Tag: player

T.O To Go

A few minutes ago, Helaine yelled to me upstairs. “Are you going to write about the Eagles in the blog?”

That was her way of saying, “Write about the Eagles in your blog.” OK – who am I to resist, especially after such an emotional victory.

If you’re not a football fan, let me get you caught up in about ten seconds.

The Eagles are Philadelphia’s football team. They used to have a player… a star player, named Terrell Owens. Though he was a pain in the ass, he was our pain in the ass. At least he was until he became such a pain he threatened to create dissension within the team.

T.O. was let go.

A guy’s got to earn a living, so Terrell to his number 81 and went to the Dallas Cowboys. In Philadelphia, the Cowboys are tied with the Taliban, Al Qaeda and Kim Il Jung at the bottom of the popularity polls.

To make things a little juicier, T.O. was involved in some sort of incident with the Dallas police. Whether he attempted to commit suicide or just had an accident – who knows? The next day he was practicing on the field and smiling. It was weird.

Today the Cowboys came to play the Eagles for the first time since Terrell left. Fox saw fit to make it their marquee game, shown nationwide at 4:15 PM EDT. Anyone even peripherally connected with sports was talking about it. There was no end to the hype.

Quickly, the Eagles went to a 10-0 lead. Helaine and I pinched ourselves. Then we remembered, this is football the king of non-linear games. Ten points in the first quarter means nothing.

We were so right.

The game seesawed back and forth. Donovan McNabb, Eagles quarterback had a pretty good game. T.O. was ineffective. Still, the game was close.

Late in the fourth quarter, the Eagles were up by seven, when a missed tackle, long pass and offensive pass interference penalty (all on the same play) moved the Cowboys eighteen feet from tying the game.

We had seen this before. So close – yet so far. When the Giants tied the Eagles in week two, they went on to win. Would the same fate befall the Eagles again?

Simply – no.

With the Cowboys charging, Drew Bledsoe threw to the end zone. The pass was caught, but by the Eagles Lito Sheppard who scampered 102 yards for an Eagles touchdown. Case closed.

Here’s the one awful part of this game. We were on an emotional roller coaster, as if it were meaningful in our lives. It’s only a game, but we allow the football season in general and the Eagles in particular to stake a claim on our lives.

Already, in the Eagles loss to the Giants, we took an emotional hit that lasted a few days. We were depressed as if something really awful had gone on.

Even though I can intellectualize the real meaning of football, that’s not strong enough to overcome my emotional attachment. It’s just as bad for Helaine, maybe worse.

The Eagles were picked to finish last in the NFC East. Now they’re leading the way. The emotion has just begun.

Invincible – The Movie

Invincible, the story of Vince Papale, opened this weekend. There was no chance I wasn’t going to see it. As the former owner of Section 614, Row 11, Seats 19 and 20 at The Vet, how could I not see a movie about a former Philadelphia Eagles player.

And, of course, there was Helaine. It was pretty much decided she’d see this movie when it went into pre-production. She too is an Eagles fan, plus at one time she knew Papale&#185.

Surprisingly, a lot of other people felt the same way. We went to the 3:00 PM show at Showcase Cinema in North Haven and found the theater nearly half full. That’s pretty good for a summer’s day – even one with mainly cloudy skies.

Are there that many Eagles fans? We watched a few groups of girls come in. Probably Mark Wahlberg fans.

Invincible is the story of Vince Papale, a 30 years old South Philly bartender with no college football experience who walks into a Philadelphia Eagles open tryout and makes the team. Imagine Rocky as non-fiction.

Though the movie claims to star Mark Wahlberg, it really stars Philadelphia. The city is portrayed as gritty and downtrodden. Papale’s South Philadelphia neighborhood is cramped with narrow streets and smaller homes. The Eagles are the one salvation to men who see no salvation or future in their own lives.

Wahlberg did a nice job, though I suspect the real Vince Papale was a lot more ebullient. The Papale seen on the screen was a self doubting moper.

Coach Dick Vermeil, played by Greg Kinnear, also seemed to lack the incredible enthusiasm… maybe naive enthusiasm… I saw in him as a Philadelphia resident.

It’s seldom you see a movie with a nearly wall-to-wall soundtrack of mid-70s music. This one did, and I loved each and every one.

Some of what’s portrayed, specifically Papale’s failure during his first pro game and his amazing turnaround in game two (calling a special teams audible which enabled him to make a tackle, creating a fumble, which he carried to the end zone, setting up an Eagles win against the Giants) seemed too contrived to be real. I checked, but the detailed game-by-game stats you find today just aren’t available online.

