Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays

Wanted to throw up a quick blog to say Happy Holidays to everyone. I have been enjoying the holidays lately and I haven't blogged recently. This one will probably be a little choppy also...Sorry about that

Bayou Poker Classic at Harrah's recently...I enjoyed the series and booked a winner overall in the series. It started out great with me winning my seat into the Main Event the 1st night on the 1st satellite try...and when I left you guys last...I was heading over to play day 2 in Event #1. I would finish 12th place in that event taking home $1160.00...There is a typo on the Internet as they have me cashing for $800 and some change...Nolan Dalla told me it would be fixed soon.

My backer was with me when I cashed out , but you can see where this can bring up some possible "Shadynest"...When your being backed in a tournament and your backers not there/with you...and the amount posted online is incorrect...it just makes things more prone for dis-honesty...like I said...no biggie my way...but I wish they would be a little more careful in the future about posting the winnings correctly the 1st time.

This brings me to this years main Event...$2600 buy-in...1st place was around $66k. I started with a sick table as there were only 2 spots I did not know...seat 1 had "Cash Game" Buddy....local electrician who I have been playing with since the NL game kicked of in New Orleans years ago as a 5-5 game..."B" Vu in the 2nd seat...Local Houma Attorney Baron Whipple in 3...me in 4 seat...5 and 6 were "No Namers"...Bryan “maravich” Lanoix in 7....and John "JRD" Dolan in the 8 seat (recent 2010 WSOP final tabelist to you non-poker players).

So 1st off...you notice that there are only 8 seats...that's because Tournament Director Steve Frezer decided to run the entire Main Event "8 handed". Now I am curious what every body's thoughts are here...and will tell you what happened at my table. I am told by Steve (we are friends/I think he runs great tourneys/no criticism here)...that he got lots of good feedback.

My thoughts are on the fence and just to make this "real"...Steve did ask me my opinion on the move and we discussed it in depth for 15-20 minutes (just he and I) ...during day 2. He is such a great tourney director because he listens to what the players think...and adapts. He was interested in my story...and we talked for awhile ....etc

1st off...JRD shows up pretty late...not long after he gets there..."B" Vu loses all his chips to JRD...so we are/were essentially...playing 7 handed...and then the floor seats a guy in "B"'s old seat (last guy to get in the tourney)...and he decides to go check into his hotel and just blind off. At this point, players were getting bumped out and there are a bunch of tables playing 7 handed...when we lose guy in seat 6...putting my table also "officially" 7 handed

Now we are in the 3rd-4th level of play and there is chips being blinded out in the 2 seat so we are "Officially" 7 handed....but this guy did not show up for another whole level.

So ...in the mid-early levels of this tournament...we have to play the entire level ...6 handed (6 players and 1 guy blinding out)...Steve was surprised by this and we agreed that I was just a "Victim of Circumstances"...and that it just "happened"...but that's not what I had signed up for.
The only other issue I had with it was that it was never "announced"...on paper....no flyers...not on any structure sheets....nothing. In fact, I specifically asked the floor person closest to my table, "Can you show me on paper where it says we are going to play the main event 8 handed?"...she replied, "No sir...the Tourney Director just decided this was how he was going to roll on this one".

I would really like some comments here...please post up what your thoughts are. Like I said...Steve is all about "Learning and Adapting"...if someone post up their opinion...he will take it to heart/serious.

Well...I did not cash in the Main Event and was not "overall" please with my play. I did give give most of my chips to a friend...but I didn't like the way I played the hand. I was UTG with KK ...and raise with the bb at $400 ...to $1000 straight. The blinds came along with Baron Whipple on my right in the 3 seat. The flop peeled off 10-5-3...I c-bet and he popped me (Red flags should be slapping me in the face here)....I flatted his raise...he leads on the turn and I call...he makes a nice bet on the river ...and I donk off/call as he flopped a set of 3's.

I was more upset with myself because it was against a player I play with soooooo often and somewhat know how he plays...but I was also happy about it as ...at least I gave my chips to someone I know and gave them a boost towards winning the thing. Baron and I spoke last week at the Beau Rivage...we agreed that the call on the turn was "sketchy"...the river call was terrible. I could have folded on the river and still been sitting with 10-11 bbs. Playing short stacked is one of my strong points and I didn't even get to implement that portion of my game. After the hand with Baron, I was left with just a few bigs...I got it all in 2 hands later with K-Jo...that's a wrap.

What else is going on...we did Christmas with the families and I ate the best "Gumbo's" of my life. Julie's grandma makes an Oyster Gumbo every year and it is the best...it rocks. The key to her gumbo is she uses Oyster juice ...yea...you can order a tub of Oyster juice from the factories down here and that is the key ingredient...My Mom/Dad made a Seafood gumbo for Christmas eve at my brother James' house and it was made in the same manner...They also used Oyster juice and my Dad said, "Not one drop of water was used in the Gumbo...it was all Oyster juice"...damn that Seafood Gumbo was good. I am eating the last of it tonight for dinner. For you cooks out there...Oyster Juice is the key ingredient in any Oyster based Gumbos...you heard it hear.

I want to give a quick shout out to my Brother James' website he owns called "Extreme Mob Wars"...you can get there here...http://www.extrememobwars.com/ ...its a money based game and you can win/lose real money on the game...its pretty cool.

What else has been going on...lets see

-I watched a couple of movies over the holidays and the best movie I saw so far was "The Town" by Ben Affleck. It is a cool Bank Robbery movie right up there with "Point Break" and "Heat"...excellent movie if you haven't seen it yet. We also watched "Inception" with Leo DiCaprio...it was cool also with a cool premise of them getting into people's dreams. I dream alot in my sleep and it really makes you think about and analyze your dreams...you may want to check this one out also. Big "No-No"... "The Box" with Cameron Diaz...probably one of the stupidest movies I have ever seen...Terriable...it sucked...I was kind of pissed when it was over because it never tied anything together ...nothing at all...skip it.

-The wife and I are still looking at houses and its getting a little boring...we just can't seem to find a house we like. We have looked at probably 15-20 house in the month of December and we cant seem to find one we want to pull the trigger on. We have made "offers" on several houses...people just seem to think their houses are worth more than they are around here.

-I am now "Officially" employed by Earthlink Business as the M&A (Mergers and Acquisitions) activity is over with the buy out of my company...I think overall...I am in a good spot...Now...Earthlink has just decided to buy a new company that will make us one of the biggest CLEC's (Competitive Local Exchange Carriers) in our industry...hopefully things will stable out in the next 6 months.

Hope 2011 brings lots of good things to us all...as well as the website and magazine...we are getting ramped up to do our "Yearbook" issue of the magazine...look for it soon.

"What is the most resilient parasite? Bacteria? A virus? An intestinal worm?...No...Its an idea. Resilient... highly contagious. Once an idea has taken hold of the brain it's almost impossible to eradicate. An idea that is fully formed - fully understood - that sticks; right in there somewhere"
Leo Dicaprio as Cobb in "Inception"

Running Good...and quote of the week..."OK...See youll in Vaegas"

Ok...it feels good

I am currently in the Hotel throwing up a quick blog before I head down to Harrahs to play the 2nd day of the 1st event at the Bayou Poker Challenge. I am sitting with $79.9k which is right below avg. Average is somewhere around $85k-ish. 1st place is $13,000...were already busted the bubble.

I also won my seat intot the main event in the opening night Mega...so I will among the players next week in the $2600 Main Event.

I am going to post something up quick...but I want to tell that story about the quote in the heading. The mega was paying out 3 seats to the main and a little cash ($750ish)...and we finally "get there"...we have 3 winners. There is this kid that was playing very...well..."Unconventional" as they say and I had a read on him that he was not that experienced. In fact...i was worried about him because you never know where those kinds of players are. Well 3 of us win our seats...I was sweated by SPR and Parfait and we were all waiting around to do the paperwork...etc. They put the names on the sheet and the kid steps up...signs for his $2600 main event seat that starts next weekend and says ..."OK...See you'll in vegas"...WTF...what kind of comment was that????

