So this is the largest Tourney I have ever played. Had a few $26 tokens and decided to give it a shot since my SNG game has been on fire as of late. Winning 3 or my last 4. Felt confident, playing good solid poker, not being a donk. So I registered for last nights 8pm tourney.
Started off blah. Not getting anything good. First hand I played outside the blinds was 56 suited. It was folded to me in the 6th spot and I raised raised 2.5xBB. Only the SB called. Flop came 988. SB checked and I bet 100. He called. Spiked a nice looking 7 on the turn and bet 250 and he called. River was a blank and he checked and I bet 475. He used up most of his time and called(A9). That put me in a good confident mood.
Few hands into the 3rd round I picked up JJ in UTG+1. UTG raised 3xBB and I called. I hate jacks. I looked at the paper I have taped to the wall that says "Smart, Disciplined, Aggressive, Patient, JACKS SUCK!". Two other people called and we went to the flop. JdJh8c. Nice. Now how can I get the most money out of this? SB checks, UTG bets 235. I take some time and call. Everyone else folds. I put him on AK, AQ, medium pp. Turn comes a Qc. He checks. I check quickly hopefully showing him weakness and he will take a stab on the river. River comes a club. He thinks for sometime and checks. I take some time of my own thinking how much I can bet and get a call. I gotta hope he at least has a piece of this. Hopefully AQ or a flush. I bet out a litter over half the pot and he calls. He had AK.
Took down a few more posts with AA, KK, and TT twice and was sitting pretty well at 5000 at the first break. 666 people started and now I was in the top 60 with 272 left.
Then the cards went cold. 82,J3, Q2, K2, 23, 25, 27, 74, 83, etc. Bah! Soon I was down to 3200 in chips with the blinds at 200/400 and an ante of 50 I think. Things were getting ugly and I moved to a very maniac table. Every pot seemed to be raised 3-5xbb preflop and some odd holding were being show down. One of the maniacs raised UTG to 900. Folded around to me, I held two black 6's. I figured he could be stealing as he had been the previous 10 out of 20 hands and put it all in. It was folded to back to him and he called with about 2 seconds left on his timer and showed TT. Bah! Nothing good hit and I was out in 166th.
Not bad I guess for my first shot at a non $5 tourney. I played really well in the first hour. I made some good bluffs at pots with good reads and maintained an above average chipstack. Sadly the cards got cold and the players got maniacal. What can you do. Still have more tokens so maybe next time.
Monday, July 31, 2006
Thursday, July 20, 2006
Go Get Em Tigers!
Ahh, what a day. Tigers win 2 straight against the powerful White Sox. Hopefully the monkey is off their back now. 3-6 vs the Sox this year and have plenty more chances left to get some more wins against them. Now we are 5.5 games ahead of them in the AL Central.
I was at the game last night. What a shot by CMo in the 5th with the Grand Slam. There was a Sox fan behind us who wouldn't shut up most of the game. When the Tigers were hitting single after single on their way to filling the bases she got all uppity and asked how we could be happy about singles. Her team is all about the long ball! After CMo hit the GS I eventually said something to the effect of , "Wow, too bad we kept getting all those crappy singles". She shut up after it was 5-2. But when it got down to the final out, all the fans are on their feet cheering, and Jermaine Dye hits a single the place goes quiet and then you here from her, "Yeah motherfuckers! Base hit!" Too which everyone gladly pointed to all the small children around her. Then I remarked loud enough for her to here, "It was only one of them measly singles". Next batter was out and Tigers win!
Good times here in Motown. Hope they can keep it up.
I was at the game last night. What a shot by CMo in the 5th with the Grand Slam. There was a Sox fan behind us who wouldn't shut up most of the game. When the Tigers were hitting single after single on their way to filling the bases she got all uppity and asked how we could be happy about singles. Her team is all about the long ball! After CMo hit the GS I eventually said something to the effect of , "Wow, too bad we kept getting all those crappy singles". She shut up after it was 5-2. But when it got down to the final out, all the fans are on their feet cheering, and Jermaine Dye hits a single the place goes quiet and then you here from her, "Yeah motherfuckers! Base hit!" Too which everyone gladly pointed to all the small children around her. Then I remarked loud enough for her to here, "It was only one of them measly singles". Next batter was out and Tigers win!
Good times here in Motown. Hope they can keep it up.
Tuesday, July 18, 2006
4 Days of Poker
This past Friday I headed up with some friends from my monthly home game for a little relaxation and poker. Well, mostly poker as I am sitting here on Tuesday dead tired from the weekend.
Kevin, John, Mark, and I headed up north on Friday around 1:30pm and got to Kevins Dad's log cabin around 6pm. Got the tour of the beautiful log cabin and the surroundings. We were right on the lake and away from civilization. It was really a great place. So we headed out to Leg's, a nice polish restaurant in the area. Kevin's dad was with us and said this place had a great beer and an excellent view. He was right. There back of the place was an outdoor eating area on this grassy terrace overlooking Lake Michigan. Good food, great beer, and beautiful scenery.
We headed back to the cabin and got ready to go play poker in St. Ignace. This is a small reservation casino. The poker room had about 5 tables and only one going when we got there. 2/5 NL $100 max was the only game being played. With us 4 there and some others signed up they opened up a new table. Let the crap begin...
