Run 'Em Twice

2009-06-26T08:52:00.000-07:00

2007-12-11T13:16:00.000-08:00

Mid-December Update

First of all, I am 100% healthy again, so no complaints in that area. It feels good to feel good again!

Over this past weekend, I had a heck of driving range session. I was hitting the ball on a consistent basis better than I ever have in my life. It was REALLY fun!! Of course I went out the next day and hit 8 out of 10 shots 3 inches fat...It is rare that I leave balls on the range, but I was getting nowhere...

I was out the next day and things were going OK...I was leaving most my shots out to the right with a decent fade, but I sure as hell wasn't trying to! I want my main shot to be a draw and I just wasn't getting my hands through at all...My main man (Darrell Klassen) was there and he didn't have much to say other than to move my divot when I hit it fat yet again! All in all, some progress is being made, albeit much slower than my liking.

I was out today and had few complaints. I was still leaving some shots out to the right, but I had very few fat hits, and I was booming my 3 wood towards the end of my session. I am having to make more adjustments than I would like to get the ball where I want, but I guess that's part of learning how to move the ball properly. All in all, it has been a fun few days and weather permitting, I will be out there again tomorrow.

2007-12-01T12:03:00.000-08:00

I got injured again. It seems I pulled a stomach muscle while sneezing!! I sure as hell don't remember this stuff happening as a 25 year old flat belly...I haven't been able to swing in a couple of weeks, but it shouldn't be too much longer.

I did order some new clubs...I was going to build a couple on my own (and I still will), but the deal was too good to pass up. I ordered thru Golfworks and got 4 thru PW for the laughable price of 99 bucks. They are CER Maltby clubs that are designed for high-handicappers, which I most assuredly am. We will see if they help...

2007-11-08T18:11:00.000-08:00

A Golf Update

At last report I was still wildly inconsistent with the woods with some small amount of expertise with the short irons. It got worse!

Shortly after my last golf post, I was getting more and more inconsistent and having trouble finding any tempo or feel at all. I kept at it and saw a few small improvements when I was invited to play 18 at a "real" course nearby. Of course I jumped at the chance and it was simply the most humiliating afternoon I have ever had. I actually had a couple of whiffs, and I can't remember ever getting a club face on the ball solidly, even one time. Argg!

I took a week off as I was not in the mood, and close to giving up. I have spent too much time and energy on this damn game to suck so bad, but if it's not fun, what's the point?

After weeks hiatus, I was out there about every 2 or 3 days trying to find some rhythm (far short of my almost everyday compulsion) and VERY slowly, things started clicking a bit. Unfortunately, I got a bad head cold and was running low on energy, so I didn't hit a ball for two weeks. So I started again.

It took some time and not a little patience but I started to feel a bit better over the ball...I started to get some good contact (with the 3 wood too!) and I was back to playing 9 twice a week and being a range rat about three times.

And now---
The last two times on the course were as much fun as I have ever had playing this silly game. I still lost a couple balls, I had some of the usual high-handicapper problems with chipping and putting, but to actually hit the ball most the time was really a bunch of fun. I may even take a score card out pretty soon!

THINGS FOR ME TO REMEMBER

-RELAX---if I am tense at the top, it's truly and 100% hopeless
-Shoulder turn---at times I feel like I am just using my arms
-A small hip move
-For now, I need a slight fade stance (with the left thumb on top) to keep the woods in play with the draw I want

I will be back soon with a score card!!

2007-10-19T09:07:00.000-07:00

DRAT!!

I played about as well as I can play in the Blogger tourney, but came up a bit short. I was about 85th out of 1330+ Just short of a duffel bag!!! For some reason, that just cracks me up!

2007-10-04T19:59:00.001-07:00

I have registered to play in the PokerStars World Blogger Championship of Online Poker!

This Online Poker Tournament is a No Limit Texas Holdem event exclusive to Bloggers.

Registration code: 5946890

2007-09-20T10:30:00.000-07:00

Although I am still wildly inconsistent with my 3 wood (and driver of course), I am hitting the irons well enough to start playing a little instead of being a full time range rat. We will see...

2007-09-15T19:04:00.000-07:00

The last couple weeks have been frustrating to say the least. A good day and then a horrible day...Repeat...

The good days don't really need to be talked about, but the bad days are where I really don't know what to say. I had one day where I left half the bucket and just walked away! I had zero rhythm and couldn't find the club face to save my life. Ok, that's enough whining for now...

2007-09-01T20:20:00.000-07:00

The last 3 weeks or so have been "golf'.... some days I look pretty good and other days I look like I never had a lesson...

I never had a good 3 wood, so I ordered a new one-it's a 15 degree clone of a Callaway. I'm hitting it pretty good so far...I also ordered a 60 degree wedge to see how that works...It's a bit of fun fooling around with my new toys!!!

Rib pain is gone, and I can play all I want, so I guess that is the main thing... Pain free is awesome!

2007-08-21T17:24:00.001-07:00

wow
I had very little business out there, but what the hell...a little soreness is no biggie...I hit 'em so well, it was scary...the end

2007-08-20T12:19:00.000-07:00

The visits to the chiropractor have been helping quite a bit. I had another appointment late last week, and another on this afternoon, so hopefully the improvements continue.

I hit a bunch of balls yesterday using only half to maybe a 3/4 swing. After a decent warm-up, I found my groove and had a great time. I was getting very good contact, and was pretty much putting the ball where I wanted as well as shaping some shots just the way I had envisioned.

Fun stuff!!

2007-08-15T18:47:00.000-07:00

I love that muscle stimulator thing! I went to the doctor again yesterday and was feeling pretty darn good. After the stimulation, we tried to do some manipulation-some was working and some was definitely not! I was pretty sore when I left, but I felt like it was a good sore and we were getting somewhere.

Later that evening, I was sore as hell---I mean REALLY sore...

Woke up this morning feeling much better, with just a slight amount of pain...As the day wore on, I had ZERO pain and no soreness at all. So, of course I headed to the range!

I know it wasn't too smart, but I can't just sit here forever...I hit 3/4 of a small basket-hit some pretty bad shots and I hit even more good ones using the PW only! It was fun, but I did get sore after a bit and quit immediately...

2007-08-14T14:23:00.000-07:00

It seems like forever since I was out on the range, and I didn't feel like I was getting any better so I actually made an appointment. Yup, I actually went to the chiropractor yesterday...He took some X-rays and didn't see anything horribly wrong, although I was badly in need of some manipulation. His therapist hooked me up this muscle stimulator thing which felt pretty good and was noticeably relaxing the pain area. When it came time to get adjusted however, I was still very tight and will need more work. I felt better immediately after the visit, but then a couple hours later I hurt like hell. The pain subsided around bed time and I woke up this morning almost pain-free! I have another appointment today, so will see how that goes, but so far, so good. I suppose I was pretty dumb and hard headed to wait so long, but oh well!

2007-07-24T14:00:00.000-07:00

Dammit------------I'm hurt again...I heard a "pop" in my rib area and this one REALLY hurts. No golf for me for awhile. Golf can be as frustrating as can be, but not playing is more so.

I was hitting the ball fairly well before the pain, although I still have a tendency to hit a bit fat. This "new" swing is starting to feel more natural, and my ball flight is looking good with a lot more height to my shots. If I was in the Texas wind that might be a problem, but around here it will work just fine. It will be fun later on to adjust that as well, but after today, I'll be on the sidelines for awhile.

2007-07-23T13:52:00.000-07:00

Bahh...It stinks that I can't put 2 good days together but I halfway expected it. Hitting the golf ball well sure as hell can be fleeting!

I was trying too hard to remember all the stuff we worked on yesterday and was having a tough time, as most all swings were hitting fat. I'm sure the pro could have fixed that in 5 minutes, but alas, it's also up to me to figure some of this shit out for myself. Tomorrow is a new day!

2007-07-22T17:48:00.000-07:00

Well now, THAT was a lesson!!

What fun hitting a golf ball can be when you do it correctly. We worked on several things, and after a somewhat rocky start, I found some rhythm and started crushing the ball. A few of the things we worked on were...

---remember left hand position

---split grip practice swings

---NO stiff arms!!

---loose and loopy (mental image for me)

---move the hands early

---punch shots

---left arm IN

When we were done, that damn 5 iron was going about 175 with very little effort and had a sweet little draw at the end-just awesome. I was even hiting one of my woods halfway decent! I know tomorrow won't be this good, but I still can't wait!

2007-07-16T09:55:00.000-07:00

I'm ready for a lesson...I am getting decent contact most the time ( too many fat shots), but I'm feeling somewhat stagnant and not consistent enough for my liking. I also am 100% hopeless with any club longer than a 5 iron, so I need some help!

2007-06-26T09:47:00.000-07:00

I am still going slow hitting a small basket almost everyday. There is still some discomfort, but nothing I can't live with. I have been hitting them pretty good, but still having trouble shaping the ball. I know I'm not releasing quite right, but not sure what to do about it. I think it may be time to meet up for refresher lesson.

2007-06-20T12:47:00.000-07:00

It's been about a month, and my body finally feels like I could give it a try today. It took awhile to find any rhythm and I admit I didn't want hurt myself. I'm getting old enough to know better! After many tentative swings, I finally just stuck one pretty good with nice divot, so that loosened me up a quite a bit. It was nothing too impressive, but I was fairly pleased. I am only going to hit a small basket until ALL the discomfort is 100% gone.

2007-05-17T12:41:00.000-07:00

I'm Hurt

I was about halfway through a small basket, and felt more than a twinge-It fuckin' hurt. I tried to shake it off, walked around and stretched a bit. I tried one more ball, and NO WAY.

I'll be back when I feel better...

2007-05-15T12:14:00.000-07:00

Progress?

I tried to forget about last fiasco of a session, and just relax and hit a few. I was very happy overall...I just hit the PW and 9 iron, trying keep my rhythm and tempo. I wasn't trying to move the ball too much, just some good contact.

I felt a little twinge in my ribs after I was finished, which is annoying. It's probably nothing, but I'll take a couple days off anyway.

2007-05-12T12:09:00.000-07:00

lesson 5

I suck...
I couldn't find the ball at all
I had no rhythm
I dunno--It has been a lot of work and after all this time, to go out and look like shit is as frustrated I have been in a long time.

My pro was nice enough to offer me a free tune-up later, as he knew we weren't getting anywhere on this day. I really appreciated that...

2007-05-10T12:00:00.000-07:00

What? I actually played 9...

Yup, I actually was off the range and onto the course for a change. My associate showed up and asked if I wanted go , so hell yes!

All in all, I enjoyed it; I hit many poor shots, some were OK, and a couple were quite good. When I was close to the green, I was more than happy with my chipping, but my putting was atrocious. This was no surprise since I hadn't putted in many years.

