Before I write a blog I am greeted by the blog roll of Nolan Dalla...which just gets more and more intimidating every time I sign in. The guy is simply amazing. I'm pretty sure he posts every day. EVERY DAY! And everything he writes is entertaining, informative and insightful. Makes me wonder why I'm wasting my time.
Then I read the comments that have been left. Today there was just one. Yesterday, Squirrel drove to Pensacola to join her girlfriends for a Miranda Lambert concert...leaving Carley home with me. We did the yard work together...her following me around like my shadow, gulping Gatorade (finished off with a big Ahhhh!) when I drank Gatorade. Then, once done...asked her 'ya wanna go eat chicken!??' "Yeah!!!" So we headed to Buffalo Wild Wings. She was perfect! Did her coloring with the crayons and kids menu/coloring sheets...then devoured some cheese dip and a little chicken. Then we came home, took a bath, and watched 'Frozen' for the 837th time...the 'sing-a-long' version...in which Daddy leads the way with all the theatrics. She finally fell asleep! So I log on and see this comment: "You took sweet Carley to a bar to watch football! What is wrong with you Will!??" Sigh. Yes...yes I did. I took her to a BAR! To watch football! We were there for 45 minutes. And I think I might have caught one play of the Steelers game.
So I finally got my 4-scene ALS Ice Bucket Challenge video finished and posted. I promised to donate .50 for every 'like' that I got on Facebook. So far it's somewhere around 150 likes. A lot of people, mostly in drought-stricken California, have been belly-aching about the Ice Bucket challenge, countering it with pictures of skinny African kids walking down dirt roads clinging to their mothers and asking why we have to 'waste' water. This is about the dumbest counter-argument I've ever heard I think. In my case...just so it's disclosed, I bought 10 bags of ice, and 10 gallons of distilled water from Fred Meyer in Seattle...total cost: $36. As well as two orange buckets from Home Depot for $11. $47 was my total cost to try and raise awareness for a horribly debilitating disease. Here, for your viewing is the finished product. And I know...the audio sucks. Sorry.
I won't bother talking about ISIS, or former Raven Ray Rice, or Russian/Ukraine, or Ferguson, Missouri, or Joan Rivers and Betty White dying. Won't talk about how heartbroken I am at the guy in South Carolina who killed all five of his kids. Won't tell you how many people lost in the first week of my Survivor Pools (astronomical). Won't bring up the rant made by Gordon Hardy against the Pensacola Greyhound Poker room...pertaining mostly to the treatment of their players. I also won't get into the anniversary's of Hurricane Katrina or 9/11...and/or none of the conspiracy theories that are attached to the latter. You know? Like...what really happened to WTC building 7? I won't share with you how I was able to see the very-hard-to-find beheading videos of our two journalists in Syria, or the discussions I've had with a member of ISIS on Twitter..just to gain perspective on how these people operate, and what is going on in their brain. (all very riveting). I will tell you how sick I am of over-dramatic Shepherd Smith of Fox News...and specifically his overuse (ad nauseam) of the expression 'boots-on-the-ground.'
I will talk about poker! For the last few years, I've tended to run pretty bad in noon preliminaries, but then have cashed about 70% of the Main Events I've entered. I guess that could be considered a 'good' thing. But what it's led to is making me want to skip the first week of most events...then show up at the end...and play the last three events...so I don't drive myself crazy all week, kill my confidence, and go into the Main with a diminished state of mind.
Well, in the case of the IP Biloxi WSOP event...I'm on home turf...and with 35 points picked up in Palm Beach with the 6th place finish in the Main Event....I had no reason NOT to play every event that I can. Once upon a time I used to cash about everything I played at the IP. It's the place I picked up my one and only WSOP circuit ring (in Omaha 8 or better in 2010-a great year!) and also where I got my first outright win in a decent sized tourney...winning the 50k guarantee on Halloween in 2008 I think. There have been some good memories there for sure. So I always kind of look forward to playing events there.
