Time's They are a Changin'

So Party Poker has decided to keep its players (pdf) to itself it seems. Wonder what will happen to all the rest of the skins now. Empire should be fine with Noble Poker( that deal makes sense now).

Not sure if I talked about it hear but I told some friends a few months back that it will not be long before the big will start eating the small. I think this is just the beginning. Rumors abound about who is buying who and who is switching to what network. Will just be one big poker family before long.

Speaking of the family, after 6 events I am still leading the 72os Freeroll Season 6. One more shot to take me out will be Sunday's Wild Card event. This event can be used to replace a finish in the previous 6 events or make up for a missed event. Funny how I thought this was a needed game to allow for people to miss an event and still have a chance. Now I wish it was never created...LOL. My worst finish so far has been 49th. Best thing I can do is make another final table and put it away. Top 40 make the $100 Championship game but like I posted earlier, so close now, really don't want to lose it. Finished 8th in last one and I have put together 6 weeks of some good poker. Hopefully can put in one more good night.

Haven't played a lot of poker lately. Have a few side projects going and taking up much of my time. Going to Atlantic City on the 21st-24th and I am getting stoked about that. Going to be a fun time and hope to get atleast one live MTT in before I leave. Maybe by the time I have freed enough time to play again there will be only one big poker room to choose from..LOL!

Till Next Time!

Interesting proposal

Interesting way to get turned around fast. Found it on Yahoo. Yea, could have linked it but have no other news :).

NEW ORLEANS - Mayor C. Ray Nagin on Friday said he wants to allow Las Vegas-style gambling in the city's larger hotels as a way to jump-start the economy after Hurricane Katrina.

The plan calls for a large-scale gambling area in the city's central business district, stretching from Interstate 10 on the west to the Mississippi River on the east.

"Now is the time for us to think out of the box. Now is the time for some bold leadership, some decisive leadership," Nagin said.

Nagin said gambling should be allowed in hotels that have more than 500 rooms, the majority of which are near the city's famed Canal Street. The plan will require legislative approval.

Gambling is already allowed using video machines in roughly half of Louisiana's 64 parishes, but there's only one full-scale, land-based casino, operated by Harrah's Entertainment Inc., in New Orleans.

Harrah's downtown casino has been closed since shortly before Katrina hit and the company has not given a timetable for possibly reopening the gambling hall.

Also, three dockside riverboat casinos operate in the New Orleans area.

Nagin made his proposal after Katrina virtually destroyed all 13 dockside casinos on the nearby Mississippi Gulf Coast. A bill to allow operators to rebuild land casinos close to shore has been passed by both the Mississippi House and Senate. Gov. Haley Barbour has said he will sign the measure.

There are currently nine hotels in the city with more than 500 rooms; Nagin said he thought five or six hotels would add casinos.

Nagin would not speculate what would be involved in getting his casino plan passed, but said he hoped Gov. Kathleen Blanco — who has campaigned against additional gambling in Louisiana — would include it in a recently announced special session, which is scheduled for November.

"Right now we're a cash-strapped city," Nagin said.

Nagin said he is not fond of gambling, and that he wished he had another solution, "but I know of no other way."

He said Harrah's would obviously have to agree to give up its exclusive rights and acknowledged he did not think the company would "do it for free."

Harrah's spokesman Alberto Lopez declined to comment on the proposal.

"I believe it would be completely inappropriate for me to comment at this time because it's the first time I've heard of it,'" said Lopez.

Dan King, general manager of the city's Sheraton hotel, would not discount the proposal.

"I can't speak for my company. I guess all ideas are worth investigating. I don't really have a comment because I haven't studied it," he said.

Nagin said he sent a letter to Blanco earlier this week with his "out of the box" ideas.

The letter asked for a 50 percent income tax credit for any worker in the city. Nagin also asked the governor to eliminate the tax on manufacturers' debt in the city and for an income-tax-free zone for manufacturers in the city.

Till Next Time!

Well, Well

I'm delighted to say that by playing in account XXXXXXXXXX you achieved the required number of hands to qualify for an InterPoker Cap and a copy of Doyle Brunson's Super System 2 !

But not enough to clear the $90 bonus! OK, still mad at Interpoker for the way the screwed up the monthly bonus BUT I like getting the book!!

Though I am still not sure how I did this I am not complaining. They said I should be getting both by November. I really can't wait to get my hands on that book.

Only poker for me today was watching the rerun of Doyle winning number 10 on ESPN. I love to watch him play. Only Doyle could win with T3o vs. KQo, If that was me a K or a Q would hit on the river like clock work. Lets not forget the 53o and raising 13K heads up only to see trip 5's on the flop.

Till Next Time!

Blank

Cut on the computer and it says Windows XP....then blank. Over and over and over.

RIP - Hard Drive. Thanks for the memories.

Had most everything backed up but my saved emails. There were a view that I really wanted to keep and my address book is gone. Not to bad in the way of devastation, just time consuming to get lap top back up and running. Not sure if i want to rebuy or re-build. Might be just beyond my realm of patience to re-build.

If I do I will keep case and power supply and go from there. Will have to price it out. $900 and I can get a new HP built for gaming. Guess we will see.


Finished 16th (I think) in the 72os event Sunday. May have retaken the lead with just the wild card event to go before the championship event. Points are SO close. The wild card replaces your worst finish (mine was 49th) so still can be anyones series. Nice to play consistant poker again though.... want to win it now that I am so close.

Still trying to qualify in the Pacific $30K Tournament through the freeroll and the $1 qualifiers. If I may make one comment, Damn the play there is bad. I only played one so far plus a couple SnG's but wow I can't beleive what the players there will risk there whole tournament on. Hopefully can avoid the short term luck and move on.


Till Next Time!

Puppy Dog Close

As some of you know who regular read this here blog, I have been in sales all my life. There are not to many sales techniques I haven't used or read about. The Puppy Dog has probably been used on everyone at least once in there life. They get you to use the product or service and then you want it. There are many variations and it is most successful.

AOL - 3 months free.
Car Dealer - Take it home tonight
Cell Phone - Make a call

Why do I bring this up? I got one today at Pacific Poker. A simple email: We have deposited $5 in your new account. Come play!"

It all started when I was forwarded an email by a friend about this tournament:

A new tournament has been added to the poker tournament lobby in the $50/100K tab.
It is the $50,000 Guaranteed tournament. Satellites for this tournament are currently running.
The specs of the tournament are as follows:

Name: $50,000 Guaranteed
Buy-in: $65 + $5
Date: Fridays at 20:00 PPT/8PM ET starting on September 30^th
Daily Freerolls and satellites start as low as $1 + $0.10

I have a dream to win a big prize starting out with a freeroll. Stupid and a long shot but heck, it's free. Knowing this, he sent me this email and I downloaded the site last night and signed up for an account. Within 24 hours, I get $5. After two 20 man $2.50 SnG's I am at $12. When I get to $1,000 I am cashing out (LOL).

This is twice this month so far...Turned a free $25 into $110 and cashed out earlier this month. Lets see if I can duplicate that!

Enough rambling, going to play in the 72os Omaha tournament tonight. This will make one time I have ever played Omaha. Better watch out, got luck going for me!


Till Next Time!

Pure Luck?

I played in the 72os event again and this time I lasted till top 25. I am in second place overall and really am happy with my play as of late. Got all my money in pre flop with AQ vs TJ and he hit runner runner straight to take me out. Not to bad losing to pure luck, that will happen every once in a while.

Speaking of pure luck, this is to all those having a ruff go of it lately. Come on, if she can, ANYONE can!

Mariah Carey won $27,000 at a poker game in Las Vegas last Friday. Carey, 35, invited at producer Jermaine Dupri's birthday party at the opening of the Tao restaurant from Venetian Hotel, visited a nearby casino to play some poker.

