Tournament Results...

Well all the mental preparation wasn't for nothing. I finished second in the "End of the Year" tournament last night. The BIG WINNER for the night was Frank Wolfe. He and I went heads up for a few hands, when the blinds were at $3,000-$6,000, with only $25,000 in chips even in play. Great job Frank...enjoy the big payout, you deserve it. I'll exact my revenge in next year's tournaments! :) Here's the listing of all the winners:

1. Frank 473
2. Brian M. 293
3. Brian S. 180
4. Russell 112
5. Robert 67
6. T.J. 50

The Bubble Boy for the evening was Erik P.

I hope everyone enjoyed the whole evening of cards and carrying on! Special thanks to Chris B, for keeping us all in line. Thanks to all who pitched in by helping or with donations on the food. We really do appreciate it. I'm already looking forward to January's tournament...see you ALL then!

Sounds like tonight Big Red and I are heading to the Yanok's for another fun-filled poker evening and New Year's Eve libation! I'll be seeing many of you there.

Regards,

cheer_dad

End-of-the-Year Tournament 2006!

Tonight's the night...for the NDPT End-of-the-Year Tournament 2006!
I guess that makes it the 2nd annual. The first one was won by...hmmm...now who was that...oh yeah...it was ME! I suppose I should go for the repeat. The Win Sequel! I'm getting psyched up for it...WHOOOYAHHHH! Of course so is everbody else too. I have 24 people tonight, 3 tables, and of course a $50 buy in. There are NO rebuys for this special game. Also, this year, the winner of the NDPT points race for the year gets in for FREE! Congrats TJ Sellers on your victory over the pack. I was on your heels. But there's always next year.

Right now I'm just killing time, trying to stay occupied. Trying to keep my mind off of anything in particular. Just a little mental preparation. Lower the heart rate...reduce the stress. Preparing myself not to play...but to win tonight! :) Regardless of how it all turns out, I expect a phenomenal game tonight...and the crew that comprises the NDPT always delivers.

As always, Chris Brothers will be tackling the role of Tournament Director. His job this year, has been greatly appreciated, I hope by all, and if you agree, please tell him so. If you disagree, keep your FOOL mouth shut! From my perspective...it has increased my ability to enjoy and focus on the game.

A number of monumental events have taken place over the last few days. On Christmas day James Brown died. The following day, former President Gerald Ford died. And now today, in a remarkably speedy action, ousted Iraqi leader Saddam Hussein was hanged having been found guilty of crimes against humanity. All of these events have given many great pause.

May reflection, self improvement, positive attitude, and intestinal fortitude guide you all in the coming year. That and LIVE CARDS! :)

Regards,

cheer_dad

It ain't over til it's over!

We watched Rocky Balboa last night. (shhhhh, screener copy) It was a very good movie. I really enjoyed it. It was more about story and drama than ever before. Sure there were a few speeches along the way about bein' a man...and givin' it one last shot...but hey...it's a Rocky movie. I liked it, and that's good enough for me. As proof that Rocky still has an impact I offer up the fact that following this movie, my son went immediately to his room, changed into a muscle shirt, and put on his kiddie boxing gloves, and spent like the next hour or so jogging in place in front of the tv and shadow boxing. So the message is as powerful today as it always was. There's a lot of heart in the character of Rocky and it has shown through the generations, through to this final chapter of the saga.


One question though...when did they take down Rocky's statue from in front of the library?!
Hmmm. what's Google got to say...
http://travel.nytimes.com/2006/11/19/us/19rocky.html

Well now, ask a stupid question, get a stupid answer. And here I thought it had been there All Along!

Let's see what else...well nothing much really. I'm back at work, just watching the clock. ARGHHH!

And there is no poker content to this post at all, since I didn't play at all yesterday. I logged on at one point to UB, but sighed...and said to myself, I'm really not in the mood for this today. Now THAT is shocking! Maybe I'm coming down with something.

Well time to get back to it.

Regards,

cheer_dad

Ho Ho Ho...

Merry Christmas all! It's all been unwrapped, trash cleaned up, presents and toys more or less stored neatly. I'm showered and ready, and just waiting on the rest of the clan to finish up this morning so we can head on over to Aunt Kathy's house. I wonder if we'll actually be on time for dinner? But then again, why break with tradition.

We had a bit of an awkward time, when the laptop was unveiled, and it was learned by Whitney that it would reside in Cole's room. BUT, she's older, and needs more supervision with the computer at this stage...and she's more than welcome to use any of the four computers here at the house, including the one in Cole's room. It was ALWAYS my assertion that the laptop would be a shared device for the two of them. She seems to have cooled off a little bit. Whew!

Mom and Dad came over this morning, and Big Red's Mom was here too. My mom brought her new toy over, she got the same laptop that the kids got. So I had to continue patching it and give her a few last minute pointers with it.

Papaw took the kids downstairs to try out their new helicopters...which are surprisingly COOL! Very small...and very powerful little gizmos. Even I may get some playtime in with them!

We made our rounds last night, from house to house. We had lunch over at my parents house. That evening we went to Angie's house and saw Chris, Doug, Richard, etc...and company. Enjoyed some margarita's and tried that Disaronna liqueur...very good stuff. Then we left there and headed over to Chris and Laura, and the Riordan's were still there as well. I imbibed a few beers, and a few shots of the Wild Turkey liqueur, which is VERY TASTY!

Anyway, I hope your Christmas is going as well as mine. Seems to be smooth so far!

Oh and for a little poker content. Well more blackjack did me in yesterday. I was doing well, and had climbed up quite well, and was feeling good about it. Then the bottom dropped out, and I was left looking stupid at the screen. Played a couple of SNG's when I got home late last night, and finished 2nd in a $5, and got knocked out of the $10, so I would have broke even in them both, except for the friggin' rake! DOH! I'm still above the $750 mark, so I should be a little happy. But I had been at $800. But what blackjack gives...blackjack takes away!

Merry Christmas and I'll see you all on the 30th, for the End of the Year Tournament!

Regards,

cheer_dad

Last two online sessions...

Last night and the night before, were pretty good to me. And no I'm not talking huge amounts of money...when am I ever? I've been playing at the .25-.50 No Limit tables on UltimateBet.com. I was looking for something different than the 1-2 Limit table, which on UB is culturally different than that of many other Poker Rooms that I play. I don't know exactly how to put it into words...it's a feeling which gives me pause. In poker, at least in my poker, anything which gives you pause, should be acknowledged...paid attention to...and then find a way to distance yourself from it. Not fear...I could easily sit at the table and "bump onions" with these guys...but it isn't a quesiton of skill or patience. It's a question of luck...and willingness to take greater chances for high profit. But the converse to that is of course the potential for high losses. Now, at first the profit didn't seem to come from the .25-.50 level either. I was playing premiums and positional cards, well within acceptable %'s, and based on my win % I was doing well. But those wins were small. But two nights ago...a maniac came to the table...or was there when I arrived. He is 2 positions to my left. When I'm Big Blind...he's in early position in my book. But he begins a posture of betting out 4X the BB every time I'm the BB. Now, I he's doing it a lot of other times too, but particularly on me. Maybe he's got notes on me...for being ultra-tight...or weak...or whatever. If that was an impression he got over the course of a week or two prior...that was perfect. Because I had hit a very frigid streak...and was feeling a little weak myself. I was folding to raises and bets routinely, because, I had nothing, nada, zip... This guy continues on though...all through the night...I sat with $50, and had been up and down. I actually am at about $39 left after a few hundred hands...and I've got pocket 6's, in mid-to-late position, with 2 other limpers, I limp in. Prolly not the right move...but eh...why not. Mr. Maniac makes it $1.75 to go...again. 1 or 2 limpers fold out...again. Back to me. Now, he can't have a good hand all the time, right. But I haven't got to see a lot of his crap hands, because he's bullying the table. So, the time feels right to see a flop on this one. The flop comes out rainbow, with a King high...but OH LOOKEE...there's a little insignificant little 6 laying out there. Mr Maniac dives in with a $5+ bet, after I check to him...knowing he's going to bet out. I pause...long...utter a hmmmm to the chat window...pause...then go over top of him for double his bet. All of about 2 seconds pass from him, and all of his chips make a bee-line for the middle. I call immediately, of course, and my set holds fast...and I take down a pot that puts my chip stack at $81.75. Mr. Maniac, doesn't rebuy...but sits there, dumbfounded for quite some time. I say his hand...in fact a few hands later I went back to double check the hand history to make sure I hadn't imagined it. Yes...it was a 7-2! But, in his defense, they were suited. But not matching ANYTHING on the board. Moral to Mr. Maniac...just because you're bullying and it's working....doesn't mean that the trend will continue. I just had to wait for a hand to enable me to take your friggin' chips. But by all means PULEEZE keep up that strategy. I'll gladly bust you up again. And I wasn't even catching that great a level of cards that night.
Last night, I was catching cards. At least when it was important. BUT!!!! I was also running bluffs, and playing my position to the HILT! AND there was a proper mixture at the table to make it work for me. The thing that worked best for me was hitting a GOOD hand early on...on a RIVER SUCKOUT. HOWEVER!!! had my worthy opponent taken the bull by the horns he would have removed me from the hand prior to the RIVER, where I caught the card to torpedo his hand. I'm the SB, and this guy is the BB. The table folds to us...I'm sitting on a dismal J-6os. But I make the .25 call. He checks. The flop comes out 8-8-J. I bet weak... .75. He pauses, and calls. I'm feeling out my position, wanting to see where I stand. Next card is a blank...I bet out maybe $1.50 this time, still fearful of an 8. He pauses and just calls again. River comes...and it's a Jack. Now there's a card to make you smile. Now...the typical UB'er that I've seen would have got all moist on himself...and gone all in as fast as possible. I paused...long and hard here. I finally opted for a $4.50 bet. Larger than any of my other bets...but not all the way. I want my bet to be perceived as a half hearted attempt to buy the pot. I want him thinking I'm pretending to have a Jack, and not that I have one. He pauses briefly...and again only calls again, which surprised me a bit. BUT, I turn over my Jacks full of 8's, and by looking at the hand history I get to see that he had indeed been sitting on an 8 the whole time. Now, at any point during that hand, had he gone over the top of me...I would have dropped it, up to the River. He was trying to lay the mother of all traps on me, instead of taking down a smaller/yet respectable pot earlier. He wanted a kill shot. I wasn't interested in that so much, which is characteristic of my style. I'm ready and willing to take small pots as they present themselves, but I do not try to rush the action, and steal from unlikely/unhealthy postions. Whatever it is...it has worked for the last couple of days. Only the test of time will proivde the proof.

