Blog + Therapy = Blogerapy...

Contact drills started last night, for the Tri-C Bullets football team. Their numbers had already dwindled, but I'm curious to see how many casualties (kids that don't show up tonight) after full on tackle practice started. One kid already called it quits. He was unwilling to practice...stretch, you name it. He wanted football on his terms. The coaches didn't see eye to eye with him. He left less than half way through practice. I don't even think he started the tackle drills. His parents wanted him there, no other reason. That was destined to fail. Cole was tired after last night. He was a bit afraid of tackling. I noted, like the coaches did that he stutter stepped before tackling. Contact is something new to him. Aggression as well is new to him. Strangely, he's a big boy, but just hasn't realized it. By the end of practice he was hustling like an old pro though. He was able to bring down some of the best running backs that were there. As well, he was a difficult target to bring down. I get off earlier than usual from work, since I got here at 6:00am, so I'm going to run by Shirt Factory to check out some elbow pads, and gloves for him. Hopefully, to keep him motivated in the right direction. I'm fearful that my mother will talk him out of wanting to play at all. Not that she's vindictive, but she has no interest in him playing. He's being confronted with the same "manipulation" that I was when I was a child. I was never able to participate in sports. I would have liked to, but in her mind, music (particularly classical piano) was more important. My wants...didn't seem to mean much to her. Granted I was good at it, and branched out to the trumpet and finally singing. But now...I do NONE of the above. I slowly began to resent it all. In a way, I wish I were still interested in it, but there for the last few years that I studied piano...I resented it, deeply. When I quit...I made a major break from it. Mom pushed HARD for my daughter to be take piano lessons, in fact she over encouraged it. My daughter, being much more headstrong than I ever was, decided early on that enough was enough. She just wasn't that interested. Frankly mom drove it in the ground for her. She got off easy. Now Cole is doing his sports thing...and I'll never object to him taking up an instrument, but I'll never overly suggest it either. I believe mom would differ. I'm concerned that on days that she watches the kids for us that she will plant the seeds of discontent in Cole with regard to football. She didn't like baseball, and in a way I think she caused problems there too. She also babied him too much. She used to do it to me too. I was in for a rather rude awakening when I went to work for my dad...and had a degree of suffering involved in getting in shape, working on a construction site. Mom jumped on him about it, but finally he summed it up...give me 2 weeks with him...toughening him up, and you won't hear anymore complaints. Well they did begin to stop. Sure, I'd throw in a "he's pickin' on me complaint every once in a while, but for the most part, dad began to turn me into a man. It was probably during that time frame that I developed the backbone enough to quit piano lessons. I think mom gave me the cold shoulder for a few weeks after that. Scathing comments about throwing my "life" away were common for a while. Well maybe I was throwing "a" life away, but it wasn't mine. It was what she wanted, or would have wanted...not me. I feel like I'm bashing her a bit here. Understand me, I love her, she's my mother, but her overzealous interests in any number of things have been inherited by me. To a degree I'm compulsive, a direct result of how she pushed her interests on me.

I really would have liked to have tried sports at some point. Not because I think I would've been a good athlete, but I would liked to have had the opportunity. I think it would have given me a greater sense of self worth and self confidence. Perhaps more of a Can Do attitude, instead of the defeatist attitude that I've struggled under now for several years.
Anyway, back to Cole...and enough of my blog tempered therapy! I'm going to encourage him to tough it out. I'm going to equip him as best I can, and make sure he doesn't get hurt. I hope he'll stick with it, for his own physical well being. Maybe he won't grow up to be the couch potato that I've let myself be lately. But I want it to be about him...and not me. I want him to enjoy it, as an experience in his life. I hope he knows victory...and to a lesser degree defeat as well. I want him to understand that he can't always be the best, even if he tries his best. I hope he comes to learn that there is no shame in losing when you have given it your all. I want him to accomplish things that he never thought possible. I want these things for my daughter as well. I want her to grow from adversity in addition to success. I want the best for both of my children. I don't want it handed to them. I want them both empowered enough to take it for themselves.