Several of us all look at each other in bewilderment and finally I say, "Hey man...what do you mean Vegas...I will see you this Friday when we play in this tournament"...kid looks confused...looks back at his dad...looks back ...and says, "What do you mean next Friday...I can't play next Friday?"..."This s not for the big tournament in Vegas next year?

WOW...come to find out the kid thought he was playing for a seat into "The Show"...the WSOP 2011 Main Event...AND...he already had a snow skiing vacation booked for months leaving out this Wednesday...he can't play the Main Event...we are all stunned...

Let this be a lesson for anyone who ever complains about "Sweating" your buddies...While I was doing my paperwork by the desk...One of my buddy's that was there sweating me immediately capitalized and started negotiating...and got him a seat for $1k...nice hand/well played Parfait.

Well...I am heading over there now...I have been playing above the rim...and getting the necessary rolls to pull one of these off...I will end with some comments below:

-I did double up yesterday when my Kings cracked Aces...we were both the 2 CL on the table. I spiked a King on the flop...he turned a royal flush draw on the turn...I rivered the 4th king for quads...gross game we play folks...gross.

-Shout out to Kevin Cooper from Lafayette, La...he won one of these events a few years ago.
He made a sick read on me on the river on a 7-4-7--2--9. He raised pre with A-Qo...I flatted as did 2 other players with A-Kc. ...we checked the turn...he knuckles on river...I fire out $5kish into a $8-9k pot...he tank/calls ...I say "Ace High"...he turns over his cards and says, "With a Queen Kicker"...I table my cards, "With a King Kicker"...nice read...he knew I had nothing...but my air was better than his air.

-Another quote I heard recently...his one from Tim "missippimachine" Burt in Biloxi at the IP when we were on the bubble. Some guy was fuming and complaining because somewhat had sucked out on him...Tim was trying to get the guy to stop whining...3 hands later they get it in and Tim has him crushed...the guy sucks out and knocks Tim out the tournament.

They start jawing and Tim final quote was, "Sir...look...all I can do is get my money in good...I can't control miracles"...we all cracked up...nice hand sir...well played Tim.

Gotta go do some work

IP Circuit Event...1st take

We got to the IP last week to kick off the circuit event and Bill and I immediately jump into this "Super Satellite" for $245 that pays out $2000.00. It looks like a good event and I like my table draw until 4-5th hand...I river 2nd nut flush on the river to the nuts. On a board of AcKc5c-7h-3c...I have 10hJc...villain has the Qc. Oh well...then I look down and I have 11bbs...Yikes!!!

One of my pet peeves is players getting into tournaments and not understanding what they bought into...Here...I had not looked at the structure or probably would not have played. This segways me into a story from the Isle of Capri several months back when we are playing the shootout event...and midway thru the 3rd level there is a big uproar at one of the other tables as there were 2 gentleman that were pissed that the tournament was not a freeze-out. They were pissed at the staff/casino because they bought into a poker tournament and were not told what the structure/type of tournament it was...Can you believe that?...I was stunned. These people paid money to get into a tournament...and had no idea what it was...could a been Mexican sweat for all they knew...lol.

Congrats to Wild Bill for Cracking that Satellite and getting paid...nice job.

I got back on the coast yesterday to do some work, and was able to get into the 4pm $235 NLHE event. I felt I played really well and was able to take home 5th place...although I feel I played my bustout hand bad. I was very comfortable in my position at the table as well as the players...I just got over zealous and aggressive and got pinched.

I was sitting with UTG with with right at 7-8 bigs when i look down at A-Qo. Do I limp?...no. Do I min-raise?...no. I ship in the 7-8bigs and the big stack wakes up with Kings...I am told by most of my poker buddies that its a automatic play. I just felt I didn't have to ship in ALL my chips there...I could have limped/folded to the Kings if the guys shoves...etc.

A couple of things about this tournament:

-There was no chop...and it was never really discussed than a few people laughing about it. The Finnish player with the CL (Who won) made it clear he was there to win. I really didnt understand how that could change your thinking and mindframe ...until you think about it. Just the fact of not having that "little variable" bouncing around in my head made me play better. I was focused just on winning...probably could have have held out and got 4th...but if I double up there with my bustout hand...I would be dangerous.

-The way they run the "Hand for Hand" situation is a little different also. I think this is a PTC rule (Poker Tourney Consultants)...that there is no "Hand for Hand"...its "Round for Round".

So we are are on the bubble and we go "Round for Round"...the button is put in a "Certain" seat and the dealing begins. 13th/12th/11th all got knocked out in the "Round"...they all split the prize pool 12th and 11th...no matter when they get knocked out. So ...you get knocked out the 1st hand in the "Round for Round" and they pay 12 players...and they are 12 left...You are the "Bubble Boy" finishing 13th... You get to hang out for the rest of the "Round"...because if someone else gets knocked out...you'll split the 12th place money...very strange.

Got to see Monkey win his 1st ring also...good stuff...he was a happy camper...and we enjoyed a really cool dinner at Tien last week. Me...Senor Monk...a local Australian guy that reads the site/blogs that actually took a huge pot off of me in that Super Satellite (sorry buddy...I forgot your name)...and one "California". There was this Accountant there from Cali that visits the Coast on businesses several times a month...and she was "Steaming Hot"...we all had a great time...good food and good conversations. Monk loved his "Kung Fu Girl" Riesling...no seriously...check it out here KUNG FU GIRL

Master Po: [after easily defeating the boy in combat] Never assume because a man has no eyes he cannot see. Close your eyes. What do you hear?
Young Caine: I hear the water, I hear the birds.
Master Po: Do you hear your own heartbeat?
Young Caine: No.
Master Po: Do you hear the grasshopper that is at your feet?
Young Caine: [looking down and seeing the insect] Old man, how is it that you hear these things? Master Po: Young man, how is it that you do not?

Finally...a Vacation!!!

Life is good…(Typed last weekend...It did not post up)

I am currently on Vacation with the family in Gulf Shores enjoying a good long weekend at the beach. We really need this to unplug and get away for awhile. We are on a secluded private beach staying in a condo at a Resort called The Plantation. We are staying in the newest building called Plantation Palms…and we are really having a great time.

I have been extremely busy lately with the day job, and trying to come up for air on the blog. I have been neglecting my blog and I want to start being more regular with my thoughts and comments. Hopefully it will be more about Poker (and winning)...but I just want to be more regular. This blog does help me to "unwind" a little also

I want to really give this Resort a plug as it wound up being beyond our expectations. My personal favorite here…hot tubs that stay at 104 degrees (Most places…especially Vegas are sooooo scared of law suits…they keep the hot tubs at 100-101)…Wooden steam saunas…and a full blown wet Steam Room. We are overlooking the beach which is about 60 yards away, and there are numerous outdoor pools and hot tubs...as well as an indoor heated pool. I cannot tell you how much we enjoyed these few days away. The price was pretty sweet also although I did bluff them when I made the reservations, “Well …that sounds like a good price…but what about the tar balls and oil spill…etc”…we got a gooooood deal.

Day one: Get here and immediately head to the beach. It felt nice to get some sand between my toes again. We went to the store to stock the condo and we finally got Ivey to sleep. The wife and I sit on the 5th floor balcony enjoying the beautiful weather while we enjoy some Kendall Jackson…by the 2nd bottle…with me enjoying a nice cigar...we were solving all the worlds problems.

Day two: wake up early and hit the steam rooms and hot tubs. What a great way to wake up. We hung on the beach/by the pools all day and then we took little man to his 1st rock concert…Bon Jovi on the beach in Gulf Shores…at 11 months old he was fist pumping to “Wanted Dead or Alive” while his daddy was holding him…good stuff.

