Getting ready for Vegas

I am getting pretty pumped up for Vegas and I can't wait to get there. My wife and I are staying at the Southpoint for a few days and then moving to the Bellagio. I will try to hook-up with Lets Poker Martin when he gets there, and meet my buddy Marvin Davis who, with his wife, moved to Vegas last year to pursue a pro poker life. I am thinking of bringing my laptop and posting from Vegas. I am not sure if I want to lug my laptop though.

I am a little disappointed in it seems that the Wednesday tournaments at Harrah's in New Orleans have been cancelled "Indefinitely". What's up with that? The circuit event closes and you cancel your weekly tournament's? Oh well...I guess we will have to start going to the coast a little more than we have.

I talked to Tex a couple of days ago, and he said the room in Amelia is coming around. I haven't been able to get there yet. He said that the weekend are better suited for the NL games.

I want to make a coupe of points about the comments/commenter's:

-This blog is about an "Average Joe" trying to become a better Poker Player. I am not saying I am the greatest...That I don't make "Bad Plays"...that I don't Donk of chips...because I do.
-I do have a purpose of the blog and hopefully my hobby may generate some focus on the Gulf Coast area...more to come
-I have approached this blog in a "Humble" fashion and I am admitting that I have holes in my game...leaks...etc. If you wish to point this out than great. If you do it in a derogatory manner...more power to you...I will not delete your comments...but I also won't reply to them...My only comment will be is..."Hopefully one day, I may be as good as you"
-I am not a "High Roller" and I don't play "In the biggest games around"
-If you are one of these people who have nothing good to say, my request would be to just "Move On"...don't read my blog. I mean, why would someone waste their time by reading the ramblings of an idiot donkey? I don't know...oh well

Well...there you have it. I am a lucky man to have such great friends and family. I am truly blessed. I am not going to turn this blog into a "Flame Fest"...it won't happen.

I have turned a corner in my life when I met my wife. Those of you who knew me before this...don't know me anymore. I am not the same person I was pre-marriage. Those of you who knew me before and know me now can see the change. I know what I want, and I know how to get there. I am not wandering aimlessly wondering what God has in store for me...
...Now I know

"Some people hear their own inner voices with great clearness and they live by what they hear. Such people become crazy... but... they also become legends" Gordon TooToosis Character One Stab in "Legends of the Fall"

Reply to BB...

I don't like the idea of not being able to reply to specific comments, so I guess I will reply to BB here.

bubble boy said...
what a bunch of worms, every one of you are average players at best.One question for you Mr. D (that's you Gene) i have read on numerous blogs that you have written that you THINK someone in the CREW will hit it big. First of all who is this great group of players you call the crew? I don't like the word "crew" here. Sounds too cheesy like Dutch and those guys in the 04' WSOP. Their more like a bunch of friends who talk poker strategy/intel/swap %'s ...etc. I will name them as they pop in my head...no rhyme or reason to how I type them in. Wild Bill/Big
Ray/Tex/JoeB/Alex/Davey/Ruttely/Lets Poker Martin/Parfait/ChrisJ/PaulS/Slow Play Dave/Merle/MikeMcD/K.W./Jacob/Lester...to name a few. You read about Rut, and I have been there personally when Tex and Davey both missed a big 5 digit payday...Davey by one card

And second how do YOU plan on hitting it big, when you posted in your last blog that you didn't even play the last MEGA satellite to get into the main event.You can not hit it big if you don't get in the big dance? If you think cashing in the $500 chip or selling hit is hitting it big then you are wasting your time.

Good Point...hence the soul serching I have been doing lately. What you stated was as obvious to me as night and day.

Couple of points:

I didn't mean anything bad about Dutch Boyd and the crew of the 04' WSOP. Wild Bill and I have actually met Dutch and he really is not that bad of a guy. Actually, I drank beer for a couple of hours with Dutch and Joe Bartholdi in that sports bar in the Grand in Tunica. Great guys...just "Everyday Joe's" trying to grind it out. Joe went on to win the WPT Championship 5 months later.

ScottyT...If this is the ScottyT I think it is...welcome to my blog. I had no idea you were reading this. On a side note to my previous post about selling my last $500.00 chip...I tried to sell it to Scotty ;-)

"I am the worlds last barman poet" Tom Cruise's Character Flanigan in "Cocktail"

Wow...alright

Damn...It seems that we have some people reading my blog...Wow...this is unexpected. I am going to go thru and read all the comments in a minute. Wild Bill told me that there were numerous post there. I will try to reply to the ones that are asking me specific questions.

I have been reading again since I haven't played in the last couple of days (Harrington's Red Book). I have been really doing a "Gut Check" on where I am in my poker world. Selling that last $500.00 chip and walking away from that mega has got to me. I have been talking things over with my wife and lots of my friends trying to see whether it is possible to "Make It"...or will I always be the above average player with a "day job" playing 1-2 ...2-5 NL cash games and always looking at my winnings as, "a lot of extra money". My biggest story will be that I came 46 people from a WSOP gold bracelet, knocked out Johnny Chan in the process, and didn't even cash in the event...weak. The only 2 people to see this was my wife and her boss. Wild Bill got play by play on the phone though. The problem is that my wife believes in me more than anyone, and she doesn't even play. She just believes that I am capable of doing anything in this world that I put my mind to.

