Almost Showtime!!!

We Are Running Hot At PokerSpace Crew Cup

In our last four Crew Cup games my team has gone 1st, 3rd, 2nd, 3rd, it looks as if we are hitting our stride finally. Making a late run at the NA for this month, have moved into 5th place, we passed four teams today but gained no ground on the top two.

We remain comfortably in front for one of the three spots in Practice League. I may have gotten to conservative down stretch today, with an eight spot differential to win game I was semi card dead so I pretty much blinded down and gambled that it would hold up. I went out 14th but the other guy finished 4th to nudge us back to second for the day.

Even if we don't catch a final birth this month it seems only a matter of time before it is locked up the way the team is clicking now. Still two games left this month and might well take two top threes at very least to have a chance. At least we know it can be done, we have four in a row.

Last Nights Late Action: 11-227 OPT Freeroll 2-15 Rounders Radio Buy-In

Indy Series: PokerSpace Win

Lets start with my MurryTheCat + Friends game, we played HORSE tonight and man oh man. I was getting smacked around on the river tonight, but I was taking it with a smile and chuckling as I sat here. Eventually Elwood took down the victory tonight, think it might have been his tenth, will do those stats tomorrow. No easy wins at my forum, everyone plays so well.

So the reason I mention this first is that when we get to the final table I am going nicely, I raisw with AJ and the BB pushes in K-10. The ace flops and he hits runner runner str8, I think that is 48-1. Then another short stack who eventually finished third pushes in on my K10 suited raise with Q10 and the queen comes right in the door grrr. Now I have to scratch and claw just to get to three handed and the money.

But I stayed cool and made it, there was more river fun to come, I was the shorty for the majority of the action here but picked the right spots and finally got into second position. In the SB I get KK and the ss pushes, I smooth call but the BB folds, he has A-5 and the flop is all diamonds with me holding one. He has only two outs and the river splashes putting him back in business.

Eventually he pushes on my BB and I have J-10 suited for about 1/3 my stack and decide with these blinds I have to take this chance figuring I am probably against a wide range and close to 50-50 here. He has K-5 and I get the flop to make HU. I start this part about 55-45 behind but it only takes four hands to get the very aggressive post flop opponent. Big hand has me with Q-2 in SB limping in, he raises from 1000 to 3000 so this an easy call, flop is a queen and after my check he bets about 1/2 pot so I know he hasn't got it, but I just call hoping he will get greedy on the turn. Turn is low and he pushes all-in, I make the call and he is down to one hand worth of chips.

Never taking anything for granted I hold my breath as he pushes it and my 98 beats his Q5 for my third Pokerspace win. Was telling someone tonight that I really need to start winning more and playing better in games where we see the same players alot. I have definetely lost any edge I may have had in past where players may have feared me a little, and thats my fault for going through a period of playing poorly.
Brick by brick lets build something here, win #24 of year.

Former Yankee Nice Guy Ron Klimkowski

Some sad news today, last page I hit today while reading my paper was the obituary and a big article shows that Ron Klimkowski died. Yes to most that is a pretty obscure name, he played four seasons in the major leagues for the New York Yankees and the Oakland Athletics.

My connections is that he went to my high school, sixteen years my senior but when I was ten years old I walked in to the town pub where my dad was a weekend bartender and he was sitting talking with his friend Ron. My dad called me over and introduced me to a member of the New York Yankees!! Pretty big stuff for a 10 year old, the next time I saw him a few weeks later he walked up to me and handed me a ball autographed by the entire Yankee team (wow!!) Couldn't wait to show that off to my friends hehe.

The article says he died of heart failure at the age of 65, and was quite thrilled to get and see his Yankees win one more World Series this year. I will just remember the guy who shook my hand and was happy to talk with me and gave that ball simply because he knew it would make a kid happy.

Crew Cup Weekend

Interesting Crew Cup weekend, 23-29 in the NA game, I typed in the wrong password but didn't realize it until game started. No table popped up and I got that sinking feeling, we had a complete meltdown in this one, led by yours truly.

In the practice league we opened with a nice 5-47 on Saturday and backed it up today with a 1-47. We had three short stacks that just grinded it out and admittedly got lucky a few times. But we did do what your suppose to do in that format, in non team format I would have doubled up several times but wasn't right play. Was still frustrating to see the hands hit grrrrr. But bottom line is we got the win and I am guessing combined with Saturdays 5th we will be sitting atop the heep in Practice League.

