Some time to unwind.

This week has been absolutely messed up.  I get a cyst on my right underarm.  And quite frankly, it took the better part of a week to go away.  Which, I'm glad to know that it's gone.

Unfortunately, now I'm getting cold decked like you wouldn't believe.  And, naturally, it's eating away at my conscience.

After Thursday, I pretty much became so depressed that I just slept all day.  Friday however, I plugged in some video games.

I had been doing this a lot this week though.  Just not as much as this weekend so far.

Last week, my friend rented Final Fantasy VII: Dirge of Cerberus, and I played that a little.. Wow, this game is good/frustrating.  It's pathetic when I can't beat the second stage.  But then I've never been tops at Metal Gear Solid-ish games.

Friday, I figured what the heck, and put in Kingdom Hearts.  I hadn't played this game in 3 years.  I had a save point where I was at the final boss, but couldn't beat him and got frustrated.  Someone wound up deleting it (Probably me, since I borrowed the game from Bobo, my cousin).  Well, one of my friends just beat it, so I borrowed his save point for this.  He wound up not completing everything.  While he was at school, I found all the Dalmations, closed the keyhole in the Pooh book, and wound up beating the Ice Titan.  After he got home, I beat the game.  Then we got to bask in the excellence that is the secret movie ending.  Ahhhhhhhhh...foreshadowing.

He had also just bought Kingdom Hearts 2, and started playing it after I beat Kingdom Hearts.  He had a week or so head start on the game.  I wound up going upstairs and going to bed at this point, I was so tired.  I later find out he was just partially through Land of the Dragons (Third world of the game...mmmmm...Mulan...wait...um...what?)

I woke up about 6 am, and couldn't get back to bed, so I came downstairs and started plugging away at it.  By 5:30 pm when I went to eat dinner, here's what I got done (In order):

Twilight Town
Hollow Bastion
Land of the Dragons
The Beast's Castle
First part of the Hundred Acre Woods
Olympus Coliseum
Mickey's Castle
Timeless River
First Tournament at the Coliseum
1st part of Atlantica
Half of Port Royal

It seriously has been forever since I've really sat down to play video games.  I've neglected them so much for poker/Raw Deal/music.  I've really missed this.  And do I still own?  Yes, yes, I think I do.

Probably quite a bit of this for the next week.  Dunno what I'll be delving into next once I beat Kingdom Hearts 2.  I could always finally beat Final Fantasy X.  Then I could have my mom mail up Final Fantasy X-2 so I can beat it...maybe.  There's always the addictive factor of Intelligent Qube.  I've always wanted to play Parasite Eve, though, and it's at my disposal.  Plus, we just got Final Fantasy Anthology.

God, I got a lot of catching up to do.

But now, I'm wiped.  I'll try to stay up another 30 minutes and then go to bed.

This HAD to be a joke, right?

People who have played Razz will definitely understand how incredibly retarded this whole thing is.

Full Tilt Poker Game #912502995: Table Danville - $0.50/$1 Ante $0.10 - Limit Razz - 3:51:16 ET - 2006/08/19

Seat 1: Peter Alba ($17.30)

Seat 3: FoolCaller ($56.25)

Seat 4: Theyosienicenes ($20.60)

Seat 5: mml05 ($10.45)

Seat 6: MisterGMB ($57.20)

Seat 7: holla buck ($14.80)

Seat 8: jjok ($24.75)

mml05 antes $0.10

Peter Alba antes $0.10

holla buck antes $0.10

MisterGMB antes $0.10

Theyosienicenes antes $0.10

FoolCaller antes $0.10

jjok antes $0.10

*** 3RD STREET ***

Dealt to Peter Alba [As]

Dealt to FoolCaller [Ac]

Dealt to Theyosienicenes [3s]

Dealt to mml05 [8d]

Dealt to MisterGMB [Jh]

Dealt to holla buck [8c]

Dealt to jjok [Jd]

MisterGMB is high with [Jh]

MisterGMB brings in for $0.15

holla buck folds

jjok folds

Peter Alba calls $0.15

FoolCaller folds

Theyosienicenes completes it to $0.50

mml05 folds

MisterGMB folds

Peter Alba calls $0.35

*** 4TH STREET ***

Dealt to Peter Alba [As] [4h]

Dealt to Theyosienicenes [3s] [8h]

Peter Alba checks

Theyosienicenes bets $0.50

Peter Alba raises to $1

Theyosienicenes calls $0.50

HangukMiguk sits down

*** 5TH STREET ***

Dealt to Peter Alba [As 4h] [2h]

Dealt to Theyosienicenes [3s 8h] [6h]

Peter Alba bets $1

Theyosienicenes calls $1

*** 6TH STREET ***

Dealt to Peter Alba [As 4h 2h] [4s]

Dealt to Theyosienicenes [3s 8h 6h] [5d]

Theyosienicenes bets $1

HangukMiguk adds $30

Peter Alba raises to $2

Theyosienicenes calls $1

*** 7TH STREET ***

Theyosienicenes checks

Peter Alba bets $1

Theyosienicenes has 15 seconds left to act

Theyosienicenes: lol....got 3 pair here

Theyosienicenes calls $1

*** SHOW DOWN ***

Peter Alba shows [Tc 9s As 4h 2h 4s 2d] (T,9,4,2,A)

Theyosienicenes shows [6c 5c 3s 8h 6h 5d 3h] (a pair of Threes)

Peter Alba wins the pot ($11.35) with T,9,4,2,A





AFTER THE HAND:



Theyosienicenes: had you the whole wqay too

Peter Alba: why did you call?

Theyosienicenes: at that point....getting

11-1....had too

HangukMiguk: with a pair?

Peter Alba: with 3 pair?

Dealer: Theyosienicenes has 15 seconds left to act

Theyosienicenes: 11-1...if he didn't have a pair

showing

Peter Alba: you will never be right

HangukMiguk: with you having a pair?

Dealer: FoolCaller has 15 seconds left to act

FoolCaller: idiot

Theyosienicenes: 11-1

MisterGMB: pair will never win this game

HangukMiguk: you're going to call when he

doesn't show a pair and you have three pair?????

Theyosienicenes: no.....but if he is....and i'm that

pot commited....how do you not for $1?