I didn't bother to keep score, since I feel it is counterproductive to do so when you are at my level. To me, it's just the usual practice except this time I was actually on a course.

I enjoyed it!

2007-05-07T11:53:00.000-07:00

More practice

VERY inconsistent the last few days...I hit a couple of beautiful shots, and then I absolutely can't find it again for several shots. Pretty frustrating, but I am hitting enough good ones to keep me out there

2007-05-04T10:45:00.000-07:00

lesson 4

We worked on a little of everything this time around; I felt pretty good overall and feel like I am coming along. We worked a little on my swing path as well, and I started to move the ball a little better. I'm still inconsistent when I'm on my own, but I feel like progress is being made, albeit slowly.

2007-05-02T18:07:00.000-07:00

I have been very diligent and showing up at the driving range at least 5 days a week. I probably should call this blog "the range rat" or something similar. I do enjoy solo experiences, and the local range is rarely busy so I get to have my own brand of fun. Golf is always golf, and can never be totally mastered, but it sure is fun to see (and feel) progress.

I never bothered too make any particular goals with regard to the game, but it would be fun to someday play bogey golf. So I guess thats my first goal! It may not sound like much, but if you have been a high handicapper your whole life, it looks like dream.

2007-04-25T17:55:00.000-07:00

lesson 3

Not too much new at this point, but it's getting more fun all the time and really looking forward to a lesson. He is a great guy, and seems to able to get through the gray matter residing in my skull.

We used most all the clubs today, and while the long stuff was still a huge challenge, I was popping the old PW wherever I wanted. I still don't release properly and I'm not sure why...I do OK when the pro is watching, but the next day, I don't have the confidence to put the ball where I want. I am not really good enough to worry about moving the ball right or left, but it's awful boring out there unless you can have fun working on different stuff.

2007-04-22T17:29:00.000-07:00

I have been to the range 6 days in a row!! I'm still very rough around the edges, and having a helluva time with releasing the club. I am getting better though and there are days where I really feel like I can put the ball where I want.

The hardest part is the usual---trying hard, but staying relaxed at the same time.

The short irons are feeling pretty darn good, but I am still lost with anything above a 5 iron. That extra length just does something to me...

2007-04-15T17:51:00.000-07:00

Lesson 2

The lesson was concentrated on making

--- a half swing
---hitting at least an inch in front (after) of the ball
---balance
---stiff left side
---releasing the hands (hopeless, so far)
--- spine angle

I hit a zillion really good balls today...He is VERY big on having a draw as the "go-to" shot, and since I have been a slicer my whole life, it works for me. So far, we are only using the PW and 9 iron. I'm not at all sure what I am doing, but it sure is fun to hit the damn ball. Sweet spot, almost dead straight with a little draw-what's better than that? And taking a divot where you are supposed to is awesome!

Little things---
---He has me standing up a bit straighter
---relax
---relax some more
---see above

2007-04-12T17:46:00.000-07:00

I have no idea why, but I took his words to heart, and practised chipping for about 4 out of the last 6 days. It's a small basket, and it costs 5 bucks. Boring as hell, but there was a some "feel" going on that surprised me...

I still haven't hit a full golf shot in almost 10 years...

2007-04-06T15:33:00.000-07:00

Damn...

I'm going with this thing, but truth is I am slightly annoyed. I just had my first lesson today, and all my pro did was have me chip a few balls to the pin. He wanted me to feel the spin of the ball as I chipped...I guess I was mildly pissed and expected more. He does seem like a really nice guy, so we will see how it goes. I did hit a few pretty close, but my short game was never horrible.

lessons learned

---don't be afraid to choke down on the club

---weight forward, stay steady and keep it there

---use your hands (chop)

2007-04-02T15:16:00.000-07:00

Once the decision was made, the rest was easy. I called the local driving range/golf course and asked for the number of the golf pro they recommended. I called.

He sounded like a quite a character, but since I am in that category as well, I played on. After hearing his fees, I just about hung up, but I had just received a nice bonus, and was on a mission. Jesus, that's a LOT of money! So, I signed up for a 5 lesson deal...

2007-04-01T14:13:00.000-07:00

So...Poker went to shit...So being the genius I am, I turned to possibly the only thing known to mankind that is more frustrating than poker...

GOLF ! !

I hadn't hit a ball in years, but I knew I had to do something, as my ass was becoming way to comfortable planted in my chair. I'm not trying to pretend golf will be any exercise for me, but at least it gets my butt out of the house once in awhile.

A Brief History

I was always a decent athlete, but that was years ago, with a different lifestyle and most certainly a different body. I played a bit in my late 20's, tutored by an old guy (who's name escapes me) who was a pro years back, and played with the likes of Jimmy Demeret and others. He worked with me, but I pretty much sucked. I really wanted to get better, and worked quite hard at it, but the damn game just never clicked for me. I played with a bunch of other bartenders and had a great time, but I never really got comfortable with the game. I eventually moved away, and golf was a distant memory.

I did play a bit a few years later with a group of buddies after work. It was always a Wednesday, and I still sucked, but boy did we have fun!

Fast forward several years---
OK, several more---

As noted above, I needed badly to do something besides gaze at a computer screen 16 hours a day, so I decided to mess about with the game of golf.

Let's see how it goes...

2007-02-07T09:40:00.000-08:00

It took awhile...

But I made my decision. I made a check request for a nice chunk from PokerStars which is on the way as I type this. I left enough in the account to play a bunch of small SNGs, so hopefully I can build it back up to a few thousand over the next year. I also have a very few bucks left at Full Tilt, and will play that off soon, and see what happens. Even if I can get that built up, I have no idea how to get the money out of there!

It just doesn't make sense for me to keep a bunch of money at any poker site given the current environment. The SNG's will be there for me when I need my poker fix, but I am going to start focusing more on trading the markets. I still maintain that area is easier to beat than playing poker, so all I have to do now is prove it. I may start a trading journal, or may just update this one once in awhile. I have been busy investigating different brokerage firms, and will be set up and good to go very soon.

I have to admit that even after my awesome month of December, I was still somewhat burnt-out on playing poker, so maybe this is some sort of twisted blessing, but it's still bullshit that we had it shoved down our throats by a cat killer.

2007-01-25T09:07:00.000-08:00

What to do ?

I really don't know...With Neteller pulling out, the question is-Is it worth setting up a Canadian or off shore account along with a proxy server? Obviously, playing 99% of the time at PStars is a possibility, but the action will dry up there sooner or later, and the games will get tougher than they already are.

If I was a full time pro, the answer is an easy one, but for a 100NL player, it just may not be worth the hassle. It's a frustrating time for all players, but I have to be glad my livelihood doesn't depend on the game of poker. Right now, I am tempted to drain all the funds and get more active in trading the markets, but that remains to be seen.

2007-01-06T14:29:00.000-08:00

A Recap of 2006

As I look back, 2006 just wasn't all that interesting! I only had one concrete goal at the beginning of the year and fell woefully short of that. That goal was to be a 8PTBB/100 winner at 100NL, and I wasn't even close. I hadn't looked at my PT stats in quite awhile and perhaps there was a good reason for that! From a pure money point of view, I spun my wheels for most of the year without getting anywhere although I felt I was making decent progress improving my game in the last couple of months.

The first six or seven months were really a grind as I managed to earn a few bonuses to make up for some small losses. During this time, a friend started looking at a large number of hand histories with me and I managed to slowly plug a few leaks. The main thing I gained during the hand reviews was that I have calling station tendencies . I also needed to work on overall aggressiveness, which I feel was improving quite a bit.

One of the areas I worked on the hardest was a simple sounding goal, and that was to PAY ATTENTION. Although I enjoy poker on several different levels, I do have a tendency to get bored quickly and end up with the attention span of a child. As I improved in this area, it paid dividends immediately. I remember vividly actually putting people on hands, going with my reads, raising weakness...damn, REAL poker!

Another highlight had nothing to do with poker, but of course there was gambling involved. I gave the guys over at Up For Poker a few bucks as did many other bloggers, and we were a nose away from the pick 6. We won enough there to have a freeroll at The Breeder's, but didn't come quite as close that time.

Of course from a gambling point of view, the low light of the year can be summed up in one word---Frist. This has been discussed and blogged about a million times over, so I won't belabor the point here, other than to repeat that my motivation suffered mightily, and whatever fun i had in poker was pretty much gone.

The latter part of the year was of course my favorite, since I managed to win a few bucks. Winning the BTP Championship was a great feeling and I'm quite proud of that, as well as being runner-up last year. If nothing else, I am as steady as they come! And then we enter the month of December, which for an old curmudgeon like myself is typically not my favorite month. It is now! I kicked ass, won a good chunk of change, and played as well as I know how. I played the largest SNGs of my career (a few 200s) and did quite well, and cashed nicely in the "old timers tourney" at Stars for my best month ever.

It was a great way to finish off the year and left me feeling great, and ready to go for 2007. I have several things I want to work on , and some of them actually pertain to poker. Good luck all, and Happy New Year.

2006-12-28T06:28:00.000-08:00

Wow, does time fly! It's hard to believe it's Thursday already.

The Christmas holiday weekend was great fun, as I did nothing but eat and drink and play poker. I kept to myself with nary a visitor. Without sounding too much like Mr. Scrooge, it made my day when my Mom called a couple weeks ago and informed me we weren't doing anything for Christmas, and she and dad would be on a cruise. Perfect!

This gave me time to play at my leisure, and I made the most of it. I won a little at Razz, won a little at 100NL, and then... I won a 50(9) SNG, was 2nd in 20 (18) SNG and then won a 200 (9) SNG. It was a sweet run indeed, and was made more fun in that a few friends witnessed some of the party. I went back to the ring games for a day or two with mixed results, and then got slapped in the 3/6 triple draw. I was almost ready to write a bad beat post about my 300 dollar shellacking, but the next day my buddy Piers reminded me about the freerolls at Pokerstars for us old-timers.

So I played. I cashed. Fifth place for around 1500 bucks!

I was at the final table with Shirley (Pokerbabe) and said hi...I am sure she had no idea who I was, but I had sent her a congratulatory E-mail after her first big tourney score and I have been reading her blog for so long, I felt like I knew her anyway. She finished in 3rd, so way to go Shirley! I have been so lucky (healthwise) in my life, it's hard to fathom the strength that some people have. She is a tough one, and it was great to see her do well.

As long as I don't get hit by a train, this should be my very first 3K month and I couldn't be happier. For the year, I have been spinning my wheels, so now I feel like I'm over the hump and playing well. Of course having the deck hit at the right time has helped, but I think I'm making more out of those good situations.

Later all ....

2006-12-19T14:13:00.000-08:00

Random poker thoughts

I have been thinking, which is always a very dangerous proposition for me. For whatever reason, I have been following the results at the Bellagio fairly closely (once a day?), and started to do some thinking...Justin Bonomo seems to be doing quite well...