Now in the NA it is going to take some doing to get one of two spots by end of month, best we heat up quickly.

Cada Wins Main Event

Well this was interesting, the play from nine down to seven took about fourteen hours and was just filled with bad beats and questionable decisions by the combatants. Here are a few hands that stuck out to me.

Shulman who was playing very tight, I dont remember if he went all-in or if Cada reraised him all-in but they got it all-in preflop with Shulman AK vs Cada AJ. This hand crippled Cada and seemed like it would doom his chances.

Ivey all-in with AK gets called by Moons AQ (nothing wrong here) and Moon spikes the queen sending Ivey to the rail. Boy does Ivey have a rough history with AQ in big events.

Cada wins an all-in with 3-3 vs J-J,then 2-2 vs Q-Q. The boy was running hot after his AJ hiccup,but he had to have played very well to get there in the first place, but he did make a few curious plays IMO.

I dont remember the specifics bu there were two hands where an Ace spiked on the river in huge pots, I remember thinking that these hands will really play well on television. When they did finally get to HU Cada starts with 2.25-1 advantage which I mentioned in previous post, Moon slowly cuts him up and takes better then 2-1 lead and then pushes all-in on a board of 10-9-x-10 while holding 8-7 and after long wait Cada calls with J-9 and dodges the river and wins huge pot to go from way behing to slightly ahead.

Some disagree but to me this was "Moons Mistake", didn't need a homerun here. He let him back in the game while going for knockout. But no guts no glory I guess. Only thing I wish is that the best hand would have held up more down the stretch. Also I understand long term ESPN contract in place so we are going to be stuck with this delayed format for years to come.

Crew Cup November: Game 1

Tonight was first game of November Crew Cup, was hardest game I ever played. I won't go into the details but I am just very happy that I did well for the other five players. I will do everything in my power to get them qualified this month, not going to think past that. They are a great bunch of guys/gals though.

Anyway the team was seventh out of twenty nine which is a respectable start to the six game series. I hit two out rivers twice with KK to win hands when out flopped, also was rivered by AK with KK and flopped a set with KK and checked it, guy with 99 caught set on turn and the fireworks started.

Second Omaha H/L Pot Limit: Plus Moon Cada HU

Finished second tonight in the Omaha H/L Pot Limit game $3.30 Buy-In. Was my only action of the day. Seems the worse I feel the better the results lately lol.

Here is your WSOP update of Main Event heads up between Cada and Moon:
53 Hands Played
Cada started action with about a 2.25-1 chip advantage but they are virtually even as they just went to a break. http://www.bluffmagazine.com/live/?source=575_bm30342-poker_090531.asf This is the link in case I get a late night reader interested in watching lol. I did help a few players out while playing game earlier. Better to listedn now because television going to chop it to pieces.

3 For 5 While Listening To WSOP

Listening to Final Table of Main Event of WSOP as I type this, and we are down to five players. Darvin Moon has just put it to Phil Ivey with AQ vs Iveys AK, then reraising Begleiter who had QQ with his AQ in a 49 million pot and rivering the ace. So after six hours of nobody going out, two players drop in about a 20 minute span. (five left)

And speaking of five, thats how many games I played today and managed to cash in three, highlight was finishing 7th in the $500 Guaranteed on Carbon. The month is off to a sluggish start but I am in the black after first week.

Back to the WSOP, Darvin Moon is kind of being looked at as the donk of the table, supposedly they will play until they hit HU but the pace is incredibly slow. I am finding the play by play very good though, discussing how they are thinking two and three moves ahead in a hand. The sad part is so many of the interesting hands where there wasn't even a flop will never make it to the tv coverage.

Turkey Day At The ShowBoat

Well I am returning to one of my old traditions, going to Atlantic City on Thanksgiving. I tried cooking a turkey once and I have to say it was one of the most disgusting experiences ever. It is not an attractive looking piece of food unprepared, and sticking ones hand inside, well lets not go there.

