Money won, is twice as sweet as money earned

Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!!!

2011-12-29T16:43:00.000-08:00

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...

2011-11-23T18:55:00.000-08:00

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

2011-11-08T13:20:00.000-08:00

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

2011-08-24T13:14:00.000-07:00

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....

2011-06-12T07:28:00.000-07:00

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

2011-01-24T14:45:00.000-08:00

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

Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays

2010-12-26T15:53:00.000-08:00

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"

2010-12-04T10:32:00.000-08:00

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

2010-11-02T09:55:00.000-07:00

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!!!

2010-10-18T16:15:00.000-07:00

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...

2010-09-06T13:53:00.000-07:00

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

Back from the Beau...

2010-09-05T13:50:00.000-07:00

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

2010-08-21T09:27:00.000-07:00

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...

2010-08-03T16:18:00.000-07:00

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!!!

2010-07-22T15:42:00.000-07:00

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

2010-06-12T10:18:00.000-07:00

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

2010-05-15T18:44:00.000-07:00

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

2010-03-27T12:19:00.000-07:00

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

2010-02-20T14:53:00.000-08:00

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

2010-02-20T08:28:00.000-08:00

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

2010-01-22T20:57:00.000-08:00

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"

WOW...its 2010

2010-01-07T13:41:00.000-08:00

Damn ...that sounds hard to believe that another year has passed. Where did it all go?

I haven't blogged lately as I haven't had much poker stuff to chat about. I have been super busy with work and taking care of my son. I know you guys are tired of hearing runner-runner stories from the multitude of online tournaments I have played recently in the $5 to $55 range...its a brutal range to run in on Stars and Tilt as there are sooo many good players that hang in this range in the MTTs.

Hope to get to the Beau at some point to play a few events...although I am curious to see the turnout they get for the first couple of events.

I have somehow became a "break even" player in 2009 also. Normally the worst I would run is "3 steps forward...and 2 backwards"...still making forward progress...2009 was more like "2 steps forward...3 backwards".

I do have alot to be thankful for in 2009 though as I had my 1st child and we kicked of the Magazine.

More good times to come....

"Lord, place the steel of the Holy Spirit in my spine and the love of the Virgin Mary in my heart"
Leo Dicaprio as Amsterdam Vallon in "The Gangs of New York"

Bayou Poker Challenge

2009-12-18T11:52:00.000-08:00

The Bayou Poker is winding down with the 3k Main Event starting today...and I am sitting here blogging on my computer. I am fixing to head down there a little later to see what is going on and play some cash or single table satellites. I may play the $340.00 nooner tomorrow if I do well tonight.

How did my tournament series go?...well...that depends on how you look at it. I whiffed all the MTTs I played...but won all my entries in the sats and cash games. My routine was simple...win a sat or beat the cash games and burn it on a MTT. Im only a small loser thru the whole series even though I played in over 1k in tournament buy-ins. I got my money in good in every MTT except 1 ...and that brings me to the mega I played yesterday.

Speaking of getting it in good...I am in the mega yesterday and I was down to about 7-8bbs when from the BB...I looked down at AKo. limp...limp...limp...limp...and I shove. Everyone folds around to the older gentleman with a ponytail and baseball cap that goes in the tank. He has about 16bbs left, so it is going to cost him half his stack to call here. He "hmms and haws" about this and that...then says to me, "Man...I know Im suppose to fold here, but I just have this feeling about this hand...you know what I mean?"....then, "Your prolly going to be mad at me if I call here"...etc.

At this point I know Im good but I also have this feeling that if he calls...Im toast. He reluctantly puts in half his stack and tables Qs10s. Flop comes As-10h-3s...annnnnnnnnd the turn is...a spade.

Im going to just bullet points some things from here...

-Got to sweat some of the 1k final 17 yesterday...Tydean, TK, Cobra Kai, John "JRD312" Dolan, Bazeman, Wally Chambers (Fresh off a 50k 2nd place cash in Vegas), Diaz...it was a strong final 17

-Its been raining for days here...I cant wait to see the sun again

-My first $125.00 satellite I played...7th hand OTB...min raise and 5 callers...I have 55...Flop comes 6-5-2. 1 seat (who is sitting there reading our 1st issue of our GCP Magazine) puts down the magazine and shoves...I call ans say, "Flopped a set of 5's"...to which I hear..."I have 6's" and he tables 66...GG sir...WP...GL everyone

-Shout out to Brian Hempenstall and BJ McBrayer

-Fish is on one of the latest Pokerroad Radio "B team" edition...its a good listen if anyone is intrested.

"It's not a question of enough, pal. It's a zero sum game, somebody wins, somebody loses. Money itself isn't lost or made, it's simply transferred from one perception to another" Michael Douglas as Gordon Gekko in "Wall Street"

Doing the daily grind...

2009-11-22T13:34:00.000-08:00

I have been working on my tournament game online and not super happy about my play these past weeks. I have been having a routine the last couple of weeks...I start out in the Daily 30k that starts at 1pm...I usually log in about 1:30 as I feel that there is slight edge in coming in when a quarter of the field is already busted. I then start looking for the $2.20 thru the $11.00 guarantees and usually jump in a few of them....from here...my entire afternoon is dependant what happens with the tourneys. It is what it is...

What else have I been doing besides taking care of my child...

I have never been a person to "live and breath" internet poker, and I am not one of those guys that leaves all the biggest online tournament Final Tables "Replays" on constant play on PC's and Plasmas...But I have been bitten by the Isildur1 Heads up matches that have been jumping off. I have been "Railbirding" the action and the biggest emotion I have felt is fear...complete and utter fear of how could this be happening ...and how did Durrr/Antonius/ClayAiken etc...get soooo damn good. I watch those matches from the rail...and then log into my MTTs...and I am just mystified at how degenerate one has to be to fade those swings...it is truly amazing.

I also feel that it is only a matter of time before Isildur is "out'ed" as there can't be that many people in the world that can show up in this manner and multi-table in the nose bleed sections with Durrr, Antonius and Ivey....all at the same time...simultaneously...no way...there just cant be more than a handful of players in the world that could do this.

The WSOP final table...wow. It only is a matter of time if there will be some type of feedback on whether poker is a skill game or not. Everyone that watched the FT knows that Cada and Moon both luckboxed their way to the HU...there is no doubt. I know Cada is a solid player and would have bet on him when the heads up matched started, but I believe he will admit that he got extremely lucky...how this years WSOP will effect the perception of whether poker is a skill game or not...we will see.

Speaking of Cada...I am under the understanding that it is common knowledge that Sheets and Bax were staking him in the Main Event. I just wonder whether Cada just shipped them half the 8.5 million ...or are they going thru numerous meetings with Lawyers/Tax Consultants...etc to make sure that Cada does not get screwed on the taxes. If they are going thru all these meetings, I would hope that Sheets and Bax would give us some kind of written breakdown on exactly what it takes to "Chop 8.5 million with your stakehorse"...would be very interesting to know just how complicated it could be.

Just listened to the Pokerroad Radio B Team edition pre heads up WSOP...Obviously, Gobbo and Devo ripped Moon's game apart...which they were not as brutal as some other analyzers out there... It is a good listen and I really enjoyed Gobbo's analysis on the entire FT. Obviously they were both pulling for Cada (I think Gobbo and Devo both are staked by Sheets and Bax also) in the heads up match...but just the discussion on Gobbo's input on some basic fundamentals of what each player should do in this heads up match was very insightful. He breaks it down on what chances Moon had ...and how Moon needed to play to get Cada's obvious edge from 85%...to 75%...the best Gobbo and Devo would give Moon is a 25% chance...a good listen overall.

"Another turning point, a fork stuck in the road
Time grabs you by the wrist, directs you where to go
So make the best of this test, and don't ask why
It's not a question, but a lesson learned in time

It's something unpredictable, but in the end it's right.
I hope you had the time of your life."

Opening lyrics from Green Days "Good Riddance"
(Time of your life)

What a week...

2009-11-14T10:37:00.000-08:00

November 9th was a great day for Poker this year as thats the date that Cada and Moon re-convened to play heads up for the WSOP Championship...It has a nice ring to it as the last few final tabelist have been called the "November 9". I think thats a cool thing that the final table has 9 players, and that the heads up battle begins on November 9th.

November 9th 2009 happens to be the greatest day of my life so far. Julie and I have brought into this world a beautiful baby boy were calling "Ivey" since he is the forth ...after the Roman Numerals "I" and "V". Wow...I cant begin to explain the rollercoaster of emotions that I experienced in that last half hour. I went from Sheer terror and fear...to absolute amazement...to unexplainable happiness and joy. It was amazing!!!!

As far as Poker goes...It has been uneventful. I have been grinding the LL MTTs and SNGs online in the $5.00 to the $35.00 range. I have been making it somewhat deep in these 5000 runner events but unable to make it deep enough for a decent score. I had to skip the IP nooners as we were set to have the baby any day. I did get by there to see everyone and say Hi! I played a nightly 2nd chance and didnt do any good. I did freeroll it though as I had a percentage of one of the choppers (Wild Bill). Some of the sicko hands that I have been losing too are below at the end of this blog...The first one plays itself, but the 2nd one I was trying to get value out of but the guy hit his 2 outer ...give me some feedback if you can

Went to Shorty's last week and went about getting smoked by terrible players...again. 12th hand in and I start with $350.00...I raise from UTG with QhQd to $40.00. I get 3 callers including "Asian Tom" from the BB. I know he would never read this so I can say that he is one of the juiciest fish that swims in that pond...terrible. Tom's range here?...Shuffle a deck for a minute...and pop of the first 2 cards. He could have anything here. Flop comes harmless with a rainbow board of Jd8s2h. I fire out a hundo...everyone folds to Tom who cautiously calls. Im thinking he has a Jack no doubt...the best he could have here is A,K,Q with a J. I feel if I can fade paint im fine. Turn brings the 5d. I shove and he tanks hard....just agonizing. I now know Im ahead. He carves out the money from his stack and puts it aside...and continues to tank. He reluctantly calls and I immediately turn over my cards as you guys know how I feel about slow-rolling...and he nodded I was good...Jack ball on the river and I just put my head down and said "NOOOOOO!!!!"...his hands are shaking...he can barely turn over his J7o. Yeaaaaaaaaa...

I am in the middle of Jon Krakauers book about Pat Tillman "Where Men Win Glory". Great book and a great author. He talks about Pat being that person on baseball team that wants the position no one else wants...the catcher. I too was the catcher on my baseball teams all the way thru ...from little league to Varsity High School. I would say that I have been hit by a baseball in every known imaginable place on my body. I have never had any knee surgery's though...go figure.

I want to say Congratulations to my older sister Danna on here as she was named one of the "Top 100 nurses in the State of Louisiana". Julie and I went to the awards ceremony at the Pontchartrain Center a few weeks ago and we could not be more proud of her. She was on hand to help deliver her little nephew, and I don't know what we would have done without her. She calmed Julie and me, and helped us to understand everything that was happening. She is the Greatest!!!! ...although I think she is secretly loving the fact that I am now going to be forced to grow-up and leave behind my "Peter Pan" complex of eternal youth...LOL

"I'll always love you. Even if it takes months for you to lose this weight" John Krasinski as Burt in "Away we go" ...to his pregnant wife Verona

=================================================

To tee this one up...I decided to play some SNGs the other night while watching the baby while my wife slept. The first two I played were $11.00 ones and I got Aces cracked in both. I was going to quit ...and then decided to play one more...the hand below was the first hand in the $5.50.

PokerStars Game #35286908595: Tournament #212109173, $5.00+$0.50 USD Hold'em No Limit - Level I (10/20) - 2009/11/13 0:33:17 CT [2009/11/13 1:33:17 ET]

Table '212109173 1' 9-max

Seat 1: GCPGeneD (1500 in chips)

Seat 2: dko289 (1500 in chips)

Seat 3: yankeeo (1500 in chips)

Seat 4: GreenHunger (1500 in chips)

Seat 5: pate333 (1500 in chips)

Seat 6: PLEBINI (1500 in chips)

Seat 7: Vell_Trof (1500 in chips)

Seat 8: S_Cotie321 (1500 in chips)

Seat 9: mykidneys (1500 in chips)

dko289: posts small blind 10

yankeeo: posts big blind 20

*** HOLE CARDS ***

Dealt to GCPGeneD [6h 6d]

GreenHunger: raises 60 to 80

pate333: folds

PLEBINI: folds

Vell_Trof: folds

S_Cotie321: calls 80

mykidneys: folds

GCPGeneD: calls 80

dko289: folds

yankeeo: folds

*** FLOP *** [6c 4d Tc]

GreenHunger: bets 120

S_Cotie321: calls 120

GCPGeneD: raises 320 to 440

GreenHunger: folds

S_Cotie321: raises 980 to 1420 and is all-in

GCPGeneD: calls 980 and is all-in

*** TURN *** [6c 4d Tc] [Jc]

*** RIVER *** [6c 4d Tc Jc] [8d]

*** SHOW DOWN ***

S_Cotie321: shows [Jh Js] (three of a kind, Jacks)

GCPGeneD: shows [6h 6d] (three of a kind, Sixes)

S_Cotie321 collected 3230 from pot

=======================================================

Take 2...this hand was in todays $11.00 "Daily Thirty Grand". I was trying to get Value out of my hand and got smoked when he hit his 2 outer. Should I have folded the Shove?

PokerStars Game #35354208062: Tournament #219010496,

$10+$1 USD Hold'em No Limit -

Level VIII (60/120) -

2009/11/14 14:24:36 CT [2009/11/14 15:24:36 ET]

Table '219010496 262' 9-max

Seat 1: @lennoxdog@ (10045 in chips)

Seat 2: 1suus2 (2730 in chips)

Seat 3: GCPGeneD (4780 in chips)

Seat 4: pjmolly (6020 in chips)

Seat 5: Hesekiel (2800 in chips)

Seat 6: > AKANA 06 < (4185 in chips)

Seat 7: spisa (5715 in chips)

Seat 8: klutyfingers (5705 in chips)

Seat 9: suisse zocke (16257 in chips)

@lennoxdog@: posts the ante 15

1suus2: posts the ante 15

GCPGeneD: posts the ante 15

pjmolly: posts the ante 15

Hesekiel: posts the ante 15

> AKANA 06 <: posts the ante 15

spisa: posts the ante 15

klutyfingers: posts the ante 15

suisse zocke: posts the ante 15

> AKANA 06 <: posts small blind 60

spisa: posts big blind 120

*** HOLE CARDS ***

Dealt to GCPGeneD [Kc As]

klutyfingers: folds

suisse zocke: calls 120

@lennoxdog@: folds

1suus2: folds

GCPGeneD: raises 360 to 480

pjmolly: folds

Hesekiel: folds

> AKANA 06 <: folds

spisa: folds

suisse zocke: calls 360

*** FLOP *** [Ks Qs 3s]

suisse zocke: checks

GCPGeneD: checks

*** TURN *** [Ks Qs 3s] [Kd]

suisse zocke: checks

GCPGeneD: checks

*** RIVER *** [Ks Qs 3s Kd] [4h]

suisse zocke: bets 360

GCPGeneD: raises 720 to 1080

suisse zocke: raises 14280 to 15360

GCPGeneD: calls 3205 and is all-in

Uncalled bet (11075) returned to suisse zocke

*** SHOW DOWN ***

suisse zocke: shows [4s 4d] (a full house, Fours full of Kings)

GCPGeneD: shows [Kc As] (three of a kind, Kings)

suisse zocke collected 9845 from pot

New Magazine...and ramblings

2009-10-23T11:49:00.000-07:00

I have been touring our demographic while distributing the new magazine that we rolled out, and I have been able to play some live poker in some of the rooms around that area. I would not make it out to Tunica for the Magnolia State Tournament...too busy with work.

Some Highlights:

Amelia Belle: I cashed in the Monday donkament they have there when I lose a pot with 5 people left ...3 ways...that would have given me the CL going into 3 handed play. I have KhKd...other 2 donks have QcJc and Qh10s...I flop a set of Kings and ended the hand in last place as the board ran out Kc9c2h-Jh-4c...to min cash behind my man Rob Ratliff.

Harrahs: Played the weekly there and cashed 5th again...but this was a huge tournament and I picked up $850.00 for 5th. I was at the FT with Bo and Barron Whipple. I felt comfortable the whole way as they were the only 2 I was worried about. I even felt comfortable when I was the short stack and they all discussed that they were going to chop if they could knock me out before the dreaded 1000-10,000-20,000 level kicked in. I 3 bet shoved with 2 bbs with a weak ace...and Barron woke up with pocket 10's...of well.

