Shreveport Trip..."Vegas ...baby...Vegas"

I just got back from Shreveport yesterday, and got to play some poker in the North West part of Louisiana. It seems they are having some pretty nice tournaments up there with the Horseshoe having a weekly Thurs night $220.00 buy-in FO. I was not able to stay and play last night, but I was told that first place the week before was over $6k. I saw some of the same faces from when I would travel here over a year ago, and there were some tough cash games...oh yea...It also snowed Thurs morning. I walked out of the Elderado at 7:35am and it was snowing. It all evaporated by 11am. The Elderado moved their poker room down the 1st floor over in the corner, and It is alot smaller that the one upstairs. It was kind of funny when I came off the escalator on the 3rd floor with this bewildered look on face as there was nothing but slot machines where the poker room was...the Security Guard took one look at me and immediately said, "Downstairs in back corner".

When I got there Tuesday, I went check out the Elderado's new room and found out that they had a $75/$25 Re-buy tourney at 6:30pm. There were several cash games going so I sat in a 1-2nl game with $300.00 and cashed out over $500.00 to freeroll into the tournament. There were 4 tables in the tourney and I had Woody Moore was at my table with his Commerce Casino "La Poker Classic Final table" leather jacket on where he finished 3rd for over 1/2 million. Needless to say he was the only one I was worried about. I fired $100.00 into the tourney and went out 13th-14th when I had 7 BB's left and shoved with A8s...and the lady in the 1 seat woke up with AQo. Woody was one of the chip leaders. I went back to the cash game and booked another small winner before I headed to get something to eat.

Wednesday night I headed over the Shoe to see what they had there. I got in a tough game where I lost 3/4 of my stack on the first hand. I buy in for $400.00 and looked at A9d from LP.
The guy in the 8 seat raises to $15.00 pf and there were 4 callers to me. I smooth call. Flop comes out 4d6dQs. Kid c-bets to $25.00...everybody pitches but me and again...I call. Turn was a pretty 8d. Kid Checks and I fire $100.00...he smooth calls. The river brings the 4s and he immediately fires out $125.00...I was sick. I go in the tank and my radar is going full blast. They eventually call the floor on me and I am just sick...I say, "I can;t believe this is going to happen to me the first hand"...and eventually say, "I made worst calls before...I call"...Kid tables 4-6o...on top of that...he racks up and leaves the table.

I got a lot of respect from the table for even contemplating laying that down...although I believe I am suppose to lay that down. My thoughts were...its the first hand...I only had $135.00 invested and I felt I could get that back with the $265.00 I had left...My read was dead on...etc. Several people at the table said they would have went busted with that hand...and I talked to several poker playing buddies that said it was a "Must Call"...anyhow...I am down to $100.00 and change and I have to start "scratching and clawing"...and scratch and claw I did. I played my heart out. The cooler hand happened around 5:30pm...and I cashed out at 11:30...with $560.00.

I felt good driving back last night having beat the cash games, but I wish I could have stayed and played the tournament last night.

We are leaving for Vegas Monday morning and playing in the 3 events at the Venetian Deep Stack...and anywhere else we can play. Looking forward to seeing Lusky and Virge and their pad. I will bring my laptop and give some feedback if anything exciting happens. I am pretty pumped right now though.

'They're gonna give daddy the Rainman suite, you dig that?" Vince Vaughn as Trent in "Swingers"

Post --Southern Poker Championship

I am in Destin, FL on a 2009 Sales Kickoff meeting at Sandestin. I am really enjoying my new job, but it has been cutting in on my poker playing. Bill and I made it to the Beau for 3 of the Main Event days. I played mostly cash as the 2nd chance tournaments were ending pass 3-4am...some longer. I was able to book a winner over the two days...Then I got sick. Sinus Infection...Oh it sucked!!!. I was sick...but not running fever/flu like sick...just my sinuses. Well for everyone that has played in that cash game where there is the person there with the handkerchief that keeps on sneezing...runny nose...getting germs all over the cards and chips...you guys remember those people? That was knuckle head GeneD. I felt like such an ass.

I actually got it from a good source that Tyler Smith was coming down with a bug on day 2. He thought about going to the doctor/hospital to get a shot...but he started to feel better. Well, I didn't start to feel better. I had to go to the Doctor and got a shot and a Z-Pac...all is good. Of course, the Doctor was kind of cocky, but hey...most Doctors are.

