Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!!!

I want to take a second to wish everyone a super Happy Holiday for 2011!!! We are really enjoying the holidays and the time together as a family, and I hope everyone is doing the same. We spent Christmas Eve at my Brother James' house for my Dad's side of the family, and Christmas night for my wife's immediate family as we had her "big" family Christmas the day of the main event in New Orleans for the Bayou Poker Classic. We all descended on Jessie Duplantis' new house over at the foot of Ormand Subdivision in Destrehan as Jessie's wife Cathy is my wife's aunt. My wife's mom and Mrs. Cathy are sisters.

We are coming off the heels of the Bayou Poker Classic in New Orleans, and I think the word has circulated about the tourney series as far as the Positives/Negatives. I had a basically "Break Even" series as I won several SNG's and beat the cash games consistently...Satellited into $1600 Main Event for a total of $580.00...but had no significant cashes to show for my efforts. I was pretty disappointed about that, and I was disappointed in my play in several Tournaments.

One hand...I got it all in with 7 bigs left with bullets in one of the $340 1pm tourneys right before dinner break in a 3 way pot that would have thrown me to well over 30 bigs...and very comfortable coming back from break. It all gets in 3 ways Pre with me holding AA...one villain that is final caller for over half his stack with A-Qo (Great Play Buddy)...and the other guys that barely had me covered was sitting on two red eights (8h8d)...and I put my head down and my hoodie up and tell the guy next to me, "I got a bad feeling on this one"...I am not looking and hear the flop hit the board...dealer taps the table and delivers the turn...table still quite and I have that one guys that says, "Hey man your looking good ...you can watch" when I hear the river card hit the board and I hear a resounding, "Ohhhhh/Ugggggghhhhhhhh/Oucccchhhhhh" ...etc...all you pokers players know this sound. Its the table basically exhaling after a huge suck-out and all I could say is, "That can't be good for me"...I quietly pack up my stuff as I get one last glance out the corner of my eye to the wrath of the 8c sitting on the river...siiigghhhhhhhhhhh.

This brings me to another hand I want to chat about, and for those of you that I have told this one verbally too...I apologize for the regurgitation. All the local folks down here on the coast know that there was a player going "neck and neck" with me for the WSOP IP Circuit "Grand Champion" and his name is Ricky Romero...I have spoke of Ricky in my blog before and on the site. Well, Ricky gave it a hell of run and wound up finishing 6th in the final event where if he wound have won...he would have surpassed me in the runnings.I showed up at the IP on the final day to see everyone, as well as sweat Wild Bill and Nocko in the Main Event. There were some folks there that may have thought I was there to pull "Against" Ricky but that is not the case...I wished him luck, and would have taken it on the chin if he won as he most certainly would have deserved it.

So I show up at Shorty's a few weeks later on Wed (The big day there) to play cash. I called and was told the cash game had jumped off at 10am so I got there about noon. Once I got there, I learned that the game was 5-10nl and that they didn't have enough dealers to start a second table of 1-3nl or 5-5nl, so I sat for quite some time before I could get into the 5-10nl game. I punted a quick hundo in the 3-6-12 Omaha High game that runs on Wednesdays (I will try to comment on that later...lol)So I finally get in the 5-10 game and Ricky had got in the game about 30 minutes before me. I buy in for around $400, but when I got to the table...They had given me 1(one) $5/red chip too much so I mossy on back to the counter to return it...then a discussion breaks out with the cage crew after they profusely thank me...over and over...and I explain that the game we play I feel somehow revolves around "Karma" and I did not want to start the session in a bad light.

