3 Topics Foremost in my Mind

There are three topics which are foremost in my mind. And not in chronological order here they are:

1. Did you SEE the Sopranos Series Finale???! I was glued to the TV to witness the end of a series which I've looked forward to for more Sunday nights than I can even remember. I love mob movies, stories, books, you name it. Last night though, sort of shattered that for me. I watched every second, felt the tension mount through the hour. I saw Meadow and AJ start to get their acts together, sorta. I saw Tony visit Uncle Junior, and affirm to himself that he was gone. His mind was gone. The mafia and all memory of it was gone. Tony in a way made peace with it all. I watched Phil Leotardo get whacked...and go out with a bang, and worse still a ROLL! EWWW, squish! Then as it all built to climax. The diner interior, Meadow parking the car...the uneasy hurried glances of the guy at the counter, the pounding beat of Journey's " Don't Stop Believin'" the door to the diner opens as Meadow enters and then...FADE TO BLACK {extended pause} roll credits...end an era. The series sleeps with the fishes. Ouch...my mouth dropped open, Big Red was convinced the cable went out or that I'd accidently hit the remote, but then when the credits started to roll, her eyes got as wide as mine! Wow, what a build up...what a let down. I mean I understand it, leaving it to the imagination, but so many things were left unsaid and undone. I knew they couldn't tie it all up, but sorry Mr. Chase this was bad form. The fans were owed a bit more than this. This is the sentiment of the majority of that fan base. Of course in you mind I'm sure it was a tremendous success because it got us all talking. But for ill or naught...it's over. Bada Bing!
2. Phil Hellmuth made history in the Poker World. He broke the threeway tie between he, Doyle Brunson, and Johnny Chan, when he won his 11th Bracelet at the World Series of Poker. The event was the $1,500 NLHE tournament. 2,500+ players did battle, and Phil came out with win. Just over like $650,000, which is nothing to sneeze at, but the honor and glory of the bracelet must have been sweet. BUT, all that's now in my mind...you'll never get the Poker Brat to SHUT UP now...EVER!!! But hey, you gotta hand it to him. He's the man. The win is his. Kudos Phil, kudos. Gotta give it to ya...well done! Additional info from the blogosphere regarding this: The Poker Brat (Phil Hellmuth) made poker history as became the first player to win 11 bracelets, which surpasses Doyle Brunson and Johnny Chan both at 10 each. Phil also set the record for total number of cashes at the WSOP at 59, which I'm sure he'll keep adding to over the next six weeks. He's also made 38 final tables at the WSOP, which is just one shy of TJ Cloutier's record. Information obtained from the Tao of Poker Blog: http://taopoker.blogspot.com/ Congrats Phil!
3. Finally, Ohio County in West Virginia voted 2 to 1 to permit Wheeling Island Gaming Center to add TABLE GAMES at their dog track and slots-o-rama!!! While similar measures were defeated in Charles Town, Wheeling okay'd it! Two other counties are also set to vote on the issue for other race track and gaming centers. Wheeling says it will be up and ready to roll by Labor Day this year...that's just 83 short days away! Poker room will be up and running by then and the claims are that by October all the other casino acoutrements will be in place for an honest to goodness casino. Unreal! Now, when will I have the stones to hit the tables myself?!? I'll keep information about this posted here as it becomes available. For more information see this article: Table Games Are Coming To Ohio CountyWheeling Island Ready To Begin Construction On Poker Rooms
   FINAL RESULTS:
   YES - 7,568 (66%)
   NO - 3,956 (34%)
   100% Precincts reporting
   36% Voter turnout

Voters in Ohio County, W.Va. have approved a proposal to add table games at a racetrack.
With all precincts reporting, a referendum to allow Wheeling Island Racetrack and Gaming Center to expand its gambling offerings won 66 percent to 34 percent.
Hit hard by the decline of steel and other heavy industry in recent years, Wheeling Island Racetrack and Gaming Center has pitched the vote on table games as a chance for an economic boost, with promises of hundreds of new jobs and millions in new construction.
Bob Marshall, the track's general manager, said the track will begin hiring immediately, and could begin construction plans as soon as Monday.
Current track employees celebrated at the gaming center's showroom after the votes were tallied Saturday night.
"I'm excited and thrilled and I'm honored that the people of Ohio County have stood up for us," said Lee Ames, who works at one of the restaurants at the casino.
"I mean it sincerely when I tell you it is a thrill to be a part of this and most of all it is a thrill to be an Ohio County resident and know that we stood up and did the right thing."
Members of the First Baptist Church in Wheeling had opposed the expansion of gaming.
"We are concerned about what it's going to do to the life of our community and the negative impact it will have on families: increased divorce, child abuse and domestic violence," said Pastor Darrin Wright.
Local state lawmakers took the lead on the legislative intiative to bring the issue of expanded gaming to a public vote.
"I think the real winner today was the people," said State Senator Andy McKenzie (R-Ohio County).
"No one can walk away and say their voice was not heard."

And that's the way it is boys and girls...that's where my mind is.

Regards.

cheer_dad

Good weekend...

It's been a good weekend. On Friday we got some MUCH NEEDED RAIN, here in the Mid-Ohio-Valley. Although now my grass will grow! This did impact Whitney's softball game...and it had to be rescheduled for Sunday, which is today. But since the evening was freed up, Big Red and I were able to head over to the Yanok's for the card game! I took first in BOTH tournaments! A total cash out for the night of $280. And I took the lead in the year end game, which means I'll have the biggest chip stack. SWEET!!! I would have blogged about it but we left the next morning for Pittsburgh and the concert! 7 of us piled into the Durango and headed off. Lots of beer, lots of music, lots of fun! I'll try to get the pictures from JR to post to the blog and the website so that you can all see the place. Heinz Field is really nice.

Nice place to visit...I wouldn't want to live there though. Too congested for my taste.

I'm trying to knock out the last 20-ish raked hands on Poker Rewards, so I can get my $100 bonus, SOON! But I don't feel so bad now since I did well at Yanok's. Maybe it's a trend, that'll move forward into Saturday's tournament here at the house. We'll see!

Enough for now, maybe later.

Regards,

cheer_dad

Fish n Chips

aahEEt...let's get this thing started.I looked around for a Google Image before getting started on this post. Nothing in particular, just something to explain...say sorry for...or otherwise make up for failing to post more regularly. But then I thought I'd just get started instead. I was procrastinating my procrastination for Pete's sake. I mean how sad is that. Talk about indecisive. Get on with it already.
I logged some more raked hands at Poker Rewards last night. I'm still hovering just over the $20 mark. How messed up is that, but don't let me get started again. I need 62 more raked hands (.25 rake or better, so the pot must go above $4.00 at least) to claim the elusive $100 bonus. That will put me back at the pre, I got humped by the neighbor's cat level, when my 15 minute round cost me $100 with a case of the second best. I struggled for a while after that with what to fix in my game. I'm coming to the realization that it wasn't broken. You can't fix it if it ain't broke. Really. You can't, so stop trying.

So with $20 left in my account I've been forced to turn back into the rock that I once was. Hell, even worse. But last night's session taught a little bit of something. Rock gardens eventually crack, and start playin' the game. Not that being a rock isn't playing but it's not profitable to bonus chasing when everyone at the table is a rock! It doesn't work that way. But there's a balance that must be struck. You need a wildcard at the table. Someone who's taking it up a notch...but not too much, else he pushes everyone out and there's nothing but Blind Ambition going on. Eventually someone cracks and calls, but always it seems at the wrong time. The pushy little donkey will inevitably come up with a hand at about the moment. Then he becomes empowered and emboldened with a bigger roll. Unfortunately, this forces you into an even tighter level of play. Tight can be safe while you're not losing money, but you ain't makin' any either. You force yourself into waiting for monster cards. Two things happen when you get 'em. You push or you play passive. Tight agressive suggests push. But don't forget donk meister, and all the other rocks in the garden that have made you for a rock too, but everyone's lookin' for a reason to call. Really they want to believe that you're still being a rock...that you're playing it straight up, but it's gonna bug 'em though, because they expect the push move from the donkey at the table, but they can't help but think you're making a move on 'em and they're going to want to make sure. You can't bet too high or too low here and every guy at the table's going to have a different threshold of belief. Someone's going to call. You can't please them all. If they don't you're only going to get the blinds. That ain't enough. When you hit big slick it will HAVE TO HIT the flop for it to be profitable. If it doesn't and you bet out 1/2 pot and they smooth call, you're screwed. You can't bet the turn too, and by the River he's going to be wise to you, and bet the pot to which you can't call, with your high card.

