Poker Dream Hoian Report

When I first started playing at tournaments 13 years ago, I would have been ecstatic with a bag, or ITM. 13 years later, I am not satisfied with multiple cashes or deep runs. But I think about how far I've come, how I have made a career out of poker, the journey I've been on, the friends I've made, the places I've been, the experiences I've had, the life I've lived, I can't help but be thankful. 

Sometimes the journey takes you on narrow alleys

Coming to Poker Dream Hoian I had big hopes again. First and foremost I always pray for a safe and happy trip. Of course I also want a profitable trip and specifically final tables and trophies as well. I got the first part, but this trip I didn't get the second part. The most painful was actually losing "heads-up" in the Halloween costume contest to a contestant that didn't know the competition existed, and had likes from people that weren't even in the poker scene. But kudos to her for actually going on to win the main event. Hope she does something good with the money. 

I got two 9m bounties. Guy on my left got 400m

This trip I managed to get 2 ITMs, both in Mystery bounty events, picking up 5 bounties, finishing 17th and 10th respectively. Had I drawn better bounties the P&L could have been so different but I never thought of myself as a lucky person, at least financially. After a rough series at USOP Hanoi, I now did just as bad at Poker Dream. How bad? I lost about 15 months of my last Malaysian salary in the two series. Thankfully from other events and income, I still had a decent last two months, otherwise this could have been a really bad blow to my bankroll. 

ITM twice in the same day

Some of you may have noticed I started wearing a cross on my neck. Now that I am not representing any poker company, I felt it was important for me to represent something bigger than poker, bigger than myself. Win or lose, God doesn't owe me anything, but I owe it to Him to be at my best behavior, to be different from other people, to be caring, kind, honest, helpful, polite, loyal, respectful, generous, giving... My faith doesn't make me a better poker player, but it should make me a better person. I look back to my post in 2018, I think I am vindicated for being nice. 

Beautiful Hoian

Overall this year I am still profitable in tourneys, coming close so many times. The next event I am eyeing is a few weeks away. I might be taking some time off tourneys to get back to cash games. Surely the prestige and recognition isn't the same, but the money is just as sweet. I'll be back, hopefully with a big loud bang. 

I'll be back

APT Manila Cash Games Report

Ah well, I guess I am a cash game player after all. I have a love-hate relationship with tournament poker but cash game is like my best friend telling me to break up with tournaments 🤣 get out of an abusive relationship. But when tournaments are good, they are so so so good. But when they hurt, they hurt bad too. 

First session after just landing in hectic Manila I was off to a good start. Won enough to freeroll my first main event bullet. Was pretty happy about it but after firing three bullets in the main I was back in the red. So this time I was looking for bigger pots, bigger payouts. Playing 100/200 mp opens to 700, CO calls, I am on the button with 87hh I call. Local uncle in sb 3b to 2500, bb, mp, co calls so I called as well. Pot is now 12500. Flop comes K62hhx, uncle cbets 5000, mp folds, co calls, I call. Turn 9x. I got my open ended straight and flush draw. Uncle bets 10000 with about 40000 behind, CO now jams for 46000 total. The pot is now 83500 and now me with a decision. I don't think CO has a flush draw cause uncle's range is capped with not much fold equity, what kind of flush draws would CO jam with now? A9hh? 29hh? So my heart and straight outs are live. And I am getting greedy here. If I win this hand I am back in the black for the trip. I call hoping uncle calls behind giving me the best price for my draw, or if he folds, CO will run it twice with me. The latter happens but both rivers bricked out.

My stack before the hand

Couple of days later I visited a private game in town. When I got there the game switched to 100/200/500. I obliged wanting to have a big night if possible. The lineup was decent but the whales were all on my left and the grinders on my right. It didn't matter because I ran quite well. Hand of the night I had 55 and called the aggressor's open. Flop was AA5 I check raised the flop. Villain and the boss called. Turn blank I lead for a much bigger size to play for stacks boss folds villain calls. River another blank I jammed for his last 31k and he calls. Ended the session getting a freeroll for my championships event. 

Starting stack

Ending stack

We all know how that event went from my last post so now I am back to the grind. This time it was the best table I've seen on the casino 100/200 game. There were 4 Chinese guys on the table speaking Chinese but funny thing was they assumed I couldn't understand them! They were making comments about their hands (after the hands of course) but I just soaked in all the info and used it against them to outplay them. One hand I called a river bluff with 3rd pair and it was good. The guy complained to his friend and I tried my best to hold my poker face and not laugh. Lesson to all, never assume the players do not understand your language. I caught some hands pre so I played super aggressively and I guess they assumed I was a maniac fish. Best hand of the game came vs a solid reg though. Preflop utg1 limp HJ opens to 700, I am on the sb with 67o I called, bb and utg1 completes. Flop is 985ddx. HJ cbets 1000, I check raised to 2800, utg1 cold calls, HJ folds. My read on him is he has a good 9. Turn is a blank I bet 4000 he calls. River is another 9 but flush misses. I bet 14000 and he snap calls. My straight was good. 

Overall I won from cash games but not enough to cover my tournament losses. The last game of the trip was the most fun I had this visit. Unfortunately I don't know when my next cash game session will be nor where my next income stream will come from. Hope that you guys will also survive this recession that we are faced with and see you all again next time. 