When I first started going it was a novel idea, but the day eventually became quite popular with the Asian culture, they were there in very large numbers. I haven't done this in about five years I think so it should be fun. At the moment I have eight people lined up, I am the only poker player in the lot.

It is only a one night affair so I will just get in one tournament and probably two really good meals hehe. Perhaps some quality time in the sauna and whirlpool as well, one of my guests is going for the first time since we went together about 15 years ago.

The US Poker Championships started Nov.2 at The Taj Mahal and will run thru the 24th, fear not everyone I am not entering any events this year lol.

Omaha Win 41 PLayers

I wasn't going to play last night but at last minute entered the Pot Limit Omaha H/L on Merge ($3.30). I did paperwork to keep my mind busy and played one of tightest safe games ever. Ton of pots with 6-7 players seeing the flop, and I was just plodding along middle to lower third entire game.

Started FT as one of lower stacks and just waited and waited, saw the big guys blow off with loose play. At six handed (paid 5) was all-in pre-flop against the shortest stack and I held up. Three handed took over an hour, I guess being preoccupied and not totally there keeps me from doing anything stupid.

41 players so a nice little hit, career win #210 which closes out a reasonably solid month (poker wise) Changing gears, I won October points race at my forum hehe, third spinning trophy. We now have 204 members but still finding it hard to land another game that will draw players in. I opened my chatroom about two hours prior to our Carbon tourney, about 10 players showed up so was pretty cool. I haven't decided yet how often to open it, I have no way of monitoring it 24/7.

Very Close

Standing in the bank this morning leaning against wall drinking my hot tea and in walks a gentleman wearing a jacket with a Notre Dame logo on it. He starts filling out his transaction and I ask him " are we a fan"? He says "oh yes big time", graduated from the school in 1960. So I tell him about my recent trip up to Purdue where I went to Notre Dame game, he had total recall on the game hehe. Even said he had been to games at Purdue, was telling me I have to go see Notre Dame campus.

So we commiserated about the loss to USC last week lol and went over schedule and how we see rest of games unfolding, nice fella. Took my mind of the Giants two game losing streak grrrr.

On to poker, set my schedule up so I could play in this game at 2:00pm today, made it with a few to spare and low and behold...... the game did not appear on Carbon. Oh well, so later in day I enter a $100 freeroll on PokerSpace with 139 players and finish 4th, so that was pretty good consolation prize. Amazingly I pushed AK four handed and the big stack who was a donk that I had been waiting out called me with Q-5 for 65% of his stack and hit. But even with that he went out 3rd, no ability to manage his chippies.

Second Best: Survived The Carnage

I didn't know anything about these PokerSpace Indy leagues until after tonights game. I see it at the top of the "Home Page" but never took time to read it and now that I am temporarily as blind as a bat I am just happy to semi see my cards when I play.

After getting third in my forum game tonight I entered this $5.50 on Carbon and after making final table lost the internet for 15 minutes grrrr. Was happy to comeback and still have over 2000 chips. Was some sick sucking out going on, I sat back and waited for the carnage to end and hoped it missed me.

Heads up fell in my lap when my C4P teammate Jermn fell prey to LEOGODs nasty river. Plugged away and when primed for a double up I lost my 60-40 all-in reraise.

I Seem To Be On A Mini Forum Hot Streak

Very Very Lucky. Played the "don't get broke" philosphy again, trusted my reads once we got to three handed. Forum win #70 and MTC win #10, you knew I had to throw in some numbers hehe.

Blind Man Wins Without A Bluff

Saturday night I am minutes away from turning off the computer, I am watching television and pick up reading glasses to check something online. I see a little smudge on them so I decide to give them a little wipe on my St Johns sweatshirt and pop!!!!!! don't ask me how but the little bridge snaps in half and I now have two pairs of glasses, or should I say two lenses on a stick.

They do not make over the counter reading glasses for MTC, they range from 1.5-2.75 at most stores, I know they make a 3.25 because it is on the chart. Unfortunately they do not carry the Mr. Magoo/ Cane and a Cup model which I seem to require. I tried the 2.75 but couldn't see more then blurrs, so I taped these things together but they are crooked and so close together they sit on bridge of nose lol. They are giving me a headache, so getting a headache playing the game that gives me a headache hehe.

