NDPT #3 Results

Congratulations to JR for besting the field of 20 players in last night's poker tournament (NDPT #3) which was held at the Wolfes house. A hard fought final table, with lots of ups and downs for a lot of folks, including yours truly. Del secured the 2nd place finish, followed by Jamie, and Westbrook. I for the second tournament that I've played in a row, finished on the bubble.

The points awarded have been updated, please find them here: http://spreadsheets.google.com/ccc?key=ptNl6_cpXDHl-rUBlgd9fOQ&hl=en.

Thanks to everyone for making it a great evening.

Regards,

cheer_dad

Luck be a Lady...

Last night's Credit Union banquet was a good choice for me last night. Not only was it a good night with friends and libation. But Lady Luck decided to grace me with her presence. Chris, JR, and I left the banquet when they started to break out the Bingo cards, and went next door to the Eagles. And as the night went on of course the drinks flowed. While sitting at the bar, just hanging out I look up to see Santana running from the other side of the bar. To those of you who know her... well that in itself is a sight to behold! But no, she's running toward me... and yelling that I'd just won the Quarter Jug drawing. Now, me and Lady Luck have ourselves a strained relationship at best and so I tend to err on the side of subdued optimism. I mean how good could it be, being a "quarter" right? Well try $429 on for size, cheer_dad! And I'll be damned, I'd even remembered to register that night. At the same time on the other side of the bar, I spot my wife, whose waving like mad to tell me that she had just hit the "rip-off" tip for $100. To top it off, later on I end up splitting the next $100 tip prize with another person who Big Red had decided that we would split since we each had even numbers of viable tickets in the drawing. All in all, not a bad night. I think I'm gonna give up poker altogether and stick to true games of chance from here on out. Oh wait, I can't make that promise just yet... there's an NDPT game tonight at the Wolfes house!

I'll see several of you real soon.

Regards,

cheer_dad

That was refreshing...NOT!

Despite my high level of optimism and promises of playing by the numbers and the formula for online poker which has always worked for me in the past... I dropped another 4 buyins in my last Bodog session. I should be tilted. You'd think I was during the session, but wasn't. I did however take some notes about the catastrophe that was. During the session of a few hundred hands. I ran pocket Kings preflop, all-in into pocket Aces. One buyin down... Less than a full round later at another table, I look down at said pocket Aces myself and rama-jama those bad boys into pocket Queens only to have the villain, hit another Queen... 'nother buyin down. Hell, he even apologized for that one. I think he was feeling my pain, from watching at the other table. "Dude yer runnin' bad!" Another couple of hands I failed to connect to my flush, open-ended straight draw combos, and that chipped away at me. Also a couple of AK hands bit me in the ass when the callers with Ace-rag, hit the same Ace I did on the flop, but pounded me when their rag hit the river. Runnin' bad indeed!

But, it is what it is. There's little you can do, there's nothing I could have done to change. I could whine and cry, and lick the wounds, but in the end. It's just like I said in my last post. I've just gotta get back out there, and just do it all over again. Nevermind the fact that I'm grinding across the same dollar amounts which I did a few months ago. Still amazed at how slow it is to grind out poker winnings, but just how fast the losses brutalize the bankroll. It's a little like working your ass off to trim a few seconds of your running pace, and getting in shape, ONLY to to be involved in an accident that causes you to lose a leg! Kind of a grisly analogy, but think about it, you've felt it haven't you. Pleez.... tell me you have, somebody, anybody. : )

But I'll attach the poker prosthetic and head back out soon enough. Likely won't be tonight, as Big Red and I and several friends are going to a Credit Union banquet/meeting. In the morning at OMG 9:00am I have baseball practice for my 9 and 10 year olds. That early, on a Saturday, oh you just know the little #*%$'s will be running for sure! But we'll all survive it. Rain could cancel the whole affair though, I'll be out tonight doing my lil rain dance. Dancing with the Stars, it ain't!

