Friday, December 18, 2009

Bayou Poker Challenge

The Bayou Poker is winding down with the 3k Main Event starting today...and I am sitting here blogging on my computer. I am fixing to head down there a little later to see what is going on and play some cash or single table satellites. I may play the $340.00 nooner tomorrow if I do well tonight.

How did my tournament series go?...well...that depends on how you look at it. I whiffed all the MTTs I played...but won all my entries in the sats and cash games. My routine was simple...win a sat or beat the cash games and burn it on a MTT. Im only a small loser thru the whole series even though I played in over 1k in tournament buy-ins. I got my money in good in every MTT except 1 ...and that brings me to the mega I played yesterday.

Speaking of getting it in good...I am in the mega yesterday and I was down to about 7-8bbs when from the BB...I looked down at AKo. limp...limp...limp...limp...and I shove. Everyone folds around to the older gentleman with a ponytail and baseball cap that goes in the tank. He has about 16bbs left, so it is going to cost him half his stack to call here. He "hmms and haws" about this and that...then says to me, "Man...I know Im suppose to fold here, but I just have this feeling about this hand...you know what I mean?"....then, "Your prolly going to be mad at me if I call here"...etc.

At this point I know Im good but I also have this feeling that if he calls...Im toast. He reluctantly puts in half his stack and tables Qs10s. Flop comes As-10h-3s...annnnnnnnnd the turn is...a spade.

Im going to just bullet points some things from here...

-Got to sweat some of the 1k final 17 yesterday...Tydean, TK, Cobra Kai, John "JRD312" Dolan, Bazeman, Wally Chambers (Fresh off a 50k 2nd place cash in Vegas), Diaz...it was a strong final 17

-Its been raining for days here...I cant wait to see the sun again

-My first $125.00 satellite I played...7th hand OTB...min raise and 5 callers...I have 55...Flop comes 6-5-2. 1 seat (who is sitting there reading our 1st issue of our GCP Magazine) puts down the magazine and shoves...I call ans say, "Flopped a set of 5's"...to which I hear..."I have 6's" and he tables 66...GG sir...WP...GL everyone

-Shout out to Brian Hempenstall and BJ McBrayer

-Fish is on one of the latest Pokerroad Radio "B team" edition...its a good listen if anyone is intrested.

"It's not a question of enough, pal. It's a zero sum game, somebody wins, somebody loses. Money itself isn't lost or made, it's simply transferred from one perception to another" Michael Douglas as Gordon Gekko in "Wall Street"

Sunday, November 22, 2009

Doing the daily grind...

I have been working on my tournament game online and not super happy about my play these past weeks. I have been having a routine the last couple of weeks...I start out in the Daily 30k that starts at 1pm...I usually log in about 1:30 as I feel that there is slight edge in coming in when a quarter of the field is already busted. I then start looking for the $2.20 thru the $11.00 guarantees and usually jump in a few of them....from here...my entire afternoon is dependant what happens with the tourneys. It is what it is...

What else have I been doing besides taking care of my child...

I have never been a person to "live and breath" internet poker, and I am not one of those guys that leaves all the biggest online tournament Final Tables "Replays" on constant play on PC's and Plasmas...But I have been bitten by the Isildur1 Heads up matches that have been jumping off. I have been "Railbirding" the action and the biggest emotion I have felt is fear...complete and utter fear of how could this be happening ...and how did Durrr/Antonius/ClayAiken etc...get soooo damn good. I watch those matches from the rail...and then log into my MTTs...and I am just mystified at how degenerate one has to be to fade those swings...it is truly amazing.

I also feel that it is only a matter of time before Isildur is "out'ed" as there can't be that many people in the world that can show up in this manner and multi-table in the nose bleed sections with Durrr, Antonius and Ivey....all at the same time...simultaneously...no way...there just cant be more than a handful of players in the world that could do this.

The WSOP final table...wow. It only is a matter of time if there will be some type of feedback on whether poker is a skill game or not. Everyone that watched the FT knows that Cada and Moon both luckboxed their way to the HU...there is no doubt. I know Cada is a solid player and would have bet on him when the heads up matched started, but I believe he will admit that he got extremely lucky...how this years WSOP will effect the perception of whether poker is a skill game or not...we will see.

Speaking of Cada...I am under the understanding that it is common knowledge that Sheets and Bax were staking him in the Main Event. I just wonder whether Cada just shipped them half the 8.5 million ...or are they going thru numerous meetings with Lawyers/Tax Consultants...etc to make sure that Cada does not get screwed on the taxes. If they are going thru all these meetings, I would hope that Sheets and Bax would give us some kind of written breakdown on exactly what it takes to "Chop 8.5 million with your stakehorse"...would be very interesting to know just how complicated it could be.

Just listened to the Pokerroad Radio B Team edition pre heads up WSOP...Obviously, Gobbo and Devo ripped Moon's game apart...which they were not as brutal as some other analyzers out there... It is a good listen and I really enjoyed Gobbo's analysis on the entire FT. Obviously they were both pulling for Cada (I think Gobbo and Devo both are staked by Sheets and Bax also) in the heads up match...but just the discussion on Gobbo's input on some basic fundamentals of what each player should do in this heads up match was very insightful. He breaks it down on what chances Moon had ...and how Moon needed to play to get Cada's obvious edge from 85%...to 75%...the best Gobbo and Devo would give Moon is a 25% chance...a good listen overall.

"Another turning point, a fork stuck in the road
Time grabs you by the wrist, directs you where to go
So make the best of this test, and don't ask why
It's not a question, but a lesson learned in time

It's something unpredictable, but in the end it's right.
I hope you had the time of your life."

Opening lyrics from Green Days "Good Riddance"
(Time of your life)

Saturday, November 14, 2009

What a week...

November 9th was a great day for Poker this year as thats the date that Cada and Moon re-convened to play heads up for the WSOP Championship...It has a nice ring to it as the last few final tabelist have been called the "November 9". I think thats a cool thing that the final table has 9 players, and that the heads up battle begins on November 9th.

November 9th 2009 happens to be the greatest day of my life so far. Julie and I have brought into this world a beautiful baby boy were calling "Ivey" since he is the forth ...after the Roman Numerals "I" and "V". Wow...I cant begin to explain the rollercoaster of emotions that I experienced in that last half hour. I went from Sheer terror and fear...to absolute amazement...to unexplainable happiness and joy. It was amazing!!!!

As far as Poker goes...It has been uneventful. I have been grinding the LL MTTs and SNGs online in the $5.00 to the $35.00 range. I have been making it somewhat deep in these 5000 runner events but unable to make it deep enough for a decent score. I had to skip the IP nooners as we were set to have the baby any day. I did get by there to see everyone and say Hi! I played a nightly 2nd chance and didnt do any good. I did freeroll it though as I had a percentage of one of the choppers (Wild Bill). Some of the sicko hands that I have been losing too are below at the end of this blog...The first one plays itself, but the 2nd one I was trying to get value out of but the guy hit his 2 outer ...give me some feedback if you can

Went to Shorty's last week and went about getting smoked by terrible players...again. 12th hand in and I start with $350.00...I raise from UTG with QhQd to $40.00. I get 3 callers including "Asian Tom" from the BB. I know he would never read this so I can say that he is one of the juiciest fish that swims in that pond...terrible. Tom's range here?...Shuffle a deck for a minute...and pop of the first 2 cards. He could have anything here. Flop comes harmless with a rainbow board of Jd8s2h. I fire out a hundo...everyone folds to Tom who cautiously calls. Im thinking he has a Jack no doubt...the best he could have here is A,K,Q with a J. I feel if I can fade paint im fine. Turn brings the 5d. I shove and he tanks hard....just agonizing. I now know Im ahead. He carves out the money from his stack and puts it aside...and continues to tank. He reluctantly calls and I immediately turn over my cards as you guys know how I feel about slow-rolling...and he nodded I was good...Jack ball on the river and I just put my head down and said "NOOOOOO!!!!"...his hands are shaking...he can barely turn over his J7o. Yeaaaaaaaaa...

