This morning in that semi-conscious state where you're not totally awake I had a dream.
I was in a tournament, maybe THE tournament. Anyway, for some reason I arrived late. I don't think it was the start of the tourney, maybe it was the second day or maybe we were returning from a break. Somehow I had been given a 10 minute penalty when I wasn't even at the table. I seem to remember that I was not the only person who was penalized. Upon finding out that I was being assessed a 10 minute penalty I sought out the TD for more information. I think I was arguing with her but clearly not getting anywhere. I'm still yelling at the TD when someone tells me that my time is up and I can go sit down.
I rush to my table to see Johnny Chan sitting immediately to my right.
I'm not quite sure how but the flop is already on the table with two 7's and I look at my hand and see pocket 7s. I think there's been action already when I stop and decide whether I'll slow-play but decide to shove all in because I rationalize that limping would be suspicious.
Now it gets really wierd because my sister is suddenly sitting to my immediate left. I think she call (but has me covered) as well as one other person, I can't remember if it's Johnny or someone else.
I think my sister calls off the rest of her money going to the river. But then the game must have changed because I don't have pocket 7s any more, in fact, I have four cards in my hand. I'm pretty sure the 7s are still on the board, but now I have a 7 and K to make Sevens full of Kings, which still take the pot.
I'd like to know what Freud would think of that one!
-tmo
WSOP Final Table
It's all come down to this. The final 9 players are seated at the final table of the main event. There's over $50 Million in chips on the table. The SHORT STACK begins with over $1 million. I can't even imagine saying "raise, one million."
For those of you who haven't discovered the Tao of Poker, well, I don't know where the hell you've been:
http://taopoker.blogspot.com/
Pauly has been a one-man army from event one providing great updates about the going ons in and around the poker room. His has been the first blog I'd check every morning.
-tmo
For those of you who haven't discovered the Tao of Poker, well, I don't know where the hell you've been:
http://taopoker.blogspot.com/
Pauly has been a one-man army from event one providing great updates about the going ons in and around the poker room. His has been the first blog I'd check every morning.
-tmo
I get what I pay for
Nursing my little bankroll, I've been playing the $5+.50 multi-table sit-n-gos on Ultimate Bet lately. I like their new MTTs but the following example is a hand that just makes me want to scream.
I was doing pretty well going into the final table when I tried a bluff on a guy who was going to call his top pair, top kicker even though I made a suspiciously small bet on the river when the third club fell. I'm not sure if it wasn't suspsiciously small enough, or maybe I was giving him too much credit for even seeing the possible flush on the board.
Anyway, I managed to fight my way back from the lowest stack to 5th and then 4th. I'm the small blind with blinds at 200/400. The little stack shoves all in from the button for T515. I'm tempted to call (which would leave me with about T1200) with two suited cards but look to my left and figure the BB, chip leader I might add, will call the extra T115 and decide to fold. BB folds!!! WTF!!??!!?? It costs him 115 to win 1115, almost 10 to 1 on his money. There is no hand that he is a 10 to 1 dog.
I had to bite my lip not to start lecturing him right then and there.
My KQs goes down in flames against a guy who called my pot-sized bet with A9o pref-flop, bets T400 on a 10-high rainbow flop and then calls my all-in.
SIGH. Should I expect anything else from guys who are playing $5 sit-n-gos?
-tmo
I was doing pretty well going into the final table when I tried a bluff on a guy who was going to call his top pair, top kicker even though I made a suspiciously small bet on the river when the third club fell. I'm not sure if it wasn't suspsiciously small enough, or maybe I was giving him too much credit for even seeing the possible flush on the board.
Anyway, I managed to fight my way back from the lowest stack to 5th and then 4th. I'm the small blind with blinds at 200/400. The little stack shoves all in from the button for T515. I'm tempted to call (which would leave me with about T1200) with two suited cards but look to my left and figure the BB, chip leader I might add, will call the extra T115 and decide to fold. BB folds!!! WTF!!??!!?? It costs him 115 to win 1115, almost 10 to 1 on his money. There is no hand that he is a 10 to 1 dog.