I was told that years ago…when I was about that age…that I was left with my Grandparents…and somehow wound up with my Uncles. They were going to see Ted Nugent in an outdoors concert at the Southland Dragstrip in Houma. (Yea…there was a Dragstrip in Houma, La at one time)…and they took me along for the ride and put me on their shoulders. So the story goes that I saw Ted Nugent when I was about 1 years old…

Sidenote: RIP …Paul Dudek…we miss you terribly

Day 3...beach/pool...enough said

So we had a great time and Ivey enjoyed every moment of it. Most of the "Locals" were older folks so is was quiet...noone "Protecting their beach" or anything...LOL

Work is crazy. My company was involved in some M&A activity…and we were purchased by Earthlink. Lots of uncertainty…but lots of opportunity also. I was summoned to Atlanta a few weeks ago to do my Quarterly Review in front of the executives. I was a “Ball of Nerves”…but I think I did well.

Shout out to Dan Walsh who joined me for one of the best meals I have head in some time. We went to one of those Brazilian Barbeque places in Buckhead…all you can eat. WOW was it good. Some of the best food I have had in a looooong time…good food …and good company.

So what about Poker? I have been playing some…but not nearly enough. My online time management has went in the crapper. I haven’t played an MTT online in a month or so. I played a few live nightly events last time I was in Biloxi at the Beau.

For 3 nights straight…Donk out of my tournament being super/over aggressive LAG…to win my entry/money back in the cash games after the tourney….wash…rinse…repeat.

Hands go something like …I push around the table for the 1st 3-4 levels…then on a K-Q-4 rainbow board…reading the guy to have something like 8-8 or 9-9…I four bet shove with A-K…and old dude tank-calls with a set of 4’s…are you serious?...you have to tank on that board with a set in the $100 nightly at the Beau?...after I three bet pre and you were the only one to come along?

I stayed at the Hard Rock...again...great accommodations. I just cant get enough of that place and the Multi-Showerheads...the beds...good place. The 1-2 cash game was good the whole time I was there also.

Anyhow…what else is happening…will go “ramble” style from here

-The 1st thing Ivey learned on his vacation…sand taste bad…Yuk

-I see Spade Club went donk-down…The Shulman’s must be hating it. I read in a magazine Barry says, “Sometimes in a hand…you just have to fold”…GL anyone trying to run an Internet based “Club/Private” poker online site. If the Shulman’s cant pull it off…then who can?

-I saw in the Poker Brats column in one of the Cardplayer Mags where PB gives a detailed explanation in parenthesis (__) …several sentences… of what a “C-Bet” is as well as “Floating”. WOW…come on Phil…the only thing I can think of is you have to produce so many words for your articles and you needed “Filler”.

-Liv Boree jumping from UB to Stars…does the phrase “No Brainer” pop into anyone’s mind here?

-The 2nd thing Ivey learned on vacation…Bon Jovi ROCKS!!!!

-Congrats to my buddy Adam Ross from the ATL who just snapped off a $500 buy in at the Canterbury Fall Classic for over 20 large….niiiiiicccccceeeee…GG…WP.
Adam and I worked together in Telecom years ago.

-Hope our Magazine Editor and friend John Price has a safe surgery.

-The wife and I have still not found a house…we do have a few in the crosshairs though

"Okay. I get it. This is where you tell me that "locals rule", and that Yuppie insects like me shouldn't be surfing the break, right?" Keanu Reeves as Johnny Utah in "Point Break"

Ivey walking...

This was filmed recently...His daddy's some proud...big file

Back from the Beau...

Got back from the Beau early this week,and I couldn't make it back over there as we had to Baptize Ivey this week. The Baptism had been planned for some time, so I didn't even get to play in any of the Mega's. I cashed in a tourney and ran well in the cash game for an overall nice score on the 3 days I was there. I may head there tommorrow night and catch the Final Table on Tuesday...especially if Jon Little/Monk/Kai/Ricky King...or any of the other locals make it that far. I had heard that Tyler was already donk down...and none of the other regulars made the trip. If its a "Friends and Family" FT...I probably will head west.

I was able to get in a $340 donkament and would wind up min-cashing +1 for $740. I went out 18th right behind Clint Shafer...in fact...I looked down at 8-8 with 5 1/2 bbs left and we were going to have to re-draw. There was some question about whether Clint and I would split the pay jump since it was the same hand...but the ruling was that he had already landed in 19th...I called and slammed into 99. That's a wrap...

I want to talk about a few hands I witnessed. The overall play of the tournament I witnessed was sub-par...at best. I play in a lot of the low level MTT's online($2.20 to $25.00)...and you don't see many mistakes...here...I saw them almost every hand that went to showdown.

The 1st hand I want to discuss there was chatter after the hand...and a local older player from Biloxi most of my regular know... "Fedora Bert" and I discussed the hand...and we took opposite sides of the "chatter". I respect Bert's game, and I am not trying to be critical of his play...this hand just exemplifies the "Older players vs Newer-Online Players" mentality...Bert was involved in the hand...and played out below...but let me set the stage a little 1st.

Bert is 2 to my right and there is an older gentleman I have played with that is very nice and chatty on my left. The kid on my direct right with a Okl Sooners hat on(between me and Bert) had one of his buddies walk up and say , "Dude...I just won my seat in a SNG...im in the tourney"...to which our "Oky" buddy say, "Cool...I won my seat last night"....Hmmmmmm...I immediately put the kid on "newbie...recreational" player.

I am almost positive (but could be wrong) that Bert was in SB and Oky was in BB...we are in the 1st round of the tourney...maybe 15-20 hands in deep (25-50 blinds) and everyone folds to Bert who completes...Kid raises 3x...Bert calls...they see the flop of K-Q-7 with 2 spades. Bert leads out for about 1/2 the pot...Kid raises...Bert calls. The turn brings another K. Bert knuckles...Kid Open Shoves...Bert snap calls...Kid Q-Q...Bert K-Q...our young Oky friend says his goodbyes to the table and walks away saying , "Theres nothing I could do?"...shaking his head.

That is wear the disagreement started...I seem to think there is something the kid could have done and said, "I don't like the way he played the hand...I wouldn't go busted there", to which Bert was adamant about, "No way...I am getting it in right there...no question....I have a Queen high full-house...I am getting it in there". There was a guy at the table that asks me, "You fold a queen high full-house there?"...I answer..."I don't know if I ever would have folded there, but I hate the open shove... when Bert calls my raise on the flop his range tightens...I know he has a good hand and KQ/KK/K7 are all in that range...so Bert checks the turn...I check...Bert value bets the river and I call...I lose the hand...and still have plenty of chips to play....we are in the 1st round of a tournament"...Bert stays adamant...not sure if he was just doing a mis-direction or not...but he says he sticks it all in there.

The 2nd and 3rd hand will be a little quicker analysis...but I believe this gives you readers a basic understanding of what the play was like. We are several levels into the tournament at this point and the blinds were 25/150/300. There is a pre-flop min raise and 5 callers. There is a guy OTB with around 17k...50 bb range. The flop hits the board J-J-5 rainbow...lead out....raise....OTB 3 bet snap shoves....gets called by the BB. They table their hands and OTB tables J-10...he is also saying while walking away from the table talking to himself, "what can I do...I flopped a set" as the BB tables J-5. Yeaaaaaaaaa. 1st off buddy ...you did not flop a set...you flopped 3 of a kind...2nd of all...the 10 was not the greatest kicker...and to shove 50 bbs into that pot/situation was not good.

The 3rd hand was from the final table in the tourney I played...yea...I was railing Juicy (Jason Lipscomb...GCP Blogger) and a couple of other people I new when the guy in the 1 seat got crushed and was down to fumes (sorry about this Peter). The 1 seat was in the sb...and had just a few chips left...a player open shoved a medium-small stack with 6-6...and got called before it went to the blinds...of course the sb folded...and the player went busted....the 1 seat moved up a pay grade and pocketed an extra $800 or so...he went out 3 hands later.