MisterGMB: the only way you could have won is if

he had a higher 3 pair than you

Theyosienicenes: I understand..........but a pair

showing....and 11-1 for $1......if this was the 5-10

game, of coarse not

MisterGMB: odds are odds and it was a bad call

Theyosienicenes: for a $1.....i totally disagree

MisterGMB: the amount doesnt matter

Theyosienicenes: again.....I disagree

MisterGMB: the odds dont change

Theyosienicenes: also, I had him beat the whole

way down, it cost m $1 to prove it

MisterGMB: lol, ok

Theyosienicenes: not a big deal to call

Theyosienicenes: if I could show my laydown on

this site.....maybe I don't

Peter Alba: here is why it was a bad call

Theyosienicenes: but I doubt it

Peter Alba: because you had 2 pair

Peter Alba: i coulda had 2 pair

MisterGMB: he had 3 pair

Peter Alba: and still had 5 non paired cards

MisterGMB: true

Theyosienicenes: my 2 pair was 2-3-6-8.....I'll take

my chances on the river against 9 high

Peter Alba: or have 1 pair and 3 non paired cards

MisterGMB: the odds of both of you having 3 pair

is very high

Peter Alba: the thing is that no matter what my 2

pair is i win

Peter Alba: i would have to have 3 pair or a

fullhouse

Peter Alba: for you to win

Peter Alba: i coulda had aces up but my other

cards woulda been my low hand

Theyosienicenes: not true....if I get a A,4,5,7 on

the river.....I win....thats alot of outs

Peter Alba: ya on the iiver

Peter Alba: you called with 3 pair you could only

beat 3 pair or a fullhouse

Peter Alba: you couldnt win just so you know

Peter Alba: unless all of my hole cards were the

same

Theyosienicenes: ok....I'm done explaining my

point....your right

MisterGMB: lol

Theyosienicenes: I'll take my small profits with my

point and boogie......ty

 

A tough razz hand.

9 players left in the tournament tonight, 1 away from the final table.  Everyone has tightened up, so stealing the antes are very easy right now.  Here's what happens:

FullTiltPoker Game #909175690: $10 + $1 Tournament (5922280), Table 6 - 800/1600 Ante 150 - Limit Razz - 4:05:11 ET - 2006/08/18

Seat 1: Dodson10 (23,586)

Seat 3: HangukMiguk (9,216)

Seat 4: Corona_J1428 (7,261)

Seat 5: Dibboll (18,049)

Dodson10 antes 150

HangukMiguk antes 150

Corona_J1428 antes 150

Dibboll antes 150

*** 3RD STREET ***

Dealt to Dodson10 [5d]

Dealt to HangukMiguk [5h 2h] [5s]

Dealt to Corona_J1428 [5c]

Dealt to Dibboll [9h]

Dibboll is high with [9h]

Dibboll brings in for 250

Dodson10 folds

HangukMiguk completes it to 800

Corona_J1428 folds

Dibboll calls 550

*** 4TH STREET ***

Dealt to HangukMiguk [5h 2h 5s] [4s]

Dealt to Dibboll [9h] [2c]

HangukMiguk bets 800

Dibboll calls 800

*** 5TH STREET ***

Dealt to HangukMiguk [5h 2h 5s 4s] [Ks]

Dealt to Dibboll [9h 2c] [9d]

HangukMiguk bets 1,600

Dibboll raises to 3,200

HangukMiguk calls 1,600

*** 6TH STREET ***

Dealt to HangukMiguk [5h 2h 5s 4s Ks] [Ad]

Dealt to Dibboll [9h 2c 9d] [Qs]

HangukMiguk bets 1,600

Dibboll calls 1,600

*** 7TH STREET ***

Dealt to HangukMiguk [5h 2h 5s 4s Ks Ad] [Js]

HangukMiguk bets 1,600

Dibboll calls 1,600

*** SHOW DOWN ***

HangukMiguk shows [Js 5h 5s 4s Ks Ad 2h] (J,5,4,2,A)

Dibboll shows [Tc 4c 9h 2c 9d Qs 3d] (T,9,4,3,2)

Dibboll wins the pot (16,600) with T,9,4,3,2

*** SUMMARY ***

Total pot 16,600 | Rake 0

Seat 1: Dodson10 folded on 3rd St.

Seat 3: HangukMiguk showed [Js 5h 5s 4s Ks Ad 2h] and lost with J,5,4,2,A

Seat 4: Corona_J1428 folded on 3rd St.

Seat 5: Dibboll showed [Tc 4c 9h 2c 9d Qs 3d] and won (16,600) with T,9,4,3,2

After this hand, I was so pissed.  This guy played this hand so badly, married himself to a pathetic hand, and won with it.  However, after rewatching this hand about 1,000 times in PokerTracker, I realize that I myself made a key mistake that possibly cost me this hand.  Let's break this down, street by street.

3rd Street: Action folds to me, and I hold a very margainal holding.  Now, usually, I'll fold hands like this.  However, we are four-handed, with one more elimination until the final table and a pay increase.  The players have been playing passive, so I complete.  Corona had been folding to my completions all night.  On top of that, That makes for three fives out of the deck.  It's going to be tough for me to pair up.  I also don't count 9's as outs on 3rd street, which has served me well.  Unfortunately, I get a caller in Dibboll.  IF I had folded this, though, Corona completes, and finds himself in this situation instead of me.  So in a way, playing this is a mistake, but a minor one, and one I wouldn't take back, as it is proper play in a situation like this.

4th Street: The bet is fine.  If I check here, that says, "Hey, I have a hidden pair, feel free to take this pot."  With a four there, that's scary to him.  I figured he would call here though to see 5th to see if he improves his hand, but would brick and fold.  But if I check, I relinquish control of the hand, and am forced to fold when he bets.

5th Street: I brick (boo), but he pairs up (YAY).  I can now fire out, and possibly take out this pot.  The raise threw me for a loop though.  HUGE MISTAKE ON HIS PART.  I honestly have no clue if he was even thinking, or if that was a birth defect on his part.  Regardless, here's where my key mistake is.  I called the raise.

The question is: Do I re-raise or fold?  Folding keeps me with chips in hopes of making the final table.  Depending on the next couple hands, I could rebuild to a median stack.

However, I'm not there to make the final table, I'm there to win.  Raising sends the signal that I am drawing to beat 9-high even if he makes it.  Now, looking at my cards, you know I'm not.  But he doesn't know that.  And calling here lets him know that I don't have much, so he can now call me down with margainal holdings.

