WSOP National Championship Part 1:

Sigh…tilting…another bad beat as I wrote half a blog on the 6^st of April meaning to come back to it and I log in today to finish and its empty/gone. There is a “saved” post on the 6th but it’s completely blank.

I want to start off by thanking all the folks out there that were pulling for Bill and I and the flood of well wishers once I made it to Day 2. We also want to thank everyone who supported the site by wearing the GCP patches…etc…much appreciated

I am trying to think of some of the stuff I wrote before in version 1…uuuhhhmmmmm

Getting to Vegas:

Plane ride into Vegas was the worst of my life, and I was wondering if I was going to make it there in one piece. I was aware of the fires that had been ravaging Colorado, and was nervous about my layover in Denver as I didn’t want to get stuck there. The captain comes over the microphone at one point and announces to the cabin and crew that all is well and we will be “landing in Denver in 45 minutes”…ok…cool. Then when all we can see is smoke out the windows and all the folks are looking at their watches 1 ½ hours later, we are starting to get worried. On top of that we had not started descending as my ears were not popping like popcorn yet. Then the turbulence started as we started to descend…YIKES!!!

There was this younger couple on the plane with the lady next to me in the aisle seat, and the dad and the 2 kids are across the aisle in the same row. I started to see the parents looking at each other with that look of fear and they started to hug the kids…made me think of Ivey. By the time we landed the lady was in tears and the whole plane let out a huge sigh of relief….nice

In Vegas:

I got in late so I got a hotel room and hit the cash tables. I booked a nice cash score and went to bed thinking this is a good way to start the trip. I woke on the 4^th and spoke to my backer…we decided on me playing the 6 max at Ceasers Palace. I made it halfway through the day and had nothing that jumps out at me except this kid on my left that every time someone jammed on him he had Aces.

Moved in the Rio and Bill and I decided to take the day off and play some donkaments. We fired at a daily at The Orleans…Bill cashed…I whiffed. We were down to 2 tables and in a B vs. B situation…I got this local lady to call off ¾ of her stack when I shove the turn with me holding KJs and her holding Q9o on a K-9-3-2 rainbow board. When the cards hit my table over at Bill’s table…all Bill’s table could hear was a coordinated “Whooooaaaa…and…WOW”…his whole table looked over and he and I met eyes as I slowly stood up from the table to gather my things…some things just go unsaid.

National Championship:

9:30am and I first off I hit the workout area and Steam Room. I sat in the steam room and just envisioned me making the final table in my head…juuussttttt…relaxed. I found Bill and we started talking about some interaction we had with one of the players from “Run Good” apparel… A.P. Phahurat. I know some have seen the pictures of me and saw the patches. They were asking players to wear their patch, and after some discussion I decided to wear the “Run Good” patch along with my GCP patch. There was a “monetary” figure that I received, but it was very small. I think I did it more because I wanted to help the guys out and I am glad I did.  Huy Nguyen (@SavePluto9) was at my starting table on my right, and I think he is involved in it also. Huy was on my right at one of the events in New Orleans and we became fast friends. It was funny that after you know someone at your table is a good player, but you don’t know who he is…how the conversation starts to go towards “intel” so you could get enough info on the guy to google his stats and find out who he is. After about an hour of small talk into the New Orleans event and us playing on our handhelds, I finally break the ice with, “Damn…so you won a ring in Choctaw this year…but your still chasing points?”…to which he smiled and said, “Yea…and you were the Casino Champion in Biloxi I think and your already in the freeroll”…we have been greeting each other ever since and friendly. He was on the cover of a “regional” poker magazine similar to the Gulf Coast Poker magazine called…go figure…”Southwest Poker”…GL to the Magazine.

So…where was I …oh yea…I wear the patch and Huy is on my right on starting table and I glance around and have this group of stone cold killers to deal with:

In the 1 seat was from WSOP FT fame Joseph Cheong…Seat 2 was “Chainsaw” Allen Kessler…3 Christopher Bonn…4 Kurt Jewell…5 was Will Failla…6 Huy Nguyen…me… and on my left was seat 8 and Dan Natarelli. The fireworks started early as Cheong and Jewel go at it in the first 8-9 hands and they continue to  4-5 bet each other pre flop several times…gonna be fun. 30 minutes in there was a lot of table talk about the poker community and what was going on when I see Choeng say…”oh no”…and Kessler say, “Oh My” as up walks Will Failla and he slams his seat card on the 5 seat spot and yells, “BOOOOOOYAAAAAA…I’m here”. That’s when the fun started. It was a really fun table.

(Side Bar Here)

Let me go into a little bit about my poker experience here…I was card dead the whole time. The biggest Pocket Pair I saw the whole tournament was Jacks and I got them twice on Day 1. The 1^st time, I doubled thru the “Poker Brat” Phil Hellmuth when I three bet shoved 14 bigs into his AKo with him sitting on about 24 bigs. After Hellmuth bust and they move our table I sucked out for the one time all tournament when I shoved 9 bigs with A-9o in an unopened pot from late position and Fabrice Soulier called from one of the blinds with A-Q…and I hit a 9 on the flop. 4 hands later I got JJ again and I did a standard “Stop and Go” to win a nice pot …chip up…and I rolled into Day 2. There were 2 limpers, and 2^nd place finisher Nik Stone made a nice raise…I look down at jacks and just flat hoping I had just priced in one of the blinds and I did…sb comes along. Flop was 8 high and I shove when they both check to me and I took it down there.

(End of Side Bar)

The 2^nd table I was at was fairly brutal because I couldn’t make any hands and all I could do was steal here and there. Sicko’s at the table were Sam Stein and Matt Keikoen. Wild Bill got moved to my table, and I was there when he busted…felt awful for him, but we were both in a tough spot hovering around 25-28 bigs at that point. At this table was the 1^st time I had my tournament life at risk. I four bet shoved AKs and the original 3 bettor was an older gentleman who was also short. We both were kinda laughing and joking as we held our cards and neither wanted to show…were both grinning…just having fun...we eventually both turn up our cards and I am slightly ahead as his AK but wasn’t suited…we chop the pot. In this hand at this moment is where I will give out my “Super Prick” award to one and only… Peter Ippolito. When we were goofing around having fun he literally got pissed and screamed, “What assholes…JUST SHOW YOUR CARDS”. All the people who know me will probably be shocked that I let this go as it was a big tournament, but yea…in essence he called us assholes. In a standard every day tournament… he would have gotten my wrath…There you go Peter…you’ve been blasted with the “Super Prick” award…and oh how “Karma’s a Bitch”…I was 2 to his right at the next table when he went  busto…He 4 bet shoved 45 bbs or so with AKo…into Villain’s AQ and I saw him “Tear up” as he stormed away from the table when the Queen hit (Think Villain was Nik Stone)… GG and NH Bro…see ya around.