But with that I bid you a fond farewell.

Oh and if I don't post again, before then...MERRY CHRISTMAS too all!

Regards,

cheer_dad

When Blackjack paves the way...

It can't be a good thing for blackjack to be a profitable venture to subsidize my poker playing! But lately, after a few ill-placed suckout experiences where I got the worst of it in a couple of no-limit games on UB, my head was spinning, and the Tilt-Monster was threatening to come out to play. I "sat down" on both sessions at an online blackjack table. Remarkably...both sessions won back what I'd lost in poker, plus a wee-bit more. I broke through the $700 ceiling AGAIN on UB, still shy of the $730 level I'd been at before the previous blog entry mentioning a slump of sorts. I'm just a little weary of the 1-step up and 2-to-3-steps back! I'll stop whining now.

I mentioned on the NDPT website "http://ndpt.freewebpage.org/" that TJ was the NDPT Cup Champion for accumulating the most points this season. But it bears mention here as well. I of course was 4 points behind him in second place. I'm happy for him...and also proud of my own showing. One last game for this year. The $50 buy-in End-of-the-Year tournament on December 30th. I've got about 23 signed up so far. So, it's going to be another Big Game. The difference on this one is NO REBUYS! Also, for some reason the jump to $50 makes the game tighten down. Seemingly, way down. So much so that last year there were times that I was a table agressor, which is not a role that I'm typically in. Although, judging from some of the reading I've done lately, and what I've observed, it is a behavior that I'm going to have to foster in my game. Without it, I fear that I'm going to become more of a target as time goes by. There was a time that my rock solid tight play, was effective and respected at the table, but now more players seem to be undeterred by it when I do finally enter a pot. My presence needs to be more fully articulated at the table...I have some thoughts in mind to expand upon my table image, but I will NOT elaborate them here, in this very public blog...I mean DUH!!! I'm not going to show you my play book!

The holiday season is getting me down. I wish I knew why...but I've noticed this in previous years, and it is disturbing. It really sucks to recognize a trait or a reaction, but be unable to do anything to change it. Perhaps I just don't know "what" to do about it. Maybe a Google or two is in order. "How to combat the holiday blues...?" :)

Anyway, it's another day...another dollar, and it's time to get back to it!

Regards,

cheer_dad

It came from the 80's

Since signing up for Blockbuster's Total Access I've been clogging the queue with 80's movies! Among the ones so far watched:




This one got it started...note the prevailing gambling theme, despite that it is NOT about poker.









Christian Slater was always great...and I loved this movie...and it has always been hard to find!






Judd Nelson kind of fizzled, and some of his later choices of movies I questioned although, I wasn't walking in his shoes, so what do I know. This was one of my favorites.







This one is on its way. Yet another one that is DIFFICULT to find. Can't wait.





Back up to nearly $690 on UB, after experiencing a lengthy slump. Seem to be back on track. But man it feels like I'm playing a very, ultra-tight game. It's not fun time...it's been a little like work. Ahhhh, who am I kiddin'...I love every minute of it.

Time to go...

Regards,

cheer_dad

Enjoying the break in the action

Okay, that's not entirely true. I've reduced my play, just out of necessity. The losing streak was having an effect on my play. Tilt monster was beginning to stir from its slumber. What I found was that I wasn't playing each hand my best. I was lounging through some of them. Not paying as much attention as I should. I found some words of wisdom over at at Poker1.com from Mike Caro. I printed off a couple of his lectures and articles, and read them this week during a skating party that I took my son to. It made the time pass very quickly, and actually had me feeling a little better about the game of poker in general. The article made me realize that the fact that you DON'T KNOW when a streak (good or bad) will end you've got to be positioned and playing your best to avoid suffering greatly from a negative swing. Conversely, if things are going well at the table, then you should still be playing your best, to maximize the profits that are available. In short, maximize wins...minimize losses. Simple statement...difficult to fulfill. It is what it is... Deal with it.

It's time for a meeting so I've got to bring this to a close...

Regards,

cheer_dad

I've got to get out of this haze

I don't know what it is lately...but I really can't seem to shake the blues. Feeling the weight of the world pushing down. Coming to work...spending the day in a marathon of meetings, discussing "Opportunities for Improvement" meaning we're sitting around bitching about everything that's wrong, wanting to fix "it" but never really being able to find the handle on the elusive "it" to actually affect change. The futility of the meeting, the job, and utter existence is really pressing down. I'd say thank goodness for chemistry...but some days 100mgs just ain't cuttin' it. Even the things that typically have given me joy, fail to fulfill. I keep coming back to a "what's the use," mentality, that I know is counter productive. I started the morning off, looking at Google images, jokingly for Zoloft. Of course I found that one...the little bubble guy. Some others to come across my screen were:

"I got yer 'better living through chemistry' right here!"

Not sure what this one was all about:

But I downloaded it anyway! This search led me off on the following tangent, which was actually a bit of a bright spot on the day. I wandered across a collection of "Demotivational" images, which allowed me to laugh a bit. I may have actually come close to quota for the day:

Unfortunately, it appears Blogger.com caps the number of images, per post. So I can't post 'em all, so maybe I'll just have to continue the posting of the collection of images at a later date. It's nearly meeting time this morning, and I've got them wall-to-wall for most of the day. So you just know, I'm going to get bunches accomplished today!

On a semi-poker-related-note...Big Red and I are planning on going to Shuman's game on Friday night. We'll see how the advice from the HPT forums goes for me. Back are the days of the Ultra-Tight-Night. Taking only Big Hands...and getting more than likely little action. Sometimes it's the only way to weather an All-In-A-Thon. Sometimes, you can't even do that. But...everyone needs a plan...and that's mine.

Hope I haven't demotivated anyone else along with this less than positive post, but this is just how my mind works some days. Bear with me...it should improve...and maybe even SOON!

Regards,

cheer_dad

I just really haven't felt much like writing. As I mentioned before, I was sick...before. I think I've now recovered...I think. The eyes are still feeling a little funky, but I can at least breathe again. WAHOO! Lots of things have happened, just life stuff...you know, just things to occupy my time. My baby girl is now 14! Dec 2nd...a birthday she shares w/Britney Spears...as we've always teased her about. She had one of her girlfriends spend the night, over the weekend, and we all had a good time. I spent a lot of time working with her on her Science Project. We did it on M&M's and had people select them from a large bowl in a 10 second period...then we analyzed their choices, and how they were related to their favorite colors, and types of candy that they prefer. She said it went well.

I finally joined up with Blockbuster Online, so I've spent the last few days rating and ranking movies. Looking at recommendations...and various other stuff. I'm a little scared...I've already rated over 700 movies, that I Have ALREADY SEEN! Maybe I do watch to much TV and Movies, etc...SHEESH.

Well this will have to pass for a post. That's all I've got for tonight.

Regards,

cheer_dad

Getting a cold

I think I'm trying to get a cold. Okay, who am I trying to kid. I have a cold...and it's kickin' my backside. I've been taking the Tylenol Cold like it's candy...but of course that is just treating the symptoms, and doing nothing about getting me over it. I have a feeling this one as usual will require antibiotics! I'm off today...but have had a few errands to attend to. First, I had to drag myself out of bed...sick even...then go get an oil change, and alignment on the truck. That wasted an hour and a half of my day! Now, I'm putting in about an hour or so of play time on GamingClub (raked hand points toward yet another $75.) They just keep offering it...and I keep playing. Seems everytime I start out however, that I immediately take a BIG hit. This time...I went up first...then fell hard! Started at $340, got up to $367...then absofrigginlutely bottomed out, and fell below $300. On tilt after that...I wasn't at the time. Tilt had nothing to do with it. I tried loosening up my game a bit at the Limit Tables. Looking back on my play, it is obvious I'm WAY TOO TIGHT, and not giving myself enough opportunities to cash in. Unfortunately just nothing was panning out. Good Hands/Bad Hands...it didn't matter I was losing on everything. I couldn't make anything happen. My tilt move came later, when I decided to lick my wounds over a few rounds of blackjack. The first session went great! I was making some ground back...but I pushed just a wee-bit too much...and Lady Luck frowned! Still back at around $300 I started a slow climb back. I'm at around $320 right now with about 450 hands in toward the required 750! Well on my way...and only need to finish up by Dec 4th. Should be there in no time. I'm edging closer to $330 right now...yes I'm typing slow...and playing two tables at the same time. It's called multi-tasking right?! Also, got an email from GamingClub today, inviting me to a $1,000 freeroll tonight. And as luck would have it Big Red's going out tonight with the girls! Darn the luck! Anyway...back to the game(s).

