Rutter : In the well
Post by: easypickings on January 01, 2009, 04:12:41 PM


   I also feel  that if anyone were to rate Neil (http://www.blondepoker.com/blondepedia/blondepedia_view_player.php?player_id=302) Channing (http://www.blondepoker.com/blondepedia/blondepedia_view_player.php?player_id=302) as anything other than clearly best tournament player in England is probably underrating the man.



 Always had you down as a good judge. If you've got time for a beer in Galway I'd like to talk to you about something.

Sounds good. My favorite times to bust out are either within the first 15 minutes or last 15 mintues of the day. Bear it in mind, I'll see you around.


Title: Re: Stuart "easypickings" Rutter : In the well
Post by: lucky_scrote on January 01, 2009, 04:53:49 PM
Why do you never pick up the phone? At least you got rid of that ringtone where you sang the song:

"This is stu-ey singin at the phone, please leave ya message after the tone!"


Why do you only play mid stakes now? You told me once you used to play pretty high. I've dropped down to 5/10nl for reasons other than money but I want to hear what you say.


Title: Re: Stuart "easypickings" Rutter : In the well
Post by: easypickings on January 01, 2009, 11:32:48 PM
Why do you never pick up the phone? At least you got rid of that ringtone where you sang the song:

"This is stu-ey singin at the phone, please leave ya message after the tone!"


Why do you only play mid stakes now? You told me once you used to play pretty high. I've dropped down to 5/10nl for reasons other than money but I want to hear what you say.

How can I answer my phone when I'm down a well? No, I'm back around now, so give me a ring if you can. Are you still off to Bahamas?

Yeah, I'd be interested to know what you think, so I'll go first.

It's maybe a small part because the standard has improved so much, but the main word to sum it up would be "variance:"

- It's always tilted me a little when people mention poker in the same breath as gambling. By multi-tabling at a lower level, it's easier to steadily build a good roll rather than rely that a high-stakes graph has more massive ups than it does big downs. I find it a bit sick when players more talented than me have massive leaks by tilting in the big games or playing the table games. I would be far more interested in a poker that offers a gamble-free way of building a good bankroll rather than a journey between the excitment of winning big bucks and despair of going broke.

- It's really important to me to enjoy my poker and for it to be a positive part of life, and I think that's tough sometimes for even the best players who have to contend with big losing sessions. By playing lower and making sure I get myself away if I'm not playing well, I never really find the game stressful. 

-I save my emotions for live poker; as you know, when I go out of even a £100 side-event I am probably more gutted than a kid whose rabbit just died on Christmas Day. I've become a much more enthusiastic live player, and so using the internet to build a bankroll rather than thrill seek fits well with playing the big buy-in events, epecially when I am on a roll of not cashing!

- I've always felt that the high stakes games bear less resemblence to any other form of poker, particualrly 'live' tournaments. A massive part of doing well at live poker is understanding the tendencies of the weaker players and trying to make sense of their illogical thinking, and so a high-stakes game where you are trying to outwit great brains is not really good practice.

- Maybe it's just that I'm getting boring. I must be getting old, I've even started calling younger players 'kids'. I started off a bankroll from scratch, so when I was younger, almost treated money as nothing more than points and didn't mind some big ups and downs. That's changed now though. Even though I try to earn my living away from poker, there definitely is a big difference in the way you view the game when you start to think about things like a mortgage.


Title: Re: Stuart "easypickings" Rutter : In the well
Post by: snoopy1239 on January 02, 2009, 01:13:48 AM
My God. A conversation between Stuart and Mantis is like reading War and Peace.  ;D

My questions:

(1) What makes you such a successful online cash game player?

(2) How have you adapted to the recent importance of three-betting in 6-handed cash games?

(3) Is it okay to open limp in tournaments?

(4) Why was he called a Chief Master?


Title: Re: Stuart "easypickings" Rutter : In the well
Post by: easypickings on January 02, 2009, 02:21:18 AM
My God. A conversation between Stuart and Mantis is like reading War and Peace.  ;D

My questions:

(1) What makes you such a successful online cash game player?

(2) How have you adapted to the recent importance of three-betting in 6-handed cash games?

(3) Is it okay to open limp in tournaments?

(4) Why was he called a Chief Master?

1) Not much. I think I've done one thing from the start, which is probably the best thing every poker player could do. I've realised that I am probably a bit crap; even if I am now less crap than before, I still realise that each time I play, there is much I could have done better, and so much to learn from.

There are two things I have always found fairly easy, that are a massive help. In online play, I am not in the slightest bit results orientated. This means I don't waste any time worrying about luck (If you think about it, alot of poker players waste so much of their time thinking about luck in one form or another.)

I also just never tilt. It should be so easy; if a player thinks about the game at all, they should realise just how crucial it is to not tilt, and this in itself should be determination enough not to.

To sum up, I don't think it's one skill that will determine whether a player will do well, but far more so their attitude towards the game.

2) - Most important adaption by far is making sure your opening raising range is as tight as it should be. If you're raising too many hands, it's just too exploitable by the observant players.

- It's this dimension of the game that made me realise I had to evenutally give in and get Poker Tracker. It's useful only for specific things, but knowing a player's 3-betting percentage becomes pretty crucial.

- The most common mistake people make is try to defend against a player who 3-bets with high frequency by calling alot more of the time. This is typically done with hands like low pairs or suited connectors, and then inevitably followed by a "fit or fold" strategy on the flop. This is definitely not the time you should be trying to trap, as if you do hit the big flop, you have far less chance of stacking a player with a weak, wide range. Instead, the right strategy against a frequent 3-bettor is to add some 4-bet bluffs when the stack sizes and timing is right, and to consider the following....

- The move that has gained most effect with the recent changes in the game is call the 3-bet, and to re-bluff the 3-bettor on a suitable flop. If a player is 3-betting a wide range and c-betting a high frequency, just have a think about what a small part of his range he will feel comfortable contuining with on the flop if you re-raise him.

This situation I have described above is the one most worth working on at the moment in 6-max cash games. However, in a game that changes so much, once you have a good defence, people will find a good defence to the defence. The next major change in the game should logically be that good players start giving far less respect to this move of re-raising the flop after calling the 3-bet, and so you will have to be ready to adapt at any point.

3) I don't know, it's never come up.

Seriously, I think the crucial thing on this one is that open limping should be a crap, exploitable strategy, but that there are alot of situations in poker where people confuse what should be a good strategy with what actually is in practice a good strategy.

Some people give far too much respect to the limp, and let you see the flop and take it away most of the time.

I think there is a decent psychological explanation for this. A good live player should be most worried when you have the kind of range that includes only strong hands and cannot contain the marginal hands. However, most live players are not good, and so the range they get scared off is a subtely different one. It is the percieved range of the open-limper, which is a whole bunch of more marginal hands, but a bigger chance of ACES. It is this word ACES that is the crucial one, because ACES mean elimination, and live players are far too scared of elimination. They have confused minds, at the front of which are the very few occasions where someone did limp with ACES and busted a player who himself sulked off, embarassed that it should have been so obvious. Embarassment is another thing that live players are too eager to avoid, and so they get scared and play far too passively against the open-limper.

I'm not arguing that the open limp is a great move, but I think there are some situations where it can be effective with a marginal hand. Try it on a bad table, as there is one guarantee. If someone has not muttered "oooh" as you limp, then by the time you take it down on the flop, at least one person will have inspired us all by saying something like "it was that guy's flat-call I was scared of."

4) Because he rode at the front of the K.E. bandwaggon, and brandished his whip at anyone who ever open-limped.


Title: Re: Stuart "easypickings" Rutter : In the well
Post by: AlexMartin on January 03, 2009, 01:52:19 PM
You play the live uk circuit a lot stu. Do you ever consciously make the effort to balance your ranges?


Title: Re: Stuart "easypickings" Rutter : In the well
Post by: George2Loose on January 03, 2009, 02:30:13 PM
Hi Stu,

Played poker with Tom a few times but never yourself. We were playing cash at DTD and he was telling me how infuriated you were when the dealer miscounted your chips when you three bet Pab with AA. How much of a turning point do you think this was in the tourney? Following on from that do you believe in:

Hidden luck (as above if the dealer had counted it correctly maybe Pab would have had to call and we'd be crowning a different champ?) I think Harrington briefly mentions it in HOH

What annoys you about the live game as opposed to online and vice versa? Do you ever tilt when you have a particularly slow player?



Title: Re: Stuart "easypickings" Rutter : In the well
Post by: easypickings on January 03, 2009, 07:02:54 PM
You play the live uk circuit a lot stu. Do you ever consciously make the effort to balance your ranges?

I looked at this question for ages trying to work out what the pun was, but then realised it was serious! A great question it is too.

The short answer is no. The idea of balancing a range is to sacrifice a bit of equity in a one-situation, in order to avoid making your play exploitable in the long run. The kind of spots we would be talking about with regards to live poker are:

1) If we like to 3-bet with a range that is either very strong hands or junk (i.e. we decide not to give ourself the problem of re-raising the hands like AQ or 88), should we worry enough that people will pick up on this to cause us to merge this range?

2)If a big value bet on the river is far too likely to be at either end of the spectrum (i.e. nuts or air) should we worry that a) on very dry boards, we are not representing a wide enough range to be believed and b) on scary boards, we are indicating that we do not have the middle part of the range, and allowing good with strong hands opponents to make a good pass?

3) Are we opening ourselves to possible explotation by using pot control with the middle part of our range, thus cutting it out as a possiblity when continuation betting? For example, if we are continuing on a board of K22 with little other than a king or nothing, this is very exploitable to a check-raise by our opponent.

I think you have to worry far less about these type of spots in live poker. The number of times they will come up against a particular player is just so much less than it is with someone you play with even semi-regualrly online (and indeed, someone who has software to help them!)

If you are going to sacrifice a little equity in some spots to achieve a balanced range, you are assuming that your opponent is pretty observant, and this is just not true of a lot of live players. If we consider no 3), there are not too many players who will play back at you on the reasoning that this is a dry flop, and your range to be able to call a re-raise is very tight. If there are players who may have the nous to do this, you will probably be able to pick them out anyway, and this brings us onto the next point....