From there we kind of fade into the 2 hands above when I had JJ…although I will break down a few other hands that I think were interesting:

Poker Brat Bluff:

I came real close…and I mean real close…to bluffing off my whole tournament to Hellmuth about 14 hands before my courtesy double up through him with the JJ. He was playing his regular “snug…tight” image and he min raised from the hi-jack…I called from the BB with KQs and we both saw the flop. Flop peeled out 9c7h2s…Check---check…turn is the 10d. I check again and he makes a small bet and I call…clearly having him on the top of his range here with A/K-Q-J…etc. I am going to steal it on the river 3c. I check clearly expecting to check-shoving the river and he again makes a bet to look like a value bet. I stacked up my chips and we started staring at each other…I KNOW he has nothing…I count out my chips posturing a little and go in the tank …we were both steepled up…I grab my stack and start to move it in and stop to get a read…got nothing…I eventually kick my cards in and he says. “I had you…I would have called” and shows A-9…I sigh and say ”Nice hand sir”.

Elky last hand of the night:

They had decided a number on the last hand of the night and I happen to be sitting in the 9 seat with Elky in the 7 seat with about 200k in front of him. We made it all the way down to the last hand of the night and I was in the BB and Elky min-raises from the sb and I look down at KQo and decide to take a flop with this sicko. I steepled up and saw a flop of 10c-5s-3d rainbow…He checks…I check. The turn was the 9h. He checks and I tank and we start staring at each other… Bill and some of the other folks start to gather around as we were the only table still in action. I count out some chip and then put them back down thinking of Semi-Bluffing with my gutterball, but somehow he had this look about him that he knew he had the best hand and I felt he was going to call no matter what… I eventually check. The river was the 7c and he goes in the tank…and eventually checks….I tank-check and say, “King High”…He smiles and said “I thought so”…and table A-4o for Ace high.

Day 2:

I started with this table:

Hao Le (192,500)…David “ODB” Baker (212,000)…Me…Nicolas Fierro (29,000)…Aaron Massey (207,500) Mark Bonsack (121,000)…Matthew Weber (29,500)…David Peters (158,500)

My card dead streak was on an all time high and I just could not get any cards. I played exactly 2 (two) hands the whole time. I three-bet shoved a raise from ODB after he raised a couple of limpers with me holding AKo and they all folded. Final Hand …I blinded down to 4 bigs with a steady diet of 74o…103o…62…94…etc. We were at 500/1500-3000 and Matt Weber raised to 7k from early position…I'm in bb with 12.5k behind...I shove AJo into his AKo…and I couldn’t get there. (Damn…that sucked…felt like I just relived it in my mind)…ok…lets move on

Some of the players:

David “ODB” Baker …

I want to say that I did meet some really cool players. I started day 2 with David “ODB” Baker on my right and he immediately approached me and started talking to me asking me questions. He greeted me by saying , “Your from around New Orleans right?”…in fact he knew that there were 2 of us from my hometown of Houma, La …as Jacob “Nocko” Naquin also made it day 2 and eventually was the bubble boy I think…KK vs AA is so sick.

Aaron Massey…I had seen Aaron around the circuit and several times he was on tables next to him, but I never actually played with him. I played with him in this event for several hours and really like the guy and his game. I was really impressed in how he handled himself, and his table presence is strong. I would like to take a look at this one hand that I felt could have been played differently though…not better…and I am not 2^nd guessing his play because there are just too many justifications for the play…I may have just played it differently.

The hand was covered by Pokernews but they only got the recap. To lay the hand out a little…both ODB and Aaron were over 200k in chips… well over 90 bigs coming back for Day 2 at 500/1200-2400…37 players left as Chris Moorman and Joe Cheong had already been eliminated in Day 2…and they pay 18 players…1^st place was $414,000.

(My memory of hand)…ODB opens for the standard raise of $5k…I fold and Nick Fierro Jams about 10 bigs (24k or so) on my left…and it’s to Aaron. He semi-tanks and asks ODB for a “rough” count and then threw a bunch of chips in and I think it was close to 63k…and its around to ODB…ODB thinks for about 20-30 seconds and announces he is shipping his stack and is all in…Aaron’s  facial expressions looked  like he has no choice…and says, “I call” rather quickly….Fierro has 77…Aaron turns up QQ and ODB has AKo…from Pokernews:  “The board ran out 2c2hJhJdKd and Massey let out a wail when the river hit. Fierro was eliminated, Massey was crippled and Baker is the new chip leader”

I just don’t know if that was a spot that I would have wanted to play a huge pot considering that extent of the situation. If he calls Fierro’s jam and then ODB ships then it’s a tough spot and I believe I probably have to call also, but if ODB flats Fierro’s jam also with Massey and they see the flop…I think the tourney may have turned out different for Aaron….if ODB does in fact flats there... The way the table was playing I think it would be hard for ODB to continue in the hand...So let’s say Aaron flats Fierro’s Jam and ODB just calls as well… hypothetically.

Post Flop of 2c2hJh…

Scenario #1: Either ODB leads out and Aaron raises and ODB folds.

Scenario #2: ODB checks and Aaron makes a nice size bet I think ODB has to fold.

Scenario #3: They both check the flop to keep the pot small…The board double pairs on the turn and they probably check it down because a Jack was in both of their ranges here in this hand.

