CARDRUNNERS
What's Your Edge
David Benefield : Poker Blog So, for me at least, WSOP 2009 has come to an end. Perhaps more than that has come to an end. It is the end of my brief career as a full time poker professional. It was a wonderful run, and a fantastic experience I wouldn’t trade for anything. I took a little bit of a different path that most, but I think it worked out all right in the end.
In less than 6 weeks I start school. Wow. I don’t really know what to say about this other than that I am excited/nervous. I really have no idea what to expect, but I think it is going to be a great experience, no matter what happens. What I do know is that I am going to give it a full year before deciding what to do. No matter what happens, no matter how much I love/hate it, I am going to finish the first year. In all likelihood I will love it and continue on, but you never really know for sure.
This summer I played 7 wsop events. I cashed in a 5k for 14th place, and bubbled a couple others. I busted out of the main event with AK to A2 all in on an AAT flop, 2 rolled off on the turn. It was cool though, I really didn’t even mind. It didn’t bother me in the least. I smiled, packed up my stuff, and headed home, with my mind on returning to school and entering a new lifestyle, something different.
I have been playing online a bit more over the last few weeks with pretty strong success, up around 250 or so. I haven’t really played anything big, most of it has been at 25-50 HUNL and 25-50 PLO on the ante tables. I have been getting quite a bit of 25-50 NL action, which is pretty cool, most people seem to think I’m a fish or something (which may be true). It has gone pretty well for the most part though, so maybe I’m not as bad as these guys think. Guess I still got it a little bit.
Yesterday coragyps lost like 100k at 25-50 PLO HU and was tilt sitting at 300-600, so I sat with him for 30k. First hand he raises I reraise AKQJ he calls. Flop A63r, I bet he pots I get it in, and he tables J652 and bangs it off then instaquits. The best part of this though, was I didn’t care at ALL. Like, a year ago, even 6 months ago, this would have tilted me to no end. I just sat there, smiled, said nice hand, and waited for him to come back or leave. This is something I have never really been able to do before. I didn’t get mad, I didn’t get upset, I didn’t complain to the world about my terrible luck. I just sat there without anger, without emotion.
Now, I find it funny that for the last 5 years, I have searched for this ability to not feel pain while playing poker. This was the first time I truly experienced painlessness at the tables, and it felt really good. The funny part is that I am no longer going to be playing poker, at least for the first year I am in school. I searched so long, worked so hard to acquire this ability, and now that I seem to have it, I am moving on to something else. Perhaps this is the point where I grow bored with most things, when I feel like I have accomplished what I set out to do. I may not have won a big tourney, or beat Phil Ivey over 100k hands, but I conquered the most fearsome opponent of all, myself.
So what now for me? Well, I am not going to quit poker QUITE yet. I don’t start school for 6 weeks, so will probably be playing a bit until then, so don’t count me out of the game completely. Once school starts though I am going to not play a single hand until Christmas break, and then re-evaluate. If things have been going well, I will continue it for the rest of the year. Next summer I will come out to Vegas and play some series events, maybe grind a bit online, etc, but it won’t be the most important part of my life anymore.
I am leaving Las Vegas to head back to Texas on Sunday. I am staying to go to UFC100, then headed home. I will likely hang out in Fort Worth for a week or so, then I am renting a place in Austin for a month. My gf is doing summer school, and I have a bunch of friends in that area that I want to hang out with. I also have really enjoyed my previous trips to Austin, and want to spend some time getting a feel for the city. I also want to start reading a couple hours a day to work that into a routine so it won’t be a huge change once I start school.
I don’t know what the future of poker looks like. There is a lot of legislation stuff going on that could potentially be really great for all of us. If online poker becomes regulated in the US, it will open the floodgates for people to start playing, and new life will be given to the games. I don’t know what the future holds for me either. What I do know is that poker gave me something truly wonderful, the luxury of choice, and I fully intend to take advantage of it.
-David Benefield
Jul 11, 09 05:50:39
I just signed up for an account just to tell you that you will hate school.
Hope Bruno was the worst movie you've ever seen in your life. Have a nice day.
Jul 11, 09 06:11:31
Nice post. I always enjoyed reading your blog. Might be interesting if you continue blogging about your "new life" as student. Hope you enjoy school. Cheers.
Jul 11, 09 11:17:55
I would like to start off and Thank you for all the great videos you have put out they have really added things to my game that have brought it to the next level and without you or cardrunners that never would of happened. Thank you again for everything and Great gl in school Im sure you will try as hard as you did at poker when you first started
Gl
Jul 11, 09 11:38:45
David, I wish you nothing but the best of luck in all that life brings you over the next year. I have no doubt that you're going to love school. Your outlook on poker/life and self reflection has been really inspirational. Please continue blogging.