How To Play Ten-Card Flip Poker (Original Rules here)

Have you been to a poker game that ended but continued on with a game of FLIP? Usually players would ante up an agreed amount, deal their cards and run it to the river. Whoever gets lucky will scoop the pot. However this game is all luck and no skill, so I have invented a new game called the TEN CARD FLIP. Inspired by the Ten Card Stud flip that is on YouTube between Doug Polk and Jeremy Kaufman for $41k, I modified the rules to simpler and easier to play at home, and between 2-5 players. Trust me, it is super fun and addictive, so if anyone decides to write it into an app, I hope I get the credit as the creator of the game.

OFFICIAL RULES: 

1. Players agree to play for an amount, for example $10, and each player will put $10 into the pot.
2. Button is dealt and cards will be dealt as usual from the small blind position
3. Each player gets 10 cards face DOWN and NO ONE IS ALLOWED TO LOOK AT ANY OF THE CARDS.
4. Starting from the small blind, each player will flip over one card each. 
5. Cards that are showing with the LOWEST hand value will continue to flip cards over one by one until they are NO LONGER the lowest value. For example first player shows K, second player shows 8, third player Ace, fourth player 6. The fourth player will flip over another card. If the two cards showing can beat the second lowest hand which is the 8, then second player will continue. If for example they draw a 4, which means they still have 6 high, they will continue to draw until they are no longer the lowest.
6. Hand ranking follows poker standard hands with lowest being high card, high card with higher kicker, pair, two pairs etc. 

THIS IS THE IMPORTANT PART

7. If a player has flipped over FIVE cards, they can decide if they want to continue or SURRENDER. By continuing they risk their entire bet of $10, but has a chance to win the pot. However they can choose to SURRENDER and get back half their bet, which is $5 in this case. However you forfeit the chance of winning the pot and the remaining players will play on. 
8. Each player will be given a chance to surrender as long as they have 5 or less cards showing. 
9. Game continues on until a winner is decided. 

Started at $50 a hand it escalated to $200 with sidebets!

I created this game a few years ago, but have not shared it openly. Today in a fun game I shared with some guys and they seem to love it. Maybe they will continue to share it to their friends, and you searched it to learn about the official rules. Now you know who invented it. Try it at your next home game, it's a great game while waiting for players to come, or when you have too few players left at the end of the session. Drop me a comment if you tried it, or are unsure about the rules, or even better if you want to pay me royalties for using my game. You can email me at happyriverpoker@gmail.com Have fun!

2022 Goals and Resolutions

Usually by the first or second day of the year I would have my resolutions ready. This year I was actually at a loss about what I want to achieve. But after the last few days, I have learned my lessons and am inspired about how to better myself for the year.

Looking forward to my challenge that is 2022

I have matured a lot over the years but one thing I still can't overcome entirely is my discipline. This past weekend I took a shot that I didn't have to. It was a game that was still comfortable for my bankroll but not my cash roll. There is a degen bone in me that I have to address. I am addicted to the rush that has adversely affected me throughout my life. So my first resolution is 1) to be hyper disciplined. For the past 3 weeks I have been on a one-meal-a-day diet except one day mainly for health purposes and secondary is losing weight. I am surprised I have the discipline to keep it up especially when watching my friends have delicious food right in front of me. I hope I can continue to push on and I highly recommend some sort of fasting or intermittent fasting regime for my friends who are looking to improve their health.

2021 was a "blah" year for me. I barely made any income and I was stagnant the whole year, only watching the crypto market fluctuate throughout. Thankfully the trend is still going upwards but I feel I cannot be so passive instead I need to make things happen. This year I will 2) focus on creating streams of income. 

Omicron has put my plans to travel on hold. The backend of 2021 there were more and more countries open to tourists but since then they have locked down again. But I hope I can still play at least a couple of tournament series in 2022. If any case I also would want to play more cash games. The other day I jumped into a game and I felt so at home and in my element. After so many years of playing I still love the game and have the patience and passion for it. So 3) Play more poker in 2022.

Poker in Granada, Spain

Every year I say I want to be healthier but don't actually do it. This year I've started well. With my new eating schedule I've lost 4kg already and feeling sharper and healthier. It is actually easier than I thought and more effective than any diet or calorie counting. At this rate I should be able to hit my targeted weight and keep it off. But the beauty of my fasting regime is it's health benefits and weight loss is just the bonus. 4) Maintain healthy eating lifestyle

Without any income last year meant I didn't have any profits to give away. I tried to help as much as I can but it was nothing close to what I did in past years. This year if I am focusing on creating income streams, I hope to be able to allocate actual funds to helping the needy. 5) Give 10% of money and time to charity and helping others. 

Wishing everyone a great year ahead and hope you will also achieve what you set out to do!

WSOP Europe Adventure DAY 4

I thought it snowed yesterday, but today it really snowed. By the time I got back to the hotel there was a good 4 inches of snow. Today I played in the €1650 Six-max event. Six max is probably the hardest format in my opinion because you are forced to play a wider range, defend wider and call or value more marginal hands. Things was looking great when I was seated at a table that looked full of recreation players. I played one hand and was then moved to another table of 5 tough looking regs. I don't want to bore you with my sob stories so I'll just summarise what happened. Starting stack 40k. 