I am just checking out Brian Hepinstall's updates on the Beau facebook page and they are on Dinner break. If Jon Little/Monkey/Kai make the FT...I will probably head that way to sweat.

Going bullet points from here:

-Ben "The Destroyer" Mintz showed up at my table 4 hands after the hand Bert above...It was good to see and chat with you Ben...take care

-I was able to score a suite at the Beau (no offense...nice...but not as nice as Hard Rock/IP...although it was 2 full rooms as the IP was just one room with the couch)...and shared it both nights...once with Brian Hepinstall and the next night with the "Tiltin Texan"...Jason "Tex" Henderson.

-We apologize about the news feed updates on the site...seems we having "Technical Difficulties" with the hosting company again...sighhhhhhhhh...their working on it.

-We should have the next issue of the Magazine out soon...we are finalizing the advertising.

-We baptized Ivey today...he is officially a Catholic

-Entourage is not on tonight ...bummer...but Swamp People are on....Hahahahaha...lets just over sensationalise being a coonass

-I killed it at work this month...finally getting some traction

-You want to check out a cool video...go to cardplayer and checkout Haralabos Voulgaris pad...Haralbob is cool as shit...and his pad is even cooler

"I subscribe to the law of contrary public opinion... If everyone thinks one thing, then I say, bet the other way... " Al Pacino as Ricky Roma in Glen Gary Glenross

Finally...some Poker

Have been playing some poker lately and doing pretty well...I have been traveling with my job and have been able to find a game/tourney while on the road. I try to stay in the Casinos while I travel as it saves my company some money as I usually get the "poker rate" at the Casinos.

So my 1st stop a few weeks ago was in Vicksburg, MS ...where I felt like I "Fell down the Rabbit Hole" in the poker room at the Ameristar. The last time I was in Vicksburg, the only poker room they had was at The Horizon. The Ameristar opened up their room a year ago...and the Horizon shut down their room...nice.

I showed up with the latest edition of the magazine and immediately put a "Target" on my back. The funny part was...I had the same clothes on that day as the picture of me in my article...exact same outfit...Same GCP hat and all. It was somewhat "Cheesy".

The 1-3nl game jumps off at 6pm and we fill the table rather quick. The 2 young guys on my left are regulars, and we immediately struck up a bullshit conversation...then the Chaos ensued. It has been quite a while since I saw a game unfold like this table did...you guys know the games...where you see the worst play in the world but the donkfish are stacking the chips. Every single terrible play I saw...the idiot's hand would get there...and rake the pot. It was Brutal. Even the 2 regulars on my left were stunned at the play. I asked eventually,"Guys...is this game always this good?"...they replied "Negative...this is a crazy for here"...on a Tuesday night at that.

This is how my night started out...Big Cocky Guy (a regular...think his name was Morie) raises to $10 from EP...2 callers and I looked down at A-Ko from Hi-Jack...pop it to $25...Morie is the only Flatter. Flops rips out Qh9d3s....Morie knuckles...I C-Bet...he shoves...I snap fold...he starts laughing and turns over 5-9o and rubs it in, "You'll see that right...thats how you play against A-K...thats how you do it"...I say,"It wouldn't have been a terrible call if I did call you there"...then he says,"What was that sir"...then he leans over on the floor as grabs one of the our Magazines that he had stashed and says, "Why dont you come over here and give me your autograph" being a smartass...I say, "Your funny dude...your a witty dude...you must be the local shortstop"...He looks a little bewildered as he doesn't get the analogy.

Bizarre Hand #1: New Donk sits in seat 4 and buys in for $300.00... and his 1st hand raises to $20...he gets 3-bet to $50.00 by some Old Tight Guy sitting with about the same stack...ND flats. Flop hits Jh9d2s...ND leads out for $75...OTG snap shoves...ND snap calls...OTD tables A-A...ND tables 9-7o...7 ball on the river for the win

Bizarre Hand #2: Another Donk I nicknamed "Here's Johnny" as he resembled Jack Nicholson in that psycho pose when he is coming threw the door...has announced to the table, "I am here to gamble...come and get it" when he sits down. An hour in he raises to $15 from MP...Button 3-bets to $45...BB 4-bets to $75...HJ says, "All right...Im tired of this shit"...and calls...as does the button...they see the flop 3 ways into a nice pot. The flop hits 10-5-2 rainbow...HJ open shoves around $250...both players behind call and he has them both covered. Button turns up QQ...BB turns up KK...HJ tables 8-2o...you now the drill, "8 ball...corner pocket" (in case any off you guys remember that old "8 Ball Deluxe" pinball machine)

I basically hand my "hands tied" after that...played super tight from then on...I was completely out of my game...and continued to see the same crap with the worst hand always...somehow getting there...I got in the game for $450...out with $365

From there I cruised on down the the coast to work with some of my agents and play some tournaments. Monday night Beau Donkament...Had Cobra Kai at my table the whole night almost. We do a save between us and Kai goes out 6th...I go out 4th for $490. I played one bad hand the whole night...my bustout hand. There was this older fellow who had the deck imprint solidly across his face...was hitting everything...on my left. Todd Adams from Houma was on my immediate left...and I had been abusing the blinds. I am 2nd in chips now OTB and try to steal the blinds again with A-2o...Big Stack wakes up from BB with 88...terrible. The only guy on the table that can stack me...and put my whole stack at risk. I played perfect poker and the one hand I played bad...was reeeaallll bad...embarrassing even.

To give the Beau a quick plug...Johnny and them are running some cool type of "Freeroll" special where you get the standard points for playing/cashing in the nightly...if you accumulate 20 points...you are in a Freeroll for a seal in the upcoming series Main Event...better hurry if you want to qualify.

Since I plugged the Hard Rock recently...I will go ahead and plug the IP here as well. I showed up late on Monday night after getting 4th in that tourney...and they put me in one of the new rooms on the 29th floor (The floor you have to put your key into the elevator to reach)...very nice room...nice carpet...and the bed was as soft and comfy as the Hard Rock suite. I even stayed an extra night and left me with the poker rate...pretty impressed.

Played a session at Harrah's Friday night and booked a nice win...doubled my money in a 1-2nl game...Nothing exciting...I read a magazine and played fundamental poker...never once had a hard decision...the couple of times I did go for my draws...I hit them...etc.

Congrats to Davey on hitting that Bad Beat Jackpot at the Isle of Capri recently...nice score

The wife and I are still looking for a new house...can't find anything we like...anybody know of a nice house in the 2200 sqft range..let me know...we are beyond tired of looking.

Just got this little green bear called "My Pal Scout" from the company Leap Frog...wow is this thing cool. You connect him to the computer with a USB port and you program him with all kinds of cool stuff about your child...when it turns on we hear, "I love you Ivey"...and you hit a button and it says..."My favorite food in Macaroni and Cheese...what about you Ivey"...it plays lullaby music at night...counts with him...the works...very cool.

We plan on being around the coast and the Beau Rivage for some of the upcoming events...see ya there. I will also be on the road with my job, so I will be hitting all the poker rooms on the Gulf Coast soon...I am gonna miss my son something fierce...but...gotta do it.

See below for a few pics of Ivey...one with his buddy Scout

"The slower we move the faster we die. Make no mistake, moving is living. Some animals were meant to carry each other to live symbiotically over a lifetime. Star crossed lovers, monogamous swans. We are not swans. We are sharks" George Clooney as Ryna in "Up in the Air"

Quick Ramble...

OK...Ok...when I get static from my little brother at my parents house during Sunday dinner about not updating my blog enough, I need to start rocking on this thing. I know I have said that many times also..."I will update it more regularly"...but sometimes I just get consumed with outside forces.

