lard-laden

I've got to do something to get out of this fog. I'm exhausted...and lack any umph whatsoever. What's going on? I don't know, but it's all I can do just to get through the day without dozing off. AND meetings...forgetaboutit, especially conference calls. I think the cold hard truth of the thing is that fact that I'm out of shape. I'm overweight...and it's weighing on my brain to boot. I don't know how I let it happen again. I swore I'd never get this way again. But since the birth of my son...or at least right after it...I've been on a downward spiral. That's been 8 years now...and I think right now, I'm in the worst shape of my life. I'm fast approaching 40, and time is not just going to give up and let me do it all over nice and easy. Nature is and has run its course. All I can do now, is get off my backside and do something about it. There was a book I remember my aunt reading called, "Leave Your Fat Behind," which was a weight loss book, with anecdotes and humorous musings to keep the uber-dieter on track. I can still hear her laughter when she cackled after saying the name of the book. She always did have a distinctive laugh. But back to me...I have to make the choice this time and stick to it, despite the extra time in sports for my son, the activities of "dating" daughter, and every other curve ball that work/home/life has to throw my way. I've go to do something. Runnning always worked, and it was the one thing I felt good at. I ate better, but still ate occasional junk, and never deprived myself. I became a running machine, but still I seemed to have more time, and more quality time, where I just wasn't sitting there watching TV, and feeding my face. I don't remember falling asleep at work, or napping at home. It just wasn't something that I did. Now there are days that I long to just doze off. What's wrong? I'll tell you...I'm friggin' fat! The tonnage has got the best of this fat-ass...and I'm deciding that it's time to fuckin' do something about it! Fuck every lard laden fast food joint between here and home. It's time to take back my life. Wish me luck. Or better yet encourage me and join me in your own way!

Regards,

cheer_dad

...motherless... !

I donked it up last night. I mean I stunk it UP something fierce last night! It was only a net $33.xx loss but that's a substantial amount to my online CarbonPoker bankroll. Especially since I was basking in the glow of my reaching the $241 mark! Now, I did catch a case of 2nd best there for a while...but my wins were few and far between. And when I had a hand the world folded to me, nearly every time! I made a whopping 73 cents on Aces Full of Kings for Pete's sake! The worst part was the little BlackJack interlude. Wow, that game really is EVIL, online!!! And I even knew it...I just wanted some instant gratification! But all I got was just BUSTED UP! Thank goodness I was only betting $1 a hand! "Why?" you may ask...why was I even playin' blackjack, after having sworn it off. Well it was intended to be a comfort game to me. I was on tilt last night, before I even started playing cards at all. Baseball game hadn't gone well. I'd been yelled at before the game, which was still stuck with me. I wanted some peace and quiet when I got home, but no one was cooperating. Big Red went on a cleaning rampage...and well I was just being selfish. I desperately needed ME time...although I don't know why. I thought I'd feel better winning a few measly bucks. Well losing the 33 didn't help my mood any. I finally went to bed and was glad when sleep took me. I didn't want to talk or listen. I just wanted to stop feeling so lousy. These are the times when I lose money, thankfully not much. But it's these times, when I desperately need my poker diversion, that I shouldn't play. Whether the poker gods are with me or not...it will NOT be a useful, profitable or at all enjoyable session. I think I've taught myself a lesson on this point...at least until the next time anyway. Sometimes you know I just get pissed off at the world. I think we all do, but I've been doing it a lot lately. It can't be a good thing when it's so obvious that your 14-year old daughter recognizes it and tells you to get happy! Your kids aren't supposed to see that. How can you lead and guide with a chink in the armour? Anyway, it's back to the ole drawing board online. I'm now sitting at $208.xx on CarbonPoker, up over my initial deposit...but I've now pissed away $12.00. So yeah, it's less than break friggin' even poker. Although the $12+ is thanks to the motherless BLACKJACK MONSTER! I'll do better, I promise.

I'm really leaning more and more, to wanting to play at higher levels, in ring games, maybe at $1/$2 NLHE...but the online bankroll is what it is...with it being so very difficult to get money out there anymore. I just really believe that the donk fest...6-7 players to the flop will be reduced at least slightly. I've gotten in the habit of not betting or raising nearly high enough, because I'm feeling like I'm witnessing AutoCalls. I had two insta-callers at the table last night, a HEAVY bluffer...and one or two guys that were slow playin' EVERYFRIGGINTHING! And each time, luckily against those last two, I was holding my losses to a minimum. But these guys were smooth calling with AQ and KK with multiples in the pot!!! WTF!!! Trap yes...but so many times, I came SO CLOSE to suckin' out on them. And they didn't even acknowledge their good fortune. Then there were the guys at the table who would go on an ALL-IN binge for a few hands at a time. All-In for $10-$25 bucks to win.35-$1.00. Other than to be a complete dick...what for. I'm getting angry and down just thinkin' about it. I could recognize when most of these guys were full of shit...but I just NEVER had the cards to do ANYTHING at all about it. I mean what am I gonna do push with my monster 3-6os? These guys were calling it all, folks...almost like they knew what was coming up next. I hope that's not true, for the sake of poker, but I'll probably never know for sure.

