I didnt take many notes so this will be
a quick, not so detailed TR.
Arrived in Vegas June 24th.
Stayed at the Imperial Palace.
Comped rooms from my play at
Caesars Windsor. Room was quite
satisfactory for me. Quiet and clean.
No smells and the A/C was cold.
IP maids appreciate good tippers.
Left a huge stash of towels, soaps etc.
Played quite a bit of poker.
Overall, the play was more aggressive
than the typical low stakes tourist filled
games I'm used to. This was probably
due to the influx of players from the wsop.
I think the large number of $1500 wsop events
available this year combined with the large
buy in deepstack events at Caesars and
the Venetian had a lot to do with it.
Talked to a lot of guys at the table who were
in vegas specifically to play two or three
of the $1.5K events.
Some of the games were so aggressive,
it was almost like playing 6max online
rather than a 9 or 10 handed live cash game.
Guys opening pots with Any ace, king or
pair from Any position. 7x the bb, 8x,
even 10x raises. 3bets preflop, 3bets on the flop.
In these capped buyin games, an 8bb preflop
raise denies proper odds to set-mine, and
suited connectors lose a lot of value because
these guys are decent enough to not pay
you off every time you hit. If your cards are dry,
it really limits me with the style i like to play.
To play more effectively, you really need to
loosen up and be a bit of a lagtard against
these LAG and TAG players.
I did run into some softer, less aggressive
games here and there. The games at Binions
and Ballys were pretty soft. Binions pays
$2/hr comps in their poker room. Somehow,
I have $53 in comps there.
Playing at the Imperial Palace and Flamingo,
I discovered that they offer the option of
what they call a "Mississippi Straddle"
(this is not truely a MS by definition).
IP/Flamingo version is a 2xbb straddle
from the button. The action doesnt start
under the gun, it starts with the small blind.
In my opinion, this is absolutely horrible.
Action starts with the two people who
have involuntarily put money in the pot
out of position. Usually the two blinds fold.
A much better protocol would be (like the
Hard Rock does) to start action under the
gun so that the blinds may be enticed into
the pot by other players who limp in,
then give the button straddler last action.
Watched some Beer Pong at O'Sheas.
(http://youtube.com/watch?v=JOYduGqZSRc)
Oh to be 22 again. I probably could have
been good at that game back in the day
when I could stomach shitty draught beer.
Ran into old friends Kim Gies and
Rob Pincombe playing poker at the Flamingo.
At the Venetian, ran into Sonny "The Money"
Rattan, Tom Whattam and Dan Moser from
the Elite Poker Tour (http://elitepoker.ca/).
They were playing a $330 Deep Stack event.
Played a private NLHE tournament
at the Golden Nugget hosted by
http://suitedpockets.net/ . Was seated at
the same table with poker authors
Lou Krieger (http://loukrieger.com/),
Haley Hintze, editor at (http://pokernews.com/)
Lawrence "The Prez" Prezman , Teddy Sevranski, Gianni "VegasRunner" The Scammer (sports betting gurus)
and Ashley Adams (author of Winning 7-card Stud)
who was graceful when i knocked him out of
the tournament. Also there was Frank Wiese (http://eatprofessionalpokerplayersalive.com/)
who wrote a new book on "medium ball" poker.
I went deep, a few spots away from cashing.
Lots of cool free swag from poker site sponsors.
Went to the RIO to check out the WSOP.
Got to railbird the $50,000 HORSE.
Was standing over the shoulder of Chau Giang.
Really cool to see his hole cards and watch
how he played. Even neat to watch the other
players at the table (Andy Bloch, Todd Brunson,
Joe Cassidy, David Bach - the eventual winner, etc)
because you get to see some of the action with
the cards face up in the stud games.
I hit 2 high hand jackpots. Quads at the IP
and a straight flush at Ballys. Lost more
$ drawing to (and missing) numerous other
royal and straight flush draws... than what
these two jackpots paid me.
Had heard many good things so I checked
out IN-N-OUT BURGER for the first time.
Excellent burger and milkshake.
Not a fan of their fries.
Tried Jack In The Box for the first time also.
Not amazing, but superior to McDonalds.
Drove out to Arizona Charlies on Decatur
for some cheap eats. Buffet was $7
minus the half price coupon. Not top notch food,
but cant beat the price. Won a few bucks on
slots on the way out, enough to cover gas
to get there and the cost of the buffet.
Made 2 attempts at getting a Deep Fried
Twinky from Mermaids Casino on Fremont St.
Unsuccessful both times. What kind of a
casino is closed at 1am on a saturday night ?
Had TODAI Sushi (at Planet Hollywood).
Pricey ($30) but absolutely AWESOME !
Huge selection of seafood and sushi.
I wish i had a bigger stomach.
Tried Golden Nugget Buffet for the first time.
Disappointing. Overpriced ($20). Nothing
specifically wrong, just not good value
compared to other buffets. Wouldnt return.
Used several match-play coupons from the
LasVegas Advisor and American Casino Guide.
$5 and $10 roulette, craps & blackjack matchplays
at Plaza, Las Vegas Club, Binions, Hard Rock,
Planet Hollywood, etc. Definitely +EV
Rental car was a Kia Rio. Who knew a 4 cylinder
shitbox could get a mere 18mpg ! ? Gas was
relatively cheap ($0.70/litre), but my 1979 Ford
with a carburated V8 got better mileage than that.
7/08/2009
6/10/2009
WPS / CPT Tournies in Vegas
World Poker Showdown and the
Canadian Poker Tour have combined
efforts to creat the Hard Rock Vegas
Megastack Event Series.
The "Canadian Invasion" will take place
from August 7th through the 24th.
Buy ins start at $340 dollars and
satellites will be running soon.
for all the details.
5/27/2009
ESPN Coverage of the '09 Series
I'm really disappointed with the changes.
The poker viewing public is getting screwed.
In years past they have shown at least
a few episodes of non-NLHE games
throughout the series but not in 2009.
There will only be a total of 4 events shown
over 32 hours of broadcasting (31 episodes).
Of course, the Main Event gets the most attention.
Each of the 4 M.E. Day 1's will get 2 hr episodes,
followed by coverage of thinning the field.
The other 3 events are first timers.
The 40th Anniversary $40,000 NL Hold’em
will be the first major tournament this year
and the first to be broadcast.
