What the hell is with all the "poker training" sites? Is it just this obvious to anyone else but me?
Sample Advertizament
1. I've won a lot of money playing on-line poker!
Yeah, it was back before the UIGEA. And yeah, the games have gotten a lot harder to make money on-line. In fact, things are drying up for me, just like everyone else. But wait ... just listen to this!
2. I can teach you to play poker! I can show you exactly how I used to make a lot of money playing on-line poker. Just pay me $100 per hour (which, by the way, was my former win/100BB before the UIGEA).
3. You can win lots of money like me! Assuming the UIGEA is overturned and the fish can find a way to deposit, just like back when I used to win a lot. Go get'em!
Saturday, May 31, 2008
Friday, May 23, 2008
Dear Heaven
Yeah, this rocks. You know who it is, but I'll bet you haven't hard it yet...
Dear Heaven
And then check out "Thought You Knew" ...
Dear Heaven
And then check out "Thought You Knew" ...
Saturday, May 17, 2008
An American Idol
David Cook came home to Blue Springs on Friday and there was a huge parade and rally at his high school, Blue Springs South. My wife got tickets and we took the kids.
After the parade, he and his family processed into the high school football and track stadium. The show was on a stage in the middle of the field at about the 10 yard line, The stands on both sides were packed, and there were thousands more standing along the sides and around the field. Only a few hundred lucky people got onto the field. We did not get a seat (not by a long shot) but I managed to find a nice little spot at a location that was immediately to the right of the stage (the very furthest point from the entrance), with nothing between us and a clear view of the stage but a chain-link fence just outside the running track.
He ended up sitting on the right side of the stage, so we were among the fortunate few to have an unobstructed and straight view of him, although at a significant distance. As I later told my wife, aside from Roman (my son) this was the most pictures that I have ever taken of a guy.
At the start of the show he said a few words, and it was clearly an extremely emotional moment. As he described it, he has been living in his little "American Idol bubble" and now he comes home to 10,000 people packed into his high school stadium to honor his achievement.
Immediately when he sat down, they starting shooting fireworks off behind the stage. The pictures below were taken just as he stood back up, very likely choking back tears and taking in the moment.
We have a neat connection to this event. One of Amelia's (my daughter) best friends at school is named Aylish. David Cook is Aylish's uncle. Aylish and her mom were part of the family entourage and were on the stage, but on the other side and not visible except partially in a few of my pictures. I ran into them on Saturday and she said that they "partied like rock stars" until after 1am that night/morning with David and family.
It was a very cool experience.
After the parade, he and his family processed into the high school football and track stadium. The show was on a stage in the middle of the field at about the 10 yard line, The stands on both sides were packed, and there were thousands more standing along the sides and around the field. Only a few hundred lucky people got onto the field. We did not get a seat (not by a long shot) but I managed to find a nice little spot at a location that was immediately to the right of the stage (the very furthest point from the entrance), with nothing between us and a clear view of the stage but a chain-link fence just outside the running track.
He ended up sitting on the right side of the stage, so we were among the fortunate few to have an unobstructed and straight view of him, although at a significant distance. As I later told my wife, aside from Roman (my son) this was the most pictures that I have ever taken of a guy.
At the start of the show he said a few words, and it was clearly an extremely emotional moment. As he described it, he has been living in his little "American Idol bubble" and now he comes home to 10,000 people packed into his high school stadium to honor his achievement.
Immediately when he sat down, they starting shooting fireworks off behind the stage. The pictures below were taken just as he stood back up, very likely choking back tears and taking in the moment.
We have a neat connection to this event. One of Amelia's (my daughter) best friends at school is named Aylish. David Cook is Aylish's uncle. Aylish and her mom were part of the family entourage and were on the stage, but on the other side and not visible except partially in a few of my pictures. I ran into them on Saturday and she said that they "partied like rock stars" until after 1am that night/morning with David and family.
It was a very cool experience.
Sunday, May 04, 2008
Iron Man
Still playing poker, and thinking about it when I’m not playing. I’ve played a few live sessions since my last blog post, and I also finally won the Thursday night Chiptalk tournament. Here is my most recent live $2/5 NL session at Harrahs, max $500 buy-in.