I had to bite my lip not to start lecturing him right then and there.
My KQs goes down in flames against a guy who called my pot-sized bet with A9o pref-flop, bets T400 on a 10-high rainbow flop and then calls my all-in.
SIGH. Should I expect anything else from guys who are playing $5 sit-n-gos?
-tmo
gutted
I watched the Cincinatti Kid over the weekend. It is a great movie, a must see for every poker player. What's great about it is that it doesn't have the hollywood ending. It's the real life ending: about a guy who thinks he has what it takes and takes on the best only to learn that one outters do happen. Part of me wishes someone would do a remake, but I know I would be disappointed, because in the modern version, the kid would beat the man and get the girl.
In the end the kid is gutted by the man. It's an apropo description that I'm surprised isn't still used these days. These days I think it would be fitting to say "I was gutted by (insert online poker website here)."
Yes, friends, once again my account is down to a mere pittance. I had a nice run on sit-n-gos but I lately I've been catching the wrong end of the coin flip too many times and people have gone runner-runner more than I care to remember. Not that I haven't done my share of suckouts, I've given almost as well as I've gotten, but in the end my bankroll is no more.
Probably for the best. We're getting ready to move into our house at the end of the month so I really do have other things to do with my time. Maybe a sabatical will be good for me.
I did place 17th out of 461 in a tourney. I was pretty happy with my play up until I made one stupid mistake that knocked me out. At least I cashed, although I probably could have folded my way to the final table.
off to bed and dreams of pocket rockets.
-t
In the end the kid is gutted by the man. It's an apropo description that I'm surprised isn't still used these days. These days I think it would be fitting to say "I was gutted by (insert online poker website here)."
Yes, friends, once again my account is down to a mere pittance. I had a nice run on sit-n-gos but I lately I've been catching the wrong end of the coin flip too many times and people have gone runner-runner more than I care to remember. Not that I haven't done my share of suckouts, I've given almost as well as I've gotten, but in the end my bankroll is no more.
Probably for the best. We're getting ready to move into our house at the end of the month so I really do have other things to do with my time. Maybe a sabatical will be good for me.
I did place 17th out of 461 in a tourney. I was pretty happy with my play up until I made one stupid mistake that knocked me out. At least I cashed, although I probably could have folded my way to the final table.
off to bed and dreams of pocket rockets.
-t
Winning is good
Jumped into a 10-person sit-n-go last night and managed to take first. Didn't have many hands to play for the first 3 rounds and finally picked up KK on the button. Cut-off raises enough that I have to go all in and three of us see the flop. A-Q-x on flop and I'm sure I'm screwed. In the end, middle position limp-caller turns up 77 and cut-off has 88. Um, ok. Down to 5, the cut-off knocks out two with AA and we're suddenly in the money. Going into heads up I'm a 2-1 dog but become chip leader when I raise pre-flop with AQ and check-raise all-in on a flop of Q-x-x. Unlucky for the chip leader he has Q4s and calls.
On a non-poker related note I've pulled my hamstring. felt a popping sensation as I was running after a soccer ball. According to the web it's a strain or possible tear. What did people do before WebMD? Thank goodness I'll never have to know.
-tank
On a non-poker related note I've pulled my hamstring. felt a popping sensation as I was running after a soccer ball. According to the web it's a strain or possible tear. What did people do before WebMD? Thank goodness I'll never have to know.
-tank
a great movie
Got two free tickets to see the opening night movie at the Seattly International Film Festival (SIFF), "Me, You and Everyone Else." It was a great movie. Probably never see it in wide distribution because it isn't Hollywood enough. It kind of reminded me of a foreign movie: it doesn't end in a simple ending with all the loose ends tied up. There's no big name actor and no gratuitous sex or violence. But if you get a chance to see this movie you won't be disappointed.
On the poker front, I've taken a hiatus. I've been busy with a little 30 year gamble called home ownership. You think poker is a game of imperfect information, try deciding what to bid on a house in a multiple-bid situation.
-tank
On the poker front, I've taken a hiatus. I've been busy with a little 30 year gamble called home ownership. You think poker is a game of imperfect information, try deciding what to bid on a house in a multiple-bid situation.