So after staying offline all day I entered a tournament at Poker 101A, it was the top e-mail so I chose that game. First time I have ever played and low and behold I won, was an Omaha Hi game. Small field but $5 game helps take sting out of my tilt out last night on AP, first one I had in long time.

AHHHH YESSSS!!!

Even though it got off to a dismal start, today is one of those days where I am grateful to have online poker. I am sitting here playing an Omaha H/L tournament on Full Tilt,and no matter what happens, in the end this game is helping because I feel like I am about 92 today lol.

I have two pain patches on my back, enough pills in me to sedate a horse, and my left arm propped under a pillow. Wearing a baggy sweatshirt (Ohhh A-Rod just homered in the 11th to tie the game vs the Angels, I am a Met fan but you have to love clutch hits when the pressure is amped up) and NY Giants pajamas. Two big pieces of cake and the largest glass of chocolate milk you have ever seen lol. My hair is disheveled to say the least.

My own private casino right here, and I decide when it closes. I know as nice as the Borgata is I am not getting a 32oz chocolate milk. Well could back at room after game but it would cost about $11.50 lol. So as much as I complain (what me complain?) from time to time this little $5 game is "Making My Day".

I Finally Won My Own Game

Wahooo!!! Who am I kidding, anyone who sat in my seat would have won tonight. I played 7-10 suited and flopped A-10-10. I busted a shortstack who had AA with 10-5 and he flopped a set. I got outflopped by A6 with AK on an all-in call (business as usual) but the king found its way home.

It just went that way the entire game, then three handed I had MRSEVILCLOWN and Major Buzz, two players I know pretty well. I just was in the right seat tonight, my ninth MTC win. But more importantly it is the third win since I started concentrating more.

2-4 In Wins Since Adjusting Philosophy

Up against a very agressive opponent HU I held my ground pretty good. Made some plays and had a nice river suckout to end game, surprised he didn't fold when I reraised his continuation bet/bluff but it fell my way.

So have chalked up two "Ws" since getting my head back in the game. Lets hope I can keep it rolling, I want so many wins that I run out of wall space down here hehe. Love Omaha but played the Holdem half of game very solid tonight.

Play To Level Of Compeition

So there I was doing my silly picture frame thing the other day (PokerSpace Win) I just get a kick out of peoples reaction when they come down to my basement and see all the golf and poker things plus all the photos of family and friends.

Anyway I open up a frame and out falls a bunch of my USGA Handicap cards from the early 1990s lol. It was funny, I remember how the gamblers hated when the postings came out and there handicap may have gone down, they wanted it up so they gave less strokes or got them when they played. I was totally opposite, I wanted desperately to be a scratch golfer and worked my tail off to get my handicap as low as I could.

When I did play for money I never took shots from anyone even though I played with a few guys that had 0-2 handicaps. I always fet it would drive me to get better if I didn't have a crutch when I played. It may have cost me a few bucks from time to time but it did make me a better player.

I went over 1992, I got as low as 3.2 and finished at 4.3. I am trying to figure out when I slept. Living on eastern Long Island I had access to so many incredible courses that at that time you could go out after 4pm and shoot right out and play 18 holes before it got dark. Middle Island CC became my home course, 27 hole layout which at time was longest course on the Island.

The point I was trying to get to was, my game got better as I found more and more good players to play with. I feel the same way about poker, it is really hard to improve your game if you just stagnate and play the same games and same stakes all the time. I really am curious what would happen if I had more time to step in live arena and play bigger buy-ins and more cash games. I wouldn't even mind taking my lumps a little as long as I felt I was getting better.

I am getting bored alot of the time now and it shows in the quality of play and results. On other hand as I did post last week, have identified some fixes from my more successful days and will try to run with that. Have only played one game since then that wasn't merely a satellite or a team game so nothing to report yet on that.

Don't Get Broke

Well earlier today I was thinking back to when I used to win quite frequently and was trying to identify something that might help me get out of this funk I am in. One thing did come to mind, the phrase "don't get broke". Is a line from David Sklansky but also was my early philosophy when I knew little of the strategy of playing tournaments.

