Ohhhh okay, lets peel off a lil blog....

Suppose I can scrape together a few things to write about. First of all, my buddies at the website have reported some erroneous info. For starters, they mispelled Dwyte's last name. Its PILGRIM. Now, usually people mispell DWYTE, this was a first, seeing PILGRAM. Whoa. Secondly, never, ever did I mention that Dwyte and I had a 'piece' of each other. Not sure how that got bandied about. I had a piece of Christian Iacobellis...and Mike 'Carwash' Schneider. I paid one, and the other paid me. I came out slightly ahead on that deal. I wish like hell I had a piece of 'The Duke.' Oh and 'The Duke' is a nickname I tagged Dwyte with when we first met and hung out a little bit down in New Orleans two years ago. I felt like with a last name like Pilgrim, it was a natural. Now for those who are too young to remember John Wayne, forget you read this and just move on to the next topic.

Anyway, Christian took 10th. Lee Childs, another guy I am pretty friendly with and who I really like a lot, went out in 9th, so my only rooting interest left was 'The Duke.' Maybe that was the confusion...people thought when I said 'rooting interest' it meant I had a piece of him. Nope. Just wanted him to win cuz I like that fool.

I got knocked out when I got locked into one of those terrible 'under 10 bb' shoving situations. Where I screwed up was earlier...trying hard to make good folds, convinced that my big cards and big double ups were on the horizon. A guy with half my stack shoved on the button against my SB when I had KQ...I had 85k and he shoved 47k. I labored over it before folding. He told me he had 78d later. Damn! Then when the two maniacs at the table got into another shooting match, I folded AQ behind all their raise, re-raise action. Last year's Borgata champion, Olivier Busquet eventually (after the 4th re-raise) showed a QJ bluff (assuming the other guy had that beat!) before raking a huge pot...and I was kicking myself for not getting my stack in against the guy.

So I ended up shipping pocket 6's...and the guy in the SB...who was drinking with me, shoves all in...with KJ...and makes (not sure how) the guy in the BB fold AK suited. Wow. So, even if KJ guy had folded, I'm sure the BB would have called me. One of the two remaining Kings hit the flop...and I was out. But with the cameras running on us, I made sure to handle it with as much class as possible.

Speaking of drinking...this is something you will all be able to share in my anger over. You all know that when I make the money its what? You got it. Red Snapper time! Correct? So when I get the waitress' attention (finally) when we got inside of 100 players, I requested 3 red snappers for me and two other players at the table. Turns out, as she told me 20 minutes later...they didn't have amaretto and thus couldn't make them.

We have crossed this little path once before. In New Orleans 3 years ago. It doesnt happen anymore down there. Its kind of a systematic thing that is usually easy to repair. Its like this:

The poker tournament bar is set up with a limited menu of items. Fair enough. We get that. If you want something outside of that menu, you are either (a) fucked, (b) forced to go onto the gaming floor, or (c) needing to be in possession of a 7-Star card if you are at a Harrah's property. But as someone who worked in the beverage industry, as well as the restaraunt industry, I have insider knowledge. First, I know that a bottle of Amaretto di Saronno is around $30 a bottle. And we call that a call brand, or even a premium. However, a bottle of well amaretto, tends to go for about $6.50. Sometimes even less. This is not a liquor cost-killer.

So in past experiences with casinos that didn't happen to be carrying any amaretto in their 'poker room setup' I usually just ask for the beverage manager. And they always seem to pop right out. And when I calmly and politely explain the importance of the amaretto to the situation, and its bearing on my ability to win, and the abundance of gratuities about to come the way of their staff...they are usually only too pleased to make a bottle of amaretto appear. A lot of the time, the missing ingredient has been Crown Royal. The same speech has usually resulted in the same outcome when its the Crown, also. I mean...it all seems so simple, right?

Well, apparantly, the guy from The Borgata was inpenetrable. I hope I spelled that right, and if not...I don't care. he could NOT be penetrated! I made my presentation, very calm, cool and collected-like...and he looks me in the face and tells me:

"I am sorry, but we are unable to accomodate you. We have a limited bar up here, and amaretto is not on it. We can offer you other items, but nothing with amaretto in it."

I was kind of stunned, but at the same time pissed. We had cameras all over our table watching this. I did an impromptu plug on camera for Crown Royal. I then politely, but sarcastically explained that I had been stymied in my attempts to get an 'in the money' Red Snapper.