I guess all I'm trying to say is that it sucks to play from deep in the hole. You don't have the cash to make the moves that are required. You're really stuck just playing passive, meek and mild. When you're playing deep with the fish, and get burned, you can't drop back down anywhere to build back up. So you do what you have to, to survive. It bites. But fish and chips...they can be good eatin'!

Sorry reader, I've rambled off on a tangent again. I know I had a point when I started all this, but I lost it. The work day has a way of inserting itself, and derailing the train of thought.
Hope all continues to go well at the Series. Vegas still beckons. 20 days from now, I'll be there. I need my confidence fully in tact by then. One goal...one objective. Play well, the money is how we keep score.

Regards,

cheer_dad

Whacked

Ever start to feel like you're at the table with these guys? Not that they're good at the game, skill wise, but wise guys with an edge. Maybe I really am in the midst of a horrific trend, maybe the deck really has gone cold, maybe I just suck at this game, I love so much. Maybe this is addiction! Maybe I should stop saying maybe! I know quitcherbitchin! I've just never had such a run in which doing the right thing goes so far awry. Making the smart choices, making the right moves, call/fold/raise at the right time, and then have it turn out all upside down by the river. Hey I know "that's poker," but it's the surrounding trends which perplex. The one guy at the table who fires every time, at the right time...the only guy who shouldn't have even been in the hand since before the flop comes out big on top. Every time, all the time. Watching your monster hands, even when you DON'T bother to raise them preflop, pull down ONLY the blinds. Everyone, and I mean everyone folding to you. I don't think the online cardrooms are rigged, and I don't think they have a magic SMITE button. But I'm not entirely convinced that the algorithms in place aren't being rooted out by the script kiddies and cheats. Maybe all of this is just sour grapes! All I know is what used to be a small profit playing style, has turned way south. I'm watching not the tight aggressors profit, but the donk-packs cleaning up and laughing all the way to the bank. I know..."in the longrun!" Well how long's this marathon o' cards gonna go? The frustrating thing is that money is difficult to get online anymore. So you hate to drop any change anywhere. I had $400 easily movable dollars online. Now I'm left with $220 unless I can figure out how to squeeze out another 120 hands on 20 BUCKS. This will at least bring me back to $320-ish. All told online I'm at over $1,000 but I've been up further than that, but dropped some uber levels for my puny little bankroll. I guess I'm just reeling from the feeling here folks. When it gets like this folks it's not much fun. It's no fun at all. But I'm not going to walk on the $100 bonus. I'm at least going to play through to claim that small pittance. So hang on to it boys...I'll be coming for it. Then I'll hit the cashout to EcoCard button, and move it to some other site, for some other bonus chase. Enough about the poker already!!!

All Stars practice tonight at 5:30...please let the boy not be tired and cranky! And Whit has a softball game. So it'll be a busy night for your truly and family! The weekend will be just as bad too. Card game at the Yanok's on Friday. Concert in Pittsburgh on Saturday. All Stars on Sunday. Thank goodness Monday will be my AWS day, but oh hey, I've got a baseball game that night!!! It never ends.

Regards,

cheer_dad

$15 up short lived

Just a note, outdrawn tonight on PokerRewards, when douchebag decides to bully. I call w/two pair. Best Hand...and get outdrawn by runner runner, for his straight. So I lost my $20 buy in, plus whatever I lost at the other friggin' table. I may never make my 1,000 hands. Think I'll switch to passive mode, in an effort to get there, and slow the loss of blood from my bankroll. Yeah, I hate the game again. I think I really am the sucker at the table.

Regards,

cheer_dad

Baby Steps Back

Okay, they're baby steps, but I'll take 'em. After running horrific over the weekend, or just on Saturday afternoon, when I lost the cataclysmic $100 that I previously ranted about; I logged on briefly last night to Poker Rewards for a few hands of Hold 'Em. I really just logged on to figure out how to get in a few more "raked" hands toward the 1,000 goal, so I can claim my bonus. Well I did get 12 hands closer to that mark, and made just over $14 sitting at a WILD .10/.20 NLHE table. These pots averaged bigger than the ones you see at the next level. I made most of it NOT on big hands, but the sneaky ones, instead, where I was holding unsuited connectors like 6-7, and hitting the flop for 2 pair. Only minimal upfront cost to call and easy to pitch in the muck if it didn't hit, or didn't hit strongly enough. When the 10 man table dropped to 5, I made my exit and counted my chips. What this helps out on is that now I can play 2 of these little fish tables at the same time now, and zero in on my 1,000 hands. I believe that I am in the neighborhood of 150 hands shy of that mark. I'm just not going to push it, and hopefully I can find another of those wicked wild tables, and just friggin' get there. This is grinding out of another sort, I suppose. If I can just play break even till then I'll be happy, REALLY! That would put me at about $145 then. Which kinda sucks since my initial deposit was $200 and I've basically forfeited the bonus and lost money. But on the flip side...I could have been playing straight up, with no bonus coming, and just been out the cash altogether. This option is less palatable still. I will likely play the site at LOW LEVEL/LOW RISK tables, for a while longer, to see if I can re-crack the $200 mark. Log myself enough hands to get me back into the weekend freerolls. I really would love to cash at some level in one of these, if scheduling permits, and the poker gods smile, and avoid the SMITE button.

Enough for now...

Regards,

cheer_dad

It wouldn't be so bad...but

Like the title says, " It wouldn't be so bad...but the players who've been beating me online have been donks. Really, I'm not just being bitter here, just calling it like I see it. I've been a punching bag to these unprepared young punks, who then get a confidence booster by sucking out and think that's the way to roll. I swear there are days I wish I could hunt them down. I know, I'm tilting a bit. It's hard to run this bad and not feel a little down trodden. There's just no place to find comfort. I found a little at the Wolfe's game I guess. I got knocked out of the tourney, but have only myself to blame. I sucked out once against Matt, w/ my least favorite hand, which I NEVER EVER play (KJos) and turned it into a straight against his AQs. Then later I donk it off against Jim with an AJos against his AQs. Big Red on the other hand played a fine game and took down her first 1st Place Finish! You Go GIRL! Congratulations...now where's my cut! I did manage to bounce back ever so slightly in the cash game afterwards. Being restricted to a $10 initial buy in w/.25 blinds NL is a little crazy, but we all still do it. I would prefer to at least start with $20-$25. But whatever, I made money at it, cashing out for $54, at the end of the night, still playing on the initial $10. Profit for the night...$24, since I have to count the tourney and the cash game. That does little to bounce me back from the $100 shellacking took online. It would be so bad but that's a chunk of available online money for Pete's sake. It's hard to get it out there anymore! As JJ has advised me...I need to go back to the fundamentals for a while, and play for the sheer enjoyment of the thing, and stop the chasing which I know I'm doing.

I spent Sunday afternoon at the ball fields for Cole's All Stars practice. I'm very proud of him...of the way he's stepped up already. How much better he looks when playing with people that are so good. He's hustling, he's getting it done. He's not perfect and he's not the best kid out there, but he's learning so much and really putting forth the effort. If only we'd been able to get that level out of him on the One Community Team! But, I think these coaches will bring out the monster in him, that I know is there, and he hasn't even dreamed of. Yes, you can tell I really am proud!