Papale is credited with one takeaway fumble in ’76 – so maybe.

It was nice to see names on uniforms and know they were really there. Harold Carmichael and Bill Bergey – these guys were big deals in Philadelphia. My bet is, back in 1976, backup quarterback Mike Boryla never thought his jersey would be featured in a movie, but it’s there too.

There was little suspense. You know he makes the team and how the movie will end.

What was there was lots of passion. That’s what made it worthwhile in the theater and what made it acceptable to be a fan in that 4-10 season.

&#185 – I was thinking Jessica Alba or possible Hillary Swank as Helaine, but somehow she must have been written out. Damn Hollywood!

Foxes First Law Of Getting Fired

I’m a big fan of Amanda Congdon at Rocketboom. Rocketboom is a vlog or video blog.

Rocketboom is probably the most successful of the few vlogs that exist. Amanda is the major reason for that. She is very telegenic&#185 – the ‘it’ factor.

I don’t always remember the specific content (which is often worthless minutiae), but I do remember Amanda’s ‘mugging’ for the camera between items. She’s got great timing and a witty comedic sense.

After a week featuring ‘guest hosts’ and the claim Amanda was on vacation, word came today that Amanda is gone. She said she was fired. Andrew, the producer said she left.

I wish it would have been left a that.

This evening Amanda violated “Fox’s First Law of Getting Fired.” She discussed it on her blog and tried to explain and justify her actions while questioning the actions of her former producer.

Amanda, don’t. It’s that simple.

Sometimes relationships don’t work out. It can be a relationship like a marriage or a business relationship, which is what this was. No one needs to be at fault. No one needs to be the evil player. Stuff just happens.

When you defend your side after a relationship dissolves, it always seems like sour grapes. It always seems self serving. It never helps.

A friend of mine was just fired from a TV job. I told her, when she applies for another job, it’s OK to say she was fired, but stop there. Why she was fired is inconsequential and saying anything about it will make her look at fault. Take the high road. Silence is golden.

I hope Amanda does well. I’m sure she will. But right now, I’m afraid a pissing match is about to begin… and everyone involved will get wet.

&#185 – Amanda is very pretty, but telegenic is not the same as pretty. You can be one without the other, and there are loads of examples you see every day.

Being telegenic means you present a persona to the camera that people want to spend time with. You seem friendly, inviting, charming… you get the idea. In the long run, telegenic is much more valuable than pretty.

Like Shooting Fish In A Barrel

I was on the phone with my mom two nights ago. I mentioned poker and she asked if I was a gambler?

When that question comes from your mom, it deserves attention. I stopped to think.

Obviously, I enjoy poker. I’ve certainly written about it enough. It is, in my opinion, a game of skill – but yes, it has to be considered gambling. So, in that regard, I’m a gambler.

As opposed to poker, I hardly enjoy casino games where you play against the house. When I’m in a casino, not playing poker, my involvement is minimal. I don’t enjoy blackjack and I put up with slot machines only because I’m interested in the computing involved! I couldn’t spend long times doing either, and would never go to a casino with those games as my main purpose.

I couldn’t play if I was losing. For me, gambling and losing is not fun.

I have found a poker game where I can, and do, dominate. It is 6-handed, no limit Hold’em. I won’t go into the math, but this particular setup favors very tight players and a lot of patience – my strengths. It is like shooting fish in a barrel.

If I play a few of these six player tourneys over the course of an evening, I nearly always end up ahead.

Now, here’s the answer to my mom’s question.

I do really well in the 6-handed game… but I also play in larger tournaments where the possible payoff is much larger, and where I generally don’t do well at all! I only play these bigger tournaments because the 6-handed ones keep me ahead.

I suppose that really does make me a gambler… though, under these circumstances, ahead of the game for 34 months on PokerStars, it seems pretty harmless.

No Real On This Computer

With my new motherboard and configuration, this computer is doing just fine, thanks. There is one thing I realized a few days ago, and was reminded of this morning. I don’t have the Real player installed.

Sorry Real – I’m not sure you’re necessary anymore.

Back when Real was the only game in town, they made their video/audio player a huge pain in the ass. Though there was a free player, it was difficult to find. Once you installed the player, you got unwanted pieces and shortcuts scattered about.

Real has changed their ways, I hear. Maybe so. But, right now, with no necessity to install it, I’m going to stand my ground and remember the good old days.

