Nearly two years ago, Jason Mercier was one of my last regular interviews at PokerCurious.com. The then twenty-three-year-old poker pro exuded confidence that comes from remarkable success at a young age. In his short poker career he has live poker winnings surpassing $7.8 million, two World Series bracelets, and tremendous online results. In the months after our interview, Jason would ascend the very heights of tournament poker to become the top ranked player in the world according to the Global Poker Index, where he sits to this day. Despite still being ranked #1 in the world, he has suffered through a tough 2012 where I suspect his tournament earnings of roughly $265k don't come close to meeting his tournament buyins and expenses.

On Twitter where I am one of his more than 50,000 followers, Jason enjoys sharing his views and results often in a very tongue in cheek manner. Poker fans are fascinated to gain access to his thoughts. He has mastered the use of hashtags for humor, employing #whenwillitend #justbadluck #anotherdayattheoffice and #RAGINGTILT on numerous occasions. In August, tucked between his usual tournament updates, watching his Twitter feed has been revealing as to his current frustrations.

@Jason Mercier - Left my laptop on the plane when I arrived in Amsterdam. Now I'm on absolute #RAGINGTILT

@Jason Mercier - I think Baseball is the most like poker outta all the pro sports. Theres so much variance n the best players dont always have the best stats

@Jason Mercier - Really over the ridiculous losses, beats, and #justbadluck that I have experienced at every single point in this wonderful year of 2012

@Jason Mercier - Aight it's about time I flame @annieduke and @jeffreypollack for their absolute criminal actions involving epic poker league. Pay ur debts

@Jason Mercier - ... When's the million $ freeroll. O wait its never going to happen n u are never going to pay the ppl u scummed. @annieduke @jeffreypollack

@Jason Mercier - And why have u not been tweeting cowards? Tell us it will work out n then disappear. Guess it runs in the family @annieduke @jeffreypollack

@Jason Mercier - I've bit my tongue not wanting to burn bridges in the hopes that maybe they would salvage the company that they lit on fire. Screw that now

@Jason Mercier - Nevermind I'm out. Lose massive flip to chewy for a big stack. Turbos tomorrow Really over it. Roi

@Jason Mercier - Retweet if u think adz should get booted from the entire poker community... #whyisheevenhere

@Jason Mercier - I am very fortunate to be where I am today in poker.... This I know. However, this year has been unbearable. Almost any pro poker player...

@Jason Mercier - ... Would be completely broke if they ran like I have run this year.

@Jason Mercier - Someone please send me like 50-100k on stars ... I'll let u buy a piece of me in the 1k/2k o8 game lol

@Jason Mercier - I don't really like getting lectured by complete scumbags ... Plz refrain from giving me life advice if u have f***ed over 1 of my friends

@Jason Mercier - After a 15 hour nap... I kinda still feel like sleeping

While taken out of context any individual tweet can be misleading, one can sense Jason's level of consternation growing. Who knows if Jason's 2012 results are due to bad luck, poor play or some cosmic reverting to the mean. If you've ever envied Jason or dreamed of reaching his elevated levels of success, you can now see that even the top ranked tournament poker player in the world can have bad days, weeks, months and even a miserable year at the poker tables. Jason can only wonder #whenwillitend.

Whether you are sitting at the poker table where you've been taunted/provoked by an obnoxious opponent who then two outs you for a massive pot or suffered from a range of minor or major injustices away from the table, how you react remains your choice. How we react to our various frustrations and disappointments defines our very being and often contributes heavily to the environment we live in. As someone who has never thrown a punch or emphasized anger and retribution I've always sought a seemingly more passive solution, but one that requires more creativity and compromise to overcome or reframe the obstacle. My approach was influenced and reinforced by two men.

Twenty five years ago, I took a college seminar called "The Politics and Philosophy of Nonviolence." The class focused exclusively on the extensive writings and lives of Mahatma Gandhi and Martin Luther King Jr. In the face of tremendous societal inequity and political injustice, each sought a path of peace and nonviolence.

Mahatma Gandhi was born in Gujarat, India in 1869. He trained in law in London and fought for people's rights for twenty years in South Africa and for another thirty monumental years in India before passing away in 1948 at 78. Martin Luther King Jr. was born in Atlanta, Georgia in 1929. He studied at Morehouse College, Crozer Theological Seminary, and Boston University receiving his Doctor of Philosophy before becoming a renowned civil rights activist. MLK jr. acknowledged the deep influence of non-violent activism even visiting Gandhi's birthplace in India in 1959. MLK jr. was assassinated in 1968 but not before heavily advancing the civil rights cause for millions in the United States.

Although they lived in different eras and experienced different conditions and challenges, they produced surprisingly parallel progressive policies for how to face those obstacles (both inner and external). From their voluminous thoughts and writings, I've selected a few paired quotes that demonstrate their similarity of suggestion that you can use your heart and mind to combat tyranny and injustice no matter how big or small.

