Meanwhile back at the "poker" blog

back at the ole "poker" blog...

Yes, boys and girls once upon a time this was a blog about all things poker, at least in the low stakes, not very good at it; sense of the word. From time-to-time I meander off topic, but the few poor saps/devoted fans of this here blog seem to keep coming back. And eventually I get back on target with a post on that game we all love to hate, poker. I thought about posting my thoughts up about the 60 Minutes airing of the piece on the UB/AP (Ultimate Bet/Absolute Poker) cheating scandal, but honestly that's been done, and quite well I might add by some others. Go check out Shamus' synopsis here: http://hardboiledpoker.blogspot.com/2008/12/on-60-minutes-cheaters.html or you might even just read the transcript for yourself over at CBSNews.com: http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2008/11/25/60minutes/main4633254.shtml. Either way, you can formulate your own ideas and opinions. For my sake and your own sanity though, just avoid the gloom and doom hypesters who are running about screaming "the sky is falling, the sky is falling!" Honestly, get over it.

I won't say that some things won't change over time in the poker world, but I don't know how much sway the show 60 minutes actually has over the populace anymore. Let's go back a bit and look at some other things that have happened in the past few years that were thought to be a death blow to online poker. Neteller was muscled out as the premiere online payment processor for all us degenerate gambler types, and various yaahooo's promptly started wailing and moaning. In the end, however we migrated elsewhere. Party Poker then pulled the plug on its U.S. operations and focused elsewhere and this was talked about around the virtual water coolers on various forums as a nail in the coffin of online poker. Now, there were a number of other online poker room casualties which opted to abandon the U.S. market, around this same time. But others stood fast, and to boot, a new crop of poker rooms sprung up as well. The numbers went down, but I rarely find myself waiting for a game online, even playing over at Bodog, which isn't recognized as the heaviest of hitters in the online poker community. The UIGEA (boo hiss hiss) was analyzed, debated and cried about when it came out, and still we were put on hold awaiting enforcement guidelines, etc... Well those came out... and they were late and continue to be argued. Now, many it seems blame this whole "poker-thing" on the Bush administration and seem to think that President Elect Obama's going to fix it all up. I very seriously doubt that too. If poker's the only thing he's got on his mind right now, we are in some sad shape indeed people. What I see are just the normal obstacles that seem always to crop up. I don't think there's a cure all for any of it. In the end American's are an ingenious lot, and we tend to find a way of working around a lot of government stupidity. We sometimes thrive despite it. I think there is still a long haul ahead, but eventually I think things will eventually turn around. The U.S. market will re-open its doors, and ultimately online poker will re-emerge from the shadows. Once again, I'll be free to risk the pennies, nickles and dimes that I've been risking all along, without concern for a pack of jack-booted thugs to come storming in guns-a-blazin'! Okay, that's bit over the top. You see, this is why I stay out of the arguments and discussions about poker and politics for that matter.

I've run off at the mouth long enough though.

Anyway, in the coming weeks leading up to Christmas, there's a lot of poker playing on tap for my fellow NDPT'ers and I to participate in. And in addition I hope to wade back out there on Bodog and reinforce the walls of the ole fledgeling bankroll. But next up on the agenda is #18 (last of the regular NDPTNDPT points season games) on December 6th at my house. The following weekend the Yanok's are pulling out ALL the stops and hosting their December qualifier(s) on December 12th, followed by the their End of the Year freebie tournament, where close to a Grand is on the line, and making me salivate right now. The following weekend again the action will shift back to my house, for the NDPT Year End Extravaganza, our annual $50 buyin game. A win in this one, could turn the whole year around for some lucky bastard. And I'm hoping to resemble that remark!!! Dare to dream cheer_dad!

I'm mulling over another post that I hope to put up tonight, but there are some pending actions which need to occur before I can do it the way I want. Hey, if it all works out, you'll know later tonight. If not, just pretend I never mentioned it. You didn't hear nuthin' 'bout nuthin'!!!

Regards,

cheer_dad