Wednesday, July 11, 2007
Back to the Belle
I got there at about 5:30, and it was "hot as hawbaker" out yesterday. I had to practically ring out the sweat from my shirt. It was a long haul in the sun at...like...105 degrees. Anyways, once I dried the shirt and turned a corner and "Bam"...I am in the poker area...its not a room.
They had 3 tables going with a 1-2nl and a couple of 4-8 limit hold-ems. I took a seat at the 4-8 game to wait for the 1-2 to open and hope that they might open another table. The game was pretty crazy for a 4-8 game. There was usually a raise pre-flop with 5-6 people seeing the flops. Some of the pots got huge. Below is an example of what a typical hand was.
I am on the button with 10c-10h and there is a raise before me to $8. I make it $4 more to go and we get 7 callers. Flop comes Qh-10s-7c. 5 of us cap it here. turn comes the 9h. 3 of us call a raise. River brings the 8c. The lady bets, and I call after the other person folds...we show down and she tables Jh-2c to win a huge pot. I was involved in numerous hands just like this that were $200+. I bought in to the game for $100, and cashed out with $386.00 for a smooth $286.00 profit. I flopped a full house once, and the nut flush twice.
Another one here were I made a terrible lay-down. The guy to my right was an Asian player that mumbles all the time. You can't understand a word he says and he was showing me his cards on every other hand. Ive got Kh5h and the we cap the raise 8 ways pre-flop. $100+ pre-flop in the pot. Flop comes all bricks with 2 paint cards, a Jack and Queen, and a deuce, we check all the way around. Turn comes the 5d, again, we check all around. In the meantime, again, I see mumbles hand and he has 5s8d. River comes the 7s. No flush or straights. Guy at the other end of the tables bets $8.00...mumbles reluctantly calls...I fold like and idiot because I think the guy has to have a higher pair, and the guy betting has Ac4d for Ace high. knuclehead mumbles drags the pot with his pair of fives with an 8 kicker and continues to ramble about something nobody can understand...I was pissed. What an idiot I was.
"If you want to see this last card your gonna stop speaking Sputnik" Ed Norton's character Worm in "Rounders"
Sunday, July 08, 2007
Just talked to Wild Bill...
I do know that he has got in the money 3 times so far on his trip. Mostly in the daily tourneys they have at the casinos. He did win 1st in the one last night. If I am not mistaken, I think it was a $60 buy in at the Treasure Island. He picked up $540.00 for first...his entry into the Main Event super he is playing in right now.
I went to Boomtown looking for a game Friday night, but there could not put together a NL game? I mean, I got there at 5pm, and waited around to 9pm, but nothing materialized. I am told that usually they do get a NL game going on weekends. I wanted a change of pace, and decided to play some 1-5 stud to pass the time. I am a firm believer that you will need to be a practitioner of all the games of poker to be a true "Poker Player". Bill and I both played in the $300 stud tournament they had at this years circuit event in New Orleans. It reminded of the old days years ago when all I played was stud and was just being exposed to hold-em...hell...I can remember when the 4-8 hold-em game was the "Big Game" at the Treasure Chest casino in Kenner years ago. I can remember driving 2 hours to play stud years ago a place called Bayou Caddy's on the Mississippi Gulf Coast...Wow...That was a while ago. The parking lot of Caddy's is still there on the first Mississippi exit coming from Louisiana.
"That's edelweiss. It grows in the mountains, above the treeline. Which means he climbed up there to get it. Supposed to be the mark of a true soldier" Ron Livingston's character Nixon in "Band of Brothers"
Friday, July 06, 2007
Session at Harrah's
I bought into the 1-2 nl game with $300.00 (Max). The game had just started, and I came around about 20 minutes later. Right off the bat I get in this hand from the BB. Guy UTG I have played with numerous times, and I know him as a somewhat good player. He wears a Poker Room shirt from Harrah's. I look down at Big Slick off. Poker shirt guy looks at one card and limps. Of course, ha also announces this to the table..."I only looked at one card and I will play". I don't want to get in a big hand this early. I want to get to look at everybody, and get at least a small read before I start raising...so I "knuckle" the table and we see the flop. Kc7s3d. I bet $20.00 ...shirt guy calls ...as does the button. Turn come the 2d. I bet $20, shirt guy raises and makes it $50 to go... button folds. I notice we have a drunk lunchbox across the table and he starts to comment on the hand before someone shuts him up. I have lots of "bells and whistles" going off in my head, but top pair -top kicker ain't bad...I liked my hand. River brings the Qd. With the flush out there, I check...and so does he...he tables pocket Aces..."AAHhhhhh YYeeeaaaa...so this is how this session is going to go".
For the next hour I donked off some more cheese in several hands where I chased an opened end straight. I have 7s6s and the flop comes 8c5h2s. The board bricked out on me. I started to get a little shotstacked when I got on a semi-rush. I double up with 9c10c when the board came 6s7c8h5h2s...and a medium stack called my all-in with 9-3o.
Next came the hand of the night. "Drunkbox" wins a couple of pots on lucky 2 outers and such, and has accumulated a big stack. Everybody was after him. It was so, funny to see the game "Tighten up like a 16 year old cheerleader" when he went smoke a cigarette, and then open back up once he got back. I pick up AhQc in middle position and raise it to $10. Get 3 callers including drunkbox on the button. Flop comes Qs9h5c. I make it $20 to go and everybody folds around to drunkbox who raises it to $50.00 ...I call turn brings the 8h. I bet $30 and he calls and whispers to his neighbor..."He ain't got shit...I am going to smoke his ass with A-K watch". River bricks out with a 2s, and I go in the tank thinking to myself whether he was on a "Trap"...I keep saying to myself..."Did he want me to hear that or not", "I think he really thought I could not hear him"...etc. I really think he did not mean for me to hear this...I bet $50.00. He starts to laugh and says, "You ain't got nothing huh ...brother"...."Can you beat A-K?". I just looked at him and I said, "You don't have A-K"...He gets mad and says ..."Oh yea...I call"...and he indeed turns over A-Ko.