IP/Beau: Bounced to the coast and got some live action in at the IP...as well as played the Beau nightly last Thursday. I went out 11th when they were paying 9. I was down to 7-8bbs when I shoved from the button with K-Jo...old guy in the BB called me with A-3o. I had Kirk Flom on my left for the last 3 tables...I also met Monks wife Squirrel for the first time...good stuff

Isle of Capri in Lake Charles: I had a nice run there earlier in the week. I booked a solid cash win win I was in for $400.00 and out for over $1000.00. I hit some hands that paid off...and made moves with air/weaker hands in the right spots to take down some nice pots. They are just like Shorty's over there as they are some slowrolling mofos. Im in a hand where I call a 3 bet from the button with AKo. Flop comes out K-7-J. Everyone knuckles to me and I fire bet...get only one caller who was original 3 bettor. Now the turn is an Ace which gives me top 2...and your boy pushes out a stack of redbirds which came out to $115.00. I tank hard and ask him some questions. I say, "Damn man...I got a good hand...I just dont know if thats enough for me to fold here"...I eventually call ...and before the river cards is dealt he says, "Check Dark"...to which I immediately say "Check"...and the river card hits the board. I immediately say "Top 2" and table my 2 pair. Your boy stands up...looks at my cards to which I say, "Am i good here?" ...guy sits down and looks at his cards and I say, "Damn man...your not gonna slowroll me here are you?"...to which he calming says, "Yes...I am"...and table pocket Jacks. Not only was this guy a piece of shit slowroller...but he even admitted it to me BEFORE he showed me his cards...unbelievable.

Paragon: Made my first drive up to Paragon in Marksville...Talk about a brutal drive. I was thinking it was like Coushatta...you get off on 165 and head north...and you eventually will run into Coushatta...not here my friend. I got off on the 2nd Bunkie exit and 3 towns later with numerous turns and forks...I finally see the Paragon Casino. Now the casino makes sure that there are signs to guide you on the way through the maze of backroads and country towns...but going back...was another thing. No signs telling you how to get back to 1-49 into you get into Bunkie.

Anyhow...were looking for some feedback on the Magazine...feel free to email your input whether thumbs up ...or down...we just want to hear from you

"A wise man once said: There are no perfect men in the world; only perfect intentions."
Morgan Freeman as Azeem in Robin Hood: Prince of Thieves

Sessions at Shorty's...and NWP Radio

2009-10-06T23:15:00.000-07:00

I decided to stop on over at Shorty's in Cypress Bayou a few times last week for a couple of cash sessions, and I booked a loser both times...not much though. Got myself in a few situations when I had to make river calls with the 2nd best hands, but that’s how it rolls sometimes.

There’s always one thing that aggravates me about playing there is the "slowrolling" Mo-Fo's that play there. It just drives me crazy that these people cannot understand that this is Bad Poker etiquette. I saw 5 (five) "Blatant" slowrolls ...and I was a victim of the 4th one. I was in the 7 seat and when I called the guy in the 10 seat out for slowrolling me...all he did was just look at me and Roland in the 8 seat, and Roland says, "Man...they don't even know what a slowroll is". I started to believe him.

Well, once the 5th one happened, I felt I had to say something. The 9 seat and the 1 seat (another guy named Gene) get it all in on the turn on a Js-4d-2c--9h board and they are both waiting on the river. Gene shoved the turn and got called by the 9 seat. Well a Kc hits the river and they both just sit there...like neither wanted to show their hand. The dealer says, "Lets see a winner"...and Gene says, “I flopped a set of 4's” and tables his pocket 4's. At this point...seat 9 stands up...leans over the table to see Gene's hand and looked at the board again...then sits back down and turns over KhKs.

I said, "Dude...you do know you slowrolled the f*%# out of him...don't you?"… To which he says "What are you talking about?" ...I explain that what he did was bad poker etiquette, and that he slowrolled they guy. "Sir...please tell me you know you had the nuts there on that hand?"...again...a confused look...and then he launches into a 5 minute tirade about how I was using bad poker etiquette because I had asked to see a couple of hands that went to showdown as I was gathering information. I dismiss him as an idiot, and I am now laughing as the conversation has not got "comical".

Well...everybody calms down and were about 2 more hands deep from when we had the conversation, and the 9 seat says, "Well...explain to me what a slowroll is then"....I told him to go home and Google "Slowroll-Poker"...and he should be enlightened.

Neverwin Poker Radio: I am starting to really look forward to the Neverwin Poker Radio Podcast as it has morphed into a character show that focuses on poker. It’s pretty rough for anyone that runs in the "Politically Correct" arena as there are no punches pulled. There is no love lost between the folks at Neverwin and 2+2 either. They rip on David Sklansky and Mason Mallmuth with complete abandon...and their not shy about ragging on each other either.The cast of characters is below.

Bryan "The Icon" Micon: Micon is the host of the show...it is his show. He is a proud pot smoker...and you can tell by the way the show rambles sometimes. You all probably remember Micon from the Thriller Dance years ago in the Main Event. There’s not much you can say here except, "Well...Micon is Micon". I counted seven times when Druff used the phrase last episode, "There you go Micon...you shit the bed again".

Dustin "Neverwin" Wolff: The site is named after Neverwin, and he is known as one of the top limit plays on the internet...that was until he detoxed off of all the opiates/pills he was taking...now the jury's still out. He is completely clean of opiates and he opened up about his addiction on the show recently saying he was taking 5-6 Oxycontin 80 milg tablets a day. He detoxed himself for a week...then he jetted out to Turks and Cacaos for a vacation. They have a running prop bet that Micon/Druff/Drexel...can make him pee in a cup at any point to check to see if he is using. As long as there are no opiates...he is good to go...THC is to be expected. Neverwin is also the “stud” of the site as he has dated lots of the hot chicks in poker…including Jennicide…Chantel McNulty…and more.

Todd “DanDruff” Witteles: Druff is the equalizer on the site as he is the super conservative…and is also a bracelet winner… and the best player out of the crew. Druff is the man and is the most intelligent guy on the radio show.

Brandon “Drexel” Gerson: (Brandi Hawbaker’s old boyfriend) I am really starting to like Brandon as he is becoming more and more a part of the show, He is a pro gambler, who has lived in Vegas for years and has worked in many of the Casinos as a Pit Boss. He is also the “stud” behind Neverwin as he has dated some of the hottest chicks in Poker also.

Pokerpages goes “Donk-Down”: That’s right folks…it looks like one of the oldest and most notable Poker Websites is going under. They are one of the only big poker sites to not have a “Hard Magazine” to go along with the website.

Magnolia Poker Classic: There may be a chance that I head that way to play in a couple of tourneys. I know that going to Tunica is pretty brutal…I may wind up showing up on some weekends to play a few of the events.

“-I had my foot on the gas as I left the road and blew out my mind
-8 miles outta Memphis and I got no spare
-8 miles straight up downtown somewhere
-I just dropped in to see…what condition my condition was in”
Lyrics from the song “Just dropped in (to see what condition my condition was in) by Andre Previn

Poker Happenings...and other tidbits

2009-09-29T13:40:00.000-07:00

I apologize to the folks that have been emailing about me not blogging recently, but I have been very busy with work, my pregnant wife and getting some stories out for a new venture we are pursuing here at GCP.Net. This blog is going to ramble a little bit

WCOOP:
Wow...poker is just soooooooo easy for these guys...Yevgeniy Timoshenko (known as "bballer88" on Full Tilt Poker and "Jovial Gent" on Pokerstars) snaps off the WCOOP Main Event for 1.7 million...then a couple of hours later...He takes down the $1k Monday tournament on FTP for $75k. ElkY...move over as we have another player that just runs good...in life...so sick

Sebok and UB:
I have a bad feeling that the reason that they are not naming the people (31 of them) who signed up all those superuser accounts(There has to be a name with each account) is that...there are some highly rated/respected players that are in the crossfire. I listened to Neverwin Radio last week and Detective DanDruff is "hot" on Freddie Deebs tail. I will post the link here

September 16 2009 edition...
http://www.neverwinpoker.com/nwpradio/archive

and they get Sebok and Hollywood Dave in the "Hotseat" this week (Going to listen to it on the way home today)

OK...Druff is the real deal here...to quote Micon...hes "Tough but Fair". (I am going to wet your appetite a little but you all need to listed to this stuff he dug up) He dug into Freddie Deeb ...who we all know was a UB pro and friend of Russ Hamilton. Freddie's name on UB was "Kid55" (k.i.d is his initials...Kassem Idid Deeb...or something like that). Freddie has a fascination with the number 55 as that's the year he was born...Druff claims he identified several of Freddie's email addys with the number 55 in it also. Well...when you look into the superuser list...there are several superuser names that had 55 in them...including..."Crackcorn 55"...and "Dannyboy55" as well as a few others. Well UB in 2005 listed all the entrants to the Aruba Classic that won their seats online ...the one Freddie Deeb snapped off for 1 million...almost 4 years to the day. Well, "kid55" is not listed as winning their seat into the Aruba classic....BUT...you guessed it..."Dannyboy55" did in fact win his seat into the Aruba Classic...HHHHHHmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm.

Anyhow...Listen if you want...make your own conclusions...and what other players have been on the UB as sponsored pros during this time? I can remember...The Magician?? Devilfish?? We will see how it all shakes out.

World Softball Championship in Panama City:
I have to give a shout out to my baby brother, James (I say baby but he is 6'3 ...and built like a brickhouse...cock strong) who along with his team, The "Cross Seekers", won the World Softball Championship of Class D in Panama City, FL ...2 weekends ago. There has been no other softball team from Louisiana that has ever achieved this feat...and the sponsors of the tournament and the other teams were shocked that they were not even sponsored. This group of individuals who all live in the South Louisiana area within 20 minutes of each other went there and kicked ass on teams that were pooled from entire states. The team they beat in the finals was a team put together from across the state of North Carolina and had a "Major" sponsor. (Mike Vicks little brother Marcus was also on the team).

James was voted MVP of the tournament...Julie and I could not be more proud of him.

This segways into a story I told some of my close poker buddies months ago as well as my other brother Charles. I am sitting in a poker tournament 3-4 months ago next to a guy I have played with on numerous occasions whose name is Sparky. We are friendly and we chat when we see each other and I know him as a good...solid player. Well, he knew everyone called me GeneD but didn't know my last name was Dudek. Sparky over hears someone call me by my last name and says, "Hey man...your last name is Dudek", ...to which I replied "Yes...why?". He says, "You James Dudeks brother?"... I give an affirmative and Sparky calls over 2 other guys from other tables...all softball players...and says, "Hey guys...that's James Dudeks brother right there"...to which I get stared at as someone semi-famous. One of them says, "Dude...your brother is a beast...he crushes the ball...hits harder than anybody I have ever seen"...the other says "Your brother could probably play softball for a living...people would pay him to play...hes that good".

James...if you ever read this...We are proud of you...and I want you to know that moment meant alot to me

"Remember Red, hope is a good thing, maybe the best of things, and no good thing ever dies" Tim Robbins as Andy Dufrene in his letter to Red in the "Shawshank Redemption"

Running around with my head cut off... part 2

2009-09-11T08:40:00.000-07:00

I am here typing this out at the Beau Rivage where the Gulf Coast Poker Championship is going strong. The Main Event starts on Saturday, and we are working on getting some material for a new venture Bill and I have got into...and we may be around snapping some pics of all the Gulf Coast players.

I was all set to play in 2 of the events and wound up not playing either one. The first one was last week when I wasn't feeling all that hot, and I when I got down to sign up ...the line was huge and we would have had to go in as alternates...I passed.

The 2nd one was in yesterdays 2pm $340.00 that was pushed back because of the power outage...what a mess they had on their hands. Johnny G and company did a great job under the circumstances though. I was in line with 2 of my friends ....Jared from Lafayette and Quatersack. I gave up and decided not to play. Both of them got in after standing around for an hour or so with about 5 min left in the 100-200 level. At least they got to sit down with 10k in chips.

I had to stay at the IP as the Beau had booked all their "Poker rate" rooms...checked out the new IP poker room. I liked it. The bright purplish/bright blue felt definitely "Jumps" out at yea. They also now have those tables where they "swipe" you in for comps. Don't care much for those. If you feel I have been playing poker in your poker room...write me a comp to get something to eat...pretty simple. Well...I played for several hours and then had to go thru the, "Well...you only have enough time on here for $7.00 worth"...whatever.

I am in the 1 seat and halfway thru my session BJ McBrayer and his girlfriend come sit in the 2 seat. We chatted and had a good time...I made a sick laydown with AA when a player in LP called my preflop raise to $20.00 with Q-10o. Flop comes down 8-8-J rainbow. I c-bet up to $45.00 and villain calls. 9 on the turn and the guy grabs a hand full of chips and sticks them over the line like hes going to count them out and I grab a handfull also and say, "Im probably gonna call" and started to put my hand out over the line. The player sees this and reaches back and grabs a $100.00 bill ...and puts all the red chips he had in his hand on top of the bill. I now put down my chips and go in the tank. I ask him if he will show me if I fold and he says the standard, "You call and you can see them"...damn...hes got it. I fold face-up and he does in fact show me the Q-10o...NH sir...WP.

Watched the WSOP episode with the PokerBrat and Dandruff...WHAT??? you mean they edited out all the stuff about UB? Yeaaaaaaaaaaaa

Been staying extremely busy at my new job as I am trying to get acclimated to a new company and position.

Gotta go...

"I wonder... do we all know where we belong? And if we do, in our hearts, why do we so often do nothing about it? There must be more to this life, a purpose for us all, a place to belong" Angelina Jolie as Sara Jordan in "Beyond Borders"

Running around with my head cut off...

2009-08-21T06:16:00.000-07:00

...Thats what I have been doing lately. It seemed to pile up...and pile up on me. This blog is going to be bullet points I have made notes about

-First...Congrats to Wild Bill and Jess for their new born. I am pretty excited for them and then nervous for me as ...I don't know. I guess I had some kind of warped feeling that I really didn't have to worry much ...kind of like parachuting as long as the guy in front of you goes out well your good...so with that analogy...Bill was going to have to "Go out first" so in all actuality...Im was kind of like "2nd in line"...well GeneD...guess what...your at the doorstep of that plane buddy...looking out at...shit...I have no idea what...but you have to jump...theres no turning back now. "But wait isn't there SOMEONE else I know having a child before early November I can get back behind?"....Uhhhh...My Cousin Julie and John have their bundle of Joy a couple of weeks ago...nope...oh well...Its me...I plan on doing a cartwheel out the door...somersault when I hit the air...followed by a backflip gainers going down.
(Side Note on my Cousin: congrats to them by the way ...funny note on how I found out....my nanny texted me "Its a Boy"...thats it ;-) ...just digging.... she knows we love her).

-My 2nd Tunica trip was sooooooo cool. I got to fly on one of my buddy's private planes in a Twin Commander where we flew out of Baton Rouge and right into Tunica airport. I got to where the headphones where we could all talk to each other and we also got to hear the interaction between the pilot/owner Dave and all the land based towers. I got to hear "echo" and "Bravo" and all the pilot lingo....as "We are November 9 Tunica tower...I have a visual...preparing for approach"....kind of stuff. verrrry cool and fun. The guys I went with were great and we had a blast. You will read about how they did in limit tourney on the main site when I update it again.

-My Poker exploits are I continue to beat the cash games which keeps me where I need to be as far as bankroll goes as its steady climbing getting ready for the Beau. I am skipping Oklahoma obv...I have my online bankroll nice and healthy for when the baby gets here so I can start focusing on online play as I am sure my live play will take a backseat for awhile.

-To give you an idea of how bad the play was in Tunica...I witnessed the following hand in a tournament. We are on the 2nd round with the button...maybe 17th hand of the tournament.
You know where the blinds antes are so I complete from SB and see the flop with 6 other people.
Flop comes out AhKhJh. UTG old guy local with his NRA hat on with a pic of an AK-47 on his shirt fires out a 4x bet....Guy in 7 seat ....same age only with cowboy hat and a "Vietnam Veterans" pin on it 3 bets to a total of 10x of the BB....everyone pitches to the muck except gun toter...who gets all aggressive and 4 bets....Vietnam guy just decides to flat....turn was the 10h to which NRA boy fires a healthy bet...gets smoothes by Vietnam guy. Now the river brings a meaningless 2s. NOW...gun boy checks to which the Cowboy Hat Veteran says outloud, "Oh well...what do I do now....Hmmmm....how much is in there?" and proceeds to bet about 1/3 of the pot...and NRA gun guy insta-shoves...and gets insta-called. Cowboy Hat has (Duhhhh) A-Q with the Qh....gun guy who needs to shake some of that gunpowder out of his head...tables 6h2h.