There is one crucial thing that I am sure you do that actually naturally balances your perceived range. Quite simply, you play differently against different players. Becuase of the greater range in talent,  there will be a far wider range in how you play than an online game where most opponents are solid players. This will mean that your ranges are merged quite well by treating spots differently according to the player.

If wethink about the value betting/bluffing examples in number 2), let's look at the "nuts" or "air" scenarios on a board like  Kh Qh 9h 3h 2d. Let's generalise completlely, and say that our read on our opponent is that they have something very weak in this spot, like two pair. I would be bluffing big against a bad player (I think they base their action mainly on their hand strength, and are more likely to fold under higher pressure), and bluffing small against a thinking player ( I represent a much wider range for them to worry about). The converse when I have the nuts is that I am value betting big against the thinking player and small against the weaker player. Already, the range in this spot is merged enough that it becomes more difficult for someone to see through it.
 
Of course some players are cunning enough to read not just into your range agaisnt the field, but specifically your range against them. However, with the limited amount of hands in live poker, I feel that there is a factor far more important than percieved ranges, and that is your history against that player. Therefore, if you are looking at  Qs Qh and wondering how strongly to play them against your opponent, it will not be influenced so much by how balanced your opponent considers your range to be, but whether rather against him you only have ever shown aces and kings, or did it last time and showed him  6c 3h.





Title: Re: Stuart "easypickings" Rutter : In the well
Post by: easypickings on January 03, 2009, 08:04:41 PM
Hi Stu,

Played poker with Tom a few times but never yourself. We were playing cash at DT (http://www.dusktilldawnpoker.com/)D (http://www.dusktilldawnpoker.com/) and he was telling me how infuriated you were when the dealer miscounted your chips when you three bet Pab with AA. How much of a turning point do you think this was in the tourney? Following on from that do you believe in:

Hidden luck (as above if the dealer had counted it correctly maybe Pab would have had to call and we'd be crowning a different champ?) I think Harrington briefly mentions it in HOH

What annoys you about the live game as opposed to online and vice versa? Do you ever tilt when you have a particularly slow player?



Hey Geroge, good questions, and look forward to playing with you finally soon!

-To recap the situation, I had raised 6k  to on the cut-off with  Ac Ad, and been faced with a nice decision after Pab 3-bet from the small blind to 18k. I always try to know almost exactly how much is in my stack, and so knew I had a decision what to do with my last 60k. I decided to push it in, hoping his odds would be good enough to call, and Pab went into the tank. He thought for a few minutes, asked how much it was, and the dealer said "70k". Inside I screamed something I couldn't say out loud, "it's only 60k!, as he thought for a couple more minutes, and eventually made a very good pass.

Now this seems like a massive overreaction to a slight mistake, and it almost defintiely is. It's something that probably would have made no difference at all, but it just might have done. Anyone can make a mistake, and I definitely don't want to feel bad towards a dealer for doing so, but it was the attitude that it symbolised amongst some of the dealers that I found frustrating. 

As I see it, a dealer error, even if far more costly than this, is all part of the luck factor of the game, and therefore is not worth worrying about. I believe in hidden luck, in so far as there are far more factors to luck than just the timing and strength of the hands you get. (Tons of ones, like what hand you miss when you nip to the bar, dealer errors, the fact that a misdeal changes your fate for the whole of the rest of the day)  However, my belief is that hidden luck is something that you can't control and therefore not worth worrying about.  Funnily enough, luck is never a clear thing anyway; in this situation, the possible difference between passing and calling could have spared me a horrible suckout!

There will always be so many things worth thinking about that are under your control, and  the thing about this spot that annoys me is that I got the spot wrong anyway. Everything about it makes the spot perfect for a slowplay before the flop, and I think for me to not do this was a big wimp out!

Going back to the dealers, I guess any dealer can make a mistake, and it should definitely be forgivable. In an ideal world, dealers would not be scared at all of making a mistake, and no players would be unpleasant towards them.  What the dealers should try hard at is the kind of commitment and attention to detail they display at the table.

It is just this one problem I have with the dealers in this country. They are probably technically as good as other dealers, but the attitude seems a little too relaxed for me, and it seems they are willing to settle for doing just a decent job. The reason I was disappointed about this hand is that it feels like it's this attitude that causes them not to be too bothered if they a small mistake like counting out 60k as 70k, and not see the nonsense in suggesting that I should have pointed out it was "only" 60k!

This attitude also causes them not to bother showing cards in a showdown where they should automatically, or showing both of a players cards leaving you feeling rude asking to see both cards in a spot, and causes them not to be sharp about picking up on string bets. There seems to be no encouragement for improvement coming from the top, like there would be with Thomas (http://www.blondepoker.com/blondepedia/blondepedia_view_player.php?player_id=2559) Kremser (http://www.blondepoker.com/blondepedia/blondepedia_view_player.php?player_id=2559)'s crew of dealers.

- Lol, you've hit the nail on the head. I have just two things that annoy me at the table, and they both seem to come from the same type of players. The slow players are not the ones that once in a while take ages over a big decision, that is absolutely fine. The slow players are the ones that on so many hands check their cards, shuffle them, check them again in case they have changed, say "I raise," check their cards again because it's so tough to remember two cards, put their lucky stone on their cards, and eventually put some chips in the middle just seconds before you decide to kill yourself.

Then there are the players who always take a few seconds to pass when they could do so in a millisecond. This seems to go hand in hand with the other thing that annoys me, and that is players who believe that the game is anything to do with ego. These players see it as a disrespect to their ego when you raise their blind, and give just a little staredown or a comment like "next time I'll re-raise you kid."

One guy seemed fairly serious when he asked "is it personal?" that I had raised his blind twice in a row. I couldn't help myself answering "Of course it's not personal. How could it be personal when I don't even know you? Maybe I've had big hands both times, maybe I'm raising anything on the button,but of course it's not personal."

Not only is it a shame for some people to go against the pleasantness of the table, but the annoying thing is that I think it works for these guys. If most players at the table are passing politely and one is providing us with inspiartional comments like "I don't like stealers," or "are you nicking?", then I think alot of players avoid stealing that one guy's blind.

Sorry, I sound like some grumpy old man who hates dealers and  slow players! What annoys me about the online game?

1) PokerTracker. It changes the skills of the game, and makes crucial the far less exciting skill of colllecting numbers and using them well, and loses the instinct that you have in live poker. If it were possible, I think a big site could do well for itself by announcing a ban on all software like this.

2) A few people are rude online where they just wouldn't be live at all, either berating a bad play or celebrating their own suckouts. My response to this used has always been "would you say that if this were live?"


Title: Re: Stuart "easypickings" Rutter : In the well
Post by: byronkincaid on January 03, 2009, 08:11:55 PM
if you were bluffing would you have said it's only 60K?

cake poker has banned PT i think

sweet thread



Title: Re: Stuart "easypickings" Rutter : In the well
Post by: easypickings on January 03, 2009, 08:51:55 PM
if you were bluffing would you have said it's only 60K?

cake poker has banned PT i think

sweet thread



Lol, good question. I think against some players it may have been a good idea, as they may have suspsected that I was running a double bluff, trying to appear confident. However, I have alot of respect for Pab, and however modest he is, he probably knows this. I think he would have thought about is, wondered why I had said something like that, thought I probably wasn't messing around, and come to the conlcusion that it was genuine. He's too clever basically!

Nice one Cake Poker! Hopefully some other sites will follow suit.


Title: Re: Stuart "easypickings" Rutter : In the well
Post by: bolt pp on January 03, 2009, 09:51:35 PM
If i invented a piece of hardware that looked like this, that you could plug into your computer and let you play 37 tables simultaneously as well as you could play 1 would you wear it and how much would you pay me?

(http://i303.photobucket.com/albums/nn141/michaelj830/DocBrownB61406.jpg)


Title: Re: Stuart "easypickings" Rutter : In the well
Post by: GreekStein on January 03, 2009, 09:52:43 PM
Hi again Stu,

have you ever found balancing poker with other things in life difficult?

What was the weirdest thing you've ever witnessed at the table?


Title: Re: Stuart "easypickings" Rutter : In the well
Post by: boldie on January 03, 2009, 10:31:42 PM
wow, this is some well.


Title: Re: Stuart "easypickings" Rutter : In the well
Post by: Hairydude on January 03, 2009, 10:38:28 PM
epic answers-appreciated!!!


Title: Re: Stuart "easypickings" Rutter : In the well
Post by: easypickings on January 03, 2009, 10:49:52 PM
If i invented a piece of hardware that looked like this, that you could plug into your computer and let you play 37 tables simultaneously as well as you could play 1 would you wear it and how much would you pay me?

(http://i303.photobucket.com/albums/nn141/michaelj830/DocBrownB61406.jpg)

Of course I would. That's only slightly more ridiculous than some of the hats I've worn anyway. I'd give you 10% of the profits.


Title: Re: Stuart "easypickings" Rutter : In the well
Post by: boldie on January 03, 2009, 10:59:41 PM
If i invented a piece of hardware that looked like this, that you could plug into your computer and let you play 37 tables simultaneously as well as you could play 1 would you wear it and how much would you pay me?

(http://i303.photobucket.com/albums/nn141/michaelj830/DocBrownB61406.jpg)

Of course I would. That's only slightly more ridiculous than some of the hats I've worn anyway. I'd give you 10% of the profits.

10% is nice...but can you get him a blonde T-shirt?


Title: Re: Stuart "easypickings" Rutter : In the well
Post by: easypickings on January 03, 2009, 11:49:47 PM
Hi again Stu,

have you ever found balancing poker with other things in life difficult?

What was the weirdest thing you've ever witnessed at the table?

1) Not so much really, but I think it's probably taken lucky circumstances and a bit of care to make it fit. It actually fitted a hole, that was left by having to stop what I previously spend loads of time doing. I used to do all kind of sports and spent loads of time doing athletics at university, but had to stop due to some wierd fatigue problem. I'd basically tired myself out, I had run a couple of marathons as well, and do this day just can't really can't do anything at all without getting completely knackered. So, it came along at exactly the right time to give me something to do, and satisfy that competitive instinct!

