Chapter 4 Ep. 8 Surviving the Road of Tough Decisions.

Summary

Ante Up Poker Podcast: Chapter 4 Episode 8

"Surviving the Road of Tough Decisions"
Release Date: March 7, 2026
Host: Joe Scales
Key Segments: Table Talk, Call the Floor (with Elliot Schecter), Hand of the Week (with Patrick), Joe’s One Outer

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Episode Overview

This week, host Joe Scales and the Ante Up team focus on the tough decisions players have to make—both on and off the felt. The show kicks off with community news and personal updates before delving into a major cancellation in the mixed games scene, followed by lively discussions about home games, poker cruises, tools for the home game player, practical poker rulings, and hand analysis. The episode wraps with Joe’s philosophical One Outer, connecting poker to lessons from the TV show Survivor.

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Table Talk & Community Updates

(Start–17:25)

Show Growth & Housekeeping

• Joe celebrates the podcast’s continued growth, especially on YouTube, and talks up the new visual setup: “...figured it was probably time to give them something else to look at other than my face.”
• Shout-outs to audience for reviews and spreading the word (01:14).
• Announcements:
  • Updates regarding PokerStars and FanDuel partnership (02:08) — no effect on the Patron home game, but Joe’s monitoring.
  • Next Patreon Hold ’Em game: March 12; mixed game: 26th.
  • Good Karma seat spin happening this weekend.

Light-Hearted Banter

• Discussion shifts from poker to mowing lawns and spring routines, poking fun at neighbors rushing to do yardwork as soon as it hits 75 degrees.

Mixed Game Festival Cancellation

• Co-host Elle gives an update on Robbie Strazynski’s Mixed Game Festival being canceled due to the Israel situation—Robbie couldn’t travel out due to airspace issues (05:14–07:20).
  • “He just felt like, let’s just... I’m not going to be able to be there. I don’t know that it’ll be fair to the players, the sponsors, you know, and all that.” – Joe ([06:25])
  • “We support you, Robbie. We’re sorry... but we are supporting you and we’re happy to help you do anything we can in the future.” – Elle ([06:01])
• Good news: Next Mixed Game Festival is already scheduled for Bellagio, May 31–June 11 (07:31), coinciding with the WSOP:
  • “Mixed game community, come out and support them big. It would be really awesome to see you guys there.” – Elle ([07:35])

Poker Cruise Q&A

• Full rundown of the much-discussed Ante Up Poker Cruise, including practical tips:
  • Dates: Aug 11–Aug 21. Passport is required, “non-negotiable”—make sure it’s valid at least 6 months past travel. (08:18–09:17)
  • Arrival advice: “It is standard protocol... to arrive the day before,” i.e., Aug 10, in San Francisco (13:18)
  • How to book: Book via PokerPlayerCruises or Princess Cruises, but make sure to contact Don so you can get into the private poker room.
  • “If you don’t, you’re not allowed in the room.” – Elle ([11:58])
• They joke about bucket lists, the northern lights, and balancing sightseeing with poker:
  • “So fun doesn’t even begin to encapsulate it, Joe.” – Elle ([12:38])
• Travel anecdotes and San Francisco bucket-list talk, including jokes about trolleys and Rice-a-Roni.

New Technology & Upgrades

• The show’s new giant screen provides both technical headaches and entertainment (“I’m just telling you, hanging this thing... looks like we have termites in our walls.” – Elle [16:14]).
• Joe is tempted by the WPT League game on smart TV but resists, and Elle starts a 12-week Occupy Poker MTT training course:
  • “I did bite the bullet and I signed up for Occupy Poker’s 12-week MTT course.” – Elle ([17:50])
  • Praise for instructor Matt Hunt: “I appreciate his style of teaching. Really... kudos again to our Arizona ambassador, Dustin Scara, because I think he’s actually hired Matt as a coach and I can see why. 100%.” ([20:37])

Poker Tools Spotlight:

1. Factor Meals (23:25–25:37)
   • Conversation about decision fatigue at and away from poker tables, leading into a plug for meal delivery services:
   • “I’m making business decisions, poker decisions, family decisions and laundry decisions... I don’t want to think about food.” – Elle ([23:17])
2. Pulse Kickstarter: Home Game Tool (25:58–28:32)
   • New magnetic poker table rails: “This Kickstarter called Pulse is literally these magnetic rails that just go around your neoprene mat... I just think it’s phenomenal.” – Elle ([26:41])
   • Confirms this is not a paid promo and plugs it for everyday home game players: “I think the everyday poker player needs to know it.” – Elle ([27:29])

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Call the Floor — Ruling Discussion with Elliot Schecter

(29:44–41:48)

Main Ruling

• Scenario: Card dealt too hard, goes completely under the padded rail. Should the card play, or be replaced, as it would if it left the table?
• Floor rules card is in play; another player objects. The card turns out to be the ace of spades and wins.
• Elliot’s Analysis:
  • “A card going under the rail is different than a card going off the table...” ([33:12])
  • “The house is justified by ruling this way... If the card is going under the rail, that means there’s obviously space between the table and the rail.”
  • Technical fixes: Suggests weather stripping to prevent future issues: “Get that under the rail. Now you’ve got no gap between the table and the rail. Everybody’s fine, right?” ([35:18])
• On why it matters:
  • Cards off the table: possible for other players to see the face—thus, never allow in play.
  • Cards under the rail: can’t be seen, low risk, especially in today’s poker with auto shufflers.
  • Cautions against policy that would let players “shove a bad card under the rail and get a free draw.”
• Notable exchange between Joe and Elliot on ruling consistency, how to handle disputes, and minimizing downtime in games.

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Hand of the Week (with Patrick)

(42:19–61:52)

Hand submitted by Josh Hewitt (Raleigh, NC).

• Game: $1/$3 NLH, 8-handed, ~$400 effective.
• Villain: Described as loose and splashy.

Key Hand Summary

• Preflop:
  • Josh is in cutoff with A♦ J♦, raises to $10. Only the big blind calls.
• Flop ($21): J♣ 9♠ 7♠
  • Villain checks. Josh bets $7 (1/3 pot). Villain calls.
• Turn ($35): 8♥
  • Villain checks. Josh bets $10. Villain quickly raises to $40.
  • Patrick and Joe’s analysis: Both say turn bet is a mistake; should check and take free card.
    • “You only have a pair with straights out there... We can’t bet. If we bet, we get raised by anything.” – Joe ([54:10])
• River ($115, effective stack ~ $230): 10♦
  • Board: J♣ 9♠ 7♠ 8♥ 10♦ (straight on board)
  • Villain shoves all in for $230.
  • Josh tanks, calls. Villain reveals Q♥ T♥ (turned straight).