It was at that time that I got a sinking feeling. Things just weren't going the way they were supposed to. No, I didn't let it get into my head...so hold your comments...yes I'm talking to YOU John Abbondanza! But when things interrupt the flow of victory, you can't help but notice it. And to that guy who runs the Borgata beverage department? You're an imbecile. I tipped your waitstaff over $500 during the week...and here we are in the money of the Main Event...where the winner will pocket $750,000...and you can't make a freaking $5 bottle of well amaretto appear? Nice customer service pal! I guess they can't all be Robbie Oster (who used to be Bev Manager at Harrah's New Orleans) or Bruce McAllister (Beverage Manager at Beau Rivage) who just happen to GET IT!

In an effort to stave off the imminent disaster, Mike Hallen...from Houston and a regular reader and fellow 'deep runner' hustled downstairs and procurred two rounds of Snappers...the first one at his cost, which I had to inform him was much appreciated but stupid. Simply sit at a slot machine and 'go thru the motions' for a freebie, or slip $5 into a video poker game at the bar. At any rate...thanks for the attempted 'Mariano Rivera-like' save Mikey!

I also managed to figure out another huge reason for why the dealers at the Borgata suck so bad. Yeah...we investigated and discovered that the full-time dealers were making $16 an hour...and that the 'blue-shirt part timers' were making $10 an hour...and we all loved how they milked as many hours from them as possible, before a near revolt from the pro players resulted in nothing but brown-shirted dealers working Day 3 and beyond. Wow. That was maybe the longest sentence ever, right?

Last year, there was no 3% withheld. After a lot of lobbying, they got New Jersey Gaming to approve it this year...so this year it represented $100,000 and change that was withheld, and on the payouts it said 'Dealer share' even though we know that the dealers didn't really get all of that. When you lost...they handed you a number...which you would take to the back counter...where they would fill out a form, and a tax statement...but not give you any money there. Nope...you had to carry that all downstairs to the Main Cage...where THEY would pay you out. Never were we asked for a tip for the staff, not at the back desk where all the paperwork was done, or at the cage where we got paid. And from playing poker for 7 years now, I know that poker players are some of the cheapest bastards around. Most of them tip when confronted with it...more out of guilt than generosity. Granted, there are some who feel we are already getting raped with the rake and the automatic dealer 'appreciation tip' for extra playing chips and just WON'T tip anymore at payout...but the majority WILL tip if confronted with 'The Box!'

But at Borgata? No box. No confrontation. And most likely a big fat ZERO for the dealers...which, if you know anything about 'trickle-down' economics, results in nothing but a diminishing product, aka...good dealers. The less they make, the worse you get. The more they make, the better they get.

And in a last shot...I decided to play a farewell nightly tourney after getting busted, one in which I would put a bounty on myself, and take heads up last longers with 5 seperate players...two of whom I outlasted, and three of whom I paid. When I went to register, for a tourney that started at 7pm...it was 7:30 and there were exactly 36 people in line...and ONE woman working the registration desk. A near riot broke out...with screaming and yelling. I was just laughing at the ridiculousness. Finally, I went back to the back counter to talk to someone I knew, and tipped them off to the situation out there in the hall. They promised to get someone else out there...and after about 15 minutes, finally, someone did show up. So now there were 2 people. I finally got to my table in the middle of level 3. Fantastic.

Gosh...almost forgot this one. No wait. There is actually a lot more. How silly of me to forget. Carwash left the morning after I was put out. I gave him his piece he was due from me. But our room reservation was up...so I had to go down and get it renewed for two more nights. Found out something pretty sick. For every day you stay there, they charge you $150 a DAY for what they call a 'security deposit'...so for a stay of 10 days...yeah, $1150 in advance. I have been home now for 4 days, that $300 is still not back in my account. Safe to say, these people are running a little money hedge scam...where they are using customers money the way banks do on 3 to 5 day holds on checks. Its bullshit. Its just another reason to hate New Jersey.

I was unable to find a reasonable flight out of Atlantic City...so I started looking into flying out of Philly. Found a good fare and booked it. But I booked it only after asking the Concierge at Borgata how I go about getting to Philly airport.

"Oh, very simple. There is a van service (called TROPIANO...avoid them at all costs!) who you simply call and schedule your trip with. They require a 12-hour advance notice. Cost is $40."

So I was excited. The taxi to the airport in AC was $20...but to get to Phillly was only $40? Awesome.

Or was it? When I booked my plane ticket, I then called to book my shuttle. It was 18 hours prior to my flight. Some guido answers the phone and tells me:

"Uhhh...yeah, its kind of too late. And I don't have any other passengers going there, so its not possible for us to take you."

"I thought I only needed 12 hour notice? And how many people do you need to make it 'worth it' to you guys?"

