Back in the saddle, more or less, and just in time for the World Championship of Online Poker (WCOOP) at Stars. I'll play between two and five of the events depending on bankroll, which has undergone another dip in the last two weeks. I did pick up one Level 4 ($200+15) steps entry already, and it looks like the razz (!) tourney on Sep. 4 is the likeliest use for that. The early 8-game event looks like another must; one wish I have is that they'd run a stud-8 event at less than $530, but the last time that happened was, to the best of my memory, back in 2007.
See ya there, perhaps.
Friday, August 28, 2009
Tuesday, August 25, 2009
Hangin' Out the Shingle
I have returned... from the first wave of vacation trips I promised myself during August. There was the 12-day trip to northern Wisconsin (which I'll reprise next month), followed by a short four-day jaunt to the camp country north of Muskegon, Michigan.
I won't bore you with too many details, though I did tangle with a deer near the end of my Wisconsin trip. It's the fourth deer I've biffed with my vehicle, though as with two of the the other three instances, it did only minimal damage to deer or car. This time around a big doe tried to jump over the front of my Yaris and didn't quite make it. She shot out from the brush on one side of the road, angled in front of me, and I was dawdling and slowed down just enough to make it perhaps a net 10-mph collision. She flipped on over the front hood and into the ditch on the right, knocking the Toyota emblem off the front of the car as her rear legs kicked over the hood. Other damage to the car included a couple of scratches and one small chip of paint removed.
By the time I went back to pick up the emblem from the road, the deer had already regained her feet and vanished deeper into the woods. I don't think I hit her hard enough to damage anything internally and I don't think any of her legs broke when she flopped over the hood. It's an everyday hazard up there; I believe my brother-in-law has hit 12, most during his years as a third-shift sheriff's deputy. And, it's been quite the wildlife habitat around my sister and brother-in-law's house of late. Among creatures sighted during my stay were whitetailed foxes (numerous), weasels, turkeys, hummingbirds, a timber wolf, and a small black bear. That's in addition to the more run-of-the-mill stuff like deer and rabbits and such that are everyday sights.
Poker? Sure, I've played a bit. Went oh-fer-two in the horrid northwoods Indian-casino tourneys during my stay up there. Played online some, too, with not much good happening there either. I'm sure I'll be around for the WCOOP stuff, and maybe the mini FTOPS, too. Elsewhere, I checked the news headlines every so often and all I can say is, "What a blecch month for poker." Seems I didn't miss much.
So, it's time to start looking for new gigs. I can write, edit, do business analysis, create basic web code, and of course I know the poker business reasonably well. I'm willing to travel, as always. In the meantime I have two or three minor things lined up that'll let me keep my hand in until better times return. I'm experienced enough to know that some things are beyond one's control, and one simply has to move on. In the near future, I'm also going to address a few topics here that I was forced to hold back on in recent months.
I won't bore you with too many details, though I did tangle with a deer near the end of my Wisconsin trip. It's the fourth deer I've biffed with my vehicle, though as with two of the the other three instances, it did only minimal damage to deer or car. This time around a big doe tried to jump over the front of my Yaris and didn't quite make it. She shot out from the brush on one side of the road, angled in front of me, and I was dawdling and slowed down just enough to make it perhaps a net 10-mph collision. She flipped on over the front hood and into the ditch on the right, knocking the Toyota emblem off the front of the car as her rear legs kicked over the hood. Other damage to the car included a couple of scratches and one small chip of paint removed.
By the time I went back to pick up the emblem from the road, the deer had already regained her feet and vanished deeper into the woods. I don't think I hit her hard enough to damage anything internally and I don't think any of her legs broke when she flopped over the hood. It's an everyday hazard up there; I believe my brother-in-law has hit 12, most during his years as a third-shift sheriff's deputy. And, it's been quite the wildlife habitat around my sister and brother-in-law's house of late. Among creatures sighted during my stay were whitetailed foxes (numerous), weasels, turkeys, hummingbirds, a timber wolf, and a small black bear. That's in addition to the more run-of-the-mill stuff like deer and rabbits and such that are everyday sights.
