Thursday, April 28, 2005

The Good. The Bad. The Ugly. The Good Again.

Am I proud of the ‘hit-n-run’ style that I have been using? Not really, but I am enjoying the results. I don’t really consider what I have been doing as ‘playing poker’ and that makes me feel a little dirty. But, you can’t argue with results. The quick strikes that I have been doing have been great. Now, from time-to-time I have gotten burned and it is not a pretty sight.

Well, the title should give you a clue of how my poker night was last night in the fishy waters of Party Poker. Getting home from work and waiting on the wife, I plop down in front of my computer and fire up a Party.

The Good – Decided to start the night off strong on a $1/2 6-max table. Now, I could multi-table these games, but I’m not a that big of a fan of multi-tabling. You would think I would be since my ADD wouldn’t have time to figure out what else to do. Back to the $1/2 6-max table. I had no intentions of doing a ‘hit-n-run,’ but sometimes the power is out of your control. Played a couple premium hands and they actually held up and was paid nicely for that. Up $30 in 20 min. Off the tables.

Fired back up and sat at a $10 SNG. I ran into the anti-Party Poker SNG table apparently. Super tight table and I wasn’t catching any cards (that part isn’t new). We were in the 50/100 range and I had only played my blinds once. I hadn’t made any moves at this point ... figuring that when I did, my table image would reflect strength. I’m in the BB (JTs) and it is folded around to the SB who smooth calls the BB. I raise up 300 to push him off the pot, leaving me with about 400 or so chips. He reraises me back. Now I’m thinking that this guy is just trying to force me off my bet. I go all-in. Nope ... he had me. Hilton Sisters underneath. Board hits me with a J, but nothing else materializes. I’m out in 7th.

As I sat there watching the table unfold, he wrote in the chat that if it weren’t for the fact he had the Hilton Sisters, he would have never called my original raise. Thought I was strong. Well, that’s all fine and good, but hey, he had the cards and I tried to be a little too aggressive. I realize that it probably was not my strongest play, but I have to get aggressive at some point. Can’t always be happy just finishing in the money.

Hopped to another table, only this time I played a little $25NL game and won a few bucks back. Not too much. People weren’t calling too many bets on the flop ... so I bullied a little bit there to win about $10 before I was bored and had to tend to things with the wife before her volleyball game.

The ugly came at the next $1/2 6-max table. The table was just the way I like ‘em. Lots of preflop betting and when you hit your premium hands, you were rewarded nicely. Unless you were me! Not rewarded at all. Rivered a few times and a couple other times my stubbornness reared its ugly little head. I had trip aces cracked on the river when he finally makes his flush. I know he has the King flush (his ace is on the board) but I call anyways. Why, because I’m pissed and verbally assault him through the chat window. Lost $60 before I stepped away. Took waaaayyyy too long to walk from that table.

That was a decent size loss in recent memory, so I decide to call it a night right there. Sleep it off and come back another day.

That was until I couldn’t sleep. Had to be at work by 6:30 this morning. I guess this weighed too heavy on my mind. I slept until about 3 AM before my body was telling me that it wouldn’t let me sleep any longer. I meander downstairs to try and lure myself back to sleep. Turn the teevee on, push the button that makes that wonderful “diung” noise for my TiVo list and see “WPT - Caribbean Poker Adventure.” Thought, hey, I can watch a little poker. I’ll rest my eyes and hopefully fall back asleep. Well, that didn’t work out so hot either. I watched as the poker gods blessed this gentleman in his first live tournament and thought that maybe the poker gods have something to spare for me? Lets fire up a Party again and catch the drunks fish playing at midnight Pacific time, eh?

