Poker XPert 0 Posted April 2, 2007 Share Posted April 2, 2007 One of the toughest things I ever had to do was post this message. You can't imagine how hard it is to have a good reputation for something, and to know that you're about to blow it all out of the water with one bombshell admission. Part of me just wanted to keep it quiet -- especially out here -- but I decided that I'm tired of living a lie. So here goes:I'm broke.I don't mean that I have less money than I used to. I don't mean that I just have no money online. I mean I'm broke.My recent trip to Reno was my last-ditch attempt at recovering at least part of what I had lost. It probably wasn't a smart move. I had 11k to my name, and I drove to Reno to put nearly have of it (5k) on myself playing against a bunch of experienced NL pros. However, I was encouraged by my close call at the Rincon (which by all accounts was a tougher field than Reno has ever been), so I was feeling good and wanted to take a shot. Just as things seemed to be going well, I chunked off my 64k in chips and finished about 50 away from the money. The final 6k vanished by way of the blackjack table. I was playing a +EV game (counting cards), but the dealer kept hitting a sick number of blackjacks on me, and pretty soon that money was gone.A lot of you must be wondering how this could have happened. After all, if I'm known for anything, it's for my sensible Jewish money management skills. I won over 500k in tournaments in 2005, and I was up well over a million in cash games. Where did it all go, and how?It all started to unravel in November, 2006 -- less than 6 months ago. Suddenly, I couldn't win anywhere. I lost all my money on Pokerstars. I lost it all on UB. I dropped everything I had on AP, despite switching accounts a few times in order to get a "luckier account". I was doing decently on Full Tilt, but that money was gone in December after a few disasterous 500/1k and 1k/2k Skywalker games. I was rapidly reloading into Neteller, and even buying money online from people I knew at Commerce (something I promised myself I'd never do).It was amazing how bad my luck was. While I had my semi-tilt sessions and sometimes stuck in bad games when losing a lot, I also played in a lot of excellent games where I should have won. Instead, it seemed that I would take ridiculous, freak beats in every big pot where I was ahead, yet almost every draw I had would miss -- unless my opponent also had nothing, to where I'd barely make any money. People started to doubt my claims of "bad luck". One particular friend was especially skeptical. "Come on, Todd, I know you're smarter than to believe that," he would chide. Finally, I invited him over to watch me play. After watching me take sick beat after sick beat, he remarked, "Wow, maybe I do believe in bad luck after all. But there's no way every day could be like this." I told him that it was like that every day, and that I just can't begin to guess when it will finally end. Statistics say that you should get your share of good luck just as often as bad luck, but it seems that I've been on the wrong end of that spectrum for quite some time.Coming into February, I had lost over a million dollars straight -- most of it at high limit poker. I was losing everywhere -- online, live, tournaments, you name it. The money was chunking off faster than I could count, and I was still in denial. "It will turn around," I told myself. "It always has before."It didn't. I played the big games (400-800/500-1000/600-1200) at Commerce during the LAPC. Total disaster. I lost over 500k playing live that month. Finally I just gave up on those games, but the LAPC (and the big limit hold 'em games) were almost over, anyway. I tried borrowing friend's accounts to play online. Also a disaster. I had to bring them cash to pay off what I lost. It was great for them, as I provided them a tax-free cashout!My last ditch attempt at reviving my roll (well, before Reno) had nothing to do with poker. I tried to bet on some of the March Madness games. I had learned a lot about sportsbetting over the past year, and though I hadn't done it often, I had a remarkably strong record at it. That all changed this past month. I lost literally every game I bet on -- and I bet far more than I ever did before. Isn't that always how it works? You raise the stakes, and suddenly you go ice cold. I felt like rollinx420, watching