You must be the change you wish to see in the world. - Mahatma Gandhi

An individual has not started living until he can rise above the narrow confines of his individualistic concerns to the broader concerns of all humanity. - Martin Luther King Jr.

An error does not become truth by reason of multiplied propagation, nor does truth become error because nobody sees it. - Mahatma Gandhi

The only person you have to be right with is yourself. - Martin Luther King Jr.

Live as if you were to die tomorrow. Learn as if you were to live forever. - Mahatma Gandhi

A man who won't die for something is not fit to live - Martin Luther King, Jr.

An eye for an eye only ends up making the whole world blind. - Mahatma Gandhi

I have decided to stick with love. Hate is too great a burden to bear. - Martin Luther King Jr.

Action expresses priorities. - Mahatma Gandhi

Love is the only force capable of transforming an enemy into friend. - Martin Luther King Jr.

A 'No' uttered from the deepest conviction is better than a 'Yes' merely uttered to please, or worse, to avoid trouble. - Mahatma Gandhi

Nonviolence means avoiding not only external physical violence but also internal violence of spirit. You not only refuse to shoot a man, but you refuse to hate him. - Martin Luther King Jr.

Nobody can hurt me without my permission. - Mahatma Gandhi

A man can't ride your back unless it's bent. - Martin Luther King Jr.

All compromise is based on give and take, but there can be no give and take on fundamentals. Any compromise on mere fundamentals is a surrender. For it is all give and no take. - Mahatma Gandhi

Injustice anywhere is a threat to justice everywhere. - Martin Luther King Jr.

As human beings, our greatness lies not so much in being able to remake the world - that is the myth of the atomic age - as in being able to remake ourselves. - Mahatma Gandhi

Nonviolence is a powerful and just weapon. which cuts without wounding and ennobles the man who wields it. It is a sword that heals. - Martin Luther King Jr.

This Saturday August 18th begins a new season of the English Premier League. As you know, I really enjoyed my first season playing Fantasy Premier League (12 Things I Learned) and I'm back for a second go. Chris "CashOutCasssius" Weldon has set up a new private league and we are looking for some new players to join us.

As incentive for those select few up for the challenge of a 9 month season of fantasy soccer/football, I thought I would share some thoughts and resources that may help you prosper. I'm assuming the audience who might play understands the basics of fantasy football where you select 15 players with your £100m budget and score points based off their performance.

1. Strategy - Much like poker, there are many ways to approach selecting your team and managing your budget. With 20 teams and well over 400 players, the myriad of combinations are nearly endless. With one weekly transfer allowed without penalty, and additional transfers at 4 points each, your team shouldn't remain static. Your team will suffer if you aren't continually adjusting it in the face of changing player form and injury, player value and rotation. Last year I used my flexible wildcard to do a complete makeover of my team quite early when things started off quite poorly. This year I hope to keep the wildcard for later in the season take advantage of possible double gameweeks or later season considerations. Different approaches are healthy to consider but must be regularly re-evaluated as the season progresses.

2. Loyalty to results, not players - One of the strong lessons I learned last year was to abandon previous team and player preferences rather basing my choices on more objective performance statistics. Being too loyal or stubborn due to personal likes and dislikes can seriously harm your results.

3. Pick Likely Starters - Only players who are playing score points, so it's very important to pick players who play regularly. There are lots of great players who only play occasionally, often because they are on stacked big club rosters so they won't score you points regularly enough to warrant their inclusion. That includes your intended subs, who may be subbed in if your selected starters don't play.

4. Rotation - One successful method of player management is to establish a rotation of players rather than relying on singular top players. Because almost all teams and players perform better in home matches, that is a key part of your strategy to select your starters from those who are playing at home or against weak opponents. Advanced players learn to set up calculated alternating rotations of players (e.g. goalkeepers, defense etc.)

5. Invest where the points are - Looking at the historical numbers, the top midfielders and forwards score more in the FPL point scheme than top defenders and goalkeepers, so it makes sense to invest more of your budget on those players who have a greater likelihood of scoring more.

6. Plan ahead - Much like chess, planning several weeks and moves ahead can help your team. I looked at the first 5-6 weeks of match-ups before determining my initial team, trying to factor in some of the anticipated transfers and budget considerations during that time. I notice other players often only look at an absolute player's quality, but not enough on their game location and opponent quality.

7. Captaincy - Although I feel the weight of a captain's score being doubled is too great, it forces you to manage your team accordingly. You must select that player who you think will scored the highest that week if you are to do well. So last season, anyone who didn't have runaway top goal scorer Robin Van Persie for most of the season greatly suffered. Sometimes it makes your team less creative and fun, but those are the rules we play by.

