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Author Topic: Squid's In: In the Well with Sam Grafton  (Read 39699 times)
NoflopsHomer
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« Reply #105 on: July 18, 2013, 12:40:59 PM »

what is your stance on currency vigging?

 stirthepot
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« Reply #106 on: July 18, 2013, 04:19:03 PM »

What's the biggest downswing you've had £££ wise?


Biggest downswing is like 45k dollars. I've been quite lucky in that respect. I grind quite hard between series and liveaments but I'm still running above expectation. It's likely that in the future I can expect a 80-100k downswing without doing a helluva lot wrong.
« Last Edit: July 18, 2013, 05:01:47 PM by The Squid » Logged
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« Reply #107 on: July 18, 2013, 04:22:07 PM »


Have you ever been / are you staked? (Don't have to answer if you prefer to keep it private)

I played by myself until Janurary 2012. I then got backed by Mickey Petersen (mement_mori). I was then backed by Toby Lewis and I'm now backed by Pius Heinz and Pratyush Buddiga.
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« Reply #108 on: July 18, 2013, 04:32:52 PM »

Hey Sam,

How many tables do you play at once online during peak?

What are your usual reg times from start-finish?

What's your online set-up like (monitors, chair etc.)?

Always nice catching up with you m8, good luck at the tables!

I play 16-20 during peak time. Think 16 is prob ideal number. Have a Mac desktop for which I'm gonna get a second monitor. I grind peak hours big 109 through to Big 162 an either reg from a coupla hours before this period or for a few hours after. Normally I start by reging early at say 3pm and my body clock get's later and later until I'm starting with the Big 109 and playing into the night.
« Last Edit: July 18, 2013, 05:02:46 PM by The Squid » Logged
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« Reply #109 on: July 18, 2013, 04:36:58 PM »

Hey Sam , don't think u know me but hi anyway . My questions are :-
1) what's your best moment in life beside poker win?
2) what do u rated yourself as a poker pro comparing to the like of Phil Ivey ?
3) what are your biggest strength in poker ? Is it live MTT , online MTT or live cash or online cash ?
4) if u not playing poker , what do u think u will do for a living ?

Good luck in poker dude and hope u win lots

1) all probably to do with theatre I took great pride in the work I did as a director. I was best man aswell at my friend Dean's wedding and that was a great thrill and an honour.
2) I've never played with him but I imagine I'm still a long way behind.
3) online MTTs or sure
4) Probably a teacher or some kind of support worker.
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« Reply #110 on: July 18, 2013, 04:37:21 PM »

How has the standard of the opposition improved over time?

Do you play much non-holdem games? At the same levels?

Do you have a pre-game ritual? An album, exercises, a meal, check your emails, anything?
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« Reply #111 on: July 18, 2013, 04:41:53 PM »

what is your stance on currency vigging?

I think we should avoid it and try and do it at spot at least for bank transfer if not for Stars. As I've already alluded to elsewhere in the well, poker players don't have a lot of institutional support and we have to look after each other as much as possible.

With reference to David and 'VigGate'. I feel pretty sorry for him. I'm pretty sure that travelling on the circuit so much he's probably been charged vig in Australia or somewhere and is just doing something that outside of the UK poker community is pretty accepted.
« Last Edit: July 18, 2013, 05:03:49 PM by The Squid » Logged
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« Reply #112 on: July 18, 2013, 04:48:19 PM »

Hey Sam,

Ross from PokerPlayer here - thanks for all the great work you have done for us in the magazine over the last year.

My question/thought...

I think poker is a brilliant way for young people to make money - sometimes a lot of money - in a relatively short space of time. However, I always worry about the future for 18-25 year-olds that have never had any other form of income outside of poker. If you're beating $200NL (or higher) for a decent rate when you're that age it's a really good wage but if you suddenly lose that capacity to earn at the same rate - whether it's through losing your edge, not being prepared for a downswing or whatever - then these people are screwed. Nobody is going to employ a 25-year-old with no employment history in a decent job. And it's very hard to start from the bottom money-wise when you are used to the daily swings of poker.

