There and Back Again: A Punter's Tale by Matthew Harris

[RED-DOG]

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[zerofive]

Hi, my name is Sean and I've been lurking admiring reading this diary (n. A daily record, especially a personal record of events, experiences, and observations) since it began. While outside of poker I am a very grounded and humble human being capable of normal conversation which includes a multitude of varying opinions; when I discuss poker I feel taking offence to be an obligation which I must express assertively and immediately. When I see something you have written, in your private personal private diary full of your personal private personal things, that I don't completely agree with, it increases my body's natural level of oestrogen and I have no choice but to become upset. I have chosen to take offence to the things you have said and my response is completely out of my hands. I am forced to read your diary every day, so in future please filter your content to please me whilst at the same time pleasing everybody else.

[VBlue]

#confirmedgrieftourist

[Rexas]

@ Melissa,

I'm really very sorry if I have, or my diary has, made you feel like you shouldn't be involved with blonde anymore. It's a fantastic community, and it would be a shame if it lost one of it's newest, but already most vocal, contributors.

@Rehman,

Uni has been... Interesting. I failed a module, which means I failed the year, but I'm retaking the module over the next few weeks and shouldn't really have a problem passing it getting back in. The weird thing about it is that I cannot decide whether I want to. Uni has given me a lot of friends and I've enjoyed it there, but the main point surely is to come out with a qualification that is going to get you somewhere. I'm not sure whether that qualification is something that I'm willing to put the time into to achieve. I'm pretty much just staying there because I don't know what else to do, and while I have enough from poker to begin playing properly professionally, i have pretty much the bare minimum for doing so, and my recent swing and some recent play bad on my part has really made me question my own ability and my own chances of getting there. Some poker coaching would probably go down pretty well right about now :p

As it stands, I am staying put and not dropping out for poker, as so many people have. Would be interested to here from some of those guys as to why they dropped out and whether they still think that they made the right decision. Don't get me wrong, uni's great, but I guess I've always had an aversion to education.

It seems like my life is changing fairly dramatically every week or so right now, so I'm looking forward to whatever comes tomorrow!

Finally, on a poker note, bleurgh. Shouldn't have played last night, too busy thinking about vegas and the fucking mirage that 9/10 hand how badly I played the day before. Still didn't hit my stop loss, but I've played like a tit for the last few days.

[verndog158]

I think quitting uni would be a very bad idea, you have 20k, thats nothing. get a degree then you have that as a back up plan.

[outragous76]

Rexas

I have no idea what your degree is, but if you can get thru just 1 more year a sit a few exams, then just finish it

There could, in your future be a point where you might want to tell (employer/whoever) that you have a degree, which will always sound better than you did 2 years of it!

They don't take much passing, just get thru it. I had to resit in my 2nd year due to the distraction that shooting (clays) had become to me. I didn't even want to be a surveyor (my degree). But I forced myself to finish, and eventually found out that those degrees can come in handy!

[pleno1]

Hey with the highest respect I wouldnt think about playing professionally.

What is your degree?

[verndog158]

whys that pleno?

[pleno1]

Going professionally and looking at your cv at future job opportunities and looking like you gave up university and had a huge blank.

I dont know much about you but guessing you dont play online much, live poker, especially 100 and 200nl wont be an easy way to make a living, youre often up till around 7am in the morning and its very unsociable.

There seems to be a lot fo guys who want to follow in Alexs footsteps in regards to making it as a pro and trying to emulate this in DTD. Ive only saw Rexas once but he was on complete life tilt because Alex had been running good all nihgt. The 100nl game has Stato, Mitch,PJ and Alex in where youre probably not going to be close to plus ev and if youre not the best player in your local 100nl game where your hourly will already be super small then I dont think tis wise to follow this as a profession.

Carry on at university if youre able to beat 200 and 500nl zoom (I think I read you were playing 10 or 25 now Im not actually sure?) then yes maybe good shot to have a go, but right now it definitely would not be a wise thing to do and Id be surprised if anybody told you anything different.

[Honeybadger]

Very tilting when anyone refers to £1/£1 game as "100NL" or a £1/£2 game as "200NL".

[adiman999]

Very tilting when anyone refers to £1/£1 game as "100NL" or a £1/£2 game as "200NL".

This was my thought straight away. Not sure if its for the same reasons though, but I think 100nl and 200nl make the games sound smaller than they are. Especially the £1/£2 game.

Although I do agree with plenos sentiment that making it professionally in these games will be extremely tough

[pleno1]

Very tilting when anyone refers to £1/£1 game as "100NL" or a £1/£2 game as "200NL".

ok post still implies exactly the same.

[Honeybadger]

Yeah I know - it does not really matter, nor does it change what you are saying. It's just a bit like Americans referring to football as soccer, if you know what I mean?

[pleno1]

Yeah I know - it does not really matter, nor does it change what you are saying. It's just a bit like Americans referring to football as soccer, if you know what I mean?

yessir.

[rfgqqabc]

If your going to turn pro I'd move away from Nottingham. Definitely finish your degree first too, this is from someone who was in your exact position this time last year. Around March time I had all but confirmed my exit from uni too, but definitely get it done!