Now, of course, it has become much more than a hobby!  It just about fits time wise, as long as I'm always to get myself off the internet when I need to. Apart from the late nights, one slight problem with live poker is having to spend alot of time away from home. My girlfriend works hard all week and, like a normal person, has her spare time at the weekend. So, it's a bit of a blow when the tournaments eat into the weekend so much. She's great at being understanding, but I imagine I might have to cut a bit out in a few years time!

2) Definitely the wierdest thing was on the bubble of one of the WSOP events in Vegas. An old American guy not only passed aces to an all-in before the flop, but proudly showing it and saying how many times he had seen them outdrawn! He then looked a bit surprised five minutes later when he made a normal raise and someone decided to re-pop him!

Wierd things that happen just away from the table all have one thing is common. They all involve Matt (http://www.blondepoker.com/blondepedia/blondepedia_view_player.php?player_id=272) Dale (http://www.blondepoker.com/blondepedia/blondepedia_view_player.php?player_id=272). I remember being at the bar at Bolton casino with him when we had both busted out early. A couple of pints is alot for Matt, and so the drunken banter was flowing loudly, mainly about plans for chatting up girls. Nobody around us minded at all, but one of the locals picked up from Matt's hilarious accent that he might not be from these parts, and kindly gave him a warning. Bolton is not the prettiest of places, and so we listened carefully when this guy pointed out "See the girls over there, avoid going near them mate,  the two guys with them are drug dealers." It seemed pretty sound advice, these guys were about 6'6 in all directions.

Matt is a great polite lad, and so thanked them, and seemed to have understood the advice. The problem is that a couple more pints can change alot for Matt, and he soon found himself plaiyng roulette. He found himself next to a couple of pretty girls, and so naturally started chatting them up in the way only he can. They seemed to be near two fairly big guys, but Matt was too busy splashing his chips around for this to ring any bells. In fact, he loves a bit of banter, and if the guys put £2 on a number, Matt would overshadow slightly by putting £100 or so of his own on the same number.

I could hear four letter mutterings already; the drug dealers somehow didn't seem too happy that someone was chatting up their girls and taking the mickey out of their bets. I overheard one worrying plan, which was to pretend to invite him back to a party, so that they could "do him over."

 The girls seemed more ambivalent themselves, and maybe mthere was still chance for Matt to recover it. I was sketching out slightly as one of ther girls asked him "Here yaaaaaaa, which do you think is better, Bolton or Wigan?" Matt thought for a couple of seconds, but had a stroke of genius. He managed to remember the name of the town he was in, and proudly said, "Ah, Bolton is much better, Wigan is absolutely SHIT."

"Ah, that's funny, cus we're from down the road in Wigan." Such a shame that it had to end, but I had Matt with me in a taxi back within about 30 seconds!


Title: Re: Stuart "easypickings" Rutter : In the well
Post by: MANTIS01 on January 04, 2009, 01:51:09 AM
When the dealer counts out 70k you say, "No, I think it's a bit more than that". Dealer is now forced to recount. Not only does he now reach the correct lower figure of 60k it gives your oppo the impression the call, which was momentarily at a higher figure, is now a cut-price deal. The cherry is your oppo thinks you're wanting the bet to be higher rather than lower.


Title: Re: Stuart "easypickings" Rutter : In the well
Post by: GreekStein on January 04, 2009, 01:55:04 AM
When the dealer counts out 70k you say, "No, I think it's a bit more than that". Dealer is now forced to recount. Not only does he now reach the correct lower figure of 60k it gives your oppo the impression the call, which was momentarily at a higher figure, is now a cut-price deal. The cherry is your oppo thinks you're wanting the bet to be higher rather than lower.

Level 4 shit! like it mantis!

Thanks for the detailed responses stu - awesome well!


Title: Re: Stuart "easypickings" Rutter : In the well
Post by: Cupcake on January 08, 2009, 01:31:57 AM
I've never played or even met Mr Rutter and I don't even have a question for him. but I'd just like to say, he really sounds like a nice rounded modest chap, without an ounce of ego or mallice towards another player which i find quite refreshing. Funny that your two most annoying things about live poker are exactly the same as mine. My favourite being the stare-check cards -stare-look at my stack-stare- look at his own stack-stare-tut-stare-check cards again-stare-riffle some more-stare-ask me what they want me to do( sorry, but this one gets me every time and I usually piss myself laughing and look for a waitress to order a cappuccino)-stare-re re re check & shuffle cards- stare and f~ck me 5 Min's and 38 secs later they always stare-FOLD !!!. It's also is very obvious that you've taken this In the well interview very seriously with some really well written and articulate answers. A really nice interesting read and good luck for the future.

Cupcake.  ;hattip;



Title: Re: Stuart "easypickings" Rutter : In the well
Post by: maldini32 on January 08, 2009, 03:46:11 AM
You love to write dont u m8!

Impressive well.


Title: Re: Stuart "easypickings" Rutter : In the well
Post by: Longy on January 08, 2009, 06:33:11 AM
No disrepect to others in the well, but have found this one to be the most interesting and informative to read.


Title: Re: Stuart "easypickings" Rutter : In the well
Post by: Geo the Sarge on January 08, 2009, 07:25:27 AM
No disrepect to others in the well, but have found this one to be the most interesting and informative to read.

+1

 ;hattip;

Ty Sir.

Geo


Title: Re: Stuart "easypickings" Rutter : In the well
Post by: Jon MW on January 08, 2009, 08:31:13 AM
No disrepect to others in the well, but have found this one to be the most interesting and informative to read.

+1

 ;hattip;

Ty Sir.

Geo

+ another 1

I think this has set the standard to beat.


Title: Re: Stuart "easypickings" Rutter : In the well
Post by: TightEnd on January 08, 2009, 03:05:10 PM
thanks to Stuart, for doing the well

We're going to put all of the Wells in best of blonde, or a sub board of best of blonde, in the near future


Title: Re: Stuart "easypickings" Rutter : In the well
Post by: celtic on January 08, 2009, 05:48:32 PM
Great to read your thoughts stu.

 ;applause; ;applause; ;applause;


Title: Re: Stuart "easypickings" Rutter : In the well
Post by: Tractor on January 08, 2009, 06:00:35 PM
Wow, great well.

Many Thanks.


Title: Re: Stuart "easypickings" Rutter : In the well
Post by: easypickings on January 08, 2009, 06:08:35 PM
Thanks guys, it's been an absolute pleasure to do it. Thanks for your thoughts and lots of great questions.


Title: Re: Stuart "easypickings" Rutter : In the well
Post by: Numpty Dumpty on January 08, 2009, 11:57:18 PM
Nice one stu! Great read.

Check out stu's blog - 32redpokerblog.com - equally interesting and entertaining

And thats the end of my shameless plug for my big brother :)


Title: Re: Stuart "easypickings" Rutter : In the well
Post by: avillan on January 09, 2009, 01:15:16 PM
Well, that was one of the best "in the wells"

Great in-depth answers with a good insight for your game.

Good luck at the felt in 2009 Stu


Title: Re: Stuart "easypickings" Rutter : In the well
Post by: GreekStein on January 09, 2009, 02:03:28 PM
Well, that was one of the best "in the wells"

Great in-depth answers with a good insight for your game.

Good luck at the felt in 2009 Stu

+1


Title: Re: Stuart "easypickings" Rutter : In the well
Post by: thetank on January 09, 2009, 02:07:01 PM
Did love that Matt Dale tale. Very well written.


Title: Re: Stuart "easypickings" Rutter : In the well
Post by: bobAlike on January 09, 2009, 04:27:02 PM
Well, that was one of the best "in the wells"

Great in-depth answers with a good insight for your game.

Good luck at the felt in 2009 Stu

+1

+2


Title: Re: Stuart "easypickings" Rutter : In the well
Post by: MANTIS01 on January 10, 2009, 02:53:28 AM
Good luck fella.


Title: Re: Stuart "easypickings" Rutter : In the well
Post by: AlexMartin on January 10, 2009, 05:41:46 AM
Did love that Matt (http://www.blondepoker.com/blondepedia/blondepedia_view_player.php?player_id=272) Dale (http://www.blondepoker.com/blondepedia/blondepedia_view_player.php?player_id=272) tale. Very well written.

since then he hasnt been seen on the live circuit. big girls blouse imo.


Title: Re: Stuart "easypickings" Rutter : In the well
Post by: TightEnd on May 25, 2010, 05:31:41 PM
Out of "best of blonde" temporarily


Stuart has agreed to answer further questions after his GUKPT Coventry win at the weekend, before he travels to Vegas next week


Any questions for him, fire away....


Title: Re: Stuart "easypickings" Rutter : In the well
Post by: kinboshi on May 25, 2010, 05:33:31 PM
Can you lend me £20?


Oh, and congratulations.  About bloody time ;hattip;


Title: Re: Stuart "easypickings" Rutter : In the well
Post by: outragous76 on May 25, 2010, 05:53:16 PM
Stu

Congrats on another great GUKPT performance and a win at last

questions:

1. have you ever been asked for ID to get into a bar since turning 25 when the average age of the people inside was abotu 16?
2. Is it possible to down a 3 pint pitcher in about 7 seconds?
3. is it true that Snobs night club is the only reason you still live in Birmingham




Title: Re: Stuart "easypickings" Rutter : In the well
Post by: paulhouk03 on May 25, 2010, 06:05:53 PM
Favourite subway sub?
How many events do u plan to play in this years wsop


Title: Re: Stuart "easypickings" Rutter : In the well
Post by: JK on May 25, 2010, 06:44:01 PM
Well done Sunday, was nice to meet you too.

Questions:

1. How did you make the jump between semi -> pro?
2. Kinda similar to Pauls question, but what events you playing in Vegas and your reasonings behind those particular ones?
3. Is it true the lemonade I bought you made you run like god?


Title: Re: Stuart "easypickings" Rutter : In the well
Post by: George2Loose on May 25, 2010, 07:06:52 PM
Seriously Stu, why did you trip George Geary? Out of order imo


Title: Re: Stuart "easypickings" Rutter : In the well
Post by: MC on May 25, 2010, 07:55:36 PM
Guess I can't call you 'Day Two Stu' anymore :P


What do you think your ROI would be in the WSOP Main event if you could play it to infinity?