Poker? Sure, I've played a bit. Went oh-fer-two in the horrid northwoods Indian-casino tourneys during my stay up there. Played online some, too, with not much good happening there either. I'm sure I'll be around for the WCOOP stuff, and maybe the mini FTOPS, too. Elsewhere, I checked the news headlines every so often and all I can say is, "What a blecch month for poker." Seems I didn't miss much.
So, it's time to start looking for new gigs. I can write, edit, do business analysis, create basic web code, and of course I know the poker business reasonably well. I'm willing to travel, as always. In the meantime I have two or three minor things lined up that'll let me keep my hand in until better times return. I'm experienced enough to know that some things are beyond one's control, and one simply has to move on. In the near future, I'm also going to address a few topics here that I was forced to hold back on in recent months.
Monday, August 03, 2009
Goals
Being goal-oriented is something that I never used to be. I suppose that's changed some as I've grown older, merely because there are things that I want to do in my remaining years, and goals are a means of achieving those things. However, I seldom set goals for goals' sake, nor make iron-clad resolutions.
But as my vacation begins, I know it's time again to get my life in better order. I've been too fixated on getting stuff done, and in fact took only one day off in the last 11 months. Short days, sure, I had a handful of those; but only one truly off day, which was Mother's Day in May.
Now it's adjustment time, searching for mind/body balance and a healthier lifestyle. I've been way too run down and sickly for the last year or two, particularly the last four months, so despite the job going away, I'll remain resolute in my belief that things happen for a reason. Right now my reason is because it's time for me to get healthy again.
Goals for the next few weeks: Eat healthy, get plenty of exercise, shoot at least ten rounds of golf, and catch lots of fish.
Of course, there are poker goals, too. Some of my more grandiose goals include playing (and cashing) in the Main Event, and cashing in any regular WSOP event is still something on my list. I'm 0-for-4 on that last one to date. I took care of cashing at a Circuit event last year, which was an intermediate step. I also took care of the goal of winning a live event, even if it was a small one.
I have some online goals, too. I play on four sites at the present time, and my goal is to have a truly playable tourney bankroll on all four. Since I tend to play only $15-50 at a time, this is a much smaller and more achievable goal than one think.
Even more specifically, I plan to finally pay enough to get back my Silver (or maybe even Gold!) status on Stars, something I haven't had the time to pursue since some time around December. Likewise, I'll finally return to taking a shot at Merge Network's monthly tournament leader board, and I'll try to take advantage of some of the other special events and promotions that come up. The Full Tilt promo thing looked sweet enough to accept, and so far I've cleared $30 and given my bankroll a little boost as well. My total combined bankroll went up 15% in the last week, and it's nice to have a solid uptick after months of non-profit play. Short-term, sure, but it beats the alternative.
Come September, it'll be time to find meaningful employment. But I'll worry about that more once September comes.
But as my vacation begins, I know it's time again to get my life in better order. I've been too fixated on getting stuff done, and in fact took only one day off in the last 11 months. Short days, sure, I had a handful of those; but only one truly off day, which was Mother's Day in May.
Now it's adjustment time, searching for mind/body balance and a healthier lifestyle. I've been way too run down and sickly for the last year or two, particularly the last four months, so despite the job going away, I'll remain resolute in my belief that things happen for a reason. Right now my reason is because it's time for me to get healthy again.
Goals for the next few weeks: Eat healthy, get plenty of exercise, shoot at least ten rounds of golf, and catch lots of fish.
Of course, there are poker goals, too. Some of my more grandiose goals include playing (and cashing) in the Main Event, and cashing in any regular WSOP event is still something on my list. I'm 0-for-4 on that last one to date. I took care of cashing at a Circuit event last year, which was an intermediate step. I also took care of the goal of winning a live event, even if it was a small one.
I have some online goals, too. I play on four sites at the present time, and my goal is to have a truly playable tourney bankroll on all four. Since I tend to play only $15-50 at a time, this is a much smaller and more achievable goal than one think.