The Diva, who won $27,000 after just three rounds of the game, confessed she's not a poker player, so the winning was not on account of her skills.

Contactmusic.com quote her as saying: "I used to play poker with my sister. But I think my low-cut dress put some of the guys off."

~~~~~~~~~~

Planning a trip tp Atlantic City in the end of October. Starting to get stoked about it. Some of the guys from 72os will be there. I know it's going to be fun! Haven't played in a casino in a while now. Hopefully can make a tournament or two while we are there.

Racing went well this weekend. Did manage to tear the ^$%#%^ out of it in the last qualifier before the main event so I didn't get to finish. That sucked. In the last post I said it was like getting AA every hand, well, I got cracked!

Till Next time!

That sucked

Played in a 72os $2 tourney last night at Poker Host. This was our first group of buy in tournaments we are trying. Not a bad turn out of 16 people. This one was holdem. Next ones will be Omaha, Omaha H/L and 7 card stud. Should be fun. Never played Omaha or Stud.

For me, it sucked. Finished 12th. KK in BB and got folded around to. AA won a little, KK was being called down with an A on flop and I folded to river raise. He had ace. (duh) AK, 99,55,44 and 66 all lost before the first break and all in with AQ lost to 55 when I flopped a Q and he flopped a set.

Great cards, and never hit a flop. Just one of those nights that just plain sucked.

I am off the next couple days to go to a race in NC. I'm not sure anyone will recall the pics I posted a while back on the remote control car racing I do but thats where I am off to. I usually race battery powered cars but thanks to a poker withdrawal I will be purchasing and racing a gas powered car this time. I guess in the world of RC racing it equates to looking down and seeing pocket aces EVERY time in a session. (To me anyway)

I wish those in TX and LA the best. Hope Rita does as minimum damage as possible.

Till Next Time!

Hero

First a little background.

My grandpa was a gunner in WWII. He hung out the back of bombers and shot at enemy plans. Upon his return he got a job. He retired from that same job 45+ years later, working up from basicly clean up boy to maintainence supervisor of the paper mill plant. That job that had provided him and his family a decent living and retirement is now killin him. All the pipes at the plant were well insolated, with esbestos. My grandpa is dying.

The doctors said he had till the end of the summer. In death as in live, my grandpa is doing it his way and is still fighting it. I have always felt that the best way to honor a persons life is to share it with generations to come. In this case, to have a piece of grandpa remembered in my kids.

This is a school project by my 13 year old written just the other day.

A hero is a person noted for courage especially ones that have risked or sacrificed his or her life. My hero is my great grandpa who did risk his life for our country and is now fighting against cancer for my family. He is brave, strong, and a fighter.

Great grandpa is as strong and solid as a rock. Even Though he is facing cancer he isn’t scared of death he just lives day by day enjoying the life he has. Rather than sitting there, and letting himself slip, he fights to see our faces the next day. Fighting the pain he is in and smiling up at us and talking to us like we the most important people in the world. However, the most important trait of my hero is his willingness to give and help in whatever way he can, trying to contribute whenever needed. Sometimes giving just because he is willing and he can.

Heroes are people noted for courage and strength, and not giving into weakness. Personally I adore my great grandpa for enduring all he does everyday just to be with us and hold this family together. No matter what doctor’s say about how long he has to live, he never gives up. Courage, strength, and giving is what makes my great grandpa my hero.

Do me a favor, honor a memory today.

Till Next Time!

I Surrender

WOW - after 2 straight days of unrelenting two tabling at Interpoker I still needed a few more hands this AM to clear their bonus. Forget about the book, cheaper to buy it and faster too!! I played Omaha H/L so I could get the most bang for my raked hand bucks and still didn't clear it. I use the cryptocounter (the new one) to count the "qualifing" raked hands and I played over 1200 raked hands and still needed a few more to get the "qualifiing" raked hands to 450.

I haven't been to the crypto's in a while and will not be back to Interpoker anytime soon. I don't like the site THAT much. I guess though it works for them. If you are an all the time player there it makes for a nice bonus and you are gong to be there anyway. If not, hardly anyway you can play lower limits and clear this bonus in a months time without mutli-tabling and putting in a lot of hours. I'm not convinced you can do it part time playing there everyday at the lower limits. I guess it works for someone though. I find it strange that they offer a bonus and make it easier to clear for people playing the higher limits who don't need the bonus to begin with. I realize it is a profit thing but I would think some marketing genious would come up with a way to appease both sides. Who I'm I to argue with success.

~~~~~~~~~~

Got knocked out fairly early (top 50ish?) in the 72os event Sunday. Limped with AQo UTG+2 and got caught when I hit a Q and BB hit 2 pair. I was screwing with the Interpoker torture and not paying close enough attention. Still in second place overall though. Have 3 events left and one of those is a Wild Card event so I can replace this one if I am close to winning the overall tour.

~~~~~~~~~~

Turned on news and another storm headed to Gulf Coast. MIGHT be headed to Houston and is projected to be a catagory 3 by the time it hits land but they keep saying it may turn north. Right now possibly touching western New Orleans. That would suck. Bad enough it is headed towards Houston. Keep safe everyone.

Till Next Time!

Always learning...

I read somewhere, I really don't remeber, that once you read one poker book, the rest start to run together. I agree to a point. Good basic strategy is good basic strategy no matter how many different ways it is presented but I also think that reading a few different books is helpful because each author will present that strategy differently and maybe one will click with you better than the other.

I have recently pilfered my stash of players points on various sites to order:

High - Low Split Poker by Ray Zee (Just got here)

Internet Poker by Lou Krieger and Kathleen Keller Watterson (Just got here)

Poker Aces: The Stars of Tournament by Ron Rose

and an Absolute Poker cap. (Not real sure why)

Really looking forward to Ray Zee's book since Omaha H/L is a game I am trying to pick up and everyone said this is the book to read. Krieger's book I hope to pick up something I may have missed over the last few books I have read. Besides, it comes with a CD and I have to see what it does! Poker Aces has come from all the fellow bloggers talking about it back during one of the Vegas trips. (A little slow to react I know)

A little more reading never hurt anyone. Still a few I want to get. Funny thing is that there were maybe 70 books I listed under my book section of my site when I first started it about a year ago. Now I get them fed in and there are over 1200! I particularly like the How to Win at...(insert game) by someone I have never heard of.

Lastly I will be getting Super System 2 courtesy of Interpoker's Septmember Special. $90 bonus, $30 extra this weekend and 700 hands to get book and another cap. (Cool) I REALLY hope this book doesn't end up costing me an arm and a leg!

I should be pretty much educated by the end of the year, or thoroughly confused and in a padded cell.

On a non-poker related subject, I am currently wireless keyboard and mouse courtesy of Wal Mart. Went in at 11 am for tires and came out at 2 pm with 4 tires and a wireless keyboard and mouse. How can you not stay there that long and not spend money.

So I am going to spend a few days at Interpoker. I haven't been there since I moved and thought I was being polite when I updated my address for them. They promptly sent me an email and thanked me and proceeded to tell me a new pin is being sent by snail mail do to my change of address. DANG! If I knew that I would have waited till after I was done.

Till Next Time!

New Career?

So what if I missed the over/under. My first ever public pick was a winner! Maybe I should be prudent about this and quit while I am ahead and tell everyone I have a great football sense and just say that I was 100% picking games this year. Yea, right. Might as well be a donkey about it and throw out another pick next week. Who knows, might be the start of a bigger and better career!

