So what did you get?

I got sick for Christmas.

Sick. Sick. Sick.

Not stuffy nose, fever sick. I mean SICK!

I hope the worst has passed, but I am feeling very weak, and needing to rejuvenate. Let's just say I am about 15 pounds lighter than I was heading into Christmas....and Mrs. Chipstack wanted me to lose some weight. Mission accomplished!

Ugh.

I am trying to make light of it, but it is difficult. Sparing you readers the details, let's just say that a bad run of cards hurts far less than my body does at this particular moment.

Anyway, poker is on the back burner for a bit--was thinking of maybe doing a 1 table thing this Sunday, but I don't think my strength will be up for it, considering the past 3 days. Next weekend I have a trip to Greenville, NC planned (a work thing), so maybe the Sunday after, who knows. Right now, just seeing the sunrise tomorrow will be a victory for me.

I did manage to eat something tonight (after 2 days), and so far, so good. What caused it? No clue. Seriously, no idea. I just know there are a few people I would wish this upon, and none of them read this blog.

OK, I am rambling with no point. Time to hang it up for now.

Good luck, good cards and GOOD HEALTH!

~M

The work is done...

Santa likely won't have his aces cracked today! Here's hoping that your pocket rockets always hold up (unless you have them against me), in 2008.

Merry Christmas!
~M

More intarweb fun

Enjoy....

Don't send a lame Holiday eCard. Try JibJab Sendables!

Some non-poker YouTubes

Those that know me, know I am a big fan of the Blue Man Group. I have seen them perform 3 times, twice in Vegas, and once in Atlanta. The Atlanta trip was especially fun, as a former co-worker of mine (we worked together when we went to ATL for the show), was good friends with a drummer in the band (not one of the Blue Men). We hung out with the group after the show--fun stuff.

Anyway, surfing the net today, stumbled across some BMG videos. If you have never seen them, this is basically what their show is like. Fun, entertaining, loud, and very rythmic.



Now that you have seen that, you need to click this video--very creative, and fun. Whoever put this together had a lot of time on his/her hands, but it came out pretty well, and is a good representation of BMG.

Ho Ho Hold 'Em-2007

It's that time again! The pre-Christmas Hold 'Em tourney at mi casa. So far, response has been a bit slow, but I am hoping it will pick up. Would really love to have a nice 3 table field (24 players), but if I think I'll be lucky to get 2.

Now, I understand the holidays are upon us, and some of the folks that said they couldn't play are going out of town. I get it. I guess I am bit confused by the lack of responses from some folks that will be around. We're not talking about Christmas EVE or Christmas Day....we're talking the 23rd, and a 3pm start at that. Oh well, I suppose I am more of a degenerate poker player that most.

Vegas planning is in the very early stages (as mentioned in earlier blog post). Mrs. Chipstack and I are talking about the final full week of June, and me skipping the WSOP again this year. I think I am in line with that idea. I think one more year of working, stashing away some extra money and the like, and then, Lord willing, taking that WSOP plunge in 2009 is the way to go. The wife and I have a wonderful relationship, especially when it comes to finances. She's a genius, and I am glad to be along for the ride. It's her idea to postpone the WSOP return until 2009, and I'm more than fine with it.

That will mean, however, that I will be tourney crazy in Vegas this summer, and I might even try some other local casinos with higher buy-ins. Still talking about it, but with the league members that are talking about going, we will have a terrific time once again, no matter where we play. Some folks are thinking about renting a condo for the week, which sounds like a ton of fun. If I were a single guy, I might be in line with it. For Mrs. Chipstack and I, this is our 1 week where there are no kids, no phones, no nothing. I think you get the idea.

Anyway, it is getting late, so a quick poker recap for you:

Since winning the December league event (my 2nd of the season--WEEEEEEE!!!), I have played at Irish Jim's once, and played so poorly I almost vomited. No hand recollections--it was long ago, and frankly, I don't wish to remember any of it.