3 or 4 hands into session I am in Hi-Jack when Ricky raises to $35 in EP...call...call...call...wow I l ookown at my hand and see two 9's (9-9)...I think Ooooookkkkkkk...I am coming in myself...call from button...then BB calls...Yikes we have close to $200 in pot pre...the board comes 9-7-5 with 2 clubs...BB leads out for $65 (i am thinking really...had to be 10s or J's)...Ricky smooths...I tank-raise to $285 letting everyone know I am not folding this hand and to go away...so BB now goes in the tank and folds dramatically saying to the table, "Its got be a set of nines"...Duuhhhhh. Ricky tanks and his hand now becomes polarized to either AA or KK...I sit stewing trying to decide whether I wanted a call or not??? Seriously...I was thinking to myself "just fold Ricky" ...I know that is as "Resulys Oriented" as it gets but hey...It crossed my mind...and then he eventually says, "Im all in"...I snap...(que up the Gomer Pyle voice here) SURPRISE...SURPRISE...SURPRISE!!!...he tables A-A...turn ball...another Ace...Siigghhhhhhhhhhhhhhh.

I was pretty happy with Satelliting into the Main Event at Harrahs, and I think there was much surprise to see how many players showed up. I had the line at 80 but Carwash wanted to take 100 and the under...and he said to "Bet High"...it seemed like a lock at the time.

I wound up at a pretty sick table where I had Monk and BJ McBrayer on my direct right...then had "B" Vu in the ten seat on my left. I went out in a hand I was not proud of and felt I could have gotten the rest of my chips in the middle in alot better spot.

With right at 9 bigs...I limp from the SB with a 2 gapper with diamonds (9-6d) when a few other players had limped before me...B knuckles in the BB and the flop comes Jack high with 2 diamonds. Check to me and I shove...with chips B calls and tables Q-Ko...two overs-open ended which would have it right at a flip had he not had the open ended and my 9 covered. The board was J-10-rag so the three 9's he had covered... I brick the diamonds and pack up like a Donk.

I am looking forward to 2012 to see what the new year will bring. I am happy for Monk and Squirrel on the new package on the way, and congrats to Jenn Parrish and Zack Evans on the new one.

What else is going on?...lets see

My latest book...I just finished Forrest Griffins 1st book Got Fight?: The 50 Zen Principles of Hand-to-Face Combat. This book is an easy read and full of bullshit Humor. I laughed my butt off a few times. This guy is an absolute psycho and any MMA/Dude Bro's will like it also. Its about Forrest's idea on how "to be a man"...and gives all sorts of advice on this...good read people.

I want to give a shout out to a few folks/good guys and gals here that I had the pleasure of getting to know recently...Cameron Ainsworth and Andy Moon ...good guys and up and comers so look for these guys in 2012 to make an impact (Cam we should have waited that guy out in that SNG...lol)...as well as Brett Alello. All from the Baton Rouge area. Renee Skinner and Todd Skinner. Renee played super well all series and was the "Official" bubble girl but did get the "Bubble Payoff" as every player shipped in a hundo cash for the bubble player...Congrats Renee!!...I have also had the pleasure of getting to know Prissy and Jerry Giroir from Lafayette.

What else is happening...I went do a cash session yesterday at Shorty's and left a loser as the game broke and all the money left when the tourney started...frustrating...There is this old guy that is always there name A.C. that has a lot of money...plays decent...but when he starts drinkin goes on the sicko heaters...well he did the same yesterday. Guy was hitting everything once the Budlight's started to flow about 2pm.

I left a loser on the day basically because of one (1) hand...7 limper's to me in BB and I tap with K-6o...flop is 6-6-J with 2 spades. Now I know one of these knuckleheads has spades so I decide to check-call...checks to the button who bets out...I call and everyone else folds...check-call 4h...check call 9c...Button turns over A-6o...siiiggghhhhhhhhh...talk about 2nd best.

We are getting the final Houma/New Orleans table together for the Dead Money WSOP Main Event satty in the next few weeks. We will be having it at a Buddy's place in Metaire...Really Cool/Good guy owns it we all know (Barth M)...and if you win the table and win the Final Table on Saturday night on MLK weekend in Downtown New Orleans...you go to the "Show"...the 2012 WSOP Main Event...contact me/Wild Bill if your interested.

"The cards take care of Drunks and Fools...and I happen to qualify in both categories" Local Poker player from Shorty's named "A.C". ...when Manny was riding him about being on a heater while drinkin

Below is another pic of my "lil Man"...I know...I know guys...the UB hat should be in the garbage but it happens to be one of the only hats he likes to wear...that style...painters cap...etc

This is the "Poker Face" he gives his Mom when she ask him if he did anything wrong...lol

One more with him Smiling...looks like his Grandpa Dudek (Pepa)

IP Poker Classic take 2...