-tank
Wheeeeeee
When I was in Las Vegas for my "bachelor party" my friends drove me to Primm, Nevada to ride on what they claimed was one of the fastest roller coasters, the Desperado (http://www.vegas.com/attractions/outside_lasvegas/desperado.html?f=m0at&t=outvegas). It's probably best I didn't know what they had in mind because I might have been nervous about riding a "hypercoaster."
Why do I tell you this? Well, as I reflect back on the past two weeks of poker I'm reminded of that ride. As we left the starting area and made that initial climb up to the top of the first drop I was filled with both excitiment and forboding of what was to come. And while for a moment I was high above the Nevada desert, I knew that I would be plunging, nay hurtling (as I would learn later at close to 4Gs) back to earth.
So one night I kill the 3/6 kill game for 25 BBs in less than two hours only to give it all back the next night with people going all the way to river to catch their draws. I think I may have even had the urge to vomit like I did on the Desperado.
But just like the Desperado, after the ups and down I was right back where I started. So I guess it could have been worse, I could have hit the ground at 79 mph and been in a world of hurt.
-t
Why do I tell you this? Well, as I reflect back on the past two weeks of poker I'm reminded of that ride. As we left the starting area and made that initial climb up to the top of the first drop I was filled with both excitiment and forboding of what was to come. And while for a moment I was high above the Nevada desert, I knew that I would be plunging, nay hurtling (as I would learn later at close to 4Gs) back to earth.
So one night I kill the 3/6 kill game for 25 BBs in less than two hours only to give it all back the next night with people going all the way to river to catch their draws. I think I may have even had the urge to vomit like I did on the Desperado.
But just like the Desperado, after the ups and down I was right back where I started. So I guess it could have been worse, I could have hit the ground at 79 mph and been in a world of hurt.
-t
The most disturbing website
No, it's not some cult or militia site, or one devoted to animal cruelty.
"find a special Japanese woman as a partner for life"
http://www.destinajapan.com/
Either you get why this is disturbing or you don't.
-t
"find a special Japanese woman as a partner for life"
http://www.destinajapan.com/
Either you get why this is disturbing or you don't.
-t
cursed 9
played two sit-n-gos last night and fell both times to a 9, one time it was a three-outer (KJ v K9 after a K on the flop, all in after the flop, 9 on the turn) and the next it was a two-outer (AA v 99). My only solace was that I got my money in with the best of it both times. I think the K9 made a particularly bad call since I raised a substantial amount before the flop. With the Aces I was the short stack and the guy with the 99s had a healthy stack but it still sucked.
c'est la vie,
t
c'est la vie,
t
I should just stick to SnGs
On the surface, No-Limit Hold'em and NLHE Freezeouts are a very similar game. Why then do I fare decently in one and suck at the other? After an ass whooping Monday night at the .50/1 NLHE tables I decided to go back to the good ol' 10-man sit-n-go. On the very first hand three guys go all in: 99, KK and AA. Aces held up (although I kept waiting for a 9 to drop) and we were 8-handed. Luckily the big stack was to my right. After hovering around 2nd and 3rd in chip count, I dipped down to short stack before managing to claw my way back up. After knocking out Mr. Aces (who slowly bled away chips from his high water mark on the first hand) I got heads up with a 3 to 2 chip lead. I took most of the guy's chips when I caught a third 5 on the river to beat out his pair of Jacks and finished him off when my 62o went runner-runner to make 2 pair against his AK.
A win and a loss
Last night I jumped back into UB and played a 10-person Sit-n-Go. While I was able to score another 1st place finish, it also landed me in the doghouse with the boss, making it a bittersweet win.
Notable hand of the evening: I'm the chip leader and limp in from late position with A8o. BB is the only caller. Flop is A, A, 5. Check Check. Turn is an 8, BB shoves all in. um, of course I call and he flips up A2o. He's drawing dead. River is an 8 and we chop. WHAT!! The guys catches one of the only two cards remaining in the deck that can save him.