"Yeah...I guess you are okay on the time...but we don't have anyone else going. We need to have at least 3 passengers to make that trip."

So I offered to pay for 3 tickets for the ride. Pretty common sense answer coming to that one, right? Nope. Wrong. He still refused. I couldn't believe this buffoon.

So how did I get to the airport? Well, I only had one option. Hire the Borgata's limo to take me. Cost? $217. Wonderful. It was kind of nice though, since the driver was an older gentleman, very cool guy...and after sleeping only three hours after staying out with the boys for drinks and then ordering enough room service to feed a family of 17 starving Ethiopians...I was dead tired. I laid out in the back seat and slept all the way to Philly. The flight to Atlanta SUCKED. Fucking Delta and their little sick joke on us passengers is about to make me lose my mind. I mean...do they think that all their passengers are 5'4 and 135 lbs? I shouldn't have to go to the chiropractor every time I de-board a Delta flight. Or have to go buy new luggage. But I do. I hate you Delta, I hate you...I hate you so much I imagine that if I ever end up going to hell when I die...there will be a Delta flight attendant there explaining to me where all the un-exitable exits are located.

I did get a really nice lady on my plane who was in the Air Force...who's husband had just suffered a heart attack and she was rushing home to see him. She ended up giving me a ride home from the airport, as Squirrel had to work that night. I paid for part of her parking and fillled her gas tank...yeah, it cost me more than a cab would have...but hell, I felt like helping out someone who obviously appreciated it. And I got to avoid another hellacious experience with a cab driver. Any of you who know me, know that I hate cabs. HATE THEM. Almost as much as flying Delta.

Hmmm...what else? Played some online poker this weekend. It did not go well. Why would it? Its amazing just how badly the players get it in online. And why I keep going back to keep trying. I mean...you play live tourneys for a month, and find success, and feel good about your game, and spend two or three weeks accepting praise from everyone...then you go online, lose all your confidence, and get rattled over what you know is probably a 15 year old telling you how bad you suck. Then those words from my wife start rattling around in my head:

"If it's so bad...why do you keep playing on there?"

And in one word...I respond to her. "The Value" and only that reason. And I don't care how much I win in live tourneys...I will NEVER take my limits to stupid heights online. I can't. I just have no faith in it. I then went and made a Facebook status update...that got quite a response from people.

"Playing online poker on Sunday is sort of like being invited out to a night of partying with your wife and her hot friends. You have all these dreams and expectations of where it might end up, but at the end its just one gigantic buzz kill."

I think, in my opinion, that we can almost all agree with this line, no?

Nice blown chip shot FG Garrett Hartley. I think your luster is beginning to wear off. Thanks Seahawks for not blowing another late lead. It feels good to see you in 1st place again. Thanks KC Chiefs for blasting the 49'ers and their asshole coach, Mike Singletary. Anyone see the interview with him last week? The interviewer ended up getting re-assigned over it. While doing nothing wrong. Singletary is just a prick, and I hope he loses every damn game this season! Great game between Bama and Arkansas yesterday, had Squirrel on the verge of a nervous breakdown. Thank you Arizona State for that late night, back-door cover too...can't tell you how much I appreciated that one!

I wasnt there to watch her freak out...because I decided to take up Mike Teller's offer and drive over to Pensacola and play their end of the month 20k Guarantee at the Pensacola Greyhound Track...which now has poker. The highlight of my trip was watching my first dog race. It was hilarious...watching them chase a sock around the track for one lap. The tourney? I was dedicated to trying to at least make it 6 levels...didn't want Mike to feel bad for deciding to stake me in the thing. Did I need a stake? No, obviously, but Mike has had a lousy year, getting ripped off by a guy and trying hard to recover from it, and nothing would have made me happier than snapping off a nice little score and handing him half of it. But things would not go my way. And honestly, after watching just 10 hands, I had a bad feeling that my fate was already decided when I got in my car back in Biloxi.

At 50/100...the normal play was to raise to anywhere from 600 to 1000 preflop and then check all the way to the river and still win with their AK. Ridiculous. So when I looked at AQ in the SB on a limped pot 6-ways, I figured raising would be stupid. The flop came A-3-Q. Nice flop. Decided to check raise one of the idiots. The last idiot bet. I raised. They all folded except him. The flop carried one spade. The turn was the 3 of spades. Well, if this guy called me with A3 he was getting all my chips. I now bet big. He just calls. Hmmm...lovely. River was the 5 of spades. I shipped my last 2500. (we started with 7500 chips). He called and turned over AJ. I thought I had just doubled up when I heard the dealer say "Flush" and did a double take. Oh fuck! Wow...backdoor flushed me. Awesome. And I was done.

