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