Saturday, August 21, 2010

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"







Tuesday, August 03, 2010

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"