Since it's the day of the Main Event...you will be spared a lot of the histrionics of each tourney that I've played this week...and will merely get an annotated summary. Event 1. $365. Oh...and every event has had about 125-150 entrants...very standard/typical for the events at the IP. I would love to see it draw better...but it just never does. In fairness, the big event is/was going on at Borgata at the same time...and while I would love to be up there playing for hundreds of thousands instead of 10's of thousands...it is nice to sleep in my own bed and be home.
I got deep in the first event, made the money...and with 13 left...and getting excited about a final table in my first tourney back in three years....I have a guy limp at 1500/3000 with 57...and 37,000 in his stack. The SB calls. And I have KQh in the big blind and 38,500...seemed like a no-brainer. All in. The guy CALLS and tells me "You're definitely ahead...but I like this hand." I expect to see like A6 or something and NOT actually be ahead....when I see 57 I'm scratching my head. The flop is clean....and the turn brings me a flush draw...but also gives him a gutshot....he needs a non-heart 6 on the river. Six of spades. And I'm out. Unreal. I just shook my head in disgust, collected my measly $600 or so...and went home.
Next event...another $365. I get deep again. And now...sitting on 136k with the average stack being 72k...I'm thinking there is no way I'm not making the final table in this one. At 1200/2400, this guy with 43,000 raises to 10,000 in early position. Huh!? Wow...but then I look down at AA. Nice! And as I look down the table I see three short stacks. Seems like a really nice spot to just call and hope someone shoves. I flat. No one shoves, or calls. The flop comes J-3-7....one spade. "Well, I guess I'm going to give you the rest of my chips, he says." I hate it when they say crap like that. Expecting to see pocket jacks...but hopefully QQ....I call. He turns over AK...of spades....about the best I could hope to see. Then two spades roll off the deck....flush. Wow. Gross. Hit number one.
Then the same guy calls my AQ raise from UTG. The flop comes A-Q-10. Nice. He checks. I bet 7500. He shoves all in. WTF? Tough fold but I fold face up. He is grinning and shows KJ. Just the nuts. Wow...thanks for shoving all in and letting me off the hook sir. And now...I am down around average. No cakewalk today I guess. And to be honest...I don't even remember how I went out now....but I busted 14th...again for not much money. But it was 2 cashes in two events...so that felt kind of good I suppose. And my points total was up to 42.5 in the National Freeroll.
Next up...after busting that tourney....I played the 3-flight 5pm tourney...needing to bag that night because I'd been informed by Squirrel that I couldn't play on Saturday...needing to take care of Carley. Well, I played long and deep...but busted near the end...then went and played cash game...all night. Totally lost track of time...getting a call from Squirrel at 8am asking where the hell I was. Wow! 8am!?? How did that happen? Must have been one helluva Omaha game...one in which I was way way stuck before rallying to get back most of my losses. Took Saturday off. And then Sunday as well.
Monday I was back for the 6-handed. I have never cashed in a 6-max. Ever. I'd bubbled one twice, and been close a few times...but never cashed. Until this week! I made the final table...and had a lot of people chirping about me being the favorite to win, given the lineup of players. I too liked my chances, but take nothing for granted. We went from 7 to 6 on the 3rd hand. Official final table now. But then we went for like 90 minutes before I eliminated the 6th place guy with my AK vs his 44...hitting a straight on him. And then....we played 5-handed for another eternity...and the structure started getting out of hand...which is what I was fearing. The coming of the Shove Fest! It arrived. And my 275k stack took the 'Big Hit' when the eventual winner, Rodney Sermons...raised on the button with A8...I found KK in the big blind and re-raised...but I guess not enough because he called. I led out on an ace-high flop....only to get called, and was probably done with the hand...until I turned a flush draw...I checked, and called his bet...which gave him two pair with the 8 of hearts. The river was a brick and I folded to his bet...frustrated.
