I haven't bothered to actually deposit any cash into PokerStars, but due to a Kathie Lee slave laborish hourly wage, I now have an astronomical $1.60 in my roll there. 8,000 tards playing limit razz and my 23rd place finish after 3-1/2 hours handed me the honor and privilege of playing a limit O8 $2000 freeroll against 5,500 other draw monkeys. Well, it was actually only 3 hours as I needed to leave for 1/2 hour to take care of dinner. We were down into the 800's with 88 spots "paying", but I had plenty of chips. As soon as we hit 88, I was outta there. I found out later that it took until 23rd before all of my chips were finally blinded off.
Then 3-1/2 more hours of limit O8 (the next day) and a 320th place finish and I'm on my way. Again, it was more like 2-1/2 hours as I didn't actually fire up the software until the first break was just ending. At that point I had a little over $1000 left of the $1500 starting stack. I was up over $15,000 in about 45 minutes. Unfortunately, a couple of huge draws never came through and I couldn't continue to amass enough chips to make a run at the top 5. Fun while it lasted though.
Actually, I'm hoping I can kind of go through a Ferguson challenge type of thing on Stars just to see how I do. If I make it to $10, I'll call it a success.
And there go another 5 minutes of your life you're never getting back.
Monday, August 18, 2008
Monday, July 21, 2008
Cars Don't Kill People, Jerk Offs In Cars Kill People
"Arms are for hugs".
So said the front bumper of the car. It also said about a half dozen other equally insightful things. God only knows what the rear end was spouting. Of course, when I say insightful, in no way do I mean thought provoking or awe inspiring. Merely, it is actually a glimpse into the hypocritical world of the mouth breather behind the wheel.
On Saturday afternoon, I was out with my 3-1/2 year old daughter, while my wife was taking the 7 year old to the American Girl movie. We decided to stop in to the local Wawa to pick up a soda for me and an icee her. On the way out, I was holding my daughter's hand and about to step off the sidewalk in front of the building toward my car across the parking lot. I saw it barrel into the lot and make a beeline for a space just across the way. It would have gone right through us about 8 feet from where I decided to stop. Thankfully, I saw the maniac. Then I heard screeching breaks and the car came to a stop about 10 feet short of the impact zone. And if that wasn't enough? Then I got the annoyed "go ahead" wave from the driver. Fuck you bitch!!
I don't personally choose to own a handgun, but know the responsibility that I would incur should I ever change my mind. I'm sure that my arm would be a hell of a lot less likely to kill someone and their small child than this "person's" car obviously is.
And there go another 5 minutes of your life you're never getting back.
So said the front bumper of the car. It also said about a half dozen other equally insightful things. God only knows what the rear end was spouting. Of course, when I say insightful, in no way do I mean thought provoking or awe inspiring. Merely, it is actually a glimpse into the hypocritical world of the mouth breather behind the wheel.
On Saturday afternoon, I was out with my 3-1/2 year old daughter, while my wife was taking the 7 year old to the American Girl movie. We decided to stop in to the local Wawa to pick up a soda for me and an icee her. On the way out, I was holding my daughter's hand and about to step off the sidewalk in front of the building toward my car across the parking lot. I saw it barrel into the lot and make a beeline for a space just across the way. It would have gone right through us about 8 feet from where I decided to stop. Thankfully, I saw the maniac. Then I heard screeching breaks and the car came to a stop about 10 feet short of the impact zone. And if that wasn't enough? Then I got the annoyed "go ahead" wave from the driver. Fuck you bitch!!
I don't personally choose to own a handgun, but know the responsibility that I would incur should I ever change my mind. I'm sure that my arm would be a hell of a lot less likely to kill someone and their small child than this "person's" car obviously is.
And there go another 5 minutes of your life you're never getting back.
Tuesday, July 1, 2008
Hammered, Then Nailed
Back to back hands in the riverchasers game last night. I'm down to just over 9 BBs at the start of level 5 and, of course, in binary mode. All in or fold. No other choice until I'm back over 10 BBs. Anyway, I pick up JJ UTG+1 and shove. Get called for less from UTG+2 and lose to his suited hammer and trip 7's. So now I have just over 2 BB and am UTG. A8s? Good enough. In they go. Right into hammer boy's AA. Thwap. GG me.
I run good. Last 3 SNGs played on tilt - ran TT into AA, ran JJ into AA, KK got run down by JT.
And there go another 5 minutes of your life you're never getting back.
I run good. Last 3 SNGs played on tilt - ran TT into AA, ran JJ into AA, KK got run down by JT.