Beyond that, tomorrow night is NDPT #3 (regardless what Frank said in his email subject line) and it is being hosted by Frank and Julie at their house. Now, if I make final table on this one, then maybe I should really re-think my poker focus. Since the cash games are killing me lately while the tournaments have gone VERY well. I won the December game at my house. Chopped w/ Uncle June in January, Scored in BOTH of the Yanok tourneys that I last attended, and then made the final table at the Eagles, although I didn't cashout, because I didn't play it safe running my AJ in Vince's QQ. I didn't lose though, as I had picked up plenty of Bounty chips. So, my tournament life has been good. But the thought of multi- SNG'ing it online on Bodog, makes me throw up in my mouth a little. I really used to like this poker thing. That would likely ruin it forever for me.

But only time will tell, and months down the line I'll be back on top of the variance curve mocking those who ever doubted including myself. So the best advice I can give myself is: turn that frown upside down, tell all your troubles to your ole buddy Jack Daniels and have a nice day cheer_dad! That'll make it ALL better.

Regards,

cheer_dad

Where are you Joey Knish?

Where is "my" Joey Knish? The "leather-assed" poker player grinding out a living in the confines of the movie Rounders. When I'm foolish, thinking of shooting/aiming too high, where is this voice of reason, offering up the wisdom from his own playbook. Offering to stake me, and get me out from under? He's not around. This ain't no movie... and I'm damn sure not Matt Damon. Of course on the plus side, I'm not into TeddyKGB for 3 stacks of high-society either. My minuscule bankroll still exists, but it seemed to have gone stagnant. I've imposed a cooling off period of a few days from the felt, whether live or virtual. I've had a lot on my mind, and in the absence of John Turturro's character to send me back in the right direction, I've taken to reading (rather absorbing) everything I can from the poker forums, blogs, and my own personal poker library. It's brought me focus. I'd like to think that in my state of mind I would have listened to Knish and not mixed it up in the first place with the "Mad Russian." Had that cup of coffee and headed off to that soft seat in Queens... Yeah you all know the friggin' quotes as well as I do. Of course I also recall the particular Christopher Young jazz track which was playing in the background...

I'm about ready to walk (not run) back to the tables, and my 4-tabling ways. The soul-searching is at an end. I am emboldened, yet humbled. I'm prepared to make the "right" moves at the appropriate times. Regardless of outcome... the same correct choices each and every time. This is not a game for the timid. Play the role. Don't play the game on autopilot, think and reflect at all times. There is no other way for long-term success. Play within your means. Abide by your own rules, at all times, not just when they're convenient. Time to play!

Regards,

cheer_dad

Poker with the FAM!

The family game alluded to in my last post taught me some things. Else it re-learnt me! It was a family game, with lotsa folks who understood (somewhat) the general concept of poker but that's as far as I'll go. When I headed to the table, the game was already going on, and I sat down. They were playing 5 card and 7 card... Some of them were referring to the five card variety as "stud" others as "draw" however, in either case discards were permitted... go figure. Everyone ante'd a quarter, at least that was the plan, as long as everyone threw in, in order the pot was right. All-too-often however, this wasn't the case. Bets were a minimum of a quarter, to a maximum of a dollar, per round... When the deal finally circled around to me, I asked if anyone knew how to play hold 'em. Not long after that... all other forms of poker were abandoned and we played hold'em exclusively thereafter. Still however under the restraints of betting as outlined. Let's put it this way. There were almost always 9-10 players to the flop, with at least the ante and a called quarter bet in the pot, preflop. Subsequent betting clear through to the river rarely eliminated more than 1 or 2 players. Flushes, straights, boats, were chased off of cliffs, equally and with as much enthusiasm as nothin' but high card. Routinely there were shouts of "they're just bluffin'" despite the fact that the one shouting had absolutely nothing in their hand. Many times they were right, but the bluffed nothin' was more than the caller's nothin' more often than not! I finally re-adjusted my play... meaning no hand was mucked thereafter. Nothing was taboo, nothing was sacred. Donkfest, just doesn't quite sum it all up. I lost maybe 10 bucks for the night... but just considered it socializing. Others revelled in the glory of their superior poker plays, and "just knowin' their card was coming!" Let it go cheer_dad. It was for fun. Big Red of course had the horseshoe firmly shoved up her ass, and buying in for a total of $5, nearly losing it all, bounced back and cashed out for like $58. Considering that this was the slot machine of poker games, that's about right! : )