Wow, where did that all come from!?!?

Regards,

cheer_dad

Top 10 quotes from NDPT #8

1. "It's a Royal Flush!!!"
2. "Ok...show me your 4."
3. "It tastes just like a Cherry Tootsie Roll"..."I didn't know Tootsie Rolls came in Cherry!?"
4. "I'll have to remember that move for later!" --Shelley, after getting JJ to lay down his hand.
5. "Pay up beeyatch," said JR to All-In-Allman, because of a $5 prop bet, on when Steve would bust out.
6. "I can't quench my thirst," --Matt J, after a day of beer and moonshine out on the golf course.
7. "I asked her if I could play...and she didn't say 'NO' so I took it as a yes..." (just guess who made that statement.)
8. That table was particularly MEATY!!!
9. "The keg is dead" ...please, a moment of silence. :(
10. "No one cares about that hand that you had that one time..."

Just a few quick observations/quotes that summed up NDPT Tournament #8, from last night.

Regards,

cheer_dad

lard-laden

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

Regards,

cheer_dad

...motherless... !

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

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

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

Regards,

cheer_dad

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

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

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

Regards,

cheer_dad

Monday ramblings

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

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

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

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

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

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

Regards,

cheer_dad

Final Frontier...

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

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

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

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

Regards,

cheer_dad

My poker play troubles me...

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

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

Regards,

cheer_dad

WSOP 2007 Champion!!!

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


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



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



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

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






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













: ) !!!
Regards,

cheer_dad

Final Table Time...

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

Seating Assignments and Chip Counts:

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

Final Table Payouts are as follows:

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

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

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

Regards,

cheer_dad

And then there were 337...

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

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

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

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

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

Some notable advancers to Day 4 include:

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

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

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

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

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

See you later tonight!

Regards,

cheer_dad

Another update on the WSOP

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

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

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

Stay tuned.

Regards,

cheer_dad

Who's left?

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Regards,

cheer_dad

Tuesday already

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

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

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

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

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

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

Regards,

cheer_dad

Vegas Quotes...

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

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

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

Regards,

cheer_dad

Back to reality...slowly and sluggishly

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


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

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


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







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











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

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

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

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



Regards,


cheer_dad

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

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

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

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

Regards,

cheer_dad

Hanging around...hanging around...

Here we sit at the airport. Big Red insisted that we get here early, even though she wasn't riding with the first wave of the NDPT'ers. As of now, we have another hour and a half to wait for our flight...we've already eaten and letting that Quizno's sub settle right now. The Columbus Brewing Company is right next to our gate, so here shortly I'll head over and have another cold one just to pass the time. I'm actually okay getting here early, since we have better news than a lot of the other folks sitting here in the terminal. Due to a number of bad storms on the east coast A LOT of flights have unfortunately been cancelled. They can fly out of Columbus, just can't land a lot of other spots, La Guardia, Pittsburg, Atlanta, and etc... have been cancelled and folks are being told that they're going to have to wait until tomorrow. THAT would SUCK bad!!! But we're the lucky ones. Maybe that's a good omen for us. Lucky news on the flight status, lucky at the tables. Hey, I'll take it as an omen folks.

It is unbelievably hot in this terminal though. I've never been here when it is this bad. They even had fans setup at the security check point. Hopefully the air will be cranked on the plane, and I can dry out a little. Flight leaves at 8:15pm EST...and we'll arrive around 9:30pm PST. Gotta love that timezone thing going out. Not so much on the way back.

I've rambled enough for the time being...just trying to combat the boredom while stuck here in the terminal. Internet connection is UBER FRIGGIN' SLOW, so I"m not even going to attempt to play some online poker. I'd prolly get ACES and get disconnected.
Enough for now, I suppose.

Regards,

cheer_dad

Soaring with eagles...

The Eagle is being removed from the Endangered Species List. That seems like an incredibly proud accomplishment. Back in the 40's the national symbol was next to extinct. Now it seems to be thriving, and soaring proud! Congratulations and big thanks to all who had a hand in saving this remarkable species.