~~~~~~~~~~

Three weeks and I couldn't hit water if I fell out a boat. I hated poker, people who played poker, thinking of poker, you get the picture. A few weeks off later, a little lite reading, kids back in school, normalcy back in schedule and presto! My KK holds up to a river ace, the guy thats calls with any ace is missing and losing, my flopped set wins after the flush card hit on river in a multiway pot, and I don't need 18 outs to win a hand. Some of the monsters under the bed are gone. Who knew?

For the moment I think poker and I have patched things up again in our love/hate relationship. I'm not sure if this relationship is healthy but it will make a grown man cry one moment and feel invincible the next. Kinda like being married and having kids and that hasn't killed me yet.

So let it be known, "I Love You Poker!" (until you make me curse you again)

Til Next Time!

Good Night and Good Morning

Good Night

I played in the 720s Tour last night. Its a freeroll tour my buddy started that has grown into some very good and fun seasons. This is season 6 and not only has the play gotten better and better but the people are great.

About 200 meet each Sunday at 20:00 at Jetset. Need to be a member of 72os to play (free registration) Great learning experience if you are just starting out and great competition for those more experienced.

This is week two of season 6 and after a final table 5th last week I follow up with a final table 2nd this week. Maybe good enough for overall lead with 4 more to go! Thought I had taken the lead when I get HU and find JJ. Flop was all low and I go all in and get called with bottom pair. 4 hearts hit by river and I am done. Had a great time though.

Good Morning

Then I get up this morning and upon reading some of my favorite blogs find that DoubleAS found a pic that shows two of my favorite things have finally come together!

Life is good.

~~~~~~~~~~

Some say the best thing for a hangover is a drink. I feel the same way about MNF. After overindulging in everything pigskin all weekend, I'm glad I have a little left for tonight. Should be a good game. My buddy from above really likes the Eagles so what kind of friend would I be if I didn't go on record as rooting for the Falcons tonight?

Bodog says.....

	Philadelphia Eagles	-2½		42 Over Under
	Atlanta Falcons	+2½

Im taking the Falcons and over!

Falcons win 24 - 21

(NOTE: I suck at this.)

Till Next Time!

Always Remember

Where were you when the world stop turning?



We have moved on but we must NEVER forget

The Good and The Bad

WCOOP #8 2nd round

Well 455 entered and I finished 78th. Basicly broke down like this.

1st hour - Forgetable and finished at T1510. (Started with T1500!)

2nd hour - Little rush and finished at 75th with 105 left.

3rd hour - Card dead and out 78th.

BUT..........

Played a $1/$2 table at same time to keep my concentration from wondering and hit this!



Till Next Time!

WCOOP #8

I'm Moving On! Saturday at 20:00!

Priorities

First off there is a host of sites doing Katrina Relief Tournaments. For a list of the ones I know of, go to 4Flush.com and look down the left side.

~~~~~~~~~

Now for poker. Yes, I said poker! I mentioned a silly quest that I was following at the ITH forum not to long ago. Well, I was going to do it as a fun way to get back in the swing of things. The whole idea in a nutshell is start with $20 at .50/$1 table. Playing your regular times, move up limits when you reach 20BB of the next limit. So to move up to $1/$2 you need $40 at the .50/$1 level. There is a link to the post below. The goal is to get to $15/$30. Someone at 2+2 posted the odds of you making it past $5/$10 was like 83% against. So its not like you would do this for the money. I have been playing at Poker Stars just to clear the last bit of their bonus and it has been interesting.

I am not trying to look down or anything but it has been A LONG time since I have been at .50/$1 and wow what a donkeyfest. Talk about no foldem holdem, this was it. Took me 156 hands to get to $40 and that was mainly due to two HUGE river suckouts. Both of the runner runner variety.

I am now at $74.50 at the $1/$2 level but as the title suggests...prioritities man! It is 6:48 EST and the football season starts in 12 minutes! New England and Oakland. Don't really pull for either team BUT IT'S FOOTBALL!

So with chips (eatable kind) and beverage of choice.....it's time for the recliner. I will post update on quest soon. It started as a way to get back in the swing but I have learned some things I will share after my NFL fix.

Till Next Time!

Hopefully an Omen

Hopefully I got my return to the grinding world of poker off to a good start last night. Played in the season opener of the 72os Tour last night and made the final table and ended up 5th!

Though not exactly grinding, its a NL tournament, I did show great patience and selective aggression to get there. To be honest, feels real good, even invigorating. I think I am ready for the real world again.

OK, I have been intriqued by this silly quest I have been following on ITH forum. Think I will give that a try on the side at UB. Have a little money left there and it sounds like an interesting experiment. If you read through it( page 5 or 6), someone from 2+2 gives him the odds of succeeding in this quest. I am going to try it anyway. I like a challenge.

About half way through with the re-reading of Small Stakes Holdem. There are some concepts that are a little clearer now and I am getting the "why" behind the plays a little better. I always find little things here and there that I am not doing or not taking into consideration or just plain forgot when I do this readings. I always enjoy the eye opening "OOOHH, only when this happens should I be doing this" revelations when going over the strategy parts.

So poker is looking up again BUT even better!!! Another life altering moment, Tuesday - Sept. 6th, SCHOOL IS IN SESSION!

I love my kids, I really do. Thank God for school. This is my first summer as a "house husband" and I would at this time like to get on my knees and bow down to all the mothers (and fathers) that are full time stay at home parents. Almost drove me back to work! LOL. I made it though, barely, with only minor permanent brain damage.

Doesn't seem like all things come in three's. Same here. Are You Ready For Some Football! Wow, was it nice to see that on TV again. Over the coming years Eli vs. Peyton is going to be a good match up BUT Michael vs. Marcus (Vick's) may be the most exciting match up in years to come. Guess only time will tell.

Its Quest Time so...

Till Next Time!

Back to Basics

The toughest thing about success is that you've got to keep on being a success. Talent is only a starting point in this business. You've got to keep on working that talent. Someday I'll reach for it and it won't be there.
-Irving Berlin

So I am going back to the basics and begin again. Going to read Small Stakes Holdem again and deposit in Noble Poker for their $700 first deposit bonus as soon as I am done re-reading. Josh (72os.com) is making a killing in the $3/$6 games over there so, seeing that my desire to play is returning, I will start there.

I guess "begin again" is not really what is happening. I still have my bankroll and I can't really "unlearn" all that I have digested over the years so I guess it is more a shift of focus rather than a re-start. With my long background in sales, this was a common practice for me. After I would see my sales numbers slipping, I would always fine that I was skipping a step or two in the successful map I had going. So I would take a deap breathe and re-read some material and get back to doing what got me there. I think it is the same thing in poker.

I got to a point where I was out thinking myself and not playing the way I should be. I was getting outplayed by aggressive donkeys because I was trying to be cute and not aggressive myself. My game was suffering and the main problem was me. Sometimes that it a hard thing to see, much less admit to.

It is time to amp up the aggressiveness and play poker the way I know how to do it. It is back to texas holdem full time. I really enjoyed PLO8 and will continue to play, just not now. I have ordered Ray Zee's book on H/L games and will digest it before I continue on. There will be the occasional tournament or SnG but basically it will be cash ring games for the forseeable future.