Today has however been a wasted day, at least for me. Mondays just are NOT my friend! Why did I have to lose my AWS day Monday, every week, and now instead only getting it every other. I have read that the 2007 WSOP has awarded it first bracelet to Steve Billirakis who picked up $536,287 in prize money when he won the first event, $5000 Mixed Hold'em. He also became the youngest player to win an event, having celebrated his 21st birthday just 10 days ago! According to Prof's Vegas Poker Blog , "he defeated a premium field of 451 players including many of poker's superstars. Norm Chad asked him to clarify his statement that he would go back to school when he was done with poker, mainly when would that be? He replied, "When I have more bracelets than Phil Hellmuth."" Is he entering into the thing with Fear and Ignorance, or Fear and Arrogance. Either way, my congratulations to the lad!

Well it's time to get back to it.

Regards,

cheer_dad

F-Bomb

This is how I get fucked bonus chasing...even when I don't do anything wrong. I sat down to relax just for a few hands, and on hand number two I get pocket rockets. I reraise to $11 preflop (at a .25/.50 NLHE table) to a guy who made it $3 to go in the first place. I learn later when I get BEAT that he was holding 6-7s...how do you combat this?

Welcome to Long Winding Road
>Disconnect all ins are not allowed in this game!
Any disconnects will be treated as a fold by the player.
>Game # 1,421,148,033 starting.
> Dealing Hole Cards(As Ah )
> gnapsack, you have 10 seconds to respond
> gnapsack, you have 5 seconds to respond
> chip_tastic shows Two Pair, Aces over Queens(As Ah Qh Qd 7h )
> odds77 shows a Full House, Sevens full of Queens(7h 7d 7c Qh Qd )
> odds77 wins $97.25 with a Full House, Sevens full of Queens

Maybe it'll get better luck tonight at Frank and Julie's house, but I wouldn't count on it. I was so close to claiming my bonus and being above $200 that I started with, now the best I can do if I can even fuckin' hang on is $185. But hell there's plenty of time for cocksuckers like odds77 to bust me again, and leave with me with nothing before I put in the next 181 hands.

AND NOW, after this OTHER hand...I'll be lucky to GET to the bonus $'s at all, I mean REALLY...
Some days I really hate this fuckin' game!

Regards,
cheer_dad

...Epilogue...

I dropped the $50 rebuy at this table too. I'm the small blind, and since it's unraised I call the .25...and hit two pair on the flop w/8-4os. I bet out, and get called, of course. I push all in and I make my boat by the river, only to be beat by a better boat, by the guy who had ALSO HIT TWO PAIR (ACES and Eights) on the fuckin' flop! I now have $35.64 in my Poker Rewards account. Yes, in 26 raked hands...I lost $100!

I just may not recover, from this year of bad poker.

Good holiday weekend

I've thoroughly enjoyed this holiday weekend. Really. Friday night we had my daughter's softball game...which although a blow out courtesy of the other team, it was pretty enjoyable. My son and I took the opportunity to pass baseball outside the fence, and the boy was actually beaning it at me for once. Particularly early on, he was wicked accurate too. As he got tired, I could see the shift. This imaginary line needs to be noted from now on during games. Later that night Big Red and I headed out to Frank and Julie's new house for a card game. Frank opted to run the tournament(s) in the style of the Imperial Palace, since we'll be going there in about a month. I had told everyone that Las Vegas tournaments for the most part are fast paced, and involve a great deal of the luck factor at the paltry levels. Starting with $1,300 in tournament chips, the blinds immediately start out at $25/$50 and move up every 15 minutes. You've gotta hit your dinger early and keep on hitting away at it. I finished 3rd and doubled my $10 buy in. Big Red took down 2nd and Jim B took down the top spot. That was actually the second tournament of the night, Big Red and I had missed the first due to softball. We played another after that and then started up a cash game. All told for the evening I think I made like $10-$15, and drank a lot of Miller Lite. The most memorable event for me was the shocked expression of the guy at the end of the table (whose name escapes me...and probably just as well I don't mention it here) when after my big bet on the flop, the turn and the river, and him calling along for the ride...and I turn over my pair of ducks, and he quickly turned over his King...something...telling me he had three of a kind Kings, to which I grinned and had him check the board again, for the other 2 lying there, and using the two Kings on the board that it gave me the boat. That was a big pot! It carried me on to 3rd place when I went card dead. The look though was worth much more than the pot was. Matt Damon couldn't have done it any better. And he was way up on a roll at that point, because he had been the top place finisher in the first tournament that they played. He just missed it. Rather he was just blinded to it. I don't even think he had a very strong kicker, if his Kings were to have faced someone else with just a King. Sorry to say it folks, but those are the moments that I live for. I know...that's mean!

Saturday evening we headed over to Matt and Jody's for a cookout and to watch some of the UFC fight on Pay-Per-View. We didn't actually stay for the Liddell/Jackson fight, because it was late, and I had developed another one of my killer headaches. Nothing was touching it at all. I just wanted someone to drive a spike into my temple to relieve the pressure. I didn't even join in the poker game that came together, since I just couldn't focus. We did play several games of volleyball and injured several adults. It does suck to get old. The bones and muscles just don't do what they used to. I also got involved with Tennis/Bowling/Baseball games on the Wii, that they had set up in the basement. The kids absolutely LOVED IT! I did too, it was a blast. I think I may have thrown my arm out pitching! I slept in the next day, the headache was still there, and actually didn't go away until later in the afternoon on the drive back from my parent's house. We'd gone over there to have lunch with the folks. The kids had a good time, at least Cole anyway. He got to shoot hi BB gun, and play with his little compound bow. Just ran around and got to be a boy! Upon our arrival at the house...Big Red and Whit headed to the store...and came back with a Wii of their own! We also called some friends, and had people over that night for another round of cards, this time just a cash game. Buy in for $10, initially, later on if you busted $20 was okay too. Good crowd. I made some monster plays, with AND without cards. Sorry JJ. but I just didn't think you were all that fond of your cards. When you offered to pay me a buck instead of the 10 I had bet to see my cards, if you folded, I knew I had you. You really did make me for the set, didn't you!?! I showed, that I didn't and you would have had me. Sorry dude, but you and Matt are the only 2 people there that I can even hope to run a bluff on. Not that you both aren't good players, but it's because you are that you pause in the face of a big bet, because you're actually paying attention. Some of the others, wouldn't have even considered that they were up against anything more than a pair of something. At one point thanks to Cowboys, which held up against a few callers, I scored a BIG POT. I think at one point I had just under $40 in front of me, still working with the initial $10 I'd bough in for. But one big call against JJ didn't materialize for me, and I gave away a chunk of it. I was open ended and with the bet he made I knew he didn't like his cards that much...I think he had top pair, which wasn't that high and his kicker was weak. I had an open ended straight draw and called the seven bucks after the flop. The cards after that just weren't all that great, and I had to go into hiding. I cashed out up, with $16-$17-ish but that was a far cry from where I'd been. Matt cashed out for $65 I think, BUT he was in for around $50, suffering some monster beats early on. I really don't like starting out with $10 at these cash games. Either way though I'm playing cards.

Today, we're heading over to Big Red's aunt's house for a cookout and some more volleyball. Ouch, this is gonna hurt! Poker tonight is highly unlikely...but maybe I'll take chips just in case! : )

I'm off tomorrow, and hopefully I get a little online play in to inch closer to that Poker Rewards bonus. I want to put that thing to bed, so I can actually say I finished up with more than I started out with. I'm down $70 from where I bought in, due to some tough beats. Since then, I've just been treading water. I did loosen up my play a great deal, since I was really cheating myself out of pots, and was relying on the Big Hands to hold up over time, but the money available to me on that site just wasn't there to allow me to sit back and wait for Monsters and the little pots they were tending to afford me. When I got action from others when I had 'em I was getting crushed by garbage...and for a while it was affecting the game. Instead lately I've been relying on post flop play, and my ability to walk away from bad hands. Some of these yo yo's just don't know when to walk. I'd like to profit (by play) back to at least where I started, and just count the $100 in bonus dollars as gravy, but then again, money is money. And coupled with the $50 Visa card I got from PokerSavvy, when I finally finish both promos, I'll be up from my initial buy in. I should be able to coast through another 300 hands to get there. Then the decision is where do I go then? Play for bonus but don't play just for the bonus.

