Slacker

I slept in again... boy I wish I could get out of bed for my workouts everyday. I need to find a way to get motivated

A positive month

Finally, a positive month. It looks as though I will have positive earning from online poker for the first time in several months. My main mistake was playing too many hands. Online play is usually fairly tight, and I needed to accommodate. I need to make it through 2 days, but I will only play possibly once, so I should make it.

On the fitness front, I have not kept up my plan. I am such a slacker. I just really need to set my mind to it.

Vegas Baby

I just returned from a conference in Vegas. The subject matter of the conference was CPA stuff, so I won't bore you with it (as if anyone actually reads this). I will just leave it that the conference was pretty good. I, of course, only attended this specific conference because of the location.

I landed on Sunday and was picked up by my friend Troy who was on his last day with his wife and sister-in-law. I spent Sunday afternoon in Old Vegas with them and watched the Steeler game. They dropped my off at 3:30 PM and I checked into Bally's. I played some poker and lost $65 (not a good start). During dinner, a Reuben and onion rings, I diangosed my play. I realized that live low-limit play was much different from on-line play. There were more people in each pot (typically 7) and most people were not aggressive. I then decided to make the following moves in my next session 1) limp with play any pair 2) limp with any suited connector or 2 gapper 3) raise with any pair 9 or higher 4) raise with any suited 2 ten-point cards. I played the Flamingo on Sunday night and won $91. I think I have it figured out.

On Monday I went to the pool and ran. I played poker again at Ballys. During the day I figured out that I needed 10:1 to take one off at the turn with two overcards ( I folded them on Sunday). I again booked a win. It was then off to Ellis Island for some black jack. I don't like that game anymore, now that I have a better understanding of odds and EV. So I went back to Bally's. There was a smoking hot girl from Vancouver at my table. She was so freaking hot, gorgeous face and nice body. She was a pretty bad player. I again booked a win.

The weather on Tuesday was cloudy and my legs hurt from Monday's run, so I went to lunch at a sports bar in the Alladin. I stopped in their poker room, but they only had tournaments at that time so I went back to Bally's. There was a very drunk player at the table. He was filled with Long Island Ice Tea's. He would raise every hand. Again people at the table did not know how to handle him. I continued my regular play, but on my premium hands, I got more aggressive and would cap more hands than normal. Towards the end of the session he was actually showing me respect and would back down. He even told me that I must be pretty smart. I was up $135 from that session. I went to dinner at 9 Fine Irishmen at NY NY and then went to the MGM cardroom. The room was very nice and the Admiral (an 86 year-old former British Navy Rear Admiral) was there. It was a very difficult night for me and I quickly found myself down $50. I managed to fight my way back up and ended with a positive $10 win, but it took almost 5 hours. I did have a heated exchange with the Admiral, he did not like a joke I made about how the Royal Navy counts that occurred after he misread the board thinking he had a str8.

Wednesday was my last day. I went to the Flamingo to play, but the wait was too long and I ended up back at Ballys. The Admiral was there as were many of the nice people that I had met thus far this week. It became a social atmosphere. I again was stuck around 50 by 8:01. I told the dealer and the table that I had 29 minutes to get my money back and to get four aces. Everyone had a good laugh and then, I got dealt pocket queens that held up, pocket kings that got busted, Ace King suited that didn't flop any help, pocket 8's flopped a set and won a big pot, pocket kings than flopped a set and didn't win much money, but I was certainly on a rush. At 8:29 I informed the dealer and the table that this was my last hand, and I wanted my 4 aces. The dealer dealt me a pair of aces. A player raised under the gun, there was one caller and I re-raised. UTG and the other player just called. The flop came AAK ( OMG, I just flopped 4 Aces) UTG came out betting and the middle player called. I asked the dealer how much was in the pot because I wanted to be sure that there was $20 so I could win the HH jackpot. He couldn't tell me, but the table now knew what I had and they assured that there indeed was 20 so I re-raised. Both players called. They both checked the turn and I bet. UTG folded and the middle player called (he was there for a Curves convention). River came and I bet, the middle player called and I flipped over my 4 aces. Everyone at the table erupted in cheers and we had a good time. The dealer called over the cardroom manager and he made me sign a form and he gave me a stack of red chips. I gave the dealer $10 and end up $85 ahead. Man what a hand.

Post ban, and I haven't noticed much difference. I cannot play on Paradise or Party, but I can play on a host of others. I am going to sign up for Full Tilt and Poker Stars.

I am playing well, but not winning. It is just a rough run of luck, that will get better.

In order to jump-start my weight loss for my class reunion, I have made a conscious choice to actually train for the Turkey Trot. I started this morning and I quickly realized that my 7.5 MPH on the treadmill may be a little ambitious. I will tone it down a bit and see how it works out.

It's the end of the word as we know it and I don't feel fine.

This is my presumably my last hand at Party Poker. They came on and booted us all while they did "server" maintenance. I wanted to be there for the end and I was. Now I must go back in this afternoon and see if I can cash out the rest of my money.