Alright people...this is the 2nd installment from the IP Poker classic.

I am currently in Jacksonville, FL trying to win my way in the $3500 WPT event that is going on right now. I have been here for 4 days and I miss my family something awful. I have played several events and got no traction, but I am definitely having fun.

I am going to kind of bullet point a few things as 4 days of poker here in Jacksonville have it all kind of hazy...I might not remember many hands from IP...etc

I want to congratulate Chet Pickernell for the 1st place finish in the $1k...It was a tough heads up battle and he won. I think the ring might have meant a little more to me than him, but hey...he capped it off and took it down.

I happen to get at multiple final tables with a Father/Son combo from Atlanta also...in the turbo event In Marvin McCord who is a pharmacist in Atlanta...and in the $1k I had his son Ezre "Clay" McCord who played really well...It was a real pleasure meeting these guys and their both solid players

I also had Edward "Fix" Corrado at the table and was happy to see him leave...he was by far the best player left at the table.

Who else are some nice people I got to meet...Chris Tryba was one...Steve Giddings from Ruston, La who went out 4th in the 2 day event...then he had the pleasure for seeing me "Punch Drunk" after I got knocked walking around not able to speak...just trying to process that I just won $13.5k...but lost about $15k and I was close to the gold ring the 1st time.

Another solid shout goes out to Benton Blakeman who let me crash at his appt in between the 2 days for the 2 day event. Benton and I go back a long way right when poker became popular...actually before Moneymaker. He had been blogging on the site recently and he and I stayed up for several hours talking poker...poker strategy...poker dynamics....etc...just the whole deal ...and after the success that I had after that day/night of us hanging out together...I cant wait to hand out with Benton again LOL...definitely a good luck charm

Kudos and thanks goes out to William "Wild Bill" Phillips...he was a Telecom co-worker that liked to play poker and we talked about this idea I had "bouncing around" in my head about creating a "Localized Poker Site" geared around the gulf coast...that was 5-6 years ago and we are right where we need to be both with the site www.gulfcoastpoker.net ...and personally in our lives with both of us taking care of a family...Bill...you rock brother.

I am sure I will come up with some more stories and names a little later...see ya until then

"A Lannister always pays his debts" Peter Dinkledge as Tyrion Lannister in "Game of Thrones"

IP Poker Classic ...WOW

Well...I now have some poker to talk about...lol

As most of you probably know by now...I had quite a series at the IP recently...my next few blogs will be about the entire experience so there will be several blogs coming.

I want to start off by saying that my wife and I are still trying to digest all this and keep it all in perspective. We want to make sure that we are thankful for what God has given us and try to learn from my mistakes as I made many...and see where this will take us. This will continue to be a learning experience for me...its an ever evolving game and I just want to continue to learn

1st off... I got 3rd place in the $345 multi-day re-entry tourney at the IP for close to $13, 500 and this was the 1st of 3 cashes for close to $40,000 I won. It was a good feeling to win that much money, but all poker players who have gotten that close also know the disappointment in not winning 1st place. It is a big whirlwind of emotions and I think I am over the disappointment/analysis part of it...and I am ready to celebrate and just be happy about the run. I will try to summarize a few things about that tourney below and might even throw in a few hands here and there.

I started off the tourney on Day 1A on Friday, and was not overly pleased with my draw as I had Corrie "Big Slim" Wunstell in the 2 seat and Claudia "Roll Tide" Crawford from ESPN fame in the 10 seat. I was able to slowly chip up and basically hovered about average all of day 1, and I was only all-in a few times. When we got close down to the stopping point of 27 players I was moved to a table in the 10 seat (I hate the 10 seat), and I had Zach Evans sit down in the 1 seat...and at times I thought when we were in the blinds that the rest of the table would fold around just to see what kind of fireworks were going to ensue. We would tangle up in the blinds more times than I wanted to...but damn it...I just never thought he had anything ...lol. I made some great calls at this table...and a few bad calls...once calling Zach down when we were in the blinds "again" ...with King High when he value bet 3 of a kind...I just had to see the hand...lol.