All of this information is courtesy of the Times Picayune

Speaking of soaring with eagles...hopefully that's how I'll be flying in Las Vegas!!! The time is nearly here folks! I'm here at work for a few short hours til Noon, and then I head home to square away a few last details, and then it'll be off to the land of dreams, and bright lights. I'm planning to continue to blog the whole time we're there, and try to post lots of pictures out here as well. Primarily for JJ's benefit and harrassment. Sorry buddy, I couldn't resist. Wish you were going, maybe we'd have that run at the BlackJack table again like we did with the Jersey Boys. Even though we both know that game is EVIL!

I'll continue to post, as time permits. I particularly hope to head over to RIO and see what pro-watching I can do at the WSOP!!! Stay Tuned!

Regards,

cheer_dad

Almost there!!!

Patience grasshopper...patience...You just have to hold on til tomorrow. In just under 24 hours from now, I'll be leaving Columbus, OH for Las Vegas, NV. Can you feel the excitement in my voice people! I think I may be sporting wood here folks! I know...I know t.m.i. Keep it PG-13 for the kids right. I just can't help it, I've been all calm cool and collected all this time...and now I'm just friggin' ready to get going. We leave home at 3:00pm tomorrow...and if I thought it'd get me there any quicker I'd leave right now! I think everyone else would too. Although our plane will touch down in Vegas at around 9:30pm PST, it'll probably be close to midnight or so before we get our bags stowed away, and hit the floor running. I doubt seriously that I'll attempt anything other than $2/$4 Limit Hold 'em tomorrow night at the Imperial Palace. Some of the gang may head off for a late night Tournament somewhere, but I'm questioning where my head is going to be after a full day, then being kooked up on a plane for 4 hours. Tilt could actually be an emotional state that would be a step up from how I may feel when I actually sit down to play some cards. And if I'm feeling alright, I'll have time to observe the No Limit table which will be very close at the Imperial Palace Poker Room. Either way, I'll be playing poker, and how bad could that be?!?

Maybe more later, now...I'm all about laundry and getting packed.

Regards,

cheer_dad

Tick...Tock...

It won't be long now. I'm excited, but holding it in to everyone else. I'm already unfocused enough as it is. The last thing I need to do is make it worse for myself at work. Just 2 more days and I'll be in Las Vegas!!! Plane leaves from Columbus, OH at 8:25pm! I've got a busy few days before it gets here though, so I'm hoping that the time FLIES by. Cole has All-Stars practice tonight. Tomorrow night I have to work server maintenance, for a little OT. Leave home at 4:00pm the next day bound for the airport. Big Red will be leaving the following morning...which is ACTUALLY a very good thing this time. She will be able to attend the first game of Cole's next tournament in Vienna. Unfortunately we won't be there for him for the rest of the weekend's activities. He will be well taken care of by Stephanie at the games, I have no doubts. Ellen, Libby, and my mom will be there for everything else. I'm hoping the Whitney steps up to support her little brother during these tournament games. Had we known that Cole was in All-Stars, we would have opted for another time to go to Las Vegas. But I'm hopeful that all will go well for us all.

I'm still debating what I'm going to do in Vegas. What I'm going to focus on. $2/$4 Limit, or $1/$2 No Limit. How patient do I really want to be while I'm on vacation. Do I want to have fun...or do I want to play my game. Maybe somewhere in between. I know I'll play blackjack, and some Let It Ride. I just want this to be a trip to remember! I want to spend some time with my wife. I do enjoy her company, and she deserves attention for having put up with me for all these years. But she may be carrying me all week, like she's done lately! : ) I'm a kept man...and hey it ain't all that bad, guys! I want to take my computer along and hope to post to the blog daily, and upload pictures while I'm there. I also want to be able to stay up on all the goings on at the series! I could just buy time on the computer in the coffee shop downstairs at the Imperial Palace and forget about lugging my own along. I'd probably be spending $12-20 bucks a day for internet access anyway. Nothing comes for free in Las Vegas. There is a pricetag to everything. Somethings that you can't get anywhere else. : ) Either way, I'll try to keep the blog posts rolling out.

