Sick day rambling

I took the day off from work today, and NO it wasn't because I had a hangover or anything! I'm actually sick. I slept in, lounged around, thought about taking a drill to my head, prayed for death, etc... It's a sinus infection, just like I get every year, several times a year, and makes me hate life. So, I'm drugged up. I did manage to drag myself out long enough to go get the kids from school, and as much as I don't really want to I will likely go to the South football game tonight. Gotta be the supportive parent and all.

I logged on last night after the Eagles and played some cards, as I'd already decided I wasn't going to work feeling like total shit and figuring no one else wanted to have their system polluted with my germs. I should have stayed off of Bodog though. : ( I ended up dropping like $27 last night, due in part to a rash of crappy cards... and one big hand pocket Kings that got spanked by a "set miner" with pocket 6's who called my over-the-top reraise preflop. That one stung a little, and was probably the reason I played on "trying to get it back." I never did... I even sat stupidly and played short-handed and just continued to give another couple bucks away, until I finally just got tired and called it a night.

Today however, I had an hour to kill before picking up the kids, so I dove back in there, like an idiot. But things went a little better. : ) I fired up 3 tables of $25 NLHE. Folded and folded some more for a while, and played only position and some weak holdings. Things turned around big time for me, when I called with K-10s from late position. The flop came out K-8-8. The first guy to bet, bet the pot. I debated but called, thinking it might just be a move, and I should see what happens. The turn was another King. Yes, I'm aware that there was still the possibility of him having pocket 8's, other than the fact that he bet 'em. This time he bet weak... so I popped it, he repopped and the all-in was there for all to watch. When the river brought a 10, I barely saw it, and couldn't figure why we weren't splitting the pot, until I looked again. Nice catch on my part. It sucked for him, because I had sucked out on him in a way. He had been holding Big Slick and had me dominated at the flop, tied on the turn and then I sucked out. Tough break... sorry dude, it'd been happening to me last night. It was just your turn. Another few loose callers on the other tables, put some change in the pot and brought it my way too. When I cashed out at 2:30pm 1 hour and around 160 hands after I'd started, I had an extra $31.50. So I bounced back from last night's loss... and also put the Bodog account back over the $250 mark. Yes, I know my small time poker antics are boring you, but it's a big internet, go elsewhere if you don't like it.

The rest of the weekend is relatively planned out. Bowling for Cole at 10am and at the same time Whitney has cheer practice. I believe Big Red is heading along with her mom and a bunch of blue haired ladies on a bus to the Amish Country... (i think my wallet just shuddered.) Tomorrow night is the Yanok's game at 7:30. I'll likely be anxious to play, but also likely to be fairly well drugged up, and complementing with whiskey for the full effect. Okay, maybe not... I'm due for a decent finish at that game, this year... so don't put any chips in the middle that you don't want to end up in my stack. Is that clear?

Sunday, I'm on tap to take care of patches on our QA region at work. I may be able to take care of it all from here at the house, through VPN. At least I better be. I'd hate to hafta get out of my fuzzy slippers for this.

I also came across this article http://www.mercurynews.com/breakingnews/ci_10856197?nclick_check=1 which talks about Henry Orenstein who invented the hole-card cam for poker on television. He will be "enshrined" in the poker hall-of-fame on November 9th, during the recommencement of the Main Event Final Table. Congratulations to him. That sir... was a stroke of genius!!!

Regards,

cheer_dad

Things that caught my attention today

A wasted work day winds itself down, once again. I spend most of the day dealing with a virus alert on my laptop. After a few scans, reboots, research, and sacrifice of a virgin (the most difficult) and hours of effort; it was determined that my "virus" was in fact a false positive. Corrupted scanning engine and/or pattern file continued to identify a Trojan although no file(s) were identified, just an entry in the Risk History. In short Symantec had it out for me. On the plus side, during the course of the effort my PC Support buddy Mike was here to figure out what was going on. So while we watched scans crank and little else, we talked poker. He's a long-time member of the ole NDPT. We talked about Tri-State and various home tourneys, and the ever popular Shuman Cash Game. It was also good to hear some additional perspectives on how the WSOP Final Table looks. So, despite the downtime in the computing world, a good poker discussion filled the void! Thanks Mike!

I came across the following post by AlCantHang http://www.fulltiltpoker.com/poker-from-the-rail/bloggers-on-the-rail/railing-big-cash-game (which cited a write up over at PokerNews.com.) It covered a high dollar game on Full Tilt, in which I'll never find myself, but put into perspective some of the "bad beat" tales I have told and retold here on my blog. In short I think I should fess up and admit that "things ain't so bad for me." Talk about ouch!!! Go read it for yourself. And thanks to Al for posting it.

And while I was out there reading his blog, he reminded me of something else that I read yesterday but got sidetracked. My sincerest of apologies go out to MY GIRLFRIEND!!! Clonie Gowen won the 2008 World Poker Open Championship in Tunica, MS!!! The event had only 107 players (at $5,000 each) and was held at the Gold Strike Casino. Clonie, took it down for $183,224, further winning my admiration. : ) According to the post this win inches her closer to the magic number of $1 Million in career tourney winnings. Congratulations Clonie! (pssst, call me!)

Tonight is Eagles Night. We go up every week for the winner take all drawing, along with the whole gang. Yes, Robert... this is what "degenerate gambler feels like." Hope to see you all there. Tomorrow night is a South home football game, so Whitney cheers, and we'll cheer her/them from the stands. Hopefully things'll warm up a bit. I know how cold it was on Monday for the JV game. I lost feeling in the toes there for a while. Saturday night some of you fellow degenerates will converge with me on the Yanok's Tournament. There's always a good time to be had at this game, and this one is uber important as "both" games of the night will be qualifiers for the year-end game. I REALLY need to put one in the WIN column to beef up my meager chip stack for the final game. Can I get a little luv!

The online grind has returned to what passes for normal. I've been showing a profit for the last several hundred hands on Bodog, I'm happy to report. Meager sums here people, don't plan on rolling me in the parking lot for some extra scratch!

Hope all is well with each of you... and happy bankroll building.

Regards,

cheer_dad

Shamus' Interview of Dennis Phillips

I urge you all to head over to http://hardboiledpoker.blogspot.com/2008/10/hard-boiled-poker-interview-dennis.html immediately! If you can't tell from the link, Shamus interviews Dennis Phillips who is the chip leader of the November Nine of the Main Event of the World Series of Poker. Once again Shamus delivers top notch reporting of the poker kind. Actually I'm plugging it because he included a couple of my questions in his interview of Phillips! How cool is that!?! "It's Shake 'n Bake... and I helped."