Regards,

cheer_dad

Another non-existent weekend

I put in approximately 17 OT hours this weekend; will these data-center moves never end? Just aren't enough waking hours in the day, to accommodate it all, whatever "it" may be! Don't get me wrong...the money will be nice...it will also be quickly used, as the Christmas season is upon us. Thanksgiving is Thursday...and Black Friday will kick off holiday shopping with a vengeance.

The NDPT tournament did occur on Friday, November 17th, at my house. The Big Winner on the night was Erik P. Congrats!!! He and JJ moved passed me in the points race, after my LESS than stellar performance, despite a rebuy...I just couldn't get it to all come together. I believe it is time to adopt my new style of play. I have become much to predictable. And my predictability has become a liability. It's too late for this year's points race...but I believe it will have an impact on next year's results. I also think it would benefit me greatly in the year end game, on Dec 30th. Sorry to tell you this folks, but this game, due to the higher buy-in, makes people play differently. Some of you actually acknowledge value along with the chip stack in front of you. You wouldn't think that such a small change from $20 to $50 would have such an impact, but it did last year...and it will again for this year as well. I won last year's game...and it'd be nice to pull of number 2 this year, but it will depend on a number of things, including (gasp) LUCK!!!

I made the mistake after the tournament of trying to play online...and despite cold cards...I kept trying to play. I lost...not much...but it further made the evening a loser for me. One ray of sunshine as always, is my lovely wife, Big Red, who after busting out of the tourney, opted to go "spinning" and cashed out at the Eagle's for $200. Thereby, in theory making the evening somewhat profitable for "us." I think I'm okay saying us. It does go into the same account right dear???! :)

I'm behind in getting the website updated, and the pictures from the game as well (thank you Andy.) I may try to get this done tomorrow. Keep fingers crossed.

In a new revolting development, I'm no longer able to access many of the Poker News sites that I frequent, from work, while on break. Thanks to the new proxies...and content filters, they've begun to deny these as well. I ask you what is any different about me reading an article or strategy at work, during lunch, or break; than it is for someone else browsing ESPN...etc... It is just because of the negative connotation involved. Just or no...?

Well, I should polish off my chili now and get back to the business of business, lest I get Blogger banned as well!!!

Regards,

cheer_dad

Not a red-letter day for me.

Word for the day is overreaction!
And I'm the one that did it.

I was a little bent out of shape when I got to work this morning, bad mood, sinus headache on the way, frustration (so what else is new!) and I responded poorly to an email from a co-worker. Very badly. I made a much larger issue than was necessary, or had been intended by him in the first place. I even went overboard in lumped other issues into my response. His response was justifiably a WTF? style message.

I later apologized in our team meeting to him, and the rest of the group. Then, got down to the heart of the subject matter. We dealt further with the problem of filesystem space, and what to do to plan ahead for what the customer was wanting. Hopefully he, and others will forgive the tantrum. So, in acting like this:



I ended up coming across like this:




Was actually being this:



For which I ended up later feeling like this:



Which resulted in the end me having to say this:



Why do I do these things?! Moron!

Anyway, tomorrow's another day, make the most of it...dive right back into the abyss once again. Sorry very little in the way of Poker Content here. Well okay...I played for a little bit on GamingClub tonight, and moved up a little less than a buck. Sheesh! But I did log a LOT of hands toward the Promo, they're currently offering, which is why I've been dabbling around at the .10/.20 Limit tables in the first place!

Lots of work planned for the weekend, with server moves going on again. Goodie! And oh yeah, the next points event is at my house on Friday evening. Currently have 24 signed up, and it'll soon be GO TIME!

Time to go for the night...until next time...

Regards,

cheer_dad

Not much of a post...but something

It's been a long weekend. I've strapped on the feedbag a bit too much over the past few days. I'm really going to have to jump back on the running/exercise bandwagon again. I don't know why I keep letting myself sink to low levels. It makes very little sense. But I keep doing it to myself...and allowing the self destruction. I think work has a bit to do with it. It is difficult to remain focused and positive about things, when all around you sense morale continuing to take its absolute Nose-Dive. I'd like to do more and actually had laid out some plans for myself to that end...and I really thought I would have some success at it. However, getting ping-ponged from task to task, and from each new "special-project" to the next. I've tried to pass along the concerns I have but I'm just not sure that anyone really has time or a willingness to listen. All the while the expectation is that we will continue to grow and flourish. One day they'll be wondering what the heck happened. If it hasn't killed me yet...I'll be standing in the corner chuckling about it all.

I played a LOT of poker this weekend. First, Big Red had the idea to go over to the Shuman's for the Friday night cash game. Somehow I was able to break even after around 5 hours. The tables had begun to change and had I stayed longer I would have either lost a lot or won a lot...there would have been no middle ground after midnight! Then, the following day, the Yanok's called to tell us that they were trying to throw a game together. Of course we went. We both went out on the same hand! I had earlier been crushed by Jerry. I had pocket Q's and pushed. He called...the flop came up with no paint, but all diamonds. I put Jerry all-in, which he gladly called since he had Big Slick, both diamonds. Ouch...very ouch. I didn't last much long after that. Big Red didn't do well there but she doubled up over at Shuman's the night before! She's a force to be reckoned with. Never underestimate her.

Something else I realized is that few people can truly "see" the cards when they're laid out befor them. They can't interpret the hands...and are more apt to miss it when the pot is actually a split. No, I'm not mad about it...not even upset, on the contrary it is empowering. I can do something quickly and accurately that so many others have so much difficulty with. Okay, so I'm bragging a bit!

Well that's enough for tonight. Until next time...

Regards,

cheer_dad

I had yesterday off...

Because it was Election Day, and the kids were off from school and I had use or lose to dump before the end of the year. I opted for taking the day off. Basic boring day, caught up on laundry, watched Saw 3 with my daughter. Later Open Season with my son. I caught up on some email at home, and played some (gasp) poker. I played enough hands yesterday to qualify for the Daily Satellite, the $1,000 and $2,000 on Poker.com. I'm over halfway to the $5,000 tourney as well! It cost me a bit though. I went through that phase at the table, where I get no cards at all...i wait...patiently, and then the clouds part and give me pocket Kings, and someone bets out preflop. I reraise, 2X their bet...End up losing to pocket Aces. I actually saw this same hand play out again, less than 20 minutes later. It's disheartening, but a fact of life in poker. You will from time see this big card phenomenon. And sometimes, you can almost feel it coming. So that cost me $25.00. Doh!!! Later in the day, I sat down at $1/$2 Limit on UltimateBet.com. I sat down at the table with $75, expecting to get fleeced for some reason. Pleasantly, I cashed out with close to $110, if I remember correctly. So I made up for the loss! Whew! Just on a different poker site. But it's all money...right?

I don't know how to say this, but...I would feel a great deal more at ease online, if I were to gain back the $400 I withdrew, even though I'm still at $1,300. I guess I just feel like I'm playing catch up poker. That shouldn't be the case. But, hopefully, eventually I'll get there again, through solid play.

Among other news, the Democrats took control of the House again. Most important to note, Bill Frist went down!!! Wahoo! Take that Mr. Anti Online Gambling guy. Sen Byrd is still large and in charge, Hillary Clinton sailed to victory, and is poised to make her run for the Big House, next time. I am just frightened.

But most importantly of ALL...Britney Spears kicked K-Fed to the curb!!!

Welcome back to the world, and away from the temporary insanity that was K-Fed.
Oops, she did it again!!! Hahaha...

It's nearly time to call it a day, but real quick. I'm on tap for the Poker.com $250 freeroll tonight for PokerSavvy. Also, I think I'll try out the satellite, $1,000, and $2,000 if possible tonight as well. If Big Red will only allow it!

We shall see it.

Regards,

cheer_dad

Survived the weekend

Well all the data center moves went well over the weekend. My back survived, and other bodily extremeties, while a bit sore, did pass the test. Ended up working 11.5 hours on Saturday, to get things moved, and recabled. Job well done team!

The wife talked me into going to the card game at the Yanok's on Friday after all. I initially said that I was NOT going to go, since I had to be up so early the next morning for work. But she won me over. I ended up playing in the first tournament of the night, and finishing on the bubble. DOH!!! Big Red on the other hand was able to hang on and finished in 2nd place! And since she won she had the cash to hang around for the second tournament that they play. I headed for the house, and she came in a few hours later. Sorry to say, she didn't win again. She said the crippling blow was her trip 4's getting squashed by trip 9's!!! Ouch, baby, very ouch!