What I found interesting? The play style, aggression, skill, and demeanor was very much like what I've encountered in Cross Lanes! Chasing, ridiculous bluffs and calls that'd make your head spin. Betting which had absolutely nothing to do with the pot, and minimizing and maximizing were just obscure concepts, not to be bothered with. Granted the stakes here were small, and no one was getting hurt, or rich for that matter this was just so much like my experience at live WV poker. Big hands were not what was making the money, but rather the blindsiding crap hand that came out of nowhere, to topple the initial aggressor. I got a sick sense of gratification from it all. I had to stop applying my value system to others at the table. Reason, common sense, and skill had no place here. If you had it, bet it hard, and keep firing barrel after barrel. They just know your bluffing anyhow. Conversely, don't bother bluffing, because that trick only works on you and no one else. You're the only idiot at the table actually dropping his cards. "Hell, don't he know how to play this game?!?"

Your ole pal cheer_dad was educated today, and remarkably I found something to love about the game again. I might even unpucker the butt-cheeks a little the next time I play and go for a little "gambol" myself.

All in all, I had a great time, and it was really good to visit with Big Red's family. They are ALL great people, and no greater souls have I ever met. We'll have to do it all again. It never ceases to amaze me where some poker lessons come from.

Oh and tonight is the first night of BASEBALL practice for Cole's team. Yes, I'm coaching... and drafting every parent and/or extended family member I can find to take part in the mass chaos. Remember the ole maxim from Bull Durham:
Sometimes, you win.
Sometimes, you lose.
Sometimes... it rains!

Regards,

cheer_dad

Bubble Boy

I am the Bubble Boy! Fear me! Yeah, I came up a bit short in last night's tournament at the Eagles. I opted to continue being aggressive even before the bubble, thinking I had a shot a winning the thing. : ) Blinds were 200/400 when from early position (6 handed) I shove with AJos, for a total of 2,200. Vince looks me up with with this pocket Queens. Oops... exit cheer_dad. But it wasn't a complete loss, as I had won back my buy-in with Bounty chips. No harm no foul. Great turnout of 28 players. I'm sure the Eagles was happy with the added food and alcohol sales for the night. Damn guys, ya buncha lushes! Anyway, Sam took down the top spot, followed by Chad and then Vince rounded out the top three. Congratulations guys. It was a long hard fought game, and I enjoyed every minute of it. 'cept that part when I lost. Of course, I had it coming having earlier in the game dashed Shuman's hopes when I sucked out on his pocket Kings. You're right, "THAT, was bad!"

Today, I've been busy. Cole had a State Bowling tournament. Team event. Cole bowled 100, 101, and 119, in that order. Great for his 74 average. The team might actually place in this thing. Then, it was off to basketball, for our final game. It was a loss, but it brought the season to an end. Onward to baseball on Monday night.

Now, Big Red's family just got here and they've broken out the cards! There's a big game going on downstairs. Gotta GO!

Regards,

cheer_dad

I've been here before...