Tick...Tock...




Regards,


cheer_dad

First tourney of the year...over for us : (

Well gang, the Murrays are back in town, having spent the weekend on the road to Athens and back...and forth again...and back, for our first All-Star Tournament of the season. Sadly, it did not go well for the boys. Out of the four games we played, we only chalked up a single win. I think I feel more dejected than the boys do. I'm definitely more hoarse than anyone else, players or parents. They tried, I really believe that they did. Just weren't focused enough to get the job done. So many of the top players were hitting poorly, popping up and getting caught. And remarkably we were striking out from time to time. This team of boys just didn't look like the same group that had been tearing up the practice field. I guess everyone can choke from time to time. But we're getting together this evening to practice...and hopefully iron out some of the wrinkles that really killed us out there yesterday and today. Baserun errors, and infield fielding were KILLING US!!! I'm racking my brain to figure out how I can help the boys to do better. I'm not one of the coaches...I'm just one of the guys helping to keep the dugout organized and herding the boys. : ) But I feel the pain and stress just like everyone else. I want to see all of them do well, not just Cole. And I know he's not as good as some of the others. But I want more than anything for this to be an enjoyable, positive experience for him. I want him to look forward to this, and strive to achieve it again next year. So keep your fingers crossed about the rest of our season. Win or lose...we'll do it as a team.

I'm here at the house alone now. Cole's up the street playing at Nick's house. Big Red and Whit, headed for the mall, so I'm working on laundry and catching up on email, and stealing a few moments for online poker. Going okay on Carbon Poker so far. Bonus Chasin' once again! Live play at Shuman's on Friday night was not good...but I did it to myself. Although I got busted off of my A-Ksoooooted like 5 friggin' times. I ran in to JR's Aces to go out the last time, but I had a garbage hand that time, and was just trying to steal and suck out. By that time...having bought in for the final time (in for $60 total) I was on mondo tilt, and I knew it. I got busted on Big Slick once by AQsooted by JJ, when he flopped the NUT FLUSH! I just couldn't bring myself to believe him. Luckily, Big Red true to form as of late was on a ROLL!!! She carried me (us rather.) She bought in for $20, and cashed out for just over $100! ATTA GIRL! Of course I can continue to play poker poorly. When the cards just don't come your way, particularly in THAT game...I need to sit back and wait. Unfortunately, I'd vested too much interest and desire in this game, since I know I'm not able to play as often as I'd like. I need to focus on playing well when I get the chance, instead of seeking out the rush of winning, I played too many hands even for the loose level that I play in that game. Of course, maybe I'm getting all the "losing" out of my system before I hit VEGAS! Thursday Night People!!! I'll be staring at a big bright spot in the Desert! I'm excited and ready to go. While I'm spacing out mulling over this trip, I'll bring this post to a close.

Regards,

cheer_dad

Weekend Agenda

Here's my weekend schedule:
Friday night: Big Red and I will be headed over to Shuman's for return of his "Friday Night Cash Game." We'll probably show up over there at least for a little while. We'll have to leave before the hour gets too "WEE" since the rest of the weekend is chocked full of activity all centered around BASEBALL!!!

Saturday: Depart house with the whole family, and Stephanie and Jeffrey in tow at 9:00am SHARP, headed for Athens Ohio.

Specific Destination is outlined here, http://athenssandlot.com/ under the Tournaments section. Yes, it's All-Star Tournament Time people! The boys are scheduled for games at 11:00, 1:00, and 5:00. If all goes well, they'll move on to Day 2 on Sunday, and who knows what that will bring. Believe it or not, I'm really looking forward to all of this. The team looks very good. There's a lot of talented ballplayers on this team. This is Cole's first year in All-Stars, so I'm sure there's a lot for him yet to learn. BUT, even now, I've seen marked improvement in him. When he's focused and on top of things, he's tough out there. If the coaches can convince him of his size and bulk with a bat in his hand, he's going to really crush the ball for them. I'm happy NOT to be coaching. I'm learning a lot just watching these two who are so much better at it. They have experience in this game. I do not. I was a musician...not a jock. Although I should get off my backside and get back in to running again. The belt line is getting more snug than I'd like. I don't like the guy who keeps looking back at me from the other side of the mirror. Not only is he old and gray...but chubby too!