Strategic Breakdown

• Patrick: “I think you fold. Jacks... you just get out of there.” ([55:00])
• Joe: “If we win... we’re really only hoping to split the pot, but if we lose, we lose a lot more than we can win.” ([57:17])
• Both agree on a fold river; point out that bad river calls can cost a whole buy-in in these spots.
• Joe: “Even when it’s easy to put them in a box, it is tough to keep that mindset... finally, I’ve got this guy, then all of a sudden you don’t at all.” ([61:33])

Notable Quotes

• “I’m gonna make a shirt...with a smiley face, and it’s gonna say ‘Always see the flop.’” – Patrick ([47:15])
• “I’ll wear one that says, ‘I bought this shirt with your chips.’” – Joe ([47:31])

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Joe’s One Outer – Strategy & Mindset

(62:13–66:32)

“Poker is about Outlasting”

• Joe draws a parallel between the TV show Survivor and poker—success is found not by being the flashiest player, but by surviving and making fewer mistakes.
• “A lot of players sit down thinking they need to outplay the entire table...but poker...isn’t usually won by the person making the most dramatic move. It’s won by the player who keeps their composure when things go wrong. The player who doesn’t blow up their stack trying to prove something. The player who understands: every session, every orbit, every hand is just another step in a much longer game.” ([62:59])
• “At the poker table, the players who succeed long-term are the ones who protect their mindset... they’re not trying to win every pot; they’re just trying to be the last stack standing.” ([64:55])
• Reframes Survivor’s motto for poker: “Instead of Outwit, Outplay, Outlast—it might be better to think of it this way: Outlast, Outwit, Outplay...” ([63:52])

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Key Timestamps

| Segment | Timestamp | Highlights & Quotes | |-----------------------------|-------------|-------------------------| | Opening/Table Talk | 00:17–17:25 | Show & community news, cruise Q&A, Robbie Strazynski cancellation | | Poker Tools & Upgrades | 16:11–28:32 | Pulse Kickstarter (“elevates your game immediately” – Elle), Factor Meals hack | | Call the Floor: Ruling | 29:44–41:48 | Card under rail vs. off table, Elliot’s technical fix: “weather stripping...” at [35:18] | | Hand of the Week | 42:19–61:52 | $1/$3 AJ hand; big river mistake; “I bought this shirt with your chips.” – Joe ([47:31]) | | Joe’s One Outer | 62:13–66:32 | Survivor/poker wisdom – “just trying to be the last stack standing” ([64:55]) |

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Memorable Quotes

• “We support you, Robbie... hang in there brother.” – Elle ([28:52])
• “I’m making business decisions, poker decisions, laundry decisions...I don’t want to think about food.” – Elle ([23:17])
• “Pulse, Kickstarter. Do it. Just check it out... immediately you're going to feel like you're sitting at a poker table.” – Elle ([28:13])
• “A card going under the rail is different than a card going off the table.” – Elliot ([33:12])
• “Outlast, outwit, outplay.” – Joe ([63:52])

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Conclusion

This episode delivers practical advice, real-life poker dilemmas, strategic analysis, and reminders that big wins come from patience and clear thinking more than flashy plays. Whether it’s navigating big decisions in the mixed game community, prepping for a poker cruise, optimizing your home game setup, or making that tough river fold, the Ante Up team keeps it real, relatable, and fun.

Next week: More stories, more Q&A, more hands, and always more chances to pull your one outer. Until then—see you at the tables.

Transcript

[A]

Take

[B]

your seat, the cards are flying high Shuffle up and deal at the aces Lie Longest running show. Yeah, we've seen it all from the river to the rail we answer the call.

[A]

Hello, a team, and welcome back to another episode of the Ante Up Poker podcast, where every hand is an opportunity, every player is a friend, every and every episode is a winning experience. I'm your host, Joe Scales, and if you're watching the show, you'll notice something new behind me. We've got this screen back there now for graphics segments, maybe advertisers. Honestly, I've been a little surprised by how much the YouTube audience has taken to the show, and as that continues to grow even more, we figured it was probably time to give them something else to look at other than my face. Our audience really has grown, though. It's taken off over the last few months and not just on YouTube. Last week I mentioned that we finally hit that number one milestone we've been chasing for a long time. Now, the goal is simple. Stay there. So keep doing what you've been doing, keep leaving comments, keep posting reviews, keep telling your poker friends about the show. Let's keep building this thing for the everyday poker player. And I'm going to keep doing my part to keep things fresh, whether it's the new segment intros, the new look behind me, or some new ideas that we've got coming up. At some point I put the latest issues of the Inia magazine behind me, so go to those. The latest issues are are available out there on anyupmagazine.com some of you also may have heard about the changes happening over at PokerStars. They've joined forces with FanDuel, and from everything we've seen, it shouldn't affect our Patreon home game at all. It's more about their real money platform. But we'll keep an eye on that and let you know if anything changes. Speaking of Patreon, though, our next hold em game will be next week on the 12th and the mixed game will be on the 26th. I'll be adding those to the schedule this weekend. Originally, I think we talked about the hold' em game being earlier in the month, but I didn't want to be too big of a gap between the hold' em and the mixed game. And with our travel to Arizona, that's what I was afraid was gonna be the case. Oh, and don't forget, I'm also going to be spinning the wheel for the good karma seats this weekend. So if you're not on the Patreon page yet. This is a good time to jump in for the chance at a free seat. Jump over to Patreon, search for Annie at Poker Media. Maybe you'll do what USC 1991 did and take your first one down, picking up the $50 prize and a little extra Andy up swag along the way. All right, we've got another great one lined up for you today, and that's all I have for now, so let's get on with the show.

[B]

Welcome to the show. His mic's on fire.

[A]

Elle and I are back around the

[C]

poker table, and people have the audacity to be mowing their lawn.

[A]

You know what? I was in, in the same boat. I was like, are you serious? It's March. Can we give it a minute?

[C]

No. It hits above 75 degrees in this region, and people lose their freaking mind when it comes to lawn care. I mean, it is true. So now, of course, it's always that one person that. And then everybody's like, now I have. I have to do it.

[A]

But I was actually. I was outside playing with the dogs and I was like, oh, actually, I do have to mow my lawn.

[C]

Tag, you're it. I'll help you get the sticks out of the way.

[A]

Okay, fair enough. I. I enjoy mowing the lawn.

[D]

You do?

[C]

That's never really been anything that I can volunteer to help do. Because you like doing it so much.

[A]

Yes, I do. I do enjoy it. But let's. Let's get into a little bit of, I don't know, unfortunate news in the mixed game community.

[C]

Yeah, our buddy Robbie Straczynski had to make a really difficult decision this week. And actually that's why, if you're watching via video, I'm wearing my mixed game festival long sleeve.

[A]

And yeah, I've got the card player lifestyle patch there.

[C]

Yeah. And that's in support of Robbie having to make a really hard decision this week. I. We always. We have a little fun with what's happening with us, and people around us are mowing the lawn right now. But in other parts of the world, if you've been paying attention to world news, that's not what's happening.

[A]

Right.

[C]

And Robbie lives and works from Israel, and so he was not able to make be make the flight from Israel to the US to be present for the mixed game festival that he works so hard to plan.

[A]

He really does.

[C]

It takes a lot of different pieces and parts to organize a festival. There's sponsors, there's the players coming in. Resorts World, of course, was the location for it. So bottom line, if you are planning on going to that tournament, it is officially been canceled. And we wanted to be sure to help spread the word about that. But we also want you to please, please, please, please go to Robbie's website and read. Why? Because it was a very intentional, very well thought, very difficult decision. And we just wanted to say we support you, Robbie. We're sorry to hear that you had to cancel, but we are supporting you and we're happy to help you do anything we can in the future.