Anyway how's that for an uber post...I gotta go.

Regards,

cheer_dad

Time wasting and other anomolies

Today started off strangely. It's funny how an odd tangent of conversation sends the day careening of into the unknown. I was posting to the team that I think we have a server time synchronization problem. This sent us spiralling off at first, to where I later answered an email with a statement about wormholes. I later continued the comments in the face of other responses with a dissertation on them as one of the team put it. Lucky for me, someone else on the internet was available for plagiarism. See these links:

http://www.bbc.co.uk/cult/st/interviews/bormanis/page29.shtml

http://www.bbc.co.uk/cult/st/interviews/bormanis/page30.shtml

Enough about them...then and actually at the same time I gave the movie "Lucky You" a watch. Movie that includes poker, main character a poker player, still with a decent story line. I think I understand the downside of compulsive gambling now.. Sheesh! I'll end up watching it again when I can give it full attention. I'm only half absorbing a movie while I'm in here, it's honestly just background noise to me. It helps me to shut out the world around. It's especially good when I'm working on spreadsheets. Don't know why, helps me keep focus. Anyway the movie is good, and I highly recommend it to you all. I won't discuss it further than that, so as not to give it away and ruin your viewing pleasure.

I spent/wasted A LOT of time today, unfortunately reading up on LOST! The season finale was last night, and the writers DELIVERED. Great show guys, you knocked that one outa the PARK! Rather than me re-analyzing it all for you, let me just point you in the right direction. I love this site, and the screencaps are GREAT!

http://losteastereggs.blogspot.com/

I know it'll all come to an end one day, but the story is the thing. These guys are telling it well!

I know that will make very little sense but to anyone who hasn't watched the episode, but that scene I suspect will set off a series of events which we have not yet seen. But there was plenty there last night to fill in the 2-hours that it took. Ya gotta love this show. Okay I won't ruin it anymore. But man I wish you people would get as obsessed about this show as I am!

We have baseball tonight, then one more day of work, before my 4-day weekend. WAHOO! We're going to take the kids to see Pirates of the Caribbean, which I want to see too. We're supposed to go over to Casa de Wolfe on Friday, and then to the Jackson's on Saturday. Beyond that, who knows. Frank and Julie are hosting a card night in their new home. Congratulations! Looking forward to seeing it again, and just the simple getting together of friends!

Also, this week, since I've neglected the ole blog, I need to include the announcement of the arrival of Eric and Sabrina's new bundle of joy Kolsen! 6 lbs 8 oz, 19 1/2 inches long. Take a look at that handsome guy. Congratulations! Big Red and I will check in on you when you get settled back in at home. Too much OT, and baseball coaching this week to even break away to come see you at the hospital. If they'd only stay this way forever huh... well except for the dirty diapers and total lack of sleep for the parents!

Well I should get back to it, or at least pretend. Have a good one.

Regards,

cheer_dad

Tourney #5 down the drain...

There's card dead and then there's CARD DEAD. I've got to admit I'm getting a little disheartened by this year in poker, at least my personal results. No, I'm not upset with the way I've been playing...just the way it's been working out lately. I've gotten in there with the best of it more than a few times this year, and wound up on the short end. My image is still intact. I'm still viewed as ultra-tight...and aggressive, but just not bringing it home to the bank(roll.) But whadyagonnado? FAGETABOUTIT! Last night was tourney #5 for the NDPT. And I finished in a dismal 22nd place. OY! Went out on A-K sooted! Jim's pocket 10's held up...and he took my last 500 in chips. I played 3 hands all night in the tourney. A-Qos, and had to fold 'em. Did pull off a successful bluff w/ 9-3os, which was the only hand I won...and then the AK thing. Did okay in the cash game, sat w/20 cashed for $30, so it wasn't a total loss. But tourneys just haven't been my friends lately. Matt J did VERY well in the cash game. He had to leave rather abruptly, but cashed out for over $130 last night, when most folks were only buying in for $10 and $20 each... So there were obviously some unhappy campers! Nice play! Andy came out on top of the heap last night, and took home a nice $251 for his efforts. Way to go! Newcomer to the group Jamie took the 2nd spot...Ms. Julie did the Wolfe-Pack proud (despite Frank's going out first in the tourney.) Then Jody and Ron rounded out those who took home a few extra bucks for the weekend's "work."

Today, I played in "The Big One" on Poker Rewards...and got knocked out when I called an obvious bluff by the big stack, in the final stages of the tournament. He did have K-J, but I did have an ACE. And I did catch an ACE but he caught the 10 and the Queen to send me friggin' packin'. Some days, I do hate this game. But, oh well! Tomorrow's another day.

I currently have in the neighborhood of 650 points on Poker Rewards, even playing at the lowly level's of .10/.20 NL. But when I hit the 1,000 point level, I get my $100 deposit bonus. Actually I'm really liking this site. I mean if I can put in 100 raked hands each week at the low limits, I can automatically enter The Big One. And there have only been like 40-50 people in these! Eventually I have to hit for something right? It's a freeroll and they pay the top 10, and there's a $600 prize pool on the line. Hey that ain't nothing to sneeze at...and the odds are there. If I can just make it once. Heck that'd even change the year around for me! But DARE to DREAM.

Enough with the small talk. Have a nice night!

Regards,

cheer_dad

7 Things You Didn't Know About Me...

Well, I didn't get "tagged" with this Blog Topic, like so many of the Bloggers that I read on a daily basis, courtesy of Google Reader, but I've really enjoyed the topic. Each of the bloggers left a piece of themselves in those posts. Some all too willing to share, while others seemed overtly dismayed at having to write about themselves at all, preferring to wall themselves behind whatever their personal topic du jour might be, rather than having the blog be about them, by them... No matter, there was a lot of great writing out their gang...I call you gang, although none of you have even heard of me or my little fledgling blog. Maybe one day that'll change. But in response to the topic "7 Things You Didn't Know About Me..." I'll pretend I was tagged, and away we go:

1. I talk to myself...and I talk A LOT! I converse with myself, do you understand that the voices in my head will never hold a candle to what I'm saying to myself? Despite what people think, I reason through every day responses for eternities in my head. I try not to say random things, most things that I say, I have thoroughly thought out and weighed all the pros and cons before I even open my mouth. It may not seem that way to you, but it's true. My logic and reasoning may be off, from what you may think the reality to be, but make no mistake, I did think it through. I probably had a little inner argument with myself before I started in on you. So I'm already geared up for battle.

2. I'm not a confident person, and I like to avoid a lot of social interaction, which flies in the face of my hosting poker tournaments and games at the house all of the time doesn't it. In some ways I'm backward, and feel awkward around others. I don't think others are pushy, it's just that they have confidence which I do not possess. I frequently second guess myself. Alcohol takes some of this edge off, so for this reason, I do enjoy a few drinks. This relaxes me and allows me to move more methodically at the poker table. My moves are deliberate. I push...when I get involved in a hand...and push hard. I will seldom involve myself in a hand that I'm not ready to go clear to the mat with. Perhaps I'm tight to a fault? What is it that they call 'em "ROCKS." I'm realizing a new stage in my game...I don't have to put on the mask of uber-tight aggressive. That's what I'm known for. And if I've entered then everyone knows I've got something worth being in the hand with. I'm realizing now that I need to use it as an advantage. Not necessarily though for more bluffing, since I think it is a MUCH OVER USED skill among most players. Bluffing should have style and finesse, and I see that lacking all too often in the bluffs I watch go down. Many people think their bluffs are successful, just because I've folded. What they forget is many times, I just don't have the hand to capitalize on what I've already figured out. One day though I will and I'll key in on that same tell that you thought you didn't have, or maybe even thought you had suppressed.