I really like Zach alot and want to wish him and his girlfriend Jennifer Parrish a healthy baby girl in the next few weeks...Zach and Jen...if your reading this ...Congrats!!!!

I was happy to get out of Day 1A with average in chips and both Zach and Jennifer made it through with above average. When we got back for day 2, I went to work quickly building my stack. I did find Aces a few times earlier and was able to win a few nice pots, and then I made a big bluff to get in the top 10 in chips...once I had some chips I worked the stack and kept putting pressure until I was in the top 3-4...and I had one of the chip leaders directly on my left.

The next hand would be the few times I got all my chips in before we were down to 8-9 at the FT...and it is every poker players dream with 25 players left...AA (me) vs KK (villain)...I really didn't realize he had me covered until everything was counted down...I was now the CL and cruised into the FT ...I think 3rd or 4th in chips...very comfortable.

The FT was long and the 4 and 3 handed play was somewhat brutal as the structure allowed for alot of good poker. I personally wished they would have brought the FT back for a day 3, but that was not the case. In the biggest hand of the FT for me was when I busted out Robert Harwell in a somewhat cooler hand for him...I raised PF with QQ and he flatted with JJ...flop came 10 high rainbow and we got it in the middle...Somewhat of a cooler but he played well.

I had some bad luck at the table in some spots 3 handed but still felt I was the best player left even as the blinds crept up...sitting on about 16 bigs I raised with 2 red 10's only to get flatted by "Brownie" as his military buddys were calling him (Bob defiantly had the biggest rail going for him)...Flop came with K and 3 club...check...check...turn was a brick...chceck-check...river another club...check-check...he turns over K-4o

I wound up getting it in with 12-13 bigs with A-Qo on a Q-J-10 rainbow board and the eventual winner flop the joint with K-9...GG me...ship 3rd for $13.5k

This is all a blessing but there is more to come...

I want to address here something that I want to pass off to everyone who reads this blog. I think everyone who knows me knew I was not happy with my job...well...I parted ways with my last company after 7 months of the worst sales manager that I have been associated with in the 16-17 years in the telecommunication industry and I want to pass on to all you readers that I hope you never get in the situation I was in.

I got internally transferred to work under this new sales manager coming into the company, and I knew who the guy was...I had heard terrible ...just terrible things about the guy... but I decided to give it a shot anyways and find out for myself what the guy was about...and I have never been more miserable in my entire life. I am so at peace with myself now that I don't have to ever have to stress over this guy again

So to all you people out there that hate your jobs...that are working for a boss that is the "epitome of everything you hate"... in people and in this world...get out and get out now.

Now I want to talk a little about the latest book I read which is an autobiography for Duff McKagan...the bass player for the band Guns and Roses...which I grew up with as a young adult. Absolutely one of the best books I have ever read and it encompasses Duffs (The beer on the Simpsons was named after him) rise to glory with one of the most notorious rock bands in the industry...to his suicidal like use of drugs and alcohol ...to his getting sober and turning his life around. Duff is now sober...writes articles for major newspaper...getting a degree from College and enjoying life...incredible read...I highly recommend it

I am here now sweating Bill and Jacob "Nocko" Naquin in the main event...I couldn't play the M.E. as my sons 2nd Birthday party was scheduled a month ago with invites sent...I had no idea I would be on such a heater.

Also...Ricky Romero from Lafayette, La is the only player who can catch me as the Casino Player Champion and a seat into the $1 million FreeRoll at next years WSOP...He is at the final table in the very last $345 event...tough final table though...Capt Tom/Chris Tryba/Carwash/John Evans...and more

I will be blogging about my other 2 final tables in other post...my other 3rd place for over $6,000...and the heart breaker...2nd place for over $20,000...and the coveted gold ring

If it weren't for people who took risks, where would we be in this world?
Shai Lebeouf as Jacob Moore in Wall Street 2: Money Never Sleeps

PS: Again...I was slammed by questions about why I didnt play the Main Event...Well...it was Ivey's 2nd birthday party as I mentioned in blog...and earlier on Sunday ....here is the reason why...right here...