-tmo
Notable hand of the evening: I'm the chip leader and limp in from late position with A8o. BB is the only caller. Flop is A, A, 5. Check Check. Turn is an 8, BB shoves all in. um, of course I call and he flips up A2o. He's drawing dead. River is an 8 and we chop. WHAT!! The guys catches one of the only two cards remaining in the deck that can save him.
-tmo
Props be to bloggers
I gotta hand it to those guys who crank out the posts day after day. I seem to be averaging about one a month and it's hard. I guess like everything else in life you just need to be disciplined about it. Just read my last post about playing on Poker Mountain. I have to say that the play there has gotten a lot tougher as of late. I think the true fish finally figured out that it wasn't quite as easy as seen on TV and have moved on. And I'm not one to buy into that whole "cashout curse" theory, but I swear I had a lot more pocket pairs before I cashed out some of my money. the tough thing about Poker Mountain is that they don't seem to have reached that critical mass so it's hard to find a game sometimes.
So I've returned to UB. I've been playing mostly Sit n Gos there. Been doing ok when I don't try to bluff the tighest player on the river with bottom pair. Maybe because it took my online poker virginity, but I like UB. I haven't played on Party for a while so maybe that will be my next stop.
So I've returned to UB. I've been playing mostly Sit n Gos there. Been doing ok when I don't try to bluff the tighest player on the river with bottom pair. Maybe because it took my online poker virginity, but I like UB. I haven't played on Party for a while so maybe that will be my next stop.
heeee's back
I'm back in the game. Swimming with the fishes.
After a long hiatus I'm playing for real money again and it feels GREAT!! I put my money into Poker Mountain. I've been playing for play money for a while, like the site, no annoying avatars. And I like the bad play by other players.
more later,
-t
After a long hiatus I'm playing for real money again and it feels GREAT!! I put my money into Poker Mountain. I've been playing for play money for a while, like the site, no annoying avatars. And I like the bad play by other players.
more later,
-t
poker all the time
I checked the local TV schedule earlier today and noticed that 'Tilt', WPT Hollywood Homegame, and Celebrity Poker were all on at the same time. Who would have thunk? What did I watch? I chose to win some brownie points and let the boss watch her favorite, CSI. Hey, it's set in Las Vegas so I didn't completely lose out.
I'll soon be back in the game. Soon my Neteller account will be flush for cash and I will face the tough decision of which site to patronize. More news soon.
I'll soon be back in the game. Soon my Neteller account will be flush for cash and I will face the tough decision of which site to patronize. More news soon.
New year, negative bank roll
have I mentioned that when I lived in San Jose I didn't play at Bay 101 because I told myself that I wanted my casino gambling to be limited to home games and Las Vegas. That way poker would be a leisure/vacation activity and not something tedious or routine. I'm not exactly sure what changed when I moved up to Seattle, but now I average about a night a week in a card room.
Since moving back I've kept a journal of my poker winnings (and losings) and up until last weekend I was in the black, thanks in large part to a couple of very good nights playing the 2-6/6-12 spread limit game that they used to have at the Silver Dollar. Unfortunately some bone head decided to move that game somewhere else, leaving me to play 3/6 with the fish at the Golden Nugget. Last weekend the black quickly went to red when I went up to Tulalip. It was the first time I had been to their casino. I really liked it. What I loved was the smoke free poker room. What I didn't like so much was when I shoved all in with 99 only to have my neighbor to the left have KK. After a modest pre-flop raise, there was very little to fear when the flop came 7 high. I bet only to be raised by my neighbor. Putting him on a spade draw (two on the flop), I called and shoved all in after the turn was another under card and not a spade. A K came on the river just to salt the wound a little bit.
My buddy MM tells me that I could be a consistent winner if I played there, tells me there is no shortage of fish there. I can't tell if he's being truthful or just wants my money. Truth be told, I didn't feel at the top of my game when I played last time so I would like to go back some time just to prove to myself that my first experience was a fluke. One day.