Sunday dinner at my parents: This has been kind of a main stay in me ...and all my siblings lives...us gathering at my my Mom and Dads for Sunday dinner (thats lunch to some of you folks...not sure why we call it dinner). Sometimes...this can be the best part of my week as I dont see my family as much as I should. I see them alot more that I did in my single days...but I need to get more engaged and not "Go off Radar" as much. You guys know how much my family means to me...and I just want to be there...and not miss anything.

My Birthday: I spent my birthday party in the Fench Quater with a bunch of friends as we celecbrated my birthday ...as well as Julie and my buddy Tim M. We are all born around each other and we celebrate our birthdays when/where Tim decides to have his party. We had fun.

The actual day of my birthday I was working and was on the Gulf Coast of Mississippi with work. I called my buddy Rhett who manages/deals at the Hard Rock and asked him if he could hook me up with the "Poker Rate" as I was coming into town...he said "No Problem". I told him it was my B-Day and he said he would see what he could do...I texted him my confermation number...and showed upto the nicest Hotel Room I have ever stayed in...ever. This suite was nicer than the one Julie and I stayed in for our Honeymoon at the Bellagio. 4 rooms...about 1200 sg ft...most comfortable beds...3 flat screens mounted around suite...etc. The coolest thing was the shower that was about 12' x 14' with 3 shower heads steaming up the room...two doors to get into this thing...One side is over looking the gulf...and 2 benches to sit in and chill. I spent 30 min in that f"er. I layed on the bench...had all the shower heads going with full steam...it was heaven...Rhett...YOU ARE THE MAN!!!!!

Me and Little Man Ivey: My wife is in New York at "Market" buying merchandise for her stores and it has been just me and little man since last Friday. I now love my wife even more that she knows becasue I got to see just how good of a Mom she is...the best. I have been absolutely running around with my "head cut off"...trying to keep everthing together. I knew she worked hard while I was on the road...but now I KNOW!!!

Little Man Ivey: OMG...I just cant believe how lucky I am that God blessed me with this child...he doesnt complain...doesnt cry much...he is not fussy...a great kid. He is finally slepping thru the night when it is just me and him...of course ...his Mom is going to be mad at me since I let him stay up until 10 - 10:30 pm :-)

Tyler Smith and his WPO Main Event Win/Chop: Wow Kid!!!...its your world brother...were just breathin its air.

Kenny Milam: Nice run Kenny...you have to like where your game is at right now...its only a matter of time before "Its your world".

Pokerstars: I have had several deep runs in some low limit MTTs...I just now ....while typing this...busted out of 2 MTTs on Stars with AK>AQ...all I can do is get it in good ...and get ready to laugh.

Gulf Coast Poker Magazine: Look for it out soon...we have been waiting (and hoping) that someone from the Gulf Coast was going to "Break Out" at this years WSOP...take a guess on who our cover boy will be?

John P...sorry to hear about your step dad...we are praying for you...

Stella Artois: Yep...enough said...


Pokerstars revisited: Sigggggghhhhhhhhhhhh


PokerStars Game #47684509989:
Tournament #296579208, $4.00+$0.40 USD Hold'em No Limit - Level XXVII (3000/6000) - 2010/08/04 0:44:07 ET
Table '296579208 80' 8-max Seat #5 is the button
Seat 1: Ratich (112939 in chips)
Seat 2: GCPGeneD (105878 in chips)
Seat 3: AVATARDED (102816 in chips)
Seat 4: BangRunnerTT (61415 in chips)
Seat 5: ewaaa666 (743344 in chips)
Seat 6: kdunlap (325105 in chips)
Seat 7: joaovaz7 (160040 in chips)
Ratich: posts the ante 750
GCPGeneD: posts the ante 750
AVATARDED: posts the ante 750
BangRunnerTT: posts the ante 750
ewaaa666: posts the ante 750
kdunlap: posts the ante 750
joaovaz7: posts the ante 750
kdunlap: posts small blind 3000
joaovaz7: posts big blind 6000
*** HOLE CARDS ***
Dealt to GCPGeneD [Ad Ah]
Ratich: raises 6000 to 12000
GCPGeneD: raises 24000 to 36000
AVATARDED: folds
BangRunnerTT: folds
ewaaa666: folds
kdunlap: folds
joaovaz7: folds
Ratich: calls 24000
*** FLOP *** [3s 3h Kc]
Ratich: bets 76189 and is all-in
GCPGeneD: calls 69128 and is all-in
Uncalled bet (7061) returned to Ratich
*** TURN *** [3s 3h Kc] [9s]
*** RIVER *** [3s 3h Kc 9s] [Kd]
*** SHOW DOWN ***
Ratich: shows [Kh Qc] (a full house, Kings full of Threes)
GCPGeneD: shows [Ad Ah] (two pair, Aces and Kings)
Ratich collected 224506 from pot
GCPGeneD finished the tournament in 14th place
and received $36.80

“Life is not the amount of breaths you take. It’s the moments that take your breath away” Will Smith as Alex “Hitch” Hitchens in "Hitch"

ONE TIME for the Gulf Coast...ONE TIME!!!

Wow...John Dolan has made the November 9!!

1st off: Congrats John!!!!! ...on making the November 9 as well as a great run all WSOP. We were all down here pulling for you and Gabe. For those not following the action last week, John came in somewhere in the bottom 5 of 27 people playing down to the final 9. I think he started with just over 2 million...and ended the day 2nd in chips going into the November final table with over 46 million.

John's poker savy-ness came to light when they got down to 10 players...and they were on the Final Table bubble. I cut and pasted a quote from Oskar Garcia below:

With a spot at the final table worth far more than the nearly $177,000 difference in prize money between 10th and 9th place, some players simply refuse to play their cards once the finalist sat the the 10 handed table....Others, like 24 year old John Dolan of Bonita Springs, FL, took advantage of the situation to pick up chips without a fight...Dolan began 10 handed play with 24.5 million, and less than 2 hours later had the 2nd biggest stack at the table with 46.3 million in chips

Thats what poker is about...adapting to your situation...getting a read on where you are...identifying opportunities...and taking advantage of the situation....There is no doubt that with the chips John has...he has to go into the Final Table the odds on favorite...we will see.

2nd: Gabe Costner...what a player...and what a nice run this WSOP 2010!!! You guys who follow my blog have read about my feelings on Gabe....all I can say is "Well Deserved Buddy...well deserved"...I think he is on the verge of taking that "next"step.

What have I been doing lately?...I had an interesting travel experience recently flying to Nashville for our "Quarterly Sales Review"...and I have been beating the local cash games...making some money but not getting rich.

I am going to start with this situation I think you guys will get a kick out of ...the "Planes-Trains and Automobiles" scenario nightmares we all face. We have all been there...just read some of Monkey's blogs about his travel hi-jinks...this one was interesting.

I am going thru the airport and I am at the metal detectors pulling out my laptop...taking off my shoes...watch ...etc. I reach in pockets and pull out a small pocket knife I forgot to leave in my truck. Not wanting to cause any delay/trouble...I immediately hand it to one of the Fed workers and explain, "Hey man...here you go...I forgot it in my pocket"...thinking I would alleviate any suspission...but....thats exactly what I got.