This same sad little stretch of road. But it's not a road, it's the same dollars and cents area of my bankroll. I feel as though I've won and lost the same tattered and torn bucks several times at this particular level. I dropped those same 2 buyins I dropped back on the 10th, when I was whining about poker last. I had climbed up, and was nearly breaking on through to the other side until last night's session. I got a boat sunk when the villain flipped over his quads. Whilst on the other table I get it all-in good and another villain hits his 3-outer on the river. In both cases they instantly left the table. Hit 'n Run baby! No, I'm not saying it was rigged. It just happens that way sometimes. And "sometimes" it happens too damned often! Sigh... and back to the old drawing board. Maybe when I grind out a few wins to get those buyins back, I'll get it in "new money" instead of those old moldy dollars!

One final thought... errrr question... Why is it that when I win at poker, it is slow and steady grind, and it inches upward, BUT when I lose at poker it's a few buyins gone? What I mean is, playing at my typical .10/.25 nlhe tables, I'll play for a couple of hours, multitabling and incrementally increase the stack, generally shy of a buyin. Yet, generally speaking when I lose it's in the realm of a buyin or two? Feels like... grind, grind, grind, SPLAT, grind, grind, grind... I know, I know, "shut up cheer_dad and git back in yer hole!"

That is all...

Regards,

cheer_dad

Time for Tri-C Baseball

I'm really pleased with the group of boys that I picked up in the baseball draft on Tuesday night. I've got a few that right away I'll have to get started with on pitching. Some of them show a particular knack for it, and simply need some instruction in mechanics. The team can easily make use of as many as 5 pitchers in a season, what with the strict limits on the numbers of innings/pitches per week that they are allowed to actually pitch. It's the only way to keep the kids from blowing out an arm. Actually I think it's to keep some moron of a coach, hell-bent on reliving some previous glory day, from destroying the kids' arms for them. There's a lot of ego in the coaching staff's in these recreation leagues. I have absolutely no glory days to relive. I wasn't an athlete as a child. I'm not an athlete now. (Although, I'm sticking to my running consistently from 3-4 miles about 4+ times a week now. I'm also trying to lift weights 2 or 3 times a week as a cross-train exercise.) Okay, I'll stop tooting the ole horn!

My goal for the kids on my team is to teach them baseball fundamentals, teamwork, and self-worth. I want them to learn pride as well as humility. I want them to know what it is to win, and the hard work necessary to accomplish it; and conversely know what it is to lose and use it as a tool for improvement, rather than as an absolute. Maybe you think I've got it all wrong. Maybe I'll be nice and tell you, that you're entitled to your opinions... My goals and commitments are to the kids, and I'll do my best by them.

Know this, that wherever we get to... we'll get there together.
Practice starts Monday! Tri-C Baseball Fever... CATCH IT!

And in other news, don't forget March 20th, Friday at 7:30pm we have a poker tournament at the Eagles, $25 buyin. Hope to see bunches of you there!

Regards,

cheer_dad

Happy St. Patrick's Day

Being in class really cuts into my available posting time, ya know?!? But I must admit this is a really interesting class, called Power Excel, for Excel 2007. Not only am I learning about a lot of the new tricks and tweaks offered up by Excel 2007, but I'm learning a lot of the things I never knew about the previous iterations of the almighty spreadsheet application. Great instructor, great course materials. I'll definitely find many uses for the new skills.

Before I forget, Happy St. Patrick's Day to the blogosphere! I may try to swing up by the Eagles for some grub and a green beer (just one) before heading to the Baseball Draft Meeting tonight at 7:00pm. I'm hopeful that these other parents and coaches don't try to drag this thing out, like usual, and just get down to the business of drafting the teams and calling it a night. There's way too much bitchin' and complainin' that usually goes on. But I saw a lot of young talent out there at the skills demo. I'm hopeful that things work out really well for our team.

Next up Poker Game is this Friday the 20th at 7:30, at the Eagles. Yes, it's a Friday night people. The local club is really allowing us to pick our spots and days to play now, since like a lot of other places business is hurting. Our game gets people in the door, and spending money. See poker really IS good for the economy.

I've got to get going people... I'll check ya later.