3. I'm out of shape now...but 8 years ago I ran a marathon, in Columbus, OH. Again, I was absolutely obsessed by running. I ran all the time. 30-35 miles a week just to be doing it. I ran with a group for a while, but began to enjoy my solo runs even more. They were all about "me time." I did a lot of my best deep thinking and introspection during long runs. When the becomes fatigued and borders on exhaustion the mind wanders, and thoughts rise to the surface that you have thought in years. You dwell on the past, think about the future, and ponder the present all at the same time. I really miss my running days, and need to start over ALL over again. You did it once, don't know why you quit, but it was a big part of you that you should really get back.

4. At the ripe old age of 39 I STILL can't grow a mustache to save my life. There I've said it...I guess I'm just a little girlie man.

5. I'm not real big on surprises. I like things to move very fluidly, without interruption, otherwise I feel a bit out of control of things. I can really only recall one surprise that I actually enjoyed/appreciated. That was my 30th birthday surprise party that Big Red put together. Between the shots of all of birthday presents : ) and going out on the dance floor in my new silk heart decorated boxers, well let's just say it was a night to remember. I only wish I could!

6. In the back of my mind there is still an odd fear that any day now, someone will point out that I'm a complete fraud...at everything. Like I'm some poser, that made it all up. I'm talking not just about in my job, but just in my life in general. You know that the me I say I am...isn't really the truth at all. AND no, I'm not some schmo in a witness relocation program, and I didn't lie on a resume or anything, but it's just one of those rather un-natural (or at least weird) fears.

7. I taught myself to juggle one afternoon with three children's building blocks, when my now 14-year old daughter was a toddler. I put her down for her nap, and was left to my own devices one afternoon, and finding nothing on TV, I obsessively figured out the juggling concept and then taught myself to do it. I remember when she woke up that she thought it was pretty cool. You know what, so did I! So, much so that I taught someone else how I did it...a few weeks later at work. I won't name names, but yeah...you know who you are.

Well there you have it...the me that is me...

Regards,

cheer_dad

Dreams

I'm exhausted this morning.
I dreamed a great deal last night. None of it was pleasant. I recall very vivid, grisly elements to my dreams, but a lot of disjointed items were there and make it difficult to understand. The few elements that I remember without question are that I dreamed an alternate plot line/ending to the movie Rounders. I know...there's your inevitable poker tie-in for this blog entry. It was a very twisted, dark storyline. All the elements of a Law and Order Special Victim's Unit episode. People died, horribly, and other crimes were there too. Things I'd rather not get back into. I think it had a lot to do with the fact that we watched another version of Law and Order last night, with Rob Scheider in it. One copied theme that crossed over was that Rob was portraying a serial killer, and two of his victim's were sealed up in a wall, or a fake wall. A large inset in the wall, had two different falls walls built, one in front of the other. A dead body sealed in each. The police got in the wall by drilling a large hole through the drywall, like a doorknob hole, then with a SawZall, sawed a crude door cutout, then pulled it out with the drilled hole. Twice of course for each wall. This element passed into my dream. I was in a horrible part of the dream, coming to what I thought was a realization, at each turn, but just as I hit that crucial point, I would pause, and look to the ceiling at the point of the directly int he corner behind me, and I would notice that it looked like paper, and not drywall. I would pull out a knife, from my back pocket and reach up and cut a hole in the ceiling, and climb through the opening. Climbing through would lead me into a new reality much larger the the one before. I must have done this 4-5 times. I lost count. Just when I thought it was larger than I could handle...I cut through one last time, and the world opened up on top of an enormous cathedral, much like the one from The Hunchback from Notre Dame. It makes no sense to me, but it is what happened. I wish I could make sense of the thing. I'm a little concerned about what this world will open up into in tonight's dream. I know this makes little sense. Okay none. But as the day wears on, I recall less and less about the details of the dream. Maybe that's a good thing.

In other brief news...I'm hovering on PokerRewards, at $125, which yes puts me down. I have finished the 500 points for the Savvy $50 bonus. I'm over halfway to the $100 PokerRewards bonus. Which would put me up for the site. That'd be nice. It would be even nicer to be running up with the friggin' bonuses for a change. I also signed up on Sportsbook.com (poker) last night, using a bonus code they sent me in the mail. The bonus auto deposited $25, which I started playing straight away. I was dealt AK early on, with $20 at the table. I get reraised, while in late position. I reraise, and the chickie goes over the top of me, for a few dollars more, and I call her. She's dominated with KQ! But I'll give you one guess about what hit on the RIVER! She dropped me over $4 right off the bat. She proceeded to give MY MONEY away to the rest of the table. Luckily for me another guy at the table pushed excessively with pocket 10's. And I was just getting irritated, and hit AK...again...and this time, it held up and paid off. Hitting two pair this time. I made back what I'd lost to the brainless ChiChi...and like a buck or so more. I cashed out...and now I'm at $26-something on the site. I'll just have to play on my belly, for a while and make this site a place to play. No stupid mistakes. Get your money in with the best of it...protect it when you don't, and hope that it holds.

Well gotta go.

Regards,

cheer_dad

Poker Addendum!

Okay, this hand helped to brighten the Poker Day:

** Game ID 1377152226 starting - 2007-05-10 19:51:11** Aethelbeorn [Hold 'em] (0.100.20 No Limit - Cash Game) Real Money
- reggaeman01 sitting in seat 1 with $28.52- menkesz sitting in seat 2 with $9.25- Carra_23 sitting in seat 3 with $20.25- Benzini sitting in seat 4 with $19.26- Captainperv sitting in seat 5 with $31.51- chip_tastic sitting in seat 6 with $23.50 [Dealer]- hottast sitting in seat 7 with $8.18 [Sitting out]- scootyroo sitting in seat 8 with $18.45- pain1234 sitting in seat 9 with $37.67- Knaffert sitting in seat 10 with $4.48
scootyroo posted the small blind - $0.10pain1234 posted the big blind - $0.20
** Dealing card to chip_tastic: Ace of Spades, Ace of HeartsKnaffert foldedreggaeman01 raised - $0.40menkesz foldedCarra_23 foldedBenzini foldedCaptainperv foldedchip_tastic raised - $1.80scootyroo foldedpain1234 foldedreggaeman01 called - $1.80
** Dealing the flop: 3 of Diamonds, Ace of Clubs, Jack of Clubsreggaeman01 checkedchip_tastic bet - $3.90reggaeman01 called - $3.90
** Dealing the turn: 2 of Spadesreggaeman01 bet - $5.85chip_tastic went all-in - $17.80reggaeman01 called - $17.80
** Dealing the river: 5 of Heartschip_tastic shows: Ace of Spades, Ace of Heartsreggaeman01 mucks: chip_tastic wins $47.00 from the main pot
End of game 1377152226

Okay, enough about me...I just had to share! I'm logging off now.

Regards,

cheer_dad

Lost is getting GOOD!

Okay, so tell me who's as ate up with this show as much as I am?!? And if you have to ask...then you won't understand. But to give you the benefit of the doubt...it's LOST! Last season, albeit still good to me, was just a bit of a lull in the action, more character development which is necessary too. But WOW the producers are cranking it UP this season. Big Red and I have been along for the ride for the whole season and we really look forward to Wednesday nights @ 10:00. If you aren't watching...what are you waiting for. Well then again, don't start in right now. Go to Blockbuster and get caught up on the previous episodes first...quickly. Stop reading this fool blog, and go NOW! I'm not going to post any spoilers here, since many of the poker gang are fans of the series as well, and there's some of you that haven't watched any of the season and prefer to wait for the DVD's to come out. To you I say you...stink...as in...P-UGH!!! : ) Sorry dude, couldn't resist. To get caught up on the show head to the forums, you'll be glad you did. Particularly look for the "pix" of Jacob. That was GREAT! But enough about that...