This past Sunday, I ventured to Randy's for a 6 handed game, and finished 2nd. I probably deserved to finish worse, but I'll take the breaks when I can get them. Spiked a 2 outer to make a better full house and stay alive, went all-in on a Q-10 suited, and made a straight flush to stay alive....it was that kind of night. Here's the last hand:

I'm BB heads up, blinds 600-1200, I have QJ suited. Button calls, I raise 2400 more, button calls.

Flop- A-A-K.

I shove for something like 5000 total (may have been more). Button calls, and shows K-6 offsuit.

I'm not dead, but I am drawing thin--4 outs to make the straight, or running Q's or running J's to make a boat. 2 bricks, and the game is over.

Hard to be too broken up over losing that one. Here's why.

1-Button made the call of the 2400 pre-flop raise (in my opinion). for a couple reasons. A) they didn't believe I had a strong hand and/or B) they could afford to make the call. K-6 heads up is often times a favorite over any 2 random cards (or so I have read), so the call could be viewed as loose, but still, given the situation, it was, in my mind, the right play.

2-My shove after the flop. Donkey play on my part. I raise pre-flop to represent an A. Why shove there? I have no idea, but then again, the button hitting the K gives them top 2 pair--a bet was coming (I think) if I do nothing but check, and then I have to play (most likely) for all my chips anyway. Could I muck there, if I face a bet? Sure, but with the blinds at 600-1200, I have 5K left. I'm gonna be shoving with any 2 cards after that, and would need an additional double up.

Add it all up, and I was going broke that hand, and there was nothing I could do about it, with the exception of shoving pre-flop. Maybe the button folds. Maybe not. The way it played out, I deserved 2nd place, so again, no reason to kick myself too much.

OK--if you are a league member, and you made it this far: PLEASE CONFIRM YOUR ATTENDANCE FOR SUNDAY AT THE LEAGUE SITE!!!! If you already have, thanks and I will see you Sunday. If you have not....please let me know, one way or the other. Would love to have all of you for some Christmas Cards....get it???

~M

Time to start planning

Yes, as always, Christmas season (sorry, I ain't going for the ole "Happy Holiday" business on my blog), brings with it good cheer, decorated trees, and of course....

THE UPCOMING WSOP SCHEDULE OF EVENTS!!!!

Click on this here body of words to jump to the story.

I'll offer up some thoughts on the schedule, and when I may be heading out that way (as the league field trip will likely commence at that time).

One other note about the WSOP schedule: the $50,000 buy-in World Championship H.O.R.S.E. Event winner will receive the money and the bracelet, and now, they will receive the David "Chip" Reese trophy, in honor of the event's inaugural winner, who recently passed away. The WSOP doesn't make the greatest decisions, but they hit this one out of the park.

Good luck and good cards,
~M

PS--failed to mention--some funny reading. Check out Phil Hellmuth's blog here, and after reeadin it, check out Daniel Negreanu's blog here. Funny stuff.

Poker Loses a Legend

David "Chip" Reese

1951-2007

I woke up this morning, ready to face the day after a rough night of sleep. I jump on the computer, and stagger around the internet, when I stumble upon this.

David "Chip" Reese is dead at the age of 56.

I never met Reese, only saw him strolling the halls of the Rio during the WSOP, but his game is legendary. His story is true Vegas. I have attached it here.

The poker world lost a legend, in much the same way it did when Johnny Moss, Stu "The Kid" Ungar, and Puggy Pearson passed.

There's now a seat open at the big game.

A seat that opened far too soon.




(Copy that follows courtesy Associated Press)

David "Chip" Reese, a card star who won one of the biggest cash games in the world and three World Series of Poker championships, has died. He was 56.

Reese died in his sleep and was found by his son early Tuesday morning at his Las Vegas home after suffering from symptoms of pneumonia, said poker great Doyle Brunson, his longtime friend.