But seriously, the interview is great and further solidifies why I'll be rooting for Phillips to walk away with the WSOP bracelet, $9+ million, and the admiration (and a tinge of jealousy) of the poker world. I wish him continued success!

And as always Shamus, thanks for the fantastic job that you do!

Regards,

cheer_dad

A little recap of my poker life

NDPT #16 took place this past Sunday at the Eagles. Erik P. was the big winner, while yours truly had to settle for 3rd place in the outing. Erik took me out when his 10's bested my Queens, due to a flopped 10. (Must be the oompa loompa luck thing or something like that.) No, I kidding... I kidding... Congratulations on the win Erik, and like we talked a few days before, I do believe the blind structure changes were an incredibly relevant factor. I had a great time, and hope you all did too. The company was good... and the beer was cold, what more could one ask for? Once again, thanks to JR, for putting this together for us. We look forward to many more outings...

The next game on tap for extended poker-dom is the Yanok's game to be held on November 1st, at 7:00pm-ish I believe. Beyond that JR will play host to the monthly NDPT game, he is deciding whether or not that will be held at his house, or if he'll opt again to hold it at the Eagles, since his basement has been "temporarily" turned into a wood shop. Either way, there will be a game to be played. We'll also need to make some decisions about when and where the last two games of December will be held. We will have the final NDPT regular season tournament, and then the End-of-the-Year $50 buy-in tournament. There are just a lot of other poker games, and some pesky holidays to work around! : )

Of course all of this planning and scoping out next games, says nothing about planned or unplanned trips to Cross Lanes. There's fish with chips to give away... the dogtrack and the newly opened table gaming area. The pit area boasts all of your casino favorites. On my last trip there, the pit area (on a weekend night) had Blackjack as low as $10 and Let It Ride as low as $5!!! Wait times were not bad either. In the poker room, you will seldom wait longer than 10-15 minutes for a seat, if that long. The Poker Room Staff at The Big Easy Poker Room is to be commended for running a top notch room. Of particular notice is the fact that when around 10 people are on the waiting list to play... and new table is opened and the cards get in the air! Also, as I've said before the room is much more open and inviting than is Wheeling Island's. The bar boasts $2.50 draft beer on Saturday nights, and it's not a skimpy glass. I have really only one complaint so far about my experiences at Cross Lanes... There is one floor person/supervisor (whatever he calls himself) that I witnessed on a number of occasions getting on to his dealers in front of the players. I found his demeanor rude... and while I recognize he has a job to do, some of the things he was getting on to his people about should have been handled outside of the earshot of the general public. Berating a dealer while he is in the process of "dealing" is also BIG "NO-NO" in my book. A little more professionalism in this area is needed. Treat your "new" dealers with a little more respect.

I don't know what got me off on this Cross Lanes tangent, other than the fact that I'm always excited about taking a trip southward, but it got me to thinking about the last time I was down there and this hand in particular:

I'd been sitting in the number 6 seat at a $1/$2 NLHE table for a couple of hours playing a stupid ridiculously tight game by all accounts, including my own. Nearly 95% of the hands were being popped to $10-$12 preflop and 5-6 people seeing the flop. I had been seeing my usual grouping of "blackjack" style hands perfect for doubling down, but less than useful at the poker table. I did commit some scratch to the pot when I flopped a nut flush draw with an AJs, but never got there. A pocket pair of 7's also ended up in the muck, when a raise and reraise preflop had it to $25 before I even knew what hit me. Sorry, obviously there were overs out there (and there were.) No the hand that really got me was this little beauty. I'm first to act on this hand, which I looked down at after 2 hours of my fold-a-palooza. Two beautiful Red ACES! Recalling that nearly every hand was getting a raise preflop and knowing that my appearance was rocklike at the table, I opted to just call the $2. And it was called around to the 10 seat who, stupidly made it $4. It made it's way back to the BB, next to me, who insta-popped it to $12 straight, and as I was reaching for my chips the $4 raiser jumps ahead of me to make it $24, so instead of me shoving, I call the $12, and let him continue with the bet. It folds back to the BB, who immediately shoves it all in. He has me covered by a long shot here, but it's irrelevant. I call, and put myself all-in for all of the $60 I have left in my stack. The 4 green chips in my right pants pocket are burning a hole in my thigh as I'm doing it. Now the #10 seat friggin' wakes up and realizes something is amiss, and stares at me and folds. The bald headed kid in the #3 seat who isn't even in the hand, says "I know he's got Aces since he ain't played a hand since he sat down." That was actually a pretty fair assessment, although his ability to judge that was hindered a bit by his three lengthy outside smoke breaks. So... whatever!?! Regardless, you aren't in the hand, just shut up. Anyway, the dealer counts things up a bit, and the BB, takes back what he is due and he asks if I got 'em, which I admit... without smiling. He flips over his Kings next to my Aces, and they table groans collectively. The dealer brings cries of "OUCH" and gnashing of teeth with the flop, as he places "K-3-3" on the table (all black by the way.) And whatever the turn and river were, well let's just say I don't remember but neither was one of the other aces, and cheer_dad headed for the rail. The chips in my pocket now silent, although I think I might have heard one of them murmur, "dude, that sucked." I head for the bar, and order an Amber Bock draft to cool off. Next bad beat, comes in the form of a killed keg, and so I can't even get the dark beer to match my mood. Whatever, just friggin' pour me somethin' sweetheart. I wondered around for a bit to collect my thoughts... I later returned to the poker room, to a decidedly different table and played my last $100 down to around $55, when I started debating whether to play on or cash out and drink the rest of my bankroll. But opted to stay and ordered another beer. Somehow went on a run, and I'm not talking with great cards either here boys and girls, just some mediocre cards, but meeting up with some pretty damned stupid players willing to call down with air. By the time the poker room was shutting down at 3:00am, I found myself sitting on $263. A comeback which I was ecstatic about! A $213 rally is just fine by me!!!

I had relief, and just sat back and relaxed on the trip home, buzzed beyond belief. Erik and I in the backseat egging JR on to "wing" our empties out the window at the interstate signs, while Frank did battle with the alignment of his vehicle. Sorry guys, I don't know why I took so long to post that up. But I took this as the opportunity.

Regards,

cheer_dad

NDPT #16 approaches, and oh my Anniversary!!!