Sweet!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
"I hate jail, it's got the wrong kind of bars in it..." Micky Rourke's Character Henry in "Barfly"
Thursday, July 05, 2007
Well...Here we go again to see if the video uploads
We all decide to introduce ourselves once we get down to 4
Wow...it worked this time.
Good Luck to Wild Bill at the WSOP!!!
I am heading to Harrah's tonight to get in some action. I hope to be heading to the Gulf Coast next week. I plan on giving it hell at the IP and the Beau. I have still not made it out to check out the Amelia Belle. Damn...I need to get out there.
We will be posting some pics up on the site of some of the locals here around the southeast. I took these pics at the poker club we use to have in Houma...Sixth Street Social Club. I have pics of Tex, Joe B...etc.
We are planning a local tournament in Houma next week. It will happen on Thursday night 7/12. It will be $100 buy in...last month we had close to 30 people. Hopefully we will get enough people there to make a good tournament.
"Thirty years from now, when you're sitting around your fireside with your grandson on your knee and he asks you, "What did you do in the great World War II," you won't have to say, "Well... I shoveled shit in Louisiana."," George C Scott as General Patton in "Patton"
Monday, July 02, 2007
Last comment on the domain issue
I will try to keep this short as I don't have much time.
- All our gear will have "gulfcoastpoker.net" on it.
- We also...Have put in for copyright with a lawyer that specializes in this sort of thing from New York. He also plays with us in the "Dead Money" tournament you will be reading about. Bill is meeting with him Friday...in Vegas...at the WSOP.
- Please do not post on my blog anything more about this. My blog is for poker.
- If you want to discuss this, than e-mail me at genedeee@gmail.com with proof that you own the domain name. We do not know who you are. You could be some Internet kook posting on here just to cause trouble...we don't know.
Some things that we do know that are facts:
- They got gulfcoastpokerclub.com in Jan of '06. Gulfcoastpoker.net was available then. It was available up until I purchased it and put up our site in Sept. '06. Our site has been up for almost a year now. Why did he not get the .net version then?
- We had our site up before they did.
- They are posting on our site as we have lots of traffic. None of our people are posting to their site. Are they trying to use our site to drive traffic to theirs?...I don't know...you be the judge.
- Once they went to get the .com version, and then "Stumbled" upon our site. Why did they continue to get the .com version when they saw that we were already doing it?
- We are not anonymous...we are public, and our skill levels are proven.
- The picture on their site is not of the Mississippi Gulf Coast.
Until we know who were dealing with, not some anonymous poster on my blog that "Claims" they own the domain name, we are in a "Business as Usual" mode. We are not looking to get in a pissing match with anyone. Can we work with people...sure we can. If we meet the person that owns .com and we feel comfortable with him...who knows. It would be a combination of lots of variables.
Back to Poker...WE will be adding another blogger from the Tampa area that will be blogging on the Western Gulf Coast of Florida. He has 3 cashes in major tournaments with the results being public on poker sites, and He also cashed in last years main event.
Stay tuned...
"Guess what guys, it's time to embrace the horror! Look, we've got front row tickets to the end of the earth!" Steve Buscemi's character Rockhound in "Armageddon"
Friday, June 29, 2007
2 for 4...Not bad for a week
Am I that good...I don't know. I only claimed to be "Above Average" in my profile, and I think my profile on Card Player Magazine's cardplayer.com is proof of this. I don't claim to be the best player around, and I am not the best player on the Gulf Coast. I made a decision based off of the situation at hand based off my personal perception on the table, the people that were left in the game and how the tournament played out. I felt that this was the best decision for me and my bankroll. Again...I am not the best player in the world, I do not have the biggest bankroll and I do not play in the biggest games around. I am an everyday poker player trying to make it through the "Grind" of everyday poker playing. My heads up game is strong because I have played heads up numerous times. I play heads up quite often even though it is not mentioned in the blog.
I wanted to comment on the fact that Binion's has now been sold again. I personally hope that the company that purchased Binion's this time will put enough money into it to make it into the the classic Casino that it is. The poker room and staff there is really great and second to none. Maybe I am prejudice because of my cash there this year, but I did fell the "Nostalgia" of the place. My wife took some pictures and short videos of the table on the wall with signatures on it, and the wall of fame. To tell you the truth, I am actually glad that the I was able to be a part of the "First Annual Poker Classic" at Binion's
I am not going to respond to anyone that post critical stuff in my comments section unless I know your credentials. Show me who you are, what you have done, and how many tournaments you have cashed in...etc. Then I might think about responding to your comments. If you post anything in my blog that is "Inflammatory" or has anything to do with that other site , I will delete it until we sort this out. I have read Kevin's comments, and plan on responding. I am getting advice on whether this should be played out in a public forum, or off line. There are legal steps that can be taken by us, but I personally don't think that is necessary. If he is a young kid that is truly from the gulfcoast and he is trying to better the poker community on the gulfcoast ...well...Bill and I can admire that. This is not a blog for negative idiots who want to post things and be critical. If you think I need to do something different or better in my play...great...That is why I post here.
Well...Back to Poker...I went to the cash games after the tournament. I moved over to the Horseshoe to get in a NL game. I bought in for $500 and sat at a 2-5nl game for several hours. I lost $200 pretty quickly playing bad, and not being patient. I lost another $200 in a hand where I had Kings in the BB. I think I played the hand bad as I feel I played it "too aggressively". We have 3 players limp around to me including the SB. I make it $35 to go. All 3 limpers call...not good. I move in with the last of my stack about $280 in the dark after the flop. The dealer had not even put the flop on the table. Everyone folds around to the SB who makes some sort of speech about, "My wife is waiting on me", or,"I am ready to leave anyway". I know that I am dead once this is said. He calls with what he has left, another $175. Flop comes 9s3s8h. He shows As10s, so we are on a coin flip at this point. 9c peals of on the turn...Now I am at about a 69% to win (I think)...4s on the river...and I rake my last $75 back to me and leave the game.
My week in Tunica...4 tournaments...2 chops (Cashed in the Money)...Played in 4 sessions at the NL cash games...and left overall about a $200-$250 winner.