I am pulled on the side and into the holding area...all my carry on luggage is "thoroughly" searched while they scan me and frisk me. There is this one "mall cop wanna be" looking guy standing away staring at me ...as he goes thru my wallet and looks around. I comment to one of the friskers, "This is because of the knife?"...he responds "Yep...routine"...OK fair enough...They finish searching me and my luggage and MCWB walks over and circles me with a look on his face like the agents in "The Matrix"... I have a Magellan Sportsman Fishing Shirt on and one of my Gulf Coast Poker Hats....This conversation ensues:

MCWB: So...where you going?
Me: Nashville for work
MCWB: Where do you live? (He is holding my drivers license)
Me: Houma sir...
MCWB: Where's Houma?
Me: about 60 miles southwest of here...I live behind the hospital
MCWB: Whats the name of the Hospital in Houma?
Me: Terrebonne General
MCWB: So you like to Fish...and play poker right Mr. Dudek?
Me: Uhhhhh yea...(I am figuring out he is going off my clothes)
MCWB: What are the boat launches down their called?
Me: Well...theres CoCo Marina...and I guess Falgouts
MCWB: What do the words Cobia and Penn mean to fisherman
Me: Uhhhh...Cobia is a Fish...and a type of Boat....and Penn makes reels
(I am now seeing this will be a question and answer quiz game)
MCWB: I have a friend up by Lutcher killing the specks in his
pond...
Me: That would be hard to do sir since specks dont live in ponds and
are a saltwater fish
MCWB: So what the best hand in Poker...a flush or a straight?
(I start to laugh and give him that "are you serious look?...he is serious")
Me: Uhhhhhh....a flush sir
MCWB: What is the most popular poker game nowadays?
Me: No limit hold him sir
MCWB: what would be the most prestigious poker tournament there is?
Me: Thats the World Series of Poker sir...actually...it has been running
for over a month and the the Main event is starting in a few days
MCWB: How do you like the poker room over at the Treasure Chest here in Kenner?
Me: Well sir...the Treasure Chest does not have a poker room...but they did years ago
and it was nice...in fact...the Treasure Chest had the 1st Casino in the city with a Poker
room in early 90's...I have a Poker Room jacket from the Treasure chest

He gives me my license and wallet and says...."Have a nice day sir and enjoy your
flight".

WTF!!!!!!!! LOL..... Your tax dollars at work people

So I have been running good lately beating the cash games. I played at the Belle of Baton Rouge last night and booked my 4th winning cash session in a row (knock on wood). The game there was good with several weak spots.

Amelia Belle Saturday night: Booked a nice win there also...I had to go home early so did not get to take full advantage of the action. I was told by Dave Anderson...."Your going to see some strange plays here...get ready"...and boy did I ever.

I saw the following hand on the 3rd or 4th hand. Guy in for $500 opens for $40 in mp....and donk on button calls. Flop hits As5s6c...MP player c-bets up to $75...button flats. turn is the 7s...mp fires out $100...gets popped by button ...to which mp player snap shoves his whole stack and button donk snap calls his shove...you know what these 2 Einsteins have??? MP player tables Ac-9h...button donk table 5d-7h....river is the 2s...Dave and Mike Steagall are both getting a kick out of my facial expressions where I am looking around like ...WOW...WTF???

I say..."OK...so thats how this game is going to play...all right then"....several hours in to the session I call a $15 raise into a 4 way pot from the sb with Qs9h. The guy on my left (UTG) has made more terrible plays in a hour that I saw my whole last cash session. flop comes out Qh6d3s...I knuckle...donk on my left fires $20 and gets a caller from the button ....and I call from sb....turn is the 9s. I check and utg fires $50...button folds and I call. River brings a very pretty 9c....I check...UTG immediately fires out a hundo....I do a little acting and raise it up to $230 for a value raise hoping he has something....he tanks hard....reaaaaaal hard....he is in agony...he just cant seem to be able to fold this hand...he eventually says, "Damn...I will have to let you have it"...and fold 7h6s face up letting me off the hook.....Yeeaaaaaaaaaaaaaa

I want to say Happy Birthday to my lovely wife....and thanks to all the comments about Ivey...he is something else.

Hope to see you guys in Tunica at some point...

Come on John Dolan.....ONE TIME BABY....ONE TIME!!!!!!!!!!.....

"You gotta have two things to win. You gotta have brains and you gotta have balls" Paul Mewman as Fast Eddie Felson in "Color of Money"

WSOP Blues...runnin good in cash

It becomes a daily task...everyday that the World Series of Poker is going on...for every passionate poker player who just can't make it out to Vegas for the premier event...

Wake up everyday...get a cup of Coffee...and check which of your buddies has made money in the WSOP ...hoping to see one of them sporting new wrist wear. Sometimes it's only been hours and their still playing the same session as you only just went to bed at midnight about 7 hours ago. Your hero was in the top 100 in chips...now their down to 2 tables and he is 5th...etc

So goes another day ...wash ...rinse...repeat

It can sometimes be depressing...but it is...what it is

I am still trying to figure out a way to get out there this year, but it looks bleaker everyday that passes. It will be a "long weekend" if I make it, and I will probably only be able to play one event. I will leave on Thursday....and come home Monday night/Tuesday morning. Its just tough in a job where there is alot of pressure to out perform as well as having a 7 month old at home. I just cant find the time...the bankroll is fine...I feel i am playing good...I just have to "pull the trigger" and say "lets go"...and do it. I have always been very impulsive in my life and I would thrive on doing things "on the fly"...with a family things have changed ;-)

I have been running well in the cash games this past week as i made it up to the Belle of Baton Rouge for a session...and then slid in to Shorty's on Wednesday.

BoBR- First time I saw Bryan “maravichlsu” Lanoix in the 2-5nl game as I walked in. Chatted about...what else...Shared stories about what were hearing from the WSOP. The cash game was very good that night...and crazy. Its been awhile since I have played at such a crazy table with drunks...calling with anything..."Im all in and I haven't even looked at my cards yet"...etc. Im in the game for $300 and cash out for right under $700.

Shortys-Got in the 5-5 game with all the regulars...Timmy, Phil, Mrs Lorna. I get in the game for $300 and out when the tournament started for $450. I made one terrible play when in a 5 way pot after everyone knuckled the flop...I fired a 3/4 pot sized bet with "8 high air" from the button and Timmy calls on a 2s3h9d-Js board. River is a Q and Timmy checks...I knuckle/muck like a scared rookie...Timmy drags the pot with "higher air"...he missed his flush draw....all I had to do was "Breath on the pot"...and it was mine.

From there I noticed there was a seat open in a limit Omaha-High game with 3-6-12...and I jumped in it for an hour...It was probably one of the easiest poker games I have played in some time. It was a bunch of older people...I was the only one that ever raised PF...you knew right where you were at with a bet after the flop ...and you also knew right where everyone else was. I picked up another $150 ...for a $300 score on the day

What else is happening...Congrats to Gabe Costner...Most of my close poker playing buddies know that I have always thought Gabe as one of the best players in the South...and "One of the Good Guys" in poker. I played for most of the day with Gabe on my left in the 6 handed event several circuit events ago...and we talked almost the whole time...and got to know him better...and Several weeks later I played with Claudia on my left for several hours (See my Feb 20th blog)

Gabe is one of those guys that "you can't keep down"...even with the rumors flying about his downward swing...I always knew he would win something else big and pull himself out of it...and I had a feeling that the poker couple from the Gulf Coast ...would most likely reunite...as playing and talking with them both in those sessions...I kind of sensed there was still feelings that weren't put to rest...Congrats Gabe...now get some wrist wear!!!!

Listen to Paul Wasika on Poker Road Radio recently and I had no idea he was going to tattoo "420" across the top of his forehead. That's right folks...Wasika basically told the world he "Hits the Cheeba". I don't think that there is anything wrong with that at all, and I would debate the "pros and cons" on it being legal with any knucklehead that thinks that its bad...I just didn't put Wasika on owning up to investing in a "Medical Marijuana" company...and standing up to his products quality.

Another "420" note...word is spreading that the massive amounts of "concentration" that goes on in the Rio parking lot during breaks...will come with stiff penalties if busted. The security at The Rio is spreading the word that anyone caught indulging in the "green...leafy substances" on breaks in the parking lot is looking at a LIFE TIME BAN from the WSOP...YIKES!!!!...lets see...stealing someones chips gets you banned ....now on the opposite end of the spectrum...taking a rip of a bong in the parking lot will get you tossed also...for life.

To all the people involved in us getting "screwed out of the house" Julie wanted...Karmas a Bitch!!!