ZEE JUSTIN

The name alone brings many different emotions to the table, most of which are negative and hateful. Those emotions and opinions are (or were) the same as mine. I have no room in my life for cheaters or scammers, and in my opinion even angle shooters should die in a painful fashion. So I was thinking...

I don't know the guy, and possibly never will...

When he was caught multi-tabling in the tournaments, he was 18 or 19 or 20 years old. His comments (excuses) after the fact were ridiculous, and hopefully as he matures he will be embarrassed by his rationale. This isn't easy for me to write because I hold honor and truth above all else, but the bottom is, I was a major league fuck up at that age. And everyone I knew was the same.

So I have to give him a break...So kick ass kid, and NEVER ever fuck up again.

2006-12-14T12:23:00.000-08:00

Bloggers and me

Leave it to me to make a rare visit to Las Vegas two weeks before the Bloggers get to town! I really have no complaints since the guys I met while there have been online friends for quite awhile and I had a blast. Having said that, it would have been cool to meet (and drink) with all the folks I have been reading for the last couple years. Having (many) drinks with Iggy, Pauly, and the infamous AlCantHang might have been good for several posts that someone might actually have read. I haven't tried very hard to be part of the blogging community and I'm not sure why, since everyone is pretty nice, at least half-crazy and likes to drink. I believe part of the reason is I got to the party a little late which is not rare for me. Hell, I have been playing online as long as anyone (can we say Planet Poker), but it was only 2 or 3 years ago I even knew there was such a thing as rake back! It seems like all the "regular" bloggers had been around for quite awhile before I even knew what a blogger was. I just remember asking my office partner( a couple years ago) "Hey, what's a blog?" I also rarely post comments, so I sure could work a little harder getting to be known in the blogging neighborhood. Or, since I have no idea why I write this thing anyway, I can stay invisible and lazy.

Poker

It has been an awesome run!! I kept trying to work off the Full Tilt bonus, but their software or server does not get along with mine and it's impossible for me to play ANY game there without getting timed out at least 25% of the time. It was extraordinarily frustrating, so I said to hell with it and started playing some SNG's over at PStars. I was met with great success (and never got timed out once) which is always fun. I played a little bigger than usual, the players were pretty weak and I have been catching enough cards to prevail. I even played a 200 buy-in which was a first for me, and took it down for a little over 900. It has been a sweet little run, which while quite satisfying and rewarding, has done little to rekindle the poker passion of last year. I am not good enough to just sit and win...I need to get a lot better and continue to work on my game, but I am lacking the motivation to do so. I wonder if I can find that poker magic again?

Food

I actually left the safety and comfort of home last night to visit friends who were in the middle of their annual "Tamale Making Party". Since I am a kitchen guy, I am usually pretty handy to have around, so when I saw Papa wrestling with a massive hunk of beef I attempted to help out. I took one try at cutting the beef into large chunks and quickly announced that "I would be right back". I drove home and picked up a couple of sharp kitchen knives and saved the day! I suppose it wasn't that dramatic, but how people can have crappy (and dull) knives in an otherwise modern and well-stocked kitchen is beyond me. We ended up with a great tasting product and had a nice time doing it. Since I was offered, I was forced to accept a couple different Belgian beers; one was apple flavored and the other was raspberry. They were a little sweet and without any alcohol overtones, but not too bad.

I think it's time for a whiskey and a SNG...Later all

2006-12-04T18:10:00.000-08:00

Poker

I actually pulled it off and won a tournament on Sunday, which gave me the championship crown. All the guys at BTP are good players, and only a handful play all the events, but a win is a win, and I will gladly take it. I think we played a total of ten different events, ranging from Razz to PLO, HORSE, etc etc. So once and for all-here is the brag line!

2006 BTP WCOOP Champion

It was pretty cool as a bunch of guys congratulated me, and actually got a couple E mails.

I am still slacking on putting in the hours, but I have to get to the FT bonus before time runs out---I think I have 2 more weeks before it goes "pfffft". I did lose 200 in the 8/16 Razz game the other night, but I must say it was nice getting my money in with the best of it about 99% of the time.

Stuff

When I was a kid, I used to listen to Dodger baseball on the radio. Normally, the only time I would listen was when it was getting late, and we were supposed to be asleep; I guess I was around 12 years old or so. I had an old Philco short wave radio that my Grandpa had given me, and it had this wire for an antennae that if I connected it just right on my metal bed frame I could hear the game. With that unmistakable voice, I can hear it like it was yesterday... Vin Scully calling the play by play..."Sandy Koufax with ANOTHER strike out"....

I was never much of a baseball card collector, and I have never asked for an autograph in my life. I am certainly not a huge baseball fan these days and rarely watch sports at all, which makes it a little difficult to explain why I was so touched by reading this. Awesome stuff from a class act and a good guy. Thank you Don...

As I was posting this, I had was boiling some pasta for dinner. Writing anything always takes me longer than expected, so this pasta was NOT "al dente", more like mush! Yuck, but I ate it anyway. I am only a part-time food snob, and I was hungry!

2006-11-30T08:53:00.000-08:00

I'm Back!!

Yes, I have been away from blogging for a bit. I had to take some time off, or all I was going to write about was political rhetoric, which really isn't any fun to read. I will still have a few things to say, but I will do my best to keep those comments brief.

Poker

After the UIGEA passed, I have had a very difficult time putting in the hours. I have played a little 100NL, a couple of tourneys and some Razz, but my concentration has not been there. There does seem to be some decent bonuses available, so that's always a good motivational tool! Some of the sites are new to me, but I suppose it's worth a try.

Our own little BTP WCOOP is still going on, and I managed a 3rd in the HORSE event last Sunday to put me in 2nd place overall. We have one more event to crown the winner, and it would be a lot of fun to win, as I was 2nd last year as well. All the guys are pretty damn good players (and good guys), but I wonder why I can do OK against them and struggle to beat a damn 100NL game. It's very frustrating...

Las Vegas

I finally made my way out of town to LV last week, and actually missed two days of work. That was a first for me, but I definitely needed a break. I met up with some online poker buddies that I have corresponded with for at least a couple of years and we had a great time. I was the oldest of the group (by far) but it was a great group of guys, who hopefully had a fun time watching me drink myself into oblivion. The games (200NL) were pretty good overall, and much softer than the the usual 100NL online game. The downside is a common refrain---SLOW, player mistakes, dealer mistakes, tips etc. I ended up losing a small amount (maybe 200 ish), so there was very little damage done. I spent more in tips and food than that!! I may go back in a few months just to play poker (no partying) and really take a hard look at the viability of beating the hell out of those tables.

I didn't get around quite as much as I had planned, but so far the room at Caesar's Palace has my vote. Next trip will be the Bellagio and the Venetian for sure.

Thanksgiving

It's always a goofy holiday for me since the markets are always open on Friday. I cooked a delicious pork roast, cornbread dressing, three different types of gravy, and a few other goodies. I finally finished the leftovers today at lunchtime, so it only took a week-not too bad!

And in the News

More good news after reading this article about the benefits of drinking red wine. One can only hope that soon we will discover that this wonderful news is dose related!

And this just in---Bill "the cat killer" Frist will not make a run at the white house in 2008. I guess he figured he has done enough damage...Gee, maybe we want to dig a little deeper into the insider trading allegations...Since he is so worried about us playing poker, it seems only right we find out everything about his stock transactions (how nice, a stock held by a majority of family members). I did read that he is disappointed that these allegations weren't cleared up as quickly as he wished-LOL. It's close to Tom DeLay saying "I'm innocent". Douchebags.....

OK, enough of that little rant---I'm off to have a couple glasses of wine, finish a commodity update and play a little poker...Later all...

2006-11-09T11:12:00.000-08:00

A Matter of Perspective

A buddy of mine is a very, very good poker player. He plays in bigger games than I could even dream of, so when he loses a stack, it's 1000 bucks. We have all been kicked in the teeth by the bitch known as variance, and at times it seems bad beats begets more bad beats.

He and I were IM ing the other morning while he was in the middle of a 3 stack drawdown. You want to talk about bad beats? At the same time, one of my dearest friends IM's me with the horrible news that her sister was diagnosed with breast cancer.

I'll tell you something my friends. All of a sudden, that 3K downswing seems awfully damn unimportant.

Treasure your friends and loved ones, and enjoy each and every day as much as possible.

2006-11-06T17:03:00.000-08:00

The guys at BTP have our own brand of WCOOP going on every Sunday...It's usually a good bit of fun, with not a lot of money involved, but a HUGE amount of pride and ego...This past Sunday was a NL HU deal...I was out played badly in the final, but-

PokerStars Tournament
You finished the tournament in 2nd place.

I went on to lose a stack at FT later in the 100NL...Argg

A couple things for your reading displeasure...

Kissinger and

Our Congress

Election Day

It's too bad most all folks just want it all to be over, and I'm one of them...All the name-calling, the slanderous statements...Those are our elected officials folks, and we voted for them. It's great to see they take the high ground on all of the campaign issues. The truth is, they all sound like 3rd and 4th graders saying my dad can beat up your dad. Disgusting.

R vs. D

what are we voting for?
who am I?
where do I fit in?

what a joke...

D Gay marriage-always a major concern, as it affects me daily...
D Illegal Iraq war
R I think guns are OK
R Prop 87 (Calif) is the biggest bunch of BS I have ever seen
D No oversight in Washington in (at least) 6 years
D Truth about Kissinger
D What? We have a Constitution?
D Religion
D "War on Terror" It's inconceivable that that the Green Party could do a worse job than this administration.
R Environment I like everything clean and pretty too, but the liberals are over the edge here...of course that moron (in Calif) is way over the other edge
D The CIA---almost break even here, but the odds are better with D if you want to rein in those bastards
- Staying home---another words, STOP messing about in other countries. It's a novel concept (see CIA above) that I doubt either party could adhere to for long, since we MUST conquer the world.
- Taxes and spending (they both suck) a slight edge to R, but they have now spent more than ever before in history. The REAL problem is the Dems would (if they had their druthers) raise taxes and squander the proceeds on bullshit, rather than paying off a few trillion of our debt. Taxes ARE going up kids, no matter what smoke either party tries to blow you with.
- Immigration---way too complicated for me at the moment
- legalizing drugs---As well read as I try to be, I am admittedly ignorant on all facets of this debate
- Health care What a mess...
- SS a bigger mess; see Taxes

Anyway, we MUST have a Dem House to keep these psychopaths in line...

Oh yeah, and then there is poker D too late? I hope not.