I've ranted long enough here, and can feel my bloodpressure and heartrate continuing to rise, so I better bring this to a close.

Regards,

cheer_dad

Yeah, maybe I should have mowed yesterday, huh... This rain doesn't look too promising. The 10-day forecast doesn't bode well for my procrastinated lawn work. Sorry Big Red...will I never learn! I did get the mother-in-law's furniture moved yesterday, though. That buys me some points right? Actually went much more smoothly than I'd expected. Isn't that the way things typically go? It...whatever "it" is...is never quite so bad as what you think it will be. Maybe that's just because I have the worst-case-scenario, harbinger of doom ideal ingrained in my DNA. (Gee thanks mom!) No, I didn't get it from dad's side. He's as cool as a cucumber. He's got the "ehhh, I work it out," mentality. The "I've survived everything else, life's thrown at me so far, I suppose I can probably manage this. I'm a little convinced that a war era had a little to do with it. I did not grow up/live in a time of war. I did not experience death. There was a movie a while back (I forget which one...) but the father was telling the son that the son wasn't truly enjoying/experiencing/living life because he'd never witnessed death. The sight of "your buddies getting killed by your side" tending to make other stressors in life seem a little less important and urgent. Actually cleared away some of the muck and allowed him to "stop and smell the roses." Enjoy the present and don't dwell on the what if, or what might happen tomorrow. That scene, (though I've quoted it horribly) really struck a chord with me.

I've always looked up to my dad. I admire him. I used to think he was hard on me, (I worked for him while I was in high school and college, and was typical for the boss's kid...he rode me a little more. BUT, I realize now that those things that he instilled within me may well be the most important lessons I was ever taught. He taught me to work...he taught me responsibility. He taught me to be a man. However, as I near the 40 year old threshold, I scratch my head. I still feel like I'm still in the process of growing up! How can that be? The lessons I got out of my dad, came to me when dear ole dad was that age I am now. I still don't feel like I'm anywhere near there. Maybe this means that I'm worthless. Or maybe ALL dad's are just in the same situation. We're an inch away from idiocy...ill- equipped to do the job for our kids, but we still keep trying. One day maybe I'll just ask him about it all. Maybe, if I'm lucky, I'll learn that he was just as clueless and scared as I am now...

Maybe I haven't said it in a while dad...but THANKS, just for being you, and doing the best you could. Thanks for setting the example and setting the bar high!

Regards,

cheer_dad

Monday ramblings

When I was younger, I used to make little notes to myself all the time to which I rarely returned. Sometimes they were reminders, other times they were thoughts in progress that I'd intended to return to, to finish off. I'd make them on scratch pieces of paper, margins of books, etc... Now that trend has gone digital, and I've embraced the computer age fully. But I generally jot done notes to myself in little "notepad" windows on each of my many computers, between work and home. I copy and paste like a junkie. I'm a horrific plagarizing junkie...not because I don't want to give credit where credit is due...it's just I forget where I got some of these little tidbits of wisdom sometimes. If I were better organized maybe it wouldn't happen. I do remember reading some guides on organizational skills years ago, and I guess I did employ some of those elements into my day-to-day life, but not to the degree that it could really make an impact. Maybe that's what I should really revisit, huh?!

Anyway, here's one of the recent snippets of information I left lingering on my desktop here at home, again, I read it on someone's blog, but I just don't remember which one. My apologies to the author...

"...A big payday buys you "tilt control". You no longer feel enraged by bad beats or obsess about losses. You have proved that all you need to do is play correctly and the rewards will come. The result is that you play a lot calmer and treat your inevitable reverses, no matter how cruel, with equanimity. Of course the flip side of this is that, those who have won some money are distraught that they haven’t won more."

I think that's where I've been lately...wondering why I've been treading water in the poker world. Not able to make the "break-away" money. I mean I should really accept it, since I'm not playing at the big $ tables. I'm still subscribing to the "you can't lose what you don't put in the middle..." strategy. It's true, but it unfortunately borders on the "scared money can't win," thought process. And that just kind of sucks.