I am in the middle of Jon Krakauers book about Pat Tillman "Where Men Win Glory". Great book and a great author. He talks about Pat being that person on baseball team that wants the position no one else wants...the catcher. I too was the catcher on my baseball teams all the way thru ...from little league to Varsity High School. I would say that I have been hit by a baseball in every known imaginable place on my body. I have never had any knee surgery's though...go figure.

I want to say Congratulations to my older sister Danna on here as she was named one of the "Top 100 nurses in the State of Louisiana". Julie and I went to the awards ceremony at the Pontchartrain Center a few weeks ago and we could not be more proud of her. She was on hand to help deliver her little nephew, and I don't know what we would have done without her. She calmed Julie and me, and helped us to understand everything that was happening. She is the Greatest!!!! ...although I think she is secretly loving the fact that I am now going to be forced to grow-up and leave behind my "Peter Pan" complex of eternal youth...LOL

"I'll always love you. Even if it takes months for you to lose this weight" John Krasinski as Burt in "Away we go" ...to his pregnant wife Verona

=================================================
To tee this one up...I decided to play some SNGs the other night while watching the baby while my wife slept. The first two I played were $11.00 ones and I got Aces cracked in both. I was going to quit ...and then decided to play one more...the hand below was the first hand in the $5.50.
PokerStars Game #35286908595: Tournament #212109173, $5.00+$0.50 USD Hold'em No Limit - Level I (10/20) - 2009/11/13 0:33:17 CT [2009/11/13 1:33:17 ET]
Table '212109173 1' 9-max
Seat 1: GCPGeneD (1500 in chips)
Seat 2: dko289 (1500 in chips)
Seat 3: yankeeo (1500 in chips)
Seat 4: GreenHunger (1500 in chips)
Seat 5: pate333 (1500 in chips)
Seat 6: PLEBINI (1500 in chips)
Seat 7: Vell_Trof (1500 in chips)
Seat 8: S_Cotie321 (1500 in chips)
Seat 9: mykidneys (1500 in chips)
dko289: posts small blind 10
yankeeo: posts big blind 20
*** HOLE CARDS ***
Dealt to GCPGeneD [6h 6d]
GreenHunger: raises 60 to 80
pate333: folds
PLEBINI: folds
Vell_Trof: folds
S_Cotie321: calls 80
mykidneys: folds
GCPGeneD: calls 80
dko289: folds
yankeeo: folds
*** FLOP *** [6c 4d Tc]
GreenHunger: bets 120
S_Cotie321: calls 120
GCPGeneD: raises 320 to 440
GreenHunger: folds
S_Cotie321: raises 980 to 1420 and is all-in
GCPGeneD: calls 980 and is all-in
*** TURN *** [6c 4d Tc] [Jc]
*** RIVER *** [6c 4d Tc Jc] [8d]
*** SHOW DOWN ***
S_Cotie321: shows [Jh Js] (three of a kind, Jacks)
GCPGeneD: shows [6h 6d] (three of a kind, Sixes)
S_Cotie321 collected 3230 from pot
=======================================================
Take 2...this hand was in todays $11.00 "Daily Thirty Grand". I was trying to get Value out of my hand and got smoked when he hit his 2 outer. Should I have folded the Shove?
PokerStars Game #35354208062: Tournament #219010496,
$10+$1 USD Hold'em No Limit -
Level VIII (60/120) -
2009/11/14 14:24:36 CT [2009/11/14 15:24:36 ET]
Table '219010496 262' 9-max
Seat 1: @lennoxdog@ (10045 in chips)
Seat 2: 1suus2 (2730 in chips)
Seat 3: GCPGeneD (4780 in chips)
Seat 4: pjmolly (6020 in chips)
Seat 5: Hesekiel (2800 in chips)
Seat 6: > AKANA 06 < (4185 in chips)
Seat 7: spisa (5715 in chips)
Seat 8: klutyfingers (5705 in chips)
Seat 9: suisse zocke (16257 in chips)
@lennoxdog@: posts the ante 15
1suus2: posts the ante 15
GCPGeneD: posts the ante 15
pjmolly: posts the ante 15
Hesekiel: posts the ante 15
> AKANA 06 <: posts the ante 15
spisa: posts the ante 15
klutyfingers: posts the ante 15
suisse zocke: posts the ante 15
> AKANA 06 <: posts small blind 60
spisa: posts big blind 120
*** HOLE CARDS ***
Dealt to GCPGeneD [Kc As]
klutyfingers: folds
suisse zocke: calls 120
@lennoxdog@: folds
1suus2: folds
GCPGeneD: raises 360 to 480
pjmolly: folds
Hesekiel: folds
> AKANA 06 <: folds
spisa: folds
suisse zocke: calls 360
*** FLOP *** [Ks Qs 3s]
suisse zocke: checks
GCPGeneD: checks
*** TURN *** [Ks Qs 3s] [Kd]
suisse zocke: checks
GCPGeneD: checks
*** RIVER *** [Ks Qs 3s Kd] [4h]
suisse zocke: bets 360
GCPGeneD: raises 720 to 1080
suisse zocke: raises 14280 to 15360
GCPGeneD: calls 3205 and is all-in
Uncalled bet (11075) returned to suisse zocke
*** SHOW DOWN ***
suisse zocke: shows [4s 4d] (a full house, Fours full of Kings)
GCPGeneD: shows [Kc As] (three of a kind, Kings)
suisse zocke collected 9845 from pot

Friday, October 23, 2009

New Magazine...and ramblings

I have been touring our demographic while distributing the new magazine that we rolled out, and I have been able to play some live poker in some of the rooms around that area. I would not make it out to Tunica for the Magnolia State Tournament...too busy with work.

Some Highlights:

Amelia Belle: I cashed in the Monday donkament they have there when I lose a pot with 5 people left ...3 ways...that would have given me the CL going into 3 handed play. I have KhKd...other 2 donks have QcJc and Qh10s...I flop a set of Kings and ended the hand in last place as the board ran out Kc9c2h-Jh-4c...to min cash behind my man Rob Ratliff.

Harrahs: Played the weekly there and cashed 5th again...but this was a huge tournament and I picked up $850.00 for 5th. I was at the FT with Bo and Barron Whipple. I felt comfortable the whole way as they were the only 2 I was worried about. I even felt comfortable when I was the short stack and they all discussed that they were going to chop if they could knock me out before the dreaded 1000-10,000-20,000 level kicked in. I 3 bet shoved with 2 bbs with a weak ace...and Barron woke up with pocket 10's...of well.

IP/Beau: Bounced to the coast and got some live action in at the IP...as well as played the Beau nightly last Thursday. I went out 11th when they were paying 9. I was down to 7-8bbs when I shoved from the button with K-Jo...old guy in the BB called me with A-3o. I had Kirk Flom on my left for the last 3 tables...I also met Monks wife Squirrel for the first time...good stuff

Isle of Capri in Lake Charles: I had a nice run there earlier in the week. I booked a solid cash win win I was in for $400.00 and out for over $1000.00. I hit some hands that paid off...and made moves with air/weaker hands in the right spots to take down some nice pots. They are just like Shorty's over there as they are some slowrolling mofos. Im in a hand where I call a 3 bet from the button with AKo. Flop comes out K-7-J. Everyone knuckles to me and I fire bet...get only one caller who was original 3 bettor. Now the turn is an Ace which gives me top 2...and your boy pushes out a stack of redbirds which came out to $115.00. I tank hard and ask him some questions. I say, "Damn man...I got a good hand...I just dont know if thats enough for me to fold here"...I eventually call ...and before the river cards is dealt he says, "Check Dark"...to which I immediately say "Check"...and the river card hits the board. I immediately say "Top 2" and table my 2 pair. Your boy stands up...looks at my cards to which I say, "Am i good here?" ...guy sits down and looks at his cards and I say, "Damn man...your not gonna slowroll me here are you?"...to which he calming says, "Yes...I am"...and table pocket Jacks. Not only was this guy a piece of shit slowroller...but he even admitted it to me BEFORE he showed me his cards...unbelievable.