Do I want to sit at the $1/2 6-max or a $25NL table? Decisions, decisions. I pick $25NL and settle in. I’m definitely not going back to sleep. I played tight for a bit until I figured how the table was playing. Not too aggressive ... so I don’t plan on making too much off the table. I’m sitting in the BB and I “take a peek” and see AcJc. Get a few limpers and I raise it to $1.50. I get 3 callers. Flop J28 rainbow. UTG throws out a small bet of $.50. UTG+2 folds and so does SB. On to me. Well, I know this guys has a J. Does he have the other J too? Surely not. I have one...one on the board. Well, at this point it would only cost me $.50 to see the next card. You can’t build a pot that way. I raise him $3. He calls. An A hits on the turn. Top two pair for me. I start thinking, “Well, I know how this will end...he’ll actually be playing KQ and a 10 will hit on the river totally effing me out of another pot.” I lay out a $2 bet ... I thought a relatively small-sized for the $7.00 pot. Hoping to entice a raise so I can re-raise. He raises all-in. $15 buckaroos. Wow, he could have JJ. Are the pots odds correct here? Am I actually ahead? I figure WTF? It’s 3:30 in the A M and I’m gambooling. He flips over ... yep you guessed it ... J2o??!?!? WHAT??? You called a preflop raise with J2? I understand you actually flopped two pair, but seriously! I scoop the pot and he calls me lucky for catching my Ace on fourth street. I simply type back... “TY”. I have successfully doubled up for the session. I win a few more pots to put me somewhere in the text of up $45 or so. I log off and catch a couple winks before the alarm on my phone goes off telling me that “yeah...it’s time to go to work!”

Quite the up and down sessions. Nothing to mind-numbing, but I essentially broke even for the night ... maybe up a few bucks.

Wednesday, April 27, 2005

WPBT WSOP Event #2

Iggy announced the 2nd event to send a blogger to the WSOP.

Sunday, May 1st
7 PM
PokerStars
Same password as last time

I know I said I wouldn't be playing in another poker tournament ... at least for a while. But, I can't pass up opportunities to play for a seat to the WSOP.

I'm in.

And this time ... I'm not playing like a scared schoolgirl like last time. I will re-read the most influential poker book to me, Cloutier's book, and I will be aggressive.

Poker In Sports Illustrated ... On Campus

I thought I would post up this article I read in the latest digital version of SI On Campus.

The Final: Hands Across America

During a three-month jag through Poker Nation, the author went all in, bluffing TAs and getting schooled by future MBAs

By John Walters

Seductive eyes. Charming smile. Eric has been coveting my stack of chips from the moment he met me. And he is good. Real good.

"I was playing in a game against my accounting professor," the Indiana sophomore tells me, "and I raised $10 without even looking at my hole cards. The flop comes 6-7-9 rainbow. I go outside for a few minutes. Then I check, and he checks. A 9 on the turn. Now I look. I'm holding 6-6. I got the boat [6s full of 9s]. So I go all in and win $150. I mean, it was blind luck."

Eric took his professor to school. And now he was looking to do the same to me. Eric is the devil -- don't think I didn't notice that he beat his prof with a 6-6-6.

Three months ago I didn't know a big blind from a duck blind. The first time I sat in on a game, on Super Bowl Sunday at the University of Florida, I was relieved of my entire $20 buy-in after only two hands. Gainesville? Lossesville.

Greater moments of ignominy awaited on my Heart (Club, Diamond and Spade) of Darkness odyssey. When an Internet poker honcho's offer to put me in touch with Doyle Brunson was met with apathy on my end, he asked, "Do you know who Doyle Brunson is?"

"Uh, no," I replied.

"He's the Babe Ruth of poker."

Wait a beat.

"Who's Babe Ruth?" That, I have since learned, is called reraising with rags.

"The thing that separates good players from marginal players," Flounder, a Duke senior, told me a month later, "is knowing when to fold."

To think it cost me $100 in Durham that evening to learn that lesson, whereas I would only have had to spend $10.97 (plus shipping and handling) to purchase Kenny Rogers Greatest Hits. Remember when eight guys would sit around a table and smoke pot as opposed to splitting one?

But by now, sitting next to Eric in Bloomington, I too have become a poker face. I marvel at how addictive hold 'em is, remember what an undergrad at Central Florida told me: "My roommate is begging me to quit playing poker. Can't stand what it's doing to me -- and she's a stripper!"

I'm in. Eric's in. Everyone else, after the two of us raised preflop, has folded. The flop comes a 3-5-8 rainbow and I raise. Eric reraises me. I have yet to read Super/System or Super/System II, Doyle Brunson's epochal how-to tomes on the game (whereas Eric, when I asked, "Have you read Super/System?" replied, "Which one?"), but I'm putting Eric on a high pair. The rainbow (three different suits) means he is not drawing to a flush, and his preflop raise indicates ... well, what do I know? I've lost $140 researching this story.