2006-11-04T18:05:00.000-08:00

It took more than several days to get back into the swing of things, but I am slowly getting back in stroke. I had a sweet little run at Paradise recently which netted me a few bucks. I was down to 27$ over there after draining most all of my accounts. I started playing at the 25NL a week ago Friday, and by Sunday evening had an account of over 700$. Some of that was bonus, but it was a very nice run. I doubled up at the 25, and off I went to the 50 NL game and almost doubled there before getting back to 35ish. I took a break and then I was off and running with over 100 before too long. I called it a night, then started on the 100NL game Saturday morning and never looked back, and finally getting to multi-table a bit.

I was playing very well, and perhaps I was experiencing a new level of play. I was doing more thinking and analysing than ever before, and putting people on hands, and being more aggressive when I sensed weakness. I think some of the better players call this "poker"! It's always easy to say such things after a win, but I would like to think that some of the work i have been doing on my game is paying off.

I plan on being in LV the middle of November, and really look forward to playing some live games. It has been a long time since that has happened, but should be fun. The plan is for some online friends to meet up, so it promises to a good time. Naturally, I am having problems booking my flight, DAMN! The thing says 4 seats left, but I get an E mail saying I need to re-book...A real pain.

I had E mailed Change100 recently hoping she was going to be writing somewhere, and sure enough...Great news!!

I'm in the mood for some Razz, so off I go to Full Tilt.

2006-10-15T10:48:00.000-07:00

I feel like I am being dragged, kicking and screaming all the way down a dark hallway to enter the door that is labeled "liberal". I don't like the idea, but let's face the facts.

I have always been a fiscal conservative and a lifestyle liberal, and over the years I have voted with my wallet. Liberals spend too much money, and (still) have the idea that throwing (our) money at a problem will solve all the problems of the universe.

But now we have an administration that has probably spent more money than any liberal ever thought of PLUS we have

---Starting an illegal war. Period. U.N. Security Council?
What's that?

---Overt lying to the citizens of this country to facilitate said war. Truth?
What's that?

---Ignoring the realities of the many problems to be faced in such a war. All one has to
do is read and research just a little, and the civil war and chaos was damn near predictable.

---Torture is OK ( I guess its ok for the "good guys" to do whatever they want)
Not to mention that it has been pretty well proven that torture doesn't work.
The Geneva Convention?
What's that?

---Proposing a bill to exempt oneself from a war crime tribunal. Now come on, if you
have to even consider doing something like this, what does that say?

Those are just a few highlights that come to mind without digging too deep. The Republican party is now no more than a thinly veiled front for the conservative Christian coalition who are bound and determined to TELL ME WHAT TO DO AND HOW TO DO IT.

Fuck them.

2006-10-11T18:46:00.000-07:00

Needless to say, I have not been in the mood to update much since the recent "poker legislation", as I politely call it, came into being. After the initial shock, outrage and anger, I find it interesting that there is no consensus as to the eventual outcome. Bill Rini had a pretty gloomy outlook (which I agreed with) but there have been a few more optimistic posts from other bloggers that I respect, so it appears that all any of us can do is wait and see.

From a personal point of view, Badblood said it for me in his post "Hit the Showers". I have been playing poker for over 30 years, but it was not until the advent of online possibilities when I really had a chance to work on my game. To meet other like-minded folks and talk poker, and for a change REALLY WORK AND THINK about poker. I have never had (too) many illusions about my skill level, as I doubt there was much of a chance for me to take on the Doyles, Chips and Daniels of the world. Although perhaps I had less than a scant chance of be being a world champion, I was getting better and improving all the time. On my best day, maybe all I was ever gonna be is a 5PTBB/100 winner at the 400NL, but it sure as hell will piss me off if I don't get a chance to find out.

I have spent an inordinate amount of time reading a variety of things this past week. I started out researching the thorn in my ass (Frist), and that led me to slew of other things, most of which I found disgusting and reprehensible. As a rule, I read quite a bit so I wasn't too shocked about the bare facts, but if you dig deeper it gets pretty ugly. I may not be apolitical anymore....

Anything I have to say has been said by others, all of whom have better writing skills than I.

I have several more observations which will be posted soon.

2006-09-30T11:55:00.000-07:00

The End??
Saturday, September 30, 2006

WOW...What a shitty way to wake up. I am almost numb...Since I read almost everything most all day, I was surprisingly unaware of Sen. Frist's latest underhanded (and successful) attempt to outlaw online gaming. Many other folks have written and commented on this, and they are all better writers than I. Check out http://www.upforanything.net/poker/ and of course http://www.pokerblog.com/ . As usual, Pauly manages to inject some humor on a serious subject with this gem--- http://taopoker.blogspot.com/ .

Some random (and personal) thoughts---

---I feel bad for some friends of mine who play online poker as a full-time career

---you have to wonder if this legislation will stick

---I have no doubt that the hard core players (like me and some friends) will be able to work around this. The problem is that the recreational player (aka fish) will not go to that much trouble.

---I think we have seen the top of the poker boom...I believe it was last Thursday...

There is more, but I'm already tired...

Re: Frist, I did find this little gem earlier this morning...It's great to know we are looked after by such an upstanding an honorable man...

Frist is an animal lover who said his decision to become a doctor was clinched when he helped heal a friend's dog. But Frist now found himself forced to kill animals during medical research. And his new dilemma was finding enough animals to kill. Soon, he began lying to obtain more animals. He went to the animal shelters around Boston and promised he would care for the cats as pets. Then he killed them during experiments. "It was a heinous and dishonest thing to do," Frist wrote. "I was going a little crazy." Killing, dishonesty, insanity. Sounds like he was a good Republican even back then.

I found the above at http://www.dailykos.net/archives/000715.html

2006-09-17T18:19:00.000-07:00

Poker

Well hell...........

It's been a lousy few weeks, and I really don't know if I'm running bad or playing bad. I have been playing 85% LIMIT Hold 'em for about 3 weeks now, with less than sterling results. I have never claimed LIMIT is a game I was an expert at, but I thought for sure I was at least a break even player. Obviously playing a game that isn't your best can seem somewhat foolish, but with the bonus situation the way it is at Interpoker, it still seems the way to go. It has only been about 800 hands at 2/4 LIMIT and down about 150.00, so it's not the end of the world, but it does give one pause. I suppose if I had more confidence in LIMIT, I wouldn't even be writing about it.

Unlike many players and bloggers, I enjoy Razz...I gave it as good a shot as I could on Friday night, playing three satellites for the WCOOP, but never getting close enough to talk about. I got pretty deep in one of them, but I went in 2 or 3 times with what looked to be great hands, but had the worst of it every time. When I have A3 hidden with a 5 up, I sure as hell can't be worrying about A2 hidden by the villain!! On the good days, those hands work, on the bad days you just shake your head.

I had a little PLO fun today, as the boys from BTP and I got together for a little tournament fun. I enjoy all poker games, but I have to say PLO is in the middle of my already mediocre skill set. I came in 2nd, which means the deck smacked me in the face when it was important. I had a few hands, so it was fun not folding all the time...

Cookng and Food

Jesus, I have been on a food rampage! I have no idea why, as I am rarely hungry (damn good thing), but it has been like a drug...I will spare you all the details (and the recipes), but I now have a reduced meat stock (semi-demi) in the freezer, as well as pork stock. The espagnole (It's a mother sauce---look it up if you care) is bubbling at the moment...
I took all the remnants of stock making and was trying to figure out something to make...
AHA!! Pate! So naturally I had to go to the store for some chicken liver (and beer), but I have to say that it came out great. Any Pate is ridiculously rich, so I had a few bites and put the rest in the freezer, where it will probably get thrown out in a few months.

I just received pretty cool news, as my buddy from LV will be visiting me tomorrow. I haven't seen him in a couple years, so it should be fun. I plan on staying with him on my next to Sin City, which looks to be taking place in mid-November...

GL all

2006-09-05T18:22:00.000-07:00

For the first time (maybe in my life), I said "I quit poker" last night.

I am playing 3 games at WillHill at the moment, so obviously I was howling at the moon. It has been such a shitty 6 weeks or so, that even my indomitable spirit has been somewhat shaken. I have broken stuff before (mainly a mouse here and there) and I did so again last night. It really is amazing how sturdy a plastic piece of shit can be when you want to see it in a million pieces!!

It was just the usual---my KK vs. AA and we got it all-in pre flop. I have seen this all-in shit before with some stupid bastard having AJ and MUCH worse, but I am quite sure anyone reading the hand history will say some of them are easy laydowns. Maybe so, but then 20 minutes later I see them make the same call with crap.... I dunno.... Thank goodness for the cryptos' making it a bit easier to get some bonus cash! I need it badly.

2006-08-28T18:13:00.000-07:00

An update while the chicken marinates in vinegar, garlic and ginger...

Poker and Life

All in all, this has not been the greatest month I have ever had. It didn't help that I had a little foray into the 400NL at the beginning of the month where I promptly got stacked after flopping the nut straight, getting it all in against 2 pr...Sigh, love that river! I also lost with an an underfull in the 200NL, so I have been trying to get back close to even in the 100NL as I try to BW my ass off.

This last weekend was a good look at futility as well...I feel like I played pretty well, but was just seriously card dead, as I was lucky to be around 12% VIP...God, does that ever get boring! To top it off, I was at Interpoker trying clear off a 100 bonus, and I had a couple tough players I know at the same damn table. I don't think they knew who I was, but I knew their names...We didn't tangle even once.

Then we have the business stuff, which has slowed down and becoming worrisome. I am sure we can pull out of it, but I cannot ignore that reality.

Then, I make my weekly trip to town for supplies, and the normally reliable truck decides to quit on me. Luckily, I had a # to call, and managed to get a ride home. So that will be a few bucks (probably the starter) down the drain.

I guess I am "runnin' bad", but it could be a hell of a lot worse...Things always turn around, and I do look forward to that!!

Sports

One word- Tiger He is just friggin' amazing. FOUR in a row, and he wasn't even playing his best. Truly remarkable!

News

I saw this beauty yesterday...

Why don't we just have an old fashioned "I'm sorry" and a group hug...

BEIRUT, Lebanon - Hezbollah leader Sheik Hassan Nasrallah said in a TV interview aired Sunday that he would not have ordered the capture of two Israeli soldiers if he had known it would lead to such a war.
Guerrillas from the Islamic militant group killed three Israeli soldiers and seized two more in a cross-border raid July 12, which sparked 34 days of fighting that ended with a cease-fire on Aug. 14."We did not think, even 1 percent, that the capture would lead to a war at this time and of this magnitude.
Of course not, you moron, as relations between Lebanon and Israel were so great to begin with...
You ask me, if I had known on July 11 ... that the operation would lead to such a war, would I do it? I say no, absolutely not," he said in an interview with Lebanon's New TV station.

Now that is some clear, concise and logical thinking...

geez...