I will forever remember this day

Bullet 1:

Flop A69, I have 69, villain has 99. He had 12k only with lots of dead money. 
Board was Q93dd, turn Kd, river 8. I had KK, villain had JT, I lost 20k+ in this pot.
Flop was KJ7r, I have AK and 10k left, villain J7. Turn 7. 

Bullet 2:

Flop was K73ss, turn Q, river 5. I open with KQ, villain 3b, cbet, check turn, raise river. Didn't put 55 or 64 in his 3 bet range

I have TT I open on button, chip leader overjams I call. He shows K8cc. Flop AJJcc, turn 9c, river 4d.

If I won I would have 40bb+

Bullet 3:

Flop AKTcc, turn 3c. villain lead jams 50k into 12k pot. I have AT, he has KK.

Jumped into €5/5 PLO:

Flop was T92hh. I have J876hh. Villain had KKQ2hh. Sure him having hearts isn't great for me, but run twice lose both times.

Saw Elky Grospellier

After a day of heavy snow

You can see my footprints next to my car

Thank you for following me on this journey but unfortunately my 2021 WSOPE bracelet dream has come to an end. Because of some restrictions and low turnouts meant the field this year wasn't that great. There isn't a bracelet event I am keen on playing anymore and today was so sick I have lost my desire to play at least for now. If weather permits I might take a couple days off visiting nearby towns and then heading back to Prague for some cash games there before returning home. 

In total my poker result for this trip is -€10601. Believe me, I will be gunning for another bracelet in the future. But the hot desert of Vegas doesn't sound as bad after the freezing cold Rozvadov. 

WSOP Europe Adventure DAY 2

Today was a cold cold day, and it was very cold on the table too. But more about that later. My hotel owner made me a nice breakfast before I headed out to the nearest supermarket for some water and snacks. Then it started to snow. I thought since it would be my first time driving in the snow, and the visibility was pretty poor it probably wasn't the best time to go exploring. So I went back to the hotel, took a nap and headed out to the casino at 1pm.

Beautiful organic eggs. You can taste the difference

Morning

Night

There was a €2500 Shortdeck event. I love the game but didn't think I had any edge against the field. Even though at one time it looked like it might have some decent overlay. At the end it surpassed the €200k guarantee. Then there was the €500 Main Event satellite but it pays the top 5% of the field and I wasn't keen on a turbo. By level two the average stack is 50bb and it goes up pretty fast. So I jumped into the €5/10 cash game. 

Roller coaster day

Full disclosure on Day 1 I won €3000+ on €5/10. Not so smooth today. I don't think I made many mistakes, maybe one bluff that was a bit ambitious but others I felt I played okay. It was a roller coaster ride as very quickly I was stuck €4000. These are some of the key hands.

QQ had to fold to a check raise on river
JJ ran into AA short stack

And this was the biggest one for €5000 pot. Preflop I was MP raised to €30 with J9cc. Two players called and HJ makes it €135. Button calls, BB calls and comes to me. I felt that with the money in the pot, €135 seemed on the small side considering there's so also two limpers in between. J9 can be a good 4 bet hand as I was the first opener and I can legitimately have a premium hand whereas no one else seem to be in that range. For a while I did consider a 4 bet to maybe €650 or so. But with a drawy hand and good pot odds I chose to flat instead. The other two complete as well as we go to the flop with the pot now at €815. Flop came 997dd. Everyone checks including the 3 bettor but instead button leads out €300. BB now raises to €1000. I have €1750 behind and flatting seems too strong so I elected to jam instead. Button tank folds saying he had Axdd and BB calls and shows 77. I did not put him on a made fullhouse at all. Turn and river brick twice. 

Had a nice healthy dinner, greens more than meat

I then bought in €2000 more and manage to grind my stack back up to €5200 or so and was feeling good and went to have some dinner. I came back to the table intending to play a little while longer and take a €800 loss for the day. On the 2nd hand I came back to the table, I had KK and lost a pot to QQ. Then a combo draw missed, AK < AJ, AK two pair < JT flush draw, 65hh on J74Qhh board missed, etc. Ended up losing about €6000 for the day. In hindsight I should have left during dinner but the problem is there is nothing else to do. And I didn't want to switch tables and look like a little pussy. 

Anyway I am stuck now €2875 for the trip. That's not the end of the world but a great start wiped and I haven't even played a single tournament yet. Tomorrow is the €1100 KO bounty so maybe there's redemption at hand. Wish me luck and here's some more photos I took of my first experience of proper snow. 

Risking my life again for this picture

King's Casino exterior

Degen car owners parked all day in the snow

Why Everyone SHOULD Invest in Bitcoin and Cryptocurrency NOW

I bring up cryptocurrency with almost everyone I meet but I get a mixed response. Some are as passionate as me and we share strategies and news. Some are skeptical but receptive. Some are outright against it as if it is the scam of the century. Like any investment, there are risks, hence there are rewards too. Like any investment, blindly putting your money in is not a winning strategy. It requires some knowledge and skill that you can learn from others, from studying the unlimited resources online or in books, or from your own experience. Today I want to share with you my journey in crypto so far and why I think everyone should invest in it, or at least have an open mind about it. (Not financial advice)

Blockchain technology is here to stay

Crypto is not a fad, get-rich-quick scheme or ponzi scheme. IT IS BASED ON TECHNOLOGY. There are over 9000 cryptocurrencies and sure, not all of them are good. Some are outright scams. But most of them have a very practical real world use, using blockchain technology. Think back in recent years what technologies have changed our lives drastically? The internet, smart phone, video streaming just to name a few. Which companies have profited from these technologies? Google, Apple, Samsung, YouTube, Netflix.... But before all this happened, were there skeptics? Were there opposing voices? Were there stubborn people and companies insisting on old tech that got hurt? Remember Nokia? Remember Blockbuster and other video rental stores? Remember non-cable TV? In general we don't like change, but sometimes it is necessary. Blockchain technology can be applied to anything from banking to tourism, healthcare to education, making it faster, cheaper, more secure, tamper proof, more convenient, more accessible, more comprehensive. Cryptocurrency is merely the fuel that drives the technology. 