Since moving back I've kept a journal of my poker winnings (and losings) and up until last weekend I was in the black, thanks in large part to a couple of very good nights playing the 2-6/6-12 spread limit game that they used to have at the Silver Dollar. Unfortunately some bone head decided to move that game somewhere else, leaving me to play 3/6 with the fish at the Golden Nugget. Last weekend the black quickly went to red when I went up to Tulalip. It was the first time I had been to their casino. I really liked it. What I loved was the smoke free poker room. What I didn't like so much was when I shoved all in with 99 only to have my neighbor to the left have KK. After a modest pre-flop raise, there was very little to fear when the flop came 7 high. I bet only to be raised by my neighbor. Putting him on a spade draw (two on the flop), I called and shoved all in after the turn was another under card and not a spade. A K came on the river just to salt the wound a little bit.
My buddy MM tells me that I could be a consistent winner if I played there, tells me there is no shortage of fish there. I can't tell if he's being truthful or just wants my money. Truth be told, I didn't feel at the top of my game when I played last time so I would like to go back some time just to prove to myself that my first experience was a fluke. One day.
argh
did my weekly contribution to the Poker charity today. Played in the weekly 6:30 NLHE tourney at the Golden Nugget tonight. First of all, I did confirm that the house takes absolutely no juice from the game. Talk about sweet. I blew off nearly half my stack in the first round when I found pocket Queens from early-middle position and raised it from T50 to T300. One of guy calls and late position guy goes over the top and makes it T1000. Now I think the one thing I'm trying to work on in tourney poker is to stay alive. So I was half tempted to go all in but instead I call. Flop is A K x with two of the cards suited and I have to lay it down to the raiser's all in. So the good news was I made a good laydown (I think), but the bad news was that I lost half my stack before the first round was over. So still in the first round I pick up JJ and go all in over an early position raiser. He calls and flips over Kings. I have a glimmer of hope when three spades flop (I have one, he doesn't), but the next two cards are blanks and IGHN.
There are worse ways to spend $30. Although I wonder if maybe I'm probably inhaling enough second hand cigarette smoke that that $30 will come back and haunt me in the form of health bills?
There are worse ways to spend $30. Although I wonder if maybe I'm probably inhaling enough second hand cigarette smoke that that $30 will come back and haunt me in the form of health bills?
Temptation Resisted
Took a little trip down to LA/Irvine this weekend to visit family. Two of my sister-in-laws just moved into a nice apartment in Irvine and we went down to visit. Truth be told, I need little reason to go to SoCal. Orange County (the OC) is home to one of the largest Vietnamese populations outside Vietnam and as a result there is some of the best Vietnamese food around. One of our favorites is a restaurant called Brodour which has these rolls called "nem nuong". Theoretically these are an appetizer but I could just as easily eat these things as a meal. It must be the ready abundance of fresh produce, but the food there is just so much better and really resonable.
What does this have to do with Poker or temptation? Not much really except that I was in the Southern California, home to some of the best known Casinos outside of Las Vegas. Saturday night I took a drive up to LA proper to see my best man, DM, in a play called "This may well be true." For those of you who are familiar with the greater LA area, the route to get from Irvine to Hollywood is 405N>55N>5N>101N. I'm not sure if it was on the 5 or the 101, but right there off the freeway is the Commerce Casino. Like a siren calling me to the rocky shoals, the red neon lights beckoned to me.
It's funny how the human mind can rationalize just about anything. There I was on my way to see my very good friend and I couldn't help thinking "well, I've never been there, I should just check it out and see the place." and "I just want to pick up a copy of the latest issue of card player magazine." With truly Herculean effort I stayed on the road and didn't veer off.
And then once again, this time off to the left as I drove back down to Irvine at 2:00 AM. Forget that I was tired and had a headache and my throat hurt from all the yelling over the noise and the smoke, I seriously considered it. I even hatched a plan that I would play until 8:00 in the morning and then drive down, picking up some breakfast for the sisters as a way of appeasing them.
But self preservation kicked in and I drove right by. next time.
