Poker content to Come

Funny thing. I haven't got any money anywhere right now and for the life of me can not decide where I want to play at. Like Professional Poker Player™, I also don't want to download all those sites again and would like to stay with about 5.

After the recent hard drive crash I haven't had any reason to download many sites. I know I am going to stick to Poker Tracker sites from now on with Absolute Poker, Pacific, and UB being three of the five. Since I have not been to Pacific Poker, I'll will try it next. I have set Monday as my "Get Back to Reality" day and hope to have full poker content of aces being cracked and long draws coming in on the river to beat me real soon.

Have a Great Weekend!

Till Next Time!

Goodbye

At around 1:30pm on Sunday, my grandpa died. It was peaceful and for that I am grateful. I am 38 years old and in the last two weeks have have learned a lot about the human spirit. Over the last two weeks when he was able, he would ask how granny was doing and was she ok, all the whilel taking morphine every hour for his pain. Grandpa was 78 years old and by his own admission, didn't have any regrets. He lived his life to the fullest and did what he wanted.

He will me missed and will always be a hero.

Again I would like to thank everyone for the emails, IM's and comments. They are appreciated greatly.

~~~~~~~~~~

It is time now to get back in the saddle. Since the Pokershare fiasco, I guess I have to find somewhere else to play. Good thing about this is that I haven't played anywhere for so long it will all be new again. Maybe I will go with who ever offers the next re-load bonus. Odds on favorite for that will be Absolute Poker!

TILL NEXT TIME!

New Job

Not really but I am now on the morning grandpa watch. I go over at 9am and stay till 3pm. I can't understand how a man that sleeps more than is awake can tire me out so. That 2 hours time he is awake is non stop action.

He gets real confused when we keep giving him medicine. He asked today that since he doen't hurt any more, why does he need medicine? I tried to explain to him that it is because of the medicine that he doesn't hurt. I try hard not to lie to him any when he is in a coherent state. He understands that he has cancer and is not going to be around much longer (when the medicine isn't messing with him). So after a rather lengthy explanation by me today as to why he was taking the medicine, he just looked at me and said "Oh" and went back to sleep.

I realized today that there is a good chance I will be there when he passes away. That bothered me for a moment. Not sure why.

I'm not playing any poker right now. Don't think I could concentrate. I am taking books with me and re-reading them though. Small Stakes Holdem now. Trying to stay as sharp as I can.

Thanks to all that have emailed their support and I will be getting back to poker real soon.

Till Next Time!

Life Catches Up

Atlantic City for me has been called off. A call from hospice saying that family members should stay close. Everytime the phone rings now, we look at each other, hoping this isn't the last call.

You think you are prepared but not really. The family has known for a while that grandpa was going to die. The experts said he had till the summer. The experts didn't know grandpa. Grandpa is a Man. I knew that there was no way he was leaving this earth until everyone, especially grandma, was taken care of. Since we found out the diagnosis, he had sold his house, re-done my aunts house, moved in with her, made sure grannnie has no financal needs ever again and kept a promise to see a grandson graduate from boot camp. All this with pain. Enough pain at times to cause tears in his eyes.

He was the main reason me and my family moved back home. He was a rock in my life and you could always count on him to be there. I am very close to my mother and my father but they split and eventually divorced when I was thirteen. So over the years there was a lot of firsts with grandpa. We shared my first bike, fish, mini-bike and go-cart. He loved to hunt, so my first BB-gun, pistol, rifle and shotgun experience came from him. My only new car I ever owned came with his help. Then he preceded to teach me how new cars are a waste of money and I have never had one since.

My visits now have gone from once a week to once a day. He is getting to much for grannie to handle. Today finding him across the house when I got there and too tired to get back to his room. We walked together back to his bed, all the time talking about something. With all the drugs, you never really know where his mind is anymore. When we got to his bedside he looked at me and said thanks. No grandpa, Thank You.

I am closer to 40 than 30 now. Hell, I'm closer to 40 than 35 now. I have my own family and responsibilities. I can only hope that we my time comes, I will be half the man he is.


Till Next Time!

I Did It!

After 6 events of NL tounraments, I held on to finish FIRST in the 72os Freeroll Tour. 6 weeks in a row of solid poker. Who knew I had it in me! With over 100 people a week, I consider this a good accomplishment.

I am not much of a tournament player. Actually, other than these tournaments, I play about 1 other tournament and/or SnG a month. Well, not this month I guess with trying to qualify for the Pacific Poker $50K tournament but usually thats the case. Needless to say I am proud of myself.

