My story (so far…)
Saturday, October 31, 2009 - 7tempeheat7
It’s been just over two years now since I made my first deposit on UB. After 25 months of blood, sweat, and carpal tunnel (there’s no crying in poker unless you have 11 bracelets), I can definitely say it has been a wild, fulfilling ride. Looking back, I don’t regret much at all. Sure there are the bluffs you wish you hadn’t fired, the thin value bets that went horribly wrong, the spazzes, the blowups, the monkeytilt headsup matches, the awesomely bad misclicks, and of course that 7deuce pot where your three-barrel overbet shove just didn’t do the trick. What I’ve found at UB hasn’t just been another site to kill time on, a substitute for late night TV, or a way to scrape up tuition money – I’ve found a lifelong hobby, a passion for what I do, a family, and more opportunity than I know what to do with.
In my time on UB I’ve been fortunate enough to experience more than most 22-year-olds could even imagine. To begin, I doubt many people my age can say they’ve lost a semester’s tuition to Phil Hellmuth in golf. Watching Phil sweat out a $600 putt in Aruba (he had been playing for $10k a hole the day before) was one of the more memorable moments of my life. Also atop my list of memories is a guitar lesson that I got from the one and only Scott Ian. For a handful of UltimatePoints I was able to make a trip to LA to learn from one of the greatest metal rhythm guitarists of all time. Being a bit of a metalhead myself, I’d be lying if I said I wasn’t slightly overwhelmed. Sitting three feet from greatness is a feeling unmatched by much else.
During that same LA trip, I received a phone call from the UB VIP team, informing me that they had two tickets available for a masquerade party at the Playboy Mansion. Obviously I snapcalled since the Mansion is a 22-year-old male’s playground and now it’s been checked off the bucket list (twice). As much fun as it was, I’d still say the best part was watching my buddies back home via Skype play a beer pong tournament to decide who got to come with. There were a lot of sore losers but I guess that’s standard when the payoff includes this:
I could easily write for days about all the amazing adventures I’ve had with the people I’ve met on this site, so I’ll just stick with what’s freshly in my mind – Aruba! This year was my second trip to the wonderful little island that houses the best poker experience shy of the World Series, imo. The tournament itself doesn’t match the prize pools garnered by the biggest ones out there, however the event as a whole is incredible, unforgettable, and you can use a thesaurus to figure out the rest. Although I’ve never gotten farther than a few orbits into day two of the main, I’ve had such amazingly rich experiences after busting out that money has always been a complete afterthought in Aruba. Some people do visit the island to make some cash, but I’ve found that for the most part everyone is really just there to party.
This year I was able to participate in the Mercedes tournament, where an ML350 was on the line at a 10 person sit-n-go. My arch-nemesis P0ker H0 agreed on a last longer bet where the loser would have to paint his fingers and toes alternating pink and black for the rest of the trip. Things were looking great as I chipped up early by coolering Shawn Rice and successfully bluffshoving 8 high against one of the toughest players at the table. But of course, like the pest that he is, H0 kept his stack right there with mine, and he eventually took the chip lead by whatever cruel stroke of fate the poker gods deemed necessary for me at the time. Halfway through the tournament we found ourselves five-handed with quickly escalating blinds. H0 opened under the gun, a shortstack shoved for about twice his bet, I peeled AJss and reshoved to iso the shorty, but H0 had AK and snapcalled (luckbox!). After flopping the gin 882ss I figured I was guaranteed at least a chop since I run well. Unfortunately I forgot that if there’s anyone in the world who runs better than me, it’s H0, so when it ran out king-blank I was off to the salon to get my nails did. However brutal, I did find it fitting to be knocked out by the guy who I was wearing a T-shirt of.
I could keep telling stories but I see some juicy tables running so I’ll make these quick.
Although it was probably equal parts my fault, getting a full drink spilled on you by Scott Ian at Hellmuth’s penthouse party is totally worth it, imo.
Adam Levy ladies and gentlemen.
AD, the hardest working man in VIP-business.
This one’s from ‘08. I’m the “robe guy” if you didn’t already know.
Scuba diving next to an old sunken Air Aruba plane (pretty unreal).
And lastly, it wouldn’t be an Aruba party without Phil in the pool.
Poker has taught me a ton of valuable lessons – work ethic, the will to learn and improve, discipline, perseverance, other buzz words, etc. Aruba has taught me even more – the importance of friends, family, relaxation, valuing the connections you make with others and time spent with them even if you only see them once a year, new experiences, putting yourself out there, and simply having fun. That last one is one of the biggest reasons why I’ve been drawn to the UB poker community over any other site. If you take the time to visit Aruba or hang out in Vegas for the WSOP, you’ll see what I’m talking about. Hope to meet as many of you as possible in Aruba next year – I’ll probably be the kid wearing the robe.
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Tags: adventures, bluff, experiences, Mercedes, metal, playboy mansion, Poker Poker Poker, ultimatebet, VIP
November 3rd, 2009 at 5:58 pm
Dixon is that man! We love you bud