Several people at the table snicker...a couple of online guys are still in shock...and I simply say, "Wow sir...you had to know you were beat", to which he says "I flopped a flush...what are talking about...you don't know shit"...I said sir..."The 7-8-9 of hearts was in his range but his range became even more polarised when he made that speech about what to do and he only bet 1/3 of the pot...he had the royal flush...I would have bet my house on it"...he says..."What are talking about kid ...range....what range...what are talking about"...I answered him..."Sir...the shooting range sir....I am talking about the shooting range...I will meet you there later and we can pop off a few rounds...and by the way...your right...I don't know shit"

"And you know what's going to happen now. You should admit your situation. There would be more dignity in it....and Let me ask you something... If the rule you followed brought you to this, of what use was the rule? Javier Bardem as Anton Chigurh the Homicidal Maniac in "No Country foir Old Men"...right before executing Woody Harrelson's Character Carson Wells

Chopped the Beau Nightly...Tales from Tunica...

2009-08-06T10:51:00.000-07:00

I have been meaning to getting around to putting up a new blog, but I have been very busy lately with my job and some new business ventures as well as I got so many good comments on my last one...I wanted to "Milk" it for everything it was worth. My family also enjoyed it as we have been pounded about questions on what we were going to name our son.

I am currently in and the Beau Rivage typing this up waiting to get kicked out my room by the maids as its now 1pm and check out was noon. I left a crack in the door and came back to do some work, and put up a blog. I chopped the Beau Nightly last night night 3 ways for $1040.00, and it was probably a mistake as I know I was the best player left, but there was this one girl at the table from Tallahasse, Fl that talked just like Alabama Worley in True Romance...and she was lets say...I want to be polite here as she may read this..."still learning the game" LOL. I took the chop because this girl just got it in bad time after time and somehow she was the CL at with 3 of us left and she was just tooooooo unpredictable. You never knew what she was going to do from hand to hand so I agreed to the chop. After my payouts to the players I had deals with and towards my makeup with my backer...I walked away with over $800.00. We had a full GCP.Net crew in this one as Goondingy, SPR, Reid G, Alex and Wild Bill were in it also. Bill and I played some 1-2 after and he made a nice score.

Tunica Mississippi....yeaaaaaaaaaaa. What a place. I am going to have to start on my Tunica stories by taking a play from Monkey...and hack on Tunica.

-I counted 4 cars out in the parking lot with miss-matched fenders/quaterpanels that were different colors ...obviously junk yard parts that the owner just does not care that they have a blue car and a red front quarter panel.
-In same parking lots I counted 3 cars that had one of the side windows busted out ...and managed to stop the rain from getting in by patching the window up with garbage bags and duck tape
-In same parking lot saw 2 cars with same patch job on the Back Glass

Now the sick part about this is that these people would rather come to a casino and gamble their money away instead of fixing their windows...The thought process...lets see ...I have $75...Passenger Car Window or The Price is Right Slot at the Gold Strike???...I'll take the latter.

And to give you an idea of the attitude of the employees there...I am at the concierges desk faxing some copies for work and their is the Concierge and 2 Bell guys behind the front desk when we all witness the following interaction. Nice old lady walks up and tries to grab one of the bell carts and is stopped by the bell guy and the following conversation takes place,

Bell Guy-"Lady...you cant take the cart its a bell cart used by us Bell guys
NOL-"I need something to carry our luggage down as we have a bunch of stuff including an ice chest"
BG-"But Lady...We are the only ones who can use these carts...I can come up with you and help you if you would like"
NOL-"But I have we no money...we are flat busted from the Casino"

To which a Mexican staredown standoff ensues until the NOL walks away. I say "Incredible"...to what the Concierge says, "Yea Man...Can you believe that...we get people like that all the time"

Now at this point I realize that he mis-understood what I was implying thinking I was hacking on the NOL...and I proceeded to tell him that I felt he and the Bell Guy were as rude as hell and that they should get their asses up their and help the lady...that at least she was honest enough to tell them she was busted when in all actuality all she had to do was go to her room...call the bell desk...get them to come get her stuff...pull the car around and load up...and hit the road. That they should appreciate her honesty in not wanting to "Stiff" anyone and that in fact...you dont have to tip the bell guy at all...its a service of the Casino...which just took all her money.

Mexican Staredown standoff now commences with Me and Concierge...he says "Whatever"...and I say, "Only in Tunica MS...Karmas a bitch buddy"...and I walk away.

Anyyyyhow. ...Played the Deep Stack event and went fairly deep to around 5-6 tables left and they were paying 38 out of over 400. I get it in a 4-1 fav in a +80k pot ...with 10-10 vs 6-6 where I cruise into the money if I win...6 ball on the river...bounced but not frustrated as I played as well as I could. I played one hand bad the whole Tournament and it was in the 4th level right after the break. I had to end up folding on the river, so I dont know what the person had...but I played the hand terrible...but it had nothing to do with my results as I went on a rush after that to get up to around the 40k I had. Ben "The Destroyer" Mintz was at my table for awhile and is a nice guy...we chatted for awhile.

I wiffed 5 tournaments overall on the weekend including a couple of $150.00 buy-in 10k guaranteed events at other Casinos...but I was able to beat this new "Cash Blast" tournament and the cash games in general to cover my tournament losses...I am flying back tomorrow morning with some buddies on a private jet to play some more tournies/megas...and will be returning next week.

Sights and Sounds of Tunica...here are some quotes:

Ben "The Destroyer" Mintz to Phillip "Quatersack" Walsh on break in Deepstack event:
The Destroyer-"Dude...I cant believe that guy flatted your Kings with Queen/4...and hits a queen and a 4 on the flop...that was sick"
Quatersack-"Superusers man...Superusers"

I went chat with Jason Gladden as he was in the 2-7 lowball event as he was in the 7 seat and Robert Williamson was in the 3 seat...Jason says, "Only tournament I have played in so far and its a game I have never played before"...Classic

Songs I was listening to on Ipod when I went on my "Rush"
-"Jane Says"-Janes Addiction
-"Dead Leaves and the Dirty Ground"-White Stripes

"Tunica Mississippi Bro...what a hellhole bro...THATS a place I never want to go back to bro" Eugene Todd Bro on a old Pokerroad Radio show

"What about Iveeeyyyyyyyyy?"...Durrrr

2009-07-23T18:43:00.000-07:00

That drop is from Durrrr on the old Poker Road Radio from years ago. They use to use that drop alot when Justin Shronk handled the boards, and it is from right when Durrrr put his challenge out when there was so much speculation about who/what/when anybody was going to accept the challenge. They were discussing all the potentials ...Kid Poker...Joe Cassidy...Benyamine...and Antonius when Durrrr says, "What about Iveeeyyyyyyyyyyy"...it was a classic drop.

Well...what about Ivey? As The Bear and all the guys on The Poker Beat have said. The "November Nine" were built around trying to get one of the premier poker players in the world...the poker celebrity per say...to the November Nine so the media outlets would light up...the major sponsors would come calling...and Conan and Letterman will be clearing their slates to book them on the talk shows. With Ivey being my (and many others) favorite player, I guess our dreams have come true. There is a defining moment in my poker career several years ago when Ivey became my favorite player. You can follow this link and see when this happened.

www.youtube.com/watch?v=--Qap3VT_ZY

Wow...what a hand

So Phil Ivey has made it to the November Nine and I personally think this is going to make or break the November Nine concept. Was it a good decision to make the November Nine? We will see...

Other poker ramblings:

Todd "DanDruff" Witteles calls out Phil Hellmuth on the TV table:
This was about the UB scandal and the fact that UB has not properly responded to the players on the scandal. I think that this was a good thing...even though it will probably be edited out on the TV broadcast. You have to give Druff some credit for sticking up for his principals and making the comments to try to bring light to the scandal. Todd was not the only person in this years WSOP to try to keep this issue from getting swept under the rug and forgot about.

Adam Richardson:
He won 2nd place in the "Ante up for Africa" tournament and held out on his donation to also try to bring attention to the scandal. Richardson made it clear to several of his online pals what he was planning on doing if he made a big cash...and from the podcast that I have listened too...had many in his corner that were going to do the same if they too...made a nice cash. Richardson had an emergency with his family that caused him to leave right after the tournament to go home...I think it had to do with his wife being pregnant and having some complications...but from what I heard...he was going to leave a donation...after the UB scandal was discussed. I am under the understanding that he did intend to donate after he shed light on the scandal (Not sure if he did or not).

GeneD's poker exploits:
The negative variance in my live cash games has gotten better, and I have been able to book some solid wins in the live arena lately. I had a nice score at Shorty's for a few thousand the other night in a real tough game. I was able to sit and chat for quite awhile with Tim "Rasin Cajun" Hebert as he was in the game for quite awhile. Tim has been spending alot of time in LA as he is dating a girl from that area. There was several other tough players in the game also including one of his buddies that I call, "Solid Play Dave" as he is a good player that is hard to read and very seldom gets out of line. There were some other regulars that play well like Phil and John....and some "Any 2 card" players such as Big O. I played solid poker and built a nice stack and then opened up my game and started with the pressure in spots where I thought I could use my stack to my advantage...and it worked

Got in a couple of good cash games also recently at the Amelia Belle where I was able to book some winners. Nothing like walking into your local Casino and seeing a 1-2nl game going strong with a decent amount of money on the table...and you dont know anyone at the table...sweet

Tunica:
I am taking a play from Monks book as I also plan on watching the first few events to see how things look...and how many runners they get in the first few events. I plan on making it there at some point...probably next weekend depending on how my job shakes out.

Monkeys Run at the Venetian:
Good stuff brother...Congrats on the whole experience

WSOP main Event:
I am also glad that Jeff Shulman made the November Nine also with Ivey as you cant have too many name pros to go until November. I was personally pulling for TK once Kia went down...until he got bounced also...then started to pull for Dave "Love Shack Dave" Gafford from Baton Rouge...and Joe Sebok. I think Joe would have been good for the N9 also

My Job:
Wow...I am sitting tight with the same job with some uncertainty about my position in the company with the merger. These things happen in big mergers in Corporate America...but there have also been several opportunities that have surfaced that I am trying to make decisions about...probably... the most anxiety I have experienced in my day job in 10 years...but like I said in a previous blog...I think it will all work itself out...one way or the other.

My Blog:
Sorry to all the people sending me emails/text about getting my blog updated

Now to the part alot of were asking about and I decided to post it on my blog. The big question is, "What are we going to name our boy". I said that the poker players on here were going to like it...but actually...it was my wife that picked the name

Where going to name him "Eugene M Dudek IV"...and we are going to call him "Ivey"...after the IV in the Roman Numerals "I" and "V" for the 4th

There you have it...

Jack Singer: Do you know what a straight flush is? It's like... unbeatable.
Betsy: "Like unbeatable" is not unbeatable.
Jack Singer: HEY!!!! I KNOW THAT NOW!!!!!!!
Interaction between Nicholas Cage (Jack) and Sara Jessica Parker(Betsy) in "Honeymoon in Vegas"...when Cage loses a hand in poker where his payout is for his fiance to spend the weekend with the winner of the hand

Poker Ramblings...and GeneD's going to be a Dad

2009-07-08T11:47:00.000-07:00

I have finally mustered up the time to post a blog as I have been avoiding it as I am dealing with a downward live variance...and WSOP blues. The Main Event is in Full Swing and I was able to get some sweat equity in Cobra Kai. He is going into day 2B with over 50bbs so there is still lots of play to be had. I am also dealing with some anxiety over my new job (6 months) as in Corporate America...when you have mergers and acquisitions (M&A)...you have changes and uncertainty. I am confident that things will work out though.

I was told by some of my buddys and family members (who I did not know lurk and read my blog) that I have not mentioned on here that me and my wife are expecting a baby in early November. We have been trying for some time and was very frustrated. Everyone kept telling us, "As soon as you stop trying and stop worrying so much about it...it will happen". I heard that so many times from so many people that it felt like the person telling you the worst bad beat story you could possibly hear...x5. We looked into adopting...we looked into invetro...and other things happened in or lives that for a brief 3 months ...took our minds off the anxiety and the worry of it all...and BAM!!!...YAHTZEE!!!! ...and we found out its going to be a boy. With the price of invetro...its like a 20k freeroll.

Poker Ramblings:

What about the guy Thang Luu, who has a bracelet already under his belt, breaks the hand of a WSOP dealer when the dealer goes to "Move Up" his tabled hand in Omaha8...and then he balls a fist and slams the dealers hand breaking bones between the dealers knuckles and wrist. They are saying he will probably be arrested and he is 86'ed from Harrahs properties...Unbelievable.

Been listening to all the Pokerroad Radio shows during my windshield time and I am a little confused as is Ali Nejad coming back. They have Joe "Staps" Stapelton filling in during the WSOP...I guess...as I never heard it actually discussed on the show. They had on Roland DeWolf the other day and it was a good show. Roland is a hoot and I love it when he hassles the "Magic the Gathering" players...he can be heard saying to David Williams something like , "I raise you 2 hobgoblins" on a TV table years ago...he has said similar things when in hands with ElKy...etc

PRR Shows: I have to admit that I do find my self looking forward to the "B Team" show more than the regular show. They could not have found 3 of the most likable people to run the B Team sho in Devo, Court "The Hick" and Gobboboy. They have a real chemistry that I like and they give a whole new perspective on the poker community. I read Devo's blog and have admitted on a previous blog that i relate to him as I too am/was an outdoors adventurer ...liking to hike/camp/whitewater/jetski/fish...etc. I think he is just an overall cool guy.

The B Team shows: I just listened to the Matt Garham show and really enjoyed the lake story about Matt getting pulled over by the Lake Police on Devo's jetski...classic

The show where Staps fills in for the Hick and details a drunkin Jeff Madsen story at a strip club...Hilarious.

What else...oh...you want to know about how I have been doing lately playing poker...gettin reamed live...and losing crucial flips deep in the mid-level MTTs online. Last night at Harrahs I got my opponents twice to put all their chips in the middle post turn as a huge dog...and they got there both times.

First hand I flop 2 pair with K7c on a 4 way K72 flop with 2 diamonds. I make a 2/3 size bet and get one caller...Duh...I have him dead on the diamond draw. Turn bricks...I bet out $130.00 on the turn where the villain has only $160.00 left in his stack..."Call" ...WTF???? and ladies and gentleman the idiot that called off 95% of his chips and saved the last $30.00 for what?...Cab ride home??? I dont know...gets his diamond on the river. He bets out his last $30.00 to what I say sarcastically, "No way man...jeeze...I just dont know whether I can call that last $30.00 in a pot over $450.00"...he tables 2 baby diamonds and again sarcasm on my part, "No way man...you mean you have a flush? oh my oh my...how could I have been so stupid to bet into a flush draw...do the numbers 80-20 mean anything to you?"

2nd hand...wash rinse repeat ....except this time Im holding 2 black queens on a board of 4s7dJd5c...OK....this one is 70-30 because the guy also had a gutterball draw...but still...there getting there on me.

Enough Negativity...Lets go Kia what is 1% of 8.5 million anyway?

"Strippers are -EV" Bryan "Devo" Devonshire on PRR B team addition when discussing Staps and Madsens crazy night out when Staps was "Rapping" with a stripper

Mis-click from Hell ..."Redemption"

2009-06-20T20:36:00.000-07:00

Well...lets see here...I left off my last blog speaking of getting "Dialed in" as we were close to the money in the Sat. $11.00 Deep Stack event on Stars. This was the same tournament that I "mis-clicked" in the previous weekend...Well...as some of you already know...I was able to get a little redemption for myself as was able to pull off a 2nd place finish:

PokerStars Tournament #169968468, No Limit Hold'emBuy-In: $10.00/$1.00
1224 playersTotal Prize Pool: $12240.00 Tournament started 2009/06/13 12:00:00 ET
Dear GCPGeneD,
You finished the tournament in 2nd place. A $1,493.29 award has been credited to your Real Money account.You earned 497.43 tournament leader points in this tournament.
Congratulations!
Thank you for participating.

I felt good about the score but also a little disappointed as I wanted to win sooooooo bad I could taste it. The guy that won first was from Minsk, somewhere in Russia and he played very well. There were 2 hand I will breakdown a little later where I felt I had him "stone cold dead"...and either he sniffed out of it or the cards counterfeited my action. The tournament started at 11am and did not finish until around 2:30am...with a good hour of HU play. The difference between 1st and 2nd was only $500.00.

The tourney...I felt I played really well and once we got down to 4 tables, everything came together for me. I was seeing things clearly and had picked up on several patterns on my opponents that I was able to exploit. I also was taking hot showers...and I mean steaming hot...on every break to stay focused and dialed in. I went to the FT as the chip leader and did not relinquish the CL until we were 4 handed...I never had my tournament life on the line the entire tourney until we got to FT...we went into HU him having me 2 to 1 in chips...45 minuted later I had him 2 to 1 in chips and the see-saw battle continued.

At this point in the tourney where I had him 2 to 1 (a little over 6 million in chips total). When the following hands played out...I am going by memory as I haven't dug into my hand history's just yet for analysis:

-I flopped a medium size flush (I think I was holding 6-8h) and the flop came out K high with all of them being hearts. I check and he makes a huge bet...I flat. Turn bricks and he again makes a decent bet...I raise and he flats...I now thought I had him as I felt he at least had a King in his hand...river is terrible for me as the 2hearts peels out and I make a blocking bet for pot control just in case he has a heart higher that the 8h...he folds and admitted he had a King.