Poker has not been overly kind over the past few days/weeks. I know...I know I won the tourney here at the house last week, but I subsequently BLEW it online, getting it in there with the best of it, and ending up on the short end. Cracked Kings and Cracked Aces cost me $40 in one day. I was admittedly reeling from the feeling. Then I went absolutely friggin' CARD DEAD. Hey, gang it happens. If you think it's a myth, trust me...I'll be there laughing and pointing at each of you when it happens to you. Seeing that look of agonizing disbelief and grief on your faces will be all the payback that I'll need! Misery loves company, but I've had to remain largely silent about the ordeal! Most of you the NDPT'ers are not online players, and the pain is foreign to you. All joking aside, I wouldn't wish it on any of you. Well maybe some of you...and not for long...well at least not TOO LONG anyway. I know I'm all heart. Really though gang...I'm kidding, no...really! : )

Big Red had tennis tonight, so I opted for 3...$5 SNG's. I finished 4th (no money) in the last one to finish. BUT the other 2 I finished in 2nd place in each of them. So, I made like $13.50. Hey when you're down over $80...anything on the positive side of the line, will friggin' do. And now as I pour my heart out here in ye ole blog...I'm playing two .10/.20 NL tables. Playing absolutely nothing but premium hands, and I mean it. The poker gods thumbed their noses at me giving me pocket aces, with which I raised preflop, got a raise and an additional caller/huckleberry. Screw this suckout crap...no calling here boys and girls, I shoved 'em all in. Hey they don't call, but this pot puts me up $5 for the table. Nothing fancy about the game, tonight, strictly by the book. I'm trying to log my 65 hands so I can collect my Poker Rewards points from the fine folks at PokerSavvy...and request either Visa Gift Cards or more Copags. I'm thinking this time it'll have to be the cash, which will prop me back up to being just shy of the original PokerRewards buy-in. I'm hoping that my new found force of will...will be enough to get me back in the saddle. Well that coupled with my wicked awesome skills, DUH!

Uhmmm, what else...? Work's been a real bitch lately. Worked over last night on patches, and troubleshooting. I'm tired, the week has taken it's toll on me. Too many meetings and fact gathering mission to count. I'll be glad to put an end to this one. Tomorrow I have a baseball game, and I think it'll go well if the boys show up to play. Bring the A-GAME! After that...hey it's poker night at the Yanok's. Good friends, good cards, good times! Is there anything else?

Enough with the rambling...back to battle.

Regards,

cheer_dad

First things first, but not in order of importance, just trying to catch up on a long hiatus from posting to the old blog. Let's go clear back to Friday May 4th, as a good starting point. The boys of One Community FCU baseball had their 3rd game of the season. What a NAIL BITER!!! Early on, it wasn't looking good, I'll be honest with you folks. But somehow they kicked the tires and lit the fires late in the final innings of the game, and got things going. In a come from behind victory, in that final inning we went to work, and closed a 4-run-deficit. I don't know how it all happened, but they got fired up and the bats started rattling! To top it off, Drew caught a fly ball late in the game, so the whole team was treated to ice-cream afterwards, as promised. Big Red and I were both hoarse after that game.

Then, we went home, and I quickly cleaned up, and had friends over for an impromptu tournament. 14 people came for the game. Big Red finished in 3rd place and got paid! She made our buy-ins back. Julie took the 2nd spot...and yours truly finished in the top spot. For a $10 buy-in I cashed for $70. Great!

Then the next day...we had the Rowdy Frynds concert! 38 Special, Lynyrd Skynyrd, and Hank Williams Jr. WOW, what a show! Hank shocked me...I had heard he put on a show, when he was sober : ), but I had no idea. The man is a true entertainer. And is also quite talented. Not only acoustic and electric guitars, but the piano, and fiddle as well. It also looked like he had lost A LOT of weight too. Anyway I really enjoyed the whole concert. Big Red and Frank and Julie did as well. I think my ears are still ringing, but then again, they've been doing that for a while now.

On to Sunday...laundrylaundrylaundry... : )

I thought I'd log some "raked hands" on Poker Rewards. I took some brutal beats, and got VERY FRUSTRATED, and just friggin' beaten down. I dropped in the neighborhood of $80, screwing the win over from two days previous. WTF!!! I got busted on pocket Kings, by a guy who hit a set of 10's. Then later at another table with pocket Aces getting it all-in preflop, against a guy who kept reraising me. I had him dead to rights, with his pocket Kings. The board paired 9's...and then rivered him one of his two outs. Yep, you could just see it coming, another friggin' King. So those two hands, effectively stole $40 from the stack. Another $10 in BlackJack, before I had the sense to walk away. Then bumped up from .10/.20 NL to .25/.50 NL in hopes of hitting a big score to get back in the swing of things. But a wave of cold cards, was the only thing I was seeing. And OBVIOUSLY, waiting for the BIG HANDS was just getting me screwed anyway. So, anyway, I'm back in the hole again, and I was so happy the last game at the house, and this just beat me down again. It is incredibly frustrating and demoralizing to be running this cold.

Now on to other things. I have a problem...or better stated...we're having a problem, and it's all my fault. And I'm going to have to take whatever steps are necessary to fix the problem. And I do mean whatever it takes, I'll have to do. I won't state it further here, but I haven't given it the attention it deserves. I'm not even sure I know what needs to be done at all, but if I value it at all...and I do...I've got to really work at it. Not all things broken can be fixed, but none without trying. Remember that, I live it. Time to stop writing and start doing!

Regards,

cheer_dad

Weekend and beyond report...

The pot was very fat, on almost every hand. I'm speaking of Saturday's game at Shuman's house. 2 very full tables for the night, in his Cash Game/Baby Shower for Eric and Bre... Thanks for hosting a great night for everyone, and the food was great. Everyone who played had to bring, in addition to their money, and pack of diapers, to help out with the "coming soon" little bundle of JOY! The game and the players were wild as always. There were some mighty swings for us all, I think. It just depended more on when you "got out" as to what it looked like to you. For me...I bought in once for $20...and cashed out for $86. Not a bad payday for a few hours of good fun...and good beer. :) Big Red, got pounded on an early hand and was forced to buy back in for a total of $30...and climbed back out, and only ended up down $5. Not bad. We left at Midnight, to get home, since I had to work the following day. The Wolfe's as well took off then. I think Julie had to carry them through the night, after Frank dropped a few buy ins at the other table. I've since then read that Shuman cashed out up $200, despite the fact that he bought in for $80. The tide must have really turned for him in that game. Congrats...and thanks for a good game of cards.

Earlier in the day, The One Community FCU baseball team played its first game of the season...and chalked one up in the WIN column. The boys were great, and gave it all they had. I'm very proud of them. We have another game tonight in Belpre, and hopefully the trend continues. The bad part has been then my son has NOT been playing at all, because he injured his ankle. He was out of commission for a few days. He only yesterday returned to school. Came home a little sore for a day on his foot. But he's getting better. He will not be playing tonight unfortunately. So again...I go coach a game without my own son there to enjoy the time with.

The rest of the weekend was busy as well. I worked Sunday morning, into the afternoon. Then, we went with a BIG CROWD to "Fusion Japanese Restaurant" that evening, to celebrate Laura's birthday. Good time...and I was a chicken catchin' fool. : ) We left there and went just a few blocks away to Sally and Scott's house. Played some penny ante poker with a "Steelers" deck. Thanks for the hospitality!