Better than investing in Gold

Bitcoin is often compared to gold, but IT IS BETTER THAN GOLD. They are similar in a way because people invest in both to hedge against inflation because of their limited supply. But they both have very distinct differences that make crypto a much better choice. For example, we will never know when gold will run out but with cryptocurrencies we do. Therefore crypto prices are perfectly based on economics - supply and demand. Gold can be made into jewelry or items but other than that it has no other use. Other than storing and transferring value, crypto has other real world uses. It is very difficult to use gold to make purchases, very difficult to transport or store securely. Crypto on the other hand is easily transferable, but yet secure. In order to purchase gold, you would have to go to a dealer physically, and have somewhere secure to store it. Crypto can be bought and sold at your fingertips but also secured where it can only be accessed with a complex key. 

Better than investing in Real Estate

My father had a bad experience making his first major investment. He bought a house with another guy but in the end was scammed by his partner. Since then he became extremely risk adverse, and kept his money in the bank. But because of inflation, the money he kept lost value year after year. As things become more expensive, you lose purchasing power. That's why many people invest in property or gold. Because generally when your currency loses value, that means your property prices will increase therefore protecting your wealth. However investing in Bitcoin IS BETTER THAN BUYING REAL ESTATE. First of all property supply is erratic. Even though most property appreciate over time, but sometimes oversupply coupled with bad economy can affect the value. The value also depends on other factors beyond your control, for example what kind of neighbours you have, what other developments are in your area, land reclamation make your once beachside property now far from the shoreline, wear and tear, and buyer sentiment. Also buying and selling property takes time and money. If you are in need of quick liquidity, you might be forced to sell at non-optimum prices. Comparing to cryptocurrency, transfer is almost instant, the value is based on the market price so at the time of the sale/purchase, no one got the better of the other. And no pesky legal fees either. It is clear about the supply of the coin, and in most cases, there is a fixed maximum supply in circulation. Some coins burn their supply periodically making it scarcer and higher in value. Some coins can even EARN YOU INTEREST (between 5-20% per annum) while you hold it. You might argue you can lease your property for rental income, but the hassle of managing your tenants won't earn you the returns most cryptocurrencies offer. 

From my observations, those who oppose investing in crypto are those who don't understand it. If they take the time to learn what blockchain technology is about and how cryptocurrencies apply to daily life, it is such an easy decision to invest in it. "Let your money work for you" and I haven't worked a day since I started doing this. 

Please support me by using my links below:
Binance - Biggest Exchange around
BlockFi - Earn 5-9% interest on BTC, ETH, LTC, USDT (sign up to earn $250 BTC FREE)
Kucoin - Become a bank yourself and create loans to earn up to 50%+ with your USDT

Poker vs Crypto

Due to COVID and other reasons I have not been actively involved in Poker for a while, and so I was kind of forced to look for alternative sources of income. Since then I have found what I've learned from playing poker to be applicable in my Crypto strategy, for example Bankroll management, reading and analysing your competition, finding ways to increase my edge, maximising value and minimise losses, etc. In this article I want to use poker as a comparison with crypto and why I feel that crypto is so much better than poker. Most of my readers are poker players and using this analogy might make more sense for you. I want to encourage all my friends to get into crypto before it is really too late, and you can thank me later. 

I look at my crypto investments as buy-ins in a poker game. As any responsible poker player would, I would split my bankroll into at least 20 buy-ins. So say I have a $20,000 bankroll, each buy-in I would spend on a coin would be $1,000. Some coins that I have more faith in I can buy in 2-3x but generally one unit is 1/20 my entire roll. 

1. ODDS OF WINNING / LOSING

The best hand you can have in poker is AA, and the best scenario you want is getting it all in preferably heads-up vs KK. In this situation you're risking all your chips for a 100% return (assuming similar stacks and there's no rake) However even in this ideal situation you still have a 19% chance of losing it all. You have no control of it at all.

On the other hand in crypto, you can decide the fate of your buy in yourself. You can sell it at any price, all or parts of it. Sure we won't know the odds of winning/losing however you can take profits or cut losses with full control. In poker you can't take profit before the river even if you have your opponent drawing thin. You always have to see it till the end/river and have to survive the variance. In crypto, there is almost zero chance of you losing ALL your money. Barring a world-ending apocalyptic event, your coin value will never drop to zero. And if you do your homework right, and set a stop-limit/cut-loss say 20% of your investment, then you can never do worse than that and all the room for the upside. 