"I knew him for 35 years, I never saw him get mad or raise his voice," Brunson said. "He had the most even disposition of anyone I've ever met. He's certainly the best poker player that ever lived."

After attending Dartmouth College, Reese was on his way to Stanford business school in the early 1970s when he stopped by a Las Vegas poker room and won big, said World Series of Poker media director Nolan Dalla.

"He just accidentally stumbled into Las Vegas and never left," Dalla said.

His immediate success at cash games and low-key persona won him friends, even among those who wound up passing him their chips.

Despite winning three World Series champion's bracelets over the last four decades, including a $1.8 million HORSE event in 2005 that combines five poker disciplines, Reese focused his attention on high-stakes cash games away from the limelight.

"I've seen him with a million dollars in front of him," said Dalla, describing how Reese would put out racks of $5,000 chips "like he was betting a few bucks."

Reese was part of a generation of players in the 1970s that challenged established greats like Brunson, Thomas "Amarillo Slim" Preston Jr. and Walter Clyde "Puggy" Pearson, Dalla said.

Brunson and Reese eventually became business partners, investing in everything from oil wells and mining to TV stations and racehorses and becoming sports betting consultants.

None of the ventures was successful, Brunson said.

"We went to look for the Titanic. We went to look for Noah's Ark. We were two of the biggest suckers whenever it came to business, but we both had poker to fall back on," Brunson said. "Thank God we could play, so we always survived."

Reese's prowess at both cash and tournament play was cemented with his 2005 win, said World Series of Poker commissioner Jeffrey Pollack.

"Many consider Chip the greatest cash-game player who ever lived," Pollack said in a news release. "His victory in the inaugural $50,000 buy-in HORSE championship ... made him a part of WSOP lore forever."

Reese is survived by a son, a daughter and a stepdaughter, Brunson said. He was recently divorced from his wife.

Services are planned for Friday in Las Vegas, Brunson said.

A 2007 to remember

It's only fitting that I bring back the Johnny Chan picture for this installment of the blog (long overdue to all 6 of you loyal readers). 2007 has been a tremendous year for me at the poker table. I can not quantify the results, but in terms of how I have played this year, through the highs and the lows, I sense my game has improved immensely.

Saturday was the December league event, and I managed to pick up my 2nd win of the season, and I will readily admit that I played some great poker early, and some "meh" poker later. My reads in the early portion of the tourney were very good. I was able to get away from dangerous hands when I was beat, and I was able to apply pressure and take down pots with players drawing at me.

Late, I got lucky in some big spots, that I continue to evaluate why I played what I did, and how to better avoid being in those spots. I may have finished first, but I don't know that6 I played the best of anyone that night. In my first tourney win of the season, I felt like I played the strongest tourney of my life. Saturday, I was decent, but certainly not overwhelming. My friend Vito expressed that I am playing stronger than I may be giving myself credit for, and that's fine. I just want to get better.

Currently, I am 4 points behind first place overall in points, and the 2nd win for me this season opened up an additional points earning seat in the TOC for someone else. I know the feeling of being outside the TOC, and hoping that any extra opening comes along to make it a little easier to find my way in. Hope that eases the minds of some in our league. No doubt, I will try to get another one in January.

Other notes: Mom and Dad are back in Vegas after spending 10 days with us. I think they liked it out here, but I am not convinced they are committed to moving out here. I know they should move out here, but if they will--that's a different deal. Time will tell--they need to sell their house, Mrs. Chipstack and I need to make the necessary arrangements for them to move in with us. Plenty of hurdles to overcome before we make it a reality.

Cards in the future: Irish Jim's tonight (I took the night off from work after working some ridiculous stretch of days over the past 3 weeks). MAYBE Dec. 9 at my place--if I can scare up a game on a Sunday. Beyond that, no clue. Would like to get in another big tourney before the new year, but that may no come off. Time will tell.

Good luck and good cards,
~M