Hey...just wanted to introduce myself. I have been a lurker for a very long time, really since almost the beginning of the site. I'm actually such a lurker that I found out about the site from Ice while lurking over at UPF. I have never posted anywhere before, not exactly sure why, partly because I felt I couldn't contribute anything I guess. However, having read your posts for so long, I have come to feel like I actually know some of you...but obviously you have no idea who I am. Well its time to change that, I truly love this community and its time I joined you.

I just wanted to say thank you to iceman and tetsuo for starting this site. I genuinely appreciate how well run the forum is…the lack of bickering, spam, etc is priceless…I know it takes a lot of work. I rarely even bother with any other forums now. I also wanted to thank veteran posters as you have help me tremendously, there are so many of you out there that I’m not going to name names as I would hate to leave anyone out.

Now about me…I started playing poker hardcore in September 2005, having only dabbled casually before that, and like most of you frequently watching it on TV. I began with only $100 and played using a sort of short stack theory buying in for $10 at $25NL tables. I did this as a break-even player while of course collecting a bonus. I didn’t have a good understanding of the game and lost a few buy-ins here and there. I’m a very competitive person and hate to lose. Knowing that poker was a clearly beatable and profit game, I began to go to work. When I really want to excel at something and decide to put my heart into it, I am borderline obsessive compulsive. I read every book I could get my hands on, watched all the DVDs, started using Poker Tracker, read every card player article I could find, and of course poured through plenty of forums.

Slowly but surely I became consistently profitable and worked my way up from $10 buy-ins to $15 to full stack $25. I then moved on to $30 at $50NL, followed by full stacked $50NL and now $100 NL, along the way adding more and more tables. I have never moved up based on bankroll, I just don’t believe that is the best way to do it, but rather based on win rate with a statistically significant number of hands. I believe that there are many lessons to be learned along the way and I continue at each level until I am truly crushing it. I have spent a considerable amount time at $100NL, much longer than necessary, adding more and more tables to my game, while still trying to maintain a high win rate. Previously I always 4 tabled but have increased to 6-8 tables. I also used the large number of hands to analyze my play with PT and plug leaks, actually increasing my BB/100. I’m a TAG and play a prototypical BTP style game. Currently I’m over 7 PTBB playing 6+ tables at $100 NL.

Actually my win rate is much higher over the last 5000 hands, but its not significant enough yet for me to consider that my actual win rate. If I can keep it going over the next 10,000 - 15,000 hands then I’ll really be pleased. If things continue to go well I plan to move to the $200s next month.

I’ve certainly experienced my growing pains along the way and this forum was there for me not just with the skill aspect of the game but with the emotional. Specifically, Ices came at a time when I was also struggling in a similar fashion. It really helped reading about what Ice was going through and hearing your replies to him. Knowing that someone with so much experience, whose game I truly respect, could go through the same issues as me was priceless.

This forum has allowed me fine tune my game, increasing my skill level, and helping handle the emotional aspects of poker. Thanks again to ice, tetsuo and the members of this great forum…no where else is there a group of players so committed to genuinely helping each other learn. It has truly helped me evolve as a player.

Killa Bee

Well that's what I call an introduction, welcome aboard. Now, how in hell do you cope with 8 tables?

How long are the sessions you typically play?

Molina

Killa's out of the closet.

Oops that sounded wrong.

Glad your officially joining. I hope you contribute some as anyone clearing 7PTBB/100 has clearlly got some insight.

Tim

Shadowed homosexual humor... Nutball 8-tabling... You'll fit in just FINE... Welcome aboard...

Fantastic Post MVP.

Though I did catch you saying "I wish I knew how to quit you" to Twelver in the chatbox Friday Night. Very suspicious.

'Fist' is probably censored

Welcome.

I wish my grasp of the english language was good so I could make a humorous comment and you would all love me and want to have a beer with me.

Instead just welcome and you made a good choice to finally come into the warm house of BTP. Now go clean the windows because lurking for 2 years makes them very dirty.

tom