EPL...and Chino Rheem

This blog is going to be more of an editorial...than a Blog...I'm not going to touch on my poker playing ...as there hasn't been much to talk about...lol

I want to touch on the EPL (Epic Poker League)...and there inaugural event that went down a few weeks ago...and the "Warning" given to the eventual winner Chino Rheem for "Conduct Unbecoming"...or whatever you want to call it.

Annie Duke and Matt Savage came up with this great league that would bring all the poker players in a "League Format" sort of like Golf and Bowling...etc. They wanted to turn poker into a sport and all the players into celebrities. They wanted to show that poker players are not "Shady" people who live to shoot angles and cheat people out of their hard earned money. They wanted to build "Character" out of poker players and show the world we are all good people who love our sport/game...etc.

I don't claim to know all the specifics ...so don't flame me for not knowing...and I am going to try not to be critical of Chino or the EPL...but how this whole fiasco just makes us all...all serious poker players...look bad:

Overview:
The EPL comes out with this great league...they give "cards" out to members as you can only play if you are selected as a poker pro...they have their 1st $20k Main Event...and the guy who somehow made his name into a verb...getting "Chino'ed"...wins the thing for a cool $1 million. This is the same Chino Rheem that got slammed when he made the November Nine for having warrants out for his arrest...etc

After Chino's win...several players who got "Chino'ed" (Verb for: Borrowing money from poker players and not paying them back in a timely manner)...which included last years 3rd place finisher in the WSOP Main Event Joe "Subiime" Cheong...began complaining publicly. The bored poker media who lately have had nothing exciting going on...suddenly had a hot story...and they ran with it. Then Ben Lamb comes out...then Durrr....etc. Really guys???...whats $40k to these guys? ...That's like about $1k to the rest of us.

Soon...after...the EPL decided to put Chino on "Probation" for borrowing money and not paying it back fast enough. It went against their "Player Conduct" rules or something.

Talk about starting the league under a cloud of shady-ness...WOW!!! The 1st person who wins the very 1st EPL main event gets put on probation for "Conduct Unbecoming"...and we are suppose to be trying to turn poker into a legitimate sport/game that big name sponsors will come and invest advertising dollars into...Really???? This is what I mean by all they are doing is hurting poker with this kind of non-sense as poker players understand the dynamics of the situation...but everyday "Joe's" will not.

Lets look at some analogies right quick...gambling in golf...could you see John Daly borrowing $50k or so from Tiger Woods...or he losses $50k playing/gambling on 9 holes...and then he wins the TPC for millions...OH WAIT...the PGA announces that they are putting him on probation for "personal debts"...that he hasn't welshed on...he just has not payed them back "Fast enough for the PGA"...Really????

This is just bad karma to start this league with and personally...I don't think Chino did anything wrong. Its not like he said he wasn't going to pay??? I mean ...if you loan a guy $40k because you will get a piece of the grinder in the WSOP Main Event...then that's on you. You made the decision to ship out that loan...nobody else...and for the likes of Ben lamb/Subiime/Durrr to go crying to the EPL and the poker media...wow...thats bizarre...sorry guys...that's just how I see it.

Now lets move onto the topic of the rest of the EPL and the big names that listed on the rooster there...and we have to talk about FTP and the fiasco that the site has turned into. This poker site is going to go down in the poker history as the biggest "FAIL" ...and the players that are associated with it are going to be stained as well. I mean come on...Dutch Boyd got lynched in the poker community for Pokerspot and its demise years ago...now we have Annie Duke/Matt Savage with all the shady shysters on the rooster that were FTP. Lets run though them right quick...

Low and behold...at the top of the list is Annie's brother Howard "The Professor" Lederer...Jesus Ferguson...Andy Bloch...Juanda...etc....everyone else that "owned" even a slight piece of the company...they know who they are...they all owe Millions upon Millions of dollars...to thousands upon thousands of players...and that's a fact...not a perception.