6th Street: The bet is fine, but given the current scenario, he may decide I don't have a draw better than a 9 to win, so he can call to see if he hits lightning.  By re-raising 5th street, I would have sent the signal that my hand is not to be messed with, so when that ace comes, he'll think I hit a monster and fold (most likely, not always the case against some idiot players).  Luckily, I did have a draw to beat a nine, just hoping to catch it.

7th: BRICK!  I have to fire one more bet out to try to scoop this.  Unfortunatly, he only semi-bricks.  At this point, he's priced into calling with T9.  I've been in that situation before where I'm priced in with hands like those and pull pots against bluffs.  It just sucks to be that person caught, and even worse, be completely crippled to boot.

So, this was a rough pot to lose, but I do feel if I make that 3rd bet on 5th street, I pull this pot down.

Reason why I hate Poker.com

This is only the third hand I play in the AJPoker game, second flop seen, first showdown:

HangukMiguk Posted Small Blind 15
BobDiNiro Posted Big Blind 30
Dealing Cards
You Were Dealt (Kh, Ks)
JDean0012 Folds
CYCOMAN Folds
joco66 Folds
jonboy765 Folds
dcfitz420 Calls 30
DNegreanu All In for 600
MauBon Folds
FloppedSet Folds
HangukMiguk All In for 935
BobDiNiro All In for 2,860
dcfitz420 Folds
-------------------------------------------------
DNegreanu has (8h, Ad)
HangukMiguk has (Kh, Ks)
BobDiNiro has (Kd, Kc)
-------------------------------------------------
Dealing Flop (9c,Ah,2s)
-------------------------------------------------
Dealing Turn (7s)
-------------------------------------------------
Dealing River (6c)
-------------------------------------------------
1,940 Returned to BobDiNiro from pot 3
-------------------------------------------------
BobDiNiro Wins 350 from pot 2 with : Pair of Kings
-------------------------------------------------
HangukMiguk Wins 350 from pot 2 with : Pair of Kings
-------------------------------------------------
DNegreanu Wins 1,830 from pot 1 with : Pair of Aces


Right after that, I had to commit my stack with a margainal Ace, got called by Ace King.

I may never win an AJPoker game.

AJPoker league 7

23 cashes
9 final tables
0 wins
And it's time AJPoker's 7th League. I'm tired of losing these. I'm ready to finally stand on top of this field.

That's right, I'm calling my shot. I will win this AJPoker tournament. The rest of you can just give up. This one's mine.

The blackest day in poker has arrived...

Mark this day black on your calendars: Poker has been destroyed.

I thought things were bad when Robert Varkonyi won the Main Event. And that was definitely bad. I looked on in disgust, and was screaming at my TV when Danny Nguyen donked his way to a WPT Title.

Never in my wildest dreams did I think I would see what I saw today. The most undeserving, most despicable being in poker wins the World Championship. And not only wins it, but wins it almost uncontested due to the fact that only one player at the table saw him for the donkey he truly was, and couldn't do anything about it because he got cold-decked the entire Final Table.

Before this Final Table started, I predicted that Jamie Gold would finish no higher than 6th place. I watched in horror as 2nd place at the time took pocket jacks against him when he wakes up with pocket queens to finish in 6th.

He now had 60% of the chips, and there was no possibility that anyone could catch up. Everyone, save consummate pro Allen Cunningham, layed down to him.

Once Cunningham busted at a perfect 50-50 race situation with his pocket tens against Gold's King Jack suited (where Gold CLAIMED he was getting the right pot odds to call, or so he said, 2-1, when he was in truth, getting 1.3-1, making a bad call to spike his miracle card), I almost resigned to the fate. But I still held out a glimmer of hope that one of his remaining two opponents would stand up and fight. Neither one of them did.

Both of them layed down to him. They soft played him as if they were paid off to do so. Jamie Gold even made a major no-no, and major infraction about 20 times during play, which should've resulted in a penalty: He TOLD his opponents his hands! He even exposed his cards to his opponent once, which is an automatic 10 minute penalty! Did he get that penalty? No!

How Phil Gordon and Ali Nejad could say his play was extraordinary is beyond me. That just makes me sick. What little respect I had for Phil Gordon is now gone. And Ali Nejad...well, is there any way someone could drop into negative respect levels?

Now, of course, this was only the Pay-Per-View version ($26 and 15 hours I will never get back). When this airs on ESPN, he will be absolutely glorified as the ultimate human interest story. You'll hear all about how he was playing for his father at home dying with Lou Gherig's disease. You'll see his teary-eyed phone call home after the bracelet's put on his wrist (a sheer mockery to the sport of poker). You'll hear almost every pot he enters, how he played this hand brilliantly and that hand brilliantly. You'll hear how he was Johnny Chan's protege, and how he's being "groomed for poker greatness."

What you will NOT hear about is the angle he shot through the media by claiming he didn't want to win and that he was going to dump his chips, which, as we can see now, is utter garbage. What you will NOT hear about is how his mother, who accompanied him instead of staying with her dying husband, was an absolute witch who downed on the busted players. What you will NOT hear about is how when he busted David Einhorn (who donated all of his tournament winnings in the Main Event to charity), he went over to his mom, and they both mentioned how "all the charity money is gone" and then had a nice little chuckle about it. I seriously don't know whether to feel sorry for this guy, or feel sorry for this guy while I mail my feces to him.

This donkey is a disgrace to poker. A total disgrace. Granted, almost everybody at the final table, save Douglas Kim, Erik Friberg, and Allen Cunningham, was a donkey, but if we're guaranteed to be represented for a year by a donkey, I'd rather have one with a soul. This guy truly doesn't have one. Every time he was on camera, he was running another angle. This guy would not shut up at all. It got to the point where he would run his mouth enough that it became blatantly obvious what cards he held. Why? Because he flat out told us, without being penalized! And what's worse is that no one, save Allen Cunningham, believed him.

And I have to say that this guy represents me as the ambassador of poker until 2007? I refuse to accept that. I don't care whose protege he is. Chan, in spots Gold was in, would've played differently, and the only reasons I can produce as to why Johnny was ecstatic in Jamie Gold's donkey plays working is A) he was backing him, B) he was happy to see his student winning C) both A and B. So don't give me the fact that he's Chan's pupil. Chan would've been asked if he switched brains with a retard if he played like Jamie Gold did these two weeks.