He raised a few hands later and I felt like KJ was probably a good hand to go with, so I did...and got called by his AQ. And the board ran out all rags...and I busted 5th. Bummer. $2700. But a small degree of satisfaction. They would lose the next two players in 20 minutes. And the two heads up players only played about 20 more minutes. I was THAT close!
Well...as soon as I busted I had 7 minutes to get into the $240 Mega Satellite. So I bought in. I gambled on the first hand...and tripled up. I would later get AA cracked by JJ and flop a straight only to lose to a guy going runner runner with just top pair for a boat...but still survived...and ended up winning the seat! Yahtzee! A savings of $1400!!!!
And once that was over? I had mere minutes to get into the $130 7pm nightly...AKA the Nightly Shit Show. I got into that....with like 5 big blinds...and continued my good run. I made the money at 8 players....and they allowed us to play on the 'Disco Final Table' which the IP puts together on a lighted stage...it's really cool...and it was my THIRD appearance that day on that stage! I ended up busting out 4th....losing with AJ to AQ....for another $700...and what ended up being a really decent day. Not a GREAT day...but a decent day for sure. And in the Freeroll race...I now have 67.5 points...good for 12th Nationally! So a good run in the Main could really be sweet!
Oh! For all those naysayers who wanted to criticize my selection of the Minions this summer? Yeah...well...you fools can suck it! BJ McBrayer got 2nd in the biggest event of this series so far for $27,000. He also cashed the Main Event at the Beau Rivage last month...for another $15k. Josh Reichard? He's has only won a ring at this event...cashed a couple more...and is sitting in 2nd place for the race for Casino Champion. Yeah...a real slouch! Wild Bill Phillips hasn't gotten a chance to play every event...but the one he has played? He's gotten deep in them. And Kai Landry? Well...he has been too busy dealing with 'life issues' this week to come out and play. There are rumors floating around that we may see him for the Ladies Event on Sunday. So you BETTER respect Monkey's Minions...because they are doing work!!!! And as their 'handler' I too am holding my own!
Okay....time to go take a shower...then hopefully go keep this weeks 'run good' going!
MONKEY
Then I read the comments that have been left. Today there was just one. Yesterday, Squirrel drove to Pensacola to join her girlfriends for a Miranda Lambert concert...leaving Carley home with me. We did the yard work together...her following me around like my shadow, gulping Gatorade (finished off with a big Ahhhh!) when I drank Gatorade. Then, once done...asked her 'ya wanna go eat chicken!??' "Yeah!!!" So we headed to Buffalo Wild Wings. She was perfect! Did her coloring with the crayons and kids menu/coloring sheets...then devoured some cheese dip and a little chicken. Then we came home, took a bath, and watched 'Frozen' for the 837th time...the 'sing-a-long' version...in which Daddy leads the way with all the theatrics. She finally fell asleep! So I log on and see this comment: "You took sweet Carley to a bar to watch football! What is wrong with you Will!??" Sigh. Yes...yes I did. I took her to a BAR! To watch football! We were there for 45 minutes. And I think I might have caught one play of the Steelers game.
So I finally got my 4-scene ALS Ice Bucket Challenge video finished and posted. I promised to donate .50 for every 'like' that I got on Facebook. So far it's somewhere around 150 likes. A lot of people, mostly in drought-stricken California, have been belly-aching about the Ice Bucket challenge, countering it with pictures of skinny African kids walking down dirt roads clinging to their mothers and asking why we have to 'waste' water. This is about the dumbest counter-argument I've ever heard I think. In my case...just so it's disclosed, I bought 10 bags of ice, and 10 gallons of distilled water from Fred Meyer in Seattle...total cost: $36. As well as two orange buckets from Home Depot for $11. $47 was my total cost to try and raise awareness for a horribly debilitating disease. Here, for your viewing is the finished product. And I know...the audio sucks. Sorry.