It feels liberating making this decision. I am not sure the reason why. Maybe because I have finally picked one direction, a familiar one, and I'm going to stick with it. I really don't know, but feels good. So hoist your glasses this Labor Day with me and toast a new biginning to an old song.

~~~~~~~~~~

Also, please visit the Red Cross and help those in need the most in the Gulf Coast.


Till Next Time!

First of Many I am Sure

Absolute Poker is sponsoring an online donation "tournament" to raise money for the American Red Cross Hurricane Katrina Relief efforts. Absolute Poker will match all collected funds, donating 100 percent of money raised to help victims.

The tournaments have been set up specifically for donations and are not actual poker games. Those interested in participating can go to Absolute
Poker and choose a "Hurricane Katrina Relief Fund" tournament from the tournament lobby. Donors can register in any tourney, ranging from $1, $10, $25, $50, or $100 tables. Additionally, players can make account transfers from their own account to an account called, KATRINAFUND, directly through the automated system within the Absolute Poker Cashier tab.

Edit: Coming up on September 12th and 14th, PokerStars.com and Wil Wheaton will host two Hurricane Katrina Relief tournaments with all proceeds going to the American Red Cross. PokerStars will be matching every buy-in 100% and will be offering prizes to the winners.

As of right now, you'll find the tournaments under the "Tourney" and "Special" tabs.

Once again....

For the second time this year, the Red Cross needs your help bad. Man, the Gulf Coast is a mess. Please help if you can.

~~~~~~~~~~

On the poker front, nada. I even missed the Head Hunter Tournamant for 72os on Sunday. I haven't missed poker at all....till recently. I think I am getting close to jumping back in. After watching the Young Guns tourney on the Travel Channel tonight where they were chatting it up, laughing and having a lot of fun at the table. Even playing blind (David Wiliams) and getting cracked after flopping trips! Just got me to thinking about sitting and the tables again. I think my patience is back and ready for the test.

~~~~~~~~~~

On the Freeroll front, revamping of the site is complete. I always will tinker but like the new layout and organization. Messing with some SEO programs (free of course) and have learned SO MUCH! So I haven't been completely away from poker!

~~~~~~~~~~

My daughter turned 13 yesterday. 13!! I have a teenager. I remember my parents talking about "I remember when you were just X years old and you ....." Now I am doing it. I can't beleive 13....1 year to high school, 3 years to drive (As I keep getting reminded), 5 years till college. WOW time flies. Just another step closer to over the hill for me :)

Till Next Time!

Hurricane Katrina is suppose to make land fall Monday Morning. Hope it does the minimum amount of damage possible. Man it is HUGE!

Saw on the news that gas prices will rise again because of it. Like they needed an excuse. Having no excuse at all hasn't kept them from going up!

Truckin' is out. Go check it out.

Going to play another 72os Head Hunter tonight. They are starting to get to me. Finished in the money 4 out of 5 and still have not cashed in a bounty!

Till Next Time!

Almost Zero

I have not played any poker since my last post. Well, almost none. I have enjoyed the time "off". I did indulge in two headhunter tournaments at JetSet. I like them. One was with the 72os Crew , it was my first headhunter and was real fun. I finished 22nd when I floped a straight vs. trips and he hit runner runner full house. OUCH!

Last night I played a HH Sit N Go. Got ZERO cards for the whole thing except for maybe three hands and limped into third for a money finish. No heads though. So I think I will try some more of these. The concept for those who do not now is that each player starts the Sit N Go or Tournament with a bounty and if you take that person out, you win the bounty. Plus if you finish ITM, you win that also. Each players bounty is different based on JetSet's tournament leader board. The higher up the leader board they are, the more they are worth. Very cool concept and makes the game a lot more interesting.

Interesting news:

A women in Mecklenburg County, N.C., attempted to chase snakes out of a couch on her front porch by dousing the nest with lighter fluid, but then an accidentally dropped match set a fire large enough that she had to jump out a window to safety.

True story....out of newspaper.
So many jokes, so little time.

Till Next Time!

I Have Run Out

Learn the art of patience. Apply discipline to your thoughts when they become anxious over the outcome of a goal. Impatience breeds anxiety, fear, discouragement and failure. Patience creates confidence, decisiveness, and a rational outlook, which eventually leads to success.
Brian Adams

I know it seems I have been talking a lot lately about patience in your game. Waiting for the right opportunity and taking advantage. Most of it stems from me coming to the realization that I am losing mine.

"Impatience breeds anxiety, fear, discouragement and failure" - That discribes a lot of my game right now. I have a very lackluster attitude towards playing and can't keep the intensity up. I'm pushing hands to hard and just not picking the right spots.

I read in a post or article or something about online players see twice as many hands as live players so that equates to playing twice as long. He goes on to explain that 1 year online play would equal 2 years of live play and so on. I have been playing full time now for 10 months. So, extrapulating that out using the above information means almost two years worth of poker with no extended break. That's not counting the reading, studying, web site, blog and other poker related time I have spent.

Iggy as well as others have written about the drudgery of poker for a living. Thats what it really is to me right now, a drudgery. I know have a luxury though that I didn't have before. That is money coming in (good money) from my wife going back to work. So it is almost time for an extended break. I have 270 points left to get from the last Poker Stars reload and then I will stop for a while. Atleast till school for the kids starts back up.

I have ordered two more books: Internet Poker by Lou Krieger (Poker Stars Points to good use?) and the H/L Split Poker book by Ray Zee. Good reading for my hiatus. Harrington on Holdem II is on that list also but will have to wait a while. Can't go TOTALLY pokerless....that would be bad :) .

I like to set goals for myself and I beleive when I come back in a couple weeks I will set some new ones. This time though it will include many more breaks away from poker than before. I am not down on poker full time. I would still recommend it to anyone in the right situation. Just like anything you do for the first time, I need to tweek the overall operation and adjust for some more quality time away from the tables as well.


Till Next Time!

One of those Nights

Bad Beats - A few. Suck Outs - A Few.

Main problem - Me! I played like crap!

Making calls I shouldn't, betting when I knew they hit their draws, overly aggressive and impatient. That about covers it. Worst night I have played in a long time. Looking back there are calls and bets that I made I can't explain. Not sure where my head was.

The humbling feeling of poker. 3 days of finishing up, wiped out in 3 hours. I wish I could go on and on about this suck out and that unreal call and how lucky this player was, but I really can't. I lost that money mainly through stupid play.

It upset me a lot last night. I thought I was beyond making some of the major mistakes I made. (Betting big on the turn with a set when the straight hit) Then I realized that it was OK. All players of all professions have bad nights.

Arguably the best hitter in baseball, Ted Williams, FAILED to hit a baseball 6 out of 10 times. A part of baseball lore, a legend, Hall of Famer, had a 40% success rate. In today’s market he would be a millionaire many times over. As history tells us though, a fierce competitor, he came to play.

I have said this many times, people play poker for different reasons, but to play to win, you have to be mentally in the game and "come to play". Though I do not have any statistics, I would wager a 40% success rate would win you a lot of money.

During the time my kids were in school, I had a set time to play and was prepared to sit during that time and play poker. Though I didn't do anything specific, I knew I was playing between these times and I was mentally ready to go. Lately, I believe a lot of my problems are stemming from not being totally committed to playing poker and trying to "fit it in".

School here starts back Sept. 4th and will be back on a regular program again. Till then I guess I have to live with the "fit it in" part or cut down on the play.

Till Next Time!

What a Few Days!

Since I last posted, I tried to update 4Flush and crashed my database. OOPS! After many frustrating tries at re-installing the back up files, I always got 99% of the site back up and one button that wouldn't work. Of course it was the button that let me post to the site! So I ended up re-vamping the whole thing and added some new catorgories and updating the menu. 4 days later and I am all done and to be honest, very pleased with the new look. Well, not exactly new LOOK, but new features and overall flow of the site.

Anyway, didn't get to play much poker obviously but did play a little PLO8 at Stars. It hit me one of the big differences between Holdem and O8. I guess I knew it all along in a way but it just crystalized over the weekend.

There are more gamblers in PLO8 than players. There are more people willing to risk A LOT of money that their draw will hit (especially low draws). I am new to this game and maybe that is just the nature of pot limit H/L games but I do find that aspect intriguing. I have played some NL this summer and even though I experience some of the same gambling attitude it was not as wide spread.