What is the largest number of Jagerbombs you can recall having in one night?


Title: Re: Stuart "easypickings" Rutter : In the well
Post by: DaveShoelace on May 25, 2010, 08:23:40 PM
Favourite TV programme?
When was the last time you had a proper go at someone?
Is it true that if I kill you, I become you?
Best short joke you have heard in a while?
Have you ever had kebab as a pizza topping?
Could you beat Julian Thew in a fight?
Could you beat James Atkin in a fight?
Could you, James Atkin and Julian Thew beat Barry Neville in a fight?
England to win the World Cup or the Owls to get back in the Prem - which would you prefer?
Best breed of dog?


Title: Re: Stuart "easypickings" Rutter : In the well
Post by: easypickings on May 25, 2010, 09:02:47 PM
Cheers for the questions guys. I might be a bit slow this time, as I've got tons of stuff to do before Vegas on Monday, but I'll answer them all eventually.

Stu

Congrats on another great GUKPT performance and a win at last

questions:

1. have you ever been asked for ID to get into a bar since turning 25 when the average age of the people inside was abotu 16?
2. Is it possible to down a 3 pint pitcher in about 7 seconds?
3. is it true that Snobs night club is the only reason you still live in Birmingham




1) Yes,that was one of my proudest ever moments. In fact, I was so happy in my celebrations at getting asked for ID, that the guy didn't bother in the end. I've been handing out that advice to 16 year-old cousins ever since.

2) Only if you have a freakishly big gob. Yes, I once raced a bottle of some alcopop against someone pouring the same bottle into a big bowl. It was a draw.

3) One of many son, one of many.


Title: Re: Stuart "easypickings" Rutter : In the well
Post by: lucky_scrote on May 25, 2010, 09:19:24 PM
Cheers for the questions guys. I might be a bit slow this time, as I've got tons of stuff to do before Vegas on Monday, but I'll answer them all eventually.

Stu

Congrats on another great GUKPT performance and a win at last

questions:

1. have you ever been asked for ID to get into a bar since turning 25 when the average age of the people inside was abotu 16?
2. Is it possible to down a 3 pint pitcher in about 7 seconds?
3. is it true that Snobs night club is the only reason you still live in Birmingham




1) Yes,that was one of my proudest ever moments. In fact, I was so happy in my celebrations at getting asked for ID, that the guy didn't bother in the end. I've been handing out that advice to 16 year-old cousins ever since.

2) Only if you have a freakishly big gob. Yes, I once raced a bottle of some alcopop against someone pouring the same bottle into a big bowl. It was a draw.

3) One of many son, one of many.


Stu I wonder if you it really would be a draw.


Title: Re: Stuart "easypickings" Rutter : In the well
Post by: blonde17 on May 25, 2010, 09:33:16 PM
 Aspades
Ah great thought i had missed it.
Two Quick qestions.

1) Do you still have that woolley condom?
2) What`s tilt?

Nice one Stu and GL in Vegas.
PS. By the way, if you think his writing is good..... wait till you hear him talk about poker !


Title: Re: Stuart "easypickings" Rutter : In the well
Post by: easypickings on May 26, 2010, 12:12:38 AM
Favourite subway sub?
How many events do u plan to play in this years wsop

Foot long chicken teryiaki.

I'm hoping to play about 16 events. But not the ones you would expect...

At the start of the year, two things came together. I guess I had always been aware that the way to make that tiny shot of getting a bracelet slightly less tiny would be to play not in the Holdem events, but in the mixed game events; and at the turn of the year, I felt that I wanted a new challenge in poker. Whilst I love live poker and its challenge, the part of poker that maybe can become a little monotonous is the grinding online, and so I decided to throw my energy into something new.

On New Year's Day I realised that I would have exactly five months til the first mixed game event of the Series, and decided to see what I could do. At the start of the year, I had never played more than a few hands of any of the games, and barely knew the rules of most of them. In fact, even by the start of the Series, I will not have play any mixed game hands in a 'live' setting. It's a plan that could still go hopelessly wrong, but I was determined to give it a go. Straight away, I realised that whislt I was trying to pick up about six different games, there were all still just poker. Though it was six games with very different rules, the challenge was to just try to fit the same skills of hand reading, position, bluffing and balance around the different structured games.

It was a funny coincidence that my push started on the 1st of January, and my first event would be the 2-7 Triple Draw on the 1st June, and so I have had a time for reflection on the 1st of each of the months in between. By the 1st of February, things didn't feel so good. I do alot of other stuff outside poker, and so poker time was limited. In that time, I was aware I would still have to grind online a fair bit to try to establish a Vegas roll. The games seemed very hard to pick up at first, and by the end of January, I still didn't know the rules of razz.

However, February saw a decent surge; I had the idea of getting some coaching in each of the different games and no longer had to work it all out on my own. I was also beginning to realise that you can bring the ideas of no-limit agression to even limit games like stud, and that maybe the old-schoolers had missed out on this.

A few days after the start of March, I made a big decision. Apart from a few live tournaments, I would dedicate all of my poker time to learning the mix. The last three months would be the only time in my poker career which I could compare in any way at all to a tough, normal job. However, it's been alot of fun at the same time, and I'm really raring to go.

That's a long ramble and I haven't yet answered the question (the subway one was easier to be honest); I will still play 3 or 4 of the traditional holdem events. Apart from that, I'll be playing as many of the mixed games as I can. The ones that stand out are the $2.5k Triple Draw, a game that is probably my favorite and strongest, the new $10k HORSE, an event that will bring most of the different parts together, and the championship event in 2-7 No-limit Single Draw, simply as the most bizarre of a random bunch.


Title: Re: Stuart "easypickings" Rutter : In the well
Post by: GreekStein on May 26, 2010, 12:15:53 AM
Did you manage to come out a winner over the last 3 months? What stakes were you mainly playing?

Who is nicer, you or your brother Tom?

Has anyone tried to knuckle you in a tournament before?


Title: Re: Stuart "easypickings" Rutter : In the well
Post by: easypickings on May 26, 2010, 01:09:39 AM
Well done Sunday, was nice to meet you too.

Questions:

1. How did you make the jump between semi -> pro?
2. Kinda similar to Pauls question, but what events you playing in Vegas and your reasonings behind those particular ones?
3. Is it true the lemonade I bought you made you run like god?

1) This may sound strange, but I still don't consider myself a full time pro. A few years ago, I went through that progression that might be familiar to most; that change from being scared of the casino to realising that actually, maybe I could make more money than I lost. At that point, I wanted to see if I could make a living not from playing poker, but by forming job around it. It would mean that a necessary part of that would be to continue playing alot of live poker, which is what I most wanted to do. However, if the plan worked, it would provide a security which poker itself never could.

It's a slightly bizarre fit when the amounts of money I play for in poker can decimate the amounts I get from modestly paid jobs, but this is the reason that I've kept the two pools of money completely seperate. It has formed two different realities, but has worked surprisingly well.

What always excited me about poker was the opportunity to make a living around something you love doing, which is a ridiculously lucky thing, and what never really excited me was an attempt to try to win lots of money. I believe that the cliches are true, and that there is not so much that big amounts of money can add to life, and alot that it can take away.

2) See above. Time will tell whether it was a good decision!

3) Something definitely did for a while! When I look back, that ace on the river against Roberto was perhaps the most crucial moment of the tournament. It was the difference between going down to 400k and giving Roberto a very playable stack, or going up to 700k and eliminating arguably the most dangerous player at that time.


Title: Re: Stuart "easypickings" Rutter : In the well
Post by: easypickings on May 26, 2010, 01:10:41 AM
Seriously Stu, why did you trip George Geary? Out of order imo

I mistook him for you, it's easily done.


Title: Re: Stuart "easypickings" Rutter : In the well
Post by: easypickings on May 26, 2010, 01:22:27 AM
Guess I can't call you 'Day Two Stu' anymore :P


What do you think your ROI would be in the WSOP Main event if you could play it to infinity?

What is the largest number of Jagerbombs you can recall having in one night?

Who is this ROI? No, I guess I don't really know as I don't play online tournies (which is also why ROI might not be so big). I would say both that it's bigger than any other big tournament in the world, but also sadly far smaller for everyone than it would have been during the poker boom years. Maybe 1.4?

Jagerbombs not so many, but I remember the good old days of being able to knock back double Snobs Specials, and having five of them in one night. I did beat Dubai just before Christmas in the 3 Jager-2 pints- 3 more jager alcohol obstacle course, but I feel his heart wasn't really in it, and I want a rematch.


Title: Re: Stuart "easypickings" Rutter : In the well
Post by: easypickings on May 26, 2010, 01:39:38 AM

Favourite TV programme? High Stakes Poker/Gavin and Stacey/The Thick of it

When was the last time you had a proper go at someone? Ummmm. At Partouche last year, I suffered my only ever big angle shoot, where a French guy put his chips over the line, got a reaction, and took them back (yes, he was allowed too, he could speak French better than me) I didn't let him get away with it too easily.

Is it true that if I kill you, I become you? No, it means that you will come back as a Blade in your next life.

Best short joke you have heard in a while? I don't think it's fair to laugh at short people

Have you ever had kebab as a pizza topping? No

Could you beat Julian Thew in a fight? I would go at him full pelt, see him smile, and back away, knowing that the world was a good place.

Could you beat James Atkin in a fight? With both hands tied behind my back

Could you, James Atkin and Julian Thew beat Barry Neville in a fight? If the three of us ever have one day to live, we should give it a try

England to win the World Cup or the Owls to get back in the Prem - which would you prefer? Wednesday by a mile. Hearts not in it quite so much for England. I've been to a couple of England away games, and would honestly say that the atmosphere at Wednesday away mathces trumps it.

Best breed of dog? Anything small and friendly


Title: Re: Stuart "easypickings" Rutter : In the well
Post by: easypickings on May 26, 2010, 02:01:39 AM
Aspades
Ah great thought i had missed it.
Two Quick qestions.

1) Do you still have that woolley condom?
2) What`s tilt?

Nice one Stu and GL in Vegas.
PS. By the way, if you think his writing is good..... wait till you hear him talk about poker !