Sunday: I'm sure the boys will be back for Day 2, since there's no questioning their talent. They could go ALL THE WAY! Keep your fingers crossed for them.

Monday: Thank goodness it's my AWS day, and work will not be there to tear me down. : )

As for the rest of next week, I work Tuesday, Wednesday, and part of Thursday. Only part of Thursday because I'll be getting ready to drive to Columbus Airport...destination SIN CITY BABY!!! Viva Las Vegas Time, a.k.a. Rednecks in Paradise! I am so charged up for this I can't stand it. The only downside to the trip is that while Big Red and I are gone, Cole has another baseball tournament in Vienna, WV, that we're going to have to miss. He won't, we're going to have "grandmas and friends" take him. The friends Stephanie and Jeff have a boy on the team as well, so they don't mind. Besides we told them we would take care of Jeff, during one of the weekend tourneys when they are both tied up. So life has a way of working out. Which is good, because I really didn't want this weighing on my mind. Teresa and I really need this Vegas trip. Just to spend some time together, and enjoy one another's company. Also, we need some down time from the daily grind that work has been lately.

A post I came across on http://www.upforanything.net/poker/ by Otis titled Face in the Crowd, really got me to thinking about down time. He was remarking that he felt a little lost...and just basically not himself. I think I'm there right now too. But reading someone else's comments on it has really fired me up, and got the mind working again. The cobwebs are clearing a bit. Maybe he struck a chord with me...maybe misery just loves company. Either way, I feel a little better. So much so, that I posted a comment back to his post. Hopefully he reads these, and finds a pearl of wisdom in there somewhere.

I've been considering submitting my writing sample to another blog site to take over a Poker Blog that they have, but I don't know if I can commit the kind of time and effort that it deserves. I don't know that I'm in a position to be any source of interest on the topic either. I'll continue to debate the issue in my own mind, unless some sign points in one direction or the other.

Have a great weekend all!

Regards,

cheer_dad

Ace on the River, quick analysis

Barry Greenstein's

Ace on the River

Last Knight Publishing Company

(June 30, 2005)

328 pages

What strikes me as most interesting about this book is that it differs greatly from many of the other books that I've read regarding and related to poker. This was not an instructional book, with in depth odds discussion. It wasn't a book about the mechanical nature of a game, or a "how to." Instead Greenstein lays out his own poker history. In the beginning due to his intellect and education he was a mathametician of the game. Structured and calculating of the game. As he progressed the calculating and analytical mind was brought to bear on the opposing player at the table. No longer were the cards the only consideration...and never the money, but the man and the circumstances currently present on the table. Greenstein discusses his move upward in the poker world, from humble beginnings, moving up slowly as his skill improved with time, and dropping back at times as well, when he learned his game was not ready for another level. He like others, busted out at times. He tried never to go into debt to anyone, thinking that the circumstance was not something he was willing to be a part of. How in the long run it would affect his play and his overall character. He exudes confidence in his style. When I first saw Barry Greenstein play on the World Poker Tour, I thought he was arrogant, and geeky. The geeky part may have been right, seeing as he was formally educated as a mathametician. But my assessment of his arrogance was unfounded. His book, and writing style on the whole, is in a way humble. He was not prideful, not pushy, just matter of fact. His discussion almost clinical, but nevertheless engaging.

The most instructional or educational portion of Ace on the River is the individual hand discussion, calling upon a number of the hands that have been played out in his career at the tables. It wasn't always the monster hands that were impressive, but how he analyzed the competition, how he put them on a hand. Each turn of the card opened up possibilities, and was cause for him to evaluate and re-evaluate his opponent and all of his possible holdings. The logic was impressive, the thought process genius. The greatest thing that I take from this book is a desire to strive to that level of logic...and of intuition. From his book I want to be better, to develop the best game that I can, and then move beyond even that.

