Dealer's choice

The weekend at Change 100's living room* (Bong Rec Area) was a good time. A good amount of beer was consumed around the campfire in between sporadic rainfall. The chilly weather did take a toll on Saturday night though making it quite miserable.

On Friday night, the cards were pulled out for some dealer's choice. With more people, a little hold 'em tournament might be organized but with just 5 of us, tossing chips around with whatever game the dealer chose was a better idea. Stakes are only a nickel so one can easily donk around and have some fun.

That is how I usually approach these games. I am going to have some fun, lose a buy in and then go back to the fire and focus on drinking and shooting the shit. The games don't change much when it is dealers choice. You have all probably played them in one form or another but with different names. There is Dimestore (5s and 10s wild), Baseball (3s and 9s wild, buy a card with a 4), Black Mariah (low spade in the hole gets half the pot, if the Q of spades comes out, re-ante and deal again), 5 card draw, deuces wild, Stud, and Guts. It always seems one game stays a bit more popular after a big pot ($6!) and gets played again and again as the players chase to win it all back.

Basic poker skills go out the window in these games. People will chase cards to the end (it is only a nickel or dime to call, pots odds are in your favor) or will play crap from the beginning hoping to catch wild cards. I may be the only one that will fold bad hands at the beginning knowing I need to catch well just to make a winnable hand.

It is the games with wild cards that drive me nuts. Full houses and straight flushes go down in flames to 5 of a kind hands. That always irks me. There is no 5 of a kind. Some will always say there is with wild cards but that is bull.

I feel like I have an advantage in these games, especially in the Stud games. I don't think anyone is counting cards, noticing how many of their suit is out there. I caught two flushes just be counting. Then again I screwed up thinking I caught a straight when I had not. If it wasn't for two nice Black Mariah hands, I would have been out of the game and at the fire early instead of banking a $2.75 win!

Vegas, here I come!

*No, I did not literally spend a weekend in Change's living room. I used her comment from the previous post as I thought it was hilarious. Speaking of which, her latest post on poker movies is excellent. This paragraph says it all:

Poker movies (and scripted TV shows) have failed because every single one
post-Rounders has been poorly written. Plain and simple. They haven't failed to
ignite because the general public doesn't "get" poker or because the writers and
directors involved don't understand poker or because the subject matter isn't
commercial enough. They've failed because their stories and characters weren't
original or compelling. They suffered from one-dimensional characters, cliched
conflicts and cheesy dialogue.

21 days until it begins

21 days.

21 days until Vegas. Or so I have been told. It isn't like I need a vacation as much as I want one. Work has been rough and will only get rougher. Thankfully I have activities scheduled out to alleviate the stress when it builds up.

This weekend I will escape the city to do some camping. The Bong Rec area is my destination. Many beers will be consumed around the fire. Kinda like Vegas. That is my segue to get back on topic.

Looking forward to seeing some old faces this year. A bit disappointed that others won't be around. Looks like Chilly and Easycure will be there. Sadly Derek and Iggy won't. Always good to shoot the shit with Falstaff and catch up with all the crew working at the Series. Yeah, no links here as blogger is not loading properly.

Now I am wondering...who exactly is going the first weekend? For those going the second week, we cannot be held liable if there is a liquor shortage. Buy some vacation insurance to protect yourselves.

Wii Tilt

I haven't played much poker lately. That thing called life has been keeping me busy. Whether it has been work, yard work, home repair, or other engagements, I haven't had much time to play cards as of late. Thus I was looking forward to playing the Skills game last night. The Skills game is by far my favorite event as it satisfies my poker ADD.

Things were good during the first hour. I was up a little at the break but more importantly I was being patient. I may not have been focused as I kept an eye on ebay as I played but I was satisfied with my game.

It was in the second session that I lost it. I began chasing cards, gunning for lows in the Stud 8 portion. Like a bad Razz game, I got had 4 solid to the low just to brick up. Soon, I lost interest and donked my way out in the O8 portion. I was way overmatched by the players at the table that cared more and were playing much better poker than I was.

I think it all started earlier in the day. I have been quite busy at work, something that does not look to end anytime soon. During breaks, I have been looking at picking up a Wii. Though I have had video game addiction in the past, I knew times were different and I wouldn't be staying up to 4 in the morning playing some game.