8. Be flexible - Both before the season and during the January trading window, it is necessary to watch closely who comes and goes from clubs. For instance, Wayne Rooney has been a top performer for Manchester United for years, but if the rumored Robin Van Persie move occurs it could have significant effect on both Arsenal and Man United fantasy player results.

There are many other tips to help you excel in fantasy football, but probably the best I can share is to utilize the expertise and insight of those even more passionate than yourself. There are a number of good sites that focus on different aspects of the fantasy football experience. I visit them regularly to read their thoughts and those of their passionate members who constantly discuss the best moves to make as the season progresses.

http://www.fantasyfootballscout.co.uk - Best articles and comment suggestions for fantasy football purists

http://www.whoscored.com - Strong EPL football statistics site

http://www.totalfpl.com/ - Good consolidated news source and player valuation movements

http://www.fiso.co.uk/crackthecode.php - Best site to view player valuation upcoming changes

http://www.101greatgoals.com - Great source to see goal and game video highlights quickly

http://premierleaguefantasy.blogspot.ca - Solid fantasy football analysis blog

http://www.fantasygaffer.com - Solid fantasy football analysis blog

http://www.zonalmarking.net - Solid fantasy football analysis blog

http://www.nevermanagealone.com/ - Solid fantasy football analysis blog

http://www.fantasyfootballgeek.co.uk - Solid fantasy football analysis blog

Good luck this season. I hope to see a few of you join our CardRunners league and engage in some friendly banter and team support.

Over the last year, I've really enjoyed watching the first two seasons of George R.R. Martin's Game of Thrones. In addition to the beautiful sets, plentiful action and intrigue there are a vast array of interesting characters, many of whom are wonderfully complex.

Having noticed my hours streaming the show on my computer, my wife got me the first two books for Father's Day. While the show is very consistent and true to the books, a 10 hour/episode season can't go into the same detail that the book can. It has been interesting reading for the additional information and details, despite knowing the upcoming plot turns.

Reading the book has also reminded me of some of the wonderfully philosophical quotes. As I am want to do, I thought it would be fun to pick out a few quotes and apply them to the poker world.

"A mind needs books as a sword needs a whetstone, if it is to keep its edge." - You can never stop learning the game or risk becoming dull and falling behind.

"Never forget what you are, for surely the world will not. Make it your strength. Then it can never be your weakness. Armour yourself in it, and it will never be used to hurt you." - Everyone has their particular strengths and weaknesses as a player. Learn yours and embrace them so others won't take advantage of you.

"Can a man still be brave if he's afraid?" Response - "That is the only time a man can be brave"- Only by acknowledging and rising above our fears can we reach our goals.

"Fear cuts deeper than swords." - Doubting yourself will undo many strengths. Don't worry about the future, simply live it to your best.

"Laughter is poison to fear." - The ability to not take everything so seriously can weaken your fear.

"The things we love destroy us every time, lad. Remember that." - Being consumed by the game (i.e. lacking balance) can bring on your downfall.

"Every flight begins with a fall." - Nothing ventured, nothing gained. You must risk to achieve. All worthwhile living requires a reasonable leap of faith.

"If a man paints a target on his chest, he should expect that sooner or later someone will loose an arrow on him." - He who asks for attention at the table, shouldn't be surprised by any attention he receives. Craft your table and life image accordingly.

"You wear your honor like a suit of armor...You think it keeps you safe, but all it does is weigh you down and make it hard for you to move." - One must be adaptable to your circumstances. Holding onto some preconceived notion too long will harm your play.

"When you play the game of thrones, you win or you die. There is no middle ground." - To compete and succeed at the highest levels you must fully commit yourselves and understand the possible consequences.

***Update***

After I posted the link to my blog on Twitter, Mike @QuantPoker Stein set off a humorous exchange where he said "A Lederer always pays his debts (er, wait...)" leading to a decidedly less serious approach:

#GameOfThronesPokerQuotes

- FTP payment is coming!

- Vall-in morghulis ["all donks must bust", High Valyrian]

- When you play the game of poker, you win or go broke. There is no middle ground.

- Phil Ivey's stares cut deeper than swords

- I'm not questioning your winrate. I'm denying its existence.

- The poker gods have no mercy, that's why they're gods.

- Those are brave men challenging me to heads-up. Let's go take all their money!

- A Dothraki cash game without at least three straddles is considered a dull affair.

- Jaime: Three victories don't make you a winning player. Robb: It's better than three defeats.

- You think my life is such a precious thing to me, that I would trade my honor to improve my ROI?

- Shaggar: How would you like to die? Tyrion: In my own bed, at the age of 80, with a few WSOP bracelets

- Possession is an abstract concept. I may have gone broke, but they can't take away my 5 star Sharkscope rating

- Nanny: I know a bad beat story. Bran: I hate your stories. Nanny: I know a story about a boy who hated stories.