Unfortunately for them, life changes when you’re no longer the only game in town.

Let’s Talk Poker

I haven’t written about playing poker online in a while. Maybe I’ve grown sheepish because my play has been so awful.

My original buy-in (August 2003 – $250) multiplied, until I managed to squander most of it!

Actually, a little remedial math is in order. Though I bought in for $250, someone I knew wanted to play online and didn’t want to send money to Costa Rica. I moved $75 from my account to his and he gave me $75 in cash. So, my cash basis is actually $175.

It really didn’t matter. A few weeks ago I was down to $20.

I play all the time. If I had blown the whole $175 over two and a half years – big deal.

It’s not that simple.

To give up my original stake would be a moral defeat. The money is not the point. All things considered, it’s cost pennies an hour for my fun… maybe less. It’s the concept of losing that pains me.

The remaining twenty dollars didn’t give me much cushion. I couldn’t afford to be unlucky. And, obviously, I had to figure out what turned me from winner to loser so I could stop it.

The answer was pretty simple and two fold.

First, a truth about no-limit poker (which is what I play online). You can win 90% of the hands you play, but lose once all-in and you’re gone!

I decided my play had gotten too lose. I was chasing too many hands. Often, seeing a small bet with low connectors (7-8 for instance) will bring you a playable but beatable hand. A cheap bet early costs you a lot more later.

I also realized many of my biggest losses were hands where a player with a better hand let me be the aggressor. He let me lay my own trap! I have turned my aggression down.

You still have to bet, in order to force marginal hands to fold, but I’m not betting as much nor going all-in anywhere near as often.

I said it was a two fold strategy before. Maybe it’s three fold, because there is one other change I’ve made. This probably doesn’t count as strategy, but I’m only playing very low stakes tournaments. In fact, I have stuck with $5+ 50&#162 and $3 + 40&#162 ‘sit and go’ tournaments almost exclusively.

There is a difference in the quality of play at these low stakes games, and all it takes is one or two poor players to tilt the odds. Sadly, I can make more money at low stakes than high stakes!

My strategy has paid off. The $20 is back up to around $100. I’m down $75.25 over 873 days. Playing Texas Hold’em has cost me 8.6&#162 per day.

I wasn’t going to retire on this money, still it’s good to know I can analyze my game when I need to.

I got complacent and sloppy. Knowing how to play properly is not the same as making yourself play properly. Discipline, something I’ve never been known for, must be cultivated to be successful.

I’m trying – really.

One More Sony DRM Posting

Sony has recalled all their CDs which contain ‘rogue’ digital rights management software (DRM), but do they really want to get the word out? Maybe yes, maybe no.

The software they installed has a feature which could reach out and touch the users.

As it turns out, there’s a clear solution: A self-updating messaging system already built into Sony’s XCP player. Every time a user plays a XCP-affected CD, the XCP player checks in with Sony’s server. As Russinovich explained, usually Sony’s server sends back a null response. But with small adjustments on Sony’s end — just changing the output of a single script on a Sony web server — the XCP player can automatically inform users of the software improperly installed on their hard drives, and of their resulting rights and choices.

As of now, I have seen nothing to indicate Sony has turned proactive. Maybe this is finally a chance for them to stop the terrible publicity they’ve gotten? Even people who don’t understand what Sony’s done sense something’s not right.

This is fifteen or twenty times as weird as I originally anticipated it would get. What hath Sony wrought?

Global Warming Monkey Wrench

I am somewhat skeptical about all the gloom and doom of Global Warming. I’m not saying the theories aren’t based in fact (we do know CO2 is a greehouse gas). It just seems as if the calculations are overdone.

I would feel better if Global Warming proponents mentioned the positive effects of their theory along with the doom. Isn’t that what imparital scientists do?

Just about all the operational meteorologists I know are skeptics. Nearly all the meteorologists who are cited as proponents are theoretical or research guys. Us day-to-day guys aren’t quick to jump on the multi-decadal forecast bandwagon as long as we’re having trouble getting Friday right on Monday.

Today I read an article which again puts the whole thing up in the air. I’m inclduing this link, but with the proviso that I can’t/won’t vouch for the author.

This new article says the Sun is getting warmer. We notice it from space probes and think we see evidence on other plants, like the shrinking polar ice cap on Mars.