In his defense I know he was thinking Fierro most probably had and Ace or King in his hand which tilts the odds favorably enough to make the play he made. It was a tough spot…I am not being critical as he and ODB both are better players than me and have the results to show for it…My perception on the hand was that I would have preferred to play a smaller pot there if I could and see the flop and see where the hand would take us…It really sucked to see Aaron play so well and him lose that pot and he is on fumes…he is a good player.

Nik Stone:

Played with him on several tables, was really impressed with his play. He was mixing it up well and had the whole table off guard. He also busted Hellmuth in a hand he played really well and had Hellmuth talking to himself as he walked away. He, Drazen ILich and I all started drinking beer together once we got to the last level of play…everyone got friendlier…etc

Hellmuth:

Really nice guy…Played with him for several hours…Played his standard game…I did catch him staring at me and I think he picked up on something I was doing as I was the BB when he was OTB. Bill saw it too, and after a break I started not looking at my cards until it was my turn to act and he “went away”…he stopped staring/studying me. The JJ hand I doubled up thru him was a standard play…the hand played itself, and I already referenced the bluff above.

National Championship moving to New Orleans and away from the WSOP:

I am pretty disappointed that the National Championship is going to be moved to New Orleans this year. We really had a great time and it was fun getting to go to Vegas to play it. I think that the WSOP in general were disappointed in how it turned out for several reasons:

1) Not enough of the $10k qualifiers showed up:

There were several people including Choeng/Kessler/Failla who were surprised that more players did not come out. I mean really…when are you ever going to be able to play in a WSOP event to win a bracelet …where theres only a few hundred people?...never now that they moved it away from the WSOP…Kessler at one point said, “Juanda’s name is on the list I would bet anyone that he doesn’t know or forgot about this thing”

2) No big name pros made the final table:

                ODB was probably the most known player outside of the circuit and if it wasn’t for the “Drama”                with Mesummecci and Eriquezzo…there was no hype or excitement.

3) I think there were complaints about forcing people to play a certain day in the Main Event…

I don’t know.

We will see how it pans out this year and at least I will be able to go sweat it since its so close to my house.

Ok...will write more later

"The path of the righteous man is beset on all sides by the inequities of the selfish and the tyranny of evil men. Blessed is he who, in the name of charity and good will, shepherds the weak through the valley of darkness, for he is truly his brother's keeper and the finder of lost children. And I will strike down upon thee with great vengeance and furious anger those who would attempt to poison and destroy My brothers. And you will know My name is the Lord when I lay My vengeance upon thee"

Samual Jackson as "Jules" in Pulp Fiction

Vegas Baby...Vegas!!!

Getting super pumped for Vegas next week and the upcoming National Championship Freeroll. Can't wait to get there, and super excited that there will be a bunch of us all going out there at the same time...which is during this years Main Event. Wild Bill is already there hopefully winning us all money that got some of his shares....Monkey and Barth both fly in the same day as me...should be fun stuff.

I am planning on playing an event on the 4th although I am unsure which one I will play...Lets see here...the $600 buyin at the Venetian...the $240 Six Max at Ceasers...the Main Event at the Wynn for $2600...or the Opening events of the Bellagio Cup for $550. Choices...Choices...nice problem. Guess I will let my backer decide and just go try to make it happen. From there I am going to be playing whatever other tournaments I can get me hands on. Hopefully they will be running the "Daily Deepstack" tourneys in parallel with the Main Event.

I spoke to my backer and had several conversations with people I trust about the whole "Coaching" thing from my last post for the $10k event, and decided I was just going to roll with what got me there. I think my game is where it is ...and needs to be. Its not like I have been playing bad and getting it in with the worst of it...I just need to have some hands hold up and rock on.

Work could not be going any better. I am doing really well with my sales, and notched a $65,000/4 mile Fiber build last week that should get me a huge commission check. I have really been dialed in and making the right connections. The cable side the house seems a little easier to sell than the Telco side, but its all really about "activity" and getting out there and making it happen.

I have been approached by some folks about "putting together a package", but had to turn them down. Mostly some of my non-poker playing friends, as I think I am already in a good spot. I have a great backer that believes in me and he knows I won't try to take advantage of him and come and ask to play "every" event...etc. We have been very successfull at "picking our spots" and making some money. He gets 1st shot at my action, and if for some reason he doesn't want it...my Uncle and some guys from Jacks Bar in Houma will pick it up...They had me in the Main Event at Harrahs in early Decemeber/2011...3rd in line is a very wealthy friend of mine that has put me in events in the past...she contacted me around Christmas and said "Whenever...Consider yourself sold" if I am ever in need of a stakehorse. Her son is a little older that Ivey.

I have also had a backer where we had a live deal that involved make-up. I only cashed once in our deal, and he even took me to Vegas with him one year. Some things came up on his end with his family, job and school...and he just stepped out the scene for awhile and took a breather. Actually...I can't "Thank" that person enough for believeing in me...and I kinda still feel like that "make-up" is still on me somehow. That person also knows if I ever do hit it big that I am taking him with me for the ride. All his buyins will be covered. (He also reads this blog...I Love Ya Kid ...and would do anything in my power for you)

People talk about staking deals and "selling packages" like their all glitz and glam. No... theres lots of worrying going on also. Its almost like I want to win more when I am backed...I want to do well...I take the losses harder. Lots of unforseen worries that some people don't see...and when you hear the stories of people "stiffing" their backers...WOW...what idiots. I heard a story about a guy that will be playing This years $10k Freeroll that stiffed his backer only to call him up crying, "Because I spent it all...its all gone"...and begged him for another shot...sigh. Now thats the things I don't understand about these deals.

Then you have your non-poker playing friends and family asking you...Typical conversation below:
NPPF:  "Wait...you had to give half your winnings away?"...
You:     "Yes...thats the way it works...but I had no risk...all I had to do was play"...
NPPF:  "So you had to give somebody else $10,000"
You:     "Yes...Thats how it works"....
NPPF:   "Wow...what...did the Casino split the check...how does that work"...
You:     "No...I collected the cash and went found my backer...unzipped my backpack...reached in and gave him a brick of hundreds still strappped up"...
You:   "WHAT...WAIT...you just opened your backpack and handed him $10,000 cash????"

...siiigghhhh...Doesn't seem that hard to understand...