I won't bother talking about ISIS, or former Raven Ray Rice, or Russian/Ukraine, or Ferguson, Missouri, or Joan Rivers and Betty White dying. Won't talk about how heartbroken I am at the guy in South Carolina who killed all five of his kids. Won't tell you how many people lost in the first week of my Survivor Pools (astronomical). Won't bring up the rant made by Gordon Hardy against the Pensacola Greyhound Poker room...pertaining mostly to the treatment of their players. I also won't get into the anniversary's of Hurricane Katrina or 9/11...and/or none of the conspiracy theories that are attached to the latter. You know? Like...what really happened to WTC building 7? I won't share with you how I was able to see the very-hard-to-find beheading videos of our two journalists in Syria, or the discussions I've had with a member of ISIS on Twitter..just to gain perspective on how these people operate, and what is going on in their brain. (all very riveting). I will tell you how sick I am of over-dramatic Shepherd Smith of Fox News...and specifically his overuse (ad nauseam) of the expression 'boots-on-the-ground.'
I will talk about poker! For the last few years, I've tended to run pretty bad in noon preliminaries, but then have cashed about 70% of the Main Events I've entered. I guess that could be considered a 'good' thing. But what it's led to is making me want to skip the first week of most events...then show up at the end...and play the last three events...so I don't drive myself crazy all week, kill my confidence, and go into the Main with a diminished state of mind.
Well, in the case of the IP Biloxi WSOP event...I'm on home turf...and with 35 points picked up in Palm Beach with the 6th place finish in the Main Event....I had no reason NOT to play every event that I can. Once upon a time I used to cash about everything I played at the IP. It's the place I picked up my one and only WSOP circuit ring (in Omaha 8 or better in 2010-a great year!) and also where I got my first outright win in a decent sized tourney...winning the 50k guarantee on Halloween in 2008 I think. There have been some good memories there for sure. So I always kind of look forward to playing events there.
Since it's the day of the Main Event...you will be spared a lot of the histrionics of each tourney that I've played this week...and will merely get an annotated summary. Event 1. $365. Oh...and every event has had about 125-150 entrants...very standard/typical for the events at the IP. I would love to see it draw better...but it just never does. In fairness, the big event is/was going on at Borgata at the same time...and while I would love to be up there playing for hundreds of thousands instead of 10's of thousands...it is nice to sleep in my own bed and be home.
I got deep in the first event, made the money...and with 13 left...and getting excited about a final table in my first tourney back in three years....I have a guy limp at 1500/3000 with 57...and 37,000 in his stack. The SB calls. And I have KQh in the big blind and 38,500...seemed like a no-brainer. All in. The guy CALLS and tells me "You're definitely ahead...but I like this hand." I expect to see like A6 or something and NOT actually be ahead....when I see 57 I'm scratching my head. The flop is clean....and the turn brings me a flush draw...but also gives him a gutshot....he needs a non-heart 6 on the river. Six of spades. And I'm out. Unreal. I just shook my head in disgust, collected my measly $600 or so...and went home.
Next event...another $365. I get deep again. And now...sitting on 136k with the average stack being 72k...I'm thinking there is no way I'm not making the final table in this one. At 1200/2400, this guy with 43,000 raises to 10,000 in early position. Huh!? Wow...but then I look down at AA. Nice! And as I look down the table I see three short stacks. Seems like a really nice spot to just call and hope someone shoves. I flat. No one shoves, or calls. The flop comes J-3-7....one spade. "Well, I guess I'm going to give you the rest of my chips, he says." I hate it when they say crap like that. Expecting to see pocket jacks...but hopefully QQ....I call. He turns over AK...of spades....about the best I could hope to see. Then two spades roll off the deck....flush. Wow. Gross. Hit number one.