[A]

Yeah. He considered ideas of letting the festival run without him there.

[C]

We even messaged him and said, what can we do? We're in Virginia, but how can we help you? Because we know what it feels like to not be able to get somewhere that you need to get to, so.

[A]

Right. And he just felt like, let's just. I'm not going to be able to be there. I don't know that it'll be fair to the players, the sponsors, you know, and all that.

[C]

I think it's in the best interest in the integrity of the event itself.

[A]

Yeah.

[C]

Did he want to disappoint anyone? No, absolutely not. And, and even, even his wife said go. There was no way for him to get here.

[A]

Right.

[C]

The airspace is closed. There were no flights. Just sometimes you just have to make those hard calls.

[A]

Right, Right. And. And it's, it's especially tough. And he mentioned this in his article. It's especially tough when you have sponsors of the event. You feel like you're letting them down too. But you know, it, it's just, it's one of those tough decisions that has to be made. And you know, he made the call and we, like she, like you said, that's what. We support him.

[C]

We support him. And there's good news. There is going to be another mix festival. It's already scheduled. It is going to be at the Bellagio and it is coming up. What dates? May.

[A]

May 31. May 31 to June 11, I think.

[C]

Yep. May 31 through June 11 in Bellagio. the Bellagio in Vegas. Mixed game community. Come out and support them big. It would be really awesome to see you guys there. I mean, that's also going to be when the WSOP is in town. So if you're already planning to be the WSOP and you're looking for another opportunity to play, get down to the Bellagio.

[A]

Right.

[C]

For sure. I also cannot, I can't stop. Won't stop talking about this cruise.

[A]

Right.

[C]

And you may be getting frustrated. So you can fast forward if you want, but please don't.

[A]

Please don't.

[C]

We've gotten three really important questions this week that we wanted to be sure to address with everyone. Okay.

[A]

Right.

[C]

The Cruise dates are August 11th through August 21st. It is a 10 day long cruise. You need your passport. We are going into the territory of British Columbia. That is outside of the realm of the United States. So if you are a United States citizen, do you need your passport? Yes. If you don't have a passport, you need valid proof of ID and authentic original versatility. Thank you. It's a non negotiable right.

[A]

The only part of that that's not clear to me is if that's to be able to get off of the ship in those points or not. And I don't know. But just get your passport. Just get your passport. Make sure it's up to date because it has to be within six months.

[C]

That's really important. I've had friends who have been trying to get places. I have been trying to get places. Didn't pay attention to the expiration date of my passport because I'm thinking I still have time. It's not expired until, blah, blah, blah. Nope. Has to be valid within six months of the date of travel or if it expires when you're, I mean, just valid within six months of travel, period, full stop. You have to have that locked in. So what am I saying? I'm saying hit the pause button and go check your passport.

[A]

Yeah.

[C]

Go check if you're a US citizen. If you're outside of the US I'm not even going to begin to guess what the rules and regulations are. If you need a visa. Yeah.

[A]

You have to check with.

[C]

You need to check and consult your government sites to be sure that you have all the paperwork in place. I've traveled to plenty of places where I've had to apply for visas, get all the extra passport photos, do all the things. So be sure that you consult those important government websites. You can always go to princesscruises.com and check out that as well. That's number one.

[A]

Right. We're, we're already starting to see a lot of these cabins disappear.

[C]

Oh yeah. So flying off the shelf. So that's not exaggeration. That's not an exaggeration. They are, they are disappearing.

[A]

So make sure you lock those in if you are interested in coming with us. You mentioned going to Princess Cruises, but go there and check out those flash sales because those can save you some money. And if you see the flash sale, there Call Don at the number on the website.

[C]

Poker Player Cruises website.

[A]

Yeah. And he will get you set up with that Princess Cruises flash sale. Yes.

[C]

Now, also, if Don is unable to answer your phone call, you may get forwarded to voicemail because he's on the call with somebody else. Or if you're like, oh, my gosh, it's over the weekend, I hope I can get in touch with him. If you're not able to get in touch with him, book with Princess. Just do it. And then book with Princess. Called on, let him know you're confirmed, you're booked on the same cruise. It's the Ruby Princess ship. And then he can get you in the poker room and you can work out all the details with him. So there is a little added fee to be a part of the poker cruise, and that gets you into all of our special events and into the room itself, because our poker room is closed to the general public and you're not allowed in unless you are on the guest list with us. And there is a small fee that has to be applied to that.

[A]

Right. And that's what I was going to say is even if you book with Princess Cruises, make sure you called on and you get your name put in with us, because if you don't, you're

[C]

not allowed in the room.

[A]

Get in the room.

[C]

Yeah.

[A]

So if this is still on your bucket list, if you've been on the fence, it's. It's an experience. So, I mean, how many people have we talked to that have been like, oh, Alaska, that's on my bucket list. And so if that's the case, this is the way to do it. Join us. It's going to be so fun. I mean, I can't. I'm. I. Playing poker.

[C]

So fun. What? We're going to see glaciers. We are going to see the northern lights. We are going to get off the boat and tour towns that we've never even heard seen before. So fun doesn't even begin to encapsulate it, Joe.

[A]

Fair, fair. But I just, I'm trying to even wrap my brain around playing poker and seeing glaciers.

[C]

And it's an experience. It's a lifetime experience.

[A]

These northern lights, which I lived in,

[C]

in Norway and never got to see them, so I am.

[A]

You never saw them? No, I didn't know that.

[C]

Never got to see them. So I am 100% going to be out on the deck. Oh, yeah, you bet you. You bet you. I will. The other quick question that we got is when should I arrive for the cruise?

[A]

Yeah.

[C]

Okay. The boat leaves at 3. I'm pretty sure it's 3pm okay. California time.

[A]

Okay.

[C]

You need to be there the day before. It is standard protocol procedure, recommendation that if you are getting on a cruise that you arrive the day before. So if you're making, you've made your. You've booked your cruise or you're thinking about coming on the cruise, you need to book your airline flight the day before. You need to get to San Francisco August 10th because it does a couple of things. It ensures that if you have any delays whatsoever, you're still going to get to San Francisco.

[A]

Yeah.

[C]

Okay. It also gives you a better start to your trip. So should you have a delay, no big deal. We're still going to get there. What did you miss out on? A little bit of San Fran. You didn't miss the boat. So I've had a lot of people go. What time do you recommend landing on the 11th? I do not recommend landing on the 11th at all. I recommend you get there on the 10th and then board the ship super stress free and go to the buffet immediately. That's what I recommend.

[A]

We're gonna do that. We're gonna be there on the 10th. We're gonna check out San Fran, which I'm also excited about because I've never been to San Fr. Ago.

[C]

It's been 25 years since I've been really. It'll be a quarter of a century trip for me. 25 years since I was there.

[A]

Yeah, that's. That doesn't even seem fathomable.

[C]

Right. So I'm really curious to see how the city's changed.

[A]

Yeah, I'm sure.

[C]

I want to get down to Fisherman. Yeah, I want to get down to Fisherman's Wharf. I want. You want to ride the trolley?

[A]

I do. I want to ride that. That trolley.