2. RISK VS REWARD

On a poker table, at any given hand, the best return you can have is to get 9x your money, assuming the whole table goes all in. Which NEVER happens, unless you're in a flip out tournament. But yet in that scenario, even if you were holding the best hand your chances of winning is at best ~30%, meaning there is a ~60% chance of losing it all (keyword ALL) Most of the time the best return you can get on a hand is to double or triple your money, minus the rake. 

In crypto, if you pick the right coins, (especially now that the market is bullish), you stand to earn 300-1000% of your investment. If you have a diversified portfolio, you can multiply your chances of hitting a gold mine. 

Took a calculated gamble on XRP

3. PREDICTING FUTURE MOVEMENTS

How many times have you looked down at a premium hand, build the pot preflop only to see a disappointing flop like 789, or a monotone flop but you don't have that suit? Raising preflop with KK or QQ only to see an Ace on the flop? We all know the best hands to play but no one can predict what will come on the flop, turn or river. 

In crypto, you can sometimes predict how the price will move based on price history, market bull/bear, market news, coin announcements, regulatory decisions, market capitalisation, coin supply, market adoption, heck even Tweets or YouTube videos! In some cases you can buy/sell in anticipation of what will happen in the future, hence increasing your chances of making a profit. 

4. FREEROLLING / RATHOLING

You're running hot on the table. You manage to turn your 100bb buy in into 500bb, which is a good day for you. But there are players on the table that covers your stack. One wrong move might cause you to lose everything. You want to switch tables so you can down stack, or come back after one hour to restack, or worse, I've seen players sneak chips off the table. I have zero respect for people like that. Please don't be like that.

In crypto however you can sell your coins anytime you're satisfied with the profits. Some players have a strategy of selling a portion of their coins to recover the initial investment and keep the rest as a freeroll. Taking profits along the way but still keeping some in case the coin price continues to rise. Then you can use that money to invest on another coin or consolidate your portfolio by increasing your BTC or blue chip holdings. 

5. EARN / LOSE WHILE YOU WAIT

The small and big blinds are there for a reason. It forces you to play more hands otherwise if you just sit there you will lose 1.5bb every round. Most players don't realise when your stack dwindles, your potential profit does too because you can only win with what you have. 

In Crypto the prices do fluctuate and sometimes you find yourself having to wait for the market to recover. I waited 4 years for one coin which is now 10x my entry price, but am still waiting for it to go higher. But with savings, staking, lending and yield farming products, nowadays you can earn passive income on most coins. Most returns range from 1-25% per annum.

While some people may not be swayed by modest returns, many people do not understand the difference between crypto earnings vs bank saving products. Say you have $10,000 and you put that amount into a savings account / fixed deposit at your bank for a 3% annual return. At the end of the year you will receive $300 as interest. However in crypto, you invest that same $10,000 onto a coin. If the coin is $1 each, then you would buy 10,000 coins. Then you put it into crypto savings/staking for a 3% return. At the end of the year you will have 300 coins from your interest/dividends. But if during that time the coin you bought appreciated to $3 a coin, the 300 coins you earned are now worth $900. Your ROI is actually 9% instead of 3%. Of course your coin price might fall as well, but like I mentioned above, if you study and pick the right coins, they should appreciate over time (especially at this stage of the market), but the money you put in your bank would have depreciated because of inflation. 

Let your money work for you ~ Kiyosaki

6. FISH VS REG RATIO

During the poker boom, making money from poker was very easy. A lot of players didn't know what they were doing and any pro worth their salt had such a big edge. Because of the hype there were many new entrants to the game. I remember making a decent living playing poker in 2008 but looking back I was such a bad player! I just happen to be slightly better than the players who learned from Zynga. But now, you have to navigate GTO math freaks that do not tilt, have deep bankrolls and play with no fear. Solvers, HUDs, hand charts, you name it. 

Crypto may have been around for about 12 years, but it is still very new to most people. But it is slowly becoming something you cannot ignore. In the coming years there will be millions of new entrants bringing new investment dollars into the market. Not only does that mean the market will grow stronger and bullish with the injection of new blood, that will also mean there are more fishes in play. You might think in crypto you're going against the market, instead of individuals. But these new buyers/sellers that are prone to making mistakes will allow a seasoned trader more opportunity to capitalise on their lost value. 

One of the biggest mistakes a crypto fish can make is they get excited when they see the market moving up, so they buy as the prices increase. But a sudden dip makes them panic and they sell at non-optimum prices. An experienced trader would be make preemptive moves therefore buying cheaper and selling higher than the newbies, therefore maximising their value when others mistakenly loses their value.

A crypto fish BUYS when prices RISE, and SELLS when prices FALL. A crypto pro BUYS when prices FALL, and SELLS when prices RISE 

I am not an early adopter of crypto but I have done well for myself in a very short time, and I foresee the coming 5 years there will be more money poured into crypto than ever causing it to bull for the longest time we have ever seen. If there is a time for you to enter the market it is now. So far quite a few people have come for me to help them get started. I AM NOT A CRYPTO EXPERT nor financial advisor but I know more than the average person and can explain it to you in the simplest way that makes it easy to understand. All I ask is to use my links to sign up as your way of helping me back. 

HOW TO GET STARTED

Binance is the largest crypto exchange for you to start your journey of buying and selling. 