I'm back; both from my longest blog break in years (3 weeks) and my family vacation trip out east which took up most of it. As usual I took my laptop along, but in a first in years I didn't open it once for work. Even when I used my smartphone to try to stay connected, many of our destinations didn't receive regular or reliable reception so I accepted and embraced the idea that my time was meant for family exclusively.

We covered a lot of ground, flying from Portland to Philly on our way to Spring Lake on the Jersey Shore. We then visited Short Hills, New Jersey. We next drove down to Charlottesville, Virginia on our way to pick up our daughter in Winston-Salem, North Carolina. We drove back to Charlottesville before heading to Williamsburg, Virginia for a few days. The last few days were spent in Charlottesville before flying out of Richmond back to home. The family get-togethers were wonderful and chaotic as only can be expected when three generations of a family of 15-17 people gather.

After a long busy day yesterday of unpacking, cleaning, mail/bills, shopping, mowing, laundry, watering etc., I was ready to re-integrate myself into the connected online world. And what a day it was with the major announcement of a resolution for Full Tilt Poker and PokerStars in their indictments with the U.S. Department of Justice.

After many twists, turns and delays, PokerStars shrewdly negotiated to assume the Full Tilt ROW assets and liabilities as part of their settlement. The goodwill that move created along with paying a sizable $574 million DOJ fine that U.S. players will be able to access for reimbursement is a large boon for the long suffering poker community.

Some initial thoughts as we move forward:

Petition for Remission - It sounds ominous, doesn't it? Unlike "rest of world" players who will get their funds back within 90 days or U.S. PokerStars players who saw their funds returned swiftly in the aftermath of Black Friday, U.S. players "shall have the opportunity to file a petition for remission with the U.S. Department of Justice, Asset Forfeiture Money Laundering Service (AFMLS)."How delayed and cumbersome will the DOJ process be? Will there be declaration, verification or tax implications that some players might fear?

Shot in the Arm - Will the collective $335 million that PokerStars and the DOJ, in theory, redistribute to the poker community on behalf of Full Tilt Poker be a big boost to the overall online poker economy? Will players re-invest those funds in the new Full Tilt Poker or its parent site PokerStars? Will a trickle down occur for affiliates and other sites that formerly depended on the relationships between marketing and recruiting players to sites return?

The Principles - While the August 1 announcement brings to a close the civil proceedings against Full Tilt Poker and PokerStars, it doesn't address the individual criminal and civil complaints against the principals from Full Tilt and PokerStars who were responsible for putting their companies and their assets in harm's way. What will happen to Full Tilt's Ray Bitar, Chris Ferguson, Howard Lederer, Rafe Furst, and Nelson Burtnick or PokerStars' Isai Scheinberg and Paul Tate? Does the public care much what happens to them comfortable in the knowledge that they will be getting back their own funds?

Where do we go from here? U.S. poker players remain unable to play fully legal online poker in the U.S. Many established online poker pros have relocated and remain uncertain about their future. While there are both state and federal initiatives pending, hard timetables or secure concepts of fully licensed and regulated open online poker for U.S. players remains elusive. The European poker market is increasingly balkanized as individual states legislate and regulate online poker. Some recent discussions between Italy, France, Spain and Portugal regarding cross-border co-operation leading to possible shared liquidity is somewhat encouraging.

Short term, the reintroduction of hundreds of millions into the poker economy should come as welcome news, but the long term health and viability of online poker continues to be in doubt. As Isai Scheinberg indicated earlier today "We continue to encourage jurisdictions all over the world to introduce sensible online poker regulation." Long term, jurisdictions that are mindful of protecting players while developing steady growing taxable revenue will want to prioritize security and the inclusive customer experience.

Imagine your estranged adult son suddenly dies at the beginning of his latest European adventure. You halt your busy work life to bring his remains home. Arriving in the Pyrenees of France, you are informed of the historic 500 mile "El camino de Santiago" pilgrimage he had intended to walk that retraces the steps that Saint James took hundreds of years earlier. In honor of your son, you pick up his ashes and choose to embark on his journey. That is the premise of the inspirational 2010 movie "The Way" that I watched this weekend. It stars Martin Sheen as the father and was written and directed by his son Emilio Estevez.

Watching the movie play out, I saw so many parallels with the poker journey. Martin Sheen's character, Tom, was a very inexperienced trekker, but he had a strong and sincere desire to take this particular journey. He didn't really know where his journey would take him, but his drive and passion pushed him forward overcoming his various obstacles. Along the way, he encounters many people who are taking the journey each for their own motivations. Some seek penance, some solace, some meaning, and some to find a new identity. He finds some connection and commonality with fellow pilgrims, each of whom is struggling in some fashion. Their journey is made richer by the bonds they make along the way.

During the many adventures and meals that ensue, each are asked why they have made certain decisions. The characters often rationalize that they chose their life and thus must live with its consequences. The film's answer is that life is to be lived, not chosen. It is never too late to take a different path.