I also completed the 750 hands on GamingClub, for the promised $75 bucks in my account. Thank you very much GamingClub. I only wish it had come when I was at the top of the curve, instead of lingering in the middle. I had started that offering at $264. I dropped as low as $244, after I had risen to about $303! But a few suckouts later, and a little smidgeon of tilt, well, you all know the drill. But, now I'm at $344, so I guess I shouldn't complain at all! I think it's time to take a break from that room, and wait for them to offer me another $75, although I am in the middle of another promo with them, that I'm thinking would get me invited to a $15,000 tourney, if I accumulate 3,000 points by Dec 12th. I'm at 900 already, so I should probably push onward and upward. I really want to get back to Poker.com...where I had grown very comfortable at the .10/.25 No Limit game. Perhaps too content. I need maybe to be thinking on a greater scale. After having played thousands and thousands of hands at the $1/$2 Limit level, I'm afraid that I might fall into some bad habits, while I fail to change gears in line with the table dynamics. So, go in with your wits about you boy!!!

I'd also like to return to FullTiltPoker to give another shot at getting my friggin' MONEY back. The 9 handed game, and a new poker clientelle, takes some adjustment as well. I played at that site, and frankly never really connected with much of anything on the board. When your big aces fail to hit...when your pocket pairs don't become set, and flushes never materialize, you're going to see a drain in your ole account. I think I spent too much time there chasing the points. Again, got to folllow my own advise, and stick to the true gameplan. Sometimes it just stinks to watch the idiot fish, playing and winning with anything. It frustrates after a time...this road leads to TILT!

Also, of course I've got my money out on UB again. I've got over $630 Bonus Dollars left there to work off. Thankfully they release after each session, not in big lump sums, like some of the other rooms. I think I'm ready to start rebuilding the $400 I cashed out, off of my bankroll, for Vegas. It will take effort, and time, and I've got plenty of NEITHER of those! :(

But, it is time to wrap up for the day, I'm off work tomorrow, dumping some of my remaining use or lose before the end of the year. And any day not at work...is a day not at work!!!

Gotta run...

Regards,

cheer_dad

The remains of the day...

I wish it were Friday, but little that would buy me, since I have to work Saturday as well. Will these server moves in the acursed data center NEVER be done? But it does keep a paycheck coming my way, so I guess I'll suck it up! I'd rather be back here...















Drinking one of these:



Playing a lot of this:


And winning a lot of these:



But instead, I may have to settle tonight at El Ranchero for pitchers of these:

Oh well, that ain't half bad now is it!

In other news, I played GamingClub last night for about 150 hands. I was 3-tabling it, 2 "1/2" Limit games, and another .25/.50 No Limit game. I made $50 for the night...and logged in around 450 hands for the week so far. I only need another 300 before the 6th of November to claim a $75 bonus offer! GamingClub has offered me this a number of times, and I keep taking them up on it. This will help build back the $400 I took offline before last week's Vegas Trip. We used it to play on and later to pay some bills when we got back. So, maybe my new goal in online poker should be to finance my Vegas trips. Hey...it could happen, and GamingClub is helping to make it happen. Thanks, and please visit them, and tell 'em cheer_dad sent ya.

It's been a long week already, and it just keeps going on and on, but the work still remains so it's time to get back to it!

Regards,

cheer_dad

Trying to get back in the swing of things

I know it's been a while since my last post but there have been reasons, and some of them are even legit! For example, Big Red and I were in Las Vegas starting on October 25th, and we didn't return until the 28th! So I should really get a pass on that time frame. As for the other excuses, well just never mind, concentrate only on Vegas, cause nothing else matters REALLY!

Yes, in celebration of our 15th Wedding Anniversary, we headed out to the bright lights of Vegas. I got to play lots of poker, and even Big Red got in on the act too. In fact there was the one night, a little after 3:00am that I was falling asleep at the table, from too much play, too much drink, and just the ole body giving out. I went on to bed. Big Red on the other hand, opts to stick around, and hits a fantastic winning streak. From what I'm told she came up to the room at around 6:00am. I think she paid for it the next day though. BUT, she did hit Quad Aces during that session! You should have seen the look on her face after that. Well as a matter of fact, it probably looked a little bit like this:



I'm sure I'll pay dearly for this post...but it just had to be done. And I'm sure the rest of you will greatly appreciate this. Her one comment to me about this picture...at least my hair looks good!

Honey, your vanity knows NO BOUNDS!





Aside from poker, we went to a Legends show, with some really great celebrity impersonators. We have a few pictures of these, from after the show that I'll have to get posted at some point. Anyway they had Bobbie Darrin, Elvis Presley, Garth Brooks, Sting, The Temptations, and Britney Spears. Each and every one of the performers was top notch, and had the celebrity act down pat. Great Job one and all!

Picked up some new poker shirts from Margaritaville since it was so close to the Imperial Palace. We did some other shopping as well, but not a lot. All in all it was a good vacation for the both of us.

When we got back, I got about 5 hours sleep and then had to go in to work on Sunday, for 14 HOURS! I was dead by the end of that night. I did have the following day off (Monday) but even now, I feel as if I haven't fully caught up on my sleep. It's been all I can do to stay awake during a couple of my meetings today. Let's hope tomorrow is better.

In other poker news, I'm working another promo offer at GamingClub, if I play 750 hands, they pay me $75. I'm already in for over 150 hands from last night. Bad part is, I think I'm down almost $20. I'm hoping against hope that I'm just on the downswing of the variance. Otherwise, this'll just plain SUCK! I need to begin thinking more about what levels at which I want to play at. $1/$2 Limit seems to get points coming in, but it still just always feels like a crapshoot. There are just so many people out there that'll call you down w/anything. And I just feel like sometimes, I'm spinning my wheels. If I do opt to go back to No Limit, at higher limits than before, I'm going to have to really watch changing gears. It is a different game. It has bigger pitfalls, to go with the higher rewards. I'm not going to go back to exclusive SNG's that's just crazy. I can almost always finish those in the top 4 spots. Unfortunately on 3 spots pay out. Invariably I hit a cold run of cards, or get an extreme suckout to thank for losing. I'm not bitter, that's just how it works.

Anyway, we may play this weekend at Yanok's or at J.B.'s depending on how this working weekend shapes up. Yes, I have to work the weekend AGAIN, due to the datacenter moves that are going on. GRRRRR!

Anyway, it's time to wrap up another UberPost. Okay, maybe not so Uber...but nonetheless, I'm done!

Regards,

cheer_dad

Weekend rambling...

It's been a while...busy as usual.I guess I'm doing no better than Iggy, lately in his efforts to continue posting to his blog. Just too much time at work, trying to accomplish the impossible, inspired by the inept, encumbered by idgets... It's a paycheck, it keeps me in less than the lifestyle I've grown accustomed to, but hey what else would I be doing? I can tell you this, Poker has not been my friend lately. Well luck just can't be on your side all the time. So, I opted to take my money off of PokerRoom.com. It just wasn't workin' out. 1/2 Limit just hasn't treated me well. However, the game played online, that I've fallen victim to lately has been the Vegas game all over again!!! I remember the suckouts, I remember the friggin' moron at the table that continued to spank the table with his complete idiocy...all the while convinced that he was the man...doing it all right. Showing the boys in brick and mortar how it's done. It just sucks. I moved a total of $400 into UltimateBet.com this weekend. And yes...again, it was nice to get the bonus dollars, taking advantage of the 100% bonus they were offering. Thank goodness, because I encountered a flopped boat (me) getting spanked by a 4 of a kind today, for a definite hurtin'. Ouchie! The other hand of the day was a set of 5's getting hammered by a flush, that the bastard slow played! NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO! Will this insanity ever end. Hell, he didn't even reraise my raise back to him. Of course I guess you never feel real good about a damn 7-9 SOOTED! I hate morons! Of course the rest of the stupidity was my own fault, wasn't it numbnuts...BLACKJACK, online, yes, you remember it don't you. It sucks. It destroys you and makes it worse. But now, it's over, never, ever, ever do it again. Thank goodness for the $390 in bonus dollars. Get back to the GAME PLAN. Live it, learn it, LOVE IT! Tilt is not cool, it will steal your life away. Make it GO AWAY! Just try to remember that in 2 DAYS when the bright lights of VEGAS are glaring in your EYES! That's right...me and the Missus, will be headin' out early Wednesday morning. We will hit the strip by about 10:30AM, and when we're broke before NOON, what will we do then?!

I did work this morning, with Steve, trying to fix a failed Symantec AV installation on a server. Something just isn't right on that box...it will not allow the 10.1 upgrade. WTF! And way back on Friday, the basement was bustling with activity AGAIN, of a poker nature. :) This time, we had two tables, in the last minute pickup game. I finished up, Big Red did not. I do know that I had WAY TOO MUCH to DRINK!!! That Michelob Sampler pack Chris brought along, will one day be the DEATH of me! I think I was drunk clear through until the next night. Still think I'm behind on my sleep. I guess I'm just getting in practice for VEGAS.

Well folks I'm calling it a Blogger night...this is enough blahblahblah for one night!
Big Red and I are going to try and squeeze in a couple of Prison Break episodes!

Regards,
cheer_dad

The weekend was good to me...