Still, this is my moment. "I'm all in," I say, pushing my last $60 of chips to the center of the table.

Eric grins. Studies me. Ten minutes ago I won a big pot holding nothing better than K-2 offsuited. Is the dude from SI bluffing again? Eric wonders.

"All in," he announces, turning over his hole cards. His friends "ooh" and "ah." My head drops as swiftly as the trap door on a hangman's gallows.

"Got a pair of kings," Eric announces. His eyes radiate. The glow from his smile can be seen in Terre Haute. The $160 pot is --

"But you don't," I answer as I turn over my cards, "have a pair of aces."

Issue date: April 28, 2005

I'll prolly be back later tonight.

UPDATE: OK, this article is not the full story. If you can get the digital version, there is a six-page spread. Unfortunately ... I cannot figure out how to copy and paste the text from the digital magazine for your enjoyment.

Monday, April 25, 2005

Gambling ... It's Hard Work

"It's hard work. Gambling. Playing poker. Don't let anyone tell you different. Think about what's it's like sitting at a poker table with people whose only goal is to cut your throat, take your money, and leave you out back talking to yourself about what went wrong inside. That probably sounds harsh. But that's the way it is at a poker table. If you don't believe me, then you're the lamb that's going off to slaughter." -- Stu Unger

Congrats to Bob who had an amazing run last night on the WSOP Blogger table. Good luck on June 3 against 2,000 or so people. With all the railbirds you'll have ... I'm sure you'll represent well. I will be cheering you on from sunny Cincinnati. Last night was one of those things. If I had won ... which lets face it, would have never happened, I would have had to figure out how I could have shown up. I'm afraid I may have been that blogger who couldn't show up. Glad that didn't have to happen.

So, after I was ousted last night, I began to think about my NL game, or for better words, lack thereof. I understand now that I am strictly a low-limit grinder. Nothing more, nothing less. I do not have what it takes to become a good NL player. I went through my hand history last night and while I didn't have a ton of great hands, I truly have no feel how to play NL. Steal opportunities? Yeah, I've read all the books. I've taken all the notes. I'm simply not aggressive enough. I did execute a few times last night, but overall, I lack the cajones to make the big play that could pay off. So bloggers ... be happy it is not I representing anyone at the WSOP.

So, I will bid adieu to the rest of the blogger tournaments until I can really work and solidify my game. I will still play NL SNGs because you really don't need any skills to play those. I think a trained monkey could finish in the money 60% of the time. Sorry for the news, but there really isn't any reason for me to play ... unless you guys just like getting my money. In reality, I can't understand why I am not aggressive at NL poker since I'm aggressive in every other thing I do. Makes no sense. I love gambling. I just can't put it all together when I need to.

Anyways ... go read a great writeup from last night at Pauly's place.

Also, huge thanks and big ups to Iggy and Otis for setting up the tournament.

************

The Cincinnati Enquirer ran a huge seven-day spread about bringing gambling to the city. For the love of god ... Mark Twain was right. Cincinnati is always 20 years behind. For a city in the financial troubles that it is in, gambling would certainly help bring us back in the black.

Go check the articles out here. I would love for the boats to come. I want so very bad to have some gambling boats only minutes away from my house. I love the craps tables and blackjack tables. Please come closer.

*************

Going back to my grinder-style of play. That is typically why I do not talk about my play much here on the site. There aren't any bells and whistles to my play. I'm a very ABC-type player. I wait for the premium hands and I capitalize. Lately, even those hands haven't been holding up too well. I could sit here and analyze my play and report on it, but again, there isn't anything earth shattering. There are far better writers and players to go read to gain insight. I have my theories and ways of playing, but I'm not the most articulate writer out there to help give anyone my insight.

**************

Really looking forward to getting Dan Harrington's book. Yeah. I know what you're thinking. Why? You said you aren't a NL player. True, but Harrington is one of my favorite players to watch. So methodical. Great player and I don't think anyone else could have done what he did in '03 and '04 making back-to-back final tables. I've read other bloggers views on the book and eventually when I do buy and read it, I'll give my review. Don't expect it any time soon.

