I have a love-hate relationship with poker.
If I had unlimited time and money, there is no question what I’d be doing: playing poker tournaments. It’s one of my biggest passions. The game challenges you mentally, emotionally, and strategically. But it also has the power to beat you down hard when you’re on a losing streak. And that’s exactly what happened to me recently in Las Vegas.
I was pumped to attend a conference in Vegas and even more excited to hit up multiple tournaments. Unfortunately, what followed was quite possibly the worst run of poker I’ve had in my entire career. I didn’t cash once. I didn’t win a single race. And I made mistake after mistake.
But instead of burying the experience, I’m choosing to share it. Not just for transparency, but because failure is a better teacher than success. And I learned a lot. In today’s world, everyone shares the positives, but not enough people shares the lows, the lessons learned the hard way. I want to change that. Had I been thinking I should have recorded everything for a VLOG, but I didn’t do so this time around.
Tournament 1: MGM Grand
Result: Busted out in 10th (1 away from final table)
Lesson: Don’t play when exhausted.
I had just arrived in Vegas after a long travel day and was dealing with a 3-hour time change. It was essentially 2 a.m. for me, and I could barely keep my eyes open. I played poorly and made a few critical mistakes. If you’re not physically ready to play, don’t force it.
Tournament 2: The Orleans
Result: Out in 19th after being massive chip leader
Lesson: Don’t let emotions hijack your game.
An annoying player was trash talking and disrupting the table vibe. Instead of staying focused, I let him get to me. I played recklessly, targeting him, and watched my stack crumble. I busted him out of the tournament once, but once he bought back in, he came back with a vengeance and annoyed me even more. I couldn’t do a repeat. Bring headphones. Block out the noise. Don’t lose your cool. I sure lost my cool.
Tournament 3: Aria
Result: Busted in under an hour
Lesson: Trust your gut.
I flopped a set and still had a feeling my opponent had a straight. I said it out loud, then called his all-in anyway. I was right—and still made the wrong decision. Intuition matters. Listen to it. The desire to prove I was right led me to call him when I knew I shouldn’t have done so. Being right and proving it to yourself and others is arrogant and cost me the tournament.
Tournament 4: Venetian
Result: Out in 23rd place
Lesson: Don’t risk it all if you don’t have to.
I went all-in with QQ pre-flop against an aggressive chip leader. I didn’t need to. I could have played it differently post-flop. This was a bounty tournament—longevity had value. Be patient and pick your spots.
Tournament 5: Aria (again)
Result: Out early with AA
Lesson: Play strong hands strong.
I was in the big blind with pocket aces and decided to get sneaky instead of reraising. Big mistake. Too many callers came along and someone hit a set of 6’s with garbage Q/6 offsuit. Also, don’t play on an empty stomach. I hadn’t eaten all day and was running on fumes, probably leading to me making this and other dumb decisions.
Tournament 6: Horseshoe
Result: Out on the first hand after late reg
Lesson: Don’t buy into cheap tournaments late and short-stacked expecting a miracle. I was stupidly on tilt from the last game and jumped straight into this tournament, which was cheap and attracts a certain kind of player. Even with the best hand pre-flop and on the flop, someone playing trash caught two pair and sent me packing. Don’t play for the sake of playing.
Tournament 7: Venetian
Result: Out in low 20s after 3+ hours
Lesson: Take care of your health.
I played for hours without eating, relying only on energy drinks and alcohol. I started feeling unwell—headaches, eye twitching, and total mental fatigue. I basically threw the tournament away just to get back to my room. Bring glasses for bright lights. Take breaks. Eat real food. In other words, don’t be an idiot.
Tournament 8: Venetian (again)
Result: Out in 27th
Lesson: Stop playing scared.
I folded over 100 hands in a row. I didn’t 3-bet. I gave away tells. I got bluffed constantly and became easy to pick off. I was tilted and predictable. I finally went all in with an open-ended straight flush draw and lost. But the real loss was not playing to win. Early on, I tripled up my stack nicely and pissed it all away playing with a scarcity mindset once two players sat down who I knew were pros. Their presence forced me to change my approach, and I never recovered.
Final Thoughts
This was, without question, the worst poker stretch of my life. No deep runs. No cashes. Just frustration, tilt, and brutal mistakes. But it also gave me clarity.
I had originally booked a return trip to Vegas in June for the WSOP. But after this showing, I had to get real with myself. I’m not ready as of right now. I have since canceled my flight and hotel. Not because I gave up but because I need to get better. I need a break and time to reset.
I’m taking a break from poker—not forever, but for now, for the next little bit. And, ironically, during this stretch of terrible poker (which has been realistically going on for a year now), my business has been thriving. Maybe that’s the universe telling me something.
For now, it’s time to go even more all in—on myself, on my health, and on my business.
Thanks for reading.
— Chris