And Chino Rheem gets put on probation after winning the 1st event...and all these people are allowed in with not even a slap on the wrist???

I don't know guys...I would love to see this league take off and be the biggest thing going in the poker world...but by the actions of how they treated Chino with the shadiness surrounding his win (the 1st ever EPL main Event)...and the two-faced/hypocrisy of their actions...

...it just doesn't pass the "Sniff Test"...but GL ...I am rooting for the league to make it

"I'm no martyr. I did it for the money. But it's not worth much if you can't face yourself in the mirror. Respect is the ultimate currency. I was stealing from a man who traded his away for a few dollars. And then he tried to wash away his guilt. Drown it in a lifetime of good deeds and a sea of respectability. It almost worked, too. But inevitably, the further you run from your sins, the more exhausted you are when they catch up to you. And they do. Certain. It will not fail"
-Clive Owen as Dalton Russell in "Inside Man"

Poker Ramblings....

Wow...its been that long...damn

I haven't blogged in a while as my day job has me consumed, and with all the negativity around the poker world, I just didn't' have it in me. I am just going to go ahead and just put some thoughts out there on this one...and I will try to get back into the groove soon

Black Friday:
Well that SUCKED!!!! I feel bad for alot of my friends who have 1000's and 1000's of dollars on FTP, and I would not count on seeing any of it anytime soon. I had something like $32.50 on Tilt so I wasn't as affected as others...and I got all my money back from Stars with no problems ...so...it sucked that we can't play, but I was one of the lucky ones that focused primarily on Stars and not Tilt...and got my money...which brings me to...

Phil Iveys Lawsuit:
At 1st...I thought it was a political ploy to take the focus off the fact that FTP was not paying out the money they owed...and the speculation that they may never...as they don't have the funds. Ivey has clearly separated himself from the rest of the pack by getting a top attorney to sue the company that he represents/represented.

With that being said...how many people do you think actually owned a small piece of FTP?...I mean come on...They gave Clone Gowan a piece...that would tell me that everyone that is above her also has a stake in the company. I would say probably...My guess...from Gavin Smith on up. Gavin may not own a portion...but everyone higher on the Totem Pole I would say ..."Yes"...most certainly...Ivey...Lederer...Juanda ...Fergusan...Seidel...all of them. Their all sitting there now at the WSOP 2011...probably sporting their FTP gear because they are "Contracted" too...knowing that the entire organization...top to bottom...is "circling the drain"...not good guys.

So it could be argued that the 2 biggest sites pre BF were Stars and Tilt...lets put them side by side and compare

Stars: Still rocking and running games...paying out anyone who ask...IN A TIMELY MANNER (My wire transfer got to me in 3 days)...if they ever legalize online poker...they will still continue to be a player

FTP: Caught off guard by BF...froze up and panicked...refuses to give anyone their money back...is being accused of being one big Ponzi Scheme where money was embezzled/Payed out to the owners....and when they weren't paying all the USA players/owners huge sums of money every month to promote the site/get players...they were not putting aside the money to pay out all the accounts if in fact the worst possible scenario hit the online poker...Hey guys...(Gene D's tapping on the fish tank)...IT HAPPENED!!!!...how are they going to pull out of this?...I have no idea

Looks like we have a winner folks...

So this brings me to the Old Harry Reid Bill back in December. You can't say that FTP wasn't "warned" ...or had some inclination that this could happen as lets just look at it "Hypothetically"...say the Reid Bill passed...What was FTP going to do for 2 years when every person in the United States would want their money out until they could play again. Were they really going to just freeze everyone's accounts and "ask" them to wait for 2 years to play again/cash out their money?...REALLY??? ...I mean, with the intelligence of all these owners rolled into one...could the Red Flag have gotten up the flagpole any faster?

FTP Patches at the WSOP...Do they really want to "Require" all their players to where the patches as a "Contractual Obligation"...REALLY???

Keep in mind folks that this is just a personal blog and this is my personal opinion...I hope everything works out for FTP and poker online poker in general.