Sat down at a 1/2 game, next to Ben Chan...and won enough to pay for my gas over there before I became so bored I couldn't stand it anymore. Saw a lot of guys over there I know...but, and not to sound like a jerk, most of them were people I remember for all the wrong reasons. I don't think I will be going back over there. Just makes no sense to make that drive to try and win a shade under 10k.

So I am in the parking lot, getting my laptop ready for the drive home...finding a college football game on XMRadio...and BOOM! I get knocked into my dash. What the fuck!

Oh...this older guy...African American...and appearing slightly drunk...thought he was going to make it into the parking spot, only he didnt. He took a chunk out of the back corner of my car. Seriously? Nice trip. We exchanged information...although his was a bit sketchy, and I totally expect none of it to check out when I call on it tomorrow or the next day. Whatever.

Went on a shopping spree Saturday...first to Wal-Mart for groceries (yeah...I went YARD!) and then to Best Buy. Got some goodies over there, both for me and the Squirrel. Let me just say...if I am smarter than most of the people who work there, why do they even bother trying to pretend they are offering people assistance? More than anything, they are just getting in the way.

I am very happy for my backer. Her faith in me is renewed. And when she is happy, I am happy! She has had a pretty rough year..dealing with lots of family crap. And my up and down bad year. So she is rewarding herself with a trip to Florence, Italy with her girlfriend for a month. Thats pretty awesome.

Okay...I think that is probably enough for now. We are over at Gabe and Claudia's right now, where Claudia made everyone dinner (and I must say, it was delicious) and now they are all playing cards while Gabe and I have been sitting on the couch watching the Jets beat Miami and dicking around on our computers. Yeah, we are the introverted ones at this party. It's 1am and I am ready to go home to my dogs. Good luck pulling Squirrel outa here!

Talk to y'all later!

Monkey

Drunk and Completely Irrelevant Thoughts....by Monkey

Welcome. It's 5:20am.

I just ordered enough food from room service to feed a family of 17 in Nicaragua. Why? N0 idea. It all looked good.

This will be a post containing...I'm almost certain...NO poker references.

Just spent 4 hours enjoying beverages of alcoholic content with my friend...yes friend...after a trying period of 52 minutes where I was questioning that label...Christian...in which I was presented with the challenge of dealing with 2 guys I kind of like and 3 complete strangers from today's final table who wanted to do nothing but talk about poker hands...while Christian and I stayed off to the side talking about stuff in life that is actually, for a lack of a better word....INTERESTING...and/or thought provoking.

Question number 1. When you eat French Onion soup...and that cheese is melted and then stuck to the side of the bowl; do you do everything you can to erradicate all of that cheese from the side of the bowl and eat it?

Question Number 2. Am I the only one who finds the only woman in America to be more annoying, in a political sense...than Sarah Palin...is this Christine McDonnel from whatever state she is from? Or is it O'Donnel? She is like that cute little 8 yr old, who stands up and reads her essay, and some teacher tells her..."you are going to be something really amazing. Don't let anyone try to kill your dreams. You can be anything you want, Christine."

Um Christine? I have news for you. You are a joke. Watching you struggle through your horribly written speech...and stumble all over it and mispronounce words only makes you more pathetic than you already are. I don't care if you are a MILF...that yeah, if I was stranded in space and you suddenly appeared in my capsule that I would do everything imagineable to make sure you didnt walk straight for a week...you are not a political leader. You are not even KIND OF qualified to make or influence governmental policy. Which one was it? Drill team or cheerleader? Please....marry rich and leave us all the fuck alone. The nation demands it.

And Sarah? Please run for President so you can lose in a landslide, go back to college, lose your stupid Alaska/Wisconsin accent and come back 4 years later and get slaughtered again. The real joke is on all those 50-s0mething, 40-90 lbs overweight perverts paying $1000 a plate to show up to your stupid fundraising dinners featuring oil-tainted shrimp, salmonella-infested devilled eggs, and ecoli ravaged tuna tartare . For $11.25 I can take you to Waffle House, my treat, and fill you will the inspiration and hope that only a Monkey can bring to a politically charged debate. Tea Party? I would like to introduce to America the Red Snapper Party.

One of the sponsors of this poker tournament was Red Bull. They had a big, gigantic logo being projected up on the wall of the poker room. So we all got free Red Bull. Today, they relocated all poker tourney activities downstairs to the cash poker room. Why? Because the WPT was building their always incredibly impressive Final table 'arena' in the convention room. So downstairs...when you ordered a Red Bull...guess what they told you?