Kucoin is another exchange but has a great lending system where you can earn much higher interests (for example the USDT interest on Binance is 6-7%. On Kucoin you can earn 40-48%)

On BlockFi you can earn higher interests than on Binance

In order for you to capitalise on the profits of newer coins, you need to buy them before they are listed on the major exchanges because most people are lazy. This is an easy way to get another edge on the other market players. So some smaller and sometimes slower exchanges are:

Hotbit I bought some high potential coins here like Statera (STA), Rocket Pool (RPL) 

Bitforex is the exchange that launched Ecomi (OMI), one of the hottest NFT companies that have partnerships with Superman, Batman, Ultraman, Star Trek, Disney, Capcom, etc. 

You can also contact me at happyriverpoker@gmail.com if you have further questions or if you have any tips you would like to share with me! 

How to succeed as a Poker Pro

I often get people asking me for advice, whether they can make a living playing poker etc. My answer is always, "if I can, why can't you?" But to delve a bit deeper into the subject, I want to share with you what I think is important to think about before considering poker as a career. Some of the factors are pretty straightforward but some you might not have thought of before. Here’s my top 8 ranked by importance.

1. DISCIPLINE

I have seen so many great players around me, heard so many stories of poker players with amazing skills that do not make it, because of the lack of discipline. Discipline is about plugging your leaks, staying away from casino games, watching your lifestyle, watching your physical and mental health, sticking to your ranges, not tilting and keeping your composure, managing your expenses. Although sometimes it is tempting to take a punt, I am proud to say for the whole of 2019 I did not touch any mode of gambling outside of poker. Lifestyle and health are very important too, for example if you stayed up the night before, you should be very aware of your mental state the next day. Sometimes taking the day off is the most +EV thing to do. Some players like to party and get hungover the next day. Being aware of your physical and mental state will help you know when to play and when to stop. Some players play different ranges when winning/losing, which is also a sign of ill-discipline. You should always be playing your A-game and not be affected by external factors. Discipline to manage your money is also key. Money may come easy when your life is about playing games, but it doesn’t mean you should spend it irresponsibly. Learning to control your expenses, saving up for a rainy day, invest your winnings into passive income earners, these are some things a disciplined player would do.

The general benchmark on success or failure as a poker pro is making $100k a year

2. PASSION

Most poker players started their careers because they hated their day jobs. They were not passionate about their jobs and thought that poker is a way out. However it is also easy to lose passion in poker. In the middle of a downswing, getting bad beat after another, tilted by the fish who just keeps winning due to pure luck…. I sometimes question myself is this a job I want for the rest of my working life? I am surprised that after grinding more than 200+ hours a month every month for the last 4 months or so I am surprised I still love this game. My recommendation is to think of a greater goal, and poker is the means to achieve that goal. That will keep you motivated and focused. For me it is saving up enough money to start some businesses, and also to earn money for my charities. Also think about which aspects of the game you enjoy and don’t. Focus on the things you enjoy the most and the things you don’t are still better than a nagging boss, deadlines and reports that you would have to do at a 9-5 job.

3. GAME SELECTION

If you're the 9th best player in the world, but you're playing on a table with the 1st to 8th, then you're the fish. You don't have to be a super good player to be a winning player. As long as you choose games and tables that you can dominate, then that's a profitable game. I've had the pleasure of working at 777 poker club and the reasons the games are good there is because of a bunch of great action players that don't play anywhere else. Because of multiple reasons, they do not want to be seen at a casino because they have an image to keep, or business partners to impress, or some have political connections, but they are comfortable playing in a private club. I was also lucky enough to find a juicy private game last year where I was playing with a bunch of rich bookies, and possibly drug dealers, who had deep pockets and shallow skills. Games are also usually fishier the higher the stakes. There are a lot of solid players playing low to mid stakes who are trying to grind for a living, but those stakes are too low for rich bosses who don't care about losing 10-100k a day. If you can afford higher stakes, I personally think private games are the way to go.

Having a balanced lifestyle helps too

4. SKILL

Of course you need to be skilful, but I think it is still not as important as the three above. Skills can be learned and gained from experience. However discipline and passion are harder to build without a very strong mindset. But when you’re starting off, you still need to be better than most of your opponents if possible. If you’re not one of the top 3 players on your table then you need to find a fishier game, or get better quick. I think if you are disciplined and passionate enough, you will be motivated to study and improve. I am quite a lazy person and to be honest I don’t study much. Thankfully one of my strengths is observation and sensitivity. I learn a lot from watching other players play and formulate strategies based on what I see. One of the quickest way to improve is to work with other players. They say 2 heads is better than one. It is always useful to have another person analyze spots with you. I am lucky to have different players come into my life at different times that helped me develop my game.

5. BANKROLL

No money no talk. Poker is an investment. An investment of your money and time with a decent long term return. I know some players who borrowed money to start their career. It’s great if you have that kind of resource but I still feel its better if you saved up that money yourself. You will respect your bankroll more and feel more invested into it. Let me show you a quick way to calculate how much bank roll you need and what stakes you need to be playing.

