KristyArnett
PokerNews Hostess/Writer
Healthy FOOD and What's Beautiful
Hey guys!
For those of you guys who follow me on twitter, you know that I am currently on a huge health kick. I've been eating super healthy and also following a workout program I found on Bodybuilding.com. I feel great and am see some results (meaning my guns are getting huge).
Honestly, the hardest part for me is eating healthy (well, besides dealing with douche bags at the gym, but that's a whole other story). With the WSOP coming up, I know a lot of players are getting on the health bandwagon. I figured I should share some tips I've learned about eating.
BTW, those muffin-looking things are mini turkey meatloafs. They are soo good! Here is the recipe.
I also use this awesome natural protein powder from Growing Naturals. It's nonfat, low carbs, low sugar, and tastes really good. Hint: don't forget to the put the top back on after usage.
Hmmm... what else? Drink green tea!!! I think that's it. I'm still learning and am by no means an expert. I just thought I'd share what I've learned so far.
The other thing I wanted to talk about was a competition I decided to do. I figured that I'd put it at the bottom of this blog post because if you made it through all the pictures of food, then you would care more about what I'm about to talk about 
The competition is put on by Under Armour, and it's called the What's Beautiful Challenge. Basically, you set a goal, work on it for the next two months, upload photos and videos about your progress, and complete challenges along the way. One of them was to work out twice in one 24hour period... I tried yoga. Hahah it wasn't pretty but this is what I uploaded to complete the challenge.
There are thousands of women participating, and the prize is that the top 10 girls will get $1000 worth of UA gear, and the top three will get sponsorship and become the new faces of UA.
The whole goal behind this is to change the way people think of beauty in women, and I couldn't agree more with the message this campaign stands for. If you're interested, here's the first video I uploaded for this competition
Hope you guys are well!
<3 Kristy
Aaron Jones Strategy Podcast (& INSTAGRAM)
Hey guys!
Last week I interviewed Aaron Jones, also known as "aejones" online. He's CEO of LegoPoker.com, a sicko cash-game and tournament player, and an all around cool dude. We talked about poker lifestyle and strategy theory. If you missed it, here it is:
This week, I had him on to analyze a few hands that were sent in. On the podcast, I promised I'd post hand histories on my blog so it would be easier for you guys to follow along. Here they are:
Hand #1
Hand #2
Hand #3
Game: Live $2-$5 No-Limit Hold'em ($500 max buy-in)
The player in the cutoff raises the $10 UTG straddle to $35. Hero flats with pocket 
. The straddle calls.
The flop is 
. The straddle and original raiser checks. Hero bets $60. The straddle folds and the original raiser calls.
The turn is 
. There are no flush draws. It checks to Hero.
Here is the interview:
I hope you guys enjoy listening to these interviews as much I as I enjoyed recording them. Aaron is so amazing at hand reading that it inspired me and re-motivated me to continue improving.
And speaking of improving, I've been on a huge health kick since being in Vegas. It's almost impossible to eat super healthy and work out on a regular basis when you're on the road. So ummm... if you've got a bandaid, could you give it to me? BECAUSE I'M CUT!!!!!
Errr... well, I'm trying. Hahaha those jokes never get old to me. But when I am super ripped, don't worry. I'll totally give you guys FREE TICKETS TO THE GUN SHOW!!!!! wahhhhhhhhhh.
So, as you can see, I'm totally obsessed with Instagram. FB just bought it for $1 BILLION. Pretty crazy. Anyway, do you guys use it? If you do, let me know your username. Mine is Snaptress.
And you can also follow my fellow hostesses and PN on Instagram as well!!
Lynn Gilmartin -
Sarah Grant
PokerNews
<3XOXO<3
Kris
I run so good!
I've been away from home since March 9th covering pokers tournaments for PokerNews. Fifteen days ago, after missing my first flight (a mistake that was idiotic and will never happen again), I boarded a plane to New York City and had the awesome misfortune of a 12-hour layover. My cousin, who I haven't gotten to spend quality time with since we were young, lives there. I clumsily navigated my way through the Air Tran and Subway to get to Penn Station. For locals, apparently this quite an easy task. For me, a person who's slightly terrified by the though of speaking to strangers in non work-related settings, it was a nightmare.
I met up with her, had lunch, did some credit card damage at Macy's and H&M, talk over one-too-many-caffeinated drinks drank, and left each other with a new closeness we haven't had in years. We even bought the same dress. I think of this as the "friendship bracelets" for twenty-something-year olds.
I caught the Subway back to JFK three hours before my flight (just to be safe) and sat at my gate, awaiting my direct flight to Madrid, Spain.
"Kristy Arnett, will you please come to the counter, Kristy Arnett."
"I'm Kristy. What's up?"