[C]

I want to take you to Ghirardelli.

[A]

I. Okay. I didn't know that was there.

[C]

Deli factory.

[A]

Yeah, I remember a commercial. I don't even remember what it was for, but at the end of the commercial it was on the San Francisco

[C]

probably rice a Roni and he would.

[A]

The San Francisco treat.

[C]

Yes.

[A]

So, yeah, I will grab some rice a Roni and I don't know what

[C]

it is that what it is.

[A]

I don't know. You said it.

[C]

That's what reminds me. Anyhow, we also cannot get through this show without mentioning this heater behind us.

[A]

The heater. It does put off some heat.

[C]

Golly, you forget technology. We got this really cool. If you're watching, if you're watching on the video format. We have this really giant screen big thing behind us and it's putting off some heat, baby. It is putting off the heat.

[A]

Yeah, yeah. The installation process of this monster behind us was super fun. It was an adventure. We'll. We'll call it that. We. I don't think it was quite as bad as when we were putting up the, the wallpaper.

[C]

But upgrades do not come without sweat equity.

[A]

There you go. That's a very good way of putting it.

[C]

I'm just telling you, hanging this thing, we've hung it three times. Thank God you don't see it looks like we have termites in our walls. There's something burrowing everywhere. If this thing doesn't work out, we're starting all over. Yeah, that's what I'm going to say. But obviously if you're watching the virtual format, hang with us and see what we can.

[A]

Hang with us. That's what you did there.

[C]

Be patient as we navigate this new piece of technology. You've been having way too much fun with it because it is really just a giant smart tv and so it does so many things. Like I came in the other day and I was like, WPT has a game. What are you doing?

[A]

Yeah, well, I did.

[C]

What are you doing?

[A]

I did not play it because I knew better because then we wouldn't get this podcast out at all.

[C]

I'm actually very, I'm very impressed with your discipline to wait until the podcast is out to be able to check this out. It's some game where if you have a smart tv, check it out because obviously you're a poker player listening. You can start playing in like a small league and work your way up to like big tournaments.

[A]

Yeah, I don't know how it works exactly, but you create a character.

[C]

Oh, that's fun.

[A]

And then play the games. And like you said, you start out in a lower stakes or free game, I don't know which, and then you work your way up and pretty soon if you're continue winning, then, then you get to play in the top world poker tournaments, I guess.

[C]

Well, while you're doing that, I'm going to be working on my homework because I did bite the bullet and I signed up for Occupy Poker's 12 week MTT course. Yeah, multi table tournament course. That's what it is. And ultimately I wanted to find a program that was structured, but not too structured because we have a busy schedule. I needed to be able to get to this studying. I cannot meet you every day at X time. For certain amount of hours. Right. So I knew with the schedule that I have, this works really well because it's flexible. So for the next 12 weeks, there is a Friday training today. Today I know I'm already behind, so I have to start working the Friday training. And then every day a new challenge is released. And let me tell you, they've already been like, excuse me, you haven't done your homework. And I'm like, yeah, okay, I just started this. Leave me alone, mom. Right, but what the reason we even bring this up is one, to hold me accountable to get this done, and two, also to let you know that if this was something you're still considering, I have signed up. I have started the process. It is awesome. It's awesome. I mean, you get all of the benefits of $195 professional plan for 90 bucks. Number one.

[A]

Right.

[C]

Number two, you're getting direct training from Matt Hunt. I have absolutely adored him from the beginning. He's very easy to follow. He's very patient. He is not super over the top animated. And the other cool thing is that with that professional plan, I'm getting in there to use solvers. I'm using all sorts of things I've never even been able to access so far. And so I'm excited. It. You gotta do a lot of reps. Like, a lot. Like, this is ser. It's serious, but it's also flexible because you can work on it at any time. So if you're like three lessons behind, no big deal, you can knock them out and you get to see progress. And data doesn't lie. So I'm super curious to see what my data says, because I think that's where we can have some really good conversation about how I'm making decisions and what I should be doing based on my position at the table.

[A]

Right. And we talked about you.

[C]

That's where I'm struggling.

[A]

We talked about last week that you were thinking about doing this, that you were probably gonna sign up for it.

[C]

I did it.

[A]

And you. You. You did do it. I'm really curious to see how this kind of progresses your game. You are ready for this. Even though I know it seems like it's overwhelming at first, I think once you get into this first class, you're gonna see that it's not as overwhelming as you think, but you're going to think about poker from a whole different perspective, and I'm excited to see that.

[C]

I think I'm already gaining vocabulary because Matt Hunt uses vocab that I'm not familiar with 100%. I mean he's been a professional for what, 14, 13, 14 years now, I think. But I appreciate his style of teaching and so. And really and truly kudos again out to our Arizona ambassador, Dustin Scara because I think he's actually hired Matt as a coach and I can see why. 100% I can see why. And I can see where already I can see where Matt and Dustin align.

[A]

Yeah.

[C]

And where they can match up. I don't think the same way that Matt does. I mean, I don't think the same way that Dustin does, but I can definitely see where I'm gonna gain a lot from Matt. So I'm looking forward to and, and how they've set up and structured this class. I think it really meets everybody where you are. If you are somebody headed to The WSOP this 12 week period takes you right into. Right. Right up to when WSOP starts.

[A]

Right.

[C]

I'm excited to be able to apply skills early in Arizona, a little bit later in some ladies events and then even later in August on the cruise. So he says this is mostly for tournaments, but poker is poker. You can apply any of these skills to cash games too. So it is focused on tournament play. But he also really reinforces that poker's poker. You still need to be able to identify what your opponents are doing.

[A]

Right.

[C]

And how you play the game.

[A]

I know you mentioned that you don't think the same way as Dustin, but at the same time, part of this class is talking through hands with a group. So it's not just Matt that's teaching you.

[C]

It's right.

[A]

It's the whole group.

[C]

It's a community.

[A]

Yeah. And I think that's important because everybody does think about poker a little bit differently. So it's, it's, it's really a cool thing that they include that with it as well.

[C]

Yeah. So I'm going to tell you also what this means. Factor meals got to come back.

[E]

Oh, yeah.

[C]

I'm adding a whole nother layer to my week. We're already quote, unquote busy enough. And something that we just consistently are trying to work on is our nutrition and some of this decision fatigue. Like I'm making business decisions and I'm making poker decisions and I'm making family decisions and I'm making laundry decisions and I, I don't want to think about food. So secret weapon coming up. I can guarantee you factor you're going to be hearing from us. And if you are in the same position, if you're trying to keep your Energy steady. During long days, you need to have balanced meals. You've gotten some decision fatigue. You can have something ready in two minutes. That is.

[A]

That's my favorite part.

[C]

Bada bing, bada boom.

[A]

And the portions ready. Yeah, yeah. The portions are. They're designed to not make you feel sluggish. Right. They're the right portion size to fill you up, but not make you feel like you need to go take a nap. Absolutely.

[C]

And I struggle with that because I'm a carbs girl. I would love to have a side of protein with my carbs. That is, they balance all this stuff out for you, make it really easy. There's tons and tons and tons of options that are available. So, you know, if you're not a fan of some of having to go buy ingredients that you might not ever use again.