As they end their journey on the Atlantic ocean of Spain some of the characters achieve their goals while others do not, but all are changed and touched by having taken the journey. Each of us in our own way is on a quest to find meaning in our lives. No matter how insulated we feel or live, we are and can be citizens of the world with all its richness of offerings. Go out there and live it.

This past week I was consumed with refinishing my aged deck. It involved many hours and days power washing, sanding, extensive priming and two coats of hand painted redwood finish. It looks great now, but as a result of my long hours toiling I didn't find the time or energy for my weekly blog. So here is this week's blog a bit early.


Padraig Parkinson mentioned on his @padraig888 Twitter feed recently "Those contemplating suicide after a month in Vegas have been advised to do nothing hasty until after they see how they do in main event."

The experienced Irish poker pro is known for his witty, humorous and sarcastic tweets. In this particular tweet he captured the ultimate reality of poker. Most players will find disappointment, but as long as there is another tournament they will hold out hope for that elusive big result.

Each year the World Series of Poker serves as a microcosm of society. Roughly 95% of the poker players will either lose money or fall short of their lofty goals. They all arrive with high hopes and grand plans. In preparation, many worked hard on their games and sacrificed for the opportunity to play. And yet most will face what I call the culture of disappointment. Exerting time, energy and resources only to find a less than satisfactory result. They aren't alone.

Throughout society, we encounter disappointment constantly.

- We don't get the score on a test we desired.
- We are disappointed in a relationship.
- We get cut by some sports team.
- We work for six months on a business project only for it to be shelved or negated.

Everywhere we turn our dreams are dashed. Whether it's justified or not, the disappointments keep coming.

Whole cottage industries have been created to fight the perceptions of mass disillusionment. Motivational speakers, inspirational quotes, highly positive advertising and marketing, along with highly promoting the few that enjoy high levels of success all go to combat the inevitable let down of our disappointments.

- You can do anything you put your mind to. Study harder and you'll do better next time.
- It was them, not you. There are other fish in the sea. You will find someone better.
- There are other teams and coaches. Push harder. Strengthen your weaknesses.
- You can only control the quality of your work, not how it's received. Do your best and you will be rewarded.

It is true that our reactions to these innumerable challenges and disappointments defines our lives. Look around and you see the signs of those who give up. They start settling. They stop taking risks. They look to escape. They move on to other interests or occupations.

It is no different for poker players. Facing the seemingly inevitable culture of disappointment, poker players will lose the motivation to keep working on their game. They will play less. Blame others more. Their moods are more sullen and resigned. They might walk away altogether.

With the lure of the WSOP and provided they can scare up the funds, they will be back again next year to seek their fame and fortune. As long as there are the elusive payoffs and glittery bracelets, they will chase again and most likely be let down again. It's a familiar cycle.

The limited advice I would offer would be to reframe your experiences so they can be a positive for your no matter what. If you grow stronger in each step of the journey you take, then it doesn't really matter that you end up somewhere different than you initially planned.

1. Don't be afraid to feel. Keeping it all bottled up can do you a disservice. Find ways to vent through exercise, punching bag, yelling in a private space. Don't succumb to taking it out on others, whether you think they deserve it or not (e.g @adzizzy's Twitter breakup rage)
2. No disappointment is a dead end. Scan to see how you can react best to your temporary setback. Feeling sorry for yourself won't help you find a solution to your current situation.
2. Learn to accept the inevitable. Most athletes don't go pro. Good workers can be fired. Most people don't cash in poker tournaments.
4. Return to your core values. Who are you? What are your true priorities in life? Does this disappointment really shake the foundation of your being, or is it simply an opportunity to move in a new direction?

I know of so many people who grew from their time in poker. Many have leveraged that experience to new ventures and interests. In taking their time in poker as seriously and productive as possible, they can now apply that experience and increased skill set to new challenges. For those fortunate enough to make their long term living from the game, I applaud you. Whether by skill or good fortune, it can be a great ride. For me, I would rather that you be true to yourself and respect the people and world you live in than wish you any particular poker success. That doesn't mean I won't be there virtually rooting for you next week in the Main Event. I still subscribe to the notable quote, "To dream is to live life's full potential."

With 35 of roughly 60 tournaments having been played in the 2012 World Series Of Poker, Phil Ivey making his fifth final table has brought a heap of press, adoration and wonderment his way. Despite that, he exits quietly out a side entrance from the Rio to his private trailer avoiding the public and any interview requests. Ivey is currently first in the Bluff/WSOP Player of the Year race and has over $500,000 in cashes so far. Despite that, I assert he would give it all up if only he could close one out. Because that's what drives Ivey, winning, and he hasn't won yet this year.