"Choices. Life is nothing more than an extended string of them. Some have little impact, and others can change your life entirely. While we are free to make our own choices, both good and bad, were not free to choose the consequences" Opening line in the movie Karma Police

On a positive note...here are some pics of Ivey

OK...Back to posting about poker

I am going to spare you guys the brutal details of my last 2 blogs. I had typed up 2 blogs that will never see the light of day...as they both were typed very "emotionally"...I decided not to post them.

1) Was 8 paragraphs on how Julie and I got screwed on a house because the seller "agreed verbally" to sell us the house at "x" amount...and then 3 days later...after we were prepared to do/give him what he wanted...the guy sold the house to someone else....and cost us a total of
over 7 large. (we got screwed out of the $6500.00 tax break/Appraisal/Home Inspection)
-8 Paragraphs...you could only imagine....
-The guy is a good person deep down...he knows he did Julie and I wrong...and I know that he is praying for forgiveness....enough said

2) Was about a "Bizarre" incident that happened at Shorty's several weeks ago. Some of you reading this may have been there...I will let that one be also

So back to poker and back to keeping my blog updated more. I made it over to play in the Louisiana State Poker Championship in Lake Charles a month ago. I like the concept (I actually tried to talk 2 other Casinos in the past 2 years to have one....and you can read my blog from several years ago where I talk about it)...and the location. LC is right on the Texas border and there were lots of players. The staff did well...and they were definitely "conforming" to what the players wanted. When they saw something not working...they tried to fix it. I think the staff and TD learned alot...and this event will get bigger and better.

I ran bad for a few weeks earlier in the month, but now am doing ok in the cash games. I had a session at Shorty's where I am in for around $300.00...got my stack up to over $900.00 over 4 hours...and then 5 hands before I was fixin to rack up...All I was doing was waiting for the button to get around to me where I was UTG so I could leave...and I flop set-over set with me having bottom set against my opponents mid-set...to the only person at the table that could felt me...BRUTAL!!!!

Everybody told me, "Set over set happens...your going to busted there"...and "If you get to the point where your starting to think about folding a set with that board texture of (rainbow/no connecting cards)...you might need to think about whether NL poker is for you"

I somewhat agree...but I cant help thinking about the fact that I was leaving in 5 hands...that I did not want to play a big pot here. I could have just took my win and went home at a time when my confidence need a boost. When I flopped the set ...instead of thinking to myself, "Ok kook...lets not get too crazy here...lets play this hand very cautiously...we have a solid win here and we dont want to get nutty"...nope thats not what I was thinking...all I could think about was "How am I going to extract as much money as I can out fo my opponents". I think I played the hand bad because of the circumstances even though I could tell people, "Yea...I busted set over set" and everyone would just shrug their shoulders and say, "Your going to go busted there".

A week before this I am in the 2-5nl game at Harrahs and I got my stack up from $400.00 starting to right under $1000.00 after about 3 or 4 hours...and run Kings into Aces...I know...I know...we have all been there...it just sucks when it happens to you.

I have since busted out of the slump and have booked some solid wins these last 2 weeks. My confidence is back...I am playing better although still making mistakes...and working on plugging leaks. I seemed to find even when I am running good...I still make small mistakes that cost me money in a "value" perspective.

I have been staked in a few tournaments recently with a new backer and was able to make him some money. I "officially" got 5th place but there was a chop involved. I was a little low in chips but was very comfortable in where I was at. I only had 2 people at the table I was worried about which were Wild Bill in the 6 seat...and Ricky King on my right in the 9 seat. Hopefully...I will be able to make all my backers money soon. Our publisher John P was the bubble boy which sucked as it would have been nice to have all the Magazine Entities in the chop.

My son is finally starting to sleep through the night...he is saying "Da Da Da Da"...which is driving his momma crazy (I catch her saying "Ma Ma Ma Ma" when she thinks Im not around). The last thing I do before leaving for work is put him down...and hes the first thing I scoop up when I come in. I went drop 6 hundo on a professional camera this weekend, so I will post up a few more picks when I can. The best 15 minutes of my day is when he is just waking up and he sits there talking baby talk laying in bed with his daddy...the greatest!!!

That's the hardest part about losing that house...Me and the seller actually walked around the back yard and talked about what trees I would use to build his tree cabin. We always had a tree cabin when I was a kid, and all the newer houses were looking at ...dont have any big trees...one house we looked at...you couldnt even "see a tree" from the backyard. My wife saw our son running around the backyard, and I had already picked out where is rope swing and tree cabin were going to be...it kind of feels like it all "evaporated" before our eyes...

"You want real...everything is real...but...there's nothing more real than a mirage"
Aiden Quinn's character Henry in "Nine Lives"

Slacker city

I know...I know...I have been super slacker lately here on this blog. This will probably be choppy too.

The world of Advertising:
OMFG...what a joke this can be. I thought in my day job that people were brutal in negotiating but here...in the world of advertising...it takes the cake. "Lets see here sir...I have stripped down my ads and pricing to as low as we can go...I know what...I have a new proposal for you sir...How about its FREEEEEEE!!!!!"..."How you like them apples"

The wife and I are buying a new House:
Lets go to your imagination for a sec...lets imagine very sharp pencils...your eyes...said pencils in your hand in a stabbing like pose towards you...and an upward thrusting motion over...and over...and over.

The next edition of the Magazine:
Will be out soon...bigger...better...longer...and there is actually advertisers...(low whisper here)...Yeeaaaaaaaaa.

The advertisers in the Magazine:
Mucho thanks people...much Thanks

Welcome Shannon Shorr to our Bloggershere:
SHORR' NUFF...nuff said

My Day Job:
I am again...being transferred into a new position...this new position...the same one old I was transferred out of 4 months ago. Its a promotion into a position...that I was demoted out of.(reference previous comments bout pencils...thrusting motion)

Played a live session at Shorty's last Saturday and booked win:
Kudos to Derek S. for the 4 bet shove with 8s-7s ...and getting called by Tom's A-Ko...Thats the way to double up my brotha LOL

Watched KK get crushed in 4 separate situations in $600.00+ pots (every pot) when it all went in after the flop....YIKES!!!!

Played a live session at the Amelia Belle last night...Jackpot is over $100k:
Saw this hand...kid bets out post river a hundo on a board of 2s-3s-10d--Jh-Qs ...Vinnie on my left re-raises all in which was another $130.00 ish...Kid thinks for a second and starts to get his chips together...he stacks up all his chips...counts out the money...and then pushes all these chips in the middle and says "Call"...Vinnie turns over 2nd nuts K high...kid turns over nuts....Yeaaaaaaaaa. I say "No Snap call?...you just had to push those chips in there huh?"...to which he and his buddy look at me...then look at each other bewildered...then the kids looks at me me says, "What?...I called"....all I could do was laugh.

Another Online multi-accounting drama:
A scandal about Nick “StoxTrader” Grudzien, who created Stox Poker training site...has blown up. There has been lots of stuff posted bout it on 2+2 if your interested...and Druff and Micon have on the radio show on of the major players in posting the stuff up on 2+2...David "Viffer" Peet. Google it if your interested.

Been Watching Tom Sizemore on Celebrity Rehab and Sober House:
Wow...I watched Saving Private Ryan and Heat last week...its amazing how good of an actor this guys was...and to see him in this shape...was just mind boggling

"Well ya know, for me, the action is the juice" Tom Sizemore as Micheal in "Heat"

4 Million Guaranteed Prize pool...1 Million Guaranteed 1st place

See ya there...

Anyone want to swap a small percentage...email me at gened@gulfcoastpoker.net

PokerStars Tournament #285071112, No Limit Hold'emSuper Satellite
Buy-In: $10.00/$1.00 USD
4517 players
Total Prize Pool: $45170.00 USD
Target Tournament #285020010 Buy-In: $215.00 USD
210 tickets to the target tournament
Tournament started 2010/02/20 14:30:00 ET

Dear GCPGeneD,You finished the tournament in 1st place.
You qualified to play in Tournament #285020010 and are automatically registered for it.
See Tournament #285020010 Lobby for further details.If you choose to unregister from this tournament your account will be credited with T-USD 215.00. Tournament US Dollars can be used to buy into any tournament.