"Autumn comes slowly in New Orleans. The grass remains a stubborn green, but the heat gives way to a gentle warmth" Gabrial Macht character Lawson in "A Love Song for Bobby Long"
Thursday, June 28, 2007
Chalk up another Chop
he...Hhmm...Intresting. I think he has a Q, but I am not sure. River bricks out and he makes a nice, solid bet of 3 times the pot. I call like an idiot and he is holding AQo. I was a little pissed at myself. I sometimes wonder how I can play so bad. Went to the cash games and got in a tight 2-5nl game. I was in the game as it jumped off. I looked around, and the 1 seat is buying in for $900, the 3 seat for $1200, the 5 seat for $1000, so I say "Damn...looks like we got a poker game" and buy in for $750.00. I play tight most of the night going up to $900...down to $500...back up....etc. I picked up a profit of $65 after 2 1/2 hours. Biggest hand I had. From the button I called a $15 pre-flop bet with Ac8c. We see the flop 3 handed. I flop the nuts. Check...Check...I check. Turn card doesn't pair the board. Check...Check...I bet out $20.00 and get 1 caller. River is harmless ...check...I bet..fold. The monster I had been waiting for and I pick up $55.00 or so...Oh well
Last night I played the Sams Town $80/$25 tournament. I think we had 44 but not sure. Started strong and picked up some good hands. Busted a guy in the third level with Kings when I call his raise pre-flop. Flop is all low card and he bets out again...I raise...He re-raises all in and I call...He shows AQo..."Ship it to the Colonel". I built a nice stack and then I lost half my stack when I miss-played Jd10d to a guy I called this guy "Schleprock" because he looked like that guy Ben Affleck kicked out the room because he had his series 7. Flop comes out 8h9sQc. Great... right? Wrong. He checks and I bet...he smooth calls. Turn is the 10s. He checks and I bet...He calls. River is a harmless 3c. He check raises me all-in. My mind starts racing...If I call I will still have chips, but I won't be a force. I can still push people around with the stack I have...etc. I fold. The guy shows me 1 card...a K. I knew he had J-K. I got rattled and started tilting. I donked off some more chips.
We move to the final table where I am average in chips. The first hand I get pocket 6's...I raise. Schleprock, who is the chip leader, re-raises. I go in the tank, and I have him on a big Ace. I jam .... He calls and turns over big slick. A 6 peals off the flop, and the board pairs on the turn. BAM. I win a few more hands. I am now 2nd in chips and a force to be reckoned with.
We play down to 6, and they start talking chop. They are paying down to 5, and the total prize
pool is 2800. Scleprock is chip leader, and I am second with a little more than 1/2 of his stack.
He says he will chop if he gets $700.00. Everyone is ready and they all look at me. I say, "No way...I am not giving him $700.00". The other 4 are all about even, but the blinds are going up. We play a hand...everybody starts talking chop again...I am silent. Schleprock starts with the table banter with me, "Come on man, look at my stack", "I got more than you "...etc. If he takes $700 we all get $420. Nah...he can do better.
I told him my, "Heads up game was strong" and that I would be, "willing to bet on the side if we wound up heads up". I then propose to the table that he take $600.00 I will consider it, but I want more than $440, and I waited while the bottom 4 guys huddled up. So we chop 6 ways with schleprock getting $600...I took $540...the last 4 took $415.
2 for 3 on the week and will be playing again tonight a 6pm @ The Goldstrike with a $100/$25 F/O with a $5000 guarantee.
"Somebody messes with me, I'm gonna mess with him" Robert DeNiero's character Al Capone in "The Untouchables"
Wednesday, June 27, 2007
Can you believe this guy?
Hello gentlemen, I enjoy your blogs. Gulfcoastpoker.com is a site that I believe fellow bloggers will love. It is in no way a copy of Gulfcoastpoker.net. I wish you gentlemen good luck with your site and invite you to be a part of ours as well. We will be up and running shortly and are excited to what this site will bring to local poker players.
By you posting this on my blog you have now convinced me...beyond a reasonable doubt...That you indeed stole our idea for the site. If you would have just went ahead and built your site and said nothing then I would have had to wonder whether someone else may have just had the same idea as me. We wanted the domain name gulfcoastpoker.com, and now you have it. My blog will be a testament to the whole world that you guys have been "Lurking" on my site and that you guys pulled a "Fast One" by getting the domain name right when it became available ...while I was in Vegas actually playing in the WSOP. Do you even play on the Gulf Coast?
On a positive note, we are adding another blog to the site today. Please come check out Big Ray's blog. He is considered one of the more aggressive players in the New Orleans/Gulf Coast region. He is widely known in the poker circles and highly respected. He spent the entire first day of the Main Event in New Orleans sitting next to Gavin Smith. This is the one where Gavin got 2nd to Peter Feldman...He played his heart out. You can check out his blog at ...(Drum Roll starts up in the background)... www.gulfcoastpoker.net ....Bo Ya....
I want to assure everyone that we all live, and play on the gulf coast. We will be traveling and bringing feedback, poker hands, logic, theory...etc from cash games and tournaments from the
Isle of Capri in Lake Charles around to the Hard Rock in Tampa. You will get a look at what it is like "In the trenches" on the gulf coast. I will post later about my tournament last night at the Gold Strike.
I think this is what it might have taken to get us motivated. Someone trying to come in and backdoor us on our idea. We are meeting with the lawyers next Monday, and with the apparel company on Wednesday. We all will be wearing Gulfcoastpoker.net gear in our next tournaments.
"I see in your eyes the same fear that would take the heart of me. A day may come when the courage of Men fail... when we forsake our friends, and break all bonds of fellowship, but it is not this day. This day, we fight!" Viggo Mortenson's character Aragon in "Lord of the Rings"
Tuesday, June 26, 2007
Tunica update...and stealing ideas...what a world
I got in 2 hands early that really solidified my table image, and helped me also with my read on the table. The first one was really easy and fairly simple. I am UTG with the blinds at $25-$50 and I look down and pocket jacks...the hand everyone loves to hate. I make it $225.00 to go because I hate the hand and would rather take it down there. Everyone folds around to the BB who calls...Hmm...lets seeeee...lets call $175 more to protect $50. I immediately put him a monster. Flop comes As10c3d. I check ...he checks turn comes 9d...I check ...he bets out $500 and I say, "Yea...you better try to get something out of the monster hand you have" and I fold the Jacks up...he smiles and shows the pocket aces.