I'm a poker player. I have been playing poker since I was 6 years old. I love this game. I know this game well, and I play well. And I respect the masters of the game, and I have respected the past two champions, Greg Raymer and Joseph Hachem, and great ambassadors of the game. They've proven that.

This guy will never prove that. I guarantee you that. And I will refuse to accept him as my ambassador this year. Give me Joe Bartholdi, Season 4 Champion of the World Poker Tour. Give me Jeff Madsen, youngest 2-time bracelet winner ever (younger than me). Give me Bill Chen, apparently a great mathemetician and logical poker player, and one of two double bracelet winners this year. Give me Chip Reese, the 50K HORSE winner. Give me Doyle Brunson, who at 73, still proves he can play his top game. For the love of God, give me Phil Hellmuth, who may be a prick at the table, but never surrendered this year, finally got his 10th braclet, and appears to have clinched the Player of the Year for this WSOP. Don't give me Jamie Gold. All TV viewing donkeys at home can have him. I'll take a real champion. This guy is a fluke, and a joke. He will always be a joke in the poker world.

Now, please excuse me. I'm going to go vomit, and pray that after I wake up from my sleep today, that this was all a bad nightmare, and Allen Cunningham really did win the Main Event.

WOW

I seriously have never had a week in poker quite like this.

So everyone's now seen my big takedown in the Razz freeroll.  The very next Saturday, 
there's a forum Challenge Freeroll on Stars.  NLHE, great, been running bad in it.

But who cares?  I get myself psyched up, and ready to play.

Wound up making some incredible plays, and getting incredibly lucky too, and finished 
38th out of 2047 players.  Only scored for the tune of $8.75, but oh well.  Once again, I 
go incredibly deep in a big field.

But it doesn't stop there.

Tonight, I entered the $10+1 Razz tournament on Full Tilt.  61 players, and I'm VERY 
confident in this one.

Once again, played all different sized stacks well, and well, take a look for yourself:

 

That's right!  I scored for $200!  Biggest cash I've ever made in a tourney!

Oh yeah, I'm on fire.

Just when I was giving up faith in myself...

I have been having a shoddy time in Poker. I've been playing good, yet I've been seeing the pot go the opposite way. Seriously, I play the hand right, some dude gets lucky and takes the pot. Bubbling Sit-N-Go's, and just grinding my wheels in Multi Table Tourneys.

Every AJPoker tournament I enter, I can't do nothing, and when I do, it's never that long-awaited win I've been looking for.

So I took it down a step and starting playing some more Freerolls. No better way to beat variance. Maybe there is, but whatever.

All this week, I've played the HORSE Tournament on Bugsy's Club, which is one of the best structures ever. And I have done SO WELL in them. All except I get to the top 10% of the field, and bust before the money.

And yeah, the same thing happened tonight. So I join the Full Tilt No Limit Hold'em Freeroll (900 enter, 18) pay. On a break, I register for the Razz freeroll (Since Razz is my absolute best game period). I bust 47th in NLHE, and am grinding my wheels (again in Razz).

So once again, this leaves me with this last chance tonight.

And then, while still playing almost flawless, things start turning my way. Then, we get 8 away from the money (764 enter, 18 still pay). And once again, things turn sour.

I sit on my chips up until 4 left till the bubble, and then start making calculated steals and moves. And then the bubble bursts, and I come out swinging.

And it starts working. Then I falter, but I pick myself right back up.

And then I'm at the final table. And well, this image will speak for itself (once again, click the image below for the bigger image):



I WON! I WON THE WHOLE THING! Unbelievable! I have NEVER done this well in 300+ fields. Now, I have done it. And now, finally, I know I can do it. This is a huge burden off my shoulders.

That was 5 hours of grueling poker well worth it (even if the cash was small).

Cyber Pwnage

When you play poker, and post on poker forums, one of the things you will run into is people IM'ing you asking for stakes. This has been a growing trend on FCP recently. And most of these people are just random lurkers who have never posted and are just desperate for money to continue playing a losing game of poker, and beg the winners for money. Usually, the amount is only $5.

I, however, was entertained by one of the more desperate ones. And thus, I can now entertain you.

This is his story:

(3:49:48 AM) hooplehead1876: Hey, it's me from the poker forum. Is there any way you could stake me a couple of hundies? I'm a great player.
(3:50:18 AM) oN3 40 se7en: which poker forum do you belong to?
(3:50:24 AM) hooplehead1876: FCP
(3:50:32 AM) oN3 40 se7en: cool, cool
(3:50:37 AM) oN3 40 se7en: what's your name on there?
(3:50:51 AM) hooplehead1876: I'm just a lurker.
(3:51:31 AM) oN3 40 se7en: oh ok
(3:51:50 AM) oN3 40 se7en: well, that might be possible
(3:52:01 AM) hooplehead1876: So, like two hundy?
(3:52:16 AM) oN3 40 se7en: perhaps
(3:52:35 AM) oN3 40 se7en: let's just make sure you're ready for such a huge responsibility
(3:52:45 AM) oN3 40 se7en: don't worry, i'm pretty lenient, so i'm sure it'll be no sweat
(3:52:55 AM) oN3 40 se7en: but just gotta do this for a mere technicality
(3:53:03 AM) hooplehead1876: cool, cool
(3:53:16 AM) oN3 40 se7en: where do you play?
(3:53:30 AM) hooplehead1876: Stars, Pacific.
(3:53:54 AM) oN3 40 se7en: don't have money on either of them...but stars isn't too hard to get money on to
(3:54:00 AM) oN3 40 se7en: what stakes do you play?
(3:54:15 AM) hooplehead1876: Anything, man.
(3:54:27 AM) hooplehead1876: I've played as high as $40/80
(3:54:45 AM) hooplehead1876: I need this money soon to pat off a debt. Can we hurry?
(3:54:51 AM) oN3 40 se7en: yeah yeah, sorry man
(3:54:57 AM) oN3 40 se7en: just gotta make sure you're ready
(3:55:03 AM) oN3 40 se7en: what games do you play?
(3:55:08 AM) hooplehead1876: I was born readdy
(3:55:29 AM) hooplehead1876: No limit holdem. The only man's game left!
(3:55:36 AM) oN3 40 se7en: nice
(3:55:44 AM) oN3 40 se7en: now that i know the basics
(3:55:50 AM) oN3 40 se7en: time to get down to the nitty gritty
(3:55:56 AM) oN3 40 se7en: what does UTG mean?
(3:56:19 AM) hooplehead1876: under the giraff?
(3:56:28 AM) oN3 40 se7en: you've learned padowon
(3:56:32 AM) oN3 40 se7en: BB?
(3:56:41 AM) hooplehead1876: big betty?
(3:56:47 AM) oN3 40 se7en: i'm proud
(3:56:56 AM) oN3 40 se7en: would you ever have sex with an octopus?
(3:57:28 AM) hooplehead1876: Why would you need to know that?
(3:57:39 AM) oN3 40 se7en: just answer it...your stake rides on it
(3:57:45 AM) hooplehead1876: No
(3:57:54 AM) oN3 40 se7en: you wouldn't have sex with eight women?
(3:58:01 AM) oN3 40 se7en: are you light in the trousers?
(3:58:22 AM) hooplehead1876: Naw, man. this is bullshit.
(3:58:30 AM) oN3 40 se7en: sorry sorry
(3:58:37 AM) oN3 40 se7en: we can ignore that question
(3:58:44 AM) oN3 40 se7en: since you didn't understand the context
(3:59:18 AM) oN3 40 se7en: new question:
(4:00:28 AM) oN3 40 se7en: this is the first hand of the WSOP main event. Only there's a new rule this year: first one out gets a lap dance from the thunder from down under all-male revue. Everyone moves all-in in front of you, and you are dealt AA in Big Betty. Do you call?
(4:00:48 AM) hooplehead1876: No
(4:00:54 AM) oN3 40 se7en: WRONGO
(4:01:02 AM) oN3 40 se7en: you call and accept the strippers as consolation
(4:01:15 AM) hooplehead1876: I've heard from experts that you should fold 'em
(4:01:35 AM) oN3 40 se7en: cmon man...free strippers don't come along every day
(4:01:42 AM) oN3 40 se7en: think man, think!
(4:01:48 AM) hooplehead1876: I'm not gay, dude.
(4:01:58 AM) oN3 40 se7en: well, you wouldn't have sex with an octopus
(4:02:02 AM) oN3 40 se7en: i'm sorry
(4:02:04 AM) oN3 40 se7en: let's continue
(4:03:20 AM) oN3 40 se7en: trust me, this will all make sense in the end, when you are rolling in the hundos
(4:03:32 AM) hooplehead1876: Okay.
(4:04:41 AM) hooplehead1876: I'm going to be honest-- you'll likely never hear from me again.
(4:04:51 AM) oN3 40 se7en: i know
(4:04:53 AM) hooplehead1876: But it's good to help someone out
(4:04:57 AM) oN3 40 se7en: i stake people lots
(4:05:02 AM) oN3 40 se7en: they never call, they never write
(4:05:05 AM) oN3 40 se7en: it's the way life goes

*Silence for 10 minutes*

(4:15:40 AM) hooplehead1876: kay
(4:16:20 AM) oN3 40 se7en: but if you were to ever have sex with kathy liebert, would you call her?
(4:16:38 AM) hooplehead1876: Yeah?
(4:16:47 AM) oN3 40 se7en: WRONG!
(4:16:51 AM) oN3 40 se7en: she doesn't own a phone
(4:17:21 AM) hooplehead1876: What? Dude, I don't know if you're trying to be funny or not.
(4:17:30 AM) oN3 40 se7en: actually i was
(4:17:33 AM) oN3 40 se7en: did it work?
(4:17:40 AM) hooplehead1876: Yeah. LMAO
(4:17:43 AM) oN3 40 se7en: good
(4:17:52 AM) hooplehead1876: Are you going to stake me or what?
(4:17:54 AM) oN3 40 se7en: just some humor to lighten up this whole situation you're in
(4:17:59 AM) oN3 40 se7en: just a sec, just a sec
(4:19:19 AM) oN3 40 se7en: who would win in a fist fight, and why? Mike Jones, or Matt Damon?
(4:20:09 AM) hooplehead1876: Mike Jones. Because he's from the streets. Is this relivant, or are you just fucking with me?
(4:20:32 AM) oN3 40 se7en: this is a test to tell what kind of character you have
(4:20:32 AM) hooplehead1876: Are you just wasting my time. I told you I was good
(4:20:54 AM) oN3 40 se7en: you're actually wrong, chuck norris would kick both their butts while eating a banana split
(4:20:57 AM) oN3 40 se7en: but that's beside the point
(4:21:22 AM) hooplehead1876: HOW THE HELL COULD I GUESS THIS SHIT?
(4:21:28 AM) hooplehead1876: Fuck off!
(4:21:31 AM) oN3 40 se7en: dude
(4:21:32 AM) oN3 40 se7en: chill
(4:21:39 AM) oN3 40 se7en: I was just stating my opinion
(4:21:49 AM) oN3 40 se7en: do you want the stake or not?
(4:23:27 AM) hooplehead1876: You're just fucking with me. My pokerstars name is the same as my AOL name. If you want to make money, stake me. If you just think you're a comedian, fuck off.
(4:23:32 AM) oN3 40 se7en: seriously dude, every one of my stakees had to take this line of questioning
(4:23:37 AM) oN3 40 se7en: and none of them complained
(4:23:47 AM) oN3 40 se7en: i'm starting to think you're just yanking my crank
(4:23:58 AM) hooplehead1876: I am?
(4:24:09 AM) hooplehead1876: You're stupid!
(4:24:37 AM) oN3 40 se7en: I'm not asking for the stake, am I?
(4:24:56 AM) oN3 40 se7en: be respectful to me, since i still hold your money in my neteller account
(4:25:30 AM) hooplehead1876: I just pray you need my help with a stake someday. Are we doing this or what?
(4:25:38 AM) oN3 40 se7en: just two more questions
(4:25:45 AM) hooplehead1876: Promise?
(4:25:50 AM) oN3 40 se7en: promise
(4:26:09 AM) oN3 40 se7en: fill in the blanks: my favorite hand is _____________________ because ______________________________________.
(4:26:21 AM) hooplehead1876: AA
(4:26:37 AM) hooplehead1876: Because it's a favorite over anything
(4:27:11 AM) hooplehead1876: I also like 75, because no one sees it coming, lol
(4:27:29 AM) oN3 40 se7en: lol
(4:28:06 AM) oN3 40 se7en: fill in this last statement
(4:28:10 AM) oN3 40 se7en: and the stake is yours
(4:28:49 AM) oN3 40 se7en: I think Sam Grizzle is sexy because __________________________________________, but I think Robert Varkonyi is sexier because ______________________________________.
(4:29:32 AM) hooplehead1876: If I answer, will you stop this **** and stake me?
(4:29:39 AM) oN3 40 se7en: yes, now DO IT KNAVE!
(4:29:55 AM) hooplehead1876: Who are these peole?
(4:29:58 AM) hooplehead1876: people
(4:30:06 AM) oN3 40 se7en: you don't know who Sam Grizzle is?!
(4:30:22 AM) oN3 40 se7en: FORGET VARKONYI!!!!!!!!!!!!! YOU DON'T KNOW WHO SAM GRIZZLE IS?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!
(4:30:51 AM) hooplehead1876: Is he that guy who beat the shit out of Phil Hullmuth?
(4:30:55 AM) hooplehead1876: Hellmuth
(4:30:57 AM) oN3 40 se7en: THANK GOD
(4:31:08 AM) oN3 40 se7en: i thought i wasn't going to get to stake you
(4:32:05 AM) hooplehead1876: I guess Sam is sexy because he's tough, but Robert is because he's rich
(4:32:19 AM) oN3 40 se7en: you have succeeded
(4:32:23 AM) hooplehead1876: Stake me now?
(4:32:32 AM) oN3 40 se7en: but before we get started
(4:32:38 AM) oN3 40 se7en: do you know the nickname for K3?
(4:32:55 AM) hooplehead1876: No
(4:33:02 AM) hooplehead1876: What the hell?
(4:33:11 AM) oN3 40 se7en: and you've been lurking on FCP for how long?
(4:33:15 AM) hooplehead1876: Are you staking me or what?
(4:33:25 AM) oN3 40 se7en: sure sure
(4:33:27 AM) oN3 40 se7en: just wondering
(4:33:33 AM) hooplehead1876: A few months
(4:33:36 AM) oN3 40 se7en: oh ok
(4:33:40 AM) oN3 40 se7en: that explains it all
(4:33:49 AM) oN3 40 se7en: here goes, the all-magical stake begins
(4:33:55 AM) oN3 40 se7en: I put on my wizard robe and hat
(4:34:05 AM) oN3 40 se7en: I cast level 200 Stake on PokerStars
(4:34:07 AM) oN3 40 se7en: and I'm spent
(4:34:08 AM) hooplehead1876: FUCK YOU!
(4:34:10 AM) oN3 40 se7en: good night sir
(4:34:14 AM) oN3 40 se7en: what?
(4:34:17 AM) oN3 40 se7en: i staked you
(4:34:48 AM) hooplehead1876: I hope you catch AIDS from all those little african kids you fuck
(4:35:01 AM) oN3 40 se7en: have fun in zimbabwe
(4:35:21 AM) oN3 40 se7en: douche