Paragon: Made my first drive up to Paragon in Marksville...Talk about a brutal drive. I was thinking it was like Coushatta...you get off on 165 and head north...and you eventually will run into Coushatta...not here my friend. I got off on the 2nd Bunkie exit and 3 towns later with numerous turns and forks...I finally see the Paragon Casino. Now the casino makes sure that there are signs to guide you on the way through the maze of backroads and country towns...but going back...was another thing. No signs telling you how to get back to 1-49 into you get into Bunkie.

Anyhow...were looking for some feedback on the Magazine...feel free to email your input whether thumbs up ...or down...we just want to hear from you

"A wise man once said: There are no perfect men in the world; only perfect intentions."
Morgan Freeman as Azeem in Robin Hood: Prince of Thieves

Tuesday, October 06, 2009

Sessions at Shorty's...and NWP Radio

I decided to stop on over at Shorty's in Cypress Bayou a few times last week for a couple of cash sessions, and I booked a loser both times...not much though. Got myself in a few situations when I had to make river calls with the 2nd best hands, but that’s how it rolls sometimes.

There’s always one thing that aggravates me about playing there is the "slowrolling" Mo-Fo's that play there. It just drives me crazy that these people cannot understand that this is Bad Poker etiquette. I saw 5 (five) "Blatant" slowrolls ...and I was a victim of the 4th one. I was in the 7 seat and when I called the guy in the 10 seat out for slowrolling me...all he did was just look at me and Roland in the 8 seat, and Roland says, "Man...they don't even know what a slowroll is". I started to believe him.

Well, once the 5th one happened, I felt I had to say something. The 9 seat and the 1 seat (another guy named Gene) get it all in on the turn on a Js-4d-2c--9h board and they are both waiting on the river. Gene shoved the turn and got called by the 9 seat. Well a Kc hits the river and they both just sit there...like neither wanted to show their hand. The dealer says, "Lets see a winner"...and Gene says, “I flopped a set of 4's” and tables his pocket 4's. At this point...seat 9 stands up...leans over the table to see Gene's hand and looked at the board again...then sits back down and turns over KhKs.

I said, "Dude...you do know you slowrolled the f*%# out of him...don't you?"… To which he says "What are you talking about?" ...I explain that what he did was bad poker etiquette, and that he slowrolled they guy. "Sir...please tell me you know you had the nuts there on that hand?"...again...a confused look...and then he launches into a 5 minute tirade about how I was using bad poker etiquette because I had asked to see a couple of hands that went to showdown as I was gathering information. I dismiss him as an idiot, and I am now laughing as the conversation has not got "comical".

Well...everybody calms down and were about 2 more hands deep from when we had the conversation, and the 9 seat says, "Well...explain to me what a slowroll is then"....I told him to go home and Google "Slowroll-Poker"...and he should be enlightened.

Neverwin Poker Radio: I am starting to really look forward to the Neverwin Poker Radio Podcast as it has morphed into a character show that focuses on poker. It’s pretty rough for anyone that runs in the "Politically Correct" arena as there are no punches pulled. There is no love lost between the folks at Neverwin and 2+2 either. They rip on David Sklansky and Mason Mallmuth with complete abandon...and their not shy about ragging on each other either.The cast of characters is below.

Bryan "The Icon" Micon: Micon is the host of the show...it is his show. He is a proud pot smoker...and you can tell by the way the show rambles sometimes. You all probably remember Micon from the Thriller Dance years ago in the Main Event. There’s not much you can say here except, "Well...Micon is Micon". I counted seven times when Druff used the phrase last episode, "There you go Micon...you shit the bed again".

Dustin "Neverwin" Wolff: The site is named after Neverwin, and he is known as one of the top limit plays on the internet...that was until he detoxed off of all the opiates/pills he was taking...now the jury's still out. He is completely clean of opiates and he opened up about his addiction on the show recently saying he was taking 5-6 Oxycontin 80 milg tablets a day. He detoxed himself for a week...then he jetted out to Turks and Cacaos for a vacation. They have a running prop bet that Micon/Druff/Drexel...can make him pee in a cup at any point to check to see if he is using. As long as there are no opiates...he is good to go...THC is to be expected. Neverwin is also the “stud” of the site as he has dated lots of the hot chicks in poker…including Jennicide…Chantel McNulty…and more.

Todd “DanDruff” Witteles: Druff is the equalizer on the site as he is the super conservative…and is also a bracelet winner… and the best player out of the crew. Druff is the man and is the most intelligent guy on the radio show.

Brandon “Drexel” Gerson: (Brandi Hawbaker’s old boyfriend) I am really starting to like Brandon as he is becoming more and more a part of the show, He is a pro gambler, who has lived in Vegas for years and has worked in many of the Casinos as a Pit Boss. He is also the “stud” behind Neverwin as he has dated some of the hottest chicks in Poker also.

Pokerpages goes “Donk-Down”: That’s right folks…it looks like one of the oldest and most notable Poker Websites is going under. They are one of the only big poker sites to not have a “Hard Magazine” to go along with the website.

Magnolia Poker Classic: There may be a chance that I head that way to play in a couple of tourneys. I know that going to Tunica is pretty brutal…I may wind up showing up on some weekends to play a few of the events.

“-I had my foot on the gas as I left the road and blew out my mind
-8 miles outta Memphis and I got no spare
-8 miles straight up downtown somewhere
-I just dropped in to see…what condition my condition was in”
Lyrics from the song “Just dropped in (to see what condition my condition was in) by Andre Previn

Tuesday, September 29, 2009

Poker Happenings...and other tidbits

I apologize to the folks that have been emailing about me not blogging recently, but I have been very busy with work, my pregnant wife and getting some stories out for a new venture we are pursuing here at GCP.Net. This blog is going to ramble a little bit

WCOOP:
Wow...poker is just soooooooo easy for these guys...Yevgeniy Timoshenko (known as "bballer88" on Full Tilt Poker and "Jovial Gent" on Pokerstars) snaps off the WCOOP Main Event for 1.7 million...then a couple of hours later...He takes down the $1k Monday tournament on FTP for $75k. ElkY...move over as we have another player that just runs good...in life...so sick

Sebok and UB:
I have a bad feeling that the reason that they are not naming the people (31 of them) who signed up all those superuser accounts(There has to be a name with each account) is that...there are some highly rated/respected players that are in the crossfire. I listened to Neverwin Radio last week and Detective DanDruff is "hot" on Freddie Deebs tail. I will post the link here

September 16 2009 edition...
http://www.neverwinpoker.com/nwpradio/archive

and they get Sebok and Hollywood Dave in the "Hotseat" this week (Going to listen to it on the way home today)

OK...Druff is the real deal here...to quote Micon...hes "Tough but Fair". (I am going to wet your appetite a little but you all need to listed to this stuff he dug up) He dug into Freddie Deeb ...who we all know was a UB pro and friend of Russ Hamilton. Freddie's name on UB was "Kid55" (k.i.d is his initials...Kassem Idid Deeb...or something like that). Freddie has a fascination with the number 55 as that's the year he was born...Druff claims he identified several of Freddie's email addys with the number 55 in it also. Well...when you look into the superuser list...there are several superuser names that had 55 in them...including..."Crackcorn 55"...and "Dannyboy55" as well as a few others. Well UB in 2005 listed all the entrants to the Aruba Classic that won their seats online ...the one Freddie Deeb snapped off for 1 million...almost 4 years to the day. Well, "kid55" is not listed as winning their seat into the Aruba classic....BUT...you guessed it..."Dannyboy55" did in fact win his seat into the Aruba Classic...HHHHHHmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm.

