The Fine Art of Maximizing your Losses!

[Nathan Butler]

LEARNING BY PAYING – The fine art maximizing your losses!

By Nathan Butler

In my relatively short poker career, and when I say “career” I use that term loosely to encompass everything I have experienced during my involvement in the game I love from that first moment I picked up a deck of cards up until right now as find myself sitting at my desk, attempting to bless you all with my awe-inspiring wisdom.

I hope this to be the first of many successful articles expressing the up and downs of my everyday life, and how I have reached the point I am at right now. This first piece will be brief and I write with the aim of offering you a taste of what is to come and the purpose of luring you into my mind where I will never let you escape!

Let's Begin with a bit about my family, titled: Nobody likes a hypocrite!

I find this statement very amusing because as a younger kid growing up at home with my family, my parents would have best friends over almost every Saturday night for cards night. On top their friendly social home game my father and grandfather were and still are long-time members of various Bridge and Euchre clubs. At that time and during my younger age, I found this to be one of the most boring nights of the week as I was completely uninterested in cards, too young to go out and too old to be interested in doing anything with my family. It’s quite funny now when I think about how I spend more time involved in cards than they ever did, and yes they have since pointed this out to me.

Let's continue with: So you think you can play!

Like many who will be reading this, I first sank my teeth into the wonderful game of poker at my local pub with one of the various free poker providers springing up all around. My first ever game was at an Australian Poker League free-roll at the Dandenong Club in Victoria. My brother had just gotten into the game and like a religious zealot, wouldn’t leave me alone until I too was converted, so I went along to my first game and experienced poker.

Although I was unsuccessful and really had no idea what was going on, I loved it and I was hooked! It took me a about a week to make my first final table and a few months to get my first win. After my first win I was ready to go pro and no, I am no joking. Poker at the time was peaking with worldwide exposure. Joe Hachem had recently won the WSOP Main Event and every other Aussie thought they would be the next big winner! It’s quite depressing when I think about it but I was caught up in all the hype. I went to the bank, withdrew a dream and headed straight for Crown Casino. It turns out that no, no I was not the next superstar pro. In total I spent two thousand dollars learning that the hard way.

I’ll finish today’s piece with: Your best friends will still take you money!

Poker is more than just a game to me; it’s my life. It has brought me closer to, yet further away from, my family; it ended one relationship yet started another and taught me one very important lesson. Your best friends are still quite happy to take your money!

Since I began working in the poker industry I have moved interstate and away from my family. I truly miss them but the distance has brought us closer together. In the times I am able to visit them it is all the more worthwhile, and I have realized as a maturing adult how important they really are and what they mean to me.

When I left Victoria and came to South Australia I also left behind my girlfriend of two years. Although I cared for her deeply, I chose my career and doing what I loved over our relationship and it was not long until that long distance relationship broke down. If not for the above I would have never met Emily, the love of my life.

I have also met many fascinating people through the poker world, many of whom are my closets friends but close friends or not, when we’re sitting down at a poker table they are always happy to take my money!

I hope this provides some insight into the energy that is me, I have only just touched on the first layer of this onion and as we move forward and dig deeper ... yes, I will make you cry.

[Nathan Butler]

Go forth MODS! Spellcheck and Punctuate!

[bennymacca]

awesome read mate

My brother had just gotten into the game and like a religious zealot, wouldn’t leave me alone until I to was converted

this bit i found particularly funny, my little brother probably feels exactly the same way!

[Brett Kay]

Go forth MODS! Spellcheck and Punctuate!

We all agreed, you can do it yourself.

No mention of two Legendary country vic boys. That played a big influence in shaping your poker career? LOL.
Or that fateful chop at the casino in the Pokerpro tournament.

[Origami]

Nathan so this is the Blog we are having when we r not having a Blog?.
Life is one long Blog.
Seems u should start a new Sect and call it 'The Bros. of Poker ' members could include,
the Kay Bros.,Murrin Bros.,Butler Bros.,Macca Bros.,Bickle Boys,Zack and Anthony ,plus the Hachems...

[trishan]

Hey Nathan, great post.

Scott and David - I am sure I have seen a thing on other forums where members can have their own blogs? Any chance of getting something like that happening? I'd blog.

Edit - just found:
http://www.phpbb.com/community/viewtopic.php?t=226958

[Swanky]

Nathan, that was beautiful, you had me at hello.

[Scotty]

Nathan, that was beautiful, you had me at hello.

Being Nath, it would more likely be 'helo'.

[AceLosesKing]

Good read mate, I look forward to the rest of it.

[David]

Hey Nathan, great post.

Scott and David - I am sure I have seen a thing on other forums where members can have their own blogs? Any chance of getting something like that happening? I'd blog.

Edit - just found:
http://www.phpbb.com/community/viewtopic.php?t=226958

Yeah have considered that in the past, and have setup a WP installation for it, though it hasn't gone any further yet.