The next hand I had pocket 10's in middle position. There were 3 limpers, so I made a nice raise to 3-4 times the BB. The cutoff re-raises. we see the flop 2 handed heads-up Flop comes Ac9c6d. I check...guy checks. turn bring Ah. I go in the tank here thinking I can steal the pot. My fear is that he played something like A-K to A-Q. I decide to just check...dude checks. Now this has me wondering what he has. I still have him on a big hand...but doe she have an Ace? The river brings the Qs...I now check...he can't even pull his hand back from the middle of the pot before I fold the 10's face-up. He shows pocket Kings.
We wound up chopping 8 ways…I took home $545 after dealer tip out…picked up another $125.00 in a 1-3 NL cash game at the Horseshoe. 1 for 1 on the week so far
Stealing ideas...Well what do you know...it looks like since I have been dragging my feet on getting our regional website up and running, someone has decided to steal my idea. I should not have been telling so many people about what we were planning to do. I should have known better. I knew the .com version was set to expire soon, and we planned on grabbing it. I guess we will just have to see who has the better site once we have our stuff up. We have 5 more bloggers set to start posting soon, "Wild" Bill and I are are adding things and changing things daily, and we are planning on using the WPT event in Biloxi to kick off our site. I am just wondering who it is that is starting the other site. I wonder whether I actually know them...or did they just read my blog and said, "Hey...that's a great idea".
This is the USA, and competition is free and fair. This blog will be the testament that building a regionalized website around the gulf coast region...was my idea
"Waaarrioooors! come out and play!...Warriors, come out out and PLAY-YAAAA" David Patrick Kelly's character Luther in "The Warriors"
Saturday, June 23, 2007
UFC and a relaxing Sat night
My predictions: I really like Nate Diaz to take the TUF championship. I think he is a stand up guy that will tell you what on his mind. His brother Nick has helped him get that attitude of "don't let no one push you around". Stand up and fight if you have to. So, obviously, I am going with Nate Diaz over Manny Gambarayn.
I really like Jens Pulver as the coach. I think he is a cooler person in general than BJ Penn although I would love to see him beat BJ, I don;t think that is what is going to happen. I think BJ may just be more "hungry" to make up for the lost to Jens years ago.
I keep seeing that Burger King commercial for the "Western Whopper", and I can't help but crack up laughing thinking about Captain Stacks. That mustache on the commercial is soooo cool. It reminds me of the Cap. I keep thinking of him doing that little "Ho-down" dance ;-)...I hope you are tearing them up in Vegas Captain Satcks!!!
"The first rule of Operation Mayhem is ...you do not ask questions" Brad Pitt's character Tyler in "Fight Club"
Friday, June 22, 2007
Book Reviews
First book:
Reading People, Jo-Ellen Dimitrius, PH.D., and Mark Mazzarella
Great book about reading people in general. Not only has it helped me out in my poker game, but it has also helped me out in interviewing people at my job, reading the salespeople when they try to lie and reading the customers when we are at a closing appointment. It is so much like a poker game when you are in front of a customer proposing your service and they are giving you objections and such. I see the same tells, body language and demeanor. It is funny.
Jo-Ellen Dimitrius' claim to fame is she is one of several people that picked the O.J Simpson jury...I think I would rather be known for something s little more sincere that, "I picked the jury that let a killer walk the earth free for as long as he is alive"...pitiful...but it is a good book. She claims she got a lot of flack about the fact that she was apart of the team that picked that jury...A must read for poker players.
Second book:
Ultimate Guide to Poker Tells, Randy Burgess with Carl Baldassarre
Wild Bill turned me on to this book...WOW...what a book. I think that besides the Harrington books, which by the way, I consider them my Poker Bibles, this book really helped me take a look not only at my opponents, but at my own perception of myself. It helps you to take a look at body language, table talk, eye contact, playing with your chips and lots of other visual variables that allow you to read into what your opponents hold. It is amazing how "behavioral analysis" will make you into a winner...or loser
R.I.P
Goes out to Roxy...Captain Stacks loyal companion for over 12 years. Captain Stacks...hang in there big guy. I know it sucks right now, but it will get better.
"Look, if you had 1 shot...1 opportunity ...2 seize everything u ever wanted...One moment ...Would u capture it ...or just let it slip" Eminem's character rabbit in "8 Mile"
Thursday, June 21, 2007
Heading back to Tunica next week
Monday night 6pm @ The Goldstrike with a $100/$25 freeze-out with a $5000 guarantee
Tues night 6pm @ The Goldstrike with a $50/$10
Wed night 6pm @ Sam's Town with a $80/$25 Freeze-out
Thurs night 6pm @ The Goldstrike with a $100/$25 F/O with a $5000 guarantee
I will try to keep everyone posted on how I do. Lets Poker Martin actually cashed in one of the Deep stack events at the Venetian. I think he fell around 35th and collected about $1400.00. Good job buddy!!!
Fellow blogger Captain Stacks is now blogging and you can find his blog in my comments section. I am going to talk to "Wild" Bill and see if maybe we can link the blog with our site...with stacks approval of course. We are still working on the site...it looks kind of cheesy right now. I want to apologize for missing you in Vegas stacks. I wish I now would have made it a point to go meet you guys, but it was crazy. It looks like he also has a 1st place cash for over a quarter of a million. Damn Stacks...I didn't know I would attract someone of your skill level to my blog. Let me know when you want to stake me...I am all ears on whatever you would suggest. I have been looking for a stakehorse to put me in a couple of tournaments. I can be ...your "Protege" HaHaHaHahHaHa. Sort of like Negreanu and Anthony Mak...no seriously...Thanks for showing yourself. The mustache is pretty cool.