Anyhow...Listen if you want...make your own conclusions...and what other players have been on the UB as sponsored pros during this time? I can remember...The Magician?? Devilfish?? We will see how it all shakes out.

World Softball Championship in Panama City:
I have to give a shout out to my baby brother, James (I say baby but he is 6'3 ...and built like a brickhouse...cock strong) who along with his team, The "Cross Seekers", won the World Softball Championship of Class D in Panama City, FL ...2 weekends ago. There has been no other softball team from Louisiana that has ever achieved this feat...and the sponsors of the tournament and the other teams were shocked that they were not even sponsored. This group of individuals who all live in the South Louisiana area within 20 minutes of each other went there and kicked ass on teams that were pooled from entire states. The team they beat in the finals was a team put together from across the state of North Carolina and had a "Major" sponsor. (Mike Vicks little brother Marcus was also on the team).

James was voted MVP of the tournament...Julie and I could not be more proud of him.

This segways into a story I told some of my close poker buddies months ago as well as my other brother Charles. I am sitting in a poker tournament 3-4 months ago next to a guy I have played with on numerous occasions whose name is Sparky. We are friendly and we chat when we see each other and I know him as a good...solid player. Well, he knew everyone called me GeneD but didn't know my last name was Dudek. Sparky over hears someone call me by my last name and says, "Hey man...your last name is Dudek", ...to which I replied "Yes...why?". He says, "You James Dudeks brother?"... I give an affirmative and Sparky calls over 2 other guys from other tables...all softball players...and says, "Hey guys...that's James Dudeks brother right there"...to which I get stared at as someone semi-famous. One of them says, "Dude...your brother is a beast...he crushes the ball...hits harder than anybody I have ever seen"...the other says "Your brother could probably play softball for a living...people would pay him to play...hes that good".

James...if you ever read this...We are proud of you...and I want you to know that moment meant alot to me

"Remember Red, hope is a good thing, maybe the best of things, and no good thing ever dies" Tim Robbins as Andy Dufrene in his letter to Red in the "Shawshank Redemption"

Friday, September 11, 2009

Running around with my head cut off... part 2

I am here typing this out at the Beau Rivage where the Gulf Coast Poker Championship is going strong. The Main Event starts on Saturday, and we are working on getting some material for a new venture Bill and I have got into...and we may be around snapping some pics of all the Gulf Coast players.

I was all set to play in 2 of the events and wound up not playing either one. The first one was last week when I wasn't feeling all that hot, and I when I got down to sign up ...the line was huge and we would have had to go in as alternates...I passed.

The 2nd one was in yesterdays 2pm $340.00 that was pushed back because of the power outage...what a mess they had on their hands. Johnny G and company did a great job under the circumstances though. I was in line with 2 of my friends ....Jared from Lafayette and Quatersack. I gave up and decided not to play. Both of them got in after standing around for an hour or so with about 5 min left in the 100-200 level. At least they got to sit down with 10k in chips.

I had to stay at the IP as the Beau had booked all their "Poker rate" rooms...checked out the new IP poker room. I liked it. The bright purplish/bright blue felt definitely "Jumps" out at yea. They also now have those tables where they "swipe" you in for comps. Don't care much for those. If you feel I have been playing poker in your poker room...write me a comp to get something to eat...pretty simple. Well...I played for several hours and then had to go thru the, "Well...you only have enough time on here for $7.00 worth"...whatever.

I am in the 1 seat and halfway thru my session BJ McBrayer and his girlfriend come sit in the 2 seat. We chatted and had a good time...I made a sick laydown with AA when a player in LP called my preflop raise to $20.00 with Q-10o. Flop comes down 8-8-J rainbow. I c-bet up to $45.00 and villain calls. 9 on the turn and the guy grabs a hand full of chips and sticks them over the line like hes going to count them out and I grab a handfull also and say, "Im probably gonna call" and started to put my hand out over the line. The player sees this and reaches back and grabs a $100.00 bill ...and puts all the red chips he had in his hand on top of the bill. I now put down my chips and go in the tank. I ask him if he will show me if I fold and he says the standard, "You call and you can see them"...damn...hes got it. I fold face-up and he does in fact show me the Q-10o...NH sir...WP.

Watched the WSOP episode with the PokerBrat and Dandruff...WHAT??? you mean they edited out all the stuff about UB? Yeaaaaaaaaaaaa

Been staying extremely busy at my new job as I am trying to get acclimated to a new company and position.

Gotta go...

"I wonder... do we all know where we belong? And if we do, in our hearts, why do we so often do nothing about it? There must be more to this life, a purpose for us all, a place to belong" Angelina Jolie as Sara Jordan in "Beyond Borders"

Friday, August 21, 2009

Running around with my head cut off...

...Thats what I have been doing lately. It seemed to pile up...and pile up on me. This blog is going to be bullet points I have made notes about

-First...Congrats to Wild Bill and Jess for their new born. I am pretty excited for them and then nervous for me as ...I don't know. I guess I had some kind of warped feeling that I really didn't have to worry much ...kind of like parachuting as long as the guy in front of you goes out well your good...so with that analogy...Bill was going to have to "Go out first" so in all actuality...Im was kind of like "2nd in line"...well GeneD...guess what...your at the doorstep of that plane buddy...looking out at...shit...I have no idea what...but you have to jump...theres no turning back now. "But wait isn't there SOMEONE else I know having a child before early November I can get back behind?"....Uhhhh...My Cousin Julie and John have their bundle of Joy a couple of weeks ago...nope...oh well...Its me...I plan on doing a cartwheel out the door...somersault when I hit the air...followed by a backflip gainers going down.
(Side Note on my Cousin: congrats to them by the way ...funny note on how I found out....my nanny texted me "Its a Boy"...thats it ;-) ...just digging.... she knows we love her).

-My 2nd Tunica trip was sooooooo cool. I got to fly on one of my buddy's private planes in a Twin Commander where we flew out of Baton Rouge and right into Tunica airport. I got to where the headphones where we could all talk to each other and we also got to hear the interaction between the pilot/owner Dave and all the land based towers. I got to hear "echo" and "Bravo" and all the pilot lingo....as "We are November 9 Tunica tower...I have a visual...preparing for approach"....kind of stuff. verrrry cool and fun. The guys I went with were great and we had a blast. You will read about how they did in limit tourney on the main site when I update it again.

-My Poker exploits are I continue to beat the cash games which keeps me where I need to be as far as bankroll goes as its steady climbing getting ready for the Beau. I am skipping Oklahoma obv...I have my online bankroll nice and healthy for when the baby gets here so I can start focusing on online play as I am sure my live play will take a backseat for awhile.

-To give you an idea of how bad the play was in Tunica...I witnessed the following hand in a tournament. We are on the 2nd round with the button...maybe 17th hand of the tournament.
You know where the blinds antes are so I complete from SB and see the flop with 6 other people.
Flop comes out AhKhJh. UTG old guy local with his NRA hat on with a pic of an AK-47 on his shirt fires out a 4x bet....Guy in 7 seat ....same age only with cowboy hat and a "Vietnam Veterans" pin on it 3 bets to a total of 10x of the BB....everyone pitches to the muck except gun toter...who gets all aggressive and 4 bets....Vietnam guy just decides to flat....turn was the 10h to which NRA boy fires a healthy bet...gets smoothes by Vietnam guy. Now the river brings a meaningless 2s. NOW...gun boy checks to which the Cowboy Hat Veteran says outloud, "Oh well...what do I do now....Hmmmm....how much is in there?" and proceeds to bet about 1/3 of the pot...and NRA gun guy insta-shoves...and gets insta-called. Cowboy Hat has (Duhhhh) A-Q with the Qh....gun guy who needs to shake some of that gunpowder out of his head...tables 6h2h.