I think we'll see every internet kid with
a big ego pony up the $40k for this one,
so a field eclipsing 300 players is possible.
Having said that, the logic of having this
monster event at the start of the series
escapes me. When Harrah's makes their
money from the juice on these tournies,
why would they risk busting players at
the start. This event should be played
between the $50k HORSE and the ME.
Give some people a shot at winning
some money in the early events so they
will take a shot at the $40k NL.
The $40k will be followed by the new
WSOP Champions Invitational which
will have a "field built for TV".
Dont confuse this with the Tournament of
Champions that Mike Sexton used to run.
This new event will probably disappoint.
To quote Mike Matusow, "Its just stupid,
especially since half the people who've
won the World Series are dead or are just
complete jokes of a poker player. I mean
you're gonna have (Robert) Varkoni there ?
Out of the 25 who've won maybe 10 or 12
are great players."
The other event showing up on ESPN will be
the Ante Up For Africa Celebrity Charity Event.
A $5,000 charity event that attracts top pros
as well as celebrities playing poorly. Great TV !
Well...maybe not. If you prefer watching Ben
Afflack and Eva Longoria play poker I guess
this is your event.
The poker viewing public is getting screwed.
In years past they have shown at least
a few episodes of non-NLHE games
throughout the series but not in 2009.
There will only be a total of 4 events shown
over 32 hours of broadcasting (31 episodes).
Of course, the Main Event gets the most attention.
Each of the 4 M.E. Day 1's will get 2 hr episodes,
followed by coverage of thinning the field.
The other 3 events are first timers.
The 40th Anniversary $40,000 NL Hold’em
will be the first major tournament this year
and the first to be broadcast.
I think we'll see every internet kid with
a big ego pony up the $40k for this one,
so a field eclipsing 300 players is possible.
Having said that, the logic of having this
monster event at the start of the series
escapes me. When Harrah's makes their
money from the juice on these tournies,
why would they risk busting players at
the start. This event should be played
between the $50k HORSE and the ME.
Give some people a shot at winning
some money in the early events so they
will take a shot at the $40k NL.
The $40k will be followed by the new
WSOP Champions Invitational which
will have a "field built for TV".
Dont confuse this with the Tournament of
Champions that Mike Sexton used to run.
This new event will probably disappoint.
To quote Mike Matusow, "Its just stupid,
especially since half the people who've
won the World Series are dead or are just
complete jokes of a poker player. I mean
you're gonna have (Robert) Varkoni there ?
Out of the 25 who've won maybe 10 or 12
are great players."
The other event showing up on ESPN will be
the Ante Up For Africa Celebrity Charity Event.
A $5,000 charity event that attracts top pros
as well as celebrities playing poorly. Great TV !
Well...maybe not. If you prefer watching Ben
Afflack and Eva Longoria play poker I guess
this is your event.
5/26/2009
WSOP Fantasy Pool on FTP
Its that time again !
Full Tilt Poker is running a
WSOP Fantasy Poker contest.
Pick a 15 man team for each event.
Get your selections in soon.
I won half a dozen hats and
entries into freerolls last year.
In the freerolls I won a couple of
$215 tournament entries.
Its definitely worth your time to fill
out your best picks for some events.
Full Tilt Poker is running a
WSOP Fantasy Poker contest.
Pick a 15 man team for each event.
Get your selections in soon.
I won half a dozen hats and
entries into freerolls last year.
In the freerolls I won a couple of
$215 tournament entries.
Its definitely worth your time to fill
out your best picks for some events.
5/20/2009
WSOP Gaming Expo
WSOP Ggaming Expo Gets Rebranded
The lifestyle expo that supports the annual World Series of Poker events is to have a remake this year. Out goes the old 'Gaming Lifestyle Expo' to be replaced by a more upbeat branding 'PokerPalooza'.
Commenting on the change, Ty Steward, marketing director for the WSOP, said: "It's going to be part trade show, part carnival, all fun. "Visitors to the poker spectacular in Las Vegas this year will find PokerPalooza in the Rio Pavilion in the Rio Convention Center between July 2-5.
This year the exhibit is split into several interactive zones with something to offer new poker players as well as those that have been in the game for years. The zones are:
Poker Media
Poker Education
Arcade
Poker Retail
Poker Circuit
WSOP History
"Lap of Luxury"
"Bad Beat Bar"
Food/Beverage
There will be a wide selection of poker wares and services on display, and celebrities will be present for autograph signings. In the past there have been novelty chip sellers, poker bobble heads, poker rooms and more.This year there is also expected to be autograph and book signings, together with useful seminars conducted by a number of poker champs. On weekends between May 30 and June 28, Rio will host exclusive strategy seminars with Doyle Brunson and Mike Caro. Meet and greets with Brunson and Caro will also take place July 2 through July 5.
The more adventurous will also find a mechanical bull courtesy of Stoney's, the Richard Petty Driving Experience, sumo-wresting suits and several carnival-style games....and a hot dog eating competition.
5/01/2009
PAD - Hellmuth Bashing, hehehe
Here's a good reason to stay up until 3:05 am !
This week's Poker After Dark sched says:
Week of May 4
(Hellmuth Bash Cash Game I)
Phil Hellmuth, Kenny Tran, Phil Laak,
Antonio Esfandiari, Tom Dwan, Bob Safai
The following week it's Hellmuth Bash II
This week's Poker After Dark sched says:
Week of May 4
(Hellmuth Bash Cash Game I)
Phil Hellmuth, Kenny Tran, Phil Laak,
Antonio Esfandiari, Tom Dwan, Bob Safai
The following week it's Hellmuth Bash II
4/29/2009
New TV Show - Face the Ace
from www.bluffmagazine.com
The company that produces NBC’s
Poker After Dark will mix everyone’s
favorite game with reality television
when Face The Ace premiers this summer.
Poker Productions, the company responsible
for the late night hit for NBC, is betting
that poker fans nationwide will tune in to
Face The Ace when the poker reality show
debuts in August. Hosted by Steve Schirripa
(”The Sopranos”), the show will center on
contestants drawn from online qualifying
tournaments who play heads-up no limit
hold’em against poker pros.
Each contestant will start off by choosing
one of four doors, behind each of which lies
a pro player. If the contestant wins his
match against the first pro, he’ll have to
make a choice: take the money and run, or
let it ride and play against another pro?