Astrophysicists are scratching their heads about what’s happening on the sun and in our solar system. Why has this so-called “Solar Minimum” been so active? It should be quiet now with very few sunspots because this is supposed to be the low point of the Sun’s 11-year-sunspot cycle. But this week, there was a sunspot called 822 that’s 87,000 miles across – the size of the planet Jupiter! Could it erupt with more powerful X-flares as has happened the past few months. Big flares threaten all the broadcast, global positioning and military satellites that now orbit our planet. As I’ve reported before in Earthfiles, the sun is not “normal.” Is it warming up? Earth’s North Pole and Mars’s South Pole are melting at a surprisingly rapid rate. Even far out Pluto seems to show some melting. Is the sun a bigger player in all this than originally thought?

Yes – on the face of it, the science sounds right. I just don’t know if the books are cooked.

It has become more and more difficult to fight the tide of Global Warming pronouncements. Not because there’s more science, because there are more an louder voices.

I’m curious how this article will fit into the discussion.

Football Season Ends

The Eagles lost another one last night, falling to the Washington Redskins. The Eagles are now dead last in their division.

One of the Eagles’ problems was the missing Terrell Owens. Owens has been the team’s biggest star and biggest problem child, all at once.

He has criticized his fellow players and coaches and, it seems, taken a swing at a former player who is considered the team’s “ambassador.” Now he has been suspended.

Good going Terrell.

From The Associated Press: This was the second time Owens has been suspended during his controversial 10-year career. In 2000, he was suspended one game by San Francisco coach Steve Mariucci following his infamous touchdown celebrations on the Dallas Cowboys’ famed star logo at the center of Texas Stadium.

Owens clashed with management this summer and earned a one-week exile from training camp after a heated dispute with Reid that followed a shouting match with offensive coordinator Brad Childress.

As a kid I thought my sports heroes were heroes in real life as well. It’s not so. I was innocent. Players like Terrell Owens just go to reinforce that realization.

Owens is now suspended and it’s doubtful he’ll ever play for the Eagles again. He’ll probably find another team sometime soon.

The real shame is, I’m not sure he’s capable of being happy. I’ve known people like that… worked with people like that. It’s no fun. They become their own worst enemy. There’s no doubt that description applies to Owens.

Meanwhile. as an Eagles fan, the season seems to have ended early.

Vegas Loose Ends

Part of my plan for Las Vegas was to play a lot of poker. I did just that.

The first table I sat at, a $100 + $15 ‘sit ‘n go’, paid off! I thought the week would be easy money.

After that one tournament, I couldn’t win. If I had good cards, someone had better cards. Or, I’d have awful cards for extended periods.

It was depressing. I know Helaine could see that in me, and she told me so.

What was bothering me was, I was playing well, but still losing. I think I’m a good (not great) player, so this steady losing was making me question what I was doing. A good player should be able to win at poker over a long enough period of time.

Was it the Las Vegas competition?

Maybe I had moved up to competition that was too tough for me? Or, it could have been just the cards. You can’t tell while it’s happening.

The difference between winning and losing, even over a week, can come down to one or two hands! Seriously. The difference between winning and losing could be, as an example, plus $150 (win) or minus $80 (loss). That’s a delta of $230.

The more I played, the more I lost and the more I questioned my play. My goal was to play tight; a conservative player. It is easy to succumb to temptation and play hands you shouldn’t play. I did that a little, not a lot.

Finally, two days before we left, the tide turned. I finished that day up around $150 – though still seriously down for the week.

On Sunday, my last poker day, Helaine gave me a pep talk. It was like a scene from Rocky and she was Burgess Meredith!

First I sat down for a $100 + $15 ‘sit ‘n go.’ I came in second for a $185 profit.

I moved to a $10/$20 limit table. This had been the bane of my existence all week. Suddenly, I could do no wrong. In a few short hours I had made back another $400+.

We had dinner and took some family time. Then I returned for one more session. I was still smoking! My tight reputation allowed me to steal at least one pot with what I’m sure were losing cards. I won a bit less than $200 before calling it quits.

After being a net loser all week, two nights turned things around. Between Saturday and Sunday I made up my losses and added on a profit of a few hundred dollars. Spread over our week plus there, my hourly rate was pitiful – but I was a net winner!

What did I learn in this week of live playing? More than anything, over the short term (and that can be a few days or more) cards can be fickle. Steady play will pay off if you have enough time. You have to be able to weather setbacks without going on tilt.

Oh… and it’s cool getting a pep talk from your wife.

More On Monday From Las Vegas

Lots to be done as we settled on on our third day here, but the day that had been scheduled to be the first. Max had to go to the airport, and that was the perfect opportunity for me to pick up our rental car, also at the airport.