Several people at the table snicker...a couple of online guys are still in shock...and I simply say, "Wow sir...you had to know you were beat", to which he says "I flopped a flush...what are talking about...you don't know shit"...I said sir..."The 7-8-9 of hearts was in his range but his range became even more polarised when he made that speech about what to do and he only bet 1/3 of the pot...he had the royal flush...I would have bet my house on it"...he says..."What are talking about kid ...range....what range...what are talking about"...I answered him..."Sir...the shooting range sir....I am talking about the shooting range...I will meet you there later and we can pop off a few rounds...and by the way...your right...I don't know shit"

"And you know what's going to happen now. You should admit your situation. There would be more dignity in it....and Let me ask you something... If the rule you followed brought you to this, of what use was the rule? Javier Bardem as Anton Chigurh the Homicidal Maniac in "No Country foir Old Men"...right before executing Woody Harrelson's Character Carson Wells

Thursday, August 06, 2009

Chopped the Beau Nightly...Tales from Tunica...

I have been meaning to getting around to putting up a new blog, but I have been very busy lately with my job and some new business ventures as well as I got so many good comments on my last one...I wanted to "Milk" it for everything it was worth. My family also enjoyed it as we have been pounded about questions on what we were going to name our son.

I am currently in and the Beau Rivage typing this up waiting to get kicked out my room by the maids as its now 1pm and check out was noon. I left a crack in the door and came back to do some work, and put up a blog. I chopped the Beau Nightly last night night 3 ways for $1040.00, and it was probably a mistake as I know I was the best player left, but there was this one girl at the table from Tallahasse, Fl that talked just like Alabama Worley in True Romance...and she was lets say...I want to be polite here as she may read this..."still learning the game" LOL. I took the chop because this girl just got it in bad time after time and somehow she was the CL at with 3 of us left and she was just tooooooo unpredictable. You never knew what she was going to do from hand to hand so I agreed to the chop. After my payouts to the players I had deals with and towards my makeup with my backer...I walked away with over $800.00. We had a full GCP.Net crew in this one as Goondingy, SPR, Reid G, Alex and Wild Bill were in it also. Bill and I played some 1-2 after and he made a nice score.

Tunica Mississippi....yeaaaaaaaaaaa. What a place. I am going to have to start on my Tunica stories by taking a play from Monkey...and hack on Tunica.

-I counted 4 cars out in the parking lot with miss-matched fenders/quaterpanels that were different colors ...obviously junk yard parts that the owner just does not care that they have a blue car and a red front quarter panel.
-In same parking lots I counted 3 cars that had one of the side windows busted out ...and managed to stop the rain from getting in by patching the window up with garbage bags and duck tape
-In same parking lot saw 2 cars with same patch job on the Back Glass

Now the sick part about this is that these people would rather come to a casino and gamble their money away instead of fixing their windows...The thought process...lets see ...I have $75...Passenger Car Window or The Price is Right Slot at the Gold Strike???...I'll take the latter.

And to give you an idea of the attitude of the employees there...I am at the concierges desk faxing some copies for work and their is the Concierge and 2 Bell guys behind the front desk when we all witness the following interaction. Nice old lady walks up and tries to grab one of the bell carts and is stopped by the bell guy and the following conversation takes place,

Bell Guy-"Lady...you cant take the cart its a bell cart used by us Bell guys
NOL-"I need something to carry our luggage down as we have a bunch of stuff including an ice chest"
BG-"But Lady...We are the only ones who can use these carts...I can come up with you and help you if you would like"
NOL-"But I have we no money...we are flat busted from the Casino"

To which a Mexican staredown standoff ensues until the NOL walks away. I say "Incredible"...to what the Concierge says, "Yea Man...Can you believe that...we get people like that all the time"

Now at this point I realize that he mis-understood what I was implying thinking I was hacking on the NOL...and I proceeded to tell him that I felt he and the Bell Guy were as rude as hell and that they should get their asses up their and help the lady...that at least she was honest enough to tell them she was busted when in all actuality all she had to do was go to her room...call the bell desk...get them to come get her stuff...pull the car around and load up...and hit the road. That they should appreciate her honesty in not wanting to "Stiff" anyone and that in fact...you dont have to tip the bell guy at all...its a service of the Casino...which just took all her money.

Mexican Staredown standoff now commences with Me and Concierge...he says "Whatever"...and I say, "Only in Tunica MS...Karmas a bitch buddy"...and I walk away.

Anyyyyhow. ...Played the Deep Stack event and went fairly deep to around 5-6 tables left and they were paying 38 out of over 400. I get it in a 4-1 fav in a +80k pot ...with 10-10 vs 6-6 where I cruise into the money if I win...6 ball on the river...bounced but not frustrated as I played as well as I could. I played one hand bad the whole Tournament and it was in the 4th level right after the break. I had to end up folding on the river, so I dont know what the person had...but I played the hand terrible...but it had nothing to do with my results as I went on a rush after that to get up to around the 40k I had. Ben "The Destroyer" Mintz was at my table for awhile and is a nice guy...we chatted for awhile.

I wiffed 5 tournaments overall on the weekend including a couple of $150.00 buy-in 10k guaranteed events at other Casinos...but I was able to beat this new "Cash Blast" tournament and the cash games in general to cover my tournament losses...I am flying back tomorrow morning with some buddies on a private jet to play some more tournies/megas...and will be returning next week.

Sights and Sounds of Tunica...here are some quotes:

Ben "The Destroyer" Mintz to Phillip "Quatersack" Walsh on break in Deepstack event:
The Destroyer-"Dude...I cant believe that guy flatted your Kings with Queen/4...and hits a queen and a 4 on the flop...that was sick"
Quatersack-"Superusers man...Superusers"

I went chat with Jason Gladden as he was in the 2-7 lowball event as he was in the 7 seat and Robert Williamson was in the 3 seat...Jason says, "Only tournament I have played in so far and its a game I have never played before"...Classic

Songs I was listening to on Ipod when I went on my "Rush"
-"Jane Says"-Janes Addiction
-"Dead Leaves and the Dirty Ground"-White Stripes

"Tunica Mississippi Bro...what a hellhole bro...THATS a place I never want to go back to bro" Eugene Todd Bro on a old Pokerroad Radio show

Thursday, July 23, 2009

"What about Iveeeyyyyyyyyy?"...Durrrr

That drop is from Durrrr on the old Poker Road Radio from years ago. They use to use that drop alot when Justin Shronk handled the boards, and it is from right when Durrrr put his challenge out when there was so much speculation about who/what/when anybody was going to accept the challenge. They were discussing all the potentials ...Kid Poker...Joe Cassidy...Benyamine...and Antonius when Durrrr says, "What about Iveeeyyyyyyyyyyy"...it was a classic drop.

Well...what about Ivey? As The Bear and all the guys on The Poker Beat have said. The "November Nine" were built around trying to get one of the premier poker players in the world...the poker celebrity per say...to the November Nine so the media outlets would light up...the major sponsors would come calling...and Conan and Letterman will be clearing their slates to book them on the talk shows. With Ivey being my (and many others) favorite player, I guess our dreams have come true. There is a defining moment in my poker career several years ago when Ivey became my favorite player. You can follow this link and see when this happened.

www.youtube.com/watch?v=--Qap3VT_ZY

Wow...what a hand

So Phil Ivey has made it to the November Nine and I personally think this is going to make or break the November Nine concept. Was it a good decision to make the November Nine? We will see...

