How the Best Damn Poker Show Can Change Your Life
I had been aware for about one week that I was one of the select few chosen for the Best Damn Poker Show when I flew into sunny San Diego (beautiful city, if you have the means, I highly recommend moving there forever and raising a family). In that time, I think I had told every man, woman, child, plant, etc. that I knew that I was going to be playing poker on television with Annie Duke and Phil Hellmuth, Jr.
But when I arrived the first thrill didn't come from those two, but from the team of UB pros I met soon after getting to the casino. Roughly an hour after I got to my room, I headed down to the lobby where I met Mark "POker HO" Kroon, Gary "Debo34" DeBernardi, and Shawn "Shawn Rice" Rice. They may not know this, but when that trio told me they loved my video and invited me to have drinks with them, it was hard to contain my excitement. Those guys are now my friends and I respect every one of them.
However, that was just a precursor for the night to come. It was during dinner that I met Annie Duke and later, Phil Hellmuth.
Annie is pretty much exactly like you and me except that she's better-looking, smarter, and has more money. The biggest thrill of the entire trip might have been when Annie, her boyfriend Joe, and I had dinner together on the very last night and simply talked poker for three hours.
After Annie, I met Phil, the most famous poker player on this planet (a fact he'll remind you of often... every hour... on the hour). I spent three days with the Brat- he's a man who loves to win, but also one of the most generous men I know.
I won't go into exactly how the show played out in case some people out there haven't seen it. But all I'll say is that it was one of the greatest things to ever happen to me, and when Phil called my name as being selected onto his team, my world got a little brighter.
UltimateBet took care of us in grand fashion. It was all-expense paid, and that comfort gave me the relaxation to play what I think was some pretty solid poker. There were ups and down. I got a little card dead at times, but neither Annie nor Phil had anything critical to say.
I played poker in California for three days. I made a ton of new friends. I got a private two-hour lesson from Phil. I played poker with celebrities. I had dinner with both the King and Queen of Poker. I talked Seinfeld with Patrick Warburton. I talked movies with Jennifer Tilly. I talked acting with Joe Reitman. I won money. I dressed up as Hollywood Dave. I played cards on television. And Absolute Poker model Serinda Swan and I eloped and have now been happily married for three months and have seven beautiful children.
And all except that last part are true.
As I write this, I guess all of that hasn't really sunk in. I think that's because my life has yet to slow down since the show. Being selected for the BDPS has steamrolled my poker career. Everything that follows was a result of the Best Damn Poker Show:
- I traveled to Vegas and won the first tournament I entered at the Venetian ($150 buy-in, 3k won).
- I went to Phil Hellmuth's private Christmas party, where I hung out with pros like Layne Flack, Andy Bloch, Hoyt Corkins, Gavin Smith, Jamie Gold, Robert Williamson, Paul Wasicka, and many others.
- I have made a sequel to my original audition video except this one is more UB oriented. You can watch it at http://youtube.com/watch?v=xgVgVcou9P8.
- I played in the WPT L.A. Poker Classic alongside great pros. 2007 Main Event Winner Jerry Yang sat to my immediate left. Yes, THE Jerry Yang. "I raise. One million" Jerry Yang. Awesome guy, by the way.
- I sat in Phil Hellmuth's private section for the final table of the LAPC.
- I stayed in LA for the WPT invitational where I hung out with pros and celebrities too numerous to count.
- I intend to go to Reno next month for the WPT World Poker Challenge
- And honestly, the most exciting thing is still in the works so that I can't even mention it here. But trust me, it's the nuts.
Believe me. You, the average online player were probably exactly like me. I mean, not exactly like me, I'm probably taller and hairier, but you get the idea. The fact is that anyone can achieve the same thrills that I have thus far.
I wasn't playing in the Big Game when I went on this show; I was playing low-limit like many other online players. Three years ago, while playing $1 tourneys on UB, I never would have thought I'd be playing in $1,000 tournaments. But here we are.
Make no mistake however. You've got to put in the time. I have now read ten different poker books. I have played poker (live or online) about every week for three years. It took me about 5 days to write, film, and edit my video.
But here I am, still on the ride. And you can come on too. It just takes a little work, a little luck, and a love of the game.
That and dressing up like a woman in your audition video.
So, if you're playing online and you see SuitedKeiths, sit down, chat, and we'll play a pot together. Take it easy though. I'm not a pro.
Yet.
Keith