I don't play NL cash games. When I play at a B&M I play limit. NL cash games, especially in small casino's are donk havens from what I have seen in the past and this place was one of them. First hand was shown down and the winner had T3s. I knew this was going to be interesting. So play tight and push hard with my good hands. First decent hand I got was QQ. I raised to $15 and got zero callers. Great. Got into some hands and never hit flops and I was down to about $65 out of my $100. Got dealt AK in the SB. 4 limpers in front of me. That was odd to me. These guys raised almost every pot pre-flop. So I went all in. Kevin was the BB and wasn't too happy to fold his hand. Everyone folded and I picked up about $25. One guy had AJ, another had 99, and Kevin folded QQ. Wow, I cannot believe he folded that. He explained later that the last few games he played up there he lost a ton of money early playing large pocket pairs and wasn't in the mood to go through that again. Oh well.
Last hand of my night was I was in the BB. Few callers and I checked blind. Flop comes A 8 x, 2 clubs. I look to see what I have and I have A8. I bet the pot and I get one caller. Flop comes another club. I put the rest of my money in (like $17) and he calls and flips over AT with the ten being a club. He of course hits the club on the river. Oh well, what can you do. I find a comfy chair and hang out for an hour or so when they are done playing. Kevin is the only one who left up and that was for $210.
We headed back to the cabin and got ourselves situated in the bunk house. We decided that even though it was late we needed to play more poker. So we played .50/1 NL on a small cooler. John ended up winning that when we got heads up and I lost with my two pair to his rivered straight. So that is now twice I lost money on hitting two pair. It was about 3am so we went to bed. I didn't get much sleep as John was snoring most of the night. I think I got about 2 hours of decent sleep.
Got up around 10am and headed out for Breakfast. Had burnt pancakes which didn't help my hangover. Headed back to the cabin and called to see what games they were running if any. Today they had 1/2 NL $100 max. Well that should make me last longer than last night. Heh. We get there and we make it so they can open up a new table. This table sucked. It had no personality and bad players. I won a couple small pots but nothing big and I got dealt AhQh and raised it to $10. Got one caller, Kevin. Flop comes A 3 6. He checks and I bet $15. He calls. Turn comes Q, giving me top two pair. I bet $25 and he raises to $50. Hmmm. I figured he had and Ace or A6 or A3. I called leaving me with about $9. River is a blank and I put the rest of my money in and he calls. Damn. Okay, show me the set. And he did flipping over two 6's. Again, two pair kills me. That was about an hour in. I sat there for another 4 hours till they were done playing. I had $100 left of my poker money and another day to play. Kevin again ended up the winner and took home another $62. Though he played for about 4.5 hours.
We head back to the cabin and pick up some brats and go grilling. After a couple hours we head back to the casino to play. This time they have 2/5 and 1/2 NL going. John and I hit the 1/2 and Mark and Kevin hit up the 2/5.
I pick up 99 on my 3rd hand and raise it up to $10. I get a couple callers. Flop comes J9x. I bet $20 and get one caller. Turn is nothing too wonderful. I bet $15 which puts the guy all in. He calls and flips over 35 for absolutely NOTHING. I win the pot and now up over $150. Cool. First time this trip I am up. Sure that will change.
I get dealt QQ. I raise it to $15 and the blinds call. Flop come 678. I bet 20. Both call. Turn comes a 5. Bah! They check and I check. Turn comes a blank. One guy bets $20, the other raises to $60, I fold my QQ. One had a 4T the other a 93.
I get dealt 27 in BB. I check. Flop comes 534, one club. All check. Turn is a 6 of clubs. All check. River is a 8 of clubs. I bet $15 and one guy raises to $30 and John moves all in for $58. I of course fold cause I know I am beat. The guy calls and shows J3 of clubs. John shows KT of clubs and takes the pot.
From there I just get cold decked and get up before I am the BB. I leave with $75 of my $100.
On the 2/5 table Mark was knocked out early when his pocket 5's hit a set on the flop but the other guy hit a set of 7's as well. He had one a decent pot earlier and was up over $100 and lost it all in that one hand. John was getting tired and got up from the table about 7 hands after I did. He told Kevin all three of us were done and he decided he was up and would leave in a couple hands. He ended up going all in on his last hand and lost. I don't remember the circumstances but it was not pretty. So John left that session the winner being up $50.
John was leaving the next morning so he took the couch as him and Frank were going to head out at 7am. I slept till about 11am. Got up and took a shower and watched some TV. I was tired and had a killer headache. Mark and Kevin went to eat breakfast and returned and called the casino. They were not running any poker that day so we decided to play poker at the cabin, outside. We set up a table and chairs by the fire pit and started a $50 tourney. We started with like 3800 in chips with 30 minute blinds. It was a crazy game. I don't think I can beat either one of them regularly. Kevin and Mark are the two best players at the home game. So I knew I was screwed. Picked up some good pots early and made a huge river bluff on Kevin that I was happy with but then it all fell apart. I went out about 4 hours into the game. They played heads up for another 30-45 minutes till Mark called Kevins all in with Ah 7d vs Kevins Kd Qd. Marks hand help up for the win. That started a heated argument on which is the better starting hand. Eventually I called my wife and had here check out the %'s on my Poker Academy program. I couldn't stand the fighting anymore.
So now it was about 6 and talk of another game was at hand. But I only was willing to play for $50 and Kevin wanted to play for $100 so he could get his $100 back from the last game. So he said, I put up $50 and they each put up $100 on a side bet. This lasted for about 40 minutes and then at the restaurant for an hour where it sounded like we decided not to play cause Mark was only willing to play for $50, $75 tops. This was not acceptable to Kevin. So we went back home and sat on the couch and watched TV. I think I fell asleep for awhile. I don't remember. I took some Wal-dryl and was completely out of it.