my money burn up in my hands.It was on March 22nd when I finally took a real inventory regarding my current roll. I had 11k total -- all in cash. Bank accounts were drained. Online accounts were drained. I had 13k in Neteller, but that was inaccessible, and I may or may not ever see that. The fact that they froze my money may turn out to be a blessing in disguise!Once it was gone, I took a cold walk in the freezing Reno night. I came up with a sneaky, fminc-like plan. After all, nobody realized my situation. I could roll so many people for loans -- both big and small -- and they'd never see it coming. "Everyone still thinks I'm financially solid and totally trustworthy," I told myself. "Come up with a reasonable story, and you can get up to 20k from countless people."I was all ready to put the plan in motion, until I looked at myself in the mirror -- literally. I had just finished taking a dump in my hotel bathroom, and I just stood there looking at myself. "Is this the face of a scammer? Of a guy who takes loans he may never be able to pay?" No, it wasn't. I would rather be broke than lose my sense of decency and self-respect. That was when I realized that a more honest solution might be in order: Coming forward with the truth.I'm still the same player I once was. I can still make money in poker. Rather than collect a bunch of dishonest loans, I figured that coming forward honestly -- a rarity in the poker world -- might just result in some stakes by those who still believe in me.So if you've ever been helped by my advice in the Ask Dan Druff forum, if you've ever enjoyed my contributions to NWP, or if you just respect me for being a good guy and believe I can still win at poker, let me know. I'm willing to start relatively small -- not $3/$6 type stuff, but as low as $10/$20.This feels like a load off my back. Now I understand why hels posted all of his sordid stories about suicide and taxi cab molestations. Sometimes you just want to quit living behind a false image and put your real situation out in the open.So I've done it. Let the flaming begin. Link to post Share on other sites
SuperJon 175 Posted April 2, 2007 Share Posted April 2, 2007 ummApril Fool's? Link to post Share on other sites
checkymcfold 0 Posted April 2, 2007 Share Posted April 2, 2007 april fools.edit: DAMMIT 2ND. Link to post Share on other sites
donk4life 34 Posted April 2, 2007 Share Posted April 2, 2007 Haha April Fools..That is coming isn't it? Link to post Share on other sites
SuperJon 175 Posted April 2, 2007 Share Posted April 2, 2007 april fools.edit: DAMMIT 2ND. Is it really a joke? I never go to the site, and I've only heard of dan druff. If it's true, that sucks. But if it's just an April Fool's joke, then it was done fairly well. Link to post Share on other sites
donk4life 34 Posted April 2, 2007 Share Posted April 2, 2007 So.... dan Druff never put any money in the bank or a trust fund just to HAVE cash when he gets into a streak like this?Piss poor money management IMO Link to post Share on other sites
Pot Odds RAC 23 Posted April 2, 2007 Share Posted April 2, 2007 whee Link to post Share on other sites
Flushgarden 0 Posted April 2, 2007 Share Posted April 2, 2007 what a waste of 3 minutes of my life. Link to post Share on other sites
Pot Odds RAC 23 Posted April 2, 2007 Share Posted April 2, 2007 Whee Link to post Share on other sites
checkymcfold 0 Posted April 2, 2007 Share Posted April 2, 2007 Is it really a joke? I never go to the site, and I've only heard of dan druff. If it's true, that sucks. But if it's just an April Fool's joke, then it was done fairly well.i'm reasonably certain it's a joke. if not, i only wish him the best. Link to post Share on other sites
ROACHBABY 0 Posted April 2, 2007 Share Posted April 2, 2007 what a waste of 3 minutes of my life.Who's the girl in your avatar? Link to post Share on other sites
donk4life 34 Posted April 2, 2007 Share Posted April 2, 2007 Who's the girl in your avatar?My girlfriend!! Link to post Share on other sites
ChrisRichey 1 Posted April 2, 2007 Share Posted April 2, 2007 He put way too much time into that. Link to post Share on other sites
GetSprung 0 Posted April 2, 2007 Share Posted April 2, 2007 3 minutes? I couldn't read it that fast, damnit. Link to post Share on other sites
James D 0 Posted April 2, 2007 Share Posted April 2, 2007 He put way too much time into that. Link to post Share on other sites