I'm playing a few tables right now, both on UB and Carbon. There's a guy on the Carbon table "TheBlindDog" who has given me a ''second-best complex." I always seem to bob around out here, moving up only slightly, and then going mondo card dead. By then everyone is convinced I'm so tight that I screw my socks on that when I hit a little something, I can't make enough to even cover my losses and the friggin' rake.

Some days, I border on throwing in the towel, cashing out, and never playing again. It sucks to hate a thing so much that you love. Such is the poker mistress.

Regards,

cheer_dad

Final Frontier...

It is the end of an era. The Frontier Hotel and Casino has closed its doors. This article chronicles it much better than I could:
http://www.mohavedailynews.com/articles/2007/07/17/news/business/biz2.txt but I have a lot of memories of the old place. This was the first casino that I ever stayed at in Las Vegas. Big Red's family had made it a vacation destination for years. In its heyday, I'm sure it was quite a place...but by the time I got there, she bore the odors of thousands of spilled drinks, and millions of smoked cigarettes. In short...nostalgic Vegas. The Frontier was living history. I wish now that I'd gone to see it one last time while I was in Vegas earlier this month. The site will at some point in the near future be home to some Trump-ian venture, some sort of "high-end" housing. Who knows. Seems like a waste of a prime strip property to me. But that's why he's Trump and I'm not I suppose. At any rate...I'll miss the old place. Of course I shouldn't get to attached to the Imperial Palace either, as she will soon (I fear) experience the same fate. I guess I'll update my "chip-collection" and consider my $1 chips from there as collector's items of a now non-existent casino. R.I.P.

Yesterday's All-Star tournament (day 1) was cancelled due to rain. But it's not raining now, so it seems tonight it'll be GAME ON! This one is a t Godbey...and the boys could very easily have to play 9 games tonight. Holy Cow!!! If they survive this...and one more weekend of baseball, it'll be time to call it a season. Cole is still debating on whether to play Fall Ball over at Worthington, or if he's going to give football a shot. This decision...or opting to play nothing at all is entirely his. I'm not going to push him on this. I want him to enjoy it...and I don't want to be one of those parents that I hate. You know the ones trying to re-live some sad vestige of their previous lives. Since I was never an athlete, this is all new to me, but I've taken an active role in it all for him...and I've actually gained a love of the sport. Not the winning or the losing...just the game, and valuing the effort and reward of the thing. I know...getting all "misty" on you here.

I played briefly online on both Carbon and UB last night. Moved up about a lousy $1 on each site, before calling it a night. Sat in a freeroll on UB too, for a chance to win my way into a satellite for an Aruba Tournament Seat. I had to leave the tourney, to run a couple of errand, and when I returned I sat and waited for a hand. On the BB, I had 9-10os. Unraised, and 5 way pot, I hit 2-pair on the flop, got it all in, but encountered the chip leader who had also hit 2 pair...his were higher. Sucks to be me...but hey that's how it goes. Some days, I just feel like a surfer who's always looking for that perfect wave, but in my case I'm looking for the perfect game...or at least a "brief" session of playing. Like more "flow" than "ebb" of the poker tide.

Anyway, have a great weekend all, I'll let you know if a game crops up!

Regards,

cheer_dad

My poker play troubles me...

