Now I know how Shaniac feels

Well, I know how he feels when it comes to writing, not about being successful in high buy in tournaments.

Been over a month between posts, so I am falling way behind on my 2009 goal of reaching x-amount of posts. In fact, I've forgotten what the number is.

Recapping some recent play, and there hasn't been too much.

2 Saturday's ago, had a nice little turnout, but never really got anything going, and finished out of the money. A good night spent with friends, though.

Last night, 10 handed table, and found myself dipping into the rebuy waters...twice. First time I got cracked when I had a nice read on my opponent. Hit top pair on a board of 7 high (I had Q-7 off), check the flop, turn brings a 2nd diamond. Opponent bets, I shove, he calls, and hits a 3rd diamond for a flush. Meh.

Rebuy.

Couple hands later, I have A-10 suited in clubs, call a pre-flop raise, and hit top pair on board (10 high flop), with flush draw. Raiser bets out, I push, he calls with QQ. I can't hit the draw, or the ace, and I'm felted again. Meh.

Rebuy.

The knockout hand for me came after the rebuy period ended, and this one hurt. I have 2100 in chips, look down at AQ in early position. Player to my right makes it 1600 to go, I'm all in, and late position player shoves over the top. Original raiser makes a very disciplined fold, mucking 88 face up. Re-re-raiser opens up 10-10. Classic race, right? Here's the flop:

A-A-x.

Nice.

Turn, brick.

River, 10 of spades.

It's not a bad beat, but a crappy way to lose. It's happened plenty of times to me, and millions of other players in the world. It just sucks to make the better hand, and get caught on a 2-outer. As they say, that's poker.

May try for something this Sunday--depends on how the week goes. If not, March league event coming up. Looking forward to shaking this dry spell, and bringing home a win. It would certainly ease my mind about the TOC.

Oh, March Madness is upon us, so I'll be sweating the tourney games for the next 3 weeks. Should be fun!

~M

Heard a good joke after making this post:

A psychiatrist is holding a group therapy session with 4 young mothers and their small kids
He says "all 4 of you are obsessive."
He says to the first mom, "Jenny, you love to eat, and your obsession manifests itself in your daughter's name, Candy."
He says to the 2nd woman, "Susan, your obsession is with wealth. Your daughter's name, Mercedes reflects that."
Turning to the 3rd woman, he says, "Pam, you are obsessed with alcohol, and you named your child Sherry--again, another manifestation of your obsesseion."
The 4th mother leans to her son and says. "C'mon Dick, we're getting the hell out of here."

Bullets on a Thurdsday

• Vegas 2009 Field Trip is in the planning stages. Dates yet to be firmed up, but it will involve a drive to Chicago, then fly to Vegas. Hoping for a 10 or so day break from work to cover driving, flying, rounding, flying, driving, etc.
• Reconnected with my buddy Courtney Harrington. He's doing so well in the poker world, I am so happy for him. Working with the likes of Gavin Smith, Ali Nejad, and Joe Sebok. It's awesome. Hope to catch up with him face to face sometime soon. Would love to hear his stories.
• Poker has been good, not great. Getting closer to the finish line, just not there. Final table bubble in January league tourney. Finished 7th (or 8th I forget) in a 2 tabler at the homestead--got stupid lucky, and should have been out long before then. Looking ahead to another one Saturday at Vols' place. Hope to fare a little better there and take home a win. Been too long since the last one.
• 2009 WSOP schedule is out (go to worldseriesofpoker.com to see it). No rebuy events, which is kind of odd, but then again, I can see the reason for it. Looks like the economy will keep me from playing in the WSOP in 2009 also. That's fine. I don't plan on not playing poker for the rest of my life. I'll be back there, hopefully 2010, but right now, the thing to do is pay attention to the home front. No doubt I miss it, but I won't be away long.

Hope all is well for you, and thanks for checking out the blog.

~M

So much for my resolution

...to post more in 2009. Well, it is still early, but if I can crack the 100 posts for the year number, I'll call it a success.