Twitter is taking off...lol....Virge had me sign up for a twitter account years ago...Like...May/2008. I never thought it would take off the way it has. I might go ahead and do my wsop updates on my twitter account. I don't know.

My son is really talking his head off these days. Looks more and more like his Momma but has his Daddy's hard ass head. Check him out in this pic and video...He hits the tee but he has a good stance for 2 1/2 years old

New Orleans...and the upcoming National Championship

I haven't blogged in a awhile and got some flack for it during the latest WSOP circuit event in New Orleans, but I have been busy...busy with my new job...more on that below.

I have been having the same internal feelings that Monkey is feeling when the WSOP kicks off, and all the post and comments on the Internet about all the excitement ...and you just can't get there to play. I think that there are lots of poker players that know that feeling. I have had lots of people give me tons of kudos recently for sticking to the job front, and not running off all "half cocked" thinking I am going to crush poker once I had the scores in 4Q/2011...nah...I never once thought I could parlay those scores into a career, and not sure whether I even wanted to. Its tough when you play well, and things go your way and you know you can play at that level...but with a 3 year old and a family...I have to keep a job where I can make some real money and have Medical Insurance...can buy a house...etc.

 I use to have people ask me all the time, "why don't you just play poker for a living"...and I use to answer them, "Because I have never been forced too"...I always have had a good job that I could play poker around. Well...that day came recently and in the 4 months I was out of work...I won close to $50,000 in tournaments (Including the $10,000k National Championship seat and not counting what my backer got)...and another $5000 or so in the cash area. Could I turn that into a career?...not sure...I just feel better playing when I am working...less stress/worries. most of the people I hang around with in the poker world all have jobs or own their own companies. It just seems to make sense to stay working for me at this time.

Is was great to take time off thru the holidays though...I traveled on the circuit and played some events...The Beau...Tunica...Jacksonville WPT...St Louis...West Palm Beach...I enjoyed the action and the competition ...but there was always something missing at the end of the day...my wife and son. I know there are ways to Skype and keep in touch, but there is just nothing like holding him in your arms. I remember when I was in Tunica it seemed like he learned 30-40 new words while I was gone and it hurt...felt like I was missing something.

Things do seem to be going really good for us these days as a family as my job has turned out to be a god send, and my Sales Manager one of the best I have ever worked with/for. The company is a great company, and you never realize how terrible things were in your last job where you were unhappy...until you find yourself working for people that you truly respect and admire.

Ok...where did I leave off last blog...OH YEAAAA...Easter Time. What has happened in poker since that last post....nooooothiiing exciting...but I will talk a little poker here.

St Louis Circuit Event:
Spent the week in St Louis for the circuit event...and my new hire training which means that I had to go to training during the day thus could not play any of the ring events...and since I had to be "bright eyed and bushy tailed" for training...I wasn't going to play any of the nightlies either as they never end until daylight...that leaves SNG land...here I come. Played bunch of SNGs and was teed up to play the $1k since they let us out on that Friday at noon...then my son came down sick and had to go to the Doctor..."Game Time" decision to play the $1k was made...I passed and came on home.

I went into the New Orleans event kind of pumped but also knew I couldn't play the daily events as it would conflict with my job during the week...that left the weekend events and the Main event playing the 7pm flight on day 1B on that Friday. I fired at those tourneys and came up empty even though I felt that I played well.

Megas:
Busted the 1st mega when I limp behind UTG+1 from late position with Q-10o, and Jeremy "thechemist" Gaubert also comes along from the blinds...were both almost even with a little over 12 bigs left in the tourney and the flop gives us Q-10-2 with two diamonds...Chemist leads for a nice size...early donk hits the muck...I over shove...Chemist snaps...He cringes a little in his facial expression when he sees my hand and he turns up 6-2d probably thinking he also had the three 6s also as outs...no matter..."Diomeel" on the turn and he fades me boating up...I lose as a 60/40 favorite but am not bummed as Jeremy and I have become friends and I am glad my chips went to someone I like (He did get a seat and played great)

Busted 2nd cheaper mega...can't remember hand...sigh

Busted 3rd Mega that sent me home in a tailspin...totally frustrated and flustered. We play down to where we need to knock out 8 more people to win a seat. I am sitting on bout 12 bbs and look down at two red Queens (QQ) in LP...EP player raises...I snap ship when it folds around to me...EP donk with a little more than me...tank-calls off his tournament with JhJc and I cruise to a seat...uhhhhhh...well that is what was SUPPOSE to happen...but no...villain goes runner-runner to the clubs and I am stunned...villain doesnt even see it and stands up and starts packing...then I get up and hit the bricks..see yaaaaaaa

Main event:
Started off and just loved my 1st  table...Barth M/Nic "The Greek" Gillepsis/Rodney "Coach" Shows/Local bar owner...everyone I knew and I was catching hands early. Chipped up to about 40k quickly...went card dead...broke the table...ended the day at 20 bigs...siiggghhh

Day 2 was also great starting table...Captain Tom on my left whose range is somewhat easy to polarize...Jerry Ard in 10 seat...no scary player...lets roll...I triple up early on hand covered my pokernews. I open shoved 10 bigs with 66 and Captain Tom calls...Jerry Ard re-ships over the top of CT...CT tank-folds A-Ko face up and I immediately ask Jerry, "You have that same hand don;t you?"...he smiles and also tables A-Ko...I rake the pot.

This was the 1st time all tourney that I had my tournament life at risk. The next 2 times I get it for my stack I was well ahead...QQ>JJ and then a little later I get it in AK>AQ. I got moved to the table with Daniel Lowery in the 2 seat and another big stack in the 3 seat...and I go card dead. I missed some spots where I should have got it in instead I choose to get out of the way and would have had an edge.

Player limps...I limp with 77...BB ships and I had him barely covered....Original limper tank-folds and tanks hard. I have to put him on an Ace there and the shover also...with one less Ace in the deck my odds push much better...I HAVE TO MAKE THAT CALL...siiiggggghhhhh. BB folds AKo face up when I fold and other guy admits he folded an Ace.