I'm playing on Carbon Poker, trying not to play for the sake of bonus, just playing good solid poker, or what I think passes for it. But I'm continuing to be frustrated and seemingly stymied at every front. Two nights ago I had just sat down, first hand, pocket 10's, no raise preflop by anyone, but more than a few people involved so I opt to see what comes up, before doing something stupid. I flop my set! Guy to my left bets into the pack hard...gets rid of everyone, but me of course. Before you know it and back and forth ensues, and we end up all in, he slightly larger stack than I. I had a "tiny" voice tell me something was wrong, but there was nothing I could do about it. The voice was right. No, he didn't suck out on me. Didn't hit a flush or straight, but he had flopped a HIGHER set, with his pocket Kings. Unreal, first hand, first $25 down the tubes on the table. Now, I actually continued to play, and was running like 4 tables, when I finally quit a couple hours later. I made back nearly all of that loss, and in the process was paid $10 of my bonus for the number of hands I racked up. I play last night at two tables, one of which ended up very short handed, where I just bobbed up and down in the ebb and flow of the poker current. The other table was just a big ZERO for me. Nothing and I do mean NOTHING materialized there. AK never connected, pocket pairs, were always beaten and or destroyed by the board. Overly aggressive competition, overvaluing hands, but always better than what I was holding. I stayed out of the way, but my stack just kept dwindling. I dropped a few bucks. But I'm actually below where I started a few days ago. Despite the $10 windfall, and recovering from the brutal out of the gate $25 loss, I'm stuck!!! I'm a losing poker player. I'm not even profitable with the bonus. Okay, when I first deposited my $200, and got the promise of a bonus, I would have been happy with break even poker, to collect the 100% bonus. Now, I'm sitting with $208 in the account, after accumulating like 3,300 points, which is in the neighborhood of 1,100 hands (actually more) and so I show a net profit of 8 bucks...oh but factor in the $10 bonus, and I'm actually 2 friggin' dollars down!!! Now, I've never presumed to be a great player, but c'mon! This is more than a little ridiculous to me. I've analyzed my play. Perhaps staying in a few more preflop hands than normal, but lately I've found that my starting hand requirements were too tight. So high, that when I finally got involved everyone knows it, and drops...sometimes before I can even make a move! Is it that I'm just a loser? Or is this low level No Limit crap just killing me? Am I just kidding myself that I can play a reasonable/normal game at this level. Is this .10/.25 NLHE arena just a useless place to be dorkin' around? Will the game be any more useful/profitable at a higher dollar amount? How high? Can I afford it? Am I just deluding myself into believing that I can do any better? Can I really suck this bad? Do I give up...and just plan on cancelling all of the subsequent NDPT Tournament Events from here on out? Is this just part of the continued slump? Why is it that losses are monstrous...and gains are minuscule? I lose big pots. Gain only small ones, and not enough of them to make a friggin' difference. I'm beginning to depress myself here, reader!!! As if you couldn't already tell, huh!?! How do you recover? How do you fight back? Hell, is it even a fight...or one worth fighting at all!???! It's a real "WTF" kinda moment. I have a lack of confidence in my game, which is painful. Scared money can't win, but how do you give it a backbone! Who knew my money was yellow? I'm so lost I don't know whether to tighten up or loosen up. I don't even know if either option would make a difference. Maybe it's just pointless. Kiss it all goodbye and friggin' liquidate. That is if I can even get the money offline in the first place.

How do I know when I've taken this rant too far? Or should I just assume that I long ago passed that point, and just quit right here? Prolly the best play I've made all week.
Time to run...

Regards,

cheer_dad

WSOP 2007 Champion!!!

Jerry Yang Wins 2007 WSOP World Championship
for complete details, please visit:


http://www.lasvegasvegas.com/pokerblog/archives/005158.php



Jerry Yang wins 2007 WSOP Main Event and $8,250,000



Seventeen hours of high stress poker in front of the ESPN cameras came down to the final hand of the final table of the final event of the 2007 World Series of Poker. Holding all of the chips and the only chair left Jerry Yang claimed the 2007 World Champion Poker Player title after defeating Tuan Lam in a hard fought heads up battle. The winner of the 2007 WSOP Main Event received a custom Corum watch, a very special platinum and diamond bracelet plus $8,250,000 in cash.
Congratulations Mr. Yang!!!
...BUT...

I don't know why they didn't just use this picture of him though!!!???






Sorry JJ, I just couldn't resist, you KWazy KoWean!













: ) !!!
Regards,

cheer_dad

Final Table Time...

In case you were wondering...and even if you weren't, here's an update on the Main Event of the WSOP 2007. Action gets under way today at NOON, Vegas time.
They're down to the final table!

Seating Assignments and Chip Counts:

Seat 1 - Jon Kalmar - 20,320,000
Seat 2 - Lee Childs - 13,240,000
Seat 3 - Philip Hilm - 22,070,000
Seat 4 - Jerry Yang - 8,450,000
Seat 5 - Raymond Rahme - 16,320,000
Seat 6 - Tuan Lam - 21,315,000
Seat 7 - Alex Kravchenko - 6,570,000
Seat 8 - Lee Watkinson - 9,9250,00
Seat 9 - Hevad "Rain" Khan - 9,205,000

Final Table Payouts are as follows:

1 - $8,250,000
2 - $4,840,981
3 - $3,048,025
4 - $1,852,721
5 - $1,255,069
6 - $956,243
7 - $705,229
8 - $585,699
9 - $525,934

For a more detailed breakdown and commentary, please visit the Tao of Poker blog at

http://taopoker.blogspot.com/2007_07_01_archive.html#3962011772471572438

Regards,

cheer_dad

And then there were 337...

WSOP 2007 Main Event Day 3 has come to a close...and of the original starters, who ponied up the $10,000 buy in (in some fashion or other) only 337 remain! I'll tell you up front that I'm sponging content from Dr. Pauly and the Tao of Poker. If you want to read it all go there NOW! If you want my truncated take, and additional comments stick around. I really wish I was there to be covering it myself, but that's yet another unfulfilled dream, okay!?!

