It's Thursday...and all the dust has settled, my sleep has been caught up on, and I've started with my personal trainer, in my mission to lose 30-35 lbs before our family cruise in January!
All in all I'd say the WSOP-circuit event at IP could be viewed as a success, despite firing twice and not cashing in the Main Event...which was regrettable. But 4 cashes, including a 5th in the 6-Max (an event I'd never cashed before) and a 3rd in the 11th ring event...coupled with a 1 for 1 Mega record and a 4th in the only nightly I played...and it was the 2nd consecutive circuit event where I turned a profit! Woo Hoo!
Currently I sit in 5th place in the standings for the WSOP National Freeroll at the end of the season...something I won a seat in when they first started it four years ago. My 92.5 points have me in pretty good shape...what doesn't have me in good shape is that I'm still not allowed to play in Caesar's-owned properties. Hopefully, after the female dealer who started that mess, has had her letters received by all the various people who hold the power to rescind that 86, they will see fit to reinstate me to play at their casinos again.
In the meantime...I'm pretty sure I'm done playing tournaments for 2014. There really isn't anything I have any desire to go play...and with football season keeping me busy with my pools, and the holidays quickly approaching...there just isn't any real desire to go anywhere and be gone from home for a long time. I'd say I might play Choctaw in January..but that is the week our whole family is going on a Caribbean cruise, so that won't happen. Maybe the Bicycle Club event in LA and the next Palm Beach event...aside from that, no idea.
We are living in a 'house of stress' right now on the home front. Though I own my house in Pensacola that I rent out...we have been renting this house in Biloxi for the past 7 years. At $1250 a month...it irks me knowing how much money has been basically flushed down the toilet. Well, now our landlords have decided they want to sell this house. They got it appraised and are listing it for $125,000. They are offering us the 'amazing' price of $123,000....isn't that nice? For the $105,000 in rent they've collected from us, with ZERO missed or late payments..and we get a discount of $2000. Well, I got my taxes back today...the 7th year in a row that I've filed as a Professional Gambler...and forwarded that info to the mortgage person I've been working with to try and buy this place. Sorry...can't help you! Something about claiming $220,000 in winnings...but $170,000 in buy ins...with another bevy of deductions...leaving my overall taxable income being like $6500 or something...means they won't touch me. And Squirrel and her waitressing tips don't exactly put us over the top either.
So I don't know what to do! I have the 20-25% to put down on it. Our credit scores are both around 700. But because of what we do...and what the idiot predatory lenders did to the housing market last decade...we are in the position of not being able to get a mortgage. So irritating. And rentals? Squirrel has been beating herself over the head searching for them the last month...finding nothing even CLOSE to desirable. I'm not sure what the options are. I was hoping to just win the Main Event at IP...and pay them cash for the house! Didn't pan out!
So...in that last event? Ha...first, when I was logging on here to make a new post, I saw I had a new comment. It told me that 'Mr Poker' from my previous post....had written a blog post about me on his 'Big Slick Academy' site...but which he took down after three days. That really bums me out. I was hoping to read it. Well...I am happy to report that his 'Big Slick' style of play blew up in his face. All those chips...and all Sean Hansen (his real name) could muster, was a 9th place finish. Prior to starting back, I pulled up everyone's names to view their career results. I was amused to see that 'Mr Big Slick Poker Guy' had a whopping five career cashes. That made sense.
Not sure where he developed his style, but I would argue that he'd read 'Kill Phil' by Blair Rodman about 20 times...where it's basically just hammered into your head that pushing all in, regardless of the situation is going to work 99.5% of the time. And when it doesn't? And you get called? Pray! Well...I had a couple of spots where I was pretty sure I had the best hand...and he pulled that bullshit. The best hand I folded to his 3-bet shove was AcQc...which I'm 99.9% sure was ahead. But these final tables? Especially when I feel the table pretty much sucks? It's easier to just let the bad play weed it down to 3 or 4 then do whatever I can to win from there.
So that is what I did....and on a hand where there was a raise, and a re-raise, this fool shoves all in for an amount that was now, finally...a callable amount. So he got looked up by AQ this time...him holding Jack-Five. Well...he didn't get lucky...thank god...and he was gone, in 9th place.