"we don't have Red Bull. It's not available to the poker room."

Hmmm.....if I am the CEO of Red Bull who decided to invoice the Borgata with 50 to 100 free cases of Red Bull for the right to promote their event...and my players in the last three tables are told that by a waitress with an attitude, I pretty much wash my hands of any future involvement.

Anyone see that asshole President from Iran on the Larry King show tonight? It was like I was watching Pee-Wee Herman in an adult theatre trying to explain to the usher why his pants were down. " No-no...I got these new boxer briefs today, and I wasn't used to the tight fit."

The Democratic candidate from the state of Delaware? His name is Chris Coons. I think that is funny. He is the guy running against Punky Brewster all grown up.

How many games out of 1st place are the Pittsburgh Pirates?

If you get on a city bus headed for downtown...and you got on the wrong bus, how long after you realize it do you think it will take before you get on the right bus heading in the right direction? I'm guessing you will be late for your job interview at Denny's.

I have a safe in my hotel room if anyone would like to come rob me. You still have 4 hours.

Why would anyone EVER buy grapes that have seeds when there are a more than adequate supply of seedless grapes?

Why did the rainbow become the official symbol of gay people? I don't get it.

How does Ben Affleck keep getting serious acting roles?

Was Keanu Reeves not available?

It's 5:49am...how many inches is that ball away from Jasper's mouth right now, do ya think?

Three things I am going to purchase/procure when I win my first million. A share of a personal jet. A full time on-call massage therapist...and a person to pack all my shit for me. Both before I leave home...and when I have to leave to come home. Packing sucks. And so does flying coach. And knots in the neck and shoulders.

I would like to thank Borgata for doing business with Coca-Cola and NOT Pepsi.

Here we go...an attempt at 3 hours of sleep. I hate you Glenn Beck!

Monkey

Borgata Outcome

Yea...I got busted 63rd, for $9300...and it was a bummer, but I had no regrets. It was a good tourney for me. I had a great time, met some great new players, watched some outstanding poker played at my table...and still have a rooting interest in my friends Christian 'Da Professional' Iacobellis, Dwyte 'the Duke' Pilgrim, and Lee Childs. I will give y'all more details on how yesterday played out in a later post.

For now, I just woke up after a very refreshing 8 hour night of sleep. Carwash caught an early morning flight and is outa here. That is my 3rd excellent roomie experience in a row. Mike is a great guy. I played $1/$2 last night while waiting for Christian to end his night. I thoroughly abused my table...buying in for $300 and cashing out for $1350. Some would think I wouldn't want to leave it, especially since no on on the table had more than $400 when I left...but after a while I get so freaking bored with cash game.

So Christian and I and his friend Mike went to B-Bar and had two drinks, talked about the night...and about today when he goes back, and called it a night.

There is a $230 tourney today that I am going to go down and dabble in while I shuttle back and forth and check on my buddies.

Once again...to the huge number of you who sent along your best wishes to me yesterday during the event, I really really appreciate it. It was a great run, made all the more enjoyable by you readers who 'had my back!'

Monkey

Okay Monkey Nation, your donkey here is IN THE MONEY in Atlantic City! Time to go to work now! Thanks for all the love!

BOOM!!! Down to 37k. UTG raises. Chipleader re-raises, I have KK. 3 way all in vs QQ and AK. I hold! 122k. 3 til money!

End of 1st level. Got a lucky double up on the river and now have 112k. Goin to 2500/5000. 135 remain.

Good Morning....seat assignments

Not sure why it takes them so damn long to get this posted, but it does. I tossed and turned all night. Anxiety I guess. Turns out there aren't 175 left...but 165...which only drives up the average stack even more! Oh then realized I misreported by stack. Isn't 88,500 but 84,500...so I don't have 22 BB's, I have 21!

CLICK HERE FOR the seat assignments and chip counts.

I have a most interesting table draw. First off, I am in seat 5, which I DO love! Seated in the 3 seat...or the button to my BB, is my good buddy Christian, which should make things very, very interesting! Also at my table is a guy I've gotten pretty chummy with, and who has an excellent game, Steve Karp. And then...we have last year's defending champion, Olivier Busquet. So there should be a lot of cameras buzzing about.

To my immediate left is a guy who is even shorter than I am on chips.

I am not feeling hopeless, not at all. Just have to go in, relax...be patient, and find a double up. One double up and I am good to go. And hey, if I lose...I lose. I have had a pretty great trip. This is the third consecutive Main Event in the last month that I have gotten deep in and outlasted 85% or more of the field...so I feel real good about my game right now. But am I dying to final table this sucker? Oh hell yes, you KNOW I am.