Regards.

cheer_dad

I mak'em moneys...

A 4th place finish in game #1 and a 1st place finish in game #2 at the Yanok's poker game put me at +$140 for the night! I had my fair share of ups and downs to get there, losing with a flopped two pair to Steve's rivered flush, and then later finding a beautiful finish even against Big Red when I was able to survive and profit with pocket jacks. Thanks all for sending me the positive mojo to get the job done.

Anyway, I'm tired and/or drunk so it's time to crash and I do mean hard. Thanks all for a great night, and for once in the profitable range!!!

Regards,

cheer_dad

Yanok's poker tonight, be there!

Poker tonight at the Yanok's house! Always a good game, always a good time. Start time is 7:45, to allow some folks to finish up at the local Fish Fry. I'm looking forward to the game(s.) Hoping to put up some points toward the year end tournament. Gotta bring the A-game, sacrifice a live chicken, feel up Lady Luck or whatever other ritual may do the trick. See the whole gang real soon.

Whitney is recovering nicely, from the wisdom teeth extraction. Still in a little pain, but she's coped quite well. Cole of course has bowling again tomorrow. I have the skills demo for baseball tomorrow afternoon. I'm sure there'll be honey do items for me to dive into the rest of the weekend, but it's a long 3-day weekend for me and I'm looking forward to it.

Good luck to you all, in whatever "game" you may find yourselves in this weekend. Unless of course you're in the hand against me. Then, it's just something I say, not something I mean.

Regards,

cheer_dad

Be the grizzly...

The Nickelback concert was great last night! And you just couldn't beat the company... And we were REALLY close to the beer area, and I never waited more than like a minute or so in a line for anything. The Nationwide Arena also offered up a pleasant facility, very spacious, and high ceilinged. Remarkably my ears aren't ringing today, like they do after most concerts that I've attended, and this was due to the setup of the arena. Yeah, it was loud, but it just seemed that the high pitch sounds weren't nearly as piercing as I've experienced in other concert halls like Charleston's Civic Center for example.

I'll be adding a lot more of the songs that I heard last night to the old iPod in short order. Not only did Nickelback sound great but so did the boys from Seether and Saving Abel. There were definitely a lot of tracks that will be great for my afternoon runs on the treadmill. Gotta keep the heart pumping!

I did have to take Cole to school this morning, so I groggily dragged myself out of bed and got him there, and then came home and went right back to bed! Remember I took the whole day off, knowing exactly how I'd be feeling. X ) hiccup...

I played some poker on Bodog for about an hour or so, and made a little over $18. Which in all honesty feels like a million bucks since I took some real kicks to the head at the tables. A lot of really crazy hands went down in that short time at the tables. Take for example that preflop I got it all-in with pocket Kings, when a villain raised my initial bet. He called and he was holding the Cowboys too! AND I almost LOST the friggin' hand, when the flop came out with 3 diamonds, and guess who was NOT holding the Diamond King?!? Whew... avoided that one.

Then, came this pleasant hand, which threatened to send me down the uber-trail of tilt! I call a small raise preflop from late position with pocket 7s. I flop my set with AQ7 on the board! The turn is another Ace, and now I've got the sneaky boat. I bet out hard, get raised, and I shove and get called. The pot is now $42, and this on a .10/.25 nlhe table! Come to poppa! He flips over AK... So, he's got 7 outs! Unfortunately, one of them got there, when the river brought him a King to the rescue. Ouchie... gut wrenching! I briefly consider taking up Solitaire as my new hobby... But I've still got 20 minutes before it's time to pick up Cole from school, and I've still got the 3 other tables I'm playing at. One of which I've nearly doubled up on my initial $25 buy-in. So, I ake the deep cleansing breath and press on, and stick to the same game plan, brutal beats be damned. Hell, some of the guys were at all my tables and had seen what just happened and figured I was babbling nonsense to myself by now and was easy pickin's! Think again kids!