My Demise?...I am sitting on 8 1/2 bigs...2nd place finisher Andrew Nyugen on my right OTB...Im in the SB...he standard raises 2.3 the BB...I shove...BB folds and Andrew tank-calls with A-2...you gotta love it.

My shove range there has him crushed here...guess he figured being a  70/30 dog there was worth the extra chips and his stack was not that big at this time...I cruise to the money if I can fade it...NOPE theres n Ace...shook his hand and packed up. I needed that double up...I wanted that call

Getting pumped for the National Championship. I am selling patch deals if anyone is interested. I have 3 spots left.

I am also entertaining a Coach for the tournament...Looking to give up a small percentage of my winnings. If you know me...have significant tournament winnings...and you think you can help me...hit me up

What else is happening...My wife has gotten a great job that she really likes with a good/growing company that is willing to work around her school so she can get her degree. I will be happy once she has her degree as its something she has been wanting to finish for some time. We are back in the House Hunting and we are looking at trying to possibly get a house that is in the family...and completely remodel it. Its in a great location with one of the best public schools but we just don't know whether we can pull it off.

Cool people I met this circuit event...Huy Nguyen was at my 1st table in the re-entry...really nice guy

Looking forward to getting to Vegas...and I plan on giving them hell in the National Championship...juts hope I don't Donk Out on national TV...  LOL

Beginning fight in Gangs of New York...Daniel Day Lewis at "butcher Bill and Liam Nesson as Priest Vallon
Butcherbill: 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 right wise to this fine land, or the foreign hordes defiling it.
Priest Vallon: By the ancient laws of combat, I accept the challenge of the so called "natives." They plague our people at every turn, but from this day out, they shall plague us no more. For let it be known, that the hand that tries to strike us from this land shall be swiftly cut down.


Pic of me from Coushatta

Happy Easter...thoughts on National Championship FREEROLL

I wanted to drop a quick post to tell everyone HAPPY EASTER ...and all that good stuff.

Bill and I hit the Coushatta Seven Clans event and I was not able to play any of the events as my job has kept me busy, but I was present as we have an office near there so I was able to show up and play the cash games. I am really getting excited about the Million Dollar National Championship FREEROLL as it looks like it will be a major event this year and on everyone's radar. I mean where can The PokerBrat go to play an event in the WSOP to win a bracelet with only 200 players and Johnny Chan and Doyle can't play even if they wanted to. I somehow think that once we get down to the wire, and that fact comes out they "Powers that Be" will somehow come up with some sort of ruling stating that they can in fact play in this years National Championship...something like "anyone with over 10 bracelets also gets to buy in"...mark my words.

I think it will come down to the wire after tracking all the action, and I believe that if you are anywhere in the bottom 10 players in "The Red" on the leaderboard...that you will have to do something in New Orleans in order to get in the FREEROLL. I have lots of friends (including Wild Bill) that are in that hunt and I just think the baseline will be about 110 points and if you are not there come New Orleans...you better get there. I am expecting a HUGE turnout in new Orleans with lots of players coming in to take a shot at that FREEROLL, and I believe that anyone in the 75 point range will have a shot at getting there in they come into New Orleans and play well.

I will see you guys around St Louis...I will be around but wont be playing in any of the events except on weekends...but playing the cash games and sweating all my buddies.

This blog post will be short and sweet...good luck to all my friends in that FREEROLL hunt...gonna be exciting when the end is near.

I have not read any good books in past few weeks, but I cannot recommend GoT (Game of Thrones on HBO) any higher if you haven't seen any of them yet...They rock big time. I am tempted to go buy the books to see if there as good as the show and see what happens to all the characters.

"You'll come to see that a man learns nothing from winning. The act of losing, however, can elicit great wisdom. Not least of which is, uh... how much more enjoyable it is to win. It's inevitable to lose now and again. The trick is not to make a habit of it." Albert Finney as Uncle Henry in "A Good Year"

Back to the grind...West Palm Chaos

Well alright!!! I am back in the workforce and feeling good about the future with this new job with a great company and really cool people. I started this week. It was a crazy month as I had five different companies all put in offer letters at the same time. My father says that's "a good problem to have" but I was torn between what company to go with as they all had "pros and cons" on the variables. Good thing is I am back to work...bad thing is I have to see just how all this is going to "shake out". I was a little taken aback at turning down several offers as the timing was just crazy with how it all went down. We will see...

I was able to check out the National Championship 1(one) million dollar FREEROLL schedule that was posted up a few days ago, and I see the work that will be cut out for me ...WOW...is all I could say about the 100 players that will get the option to buy into the tournament for $10k. Bill texted me about it and all I could text back was its "The sickest of the sick". Grinder, Lamb and Poker Brat on the top 3...what an experience its going to be. I am looking forward to it, but am also doing as much homework as I can on poker to be at the top of my game come early July. That's right folks...early July as it looks like the freeroll will coincide with the Main Event which is a cool thing as I will be in Vegas during the biggest tourney of the year.

As some of you know, I went ahead and cruised on down to West Palm Beach for the $550 Milly Guarantee they had there, and boy was it a chaotic experience. I got off the plane at about 1pm on the 1st start date, and I was lucky that there was a guy from New York on the shuttle bus that had just left the dogtrack busting out of day 1. I asked him, "So what were the lines like" and got a quick rundown on the chaos and he explained to me that the day 2B was sold out and that the line for Day3 buyins were already forming...WTF...I came here especially for this tourney.

I got to the hotel and immediately jumped in the shuttle to head to the track. I showed up and quickly found the line for the buyins. I stood in the line for about an hour, and I was lucky to get to buy in to the 3rd start day which is day 3A...with only 17 seats left in the pool. "Yes ...I told myself"...I was able to get in. I had heard several people explain to me about the seats/alternates that are given out each day, and I decided to roll the dice and get up early and try to get into day 2A...but at least I was in day 3 no matter what.

I then hooked up with TK, Fish and David Diaz who had all drove up from Miami, and they were all "boxed out" for that particular tourney. They could not get in, and they were some disappointed.