Meanwhile...while that was going on...Quan Nguyen...who came to the final table with about 60% of the chips in play...was busy doubling up one short stack after another. I got into him a couple times myself. And finally...he shoved all in with A7 I think...and ran into the eventual winner's AA in the BB. Busto. 6th place. Wow. Granted...he had some bad luck...raising on the button with KK...getting shoved on by Kip Jones with AQ...who would flop an ace. But there were a lot of hands where he was just being overly aggressive when he didn't need to be. But this was the same guy that one of my buddy's was telling me was raising to 450 constantly in Level One of the Main Event when the blinds were 25/50. So aggression was kind of his middle name.
Things were really starting to go my way...I was getting close to having the chip lead. We were down to three..and I was really starting to get that 'feeling' you get when you're about to win a tourney. My 2nd ring, my first in Hold Em (finally-after 4 2nd place finishes) a big 50 Freeroll points that would put me in 2nd place overall...and a healthy score of $8300.
HICCUP #1. Kip Jones raises on the button...and I call in the SB with QJ. Now Anthony Gray (who would later win) goes all in with 55. But he goes all in for about 12 BB's. This is where I think Kip really fucked up. Instead of just calling...and having me flat behind...we hopefully knock him out...and lock up 1st and 2nd place money. But no...he shoves all in with 33. I fold obviously...and Anthony nearly triples up. Had Kip done what I think is the right thing there...we bust Anthony...and get heads up. He cost me $1600. And possibly a chance at the win. And only got 2nd place anyway. So he might have hurt himself too.
HICCUP #2. I raise Anthony in the SB with A-10 and get called by him in the BB with A-9. The flop comes A-9-9. I lead out. And he spaz shoves all in. And it wasn't a ton to call. I put him on either QJ...open ended...or K10...'El Diablo' which I'd be feeling pretty good about. I had to call. Ace nine? Wow. That was a bad hit....
HICCUP #3. The blinds were now out of control....I'd lost a couple more hands...and was 'down' to $120k at 6k/12k....10 BB's. Anthony raises on the button...and I have A5h in the BB...which at those levels..is gold. And since I really didn't have enough to three-bet...and didn't think flatting was a very smart move....I shoved. He snap called with QQ...ouch. But the flop brought two aces.....A-7-A....awesome...but three diamonds...and him holding the Q of diamonds. I'm just hoping to fade the diamond...but then he rivers a fucking queen. Gross. Nasty. Busto. 3rd place. Shit.
He then went on to beat Kip...collect his second ring of the circuit event...and lock up the Casino Champion title...securing his seat in the WSOP National Freeroll. Good for him. He was a nice guy...I'm glad he won.
I then walked over and watched my buddy Kai Landry play and get heads up in the....ahem...Ladies Event. You heard me. Kai played the ladies event. He even busted and rebought. It wasn't a big field...they only got 33 entries. And when Kai got heads up with who I'd coined 'Angry Joyce' because of an 'experience' I'd had with her a couple days before in the cash game...it was a scene out of a bizarro poker film. I had Nick and TK Miles there watching with me...and we were basically berating Kai the whole time...while the three ladies watching 'AJ' were rooting her on while also playfully berating Kai. Angry Joyce was tough because she basically had two moves...limp on the button or push all in. Weird. Kai had one beautiful suckout with A7c versus A9...and me calling the river card of victory for Kai. But even after that massive double up...he couldn't seem to do what needed to be done to tame the Angry Joyce....and she walked away with the pendant.
I'm told by a few ladies, that had Kai won...he never would have made it out of the parking garage with that pendant. Well, since I know he parked in valet...I wonder if they had a backup plan for him!?? So yeah, that was funny...and the post I made of him pictured at the final table with Joyce on my Facebook got a lot of entertaining comments!
So poker is over for me for awhile. Thanks to the folks at IP for letting me come back and play. It was a fun week. They did another great job of running the events. The dealers also did a fine job. It was nice seeing and playing with a lot of you I hadn't seen or played with in a long time. For those who I may have offended with my dry, sarcastic sense of humor...I offer you my condolences for not being able to comprehend good comedy when you see it.
