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Meet CFP Student JLucas

Today, we catch up with CFP NL 6-Max student Jon Lucas aka JLucas. He recently moved up from NL 6-Max Micro and is now crushing it in Intermediate and ZOOM tables from his home on the south shores of England. From low stakes home games to huge bad beat jackpots, Jon talks about his history with poker and where he plans to go in the future below.

How did you first get into poker?

I first played poker at university. The game was No Limit 5 Card Draw. We played with a penny ante – heady stuff! I did not really understand the game although I was fascinated (and desperate to successfully bluff as I recall). Soon afterwards was introduced to Holdem through watching a programme called “Late Night Poker” on Channel 4 in the UK. I think this show introduced the concept of showing the hole cards to viewers as hands were played. I then played in a few home games with friends for very low stakes. I started to think about playing poker seriously around the time of the Moneymaker boom. Internet poker seemed pretty new back then and I figured that if I could learn a little strategy then I would definitely win a bunch of money that was undoubtedly being pumped into poker websites by all the clueless players. I bought Doyle Brunson’s “Super System”. There would be no stopping me!

What made you decide to start playing and join BPC?

At the end of 2006 I won a Party Poker jackpot and after paying off my student debts I managed to stretch out the remainder and eke out an income from playing poker. I took that to mean that the stars had aligned and I was destined to become a poker God ;). Half of it went to pay off my student debts and with the rest I basically retired. I traveled a bit – took some snowboarding holidays, cycled around and through the Andes and settled in Brighton to realise my poker dreams. I lasted about three years without otherwise working although eventually found that games were becoming tougher and that I needed to spend as much time playing poker as I would if I worked full time. That was not my plan.

So, I gave it up and found a horrible job in a call center. I then put together a career working in schools and trained to be religious education teacher. Teaching was hard! And, harder than I expected. I did not enjoy school the first time around and so, with hindsight, it seems a strange decision to go back there.

Finally, about three years ago, I moved back to Brighton and started working as a support worker for adults with Autism. I still do this and love the job. However, the money is rubbish and so, sometime last year, I started playing poker again. I have worked hard in other areas of my life and it makes sense to me now that if I want to be a successful poker player, I will have to work hard which is in fact what I want to do. So, when I found Best Poker Coaching around October 2016, the CFP program made a lot of sense to me and in mid-November I signed up.

 

How has your game evolved/changed since joining CFP?

I can answer this question with details such as I use pot control lines much less often and bet the turn with medium strength much more often, I c-bet flops according to the strength of my hand more than the texture of the flop and I bet for value much more than I check to induce a bluff.However, the main evolution/change I have experienced is with my mindset. Previously I often tilted and or experienced motivational issues as a consequence. BPC has given me a concrete plan, and playing 150K+ hands using this same system gives me an appreciation of the long run that settles my mind. The focus on being effective, taking responsibility for every action and being held to account through the daily bankroll updates also corresponds with my attitude and values and really motivates me. I am tilting much less and playing for longer. CFP is a true Super System…

However, the main evolution/change I have experienced is with my mindset. Previously I often tilted and or experienced motivational issues as a consequence. BPC has given me a concrete plan, and playing 150K+ hands using this same system gives me an appreciation of the long run that settles my mind. The focus on being effective, taking responsibility for every action and being held to account through the daily bankroll updates also corresponds with my attitude and values and really motivates me. I am tilting much less and playing for longer. CFP is a true Super System…

 

Where do you live and what do you like best about it?

I live in Brighton, on the south coast of England. It has all the benefits of being a cultural centre for art with it’s own festival in May. London is also easily accessible. As well as this it has the sea and it only takes ten or fifteen minutes to get out and away from everything in the South Downs. It is a wonderful place to live.

The Brighton Pier on England’s South Coast

What gives you the motivation to grind at the tables every day?

Enjoying the game, developing as a player, winning and making money.

Can you recall a special hand or moment in your poker career so far?

That is easy – September 2006, I won a Party Poker bad beat jackpot for about $60,000, then about £30,000, when my four eights lost to four kings. I remember reraising UTG all-in in for my remaining 13.5 bb’s in late position with 88. (I liked short stacking back then – don’t shoot me) UTG called quickly and the flop was K88. Needless to say I was pretty happy. The turn came an Ace and when the river came a King I remember thinking it would be nice if he had Kings… And he did! I barely slept all night, and it took a few days to realise it had happened. That was a pretty monumental hand!

If you could give one piece of advice to a total beginner, what would that be?

Make a plan! Every time you play a hand, play a session, or consider what will do with your day, month or year – make a plan.

What are your goals after finishing CFP?

My plan is to earn 500,000 Euros in the five years following finishing with CFP. I want to live in and travel to some different countries during that time. After that, I intend to become a psychotherapy practitioner.

Check out Jon’s graphs below from NL 6-Max Micro to his current grind at NL25 ZOOM. Good luck the rest of the way!

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