Recall that 621 places will be paid out in the Main Event. The BUBBLE BOY who went out in 622 place is John Sigan from Strongsville, Ohio. He will actually get to play in the Bubble Playoff later this afternoon, in an attempt to win his way into next year's Main Event. So, I guess I'm rooting for him. Always gotta support the UnderDog, and how bad can he be, he's from Ohio! : )

Jim Lucas (guy who played at The Wolfe's house) and won Game #1, is still in it, with 511,000 in chips. He's guaranteed at the least to come with over $40,000 now! Tear 'em up Jim...and bring some of it back to Parkersburg, WV on your next visit. I guarantee there'll be a game for you!

There are 337 players left. They all made the money and advanced to Day 4. They will return to the Rio on Friday at noon. The final table is set for Tuesday.

Note that Scotty Nguyen and Humberto Brenes are both still in it...both of whom VERY GRACIOUSLY posed for pictures for me while we were in Las Vegas. So, I'm pulling for these guys too. Of the other PROS that remain, to me Gus Hansen is most exciting. His wild playing style is incredibly entertaining and fascinating. Having him at a final table, would be exciting to watch! And hey how 'bout that Amazing Spider Man!!!

Some notable advancers to Day 4 include:

Gus Hansen, Huck Seed, Lee Watkinson, Maria Ho, Robert Varkonyi , Alex Kravchenko, Carlos Mortensen, Thor Hansen, Scotty Nguyen, Humberto Brenes, Daniel Alaei, Hasan Habib, Mimi Tran, and Tobey Maguire.

Some notable cashouts so far (again, not all, just ones that interest me) :

357 Robert Mizrachi $34,664
364 Pamela Brunson $34,664
459 Todd Brunson $29,883
559 Rolf Slotboom $20,320
565 Shawn Chaconas $20,320
592 Gavin Smith $20,320

Action get under way at NOON, Vegas time, today, maybe the blogs will have further updates tonight, on the action. Don't forget tonight is NDPT Event #7 at the Casa de Murray!!! Somewhere in the neighborhood of 23 players are supposed to be there tonight to play at 7:00pm. Big Red will be in defensive mode, as our BOUNTY for having taken down the top spot in Event #6 last month. Yes, she's still carrying my sorry @ss!

Enough about the WSOP and the NDPT...it's time to get back to it. Gotta earn some cash so I can blow it at the tables.

See you later tonight!

Regards,

cheer_dad

Another update on the WSOP

I finish my post, and then read Prof's Vegas Poker Blog on my Google Reader page...and he's given me new insight into the series. There's new news! Sorry Prof...I continue to sponge off of your WSOP reporting. But I keep telling the NDPT membership to check you out! I'll increase your readership yet!

Players failing to advance to Day 3 included...
Daniel Negreanu, Chris Moneymaker, Prahlad Friedman, Susie Isaacs, Allen Cunningham, Steve Dannenman, Chris Bell, Phil Gordon, Ciaran O'Leary, and Vinnie Vinh.

Day 3 will mark the first day of the Main Event in which ALL players will be in the room at the same time. Of the original 6,358 who started in the Main Event approximately 800 players will be back for Day 3. Only the top 621 win prize money!!! There are bustouts yet to come.

Stay tuned.

Regards,

cheer_dad

Who's left?

The Main Event of the 2007 WSOP continues in to the multiple Day 2's, ever thinning the herd, reducing it down to the point where all players will be housed in the massive Amazon Room at the Rio Casino and Hotel. That room full will be weeded down to a final table, and then ultimately the remaining players will be ushered over to the "final table" area to play it all down to the last man standing. Who will it be? Somebody? Most likely nobody... Luck seems to be becoming the most deciding factor in these uber-events. Skill levels in my mind have drastically improved, since everyone has any number of ample opportunities to practice their game online or at some brick and mortar casino. This isn't a bad thing...but the game has changed. It's even changed in the short amount of time in my poker "career." By "career" all I mean is since I first started playing. There used to be sharks and fishes. Now there are so many classifications of players that you need to keep straight at the tables. In your home games, online, and B&M you also have the maniacs, whales, rounders, drunks, foreigners, ADD babies, etc... On the televised games, you have that plus the aristocracy of the game, the pros, who make their living at poker, and have the endorsement contracts which add gravy to their game. These guys and gals are the new heroes. They're treated like rockstars. I do it too, when I was in Las Vegas a couple weeks ago, I was snapping pictures and jockeying for position on the rail just like everyone else. Heroes come in strange places, but at least now, they're not in a back room card game. There's a spotlight on the game they play.