The Delta employee, a middle-aged man with small pot belly underneath his navy blue vest and hairy forearms smiles big at me.
"You're gonna like me."
"Oh yeah? I think I like you already." I say with an awkward wink. Lynn Gilmartin told me to always be overly flirtatious to those with the power to upgrade you.
"Here's your new ticket. You're flying business class tonight."
"REALLY! I don't like you, I LOVE you!"
I'd never flown first-class on an international flight but had always drooled at the look of the seats as I passed them on the way to coach. I grabbed my new ticket, turned around, fist pumped, and under my breath said, "That's what I'm talkin about!" I then realized what the fuck I just did and called myself a weirdo. Then, I realized I just had a conversation with myself out loud. I cursed at myself again, this time time in my head. Eh, screw it, whatever, I'M IN FIRST CLASS!
Boarding the plane first, I hate to admit, gave me a feeling of superiority. I hate that it did though. All first-class means is that you paid a stupid amount of money for extra comfort and superior food/beverage... or you're lucky - like me!
When I sat down in my window seat, I was amazed at all the free goodies you get! Socks, lotion, toothbrush, toothpaste, sleeping mask, and even a shoe horn, all packaged in a cute little travel bag. For those of you guys who follow me on Facebook / Twitter / Instagram / Pinterest / Tumblr, you know that I'm obsessed with taking pictures. So of course, I had to take this:
The woman next to me, who was clearly a first-class reg, rolled her eyes at me. She then complained to the stewardess that her outlet wasn't working and desperately needed to charge her iPad. Sweet lady, you really need to play Angry Birds.
She was kind of a drag to sit next to, but I really enjoyed the flight. It was a good reminder though of how I never want to be a snotty butthole when I'm ballin outta control (yeah, I said it, WHAT?) and take first-class flights all the time.
I spent a week in Madrid covering the EPT and even got to go to see Real Madrid play!!! Haha it's funny, because as I'm typing this, I'm getting goosebumps. First of all, I couldn't believe our luck and that we actually got to go. I LOVE soccer and what soccer girl doesn't LOVE Ronaldo??? The stadium was electrifying and even from our nose-bleed seats, I could clearly see the sick display of athleticism at its highest level. I had so much adrenaline in me that carried over to the post-game party, that it resulted in this:
Yeah... I have no idea. All I know it is that it was SO MUCH FUN! And the guy who's trying to fight me in those pictures is Remko Rinkema who works for PokerNews.NL. He's one of my favorite people in the world. Everyone jokes that he thinks that everyday is, "The Best Day EVAAAR!" How do you not love someone like that? Anyway, if you missed anything from EPT, here's my recap.
After that event ended, I boarded a plane and took a 10-hour flight to Atlanta, followed by a 6-hour layover, another 10-hour flight to Santiago, Chile, and took a 2-hour car ride to Viña del Mar. It might sound like a lot of travel, even too much, but I didn't mind it at all, haha this is a pic Chad Holloway snapped in our shuttle to the hotel.
I'm disgusting looking after 30 hours of travel but happy! Here's why:
That's me, on the beach, doing MY JOB and having waaaay to much fun filming which resulted in this video:
All I'm trying to say is that I'm SO lucky, and I don't ever want to forget it. A lot of us, particularly those of us in poker, lead unexpected amazing lives. If someone where to tell me that I'd have as many stamps as I do on my passport just a couple years ago, I'd have said they were crazy! When life gives you a shitload of lemons, make a shitload of lemonaid, and don't forget to share, AMIRIGHT?All I'm saying is, I always want to be the weirdo who gets overly excited about an upgrade than the disgruntled rich lady who only finds joy in Angry Birds. (Cut the Rope is way better anyway)
<3 Kris
Sh*t People Say in Vegas
I've lived in Las Vegas for the past five years... whoa sorry... need to pause... FIVE YEARS? Holy hell, time flies.
I moved here when I was 21-years-old. You might think that I was eager to spend some time DRANKIN IN DA CLUB, but you'd be wrong. All I wanted to do was to play the 7 or 11 p.m. $60 tournament at the Sahara (RIP). I pretty much just played poker and worked since I found it surprisingly difficult to make friends.
Once Andrew and I met a few amazing people, we began to enjoy the city (maybe a little too much). We've been in all the clubs, watched some amazing shows, and been almost puked on multiple times. Now we even live on the Strip. In Vegas, I've seen it all, so I decided to make a video.
Inspired by the meme that has swept the YouTube community, I made a "Sh*t People in Vegas Say" video.
Also, if you haven't seen the Sh*t Poker Players say by our very own Sarah Grant, you should. She's amazing.
Get out of the FRIEND ZONE!!