Regards,

cheer_dad

Is it over yet? Vegas awaits!

Monday was just more than I could withstand at work. I don't like Mondays. I never have. I used to be off every Monday, and then I moved up the foodchain, and became a Team Lead, and it was decided that "leads" can't work 4 x 10's. Instead only the 5-4-9 thing is available. So I can work like 45hrs week 1 and then 35hrs week 2. That does get me a 3-day weekend every other week. But I'm spoiled, and it used to get me out of Monday's altogether. But that's the price. Anyway, let's get back on track. I didn't go to work on Tuesday...(cough, cough) and that helped shorten the work week. A bunch of us opted on Monday night to go to Texas Roadhouse. Every Monday (we learned) they have $1 Margs and draft beer, all night! I may never miss a Monday there again! After we finished up there, we all headed back over to our house and threw together a card game. Matt, Jody, Frank, Julie, Mike, Sally, Scott, Teresa, and I played in this cash game. $10 buy in... for $10 in chips. Blinds .25 and .25... Big Red and I both had to rebuy early on for another $10. But before the night was over, and after the dust settled, we both cashed out for over $80 each. Not bad for an unplanned pickup game. Big Red in particular is on a ROLL people, stay out of her way! Since the first game of this month over at the Wolfe's (where she won) and then at the Yanok's (where I won both tourney's of the night, and then at our monthly tourney Teresa won the tourney, and I did VERY well in the cash game) and then Monday's pick up game, between the 2 of us, we've made a profit of in the neighborhood of $800+. And we've actually been able to squirrel some of it away, in the secondary account. That'll help finance the Vegas trip which comes up now in just a few short days!!! I can almost hear the incessant bells and whistles from the slots, the clang of quarters hitting the tray, the sound of chips being raked my direction at the poker tables, and the taste of a good stiff comped drink. (Shudder...excuse me I think I need a moment.)
AHHH! Sorry, I went to my happy place there for a bit.

Shuman announced his cash game for this Friday, but I don't know yet if we'll be able to attend. This whole week is a whirlwind, which culminates in Cole's All Star (baseball) tournament in Athens, OH on Saturday and Sunday. I really don't know what to expect. I hope the boys do well. I hope Cole in particular gives it his all, and doesn't let his mind wander off. I want him to do well. I think that's what he actually wants this time too. All stars is a completely different animal compared to regular season ball, as odd as that seems. Wish us luck throughout the summer.

I'm up a few bucks on the Carbon Poker site, just playing at the .10/.25 NLHE tables. It's good practice, and the game has been enjoyable. If I can just stay on top of the cash on this promo. Of course I've go to accumlate 50,000 points to collect my $200 in bonus. 3 points are awarded per raked hand at the site, at least at the stakes I play.
The day drags onward...my eyes grow heavy. Good luck to each of you in your quest to stay awake.
Quote of the day: Overconfidence can lead to carelessness in decision-making. The poker gods can provide a run of bad cards that will make anyone look foolish.

Regards,

cheer_dad

Weekend tournament reflections

First off I want to say congratulations to my lovely wife, Teresa, for chalking up a win in Saturday's NDPT Event #6. Teresa bested the crowd of 25 that gathered at our house. She has definitely become a force with which to be reckoned. She went heads-up against Mike Westbrook, and according to Chris there was a lot of back and forth, of the chip stack, until Big Red took it down. She has been on a streak here lately...and they best thing for her to do is to continue to ride it out. The best advice to offer up to the rest of us...when a train is coming down the track...get out of the way! : )

