1/11 thread

Bizarre part of my career with lots of heads up losses

Early in my career I won my first 8 final tables with no 2nd-5th place finishes

I guess it evens out in the long run, and I have cashed well over $20 million during this span, but when you are competitive by

2/11 nature, losing sucks!

Even when I won $8.7 million vs Dan Colman for 2nd, in that moment, it felt like I lost $7 million.

When I came second to @JustinBonomo for $3 million, in that moment I felt like I just got kicked in the stomach.

When the heart hit the

3/11 river last night and I shook his hand, in that moment, it didn’t feel fair!

With the High Stakes Duel vs @phil_hellmuth it’s on a big stage, and the narratives are exaggerated no matter the result.

Win, and you played great.

Lose, and you played awful.

4/11 A lot of stock is put into a 250 ish hand sample size and for many, all that matters is the end result.

Win. You are the hero.

Lose. You are the chump.

5/11 It’s what you sign up for when you enter the arena.

It requires mental fortitude to pick yourself back up time, and time again and get back on the horse.

I was leading for most of both matches until the blinds got high, but in the end I’m down 2-0

6/11 Luckily I have a chance to get it all back in round 3 and I hope this time it goes my way.

If not. Such is life! I do my best to prepare myself and in the second match there isn’t a hand I wish I had back. Truthfully.

7/11 I thought Phil played MUCH better in the second match. I expected him to up his aggression levels, but he did surprise me with how far he was willing to take it.

Still, I was winning most of the way, but hats off to @phil_hellmuth for finishing it off.

8/11 I am human. And I know I shouldn’t read any of the stuff on here, but I do sometimes and damn, people can be really mean!

Luckily I can handle it. When you choose to be in the public eye you have to. You can’t let it get to you.

9/11 I’m incredibly disappointed to lose round 2, but it won’t stop me from competing. There are some high rollers at @ARIAPoker this weekend and I’m going to jump in and give them a go.

10/11Those of you who follow me, you have every right to kick me while I’m down with mean spirited tweets. If that is what brings you happiness, so be it. I can take it.

All of it.

I do wonder, though, and am quite skeptical, that piling it on a person you don’t even know is

11/11 the road to happiness.

“It is not the critic who counts, not the man who points out how the strong man stumbles, or where the doer of deeds could have done them better...” -Theodore Roosevelt