Poker-haven't played much of late. Work was too crazy, and with what I do, things just slowed down. Just think NFL and turnovers, and you'll know what I mean. Anyway, we settle into a steady groove for the next few months, and then we'll hit May, and all hell will break loose (per usual). Anyway--POKER--league tourney this weekend, so, I am stoked about that, but I am also stoked that my card cover has come home.

Travelling on business a few weeks ago, I left my card cover (read zippo lighter) in my hotel room. Was on the road home when I discovered my mistake, called the hotel and asked them to send it to me (rather than have the cleaning folks get a new lighter for themselves). 3 weeks later, it arrives. Still in one piece, still with the unique scratches on it. Whew. I love that lighter, and it works great as my card cover. I lost my special card cover--a Stanley Cup Finals coin from 2002, when Carolina played Detroit. Had the Finals logo on it, the teams, nice memento. I lost that in Vegas--not on a bet, but it fell out of my pocket. I imagined some guy, down on his luck finding it, thinking it was worth something (it was in one of those coin sleeves to keep it protected), taking it to a pawn shop, only to discover it wasn't much of anything. Poor guy.

The economy has Mrs. Chipstack and I wondering about our annual pilgrimage to Vegas. Of course, I want to go, but in the end, we'll do what we can afford. We're not felted, just playing a bit tighter. Hopefully, Pres. elect Obama will get things churning again, and soon. Then we can all breathe a little easier.

Hopefully, I'll report back with an event-winning blog next week.

99 more to go!

~M

Happy New Year

Just a quick hit to say Happy New Year to all the loyal readers of the blog.

All 6 of you.

More posts coming in 2009. I promise.

~M

ABC...

A-Always
B-Be
C-Closing

All I see is Alec Baldwin in "Glengarry Glen Ross" berate the sales staff in the film with Pacino, Kevin Spacey, and Jack Lemmon.


(Not work safe, due to language)

I am not closing the deal the way I should, but I am getting chances to close. I guess that's a positive. Got 4th in our league tourney for December, then a 3rd in Irish Jim's year end game, and then a 2nd last night at Irish Jim's. 3 events, 3 cashes, but still, not the brass ring.

I'm seeing the ball pretty well, but just can't seem to dodge being unlucky at the end. For example:

League event: My last hand, I am down to my last 5K or so, 4-handed with KJ off in the BB, raises, I shove, he's priced in, and calls with 9-6 off. He made a move, got picked off, but hit 2 pair on the flop. I made top pair, but didn't improve.

Irish Jim's part 1: 3-handed, limped pot with me in BB with 8-6. I check.
Flop: K-8-6 rainbow.

SB checks, I shove (5K or so), Irish Jim calls. Open the hands, he has KQ, I have 2 pair. Fade the turn, river is a Q. Busted.

Irish Jim's part 2: Heads up. I have 77 in BB, SB raises 3K on top of the 2400. I shove, he calls. He has QJ suited. Flop misses us both, turn another brick. Q on the river.

So, I am finding myself in good shape, and getting unlucky. I need to also point out that I have gotten help when needed too, and that's a part of why I have made the nice runs of late. I've hit cards when trailing (although I haven't trailed much), plus I have gotten nice value out of big hands as well, like making quad 9's and getting doubled up. This was sick.

9 handed at Irish Jim's year end game. Starting stacks of 8K. I have 99 in level 2 (blinds 25-50). I raise it to 200 as there was 1 early limper. Player next to me pops it to 500. I flat call, all others drop out.

Flop: 4-7-9, rainbow.

I check, re-raiser bets out 400. I call

Turn: 9

Check, check

River: 10

I bet 1500, he raises to 3000. I shove, he ponders and calls. He had 10-10 in the hole. As I said, sick.

I was happy to get max value there, and felt I did a good job of disguising the hand. Still, that was early, and not late, when "closing" matters most.

Will have a hard time finding a game over the next few weeks, as work will be its usual state of chaos. Have to play it by ear, but it appears that I have sat at my last table for calendar 2008--too bad because I want to keep swinging at the pitches. Seeing the ball well always feels good.

If any thing comes up between now and the new year, I'll drop in, but if not, Happy Holidays to you and yours. Be safe, and may pocket aces fill your stockings!