1) Actually lost it. And obviously it can never be replaced.

2) Tilt is.....

Playing in Cannes in the Partouche Main Event last year, and already developing the feeling that your fate in any decision will depend mainly upon your ability to speak the language. As had happened in many hands, most of the players at the table limped for 100, and now I was in the big blind. I decided to raise to 1,000 and, so took out my 100 chip, and replaced it with a single 1k chip. The dealer perked up and decided that it couldn't be a raise, as I had only put one chip into the pot. As the floor was called, I made my case in very broken French that I must have meant to raise, as I otherwise would not have taken my 100 chip out of the pot. My case seemed to be getting through, before a local managed some far better French, and won the case. It was a check.

Two rounds later, almost exactly the same thing happened on my big blind, and this time I wanted to check. Still slightly frustrated, I thought I may as well take out my 100 chip again, and replace it with a 1k chip to make a point.

Anyway, tilt is......

Looking up, and realising that the dealer had changed. "Raise to 1,000..."


Title: Re: Stuart "easypickings" Rutter : In the well
Post by: ChipRich on May 26, 2010, 03:35:31 AM
hi mate, congrats on the win. mbn to finally win 1 cash

few questions..

normal Maccys or Maccys breakfast?

Nandos or Dominoes?

Walkers or Mccoys?

Lost or 24?

Leeds United or Man United?

Full Tilt or Stars?

American Pie or Harold and Kumar?

Fave sport?

Best time to wake up in the morning?

Jeff Stelling or Chris Kamara?

Norman Chad or 'The Tower'?

Player you would hate to be HU vs for the WSOP ME?

If you could pick 3 things to take to a deserted Island for 4 weeks, what would you take?

Mike McDermott or Joey Knish?



thanks.



Title: Re: Stuart "easypickings" Rutter : In the well
Post by: themisery on May 26, 2010, 07:22:18 AM
A 'Wednesday' boy who appreciates The Thick Of It. Apart from Poker ability we're very alike.

Top man.

themisery


Title: Re: Stuart "easypickings" Rutter : In the well
Post by: blonde17 on May 26, 2010, 10:01:33 AM
Aspades
Ah great thought i had missed it.
Two Quick qestions.

1) Do you still have that woolley condom?
2) What`s tilt?

Nice one Stu and GL in Vegas.
PS. By the way, if you think his writing is good..... wait till you hear him talk about poker !

1) Actually lost it. And obviously it can never be replaced.

2) Tilt is.....

Playing in Cannes in the Partouche Main Event last year, and already developing the feeling that your fate in any decision will depend mainly upon your ability to speak the language. As had happened in many hands, most of the players at the table limped for 100, and now I was in the big blind. I decided to raise to 1,000 and, so took out my 100 chip, and replaced it with a single 1k chip. The dealer perked up and decided that it couldn't be a raise, as I had only put one chip into the pot. As the floor was called, I made my case in very broken French that I must have meant to raise, as I otherwise would not have taken my 100 chip out of the pot. My case seemed to be getting through, before a local managed some far better French, and won the case. It was a check.

Two rounds later, almost exactly the same thing happened on my big blind, and this time I wanted to check. Still slightly frustrated, I thought I may as well take out my 100 chip again, and replace it with a 1k chip to make a point.

Anyway, tilt is......

Looking up, and realising that the dealer had changed. "Raise to 1,000..."

Aspades
Mon deu et sacre blu !!
Thanks Stu, pitty about the woolley though I was going to ask to borrow it for my next event.


Pete S.


Title: Re: Stuart "easypickings" Rutter : In the well
Post by: MC on May 26, 2010, 11:38:27 AM
Could you beat James Atkin in a fight? With both hands tied behind my back

Lolllllll

Btw, I think you're really underestimating your edge in the Main Event, ROI would be way more than 100%+ imo.


Title: Re: Stuart "easypickings" Rutter : In the well
Post by: JK on May 26, 2010, 04:13:22 PM
Could you, James Atkin and Julian Thew beat Barry Neville in a fight? If the three of us ever have one day to live, we should give it a try

LOL.

Thanks for the great answers, really interesting read :)


Title: Re: Stuart "easypickings" Rutter : In the well
Post by: Free_Rollin on May 26, 2010, 06:32:46 PM
1) Why don't I get paid for being an employee of Tower Enterprise?
2) Have you ever gone through the phase where you try and win every single hand you play in poker? If so, how did you combat this?
3) When are we going to go and see Stevie again?

edit to add: This is Sunny btw :D (questions probably make more sense if you know who I am!)


Title: Re: Stuart "easypickings" Rutter : In the well
Post by: NoflopsHomer on May 26, 2010, 10:49:24 PM
Since not many other people play TD, what do you make of this spot. Both villains are pretty bad and loose.

PokerStars Game #44655518183:  Triple Draw 2-7 Lowball Limit ($3/$6 USD) - 2010/05/26 22:33:13 WET [2010/05/26 17:33:13 ET]
Table 'Glaukos IX' 6-max Seat #2 is the button
Seat 1: sonicstarz ($100 in chips)
Seat 2: sviehn ($64 in chips)
Seat 3: jcdcouch ($180 in chips)
Seat 4: boumbastic ($174 in chips)
Seat 5: drawmyface ($171.50 in chips)
Seat 6: Foaming_H ($112.50 in chips)
jcdcouch: posts small blind $1
boumbastic: posts big blind $3
*** DEALING HANDS ***
Dealt to Foaming_H [6c 4s 3c 8h 5d]
drawmyface: folds
Foaming_H: raises $3 to $6
sonicstarz: raises $3 to $9
sviehn: folds
jcdcouch: folds
boumbastic: calls $6
Foaming_H: raises $3 to $12
Betting is capped
sonicstarz: calls $3
boumbastic: calls $3
*** FIRST DRAW ***
boumbastic: discards 2 cards
Foaming_H: stands pat on [6c 4s 3c 8h 5d]
sonicstarz: discards 2 cards
boumbastic: checks
Foaming_H: bets $3
sonicstarz: raises $3 to $6
boumbastic: raises $3 to $9
Foaming_H: ?


Title: Re: Stuart "easypickings" Rutter : In the well
Post by: vinni on May 27, 2010, 04:42:17 PM
is it true u bat for both sides?


Title: Re: Stuart "easypickings" Rutter : In the well
Post by: vinni on May 27, 2010, 05:38:33 PM
oh BTW ,well done m8ty ,long over dew.


Title: Re: Stuart "easypickings" Rutter : In the well
Post by: NigDawG on May 28, 2010, 12:39:39 PM
only just found this, tis a good well.

do you think there will be room for the GUKPT in future years if pokerstars made all UKIPT's £1k buy ins/expanded the UKIPT?

which 9 players would make for the toughest possible GUKPT starting table?




Title: Re: Stuart "easypickings" Rutter : In the well
Post by: George2Loose on May 28, 2010, 01:03:03 PM
only just found this, tis a good well.

do you think there will be room for the GUKPT in future years if pokerstars made all UKIPT's £1k buy ins/expanded the UKIPT?

which 9 players would make for the toughest possible GUKPT starting table?




Surely stars won't increase the buy in?


Title: Re: Stuart "easypickings" Rutter : In the well
Post by: DaveShoelace on May 28, 2010, 01:11:23 PM
only just found this, tis a good well.

do you think there will be room for the GUKPT in future years if pokerstars made all UKIPT's £1k buy ins/expanded the UKIPT?

which 9 players would make for the toughest possible GUKPT starting table?




Surely stars won't increase the buy in?

I think its more likely they will have more events, longer festivals and a mix of 500 and 1000 events to cater for both markets. 500 squid does seem the perfect buy-in for these sort of things.


Title: Re: Stuart "easypickings" Rutter : In the well
Post by: NigDawG on May 28, 2010, 01:16:16 PM
bit short sighted to think ukipt buy ins wont be increased imo


Title: Re: Stuart "easypickings" Rutter : In the well
Post by: GreekStein on May 28, 2010, 01:19:11 PM
bit short sighted to think ukipt buy ins wont be increased imo

expand?


Title: Re: Stuart "easypickings" Rutter : In the well
Post by: NigDawG on May 28, 2010, 01:28:31 PM
bit short sighted to think ukipt buy ins wont be increased imo

expand?

i don't think stars entered the regular uk live poker market to just run £500 events...

and out of all the individual international pokerstars poker tours, £500 is the smallest main event buy in they offer at the moment. most are 1k-2k. and let's face it, they can sell out any cardroom multiple times over for any realistic buy in if they wanted with online satellites


Title: Re: Stuart "easypickings" Rutter : In the well
Post by: DaveShoelace on May 28, 2010, 03:24:04 PM
bit short sighted to think ukipt buy ins wont be increased imo

expand?

i don't think stars entered the regular uk live poker market to just run £500 events...

and out of all the individual international pokerstars poker tours, £500 is the smallest main event buy in they offer at the moment. most are 1k-2k. and let's face it, they can sell out any cardroom multiple times over for any realistic buy in if they wanted with online satellites

I think Stars have reacted to a change in the UK market, brought on by the recession, that means the £300-£500 events are the way to go right now. In the future I think they will have a mix of £500 and £1000 events, but I also think they might go for some £5000 high roller events on some stops, as they have a lot of high roller events on the other tours. DTD I think will prob be £1000 next year.  

Deffo think they will also go for week long festivals too


Title: Re: Stuart "easypickings" Rutter : In the well
Post by: Cf on May 28, 2010, 04:27:14 PM
Of the 8 currently announced UKIPT games only 3 of them are £500 buyins. The rest are £1000+ (with perhaps the exception of the €1000 one as i dunno which way the ex rate swings)


Title: Re: Stuart "easypickings" Rutter : In the well
Post by: easypickings on May 28, 2010, 04:39:14 PM
Did you manage to come out a winner over the last 3 months? What stakes were you mainly playing?

Who is nicer, you or your brother Tom?

Has anyone tried to knuckle you in a tournament before?

Did you manage to come out a winner over the last 3 months? What stakes were you mainly playing?

Funnily enough, I haven't played quite as many hands as you might think.....