I played last night in the IP nightly as they did not have a tourney at the Beau. There were 3 tables and the blinds got to 200-400 and I had $4100.00 in chips (10 BB's) out of $5000.00...and run Kings into Aces...See ya. I was able to get in a good cash game last night at the Beau though. I got in a 1-2nl game with $250.00 and cashed in at $435.00. I heard last night that Tunica is PACKED...not a hotel room to be had. Thats kind of strange since last year they had such a low turn-out.

What else is up?...Oh yea...Bill, "Sheet Metal" Phillip and I ate dinner together one night and talked poker afterwards...I really enjoyed our conversation. We talked poker for almost an hour after we stopped eating.

Pokerroad radio...I listened to the 5 episodes they had while at the PCA and I have a couple of comments:

-I got to listen to the episode on the previous tournament where they interviewed Ali Nijad as the guest...I kind of like him a little more since I heard the interview. The guy has come up through the "Grind", and overcame some personal tragedies. I was pretty impressed with guy. I guess I was so use to the other host...and he came on so strong at first...I don't know. ANYHOW...Ali gets a thumbs up!!

-I am also very impressed with Cort Harrington and Jimmy "Gobboboy" Fricke. They seem to be the "Even Keel" of the show that keep Gavin/JoeS/Ali in check. Neither drinks or parties and all of their commentary/hand analysis is spot on... good stuff.

I am heading to Vegas on Feb 2nd to play in the opening days of the Venetian Deep Stack...probably 3 Deep Stack events. I will be staked in these events, and I am really looking forward to going. I hope I can win my backer some money.

Online...I am still trying to get my new PC up and running with all my software...I hate Microsoft Vista...Oh well...

"I have an M.D. from Harvard, I am board certified in cardio-thoracic medicine and trauma surgery, I have been awarded citations from seven different medical boards in New England, and I am never, ever sick at sea. So I ask you; when someone goes into that chapel and they fall on their knees and they pray to God that their wife doesn't miscarry or that their daughter doesn't bleed to death or that their mother doesn't suffer acute neural trama from postoperative shock, who do you think they're praying to? Now, go ahead and read your Bible, ...Dennis..., and you go to your church, and, with any luck, you might win the annual raffle, but if you're looking for God, he was in operating room number two on November 17, and he doesn't like to be second guessed. You ask me if I have a God complex. Let me tell you something: I am God" Alec Baldwin as Jed in "Malice"

First Blog of 2009

I have been busy with my new job lately, so I haven't been doing much blogging. I made it to Biloxi to go check out the Southern Poker Championship, but the nooner was a Omaha 8 or Better. I went over to the IP and got in the nooner there for $120.00. Wound up being a 3 table tournament, and I got knocked out right out the money. I went back to the Beau to play some cash and got seated in a 1-2 game. The first hand I get is AcAs. The guy in the 3 seat that I have seen around the circuit events raises to $25.00 from UTG. I raised it to $70.00 and he re-pops me to $150.00...and I shove in my $250.00 that I started...and he goes in the tank. He stares at me and I stare back, and he finally mucks QQ face up. I flash one of the Aces, and then fire them both in the muck. From here...this guys continues to stare me down in between hands. It was kind of creepy as as the cards would come out, we would look at our cards...etc, but everytime we both mucked our cards...we would meet eyes...and a staring contest ensued. It was weird. Finally I picked up my small profit and cashed out. I cashed in for $375.

I was a little pissed that I did not get to spend more time there. I plan on trying to get back before it ends, but I think it wont be until the M.E starts. I will probably try to play some 2nd chance tournaments.

I went check out the Amelia Belle last Monday as I heard they had a freeze out tournament for $55.00. I was also told to get there early. I played LAG early, and I was able to get chipped up quick. Just when someone decided to look me up...I had a big hand. I wound up going out a disappointing 3rd place out of 40...small profit.

We had a tourney Sat. afternoon for a final table seat for the satellite that WB runs every year. We had it at SPR's house, and I really had some fun. Goondingy came down and gave everyone hell early as he was one of the first to chip up. Thats a little scary...Goondingy with chips. The table could open up pretty fast. I think he got 3rd. Congrats to Derrick for taking down the tournament. Good Luck this weekend.

I think I have been playing pretty well the last couple of weeks, I just have to find more time to play.

"I'm going to paraphrase Thoreau here... rather than love, than money, than faith, than fame, than fairness... give me truth". Emile Hirch as Chris MaCandless in "Into the Wild"