Other poker ramblings:

Todd "DanDruff" Witteles calls out Phil Hellmuth on the TV table:
This was about the UB scandal and the fact that UB has not properly responded to the players on the scandal. I think that this was a good thing...even though it will probably be edited out on the TV broadcast. You have to give Druff some credit for sticking up for his principals and making the comments to try to bring light to the scandal. Todd was not the only person in this years WSOP to try to keep this issue from getting swept under the rug and forgot about.

Adam Richardson:
He won 2nd place in the "Ante up for Africa" tournament and held out on his donation to also try to bring attention to the scandal. Richardson made it clear to several of his online pals what he was planning on doing if he made a big cash...and from the podcast that I have listened too...had many in his corner that were going to do the same if they too...made a nice cash. Richardson had an emergency with his family that caused him to leave right after the tournament to go home...I think it had to do with his wife being pregnant and having some complications...but from what I heard...he was going to leave a donation...after the UB scandal was discussed. I am under the understanding that he did intend to donate after he shed light on the scandal (Not sure if he did or not).

GeneD's poker exploits:
The negative variance in my live cash games has gotten better, and I have been able to book some solid wins in the live arena lately. I had a nice score at Shorty's for a few thousand the other night in a real tough game. I was able to sit and chat for quite awhile with Tim "Rasin Cajun" Hebert as he was in the game for quite awhile. Tim has been spending alot of time in LA as he is dating a girl from that area. There was several other tough players in the game also including one of his buddies that I call, "Solid Play Dave" as he is a good player that is hard to read and very seldom gets out of line. There were some other regulars that play well like Phil and John....and some "Any 2 card" players such as Big O. I played solid poker and built a nice stack and then opened up my game and started with the pressure in spots where I thought I could use my stack to my advantage...and it worked

Got in a couple of good cash games also recently at the Amelia Belle where I was able to book some winners. Nothing like walking into your local Casino and seeing a 1-2nl game going strong with a decent amount of money on the table...and you dont know anyone at the table...sweet

Tunica:
I am taking a play from Monks book as I also plan on watching the first few events to see how things look...and how many runners they get in the first few events. I plan on making it there at some point...probably next weekend depending on how my job shakes out.

Monkeys Run at the Venetian:
Good stuff brother...Congrats on the whole experience

WSOP main Event:
I am also glad that Jeff Shulman made the November Nine also with Ivey as you cant have too many name pros to go until November. I was personally pulling for TK once Kia went down...until he got bounced also...then started to pull for Dave "Love Shack Dave" Gafford from Baton Rouge...and Joe Sebok. I think Joe would have been good for the N9 also

My Job:
Wow...I am sitting tight with the same job with some uncertainty about my position in the company with the merger. These things happen in big mergers in Corporate America...but there have also been several opportunities that have surfaced that I am trying to make decisions about...probably... the most anxiety I have experienced in my day job in 10 years...but like I said in a previous blog...I think it will all work itself out...one way or the other.

My Blog:
Sorry to all the people sending me emails/text about getting my blog updated

Now to the part alot of were asking about and I decided to post it on my blog. The big question is, "What are we going to name our boy". I said that the poker players on here were going to like it...but actually...it was my wife that picked the name

Where going to name him "Eugene M Dudek IV"...and we are going to call him "Ivey"...after the IV in the Roman Numerals "I" and "V" for the 4th

There you have it...

Jack Singer: Do you know what a straight flush is? It's like... unbeatable.
Betsy: "Like unbeatable" is not unbeatable.
Jack Singer: HEY!!!! I KNOW THAT NOW!!!!!!!
Interaction between Nicholas Cage (Jack) and Sara Jessica Parker(Betsy) in "Honeymoon in Vegas"...when Cage loses a hand in poker where his payout is for his fiance to spend the weekend with the winner of the hand

Wednesday, July 08, 2009

Poker Ramblings...and GeneD's going to be a Dad

I have finally mustered up the time to post a blog as I have been avoiding it as I am dealing with a downward live variance...and WSOP blues. The Main Event is in Full Swing and I was able to get some sweat equity in Cobra Kai. He is going into day 2B with over 50bbs so there is still lots of play to be had. I am also dealing with some anxiety over my new job (6 months) as in Corporate America...when you have mergers and acquisitions (M&A)...you have changes and uncertainty. I am confident that things will work out though.

I was told by some of my buddys and family members (who I did not know lurk and read my blog) that I have not mentioned on here that me and my wife are expecting a baby in early November. We have been trying for some time and was very frustrated. Everyone kept telling us, "As soon as you stop trying and stop worrying so much about it...it will happen". I heard that so many times from so many people that it felt like the person telling you the worst bad beat story you could possibly hear...x5. We looked into adopting...we looked into invetro...and other things happened in or lives that for a brief 3 months ...took our minds off the anxiety and the worry of it all...and BAM!!!...YAHTZEE!!!! ...and we found out its going to be a boy. With the price of invetro...its like a 20k freeroll.

Poker Ramblings:

What about the guy Thang Luu, who has a bracelet already under his belt, breaks the hand of a WSOP dealer when the dealer goes to "Move Up" his tabled hand in Omaha8...and then he balls a fist and slams the dealers hand breaking bones between the dealers knuckles and wrist. They are saying he will probably be arrested and he is 86'ed from Harrahs properties...Unbelievable.

Been listening to all the Pokerroad Radio shows during my windshield time and I am a little confused as is Ali Nejad coming back. They have Joe "Staps" Stapelton filling in during the WSOP...I guess...as I never heard it actually discussed on the show. They had on Roland DeWolf the other day and it was a good show. Roland is a hoot and I love it when he hassles the "Magic the Gathering" players...he can be heard saying to David Williams something like , "I raise you 2 hobgoblins" on a TV table years ago...he has said similar things when in hands with ElKy...etc

PRR Shows: I have to admit that I do find my self looking forward to the "B Team" show more than the regular show. They could not have found 3 of the most likable people to run the B Team sho in Devo, Court "The Hick" and Gobboboy. They have a real chemistry that I like and they give a whole new perspective on the poker community. I read Devo's blog and have admitted on a previous blog that i relate to him as I too am/was an outdoors adventurer ...liking to hike/camp/whitewater/jetski/fish...etc. I think he is just an overall cool guy.

The B Team shows: I just listened to the Matt Garham show and really enjoyed the lake story about Matt getting pulled over by the Lake Police on Devo's jetski...classic

The show where Staps fills in for the Hick and details a drunkin Jeff Madsen story at a strip club...Hilarious.

What else...oh...you want to know about how I have been doing lately playing poker...gettin reamed live...and losing crucial flips deep in the mid-level MTTs online. Last night at Harrahs I got my opponents twice to put all their chips in the middle post turn as a huge dog...and they got there both times.

First hand I flop 2 pair with K7c on a 4 way K72 flop with 2 diamonds. I make a 2/3 size bet and get one caller...Duh...I have him dead on the diamond draw. Turn bricks...I bet out $130.00 on the turn where the villain has only $160.00 left in his stack..."Call" ...WTF???? and ladies and gentleman the idiot that called off 95% of his chips and saved the last $30.00 for what?...Cab ride home??? I dont know...gets his diamond on the river. He bets out his last $30.00 to what I say sarcastically, "No way man...jeeze...I just dont know whether I can call that last $30.00 in a pot over $450.00"...he tables 2 baby diamonds and again sarcasm on my part, "No way man...you mean you have a flush? oh my oh my...how could I have been so stupid to bet into a flush draw...do the numbers 80-20 mean anything to you?"

2nd hand...wash rinse repeat ....except this time Im holding 2 black queens on a board of 4s7dJd5c...OK....this one is 70-30 because the guy also had a gutterball draw...but still...there getting there on me.