At around 11 they decided to play. I got up and went to the table and said, I hope a deal had been made. Of course, there wasn't. Blah! By that point I no longer wanted to play. Well I did, but not for $50. I was drugged up and drowsy. I agreed to $25 and they each played for $50. If I win I get $25 each from them and the 2nd place player gets the extra.
Lots of trash talking in that game. It was pretty cutthroat. I ended up heads up with Kevin and was the shortstack. I doubled up twice and got back into it. I picked up JT. We saw the flop and it came 7TJ. Ahhh, two pair. Wow. I know what is going to happen. So I bet, he called. Turn comes, nothing major. I bet, he raises, I am committed and go all in and he calls showing the 98 for the flopped straight. No J or T on the river and he wins. Big surprise. I now officially hate two pair.
It's now about 3:30am and we crash.
We get up around 11 on Monday and decide to head home. On the way home I pull out some cards to play solitaire and Kevins demands we play a tourney. I am hesitant since Kevin is actually driving us home. But we end up playing. $1000 in chips, 15 minute blinds, $10 buy in. Wow. I don't know how but I win it. So for the weekend I finish down $280.
It was fun though but poker is really annoying to me right now.
Kevin, John, Mark, and I headed up north on Friday around 1:30pm and got to Kevins Dad's log cabin around 6pm. Got the tour of the beautiful log cabin and the surroundings. We were right on the lake and away from civilization. It was really a great place. So we headed out to Leg's, a nice polish restaurant in the area. Kevin's dad was with us and said this place had a great beer and an excellent view. He was right. There back of the place was an outdoor eating area on this grassy terrace overlooking Lake Michigan. Good food, great beer, and beautiful scenery.
We headed back to the cabin and got ready to go play poker in St. Ignace. This is a small reservation casino. The poker room had about 5 tables and only one going when we got there. 2/5 NL $100 max was the only game being played. With us 4 there and some others signed up they opened up a new table. Let the crap begin...
I don't play NL cash games. When I play at a B&M I play limit. NL cash games, especially in small casino's are donk havens from what I have seen in the past and this place was one of them. First hand was shown down and the winner had T3s. I knew this was going to be interesting. So play tight and push hard with my good hands. First decent hand I got was QQ. I raised to $15 and got zero callers. Great. Got into some hands and never hit flops and I was down to about $65 out of my $100. Got dealt AK in the SB. 4 limpers in front of me. That was odd to me. These guys raised almost every pot pre-flop. So I went all in. Kevin was the BB and wasn't too happy to fold his hand. Everyone folded and I picked up about $25. One guy had AJ, another had 99, and Kevin folded QQ. Wow, I cannot believe he folded that. He explained later that the last few games he played up there he lost a ton of money early playing large pocket pairs and wasn't in the mood to go through that again. Oh well.
Last hand of my night was I was in the BB. Few callers and I checked blind. Flop comes A 8 x, 2 clubs. I look to see what I have and I have A8. I bet the pot and I get one caller. Flop comes another club. I put the rest of my money in (like $17) and he calls and flips over AT with the ten being a club. He of course hits the club on the river. Oh well, what can you do. I find a comfy chair and hang out for an hour or so when they are done playing. Kevin is the only one who left up and that was for $210.
We headed back to the cabin and got ourselves situated in the bunk house. We decided that even though it was late we needed to play more poker. So we played .50/1 NL on a small cooler. John ended up winning that when we got heads up and I lost with my two pair to his rivered straight. So that is now twice I lost money on hitting two pair. It was about 3am so we went to bed. I didn't get much sleep as John was snoring most of the night. I think I got about 2 hours of decent sleep.
Got up around 10am and headed out for Breakfast. Had burnt pancakes which didn't help my hangover. Headed back to the cabin and called to see what games they were running if any. Today they had 1/2 NL $100 max. Well that should make me last longer than last night. Heh. We get there and we make it so they can open up a new table. This table sucked. It had no personality and bad players. I won a couple small pots but nothing big and I got dealt AhQh and raised it to $10. Got one caller, Kevin. Flop comes A 3 6. He checks and I bet $15. He calls. Turn comes Q, giving me top two pair. I bet $25 and he raises to $50. Hmmm. I figured he had and Ace or A6 or A3. I called leaving me with about $9. River is a blank and I put the rest of my money in and he calls. Damn. Okay, show me the set. And he did flipping over two 6's. Again, two pair kills me. That was about an hour in. I sat there for another 4 hours till they were done playing. I had $100 left of my poker money and another day to play. Kevin again ended up the winner and took home another $62. Though he played for about 4.5 hours.
We head back to the cabin and pick up some brats and go grilling. After a couple hours we head back to the casino to play. This time they have 2/5 and 1/2 NL going. John and I hit the 1/2 and Mark and Kevin hit up the 2/5.
I pick up 99 on my 3rd hand and raise it up to $10. I get a couple callers. Flop comes J9x. I bet $20 and get one caller. Turn is nothing too wonderful. I bet $15 which puts the guy all in. He calls and flips over 35 for absolutely NOTHING. I win the pot and now up over $150. Cool. First time this trip I am up. Sure that will change.
I get dealt QQ. I raise it to $15 and the blinds call. Flop come 678. I bet 20. Both call. Turn comes a 5. Bah! They check and I check. Turn comes a blank. One guy bets $20, the other raises to $60, I fold my QQ. One had a 4T the other a 93.
I get dealt 27 in BB. I check. Flop comes 534, one club. All check. Turn is a 6 of clubs. All check. River is a 8 of clubs. I bet $15 and one guy raises to $30 and John moves all in for $58. I of course fold cause I know I am beat. The guy calls and shows J3 of clubs. John shows KT of clubs and takes the pot.