I definetely had fallen into being comfortable with losing games and just finding another one to play. So I told myself next time you tee it up just try to remember that and be a little more mentally tough. I played a PokerSpace buy-in tonight and trust me I didn't dazzle anyone with great moves, it was more of my old plodding style. Be aware of other guys tendencies, wait out certain players and just "don't get broke"

I didn't get unlucky in any big showdowns and did win one big one with KQ vs AK, three handed (it's a miracle!!!) Seeing a nice result will hopefully keep me focused for the near future, would love to get back to somewhere near the success level I used to have. PokerSpace win #2, could I be in route to conquering my house of horrors?

The Friendly Skies

Okay have to talk a little about the state of air travel. Last week was the first time I flew and had to pay to check luggage, now granted I always overpack but how did this new policy come about? I had two bags plus my mini netbook computer case so I only had to check one bag, I really wanted to check two and carry just the little computer one but it was really rubbing me the wrong way to pay $50 to check two bags.

Now here is the interesting thing, some people took bags up to plane and then checked them right at door, but they didn't pay anything. It was like playing stupid about the size of your bag got you a free ride. What am I the only honest idiot left?

My plane was hysterical, I called it "The Number 2 Pencil". Two seats on each side and an aisle about two feet wide. When I stood up in aisle my head grazed top of plane, I won't even go into the bathroom lol. Was fitting I was going to a Notre Dame game because I had to stand like the hunch back of you know where. Saving grace was I had nobody in seat next to me both ways, woohoo!! I have to learn to fly first class.

Notre Dame 24 Purdue 21

Well this was quite an experience, my brothers home is only minutes from the Purdue campus so this town lives and breathes Purdue football. Lets kick it back to Friday night where they do previews on the news of the upcoming High School games about to be played. They call this day "Friday Night Frenzy"

Our School, West Lafayette took on Rensselaer and won 21-7. Atmosphere was amped up a bit more then we get here on Long Island. After game we went to pub where all coaches from teams in area went to drink, socialize and watch recap and highlight show on television about all the nights games.

So now it's Saturday and tailgate party followed by nationally televised game on ESPN. The party is held on the Purdue golf course, my brother drops Bill and myself off on the first tee with some supplies and a football and goes to park the car, all the others have been there for hours already setting up tents and preparing food.

So were tossing ball around and up come four guys getting ready to enjoy game and we say hello and are joking about my rollout pass to my brother I just threw (It was not pretty,shell of my former self lol). Well turns out one of them is Tony Rice, he was the quarterback who took Notre Dame to the 1988 National Championship. He showed us his ring from winning it and Billy showed him his Notre Dame tattoo lol. I could have asked him to muck for a few pictures but it didn't seem like the right thing to do. I did take this as a good sign that we were going to get the win today.

Tailgate party was cool, never saw so much food and drink and yet no drunk and rowdy behavior. When we finally went into stadium we had a crowd of 59,000 and safe to say that except for the ND section in the end zone 98% were rooting for Purdue. So there is Billy and myself with my other brother John and his wife on the 45 yard line about 20 rows up from field, two people in a sea of Purdue fans (gulp) rooting for the Fighting Irish.

The seats are so tightly packed it was a bit shocking at first, plus nobody sits down the entire game. Long story short Notre Dame pulls out a heart stopping 24-21 win with a touchdown with 24.8 second left on a fourth down 3 yard touchdown pass.

Couldn't really let out a whoohooo!!! as the Purdue fans grimaced, but sure was a fun experience to take in a game and have my favorite team get the win to boot.

The Older We Get The Better We Used To Be

I am sure you have all heard that one, or how about "never let the truth get in the way of a good story" hehe. Was sitting in basement earlier and glanced up at area where I have some golf stuff framed on the wall and realized that today is the 27th anniversary of my first hole in one. What is funny is the first thing I thought of was not the hole or club or even yardage but that I had a 30 inch waste lol. Now I can't even look at food to try to be a 34 grrrr.

Back then I could eat three meals a day, go to Burger King on way home from beach, hit diner at 4am after night at bar and not gain an ounce. On the flipside if I knew then what I know now ugh. Would have a beach house and a Porsche just for weekemd driving lol. Oh and I would have held onto my baseball cards.

Rounders Radio @ Reefer

The blind squirrel finds a nut.