What does this have to do with Poker or temptation? Not much really except that I was in the Southern California, home to some of the best known Casinos outside of Las Vegas. Saturday night I took a drive up to LA proper to see my best man, DM, in a play called "This may well be true." For those of you who are familiar with the greater LA area, the route to get from Irvine to Hollywood is 405N>55N>5N>101N. I'm not sure if it was on the 5 or the 101, but right there off the freeway is the Commerce Casino. Like a siren calling me to the rocky shoals, the red neon lights beckoned to me.
It's funny how the human mind can rationalize just about anything. There I was on my way to see my very good friend and I couldn't help thinking "well, I've never been there, I should just check it out and see the place." and "I just want to pick up a copy of the latest issue of card player magazine." With truly Herculean effort I stayed on the road and didn't veer off.
And then once again, this time off to the left as I drove back down to Irvine at 2:00 AM. Forget that I was tired and had a headache and my throat hurt from all the yelling over the noise and the smoke, I seriously considered it. I even hatched a plan that I would play until 8:00 in the morning and then drive down, picking up some breakfast for the sisters as a way of appeasing them.
But self preservation kicked in and I drove right by. next time.
SIGH
Played at the Wednesday night 6:30 tourney at the GN. Played patiently for the first couple of orbits. Decided to make some moves in the second round and was able to pick up some pots. Down to about 14 playes (started with 20 with 2 alternates) I look down to see 88s on the button. Loose aggressive guy who has been going all-in a lot when folded around to him bets T1200 (blinds are 100/200). I know I'm aheah of him so I shove all in from the button. SB calls. Ooops. Now the initial raiser has to call. He flips up AJo and the SB flips over AKo. K and J on the flop. Shite. Another J on the river and the SB and I are out.
After the tourney I tried a new table game called "Texas Hold'em Bonus". The game has to be one of the most inefficient gmaes out there. It uses a shuffling maching to shuffle one deck and then the dealer has to put the deck into a blackjack shoe just to deal out two cards to each player. LC and I tried to figure out a winning strategy but I'm convinced it's just a sucker game designed to ride the popularity of Hold'em. I would have got paid 30 to 1 if I had played the bonus and got pocket aces. Of well.
After the tourney I tried a new table game called "Texas Hold'em Bonus". The game has to be one of the most inefficient gmaes out there. It uses a shuffling maching to shuffle one deck and then the dealer has to put the deck into a blackjack shoe just to deal out two cards to each player. LC and I tried to figure out a winning strategy but I'm convinced it's just a sucker game designed to ride the popularity of Hold'em. I would have got paid 30 to 1 if I had played the bonus and got pocket aces. Of well.
sashi buri desu
For those of you who don't speak Japanese, that means "it's been a long time" (or something like that.
It's been a little more than 4 months since my last post. A lot has changed in that time: state of residence, marital status, and job just to name a few. But one thing hasn't changed. I'm still a poker playing, gambling degerate who can't stop thinking about poker or Las Vegas.
Let's see. Since my last post I got married, went on a honeymoon (notable gambling-related moments include standing in front of the Aviation Club in Paris and playing blackjack in Monte Carlo) and then moved to Seattle.
Being back in Seattle has take some getting used to. Even though I grew up here the weather here hit me pretty hard when it first started getting dark around 5:00 PM. I'm convinced that my body was trying to hibernate for a while.
For most of the time I lived in the Bay Area I was usually within a 15 minute drive of a card room but for the most part resisted the urge to make it a regular occurance. I did have my regular Tuesday night poker game with co-workers to get my weekly fix, but for the most part I avoided Bay 101, Artichoke Joes and the like. My reasoning was that I wanted to keep the poker to something to look forward to when I went to Las Vegas. Truth be told, I also think I didn't have the stomach for low-limit, no fold'em poker that is the rule in most California clubs.
Now that I'm back in the Northwest though all that has all changed. Maybe it's connecting with my old (gambling addicted) friends, but I'm visiting the card rooms about once a week. My friend MM introduced me to the world of tournaments. The Golden Nugget card room spreads a $30 buy-in, No Limit Hold'em game every night at 6:30. It's only a two table affair, no rebuys and sometimes a few alternates, but it's a great way to play a few hours of NLHE and get some tourney experience. In the half dozen or so times I've played I've only placed once but I think my play has gotten progressively better. The great thing I realized two weeks ago is that the house isn't taking a cut. I'm guessing it's a lost leader way for them to get players into the room, but it's great for the player. you get T2500 in chips with blinds starting at 25/50 so it's not a complete crap shoot. The TD runs a tight ship and the dealers are pretty good so it's a great way to spend $30 and a couple of hours. My only gripe is that the room is not smoke free so I have to shower when I get home and keep a special card room jacket in my car.