Registration will begin in just under 2 hours from now, as the collective gathers at the Eagles at 2:00pm today for NDPT #16. Registration begins then, and we get the cards in the air at 3:00pm sharp. At least what passes for "sharp" with our little ragtag group. We're hoping to pick up some additional Eagles members and "outsiders" for this game. JR has worked really hard at putting this and past games at the Eagles together and he is to be commended for his efforts. So, give him a pat on the back when you see him today.

Hope to see you all there, but for now, I've got to get a few things done here at the house before gametime. I'll try to give a recap of the action if I can stay sober enough for the whole affair, which frankly "I doubt!" But I'll tell what I remember anyway.

Oh and today is mine and Big Red's 17th Wedding Anniversary!!! It seems like... well forever. : ) Just kidding babe, put down the knife! I still love you after all these years, and looking forward to many more. And yes, we are playing poker on our anniversary, how's that for degenerate gamblers!?!

Regards,

cheer_dad

80's alert

I'll start regrowing the mullet and fire up my Bic lighter after reading this article:
http://www.people.com/people/article/0,,20235258,00.html?xid=rss-topheadlines

Some of the couplings that they can come up with! If you didn't bother going to read the article, it's talking about Taylor Swift and (brace yourself) Def Leppard performing TOGETHER! Somewhere the horsemen of the apocalypse are saddling up... No, actually it's true. CMT (Country Music Television for my Country and Western challenged brethren) will begin airing on Friday a video of country pop starlet singing along to the Def Leppard classic song from DEEP in the 80's Photograph! AND get this, it's actually a promotion of an upcoming CROSSROADS concert special on CMT of them all performing. The 18-year-old Swift came along 6 years AFTER Joe Elliot and the boys burst onto the music scene with this hit off of the Pyromania album. I can't tell you how many batteries I went through playing that "cassette" on my Sony Walkman!!! I even wore the tape out. Then, later bought the CD, and finally permanently added it to the iPod music collection. But I've strolled way off topic and down memory lane.

I don't know that I'd have ever put Taylor Swift and Def Leppard together but I'll very likely have to give the concert special a looksee when it airs on November 7th. Who among you is not practicing your "air-guitar" routine to "Pour Some Sugar On Me" right now?

A little less whining please

No, I didn't make it all back, but I pulled myself back over that damned $200 mark again on Bodog. So, let's re-evaluate where we stand. I donked off some, and that was just my own stupidity. I deserved it... and the poker powers that be saw to it to show me the error of my ways. I got it. Then, getting the shit kicked out of me the following day for no good or definable reason, or so I thought. Or think... Ah hell I don't really know. Still, I made a series of observations about tonight's play in my log book, that I want to think about before writing them down out here for a few reasons. First, I want to make sure I don't give anyone the opportunity to call me an idiot for getting it all wrong. And just in case anyone is actually reading this blog that plays with me routinely, well hell there's a lot of decision-making that I've put into my poker log book and some of that information just wouldn't do to have known out there. I need to treat each hand as if it were my last, and simply make fewer mistakes than everyone I'm in a hand with. Also, I don't have to frackin' prove anything to anyone at the table and there's no point in defending my honor or my ego. There are better grindable opportunities out there rather than ramma-jammin' into the pot with any other swingin' dick on a coin flip! Pick your spot. If that don't work...pick another one. There will always be another spot...ALWAYS!

Thanks for reading. Thanks for riding along on my rollercoaster emotional ride at the card tables. Honestly, thanks for finding anything interesting at all to read out here. I'm glad you stopped by.

Regards,

cheer_dad

Quote of the Day

“I know of no more disagreeable sensation than to be left feeling generally angry without anybody in particular to be angry at”
~Frank Moore Colby

I stumbled across this quote this morning while out looking around for a "Quote of the Day" to share with my team, as I've been doing now for several months now. It had particular meaning for me, in a most non-work-related sense, but is applicable to everyone else in general so I found it acceptable. Aside from the lessons in the work environment, let's get to what really matters. ME, and my poker shenanigans. Let's just say that Lady Luck was wearing a strap-on last night and driving it home to glory! Fuck me... and I don't mean in a good way! : o I know... I know... you need details.

Well still rolling my eyes at myself for my "late-night" online antics after the Wolfe game which cost me a buy-in on Bodog when I put too much faith in pocket ladies... I opted "last" night to get back out there and do a little something, play it straight and narrow and pick my spots. And I did just that. Got it all in there with the best of it, and got it rammed into some uncomfortable orifices. I started out (I'm ashamed to admit where) UB... just to see what paltry sum I had left out there on the no good cheating site. (Other reasons to hate... hmmm hello, they sponsor Phil Hellmuth, who wouldn't be so bad I guess if he just ya know, couldn't speak! --but I digress.) Anyway, I find under $20 still lounging out there on UB, getting more tainted by the filth every second. So, I plop it down on two tables, MAX $10's NLHE, 5 cent/10 cent... I got in about 100 hands, but it all came down to 2 big hands when you get right down to it. I made superb laydowns, great reads, the whole bit. On one table, I look down at AA from late position and there's a raise and a reraise in front of me. I pop it, to get heads up, which I do, and he flips over pocket Kings and hits his set on the flop and I head to the rail. Less than 3 minutes later, I look down at KK on my other table, and there's a raise and a reraise all in, and I throw all mine in too, to get heads up, and he turns over AKos... and this time Lady Luck waits til the river to ruin my day with the Ace... I decide to keep my remaining 2 bucks for another day... as I'm feeling all squishy inside.

I make the obligatory notes of my dismal failure in my poker log, breaking the lead in my mechanical pencil a number of times before getting it all down. Those F-bombs are murder on pencil lead. Anyway, I'm sitting there stewing in my own juices all pissed off, and there's nothing on the tube and I've got like 2 hours before bedtime, so allowing a 30 minute cool off, I snap-grab the laptop and fire up Bodog this time. Here, there were no big plays, no great cards, no caught sets, no flop connections. (Well there would have been this one, that I would have raped a couple of idiots, but oh yeah that's right, I got out of their idiotic ways and let 'em fight it out. From mid/late position there is a raise and a big over the top reraise, when I look down at JJ. I drop since in the 50-60 hands I've been playing I can't recall this guy playing a hand let alone ramming his stack out there. So, I'm out of it, and it folds around to the original raiser, who snap calls, and I'm waiting for fireworks here baby! WTF!!! Original raiser has A-10os preflop... and the overboard kid tables a Q-2 sooted! The flop comes J-4-4 and I'm livid, hating, wanting to kill something, anything, and watch as a friggin' ACE HIGH takes the pot down! Again, I digress.) I saw so much trash winning all around me. I played a few more suited connectors than normal, but nothing real sloppy. I raised with the big stuff when I could and got destroyed again. Before calling it a night I checked my stats, and of the just over 100 hands played on Bodog, I had WON 4, and had played only like 20% of the hands I'd been dealt. No shit! The four I won... I recall 1 or 2 being a meager winning of the blinds alone. I logged off.