Blogger Championship 2

I have registered to play in the PokerStars World Blogger Championship of Online Poker!

This Online Poker Tournament is a No Limit Texas Holdem event exclusive to Bloggers.

Registration code: 8893921

I give up...

I don't believe in love anymore. I just don't. There is no reason to. I feel cold, and hurt, and am just tired. I give up. I don't want love anymore.

Fuck love.

Great...Writer's Cramp

It has seriously been forever since my wrist hurt this bad. Get those thoughts out of your heads. You know who you are.

Yesterday, I had a bright idea of writing a new poker article. I hadn't written once since around July. And I figured it's about time I start sharing some stuff I know with my fellow players.

I decided to do an in-and-out examination of Razz strategy. Ideas quickly began flowing through my head, and I decided it was time to put those thoughts down.

I stopped on my way to work at Target, and bought a 100-page composition notebook and two pens. I did this because I didn't have anything to write with on me. I began writing, thinking I would be done shortly.

Tonight, at midnight, I finally finished, and wound up using almost 1/5 of the notebook.

My hand hurts so bad, it's hard to type. But I wound up analyzing proper strategy from 3rd street straight down to showdown, and tried to encompass almost every possible situation one could face.

Now, just because I finished writing the article, doesn't mean I am finished with it. I still need to reread everything. If there are more situations to write about, I need to write about them. Then, of course, comes typing this sucker out. And then submitting it for publication on AJPoker.com.

Hopefully, this will get published. They have no idea how hard I worked on this, and how much writing this made my brain hurt.

But yeah, I think I just wrote a pretty definitive article here. And I seriously hope it goes over well.

A shred of light in a dark place can make all the difference...

I woke up resenting my job. Simply put, I hated it. This job has made me retched. Simply put, when you put yourself in a position where your patience is tested every 10 minutes, you start to realize what kind of person you really are deep down inside.

And I was horrible. I've spent so much time muting customers, call them douchebags and every other name in the book, and punching my cubicle and monitor, and giving my monitor the finger, that you would think that I had Tourette's.

I wanted to quit, but know I can't. I can't afford not to have this job right now. So I stay, and be the retched person I am.

Or maybe not?

Today, I come in, expecting another day of the normal idiots and me complaining behind their backs. What I got instead was not expected.

And it started with the worst call I have ever got.

Verizon has just adopted a new policy where e-mail address passwords cannot be abc123 or 123abc. Otherwise, the customer's e-mail is shut down. This is to protect them from spammers using their e-mail to send out spam and viruses. Some guy didn't see it this way, as I got a call from him saying he received an e-mail about e-mail abuse.

I kindly ask him to change his password from abc123 because it was a security risk. He, in turn tells me, "It's is own d*** security risk, so why the f*** should we care?"

I finally convinced him to at least create a sub-account with a new password, and he obliges me. Once we get that set up, and he starts using that e-mail address, he then starts prodding about why the original account was a security risk. I explain the whole security alert, and he then becomes irate that he would be accused of spamming because spammers could easily hack his account and send e-mail address, just because his name was on the account. And then he starts yelling over it again, and telling me how he thinks it should be, and blaming me over this.

Whatever. Finally get him off the call, and I take a break for a breather. I was trembling on this one, because I don't like being yelled at, and quite frankly, my natural reaction is reciprocate what I am experiencing.

And all through my breather, I debated about quitting. I just couldn't figure out how much my nerves would take, and how much longer I could stand it before destroying property, yelling at a customer, or killing someone.

