Third Man Walking

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Latest Episodes:

Third Man Walking No. 127: Searching for a Good Game Dec 17, 2025

Show notes

(0:00) Intro

(0:15) A frustrating day at $5/$5 and $5/$10

(7:12) $5/$5 hand: 88 on 842hxh6ccAx

(13:14) Poker as "founder training"

(19:17) $5/$5 NLHE/standup game session

(19:47) JJ all-in preflop

(21:04) AKo all-in preflop

(22:33) AA on A33ddx4x

(23:32) AQo on A74hhxQhhh2hhhh

(25:41) A8cc preflop

Your correspondent discusses a frustrating day of poker, responds to Kelly Lucas' reaction to Erik Seidel's potential retirement in the wake of impending changes to taxation of gambling losses, and then finds respite in an out-of-town poker room that allows the standup game.

FORUM DISCUSSION:

CLICK HERE Episode Notes Kelly Lucas' tweet Third Man Walking Twitter Crush Live Poker

Third Man Walking No. 126: AI and Poker Storytelling Dec 03, 2025

Show notes

(0:00) Social media and AI

(2:32) Storytelling in poker

(17:11) $5/$10 NLHE session

(17:36) K9dd on A98ssdTsss2x

(20:22) AdKx on 964ddd

(22:28) AThh on QT5rAcc9x

(24:33) KsJx on JT3sxsAx

(26:00) TT (no spade) on J63sss6x9ssss

(28:53) AA on QT2rKss4x

(30:21) QJo on AT8cxcKhh4ccc

Your correspondent thinks about the AI mini-scandal that recently engulfed the WSOP's "No Limit" docuseries. He lists some problems with poker storytelling that are particular to poker and its ecosystem, then discusses what sorts of stories about poker he'd like to hear or watch. Then, he plays a $5/$10 session in which he struggles to be precise against an action player.

Links:

forum discussion Episode Notes Thomas Keeling on poker storytelling Ben Wilinofsky on the likelihood of another poker boom Third Man Walking on Twitter Crush Live Poker

Third Man Walking No. 125: "Ballad of a Small Player" Nov 19, 2025

Show notes

(0:00) Intro

(0:15) "Ballad of a Small Player"

(13:06) $5/$5 NLHE session

(16:00) JJ preflop spot

(17:40) AKdd preflop spot

(19:02) AJdd on A54xdx3ss2x

(22:18) AQo on AT5hxh6dd9x

(24:09) AA on 322r

(26:07) J9ss on T75ssx2sss4ssss

Your correspondent discusses the new Netflix film “Ballad of a Small Player,” finding it more rewarding upon repeated viewings. He also picks up some big hands in a recent $5/$5 session.

LINKS:

Episode Notes

Reddit thread on “Ballad of a Small Player”Netflix Tudum article Will Sloan review of “Ballad of a Small Player

https://twitter.com/thirdwalking https://crushlivepoker.com

Third Man Walking No. 124: The Latest Private-Game Scandal Nov 05, 2025

Show notes

(0:00) Private games and the Chauncey Billups scandal

(10:52) $5/$10 session

(12:14) AKhh all-in preflop

(13:00) 99 all-in preflop

(15:38) AKo on K54r6ssQx

(17:57) QhQx on AJ6hhxQx4hhh

(20:01) QTcc on QT4hxhJx7hhh

(21:41) JThh on AQ2hxxKx

(23:25) AA on AQTr4ccJx

Your correspondent discusses the Chauncey Billups scandal and Doug Polk's interview with Philip Wiszowaty and how, again, private games are the problem.

FORUM DISCUSSION:

CLICK HERE http://twitter.com/thirdwalking http://crushlivepoker.com

Third Man Walking No. 123: Colson Whitehead's "The Noble Hustle" Oct 15, 2025

Show notes

(0:00) Intro

(0:37) The Noble Hustle

(11:18) $5/$10 session

(12:47) TT on T77ddx8x2ddd

(16:11) AcQx on 974cxcKxKccc

(21:37) A4hh on Q76hxh

(22:39) AKhh all-in preflop

(26:20) J9cc on Q52ccxAccc8x

(29:09) AKhh on 544hxxJhh

(31:16) AJo on AJ4r4ccTx

Your correspondent reviews Colson Whitehead’s 2014 poker diary “The Noble Hustle,” a beautifully written account of his brief foray into the poker world and his entry into the WSOP Main Event. Then, a review of a messy $5/$10 session.