Melissa was driving. Note to NASCAR: Any teams needing a new driver, Melissa is your girl. I have flown in an F/A-18, but it didn’t have the maneuverability of Melissa’s Toyota Sequoia.

With bumper-to-bumper traffic on Las Vegas Blvd I’ll swear she hit 80 mph… and that was just changing lanes!

With lots of people to shuttle around, we needed to rent a car with room. Helaine (Queen of Deals) had found a Chrysler Minivan from Dollar for about $130 per week. Taxes and fees added an extra $60!

I have a Dollar FASTLANE card. It cost nothing. The program is now named Dollar Express, but the effect is the same.

We walked into the rental office and saw a long line. Next to it was a space for Dollar Express members. I walked up and was taken next! Without the little, free, card, we’d still be in line.

We saved at least an hour – maybe more.

This car is not stylish. In fact, it sort of represents everything this trip is not supposed to be. It will do, because it is what we need.

On the way back from getting the car we stopped to get water and soda to keep in our room. It was interesting to see both the drug store and grocery had small video poker rooms.

I wasn’t done with poker, and when we got back, I sat back down. My luck from the morning hadn’t changed.

Actually, that’s wrong. My play hadn’t changed. I was playing sloppy, like a tourist who wanted hands to play and was willing to play lesser cards. That was a $180 lesson.

I was still up, but now my winnings were marginal… and I was upset, because I knew I could play better.

We all had dinner at a fancy Italian restaurant at the Venetian – Zeffirino. I had a pasta/seafood dish, which was very tasty.

As dinner ended, the waiter, captain and the restaurant’s strolling mandolin (Was it a mandolin… I’m really not sure. It wasn’t a guitar) player came by with a piece of cake and candle to celebrate my dad’s 80th.

The birthday isn’t until later in the week, but that’s what the trip is all about.

Michael and Melissa and my folks stayed at the Venetian. Helaine and I returned to the Mirage. I needed to redeem myself.

Let me stop for a second and explain something. Even when you know how to play poker correctly, it is always possible to be swayed by the siren song mediocre cards. That’s especially true of someone like me who will be here a relatively short amount of time and wants to play, not fold. I have to fight the temptation.

As it turns out, I did stick to my guns and played very nicely… until 2:30 AM PDT. Bottom line was a $40 win.

It would have been more (it would have been a few hundred more), but, with Aces full, I was beaten by an unlikely four of a kind by a player who went in, in the face of betting action, with nothing but a 2-4 and caught just the right cards.

I’m sure I also had a few unlikely wins, but it’s always the ‘beats’ you remember.

My sister and brother-in-law are on a plane now, heading into Vegas. I’m the designated driver, so I’d better get going. More later from Fabulous Las Vegas.

Wish you were here.

Poker – Grrrr

We had a family breakfast this morning. Then, while my parents and cousins went to look at the animals in the Secret Garden behind the Mirage, I went to play poker.

All that was open was $3-$6. That’s what I used to play, so I sat down. I was in for a rude awakening.

I should have known early on when I caught a good card on the flop. I bet and EVERYONE called – everyone! C’mon, they couldn’t all have good cards.

I lost one big pot when another player caught a flush on his J-4 clubs. Nothing wrong with that, except he went in to see the flop with those two miserable cards even after there had been a bet!

It’s tough to think of worse cards, but he was here to play, not sit.

Bottom line, I gave back $120 and it was painful doing that.

We’re going to drop off Cousin Max (flying home to Orange County) and pick up the rental car in a little while. I’ll write later.

My First Action – Poker In Vegas

We were up and at ’em before noon – a major accomplishment considering our cross country trip and fatigue.

My folks spent last night, unhappily, at the MGM Grand. Nothing went right. All that was left were smoking rooms. There was an ironing board and iron in the middle of the room. My mom couldn’t sleep.

They were coming to the Mirage Tuesday, but Helaine managed to get them in today. They are now safely ensconced here, along with my cousins Michael and Melissa and their son Max. My sister and brother-in-law get here Tuesday.

Helaine, Queen of Las Vegas, had arranged for line passes. These are worth their weight in gold. Getting to the head of the line can be very valuable when the line snakes forever! These aren’t comps – we’re paying – but it’s still worthwhile.

We went with Cousin Melissa and had breakfast in the Caribe Cafe. It’s a Vegas coffee shop and everything good that implies.

After breakfast, and moving my folks, I headed to the sports book to watch the Eagles. It was ugly. It was a win.