~~~~~~~~~~
Not sure if this is real or a hoax, it was emailed to me. If it's real...DAMN!



This crocodile was found in New Orleans swimming down the street. 21 FT long, 4,500 lbs, around 80 years old minimum. Specialists said that he was looking to eat humans because he was too old to catch animals. This crocodile was killed by the army last Sunday at 3:00 pm, currently he is in
the freezer at the Azur hotel. The contents of it's stomach will be analyzed
this Friday at 2:30pm



~~~~~~~~~~

Atlantic City FRIDAY! Yahooooooo!!!!!!!!!!!!!!


Till Next Time!

I am NOT implying that these people are not pros or that they are not VERY good at what they do but is the full time poker player, playing for a living, becoming extinct?

Lets see, Howard Lederer, Phil Ivey, Chris Ferguson, John Juanda, Jennifer Harman, Phil Gordon, Erick Lindgren, Erik Seidel, Clonie Gowen, Andy Bloch (Team Full Tilt); Phil Hellmuth Jr., Annie Duke, Antonio Esfandiari, Dave Ulliot, Jim Worth, Russ Hamilton, John Vorhaus (Team Ultimate Bet), Gus Hansen (Team Poker Champs), Mark Seif (Team Absolute Poker), Chris Moneymaker, Greg Raymer, Tom McEvoy, Wil Wheaton, Isabelle Mercier, Evelyn Ng (Team Poker Stars, Josh Arieh (Team Bodog), Doyle Brunson (Doyles Room) and the list could and does and will go on and on. Congrats to these guys also. They have stuck to the grind and now it is finally paying off. Close to being household names.

Who can blame them? Jumping on the poker popularity bandwagon only makes since. We all realize poker is not an easy living so if you can find a way to make a little (or a lot) of money on the side…..why not right?

Then again maybe I have toooo much time on my hands this Sunday!

~~~~~~~~~~

Everyone I am sure has the last bullet loaded in the chamber and ready to fire at me tonight. The last event before the championship in the 72os Freeroll Tour. I have been near the top all year and my lead going in is shaky at best. This is the Wild Card Event. It will replace a missed event or a bad showing in an event and can really shake up the standings. Just need to have one more solid game and it will not matter. Wish me luck.

If you want a relaxing 6 weeks of tournament play with not only some real nice people but some very good players, come join us for Season 7. It is a learning experience playing these tournaments and doesn’t cost a dime.

Til Next Time!

I got this from my 7 yr old from arts and crafts at school. Kinda wonder how the conversation went with his teacher.

Son: That's my daddy
Teacher: Whats he doing?
Son: Playing poker.
Teacher: Do you watch him?
Son: Yep, all the time. My dad is always playing.
Teacher: Oh really now!


I expect a call from Social Services any day now. I'm glad my kids know what I do. Neither has shown a strong interest yet. My 13 year old daughter has boys and my son still see's it more like a Playstation 2 game than anything else. I'm not sure either of them understand what poker is doing though. I am talking about the good things poker has done.

The season passes to the amusement park, the new school clothes, Playstation 2 games, contacts for daughter, eating out and all the other little extras I can do now with the extra income. Of course the big picture like college and extra savings and retirement account now that my wife is working is a big plus also. I never tell my kids "poker paid for this" or "poker allows us to do that". I don't think it matters much or that they really care how we do these things, as long as we can keep doing them. That's fine with me. If an interest ever develops, I will be more than happy to show them "the ropes". I just hope they show an interest AFTER they get jobs and have their own money! (LOL)

Till Next Time!

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