mookie99

Congratulations to emptyman on winning his first Mookie title and BBT2 TOC seat. Here is his profile:

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Champion: emptyman

Blog: Poker, Zen, and Dirty Martinis

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Q: What is the story behind your ID, emptyman?

E: It’s from a Zen Buddhist concept — “emptiness yoga”. The idea is true peace is achieved once we truly comprehend and accept that nothing really exists independently.

Q: How did you get into poker?

E: When I was 6 years old, my dad taught me this fun game called “poker with chips.” Candy Land and Chutes and Ladders were never the same.

Q: Do you have any poker related goals and if so what are they?

E: More and more big (WSOP-type) tourneys. I played in my first WSOP event this year (thanks to Full Tilt Bracelet Race) and I’m planning on at least 1 or 2 next year. And the Aussie Millions, of course.

Q: What are key improvements that you’ve seen in your game over the last six months, and what is one priority you have for improving? (Submitted by CC)

E: Aggression, aggression. I’ve learned how to play without cards, which I’ve found is the only way to improve on chance/luck. I’ve learned how to push back based ONLY on the fact that I know they won’t call.

I’m still learning how to deal with others’ aggression, when and how to call big raises, float on the flop, etc.

Q: How would you describe your poker style?

E: Reckless. Like Gus Hansen with about 1% of the moxy.

Q: What would be your first piece of advice for someone wanting to learn to play poker? (Submitted by Maudie)

E: Just like any other sport, respect the game. It’s easy to get caught up in the circus that comes with the game, but a player whose singular goal is “play premium poker” will be consistently rewarded on all levels.

Q: What level of static do you get over your poker habit? (Submitted by Drewspop)

E: Minimal. Of course, I married the perfect girl, who enjoys poker and other games, and has already listened to 47,233 poker stories. Only 85% were bad beats. She likes that I’m blogging because then she doesn’t have to read it.

Q: What was the first poker blog you read?

E: Hammer Player’s. I dug through all the valuable archives, and it reinvented my game.

Q: Who would be at your 6-handed SNG?

E: Hoyazo, BuddyDank, jeciimd, RaisingCayne, jamyhawk. BuddyDank would still fold to the points.

Q: Between Nihilism and Masochism, which do you think better describes why you play poker? (Submitted by Iakaris)

E: Awesome question, definitely nihilism. I actually have been gravitating toward nihilism in everyday life, and I constantly use poker as a model for life and vice versa.

Q: What’s the last book you have read?

E: Compassion, by Osho.

Q: Tell us a little known fact about yourself.

E: I’m a math nerd in the strictest sense.  For instance, in 7th grade I won 1st place in Iowa in the state MATHCOUNTS (sweet name huh?) competition.

Q: If you could change one thing for the better in the poker industry — whether it be a tournament rule, a business practice, media  coverage, player etiquette, or anything else — what would you choose and why? (Submitted by PirateLawyer)

E: I’m gonna go obvious here.  Online legitimacy.  Just like in the music industry, and now the television industry/writers, the internet forces entire business models to be reinvented.  So reinvent it, and take it out of the gambling/illegal/taboo category.  I shouldn’t have to trade phone minutes in Yemen to deposit/withdraw money from an online site.

Emptyman’s question for the next champ…

Q: Live or online, when put to the test for all your chips, what percentage of your choice is “poker knowledge/experience”, and what percentage is “intuition/read”?

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Congrats again to emptyman and thanks for participating in this profile.

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