PokerFan 0 Posted April 2, 2007 Share Posted April 2, 2007 I don't care if it is a April Fools joke or not... I think far more poker "pros" are closer to this being a reality than most people know...DN financial situation has been told on here many times...a few weeks ago on PAD Jen Harmon won and after her win said something along the lines "I can use the money". for ever Ivey there are countless players in Matasows(sp) shoes. It's a tough way to make an easy living... Link to post Share on other sites
StrippersNBlow 0 Posted April 2, 2007 Share Posted April 2, 2007 He has too much time on his hands? You mean his social calendar isn't chocked full with people wanting to hang out with his notoriously nitty, witty, self? A cheaper than cheap millionaire who thinks a bottle of dandruff shampoo is somehow funny(well, him and some clown at ESPN). I'm sure this attempt made him laugh harder than neverwin on a handful of miscellaneous pills that would make a bag full of Skittles look drab. Link to post Share on other sites
NicksDad1970 0 Posted April 2, 2007 Share Posted April 2, 2007 I don't care if it is a April Fools joke or not... I think far more poker "pros" are closer to this being a reality than most people know...DN financial situation has been told on here many times...a few weeks ago on PAD Jen Harmon won and after her win said something along the lines "I can use the money". for ever Ivey there are countless players in Matasows(sp) shoes. It's a tough way to make an easy living...Are you assuming Ivey is loaded? Don't get me wrong I hope he is and for all I know he is loaded. But there's been the occasional thread talking about how Ivey blew a large % of his bankroll on craps.I don't have a clue but for all we know Ivey's been in that boat as well. Link to post Share on other sites
PokerFan 0 Posted April 2, 2007 Share Posted April 2, 2007 Are you assuming Ivey is loaded? Don't get me wrong I hope he is and for all I know he is loaded. But there's been the occasional thread talking about how Ivey blew a large % of his bankroll on craps.I don't have a clue but for all we know Ivey's been in that boat as well.If I could take one player to bet on that would have a big roll...I'd take Ivey, thou I think no one can touch Brunson over all. Link to post Share on other sites
James D 0 Posted April 2, 2007 Share Posted April 2, 2007 If I could take one player to bet on that would have a big roll...I'd take Ivey, thou I think no one can touch Brunson over all. sounds kinky... tell me more! Link to post Share on other sites
elnino 0 Posted April 2, 2007 Share Posted April 2, 2007 He has too much time on his hands? You mean his social calendar isn't chocked full with people wanting to hang out with his notoriously nitty, witty, self? A cheaper than cheap millionaire who thinks a bottle of dandruff shampoo is somehow funny(well, him and some clown at ESPN). I'm sure this attempt made him laugh harder than neverwin on a handful of miscellaneous pills that would make a bag full of Skittles look drab.hey-o! Link to post Share on other sites
Zach6668 513 Posted April 2, 2007 Share Posted April 2, 2007 Even though this is an obv joke, why the crap would anyone care if he is broke? Link to post Share on other sites
Balloon guy 158 Posted April 2, 2007 Share Posted April 2, 2007 I think it is true.Anyone that waves a chair cover over his head after winning a hand is bound to get crapped on by the poker gods Link to post Share on other sites
SuperJon 175 Posted April 2, 2007 Share Posted April 2, 2007 I think it is true.Anyone that waves a chair cover over his head after winning a hand is bound to get crapped on by the poker godsThat's dandruff?Yeah, now I kinda hope it is true. Link to post Share on other sites
James D 0 Posted April 2, 2007 Share Posted April 2, 2007 Even though this is an obv joke, why the crap would anyone care if he is broke?Because people enjoy the misfortune of successful people.It's a natural human instinct, like it or not.After all... you opened the thread, right? That means you care too. (or are at least somewhat interested). Link to post Share on other sites
Recommended Posts
Create an account or sign in to comment
You need to be a member in order to leave a comment
Create an account
Sign up for a new account in our community. It's easy!
Register a new accountSign in
Already have an account? Sign in here.
Sign In Now