Beating three pros in a row will be worth
$1 million, but a loss means a trip home
empty-handed.
NBC Universal TV executive VP Jerry Petry
told Variety that the network had picked up
an initial run of seven episodes, with the
option of ordering more if the show succeeds
in its Saturday afternoon time slot.
“There’s nothing like it on the air right now,”
Petry said. “This will attract the core poker
fans who watch it on our network but will
also open it up to a new audience of people
who like game shows and aren’t necessarily
poker fans going in.”
In addition to a different format - the players
will play against pros, not other amateurs -
Face The Ace will also have the benefit of
being one of the big four television networks
with its national audience. Poker fans will
get their first taste of the show on
Saturday, August 1, at 9 p.m. ET
You can take a shot at qualifiing for the
show by entering freeroll tournaments at
Full Tilt. Look in the SIT N GO section
(not in Tournaments like 90% of the stories say).
They are tan coloured freerolls with 180
or 360 players.
The company that produces NBC’s
Poker After Dark will mix everyone’s
favorite game with reality television
when Face The Ace premiers this summer.
Poker Productions, the company responsible
for the late night hit for NBC, is betting
that poker fans nationwide will tune in to
Face The Ace when the poker reality show
debuts in August. Hosted by Steve Schirripa
(”The Sopranos”), the show will center on
contestants drawn from online qualifying
tournaments who play heads-up no limit
hold’em against poker pros.
Each contestant will start off by choosing
one of four doors, behind each of which lies
a pro player. If the contestant wins his
match against the first pro, he’ll have to
make a choice: take the money and run, or
let it ride and play against another pro?
Beating three pros in a row will be worth
$1 million, but a loss means a trip home
empty-handed.
NBC Universal TV executive VP Jerry Petry
told Variety that the network had picked up
an initial run of seven episodes, with the
option of ordering more if the show succeeds
in its Saturday afternoon time slot.
“There’s nothing like it on the air right now,”
Petry said. “This will attract the core poker
fans who watch it on our network but will
also open it up to a new audience of people
who like game shows and aren’t necessarily
poker fans going in.”
In addition to a different format - the players
will play against pros, not other amateurs -
Face The Ace will also have the benefit of
being one of the big four television networks
with its national audience. Poker fans will
get their first taste of the show on
Saturday, August 1, at 9 p.m. ET
You can take a shot at qualifiing for the
show by entering freeroll tournaments at
Full Tilt. Look in the SIT N GO section
(not in Tournaments like 90% of the stories say).
They are tan coloured freerolls with 180
or 360 players.
4/27/2009
In case you missed it, Joan Rivers
Here's a quick video of Joan Rivers
telling what she thinks of Annie Duke
and ALL other poker players on
Celebrity Apprentice.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7fAevP8aZVs
.
telling what she thinks of Annie Duke
and ALL other poker players on
Celebrity Apprentice.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7fAevP8aZVs
.
4/14/2009
Casey Reese Passes Away
It's been a while since my last post
and it's unfortunate that this is
what brought me back today.
Casey Reese, the son of the late
Chip Reese, has passed away from
an overdose of prescription drugs.
The loss comes about 16 months
after his father Chip, suddenly
died on December 4th, 2007 .
My condolences go out to the entire
Reese family.
and it's unfortunate that this is
what brought me back today.
Casey Reese, the son of the late
Chip Reese, has passed away from
an overdose of prescription drugs.
The loss comes about 16 months
after his father Chip, suddenly
died on December 4th, 2007 .
My condolences go out to the entire
Reese family.
2/27/2009
Blue Water Classic
The big tournies at Point Edward
Casino (Sarnia) are fast approaching.
All events sell out, so if you're
interested, best lock up a spot soon.
Blue Water Classic * $150 + $20
No Limit Holdem
120 seats 82% full
Wednesday Mar 25, 2009
Est. Prize Pool: $18,000
Blue Water Classic * $300 + $35
120 seats 50% full
Thursday Mar 26, 2009
Est. Prize Pool: $36,000
Blue Water Classic * $600 + $70
Main Event Day 1
120 seats 35% full
Friday Mar 27, 2009
Est. Prize Pool: $144,000
Blue Water Classic * $600 +$70
Main Event Day 2
120 seats 55% full
Saturday Mar 28, 2009
Est. Prize Pool: $144,000
Rules, Blind Structure and
Prize Pool Allocation here:
https://www.olgpoker.com/calendar/index.cfm
Casino (Sarnia) are fast approaching.
All events sell out, so if you're
interested, best lock up a spot soon.
Blue Water Classic * $150 + $20
No Limit Holdem
120 seats 82% full
Wednesday Mar 25, 2009
Est. Prize Pool: $18,000
Blue Water Classic * $300 + $35
120 seats 50% full
Thursday Mar 26, 2009
Est. Prize Pool: $36,000
Blue Water Classic * $600 + $70
Main Event Day 1
120 seats 35% full
Friday Mar 27, 2009
Est. Prize Pool: $144,000
Blue Water Classic * $600 +$70
Main Event Day 2
120 seats 55% full
Saturday Mar 28, 2009
Est. Prize Pool: $144,000
Rules, Blind Structure and
Prize Pool Allocation here:
https://www.olgpoker.com/calendar/index.cfm
The beats continue (no music)
My shitty luck on Full Tilt
this week continues seamlessly.
Satellite tournament.
Final Table.
2 get entry, 1 gets cash.
I have KK in cutoff.
Raising all around which
ends with 4 of us all-in preflop.
My KK is up against.
AJ, AJ, AQ.
Flop is rags + the case Ace.
Atleast I'm not alone.
.
this week continues seamlessly.
Satellite tournament.
Final Table.
2 get entry, 1 gets cash.
I have KK in cutoff.
Raising all around which
ends with 4 of us all-in preflop.
My KK is up against.
AJ, AJ, AQ.
Flop is rags + the case Ace.
Atleast I'm not alone.
.
2/26/2009
A busy Sunday for Poker on TV
This coming Sunday (March 1st)
will have some of us poker junkies
setting the PVR or flipping channels
at a rapid rate.
Besides a brand new season 7
WPT show on FSN, there's first episode
of High Stakes Poker season 5 on
The Gameshow Network at 9pm.