I have seen 8 $100+ pots this week at .25/.50 PL Omaha H/L on Poker Stars and the biggest one ($148) Sunday night. Four people putting in an average of $37 a piece! ONE guy swept it. In a high/Low split game and $148 pot you would guess there would be a split! At least quartered. This guy had the best high and nut low and NOBODY WOULD FOLD! The three other "players" were all on draws.

I gasped out loud. Though I understand the gambling mentality and actually like to play against them (if they are not runnung hot). It is still hard for me to grasp that kind of thinking. We all play poker for different reasons. I guess I ran into a few that play for the big score and adrenaline rush. (Yes, as a side note......tonight that payed off for me.)

So, with the site back up and running and all is back to normal in my cyber world, it will be back to playing Monday.

Till Next Time!

Things I have learned playing PL Omaha H/L:

1) A2 is played like the “Holy Grail”.

2) Nobody considers their low could be quartered.

3) Patience! Patience! Patience!

4) A lot of people playing, very few understanding the game

5) Don’t let them chase the low.

6) Some will chase it anyway.

Been a VERY profitable run so far in my “new” game. I have really enjoyed it. I still find it uterly amazing how many people out there that will just throw their money at you. I am not winning every time I sit down but it is close to 90%. The betting patterns of these players are freakishly predictable.

Don't get me wrong now, there are a few here that really know what they are doing, I just stay away from them. For the most part though it is easy money. It is even amusing to see someone bet pot time and time again pre-flop and check the flop of all high cards over and over. Then berate you for calling down when they bluff.

Of course I am still playing the $50 buy in PL games so I am sure as I move up the players will get a little better. I can say though I am really enjoying playing again. Even finished in the money of a PLO8 2-table SnG on Stars.

Till Next Time!

The System

Before I get into my anecdote for the evening, I would like to take a moment and thank Felicia for taking the time to drop a comment on my last post. With all that you have been through, to take the time to visit a blog that is still in its infancy and looking for its direction means a lot to me. Thank You!

I would like to start this story out with the first part of one of my many favorite sayings:

Luck doesn’t give; ……….

I would like to share an experience today with a player we will call Normal. Now, Normal seemed like a good ole fella. He didn’t talk much but seemed polite enough with a “NH” here and there.

The first hand Normal plays was masterful and I knew it was going to be a mind altering session right from the start. I make a pot bet from the button with AK23 (A3 suited) I see a great flop for me with nut low and 4 flushing. I bet pot. Normal is only caller. Turn was a 7 and river a blank and I split the pot with Normal who called both pot bets with 7772!!!!!!!!

This was to be part of a master plan though, because two hands later found Normal hitting a river ten to win half a pot with TTTA!!!!!!! Now up some $20 on his $50 buy in, Normal installs part two of this master PLO8 plan, he plays every hand no matter what. I warned you, mind altering. This is pure genius. Since you never know what 4 cards could actually turn into a hand, play all of them. I got chills, knowing I was sitting to the right of such a great thinker.

He ran his buy in up to $117 with many plays like the ones above. When step three of his plan was sent into motion…..take a break. He set out for a while for what could only be a self satisfying moment that only a mind like his could conceive.

…..It only lends.

After his return he slips back into the masterful play of before. Something was a miss though. The planets were not aligned right. The power was gone and he left the table 35 minutes later with $37.

Fully distraught over what happened, I threw away all my notes on my fallen hero. I was certain I had found the system to all new sorts of riches. Guess I will have to go back to grinding and doing it the hard way.

Till Next Time!

More Converted?

Been playing PLO8 exclusively this week and I am up big. It amazes me again and again how many people will put ALL their money in on a draw. Whether it is a nut low draw or flush draw or OESD or whatever! I have seen it over and over. It doesn't even need to be the nut draw either. I saw someone go all in and needed runner runner to hit a low...no high hand at all. One that spent $28 on THIRD best LOW hand. Boggles my mind, but can't complain. Money is good.

I haven't played any Holdem since last week and can see I am becoming more converted by the day. I guess I can say I am 50/50 now. I will look at both Holdem and O8 tables before sitting anywhere. Really wanted to play in the Poker Stars WCOOP in Omaha H/L but there aren't any. May try a couple in Holem though.

Hold on to your hats...I am even winning at UB playing PLO8!! What I think I will do is ride the wave and when the eventual evening out comes, I will switch back to holdem. Hopefully it will keep everything fresh and lower the burn out rate a little. We'll see I guess.

Till Next Time!

Plus for Europe!

Monday thru Wednesday it has been over 100 degrees and humidity through the roof here in central Virginia. NOT ONE TIME did this idea ever come up.

It pushes the mid 90's in Vienna...BAM! Everyone goes naked to the museum. FOR FREE!

Have a great weekend...I'm looking for cheap plane tickets!


Till Next Time

A Little Groveling Does Help

Groveling to the poker gods and actually putting in the hours. For all those that may have mentioned me to the poker gods I do thank you. Been a good couple days, ESPECIALLY at the Poker Stars PLO8 tables. Been playing mostly .25/.50 and .50/$1 PL and though I am still new to the Omaha H/L game, I must say they are really juicey.

I have made about $100 a day playing about 3 hours and one table at a time. Talk about teaching you patience! There are about 5 players I recognize as always in these games (so far). They rarely play a hand and when they do it is usually big. They are always 1 1/2 to 3 times the minimum buy in also. They play good starting hands, they play them hard and I am learning a bunch by watching them. I have seen a rise in my game in the last couple days and even winning a few big pots with just the low after a pot size bet on the river.

Still getting some weird things happening to me at UB and I'm getting my ass handed to me over there. So I am done with them for a while. Last night, 5 players limp and I see the flop with 57o in BB. I flop an OESD and turn the straight. The turn and river get capped....MP has 57 and we split! I'm just getting torched over there right now.

I'm thinking of cashing and going to Noble Poker for their 100% up to $700. Jsaw says the $3/$6 there are unbelievably fishy so with the new software upgrade, I beleive I will try it.

~~~~~~~~~~

Enough of me, if you have a good joke, Felicia can use one. Send one to Alcanthang or sign up here. Still thinking about you.