Enough Negativity...Lets go Kia what is 1% of 8.5 million anyway?

"Strippers are -EV" Bryan "Devo" Devonshire on PRR B team addition when discussing Staps and Madsens crazy night out when Staps was "Rapping" with a stripper

Saturday, June 20, 2009

Mis-click from Hell ..."Redemption"

Well...lets see here...I left off my last blog speaking of getting "Dialed in" as we were close to the money in the Sat. $11.00 Deep Stack event on Stars. This was the same tournament that I "mis-clicked" in the previous weekend...Well...as some of you already know...I was able to get a little redemption for myself as was able to pull off a 2nd place finish:

PokerStars Tournament #169968468, No Limit Hold'emBuy-In: $10.00/$1.00
1224 playersTotal Prize Pool: $12240.00 Tournament started 2009/06/13 12:00:00 ET
Dear GCPGeneD,
You finished the tournament in 2nd place. A $1,493.29 award has been credited to your Real Money account.You earned 497.43 tournament leader points in this tournament.
Congratulations!
Thank you for participating.

I felt good about the score but also a little disappointed as I wanted to win sooooooo bad I could taste it. The guy that won first was from Minsk, somewhere in Russia and he played very well. There were 2 hand I will breakdown a little later where I felt I had him "stone cold dead"...and either he sniffed out of it or the cards counterfeited my action. The tournament started at 11am and did not finish until around 2:30am...with a good hour of HU play. The difference between 1st and 2nd was only $500.00.

The tourney...I felt I played really well and once we got down to 4 tables, everything came together for me. I was seeing things clearly and had picked up on several patterns on my opponents that I was able to exploit. I also was taking hot showers...and I mean steaming hot...on every break to stay focused and dialed in. I went to the FT as the chip leader and did not relinquish the CL until we were 4 handed...I never had my tournament life on the line the entire tourney until we got to FT...we went into HU him having me 2 to 1 in chips...45 minuted later I had him 2 to 1 in chips and the see-saw battle continued.

At this point in the tourney where I had him 2 to 1 (a little over 6 million in chips total). When the following hands played out...I am going by memory as I haven't dug into my hand history's just yet for analysis:

-I flopped a medium size flush (I think I was holding 6-8h) and the flop came out K high with all of them being hearts. I check and he makes a huge bet...I flat. Turn bricks and he again makes a decent bet...I raise and he flats...I now thought I had him as I felt he at least had a King in his hand...river is terrible for me as the 2hearts peels out and I make a blocking bet for pot control just in case he has a heart higher that the 8h...he folds and admitted he had a King.

-The next one was in a very similar situation where I flop a straight where I three bet with J9o...villain flats and the flop shows K-Q-10...and dont remember the exact action but there were some bets, raises and calls on flop and turn...and a J hits the river to cause me to shut down and hand cuffed me...we checked it down and he showed 2 pair...I think he had K-10.

Again...I think he played the well, and I felt my HU games was formidable. I could have easily won this tourney with either of the hands above...but it wasnt meant to be...and again...these 2 hands are what I remember it from a week ago ...Tha.nks to those that came bird dog it also

If I could sum up my entire tournament experience with what I have been learning recently would be a couple of things:
1) I learned alot being able to shadow TK, Fish and Tyler in the FTOPs ME recently. (There was a guy named Trey there also but he wasnt playing just like me). I touched on this experience in a previous Blog and my thoughts leaving TKs that night was my knowing that Fish is going to be making an impact...somewhere...its just a matter of time. I know Bill and I discussed this that day and I told him, "Fish has the sharpest instincts if seen playing online, and I was able to learn alot from just watching and asking questions"
2) I just finish the poker book from John Vorhaus Killer Poker series "Killer Poker by the Numbers" which was written by Tony Guerrera. Its a "Math" book no doubt, but I think he explains the math portions a little simpler that Bill Chen's book. Some of the formulas were confusing for me but I got a solid grasped of everything he wrote and it wasnt that difficult to follow. The thing that I learned that was the most crucial was not the odds on your starting hands vs your players range...but the odds that your opponents have nothing but air...and the odds that they whiffed the flop with random hands...that your opponents has nothing. My only suggestion is to get familiar with pokerstove before you read it...again...watching fish work pokerstove was very impressive and helped my reading the book.

I went fishing several times recently to "Unplug" for awhile...and I went deep sea fishing today with some of buddies I grew up with in Tim B's 24 foot boat. I had a great time, and we killed the Red Snapper and Mangroves...but it was hot as hell and the sun kicked my ass. It was very peaceful watching the sun come up over the horizon as the Gulf was slick and calm...good times with good people. I talked to people who haven't got many close friends like that...that I would call "Life Long" friends. I have been friends with these guys since 6th or 7th grade ...which I value very much

What else...My tomato plants are just humming along...I am having to give away tomato's before they go bad...and I am heading to a Family reunion on my Sonnier side of my family...looking forward to see all my cousins (Which on both sides of my family combined...I think I have something like 33 first cousins.

Good Luck to everyone at the WSOP..Cobra Kai, TK, Monk, Fish...and all the rest. Plan on getting back to the online grind after I savor the moment for a few days.

"Poker is the ultimate game of pain...you re either giving it or getting it...and sometimes it only 30 seconds between the two" David Grey in Cardplayer Magazine/Vol 22c/No 12c/Jan 17the 2009.

Saturday, June 13, 2009

Poker Shenanigans...misclick from hell


***Quick clarification on something posted on the site***
There was a post on our main news feed during the 40k that i got emails about where it was mentioned that I "Noticed" Keith Lear was not in the Wednesday weekly 25-50 game at the Elderado in Shreveport. It seems like were people who perceived that those comments meant that I was actually playing in that said game...this is not the case...No people...I did not move from 1-2/2-5/5-5 nl cash games up to 25-50 overnight.

Got back into some live poker action last week as I played several live tournaments...and many online. Thomkat17 and I both cashed in the Monday weekly at the Amelia Belle...whiffed the weekly at Harrahs Wednesday (congrats to Wild Bill who has been pwning that tourney for several months now...kids on a nice heater in that tourney)...then business took me to Biloxi and got to fire at a couple of tourneys on the coast. At the Beau's nightly Super Stack, I was able to chip up quick and hoover around one of the top 10 in chips. There was this one guy at the table that caught some cards and chipped up...but made several bad plays to donate some chips my way. One was when I raised 3x the bb with AQo and got 2 callers along with our villain. Flop hits QQ3 rainbow. Villain fires and everybody folds to me and I decide to flat here. Turn bricks with a 2 and he checks...I fire a 1/2 size pot bet...he flats...river bricks a meaningless 4...he checks...I fire a 3/4 size pot bet and he calls and tables 77...needless to say...I had my eye on this guy and wanted to get his chips

I would lose 3/4 of my stack to this same guy later in tournament when he was the CL at my table and I was 2nd in chips. I played this hand bad, and I cant believe I could not get away from QQ on a King high board here. Action went like this. Villain limps utg and everyone folds to me and I pop it to 4-5x the bbs...everyones out and Villain flats...Flop comes King high and he knuckles...I knuckle...turn bricks and he fires out 5k and I flat...river bricks and he again fires 5k and I flat and he tables AA ...I muck my QQ and slowly start looking for something sharp in my backpack to poke my eyes out with...I went out soon after.

Funny moment in this tourney (I know I texted some of you this so you can skip this part)...Johnny Grooms is running the tournament and poker room and after the tourney gets started he announces to the cash players about the "Aces Cracked" promo in the 4-8 limit game. There is this lady at our table who is totally clueless and doesn't understand poker tourneys at all...didn't understand when we raced off the green chips...asked a bunch of dumb questions...etc. Well our lady friend gets in a hand where she gets all in on the turn with her AA vs a set of Queens ...and she starts to get excited and jumps up and down going, "Yes...Im going to win the $100.00"...the river brings an Ace and her face drops like someone had just shot her dog and she exclaims, "nooooooooooo...oh well...maybe next time"...you could about imagine the stunned silence at the table as we all stared in amazement...until I just couldn't hold it in any more and busted out laughing BWAAAAAAHAHAHHAA...LOL.