(previous seasons repeats run 6pm-9pm) .
Also at 9pm, NBC has Celebrity Apprentice II
which has Annie Duke on the womens team.
At 10pm, ESPN2 will show the final table
of the World Series of Poker Europe.
I guess I'll be glued to the tv all night.
will have some of us poker junkies
setting the PVR or flipping channels
at a rapid rate.
Besides a brand new season 7
WPT show on FSN, there's first episode
of High Stakes Poker season 5 on
The Gameshow Network at 9pm.
(previous seasons repeats run 6pm-9pm) .
Also at 9pm, NBC has Celebrity Apprentice II
which has Annie Duke on the womens team.
At 10pm, ESPN2 will show the final table
of the World Series of Poker Europe.
I guess I'll be glued to the tv all night.
Hansen vs. Jorgensen
On Saturday afternoon, the much
anticipated boxing match between
Gus Hansen and Theo Jorgensen
went off without any serious injury.
Hansen had placed a handicap on
himself in the match. If Gus won,
Theo would pay him $25,000. If
Theo won, Gus would pay $35,000
After 3 rounds, the fight went to the
judging panel who decided in the
favour of Jorgensen.
2/25/2009
BDPS funny quote
I'm not exactly a fan of the
Best Damn Poker Show which
features two of my least favourite
poker pros... Annie Duke and
Phil Hellmuth.
I didn't see more than bits and
pieces of a couple episodes of
season 1 last year. I've only done
slightly better with season 2 of
the show. I've watched 2 full
episodes of this info-tainment
poker based reality show. But....
it has provided me with some
hearty laughs.
Phil and Annie were sitting
behind their podium discussing
and analyzing how their teams
were perfoming in the tournament
so far... and then it got ugly.
Annie (to Phil): "You're like a
cancer that rots your soul".
Phil's response: "Any other guy
in the world who was paired with
you for 3 days would have gotten
a gun by now".
Best Damn Poker Show which
features two of my least favourite
poker pros... Annie Duke and
Phil Hellmuth.
I didn't see more than bits and
pieces of a couple episodes of
season 1 last year. I've only done
slightly better with season 2 of
the show. I've watched 2 full
episodes of this info-tainment
poker based reality show. But....
it has provided me with some
hearty laughs.
Phil and Annie were sitting
behind their podium discussing
and analyzing how their teams
were perfoming in the tournament
so far... and then it got ugly.
Annie (to Phil): "You're like a
cancer that rots your soul".
Phil's response: "Any other guy
in the world who was paired with
you for 3 days would have gotten
a gun by now".
2/24/2009
Trump Seeks Bankruptcy Protection
Trump Entertainment Resorts has
filed under Chapter 11, which is the
third time the casino operator has
sought bankruptcy protection.
The filing had been anticipated since
the company missed a $53.1 bond
payment due in December.
Both Donald Trump and his daughter
Ivanka tendered their resignations
from the company's Board of Directors
just days before the filing.
Trump operates 3 casino properties in
Atlantic City NJ, the Trump Taj Mahal,
Trump Plaza and Trump Marina.
Atlantic City has been hit hard by
both the poor economy and increased
competition from Pennsylvania.
Trump isn't the only operator having trouble
in AC. Atlantic City gambling revenue was
down an average of 7.6% in 2008, with
December's revenue down almost 19%.
Casino operators, including MGM Mirage
and Pinnacle, have postponed four major
casino construction projects in the city.
The Tropicana is about to be sold in
bankruptcy court, and both Resorts and
the Atlantic City Hilton are trying to
restructure debt agreements with lenders.
filed under Chapter 11, which is the
third time the casino operator has
sought bankruptcy protection.
The filing had been anticipated since
the company missed a $53.1 bond
payment due in December.
Both Donald Trump and his daughter
Ivanka tendered their resignations
from the company's Board of Directors
just days before the filing.
Trump operates 3 casino properties in
Atlantic City NJ, the Trump Taj Mahal,
Trump Plaza and Trump Marina.
Atlantic City has been hit hard by
both the poor economy and increased
competition from Pennsylvania.
Trump isn't the only operator having trouble
in AC. Atlantic City gambling revenue was
down an average of 7.6% in 2008, with
December's revenue down almost 19%.
Casino operators, including MGM Mirage
and Pinnacle, have postponed four major
casino construction projects in the city.
The Tropicana is about to be sold in
bankruptcy court, and both Resorts and
the Atlantic City Hilton are trying to
restructure debt agreements with lenders.
2/18/2009
Bad Beat of the Day
It didn't occur at the poker tables.
It was on The Price is Right.
Showcase showdown at the end
of the show. First player missed
their showcase by only $270.
Second player missed the price by
only $116 and won both showcases.
To be so close to the price and have
your opponent come closer is a
bad beat.
It was on The Price is Right.
Showcase showdown at the end
of the show. First player missed
their showcase by only $270.
Second player missed the price by
only $116 and won both showcases.
To be so close to the price and have
your opponent come closer is a
bad beat.
2/14/2009
Good Ol' PokerStars
I was home alone dogsitting tonight,
a perfect time to log some online
poker hours, earn some frequent
player points, and maybe even make
a few bucks to take with me to Vegas.
Decided to play some NL cash on
PokerStars, something I haven't done
in quite a while. I mostly play my cash
games on Full Tilt. About all I've used
my Stars account for lately is to play the
Elite Poker Tour (http://www.elitepoker.ca/)
events on Friday nights and the odd
big Sunday tournament.
I figure I should be able to handle 4 tables.
I didn't want to take on more than that
right away since I find the P-Stars graphics
a little harder on my eyes than Full Tilt.
I get on the waiting list for 6-7 tables.
First table pops up and I get it tiled
just the way I like it.
Second hand, I get dealt KK in the
cutoff. Couple of limpers so I
make it 6 big blinds. Small blind
raises me by about the pot.
All others fold. I pop it enough
that he has to fold or get it all in.
He shoves and turns over TT.
I'm 80% to win, he's a 4:1 dog.
Turn is a T. He wins. I go broke.
I start cursing. " F*ckin' PokerStars ".
A few years ago when I was trying to
grind out a bankroll at the $0.05/0.10
and $0.10/0.25 tables, I went through
several rough stretches of bad beats
where I just got pounded. Suckout after
suckout. Nut flushes were no guarantee.