I decided to take a few days off poker because of my downswing which gave me time to do something I've been wanting to for awhile... I made my first YouTube video!!! It was actually a lot of work because I'm new to editing videos. I thought you guys might like it. If you do, please share/subscribe/like it
Also, if the topic of the Friend Zone hits home, I wrote in more detail about it on my personal blog. Let me know what you think of the vid!
Downswing :)
So you might be wondering why the hell I would put a smiley face after "downswing" in the title... welp, I guess I just decided not to be upset about it. I'm currently going through the largest downswing I've ever had. If I'm being honest, it's not all that bad. I am, by nature, a bankroll nit and a bit weak when it comes to handling large swings. When I start to go on a downswing, I'll usually drop in stakes, put in a few confidence grinds, and get it together. Also, the live games that I play have been so soft that it's almost impossible to stay down for long. This time though, I decided to be a little harder on myself, continue playing the same stakes and try to weather the storm. That plan isn't working out so well.
My January and start to 2012 is abismal. Just before leaving to go to the PCA, I had one of my biggest winning sessions ever, and I felt like I was playing at the top of my game. I went to the Bahamas, didn't play a hand of poker for two weeks, and came back to Vegas ready to grind. After a couple of losing sessions, I already started to feel less confident. This is a huge l leak that I know I have, and I recently discussed it with Jared Tendler (author of The Mental Game of Poker) in one of the Strategy with Kristy podcasts. When I start to feel less confident, I begin to doubt myself, have less trust in my instincts, and make mistakes which obviously exacerbates the problem. I recognize that directly correlating my confidence with my results is completely irrational, but it's hard to immediately break a habit I've had for years.
I've always been that way. If a bunch of people are like, "You're awesome. You're pretty. You're good at your job," I feel on top of the world. I feel like I can do anything and no one can stop me. If I read some comments or forums and people say, "She's so ugly. She sucks. She's annoying," I have a habit of wanting to fold in on myself. In the past couple of years, I've become much stronger and my self confidence doesn't hinge so much on what other people say about me anymore. Now, it motivates me to improve.
But for some reason, I'm still working on gaining that strength in poker. I think it's maybe because I've had a chip on my shoulder. I've always felt like the girl who always has to prove how good I am. I want the pros I talk to at my job to approve of me as a player. I want my friends to respect my opinion when we all discuss poker. I guess I just wanted recognition for the hours and hard work that I've put in. It's taken me this downswing to realize that it doesn't matter.
Whether it's poker, your career, or whatever, you have to do things for you. Of course recognition will come when you are "owning" in whatever you're doing, but it shouldn't be a motivator.
The most helpful thing that Jared taught me was how to "Inject logic." Whenever you are feeling sorry for yourself at the tables, tilted, or even over confident, talk to yourself with rational reminders. I know that I am a huge winner in the games I play. Variance is an essential and inevitable part of the game. I know I still have a lot to learn. I know I still have leaks. I know that hard work is ahead of me, but I'm ready.
I woke up this morning ready to conquer the day. I ate some oatmeal and headed to the gym. (side story: There was gorgeous blonde with tiggo bitties on the middle treadmill of three, so I had to get on the one next to her. She was walking at a good pace. I started jogging and so did she. I stopped to stretch while she kept running. She stopped a minute later and smirked at me. I smiled back, not really sure what was going on. After stretching I got back on and started running again. So did she. I pushed the button to go a little faster. So did she. WTF? I continued with the plan I had in my head of how long/fast I was going to run. After two miles, I went faster. So did she. I laughed. Ok broad, is this really happening? Let's go. I clicked the up button a bunch of times and kept running. Finally, she let out an exasperated sigh and slammed the Stop button. I ran a few extra yards for good measure and stopped. What the hell just happened? All I know is, if there was some sort of competition going on... I won. So yeah, I'm competitive) Anyway, I'm going come out of this downswing in no time. I'm not sure if I'm going to play today because I'd been making a ton of mistakes as an affect of my time of during the Bahamas, waning confidence, and frustrating of my downswing. I may take today off, depending on how I feel, but I plan on getting back on the saddle soon.
I'd love to hear about how you guys came out of your downswings, and what helped you. Leave a comment or tell me on Facebook or Twitter.
Also, I'm going to start posting on my personal blog every Wednesday!
<3 you hoodlums,
Kris
P.S. It helps to know that even the most amazing and talented players go on downswings. Phil Galfond recently posted this:
P.P.S. When I'm feeling down, memes always make me laugh. Yeah, I know, I'm a nerd. Whatever. I dare you not to laugh!
EDIT: Perfect timing. Jared just came out with a new podcast of his where he addresses confidence. Great listen.
Happy 2012 from PCA
Hello everyone! I hope you all had a wonderful New Year 
I had a really good time taking advantage of living on the Strip. My friends and I walked down from Veer to Flamingo and Las Vegas. It was so crowded, but SO much fun.