Thankfully, I was off on Monday, but had to get up early and take my son to school. I had to then go home and mow the jungle that posed for a lawn around my house. Catch up on the laundry...but I did make time for playing some cards on my "newly" created Poker Rewards account, funded from the money that I moved over to EcoCard. I played two NL tables .10/.20 blinds. I cashed out up just over $30 for my time and trouble. I had been up to over $47 at one point, but got drawn out on by an idiot. why tripped his Queens on the River, holding AQos, to my Pocket Rockets. I marked him for continued play...not gunning for him, just recognizing someone against whom money can be made. Way to many hands played by him to see a long term profit. I'll get it back. Another player, busted my Kings for a sizable pot, which stung a bit, but 2 hands later, I took down a pot that put me back up where I'd been previously. I think his name was Russev. He should be shot, but I'd like his money first, which he seemed willing to throw around freely. I also logged 150 raked hands, even at that low level of no limit hold 'em. I need 500 to clear the PokerSavvy bonus of 400 points, which will buy me either some new Copaqs or get me a couple of $25 Visa pre-paid cards. Either way, I'll take it. To get my $100 bonus from Poker Rewards however, I'll need to log 1,000 raked hands. But there doesn't appear to be a hard and fast time limit. We shall see...but remember DON'T chase...just play the game.

I've killed enough time out here. Back to it...

Regards,

cheer_dad

Viva Las Vegas!!!

It's official...the tickets have been purchased, and I'm rollin' up a stake and goin' to Vegas! There's a whole flock of the NDPT'ers going along for the trip TOO! So, far we've got Big Red and I, Frank and Julie, JR and Tabby, Jim and Mel, and Erik and Sara who decided on a whim just today. Hell, he bought his ticket before I did today. Jim started it all off today, when he emailed his confirmation to us all. I had mentioned the day before that the rates had dropped to $198 per person round trip from Columbus. That's cheap folks, real cheap. Too Good To Pass UP! Several of us are leaving on June 28th, Thursday, while Big Red and Jules will be coming along with some others the next day, due to work schedules. I told them we'd save 'em a seat, and leave the BRIGHT LIGHTS on for them. I'm excited already...and it's still a long way off. We'll be staying at the Imperial Palace, but I plan to play the poker rooms at Caesers this time and the Venetian. More later...we're leaving to go out to eat!

Regards,

cheer_dad

A little rereading...

I just read back through the last post and the one before, and it should be noted that I breathed that sigh of relief, when things looked to have swung back my way, but that doesn't appear to have been the case judging by the weekend's report. What I had made "back" was largely if not completely friggin' destroyed by the losing weekend. Somedays I really hate this game! All too often I find myself embroiled in the "monster pots." Is this because I'm only playing premium hands? Why is it that a table will chug along dabbling in the shallow end of the betting spectrum, until I get involved, and it escalates and blows out the top of the betting pattern and the pot. For instance yesterday's $162-ish pot that I lost. I went in, way ahead. Got my money in with the best of it, and came up lacking! I know this is a bit of a "feeling sorry for myself" question but, why do I have to always be involved in the friggin' Day Ender plays. And almost ALWAYS come up short. My online and offline winnings are generally modest, small runs at it, and pocket a few bucks here and there. But I watch others catapult up in $$$'s and generally at my expense, and not because I donked it off, I'm just getting sucked out on oft times. How to turn that tide? How to "fix" if it is even broken in the first place? This is going to have an affect on my play. I don't want it to. So, I'll give myself some time away from the game. I'm in no way going to be able to look past this for a while. Because I'm apt to start playing scared, and some numb nuts at the table is going to pick up on it, and badger me, until I fume, and experience a blow up, that dumps off my bankroll. I'd just like to get back even for a while, and sit there. Heck, I wouldn't even mind just going stagnant for a while. It'd for certain be better, than this continual downward spiral that I seem to have encountered. I really used to enjoy my poker time and look forward to whiling the hours away, but lately it has been a death march.

Before I get to feeling any more downtrodden, I think I'll leave it at that.
Thanks for listening...

Regards,

cheer_dad

Why yes, that is my ass...

I went with that title since I got it handed to me. I donked away $25 in NDPT Tourney #4 last night and got busted out first. My A-Q lost to A-J when he Mike flopped top two pair on me. Stellar year cheer_dad, stellar year! I followed that up with a venture into the cash game. I bought in for $20, like most everyone else. At first I climbed up to $29, then took a turn for the worse, and donked it all off in a few short hands. Final hand was my A-J coming up against two players, who both as it turned out were holding A-Q! It was kind a like that hand was saying, "Hey douche bag, remember me!!! But I cooled off, and have thought through my donking ways from last night, and figure, ehhhh, there's always next month, and the next, and the next one after that. However, I had free time to kill today, so opted to logon to UB and play some .50/$1.00 NL. I bought in for $100. I was doing well and was at $120 for the session, when I get dealt K-K! From Middle Position I bet pot, making it $3.50 to go. I get one caller. Oh goodie! Flop comes out Jack high...and I bet out 11.00. Player pauses for a long time. He calls. Turn comes out another obvious BLANK. I bet pot, for around $40. Player pauses again...long...then pushes All-In for another $24-ish. I pause slightly then push in the call. On UB, you don't see the other guys hand until after the River. But an Ace hits on the River, and you guessed it he had one. He had flopped top pair (JACKS) with an Ace kicker, and despite my advertising a superior pocket pair, he called me down. I got my money in with the best of it...and got SPANKED. He replied, wow my reads are really off. He was assuming I was putting a move on him. Hmmm, now I'd only played premium hands, and was rarely in the game at all, but he thought he had a READ on me. Maybe his read was that the poker gods liked him better than they did me. But it was a suckout... I guess he hit 1 of his 5 outs. He took down in the neighbor hood of a $162.xx pot on that hand. A quick review of the ENTIRE chat window since I'd sat down, showed only the closest pot size to be in the range of $30. How do I ALWAYS have the History Making Hands! WTF!!! So, I hung out for a few more rounds, and found my heart to be lacking. The game had beat me down. I was a loser all over again. So for the session I bought in $100, and cashed out $34-ish. No, you can't play poker like that for very long. Insult to injury, I dropped back below $400 on UB again. GRRRRRRRRRRRRRrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr!!! This has not really been my year. So for today and last night I'm down $109! FUCK! Here we go again. I know bad word...but wow this has been a rough swing. And if you (dear reader) knew some of the things that I 'd really like to say, you'd admire me for my ability to resist. I stumbled across the picture I uploaded with the post on another blog http://pokerkat.blogspot.com/. I liked what I read, so I've bookmarked and added it to my Favorites for later perusal.

Anyway, thanks for reading. Hopefully it'll all come to an end soon, and I don't mean my playing completely, just this bad run I've been on. I'll continue to re-analyze what I'm doing and make corrections as needed. Ranting about poker here on the ole blog really helps me think it all through.

Thanks all for dropping by, if there are any of you out there.

Regards,

cheer_dad

Sigh of Relief!

I know it always seems to take me a while to get out here to post about my weekend goings on, but thanks for bearing with me nonetheless. Friday, Big Red and I went to the Yanok's to play. We "dragged" JR and All-In-Allman along for the ride. It turned into a late night. Well it didn't get started until 9:00pm. And we promised ourselves that we wouldn't stay for game number 2...but we break promises from time-to-time, and this was one of those times. 14 players started out the first tournament, buy in of $20+ $5 for the year end entry. I finished 2nd and won $70. I got beaten by a guy who I had earlier crippled at the table, when my pocket Q's held up against his A-Kos. He was down to 3 green chips at the point, but somehow managed to come back from the brink. I got into a heads up with him at the end. I don't remember the hand, but I do know that I got in with the best of it preflop, but it went south on me. I'm not sour about it. Scott B's a GOOD player, and nothing he did, no move was wrong, and I respect that. Since I won, Big Red was all for staying for Game #2. Neither of us cashed on that one. I need to find out how much I added to my year end standing. Mr. Yanok devised a points system for the year end game, that takes into account your finish place and the $5 entries for the night. I've cashed 2 times now so far this year, in 4 qualifier games (one per month) Your finish place will determine your chip stack for the end of the year game. Yes, that's right, dissimilar chip stacks to start. This may be a very interesting game! I think I'll need a few more cashes to keep the natives honest...okay to at least be on an even playing field. At any rate, I think we got back home in the 3:00am-ish neighborhood. I admit drinking...I admit having a shot of something or other, but the following morning, afternoon evening and on and on I had a headache. The weather had changed outside and brought on a coldfront, that wreaked havoc with my sinus passages. No amount of Tylenol took away the pain. Despite the ache, we hosted another game the following night. We had 16 people show up for a two table tournament. $25 dollar buy-in in this non-NDPT-points tournament. When the dust settled on the night...I WON!!! We ended up playing another smaller tournament for $20 after that one, which I could have done without! I didn't drink a thing that night, but the headache lingered on into the night. I didn't place in the second one, but I was very happy with the 1st place finish on the first one. Even though the WIN on the first one, was due to a suckout on my part. I was just tired. The second game, I got sucked out on, when I was holding the Pocket Rockets. But the winner of that game was the one who I'd sucked out on in the first so I guess what goes around, comes around.