2006-08-18T10:30:00.000-07:00

Yes, it has been awhile between updates. I have to admit, it is very damn difficult to be in the mood to write after having your ass handed to you a few sessions in a row! It's always "just poker" but of course I took a flyer in a couple bigger games and managed to get stacked both times...Work has been a little more stressful as well---there is very little difference if you lose in the markets, or lose at the poker table; either way tends to make for a shitty day!

There's a lot of bonus chasing ahead of me to get even for the month, but I should come pretty close if I can manage to put in the hours.

Last night was the first time I really have sat down and played, and even that was more for fun, as it was a 1/2 HOSE game at PStars. It was good for about a 75 profit, which is no big deal but was good for the confidence factor.

Since I am pretty fresh, I plan on putting in quite a few hours of NL this weekend, as well as some lower entry tourneys. I am really looking forward to the WCOOP and see if I can do some damage there.

I am finally getting around to reading H on H (1 and 2) and pretty good stuff overall; a pretty clear and concise writing style which I appreciate. A more lengthy review will follow later, as I will probably read these a couple times each, and let everything sink in!!

2006-08-04T07:15:00.000-07:00

I haven't done a BR update in quite awhile, and although it may pale to some results we have all read about recently, I am quite proud of it. I Haven't played all that much so far this year, but the next six months will change that...

July 2006 Beginning BR---5000
Bonus--- +510
SNGs---<120> (yuck)
MTTs--- +620
O8 Limit--- +120
NL100--- +686 (2400+ hands is all, 9PTBB/100 for the month)
Total July--- +1816

This is proof once again anyone can make a few bucks at this silly game!!

More importantly, a friend brought by some fresh clams and a hunk of sushi grade Ahi, so I have been having fun with that the last couple days.
-Steamed clams in broth with wine and garlic
-Cioppino (a seafood stew)
-Ahi crusted with sesame seeds with a soy and ginger sauce

If you don't know how to cook, you are missing something special!

I always enjoy my days away from poker, but it's always fun to get back to work..

2006-07-21T10:41:00.000-07:00

My Poker

The poker has been pretty ok lately, as I am at 7 PTBB/100 so far this month (100NL). I don't have all that many hands, but I have been trying to concentrate and think through hands more than I used to...Add a few of the usual bonuses, and I have no complaints.

The heat had been oppressive lately, and sucking the life and energy out of me. It has been 106 or so for days on end, and it's really starting to wear on me. Oh well, I can't move, so here I stay!! It doesn't help that the markets have been kicking our ass lately, but again, it is not too different than poker---money management is key!! We could stand to catch a break however...

Poker World

I listened to Erik Seidel on "The Circuit" recently, and it was really quite funny. He is well known for not saying much, and sure enough, they had him chatting for 20 minutes, and he never said anything worth repeating!! I also read Hellmuth's blog the other day and--this just cracked me up...He writes---"hung out with my wife and sons until 3:45 pm. We had a private celebration in honor of my birthday where we all ate ..." Who the hell talks like that? "In honor of my birthday?" I dunno, maybe it's me, but it's hilarious stuff!

A little while back, I wrote about wanting to be at the WSOP...After everything I have heard, I'm pretty damn happy not to be there!! Wow, what a poorly managed mess---I guess Harrah's has a tradition to uphold in that they absolutely don't care about anything other than today's bottom line. It is a foregone conclusion that a public corporation should try to make as much money as possible for the shareholders, but many of the decisions certainly seem to be jeopardizing future earnings in a big way. Maybe poker has grown so large, and the mystique of a bracelet is such that it all just doesn't matter. I for one will be looking forward to the WCOOP much more than the WSOP.

Funny stuff (News and sports)

Recent headlines say---
"Unpaid taxes could be Bonds' downfall" Too bad, since he was such nice guy!

and then we have---
T.O. on tough treatment: 'Why me?" LOL poor baby, I wonder why? Perhaps because you are spoiled, selfish jerk-off? If you need help in this area, see above, as I'm sure Barry can help guide you...

Oh yeah, I won another SNG last night---fun times...

2006-07-17T18:50:00.000-07:00

This should have been posted July 10 or 11th...

It has been a relatively uneventful few days on the tables, but I have managed to pick up a few bucks and clear a bonus or two along the way. This will help defray some of the damage I did to myself earlier in the month! The tournaments have been good to me, but I was playing some piss poor full ring games. I have moved back down to the 100NL until I get my leaks 99% plugged. Re-reading some of the hand histories can be a painful chore...Yuck!

A few observations--- My pre flop card selection is pretty good, although a bit on the tight side, and I need to play more SC's. I think my BB and SB #s are in good shape, but I need to compare more BB numbers to be sure. I am starting to raise larger amounts a bit more PF, so this area is improving but still inconsistent. My post-flop play needs the most work (naturally), and it is slow progress indeed. I think I'm getting better here, but it may take more time than I thought. I think I will stay at the 100 games for 7 to 10K hands and see if I can get the PTBB/100 up to at least 8 before moving up again.

The above is is sure-fire proof that anyone with a little common sense and no tilt can win at the lower limits...Add a few bonuses and off we go!! I have made thousands of dollars getting bonuses and playing ABC poker, all the while assuming I knew what I was doing. Oh well, I'm happy to be on the 30 year plan! The more you learn, the more you know you don't know!!

The only part of my game I am happy about right now is the tournaments, but as confident as I am in that arena, the variance blows, and I have to be in the mood to play 'em. At least for me, it takes a different mindset; I really don't know how the full time online tourney pros do it (not to say I am in that league), but good for them.

Book Review

Secrets the Pros Won't Tell You About Winning Texas Hold'Em Poker

Lou Krieger

Since you are reading this , you already know most everything in this book. If you are new to poker, there might be someting here, but I doubt it. There may a bit more in the book for live game players, but overall, it was quite basic with little if any new material.

2006-07-04T15:09:00.000-07:00

Poker

After playing poorly in the cash games, I took a break and went to all tournaments this last weekend. An inauspicious debut in the first two, as I was literally 'bubble boy" in both. Frustrating as hell, but I played well in both, but making a crucial all-in mistake in the second one.

The next day, I tried two small re-buys (which was a first). I have never liked re-buys much, as I was always uncertain how many times to re-buy etc. I have seen some really good online players re-buy a zillion times, and come out OK, but I never liked the idea of undefined risk. Anyway, I gave it shot, and was successful bringing it home twice. A nice little 800+ payday for the weekend-sweet!! I played another one later on, but started way too late for me. I was bushed, and tried to get a buddy to take over, but he was thrashed as well; I played on and as soon as I made the money went directly to bed.

I did the same thing the next night, signing up too late (I gotta quit that) and talked another buddy into taking over. Although O8 isn't his best game, he gave it a shot and was in the top 25. Good work man!

Books

The New Quotable Einstein by Alice Calaprice

It was OK...nothing long lasting here...He was a really smart guy, and had a bunch to say, but I won't remember any of it. I think a good biography would have been more interesting.

Food

I made something really good recently...It was Mexican-style seafood soup with just the right combination of guajillo chilies and lime...damn good!

Happy 4th everyone!

2006-07-01T16:44:00.000-07:00

Poker

I really don't believe that beating yourself up over past mistakes...BUT, there have been so many!! Good gawd, am I playing poorly. I recently made the jump to 200NL, and have never played worse. The change in stakes have had little impact, my BR remains sound, but I have made some really bad decisions (calling station?) lately... So I vow---No more of that shit! It's hard enough to win without giving your money away!

I'm gonna go play some tournaments and get back in stroke.

I have followed the WSOP for many years, and of course it is now easier to follow than ever. If you aren't reading Pauly for his take on the poker scene, you are truly missing out. For the first time in ages, I actually feel like I should be there, and I have no idea why!

---The smaller buy in tournaments are a joke, as they make on-line structures look slow in comparison

---If I had to play 11 handed, I believe I would be on the next flight out of town

---I hate travelling

---I hate crowds

---I am increasingly agoraphobic

All that, plus I am playing poorly means it is ludicrous to even think about being in Las Vegas...Maybe next year...

On a happier and much funnier note, I ran across the most hilarious thing I have read in a long time. I read many, many blogs, but NONE have the humor and LOL value that this one does. Yes kids, it is none other than the one, the only---

Phil Hellmuth

Yes it's true---hellboy has a blog---it's really a journal of "name-dropping"... Jesus, this guy gives new definition to that term, but he writes reasonably well, and even if he isn't trying to be funny, it's a hoot!! I hope to hell Paul P is aware of it...I think he would enoy it immensely (at least for a few minutes).

News and Views

I'm really frustrated with this. If anyone thinks this so called news is really "new", please take 30 minutes out of your day and read a little and investigate. Few of us do enough of that (including me), but this bullshit with regard to the NY Times vs the Bush admin is enough to make me puke. Suffice it to say that these big money transactions have been trackable for around 20 years. Has anyone heard of "swift"?

The bottom line is this---The Bush admin needed some attention away from all their obvious failings, and the Times must have needed more subscribers. They both win by getting undeserved attention, and the American public loses once again.

Food

I was on this ridiculous diet for the last week or so---it was a silly soup and vegetable thing, but I thought it might help kick start some weight loss, as I have gained 20 pounds sittin' on my ass for the last 2 or 3 years. All in all, the diet was a joke, but it did make me realize how few fruits and vegetables I consume regularly, so it was worth it in that regard. I need to lose 30 pounds---maybe by the years end?

2006-06-22T20:31:00.000-07:00

Poker

Things have been running OK since I last updated...I was brain dead moron, and waited too long to sign up for the bloggers tourney, which was more than slightly annoying, but nobody to blame but myself. I have cleared the Party bonus and a couple crypto's as well. I did the re load at Stars too, but will probably wait until the double points kick in. I have been trying to concentrate more on each individual hand, and I can see the benefits already. Knowing that Bri will be looking at most all of the hands has definitely made a big difference, and I have been winning at a decent clip lately. The bottom line is, I have been winning a bit...I still can't get a seat at the ME, but I keep trying...I did finally have a decent cash for 150ish in a tourney at PStars.

The BJ bonuses are boring as paste, so I may try the slot bonus while I sleep next time around.

Books

I ordered and read Barry G's book---"Ace on the River", and I wish I had the money back. There is not one word in that book that is new or worthwhile. If you need to read his book to find out that sports betting, drugs, and drinking too much are unhealthy to the BR, you are probably beyond help anyway.

Food

I was in the mood for some Asian food, and decided to make my own homeade pot stickers. I even ground my own pork, but wow, what a pain in the ass! Over all flavors were fine, but I will buy the frozen items next time, or actually go out to a restaurant.