It would appear the market rate for a Wii is around $310-325 total, including shipping, for a new game console with Wii Sports. That is my target. If I can get one cheaper, great, if not, no big deal. I am not in a rush to get the system. Yet.

It was during the end of an auction that I felt like I was heads up with an unknown opponent. I was winning the auction with a price of $276, a price that was very good. But as the minutes counted down, I had that sinking feeling that some bastard was going to steal this unit from me.

It was as if I had pushed all in with A Q on a loose opponent, knowing he would call me with any Ace rag. I have been there many a time before. Getting all in with A Q against A J, knowing I was going to lose the hand. That a J would hit the board.

The same thing happened on ebay. I refreshed the screen with 5 seconds left to see that J had hit the board. Someone sniped the unit from under me, paying $286. I was slow to react and the auction was over. I went on a TuffFish rampage in my mind, spewing all kinds of cusswords at the person who won the auction. I felt better even though I walked away from the table empty handed.

4 card bingo with Pauly

Actually, that would be 4 card bingo with Change as Pauly was not around.

I felt like Rodney Dangerfield today. No respect for any bets. Raise and 5 people would see a flop. Make a bet and everyone calls. Ugly.

Got knocked out early when I flopped a straight. Money is all in and I need to avoid the flush. Of course, that did not happen.

Guess I go to the bar early to watch hockey.

New game in town

Saw this game hanging in a sex shop in Soho, just pass the church where the lesbian couple that had just been married were taking photos.

I should have bought it as real life is preventing me from playing poker again. Got home just after the Razz game started up. That bit. And because I was gone this weekend, I didn't have time to find a way to fund the Bodog account.

Maybe I can make it to the RiverChasers event.

I have an idea for the bloggers getting together in Vegas next month. With the Binions and Venetian events going on, I was wondering if there was any interest in satellites to these smaller buy in tournaments. Running tournaments with $30 entrance fees can get a couple people entered. Leave any indications of interest in the comments.

Degeneration NYC

It was about 5 am, Sunday morning. GMoney had just crashed. The Rooster had put on some pancrase on the TV after opening a huge bottle of Belgian white beer. Iggy and I started watching the action, trying to figure out the rules (at least I was trying to figure out the rules, Iggy may know them).

As we watch the wrestlers bitch slap each other, I noticed the Rooster was fighting his own fight. He was on the couch, sitting on the edge, wobbling back and forth. He bobbed to the left and then to the right. Like a boxer that had been knocked around the head, he was on dream street. Only it wasn't lefts and rights that did the damage. It was the assortment of beers he had been drinking for the last 12 plus hours that worked him over. He had gone the 12 rounds and was still upright.

I looked and Iggy and nodded towards Rooster. Being the good guys we are, we told the Rooster to get some sleep and we would call it a night. We got him a pillow and blanket, turned off the TV and let him sleep we placed a bet on which way he would fall. Iggy had the right, I had the left. Like a buoy on the water, the Rooster moved back and forth with the flow of the tides. Then suddenly he made a deep move to left. I thought I had a winner. Both Iggy and I are cheering him on to fall, but in very hushed tones. We didn't want to wake him until the bet had been won.

Suddenly he righted himself and kinda opened his eyes. Within seconds they were closed again. The wobbly Rooster was back in the ring and the bet was on. This time though, he started moving forward. As I said, Iggy had the right, I had the left, but what happened if he fell forward, or back? The prop was amended as Iggy had him falling back as I got the forward action. I also agreed to clean up any blood should he bust his head open.

The Rooster hung on for a couple of minutes before he woke up again. He may have sensed something as he grabbed the remote and uttered "Go to bed fuckers!". He turned off the TV and was done.

Official ruling: No contest.

All kidding aside, I would like to thank the Rooster for his hospitality, for giving me a place to crash, showing me some cool bars, and just for being a friend. Thanks man, I had an excellent weekend and an awesome time. Same to Pauly and Derek for showing us the city and for all the shenanigans that went on.

No pokering this week

There will be no poker for me this week. The real world is pressing down from a couple different sides, preventing me from logging on to the virtual felt.

I would say that means it is much easier for everyone to win this week but that would be a lie for I sure haven't been a factor in the

Bodonkey, tonight on bodog

or

The Skillz game where I run hot or cold. Last week was cold so I was feeling good about getting hot again. Like most Wednesdays I cannot Mook it up anymore. Nor can I chase the river this Thursday.