~~~~~~~~~~

For those Star War fans who don't know what to do with all their poker winnings....here you go!

~~~~~~~~~~

Thats about it, on to more grinding!

Till Next Time

Another Learning Step

"If we don't succeed, we run the risk of failure."

Dan Quayle

That quote just rings with me. Since I do find myself a little abnormally adverse to failure. I find at times that I play toooo tight trying not to fail instead of playing to succeed. This all feeds on the fact that I get to emotionally attached to winning and losing. As I posted a while back, I'm working on that one.

Case in point: 72os event last night. I was in top 10 in chips about half way through. Folded to CO who raises. Typical play and I have 99 in the BB. I just called hoping for no high cards on the flop and I would go all in. I flop set and go all in. I was instantly called by AA. Perfectly played until an Ace fell on river. I was covered and I was out.

I allowed myself a minute or two to stare blankly at my empty chair and said NOOO load enough for my wife to come in and ask what was wrong, then I finished updating the freeroll calendar and went to bed. Slept like a baby. I am not a real outwardly emotional person. I am realizing that even though I can rationally explain that bad beats happen, the long run will take care of itself, it's a life long session, ect., I still have to let the emotional side out also. I don't think I will ever be that throw my cup, punch the wall or break a chair type person but maybe a few "OMG's". "NOOOO" or whatever else would be appropriate. I'll get to test that out this week and good.

I get to spend the next few days alone till the working stiffs get home. I have one child at summer camp and one at "Camp Grandma's". All for the whole week! So a little outward expression is due. Who knows, I may even break a pencil! LOL.

So it's poker time! No one is here and can play on a schedule. I have read all the David Ross posts and even have printed them out in a book to read over and over. Summer time was ruff with him also. Having the kids home makes it hard to just sit up in my computer room and put in the hours. There's swimming to be done, games to play, Theme Parks to visit....making childhood lifetime memories. Some things, as I have said many times before, are more important than money.

This week is Camp Poker for dad so lets take a moment to pay tribute to the poker gods and hope they look favorable upon my return (though may be short) to scheduled poker.


Till Next Time!

Getting There

I played a two table SnG at Poker Stars last night and about 20 or so hands in I started wondering about the quality of players there when I realized it was a limit SnG. Oops! In a way this helped though. I am a grinder who had played every SnG I have ever entered as NL. Why not start playing them where my strength lies?

Anyway, I opened a $2/$4 table to play also because I was in for a longer session than I had anticipated. I made the final table of the SnG and left the ring game -2. As you know top 4 pay and I as 4th in chips going in. At the risk of sounding arrogant, I played well and before I new it we were down to three. I was about even chip with second and behind 1st almost 2:1. First place was playing well and I didn't see him blowing that lead but thought I could get heads up with him and it would be fun.

Then I went out in third in two hands. KJs in SB raised the second place player and he calls. Hit J high flop and he calls me down with bottom pair(T7o) to river a gut shot straight. Then he types "Got Lucky" in chat box. Next hand 22 and I get all my money in on a all low RAINBOW flop and he calls me with Qh6h and rivers a queen.

I felt like Hellmuth, if it wasn't for luck I would have won it all. LOL. I enjoyed it though, enough to go play a little $1/$2 PLO8 afterwards. After a small victory there, I quit for the evening. It really felt good to play again.

There is a couple things that I have found I want to purchase for my little race cars and I told myself that poker will pay for it. So I have found a little motivation and maybe I can get back into the full swing of things again.

Since I feel like I should leave you with some meaningful information and I really don't have any, Felicia will save the day with this great site about strategy on all kinds of games. Great read, hope you enjoy it also.


Till Next Time!

Enthusiasm/Motivation/Fun

All of it is gone.

After the brief break in the curse I have been at best break even but that is not the real problem. I am lacking any type of motivation or enthusiasm to play lately. I took two weeks off about a week ago and nothing so I think I will take a few more off.

I can track down why this is happening to two causes. My wife landed a fantastic job with Wachovia bank and I now it is not a "play or go hungary" scenerio. For some reason that has zapped the motivation right out of me. I'm not multi tabling and it just isn't fun anymore. I posted a while back how keeping it fun was to me the most important part. If you are not enjoying yourself, you can't perform at the level needed to be sucessful. I have proven that again to myself recently.

The other cause is I am home. I actually have begun to get a life. (LOL) I have my two kids all day to myself and we go swimming and currently involved in a very serious game of Fantastic 4 on the PS2 with my 7 year old. I am of course running 4Flush and helping my dad get his site going and added a forum for him. Now we are getting ready to lauch a little shop from his site and some other things. Add to that I am racing the remote control cars again and well, I have been distracted.

The one good part in all this is that I haven't lost the desire for poker. I am still refreshing all the WSOP sites and keeping an eye on the big show. I not sure that is good for some though. Rooted for Ivey (out), Raymer (out) and just said a couple nights a go that the jail house to the pen house would make a great movie...Matusow (out). I think I am going to bet a fortune on one of the last 7 guys remaining and root like hell against him so I will win.


I did enjoy playing in UB's new 3 table Sit N Go's and may try a few of those instead of the constant grind of limit play. I still have a few bonus dollars to work off there and at Poker Stars but that will have to wait a little longer.

Till Next Time!

Broke the Curse

It started with a $9 winning session and turns into a mini-run. I guess for now the curse is broken. OK, so it wasn't a Red Sox or Cub's curse but it still had an effect.

I was playing Sunday in a $1/$2 kill game on UB. Bought in for $100, wasn't long was down $15 and holding steady. I was chatting with a friend and said if I get back to even I will stop and feel like a victory. Then I realized that I hadn't updated the freeroll calendar on my site and decided I would just play till I was done doing that. Then BAM! JJ goes down to 55 when a 5 hits the river and AK goes down to KT when he straights on the river. Dang, down to $55 and the curse hangs in.

Then I get A8s in the BB during a kill game and flop comes 8 high. 4 people call me down and my pair of 8's win! Up to $94 and three hands later QQ holds up and I leave up $9. Now you can add 2 more winning sessions to that and all is well again.

Even thought he whole time I knew eventually the cards would turn, it is still so frustrating to see moronic play rewarded as you sit and throw away hands they are calling raises with and winning. I think thats what makes the game so interesting, complicated and frustrating. Also why keeping your head during the down swings is so important.

Til Next Time!

Same Old Same Old

I am in a terrible slump. It seems like I can't win and it is driving me crazy. I played today for 4 hours and lost $93 at $2/$4. Thats why this is so frustrating. Not a bad session considering the stakes but if you add it up over 4-5 days, it is starting to get to me.

What makes it worse is that my high pocket pairs are holding up but I can't hit a draw to save my ass. Four flushing on flop...miss, open ended straight...missed, I had OESD and four flushing three times today and missed all three. A set, forgot what that looks like!

I know I'll come out of this but going through it is hard. I see 9To call three bet blind and flop straight, A6 call two blind and calls to river to hit gut shot. Players seeing 60% of the flops no matter what...winning big.

All come out of it..I hope, but there are more important things going on right now......

Lets send all the people in Pensacola, and Mobile all the prayers and well wishes possible.

Wrong Mentality

It almost seems I am pushing the ceiling to another level of poker. It use to really bother me when I would finish the day or week down money and I thought I had put this behind me. I am a decent poker player but "That's Poker" or "That's just the variation in the game" wasn't REALLY having any meaning to me even though I would spout that off any time I could.

I haven't been winning consistently lately and it has been bothering me again. It seems like -EV and I run in the same pattern. Mine have been little losses coupled with a little win that always manages to leave me negative at the end of the week. I have searched through poker tracker, reread sections in books, read blogs and searched forums. Guess what, I'm not getting any cards. It's that simple. Nothing I can do about it. My high pocket pairs are winning (Most pre-flop after folding 20 straight hands of 52os) my draws are coming in, it's just no cards. My VPiP% is extremely low during the past few thousand hands. Don't get me wrong, I haven't played perfect poker by no means. I found, as always, places were I should be more aggressive or called because of the right odds. Mostly though it has been a run of unplayable cards.

I started racing remote control cars again with my dad. (Yes I pimped my dad!) We raced over the July 4th weekend and he used me playing cards as an example about something else but what he said started to ring louder to me as this week as progressed. He said "money should have nothing to do with gambling".

Though I chuckled at first, I couldn't get this out of my head. After another losing session last night it hit me. Who cares! No big deal! It's just temporary! Don't get me wrong now, the other parts of the game like reading, reviewing your play and being a student of the game is still important but for me, I have to stop keeping score so much. 15 years as a salesman getting paid off profit, knowing where every dime was spent is a way of life for me and has made me good money. Now though, I think it has become a detriment to my game psychologically.

I realize now that when I take a lost at the end of the day I am starting the next day, in my head, from behind and have this "I have to make up for yesterday" mentality. The major problem is it is all sub-conscience and until recently I didn't realize I was doing it. All those years of selling taught me that if you spend x amount of money you better put a little more x on the price side. (Yes, for all those still naive, you NEVER get something for nothing) This attitude does not go well with poker.

As a sales manager, we had to do monthly projections on the numbers we think we would do. You worked hard daily to keep up because at the end of the month you didn't want to be the one that said I missed my projection and lost money. You literally had to make up for a lost the next day before you could work on that day. Until recently, I didn't even know I was bringing that mindset to the game.

Know I have to change my way of thinking. Each day a separate day not related to the last. Keep learning and progressing and try to really grasp the reality of "the long run" in poker. For a middle aged married man, this might be an undertaking! I envy you all who can rejoice in the wins and lament the losses and go on the next day with little or no effect. I use to think I was one of you guys, but I haven't made a permanent change and slowly I slip back into the old way of thinking. (Kind of like the way my aggression will slip)

So I am going to tape "money has nothing to do with gambling" on my monitor and then sleep with it under my pillow till I truly realize that it is the long run in poker that is the most important.


Till Next Time!

WOW

Going away for weekend...let you chew on this till Monday. Here is the whole story.

First to Ten and the Odds

Way to go Johnny Chan! First to 10! Read all about it at Tao of Poker. I'm glad it wasnt Phil!

