Have been running fairly well lately at the tables. Have had a couple of solid winning sessions, but nothing like my poker playing buddies. Tex seems to be running good and Reid is tearing them up on the coast. We will be heading to the coast soon to get in on some the action down there.
What else is happening...
I read a lot of different blogs, and one of my favorites is Bryan "Devo" Devonshire's. You can find it on Poker Pages. Really cool guy who reminds me alot of myself at his age (25 or 26). He has the same free-wheeling, spontaneity that I used to have years ago. He loves the outdoors, and likes hiking, camping and enjoying nature and the outdoors. I just wish I would have taken poker seriously when I was his age then maybe, just maybe, I could have been where he is now. You wonder where he is now? He is the chip leader going into the WPT event in Reno tonight at 5:00pm. Good Luck Devo!!!!
http://campfires.blogspot.com/
Had one of our local tournaments last night in Houma. It was $100.00 buy in with a $20.00 bounty. We were able to pull together 13 people. Looks like Arceaneax and Brad chopped 1st and 2nd with Timmy Hill taking down 3rd.
Me and my Uncle are in a "Blind" NCAA March Madness Pool every year where 16 people get together and all put up $100.00. There are 16 ping pong ball all with the numbers 1-16 on them that go in the bucket. Everyone gets to pick a ball for each 1/4 (Quadrant) of the bracket. You are at the mercy of the pull, but you can have some sleepers that may come in a snap it off. We were the defending champs as last year we won the whole thing. Everyone gets 4 teams with a seed from 1-16. One team in each quadrant...with the winner taking the Cheese...the entire $1600.00. We also won it several years back when Syracuse won as a 4 seed (I think)...Well we have one remaining horse ...Louisville. Tomorrow night we will watch them eat up UNC just like they did to Tennessee.
Looks like the crew from Lockport are all finally playing poker for a living. Eddie and Lusky have quit their "Day Jobs", and they are now grinding it out as pro poker players. Virge will now have more company around the house...next step ..."Vegas Baby...Vegas". Lusky and Virge are contemplating shipping the "Lockport Poker Palace" to the Sin City.
All for now...Hope to have some good stuff from the coast
"I love you enough to travel the world with you until one of us has to take an honest job... which I think is going to have to be you, because I have no idea what an honest job is" Daniel Craig as James "007" Bond in Casino Royale
Friday, March 28, 2008
Thursday, March 13, 2008
Tales from Tunica...Hanging out with Moneymaker
I have been playing in Tunica all week as I am working out of my Memphis office this week. I have been running fairly well, but its the "What If's" that are killing me. My main weakness has been playing on a clock here. I am not staying in Tunica this trip, so i have to drive back to Memphis every night. I get there for the nightly tournament at 6 or 7 every night, and then hit the cash games after. I usually like to play until 10 or 11 so I can get back to the hotel at a decent hour for some sleep before work. For the past 2 nights, I mucked on the last hand that I played UTG, and would have hit big hands. I have talked to Davey recently, and he is right that I need to open up my game more and if I am in a good game...stay...Don't leave.
There is a "6th Degrees of Separation" situation I caught myself in recently, where I got to meet Chris Moneymaker and hang out with him at my friends house. I got a call several months back from one of my top salespeople in Memphis...Jeff. Not only do we work together, but I am also proud to call Jeff a good friend and confidant. We talk often and Jeff has been a social poker player for years himself. He called me months back on a Saturday night and said, "Hey Man...you aren't going to believe who is moving in next door to me right now". We went through the game of ,"No Guess...No Guess"...etc. Well, I think you guys have figured out who it was. The man that started the Poker revolution, Chris Moneymaker. Jeff and him have since become close friends and are rivals as Jeff is a big Memphis fan and CMM is a big Vols fan. When I went to Jeff's house, CMM was in the street at the front of Jeff's driveway putting a Vols magnet on Jeff's mailbox. Really nice guy and down to earth. We hung out at Jeff's and chatted about College Basketball, Bay 101 and Jeff's new pool. He is one hell of a nice guy, and said for me to look for him at this years WSOP. He could not make this years Bay 101 because he just had a baby (He got 2nd there several years ago). Chris...if your reading this..."Congratulations again on that 2 week old baby girl...and GO VOLS" ;-)
I played in the $125.00 buy-in event at the Gold Strike Monday night. There were 43 people in it and I bubbled in 8th place...they paid 6. I played the whole tournament with this young phenom on my right named Grant Watson. He had just got back from Vegas, and we started talking. He cashed twice at the WPT World Poker Open in January at the Gold Strike. One was 5th for around $10,000 and the other one was 8th for $6500. We cut a deal when we moved to the final table, and he got 4th place so I picked up a small bone.