But I shall look at the bright side. Both Wednesday and Thursday shall see me drinking quantities of good beer so not playing poker isn't necessarily a bad thing.

Maybe we will see y'all again next week.

To go or not to go

I got a call yesterday from a buddy of mine.
When was the last time you were in Vegas.
December.
You going anytime soon.
Sure, beginning of June, staying at Hooters.
You interested in going in May?
Huh?
I am going for a sales conference. They have me set up at the Monte Carlo.
In a smoke free room? One with working fire alarms?
Company is paying for the room. Thought you might like to go play poker.
Possible. Send me the dates.

So now I have to see if I can finagle a trip to Vegas next month. It could be tight. I will be traveling next weekend and the more I think about it, June isn't that far off.

I doubt I will be playing any poker this weekend. Between watching Brewers games and the NFL Draft, I won't have any time.

So looking forward to the draft tomorrow. It is taste of football in spring. A time to spend an afternoon at Hooters, eating wings, drinking beer, laughing at the Lions when they draft a receiver, booing whoever the Deadskins, bEagles, and Gints select, applauding loudly for the newest Dallas Cowboy. Quite a bit of fun.

Small football thoughts. I think Peter King at SI made a good comment. The Chargers should see if they can get Jason Taylor from the Dolphins. Taylor and Merriman going wild on QBs. I think I heard Jay Cutler shit his pants. The Cowboys should get two good offensive players in this draft. A speedy running back to team up with Marion the Barbarian is good. A stud receive may be available as well. I predict the Packers take a QB with the first pick. Thankfully the Vikings don't have a pick to screw up this year.

Don't forget Saturdays with Pauly tomorrow.

Squeaked into the Bodonkey- Crib note version

No echecks on Bodog anymore

play SnG, takes forever, push at 8:04 to get into Bodonkey, take 2nd, would have had first but opponent got lucky when he bluffed his 10 4o against my A Ko. Pair of 4s wins. Ugh.



Sneak into Bodonkey missing a hand or two. avoid Donkettes set of Kings that she rivers. She checked expecting me to bet but I had her flop bet read as K K especially when she checked the river. Folding two pair is easy.



Folded two pair again when something didn't seem right. Opponent had flopped a set of 8s.



Got A A twice in the first 15 minutes. Minimal action on both.



7 7 gets me a decent pot. Lightening raised from the button. I called 100 more to see a flop come K Q 3. Turn put a possible flush on the board while the river was a rag. I wasn't surprised to see he mucked A J, but I was shocked he didn't bet out on any street.

Skillz Series starts up. Could be interestings as both Hoy and ScottMc are both seated along with Miami Don and Kat. Part of me wants to be a smartass but the other part wins the fight.

Nothing much happens in the first round of Hold em. I stay even. In the PLO round I make the mistake of thinking it is PLO8 and bet pot on a made low. Thankfully I didn't lose too much on the hand.

Back on Bodog, I miss a couple of nice draws and drop to just above 2000. Can't get much traction but blinds are still low and I have time. Have to tighten up there soon.

Take down a decent pot against Kat when I river a flush. Flop came K high with two hearts. I had raised with A A 9 7 and she just called. I didn't like the K on the flop or her calling my flop bet. I put her on a pocket pair of kings there. Turn was no help and I checked. She bet half the pot. I felt like taking a chance on catching the flush or an ace to steal. Got a J of hearts and just called her half pot bet. I was surprised to see she had J J underneath and no hearts. She had me folding if she had bet pot on the river.

Not much happening at either table now. Lots of mucking as both games are hold em and the cards are looking too good. I do win an interesting hand with 2 3o. I completed from the small blind cuz there were three limpers. A deuce on the river was good to give me the pot.

I made a minor bluff with 4 4. I raised from MP and made the continuation bet on a board of A K J. Represent A K and hope they buy it. Thankfully, they did. I also did a semi bluff on a board showing a possible flush. I had just a pair of queens but the bet worked.

Blinds are 50/100 on Bodog which means we are getting to the action stage. I have just over 2300 again. Still not good but manageable. I do manage to steal some blinds to get over 2600. If I can get back above the starting stack I will feel much better.

Well, so much for getting above the starting stack on Bodog. I call a raise in the BB with A Q. I see a flop of K Q x. I check and call the bet. I intend to push on the turn no matter what. An A on the turn makes me smile. I check allowing my opponent to push. They show K J for top pair and a possible straight. MY two pair looks good until the 10 of diamonds shows up. That bit.