The poker world has missed the "best poker player in the world" this past year, much like the PGA suffers when Tiger Woods doesn't compete regularly. Ivey skipped the 2011 WSOP after issuing his famous proclamation "I do not believe it is fair that I compete when others cannot... until a [Full Tilt Poker] solution is reached that cements the security of all players, both US and International, I will, as I have for the last six weeks, dedicate the entirety of my time and efforts to finding a solution for those who have been wronged by the painfully slow process of repayment."

A year later Ivey seems to be focused and determined to make up for lost time in the tournament world. He currently has eight WSOP bracelets to his name, but aspires to win 30 WSOP bracelets by the time he's done with poker. All of his prior bracelets were in relatively smaller field non-hold'em events and while going very deep in large field hold'em events before he has yet to finish on top.

Unlike most players, the money in most WSOP tournaments doesn't motivate Ivey as he can win or lose hundreds of thousands every single night he plays his favored high stakes cash games. To aid his tournament motivation, he often has multiple prop bets/bracelet bets with top players that can dwarf the tournament payouts. The one tournament that I thought would get Ivey's juices flowing is the upcoming $1 million buy-in One Drop event. With a likely sellout of 48 players it would provide the biggest tournament winning payday of over $15 million. Surprisingly, Ivey has chosen not to enter the attention grabbing charity event as of yet.

Everyone admits that Phil Ivey has a mystique about him. He doesn't act like any other highly successful player. He shuns the spotlight and spends most of his time away from the regular poker circles. He seems equally inaccessible both at and away from the poker table. His opponents admit they rarely can pick up any helpful read of his notorious poker face.

On Twitter, @philivey has maintained his aloof approach despite having over 107k followers. He has never bothered to tweet much of interest to his adoring fans. Suddenly this WSOP, the near dormant account started tweeting very generic positive tweets that couldn't sound any more polar opposite to what Ivey would genuinely tweet. People quickly figured someone had been hired to help improve Ivey's PR. Then in a stroke of comic genius on Wednesday Tony "Bond_18" Dunst began a satirical response themed #RealIveyTweets that caught on with poker's elite providing more realistic but hilarious Ivey tweets.

@Bond_18 - "40 min late to my day 3 restart cause being on time is for bitches and mortals"
@Doc_Sands - Some kid whose name might have been Tom asked me to swap in the One Drop. I considered offering 2% of me for 4% of him as a favor
@Doc_Sands - But decided to take the high road and act like I didn't know what swapping was. I think he actually believe me.
@Bond_18 - "Can't believe I forgot to invite my boy Ray Davis to the club last night...PSYCH"
@realcharder30 - at another final table with 8 dudes I have never seen before
@AlCantHang - I won't play in the WSOP until FTP player funds are returned.
@MikeMcDonald89 - "Everyone registering for onedrop mentions how its for such a good cause. Thanks for the support"
@Bond_18 - "I feel like the best place for this huge wad of 100's is on the floor next to my foot."
@MarcKaram - It's so funny watching humans play poker.
@MikeMcDonald89 - Wondering what's my secret? My Klipsch headphones broke 12 days ago and I really don't want to have to talk to any of you
@ScottBHuff - "You may have seen that one painting of me at a final table. It's called "The Last Supper""
@PokerSmell - I'm glad I'm the only one who understands quadruple inverse exponential pot odds. #TheSecretToPoker
@Bond_18 - "Can't wait to win this bracelet so I can attach it to a fishing line and lead @phil_hellmuth around wherever I want"
@RealKidPoker - Yo, anyone looking to do a 100% cross book in the One Drop DM me #sellingpiecesisforpussies
@coryalbertson - Just saw my maid at a BMW dealership. Must have lost a 100k chip in a couch cushion.
@RealKidPoker - Seems like it makes sense for the One Drop to be winner take all.
@Haley_Hintze - If the Rio would just put a craps table next to the ESPN stage, they'd get more of my action.
@KristyArnett - I'm really sick of the creepy Asian girl who always tells her camera guy to film me.
@MikeMcDonald89 - Its been 9 years since I let Greg Moneymaker hit that ace on the river and you guys still think anyone can win
@BryanMicon - Oh that's cute, you use ranges. I just know what you have.
@FrankRusnak - The only flip I've ever lost was to my ex wife. #tosoon?
@GaryWise1 - Meh, let it ride on black five times, I guess. What's the 5 o'clock?
@WiltOnTilt - Only mistake I ever made in a poker hand was thinking I might be wrong about what you had, when I was really right all along
@scott_seiver - I love gummy worms. #oldReferences
@WriterJen - I love the poker media and can't wait for my next interview.
@_tizzle - Its nice of OneDrop to create a million dollar buyin tournament just for me so I can meet my alimony payments requirements
@MikeMcDonald89 - The 2 months of the year that most affect my bottom line are almost over.... #NbaPlayoffsOfCourse
@arfarfhowl - Played some golf with Patrick Antonio and Dur Dwan today. Let's just say we won't be swinging clubs together anytime soon.
@golferjosh - Listen, go interview that other Phil guy, he won a bracelet, right? I don't take breaks. I only got9bbs in that other event

So far Ivey's reticence to engage his fans and the media hasn't hurt his image. It may be the singular focus he needs to keep final tabling so many WSOP events, but until he wins some more bracelets he won't be satisfied with the hoopla his every move brings. Time to win another bracelet, Phil.