Friday night as you'll recall was tournament night at my house. I ended up finishing 2nd in the tournament! Big Red finished THIRD!!! We were on a roll! We both did have to rebuy, which is uncharacteristic, at least for me. :) (Sorry dear) Now, that said, I did have a two donkey moves. 1st--Against Robert "the chef" I raise preflop, in an effort to steal the pot, w/ my pocket fours. Chef, reraises me, all in. I make the call...EEEEE AWWWWW! He flips his 9's over, the rest was history. Then, I call an unraised pot w/K-10os. I hit a pair of K's on the flop. Ignoring the fact that the board shows a possible FLUSH, I push all in. Del is given great pause, but eventually calls it. Ms. Julie however, can't get into the pot quick enough, with her NUT FLUSH!!! Atta Girl. I rebought, and made it to the final table. Didn't have much of a prayer, but then I get in a hand with JR, w/pocket 7's. He turns over pocket 10's. DOH!!! But I hit my set. That propelled me to the end. I gave Matt a run for it, heads up. But 5 hands in a row, I end up with RAGS! I just couldn't catch a card. So, a relative newbie, once again takes it down. Congrats!

Saturday night...it's Yanok time! Chris, Chef, and I go over for the evening's festivities. First game, I forget to switch gears, mistakenly try to bluff Jenny, I paid for it! I wait for game 2. Chef takes down the two table win! 2nd game, Big Red shows up for, this ones just 8 of us. I hit my stride, and suckout against Mr. Yanok's set of Kings, and hit the straight. This again, sees me through to the end, and I take down 1st. Wahoo! Total win for me $180 + $100 = $280 + Big Red added about $80, to the win column. Of course minus 70 and 60 for buy-ins. :) Still not a bad weekend in my opinion.

Online experience, has been a little brutal on Full Tilt. Was down and on life support, sheesh! Have turned it around a bit this morning, playing .10/.25 No Limit. Getting back to my roots, I guess! And $20 got released into my account, from the bonus. So now I'm down, a little over $100 on the site. UGGGGH! Will the bleeding ever stop? Oh well there's always tomorrow. I should go check on the MRS...she's not feeling well.

See you next time...

Regards,

cheer_dad

It's tourney night, tonight!

Getting myself psyched up for tonight's tournament already. I need to get in the zone early on...and stay there. Hear that Big Red, don't go puttin' me on tilt before game time! So, as soon as work is over...I'll head home, and get the chips counted out, put the chairs out, and get the beer iced down. The rest is the evening will just flow from there. I'm due for a win! Sorry gang, but it's my turn tonight! There are only 3 games left in the points race. Hang on tight, it's gonna be a bumpy ride in this race to the finish. AND, I'm already making plans for next year.
In other happenings, dad and I went to the Blackwater River fishing on Wednesday. Although the fish weren't very active, (thus, we only caught 4 total) we had a great time, just getting away from work...and out in the great wide open. I think I could have successfully, single-handedly kept Joe's Flies in business, what with the number of them that I left at the bottom of Blackwater, snagged on twigs, rocks, and who knows what else.
It was probably one of the warmest days ever for this time of year, that I've gone fishing. We weren't even wearing jackets. The weather was great, the fall foliage was at its peak, and it was just a great day to be out in the world. We might even decide to go back there on Monday, if I can swing the schedule for it. We could even hit the Cranberry, which is still probably one of my favorites. Don't know why...but it is.

I ran yesterday and today on the treadmill at lunch, this time I really am going to make an effort to stick with it. I've got to. This is getting ridiculous...I'm having too much difficulty staying motivated. I need a personal trainer, or at least a motivation coach. However, I did read another bloggers comments today over at http://irongirl01.blogspot.com/ and yes, it's a Poker Blog in nature, BUT she also talks about her days as a runner, and continues to support and work the 1/2 Marathon in her area. So I really can juggle the two can't I. Now, no more excuses.

I made a slight rebound on Full Tilt Poker last night, but there's still MUCH WORK and MUCH WINNING yet to do, before, I can recover from the early on beatings I took on the site. But, I'll just keep on keepin' on! Until it's all back, gone, or the US Government completely pulls the plug on poker!

Anyway, time to get back to it.

Regards,

cheer_dad

Something's got me WOUND UP today!

Anyone care to enlighten me how the following article regarding Mike Sexton speaking out against the Unlawful Internet Gambling Enforcement Act...and then the article I've copied after it, in which the WPTE applauds the Act, can exist in the same UNIVERSE!!!?

http://www.pokersourceonline.com/news.asp?poker=448

Mike Sexton Takes up the Good Fight
Published: Monday, October 09, 2006
Author: Dan Katz

Mike Sexton, winner of this years’s World Series of Poker Tournament of Champions, will reportedly set out on a campaign against the Unlawful Internet Gambling Enforcement Act. Best known as the on-air voice of the World Poker Tour and also known as the “Ambassador of Poker,” is said to be starting out in New York this week.
Sexton said that the campaign was actually started by PartyGaming, for which he is a spokesperson. Sexton said Party will be airing advertisements in support of poker players and asked him to help. Funny how Party didn’t do much of anything before the bill was passed by Congress, but now they decide to do so (at the same time, I get the sense that U.S. legislators would not have cared that an offshore “illegal” gambling company was upset about the bill).
Sexton said well-respected poker pro, Barry Greenstein, and Poker Players Alliance president, Michael Bolcerek, will be joining him on the campaign.
Said Sexton, “The mission is obviously to voice the displeasure with this bill that has been passed by Congress, and to speak up for the rights of poker players, and their right to play online poker.”
Word has it that President Bush will be signing the bill into law on Friday.

Originally published October 9, 2006

http://www.pokernews.com/news/2006/10/wpte-weighs-online-gaming-legislation.htm

WPTE Weighs In On Impact Of Gaming Legislation
October 09, 2006
Earl Burton

In an oddly optimistic press release following the passage (and pending signing) of legislation regarding financing of online gaming and poker accounts, World Poker Tour Enterprises added their thoughts to the current situation recently. In the communiqué, WPTE encouraged poker players worldwide to focus on the bright future ahead for poker instead of the downsides of the current legislation.
With the passage by Congress of the Unlawful Internet Gambling Enforcement Act of 2006 last week, "The Justice Department has been very clear that it believes online gaming to be illegal in the United States and our policies have been always been tailored accordingly," said Adam Pliska, General Counsel of WPTE. "This law clarifies the rules and makes it possible for everyone to move forward on an even footing."
Steve Lipscomb also added his bright outlook when he commented, "It was a wide-spread love of this game and the reinvention of poker as a televised sport that ignited the poker phenomenon and that is what will continue to drive the future of the sport. WPTE remains committed to growing the domestic poker market through traditional franchise opportunities like consumer products, sponsorship and events."
While WPTE will not be directly affected by the recent legislation (their online poker site has always refused American action as they are an American company), the bright outlook the company is espousing is strange at the minimum. Part of the drive that has brought many to the poker community has been the advent of online poker. People who may have played only a few times a year on vacation trips to gaming Meccas could play at any point with the online game. This added to their excitement for the game and also allowed them to become proficient enough to be able to battle against some of the greatest players in the world.
Another factor to consider on this front is the effect that the loss of online satellites will have on tournaments in the future. Both the World Poker Tour and the World Series of Poker have seen tournament fields explode due to the opportunity of players to earn their way into events through inexpensive online satellites. In 2005, of the 5619 players who came to the felt, PokerStars alone sent almost twenty percent of the field to the Championship Event of the World Series. Poker historian and "jack of all trades" Nolan Dalla emphasized this point when he discussed his thoughts on the ramifications of the online legislation and noted with sadness that future tournament participation will actually fall as these online satellites are eliminated.
While many might like the departure of online players from B&M tournaments, it is extremely possible that the tournament poker scene could revert back to the point where only the richest (and, in some cases, the best) poker players can afford to participate. The potential dream of an online qualifier vanquishing the best in the world (such as the startling Chris Moneymaker breakthrough at the 2003 WSOP) will vanish and the sharks will once again have to compete amongst each other. We could be potentially looking at tournament fields falling now instead of showing the steady increases of the past few years (and, in the case of the WSOP Main Event, massive increase) and slowly falling back to levels of the pre-Internet days, where only those who can afford it or can qualify in live satellites make the fields.
Even though there are an estimated 50 million poker players in the U. S. alone and casinos adding poker rooms left and right, most Americans aren't within a two hour drive of those rooms. This is one of the reasons that the online game is necessary. It gives Joe Sixpack the opportunity to participate in an American pastime, potentially earn his way to a major tournament and, if the stars align, make a significant change in their life. These are a few of the reasons that this writer feels the WPTE's rosy look at the online legislation is puzzling, to say the least.