I think the gem of all the developments that have taken place on the internet has to be the training sites, and they have proved even more useful for the task of trying to pick up games from scratch. There still aren't too many mixed game videos out there, so I made it my aim to watch literally everything I could, and it's been a great way to learn. In fact, there was one point I was putting so much time into the videos and coaching, I realised I was way behind in terms of just putting in a bunch of hands, and picking up my own experience first hand.

I've just looked at the numbers, and I've come out almost exactly even. I was playing like an absolute clown at first, but have managed a steady win rate recently. I never imagined it as a money making exercise, more just because I was intrigued with the other games, but there is maybe just a bit of potential there. Mixed games online are still fairly sparse, but if you can take away your two toughest NLHE tables and replace them, say, with a couple of Omaha hi-lo tables, I'd recommend it to people as a useful extra tool to have.

The whole experience has been interesting as an insight into whether it is fair that no limit holdem has emerged from the mix as the massively dominant game. When I first got into poker, the very first book I read was SuperSystem, and there was some kind of symmetry as the very first thing I did with the mixed games was to retrieve a dusty copy from the shelf. It was a reminder that of course there was a time when holdem was no more popular than seven-card stud, and even some of the draw games appeared as much in cardrooms as no-limit holdem did. For veterans of the mixed games, it's probably quite sad that they have been left behind. Despite me enjoying them, however, I have definitely come to understand the reasons why holdem began to be seen as the cadillac, as the other games do not quite have the same instant excitement, and therefore would never carry over to TV.

I think the mixed games might be in the process of staging just a bit of a comeback, not least because 6-max no-limit holdem is so so tough online nowadays. The 8-game mix is attracting some good action on Stars, and the idea of a medley event like that definitely is a exciting development in poker.

Who is nicer, you or your brother Tom?

SmileyTom, especially if you need a doctor.

Has anyone tried to knuckle you in a tournament before?

Not yet. But then, would I be right in saying that we've never played a single hand together?


Title: Re: Stuart "easypickings" Rutter : In the well
Post by: GreekStein on May 28, 2010, 04:57:51 PM
Did you manage to come out a winner over the last 3 months? What stakes were you mainly playing?

Who is nicer, you or your brother Tom?

Has anyone tried to knuckle you in a tournament before?

Did you manage to come out a winner over the last 3 months? What stakes were you mainly playing?

Funnily enough, I haven't played quite as many hands as you might think.....

I think the gem of all the developments that have taken place on the internet has to be the training sites, and they have proved even more useful for the task of trying to pick up games from scratch. There still aren't too many mixed game videos out there, so I made it my aim to watch literally everything I could, and it's been a great way to learn. In fact, there was one point I was putting so much time into the videos and coaching, I realised I was way behind in terms of just putting in a bunch of hands, and picking up my own experience first hand.

I've just looked at the numbers, and I've come out almost exactly even. I was playing like an absolute clown at first, but have managed a steady win rate recently. I never imagined it as a money making exercise, more just because I was intrigued with the other games, but there is maybe just a bit of potential there. Mixed games online are still fairly sparse, but if you can take away your two toughest NLHE tables and replace them, say, with a couple of Omaha hi-lo tables, I'd recommend it to people as a useful extra tool to have.

The whole experience has been interesting as an insight into whether it is fair that no limit holdem has emerged from the mix as the massively dominant game. When I first got into poker, the very first book I read was SuperSystem, and there was some kind of symmetry as the very first thing I did with the mixed games was to retrieve a dusty copy from the shelf. It was a reminder that of course there was a time when holdem was no more popular than seven-card stud, and even some of the draw games appeared as much in cardrooms as no-limit holdem did. For veterans of the mixed games, it's probably quite sad that they have been left behind. Despite me enjoying them, however, I have definitely come to understand the reasons why holdem began to be seen as the cadillac, as the other games do not quite have the same instant excitement, and therefore would never carry over to TV.

I think the mixed games might be in the process of staging just a bit of a comeback, not least because 6-max no-limit holdem is so so tough online nowadays. The 8-game mix is attracting some good action on Stars, and the idea of a medley event like that definitely is a exciting development in poker.

Who is nicer, you or your brother Tom?

SmileyTom, especially if you need a doctor.

Has anyone tried to knuckle you in a tournament before?

Not yet. But then, would I be right in saying that we've never played a single hand together?

Pretty sure the answer to the last question is a lie Stu.

Come on now think hard.


Title: Re: Stuart "easypickings" Rutter : In the well
Post by: easypickings on May 28, 2010, 05:02:58 PM
hi mate, congrats on the win. mbn to finally win 1 cash

few questions..

normal Maccys or Maccys breakfast? We drove round Coventry for hours last Saturday morning trying to find McDonalds breakfast, and when we eventually did, ordered 23 hash browns. It would be difficult for normal Maccys to taste better than that.

Nandos or Dominoes? Have you ever heard anyone talk about pre-DTD Dominoes? Does Dominoes give you a little flag in your food? I think we have an answer.

Walkers or Mccoys? Walkers. Of their World Cup range, Prawn-Wright-Phillips is my favorite.

Lost or 24? 24 is the nuts. Lost became too bizarre, I'm too stupid to follow it.

Leeds United or Man United? It's a tough choice, but USA just pip it.

Full Tilt or Stars? Full Tilt, I haven't had to dive under a table at one of their tournaments yet.

American Pie or Harold and Kumar? American Pie, the first one was the best.

Fave sport? I used to travel all over the place to watch Wednesday before I got into poker. So, anything but football.

Best time to wake up in the morning? Morning?

Jeff Stelling or Chris Kamara? The accidental genius or the deliberate one? The deliberate one

Norman Chad or 'The Tower'? The Tower is the biggest legend ever. The GUKPT wouldn't be the same without him.
 
Player you would hate to be HU vs for the WSOP ME? John Eames Juanda

If you could pick 3 things to take to a deserted Island for 4 weeks, what would you take? Beachball, pack of cards, Julian Thew

Mike McDermott or Joey Knish? I hadn't realised this before Dubai told me, but in that scene where Mike Mcdermott five bets Chan pre-flop and makes him fold, it is limit poker! I think he has to take it. "I want him to think that I am pondering a call, but all I'm really thinkin about it Vegas and the fuckin' Mirage " is pretty hilarious too.



thanks.




Title: Re: Stuart "easypickings" Rutter : In the well
Post by: easypickings on May 28, 2010, 06:14:54 PM
1) Why don't I get paid for being an employee of Tower Enterprise?
2) Have you ever gone through the phase where you try and win every single hand you play in poker? If so, how did you combat this?
3) When are we going to go and see Stevie again?

edit to add: This is Sunny btw :D (questions probably make more sense if you know who I am!)

1) Why don't I get paid for being an employee of Tower Enterprise?

You just get the sense of pride, and the complete bemusement of everybody at Villa Park. I think the standard was set at the half time drinks order, where everybody else had ordered wine and orange juice, and the Tower Enterprise had ordered eight shots of vodka!

2) Have you ever gone through the phase where you try and win every single hand you play in poker? If so, how did you combat this?

I know exactly what you mean, though I think I experienced a bad spell, with completely the opposite reaction. It's probably inevitable if you play enough live poker, that you'll experience a stinking spell at some point, and mine came in late 2008/early 2009. Whereas this last weekend the deck really opened up a path for me to win, there was a period of time when the deck just shut me out of everything. What made it difficult was that it was eerily similiar circumstances a number of the times. In 2008, I walked out of EPT Copenhagen after just seven minutes whilst most people were still filing in,having suffered 33 vs 99 on 932, got knocked out of my first World Series Main Event with 88 vs 99 on 982, got knocked out of a double chance freezeout in Brighton on the first hand(!) with 88 vs QQ on Q8x, and lasted less than two hours at EPT London before running 55 into 88 on Q85.

In a way, I knew that the run wasn't even interesting, as luck will always swing wildly over time. However, the repeating of the circumstances definitely changed the feel of live tournaments for a while. It definitely changed the feeling of hitting a set; I realised that this was really just stupidly superstitious, but I always had so much passion for live poker that it was too easy to recall the stunned feeling of previous occasions moments after my medium pocket pair found a third on the board. Maybe inevitably, I made one hilariously bad fold, where I passed a set of fives on KT985 at the Blackpool GUKPT, only to be shown ace-high. More tellingly than any single occasion, however, a poor run of results made me lose a bit of confidence, and clam up for a few months in terms of the style I played.

The answer to the problems probably just comes from reading what I have written. Losing a few opportunites in a couple of months of live poker where I didn't run badly showed me the perils of being results orientated. The GUKPT at the Vic will stick at the forefront of my mind, and a hand where I had aces against Pab and what my poker mind knew was an obvious slow-play in position after he had three-bet pre-flop. Instead, my poker heart lost its nerve, and said the words "all-in," allowing him to make an unsurprisingly good fold.

I used to do alot of long distance running, and compete in races all over the place. Poker is alot more fun, but racing had just one great comfort. If you ran well, you would do well in the race. If things hadn't gone well, you couldn't blame the wind; it had been the same for everyone. The fact that this is far from true in poker is what makes the game such a challenge. There had been times in poker where I felt my running was OK, and I had been rewarded with nothing, and yet in Coventry over the weekend, I tried to trip a couple of times, practically stumbled over the finishing line, and yet it came good.

It had taken far too long, but I eventually realised the answer, and I think it came just after that Vic final. I needed to channel all that energy that wanted to do well in poker, instead into wanting to play well, and not worry which way the wind blew. It would become almost irrelevant whether someone did hold the top set in a spot where all your chips are going in with the middle set anyway. It's an attitude that has helped me become much more clear sighted about poker tournaments, and a much more enjoyable one to take on.

3) When are we going to go and see Stevie again?

It breaks my heart, but I fear we will never see Stevie, or the likes of him, again.


Title: Re: Stuart "easypickings" Rutter : In the well
Post by: Geo the Sarge on May 28, 2010, 06:43:56 PM
Tks for doing this again Stu, really enjoy your writing and some top com answers too.

Apart from the obvious WSOP ME, which tourney/event would you most like to win and why?