I've also started dabbling online again. After a long hiatus from the online poker scene, I'm getting ready to make a deposit and jump back in. I just need to reactivate my PokerTracker account and decide where to put my money. I'm thinking of giving myself a bankroll at the start of the year and seeing how far I can go. I think I'm going to stick mostly to sit-n-gos and tournaments.
More to come soon.
it's good to be back in the game,
tank
It's been a little more than 4 months since my last post. A lot has changed in that time: state of residence, marital status, and job just to name a few. But one thing hasn't changed. I'm still a poker playing, gambling degerate who can't stop thinking about poker or Las Vegas.
Let's see. Since my last post I got married, went on a honeymoon (notable gambling-related moments include standing in front of the Aviation Club in Paris and playing blackjack in Monte Carlo) and then moved to Seattle.
Being back in Seattle has take some getting used to. Even though I grew up here the weather here hit me pretty hard when it first started getting dark around 5:00 PM. I'm convinced that my body was trying to hibernate for a while.
For most of the time I lived in the Bay Area I was usually within a 15 minute drive of a card room but for the most part resisted the urge to make it a regular occurance. I did have my regular Tuesday night poker game with co-workers to get my weekly fix, but for the most part I avoided Bay 101, Artichoke Joes and the like. My reasoning was that I wanted to keep the poker to something to look forward to when I went to Las Vegas. Truth be told, I also think I didn't have the stomach for low-limit, no fold'em poker that is the rule in most California clubs.
Now that I'm back in the Northwest though all that has all changed. Maybe it's connecting with my old (gambling addicted) friends, but I'm visiting the card rooms about once a week. My friend MM introduced me to the world of tournaments. The Golden Nugget card room spreads a $30 buy-in, No Limit Hold'em game every night at 6:30. It's only a two table affair, no rebuys and sometimes a few alternates, but it's a great way to play a few hours of NLHE and get some tourney experience. In the half dozen or so times I've played I've only placed once but I think my play has gotten progressively better. The great thing I realized two weeks ago is that the house isn't taking a cut. I'm guessing it's a lost leader way for them to get players into the room, but it's great for the player. you get T2500 in chips with blinds starting at 25/50 so it's not a complete crap shoot. The TD runs a tight ship and the dealers are pretty good so it's a great way to spend $30 and a couple of hours. My only gripe is that the room is not smoke free so I have to shower when I get home and keep a special card room jacket in my car.
I've also started dabbling online again. After a long hiatus from the online poker scene, I'm getting ready to make a deposit and jump back in. I just need to reactivate my PokerTracker account and decide where to put my money. I'm thinking of giving myself a bankroll at the start of the year and seeing how far I can go. I think I'm going to stick mostly to sit-n-gos and tournaments.
More to come soon.
it's good to be back in the game,
tank
$111 bottle of water
played in the horseshoe 2:00 no-limit hold'em tourney on tuesday and didn't even last 30 minutes. i played only two handS (diligently folding all the crap i was getting dealt), first hand i played was AQ (me) against 99s. OK, the odds were against me there but i know i was the favorite with AA vs QQ. Q on the flop and i am out. in retrospect i probably would have lost a lot more if i was playing at the no-limit tables. spent most of my time at the no-limit game ($1/$2 blinds, $100 minimum buy-in). one guy was sitting there with over $25,000 in cash and chips. from what i could gather, he had just moved into the horseshoe and was grinding out a $300/day living at the table. another guy was a AAA pro baseball player intown for a couple of games. his girlfriend/manager/statistician kept trying to pull him away from the table since he had a game later that day. played one session at the bellagio and managed to walk away up a little bit.
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