FORUM DISCUSSION http://twitter.com/thirdwalking

http://crushlivepoker.com

Third Man Walking No. 122: "Cold Deck" Oct 01, 2025

Show notes

Your correspondent reviews the 2015 Canadian poker thriller “Cold Deck,” then recaps a relatively smooth (but imperfect) session at $5/$10.

FORUM DISCUSSION:

CLICK HERE

0:23 “Cold Deck”

11:49 $5/$5 and $5/$10 session

12:03 AJo on K63r4dd

14:08 J9cc preflop spot

15:43 AKo on AJ6ccx7x4x

16:54 KK on T94r9cc5x

19:44 KK (again) on T86hhx

22:27 AQo preflop spot

23:11 JhJx on T76hxhKhhh5x

http://twitter.com/thirdwalking http://crushlivepoker.com

Third Man Walking No. 121: The Most Bluffed Man in History Sep 17, 2025

Show notes

Your correspondent discusses the potential ban on sweepstakes casinos in California, then reviews a $5/$5/$10 session in which he wonders how frequently he's getting bluffed.

FORUM DISCUSSION:

CLICK HERE

0:19 Thoughts on (more) law changes affecting poker players in California and elsewhere
6:06 $5/$5/$10 no-limit hold-em session

6:24 88 preflop

8:47 AQo on QJ3r

11:17 76hh on QJ2hxh4hhh7x

13:11 AdKx K65ddx3ddd8x

15:22 TT on T72ssxQxKx

17:47 K9o on K42rQhh3x

21:34 AKo all-in preflop

22:35 KcKx on A54ccxKdd

25:44 Very old $1/$2 hand history: KK on AK3r

http://twitter.com/thirdwalking http://crushlivepoker.com

Third Man Walking No. 120: Big Hands and a Big Mistake Sep 03, 2025

Show notes

Your correspondent watches the 2013 poker-adjacent film “Runner Runner,” then gets put in some tough spots at $5/$5/$10, making (at least) one big mistake along the way.

FORUM DISCUSSION:

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0:15 Making adjustments to online poker with big antes

3:48 Watching “Runner Runner”

7:35 $5/$5/$10 session

7:56 AThh on Q54hxx9cc

10:21 AJo on J42ccxJhhKhhh

16:51 KK (no club) on Q98ccx

18:08 Quads alert! 55 on Q65cxc5ss2x

19:41 AKhh on AQ2xxh4x

20:53 KsKd on Q74dxdJssQx

24:48 Double-board PLO bomb pot! AK54hhxh on ...
Board 1: 874hhx8xKx (so on the river I have KK88A)
Board 2: A43rA8 (so on the river I have AAA44)

http://twitter.com/thirdwalking

http://crushlivepoker.com

Third Man Walking No. 119: The Churn in Private Games Aug 20, 2025

Show notes

Your correspondent reflects on how private games cycle through players, and how public games in LA can compete with those of the private-game world, which offer newer side games. He also muses on a recent experiment that seems to point toward privatization even in tournaments in casinos.

FORUM DISCUSSION:

CLICK HERE

0:15 Scattered thoughts on private games and the way poker is changing
0:37 Derek DelGaudio's "Amoralman"
2:00 The creep of privatization in tournaments
6:16 How private games can cause players to go broke faster (and reflections on the ways the cash-game ecosystem is changing)
17:07 $5/$10 and $5/$5/$10 sessions

18:09 KTo on KJ3r6ssJx

20:25 KhKx on 983hxh

22:24 AJcc on J53ddxTx2ddd

25:01 76hh on J76xcc

29:23 $5/$10/$20 hand: All-in preflop with ATo

http://twitter.com/thirdwalking http://crushlivepoker.com

Third Man Walking No. 118: The Right to be Patient Aug 06, 2025

Show notes

Your correspondent plays a $5/$5/$10 session in which he wonders what to do facing a string bet, then navigates a long card-dead stretch. He also muses about the possibility of playing on stream.

FORUM DISCUSSION:

CLICK HERE

0:15 $5/$5/$10 session (with digressions)
1:26 Limit hold-em vs. no-limit hold-em
4:07 Weird string-bet spot: AJo (no clubs) on A95xccJxTccc

10:19 KsQx on JT2sssAxKx

13:00 Struggling with how to maximize winnings against tighter recreational players

13:45 AxQd on 765dddQx8x

16:17 JTss on T54dxd5x6x

20:31 KK on J74rJhh9x

22:12 KK (again) on T77ddxAxJddd

26:11 9c9x on T53cxcQss5ccc

28:15 The HCL controversy/challenge and thoughts on playing on stream

33:49 KK on 443xcc