I have had numerous conversations with lots of my friends about whether this is a good idea or not. Some said I should have kept my anonymity while other commended me for coming out and having the balls to put myself out there like this. I have "Lurked" on so many blogs in the past years, and finally I said, Oh well, lets see where this all goes.
"I came here to do two things..drink beer and kick some ass..looks like we're almost out of beer" Ben Affleck's character O'bannion in "Dazed and Confused"
Wednesday, June 20, 2007
Hellmuth and his final table
1) Stamina/Tiredness. He may have made a stupid play the night before because he was tired, and we all agree that he was fresh the next day. 2) Different set of playing cards 3) Having a different dealer. The old dealer may have dealt him Kings against his opponents Aces. 4) Different shuffle machine 5) Having to re-draw seats for the final table... the stars and planets re-aligned...numerous variables in the cosmos that will point to the fact that no one will be able to "know" what would have happened if they kept playing to the final 9. The final table ...is the final table...is the final table. I don't believe that they can now say that since he made it past 9 people...this is now considered a "Legitimate Final Table". My thoughts...Yes...he made the final table...with an asterisks.
This is my opinion. Personally, I think he is a great player. I would have loved it if he would have stepped up and said..."No...No...No...we need to keep playing because if I make the final table tomorrow, I don't want any questions". He did not do this. If you do not agree, I would love to hear what everyone else thinks ...in a very calm and civilized verbiage.
I am going to cut and paste a hand from the blog that will explain "How" he continues to do well and move up in tournaments.
(From Kaelaine Minton's blog)
"Blinds are 10k/20k and Phil raised to 40k, a minimum raise. Even I could smell the trap from across the room, but Brett raised enough to put Phil all-in. When action got back to Phil, he made his trademark 'insta-shove' and turned over his pocket Aces -- duh. Brett held 7 4 (I don't make this stuff up, folks). Phil ran over to the stands and got insurance from Phil Ivey, who is watching this final table. If his Aces get cracked, Ivey will pay him $90,000. The board came K J 8 K K and Phil doubled up"
This explains it folks...people play bad against him.
"Fortune and glory kid, fortune and glory" Harrison Fords Character Indiana Jones in "Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom"
Tuesday, June 19, 2007
ESPN bows to Hellmuth
Went play in a "Bar" tournament last night in New Orleans. Pretty rough crowd. I think I could have ran the tourney better, but what can you expect from the New Orleans crowd. It was a $50.00 buy-in with about 20 people in it. I am going to try to post up a MPEG of us at the final table at Binion's. I know...I know...I am sucking this one small 3rd place finish for all its worth, but actually, I just want to see if it post and what it looks like.
What you will see is when we are down to 4 players, there is a sort of introduction where we all introduce ourselves and tell where we are from.
Lets see how it comes out...
Oh well...would not let me
"You said bullshit and experience is all it takes, right? -Right. -Come on in and experience some of my bullshit" Eddie Murphy's character Reggie Hammond in "48 hrs"
Friday, June 15, 2007
Tunica update
Or what about Sly and Jamie Fox from Shade...Yea...They need to steer clear also.
I guess I will have to post up another photo of myself at the 2005 WSOP event. In this one I am sitting next to Marsha Waggoner and John Phan is also at my table...and in the photo on the left. I don't look so sloppy in this one ;-)
One more just to prove that I am not a slob at the table...Notice no chips...OUCH

Thursday, June 14, 2007
Pics from the Final Table at Binion's



"That kid is back on the escalator again!!!" Jason Lee's Character Brodie on Mall Rats
Wednesday, June 13, 2007
Random thoughts and comments on this years WSOP
Work...well is work. Getting my head back into it.
Brandi Hawbaker...I saw her at the WSOP getting interviewed with Sklansky. She was answering the questions while he sat there looking geek-ish. I swear I saw him staring at her boobs.
Poker Wire Radio...I got to listen to Alex Jacob on the ride yesterday and I agree with Wild Bill, he is the next superstar. He did get ribbed by Gavin Smith about there being 138 pros that were playing the PPL that did not play in the USPC. It was cool though...they were just joking around about it.
Hellmuth wins the 11th...WOW...I cannot believe it. The guy is loud and obnoxious at times, but you have to give it to him...he is good. That reminds me that I got to see the replay of when Varkoni shaved his head...Classic.
WSOP lines and Chaos...everyone is stating the obvious...its the worst I have ever seen it.
Worst hand that was played came from Daniel Alaei as told to Gavin Smith via Poker wire Radio. Daniel bet $3000.00 on the river into a $6000.00 pot with 5h4d with a board showing 9s9d3d3h6h...the donkfish calls with pocket deuces. Even if he doesn't have the straight...he wins with 5 high HaHaHaHaHaHa
Six degrees of separation...One of my sales guys lives next door to Moneymaker in Memphis. He is suppose to go with him to the pokerstars event in Aruba or Atlantis...somewhere...Damn is he lucky
I had to leave some of the cash with the wife. We have a patio to put up
"You know, my old man used to tell me, before he left this shitty world, the right woman can make you and the wrong one can break you" Don Johnson's Character Malboro Man in "Harley Davidson and the Marlboro Man"
Monday, June 11, 2007
Back Home from the WSOP
As you guys know, I free-rolled into the WSOP 6 handed event #12 which had a $1500.00 buy-in. There were over 1400 people in the event. I felt really good going into the event after my 3rd place finish in the Binion's Poker Classic . I really like the 6 handed format, and I really got alot of experience in the Binion's event playing 6 handed. I started out strong, and picked up several pots early. I was in the 6 seat, and there was David "The Dragon" Pham in 4, and Cliff "Johnny Bax" Josephy in the 1 seat. Pham got knocked out after about 30-40 minutes. My buddy "Let's Poker" Martin happen to be at the table next to me with Amnon Fillippi. After the first break, I was moved to a table with Andy Bloch 2 to my right. This was a good spot for him. He was really a nice guy, and I joked with him that I had the episode of the "The Circuit" with him on it playing in my Ipod. After the 2nd dinner break I ran into a hand that I will discuss here. I think I played it bad.