It seems typical of the beats I have taken on Bodog. Just the way it goes. It may be the last tournament I play until I can find a way to get funds on there. 4 bucks ain't gonna cut it.

Now I can focus on the skillz game. Just began to notice some of the crazy Omaha play. Well, I contribute to it by getting it all in preflop against lucko. I have A A Q 5 vs his A A K 10. I don't like my cards. I also don't have much of a chance. I flop the possible flush but it doesn't materialize and I am done.

I am too lazy to make any sense of this. NO link, no grammar. Good enough.

Brutal

Brutal. That was my experience playing some Omaha this weekend. Brutal.

I was doing well in a PLO8 satellite to a 100k guarantee. One seat to the winner. It was down to 3 of us. The table had gotten cautious with the other two limping to see flops. With 10 10 A Q, I raised pot and was called by the BB. Flop was nice, 10 K 3. I bet pot. My opponent thought and min-raised me. I was made the call for just 200 more. I know he wasn't slow playing KK there. He showed two pair, kings and tens. Hits the king two outer on the river. Ouch! I would have had my other opponent outchipped by a 4-1 margin but instead go home. At the same time I busted out of the NL cash game when my A Ks went down to K K. Just wasn't hitting flops.

Afternoon with Pauly sent me to the bar in the same fashion. I should have gone bust to Bayne early on but did not make a river bet holding K K x x. Board had two jacks on it and Bayne's A A were good. I just about made that river bet to represent trips but knew I would have been called. In the past I probably make that bet 90% of the time but I had a feel for my opponent and realized it was not a good idea. All the Omaha playing has paid off in some patience gained.

Surving against Bayne meant it would just leave me on the short stack and looking for a place to double up. I thought I had it when I raised from EP with K K J J. I get called from the blinds and see the Hammer flop, 2 7 7. I pot it, putting me all in. I don't know this person but my gut told me they had Q Q at best. Well, not even. They called me and show 10 10 J x. Huh? Calling with just two pair and not even a good two pair? From there, it was like the cards reached out of my monitor with a pair of pliers and twisted by balls right off by turning an 8 and rivering a 9 for the straight. I wimpered a good luck to everyone and shut down the pc to tend to my injured nutsack.

I didn't play a single hand on Sunday. Days like that happen. Good hands are ruined by longshot and good starting cards get ruined by the board. Hopefully that was variance calling to say "hi" and reminding me that bad beats happen and to get over it.

On a different note, I wish they would show this WSOP on ESPN but I know they won't. The Mixed Games event looks pretty good. I caught Dr. Pauly's post quoting his friend BJ Nemeth on LasVegasVegas and thought "I wish they would run this online along side HORSE".

The World Championship Mixed Event is a mix of several different poker
games, like H.O.R.S.E., but without a cool name. Event #8 is much more confusing
than H.O.R.S.E, however.
In Event #8, there are three different types of
levels, and within each level, the game switches every eight hands. (One pass of
the button, for games with a button.) Levels last 60 minutes.
LEVEL A
Deuce-to-Seven Triple DrawLimit Hold'emLimit Omaha Eight or Better
LEVEL B
RazzSeven Card StudSeven Card Stud Eight or Better
LEVEL C
No-Limit
Hold'emPot-Limit Omaha
For the first hour of play, you're playing
deuce-to-seven triple draw, limit hold'em, and Omaha eight or better, switching
every eight hands. The second hour of play, you're playing razz, seven card
stud, and seven card stud eight or better, switching every eight hands. The
third hour of play, you're playing no-limit hold'em and pot-limit Omaha,
switching every eight hands.

Wonder if PokerStars or Full Tilt could run something with that setup.

Like any good scandal...

...it keeps getting better.

So now the story is it is ok to buy a seat, but not ok to sell a seat if you have 2 or cannot make it. If one can buy, one should be able to sell.

You win a tournament or earn a TOC seat by getting heads up with an opponent. That is a new one to me. Second is the new winner apparently. That is beyond ridiculous.

Hoy has stated "These games are supposed to be fun and not taken too seriously by the players involved, and a good 95%+ of us view them as such." If you weren't taking it too seriously then you would have played it out and not negotiated for the seat. One should also not step forward and speak for others. I haven't here and no one should feel they have that right to suddenly be a spokesman.