~M

Hi there

Sure, my Poker Weblogs rating is sinking like a stone, but hey, I've been busy. Work is crazy, but I have managed to squeeze in some poker in the last 20 days. Another 10 place finish in our league event for November. Another points pick up, but I want wins! I also sat in a game at Irish Jim's and got 2nd, plus busted early in a tournament with my buddy Joe G. I should have fared better, but made some ill-timed plays (which I will not get into). Suffice to say, my busting out was completely my doing.

We are less than 60 days away from swearing in a new President in this country, and in the time the current guy has left, apparently there is a dust-up in the poker legal fight. This from the Poker Players Alliance (you can clik the link on the right hand side of this blog if you want to know more about them):

The Unlawful Internet Gambling Enforcement Act (UIGEA) was resuscitated last week in a last ditch effort by the Bush administration to implement this flawed law before he leaves office in January. President Bush pushed through “midnight” regulations that require UIGEA to go into effect on January 19, 2009, one day before President-elect Barak Obama is sworn in to office.

One way that PPA members can help effect change this coming year is by going to President-elect Barak Obama’s transition website (http://change.gov/page/s/contact) and submitting comments on the importance of undoing the UIGEA when he takes office and why he should seek to license and regulate Internet poker.

Please tell Mr. Obama:
-That you’re a proud poker player, a voter and want your rights protected.
-To repeal UIGEA because prohibitions do not work, especially ones that put undue burden on the financial sector by deputizing banks to subvert the rights of adult Americans.
-That the best way to protect children and families from any perceived harm from Internet Poker is by licensing and strict regulation; it will also generate billions in federal and state revenue.
-That poker is a game of skill and not a game of chance, and as such should be protected.

Anyway, I likely won't be at the table anytime soon, as work has me travelling quite a bit over the next few weeks. Next up is the league event for December, so hopefully, the time away from the table will provide me a nice break, and I will come back refreshed and ready to play.

Good luck and good cards,
~M

The changing face of...

...my country.

Barack Obama is the President Elect of the United States of America.

I'm not a political kinda person. Just not in my DNA. I did vote, and I made my voice heard in this election. I faced a serious dilemma while casting my ballot on Tuesday. One that I had kicked around in my head for the months leading up to that fateful moment.

Which of these 2 men are worthy of my vote?

I wrestled with it for months. McCain seemed too much like the old guard that has gutted my nation over the past 8 years. Obama seemed too new to everything. Had he even managed a restaurant? How could he manage a country?

I made me selection, as well as others, and went about my day. I saw McCain get smoked (eventually), and Obama give an acceptance speech that, frankly, was flat, yet almost awakening (if that's even possible).

Before that, I saw McCain give his concession speech. He was eloquent, gracious in defeat, and reached out to all, sending the message "work with the new President." While he was gracious and all, I wanted him to say something more. I wanted to hear him say something like, "while I admit defeat and congratulate my opponent, I want him to know that I, along with the rest of this country, will hold your feet to the fire on everything." I would have wanted Obama to say the same had he lost. The time for promises is past. Now is time for action.

This country of mine (and yours if you are an American reading this), is in a fix. In poker terms, we're on a draw, and there are 2 cards to come. As of tonight, Obama holds the cards, and it's his turn to act. I am hoping that his draw has more than just one set of outs. I would hope he is holding 2 overcards, suited, and has not only flush draw, but straight draws with it. I want him to have more than just 9 flush wins in the deck. I want him to have open-enders for the straight. I want his 2 overs to be live, so spiking either of them will give this nation the win. I want Obama to have the deck so crippled in his favor, that he can't help but catch what he needs.

If he wins, we win. This nation needs to make this draw.

Apologies for waxing political.

In keeping with the poker theme, I came across this article about the President Elect from CNN back in 2007. You can read it by clicking here.

The reason I was being possessive about my President is for the benefit of the international readers of this blog. American readers, please bear with me.

As for poker, league event for November is 2 weeks away, and I hope to get in a game before then. Work schedule will dictate that.

Good luck and good cards.

~M