** Bird Feed #219 Chimpy**

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Railbird name: Chimpy
Age: 45
Gender: Male
Years Playing Poker: First Hand played on April 19th, 2007
Fav. game: Holdem, No Limit
Fav hand: A-10 suited
Fav Poker Site: Full Tilt
PS ID: Chimp0117
FTP ID: PDav0117

#1 Why did you chose your Railbird.com screen name/ what does it mean?

When I first starting playing at FTP I chose the Chimp Avatar. During my first couple months playing, I either lived up or lived down to the mischievous reputation of the species and my friends around the tables started calling me Chimp or Chimpy. The name kind of stuck and seemed to fit, so I adopted it as my handle. The 0117 in my PS and FTP IDs was either my cage number at the Zoo, my serial number at the Chimp research facility or the month and day of an old friend’s birthday. I’ll leave it to you to decide which is the most likely.

#2 How would you define your style of play?

Variable/Aggressive. I usually play strong hands but like to mix in a few less than premium pockets, overbets, slow plays and pure bluffs to keep the other players unsure of my individual hands and of my overall style.

#3 Poker Achievements?

None to speak of. I made the money in a few Rails and Clan tourneys and have been to the final table in a Rail’s Freeroll and a Rail’s Real Money tourney. I think my biggest achievement so far has been gaining a basic understanding of the game of Holdem and making a few friends around the game!

#4 What brought you to join railbirds in the first place, and what keeps u here?

Not what but who ….. Villadiego, at present one of the Coleaders of the Ironman Clan. Got to know him a little around the tables at FTP and checked into RailBirds at his suggestion. I joined because of the Freerolls. I stay because of my friends and for the opportunity to play with and learn from some of the more skilled, experienced players at Rails.

#5 Which pro would you like to face in a HU match and why?

Gus Hanson. There are plenty of interesting top pro’s to face one-on-one but to sit across the table and watch Gus go through his full range of physical contortions and facial expressions would be priceless.

#6 How have you improved your game...was it by lots of practice, was it by books you have read and if so, which books, was it by playing live?

Mostly by practice. Online poker, with its pace and the ability to play multiple tables, has allowed me to see thousands of hands so experience has been my main guide. Over the past few months, I have begun to read more on the game, beginning with blogs and advice at Railbirds and moving on to some of the basic works by Dan Harrington and others. Without the previous experience though most of what I have read would have been meaningless and without more practice and experience won’t really be understood and incorporated into how I play.

#7 Who are 5 players you look up to on railbirds and why?

First would be Capt.Jack. Not long after I began playing I came across him at a chip table and just by playing uncounted hands together we learned the basics of playing the game. He was the first to inform me of the fold button and its use. He became and remains a friend and member of my poker family. Next would come Villadiego. From him I learned that poker was a game of percentages and odds and that a great deal of intelligent thought had been given to the correct ways of playing to win. He brought me to Railbirds and continues to be a friend even though I sometimes play K-rag offsuit. My third bird would definitely be Miller1969, she has a table at FTP which really should have her name on it. I spent many evenings there playing chips with her and a rotating cast of characters most of which knew how to play the game and virtually all of which were witty and fun to chat with. And then there is countryqcat, my adopted internet Sis. She is a much better player than she realizes and absolutely the nicest poker player you will find ever meet. Lots of other individuals I could single out to make 5 but I will reserve that spot for the Railbirds most accomplished and skilled players at this site. Players like Champ1 or Kidflopadelic or QuasiPro and a few dozen others who play consistently good poker with results that set them slightly apart.

#8 How do you play differently in tournaments vs. cash games?

I generally play a tighter range of hands in a cash game and am somewhat less aggressive in bets especially around a table of players I am unfamiliar with. In tournaments, I loosen up the hand selection a bit and bet more aggressively. With rising blinds and growing stacks, tournaments require progress and waiting for a monster hand is often a path to slow death.

#9 What would you consider a weakness in your game/ something you need to improve?

I tend to chase hands and too often refuse to lay down a hand I know is beaten. I call it the “Gotta See” instinct and having to see if the river card makes my flush or having to see the other players better hand has cost me many times!

#10 What are some typical "TELLS" that a online poker player gives ?

I don’t really see a lot of TELLS in the online game. Betting patterns can give one some information but online any experienced player will know how to conceal and confuse these patterns so relying on them as TELLS is very chancy.

#11 How Has Railbirds.com helped your game play?

Mainly by providing a higher level of competition, particularly in the Real Money Tournaments and especially in the many smaller Clan based tournaments. Many of the blogs by the top players around the site have been helpful, particularly some of topcat1954 and Pokerchix. Never thought much about the “business” of being a poker player before.

#12 Best Moment in a trny ?

Finished 4th in a Rail’s Freeroll at PS. The final table and the final four was an hour of tough aggressive and well mannered poker with all the trimmings of a good game. Plenty of nice hands, bluffs, good folds, as well as a few “suckouts” and bad beats. In other words, the stuff of a good night of poker.

#13 Most recent trny win?: (non railbird trny)

Won a cheap buyin SnG at a smaller site while earning my bonus there. Nothing major but still nice to get win in a multitable tournament.

#14 Who intrduced you to poker ?

Chris Moneymaker and ESPN. His WSOP was on in the afternoon when I got home from work. Watched a lot of poker since then!

#15 How does your strategy help in Freerolls provided by Railbirds.com?

Don’t really use a set strategy in the Freerolls. Just keep my head down early but be prepared to push a strong hand hard. Survive till the looser players bust out or get tight behind a sizeable stack, then loosen up a little and try to force the action where I can. So far this has not proved an overly successful strategy.

#16 If their wasn't Poker, what would you be doing?

I don’t know really. Probably be playing chess right now!