Geo


Title: Re: Stuart "easypickings" Rutter : In the well
Post by: ChipRich on May 29, 2010, 04:01:15 AM
hi mate, congrats on the win. mbn to finally win 1 cash

few questions..

normal Maccys or Maccys breakfast? We drove round Coventry for hours last Saturday morning trying to find McDonalds breakfast, and when we eventually did, ordered 23 hash browns. It would be difficult for normal Maccys to taste better than that.

Nandos or Dominoes? Have you ever heard anyone talk about pre-DTD Dominoes? Does Dominoes give you a little flag in your food? I think we have an answer.

Walkers or Mccoys? Walkers. Of their World Cup range, Prawn-Wright-Phillips is my favorite.

Lost or 24? 24 is the nuts. Lost became too bizarre, I'm too stupid to follow it.

Leeds United or Man United? It's a tough choice, but USA just pip it.

Full Tilt or Stars? Full Tilt, I haven't had to dive under a table at one of their tournaments yet.

American Pie or Harold and Kumar? American Pie, the first one was the best.

Fave sport? I used to travel all over the place to watch Wednesday before I got into poker. So, anything but football.

Best time to wake up in the morning? Morning?

Jeff Stelling or Chris Kamara? The accidental genius or the deliberate one? The deliberate one

Norman Chad or 'The Tower'? The Tower is the biggest legend ever. The GUKPT wouldn't be the same without him.
 
Player you would hate to be HU vs for the WSOP ME? John Eames Juanda

If you could pick 3 things to take to a deserted Island for 4 weeks, what would you take? Beachball, pack of cards, Julian Thew

Mike McDermott or Joey Knish? I hadn't realised this before Dubai told me, but in that scene where Mike Mcdermott five bets Chan pre-flop and makes him fold, it is limit poker! I think he has to take it. "I want him to think that I am pondering a call, but all I'm really thinkin about it Vegas and the fuckin' Mirage " is pretty hilarious too.



thanks.



lolol, thanks for answering Stu.

gl in Vegas.


Title: Re: Stuart "easypickings" Rutter : In the well
Post by: Marky147 on May 30, 2010, 02:53:27 PM
Just finished reading this now. Both and incred and really com thread thanks very much.

Hopefully I'll see you in a few weeks with new wrist accessories !!


Title: Re: Stuart "easypickings" Rutter : In the well
Post by: gouty on June 01, 2010, 05:31:57 PM
well played stuart in winning in notts the other week.
can you explain the snap call with A7 against roberto on ft?
i wondered if you had a read on him or something or were you pot committed as i never saw the orig raise size?
cheers
alex


Title: Re: Stuart "easypickings" Rutter : In the well
Post by: George2Loose on June 01, 2010, 10:41:53 PM
bit short sighted to think ukipt buy ins wont be increased imo

Not got my finger on the poker circuit like u Bramm


Title: Re: Stuart "easypickings" Rutter : In the well
Post by: TightEnd on June 02, 2010, 10:37:38 AM
the Edinburgh UKIPT coming up is £1k to play


Title: Re: Stuart "easypickings" Rutter : In the well
Post by: pleno1 on June 02, 2010, 11:27:19 AM
gl today.


Title: Re: Stuart "easypickings" Rutter : In the well
Post by: TightEnd on June 02, 2010, 02:00:00 PM
Meanwhile in Event 6 the $5K nlhe Shootout 36 players made it through from 358 strarters and are each now guaranteed $15k

4 Brits in the list

Heather Mercer         
Eugene Katchalov       
Brent Wheeler       
David Rheem       
Josef Monro       
Joseph Mcgowan       
Joshua Tieman       
Justin Smith       
Keven Stammen       
Max Pescatori       
Tommy Vedes       
Brent Hanks       
Christian Harder       
Blair Hinkle   
Aaron Gustavson       
William Molson       
James Akenhead       
Stuart Rutter       
Dario Minieri   
Julien Nuijten       
Pablo Fernandez       
Maxim Lykov       
Neil Channing       
John Duthie       
Nicolas Levi       
Aaron Been       
Chris Bell       
Tom Dwan       
Joseph Elpayaa       
Danny Estes       
Chris Ferguson       
Benjamin May       
Faraz Jaka       
Chad Brown       
Chris Moore           
Cary Katz       


Title: Re: Stuart "easypickings" Rutter : In the well
Post by: Doobs on June 03, 2010, 10:20:27 AM
How do I go about arranging one of these "Run Good" wells before my trip to Vegas? 

Stuart Rutter is through to the final table of the $5K shootout.


Title: Re: Stuart "easypickings" Rutter : In the well
Post by: TightEnd on June 03, 2010, 10:24:04 AM
Yes

In event 6 Rutter and Channing have made the shootout final

1   Joshua Tieman 900,000
2   Brent Hanks     900,000
3   Stuart Rutter   900,000
4   Neil Channing   900,000
5   Nicolas Levi      900,000

One of Joseph Elpayaa and Cary Katz will join them

Payouts

1 441,692
2 273,153
3 179,617
4 125,387
5 92,543
6 71,998


Title: Re: Stuart "easypickings" Rutter : In the well
Post by: TightEnd on June 03, 2010, 10:26:53 AM
I think we should use this lucky well for our best wishes to both Stu and Neil Channing

Good luck fellas.



p.s Tournament report  please Stu :-)


Title: Re: Stuart "easypickings" Rutter : In the well
Post by: Josedinho on June 03, 2010, 11:05:52 AM
GL win the world and buy Wednesday please


Title: Re: Stuart "easypickings" Rutter : In the well
Post by: DaveShoelace on June 03, 2010, 12:25:49 PM
GL win the world and buy Wednesday please


Title: Re: Stuart "easypickings" Rutter : In the well
Post by: GreekStein on June 03, 2010, 12:35:10 PM
best wishes to both Stu and Neil Channing



Title: Re: Stuart "easypickings" Rutter : In the well
Post by: booder on June 03, 2010, 12:58:29 PM
best wishes to both Stu and Neil Channing



Title: Re: Stuart "easypickings" Rutter : In the well
Post by: MrDickie on June 03, 2010, 01:54:11 PM
Wow.....gl gl Stuart.


Title: Re: Stuart "easypickings" Rutter : In the well
Post by: Girgy85 on June 03, 2010, 02:48:07 PM


Title: Re: Stuart "easypickings" Rutter : In the well
Post by: Dewi_cool on June 03, 2010, 02:50:15 PM


Title: Re: Stuart "easypickings" Rutter : In the well
Post by: pleno1 on June 03, 2010, 03:09:11 PM


Title: Re: Stuart "easypickings" Rutter : In the well
Post by: mondatoo on June 03, 2010, 03:10:42 PM


Title: Re: Stuart "easypickings" Rutter : In the well
Post by: roscopiko on June 03, 2010, 03:14:02 PM


Title: Re: Stuart "easypickings" Rutter : In the well
Post by: gatso on June 03, 2010, 03:26:21 PM
I guess I had always been aware that the way to make that tiny shot of getting a bracelet slightly less tiny would be to play not in the Holdem events, but in the mixed game events

I love that a week after posting this you final a nlhe event. glgl


Title: Re: Stuart "easypickings" Rutter : In the well
Post by: Pelham Boy on June 03, 2010, 04:22:12 PM
best wishes to both Stu and Neil Channing



Title: Re: Stuart "easypickings" Rutter : In the well
Post by: Horneris on June 03, 2010, 04:33:24 PM


Title: Re: Stuart "easypickings" Rutter : In the well
Post by: bobAlike on June 03, 2010, 05:01:55 PM


Title: Re: Stuart "easypickings" Rutter : In the well
Post by: outragous76 on June 03, 2010, 05:14:18 PM
GL Stu - bring home the salt gold


Title: Re: Stuart "easypickings" Rutter : In the well
Post by: paulhouk03 on June 03, 2010, 06:12:56 PM
is there any good sites with updates?
cant find any


Title: Re: Stuart "easypickings" Rutter : In the well
Post by: DaveShoelace on June 03, 2010, 06:17:44 PM
is there any good sites with updates?
cant find any

http://uk.pokernews.com/live-reporting/2010-wsop/event-6/

Event doesnt start till 10:30 our time


Title: Re: Stuart "easypickings" Rutter : In the well
Post by: ChipRich on June 03, 2010, 06:17:54 PM


Title: Re: Stuart "easypickings" Rutter : In the well
Post by: Marky147 on June 03, 2010, 06:38:47 PM


Title: Re: Stuart "easypickings" Rutter : In the well
Post by: Delboy on June 03, 2010, 06:56:57 PM


Title: Re: Stuart "easypickings" Rutter : In the well
Post by: George2Loose on June 03, 2010, 07:01:04 PM


Title: Re: Stuart "easypickings" Rutter : In the well
Post by: Leatherman on June 03, 2010, 09:12:41 PM


Title: Re: Stuart "easypickings" Rutter : In the well
Post by: paulhouk03 on June 03, 2010, 09:30:27 PM


Title: Re: Stuart "easypickings" Rutter : In the well
Post by: Laxie on June 03, 2010, 09:46:28 PM


Title: Re: Stuart "easypickings" Rutter : In the well
Post by: sovietsong on June 03, 2010, 09:47:12 PM


Title: Re: Stuart "easypickings" Rutter : In the well
Post by: outragous76 on June 04, 2010, 07:52:04 AM
norrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr

UL Stu - but great result non the less



Title: Re: Stuart "easypickings" Rutter : In the well
Post by: mondatoo on June 04, 2010, 08:02:44 AM
Sick result Stu vvwp


Title: Re: Stuart "easypickings" Rutter : In the well
Post by: GreekStein on June 04, 2010, 09:28:24 AM
fantastic start to the series stu.

Gutted for you or Neil not to have won but may it be the start of a series that will get better for you...


Title: Re: Stuart "easypickings" Rutter : In the well
Post by: MC on June 04, 2010, 09:39:33 AM
Sick result Stu vvwp

+++++1


Title: Re: Stuart "easypickings" Rutter : In the well
Post by: TightEnd on June 04, 2010, 09:48:09 AM
Well played Stu

I knew you were right to switch focus.


Title: Re: Stuart "easypickings" Rutter : In the well
Post by: Free_Rollin on June 04, 2010, 12:11:59 PM
UL Stu - well played though sir, a very good result!

