MORE CHIPS FOR SALE!!!

OK, this is a set that I have had since I got into poker. Roughly 3 years old, been used sparingly (basically, they don't see the light of day since I became a chip snob). They are a good set, don't get me wrong, but I have upgraded to better (and subsequently more expensive) chips. There are 1950 total chips that I want to sell, and they can be yours. 1450 chips are tournament usable (with denoms of 5, 25, 100, 500, 1000). There are 500 other chips in denoms of 50 and 1--great cash game chips.

NO--I don't want to sell separately....but thanks for asking. I want to move them all for $400 bucks. Buyer pays shipping, unless I can just bring them to you. Cases are included with these, so you are getting a heck of a deal. If interested, e-mail me here, and we will git'r done.

As for poker, I won't have a night off until May 9th, and I am hoping I can get out to play some hands at Irish Jim's that evening. Until then, I am up to my neck in golf coverage of the Wachovia Championship. Fun week, great week, long week, tiring week. Tourney ends Sunday, and Monday I head to the track for testing.

One good thing about this--Vacation is not far off. Viva Las Vegas!

Good luck and good cards,
~M

Where to begin...

Have taken a few days since the last tournament to think this blog entry through, and I think now, I am able to get thoughts down in a somewhat coherent manner.

First: League Event.

The last one of the regular season went ok for me. Short field (only 23 players), and I was still vying for the Player of the Year award. Well, I picked up a few nice pots early (a flopped flush with my K-1o vs. an AQoff--the AQ raised and I flat called hoping to get lucky, which I did), another flush when my pocket 10's ran itself into a diamond flush....a re-draw against a pair of Q's post flop. The night started going south when I picked up pocket 9's in middle-late position (of a 7 handed table). UTG player shoves all in for 1000 or so chips, and I call, knowing their hand is no better than AK. They had AQ--my reads were actually pretty good. Problem was, the flop crushed me with an A and Q coming out. Ack.

I get mixed up in a couple other pots I had no business being in, and my stack was sitting at around 1400 at the break. Come back, shove allin with AJ, and get called by A-10...it holds up, I double, then I shove later on the button with the same hand, same player calls, but this time they have AK. He doubles through me, leaving me with 125 total chips. My next hand: JJ

LOL

Figured they were about to get run down and knock me out, but instead, I FLOP QUADS!!!! WOOT! So I tripled my 125 (plus antes) up to what, 600? And then get moved to another table. 2 hands into the next table, I am knocked out, and done. Earned enough points to lock up my TOC seat, which was the bottom line goal going in.

We ended up playing a side tournament, and I took home 2nd in that (with a decent payday). One hand of interest to share...on BB with 87 suited, early player goes all in for 1300 (or so--may have been more). At the time, I was sitting on about 6K in chips (after busting 2 players out in the first 10 or so hands). 87 suited is no monster by any stretch, but the drawing possibilities were just too sexy to let go. 3 spades makes a flush, connectors make a straight--heck, I could end up making a pair or 2. I call, and the all-in shows A-7. Player in seat 2 shows he mucked K8, so there goes one of my outs....but on the flop:

8-x-7

Ouch. Just playin' my rush, baby....

There was plenty of discussion about the league scoring system, and how it rewards players, and punishes others. I am not getting into all that here, but I will say this. As a member of the decision making team in our league, I stand behind the points system we had in place, and will have going forward.So.....now that the regular season is behind us,. we actually have a 5 week break before we play again as a group. Our Tournament of Champions won't hit until June, as we have a montrously busy month of May in our area. To the league members reading this--PLEASE show up to TOC day. The satelite tourney will be fun, the company will be good--it's a fun day of poker. We should be announcing our League Player's Rep that day (that is the plan anyway), and also any changes to be implemented for next season.

For me, no poker planned unless I end up playing at Irish Jim's sometime in May, trying to nab a day off here or there. Gonna be a long stretch, but I have my hand ranking card, just in case I forget what beats what.

Hey there Chipstackers!

Long time, no blog...sorry for the delay, but I tried to post a new entry last Thursday, and as I clicked "submit", my internet connection died. Oh well, it is what it is.
Anyway, last weekend was North America's Battle for Golf Supremacy, Part 1. Frigging Canadians smoked us by 32 shots. In poker terms, that is being dealt a mid pair, flopping a full house, only to have your opponent show you flopped quads. Kick in the gut, folks. My partner and I played well, but we had some big numbers come in after us, and it was just ugly. We'll have another go at them in June--bigger event, more players, more fun.

As for poker itself, I am gearing up for the final regular season tournament of our League this Saturday. We have been running poll questions with our membership this week, about how to improve the league for next season. So far, suggestions range from an altered points system, to larger starting stacks, to longer blinds, and so on. Lots of good feedback.

My take on it is this. I love the league system we have in place, and recognize it is not perfect. People wanting an overhaul of the league (in terms of big changes to what we have in place), in my opinion, are wanting those changes for their own benefit. Our points system rewards consistency, and winning (high points without a tourney win gets you a TOC seat, a win gets a TOC seat). To me the system isn't broken, but it could use some tweaking. Major changes would be a detriment, in my opinion.

Anyway, have to get ready for work, as I try and keep focus this week, leading into Saturday. No guarantees for me, and I need to play some great poker Saturday, so I can lock in my TOC seat.

Winning on Saturday would take care of all that.

Yeah, I think I will win Saturday.

I love my office job

There are times I may hate some of the things attached to my job, but it far outweighs working for a living. And I mean WORKING. Spent 4 days ripping out carpet and putting in a new floor.

Give me a keybaord, mouse and monitor any day.

Short post, but loaded with pics, suffice to say, I will enjoy the rest of my week away from work, before going back in Monday.

Poker tonight at Irish Jim's and then MAYBE something Saturday...deepstack tourney at my buddy Roto's. Playing that one by ear.

OK: The Pictures (yes, the wife and I are DAMN proud of this).

Not truly phase by phase, but we just kept working til it got done.

Also, I should mention, I am a big beleiver in the Accutite Wedge.

~M