[A]

Yeah.

[C]

Taking the time to prep food. Sometimes there are times in your life it is okay to say, I don't have enough hours in the day.

[A]

Right.

[C]

And you might be thinking, yes. Oh, well, that also comes with a price tag. It does, but it's a very fair return.

[A]

Oh, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah. I think if you went and bought all the ingredients for making the meals that they provide, you would spend way more than what you would be spending on a Factor meal. And my favorite thing is you can try meals like, I love going through that, that, like whatever spreadsheet of meals and going, oh, this sounds really good. Let's try that. Meals that I would never even consider trying to make.

[C]

Agreed. And there's a big step in the right direction when you're thinking, I want to eat healthier, but I don't know where to start. Factor is an awesome place to start because you can test drive recipes without expending all of the energy and the thought process and the planning. So listen, head to FactorMeals.com backslash AntiOp50OFF and use our code ANTEUP50OFF. And I know this is going to seem a little redundant or, but the site is factormeals.com backslash antiup50off and the code is antiup50OFF. You're going to get 50% off. You're also going to get a free breakfast for a year. Eat like a pro this month with Factor New subscribers only.

[A]

Yeah. Yep. And it varies by plan. So one free breakfast item per box for one year while subscription is active.

[C]

Yeah, absolutely.

[A]

Check it out. After you've gotten your food, then you had something else that you wanted to bring up with this.

[C]

Oh, yeah, they don't. They don't even know that I'm doing this. So participate if you would like. I am fascinated by this new Kickstarter called Pulse. I've been reading about it and keeping track of it for, like, I don't know, probably the last month, month and a half.

[A]

Right.

[C]

I saw Poker News shout out to Poker News ran a story about this whole Kickstarter. It is basically how to take any table and upgrade it to a casino feeling table. To play, you've got to have a mat rolled out, which we.

[A]

We've used our mat.

[C]

It's a neoprene.

[A]

Numerous times. Numerous times. And this would be a perfect addition to that.

[C]

Right. But what does a mat do on your table? It just covers it. It does not elevate the rail right here. Right. So this Kickstarter called Pulse is literally these magnetic rails that just go around your neoprene mat that you already cover your table with. And I just think it's phenomenal.

[A]

It.

[C]

Gordon Lau is his name, who's come up with this since the running of the article on Poker News. Unbelievable. The support. So this thing is happening. One of the things with Kickstarters I'm always hesitant of is like, am I really gonna get back what I have put in? Because I have supported a Kickstarter that didn't get off the ground. And then you never see any of that donation back.

[A]

Oh, yeah.

[C]

So you just wonder, like, hey, where is this going? Let me just tell you. He's way beyond his wall. Way beyond. And the thing that. The only reason I'm mentioning this is because I think the everyday poker player needs to know it. They did not ask me to mention. I don't know, Gordon. I'm just telling you, if you want to get in at a cheap price to get one of these rail systems, just Google Pulse Kickstarter. It'll take you straight to the Kickstarter page. You can see all the videos about it. If it's something you want to participate in, I just am letting you know about it. I highly recommend it. I'm. I'm gonna do it.

[A]

Yeah.

[C]

And I'm not telling you that. If I'm doing it, you do it. I just think you need to make your own decision.

[A]

I think you should go and check it out for sure.

[C]

Because it elevates your game immediately.

[A]

Yeah.

[C]

Immediately you're going to feel like you're sitting at a poker table. If you don't have the space to store a poker table or have a poker table, you can turn any table into a poker table in nine seconds.

[A]

That was a lot of uses of the word poker table.

[C]

Pulse, Kickstarter. Do it. Just check it out. That is. That is one of the things on the to do list. We have lots of things on our to do list this weekend.

[A]

Yeah.

[C]

Including enjoying beautiful weather, getting ready for the Arizona weather to come.

[A]

Yeah.

[C]

And also just all around stuff.

[A]

Probably have to mow my lawn now.

[C]

Yes. And mowing the lawn. So I think we've covered a lot of ground. Robbie Strzinski, we love you. We're in support of you. Hang in there, brother. We know. We know. That had to have been a hard decision. Check out the cruise. If you want to go get a factor meal, get a new rail system, go play the WPT game on your smart tv. On your smart tv. And just have fun. Just have fun. So, as always, Joe, it's a pleasure being around the table with you.

[A]

Likewise.

[B]

Wisdom cuts like a blade Dropping true bombs with a poker parade. Big blinds, big stakes, raise it up. Let's make no mistake.

[A]

Elliot Schecter joins us each week to say how he would rule on situations that come up in your games. And he's with us again this week. Elliot, how's it going?

[D]

Things are going pretty well. It's going nicely. How you doing, Joe?

[A]

Good. We've got this new toy behind us that I've been playing with. So we'll see. We'll see where we go with this, but it gives us a lot of opportunities. Open up with this behind us here. So it's been my obsession, my new toy lately.

[D]

Oh, looks pretty nifty.

[A]

Hey, we've got a call to floor. This is sent in by Ross Harrison. And this is an interesting situation because I even said before we jumped on here, this is. This is one of those things where we've all had a card that went under like this. So in this case, Ross says, the dealer pitches me a card a little too hard and it shoots completely under the padded rail and disappears fully. The dealer immediately stops the deal, but the only way to retrieve the card is to physically lift the padded rail and dig underneath to grab it. He says the game has been moving pretty quickly all night, which has been a relief. So I suggest that the dealer just give me a new card and let's keep going. The dealer calls the floor, the floor comes over, lifts the padded rail, retrieves the card, and he says, you would think this is where the situation would end, but this is actually where the debate starts. One player at the table says the card left the playing surface, so it shouldn't Play. I argue that the. That it never even hit the floor. It's still my card. The floor responded pretty quickly, because he should. He was right there, I'm sure. But he responds pretty quickly that the card is in play. But the other player visibly disagrees. To add injury to insult, the card that flew under the rail was the ace of spades, giving me ace king suited, and I turned Broadway, scooping a pretty good pot. The other player at this point is even more vocal after the hand is over, stating that if the card had flown off the table, it would be replaced. So this should be no different. The floor is called back over, and he explains that the hand is over, the card plays, and that's always been the way they have handled situations like that before. So he says, I honestly would have been fine with them replacing a card when it went under the rail, but I'm glad that it worked out as well as it did. I also think that the other player has a good point, though. Why would this be treated different than it would if the card went off the table? So it is an interesting thought.

[D]

Yes, it is. And now we get a discussion of table maintenance.

[A]

Yeah.

[D]

And injury to insult. Isn't that usually in the other order? Isn't it insult to injury?

[A]

Yeah.