2006-06-11T14:05:00.000-07:00

Poker
I am trying to get back with the poker program, and have been a bit more successful. I have had a couple small wins recently, but more importantly, I am starting to enjoy playing again. I also have been spurred on by my friend Brian J. who, while being a real pain in the ass at times has a great poker mind, and has offered (again) to review hands for me. He isn't shy about voicing an opinion, and I have no intention of sharing his comments to the general public at this time...NOT PRETTY! I have to admit, I look at some of the hand histories with him, and I have NO IDEA what I was thinking! I really want to work on my game, so I will be primarily playing 2 games at the most, but I may play a bit more with the recent Party bonus. I was adding up all my money at the various sites, and was more than a little bummed about the totals; the next day I remembered I had almost a grand at Doyles Room. Maybe a bit more attention to detail is in order?

Is everyone else a bit burnt-out on TV poker? It seems like there is at least one show on all the time, but I just can't seem to get interested at all. Either the shows are poorly produced, the annoncers suck, or maybe I'm just tired of it. I never watch TV to speak of, so maybe that's part of it too. Of course, Howard L. is a great "color" man and does a great job. Even the "Learn from the Pros" is a half way decent show, but putting up with Chris Rose for a nugget of poker info here and there seems hardly worthwhile.

I am running out of time to win a seat at the ME, but you never know! I read today that Pauly is going solo as a reporter this year, so his reports should be better than ever. Man, is he writing extra well these days... I was hoping to get there and buy him drinks, but oh well... I wish they had more satellites for the smaller events, as I think they would draw very well. It might even spread out the money a little, instead of having everything at the ME.

In other news----

I was heartbroken to see Barbaro break down awhile back...I hope he makes it. I couldn't help but think of the best race horse I ever saw in my life; if you like the ponies, and never saw Ruffian race, you missed a special treat. I guess I'm getting a little older, and have met a few racing fans who were unaware, but that filly NEVER lost a race until she broke down against Foolish Pleasure in a highly touted match race. She not only never lost, she was NEVER behind at ANY call!! It brings tears to my eyes just thinking about her.

In happier news, Al-Zarqawi was alive when they found him; one can only hope he was in immense pain as he lay dying...

Book review---

The Five People You Meet in Heaven by Mitch Albom

Albom is an average writer, who excels in sentimental fluff...I appreciate any writer for what they do well, even if I don't read much of it. This book is no different except for having heaven in the title---which damn near guarantees a best-seller! The final analysis---every word was forgotten the minute I put the book back on the shelf.

Dinner---

Korean style short ribs tonight...looks like a great recipe!

2006-06-03T16:33:00.000-07:00

Poker

I continue to be in a poker funk, and rarely am I in the mood to play. I may be coming out of it, as I tried some SH 1/2 and 2/4 limit for a little while today. I am very new to SH games, but the play seems quite weak, and at 2/4 LIMIT I think the bonuses could be snapped up relatively quickly. The SH games will be the next area I concentrate on, but I do need quite a bit of work in that area. On a regular basis, I attempt to win a WSOP seat in the cheapest way possible and have come close a few times, but have come up short. I haven't looked at all the hand histories, but I have been the favorite on almost every bust out hand. I had a horrible run at the SNG's...I really have no idea how many games one needs to have a long term view regarding ITM and ROI stats, but I have over 500 of them, and this recent run was the worst I have had by far---All 20's or 30's--- 9 handed at Stars---ONE first in 13 and the rest were a complete whiff. That will knock the old ROI #s down a tad!!

Casinos

I resisted this idea a few months ago, but I caved in and gave it a shot yesterday. I just started with the "free" bonus (absolutely no risk) and managed a free 50 bucks. It took 2 or 3 hours so the hourly rate wasn't too bad, although mind-numbingly boring. I was a decent card counter many years ago, so the basic strategy was like falling off a log. I will continue to take shots at these thing, and I must admit, even the slot bonuses look like they may be worth doing as well. Who would have figured?

News

I swear, I just read and shake my head.... "Bush urges federal marriage amendment" ---whew, that's a relief, because all them fags and lesbians have really been messin' up my life...Federal?? Not even up to the states anymore? Jesus...That guy really gets scarier by the day...

And you thought gay marriage spelled doom ---- Indian woman marries cobra in Hindu wedding LOL

Books

Many, many books have been read recently and once I figure out how to use the special areas here, I will post some book reviews.

Food

I have been having fun in the kitchen (as usual), but I still haven't had to do any serious shopping in ages, as the freezer was way more stocked than I realized. I try to add to the cookbook I am writing a couple times a week, but it never seems to work that way.

Time for a whiskey...

2006-05-28T19:56:00.000-07:00

Gee, I wonder why we want to have our own hedge fund...

363M is average pay for top hedge fund managers--- http://news.yahoo.com
OK, the aricle is no longer there, but you get the drift! It's A LOT of scratch...

makes playing 100NL poker seem a bit silly, but neither one are a sure thing....

Life is a gamble!!

2006-05-21T14:42:00.000-07:00

YUCK!!! My SNG prowess took a shot in the ass last night...I whiffed in FIVE IN A ROW! I had a second after all that...Thinking that my luck had turned, we had another little cutie with KK vs. AQ and a rivered straight-OUCH!...

I am working on a couple qualifiers at the moment, and I just cannot get any traction at all...Oh well, one of "those" streaks...

This is funny, and I really am not this tight...So far---

During current Hold'em session you were dealt 65 hands and saw flop: -
3 out of 8 times while in big blind (37%) -
0 out of 7 times while in small blind (0%) -
1 out of 50 times in other positions (2%) -
a total of 4 out of 65 (6%) Pots won at showdown -
1 of 1 (100%) Pots won without showdown - 1

2006-05-20T11:50:00.000-07:00

tripjax said so, so here goes!

1. What is the biggest mistake people make at a NL table?
at the lower limts (10,25,50)-too many hands...at the 100 and 200 games, bet sizes

2. What is the biggest mistake people make at a Limit table?
Playing crap OOP...Throw that KJ away!

3. Why do you play poker?
Not sure anymore--It used to be relaxing, and money was sure a good part of it as well. I will have to think on that one for a bit...

4. If you weren't playing poker, what would you be doing?
Reading

5. What is your favorite poker book and why?
The original Super System was WAY ahead of it's time...I haven't read much new stuff, but that should change soon.

6. Who is your favorite poker player and why?
Doyle is always # 1 with me...Any of the older guys who have been around the block a few times.

7. Which poker player do you dislike the most and why?
Anyone who screams or acts like an ass--Mattias Anderson is at the top of that list

8. Do your coworkers know about your blog?
No

9. What is the most you have won in a cash game or MTT (both live and online)?
2500

10. What is the most you have lost in a cash game or in one day total (both live and online)?
1200

11. Who was your first poker blog read?
I think it was Linda http://table-tango.pokerworks.com/

12. What satisfies you more, your aces holding up for a big pot or a bluff working for a big pot?
bluffing is more satisfying When AA holds up, it is just a relief

13. Why do you blog?
Not 100% sure...I like to write at times, and I would like to be a better writer, so you have to practice! There is also the idea of being more involved in the blogger community, which is a crazily diverse group with some really good writers.

14. Do you read blogs from an RSS reader like bloglines or do you visit each blog?
I visit each

15. Would you rather play poker for a living than do what you currently do for a living?
I have been playing poker for almost 30 years, and have often entertained the idea of being full time pro. I think I have too steady of a personality for a full time gig, as the normal swings would get to me over time. I do look to play bigger as the BR grows and my skills improve, but I am quite sure I will always have at least a part-time job.

16. Do you wear a tin foil hat on occasion?
Never

17. If you had to pin it down to one specific trait, what does a great poker player have (or do) that separates them from an average player?
I have always disliked this question, but I would have to say "heart"...

18. Is Drizz the coolest person on the planet for naming his baby Vegas?
No

19. What is your primary poker goal and are you close to accomplishing it?
I am in a state of flux here as question 3 shows. Is poker mastery equal to self-mastery? Do I want to know myself that well? Hmmm A colder answer would be to make 35 to 50K a year having a monster BR and never having to worry about going broke. My tournament game is pretty good, so winning a big event is always in the back of one's mind. And no, I am not close to the goal but making progress.

20. What is your primary online site and why?
I do quite a bit of bonus chasing, so I have 20+ sites on my desktop. If you took all but one away, Pokerstars stays.

21. What site do you dislike and why?
All primas suck...I have yet to figure out how to raise properly, the boxes are all too small...I really dislike the layout.

2006-05-20T10:00:00.000-07:00

I woke up at 6 AM, after a slightly later night than usual, but managed to fall back asleep until 9. Damn, did I feel like a million bucks after that 3 hour nap, just awesome. It makes mornings very special! I did a little reading, and after a bit of smoked salmon and bagel (with a couple of mimosas), I got online, and found a few nuggets...

Important if you haven't heard about this---http://www.theregister.com/2006/05/16/poker_site_trojan/

And I stole the following directly from the grinder ...

WARNING - Trojan Found In RakeBack Calculator.A rake calculator some players used from checkraised.com has been shown to have a virus. Checkraised.com has stated that it contracted a programmer to create the calculator, and it has been recently brought to their attention that the program contains a virus.The virus goes undetected by Norton AntiVirus. Checkraised.com has stated that they did not know the file contained a virus until notified by a third party.The file name for the rakeback calculator is RBCalc.exe.For more information go to Kick Ass Poker.

Then as usual, I wandered over to Pauly...As usual, funny shit, and really well written.

And now on to the REALLY important stuff---
Shania vs. Courtney vs. Sabina

In three words---
Who really cares? It's a dumb position, but if they can parlay a career out of it, fine with me and good for them. Read Amy for more on this, I couldn't agree more.

What I find most amusing are the innumerable comments in many of the forums (proving I have too much free time) are these guys who have made derogatory comments about Courtneys' looks. These are the same guys who, to paraphrase Bobcat Goldthwait, "wouldn't know the difference between a vagina and a mop!" All you .10/.20 players living with Mommy, GET A LIFE!

Poker---I have been running about break even most the month...The Party bonus goes off today and I need only about 150 hands or so...The play at the 100 NL games is way different from what I remember, but it has been awhile. Super aggressive games, so I had to slow down and play ABC, and just wait for the goods from late position. It took too many hands to figure that out, which is rather embarrassing.

I'm off to work.

2006-05-16T18:23:00.000-07:00

Poker has been GREAT, as I have been kickin' ass in the SNG's...I just busted out of a "pre" qualifier again, but that's just a numbers game..."free" points to get where you want to go! You gotta love that! I have been close at least twice, maybe 3 times to the big dance.

The job has made me a bit on the cranky side. My "clearing firm" has been messing with me for 3 weeks now...All we want to do is trade the markets, and all we have done is put up with tedious bullshit which leaves no time, and especially, no energy to trade. You presumptuous clowns who think you can do no wrong, and chastise us computer illiterate old folks, and a week later say---"oh yeah I see your point, there may be a problem" BURN IN HELL you pricks...