So, as someone intelligent and with tangible skills that got into poker relatively late, what would be your advice for youngsters coming into the game? Dedicate themselves to it completely and worry about the future later? Or try and secure a fall-back option from the start, perhaps at the expense of some poker experience?

I just worry there will be a lot of busto former 'pros' in the next few years that are basically restarting their lives from scratch in their 30s.

Cheers!

I'm quite sympatheic to an ethic of concerning yourself with the present moment, following your instincts and worrying about the future later. I always did what seemed the most interesting and enticing through my twenties. I made myself quite unemployable as a result but I don't regret it. Poker is a fun career and if you think you can make it your living then pursue it with all your energies.

As a small caveat to that. I do worry about people that get stuck in a lot of MU. It's sort of accepted that you might have to work for someone for a year or two for no income and without any rights or benefits and there are ethical and practical dilemmas that result from that.
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« Reply #113 on: July 18, 2013, 04:52:08 PM »

How has the standard of the opposition improved over time?

Do you play much non-holdem games? At the same levels?

Do you have a pre-game ritual? An album, exercises, a meal, check your emails, anything?

Obviously opposition is getting tougher and tougher. Everyone agrees on that.

I can hold my own in Omaha MTTs no problem, but cash games not so much. I played a big mix game at the Interntional for a few months consisting of Padooki, London Lowball, Super Stud, Triple Flop Omaha. They were all pot limit though so they don't have much application for MTTs. Hopefully I'll be able to work on my mixed game skills more this year.
« Last Edit: July 18, 2013, 05:04:40 PM by The Squid » Logged
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« Reply #114 on: July 18, 2013, 04:53:50 PM »



Do you have a pre-game ritual? An album, exercises, a meal, check your emails, anything?

No real rituals, but I do think its a good idea o leave the house and not just go from bed to computer to bed. Think that's a bad idea psychologically.
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« Reply #115 on: July 18, 2013, 05:01:07 PM »

Was there a defining moment from which you turned pro?

I was grinding low stakes cash at The Int just to pay rent. I really didn't see myself as a professional though. There  was a tournament festival called The London Poker Masters at the club, but I didn't really play tourneys, so was just gonna grind cash. Anyway just before the first event a reg called Irish Noel who I played cash with said he'd put me in on a 50/50 free roll and I ended up finalling. That weekend was a £500 Main Event and one of the dealers, Wilson Leung, put me in. It was a two day event and at the end of Day 1 I was chip leader and I remember going home that night with my mate Huw and talking with him about the idea of doing poker as a job. I guess from that moment on I've been a professional.
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« Reply #116 on: July 18, 2013, 05:05:54 PM »

Think that's all the questions taken care of, so my time in 'The Well' is at an end. See you all at a live bird sometime soon.
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« Reply #117 on: July 18, 2013, 05:07:10 PM »

Think that's all the questions taken care of, so my time in 'The Well' is at an end. See you all at a live bird sometime soon.

cheers Sam.

Don't be a stranger, I am sure I speak for everyone when I say its good to have your input on the forum.
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« Reply #118 on: July 18, 2013, 05:31:18 PM »

Think that's all the questions taken care of, so my time in 'The Well' is at an end. See you all at a live bird sometime soon.

cheers Sam.

Don't be a stranger, I am sure I speak for everyone when I say its good to have your input on the forum.

thanks for your input sam.

of all the uk poker personalities, youre the only one I know personally who is so opinionated inside and out if poker.
Yet also ab absolute p**shead!

Seya soon hopefully...
xx
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« Reply #119 on: July 18, 2013, 07:47:05 PM »

Hi Sam,

I'm well out of touch with the 'celebrity' (for want of a better word) side of poker and the professional game, so I hadn't actually heard of you before opening this thread, and am afraid I am still none the wiser as to your poker achievements (although I shall look them up).  I just wanted to say, having read your posts on here, that you come across as a top bloke who would totally get along with me and my friends (I rarely think this of people so it's a high honour indeed, and one I'm sure you're going to treasure as much as your poker successes) Grin

Be lucky!

Very kind!
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