Even more specifically, I plan to finally pay enough to get back my Silver (or maybe even Gold!) status on Stars, something I haven't had the time to pursue since some time around December. Likewise, I'll finally return to taking a shot at Merge Network's monthly tournament leader board, and I'll try to take advantage of some of the other special events and promotions that come up. The Full Tilt promo thing looked sweet enough to accept, and so far I've cleared $30 and given my bankroll a little boost as well. My total combined bankroll went up 15% in the last week, and it's nice to have a solid uptick after months of non-profit play. Short-term, sure, but it beats the alternative.
Come September, it'll be time to find meaningful employment. But I'll worry about that more once September comes.
Sunday, August 02, 2009
ahhhhh...!
And enough of that. More things I'll talk about at a later date, but I plan on vacationing for about a month in an attempt to get back my health. It was a rough summer in more ways than one.
Assuming I get over the virus which currently has me on couch duty, I plan to spend a good share of August fishing and golfing and doing all sorts of useless nothing. I have a few little tasks to handle, and I'm sure I'll play some online, but the greater chore is to make myself enjoy an extended stretch of Haley time.
Back soon!
Assuming I get over the virus which currently has me on couch duty, I plan to spend a good share of August fishing and golfing and doing all sorts of useless nothing. I have a few little tasks to handle, and I'm sure I'll play some online, but the greater chore is to make myself enjoy an extended stretch of Haley time.
Back soon!
Wednesday, June 24, 2009
On Professional Standards
Once in a while, something occurs that reminds me just how amateur so much of the "poker media" is. I wrote about it a hair more at my blog over at PokerNews, but either way, I found it disappointing, and it's one of those odd lasting memories that will likely stay with me for a while.
Several times during the conference, other poker writers in attendance broke out into brief rounds of applause, either as speakers were introduced or when important talking points from the conference were delivered. (I won't name names, so don't ask.) Each time it happened, I stared around at those doing so with a look of absolute incredulity. Were they for real?
It's not my job to cheerlead when I'm covering these things. It's my job to get the facts and report them. It doesn't matter what my personal beliefs are; it's my job to check my own opinions at the door.
Several times during the conference, other poker writers in attendance broke out into brief rounds of applause, either as speakers were introduced or when important talking points from the conference were delivered. (I won't name names, so don't ask.) Each time it happened, I stared around at those doing so with a look of absolute incredulity. Were they for real?
It's not my job to cheerlead when I'm covering these things. It's my job to get the facts and report them. It doesn't matter what my personal beliefs are; it's my job to check my own opinions at the door.
Saturday, June 20, 2009
Phlegm Slugs
Somewhere in the introduction to one of Stephen King's books, King writes about going for certain visceral reactions. I'm paraphrasing him here, because whatever book it's in is about 2,000 miles away, but he wrote that the terror of a true scary moment is best, and then there was always the shock factor to shoot for, and if that didn't work, he wasn't too proud -- he'd try to gross the reader out.
So with that in mind...
Phlegm slugs.
Along with a lot of other folks out here at the WSOP, I've been battling a rough virus for the last few days, one that's putting up a much stronger battle of its own than I'd hoped for when it first announced its arrival. I thought I was over it around Wednesday, coughing and sneezing up a few of the aforementioned creatures, one of which must have been three inches long when it landed and started to harden.
(Gotcha.)
But, when Thursday morning rolled around and I snorted out a neon-green ink blotch, I went hunting for the nearest walk-in clinic or urgent care center or what have you. I finally found a "doc in a box" in a strip mall just off of I-215 West, and left with nothing for the virus itself but some Cipro for the sinus infection and some nasal spray for the allergic rhinitis that might be making things even worse.
"Swine flu!" I joked at Doc Bocks, though I knew it wasn't. I know how flu hits, and this ain't it. He didn't think it was quite as funny as I did, but I was the one paying for the audience. His cooler, if you will.
So far, recovery-wise, it's three steps forward and two steps back, and I suspect it'll be a couple more days before I return to full health. Lots and lots of folks at the WSOP are fighting this bug, and I suspect that Justin Smith was one of them, when I saw him sprawled across his chips at his Stud/8 final table today, looking for all the world like he was trying to save whatever energy he had. One of the WSOP dealers I know told me that it's a nasty bug that's been making the rounds for a few weeks.