Now some of you might say, I should have got out when it was going bad, but hell that would have been when I started. Others might say, you're just running bad... well let's just say I don't remember the last time I won anything of substance. Some might point back to a previous post in which I excitedly spoke of the Beginner SNG's on Bodog, in which I was winning; but let's just say that those profits are all but gone now and I'm back where I started from again on Bodog. I'm not even a break even player at this point this year... I think I've lost ground. My only comfort in this is that I wasn't keeping good notes about wins and losses and so I have some wiggle room to hope on. But now, I'm keeping very specific notes, and tracking myself, and brother let me tell ya, the picture ain't pretty right now. I should have been tracking when things were going well, to help balance this shit out huh!?!

Anyway, so back to my Quote of the Day from up top. Here I am pissed off, looking for an ass to kick, Lady Luck to bitch slap, a wall to punch, a dog to kick; as it were. And I come across the quote from Frank Moore Colby, “I know of no more disagreeable sensation than to be left feeling generally angry without anybody in particular to be angry at.” And you know what... the man's right. I'm angry... but not with anybody in particular. I can't even be mad at myself, really, as I can't find any move I made last night or in the past weeks which was particularly wrong. Just nothing has been working for me. I'm sincerely hopeful that this is bottom, 'cause the bottom line can't take much more of this. I would sincerely hate to quit playing a game that I love so much, or at least love to hate so much. I don't know whether to take a break or play through this rough patch, like it's some force that's just sitting there and must be worked through. If I leave for a while, it's gonna be there awaiting my return. This poker is an evil thing isn't it. So, suffice it to say, I feel a little better writing it all down, as you've all grown accustomed to seeing on this blog. The quote really put some of it in perspective. I can't make it any better by being angry either. I can fill only the holes I can find in my game, so I've got to continue to take GOOD notes. Beyond that I've just gotta keep making the same decisions in the same spots, and hope that when I get it in good that it starts to hold up, and bring the wheel of variance back into alignment.

One last thought, on my next trip to Charleston, (which I hope is very soon Big Red, honey, sweetie, baby cakes...) I want someone to "sweat me" at the table. To actively watch me, what am I playing, how am I playing, too tight, too loose, spewing chips, bad calls, not focusing? I promise to even lay off the suds and just play cards. I want at least a 6 hour straight, uninterrupted session at the table to really test my metal, and see how it all works out. I don't want a one hand/ get rich quick scheme, I really and truly want to frackin' grind it out, and show the consistent profit from good decisions and a well thought out strategy. So, it'll likely be JR and/or Frank who makes the trip and keeps an eye on me. But at this point this is about the only thing I think makes any sense. So there you have it, my soul has been bared. Lady Luck can bite me... Go ahead, say my name biyatch!

Regards,

cheer_dad

Lesson learned, until next time

First let me say thanks to the Wolfe's for their hospitality once again in hosting NDPT #15. I'd like to say I did well, but it wouldn't be true. I found myself card dead for quite a while, and really only got involved in maybe 2 hands at the first table of the night. Somehow as the blinds escalated into the stratosphere I made it down to the last 2 tables of the night. I didn't make it long though. From late position, with no one overly interested in the pot I saw what looked like a good time to shove and try to steal the $300 in the pot from the blinds. As I was shoving 'em out, watching Drew out of the corner of my eye, counting it out and licking his lips, well I just knew it wasn't good. Yeah, he called my idiocy with my Jack-4s with his wired COWBOYS, and sent me packing! Big Red survived to the final table and cashed out in 5th place, getting "her" money back. I sat down at the cash table and made mine back, plus a little more. I bought in with $20 and cashed out for like $74... so I was up for the night $29. Big Red did well in the cash game too, and made a few bucks too! I'll have to catch up with Frank tomorrow to see how the rest of the tourney played out. I remember a few items, but I just wasn't paying that much attention to the goings on.

Unfortunately, I wasn't done playing poker when we got home, and I opted to grab for the laptop in the middle of the night and log on to Bodog to play some more cards. Here's where the lesson should begin... I was doing well at my 2 -- $25 tables but really just treading water. And then, I looked down at two beautiful ladies... and I swear one of them winked at me. Maybe it was the alcohol... who knows. Regardless, it's my friggin' story, and the biyatch winked a'right?!? So, I raise and get a single caller preflop, high card of Jack out on the flop and my opponent rams a pot size bet. I rush to shove my whole stack to defend the honor of my ladies... and find that this is where I am... in need of a lot of help. Sadly, it never arrived. I think I'll stop playing the ladies. Hard lesson learned, dropping like $27 right then and there on that table. I logged off and dreamed of my next bad beat. I still hate this friggin' game!

That's all for now... have a good week folks, and I'll see you next Sunday at NDPT #16 at the Eagles!

Regards,

cheer_dad

Tonight we run with the Wol[f]e's

NDPT #15 is tonight at 7:00 courtesy of the Wolfe's. As always I'm sure there will be more alcohol, donk-moves, and someone or other gettin' nekkid; so be prepared! Steve A still rests at the top of the heap in the points race, while I think I've faded somewhere into obscurity. So, maybe all I can really do is just be a relative pain in your ass. Whatever, I'm here for ya buddy.

JR, (a.k.a. Uncle June to my kids) and his better half Nikki are away at Bridge Day and will not be there tonight. You can read all about the event held at the New River Gorge in West by god Virginia here... JR sent me a couple of pictures to share.





In other news... my daughter Whitney (you remember the lil blond girl) went on her first "car date" last night. The boy lived to tell the tale too! The event brought to mind a few things:

• I'm old.
• WTF!!!
• I need a bigger gun.
• Eventually she's going to leave me.
• I miss her already...
  

My advice to those of you with daughters, lock 'em up now. The only guys they're ever gonna meet are a lot like we were back then!

Hope all is well with each of you and I'll see many of you tonight. You'll know it's me... 'cause I'll be stacking ALL of your chips! Ship it!