MONKEY
All in all I'd say the WSOP-circuit event at IP could be viewed as a success, despite firing twice and not cashing in the Main Event...which was regrettable. But 4 cashes, including a 5th in the 6-Max (an event I'd never cashed before) and a 3rd in the 11th ring event...coupled with a 1 for 1 Mega record and a 4th in the only nightly I played...and it was the 2nd consecutive circuit event where I turned a profit! Woo Hoo!
Currently I sit in 5th place in the standings for the WSOP National Freeroll at the end of the season...something I won a seat in when they first started it four years ago. My 92.5 points have me in pretty good shape...what doesn't have me in good shape is that I'm still not allowed to play in Caesar's-owned properties. Hopefully, after the female dealer who started that mess, has had her letters received by all the various people who hold the power to rescind that 86, they will see fit to reinstate me to play at their casinos again.
In the meantime...I'm pretty sure I'm done playing tournaments for 2014. There really isn't anything I have any desire to go play...and with football season keeping me busy with my pools, and the holidays quickly approaching...there just isn't any real desire to go anywhere and be gone from home for a long time. I'd say I might play Choctaw in January..but that is the week our whole family is going on a Caribbean cruise, so that won't happen. Maybe the Bicycle Club event in LA and the next Palm Beach event...aside from that, no idea.
We are living in a 'house of stress' right now on the home front. Though I own my house in Pensacola that I rent out...we have been renting this house in Biloxi for the past 7 years. At $1250 a month...it irks me knowing how much money has been basically flushed down the toilet. Well, now our landlords have decided they want to sell this house. They got it appraised and are listing it for $125,000. They are offering us the 'amazing' price of $123,000....isn't that nice? For the $105,000 in rent they've collected from us, with ZERO missed or late payments..and we get a discount of $2000. Well, I got my taxes back today...the 7th year in a row that I've filed as a Professional Gambler...and forwarded that info to the mortgage person I've been working with to try and buy this place. Sorry...can't help you! Something about claiming $220,000 in winnings...but $170,000 in buy ins...with another bevy of deductions...leaving my overall taxable income being like $6500 or something...means they won't touch me. And Squirrel and her waitressing tips don't exactly put us over the top either.
So I don't know what to do! I have the 20-25% to put down on it. Our credit scores are both around 700. But because of what we do...and what the idiot predatory lenders did to the housing market last decade...we are in the position of not being able to get a mortgage. So irritating. And rentals? Squirrel has been beating herself over the head searching for them the last month...finding nothing even CLOSE to desirable. I'm not sure what the options are. I was hoping to just win the Main Event at IP...and pay them cash for the house! Didn't pan out!
So...in that last event? Ha...first, when I was logging on here to make a new post, I saw I had a new comment. It told me that 'Mr Poker' from my previous post....had written a blog post about me on his 'Big Slick Academy' site...but which he took down after three days. That really bums me out. I was hoping to read it. Well...I am happy to report that his 'Big Slick' style of play blew up in his face. All those chips...and all Sean Hansen (his real name) could muster, was a 9th place finish. Prior to starting back, I pulled up everyone's names to view their career results. I was amused to see that 'Mr Big Slick Poker Guy' had a whopping five career cashes. That made sense.
Not sure where he developed his style, but I would argue that he'd read 'Kill Phil' by Blair Rodman about 20 times...where it's basically just hammered into your head that pushing all in, regardless of the situation is going to work 99.5% of the time. And when it doesn't? And you get called? Pray! Well...I had a couple of spots where I was pretty sure I had the best hand...and he pulled that bullshit. The best hand I folded to his 3-bet shove was AcQc...which I'm 99.9% sure was ahead. But these final tables? Especially when I feel the table pretty much sucks? It's easier to just let the bad play weed it down to 3 or 4 then do whatever I can to win from there.
So that is what I did....and on a hand where there was a raise, and a re-raise, this fool shoves all in for an amount that was now, finally...a callable amount. So he got looked up by AQ this time...him holding Jack-Five. Well...he didn't get lucky...thank god...and he was gone, in 9th place.