Played in the cash game at the Horseshoe on Tuesday and booked a decent win. I got in the game for $330.00, and got that up to $685.00. I kept looking at the clock as the chip was moving around to my side the table, and I wanted to get out without hemorrhaging any chips. Well, they dealt the cards when I UTG, and I looked down at pocket 9s9h and I quickly check hoping to see a cheap flop and hit my set. Villain in the 2 seat fires out $35.00 and gets 2 callers around to me. I go in the tank for a second...My last hand of the night...raiser with 2 callers...one of them has to have a pair bigger than nines...I muck. Flop comes out 9d4h5c. Original raiser jams with the last $120.00 he had in fron of him and shows the pocket tens when everyone folds. I convinced myself on the ride back to Memphis that a 10 was coming on the turn or river...yea...It was coming.
Saw some terrible tournament play here. It amazes me the way some people play. Here's one I saw. 2nd level with the blinds at 50-100. Girl in the 1 seat raises to 500 from UTG. She gets 3 callers. Flop comes out Kd10s2h. She jams...gets 2 callers and show QsQh and her 2 opponents had KhJh and Ks10h. She walks away mumbling to her friend, "I never get lucky in these things".
The next night, I am in the same situation where I have booked a winner. I am again contemplating leaving. I decide that this is my last hand and look down at KsQh. the flop comes out 10c4hAs. There is a bet of $15.00 with a raise to $30.00 to me. GSSD...nah I pass and start to rack my chips. Don't you know the Jack ball comes on the turn, and the 2 guys left get all of their chips in, and they show down a set of 4's against a stone cold bluff...Yea...its time for me to leave.
Watched the last episode of "The Wire" last weekend. I must say that I think that this series may have been better than "The Sopranos"...I know ...I know ...I am reaching here, but it was a good show. Now it is over.
"SSSHHHHIIIIITTTTTTTTT" Isiah Whitlock as Congressman Clay Davis on the "The Wire"
There is a "6th Degrees of Separation" situation I caught myself in recently, where I got to meet Chris Moneymaker and hang out with him at my friends house. I got a call several months back from one of my top salespeople in Memphis...Jeff. Not only do we work together, but I am also proud to call Jeff a good friend and confidant. We talk often and Jeff has been a social poker player for years himself. He called me months back on a Saturday night and said, "Hey Man...you aren't going to believe who is moving in next door to me right now". We went through the game of ,"No Guess...No Guess"...etc. Well, I think you guys have figured out who it was. The man that started the Poker revolution, Chris Moneymaker. Jeff and him have since become close friends and are rivals as Jeff is a big Memphis fan and CMM is a big Vols fan. When I went to Jeff's house, CMM was in the street at the front of Jeff's driveway putting a Vols magnet on Jeff's mailbox. Really nice guy and down to earth. We hung out at Jeff's and chatted about College Basketball, Bay 101 and Jeff's new pool. He is one hell of a nice guy, and said for me to look for him at this years WSOP. He could not make this years Bay 101 because he just had a baby (He got 2nd there several years ago). Chris...if your reading this..."Congratulations again on that 2 week old baby girl...and GO VOLS" ;-)
I played in the $125.00 buy-in event at the Gold Strike Monday night. There were 43 people in it and I bubbled in 8th place...they paid 6. I played the whole tournament with this young phenom on my right named Grant Watson. He had just got back from Vegas, and we started talking. He cashed twice at the WPT World Poker Open in January at the Gold Strike. One was 5th for around $10,000 and the other one was 8th for $6500. We cut a deal when we moved to the final table, and he got 4th place so I picked up a small bone.
Played in the cash game at the Horseshoe on Tuesday and booked a decent win. I got in the game for $330.00, and got that up to $685.00. I kept looking at the clock as the chip was moving around to my side the table, and I wanted to get out without hemorrhaging any chips. Well, they dealt the cards when I UTG, and I looked down at pocket 9s9h and I quickly check hoping to see a cheap flop and hit my set. Villain in the 2 seat fires out $35.00 and gets 2 callers around to me. I go in the tank for a second...My last hand of the night...raiser with 2 callers...one of them has to have a pair bigger than nines...I muck. Flop comes out 9d4h5c. Original raiser jams with the last $120.00 he had in fron of him and shows the pocket tens when everyone folds. I convinced myself on the ride back to Memphis that a 10 was coming on the turn or river...yea...It was coming.