[D]

Although in this case, it looks like it applied correctly. A car going under the rail is different than a car going off the table. And I commend the. The floor here for trying to be consistent. If that's the way that has always been ruled, then it should continue to be ruled that way for consistency's sake. If it makes sense, and it does, it didn't go off the table. So the house. The house is justified by ruling this way. And he maintained consistent. See, with house policies, traditionally when a card goes off the table, it is ruled out of play simply because it is now in the air between the time it goes off the table and hits the ground. It is in the air theoretically, and possibly may be seen by one or more other players. So it is generally almost always considered out of play when it goes off table for just in case. And this is a rule that dates back to the days when, when most poker games were deal your own, especially out in California, Washington, Montana, and so forth, where there might be multiple cards under the table. As soon as a card's off the table, you can't let it play ever. Guy will have a selection of cards he needs for a free draw. And it has maintained itself in the rule book for good reason. I mean, you don't want A card that has the possibility of being seen to be in play. Well, that is not the case when it goes under the rail. Nobody saw it, right? Nobody could have seen it. Now, the only problem that could arise, and this is a truly, a truly low odds scenario and long shot, is if there are multiple cards under the rail, in which case you've got a huge discrepancy in your inventory. And that's another challenge that would need to be overcome by the operator. So generally there should be no cards under the rail. There almost always never is. So there's no problem with lifting the rail and bringing the card back. This does need to be repaired. There shouldn't be an opportunity for the cards to go onto the rail. The cards should be pitched in such a way that they land at or right in front of a player's chips. Or if they're playing television style with their chips off to the side, they should still land in front of the player. If the card is going under the rail, that means there's obviously space between the table and the rail. There's two things that may be possible and they both may be simultaneously possible. The layout could be stapled too tightly to the table, forcing the padding in the layout down, creating a gap from the table side. And the rail might not be fit correctly, therefore being pushed up slightly, leaving a gap in that direction. And both could be happening, leaving a nice way for the cars to get under the rail. The easiest solution is to go to your local home improvement store of whatever brand you choose and buy some quarter inch weather stripping that you would normally use for windows and get that under the rail. Now you don't have to worry about putting new layouts on or trying to readjust your rails, which are both rather time consuming and can be expensive. The weather stripping is pretty cheap. It only takes a one time application and boom. Now you've got no gap between the table and the rail. Everybody's fine, right?

[A]

Yeah, like I said, we've, I'm pretty sure we've all, whether it be in a home game or a casino, we've all played in, in rooms where that's a possibility. Usually if you're playing my style of poker, you might have a small enough amount of chips that even if they're in front of you, it can still go into the rail, buy more chips. But yeah, that's, it's. I guess I never thought about it from the players, the other player's point of view, where, you know, if it went off the table, then that would be Different. But I can't imagine, especially in today's poker, where you could have multiple cards under that rail because so many rooms have a shuffle machine and it's going to be counting the cards and making sure that you have all the right cards in there. Now, if it's, if it's hand dealt, okay, maybe, maybe that gets by, but somebody's going to speak up and be like, I only have one card.

[D]

Right.

[A]

I don't know where it went. So it would be pretty, pretty difficult to have a card under there. I guess if you want to get super technical, somebody could slide one in there and be like, oh. But then when you fish it out, you're going to be like, there's more than one card. Now, right? Now you have to make a different ruling because there was multiple cards in the day.

[D]

And that makes a somewhat interesting point that if you set the rule that a card going under the rail become, becomes replaceable by rule, then you're giving players the opportunity to shove a bad card under the rail and get a free draw. A card that obviously nobody has ever seen. And let's face it, I mean, now you're, you're going to be slowing the game down to the point where now you got to do surveillance checks. Every time a card goes under the rail, you're going to grind the game to a halt. Yeah. You could also screw the rails down to the tables, but in places where you don't use side tables and need tabletop cup holders, that would become a pretty big challenge. Most cup holders sliding right into the rail. But, yeah, if you've got multiple cards under the rail, it means they're not inventorying their cards correctly. When, when cards are coming out of play, they're generally reset so that they can be brought back to a different table. Well, when they're being reset, it's obvious you're not going to have a cart or two. They're going to be somewhere. So the hunt should be on and that should be noticeable sooner rather than later.

[A]

Yeah.

[D]

So if you're getting multiple cards under there, then, then the card room itself is being too lax with its, with its property and cards obviously being the most important property they have. So.

[A]

Yeah, yeah, I, I think that the point here that Ross was making, you know, I would, he was, you know, I would have been fine either way. That says a lot about, you know, he's not trying to hide anything either. Right. So, you know, it's funny too, when someone makes a ruling, when the floor makes a ruling like that, and Then it works out in the person's favor. Then all of a sudden, the person is upset again. It was going to work out that way regardless, so just relax. It's not. Nobody was being unfair to you to let that card play. If. If it didn't go under the rail, you would have had the same hand work out the same way. So it didn't have an effect on the hand at all. So.

[D]

And the cards are unknown. I mean, if you replace the card, how. How does anybody know that the. The replaced card is. Isn't the exact same rank and produces the same result? Give me a break.

[A]

Yeah. Yeah. So, Russ, that. That should clear things up. You know, it is one, consistency and two, it didn't go off the table. So, you know, it sounds like they did a great job. The. The floor did a great job. The dealer did a great job getting the floor over there so that he wasn't the one taking the heat.

[E]

Right.

[D]

The card was obviously not seen by any other player and didn't go off the table. That enough. Those two things are enough to let the card remain in play.

[A]

Yeah. So there you go, Russ. Appreciate you sending that in. If anyone has a call the floor that they would like to know how Elliot would rule, send it to podcast magazine dot com.

[D]

Please do.

[A]

Elliot, thanks again, and we'll see you. We'll see you next week.

[D]

Absolutely. Can't wait.

[A]

Welcome to Hand of the Week, where Patrick, our resident fish, and I dive into listen to submitted hands. Each week we tackle everything from questionable bluffs to hero calls and the hands that make you scratch your head. Whether you're looking for strategy tips or you just want to see if you would have played it any better, we've got you covered. Patrick. What's happening, man?

[E]

It's March, man. It's a great month. You're thawing out. Spring training is happening, golf is happening. Masters, there's. There's. I skipped over that for a second. The Masters is less than a month and a half away. Basketball. I mean, it's just. It's a great time of year. It's a great time to be alive, man.

[A]

Yeah. Yeah. And there's. There's poker to be played. We head out to Arizona in, like, two weeks. Two weeks.

[E]

Yeah.

[A]

Yeah. And then we'll be playing some poker with the A team out there and. And seeing who wins the. The main event. You know, that's the big one, but we've got the side events going on as well. Love to get some cash games going while we're there. It'll be a blast.

[E]

How long, how long are you gonna be out there?

[A]

The tournaments run the 17th through the 24th or the 22nd, I should say. We are staying a couple of days after, so we'll be there till the 24th.

[E]

Cool. Very, very cool.

[A]

We're gonna try and take in some of that scenery out there. It's gonna be beautiful.

[E]

I like it. Oh, yeah, it is.

[A]

Maybe, maybe a spring training game. We'll see.

[E]

Did you, did you happen to see the absolutely lackluster New York Yankees captain give a pregame rah rah speech for the World Baseball Classic?

[A]

I did not see that.

[E]

Well, for anyone that wants a real, real pump up, or, you know, realistically, if you need to, if melatonin isn't working for you at night, just look up Aaron Judge's pump up speech before the World Baseball Classic. It was a travesty. Roided out guy, captain is beyond me, but you know, that being said. Yeah. So, yeah, it's. Life is great. You, you've got a trip coming up.

[A]

So we've got a hand of the week that we can kind of practice our skills here.

