公众号最后一更，明天飞拉斯维加斯当职业牌手

To my dearest readers, 

This is my last post on WeChat blog. Tomorrow I will be flying to Las Vegas to live my long-dreamed dream to become a professional poker player. Las Vagas is home to the best of the best poker players in the world. That's where I belong. 

I know this must have come as a great surprise to many of you. You probably would never expect an English teacher to forgo his occupation and pursue something riskier. Me neither, until today. 

A relatively new poker player, I quickly found that I was born for this game. This is my calling. I taught myself how to play poker by watching YouTube videos and taking an MIT poker class. I competed in dozens of poker tournaments and high roller games in China and abroad in the past six months, defeating such poker maestros as Daniel Negreanu (in his private cellar in Ontario, Canada) and Johnny Chan (though he would never admit it). 

Johnny Chan and I in Las Vegas

Actually, it was Johnny Chan who told me that I was the first Chinese he played against in his entire career that would reach the peak as he did back in 1987 and 1988 WSOPs. It's true there are way more players today than three decades ago; it's true that players today are substantially better than the last generation; it's true that the competition today is unprecedented. Still, Chan spotted something unique in me. He encouraged me to give up whatever I do now to go pro. 

I have struggled day and night for the past month. I know this is a big decision, but just couldn't let go of the prospect of becoming the very best poker player. I eventually made up my mind. 

I would like to thank you, my dearest readers, for following me in the past 5+ years. Writing is lonely. It would be utterly impossible without your attention and support. Your reads, likes, tips, and shares got me going. For this, I am grateful. 

Thanks also go to Johnny Chan, my all-time idol and most formidable rival, for challenging me on and off the poker table. And thank you for trusting me, Johnny!

Lastly, I am most indebted to my beloved wife Jennifer. Thank you for being unwaveringly supportive and working so hard on the economic model proving that in the long run playing poker full time will make more sense economically, emotionally, and personally for me. I owe you, sweetheart. Big time. 

Last night, I had a dream. In the dream, or in 2030, I saw my latest Wikipedia page, which reads:

Justin Q. Meng (professionally known as Sting), is a professional poker player who has won seven World Series of Poker bracelets, one World Poker Tour title, and appeared at ten World Poker Tour final tables. In 2029 he was elected to the Poker Hall of Fame. 

Prior to playing full time, he was an English teacher and entrepreneur based in Beijing. In 2019, to pursue his poker career, he left his poker-unfriendly home country and moved to Las Vegas. He now resides in Monte Carlo with his beautiful wife and two kids.

It was hard for me to disbelieve it.

Goodbye, Beijing. Hello, Las Vegas! 

Yours,

Justin

孟庆伟 Justin

个人微信 ID：justinqmeng

现象级英语联合创始人

《经济学人》11 年研究者

雅思写作 8 分，口语 8 分

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题图：Las Vegas 

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