-The next one was in a very similar situation where I flop a straight where I three bet with J9o...villain flats and the flop shows K-Q-10...and dont remember the exact action but there were some bets, raises and calls on flop and turn...and a J hits the river to cause me to shut down and hand cuffed me...we checked it down and he showed 2 pair...I think he had K-10.

Again...I think he played the well, and I felt my HU games was formidable. I could have easily won this tourney with either of the hands above...but it wasnt meant to be...and again...these 2 hands are what I remember it from a week ago ...Tha.nks to those that came bird dog it also

If I could sum up my entire tournament experience with what I have been learning recently would be a couple of things:
1) I learned alot being able to shadow TK, Fish and Tyler in the FTOPs ME recently. (There was a guy named Trey there also but he wasnt playing just like me). I touched on this experience in a previous Blog and my thoughts leaving TKs that night was my knowing that Fish is going to be making an impact...somewhere...its just a matter of time. I know Bill and I discussed this that day and I told him, "Fish has the sharpest instincts if seen playing online, and I was able to learn alot from just watching and asking questions"
2) I just finish the poker book from John Vorhaus Killer Poker series "Killer Poker by the Numbers" which was written by Tony Guerrera. Its a "Math" book no doubt, but I think he explains the math portions a little simpler that Bill Chen's book. Some of the formulas were confusing for me but I got a solid grasped of everything he wrote and it wasnt that difficult to follow. The thing that I learned that was the most crucial was not the odds on your starting hands vs your players range...but the odds that your opponents have nothing but air...and the odds that they whiffed the flop with random hands...that your opponents has nothing. My only suggestion is to get familiar with pokerstove before you read it...again...watching fish work pokerstove was very impressive and helped my reading the book.

I went fishing several times recently to "Unplug" for awhile...and I went deep sea fishing today with some of buddies I grew up with in Tim B's 24 foot boat. I had a great time, and we killed the Red Snapper and Mangroves...but it was hot as hell and the sun kicked my ass. It was very peaceful watching the sun come up over the horizon as the Gulf was slick and calm...good times with good people. I talked to people who haven't got many close friends like that...that I would call "Life Long" friends. I have been friends with these guys since 6th or 7th grade ...which I value very much

What else...My tomato plants are just humming along...I am having to give away tomato's before they go bad...and I am heading to a Family reunion on my Sonnier side of my family...looking forward to see all my cousins (Which on both sides of my family combined...I think I have something like 33 first cousins.

Good Luck to everyone at the WSOP..Cobra Kai, TK, Monk, Fish...and all the rest. Plan on getting back to the online grind after I savor the moment for a few days.

"Poker is the ultimate game of pain...you re either giving it or getting it...and sometimes it only 30 seconds between the two" David Grey in Cardplayer Magazine/Vol 22c/No 12c/Jan 17the 2009.

Poker Shenanigans...misclick from hell

2009-06-13T12:43:00.000-07:00

***Quick clarification on something posted on the site***

There was a post on our main news feed during the 40k that i got emails about where it was mentioned that I "Noticed" Keith Lear was not in the Wednesday weekly 25-50 game at the Elderado in Shreveport. It seems like were people who perceived that those comments meant that I was actually playing in that said game...this is not the case...No people...I did not move from 1-2/2-5/5-5 nl cash games up to 25-50 overnight.

Got back into some live poker action last week as I played several live tournaments...and many online. Thomkat17 and I both cashed in the Monday weekly at the Amelia Belle...whiffed the weekly at Harrahs Wednesday (congrats to Wild Bill who has been pwning that tourney for several months now...kids on a nice heater in that tourney)...then business took me to Biloxi and got to fire at a couple of tourneys on the coast. At the Beau's nightly Super Stack, I was able to chip up quick and hoover around one of the top 10 in chips. There was this one guy at the table that caught some cards and chipped up...but made several bad plays to donate some chips my way. One was when I raised 3x the bb with AQo and got 2 callers along with our villain. Flop hits QQ3 rainbow. Villain fires and everybody folds to me and I decide to flat here. Turn bricks with a 2 and he checks...I fire a 1/2 size pot bet...he flats...river bricks a meaningless 4...he checks...I fire a 3/4 size pot bet and he calls and tables 77...needless to say...I had my eye on this guy and wanted to get his chips

I would lose 3/4 of my stack to this same guy later in tournament when he was the CL at my table and I was 2nd in chips. I played this hand bad, and I cant believe I could not get away from QQ on a King high board here. Action went like this. Villain limps utg and everyone folds to me and I pop it to 4-5x the bbs...everyones out and Villain flats...Flop comes King high and he knuckles...I knuckle...turn bricks and he fires out 5k and I flat...river bricks and he again fires 5k and I flat and he tables AA ...I muck my QQ and slowly start looking for something sharp in my backpack to poke my eyes out with...I went out soon after.

Funny moment in this tourney (I know I texted some of you this so you can skip this part)...Johnny Grooms is running the tournament and poker room and after the tourney gets started he announces to the cash players about the "Aces Cracked" promo in the 4-8 limit game. There is this lady at our table who is totally clueless and doesn't understand poker tourneys at all...didn't understand when we raced off the green chips...asked a bunch of dumb questions...etc. Well our lady friend gets in a hand where she gets all in on the turn with her AA vs a set of Queens ...and she starts to get excited and jumps up and down going, "Yes...Im going to win the $100.00"...the river brings an Ace and her face drops like someone had just shot her dog and she exclaims, "nooooooooooo...oh well...maybe next time"...you could about imagine the stunned silence at the table as we all stared in amazement...until I just couldn't hold it in any more and busted out laughing BWAAAAAAHAHAHHAA...LOL.

My mis-click from hell happened last weekend in the $11.00 Deepstack event on Stars at 11am on Saturday. Over 1200 people in (im going to to try to keep this quick as I am almost in the money in this same tourney right now as I type this)...we are 8 1/2 hours into the tourney...there are a little over 60 players left...I am 9th in chips with over 100 bbs...and very comfortable with my stack...my play so far...my image at the table...etc. Physically, I am sitting on my couch with my laptop on a kitchen chair watching the WPT Bad Boys of poker...the one where TonyG wears the Japanese kimono...just cruising along....I'm at 170,000 in chips

I am OTB and the person in 11th place with 160,000 in chips open shoves from mid-position...for over 100bbs also...everyone folds and I glance away from the TV and reached my hand over to hit the touch pad as my arrow was over "Call"...and my pinkie knuckle hit the button on my laptop...and to my horror...I watched as 95% my chips got shipped to the villain...next hand I get AK with 3 bbs left...and lost that...I was bounced all in a matter of 90 sec. The only good thing to come out of this is my laptop did not take any damage as it got punted into my loveseat on the other side of the room. Now...this was my fault...no questions asked as I should have been more "Dialed In"...and not so non-chalant about playing for 1000's of dollars...but also on the flip side...this would never happen in a live setting.

The thing that tiled me the most was that...just when you think that everything in the poker world that could tilt you like a "Tilt-a world" has already happened...they just keep on coming
;-)

Speaking of being "Dialed In"...let me get back to my tourney as we are near the bubble and I am a little above avg in chips.

"Yeah... well...sometimes nothin' can be a real cool hand" Paul Newman as Luke in "Cool Hand Luke"...this responding to another inmate when Luke wins a poker game by bluffing when inmate says "Nothin'. A handful of nothin'. You stupid mullet head. He beat you with nothin"

Poker Blues

2009-06-04T12:32:00.000-07:00

Sorry for not blogging lately to the people sending me emails...I have been kind of bummed lately as it looks like I may not make the WSOP this year. Theres just no feeling like it when you go for 3 years back to back...and then realize theres a chance you wont be making it. I didn't go last year either, but I thought last year, "Well...I will just skip a year...it will be back next year". I was actually making plans last week to go when something at work came up that will make it hard for me to make. There is still a small chance I may bolt out there if I can take care of this stuff at work, but it looks bleaker everyday that passes. My wife can see it in me also, and she is starting to encourage me to go...I don;t know...we will see

I want to give a shout out to my boys Virge and Lusky who have set up their own training website...not videos...you can actually have one of them on the phone with you (Or in person if you live in Vegas) while they coach you. Go check out there site at http://www.pokerimmersion.com/.

I went play the weekly at Harrahs yesterday and rode up there with SPR...also saw Wild Bill, Alex Todd, Alex Wood and Mitch. Alex T, Mitch and I all wound up on the same starting table and I commenced to donk off my chips in a ridiculous...embarrassing way thinking I was trying to "portray" that I had a big hand to my buddy AT...ignoring the fact and completely blinded in that he was also trying to tell me to get "out of his pot" as he had a big hand also...we got it all in on the turn...he had my "Big Hand" crushed by a monster. There's nothing like getting all your chips in the middle ...and after the hands revealed...your stone cold dead in the water...My "Big Hand" (Top-Top) didn't even have any outs against his flopped set of 9's...just disgusting...terriable...but it happens. I come home and grind online and, of course, you have to watch TIVO'ed poker while you grind...the first hand I watched was The unabomber making the same disgusting play as I did, only he was on a stone cold bluff even though he had the same hand I did. The venue was the WSOP Europe ME in London...3 days in...Kid Poker turns a straight on a 9 high board (I think)...and our hero check-shoves with A-Q. Phil starts to look to see if he has any outs...nope...zilch. I actually rewinded it several times to just see his reaction...just so I know Im not the only knucklehead that gets it in worst than bad...oh well...it happens and if I was going to Donk out...Im glad I gave my chips to one of my buds

I caught myself pulling for Isaac Haxton in the 40k. I was listening to Pokerroad/The circuit years ago when Sebok called him out for what Joe said was a terriable play...only seebs got tortured on 2+2 as Haxton and his online posse broke down the hand from a mathematical perspective...and Haxton had +EV. That is where you hear the drop all the time on the show where seebs says, "Math is idiotic...yada...yada". Anyhow, they had him on the show after seebs apologized over and over...and I was impressed with the way Haxton handled the situation. In fact, I just downloaded the new Pokerroad radio show where they have him on after his 2nd place finish in the 40k...I am looking forward to the drive home so I can listen to it.

I also got to listen to the Pokerroad show with Prahlad Friedman, and they talked about the emotional turmoil he encountered playing through the cheating scandal at UB. On UB as "Spirit Rock"...it is said that Prahlad was person most cheated in the scandal. He talks about how mind f#$*ed he was after losing so much money to the same player and tryin to figure out what he was doing wrong. Imagine it...your one of the best players on the internet pawning the biggest games at he time...your nickname alone would strike fear in poker players the world over...and then you all of a sudden...you just start getting pawned by a couple of users. How do you adjust and adapt to that situation...it must be hard.

What else...David Carradine was found hanged today in Singapore...below is part of the press release..."The officer responsible for investigating the death, Teerapop Luanseng, said Carradine was staying at a suite at the luxury Swissotel Nai Lert Park Hotel.
"I can confirm that we found his body, naked, hanging in the closet," Teerapop said. He said police suspected suicide". I wonder if the Singapore Cops found porno mags laying around...or a porno on the TV in a continuous play format. Hey guys...ever hear of auto-erotic asphyxiation...yea...I watched something about that on Oprah. If im going to hang myself, Im sure as hell not going to get buck naked to do it.

And...what about that plane that crashed around Brazil...if anybody thinks this was NOT a terroist attack, then I have some cherry flavored Kool-aid for you to drink. Lets see...here is some more press releases:

"They detail a series of failures that end with its systems shutting down, suggesting the plane broke apart in the sky and their were two debris fields found, according to an aviation industry official with knowledge of the investigation. He spoke on condition of anonymity Wednesday because he was not authorized to discuss the crash"

Uhhh...2 (two) debris fields means the plane exploded in mid air (One field)...and the other is when it hit the water (2nd Field). Or what about this report that hit the wires today below:

"The pilot of a Spanish airliner flying near where the Airbus is believed to have gone down reported seeing a bright flash of white light that quickly plunged to the ocean, said Angel del Rio, spokesman for the Spanish airline Air Comet."Suddenly, off in the distance, we observed a strong and bright flash of white light that took a downward and vertical trajectory and vanished in six seconds," the pilot wrote in a report for the airline and Spanish civil aviation authorities, del Rio told the AP. This Spanish plane was flying from Lima, Peru to Madrid. The pilot said he heard no emergency calls from the plane."

Now...their going to try to cover this up ...and cover it up fast as they don't want people to be wary of flying. The plane was leaving Rio De Jeanero...Do you think the Government of Brazil really has safety precautions comparable to the US? Good luck getting on a plane in any other country and thinking your safe.

Good Luck to everyone at the WSOP!!!!

"Ah, hell. We played a rough game... and we lost"
David Carradine as Cole Younger is "The Long Riders"...when asked by a Pinkerton Man, "What do you and your brothers think about a life sentence? I mean, you're lucky they don't allow hanging in this state. Come on, Cole, tell me what you think about this?"

The WSOP circuit event ends

2009-05-23T08:43:00.000-07:00

The circuit event running at Harrah's ended last week, and a friend of GCP's...Dan Walsh picked up 50k for finishing 5th. Dan has played some great poker in the past few months, and he deserved the good score...even though he was a little disappointed by the finishing 5th as well as the hand he went out on. I had the pleasure of joining Dan and his wife Amanda for a celebratory dinner at Dickie Brennans steakhouse. There was alot of poker talk (Sorry Amanda), and the things that I tried to get Dan to understand above all else is...the below hand history's from Kaelaine Minton coverage:

On a flop of Q T 3 rainbow, Dan Walsh and Shaun Deeb got all in. Shaun held pocket Aces but was crushed by Dan's pocket 3s (bottom set). The last two came 6 4 and Dan doubled up to over 300k. Shaun was still a bit over 200k.

Shaun Deeb didn't learn his lesson earlier. This time he ran AQ into Dan Walsh's pocket Aces...and this time Dan had him covered...and this time the Aces held up. Dan has now chipped up to almost 600k

Taking on the best online player in the world (at the time...he has since moved the 2nd). He got him to put his chips in the middle with AQ with the blinds at 500-3000-6000 when he still had close to 200k…and he took out the defending champion along the way…Dan…Great job…and Thanks for taking me to dinner with you and Amanda…I had a great time!!!

I was able to pull off a min-cash in a $340.00 buy-in event, and I feel I played the tournament well. I was able to chip up early, but then had Dana Diephouse (Dealer/Supervisor at the Belle of Baton Rouge…and a final tabler in this event years ago) on my left who also chipped up…and took the chip lead for some time. I had to be careful and I was trying to play as “Robotic” as possible as Dana has dealt to me many times in the past. I was able to keep my stack healthy until he busted out. Wild Bill got moved to my table after the dinner break, and we both cruised into the money. I got moved to another table about 15 minutes after the bubble burst, and got seated to the left of Mark Wilds. I had 20k left and on the 2nd hand with me in the SB, I glance down at KhKc. Mark makes it 10k to go from the button and I figured he was raising light here…but I also new that he was not going to fold to a min-raise which is all I had left (20k)…I ship it…he call with K-10o with one of the them a diamond…I don’t remember what card…I am sure that comment gave away the ending as the flop came out with 2 diamonds…runner-runner diamonds and GeneD hit the rail. I don’t think Mark did anything wrong here…The hand was going to play itself…I knew he could never fold here and I just got beat by the cards. I can live with that…I got it in good.

Tilt fading during this tourney? There was a guy sitting between Dana and I for more than 6 hours that I swear…did not bath in a week. His BO was sooooo bad…people at the other tables were commenting on it…People…take a bath will ya!!!! On top of that …on break I saw 2 people at my table use the restroom and not wash their hands…sickos.

What else is happening? We are trying to help TK to get staked in the 40k event…see the post on our webpage. We do have a significant amount committed already…but we still need some more stakers to step up.

I got to go sweat TK, Fish and Tyler Smith in the FTOPs main event. I got to hang out and do some hand evaluations…eat some philly cheese-steaks…and just chill with those guys. I learned a lot, and got to see just how sick Fish’s game is…That guy can do deductive reasoning as good as anybody I have ever seen. TK and his wife Karol have a beautiful home in the French quarter also…Good people…and good times…Thanks for having me over.

There’s kind of a funny story behind how I got there. TK told me that it was “A Hike” to walk from Harrah’s, so I was going to grab a Taxi. I walked out the casino and there were no cabs, so I started to walk and got a little ways before I stopped at a Tourist Booth to see how far it actually was. The guy asked me where I was going and I told him the address…he says, “Ah…your going to see Brad and Angelina’s house right?”…uhhhh…no. He tells me that it is pretty far, so I step outside and grab a cab…give the cab guy the address…you guessed it, “You going check out Brad and Angelina’s house right ace”…that would be a negative sir…just going visit some friends.