***End of the quotations***

And now that you've read them both...does this mean that we will now be witnessing the WPTE attempting to slap Mr. Sexton with some sort of GAG-ORDER? I must say, that Mike is an ideal candidate to take up the cause, however won't the "company" attempt to squash his opinions and statements, since he's on the payroll?
The events which have transpired since the Bill passed through the legislature are remarkable, many online casinos and poker rooms, shutting their doors to all U.S. customers, while others are poised for the Bill to become LAW. Others, and Neteller have thumbed their nose, at the whole thing. Saying it is not truly binding upon them in any way. The Poker forums everywhere have been clogged with statements, reports, arguments, and a lot of whining and crying (self included,) however, I still see somewhat of a remarkable silence on the major news sources. I believe that the cross section of America may not REALLY grasp what is going on, if anything at all. I believe there are some who are NOT gamblers and wouldn't necessarily equate themselves with the religious right (fanatical right) that would be appalled by the methodology employed to bring this whole issue before Congress, and ultimately a date with the President's pen. I cannot see this issue being the one which would mobilize a conservative base. I always thought the conservative right, was all about smaller government, meaning government having a lesser role in our day-to-day lives. The Liberal Left, was always about taking care of the poor, the unfortunate, and particularly having the opinion that people in general don't have the common sense to make good decisions for themselves, so the government will have to do it for them. That is how the Conservative/Liberal bit played out going back to the 80's through the Reagan years, George Bush part I...it was further (in my opinion) reinforced during the Clintonian era. Rush Limbaugh espoused it from the rooftops. AND quite frankly, I agreed with him. I didn't see the Republican party as being solely for the rich of America. That would be a poor campaign slogan! They were more about what I perceived to be individual freedoms, putting people in charge of their own lives. So this new Conservative/Republican style sits a little crossways to me. Maybe I'm just being overly critical...NAHHHHHHHHHHH!!! It's crazy! There are far GREATER causes to champion than getting online poker banned! This is hardly the cause I want my "guy" in Washington concentrating his efforts on. How about you? Is this what you had in mind? Or did you accidently leave your "CHADS" dangling at the voting booth!
Anyway, I think I'll go take a pill, and calm down now. I guess I really got off on a rant there. Wow...I even dragged Ronnie into all of this. May he rest in peace, however I think you have to go back THAT FAR to find a MAN who has occupied the top office of our country, and demonstrated what leadership, responsibility, respectability, finesse, and true passion for our great nation is ALL ABOUT!

Someone cue up the "Battle Hymn of the Republic!"

WHEW!

That felt good...

Regards,

cheer_dad

Funny, I'm still playin'...hmmm

Wasn't there something recently in the news...on the net...on tv, darn near everywhere, about making something illegal, online...maybe gambling of some kind or other? Poker perhaps, as I recall. Yeah, that was it, the little bill originally from Sen Frist...that killed the beautiful online poker world, or did it? I'm still playing...now yes I've received a few notices informing me that I need to cash in my chips, because a few sites are closing all their U.S accounts. They should have given me the option of just leaving my money online, cause I rarely used to take money offline. I started moving it back and forth to Neteller, to take advantage of bonuses. Some sites are more lucrative than others, and some give better bonuses. But that's coming to an end for me...and frankly I'm content to leave my cash in one spot, well as long as it doesn't dry up, and I start feeling the never-ending string of an opponents suckouts. Yeah did I mention Full Tilt Poker? I should, I just started that promo yesterday, or was it the day before. Well I accumulated the required points for the Savvy part. Now the ole bankroll has taken a FRIGGIN' BEATING! I mean this one ranks up there with my all time bad streaks. Wow, nothing works out right now. AK AQ see nothing on the flop, and some numb nuts will take it down with a 7-5os. I've donated to the poker cause...or at least some newbies are feeling really freaking GREAT about themselves right now, figure they got this Poker THANG down! Every once in a while instead of chumming the waters, I guess you gotta drop some power bait, outa your own pocket. Just remember where the hole of water was, and recall the FISH that got away. Hopefully on your next fishing trip...he'll swallow the damn hook! THAT, is a beautiful thing. Then, it's really nice to recall for him the time and date of the last time he was doing so well against you. Give him a "gee fella, what happened...and send him back to mom!" Man, does that sound bitter, yeah, it kinda does doesn't it! Sheesh, this game used to be a lotta fun. All of a sudden it got all serious like! I think I have more of a poker/gambling problem now, that they've outlawed it (or kinda sorta made it illegal, but not quite.) Is there a cure out there somewhere. Much like OJ Simpson was going to look for the real killer, I too will be on the constant lookout for a cure. He used to look on the golf course...I think I'll look around in the online poker rooms for a gambling cure. I'll keep you all posted on my progress. Until next time...

Regards,

cheer_dad

It's been a very dismal week.

The Unlawful Internet Gambling Enforcement Act of 2006 has passed through the legislature piggy-backed on the Port Security Act, for weeding out those terroristically bent types. Yeah us poker players are a vicious bunch. Life and poker will go on. In some form, it will. I have begun withdrawing money from some of the Poker Rooms that I play on, but not all. Some of them, unlike PartyPoker.com have taken somewhat of a stance, and haven't immediately cut ties with the U.S. players. I was concerned like many others, that if I waited too long that I'd never get anything back out. I am leaving the money poised in my Neteller account, until the final disposition on this thing is hashed out. A loophole of some kind will most likely emerge. A series of new heavy hitters will probably hit the poker market too. At least many of us hope so. However the statements I've seen lately saying that the "Golden Age of Poker" is over, seem sadly true. I urge you all to keep an eye how all of this unfolds, particularly if you are continuing to play online. I'd recommend taking a look at the following link to see where (so far) you're poker room of choice has weighed in: http://forumserver.twoplustwo.com/showthreaded.php?Cat=0&Number=7509074&an=0&page=0#Post7509074

I just sent out the latest tournament notice to the NDPT family of players. I had to switch it to a different week, due to some scheduling conflicts. It is now October 13th at 7:00pm. Still plenty of time to get everyone notified. Sheesh I just sent it out less than 10 minutes ago, and I've already received email responses from enough people to fill up one table!!! JUNKIES! Maybe this whole poker being a moral degeneration of America holds some weight. HMMMM!

Busy week as well. I've got a new boss again! They just keep moving our little group ALL OVER the place around here. We're the red-headed step children of this organization! But someone's got to fill that role, might as well be us.

I climbed out of the hole on Gaming Club, and I'm once again in the black on that site. Whew!!! I was starting to get a complex. Looks like I'm going to have to park some money elsewhere for a while, and ride this thing out to its final destination.

Hope things are going well for the rest of you out there.
Keep your chin up, maybe things'll be brighter tomorrow, for our little online poker culture!

Regards,

cheer_dad

PSO Freeroll last night

I got an email yesterday, reminding me about a PokerSourceOnline freeroll being held at PokerRoom...and I just had to play. Nevermind the fact that I had people coming over to play a cash game! :) OOOPS! I promise it was the 1st and only time that it'll happen. I had a great time playing with all those people who showed up last night. And I'm glad the indulged me and let me play the PSO tourney. Of the over 300 who began the tourney last night, I finished in 9th place!!! I made a cool $160, which was great. Unfortunately, 1st prize was $2,500! I very well could have gotten there if my last hand had gone differently. I called another guy's All-In, when I looked down to see Pocket Cowboys! He flipped up AQos. I even hit my set of Kings! Unfortunately...he hit his straight on the RIVER! If I'd won it...that would have propelled me through for quite a while I believe. But hey...I didn't pay a dime for it, and I walked away with $160, so I'm pretty happy about it!

I've climbed out of my hole on GamingClub. I have cashed a couple of $20 bonuses, by playing 350 hands at a stretch. Plus, I was credited another $50, for doing a total of 500 due to another email promo that they sent me. Thank goodness, since I was really down on my luck on this site. This puts me back to within $4 of what I started out with. Now, as long as I don't blow it all. Just take it slow.

I've done several "honey--doo" projects today. I put up this metal star on the front of the house that Big Red wanted. I drained the pool, to get ready to put it to bed for the winter. I also replaced the kitchen faucet today. It wasn't nearly as difficult as I thought it was going to be. Things seldom are as bad as I think they will be. My mind works in the "worst-case-scenario" mode all the time. It can eat you up at times.

Anyway time to move on to the next thing.

Regards,

cheer_dad

Lost some...won some

I was credited with my PokerSavvy points yesterday for finishing the hand requirements on Gaming Club Poker. (Thanks Matt, you da man!)  AND I was also credited $20 on the poker room site for finishing my first 350 hands.  I proceeded to get yet another crappy string of cards.  And lost a lot of what I'd just been given.  :(  But I logged back in again later...and went up a few bucks, to get it back.  Then coupled with a brief trip over to PartyPoker, put back about even, if not up a buck or so for the evening.  So, the post subject makes sense now.

I need to do another Savvy promo to put me over the 1,000 mark for another gift card...BUT, I've gotten 2 different offers directly from 2 poker sites which may be a bit difficult to pass up!  PokerRoom, is offering me $20, if I'll deposit another $10, + 50% bonus $'s in whatever I deposit up to $100!  CDPoker is offering a flat 150% bonus to deposit!  Those are both decent offers and I may find it difficult to pass up.  The kicker is that I've got to liquidate some cash quickly to take advantage of it.  My money is on a few sites, that I have to do withdrawal requests from tonight, to Neteller.  Those transactions will have to complete before September 30th, to take advantage of the offer.  So keep your fingers crossed.  

I was stuck in meetings ALL MORNING...and was ready to die in there.  ARGHHHH!  For the third day now in a row I've ran on the treadmill for 20 minutes during lunch.  Logging in just under 2 miles at a clip.  Although the muscles protest a bit...I do truly feel better.  My mood is better.  I'm a bit more upbeat.  Not filled with that feeling of dread and gloom as I cross the threshold to work in the morning.  Yeah, it was starting to get that way.  Hopefully this reversing trend with running will continue.  Let's hope.  

Spent way too long procrastinating, time to get back to it.