Button is in the one seat, and I am in the 3 seat with antes/blimds at 50/150/300 (i think). I look down at pocket 8's and make standard 3 times raise. Internet guy to my left in the 4 seat hesitates, then smooth calls. All else folds. Flop come Qc7d3s. I make it 2200 to go. Internet guy goes in the tank. Finally smooth calls. Turn comes the Ah. I go in the tank, and I know what I should do...Jam it. I can feel the guy is spooked. I did not like the 2200 call though. I check very hesitantly...he does the same. River card comes a Jd...I know I am now in trouble. I go in the tank thinking I have 2 plays here...Jam it...and give away my tournament with a call...or check and loose what little fold equity I have left...basically giving up. I don't think I can win without betting. I know he does not have me on a straight draw with K-10. I check. He sighs a sigh of relief and says, "Man, I did not want to be in that hand and I know you didn't either. I know I should bet here as a value, but I don't think you would call. This hand was the spookiest so far of my tournament and I don't know what I would have down if you jammed after the turn", and he proceeds to lay out pocket J's so we all could see. It was tough to see, but it did not cripple me. I still had some chips to play with. I got moved to a table with Eric Siedel 2 to my left. He has double the chips I have. I get down to about 2600 is chips with the antes/blinds at 75/200/400 when the guy directly to my left stands up and walks away from the table. So when the blinds get to me I have a pass on the small blind and then I look down on the button at KJs. Siedel is in the BB, so I jam when it comes to me on the button, He smiles and says something like "I wish you wouldn't have done that"...anyway...he has pocket Q's and the board bricks out for me again...right before dinner break. They were paying 126 and the tournament directors estimated that there were around 250 people left out of over 1400. There you have it.
Comments on the pros I played with:
David ...real quite, did not say much
Andy and Eric...nice guys who played their image at the table very well.
Cliff...Great guy...BS'd with us the whole time. Cracked jokes with the dealers. very nice guy.
I think Jared Hamby came by our table at some point and bs'd with him
If you guys want to see me at the table, I am going to try to cut and paste the link from the WSOP photo store
http://www.printroom.com/ViewGalleryPhoto.asp?userid=worldseriesofpoker&tcount=13&scount=13&gallery_id=717456&image_id=12
I will post a pick of me at the final table at Binion's when I get a chance. I will try to post some more about my experience later. I have to go now...and "pry" my bankroll out of my wifes hands so I can head to Tunica.
"Bobbie sue, whoa, whoa, she slipped away
Billy joe caught up to her the very next day
They got the money, hey...You know they got away
They headed down south and theyre still running today"
Steve Miller's "Take the money and run"
Thursday, June 07, 2007
Pumped and Ready...took 3rd yesterday
I am waiting to play in the $1500.00 6 handed tournament today in the WSOP. I am sitting at a table right next to my buddy Lets Poker Martin. We are going to give them hell today. I am running real good now and I was able to bring my "A" game to Binion's yesterday to play in their 6 handed tournament in the "Binion's Poker Classic". I think they pulled in around 250 people for the event. Davey and Parfait played. The buy-in was $150.00. I took down 3rd place for a cool $4300.00.
One hand to note, I am on the button with about 3 tables left when i look down at AKs. There is a raise of all in from a player that I have barely covered. Guy to my right calls and he has about half of that. Wow...what a decision. I go in the tank for about 2 minutes. I figure I am getting about 3 1/2 to 1. Finally, I announce, "Well, to win one of these things you have to win coin flips sooner or later...I call". We turn up our cards and we all have AK...but mine is suited in spades. At that point, one of them says, "Ah man...the spades are coming I can feel it"...guy doomed them both. It was beautiful to see those 3 spades hit the board.
Have to get in the shower...I will try to post more later.
"Where's my Bat...I can't think without my bat" Tom Cruise's character Lt Kaffee in "A few good men"
Friday, June 01, 2007
Capt Tom and the "Ladies"
http://www.neverwinpoker.com/phpnuke/html/ftopic-31563-0.html
Hers is the 2nd post...
What gives?
"And this one time...at Band Camp" American Pie
Wednesday, May 30, 2007
Getting ready for Vegas
I am a little disappointed in it seems that the Wednesday tournaments at Harrah's in New Orleans have been cancelled "Indefinitely". What's up with that? The circuit event closes and you cancel your weekly tournament's? Oh well...I guess we will have to start going to the coast a little more than we have.
I talked to Tex a couple of days ago, and he said the room in Amelia is coming around. I haven't been able to get there yet. He said that the weekend are better suited for the NL games.
I want to make a coupe of points about the comments/commenter's:
-This blog is about an "Average Joe" trying to become a better Poker Player. I am not saying I am the greatest...That I don't make "Bad Plays"...that I don't Donk of chips...because I do.
-I do have a purpose of the blog and hopefully my hobby may generate some focus on the Gulf Coast area...more to come
-I have approached this blog in a "Humble" fashion and I am admitting that I have holes in my game...leaks...etc. If you wish to point this out than great. If you do it in a derogatory manner...more power to you...I will not delete your comments...but I also won't reply to them...My only comment will be is..."Hopefully one day, I may be as good as you"
-I am not a "High Roller" and I don't play "In the biggest games around"
-If you are one of these people who have nothing good to say, my request would be to just "Move On"...don't read my blog. I mean, why would someone waste their time by reading the ramblings of an idiot donkey? I don't know...oh well
Well...there you have it. I am a lucky man to have such great friends and family. I am truly blessed. I am not going to turn this blog into a "Flame Fest"...it won't happen.
I have turned a corner in my life when I met my wife. Those of you who knew me before this...don't know me anymore. I am not the same person I was pre-marriage. Those of you who knew me before and know me now can see the change. I know what I want, and I know how to get there. I am not wandering aimlessly wondering what God has in store for me...