My first trip of the year for PokerNews is back to the Bahamas for the PCA. Sarah and I shot a welcome video the first day we were here. Since there are been numerous welcome videos from this location, we decided to have some fun!
I'm looking forward to reaching a few personal goals this year. Last year was my favorite one so far, but probably because I just had way too much fun. This year, I want to focus, stay motivated, and make some progress in other parts of my life.
Do you guys have resolutions? If so, work hard! Stick with them! This song is going to motivate me this year!
<3 Kris
Ski Trip
Last week, just after coming back from EPT Prague, I went to Lake Tahoe for some skiing and some R&R. The city has to be one of the most beautiful places I'd ever seen. Everywhere I looked could have been the setting of a postcard. The slopes weren't as snowy as we would have liked, but it was still amazing fun.
I'm so excited to go home and see my family. What are your guys' plans for the holidays?
I'm doing a podcast this week which is Part 2 of a interview with Jared Tendler, author of The Mental Game of Poker. I'm excited to talk to him about how the application of his process went for me in a session of poker.
Hope you all are well!
-Kris
Strategy with Kristy: Kane Kalas
In the latest edition of Strategy with Kristy, I talked to 22-year-old Kane Kalas, an instructor on PokerPhenoms.com We talk about how to play small pocket pairs in a six-handed no-limit hold'em cash game, demonstrated by hand histories. Kane played as "Kangis." Here are the hand details to help you follow along with podcast.
Game: $25-$50 NLH 6-max
Hand #1
(four-handed)
Kangis - $5,218
Flufferd - $5,377
Kangis opens 
UTG to $128. Flufferd reraises to $400. Kangis calls. Heads-up. Pot is $850
The flop is 
. Flufferd checks, Kangis bets $513. Flufferd folds.
Hand #2
(five-handed)
Kangis - $5,691
Flufferd - $5,000
Flufferd min raises on the button to $50. Kangis calls with 2s2c in the big blind. Pot is $225.
Flop is 
. Kangis checks. Flufferd bets $150. Kangis calls. The pot is $523.
The turn is the 
. Check, check.
The river is the . Kangis bets $689. Flufferd calls and mucks.
Hand #3
22:30
(five-handed)
Kangis - $6,801
CanCollector - $6,757
Numbr1mom $12,240
Kangis opens 
UTG to $124. CanCollector calls behind. Numbr1mom reraises from the BB to $575. Kangis folds.
Happy Thanksgiving Weekend!!!
Hello everyone! I hope you are all are having a wonderful Thanksgiving weekend!!!
There are so many things I'm thankful for, but it's mostly the people in my life. I have such a wonderful family and the best friends a person could ask for. No matter where I am, I'm also missing someone, which is a good problem to have! Also, I have the best job ever.
One of my Swedish friends is in town, and Andrew thought it would be a good idea to show him what the real Black Friday is all about. We didn't take him to Walmart or Best Buy (because we knew it would be suicide), but we did take him to a mall. Fashion Show was packed. No screaming moms, but it was scary nonetheless. Jonas and I just ended up both buying a pair of Steve Maddens and a gift for a White Elephant/Ugly Christmas Sweater party. Then we GTFO'd.
We noticed that the Black Friday sales were good but not great. It definitely wasn't worth the hassle. At lunch, we met up with another one of our friends, Mike (Umpa). He's a former PokerStars SNE who was fired from his job on what we all call the REAL Black Friday. He and his mom were interviewed for the local news on the way into the mall. They asked them, "What do you want for Christmas?" (to which Mike answered: for poker to become legalized) and "Are you aware of Cyber Monday?" Hmmmm that sounds like a day where everyone gets in an "adult" chatroom and asks ASL (Age, Sex, Location), followed by "what are you wearing?"
Well it's not. Apparently it is Black Friday for the internet. There are deals that people can take advantage of from the comfort of their own homes! As a person who buys everything on Amazon, it sounds AMAZING! Google Cyber Monday, and I'm sure you'll find everything you need to know if you are interested in it.
Anyway, today I'm nursing a bit of a headache. There's a Pub in Crystals at City Center that will give you your beer for free if you drink it in 7 seconds. I attempted with some Irish creamy beer. It was supposedly easier to chug since there is very low carbonation. I actually got pretty far, farther than I expected to. I didn't get my beer for free, but that was a pretty good indication of how the rest of the evening was going to go. At one point, I was at a PT's on Trop and the 95 doing the Cupid Shuffle. WTF? Then, of course, we ended up at the poker tables. I passed out at around 3 a.m. and when I woke up, the Swede and my friend Mike were at the BlackJack tables. They are hardcore.
Have a wonderful rest of the weekend!!!!!!!
-Kristy