And there go another 5 minutes of your life you're never getting back.
Friday, June 27, 2008
Wednesday, June 11, 2008
Vegas Weekend Recap - Part 2
From Saturday morning until Sunday night, it was one big blur. The exact timeline and many of the details cannot be recovered from my memory, but I'll do my best.
Woke up at 7 Saturday morning, head pounding and throat parched, and decided that 4 hours of sleep just wasn't going to do it. Couple painkillers and a bunch of water and back to bed until 9:30. I grabbed breakfast from the IP Burger Palace as all I needed was a few calories and some caffeine. For $4, that's about all I got, but it was enough. Anyway, I have no idea what I did while I waited for Falstaff and Special K to come down, but I don't think it was that long.
The three of us grabbed a cab to the Venetian, where Falstaff found a 4/8 table while Special K opted for 1/2 NL. At that point, I wasn't really up to jumping back in the deep end as I'd gone through more of my cash the previous night than I had really hoped to and knew it was still going to be a long weekend. So I kind of meandered around, occasionally railing each of them, and eventually Easy, April, and StB made appearances and we decided to go check out the Rio.
There, I saw Phil Laak and Jamie Gold and got to meet Pauly once we got his attention. Once old friends finished catching up and some had to get back to work, we headed over to the Rio poker room / sports book. While the other 4 played some poker, Easy tutored me in the fine art of handicapping the races. Evidently, Big Brown losing ruptured something in the horse racing universe as we didn't win a single bet, despite the obvious expertise of those present. And so, at 5:30, it was back to the Venetian for dinner (Grand Lux Cafe) and then the IP for some 2/4 HORSE.
The head guy in the poker room told us that, for consistency sake (and not to confuse his dealers), he wanted all of the stud games with a $1 ante and a $1 bring in. For someone who had never played any RSE in his life, this was not good news. I was just lucky enough to win enough in HE and O8 to keep me ahead. I would have done much better except for one interesting HE hand. I was in lp with AQc and Zeem raised UTG. There were a couple callers, I decided to see a flop, and the blinds also called. Flop came KTx with 2 clubs. It might have been checked around, or there might have been a single bet called by most in the hand. I don't remember. Anyway, a non-club J hit the turn, giving me broadway and a royal redraw. BB bet, Zeem raised, fold, fold, I 3-bet, fold back to BB, call, call. River paired the K and BB checked. Zeem bet and I raised. BB 3-bet and Zeem capped. I immediately put him on TT or JJ and mucked. BB called and Zeem tabled jacks full against BB's trip kings. Ah, what could have been.
By then, a waiting list had developed and, since we were about to enter the stud games again, I gracefully gave up my seat to one of those waiting taking with me a small profit. So, I wandered back and forth from the poker room to the dice tables for a while, making back some of the prior night's losses before finally deciding to try my luck at a 1/2 NL cash table. I tried to keep up with the aggressive table, but absolutely none of my speculative hands came anywhere close to developing enough on the flop to continue. Eventually, I went broke on a hand with KQ when I had top pair after the turn and two players both called my all in with the same naked flush draw. So, even with 2 fewer diamonds available, one of the 73 still left in the deck rivered my dreams of a successful session.
Back to the pai gow table where I sat for a while. It's amazing how many $1 drinks you can get through, even with just a $100 buy in at a $15 table. Similarly to the prior night, when I got down to half a buy in left, I put it all at risk. This time successfully. Wash rinse repeat. Another 8 beers, back down to half and another double up. This time, I walked away. Up a little. By now it's somewhere in the middle of the night, and it's back to the dice tables. Played there until 7:30 AM and left with a modest profit.
Check out is in like 2-3 hours. Uh oh. What to do? Upstairs, shower, change, pack, check out and begin another day. I didn't really go to Vegas to sleep anyway. I can do that at home.
And with that day two was concluded. Sort of.
And there go another 5 minutes of your life you're never getting back.
Woke up at 7 Saturday morning, head pounding and throat parched, and decided that 4 hours of sleep just wasn't going to do it. Couple painkillers and a bunch of water and back to bed until 9:30. I grabbed breakfast from the IP Burger Palace as all I needed was a few calories and some caffeine. For $4, that's about all I got, but it was enough. Anyway, I have no idea what I did while I waited for Falstaff and Special K to come down, but I don't think it was that long.
The three of us grabbed a cab to the Venetian, where Falstaff found a 4/8 table while Special K opted for 1/2 NL. At that point, I wasn't really up to jumping back in the deep end as I'd gone through more of my cash the previous night than I had really hoped to and knew it was still going to be a long weekend. So I kind of meandered around, occasionally railing each of them, and eventually Easy, April, and StB made appearances and we decided to go check out the Rio.