My worst hand of the night, at the feeder table –
Folded to me in MP and I raise to $20 with KJ-not-suited. Button calls. He’s a quiet, somewhat creepy but observant and solid old guy. He might be an accountant. I have some history with this guy, and some of the biggest pots I’ve ever played in KC have been against him. Overall, he’s gotten the best of me several times, which I can’t say for very many players in KC.
Before the flop, the floor calls my name for the main table.
Flop is K-7-4, all clubs. I have no club. I bet $30, and button calls. I think he’s drawing to the flush. Turn is a low card, non-club. I bet $80, and he raises to $280 total. He only has about $55 behind, so he is effectively all-in. This bet just screams flush draw, and I’m positive he has the A-clubs. But does be have another club in his hand?
Time to size him up. His left hand is holding his cards, the way players will hold their cards maybe ½ inch off the table. His right hand is covering his mouth. He is absolutely motionless. I pull two $100 stacks from their moorings, to see if I get any reaction. He remains frozen, like a scared rabbit hunkered down before it flees. He is staring at a point on the table between me and the community cards. All signs point to a bluff, or rather a semi-bluff. I don’t think he wants a call. I don’t think he has AK, which means that I’m ahead. And, I'm about to move to the main game -- which somehow played a minor role in my decision, but I'm not sure how or why.
So I push, and he promptly calls his few remaining chips and shows me AQ-clubs. Bad read by me. I really believe that he knew I was trying to get a read on him, and he was intentionally giving off weak tells – hand on the mouth, motionless, afraid of eye contact. Fuckin’ sneaky old bastard.
My two best hands of the night, now at the main table –
1. Button is somewhat of an action player. As the cards are dealt, but before looking, he says “I feel a button raise coming on.” Folded to me in MP, I raise to $20 with A7-diamonds. Button calls, SB folds, BB calls. I say to Button, “You were supposed to re-raise.”
Flop is A-J-7 rainbow, giving me two pair. BB checks, I lead out for $45, button calls, BB folds. Turn is (A-J-7)-5, and I bet $90, button calls. River is (A-J-7-5)-7. I think for a long time, like I might be unsure what to do here, trying to give the “I missed my draw” signal. Or maybe the “Are my kings any good?” vibe. I’m actually just trying to figure out the maximum that he will call. Then I bet $160. Button quickly calls, and shows AQ after I reveal my boat.
He acts aggravated, and says “Nice catch. Good raise with A7.” I’m not sure if he’s serious or sarcastic, and whether he is aggravated with himself or me. After giving me $315, he donked off his remaining $400 or so after a couple more orbits. I’m pretty sure my hand tilted him.
2. Lots of limpers to me on the button, and I limp with 47-diamonds. SB and BB check. Flop is 3d-Kc-6d. Checked to me, and I bet $20. Its folded to MP guy, who just sat down a few hands ago and is the only player wearing shades. He raises to $50 total, and has about $370 more behind. I have him covered. Its folded to me, and I raise $200 more, which should signal that we are playing for his whole stack. I’m pretty sure he has a high king, probably not AK or he would have raised PF.
He pushes, and I quickly call $170 more. Turn and river both bring help, as the final board reads 3d-Kc-6d-2d-5c, completing my straight and flush. My opponent is shocked and dismayed when I table my hand. Everyone else is shocked to see 47s.
Mr. Shades slinks away, claiming that he called "with a high king." Like KQ?! One of the players at his end of the table says, "If he pushed with KQ or worse, he deserves to lose." I guess I would have to agree there. But then again, he didn't know too much about how I play. And, he was technically ahead -- but all in all risking your whole stack with top pair, non-nut kicker cleary breaks my Golden Rule of No Limit Hold 'Em -- Don't go broke with one pair.
I get lots of respect for the remainder of the session. My reputation is now that I could have any two cards and I don’t appear to be bluffing too often. Which, of course, opens the door to lots of bluffing opportunities at small and medium orphan pots. Showing down some goofy strong hands really frightens skittish players.