Me...I believe I can do it. I have played with the best. Their everyday people just like you and me. What will it take for me to reach that plateau? I don't know...

...I do know one thing though...I am not about to give up...I am getting my 2nd wind for Vegas

"That's the secret of survival ...never go to war...especially with yourself"
Nicolas Cage's character Yuri in "Lord of War"

Way to go Clint!!!

Looks like Clint Shafer gave them hell yesterday at the final table. I have been playing with Clint for several years now, and he is really a great guy...and a solid player. I don't think he is any better than any of the guys in our crew, but it was just his time to shine...and catch the cards. Congrats Clint!!!!

Ruttely missed the money by a couple of places. He had just doubled up through P Gordon when the following hand came up 10 minutes later...

Per K Minton's blog
--Seat 6 raised to 8,500. Brandon Ruttley called, Lou Esposito called, and Phil Gordon (button) called. Flop was 2 4 9 . Seat 6 checked, Brandon bet 30K, Lou folded, and Phil moved all-in. Seat 6 mucked and Brandon went into the tank. After a few minutes (the level had ended) Phil called for the clock. Before they got the clock started, Brandon called and showed pocket Jacks. Phil held pocket 4s for the set. Last two cards were Q 8 and Brandon was busted in 39th place. Phil adds more chips to the mountain--

I was actually there sweating Rut when this hand hit. I had Davey on the phone giving "Play by Play" and I actually thought Gordan was on a steal and he was "putting the screws" to Rut.
Reasoning being, he knew Rut was not a regular on the circuit, Rut had some chips left (about $36k) and it was a few minutes before a break. On top of that, they were on the money bubble and he thought that Rut would not risk not cashing, and if Rut called and Gordon lost the pot, it would not have hurt Gordon in the least...He had a monster stack...you had to be there to see the situation.

Yea...I call here also...and I would have taken it a lot harder than Rut. At that point, with all the downward variance I have been experiencing lately, I would have been convinced that God hates me.

"When I was young, about 8 or so, I invited God over to my place to watch the World Series. He never showed" Leo DiCaprio's Character Jim Carroll in "The Basketball Diaries"

My circuit event is over...getting ready for Vegas

Well...I didn't do anything in the circuit event in New Orleans as far as tournaments go, but I did pump up my bankroll going into the WSOP by about $5000.00. I had 3 solid winning sessions in the cash arena and cashing in satellites. I am not going to make excuses as I have none. I got my chips in with the best in several spots, and the poker gods did not see to it that my cards would hold up. The final tournament I played in I made it down to 14 tables, and I had right at $4200.00 in chips. I look down in the BB at KdKc. A local guy named Rich moves all in from the cutoff for $5200.00. This is my chance to double up, and make my run for the money. Of course I call, Rich turns over Ad9h. He looks de-jected and down saying," Damn...I knew I shouldn't have done that". After I saw what he had I stood up from the table and said, "Don't worry man, its coming, I can feel it. Its just the way it has been running for me lately". At that point the dealer starts to deal and puts 3 cards face down. At the very second that he turns them over I point and say "Ace"...the Ac was in the window. They paid 63 and Rich cashed. One of my buds was at the table also, Brandon "Rut" Ruttley.

Props need to go out to Rut as he is still in the main event. He has had a great circuit event going deep in numerous tournaments and just overall running good. He satellited in on Sunday, and instead of taking the $5000.00 and calling it a day, he decided to fire the bullet and give the Main Event a shot. He is at around $23,000.00 going into day 2. I am going to go down and sweat him later today. Good luck Rut!!!

I also want to thank Captain Stack..."The King of Cash" for reading my blog and posting comments. If you are also blogging...let me know...I would love to read yours. I encourage people to post a comment as I am curious what people think of my blogging...even if it is to say "Quit being a Donkey" ... ;-)

I am also going check out the new poker room that has just opened 25 minutes from my house at the Amelia Belle Casino Boat...The poker rooms keep getting closer and closer.

Actually, I was feeling a little down last night as I feel I should have pulled the trigger and tried a little harder to get in the main event. The thing that is eating at me is after talking to Wild Bill, we both agreed that we would probably have sold the seat and taken the $5000.00 instead. I actually sold my last $500.00 chip Sunday night instead of playing in the last Mega at 7:00pm. There were lots of reasons why such as Vegas coming up, work, it would have finished too late, I had my wife...etc. The thing that bothered me was I went back and read my blogs, and then went down there yesterday to sweat Rut...and I just caught myself thinking...I should have tried as hard as I could to get in this thing. I know that I can play with those people. I know my game is good enough. I guess I am just wondering where my heart really is. Maybe I need to do some "Soul Searching"...