From there I just get cold decked and get up before I am the BB. I leave with $75 of my $100.
On the 2/5 table Mark was knocked out early when his pocket 5's hit a set on the flop but the other guy hit a set of 7's as well. He had one a decent pot earlier and was up over $100 and lost it all in that one hand. John was getting tired and got up from the table about 7 hands after I did. He told Kevin all three of us were done and he decided he was up and would leave in a couple hands. He ended up going all in on his last hand and lost. I don't remember the circumstances but it was not pretty. So John left that session the winner being up $50.
John was leaving the next morning so he took the couch as him and Frank were going to head out at 7am. I slept till about 11am. Got up and took a shower and watched some TV. I was tired and had a killer headache. Mark and Kevin went to eat breakfast and returned and called the casino. They were not running any poker that day so we decided to play poker at the cabin, outside. We set up a table and chairs by the fire pit and started a $50 tourney. We started with like 3800 in chips with 30 minute blinds. It was a crazy game. I don't think I can beat either one of them regularly. Kevin and Mark are the two best players at the home game. So I knew I was screwed. Picked up some good pots early and made a huge river bluff on Kevin that I was happy with but then it all fell apart. I went out about 4 hours into the game. They played heads up for another 30-45 minutes till Mark called Kevins all in with Ah 7d vs Kevins Kd Qd. Marks hand help up for the win. That started a heated argument on which is the better starting hand. Eventually I called my wife and had here check out the %'s on my Poker Academy program. I couldn't stand the fighting anymore.
So now it was about 6 and talk of another game was at hand. But I only was willing to play for $50 and Kevin wanted to play for $100 so he could get his $100 back from the last game. So he said, I put up $50 and they each put up $100 on a side bet. This lasted for about 40 minutes and then at the restaurant for an hour where it sounded like we decided not to play cause Mark was only willing to play for $50, $75 tops. This was not acceptable to Kevin. So we went back home and sat on the couch and watched TV. I think I fell asleep for awhile. I don't remember. I took some Wal-dryl and was completely out of it.
At around 11 they decided to play. I got up and went to the table and said, I hope a deal had been made. Of course, there wasn't. Blah! By that point I no longer wanted to play. Well I did, but not for $50. I was drugged up and drowsy. I agreed to $25 and they each played for $50. If I win I get $25 each from them and the 2nd place player gets the extra.
Lots of trash talking in that game. It was pretty cutthroat. I ended up heads up with Kevin and was the shortstack. I doubled up twice and got back into it. I picked up JT. We saw the flop and it came 7TJ. Ahhh, two pair. Wow. I know what is going to happen. So I bet, he called. Turn comes, nothing major. I bet, he raises, I am committed and go all in and he calls showing the 98 for the flopped straight. No J or T on the river and he wins. Big surprise. I now officially hate two pair.
It's now about 3:30am and we crash.
We get up around 11 on Monday and decide to head home. On the way home I pull out some cards to play solitaire and Kevins demands we play a tourney. I am hesitant since Kevin is actually driving us home. But we end up playing. $1000 in chips, 15 minute blinds, $10 buy in. Wow. I don't know how but I win it. So for the weekend I finish down $280.
It was fun though but poker is really annoying to me right now.
Monday, July 10, 2006
Just Tell Me, Don't Make it a Game
So we have this tenant in the apartment complex I work at. Type of guy you love and hate all at the same time. You love him because he has no life whatsoever so he has time to sit in front of his apartment window with a gallon of OJ and watch what everyone is doing and call the cops the minute something happens he dislikes. But you hate him because he is the type of person who snoops all day and calls the cops or me for any little damn thing that happens.
So today he stops by the office to tell me someone in the building next to him is playing music too loudly at 3pm in the afternoon. Okay. So it's not even in your building but you are going to complain. All right. Went over there, no biggie. If it was 2am maybe it would be too loud but barely.
20 minutes later he stops back after he walk around the complex.
Tool: Since when is the pool available for non-tenants
Joyce: It isn't
Tool: Are you sure about that?
Me: Yes, we are sure, as it states in the lease, the pool is for tenants only.
Tool: Oh, so I have to follow the rules but other tenants don't. That is nice.
Me: *sigh* Are you trying to tell me something Bob?
Tool: Yeah, I want to know why other people can break the rules around here but I cannot.
Me: Obviously you see non-tenants at the pool. I am in the office and so is Joyce, we can't be two places at one time. If you see non-tenants at the pool then just tell me. I will gladly go kick them out. But I don't appreciate what you are trying to insinuate here.
Tool: What am I insinuating?
Me: You know what you are doing. As I said, all you have to do is let one of us know and we will take care of it. We don't need to go through this, "they are allowed to break rules but I can't" game.
Tool: *storms out of office*
So Joyce goes to the pool to check it out. Ha! Little back-story here. These two gentleman lived above the Tool. The Tool was in here week after week complaining about the noise they made while showering,vacuuming, music, TV, etc. There were threats between the two and it got ugly. We moved the two guys to the other side of the complex away from the Tool. Even when they were moved, Tool demanded to know which apartment they were in for some reason. Maybe to harass them more. I don't know. We never told him.
Well at the pool was the two guys with a few of their friends. They were asked to leave and did so without confrontation.
Tool only complained because it was the two guys he hates. Petty idiot.
So today he stops by the office to tell me someone in the building next to him is playing music too loudly at 3pm in the afternoon. Okay. So it's not even in your building but you are going to complain. All right. Went over there, no biggie. If it was 2am maybe it would be too loud but barely.