Saw some terrible tournament play here. It amazes me the way some people play. Here's one I saw. 2nd level with the blinds at 50-100. Girl in the 1 seat raises to 500 from UTG. She gets 3 callers. Flop comes out Kd10s2h. She jams...gets 2 callers and show QsQh and her 2 opponents had KhJh and Ks10h. She walks away mumbling to her friend, "I never get lucky in these things".
The next night, I am in the same situation where I have booked a winner. I am again contemplating leaving. I decide that this is my last hand and look down at KsQh. the flop comes out 10c4hAs. There is a bet of $15.00 with a raise to $30.00 to me. GSSD...nah I pass and start to rack my chips. Don't you know the Jack ball comes on the turn, and the 2 guys left get all of their chips in, and they show down a set of 4's against a stone cold bluff...Yea...its time for me to leave.
Watched the last episode of "The Wire" last weekend. I must say that I think that this series may have been better than "The Sopranos"...I know ...I know ...I am reaching here, but it was a good show. Now it is over.
"SSSHHHHIIIIITTTTTTTTT" Isiah Whitlock as Congressman Clay Davis on the "The Wire"
Saturday, March 08, 2008
HLB heading to the State Championship
Tough night. I went to Lafayeete to sweat my brother in law in the Louisiana 5A Basketball State Chapionship at the Cajun Dome. My brother in law is the Athletic Director at HL Bourgeious High School. HL also happens to be my alma mater, and it is the first time that we have ever made it to the State Championship in Basketball...wait a minute...its the first time for any major sport. We were pretty pumped and excite, we decided to stop at Shorty's to get a quick session in before we went on to Lafayette and the Cajun Dome. I booked a small loser in the 2 hours that I was able to play. There were numerous regulers there as well as my LAG Asian friend Jessie. There were several other Asian players in the game as well as Jessie. I took some ugly stares when I called them out for the "English Only" rule. They all seemed to look at me like I was being a hardass when I pointed this out. I was actually a little upset that the dealer did not point it out sooner. I got about $400.00 deep in the game and I cashed out 2 hours later with $365.00.
The game turned out to be a great game, and I was really proud of my B-n-Law as his team played the best that the could. He really hung in there like a professional even letting his 2nd and 3rd teamers get some playing time once it got to where they were not going to win. I could tell that they were happy to be get in the state championship game. It was really cool. It was also very heartbreaking to see them lose. It is a shame that one of the teams had to lose.
I havent been doing to much lately except staying busy at work. Doing the daily grind of telecom. I see alot of good things happening at my company. I think our sales team is really coming around, and hopefully our corporate office will back us up as we are on a tear.
I am watching the WSOP 2006 main event and I cannot belive this guy Dimetri Nobles. I am not critiziing his play, but he had some spots were he could have played a little less agrresive and he would have got even further than he did.
Oh well...Heading to Memphis next week, so I will be getting in lots of time at the tables in Tunica. Hopefully I will have something to blog about
"If you put your effort and concentration into playing to your potential, to be the best that you can be, I don't care what the scoreboard says at the end of the game, in my book we're gonna be winners" Gene Hackman as Coach Dale in "Hoosiers"
The game turned out to be a great game, and I was really proud of my B-n-Law as his team played the best that the could. He really hung in there like a professional even letting his 2nd and 3rd teamers get some playing time once it got to where they were not going to win. I could tell that they were happy to be get in the state championship game. It was really cool. It was also very heartbreaking to see them lose. It is a shame that one of the teams had to lose.
I havent been doing to much lately except staying busy at work. Doing the daily grind of telecom. I see alot of good things happening at my company. I think our sales team is really coming around, and hopefully our corporate office will back us up as we are on a tear.
I am watching the WSOP 2006 main event and I cannot belive this guy Dimetri Nobles. I am not critiziing his play, but he had some spots were he could have played a little less agrresive and he would have got even further than he did.
Oh well...Heading to Memphis next week, so I will be getting in lots of time at the tables in Tunica. Hopefully I will have something to blog about
"If you put your effort and concentration into playing to your potential, to be the best that you can be, I don't care what the scoreboard says at the end of the game, in my book we're gonna be winners" Gene Hackman as Coach Dale in "Hoosiers"
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