My son even watches the game on TV with us from time-to-time. A commercial for UB's Aruba Classic came on, which he watched intently. He asked me "why don't you do that daddy?" I told him because it would cost more money than I was willing or able to lose. His response, "...but you can win a lot!" The concept of risk hasn't set in for him yet at the tender age of 8. He doesn't understand that if I piss it away at the table, that the house we live in, the cars we drive, the food he eats, and most consequential to him, the toys he plays with, would be no more. I have responsibilities. I'm the breed of card player, that is recreational, responsible, and minimally profitable. In the words of Mike McDermot, "...you can't lose what you don't put in the middle." I know Worm would not approve. And no, I'm not even playing at the Mike McD level. Nowhere even close! I don't presume to have the skill or ability, but most of all...I am not willing to let my family down. Maybe years from now, my game will expand, but today in the here and now...I'm family man, and that's okay too. No chasing of pipe dreams anymore. In fact my pipe dream (poker related) isn't even the same anymore. Once upon a time it would have been to play in the Main Event. But now, my pipe dream would be to play B&M Ring Games. And not just NLHE anymore. I enjoy many games of poker. They keep it exciting for me. Some would complain that I'm not a purist...so be it.

At any rate...back to the Main Event. A lot of the heavy hitters have headed for the rail. Guys I would have loved to watch at a final table aren't there. There will be a grouping of newbies there to watch and rate and rank...and more than likely we'll never see them again, except in ESPN reruns of the series for years to come.

Here's a listing of the names that catch my eye as noteworthy bustouts thus far. Sadly, there will be more:

Day 1A
Doyle Brunson, Amarillo Slim, Mike Sexton, Josh Arieh, Eli Elezra, Shaniac, Dewey Tomko, John D'Agostino, Mel Judah, Johnny Chan, Liz Lieu, The Grinder, Vince Van Patten, Devilfish, Joe Awada.

Day 1B
Jeff Shulman, Erik Seidel, Isabelle Mercier, Kathy Liebert, Scott Fischman, Jennifer Harman, Annie Duke, Howard Lederer, David Williams, Sam Farha, and John Juanda.

Day 1C
Phil Laak, Mike "The Mouth" Matusow, Shannon Elizabeth, Greg Raymer, Phil Ivey, Chris Bigler, Men "The Master" Nguyen, Jennifer Tilly, Clonie Gowen, Andy Bloch, David Sklansky, Vanessa Rousso, TJ Cloutier, Kenna James.

Day 1D
Jamie Gold, Phil Hellmuth, Chip Reese, Brandi Hawbaker, Paul Darden, Cyndy Violette, David Benyamine, Dutch Boyd, Erick Lindgren.

Day 2A
Lou Krieger, Evelyn Ng, Barry Greenstein, Dan Harrington, Paul Wasicka, Mark Seif, Patrick Antonius, Joe Hachem, Captain Tom Franklin, Montel Williams, Hoyt Corkins, Tom McEvoy, Joe Sebok, Miami John Cernuto, and David the Dragon Pham.

Sheesh...should I just pick a name out of the remaining crowd at random (preferably one I've never heard of) and start cheering them on? But there are a few of the "good guys" still in there! We'll see.

Frank Wolfe did tell me last night that Jim Lucas is still in the main event. Who is Jim Lucas? Well he's from Florida but a couple months back, he was in town, right here in Parkersburg, WV...and showed up to play at Frank's first game in the new house. Big Red and I, made it to game #2 and I believe he sat to my left. Good luck to you! I suppose you have greater ambition than I, or is it that you are at a different stage in life, where you can afford the luxury. Either way...get in there when you have the best of it, protect it when you don't.

I'll continue to live vicariously through the blogs of others throughout the remainder of the Series. Thanks to all who play and have brightened my day, and given me something to look forward to.

Regards,

cheer_dad

Tuesday already

So here it is Tuesday already. The weekend was a blur thanks largely in part to the Tri-C All-Stars Baseball Tournament. No, our boys didn't take down the top spot, but we didn't think 4th place was too shabby! They played their hearts out. The last game, to determine 3rd or 4th, could have gone either way, but in the end the Mineral Wells team, took us down. We played Thursday night, off Friday (so Big Red and I headed over to the Yanok's to play poker,) then came home around 3:00am . We got up Saturday bright and early, and I felt okay, and ready for anything, but I was kinda wrong. Not only did we have to be there for 3 ballgames, but I ended up umping 2 games as well. Let's just say that I really needed more fluids and a lot more sun block. My face and neck are continuing to peel now. We were a little worried that there would be another tournament this weekend which wouldn't let us play cards, but all's well that ends well.

