Wish I had alot of comments for all of you to write about after taking almost the entire month off from blogging. The Buckeyes are still #1 and the Steelers are still struggling to find a groove and start winning some ball games.
The month has been good, but nothing outstanding. Lots of work travel, birthday parties for the kids and now I'm fighting a pretty bad head/chest cold to end the month. sigh.
Poker has dropped to almost non-existent for me. I've stopped playing on UB and have been almost exclusively on Poker.com for the past 2 months when I do play. I'm pretty much just messing around with $1/2 limit or $0.25/0.50 NL to get a poker fix in. I have to say that I could probably make some good money again if I spent more time playing, but for some reason the passion and drive just isn't there to play right now. I'm up about $150 over the past month or so playing the lower limts, as the players on poker.com are not that strong and constantly slow-play and give away free cards when they shouldn't. Two things I don't like about the site: you can't see a players mucked cards at showdown, I do like to see what they call down with when they get beat, and the site is not supported by PokerTracker. Otherwise the interface is pretty good and the players are loose, so that's good.
One hand in particular that shows the caliber of players....I see KQos in the BB on my first hand on the table the other day ($1/2 limit). Two players limp in, SB calls and I see a free flop. A-J-x rainbow, giving me a straight draw. I'm guessing that at least one of the limpers has Ax and decide to see what happens by leading out on the flop after the SB checks to me. Everyone calls, confirming that at least one A is sitting out there, along with probably Jx and something else. Turn misses my straight, but I lead out again to see what happens. EP calls, LP folds and SB calls again. A miracle 10 hits the river, giving my my nut straight. I lead out again and get called by both players. Now, I have no idea what they had, as they both mucked to my straight, but the EP player went on tilt for me hitting my 4 outer for the straight. I retorted that if he had a winning hand, he should have bet it rather than letting me dictate the action. If he had shown any strength in the hand by reraising, I would have folded when I missed on the turn. No one listened, as I was able to see many free flops from the BB, catch alot of cards late for flushes an boats that I should not have been able to see if anyone was the least bit aggressive with the betting. Oh well....I like the passive play by the players there...just wish there was a bonus structure like UB.
Not much else to discuss.....This cold is killing me and I'm getting pretty disgusted with feeling like crap all the time. Time to get back to work I guess.
I was getting ready to post about another poor showing by the Steelers last night, or the most recent meddling of the US government in their attempt to protect us from ourselves by banning internet gambling...
but then I read this (found it on Mean Gean's site...thanks for pointing it out Gean), and realized that there are much more important things going on than me rambling about a Steeler's loss.
It's been realitively easy to start to orget about the war going on in Iraq. We don't watch the national news, as the kids are usually in the room and I don't feel the need to explain the guns and bombs and flames to them....life will hit them sooner or later...I just want it to be much later. The newspaper is pretty much a conduit of sports news, comics and entertainment for me. I don't read the front news sections on a regular basis, as there is little good news reported, only another mugging, murder, car crash, political investigation, etc. reported. Who needs it?
When all is said and done....here's what truly matters to me: - Jen...my partner for 8 years tomorrow...she amazes me with her dedication to the kids and me day in and day out. I would be lost without her. - Danielle, Ashley and Alan...the best kids a father could ask for....even if I did help Danielle write a letter asking one of her kindergarden classmates to be her boyfriend over the weekend...he said yes. I'm shoppingg for a nice baseball bat in the near future. - A stable job...while it may not be the best job in the world, it's air conditioned, comfortable and relatively low stress. - Quality friends...Burton, Ogre, Bruce, Fitzy and the rest....if you're reading this know that I value your friendship very highly. We are long overdue for a get together for some beer and poker. -and Family...after just spending alot of time with my dad and brother, I am lucky to have them in my life. Jen's family is great as well, having accepted me into their family from day one. I wish I could say that things have improved recently with my mom, but she stills seems to ignore that we exist here in Columbus, so I'm not sure where that will all end up in the future.
Poker doesn't matter....nor does Wow, or the Steelers or Buckeyes in the grand scheme of things. Not to say I don't enjoy them, and am passionate about them, but my life is full and complete without them.
That being said....to those on the BPT....I've spotted you 2 weeks now...I'm coming with guns blazing from here on out. I will be going to Australia in January to represent the bloggers. Take that to the bank.
Short and sweet today...knocked out on first hand of tourney. Wish I could say it was a terrible suck-out or something, but here it goes.
I'm in the BB with A5 spades. ReplicantPoker (last tourney winner) opens from early position with a bet of 165. Fold around to Mada1970 who calls from the SB, as do I.
Flop comes down 9-6-7 with two spades, giving me a nut flush and gut-shot draw. Replicant checks from EP and Mada puts 1000 into the pot. I put him on a steal, as this is a strange overbet from middle position. I put him to the test and go all in with my draws...Replicant folds stating that he has JJ and Mada calls me....and shows 44. Basically went all in with bottom pair and no draws. Alas, my read was correct, but none of the spades, an 8 or and A falls on the turn or river and I'm the first one out of the tourney.
Not too upset, as Jen was working and I needed to fix dinner for the kids, so not all that broken up over it. Will be looking for Mada next time if he's willing to risk his chips like that again.
ttfn.
Tourney finished.... Natsdad finished in first with iyatoni DamRiver booboy119543 brodoughno mick5434 Porkrind333 Quackpot purechaos elc3105
all finishing in the money...Mada1970 was able to ride that first hand chipstack to 16th place. ReplicantPoker ended up in 57th and EgonOlsen in 55th. Until next time.