20 minutes later he stops back after he walk around the complex.
Tool: Since when is the pool available for non-tenants
Joyce: It isn't
Tool: Are you sure about that?
Me: Yes, we are sure, as it states in the lease, the pool is for tenants only.
Tool: Oh, so I have to follow the rules but other tenants don't. That is nice.
Me: *sigh* Are you trying to tell me something Bob?
Tool: Yeah, I want to know why other people can break the rules around here but I cannot.
Me: Obviously you see non-tenants at the pool. I am in the office and so is Joyce, we can't be two places at one time. If you see non-tenants at the pool then just tell me. I will gladly go kick them out. But I don't appreciate what you are trying to insinuate here.
Tool: What am I insinuating?
Me: You know what you are doing. As I said, all you have to do is let one of us know and we will take care of it. We don't need to go through this, "they are allowed to break rules but I can't" game.
Tool: *storms out of office*
So Joyce goes to the pool to check it out. Ha! Little back-story here. These two gentleman lived above the Tool. The Tool was in here week after week complaining about the noise they made while showering,vacuuming, music, TV, etc. There were threats between the two and it got ugly. We moved the two guys to the other side of the complex away from the Tool. Even when they were moved, Tool demanded to know which apartment they were in for some reason. Maybe to harass them more. I don't know. We never told him.
Well at the pool was the two guys with a few of their friends. They were asked to leave and did so without confrontation.
Tool only complained because it was the two guys he hates. Petty idiot.
World Cup Soccer
So the World Cup is finally finished. Now I have to wait another 4 years to watch one of my favorite sports because America, as with most anything these days, has its head so far up its egocentric ass to televise any of the great international matches that will start up in August.
I love listening to local sports radio and reading threads on various internet sites about the World Cup and soccer in general. I love it when someone points out that the world is so engrossed in this spectacle and the US is not. The usual reply from the "experts" is something to the tune of, "The world is a bunch of idiots and the USA is smart not to care about such a horribly boring sport." Wow, what an ignorant statement to make. Yeah, the World seems to enjoy this game but since American's don't then that means the rest of the world is a bunch of retards. That is what makes this country so...stupid. Maybe the real reason we hate it is because we absolutely suck at it? That might be it. But lately we suck at everything.
World Baseball Classic- Heh, our national past-time and we got our butts handed to us.
World Cup Soccer- US media overhyped a crappy team led by a even more crappy coach and we didn't win a single game.
Basketball- When was our last gold or anything in regards to international play?
Hockey- Heh, yeah, that was another pathetic performance by an American team in the last Olympics.
So what do we have? Football. Well there ya go people. We rule the world when it comes to Football. Whooooohoooooo!
Some of the threads on the intraweb were funny. Many Americans think there should be a 3-point line in soccer. That way the scoring would be higher. *sigh*, yeah, cause god forbid a game ends 1-0. Americans feel better if the final is 3-0 even if it was just one goal. Yup. We actually did this at one point. In regards to Indoor Soccer, they created I believe a 1 point, 2 point, and 3 point line. So games that might be 3-2 would be 8-6. Wow, amazing how much more interesting that must make it.
So, I will say it, Americans are egocentric, whiny, narrowminded boobs. Don't agree, that's cool. But until the people around me stop acting that way, I will continue to think that way.
I love listening to local sports radio and reading threads on various internet sites about the World Cup and soccer in general. I love it when someone points out that the world is so engrossed in this spectacle and the US is not. The usual reply from the "experts" is something to the tune of, "The world is a bunch of idiots and the USA is smart not to care about such a horribly boring sport." Wow, what an ignorant statement to make. Yeah, the World seems to enjoy this game but since American's don't then that means the rest of the world is a bunch of retards. That is what makes this country so...stupid. Maybe the real reason we hate it is because we absolutely suck at it? That might be it. But lately we suck at everything.
World Baseball Classic- Heh, our national past-time and we got our butts handed to us.
World Cup Soccer- US media overhyped a crappy team led by a even more crappy coach and we didn't win a single game.
Basketball- When was our last gold or anything in regards to international play?
Hockey- Heh, yeah, that was another pathetic performance by an American team in the last Olympics.
So what do we have? Football. Well there ya go people. We rule the world when it comes to Football. Whooooohoooooo!
Some of the threads on the intraweb were funny. Many Americans think there should be a 3-point line in soccer. That way the scoring would be higher. *sigh*, yeah, cause god forbid a game ends 1-0. Americans feel better if the final is 3-0 even if it was just one goal. Yup. We actually did this at one point. In regards to Indoor Soccer, they created I believe a 1 point, 2 point, and 3 point line. So games that might be 3-2 would be 8-6. Wow, amazing how much more interesting that must make it.
So, I will say it, Americans are egocentric, whiny, narrowminded boobs. Don't agree, that's cool. But until the people around me stop acting that way, I will continue to think that way.
Friday, July 07, 2006
Higher Pay for Fast Food Employees
Yup, you read that right. I want to see fast food employees get paid more money. There are stings attached to that and I will get to those in a minute.
I am tired of getting "mal-orders". That is my word for it. Sort of like malpractice when the doc doesn't do his job right, well getting the wrong order from a fast food restaurant is a "mal-order". L
Last night I got a pretty creative mal-order from the Taco Bell down the street. I pull up to the drive-thru window and state my order:
Bean Burrito
Nacho Supreme
Burrito Supreme, no tomatoes
Nacho Bell Grande, no tomatoes
Large Pepsi
This one had one of them nice screens that shows your order and as with every visit I make sure the screen is correct. It was. So I get to the window, pay, and drive home.