The seat should not be considered part of the prize pool. It is awarded to the winner of the tournament. The winner is the one who plays the game and has the winning hand at the end. Was the final hand of this tournament decided by the hand that was played by both opponents? No it was not. Hoy mentions how it was raise folded again and again to give him first place. This seat was not earned.

What about PokerEnthusiast? He came in third. Was he aware that Tom Jefferson had no interest in the seat and was going to fold out? Is that fair to him? No. He should have been informed of what was happening before he got knocked out.

It isn't fair to those who have won their way legitimately into the TOC. Shouldn't they have a say? Hoy is very good player. I will not knock his game. Do you want him part of that tournament? Likely not.

What about people who have won multiple seats? If you can buy a seat, you should be able to sell a seat. Why is it mutually exclusive? Let them sell their seats.*

We can keep arguing this until we are blue in the face. Shenanigans like this shouldn't happen in a blogger tournament. We read about cheating in WSOP or WPT events and should be happy that doesn't happen in our blogger tournaments. By allowing someone to buy a seat, we are basically saying it is ok for future event to allow collusion and chip dumping. Don't act like that isn't going to happen either. We already have people using backers. Only a few will know if they are working in cahoots and other will not find out until the damage is done.

Some of us care about this community and keeping such crap out of it. That is why this issue should be raised and discussed. This will blow over. Any thought that this hampers the image of bloggers or ruins someone's first experience is bullshit. This is like a fight on the playground. By lunch tomorrow everyone will have forgotten about it and be joking around again.


*Yes, this is part of the rules so it won't happen. Just stating if one is good, so should the other.

The video

How Hoy won his seat:


Yes, his "win" is as real as pro wrestling. I just couldn't resist.

Yesterday's poker wasn't too good. I was overly aggressive in the Le Cheese Challenge sponsored by Rakebrain. I kept betting with Q Q even though there was a K on the board. I basically gave the chips away with a river bet. Very dumb on my part. Big thanks again to RakeBrain for hosting the tournament for us.

I fared better in the RiverChasers but didn't cash. Out on the bubble. I had my aces cracked twice in the last hour. Can't complain though as I wouldn't have made it that far if I hadn't cracked aces with the Hiltons earlier.

Hoy has an interesting post up where he basically says "Nah uh! It's you who is ruining it." Let's get some things straight here. No one said chopping the prize pool is bad. It has been done before and will be done again. It is all about laying down and giving the seat to someone. You may think it is fair to those who won their seat outright but it isn't.

I have never claimed to be part of any inner circle. I haven't said I was at the first blogger event. I am no "A-lister" (a joke that has gone way above most peoples heads). I don't speak for anyone but myself. From the feedback I have received, it appears I have spoken what many have thought. These games have changed. It is the natural evolution of a community. Some people are never go to get it. At least not get it like those that have been meeting up with each other for more than the last year or two.

That really seems to be it. It is two different worlds. If you haven't spent the night drinking at the Sherwood Forest bar at the Excal with a slew of people, watched the McGrupps light one, made bets on the wheel, or followed Al to a Mexican restaurant for more drinks, or even stormed the Castle, then you will not understand where I am coming from. The blogger world as you know it is different.

I wouldn't say that it is necessarily for the worse either as I have met cool people over the past year. Civility and respect for people as players of the game has gone straight down hill. Buying a seat was just the latest addition to the mountain of crap. See Circle 3 for more info. Watch, someone is going to rig the TOC game.

Hoy pointed out that many of the "old schoolers" don't play in the BBT. Hmm... I wonder why.

Just about a new circle

Just when you thought things couldn't get any lower in the BBT3, they do. I just got caught up reading about the Skillz series. I didn't realize how the Stud8 had gone down.

Hoy bought a seat?

WTF?

Is that what this has become? Forget the thrill of accomplishment. The joy of victory and the agony of defeat is meaningless when you shoot your opponent a couple extra bucks and have them fold every hand so you "WIN" and are handed a TOC seat.

Even more ironic that he got the seat (yes, I win not use the word win) in the Skillz game. Skill? What skill, typing? Because that is what it was. He used skill to get heads up and then used the skill of typing for the supposed victory?

We all know Hoy is better than this. He is a damn good poker player. He could have won it outright and most likely would have. I don't understand why he felt the need to cut the deal.