So on Day 2A I get up at 6:00am and head over to the track to get in line...There are about 50 people already there waiting outside and I beat about 10 folks in the line just because the van dropped me off right at the end of the line. We quickly find out that there were about 25 souls that made it pass the first day who had purchased seats for all 3 days so they would be about that many that have guaranteed seats in the line. The track opened at 10am and at about 9:15am they came out and started giving out place cards for the people in line. I got number 57 out of 125 which was actually the 27th alternate since the first 25 were guaranteed seats. That's when the chaos ensued...Barkers walking around holding up seat cards selling them to the highest bidder...I saw several go for $700-$1000 range and then at close to 10:30am I saw the person with place card number 4 sell theirs for $2000...I was STUNNED...REEAAAALLLYY. Obviously my placecard went up for sale and I had a guy offer me $800...then when he realized he would be the 27th alternate...he backed out...wanted to give me $400...Naaahhhhhh...not $400...too much positive EV to sell for that low plus I would need to discuss it with my stakehorse...nahhhhh...I decided to "roll with it" and give them hell at the tables. I got into the tourney midway thru the 3rd level and was pretty stoked about it.

Back to the Chaos...once word got around what was happening...the cops and tournament officials were walking around confiscating any placecards that were being openly "waved" for sale. Your place would be immediately nullified if they caught you. I didn't go out there for Day3A but heard it was 10 times worst...500-600 people out in the parking lot in line starting at about 4am. There was a mad "Bum Rush" at the end when they came out with the placecards and it was every man/women for their self. They just mobbed the front of the building and whoever got placecards got them...and whoever didn't you were "shit out of luck". Just the most bizarre thing I have ever heard off at a poker tourney.

I heard stories of fistfights...several people punched dead in the face...cops taking people to jail...pregnant women out there in line...etc. With all that crap going one, I have to tell you guys about the coolest thing I heard about the whole situation below.

At about daylight, their telling me some "entrepreneurial spirited" kid saw what was happening and "Sized the Day". He shot off to Walmart and brought close to 50-60 of those fold out chairs for around $7...sold them all for $20 as fast as he could get them out his truck...Then he went back and got bottles of Gatorade/Powerade for $1 a bottle..was cleaned out and sold them babies like hotcakes for $5. That was the coolest story I heard about Day 3A's chaos in the parking lot with them fools waiting in line since 4am...somebody made them some money

Oh...back to poker...Day 2A ...They had stopped the night before at like level 15 or something if I remember right. We are at level 14 or so at 300-1000/2000. I am sitting dead on 10 bigs at 20,300 when I glance down at what else...AA ...sitting UTG +2. I had been card dead for several levels, and I heard the lady on my right...sitting on 19,400... complaining to her husband about the same thing. Well she gets quiet all of a sudden and bets out 7k. I tank for a second and decide to do a simple "Stop and Go" and flat here to see if anyone raises behind me or get more people flatting ...and just ship the flop no matter what if nobody raises. Well ...this Tunica Tom looking dumbass who is not paying attention to the action and has "heap" of chips announces, "I Raise" and fires 8.5k into the pot. He attempts to take the few chips back and just call but eventually the floor gets called over and he is told he must min-raise to 12000...the lady ships...of course my chips get in quickly and we get T.T. in with a speech about, "I can't fold...too much in there with my stack...etc". We go to the flop 3 handed with me looking at tripling up to 30+ bigs and prolly getting in the money on day 2 from here easily. Lady tables A-Jo...T.T. tables K-10o...I pitch out my Aces and the flop guts me in the belly quick with the 1st two cards out there being the ten of diamonds and ten of spades...and then the board double pairs with 6"s giving him a boat....."AAAAHHHHHHHHH SHIT....siiggghhhhhhhh" FML...I pack up

So then Mark Rose and I are talking thru the hand when the girls boyfriend starts to chime in about how I played it bad, "What are doing there with Aces...just stick your chips in"...He turns to the guys next to him and says, "That's what you get when you play aces like that"...I guess he was not going to listen to my explanation of being almost an 80% favorite to win the hand...that's when he turns to me and says, "Man...the board double pairs there...all you have to do is shove and get him out the hand and then you and her chop"...pointing to his girlfriend. That's when it hits me the guy was clueless and I just say, "yea dude...we would have chopped there"...LOL...and left it alone.

My day 3 was standard...Had the "missippi machine" at my starting table and we got to bullshit alot and make fun of people. Our table breaks and right before dinner break, I three-bet jam with 11 bbs over a raise and call with AKs...only the caller has AA. Flop comes K high and almost in unison...together we say, "The hand would have played it self" as even if I called there...I am never folding Top-Top there in that spot. I am walking out and I pass the MM's table and he is on the wrong end of a flip...we both hit the rail.

It was a pretty cool trip as the airport/Hotel/Dogtrack were all within sight of each other. I kind of like the dogtracks also. I just don't run well at them. I whiffed the WPT in Jax and now this. Bill Bruce and his team did do a hell of a job under the circumstances with limited capacity. The food was good...It was cool betting the dogs and the checking out the night races ...etc

I picked up a roommate for one night...Thanks Mark Rose for taking that extra bed and helping with the expenses.

We have the hoodies and gear for all those that we told would get them...sorry for the delay. We should also have the patches soon.

We are still working on the forum...trying to get it "Off the Ground"...siiiggghhhhhh

Next up...Gonna try to play the Coushatta events...if your going there hit me up.

I just finished my latest non-poker book, and wanted to give you guys some feedback. I decided to pick up the "Hunger Games" since the movie will be coming out. It really grabbed a hold of me at first, but got kind of ridiculous toward the end. I like the outdoors and the forest/woods ...camping and stuff. It was a cross between "Running Man"..."The Lottery"...and the Reality Series "Survivor". The this futuristic world teenagers are chosen to fight to the death in a "Reality Game" style for entertainment. I read it in 2 days because I wanted to see how it ended...overall I would give it a C+/B-...but I am not buying the other two books in the trilogy...too predictable.

"And it was decreed that each year, the 12 districts of Panem should offer up a tribute of one boy and one girl between the ages of 12 and 18 to be trained in the art of survival techniques and be prepared to fight to the death" Donald Sutherland as the President of Panem in "Hunger Games"

Tunica down...West Palm here we come

Looking forward to the West Palm trip coming up this week, and glad to be done with Tunica. I will say that there were lots of sketchy plays I seen while there, but that's the beauty of Tunica...You get to play with soooo many bad players.