With 2 minutes to go, and I'm already planning to cut my losses and log off, but I find from middle position a pair of 9s, just as I'm ready to go and opt for just "one-more-hand." Go ahead and shudder, you know you've been there too! It gets raised preflop... and three of us decide to come along for the ride. The flop comes AQ9! Sweet! There's a bet in front of me, but I pop it up with a pot bet, and then another reraise back to me, and I decide if it's the day that my flopped sets are just gonna get pounded, then so friggin' be it. If you're gonna be a bear, be the damned grizzly! Here we go! We gots us a $41 hand here... The money's all in the middle, nothing to do now but watch. Another Queen on the turn, oh shit, here it comes, I can feel it!!! River is... the case 9! My opponent's cards show AK suited, which are no match for my QUADS! I sit back, feeling the need for a cigarette, even though I haven't done that in many years now. Wow what a ride this game is! A lot of ups and downs and a mixture of emotion was rolled up into this little hour long session. All that to show only an $18 profit, but trust me I'll take it.

Regards,

cheer_dad

Hey, hey i wanna be a rockstar!

Heading out tonight for a concert. Nickelback with special guest Seether and Saving Abel. Immediately after work Big Red, She-Wolfe, Uncle June, and yours truly will be making the drive to Columbus, OH for the concert. http://www.nationwidearena.com/schedule/event_info.php?id=1050
Later on, we'll be joined by the Yanoks too! I sense alcohol in my future... Definitely taking tomorrow off, at least a chunk of it.

Check out the official sites for each of the bands here:
http://www.nickelback.com/
http://www.seether.com/
http://www.savingabel.com/main.aspx

I love me some concert goin'!

Regards,

cheer_dad

The ducks...

I log on for a quick 300 hands or so on Bodog tonight, and bounce back a buy-in from yesterday. Once again the difference between success and failure for a given session ultimately coming down to one hand in particular. Yes, there were little ups and downs throughout the session but for the most part the bulk of the win came from flopping a set of 2's. Huey, Dewey and Louie. Thank you boys! They particularly made the guy who shoved on the river w/ his A-7 (having hit what he believed to be a winning sneaky two pair) a little quackers! Ahh poker...

Regards,

cheer_dad

Am I a motherless ****!?

Sometimes despite the best of moves the pot goes the wrong way. I dropped just shy of a single buy-in last night at the tables on Bodog. Although I was four tabling and put in roughly 400 hands quite honestly one hand was the make or break point. From late position I limp call with a 10-Jos. Four of us to the flop, which comes out A-Q-K rainbow. Sweet! There's a $1 bet out from the first to act, which gets a single caller before it gets to me. I make it $4 to go. The original bettor mashes the all-in button, the other guy drops out and of course I call. I flip my straight, he flips two pair Kings and Queens. Bodog didn't leave me long to anticipate, as the turn is one of his 4 outs, another Queen, and my stack is all but gone on the table. And so I watch the $45 pot going the wrong way. Nice hand sir... I don't go on tilt, I'm not overly upset, just stack poorer. It did make me think back to a hand from a few rounds before in which I won a decent pot and felted a short-stack on the same table. He unleashes a short volley of profanities on me for having "sucked out" on him, albeit his profanities don't have a shot of getting through the Bodog filter. I didn't bother to engage him or point out that he overlooked the fact that he called a preflop raise by me, with my KK, and he in mid-position called with the mighty Q-10os. He hit a Queen on the flop and therefore felt compelled to call my ever escalating pot-sized bet. And then he found a 10 on the turn, for his two pair, at which time he mashed the all-in button for his last $3... which by this time isn't even a 1/3 of the pot. Uhhh, yeah I'm calling now if for no other reason than morbid curiosity. The river pairs the board but not his Q or his 10, but instead a mighty deuce. So I suckout on him with Ks and 2s. How can I play so poorly. Most of the "censored" things he said about me are probably true, but I'll never know since I can't read the asterisks. But I probably am a motherless ****! And even a stupid ****-******! I'm just not quick-witted enough to have passed along these terms of endearment when it happened to me. I just made a player note and sighed. Okay, I did go so far as to write at the bottom of the player note... "he's just keeping that $45 pot warm for you cheer_dad. It'll come your way next time." I know, such a scathing remark.