***************

I would go and refill, but I think I need to go to bed. I've been able to catch up on some old episodes of Lost. I think it is the 2nd best show on television right now. It's right up there with 24. I used to watch a lot of tv, but I truly don't have the time for too much of it any longer. I still get my shows, but now I have to wait weeks before I actually know what happens. That is the wonderful thing about TiVo. I truly have no idea how this show will end. I guess it is coming back for a second season, but I don't see how. Yes it has been a huge ratings success and everyone has loved the show, but don't turn this into Gilligan's Island.

****************

I have some thoughts on the NFL Draft, but they may need to wait until another day. I don't think I can keep pounding this out tonight.

****************

Stu Unger's quote. I feel like that lamb being led to slaughter right now. I haven't been able to pick up tells or get into my "A" game. I will one day. I will continue to learn and read and improve my play. When that happens ... look out. I will be back in the blogger tournaments one day. Good luck until then. If you ever want to say anything while on the tables ... I'm not too hard to find. If you know my screenname on one site ... you should know it on all sites. E-mail me if you want it.

****************

Last Add: A little trivia for you ...

What 7-letter word becomes longer when the third letter is removed?

Saturday, April 23, 2005

Few things to touch on ...

I've been hitting the $1/2 6-max tables a lot the past couple days. I guesss the strong run I had in the beginning had to be offset by some of the incredible river beats I've taken the past couple nights.

I'm not going to get too concerned over it. I had the best hands everytime until that river card landed and I couldn't too much more to push people off their draws. I kept firing at them and they kept calling and hitting their draws.

Glad to see Alex Smith go #1 in the NFL Draft. I wasn't a big fan of Aaron Rogers because he's a Tedford-guy. I don't think Tedford guys really turn into much of anything in the league. I wouldn't base my future on a Tedford quarterback. Hell, eight picks in and he hasn't been selected yet.

Looking forward to the Bengals and the 17th pick. Hope they get Erasmus James. They need a big run stopper. Hope he's the guy.

Any ideas where the 'freak' of the draft will go? Matt Jones from Arkansas. I say early 2nd round. Some team will take a chance on him. I think he'll be a big time player down the road ... similar to Hines Ward.

What else?

Go give UWannaBet some good vibes. He's been on a bit of downslide. Playing well, but nothing going his way at the moment. Didn't realize he was a another local blogger. We'll have to take on the boats in the near future. Iggy ... you in for that?

Go support the Poker Geek and his shirts! They look sweet.

Celebrating my birthday tonight, even though it's tomorrow, by going to the Cincinnati Marshals indoor football game. Not sure what it's like. The Diamond Deputies should be nice! (Wanted to link to them, but site seems to be down ... hope the team is still here???)By the way ... what's up with the weather. It isn't supposed to snow at the end of April. This is bullshit!

Going back to the draft. Can't wait to see how the Redskins screw up their pick. Really, is anyone dumber than Dan Snyder? Personally, I think you have to take Carlos Rogers or Mike Williams.

Wednesday, April 20, 2005

Comment Spam

Looks like I am now victim to Comment Spam. Since I truly have no idea what software to use or upload, and I'm not sure you can do anything with blogspot, I will leave this into the hands of capable InterWeb people out there.

Please let me know what I need to do to stop this. Is there anything I can do to stop this?

Seriously ... why are there people out there that have nothing better to do than create spam?

********

Playing a small SNG on PokerStars right now. It's obvious that the players are better on this site. I'm still playing similar to my style on Party Poker, but doesn't seem to be doing much for me right now.

10:22 p.m. -- Still grinding this out. Haven't seen many flops. 8 out of 50 as of right now.

10:26 p.m. -- Busted out in 5th. Finally caught two face cards. Being blinded to death. Moved all in. My KQc vs AQo. Nothing materialized on the board. He wins with Ace high.

Just really trying to get a good feel for the game structure before Sunday.

Wynn's Casino, PokerStars, and the Pope

Set to open on April 28th ... I can't wait to check it out when I'm there in May. I'm sure, if this is anything like any other Wynn property, it will be spectacular.

Wynn offers inside look at new resort

******
Finally able to sign up last night for the WPBT WSOP NLHE event on PokerStars. Again, big thanks to Iggy for setting this up. I certainly doubt I have any shot to win, but I'm more than happy to contribute $30 to the cause. But, it is my birthday and all, so maybe good karma will result in something.