Full houses were no guarantee. Sets were
continually drawn out on the river.
It got to the point where I referred to
any suckout (even in live games) as
"getting Poker Starred".
I guess this beat tonight caught me
off guard since I went broke in only
the second hand.
I told P-Stars in a very harsh voice
(they can hear me yelling through
my moniter, you know) ...
"F*ck you ! I'm not reloading.
I'm going to sit out and take up a space.
You're not going to earn any rake until
you kick me off after a couple orbits."
This threat did not go unnoticed by the
software at P-Stars. My seats at the
other 3 tables got incredibly hot.
Within about 10 minutes I not only
had my money back, but had a profit
going on all 3 tables (about 40%).
I wish I had figured out this secret to
getting lucky on P-Stars a few years ago.
a perfect time to log some online
poker hours, earn some frequent
player points, and maybe even make
a few bucks to take with me to Vegas.
Decided to play some NL cash on
PokerStars, something I haven't done
in quite a while. I mostly play my cash
games on Full Tilt. About all I've used
my Stars account for lately is to play the
Elite Poker Tour (http://www.elitepoker.ca/)
events on Friday nights and the odd
big Sunday tournament.
I figure I should be able to handle 4 tables.
I didn't want to take on more than that
right away since I find the P-Stars graphics
a little harder on my eyes than Full Tilt.
I get on the waiting list for 6-7 tables.
First table pops up and I get it tiled
just the way I like it.
Second hand, I get dealt KK in the
cutoff. Couple of limpers so I
make it 6 big blinds. Small blind
raises me by about the pot.
All others fold. I pop it enough
that he has to fold or get it all in.
He shoves and turns over TT.
I'm 80% to win, he's a 4:1 dog.
Turn is a T. He wins. I go broke.
I start cursing. " F*ckin' PokerStars ".
A few years ago when I was trying to
grind out a bankroll at the $0.05/0.10
and $0.10/0.25 tables, I went through
several rough stretches of bad beats
where I just got pounded. Suckout after
suckout. Nut flushes were no guarantee.
Full houses were no guarantee. Sets were
continually drawn out on the river.
It got to the point where I referred to
any suckout (even in live games) as
"getting Poker Starred".
I guess this beat tonight caught me
off guard since I went broke in only
the second hand.
I told P-Stars in a very harsh voice
(they can hear me yelling through
my moniter, you know) ...
"F*ck you ! I'm not reloading.
I'm going to sit out and take up a space.
You're not going to earn any rake until
you kick me off after a couple orbits."
This threat did not go unnoticed by the
software at P-Stars. My seats at the
other 3 tables got incredibly hot.
Within about 10 minutes I not only
had my money back, but had a profit
going on all 3 tables (about 40%).
I wish I had figured out this secret to
getting lucky on P-Stars a few years ago.
Great Dane Television
Gus Hansen is starting his own
online TV channel on February 21st.
www.GusHansenTV.com.
What kinds of things will we get to
watch ? We'll likely see some of the
high-stakes action Gus plays in at FTP.
Other than that, the only thing scheduled
for gus tv so far is a boxing match featuring
Gus against Theo Jorgensen which is taking
place during the EPT Copenhagen events.
Gus and Theo have a prop bet
online TV channel on February 21st.
www.GusHansenTV.com.
What kinds of things will we get to
watch ? We'll likely see some of the
high-stakes action Gus plays in at FTP.
Other than that, the only thing scheduled
for gus tv so far is a boxing match featuring
Gus against Theo Jorgensen which is taking
place during the EPT Copenhagen events.
Gus and Theo have a prop bet
on who will win, $35,000 vs $25,000.
Current Odds:
Theo Jorgensen is -285 fave
Gus Hansen is +200 dog.
Gus Hansen wins by knockout: +2600
Theo Jorgensen wins by knockout: +850
Match ends in draw + 1400
Current Odds:
Theo Jorgensen is -285 fave
Gus Hansen is +200 dog.
Gus Hansen wins by knockout: +2600
Theo Jorgensen wins by knockout: +850
Match ends in draw + 1400
2/13/2009
PAD Nerd-O-Rama
Is it just me, or is this possibly the
most boring week of PAD ever ?
Oli Nejad summed it up pretty well.
" 6 geniuses + 1 math problem = 4 aspirin"
I've always wanted to over hear geniuses
disgussing geometric proofs and proofs
by induction. .... Not !
The "Brilliant Minds" have so much potential.
Unfortunately for the audience, these guys
show that being extremely math smart
doesn't often combine with being a
conversational, social animal.
This could easily be called:
"Revenge of the Nerds Week".
"Revenge of the Nerds Week".
The only semi-entertaining guy with
some personality is David Sklansky,
and he was knocked out first.
Hostess Leanne Tweedan has some how
gotten the idea that these "math pros"
are doing sophisticated algebra and
calculus equations in their heads while
the rest of the world is asking the
the rest of the world is asking the
magic 8-ball whether to call or fold.
Sklansky even explained to her that
everyone can figure out pot odds and
the percentage of times your hand
will hold up. That's not what makes
these "math" guys special.
Its GAME THEORY !
Atleast I have something to look
Atleast I have something to look
forward to. Next week (Feb 16) it's the
"Nets" versus "Vets" cash game with
Taylor Caby, Cole South, Gabe Kaplan,
Dave Benefield, Doyle and Eli Elezra
2/12/2009
Heads-Up Practice
... and a chance to enter a big
televised tournament.
Both FullTilt and PokerStars have
freeroll satellites for the National
Heads-Up Championship in Vegas.
Its a great chance to practice your
heads-up skills. Its something almost
everyone needs to polish up on.
I've finished somewhere between
3rd and 10th countless times,
but cant seem to crack the
final four (out of 256).
I'll keep trying.
televised tournament.
Both FullTilt and PokerStars have
freeroll satellites for the National
Heads-Up Championship in Vegas.
Its a great chance to practice your
heads-up skills. Its something almost
everyone needs to polish up on.
I've finished somewhere between
3rd and 10th countless times,
but cant seem to crack the
final four (out of 256).
I'll keep trying.
2/05/2009
PPT Online Tx Update
The lower buy-in NL Holdem K/O
tournaments have been a big success !
We're going to extend that buy-in
and format to our other nights.
We've had as many as 17 players !