My mis-click from hell happened last weekend in the $11.00 Deepstack event on Stars at 11am on Saturday. Over 1200 people in (im going to to try to keep this quick as I am almost in the money in this same tourney right now as I type this)...we are 8 1/2 hours into the tourney...there are a little over 60 players left...I am 9th in chips with over 100 bbs...and very comfortable with my stack...my play so far...my image at the table...etc. Physically, I am sitting on my couch with my laptop on a kitchen chair watching the WPT Bad Boys of poker...the one where TonyG wears the Japanese kimono...just cruising along....I'm at 170,000 in chips

I am OTB and the person in 11th place with 160,000 in chips open shoves from mid-position...for over 100bbs also...everyone folds and I glance away from the TV and reached my hand over to hit the touch pad as my arrow was over "Call"...and my pinkie knuckle hit the button on my laptop...and to my horror...I watched as 95% my chips got shipped to the villain...next hand I get AK with 3 bbs left...and lost that...I was bounced all in a matter of 90 sec. The only good thing to come out of this is my laptop did not take any damage as it got punted into my loveseat on the other side of the room. Now...this was my fault...no questions asked as I should have been more "Dialed In"...and not so non-chalant about playing for 1000's of dollars...but also on the flip side...this would never happen in a live setting.

The thing that tiled me the most was that...just when you think that everything in the poker world that could tilt you like a "Tilt-a world" has already happened...they just keep on coming
;-)

Speaking of being "Dialed In"...let me get back to my tourney as we are near the bubble and I am a little above avg in chips.

"Yeah... well...sometimes nothin' can be a real cool hand" Paul Newman as Luke in "Cool Hand Luke"...this responding to another inmate when Luke wins a poker game by bluffing when inmate says "Nothin'. A handful of nothin'. You stupid mullet head. He beat you with nothin"

Thursday, June 04, 2009

Poker Blues

Sorry for not blogging lately to the people sending me emails...I have been kind of bummed lately as it looks like I may not make the WSOP this year. Theres just no feeling like it when you go for 3 years back to back...and then realize theres a chance you wont be making it. I didn't go last year either, but I thought last year, "Well...I will just skip a year...it will be back next year". I was actually making plans last week to go when something at work came up that will make it hard for me to make. There is still a small chance I may bolt out there if I can take care of this stuff at work, but it looks bleaker everyday that passes. My wife can see it in me also, and she is starting to encourage me to go...I don;t know...we will see

I want to give a shout out to my boys Virge and Lusky who have set up their own training website...not videos...you can actually have one of them on the phone with you (Or in person if you live in Vegas) while they coach you. Go check out there site at http://www.pokerimmersion.com/.

I went play the weekly at Harrahs yesterday and rode up there with SPR...also saw Wild Bill, Alex Todd, Alex Wood and Mitch. Alex T, Mitch and I all wound up on the same starting table and I commenced to donk off my chips in a ridiculous...embarrassing way thinking I was trying to "portray" that I had a big hand to my buddy AT...ignoring the fact and completely blinded in that he was also trying to tell me to get "out of his pot" as he had a big hand also...we got it all in on the turn...he had my "Big Hand" crushed by a monster. There's nothing like getting all your chips in the middle ...and after the hands revealed...your stone cold dead in the water...My "Big Hand" (Top-Top) didn't even have any outs against his flopped set of 9's...just disgusting...terriable...but it happens. I come home and grind online and, of course, you have to watch TIVO'ed poker while you grind...the first hand I watched was The unabomber making the same disgusting play as I did, only he was on a stone cold bluff even though he had the same hand I did. The venue was the WSOP Europe ME in London...3 days in...Kid Poker turns a straight on a 9 high board (I think)...and our hero check-shoves with A-Q. Phil starts to look to see if he has any outs...nope...zilch. I actually rewinded it several times to just see his reaction...just so I know Im not the only knucklehead that gets it in worst than bad...oh well...it happens and if I was going to Donk out...Im glad I gave my chips to one of my buds

I caught myself pulling for Isaac Haxton in the 40k. I was listening to Pokerroad/The circuit years ago when Sebok called him out for what Joe said was a terriable play...only seebs got tortured on 2+2 as Haxton and his online posse broke down the hand from a mathematical perspective...and Haxton had +EV. That is where you hear the drop all the time on the show where seebs says, "Math is idiotic...yada...yada". Anyhow, they had him on the show after seebs apologized over and over...and I was impressed with the way Haxton handled the situation. In fact, I just downloaded the new Pokerroad radio show where they have him on after his 2nd place finish in the 40k...I am looking forward to the drive home so I can listen to it.

I also got to listen to the Pokerroad show with Prahlad Friedman, and they talked about the emotional turmoil he encountered playing through the cheating scandal at UB. On UB as "Spirit Rock"...it is said that Prahlad was person most cheated in the scandal. He talks about how mind f#$*ed he was after losing so much money to the same player and tryin to figure out what he was doing wrong. Imagine it...your one of the best players on the internet pawning the biggest games at he time...your nickname alone would strike fear in poker players the world over...and then you all of a sudden...you just start getting pawned by a couple of users. How do you adjust and adapt to that situation...it must be hard.

What else...David Carradine was found hanged today in Singapore...below is part of the press release..."The officer responsible for investigating the death, Teerapop Luanseng, said Carradine was staying at a suite at the luxury Swissotel Nai Lert Park Hotel.
"I can confirm that we found his body, naked, hanging in the closet," Teerapop said. He said police suspected suicide".
I wonder if the Singapore Cops found porno mags laying around...or a porno on the TV in a continuous play format. Hey guys...ever hear of auto-erotic asphyxiation...yea...I watched something about that on Oprah. If im going to hang myself, Im sure as hell not going to get buck naked to do it.

And...what about that plane that crashed around Brazil...if anybody thinks this was NOT a terroist attack, then I have some cherry flavored Kool-aid for you to drink. Lets see...here is some more press releases:

"They detail a series of failures that end with its systems shutting down, suggesting the plane broke apart in the sky and their were two debris fields found, according to an aviation industry official with knowledge of the investigation. He spoke on condition of anonymity Wednesday because he was not authorized to discuss the crash"

Uhhh...2 (two) debris fields means the plane exploded in mid air (One field)...and the other is when it hit the water (2nd Field). Or what about this report that hit the wires today below:

"The pilot of a Spanish airliner flying near where the Airbus is believed to have gone down reported seeing a bright flash of white light that quickly plunged to the ocean, said Angel del Rio, spokesman for the Spanish airline Air Comet."Suddenly, off in the distance, we observed a strong and bright flash of white light that took a downward and vertical trajectory and vanished in six seconds," the pilot wrote in a report for the airline and Spanish civil aviation authorities, del Rio told the AP. This Spanish plane was flying from Lima, Peru to Madrid. The pilot said he heard no emergency calls from the plane."

Now...their going to try to cover this up ...and cover it up fast as they don't want people to be wary of flying. The plane was leaving Rio De Jeanero...Do you think the Government of Brazil really has safety precautions comparable to the US? Good luck getting on a plane in any other country and thinking your safe.

Good Luck to everyone at the WSOP!!!!

"Ah, hell. We played a rough game... and we lost"
David Carradine as Cole Younger is "The Long Riders"...when asked by a Pinkerton Man, "What do you and your brothers think about a life sentence? I mean, you're lucky they don't allow hanging in this state. Come on, Cole, tell me what you think about this?"