I rack up for $1475 and head home.
My worst hand of the night, at the feeder table –
Folded to me in MP and I raise to $20 with KJ-not-suited. Button calls. He’s a quiet, somewhat creepy but observant and solid old guy. He might be an accountant. I have some history with this guy, and some of the biggest pots I’ve ever played in KC have been against him. Overall, he’s gotten the best of me several times, which I can’t say for very many players in KC.
Before the flop, the floor calls my name for the main table.
Flop is K-7-4, all clubs. I have no club. I bet $30, and button calls. I think he’s drawing to the flush. Turn is a low card, non-club. I bet $80, and he raises to $280 total. He only has about $55 behind, so he is effectively all-in. This bet just screams flush draw, and I’m positive he has the A-clubs. But does be have another club in his hand?
Time to size him up. His left hand is holding his cards, the way players will hold their cards maybe ½ inch off the table. His right hand is covering his mouth. He is absolutely motionless. I pull two $100 stacks from their moorings, to see if I get any reaction. He remains frozen, like a scared rabbit hunkered down before it flees. He is staring at a point on the table between me and the community cards. All signs point to a bluff, or rather a semi-bluff. I don’t think he wants a call. I don’t think he has AK, which means that I’m ahead. And, I'm about to move to the main game -- which somehow played a minor role in my decision, but I'm not sure how or why.
So I push, and he promptly calls his few remaining chips and shows me AQ-clubs. Bad read by me. I really believe that he knew I was trying to get a read on him, and he was intentionally giving off weak tells – hand on the mouth, motionless, afraid of eye contact. Fuckin’ sneaky old bastard.
My two best hands of the night, now at the main table –
1. Button is somewhat of an action player. As the cards are dealt, but before looking, he says “I feel a button raise coming on.” Folded to me in MP, I raise to $20 with A7-diamonds. Button calls, SB folds, BB calls. I say to Button, “You were supposed to re-raise.”
Flop is A-J-7 rainbow, giving me two pair. BB checks, I lead out for $45, button calls, BB folds. Turn is (A-J-7)-5, and I bet $90, button calls. River is (A-J-7-5)-7. I think for a long time, like I might be unsure what to do here, trying to give the “I missed my draw” signal. Or maybe the “Are my kings any good?” vibe. I’m actually just trying to figure out the maximum that he will call. Then I bet $160. Button quickly calls, and shows AQ after I reveal my boat.
He acts aggravated, and says “Nice catch. Good raise with A7.” I’m not sure if he’s serious or sarcastic, and whether he is aggravated with himself or me. After giving me $315, he donked off his remaining $400 or so after a couple more orbits. I’m pretty sure my hand tilted him.
2. Lots of limpers to me on the button, and I limp with 47-diamonds. SB and BB check. Flop is 3d-Kc-6d. Checked to me, and I bet $20. Its folded to MP guy, who just sat down a few hands ago and is the only player wearing shades. He raises to $50 total, and has about $370 more behind. I have him covered. Its folded to me, and I raise $200 more, which should signal that we are playing for his whole stack. I’m pretty sure he has a high king, probably not AK or he would have raised PF.
He pushes, and I quickly call $170 more. Turn and river both bring help, as the final board reads 3d-Kc-6d-2d-5c, completing my straight and flush. My opponent is shocked and dismayed when I table my hand. Everyone else is shocked to see 47s.
Mr. Shades slinks away, claiming that he called "with a high king." Like KQ?! One of the players at his end of the table says, "If he pushed with KQ or worse, he deserves to lose." I guess I would have to agree there. But then again, he didn't know too much about how I play. And, he was technically ahead -- but all in all risking your whole stack with top pair, non-nut kicker cleary breaks my Golden Rule of No Limit Hold 'Em -- Don't go broke with one pair.
I get lots of respect for the remainder of the session. My reputation is now that I could have any two cards and I don’t appear to be bluffing too often. Which, of course, opens the door to lots of bluffing opportunities at small and medium orphan pots. Showing down some goofy strong hands really frightens skittish players.
I rack up for $1475 and head home.
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