[E]

I like it.

[A]

This hand of the week is sent in by Josh Hewitt. And Josh says before we get into the hand, I'm from Raleigh, North Carolina, and.

[E]

Oh, not far.

[A]

Oh, he says, I played at the same table with you in Cherokee. He said, he said he didn't introduce himself at the time, but we got into two big hands together. Interesting. I won the first one, which is about $100 and put. And you won the second hand. That was a lot more. And I ended up leaving shortly after.

[E]

Way to go, Joe.

[A]

Well, Josh and anyone else listening, first of all, I hope I didn't trip. I hope you still had a good time. And also next time, come say hello. I always love meeting the A team at the table, so. And away from the tables, for that matter. So come say hello. Yeah. That's terrible. He didn't say I busted him. He just said I wanted to be.

[E]

Yeah, you didn't bust him. He didn't say you were a bully or anything bad. You know, it's, it's. Listen, it's game. You got to have some winners and you got to have some losers. So, you know, I listen as, as one that tends to, you know, lose a decent amount. Listen, no hard feelings. Look, it's kind of like, you know, what was that movie, Billy Madison? You know, it's not like we keep a hit list, you know, I mean, Joe and Big Mike.

[A]

Yeah. Elle, for that matter? Right.

[E]

Still has chips of mine in her pocket. Anyway, moving on. Josh got a hand.

[A]

Let's see how we do with this hand.

[E]

All right.

[A]

He says, I had a hand last weekend. This still has me shaking my head, and I'd love to hear what you guys think. We're playing one three, eight handed, and stacks are about 400 effective. I would describe our main villain in the hand as a loose player who likes to see flops.

[E]

I know somebody like that.

[A]

Yeah. Yeah.

[D]

I'm.

[E]

I'm gonna make a shirt.

[A]

Yes.

[E]

It's gonna be a smiley face yellow shirt. Yeah. With a smiley face. And it's gonna say, always see the flop.

[A]

I'm gonna. I'll wear one that says, I bought this shirt with your chips.

[E]

That's really good. All right. It's kind of like the version of, like, I'm here with stupid, you know, with that. That shirt on. That's pretty much it. Joan Patrick, walking around casinos, and it's just basically, I'm here with stupid. All right, so 1, 3, 8 handed. All right, I got it.

[A]

We're in the cutoff when the action folds to us, and we look down at the ace of diamonds. Jack of diamonds,

[E]

your favorite hand.

[D]

Love it. All right.

[A]

Yeah.

[E]

It's suited. At least, Joe.

[A]

It is. It is suited.

[E]

So maybe the only reason Joe would play this hand. Everybody lives to us.

[A]

I'm assuming it folded to us.

[E]

Oh, wow.

[A]

Yeah. So we've only got three people left to act after us, too.

[E]

So, I mean, then nothing crazy, right?

[A]

Well, I mean, I'm raising.

[E]

Well, yeah, but I mean, we don't have to go outrageous. I mean, I'm not talking like, 20 plus here. You know, folding to us. I've got probably like 12 to 15 in my idea, but no, 12. I'm going 12.

[A]

That's exactly where I was going. I think 12 is the sweet spot, actually. It's. It's four times the big blind. We have a villain in the. In the hand that was described as a loose player that likes to see flops. So let's try to extract as much as we can. So, yeah, $12. And Josh raises to 10. He's right there. I really. I felt like he was going to go with 10. I thought that was going to be where he went. That's three times the big blind plus a dollar.

[E]

Yeah.

[A]

So I'm. I'm not gonna. I'm not gonna make a big fuss with $10, but this is one of those where I feel like that extra $2 might help us Start building the pot if we hit, and we can start making a little more. And it doesn't hurt as much if we miss either, so. So I would. That's the reason I would go 12 over 10. But it is what it is. He says button folds small blindfolds, and the villain calls from the big blind. That means pot is $21. And the flop comes. Jack of clubs, nine of spades, seven of spades. And the villain checks.

[E]

Okay, straight draw. We flop. Top pair, top kicker.

[A]

There's a spade draw, too.

[E]

Oh, yeah, you said not a spade, seven of spades. You're right.

[A]

Sorry about that. Yeah. And. And 10, 8 is already a straight.

[E]

Yeah.

[A]

A lot of other draws out there for a straight, but what do you think?

[E]

Cautiously confident. Is that a phrase?

[A]

Okay, what does that mean for your betting?

[E]

I'm going to go a little bit on the higher side of half pot, because if he's there or on a draw, you know, probably going to. There might be a race, which I don't mind calling, so I think I'm going 10. A little less than half, actually. If he comes over the top, I'm okay calling. It'll. It'll. I'll learn something from that.

[A]

I'm actually gonna go on the other side of. Of that. I'm gonna go to two thirds. I'm gonna go $14. I still feel like there's. There's so many things, so many draws out there, but I still feel like we're. We're crushing most of his range right now, so I want to make him pay.

[E]

Yeah, I agree. I like that

[A]

Josh goes even further in your direction. He bets only 7, which is a third.

[E]

I don't love that.

[A]

Yeah. Villain calls quickly. I'm sure he did.

[E]

Yeah, that's an easy call for not a lot of risk.

[A]

Yeah, he didn't have. He didn't have much to think about there. If he has any draw at all, it's not costing him anything. But Josh says he bet small because he didn't want to scare him away.

[E]

So Josh is very much more on the confident side. So I really got to find a way to play at the table the way that I play here. Yeah, I think I can see the board better. Okay. All right, so pot is what? So seven, seven, and seven is 14. So that's what, 35?

[A]

Yep. Pot is now 35. And the turn is the ace of clubs, eight of hearts.

[E]

I don't love that.

[A]

So the board is now jack of clubs, nine of spades, seven of spades, eight of hearts. And the villain checks again.

[E]

Yeah, that's nightmare fuel. I mean, 10's there. Five sticks is there. Still got the spade draw. And we're sitting on our lowly pair of jacks. Ace kicker. Yeah, you love playing ace jack. Let's just revisit that one real quick.

[A]

Yeah. How much? I just love Asia. Even suited. It's just so great. Love it.

[E]

All right. You're gonna call me crazy, but I think we learn a decent amount if we check here.

[A]

I don't think that's crazy at all. I don't think that's crazy at all. I don't think we have a choice but to check here. We only have a pair with straights out there. Two pair combos are out there. Lots of those. He could have called with eight, seven, for sure.

[E]

Yeah.

[A]

So, yeah, suited connectors just crush us right now. We can't. We can't bet. If we bet, we get raised. We get raised by anything.

[E]

Everything.

[A]

Whether they beat us or not. We're getting raised. If we bet here.

[E]

Yeah.

[A]

So I check. See the river. Cheap. And reassess. However, Josh does not agree with us. Josh. $10. He bets $10. And the villain thinks for very little time and raises to 40.

[E]

I called it. Oh, 40.

[A]

Okay.

[E]

There you go.

[A]

Called that.

[E]

Yeah.

[C]

I think you.

[E]

I think you fold. I think you call yourself quits. Great.

[A]

Cool.

[E]

Fold. Jacks. You know, if nothing else to throw the jack over, let them know that you folded it. I, you know, just get out of there.