I get home and we start dishing out the food. I take the Bell Grande and the burrito that says Burrito Supreme on it and my wife takes the burrito that says bean burrito and he Supreme Nacho's. Minutes later she says, "I think this burrito is yours, though it has tomatoes". What? No way. Idiots. Then I take it and I take a sip of my nice cold Pepsi and it is Dr. Pepper. I hate, despise, loathe, Dr. Pepper. I grab the receipt to see what is up and it isn't even my receipt. *sigh*
So here is the run down of the mal-order;
Burrito Supreme, no tomatoes, is wrapped in a Bean Burrito Wrapper and has tomatoes.
Bean Burrito is wrapped in a Burrito Supreme wrapper.
Pepsi is a Dr. Pepper.
So, whatever. Stuff happens. No biggie. But it got me thinking. We need to pay fast food employees more so this stuff doesn't happen. Pay then $15-$20 an/hour and you need a college degree to get hired. That way you will greatly reduce the amount of mistakes that occur because you won't have uneducated, high school drop out donks taking and filling your orders. The pay is good enough to get intelligent people to apply and might actually take their job a little more seriously than that burn-out pot smoking, 8th grade education, tool bag.
Just an idea.
I am tired of getting "mal-orders". That is my word for it. Sort of like malpractice when the doc doesn't do his job right, well getting the wrong order from a fast food restaurant is a "mal-order". L
Last night I got a pretty creative mal-order from the Taco Bell down the street. I pull up to the drive-thru window and state my order:
Bean Burrito
Nacho Supreme
Burrito Supreme, no tomatoes
Nacho Bell Grande, no tomatoes
Large Pepsi
This one had one of them nice screens that shows your order and as with every visit I make sure the screen is correct. It was. So I get to the window, pay, and drive home.
I get home and we start dishing out the food. I take the Bell Grande and the burrito that says Burrito Supreme on it and my wife takes the burrito that says bean burrito and he Supreme Nacho's. Minutes later she says, "I think this burrito is yours, though it has tomatoes". What? No way. Idiots. Then I take it and I take a sip of my nice cold Pepsi and it is Dr. Pepper. I hate, despise, loathe, Dr. Pepper. I grab the receipt to see what is up and it isn't even my receipt. *sigh*
So here is the run down of the mal-order;
Burrito Supreme, no tomatoes, is wrapped in a Bean Burrito Wrapper and has tomatoes.
Bean Burrito is wrapped in a Burrito Supreme wrapper.
Pepsi is a Dr. Pepper.
So, whatever. Stuff happens. No biggie. But it got me thinking. We need to pay fast food employees more so this stuff doesn't happen. Pay then $15-$20 an/hour and you need a college degree to get hired. That way you will greatly reduce the amount of mistakes that occur because you won't have uneducated, high school drop out donks taking and filling your orders. The pay is good enough to get intelligent people to apply and might actually take their job a little more seriously than that burn-out pot smoking, 8th grade education, tool bag.
Just an idea.
Thursday, July 06, 2006
Thomas "Thunder" Keller
So I am an active poster on Thunder Kellers site and one of the moderators. It is a great site to talk and learn about poker. It's not as large as FCP, Negreanu's site but the main difference btw the two is that Thunder's site is friendly. While many of us post on FCP and 2+2, tk.com is void of flaming and trolling. We all get along great and we all learn from each other whether one of us a pro or one us is a novice starting out. So if you are looking for such a friendly atmosphere then please check it out. I trust that you will find it enjoyable and beneficial.
Anyway, we hold Squadron Tournaments every Tuesday night at 10:05pm EST. Our first "season" we played about 16 NLHE tournies. I was very lucky to do well in almost all of them despite playing against some very good players. I just received my prize for finishing 1st in that season.
Really cool of Thomas to do that. Being a semi-signed and hard to find book collector, I am pleased to add this to my collection of signed Martin Amis and Alex Garland books. And many uncorrected proofs.
Now we are currently in the second season. This season is a ton more difficult due to it's structure. We are playing 8 rounds of what we call the TSSOP (Thunder Squadron Series of Poker). Here is the run down:
1. NL Hold'em
2. PL Omaha (High)
3. Limit Hold'em
4. Limit Stud/8
5. PL Hold'em
6. Limit Stud
7. Limit Omaha/8
8. NL Hold'em
We are having round 5 next Tuesday. It's been fun so far. Currently in 2nd behind the ever powerful Ray. I will get him though. I promise. :)
The Smash Strategy
This came up yesterday at Kellers site and I thought I would blog it as I find it interesting and funny. Smasharoo is a poster on www.fullcontactpoker.com (Daniel Negreanu's site). He created a strat for playing low limit NLHE online. Here is the gist of it...
You know those plastic birds with the red liquid in them that bob up and down if you put water in front of them?
Putting a mouse in front of one of them instead of water would work against many online games.
Here's a strategy:
Play only Ax suited and PP.
Move al in with AA and KK pre-flop regardless of position or anything else.
Limp with everything else.
Fold if you don't flop a set or a flush draw.
When you flop a set or complete a nut flush draw, bet a lot.
Count your money.
Done.
Doing that will make you more money than 90% of people who beat NL online because the game's so stunningly bad and somehow come to the conclusion that it's because they're raising 78s multiway pre-flop.
It sounds like a crazy strategy but I have a feeling that it can work. It can work at low limit tables like .02/.04 where the players are just so terrible.