Mondays 7pm, $3 + .50, Bounty NLH
Tuesdays 7pm, $3 + .50, Bounty NLH
Wednes 7pm, $3 + .50, Bounty NLH
Thursdays 7pm, $3 + .50, Bounty NLH
Fridays 7pm, $3 + .50, Bounty NLH
These new events will start Feb/6/09.
Everyone is Welcome !
The buy-in for the KnockOut tournament
is $3 + $0.50, with $2.40 going to the
prize pool and $0.60 paid as a bounty
every time you Knock another player out.
To locate our tournaments, click the
"Private" tab in the tournament lobby.
Password is " PPT "
Sign up for a new Full Tilt Poker
account using bonus code PPT.
2/03/2009
High Stakes Poker, Season 5
GSN has started running commercials
for the upcoming season of HSP.
Season 5 premieres Sunday, March 1st.
I'm so excited ! HSP is probably
my favorite show on television.
Taping was done December 19-21 at
the Golden Nugget in Las Vegas.
The upcoming season will have a
minimum cash buy-in of $200,000,
which is the largest to date.
for the upcoming season of HSP.
Season 5 premieres Sunday, March 1st.
I'm so excited ! HSP is probably
my favorite show on television.
Taping was done December 19-21 at
the Golden Nugget in Las Vegas.
The upcoming season will have a
minimum cash buy-in of $200,000,
which is the largest to date.
Prospective Lineup:
Daniel Negreanu
Doyle Brunson
Phil Hellmuth
Eli Elezra
Antonio Esfandiari
Tom Dwan
Dario Minieri
Howard Lederer
Peter Eastgate
Ivan Demidov
Barry Greenstein
Sam Simon
Giorgio Medici
Ilari Sahamies
Phil Laak
Patrik Antonius
David Benyamine
Bob Safai
Nick Cassavetes
Mike Baxter
Filming on Friday December 19th featured
Doyle Brunson, Dario Minieri, Phil Laak,
Tom “durrrr” Dwan, Eli Elezra, Mike Baxter,
Alan Meltzer, and David Peat.
Saturday’s action features Daniel Negreanu,
Joe Hachem, Howard Lederer, Patrik Antonius,
Antonio Esfandiari, Sam Simon, Tom Dwan,
& Nick Cassavetes.
Sunday’s table will include Peter Eastgate,
Doyle Brunson, Ivan Demidov, Phil Ivey,
Barry Greenstein, David Benyamine, and
Ilari Sahamies.
Although that is the order in which the tables were
filmed, GSN may not necessarily air the episodes
in that particular order.
High Stakes January recap
Courtesy of http://www.highstakesdb.com/
Gus Hansen became the biggest winner
last month when he closed January for
a $500k profit. There´s been a lot of
action on his PLO HU tables, and also
some huge swings.
Patrik Antonius looked good all through
the month but was passed at the finish
line by Gus Hansen as the biggest winner
this month. Patrik still made a total profit
of $2.6M and played his A-game
straight through January, making most
of his profit on the HA tables.
Gus Hansen won his biggest pot ever,
the hand was played against durrrr and
trex313, a $537k pot.
Patrik Antonious wins his third biggest
pot ever, which also was the biggest of
the month, $562k pot
Durrrr didnt have a good month, experiencing
his presumably biggest poker loss ever.
There have also been alot of roumors going
around him, some about his huge loss and
some about he not being able to run his
Million dollar challenge. Most of these were
straightened out when durrrr did a radio
interview, in which he talked about the
rumours and stated that the challenge
was in no danger. All in all he is UP about
$1.0M in NLHE but STUCK $4.0M in the
other games in January.
Gus Hansen became the biggest winner
last month when he closed January for
a $500k profit. There´s been a lot of
action on his PLO HU tables, and also
some huge swings.
Patrik Antonius looked good all through
the month but was passed at the finish
line by Gus Hansen as the biggest winner
this month. Patrik still made a total profit
of $2.6M and played his A-game
straight through January, making most
of his profit on the HA tables.
Gus Hansen won his biggest pot ever,
the hand was played against durrrr and
trex313, a $537k pot.
Patrik Antonious wins his third biggest
pot ever, which also was the biggest of
the month, $562k pot
Durrrr didnt have a good month, experiencing
his presumably biggest poker loss ever.
There have also been alot of roumors going
around him, some about his huge loss and
some about he not being able to run his
Million dollar challenge. Most of these were
straightened out when durrrr did a radio
interview, in which he talked about the
rumours and stated that the challenge
was in no danger. All in all he is UP about
$1.0M in NLHE but STUCK $4.0M in the
other games in January.
2/02/2009
Montel Williams new Poker tv show
Former talkshow host Montel Williams
has announced his new one hour tv show
titled "International Team Poker League"
that will combine online qualifiers with
bricks and mortar casinos.
The show, starting with satellite tournaments
in March and set to be televised starting in
November this year, will combine NLHE with
‘reality TV’ style segments about the players.
Creator and CEO of ITPL, Montel Williams
comments: “I love poker – it’s a game that has
everything, played by kings and leaders and
regular joes alike. It crosses boundaries and
borders, now, thanks to technology and the
Internet, a global phenomenon that brings
people of different ethnicities and origin
together around the world. It is truly international,
and the time is right for the International
Team Poker League to take poker to a new
level and a wider audience.”
In a similar format to the more familiar talent
shows, the series will begin with a selection
process through regular NLHE satellite tournies
in both land-based casinos and online poker sites.
Entrants play to win entry into a three-day
Draft Pool Seeding Tournament at a Las Vegas
host casino at which the leading players will be
selected into six teams before fighting it out to
build chip stacks for the final one-day SuperTable
team event.
The six winners will become the ITPL Team for
the season, and will be filmed as they live the poker
lifestyle, play the pros and possibly find or create
celebrity for themselves.
has announced his new one hour tv show
titled "International Team Poker League"
that will combine online qualifiers with
bricks and mortar casinos.
The show, starting with satellite tournaments
in March and set to be televised starting in
November this year, will combine NLHE with
‘reality TV’ style segments about the players.
Creator and CEO of ITPL, Montel Williams
comments: “I love poker – it’s a game that has
everything, played by kings and leaders and
regular joes alike. It crosses boundaries and
borders, now, thanks to technology and the
Internet, a global phenomenon that brings
people of different ethnicities and origin
together around the world. It is truly international,
and the time is right for the International
Team Poker League to take poker to a new
level and a wider audience.”