For any old school poker railbird, last Sunday was a fun night. Streaming live on WSOP.com were Phil Hellmuth going for his 12th bracelet and Phil Ivey, who was absent for last year's entire WSOP, going for his 9th bracelet in simulataneous events. What drives fans of poker are when big name pros go deep, adding drama to the event's conclusion regardless if you root for or against the particular pro. Although I bounced between the two streams, Ivey's table held more interest for me because it was loaded with established pros like Shaun Deeb, Hoyt Corkins, Matthew Marafioti, Ali Eslami and eventual winner Andy Frankenberger.

As the nearly live streaming coverage doesn't reveal the hole cards, much of the action and drama is provided by the commentary team. Host David Tuchman typically invites a number of the young lions of poker to help contribute analysis for the viewers. On this night, he was at a wedding and Bart Hanson hosted Ivey's Pot Limit Hold'em final table with poker pros Tom Marchese and David Sands.

I usually find the commentary quite informative, as Tuchman or in this case Hanson elicits stories and strategy insight from his guest poker pro commentators. On this night, I found the commentary took on an overly negative tone. Both Tom and David found continual fault with most plays at the table, including Ivey. They derided what they saw as the overall passivity of the table. Any limp or check/call was dismissed despite its usefulness with certain stack sizes and blind structure. Unlike most other final table commentary I've seen this year, I found it so unbalanced and distracting, taking away from the listening experience.

Every day I read hundreds or thousands of top poker players tweets. I've been part of a respected poker training community for the past six years and for several years wrote in the industry. The Sunday poker commentary tone reminded me of what I call the hubris of the mighty. A certain breed of young, serious and successful poker players convince themselves there is only one way to play winning poker and then denigrate any player or play that deviates from those commonly accepted methods. I understand that these players have worked very hard to improve their games and play poker as optimally as possible, but in my personal experience observing the poker world the last 6-7 years, I've found that there are many attributes that contribute to being a winning player; strategy, discipline, adaption, reading opponents and a certain amount of luck regardless. Just this year, I've read or heard comments from the likes of bracelet winners Brian Hastings and Matt Matros that gave tremendous credit to the notion of "running well" (read luck) to take down their victories.

Put another way by former online cash game legend and repeated WSOP attention magnet, Prahlad Friedman, known for deep runs, questionable raps, and his encounters with volatile players "Poker is more luck then pros think and more skill than non pros think."

In the absence of hole cards and highly edited action and analysis I really appreciate the speculative analysis that the poker pros do on the WSOP broadcasts, but after watching Sunday night's broadcast I would urge them to take a more balanced tone when evaluating the play at the table. There is no one way to win at poker. Each must forge their own path.

Every summer thousands flock to Las Vegas to play in the world's largest poker tournament series - the World Series of Poker. Roughly 60 bracelet events are run over six weeks with constant side satellites, tournaments and cash games running in the cavernous Rio convention rooms. It makes for a major logistical challenge each year with all the various moving parts. Inevitably glitches and errors occur that the staff try to correct, sometimes unevenly.

What shouldn't be a major challenge is how the players are communicated with and treated. The players are the lifeblood of the events as they put up all the money for events that Caesars profits off. Demanding or not, their issues should be paramount. Systems for player feedback have been implemented in the past (e.g. Player Advisory Committee), but after the latest debacles at the 2012 WSOP (e.g. uneven implementation of a new forced verbalization of all actions at final tables, the official @WSOP Twitter account retweeting [*read endorsing] a prominent player, active critic, and near recent bracelet winner a "the only one who cries all day every day....a complete bitch") it seems time to revisit some solid public relations and customer service advice from which the WSOP could benefit.

Manage Change - Every year, the WSOP makes adjustments to events offered and rules of play. I appreciate that people appreciate the familiar and can be resistant to change, but I firmly believe it's more a matter of communicating more effectively to your customers. The WSOP established a player committee to gain feedback, so there is no excuse for new rules and major changes not to be vetted by the committee first. Secondly, in today's day and age, the WSOP should have the email address for ever player who has played before. A detailed email should be sent in advance of the series that clearly points out any changes to the rules, with a reasonable explanation for the motivation for the change. Players aren't stupid. They can see through PR spin. If you are attempting to increase revenue, state that. If you are trying to increase TV ratings for the benefit of the WSOP, state that. So many companies fail miserably when raising prices because they don't give their customers a reasonable explanation. Explain how you plan to offer more value with your new revenue. Customers are usually preoccupied with their own lives and limited perspectives, so sharing information about the context of your business helps them understand why you are making the changes you are.