There, I saw Phil Laak and Jamie Gold and got to meet Pauly once we got his attention. Once old friends finished catching up and some had to get back to work, we headed over to the Rio poker room / sports book. While the other 4 played some poker, Easy tutored me in the fine art of handicapping the races. Evidently, Big Brown losing ruptured something in the horse racing universe as we didn't win a single bet, despite the obvious expertise of those present. And so, at 5:30, it was back to the Venetian for dinner (Grand Lux Cafe) and then the IP for some 2/4 HORSE.
The head guy in the poker room told us that, for consistency sake (and not to confuse his dealers), he wanted all of the stud games with a $1 ante and a $1 bring in. For someone who had never played any RSE in his life, this was not good news. I was just lucky enough to win enough in HE and O8 to keep me ahead. I would have done much better except for one interesting HE hand. I was in lp with AQc and Zeem raised UTG. There were a couple callers, I decided to see a flop, and the blinds also called. Flop came KTx with 2 clubs. It might have been checked around, or there might have been a single bet called by most in the hand. I don't remember. Anyway, a non-club J hit the turn, giving me broadway and a royal redraw. BB bet, Zeem raised, fold, fold, I 3-bet, fold back to BB, call, call. River paired the K and BB checked. Zeem bet and I raised. BB 3-bet and Zeem capped. I immediately put him on TT or JJ and mucked. BB called and Zeem tabled jacks full against BB's trip kings. Ah, what could have been.
By then, a waiting list had developed and, since we were about to enter the stud games again, I gracefully gave up my seat to one of those waiting taking with me a small profit. So, I wandered back and forth from the poker room to the dice tables for a while, making back some of the prior night's losses before finally deciding to try my luck at a 1/2 NL cash table. I tried to keep up with the aggressive table, but absolutely none of my speculative hands came anywhere close to developing enough on the flop to continue. Eventually, I went broke on a hand with KQ when I had top pair after the turn and two players both called my all in with the same naked flush draw. So, even with 2 fewer diamonds available, one of the 73 still left in the deck rivered my dreams of a successful session.
Back to the pai gow table where I sat for a while. It's amazing how many $1 drinks you can get through, even with just a $100 buy in at a $15 table. Similarly to the prior night, when I got down to half a buy in left, I put it all at risk. This time successfully. Wash rinse repeat. Another 8 beers, back down to half and another double up. This time, I walked away. Up a little. By now it's somewhere in the middle of the night, and it's back to the dice tables. Played there until 7:30 AM and left with a modest profit.
Check out is in like 2-3 hours. Uh oh. What to do? Upstairs, shower, change, pack, check out and begin another day. I didn't really go to Vegas to sleep anyway. I can do that at home.
And with that day two was concluded. Sort of.
And there go another 5 minutes of your life you're never getting back.
Tuesday, June 10, 2008
Rake Redefined
When I saw this in someone's yard, I couldn't resist...
And there go another 5 minutes of your life you're never getting back.
Vegas Weekend Recap - Part 1
First of all, I'm going to launch a preemptive strike and apologize to every single person I met this weekend, not that I think any are necessarily warranted. I'm not what you would call witty or charming and, coupled with copious amounts of alcohol, my potential for foot in mouth disease increases by a factor of 1000. So, if I insulted you in any way, you have my sincerest apologies.
Second of all, I'm also going to heartily thank every single person I met this weekend. Probably even more difficult than planning to meet a bunch of people you've never met is having said group, who mostly know each other already, make you feel accepted and included right from the start. Now, I don't remember everyone's name (Friday night is a bit hazy), but I want to thank Falstaff, StB, EasyCure, Special K, Columbo, Mattazuma, April, Zeem, and those whose names have slipped away from me, much like part of my liver functionality. And super-sized mega thanks to ck for making the introductions for me.
My flight Friday afternoon was scheduled for 4:05 ET, so I head plenty of time in the morning after I got the kids off to school to putz around getting ready. I was planning on stuffing everything I needed for the weekend into a backpack so I wouldn't have to check anything, but forgot the carryon rules for liquids and was ill-prepared to meet those requirements. I figured it would take longer to get everything into approved sizes and containers than to wait for the bag when I landed. Instead, I rolled into the C-grade nudie bar on the way to the airport around noon for half a dozen doses of liquid courage. I don't fly well. Left there around 1:45 to make the 1/2 hour journey to Philly Intl, got the car parked and made my way through a moderate to light security line about 15 minutes before boarding. Just enough time for one more airport sized/priced drink first.