Congrats goes out to David Diaz...wow Kid...way to go.
I 1st met David in 2006 during the World Poker Open in Tunica when he and I chopped a nightly heads up. Wild Bill was at that FT table also...as we were all "up and comers"...we would see him around the circuit events and would chat briefly...and then he shoot out to where he is now passing us like we were standing still.

I met TK at Gordon Bierch during the last circuit event in New Orleans and hung out and bullshited...I asked him about everyone ...and he said, "By far...the most improved player in the bunch is Diaz".

And finally...Kai "Cobra Kai" Landry...My wife was laughing when we were texting back n forth when you were at the FT. For me tt send you a text...and us watch you reach for your phone...and text us back something cool...she got a kick out of it. I know you wanted the wrist wear...but if that was a start to your WSOP this year...I am sure its a matter of days/weeks before you get in the winners circle.

"Sun-Tzu: If your enemy is superior, evade him. If angry, irritate him. If equally matched, fight, and if not split and reevaluate" Charlie Sheen as Bud Fox in "Wall Street"

"Winning!!!!" Charlie Sheen as a psycho former actor and drinker of Tiger Blood

Tales from the Southern Poker Championship

Its been a very turbulent Southern Poker Championship for me the past couple of weeks even though I continue to leave town a winner. I am beating the cash games and SNG's, but keep getting unlucky in my tournaments...which we all know can be very frustrating. I use to tell myself that as long as I play well...all is good...but that philosophy has been eating at me lately.

I feel I am playing well...putting myself in good spots only to get it shoved back down my throat.The 1st hand I want to talk about has already been discussed on Monks blog, but he had a better read on the guy then I did as he says the guy was angle shooting by throwing out the 5k chip...I really thought he had made a mistake...and I will tell you why...

About 30 mins before that hand I look down at K-10h from late position when from early position Wally Chambers opens for 2.5x...Wally has been opening alot of hands as that's his style and his range is wide so when there are 3 callers to me...I flat...flop comes out all low cards below a 9 with 2 hearts...Wally c-bets...I am the only caller. On the turn hits a black 10. Wally leads out again for about $400...so with top pair and a solid flush draw I decide to pop him to about $1250 and grab a 1-$500/7 -$100/2-$25 chips and tossed them in the pot....after several seconds of tanking Wally is staring at me and says, "That's a big raise"...and I look down and see that I had accidentally grabbed a $5k chip instead for a $500...making it $5750 (half my stack)...I made a face and when he continued to tank I knew I was good as he had that..."Damn...he made a big mistake right there and I wish I had a hand to take advantage of it"... look on his face...he eventually folds and we all laugh about it

Which takes us to my bustout hand where the earlier raiser does the same thing...I thought he made a mistake in sticking the $5k chip in with QQ...but Monk is confident he did it as an "angle shot"...having a big hand trying to make everyone think he made a mistake.Anyhow...I wake up with KK...get my money in good in a sweet double-up spot when villain shows QQ...Rusostreet who is also at the table in the 4 seat is just smiling and says, "you lucky F'er"...The guy next to Monk had folded a Q...aaaannnnnd the villain hits the only Q left in the deck on the flop...sigggggghhhhhhh.

Next I want to chat about a hand where the floor (Mostly the Dealer) makes a terrible call on me in a 1-2nl cash game. I am friendly with all the folks there at the Beau in the poker room, and I try to play in their Daily Nightly tourneys as often as possible. I am sitting with the Tiltin Texan on my immediate left and some Asian kid on my right we will call "Asian the Angle Shooter". In this particular hand I am in the BB with Q-Jo when there are several limpers...the sb limps...I knuckle. The flops hits "gin" for me with 9-10-K with 2 spades. Everyone limps to me and I bet out $15.00 and was only called by A.T.A.S...Turn is a red A which again...gives me the nuts...A.T.A.S checks...I check...turn is a 9 pairing the board. My read was that he was on a flush draw and normally I easily fade this trap and just check behind but I was going to value town if I could ...and I lead out for $20...