Look down the list...there are some damn fine players left in this thing. I love it! Nothing gets me fired up like playing with world class poker players! This should be a very exciting day! Keep your shout outs coming....I love 'em!

Monkey

End of Day 2 Recap....

Okay...lets do this, before I fall asleep from exhaustion. One thing is for sure about these Main Events...by the time you get to the end of the day, you are incredibly exhausted, mentally. More so than in regular noon tourneys.

[and my kneecap is still throbbing from slamming it into that damn pole that we have all drilled about 100 times in our poker career!]

There is more pressure, there is more thinking, the stakes are higher...the players are usually better. Every move is critical. One big mistake can be so costly. And then there is that critical moment when you have to decide to make a HUGE call...or those times when you have to decide whether to throw that monster bluff.

Today was very, very long. I came in with 108k. I had a very good table for chipping up. Mike Beasley was the only player I had any real experience with...and frankly, whom I was worried about. And he was the only one close to me in chips. I really don't want to get into a lot of hand talk...but I will just say that I hovered between 110k and 130k for 4 levels. Would it have been nice to get up to 200+? Sure. But the situation just didn't present itself, and frankly, to stay above average was kind of my goal. The last thing I wanted to do was try to force the action and screw myself in the process.

On the last hand before dinner break, Mike Beasley raised to 5200 UTG. (blinds at 800/1600). I looked down at AK....grrrrr, hate that spot. But I called, on the button. Nancy Tyner also called in the BB. The flop comes out A-K-Q...and Mike fires out 11,500. Hmmm. Screw around here, get cute and run the risk of getting drilled? Or play it safe and raise big? I decide to raise to 32,000. Nancy folds. And Mike deliberates, and tells me he thinks I must have QQ...and folds AQ. I show him AK...drag the pot, chip up to 146k and went to get some sushi with Christian Iacobellis, who I have a 10% save with on a cash and 5% save with on a final table...and who started pretty low and went on a monster tear to finish with almost 400k.

We only played two levels after dinner break, just like in Day 1, which I was grateful for...since I was super tired from staying out way too late last night. I won't make that stupid mistake again. Granted...there were about 40 other players doing the same thing...so at least I wasn't alone in stupid-land.

I really liked our table...had some good players, and some very cool people at it, so when they broke our table with less than an hour in the night...I was kind of bummed. I took my 155k to a new table. And on the second orbit, the shit would hit the fan.

This guy in the 2 seat...who I won't disparage, but who I kind of had a negative feel for, raises to 7500. He gets called by the 3 seat who is sitting on 400k and who seems like he is getting involved in a LOT of hands. Then...it happens. This guy just shoves 75k. What the hell? And in the small blind, guess what I look down at? AKs. Shit.

What to do, what to do? I think we can all assume this guy does NOT have AA or KK. He has been mumbling about being short...although short is not even close. But people get obsessed with the average, and think they MUST catch up to it. The one thing that was bugging me...was that the other two raisers could be using up my outs. Another thing that was bugging me was giving up half of my hard earned stack to a guy who just happened to be wearing a damn STL baseball cap. Yep...a friggin 'Louie!!!!' I mean, on the basis of that alone, I should have just insta-mucked.

Then I started thinking about what beating this guy would do for my stack. Putting me around 250k at the end of the day, with a great shot a deep run. Plus...having just made a great score two weeks ago...my mind isn't really on cashing for $6700, but for putting myself in position to win $750,000 and changing my whole life. So in the end, I decided to go for it. I called.

After the other two folded, he flipped over JJ. Damn. Really...I honestly felt like I might have seen AQ. Nothing on the flop...and he turned a Jack, which sealed that deal...and now I was sitting there with 68k and hating my call. And hating my stack. And suffering with that feeling we all know too well...when you watch half your stack fly away. And all the self-loathing begins.

[that guy would end up donking off almost all the chips he took from me, raising UTG once with 22...nice...and having to fold when I re-popped him with AKc...then overbetting 66 and running into a guy with KK]

But I kept it together...picked up a couple of big hands after that...and managed to get 20k back...so that when we were all finished, I had 88k. I think back to Biloxi, how I lost more than half of my stack when the guy rivered a flush on me...which crushed my spirit. But on the drive home that night I decided to really commit myself to grinding back my small stack and doing something special, which inevitably, I ended up doing. So you know what? With 88k...and 20 BB's (a little more) I have just as good a chance to come back as I did in that one. I just need to go back focused, well-rested, and hope I get a decent table draw. Then be patient, and smart...and hope for a little luck.

