PokerSchoolOnline Live Tour

NewJane Interviews Ranger Rick, one of the final four from the BIG ONE final table.

NewJane: Congratulations on your excellent finish at the Live Tour event! Tell us about the event that qualified you for the Live Tour Final tourney next year.

Ranger Rick: Well the event was the Big One (I forget which number) and I finally made the final table. That entitled me to play in a 10 player freeze out for 4 seats. I survived with a few good hands and got 4th.

NewJane: Tell us some interesting facts about your life, such as place of employment, family matters, hobbies, or educational background.

Ranger Rick: I have actually had a very good life, not counting the three marriages that didn't work out. I left the Marine Corps in 1971 and started racing cars. I raced endurance type road course races in Michigan. I gave it up when I realized I was a better engine builder than driver. I was crew chief for a friend for a while then got away from racing.

1978 came along and I tried to make it on the Professional Bowlers tour. I realized two things right away. There was little money, and I was not good enough to ever be number one. So I gave that up. All this time I was working for General Motors as a Tool Maker. Working at GM financed all my little adventures.

I also owned several computer related businesses, from consulting to building of computers for people. I started programming in high school in 1966 and never have quit. Always tinkering around with computers and such. I presently have 9 computers running at my house. They are crunching numbers for Stanford University in a project called folding. This is a very important project that could save many lives. For more info see http://folding.stanford.edu/

In or around 1990 I went back to school to get my degree. Central Michigan University was just down the road from an Indian casino. I decided to go check this out and found the poker room there. I had never played holdem or a few of the other games they offered but had a floor man show me how to play and started in the 1-3 game. Then I read books and such and developed my game from there.

I graduated in 1994 and returned to GM (I was on educational leave) and stumbled into a fishing tournament in Detroit where you got to fish with the professionals. I fished with 4 different pros that weekend and was hooked. Pardon the pun. I spent the next year or two fishing as an amateur and then graduated to pro status. I fished professionally for 6 years, to the chagrin of my boss from me taking so much time off from work. Then finally gave it up and headed back to playing poker again. Fishing was not very profitable.

This year, 2006, I retired from GM and now am contemplating whether to work again or play poker full time. A lot depends on how long my bankroll holds up. We shall see as I plan on heading for the Mid-America in Tunica then off to Vegas for the WSOP. After that it is anyone's guess.

NewJane: Give us a little glimpse into your poker background. How long have you played? Do you prefer online play or live? Where is your favorite place to play live? Do you like tournaments or ring games? What is your game of choice?

Ranger Rick: Well I started playing around 93 in Mount Pleasant, Michigan. I traveled a lot while working for GM, which put me in a lot of towns that had casinos. So I have played a lot all over the country. In 95 and 96 I played in the WSOP events but never won a seat in the big game. I quit going there when Becky Binion took over, as I didn't agree with the way she treated players or dealers. I played various holdem games around the country and used to play frequently in Windsor, Ontario. That is where I first met and played with Daniel Negreanu. Although at that time he was very young and I am sure (as I have played against him since) he doesn't remember me.

I favor tournaments as I seem to do better than in ring games. I seem to do better there. Holdem is my game and seem to do well in limit tournaments although no-limit is my favorite. I prefer to play live as I think it is easier. Players at the table give away so much that you cannot read online. I really think online is more difficult.

NewJane: How long have you been a member of PSO?

Ranger Rick: Since December of 2001

NewJane: What do you think was your greatest strength in the tourney? Your biggest weakness?

Ranger Rick: Reading players. I seem to have a sixth sense on what a player has. Weakness? I aint got no weakness... cept pretty women.

NewJane: Do you remember funny poker stories you want to tell us about?

Ranger Rick: My first move up to 20/40 and playing about 20 minutes. Scared to death as I have never played this level before. On the button I get JT of hearts. 4 limpers so I pop it to try and get a free turn card… before it gets back to me it is capped. Sheesh.. I reluctantly call. Flop comes AKQ hearts.. I flop a royal, my first. Then it is capped before it gets to me on the flop AND on the turn. Finally on the river I get a raise in. LOL… great introduction to 20/40!

NewJane: What are some of the differences you notice in online play as opposed to live play?

Ranger Rick: Like I said above you are playing online with about 30% less information than live. I think it's harder.

NewJane: If you could have dinner with any current poker tourney pro, who would it be and what would be the question you would ask first?

Ranger Rick: Chris Ferguson. Although I played with him a couple of years ago I didn't know who he was at the time. Funny thing is on one of the breaks we walk out into a hall together and he gives me some advice on my game. Anyways.. I would like to probe his brain about his doctorate as it is in artificial intelligence and that is my field of study too.

NewJane: What poker books have helped your game?

Ranger Rick: No doubt about it. Sklansky and Malmouth Advanced no limit holdem. I think is the title. Every couple of years I go back and read it again.

NewJane: What new poker games are you interested in learning?

Ranger Rick: If I could get good at it I would like to learn Omaha as there are a ton of players in that game.

NewJane: Here is your chance to address anything I neglected to ask that you are dying to share.

Ranger Rick: Poker for me is not a game. It is a serious business. That's why when we have these get togethers I tend to shy away from the drinking. I never drink at a poker table. Besides I rarely get any time off from playing poker when I am at these events. Seems I am either in a tournament or plugging satellites all the time. I would like to socialize more but I like to eat too. Lol

I also have an affinity for dealers. I always tip well and feel badly when a player gives a dealer a hard time. They work hard for their money and I don't think most players think enough about them.

NewJane: Thanks, Rick, for taking time to talk to me. You and I have been around PSO since it's beginnings, and I value your friendship! Good luck in the Live Tour Finale in 2007!

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