And now we have the bobby bracelet deal---It has been well covered elsewhere, and nobody reads my ramblings anyway, but I have only one thing to say--- RETARDS

Did I mention that I have been winning a little? Gotta love poker!!

2006-05-14T17:31:00.000-07:00

Talking poker--- Things have been quiet...I haven't played much until today. And today has pretty much sucked. I am in my 3rd SNG in a row, with the first 2 being out of the money. I also played a point MTT earlier and never came close to the money (This one was a satellite for a seat at the "big sat" to win a seat at the ME). I have won 2 seats to these sats and have come up short both times. Yes, they were respectable finishes (25 to 35 ish), but VERY frustrating. I didn't come as close in this one, but I must say, I have been "gettin' the money in good"...
These last 2 SNGs were brutal---Both times have had AA vs. KK, and they have flopped a K...it is damn hard to recover from that in a SNG...Oh well... In my 3rd now...

More importantly, I called Mom...We had a nice chat, but nothing new since I had just seen her recently...

I told her---"You are the best Mom a guy could ever have"

She says--- "wow thanks"

I said---"Well Mom, I figgered you knew all that shit"

She says---"Well, I sure don't mind hearing it"

I had a small tear after that little exchange...She truly is the best...

Dammit---I just got a 2nd...These damn 20 and 30 SNGs are a LOT tougher than they used to be, but I am quite sure I can beat 'em up to the 50$ level...Barely even for the day...I'm back to work! Later...

2006-05-12T14:42:00.000-07:00

I finally won a few hands last night...As is normal for all of us, a losing streak that lasts a little longer than is usual always causes one to question our skill and ability...That damn "long term is longer than anyone thinks" is a real pain in the ass, but also an absolute truth. It sure feels good to win...

I wouldn't give you a nickel to live in NYC (pauly) or Hollyweird (change100) but it sure would be nice to have cable access! I live out in the sticks which I enjoy, but this damn satellite pretty much sucks...It is slow as hell (slower than DSL) and susceptible to outages due to sun spots and all other kinds of bullshit. We were out for over 3 hours last night, and down this afternoon for over 2 hours as well. If I am off-line more than 30 minutes at a time, I feel like I have lost an arm...

Since I can't play poker, I was watching a movie on HBO..."Hidalgo" was a bit corny, but I enjoyed it. My favorite part was when the hero told the bad guy "nobody hurts my horse" !! Anybody who has ever had good horse could relate to that, and as an old cowboy, it made me think of all the damn good horses that have taken care of me. Those are sweet thoughts indeed, since I haven't even been on a horse in over 2 years...I miss them young ones...

I had left-overs for dinner again---that damn fridge was REALLY well stocked!!

2006-04-25T15:49:00.000-07:00

Not a bad night last night...I have a bunch of food in the fridge, so I will be doing no cooking for a day or two. That means more time for poker!! I got closer to the bonus at TB, but was getting bored and went to a SNG at Martins...I don't care for the structure, but the players are pretty poor...I picked up a 3rd for a few bucks...I then went to P-Stars for one more "before bed" fix---it was a 20+2 SNG (9 peeps) and managed another 3rd is all...I overplayed my bust out hand...I should have known better, but I have made worse mistakes. Oh well....

I made a couple phone calls today to some dear friends that I haven't seen in a long time. They remembered my birthday, so I called 'em up and yakked the afternoon away---Thanks Wendy and Alexandra

Another dear friend has been devastated by her mother's illness---a sad but good reminder to cherish those close to you whenever you have the chance.

2006-04-24T19:40:00.000-07:00

It was a real nice weekend....

I played awhile on Friday night on a crypto and got crushed...I need the bonus to be only down $100, but luckily I had food in the fridge! Lobster tails!! They were great, as I hadn't had lobster in ages...I played a little while after dinner, but just broke even...

It was a great Saturday morning...It was my birthday, and had a few Mimosas for breakfast, with a leftover lobster omelet...I played most all day Saturday afternoon and picked up a few bucks here and there, but nothing worth remarking about...I really felt I was playing well, as I was trying to be a little more creative. I was pretty much card dead, but I took many pots down by calling tight players in position, and re raising the usual continuation bet...Feels good to actually think and play poker, as opposed to the usual ABC stuff..I felt good doing it...

I went a little food crazy (again) and cooked up some lamb shanks for dinner, and if you folks haven't had 'em, you are really missing something...a long braise (takes about 3 hours) with meat falling off the bone, and a nice Shiraz to go with it...truly nothing better...

Lazed around after dinner, and was reading the SNG section on BTP...It seems there are a few whiners that I hadn't read before. I don't know why, but I was irritated after reading all that BS, so I jumped into a few 50$ SNGs and came in 3rd in the first one, whiffed in the second, and and and ---

PokerStars Tournament #23557395, No Limit Hold'emBuy-In: $55.00/$5.009 playersTotal Prize Pool: $495.00 Tournament started - 2006/04/23 - 01:31:28 (ET)

Dear bobby, You finished the tournament in 1st place.

A $247.50 award has been credited to your Real Money account.

If I can win, anybody can...

It was a lazy Sunday---too much good food and wine lately, so I was happy to read most all day...took a short nap...

I played a short while Sunday evening and finally finished one of my PStars bonuses---they clear slowly, but they don't go anywhere, and great for the SNG's...

Thanks to all who wished me a happy birthday the last few days, I appreciate the IM's and E mails...

It's now Monday evening, and my buddy Bri told me a few hours ago that the VIPs were worth playing some SNGs at Martins, so you know where I will be...

GL all

2006-04-11T14:12:00.000-07:00

Just working...

I was at yet another Crypto starting on the monthly bonuses, and got spanked pretty good, but a comeback was again in order...I moved to LIMIT for awhile since I was starting to get a bit annoyed (with NL), and won a few bucks...

After that, I tried a "qualifier" for a WSOP seat...It was just a point deal, but I won it, so I have a free shot next week at a seat. All I have to beat at least 1000 people! I also tried a few other point qualifiers at Stars with no luck...

It was great fun watching the Masters Sunday, no matter what Gene says......rather refreshing to see the camaraderie between Freddie and Phil during the heat of battle...Having a bit of class and style in pressure situations appeals to us "old guys" LOL

And yesterday---

Playing less and having more fun....Now all I have to do is start winning!!

I got the Martin's bonus deposited right on schedule, which was quite a nice sight to see.

I just worked off the Littlewoods bonus with rather laughable results, but as usual, thanks for the bonuses...Plenty more of those to work off in the coming days.

Littlewoods

720 hands at 1/2 LIMIT +3.00 .20PTBB/100
100 hands at 100NL <69.00> -35PTBB/100
bonus +47
MTD <19.00>

WOOT!!!!

Tribeca is treating me a bit better this month, as I am up a little more than 200 at the 100NL...

Japanese style (Tempura) food was on the menu last night, and it was well worth the mess!!

2006-04-09T17:50:00.000-07:00

I wrote this a little while back....

I finished the crypto bonus I was working on, and booked another win at the same time, this time it was all LIMIT...It feels good! I also found a couple hundred bucks I had forgotten about at a site I don't play at much (obviously) so that was a nice surprise. I guess I will join the rest of the poker world, and grab the 200 bonus from Empire... If the weather holds, I will be starting my herb garden later on.

And then...

The Empire bonus was finished...Man!!! The games were pretty funny overall, as the 25s were HILARIOUS!! I bet and bluffed more in that short period of time that I have in 3 months. I didn't win much, but it was sure fun...I soon tired of the 25s and went to the 50s (which resembled "real" poker) where I got my ass whipped...I got stacked twice with 3 and 4 outers, and lost another stack with KK vs. The monster A9---running 9s---Jesus...
So it was a lot of hands to get 50 bucks, but you still have to love the bonuses!!

The eggplant ideas came out great, as I had some recipes I had written down years ago, and finally tried them...Yummy!! The latest food challenge is to re-create a sesame chicken dish that a local place does a really good job with... The herb garden has been started...It has rained MANY days in a row here, but there was a window of 2 or so hours where I could play in the garden...

And thanks for reading Greg, I think you were the first response---keep kickin ass....

Book Review

Radical Evolution : The Promise and Peril of Enhancing Our Minds, Our Bodies -- and What It Means to Be Human by Joel Garreau

The author is a writer and editor for the Washington Post, so this book was well written and (I think) well researched. The reason I threw in the WP reference is that there was a refreshing lack of an agenda here...Overall, this book was very interesting with glimpses of the future that truly stagger the imagination. There are several approaches and views of this "super hi-tech world", some of which sounds exhilarating, and some is just plain scary shit. I'm an old school guy, and I have no idea how any of this will affect me personally, but I'm glad I read the book.

2006-03-24T07:53:00.000-08:00

As is becoming normal, it has been another long while in between updates...A myriad of reasons are easily available, but I suppose first and foremost I was getting a severe case of burnout...I was playing too many hours without really being in the mood, and consequently, I was playing a less than optimum game of poker...ahhhh bullshit, I was playing like crap...Burn out, playing poorly and running bad is indeed a lousy combination!! I pretty much took about 10 days off, and really enjoyed not playing during that time. In the last few days, I have played a little, no more than 2 games at a time, playing pretty well, and actually having a bit of fun at the same time. I even had a cash in a small SNG the other day...

The job is also taking more time, but I am not complaining as my partner and I have had a couple meetings in the last few weeks, and are getting closer and closer to a money management deal...This of course will lead to the hedge fund, and if that happens, literally the sky is the limit. If it was all about the money, I really wouldn't care, but it's a challenge, and without one, you may as well curl up and die. I suppose this yet another reason I continue to work on this crazy game of poker!! Speaking of work, it has been pretty hectic lately as my partner and his wife are expecting their first child any minute now. There seems to be some complications so I can only hope for the best; I am sure all will turn our well, but it is a bit nerve-wracking... On a happier note, my poker buddy reviewed a few NL 100 hands and actually didn't have TOO much to say LOL...

I have short ribs braising, and fresh asparagus needs to be cooked---Gettin' hungry...That and a couple glasses of some good Australian red will do nicely...

2006-03-18T20:50:00.000-08:00

It is a strange thing about these blogs...I had all good intentions when I started this thing, but I must say---I really admire the folks that stick with it...I had presumed I would be blogging at least once every other day, and eventually become a small part of the blogging community! I think it's too damn much work for me, but we will see.

All the various blogs I read are interesting...Some are pure poker, some are more personal, and whether we want it or not, they are also a small window into one's personality...here is a small view through my window... Although I can go for weeks or months thinking and reading about nothing but poker, recently it has been a struggle to maintain any real enthusiasm. The reason ??---BOOKS ! I have been a reading machine, and it has cost me some bucks, as my concentration for the games has been lacking, and my earlier need to improve has been on the wane as well. In a strange and curious way however, I have no doubt the reading and the thought processes that accompany a curious mind will make me a better poker player down the road.