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Want to know what kind of pisses me off? You look on www.worldpokertour.com and they list the live updates. And chip counts. I don't even show up. When I was in the top 30 in chips...I was nowhere to be found. And yet, you will see these people who have under 10 career cashes, but then there they are. I don't know what the qualifiers are to be mentioned. Oh well...whatever, I guess all it will take is a televised final table...and I won't ever have to sweat it again. The other thing I can't stand is how they insist on listing you as your name appears on your Borgata player's card. And oh...to the reader who left a comment 'clueing me in' as to Tiffany's 'real' last name...dude, obviously I figured that out....GRAHAM...since I told y'all how many chips she went back with. :)

Another thing that is really pissing me off is that they are still using these fucking moron dealers who have absolutely NO BUSINESS dealing in a Main Event. TEMPS. Who are working over more experienced dealers because they can pay them less. Where they are now allowed to deduct 3% of the prize pool, and they weren't a year ago...shouldn't we be rewarded with their best dealers.

Couple of incidents from today:

Guy raises to 2250. Another player calls. The Big Blind decides to re-raise and puts 7200 out. The dealer says to him...."Sir that is too much, the bet is only 2250."

It's time to color up the green chips. I have bought up the table's chips. Everyone has left for break. I am waiting for this bozo to do the race off so I can leave too. But this clown is breaking down his decks...counting his cards. I ask him if he can please do the race off. "We don't do it, I have to wait for the floor to come and do it."

Now I look around the room and see three other dealers doing the race off.

"Um, dude...I really don't think so, especially since these other dealers are doing it. Also...there are 55 tables...you really think the floor is going to EACH freaking table and conducting the race off? It will take 2 hours!"

On top of it, he admitted he had no idea what 'the race off' was or how to do it.

HOLY SHIT!

Luckily, another dealer pushed him and conducted the race off, and I got to enjoy 3 minutes of my 15 minute break.

85% of the dealers think its standard when a player raises to immediately announce the AMOUNT of the raise...instead of just announcing 'RAISE' as they are supposed to do.

A couple of the dealers like to immediately put their hands on the stacks of all-in players, and give an instant amount...huge no-no...until the player whose turn it is, asks for a count.

Its just one thing after another, and you try to be patient...but hell, we are playing for $750,000 and we deserve better. It is very, very frustrating, and it doesnt have to be like this.

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Okay, I know you are all waiting for this: The Tiffany Michelle encounter that everyone was talking about last night. Prior to her arriving at the B-Bar last night, I was talking to Maria Ho and Esther Taylor about her. And it was an interesting conversation. And to sum it up, they admitted that there are things about her that are, well...you know, undesireable, but that she is 'not a bad person and is just misunderstood' and that I should give her a chance.

Even though, technically, I already have before. So she arrives. Maria mockingly introduces her to me.

"yeah, unfortunately I know who he is!"

But it wasn't ugly...and I decided, okay, I am going to attempt to bridge the gap with this girl. Even if my 'take' on her is totally negative, and I have very little respect for her. But the fact that two girls that I do actually like and care about asked me to cut her some slack...I thought I would take the high road, and try, at least.

So we talked. Or tried to. I made her an offer. Granted, I don't consider myself to be the messiah of building a good image...so please, hold the comments that might suggest that I think I am something amazing in that department. However...I was, or am, pretty certain that a little private sit down with her...with her actually paying attention, would, or could result in her maybe changing her act a little bit.

So I told her..."If you would let me lock you up in a room for one hour...I think I could seriously help you repair your image!"

"Why would I trust you to lock me up in a room?"

"Um...Tiff, first of all, I am not the least bit attracted to you. Secondly, pretty sure you remember my beautiful wife from Vegas. You aren't threatening to replace her in any way. My offer to you...is simply predicated on your friends asking me to give you a chance. I, as a player who travels to a LOT of events, and has pretty good relationships with a LOT of the players...just happen to know people's true feelings about you. What you probably aren't able to get through your thick head, is that people will act a certain way around you...say all the right things around you...then bash you behind your back. Is it fair? Maybe. Maybe not. People say shitty things about me all the time...or used to at least. I've been seriously working on my own self image this year...so I kind of know a few things about this topic. And I think the way you act at the table and some of the things you do and say away from the table just rub people the wrong way. And like I said...an hour or two with me, alone in a locked room so you can't get flustered and bolt out...and I could change you!"