And what is with all those people congratulating him on buying a seat? You people are foolish. There was no win. None. Having an opponent fold to you is not winning. It is bullshit.

What started out as an fun way to get some bloggers into the WSOP has gone horribly wrong.

The spirit of these tournaments is officially dead.

RIP.

Can I get double cheese on that?

The cool kids at RakeBrain are throwing another Le Cheese Challenge, the Le Cheese Revenge. I have graciously accepted the invitation and look to throw down tomorrow. It looks like an interesting group has been gathered. I look for to sharing a table with Gary Carson. I enjoy his his view of the poker world. Puts a lot of things in perspective on how it really is versus what they want you to think it is. Plus any time spent with JasonSpaceman is good.

Schaubs
TNSpaceman
huntsvegas
garycarson
Buddydank
Pokerpeaker
VinNay
Donkette
katitude
pking19
willhopper
Gcox25
Kickasspoker
Drizztdj
StB
BadBlood
mookie99
AlCantHang
ToastOnTilt
Crazzynesss - RakeBrain staff
td8507 - RakeBrain Rakeback Member

Sorry, too lazy to try and link everyone up. Maybe later. I am still tilting about the Skillz game yesterday. I thought the series was over just to find I missed out on the Stud 8 event.

Because Otis' wife said to

Otis' wife said to link up his work over at the PokerStars blog. Otis is the genuine article. Thus he always gets a link when needed. Go read the team as they report on the EPT Monte Carlo.

Also, don't forget Change100 is out there as well. I hope to catch up with both of you in Vegas in June.

I am trying to figure out what I will be doing in terms of this game in the foreseeable future. After playing a lot of PLO8 over the past 2 months, I realized I wasn't entirely playing it for the right reasons. I enjoy the game quite a bit. I loved learning a new game and the subtleties involved. However I should have started at a lower limit. I dropped a couple hundred getting the feel for the game.

I was having fun playing it. But then I began to play for the wrong reason. I fully acknowledge I play poker for fun. It is a hobby. I have no grand goals of winning major tournaments. I found myself playing just to get Iron Man status on FTP lately. I would play when I didn't necessarily feel like playing. It was all about getting points.

Now with the weather changing and baseball season here, I will most likely pull back on how much I play. I will focus a bit on playing NL cash games in preparation for Vegas in June but only when time is available and I feel like playing.

Be there

Bucked

Decided to change up the music a bit. Here is some Metal Skool for everyone to enjoy. With a Vegas trip coming up in less than two months, I suddenly found myself thinking of the Metal Skool show me and Blood enjoyed last year. It was one hell of a good time.

On to the game. It was a nice size crowd out to play HORSE in the Skillz series. 78 ready to play the 5 different games and score some knockouts. Here are the round by round results.

H
I had a rather ignominious start. Got my K K cracked on a perfect Hammer play by LJ. Betting capped preflop. She just called my flop bet and check raised when the deuces paired the board. Thankfully I wasn't going to be too stupid and get frisky so I just called down. Again, well played LJ.

O
Not much here. Won a small pot by being aggressive. Otherwise my starting hands really sucked.

R
Hey, a couple of bring in right away! The second has me holding 3 8 Q. No one raises and I get to see 4th for free. I get a 5. Not bad. My opponent is showing 9 8 and bets. I call to see what 5th street will give me. A 4. I likey. Especially when I see he has been given a 10 and checks. I quickly bet and get called. I catch an 8 and bet out when he is given a K. Ship it! Take the antes when I raise with 6 3 8 and scare them all away. A couple hands later I just about get myself into some trouble. The bring in is on my left with a J. I have 6 Q 5 and try to take the antes with a complete. He calls. Oops. Being dealt a 10 doesn't help my cause but I try to show some strength and call. He pairs up on 5th and we both check when I am dealt a Q. I bet out on 6th with one last attempt to get this pot even though I have paired my sixes now. I am hoping his check on 5th was his way of raising the white flag. Sure enough it works.

S
Taking chances early either pays off for me or puts me in the doghouse. I take a small pot when I complete with 8 10 J, two clubs. I get called by an A. I catch the 9 of clubs, not bad and bet out to take it down. Not the best play to be making but I will be content taking down a number of small pots when there are few to act behind me.

E
I totally misplayed my first hand. J J 2 and I didn't reraise. At the end I am up against a low and a possible flush. I got that far thinking they were chasing a low only. Turns out they were but going to the end with just a pair of Jacks isn't too bright. Finish off on a high note when I am dealt K K 5 and make a set right away.