The flight cross country was the smoothest I can ever remember and we landed just after 6 local time. Unfortunately, the cattle chutes at the McCarran taxi stand were overflowing and it took a good 1/2 hour to score a cab. It was around 7:15 when I got to IP, and there was no one waiting to check in, so I was in my room by 7:30. My understanding was that everyone would be at the MGM, so made the walk down there and got myself a drink in the sports book a little after 8. No one was there yet. Joy. Finally got the text around 9 that they had arrived and found about a dozen people that I had never met around a mixed game table at the back of the poker room.
Finally, I couldn't take it anymore and needed some action. The poker lists were long so I asked ck if she wanted to throw some dice with me. She agreed. Oh My God. If you have the chance to hit the craps tables with ck, do it. It's worth the price of admission. For me, that particular price was the $200 I bought in for. Worst flowing table I have ever been at. Oh well. Went back over to the poker room and found the blogger table still in full force. I stayed on the rail and watched and chatted for a while until there was discussion of the Rhino. 3 hours earlier I would have been the biggest supporter of such an idea, but I just wasn't feeling it at 1:30 AM.
Thankfully, Easy and Zeem said they were going back to the IP. For Pai Gow. Now that's just the sort of idea that worked for me. Although, when we got there, Zeem actually decided to call it a night. After a while, I was down about 1/2 of my $100 and ready to call it a night myself. So I put all of it at risk. One more decision, double back to even or lose it. Then go to bed. It took 3 or 4 hands, but I finally ran my pai gow into the dealer's full house. Pai gow is so rigged.
And with that (partial) day one was concluded.
And there go another 5 minutes of your life you're never getting back.
Second of all, I'm also going to heartily thank every single person I met this weekend. Probably even more difficult than planning to meet a bunch of people you've never met is having said group, who mostly know each other already, make you feel accepted and included right from the start. Now, I don't remember everyone's name (Friday night is a bit hazy), but I want to thank Falstaff, StB, EasyCure, Special K, Columbo, Mattazuma, April, Zeem, and those whose names have slipped away from me, much like part of my liver functionality. And super-sized mega thanks to ck for making the introductions for me.
My flight Friday afternoon was scheduled for 4:05 ET, so I head plenty of time in the morning after I got the kids off to school to putz around getting ready. I was planning on stuffing everything I needed for the weekend into a backpack so I wouldn't have to check anything, but forgot the carryon rules for liquids and was ill-prepared to meet those requirements. I figured it would take longer to get everything into approved sizes and containers than to wait for the bag when I landed. Instead, I rolled into the C-grade nudie bar on the way to the airport around noon for half a dozen doses of liquid courage. I don't fly well. Left there around 1:45 to make the 1/2 hour journey to Philly Intl, got the car parked and made my way through a moderate to light security line about 15 minutes before boarding. Just enough time for one more airport sized/priced drink first.
The flight cross country was the smoothest I can ever remember and we landed just after 6 local time. Unfortunately, the cattle chutes at the McCarran taxi stand were overflowing and it took a good 1/2 hour to score a cab. It was around 7:15 when I got to IP, and there was no one waiting to check in, so I was in my room by 7:30. My understanding was that everyone would be at the MGM, so made the walk down there and got myself a drink in the sports book a little after 8. No one was there yet. Joy. Finally got the text around 9 that they had arrived and found about a dozen people that I had never met around a mixed game table at the back of the poker room.
Finally, I couldn't take it anymore and needed some action. The poker lists were long so I asked ck if she wanted to throw some dice with me. She agreed. Oh My God. If you have the chance to hit the craps tables with ck, do it. It's worth the price of admission. For me, that particular price was the $200 I bought in for. Worst flowing table I have ever been at. Oh well. Went back over to the poker room and found the blogger table still in full force. I stayed on the rail and watched and chatted for a while until there was discussion of the Rhino. 3 hours earlier I would have been the biggest supporter of such an idea, but I just wasn't feeling it at 1:30 AM.
Thankfully, Easy and Zeem said they were going back to the IP. For Pai Gow. Now that's just the sort of idea that worked for me. Although, when we got there, Zeem actually decided to call it a night. After a while, I was down about 1/2 of my $100 and ready to call it a night myself. So I put all of it at risk. One more decision, double back to even or lose it. Then go to bed. It took 3 or 4 hands, but I finally ran my pai gow into the dealer's full house. Pai gow is so rigged.
And with that (partial) day one was concluded.
And there go another 5 minutes of your life you're never getting back.
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