Razz Qualifier To Omaha H/L $2000: 7-3544

Played a Razz Limit qualifier to a $2000 event (Omaha H/L Fixed Limit) which will be held on Sept. 20th at 14:00 est, it is Tournament 195150597. 3544 players for 64 seats, once I had seat locked up I really wanted the win, biggest fields I have ever won against are a little over 1800 and next is about 975. Have three seconds against fields over 1500 so this would really be a cool feather in the cap for the stat freak lol.

Was running in top 5-10% of field entire game, was actually in top 10-15 chip counts from 600 player mark on down. Once we hit about 125 I put the brakes on against big stacks and stepped on smaller ones with raises when I could.

So lets get to the last hand (grrrr) huge pot, I had dropped to 6-7 when hand started, three players in hand and one folds after 5th card. I bet all-in after 6th card with 8-6-4-3-2. We turn them up and with a quick glance I see he has to have a four on the river to beat me, he is holding 9-8-6-3-A. I remember seeing a 4 out already and I have one but grrrrrr he got it.

Four hours and 12 minutes sunk by a two outer, so typical Paul hehe. Still a very good showing.
Update: Finished 1259th for a minor cash in the Omaha H/L game

5.50 HORSE Limit: 9-144

Another positive finish today, I lost the internet for about six minutes with 27 players left. I was not a happy puppy lol. But I kept grinding, who knows maybe the six minutes stopped me from making one of my patented bad plays down the stretch hehe.

Fighting Back

I have been taking a royal whipping at Full Tilt for about two or three months, treading water everywhere else. Why do I keep going back for more punishment?
Today I did a reload and alas I won an "11 Toothpick" Omaha H/L SnG, a tidy net 34.
I am to good to keep getting pummeled, I find that I manage to play three or four very untidy hands every damm game lately.

But hey Football is here!!! I have something else to make me drink four alka-seltzers a day, it's called the New York Giants. Met season has long been lost, golf is winding down. So we have football, pretzels and M+Ms hehe.

I am two weeks from attending the Notre Dame Purdue game and what do the Fighting Irish do? Lose to Michigan in the last minute grrrrrr. Looking forward to the tailgate party woohoo!!!!.

Now to another poker subject, granted I am in my 40's with two bad elbows and a cranky neck. How do these guys sit at the tables for all those hours and maintain the proper level of concentration to succeed? I go for a couple of days, play a limited amount and my head is pounding and I feel like I just played against the 1985 Chicago Bears defense without any pads, I can't function for a week. Live poker is awesome but boy laying on the couch in my lounge wear with a pepsi, ring dings and the remote control is pretty sweet sometimes lol.

360 Poker: Test Freeroll

Another game on this new site I am testing out. Finished 2-10, the players have been pretty good but the software gives me a headache hehe. That snapping sound when you fold. Have amassed "23 toothpicks" during the test, they list e-checks on there website but it didn't show up in cashier area.

I Will Never Forget

Well I just hopped into bed and flipped on the tv and am getting hit with the replay feed of the events of 9-11 as they unfolded eight years ago. As I drove home from AC today I glanced at the NY skyline and still can not get used to the Trade Center not being there.

That was always such a vibrant area, one of my favorite places to work in all of New York. I loved the street entertainers, the chess games going on in Liberty Park. Just walking around you could always find something to do or someone to talk to.

I spent many a day above the 100th floor for my job and never got tired of the views I was priveleged to take in. Had many great lunches with the guys down in the bar, often on Fridays we would get together and all catch up on things and swap work stories. Even when I was working at One Liberty I would still go over to Trade Center to shop or have a beer from time to time.

My Uncle worked for years on the 73rd floor, to this day I am not sure exactly what he did lol. But would run into him from time to time at another restaurant up the street. I still can't get my arms around the warped mentality that would do and continue to do these horrible events.

So much disagreement and hate in the world, we continue to kill each other for the most senseless reasons. We are the only living form that dosent kill simply for survival needs. I don't know what the answer is but I don't see an end in site at the moment. We are almost becoming immune to the daily or weekly bombing that kills 10-20 people, it is barely news anymore.

I still get mad when I am driving around and pass a street that has been renamed for someone who lost there life on 9-11, what did that person ever do to deserve that fate? All they did was get up and go to work to support there family that day. It is so sad. But I am glad streets were renamed, I like that constant reminder, these people should not be forgotten and the powers to be in this world have to figure out how to bring some unity to all the factions of the world.

