Heading to the IP

I will be heading to the IP this weekend and this week. I am looking for a repeat of the success that we all had last time around a couple of months ago. We went to Biloxi last weekend to play in the weekend Tournaments and play some cash games. Bill "Shady" Phillips was my partner in crime on this roadtrip. We literally "Flipped a Coin" to decide whether we played at the IP or the Beau. The tourney at the IP was a $175.00+$25.00, and the one at the Beau was a $100.00+$20.00. We headed for the beau, and it was a good decision as there were more people and a bigger prize pool.

I just finished reading a poker article from Jim Woods called "No limit tourney self-destruction". Oh did it hurt to read that thing as that is exactly what I felt I did last Saturday. We are down to 3 tables and there are 25 people left. I have a nice chip stack, I am playing well and I have a good, solid table image.

Until "I lit the fuse"...

I made a call after going in the tank for several minutes. Antes were at 75 and the blinds were
600/1200. I am in the SB and there are 4 limpers to me. I limp, but the BB ships it all in with another 3200.

Everyone folds back around to me. I have 10-8o.

10 x 75 = 750
6 x 1200= 7200
another 3200
the pots is at 11,150

It cost me another 3200 to call to win 11,150...so I have my pot odds over 3 to 1. I call and he shows pocket 5's. Now, I really like my situation with 2 overs as I am in a coin flip.

I get nothing and started to tilt a bit because I was second guessing myself. I try to steal the blinds on the very next hand from the button and this time the BB ships it in and has me covered...I tilt...brain freezes...I panic and call like a rookie with a week ace. The BB has pocket Q's...I have "Self Destruction" tattooed on my Forehead...It was ugly...I am embarrassed to even type this ;-).

So, it takes "shady" about 3 hours to talk me down from the ledge. I gather my wits and head to the cash games at the IP. I buy in for $200.00 in a 1-2 NL game and cash out with $850.00. I pick up a cool $650.00 to ease my pain for the ride home.

I hope the magic of the IP continues this weekend and week.

"I know what you're thinking but don't give up on me just yet. just wait until i've told my whole story. and keep you're eyes open. nothing is as it seems."

Val Kilmer's character Danny Parker in the movie "The Salton Sea"

Back from Tunica

I am back from Tunica and I did not make it into the main event. I want to give props out to my buddy Paul S who was able to win a satillite. I continued to be card dead and started to play bad towards the end and my frustration was apparent. It was a rookie move and cost me some money. I am going to play at the IP tonight in their $50.00 buy-in weekly.

Also...Props out to my buddy Martin "Letspoker" T for cashing in several events over the week.
Way to go!!!!

I did win a satellite and played in a $500.00 buy in second chance tourney at the Gold Strike.
There were 218 people and I made it down to 3 tables. I got knocked out 27th and they only paid 18. I was very disappointed to say he least. Oh well...things happen

My Ipod was permanetly affixed to my head. Below is my playlist I listened to.

i miss u--Blink 182
least complicated--indigo girls
disarm--smashing pumpkins
whats going on --4 non blondes
son of a preacher man-dusty springfield
sympathey for the devil-stones
The freshman- verve pipe
Boheimian Rhapsodey-queen
Dead leaves on a dirty ground-White Stripes
lovesong-the cure
under pressure-bowie with queen
no rain-blind melon
summertime-sublime
18 and life-skid row
what i got-sublime
every rose has its thorns-poision
tell me what you want-zebra
i want you-third eye blind
I'll remember you-skid row
The day the music died- don mclean
Wayfarring Stranger-Jack White
wonderwall-Oasis
Elderly women behind a counter-pearl jam
Paradise by the dashboard-meatloaf
Red red wine-Bob Marley
Leaving on a jet plane-John Denver
Wanted Dead or Alive-Bon Jovi
Beautiful Day-U2
Mr Jones-Counting Crows
knockin on heavens door-GNR
Great High Mountain-Jack White
Jammin-Bob Marley
Poetic Justice-Janet Jackson
Who will save your soul-Jewel
Country Roads-John Denver
Hurt-Johnny Cash
New Orleans Lady-Leroux
Sweet Home Alabama-Lynard Skynard
Cant you see-Marshall Tucker band
I am the bullgod-Kid Rock
somewhere out there-Our Lady Peace
Dissident-Pearl Jam
Something to believe in-Poison
Blurry-puddle of mud
Guerilla Radio-Rage Against the Machine
Scar Tissue-Red Hot chili peppers
Spirit of the radio-Rush
Ill fall in love again-Sammy Hager
It's been awhile-Stained
Down Rodeo-Rage against the machine
Badfish-Sublime
Hunger Strike-Temple of the dog
Seven Nation Army-White Stripes
unchained-Van Halen
slither-velvet revolver
stroke me-Billy Squire
crash into me-Dave mathews

I finished this blog later tonight. I chopped the weekly 5 ways to win a cool $500.00
I played great, and I was the 2nd chipleader. I should have played on as I knew I was the best player at the final table.

"I'd like you to deal. One card from the top will be sufficient"

Mel Gibson's Character in Maverick

Heading to Tunica

I am heading to Tunica this week and I am really pumped up. I have been doing great online, and I played in a couple of home tourneys this weekend, and took 1st and 3rd. Tex, Joe B, Brian, Big Ray B, Alex and Mitch are all already there. I will have to work during the day, but I hope to get in some sort of action in the evenings. I am eyeing a couple of those second chance tournaments. We went to one of my buddy's house for a party on New years Eve. Me and my wife had a blast. There isn't much else going on except the jackpot at Shorty's is now over a quarter of a million. I have been exercising lately and have lost 11 lbs. I am really feeling good.

I want to focus this blog on ipods, and its functions in big tourneys. I personally love mine. I was at he 5-5 NL game at Shorty's Thursday night and I was giving a player some advice on playing in big tourneys as he was heading to Tunica also.

I was telling him about when I listen to my ipod, I am not always listening to music. I think this is the case with alot of pros. I have instructional stuff on there, complete audio of Lederer's and Hellmuths videos etc. The thing that one person found ultimately hilarious is I told the guys that I have a audio file on my ipod of my wife talking to me "Calming me down" as if I had just taken the worst Bad Beat in the world. That is right, I have 15-17 minutes of her just telling me how good I am, listing and naming off all the tournaments I have won or placed in and basically telling me how much she believes in me and that I am destined for greatness ...etc. Some might find this cheesy, but I find it soothing after I take a BB in a tourney, I just pop on my headphones and listen. It really helps me out.

With this being said I will try to post this week if I do any good, and I will type a post listing all the songs I start off listening to when I am in a tourney. The play list is called "My Favorites". I think you guys would enjoy it.

Well...I have still been struggling but not as bad as Dec. Take care people and wish me luck in Tunica.

"You know, there is a lot of losing in poker, and you have to get used to it"

Chip Reese