One rotation down. Sitting at 3770.

H
Get dealt A 10, raise and have to fold after the flop. Next hand I get A Q and get reraised preflop. All low cards on the flop and I call the bet. Turn is a J and I fold. Next is A 5s and I just limp in. Flop has two hearts, my suit and I raise. Check the turn when a blank hits. I bet out the river even though I miss and take it down. I wonder if my opponent was chasing a lower flush? Lucko fails to knock out cemfredmd and blasts him for "being bad". I don't know. I knew cemfred had the straight on the turn, so why are you capping with two pair?

O
In the big blind to start. Its a good thing as I am dealt K 7 7 6, three hearts. Flop is J J 6 and the small blind bets. I smell a steal so I call. Turn puts up a possible flush and it checks around. River is a rag and it checks again. Yep, twas a steal. I took out cemfred just before the round ended. My A A 2 10 held up against his K K J 10 in a large pot. Next hand I am dealt A 3 K K. All the chips go in preflop. The K on the flop cracks his A A 10 10. Ouch. That is bad luck.

R
Razz starts up with me winning two rounds of antes. Soon my aggression would haunt me. With 8 3 2, I am dealt an ugly Q. I call LJ's bet. I bet out when she pairs her 8 and I am dealt a 2, hoping to get it there. She calls. The J forces me to fold to her bet.

S
Glad I am paying attention as I just about didn't know the game had changed. I was about to complete with 2 4 6 when I stopped wondering why I had the bring in. A pair of 7s earns me a decent pot when I bet out against my 10 high opponent with 3 hearts showing. I win a couple pots around 1000 before the round ends.

E
Split a pot with a pair of 2s that just became a 8 low. Split another with a flush. Nothing exciting here.

End second rotation. 6039 chips.

H
Had to steal blinds just to stay even. What a run of crap cards! I then drop some I try to pull off a bluff. I called the SB raise with 6 7s. Flop came with a bunch of clubs and gave me a gutshot straight. I called the continuation bet and then check-raised when a third club hit. The quick call told me I was in trouble. I had to meekly fold to the river bet. I get the feeling I was waaay behind. One hand later I get most of those chips back when I turn two pair. Eh.

O
I have to be careful now. We are playing at 400/800. If you go deep in the hand, you will either jump ahead to a nice lead or get crippled, if not knocked out. No sooner than I type that I chase a low. So poorly played. I am basically on life support. One hand left to play. I get that from the SB, Q 10 Q J and fill up with a full house for a double. Stayin alive, stayin alive! Still not pretty though. Just like the Bee Gees.

R
This is short lived. I was going to jam with any decent hand. Or so I had thought I would. I tossed it all in with A 2 10. Yeah, that is crap, I know. And it only got crappier. 3 pair no good in Razz.

Crash and burn in the end again. This has been the worst part of my game. I went from being in the top 10 to out in a couple of hands. Worst of all, I knew what I had to avoid and didn't.

Must have been warm in there

The latest issue of Playboy showed up yesterday. It had the layout of internet poker girl Jennicide. The layout isn't bad. She looks very good. I only know that because I had to page through there to get to the baseball preview article.

But it must have been very warm in there. If you see the pictures you may agree with me. The air conditioning was not working in the studios that day.

the Circles of Poker Blogging Hell- 5

Last of the series. At least until the next circle rears its ugly head.

It is in the fifth Circle of Poker Blogging Hell that the miscreants reside. The vermin that are trying to infest the blogger tournaments. They offer nothing to community. They are here to gorge themselves on the bounty that predecessors have worked hard to lay out in front of them. They show no respect to any players. Just venom. Hateful comments about people they don't even know.

The Fifth Circle of Poker Blogging Hell is inhabited by the vile chatbox rats.

They seem to be a takeoff on the whiners and bitchers from the 4th circle. Except they crave more attention. They want to be noticed and beg for you to acknowledge them. They believe that name calling and being a total jackass is the most appropriate way to stroke their own ego. They need the instant gratification of someone laughing at their comments that they take it directly to the chatboxes and insult in a real time world. Their needs are always above others.