I once again, busted out early. I think I was like the 5th player out...and frankly did it to myself, which has been a recurring theme for me this year, at least at MY HOUSE. Newcomer to the NDPT crew Scott Eddy made the right move by calling me preflop. He and I were in the blinds, and everyone folded to me, on the SB. I thanked the table...and said can I steal it? He said maybe...so rather than calling for another $50, I make it another $200 to go with my wired Jacks. Then, I realize he hasn't looked at his cards yet. He looks and makes the call. I determine my next move before the cards even come out, thinking that I can take it down, if an Ace doesn't hit. The board comes out K-Q-3-ish I think. I push my last $575 into the middle, which is greeted by an immediate call. I've put him on an Ace-moderate to garbage kicker. When no Ace popped up, I thought perhaps I was golden. I didn't make him for Big Slick or Little Slick for that matter. Unfortunately, it was worse still...when he turned over his SET of Queens, I was dead. Runner, Runner was my only hope, and that wasn't in the cards...I might not have called a preflop raise with Jacks. He might have dusted me right there. But it worked out well for him. I would likely have pushed preflop, to take it down right there, and not risk the suckout, by anyone who might have caught a card. Anyway, he took it down. Congratulations.
Teresa made a comment that I'm pushing too hard. In the movie Lucky You, they might have called me a "Blaster." This comment came while she and I were watching the next evening a replay of the 2006 WSOP. She watched a player bet $100,000 after the flop when the board showed KKJ, and he was sitting on AJ. Jamie Gold made a read here, and pushed over the top...BIG, and got the guy to fold. Teresa said that she thought the Bet, post flop was excessive. The Big Blind was $20,000, and I don't know what the ante was at that stage. Sorry! But I wouldn't consider a 5X bet, all that excessive. She told me that was my problem. I was pushing too hard, and needed to just play "right" and that my recent ways were actually the cause of my low placings in the NDPT tournaments. At first it irritated me...and I mouthed off, but the longer I thought about it, she may actually have a point. My old "money-winning" style was playing uber-tight, and aggressive. What I should really be doing is either tightening way down, and limping with marginal hands. Make the willing calls, but slow down a bit. Also, stop convincing myself that sub $500 is still a very playable/survivable chip stack to have. I've done it before. Granted it sucks...but I have a reputation for being able to comeback from horrific chips. I apologized later to her, for mouthing off, about how I play. Regardless of whether I go back to my roots of tight aggressive play, is yet to be seen. Then again, lately the sneak attack hands are the ones pulling down the monster pots for me. Also, if I can make the final table...I'm able to switch gears very effectively, and it takes a few hands for the rest of the table to catch on. To do that though, I need to make the final table!

The tournament play was lacking but the Cash Game, was VERY profitable to me. I bought in for $10, and cashed out for $135!!! SWEET, a much different play style really did pay off. I would have made more had I called a hand when I was on the open ended Straight/Flush, possible Royal draw. But in the face of a $22 bet, and call, I knew one or both of them already had the boat! My miracle card would have fell. That would have been in the neighborhood of a $60 pot. But, you can't have it ALL!

I read this morning that Eli Elezra won his FIRST WSOP braclet. Way to go Eli!!! I really enjoy watching him play on High Stakes Poker. We'll have to wait and see what else the series offers up!

It is just a few short days to Las Vegas, for the NDPT crew! I'm excited, ready to go, and next Thursday evening can't get here EARLY enough!

Hope the week treats you well.

Regards,
cheer_dad

On your mark, get set...

I've got a BUSY DAY on tap for today!

I did manage to sleep in until 8:00AM, which I really needed, but the rest of this day is going to be an absolute blur, people. I have to have Whitney at Godbey Field at 9:45 for pictures. Then leave there and head to Mineral Wells for her softball game at 11:00. Around NOON, Teresa will get there with Cole to take over, and allow me to drive (with Cole) for his All-Stars practice at 1:00 way down at Tri-C fields. Then, Whitney has to leave the ballfields (game over or not) by around 1:15, so she can get to Dance Clinic and tryouts with the Ohio Valley All-Stars. Yes, you'll recall that name as O-V-A, from her previous lifetime of cheerleader and dancer. This go around she just wants to try the dance thing...sans cheerleading. Either way, I'm okay with it!