~~~~~~~~~~

Bet the early favorite or try a long shot! Here is what Bodog thinks:

	Phil Ivey	200/1
	Daniel Negreanu		200/1
	Phil Hellmuth		225/1
	Howard Lederer		225/1
	Gus Hansen		225/1
	Chris Ferguson		225/1
	Erick Lindgren		225/1
	Johnny Chan		250/1
	Barry Greenstein		250/1
	Dan Harrington		250/1
	Erik Seidel		250/1
	Doyle Brunson		250/1
	John Juanda		275/1
	Marcel Luske		275/1
	Men Nguyen		275/1
	Michael Mizrachi		275/1
	Scotty Nguyen		275/1
	David Pham		300/1
	Ted Forrest		300/1
	Amir Vahedi		300/1
	Carlos Mortenson		300/1
	Chau Giang		300/1
	Layne FLack		300/1
	Paul Phillips		325/1
	Sammy Farha		325/1
	Scott Fischman		325/1
	T.J. Cloutier		325/1
	Huck Seed		325/1
	Greg Raymer		325/1
	Phil Gordon		350/1
	Robert Williamson III		350/1
	Humberto Brenes		350/1
	David Williams		350/1
	Josh Arieh		350/1
	Thomas Keller		350/1
	Phil Laak		350/1
	Antonio Esfandiari		350/1
	Annie Duke		350/1
	Jennifer Harman		350/1
	Chip Reese		350/1
	Todd Brunson		350/1
	Freddy Deeb		350/1
	Chip Jett		350/1
	Paul Darden		375/1
	Tuan Le		375/1
	David Ulliot		375/1
	David Grey		375/1
	Allen Cunninghman		375/1
	Alan Goehring		400/1
	Barny Boatman		400/1

Get their whole list here and take a shot at one of Bodogs entrants...they are all 1250:1! Me? How can I resist not putting a little something on Barry Greenstein.

Nothing More to Add

Though I never met him, he effected me also. What a wonderful world we live in.

It can not be said any better than by his best friend.

Good Bye Charlie, God Speed

Life, Poker and the WSOP

If you haven't been following this, A Chick and a Chair has the story recap and the links to go to for Charlie. I would particularly like to comment on this from Spaceman:

Charlie also told me he’d received phone calls from John Juanda, Max Pescatori and Barry Greenstein. He’d been having breathing problems when John called so he couldn’t talk to him. He said Barry was a little nervous when they talked, but kind and friendly; Barry’s sending Charlie a copy of his new book. He said Max was really cool - Max was very excited about recently making the PLO final table at the World Series. Max is sending a copy of Super/System 2 - signed by as many pros as he can track down. The response from the poker community has been overwhelming - for a group of people who society tends to look down on, poker players are really some incredible people. And that includes all of you poker bloggers, too - we may not all be pros, but we do play the game. I hope that you all know how much your support means to Charlie’s friends and family - without going into any details, I’ll just say that it’s made an extremely emotional time a little bit easier for all of us.

I also know that Marcel Luske and others have called.

It's the WSOP. The most prestigious week of their careers. There are financial gains to concentrate on, player of the year implications and for some, a dream come true to win a bracelet. In the middle of this hurricane, they stop and call a man, a poker comrade, who is in dire straits.

It will not make ESPN or the front page of the Times but it is good enough that I know; there is class in this game.

I hope you get many, many more phone calls Charlie!

Edit: Greenstein wins it for Charlie

My Day

I haven't played poker since Wednesday. At first I had to force myself not to play. I knew I needed to take a break, so I successfully didn't play at all. (Spending Thursday at Paramount Kings Dominion helped) I haven't even been chatting with my friends. For that I am truely sorry but I needed a full break from all things poker.

During this time I did manage to screw up/fix/screw up worst and fix 4Flush.com . I deleted what turned out to be pretty important html code for my overall layout. Good news is I learned a couple tricks on how to fix it and learned a little more about the Mambo process along the way.

My comeback date is set for Monday. Should be fully rested and ready! Just can't do it any sooner. Sunday is MY DAY. My kids are older now (12 and 7) so I actually look forward to breakfast in bed. So to all those that qualify.........

HAPPY FATHERS DAY!

Next Time: How About a Warning!

I don't know what happened. Everything was going well, life was good, no worries and then BAM! Everything went dead. All of a sudden I have cornered the market on Ax, Kx and Qx. After 35 minutes today I was wondering if this was a special game with no face cards. Last night I two tabled for 3 hours and won 9 TOTAL HANDS! No bad beats here though, I folded all the rest! I lost $60 in just blinds.

Being cold decked sucks but I will take it over being bad beat to death. Both are frustrating but I think cold deck and NOT being able to play is the worst. I went over my pokertracker stats from last night and I saw 10% of the flops. 10%!! So I looked harder and found maybe 3 hands I could have played that I didn't. Hand after hand of xx. I told some friends in chat it felt like I backed into a ten foot pole and just had it pulled out of my nose.