Especially considering you were SALTING your night away on the dancefloor before hand!


Title: Re: Stuart "easypickings" Rutter : In the well
Post by: Skgv on June 04, 2010, 12:41:00 PM
Well played Stu

I knew you were right to switch focus.
lol quality reply!! Gogogog stu like i said a week before on facebook it mbfn to be wt you an you an channing probaly best m8s now! Double mbfn.....................................


Title: Re: Stuart "easypickings" Rutter : In the well
Post by: Marky147 on June 04, 2010, 05:24:31 PM
Sick result Stu vvwp


Title: Re: Stuart "easypickings" Rutter : In the well
Post by: Delboy on June 04, 2010, 07:41:37 PM


Title: Re: Stuart "easypickings" Rutter : In the well
Post by: easypickings on June 06, 2010, 12:42:18 AM
Guys, so sorry that the bottom of the well had gone quiet for a while. I've only just got on the internet for the first time after coming over!

Just off to rail Flushy and play the 2-7 single draw! Will be back on as soon as I can.

Stu


Title: Re: Stuart "easypickings" Rutter : In the well
Post by: easypickings on June 07, 2010, 01:09:29 PM
only just found this, tis a good well.

do you think there will be room for the GUKPT in future years if pokerstars made all UKIPT's £1k buy ins/expanded the UKIPT?

which 9 players would make for the toughest possible GUKPT starting table?




which 9 players would make for the toughest possible GUKPT starting table?

This is a really interesting one, me and Tommy have been discussing it a fair bit! I guess it's difficult to make a rule for who counts, but we decided on people who play GUKPTs on a reasonably regular basis (excluding the asker of the question!) The people that may well have got in without that cutoff, I feel, would be Roland De Wolfe, Anders Hovoid, Flushy, Andy Teng, Moorman, Pab, Ketul Nathwani, and JP Kelly.

But here's my nine:

Praz Bansi
James Akenhead
Karl Mahrenholz
Matt Perrins
Jake Cody
Toby Lewis
James Mitchell
James Williams
John Eames


Title: Re: Stuart "easypickings" Rutter : In the well
Post by: Free_Rollin on June 07, 2010, 01:14:22 PM
Cheers for answers Stu, appreciate it!!

GL for remainder of the series!


Title: Re: Stuart "easypickings" Rutter : In the well
Post by: easypickings on June 07, 2010, 01:24:47 PM
only just found this, tis a good well.

do you think there will be room for the GUKPT in future years if pokerstars made all UKIPT's £1k buy ins/expanded the UKIPT?

which 9 players would make for the toughest possible GUKPT starting table?




do you think there will be room for the GUKPT in future years if pokerstars made all UKIPT's £1k buy ins/expanded the UKIPT?

It's been a shame to see the GUKPT lose its numbers a little bit, and probably it will never reach the heights again of the first televised year, but I strongly believe that the GUKPT will always have its place. Even if PokerStars were to imitate (or better) the structure and setup enitrely, there is still something that the GUKPT offers that no other tour could.

It has effectively become the tour of the UK regs, and that is a nice thing in two respects. Firstly, there is the social element and the feeling that, with the history, great organsiers, and fantastic additions like the Tower and his team, this is the true UK tour. Furthermore, because a large number of the players in each field are regs, the continuity brings a great dynamic of history that does just not happen in other poker tours. After playing against a few players a good number of times, situations can become alot more interesting as you try to take on the history you have with those players, or try to remember the style you have seen them play in the past. Although the decreased numbers are a shame, this has to be the biggest advantage to have come out of this.

There is no regular event I look forward to playing more than the GUKPT, and I'm sure that I'm not alone, and that it will always have a solid, dedicated fan base that keeps it going. I would also say it's debatable whether Stars would want to shoot at the £1k market in the UK, which is arguably quite different from a £500 market, which is always inevitably going to attract a bigger field.


Title: Re: Stuart "easypickings" Rutter : In the well
Post by: easypickings on June 08, 2010, 06:35:07 AM
Tks for doing this again Stu, really enjoy your writing and some top com answers too.

Apart from the obvious WSOP ME, which tourney/event would you most like to win and why?

Geo

Apart from the obvious WSOP ME, which tourney/event would you most like to win and why?

One of the strange things about poker is that the times you come close and miss are somehow more disappointing than the times you never had a shot. For that reason, two of my biggest disappointments have come in what would seem like decent finishes, at the last two GUKPT finals. Poker does funny things with your emotions, where obviously it is very exciting and satisfying to have a good run, but the feeling of coming short seems to trump that, and leaves you with a greater appetite for next time.

 Last year, I was excited to take more than average to the final table, but crashed out in 9th at the hands of the crazy Italian Romano Pizzi. At the tournament that Pab won in 2008, I had the chip lead with five left, but let it slip through my fingers. So, I guess my answer to the question is that there might be more obvious answers ( the $25k six max, Monte Carlo and $10k HORSE at the Series would come to mind), but there would be something really sweet about getting a shot at London again.



Title: Re: Stuart "easypickings" Rutter : In the well
Post by: SuuPRlim on February 14, 2012, 03:34:00 PM
Hi Stuart,

Congratulations on being crowned the 5th best player in coventry and the 3rd best european player at mixed games!

A few questions?

Do you still consider yourself a youngkidwithtoomuchmoney, or would you say you are now a grownupwithjustaboutenoughmoney?

What would you consider the better way to spend $20,000. Put me in a $100/$100 plo game or freeroll Dubai on a night out?

If Tobasco brought out a new type of sauce that was 3times hotter than the original and had caffeine in it, what would be the maximum you'd pay per bottle?

Thanks!


Title: Re: Stuart "easypickings" Rutter : In the well
Post by: smashedagain on February 14, 2012, 05:49:15 PM
Hi Stuart,

Congratulations on being crowned the 5th best player in coventry and the 3rd best european player at mixed games!

A few questions?

Do you still consider yourself a youngkidwithtoomuchmoney, or would you say you are now a grownupwithjustaboutenoughmoney?

What would you consider the better way to spend $20,000. Put me in a $100/$100 plo game or freeroll Dubai on a night out?

If Tobasco brought out a new type of sauce that was 3times hotter than the original and had caffeine in it, what would be the maximum you'd pay per bottle?

Thanks!
lol. <3 everything you write.


Title: Re: Stuart "easypickings" Rutter : In the well
Post by: scotty77 on November 19, 2013, 03:21:15 AM
Quite amazing how some of the things that Stu wrote about 5 years ago were right on the money.  Great read.


Title: Re: Stuart "easypickings" Rutter : In the well
Post by: lucky_scrote on November 19, 2013, 11:37:33 PM
Hi again Stu,

have you ever found balancing poker with other things in life difficult?

What was the weirdest thing you've ever witnessed at the table?

1) Not so much really, but I think it's probably taken lucky circumstances and a bit of care to make it fit. It actually fitted a hole, that was left by having to stop what I previously spend loads of time doing. I used to do all kind of sports and spent loads of time doing athletics at university, but had to stop due to some wierd fatigue problem. I'd basically tired myself out, I had run a couple of marathons as well, and do this day just can't really can't do anything at all without getting completely knackered. So, it came along at exactly the right time to give me something to do, and satisfy that competitive instinct!

Now, of course, it has become much more than a hobby!  It just about fits time wise, as long as I'm always to get myself off the internet when I need to. Apart from the late nights, one slight problem with live poker is having to spend alot of time away from home. My girlfriend works hard all week and, like a normal person, has her spare time at the weekend. So, it's a bit of a blow when the tournaments eat into the weekend so much. She's great at being understanding, but I imagine I might have to cut a bit out in a few years time!

2) Definitely the wierdest thing was on the bubble of one of the WSOP events in Vegas. An old American guy not only passed aces to an all-in before the flop, but proudly showing it and saying how many times he had seen them outdrawn! He then looked a bit surprised five minutes later when he made a normal raise and someone decided to re-pop him!

Wierd things that happen just away from the table all have one thing is common. They all involve Matt (http://www.blondepoker.com/blondepedia/blondepedia_view_player.php?player_id=272) Dale (http://www.blondepoker.com/blondepedia/blondepedia_view_player.php?player_id=272). I remember being at the bar at Bolton casino with him when we had both busted out early. A couple of pints is alot for Matt, and so the drunken banter was flowing loudly, mainly about plans for chatting up girls. Nobody around us minded at all, but one of the locals picked up from Matt's hilarious accent that he might not be from these parts, and kindly gave him a warning. Bolton is not the prettiest of places, and so we listened carefully when this guy pointed out "See the girls over there, avoid going near them mate,  the two guys with them are drug dealers." It seemed pretty sound advice, these guys were about 6'6 in all directions.

Matt is a great polite lad, and so thanked them, and seemed to have understood the advice. The problem is that a couple more pints can change alot for Matt, and he soon found himself plaiyng roulette. He found himself next to a couple of pretty girls, and so naturally started chatting them up in the way only he can. They seemed to be near two fairly big guys, but Matt was too busy splashing his chips around for this to ring any bells. In fact, he loves a bit of banter, and if the guys put £2 on a number, Matt would overshadow slightly by putting £100 or so of his own on the same number.

I could hear four letter mutterings already; the drug dealers somehow didn't seem too happy that someone was chatting up their girls and taking the mickey out of their bets. I overheard one worrying plan, which was to pretend to invite him back to a party, so that they could "do him over."

 The girls seemed more ambivalent themselves, and maybe mthere was still chance for Matt to recover it. I was sketching out slightly as one of ther girls asked him "Here yaaaaaaa, which do you think is better, Bolton or Wigan?" Matt thought for a couple of seconds, but had a stroke of genius. He managed to remember the name of the town he was in, and proudly said, "Ah, Bolton is much better, Wigan is absolutely SHIT."

"Ah, that's funny, cus we're from down the road in Wigan." Such a shame that it had to end, but I had Matt with me in a taxi back within about 30 seconds!


Haha bump. Every time you tell me this story it cracks me up.

Stu I have had some of the most amazing times with you at poker events. Pretty much all my crazy poker stories involve you.

I have most definitely never seen someone down a pint faster than you can. Even on t'internet.