I have been working on the “Emotional Factor” lately and I have been trying to stay as calm as possible…no mater what happens at the table…win or lose…just keep the same demeanor. I was able to keep my emotions even keel the whole circuit event, even though I got fussed…well…more like yelled at during the 6 handed event over nothing. The floor guy, literally, was yelling at me and another guy at the table over some very minor table banter…all I could say was, “That was weak man…weak…we didn’t even do anything”…oh well.

So I make it through the circuit event without any major tilt issues …and then I get in a 2-5 cash game at the Belle of Baton Rouge last week and some Mofo “Slow Rolls” me like you have never seen before. I flop top 2…and fire post flop…villain flats…turn is a brick…I fire out…villain flats again…The flush gets there on the river so I knuckle…Villain fires a ¼ size pot bet…I say, “I call”…and the Villain says, “Good call man…your good”…so I say “what?”…he says again…louder, “Good call”. I table my top 2 pair. The dealer pushes out the cards on the table, and starts to pile the chips and push them in my direction…dipshit says, “Hold on”…and tables the K high flush. I blew up…and we went at it verbally. Oh well….back to square one.

A little …“Old School” vs “The Sheltered”… incident last week. I am driving in my car with a co-worker (She’s about 26 years old) in Baton Rouge last week coming thru Denham Springs when there are cars coming at us that are flashing their lights on and off. The girl is asking, “Why are all these cars flashing their lights on and off?”…I ask, “You don’t know what that means?”…of course she doesn’t. I explained, “Well…it probably means that there is a cop up the road that is set up trying to give out tickets…everybody knows that”…she doesn’t believe me…I siiggggghhhhhhhhhh as we pass the said cop…and I start to flick my lights on and off to warn people coming the other way…

"Now remember, things look bad and it looks like you're not gonna make it, then you gotta get mean. I mean plumb, mad-dog mean. 'Cause if you lose your head and you give up then you neither live nor win. That's just the way it is" Clint Eastwood as Josey Wales in "The Outlaw Josey Wales"

Circuit event in New Orleans kicks off...

2009-05-12T07:03:00.001-07:00

The circuit event in New Orleans is in full steam, and it looks like it might bea pretty good series. Harrahs has went above and beyond to accommodatethe players and the chatter is all positive. Some of the other bloggers mayhave commented on it, but I wanted to also on the IPod issue.

FINALLY...FINALLY...They have listened to the masses and acknowledged that their "Interpretation" of whatever law they thought was banning ipods at the table ...was F'ed up.
I actually got into another debate yesterday
...even after the ban was lifted...with a dealer about this crap. I have my same argument
I have been spewing for years, "How can it be against any state law to listen to ipods at the
table when Uhhhhhhh...lets see...you can listen to them in Lake Charles...uhhhh...Baton Rouge...or how about Shreveport. The guy says, "Yea...but those are all boats...theres different laws for land based casinos"...well then kind sir...I listened to my ipod at the 7 Clan Tournament series in Coushatta a couple of months back...then I stopped him, "Oh ...I know what your going to say now...its an Indian Casino"...yea...right. Annnnnnnyhooooooow!!

My Play...not happy with it. I have been making mistakes that are really frustrating and I continue to have the "Hero Call" mentality. I was at break even so far for the series but it took a down turn yesterday. I also have been making mistakes on my bet sizing and value bets where I could have extracted more chips in certain situations. I plan on playing the 6 Handed event today which is the event I hit for 3rd during the WSOP in 07' at the Binions Poker Classic running in parallel to the WSOP.

Congrats going out...Damn...where do I start? There are several people I know that are doing well. Lets start with the GCP bloggers:

"The Honest Player" AKA Parfait-
Biggest score so far goes to Parf who made a strong showing in the 5PM $340.00. We started at the same table and he got to see me chip up quick...and then spew them off. Im not sure exactly what place he got but I think he got $2400.00

Cobra Kia-
The venom spewer was also at that same Final Table with Parf. I think he was the chip leader at some point, but couldn't hold on...I think he went out 7th

Southpawrounder (SPR)-
Cashed yesterday in the $500 nooner...got it in good with QQ vs KJ...2 jacks hit the board....yuck!!

Poker Monkey-
Has cashed already in the first event...and as of yesterday he played in 3 tournaments for a total of 35 hours...frustrating going that deep and not getting a solid score I know.

Monk and I ate lunch yesterday at Bamboo with Jacob "Nocko" Naquin who has come out from semi-retirement and is planning on playing some more events. Nocko is known as a cash game specialist, but if the way he played the first event is any indication...he could burn it up this circuit series.

We have a long way to go...another whole week...and alot more poker to play. Hopefully all our bankrolls grow... instead of shrink...were at the midway point.

"Peter, do you know where you are? Above 24,000 ft, you're at the vertical limit, you're already dying. Look at you. You can hardly stand" Scott Glenn as Montgomery Wick in "Vertical Limit"

Finally a small tournament score...Fleetwood Mac

2009-05-02T08:48:00.000-07:00

I was able to break out of my tournament funk last Monday night in the $50.00 freeze-out at the Amelia Belle. The bad play was somewhat astonishing ...as well as welcomed. I saw some very strange hands. I became the chip leader at the FT when we got down to 6 handed with the following hand.

There is one lunchbox at the table that is the chipleader in the 1 seat, and the rest of us are all hovering around 12-13 bbs. I am in the 6 seat and there is only one person at the table I am remotely worried about and that was sparky on my left in the 7 seat. blinds are at 1000-2000 and the lunchbox min-raises to 4000 from utg. I ship it for 25k with 7c7h, and everyone folds to said lunchbox. He tank-calls my shove with J3o to double me up. Yeeeaaaaaaaaaa...thanks buddy.

We wind up getting 3 handed with me, sparky and LB, and the blinds got so high that we decided to chop 3 ways. We (Sparky and Me) offered a chop 4 handed with us each taking 30% and the other 2 splitting the remaining 40% of the prize money...even though the LB was still the chip leader...but they balked...oh well. The LB agreed to the 3-way chop, and I agreed just because of the fact that this F'eer was just toooooo unpredictable...he had no range at all. He still had the chip lead, but he knew he was the worst player left. I was in for $50...out for over $500.00

Played in the Harrah's weekly and got there to sign in a little late...right behind Wild Bill, SPR and Mayor Ed. I wind up in the 10 seat with SPR in the 1 seat. I got chipped up early and ran into a couple of coolers...and made a couple of bad "Hero" calls...I was out before the first break.

I have a nice stack when I flop a set of 10's on a 9-10-J rainbow board. I bet out after the flop...villain flats...I fire on the brick-turn...He flats again...I check the brick-river as red flags were going up and he fires a nice bet..."I call"...he tables K-Qo...yuck. I get it in with 10 bbs left with A-9 and someone has A-K...see ya.

My wife and I went to see the Fleetwood Mac concert for her Valentine's Day present this week, and it was amazing. We had so much fun. I really didn't know much about Lindsey Buckingham, but oh my...can that dude play the guitar. It was probably one of my favorite concerts ever behind U2 years ago when I saw them for the "Rattle and Hum" tour. The crowd was electric and they came out for several encores...good stuff. Stevie Nicks is rocking that cougar look even near 60 years old.

Speaking of cougars...oh my god. I saw more Stevie impersonators at the show than Elvis impersonators in "Honeymoon in Vegas"...they were everywhere. I think even Virge could have gotten laid that night. You actually saw a whole spectrum of fans encompassing the hard core 50-60 year old hard core fans...too the parents with their teenage children...the concert was great.

Made a small score on the Kentucky Derby today. I went in for $25.oo with $10.00 each on my wifes 2 picks..."Desert Party" and "Chocolate Candy". I decided to go ahead and throw $5.00 on a long-shot for shits and giggles ...and took "Mine that Bird" in the 8th spot for 50 to 1...ship it to the colonel!!!

"Players...only love you when their playing" Fleetwood Mac lyrics in Dreams

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

2009-04-25T05:25:00.000-07:00

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Random Thoughts:

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

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

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

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

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

Poker Babble ...Strikeforce MMA

2009-04-16T14:27:00.000-07:00

Plan on playing at the Beau in their nightly tourney tonight to break back into some live tournament play. I had a less than stellar weekend online last weekend. I got knocked out of tourneys with AK...4 times. I ran AK into AA...twice with around 10-12 BBs both times....lost with AK vs KQ twice in huge pots. Oh well...Lets see if things turn around this weekend.

I went to the Belle Of BR last week, but did not get in the game. The traffic was absolutely horrendous (Feel sorry for the BR natives). I was worried about them not having 2 tables going with the traffic so bad...and they didn't...Great. I was 6th on the list and they were not going to open another table because they didn't have dealers. I sat around and bullshitted with Spoonman (or more or less listened) for 30 min. The game was also pretty tough...several good players with big stacks ...I can find better spots so I bolted.

I have a question for the BR players...Doesn't it freak you'll out when you walk down the plank to the boat and walk in and your on the 1st floor and not the 2nd where the poker room...well...the poker tables are? (I wouldn't call this a poker "Room") Depending on how high the Missssssssissippi is...depends on what floor the plank drops you on. I think the guards actually get a kick out of people walking in...and then looking around in a daze.

My wife and I watched the Showtime MMA show "Strikeforce" last weekend as I am a big MMA fan, and I also follow Nick Diaz who was fighting in the M.E. against Frank Shamrock. Man...FullTilt had their logo...everywhere. I mean when they interviewing a fighter post fight...there was a guy standing behind him holding up a Fulltilt Hat in the background. I was somewhat aware of the synergies between the 2 sports, and have heard about the faceoff with UB and Fulltilt over the contract to advertise on UFC. I heard that UB won that round, but Fulltilt is definitely in bed with this new "Strikeforce"...I mean...Nick Diaz had a 4" x 8" FTP logo...ACROSS HIS PACKAGE!!!! I was a little taken aback by this...I mean...I would think that there would be more valuable/suitable spots on fighting shorts to advertise than right across your package...Maybe across the lower back (Sort of like a tramp stamp but lower)...down the sides...I don't know...maybe its just me.

Lots of good stuff happening with the site...we zeroed in on a new logo (Thanks to Parf and SPR!!!) ...we plan on rolling out some gear also.

"You want to compare brainpans? I won the Westinghouse prize when I was 12, big deal. Published at 19, so what. I got a double doctorate from MIT at 22, chemistry and geology. I taught at Princeton for two and a half years... Why do I do this you ask? Because the money's good, the scenery changes... and they let me use explosives, ok?"
Steve Buscemi as Rockhound in "Armageddon"

March Madness..."Butterfly Effect"

2009-04-07T08:01:00.000-07:00

At the Beau right now getting ready to fire some bullets at the Mega's today to get in the Main Event. Feeling really good right now since UNC won...and me and my uncle took down $1600.00 ($800.00) each. It was a tough day yesterday as I wanted to be smart and maybe bet the other way with the bookie and have a 7.5 point window to scoop both sides. I spoke to about 10 people yesterday to see what their thoughts were, and I got kind of spooked in the pre-game when I saw that hometown crowd. I got the best advise from my buddy Al "Big Al" Clement who told me, "T-mac (I can't even get into why thats my nickname), Dude...you got the best of it and I'm telling you that UNC is going to cover...and it might be ugly...I watched the game where UNC beat them by 30 points and I am telling you...your good...Those boys cant play with UNC"...and so we have it.

I have been playing here at the Beau and I have been sustaining...not winning or losing. I win $200.00 in the cash game...burn it on a tourney/satellites. The nooner event I played in last Friday is where the "Butterfly Effect" comes into play. There are so many variables that happen in poker that can go either/or ...that you can't let things outside of the actual game itself tilt you. I am told by my wife that I am too hard on myself, but I guess I just have a low tolerance of stupidity...especially from me.

So...I am heading to play the nooner on Friday and I am a little late (Go Figure), and as I am walking up to the escalators, I see a kid I play with from New Orleans. We start chatting up the escalator and I am about 5 steps up from him. I get to the buy-in line and forgot to pick up the $40.00 for juice in casino chips (My Fault). We wish each other luck and I head downstairs for chips as he registers...where I would have been. I get back upstairs and register...get to my table. Im in the 10 seat and the kid is in the 9 seat...they just seated us as we signed in...no random drawing here when your late...the kid commences to flop nuts...after nuts...busts 2 people at our table...cripples 2 more...and is one of the chip leaders at the first break.

Anyhow...I was card dead and got out played in my small ball strategy. The kid is a good guy...hope he did well as it wasn't his fault. I was not that tilted by this, but what tilted me even more was that I won a satellite to get into this event ...that morning. We finished at 10:45am. I knew I was going to play in the nooner...why not just go and buy-in and get in the random draw...SSiighhhhhh...oh well. My point is that there are so many small things that can make you aggravated when you think you could have done something more logical.

Clarification...Got some feedback on my previous post from a couple of emailers. They both pointed out to me that even if the Videos are staged...that the goal of the site is a "Training Site"...so if there is knowledge to be had...then it is a good thing...that people can still "Learn" from them...point taken

Im going to take a page from Monk/Reid and post some random thoughts here:

-Why does the beau use 5 digits for their room numbers? I mean come on...im on the 9th floor and my room # is 09035...if i was on the 12th floor it would be 12035. Why not just 935 or 1235? (You can probably tell that I have forgot what room we were in more than once)

-Random bumper sticker I saw
"If you haven't been to Iraq or Afghanistan...then SHUT UP ABOUT IT"

-Tattoo seen on the inside arm of a UNC player "Family First"

-I heard a story about a family coming visit Louisiana from Silicone Valley California...and their 6 and 8 year old children had never see butterflies before

-I was asked by a colleague from Dallas what would I do if the economy got so bad that I lost my job and poker dried up...I replied "Nothing...My family will eat and we will survive because when I was young...I was taught to fish, hunt, shrimp, crab, crawfish and farm...and my wife was taught to sew, cook, decorate, work in a garden, pickle homegrown vegetables, raise chickens...and we were both taught how to ride a bike"...he said, "So that's it?"

-I think Huck Seed is one of the best players out there...period

-Anyone with an ego problem that needs to be brought back to "Reality"...go sit in the lobby of Children's Hospital in New Orleans for a couple of hours and just watch

"Trust me, it's paradise. This is where the hungry come to feed. For mine is a generation that circles the globe and searches for something we haven't tried before. So never refuse an invitation, never resist the unfamiliar, never fail to be polite and never outstay the welcome. Just keep your mind open and suck in the experience. And if it hurts, you know what? It's probably worth it" Leo DeCaprio as Richard in "The Beach"

Quick Blog on training sites...

2009-03-30T11:54:00.000-07:00

I wanted to throw up a quick blog as I saw that Raymer is setting up a training site...

I have watched a few vid's in my online poker life and I just can't seem to swallow some of these vid's with the state of online poker. These videos are soooooo easy to fake that it is unbelievable. I know...I know...there are some out there where the players actually loses, but then why is that educational...to show me how donk out...nah...I got that down pat ;-)

Say ...Hypothetically...we decide to open a training site on GCP and we decide to make SNG videos. I decide to make a video so I get 8 other people who I know ...Wild
Bill/Reid/SPR/Goondingy/Monk/Girlfriends brother/Grandpas step kid...you get the picture

They all create new user accounts (Its very easy to do) or play on their existing accounts...whatever...who would really care?

I then get them all on AIM to tell me what they have while we all play a $16 sng...and I return all the money via paypal once I finish making my video.

WOW...I would play great...in fact...I would be willing to bet that I never make a mistake...WHAT A VIDEO!!!!!

I know...I know...I am embellishing a little here, but with all the Superusing...multi-accounting...account selling...colluding....and every other shady nuance there is...Who would really care enough to police this? These guys are known to be shady (I wont bore you with the list that includes Z-Justin and Imper1um)

In fact...I bet you could write software to mimic stars/ftp and just run it on your computer without even logging in to the server to play for real. You could sit there and manipulate to your hearts content...and then post it up as a "Session"...Stars and FTP don't sit there and watch videos that close to proclaim, "Hey...that looks and smells like our software but we have no records of this table or these players".

I don't know...am I missing something here?

Let the flamage begin....

"Everything you have seen here has been an illusion" Ed Norton as Eisenheim in "The Illusionist"

March Madness...Sunday Mill on Stars

2009-03-23T15:58:00.000-07:00

I have been meaning to sit down and do a blog for several days now, but I just kept getting pulled away to do other things. I may have mentioned to some of you who I have discussed situations and hands with that I will "Blog about that hand"...well... I am not sure whether I will or not...sorry.