******
As a somewhat practicing Catholic, I was a little disappointed with the election yesterday. While I'm sure Ratzinger is a great man, I was hoping for someone a little more forward thinking and revolutionary. My personal selection was Cardinal Francis Arinze from Nigeria. I have seen an article that states Catholics aren't ready for Black Pope, but I was hoping to symbolize another change in the works. Maybe a little more on this at a later time.

Thursday, April 14, 2005

The safest way to double your money is to fold it over once and put it in your pocket. - Frank McKinney Hubbard

Nobody is always a winner, and anybody who say he is, is either a liar or doesn't play poker. - "Amarillo Slim" Preston

First things first. Have you ever seen a person fall off the "hot tree" faster than Britney Spears. I mean seriously. Just look at a before and after of her.


Not sure when this was taken, but I'd hit it.


Sure, she might be pregnant here, but really, would you hit it? Better yet, another photo ...


Ah yes, nothing says sexy like this, huh?

Anyways, enough about that.

-------
Well, after about a year of trying, Iggy and I finally met up for some beers last night. Iggy = stand up guy and super smart poker mind.

We enjoyed talking poker, beer, baseball, and some Britney - hence her falling from grace.

Me = novice; Iggy = Pro

Talked about the PokerStars blogger WSOP satellite event coming up. If it isn't too late, I want to play. After all - I think there might be an omen behind the date of the event. It is my birthday afterall.

I will be in Las Vegas March 22-26. I made those plans long before the next WPBT date the very next week. So, if for some stroke of luck I were to get a seat at that tournament ... mark my words, I will be there for it. I told Iggy last night, if that were to happen, I would catch a flight immediately after work Thursday and be there Friday morning.

Now, while trying to build a bankroll for Vegas, I realized (after Iggy told me) that I'm going about this all wrong. I'll retool and start fresh. Limited time to build enough to have some "fun" with out in Vegas.

This will also be the first time my wife will be in Vegas. She really looking forward to the trip. She's earned it with all the hard work in Law School. I'm taking her to go see "O" at the Bellagio. I'm actually looking forward to it too, but I wanted to see Zoomanity - the adult-friendly Cirque' Du Soleil show.

-----
Also, I cracked Iggy last night about my views with my site. I enjoy doing this site, but I realize that there aren't many people out there that read my site. I don't have the following of the other people out there. I love to read what everyone writes, but I know I'm not as good a writer as a lot of you. I won't link to those that I think are the best. You know who you are.

Anyways, I don't really get too much a kick out of anyone reading this or not. It's fun for me. Gives me a place to unwind mostly. Hell, I cannot stay on topic most times.

Well, that's all for tonight. More in a few days.

Tuesday, April 05, 2005

Feable Attempt at Uber Post

Howdy all! It has truly been a while since I offered anything of substance on this site. I have been saying that big news was coming, but that was a few weeks back. And now, I’m not so sure this is big news any longer. Long story short is this. I used to be involved quite heavily in the political scene around here. Right up until late last year when I lost all faith in the elected “leaders” of this city. I put quotes around leaders because they are more like bickering children than actual leaders. Their idea of reforming this great city is grandstanding on race dividing issues rather than rebuilding people’s hopes for a great city to raise your children. Anyways, sorry to get off on that rant. A gentleman I met while working for a former councilmember, who is now just jumping from elected office-to-elected office after only a few months (a true political whore), has asked that I run his campaign. Now, this may not seem huge to most people, but I was honored to be asked to run his campaign. Had he asked this a few months back before I had my current job, I would have jumped at the opportunity.

While I cannot devote my full attention to his campaign, I can put together the full plan for him. I have been working damn near 80 hours a week right now between the two jobs, getting everything ready for the big announcement and impending campaign. I really think he has a shot. Although the democrats will still hold the majority on city council, I truly think a conservative, Westside voice is desperately needed. I will have more updates on the campaign as things happen.