I showed up the 1st weekend to fire at the the 1st event there...the 2 day entry and got lambasted with the flood of people that turned out for the Superbowl weekend in Tunica. Wow...its been since...like...WPO 2006 that I saw 70-80 people on the 1-3/2-5 NL list and a two hour wait to play cash. Lines at every tournament in town...having to drive to Harrah's and park in South Memphis ...it was crazy. I went late to the Goldstrike for their Monthly Guarantee tourney and was greeted at the top of the escalators with a line wrapping into the Theatre area and the Poker Room manager announcing to the crowd, "You'll know this is a DeepStack event and we will seat alternates for about 15 more minutes"...to a line of about 60 people...to which they all just stood there like drones ...like the poker "Red Sea" was going to part and they would miraculously get a seat. It was bizarre to see everything from the online wanna-be standing 40 players deep in line with his headphones around his neck/head all cockeyed with his hoodie over his head ...to Grandma Jones straight out of her cash game at the old folks home at the end of the line.

Yea...the sights and sounds of Tunica, MS are an awaking indeed. Just read Bills latest Blog...But I did uncover one "Jewel" that made my trip worthwhile.

Ever since my run at the IP in late 2011, I have a ritual I have been doing on tourney days. Its what my wife and Bill call "GTL"...Only without the T and the L...LOL... I like to wake up and get the workout area about 10am...do a good Cardio workout...then hit the "wet side" of the men's spa. That would include a locker for your stuff...Hot tub/Hot Sauna/Steam room/private showers/Lounge area with fresh fruit and fresh squeezed juices. I like to just sit in the Sauna/Steam Room and just clear my mind of anything that is bothering me and after a nice cool shower...hit the tourney. I feel like a million dollars when I get to my seat. I have also been swimming at the local YMCA here in my hometown, and I feel soooooo much better being able to get in a good exercise routine in to my schedule.

Well the IP has a pretty nice Spa and its only an $8 charge on weekdays/$15 Weekends...the Beau's is a flat $20...and the Harrah's Tunica Bellissimo Spa located in the Terrace building rocked them all. This place rocked big time for only $20 but comps are given. They have a "cold dip" tub right next to the 2 hot tubs. Its round and about 4 feet deep and you "dip in" after the hot tubs. I watched several guys do it, but I could not bring myself to do it. I said I was going to before I left and I told the guys working there I was...but I didn't have the sack to do it. Also...they have a "Swedish" shower in there that has 12-14 shower heads hitting you at once in an enclosed Shower...its shear heaven. I have run into several Poker Players there...David Sidler at the IP and then ran into Paul "Bicycle" Sokoloff at the Spa in Tunica the morning he won 1st place and a ring in event #2 for over $40k

Ok...I have said something positive about Tunica so I can move on...LOL

The Tunica trip also took me back to reality as far as missing my wife and son. In my previous blog I said I was going to road trip it to West Palm leaving last Thurs and playing the HPT in Daytona...on to the West Palm event. I missed my family sooooo much the 4 days in Tunica...I passed on those plans and instead just booked my flight and hotel room. I just don't think I could be away from them for that long, and I was there with Bill too... and I saw how hard it was for him being gone the whole series from his wife and kids...its tough. In a matter of 4 days my son started talking in complete sentences and forming his own thoughts and sentences. When I called home on Sunday and he answered my wife's phone saying, "Hey daddy...Im going to 2 Birthday parties today"...Tears welled up in my eyes and I almost dropped my phone.

Well I made it through that 1st event with no cash ...Me coming in bout 190th out of close to 1250 players. They payed like 112 I think. I am in the SB and everyone folds around to the button who has a big stack...he is raising there as I would with UNO cards. I shove 13 bigs over the button with A-J and get stammer called by the BB sitting on 15 bigs saying, "Oh well...I c-c-c-c call"...Button pitches and BB turns up K-Qo. Jeremy Drewery and I just look at each other stunned and I say, "Really man...you called there"...as I stood out of my chair and turned my back and grabbed my backpack. I knew I was toast...I could feel it. I don't look and after a few seconds I ask, "Is it over"...to what Jeremy says, "Yea...Don't look though"...and we started laughing as I packed up. I mean my shove range right there has him crushed...the best he could have hoped for was a flip with me holding J-J or 10-10...and the chances of me having A-K/A-Q there are so high then he's crushed...both are at the top of my shove range there. Siiiigghhhhh

What else ...I want to give a shout out as we were on the same table for quite awhile to Justin "truesyalose" Truesdell. Really nice guy and a hell of a poker player. We were sitting at the same table close to each other when he found out that his buddy Josh Mancuso had just shipped the Main at Borgata (see site for details)...Trues said he actually told Josh how nasty it was in A.C and he shouldn't go...LOL. I think Justin made a FT in a mixed game event during the series.

Also...Congrats goes out to Jeremy Drewery who cashed 4 times during this event with a 2nd place in one of the last $345 events...and to Rodney "Coach" Shows who gets himself a ring and close to $18k for winning the last ring event of the series.

Personally...The job front is rocking forward...more on that later once I land somewhere.

Today's Valentines Day and want to say Happy V-Day to my Beautiful Wife Julie and all the females that may read this.

Time for my Facebook rant...I have gotten criticized recently for not being "active enough" on Facebook as I don't even have a pic on my profile...LOL... Personally...I prefer to be a "Lurker"...I don't like Facebook...I can't stand some of the "Dribble" people post...but sometimes its like a "Trainwreck"...you have to rubberneck it just to see exactly how stupid some people are and how "Bizarre" their life can be. Oh well...my friends on Facebook know who they are and maybe the trainwrecks will somehow get the wheels "Back on the Track".

Ivey had his "Valentines Day" party today at Day Care and his Momma dressed him up...I wanted camo gear but instead he went as a Candy Kane...LOL...Pics below

"Some people never go crazy. What truly horrible lives they must lead"

Mickey Rourke as Henry in "BarFly"

New Year...Outlook looks great...MDH

Just got back from the Beau Rivage and the Million Dollar Heater last week and had a great time. I was there covering the final table of the $5k main event that baarreeeellly covered the Guarantee, and I was giving minute by minute updates on our facebook page and the main website. Thanks Mary for the assignment...I really enjoyed it.