Then the same guy calls my AQ raise from UTG. The flop comes A-Q-10. Nice. He checks. I bet 7500. He shoves all in. WTF? Tough fold but I fold face up. He is grinning and shows KJ. Just the nuts. Wow...thanks for shoving all in and letting me off the hook sir. And now...I am down around average. No cakewalk today I guess. And to be honest...I don't even remember how I went out now....but I busted 14th...again for not much money. But it was 2 cashes in two events...so that felt kind of good I suppose. And my points total was up to 42.5 in the National Freeroll.
Next up...after busting that tourney....I played the 3-flight 5pm tourney...needing to bag that night because I'd been informed by Squirrel that I couldn't play on Saturday...needing to take care of Carley. Well, I played long and deep...but busted near the end...then went and played cash game...all night. Totally lost track of time...getting a call from Squirrel at 8am asking where the hell I was. Wow! 8am!?? How did that happen? Must have been one helluva Omaha game...one in which I was way way stuck before rallying to get back most of my losses. Took Saturday off. And then Sunday as well.
Monday I was back for the 6-handed. I have never cashed in a 6-max. Ever. I'd bubbled one twice, and been close a few times...but never cashed. Until this week! I made the final table...and had a lot of people chirping about me being the favorite to win, given the lineup of players. I too liked my chances, but take nothing for granted. We went from 7 to 6 on the 3rd hand. Official final table now. But then we went for like 90 minutes before I eliminated the 6th place guy with my AK vs his 44...hitting a straight on him. And then....we played 5-handed for another eternity...and the structure started getting out of hand...which is what I was fearing. The coming of the Shove Fest! It arrived. And my 275k stack took the 'Big Hit' when the eventual winner, Rodney Sermons...raised on the button with A8...I found KK in the big blind and re-raised...but I guess not enough because he called. I led out on an ace-high flop....only to get called, and was probably done with the hand...until I turned a flush draw...I checked, and called his bet...which gave him two pair with the 8 of hearts. The river was a brick and I folded to his bet...frustrated.
He raised a few hands later and I felt like KJ was probably a good hand to go with, so I did...and got called by his AQ. And the board ran out all rags...and I busted 5th. Bummer. $2700. But a small degree of satisfaction. They would lose the next two players in 20 minutes. And the two heads up players only played about 20 more minutes. I was THAT close!
Well...as soon as I busted I had 7 minutes to get into the $240 Mega Satellite. So I bought in. I gambled on the first hand...and tripled up. I would later get AA cracked by JJ and flop a straight only to lose to a guy going runner runner with just top pair for a boat...but still survived...and ended up winning the seat! Yahtzee! A savings of $1400!!!!
And once that was over? I had mere minutes to get into the $130 7pm nightly...AKA the Nightly Shit Show. I got into that....with like 5 big blinds...and continued my good run. I made the money at 8 players....and they allowed us to play on the 'Disco Final Table' which the IP puts together on a lighted stage...it's really cool...and it was my THIRD appearance that day on that stage! I ended up busting out 4th....losing with AJ to AQ....for another $700...and what ended up being a really decent day. Not a GREAT day...but a decent day for sure. And in the Freeroll race...I now have 67.5 points...good for 12th Nationally! So a good run in the Main could really be sweet!
Oh! For all those naysayers who wanted to criticize my selection of the Minions this summer? Yeah...well...you fools can suck it! BJ McBrayer got 2nd in the biggest event of this series so far for $27,000. He also cashed the Main Event at the Beau Rivage last month...for another $15k. Josh Reichard? He's has only won a ring at this event...cashed a couple more...and is sitting in 2nd place for the race for Casino Champion. Yeah...a real slouch! Wild Bill Phillips hasn't gotten a chance to play every event...but the one he has played? He's gotten deep in them. And Kai Landry? Well...he has been too busy dealing with 'life issues' this week to come out and play. There are rumors floating around that we may see him for the Ladies Event on Sunday. So you BETTER respect Monkey's Minions...because they are doing work!!!! And as their 'handler' I too am holding my own!
Okay....time to go take a shower...then hopefully go keep this weeks 'run good' going!
MONKEY
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