At the same time, I have also been asked to sit on the board of a newly created PAC that represents the needs of the Westside of Cincinnati. I accepted the position, but after the last meeting and seeing the two crazy ladies that are going to help run this thing, I may have to step down and watch this great idea implode from within. I know these two women from my previous work, and their racist attitudes won’t fly with me. I had to bite my tongue at the last meeting when all we were trying to accomplish was a mission statement and our purpose, and they wouldn’t shut the hell up! You may not believe me that they are in fact crazy, so I will paint this picture for you. Say you wanted to coordinate an outfit. Purple in moderation isn’t so bad you think, right? Let’s go overboard. Here is the ensemble: a purple jacket, a purple shirt, purple pants/jeans, purple shoes, purple fingernails, purple purse w/ matching purple inner bag (makeup) for the purse, purple eyeshadow, purple lipstick, and to top it all off – a purple pen to write with! For pete’s sake? Who in the hell lets someone out the door looking like that?


Enough of that.

Anyone seen Super Size Me!? Wow! Want to talk about a life-changing movie. As I sat there and watched this, all I could think of is what this food has already done to my body. For those that don’t know. This idiot, Morgan Spurlock (I believe), decided to go on a McDiet for 30 days. Breakfast, lunch and dinner --- all from McDonalds. Doesn’t sound so bad huh? Now, I call him an idiot because of how this experiment would have killed him had he kept it up. He made it the full 30 days, but not after putting on 25 pounds, having his liver almost shut down on him similar to an alcoholic, and consuming over 30 pounds of sugar.

It really was a great movie after much reflecting. I will never look at fast food the same. I will most likely vomit at the very smell of McDonalds. By the way, everyone loves McDonalds French fries, right? Would you actually believe that after 10 weeks, they won’t show the slightest sign of decomposing? Really … I’m serious. Who actually knows how long it would take. The dude had to throw them out after 10 weeks, along with the other McDonalds food, because of the smell.

I will never eat McDonalds again. No matter how hung over I am. I will grill my own burger instead of heading to the Golden Arches.

Editors note: That guy, Morgan, has a television show to debut on FX called “30 Days.” I’m not sure if he will be the one doing the ‘experiments’ of if someone else will, but the premise is to do something out of your ordinary for 30 days. Sounds like a great concept too. I'm sure I will check it out when it premieres.

Poker news – not too much to report. Been too busy with all the political stuff to really sit down and play. But, I don’t have much time before I go to Vegas, so I need to focus and build the bankroll for playtime. When I have played, it has been with mixed results. Mostly on the positive, but with some negatives. I have to do too much of the 25-30 minute sessions with the limited amount of time I have.

Today Yesterday is was opening day for the Redlegs. I watched the Stealth Bomber flyover the stadium from my plush window view. Really wish I was at the game. This is the first time in four years that I have missed opening day. Didn’t really miss the parade that much. Maybe because the past few years it has been freezing in the morning and no fun to drive the convertible. ADD: Yesterday was a beautiful day here in the Queen City. The Reds snatched victory from the Mets with a walk-off homer by Joe Randa!

Now, that didn't stop our favorite Red, Ryan Freel from getting too excited. Seems his $600K+ salary isn't enough to call a cab so he doesn't get a DUI!


Can I bum a ride?

Seriously ... what is it with the sports figures in this town and DUIs? Just in the last year or two ... Justin Smith of the Bengals, Bob Huggins of University of Cincinnati, Keith LeGree of the same University of Cincinnati basketball coaching staff, Bubba Nelson of the Cincinnati Reds, and now Freel.

Wow ... something of substance. Feels good to be back.

Read this interesting poker news today: World’s Sexiest Poker Room Gives Away Ultimate Poker Prize

Now, I know my ultimate prize is prolly a little different than others, but I was a little upset once I saw it was just a seat to the "Big Dance."

Here's the reason why it's the sexiest poker room.

Expect another update on Thursday. I'm hosting a small, friendly game of Omaha Hi tomorrow night. We usually play Hold 'Em, but I was growing tired of the same outcomes. Thought I would force the issue a little. We'll see how this turns out. I'm sure it will be a no fold'em game fer sure! Looking forward to it though.

Finally, just to send you guys off on a good note, the up and coming "Lady of the Ring" Mrs. Amy Hayes! *You might be able to find some extra photos in the Cyber Club if you choose.


Now can I get called for roughing?

Blogger Hates Me

I was trying to post last night, before the game, but I kept running into error messages.

I'm going to post tonight for sure.