My next 2 calls after my breather were simple transfers. My next call was a bad cell phone connection where the customer decided to call back later.

Then came my next call. A lady just giving it a go trying to set up her DSL by herself when her friend couldn't get it working.

When trying to find out what version of Windows she had, she had to move her plants off the desk to get her keyboard there, so she could type what I needed her to. She then started talking to her cat. Then she starts talking to me about her cat. A Tortoise-shell.

You have my attention. That's the exact breed of my two cats, which mean a lot to me. So we started talking about our cats, and going back and forth while she does this.

And the talk kept going with this lady over the course of the call.

Turns out, she was online, for some reason, it wasn't working earlier, but now, all she had to do was activate her account. Very straightforward, and I was about to cut the call off for the sake of my call time. She felt uncomfortable with the process at this time, and asked me to stay on the line. At that time I justified that by remembering that we almost never get the ActiveX controls on this page to install right, so we might have to do a manual setup.

I'm glad now that I didn't get her off the line.

As we went through the setup, she figures that is was just God's time to set up this DSL. Sounds crazy, but I think she was right. And yeah, I know that goes beyond any technical understanding or reasoning that I could apply to this. But I suddenly believe that.

As we got past the ActiveX controls, which amazingly installed correctly, she got to the point where she was able to set up her username and password. She was comfortable with that. I just gave her one fair warning: that the password must contain a number. Her response: "That's fine. My usual password's a bible verse."

I just felt myself calming down over this.

So I just let her know that I'd let her go, and thanked her for calling Verizon. And she told me, "Thanks for being so personable and patient. And God bless."

I couldn't get her off the call fast enough, as I was just breaking up.

I had to take another break to collect myself and get myself together. But this call was meant for me. Truly. I needed that one.

Every call that's made me bang my head against the wall, made me scream, and made me want to quit just seem meaningless now. Just because someone actually made me feel better while I was working. I had never felt that well after a call. She truly broke open a sense of peace at this job that I really needed. And I'm going to cherish that from here on in.

Maybe now I can start acting more Godly at work. Maybe now I won't feel miserable now.

I can't divulge names of my customers, due to our security policy. But I'll always remember her name. And if she ever reads this (I'm sure she won't, but if she does, she'll know who she is): Thanks. And God bless you.

another bonk

After watching variance rip me a new hole on Full Contact, I've decided to a game I could once play decently: Razz. Thus, it's about time for a deposit to Full Tilt.

It had been a minute or two (more like since November) since I played Razz. And lo, FTP has started running Razz Freerolls nightly. I am so there.

Simply put, the level of play there is simply donkalicious. I watched players at 400/800 fold to a 28 All-In bet in a 3000 pot. RIDICULOUS!

But anyway, 589 entered, 18 cashed. In normal circumstances (like a buy-in event), the payout would've been around 50 cashed. I played pretty solid, and made some great moves.

Unfortunately, the time caught up with me, as I grew more tired and careless, and I finished 54th.

I made the top 10% again. Which is not a bad place to be. It also reminded me that I can play Razz still. It took a level or two to get my feet back under me. It had been forever since I played a Stud-based game period.

But once I got going, I was counting the cards again, and running smart plays on my opponents, and saving myself bets in tricky situations. I only had one incredibly bad beat the entire tournament put on me, which would've been probably avoided had I have bet 5th street like I considered. Unfortunately, 6th street gave my opp. a draw, which she made on 7th to out draw me. I had her the entire way up until 7th.

That was one huge mistake that I'd like to have back, but it wasn't a costly one.

But all-in-all, I feel my comeback to Razz is going to be a lot of fun this time around.

Podcasting n00b

Yeah, this is a reminder of how absolutely dumb I can be.

Everyone on FCP has been raving about CardPlayer's The Circuit. And considering Mike Matusow AND Phil Hellmuth was going to be on tonight, it's a good time to start listening. So I navigated over to CardPlayer, and saw a link saying "Podcast" on their site. As you would too. Naturally, this is what I think I need to get into iTunes. So I click on it, and Firefox says, "This protocol is not assigned to any program."

Ok, I'll just go into Firefox's options and set that up. Not going to happen. There is NO option in Firefox to set this up. So now, I'm modifying the registry to get Firefox to open up that protocol in iTunes. Should work right.

...sometimes I wonder why I love technology.

After the hour spent figuring that out, it still doesn't work. So I'm on my way to calling Apple, except...support is closed. WTF?!?!?!??!?!?!?!?!?! NON-24 HOUR SUPPORT FOR AN INTERNATION COMPANY?!?!?!

Holy jeez. I'm seriously flipping out. Googling like crazy, and I still can't find the answer.

Until I did the following:

1) I opened iTunes
2) I went to iTunes Store
3) I search for The Circuit
4) I subscribed to The Circuit through the iTunes Store for free

Wow, I hate myself. I feel dumb.

Personality test

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Back to shorthanded limit

Ok, so I had pretty much decided two weeks ago to put a deposit down at FullContactPoker. I just wanted to start playing again, with no real goals in mind except for playing my best and learning from my mistakes. Those should've been the goals from the beginning, but at least I learned from that one.

But until my deposit to Neteller cleared (couldn't get them to accept my debit card, and I wasn't paying the fees on InstaCASH), I was playing around with the free money I got on Noble. I started out playing my usual game on the Ongame network (which FCP is a part of), .25/.50 Limit Hold'Em. Only, they don't have the tables I'm used to, so I settled for 6-handed tables. And I couldn't beat it! I couldn't fully understand the reason, but I'm apt to believe that it was the fact that this was a 6-handed table. It could also be variance at those tables, but who knows?

I wound up taking my money, and started playing heads-up SNG's on Noble. I got a pretty decent winrate off of them, but still am breaking almost even on Noble. Which I find hilarious.

Today, my deposit finally cleared, so I made my deposit of $50 on FCP, and went back to what is the norm for me: $.25/$.50 3-handed LHE. I so love the create table feature on the site. It's what sets them apart from other networks.

But even still, after my experience on Noble, I was kind of worried that I'd let my game sit enough that I was slipping, and should move down to .15/.30. I stood firm, and just before I sat in at my table, prayed that my game would still be where it was in January when I was regularly killing these tables.