...Now I know
"Some people hear their own inner voices with great clearness and they live by what they hear. Such people become crazy... but... they also become legends" Gordon TooToosis Character One Stab in "Legends of the Fall"
Sunday, May 27, 2007
Reply to BB...
bubble boy said...
what a bunch of worms, every one of you are average players at best.One question for you Mr. D (that's you Gene) i have read on numerous blogs that you have written that you THINK someone in the CREW will hit it big. First of all who is this great group of players you call the crew? I don't like the word "crew" here. Sounds too cheesy like Dutch and those guys in the 04' WSOP. Their more like a bunch of friends who talk poker strategy/intel/swap %'s ...etc. I will name them as they pop in my head...no rhyme or reason to how I type them in. Wild Bill/Big
Ray/Tex/JoeB/Alex/Davey/Ruttely/Lets Poker Martin/Parfait/ChrisJ/PaulS/Slow Play Dave/Merle/MikeMcD/K.W./Jacob/Lester...to name a few. You read about Rut, and I have been there personally when Tex and Davey both missed a big 5 digit payday...Davey by one card
And second how do YOU plan on hitting it big, when you posted in your last blog that you didn't even play the last MEGA satellite to get into the main event.You can not hit it big if you don't get in the big dance? If you think cashing in the $500 chip or selling hit is hitting it big then you are wasting your time.
Good Point...hence the soul serching I have been doing lately. What you stated was as obvious to me as night and day.
Couple of points:
I didn't mean anything bad about Dutch Boyd and the crew of the 04' WSOP. Wild Bill and I have actually met Dutch and he really is not that bad of a guy. Actually, I drank beer for a couple of hours with Dutch and Joe Bartholdi in that sports bar in the Grand in Tunica. Great guys...just "Everyday Joe's" trying to grind it out. Joe went on to win the WPT Championship 5 months later.
ScottyT...If this is the ScottyT I think it is...welcome to my blog. I had no idea you were reading this. On a side note to my previous post about selling my last $500.00 chip...I tried to sell it to Scotty ;-)
"I am the worlds last barman poet" Tom Cruise's Character Flanigan in "Cocktail"
Wow...alright
I have been reading again since I haven't played in the last couple of days (Harrington's Red Book). I have been really doing a "Gut Check" on where I am in my poker world. Selling that last $500.00 chip and walking away from that mega has got to me. I have been talking things over with my wife and lots of my friends trying to see whether it is possible to "Make It"...or will I always be the above average player with a "day job" playing 1-2 ...2-5 NL cash games and always looking at my winnings as, "a lot of extra money". My biggest story will be that I came 46 people from a WSOP gold bracelet, knocked out Johnny Chan in the process, and didn't even cash in the event...weak. The only 2 people to see this was my wife and her boss. Wild Bill got play by play on the phone though. The problem is that my wife believes in me more than anyone, and she doesn't even play. She just believes that I am capable of doing anything in this world that I put my mind to.
Me...I believe I can do it. I have played with the best. Their everyday people just like you and me. What will it take for me to reach that plateau? I don't know...
...I do know one thing though...I am not about to give up...I am getting my 2nd wind for Vegas
"That's the secret of survival ...never go to war...especially with yourself"
Nicolas Cage's character Yuri in "Lord of War"
Thursday, May 24, 2007
Way to go Clint!!!
Ruttely missed the money by a couple of places. He had just doubled up through P Gordon when the following hand came up 10 minutes later...
Per K Minton's blog
--Seat 6 raised to 8,500. Brandon Ruttley called, Lou Esposito called, and Phil Gordon (button) called. Flop was 2 4 9 . Seat 6 checked, Brandon bet 30K, Lou folded, and Phil moved all-in. Seat 6 mucked and Brandon went into the tank. After a few minutes (the level had ended) Phil called for the clock. Before they got the clock started, Brandon called and showed pocket Jacks. Phil held pocket 4s for the set. Last two cards were Q 8 and Brandon was busted in 39th place. Phil adds more chips to the mountain--
I was actually there sweating Rut when this hand hit. I had Davey on the phone giving "Play by Play" and I actually thought Gordan was on a steal and he was "putting the screws" to Rut.
Reasoning being, he knew Rut was not a regular on the circuit, Rut had some chips left (about $36k) and it was a few minutes before a break. On top of that, they were on the money bubble and he thought that Rut would not risk not cashing, and if Rut called and Gordon lost the pot, it would not have hurt Gordon in the least...He had a monster stack...you had to be there to see the situation.
Yea...I call here also...and I would have taken it a lot harder than Rut. At that point, with all the downward variance I have been experiencing lately, I would have been convinced that God hates me.
"When I was young, about 8 or so, I invited God over to my place to watch the World Series. He never showed" Leo DiCaprio's Character Jim Carroll in "The Basketball Diaries"
Tuesday, May 22, 2007
My circuit event is over...getting ready for Vegas
Props need to go out to Rut as he is still in the main event. He has had a great circuit event going deep in numerous tournaments and just overall running good. He satellited in on Sunday, and instead of taking the $5000.00 and calling it a day, he decided to fire the bullet and give the Main Event a shot. He is at around $23,000.00 going into day 2. I am going to go down and sweat him later today. Good luck Rut!!!
I also want to thank Captain Stack..."The King of Cash" for reading my blog and posting comments. If you are also blogging...let me know...I would love to read yours. I encourage people to post a comment as I am curious what people think of my blogging...even if it is to say "Quit being a Donkey" ... ;-)
I am also going check out the new poker room that has just opened 25 minutes from my house at the Amelia Belle Casino Boat...The poker rooms keep getting closer and closer.
Actually, I was feeling a little down last night as I feel I should have pulled the trigger and tried a little harder to get in the main event. The thing that is eating at me is after talking to Wild Bill, we both agreed that we would probably have sold the seat and taken the $5000.00 instead. I actually sold my last $500.00 chip Sunday night instead of playing in the last Mega at 7:00pm. There were lots of reasons why such as Vegas coming up, work, it would have finished too late, I had my wife...etc. The thing that bothered me was I went back and read my blogs, and then went down there yesterday to sweat Rut...and I just caught myself thinking...I should have tried as hard as I could to get in this thing. I know that I can play with those people. I know my game is good enough. I guess I am just wondering where my heart really is. Maybe I need to do some "Soul Searching"...