It is kinda comical how wound up we can get over these paltry sums... but then again it is the beginnings of a bankroll. But I can absorb the hit and take it in stride. It stings maybe a little more since my previous "failed Bodog session" cost me a couple buy-ins to, and I have myself to blame for those. Yesterday's session was supposed to be a rebuilding day, not a dig deeper into the roll day. But the previous session was on me. I played too long, and too buzzed for my own good. So, now I pay the price for it. So now the the Bodog bankroll is at $515 instead of escalating passed $700 as I had planned. But for a few key hands and that's where we'd be today boys and girls. I reviewed my play after yesterday, and found nothing to scoff at, nothing for which I was to blame. Just a dry session for the most part. But it does shine a glaring light on the fact that I can ill afford foolishness during any other and future sessions. It's something to remember. The roll is to be cherished and protected, and not ventured and wagered in folly or jest. Perhaps I'm overly serious about this wading around in the kiddie pool of the poker water park, but I think now's the time to develop habits, and I mean good ones, which will carry me on forward to success. Now, if I could just find more time in which to make good on these best laid plans. : )

In other news... my daughter Whitney had all of her wisdom teeth taken out yesterday. I'll be checking in on her throughout the day, to see if she's feeling alright. Today she'll likely be much more sore than she was yesterday. But she's tough and it won't keep her down for long.

Cole's basketball season is nearly over. The school/county league is over, and just the tournament remains to be played in the rec league. That will come to a close the weekend after next. Bowling continues every Saturday. His average was at like 76 when he had league this weekend. He bowled a 93, 101, and 119 for his series. The 119 game didn't start off so well, and he was beginning to "tilt" but then out of nowhere, he rolls 3 strikes in a row for the turkey! Nice going.

By the end of March, my free-time is going to disappear. Looks like I'll be coaching a baseball team again this year. Time to get the arm limbered up. The skills demo is this Saturday the 14th and then the next week is the draft. From then on through June/July I'll be at the ball fields all the time. I'll try to keep up on the blog, but you'll have to cut me some slack, okay?

Regards,

cheer_dad

Notes from a Bodog failed session

These are the comments I left myself in a notepad window while playing last night. Funny to come back and see them this morning.

"...and so poker begins again...

oof kings shattered by pocket queens... minor setback, checks table one.

successful bluff w/ the shuman hand. (63os for the uninitiated)

seems only hands that are working are the bluffs tonight,
rough on the big hands tonight.

kings cracked again... man that stings.

final insult of night kq meets kk and i hit two pair to his set and i lose a $60 pot. calling it a night. Down $72."

Last night was a much more aggressive game for me, and I was down the whole session unable to put anything big together. Some big hands and pots really took the wind out of my sails. It could've been worse I suppose, but I guess all there is to do now is start the slow steady climb back up.

Regards,

cheer_dad

Juggling

So, thanks to the impending reorganization and transitional planning I have taken on the lead responsibilities of two teams. Thank you Uncle Sam! Nothing like serving many masters to send you off in a complete tailspin. My days have zipped by though, and quite frankly I've gained some new found purpose to my life. It is particularly challenging to be the go to guy for a team which manages an infrastructure which you know very little about. I'd like to say that hours of study and persistence have been involved by to be frank it's been total and absolute immersion. Attending the meetings, taking point, and asking a boatload of questions on my way to make a decision which ultimately gets pushed out as binding to the users. So, I felt the picture of the juggler was very appropriate. Except that jugglers are skilled first before attempting the feat live. I did teach myself to juggle though many moons ago, when as a father I was relieved to get my then baby-girl down for her nap, and then returned to the living room to pick up and found a set of blocks scattered out on the floor. I took the duration of her nap to learn the trick. I'm not great at it, but it does always get a few eyes of wonder stares down at the baseball field.