[A]

Snap.

[C]

Fold.

[A]

Yeah, for sure.

[E]

Quick.

[A]

I just feel like this is. This one's the straight and he's screaming, pay me.

[E]

Yeah. The only way that this guy. The only way that we win here is if a 10 comes out and he was sitting on 8, 10 the whole time. And we. And we chop it.

[A]

And then we just chop. Yeah. Yeah.

[E]

That's the only way we don't lose, in my humble opinion. Yeah. Snap. Fold. Let me see another day. Josh does not.

[A]

Josh says this guy. Josh says this guy had been pretty splashy, and I figured he could be bluffing with spades or something like that. So he calls. So the pot is $115. And the river is the 10 of diamonds. So the final board looks like jack of clubs, nine of spades, seven of spades, eight of hearts, ten of diamonds. So the straight is on the board.

[E]

That doesn't mean that old splashy, you know, pot guy over there is not sitting on Queensland.

[A]

Correct. Immediately shoves all in for 230.

[E]

Well, he's got the nuts then.

[A]

Hey. Right. What was the pot, what was the pot? One. What did I say? 115. So yeah, that's double the pot. Basically. It.

[E]

Well fold.

[A]

Yeah. Yeah. Well, King Kung probably would have raised us pre flop, but he could have any queen pot. Odds suck. This hand sucks.

[E]

It sucks. It absolutely sucks. Josh, I feel for you, my man. This, this, this hand sucks.

[A]

The, the only question is really why you bet so much. But I, I really think that with the straight on the board, he probably wants us to think he's trying to push us off the hand.

[E]

Correct.

[A]

Yeah. The, the, the negative side, if we win, if, if we end up calling here, we're really only hoping to split the pot, but if we lose, we lose a lot more than we can win. So that's why it's, it's a no brainer fold here.

[D]

Yep.

[A]

Josh tanks for a while and says I just felt like he missed a flush draw and was trying to bully me. And he eventually calls villain tables. Queen of hearts, 10 of hearts. So he actually turned at the straight, right? Yep.

[E]

Yeah, I was just going to say he got that on 4th street and then the 10 came out.

[A]

Anyways, he says, I suspect my flop and turn bet sizing are going to get some heat. But I'm excited to hear if you would have called the river bet.

[D]

No,

[A]

it sounds like you already knew the bet sizing was, was terrible on the, on the flop. But the turn sizing isn't really the problem there, there should, there shouldn't have been a bet there at all. It's not about the sizing.

[E]

Let's play, let's, let's play our, our favorite game. Joe. So let's go back. So you're sitting on ace, ace, jack of diamonds. The flop comes out jack of clubs, nine of spades, seven of spades. And you've got what, what do we, what do we say? 20 in the pot, 21 in the pot? Something like that.

[A]

Yeah.

[E]

What do you, what, where do you go there and how does it change? So we had said, you said what, 15.

[A]

I think I went 14. Yeah, exactly.

[E]

14. Okay. Knowing what we know now by betting that, do you think they come over the top then? And then we know even if we

[A]

just get a call there, they hit it on the turn. When that board looks that scary. Yeah. Then we shouldn't be putting money in the pot there.

[E]

Correct.

[A]

So to your point, putting $14 in there, whether they call or raise, if we make it to the turn and that board looks that bad, then we know Something's up and that's easier to get away from. Yeah, but as far as the river goes, we could have saved a whole buy in on the river. Not quite, but almost. When you're, when you're just hoping to chop there, we're losing a whole hell of a lot more when we lose than we can win when we win or when we chop. Yeah. So that's the reason.

[E]

It also sure sounded like Josh had a feel for this guy and he might have. It's just a really bad, just a really bad set of cards there.

[A]

That's true. If you have, even, even if you have a read on somebody and, and you, you have a feel for what they're doing, then they can still catch cards too. So you have to be aware of that. Just because, yeah, just because they're loose, a loose player and they like to see flops doesn't mean they don't eventually hit them. So you can't let your, your mindset get clouded by the fact that they are a certain type of player. Even when it's easy to put them in a box, it is tough to, to keep, to keep that mindset, knowing that you need to fold in those situations because you're like, finally, I've got this guy. And then all of a sudden you don't at all.

[D]

Yeah.

[E]

Yeah. It's tough to pull it back, but you got to be able to do it.

[A]

Josh, thanks for sending that in.

[D]

That's.

[A]

That's a tough one. I hope you learned a little bit from that one. And like I said, next time you see me out, come say hi. And yeah, if anyone has a hand of the week that they would like to know how Patrick and I would play it, send it to podcastioupmagazine.com Patrick, we'll see you next week.

[E]

Sounds like a plan. I'll be here.

[A]

With the new season of Survivor kicking off last week, I couldn't help but think about how much that game actually reminds me of poker. If you've ever watched the show, you know the motto, right? Outwit, outplay, outlast. That's been the heartbeat of the game for more than 20 years. And every year, their players show up thinking they're going to be the one who pulls off the big move. They'll blindside someone and dominate the competition. They're going to become the next mastermind of the season. Right. But if you've watched enough seasons, you start to notice this, this trend. The players who burn the brightest early also tend to disappear the fastest. The Ones making the flashy moves in episode three are usually the ones whose torch gets snuffed just a few weeks later. Because the real key to Survivor isn't just outplaying everyone, it's outlasting them. And the same thing is true in poker. A lot of players will sit down thinking they need to outplay the entire table. They're looking for the highlight reel bluff, the hero call, the hand everyone will be talking about later. But poker, just like the show, isn't usually won by the person making the most dramatic move. It's won by the player who keeps their composure when things go wrong. The player who doesn't blow up their stack trying to prove something. The player who understands. Every session, every orbit, every hand is just another step in a much longer game. Because if you stay in the game long enough, something interesting happens. People make mistakes, stacks start to shift, good cards, they eventually show up. And that's when opportunities appear. But none of it matters if you've already busted out trying to make the big move. I like to flip the Survivor motto around just a little bit when it comes to poker, though, instead of the order of outwit, outplay, outlast in poker, it might be better to think of it this way. Outlast, outwit, outplay. Because mental clarity is the real advantage when you're tired or frustrated, maybe you're chasing losses or trying to force the action. That's when mistakes creep in. You start playing hands you shouldn't calling bets you know, you shouldn't convincing yourself that this hand, this is the one that's going to turn everything around. That's not strategy, that's emotion. And emotion is the quickest way to get your torch snuffed. At the poker table. The players who succeed long term are the ones who protect their mindset. They know when to step away, they know when to fold. They know that patience isn't weakness. And they're not trying to win every pot. They're just trying to be the last stack standing. So when you sit at the table this weekend, remember a little lesson from Survivor. You don't need to make the biggest move. You don't need to outplay everyone in the room. The real edge comes from staying calm, staying patient, and staying in the game longer than those around you. Because just like on the island, players who think clearly and last the longest end up with the prize. That's today's one outer, and that's today's show. I'll see you next week, a team. And until then, I'll See you at the tables.

[D]

The Antioch Podcast is a production of antioppmagazine.com contact the show at podcastsnyupmagazine.com or

[E]

call the show at 540-339-7741.

[D]

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