Regards,

cheer_dad

Rainy days and Mondays and flu shots always get me down

Yesterday's flu shot, today's overcast/dreary weather, or that I'm old and fat... Among these is the reason for my overall feeling of "malaise" or a serious case of the blahs! Could this day feel any more like Monday? Sheesh! I did manage to squeeze in both a treadmill run at lunch yesterday and lifted when I got home from work. I'm hoping to run again today, but I can already tell it's not going to be necessarily pleasant. I just have the feeling that I'd like to go back home and crawl into bed, and wake a few days later. Luckily, or perhaps unluckily it's a slow day. So, although there's little to exert the brain over, there is a certain lack of motivation to even get through the day. Still, here I sit. Anyway, mumble/grown/mumble...

I did manage to squeeze in some poker last night for about an hour. I two-tabled on Bodog at the NLHE max $25 tables. Nothing spectacular to report, just tried to follow some of the tips that were offered up by Harrington on Hold'em, Cash Games. Taking position to a whole new level. Considering the chip stacks of others a little better. Waiting/picking my spots. Leading out on unclaimed pots with lower than my usual suited connectors. Avoiding trouble hands. Not relying on the results of the board cards to detract from the overall system of play. It is by no means cut and dried. But what I did find was that my raises did cloak the strength of my hands. Actually let me make some money on pocket Kings once. My late position raise with them, didn't particularly gain the respect they were due. Then, my opponent found it hard to believe that I actually hit the set when the King fell. In his defense he did get out at the river, but I got paid through the turn, which was nice. All told, I cashed out with $12.10 more than I started with. At the stakes I was playing that's not terrible for an hours work.

Unfortunately, wins simply make me want to win more.

Regards,

cheer_dad

1st Annual Wiener Dog Nationals

I received a flier in the mail not too long ago on the subject but the following article http://www.wtov9.com/news/17705985/detail.html just brought it back to mind. I'm writing about the 1st Annual Wiener Dog Nationals to be held on Sunday, October 19, 2008. Owners of dachshunds from all over will be bringing the short-legged racers to the Wheeling Island Racetrack to run where the longer-legged greyhound counterparts run daily. I think it sounds like a very cool idea, and should be a lot of fun, or least good for a few laughs. Check out the article for additional details and also click on the video link to see "Coco" being put through paces in order to prepare for the competition. I would really like to go check this out, but I'm afraid I would need a big win the night before at the Wolfe's house where NDPT #15 will be held on October 18th. Plus, I'd need a travelling companion which is going to be hard to come by now that Tri-State has opened their poker room and table games. It's a simply matter of geography people. They'll be hard to convince, I'm afraid. Among my arguments, only one stands clear... "guys there'll be beer and friggin' wiener dogs running around the track!" If that doesn't get the job done, I'll likely have to question my own mortality. My faith in the human existence will have reached rock bottom. Okay... maybe it's not as bad as all that! But c'mon Wiener Dogs!!!

Regards,

cheer_dad

Out of the Blue and into the Big Easy

I'm not sure what force possessed my lovely wife but whatever it was I'm okay with it since it compelled her to head South on Saturday evening to (gasp) the Tri-State Racetrack and Gaming Center! The casino, which I've mentioned before is the 3rd Casino in the state of West Virginia to offer up to the gambling degenerate masses (like us) the opportunity to play poker and now the various other table games that we've all come to know and love. Several members of the NDPT (N Debt Poker Tour) had previously made the trip to check out all of the action, but this made the first time for Big Red and I.

I was impressed by the poker room, which has been dubbed The Big Easy Poker Room. This room is a much more traditional type poker room to me than I have experienced in many other locations. The room is "inset" into a larger room/area, but has been separated by a rail which goes all the way around, and opens only at the main desk. It feels less confined even than the Wheeling Island Poker Room. Additionally, Tri-State boasts a greater overall area and more poker tables. Another thing impressed me a great deal... when several players were on a waiting list, and a table was vacant, an additional dealer was called for and the players were gathered together and ushered to the empty table, for their respective game. I've seldom seen this happen, at least, not that quickly. Also, their is a bar quite close (which is also close to a bathroom, for after you break the dam.) And as luck would have it, the table at which I found myself seated along the outer perimeter of the poker room, was very close to the dogtrack betting window, and a number of TV's were clearly visible so I could watch my mutts head for the finish line. I think I probably paid too much attention to that and probably the "large" Amber Bock drafts that continued to come my way. I would say that had a bit to do with my loss at the tables, but I did okay, and maybe only lost like $25 or so the whole night. I recall precisely where $20 of that went, when I bet out with two pair, and then was probed by my opponent, who was interested in getting me all in. I had the sense to lay down to him. He wasn't that subtle... and I remembered a line from one of the books I have read, which quoted a bit Sun Tzu, which I'll paraphrase to say "...figure out what your opponent wants you to do, and then disappoint him." He desperately wanted me to call. I turned loose my hand, and kept the additional $75 I had. I made back a little of that on a few subsequent hands. Then, it was time to go.

Others who came along for the trip were Frank and Julie, and already there we met up with JR and Vince. We all had a really good time, I think, although Big Red admits that she would have had more fun had she brought home a pile of money. Sadly, the dealers at the table games were on fire, and just killing the competition on Blackjack, Let It Ride, etc... My only criticism of the Tri-State Racetrack and Casino is that the table gaming area is a bit skimpy. They have provided thus far only a minimal area for traditional table games. They were full, and there were people waiting in line, for their chance to play. In any book, that's money walking! I'm hopeful that the decision to limit this playing area is directly related to the delayed expansion plans, which will ultimately break ground to provide for a hotel and overall greater complex at Tri-State. Still, one wonders what the additional profit margin would be provided additional tables were set up and getting cards, dice, chips, etc... in the hands of the folks who are standing in line. Tri-State management if your listening, there's money to be made. Take the plunge!

I'm sure in the very near future we'll be returning for another shot at our fortunes. All in all, the play at the poker tables was not highly skilled. I had to raise an eyebrow more than once at some of the plays that I was seeing. There is money to be made in this room, and I'll be happy to give it a shot again. The dealers are still struggling just a bit, but I found no mistakes, just a little bit slower in a few cases, in order to make sure that they were getting things right. I'm okay with that, there's no sense getting all rushed about anything. Patience when dealing with poker is always a good thing.

Tri-State Poker Room, congratulations on a well-run, and enjoyable environment. Poker is alive and well in the Mountain State!

Regards,

cheer_dad

Let's GOOOO Patriots!

A picture is worth a thousand words...



But sometimes you know, video just does it even better... click the image or the link to visit the Football Frenzy Report from WTAP.com:

http://www.wtap.com/footballfrenzy/headlines/30829044.html#

The Parkersburg South Patriots dominated Parkersburg High Big Reds throughout the game last night and really made the Patriot fans on hand to witness the action VERY PROUD! Final score was South 33 PHS 14!!! The power of the South running game proved too much for PHS along with the ability of the South defense to subdue PHS's ability to effectively move the ball. It should be said that after the half the Big Red's did put together an impressive passing game, that threatened to turn things around. But in the end the deficit and the clock were just too much to overcome. Congratulations on a fantastic, and well-deserved victory!