WOW...Its really been a month

Damn...It did not seem that it had been that long since I posted a blog. I must be losing readers as usually I would get emails from people hazing me about not blogging. I apologize for not blogging to the ones that do read it...and for it being somewhat boring lately...but hey...I guess thats what being a first time parent will do to you.

I have been busy at work lately and starting to get some traction. I got "transferred" into another position recently...and I have been trying to adjust but it has been harder than I thought. I am making the best of it though...and I plan on working my tail off no matter what position I am in. With the economy the way it is under the incompetent President...Im just happy to have a good paying job that provides solid insurance for my family..."It is what it is"

We have been also working on the Magazine lately. Getting ready for the 2nd run, and trying to get all the logistics together.

So ...last time I left off I was talking about trying to make it to the Beau for the end of the WPT event they had in January. I was able to get out there to sweat Tyler and see everyone. Wild Bill, Brian H, John P and Kai L and I all hung out and had a blast. We initially met about the next magazine edition...and then just started bullshittin and havin a good time. They moved the 2nd to last day of the Main Event into the club in the back of the beau, so it had kind of a "Barroom" atmosphere as they played down the final table. We were kind of upstairs on the left side of the room...but the real party was going on across the room from us as the pros had their section carved out...and the drinks were flowing. Gavin Smith/Amanda Leatherman/Kid Poker/Jeff Madsen/Jason Mercier...and several other big name pros were all cuttin up somethin fierce.

Played 2-5nl with Kai for a couple of hours and booked a small win...while Kai cleaned up. The play was absolutely terriable and was a good game...until the 4 donks got cleaned out and left. One guy dropped over 2k in that game in less than 1/2 hour...it was crazy.

Bill and I were staying at the IP ...so we eventually made it over that way to play in the 1-2 game. I booked a win getting in for $250.00...and out with $565.00. I also had the pleasure of having Claudia "The Claw" Crawford on my left for several hours as I was in the 8 seat and she was in the 9. I think we both felt the game was somewhat soft...I saw bad play after bad play.

Lets see...what am I going to do today?...Probably grind away online and continue to get it in good...and get smoked. I thought about posting up some of the hands here but hey...most of you know what I am talking about as it happens to all of us online. I will be playing every single $11.00 Sunday Million Satellite today with the 100 seats guaranteed...they jump off every couple of hours. Tommorrows Sun Mill is the place to be ...as they are having the big "F40" 40 billionth hand celebration with...‘Sunday Million 4th Anniversary Special’ which boasts a $4 million guaranteed prize pool and a first prize of at least $1 million...I will play every satellite I can get my hands on to get in this thing...and then will prolly buy-in if I don't win a seat.

The saints win the Super Bowl...wow...that was incredible...Mardi Gras just passed also. I didnt do much there.

(Cheese factor going up here) ...I have to admit that my wife and I did get "Sucked Into" the Jersey Shore Phenom recently. We got caught up into it in the 2nd or 3rd episode. I just think that this was "Reality"...I dont think this show was "Scripted". My wife has put my sons hair into a "Fauxhawk"...and she raises his hand and says, "Beat the Beat buddy...Beat the Beat". (Cheese factor over) LOL

The few emails I did receive about my blog in the past few months have been about posting a pic of Ivey on my blog...here he is world...sans faux-hawk

"That's why I can't say enough times, whatever love you can get and give, whatever happiness you can filch or provide, every temporary measure of grace, whatever works. And don't kid yourself. Because its by no means up to your own human ingenuity. A bigger part of your existence is luck, than you'd like to admit. Christ, you know the odds of your fathers one sperm from the billions, finding the single egg that made you. Don't think about it, you'll have a panic attack" Larry David as Boris in "Whatever Works"

A sick little one...and the Poker Blues

I am sitting here grinding online with my son in my lap getting lots of text from the Beau...I couldn't be more happier than I am right now that my son is getting better...but still fighting the poker blues.

My son came down with Bronchitis last Friday and we have been nursing him back to health. I have never in my life felt more helpless than that day with my lil man coughing up flem and unable to sleep...he was crying and feeling bad. Me and my wife had him between us in the bed and I would have rather been tortured...water board me...pull my fingernails out...anything...just let my little dude feel better. It was the worst feeling I ever had.

(sitting here grinding and typing this...I got my Ipod on shuffle...and the song "Cats in the Cradle" just jumped off ...wow I love my son)

We have been bringing him to the doctors and giving him medicine for the past week...including breathing treatments 4 times a day. He has now turned the corner and he is feeling better. Hes a trooper and enjoys watching his Dad grind online...The sounds of the MTTs will keep him calmed and mesmerized for hours. Hes such a good baby

I had put myself in the "Mindset" that my time was going to be commandeered for some time after we had the baby...but I never thought I would miss the tournament series as bad as I do. Especially on weekends. I thought I would be able to at least get to the Beau for a few events but it looks like I will just make it to sweat the Main Event...if that. We are meeting on the coast to discuss the next issue, so it looks like I may make it for a nightly ...maybe.

"The Monkey Situation" (Kinda like "The Bonnie Situation"...I feel like its right out of Pulp Fiction)...yep...It seems a little like some fiction. I feel bad for the monkster here as I feel that poker players are just common targets for these types of scumbags. I agree with Monk that there was probably 2 scumbags ...one at each casino with their eyes on Monk and Squirrel. There was prolly 4-5 accomplices...maybe more...but there was defiantly at least 2 lookouts wandering around each casino (IP and Beau)...keeping an eye on him and Squirrel. Since they both have security cameras...I bet top notch security guys could analyze those tapes and zero in on 1-2 people just casing them 2. It would be easy for them to watch Squirrel and see if anybody was just "casually" following her around...Maybe a little harder at the IP as Monk was sitting in one place...occupied with his tourney. Kind of funny that there is one ...Mr "Anonymous1" that at least posted that "there is a line to be drawn"...and from that comment...

For you toolbags out there harassing Squirrel about Monk ...WHILE SHE IS AT WORK...oh my god you are some weak... weak...just weak. She is a saint in my book. All of you who read Monks blog know he can probably be a "Handful" to deal with...It takes one hell of a person to love poker players with A type personalities...My wife falls into this category also...in fact...My wife loves/admires Squirrel for standing by her husband...and she never even met her before. Thats just how some people are/were raised...when you love someone and you run into hard times...it takes more guts/courage to stand your ground and stick with that person...its easy to run and try to hide. Me and my wife admire the love that she has for him...thats what love is all about.

I would like to make an appeal to my readers of this blog (all 10 of you ...LOL)...whether you like him or not...whether you enjoy his company at the tables or not...no matter what your feelings are about the Monkster...if your at the beau...let her know that you have compassion for what their going thru. A simple, "Hey Cheryl...even though (add your negative comment here with a little spin)...I really think that what happen to you guys was wrong and I hope things work out for the 2 of you in this unfortunate situation"...thats my appeal...have some compassion people.

I want to let our business partner and magazine publisher know how sorry me and Julie are to hear about what happened to his father...for those of who know John...his Father passed away suddenly a few weeks ago and please keep him and his family in your prayers...

John...were thinking about you buddy...I cant imagine what you are going/been thru.

Yeaaaaaaa...just busted out of a $3.30/3k-G... NLH MTT on Stars...my AK> vs AQ...i think "getting in good" can be overrated sometime LOL

GL to those in the trenches at the Beau...Do I wish I was there? Hmmmmmmm
Im now looking at my little man sitting on my lap...Nah...there will be plenty more poker tourneys where these came from...GL people

"The rush of battle is often a potent and lethal addiction, for war is a drug" The opening quote from Chris Hedges in "The Hurt Locker"