I concur.
So with that in mind...
Phlegm slugs.
Along with a lot of other folks out here at the WSOP, I've been battling a rough virus for the last few days, one that's putting up a much stronger battle of its own than I'd hoped for when it first announced its arrival. I thought I was over it around Wednesday, coughing and sneezing up a few of the aforementioned creatures, one of which must have been three inches long when it landed and started to harden.
(Gotcha.)
But, when Thursday morning rolled around and I snorted out a neon-green ink blotch, I went hunting for the nearest walk-in clinic or urgent care center or what have you. I finally found a "doc in a box" in a strip mall just off of I-215 West, and left with nothing for the virus itself but some Cipro for the sinus infection and some nasal spray for the allergic rhinitis that might be making things even worse.
"Swine flu!" I joked at Doc Bocks, though I knew it wasn't. I know how flu hits, and this ain't it. He didn't think it was quite as funny as I did, but I was the one paying for the audience. His cooler, if you will.
So far, recovery-wise, it's three steps forward and two steps back, and I suspect it'll be a couple more days before I return to full health. Lots and lots of folks at the WSOP are fighting this bug, and I suspect that Justin Smith was one of them, when I saw him sprawled across his chips at his Stud/8 final table today, looking for all the world like he was trying to save whatever energy he had. One of the WSOP dealers I know told me that it's a nasty bug that's been making the rounds for a few weeks.
I concur.
Thursday, June 11, 2009
Hobnobbin' with the Celebs
Or so they tell me I'll be, when I venture out to Commerce next spring to take part in the WPT Celebrity Invitational. I blogged about it a bit in my 2009 WSOP "Editor's Blog" available at PokerNews, which is where I'll be throwing up many of my idle/random thoughts the next several weeks. There are two or three funny tales from the first portion of the WSOP already in that blog, so stop on by. More here soon as well, now that the WSOP is in mid-stretch and everyone has hit their stride.
The Hammer Hunnerd
So I'm a bit superstitious. I have a two-sided Bodog card cap (my favorite of the three I carry and use), which I occasionally flip from red to black as I play to try and get out of a bad run of cards.
Once in a while, perhaps once a month, I'll look through a stack of bills I receive and see if there are any interesting serial numbers, for potential use in dollar poker or some other shenanigans.
This morning I went to fetch some hundreds out of a lockbox I have for paying for this Sunday's $1,500 HORSE tourney. The first bill I looked at, as photographed a little while ago by F-train:
That's a keeper!
Once in a while, perhaps once a month, I'll look through a stack of bills I receive and see if there are any interesting serial numbers, for potential use in dollar poker or some other shenanigans.
This morning I went to fetch some hundreds out of a lockbox I have for paying for this Sunday's $1,500 HORSE tourney. The first bill I looked at, as photographed a little while ago by F-train:
That's a keeper!
Friday, May 15, 2009
That Texas Thing
I was on Skype with Kevmath yesterday when he mentioned to me that the Texas bill about the expansion of poker in that state had reached the floor for a second reading. He shipped the link so I tuned in to watch the carnage and the dreadful punnery.
That was quick.
I'd mention the line about laws and sausages, except the few minutes I saw was so unintentionally funny it reminded me more of the political shuck scene from Porky's II: The Next Day. Yes, it was that campy.
There's always next time, Texas.
That was quick.
I'd mention the line about laws and sausages, except the few minutes I saw was so unintentionally funny it reminded me more of the political shuck scene from Porky's II: The Next Day. Yes, it was that campy.
There's always next time, Texas.