I just finished moving my workstation from the 1st floor to the 2nd floor. All the junk that was downstairs is now upstairs, but I have noticed that I do have a substantial amount of more room. I have not shaken the sleepiness off however, and I continue to be sluggish.

In Vegas news, the Main Event of the WSOP continues to roll onward, currently in one of the Day Two heats. Here is a bit of the official line from the WSOP:

Total Entrants: 6,358
Prize Pool: 59.7M
Top 621 get paid
Harrah's Juice: $2,670,360
Dealer's Toke: 1,144,440
Millionaires: 5Payouts: 1- $8,250,000 2- $4,840,981 3- $3,048,025 4- $1,852,721 5 -$1,255,069
6 $956,243
7 $705,229
8 $585,699
9 $525,934
10th-12th $476,926
13th-15th $429,114
16th-18th $381,302
19th-27th $333,490
28th-36th $285,678
37th-45th $190,053
46th-72nd $130,288
73rd-81st $106,382
82nd-90th $82,476
91st-99th $67,535
110th-162nd $58,570
163rd-225th $51,398
226th-288th $45,42
2289th-351st $39,445
352nd-414th $34,644
415th-477th $29,883
478th-549th $25,101
550th-621st $20,320

No it's not as big as last year...but that is due largely to the recent rash of legislation barring U.S. players from gaming. But we'll see what th future holds.

I'm making a lot of type o's here because I'm so tired, so I'll wrap this up.

Regards,

cheer_dad

Vegas Quotes...

There were more, and I'm sure the members of the Brew Crew and the Red Snappers will come up with more for the list, but here's a quick compilation of quotes heard while on the Vegas 2007 trip. It's like a TOP 10 list, but because it's Vegas...we'll make it a Top "21":

1. I'll sleep when I'm down!!!
2. So are you trickin', gambling, or sightseeing? --question asked of Julie.
3. I'm in hell...I just know it...
4. What's this $500 chip for?
5. It's like herding cats...
6. Has anyone seen Allman?
7. With VERY thick Taiwanese accent, "Dammit I busss again, have to pay you...I prolly rooos my job!" --Frank, the blackjack dealer.
8. So, do YOU "like" Red Snapper?
9. Buddy, I'm in a hurry...well okay make it quick. --TJ Cloutier.
10. How long you in town for...would you like free show tickets. --any number of timeshare salesmen.
11. "...these two fingers...because they're mine!" --Improv comedian, omitted entire quote to keep it pg-13.
12. That looks like fun, how do you play?
13. YEAHHHHH BOOBIES!!!
14. There's no humidity in hell either, but I don't see anyone buildin' casinos there! --Improv comedian.
15. "No, my name's Puddles!" --punchline of All-In Allman's joke.
16. I just gotta see the baby dolphin!
17. Ma'am you can't bring your drink into Denny's...well...no...I don't care if you chug it really quick!" --waiter at Denny's
18. "That beeyatch wouldn't let me go All-In at that table." --Tabby, while sitting at the LIMIT Hold 'em table.
19. Does anyone over there playin' in the "Beer Pong" area, even look 21?
20. This place is a friggin' maze!
21. I don't really know what I'm doing, but I keep hittin' it...

I'll make additions in future blog entries...

Regards,

cheer_dad

Back to reality...slowly and sluggishly

I'm jet-lagging badly. The harsh reality of the return to the workplace A.V. (After Vegas) has hit me head on. I'm sluggish, my eyes have circles under the dark circles, and I'm finding it incredibly difficult to survive this day. Las Vegas is just a memory now. She beckons for me to return soon. Hopefully I will! I would like to return in October/November, but I just don't know where the bankroll will be by then. Just as I was able to stick to my guns this go around, by playing the $2/$4 table...next trip I want to step it up a notch and play harder/ smarter/ sober/ and definitely MORE poker. I got lucky in Vegas. I played BlackJack and Let It Ride and just couldn't seem to do anything wrong at all! Nothing...I ran hot for 3+ days! Then I "felt" the cooling off, and had sense enough not to blow it all off trying to catch and make it back. I was able to hold off my losses to around $200 in the last 2 days. I still came back with a lot of money in my pocket. Between us, Big Red and I brought back more money than we left with, including the souveniers, food, drinks, etc... It was a VERY GOOD trip. I have a number of great memories, and I thoroughly enjoyed being a railbird at the WSOP, snapping pictures of and WITH the pros. Even Big Red really got into it, pointing and telling where to snap a picture from time to time. THAT was a very good day indeed. I still need to get the pictures from everyone to post up to the blog and website.