Regards,

cheer_dad

PHS vs South Tonight

The cross town rivalry football matchup of Parkersburg High School and Parkersburg South High School is tonight! The PHS Big Reds (3-3) play host at Stadium Field to the PSHS Patriots (4-2.) As is always the case excitement is high for this game. Throughout the state of West Virginia this is known as one of the hottest rivalries around. My wife (Big Red) graduated from PHS, while I graduated from PSHS, we live on South Side and our daughter CHEERS for PSHS, so you do the math (and it ain't friggin' geometry) we'll be cheering the Patriots on to night. We leave very shortly so this will have to settle for a post.

Regards,

cheer_dad

Well this explains a lot

All that time... and the answer was in the cards, albeit a different deck. Finally a complete and utter explanation for my strange ups and downs in the poker realm.

You are The Wheel of Fortune

Good fortune and happiness but sometimes a species of
intoxication with success

The Wheel of Fortune is all about big things, luck, change, fortune. Almost always good fortune. You are lucky in all things that you do and happy with the things that come to you. Be careful that success does not go to your head however. Sometimes luck can change.

What Tarot Card are You?
Take the Test to Find Out.

I have the Katitude Does Poker blog to thank/blame for this revelation of sorts. That's where I first saw the "What Tarot Card Are You" Test... But like I said, it all makes sense now.

Regards,

cheer_dad

divine intervention???

I found myself struggling to put pen to paper (errrr finger to keyboard) to put together a post today. The creative self has been a bit pre-occupied by the shift of fortune and luck. Well not the creative self, but the mind has not allocated many cycles to creativity and imagination and has instead focused attention on sifting through my poker play and more importantly the outcome of said play. Remember I had been indulging the Beginner SNG's over at Bodog. For some reason that well of abundance dried up. And so dry that it began to suck back from me my reserves. I had grown the roll to around $290-ish, and now find it at $210. In game after game, loss after loss, good hand meeting better hand the hand of variance was upon me. Or the tongue of Lady Luck was not flicking at my earlobes anyway. But I'd just gotten excited by poker again, and now it felt like it was all going to fade away. But late evenings kept presenting opportunities to play, and I didn't want to waste them. So, I've been hanging out at the $25 MAX NLHE full ring games. I've played break even, grind out a couple of cents poker on a couple of tables for the past few nights. Last night in particular was absolutely devoid of any cards on one table. I know you're thinking I was too picky, but you know after 250 hands on one table something should have at least hit me. Nope, I was getting junk, and the extremely rare mediocre starting hand was usually greeted by a raise/reraise before it ever got to me. I looked like an absolute rock, and knew if I did make a move, it was going to net me next to nothing. When I did finally look down at A-Qs from mid position, and I popped it I got one caller. I hit my queen on the flop and bet out 1/2 pot. Insta call. The turn was garbage, but I opted to bet small, insta called. The river was garbage, and for certain something was smelling, so I checked it down only to have my opponent turn over his set of 8's! Another notable hand involved 4 way action, in which I'd hit top pair and top kicker, but again the "just calls" kept coming in immediately. I got out of that one too, without losing my shirt somehow, when after the river he'd slow played rockets despite the 4 way action. Thank goodness I'd decided to play two tables. I was able to capitalize on one hand there, to win what I was losing at the other table. As a way of limiting my play time and not allowing fatigue to set in, I'm playing on the laptop on battery power. When the lower power alert goes off after around 2 hours... I'm done. That's it! When it went off last night, I was happy to hear it. 2 hours shot to hell, with nothing more than an additional 60 cents to show for it. Geee, don't quit yer friggin' day job, cheer_dad. So what changed? Why from feast to famine? Well, the post from a couple days ago about Just saying no to NITS... was interesting. But lowering standard starting hand requirements from position and also raising with position was getting me nowhere a lot faster than before. I've to a degree found this true in some home and/or live games as well. Position doesn't even register on the radar of a lot of players. Your big raise from early position means nothing and doesn't send an alarm at all to maniacs. But Big starting Hands, do not hold up well against multiple callers, unless the deck absolutely hits you! That my friends doesn't happen often. My observation of what worked best in the SNG's was, rock hard tightness in the early stages, don't get involved and build the image of the rock, and feel free to comment to those who are reading the chat window that you haven't seen good cards in forever. WTF! Push every once in a while from late position and see if they'll fold to you. Make certain that in oddball circumstances where you are last to act, that you fold when no one has entered the pot, besides the SB and BB. Not ever time, but when it looks like dominoes collapsing quickly around the table, resist the desire to raise it up a couple of times and take a long time, to grudgingly fold, like you're terrified of doing so. This may be important later.

Early on limping may be more beneficial to you. Early on you really need to blindside to score big pots. When an Ace flops and you bet it, and haven't been playing many hands thus far, folks are going to know. But develop an almost invisible early image and you might pounce when you connect for a set of deuces and no one saw it coming. A couple of idiot testosterone infused donks padding the pot the whole way. Those are the hands that'll get you paid. AND you don't need many of them. I recall making it to the money in some of those early SNG's having only won 1 or 2 pots before 4 or 5 people were out. Then, I would come alive a little earlier than expected. One out of the money, people's butt cheeks tighten up and their play style follows. Shoving hard here, and putting them to a decision for their tournament life is not as risky as it sounds, and the blinds and possibly antes will be well worth the stealing prospect. Don't abuse it, but in moderation in can be very effective AND demoralizing to the guy whose blinds you continue to steal. Do the same thing when you have the monster and they'll try to punish you with some weak holding. If you have opportunity to show your bluffs, when you're reading to switch gears again, by all means do it. No one likes to get pushed around!

When I would finally find myself in the top 5, then I tended to be ruthless and was ramming hard. A number of SNG's I was coming from 3rd and 4th in chips to take down the top spot in the end. I recovered nicely once from a 12,000 to 3,000 chip deficit one night that was epic. I bet pot so many times preflop, without even looking at my cards that on the hands where I wasn't first to act, the guy was folding to me. I'd win like 5 pots in a row, and then lose a small one. And we were seldom getting to or past the flop! Anyway, that's where the strength of my game lies. Getting there lately has been a chore. I'm sincerely hopeful that this is a momentary lapse in luck, the forces of variance or whatever; because this dry spell has really got me down. Nonetheless, I'll keep up the good fight and see how it this roller coaster ride ends. I can't get scared, as the old adage says, "scared money can't win." So, I ain't skeered!