Thursday, May 07, 2009
Bordering on Incomprehensible
I was laughing at Shamus's recent post about "being played" by a hand, and had to wait less than a day before I encountered one that I think trumps his example. Sometimes the hand history alone tells the best story, so you be the judge:
Table '160514545 2' 9-max Seat #6 is the button
Seat 1: KydenB (1500 in chips)
Seat 2: linnj7 (1430 in chips)
Seat 3: CawtBluffin (1500 in chips)
Seat 4: AKShotgun (1670 in chips)
Seat 5: kat_nire (1060 in chips)
Seat 6: acestrogen (1360 in chips)
Seat 7: scarecrow25 (1240 in chips)
Seat 8: britcliff (1770 in chips)
Seat 9: Sect7G (1970 in chips)
scarecrow25: posts small blind 10
britcliff: posts big blind 20
*** HOLE CARDS ***
Dealt to CawtBluffin [Ks Kh]
Sect7G: folds
KydenB: folds
linnj7: raises 20 to 40
CawtBluffin: raises 20 to 60
AKShotgun: calls 60
kat_nire: calls 60
acestrogen: folds
scarecrow25: folds
britcliff: folds
linnj7: calls 20
*** FLOP *** [3h 7h 9c]
linnj7: checks
CawtBluffin: bets 20
AKShotgun: raises 20 to 40
kat_nire: calls 40
linnj7: folds
CawtBluffin: calls 20
*** TURN *** [3h 7h 9c] [6d]
CawtBluffin: checks
AKShotgun: bets 40
kat_nire: calls 40
CawtBluffin: raises 40 to 80
AKShotgun: calls 40
kat_nire: calls 40
*** RIVER *** [3h 7h 9c 6d] [7s]
CawtBluffin: bets 40
AKShotgun: raises 40 to 80
kat_nire: folds
CawtBluffin: calls 40
*** SHOW DOWN ***
AKShotgun: shows [7c Jc] (three of a kind, Sevens)
CawtBluffin: mucks hand
AKShotgun collected 790 from pot
CawtBluffin said, "wow"
*** SUMMARY ***
Total pot 790 | Rake 0
Board [3h 7h 9c 6d 7s]
Seat 1: KydenB folded before Flop (didn't bet)
Seat 2: linnj7 folded on the Flop
Seat 3: CawtBluffin mucked [Ks Kh]
Seat 4: AKShotgun showed [7c Jc] and won (790) with three of a kind, Sevens
Seat 5: kat_nire folded on the River
Seat 6: acestrogen (button) folded before Flop (didn't bet)
Seat 7: scarecrow25 (small blind) folded before Flop
Seat 8: britcliff (big blind) folded before Flop
Seat 9: Sect7G folded before Flop (didn't bet)
Yep, it even illicited a "wow" from me, less than perfect behavior that that is. The crying call was most definitely worth the 40, just for the story. A three-bet cold-call with J-7 is just... out there. But it was sooooooted!
Table '160514545 2' 9-max Seat #6 is the button
Seat 1: KydenB (1500 in chips)
Seat 2: linnj7 (1430 in chips)
Seat 3: CawtBluffin (1500 in chips)
Seat 4: AKShotgun (1670 in chips)
Seat 5: kat_nire (1060 in chips)
Seat 6: acestrogen (1360 in chips)
Seat 7: scarecrow25 (1240 in chips)
Seat 8: britcliff (1770 in chips)
Seat 9: Sect7G (1970 in chips)
scarecrow25: posts small blind 10
britcliff: posts big blind 20
*** HOLE CARDS ***
Dealt to CawtBluffin [Ks Kh]
Sect7G: folds
KydenB: folds
linnj7: raises 20 to 40
CawtBluffin: raises 20 to 60
AKShotgun: calls 60
kat_nire: calls 60
acestrogen: folds
scarecrow25: folds
britcliff: folds
linnj7: calls 20
*** FLOP *** [3h 7h 9c]
linnj7: checks
CawtBluffin: bets 20
AKShotgun: raises 20 to 40
kat_nire: calls 40
linnj7: folds
CawtBluffin: calls 20
*** TURN *** [3h 7h 9c] [6d]
CawtBluffin: checks
AKShotgun: bets 40
kat_nire: calls 40
CawtBluffin: raises 40 to 80
AKShotgun: calls 40
kat_nire: calls 40
*** RIVER *** [3h 7h 9c 6d] [7s]
CawtBluffin: bets 40
AKShotgun: raises 40 to 80
kat_nire: folds
CawtBluffin: calls 40
*** SHOW DOWN ***
AKShotgun: shows [7c Jc] (three of a kind, Sevens)
CawtBluffin: mucks hand
AKShotgun collected 790 from pot
CawtBluffin said, "wow"
*** SUMMARY ***
Total pot 790 | Rake 0
Board [3h 7h 9c 6d 7s]
Seat 1: KydenB folded before Flop (didn't bet)
Seat 2: linnj7 folded on the Flop
Seat 3: CawtBluffin mucked [Ks Kh]
Seat 4: AKShotgun showed [7c Jc] and won (790) with three of a kind, Sevens
Seat 5: kat_nire folded on the River
Seat 6: acestrogen (button) folded before Flop (didn't bet)
Seat 7: scarecrow25 (small blind) folded before Flop
Seat 8: britcliff (big blind) folded before Flop
Seat 9: Sect7G folded before Flop (didn't bet)
Yep, it even illicited a "wow" from me, less than perfect behavior that that is. The crying call was most definitely worth the 40, just for the story. A three-bet cold-call with J-7 is just... out there. But it was sooooooted!