Regards,

cheer_dad

I almost posted yesterday...almost

I was typing away at the keyboard, intent on posting to the ole blog.  I was playing on GamingClub.com at the time, remarkably things going very well, as compared to my initial 300+/- hands.  Had my account back up over the $100 mark, and was well on my way back to the black.  I hit a BOAT on the turn with my Mr.Sneaky pocket fours.  Again this is $1/$2 Limit we're talking here.  Betting gets capped on the Turn and River cards.  I've got a big smile, except what's this, oh NOOOOOOOOOOO, he's got a bigger boat!  What'd he have...a friggin' 5-8os!?!  how do you even protect against a crap hand like that.  Okay so that hand drops me back to $96-ish.  Hey, right now, I'm still happy.  At the time, I didn't much feel like posting.  I played a couple more "no-cost" hands.  But my heart wasn't in it, at the time.  However, I'm pleased, really.  I climbed up by about $30 yesterday, on a site that has thus far given me nothing but grief.  Within the next day or so, I should also be getting my $20 deposit bonus, AND if they get their DB issues resolved they should soon confirm me to PokerSavvy, and then I'll be able to cash in for a gift card of some sort.  In the mean time...there are cards to be played, and pots to be won!  Anyway that's why I didn't post yesterday.  I had this high-flying post cranked up and ready to hit send on, but that happened.  The message no longer conveyed the emotion of the moment.  And then...the moment's gone...

I went downstairs at lunch today, and actually got back on the treadmill.  I'm proud of myself, I actually ran for a full 20 minutes.  I'm sure I'll be sore a little tomorrow.  But I did it.  I'll try not to quit this go around.  If I don't the only other "around" is going to be my belly!

Oh, and I got my new work laptop!  SWEET!  Widescreen, power, bells whistles, etc...  I'm lovin' it!

There are only 29 more days, until I leave for VEGAS!!!  The rest of the world will just melt away.  May I swim in a sea of CHIPS!!!

Anyway, time to get back to what they're payin' me for.  Until next time...

Regards,

cheer_dad

To paraphrase Van Wilder "[E]-mail it in!!!"

I've noticed the feature on Blogger before, but never tried it, so today I thought I'd give it a whirl.  I'm referring of course to the emailing a post to your own blog.  Cool/easy feature!  Might cause me to post more often/random tidbits to the blog, instead of waiting to throw together what passes for an uberpost for me.  By no means am I comparing my posting prowess to that of IGGY over at http://guinnessandpoker.blogspot.com/.  Truly he is a world apart...I can only aspire to such greatness.  I've also been intrigued lately by the postings over at http://iakaris.blogspot.com/ aptly named "Flights of Iakaris."  I'll have to read a little further back in his blog to ascertain the reason for the difference in spelling, maybe it's just his name.  In Greek mythology  it was Ikarus.  For those among you who slept through that portion of your High School literature class, here's a quick roundout of the story:

The first name of Icaria was Dolichi but through Greek mythology it became connected to Ikarus, the first man who succeeded to fly and commemorates his fall. According to myth Daedalus, a famous craftsman, was a prisoner of Minos, the King of Crete. In an attempt to escape, he made two sets of wings, one for himself and one for his son, Ikarus, and attached them with wax. Together they secretly flew away, heading towards Athens. Out over the sea, near Ikaria, Ikarus, became excited by the view, flew too close to the sun with the result that the wax melted and he plunged into the sea and drowned. Thereafter, the sea named after him, Ikario Pelagos and the island was named Ikaria.

Hope that helps everyone get caught up!

I'm impressed by the posts of both of these bloggers, not all poker...but mostly.  The other posts helps to view them in general terms, and gain an understanding of what makes 'em tick.  This whole blogging phenomenon really has caught my attention.  I enjoy keeping my own updated now, more than ever, and I'm beginning to enjoy and look forward to the ramblings of others on their own.  

Speaking of blogging, PokerSavvy just sent me an email last night, to tell me that the last Blogger Freeroll final table was "video captured" and is available on YouTube.  So I'll have to go check that out.  I noticed that the guy who knocked me out, ultimately went on to win 1st prize in that event, for a cool $500!  Savvy has committed to having these freerolls for the bloggers, every month.  And further they have challenged us to drum up some business both to PokerSavvy and to the bloggers amongst us.  They have challenged us to hit 50 participants in the next blog freeroll.  If we hit it they will up the prize pool to $1,500.  Let's get busy boys!

Might have a small cash game tonight at the house, just not sure yet...we'll see how the day unfolds.

I, like the rest of my team, will be in here this weekend for some major Data Center Moves.  So Big Red might actually let me stick around a little longer, for bringin' in some additional bacon as it were!

I played a few hands last night on GamingClub.  My performance on their has been dismal.  I feel like such a poker loser right now, but I've re-analyzed the in's and out's of what I did on that site.  I made a big mistake, at the no-limit table, when I should have recognized that I'd stepped in a bear trap with my pocket cowboys.  I really hadn't entertained the idea that someone would chase after such a feeble looking hand on me.  But in the end he came up with his trip eights, NOT A SET...no he didn't have a pocket pair, I just couldn't fathom holding an 8, at that point in the hand.  I guess he a "playa!"  BUT it did get him the pot...and a VERY LARGE CHUNK of my cash on GamingClub.  From that point on I was playing from behind, at all times, and I felt the pressure of each and every hand.  So maybe I should just wait for the Savvy points to clear the account.  I might play an additional 30 hands to hit the $20 deposit bonus, and then swear of the site forever and chalk up the loss of $'s to experience...and consider it Lesson Learned.  But, I can get it back...I SWEAR!!!  :)

Time to get back at it.

Regards,

cheer_dad

!!!Warning DONK ALERT warninG!!!

I'm playing a new room GamingClub Poker, courtesy of a link from the fine folks at PokerSavvy! I'm still alive...but if you'll recall my start out at Noble...well it's a lot like THAT! Coming off of great success from Nine.com (yes I cleared the 150% bonus finally,) I was perhaps emboldened. A little too much so, it seems. I just couldn't let go of those COWBOYS! No Limit...and I reraised preflop to the guy who'd been in every hand, with nothing. Post flop, I pot bet it...he calls, turn I bet he calls, river I bet...he friggin' raised me. Hmmmm not much there, nah he couldn't have been holding an eight, who in their right mind would have an eight. He couldn't have made trips, that'd be obscene...an eight! I reraise over the top...then think what the heck are you doing...he's an idiot, of course he's got the eight. What else could he have...that would just be the capper. And I was right...he had an eight, and one of my Kings. "NH" is say...all-the-while thinking something else, as I watch my $50 waltz across the table to RandomCaller I believe was the moniker. ARGGGGGGGGGGGGGGH! I only deposited $100 on this stupid PRIMA site. What was I doing this early at NL...nowhere near the 300 raked hands needed for the promo. Well at least I've still got my other $50 right...Well wrong. I'm playing limit with it. Nice and Safe Limit Hold 'em...no muss, no fuss, small losses, small wins...slow steady. Yeah, and pigs fly too! Could I DONK it up anymore here?!? Let's just say I got out with very little still intact. Pride and Ego severly damaged. Poker skill and ability much in question. Do I suck...or what!?! So I get out with 32 whopping dollars to my name on that site. EEEE--AWWWW! Donk it up, loser! I clear my head...for a couple hours. Return to the scene of the crime, my blood still puddled on the table. Sheepish smiles all around the table. No I can't see them but dangit I know they're there! I hate you all. But cheer_dad's back for your donking enjoyment. Well that session went a little better. Got things back up to $52. Just a little breathing room. A total of 91 raked hands I believe, for both sessions. I need 300 for Savvy. Actually 350 gets me my first $20 back from GamingClub. And thereafter each 350 gets me another $20, to a maximum of $300, within the first 30 DAYS ONLY! A smart man...would play a smart game...but I'm stuck with me, so I can just do my best I suppose. Hopefully I can at least win back to my original buy-in, and fade away into poker anonymity.

Focussing on lighter fare...like I said I finished Nine.com earlier on Monday. $100 deposited, $150 in bonus, $220 in winnings, + $100 gift card through Savvy for getting the points. So I turned $100 into $570 in just over a month. Not too bad for a DONK!

NDPT had it's tourney this weekend at my house. A whopping 26 people played. Again Matt J walks away with the top prize, inching ever closer to the top of the Points Pyramid. There are only 3 Points tournaments left before the end of the year, and then only the Year End Bash remains. Eyes on the prize...eyes on the prize.

In other news...I bought my daughter a parakeet yesterday afternoon. After much discussion...the bird has finally been named Trixie. I'll have to remember to snap a picture of it later tonight for the blog. I had to face the wrath of Big Red for a while, but she mellowed, on me...ahhhh, me and my boyish charm. :) That can't be it...she must have something in store for me. Oh hello dear!!! WHAM!

Anyway, that's enough for today. That brings me up-to-date with life events, thus far.

Regards,

cheer_dad

Nine.com last night!