Cole and I will likely finish up All Stars practice at around 3:00. Then, I'll head home, get him fed...and cleaned up (self as well.) I'll have to make sure everything is ready here at the house, get ice (and beer) and get ready for tonight's NDPT Event #6, and the 25 players that will be converging on the house tonight! I'm hopeful, no confident... :) that tonight's MY NIGHT! Okay, as long as I'm not first out, and am having a Good Time.

Thought for the day is "Missed Opportunities Are Worse Than Making Mistakes." That was the title of a post from the Probloggers Blog that I have on my iGoogle page. It has a double meaning at least for me. They were referring to making money on their blogs, and marketing themselves. Which I wouldn't mind doing either, but to me it has a greater meaning in my Poker playing. We are all going to make mistakes at the tables, but the even bigger problem is not capitalizing on the opportunities in front of us. Making the next bet, betting higher, stealing the pots, observing reactions, surviving the round...all these things affect your bankroll and you would be advised to seize every opportunity like a ravenous dog. So, tonight NDPT'ers if I snarl at you and growl a little...you'll understand.

See you tonight!

Regards,

cheer_dad

Angst for the rest of us

I've had this window up since yesterday, and intended to write something profound in it for that long...or longer, to ultimately post up to the ole blog; but there's just been a big nothing there all day long. Nada! I'd like to tell you that had changed, but it would be a lie. And poker players never do that. EVER! Okay, well this time it's true, nothing earth shattering has entered my pea-sized brain worth writing about, so as usual you're stuck with the same old fluff.

I just read a heart-felt, gut wrenching, angst-laden post by Pauly from over at the Tao of Poker (http://taopoker.blogspot.com/) Wow...are you feelin' a little bitter there little camper? I could picture was Denis Leary making this speech/rant, and getting a standing ovation at the end of a comedy concert. He made that teenage angst for the tweeners AND thweeners a friggin' trademark. Pauly nearly took it to a new level. When he wandered through the ruination of downtown Las Vegas, I swear he was channeling Alec Baldwin's character from The Cooler. I'm surprised he didn't make an anti-Steve-Wynn comment to go along with the extensive, thesaurus exhaustive post. As long, and drawn out, and painful as it all was, I urge you to read along, and drink it in. All in all I loved it! Check it out for yourself like I said at http://taopoker.blogspot.com/ topic "WSOP Day 14: Lost Paradise." Atta boy Pauly!!! I can feel the itch from here! And that itch comes from a good many of the things you mentioned in this blog post! Some you can obtain an ointment for or something out of a syringe...others...not so much!

JR brought me a DVD of all of the pictures and videos that he took at the Kenny Chesney concert. My favorite, aside from those depicting a sleeping Frank (leader of the Wolfe Pack,) is this little beauty! Blurred and hopelessly jagged, and nothing to do with the concert, except for the fact that it's the Pittsburgh skyline, more closely resembling what the majority of the crowd in our section of the stadium was actually seeing during this concert. This picture has become my desktop wallpaper for the time being, and for the foreseeable future until something better comes along. Between the tailgating the cooler of beer, margaritas, and "Black Haus" we drank on the way up. : ) It's a wonder any of us have a liver left! If ever any of us is an organ donor...refuse that one folks, really! It can only lead you awry...or toward the RYE anyway!

Whit had softball last night, I spent most of the night throwing my arm out playing catch with Cole, and then later with some of the other kids running around. The twins really are adorable. Cole has baseball tonight...last regular season game. WAHOO! Tomorrow, Whit has pix at 10:00, game at 11:00 at a DIFFERENT FIELD, Cole has All-Stars practice at 1:00. Whitney has Dance Try Outs for Ohio Valley All-Stars from 2:00-4:00...and then we round it ALL off with NDPT Tournament #6. Yeah...POKER...I know. I'm really Jonesin'! I know all that sounds hectic...and it is, but it's only going to get WORSE, throughout the summer, what with the All Star schedule that Cole's going to have. But hey, what else is life for anyway!

I'll be the blur on the way to and from the ball fields.

Regards,

cheer_dad