Come On Second 12!! Rapid Roulette

On occasion I do wander away from the felt and dabble in a few of the other games even though I know the odds are stacked toward the house. They have this new Roulette area where you have computer screens and chairs circled around a dealers pit where the wheel is along with two people from the house. Your screen is the Roulette board and you touch bet in whatever you want to play, you only have 30 seconds to get your bets down with a $2.50 minimum.

So it's a cheaper buy-in per spin but the volume is higher, upside is also that your not reaching over and around six people to get your bets down. I bought in for "20 Toothpicks" just to give it a try and in 25 minutes was up to "71 Toothpicks". You can even cyper tip the dealers from your screen lol. I was quite happy to walk away with a small score.

I could easily get hooked on playing Roulette this way, will definetely put this little game in the rotation. When you want to stop playing you hit cashout and the dealer comes over and pays you in chips, and we all enjoy that walk to the cashier cage lol. Hey thats enough for three cups of coffee at Starbucks in the lobby!!

Omaha H/L @ Taj Mahal

The short version of my MTT last night goes like this, two short tables left and blinds are 800-1600 and I pick up AK suited in position 5. 1 + 2 limp in I have 13BBs, kinda in a stuck position here, you raise 4x and miss your at 9BBs if you don't find a way to take down the pot.

I go for the push hoping to pick up 5600, folds around to first limper who has almost same stack as me, maybe 3 more BBs. He makes the call and other folds.

AK
A3

I should be doing cart-wheels in the aisle and moonwalking but the same scenario has busted me 2 of last 3 live events. Sure enough he splashes the three, I can't get my hands around that call but I see it every damm game. I took it with a smile and embarked on phase two of the poker night.

I walk over to the Taj and see a 2-4 Omaha H/L limit game with only one name on wait list so sign me up. Bought in for $200 and table started with three players over 60, two of which were woman. This one lady was running the table, had me scared to death lol. Within 45 minutes to an hour five of the players had rotated out and we had four woman, and seven players my age or younger.

One thing I didn't know about was this thing called a "kill pot", if someone wins a pot over $40 the bet goes up to $3 to start the next hand. Well in Omaha you see alot of white chips ($1) and I slowly started to amass a nice stack. I went with the triangle setup, was only up a couple of hundred but it looked like much much more hehe. This is where live poker blows online away, real chips!!!!! I am a constant chip fiddler, always aware of how much I am up or down.

I did embarass myself and misread the board once, this cost me $12. I then realized it was about time to wrap this thing up. Found my way back upstairs and ate a box of cookies, another wonderful dinner. All the players were having chinese food, the one food I absolutely can't stand. Looks to me like they are eating a bowl of worms lol.

Update: Was grinding away in the ShowBoat MTT today when with blinds at 800-1600 I had 99 and the board came out 9-8-4 with two spades. I had to bet my set with that board so I fired, other player came over the top all-in. I called and said "hope your not on a draw". She flipped up two spades, turn was a blank, river was doom hehe.

But the more relaxed me, well actually I never get amped up live when things go bad. I took my two defeats in stride, I am out of house for few days, eating to much lol cracking silly jokes at the table and having a pretty good time.

Splash The Chips

It is two hours until my first game, sitting here doing a little "Corona Therapy" while I look out at the ocean. As I suspected the regular Borgata schedule is shutdown while the WPT Borgata Open runs. I wasn't able to get here in time for todays event so I have to choose between Taj and Showboat, both are pretty good games, have a chop win in the Showboat and a Outright win and a chop win at the Taj so I have good energy either way.

Tomorrow the Pot Limit Omaha is available to me in at Borgata, it's a $350 event,I am on the fence here. Statistically I do well in Pot Limit, I prefer Fixed Limit even though I am in a severs SnG slump at it. What to do, what to do. Maybe another beer will help.

Good Send Off

Played a freeroll tonight on a new sight called 360 Poker and finished 3rd. This is good because it paid three spots, weeeeee!! Recognize the software from PokerHost and whatever that big network was a few years back.

Will keep an eye on this site and see if maybe I can do something with it for my forum. This amazing cash sprngboards me off to AC in the morning brimming with confidence hehe.