March Madness...I have a yearly MM pool where we get 16 people that all get together and and all put up a hundo in the pool. 16 ping pong balls with the numbers 1-16 are but in the box...and we all take turns sticking our arms in the box and pulling out a ball telling us what seed we get in that bracket...1 through 16. So after its all over, all 16 people have 4 teams in each major bracket....winner takes the entire $1600.00. I have won this puppy several times in the past 7 years. Once I had Syracuse as a longshot ...I think they were #4 that year and I was in with my buddy Troy (Side note...Wild Bill and I had just met several days before this and we had to go to training together in Pensacola in our new jobs...we watched this final together and celebrated)...then I won a couple of years ago when Florida won and I was 50-50 with my uncle. I couldn't make it that year to pull the balls, so My Uncle John went and picked 2 (Two) number 1's...with 1 of those being Florida.

We both made it to the ball pull this year, and we were trying to figure out who would pull...or who had the "Hot Hand". Uncle John pulled first and got #14. He insisted that I pull the 2nd ball just to see "Where were at with the luck factor"...GeneD pulls #3....Mizzou...good stuff as I heard several analyst call them a strong dark horse. My Uncle now insist that I pull again in the next round...Boooyaaaaa...#1 Pitt. We are pumped up now...we got something to sweat. Fourth round I again pull a #1...Tar Heels Baby!!!! (I was a little pulled watching them play LSU)

I played at Shorty's Wednesday night for the tourney, and this was the first time I had played there for the tourney in months...they added a couple of levels which is good. I met the guy that is staking me there so we can try to cut into my make-up. I get knocked our 18-19th...he gets knocked out not soon after. I had one hand where I felt I made a stupid...knuckle headed move and I went on tilt. I didn't lose a dime in the hand.

I was able to win my seat into the Stars Sunday Million in an $11.00 sat. I got knocked out on the following hand:

Please comment here...What did this guy have me on...pocket 6's and below to get into a flip? He thought I was going to shove with 12 BB's here with lighter than A-6o???? WTF???
Every hand I showed down once I got into "Must Jam" zone was A-J or better...He only had 24-25 BB's left...He calls off 1/3 of his stack with A-7o????

Suspicious...or was this just a bad play...the most he could pray for is a flip...I don't get it

PokerStars Game #26252458871: Tournament #147104125, $200+$15 Hold'em No Limit - Level VII (250/500) - 2009/03/22 19:11:38 ETTable '147104125 497' 9-max Seat
#7 is the buttonSeat
1: fish_eat (9100 in chips)
Seat 2: aimar7179 (38175 in chips)
Seat 3: Cjones984 (6200 in chips)
Seat 4: userpkr (5725 in chips) is sitting out
Seat 5: xxCelticFCxx (21325 in chips)
Seat 6: rdcrsn (6900 in chips)
Seat 7: GCPGeneD (6325 in chips)
Seat 8: wpaman (14025 in chips)
Seat 9: yeamanyeaman (18400 in chips)
fish_eat: posts the ante 25
aimar7179: posts the ante 25
Cjones984: posts the ante 25
userpkr: posts the ante 25
xxCelticFCxx: posts the ante 25
rdcrsn: posts the ante 25
GCPGeneD: posts the ante 25
wpaman: posts the ante 25
yeamanyeaman: posts the ante 25
wpaman: posts small blind 250
yeamanyeaman: posts big blind 500
*** HOLE CARDS ***
Dealt to GCPGeneD [6d 6s]
fish_eat: folds
aimar7179: folds
Cjones984: folds
userpkr: folds
xxCelticFCxx: folds
rdcrsn: folds
GCPGeneD: raises 5800 to 6300 and is all-in
wpaman: folds
yeamanyeaman: calls 5800
*** FLOP *** [Ac 4c 2d]
*** TURN *** [Ac 4c 2d] [Jh]
*** RIVER *** [Ac 4c 2d Jh] [Ah]
*** SHOW DOWN ***
yeamanyeaman: shows [Ad 7c] (three of a kind, Aces)
GCPGeneD: shows [6d 6s] (two pair, Aces and Sixes)

"Don't let people stand in your way. They're just people. like you and me! Well, maybe not like you. I don't know if I have ever met anyone like you before" Marisa Tomei as Caroline in "Untamed Heart"

More Rants...

2009-03-16T15:36:00.000-07:00

I wish I could say that I have broken out the slump I have been in, but the cards will not cooperate. I think I have the leaks plugged between my ears now I just need the cards to cooperate. I did beat the cash games in Shreveport last week...and promptly lossed all my winnings at Shorty's on my home Friday night...on the first hand dealt to me. It was kind of surreal.

I was tired from driving and thought about just heading home, but I wanted to break up the drive a little. I texted Thomkat17 that I was thinking of stopping in Shorty's to see what was going on...and to talk to the poker room manager Deon about a couple of things. I walked up and they was a game going on with seats available. The supervisor asks me for my card, and I didn't have one, so she took my DL to go get me one at the players club. I sit down, Immediately get AcAs on the first hand OTB. There is a raise from UTG...2 callers to me...I three bet...BB four bets and puts enough out there to cover me...everyone folds around to me..."CaCaCaCaCa...Call".

I hear the BB (A guy I think is one of the worst players that plays at Shorty's) say, "Damn". The player next to him says, "Wow...what a hand for the first one dealt to you"...as the dealer puts out 10c7s2d...BB now says, "Yea...but he's not gonna like it"...I immediately stand up and get ready to hit the door as the guy tables 10-10. Most people I told this story to were amazed that the guy 4 bet with 10's...but the hand plays itself...There's no way I can fold on that board even if he just smooth calls. I already had half my stack in.

Thats the way my weekend started...and then I busted on the bubble Sat. night in a 6 handed shootout Satellite for a seat into the Sunday Millions...lit 4 hours of my life on fire...oh well. This was the "True Bubble" as I know lots of people who play in large MTT's will say "I bubbled" when they get knocked out close to the money...I got the finger...the rest of them were clicking their mouses Sun. in the Sun Mill.

Enough negativity already...Snap out of it GeneD!!!!! ;-)

Lets see...what else is happening...

I could not 2nd Monkeys comments more loudly about degenerate poker players being some nasty F*&#heads. I too have witnessed players I am playing with go to the restroom...do their business ...and leave without washing there hands. I wonder whether this is third leveling and the scumbag is trying to put people on tilt. I mean come on...are you that dirty where you can't at least wash your hands?

Layne Flacks DUI and him missing the NBC HeadsUp Championship: This was reeeeeallllllly bad...even for Layne Flack. It is safe to say that he has burned any chance of returning to the NBCHUC, and will probably wind up sending him back to rehab...again. My understanding is that he showed up for the draw party and all...he got wasted... and woke up in jail. I wonder if Russ Hamilton bailed him out? ...Other comments I read that were hilarious..."Dr Drew should get him on Celeb Rehab", and "I wonder if he tried to high five the cop"...referring to the now infamous snub by E-Dog at the H.O.R.S.E event last year.

"Tanqueray and Tab and keep 'em comin'." Bill Murray as Ernie McCraken in "Kingpin"

Poker Rants from the coast...

2009-03-07T06:34:00.000-08:00

I am continuing to run bad and play bad, but I plan on bouncing back as soon as I plug the leaks between my ears. I think Cort Harrington said it best on poker road radio when they discussed what was worst...playing bad or running bad. He said that its a 2 edge sword where you runnin bad...you have to question the game and your profession (With me its a Hobby/Night Job)...When your playin bad you have question yourself about everything from being a fish to the fundamentals...and when they both are happening at the same time...you just want scream at the poker gods.

I am going to talk a little about my thoughts on what I have been doing/reading/listening to that is poker related:

-Greg Raymer addresses the Republicans at this Action Committee that they had. I have alot of admiration for Raymer getting up there and tackling this issue with the Conservatives. He is absolutely right where as the fundamentals of conservative thought are rooted in "Less Government"...and having the right to make our own decisions as adults who will make a "Logical and Rational" decision on what is best for that individual. Its just that simple, and Raymer calls them out on it...Someone who wants, as he says, "Little or no government in there lives". I have to give a resounding thumbs up here for Raymer. (Side note...My thoughts on Obama's first couple of months in office...I am terrified...Never in my life have I witnessed a person in so "over his head"...its pathetic. Rush Limbaugh is going to tear his administration to threads...he can't hide from him)...but I digress...

-Poker Road Radio...I have listened to several episodes on the road this last week, and I can say that I was very impressed with Mike "SowersUNCC" Sowers. The kid was very humble and well spoken and was a pleasure to listen to. On that note we will move to one of the old timers in Eli Elezra...WOW. I had no idea his story coming up as he went all the way from being wounded in the Lebanon War and almost died ...to fishing in Alaska on one of those fishing boats that goes out for months at a time...to traveling the world with a backpack in his mid 20's. This guys has worked his ass off...there never was a "Silver Spoon" in this guys life.

-Cash Plays with Jeremiah Smith...I just finished listening to the episode with Nick "The Takeover" Shulman and Joe Cassidy. These 2 guys in one episode elevated themselves on my favorite player list...both of them. There is a discussion on "Ego" that is a must for up and coming players. Joe talks about how ego plays/played a big part in poker. He tells about how when he first got to Vegas, he would only play at The Mirage because the limits he was playin...that was "The Big Game" there. They had the same limits at the Bellagio...and more tables going at that limit, but it was not the "Big Game" there...so he stayed away. Nick talks about how "Respecting Yourself" by making every ...single decision in poker...the best decision you can make. That...to get respect from the better players, they need to see you "respecting yourself"...by not playin above your means, or taking shots that out of your range because you will always be known as "That player with alot of talent and potential...but he's not that smart". Then there is a discussion on H.O.R.S.E where they break down the basic fundamentals in each and every game. I would say that I learned more from this podcast (because I don't play horse but need to learn) than any of the others...good stuff.

-The Shorr/Shaniac issue Wild Bill put up on the front page...thats a tough one. I am going to have to came down on Shaniacs side on this one. I like Shannon and his game...hes a much better player than me and I enjoy is blog, but I have to say when I initially read it, I thought the same thing. Not that he or anyone else is not deserving, but the "Reality" of the situation is that Shannon should have not "Expected" to be included. I feel there should be a better way to seat people, but with the current climate of the NBC Heads UP ...as well as the precedent that has been set in the past years...I do not feel Shannon should have "Expected" to be included. He is a nice, quiet , low key player from Alabama that brings his A game to the table, but with out TV exposure or silly hi jinks (Hevad Kahn at WSOP)...he is just going to have to take what he can get. I personally feel Vivek "FLOG" Rajkumar and Phil "OMGClayAiken" Galfond should have gotten in. I also am under the understanding that there was a satellite to get in at Ceasers. Did Shannon and all the other people wanting to play in the NBC event go to the satellite and try to win their way in?...Sebok?...Hevad Khan?...not sure.

Went to High Tides Bar and Billiards last week as they had a 2 day pool tournament with some world champions there. John Schmidt was there, in fact, I think GCPs Derek Ridley actually drew John in the first round. Gary Abood and Josh Hilliard were also present. I really enjoyed getting to see some world class pool playing...and of course started my juices flowing again. I did get tired of everyone asking me what I was drinking (Red Bull).

I am going to change it up a bit on my ending quote and go with some song lyrics as these best describe how I feel about poker at the moment

"I've seen a rich man beg...I've seen a good man sin
I've seen a tough man cry...I've seen a loser win and a sad man grin...
....I heard an honest man lie
I've seen the good side of bad...And the down side of up and everything between
I licked the silver spoon...Drank from the golden cup...Smoked the finest green
I stroked the baddest dimes at least a couple of times before I broke their hearts
You know where it ends...
Yo, it usually depends on where you start
Everlast "What its Like"

Runnin bad...and playin bad...

2009-02-27T14:10:00.000-08:00

Its amazing that those 2 go hand in hand. It is my downfall where I mentally trap myself. I know and understand variance quite well, but I don't have to play bad though when variance catches up to me...very frustrating. I am 100% positive ...well 85% positive that my mistakes have been "Adapting to my situation and Table" as well as "Game Selection". (There is a 15% chance that I am just a total Donkfish HaHaHa)

Was in Baton Rouge this week for the EOM (Thats End of Month) for you non-sales types. Im sure Reid remembers what those days are like ;-)

Poker at the Belle of BR this week on Thursday...I Blew Brains...enough said. I don't want SPR skipping my blog because of boring hand analysis ;-) Continued to see terrible play all around me...but I could not beat the game...not even for a small win. I flop 2 pair with the Ad...oh wait...never mind HaHaHaHa.

I will give you guys some interesting rumors I heard over the felt this week...I don't have the energy to search on google so they might be true...who knows.

#1 I heard a very respectable poker player that actually flew on the same plane with me for the WSOP 05' ...going and returning from vegas...said that in the "Superuser scandal"...not only could Russ "Douchebag" Hamilton see everyone else's cards on UB...he could make certain cards hit on the river in the middle of the hand. Say he needs a As on the river ...he could make that happen.

#2 Same person told me that Durr was on some "Lifestyles of Rich and Famous"...or something like "Cribs for people with no tans"...I don't know...but on the program they featured Durr's dual/triple... huge plasma/lcd TV's that he uses to play on. Durr had them on the wall hung like normal TV's he would just plug into and fire up the mouse to make a few million. Well...this fellow said that after seeing the program...some resourceful poker competitors of Durr's broke into his house and installed a camera/webcam wired up where they could go home...play Durr for huge amounts of cabbage...and see his cards on the big screen via the camera/webcam.

I personally don't believe either one...but if I am wrong...someone enlighten me.

"Life has to be a little nuts sometimes. Otherwise it's just a bunch of Thursdays strung together" Kevin Costner as Beau Burroughs in "Rumor has it"

Variance rollercoaster is on the decent...

2009-02-21T16:41:00.000-08:00

I had been running good and playing good in the cash games the past several months, but it looks like that has tailed off. It kind of pisses me off because I can over analyze hands, and try to find out where my leaks are...and I can find them. The problem is that what some people call "Variance"...I feel is just terrible play. As an example, I am sitting with around $200.00 at Shorty's in a cash game and look down at KK and I raise to $35.00. There is a re-raise to $75.00. I can't see putting almost half my stack in without getting it all in...so I shove...dude calls with AKo and hits an Ace on the turn. Most people would think that the hand "plays itself"...That I got my money in with the best of it...70-30...oh well...it happens. But lets look at what would have happened if I smooth call the $75.00 and open shoved post flop. The AKo can't normally call there. Thats the kind of mistakes I have been making.

Booked a loser at the Amelia Belle on Monday...got the last of my chips in terrible. In fact, I played great poker and self destructed and lost my stack in a matter of 5 min. Theres a pf raise to $15.00 with 5 callers and I held KdJd. Flop comes out 9d10dAh. UTG fires out $25.00 and a caller to me...I shove my last $110.00 in the pot. Dinger calls behind me as does the button...the 2 people betting and calling the $25.00 fold. 3 players in getting almost 3 to1 on my money with a flush and gutterball draws with a straight flush re-draw...only problem was Dinger has Ad4d to kill most of my outs...see ya.

Booked a loser in Coushatta. I made one of the worst calls I have made in a long time. There is this guy from Texas thats had on his finger a "Replica" Superbowl ring (Thats another story) with about $900.00 in front of him. 3 hours in I limp from the button with 5 other players with As5s. Flop comes out Ac9h4c. Ringwraith fires $20.00 at the pot and I am the only one that calls. Turn...a pretty 5d. Ringwraith again fires a 20 spot and I raise to $60.00...he smooths. Now the dealer peals out the Qc and the dealer hasn't even taken his hand off the card yet and he says "Im all in". I mean it was instant. I went in the tank and talk my way thru the hand, "Sir...Why would you bet so much?"...I can't figure it out. There were so many hands out there that beat me...I was sick. I say, "Sir, you either have the stone cold nuts ...or nothing". I was passing up the "Strong means Weak" tell to fold and I started to make a move with my cards towards the muck...and he jumped and acted relived that I was folding..."I call", I say...he tables KcJc...at least I was right about something ;-). That is a must laydown for me. I know better than to make that call. I didn't have alot invested, and I still would have ample stackage to play with.

Also booked a loser at Shorty's today. Had Kings cracked twice and flopped 2 pair twice with my opponents rivering a straight and flush. I think I played too many hands though.

It was one of those ..."You run bad...so you play bad" scenarios. I am still up in my cash play in 09' but this little run really brought me back to reality...and sent me back to the books.

On a personal note...My 3 week old little niece is in Children's Hospital in New Orleans fighting for her life...please keep my family in your prayers.

"The most important thing in life....is family" The Spanish Detective to Creasy in "Man on Fire"

Making the rounds...

2009-02-16T16:01:00.001-08:00

I have been making the rounds this last week starting Monday night at the Amelia Belle tournament...and finishing Saturday with a roadtrip to Coushatta to play in their $220 weekly...stopped at Shorty's on my home...and made another stop at the Belle coming through on my home. I also played at the Belle of Baton Rouge on Wed and Thurs nights. My wife is in Vegas for work, so I figured I would make the best of it.

