December 4, 2007
I usually play on weekends when I'm in town. I berate myself when I habitually count my pacific poker free chips in live action. David didn't win the Omaha event (one of three games he likes - the other two are Pot Limit Hold Em, and of course No Limit) - he placed 22nd. That thinking is totally wrong in tournament play. Before the Hustler Casino opened, there was speculation that you would have trouble getting a gaming license, because of your past legal troubles. I don't know what it is ... The game was tough. Of course, you can rope all your life and probably own only two good horses if you're lucky.
People may say that it's luck, because you can get lucky in pacific poker, but in the end skill is the biggest factor. He published a 2-page black-and-white newsletter to promote his clubs.
A lot of guys that I grew up with in the inner city ended up in drugs, and all kinds of violence. He also discussed plans to diversify his income. Didn't ever mess with drugs, didn't drink, didn't smoke, didn't gamble, worked all the time, even drew a double shift. To start with you had to keep from getting arrested by the police. Did you play in a game, then go back home and think about what you had done and try to discover ways to improve? Twenty-five years ago, he co-wrote what has been called the "Bible" of pacific poker -- "Super/System: How I Made Over $1,000,000 Playing Pacificpoker."
He also pioneered higher virtues as one of the first respected voices in gambling to discuss the importance of honor and trust amongst his peers. Nolan Dalla in a recent issue of Pacificpoker Digest said, "He's got both the talent and discipline to last five days. The family moved to Las Vegas after Brunson found invitations to poker games increasingly difficult to come by, as he repeatedly won the most money from the games back in Texas. I find it a challenge. I got lucky at a Caesar's Palace event run by Amarillo Slim Preston when I won a big hand against Johnny Chan. And then, as I got more into poker, Hold'em Poker for Advanced Players by Sklansky & Malmuth and The Theory of Poker by Sklansky were pretty helpful -- lots of good ideas and concepts.