I played Nine.com last night...BRIEFLY! And it wasn't brief for a bad reason either. I log on to put in the requisite points to finalize that darn bonus requirement. So many points for the next few nights, and I hit it. But last night I didn't hit the mark. Instead I found a MARK, more precisely two of them at my table. I sit down again at $1/$2 Limit, with my usual $50. Right off the bat I notice these two players at the table, that are in every hand...raising, reraising, sucking out, swinging back and forth so fast that my head is spinning. They're chatting it up...dominating and running the table. Conventional wisdom says that these are the guys you want at the table with you. My experience is when idiots travel in packs, it can be dangerous. Still, I figure, I'll log a few hands, and since the pots are boosted by these boneheads I should earn some points. Then, I'll log off. That's right, game plan, earn points, logoff! Well it didn't go down that way. BUT, in a GOOD WAY. I get nothing for a while, like one round of the button. Then, I'm the BB, and get pocket 9's. Tweedle dee and Tweedle dum, one or the other raises it up preflop, of course, as always. I opt to call just to see what becomes of the hand. The flop comes out...and well lookee there that's a 9 out there! I bet...Tweedle dee raises, and dum reraises...so I comply, and cap it, they both call. Next card is a Jack, (i think) I pause, and then bet out again...Dee raises, Dum reraises...I cap again, they call...Dum's a little slow about it all this time. The river brings up a scary card for me...there is a straight possible, no flush, just a straight. An 8-Q or Q-K could really ruin my day here. Dee and Dum could very well have anything, remember I've seen them playing...But I decide you only live once. I bet, Dee jumps on it, and raises me, without thinking, holy cow, he must have the "RAISE ANY" button mashed in on his screen! Dum, next to act, ponders...long, and hard, this time, just CALLS. Back to me...and I'm well this is what we came here for boys...let's do this THANG! I reraise, Dee reraises me...back to Dum...has he slipped into a coma?!!! Please call/fold/anything...I just wanna know something, anything. Finally, he meekly calls, as do I of course. The rest of the table is going crazy by now...this is unreal, it's INSANE I tell you! Immediately, Dee's cards display...oh no...it's...it's...hey...that's a 10-J he's got there, ooooh, nice two pair ya got their pal. :) Now the blinky light moves on to DUM...what's he got...what's he got...what's he got...MUCK!!!! You've got to be friggin' kiddin ME!!! Now it's back to little ole me, and my little ole set o' NINES!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! The pot had swelled to $60+ on a $1/$2 LIMIT TABLE!?! And it just got shoved my way! Huh...well that's nice, I play the next hand, heck I don't even remember what it was, I folded early on. Dee and Dum ain't sayin' so much any more. Huh, they don't seem to be pushing as much anymore either. I sit around for a few more hands, and now it's like there's blood in the water. Either of them even enters a pot, and the rest of the table DIVES IN on 'em. It's like a pack of dogs on a three legged cat. I'm laughing so hard now, that I've gotta leave now. It isn't safe out there for anyone, now. Oh wait, my plan...oh yeah the points, then leave...ahh screw the plan! I've almost doubled up in about 15 total hands played, I just plowed myself back over the $300 mark. It's time to call it an evening. It's Miller Time!
Tweedle Dee and Tweedle Dum have been given elite status now in my buddy list, on Nine.com. I'm considering renaming my children after them. By the way the brother's Tweedle are not really their names. And no, I'm not going to print their names here...not because I fear libel, but simply because, those two cash cows are mine...ALL MINE! Find your own!

Regards,

cheer_dad

PS3 vs. Wii - Apple Style!

. Thanks Erik...this is GREAT!!! Regards, cheer_dad

Thanks PokerSavvy for the freeroll!

I wanted to give a big thanks to PokerSavvy.com for putting together a great $1,000 freeroll on Poker.com last night. Although, I didn't make it to the money...I had a great time hanging out with my fellow Savvy bloggers. Played a ring game while I was there, at the .10/.25 NL level and cashed out up $10.00, so for me it was a winning night! If PokerSavvy continues to run these, and they said that they would, their site traffic in general is going to shoot up. I wish them luck! Go MATT!

In other news...I'm closing in on the Nine.com prize of $150 that I've been working for (see previous blog posts.) Another 350 points or so to go. AND, I'm out of the slump that I was wallowing in out there. Having been as high as $310, dropping to $199, I'm happy to report that I'm on the way to recovery, and sitting currently at $268. Man dropping below the $200 mark was a real blow to the poker ego. Self doubt begets tilt, begets more losing! Just say NO!!!

The week is dragging by. These 5 day work weeks kill me. I used to be on 4X10's but management decision forced leads into this crazy AlternateWorkSchedule of 5-4-9's. Basically a 5 day week and a 4 day week combined. So I get one Monday off every other week. AND this AIN'T that week!

Chatted w/a fellow Savvy person last night "skippymagoo" on Poker.com. He seemed pleased with PokerSavvy. Said that having me respond to his post on the forum had a lot to do with him signing up and going the Savvy way, particularly on Poker.com. I hope it does go well for him. Though not at my bankroll's expense. :) Sorry dude!

Saturday night is the tourney at my house at 6:00pm. There are currently 25 people signed up! That's where I had to cap it...and I've got folks waiting in the wings too!

Finally, a torrential downpour last night turned the street in front of my house into a giant lake, and a raging river in the backyard. Doesn't appear to have got in the basement anywhere. I'll have to get copies of Liz's pictures that she was taking during the storm. Also, shots of the kids playing in the water. Maybe I should hold off on showing those to Big Red! Ahhh, what the heck, you only live once.

Oh yeah...and Teresa booked our rooms for VEGAS!!! She found our mailer that got us 3 comped nights!!! SWEET!

Time to get back to the grind.

Regards,

cheer_dad

Spiralling into the abyss

Nine.com has NOT been kind the past few days. I am 444 points away from the 150% bonus, but if the past 2 days are any indication I'll be broke in the account before I ever get there. I'm serious! Cold cards doesn't even seem to describe my experience as of late. I've dropped just over $100. I'm still above my initial investment, by about $100, but a C-note down from where I've been is lousy. I really just want this to be over, so I can move on to a greener pasture. Had I NOT been fulfilling the bonus requirements I would have taken my money off of this site earlier. There are others that I want to try...and there have been others which I greatly prefer their bonus programs. Also Nine.com doesn't seem to have all that many tourneys running. Not that I'm a huge fan any more of the multi table online tourney, but it seems to attract a group of players that keeps me in the black. I'll see what tonight brings me as far as Poker is concerned. This slump has got to end eventually. Thankfully, I haven't given completely in to TILT. I admit that there have been a couple of acts of desperation. Thank goodness it was Limit.

I really need to get some tracking software installed to monitor my progress and results a little more accurately. Perhaps it would help identify trends in my game. It might keep me from making some huge mistakes over time. Maybe, if I'm lucky, it would help identify gaping holes in my game as well. THAT, would be useful. I don't know which product to go with, but I'm leaning toward Poker Tracker or Poker Office:

I'll compare and contrast them, and get moving on this very soon. I like the Poker Office logo better. Has a greater impact to me. Don't know why...

I suppose I should really get on with the rest of my day. Let's see what happens.

Regards,

cheer_dad

In the home stretch...and struggling

I'm "nearly" complete with the Nine.com bonus... I need in the neighborhood of 550 point to claim my 150% now. I had built my account on there up to about $310, but man the cards have certainly gone cold on me. I've dropped back into uncomfortable territory again, sinking to $248. I'm usually okay with it down to $250, but now that I've crossed over, it sucks. I've given myself a few reality checks, to be sure, I'm still playing MY GAME. Style and requirements haven't changed, so I start analyzing other things...and sure enough, I see none of my pairs, making a set. My King high flushes being bested by the Ace, and my straights normally being rivered by runner/runner flushes. I'm also experiencing sub-par win to loss ratios. I'm even okay with a 1:10 ratio, when I'm getting in there and able to capitolize on my big hands. But lately I'm a bit below that, and the hands I'm taking down, are little more than the blinds. Remember this is $1/$2 Limit, so there is no "Too Agressive." The other thing I'm noticing, at least yesterday, is 2 or 3 people at the table who are raising/reraising/and capping a great many of the hands, preflop. And I've watched to the bitter end as they have turned over LESS THAN GOOD cards, that'll happen to hit a piece of something. Sometimes they're just playing Ace anything or King anything, but other times, it's just crap! And they're raising it every time...in every hand. And it seems to be working for them. I've watched helplessly, unable to do a thing about it. When I have caught a big hand, it usually gets destroyed on the flop, and I'm forced to throw it away, or follow it down to the bitter end, only to be rivered by some nasty set of cards.

I suppose I'll be okay, provided that in getting that 150% bonus I don't drop below $200, but it'll just suck that I had been as high as $300 and I'll just feel like I'm "settling." If I can turn this around, as has usually been the case, when I've hit this slump on this site, I may have to continue playing on the site, even though to a lesser degree than I am now, while bonus chasing. But I can feel some other site calling my name to come and get a bonus.

I sent out a reminder this morning that my tourney is this Saturday. I've already got 19 signed, so there are just 5 spots left. Get 'em while they're HOT!

In other news, the command(s) for the day are:

$ /itim/bin/StartAgent.sh
$ ps -ef grep AixAgent

Information you can use...well I can anyway. You'll probably find it absolutely useless.

Time to get back to it.

Regards,

cheer_dad

Pics that have caught my eye...and mind...today

Productivity has definitely taken a NOSE DIVE! Here are some of the things/images which have otherwise occupied the gray matter...







Always one of my favorite images. The single drop, makes a big splash...relatively speaking of course.














The girl with the most haunting eyes EVER!














Now here's a tangent!













Clonie Gowan at the table...














Is he staring her down?















If so, he better have these in the hole.









i miss vegas... :(












There...that got it off my mind!











Well at least for a little while...
The Yanok's game is tonight...and I'm looking forward to it. Teresa, Chris, Laura, Erik and I are all going tonight. So our "crew" invades their game I suppose. We'll try not to wear out our welcome.

In other news I'm up to $277 on Nine.com, with about 800 points left to make for my additional 150%. SWEET!!!

My time here is now DONE!

Regards,

cheer_dad