Amelia Belle on Monday had the tournament, and then a 1-2nl game jumped off after the tournament ended. I had a good time even though I booked a loser. The beuchewacker was there, and playing with Arceaneax is always a good time. Matt B. was the supervisor that night...now we just need to get him as Tournament Director ;-)
In fact...I am heading there again tonight to see what is happening.

I was able to beat the cash game, and I booked a modest winner at The Belle of BR on Wed and Thursday nights. I started with $300 and cashed out on Wed for $580 and Thur for about the same. In one hand I want to discuss is one that I was not even in. I am sitting between these 2 guys with both over 1k stacks. There is a pf raise to $20.00 with several callers from one of them. Flop hits 7h8h10h. The Original raiser on my left c-bets to $20...fold...fold...guy on my right pops it to $60...guy on left shoves...guy on right insta-calls...original raiser on left has AdAc...insta-caller on right...Ah4s. I then had to listen for 25 minutes while they discuss the hand between them and they both agreed that they both had no choice in the matter and that they both had no choice but to make the plays they did..."I had aces dog...Im getting all in no matter what"..."Well shit dog, I had the ace of hearts so you know I ain't going nowhere". It was brutal.
I want to say that this type of play is not typical of the Baton Rouge players at all.

Went to Coushatta and fell down the "Poker tournament rabbit hole"...it seems like I always have weird stuff happen to me there. The hand I busted out of the tourney on I felt I played bad. Blinds are at 500-1000 and I have 11k left. I look down at AKo UTG. 3 hands before this I have AA and only get the blinds with a 3x raise...I decide to bet 3x and if I get action shove post-flop. Flop hits QhJs4c...I shove...sb has Q8o and calls...turn K...river Q.

I head to Shortys and buy in for $275 and cashed out for $750...then stopped at Amelia Belle only because there was a game nine-handed and there was a seat open...I knew I shouldn't have stopped. I spewed 2 hundo's in 22 hands. The 3rd hand I turn a straight and guy rivers a flush for half my stack...and then slowrolls me. The last $95 went in when I shove post flop into a $95 post flop pot...with a board for 4sAd6h with 4c6c...and someguy comes over the top of my $95 for $20 more at $115. What could he have you ask? ...AK...AQ or even AJ or A10...he held 53o and hit a deuce ball on the river...see ya.

"Fear causes hesitation, and hesitation will cause your worst fears to come true" Patrick Swayze as Bodi in "Point Break"

Day 3...Ceasers Palace Maega Stack

2009-02-08T17:51:00.000-08:00

We went to Ceasers Palace on Wednesday to check out the Mega Stack series they had going on over there, and made the decision to play there based on the biggest factor...flight times. Based on the 2 previous days at the Venetian, we decided that one of us would have to get the final table with close to the chip lead in order to miss our flight on Thur. 10 thru 7 would put us probably break even on changing flights...etc.

I think they had close to 90 people, and the structure was very different in that there were no green antes ($25). The antes started with the black chips ($100)...and they didn't start until the 7th or 8th level. I hovered around 20-25 BB's until the dinner break when we were down to 2 tables. I busted out in 14th place, and they were only paying 9. I was really upset with myself as the hand I was crippled on... I felt I played terriable. The blinds were at 200/800/1600 and I had right below 30k. I was in mid-late position and I made a move at the blinds and antes with AJc. I open shoved, and he SB woke up with QQ. We were the 2 short stacks at the table, and I barely had him covered...I was on fumes and doubled up twice...to no avail. The only bustout in the trip I got my chips in bad. I could not get that …as Monk says, “Courtesy Double-up”

I have been listening to pokerroad and heard Dan Kelly/Gobboboys comments about open it being +EV shoving from the sb as light as K-8. Reading BarryG's post on the forums (Must read for players) made me sick to my stomach ...again …as that is how I felt. There were so many other ways to play that hand where I don't lose my stack. Why not 3x there and fold when the SB shoves over the top of me??? Why risk my tournament life there?...I don’t know but the sickest thing was I knew the sec I pushed my stack out there…I was in trouble. That sixth sense/instinct/Gut feeling went haywire. I am a little bummed that the guy staking me didn’t win any money, but I felt from an overall trip…I played well…In fact…I don’t know how I could have played any better on the first 2 days, but I have to dig in. I still have holes that need to be plugged. I have to identify my mistakes and think higher.

I did beat the cash games and so did the guy I went with, so that was a big positive.

Overall Trip observations:
-I hope to never see another Ed Hardy shirt or hat…ever ;-)
-Those people standing on the sidewalk giving out the flyers to the strip clubs…they were 2-3 feet apart…I shit you not. I could stand between them and reach out and touch 2 of them. Every 3rd or 4th step someone was trying to hand me a flyer to go to the same club. I felt like saying, “What happened in the 2-3 seconds/3-4 steps ago when I turned your buddy down that would make me now think…Yea…I want to take YOUR flier and go look at naked women dancing”
-The most encouraging part of the trip was to see the donks were out in force. I witnessed some of the most bizarre plays, and this was not tourist…people who really thought they were the shit. Case in point, the kid that called me a donkey. Let me set the stage here. I sit down at my table and on the 8-9th hand this kid bluffs off ¾ of his stack at 25/50 when he bet out 7100 to try to steal a 2600 pot on the river…obvious over bet. The person called him and he had air (Really???). 8-9 hands later I am in LP with 8h6h and there are 4 limpers to me...I Limp. The kid raises 4x to $200 with around 3k left, and all the limpers call…Uh…yea…I call. I hit my hand and stack the kid when the board was 9 high and he held JJ. At this point I get berated for calling a raise with 86h and I sit and listen to him wanting to be like the Poker Brat soooo bad. His buddy walks up and he says, “I can’t beat these Donkeys man…calling a raise with 86h…but they were suited”…He pointed to me when his buddy asked which one and I could not stop myself. I bust out laughing at the kid and the dealer freezes. I say, “Dude…You really have no idea how bad you play do you…you really don’t”…”You are out of a Mega Stack tournament and we haven’t even made 2 revolutions of the button…were on the 17th or 18th hand….You can’t grasp that can you?” …oh well.
-The airport...People…if you don’t need to charge your phones…need power for your laptop…if you don’t need “Power” at all…and there are plenty of open seats…Don’t F*&#’in take up all the seats around the power outlets!!!! I walked up with my laptop in hand and stared at the laptop…and at the people sitting around it…nothing. Whatever…I sat on the floor.
Oh well…enough of that…what else? Pro’s…Jimmy Fricke was at the table next to me…J.J Liu was there also. Not a bunch with the LA Poker Classic going on. I did get to talk to Fish for awhile and he said him and Matt G. were going to head to LA.

Overall it was a great trip. I think my backer may be ready to fire a couple of more bullets…we will see.

"You went halfway around the world. You spent a fortune. You did terrible things. Really terrible things Robert. And all for nothing." Christian Bale as Borden in "The Prestige"

Venetian Deep Stack Day 2

2009-02-04T11:07:00.000-08:00

Well...I was hoping to have some better news but it looks like it was "Wash...Rinse...Repeat" for Day2. We were down to 7 tables and they were only paying 27 as they did not have as many players...although I think they had over 400. I am sitting on 32.5k with the blinds at 300/1000/2000...16-17 BBs. I look down at AKh FTB and all of a sudden some guy in MP raises to 16k and has me covered ...WTF???? I felt that he did not want any resistance so I had him on A-Q or AJ. I cannot call here. Its either ship it or fold. I jam...he turns over 10-10...you know the drill. I would really like some feedback here as I think I probably should have sniffed out 10-10 or J-J...some mid-pair. I really did not want to flip for my tournament life here, but I felt I had to make a stand somewhere and needed to double up. Also, I had played with this player all tournament and really felt he was one of the weaker players at our table. With that being said...There were some really good players at my table all day. Thoughts...comments?? Should I have folded?

What else? ...Came down early yesterday and played 1-2nl next to Jermaine Williams...you'll may remember him from LSU/Buccaneers/Cowboys...really cool guy. It was funny as he is from Donaldsonville...and we happen to be sitting next to each other.

Got to hang out with Lusky and Virge last night as they came pick me up after the tourney. Their house is really nice. We went to the Wynn looking for their other poker playing roommate...and had some dinner. I really enjoyed seeing those guys again.

I think we may do a change of scenery today and go play the Ceasers event...I don't know

Venetian Deep Stack Day 1

2009-02-03T08:18:00.000-08:00

I thought I would type up a quick update to let everyone know how things are going here...Good...but could be better. We played the first event yesterday, and it was a long day. We were up at 3:30am Cent time to catch our flight, and the day didn't end until 1:30am Pac time. We are staying at the Venetian, and the suite is really nice.

I feel like I played well, but I did not get in the money. Their were around 450 people who came out for the tourney, and the structure was good. We started with 12k in chips and I was able to chip up fairly early, and then I got spewey once I thought I was going to run over the table. I calmed down around 19k, and then cruised for a few levels. I made it to the dinner break with 47k and their were 7-8 tables left. After the Dinner break, the blinds were 500/1500/3000...10k out your stack every revolution. I was able to open shove a few times to steal the blinds/antes...but that would only last so long. I needed to double up...and went card the last 20 min of the round. I was down to 27.5k UTG and looked down at AQo. I ship it, and the sb woke up with 99...and the board bricked for me. I went out mid-50ish and they were paying 36.

The thing that sucked was I went to the cash game and got run over by deck...could do no wrong. I got in for $200.00 and cashed out at $585.00. If I would have got that run of cards in the tourney I would have been dangerous. The guy im with also had a decent night at the cash game.

I will try to give more updates a little later...and no quote today ;-)

The sickest hand I seen...the noon DeepStack event was down to 3 tables, and a young kid that was on fumes earlier in the day at my table was able to get some chips and had a nice stack. He gets the chip lead when he stacks 2 people at his table...AA vs KK vs the kids JJ...He hit a set of jacks. On the very next hand he stacked another big stack post flop when he nailed a set of 3's against QQ....when you running good...your running good

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

2009-01-30T13:05:00.000-08:00

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Post --Southern Poker Championship

2009-01-20T14:41:00.000-08:00

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

First Blog of 2009

2009-01-11T17:11:00.001-08:00

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

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

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

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

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

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

Another Random Blog

2008-12-21T12:17:00.000-08:00

I haven't had much going on lately in the poker world, so I haven't blogged in awhile. I am in the middle of changing jobs which is exciting. I am staying within my industry just moving to a better company...I say better, but what I mean is a "Louisiana Based" company. I am tired of working for people who don't understand how we do business down in South Louisiana. I will be working out of my house/road mostly, and I am looking forward to getting in and making an impact at my new company. With that being siad I lost my laptop which had all my software to update the site, so Wild Bill is the only one updating the site now. It may be a week or so before you see more daily updates.

I am also going to be going on a diet for my "New Years Resolution". I will be eating right and exercising and this will mean less drinking...which should be "No Drinking"...but I am trying to be realistic and will just say that those of you who know me as always having a beer...in a cup (DirteAA HaHaHa) may not see that as much anymore. Kind of sucks but it has to be done. I have to get my weight under control before it gets out of hand. I am going to enjoy the rest of the year and start on the 1st. I wish I had the guts like Reid to challenge my buddies to catch me, but like I said...I am trying to be realistic.

On the Poker note, we had our first feeder table into the "Dead Money" WSOP Main Event Satellite that we run every year last Wednesday. The winner was Dave A. and Wild Bill got 2nd...which was a pat on the back and an "ata Boy". We may be having another one soon if you didn't get to play in this one. We ran this one with very short notice and only came up with 10 players. (Actually we had 11 ...and a special thanks goes out to Mike H. for showing up to make sure that we had enough to run the table). I got cold decked early...fought back...and went out against Matt's KK . Matt works for the company that host our site and I happen to be in the office there Wed where he overheard us talking about the site and we started talking poker...needless to say, he winds up showing up to play and made a good run. He played well.

I hope everyone has a Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays. Hope to see everyone in Biloxi in Jan. I am really pumped about '09, and I think I have found a backer that will be putting me in some events next year...I hope I can win him some money.

"Cinderella Story!!! Outta nowhere. A former greenskeeper, now, about to become the Masters champion. It looks like a mirac…It's in the hole! It's in the hole! It's in the hole!!" Bill Murray as Carl in "Caddyshack"

Chip and a Chair

2008-12-08T11:39:00.000-08:00

Thats right folks...GeneD pulled off the biggest cliche quote in the in dusty in a $65.00 satellite at the Harrah's Bayou Poker Open. I will tell that story first and then segway into a couple of other things I wanted to chat about.

Let me set the stage...there are 4 of us left in a simple $65.00 satellite and I was getting low. There was a very tight lady in the 1 seat...there was some Arabian guy in the 3 seat with a nice crew cut....but had a huge, thick beard that hung down to the middle of his chest (ZZTop Guy)...and there was a business exec guy in the the 4 seat that seemed really nice. We were almost to 6pm and both the ZZTop guy and the Exec wanted to play the 6pm Mega. The blinds are at 100-200 and I am short. The blinds go thru me and I have exactly 300 left. Great...I have only a few hands to go. I get to the BB and flip in my 200 and was dealt 9-4o...Great. Everyone limps expecting to get me 3 to 1 to knock me out knowing I was not going to fold...You know I thought...to hell with it...I pitched the cards in the muck and watched as all the players including the dealer...stared at each other like I was an idiot...Which mathematically speaking...I was. I threw mt last 100 chip in on the SB...and you guys can figure out where it goes from here. Quite a few double/triple ups and people started to gather around as the word spread around the room. We get heads up with the Business exec and we chop...Him $300.00...me $250.00. I was pretty happy with that although I know they are several people who are readying this that are going to give me grief for chopping.

What else...Congrats go out to PokerLusky...our transplanted Cajun living in Vegas as him and his girl got engaged. Being Married is great when you find the right person...I wish I wouldn't have waited so long.

"You know that all my writings have called this occupation a violation of international law and its practitioners are criminals?" Marisa Tomei as Natalie in "War Inc."

Harrah's Winter Open

2008-12-03T12:26:00.000-08:00

Have been busy at work recently...Sales-Sales-Sales... so I haven't had time to blog. I have been somewhat running good recently in the 1-2/2-5 games I play in, and have booked several small wins. (nothing to brag about...Obv). Last Wednesday I got in at Shorty's with $230.00 and cashed out for $455.00. I had a couple of things I wanted to chat about there, but Its been awhile ago...and many hands ago. ...lets see... Mike O. was there dragging in another win. I swear that guy never loses. Solid Player...but also seems to run well also. Met Dave A. also

Friday after Thanksgiving I went back out and was able to score another win almost identical to the One Thursday. This one I got in for $200.00 and cashed out for $435.00. I get coolered the first hand by Jack S. where he raises from the button $25.00...I am on his left in the SB. Jacks range here...Who Knows???? HaHaHaha (Just kidding Jack). Anyhow...I smooth with AKo as do several other villains. Flop comes out Ad-10d-4c. I check...Jack c-bets $30.00...all the others scatter. I think I am ahead here but I reluctant to raise. I decide to see where this hand will take me and just call. turn...Jd. Great...puts the straight and flush out there. I check saying something like "I'll check it down Jack", which he says, "Oh no...I gotta bet now"...He slides out $60.00 and I make a bad call. River is a brick and I check...he saying something about being spooked by my flush...he tables KQ0 for the turned straight. Half my buy-in gone and I get moved to the juicey table with E.J, Big Randy and Rabbit. Those 3 are a game it itself.

So I sit in the game and wait for a good spot. 30-40mins go by and ...nothing. I limp in a few spots but nothing transpires. I am OTB with Qh8h and the UTG players fires out $25.00...and get 5 callers to me...Hmmmm. I have $80.00 left. I decide to join the party to see if something happens. SB calls...BB folds. Flop hits Qc8c5d. Everybody checks it to me and I ship my remaining $55.00 and get 2 callers. Turn is a random club and I cringe...but the river snakes out the sweet 8s. You guys to do the math and I was back in the game...full swing. From there...nothing much happened. Saw my brother and sister n law there that night...thats it.

Got in a cash game session at Harrahs the other night with the Tiltin Texan and SouthPawRounder...has a good time. Drank toooo many Blue Moons. We went to Ruth's Chris after so they could eat a steak. I had the Tuna Tataki...good stuff. Played a $65.00 Satellite with Marshall Brown of Mickey Browns hot Tamales. Good to see Marshall...had seen him in awhile. I then hit the 2-5 game with the "bueshewacker." I had Joe on my right and "Loveshack" Dave from Baton Rouge was on Joe's right... 2 from me on the right

Wow....just started a $3.40 sng on stars. 3rd hand I call a $100.00 raise with 4s-4c. Flop comes out 10d3s4d. Villain c-bets $550.00...I shove...he calls with AdKd...hits his diamond on the river...See ya....