Consistency - One of the greatest strengths that a company can have is consistency of message, whether it be in their product or their customer service. Customers are quick to notice inconsistencies in your message. If for several years you don't want players talking and celebrating, then you switch around and encourage talk and celebration, it is confusing to players. Players want to understand your position on the major issues. They resent the appearance of flippant or punitive changes.

The Voice of Dissent - Poker players, especially with the relative ease and distance of Twitter, relish voicing dissent and complaint. Some players are more vocal and less respectful than others, but if their gripes are legitimate it is highly dangerous to demonize any dissenting viewpoint. What people often don't realize is that for every dissenting voice that chooses to speak up and voice their displeasure, there can by dozens, hundreds or thousands that share the same perspective but who never make the effort to speak up. The vocal few may be a pain in your side as they hurl insults and criticism along with their legitimate grievances, but it is your task to shield your personal frustration and focus on the core of their message that affects your product and company. Deal with the substance of their message, respectfully respond, and urge them to keep the discourse at a higher level so you can more effectively manage their issues. The intensity of reaction is usually a result of a cumulative build up of unaddressed issues.

We All Make Mistakes - No event as complicated as the WSOP can go off without numerous errors. When mistakes happen, accept responsibility. Remove your ego. Apologize quickly. Do your best to explain the context and circumstances and what you are doing to rectify the situation. Own up to your error and apologize, don't just make excuses. People have a tremendous capacity for forgiveness and second chances if they see acceptable signs of contrition.

*Note - Monday evening Seth Palansky under his @WSOPRGUY moniker tweeted "Sorry for the offensive RT/language on @WSOP account. It was wrong & a bad moment. Love the WSOP & the players. Sorry for damage done. Going forward the @WSOP account will be managed by @WhoJedi and @jesswelman." Although a bit belated, it was a positive step in accepting responsibility and making changes to avoid it happening again in the future.

Any Attention is Good Attention - There are some that believe that any attention is good attention if it gets your company's name out there to a broader audience. I strongly disagree. I accept that negative attention can often spread more quickly and wider than carefully crafted positive promotional messages, but courting any negativity is a big risk. Much like tilt can undermine days and weeks of steady profitable poker, negative press and customer reaction can destroy the foundation of a business that has labored for months or years to establish themselves. Each time we read a new story of some poker player's mishandling debts or misdeeds in the main press, it puts a further black eye on the the game amongst casual observers that negates much of the positive press that is promoted through traditional channels.

Be Egalitarian - The goal of your business should be to treat all your customers equally. The reality is often quite a bit more complex, but signs of preferential treatment of notable players can quickly undermine the psychology of the masses of relative no-name players. One of the greatest qualities of the WSOP is that anyone willing to put up the buy-in can play an event (assuming it's not capped by size). You can walk in the halls, or play against the biggest names in poker on a daily basis. If players see only prominent players' voices heard, it's bad for business (e.g. quick response to Vanessa Selbst's concern about women's bathrooms when several other less prominent women players voiced the concern earlier with no response).

Get with the Times - I noticed a Twitter comment by ESPN columnist Gary Wise that asserted that "Aguiar airing his grievance on Twitter instead of going to them directly was equally unprofessional." I wholeheartedly disagree. As poker pro Steve O'Dwyer responded, players have approached WSOP management on multiple occasions only to be rebuffed. The private approaches have been ineffective. Most of their grievances aren't really private issues to be resolved behind closed doors as they affect thousands of other players. By publicly airing their concern via Twitter, poker players have an expedient manner of gaining feedback on their issue, allowing for other affected players to weigh in and collectively have their issue heard.

I would certainly urge poker players to use a respectful tone and non-combatative language, but Twitter actually gives a greater voice to the players that in the past may have not had their issues recognized by the great poker community. Another poker pro Ben Wilinofsky commented that Twitter is an appropriate forum to air grievances but just because the medium was appropriate doesn't mean the message was in that particular case. The WSOP needs to be more savvy in responding to these various issues if they hope to quell the tide of dissent. Twitter removes the veil of ignorance that traditional powers have relied on in preventing dissent from uniting and collectively venting and seeking action.

Ultimately, all these public relations and customer service lessons point towards the notion that your business is never bigger than your customers. The World Series of Poker has built the biggest and most successful poker tournament series in the world, but without respect for their customers the trends of growth can quickly return in the other direction. If prominent players are voicing their frustration and urging others not to play, that's the worst possible type of news because they have many followers. The WSOP can only prosper long term if they work proactively not reactively with the players.

*Update Tuesday - I wanted to share a QuadJacks interview with WSOP executive director Ty Stewart where he takes responsibility for the WSOP's errors this year, but also emphasizes that they are trying hard to implement and be consistent with many of the suggestions I made. I liked his suggestion of being more available and transparent. GL