
Third Man Walking No. 127: Searching for a Good Game
17/12/2025 | 27 mins.
(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 preflopYour 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 NotesKelly Lucas' tweetThird Man Walking TwitterCrush Live Poker

Third Man Walking No. 126: AI and Poker Storytelling
03/12/2025 | 34 mins.
(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 AT8cxcKhh4cccYour 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 discussionEpisode NotesThomas Keeling on poker storytellingBen Wilinofsky on the likelihood of another poker boomThird Man Walking on TwitterCrush Live Poker

Third Man Walking No. 125: "Ballad of a Small Player"
19/11/2025 | 30 mins.
(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 T75ssx2sss4ssssYour 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 NotesReddit thread on “Ballad of a Small Player”Netflix Tudum articleWill Sloan review of “Ballad of a Small Playerhttps://twitter.com/thirdwalkinghttps://crushlivepoker.com

Third Man Walking No. 124: The Latest Private-Game Scandal
05/11/2025 | 27 mins.
(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 AQTr4ccJxYour 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 HEREhttp://twitter.com/thirdwalkinghttp://crushlivepoker.com

Third Man Walking No. 123: Colson Whitehead's "The Noble Hustle"
15/10/2025 | 34 mins.
(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 AJ4r4ccTxYour 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 DISCUSSIONhttp://twitter.com/thirdwalkinghttp://crushlivepoker.com



Third Man Walking