Entitlement. Specifically, not having it. I’ve learned to stop thinking that just because I have pocket kings, or I flop a set, I’m entitled to win the pot. Some players will complain when they lose, saying things like, ‘It should have been obvious I had the flush, how could you call with two pair?’ That’s not my mindset. If I get beat, even if I was the favorite to win, I don’t dwell on it. What matters is whether I made the right decisions. I know that if I focus on making good choices, the money will follow.
Sometimes, it’s about the decisions I make at the table, and other times it’s more about mindset—what some might call ‘metagame.’ Like that one Friday night when I decided to leave because I knew I wasn’t playing my best. There was also this one time recently where I hit a tilt wall. I don’t remember the exact situation, but I remember what I did: I just stood up, shoved my chips in my pocket, and walked straight to the cashier. No need for a rack. It was almost like a rage-quit.”
“But that’s way better than rage-rebuy, right?”
“Definitely. It’s ten times better than what I would have done in the past. Now, when I play every day, I think of it as one long session. So, if the game or my play isn’t good anymore, I just leave. I’ve simplified my approach. I don’t get into head games with my opponents, and I avoid ‘Fancy Play Syndrome,’ where players try to make fancy, unnecessary moves. Instead, I stick to playing tight and in-position, minimizing mistakes and letting others make theirs. That’s how I win.”
A Sample Hand
“Talking in generalities is one thing, but let’s dive into a hand. You want to know about the time I folded queens preflop?”
“That’s a great start.”
“It was at the $2/5 game at Bellagio, where we had $1100 (220 big blinds) effective. A middle position player opens to $15, and an older, reckless guy calls. A little unusual—usually it’s younger players getting out of line. The cutoff then 3-bets to $65, and I look down at pocket queens on the button. I decide to cold 4-bet to $230. The idea was that the cutoff might be squeezing light, and the old guy could call with anything. After the original raiser folds, the reckless guy tanks, then calls. The cutoff doesn’t waste any time and shoves all-in for $1500. I snap-folded.
A lot of people would say, ‘Queens, can’t fold!’ or they’d start inventing some story about how the cutoff knows that I know he could be 3-betting light, and they’d call. But for me, the only question was whether the cutoff had aces or kings. Either way, I’m not sticking around. The old guy folds too, and we’ll never know what the cutoff had. But if he was playing something weaker than queens, good for him.”
“Rumor has it, you’ve folded kings preflop?”
“Yes, I have. And I probably will again. If the situation screams ‘aces,’ then kings aren’t as strong.”
Game Structures and Buy-In Caps
“Let’s talk about game structures. I know you’ve become familiar with different buy-in caps in the Las Vegas NLHE world. What’s your take on that?”
“It’s crazy how quickly you learn these things. The deeper the buy-in cap, the bigger the game plays, and the bigger the bankroll you need to manage your risk of ruin. Poker pros call that ‘career death.’ So you’ve got to find a balance between playing big enough to earn, but not so big that you risk going broke.
Take the Aria, for example. Their $1/3 game has a $300 buy-in cap (100 big blinds), while their $2/5 game caps at $1000 (200 BBs). But Bellagio has a $500 cap for their $2/5 game, which means their $2/5 plays a lot smaller than Aria’s. The Wynn, though, plays much deeper. Their $1/3 game has a $500 cap (133 BBs), and their $2/5 game has a $1500 cap (300 BBs). Some pros move between places because they can play with deeper stacks without increasing their buy-in.”
“So deep stacks are good for pros?”
“Absolutely. The more big blinds you have, the better it is for the skilled players, because there are more opportunities to exploit mistakes from others.”
“And there you are at the Aria $1/3 game.”
“Yep, but I’ll explore other rooms as I gain confidence and build my bankroll. There are so many ways to move up—either by playing deeper at the same stakes or by jumping to higher stakes. For now, though, I’m happy at Table 7, Seat 3. As long as the game is good, I’ll stay.”
“When you’re not playing poker, what do you do?”
“Other than sleeping? I hang out with friends from Chicago who live here now. I also recently went to a trivia night at a local bar, which was a lot of fun. I can’t just stay home. My brother’s content being at home, but I have to be out and about. A few days ago, I walked some dogs with a friend at Mount Charleston. It’s beautiful up there.”
“Mount Charleston is amazing. Have you tried Red Rocks too?”
“I haven’t yet, but I’ll make sure to check it out.”
Confidence Boost
“So, you’ve been a pro for six weeks. Do you ever take a moment and reflect on it?”
“All the time. I still talk to some people from the Chinese restaurant in Chicago, and they’re still complaining about the same old stuff. But I’m not that person anymore. I’m not sure where the future will take me—whether I’ll be a successful pro or whether it’s something I want to do long-term. But one thing’s for sure: I’m not going back to that life. The doubt is gone now. I know I can make it as a Las Vegas pro.”
“And can you tell us about a hand that made you realize that?”
Full Value
“Sure. It happened at my regular spot—the Aria $1/3 game. We had $300 effective stacks. I open with red aces from UTG+1 to $15. A player in middle position calls. The pot is $35, and the flop comes K♦️8♠2♠. I bet $25, and the player calls. The solvers would probably say to bet smaller, but I know nobody’s folding a king or spades for that bet. On the turn, the 2♥️ pairs the board. Now the pot’s $85, and I bet $60. He calls again.
The river is the T♣, and now there’s $205 in the pot. He has $200 left in his stack. The old me would have checked, thinking maybe I could let him bluff his missed spades. But instead, I go for it. I shove the remaining $200 all-in. When he tanks, I know I’m ahead. I’m proud of myself for shoving—I wasn’t scared. Finally, he calls, showing KJ. I win the pot.”
“That’s an extra $200 in your pocket.”
“Yeah, but the real win was the confidence boost. That moment made me realize I can do this. I know I’m good enough to be a pro here in Vegas. I’m excited to keep going.”
“Great ending to this chapter. Thanks so much for sharing.”
“Thank you.”
