What is a muppet?

I would dare say a far amount of poker players were introduced to the game by the tv show Late Night poker, l remember stopping up past midnight just to watch people sit round a table drink alcohol and smoke cigarettes that would leave a haze above the table, its amazing how much times have changed now.

I have always been into cards and the added bonus of playing for cash was another incentive to play, here were people of all ages who could play against each other on a level playing field. I could never ever hope to play Tiger Woods off levels on a golf course and beat him, but put in the same room with Phil Ivey l would at least have a chance.

It was here l would learn the game that l love today. I remember watching Devilfish, Hamish Shah (who is sadly no longer with us) Peter Kosta, Padraig Parkinson, the Boatmans brothers, Jac Arama and the rest. This game looked so easy and it seemed like there was action every hand. I never grasped how long the game took. It was only when l started playing that l found the game much different to the one l watched on tv.

After watching the poker l decided to go onto the next step and download a site and the fact l gambled on ladbrokes made that choice pretty easy. Now here l was ready to play, how hard could it be, not hard only days ago l was shouting at Simon Trumper to go all-in and win the pot and telling Lucy Rokash she should fold her tens.

With download now complete l stared at the vast amount of games and with the $50 l put in there to play with l was ready to make money. No need to bother with play money that's for babies or so l thought and any way why should l was going to clean up on the MTT. Not sure what the first games l played something like $10 NL with about 70 runners and l lasted about six minutes(no sexual jokes please).

Never mind l shall win the next one, it was all too easy another game, another game, out of one into another. The trouble was l really did think these games lasted about an hour. My $50 had gone in the first few hours. No problem Rome was not built in a day, just shift another $50 from sports.

After losing that and getting nowhere it was then that l had what l call my defining moment in poker, it was one afternoon and l was doing ok, l was sat at the same table as Aj (Action Jackson) now l only had been playing laddies for a week you hear people talking and he was the one they talked about the most.

I think the hand went something like this, he made a big bet and l called with kd 8d and hit bottom pair with a diamond on the flop, on the turn another diamond came down he bet again and l called, on the river another diamond came giving me a flush. He fired again and this time l and went all-in he called and showed a set of aces.

His legions of followers on the rail were calling me names like muppet. Muppet i thought what the fecks a muppet? of course l was soon to find out. In fairness he took it well asked me if l thought l was ahead at any stage to which l replied "to tell you the truth i was not sure". To which the rail were in full flow. It's pretty hard to concentrate when you have people calling you names and you trying your best to fire back. Its one thing l hate about online poker the railers who just sit there and abuse people because of their play. Anyway back to the question and at the time l thought what a stupid question to ask, l won the hand didn't l and that's all that matters.

I had crippled him and he was now short stacked but in no time at all he built it up again and about 15 minutes later it was him that knocked me out. Much to the amusement of his fans. It was there that I decided to watch him play and see how he done it, if he was the best, why not learn from him.

So for the next month or so that's what l did, just logged on and watched him and other great players like Micky147, Decision, Salmonaysta, Sealey, Red Dog. I would ask Aj questions and he would answer them no problem, despite playing what appeared to be 10 games and answering questions from others as well.

They all played the game differently this was so much different from late night poker, sometimes not playing a hand for ages then picking their spots. The cream would always rise to the top and of course they would often get that thing you need alone the way LUCK.

I was learning and found l needed to wait, be patient no need to dive in straight away, l would play a couple of tables maybe three but that would be all l would be prepared to play. Sometimes not playing a hand and in a way l feel l became too tight but I was getting better l had made a couple of final tables, it was still costing me a fortune but l was now into playing STT which was helping me fund my new expensive habit.

Not long after l won my first MTT in a field of about 40 runners, not many but that never mattered, l had won one and was on my way. Over the months l was making the weekly free roll, never getting anywhere but making it.

Since those early days of playing, l now play cash and when ever possible play live that is a whole new ball game from playing online.

One thing l have learned is one game is never the same, you can never take anything for granted but it's still a game that captures your heart and pulls you in and along the way you can have a good laugh. There is no right or wrong way to play poker, you pay your money and take your chance.