Biloxi...Shreveport...and "The Grand"

My frustration with my tournament game continues, going deep for squadouche, as I made the final table in both tourneys I played last weekend in Biloxi...to come up empty handed. I came in 8th in one where I got my money in good. I called a min raise to 4000 from the sb (Maniac dude that looked like Big Paulie on Orange County Choppers) when the blinds were 1000-2000 with me having 17.5 k to start the hand with 8-10h. The flop comes 8d4s2h...He checks...I shove...he snap calls with A-Jo...you know the drill. The 2nd one I came in 9th where I jam with A-10o with 14 bbs left and the BB wakes up with AK...thats a wrap. A very frustrating weekend and it made me start to break down my game more as I feel I may be tightening up at times where I should shift gears to LAG. I am told that Harrington says that if you continue to get through fields and get close...don't get discouraged that your playing good tournament poker...Thats easy for him to say

I started to play some chess again online to game up on something else besides poker, and I need to start playing pool again. Chess is such a fun game, and chess and pool have alot of the same strategies...you can sacrifice some of your pieces to save others...playing defense...and waiting for your opening to get in line and get out.

I was able to catch the poker movie "The Grand" on showtime this month...absolutely hilarious. Even my wife liked as I had to hear, "Oh shit...not another damn Poker movie" when she walked in...but she liked it and laughed. It is a must see for any serious poker player. I am going to break down some of the Characters as I saw it because there is so much reference to real players that we all love and hate. (Spoiler Alert...I will try not give too much of the movie away)

One Eyed Jack Faro: Played by Woody Harrelson and is portrayed as a cross between Stuey Unger and the hard parting with one of the Binions...either Jack or Becky's son Benny as his Grandfather started Las Vegas with the Casino called the Rabbits Foot...its hilarious as the show starts out with someone coming check him out of rehab...where he was living permanently. His famous quote, "Yes...I did get kicked out of my own Casino". He also is called "One Eye" because in pressure situations, instead of putting on sunglasses to throw off his opponents, he puts on an eye patch....or... it was because he was always loaded and used the patch to correct his cross-eyedness from the drugs and alcohol.

Lainie and Larry Shwartzman: The brother sister team here...I wonder who they could be portraying? David Cross plays Larry and Larry David's wife on his HBO special plays Lainie...and shes a dead ringer for our favorite Celebrity Apprentice. She even has the braided hair that Annie Rocks now and then. Shes the poker playing Mom thats married to Ray Ramano. Her brother Larry also has some poker brat rolled into his persona ...imagine that ....a cross between Lederer and the Poker Brat. Gabe "Mr. Kooootteeerrrr" Kaplain plays their Dad.

Duece Fairbacks: Played by Dennis Ferina, is the old timer that hates all this new crap and hijinks that comes with game. Think Doyle/Dewey Tomko/Sam Grizzle all rolled into one. Cruises around on one of those little carts like Doyle and plays poker because he loves the game of poker...period.

Harold Melvin: is the Math guy in the movie. Think all of the online math guys rolled into one...he also lives and is taken care of by his mom. The camera crew goes to his house to talk to his mom ...ala Daniel Negreanu. He would say things at the table to the other like, "Your a bad player because thats a Jack high flop and you just moved all in with AK or AQ and I have pocket tens so your a 75-25 dog...I call" (Not quoted word for word...but you get the picture)

Andy Andrew: the famous online qualifier with the all the party poker gear. Obviously, think Moneymaker and Raymer rolled into one. He claimed to have never played poker before, but was on the internet searching for "Fireplace Pokers"...and stumbled upon PartyPoker...and just started playing.

Word has it that the director, Zac Penn, let the final table happen as the "Cards Layed". They final table was played for real and whoever won...just won...no script

I just got back from Shreveport where I beat the cash games every night I was there at the "Hell-derado". I played well, and didn't have many big decisions to make. Actually, there were 3 times I tanked-folded and made good lay downs...and all three times my opponents showed me their hole cards and I was beat. Twice I had 2 pair against a set and straight...and the third time I layed down top-top...and the guy showed me 2 pair.

I am looking forward to the Harrahs event coming up. I have some buddies coming into town from "Hotlanta"...He won 4th for 12k in Tunica recently...also got an e-mail from Big Dan...hes suppose to come down also. Also looking to play some tourneys...trying to get out of make-up with my backer and win enough money to get to the WSOP with SPR and Parf in June.

Random Thoughts:

-R.I.P...Justin Shronk and Casey Reese

-Random bumper sticker: "Don't be a Communist American...be a True Texan...Support Succession"

Drive time listening on my IPOD:
-The Poker Beat...I love the "Insider"...everyone knows its the Bear...but its still funny when he puts them in their place
-NWP Poker Radio with "Fiery Justice" and another show with "The Maven"...This kid "The Maven" and his roommate "Bodog Ari" ...are animals...pure and simple. You can see their poker dojo in the newest version of BLUFF...The Kid has ...three 30' monitors to play on and a 24' for his lobbys...11 other work stations around the house. Big Screen so people can sit in the leather couches with head phones on and watch and learn...this show was good. The "Fiery Justice" show turns into a dumpster fire at some point

-Saw an ESPN show on Pat Tillman...pure heart...the guy was driven by morals, values and creeds that he believed in pedal to the metal...a true hero in every sense of the word

"Life has a way of making the foreseeable... that which never happens... and the unforeseeable that which your life becomes" Viggo Mortensen as Everitt Hitch in "Appaloosa"