So I decided to try it. I got $20 free at Titan Poker for some reason or another and decided to play 6-Max .02/.04 NLHE and only use the Smash's method. It's the most boring poker you will ever play but it seems to work well.
I have been dealt AA 4 times. One time it was in the BB and folded to me and I got nada, the other 3 times I went all in per Smash's advice and got at least one caller each time and the hands were marginal at best. I think the best hand that called me was JT. Other hands were like K3o, A2o, 85o. That is bad play.
So give it a try sometime if you are bored. Right now I am averaging about 190BB/100 hands which is crushing. Just be prepared to be bored.
You know those plastic birds with the red liquid in them that bob up and down if you put water in front of them?
Putting a mouse in front of one of them instead of water would work against many online games.
Here's a strategy:
Play only Ax suited and PP.
Move al in with AA and KK pre-flop regardless of position or anything else.
Limp with everything else.
Fold if you don't flop a set or a flush draw.
When you flop a set or complete a nut flush draw, bet a lot.
Count your money.
Done.
Doing that will make you more money than 90% of people who beat NL online because the game's so stunningly bad and somehow come to the conclusion that it's because they're raising 78s multiway pre-flop.
It sounds like a crazy strategy but I have a feeling that it can work. It can work at low limit tables like .02/.04 where the players are just so terrible.
So I decided to try it. I got $20 free at Titan Poker for some reason or another and decided to play 6-Max .02/.04 NLHE and only use the Smash's method. It's the most boring poker you will ever play but it seems to work well.
I have been dealt AA 4 times. One time it was in the BB and folded to me and I got nada, the other 3 times I went all in per Smash's advice and got at least one caller each time and the hands were marginal at best. I think the best hand that called me was JT. Other hands were like K3o, A2o, 85o. That is bad play.
So give it a try sometime if you are bored. Right now I am averaging about 190BB/100 hands which is crushing. Just be prepared to be bored.
Wednesday, July 05, 2006
Oh! The Horror!
I love horror movies.
Why?
I don't really know. I hate to be scared myself. I don't like the sight of real blood or seeing an actual dead body. But I love horror movies. Makes no sense.
But I am extremely picky on what horror movies I watch.
Scream is not a horror movie.
Scream is the worst type of horror movie ever made. Why? Look at it. It's too clean. It's too crisp. Horror movies should be dark and grainy. They should look dirty and dull. Sadly movies like Scream and I Know What You Did Last Summer ruined the horror movie genre for a few years. That was the new way to make scary movies, by turning them into glitsy Hollywood movies with top tier actors and actresses. Blah! Blah I say!
But now things seem to be looking up with people now going a little more old school. Getting back to the grainy and dark looks of past films like Texas Chainsaw Massacre and Night of the Living Dead. Even some of the "Hollywood" type movies are getting more dark and...good.
Some of my current favorites are movies like High Tension, The Hills Have Eyes, Hostel, Creep, Dead End, House of 1000 Corpses, and Devils Rejects. I could really go on and on. High Tension is probably at the top of my list right now. That movie has a beautiful look and is non-stop excitement with a great twist at the end. I recently watched Creep that was pretty decent. Nothing terribly original, just some psycho mutant guy killing people in the London Underground, but it was fun to watch.
I would love to write a horror movie. I have ideas. Maybe I will someday when I figure out how the hell you write one. Till then I will just watch them. If you have any favorite horror movies, let me know, I will watch them.
Why?
I don't really know. I hate to be scared myself. I don't like the sight of real blood or seeing an actual dead body. But I love horror movies. Makes no sense.
But I am extremely picky on what horror movies I watch.
Scream is not a horror movie.
Scream is the worst type of horror movie ever made. Why? Look at it. It's too clean. It's too crisp. Horror movies should be dark and grainy. They should look dirty and dull. Sadly movies like Scream and I Know What You Did Last Summer ruined the horror movie genre for a few years. That was the new way to make scary movies, by turning them into glitsy Hollywood movies with top tier actors and actresses. Blah! Blah I say!
But now things seem to be looking up with people now going a little more old school. Getting back to the grainy and dark looks of past films like Texas Chainsaw Massacre and Night of the Living Dead. Even some of the "Hollywood" type movies are getting more dark and...good.
Some of my current favorites are movies like High Tension, The Hills Have Eyes, Hostel, Creep, Dead End, House of 1000 Corpses, and Devils Rejects. I could really go on and on. High Tension is probably at the top of my list right now. That movie has a beautiful look and is non-stop excitement with a great twist at the end. I recently watched Creep that was pretty decent. Nothing terribly original, just some psycho mutant guy killing people in the London Underground, but it was fun to watch.
I would love to write a horror movie. I have ideas. Maybe I will someday when I figure out how the hell you write one. Till then I will just watch them. If you have any favorite horror movies, let me know, I will watch them.
First Casino Poker Tournament
So Tuesday I ventured over to Canada to play in a NLHE Tourney. I have played hundreds of tourneys but never played in a Casino. I have logged many hours playing online and then there is my Monthly Home Game that is only 10-14 people. This was a $55 6 table tourney, top 10 paid. The structure was a little less than stellar but I could handle it. 2000 starting chips and blinds started at 25/50 and increase every 20 minutes. So it was accumulate chips fast and hope to have a decent stack by the 4th level when the blinds were 200/400.