This is where it gets sketchy...and we are all real friendly and laughing/cutting up at the table...A.T.A.S grabs a $100 bill out of his stack and puts it in the pot and simultaneously....as close as it gets...as soon as the bill hits the table (It had already clearly crossed the line)...3 things took place...all at the the same time...The bill hits the table/A.T.A.S says "I make it $100"/I expose my hand...now what do you do. There are several players on my side...and the only person A.T.A.S has is the dealer. The dealer is adamant that it was a good raise to me and several others objection.

Floor is called and with the information she was given by the dealer (Obviously)...she rules the raise stands...after it was all over...I left as i was starting to tilt and berate A.T.A.S as a cheap shot artist...etc

As I was standing at the cash out line...the older guy that was in the 8 seat on Tex's left is behind me...on the side of us is the floor person...and The older guy does in fact tell her that it was a terrible call.

Several points...
1) I have seen this guy before...he plays alot of poker...if it was a mistake...he should have manned up and admitted it...he knows all you have to do is say "raise" at any point and you can do whatever
2) I would never have exposed my card had I not clearly thought he had called...how close is that?...is the floor gonna now tell me that I have a problem exposing my cars too early?....really?...is that what they want to claim
3) whenever there is a situation as this...the floor should always ask other people what happened...analyze the situation...and caution on the side "Against" the angle shooter.

If the floor used solid deductive reasoning here and asked was it close?...the player called had already exposed his hand...the guys never said anything about a raise until the bill hit the table...I would think it would be an easy call of "Sir...this will be a call...be more careful in the future of announcing your raises"...oh well...that's a wrap

What else is up?...lets see...I busted out of my last tournament where I raise PF in the BB with AA into 4 limper including the utg and sb...those 2 are the only callers. flop is harmless 9-6-2 rainbow. Check...I c-bet the size of the pot...utg pops me up enough where its "fold or shove"...I went in the tank and if I fold I still have 8-9 bigs...I run thru the hands I do beat....I grab my stack an say "Maybe you got Jacks or Queens" as I jam them in...of course he has a set of 9's

I'm not happy about it...although it was somewhat of a cooler. Everyone is telling me I can;t fold there...its just standard poker where your just gonna bust there...too many of these agro-aggressive kids pop me there with A-9/10-10/J-J/Q-Q....etc...some as light as K-9/Q-9...I guess thats poker

What else is up....I want to say shout out to Charlie Townshend who I had the pleasure of meeting at this series. It was kind of funny that we are next to each other in a sng when he tells me he is from Delaware somewhere...and he has been drinking beer in Abita, La at the Abita plant there...I ask him, "So you must be a tourist...just in town...decided to come play some poker"...he laughs and says "Yea man...That's what I am doing here"....Then I see him talking to all the best players there later and find out he has played against some of the best players in the world...including Stu Ungar...and has traveled the circuit...what a nice guy Charlie is

I was bullshitting with Tyler and Diaz when Dwyte Pilgrim walked up ...I got to meet him also and congratulate him on his 2010...Also a really nice guy

Shout out to TK and Jonathan Little...I have 3 words for you two guy..."SCOTCH...and ice" lol

Congrats to J Little's parents also as his Dad won a seat into the Main Event...and his Mom cashed in the Ladies event...not sure if his Dad was still in when I left.

Nice...I was going grab a beer at the middle bar at the Beau, and of course we all know that you have to "Be Playing" to get your drinks Free....OK....Sure...I put a 5 ball in the poker machine there on the bar and hit the progressive J-Pot on Jacks or Better....YATZEE...Ship a cool $1075.00

Hardest thing about my job and playing poker on the road is missing my little man. Wow...he is growing up so fact sometimes I can't believe it. He is 14 months old and he is already holding a bat and hitting plastic balls. I can't wait to get home to see him...nothing like walking through the door and seeing his face light up...Daddy's a "Rock Star" for those few seconds...

And the cat's in the cradle and the silver spoon...
Little boy blue and the man in the moon
When you comin' home dad?...I don't know when...
but we'll get together then... son...
You know... we'll have a good time then
Lyrics from the song "Cats In The Cradle"
by Harry Chapin/Cat Stevens