I have also become more and more interested in my "day job" , especially since my partner and I are getting closer to putting a hedge fund together. If you have to work, you may as well enjoy how you spend your day, and I have never once been bored in almost 20 years! The markets are as endlessly fascinating as the game of poker, and the parallels are amazing as well. The recent poker results are lackluster at best, as it has been a struggle to book a win at damn near any game at any site. The tide will change as it always does, and I have a buddy who is helping me look over some hands with some astute observations. I rarely disagree with his comments, but whether I do or not is not the point; it is the thinking and the analysis after the fact that I find important and enlightening. It was however, pretty humorous to hear him say I play too tight from time to time!! I am gonna quit writing this now, put the book on a shelf, and go play some damn poker! I need the bonuses, and to win a little to get back to my 6K comfort zone...Wish me luck...

Oh yeah, the calamari I cooked last night was awesome!! I used some ground macadamia nuts to make a simple butter and wine sauce...yummy....

2006-03-01T16:40:00.000-08:00

The Good and the Bad

The BAD is first!

Poker---Feb was awful...I didn't play my usual hours the first 2 weeks of the month, so I was way behind on my "usual" bonuses...I don't think I was on my game 100% either, so that may have cost me a few bucks as well...I have not added it all up, but there is no doubt last month will be a loser, even after the few bonuses I picked up...Last night was brutal, in that I got stacked off at the 200NL game at Stars...It was rather annoying, and I think it was a horrible beat. I need to run the numbers, and see if that is correct; If it was REALLY horrible, I will post it later...Basically, nothing went right all month-mediocre play and running like shit to boot...

The Good
I am 51 years old and have rarely been sick a day in my life ( I have NEVER ever missed a day of work)...About a month ago, I started feeling like shit (for days on end), so after 10 or more years of never seeing a doctor, I decided it was time. I had some ideas as to the problem, but hell, you never know... I came clean and told him all the gory details... I was rather amused at the Dr's response when I told him the amount of alcohol I consumed---he said "per day?" I said "yup, and that's why I'm here, so lets get some blood tests and see how bad I have messed up my liver! "
Bottom line is---the liver function was only "mildly elevated" which means all is well, so everyone is stuck with me another 30 or 40 years or so. I'm gonna cut down on the whiskey, and keep it to an occasional couple of beers, or some wine. My cholesterol is in great shape and all the other tests came back normal. The blood pressure is a bit high, but that can be caused by excessive drinking as well, so it bears watching. All in all I am a happy camper, and other than a couple glasses of wine last night (my little celebration) I haven't had a sip in 3 weeks, and I feel great. All I need now is to lose that 25 pounds... I feel great, I feel focused, and March will be my biatch...

GL all...

2006-02-22T16:00:00.000-08:00

PLO Tournaments are fun...

It has continued to be fairly quiet on the poker front, as I have just been grinding away at the various bonuses...Some bad beats coupled with a decent rush at the 100NL has me about even for the past few days.

I friend of mine (Briachek) and I decided to try a 20 buy-in PLO tourney last night...He didn't last too long, but was nice enough to hang around all night and help me out on my way to a 3rd place finish. PLO is certainly not one of my better games, but I am picking it up slowly. Thanks again Bri...I think I pick up around 130ish for 3rd, but damn, I was sure tired in the AM! That 2 in the morning stuff is hard on an old man!

The above adventure was a night or two ago, as last night saw me back at the bonus grind at Pokerplex; I had some rather dismal short term results losing a stack in rather short order. It has been awhile since that has happened!!

Back to the grind...

2006-02-21T10:50:00.000-08:00

It has been awhile since the last update, and still without a helluva lot to say! For one of the only times in my life, I have not been feeling well for quite a little while, so for the first time in 10 years, I am going to the doctor later this afternoon. It sucks feelin' like shit all the time with no energy--- so hopefully it will be an easy fix. I haven't had any thing worse than a head cold in MANY years...

I am feeling much better now though... Since I was feeling better the other day, and managed to get in a few hours at the 100 NL, but proceeded to get my ass kicked-LOL it figures! I still have TONS of bonuses to get thru this month, and with the 3 day weekend coming up, hopefully I can bang 'em out as quickly as possible. I have been doing a lot of reading, and have finished several books in the last couple of weeks. All I can say is, it is no wonder why the USA is so hated in so many different countries. Political commentary is not my specialty, so I will leave it at that.

BR Jan 1st---5000
Mid Feb---5700
It will be nice when Martins kicks in!!

2006-02-03T15:59:00.001-08:00

It has been a week or so between updates, as I have not had much to write about. I have been just grinding away all week, mostly at Martin's, with little to show for my efforts. Obviously the bonus is a sweet deal, but I doubt if I have had a winning session in several days!! Nothing severe, just buy in with 100 and cash out with 80-time and time again!! Frustrating as hell, but certainly not the end of the world. I also got a 50$ reload from gaming club that I have to finish by the 5th...

It has been frustrating enough to keep me from putting in the usual hours, but I have been getting A LOT of reading in, so it has been a good trade-off. I will have several reviews on the latest reads later in the week. It is rainy and dreary here, so I started a pot of split pea soup a little while ago, and looking forward to that (if you don't use a smoked ham hock in that soup, you just don't know what you are missing).

Hard to believe February is almost here---Spring isn't that far away now, and I am already looking forward to getting a small garden going...

2006-01-17T14:36:00.000-08:00

It was a nice long weekend...I didn't play quite as much as I had planned, but overall it was worthwhile...I am still working at Martin's for the triple bonus; the games are OK, and the LIMIT seems a bit softer than NL. I stuck my toe in the SH -6 max game for a bit, as I had been wanting to try it-I am still dizzy, but I think I broke even or lost very little! DAMN--- stuff comes around fast, and I was only playin' ONE game!

The place---PStars
The Event---20 $---180 peep SNG
the pay off---1100+/- to the winner---pays top 18
result---19th...The mouse survived, but dammmm...
I think I played really well...Weird feelings, as I am a bit more pissed now than I was when it happened yesterday...

Since I am now a blogger, I feel the need to comment on others---
Jenee has some funny shit there, and I just now read she plays a bit of poker

The Grinder has made a VERY interesting rake comparison...I am still thinking on it...I am trying to think of an argument, bit so far-nada...

Felicia made some really silly comments about a successful blog recently..I'm glad I wasn't the only one who saw thru her BS...

Obviously, I am still trying to figure out how all this blogging software works, but it really doesn't matter, cuz nobody will read this drivel till I win a big one ...

2006-01-13T13:51:00.000-08:00

Good bye to Frank---

I have won a fair amount so far this month in poker....Don't seem to matter right now...

My day job is a commodity broker...Frank joined us as a client a couple years ago at the ripe young age of 90 ish...Chuck (my partner) and I faxed a quote sheet to Frank everyday for 2 years...I think he made 3 or 4 trades in all that time...I said a few months ago that I loved faxin' those prices over to Frank...I knew we would never "break-even" with him, as the phone calls and faxes cost us way more than his business brought in...In our own way, I think (and hope) we helped him stay interested in what is going on in this crazy world of ours...

He used to call everyday at 11:30 and say "well Bob, it's 11:30, you got those quotes ?"

I would say "You bet Frank, Ill fax 'em over in just a minute"

I miss Frank...........

2006-01-08T13:23:00.000-08:00

New Years Reflections

I have been playing online for a long time (1999?), ever since a friend got me started at Planet Poker...I remember he said something about having a certain amount of time to make a decision, and I said "WHAT? No way man, that's not enough time!!" LOL Now years later, I am multi-tabling...We just played the free games back then, and I can't remember if I ever funded the account. I do know I won a point tourney which gave me a few bucks and I have been on a small roll ever since. It has not been without a few dips (and a few drunken screw ups), but poker has been fun, as well as good to me. It goes without saying that you run into a lot of unhappy folks online, but on the other hand I have met (either online or in person) some of the best friends I will ever have, all because of this crazy game!!

I was way behind the learning curve as far as chasing bonuses, but I had read something that caught my interest, as I had never taken playing online too seriously. That is pretty much when I started keeping track of things (back in March)...50,000+ hands later, I turned 600 into almost 6K, learned a ton about poker and met some great people.

New Years Resolutions

I read the other day that most people don't get started on resolutions until March, which is a damn good thing because I probably wont even have my list done till then!! I will put procrastination on the "list of things to do" at a later date!!

Some ideas for the list----

Some people want (or try) to play more hours... I play plenty already, so my goal here is to play about the same, but perhaps less tables at a time...I want to take TWO HOURS a week, playing ONE game and actually analyze each and every hand, and take the time to compare it to all I have learned. It doesnt sound like much, but it won't be easy...THINK MORE....

Goal---8PTBB/100 over 20K hands at 100NL.... 200NL full time after that...I have played a little bit more 200, and starting to get comfortable...

Omaha O8---I am probably a break-even player here, but it seems like I could kill this game down the road...I will play more and post more..I will get PTO later today and start paying more attention....

GOAL---nothing specific here-just want to learn more...

I am a pretty good tournament player...I have not won anything worth noting in quite awhile, so---

GOAL---play at least one decent sized MTT per week...

more tourney stuff---last year I really messed up and did not play all the WCOOP qualifiers that I should have. I have a ton of points...

GOAL---that will NOT happen again-play more of 'em

and---

GOAL---purchase one poker book per month

I have more, but I have a few things to do...

It has been a hella year overall---

Bankroll (AKA "retirement fund")
Mar 1st---600
Apr 1st---885
May 1st---1197
June 1st---2022
July 1st---1896
Aug 1st---2050 (+/-)
Sept 1st---2673
Oct 1st---3600 +/-
Nov 1st---4425
Dec 1st---4100
Dec 31st---5750

I spent some money, so------

Just to keep it clean---

Jan 1st, 2006---5000K

and off we go---

GL all

2005-12-26T20:26:00.000-08:00

Happy Holidays---

The family got together yesterday (Saturday) for the usual Christmas celebration of too much food! It was great seeing my Mom again, she looks great for 70. I still wonder how she has managed to put up with Dad after all these years, but I guess she is more hard-headed than I! I drove up north and stayed with my sister and it was great to see her as well. She has helped me out in the past when I didn't have many options, what a great woman she is.

Friday was a great poker night for me, as I cleared some more bonus money, plus picked up close to 300, mostly in 100NL and a bit in the 100PLO. CAN WE SAY 5000$ BR?? woohoo!!!! A very nice recovery from the darkness that was November!! It will be nice to finish off the month well over 5K, and it's tough to figure how that won't happen, because of all the bonuses that are still pending...I may get that big 21 inch monitor yet!! Good luck to all and happy holidays.