Sunday, May 03, 2009
Looking for Some Help
A body or two with copy-editing experience and poker knowledge. Gud spelliers always a pluss. Drop me a line if interested.
Not a Whine
Logged my first-ever Sunday Million cash today and went out in 499th spot. Last hand, I had aces, other player had kings. King flopped, and it turned out another player had folded K-7, so it was ye olde one-outer.
Why no whine? Easy, really. I'd gotten it all in with A-K about three laps earlier and ran it square into pocket aces, and the board on that one ran out 6-5-7-8-9. We all have selective memory, but mine was honest, at least this once.
Next time!
Why no whine? Easy, really. I'd gotten it all in with A-K about three laps earlier and ran it square into pocket aces, and the board on that one ran out 6-5-7-8-9. We all have selective memory, but mine was honest, at least this once.
Next time!
Saturday, April 04, 2009
Strangest Squeeze Play Ever
Once in a while, someone attempts a play that leaves you scratching your head and thinking that it must have seemed like a good idea at the time.
I was playing in an $11 re-buy on Merge, and had been fortunate to chip up from 2,000 to about 24,000 thanks to some bizarre (and by this point, departed) players. Blinds were 100/200 or 150/300 or something at this point, and I was in middle position when an EP player made what I euphemistically refer to as a donk-push from EP, for a little over 5,000. Quite a few players will do this, but a lot of players do this to protect marginal hands, such as middle pairs.
I had J-J and I had notes suggesting this player was likely to do these marginal pushes. I had the table covered at this point, so I just smooth-called. Lo and behold, the button pushes for about 8,000 more. I go, "Wait, what..." but given the amount already in the pot, it's a pretty easy call. I'm as much as a 30:70 dog against his range but the pot is offering more than 3:1, and even if I drop it I still have a playable stack.
So I call. The EP player shows 8-8; about what I expected. And the button shows... wait for it... 4-2 off.
Yes, I won the hand and went out to a nice overall lead, though I finished sixth. The question is, is there any possible rational explanation for trying to squeeze me out with 4-2?
I can't think of one. Even if I fold, which is unlikely, his 4-2 would still be racing against the EP player. The button would be getting slightly better than 2:1 odds on what's in there, but the problem is that 4-2 is almost certainly worse than a 1:2 dog against the EP's already-all-in range. And then there's me. I'm more likely to smooth with a monster and reraise with a solid-but-perhaps-not-awesome hand, though I did go against the grain here, mixing up my play. The button, though, could just as easily be three-betting into my K-K or A-A. The button simply got it in his head that he was going to make a move and disregarded all the available information.
What this player did, in effect, was take a very playable 13,000-chip stack and toss it out the window.
The lesson: While good players make their profits from bad players' plays, sometimes the depth of those bad plays is nigh on incomprehensible. Such was the case here.
