This past week a bunch of us had the chance to read Sune's blog about The Fake Empire.  If you havent I highly recommend it  http://www.coinflip.com/blog/suneberghansen/fake-empire.html .  The last line of his blog was as follows  "So I hope/think/dream I am not one of them - today's provocative questions is: Are You?"

I started by reading Sune Blog the same way I always do... Open it up, makeing sure I have nothing else going, the tv is off, im's and Facebook are closed.  Im not ashamed to say it usually takes me numerous times reading his work to get the full meaning.  This last blog really made me rethink the approach I was taking to online poker.

As far as poker goes, I feel online and live poker are as different as checkers and Chess.  Yes poker no matter where its played the same rules usually apply, but the online game i feel is soo complicated now.  When I first started playing online, the biggest limit game was the 30-60 at Party Poker or the 15-30 at Paradise Poker.  I would play these games everyday with no worries, I think I played something like 90 straight days with out a losing session or even losing a full buy in.  The only problem was blowing all the money at the casinos playing black jack and roulette, and craps lol (Thats a whole diff blog) but I didnt care because I always knew I could make it back the next week.  I would deposit 500, play some 10-20 and in a day or two I was back at 30-60 with 5 thousand.  No Biggie the players were god awful.

Alot has changed since those days, I play mostly live, and I definately enjoy it more.  Its how I started playing and being part of the old school Im a little Bias. (Geez old school and im only 27!)  I also enjoy talking with people, hearing stories, Ordering drinks, see my opponents faces.  But the main reason I don't play soo much online i,s im really not that good anymore.  Im basically a break even player.  Kind of depressing actually.  but how did this happen??  I was basically the best limit player in the game I played for years,  (Well Eric Lindgren was pretty good too, so I might of been #2)  but I just dropped off.  It really snuck up on me.  Pokertracker came out, the option to play 4 or 5 tables,  people were keeping track of stats now!  And well I didnt follow the trends.  Everyone else got better and I just stayed the same!!! 

Yes Sune I got the Rude Wake up call and for not growing im paying for it.  My fake empire was my ego, thinking I dont need some sort of tracker system with all the stats and what not.  Every player in the game got soo much better, and for the first time I wished I signed up with someone for rakeback.  The game really has evolved soo much in the past 5 years.  The only book you ever needed back in the day was supersystems and well now... supersystems 2 is outdated!  Its definately a toast to the people wanting to make themselves better and taking the time out to put it in writing.  For fame, fortune or pure enjoyment- theyre helping make others better.

I dont know if I will continue to play online, I know what I have to do to become a winning player and its going to take some time and effort.  Probably a little more than im willing to give. 

You have to take down your fake empire and be realistic, As Sune says you have to keep moving!  If something is your passion and your willing to dedicate yourself, throw the EGO aside and wake up Everyday wondering how you can get better.

To answer Sune's question.. Yes online I am, for how long?? We'll see!

Life's a gamble

Bobby