{please understand, I wasn't suggesting literally locking each other in a room, it was more a figure of speech, to get my point across, and we were also drinking lots and lots of Patron....uh oh...that evil Patron again!!!}

Well, she wasn't too crazy about this idea. And furthermore, she refused to acknowledge that people don't like her. That ANYONE dislikes her. I think, or got the impression that she truly thinks that she is the most adored female poker player on the planet. What do they call that? Oh...wait...its coming to me....mmmmm....DELUSIONAL? Yeah I think that's the word. And when she tried vigorously to sell this idea to me, I just gave up. Fortunately I was in the company of others who heard her, and the reaction from them was pretty much the same as mine.

"Well...okay then. I am OUT!!!!"

She busted early in Day 2 today. So we won't be seeing her on TV on the final table...calling clock on someone when she's not in the hand...citing her dwindling stack despite having 50 BB's....or rolling her finger around in a circle over her chips when an opposing player asks for a count of her chips while they are heads up in a hand. Or watching her savagely root against the sole remaining female in the tournament so that she can be numero uno chicaroo still standing. Nope, we will miss all of those things. Dammit!

Yeah....everyone loves you Tiff. Maybe someday you will pull your head out of the sand and figure it out.

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I am now going to pass out. If you heard the story about the fighting and shenanigans that took place today...they were all true. The guy running up and down the aisles screaming and hollering "SHIP IT, SHIP IT...SHIPPPP IT" really happened. Matt Stout and Allan Bari were at each other's throats all day. Confirmed by each of their Twitter posts. Which...speaking of which, Carwash...who had a torturous day, losing with KK numerous times...just running terribly in general, and finally busting right before dinner break...made a pretty good point about players and their Twitter posts. A lot of times you can search for their posts...and find out a lot about how they are playing, the hands they are playing, how they are betting....etc, etc. etc. Giving out a lot of information for all of us to read, that maybe they shouldn't be. I started scanning those, and found it was pretty interesting, if not necessarily helpful.

And then there was 'THE LADY.' I first noticed this lady yesterday...when around 6pm, she came strolling into the poker room, cursing like a sailor with her female friend. Just walking up and down the aisles swearing about this, that and the other thing. Very thick NY accent. It was gross. Then look over and see her chatting with another player...who was sporting a bit of a guido look. Nice. Well...she ends up down at B-Bar last night...and was clamouring around the people I was with. Hmmmm...one of the guys told me she was just kind of poker-groupie, not married or dating one of the players. At one point last night she invited someone to grab her big, gigantic breast. Um, I should add....she is a bit, ahem...heavy, so it wasn't like a big treat for that person.

Well...I didn't really have anything against her per se, other than she is not the kind of 'people' that my wife and I would ever, ever want to hang out with. So a fracas breaks out in the middle of Level 4 today. And guess who was involved? I got the details later. Something that started with two players...the 'SHIP IT' screamer and the victim of that hand...argueing about the guy being a jerk...her happening along, asking one of the guys if he was Jewish, then having an actual Jewish player at the table getting up and blasting her about it...which then prompted her to yell right back. The whole room stood up and watched the shouting match between this guy and this lady. It was insane. Eventually she was evicted from the building by security. Good riddance. And Mr. "Ship It' would get busted before the night was over. Crazy day.

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So...here we go. Day 3. Half the average. No idea of my table draw yet. 75 to go to the money, though $6700 is obviously NOT my goal. I want a house for my wife and I. I want to start a family together. I want a little freaking poker respect from the mainstream poker community that will come with a deep, deep run in the WPT event. Not that I don't LOVE the respect I get from all of you who follow my play and my antics and this blog...because I totally do. And the ridiculous number of hits in the last 48 hours? Unreal! I truly appreciate it. Also, thanks a ton for all the incredibly supportive Facebook shout outs and the text messages I've recieved. I am obviously excited for tomorrow, but in a way that I was down at the Beau Rivage...in which I am now the underdog, unlike last night, when I went to bed in the top 30 of around 700 players or so. Did that feel good? Sure. But I wasn't embracing it with any real sense of accomplishment. What I WILL relish, is if I go in tomorrow, catch some breaks, play smart...and chip up, cash, and make another deep run.

Its months like this one that really make me love what I do for a living. And furthermore...its been another really fun trip, in which I have met a lot of really great people. I hope I can report back some great news for y'all tomorrow!

GOOD NIGHT!

MONKEY

And the disaster. With 40 mins left in the night, UTG raises, gets called, shortty shoves. Me AsKs. Him JJ. Holds. Shit. 68k now.

Another level in the book, one more tonite. 200 players left and I'm right at avg with 155k. No disasters!