Hello World

Hello there world!

I know, I don't blog as much as I used to, but, I'm working on it. I am up to alot of good stuff lately, and I am enjoying 2010 to it's fullest so far. I hope you are too!

I just got back from a trip to California where I played in the LA Poker Classic 1,000,000 gauenteed event. It was way out of my bankroll, but it was my birthday present from my parents, so I gave it my best shot. I had butterflies before I got there, but once I sat down I was in the groove, and I played the best, most solid game I ever have. I was out lucked, so that was all she wrote. I ran my Pocket Kings into Pocket Queens, but he got to a straight that cut my stack in half. My last hand was AK against AQ with AQ on the flop. Happy Birthday to me.... Anyway, my parents showed up to rail me (a little late) so we went and learned Commerce's version of 3 card poker. Once we figured out all the differences, it was a lot of fun. Luck was not on my side that day (it seems to run in 24 hour cycles for me), so I just watched my dad gamble my way into day 1b. He wanted to stake me, so we made a 50/50 deal, and I proceeded to get get very tipsy for my birthday after that. We went to Noe in Hollywood, and it was very yummy, with excellent service. I vaugly recall some sort of puff pastry that was described as tasting like "old mans ball sac", and after eating it, think it was a fairly acccurate description.... Other then that, dinner was DELICIOUS.

My parents dropped me off and I got a room for the night, slept in, and showed up in day before makeup and no brushed hair, which I actually pulled off surprisingly well. I played terrible, and busted out, convincing myself I really should wait until I properly build the bankroll up, before entering again. I went down and played 3 card for a bit, made a grand, played a little entertaing, but not successfull poker next to a VERY hot guy I hope to run into again someday, and went home. Happy and financially ahead (since I didn't lose my money lol).

My parents decided to go to the Barrett-Jackson auction, and since nobody was gonna be there, I decided I would just go to Vegas the next day. I got luck and caught on of the very few on time flights out of LAX and arrived in Vegas. Found the fastest cab driver on the planet, prop bet him on the time to the hotel (he beat it by 3 min.), and had the slowest casino invited guest check ins of all time. Made it to my room, changed, freshened make up, and made it to the Mirage 5 minutes late for the 7:00 bounty. I registered with my buddy Phil, and we both went deep, but not deep enough. He doubled up on his first hand, and I doubled up on the third hand, so we both got off to good starts. Mine was miraculous bussted Aces. He made a standard, proper, "I've got a top pair raise", I decided to call with my pocet 7's. There was one other caller, and the flop came 237 rainbow. I shoved, Aces snap call, pocket 3's folded. my set held. woo hoo. I left him 500 to play with, and he doubled up on every hand he played for a while after that, and actually went deep. I only know that cause pocket 3's told me when he was moved to my table. I played 99 percent of this game SO great, and 10% (as soon as I got big stacked) like total shit. I went from big stack to bust in about 5 hands. Talk about tilt geeze!

Anyway, we busted, then scooted to Sahara for the 11:00. My favorite tourny appears to have gone to complete shit. It's like they got new chips and then everyone quite showing up. Im probably going to skip it next time I hit town. Anyway, we both did terrible quickly there and headed to Aria for some cash. I love this poker room, but I am deathly allergic to the chairs. It's worth it for the poker though. I lost 175 on my first hand when I ran my 2 pairs into a flopped boat. Oooops. He was nice enough to (purposely) not take all my money, and I took a while to try to make it back. There were three fish at the table if you count me, but I slowly worked my way out of minnowhood, and back to the respectful end of poker in the 5 hours we were there. I learned alot in that game, and ended up making most of my money back. I actually managed to figure out a few leaks in my game that I had no idea about, and I fixed those. All in all it was just good solid fun. I got two hours of sleep before I had to check out, then I went and tooled around the MGM until my flight. That in a nutshell (BIG Nutshell) was my Birthday week.

I was so glad to get home, and get the kids back, and sleep in my own bed, you have no idea.

Well, now I have gone and submitted a casting call for Survivor. I'm not completly sure why, but I think I would really love the challenge. The audio sucks though. Go check it out, and give it love, even if you have to fake it (please, pretty please).

My Casting Call

relationships in poker terms

Okay, I guess I have been wanting to write a blog profiling my relationships in poker terms for quite a while now.

Here's the low down. I have played my relationship hands in an incrediblby fishy way. Pocket dueces against AK pot comitted type of fishy. Chasing gut shots to the river, and then pouting cause I lost the pot kinda fishy.

Oddly, as I have journeyed to a tighter more aggressive poker game, I have done the same thing in my personal life. I have not been playing marginal hands. I may limp in the occasional 9 10 from the big blind, and lose a little calling a raise on a 10 high board to pocket J's, but I am never too pot commited to fold. I try to know when I am beat before putting my purse in the pot. On the flip side, I am learning (much harder) how to commit to the best hand on a scary board.

So, here is the hand I am playing now. Idiot end of an open ended straight flush draw. I'm not too pot commited to fold, but I am fairly sure given the 1 outer, I could have the nuts. I have 2 outers really, but the other could give someone a higher straight flush (and that gets pretty expensive, I know from experience lol) Also ANY flush may be enough, as very possibly nobody else has two hearts in play, and may just be playing for the straight. So, the crossroads question here is: Smooth call, raise, or fold. My choice is smooth call. If the board were farther away from nuts, I would raise, just to test where everyone else is. If I do hit the nuts, I want somebody betting into me.

This is really where I am struggling in both my relationships, and my poker game right now. Proper play after the flop. I know this is where I get railroaded and make the wrong decisions. I'm playing the right hands, but after I double up a couple times, everyone know exactly what I am playing, and I have a really hard time chiping up. If I am in it after a raise, I am either all ready WAY ahead of you,or I need one of several (always obvious) cards to be WAY ahead of you. I think it's time I learn to bluff. I know it's time I learn to bluff. Guess I better buy some more books LOL.

How would you play this hand? Take the poll on the right and weigh in!