Maybe Lady Luck just took a vacation... maybe Bodog hit the "fail" button... maybe I just suck... all valid and possible explanations to my current poker experience. Maybe I can blame it on this Hindu diety:

The Fickle One

”The gods may lack strength, but they are intelligent. I shall go to them.” So saying, Shreedevi turned away from Bali and went to the gods. She blessed the gods with ruling majesty, material prosperity, physical health, bodily beauty and divine fortune.


Angry and bitter in defeat, the demons rasped, “Shreedevi is Chanchala, the fickle one. Once she favored Bali, now she favors Indra. She is faithful to none.”


“That is not true,” said the goddess, “I am eternally faithful to he who does not abuse my gifts.”


That last response from the goddess... hmmm.

Regards,

cheer_dad

Smite Button

The fingers of the Poker gods are firmly pushed down on the Smite Button, as they watch our "hero" navigate the waters of Bodog. It's either that... or they're all using their fingers to flip me off! Fuck... there I've said it, and got it out of the way. Happy now? No, I cannot hold a candle to the bad beat that Frank called to tell me this morning, after he headed back to the Charleston tables. Ouch, I feel for you. But I'll let you tell all that in a post of your own.

My bad run started at the Yanok's on Friday, which I wrote all about. I've played a bunch on Bodog over the weekend. Lost many more of the $16 SNG than I've cashed in. Something fundamental has either changed in cheer_dad's ole game or the world hates me. Take your pick. I've run my AQ into a set of 2's when I flopped top pair, top kicker. I've run pocket Q's into pocket A's. And then finally pocket K's which turned into a set... when the opponents pocket 10's turned into a straight, using my own damned King against me. Ooooof! There were some high points in today, hitting quad Jacks and then making on the minimum. That bites. When you're big winning hands make you nothing, and with everything else you start taking it up the ass, well the online bankroll dwindles. I'm still above the $200 mark, but man I was getting delusions of grandeur there for a while. Thank you poker gods and/or lady luck, for this lesson in humility. I have learned it... I get it... I am sorry, forgive my insolence! Please allow this wave to wash over me. I'll go back to "ABC" poker and not deviate from the master plan as outlined in the past. I promise not to make any money, but just not lose anymore. There does that make you happy? Anyway, so it's back to the ole drawing board for cheer_dad.

It's a good thing I didn't completely give up drinking... it sounds like I'll be drowning a few of the sorrows. So, I'll have to continue the workout regimen. I'm walking or running or both at least 5 days per week, and lifting at least 4. I'm happy to report that the arms feel a little stronger and at least a little firmer. Belly is still there. The right knee quite simply SUCKS! It really hurts, and it's not getting any better. There may be a doctor in my near future.

Anyway... that's been the weekend folks. I'm feeling all warm and fuzzy. Feeling sorry for myself, really isn't making me feel any better about it all, so I think I'll give that up too. With that I'll call it a night... and a post.

Regards,

cheer_dad

Sigh...

I went out first at the Yanok game last night. No love... On the flip side of failure, I was making some good reads, and made moves that I was proud of. Laying down pocket Queens when I knew I was beat... sometimes there is a sense of Nirvana even in defeat. Unfortunately the maniacs do still give me some trouble. If you can't legitimately put them on a hand, unless you're looking at the nuts every time, there's little room for error. I was crippled by Jerry when I hit top pair on the flop from the BB. He called from out of position with a 3-5 and straighted on the river. I would be more critical... BUT there's a lesson here that tells me that in order to really be successful and drag big pots, you've got to blind-side your opposition sometimes. Play the hands that they never see coming. They will tend to make more money than will the big pocket pairs, including the elusive Aces! I didn't play like a NIT, last night, but I just couldn't get it together. I took myself out with an ill-times bluff against Jeff, who had unfortunately hit 2nd pair. No harm, no foul. I headed home and fired up Bodog, played two SNG's and cashed (low) in both of them, but still a few bucks is a few bucks.

South won the football game last night, absolutely creaming Washington High 45-0, and the second half was with out 2nd string playing. Great Job Patriots! It's great to put another one in the "W" column especially for Homecoming. Congrats!

We're headed over to the Rempel's "Fiesta" very shortly. We'll see many of you here very shortly.

Regards,

cheer_dad

It really must be the RED hair...

Recall that 2 weeks ago, Julie won one of the drawings at the Eagles for $400-ish and simultaneously had her "tip" called for another $100. Then the following week she sits down at one of the machines, slipped in $20 and cashed out for $1,000! Well continuing in the tradition and not to be outdone, my wife "Big Red" hits the "winner-take-all" drawing for $1,400!!! Of course it was too much not to be celebrated, so the beer flowed and this morning... well going to work was simply out of the question for me! I slept it off.

So anyway, I'm convinced it is really the RED hair. Go RED SNAPPERS! Great, we'll have them both to contend with it Yanok's card game tonight. You just can't go against that much luck. Teresa and I will not be there for Game #1, since we will be at the South football game. But we'll get there when we can. The time grows near... it's time to leave.

See you all later... and Go Patriots!!!

Regards,

cheer_dad

Just say no to NITS!