In a similar format to the more familiar talent
shows, the series will begin with a selection
process through regular NLHE satellite tournies
in both land-based casinos and online poker sites.
Entrants play to win entry into a three-day
Draft Pool Seeding Tournament at a Las Vegas
host casino at which the leading players will be
selected into six teams before fighting it out to
build chip stacks for the final one-day SuperTable
team event.
The six winners will become the ITPL Team for
the season, and will be filmed as they live the poker
lifestyle, play the pros and possibly find or create
celebrity for themselves.
1/30/2009
WSOP Europe on ESPN
Pretty good coverage of the event.
Commentary by Lon M. & Norman Chad.
ESPN:
Sunday, February 1st
6-10pm ET
(Episodes 1 thru 4)
ESPN2:
Sunday, February 1st
10:00pm: Episode #1
11:00pm: Episode #2
Sunday, February 8th
10:00pm: Episode #3
11:00pm: Episode #4
Sunday, February 15th
10:00pm: Episode #5
11:00pm: Episode #6
Sunday, March 1st
10:00pm: Episode #7
11:00pm: Episode #8
Commentary by Lon M. & Norman Chad.
ESPN:
Sunday, February 1st
6-10pm ET
(Episodes 1 thru 4)
ESPN2:
Sunday, February 1st
10:00pm: Episode #1
11:00pm: Episode #2
Sunday, February 8th
10:00pm: Episode #3
11:00pm: Episode #4
Sunday, February 15th
10:00pm: Episode #5
11:00pm: Episode #6
Sunday, March 1st
10:00pm: Episode #7
11:00pm: Episode #8
1/24/2009
'08 a rough year for vegas casinos
Hotel statistics released in a report
yesterday by the Nevada Gaming
Control Board present a dismal picture.
Major hotel-casinos suffered a huge drop
in net income in fiscal 2008, bringing in
$721.2 million... only a third of what they
netted in the previous (2007) year.
The report reveals that 266 resorts grossed
$25 billion but were hammered by increasing
expenses during the fiscal year ending June 30.
Their net income was just 2.9 percent of the gross,
down from 9.1 percent in fiscal 2007.
yesterday by the Nevada Gaming
Control Board present a dismal picture.
Major hotel-casinos suffered a huge drop
in net income in fiscal 2008, bringing in
$721.2 million... only a third of what they
netted in the previous (2007) year.
The report reveals that 266 resorts grossed
$25 billion but were hammered by increasing
expenses during the fiscal year ending June 30.
Their net income was just 2.9 percent of the gross,
down from 9.1 percent in fiscal 2007.
1/23/2009
New PPT online tournament
Starting on Jan 26th, the PPT's
monday night format is changing.
We're taking a break from Omaha
and going for a lower buy-in NL
Holdem KnockOut tournaments.
The buy-in for the KnockOut tourny
is $3 + $0.50, with $2.40 going to
the prize pool and $0.60 paid as
a bounty every time you Knock
another player out.
Mondays 7pm, $3 + .50, Bounty NL Holdem
Wednes 6:30, $5 + 1, NL Holdem Deep Stack
Fridays 7pm, $5 + 1, NL Holdem Deep Stack
Log in to FT with your Player ID and pwd.
Click on "TOURNAMENTS", then
"PRIVATE". Click on "DATE", then
scroll down to the date/time of our
scroll down to the date/time of our
tournament (01/26/09 19:00 ET).
There may be more than one tourny
at that time so click on each one
until you find the one called
"PremierPokerTour.ca"
(There's an info box to the right
that lists the name and details
of each tournament as you click
on them.)
When you find our tournament,
click on either "TOURNAMENT LOBBY"
or "REGISTER NOW" (on the right side)
click on either "TOURNAMENT LOBBY"
or "REGISTER NOW" (on the right side)
and Register for the tournament.
You will need to enter the PASSWORD: PPT
Hope to see you there !
1/12/2009
CAKE Announces more sites open to Canadians
The Cake network announced in a
press release this week that it has
opened up poker, casino and sportsbook
poker sites for players in Canada,
specifically Sportsbook.com and
Superbook.com.
The move will "expand the player base
and the network alike, increasing the
value and possibilities players can
achieve from these sites."
"Sportsbook.com is a growing poker
site and continues to rise in popularity,"
the release claims. "This site offers
online players the ability to play poker
and casino games as well as place
sports bets all from one account.
The software has a great menu system
that is simple and easy to use. "
"For Canadian poker players looking for
a great poker game, Sportsbook.com is
a highly recommended poker room for
its soft competition, easy deposits, quality
software and excellent customer service."
The release describes Superbook.com as
a popular and well established sports betting site.
"This site earned the title "Online Sportsbook
of the Year" in 2005 and continues to be a
leader in the online sports betting arena.
It offers no-fee deposit methods, great
customer support and quick payouts."
press release this week that it has
opened up poker, casino and sportsbook
poker sites for players in Canada,
specifically Sportsbook.com and
Superbook.com.
The move will "expand the player base
and the network alike, increasing the
value and possibilities players can
achieve from these sites."
"Sportsbook.com is a growing poker
site and continues to rise in popularity,"
the release claims. "This site offers
online players the ability to play poker
and casino games as well as place
sports bets all from one account.
The software has a great menu system
that is simple and easy to use. "
"For Canadian poker players looking for
a great poker game, Sportsbook.com is
a highly recommended poker room for
its soft competition, easy deposits, quality
software and excellent customer service."
The release describes Superbook.com as
a popular and well established sports betting site.
"This site earned the title "Online Sportsbook
of the Year" in 2005 and continues to be a
leader in the online sports betting arena.
It offers no-fee deposit methods, great
customer support and quick payouts."
1/11/2009
Annie Duke on Celebrity Apprentice
On March 1st, Annie Duke will
appear on the second installment of
Celebrity Apprentice, joining the 15
other [cough] "celebrities"
I'm not sure if she's buddies with
Jeff Immelt (CEO of General Electric)
but she has a habit of appearing on
NBC shows. I remember seing her on
the gameshow 1 vs. 100 (on NBC) .
She is like a flaming car crash to me,
I dont want to watch, but I must watch.