"When I was going up the stairs, I met a man who wasn't there, he wasn't there again today, I wish, I wish ,he'd go away" . John Cusack's Character Ed in "Identity"
Thursday, May 17, 2007
We are halfway through the event
"You're not trying to draw a psycho pension! You really are crazy!" Danny Glover's Character Murtauh in Lethal Weapon
Thursday, May 10, 2007
Feeling like crap
I am undecided on what I am going to do today. I may try to get to the doctors office, and see if i can get a quick shot of anti-botics.
Pre-circuit event chip counts so far:
GeneD--2
Wild Bill--3
Big Ray--2
Tex--2
We are going to try to make sure that all locals will do good in the circuit events. We plan on showing what we can do down here in the south.
"At my challenge, by the ancient laws of combat, we are met at this chosen ground, to settle for good and all who holds sway over the five points: us natives, born rightwise to this fine land, or the foreign hordes defiling it" ...Daniel Day Lewis's character Bill "The butcher" in Gangs of New York
Tuesday, May 08, 2007
Snapped off the first super
--I doubled up on the first hand: I had pocket 10's and I made it $50.00 to go from late position. A guy in a Frigidaire shirt does the classic ...slams his chips in a demands "I'm all in". Every folds around to me. I start studing this guy and clearly he was not a regular. I had the "strong means weak" tell already going for me so I ask..."What you got A-K?"...His expression immediately went to "How dis you know that?" ...and I insta-call. He has Big Slick, and the board bricks out. Sweet!!! double up on the first hand.
--From there my buddy Alex got moved to our table. I continue to build my stack, when I get Pocket J's and jammed it with 4 limpers, and everyone folds. Next hand I get pocket Q's when Alex jams it. I call and and he shows A-J suited in diamond. Flop rainbows with one diamond. Guess what...runner-runner diamonds, and I couldn't have doubled up a nicer guy.
--Right before the break...I have Ah-Qd. and am in the bb. utg ships it in with about twice the bb. I re-raise all in to isolate him. He shows Kd-Qs. I have him dominated. Board hits 2 spades, and what do you know...guess what...runner-runner spades has me wondering whether the poker gods were going to take a dump in my cheerios.
--We were down to 50 people left when the only time in my whole tournament life last night, my life was on the line. I am in the 5th seat and the button is in the 7th seat. I have a pretty good read on the 10 and 1 seat. 10th street utg limps as does the 1st seat which happens to be the only women left in the tourney. I move all in on a stone cold steal with J-2o. Everyone folds around to the the lady in the 1 seat. I am sitting there telling her to fold telepathically..."Fold...Fold...Fold"...I say. Wouldn't you know she doesn't listen. (I need to work on these telepathic powers of mine ;-) ). So we turn them up and she shows pocket 9's. I commend her, as well as the rest of the table on making a pro-call here. The only time in the entire tournament I am in for my tournament life, and we are 15-16 away from getting the $1000.00 in chips. Flop doesn't help me...turn bricks out...and don't you...the poker gods sent a lightning bolt down from the heavens to turn the river card into a J. Gin...I am now sitting really pretty and all I do is work the clock from here on out.
--Poker wire radio...people, I have been listening to the pod cast religiously on my ipod. I download the pod cast. Gavin Smith, Joe Sebok and Joe Stapleton are a trip. I really enjoy listening to the group.
"I expect the best, and I give the best. Here's the beer. Here's the entertainment. Now have fun, that's an order"...The lieutenant in "Starship Troopers"
Thursday, May 03, 2007
Tournament Tonight
Wednesday, April 25, 2007
Been busy lately
We are getting pumped up for the circuit event coming to New Orleans. Hope to see you guys there. From there...the World Series of Poker is right around the corner
"I think every man does what he can until his destiny is revealed to him" ...Tom Cruise's character "Algren" in "The Last Samurai"
Thursday, April 12, 2007
Harrah's sit n go's
I heard the structure of the $500.00 Sunday event stinks. Something like $1000.00 in chips and the blinds go up every 20 min. That sucks.
Hope to get pumped up for the circuit event in New Orleans in May. I would love to get in the $5000.00 event. I am going to try to sell some of myself to see if I can get up enough money to play. I am going to hit up my boss for at least $1000.00. I have to get in the Main Event...and I have to make it happen...No excuses...I have to start playing in bigger tournaments if I am going to get my game up where it belongs.
"First prize is a new car. Second prize . . .a set of steak knives. Third prizes is... you're fired"
Thursday, April 05, 2007
Pain at the Beau
I look down and pocket aces. (I know...I know...every donkeyfish story starts this way). I am in position on the button and there was a $10.00 raise to me with 2 callers. I make it $50.00 to go and everyone calls. 4 of us see the flop. The flop comes 10d 7d 3s...a beauty for me. Everyone checks around and I go in the tank for a second. There is around $250.00 in the pot, so I decide to take it down there. I ship it and donkeyfish in the 10 seats starts to think. He is agonizing over the call. I know one of the 2 left has the flush draw, and if it was the guy to my right, I knew he would not call. DF counts out $700.00 in cash that he had behind him and throws it in.
Flush draw folds and I show my aces. I see pain on his face so I know he has a pocket pair which puts me a 4-1 favorite. Turn is a brick...river an 8...and his face lights up. I knew it before he turned over the cards.
I also talked to by bud "Tex" and he had a similar story. He had aces in the same situation almost and the donkey called his pre-flop raise...and turn...to hit 2 pair on the river where the donkeyfish held 10-5 offsuit where he hit the 10 on the flop and he hit his 5 on the river. He lost a $670.00 pot.
Donkey Fish 2...Gene and Tex 0
"Somebody once wrote: "Hell is the impossibility of reason." That's what this place feels like...Hell" Charlie Sheens character Chris in "Platoon"
Sunday, April 01, 2007
I will post a little later on my trip last week
I played in 2 tournaments last week, and I could not get any traction. I was completely card dead in both tournaments. I am at 20 points for the tournament of the year promotion. The leader was at 52.