In the current situation though it's not blocks or balls I'm juggling. It's services and customers and service level agreements and the almighty measuring stick of all METRICS!!! Boo Hiss! I know, I know let it go. But thus far, I'm managing it. I'm not particularly feeling stressed. I'm actually enjoying myself a bit. Of course until the full-fledged reorg actually hits, they're probably considering that I'm operating all ROGUE. They'll likely crack down on my silly shenanigans when they finally pull the trigger.

But enough about work. The hoped for, prayed for, begged for trip to Cross Lanes and all the pokery goodness I can stand will likely NOT be happening this weekend, which very likely kills the idea for the rest of the month. There are just too many other conflicting games and other commitments which will jockey themselves to the forefront. Don't lecture me on poker priorities. Trust me, I know...I know... There is what promises to be a fun time this Friday at the local Art Center http://parkersburgartcenter.org/happenings.html an event which they've entitled the Mardi Gras Beer Tasting!!! A number of local micro brews will be on tap as it were for the sampling/imbibing. I never thought I'd be drinking beer all the while helping the arts! I love beer. To help the party along Big Red and I will be in the company of Chris and Laura, and the Yanoks! They may ban us thereafter. That's all I'm sayin'! Have I mentioned my favorite artform is the nude?

ANYWAY, time to wrap this thang up folks and call it a post.

It's a post.

Regards,

cheer_dad

That's all I'm sayin'

Regards,

cheer_dad

Comfort food

Oddly enough, I caught myself reaching for comfort food yesterday. Nothing in particular was wrong other than a little irritability on my part but there I was grabbing for the potato chips and later on some chocolate. All the while doing it I recognized it merely sabotaged my efforts in the health and fitness department. Guess I'll have to run a marathon on the treadmill to counteract the stupidity and weakness of the moment.

I have updated the standings for the NDPT End-of-the-Year Tournament, find them here. Recall that for those who contribute the extra $5 at the monthly tournaments and subsequently score a "cash" in the game that night are awarded chips for the year end game. The more you win, the more chips awarded. I've got the whole "scheme" outlined in the Google Doc found here. There is plenty of time for you to get in on the action. The prize pool for the end of the year game will likely be in excess of $1,000. Currently Uncle June finds himself perched atop the leader board.

Regards,

cheer_dad

NDPT #2 in the books...

Well tonight's poker tournament was a bit "light" on turnout. We did manage to rally beyond a couple of cancellations and put together 12 players for the night. But it gave the game some very cool action and interaction. Uncle June and I ended up chopping the pot after we fought back and forth for a while heads up. When we went heads up... there was no way he could offer up the choppy chop, since he was a dominant chip stack. But there were two hands the he doubled me up and we got close. When it got that way I mentioned the chop saying that we could be a while and the cash game looked inviting. We agreed... The lovely and talented Julie M made a respectable showing finishing 3rd on the night with some good solid play.

The cash game was a lot of fun too. Jenny was schooling the boys on how the game was to be played. Del and I tangled on some hellish pots that just happened to fall my way. Had the roles been reversed I would've been in there too.

Last night at the Yanoks was not so profitable. The big hand for me of the night was my Pocket Kings meeting up against the small blind's Pocket Aces. But I'll make that move all night long, and for the most part the cowboys'll hold up!

I've had some bad news hit me... and although I'm not directly involved it still hurts just the same. If you're reading and you know you are... know that my thoughts are with you, BOTH. I'm not happy about it all, and you always wish things turned out better, but life has its little curveballs. I wish you happiness. I think that's prolly the most I can muster up.

Regards,

cheer_dad