"When I was going up the stairs, I met a man who wasn't there, he wasn't there again today, I wish, I wish ,he'd go away" . John Cusack's Character Ed in "Identity"

We are halfway through the event

Wild Bill has gotten in the top 20 in a $500.00 event getting a little over $1000.00. I have another $500.00 chip as I chopped a $125.00 single table satellite 2 night ago. I was down to 3 hands 3 handed and was able to go on a rush and get head's up with the same amount of chips as my opponent and we decided to chop. I am planning on burning my last 2 $500.00 chips in supers/megas to try to get in the main event. Then ...I am going to go in a poker trance for 3 days.

"You're not trying to draw a psycho pension! You really are crazy!" Danny Glover's Character Murtauh in Lethal Weapon

Feeling like crap

Well, the post says it all. I have been sick for the past 2 days, and I attempted to play through the sickness for the past 2 super's. I fired 2 bullets both nights and could not get anything going. All I could do was sit there and think..."Man...I just can't see staying here until midnight playing cards". My wife is also mad at me as she wants me to go to the doctor, but I just can't find the time it seems like. I even got chewed out by my sister who is an RN.

I am undecided on what I am going to do today. I may try to get to the doctors office, and see if i can get a quick shot of anti-botics.

Pre-circuit event chip counts so far:
GeneD--2
Wild Bill--3
Big Ray--2
Tex--2

We are going to try to make sure that all locals will do good in the circuit events. We plan on showing what we can do down here in the south.

"At my challenge, by the ancient laws of combat, we are met at this chosen ground, to settle for good and all who holds sway over the five points: us natives, born rightwise to this fine land, or the foreign hordes defiling it" ...Daniel Day Lewis's character Bill "The butcher" in Gangs of New York

Snapped off the first super

OK...one down...three more to go. I was one of 33 people last night who won the $1000.00 super. We received 2 $500.00 tournament chips. Wild Bill also was one of the last 33. I think we were the only 2 to get there. Davey, Ruttley, Ed and Alex all didn't make it. I played really well although I did have to suck out at one point. A couple of highlights:

--I doubled up on the first hand: I had pocket 10's and I made it $50.00 to go from late position. A guy in a Frigidaire shirt does the classic ...slams his chips in a demands "I'm all in". Every folds around to me. I start studing this guy and clearly he was not a regular. I had the "strong means weak" tell already going for me so I ask..."What you got A-K?"...His expression immediately went to "How dis you know that?" ...and I insta-call. He has Big Slick, and the board bricks out. Sweet!!! double up on the first hand.

--From there my buddy Alex got moved to our table. I continue to build my stack, when I get Pocket J's and jammed it with 4 limpers, and everyone folds. Next hand I get pocket Q's when Alex jams it. I call and and he shows A-J suited in diamond. Flop rainbows with one diamond. Guess what...runner-runner diamonds, and I couldn't have doubled up a nicer guy.

--Right before the break...I have Ah-Qd. and am in the bb. utg ships it in with about twice the bb. I re-raise all in to isolate him. He shows Kd-Qs. I have him dominated. Board hits 2 spades, and what do you know...guess what...runner-runner spades has me wondering whether the poker gods were going to take a dump in my cheerios.

--We were down to 50 people left when the only time in my whole tournament life last night, my life was on the line. I am in the 5th seat and the button is in the 7th seat. I have a pretty good read on the 10 and 1 seat. 10th street utg limps as does the 1st seat which happens to be the only women left in the tourney. I move all in on a stone cold steal with J-2o. Everyone folds around to the the lady in the 1 seat. I am sitting there telling her to fold telepathically..."Fold...Fold...Fold"...I say. Wouldn't you know she doesn't listen. (I need to work on these telepathic powers of mine ;-) ). So we turn them up and she shows pocket 9's. I commend her, as well as the rest of the table on making a pro-call here. The only time in the entire tournament I am in for my tournament life, and we are 15-16 away from getting the $1000.00 in chips. Flop doesn't help me...turn bricks out...and don't you...the poker gods sent a lightning bolt down from the heavens to turn the river card into a J. Gin...I am now sitting really pretty and all I do is work the clock from here on out.

--Poker wire radio...people, I have been listening to the pod cast religiously on my ipod. I download the pod cast. Gavin Smith, Joe Sebok and Joe Stapleton are a trip. I really enjoy listening to the group.

"I expect the best, and I give the best. Here's the beer. Here's the entertainment. Now have fun, that's an order"...The lieutenant in "Starship Troopers"

Tournament Tonight

We are having a $100.00 buy-in tournamnet tonight at one of my buddy's businesses. We are trying to get pumped up for the circuit event in New Orleans. 2 of my friends did really good yesterday at the weekly at Harrah's. Davey and wild bill chopped the tournament 3 ways with some other guy. I think they both got over $1500.00. Not bad for a Wednesday Afternoon.