I have been playng a lot lately and been on a decent run so I think I will just take the a few days off. I'm due for a break anyway. Think I might go to Paramount Kings Dominion for a day with the family. Got some new cool rides and it is only an hour up the street.

~~~~~~~~~~

Micheal Jackson - Not guilty - all charges.
I will not comment on the specifics because I was not there and don't know the whole story but I just have to wonder if that was me being prosecuted if it wouldn't have taken 30+ days to decide and I would be in a cell with "Bubba" by now. Money may not buy you love but it damn near gets you everything else.

Till Next Time

Interesting Dilemma

I posted awhile back about a mental struggle with the amount of money I play with. I've overcome that. I've never really had a problem once I sit down. Chips are chips. It was the sitting part that gave me problems.

~~DoubleAs

Even though DoubleAs plays for a lot more money in NL than I do Limit, I too am having that problem. Its not that I have doubt in my ability or fear of losing; I think it is that I have gotten so use to playing one limit clearing these bonuses that it is a comfort zone issue.

Once I commit and sit down, everything is fine. I guess I will just have to force myself to keep sitting at the higher limits till it becomes natural for me again. Had a fantastic run today at $3/$6 so hopefully that will ease the pain a little.

On a side note of sorts, you have to love this Blogger Nation of ours. I have no sooner realized that I am having an issue and there someone is, posting about it and all seems right again. One huge library at your finger tips for strategy, advice, fun, drinking tips and what ever else. Great place to be a part of.

Till Next Time!

Some Bonus Chasing Advice

As most of you already know I started playing full time unexpectedly after turning down yet another transfer from my job. I was not bankrolled fully but my wife decided to go back to work so I could give it a shot. I figured it would be successful experiment if I could pay half the bills at home. This was in November 2004.

Everything worked fine until January turned into a marginally profitable month and February I loss money. I still paid half the bills and actually started to look for a job. I wasn’t too discouraged and figured the experiment to be a success; I was just under bankrolled and hit a bad run. Then March came a long. As I am sure you remember, March was a bonus chasers dream come true. Most every site I play at had at least one reload and most did more. I had become a full fledge bonus chaser and because of that I am still “experimenting full time” still. My bankroll has grown tremendously while still keeping up with my commitments. Now I have decided to cut out most of the bonus chasing except for a few reloads.

I Yahoo searched “poker+bonus+chasing” and came up with 62,200 hits. It is a popular subject. For my overall view I would say bonus chasing is a good thing. A good bonus chasing plan can be very profitable and worthwhile. I would like to point out a few things that might help you before you get started.

1) Have a plan. Max out your first time deposit bonuses. There a so many first time deposit bonuses out there now, make sure you pick ones that max out you bonus potential. If you don’t have enough bankroll to max it out, find another site and then come back after you have built enough.

2) If you are bonus chasing to build a bankroll, be very aware of the terms and conditions. Most bonuses are cleared faster at the $1/$2 level so if your not bankrolled for that don’t play there and except it will take longer to clear. There are many reasons to numerous to list on why you shouldn’t play over your limit. To me the hardest one to detect and fix is the habit of playing weak/tight.

3) If you are bonus chasing to pad your bankroll, be aware that most bonus chasers ignore number 1 and are playing over their heads and are weak/tight. Go take advantage.

4) EVERYONE flocks to the Party Skins reloads. If you are gravely affected by variance in your bankroll, try to wait till the last minute to reload and clear the Party Skins bonuses.

5) Beware of the site before you deposit. This one is pretty obvious but if there are not enough games being played, you are wasting your time.

6) Play poker to win…..DO NOT play poker to clear bonus. At one point I had so many bonuses to clear and money spread out over so many sites I would play just to clear points. Expiration dates coming fast and I was just putting in hands mechanically. This is no way to play winning poker and puts leaks in your game you will eventually have to fix.

7) Know when to say when. Somewhere at or after the $2/$4 level, you will make more playing poker than you will chasing bonuses. Realize that as you progress through the limits and learn the game that eventually the bonuses are not worth the hassle.

8) There is a lot of bonus out there to grab. You can build a bankroll rather quickly. Bankroll is not the only requirement needed to move up in limits. Nothing can replace knowledge and experience. It is easier to avoid the few players better than you that will always be there than it is to avoid the devastation of a whole limit better than you.

I hope this helps. As you see, I fell into the weak/tight - play just to clear bonus trap. I have a tendency to lean towards weak/tight anyway and now I feel I am starting all over again with my aggressiveness. In a way it is very frustrating to be having this aggressiveness conversation with myself again but it is another lesson learned and grown from. I have a feeling I will be having this conversation with myself a lot.

Till Next Time!

Almost Consolidated

Got about $25 to clear at Absolute Poker and will be ready for full time Ultimate Bet. So tonight should be last night at AP for a while. I don't think I will be bomus chasing to the extent I was anytime soon if ever again. The 100% up to $700 at Noble Poker does intrigue me but mainly due to people telling me how soft the $3/$6 tables are and how fast the bonus clears.

After I finish tonight at AP I will have 1/3 of my roll at UB, 1/3 at Stars and 1/3 in Neteller. I don't think that is a bad mix and will probably stay that way for a while. I posted before about playing one site only but after I thought about it and talked with some others it had more negatives than positives. So I think it I will keep it between three sites and Neteller. That way I can pounce on reloads and still have a choice on where I play every day. I like having the options I think. Like now, I can play at UB and Stars and have enough in Neteller to reload AP and their many many reloads or go to Noble, if I want to try something new.

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The next update from David Ross has been written. Year 2 is a very good read. I for one have really enjoyed all the posts from the David Ross experiment. A lot has been learned by reading these post.

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How could I possibly post anything without refering to the Vegas trip reports coming out now and hopefully all week. I have read a few and looks like Event 2 was as good as Event 1. Take the time to read the blogs listed here. You will not be dissappointed I promise you.

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Lastly I am planning my own Atlantic City trip for later next month I think. Maybe I can round up some guys who are not dead from Vegas and make a nice weekend of it! I you think you might want to come, drop me a line and lets meet up!

Till Next Time!

Sweetneess

Just Home and Love! the words are small
Four little letters unto each;
And yet you will not find in all
The wide and gracious range of speech
Two more so tenderly complete:
When angels talk in Heaven above,
I'm sure they have no words more sweet
Than Home and Love.

Just Home and Love! it's hard to guess
Which of the two were best to gain;
Home without Love is bitterness;
Love without Home is often pain.
No! each alone will seldom do;
Somehow they travel hand and glove:
If you win one you must have two,
Both Home and Love.

And if you've both, well then I'm sure
You ought to sing the whole day long;
It doesn't matter if you're poor
With these to make divine your song.
And so I praisefully repeat,
When angels talk in Heaven above,
There are no words more simply sweet
Than Home and Love.

Poem by: Robert William Service

I am truly enjoying the sites, sounds, smells and tastes of home. Regular posting will resume shortly (hehe)

I hope everyone enjoys Vegas. Look forward to all the write ups! Good Luck to those who won the Blogger WSOP qualifiers!

Im Back!

DSL was here waiting on me! Took about 2 minutes to install and set up. I'm about 1/2 way moved. Still have to go back and get one more load. Maybe will go back this weekend and get it. Only problem was my mattresses will not fit in my truck. So I am looking for a rental on Memorial Day weekend. Yep, you got it...no luck so far.

On top of that got an email from Absolute Poker saying I had till the 9th to clear all the rest of my bonus. Got it to $95 left so I will be back there this week. Then I have to finish my freeroll newsletter for the members at 4flush.com.

All of a sudden, I have to slam some stuff in! Only been back a day but feels good to be home. Its funny, there has been obvious growth here in the last 5 years or so but all the road have the same name and lead to the same place they always do. Having the bulk of the move done and the familiarity of the surroundings has made me realize how tense I was getting leading up to this. I am much more relaxed now than I have been in about a month. I guess it is true: "There is no place like home".

I know this will have a positive effect on my playing. No, it's not going to change the cards I get or make me a poker guru, but I was getting bored with my play as of late and I think the change in the outside surroundings will be a good one.

Due to my TV not fitting in the car, I got to ride the 6 hour trip with it instead of my son. So during the silent trip, I got to reflect on how bonus chasing has really added a boost to my bankroll and helped me make it the months that poker was getting the best of me. It also got to think about how it possibly has had a negative effect on my game as a whole. I am working on putting this in a post and just thought I would bring it up now as a tease.

I would also like to take a second here and say thanks to all the veterns this Memorial Day. Many have sacrificed the ultimate price so I can sit here and enjoy my life. Thank you seems so inadequate but hopefully knowing you are remembered will be enough.

We cherish too, the Poppy red
That grows on fields where valor led,
It seems to signal to the skies
That blood of heroes never dies.

- Moina Michael

Till Next Time!

Break Time

Had second yard sell Saturday and it was also very successful. With the move looming at end of the week, I'm taking the week off from poker.

With the move, packing, getting rid of, changing banking and addresses, I don't think I could concentrate on playing also. I will try to update blog with interesting tid bits of information if I get any. (or ever had any)

I still will be updating the freeroll calendar at 4flush and keeping up with the latest and greatest blogging news.

May be longer than that with poker if Sprint is backed up with the DSL and doesnt get out there. Have access to internet through family so will keep the site and stuff updated regularly.

Til Next Time!