Meanwhile...while that was going on...Quan Nguyen...who came to the final table with about 60% of the chips in play...was busy doubling up one short stack after another. I got into him a couple times myself. And finally...he shoved all in with A7 I think...and ran into the eventual winner's AA in the BB. Busto. 6th place. Wow. Granted...he had some bad luck...raising on the button with KK...getting shoved on by Kip Jones with AQ...who would flop an ace. But there were a lot of hands where he was just being overly aggressive when he didn't need to be. But this was the same guy that one of my buddy's was telling me was raising to 450 constantly in Level One of the Main Event when the blinds were 25/50. So aggression was kind of his middle name.
Things were really starting to go my way...I was getting close to having the chip lead. We were down to three..and I was really starting to get that 'feeling' you get when you're about to win a tourney. My 2nd ring, my first in Hold Em (finally-after 4 2nd place finishes) a big 50 Freeroll points that would put me in 2nd place overall...and a healthy score of $8300.
HICCUP #1. Kip Jones raises on the button...and I call in the SB with QJ. Now Anthony Gray (who would later win) goes all in with 55. But he goes all in for about 12 BB's. This is where I think Kip really fucked up. Instead of just calling...and having me flat behind...we hopefully knock him out...and lock up 1st and 2nd place money. But no...he shoves all in with 33. I fold obviously...and Anthony nearly triples up. Had Kip done what I think is the right thing there...we bust Anthony...and get heads up. He cost me $1600. And possibly a chance at the win. And only got 2nd place anyway. So he might have hurt himself too.
HICCUP #2. I raise Anthony in the SB with A-10 and get called by him in the BB with A-9. The flop comes A-9-9. I lead out. And he spaz shoves all in. And it wasn't a ton to call. I put him on either QJ...open ended...or K10...'El Diablo' which I'd be feeling pretty good about. I had to call. Ace nine? Wow. That was a bad hit....
HICCUP #3. The blinds were now out of control....I'd lost a couple more hands...and was 'down' to $120k at 6k/12k....10 BB's. Anthony raises on the button...and I have A5h in the BB...which at those levels..is gold. And since I really didn't have enough to three-bet...and didn't think flatting was a very smart move....I shoved. He snap called with QQ...ouch. But the flop brought two aces.....A-7-A....awesome...but three diamonds...and him holding the Q of diamonds. I'm just hoping to fade the diamond...but then he rivers a fucking queen. Gross. Nasty. Busto. 3rd place. Shit.
He then went on to beat Kip...collect his second ring of the circuit event...and lock up the Casino Champion title...securing his seat in the WSOP National Freeroll. Good for him. He was a nice guy...I'm glad he won.
I then walked over and watched my buddy Kai Landry play and get heads up in the....ahem...Ladies Event. You heard me. Kai played the ladies event. He even busted and rebought. It wasn't a big field...they only got 33 entries. And when Kai got heads up with who I'd coined 'Angry Joyce' because of an 'experience' I'd had with her a couple days before in the cash game...it was a scene out of a bizarro poker film. I had Nick and TK Miles there watching with me...and we were basically berating Kai the whole time...while the three ladies watching 'AJ' were rooting her on while also playfully berating Kai. Angry Joyce was tough because she basically had two moves...limp on the button or push all in. Weird. Kai had one beautiful suckout with A7c versus A9...and me calling the river card of victory for Kai. But even after that massive double up...he couldn't seem to do what needed to be done to tame the Angry Joyce....and she walked away with the pendant.
I'm told by a few ladies, that had Kai won...he never would have made it out of the parking garage with that pendant. Well, since I know he parked in valet...I wonder if they had a backup plan for him!?? So yeah, that was funny...and the post I made of him pictured at the final table with Joyce on my Facebook got a lot of entertaining comments!
So poker is over for me for awhile. Thanks to the folks at IP for letting me come back and play. It was a fun week. They did another great job of running the events. The dealers also did a fine job. It was nice seeing and playing with a lot of you I hadn't seen or played with in a long time. For those who I may have offended with my dry, sarcastic sense of humor...I offer you my condolences for not being able to comprehend good comedy when you see it.
MONKEY
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