Well every good run eventually comes to an end. Finally, playing in last night's SNG's, I failed to finish in the money in one of these things. I bubbled. I cashed in the first of the two SNG's but nothing stellar happened. The second game... well I allowed one thing to get to me. There were two competing aggressors at the table. They were driving everyone out preflop, and then either checking or min betting to one another post flop. Not something I should really worry about, except that the behaviour eventually caused them to get involved with the guy who was the short stack at the time (below me) and top him off quite nicely. That's okay too, except the two aggressors pushed preflop and the short stack called it. He was first to act, after the less than stellar flop and he bet out, one aggressor dropped, the other min raised and was called. The short stack continued to bet a minimal amount on each following street and was min raised, except on the river, when the "aggressor" dropped out. There was really nothing he could have been chasing. It put me out a little, that he breathed new life into the guy who had been about to go out. Now I was the short stack. Very next hand, I insta-popped it all in, and stole the pot, just to remind them both I was still there... watching and kinda questioning their actions. A few hands later I was in the small blind and it was folded back around to me. If I could get the BB to drop I would have climbed back out of the short stack position. I looked down at a K-rag, and decided to shove against a BB that wasn't high on the chip count position. Unfortunately, he looked down at A-10s and called... rightly so. Looking back, I made two mistakes. One, I let the play of the aggressors get under my skin a little more than usual. I shouldn't have since on the other table I was playing there was a guy doing the same thing and it became his undo-ing when he tried to bully his way through a hand, only to run into the guy who had smooth called him all the way, and was sitting there grinning with the stone-cold NUTS! See ya... bye... I laughed out loud on that one, and Teresa was convinced I was losing it. The second mistake of the game or the night really... I was playing like a total friggin' NIT! Sheesh could I have acted any more like a pussy?!? I tried to limp with too many marginal hands and small pocket pairs only to watch early on the table bullies pop it and force me to fold, from my poor position. Then, from position, I was shying away from getting involved, listening to the small voice in my ear saying, c'mon just fold to victory. Well, no thank you from here on out. My new motto, is "Just say no to NITS!" Get back to the gameplan and let the money start finding its way to you. On the positive side, the cost of the two SNG's $35.20 was totally lost, in that I cashed in one game and so found myself down only $11.20. I'm still up... I got a lesson that I think I needed, and besides. Out of 8 of these $16 + $1.60 Beginner SNG's I've cashed in 7 out of 8 thus far for an 87.5% so far. I didn't really expect to cash and/or win in "every" single one of these. Yeah it would've been nice, but was unrealistic. I need to stick with the game plan and play tight up front, to the point at which I can identify the guys who really seem scared to play or risk anything, and just apply small pressure to take down a few small pots and avoid those coin flips. Then, once we lose the bubble boy, become the table nightmare and take it down.

Tonight, I've got some running to do. Whitney has a homecoming parade to go to at 5:15. Cole has a skating party at 6:00-ish. Teresa is going somewhere with her mom, so I've got to drop off and pick up everyone. I have to make sure that they get their homework done somewhere in between all that. Then, I can guarantee I'll be heading to the Eagles for a drink. Sheesh! I've walked, run, and lifted my heart out this week and even eaten pretty well too, and particularly avoided late night scavenging. I haven't even been drinking pop! Okay I will be tonight, but only slightly, the rest had better be a stiff Jack Daniels. See you all tonight, for the drawing... I'm out.

Regards,

cheer_dad

Baby Steps

Baby Steps
Originally uploaded by Waldo#4

I feel a bit like this... taking some unsure steps on wobbly legs. I had kind of gotten out of the habit of playing online poker. A bit stagnant, not much in the way of money online anymore, aside from the fact that free time was non-existent. But two things influenced me to put in some time and see how I would do online again.

First, the August 5, 2008 issue of Card Player had an article by Roy West entitled "Some Call it Heart - I Call it Courage, A requirement for becoming a winner." A number of things spoke to me through the article, as if Roy was pointing a finger at me and reading me the riot act. He wrote, " A lack of courage is most often mixed in with a fear of losing money. Just breaking even is no big thing -- as you were even when you walked into the poker room." Fear of loss can be an absolutely crippling thing at the poker table. A lousy run of cards and a few bad sessions can further fuel it, and you can fall into the rut of just trying to conserve or preserve the existing bankroll, rather than trying to make it grow. But there's no point in being fool-hardy either, as you'll find yourself broke, right quickly. Mr. West then added a line which got me thinking, "For those players who are concerned about going off for too much money... set aside a specific amount that they can lose and not have it affect their lifestyle, and play that bankroll as if it were an unlimited supply." So, now about the bankroll... Well I took a look around my measly online accounts and was "almost" ready to make a fateful redeposit when in an unrelated blog I came across something that gave me another idea.

That brings me to the second influence... I came across this blog post http://blinderspoker.blogspot.com/2008/09/bodog-roll-growing-beginner-s-still.html by blogger "Blinders," in which he talked about his recent experiences in the Bodog Beginner SNG's. He had grown his bankroll in a rather short order back to a level which allowed him some maneuvering room in my mind. He did so, without much in the way of risk, due to the flattened nature of the payout structure in these beginner sng's. Here was an idea. I lacked a sufficient online bankroll to tackle the game and work on my game and my courage level as Roy West was suggesting but here Blinders was pointing to a bit of a no-brainer method to accumulate some needed cash, to help create a respectable bankroll. I had been donking around a little in the Bodog Beginner SNG's before, but at the lowest possible limits. But here on one hand was one blogger telling me that the play was soft at the higher limits, and on the other hand Roy West is telling me I need to have courage. I was beginning to feel a bit like the cowardly lion... But Yellow Brick Road or not, a path seemed to be laying itself out before me. I'd give the higher limit Bodog Beginner SNG's a try and see if I couldn't put together a roll.

Now, I'm still limited on available time between my kids and their schedules, work, my wife, and trying to get back in shape (running, walking and lifting weights again) so I'm not grinding out hour after hour at the tables. But here's what I've done in a very brief span of time. I had been treading water with about $150 on Bodog and was playing the minimal SNG's. It was VERY SLOW going and making little progress. I was getting more frustrated than anything else. So, I took a couple of shots, at higher levels and was successful. So, I decided to give these a a try for a while in the style that Blinders did. Playing at the $16 SNG's, I've been firing up 2 of these at a time, at night after the kids go to bed and my wife and I are just watching some TV. I've only played maybe 3 sessions for a total of 6 SNG's at the $16 level, so far, but I've already accelerated and grown the Bodog account to $290. I've cashed in every single one of them. Granted had I been playing at a standard SNG there would have been a time or two, that I would have walked away empty handed, but with the payout structure paying 5 spots, I've managed to break even on the one table, while making money on the other. Am I displaying courage right now? Well no... but I'm building a roll that will give me some breathing room first, and avoiding a re-deposit. Besides, I'm making some money and having some fun at the same time. The structure is also allowing me to experiment more with position and it is working well. Also, I'm learning that a lot of players do NOT change gears well at all, or respond well to other players (like me) who are. I have observed the players who are trying to fold their way to the cashout and when I'm finding myself beginning to slip into a shortstack I can apply some well-timed aggression with "air" in my hand and steal some pots to bolster myself. Then later, these players think I'm pulling a fast one on them when I've really got the goods and I'm getting paid. The times when I've gone out at the bottom of the cashout I've run A-Q into A-K and also my KQs ran into rockets on the other occasion.

So, in closing I'm very pleased with the recent (albeit limited) success so far. I'm trying to be realistic about this and not getting overly confident in my abilities but I'm going to continue to ride this gravy train out for a while and see what happens. When you find me busted out and all sad and dejected, be a pal and buy a poor sap a beer!

Regards,

cheer_dad