Here is the lobby, we are all blocked out. I am sad and outraged.

The Bell Tolls

Today is the day that the Ban goes into effect. I have given much commentary, wrote the President, and my Senator. There is nothing left that I can do to stop it. Here is a link to a good political blog that expresses my thought pretty well blog. So now what is left to do? I must adapt, that is what strong people do. Here is my adapting plan

1. Transfer money out of Party Poker after they lock me out. I am going to log on at 9:45 and play a little to see if they kick me out at 10 AM
2. Open up a Full Tilt and Poker Stars account this weekend.
3. Work to somehow get online poker legalized
4. Use this opportunity to improve my game and round out my life
5. I will go back to playing poker only 4 times a week, and spending more time exercising and investing.

Dr Mister President

I am writing again to ask the President to veto the Port Security Bill. I urge his veto because there are provisions in the Bill that do not protect our ports. Specifically, there are provisions in the bill that seek to curtail internet gaming (except for horse betting and state lotteries). I am against these provisions as I am an avid online poker player and I do not want my ability to play online poker limited. While there are some problem gamblers out there, laws should not be enacted to limit everyone's ability to participate in online gaming just to protect the few. This is not the way that alcohol and tobacco laws are fashioned, I am not sure why we should treat them differently.

Poker is a part of the American fabric. People have played poker for many years in this country. I have been a part of these games since my childhood, either in the format of home games with relatives and friends, or public card rooms. My great aunt, Sabina Gallegher taught me to play poker when she came to live with us when became an octageneraian. In recent years the expansion of internet poker has allowed me to play in the comfort of my own home. By playing at home, I could spend time with my wife and daughter and then log on and play a little poker when my toddler went to sleep and I finished the household chores with my wife. This legislation is being touted as supporting family values. I don't see it that way. My family life has not been negatively affected by online poker. There are millions of other Americans just like me. We like our families just the way they are.

The real reason that this legislation is included into the bill is that the pendulum has swung to the other side. This is a naturally occurrence in politics. The body starts moving in a direction that ultimately veers too far in one direction for the majority of Americans who have moderate views, so they bring in another party to bring it back the other directions. That party then takes it too far the other way, and they are voted out and replaced my the party of the first part. The Kennedy era lead to the Nixon era which lead to the Carter era which lead to the Reagan era which lead to the Clinton era which lead to the Bush II era. We are at that point in history again.

By attaching this gaming legislation to the Port Security Bill, the Republican leadership has shown they have arrived at the point where they care more about imposing their minority social opinion than representing the American people. If this is the case, I have no choice but to do my part to swing the pendulum back. I will vote liberal Democrat until the pendulum swings back too far the other way.

Please Mr. President, veto this Bill, have it re submitted sans the pork. By doing so, you will show that the pendulum is not too far to the right.

Bad Run

Just when I thought I had this game figured out.... Last night I was back to my old habits. Calling instead of raising, calling too many hands, yada, yada, yada. I lost 23 bucks and then decided to enter a S-n-G. I finished 4th in the S-n-G. My play wasn't horrible, it was just bad. Particularly in the beginning. I should have done better.

With the ban coming in a few days, I want to play on Party until the end. We'll see what happens.

All birthday weekends should be this good

The weekend got off to a stellar start. I won $700.00 at poker at Tommy's house. My wife didn't even seem to mind my coming home at 6:00 AM. Must have been the $100.00 that I gave her.

We had our annual bonfire on Saturday night. The wild game I smoked was a little dissappointing, but hey, we gave it the old college try. The Elk just didn't taste too good, the boar ribs were a little under-done, but the boar bacon was pretty good. The beer and the munchies were good. The friends were excellent. We had more neighbors than Betty and Bob's. I guess that this is a trend that will continue. That is not a bad thing, as we have some pretty cool neighbors that have moved into Heather Highlands recently.

Day 4 of the ban

Now that the ban has sunk in, I have written letters and sent emails, to see if I can get this crazy thing stopped, maybe, just maybe, I can help. Realistically, I do not think I can. But realistically, I don't think things will change that much either. I cannot figure out why Party Poker is pulling the plug on the US business. They either have a plan, or are complete idiots. I just hope 2 things:1 That I can play my 90 raked hands to clear my bonus 2 that I can be online when they flip the switch.

The jester stole his thorny crown

What a weird weekend. I started playing Friday night and read my email telling my about the anti-online gaming language inserted into the Port Security Bill. As I played poker, I watched CSPAN and saw the Bill pass. I think it is terrible that this has happened. As the weekend progressed, I started to feel a little better thinking that the Bill won't work. But this morning, I was notified that Party Poker will be shutting out American players. I still think that this is a knee-jerk reaction, but I cashed my money out of that site. At least Ultimate Bet and Paradise Poker will keep allowing American Players. I guess we have to take a wait and see stance at this point.