I find myself yelling at her/my tv when
an episode of 'Best Damn Poker Show'
or 'Winstar Poker-The River' comes on.
Her criticism of any player who isnt a
super-nit drives me crazy... but I digress.
Others appearing on Celeb Apprentice II:
Clint Black - Country Music singer
Khloe Kardashian - "Keeping Up w/ the Kardashians”
Brande Roderick - Playboy skank ? ?
Scott Hamilton - Gold Medal Skater
Tom Green - Gameshow Host / Actor
Jesse James - Monster Garage, WestCoastChoppers
Natalie Gulbis - Sexy Golf Pro
Claudia Jordan - Gameshow Model...?
Joan Rivers - Cosmetic Surgery Speciman
Melissa Rivers - Only claim to fame is mom
Dennis Rodman - retired Chicago Bull
Andrew Dice Clay - Washed up Comedian
Herschel Walker - retired Dallas Cowboy
Brian McKnight - R & B musician
Tionne Watkins - The "T" from TLC
appear on the second installment of
Celebrity Apprentice, joining the 15
other [cough] "celebrities"
I'm not sure if she's buddies with
Jeff Immelt (CEO of General Electric)
but she has a habit of appearing on
NBC shows. I remember seing her on
the gameshow 1 vs. 100 (on NBC) .
She is like a flaming car crash to me,
I dont want to watch, but I must watch.
I find myself yelling at her/my tv when
an episode of 'Best Damn Poker Show'
or 'Winstar Poker-The River' comes on.
Her criticism of any player who isnt a
super-nit drives me crazy... but I digress.
Others appearing on Celeb Apprentice II:
Clint Black - Country Music singer
Khloe Kardashian - "Keeping Up w/ the Kardashians”
Brande Roderick - Playboy skank ? ?
Scott Hamilton - Gold Medal Skater
Tom Green - Gameshow Host / Actor
Jesse James - Monster Garage, WestCoastChoppers
Natalie Gulbis - Sexy Golf Pro
Claudia Jordan - Gameshow Model...?
Joan Rivers - Cosmetic Surgery Speciman
Melissa Rivers - Only claim to fame is mom
Dennis Rodman - retired Chicago Bull
Andrew Dice Clay - Washed up Comedian
Herschel Walker - retired Dallas Cowboy
Brian McKnight - R & B musician
Tionne Watkins - The "T" from TLC
1/06/2009
Corey Z on PAD
This guy has been added to my list
of favorite players now. The way
Corey Zeidman ripped on Phil Hellmuth
on episode 1 of this weeks Poker After Dark
has endeared me to him.
The theme is "Speak Your Mind" and
Corey has taken this literally.
Corey has taken this literally.
PAD will easily be the best thing on
tv every night this week at 2:05am.
You can watch mondays episode here:
Hellmuth proves that he can dish out
lines like "this guy can't even spell poker"
(at the '08 wsop) but he cant take it when
someone gives it to him.
Here's some highlites:
-Zeidman to Hellmuth: "Do you
always complain when you win a pot ?"
-After Hellmuth calls Gordons river bet
with the losing hand, Corey says:
"I think he needs to put more bracelets on"
-Hellmuth says "I just had my own
reality tv show on Fox Sportsnet".
Zeidman retorts "Yeah, that was a gem".
The table erupts with laughter.
-Hellmuth states he's on the 20,000th
peg of a 30,000 peg holdem ladder,
but Zeidman is only on the 4th peg...
"so you dont have a right to ever
talk to me about poker"
-Phil modestly proclaims that he gave
a speach at Oxford University like
"Clinton, Churchill, and those guys"
-Hellmuth doesnt enjoy the needles so
he threatens to ask for protection from
the floorman.
- Phil Gordon takes a shot at Corey
referencing Zeidmans incoherant rant
during the '07 wsop pay-per-veiw.
Corey (high or drunk?) was rambling on
about having a toothache before the
ME, so he went to the dentist office and
was disgusted by what he saw, the
dentists chair had bread crumbs on it.
Corey is most famous for his straight-flush
"slow-roll" of Jen Harman at the 2005 wsop
main event. He'll probably never live that
down even if he lives to be 100. If you watch
the video, I dont think it was intentional,
but that doesnt really matter when you
slow roll the most popular woman in poker.
1/04/2009
Why I dont play at Casino Niagara much
Its been a while since I played poker
at Casino Niagara so I made that my
target for Saturday afternoon/evening.
I called ahead when driving by Hamilton
and got my name on the list to minimize
any waiting time when I got there.
I arrived at the poker room before 4pm
and was told that it would be a minimum
One Hour wait, probably longer since there
were about 15 ahead of me on the list.
Considering CN had 8 tables running and
plenty of empty tables, I find this unacceptable.
Not only that, the only games they had
running were $1/2 - $100 max. No $200 max
games being spread any more I guess.
I called over to Seneca and asked how long the
wait was. No wait, immediate seating.
Plus, they had $1/2 100max, 200max,
$2/5, and 2/4, 3/6, and 4/8 limit spread as well.
After a quick drive across the river, (less than
30 minutes later) I was sitting in a game.
The difference between these two casino's ?
Seneca can/will open up a new table when
demand dictates because they schedule an
adequate number of dealers. Casino Niagara
is happy to turn people away or make them
wait, hoping they will drop some money
out on the casino floor.
at Casino Niagara so I made that my
target for Saturday afternoon/evening.
I called ahead when driving by Hamilton
and got my name on the list to minimize
any waiting time when I got there.
I arrived at the poker room before 4pm
and was told that it would be a minimum
One Hour wait, probably longer since there
were about 15 ahead of me on the list.
Considering CN had 8 tables running and
plenty of empty tables, I find this unacceptable.
Not only that, the only games they had
running were $1/2 - $100 max. No $200 max
games being spread any more I guess.
I called over to Seneca and asked how long the
wait was. No wait, immediate seating.
Plus, they had $1/2 100max, 200max,
$2/5, and 2/4, 3/6, and 4/8 limit spread as well.
After a quick drive across the river, (less than
30 minutes later) I was sitting in a game.
The difference between these two casino's ?
Seneca can/will open up a new table when
demand dictates because they schedule an
adequate number of dealers. Casino Niagara
is happy to turn people away or make them
wait, hoping they will drop some money
out on the casino floor.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