So I sit down at my table. Table 6 seat 6. Seems like a friendly group of guys. First hand is dealt and I am in MP and it is folded to me. I look down at Ks Qc. First mistake in this hand was I limped. I generally HATE playing the first hand because I have no info on the players at my table yet. Button called, SB completed, BB checked. Flop comes Q J 9 (suits unimportant). SB and BB check. I bet 150. Button fold, SB calls, BB folds. Turn comes a K. SB bets 300 and I call. River brings a 6. SB bets 600. Second mistake on this hand. For some stupid reason I missed the straight possiblility. Totally missed it. Never in my entire time, even when I was new to the game did I ever miss anything so freaking obvious. I called and he showed T2 for the K high straight. I just fell apart. I couldn't believe how utterly donkish I was in that hand. 1. If I raised like I should have then he would not have called with that hand even in the SB. If I paid any attention I could have not paid him off at the end. I might have put him on a straight on the turn and paid the 300 to hit a K or Q for a boat, maybe, but I sure as hell would have held on to that 600 on the river.
So I am now in bad shape and need to find a good hand to double up. When down to 325 in chips UTG raises to 300. MP reraises to 800. Folded to me on the button. I look, already pissed that two players have shown some serious strength, and see two Kings. Sweet! I push in my 325. SB, BB, and UTG fold and it is me and the reraiser. He shows two 7's and my hand holds up and I more than triple up.
Cards go dead cold. In the span of 6 hands I have 84o three times,94o, and 83o. I finally get down to 600 when I am moved to a new table. 3 hands in I get dealt 99 and push all in UTG. I get two callers. QJ when he flopped the straight. Bah! Finished 42nd out of 60. Eh, that was all my fault. Better luck next time.
So I sit down at my table. Table 6 seat 6. Seems like a friendly group of guys. First hand is dealt and I am in MP and it is folded to me. I look down at Ks Qc. First mistake in this hand was I limped. I generally HATE playing the first hand because I have no info on the players at my table yet. Button called, SB completed, BB checked. Flop comes Q J 9 (suits unimportant). SB and BB check. I bet 150. Button fold, SB calls, BB folds. Turn comes a K. SB bets 300 and I call. River brings a 6. SB bets 600. Second mistake on this hand. For some stupid reason I missed the straight possiblility. Totally missed it. Never in my entire time, even when I was new to the game did I ever miss anything so freaking obvious. I called and he showed T2 for the K high straight. I just fell apart. I couldn't believe how utterly donkish I was in that hand. 1. If I raised like I should have then he would not have called with that hand even in the SB. If I paid any attention I could have not paid him off at the end. I might have put him on a straight on the turn and paid the 300 to hit a K or Q for a boat, maybe, but I sure as hell would have held on to that 600 on the river.
So I am now in bad shape and need to find a good hand to double up. When down to 325 in chips UTG raises to 300. MP reraises to 800. Folded to me on the button. I look, already pissed that two players have shown some serious strength, and see two Kings. Sweet! I push in my 325. SB, BB, and UTG fold and it is me and the reraiser. He shows two 7's and my hand holds up and I more than triple up.
Cards go dead cold. In the span of 6 hands I have 84o three times,94o, and 83o. I finally get down to 600 when I am moved to a new table. 3 hands in I get dealt 99 and push all in UTG. I get two callers. QJ when he flopped the straight. Bah! Finished 42nd out of 60. Eh, that was all my fault. Better luck next time.
Monday, July 03, 2006
Steve Yzerman Retires
Well a huge day for Red Wing fans. Steve Yzerman, who played here for 23 years, retired this afternoon. It's the end of an era. I grew up watching the Wings and Stevie play for 3/4's of my life and it will be very odd to watch the Wings without him on the ice.
He became a Wing back in 1983 when I was 11 and retires today when I am 34. Wow. That just blows my mind. I have so many fond memories of him and the Wings. The best was sneaking into Game 7 against the Blues in 96 (I think). We hung out in Standing Room Only (since we had no tickets) behind the Zamboni end net. Regulation ended in a 0-0 tie. By the start of the 2nd Overtime period we saw a few seats open up in the 10th row. We ran down and grabbed them and within 5 minutes Stevie was streaking down the right wing and took a shot flew past the goalie and we won! It was crazy. IT was amazing and one of many great Wings experiences I have had. (Was there for the record breaking 62nd win in a season, was in DC for their second cup).
Stevie will be missed by me and this city, but he did what he needed to do and I respect it. I am glad he got out now instead of playing well past his ability and looked foolish. He was one of the all time greatest NHL players to play the game and I am proud to have been able to enjoy watching all 23 seasons of his stellar career.
He became a Wing back in 1983 when I was 11 and retires today when I am 34. Wow. That just blows my mind. I have so many fond memories of him and the Wings. The best was sneaking into Game 7 against the Blues in 96 (I think). We hung out in Standing Room Only (since we had no tickets) behind the Zamboni end net. Regulation ended in a 0-0 tie. By the start of the 2nd Overtime period we saw a few seats open up in the 10th row. We ran down and grabbed them and within 5 minutes Stevie was streaking down the right wing and took a shot flew past the goalie and we won! It was crazy. IT was amazing and one of many great Wings experiences I have had. (Was there for the record breaking 62nd win in a season, was in DC for their second cup).
Stevie will be missed by me and this city, but he did what he needed to do and I respect it. I am glad he got out now instead of playing well past his ability and looked foolish. He was one of the all time greatest NHL players to play the game and I am proud to have been able to enjoy watching all 23 seasons of his stellar career.
Obligatory Post
Is it mandatory for me to sit here and tell you a little about myself? I really hate doing that. I am me. If you are reading this on a regular basis then you already know who I am. I am a man. I live in Michigan. I love the game of poker. I drive a VW GTI that I love as well. I have a beautiful wife that I love more than both of those.
That is it really. See ya soon.
That is it really. See ya soon.
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