Of course I did not get to play in the $5k Main Event as I fired all my satty bullets and called it quits. Its very discouraging, but all poker players know that feeling of covering/sweating a tournament when you know you are good enough to play in the event...you just could not Satty in. I think Kai and Monk have both blogged about this recently.

The 1st $500 freezeout there were giving out 6 seats and half of one in cash and I get knocked out 9th where I really feel like I played well...Definitely good enough to get a seat. Never had my tournament life at risk until we were down to the Final Table, but I did get it in bad. This old dude that was the table "luckbox" raises to $7200 when we were at 1500-3000...I am sitting on about 12 bigs (37k) when I look down at Jacks (JJ) from the button. Ben Mintz is on the BB with a little smaller stack. I decide to Tank-Shove there and the blinds immediately get out of the way...here is where it gets interesting.

I push my stack out and sit back and the guy just looks at me...I say, "I think its about 35k ish I will count it" and I reached up and started to count the stacks when the guys eventually looks at me and goes, "Yea...I call" and turns up bullets (AA). I almost puke and Ben Mintz says, "No way...He didn't just do that"...While I am standing up Ben says, "Your gonna get there GeneD if there is any justice in poker your gonna get there"...as every card hit the table Ben would say "Get There"..."Get There"...well...I didn't get there LOL.

I just stood there in disbelief for a second that I could get slow rolled sooooo bad. I have blogged on here before about the donkfish at Shortys, but this is a major tournament series...oh well.

I also had to fade a sicko table when we were down to 2 tables with the following players all within striking distance. John Evans (Who I felt played the best tournament poker I have seen in a long time)....Brian “Sno0owman” Hawkins on my left in 2 separate tables in this thing...Corey "comandr_cool" Burbick...Ben "TheDestroyer" Mintz ...and Tony "Boston Tony" Ruberto who had just snapped off the WPT Main Event in Jacksonville, FL for $320,000 (I whiffed those Satty's also in Jax)...all at my table. I really enjoyed playing with those guys though.

Another Satty on Sunday and I get it in with 3 tables left with about 9 BBs ...3 ways...with me sitting on AA...vs Chris Bigler's AK ...and Corey "Slim" Wunstell's K-10o...only somehow they get both the last 2 kings in the deck on the board...siigghhh

So...Winner of the $5k Main Event in the MDH...Was local Pro John Dolan ...and there was his girlfriend and some other local people there to sweat the action. I got to meet his girlfriend and she is a really nice person, and their gonna be great parents. They have a 3month old now...wow...I can remember when Ivey was 3 months old...siigghh LOL

Dolan came into the final table as the chip leader, and he had to fade a stacked final table that included WPT Champion Randall Flowers, WSOP bracelet winner Ryan "gutshotallin" Welch and Lock Poker Pro Matt "allinat420" Stout. Rounding out the field were a few unknown players and online poker pro Glenn Poole, who scored his first big live score and banked $185,367 for the runner-up finish.

I want to give a quick "Shout Out" to Glenn Poole from Memphis, TN as he and I got to talking during the series and became fast friends...We have alot in common.

What else is going on nowadays...Job situation is looking good. I should have something locked up soon, but we will see. Hopefully things will work out for my poker travels in Feb.

My Plans (Sans Job) will be to hopefully head to Tunica in the next few days. I have had a death in the family, and there is a funeral on Thursday. Hit the 2-5 cash game and start to move into bigger cash games, and hit as many tourneys as I can...Then come back early next week. It is nice not having to "chase" the points for the Million Dollar Freeroll.

From there I am thinking "roadtrip" to Heartland Poker Tour in Daytona, FL where they are having a Televised Final Table to break up the ride...then on to West Palm Beach for the WSOP-C event and that $550 "Milly Guarantee". We think they are going to blow this thing out, and the prize pool could almost double like the Beau's did. I will fire as many bullets as I can if it balloon's into as big as we think. From there head home hopefully into a new job for 2012...we will see. I am going alone as I never know what is going to happen with my family, but I will have lots of friends at all of these events.

Played the tournament they had in Houma last weekend, and did a 4 way chop for 2nd place money. It was a really cool environment and cool people, so now all we need to do is get the structure fixed up a little. Props out to Alex Tassin for making that thing happen and for seeing the situation, and be willing to adjust. They have a lot of potential with this game...the place they had it...etc. I was in n for $150 buyin and out with 4th place money of $750...Chopped with Matt Stroud, Summerall and some guy I never seen before.

I did cash in the 1st tournament of the MDH where it was a 2 day event and they guaranteed $250,000 with a $340 buy-in...Wow did this thing go viral...they busted the guarantee on the 1st day, and they came close to doubling the prize pool. I am telling you that I talked to a guy from Tennessee that him as his buddies were checking online and when they saw the Guarantee bust on 1st day...they all piled in his car...5 of them...and they took turns driving and drove through the night to get there in time for a shot at Day 2. I think the "Milly Guarantee" in West Palm will be the same way. I got like 75th out of over 1450 players for a little over $1k ($1075). I was super disappointed in how I went out in that thing also...siigghh .

I have been grinding the Merge network recently also online...FT'ed a micro tourney the other night...good practice...got 4th.

GCP Forum should be rolled out soon...we have it up and the software is in place but Bill and I are learning the "backend" of the software and how to use the thing. Look for it soon.

Looking forward to the upcoming weeks and playing in the tourneys...gonna miss my wife and son something fierce but have to do it...The time is right...Its time to do work...

"Remember when you was a kid and you would spend the whole year waiting for summer vacation and when it finally came it would fly by just like that? It's funny, Jimmy, life has a way of flying by faster than any old summer vacation really fucking does" Bill Nunn as "Easy Wind" in the movie Things to Do in Denver When You're Dead

Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!!!

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

What else is going on?...lets see

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

IP Poker Classic take 2...

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

IP Poker Classic ...WOW

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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