1.         Take your previous monthly income and times it by 1.5 (You don’t want to quit your job and earn less than 150% of your previous income (X is your previous income)
2.         Set yourself your playing hours, generally I would use 20 days a month, 8 hours a day = 160
3.         A modest goal would be to be making 5bb per hour
4.        1.5X / (160 x 5) = The bb stake you should be playing (let’s call it Y)
5.         Y x 100 (100bb per buy in) x 30 = Healthy bankroll you need (x20 is okay too but x40 if you play Omaha or deep games)

The problem with proper bankroll management is, it shouldn’t hurt when you lose 100bbs. But as most poker players have a gambler inside of them, if losing 100bbs doesn’t hurt, it means winning 100bbs isn’t good enough too. So you often find yourself either trying too hard in that game, or playing stakes too high for your comfort zone. The way to combat this is set yourself modest goals. Cash game poker is a grind, and you should be happy picking up 5bb per hour.

You'll collect currencies from your travels

6. ADAPTABILITY

I have played poker in 19 different countries now, and I can tell you there are distinct differences in each game. What works in your usual game might backfire in another. There is this private game that I go to, many pros can’t seem to win there. Honestly sometimes I feel I make some moves that would be considered fish moves in other games, but they work. Maybe in poker tournaments the strategy does not deviate much because the dynamics of it remains pretty similar. But in a cash game, there are so many variables. Things like table dynamics, mood, fish to reg ratio, seating position, player skill level, player drunkenness level, player tilt level etc. should affect how you approach the game. Unlike Europe or America, poker is not as accessible in Asia. So adaptability also means being able to play and live in countries you never thought of settling in before. Being able to quickly establish a routine and get comfortable will help you play better on the tables too.

7. PR SKILLS

I recently saw a video of Jungleman Cates speaking Mandarin and Cantonese at a poker game. I am sure over time playing in predominantly Chinese private games he has picked up some words. However it also goes to show being able to PR with the bosses will allow you access to games that might otherwise be unavailable. I know some pros like to be focused, usually unfriendly because they feel they are just there to make money. But I can tell you, I have so many unexpected doors opened for me because I am friendly and chatty on the tables. Sure you will come across some assholes that are not worth your time, but you will also make friends. Whether that leads to +EV opportunities or not shouldn’t be the focus. I just feel it is always better to make friends than not. No one wants a sore loser, and we often forget the players we play against are paying our "salaries" so they are in fact our bosses, so talking back or being rude to our bosses is not the smartest of things to do. 

8. SIDE INCOME

Many poker players set off on their careers with big dreams and hopes, but they never have a plan for a rainy day. Have some side income, whether that's agenting for poker sites, rental income from properties, dividends from other investments, interests from fixed deposits, something to help you alleviate stress when you're on a downswing. Players often make mistakes or push themselves too hard when they are stressed. I know this is a luxury for many but make it a concerted effort to create a side income stream because it will help your career immensely.

Why do I give?

I have a file that I keep to track how much I should be giving for charities since June 2019. I did a tally and I was surprised how much the total was. But I have developed the habit of helping others, maybe in my upbringing and also the people who've inspired me throughout my life. And to me it is natural and something everyone needs to be doing, in order to make our world a better place. People who know me well know me as a very genuine and straight forward person, but I guess when I start posting Facebook ads looking for charity cases genuinely seeking out people in need to help, it may have caused some people to react or think negatively.

I give, because of one thing, because I am selfish. You might think that doesn't make sense, but once you know my secret, you might just do the same too.

Malachi 3:10 "Bring the whole tithe into the storehouse, that there may be food in my house. Test me in this,” says the Lord Almighty, “and see if I will not throw open the floodgates of heaven and pour out so much blessing that there will not be room enough to store it."

Almost my entire cash roll at one point

The more I give the more I get to give and it goes on and on. You might think it gets easier but it doesn't. As the amounts grow you are tested more and more because your mind is trying to reason with you, and it defies logic to give it away to someone you barely know. Last year I played a lot in a private game where I was surrounded by all kinds of characters. I've seen them snort cocaine and take meth on the table, I'm pretty sure they are mostly involved in illegal businesses, some were loan sharks and possibly drug dealers too. I remember saying "their money is better off in my hands". Indeed it was because I would do good things with it whilst they probably spend it on the next party, next high or even worse. One night I won $7k+ and the next morning I sent $1k to a local teacher fighting cancer.

Moving in the right direction

We like playing with our friends' kids or our nieces or nephews. Have you tried giving kids something and asking them for a little back? Offer them a whole bag of candy and ask for one little piece back. Even though we never wanted or needed a candy in the first place, but I bet you the one that actually shares with you will be your favourite, and you will give him or her more stuff in the future. Although the kid is well within their rights to say now that you have given the whole bag to them, it is theirs to decide what to do with and who to give to. But it is just natural for us to give more to the one that shares.

Don't worry, I put it in the bank already 

If you're like me and believe there is a higher being watching over us, and that He in His own words challenged us to test his promise and generosity, then you'll understand why I give generously and with a pure heart. Because the more I give, the more I get to give, which means the more I get to keep too. 

I've come across people who are generous with their resources. One guy offered free accommodation for backpackers who are stuck in Cambodia because of Covid19, and he also takes in stray dogs. One poker pro friend I know once wrote a $100k cheque to a cancer foundation right after a tournament win. Another gave money for locals to help with their education and other personal needs. I know some of my friends are going to joke that they contribute to the locals every night too, but these guys ask for nothing in return. 

If you or you know someone in genuine severe financial difficulty (because I had people asking me to help them fix their car, but I am looking to help people who don't have a car and may be evicted or even starve to death if they don't receive help kind of difficulty), drop me a message on happyriverpoker@gmail.com and if I can help I will do my best.