But of the ones that I took while there THIS one of Scotty Nguyen is my favorite! I happened to see him as we were heading back toward the Amazon Room at the RIO where the majority of play was being held. He was on a break...and headed out for a quick smoke. He put his head in one of the "Cool Zone" fans to cool off, and I politely asked...do you mind if I snap a quick picture and I'll leave you alone. He mustered up a smile and gave me this fantastic pose. Thank you Scotty, you're a class act! I can only guess how many times you've had to undergo the flash of an amateur's digital camera on this and every other tournament. Thanks again! You made my trip.

I also got this quick picture of T.J. Cloutier as well. The man was in a hurry...but I said please and he complied as well. Again, I really appreciate you taking the time to pose for yet another flash bulb that day. Hope the cards treated you well the rest of your day.


Some of my other buddies on the trip scored a lot of other pictures, which made me envious. I only wish I had been there to snap some of them too. Just happened to be that while I was there, one of the events was on break, while another continued. I'll get their pictures posted up here as soon as I get them. One of the most cordial and pleasant pros that I came across that days was quite a surprise to me...and came in the form of Humberto!
I spotted him just out of nowhere on the floor. Impossible to miss really. He had me pose with him holding his signature SHARK card capper.







He even waited around patiently and allowed us to snap another picture with my wife. I saw him again later in the hallway, posing with yet more fans, shaking hands and smiling ear to ear. Really nice guy! Thanks bunches!











I didn't get to speak to these last two pros at all, but the picture is very special at least to me. I admire both of them and to have them seated side by side in an event was a great thing to see, and although you didn't know I was there (actually walking around on the wrong side of the pseudo rail) I got this picture...which is GREAT!

Doyle and Annie next time I'll try for the handshake, but at the time you seemed otherwise engaged!

I'll post some additional pictures and commentary of the trip later, over the next few days. Hope you'll bear with me. At that time I'll start posting some of the pictures of the Brew Crew and the Red Snappers!!!

Hope everyone had a blast in Las Vegas, and we hope to do it all again REAL SOON!



Regards,


cheer_dad

Good to be home...aw who am i kiddin'

We are back from Las Vegas. We rolled back into town last night at around 2:00am. Teresa and Julie were a bit behind us, since they took a later flight. I think everyone had a good time, really! Lots of cards were played, lots of alcohol was imbibed...boy was it ever. Of utmost importance...I came home UP! No kidding around, I did VERY WELL this time, at least for me...a lowly bankroll kind of guy. I left home with $750 in my pocket. I returned with just under $1,300. I even gave Big Red $120 one day when her luck wasn't holding up. I also bought food, and did a lot of shopping. So to have come back dead even would have been an amazing feat. Coming back with in the neighborhood of $550 over and above the starting point, was simply AMAZING to me. I did well on the first few days. Starting the ball rolling with $2/$4 Limit Hold 'em, as planned at the Imperial Palace. There were a couple of other poker sessions while I was there too and I thoroughly enjoyed them...but realizing that I would be drinking heavily I opted for games that wouldn't be affected too much by alcohol. Enter BlackJack and Let It Ride. Let It Ride I consistently won, taking down steady sums which added up over time. BlackJack on the last couple of days took back some of the profits, but not all of them. Of particular importance in the returning bankroll was the day (Sunday I think) we started Casino hopping, hitting a few, including Paris along the way, before we ended up at New York New York. Here I hit the motherload! A bunch of us sat down at a $10 BlackJack table, I sat with $100. I played and played so long and drank so much, that I eventually lost time I guess. Or maybe I was just having too much fun. Frank later told me that he believed that we had been sitting at that same table for nearly 6-7 hours! When it finally dawned on me that I was beyond incoherent, I said I need to leave and asked for a cashout. When the stacks of checks were arranged and colored up, I had right at $650!!! WOW! I don't think I've EVER done that well. I also recall at least 2 Full Houses while playing Let It Ride which paid out like $150 each time they hit. Heck I even hit on a couple of slots, and the Roulette table too. This was a great enjoyable winning session. Teresa was also able to turn her luck around as well, and started on a winning run as well, primarily at the tables, including BlackJack and Let It Ride! I'll have to get a final count from her to know the exact total of her winnings.

Anyway, we are back...and I'm still a little jetlaggy. I would like to post more, and regret that I failed to post the whole time I was in Vegas, but I promise to make it up to you soon, with posting our pictures to the blog and the website. As well as compiling a list of top quotes, happenings and things to remember. This may continue to be added to, as others in the group help to pull other things out of their memories as well. Alcohol has blurred some of the details!

Anyway, I have to head to bed a little early, so I can get up for work tomorrow. : ( More about the trip later...

Regards,

cheer_dad