So, the weekend tally just for me (sorry Big Red, you're on your own when I'm counting up earnings) I bought in for $25, $20, $25, and $20 ($90 total.) The Winnings were $70 and $195, for a profit on the weekend of $175. Now I officially give myself permission to stop kicking myself for the recent online loss. I think my profit and loss has swung the other way. Now if only the money weren't going for other things. But it's okay, I climbed out of the hole I'd dug. And now, I breathe my sigh of relief!

Now, back to battle...

Regards,





cheer_dad

Friday the 13th

Despite the fact that this is an unlucky day, things have gone remarkably smoothly. (knock on wood) I finished up over a 1/2 day early on the WebSphere Administration class that I've been in all week. SWEET! I'm not nearly as focused anymore when it comes to classes. I don't know if it's age, or if it's just general disinterest. Either way it's over now.

Tonight my daughter has a dance to go to at school. So, it'll probably be Big Red, the boy, and I left to fend for ourselves this evening at home. He is getting over strep throat, so doubtful we will go anywhere. Yes, I'll be missing a game tonight with the Yanok's. But sometimes family does have to take top billing. Besides tomorrow morning, I have to coach baseball practice, and the thought of doing that with even the hint of a hangover just is NOT all that palatable.

But on another note, I just sent out an invite to the NDPT membership to attend an "unsanctioned" event tomorrow night at our house. No points tournament, just the usual Poker Goodness. No reason, other than for love of the game. It may be a light turnout, but we'll try to get a game together if possible.

I'm getting anxious for Vegas. June 29th, is just so far away. I'm already planning where I want to play, and debating Low Limit, $1/$2 No Limit, and even some tournament action as well. I just don't know. I'm struggling for focus. Looking for the stugots as it were. As the debate rages on I'll keep you posted.

I will put together another tournament listing from AllVegasPoker either way, since it makes it nice to know what's going, and the where and when.

Anyway time to get back to the grind.

Regards,

cheer_dad

Conflict

Yesterday was a "bonus" Monday. Not only was it the first day of the workweek, I got work over, and ended up being here until around 9:00pm last night. Did I ever mention that I hate Mondays? Did I mention that I didn't need another reason to dislike them at all. I was doing fine all by myself, finding enough reasons to hate the beginning of the week. To add to the frustration of the day, we were troubleshooting a problem with a set of server restores. I was winding down on the day at around 2:30 when Big Red called to inform me that one of the guys from another department said I was supposed to be available for application testing that night at 8:00pm!!! GRRR! Oh, okay, sure I'll be there. And I was, and it was a relative waste of time, other than providing my login credentials. Finally I got to leave at 9:00. During the course of yesterday I was informed that TODAY I would begin a class on WebSphere that would keep me tied up from 8:00 -- 4:30 through FRIDAY! Oh yeah, guys...I wasn't doing a "flippin'" thing! I've got plenty of time to give away for a class. Not to mention the fact that the team is still on the verge of implosion! As in the picture, we are stretched to the limit, beyond it even.

Tonight I get to go to baseball again. Cole may or may not depending on how he is feeling. He is still on his medication that he got on Saturday for Strep Throat. Coupled with the crummy weather, I think he may miss this practice. And it is still going to be cold tonight...at least I think so. I won't know till I get there. So that'll be about an hour and a half shot tonight, without my kid even being there. Then Wednesday night we've got a bunch of server maintenance work to accomplish. To round it out further is that there may be even other unplanned work to accomplish. THEN, Saturday is the Disaster Recover Test, and Sunday is our scheduled maintenance window, and frankly there is much to accomplish.

Hate to say it but it's only 11:00 am and I am already convinced that I'll be falling asleep in this class Way to irritate me .

Then there's the infighting in the team as well, and I just don't get it. I scarcely have time to deal with my own issues, let alone the petty outbreaks.

After this week I'm going to be deserving of a poker night. Really, no lie!

One bright spot in yesterday was that Bryan Devonshire "Devo" dropped by MY BLOG to post a comment! I read his blog frequently, and made a comment on his last post. He not only visited the NDPT website, but also followed on out to the Blog as well and then commented and thanked me. Thanks for dropping by DEVO, look forward to reading of your next poker adventure. I continue to live vicariously through the poker pros! :)

Well time to get back to the business or class at hand. Thanks all who've stopped by.

Regards,

cheer_dad

It won't be long now...

It won't be long now. The final season of "The Sopranos" begins in just 2 days people. Only 9 episodes are left in the life of this outstanding HBO Crime Drama. I'm very curious to know how they will tie up loose ends, and even what ends they choose to tie up. What sense of completion will be experienced? What feeling and emotion will be portrayed? With so much time to have prepared for this...I absolutely expect to blown away by this finale! I don't think they will be letting me down. Not at all. Still, very soon we will know. Not sure there are many among my fellow NDPT'ers who are avid fans of The Sopranos. Just seems like someone who likes poker oughta like a good mob story! I'll try to keep you posted on the final season progress. Particularly who gets whacked!

Tonight, Big Red and I are having a few players over for a game. We may run a quick tourney, followed by a cash game, or we may just make it a good long cash game. Either way there will be cards and chips on the table and the company of good friends.

The week has been long and trying. Still more work than is humanly possible. Which means that management expects twice that much. We're losing a team member...again. Mr. EP makes his departure from the crew, bound upward...at least outward! :) Suffice it to say, he will find a greener pasture in his next endeavor. I wonder if there are other/greener pastures for us all.

I think I'll stop, before I wear myself out here. I'm not going to dwell on work and let it bring down a good day, the beginning of a good weekend.

Anyway, enough for today. Short day and all, poker game to prepare for later.

Regards,

cheer_dad

Now only the TILT to pay for...

As you read in my last post...in closing I mentioned that I was up about $50 from when I bought in. So then I was only down $250 from the session before. Then there was a couple of tourneys at the house one night in which I made a bit...maybe $30. And now last night Big Red and I went along w/Frank and Julie, and JR to a tournament in Leachtown. Wild night, wild game... I hunkered down, and played strangely honest poker, no bluffing, just betting the hands that I had...and betting them hard. I was an anomoly to them at the table, they didn't quite know how to deal with me, or what to think about me. Strangely the hand that made me the most money was monster vs monster, and I came out on top. My pair of Jacks in the hole hit another Jack on the flop. I bet out again, following what I'd done preflop. I was reraised another $200. I shoved 'em all in and got called down. He flipped over J-Q which gave him two pair on the flop. I understand why he couldn't get away from it. It could have happened to me. The only other hand that really catapulted me to a second place finish, was a pair of Nines which again I bet enormously preflop. I got one caller and I busted him with my 9's to his 8's. SWEET! As I said I took down 2nd place worth $122. So, I made $82 in the process, less my buy in... So had I not gone on tilt in the previous session, I would have my money back, by now. Online blackjack will do that. I just gotta play it nice and easy. Suffer through my own stupidity! Actually I really only lost $100 in poker, it was another tilt $200 in blackjack. The "swing" was not that great, I've already surpassed it, except that like an idiot I blew it on "gambling." In the future, I'll try to remember that moment, and draw strength from it. Don't make the same mistakes twice.

I'm getting tired, difficulty keeping my eyes open, and not making much sense, so I'll see you.

Regards,

cheer_dad