Back to the table with Joe and Loveshack. Played for several hours until our table broke and we split. Played on another 2-5 while Loveshack and the bueshwacker head to another table. I broke out even on the night and spent the night at The Queen and Crescent Hotel they were completely sold out for all the rooms that Harrah's had reserved. Damn....on a Monday night they sold out...kind of weak if you ask me.

I kind of felt bad for Juicey as he is taking some heat about the tourney structures. They skip several levels and there were lots of players not to happy about it. The first one was that Harrahs cut out the $100-$200 without the blinds. Normally it goes 25-25/25-50/50-100/100-200....and then 25-100-200...they cut out the 100-200 no ante level out as well as several others. I was actually in a conversation talking to TK and Tim Hebert when Juicey walked up...we all started chatting and noticed that the 6pm mega structures were better than the nooners...oh well...I am sure Juicey is on it.

You will see on the site soon about a big score, but I wanted to chip it out first here...Congrats to Nick "Nick the Greek" Gellepis (AKA- "MVP OF LIFE")for nailing a nice score on Stars... $55 buy-in, Daily Eighty Grand [$55 NLHE - $80,000 guaranteed] on PokerStars. 11/14/2008, 1st place for $16,219.50. Way to go NICK!!!!!!!!

What else is happening...Heading to Harrahs's tomorrow...I will try to give you guys an update soon. Then back to work...selling-selling-selling.

"Hi. I'm, uh, I'm a pet psychiatrist. I sell couch insurance. Mm-hmm, and I - and I test-market positive thinking. I lead a weekend men's group, we specialize in ritual killings. Yeah, you look great! God, yeah! Hi, how are you? Hi, how are you? Hi, I'm Martin Blank, you remember me? I'm not married, I don't have any kids, but I'd blow your head off if someone paid me enough"
John Cusack as Marty in "Grosse Point Blank"

Random Blog...Take 2

2008-11-21T19:54:00.000-08:00

I had a moment so I sat down to put up a blog. I have been working my ass off so I decided to sit down on this Friday/Saturday night and play some sng's online. I thought I would just sit around...cook a chili since its cold outside...and win a few dollars on Stars in the LLSNG's...$3.00+ .40. I know.....I know....its weak but hey. I am trying to play within my online bankroll since it is not as easy as it was to just "Pop some" money online.

I think it was a mistake...The hands are below.

PokerStars Game #22249148861: Tournament #122089301, $3.00+$0.40 Hold'em No Limit - Level II (15/30) - 2008/11/21 21:24:27 ETTable '122089301 1' 10-max

Seat #7 is the button
Seat 1: YBKKLMN (1440 in chips)
Seat 3: Aigistos (1610 in chips)
Seat 4: angl3m (1400 in chips)
Seat 6: JIGALLO (4730 in chips)
Seat 7: sk8wyatt (1430 in chips)
Seat 8: GCPGeneD (1460 in chips)
Seat 9: BrianT.CO. (1430 in chips)
Seat 10: serweibud (1500 in chips)
GCPGeneD: posts small blind 15
BrianT.CO.: posts big blind 30
*** HOLE CARDS ***
Dealt to GCPGeneD [Qh 7d]
serweibud: folds
YBKKLMN: folds
Aigistos: calls 30
angl3m: calls 30
JIGALLO: calls 30
sk8wyatt: folds
GCPGeneD: calls 15
BrianT.CO.: checks
*** FLOP *** [Qc 7h 3s]
GCPGeneD: bets 60
BrianT.CO.: folds
Aigistos: folds
angl3m: folds
JIGALLO: raises 150 to 210
GCPGeneD: raises 210 to 420
JIGALLO: raises 2280 to 2700
GCPGeneD: calls 1010 and is all-in
Uncalled bet (1270) returned to JIGALLO
*** TURN *** [Qc 7h 3s] [Kh]
*** RIVER *** [Qc 7h 3s Kh] [Kc]
*** SHOW DOWN ***
GCPGeneD: shows [Qh 7d] (two pair, Kings and Queens)
JIGALLO: shows [Qs Jc] (two pair, Kings and Queens - Jack kicker)
JIGALLO collected 3010 from pot

Thats one down...the next SNG...

PokerStars Game #22250019812: Tournament #122095324, $3.00+$0.40 Hold'em No Limit - Level II (15/30) - 2008/11/21 22:00:20 ETTable '122095324 1' 10-max
Seat #8 is the button
Seat 1: jojo-mass38 (1180 in chips)
Seat 2: ExtremeUK (1650 in chips)
Seat 3: hamata (1470 in chips)
Seat 4: Leroth (1440 in chips)
Seat 5: Flaboy89 (1720 in chips)
Seat 7: hazzmatt70 (3010 in chips)
Seat 8: Banana217 (1700 in chips)
Seat 9: MARODRIGUES (1330 in chips)
Seat 10: GCPGeneD (1500 in chips)
MARODRIGUES: posts small blind 15
GCPGeneD: posts big blind 30
*** HOLE CARDS ***
Dealt to GCPGeneD [6d 6h]
jojo-mass38: folds
ExtremeUK: folds
hamata: folds
Leroth: raises 90 to 120
Flaboy89: folds
hazzmatt70: calls 120
Banana217: folds
MARODRIGUES: folds
GCPGeneD: calls 90
*** FLOP *** [6s 7h 9d]
GCPGeneD: checks
Leroth: bets 330
hazzmatt70: folds
GCPGeneD: raises 1050 to 1380 and is all-in
Leroth: calls 990 and is all-in
Uncalled bet (60) returned to GCPGeneD
*** TURN *** [6s 7h 9d] [7d]
*** RIVER *** [6s 7h 9d 7d] [Th]
*** SHOW DOWN ***
GCPGeneD: shows [6d 6h] (a full house, Sixes full of Sevens)
Leroth: shows [Ts Td] (a full house, Tens full of Sevens)
Leroth collected 3015 from pot

OK...Not a good start with these 2...lets try another

PokerStars Game #22251132294: Tournament #122100645, $3.00+$0.40 Hold'em No Limit - Level V (75/150) - 2008/11/21 22:47:19 ETTable '122100645 1' 10-max
Seat #6 is the button
Seat 2: GCPGeneD (2415 in chips)
Seat 3: fleebert (2950 in chips)
Seat 6: pageypooh (2070 in chips)
Seat 8: jeremyl464 (7565 in chips)
jeremyl464: posts small blind 75
GCPGeneD: posts big blind 150
*** HOLE CARDS ***Dealt to GCPGeneD [Ac Qh]
fleebert: folds
pageypooh: raises 300 to 450
jeremyl464: folds
GCPGeneD: raises 1965 to 2415 and is all-in
pageypooh: calls 1620 and is all-in
Uncalled bet (345) returned to GCPGeneD
*** FLOP *** [7h 6s 4d]
*** TURN *** [7h 6s 4d] [Tc]
*** RIVER *** [7h 6s 4d Tc] [2s]
*** SHOW DOWN ***
GCPGeneD: shows [Ac Qh] (high card Ace)
pageypooh: shows [Ts Ad] (a pair of Tens)
pageypooh collected 4215 from pot

Yeeeeeeaaaaaaaaa...I think I am going to pass on anymore SNG's tonight.

I went to Shorty's Saturday night for a nice session...got in at 5pm and cashed out at 1am a winner. I am at the Hilton Hotel in Lafayette and I am fixing to throw this PC out the F'ing window as it keeps locking up on me. I will post about my live session later. I just can'tke this crap anymore...sorry.
Gotta go

"You know what scars are?...a road map to the soul" Sarah Michelle Geller as Sorrow in "The Air that I Breathe"

Random Blog

2008-11-14T17:59:00.001-08:00

I wanted to put up a blog this weekend as if you'll have been watching the UIGEA news...you know we are on the fasttrack to getting hosed. If the Obama camp and the rest of the Dem's can get this thing turned around, I may switch party affiliation. I am that pissed off that now that Macain did not win the election, they decide to fasttrack this through the system. That just sucks for us poker players. Join the WPA...Join the PPA...Join anything associated with fighting this bullshit. Call and e-mail your elected officials. Get in their grills and let them know who you are...one of their constituents.

Thanks and a shout out goes out to "Sheetmetal Phillip". He dropped me a line and I could tell he was just as passionate about this nonsense UIGEA bill as Bill and I. I am going to go ahead and post up some links from the e-mail Phil sent me. Below is where I cut and pasted from his e-mail

"There are also links on the PPA website to email your congressman/senators regarding the issue and a phone number to call the federal reserve. I am just trying to do my part to save online poker and protect our rights. Thanks and next time your down this way hollar at me and we can grab a beer

Most recent UIGEA news: http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2008/11/11/politics/main4594277.shtml
Pocket Fives Thread with Instruction on how to get your voice hear: http://www.pocketfives.com/poker-forums/7/UIGEA-feedback_2C00_-VERY-important-to-make-all-voices-heard-PROMPTLY.--Sticky-please_2E00_-3541538
And of course PPA: http://pokerplayersalliance.org/action-alert/uigea/"

Thanks Phil...Hope to be back down that way soon.

Look for some more updates soon as it looks like we have lots of Gulf Coast Poker Players burning it up. Cub scored a 1st...Gabe is still on fire...shit...dude stays on fire. Tim H just went deep at The Venetian and made it in the top 5...we will get you guys the specifics when we chat with them.

I went out to Harrah's last night and got to see "Juicey". He was dealing a little late. I burned a couple of hundo's in 4 1/2 hours....it sucked. I was not happy with the the way I played but I also got a little unlucky. The night was a roller coaster of ...buying in for $200.00...and let the fun begin. Hmmmmn. Noone here I know that's in our circle when I get there...not even the "bueschewacker". Damn Joe...where ya at? haHaHahaha. 30 minutes in in, I flop 2 pair against a set with no improvements...miraculously I don't stack off there. I continue to just play solid poker and try to get my money in good. The best hand to talk about was a possible Jackpot hand where I missed out on 12k. I raise to $20.00 with KK from OTB and got 2 callers. I only have about $65.00 dollars left. The flop hits AsAh3c. They both knuckle to me and I ship it thinking that I didn't put either one of them on an Ace here. They both call. The turn hits the 4s and they both check but the river brings a sweet Ac. I jump out of my seat thinking..."COME ON...HAVE AN A-J/A-Q/A-K....COME ON". They both knuckle and show nothing...I drag the pot. Oh well...it was close.

My Main Event final table comments...I have 2.
1) the hand that Dennis Phillips played with Ivan where they held A-K vs A-Q right at the onset...was probably one of the worst hands I seen played in quite some time, and I can't believe that Norm Chad took a shot at "The Oracle" there. “Dennis should sue his coaches for malpractice!” WOW...not a good plug for his consulting biz.
2) that sick ass hand where the 6d came on the river for a one outer ...I wanted to smash my laptop and hey...I wasn't even in the hand and I wasn't playing on Stars...sure looked like the "sickass shit" that happens online though. ;-)

As far as my online play this weekend. I continue to get it in good...and get smoked. I know that I am posting up hands in Low Limit MTT's, but when you sit in front of your computer for 4-5 hours and lose like this...it still sucks. I hope to make a step up online soon...I am just still spooked about all the online hi jinks that came out this year.

PokerStars Tournament #119387181, No Limit Hold'emBuy-In: $5.00/$0.50
4824 players
Total Prize Pool: $24120.00 Tournament started - 2008/11/15 - 13:00:00 (ET)
Dear GCPGeneD,
You finished the tournament in 341st place.

PokerStars Game #22069228853: Tournament #119387181, $5.00+$0.50 Hold'em No Limit - Level XIV (800/1600) - 2008/11/15 16:42:23 ETTable '119387181 250' 9-max
Seat #7 is the button
Seat 1: johnny1963 (27994 in chips)
Seat 2: goodtymes31 (69855 in chips)
Seat 3: moe86 (19706 in chips)
Seat 4: legalabb (34589 in chips)
Seat 5: BigHandBluff (56678 in chips)
Seat 6: sjemmy (27717 in chips)
Seat 7: FuqpooC (37930 in chips)
Seat 8: GCPGeneD (7377 in chips)
Seat 9: eddie099 (101928 in chips)
johnny1963: posts the ante 150
goodtymes31: posts the ante 150
moe86: posts the ante 150
legalabb: posts the ante 150
BigHandBluff: posts the ante 150
sjemmy: posts the ante 150
FuqpooC: posts the ante 150
GCPGeneD: posts the ante 150
eddie099: posts the ante 150
GCPGeneD: posts small blind 800
eddie099: posts big blind 1600
*** HOLE CARDS ***
Dealt to GCPGeneD [Kh Td]
johnny1963: calls 1600
goodtymes31: calls 1600
moe86: folds
legalabb: folds
BigHandBluff: folds
sjemmy: folds
FuqpooC: folds
GCPGeneD: raises 5627 to 7227 and is all-in
eddie099: folds
johnny1963: folds
goodtymes31: calls 5627
*** FLOP *** [8s 8h 6s]
*** TURN *** [8s 8h 6s] [Ts]
*** RIVER *** [8s 8h 6s Ts] [Qs]
*** SHOW DOWN ***
GCPGeneD: shows [Kh Td] (two pair, Tens and Eights)
goodtymes31: shows [Th Qh] (two pair, Queens and Tens)
goodtymes31 said, "almost 3-1, had to call"
goodtymes31 collected 19004 from pot

--I am not pissed about the call...just pissed that I get it in good and it can't hold up...and on the river...Oh well...One day

I want to end this blog with a call out to everyone who loves poker. Join the PPA...contact your elected officials...get involved!!!.

'Good morning, gentlemen. ACME pollution inspection. We're cleaning up the world, we thought this was a suitable starting point'.
Sean Connery as James "007" Bond in "Diamonds are Forever"

IP Poker Classic Day2

2008-11-08T10:46:00.000-08:00

Well, its now Saturday at 12:30 am, and since I am here typing on the computer, most of you will figure out that I did not get into the Main Event. Pretty discouraged by it, but I am pretty pumped as Wild bill did get in. He was not a lazy SOB, and he got up this morning @8:30 to get down there to play in the last satellite of the megas at 9am. I did not...did I mention something about lazy SOB's? I only have 10 minutes left in the room so I figured I would throw up a blog while I download the latest pokerroad radio and all strategy.

Damn...Bill just came in to get his stuff on break and he is down to 7000 in chips. We chatted about a couple of hands. He has lots of play left...no worries.

I am not overly happy with my play over the last 3 days. I was in a position in some cash games where I got up quick and became spewey. I played way too many hands, and I was just not happy with my play. I have a long way to go if I think I am going to be making multiple final tables like Monk. Monkey made the final table in the nooner and the 2nd chance event yesterday. We happen to be bullshitting with him when the text message came through that Cub has snapped off another 1st place...I think in Oklahoma. Wow!!

What else...Shout out goes to "Big Dan" from Atlanta. We got to drinking on Thursday night and had a blast. I also got to talk to a local guy here that plays real solid that I have played with on numerous occasions in the Gulf Coast area. I think we were on a final table together several times in some of the daily's down on the coast....Philip whos family owns a sheetmetal business...so I guess I can just call him "Sheetmetal" Phillip? .... anyhow...great guy and a solid player. There was also "MIT Bob, RIP...the usual suspects...although I did not see Bert????

Who else...John from Baton Rouge was playing great making multiple final tables...we hung out with Justin from B.R also...he will rule the poker world once he finishes Medical School...Hopefully he will stake me ;-)...T.K made an appearance for a beer just to check things out last night. I will have to figure out a way to buy those floor seats for a Hornets game. That F'er has 2 season tickets for the Hornets...2 rows up from the floor...right behind the bench. He told me you could hear the interaction with the coaches and players...that is sweeeeeeeet.

oh well...got to check out...hopefully I will get some pics also. Not sure if they are going to let me or not.

IP poker classic day1

2008-11-07T11:50:00.001-08:00

Got to the IP Poker Classic yesterday to play in the $240.00 nooner, and had a good 30 minute conversation on the ride up with SPR. Nothing pass the drive time better than talking about poker. I have more and more respect for the poker playing friends...We are on the virge of hitting something big. Looks like Monkey may be the first though as I got to sweat him as he got 2nd place in the tourney. The Monk is on fire!!!!

I bubbled the event. We were down to 12 players and we were playing 6-6 with me on one table and Monkey on the other. They were paying 9, but I think everyone new that 10th place would be payed out. So technically, I was not the true bubble boy, but it hurt just as much. The hand that I busted out on ...I played it so bad I am ashamed to even post it here. I busted out of the 6pm re-buy event with 2 tables left again...this one was more like 18 people left. They were paying 6. I busted out of both events were my opponent held A-A. It sucked.

I got all my buy-ins back in the cash game though.

Headin back out to play in the 4pm satellite. I know Bill and Reid will be here also.

Sorry...no time for a quote
peace