I was playing in an $11 re-buy on Merge, and had been fortunate to chip up from 2,000 to about 24,000 thanks to some bizarre (and by this point, departed) players. Blinds were 100/200 or 150/300 or something at this point, and I was in middle position when an EP player made what I euphemistically refer to as a donk-push from EP, for a little over 5,000. Quite a few players will do this, but a lot of players do this to protect marginal hands, such as middle pairs.
I had J-J and I had notes suggesting this player was likely to do these marginal pushes. I had the table covered at this point, so I just smooth-called. Lo and behold, the button pushes for about 8,000 more. I go, "Wait, what..." but given the amount already in the pot, it's a pretty easy call. I'm as much as a 30:70 dog against his range but the pot is offering more than 3:1, and even if I drop it I still have a playable stack.
So I call. The EP player shows 8-8; about what I expected. And the button shows... wait for it... 4-2 off.
Yes, I won the hand and went out to a nice overall lead, though I finished sixth. The question is, is there any possible rational explanation for trying to squeeze me out with 4-2?
I can't think of one. Even if I fold, which is unlikely, his 4-2 would still be racing against the EP player. The button would be getting slightly better than 2:1 odds on what's in there, but the problem is that 4-2 is almost certainly worse than a 1:2 dog against the EP's already-all-in range. And then there's me. I'm more likely to smooth with a monster and reraise with a solid-but-perhaps-not-awesome hand, though I did go against the grain here, mixing up my play. The button, though, could just as easily be three-betting into my K-K or A-A. The button simply got it in his head that he was going to make a move and disregarded all the available information.
What this player did, in effect, was take a very playable 13,000-chip stack and toss it out the window.
The lesson: While good players make their profits from bad players' plays, sometimes the depth of those bad plays is nigh on incomprehensible. Such was the case here.
Wednesday, April 01, 2009
On the Mend
Precious little poker content in this one, since between sleep and work, there hasn't been time for anything else.
So there I was weekend before last, becoming violently ill. High fever, profuse sweats, outbreak of something chicken pox-like all over my body. As Caldwell would say, "Bad times." I was too sick to get myself to the doctor for a couple of days at the outset (if that makes sense), and weak as a kitten. I ended up with two doctor's visits inside of 48 hours as they tried to figure it out. It was either one too many "healthful" exotic vegetables -- to which I'll now have a nasty allergy toward if that's the case -- or some nasty virus.
The doc can't rule out that I'm one of the rare people who actually contracted chicken pox for a second time (it does happen, and I'm not quite to the age of shingles) or managed to catch the rare alternate strain of the stuff that does exist. It's sort of moot at this point. There wasn't much for me except lots of bedrest, fluids, and some meds to slow down whatever breakout was occurring.
Poker? Went a week without playing a single hand, which fouled up yet another attempt to make it at least to Silver Star on Stars. I'm hoping to play a few SCOOP events at the bottom two tiers in the next couple of weeks so maybe I can make a dent in it for April. I also need to spend a few days with family in Wisconsin before heading west for the expected summer fun.
So there I was weekend before last, becoming violently ill. High fever, profuse sweats, outbreak of something chicken pox-like all over my body. As Caldwell would say, "Bad times." I was too sick to get myself to the doctor for a couple of days at the outset (if that makes sense), and weak as a kitten. I ended up with two doctor's visits inside of 48 hours as they tried to figure it out. It was either one too many "healthful" exotic vegetables -- to which I'll now have a nasty allergy toward if that's the case -- or some nasty virus.
The doc can't rule out that I'm one of the rare people who actually contracted chicken pox for a second time (it does happen, and I'm not quite to the age of shingles) or managed to catch the rare alternate strain of the stuff that does exist. It's sort of moot at this point. There wasn't much for me except lots of bedrest, fluids, and some meds to slow down whatever breakout was occurring.
Poker? Went a week without playing a single hand, which fouled up yet another attempt to make it at least to Silver Star on Stars. I'm hoping to play a few SCOOP events at the bottom two tiers in the next couple of weeks so maybe I can make a dent in it for April. I also need to spend a few days with family in Wisconsin before heading west for the expected summer fun.
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