30 days, 229 hours of poker, April Report

It has been a while that I have played every single day in a calendar month. There's 720 hours in a 30-day month, and I played poker for 229 hours. That's 31% of my time. At my age, I would think that is a minor miracle.

Average stack on 1/3 omaha

I was doing well for the month until I had a $2000 losing session close to the end but still ended the month in the black. I will probably share my results at the end of the year. But I can say I did much better than last month. This also marks my fourth winning month in a row. 12 winning months out of 14 since I started playing cash games full time.

Interesting fact is this month I am down playing Holdem but up playing Omaha. The Omaha game at the 777 poker club is super fun and action packed. It's quite common to have pots of $2000 and up. Almost everyone at the game is really friendly and funny, so it is quite entertaining to play even on a losing day. There's some intelligent conversations going on, and believe it or not, I am learning new things almost every day.

Action packed games

At one point I was trying to learn Spanish and I got decent traction. Occasionally there are other players that speak it too that I can "practice" with but so far I am still pretty bad. I have not been able to play soccer and have been eating fattening foods like pizza and fried rice. I have put on a lot of weight so now I have been bringing my own salad dinners to eat healthier.

Chips, Tea and Rabbit Food

I am very thankful that in Cambodia we are living a life that is so different from almost the rest of the world. We have a poker game every day, hanging out with friends, the opportunity to earn a living while so many people in the world are struggling to make ends meet. I wish you all the best of health wherever you are.

Poker vs Football (Soccer)

As you know, I have committed to losing weight and being more healthy, so I have recently joined two weekly football games to do just that. I have not played regularly since 2005 and even when I did, I was not a good player. In the weekly games I play now, there are some European and American players that are very good. Now I know how it feels to be a football fish. I constantly make mistakes, don't really know what I am doing and even when I make a good pass or nice shot, it is because of luck.

One of my earliest posts was about poker as a sport. It is one of my proudest posts so click the link to read it. Like football, skills are very important. You may have watched the game hundreds of times on TV or YouTube but it doesn't mean you can play it. The concept seems simple but it is harder than it looks. Passing is a basic skill that every player needs, but varying levels means the accuracy, precision, power, and types of passes differ from player to player. Just as in poker, betting is a basic skill. But when to bet, when not to bet, and how much, using which color chips, in which position, Hollywood or speech before the bet, etc will determine which level you are playing at.

One of the weekly games I go to

I am also feeling the pinch when it comes to stamina. At my age, it is excusable if I am not in tip top shape, but I also don't want to be huffing and puffing just after a little jog. No matter how skillful you are, if you can't keep up with the pace, or last the entire match, you will be crushed. Often you'll find late night poker is better than other games because many players are tired. It is less obvious when you run out of stamina on a poker table vs a football field. Some players push on without knowing that they are not playing optimally, their thought process is sluggish and they are prone to more mistakes and tilt easier. I guess like football, the more you play the more stamina you build, but you also have to take care of your body, be very aware of your mental state at all times and know your limits.

When we were young, no one wanted to be the goalkeeper. But at my age now, I gladly take that position to catch my breath. But I find that speed and reaction times are very important as a goalkeeper. Sometimes I see the shot coming, but my hands and feet don't react quickly enough to stop it. This is also the same for poker players. Sometimes you are only allowed a short time to make decisions. I for one do not like taking too long to make a move, I like to balance my bluffs and values by taking the same amount of time. In some spots, what to do is pretty clear, but in others, it may require a bit more thought. There are "hacks" on how to make your decision quicker, and maybe I will write another post on that.

As part of taking care of myself, a healthy diet makes a difference

I find that my football skills are lacking, but I am too embarrassed to ask for coaching. Right now I can only improve by playing, and only touching the ball maybe 20 times per night does not help me improve very quickly. Even if I were to get coaching, I can't be practicing every hour every day. But with poker, you can. Even when you are not in the hand, if you pay attention to other players and how they play, you can learn a lot. Of course your skills will improve vastly if you get a coach, but you can also do self study at your own pace. One major difference between football and poker is your football skills will decline with age no matter what you do, but with poker it can continue to grow in spite of age.

In the last two football games, I had some minor injuries. First I used my hand to block an incoming shot as it was heading straight for my face. However the shot was so strong, it struck my arm so hard forcing it onto my jaw cracking my lip and also created an involuntary bite mark on my hand. This week I blocked a shot with my lower leg and now my ankle hurts when I walk. In poker, you might not think there is chance of injury, but I see injury as bankroll management. In some games you might lose a small chunk of your bankroll. So it hurts but you can easily recover. But if you lose discipline or take shots you shouldn't, you can lose a big portion of your bankroll or even go bust. Like any injury, it takes time to heal. So if you had a bad run in poker, do not expect it to turn around over night. If you lost 1000bb, you can't expect to win it all back in one sitting. Some people do, and try to force too much action and end up digging themselves into a bigger hole.

There is so much to learn about poker from my football games. It reminds me about my game and how I should continue to improve. I know the players laugh at me, and they would pick me last for their team. I am okay with that. I would probably laugh at them on a poker table too. I can't be good at everything right? Right now I am super grateful that I do not play football for a living. Because if I do, I would be broke.