I am not sure exactly where these thugs have come from. They are the names that you do not recognize. The people that may have seen an FTP webpage, saw the entry fee, the prizes and the password and decided to go play in hopes for a big payday. Are they even bloggers to begin with? Doubtful. They may be people who attend home games with known bloggers but have no social life. What they do have is the urge to leech on and take what they can and if they get lucky, so be it. If not, they will criticize your every play as you move from table to table.

For whatever reason, these rats also think the chatbox is their own personal IM device. They have their friends congregate at the table and hold conversations that have nothing to do with the game that is being played. One guy will talk to his 3 observer friends about what they are doing later that night or in the week. Like I care that you are going to the mall? Take it elsewhere. Of course when you do ask them to take it to their own chatroom, they attack you.

Some might say just turn off the chat. No, I will not. I want to be able to have a civil conversation with other players. It is those that lack any social skills and etiquette that should go by our rules. They need to respect other players and their approach to the game. Learn to take a bad beat and learn to win gracefully. What is so wrong about winning gracefully with them?

Their play can be lacking. They are usually your typical immature LAGS. The people that will get caught up in their own foolish aggressiveness. When they win with a crap hand, they boast about it and make it sound like luck had nothing to do with it. They laugh at you for taking the bad beat. There is no "sorry man". It is a "Boom! Headshot! You suck!" that appears. Such a far cry from the camaraderie that was established among this group years ago. There is no respect, no compassion, no guilt for being an asshole. It is no wonder the recognizable names dwindle with each event.

It used to be that the field would stick around to see who would win a blogger tournament. They would watch a final table cheering people on, but not vocally taking sides. Whoever won was congratulated by everyone, not belittled by the small minded. Seems few care about the final table anymore unless they are there to insult.

The rats don't care what the purpose or history of the series is. Sure this may be the BBT3, but the BBT wasn't the first around. People need to give credit to Byron for the work he did on setting up events and coordinating the tracking system. Sure the BBT may have happened without his work but he also should get some credit. The rats should be more respectful of those who laid the foundation that allows some very good prizes to them today.

Because it isn't about the prizes. Sure the prizes are nice and I am grateful to the sites that have offered them to us and the people that worked hard to attain them. It was never about the prizes for most. It was a time to get together with people that had the same interests as you, sling some cards, and have a good time. To get to know people you wanted to meet in Vegas. To develop networks of friends that would expand beyond the internet to every day life. Winning a seat to the WSOP or an iPod is nice, but they are worthless when compared to the friends you can make.

That has always been the real prize.

the Circles of Poker Blogging Hell- 4

It is in the fourth Circle of Poker Blogging Hell that the malcontents reside. They offer little to the community. The posts lack any real strategy, intelligence or any positive content. They simply attack others and their style of play, claiming they are much superior when they are not.

These are the bitchers, the moaners, and whiners of the group. And their enablers.

Sadly, they adopted the attack methods of some in the 3rd circle and believe they it is their duty to pronounce to the world how a fellow blogger is stupid, lucky, a shitty poker player, etc. The have no problems starting wars with others no matter how foolish they may seem in the end.

They are the jesters of the poker world. It is Phil Hellmuth with a blog.

The bitchers believe blogging was about lamenting their latest bad beat. They will post about how a player made a tremendously bad call when they pushed with A 6 and the BB calls with A 7. They will go on about what a bad play it is without realizing the range of hands they have been put on with their previous play. None of those aspects of the game matter. It is always a bad beat.

Their posts rarely end with how they won a tournament or walked away with a buy in, but how someone got lucky to beat them. It is never their own poor play that has them going bust but the RNG or a donkey that just so happened to go on a run. When they do make the money they trumpet it loud and clear in order for you to believe it happens all the time even though they need to beg to get into the next tournament.

But they are not alone in the 4th Circle of Poker Blogging Hell. They are kept company by their enablers. The enablers are the ones who encourage their jackassery. They are the ones that keep giving them the buy ins just so they can read a post about how they went out, wondering who will be the one attacked the next day. The encourage this stupidity through comments or egging them on in the chat box at the tables.

The enablers have somehow convinced the jesters that people are laughing with them. No, the fact is people are laughing AT them. The links they get are usually of a mocking tone. Their is no praise. While others in the community have shunned them, the enablers keep them going for their own amusement. At some point we can only hope the enablers will drop the strings and these whiners will moan their last beat and go away.

They are the beginning of decay for the WPBT world. The first cavity that when untreated leads to infection. Otherwise known as Circle 5.