Jul 11, 09 12:30:02
? I have been doing the Wall Street things for 7 years, but if I had your NLHE skills I don't think I'd be here. You seem as if you have a really good head on your shoulders--keep it up and best of luck.
Jul 11, 09 12:36:51
No, u gotta make poker instructional videos for CR.
Good luck at school.
Jul 11, 09 12:45:58
ditto ditto. starting at Reed august w/out poker. seems pretty amazing so far. read Infinite Jest if you have time and want to wrench ur brain around a bit before school. good luck.
Ben
Jul 11, 09 12:59:51
The Value of Cardrunners just dropped in half. You will be missed.
GL with life school and beyond.
Jul 11, 09 14:07:00
you should realize that the rason you didnt care, is probably because you knew youre going to quit poker soon and its not the main thing in your life anymore, and not because you managed to acquire this ability (i dont even know if its a good ability to acquire anyway).
gl in school.
Jul 11, 09 14:23:13
lol, the hitnrun would piss me off to no end...
going to school seems prudent, but why quit poker?
Jul 11, 09 15:03:24
I just wanted to say something that I told my dad yesterday:
(on T.V.)"Yeah thats David Benefield. He's made several million dollars playing cash games online. He made millions and just recently decided that he wants to go back to school to get a degree ..to have something to fall back on. THAT is how smart he is."
You are setting an example for guys like me. I am 23 ,without a degree and a mini BR. I think that you should be proud of the positive influence you have on me (and on others possibly). If/when I decide to go back to school...you will surely have had an effect on this decision. I mean this.
Jul 11, 09 15:08:46
proud to have you as my friend. maybe ill come drop in on your college sometime?
Jul 11, 09 15:56:35
David, I was just wondering what school are you going to, and what type of jobs are you thinking about when you graduate.
I would have thought that the money and lifestyle that poker has brought you would be somewhat addicting. Do you think that you could could work a regular 9 to 5 job making 50-75k a year? At some point, do you think you might be tempted back into the pokerworld where you could probably make hundreds of thousands of dollars every year on your own time and schedule?
Thanks alot for all of your contributions to cardrunners David, and I hope you continue to blog about your life in college as a non-poker playing student.
Jul 11, 09 22:13:02
You made some great videos and are truly gifted. Congrats on looking at the big picture and best of luck at school.
Jul 12, 09 18:30:19
gl man. Always followed your blog and happy to hear you have the courage to do what makes you happy despite what others might feel
Jul 12, 09 18:30:37
gl man. Always followed your blog and happy to hear you have the courage to do what makes you happy despite what others might feel
Jul 12, 09 18:30:37
gl man. Always followed your blog and happy to hear you have the courage to do what makes you happy despite what others might feel
Jul 13, 09 00:02:50
going to school seems prudent, but why quit poker? just play less...
Jul 13, 09 02:05:53
Gl dude. I was just thinking, maybe its because you have decided to stop playing that its easier to take a beat? You dont have the same pressure any more.
Jul 15, 09 21:47:11
Gl I think your making the right decision, Just keep blogging your blog has always been the best.
Jul 21, 09 00:14:18
GG Raptor!
You've been a classy guy since the STT Forum back in the day!
Jul 21, 09 13:30:09
Good luck with your new challenge that lays ahead of you David. But can I just say something; everything that you have achieved in life, from travelling, vacations at different places, driving new sports cars, becoming a self made millionaire was through 'poker'. You are one of my favourite poker players and I used to love watching and learning from your videos. You are so unique as a player, that makes you different from other players.
I once had a chance to play professional rugby but was unable to make a career of it due to injuries. I had no chance but to quit the game I loved.
I know you feel a new challenge awaits you, however just think about the game that made you.
Jul 22, 09 10:29:06
Congrats and GL.
F the haters obviously.
Go get Sunday brunch at Fonda San Miguel in Austin - you're welcome....
Jul 22, 09 13:18:05
You were/are a sick poker player and your videos have helped me think about the game in new ways. Good luck in school.
Aug 18, 09 16:14:02
Gl with school, and i live in Austin Texas so if u want to hit some college parties up let me know!
Oct 10, 09 00:41:37
i cant beleive ur doing this u have worked so hard too quit? weak if u ask me
Nov 26, 09 11:42:16
So you could not hold your hands away until christmas :) I see you are playing PLO 25\$/50\$ ATM. Good luck nice to see you back.
Nov 28, 09 18:42:46
Ya, I think the reason you didn't care so much about the hit & run is because poker isn't important to you at the moment. Having said that, I REALLY wish I could get to this level. That would be something to not even care at all about dropping 30k in one hand and then having the guy instaquit you.
Becareful on the break thing, you can lose a lot of your edge and lose touch with the games if you take long breaks from poker. If it was me I'd just play like an hour a day or something to make some coin and keep sharp.
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