Michael and I headed out for a walk, but when it was his turn to watch Max, I headed to the poker room for my first tableside action.

I have been playing $10-$20 of late at Foxwoods. None of that here. I signed up for a $6-$12 table, but before I was called a “Sit ‘n Go” tournament opened.

In a “Sit ‘n Go,” 10 players ante up $100 plus $15 for the casino. Each then gets $1,000 in tournament chips (no value off this table). The 10 play until there are two left. First place gets $700, with the remaining $300 for second.

In the beginning I was incredibly nervous. My play was fine, but I was intimidated to be doing something live and in person I usually do at home, on the couch, in pajamas.

I took a quick lead, amassing $3,500 of the tables $10,000. It didn’t last. I stayed up, but was soon in third and probably fourth for a while. I played steady. I measured my bets, studied the pot, figured the odds.

I have been reading Dan Harrington’s poker book and used some of his advice.

The table leader was a man from Alabama who played very loose and had been lucky. I knew he would burn out.

Finally the table was down to three. The player to my right went all in against the player to my left. They were nearly even in chips. That meant there would be two… and one of them would be me!

We continued to play. The player to my right was up by a few thousand chips. With me holding King/Queen off suit, he made a bet. I decided to take a stand and go all in. He asked if I wanted to split the $1,000 cash 50/50?

I was a crap shoot. Who knew. But, right then, half the pot seemed good to me. We shook hands.

I’ve played once and so far, I’m up. I was pleased at my play and pleased at the quality of the others playing. They are beatable.

This doesn’t mean i will leave Las Vegas a winner. It does mean I have a fighting chance. Even if I lose a little or come out even, I will be a winner, because I enjoy the action.

Of course, I could lose a lot. I’ll try and limit that.

What I’ve Learned About Poker

Whether I’m a good or poor poker player is for others to decide. That original $250 investment is still buying me games on Pokerstars over two years later.

Pokerstars, however, is a much bigger winner than I, taking a cut of every game I’m in… and I’ve been in thousands.

When I began to play poker seriously, the first thing I learned was which cards to play and what to lay down. Helaine and I don’t always see eye-to-eye on this, but we’re fairly close. And we’re both fairly conservative.

I think the biggest improvement in my game over the past few months has been my skill as a bettor. There have been many fewer instances of my sloppy big bet, aimed at forcing another player to fold, biting me in the tush.

I’ve heard some pros say smart betting is the real secret to no limit Hold’em. There are no firm rules. Each situation is different. Yet I find myself understanding more about the importance of position and when to use a big bet to cut off action before the turn or river card cheapens your hand.

Sometimes I’m still too committed to a hand, even in the face of cards on the board that are surely helpful to others.

I’ve learned a lot. I’ve got a lot to learn.

Pokerstars Tournament – Two In A Row

Yesterday, I wrote about winning a little $3 + rebuy tournament on Pokerstars and picking up $215. I decided to try again last night – and scored again for another $215!

The first time was pure skill coupled with no bad luck. This time it was a little skill and unbelievably good luck! I dodged the bullet enough to start thinking I was bulletproof.

The turning point came during the first hour. I lost a few moderate sized hands and rebought to add $1500 in chips for another $3. My chip count put me well within the vast middle of the pack.

Then I picked up a pair of 9s.

I limped in – a small pair is no big deal. The flop came with two more 9s. The first 5 cards and I already had four of a kind!

I sat back and just called the two other players as they bet away. I tried to be as invisible as possible. Then, on the river, I went all in. One player folded, but the other went after me and lost. He had a great hand – a full house. Mine was better.

It was a huge hand which quickly moved me into the top-30. At that point I just tried to hang on.

Twice I went in with decent cards only to find better cards from my opponent. Both times I finished with ridiculously good hands against remarkably long odds because of just the right cards falling.

It is much more profitable to be lucky than skillful.

As the table got close to the magic number for payouts, I was unsure if I had enough money to last. Dealt two Kings, I made a big bet, only to have another player call me. Uh oh.

Another King came on the turn, giving me a set! I bet hard – he folded. Now I had enough money to hold on for the win.

The problem with these ‘qualifier’ tournaments, where everyone gets the same prize is, at the end, they turn ploddingly slow.

Interestingly, this tournament took almost the exact same amount of time as the one the night before and had nearly the same amount of players and money in the pot.

My friend Wendie said in an email, these poker stories are boring… so I’ll try and refrain for a while. On the other hand, when you dedicate nearly five hours of couch time to a tournament, how much else is there to write about?