The Alice Experiment

When i first began playing online poker, we had to use Morse code and ham radios, if you thought server crashes that left you with disconnect protect were bad, you would in no way be prepared for Russian spies during the cold war especially if you flopped a set... However, this is not my point, nor does this opening statement have anything to do with what i'm going to blog about. Early on I played primarily on Pacific poker and Party Poker, i was a newbie and a losing player, So i stayed playing the beatable live cash games in my local area, until i became proficient at poker. I did however, swear off online poker and never played again until my girlfriend had found poker.com at the time they had a 200.00 freeroll a 500.00 freeroll and a 3,000 freeroll, average entrants into each of these tourneys were about 90-200, this occurred daily... At the time you could register for the 200.00 tourney, never even play a hand, and usually win at least .75cents. On my first attempt i took 9th and on my second i took first. I then made quite a bit playing cash games and had multiple final table appearances in the 3k and the 500 freeroll. I had an online bankroll, but no bankroll management skillz. Playing cash games locally i'd always just play with what i had, and spend what I won, I co-owned a bar/pub that i also bar tended at, the bar always lost money, but i at least had tips to play with. I was used to winning every time i played, and so when i built up my online bankroll from zero to 1,200.00 I withdrew and spent it. Shortly after all of that things financially took a turn for the worst, i got out of the bar business, I also didnt work, I lived above a transmission shop so i wouldnt have to pay rent. The only income i had was from live games and i'd have to be bankrolled for those, most the big games had dried up or at least no one would tell me where they were, so i was forced to play in the small stakes games where at tops there would be $400.00 on the table... Which was a far cry from the usual $8,000. Also i had to split half of what i'd win with the guy bankrolling me. I was living off of poker, but i wasnt living well.

"GET A FREE $50.00 To Play at Party Poker" - I saw the ad, i became intrigued, but unfortunately as i looked up the details i realised because of my preexisting party account i was not eligible for this offer... But my girlfriend was! I signed her up, and gave her the Name Alice*
I then stole an internet connection and would borrow the business line from the shop downstairs whenever i could to log-on and play.

*there was more to the name but i'd like to keep some anonymity. I know longer use the Account, but I'd prefer to not receive a backlash from anyone i had played*

$50.00 of my own money to play poker with, a second chance, and now more skilled then ever, and more determined, i was going to pull myself out of the hole.

I INSTANTLY noticed that everyone treated the Alice character different, Men respected more of my raises, however i could slowplay more, Women fealt a "Girl power" connection with Alice and would play softly against her if they fealt as though they were a team-mate against any boy players, i could get them to check down any hand i was behind in... and when i caught on the river and beat them, they'd say "Nice hand, good for you, YAY TEAM!!!"
My BB/100 ratio was higher than it had ever been, i was beginning to understand manipulating opponents is Positive EV, there seemed to be more to poker than just playing better.
I decided To take it to the Next level and tried to manipulate as many people as i could on every table i played.

I quickly learned i could tilt guys by being as offensive to them as possible, No guy likes being dissed by a girl, or beaten by a girl... Against an Opponent i hadn't played against before i often would take the worst of it a few times hoping to suck out, then i'd gloat, then they'd spew out poker math to me, Then I'd vividly explain to them everything i wanted to do with their mother, most of a sexual nature. They'd call alice a lesbian, i'd call them some homosexually slanderous name. (I have gay and lesbian friends, so i knew all the names that really set off straight folk) I did Whatever I could to fuel the fire, I set no boundaries or standards of etiquette for myself, it was as important to my game as pot odds, expected value and as much a tool as the check raise or the freecard raise. Most people tilted few would leave, and those that left i'd follow to other tables, and explain to their peers how they were afraid of me. They wanted to beat me, they wanted to nail me on that big pot so badly they didnt care how much they had to spend... they were going to teach me a lesson.

After rebuilding a decent bankroll, i moved money back to poker.com under VoxGibson and began to pay my bills and feed myself and my girlfriend and my cats and my dog and my fish and my rabbit by playing poker.

This was also a very liberating experience from the confounds of being VoxGibson, thats who am in all poker games. I am polite, I am a nice guy, but I do occasionally deliver razor sharp quips, subtle insults a wisp of condescension and have little patience when it comes to morons, I dont usually berate players for their poor play, i usually compliment them on a nice catch.

I am not suggesting all male players create a female alter-ego to go and make bank on any poker table. I'm just using the experiment and example to give you an opportunity to examine how much of your personality costs you money at the poker table, what could you do differently to get that extra BB/per 100.

For women, i suggest you avoid the feelings of girl power, and dont forget everyone is your opponent not just the boys.. Also learn to be more aggressive, not just in your poker play, but verbally and your whole persona at the table...


I hate the saying, "you're stepping over dollars to pick up nickles"
I pick up both

-VG