And my prayer was answered. I only played one hour, I'm no longer conditioned to handle longer sessions yet. But in that hour, my account (that had 0.78 left in it after a hidden fiasco I had in February playing with Negreanu in a Pot Limit Omaha SNG w/rebuys) had moved to a total of $71.18 in it. So in one hour, I had made a profit of $20.40 altogether. And once again, was just absolutely killing the game, and (if my memory serves correctly) only one person left with a profit on the table other than myself, and that person nitted after turning quad sevens to double up.

My reads are getting back on track. Of course there were several misreads on my part, but I was not at all upset with how my reads were going. I was 60% locked in on one opponent, who was there for most of my session. I had it pretty much down to an art when he was bluffing the pots to pick up on it and take down the pot.

All-in-all, I'm very happy with this. And very happy to be back playing my a-game.

Attention: Indianapolis

*steps up to the podium*

STOP WHINING ABOUT DAYLIGHT SAVINGS TIME!

Seriously. This has been the topic of conversation all week. Everyone who has seemingly never left here is complaining.

I don't see what the big deal is, seriously. I mean, it could be that I lived in Illinois for 21 years, and had to do it every year. But...no. Indy people are just whining over nothing. It's a change, deal with it.

Yeah, I could understand where not changing your time would be a good thing. I went through un-daylight savings time up here last year, and fell right into it. But the entire United States is not going to change its ways just because Indiana doesn't want to. It hasn't changed its ways over this for a long time, even though most places in the world doesn't do it. Why would it change now?

But I guess what I couldn't stand the most was the people who had no clue what this meant, and how it was going to happen.

Like at work Friday night, it was after Midnight (so yeah, it was in all intents and purposes, Saturday), and this lady is just watching her cell phone clock.

I ask her, "Waiting for clock-out?"

She says, "No, I'm waiting for the time to change. It's supposed to change at 1:59 to 3."

Me: No, not now. It's supposed to change Saturday.

Her: But it is Saturday.

Me: Yeah, but you're not following right. I mean Saturday night.

Her: But it is Saturday.

Me: What I'm meaning is Saturday night. After midnight, which would be technically Sunday.

Her: No! It's supposed to change on Saturday!

Me: Listen to me! I lived in Illinois for 21 years of my life! I know how this works! It will change on SA-TUR-DAY NIIIIIIGHT!

Her: But it is Saturday, right?

Me: ....yes.

So I just let her keep watching the cell phone. And watching. Then 1:59 switched to 2. And she looked up from her cell phone, pissed.

Her: It didn't F***in change! That's all bulls***, they be lying!

Me: I tried to tell you, but you wouldn't listen.

And I clocked out.

And I bet on Sunday, she woke up with all her clocks running on Central Time, completely torn up over the fact that DST got ruined for her.

back to the tables

Reading through my e-mails, I decided to take a look at my e-mails labeled "Poker" (I set my Gmail up to filter my e-mails, go ahead and archive any poker e-mails and label them as such). I found that Noble Poker gave me some bonus money to screw around with.

Yeah, perfect.

So I sit for about 1 1/2 hours in .10/.20 LHE, and play good (6-handed, as always, I love them shorthanded tables), and wind up ahead $11.

So, just shortly after that, I enter a $5.50 1000 Guaranteed tournament. A little short of $200, and I do so-so. I was up and down before the first break, but wound up doubling up and getting to a healthy $4000 stack at the break.

Unfortunately, this is Noble we're talking about. Their structure does not provide for deep play after the first break, as even on an average stack, I'm about 10 minutes away from having bad M, with the blinds 100/200 and soon to increase to 200/400.

Near the end of the first level after the break, I raise on the button with AJo, with the Ace of diamonds, making it 600, and the BB calls.

Flop comes QJ9, with the QJ of diamonds. He checks, and I bet, making it 700. He calls, announcing he has top set. Bogus. And I know it.

Turn comes the K of diamonds, giving me the royal flush draw. He instantly moves in on me. Now I'm positive that if I make any of my draws, I've got the hand on lock. Plus, the way this hand has played out, it's hard to believe that he played this hand any way except to steal the hand from me, so my 3rd pair may be good. So I call.

He turns up AT for the nut straight...yikes! Not at all what I expected. So I'm needing a diamond to win, or a ten to chop. Blank on the river, and I'm crippled.

I'm all-in later in the big-blind with 10-3, and don't improve and it's over.

So it's been humdrum in the games today.

The tank & my bass

Sorry it's been a while since I posted. Work's been exhausting me, I haven't really had a whole lot of energy to do much else.

Yeah, so I got out of training officially Friday...with a 96% average in the class (highest in the class). And this week is our time taking calls in the training bay (aka "the tank.")

90% of people told us that tank was Hell. 10% of people told us it was no sweat. Let's see, which odds are you going to bet on?

So needless to say, I had mixed emotions about going in there. I thought I knew enough, I'm a decent multitasker, so I'm not scared of messing up on the tools. Of course, what you aren't prepared for is people screaming in your ear because the internet's broke.

That was the part that scared me. I can handle stress and all that, but one thing I've never handled well was arguments. Even if it's one sided, someone yelling and blaming their entire life on you because they can't get online is still an argument. I was afraid of how I'd react, whether I'd get emotional over it, you know the drill.

So I've been praying all this week for the strength to handle this situation well, and in best case scenario, I won't have to deal with any (even though I'd rather get it over with in tank, so that way a supervisor's on hand to keep me calm).

So far, no angry customers. Only slightly peeved, but hey, it happens.

On the first day, I was just flustered for most of it, and had horrendous handle times...as expected.

Over Tues., Wed., and today, I have just been knocking it out of the box! I'm really getting the hang of this, and really starting to keep my call times low, and get resolutions on their issues done.

And in all truth, I'm enjoying it. I get to mess around with people's systems, it's pretty easy, and I can just pace around taking calls, and running over to my computer to type notes as needed. There's enough challenges to keep me interested, but enough reptitiveness that I don't have to frustrate myself.

Customer's reactions have been good too. People have given me mad compliments over my performance, and several people in my training class have basically jockeyed for position to get seats next to me in tank because they believe I know everything about what the job entails (think again).

So come Tuesday, I start my regular schedule, fully on the call floor. This should be interesting.

And on Tuesday, I got my six string bass. I freaking love this thing! I haven't played with it as much as I want, but comes this weekend...man, it's on. I'll also have pictures, and maybe even a video of me playing it up too.

Until then...